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Cypress Bay High School • 18600 Vista Park Blvd., Weston, Florida 33332 • Vol 18, Issue 2 • November 2018

Baychella Homecoming Week 2018

Spirit Week

S to r y o n P a g e 5

The Bay’s Student Government Association created dress-up days for Spirit Week based on music festivals, including SunFest, Rolling L o u d , L o l l a p a l o o z a a n d L i f e i n C o l o r. S p i r i t W e e k a l s o i n c l u d e d a Halloween dress-up day for students to wear costumes.

Pep Rally

S to r y o n P a g e 5

Clubs and classes showed off their floats at the annual Homecoming Pep Rally on Nov. 2 on the football field. Grade levels faced off against each other in different competitions, such as tug-of-war and relay races. Freshmen decked out in blue, sophomores in green, juniors in red and seniors in black for the “color war” competition.

Baychella Music Festival

S to r y o n P a g e 7

The Bay’s new homecoming music festival experience, called Baychella, took place on Nov. 3. For the first time in years, the dance took place on the Bay’s campus. The event featured food trucks, DJs and carnival slides. Students had the choice to dress up in traditional homecoming attire or music festival inspired outfits.

FEATURES SPORTS

13

Seniors vote for the first time in the midterm elections.

28

The Bay’s sports teams raise breast cancer awareness.

A&E

OPINION

33 43

Baychella theme leads to new homecoming attire.

Social media plaftorms interfere with users’ privacy.

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NOVEMBER 2018

INTERNATIONAL FEST International Fest stimulates culture through student-run booths in the courtyard on Oct. 25.

BY HANNAH SHULBY

The Bay’s Promoting Relationships in Diversity Through Education (PRIDE) club held its annual International Festival on Oct. 25 during all lunches to showcase cultures from around the world. Senior Brandon Chin said this day celebrates the diversity of students at the Bay and helps bring people from different backgrounds together.

“I love that our school dedicates a day to celebrating diversity; International Fest has always been one of my favorite events,” Chin said. “It’s important to be proud of one’s own culture, but also to learn more about another.”

Classes and clubs participated in the festival by representing an assigned country with a booth. Students were tasked with decorating the booths, running activities and serving traditional foods.

Freshman Montse Navarrete helped work the Panama booth as a part of an assignment from her AICE Spanish class.

“Seeing all the booths come together shows how our hard work and effort into making the [Panama] booth paid off,” Navarrete said. “Every class worked hard to make their booth unique to the country.”

Along with the booths, students participated in cultural p er for ma nces throughout the day. Chin said he chose to represent his Chinese heritage by performing a Kung Fu martial arts routine.

He said he was thankful for the opportunity to show his classmates a part of who he is.

“It felt great to share Kung Fu with the school,” Chin said. “I feel that Asian cultures are typically underrepresented in the Western world, so I was grateful for the opportunity to perform.”

World History teacher Glen Wolff said he instructed his students to write about the festival. He said he hoped this assignment would pique students’ interests in learning about the world. He said the festival gives students a chance to expand their knowledge of other countries and use it to their advantage.

“We live in a multicultural global environment where being fluent in

PHOTOS BY DEVIN PABIAN

PHOTO BY HEATHER DENNIS

RAISE YOUR FLAG: (From top) junior Isaiah Quinteros, freshman Ethan Hollander and junior Mateo Freixa dress up in traditional Egyptian attire as they run the Egypt booth at International Fest on Oct. 25. Junior Fabiana Carillo eats pita chips, which were offered to other students who came to visit the Greece booth and aspired to learn more about Greek culture. Senior Ana Pineda gives junior Antonella Criscola an authentic pineapple-flavored soda from the Dominican Republic.

more than one language and having an understanding about places all around the world is an upper hand,” Wolff said.

“I encourage my students to participate in the festival to guide them to learn more about our world.”

Each booth featured information about the country they represented that students were able to read as they passed by. Wolff said this information of each nation provided an outlet for students to learn unknown facts about different cultures.

“I want students to explore different countries and learn about their cultures and customs,” Wolff said. “A local and global perspective on different cultures can be helpful for students’ futures by being informed of other countries from all parts of the world.”

Navarrete said the Panama booth featured a game where students could attempt to jump over a long blue paper, which represented the Panama Canal.

Students who were unable to climb over got splashed with water. The participants in the game got rewarded with candy.

“The game encouraged more people to come by our booth, allowing students to learn more about Panama,” Navarrete said. “We wanted to attract people as best as we could and knew having an interactive game like this would do the job.”

Navarrete said volunteers had to collect history and facts about Panama to create a neat and colorful sign that they showed to students at the festival. She said it was important to effectively display this information, so students could learn more about the country.

“In the weeks that we worked on the festival, we learned about many interesting facts about our country,” Navarrete said. “The festival is a good opportunity to inform others as well.”

Wolff said this event provided a look into many different countries and cultures that students may have never learned about before. He said the festival can be an eye opener to all the different cultures that surround us every day. “[International Festival] gives us an idea of what similarities of history there is between countries both close to the United States and far away,” Wolff said, “The festival presents the differences in culture and events between America in other places across the world to help us connect with others.”

DCBFWGHX News Calendar

General Thanksgiving Break, Nov. 21-23 Thanksgiving, Nov. 22 SAT Testing, Dec. 1 Hanukkah, Dec. 2-10

Club Meetings

Events

English Honor Society, Nov. 19 Mu Alpha Theta, Nov. 20 DECA, Nov. 27 HOSA, Nov. 27 Key Club, Nov. 28 Best Buddies, Nov. 28

Senior Movie Night, Nov. 16 Best Buddies Thanksgiving Potluck, Nov. 16 CBTV Fall Social, Nov. 27 Fall Band Concert, Nov. 30

NOVEMBER 2018

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Service project weaves productivity into classes ALEXIS EPSTEIN NEWS COPY EDITOR

Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teacher’s aid Carlene Heckman established Looming for Hope, an organization that donates hand-loomed hats to the pediatric oncology patients at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.

Over the span of three years, Heckman and her students have donated over 500 hats to patients receiving treatment. The students are currently looming for their fall campaign, and they will bring the hats to the hospital during the holiday season.

“I’m so proud of the students and all they [have] accomplished,” Heckman said. “We started out as one class looming hats to help those in need, and I’m amazed at what we’ve grown to. I just want to make every child smile even for just a minute.”

Heckman said the program was established after she noticed students becoming bored and antsy after completing their class assignments. She said she thought looming would be a beneficial way for students to spend their remaining time in class. After seeing how much they enjoyed the activity, she said she decided to turn it into a service project with her students.

“The kids do their class work as quickly as possible to loom and think of [looming] as a reward for doing their assignments,” Heckman said. “The teachers all love it because the kids are learning and helping others, while being excited about both.”

Heckman said she teaches the students

individually how to loom the hats one step at a time. She said she explains the goal of donating them to pediatric oncology patients, so the kids don't grow too attached to the hats.

“Even if [the students] have a problem and have issues they need to work on, I love the moment when they get [to loom] on their own,” she said. “They’re so proud of themselves and their smile is just one of those wow moments.”

Senior Dayna Herman volunteers on the oncology floor at Joe DiMaggio and has recently started working with Looming for Hope. She said she brings the bags of finished hats from school to the hospital and lays them out for the kids to choose from.

“I love volunteering to help others because it warms my heart to put smiles on kids’ faces, especially when they’re dealing with serious medical issues,” Herman said. “I feel so fortunate to be able to do this.”

Heckman said looming has helped her students improve their motor skills along with hand eye coordination. She said the school has supported the class’s efforts by giving them money to purchase supplies and donating yarn for students to create the hats.

“I thought looming would be a great opportunity for the students,” Heckman said. “Without this support [from the school], I don't know if we would have been able to do this.”

Sophomore Davonte Walkes said his favorite part about making the hats is being creative and making different patterns. He said he chooses the colors

PHoto By aLexis ePstein

MADE WITH LOVE: Sophomore Davonte Walkes looms a hat that will be donated to a pediatric oncology patient at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.

Looming for Hope has been a program at the Bay for three years.

based on the time of year or his mood that day.

“I like doing the designs and decorations and changing the colors,” Walkes said. “Everyone has different taste, and I like to appeal to everyone.”

Heckman said students have pleasantly surprised her with the amount of pride and dedication they show in their work.

She said their problem solving skills and perseverance, even when there is an issue in the process, is rewarding.

“It’s all about learning no matter what happens that there's a step by step,” Heckman said. “This is a concept I try to teach all the kids and they just love it as they discover a passion they didn't have before.”

Walkes said seeing the kids with

cancer in the hospital has motivated him because he wants to help them out and bring joy to their lives.

“Looming for Hope is the most wonderful thing you can do, and making [hats] for the [kids] is the best thing you can do in life,” Walkes said. “I see the smile on their faces, and if they’re happy, then I’m happy.”

Herman said the experience has impacted her life for the better and inspired her to pursue a career in pediatric nursing. She said she loves the feeling of helping those younger than her.

“I not only enjoy going there and making the kids’ day, but I’m learning as well,” she said. “I will cherish the lessons I’ve learned and memories I’ve gained throughout my entire life.”

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NOVEMBER 2018

Homecoming Hallways Juniors ran away with first place in annual hallway contest.

BY CASEY MENTEN NEWS EDITOR

The junior class ran away with first place in the annual hallway decorating contest. On Oct. 29, every class decorated a hallway according to a theme, assigned by the Student Government Association. Each grade was given a song/album for their hallway to fit the Music festival-themed dance.

The junior class was assigned the song “Runaway” by artist Galantis.

Junior and class vice president Sam Deluca said they designed their hall to make students feel as though they ran away to an alternate dimension.

“I thought our theme for the hallway was really unique because there wasn’t a set theme to it and we could have a little more say in what we did with it,” Deluca said. “Since the song did not come with a concrete

theme it was risky because all of the decorations were from our imagination so seeing how it turned out made me really happy.”

The hallway started in a cubicle with workers and computers, when a curtain was pulled back the hall was decorated with neon colors and black lights to simulate another dimension. Junior and class Secretary, Alejandro Benedetty, said he thought the junior class did a fantastic job at taking the theme and making it unique.

“I really liked our theme, and I thought we created something amazing off of it,” Benedetty said. “I think it was our creativity and personalization that helped us win first place.”

Each class officer team, accompanied by student volunteers, began working on designing the hallway in the week prior. Deluca said her class worked tirelessly to create the

different props and decorations that lined the halls.

“I believe that we deserve to win first place because we gave it our all,” Deluca said. “Some nights we stayed up until 3 in the morning painting and making sure everything was perfect.”

Benedetty said after walking through the hallway and seeing the result he was proud of the team’s hard work. He said that although preparations were stressful for him and his classmates he was thankful for the opportunity to compete and represent his class.

“I was extremely happy when the announcement went off saying that the Junior class got first place; not only was I beyond happy to be involved in it, but I felt pride in my class, as well as many others,” Benedetty said. “It’s been an honor and a privilege representing my class with the other officers, especially when winning events like these.”

PHOTOS BY CASEY MENTEN

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2

Senior hallway was out of this “Astroworld.”

The senior class placed second with their hallway based off of the album “Astroworld” by Travis Scott.

They recreated the space amusement park depicted on the album cover featuring carnival decorations such as clowns and roller coaster tracks.

Senior and class representative Lexi Barten said the theme was easy to work with because it was popular among the senior class.

“I thought that doing Astroworld would be sick because the album had just come out and it was so popular at the time,” Barten said. “We wanted to do a carnivalthemed because that’s what Astroworld is, so the whole idea of going into space to get to Astroworld just came to us.”

Senior and class Vice presidents Chase Febles said the hallway took a lot of time to plan and execute. He said the curtain depicting Travis Scott that hung at the end of the hall was hand painted and took incredible skill.

“The people working on our hall were all so talented, the decorations came out amazing,” Febles said. “Although we only placed second I was proud of the work the senior class put out.”

Lexi Barten said creating the hallway with her classmates acted as a bonding experience. She said spending so many hours working on the project with other students helped her make new friends and become closer with old friends.

“We were spending so many hours with each other it would hard not to get closer with the others working on the hallway,” Barten said. “Although the work was hard it was made a little easier by having friends there to laugh with.”

Febles said the junior class went above and beyond and deserved their title of first place. He said he wished the senior class would have worked harder to fill up more space in the hallway.

“The juniors did a really good job of using all of the space in the hallways,” Febles said.

3

Sophomore hallway raised “Goosebumps.”

The sophomore class sits at third place with their hallway display of the song “Goosebumps” by Travis Scott. Following a horror theme similar to one of the music video, the sophomore class turned their hallway into a haunted house.

“I was pleased to get another chance to work with my classmates to create the hall,” sophomore and Class President Marley Solomon said. “Competing against the other classes made it fun because we all really wanted to win.”

Sophomore and Class Treasurer Alec Cao said that inspiration for the hallway struck after watching the performance in the music video. He said that due to it being Oct. the class through a dark and spooky house would be fitting.

“We watched the music video and realized it kind of had a “horror” theme and homecoming week was right next to Halloween, so we just went with a horror theme,” Cao said.

Several sophomores were stationed behind dark walls and curtains and would pop out as the students walked down the hall. Solomon said that because the hallway was like a haunted house, she thought it would stand out from the hallways.

“Our hallway was different from all of the other hallways,” Solomon said. “Unlike the others, our hall was interactive and brought out real emotions in people when we scared them.”

Cao said that he believed the hallway was fun to create with other students and it was fun to see the final product scare students walking through the hall. He said he wished the class would have made the room a little more diverse showing multiple aspects of the theme.

“The other halls definitely did a better job with offering multiple perspectives and more than just one long hallway of the same thing,” Cao said. “I wish we would have added more diversity to our hall rather than having the same scare zone for the whole thing.”

4

Freshman hallway didn’t live up to the heights.

The freshman class landed in fourth place with their theme of “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. Freshman and class Vice President Molly Cubeta said the hall was inspired by a New York City busy street. She said the class officers and volunteers enjoyed creating a hallway for the theme they were assigned.

“This year’s theme was really classic and iconic in a way,” Cubeta said. “It was something everyone could enjoy and feel familiar with.”

The hall was decorated to represent a city street complete with street signs and highrise buildings painted on the side of the walls. Freshman and class Secretary Jami Bernstein said the twinkling lights were used to represent the bright glow emitted from New York City.

“I really liked how our theme was so different from the other grade’s themes,” Bernstein said. “We tried our best to incorporate objects everyone thinks of when they think of the big city.”

Compared to the other hallways, the freshman hallway had fewer decorations and props. Cubeta said as freshmen, they were unaware of how the hall was supposed to be executed, but she was still happy with what they created. She said next year they will be better prepared to go all out on hallway decorations.

“We hadn’t seen how the hallways were so crazy and artsy,” Cubeta said. “We had no idea how all out the other classes went, so I think for what we knew it was pretty good.”

Bernstein said she hopes to improve the class hallways in future years. She said her class will use this year as a stepping stone to learn from and grow.

“For it being our first year creating a hallway, I am proud of how our class did,” Bernstein said.

“Obviously we will learn from this year and use it to improve in years to come.”

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Homecoming festivities induce spirit

Class Color War, competitive activities and interactive floats engage students during Pep Rally.

BY LAUREN PABIAN ONLINE NEWS EDITOR

Students flooded the bleachers as they were covered in face paint, glitter and accessories for the Life in Color themed Homecoming Pep Rally held on Nov. 2.

The hour-long gathering included races, activities and floats prior to the annual football game and dance.

With the help of co-chairs junior Jack McMahon and sophomore Allison Comite, senior and pep rally chair Jordan Moskowitz has aided in the organization of this event for the past three years Moskowitz said she was eager to take over this position and put her own twist on the classic pep rally by changing Neely’s entrance and adding some new activities.

“Running and organizing [pep rally] made me feel like I made an impact on [the Bay],” Moskowitz said. “Seeing everyone smiling, laughing and having fun was an amazing feeling and proved all of my hard work paid off.”

The freshman class decked out in blue, sophomores in green, juniors in red and seniors in black for the color war competition. Classes and clubs decorated floats, which members and officers walked around the track. Junior class secretary Alejandro Benedetty said the officer team dedicated a lot of time preparing for pep rally and building the float.

“Running out and seeing my class cheering and getting hyped up is by far my favorite, most memorable experience

PHOTOS BY SOPHIE GAER

PEP IN YOUR STEP: (From top) seniors and Pep Rally hosts Kyleigh Jehlicka and Tyler Goldberg introduce club and class floats. The senior class cheers as its float goes by.

from high school,” Benedetty said.

“Seeing all of our hard work pay off as the float came together and the class was filled with spirit, I felt really accomplished and beyond happy.”

Each year, Principal Scott Neely makes a grand entrance; in the past, he has used a helicopter, fire truck and luxury sports vehicles. Moskowitz said it was challenging to choose a unique way for Principal Neely to enter.

“Unfortunately, this year we couldn’t have any vehicles driving on [the track] since it’s new, so we tried our best to make [Principal] Neely’s entrance as cool as possible,” Moskowitz said. “We used

color blasters which was a great opening since it caught the eye of everyone and got them excited for pep rally to start. It also coordinated with our ‘Life in Color’ theme.”

Seniors Kyleigh Jehlicka and Tyler Goldberg co-hosted the event. Jehlicka said the two of them were tasked to come up with a witty script to engage the whole student body. She said they worked well together, which allowed them to have fun while preparing.

“We looked at old scripts for some inspiration and spent about two weeks writing it up. We wanted to make sure it was funny, flowed well and everyone would enjoy it,” Jehlicka said. “Being out there on the stage with everyone staring at us was nerve wracking, but I knew I had [Goldberg] next to me, which made me feel a lot better.”

Jehlicka said she felt honored to take on the hosting position at such an exciting event. She said she looks forward to the pep rally each year so she was eager to play such a large role in making it an enjoyable experience for the other students at the Bay. “When [Moskowitz] reached out to

me asking if I wanted to be a host, I was thrilled to be given the chance to play such a big part in pep rally,” Jehlicka said.

“It ended up being so much fun; everyone came up to me after to say how much they enjoyed it, which felt really good.”

SGA adviser Danielle Nascimento said the club began preparations for pep rally over a month before the event. She said she learned from her past experiences running the event and began preparations earlier than previous years.

“We start preparing for everything relating to [Homecoming] on the first day of school, so all of the students have been working so hard on this for such a long time,” Nascimento said. “I loved seeing it all come together for them since they’ve put in so much time and effort and it went so well. Though it may be stressful, I am so proud of my students for putting on such a great show each year.”

Pep rally was cut short due to weather; activities including a ball game and the dance club performance were unable to occur. From this experience, Moskowitz said she learned to make the best of every situation.

“We had some really fun activities planned, but due to the weather, we couldn’t hold them,” Moskowitz said.

“When it started raining, I realized I had to try my hardest to make the best of the situation no matter what obstacles came my way. Unfortunately, the weather got too out of control, and there was just nothing we could do about it.”

Benedetty said he believes pep rally is the year’s progress. Each year, SGA makes changes and new additions, and he said those little changes make a big difference in making the event as successful as it is.

“I’ve realized, as we get older as a class, pep rally becomes an even better event,” Benedetty said. “SGA did an amazing job this year; everything ran so smoothly and it seemed like everyone was having a great time, which is the goal.”

Spirit Week consists of themed dress-up days based on music festivals.

BY JEN SILVERMAN

For the Bay’s homecoming Spirit Week, students in all grades dressed up for themed days throughout the week of Oct. 29 to Nov. 2. Student Government Association (SGA) named this year’s dance Baychella and designed it to resemble a music festival. The Spirit Days consisted of SunFest on Monday, Rolling Loud on Tuesday, Halloween on Wednesday, Lollapalooza on Thursday and Life in Color for Friday’s Pep Rally.

Senior and SGA President Nicole Straight said she aspired for the theme for each day to relate to music and concerts since it was something students could understand.

“I think Spirit Week is extremely important because it builds morale,” Straight said. “If we didn’t have any school spirit like pep rally, homecoming and step up week, I feel like going to school would be boring.”

This year, the student body helped select the themes for each day by casting their votes online as well as submitting ideas of their own. SGA adviser Danielle Nascimento said it was important to make the students happy, so SGA members decided to let them have a say in the themes.

“Overall, we did our best to try to please everybody by putting it out there and getting as many students involved in

making the decision because at the end of the day we serve them,” Nascimento said.

SGA members hung banners around the school and posted on social media to promote the different dress up days.

Straight said it was important for SGA members to get involved with Spirit Week.

“SGA students as a whole are very active on social media, and they post flyers to help spread the word,” Straight said.

“SGA members are required to dress up which influences other students to do it, making it a domino effect.”

SGA members painted posters to represent each days’ theme. These were hung in the courtyard for students to take photos in front of. Straight said the student body gravitates towards the backdrops as they add to the enthusiasm of Spirit Week.

“I think having the backdrops are kind of a staple for Spirit Week; students like them because they are unique and different every year,” Straight said. “They are a cute way to make pictures pop in the background. The stressful part for me is thinking of backdrops and being creative, but the photos are successful and it’s a great feeling to see them.”

Sophomore Jake Steinlauf said homecoming week gives students at the Bay the opportunity to dress however they want. He said the dress up days allow students to go all out and dress up in a different way.

PHOTO BY JEN SILVERMAN

WE’VE GOT SPIRIT: Sophomores and Student Government Association members Sara Beer and Juliet Bell hand out tattoos to students for the Rolling themed dress-up day, as a part of Spirit Week.

“I think Spirit Week has a positive effect on the school because students are able to express themselves,” Steinlauf said. “This brings the student body a lot closer.”

Nascimento said the Baychella project made SGA’s work more hectic; however, she said the week ran smoothly. She said she was happy to see the Spirit Week tradition continue on successfully for another year.

“Because of the large magnitude of the project that Baychella was, there was a lot more going on,” Nascimento said. “I

think that Spirit Week itself, besides the [chaos] that was going on with Baychella, was pretty similar as far as the level of work, that there has been in the past.”

Steinlauf said Spirit Week excites students for Homecoming. He said he looks forward to the week before homecoming, as it is a unique and fun time of school.

“During Spirit Week, the school gives off positive vibes, and people wear funny and creative costumes,” Steinlauf said. “I think homecoming week is a positive reflection of school spirit because the whole school comes together.”

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NEWS

NOVEMBER 2018

In this issue’s recurring segment that explores current event topics affecting the nation, staffer Sandra Talledo speaks to students and teachers about the first test of the new presidential alert system.

Do you believe that the new presidential alert system will be beneficial to the public?

The first test for a new presidential alert system was sent out on Oct. 3 to phones across the nation. The Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) normally consist of amber alerts, weather warnings or any emergency situations. Unlike other WEA alerts that have an opt-out option, alerts sent by the president are mandatory.

Sophomore Abrianna Rosa said she believes these alerts will be beneficial because they will address national emergencies that need immediate attention.

“I think it will be handy because a lot of people turn off alerts, but these are only for important issues,” Rosa said. “These alerts will be able to reach everyone, which is good especially for people that may not look at the news and do not pay attention to any current events.”

Rosa said she was surprised when the alert went off in her fourth period. She said the sound was distracting and the alerts might be a disturbance to classes in the future.

“I was in my study hall when the alert suddenly went off,” said Rosa. “It was impossible to ignore, and it made me lose my focus.”

The alerts consist of a loud sound and a pop-up message containing the information from the president. Rosa said

Abrianna Rosa Sophomore “I think it will be handy because a lot of people turn off alerts, but these are only for important issues.”

Maia Locraze Sophomore “They should have let the public have more of a say in the system if it’s going to invade our privacy.”

GRAPHIC BY SHIRA COHN

the new system will be useful for timesensitive issues, as it will be difficult to ignore the alerts coming directly to one’s cell-phone.

“Everyone has a smartphone these days, so the fact that everyone will be alerted at any time anywhere is what makes them different from other alerts we get,” Rosa said. “I think it’s good that it will interrupt whatever people are doing since if they are getting one of these alerts it’s for a good reason.”

United States (U.S) History Honors teacher Laurie Marks said she thinks the presidential alerts may possibly be abused. She said she is concerned that by giving President Donald Trump access to our phones, Americans are giving the

government too much power.

“I think it’s a good idea, but we already have other ways for our government to alert us, so what makes this any different from other alerts?” Marks said. “I’m worried that it will allow the government to get information from our phones or turn them on and off without us being able to stop them.”

Unlike Marks, sophomore Maia Lacroze said she doesn’t think the alerts are an invasion of privacy and adding one more alert isn’t a problem. She said this is a system that the government has been trying to develop since the Cold War in order to more effectively notify the whole country of attack.

“Some of us aren’t that well informed,

so it’s good that they’re implementing a system that informs them promptly of these matters,” Lacroze said. “Whatever we have to do to decrease the risk of someone dying from these national emergencies is necessary.”

Marks said the U.S already has other alert systems so the government should be explicit about the purpose of these notifications. She said the alerts need further testing before being sent out to millions of Americans.

“They should have let the public have more of a say in the system if it’s going to invade our privacy,” Marks said. “They should have been transparent on the process instead of just suddenly announcing that they will be implementing the system.”

Lacroze said she thinks the government should have provided more information on the alerts as there are misconceptions about how they work.

She said many people believe it allows the president to casually text everyone in the U.S when that is not the case.

“I think many people see it in a biased sense since they don’t want to have anything to do with the president,” Lacroze said. “This has nothing to do with the current president; the system will still be in place when he’s out of office.

It’s unfortunate that people are being misinformed on this.”

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NOVEMBER 2018

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Baychella

Student Government Association offers new homecoming experience at the Bay on Nov. 3.

CASEY MENTEN NEWS EDITOR

All-access passes were sold to students to experience the Bay’s annual Homecoming Dance called Baychella on Nov. 3. Departing from the past sixteen years, this year’s dance was located on-campus and modeled after Coachella, a Music and Arts Festival. The new location made the tickets less costly and more accessible to students.

Senior and Student Government Association (SGA) President Nicole Straight said after seeing homecoming attendance rates drop in past years, she decided to make a change in hopes of raising student turnout.

“We reached our low of selling tickets [last year], and we knew that something drastic needed to be done with how we ran homecoming,” Straight said.

“It was not scary changing it up because I was confident that with the help from SGA we could only go up from our lowest point.”

Transforming the campus into a music festival fairground, SGA members set up three stages in the gym and courtyard featuring both DJs and bands.

Straight said food trucks and decorations lined the school to give students a taste of an actual festival. In addition, a large carnival slide, lit up by LED lights, was free for students to ride “Blood, sweat and tears went into the planning and executing of Baychella because we wanted it to be perfect,” Straight said.

“We brainstormed every possible music festival attraction [to be included] to give students the full experience.”

The performances featured paid artists and students on each stage. Junior and event DJ Andres Villegas said he was thrilled to hear that the dance would have a music festival theme because it was something in which he was interested. He said he was grateful for the opportunity to play for his fellow students, as this year’s theme gave him the

perfect chance to share his passion.

“While it was great getting to do what I love, I would say that the best part was definitely the fact that I got to do it next to my friends and got to share the experience with everyone I know,” Villages said. “The fact that it was themed like a festival made performing a very unique and memorable experience.”

SGA adviser Danielle Nascimento said the idea for Baychella arose after noticing a spike in popularity of students attending concerts and music festivals.

She said SGA members hoped the new event would cater to what the students are interested in and increase their desire to attend.

“Being that music festivals are so popular, we decided if we were going to make a change we would go with the trends,” Nascimento said. “We tried to see what people want, what people are doing, where they like to go and build as many of those features into our homecoming as possible.”

To get the word out to the entire school, S G A

recruited 50 promoters from all grades to post event announcements as well as bring 10 students to the dance. Senior and Baychella promoter Gabbie Hidalgo said she always loves the annual Homecoming Dance and was eager to promote it to the other students at the Bay. “I love the classical tradition of having a homecoming school dance,” Hidalgo said. “It makes me sad that people no longer want to attend, so when I found out I could help promote the new dance to other students, I was all for it.”

Nascimento said this year’s production was a monumental task and took effort from all members of SGA to coordinate.

She said she was happy to see her students working together on a job that was so different from anything they have done before.

“We’re used to just walking into a hotel, throwing up some decorations and having the hotel staff do the rest of the work,” Nascimento said. “In this case, it was so much more work on our half, but I ultimately believe it paid off.”

Hidalgo said she thought the event turned out spectacularly as every detail emitted a Coachellalike feel. She said she was excited to be involved in the making of a dance that was so important to students.

“I think f r o m now on d a nces w i l l start to be

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY GABBIE HIDALGO

Let’s rage: Students dance at the new Homecoming experience called Baychella, which was hosted by Student Government Association on Nov. 3. The on-campus event included DJs, student performances and a carnival slide.

about what the students want rather than simply an SGA production,” Hidalgo said. “We will be able to have a say and see that if students help out the dances can be a lot of fun.”

Nascimento said because the number of students attending more than doubled from last year, the event was a success.

She said she has yet to hear a negative review and is proud that she was able to please the students.

“I have not received any negative feedback yet, and I am really excited with the fact that I have gotten so much positive feedback,” Nascimento said.

“Everyone has said that they had a great time, so we hope to duplicate that experience next year.”

Villages said Baychella was a night to remember and hopes that the dance will continue to be fun and exciting for years to

come. He said he enjoyed how SGA took into consideration the students’ opinions for so many aspects of the dance.

“Although I was nervous at first, I would honestly describe it as one of the best nights of my life,” Villages said. “Being up on that stage feeling all the energy and just doing what I love was something I’ve always wanted to do.”

Straight said she hopes Baychella has set the tone for future dances and has proven that a dance can be both accessible and fun. She hopes the on-campus dance becomes a tradition due to its success.

“I was so happy to see that even though we took a big risk, it paid off in the end,” Straight said. “I can’t wait to see where SGA takes homecoming in the future and hope that it continues being an event students are excited to attend.”

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clubs at the bay

LIA and SHPE compete against each other to facilitate bonding between students.

BY ILYSSA MANN

Latinos in Action (LIA) and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) members competed against each other on Oct. 13 at a club dodgeball tournament. LIA teacher and club adviser Sergeant Major Jorge Cruz said the game was designed as a friendly competition between members to facilitate bonding and connect students from the two clubs.

“As the teacher, it was really rewarding to see how much fun everyone was having,” Cruz said. “Every student I spoke to during it indicated just how much they were enjoying the game.”

Senior and Vice President of LIA Sofi Serna said teams were made up of a mix of members from both clubs to facilitate socializing, so everyone had a chance to meet someone new because the teams were chosen at random. These teams competed against one another in a bracket system until there was a winning team, who won a prize of $60.

“One of the things that I really loved about the game was that we had students from all grades and the competition was still very equal,” Serna said. “No grade dominated another, and everyone got along so well.”

This was the first year LIA members held an event that worked with another

club. Cruz said the club wanted to do something different this year to depart from the monotony of past events.

“Dodgeball seemed like a fun activity for the students, and most importantly, it was a great way to mix them together and bond through a team sport,” Cruz said. “I’m happy about how it turned out, and the event will most likely happen again. Hopefully, it can become a tradition.”

Senior and President of SHPE Jorge Moros said the two officer boards worked together well, which made planning the game easier and he was happy about the turnout of 60 students, as members were excited to meet people from another Hispanic club at The Bay. “It was good to collaborate with several clubs because not only does it create a kind of unity between Hispanic clubs, but it gives us a greater identity as a minority group,” Moros said. “It was cool to see the different kinds of people work together and participate in the same event.”

Junior and LIA club member Tommy Lorant said the dodgeball tournament was an organized and fun way to promote the clubs while giving students an opportunity to earn five service hours.

“I loved that the people volunteering had organized everything so well

PHOTO BY SOPHIA HANDLEY

Political Awareness Club utilizes booths to inform and register students to vote.

BY SOPHIA HANDLEY

The Political Awareness Club set up booths in the courtyard during all lunches on Oct. 30 to inform students about the Midterm elections and register students of age to vote. Adviser and American History teacher Laurie Marks said she hopes these booths encouraged voter turnout among students for the election.

“In our club, one of the main things we promote is civil discourse, which is the ability to communicate with other people about political issues without getting into nasty dispute,” Marks said. “Our club also really works to promote people to go out and vote because it is something that is very important.”

Senior and Co-President Jason Tache said this club works to motivate students who are eligible to vote and show them that they have a voice in the political system. He thinks by educating people to vote and what each candidate and amendment stands for before they do vote is important.

“We work hard [to] have one-onone conversations with people because

I think it is the most effective way to communicate with someone and educate them on the importance of voting,” Tache said.

Tache said he wanted to make sure people go out and vote because it’s important that everyone’s voice is heard.

“It frustrates me when people choose not to vote and then complain about the outcome of elections,” Tache said. “I don’t understand when people choose not to voice their opinions through voting.”

Marks said she thinks that the Political Awareness Club’s efforts are extremely important for today’s political world as the club doesn’t just work to inform others about voting, but it also has an environment where members can talk about political issues without fear of conflict.

“This club does a great job of making sure every voice is heard,” Marks said.

“Different viewpoints are supported and encouraged, and [members] always have a great time while doing it.”

PHOTO BY ILYSSA MANN

that the game ran smoothly with no interruptions,” Lorant said. “Everyone was really into the game, and the mood was very exultant.”

Lorrant said the competitive aspects of dodgeball made the day even more fun and he was excited to play with his friends as well as interact with members of SHPE that he had never met before.

“I think it was a good way to bond with one another, since the game is very popular anyone can play it,” Lorant said.

“If this event were to be reorganized, I would definitely attend it again, so I can get to meet even more LIA members and have fun with my friends.”

Serna said due to the success of the event, both clubs plan to work with each other in the future. She said there were requests from students at the event to host a dodgeball game again, which made their hard work feel even more rewarding.

“I think we will definitely want to do this again; later on, we might actually make it an annual collaboration with SHPE,” Serna said. “We really had a lot of fun working with them, and we had a really good time at the event, so we see no reason as of why not to do it again.”

PHOTO BY NYAH HARDMON

Literary Club offers workshop to middle school students to expand writing concepts.

BY COLIN CRAWFORD

Literary Club members went to Falcon Cove Middle School on Oct. 18 to teach students writing concepts, such as figurative language. Senior and Literary Club Executive Editor Emily Seggio said this activity was fulfilling because the middle school students learned beneficial writing skills from the club members.

“I felt good about helping other people appreciate writing more,” Seggio said. “Not only does teaching someone provide inspiration, but I feel like I have a better understanding of the concepts taught because I had to teach them.”

At the workshop, about 30 middle school students rotated through three stations with different activities. Each station focused on a specific writing skill: imagery, spoken word poetry and character building for prose and novel writing. AICE English Language and Creative Writing teacher Shawntee Herring, one of the Literary Club advisers, said she was excited for the officers to teach the students.

“To see them be patient, encouraging

and didactic in the way that they presented their lessons made me proud,” Herring said. “They weren’t just good kids, they were good teachers.”

Literary Club officers taught imagery by using candy to depict taste and instruments to depict sound. Seggio said she wanted to be creative to keep the children interested and involved.

“We were talking about how cool it would be to teach a class on our own,” Seggio said. “We wanted it to be something that kids would enjoy and have fun with.”

Herring said club members planned the Falcon Cove visit because they wanted to begin a recurring community service project. Herring said she hopes club members can continue to teach at the middle school.

“I think we make the mistake of trying to do a different [community service project] each year instead of finding something that makes sense,” Herring said. “We are trying to do something similar at Tequesta Trace Middle School because of how successful our other workshop was.”

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College tours give insight on future

BY JULIA WINTON

Broward Advisors for Continuing Education (BRACE) adviser Ysabella Herrera led the tenth annual Florida College Tour from Oct. 17 to 19.

With 100 students in attendance, the tour visited six Florida schools: the University of Florida (UF), Florida State University (FSU), University of Central Florida, University of North Florida, University of South Florida and Florida Gulf Coast University.

Herrera said this trip was a good way for students to become familiar with in-state schools and get a better idea of which school is their best fit.

“Many students do their research asking questions from either their siblings or other students who are attending those campuses,” Herrera said. “Once [students] step foot on those campuses themselves and either feel that they belong or don’t, [it] is that perfect marriage where you finally see things clicking for them.”

Junior Ian Girard said the Florida College Tour helped him determine whether he likes the schools or not as he was able to receive up-to-date information about the universities due to current college students leading the tours and providing a personal view into life at the schools.

“

My favorite part of the trip was the fact that we are able to see so many schools and get such a good representation over the three days. I’m happy I decided to go on this trip.

“

-junior Ian Girard “You can base your decision a bit on the views, the look of the school and the feeling you get when you’re at the school, so seeing the schools helped me realize where I wanted to be visually and spiritually,” Girard said. “My experience on this trip

was good because I was with my friends and able to see the different colleges that I wanted to go to.”

Senior Juanita Paramo said she was ecstatic to learn about all the universities on the trip.

She said the tour informed her about the admissions process, which motivated her to work harder in school.

“I’m thrilled I went on this trip because I didn’t know anything about these colleges, so on this trip, I gained more knowledge about the courses and the requirements we needed in order to go to the colleges,” Paramo said. “I realized I would have to push myself harder to get into one of these colleges.”

Herrera said the students who attended the trip received a preview of what college life will be like and that it was important for the students to evaluate whether each campus was a place they can envision themselves attending.

“Part of the joy of why we love doing these trips are [the students] can have their perspective and see themselves on this campus making new friendships, getting involved in these clubs or sororities and fraternities,” Herrera said. “All the students have come back saying ‘thank you,’ they’ve had a great trip, they’ve made new friends and they benefit from all aspects of the trip.”

Girard said he is considering staying in-state for college due to the Bright Futures scholarship, so he was appreciative of the knowledge gained from the tour.

This scholarship, only available at Florida schools, awards money to students who have met academic requirements, including test scores, service hours and GPA. “I felt like this trip was a good opportunity to look at the different schools, particularly UF and FSU,” Girard said.

“These schools are the best public schools academically in Florida, and I want to get Bright Futures, so that’s the best way to go.”

Students learn general information about college in addition to specifics for each one. Paramo thinks that after attending the college visit she would like to go to FSU because

PHOTOS BY CRISTINA CIMATO

ON TOP SOON: (From top) a tour guide at the University of Central Florida (UCF) pauses to inform students and chaperones about the university. UCF was the first of six tours given on the Florida College Tour, which lasted from Oct. 17 to 19. Juniors Annabelle Arteaga, Evan True and Cristina Cimato stand in front of the Florida State University fountain on the third stop of the college tour.

it has piqued her interests most.

“I would recommend this trip if you don’t have any idea of how colleges work and if you don’t know what the colleges are in Florida. You also get to know different things about the colleges and the majors you would have never known,” Paramo said. “After the trip, I really think that I would like to be at FSU not only because of the campus, but also the academic part. It was really great when they started talking about it. Also, they talked about

my major, marketing, and I was really excited.”

Herrera said the Florida College Tour has always been popular, since it was introduced ten years ago. She said she hopes to have a second trip in the spring because she had to limit the number of students that could attend. “[The trip] is successful enough that we can probably do multiple trips doing these college tours,” Herrera said.

“It gives [students] more of a

perspective of what they need to be working towards to be on that campus.”

Girard said he would recommend this trip to his fellow students because of the great time he had and the important information he learned from it.

“My favorite part of the trip was the fact that we were able to see so many schools and get such a good representation over the three days,” Girard said.

“Overall, I would say I’m happy I decided to go on this trip.”

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NHS, MAO mentor middle schoolers

BY CHRISTINA PUGLIESE

The Bay’s National Honor Society (NHS) and Mu Alpha Theta (MAO) began tutoring students at Falcon Cove Middle School (FCMS) on Oct. 2 for its seventh consecutive year. Each Tuesday, members from both clubs aid students in the fundamentals of mathematics and help them complete homework. Supervisor of FCMS Tutoring Stella Stringer said she strongly believes in the program because she has seen the students improve.

“I found the students did not believe they can [succeed in school] because they have struggled with it all their life,” Stringer said. “The program is a huge deal because it will help these kids succeed in the future, and they can truly make something out of themselves one day.”

FCMS tutoring is a seventeen-week program that lasts until the students take the Florida Standards Assessment in May. Stringer said the tutors instill confidence in the students that helps set them up for success in their future academic career. “[The tutoring program] became a personal goal of mine because I was the one helping the students from the beginning,” Stringer said. “I saw that just giving back an hour a week made a big difference especially with their selfconfidence.”

Senior and head senator of NHS Ana Jaramillo said the program assists students who may otherwise not receive

help with their schoolwork. Jaramillo said NHS works with MAO to recruit tutors and help teach middle school students that are struggling in math.

“Its an exceptional program because they kids have personalized assistants that are in advanced math classes; it is exactly what they need,” Jaramillo said.

Jaramillo said tutoring at FCMS provides a convenient and distractionfree zone for students to focus on their work. She said she hopes to continue the program and lead young students to the path of academic success.

“You never know why a student is struggling in math; some of them don’t have time to study at home or have distractions,” Jaramillo said. “We give them the time, the resources and skills they need in order to succeed in their math classes.”

Sebastian Jimenez, a seventh grader at FCMS, said he has been coming to tutoring since he was in sixth grade.

Jimenez said tutoring allows him to talk to someone on a personal level to better understand the material.

“I can come to [the tutors] on a level in which a teacher can’t,” Jimenez said.

“They are more approachable and easy to talk to, while teachers only focus on the work and we do not talk about anything else.”

Jimenez said he enjoys coming every Tuesday because he can focus on his work, which helps relieve him from the

PHOTO BY CHRISTINA PUGLIESE

A+ TUTOR: Senior Ana Jaramillo (right) explains how to divide decimals to a Falcon Cove Middle School student as they complete homework problems. The volunteers tutor on Tuesdays at Falcon Cove’s media center.

stress of doing homework at home. He said the tutors are extremely helpful and help him in a way that he can understand it.

“I have a baby brother, and he is not very quiet,” Jimenez said. “[My house] has an environment where it is hard to pay attention to my homework with all the noise in the background. This is a calm place where I can just listen to my tutor explaining the information.”

Stringer said the peer tutoring has a

significant impact on the students because they build bonds with one another.

Stringer said she is proud of the impact this program has had on young students and she hopes to continue to offer this free and convenient tutoring.

“The point of the program is to students working peer to peer,” Stringer said. “The social economics of it is that tutors are expensive, and the fact that we offer it for free is insane.”

PSAT prepares students for standardized testing

BY KARLA SOBERON PR MANAGER

In preparation for the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), freshmen and sophomores were required to take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) on Oct. 10, while juniors were given the option to take the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT).

Sophomore Lindsay Zifrony said she used her scores to predict her future SAT performance and give her a chance to adjust to new testing conditions.

“I was so nervous going into the exam; of course, I know that this is just practice, but the thought of me taking this exam next year for college frightens me,” Zifrony said. “Since this would maybe be the last time I take the PSAT, I made sure to attempt to do my very best and score high.”

Because the PSAT was administered on a super testing day, students were only required to go for the duration of the test, and then they were permitted to leave.

Zifrony said the exam was worthwhile because she could go home early and focus on the test itself rather than stress about having to go to class after.

“Although getting up early to go to school for a test can be a pain, going home early to sleep the rest of the day made me want to get the test over with,” Zifrony said. “I am very positive that next year as a junior I will not be taking a PSAT; I would rather stay home and gain sleep.”

Juniors scoring a near perfect score on this test may also be qualified to receive a National Merit Scholarship, which can grant up to $2,500 of scholarship funds towards college. Junior Alexa Stafman took the PSAT, she hopes of obtaining a score high enough to be eligible to receive this honor.

“Most of my friends took the day off, while I was here to hopefully gain college money and apply myself more to my future,” Stafman said. “This exam was straightforward in comparison to the real thing, and I have scored high in the past, so I am hoping that this year [my score] will be enough.”

Stafman said she was not originally planning on taking the PSAT in her junior year of high school, but any opportunity for scholarship money would be more beneficial for her future than a day off.

“Regardless of the scholarship or not, I know that taking this exam will only help

GRAPHIC BY SANDRA TALLEDO

me improve my skills in math, reading, and grammar for the real thing,” Stafman said. “It was not up until my parents told me to at least try for National Merit that I decided to take the exam one final time.”

As a proctor for the exam, Advanced Topics and Algebra teacher Kelley Murrah said many of the proctor’s instructions were puzzling to follow and made it difficult to run the exam. She said despite the confusing instructions, she tried to make the experience less daunting for the underclassmen taking the exam.

“This year the instructions were rather confusing; we were given one packet with a set of instructions that were crossed off and another packet on the testing day with

all of the instructions, so nobody knew what to say or not say,” Murrah said. “I proctored for the freshmen, and they all seemed quite nervous walking in, but I tried to make the process as smooth as possible for them not to stress.”

Scores for the PSAT will be available Dec. 10 for all test takers to view. Zifrony said she hopes her score is higher than her previous PSAT score to show her improvement.

“The wait until Dec. 10 already feels like an eternity to me,” Zifrony said. “I want to be aware of my growth as an intellectual and make sure that anything that I have learned in the span of a year is being put into good use.”

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Tutoring club donates profits to charity

BY DREW ROACH NEWS / A&E PHOTO EDITOR

Every year, the members of the EarnA-Change club donate their profits from tutoring to the charity of their choice.

On Oct. 22, the club donated their first quarter proceeds, amounting to $1,500, to Against Malaria Foundation, a charity that funds and distributes anti-malaria nets to protect people in Africa.

Junior and co-president Douglas Sandler said Earn-A-Change not only services students in need of cheap tutoring but also contributes to popular charities, making both the community and the world a better place.

“We are a club that provides high quality, inexpensive, one-on-one tutoring services to the students who need it the most, which is so rewarding,” Sandler said. “We support these people through all of their economic challenges and make sure they are feeling confident with what they are learning.”

Sandler said he found Against Malaria Foundation to be effective and impactful as all club members help pick the charity, so everyone is passionate about where the money is going.

“We want to make sure everyone likes the charity we donate to so that they put full effort into the tutoring sessions and feel like they’re making an impact,” Sandler said.

To receive tutoring, students can visit the club website and request a session. The officers then schedule a date according to the student’s schedule and needs. Sandler said the price is set at an affordable level

based off of time spent tutoring.

“We always tutor someone whenever they need help at a time that is the most convenient to them,” Sandler said. “The people we tutor are always happy that they can pick a time and place that works best for them.”

Club adviser and Holocaust History teacher Leslie Rheingold said she is always proud of the officers for coordinating all of the tutoring sessions and choosing a charity that holds value.

“I remember when [alumnus] Jacob Wilentz came to me years ago with a new club idea, and I had full confidence he would do an amazing job running it,” Rheingold said. “The officer teams never fail to amaze me. This year is no exception; they are great kids.”

Junior and club member Andrea Monterrubio said the student tutoring offers a unique experience that is more substantial and accommodating for its clients. Monterrubio said the club is unique because of the learning environment it provides for students.

“Tutoring from certain companies can be intimidating to students because the sessions are up to $70 for a single hour, and it can be scary learning from an adult,” Monterrubio said. “This club gives kids a chance to donate whatever amount they want to a charity and be tutored from their peers who have similar classes which makes them more comfortable.”

Although the club focuses on the students being tutored, Sandler said the organization has also had an impact on him for the better. He said by helping others, he has learned the importance of

PHOTO BY DREW ROACH

PASSIONATE PROFITS: Junior Douglas Sandler assists junior Charlie Seldin in math during one of Earn-A-Change’s hour tutoring sessions. This year all of the club’s earnings will be donated to the Against Malaria Foundation to help protect people in Africa.

becoming active in the community and making a difference.

“Sitting down with other students and helping them through their struggles has had such an effect on me because there is nothing better than the look on someone’s face after they understand something they didn’t before,” Sandler said. “I’ve understood how just a one-hour investment of your time can go a long way for someone else, and it has taught me the importance of hard work.”

Rheingold said ever since accepting the adviser position, the club has continuously improved over the years and serves a great purpose. Since the club’s first year, she said members have increased productivity to raise more money to be donated.

“The club has really grown so much and become a big thing that we are all

excited about,” Rheingold said. “We are doing a lot of good things and I am excited to see what the future holds for us.”

Monterrubio said she believes EarnA-Change should continue as a club at the Bay for years to come as it holds a meaningful value and has the ability to impact people on so many levels.

“This organization has been around for years, and it’s been a major success in raising thousands of dollars for charities in the past as well has helping students with their hard curriculums,” Monterrubio said. “It’s important to have a resource like Earn-A-Change that provides students with very affordable tutoring and the added bonus of doing something good for your community.”

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National Merit awards adept seniors

BY JESSIE CHAIET EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation released the results for its Semifinalists on Sept. 12 based on achievement on the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/ NMSQT). Thirteen seniors from the Bay were recognized as Semifinalists: Miles Berger, Madison Burns, Teresa Castano, Daniel Cuenca, Jacob Dyrud, Dena Fesharaki, Leah Hale, Alan Llewelyn, Viraj Maddur, Fernando Sosa, Karaline Xia, Nicolas Zarramera and Matthew Zhang.

Fesharaki said she was surprised when she found out she received this honor. She said she was proud of herself for the hard work she put in to prepare for the PSAT. “I thought that it was cool because only a few people get National Merit, and I felt like I had worked really hard,” Fesharaki said. “It definitely validates what I’ve done, and it proves that hard work does pay off in the end.”

To celebrate the semifinalists, guidance director Marlene Sanders and Broward Advisors for Continuing Education (BRACE) adviser Ysabella Herrera held a breakfast for the students on Sept. 13 in Principal Scott Neely’s office. Sanders said it was important for the Bay’s administration to recognize the students for their hard work and dedication to their studies.

“It’s quite an accomplishment to be considered a National Merit semifinalist,” Sanders said. “[The breakfast] was very nice, and Mr. Neely got to congratulate them.”

To advance from a semifinalist to finalist standing, students must submit

GRAPHIC BY JESSIE CHAIET

an application with their Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores, a teacher recommendation, a report with their grades and a personal essay. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation will then select 15,000 students in February, who will receive $2,500 in scholarship money.

Hale said she would like to become a finalist because it can help pay for her college tuition.

“I hope to become a finalist, as that brings you to the next stage of possibly

earning scholarship money,” Hale said.

“It is also an even more elite honor, and it is a really good recognition to put on my resume.”

Sanders said the semifinalist recognition is an impressive accomplishment, but the advance to finalist can benefit students even more by awarding them substantial scholarship money.

“I hope [the students] become finalists, and I hope they get some financial

recognition from the college they choose to attend,” Sanders said. “It’s an honor to have [National Merit] plus a lot of colleges may give financial aid.”

Hale said she prepared for the PSAT by using online practices from Khan Academy. She said she trained a few hours a week, so she felt that she was rewarded for her dedication.

“It felt amazing when I found out that all of my preparation paid off,” Hale said.

“I worked hard, so I was overjoyed.”

Sanders said she was impressed with the number of students from the Bay that were selected as National Merit semifinalists and this accomplishment shows how committed the Bay’s student body is to succeeding in their academic endeavors.

“It says it’s a great school, and we have great students that do well; for a public school, we probably have the most [semifinalists] in Broward County,” Sanders said. “The students take very challenging courses, and we also encourage them to do the Khan Academy, so they are able to obtain good SAT scores; I think all of the curriculum, the students themselves and the test preparations, all contribute to them obtaining the honor.”

Fesharaki said she recommends that underclassmen at the Bay prepare for the PSAT to possibly receive National Merit scholarships as she was overjoyed when she became a semifinalist, so she hopes other students can achieve the same recognition.

“I feel like [the Bay] is really encouraging the kids who accomplished it, and that in turn will encourage other kids to try to get National Merit in years to come,” Fesharaki said. “Even if you don’t get it, you should try.”

Faculty acknowledged for exceptional work

BY CHLOE WAIN AD ORGANIZER

Each year, the Bay’s faculty participates in the Teacher of the Year and Administrator of the Year election, run by DECA teacher Robert Hosier.

Employees nominate candidates and vote the top three finalists in each category.

This year, Algebra 1 and Liberal Arts Math 1 teacher Bo Diaz, who is also the head baseball coach, won the Teacher of the Year award, while Substitute Coordinator Cristina Contro won the Employee of the Year award.

“You try to connect with every student you possibly can throughout the year,” Diaz said. “The other faculty members hear how you are affecting students and what the kids are saying outside of the classroom; it speaks volumes. I still have chills when I think about the award.”

Diaz began his career at the Bay four years ago, but has been in the school system for seven years. Diaz said the Bay has given him a supportive environment where he has had the opportunity to grow as a teacher overall.

“The school allows you to use your personality to make sure you are able to connect the material to the students,” said Diaz. “The infrastructure that is set up here allows for open communication between teachers so that everyone can learn from each other.”

Junior and varsity baseball player Jonny Roach said Diaz deserved the

award because he works hard to teach his players and students alike. He said the whole team was thankful that Diaz stepped up to coach after their former coach passed away and this action was telling of his character.

“What I like about Diaz is that he is a selfless person and just wants to do good for others,” said Roach. “He has shown major respect by coming out to coach our team after our head coach, Paul Liotti, passed away last season. He put his ego aside and instantly began to change the team for the better.”

Roach said Diaz has been a role model for him as a coach and a teacher since he began coaching this season as he has inspired him to become a better student by putting as much effort as he can inside the classroom.

“One of the best things Diaz has taught me is to respect people, respect the game and give everything I have,” Roach said.

“Diaz always reminds the team about how you will never know when your last day will be, so every day in anything, you need to give it your all.”

Diaz said he stands out from other teachers at the Bay because he relates what he is teaching to younger generations as this is the key to making the information learned in class relevant to boost students’ confidence.

“I have an education, but it does not mean anything if I cannot connect with the student,” said Diaz. “I go out of my way to make sure that how I present the

Cristina Contro Administrator of the Year “I always want to treat people the way I would want to be treated and always help anyone as much as I can. To be successful here, you must comply with the rules, have good relationships with others and understand the needs of others.”

Bo Diaz Teacher of the Year “The school allows you to use your personality to make sure you are able to connect the material to the students. The infrastructure that is set up here allows for open communication between teachers so that everyone can learn from each other.”

GRAPHIC BY CRISTINA CIMATO

information is at their level, relevant to them and up to date of what the students are going through.”

Like Diaz, Contro said she was amazed and emotional when she found out she won the award. She has worked at the Bay as an administrator for sixteen years, switching from Student Affairs as a secretary to the Substitute Coordinator.

“I feel very humble, and I appreciate the votes of the faculty members,” Contro said. “It seems as if I know my job because I touched the hearts of others.”

Contro said even with the large population of students, she has grown accustomed to the Bay’s atmosphere and how much work she must put in to make each student successful. She said the work of the faculty members helps her in

her day-to-day tasks.

“I try to communicate well with people to the best of my ability,” Contro said.

“I always want to treat people the way I would want to be treated and always help anyone as much as I can. To be successful here, you must comply with the rules, have good relationships with others and understand the needs of others.”

Contro said she wanted to thank Principal Scott Neely for what he has done for her throughout her career at the Bay as without his guidance, she would not be where she is now.

“Neely has gone above and beyond for me,” Contro said. “Not only because he is my boss, but as a person. We are a family; I would never want to work anywhere else.”

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COMING OUT DAY Gender Sexuality Alliance decorated the courtyard to celebrate Coming Out Day on Oct. 12.

BY LAUREN PABIAN ONLINE NEWS EDITOR

To celebrate Coming Out Day, an annual LGBTQ awareness day, members of Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) decorated the courtyard with rainbow-themed flags, paint and banners on Oct. 12 during all lunches. Students partook in coming out on this day by walking through an open closet door stationed in the middle of the courtyard.

Junior and GSA President Joey Cousins said the club holds this event each year to provide a welcoming environment for people in the LGBTQ community at the Bay. “[Coming Out Day] openly demonstrates students’ pride within [the Bay], which most don’t have or are afraid to do,” Cousins said. “It makes those who aren’t out feel safer in school since they may not feel as comfortable at home.”

GSA members held face painting, trivia and informational booths as well as selling custom bracelets and taking Polaroid pictures of participants. Cousins said the purpose of all of these activities was to promote LGBTQ pride.

“We added some new activities this year to change the event up a little, but we had our staple of face painting and educating, which are some of the most prominent parts about the day,” Cousins said. “It gives students the opportunity to show their pride and be

educated on important topics and facts about the LGBTQ community.”

Like Cousins, sophomore and GSA secretary Olivia Adoghe said Coming Out Day is significant for many struggling students at the Bay. She said it is the perfect opportunity for people to express themselves and realize they are not alone.

“Coming Out Day really opens people up and makes them more accepting of the fact that everybody is different,” Adoghe said. “For people who are afraid to come out of the closet, this will show them that there are so many of us that have their back and support them.”

Members of GSA were split up to work at different tables, each tasked with a specific goal to achieve. Adoghe said she ran the Gender and Sexuality table and informed students on sexual orientation.

“As secretary, I helped a lot with organizing [Coming Out Day] which included setting up before it started and cleaning everything when the event was over,” Adoghe said. “I was also in charge of selling bracelets, Polaroids and informing people at the Gender and Sexuality table. I had a lot of responsibilities since I am an officer, but I’m glad I had the opportunity to make an impact.”

After 14 years of being the adviser for GSA, World

PHOTOS BY LAUREN PABIAN

LOVE IS LOVE: Gender Sexuality Alliance members dress up to celebrate Coming Out Day on Oct. 12. The courtyard was decorated with rainbow-themed signs as well as an open closet door for students to walk through.

Language teacher Declan Lyons said Coming Out Day is still his favorite event at the Bay each year. Lyons said this event is significant in both educating and supporting students.

“Our student body has a large population of LGBTQ individuals who, up to this time in their lives, have not been able to come out to themselves, their friends, family or community,” Lyons said. “This is an incredibly important event because this may be the first time

people may feel accepted or comfortable to say something that has been on their mind for years which they’ve been too scared to say.”

Lyons said Coming Out Day is the perfect opportunity for students, both in GSA and not, to show their support and acceptance of the LGBTQ community.

“It’s so great seeing other students supporting the club or those coming out and show their friendship,” Lyons said. “[Coming Out Day] was very successful this year, but it’s always successful because the members love holding it and the students love to pa r ticipate.

It’s generally a really positive experience.”

A f t e r holding this event for so many years, Lyons said the event becomes better every year. He said he enjoys helping the members of GSA

prepare since they are so eager to promote their pride and inform the student body.

“I love seeing all the kids enjoy themselves so much, especially after all they have gone through,” Lyons said. “[GSA] provides a haven for these kids since many of them have never really been able to be themselves with other people.

They can do that for the first time in their lives, and to me, that is very rewarding.”

Adoghe said each year she has found that many people feel proud at Coming Out Day. She said she hopes students took advantage of this opportunity to come out to their friends at school.

“The true reason we hold this event is so people feel enough pride and support that they are able to gain the courage to come out to their friends since we know how difficult it can be for many people,” Adoghe said.

“My favorite part of this event is seeing people come out to their friends and how heartwarming it is when their friends accept and support them.”

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NOVEMBER 2018

Your vote Your Future Seniors at the Bay got their first taste of democracy when voting in the midterm elections.

BY RACHEL SUPNICK

Many seniors at the Bay are turning eighteen this year, making them legal adults. Along with presents and cake, this birthday comes with the right to vote, and for senior Jordan Lee Carter, that means casting a ballot in the upcoming midterm election on Nov. 6. Carter said he pre-registered to vote last February so he would be prepared to participate in his first midterm election.

“Voting has always been an idea that’s important to me,” Carter said. “I’m really excited [to vote] and I’m happy to be able to finally influence my country.”

Carter said he is voting in the midterm not just because he is of voting age, but because he believes this election is meaningful to the nation.

“This midterm election is very important in deciding how our government is going to be run for the rest of Donald Trump’s presidency,” Carter said.

Before heading to the polls, Carter said it is important for him to educate himself about the candidates and the policies he will be voting on. He said informed youth participation in politics and voting is critical.

“The only way you can really have a say in how the government runs is by voting,” Carter said. “When young people don’t show up to vote, there are large portions of the country that don’t get their voices heard.”

Advanced Placement United States Government teacher Jason Gordon said he takes time in his class to teach his students about voting through a variety of methods, including visuals, statistics and literature. “[My] students are provided charts and articles showing voter turnout among different demographic groups, why turnout varies between elections and the different opportunities of where and when voting takes place,” Gordon said. “[Voting] is a fundamental participatory element of a democracy.”

Gordon said all elections are essential, but that it is up to individual citizens to decide whether the midterm is important enough to go to the polls and vote.

“At any level, elections are important,” Gordon said. “Elections at the national level seem to gain more interest from the public; however, statistics show that midterm elections have historically lower voter turnout rates than those in presidential years.”

Gordon said he hopes his students who vote in the midterms grow from the experience of casting their ballot.

“Our political system is based around participation of the citizens, and students and other young people are part of that citizenry,” Gordon said. “I hope my students become more civic minded and use that new found knowledge to actively participate.”

Like Carter, senior and Co-President of the Bay’s Political Awareness Club (PAC) Valentina Villarroel is voting in the midterm election. Villarroel and her family members registered to vote over

PHOTOS BY RACHEL SUPNICK

GET OUT AND VOTE: (From top) members of the Political Awareness Club (PAC) hosted a booth in the courtyard during all lunches on Oct. 30 to inform the student body about the impending midterm election. PAC connected with students by offering games and prizes, mixing voter education with interactive activities.

The goal of the event was to prepare young voters who were walking into the booth for the first time, providing them with tips on what to expect at the polls and how to make informed decisions on who to vote for. Senior and Co-President Valentina Villarroel orchestrated the event and ran the booth, handing out pamphlets and informational booklets with nonpartisian sources so the voters could make their own decisions on who to support.

the summer after they gained United States citizenship. Villarroel moved to the U.S. with her parents and brother from Bolivia in 2008.

“We came just the four of us, and that’s all the family we have here,” Villarroel said. “I’m not much for nationalism, but I did feel good for my parents because they’ve been trying to become citizens for a long time.”

Although Villarroel said she was more enthusiastic for her parents becoming citizens than herself, she was eager to register to vote as well.

“I actually really wanted to register because I know a lot about politics,” Villarroel said. “I’ve become really immersed in them since freshman year, so I’m excited to be able to vote.”

Villarroel’s first time voting was in the midterm primary election. She said it was a challenge to learn about the stances of candidates running for district judge positions in the primaries because they had to remain nonpartisan while campaigning. However, Villarroel said it was easier to research contenders for November’s election because midterm candidates are explicit in their positions on controversial issues.

“I know more about the people who are running in the midterms than in the primaries because they are partisan,” Villarroel said. “I look into

their platforms, see what they have done and any scandals about them. It’s about deciding what matters more, the scandals or their stances and how that fits into what I believe.”

Villarroel said she is voting in the midterm because she thinks it is important to be politically active and show up at the polls, so the younger generation’s voice is heard.

“I take any political participation that I can seriously because I am the type to look into issues and feel passionate, and sometimes even complain about them,” Villarroel said. “I think it’d be hypocritical of me to do all that and then decide I’m not going to vote.”

Villarroel was secretary of PAC last school year before becoming co-president of the club with senior Jason Tache. She said she ran for a presidential position this year because she wants to help the club expand outside of exclusively teaching their own members to becoming more involved in educating the public.

“Since sophomore year I knew that midterms were coming up in 2018 and I wanted the club to do something more.”

Villarroel said. “In the presidential election in 2016 we had talks, but we never did anything to go out and use our political awareness. I want the club to do something to apply the knowledge we are giving our members.”

Villarroel said that the club is moving toward her goals from sophomore year.

Earlier this year, PAC worked to register students at the Bay to vote. The club also held a voter education event on Oct. 30 in the courtyard with games relating to politics for students to play during their lunches. In the future, Villarroel said PAC plans to hand out informational pamphlets to government and economic students.

“Midterms have been huge for us, and we’re trying to plan future events so people can stay educated,” Villarroel said.

“The point of being politically aware isn’t just to be aware before an election, but to know what political events are happening every day that matter and affect you.”

Villarroel said it is especially important that adolescents go to the polls and vote. She said that when the youth population doesn’t politically participate, they don’t receive the representation they deserve.

“The people who get elected are not going to do things in office that benefit youth if they can’t rely on our demographic,” Villarroel said. “I think we as teens could have political knowledge if we wanted it. Students should definitely care about this election and make time to go out and vote.”

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Club participation benefits community

BY JESSICA SOBEL & LAUREN PABIAN ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & ONLINE NEWS EDITOR

With over 70 clubs at the Bay, senior Ashley Polsenberg said there are a variety of ways students can become involved in their school community. Through her leadership as the Senior Class Secretary, Fundraising Head of Habitat for Humanity, Secretary of Kakes for Kids and Public Relations Head of Student Government Association (SGA), she said she has been able to take advantage of many of these opportunities.

“Unlike other schools, [the Bay] provides students with a multitude of outlets to become actively involved in an activity they enjoy,” Polsenberg said. “The many options have allowed me and other students to find ourselves and pursue our passions with people who share the same interests.”

Polsenberg said her main goal as Class Secretary is to make the class feel more united. With a senior class of over 1,000 students, she said she can achieve this by organizing events and promoting school spirit.

“I take major pride in being the secretary of my class. I love being able to represent our class as a whole,” Polsenberg said. “I plan activities to bring our student body together. I am hoping with all of these things we can keep our class very close and end [high school] on a good note.”

In addition to unifying the senior class, Polsenberg said she uses her other positions to bring students of all grades together.

“At almost every [Habitat for Humanity] event, you can find freshmen and seniors interacting with each other.

Their age difference doesn’t matter because they have a common goal of giving back to the community,” Polsenberg. “[These clubs] open a lot of students’ eyes to what is going on in the world and teaches them how they too can help change it.”

Beyond Polsenberg’s leadership positions at the Bay, she said she dedicates time to volunteering outside of school through Feeding South Florida and programs at her church.

“I live by the saying, ‘greatness comes not from what you have, but from what you give,’” Polsenberg said. “[Volunteering] is something I have always loved to do and it is something I plan to do throughout the rest of my life.”

As Co-Vice President of Helping Adults with Autism Perform and Excel (HAAPE) and a senator of National Honor Society (NHS), junior Douglas Sandler said he enjoys being active in the Bay’s community as well.

“Right after [the CEO of HAAPE]

told me about [the club’s] mission, I knew this was something I wanted to dedicate myself to. I couldn’t believe this important problem received such little attention,” Sandler said. “Additionally, NHS upholds a lot of the same values that I do, such as community, service and character. I love the idea of a club in which every member is motivated and hardworking.”

To help students in need, Sandler said he also uses his academic strengths as a tutor for Earn-A-Change club.

“I find it so fulfilling to help someone succeed and feel more confident. There is nothing better than the look on someone’s face after they understand something they’ve been struggling with for a while,” Sandler said. “But, what I love most about Earn-A-Change is that 100 percent of the proceeds are donated to charity.”

While Sandler said he enjoys being involved in these clubs, he said he often struggles to balance his school work, extracurriculars and social life. To overcome this, he said he writes in his agenda and sets reminders on his phone.

“It is definitely hard to keep up with all of these activities and my sleep sometimes pays the price. Therefore, I make sure to take advantage of all the time I have and use many techniques to stay organized,” Sandler said. “What helps me the most is how much I enjoy these activities. If anything, I’ll procrastinate my school work by working on upcoming events or planning future meetings.”

In addition to teaching Advanced Placement (AP) Biology, Brandon Boswell is the adviser for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and the Interact Club. However, unlike Sandler, he said he infrequently feels overwhelmed by his obligations.

“I have to take time out of my day to do some club work, but it is rare. If the students know what they’re doing, it is not that stressful,” Boswell said. “On the other hand, if I had a group of students that wanted to do a bunch of projects and did not know what they were doing, it would require a much bigger time commitment on my part.”

Boswell said he understands the rigor of AP Biology, so he offers his students additional help outside of the classroom.

“Although [after school reviews] are not on the schedule, I am always happy to help out, whether it is one student or the whole class,” Boswell said. “I love to help the kids achieve their goals, so if it means staying after school an extra hour, I am always willing to do so.”

Though Polsenberg said she has contributed immensely to the clubs, she said being a leader in them has benefitted her.

“I used to be the person who took on all of the work because I thought I could do it alone. However, [through being in these clubs] I realized it is pivotal to get help from other people at times because

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY DOUGLAS SANDLER

MAKE A CHANGE: (From left) juniors and Helping Adults with Autism Perform and Excel members Jack Ross, Jesus Carvallo, Ike Grapin, Douglas Sandler, Kayla Truske and Corey Steinman give a $3,000 check to the club’s parent organization. Sandler promoted the tutoring club Earn-A-Change at Falcon Cove Night. This club provides tutoring services for students in need and donates 100 percent of its proceeds to charity.

with a strong, diverse team, everyone can contribute unique ideas to ensure success,” Polsenberg said. “Through my failed projects, I have also realized that practice makes perfect and to not be discouraged if something does not work out as planned.

Similar to Polsenberg, Sandler said he is grateful for all that he has learned from the clubs he has participated in.

“The importance of doing what you enjoy and the power of hard work have now become even more significant to me,” Sandler said. “I have a better

understanding of how to motivate others and how to draw different people in to achieve the best results.”

Sandler said he plans to apply the skills he obtained to improve his community and make the world a better place.

“In learning about the importance of doing what you enjoy, I will be able to have a more fulfilling future,” Sandler said. “I want to continue to volunteer for organizations that are dedicated to bettering our world because if you are not a part of the solution, then you are part of the problem.”

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FEATURES Tuition: $26,746 ACT Composite: 22-28

NOVEMBER 2018

Undergraduate Enrollment: 6,354 SAT Composite: 1120-1310

Q&A with a current student

Percent of applicants admitted: 49%

PHOTO COURTESY OF HTTPS://PLEXUSS.COM/COLLEGE/HOWARD-UNIVERSITY

white schools my whole life and I wanted someone get an internship, we all uplift to have a new experience surrounded each other every chance we get.

Howard University is a private by my culture and my people in a place Do you have advice for students historically black university (HBCU) where I could truly find myself. considering college choices? located in Washington, D.C that Do you feel more connected to the Don’t pick a school just because it’s specializes in research and achievements the most well-known or because of its in the STEM fields. Class of 2018 graduate student population at an HBCU? Absolutely. We are required to take ranking. Choose a place you feel at home Jenee Cidel is a freshman psychology major attending the university. She an African-American studies class which because you will be living there for the spoke to The Circuit’s Nyah Hardmon provides insight on more than just the next four years. Also, don’t stress, you via phone call to discuss her campus current Black experience but also what will end up where you’re supposed to, our ancestors had to go through too, everything happens for a reason. experience thus far. making us more confident in our skin How is your college experience Why did you choose to go to Howard and more comfortable in our learning environment. Everyone here is going different from your high school University?

I had heard about the culture and the through very similar experiences being a experience?

The experiences are on opposite sides experience I would gain if I attended. Black body in America so we all connect When I went to visit the school on on that level. But deeper than that, we all of the spectrum. In college, you have so accepted students’ day, I was met with share the same culture, the same values, much time to study, work, explore, watch energy and a sense of belonging that I and we are all really just one big family. a movie, etc. because you get to choose had not experienced at any other school Whether it be hyping up some girl you see the times you take your classes, unlike I’d visited. I had been to predominantly walking to class in a cute outfit or helping high school. Also, there’s tons of new and

different people to meet every day, always something new to experience, especially at Howard, something going on everyday.

I had to learn how to balance my time.

With so much time on your hands it’s easy to procrastinate, so I had to figure out what worked best for me and how I needed to balance my time.

Would you recommend black students attending an HBCU? I think every Black student should attend an HBCU because it’s more beneficial than people realize. HBCU does more than just teach you core subjects. They teach you about living life as a Black man or woman, they teach you self-love, they provide you with so much support and love. The HBCU experience is just unbeatable.

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Females engage in STEM activities

BY ALEXIS ESPTEIN NEWS COPY EDITOR

Junior Karen Goldvarg is one of 11 female students in the newly offered cybersecurity course at the Bay taught

by Williams. She said she took this class because she is considering entering the computer science field one day.

“It sounded different and I thought it’d be interesting to get an inside glimpse in the cybersecurity world,” Goldvarg said.

After seeing the effect of technological advancements in society, Goldvarg said she was eager to learn more to give her a head start for her future career, especially since she is entering a male dominant field.

“It’s frequently harder for women to get the same jobs as men, but having prior experience with technology will add a notch in my belt and help give me an advantage over my male counterparts,” Goldvarg said.

Like Goldvarg, senior Aracelis Partida said she partakes in courses meant to prep her for her future as a scientist. She has taken courses in engineering, Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science, Astronomy Honors and AP Physics.

“I chose to sign up for these classes because I’m very curious and fascinated about how technology and the world works. I know the concepts I learn in class will help me in my future endeavors,” Partida said. “Science has always been my favorite subject as it’s interesting and something I’d love to do for the rest of my life.”

She is also involved in Cypress Bay Television (CBTV) where she uses equipment like cameras and audio boxes, as well as Adobe software such as Premiere Pro, Photoshop and After Effects in order to create videos. She said they look at previous episodes of Aftershock to improve their newer episodes, a skill she will use when she is a scientist.

“

From classes to scholarships to internships, young women have amazing opportunities to be part of life-changing advances in the technological field, as well as in their personal achievements.

“

“

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY CAROLINA RAPP

-FBI agent Alexis Carpinteri

PHOTO BY ALEXIS EPSTEIN

It’s frequently harder for women to get the same jobs as men, but having prior experience with technology will add a notch in my belt and help give me an advantage over my male counterparts.

“

-junior Karen Goldvarg “My CBTV experiences will impact my future as I will need to work with computers and video [record] my experiments for data and research purposes,” Partida said.

AP Computer Science Principles teacher Caryn Corridon was introduced to Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in college after her father suggested she try a computer science class. She said math has always been a strength of hers, but was hesitant as to what she wanted to pursue.

“I found [the class] fascinating, got an A and didn’t really look back,” Corridon said. “I fell in love with [computer science after] the first class I took.”

Corridon said her male peers would frequently ask her about her interest in computers as if she was not as qualified as they were. Looking back, she said she

in technology to demonstrate their talents and advance in their careers.”

The Bay offers many different computer and programming courses for the entire student body. Corridon said the variety of courses allow students to experiment with potential careers.

“We strive to make the classes more welcoming and erase the stigma that surrounds STEM classes,” Corridon said. “It’s important that students have a variety of skills.”

Carpinteri said classes like Cybersecurity and AP Computer Science Principles expose females to a world out there they may not have otherwise considered, and this is why the FBI has partnered with the Bay this year on their new cybersecurity program.

“The goal is to generate interest in that field, as well as government service to protect the nation with those critical skills,” Carpinteri said. “Although this program is just starting, the students have been enthusiastic and intelligent young men and women.”

BRANCHING OUT: (From top) freshman Dylan Courtney participates in Cypress Bay Television (CBTV) by filming the Bay’s sporting events. Freshman Rafaella Pareja and sophomore Maia Dahl complete assignments for their cybersecurity class. Pareja and Dahl code logos and items in order to learn the processes of creating a website.

feels her persistence in this field made her a good role model for her two daughters.

“No matter what questions my male coworkers would ask me, I knew I belonged too, in that office alongside the men,” Corridon said. “This is a skill I tried to teach my daughters; don’t let anyone bring you down.”

Before Corridon was a teacher, she worked as a computer scientist and was the only woman in her department. She said she experienced bias against her, being the only woman from her boss toward the other employees.

“There should be more women in technology because it’s been a male dominated field for many years,” Corridon said. “If I was working from home when one of my daughters was sick, [my boss] would sign me out, but I would just sign back in and do my work.”

After Corridon’s pushback from her male companions both in and out of school, she said she thinks women should follow their passion and pursue whatever profession they wish.

“Every job uses technology in some form or another,” Corridon said. “Women choose careers based on their interests and passions.”

Alexis Carpinteri is a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and uses STEM every day when working on a case. Computer scientists, forensic examiners, engineers and scientists all work with the FBI Agents and use a variety of tools like computers, radios and surveillance equipment in their every day work.

“Technology is a big part of the FBI,” Carpinteri said. “We use it to protect the United States from terrorism, threats and other vulnerabilities.”

As the country is continuing to develop, Carpinteri said technology is becoming more prevalent and STEMbased opportunities are growing.

She said she believes active female involvement in technology is the driving force in advancing society and the STEM industry.

“From classes to scholarships to internships, young women have amazing opportunities to be part of life-changing advances in the technological field, as well as in their personal achievements,” Carpinteri said. “The FBI has a critical need for employees with strong technological education and skills. This creates amazing opportunities for women

On a larger scale, Carpinteri said women are becoming more thoroughly introduced to technology and computer science leading to an increase in the amount of women choosing to study in this field.

“Continuing to provide opportunities for women to see what it’s all about will increase [their] interest,” Carpinteri said.

She said numerous cybersecurity corporations, such as the FBI, are engaging middle and high school age girls to provide mentorships, interactive activities and social aspects. They are doing this by offering courses in cybersecurity, computer science and engineering.

“This is a great way to provide exposure and generate interest,” Carpinteri said. “These budding young engineers and computer-skilled girls have the chance to show their value in an area that doesn’t care about gender, only what you can prove.”

When Corridon started her computer science career in the 1980s, she said there was double the amount of women working in computer science than there are present day.

“There’s less [women] now because [they] don’t feel comfortable being the only girl in a class or department and having a certain grade point average,” Corridon said.

Corridon said the push for women and minorities in technological education will hopefully inspire more of them to enter the field as it will introduce them to new opportunities.

“Everyone should feel that they can do anything they want to do and should not be made to feel they aren’t smart enough,” Corridon said.

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THE THINGS THEY CARRIED FEATURING SILVANA TEDESCHI 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, staffer Chloe Nowack interviews freshman Silvana Tedeschi to discover the meaning behind five items.

Umbrella In case she needs one, Tedeschi always has her umbrella on her. If it ever rains, she said she will be well prepared, and carries an umbrella to combat any unexpected showers. Tedeschi said, even though carrying an umbrella every day can be a slight nuisance, it is worth it to ensure she will stay dry and comfortable throughout the day.

“I carry an umbrella with me because I like having one with me when it rains so I don’t get cold and wet,” Tedeschi said. “The one time I take it out of my bag will be the one time it rains hard, so it’s just better to keep it with me at all times.”

Extra Pair of Socks In past years, Tedeschi said she has been stuck at school during a storm, drenched from head to toe. In the case that something like this occurs again, she said she likes to keep a fresh pair of socks in her bag. She said she never takes the socks out of her bag so that she will always be prepared for an impromptu wardrobe change when necessary.

“This one time when it rained and my socks got all wet, so I’ve been carrying an extra pair for a while now,” Tedeschi said. “It was the worst feeling in the world, so I swore to never let it happen again.”

Harry Potter Pins Tedeschi’s mother bought her pins with different sayings, characters and symbols from what Tedeschi said is her favorite book series: “Harry Potter.” She said she splits the pins between her lanyard and the inside pocket of her bag to constantly remind her of her favorite novel.

“They’re from the Hufflepuff House in ‘Harry Potter,’” Tedeschi said.

“One of them is a logo and the other says Prefect because some students are selected from each house to be a Prefect which means they enforce rules and make sure the people in the younger years are not breaking rules. It’s like a house cop.”

Lunchbox Tedeschi carries a lunchbox that resembles a post-office package. The Owl Post in the book series “Harry Potter” is the way wizards would send letters to each other, and the lunchbox symbolizes what a package from the fictional post office would look like in real life.

“My lunch box is also from Harry Potter,” Tedeschi said. “It’s cool because it lets me pretend that I am a part of the fictional world.”

Box Freshman Silvana Tedeschi carries a small box filled with school supplies in her backpack. She said the writing tools come in handy in various classroom scenarios throughout the day, and the box serves as a small, easy way for her to keep necessary supplies organized and close by wherever she goes.

“The little box I got in Rome and I thought it was super cute and handy because it had small scissors, tape, staples and a stapler, along with an extra highlighter,” Tedeschi said.

“

It’s cool because it lets me pretend that I am a part of the fictional world.

”

-freshman Silvana Tedeschi

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Family business receives new owner “It was a struggle getting used to the company in the beginning. I had no idea what I was doing at first,” Ure said. “I got used to it because a lot of the software does it for me. For example, if I can not pick up a call, it will go straight to voice message and it will direct them to my website. Then they can fill out an online schedule or form that I made from Google Docs.”

When Sadowski bought the agency a few years back, Ure said she was intrigued and wanted to be able to tutor people through a business as well. She said she knew she needed more experience before she could take over the partnership from her brother.

“At the time that my sister showed interest in the company, it wasn’t really a priority for me to sell it,” Sadowski said.

“However, I did feel that I would be ready in the near future to sell it, and I felt most comfortable leaving the business to my sister over anyone else.”

BY ILYSSA MANN

“You Ask We Tutor” is a small business whose purpose is to provide education and job opportunities for high school students. At the beginning of this year, juniors Sydney Ure and Spencer Levine bought the tutoring agency from Ure’s older brother, James Sadowski. Ure said she has spent the past couple months becoming familiar with the ins and outs of running a corporation and managing her franchise.

“Basically, we gather up tutors and we get our clients through marketing and through social media, and then we link our tutors with the clients,” Ure said.

“This is an easy job for students because they have already learned the material at school.”

Ure’s establishment sets students up with tutors who recently completed a similar course. Ure said tutoring people improves her own personal studies as well, since she sometimes stumbles upon material with which she is not familiar.

“When you help people, you are testing your knowledge. If I don’t know something, then I’m one of those types of people to be like ‘why don’t I know it? I need to know it,’” Ure said. “So I re-teach it to myself and that makes me feel better because then both my client and I are improving.”

“

In August I went back to school and my sister had to start running the company on her own without help from me.

I wasn’t worried at all because I know how committed she is, and she showed me that she was dedicated to learning the company.

“

I’ve learned how to work with other people because I’m doing this with my close friend, Spencer Levine, and just being able to work together I’ve learned a lot like trust, cooperation and teamwork.

“

-alumnus James Sadowski

“

-junior Sydney Ure

Ure said she bought the firm to earn a steady income; however, she said she has gained a lot more from owning the agency than she had initially expected.

“Becoming a way to earn money was the only thing I had in mind with the company when I bought it. I’ve learned how to work with other people because I’m doing this with my close friend Spencer Levine, and just being able to work together I’ve learned a lot like trust, cooperation and teamwork,” Ure said.

“All of that has really tested both of us and I think we’ve overcome a lot of things in these past months from doing this.”

Sadowski had been running the organization for about six years with his co-owner, Madeline Zarfati. He said he has left his business in good hands having his sister in charge.

“My sister is very responsible, and I

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY SYDNEY URE

TEACHING TRADITIONS: (From top) junior Sydney Ure celebrates with her brother and alumnus James Sadowski as he graduates from the Bay last year.

Upon graduating, Sadowski passed down his business, “You Ask We Tutor,” to Ure in order to carry out the legacy he created on campus. Sadowski said he had faith that Ure would continue running the business and help expand its success.

didn’t hesitate to sell the company to her,” Sadowski said. “I think it will be a little bit of a challenge for her, at least in the beginning, but I know it’s nothing she can’t handle.”

Ure and Sadowski were both home during the summer and spent the time transferring the establishment over to his sister.

“I’m glad that we had so much time over the summer to really sit down and

go over pretty much everything about the website,” Sadowski said. “In August I went back to school and my sister had to start running the company on her own without help from me. I wasn’t worried at all because I know how committed she is, and she showed me that she was dedicated to learning the company.”

After taking over the corporation, Ure learned how to use the website and manage the subscriptions.

Before buying the enterprise, Ure said she was unsure of her decision until Levine encouraged the purchase. After deciding on a co-ownership of the franchise, Ure said she was excited to start.

“It wasn’t a quick decision for me. I thought about it countless times, but it never seemed possible,” Ure said. “When he [Levine] told me he would co-own it with me, I was ecstatic because it was like this thought or idea was finally becoming a reality for me.”

From this experience, Ure said she hopes to not only help other students succeed in school, but for her to also gain valuable knowledge on how to run a business.

“I decided that I wanted to take part in tutoring people when I bought the company because I love the feeling of being able to directly help someone succeed,” Ure said. “It’s so amazing to see your clients improve and to see them grasp the subject when working with them. It’s one of the things I love about the company for sure.”

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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 Supnick interviews Student Government Association and Interior Design 3 and 4 teacher Danielle Nascimento.

How did you first get involved with Student Government Association (SGA)?

I’ve been involved in [SGA] since third grade. I was super involved through elementary school, middle school and then high school. I held officer positions throughout [the time I was involved]; it was my high school passion. After college, I became a teacher and started teaching [DECA] here at Cypress.

When I started, I was very interested in SGA and was always asking around about the program because I did not see that it was very active; the adviser just had a different way of running things than I was used to. Fortunately for me, the adviser retired and the position became available. I spoke to Mr. Neely about it and I was fortunate enough to get the job.

Is it ever difficult to transition teaching back and forth between the SGA and Interior Design?

Actually no, because [both classes] are similar and different in many ways.

They are both creative, which is my favorite part about both of them, but Interior Design is not as stressful as SGA. For me, [Interior Design] is a nice change from the fast pace of SGA. Before you decided to become a teacher, what was your dream career?

I wanted to be a doctor for many years, until I went to college. Then I realized with that job I was not going to be able to be creative and that was really important to me. For a while after that, I saw myself being an entertainment publicist.

What is your favorite part about teaching?

[My favorite part of teaching is] that every day is different. Every day is a new lesson and a new experience with the students and each day is what I make of it. Obviously teaching SGA every day

is going to be different because every day we are planning something new, which I think is different than traditional teaching.

What do you want students to take away from your classes?

I want [my students] to take away some leadership skills. In SGA, I would like them to walk away feeling like they are organized and prepared to handle and plan anything in their life, whether in their future jobs or personal lives.

In Interior Design, I would [hope that] those of them who are going off to be Interior Designers feel like they are light-years ahead of people their age who also have that same dream.

Outside of school, what is your favorite thing to do in your free time and why?

Shopping is my favorite. Retail therapy does wonders. I love walking around Target and the mall. Usually by myself is my favorite because I can spend as much time in any store that I want.

Who is your number one role model and why?

My grandfather [is my number one role model]. He has always been somebody who prides himself on having a very strong work ethic and doing things the right way all the time. Even if it takes more time [and] effort, you should always do things right and give it your all.

How did you begin teaching Interior Design?

Interior Design has always been a hobby of mine. About ten years ago, the county decided to start Broward’s first Interior Design program here [at the Bay]. I am in the current technical department and I had heard of [the program], so I went and got certified in it and here I am teaching it.

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“Sneakerheads” find hobby within shoes

BY JEN SILVERMAN

sneakerheads through social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram.

He said his sneakerhead profession has provided an alternative source of income for him.

“From my earnings, I have had the opportunity to purchase items for myself, including a Mac laptop,” Braun said.

“Sometimes, if I am doing well, I will keep the pair of rare shoes for myself.”

Junior Josh Braun is a self-diagnosed “sneakerhead,” someone who views sneakers as much more than shoes, using his spare time to collect rare sneakers, follow sneaker accounts on social media and even sell the shoes for profit. Braun said he built his collection to express his personal style through a creative outlet.

While others may do this by changing their hairstyle or wearing a new brand of clothing, he said he chose to take a more I like how different pairs entrepreneurial route in his hobby.

“Being involved in sneakers is an of shoes can totally easy way and a fun way to make money,” change your outfit and Braun said. “I buy rare sneakers at retail price and then sell them at a higher they can also be very amount to people online.” trendy.

Through his passion for sneakers, Braun said he learned a lot about business management and skills, which will help -sophomore Maya him in many fields in the future.

Budelman “I have learned to deal with people, and have the ability to make money off Alongside the income and business of them. I think that it has made me more skills, sophomore Maya Budelman said mature and responsible because I have to being a sneakerhead is also another make sure that I am following up with way for students to express themselves. my customers,” For Budelman, each shoe is unique and Braun said. different in their own way. Because of the wide variety of sneakers that the market has to offer, she said there is a shoe for everyone.

“I like how different pairs of shoes can totally change your outfit and they “I’ve can also be very trendy,” Budelman said. been through a Though Budelman has many shoes in lot of aspects of business that most people her collection, she said she does have a learn later in the life, but I’ve had the favorite. opportunity to learn them now.”

“I have about 21 pairs of shoes and Braun has worked with popular my favorite would probably be my

“

PHOTO BY JEN SILVERMAN

SHOE-AHOLIC: Junior Josh Braun invested in new Yeezy sneakers, one of his many pairs. To support his sneakerhead hobby, he said he sells most of his expensive finds, but keeps some for himself.

Adidas Tubular Virals because they are so comfortable and different from what people normally wear,” Budelman said.

Algebra I teacher Robyn Berman has witnessed the sneaker trend first-hand, as she said she has noticed some of her students place immense value into their footwear. Although she does not believe students should build their character upon materialistic items, she said she understands how the shoes can be a source of individualism.

“I’m sure there are definitely some students of mine that have interest in sneakers, most likely more boys than girls,” Berman said. “It doesn’t necessarily add to their personality, but it is an outlet

for students to find their passion.”

While Berman does not participate in this hobby, she comprehends why her students do. She said being a sneakerhead can have a rather positive impact on students because of the life lessons that go into maintaining the hobby.

“Shoes are also a conversation starter, which helps students with their social skills,” Berman said. “I think that some sneakers are really cool and out there, so it does allow students to express themselves.”

“

Halloween sparks creative festivities

BY LUCIANA GARZON

English I Honors and Creative Writing I teacher Rebecca Bueno said she spends the beginning of the school year counting down the days until Halloween. While others may dread the season’s festivities, Bueno said it is her favorite time of the year, and she uses the holiday as an excuse to dress up and decorate both her home and classroom. “[Halloween time] is really festive and I’m a big thematic person. I like to decorate immediately,” Bueno said. “My house was decorated September 28, because it was almost spooky time.”

Bueno said her go-to method for celebrating her favorite holiday is embellishing her surroundings with Halloween-themed accessories.

“I like representing my love of the holiday visually. I like decorating for other holidays, but Halloween is my favorite,” Bueno said. “[Halloween] is the most fun to decorate for because everything is so wild, and you don’t have to match at all, it’s just more fun to decorate.”

The different ways in which students and faculty can celebrate the holiday is something sophomore Tatiana Ochoa said makes Halloween so special to her.

She said the versatility of the festival combined with the spooky atmosphere of the time of year makes for unforgettable memories. Because she can be someone else for the night, Ochoa said she indulges in the festivities to let loose and have fun.

“Halloween is special to me and my family because you get to dress up as

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY TATIANA OCHOA

SPOOKTACULAR: Sophomore Tatiana Ochoa decked out in a homemade hippie costume this Halloween. She completed the outfit with her dog in a matching ensemble.

whatever you want to be for that one day,” Ochoa said. “You get to scare people and it’s a really fun holiday to celebrate.”

Ochoa said she takes advantage of the Halloween spirit and uses the holiday as an opportunity to go all out during the entire month of October, not just the one day.

“I go all out for Halloween by dressing up in elaborate costumes,” Ochoa said. “I love Halloween so much because I think it’s fun to dress up and get candy.”

For sophomore Alexis Forgatsch, she said Halloween is different from other occasions because it forces people to get out of their comfort zones and

channel their inner creativity with unique costumes.

“I dress up like whatever I think of at the moment; I don’t really plan it out,” Forgatsch said. “I put in a couple hours into making a costume because I usually just use things I own and get creative.”

While Forgatsch enjoys dressing up for Halloween, she said she doesn’t always like to go out on the holiday.

Instead, she said she prefers keeping her celebration small and at home.

“I like to hang out with my friends to get candy, watch movies, and just chill out,” Forgatsch said.

Aside from the opportunity to get dressed up and scare others, Bueno said above all else, going all out for Halloween is a representation of her newfound freedom. She said that as an adult, she can now celebrate her favorite holiday in whatever way she wishes to, something she was not able to do as a child.

“I think as soon as I moved away from home, I really took advantage of the fact I got to use my space as much as possible,” Bueno said. “I know when I was younger, we didn’t decorate my childhood house as much as I currently decorate my own home and my classroom. I just want to be representative of the holiday.”

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LE

P AP S OD

P AIR

SEEN N CAMPUS

BY CASSIDY SHELDON MANAGING EDITOR

Whether it’s for listening to music or taking a phone call, students around the Bay are utilizing Apple’s latest rendition of headphones, known as AirPods. The wireless buds are connected through Bluetooth and allow users to listen sans cell phone in hand.

Senior Chase Febles said his favorite part about this headset is its favorable style that is sleek and cozy.

“AirPods are the best. They are super convenient since you’re not touching wires, especially when you’re working out and stuff like that,” Febles said. “They fit more comfortably than any other earphone.”

The AirPods are available from the Apple store and contain an Apple W1 chip which generates better connection and sound quality. Like Febles, senior Dylan Brandes said he enjoys these headphones mostly for when he is working out, since they fit perfectly and don’t have wires, which can become tangled.

“I love how accessible they are,” Brandes said. “I can use them whenever I want and they’re especially useful while playing sports or working out since they never fall out.”

While the buds are buzzing throughout the Bay, senior Jason Rosenberg said he first discovered them on a trip to New York City.

“When I was in New York City I saw everyone wearing AirPods and I felt so out of place not having them,” Rosenberg said. “So, I got a pair and I love them.”

Rosenberg said the headset

contained new and enticing features which encouraged him to purchase the product.

“My favorite part about these headphones is that they have no wires and when I take them out of my ears, the music pauses automatically,” Rosenberg said. “It makes them convenient and comfortable.”

Because of its many advanced technological features, the AirPods are priced at $159. Senior Diego Schummer said he prefers another brand, Jaybird, which sells similar headphones at a cheaper price without sacrificing the quality.

“For the extraneous cost of $159, the Apple AirPods lack in comparison to the superior quality and elevated comfort provided by Jaybird,” Schummer said.

While the AirPods are receiving positive reviews from many students at the Bay, Schummer said he notices many users are basing their opinions on the brand name rather than the actual quality of the product.

“The societal preference for brand over p er for ma nce has created a barrier between t h o s e products that serve its function versus those that exceed standards,” Schummer said. “I pop my Jaybirds in every class and they are completely soundproof, I can’t hear anything one inch away even on mid volume.”

Sophomore Lauren Sachs

With the increasing usage of AirPods and headphones in general by the student population, Advanced Placement Psychology teacher David Geller said students are irreparably hurting their eardrums early on in life.

He said he has also seen many students wearing the buds during lectures when he is talking, listening to their music instead of his lesson. “[Headphones] are distracting to me as a teacher because I feel that students are not listening to me, but more so it is causing damage to their ears so it’s even more detrimental to them,” Geller said.

“Because the decibels are going directly into their eardrum and cochlea and so on, it is causing them to have hearing loss earlier on than in my generation.”

Along with the hearing loss, Geller said wearing AirPods during class time and while studying can hurt students’ potential uptake of knowledge.

“If they’re listening to it while they’re taking a test, they will remember it better which is possible, but more than likely it would distract them from coding i n for m at ion,” Geller said. “Too much stimulation coming from several different areas will start to cause one to block out the others.

Freshman Olivia Mazloff

This can lead to problems like lack of learning and coding.”

Although Febles said he likes to wear his headphones throughout the day, he said it can be distracting in class.

“Any headphones will take away from a classroom setting and no headphones should be used while a teacher is teaching,” Febles said. “But, if [students] are just doing busy work for another class then it could be okay or if they don’t have any work assigned then it could be okay.”

Because of its design, Febles said it is easy for students to wear the pods during class unbeknownst to faculty members. Rosenberg said another implication of this simple design is that the earphones can easily be misplaced.

“I think my least favorite feature would be how easy it is to lose these headphones,” Rosenberg said. “But, they are kind of indestructible, mine accidentally went through the wash and are thankfully still working perfectly.”

Even though the buds have their kinks, Brandes said he is a fan of Apple’s latest product and will continue sporting the headphones.

“Apple has always been a reliable brand for me,” Brandes said. “I’ve been using the standard Apple headphones since I was a kid, so it was just a matter of time before I got the AirPods.”

Junior Manuela Caldas

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Class of 2013

‘The Bay helped transform my love for television production into a career.’

Alumna Alexis Levy becomes an assistant director with Home Shopping Network.

BY RACHEL ALEXANDER

After interning at the Home Shopping Network (HSN) while attending the University of Florida (UF), alumna Alexis Levy, who graduated from the Bay in 2013, landed a job in the TV production department. Levy works as an Assistant Director on the 24/7 live show that sells all the products; she began just a week after graduating college.

Levy faces a wide range of responsibilities on the job, including providing all the still and video support for every item the company sells, running commercial breaks and updating a crew screen that keeps everyone on task and in order. She said sometimes she is also a Graphics Operator, and is responsible for animating the graphics for each product.

No matter what role she is completing, Levy said it is exhilarating work which inspires her to stay motivated to do the best work possible.

“My favorite part about being in TV production is the constant adrenaline rush,” Levy said.

Levy said her high school experience fostered a collaborative environment and focused on strong academics. She said learning how to navigate through the Bay’s large campus prepared her for college and her career. Levy mentioned she was always motivated by all her teachers to be the best possible version of herself.

“I always tell people [the Bay] is like a mini college campus because it’s so spread out and there are so many students,” Levy said. “No one ever believes me when I tell them my graduating class was almost 1,100 kids.”

While in high school, Levy was a part of the newspaper staff. She said her experience taught her the important skill of how to work under pressure, which now allows her to work efficiently at HSN. Levy said, by the time she got to college, she was more than prepared to meet all her video editing and project deadlines.

“Now, in the workplace, I spend all day in a fast-paced control room on a much larger team of people working to make one fantastic live show and I’ve never once felt like I can’t handle it,” Levy said.

Before she went to college, Levy said she had no experience in the

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ALEXIS LEVY

SHOW TIME: Alumna Alexis Levy works at her station, where she monitors the Home Shopping Network along with commercial breaks and keeps the crew updated in order to ensure everything runs smoothly.

telecommunications field. In 2013, she became a founding member of ChomPics Productions, a student-run production team that produces, writes and edits a five-episode web series, an entertainment news program and podcasts. She was also an Executive Producer of PopMedia TV, the entertainment news program, and

edited one of the 22-minute web series episodes.

“I knew I wanted to stay within the College of Journalism and Communications but didn’t really want to write, which basically only left Telecommunications as an option,” Levy said. “I figured if I didn’t like the

[introductory] classes, I’d change my major, but I ended up falling in love with it.”

At UF, Levy said she applied for many internships and stumbled upon HSN. She said she didn’t get the HSN internship the first summer she applied, but the next year she was chosen to be one of three interns in the TV production department.

“I trained as an Assistant Director, which was unusual to do as an intern,” Levy said. “HSN has a great reputation for hiring interns full-time once they graduate, and I was fortunate that there was a job opening as it got closer to the end of my senior year of college.”

Levy said the most exciting part of preparing for her job was knowing she would get to go back to work with all the people she collaborated with when she was an intern. She said the highlight of her career so far was getting promoted less than a year after starting her job.

“Besides getting to do what I went to school for, one of my favorite parts about going to work is the people,” Levy said.

“It was really comforting to know I’d love who I work with before I even started the job.”

Levy said the only time HSN is closed is for part of Christmas, so there is never a point where everything stops at her job.

She said there are people working 24 hours a day and when a show ends, the new crew jumps onto their positions and the next show starts.

“It’s an amazing thing to watch because it happens so seamlessly while a thousand other things are happening,” Levy said. “I really love and take pride in what I do, and it’s an amazing feeling to have all your hard work be recognized.”

Levy said her goal when she graduated from school was to work in the control room in live television, with her ultimate goal being to work for Saturday Night Live or The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Levy said she is unsure of how long she will stay at HSN, but she is not opposed to staying long term or leaving if the right opportunity comes along.

“I would’ve never guessed I’d be working in television if someone had asked me nine years ago when I started in journalism or even five years ago when I started college,” Levy said. “I got lucky picking something at orientation that I ended up sticking with, loving and turning into a career.”

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NOVEMBER 2018

SP I RIT

For junior Sydney Kron, school spirit is more than purchasing class shirts or attending organized dances. While the acts do exhibit some school support, she said the secret to an enthusiastic environment is an active student body that is consistently involved with on-campus occurrences. Because she believes her high school years are among the best years of her life, she said she aims to dedicate her time and energy towards ensuring she has the ideal experience.

“I think it’s important to encourage everyone to be excited and enjoy high school,” Kron said. “Many people do not get to be involved and experience the opportunities that Cypress has, and we should all take advantage of them.”

As a three-year member of the cheerleading team and a Student Government Association (SGA) officer, Kron finds multiple outlets to showcase her school support, like cheering on football games and coordinating spirit weeks.

She also represents the Bay when competing in statewide DECA competitions, providing her with a way to further connect to both her school and her fellow peers.

“Because I’m in different clubs and organizations on campus, I’m able to have a say in more than one aspect of student life and form relationships with more than one group of

people,” Kron said. “It really helps the campus feel more like a family that all comes together to represent the same school.”

While Kron channels her school spirit by organizing events like spirit days, Algebra II and Advanced Topics teacher Lori Windloss does the same by participating in them. She said, by making the effort to dress up, she hopes her students will look up to her and follow her lead.

“I try as much as I can to get into the spirit of things,” Windloss said. “I think when the teachers do it, it encourages the students to dress up as well. It gets them more riled up about it and willing to have fun.”

Along with the Bay’s academic environment, Windloss said the social environment on campus is equally as important. Through student and teacher involvement in ongoing activities and events at school, she said this builds a foundation for a more connected student body and staff.

“School isn’t just about academic learning it’s about all kinds of learning from social to emotional to spiritual,” Windloss said. “It’s about getting out there and making memories you can look back on.”

After years of teaching at the Bay, Windloss said she developed a sense of pride in the school, and is not hesitant in expressing this pride in any way she can.

“School spirit is being proud of where you go and realizing you are part of this

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BY NYAH HARDMON FEATURES EDITOR

FEATURES

awesome school that is providing you with a free education,” Windloss said. “It shows that you are proud of where you go, which I most definitely am.”

Like Windloss, as Kron became more involved in different ways to represent the Bay, she said she began to feel shameless in her open adoration for her school.

“I think everyone should show spirit and support within the school due to the place we are,” Kron said. “We are enrolled in one of the largest high schools in the nation, and should be proud. I think everyone should want to be excited and enthusiastic about Cypress Bay.” Pride in the Bay is what also drives Creative Writing and English I Honors teacher Rebecca Bueno to participate in any spirit day SGA offers. She said by dressing out in elaborate costumes that coordinate to Homecoming or Step Up Week themes, she is paying respect to a campus where she is grateful to teach.

“We are extremely fortunate to have one of the best schools not only in the state, but in the nation,” Bueno said. “We’re recognizable everywhere we go and I’m truly proud. We have great students and great faculty; it’s just a great place to be.”

Even though Bueno opts to express her school pride through her clothing, she said dressing out is not the sole way to represent the school.

“I think school spirit is showing pride in your school in any way that you can, whether

that be through activities or visually,” Bueno said. “It can even include having vocal pride like saying I love my school, which I do. I tell every single person.”

Bueno said having enthusiasm for school paves a path for students to branch out and form deeper connections with those around them.

“It supports camaraderie. It’s something we all have in common, no matter what music you listen to or what posse you hang out with, everyone goes to Cypress Bay and should be happy they go to this school,” Bueno said.

“There’s always that common thread that we are the lightning.”

For senior Maya Gordon, her expression of school spirit is directed not towards her high school, but her future college. As a soccer commit for Louisiana State University (LSU), Gordon said she already proudly represents her college, even before she is an official student at the university.

“I accepted my offer to LSU as a sophomore, and ever since then, I have been more than excited to attend,” Gordon said. “I’ve been wearing the school’s gear and rooting them on during games. It’s like I’m already there.”

Because Gordon said she is positive LSU is where she will be next fall, she already has a head start in showing support for her future university. She said she doesn’t let the distance from her future school stop her from showing how proud she is to attend.

“It’s honestly a great school, I fell in love with it the moment I stepped on campus,” Gordon said. “I consider my current support preparation for my future years at the college.

I’m honored to have the opportunity to play for them and the least I can do is show that.”

As Gordon exhibits school spirit on the collegiate level, she said this doesn’t take away from her participation in high school events. She said even though she looks forward to her college years, she still takes the time to appreciate her moments in high school as well.

“I definitely still go to games and dressed up for step up week,” Gordon said. “I consider my LSU pride a continuation of the same spirit I showed in high school, just on a bigger level and with different colors.”

Looking back to her past years in high school, Windloss said she is happy she actively participated when she was a student.

During her four years at Palmetto Senior High School, Windloss said the best days were when she put aside her embarrassment and interacted in spirit events.

“I still have the pictures in my yearbook; it was embarrassing how I dressed but I’m so glad I did because it feels good to look back at the memories,” Windloss said. “You’re only in high school once, so I’m happy I went all out when I got the chance.”

26 THE CIRCUIT

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FEATURES

NOVEMBER 2018

Support of “Pinktober” raises awareness

BY REMI SCHWARTZ PR MANAGER

When senior Addison Berger was four years old, she lost someone who motivated her life, especially in October. Ever since, Berger said she recognizes October as Breast Cancer Awareness month and supports it through wearing pink and donating to various research organizations.

“I wear pink every day in October to support all the fighters of this terrible cancer, but most importantly, for my mom,” Berger said.

By wearing pink or even articles of her mom’s clothing, Berger said she feels closer to her mother. Since she grew up without her mom, Berger said she feels closer to her by having something from her mother with her through her clothing items.

“I was four years old when my mom lost her battle to breast cancer,” Berger said. “I think pink for her, to keep her spirit alive and to spread awareness.”

Besides wearing pink, Berger said she participates in activities to support awareness, such as fundraisers, projects and runs held by the American Cancer Society or the Susan G Komen Foundation.

“Whether that is doing a school project or donating my hair, I will find a way to show my support,” Berger said. “I saw so many people giving their hair in wigs to help my mom and I knew I wanted to do the same.”

Every couple of years, Berger said she donates her hair to make wigs

for cancer patients. When she was in 7th grade, she also raised around $3,000 which she donated to the Mount Sinai psycho-social department where her mom was treated.

“Donating my hair or even wearing pink makes me feel stronger,” Berger said. “Wearing pink is the least I can do to show my support, but it also makes me feel my mom [is there] even after not having her here for the last 13 years.”

Like Berger, athletes around the Bay also wear pink to show their support throughout the entire month. Sophomore and cheerleader Sydney Quildon said her pink socks and bow make her feel like she is a part of a cure.

“I know how personal this disease can be,” Quildon said “I want to show [breast cancer fighters] that I stand with them, even if it’s by my socks, bows or bracelets.”

As Quildon cheers for the football team, she said she also cheers for awareness and a cure for breast cancer.

“Pink pom poms and athletes taking a stand is important,” Quildon said.

“Putting yourself out there for people who are affected by this is the whole concept.”

Quildon said her pink spirited support allows her to acknowledge and honor everyone affected by the disease.

“It’s not every day that I can walk away saying we are contributing to something huge,” Quildon said.

Although Quildon said she plays a minor part in this cause, she feels the pink cheer gear is a silent stance of support.

“On the field, we represent support and a fighting spirit for anyone who had a debilitating disease,” Quildon said.

Algebra II and Advanced Topics

PHOTOS BY REMI SCHWARTZ

PRETTY IN PINK: In remembrance of her mom, senior Addison Berger wears pink clothing and breast cancer shirts throughout the month of October. Berger said that in doing so, she is spreading awareness of the disease and helping discover a cure.

math teacher Lori Windloss had family members diagnosed with breast cancer.

She said the “think pink” month inspires patients to fight the cancer so strongly and encourage them to take action to beat it.

“I lost my dad and my grandma to cancer and that’s enough for me to join the fight for these people,” Windloss said.

“Wearing pink shows awareness, but if we don’t go to doctors or take action nothing can get better.”

After experiencing a death at 19 years old, Windloss said she advocates regular checkups for women and believes the honorary think pink month is a constant reminder to stay up to date on these appointments so that women can

hopefully treat the disease before it spreads.

“My grandma had breast cancer which spread to bone cancer,” Windloss said. “If she knew the signs or caught it earlier, she would’ve been alive longer.”

Windloss said seeing pink makes her remember her grandma and only furthers her passion to support breast cancer awareness.

“It’s empowering to help and support a cause so close to my heart,” Windloss said. “We need to take action such as making doctor appointments when we see pink, because if we do, we can save a life.”

New club officers accept responsibility

BY COLIN CRAWFORD

Since the start of the school year, clubs have not only been welcoming incoming members, but also new club leaders. As last year’s officers graduated, positions were filled by newcomers, such as sophomore Shannon Sin, Historian of the Ecology Club. For Sin, she said the new position allows her to have a more active role in a club she is passionate about.

“I care a lot about the environment, and I decided it would be good to take up a leadership position in a club that I care about,” Sin said.

Advanced Placement Environmental Science and Ecology Club adviser Laura Ashley said she looks for certain attributes when deciding on the officer board. “[New officers] should be openminded, but also have a way to control people and keep people in line without being too harsh or too mean,” Ashley said.

When running an organization, Sin said it is important to brainstorm new ideas to help expand the club. This year, she said she plans on widening Ecology club’s activities to more than the weekly recycling collections.

“Currently, we just recycle and eat snacks and talk,” Sin said. “I want to get guest speakers in more, so maybe that could be a change I would make.”

Looking forward, Sin said her leadership role has inspired her to partake in more officer positions, potentially in the Marine Science Society, another club she finds interesting.

Ashley and Olenick both said holding officer positions in clubs can be beneficial outside of school as well. Ashley said these leadership roles prepare students for college.

“I think that it gives them a chance of having a leadership position which can help them in other aspects of their life, especially if they are seniors going on to college,” Ashley said. “It just gives them the confidence of having a leadership role and making them a more confident person.”

Olenick said she has changed the Marine Science Society for the better because of the time and effort she put into streamlining the website and recruiting new club members.

“Our website has been completely redone and it’s much easier to use; I’ve gotten compliments on it,” Olenick said.

“It has a better user interface, and it is also PHOTO BY COLIN CRAWFORD more intuitive.”

TAKING CHARGE: (From left) sophomore and historian Shannon Sin, Sin said learning how to lead a group sophomore and secretary Kassandra Martinez, senior and treasurer Raj Doshi, of people is challenging, but overall and senior and president Muskaan Singh sit down with junior project manager organizing events and guiding a club is Ritika Samanta to discuss upcoming events with the Ecology Club. ultimately rewarding.

“You have to make sure everyone is listening during meetings and actually “I think that because a lot of the other a first-year officer is difficult because officers are graduating soon, it would she has not done anything like it before. doing their job,” Sin said. “But as long as definitely become easier to take up a role However, she said she still feels qualified you have people who care about the club as officers, it’s really manageable.” like President or Vice President,” Sin for the job. said. “Having a leadership position now “I thoroughly enjoy communicating will definitely play a part [next year].” with people as well as participating in the Senior Reagan Olenick is the Co Marine Science Society,” Olenick said.

Public Relations Director of Marine “I thought that my passion and skill set Science Society, a position she has for were enough qualifications for [Co-PR the first time this year. Olenick said being Director].”

NOVEMBER 2018

FEATURES

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New car owners exhibit responsibility

BY AMANDA MORGAN

“Teenagers have this idea that they are invincible. That nothing bad can happen to them because they are so young and because they haven’t had a lot of bad things happen to them so they are not as cautious as older people who have experienced more bad things in life,” Forgatsch said. “They are very dangerous and when you mix that in with the phones and everything else going on, including their inexperience, it’s a recipe for disaster.”

Because of this reckless behavior Forgatsch notices in many drivers education students, he said he tries to make them aware of their responsibilities they take on as soon as they start the car’s engine.

LAYOUT EDITOR

After saving up money for years, senior Kyra Hill sat down in the driver seat of her newly bought Nissan Altima, strapped herself in, pulled the lever from park to drive and pressed down on the gas for the first time, steering herself into a life of freedom and responsibility.

“I think the biggest lesson owning a car has taught me came from when I worked to buy my car,” Hill said. “It all started when I was little and I saw my older siblings going off and being responsible. I told my mom that when I was older I really wanted a car and I remember her exact words to me were, ‘if you want a car, you have to get it yourself,’ so I took that idea and created a goal that I was committed to.”

The car is under Hill’s name, unlike many other students’ cars, which tend to be under the name of their parents.

“By having my car in my own name, it makes me accountable for whatever mistakes I make,” Hill said.

“

I do love driving and I am very responsible with the way I drive, but it is scary just knowing that if I lose my focus for one second, I can get hurt myself, or hurt somebody else.

“

“

-senior Kyra Hill

Hill keeps up with her own monthly insurance payments and pays for her own gas. She said this changed her attitude about life and affected her maturity.

“When I first bought my car, for the first few months I had to adjust. I couldn’t just say that I don’t want to go to work today and call in sick. I now have to think and plan for the future because if I don’t make these seventy dollars today, I won’t have enough money to make my car payments at the end of the month,” Hill said. “I feel like I have real-world responsibilities and it makes me feel confident that I will be able to handle more of these responsibilities in the future.”

Another student, Junior Lauren Maykut, received her license a couple of weeks ago, and said she also noticed a huge amount of responsibility now that she did not have prior to receiving it.

“

Even though I have proven that I am responsible with my car, it makes me happy to know that my parents had all this confidence and trust in me even before I bought the car. I know that no matter how much money I had, if my parents did not think I was responsible enough, they would not have let me buy the car.

-junior Lauren Maykut

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY LAUREN MAYKUT

CLEAR THE ROADS: Junior Lauren Maykut drove her car to school, a task she said comes with both newfound responsibility and apprehensions. However, despite the worry that occasionally results from being on the road, she said having a car has proven to be convenient and helpful in many aspects of her life.

With her new car, Maykut said she can now easily navigate around town and complete tasks that used to require others’ help.

“Before getting my license, I would have to ask my mom to drive me around everywhere,” Maykut said. “I have a little brother who also has a busy schedule and my older brother who is able to drive just left for his first year of college. So, this first quarter of school has been really stressful for us because my mom had to drive both my brother and I all over Weston every day.”

Because Maykut just got her license, she said she still likes the idea of driving herself, but she predicts that as more time passes, she will miss her mom driving her everywhere.

“Ever since I got my license I actually get excited to go places because I love to get in my car and drive myself. It makes me feel older,” Maykut said. “I get to listen to whatever music I want and as loud as I want, so it’s fun. But I think that I will actually miss my mom driving me everywhere. When you are sitting in a car with someone it’s a perfect time to just

talk, so now that I drive myself, I don’t get that time with my mom anymore.”

Maykut said she worries every time she gets in her car that she will make a mistake with bigger consequences than anything she has ever done before.

“I do love driving and I am very responsible with the way I drive, but it is scary just knowing that if I lose my focus for one second, I can get hurt myself, or hurt somebody else,” Maykut said. “The scariest thing about getting your license is that you don’t have that extra person in the car anymore who can tell you really quickly when you are doing something wrong. But the more I get in my car and drive myself, the less it scares me.”

From a more experienced driver’s perspective, World History and Drivers Education teacher Craig Forgatsch said that he sees this fear in a lot of students.

However, he also occasionally sees students without this fear, which he said is the scary part.

“What I try to do is let the kids know that they are going to be under their parent’s insurance, so anything that they do stupid behind the wheel, their parents can get sued for it,” Forgatsch said. “Their parents don’t deserve this liability. They are giving their kids this opportunity to drive, it’s a privilege and they need to be responsible in respecting their parents and driving safely.”

Despite the dangers, Forgatsch said he does see the benefits in driving at such a young age.

“Most people are going to end up driving when they are older, so being able to drive at such a young age will give them more experience when they get older,” Forgatsh said. “Also, it is very helpful to their parents to be able to drive and pick up little siblings and just drive themselves to school.”

Hill said the most beneficial part of this experience so far has not only been the newly found confidence she has in herself, but also the trust her parents have in her as well.

“Even though I have proven that I am responsible with my car, it makes me happy to know that my parents had all this confidence and trust in me even before I bought the car,” Hill said. “I know that no matter how much money I had, if my parents did not think I was responsible enough, they would not have let me buy the car.”

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NOVEMBER 2018

SPORTS WWW.CBHSCIRCUIT.COM

Pride For Pink

BY KARLA SOBERON PR MANAGER

As the month of October transitioned in, several of the Bay’s teams represented Breast Cancer Awareness month by augmenting the color pink into game day uniforms and accessories. Varsity cheerleader and junior Lauren Maykut said wearing pink is more than just a color, but a representation of her mother’s battle with breast cancer.

“My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016, it was a very arduous time for my family, but my mother is an incredibly fearless and high-spirited person which made the whole situation endurable,” Maykut said. “I wear pink for my mother, and for all of the other women that have ever fought a battle with breast cancer, this occasion is more touching and real for me.”

The varsity cheerleading team changes its game day bow to a breast cancer themed one, obtains pink pompoms, wears black and pink high socks and paints pink ribbons on their faces for every game. Maykut says Breast Cancer Awareness month is her favorite part of the cheer season.

“The team and I always look forward to receiving our pink accessories for the games, it makes us look very professional and it feels empowering to be wearing pink,” Maykut said. “I am very sad to only have one school year left with wearing pink throughout October, but I cannot wait to do it all over again next year.”

Varsity Football Coach Carlos Menendez said wearing pink as a part of the game uniform helps to bring awareness to the disease and that this will continue to be a tradition for years to come.

“In the past ten years, I have made wearing some form of pink on the uniform a tradition that I will uphold as long as I continue to coach,” Menendez said. “I believe that for the future, there should be a game dedicated to breast cancer survivors, we can all wear pink but seeing a survivor would raise more

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY JUDITH MALONE

THINK PINK: Senior varsity cheerleaders demonstrated their support for Breast Cancer Awareness month. They collectively held up their pink pom poms in a breast cancer symbol and wore pink socks, hair bows and face paint.

awareness for the people at the game.”

Sporting pink gear during the month of October is seen in teams throughout the Bay and even college teams and the National Football League. Menendez said this support from the players towards Breast Cancer will help raise awareness and hopes the teams will acknowledge other diseases and support those causes throughout the season as well.

“Just like October, I think that for the other months in a season there should be colors to represent the health awareness too, just like breast cancer,” Menendez said. “Although yes, Breast Cancer Awareness is a widely recognized month, there are also other illnesses and other months.”

As captain of the football team, senior defensive back Jacob Wucher said he makes it his job to encourage the other players to wear pink to every October game and for his teammates to wear the color as more than a shade of pink but as a symbol of hope.

“The other captains and I, as leaders of the team, are always wearing pink for the moms in the stand and for the other women in our lives that have gone through this terrible sickness,” Wucher said. “It is our job to set the example to the rest of the players and to make them aware of why this month is super important to families.”

Maykut said that she encourages all teams and organizations to support the awareness and to go out and make a difference in any way through donations, fundraisers or going out into the community and sharing their stories.

“My mom is now breast cancer free, and it has not only made my family closer than ever, but it has changed me into the stronger and better version of myself that I am today,” Maykut said. “Through this experience I did not doubt for one second that my mom would not survive, but instead we made our community aware of her story and raised more awareness for the issue.”

THE CIRCUIT

Alabama’s dynasty continues to grow As the 2018-2019 college football season nears its final stretch, it seems as if every team is getting exposed as a pretender instead of one. The University of Alabama’s football program has been on top of the college football world since defeating the University of Texas in the 2010 national championship game.

Since then, the Crimson Tide have won five national titles, and are looking to add a sixth this January. The dynasty that Alabama has created has already topped the national standard, in which it has established its own standards of a championship or bust mentality each year.

Throughout this season, Alabama has been the most consistent team in the country by an outstanding margin.

The Tide have won each of its games this season by at least 20 points, while crushing the hopes of their opposition in dethroning the defending national champions. As its starting sophomore quarterback Tua Tagovailoa leads the discussion for the 2018 Heisman Trophy, Tagovailoa is one of the main contributors to Alabama’s success this season.

Tagovailoa has tallied 2361 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and just one interception.

With the addition of Tagovailoa, the Tide has evolved from a dominant team with mediocre quarterbacks to a larger force with no signs of weakness.

Although Alabama’s schedule has been short of difficult this season so far, no one is doubting the extent of the team’s authenticity. In the latest attempt of stripping the Tide of its undefeated record, the third ranked team in the country experienced the effects of stepping in front of the Alabama’s path.

The Louisiana State University Tigers lost to the tide 29-0 at home, after being Alabama’s most predicted test in its schedule. The Tigers along with the rest of the country fell into the disappointment of realizing the legitimacy of the Tide’s dominance this season.

Alabama’s success over the past decades has transformed its program into the top destination for recruits who are looking to play on the biggest stages, win championships and build their talent in order to play at the next level. Since 2009 under Head Coach Nick Saban, the Tide’s recruiting class has been ranked in the top five each year. Recruiting is a key contributor to the cycle that Saban and Alabama has mastered over the years.

Recruiting, coaching, execution and winning results in the yearly relevancy that Alabama holds. As the Tide remain in contention for championships year after year, along with sending various players to the National Football League (NFL) each draft, there’s no reason that Alabama shouldn’t hold interest to top recruits.

Each year new teams surface in the conversation for the national championship, but Alabama is the only team that consistently remains in the discussion. Although the Tide’s success is threatening and displeasing to fans around the country, there is no denying how impressive that is. As top recruits keep rolling in, as well as Tagovailoa and Alabama’s underclassmen returning next year, the Crimson Tide should keep rolling through a clear path towards immortality.

SPORTS

NOVEMBER 2018

The Lightning’s hockey season has just begun and has a long road ahead.

The team played its first two games and has recorded a 1-1 record after falling to Miami-Dade High School in its first game of the season on October 15.

“We played really well and we definitely played our hardest, but the team we were against was just much stronger than us, so unfortunately we lost,” senior and forward Dylan Brandes said.

Brandes said losing the first game didn’t discourage the team, and instead they worked harder to do better in the future. The Lightning won its second game, 8-2 against Archbishop McCarthy High School on Oct. 23.

“We were really excited to win the second game, especially by so much after losing the first,” Brandes said. “We definitely didn’t let losing the first game bring us down, we only got better and worked harder to make up for it and it paid off.”

Senior and defender Jory Lindekugel said he is proud of the team’s effort so far and hopes the team continues playing its hardest. Lindekugel also said he wants the team to continue improving on every aspect of the game.

“We have played well in our games so

far even though we lost one,” Lindekugel said. “Our puck movement and defense are definitely our strengths and we will hopefully continue working to improve them.”

Brandes said he has big goals for the team this year and hopes they can come true. Brandes also expressed his own personal hopes for the season.

“My goals at the start of the season were to not only make a strong run at the playoffs, but improve upon my skills individually,” Brandes said.

Even though Brandes said the team is working well, he argues there are some things that it can improve on. Brandes said practice and hard work will be integral to these improvements.

“The biggest thing we can improve on is working coherently as a team to accomplish our goals,” Brandes said.

Lindekugel said he agrees with Brandes and believes the team could benefit from extra practice. He said the players should be geared towards improving passing.

“I’d really like to see our team work on passing and moving the puck,” Lindekugel said. “It’s important for [us] to be strong in these skills so we can work better as a team, run each play smoother and win games.”

Brandes said hard work and

29

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Hockey team hits midseason form

BY DEVIN PABIAN

THE CIRCUIT

PHOTO BY DEVIN PABIAN

ICE ICE BABY: Senior and defenseman Jory Lindekugel skates into Miami-Dade High School’s zone along with senior and forward Kyle Andjich.

The Lightning lost its season opener to Miami-Dade on Oct. 15 at Pines Ice Arena in Pembroke Pines. Since its loss, the Lighting have won two straight games against Archbishop McCarthy High School and Coral Gables High School. The Lightning play the majority of their games at Pines Ice Arena and Saveology Iceplex.

determination are key to doing well in a competitive sport like hockey. Brandes also believes one of the most important aspects of the game is having fun.

“My favorite thing about the hockey team is showing up every week and having fun while [winning with my teammates],” Brandes said.

Coach Perry Sans said that he has been happy with his team’s play. Sans believes their dedication is key to improve their game.

“Staying positive through the wins

and the losses are a big part of how I like to coach,” Sans said.

Even though his team is 1-1, Sans said he believes improvements are being made on and off the ice. Sans said he is seeing everyone on the team connect like a family.

“I am starting to see improvements with all the players on the team,” Sans said. “Not only are they playing better on the ice, I see the relationships between all the players become stronger.”

Girls’ soccer teams finalize rosters

BY ISABELLA GROGAN

Tryouts for the Lightning girls’ soccer teams were held on Oct. 22 and 23 at Vista Park. Around 75 aspiring players showed up for an opportunity to earn spots on the varsity or junior varsity team.

“We had a great turnout, I would say we got the bulk of JV off the first day and the second day was just trying to get that last five to seven players [for varsity],” Head Coach Kate Dwyer said.

Freshman Josefina Hoffman attended the tryouts. She said her experience from playing on the Weston Select travel soccer team helped prepare her for the Lightning’s tryout.

“I think it would be cool to play for the team because it’s a school team,” Hoffman said.

The tryouts began with the girls undergoing warm up drills with each other, which led to scrimmages of 8 on 8. This allowed the coaches identify and evaluate everyone who tried out.

“I liked the second day better because I kind of had an idea of how everyone played and what to do,” said Hoffman.

The coach set aside the players who were already on the varsity team, as the girls who were trying out scrimmaged against each other while returning players assisted the coaches.

“I sent my girls who were already on

varsity to the side so I could focus on everyone else,” Coach Dwyer said.

The girls that were on the junior varsity team last year tried out along with the newcomers. The returning varsity players practiced in front of everyone before their tryouts officially began.

“We got to watch the varsity girls play a little before tryouts started, that made me feel better about trying out,” Hoffman said.

Only about seven out of the 75 girls that tried out were able to make the varsity team. Coach Dwyer said it is more likely for a player from the junior varsity team to make it to varsity over a newcomer.

“I already have an idea of the girls that can possibly go up to varsity,” said Dwyer.

Hoffman said she liked the second day better because she was more comfortable playing since she got the first day out of the way.

“The second day was more chill because I had already gotten over the nerves from the first day,” said Hoffman.

During the second day of tryouts, coaches focused on finding new players to add on the varsity team. Coach Dwyer said she had her eye on a few girls, and the second day helped her better evaluate them.

“The second day consisted of a full

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY ALEX JONES

MELBOURNE BOUND: The Lighting girls’ soccer team’s final roster gathers for a picture with Coach Jason Gordon. The Lightning will start practices in preparation for its regular season opener on Nov. 13 against Coral Gables High School.

field game,” Coach Dwyer said. “The girls did a short warm up and then played the rest of tryouts.”

On October 24, the coaches announced the final cuts for the team. The rosters are final as the team prepares for its 2018-2019 season. Sophomore Lissa Marie said she hopes to make the team this being that she played for the junior varsity team last year.

“My goal is to make it onto the varsity

team because soccer is my passion,” Marie said. Marie plays on Weston FC academy outside of school soccer.

The varsity team is set to play its first game on Nov. 13 against Coral Gables, as junior varsity begins its season on Nov. 15 against West Broward.

“I’m really excited for the season to start, especially if I make the team,”said Hoffman. “I will work very hard to become a starter.”

30 THE CIRCUIT

SPORTS

WWW.CBHSCIRCUIT.COM

NOVEMBER 2018

Lightning volleyball reaches postseason weeks in order to better prepare ourselves for regionals.”

Since this will be Fernandez’s final season, she said this time at regionals is more sentimental, as this could be her last time competing in a volleyball game on this team.

BY DYLAN SREBNICK SPORTS COPY EDITOR

“

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY ANA CAMPOS

SPIKE IT: The Lighting girls’ volleyball team prepare on its home court before facing

off in one of its regular season matches. The Lightning have been preparing for its regional finals matchup on Nov. 6 in hopes of keeping its season alive and making a push towards the state championship. [the games],” Campos said. “It is super emotional to possibly be playing my last game on this team at regionals, so we are really trying to work hard and advance on to semi-finals and states.”

According to junior setter Abbie Holt, the team has to work on fundamental skills such as bumping and setting in order to succeed at the regional competition.

“In order to have a better shot at regionals, I think the team needs to work on getting a quick lead so we can keep pushing from the beginning instead of hav-

ing to catch up with the other team,” Holt said. “I’m looking forward to the hard competition we are facing at regionals.”

Although the team has been practicing and working on their skills and techniques, senior middle Sarah Fernandez said the team is still trying to overcome its problems.

“I think our biggest struggle is consistency and if we are able to overcome that, we have a really great shot at winning regionals,” Fernandez said. “We had a pretty [rocking] season so far, so we need to work on our skills in these upcoming

The Cypress girls’ volleyball team has not won regional finals in over 10 years, so it’s very exciting that we have this opportunity to possibly break that streak. In order to possibly achieve this goal, we have to really work hard at practices and play as a team rather than as individuals.

“

The Lightning’s girls’ volleyball team began their season on Aug. 21 with a home opener against St. Thomas Aquinas and finished off their regular season with a 22-8 winning streak. The team will be competing in the regional finals competition on Nov. 6, striving to make history and advance to the semi-finals competition.

“I think the team did really well during the regular season, although we did lose to Western High school at District finals,” Senior right hitter Ana Campos said. “We didn’t let that loss get to us though, and we ended up playing them again and won.”

Campos said she is looking forward to hopefully making history for the girls’ volleyball team at the bay at the upcoming regional finals competition.

“The Cypress girls’ volleyball team has not won regional finals in over 10 years, so it’s very exciting that we have this opportunity to possibly break that streak,” Campos said. “ In order to possibly achieve this goal, we have to really work hard at practices and play as a team rather than as individuals.”

If the team pulls off a victory at regionals, then it will then move onto the semi-finals competition. Campos said the team is training diligently to make this dream become a reality.

“We start training in July and we see each other almost everyday, so the fact that we are all super close with each other should be beneficial to our success during

-senior Ana Campos “As a senior, I am looking forward to possibly taking the team to states for the first time in many years, it would be a great way to round up my time at Cypress,” Fernandez said. “I love these girls and cherish the relationships I have managed to build over my four years on this team.”

FALL SEASON STATISTICS Varsity Football (5-5)

Girls Varsity Volleyball (19-2)

Boys Varsity Golf (9-5)

Cooper City

W

St. Thomas Aquinas

L

Nova

W

Coral Springs

W

Cardinal Gibbons

L

Pembroke Pines Charter

L

Pembroke Pines Charter

W

Archbishop McCarthy

W

Everglades

W

Plantation

L

Piper

W

Western

L

Miramar

L

South Plantation

W

Westerm

L

Western

W

South Broward West Broward

W W

South Plantation

W

Coral Springs Charter

W

Cardinal Gibbons

L

Flanagan

W

Cooper City

W

Nova

W

Everglades

L

W

L

W

West Broward

Taravella

Monarch Nova

W

Pembroke Pines Charter

W

Pompano Beach

W

Cardinal Gibbons

L

Fort Lauderdale

W

Piper

W

NOVEMBER 2018

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THE CIRCUIT

31

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32 THE CIRCUIT

SPORTS

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NOVEMBER 2018

Simone Biles establishes herself as the most decorated gymnast

The Miami Dolphins have the potential to be a serious playoff contender

I sat on my living room couch with my eyes glued to the television screen as the 21-year-old female gymnast Simone Biles soared to victory.

It was Nov. 3 at the event finals of the 2018 World Gymnastics Championship in Doha, Qatar. After securing gold on her floor exercise and bronze on balance beam, Biles came out on top with six medals for the meet and 20 over all in world championships. According to the New York Times (nytimes), this win tied her with Russian gymnast Svetlana Khorkina for the most medals won by a female gymnast and made her the first woman to earn a medal on all four events since Yelena Shushunova did it for the Soviet Union in 1987.

Throughout the past decade, the Miami Dolphins have been the epitome of average in the National Football League (NFL).

Whether it is quarterback (QB), offensive line or simply staff issues, the Dolphins have seen consistent problems in its organization. They have only made the playoffs two out of the past 10 years and are working towards a change.

With new additions to its roster, such as running back Frank Gore and QB Brock Osweiler, its offense has been showing signs of improvement and has been able to move the ball down the field more easily.

Miami is finally showing signs of a dynamic offense. Although they are not at the same level as the Kansas City Chiefs, the Dolphins are making its way towards being a feared offensive force.

Throughout the last three games, before these two players started moving the chains and playing their roles correctly, the Dolphins 3rd down conversion ratio was close to 35 percent. However, with Osweiler at QB rather than Ryan Tannehill, Miami’s 3rd down conversion percentage was close to 50 percent. These positive statistics and its 5-4 record show that the Dolphins are on the path towards a successful season. There are mot many teams in the NFL right now that have a record that is above .500, and because the Dolphins do, it is clear that the team has the potential to compete with the best of the best teams this year.

In addition to its offensive prowess recently, is their defense. In the past, the Dolphins defense has been no better than average; however, this year it’s ranked 4th in takeaways, with 2.3 per game and have

Bottom Line: Biles is the perfect example of a gymnast being rewarded for highlevel presentations.

While her triumph seemed inevitable based on her past successes at the 2016 Olympics, her place on the podium was not guaranteed.

Following the 2016 Olympics, Biles took a year off from competitive gymnastics, as she she said she needed a break to travel and train. Additionally, the night before the qualifying round for the competition, Biles was in the hospital due to pain she endured from a kidney stone. While there, the stone was too big to pass and she was prohibited from taking pain medication because of regulations (nytimes).

Regardless of these obstacles, she was still able to outperform many athletes

and add yet another record to her list.

Biles earned a medal in every round, but due to these setbacks, she was not completely on her game. During her iconic floor routine, she stepped out of bounds on her third pass and during beam, she lost her balance multiple times.

Even with these mistakes, the difficulty of Biles’ routines ranked her above the others gymnasts, with a 14.933 on floor and a 13.6 on beam.

Biles is the perfect example of a gymnast being rewarded for high-level presentations. In gymnastics, one’s potential score rises with an increase in advances. Even if a gymnast performing a more skill-packed routine makes a few mistakes, it is likely that he or she will score higher than the gymnast who plays it safe and consequently makes less or even no mistakes. For example, in the Event Finals, Japanese gymnast Mai Murakami had an almost flawless floor routine, but her score of 14.5 put her behind Biles.

Unlike the other gymnasts, Biles never picks the safe route and it has thus far been to her advantage. She is constantly striving to challenge and become the best version of herself, which not only makes her the most decorated female gymnast in the world, but also an inspiring role model to anybody with a dream.

Whether on or off the mat, we should all learn to push ourselves to our limits and to find the intrinsic motivation to become our own biggest competitors.

While taking risks can be frightening, the payoff can be worth it. So be sure to reach for the high bar and do that extra flip, who knows, maybe you’ll even stick that perfect landing.

FACE OFF

YES The rules on fighting in the National Hockey League (NHL) should be addressed. Fighting in the NHL has to be better regulated because the rules in place do not protect players. Instead, the rules institutionalize unnecessary violence for entertainment. It is apparent that hockey is a rough sport: San Jose Shark Brenden Dillon and Winnipeg Jet Matt Hendricks fought during their game on Oct. 24th.

Some fans only watch hockey because of the fights. Hockey is a popular sport in the United States, but children are watching these violent players on television and it gives the perception that fighting in sports is the norm. In addition to endorsing violence, Rule 46 forces players to let the fights play out instead of allowing them to intervene and minimize injuries. This often results in chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE occurs as a result of repeated head injuries and is usually seen in the brains of contact sports athletes. It causes degeneration of the mind, depression, memory loss and mood swings. However, CTE cannot be cured and can only be diagnosed after death. Several players like Steve Montador and Jeff Parker have died as a result of CTE. Most penalties in hockey are at the discretion of the referee, allowing referees to inflict minimum charges. The fighting culture of the NHL should be stopped because of how damaging it can be to players and fans.

-Colin Crawford

Should the NHL change rule 46?

been worthy opponents for some of the best offenses in the league.

If it has been the driving force of Middle Linebacker (MLB) Kiko Alonso, or the overall dominance of the Defensive Line including Andre Branch, its defense has been elite so far this season. Although it faced a tough loss against the Patriots, losing 38-7, that game was early in the season, and the team has improved as a whole since then. Furthermore, the Dolphins close out the 2018-19 season with what should be two easy wins.

The Dolphins play the Jacksonville Jaguars in week 15 and the Buffalo Bills the following week. Both of these teams have been struggling to get wins and are seen as two of the worst teams in the NFL.

Bottom Line: The Miami Dolphins have what it takes to make it to the playoffs this season.

If the Dolphins continue on their current path, the team will surely make the playoffs, although it might have to be through the wildcard.

The real question is whether or not the Dolphins have what it takes to make it to the Super Bowl, which is a different story that would involve a major staff change most likely. Ultimately, the Dolphins are a top team in the American Football Conference East. Because of its thriving defense and newly competitive offense, the team has what it takes to make it to the playoffs this season.

NO Rule 46 in the National Hockey League (NHL) rulebook states that a player involved in a fight will receive at least a five-minute penalty, with additional penalties added at the referee’s discretion. This rule should not be changed because it could potentially lead to fighting being banned in hockey.

Fighting has been an integral part of the NHL since its founding 100 years ago, so trying to change the rule now and adapt to a new one would be challenging. Additionally, fighting is not used unnecessarily by the players. They use it to defend themselves and their teammates. Hockey is a fast-paced game; even the best referees miss illegal hits.

When players have the ability to fight back and support their teammates, it holds other players accountable if they are making wrongful plays or hits and could help prevent these illegal plays from happening again. Moreover, among the major team sports in the United States, hockey is the only one that allows fighting, which helps the NHL gain attendance and adds entertainment value to the game. Finally, many NHL players, such as Dallas Stars Centermen Jamie Benn, do not think fighting should be banned, nor that there should be a change in Rule 46. In a 2012 National Hockey League Players’ Association poll, 98 percent of players said they want keeping the current fighting rules. If the rule were to change in favor of one which takes away fighting, it would negatively change the NHL forever.

-Darian Trabold

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33

NOVEMBER 2018

Costumes spark racial controversy

FORMAL OR

FESTIVAL?

GRAPHIC BY JENNA FRIEDMAN

For the first time in about 10 years, the Bay’s Student Government Association (SGA) hosted homecoming on the school’s campus on Nov. 3. With the new homecoming theme of Baychella, SGA encouraged attendees to wear outfits inspired by Coachella and Bohemian style rather than traditional homecoming attire.

SGA adviser Danielle Nascimento, who helped plan and organize Baychella, said she was excited for a change from classic homecoming attire.

“I think this gave people an opportunity to be more creative,” Nascimento said.

“Traditional homecoming dresses are pretty straightforward, and this is an opportunity for people to kind of have fun with the theme.”

Nascimento said SGA members wanted to introduce a new, innovative homecoming concept rather than a traditional dance. She said she believes music festivals are popular right now, and she thought the Bay had the perfect setup for a special homecoming experience.

“I love it because it’s different; most students like to be different and unique,” Nascim e n to said.

“The Bay is always known for standing out from other schools, and this is another way in which we are.”

Junior Irina Blanco said she attended Baychella wearing a colorful, bohemian

button-up shirt with a fringe black skirt and black boots. She said she is extremely passionate about fashion in general and she enjoyed the theme of the night.

“I think it is an innovative spin to the classic, predictable homecoming outfit,” Blanco said. “My fashion sense used to be heavily influenced by Vanessa Hudgens, who is the Coachella queen, so I already knew how to dress with indie vibes without being basic and cliché.”

Blanco said the Baychella theme provided an outlet for students to be more creative with their attire, and she was happy to see students dress how they wanted to look.

“One of my favorite things about the dress up this year is that I think girls who don’t particularly enjoy wearing dresses or getting dressed up felt less pressure to meet a social standard when it comes to what they want to wear,” Blanco said. “I think that’s really great for a school to be able to make the students have more contentment and availability with the attire.”

Like Blanco, junior Jack McMahon said he believes the theme this year provided more flexibility for attire. He said students had the freedom to wear festival-themed outfits or formal suits and dresses.

“I think the new homecoming theme outfits are really cool because for the first time you can truly dress however you want,” McMahon said. “Whether you wanted to wear the traditional suit-withtie outfit or a cooler Coachella influenced outfit, the theme allowed you to have the option to choose what you want.”

McMahon said the Baychella theme made it more difficult for boys to dress up because he thought Bohemian style was heavily influenced by females; however, he said he still dressed up with a Coachella-influenced outfit. McMahon wore ripped denim jeans with a white shirt, which he accessorized with a red, long sleeve flannel and a blue Fedora hat.

“I wore something that leans more

towards the Coachella theme, rather than the traditional attire,” McMahon said. “I always see pictures of what people wear to Coachella, and I’ve always wanted to dress up like that, and this finally gave me the chance to do so.”

Although some students still wore traditional homecoming attire, Blanco said her favorite outfits were the ones most influenced by Bohemian style and music festivals.

“

It really was such a creative take on homecoming that also managed to leave so much open for students to put their own mark on their outfits.

“

BY ILYSSA MANN

-junior Irina Blanco “I like how the idea is less prom-like because I feel like there should really be only one dance that is formal, and you have to wait until senior year because it makes the experience that much more exciting,” Blanco said. “It really was such a creative take on homecoming that also managed to leave so much open for students to put their own mark on their outfits.”

McMahon said the shift to Baychella this year will likely have lasting effects on future dances at the Bay. He said he hopes SGA will create more unique themes to allow students to have more freedom with their outfits in the future.

“Once we continue with this, people will show what they can really do in terms of their outfits, regardless of the theme,” McMahon said. “I was super excited to dress up this year because no other school does this and not even the Bay has done anything like this before.”

As this year’s Halloween approached, social media sites were filled with posts regarding the insensitivity and racism that was associated with certain costumes, including a Travis Scott costume. To mirror the rapper’s appearance, a user painted his face to resemble Scott’s darker skin tone, which offended several people of color, and they voiced their opinions on Twitter. The dispute over whether these ensembles are acceptable arises annually, and many users turn to social media platforms to voice their frustrations.

As soon as one paints their face or skin to resemble another race, they are crossing the line for what is acceptable.

The use of “blackface” continues to be offensive and inappropriate every Halloween season. This problem with cultural appropriation is not just limited to skin color. Another controversial costume is wearing a feathered headdress when dressing as a Native American. It is definitely offensive to Native Americans when others display their customs and cultural identity as a costume.

While many people may want to dress up as a person of a different race or ethnicity for Halloween, there is a limit as to how far the costume can go before it becomes culturally insensitive.

Although it can easily become insulting and objectionable to dress as someone of another race, it can also be done without being distasteful. If someone simply replicates a well-known outfit of a famous celebrity or character without indicating a different skin tone or culture, then this would be acceptable.

For example, many Twitter users applauded a woman who dressed as Beyoncé and refrained from replicating her skin tone.

Because many high school students are involved in popular culture and are influenced by celebrities of all races, teenagers often dress as celebrities. On Halloween at the Bay, a large population of the student body dressed as famous rappers or celebrities, many being of a different race. The students at the Bay were respectful of other cultures and races while dressing up because they did not go to the extreme of altering their own skin tone to look like the individual they were dressing up as.

Similarly, many children enjoy dressing as Disney princesses for Halloween, but these princesses are of different races and cultures. Because children look up to these characters, it should not be seen as cultural appropriation. Idols such as Pocahontas, who is Native American, or Moana, who is of Polynesian descent, should be acceptable costumes. A child should not be criticized for dressing as one of their role models.

Overall, it is easy to overstep the boundaries of what is unacceptable when dressing as a person of another race or culture. Because people can be extremely sensitive to this topic, those who hope to dress as someone of a different ethnicity must ensure they are not appropriating another culture in any way.

34 THE CIRCUIT

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NOVEMBER 2018

Unreleased album generates uproar With nine solo albums behind him, Kanye West was supposed to release his 10th, “Yandhi,” on Sept. 29 after advertising the name and debut day.

With no explanation, West never dropped “Yandhi;” however, he did announce the new debut date of Nov. 23. Junior Drew Liebman said he was disappointed because West is one of his favorite artists, but recently he has been underwhelmed

by West’s newest projects.

“West’s music means a lot to me; he shows a lot of self-confidence and ignores the people who hate on him as he does his own thing,” Liebman said. “Knowing that this was going to be a full studio album with so many new hits, it made me annoyed and wondering if West is going to be able to produce another amazing album.”

Liebman said he believes West may have withheld his album due to competition from Lil Wayne, who released his own album the day before, Sept. 28.

“The new Lil Wayne album was postponed due to legal issues and after almost 7 years he was finally given the rights to drop the album, ‘Tha Carter V,’ which he deserves,” Liebman said.

“I think West respects Wayne and also knew that his album would not do as well if it was to drop in the same weekend as his.”

“

Knowing that this was going to be a full studio album with so many new hits, it made me annoyed and wondering if West is going to be able to produce another amazing album.

“

-junior Drew Liebman Junior Emily Sigman said the Bay’s DECA classes have helped her understand everything that goes into business in the real world. Therefore, she said she is now able to look more in-depth at situations like West’s album delay.

“Everything that happens in real world situations, specifically regarding business, has a certain purpose and a lot of thinking behind it,” Sigman said. “These classes have totally captured my curiosity in real world situations like West’s because I feel

that I can understand them better and the reason they happen, potentially allowing me to figure out why he would do this.”

Sigman said in some ways it was smart for West not to debut his album after he publicly advertised it. After looking at the situation from a business perspective, she said she thinks West will generate publicity for his unreleased album.

“

I think West will capture an even larger audience when it is released because so many people are talking about his failure to release his music. West is generating a lot of suspicion and curiosity by not releasing his album.

“

BY ANNABELLE DANIELS-ROSENBERG GRAPHICS EDITOR

-junior Emily Sigman “I think West will capture an even larger audience when it is released because so many people are talking about his failure to release his music,” Sigman said. “West is generating a lot of suspicion and curiosity by not releasing his album.”

In class, Honors Anatomy and Physiology teacher Eva Rothal said she speaks to her students about current events. She said she attempts to teach them more than just science by using pop culture and topics the students care about like Kanye West.

“What is very important for me is to keep myself up with current events that deal with pop culture, social values and politics,” Rothal said. “Weston is a ‘perfect’ bubble that many do not get to experience outside of our walls so it’s important to impart information that others, near us or far away, are going through.”

According to Rothal, it is important to look closer into news that defines her student’s generation and discuss the significance and relevance. She said she tries to relate these topics to information learned in class that they can use.

“The goal is for me to give interesting information like Kanye West drama and if the students’ attention is grabbed, they will eventually make sense of what they learn,” Rothal said. “I am hoping to apply the concepts I teach to how society utilizes them.”

Rothal said it is difficult for her to be

ILLUSTRATION BY ANNABELLE DANIELS-ROSENBERG

impartial when it comes to celebrities like West. She said she sees him not releasing his album as a manipulative ploy to receive more publicity, and in turn, money.

“After researching, facts have led me to believe that it’s a marketing scheme to make more money than they could ever spend,” Rothal said. “I am personally not a fan of either West or Kardashian, so my opinion will always be negative.”

Unlike R o t h a l , Liebman said he is a big West fan, so he was upset that the album didn’t come out yet. He said he saw billboards sharing the name of the new album, as well as the rapper himself tweeting several times

about the release date.

“I think the fans are disappointed because the hype to this album has been building for a while,” Liebman said.

“Since the album is coming out Nov. 23 instead, Yandhi will not be outshined by any other major artists that could hinder its success.”

Like Liebman, Sigman said she thinks the delay of the album release may upset fans. She said it can help get his name back in the news, which will boost his album when he releases it.

“I think that this will certainly give him more popula r ity,” Sigman said.

“West has and is continuing to generate a large crowd that is waiting for his album.”

a&E Calendar Albums

Movies

Concerts

“Caution” by Mariah Carey, Nov. 16 “LM5” by Little Mix, Nov. 16 “The Sunset Tapes: A Cool Tape Story” by Jaden Smith, Nov. 17 “Wham! Bang! Pow! Let’s Rock Out!” by Art Brut, Nov. 23

“Speed Kills,” Nov. 16 “Welcome Home,” Nov. 16 “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” Nov. 21 “Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle,” Nov. 29

VNV Nation, Nov. 20 @ Culture Room Elton John, Nov. 23 @ BB&T Center Mayday Parade, Nov. 24 @ Revolution Live Riptide Music Festival, Nov. 30 - Dec. 2 @ Fort Lauderdale Beach Park

NOVEMBER 2018

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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New album plummets into a deep “Trench” “Trench”

BY HANNAH LASSNER

Twenty One Pilots’ fifth album titled “Trench” expresses different emotions, ranging from upbeat to depressing, within the lyrics and tunes of the 14 songs. The band’s previous album, “Blurryface,” created anticipation for the newly released semi-rock album. “Blurryface” was produced over three years ago, and every song on it has been certified gold.

Unlike their past albums, anxiety and depression are the main themes within each track of “Trench,” which is an odd comeback after such a long wait.

The opening song titled “Jumpsuit” sets a powerful tone for the entire album.

The hard-rock track ends with the lead singer, Tyler Joseph, screaming the chorus. The lyrics do not flow together to form a storyline, and aggression is mostly exhibited with the harsh and intense vocals. “Levitate” follows and is a passionate yet upbeat song; this tune disrupts the mood that is set by the beginning rock song. This confusing song should not have been placed second on the

track list following the dreary atmosphere set by “Jumpsuit.” “Morph” is next on the track list of “Trench,” containing strange vocals with an unpleasant flow.

The song is an attempt at rap music that was extremely unsuccessful. The band included depressing and incoherent lyrics that do not have any tempo within the

Bottom Line: “Trench” does not live up to the band’s previous hit album “Blurryface.” lines. The beginning three tracks set an unamusing first impression of the album.

Continuing with the dismal theme of “Trench,” songs like “Bandito,” “Leave the City,” and “Neon Gravestones” fit perfectly with the melancholy album.

Each of these slow songs seem to never end, containing minimal tempo and both exceeding four minutes. “Bandito” and “Neon Gravestones” tell a story about mental illness, which is a powerful symbol throughout these two specific tracks. Both songs have significant, catchy choruses that highlight the powerful message behind them about living with a mental disorder. Differing from these meaningful songs, “Leave the City” contains repetitive verses throughout the

photo Courtesy of yahoo images

entire track that fail to tell a story.

As the album continues, the shortest song, “Legend” repeats itself continuously, similar to many other tracks on the newly released album. “Legend” is yet another song in “Trench” that contains random lines with no story or meaning behind them. Joseph’s voice on this track is nearly monotone, which makes the entirety of the track sound dull and lifeless. Like “Legend,” the song “Cut My Lip” is also unexciting and dismal. The odd beats and confusing tempos of “Cut My Lip” create a negative vibe, making the song a difficult one to hear. The track is also unusually placed on the album since it is

between two upbeat songs.

One of the last songs, “Pet Cheetah,” incorporates more enticing and wild factors into “Trench.” This song contains interesting beats that differ from the rest of the tracks on this album. All of the vocals throughout “Pet Cheetah” are exhilarating, due to the fast tempo and lyrics of the song. Compared to “Stressed Out,” the hit song on “Blurryface,” “Pet Cheetah” has the most potential to rise to the top charts in representation of “Trench.” Overall, the newly released “Trench” is a downgrade from Twenty One Pilots’ precious, popular, wellknown album “Blurryface.”

Art studies illustrate individuality

BY SANDRA TALLEDO

For sophomore Gianna Ubiera, art is a form of expression that allows her to connect to her community. Her parents are both artists, with her dad being a muralist and her mom being a photographer, which she said has motivated her to pursue art as a career. “[Art] has brought me a sense of duality with myself, and it allows me to discover other parts of me,” Ubiera said. “It lets me express myself and reach inside my mind to let myself just be without consequence and judgment.”

Ubiera is a member of National Art Honors Society (NAHS), Live Poets Society and the Literary Club. She said these activities have allowed her to meet others that are also interested in the fields in which she hopes to pursue a career.

“For me, art is my way of taking out my emotions and dealing with them rather than sitting on them,” Ubiera said. “It has allowed me to meet so many amazing people that I have befriended and would not have met if not for art.”

Ubiera is currently enrolled in Creative Writing 3 and 2D Art Honors 3, and she took Advanced Placement (AP) Art History, Creative Writing and 2D Art 1 last year. She said she is striving for a career in art and poetry, so she wanted

to take as many art-related classes as possible to help build a solid foundation.

“I’m really glad that I learned the details of art and the history behind it,” Ubiera said. “These classes allowed me to grow as an artist and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Ubiera’s AP Art History teacher, Gretchen Marfisi, said by taking that course in her freshman year, it proves that she is dedicated to art. Marfisi said she is proud of Ubiera’s artistic accomplishments because she was a motivated student in her class.

“She was diligent, hard-working, quiet and always stuck to the task,” Marfisi said. “She was quiet, so all her thoughts were swirling in her head and she put it out on the paper.”

Marfisi said she hopes Ubiera will keep on working hard to grow even more as an art student. She said Ubiera took the unconventional route of taking AP Art History during her freshman year, but this will help her take inspiration from different painters and eras.

“I think she’ll be able to stick with art and stay motivated since she has a good supportive family around her,” Marfisi said. “I can see her stepping up the ladder and getting better and better, so I think she’ll reach her goals.”

Sophomore Brenda Stanemir said

PHOTO BY SANDRA TALLEDO

VAN GOGHING PLACES: Sophomore Gianna Ubiera works on a poem about flowers and nature in her Creative Writing 3 class.

Ubiera often steps up and is enthusiastic at NAHS meetings, where the two regularly see each other. She said she has heard some of her poetry and seen some of her art, and she thinks Ubiera is bound to reach great goals.

“I have art [class] with her and she seems very dedicated and is always focused on it,” Stanemir said. “She goes above and beyond in class by doing more than she’s asked for.”

Stanemir said Ubiera’s vibrant

personality is always on display with her fashion, from her earrings to her shoes. She said she is also impressed by Ubiera’s work, as Ubiera often chooses to approach bold messages in her poetry and art, such as mental health.

“Even her sense of style displays her personality and interests; I always look forward to seeing what she’s wearing,” Stanemir said. “She puts a lot of emotion and passion into every creative thing she does.”

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NOVEMBER 2018

HAUNTED HOUSE HYSTERIA Staffer Jesus Rivero ranks Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights houses.

1. Dead Exposure: Patient Zero This house is a spinoff from zombie houses created by Halloween Horror Nights in previous years, such as the “The Walking Dead.” This house depicts the story of apocalypse survivors who are forced to live in quarantine. The plot is portrayed in a terrifying and chilling manner. The “Dead Exposure: Patient Zero” house is not only well designed with decorations and props, but it also provides a frightening experience filled with characters popping out. The lights flicker, making it difficult to tell when a “zombie” will appear. The perfect length of the house gives it enough time to present, develop and conclude the story. There is a lot of variation in scenery and the jump scares are extremely unexpected, adding to the overall experience of the house.

2. Poltergeist Designed after the classic 1982 film, the “Poltergeist” house begins with scenes from the end of the movie. The use of props and scenery in each room is spooky, since each one comes right out of the haunting film. The lighting and sound effects makes each room of the house feel like a portal from the original movie. The most recognizable aspect of this house are the characters; they are well designed and strategically placed. The location of each character makes moving through the house move smooth, and it seems like the movie is playing in real life. This haunted house is loaded with surprises and terror, making it one of the best houses.

3. Trick ‘r Treat The haunted house built around the movie “Trick ‘r Treat” is one of the most impressive houses this year because of its strong connection with the film. This house succeeds in recreating the movie’s remarkable scenery, such as the original towns and neighborhoods. Also, the recurring appearance of the movie’s main character, Sam, makes the entire house even more disturbing. The farther one goes into the house, the scarier it gets. Not only is the storyline brought to life exceptionally well in this house, but every single feature and prop is used effectively, making “Trick ‘r Treat” one of the most successful houses of the year.

4. Carnival Graveyard: Rust in Pieces This carnival-inspired haunted house is one of the most impressive houses this year, filled with gruesome scenery and unexpected jump scares. The house features a range of characters including clowns, ballerinas and wizards; all of the characters’ appearances are chilling with fake blood and realistic makeup. The house includes many classic carnival rides broken down, and some are even made to look like weapons. The storyline of the house is easy to understand from the props. The creative idea for this house is successful and well-planned out, with each scene featuring unique characters and jump scares.

5. Scary Tales: Deadly Ever After The “Scary Tales: Deadly Ever After” house portrays a dark, twisted version of original fairy tales like “The Three Little Pigs” and “Little Red Riding Hood.” These “deadly” tales are extremely haunting.

The transition from one story to the next is smooth, containing constant jumps cares with nearly every step. This twist on childhood stories is a creative original idea that has never been executed by Universal Studios in the past, and the characters are scary and unexpected. Although the scenery is not extremely unique, the enticing storyline makes up for it.

6. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers Based on the movie “Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers”, this house is frightening and filled with gruesome set designs. This house was an enjoyable experience because of its compelling storyline; however, it is too repetitive, with Michael Myers holding a knife in every single room of the house. The scenery and the rooms make this house terrifying, as it is filled with fake blood and dead bodies. The sound effects and the soundtrack of the movie playing in the background make the house feel even more realistic.

7. Slaughter Sinema The “Slaughter Sinema” house depicts a bad horror movie coming to life. This house not only touches on terror, but it also includes elements of humor to serve as comic relief during the experience. The characters and the rooms are not arranged well, with each room portraying a different “movie” with no transition between them. Although the house is an original idea, it lacks a concrete storyline. This house has a fresh theme that has not been done in previous years; however, this house was not well presented. The idea was creative, but not in the way they performed it, making it one of the weakest of this year.

8. Seeds of Extinction The “Seeds of Extinction” house executes an original idea, displaying what would happen if a meteorite were to hit Earth. The human race was wiped out and the plants took over, allowing the actors in the house to camouflage with the scenery. While it is typically easy to spot where jump scares will occur, such as corners and openings in walls, this house is an exception. The tricky camouflage makes “Seeds of Extinction” one of the scariest houses without making the experience unenjoyable. The realistic props, lighting and sound effects make this house stand out; however, the characters and scenes become redundant as the house progresses.

9. Stranger Things The “Stranger Things” house, which is directly based on the Netflix original show, was the main event of this year’s Halloween Horror Nights. This horror house was unexciting and lacked a storyline. The house was limited to scenery from the show and had little to no jump scares. The “Stranger Things” house was not only unamusing, but also had lengthy lines with waits around two hours, the entire night. Besides the young characters of the show who are not meant to be scary, the only attraction of this house is the “demogorgon,” the fictional monster that the kids fight against in the show.

10. The Horrors of Blumhouse This house is comprised of two horror films from Blumhouse Productions: “The First Purge” and “Happy Death Day.” Unfortunately, this is one of the weakest houses this year. The transition between the two movies is extremely abrupt, with only a small black room separates the two films. The “Happy Death Day” section is redundant because the theme of the movie is the repetition of the girl’s room, which makes the house lackluster and boring.

On the other hand, “The First Purge” aspect is much more interesting and interactive.

In this section of the house, the jump scares are strategically placed, and the classic “Purge” sound effect, from the movies, gives it a special touch.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

NOVEMBER 2018

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper “star” in hit film “A Star is Born”

BY JENNA FRIEDMAN ARTS & ENT. EDITOR

The most recent remake of the 1937 film “A Star is Born” portrays a powerful message and contains aspects of humor, drama and music. The film follows the story of country music star Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper), who helps aspiring singer Ally (Lady Gaga) find fame. As the two work together on their music and on tour, they eventually fall in love and get married. However, as Ally rapidly gains fame and recognition, losing her true identity in the process, Jackson’s struggle with alcoholism proves to be detrimental to both of their careers.

Although Gaga lacks the experience that Cooper has in the acting field, her performance was extremely impressive as Ally. This character has been played by many outstanding performers in the past, such as Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland; however, Gaga does not disappoint and definitely lives up to these actresses. She excels in truly connecting

with her role and demonstrating the emotions of Ally in a realistic fashion.

Not only is Gaga incredible in “A Star is Born,” but the rest of the cast members perfectly execute the characters they play. Another notable role in the movie is Bobby (Sam Elliott), Jackson’s brother. Elliott’s superb acting skills are highlighted by the passionate role he plays, as he convincingly expresses the emotions of anger and compassion for his family. The brotherhood portrayed by Elliot and Cooper is a central element of the movie, and their relationship seems realistic.

“A Star is Born” is centered around music, as this is what connects Jackson and Ally in the film. The movie’s soundtrack is exceptional due to the variation of vocals from Gaga and Cooper, and it features several popular tracks. One song from the movie that is topping the charts is “Shallow,” which was a song written by Ally in the film and features both Gaga and Cooper. The song is meaningful not only because of the lyrics, but also the large role it plays in the movie. Another emotional song that displays Gaga’s impressive vocal range is the final song of the soundtrack, “I’ll Never Love Again.” This ballad is filled with meaning and truly highlights Gaga’s ability to mix acting with music.

Although the movie is enjoyable to watch, it has some extremely depressing scenes that can be difficult to watch. The addition of these parts in “A Star is Born” allows the story to seem real and makes the actors’ emotions more raw.

While the same movie concept has been portrayed several times since the original 1937 version, the most recent rendition of “A Star is Born” incorporates several modernized elements to avoid redundancy. For example, Ally’s music changes as she gains fame, and it becomes similar to the songs topping today’s charts. They are more upbeat songs with

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electronic beats, and they tend to lack meaningful messages. There is also irony in Gaga playing this character, as her older music compares to Ally’s released tracks; both Gaga and the role she plays have songs that are catchy, but do not display Gaga’s true vocal range.

Overall, the music and acting by Cooper and Gaga is spectacular and proves the two performers are capable of executing difficult roles. “A Star is Born” is a brilliantly updated version of the original film, and the modernized elements make the story incredibly enticing.

Thespians compete at district level

BY RACHEL ALEXANDER

American Musical Theatre (AMT) students at the Bay have been preparing their original pieces for the upcoming district-wide competition on Dec. 8 called Thespians. At Thespians, performers are judged on a scale ranging from poor to superior. With the curtains opening shortly for these students, AMT teacher and adviser Cynthia Lutwin said she hopes her students do their best and feel amazing about their performances.

“Every year we do so well and [competing] is great practice for the real world,” Lutwin said. “To me, it is not always about how many excellences or how many superiors we get, it is about that they feel proud of their work.”

Lutwin said as students prepare their material for the competition, she critiques their work and gives them feedback to help them improve. She said she also has students give comments to each other to ensure their material is in good shape.

“They get to know my style and how I judge them,” Lutwin said. “I think if you are going to do theatre throughout your life, you are going to have lots of different people that will be judging you.”

Junior Silvia Zervos has been participating in Thespians for five years.

She said she began preparing in September by talking to other people other in AMT for inspiration and rehearsing her pieces.

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY JACOB FRETWELL

DRAMA QUEENS: Juniors Silvia Zervos and Morganne Land rehearse backstage for their pantomime competition before they perform at Thespians. At Thespians, the performers compete in various categories and are scored on a range of poor to superior. Drama adviser Cynthia Lutwin watches her students perform and provides constructive criticism to help them prepare.

She said she sometimes struggles to balance time due to her junior year schedule, but she usually rehearses once a week after school and on the weekends for her three pieces.

“I love the idea of getting to create performances with my friends every year and competing in hopes of going to

states,” Zervos said. “At Thespians, I get to do what I love most with the people I love most.”

This year, Zervos is participating in a pantomime, ensemble acting and a choreography piece. In a pantomime, she works to tell a story with no words, while in ensemble acting, she acts out a scene

with three to eight people. Zervos said acting is always nerve wracking because it determines whether or not she qualifies for State Thespians.

“The most scary performance is singing because you never know what can happen [with your voice],” Zervos said. “I always want to make my family proud, and after performing, I feel a big weight let off my shoulders.”

Senior Robbie Goldstein said as the competition quickly approaches, he is beginning to put a creative spin on his pieces. This year, Goldstein will be performing in a Duet Acting piece, a Student Directed Scene and a One Act play entitled “Pals.”

“Thespians allows me to challenge myself as an actor to do better in performing and score higher,” Goldstein said. “It is such a fun way to stretch the limits of your creativity.”

Goldstein said theater has changed his life and allowed him to break out of his shell. He said he is excited to showcase his improvement and development at the Thespians competition.

“I used to be a quiet kid who would only speak when he needed to,” Goldstein said. “I didn’t like talking in front of crowds, but now because of theatre, I can go on stage and [perform] to my heart’s content.”

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iOS 12 renovates previous features that the recipient is driving in “Do Not Disturb” mode. Then, the text will not be sent until the recipient is done driving.

However, the sender has the option to text “URGENT” to be able to reach the recipient if there is an emergency. This can be turned off in settings. This new feature may seem simple, but it can help protect drivers on the road. This recent version of the “Do Not Disturb” mode can have a great effect on high school students who are starting to drive. As students are new drivers, this new feature on the update can help prevent accidents.

iOS 12

BY JEN SILVERMAN

Apple’s newest update, iOS 12, was released on Sept. 17. Since this technology has been released, Apple users have been adjusting to the new features.

The latest update comes equipped with a “smarter” version of Siri. Siri is now able to complete tasks with or without a voice command. Siri also has the ability to add shortcuts with downloaded apps on the iPhone, making it even simpler to use. For example, if an iPhone user has the “Tile” app on their phone, which helps them track lost items, one can simply ask Siri “Where is my purse?” and Siri will answer them with data from the app.

This adds to iOS 12 by fixing common problems and improves the overall use of an Apple device. The revised version of Siri is paving the way for the future of iPhone technology.

Another aspect of the modern update is a new and improved FaceTime.

This recently developed technology changes the control panel on FaceTime.

Users now have the ability to draw, type and put filters on the screen. However, these features make FaceTime more complicated and difficult to use. A huge downside to the software is that it is now a hassle to flip the camera.

ILLUSTRATION BY JEN SILVERMAN

Instead of doing this in one simple step, users now have to tap on the screen to access the control panel, click the button with the additional options and select the flip camera icon.

After all these steps, the controls cover half of the screen, making visibility difficult.

Among the features added is Notification Management. Essentially, Apple now filters out unnecessary notifications, which allows battery percentage to last longer. This is a beneficial aspect of the update because notifications can be excessive.

Additionally, the recent iPhone update comes equipped with Memoji. The iPhone X has the ability to use Animoji; this is an animated emoji that uses facial recognition and follows the user’s facial expressions. This was upgraded on the new software, and users now have the ability to edit their emoji to make it look more like themselves. Memoji is now on the iPhone X, the XR and the XS. This is an immense addition to iPhone messaging, as the Memoji is more racially accepting and customizable. iOS 12 also has adjusted the original “Do Not Disturb” option on the iPhone.

With the update, if someone is driving and they receive a text, the person who sent the text will receive a message saying

Bottom Line: The iOS12 software has many beneficial features and innovative updates, and it paves the way for the future of Apple technology.

The latest software also comes along with a “Measure” app, which allows users to determine the size of objects. This addition is helpful, as it allows people to have a digital tape measure and a level at all times. This can come in handy at school, work, and on the go.

Overall, the recent Apple update, iOS 12, is full of unique and innovative functions. Although the new FaceTime may be problematic and difficult to get used to, the other components are exceedingly better than the old version of iOS.

The circuiT recommends “It’s Yours” Eric & Happie Folk / Indie “It’s Yours” by folk-indie duo Eric & Happie is a conversational duet, in which the singers confess their love for each other.

The song contains mellow and soft tunes, and it is an intriguing track which maintains a peaceful, catchy melody.

“Mama Look at Me Now” Galantis Electronic

In “Mama Look At Me Now,” Galantis delivers a chorus composed of a light melody. The song provides a promising and proud feeling of overcoming difficulty. The tempo is high, making it exciting and uplifting.

“Machine” Imagine Dragons Pop Rock

“Machine” by Imagine Dragons is an up-tempo pop rock piece, which utilizes an intense drum tune throughout. This future hit has an eerie vibe, making it an intriguing listen.

“Sunflower”

Post Malone, Swae Lee Pop / R&B

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 Layout Editor Sophie Gaer.

“Homesick”

Written for “Spider-Man: Into the SpiderKane Brown Verse,” Swae Lee and Post Malone collaborate on “Sunflower,” a track with Country Kane Brown’s up-and-coming hit, a unique style. With a lively tune in the “Homesick,” starts off as a slow, classic background and Swae Lee’s high and country song. The anthem picks up soft tone, this song is upbeat yet soothing energy in the chorus and incorporates at the same time. pop guitar and drums in the background.

“Let Me Down Slowly” Alec Benjamin Alternative

Alec Benjamin’s track, “Let Me Down Slowly,” has a distinct energy and discusses how people are too quick to assume what they hear. The track starts off as unspirited and relaxed but works its way up to a higher and more upbeat tune.

“Just Got Paid” Sigala, Ella Eyre, Meghan Trainor Hip-Hop / R&B / Soft Rock Sigala’s new hit, “Just Got Paid,” begins with a light, airy feel using flute tunes leading up to an exciting beat drop. The combination of Meghan Trainor, Ella Eyre and Sigala’s vocals make this piece a positive and joyful track.

NOVEMBER 2018

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Local restaurant cures Peruvian cravings Dr. Limon Ceviche Bar

BY CAMILA ESPINOSA

Dr. Limon Ceviche Bar, a Peruvian restaurant, offers a variety of over 50 dishes, including four types of ceviche and Peruvian sushi rolls as well as many cocktail and natural juice choices. The restaurant, which recently opened on Weston Road, is upbeat and has excellent customer service.

The menu offers a large number of Latin appetizers, such as fried shrimp, fried plantains, grilled octopus and Peruvian egg rolls. One of the most delicious appetizers offered at the restaurant are the Tostones de Cangrejo, which are fried plantains topped with tasty crab meat and ceviche sauce; these toppings add the right amount of flavor.

At Dr. Limon, the chefs managed to salt the plantains perfectly.

The restaurant allows customers to choose from a variety of juices and sodas. Employees add dry ice cubes to their cocktails, making the drinks more exciting and picture-perfect. However, the juices are too sweet, which makes the flavors seem artificial.

A delightful option worth trying is the Causa Acevichada, which consists of

bun-shaped mashed potatoes filled with ceviche and topped with fried calamari and yellow pepper sauce. This sauce adds a bit of spice to the plate. Even though the presentation is beautifully organized, it is difficult to eat without making a mess due to the small plates on which the food is served.

The restaurant serves American-style plates as well, such as grilled salmon, chicken strips with quinoa and the house salad with a choice of meat. A kid’s menu also offers choices such as chicken alfredo, chicken tenders and shrimp pasta. This wide selection of entrées ensures there is something for everyone.

The perfect end to a meal at Dr. Limon is the Maracuya Crème Brûlée, which features a passion fruit mousse topped with a flambéed top shell. The dessert comes in a beautifully decorated plate with syrup, and the taste is exceptional.

Although the food and service are great, the restaurant is too small and usually extremely busy, so customers should expect at least a 20 minute wait before they are seated. However, customers can wait in the bar, where they can order their choice of any drink or a platter of their favorite seafood item, such as shrimp.

The restaurant is nicely decorated with colorful bull figurines, which is the lucky animal of Peru. Although most of the furniture is white, the walls are decorated with a custom-made wallpaper, which

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PHOTOS BY CAMILA ESPINOSA

THE BEST MEDICINE: (From top) Dr. Limon serves Causa Acevichada, consisting of mashed potatoes, ceviche and fried calamari. After the entrée, the restaurant serves a Maracuya Crème Brûlée, which has a passion fruit mousse and flambeed top shell.

makes the restaurant more vibrant.

Another interesting detail about the restaurant is that all plates on the menu feature names related to the medical field, such as Santo Remedio and Dr. Miyagi.

This relates to the name of the restaurant and adds a fun element to the menu.

Even though owner Carlos Brescia, also known as Dr. Limon, started off by cooking in his family’s restaurant, he has

gained skills throughout the years. He now owns several Dr. Limon restaurants with locations in Miami, Hallandale, Kendall and Miami Gardens. His extensive cooking experience has made Dr. Limon a successful franchise. Overall, the restaurant is incredibly welcoming and a great place to enjoy delicious meals and a piece of Peruvian culture.

Worship band shows ‘There is More’ “There is More Tour”

BY DREW ROACH NEWS / ARTS & ENT. PHOTO EDITOR

Australian Christian band Hillsong Worship performed an inspiring and heartfelt concert on Oct. 13 at the James L. Knight Center in Miami. This was the band’s third night on their “There is More” United States tour.

To start off the sold-out show, members of the band ran onto the stage and began singing “Relentless.” This upbeat track along with the bright strobe lights set an energetic mood for the concert. Although this song is not a part of the “There is More” album, it effectively began the night of worship.

Throughout the slower songs, the special effects and lighting were kept minimal in order to focus the attention on the music. This created a spiritual and powerful atmosphere where the the lyrics that were being sung could be easily internalized. Simplistic colors such as red and blue were utilized as lighting during

this time to add to the overall moving mood.

Not only did Hillsong Worship play songs from their most recent album, but they also included popular hits from their past. The band performed older tracks such as “I Surrender,” “This I Believe (The Creed)” and their number one song “What a Beautiful Name”. This created a sense of nostalgia as the songs were released years before. The popularity of these hymns was apparent, as the arena stayed standing and singing throughout the entire night.

Instead of having an opening act, the band’s pastor, Brian Houston, spoke halfway through the event. He gave a sermon which reflected his book titled “There is More,” which coincides with the band’s album title. This sermon was a convenient way to further spread the band’s message that there is more to life.

The pastor gave a free copy of his book to every member in the audience to make the experience more interactive.

To transition into the more sentimental songs, the singers recited meaningful Bible verses and invited the crowd to lift their hands before the songs began.

This was an admirable way to keep the audience intrigued, as Christian music is usually met with lifted hands.

HANDS UP HIGH: Members in the audience raise their hands as Hillsong Worship band plays their hit songs. During the performance, the crowd remains standing. The tracks transition throughout the night from slow songs to energetic beats.

The majority of the songs started off with a calm beat and began to build up as the momentum increased. The lighting played a strategic role in each song. As the energy became more prominent, the lights were brighter and corresponded to the rhythm of the music which added liveliness to the concert.

The singers also contributed to the prominent energy, as they jumped along to the beat of each song and joined the audience in raising their hands. They also spoke about their faith and what each of the songs meant to them. This added to the authenticity and deep meaning of the concert. During the performance,

PHOTO BY DREW ROACH

the band shouted inspirational sayings, which enhanced the message behind each song that followed as the phrases carried similar meanings to the music.

The band concluded the night with energetic songs, such as “Wake.” This song was a wise choice to end the concert with, as the lyrics encompass the message of the concert: God is alive in everyone, and through Him, faith can shine throughout the world.

Hillsong Worship successfully performed an inspirational concert with their motivational lyrics and pastor.

Overall, the band members created a spiritually powerful night.

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NOVEMBER 2018

S P O O KY SCENES The Circuit’s staff reviews Halloween-themed movies.

“Coraline”

“Halloween”

BY RACHEL SILVERMAN

BY DEVIN PABIAN

A&E / PRINT OPINION COPY EDITOR

“Coraline,” a 2009 animated film directed by Henry Selick, is a mildly frightening and creepy movie that truly pushes the boundaries of its PG rating. When Coraline, a young girl, and her family move from Michigan to an old town, Coraline finds herself seeking excitement and fun. Her parents are constantly working and leave her with nothing to do, so she often finds herself exploring. Through exploring her new home, she discovers a small door which had been poorly concealed behind some wallpaper. She unlocks the door, with a special key with a button on the end, but found it to reveal nothing but a brick wall. Later that night, Coraline was yet again exploring, and was back to the door with the concealed brick wall. She finds an entrance to a parallel world where she is always having fun, but all of the people have buttons for eyes. In order for Coraline to stay, she has to have buttons sewn into her eyes, which is when she realizes she is in trouble. The unique and creative elements of the animation’s technique assist in the progression of the film.

Without these exciting features, the one hour and 40 minute film would seem too long.

“Coraline” definitely packs humor, and each scene’s innovative and perfectly-fitting background music and sounds, beautifully aid in the development of the plot. Overall, the eerie movie is a perfect medley of humor, animation techniques and background music, and it is definitely worth a watch.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas”

The 1978 movie “Halloween” is a terrifying, well-made picture about a psychopathic killer that returns to his hometown on Halloween night. The film focuses on a group of friends that are planning to see each other on Halloween. The killer, Michael Myers (Tony Moran), escapes from an insane asylum and travels back home. The movie generates suspense and horror, as the group of suburban friends are stalked by the serial killer trying to murder them. The terrifying elements work together to make it an intriguing film. The directing of the movie by John Carpenter was executed amazingly by effectively setting scenes and making sure his cast is performing well. The scene when six-year-old Myers takes a kitchen knife and kills his older sister is a perfect example of Carpenter’s directing from the way Myers executes the murder to the way the camera moves around like his eyes. The movie combines phenomenal acting from Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence and Tony Moran with remarkable producing from Debra Hill. Curtis’s acting is compelling in her role as Laurie; she highlights all of the emotions of the frightened teen. Additionally, Moran’s portrayal of the serial killer is haunting and creepy, creating additional thrills and scares. Even though “Halloween” is an old movie without the updated visual and sound effects that a modern film possesses, it provides the suspense and horror that makes it an amazing picture.

“Hocus Pocus”

BY LUCIANA GARZON

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” is a movie that captures two holidays in one: Halloween and Christmas. The film follows the adventures of the main character Jack Skellington (Danny Elfman), who travels away from his home of Halloween Town to Christmas Town and learns all about the winter holiday. Thrilled with the way Christmas works, Skellington is determined to take over the holiday and bring it to his own town. The movie opens with a song where the characters are shown singing, jumping around and dancing; this gives a joyful, fun vibe to start off the movie, which contributes to the overall uplifting feeling of the motion picture. The PG rating is appropriate because there is no foul language or inappropriate scenes, making it perfect for young children to watch. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is original and creative because it is a stop motion film; it was created with picture-by-picture sequences put together to create a moving effect. The animation quality makes the movie even more enticing and entertaining. The film was released in 1993, yet it remains popular during the Halloween season each year. The film demonstrates a classic theme: a misfit trying to help around the community and better himself. The way the film was composed all together was great, incorporating many themes about life and the way events and cultures are different all around, and believes others would enjoy it too. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is a feel-good family movie that is worth a watch not only during the Halloween and holiday season, but year-round.

“Hocus Pocus” is a feel-good, classic family movie that came out in 1993 and is still a perfect watch for the Halloween season. The plot centers around a teenage boy, Max Dennison (Omri Katz), and his family, who move from Los Angeles to Salem. Max, his sister Dani (Thora Birch) and their new friend Allison (Vinessa Shaw) explore an abandoned home on Halloween where Max accidentally frees three evil witches. The 17th century witches, Winifred Sanderson (Bette Midler), Sarah Sanderson (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mary Sanderson (Kathy Najimy), come back to life in modern times and antagonize the town. The three kids must find the sister witches’ spellbook before they can become immortal. The movie does an excellent job in adhering to different demographics by its range of jokes for all ages. The film has many comedic scenes in which the witches do not understand what Halloween is; they can’t understand why kids were dressing up as characters that they actually knew, such as Satan. From the makeup to the visual effects, “Hocus Pocus” does an amazing job in making the world of Salem more realistic. Midler was completely transformed to look like the hideous Winifred Sanderson, the main antagonist of the movie. Midler comically portrays the annoying and bossy witch. Birch does an outstanding job in playing such a loving and relatable little sister; she steals the spotlight throughout the entire film. Overall, due to the entertaining acting and humor, “Hocus Pocus” is worth watching with family for a good laugh.

“Halloweentown”

“Scary Movie”

BY SOPHIA HANDLEY

BY REECE KAUFMANN

The 1998 Disney Channel original movie “Halloweentown” is a spooky Halloween classic that follows the story of Aggie (Debbie Reynolds), a witch who visits her granddaughter Marnie (Kimberly J. Brown) on Halloween. Aggie must train her granddaughter before her powers are lost. They work together to get rid of a dark and evil spirit that is causing people to disappear in her hometown. After traveling on a magic bus Marnie, Aggie, and mother and grandmother Gwen (Judith Hoag) and Marnie’s two younger siblings, arrive in Halloweentown. When they visit the movie theater, the demonic spirit freezes Gwen and Aggie. Marnie and her siblings’ then have to defeat the demon; to do this, they must install a jack-o’-lantern that will save everyone from the evil spirit in the center of town. Throughout the movie, the storyline and relationships between the characters portray the importance of hard work and family. The makeup and costumes in the film are especially intriguing; the realistic monsters and goblins that the family encounters add a haunting element to the movie. The unique film also has special effects, such as flying on magic broom sticks and animated characters, that add excitement to the film and give it a magical twist. In addition to the special effects, the actors execute their roles and help add a sense of excitement and thrill to the movie. Brown does a great job throughout the entire movie captivating the audience as they follow her on her journey to save everyone in Halloweentown. Overall, this kid-friendly movie is great for the family and perfect to watch at any age, especially during the Halloween season.

The 2000 film “Scary Movie” is a spoof on teenage slasher movies. This film makes fun of several classic horror film plotlines, such as a teenage girl being home alone with the doors unlocked and talking with a stranger on the phone who is “watching her.” The film also exaggerates stereotypical young adult behavior. To understand many of the jokes, the viewers would need to have seen popular horror movies from the 80s and 90s. The film was co-written by Keenen Ivory Wayans, along with his brothers Marlon and Shawn Wayans, who also star in it.

However, the attempts at comedic writing in “Scary Movie” result in offensive and derogatory humor.

The jokes poke fun at African-American, homosexual, mentally handicapped and overweight people.

The film includes several ridiculous scenes. One ludicrous example features high school girls talking about how someone likes to help people, not animals. Shortly after, a homeless man approaches her to ask for a dollar, and she screams; this is offensive to the homeless man and beyond insensitive. The overall acting in this movie is mediocre. The humor is childish, making it difficult to sit through the entire movie. “Scary Movie” is filled with horror movie clichés that are extremely overdone and make the film seem pointless.

BY CHLOE NOWACK

NOVEMBER 2018

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Band competition poses difficulties

BY LUCY CELENTANO ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR

The Sound of Thunder marching band competed at the Bands of America competition at the Camping World stadium in Orlando, Fla. on Oct. 20.

After months of preparation, senior Nicole Alesso said she was eager for the competition, considering it was the first national event of the season thus far.

“Even though we have had locals before this, the competition was regional, so bands from Alabama, Georgia and a few other states were all competing there,” Alesso said. “This made the show even more nerve-wracking for the new players that have never been to a competition like this before.”

The Sound of Thunder marching band has 40 new freshman this year. Senior Maya Merchant said the biggest challenge at Bands of America was managing the new and old members’ nerves going into the event.

“It’s the first time our band has been to that competition since 2009, so it’s a new experience for all of us,” Merchant said.

“The stadium was a lot bigger than were used to performing in, which didn’t help.”

The Sound of Thunder performed at 8:00 A.M. on Saturday, which Merchant said was earlier than most competitions they have participated in, in the past.

Merchant said this was also a source of tension for members who were tired from practice and travel the day before.

“We performed really early, which was also different since we had to wake up around five,” Merchant said. “We didn’t

do as well as we expected, but we all tried our hardest which is what counts.”

To prepare for the concert, the band practiced Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays since June. Alesso said for this concert, they also had Saturday intensive 12-hour camps to help them excel at the competition.

“At camp, we usually work outside and do the routine over and over with the music, which makes the heat feel really intense,” Alesso said. “We had to handle these camps because without them, we may not have been ready in time to perform at this competition.”

Head band director Michael Scott said the camps and regular practices depend on how the band performs at each competition. Scott said after every competition, they add a new piece to the end of the routine, so the show is constantly changing.

“We have been perfecting this routine since the start of the summer, and we add onto it every competition,” Scott said.

“Each week we insert something new to make the show come to close and make it even better than the week before.”

During weekend camps, Scott said it was necessary to take a strategic approach to ensure all players were productive and comprehended the music they were taught. Specific staff members taught different parts of the routine and guaranteed each person knew every aspect of the performance.

“In sectionals, we really break down and teach the fundamentals of marching and music and maneuvers,” Scott said.

“Then finally, once everything is taught,

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY ADITI KUMARI

LOUD AND PROUD: The Sound of Thunder marching band participated in their first regional competition of the season in Orlando, Fla. on Oct. 20.

Band members performed starting at 8:00 A.M. on Saturday until late in the afternoon. In order to prepare for this competition, members practiced Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and even some Saturdays.

we bring it all together and form the big picture.”

Scott said the goal going into the competition was to make it to the final round, which the Sound of Thunder did not achieve. In retrospect, Scott said he understands what went wrong and aspires to change these small errors to ensure everyone performs their best at the Florida Marching Band Championships

(FMBC) on Nov. 17.

“We have made a lot of changes from listening to the tapes after our Bands of America competition and have fixed a lot of the gaps in noise that may have been missing,” Scott said. “We have a really young group, and we had a really early performance so now we know what we need to do for next time.”

The music in your ears “The Music in Your Ears” delves into the music tastes of students at the Bay. Staffer Cristina Cimato interviewed four students who enjoy listening to different types of music.

“Sparks” by Coldplay

“This song was my favorite when I grew up, so it has a lot of sentimental value.

Coldplay is an overall great band, and this song shaped my childhood.”

-senior Evanan Romero

“Escapate Conmigo ” by Wisin featuring Ozuna “The song is upbeat and extremely fun to listen to. It puts me in a great mood and is a good song to dance to.”

-sophomore Alexa Giron

“Poetry” by TheKnuBlack feat. Jay Andy “It has a beautiful beat, and the lyrics are really important as the message is about respecting women. They have a deep meaning that is significant in these times.”

-junior Daniela Palacios

“Single Ladies”

by Beyoncé “The song is a timeless classic and great to dance to. I’m super single, which is another reason to love the song.”

-freshman Jadyn Parks

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Social media invades users’ privacy With the increasing role of technology in everyday life, it’s not uncommon for social media platforms to become as much of a daily routine as brushing teeth or washing one’s face. Social media status checks have integrated themselves within morning routines, nighttime rituals and every moment in between. It’s almost expected to resort to an electronic device at various points throughout the day, as social media updates become habitual in nature.

Platforms like Instagram and Twitter were created with the intention of connecting friend groups separated by time, distance or cultural differences. The apparatuses enable users to remain connected to friend groups and current events long after everyone has gone home for the night, allowing a constant exchange of new information. Hence, it’s no secret that the use of social media comes with its obvious perks. Living in a digital age, however, also comes with the price of sacrificing privacy every time any piece of information is shared online.

When users log onto social networking websites, they are giving away different facets of their personal information.

A simple Instagram story post featuring someone at their favorite restaurant not only reveals to the site the person’s location, but also other people close to them, places they enjoy frequenting and possible activities they enjoy. While this feature allows participants to connect to their local surroundings, like most features of any app, it is also constructed to benefit the creators.

Apps like Instagram and Twitter do

Flash of brilliance

YES Homecoming should be held at the Bay instead of outside of Weston.

The most prominent difference is the price. Since the dance will be at school, it is generously cheaper than the past homecoming dances. Students who may have not been able to afford homecoming in previous years are more likely to go to the cheaper event held at the school.

As part of Baychella, students will have the option to wear casual, festival clothing or formal dance attire, which lets students have the freedom to express their individuality through more options for what to wear. Having homecoming at the Bay gives students the opportunity to watch the school transform into a music festival, as the main goal for Baychella is to completely redesign the setting for homecoming. With the dance being hosted at the Bay, students can drive to the dance or order a relatively cheap Uber, since the Bay is a much closer drive than Ft. Lauderdale. Aside from a closer distance, Baychella makes homecoming a more accessible school function for Best Buddies, as many of the club officers took their buddies to the dance as their dates, making the night memorable for the buddies and their dates. The location made the event more accessible to the buddies and ultimately increased attendance at the dance. Overall, hosting homecoming at the Bay makes it a more convenient and accessible event and the redesigned experience gives students more to look forward to at a cheaper price.

-Karla Soberon

ILLUSTRATION BY NYAH HARDMON

not require anyone to pay for their features. Everything from creating an account to browsing celebrity accounts is free to the public. So how do these companies not only make money, but become so profitable? When account holders share information like frequentlyvisited restaurants, sites can collect this data and manipulate it to target the user with advertisements they believe will appeal to them. Data can also be collected from the input of information like gender and age. Sites profit off this information by advertising products that they believe

are popular within certain demographics. For example, if someone frequently posts music recommendations onto their story, they may begin to see more advertisements on their feed that cater towards music streaming platforms like Spotify or Apple Music. In 2012, The Wall Street Journal reported the beginning of Facebook’s allowance of marketing companies to target ads based on participants’ phone numbers, emails and recently visited websites. By manipulating personal preferences for advertising purposes, apps take advantage of people’s tendencies to

Should the homecoming dance be hosted at school?

GRAPHIC BY GABRIELLA MCMILLAN

Visit cbhscircuit.com to vote on this topic.

overshare aspects of their private lives.

This infiltration of privacy jeopardizes the sense of security for the sake of advertising companies learning more about participant demographics.

Furthermore, location tracking features employed by social media sites yield safety concerns when strangers gain access to exactly where nearby populations are or like to go. In 2015, Business Insider reported that Facebook can track the location of messages sent on the site, while Instagram can track photos posted, even those without a geotag. This can prove to be harmful when the information available from social media can be exploited to stalk or find people without their consent or knowledge.

This administration of personal information crosses a thin line between services catering their platforms to fit their users and invading their privacy. When demographics like high school students dedicate large portions of their social lives to the digital world, they become particularly vulnerable to oversharing information and willingly encouraging an invasion of privacy. It can be incredibly easy to upload posts without considering the consequences of who is actually watching or how much privacy is being forsaken; therefore, thinking before oversharing can be key in ensuring personal safety and security. While advancements in technology can help mold a better digital experience, there comes a point where data tracking goes too far. Social media can be a great resource for keeping up to date with both peers and world happenings, but at what cost?

NO The annual homecoming dance should not be held in the Bay’s gymnasium or courtyard area. Students anticipate this special night every year, but having it at the place we attend daily, makes it seem like any other school day. In previous years, the night of homecoming has taken place in various hotel ballrooms around Fort Lauderdale or Hollywood. The different scenery, far from school and the city of Weston, is beneficial for each student who attends the yearly dance. By having homecoming at multiple venues far from the Bay, students will not have to feel like they are coming to school on a Saturday night. The glamorous hotel locations provide a fresh and fun setting, which could be a deciding factor for students in favor of attending. The overall experience being in Hollywood or Ft. Lauderdale is what makes the dance memorable, which is now taken away from students since it is being held at a place we attend bright and early each day. Party buses or limos with friends is also a positive aspect for homecoming attendees if the location is set in Fort Lauderdale or Hollywood.

These enjoyable transportation options are not likely to take place if the dance is held in Weston. Furthermore, having homecoming in a formal setting allows students to dress up in dresses or suits.

Baychella’s theme at the Bay is casual, which takes the traditional attire out of the traditional dance. Overall, the homecoming dance should not take place near the Bay or in the city of Weston.

-Hannah Lassner

44 THE CIRCUIT

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OPINION

NOVEMBER 2018

Recent shooting necessitates change The Tree of Life Synagogue of Pittsburgh became a site of death on Oct. 27, as 11 Jewish people were murdered in a hate crime. Robert Bowers, the suspected shooter, was arrested and faces charges in federal court for his numerous offenses. Following the devastating event, people are now sending thoughts and prayers to the victims, but they also need to be taking action. After the tragedies in Pittsburgh, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Sandy Hook, Las Vegas and Aurora, Colorado, it is evident that there needs to be a change, not only in how the United States handles gun policies, but also in preparation to avoid future tragedies.

Some say more security will solve the problem. But why should there be security at a place of worship, a movie theater or a school? A synagogue, church or mosque should be a safe haven where people can freely practice their religion without fear for their lives. A house of worship should be a place to pray for life, rather than attending funerals. While additional security may help prevent some attacks, there can’t be security everywhere.

Some say there needs to be more legislation. The legislation currently in place has not helped, as evidenced by the numerous recent occurrences of shootings. As the Second Amendment will likely never be repealed, people will probably always have the right to bear arms. If violent individuals want a gun, they will find whatever way they can to get their hands on it, legally or illegally. Therefore, it is up to the public to be prepared and work to prevent more tragedies.

Some say guns don’t kill people; people kill people. Bowers had previously been stable, with no prior arrest history, and he was able to legally purchase a gun. Nicolas Cruz of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, on the other hand, had a history of problems. However, the common theme in both shootings was the use of the AR15 assault rifle. What the country needs is fewer semi-automatic rifles, which prove to have no use besides murdering people in the recent massacres.

If legislation and guns may never change, the public needs to change the way it protects itself against future offenses.

Rather than going on the offensive to eliminate guns, the country needs a stronger defense. There needs to be more education about guns for all Americans.

People who sell guns should be trained to look out for people who might use them for violent purposes, such as those who stockpile weapons and ammunition.

The general public needs to be better educated on the warning signs that someone might commit an act of violence.

Before the Pittsburgh shooting, Bowers expressed his anti-Semitic viewpoints on multiple sites, especially Gab, an altright site that does not censor its content.

Similarly, Nicolas Cruz, the shooter at the Stoneman Douglas tragedy had posted his intentions online. If the public was more aware of the warning signs, then perhaps future shooters can be stopped before they strike again.

With a new gate at the entrance of the school, more security officers and regular drills, the Bay has increased security measures following the nearby shooting

GRAPHIC BY JESSIE CHAIET

in Parkland. However, students could also benefit from learning more about how to prevent another shooting. Teachers could instruct students on the warning signs so that students can be aware of possible offenders while on social media. If more people are knowledgeable about these matters, no matter their age, they can help work towards a better future without frequent tragedies.

Unfortunately, if we cannot force the legislature to enact better regulations

Letters to the Editor

Crossing guards should direct traffic before and after school every day

School clubs should organize meeting days to not conflict with one another

The crossing guards are usually there to direct traffic after dismissal and it’s always such a huge help in directing the traffic so that it doesn’t become chaotic.

But at random times they won’t be there and then the traffic can get really backed up and aggressive. I think that an easy fix for this could be if security could make sure that there is always a security guard there each afternoon. This would make the flow of cars more consistent and would save a lot of students and parents from the stresses of the busy afternoon traffic. I know that I personally, as well as a lot of my friends, would really appreciate having the crossing guards being there on a regular basis.

-Tori Schloshman, sophomore

I dislike how many clubs occur on the same day. If I would like to join more clubs in the future, I would not want to have to risk missing an important meeting or event because I am too busy attending another club’s meeting. Many clubs have mandatory meetings and there is no way to get caught up with what you missed. If you do not miss the meeting completely, you have to arrange to leave during one club and spend all of your time after school running from club to club. I think that they should space out when clubs start more or coordinate the Pep rally should have a backup days the meetings occur on. plan for weather conditions -Martin Kent, sophomore

Students should have a say in Bathrooms on campus should be cleaned and remodeled to be the location of the homecoming dance and other events more sanitary I think that the bathrooms in the portables need to be fixed. The bathroom floor tends to always be full of water and that is very unsanitary.

Students shouldn’t have to walk through toilet water in order to use the restroom.

It is very unsanitary and it is something that needs to brought to the attention of staff at school because walking through toilet water and getting it on our shoes and clothes are not something students should have to worry about in high school.

-Grace Chrupcala, junior

and cannot change the minds of gun advocates, then we need to change the attitudes of the general public to prevent future tragedies. The United States needs to unify and continue to be a Tree of Life, protecting the lives of all its inhabitants.

As Rabbi Jeffrey Myers stated after the Pittsburgh shooting, “You can cut off some branches, but the tree will continue to grow.”

Study hall classes should receive consequently often gotten in the way of my researching at school. But now working computer carts for the content blocking has become even students to access more strict. The WiFi is blocking even All Study halls should have a working more sites, including teacher websites. computer cart. Study hall is a great class Students whose teachers who have to have to be able to complete some work made their own website are not able to within the day. However, I typically find access it at school. Furthermore, when that the majority of my workload has to trying to do research online for classes be completed with a laptop or computer. at school, the WiFi makes it impossible.

Sometimes my study hall will not have I think that what has been decided of a computer cart, and I am stuck without what to be blocked should be revised being able to do anything for an hour and because it is too strict. It should allow access to teacher websites and any a half. website students may need for classes -Pavel Shilenko, sophomore or research purposes in general.

-Ariana Ceant, junior

I was really excited for the homecoming pep rally, but it was a bit disappointing. When it rained, the fun spirit that we had had all day started to die down and people left. I was surprised that there was no back up plan in case it rained since we do live in Florida of all places.

Also, a bunch of kids walking home in the rain at an unplanned hour might have been a bit of a safety hazard, which again supports the fact that there should have been a back up plan for the pep rally and there should be one in the next years.

-Natalie Medina, junior

While baychella was a unique idea, I feel homecoming should be at a hotel to make the night feel more special.

Because we are always at school, having homecoming at a hotel provides students with a different environment. Having a more formal homecoming allows for traditions to remain the same. I feel students should have a say in where homecoming takes place because it is an experience we will remember for the rest The Bay’s WiFi should remove its security blocks and censors of our lives.

-Valeriya Evseeva, junior The school WiFi has always blocked a large amount of websites and has

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.

NOVEMBER 2018

OPINION

45 WWW.CBHSCIRCUIT.COM THE CIRCUIT

Celebrities must use their platform to urge younger generations to vote

Thanksgiving should not be the only opportunity to express gratitude

For years, music megastar Taylor Swift has remained private about her political beliefs, with fans and critics alike questioning if she voted for Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump in the 2016 election. However, on Oct. 7, the pop sensation broke her silence regarding her political views. In an Instagram post that has since garnered more than two million likes, Swift wrote a detailed and passionate caption, explaining which candidates she was supporting in the midterm elections in her home state of Tennessee.

The most important aspect of Swift’s post was her ending sentiment: encouraging her 112 million followers to register to vote. In the two days following Swift’s get-to-the-vote post, more than 100,000 Americans aged 18 to 29 registered to vote in the U.S. Swift continued to encourage her followers to share photos of themselves after they registered to vote or voted early; she featured these images on her Instagram story, which was another effective push to increase voter turnout.

I have always admired Swift for her music, but these political actions online made me respect her even more. It is evident Swift’s efforts got more people to register and go to the polls on election day on Nov. 6. No matter political ideologies and party identification, it has become increasingly important for young people to vote, especially in the midterm elections, which typically have a lower voter turnout. According to fairvote.org, voter turnout in midterm elections is typically 20 percent less than that of general elections.

Swift’s rock-the-vote efforts have been used by celebrities in previous elections, but more prominently this year with the growing influence of social media. Politically active celebrities including Oprah

The smell of turkey and the sound of the TV playing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade signifies the start of Thanksgiving: the sole holiday designated to sharing gratefulness and appreciation.

The stories of the origins of this holiday have been told and forgotten, and people simply seem to remember the delicious food that is eaten and the evident message that is encouraged, to give thanks.

On this day, people tend to share their thankfulness for their family, friends, possessions and overall well-being. Life is precious and this is the perfect holiday to acknowledge and appreciate everything for which people have to be grateful.

However, why should this spreading of thankfulness be limited to only one day of the year? Encouraging people to share their gratefulness on this one day ultimately depreciates the value of each regard since it is deemed rude to not partake in this tradition. It almost feels forced to thank everyone, which should not be the case. People should genuinely want to thank those who are special to them when they feel it’s appropriate and will be appreciated, not simply because it is customary to do so.

The tradition of being thankful on Thanksgiving seems as though it has left people with the impression that this is the only time of the year to express appreciation for others, resulting in forgetting to do so for the other 364 days.

Nowadays with the technological advancements and increase in popularity of social media platforms, people tend to share their gratefulness for their loved ones through online sources instead of making a sentimental, personal gesture.

Doing this makes the gesture less meaningful and seems as though people

Winfrey and Beyoncé used different social media platforms to endorse candidates they supported in their state. Celebrities can all use their platform to encourage their broad fan bases to become involved politically. This activism proved effective in this year’s midterm elections, reaching a 50-year high of voter turnout.

Here at the Bay, many seniors recently turned 18 and became new members of the electorate. It is amazing to see efforts of different students and organizations on campus to encourage students to vote.

For example, the Bay’s Political Awareness Club set up booths in the courtyard on Oct. 30 to inform participants about the Florida ballot and register students to vote. Grassroots efforts like these are important in increasing national political participation on a larger scale.

As Americans, our vote is our voice, and it’s important to be heard. If we don’t like a policy or politician, we can use our vote to make a change, especially in the

Bottom Line: Everyone who is eligible should vote in elections. midterms. As high school students, we can each do our little part to promote the vote, even if we can’t vote ourselves. But our efforts shouldn’t just be limited to elections one day a year. In order to use our voice effectively, we should try to be educated and informed all 365 days of the year. Using our freedom of press, we can stay up-to-date on political occurrences.

This way, when the next election takes place, we can all be “ready for it.”

are only trying to comply with society’s norms. People don’t want to be viewed as unappreciative, so they share posts online rather than a heart-felt, private acknowledgement.

Though people typically express their thanks for material items that others get them, including clothes, food or gifts, it is not often one would hear a “thank you” for non-materialistic gesture, like being a loyal friend or always offering a helping hand.

Spontaneous thanking is the best kind of thanking. It feels good to receive a “thank you,” not because it is the day of the year designated to doing so, but because someone genuinely wants to express their thanks. When gratitude is expressed and there is no reason or motive as to why, it reminds people that all of their love and care has been recognized and appreciated and is not automatic, just a general acknowledgement of admiration as a whole.

Bottom Line: Thankfulness does not need to be limited to just one day.

Though Thanksgiving provides an ideal platform for people to share their thankfulness and serves as a good reminder of everything people should be grateful for, it should not be the only day of the year in which people express appreciation. Reaching out to family and friends sporadically has a much more sentimental meaning. Everyday should be a day of thanks and each person should not feel obliged to share all of their gratitude on this one day.

Bottom Line: Schools should be better equipped with provisions to counteract anaphylactic allergic reactions.

Life-threatening allergic reactions can be prevented with EpiPen education At the age of twelve, I vividly recall being rushed to the hospital where I was given a double dose of Benadryl and monitored until I was in stable condition and my hives subsided. In that moment, I had absolutely no idea what I consumed that sent me into anaphylactic shock. After hours of concern and physical pain, I realized the pistachio shavings used to garnish the meal I ordered were the reason behind my reaction.

Every three minutes, a food prompted allergic reaction sends someone to the emergency room. Roughly 40 percent of these cases are patients in anaphylactic shock, an allergic reaction with potentially fatal symptoms like throat closure and inflammation of the tongue and mouth.

The only way to stop this reaction is by directly injecting epinephrine into the thigh. Usually more than one injection

dosage is needed to terminate the reaction, which is why auto-injectors are now sold in packs of two across the United States. EpiPen is the most common brand of epinephrine auto injectors and they are essential in these emergency situations and should be made more readily accessible by teachers, students and administrative figures in schools immediately. In addition, a broader education regarding warning signs for those who are going into anaphylactic shock and how to handle the situation are necessary.

Upon initial signs of allergic reaction, many individuals are unaware they have a life-threatening allergy that requires instant treatment. According to the Center for Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), approximately 20-25 percent of epinephrine administrations in schools involve individuals whose aller-

gy was unknown at the time of the reaction. For this reason, all teachers and school employees should be required to carry auto-injectors with them or have them readily accessible in the classroom.

In the commercial restaurant industry, any operation that is selling any sort of food is required to have an auto-injector on site. This same principle should be applied in schools across the nation for the simple reason that many students are unfortunately unaware of their allergies and having the epinephrine on site could save someone’s life.

Considering the life-threatening challenges that allergies may present, classrooms should be made more allergyfriendly. Although many elementary schools have a “peanut free” table in the lunchroom, this is not sufficient protection for those students who suffer from severe allergies considering many individuals are unaware they even have life threatening allergies. In a study conducted by FARE, about one in three children with food allergies report being bullied as a result of their condition and children with food allergies are twice as likely to be bullied in school settings from the age of six to 18. Ostracizing students with al-

lergies is not the solution. Sitting alone at the nut-free table from the ages of four to seven did not do anything to help me when my reading buddy opened a package of peanut butter crackers next to me during class in third grade, which triggered one of my many reactions since my diagnosis.

A broader education must be administered regarding how to handle these types of situations in the case that a student does come into contact with an allergen. Nutfree lunch tables are beneficial to a certain extent, but for those students who are allergic and do happen to come into contact with allergens outside the classroom setting, there should always be school employees readily available and capable of administering treatment after recognizing initial symptoms.

The problem of anaphylactic allergies does not have a simple solution. Roughly two students in every classroom have allergies. Given the fact that there is currently no cure for life threatening allergies, a greater education on behalf of students and teachers and accessibility of auto-injectors is mandatory in controlling preventable allergic accidents in schools.

46 THE CIRCUIT

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OPINION

NOVEMBER 2018

New roommate houses opportunity

What all started as an ordinary summer vacation ultimately turned into one of the biggest events in my and my cousin’s life when she ended up moving in with me and my family. Despite the age difference of two years and the long distance relationship we have had since we were little, with her living all the way in Pennsylvania, my cousin Olivia Turner and I have always been inseparable. This past summer, Olivia came down with her family for their typical trip to South Florida, and she and I had casually joked about what it would be like if she went to my high school with me. We sat our parents down together and told them our crazy idea and to our surprise, they agreed that it would be a really good experience for the both of us.

Clearly, moving from Pennsylvania to Florida was a big deal, so we had to weigh the pros and cons. The Bay offers rigorous courses like Advanced Placement Chemistry and the Cambridge AICE classes. Meanwhile, Olivia’s former school did not have these same opportunities. Also, her parents thought it would be a great learning experience for Olivia to live away from home prior to graduating high school to help her prepare for her future. With the school year soon approaching, we were preparing for the move. Our nightly FaceTimes consisted of making flight arrangements, helping her choose what clothes to bring and talking all about how excited we were that this unconventional idea was soon becoming a reality.

Finally, the time had come and Olivia was living with me full time. While being overwhelmed with excitement, we wanted to do anything and everything together. We spent the first few days

in the Keys, mostly just tanning and shopping to help her acclimate to the new surroundings. Then came the first day of school. She had visited the Bay before, but never as a student, so she was nervous, but luckily she had me by her side as she entered her first day of sophomore year in a completely new environment.

Being that the Bay is one of the largest public high schools, the experience was going to be quite different compared to my cousin’s past school, so I wanted to make it as easy as possible for her to adjust.

Our campus is almost quadruple the size of her former school, and their hallways are separated by grade level, meaning that everyone in her grade stayed within that one hallway where their classes were which is not how the Bay works. She also heavily relied on her lockers, so she knew it was going to be much different carrying all of her supplies for all four classes throughout the whole day. With almost every little thing changing, I almost started to feel bad for her, thinking that maybe this wasn’t going to turn out how she had expected.

Once we got her schedule, we went around the campus and I showed her where all of her classes were located.

We planned to meet up in between each period just to talk and see how our days were going. At first she was a little overwhelmed with the amount of students and the size of our campus, but she quickly adapted. Olivia’s parents believed it was best to take advantage of the AP and AICE classes offered, so her schedule consists of various high level courses. Along with all of this, the block scheduling was an adjustment as well.

However, I was by Olivia’s side the whole time helping her through it. I realized how

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY HEATHER DENNIS

cousin lovin’: Senior Heather Dennis welcomes her cousin, sophomore Olivia Turner as she moved from Pennsylvania to Florida to live with her. Dennis said she and Turner have been inseparable since they were little.

fortunate I am to be a student at the Bay because of the welcoming atmosphere and the extensive range of courses led by incredibly talented teachers. I am glad to give Olivia the same opportunities I have been given, being a student here.

The simplest tasks such as getting ready for school, going shopping or eating dinner have become much more enjoyable because I’m constantly accompanied by my cousin. Although she’s only a sophomore, while I am a senior at the Bay, our personalities and mannerisms are so similar, it’s like we’re the same person. We have the same friends, enjoy the same activities and

basically do everything together. This has been quite the experience for my parents too, considering they’ve accepted the responsibility of a third child.

Growing up with an older sister, I’ve always had a best friend to do everything with, but when she left for college, I had a really hard time without her constantly being here. Now that I have Olivia here, she has filled that void that appeared when my sister moved away. Although we are referred to as cousins, she has become more than my cousin, she is my best friend. I’m so thankful to have her here with me and to be able to share our high school experiences together.

NOVEMBER 2018

47 WWW.CBHSCIRCUIT.COM

OPINION

THE CIRCUIT

Political activist promotes youth vote

As midterm elections heat up, some campaigns are looking for volunteers to represent them and inform individuals of their political views and agendas. On Oct. 6, I set out to contribute to the political race for Weston City Commission Seat 4. My contributions in the political campaign allowed me to get involved in the community and come out of my shell.

On Sept. 29, my father brought me the news that a candidate for Weston City Commission Seat 4, Mary Molina MacFie, was in need of volunteers for her political campaign. I was up for a new opportunity and was open to the possibilities to volunteer for her when available. Time permitted on Oct. 6, so I made my way to Weston Regional Park to see how I could help.

When I first got there, a big white screen was setup to play, “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.” About two hundred people showed up to watch the movie. An hour before the movie started, many people walked from the parking lot to find a spot on the field. This strategy of being there before them made it so that they had to walk to the field where we were at the edge of it. This made it an optimal chance for political volunteers to target voters. MacFie, her volunteers and I, introduced ourselves to the individuals who came for the entertaining movie and gave reasons to vote for MacFie. I was handing out campaign cards which had Macfie’s credentials of activism, her community involvement and experiences in Weston that make her a qualified candidate. I also handed out M&M packs at Weston Regional Park to those who came to watch the movie because

MacFie said the “M’s” in the M&M are a way for people to remember her name and to vote for her.

This was my first time volunteering in a political campaign and I was really nervous to talk to people I hadn’t met before. I didn’t want to come across as bothersome to the moviegoer’s experience. I was expecting much more of a negative response from those I approached because of conflicting political views or the fact that I was in their way. This wasn’t at all the situation and although there were some people that didn’t agree with MacFie’s views, and some that wanted to watch the movie, it was an encouraging environment.

I was content with my experience of volunteering for the political campaign.

Many people encouraged me to continue my involvement and civic engagement in the community; this made the experience

I learned a lot from volunteering for Macfie’s political campaign. I became bolder as an individual and stepped out of my comfort zone.

I got the opportunity to experience a political campaign first hand. more worthwhile since I felt like I was making an influence. I love being politically involved and this was definitely a good outlet to act upon my interest in

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.

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ILLUSTRATION BY JEN SILVERMAN

making a direct impact to the community, especially when representing someone who has contributed effective activism to my home town, Weston.

I learned a lot from volunteering for Macfie’s political campaign.

I became bolder as an individual and stepped out of my comfort zone. I got the opportunity to experience a political campaign first hand; something I would not have gotten to do if my father had not informed me of this new chance to try something so new and different. If given the opportunity to volunteer in a campaign again, I would jump for the opportunity because I got a better feel

HYBRID EDITORS

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of what face-to-face civic engagement is about. This experience has inspired me to take action in different ways in the community to promote my beliefs. I will compete through the Bay’s Political Awareness Club (PAC) on Oct. 25 for a Democracy in Action competition brought by Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 104th District, Rick Stark. My experience working with Macfie’s political campaign is just a stepping stone to hopefully my future in political science.

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

48 THE CIRCUIT

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NOVEMBER 2018