Thursday, December 17th, 2015 /// Volume 37 Issue 2 /// Countryside High School - Clearwater, FL
WHO PICKS UP AFTER YOU WHEN YOU ARE AT SCHOOL? PAGE 6-7
// IN THIS ISSUE // FALL SPORTS
COME TO AN END PAGE 8
HOUSE
COFFEE PAGE 11
TAYLOR SWIFT:
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER PAGE 10
COUGAR
RANTS PAGE 2
Features
December 17, 2015 | Issue | Paw Print Newspaper
Students at Countryside collect toys for kids in need rachelWETHERINGTON
staff writer
Countryside High School Sadd Club gives back to the community through their annual toy drive. Every first period class collects toys, and the class that has the most wins a prize. Sadd Club has been hosting the annual toy drive for around five years, and, after the toy drive is over, they go to Community Pride on Holt Street and play with the kids that they are donating toys to. Community Pride is a free daycare for local
parents who are not financially capable of providing it for their kids, and it is run through R’club. The daycare has been around since 1976, has an expanded learning center for 4000 children, and owns more than 47 centers. 10 of which are in Pinellas County. This year Sadd club is adopting a kid. This is where each member gets a child to sponsor and have their profile with the types of toys and such things that they like providing by the foundation. The kids will not know who actually gives them the gifts because it is like secret santa. The
toys are sent off the week before Christmas, the presents are then given to the parents to give to the children. “It means a lot to me to help out the underprivileged kids in the community, who, without us, would not have a Christmas. So it is nice for sadd club to give back to the community,” Officer Long said.
Cougar Rants “How come we can’t charge our phones in class?” - Julia Montalvo, 9.
“There are not enough trash cans in the school,” - Jake Trimble, 12.
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“I just want to go surfing,” - Mourad Feggous, 10.
Features
December 17, 2015 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper
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Countryside students give back to the community patriciaMIGHION
staff writer
As the joyful holiday season rolls around the corner, it is time to give back to those who might not be as lucky as most kids are. There are many ways for students to help not only through the school, but also through the community. Throughout the community, the Salvation Army in St. Petersburg has many different ways that teens can help. There will be a Christmas Eve and a Christmas Day dinner, and they will be helping to prepare, serve, and clean up during this event. There is even a Christmas toy sorting
where the Salvation Army volunteers will help organize and distribute the toys. Not only does the Salvation Army have ways to help, so does the Countryside Christian center,located on North McMullen Booth Road, which is going through The Holidays Of Hope Tent. All the students have to do is donate an item of their choice. It could be food or toys that will go to families in need. Madison Anderson, a junior at Countryside High, has volunteered before. When asked how she felt when she volun-
teered she replied, “I feel like I’m making a difference in their life, by giving them care that they don’t receive from other people”. Madison volunteered at Clothes to Kids, a store that is brought together through donations, and kids can go to if they have free or reduced lunch. They can get clothes, shoes, and accessories that go with the current season. With all this said, there are many ways they can give back during this Holiday season and there is not much to it because these places are right around the corner.
Six degrees of separation
Hilary Finkelstein feels that she can improve Jewish Student Connecton Club by recruiting more members who have a genuine interest in the Jewish culture. She knows Jacob Babnik because they are very good friends.
Alison Beitzel hopes to improve Gold Gang by encouraging even more people to join. She knows Hilary Finklestein from middle school and they agreed to join each others clubs this school year.
Alexa Cetta hopes to improve Relay for Life by recruiting more people to help raise money for the American Cancer Society. Alexa knows Alison because they have AP Bio together and Alexa is a part of Gold Gang.
kierstenMARICLE
staff writer
Six degrees of separation is a theory that everyone in the world is connected with approximately six acquaintances between them. Connecting the presidents of clubs around Countryside High School, we found the leaders that run some of our extracurricular activities.
Jacob Babnik believes that he can improve his club by making the attendance of the members better. He knows Jeana Fraser because they both are in the ISTEM program together.
Jeana Fraser hopes to keep improving SADD club by having members constantly come and get the message out to teenagers to be safe. Jeana knows Ashlee Dietrich because they sit next to each other in AP Psych.
Ashlee Dietrich hopes to improve Florida Future Educators of America by having more people join it so that they can participate in helping needy kids and the community. Ashlee knows Alexa Cetta because they are mutual friends.
All photo credits Sarah Preble Graphics credit Jules Truong
Opinion
December 17, 2015 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper
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Winter season brings chilly hostilities fionnPARDUE
editor in chief
Silver bells, white snowmen, and now, red cups. This holiday season, Starbucks has opted for a more simple design for this year’s holiday coffee cup. The new design consists of a plain red cup complete with our favorite tail-splitting mermaid (we don’t know why she’s doing that pose either, don’t worry). This year’s cup which is slightly less festive than last year’s has stirred quite the controversy over most social media platforms. Facebook and Twitter users tend to either be on team #PutChristBackInChristmas, team #ItsJustACup, or (what most of us want to know) team #WhoCares. Many people are upset over the fact that this year Starbucks cups don’t have smiling snowmen, delicate snowflakes, or whatever overrated and overplayed Christmas cartoon these die hard Christmas fanatics wanted. Claiming they want “Christ back in Christmas,” people are taking to their Facebooks to complain to their ‘friends’ about the “Satan-worshipers at Starbucks.” If you really want to put Christ back in Christmas, how about instead of getting that new gaming system or designer coat you ‘like, totally need,’ you give back to your community and help the less fortunate? That doesn’t sound like as much fun anymore does it? What would Jesus do? Since when did only Christians drink coffee at Star-
bucks? Oh, right, never. People from many diverse backgrounds and religions drink Starbucks all over the world every single day. Even I, being someone who celebrates Christmas, get irritated with the cliched picture of Santa and his squad of elves and Reindeer. Other cultures and religions have been dealing with our Christmas fever forever; I think we can deal with a plain red cup. In fact, I bet if they stuck a menorah on a Starbucks cup someone would go into full-blown cardiac arrest. The other day I happened to actually go into Starbucks, they were fully decorated for Christmas (cake pops, and snowmen cookies in all), and yes they were playing Christmas music. So, whoever decided that Starbucks was the new Grinch of the 2015 holiday season ought to add a reality check to their Christmas wish list. When you walk into Starbucks to buy your five dollar cup of artificially flavored peppermint white mocha and get offended by the fact your cup doesn’t scream “CHRISTMAS!!!” try to remember this: if a red cup is your biggest problem, you don’t have any problems.
Illustration by Thomas Booth
“Satan-worshipers at Starbucks.”
Toppling stress with standardized tests
paigeRENNER
editor in chief
Every school can agree that a student’s education comes before everything else... except their standardized test scores. There is nothing short of jumping through hoops a school won’t do to accommodate standardized testing and increase their scores- including Countryside. Standardized tests affect everyone at the school, even students and teachers that have nothing to do with the tests. Students can not even go into the school library during the second half of the year because it had been turned into a “testing center”, making it inaccessible to the student body. Pinellas county school board states that “[t] he primary goal of the District is to ensure that each student achieves at the highest possible level”, but how are students supposed to learn and achieve as “at the highest possible level” when they are forced to miss class and do not have regular access to a school library to be placed in front of a computer to test all day? Students spend a lot of time standardized testing, but just how much time? The Florida State Statutes states that “[a] school district
may not schedule more than 5 percent of a student’s total school hours in a year to administer statewide... and district-required local assessments”. This same state statute also says that public schools are prohibited from interrupting a student’s regular school day to administer practice tests that are not absolutely crucial to a student’s education. An example of this would disrupting a student’s entire school day and making them sit in an auditorium for a majority of the day and shorten classes to just ten minutes to accommodate for the underclassmen students taking the PSAT. This disrupted both students and teachers, regardless of whether they were involved in the testing or not. To protest the excessive testing of their children, parents are starting to take a stand. Throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, and Seminole counties, parents and students have been participating in what people are starting to call the “Opt Out Movement”. The state requires students to participate in the required tests, but these students and parents are pushing just how far “participating” can go.
Students participating in the “Opt Out Movement” are sitting down for their required tests, breaking the test seal and signing the no cheating statement, closing the test booklet, and remaining quiet and non-disruptive for the testing period. The student’s test results will go down as a “NR2”, which means there is not enough information to collect the scores. Many counties in Florida have public procedures about how to handle these NR2 students, such as calling their parents, and protecting them from any forms of punishment, giving them a test equivalent, or preventing them from receiving a failing grade. However, Pinellas County does not have their NR2 procedures pubic. But what happens to a Pinellas County student if they chose to “opt out” and receive an NR2 score? Does it affect their GPA or graduation status? Is it possible that the student can get in trouble? In an interview with ABC Action News, Pinellas County School Board spokesperson Melanie Marquez Parra said she can not answer any of those questions until after the student opts out.
News
December 17, 2015 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper
illustration by Paige Renner
staff writer
This holiday season is closing in, and Black Friday is just the event to get all of your Christmas shopping done. Malls and shopping outlets all around North America are having a shopping event, with awesome deals called Black Friday. Black Friday in the U.S falls the day after Thanksgiving. A few students caught the shopping bug early in the morning. Students as early as 4 a.m, such as junior Bridget Atterbury, went shopping at the crack of dawn, even ending up on the news. She said she received good deals at both Forever 21 and Windsor. “I got $20 off my purchase at Windsor and $10 off my purchase at Forever 21 for being one of the first 100 people in each store,” said Bridget Atterbury. Many families who do not have the money to provide extravagant gifts at full price, benefit immensely from Black Friday. Numerous stores had abundant deals, such as Express with 50% off the entire store until 12 p.m and then 40% off the store for the rest of the day. Walmart also had many deals such as an iPad mini 2 for $200 rather than a dissatisfying $269, saving $70. In addition, numerous TV deals saving hundreds of dollars put smiles on holiday shoppers’ faces. Regardless of the time eager buyers arrive to a store on Black Friday, the deals are always worthwhile and worth the price.
Are black friday deals worth the trouble?
rachelWEATHERINGTON
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Do not panic, be prepared in case of school violence sarahPREBLE
staff writer
So far this year, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of violent events in schools around the nation. The number of U.S. school shootings in 2015 has increased to 52 incidents, with 30 deaths and 53 injuries. These include suicides, incidents in which no one was hit, and one attack on a school bus. Although past massacres, such as the shoot-
ings at Columbine High School and Virginia Tech, might appear to have been unavoidable, there are many preliminary steps that could have been taken to have avoided the worst-case scenario. In the year leading up to the Columbine shooting, perpetrators Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold made their plans for violence well known. Harris created a website that contained instructions on how to create chaos and how to make explosives. In addition, he also ran blogs in which he wrote about the turmoil he and Klebold caused. When asked about the proper precautions that should be taken to prevent dangerous situations, Resource Officer Long said, “Students should always be aware of their surroundings. The
dress code helps us easily know who is or isn’t a student. Students and teachers should also keep their ears open for rumors. Most of these situations can be dealt with beforehand.” If acknowledged and handled properly, these signs could have helped prevent shootings of the past altogether. Respected and trustworthy staff member Mrs. Schuster made her suggestions as well when she said, “Do not panic. Be smart, and know your hiding places as well as your exits.” Above all else, use common sense. If something in the school community seems off, do not let it go unnoticed. You do not need to be a hero; just be proactive.
Tips for school saftey:
-Be aware. If you do not recognize someone as a student, or they are not following dress code, let an administrator know. -Take rumors seriously. -Make a habit of knowing your way out of any situation. -Take cover, but if it is not an option, assess the safest direction to flee before taking action. -If left without cover, concealment is the next best option. Go behind a trash can or another object that could serve as temporary cover. It will not stop bullets, but it could keep you from
being detected. -If you have a video camera, it can also be used to help your situation, the zoom feature can act as a set of binoculars; the low-light setting can serve as night vision; the viewfinder and lens can work as a periscope to look around corners. -If a dangerous situation takes place, students outside classrooms or in the hallways should enter the nearest secure classroom immediately.
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Foc
December 17, 2015 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper
erinBRICKFIELD
Mike Ulbrich staff writer
Mike Ulbrich is the head plant operator at Countryside. He has worked here for three years, and previously spent his time as the head plant operator at various other schools across the county. As a Countryside alumni and former member of the Pawprint staff, Mike’s work at Countryside provides both a personal and professional sense of pride.
How long have you been a plant operator? This is my third year as the head at countryside. I spent a year at Palm Harbor Middle and five years at Dunedin elementary. Before that, I was a night foreman, and before that I was a regular plant operator.
What do you do as head plant operator? I put in the work orders to get the maintenance department to come out and I do my staffs payroll. Anything that has to do with maintaining the building or cleaning it, I see that it gets done properly.
What do you enjoy about being a plant operator? I like that every time I come to work I get something accomplished. I like how I can see the results of my work. I went to school here when I
was a kid so it gives me a sense of pride to see everything we’ve done here.
What do you not enjoy? Senseless vandalism, stuff you just scratch your head about like “why did they have to do this?” What is one thing no one knows about you? I enjoy disc golfing.
What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever done as a plant operator? The different types of animals I’ve had to catch and release. I’ve caught a bat, a couple possums, and some snakes.
Is there ever any drama? I try to live a drama free life, so no, save the drama for your momma.
What is the hardest part of your job? The summer cleaning, when we strip the floors and paint; the real hard work of getting the school ready for a new year.
What is the coolest thing you’ve ever gotten to do as a plant operator? Probably when I got to meet the head groundskeeper from the Clearwater Threshers when he was building our baseball mound.
Melissa
If you ever need to know where to find something around Countryside, the plant operators are the people to go to. Melissa Merrill, the only female plant operator and a five year member of the staff is one of the many people who are apart of what goes on behind the scenes.
What do you do as a plant operator? I clear the trash out, clean the bathrooms, dust, and mop
What is your least favorite part of your job? Cleaning up puke, pee, and bugs
What is one thing that no one knows about you? I’m the only girl plant operator, and I actually enjoy my job
Who is behin at Count
cus
December 17, 2015 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper
Jeff Browning Jeff Browning is the night foreman at Countryside. He has been a night foreman for eighteen years, spending fourteen of those years at countryside.
What does your job consist of? Setting up all athletic and social events and supervising an eight man custodial staff to clean the school and maintain a safe atmosphere for students, faculty and staff.
Do you prefer working in the afternoon? Why? Afternoons are GREAT! All shows, sporting events, and activities are mostly at night and those are the things I enjoy the most.
staff are gone.
What is the most exciting thing you’ve ever gotten to do as part of your job? Having the chance to meet various political and sports personnel and stars.
What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever done as part of your job? Trying to videotape and record proof that we have a ghost in the auditorium!
What is one thing that no one knows about you? I embarrass easily.
What is your favorite part of your job?
If you could change anything about the school what would it be?
All of the extracurricular events!
What is your least favorite part?
Create more school spirit.
Summer when students and
Merrill
Is there ever any drama?
Yes, being the only female on the job, it can sometimes create a lot of drama
What is the hardest thing about your job? Bugs! I don’t do bugs. When they released the crickets and all that stuff last year, that was foul.
What is the most fun part of your job? I like dealing with the children and the sporting events.
What is the coolest thing you’ve ever gotten to do as a plant operator? I like to go on the roof, cleaning the windows and getting the debris off of it.
by ns oth tio o ra B st as illu hom T
nd the scenes tryside?
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Sports
December 17, 2015 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper
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Fall sports wrap up their seasons lia DEALVAREZ
staff writer
Football This 2015 football season was one of many successes for the cougar team. The team took a “...tough loss in the beginning but it showed [them] what [they] needed to focus on for the rest of the season,” said junior Jordan Payne. The team pulled together and became stronger and ended up making it to the playoffs after beating East Lake and St.Mary. As the season came to a close, some of the graduating seniors reflected on their final fall season as a high school football player. “I will miss having all of my friends and family at my games because in college they will most likely be farther away,” said senior Kevontre Whetzel. It was an accomplishing final season for the cougars. “We all worked hard, we had a lot more chemistry this year than my previous 2 years, I will miss this,” said senior Wyatt Panaccione.
Volleyball
The team, led by Coach Fran, finished the season with 8 victories. “This season went really well, it was a lot better than last year,” said Junior Faith Poelker. Lauren Davidson and Alexa Setta, two seniors on the team, made the all star team for all of Pinellas County which will take place on December 8th. Senior night was served with a win and would be the last time the whole team got a chance to play together. “The team was like a family and I will miss the seniors!” junior Cherelle Beckles.
Cross Country The team competed in 9 meets this season, with each runner scoring individually. The cross country team constantly practiced and worked hard with their coaches Coach Atherholt and Coach Givens . Unfortunately, there were not enough runners for the girls team
to have overall team score. “Our hope for next season is to have more involvement on the cross country team,” said Coach Atherholt. The season could be summed up as “ Pain and agony, but rewarding,” said sophomore Daniel Warshofsky.
Swimming and Diving The swim and dive team started off with a splash and continued with strong performances throughout the season. The boys team went undefeated and the girls had only two losses as they both headed into their three championship meets. “This season was a good one for me, I felt like the bond of the team was strong this year!” said sophomore Kon Lueth who has goals for making it to states next season. After many tough practices led by Coach Scott Hernon, the boys and girls team placed in top 5 at their district meet. The boys team got 2nd place at districts, regions and states.
illustration by: Jules Truong
In the spotlig ht: stud ent spor ts
C o u nt r ysid e ’s ath l etes p l ay h ar d a nd s h ine b r ig h t rylan FRITZ editor in chief
Every year, high school athletes nationwide work incredibly hard to perfect their game. Countless hours of training and studying consume a student-athlete’s life, but each athlete is aware of these obstacles and strives to overcome them. Whether it is about the passion to play, the dream of playing at the next level, or other motives, the outcome is clear: these athletes have endured hard work, embraced determination, and exemplified cougar pride to earn themselves a spot in the athlete spotlight. Varsity offensive lineman and junior Gordon Sandorf has been playing football since he was 8 years old. According to local athlete recruiting service Bigcountypreps.com, Sandorf contributed big numbers during his sophomore year and is ranked as the top offensive lineman of the 2017 class in the Bay Area. This is a big feat to accomplish, especially since he did not officially start playing offensive line until freshman year, switching over from the defensive line. Sandorf, towering at 6’3” and weighing over 270 pounds, loves to work on aggressiveness in practice, deeming it a key part of his game. He intends to play division 1 football, a dream of his since his Junior Cougar years. In addition to his accom-
plishments, Sandorf has multiple division 1 colleges interested in his talents, including Indiana and Purdue. Obtaining the role of team captain is a very noteworthy accomplishment for any athlete, including senior Hilary Finkelstein. Starting at just 6 years old, Finkelstein has been playing soccer and plays as a midfielder and sometimes forward. She plays competitive soccer for the Oldsmar Soccer Club as well as for the girls varsity soccer team, radiating her leadership by captaining both teams. In practice, she works on free kicks and corner kicks so she can perfect them in game situations. When she is not spending time on the pitch perfecting her game, she studies hard in order to pursue her dream of becoming an entertainment lawyer. Finkelstein also helps coach a team of 10 year olds in the spring. Although Hilary plans to pursue her dreams in the study of law, she sees college intramural soccer as a way to improve her game. Tim Duncan, a well-known NBA basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs, hardly picked up a basketball until about the age of 14; the same goes for Countryside senior, Jake Trimble. Trimble, standing at 6’6 and weighing 205 pounds, plays basketball for AAU travel team, Team Under Pressure, along with the boys varsity
basketball team. As a freshman and sophomore, his travel team ranked third in the state and fourteenth in the entire nation. Trimble credits his achievements to long hours on the court, focusing on perfecting his form as well as the perfect shot Tim Duncan himself would perhaps admire. Going into his third and final year on varsity playing both small and power forward, Trimble plans to pursue basketball in college and has gained the attention of multiple colleges including Eckerd College, Valdosta, and Palm Beach Atlantic. The sport of swimming requires an increased level of determination and passion, considering that swim practices can begin as early as 4:00 A.M. This is well known to sophomore Bobby Finke, who regularly wakes up at this time to better himself every day in the pool. Finke started his swimming career at 5 years old, and now currently swims for St. Petersburg Aquatics (SPA) and for Countryside high school’s swim and dive team. He credits his victories to hard work, favoring technique, form, and endurance in practice. Bringing home Olympic gold can often be a motivation and dream to swimmers like Finke, who earned an olympic trial cut in the 1500 meter freestyle. Finke plans to swim collegiately as well as after he graduates.
C
ountryside’s student athletes get to work in their natural habitats: in the pool, on the field, on the court, and on the pitch.
Reproduced by permission of Bobby Finke, Gordon Sandorf, Jake Trimble, and Hilary Finklestein.
Student Life
December 17, 2015 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper
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Students take on Early College and Dual Enrollment gabbyRODRIGUEZ
staff writer
While some may say that high school is the best four years of one’s young life, many high schoolers are also anxious to begin their college careers. Students looking for a college experience for junior and senior year should look into Early College and Dual Enrollment programs. To be considered for Early College or Dual Enrollment, there are some important requirements to keep in mind. A 3.0 unweighted cumulative GPA is required, and a college GPA of 2.0 must be maintained after admission. Applicants must achieve satisfactory scores on the PERT, SAT or ACT for their prefered courses, and Early College students must be enrolled in at least 15 credit hours per term. Being in Early College means taking classes full time. Early College students no longer attend classes at Countryside; however, they are technically still enrolled at CHS and can still participate in extracurriculars (ex. sports, events), but cannot come onto campus until 1:50 PM. Something that students may consider as an advantage of being in Early College is taking classes in a whole new environment. Bridget Atterbury said, “My favorite thing about Early Col-
lege is having no school on Fridays and no dress code.” Olivia Ham, another Early College student said, “I like that I’m simultaneously taking care of college and high school credits without having to go to an actual high school,” “One of my favorite parts is being able to arrange my classes into a schedule that works for me and my life,” said Isabel Hernandez. Students are able to customize their schedules and choose which days to take certain classes throughout the week. Dual Enrollment students can take up to 3 SPC classes, alongside their other 4 classes taken at CHS. The following classes are offered on the CHS campus: US History, Composition 1 & 2, Intermediate Algebra, and College Algebra. “Dual Enrollment is a good opportunity to see what college classes are like, and you’re getting high school credits for those classes as well as college credit,” said Fonda Karapateas, a Dual Enrollment student.
The Dual Enrollment program may also be a better option for students who take buses to and from school, or do not have transportation during college hours. To students who are looking to apply, Bridget Atterbury sa that, “You really need to manage your time better.” Isabel Hernandez advises students to “get great study habits, because that is the number one way to pass.” Applications for Early College are due February 10th, 2016. Those who pass the PERT test are entered into a computerized “lottery” system and are chosen at random, though students who are chosen are not required to attend Early College. There is no cost for application, textbooks or tuition for either program. Anyone interested in Early College or Dual Enrollment should speak to their grade-level counselor, as well as attend a St. Petersburg College informational meeting.
Reading: A holiday gift for all ages C-side Florida Future Educators continue traditions of giving the joy of reading to those who would normally not have access
staff writer
Every year the FFEA, Florida Future Educators of America Club, host the FFEA book drive at Countryside High School in the month of November to help needy families receive books for them and their children. This year Countryside collected a total of 1,892 books. Each student had two weeks to bring in any book of their choice into their first period class. Ms. Shackton’s first period class brought in 373 books. Due to their wonderful book donations, on December 10th their class will receive a free breakfast. Each student will get a chicken biscuit from Chick-fil-a. Every book collected was given to the North
Pinellas Woman’s Club. Their program is known as the Book Fairy Project, a widely known book drive. This will be the tenth year their program has participated in the book drive for all the needy families and children. In 2013, they collected and distributed a total of 4,000 books, 2,000 more than they collected in 2012. Senior Emily Singer, Vice President of the FFEA club said, “Our club really enjoys helping out all the needy children and needy families. I personally love to bring in books because I know it is going to a great cause.” Countryside High School has done a great job with all their donations this year. Each year they participate in this drive, the FFEA hopes it can keep growing and donate more books every year for all the needy children and families.
photo cred it Ryllan Fr itz
randiKISER
“Our club really enjoys helping out all the needy children and needy families. I personally love to bring in books because I know it is going to a great cause.” -Emily Singer
Countr yside tackles a testing catastrophe liaDEALVAREZ
staff writer
Towards the end of the year, students should expect new changes to the last day of school and testing dates. Seniors especially fall victim to this new change. Due to a later last day of school and earlier testing dates, changes are being made. Pinellas County has said that our school can not test students until May 26th. However, the last day of school is on a later date this year, so Countryside is going to start testing its seniors
on May 26th. There is a committee making a final decision on the end of the year modified block days and testing days. The block schedule consists of 98 minute classes. This makes the school day only three classes with fifth period split between the two days. The lengthy block day will be applied to all students. The purpose of the blocks is to complete an entire exam in just one period. The county exam policy states that we need to give students 96 minutes for each exam. Many teachers believe the block schedule should stay a permanent thing.
“I love it, it gives us much more time to get work done per class!” said Biotech, Chemistry and Physics teacher Mrs. Mcnicol. If seniors exempt all of their exams, their last day of school will be May 25th. Seniors will be done with exams (including make up days) by the 1st of June, a day before the scheduled graduation ceremony at Tropicana Field. Non-seniors will finish school on June 7th.
HELLO, IT’S ME:
December 17, 2015 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper
Adele reemerges from ‘Rolling In The Deep’ isabellaHILL
staff writer
Time and time again, we see artists coming back out from their shadows, making more music that everyone enjoys forever. These comeback champions include a prestigious list of artists like Jennifer Lopez coming back with her hit single “On The Floor” in 2011 and in 2013 when Justin Timberlake’s album “The 20/20 Experience” sold 968,000 copies the first week it came out, and now, as of 2015, Adele is back. Adele, with her first single; 3 years post child, “Hello”. Adele’s career has been in simplest terms, a hibernation since 2012 when she had her first child. Her long awaited album “25” will be making its debut on iTunes on Nov. 20th.
Her new album contains 11 songs including her newest hit “Hello” which multitudes of people around the world can not stop listening to. Following the release of her last album “21” she considered quitting the music industry altogether, stating that it was a better choice for her to “go out on a high”. In April of 2012, Adele confirmed 5 months before her baby was due, that her next album release would be at least two years away. However, in 2012 she did take a hiatus to have time for herself and family. Adele has certainly has done an outstanding job gathering all her fans after her hot single came out, making it to #1 in 32 countries as of November 15th.
The drum major: she is a major deal sarahPREBLE
staff writer
This year, Erin Kerrigan was selected to be drum major of the Countryside Band of Pride. As the first junior to take on the monumental role in years, Kerrigan has dedicated her time to becoming as proficient as possible. She marched for two years and attended a camp in Indiana where she stood for hours at a time learning to conduct and how to teach marching. Band instructor, Vince Parrulli, firmly believes the drum major is required to be extremely musically skilled, and it also calls for leadership and a strong understanding of marching - all of which she has acquired during her time in marching band. “I have to be a general leader,” she said. “It’s like being a physical leader as well as having a good attitude so everyone else doesn’t get upset.” The popular opinion that band is not a sport is extremely debatable. However, the band’s own instructor does not view it as a sport, despite its p hys i c a l l y demanding nature. “No, it is not a sport. It is an athletic activity. Heart rates of any member in the band
doing a ten-minute show get higher and sustain longer than a football player’s does in a single football game,” said Parrulli. According to exercise physiologist Gary Granata, extreme levels of physical ability are required at top tiers of marching band and drum corps, which incorporate a level of competition and athleticism equal to that of a Division I athletic program. “Performers are constantly moving, and often running, at velocities reaching over 180 steps or more per minute while playing instruments that weigh up to 40 pounds,” Granata said. At their first competition, they won Best Brass, swept their division at their second competition, and took home first place recentlty at Clearwater High School along with best percussion, visuals, music, and general effect. In addition, Kerrigan and her fellow bandmates have a large role at Countryside football games. “We have a certain song we play for thirddown, the loudest song we play,” she said. “We also play our cheers when we’re on defense, so the other team has a hard time hearing.” That being said, band members often do not receive the respect they deserve as performing artists who spend nearly thirteen hours a week practicing and putting on shows. All in all, although the Band of Pride is not generally recognized for all it does for this school, we would, simply, be lost without it.
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T-Swift takes
on Tampa
hunterLEMMONS
category editor
T
Photo Credit: Patricia Mighion
Entertainment
aylor Swift at her recent concert at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, on Halloween.
On October 31st, Taylor Swift rocked Raymond James Stadium along with guest performers Vance Joy, Shawn Mendes, Idina Menzel, and Alessia Cara. The sold out crowd was on their feet the whole time as the three artists performed in front of 55,000 screaming fans. The concert started with Shawn Mendes coming out to perform hits such as “Stitches” and “Something Big“, as well as a cover of Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud”. Following Mendes, Vance Joy continued to get the crowd hyped up and singing along with his popular song “Riptide”, among many others. Swift opened with the first track on her 1989 album “Welcome to New York”, playing 18 songs in total, including hits like “I knew You Were Trouble”, “Fifteen”, “Bad Blood”, and “Shake It Off”. After singing “I Know Places”, Taylor brought Alessia Cara on the stage for a duet performance of Cara’s fan favorite song “Here”. Taylor appeared dressed as the character Olaf from the popular Disney film Frozen when she performed her song “Style”, and afterwards introduced Idina Menzel with whom she sang “Let It Go” from the Frozen soundtrack. In between songs, clips were shown of an assortment of artists, actors, and other personalities who have worked with Taylor offering their opinions on the progression of Swift’s music and career, as well as sharing funny anecdotes of events with her. Bracelets were handed out to all those in attendance that progressively lit up in multiple colors to the beat and rhythm of different songs, creating an aesthetic light show among the crowd. This made Taylor’s involvement with her fans even more complete and making for a spectacular and personal show.
“I have to be a general leader,” she said. “It’s like being a physical leader as well as having a good attitude so everyone else doesn’t get upset.” -Erin Kerrigan
Entertainment
December 17, 2015 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper
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In the spotlight Q&A with Daniel Lennox: star of Countryside’s drama program maddiMILLER
staff writer
Countryside High School Junior Daniel Lennox (‘17) is currently in the spotlight for being a member in the drama club for all three years of his high school career, as well as being the lead role in their performance Once on this Island. Lennox sat down with Paw Print to dive deeper into his passion for performance.
Q: How many years have you been in drama club? A: I’ve been in drama club since freshman year but I have been involved in drama since I was seven years old. Q: Why did you join? A: I joined because I am an active member of the Countryside Drama Department. Q: What got you interested in drama? A: I got interested when I was really young and I was a singer for my church. The director of the choir asked me to play the lead in a show she was directing and I have been acting ever since. Q: What was your favorite performance you have ever done?
A: My favorite performance I have ever done was Fiddler on the Roof between my 8th grade and 9th grade year because, as much as I like being the lead, I got the chance to be in the ensemble and be many different smaller roles. Q: What was your least favorite performance? A: I do not have a least favorite show, I enjoy all of my performances I do. Q: Do you have any embarrassing stories while being on stage? A: My most embarrassing story while on stage was when I was in one of my first shows, I was standing on risers singing to the choreography and I got too into the dance and tumbled all the way down the risers.
“I’ve been in drama club since freshman year but I have been involved in drama since I was seven years old” - Daniel Lennox. Countryside students show off their talents at Coffee House maddiMILLER
staffwriter
So many talents from students at Countryside high school are hidden among the cougars. On October 22nd, the performance Coffee House, was held at Countryside High school. This is where students can audition a piece and perform in front of their friends and family if they earn a spot in the show. Students perform anything from singing, to doing a skit, or even playing an instrument. Bianca McChesney (‘18) sang “Make you feel my love” by Adele for her performance. “I tried out because i saw the show last year”, McChesney said, “and I thought that it would be cool to try it myself”. Bianca also informed us that “I know I will be performing in the second coffee house in the spring and i hope to continue next year.” Another performer, Maria Fern (‘18), got to perform with her best friend, Lilly Johnson (‘18). Maria shared “I tried out for coffee house be-
cause I enjoy singing and wanted to perform with my best friend again.” A new performer to coffee house this year, Challen Tighe (‘18), got to open up coffee house by playing “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen on the ukulele. Challen said, ‘I tried out for coffee house because I love playing music. I was nervous during the auditions but when it came to performing I felt a lot more calm.” Challen also hopes that he will be performing in the next Coffee House in the spring. Two performers, Kendall Tracz (‘16) and Alexa Cetta (‘16), sang “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood. Kendall stated that she tried out because, “I love jamming out with my friends, so why not get up there on a stage and jam out with a crowd. It is fun exposing something you love with an intimate crowd like that”. Kendall believes, “It’s way
rylanFRITZ
s g t n i u h o T b a w o n k b to u l C a m a Dr
editor-in-chief
Drama club’s director of performances is Kim Florio. Drama club’s president is Destiny King. The club performs in competitions across the state. Last year, the drama club performed Footloose.
different than being on the theatre stage. It is a time where all the instrumental kids can incorporate what they like to do in a smaller more comfortable stage setting. The audience seemed to enjoy the performers and the talent showcased at the Coffee House. Ryan Griffin (‘18) claims he will definitely be attending the spring coffee house performance. He said “I did not want this coffee house to end”. Another student from the audience, Christiana Smith (‘18) explained how “I was really surprised with how talented everyone was and it was a great experience”. If you missed the chance of experiencing these amazing performances, make sure to attend their spring coffee house performance. It seems to be well worth the time and admission to attend.
This year’s spring melodrama and slapstick comedy: Love Rides The Rails (or will the mail train run tonight).
Drama club meetings are right after school every Wednesday. To sign up for the drama club, see Ms. Florio in the auditorium, or visit: http://www.countrysidedrama.com/drama-club.html
Pawparazzi
Carl Zimmermann
December 17, 2015 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper
He has been here since the very beginning... well, almost.
jeanaFRASER
director of digital media A dedicated teacher can help a student out tremendously. Whether it is simply offering advice or a little extra help on certain assignments, it can lead to excellence. TV Production and Screenplay Writing teacher Carl Zimmermann falls under the qualifications of a more than dedicated teacher. Mr. Zimmermann has made his mark on hundreds and hundreds of students due to his teaching proficiency. He single handedly launched the award winning student run UPC Morning Show - where his students learn everything there is to know about making a live news show that is expertly broadcasted daily. “It was my love and passion when it all started,” Mr. Zimmermann said. Due to his background in the advertising business, the principal at the time knew that he was the right fit for the task of starting up the morning show. “I devoted my first ten or twelve years at this school staying after the bell rang until 7:00 pm,” he said. UPC is a student run production to this day while being watched over and made sure everything is running smoothly by Mr. Zimmermann. It has also been awarded hundreds of accolades throughout the years from organizations like Southern Interscholastic
Jacob Babnik He is dreaming big and accomplishing bigger.
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Press Association and Florida Scholastic Press Association. Not only have his students won an ample amount of awards, he has been awarded teacher of the year twice, ––2003 Florida Journalism Teacher of the Year, and journalism teacher of the year for the Tampa Bay area a total of three times. He has influenced over one hundred students in the business with the number still continuously growing. Also, six of his previous students have been awarded Emmy’s. UPC is not his only achievement through teaching. For thirteen years, Mr. Zimmermann has taken a handful of students to the Sundance Movie Festival in Park City, Utah. The festival includes students being able to attend premieres of movies before they hit the box offices, meeting actors like James Franco and getting to ask on the spot questions directly to the makers of the movies. “It is not about my experience, it is about the kids’ experiences. It’s more pleasurable to experience through their eyes every year,” Mr. Zimmermann said. As he comes closer to retirement, Mr. Zimmermann has been focusing on his true passion: screenplay writing. He looks to write his own screenplay and get it shown at Sundance one year. He has also started a Screenplay Writing class last year, where he teaches students how to write a whole screenplay for a movie by the end of the year. By the end of the year, the students submit their finished work to hopefully be get picked up to be made into movies. Mr. Zimmermann has made an influential impact on both his students and the school.
randiKISER staff writer Not only is senior Jacob Babnik an anchor on UPC, he is president of The National Honors Society, captain of the swim team, and state qualifier for the 200 freestyle relay for swimming. Jacob has and had an interest in UPC since his junior year, he was in TV production one and really enjoyed the class. He wanted to be more involved in school and said, “What better way to be involved than being an anchor on UPC?” Jacob’s favorite part of UPC is anchoring and he loves getting stories. “I love being in a class with people I like. My teacher Mr.Carl Zimmerman is a fabulous teacher and I love him. UPC is my favorite class and I always
look forward to it everyday” said Jacob Babnik. Madison Avery, a good friend of Jacob’s for many years says “Jacob is an inspiration to me. I love how involved he is in school. Not only is he a bright kid, he is probably one of the sweetest guys I have ever met. I know he has a bright future ahead of him!” Jacob Babnik has accomplished so much throughout his high school career. Holding a 4.4 GPA, being involved in three different clubs, SADD club, Marine science club as well as Jewish connection club and being apart of UPC is a lot to take on in high school. Countryside High School will miss having such a hard working young man in the student population, but hopefully students will follow in his footsteps.