Countryside High School Pawprint Newspaper Volume 36 Issue 2

Friday, November 21st, 2014 /// Volume 36 Issue 2 /// Countryside High School - Clearwater, FL

“That somebody is playing with me.”

Riley Lile-Delfino, 4 years old

“Mommy and Daddy and my sisters.”

Cooper Greco, 3 years old

“My black dog named Onyx!”

Brooklyn Bernitt, 3 years old

“Friends at school.”

Makenna Aldaco, 4 years old

‘Tis the season to give to others, from homemade to store bought fionnPARDUE

staff writer

Spending hours in shopping malls, being up to the neck in wrapping paper, and having a bank account balance at an all time low can be the norm for this time of year. Using up all of one’s time, energy, and of course money may be a burden, but there is a reward. Watching a loved one’s face light up like a Christmas tree after receiving a gift makes it all worth while.

“Giving gifts makes me feel like a very kind, generous, beautiful angel sent from heaven above because I have done something for the good of others that does not benefit me at all,” said Erin Brickfield ‘16, “receiving gifts makes me feel overjoyed because someone cared enough about me to go out of their way to get me something that does not benefit them.”

As the holidays approach, so does the stress of finding the perfect gift for your friends, family, (and for the lucky ones) significant others.

Before shopping for the holidays, make a list of who will be receiving gifts from you, and what they will be getting. This will ensure a smooth shopping experience.

Unless they know exactly what they are searching for, one may find themselves in a hectic mall for hours and not come out with a gift.

On a budget or not, making something for a loved one is always a great direction to go towards when giving gifts.

Even though it has definitely been done before, making a scrapbook of yourself and a friend or family member is always a great gift and also lets you be more personal when gift giving. One can add inside jokes, favorite song lyrics, or even something one may want that person to remember

IN THIS ISSUE:

PG 4. Carl Zimmermann PG 6. Popular Toys

forever.

“They are always special,” said Officer Long, “It is always nice to get something from the heart.”

Another great gift from the heart is hand painted pottery. There are many places around where you can paint pre-sculpted pottery and take it home with you. Mothers and Grandmothers especially love this type of gift.

“I gave my mom a painted watering can for Mothers Day,” said Madison Walsh ‘16, “I painted a Stevie Wonder quote on to it, she loved it.”

At the end of the day it is not as much about how much money one has spent on a gift, it is about the amount of thought, time, and work one put into it.

PG 9. Football Update PG 11. Howl-o-Scream

Features

November 21st, 2014 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper

2

Your school did whaaaaaat? Low price equals high turn out rylanFRITZ

sports editor

Homecoming week at Countryside High School took place from October 6 through 10 this year, a time in which students and teachers dress alike and show school spirit and pride.

This year, Countryside showed a “colorful” variety of outfits from expressing American pride to flaunting Cougar spirit; it was clearly observable in all hallways throughout the school.

C.H.S.

Monday: “Positively Purple” Day Tuesday: U.S.A. Day Wednesday: Twin Day Thursday: Decades Day Friday: Garnet & Gold Day

Monday’s Positively Purple Day was a day to express support in the fight against all cancers, as Countryside High School’s very own Margaret Trautwein battles it out.

Tuesday’s U.S.A. Day had students chanting, “U.S.A.! U.S.A.!” proudly throughout the halls. Wednesday’s Twin Day showed students and friends dress alike, or as recognizable T.V. or movie characters. Thursday’s Decades Day proved groovy as many students threw it back to the 80’s. Friday’s Garnet & Gold day rallied students to express exhilarating Cougar Pride.

S

Countryside’s Homecoming week was quite successful with a favorable turnout, but how did it stack up against schools like Palm Harbor University and East Lake High School?

When it came down to dress code, East

E.L.H.S.

Monday: Generations Day Tuesday: Tacky Tourist Day Wednesday: Class Colors Day Thursday: Western Day Friday: School Day

Lake junior Alexia Macdougall said, “dress code was fairly strict as it usually is.”

P.H.U. junior Rebecca Whitelaw said, “Dress code was fairly loose and only two teachers actually dress coded. You learn to not walk by the administrators as well.”

This year proved to be a very typical homecoming week, as past themes have been used again and again. It is apparent that Countryside, East Lake, and Palm Harbor all have one thing in common; similar homecoming themes.

.

S P.H.U.H.

Monday: America Day Tuesday: Tacky Tourist Day Wednesday: Decades Day Thursday: Safari Day Friday: Spirit Day

averyVELA

staff writer

The night every student has done endless preparations for has come and gone.

The Homecoming dance held on October 11th at c-side did not disappoint.

Every year, homecoming week is the week that almost every student counts down to, for the school spirit days, the big game, and the highlight of the entire week, the dance.

Girls take up to weeks to find the perfect dress, the cutest pair of heels, and not to mention the hair and makeup. All while the boys stress about which girl to ask, or if they are even going to.

This year, students, and their dates, went on and on about the great time they had.

The dance was held in the concourse, with the DJ set up by the tardy booth.

Snacks and drinks set up by the gym.

The beginning of the dance was a little slow at first, until the DJ played Cupid Shuffle, and got everyone up and dancing from that point on.

Drew Mills, a senior at cside said, “I thought the DJ was great, he played pretty good music and I had a great senior homecoming.”

The music and the dancing was not the only thing brought up with homecoming.

The admission tickets sold at the tardy booth for a lower price of only 25 dollars this year also came with a scare.

On the tickets, the theme of the night ‘Neon Nights was printed in bold’, but to the left of those words, in tiny neon writing, the ticket had the words ‘You Are

Dead’ right next to a right side up pentagram. Since it is right side up, it is believed to be a symbol of the elements, but with those words printed right beside it, students are under the impression it means something different.

According to Mr.Settle, a teacher and also the Homecoming coordinator at Countryside High said “the tickets came from an outside vendor,” he also explained that he was upset after a parent pointed out the tickets to him, but he will not be talking to the vendor about the problem, instead just letting the situation simmer down.

Mr.Schlereth, the principal at Countryside said “I was told it was just a stock ticket, not intentionally made.” When asked what action was taken, Schlereth said “After we became aware of the situation, we cut of that part of the ticket still waiting to be sold.”

Despite the ticket mishap, students at cside still had a great homecoming.

Over all, the dance was a big success, with a great DJ, every person dancing, and an ample supply of drinks and food. With a cheaper price, it had a great turn out, which keeps countryside staff hopeful for the years to come.

Photo credit Jenna Fender

T

he 2014 Neon Nights Countryside High School Homecoming ticket featuring the ‘You Are Dead’ and pentagram

tudents at Countryside High School celebrate school pride during Homecoming Week, October 6 through October 10, in many different ways; such as, body paint, school colors, and coordinated outfits.

Reproduced with permission of Kaycie Jordan, Savannah Chavers, Emily Bravo, and Chandi Atherholt.

Features

November 21st, 2014 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper

3

Keeping busy during a Florida winter julesTRUONG

staff writer

Winter is fast approaching with the return of cool and nipping winds. The usual Florida gear of shorts and Tshirts is not going to cut it, even if it seems like there is a constant state of warmth all around.

Instead, in preparation for the oncoming cold, wear some nice cozy sweaters and boots with a little extra fluff for protection against the cool air. If that does not cut it, layer up! Nothing can go wrong with a long sleeve shirt and a nice flannel to cover up.

To top it all off, accessorize! Throw a fluffy scarf on, wear sparkly jewelry to bring a dash of bling to the outfit, or even add a hat to the party and the outfit is complete.

Try wearing gloves, pull over a nice thick jacket, or even bundle up in an oversized hoodie.

If going outside is required, stop by the local coffee shop and order something like a nice, steaming Pumpkin Spice Latte or grab a freshly baked pastry. Say coffee is too much of an energy booster, nothing can go wrong with a classic cup of hot chocolate. Consider purchasing hot tea if that drives the taste buds wild and makes them do the tango in your mouth.

However, if the coldness does not need to rear its ugly head, stick to the indoors. Even within the walls of your home, there are tons of different activities to do!

Learn how to bake tasty treats to impress friends. Start off with simple sweets such as chocolate chip cookies and blueberry muffins. Go for family recipes passed down from generation to generation or even just look up simple recipes online. There is a wide range of sources at the touch of

a button, so do not be scared to experiment on trying out new, yummy treats.

Other activities provided from the comfort of staying at home or indoors could include drawing or painting a picture, writing in a diary or journal, and reading a favorite book. Take inspiration from the world around. There are a multitude of many little mysteries in even the simplest of objects to take a spark of creativity from. That spark could orchestrate an entire collection of wonderful art ranging from a book about an army of ducks or even stuffed animals coming to life. Who knows, maybe that is how Toy Story started.

If the very idea of doing something that takes effort is simply appalling, hunker down in bed with a nest of blankets and turn on Netflix to catch up on dearly loved shows or to watch a movie. Take a nap if the coziness gets to be too much. Jump on the computer and surf the web for cat videos, cute little stories, or music to drown in.

There is a vast selection of tips and tricks on surviving a Florida winter but this is only the beginning. There are hundreds more activities to discover and accomplish. So, pull on some warm clothes and get comfortable, because Florida winter is on its way.

pawparazzi editor

Like many other holidays, Thanksgiving is spent with family and friends. Gatherings usually consist of large meals including turkey, dressing, cranberries, casseroles, and lots of sweets for dessert. This tradition came from the first thanksgiving in 1621, when the

Break away for your dream winter vacation francesGUARRACI

Be thankful for your break from school jennaRIVEROS

Illustrations by Jules Truong

pilgrims and indians feasted to celebrate their first harvest in the new world. Unlike the early settlers, today’s Thanksgiving feasts are typically followed by lounging on comfy couch, watching parades and endless football on large screen TV’s.

In recent years, our school system has rearranged the school schedule allowing students to have the entire week of Thanksgiving off of school. This allows many students to travel and gather with family members who live far away.

Some families skip the traditional Thanksgiving gatherings and use the time off from school to take a vacation.

Disney World is a popular destination for families during Thanksgiving break. The park offers Disney-themed thanksgiving feasts and special shows to celebrate the holiday. Cruises are another non-traditional way that some families choose to spend the thanksgiving break. Families can gather on the ship for some fun in the sun and have the cruise line provide the feast for them.

Regardless of how one chooses to spend their thanksgiving break, it is important to remember to be thankful for the many blessings in your life and the people you love.

pawparazzi editor

Winter is a dark season of naked trees, stinging cold air and heavy clothing. Baby, it is cold outside and there are dreams of a sunny getaway! What if there was an opportunity to escape the winter blues, to a place where the climate is warm, the sun is shining, and the branches are still dressed in green.

Here are a few break aways without breaking the bank.

Las Vegas, Nev: According to Expedia.com’s Trend Tracker, travelers who flew from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Las Vegas (LAS) purchased one-way flights for less than $150 for much of January and early February in 2011. Plus, high average temperatures range from the high 50s to the low 60s, giving the perfect climate for casino hopping.

Puerto rico: Take a little bit to enjoy the Caribbean without even leaving the country. Puerto Rico is a very adventurous place. Explore underwater and underground caves, sunbathe or surf. Enjoy to party hearty? There is a varied but vibrant nightlife waiting to be rocked. Discover Puerto Rico’s charm this winter.

Arizona: Wintertime highs in the 60s, which is quite a relief after her 100-plus-degree days in the summer. Relax the shoulders (stuck in a perpetual hunch against the winter cold) with some soothing treatments at The Phoenician’s spa.

Bahamas: Take your pretty mama to the Bahamas in December and you could see hotel rates as much as 27 percent lower than their usual prices. Swim with the dolphins at The Dolphin Experience on Grand Bahama Island. If paddling alongside these marine mammals isn’t your idea of fun, then you can instead burn some cash at the Port Lucaya Marketplace.

Dominican republic: In Punta Cana, hitting the links at the Punta Espada Golf Course. Head to Playa Dorada for some adrenalin-pumping water sports.

Key west: Escape and take a stroll down the streets Mallory Square, sip a margarita, set your own pace. Key West is Number five on the travelers list, known for the beaches, warm sun, and live-in-the-moment philosophy, key west is the place to be.

News

November 21st, 2014 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper

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Zimmermann’s battle may be done, but his war is still raging forward sarahBLOCK

staff writer

Many teachers around the world have more than one job. Many are the coach of a team, or a parent, but not many have such a unique job as Countryside High School’s very own Carl Zimmermann.

In between teaching multiple television and film classes, these last two years he has also a member of the Florida House of Representatives.

As a state representative, Zimmermann was looking to improve education and was fighting for children, teachers, veterans and many others. This fall he ran for re-election.

Countryside offered a new course this year, thanks to Zimmermann, called Screenplay Writing. In the class students are taught the important details necessary for writing a movie and by the end of the year each student is to have written a 100 page full feature film. “Success

builds on success and having students accomplish the task of writing a screenplay, I believe, gives them the confidence to accomplish just about anything.” said Zimmermann.

Zimmermann also teaches T.V. Production and has been in charge of the school’s news channel, UPCTV, since 1987.

Every winter, Zimmermann takes a small group of students to the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. At the festival, students watch never before seen movies while sitting next to the actors and actresses in the films, and

students are involved in a Q&A about how each movie was made. “ I hope that at Sundance students get passion. Passion for making movies, passion for writing, and passion for the diversity of life.” said Zimmermann.

Not only is Zimmermann an important aspect to the television and film department at Countryside, he is also involved in the journalism department.

In T.V. Production he teaches broadcast journalism and he was voted Florida Journalism Teacher of the Year in 2003.

After a long, hard campaign, Zimmerman was not reelected. He is planning to continue to fight for the things he believes in when it comes to the political world, and to focus more on the creative side of himself again. Countryside would not be the same without Carl Zimmermann.

Reproduced with permission of carlzimmermann.com

C

arl Zimmermann put up a brave fight to continue being House District 65’s Represenative. Although we at Countryside High School are sad to see him lose the election, we are more than glad to have him back.

Attending school to exempt Does Yes exams, or not... sarahBLOCK

staff writer

There are two weeks every school year that every student dreads. A week at the end of each semester that students spend hours of their time preparing for, exam week.

Pinellas County students in the past have had the special privilege of being able to exempt up to three exams each semester as long as they have had less than five absences, and have higher than a C in the classes they wish to exempt.

This year, students at Countryside were fearful that they would not be able to exempt exams, after a few other schools around the county took away the privilege. The big question that every Countryside student has been asking is: “Can we exempt exams?”

The answer is yes.

“You cannot exempt EOCs, or county tests, but you can exempt exams.” Samuel Price, a guidance counselor at Countryside said.

Many students make sure that they come to school as

often as possible so that they can be able to exempt exams, and many say that they would not come all the time if they did not get anything from it.

“I think that if students weren’t allowed to exempt, they would still come to school all the time because if they are forced to take exams, but never come to school, they will do poorly on the exams” said Price, when asked how he thought it would affect school attendance if all exams were mandatory.

The rule used to be that if you missed more than ten days of school in any class, you could ultimately fail out of the class. Some administrators, including Price, think that this rule should come back at Countryside.

Although students are still allowed to exempt exams, they cannot exempt the state exams, which are EOCs, or county exams which have been added to many classes this last year.

Students can quit holding their breath, scared about whether or not they have to take all of their exams. Yes they do have a couple more mandatory tests now, but now they do not have to take all of their class exams.

Mean Yes? lennonWATERSON

staff writer

As of September 29th, the California state senate voted unanimously for the adopted of a new bill concerning the controversial issue of campus sexual assault.

The bill was written partially in response to the serious accusations that many colleges and universities around the country have let campus rape and sexual assault go on with little to no penalties. The bill, titled “Yes Means Yes”, is one of the first of its kind. The bill states that both parties involved in a sexual encounter must have “an affirmative, unambiguous and conscious decision”.

In addition, “Yes Means Yes” gives a clearer definition of meaning of consent. Previously, there were debates over whether consent could be given if one party was unconscious. It also clears up the thought that silence is a form of consent, or that lack of opposition is an agreement. The bill also supports that being under the influence of mindaltering substances is not an acceptable defense when one is accused of sexual assault.

The bill also requires colleges focus on a “victim-centered” approach to sexual assault prevention and response.

All colleges and universities in California that accept state provided financial aid will have to abide by the new law. Many advocates for the victims of sexual assault and sexual assault prevention across the country are hoping that similar bills will be pushed into legislation.

News

November 21st, 2014 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper

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The grass is always greener on the other side jackWALKER

news editor

For years Florida has watched on in silence as the rest of the nation began to talk about their aggressive stance, for or against, on the legalization of marijuana.

Since the infamous Federal marijuana ban dating back to the mid 30’s - and the more recent Controlled Substances Act of 1970, it has since been classified is as a schedule I drug alongside LSD, ecstasy, heroin, and peyote. A schedule one drug is classified on the DEA website as “ Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Schedule I drugs are the most dangerous drugs of all the drug schedules with potentially severe psychological or physical dependence” Despite hundreds of studies proving its relative safe use, and incredible therapeutic abilities on diseases such as Glaucoma, ALS, Cancer-related afflictions, and tourettes syndrome, Cannabis has remained a Schedule I. This has led to serious impediments on Marijuana research due to its strict scheduling.

Since the federal ban Florida authorities madhave made over 57,951 arrests for marijuana related offences, primarily targeting Blacks and Hispanics, securing its place as third most overall marijuana arrests in the country.

With a majority Republican House and Senate, it

seems unlikely that Florida would take a stand for medicinal marijuana; but thats exactly what it did.

Come November fourth, voters across the sunshine state will have the option to vote on whether they think medical marijuana should be introduced for those diagnosed with a certain set of, according to the Bill, “debilitating” conditions.

Along with the obvious medical and therapeutic purposes, strapped-for-cash states such as Florida has long been tempted by the potential revenue from medicinal marijuana, that has generated millions in states from California to New York.

The proposed bill, Florida Amendment 2 eloquently known as, Use Of Marijuana for Certain Medical Conditions, would allow for the legal medicinal possession and prescription use, was put into action after narrowly avoiding defeat through insufficient tallies.

Supporters were required to gather almost 700,000 signatures by February 1st of this year. To the delight of big name proponents such as former Florida governor Charlie Crist (D) , and attorney John Morgan, head of the Morgan & Morgan law firm, the Division of Elections recorded over 780,000 signatures gathered by mid January.

This success is paramount, and if the people decide it, Florida will be the first deep south state in the nation to have legalized medicinal Cannabis.

Even the farthest right seem to be looking to the future. Current Incumbent Florida governor Rick Scott (R)

has specifically expressed his distaste for the bill. “I have a great deal of empathy for people battling difficult diseases and I understand arguments in favor of this initiative,” Scott said, on NBC Miami. “But, having seen the terrible effects of alcohol and drug abuse first-hand, I cannot endorse sending Florida down this path and I would personally vote against it.”

Despite this, Scott shocked Tallahassee when he signed the “Charlottes Web” marijuana act this June. Otherwise known as the Compassionate Medical Cannabis act of 2014, the bill allows for the use of low THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) derived marijuana strains , the chemical compound that gets users high, to children with serious ailments Reproduced by permission of such as epilepsy and repeating flaglerlive.com seizures.

Despite significant efforts and millions in fundraising, Floridas 2014 mid-term elections were ultimately a loss for amendment 2 and marijuana propenents nationwide in a nail baiting 58% approval and 42% negative vote, narrowly missing the 60% required margin to pass. It seems like the sick of Florida are once again made to wait for the day that Florida really will be a sunshine state.

Reproduced by permission of independendent.uk

C-side football wraps it up with high hope for next year averyVELA

staff writer

With a district record of 3-2 and an overall record of 7-2, Countryside High School’s varsity football team has had an amazing season so far.

Their most recent win was against the Seminole Warhawks, ending with a Cside win and final score of 26-18.

Held at Countryside, the field and stands were decked out in purple in support of the cancer fundraiser, Relay for Life.

Cside’s first loss was to East Lake, by a mere two points with a final score of 10-8. Named the game of the season, students from almost every school attended the game held at the Eagle’s home field.

Ranked just below East Lake’s team, Countryside was known as their biggest competitor, which was proven by such a tight game.

Their second loss, and the most recent game, was against Pinellas Park. Beating Countryside 10-6, Pinellas Park moved on to the playoffs, bumping the cougars out.

When asked about the East Lake game, Head Coach Eric Schmitz said “It was a hard fought game. Hopefully next time we play [East Lake] were able to stay more focused and take advantage of our opportunities.”

Just a week before the East Lake matchup, Countryside took on the Tarpon Spongers for Cside’s homecoming game, and came through with a win of 29-20.

Schmitz added “The team gets better every week. Our players are fresh and have energy. They also have a lot of pride and want to finish strong, better than last season.”

Last years varsity team had a district record of 3-2, and an overall record of 6-4.

Losing their last district game to Pinellas Park last season, the Cougars did not make it to the playoffs. This season, unfortunately, it happened again.

The Cougars hope to finish the season strong, hoping to beat Largo, at their home field, for the Cougar’s last game.

A heroes welcome was not waiting for many aid workers conditioning or a shower, where she was originally expected to spend her quarantine. Only after personally critinews editor cizing New Jersey governor Chris Christie’s policies and Not since the black plague that nearly exterminated attracting significant media attention on the situation was mankind over 700 years ago has a like Ebola struck such fear she permitted to return home.

This case of prejudice and and into the heart of the public. Such a fear toward aid workers returnfear that could cause some to resort ing from west Africa isnt isolated, to drastic matters. as many others aside from Hickox Fears finally became reality when have faced scorn and humiliation New York, New Jersey, and Illinois upon their return. governors reluctantly enacted a 21 Such is the case for Allen day hospitalization or quarantine peMann, who returned from the Liriod for aid workers returning from berian capital of Monrovia to his Ebola hotspots like Sierra Leone hometown of Payson, Arizona only and Liberia. to be greeted by hatred and fear.

After serious criticisms however, “Some people were just really angry all three states enacted a “home” at me for going and coming back, quarantine which many are saying is calling us all kinds of names like still the equivalent of house arrest. ‘idiots’ and ‘irresponsible.’ Some This decision comes only after stuff worse than that, in language the repeated plea of a nurse Kaci Reproduced by permission of boomprepper.com I’m not going to use.”

Kickox, one of the victims to the fear Even though not required by lawand prejudice that returning aid workers have experienced upon their return from disease stricken Mann subject himself to a 21 day home quarantine and has thankfully Ebola-free.

West Africa.

Regardless of what our politicians think will ultimately Hickox, who worked in the region for over a month working with Doctors Without Borders, was detained by protect us, we have to put the facts and the people, before authorities in Newark , New Jersey under a supposedly el- fear and disillusionment. evated temper.

She was then placed into an isolation tent, void of airjackWALKER

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Foc

November 21st, 2014 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper

‘Tis the season for tha Pilgram traditions still eaten today brianaBROWN

opinion editor

Roasted turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and mashed potatoes are just some of the foods that most families eat on Thanksgiving. Everyone has had these traditions for centuries but does anyone know where they came from?

Edward Winslow wrote in his journal that the colony’s governor, William Bradford, sent four men on a “fowling” mission in order to prepare for the threeday event of Thanksgiving. There were plenty of wild turkey in the region and it was also a common food source for the Native Americans and English settlers. It was common that the fowling hunters would come back with other birds such as geese, swans and ducks.

In 1621, Thanksgiving was a celebration of the Pilgrims first autumn harvest, so it was likely that the colonies would eat or feast on their crops and bounty that they grew. These foods consist of onions, beans, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, carrots, and sometimes peas. The Pilgrims would eat pumpkins and other squashes but they lacked in butter and wheat flour for the pie crust.

English settlers in North America came up with the idea of hollowing out the pumpkins, filling the shells with milk, honey and spices to make a custard for the pies, then roasting the gourds whole on hot ashes.

What people eat for Thanksgiving dinner has been a tradition for many centuries and many more to come.

Spreading holiday che brianaBROWN

Most people know that Christmas is celebrated on December 25 every year for t world, but it may be publicly acknowledge in different ways.

In the United States, they celebrate it by having turkey or ham with cranberry sa of popcorn around the tree. Santa comes to everyone’s house and leaves presents un In China, only one percent of people are Christians. Therefore, only a few people because of how few people know about it. Jingle Bells is the most popular Christma The way France honors the birth of Jesus is by burning a piece of Cherry Wood a along with the food from dinner and the classes that they had drank from the nigh it on Christmas Eve. Also, sometimes they have 13 different desserts that have to b In Mexico, Christmas is actually celebrated from December 12 to January 6. De Posada means Inn or Lodging and there are nine of them. These celebrate the part i dren are given a candle and a board to walk the streets and they sing a song at each The United Kingdom celebrates Christmas with one or maybe even two trees. I feast is normally eaten for lunch in the early afternoon. It is commonly to eat roast b sits and eats at has a Christmas Cracker for each person sitting there. Christmas C decorated wrapping paper with twists on the end.

Christmas around the world is celebrated so differently and everyone has a wide

cus

November 21st, 2014 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper

7

ankfulness and giving

eer around the sphere opinion editor

the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. This holiday is celebrated all around the

auce on Christmas, having a Christmas tree with ornaments, and some wrap strings nder the tree for all of the good little boys and girls. e know a couple things about Christmas. Mainly the big cities celebrate Christmas as carol in China. and candles on Christmas eve and then leaving them to burn throughout the night ht before. Instead of eating the traditional dinner on Christmas day, the French eat be eaten. These desserts are made from different types of fruits, nuts, and pastries. ecember 16 to Christmas Eve is the time for the children to perform the “Posada.” in the Christmas story where Joseph and Mary look for a room in an Inn. The chilother. This is their way of caroling.

Instead of saying “Merry Christmas,” they say “Happy Christmas.” The Christmas beef or goose and it is also common to eat bacon or sausage. The table that everyone Crackers are little cardboard tubes filled candy or toys and then wrapped in brightly

e variety of traditions.

What’s popular for the little tikes? jennaRIVEROS

staff writer

Around this time every year, kids start to think about their Christmas list. If it were the 1920s, many would be asking for a yoyo or a teddy bear. Over the years, kids christmas lists have drastically changed. A present day kid would perhaps ask for a tablet or a remote control puppy.

This Christmas, the “Boomer Interactive Zoomer Dino” will be on the Christmas list of many children. This Dino can detect when kids are close and interacting with him. Like most dinosaurs, Zoomer can get angry, spin around, chomp and roar!

On November 22, 2013, Disney’s film “Frozen” was released and was a hit.

This year, many stores offer the “Snow Glow Elsa Doll”. This Elsa doll not only glows, but also sings “Let It Go.” It is certain that many little girls will stay off the naughty list to see Elsa under their tree on Christmas morning.

The story of the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” has been around since 1984 and is still popular to this day. This year kids will be playing with the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Stretch N Shout.” This turtle shouts louder the more his arms are stretched, recreating the sounds from the turtles film.

From yoyos to a dino robots, things have changed over the last century. What will the children of the next century be asking for? Only the future holds the answer.

Sports

November 21st, 2014 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper

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The wonders of the Winter Guard

Photo credit Paige Renner

M

embers of the Countryside High Winterguard, Shaianne Grubbs, Laney Covington and Ciarra Hernandez, practice in the concourse after school in order to prepare for an upcoming show.

alyssaDAMBECK

staff writer

White and khaki clothing move rhythmically while people dance in a uniform performance. Winter Guard is an indoor sport, which incorporates gymnastics, dance, as well as the spinning of flags, rifles, and sabres. This sport is for genders of all kind. One does not require past experience to participate in this exciting sport.

Winter guard has practice Tuesday and Thursday, from 3:00p.m.- 8:00p.m.

Competitions usually end up on Saturdays; however,

the Championship will be in Dayton, Ohio, this year.

Do not confuse winter guard with color guard. Colorguard is marching while winter guard is competitions.

Winter guard and color guard are not together anymore. The cause of this was from budget cuts and emotional distress over a loss of an instructor. One of the instructors, Emilie Beining, was cut out of the guard because of budget cuts. Being experienced in the color guard made it cost more.

In the end, the guard laid her off. This caused emotional distress in the guard since she was a favorite amongst the

upper class men of the guard. Because of this, winter guard broke off into their own guard. Color guard now has two brand new instructors while winter guard was able to get there old instructor, Emilie Beining back.

Winter guard has started one month early this year.

This is the first year it has ever been done before. This is mostly because of the split. The season usually starts in December, hence the name winter guard. However, it started in October.

“This will help us get a head start,” said Kalie Heart.

rylanFRITZ

sports editor

Visit any high school in Pinellas County and the common result stays the same-all girls and absolutely no boys on volleyball teams.

Last season, only 2,225 boys in 150 schools across the state of Florida played indoor volleyball; however, none in Pinellas County according to www.ipetitions.com.

For Countryside students Ryan Griffin and John Choo Chew, as well as about 200 other indoor volleyball boys in Pinellas County, the desire to play the sport came as far as petitions.

One petition was created by Griffin and Choo Chew, and they need all the help they can get.

“The U.S.A. Coach of Volleyball wants volleyball in high schools across the county,” said Choo Chew, “I tried out for the girls team here at Countryside, but I did not make the team. I created a petition for the approval of

boys teams in the county, but I haven’t received many signatures.”

Griffin and Choo Chew are not the only ones upset about the lack of boys volleyball in the county.

Garrett, Tony Tonova, and Trevor Kennan of Seminole High School made a statement by attempting to tryout for their girl’s team, just like Griffin, but were denied a spot; go figure.

It is apparent that Ryan Griffin and these boys are making a statement: bring boys volleyball to the high schools of Pinellas County.

Currently, the future of boys volleyball rests in the minds of FHSAA and Pinellas County Schools officials.

The final decision on the topic and the future of male volleyballers in the county’s school system remains unknown.

Express your support for Griffin and Choo Chew and visit: www.ipetitions.com/petition/support-boys-indoorvolleyball-in-pinellas-county

Photo credit Rylan Fritz

The future of boys volleyball in Pinellas County

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ohn Choo Chew has stood up for Boy’s Volleyball in Pinellas County by filing a petition to create boy’s squads.

Sports

November 21st, 2014 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper

Reproduced by permission of Kamran Malik Photography

When school spirit goes too far paigeRENNER

sports editor

Everyone loves rooting for their favorite sports team, whether it is football, baseball, hockey, or something else, everyone has a favorite. There are many types of fans one can expect to see at any kind sporting event: the screaming ones, the drunk ones, the ones who do not really seem to know what is going on, and inevitably, the aggressive ones who take their pride in their favorite team a little too far.

It seems like at every single sporting event, there is always a fight.

Whether it is between the fans in the sitting in the stands or the athletes on the field themselves, there is bound to be some kind of confrontation at any sports game.

For some people, altercations are just a distraction from the game; but because they have become so common over

the past few years, some people have started to consider them part of the stadium experience.

It has come to the point that teams have had to specifically hire bouncers to keep the aggressive fans in the stands and to keep them from not running onto the field.

This does not just apply to professional games, high school sports events seem to have the same amount of violence.

Even though not as much as professional sports teams, here at Countryside, we have our own history of violence at our football games. At our homecoming game on October 10 against Tarpon Springs High School, unsurprisingly, there was an altercation.

It is good to have some healthy competition and school spirit, but there is a line, one that is often crossed. Sometimes it is just better to swallow your pride and walk away.

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ountrside fans cheer on their Cougar foortball team playing against Tarpon at their Homecoming game.

Illustration by Jules Truong

Football season comes to an end averyVELA

staff writer

With a district record of 3-2 and an overall record of 7-3, Countryside High School’s varsity football team has had an amazing season.

Their most recent win was against the Seminole Warhawks, ending with a Cside win and final score of 26-18.

Held at Countryside, the field and stands were decked out in purple in support of the cancer fundraiser, Relay for Life.

Cside’s first loss was to East Lake, by a mere two points with a final score of 10-8. Named the game of the season, students from almost every school attended the game held at the Eagle’s home field.

Ranked just below East Lake’s team, Countryside was

known as their biggest competitor, which was proven by such a tight game.

Their second loss was against Pinellas Park. Beating Countryside 10-6, Pinellas Park moved on to the playoffs, bumping the cougars out.

When asked about the East Lake game, Head Coach Eric Schmitz said “It was a hard fought game. Hopefully next time we play [East Lake] were able to stay more focused and take advantage of our opportunities.”

Just a week before the East Lake matchup, Countryside took on the Tarpon Spongers for Cside’s homecoming game, and came through with a win of 29-20.

Schmitz added “The team gets better every week. Our players are fresh and have energy. They also have a lot of

pride and want to finish strong, better than last season.”

Last years varsity team had a district record of 3-2, and an overall record of 6-4.

Losing their last district game to Pinellas Park last season, the Cougars did not make it to the playoffs. This season, unfortunately, it happened again.

The Cougars hoped to finish the season strong but lost to Largo on their home field. Beating us 27-20, the cougars almost made a comeback in the game. It was a hard loss, but motivates the team to do even better next year.

Reproduced by permission of Kamran Malik Photography

Opinion/Editorial

October 3, 2014 | Issue 1 | Paw Print Newspaper

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Reasons why bullies bully angelaBOOTH

entertainment editor

It is not exactly rocket science to know that the effects of bullying are harmful to the mental health and selfesteem of many individuals. Many often wonder why it occurs to begin with. If bullies are aware of the negative effects they have on other people, why do they still proceed to partake in such detrimentally malicious acts?

There are various causes as to why someone may bully another individual which are all out of result of an inflation of one’s ego as well as an overcompensation for some personal insecurity.

Bullying is often times a form of attention-seeking. Each individual at a young age has their own way of seeking attention. People often times associate seeking attention with vanity and egocentrism.

Though human beings by nature are slightly egotistical creatures, being given attention, acknowledgement, and consideration as a young child and teen is an important part of their socio-emotional development, building of selfesteem, and discovery of the self.

There are not many individuals that can easily say they were born as truly humble beings and those deprived of this special attention as a young person can often times have a neurotic personality.

Bullies seek attention by putting others down in hope that it would make them feel better about themselves as individuals. Verbally criticizing and abusing others shifts the focus from what the bully lacks to what the bully victim is perceived to be lacking. They point out other people’s observable imperfections so that they, the bullies, may be viewed as superior by others and that they are the ones without the flaws.

These types of bullies have such an intense need and desire to be accepted and recognized, that it blinds them

of other people’s emotions and numbs them to feeling any form of empathy.

This lack of compassion is also out of result from the neurosis built up from not having proper parental guidance as a child, creating that instability of emotions and lack of self-control.

They

or is going on amidst misery and chaos. Therefore, they need to have control over something or someone else that seems the slightest bit vulnerable. Feeling as though they have power over their peers is also interrelated with wanting attention and seeking acceptance.

People also bully because they use being hostile in behavior and attitudes towards others as a form of release of internal aggression. Perhaps they feel misunderstood and need other people to feel the same form of hurt that they felt at one particular grim point in their life.

Bully victims also have a good chance of bullying others if it gets to a severe point.

Some bullies in contrary, have lived an immaculate childhood and life. Some people just find harming others amusing due to a lack of conscious. Sometimes people bully because they do not know how to properly socialize and it is their semblance for their reluctance of having a decent conversation with another.

Bullying does not just happen between peers, but it may also occur between adults in families and in the work place. Bullies hold a façade that they are confident. ong z Tru

by Jule n o Th eir self-doubt is what they are truly tryi t a Illustr ing to hide.

Bullying is not out of result of soullessness or of being pure evil by essence, but rather out of an emotion of have more than likely experienced somelack in some particular area of their life. Though bullying thing in life that made them feel unworthy of love or is never okay, society can at least have insight as to why acceptance, causing them to have to go so far as to overit happens. Although there is a level of absurdity having compensate for whatever they feel makes them inferior. been told to feel sorry for a bully, however, having the People also bully out of a need for power over other slightest dose of compassion can have a massive impact others. Bullies and manipulators have given power a on any individual. It is a cycle. Under many circumstancnegative connotation in today’s society. Power, when es, being bullied by another is enough to causation for a used good-heartedly, allows one to have an advantageous bully victim to become a bully. Therefore bullying’s effect amount of freedom and self-expression in their own lives. is it’s own cause.

Bullies often times have experienced at least once an emotion of having no say or influence as to what was

Less fighting equals a safer school

ez Tr I

In previous years, Countryside High School has been what seemed like a breeding ground for fights and violence. However, the 2014-2015 school year has seen less fights than the years prior.

Some students may be wondering why they are not experiencing herds of hormone crazed teenagers wanting to fight one another for whatever the crisis of the week happens to be.

Perhaps it is administration cracking down on their zero tolerance policy on violence, or maybe it is a result of Countryside students finally maturing--which is doubtful.

It is also arguable that during the last few years at Countryside, the fights were being caused by more students who were on their way out of school, rather than the ones entering high school.

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copy editor

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by Ju tion a r t s u ll

jennaFENDER

Regardless of the grade, pre-k to senior year, there will be fights. Not all of those will result in violence of course, but for the ones that do there are rules in place for what steps to take.

The student code of conduct states “If a student commits an offense that is considered exceedingly serious, (a student causes critical human injury, extensive property damage, or excessive school disruption) the Board may decide not to allow the student to attend any school.”

Why would studentss want to risk the chance of getting suspended or expelled for something stupid like a fight?

If you are going to fight, fight outside of school. Students need to be focusing on school work and not focusing on who is fighting or who is going to fight at lunch the next day.

Entertainment

November 21st, 2014 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper

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Mary Lambert shares her secrets meghanMOREY

page editor

Many people have heard Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ wildly popular 2012 single “Same Love” in which they address the ongoing issue of marriage inequality.

However, there was a third voice featured on that track.

The strong female chorus that many have caught themselves singing along to was inspired by the singer’s experiences with growing up gay in a religious family.

Mary Lambert, a Washington native, has achieved, as she says, “quasi-stardom,” since the hip hop single reached it’s(its) recognition. (this sentence could be reworded but it’s up to you; just my opinion) Since her popularity sparked, she has signed herself to Capitol Records and released her first full-length album,

Stay entertained during your holiday vacation francesGUARRACI

pawprazzi editor

Young or old, there comes a point in the holiday excitement where a bit of boredom begins to set in.

For children, this might result in games that have been already played and toys that are no longer interesting. For workaholics, a few days off to relax and the slower pace can sometimes seem way too slow.

After the excitement of buzzing about, preparing everything for the festive events and parties, a sudden drop in fun things to do can leave a sense of dwindle into oblivion.

Do not waste those precious days off work, study, or other occupations drowning in boredom, no! Transform that monotonous, snooze- fest into a fun fest holiday that will not be forgotten!

Play Games such as: Monopoly, Risk, Candyland, Life, Sorry, Shoots N’ ladders, 7 Wonders.

Start a project: Cleaning up or not because who actually cleans? Try some cooking, or making things for the holidays.

Organize a party: Pick a place, determine a date, consider a theme if there is one, make a guest list, get the word out.

Start a book. Some popular ones are: The Invention of Wings , The Blood of Olympus, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, The Fault in Our Stars, The Lord of the Rings, Twilight.

Or just be simple, get out of the house. Make plans with friends or go see a movie.

Reproduced by permission of grammy.com

Heart On My Sleeve, on October 14, 2014.

The first track on the debut album is titled “Secrets” and has been making its way into the heads of many teenagers since it was released back in July.

The catchy beat and honest lyrics together create a successful pop song in which Lambert confesses many of her actual insecurities.

However, the chorus is not as strong as the rest of the lyrics. It is a bit too repetitive and the additional voices loses me.

All together, we rate Secrets a four out of five stars, and cannot wait to see what else Mary Lambert creates in the future.

M

ary Lambert’s first debut album, Heart On My Sleeve earns four out of five stars by the Pawprint staff.

Busch Gardens is ‘cursed’ another year alexisGLASGOW

staff writer

A very popular Florida attraction around Halloween time is Howl-O-Scream. This event, held at the Tampa Busch Gardens, has been going on for 15 years. The theme for 2014 was “Cursed.”

A positive about this years Howl-O-Scream is the houses. Each and every house came along with a double the scare each time! Two new houses this year “Deadfall” and “Zombie Containment Unit 15” were extraordinary.

Also, there were minimal lines on Saturday, which was discounted at $35 per person for a group of 4+. Another

thing- scare zones. Four spine tingling scare zones roamed around the park all night. The really tricky thing is that the actors in the scare zones looked exactly like regular people.

Along with positives comes negatives. The length of each house is very short, which seems very unfair if you happen to have to wait in line for a long time. A huge question that would spark debate would be, “Where’s the creativity?” Aside from both brand new houses this year, there were the same 5 from the previous 4 years.

This years Howl-O-Scream is greatly recommended and receives a spooky 4 out of 5 stars!

F

ormer Countryside High School student, A.J. Quinell is employed at Busch Gardens’ annual Howl-O-Scream as a scare zone terrorizer.

Illustration by Alyssa Dambeck; Reproduced by permission of seaworldparks.com & pixelsattheparks.com

Pawparazzi

November 31st, 2014 | Issue 2 | Paw Print Newspaper

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Riding Into The Spotlight Reproduced by permission of Joey Poelker.

fionnPARDUE

J

oey Poelker shows off his car proudly and has one of the best rides at Countryside High

staff writer

After the last bell sounds navigating Countryside High School’s student parking lot may seem like quite a tribulating task, especially if one is not used to the frustrated teens, horrible drivers, and clueless parents.

Among the hustle and bustle of the student parking lot, some cars cannot help but to call attention to themselves.

“I found the car in my neighborhood,” said Joey Poelker, the owner of a white 1969 Mustang Grandé, “the reaction to my car everywhere I go is that everybody likes it and asks me about it.”

Joey can often be seen playing music from the 1960’s before school in the student parking lot.

“No one likes it,” said Joey when asked how people react to his music when he plays it loud enough for everyone to hear.

Many people have had their attention called to the pink and purple 2007 Chevy Cobalt driven by Becky Gallagher.

“Everyone is always like ‘hey your car is so cool’, one time at a McDonalds drive thru the cashier told me my car was ‘phat’ and it was life changing” said Becky.

“Funny story really,” said Becky “I told my grandma that I wanted a black car but she misunderstood me and showed Baby. At first I was a bit hesitant but eventually I warmed up to the idea and thought ‘wow, how funny would it be if I, Becky Gallagher, owned this car?’ I bought it to be funny and even though it is a long term decision I do not regret it at all.”

Another interesting car at Countryside is Chandi Atherholt’s green Volkswagen Beetle.

“I love my car, I wouldn’t want any other” said Chandi ‘15.

“My car was actually a surprise, my mom and stepdad got it for me.” said Chandi “I had no idea I was getting it.”

Many students are surprised with their first car but most of the time it is not a lime green Beetle.

“It also smells like crayons so that’s the first thing everyone always says when they get in it,” said Chandi when asked if there is anything else special about her car.

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Strumming his way up to the top paigeRENNER

sports editor

Countryside High School is filled with many extremely talented musicians from the Golden Cougar Band of Pride to the members of Countryside’s Chorus, however a select few manage to stand out from the rest.

One of that select few is David Mara, a junior here at Countryside.

Receiving his first guitar as a gift from a family friend at only seven years old, David still plays guitar to this day.

“Learning to play the guitar at seven years old, or any instrument at seven years old, the issue is mostly focus. But once you get past that, it is easy” said David.

Other than playing the guitar, David is also a member of the Countryside High School Golden Cougar Band of Pride, playing the trumpet.

Even with his very busy marching band schedule, he still finds various other performance opportunities from playing at the Countryside Marching Band’s spring concert to playing on the streets at Third Friday in Safety Harbor.

Other than performing in the marching band’s spring concert and at Third Friday, David is also a member of Ruth Eckerd Hall’s Jazz Band and performs at various other events there.

Whether it is at a Marching Band Performance or at Third Friday, be sure to go see David perform!