FEATURES
Why don’t the cheerleaders get dress-coded? You don’t see the swim team walking around in their swim suits.
Stop making out next to my locker, you prepubescent parasites.
If you’re gunna bring your guitar to school, please don’t smack me with it in the hallway.
Why is it that after 6 weeks of school, students seem to have left their brains at home?
2 sToP tYPing lIke ThIs. Ur NOt c0ol.
Why has the circle of death still not gone away?
Whats up with the sudden lack of cookies in the vending machine? Cookies and yoga pants are the only reason I wake up for school in the morning.
Bacne distrupts my learning. Low-cut back shirts should be against dress code!
Ben and Jerry’s has “Shweddy Balls” flavored ice cream??
Why can’t the school board keep to one policy? They’re more up and down than a hormonal woman.
Have some complaining to do? Email your rants to the Pawprint staff at Deadline1@gmail.com
BrianaDILWORTH
Rumor has it... Staff writer
Walking through the hallways at Countryside High School, bits and pieces of conversations are thrown out for everyone to hear. Most of these conversations are full of random gossip. Many students will hear things about others just from walking to their next class. After students hear gossip, naturally they spread it and the ugly chain of a new born rumor has begun. In high school, students have the dirty habit of gossiping. According to a poll given at Countryside High School in the 2011-2012 school year, 94% of students have both been talked about behind their backs and talked about other people behind their backs. 4% of students have talked about someone behind their backs, but have never been talked about. Another 4% had neither been talked about or have talked about other people. Teenagers always hear that talking behind each others backs is wrong, but what they do not hear is why people do it. “I talk about other people if I don’t like what they do, how they dress, or how they act.” said Jessica Jones* The real question is if school gossip affects students emotionally. “It doesn’t really bother me because I know whatever they are saying isn’t true.” said Mary Smith*. Although some students say that they do not pay attention to the talk, others claim it makes them feel hurt and betrayed. When rumors spread they normally come full circle back to the person being talked about. As soon as the person finds out that another person has been talking about them they have to make the decision to either confront the accused, or simply ignore the hurtful words. “I would confront the person talking about me if they kept doing it, so I could stop them.” said Mary Smith*. Another decision a student must make when they find out someone is talking about them behind their back is whether or not to stay friends with the person. Students’ decisions vary when it comes to staying friends with the person talking about them. Some students say that they would not continue to be friends with them because they would not be their real friends, while others say it just depends on the friend. Something that students need to take into consideration is that gossip is a huge problem at Countryside and it needs to be controlled. “Considering I went to a different school last year I would say that people talk about each other behind their backs no matter where they are.” said student Jessica Jones* It all boils down to one thing: each student’s tolerance. If students do not like what they are hearing they can simply ignore it. How someone reacts to gossip depends on only them and only they can change that. *Name has been changed
3
OPINION
Dress code reveals flaws “IC” you’re in katelynWABNUM
trouble again
every day several are left unassigned or ripped up only to be forgotten except by the recycling bins. The bottom line being if you do not spend mollyCURLS staff writer “IC” is not a new term to most students of Countryside you free time tackling people, scoring touchdowns, or tossing small girls in the air, then High School. For those unfamiliar, IC (Intervention Cenit is not possible for your misconduct to be ter) is a classroom located in G wing where students are swept under the rug and disciplined with a sent either for an entire school day, a class period, or even up to a week. The goal of IC, according to Mr. Angelo, smack on the hand. Only five short years ago, the Country- Countryside High School’s campus monitor, is for the parside boys basketball team entered a request to ticular “student to take a break from the teacher, or the wear their jerseys to school on game days. Re- teacher to have a break from the student”. He says it gives fused due to the sleeveless nature of the uni- the individual “time to think” while in the confinement of form, players to this day are required to sport IC. Well that’s to say the least, IC resembles some form of a jail cell. With the unbearable cream colored walls, the “dress code friendly” attire off the court. Speaking out against the obliged painful industrial lighting, and the emptiness surrounding wearing of “school-inappropriate” uni- you. The controversy of the IC system is this; when the stuforms, one of Countryside’s own varsity cheerleaders said, “On every other dent is absent from class during any given amount of time, non-game day my clothing is ques- the teacher is expected to send down their missing work tioned and I am told not to wear cer- to G wing, adding an extra strain on the teachers. Also, tain things. On the dates of home and in the last few years, students have been seeing IC as a away events I walk through the hallways reward, rather than a punishment. It was a place to go if hearing unappreciated comments about you didn’t want to go to class, if you wanted to see your the amount of skin bared by the school- friends, or even to sleep. You had privileges, and virtually spirited garments. By being required no consequences. This year, change has come. You not only go to IC, to wear this skirt and this top [cheer uniform] it is defeating the purpose but for most of the reasons you would be sent there, also of the dress code’s anti-distraction comes with a referral. Students say that they would “rather be suspended than go to IC”. One student also expressed claim,”. Many will argue that life is un- that he gets “more discouraged” about school and his fair and there will always be those grades when all of his makeup work comes his way. The with special privileges, but also students mentioned it’s very easy to get lost in their classes in life there a people to speak after being in IC. Then, comes up the proposition to have students stay up; people to say this is immoral, and people to say I’ve had after school to “do their time” in IC, therefore not missing enough. Is risking your chances class-time, and subsequently effecting their grades. The of participating in clubs, getting problem with this idea is the school would be responsible into college, and being given an equal for facilitating rides home for the kids who have to stay chance to succeed due to an angled after school and rely on a bus, or a ride from someone at a rule what it takes? If so, have you had particular time. A teacher, Coach David Sica, stated his opinion on the enough, Countryside? subject. He believed that IC is effective the first couple times, but after those chances, more severe forms of punishment should be implemented, such as suspension. Senior The awfully sharp point seems to be, if you don’t want to sit in a quiet room with nothing to do but think, have a hard time making up your work, and potentially getting behind in your classes, don’t do anything that would warrant a trip to the Intervention Center in G wing. Mr. Angelo makes a good point in saying, “If someone has the will and “When it comes to girls the desire to be, they will find a way to be successful.” He’s problem is what clothing they “Over 90% of dress right, if you don’t want to suffer the repercussions of your wear, and for guys it is how they code referrals are issued actions, then think before you execute them. wear the clothing.” to girls.”
news editor
Victoria Jackson Junior
“I wore these jeans all last year and they were fine, this year they must have magically turned into a giant distraction, because every time I turn a corner there runs an angry Saginario.”
staff photo Katelyn Wabnum
In a school where pride and “100% student success” is said to be put first, one would expect to find every rule enforced and every misconduct apprehended, but at Countryside High School this is not the case. Take a look for yourself, it is happening all around you. A junior girl walks past and out comes a female administrator to hand her a referral for her shorts, mere centimeters above the tips of her brightly colored finger nails. Next strolls by the crown jewel of our sports-oriented establishment, a cheerleader, with a skirt of only 18 inches and a hem pushing nearly 7 cm above the accepted length. The junior girl having been sent to IC and brushed away, sits silently while the cheerleader has made her way to class completely unaffected. I would say this makes perfect sense, but I would be lying. Part of Pinellas County policy states: “All shirts, tops, and dresses shall have sleeves and cover the shoulders.”, and bottoms must “be mid-thigh legnth or longer.” According to the opinion of an unnamed school official, the rules and repercussions do not indeed apply to all. Certain students, mainly athletes, are exempt as they are part of “the establishment”. This minority in the student population rakes in money for the school, and therefore may do as they please. Evidently enticed by the popularity of football at our school, this person has proceeded to overlook the profit commissioned by the said “intellectual assembly” throughout campus. A generous amount of 150 referrals per AP are filled out each week and even so,
Aleksandra Simic
Anonymou s Quote s
I
C students studying to make up their missed classwork. Photo credit Molly Curls
4 NEWS Students arrive alive, if they do not text and drive
alexMILLER
staff writer
photo credit dana harris
Everyone is told the same thing time after time: “Be a safe driver, don’t get distracted.” Be honest, are you really one of the safe drivers on the road? Texting and driving has caused over 16,000 deaths in the past five years and is the number one source of driver inattention, according to research done by Virginia Tech. Drivers are twentythree times more likely to be involved in an accident if they text while driving. Both teens and adults are guilty of this action.
Thirty-four states, not including Florida, and the District of Columbia, have banned this practice. The American Automobile Association (AAA) is setting out to ban it in all fifty states. A national survey conducted by AAA revealed that 46 percent of people ages 15 to 20 confessed to texting while driving. As for Countryside High School, 40 percent of students said that they are guilty of the practice. About 27 percent of those students say they wait until red lights to text. The other 13 percent claim they know it is not safe to text and drive but do it anyway because they believe the real threat to them is from other distracted drivers. “I think it is okay if you’re not actively driving at the time you send or receive a message. As long as you’re
stopped and aware of what’s going on at the time, you should be fine,” said sophomore, Stephanie Schwartz. Many drivers feel that there should be a national ban on this issue. As the state governments debate the final decision of banning it or not, phone applications and organizations such as AAA offer brochures and safety courses to prevent or discourage distracted driving. For example, utilities can be purchased in the Apple Application Store that will temporarily disable messaging on your phone while you are on the road. There are many opinions regarding this ongoing argument across the states: Will a ban really keep our roads safer? Will it save lives? Some answer yes, others answer no, but no one really knows. As days go by and research continues, all anyone can do is to drive safely. By being attentive while driving, you can save not only your life but also the life of others.
their students beginning to lose respect for rules and responsibilities, along with becoming more detached. At school, dismissing homework, sleeping during class and dropping grades are apparent warning signals. Finally the change in friends, behavior, and appearance are also flags involved in using drugs. that a peer may be Another Countryside junior one time I arsaid, “The rived at school a little drunk, it felt so good, but I could not concentrate. The whole day I was in a haze and I did not learn much.” S t u dents from both sides of the spectrum, however, have been caught with the possession of drugs. Whether it is kids that are in honors classes and get good grades or students in remedial classes with poor grades they both have been found with the possession of drugs, the consequences are all the same.
Pinellas County’s School Boards policy on drug use is zero tolerance. If a student is caught with or suspected of having any drugs in their possession they are sent to jail, suspended for 10 days, and are required to go to the “FACEIT” program for 8 weeks. “FACEIT” stands for “Families Acting Collaboratively to Educate and Involve Teens”. This program is for youths from ages 12 to 18. It emphasizes building communication and relationships between the student and caregiver. This arrangement extols the benefits of a drug and alcohol free life. Mr. Curtwright expressed his opinion by saying, “[Drug use] is happening. At Countryside, it is comparable to other high schools in the region. I think everyone should go through the ‘FACEIT‘ program. Although not every student will abuse drugs it’s still a good learning experience to go through.” Drug use and alcohol consumption are dangerous practices.Students who attend school with the possession or under the influence of these products are in danger of losing themselves. Drugs affect the lives of people and change the performance of students. There is a time to be crazy and a time to be poised and mature. At this age especially, and in a learning environment, the right choice should be obvious.
Students under the “high” school influence danaHARRIS
news editor
As the first bell rings some kids are eager to get to their first period class, while others walk sluggishly, dreading another day of learning. Some students are not even coherent enough to realize the bell has rung. They stumble late into class without a second thought. Many of these students are under the influence of drugs and don’t realize to what extent drugs can affect their school, work, and life. During breaks and randomly selected classes, students received an anonymous survey which probed the topic of whether or not their bodily systems had ever been under the influence of drugs or alcohol during school. 43% of the 75 students that were surveyed indicated that they had come to school either inebriated or under the influence of some type of drug.This amount is astounding considering these actions are not only against school rules, but against federal law. Why do students choose to arrive to school in this state? A Countryside High School junior answered, “I do it almost every day. I’m kinda addicted…. It’s too much fun not to do!” There are several behaviors that indicate that someone may be using drugs or alcohol. At home, parents might see
Big brothers and big sisters brighten our societies future chrisRICE
staff writer
With Bright Futures adding new rules to their scholarship program, a student may wonder how they are going to be able to reach the new 100 service hour quota to qualify for the scholarship.With the academic challenge of high school, and for many the addition of sports, most students fear they do not have the time to complete the service hours. For many, the thought of donating their time to an organization just to receive financial aid seems b u rd e n s o m e, boring, and ideally is not the way they wish to spend their free time. Also, the organizations available for students to volunteer with must be approved by a guidance counselor and can only be nonprofit organizations. It often takes time for a student
to locate these opportunities, apply, and be approved, which can lead to lack of interest and steer students away. One organization, however, is desperate for volunteers. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, a non-profit organization approved by Pinellas County School Board as a place to complete service hours,needs students to be a mentors today! This program will truly change the character of any human being, and often is not thought of as volunteer work, but more as a fun way to make a difference in the community. Upon the acceptance into the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, you will be matched with a younger child that shares the same common interests as you. Once a match is made, you begin by spending just one hour a week with your little brother or sister at their school. You and your little brother or sister will spend your hours doing fun activities together- whether it be reading a book or playing basketball; the possibilities are endless. Every student wonders “what will I get out of this?” The
Can you see the debit card fee?
chrisRICE
staff writer
With today’s day and age becoming more and more technologically savvy, the sight of wallets full of paper money is less and less common. Instead, the sight of plastic money and the words “debit or credit” are heard worldwide. But because banks are struggling so much to survive in this harsh economic downfall, they need a new way to make money. With banking fees being no stranger to humans, a new generation of fees is making a huge appearance in the lives of average Americans. Debit card fees, which are different for each financial institution, will soon be made effective,, and are not very pretty. Five dollars for having the privilege of using a debit card, 10 dollars for not spending a minimum amount of money each month, you name it and it has been made into a fee. With so many Floridians in outrage, one Florida lawmaker decided to do something. House Democrat Jeff Clemens, from Lake Worth said “national banks have gotten too greedy.
They are making huge profits, making huge executive salaries, and now they want to turn that around and dump that on the consumer in the form of this fee.” This legislation could provoke a huge court battle, determining whether each individual state has the right to regulate national banks. Many people are agitated and angry about these new fees and are leaving their current financial institution and finding a new place to take their hard earned money. One option, complete online banking, is also making an appearance. Many chains of these new banks g r a n t you access to do anything you want with your money, at any time.While these banks still do have some branches for you to physically walk into, the majority of the time you are your own branch manager and you manage your money in a way that best suits you. With tons of online banks popping up, and the rapid succession of the computer technologic world, online banks which don’t charge you fees are shaping the future for the banking world.
answer is simple; you will develop a better character and know that you’re making a difference in developing a child’s life. Studies have shown that after 18 months of spending time with their bigs,little brothers and sisters involved in the program were 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs, 27% less likely to begin using alcohol, 52% less likely to skip school, and 37% less likely to skip a photo cr class. Also, it has edit w ww.bb been found that little brothbs.org ers or sisters were more confident in their schoolwork, and get along better with their families. The rewards of becoming a big brother or sister are endless, and this could be a great way for you to get involved in the community and earn Bright Futures credit.
5
NEWS
calebCARNEY
staff writer
The Harry Potter books are internationally acclaimed fiction books that depict the extraordinary life of a young wizard, and how he saves the world. Harry Potter, the young wizard, is taught, among many other young wizards, at a school called Hogwarts Academy for Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Harry Potter Club and its ninety members are synonymous with Hogwarts and its students; the club is meant to make a member feel as if they are in Hogwarts.
The founder of the Harry Potter Club, at Countryside High School, is no other than Elizabeth M. Mason. As well as being the founder, Mason is also what club members would call The Headmaster (The Dean of Hogwarts). Her responsibility lies within the curriculum of the club. Mason decides when meetings are, who gets different responsibilities, and overall club activities. Elizabeth Mason has “been a fan of Harry Potter ever since [she] read the first book,” however she admits that it was not her original idea to start a scholastic Harry Potter Club. Her friend from Eastlake High School had started a Harry Potter Club in the 20102011 school years, at her respective school, and encouraged Mason to do the same at Countryside High School. Meetings for the Harry Potter Club are held every week in ____. At every meeting each house has certain responsibilities that they must complete, in order that the club may stay self-sustained. For example, one week Hufflepuff may be in charge of food and drinks for the entire club, whereas Ravenclaw might be in charge of cleaning up after meetings. At Hogwarts Academy, two Prefects per house are chosen to govern the students. Mason has split her workload by following suit and selecting Prefects which of whom will work directly under her. The Prefects are solely in charge of their respective house’s responsibilities for each week, and anything else Mason deems necessary. By using this method, The Headmaster can share responsibility while still keeping structure and order in the club. In order for students to be admitted to Hogwarts
NHS: Taking pride in Countryside
cally pleasing for anyone who happens to see the campus; every National Honor Society member is required to be Every year, the National Honor Society strives to make in attendance. Students will take shifts raking leaves in a positive difference in the community by helping others. the front of the school, and placing bricks around the the deFor the 2011-2012 school years the National Honor Soci- remembrance area to commemorate inviting. ety has taken the liberty of starting a new project to beau- ceased by making the area look more Jack Yongue explains tify Countryside High School. This that The National Honor Soaltruistic Beautification Project will ciety “want(s) to give back to Counmainly focus on the refurbishment tryside,” and the National Honor of the remembrance area of the Society officers deemed this to be school, and the front of the school. the most fitting way. The remembrance area of CounThis Beautification Project tryside High School is dedicated to will replace the car wash the NaDr. Maurice “Bud” Browning, a fortional Honor Society has every mer Guidance Couns e l o r, year. Speculation among National who passed away i n 2000 and John E . HS retouched the C-side memorial Honor Society officers and advisors Lynch, the form e r garden in their mission to take care suggests that the new project will be annual, but they will clean different Head Plant Ope r a t o r ’s of our school. parts of the school in different ways son and student at Countryevery year. side High School, who passed away in 1999. The area conSuch benevolent appreciasists of two named plaques, along with two trees tion is a reminder to everyand a bench in the front of the school. one to show their appreciaOn November fifth National Honor Sotion for what they care about. ciety members will meet at Countryside they do not, what they care about High School at five o’ clock and be- I f gin to make the school more aestheti- may never know. calebCARNEY
staff writer
N
Academy, the students ed in to must be sortpending houses desonalion their perties and life choices. The four houses are Hufflepuff, R a v e n c l a w, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. The Harry Potter Club has attempted to recreate the sorting process by administering tests to students which determine what h o u s e them. is best suited for Members cannot retake the test, nor can they be reassigned to a different house upon completion of the test. The main purpose of any extracurricular activity is to learn things that you can’t learn by just coming to school for the standard allotted amount of time. The Harry Potter Club’s abstract goal is to learn how to “create unity and inspire creativity among Countryside High School’s students.” Mason intends on achieving this goal by creating a friendly club in which any student may join at any time without any sort of discrimination, and by showing students a fun way to learn. photo credit Kelly Pettit, thewrtingnut.com, moviecostumes4u.com, and polyvore.com
Online class requirement necessary for diploma mollyCURLS
staff writer It’s no news that this day in age is surrounded by technology. Since the advancement of computers (starting in 1945), the world is fascinated. We are starting to do most everything on the computer-pay our bills, get our report cards, look at our work schedule, we can even go to school and college online. A new Florida education ordinance is requiring that all incoming freshman for the school year 2011-2012 must take one online course sometime within their high school career in order to graduate. Students currently are able to take most all courses online, from Physical Education, to Chemistry, to American History. This is helpful for seniors missing credits, students who previously failed a class trying to regain a credit, or students aspiring to increase their GPA. One of Countryside High School’s Assistant Principals, Cynthia Saginario, is not in favor of the new rule. She believes “the interaction in a high school is irreplaceable.”Some students deeply need that sense of hands-on learning. Many young people are visual learners, or need a teacher right there to help them, and answer questions. She agrees that technology is the newest up and coming source for most things, but thinks online classes should be kept as an option, because of the diversity of students and their needs. “E-learning” is the newest medium of education. It allegedly gives you the same effect, learning skills, and GPA opportunities, but at the comfort of doing it on your own time, in your own home, and on your very own computer. It’s advanced so much, that you can actually get your entire Bachelor’s degree online, without ever setting foot onto a college campus. Too good to be true? It seems to be a matter of opinion. Do you need the help and support of a teacher, someone to guide you, to be physically there whilst you learn the material? Do you need the hands on aspect of learning? You might even be a visual learner and not even know it. If you are not selfmotivated, and self-disciplined, either, online schooling might not be the easiest thing to do. So the question is: should taking online classes be up to the individual student, or forced by administrators, even though online educating is not for everyone? photo credit laptop-software.com, findwhosells.com
6
FOC
brianaDILWORTH
staff writer
For most people Thanksgiving is the same every year; they go over to a family member’s house for dinner, or just stay home and have their family members come over. For other students, Thanksgiving is more than the American tradition. The average American thanksgiving consists of the re-uniting of families, afternoon football, and a big dinner .Most teenagers have the same idea of Thanksgiving, but what they do not realize is that different religions and ethnicities celebrate Thanksgiving in their own way. “For Thanksgiving my whole family comes over and they each bring their own dish, then we criticize them and play games the rest of the night,” said sophomore Laila Ittayem. Ittayem is an Arab that celebrates Thanksgiving, but her family puts their own spin on the holiday. Instead of just having a big dinner in the evening, Laila’s family tries something new by spreading out the role of cooking, and instead of her family going home after dinner they all stay around for games. Many Italian families have almost exactly the same traditions as American families. Some do the same activities for Thanksgiving, but eat different foods. “In my family we eat turducken, which is a chicken inside of a duck, inside of a turkey,” said sophomore Dominic Ferraro. There are some religions that do not celebrate Thanksgiving at all. “I do not celebrate Thanksgiving at all because I am Jehovah Witness and it is against my religion,” said senior Kristof Williams. Instead of celebrating Thanksgiving, Williams usually stays home or hangs out with his friends. Williams’ choice in opting out of holidays such as Thanksgiving and not celebrating them in the slightest is very unusual in America. Canadians have their own Thanksgiving to celebrate. “In my family we pretty much do the same thing as American Thanksgiving, except we eat ham instead of Turkey” said freshman Kyle Swanson. Although Canadians have their own holiday to celebrate, some continue to celebrate the American tradition. “We celebrate American Thanksgiving also, but my mom does not make as much food, because it is not as important to our family” said Swanson. Not every family in America celebrates Thanksgiving the same. America is a melting pot; so naturally, holidays are different in every home. Even with the differences Thanksgiving is still important and meaningful to every family.
______________________________________ rachelWAAG staff writer Black Friday is a killer holiday to shop for great deals. It has a historic record of injuries and deaths that occur during the rampage and cold hearted-ness that people seem to gain as they stampede through the store doors. It is the beginning of holiday shopping and apparently that triggers customers into the “me, myself and I” mode. These horrific incidents seem to be elevating as the years carry on. Methods for putting an end to these fatal happenings are being brainstormed and experimented, however, there is something with people and discounts that seem to be inseparable. For instance, a security guard was stationed at a Wal-Mart in a “plain clothes” uniform. Unfortunately, he was mistaken as a customer and fell upon the wave of crazed shoppers. However, he did make an arrest to someone who had cut in line to receive a discounted laptop. Wal-mart seems to be the mother of all injuries and deaths on Black Friday. One well-known example happened at a Wal-mart in Long Island, New York, when a 34- year old, temporary employee was trampled to his death. Ambulances and police rushed to the scene with a harsh welcome. They too were pushed and thrown back and forth during the course of the immense crowd without respect. When customers were stopped and questioned, they simply said “I’ve been in line since early Friday morning for twenty dollars off a PS3”. After that, employees formed a human wall to slow down the crowd- it failed. The attempt was considered as a “lethal Red Rover”. While some pass on, others live the rest of their life in misery. One middle-aged women waited hours on end to earn the lucky spot of second in line. The doors opened and in came the crowd and she was, like the young man, trampled. However, her life was not taken from her that day. Instead, she was paralyzed. To this day, she must walk with a cane and has to take pills everyday. “I saved $100 on a laptop,” She said “But I’ve probably spent $100,000 of medical bills.” However, Wal-mart is not the only one with public safety problems. At Toys R Us there were two mothers who had gotten into a fight and, of course, the fathers had to defend them and joined in the argument. To do so, they both got out guns and cocked them. Immediately, the joyful toyshopping crowd turned into a screaming frenzy. The men shot their bullets and in no time, they both ended up dead. Black Friday is no joking matter. In fact, it may be taken a little too seriously. Sales are good, but lives have a much greater value. However, people just do not get that concept. Thus, there will most likely be more deaths and injuries in the future. So before you go out there and spend $50 for something that is really $100, ask yourself, “Is it worth it?”
7
CUS
katelynWABNUM
news editor
Thanksgiving; usually spent around the TV gazing admirably at the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and later on rooting for the (insert team) during the Turkey bowl. In midst of it all, you travel between the dining room feasting upon the immense amount foodstuffs laid out and outside punting the old pig skin into your neighbors decade-old gnomes; all of which takes place in the comfort of your own home. Before all of this can happen arrangements must be made and questions must be posed. Some of which tend to take on the tone of a highly marketed holiday. “My house or yours?”, “What color table cloth goes best with my cornucopia center piece?” and of course, “How big of a turkey should I buy?”. At the time these inquirer challenges seem to be vital, but in the context of reality they are really quite frivolous. So, what happens if someone was to not have close living relatives, enough money, or even a home? Their struggles may sound similar to, “Where is the nearest pantry?”, “If I attend will there be enough food left?”,and “Can my worn wind-breaker keep me warm despite the freezing rain?”. Many might disregard the previous sentence, as they believe it does not apply to them personally; but it can be seen everyday. In a study provided by www.aboutpinellaskids.org, of one hundred and eighty-six students, four were homeless, of which one is currently attending high school. If multiplied by our schools population of 2,343, that calculates to be sixteen homeless students in all. Sixteen who are working towards a brighter and more stable future, sixteen who are part of our cougar family, and sixteen who are in need. The original purpose inspiring Thanksgiving was a day for all the members of a common community to give thanks for their many common blessings. Yet many students from Countryside High School have never attempted to invite an impoverished individual or family to their holiday festivities. Going with the notion that hosting others in your home is not a possibility, the local news and radio stations adequately make available information on participating in food drives. So go ahead, get out their and make someones day, I dare you. Let’s do Thanksgiving the right way by starting with small moves like this, and one day the world’s cold exterior just might melt to reveal a change for the better.
provided by Dana Harris 1 c. canned pumpkin 1/2 c. cold milk 1 pkg. (6 serving size) Jello vanilla instant pudding 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 3 1/2 c. thawed Cool Whip Topping 1 graham cracker crust Combine pumpkin, milk, pie filling mix and pumpkin pie spice in small bowl. Beat at lowest speed of electric mixer until well blended, about 1 minute. Fold in 2 1/2 cups of topping. Spoon into crust. Refrigerate until firm (can put in freezer) about 4 hours. Top with remaining whipped topping.
8
ENTERTAINMENT
Drama is out of this world and said it [the production] was one of the best shows to do. Plus, I needed a show my kids (the CHS drama club) didn’t know”. Return to the Forbidden Planet by Bob Carlton, is about a mad scientist whose wife sends him to space for many years only to meet again when a routine survey flight leaves Earth’s orbit, but, unexpectedly lands towards planet Dy’llria. The play is a musical and is a parody off of Shakespeare. It also has elements of Star Trek. “Return to the Forbidden Planet is modern but Shakespearean at the same time. It has fifty’s and sixty’s rock music, it’s upbeat,
modern and fun. I can’t wait for people to see!” Explains sophomore, Victoria Locicero, who has been doing backstage. The musical features familiar songs such as “Shake, Rattle and Roll”, “Wipeout” and “Monster Mash”. The production is guaranteed to draw in a large crowd, according to Mrs. Florio. The main set is a spaceship. Return to the Forbidden Planet will be judged and taken to States this year. If the judges keep an open mind, the chances of Return to the Forbidden Planet’s success seem high.
photo credit nasa.gov, eyespygifts.com
paigeSTEELE staff writer “[Return to the Forbidden Planet] has great music, spoofs, singing, and is a fun play!” Exclaimed drama club’s head, Mrs. Florio. The drama clubs latest production will be showing Thursday, Friday, and Saturday on November 17-19 at 7:00 p.m. and there will be a Friday matinee at 3:00 p.m. Since the fourth week of school, the CHS drama club has been hard at work on Return to the Forbidden Planet. Students of the drama club have been practicing lines, and set building in preparation for their debut at Countryside. The production was chosen by drama club teacher, Kimberly Florio. “This summer when I was working at a production, one of the actors was also a teacher,
Countryside tops off homecoming sports editor
Countryside High School rocked homecoming this year. With the theme of Cirque Du Soleil the decorations followed the theme but were still lacking in some ways. Many juniors wanted “more lenient rules and fewer restrictions” which they received . None of the administrators ranted at the students about “face-to-face with space” and let them grind until the clock struck eleven o’clock. It started slowly and took approximately thirty minutes for everyone to get comfortable and dance without being judged as the first person on the dance floor. There were big white sheets that covered the lockers between the tardy booth all the way down to the E-Wing
Expires 12/30/11
which fell down during the dance because students were going to their lockers behind the sheets. There were no in-
photo credit Lisa Davidson
kelleyBUTTERFIELD
juries besides screaming girls in fear of their life. Many students were impressed by homecoming this year. Joe Ganci ( Jr.) said “It was awesome!” There were few complaints about the location. Junior, Alex Tran says, “They need to move it to a different location. We are in the concourse 5 days a week for like 6 hours each day.”Also, the school ran out of drinks half way through the dance which was disappointing for the worn out students. Other than those few complaints, homecoming was the best it has been in a while. Even the junior homecoming queen, Harmony Tyler, enjoyed the dance and thought it topped the previous years she had attended. Hopefully the years to come will be better than this years’ homecoming and keep getting better as the tradition gets older.
Expires 12/30/11
9
ENTERTAINMENT
The Thing: Now and Then
parkerANDERSEN
entertainment editor
tures were amazing, but the ridiculous and creepy way they In 1982, Director John Carpenter released the visual moved just seemed silly. The seemingly random selection masterpiece of it’s time “The Thing.” Now, 29 years later, of characters that became infected by the Thing was not Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. has created a prequel to the explained well enough, leaving the audience asking how acters had enough 1982 Thing, but with the same certain chartime alone to be killed, replicated, name. In the 1982 version, none a n d return to the of the visual effects group without anyare computer one realizing graphics and all they had left. of the creatures The main are puppets. The theme of the simplicity of the movie is parafirst movie made noia. All of it much more the characters entertaining are stuck in than the 2011 the middle of Thing. photo credits: screenrant.com and robotplunger.com nowhere and The 2011 Thing begins with a nobody can be sure if anyone is who small group of scientists finding the they say they are. It is entertaining to watch as the group alien ship and the rest of their team later finding the alien splits up to fi nd lost members and have them regroup, not mere yards away from the ship and the movie ends perknowing who is really a human and who is not. fectly where the original begins. With many explanations Whether or not you are were a fan of the first movie, as to why certain things were placed where and how they the 2011 “The Thing” is fun and entertaining enough to got to be that way, the 2011 Thing was the near- perfect have been a stand alone movie. If you want the best “The prequel. Th ing” movie- watching experience, I recommend watchAlthough “The Thing” is a horror film, many moments ing the 2011 first and watching the original immediately were quite laughable. The computer graphics for the creaafterwards, for both a comparison and explanations.
Paranormal Activity: Prequel to a prequel macyHARPER
staff writer
The Paranormal Activity franchise continues with its third movie from Paramount Pictures. With $54 million made by the first night, this movie was number one at the box office. It had the biggest debut ever for a horror movie, according to Sunday Studio Estimates. Prior to the movie release, the usual October horror competition died off. Paranormal Activity 3 is a prequel, with disturbing home-made footage back from 1988. This time, however, the movie producers assigned a fresh new film-making duo, Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman to control all directorial duties. Although it is a prequel, this film is not likely to answer many of the questions left in the wake of Paranormal Activity. The tagline for Paranormal Activity 3 reads “it runs in the family” because all 3 films tie into eachother. The first two films were based on Katie and Kristi, two sisters who have had demon problems throughout there lives. The movie begins with leftover footage from the 2nd movie where Katie is in the process of moving and packing boxes and decides to place a box of VHS tapes in Kristi’s basement, which goes missing at random. This part of the movie caused a lot of confusion. The footage then cuts into the footage of what was presumably on the VHS tapes that
disappeared. The year of this movie is 1988 and we get introduced to Dennis, the father figure of Kristi and Katie. Early in the movie it is revealed that Kristi has an imaginary friend who goes by the name of “Toby”, this is where the movie began to become more scary by the minute. Dennis hears and earful about “Toby” from Kristi which begins to concern him in addition to the strange noises he complains to be hearing at night. The noises are unlike any other and sound like an unknown presence is in there home. Dennis takes action and decides to place 3 surveillance cameras throughout there home, which built up suspense through the roof. Along with the other Paranormal Activity movies, there are night scenes set up which display the time and date, and also have a time lapse, to give the audience a glimpse of the footage caught on the surveillance cameras. Similar to the first two takes, the footage is calm at first and slowly becomes out-of-hand. During the time lapse the whole audience is scared of what might possibly happen next. After a night full of noises, door’s being slammed, furniture flying, and paranormal activity at its worst, the movie ends and the screen is cut to black. Many questions still remain about the entire Paranormal Activity prequel itself. Whether or not their will be a fourth Paranormal Activity is one of the biggest questions.
haleyPETERS
features editor
If someone from the turn of the 20th century looked into the future and saw the crowd of bizarrely dressed concert junkies at Jannus Live, they would probably think aliens had taken over the planet. Long gone are the days of easy-listening tunes and wholesome concerts in the park. The overwhelming bass lines and techno influences of dubstep are clearly not your mother’s music. The electronically produced phenomenon became popular in the early 2000’s, with DJs, like Bassnectar, taking dubstep from experimental club music in Europe to mainstream audiences all over the world. The crowd at Bassnectar on Sunday, October 23 was unlike any crowd I have ever seen. Apparel for dubstep concerts need satisfy only one requirement: anything goes! Girls wore fairy wings and sparkly bras as they paraded around on guy’s shoulders. Judging by the penguin costume, strobe light hats, and neon corsets, I would say the crowd was well-informed of the dress code. Above a sea of lit cigarettes and glowsticks, Bassnectar’s sole DJ Lorin Ashton began to play his signature bass beats while scratching on a CDJ, an electronic version of the vinyl records DJs scratched on decades ago. His equipment was surprisingly low tech; simply a laptop and the CDJ disks were used to create the blaring sound, carried out by the enormous speakers. His lights and stage display, however, were the exact opposite. On enormous screens abstract images flashed in an illogical order-- babies, grass, unrecognisable cartoons, eyes-- thus adding a visual element to the musical experience. Without hesitation I grabbed my phone and tried to take a picture of the stage. To my disappointment, it only captured an overwhelming explosion of light and only a slight outline of Lorin. The sold-out concert resulted in a packed venue, leaving almost no room to dance. I spent much of the evening squished between a couple who was enjoying each other’s company a little too much and a teenage guy who liked to shake his long hair all over the place. That aside, the energy of the crowd was overwhelming with excitement. When the speakers started to blare a tripped out, bassenthused remix of “Bass Down Low”, the crowd went absolutely wild, dancing all the way to the ground in unison. Shortly after, Lorin slyly grabbed the mic and asked “So who here’s got school or work tomorrow...?” A roar came up from the audience “Yeah!!” “Maybe I should stop early so you guys can get some sleep!” he replied. He did no such thing, letting the bass drop till 11 PM-- pretty late for a school night! In all honesty, Bassnectar was glorious. Not only was it a mecca for people watching, but a chance to experience the new era of music in all of it vocal-dubbing, bassdropping splendor.
SPORTS
Cougars refuse to lose
mance against the Clearwater Tornadoes. The Cougars held sports editor the Tornadoes in a scoreless victory of 35-0. The defense The Countryside Cougars are done with the regular held the spotlight holding the Tornadoes to just 150 total football season with their sights set on the playoffs. The offensive yards. The Countryside defense held Clearwater’s Cougars are dominating games and running up the score quarterback, Rob Yarbrough, to just 100 yards through the with recent wins to set themselves at an impressive 10-0 air and 20 rushing yards for the night. Yarbrough came for the season. Countryside has been conquering oppo- into the game averaging 170 yards a game that was slowed nents to achieve another by the stingy Cougar deundefeated season for the fense. The Cougars domsecond year in a row. inated the Tornadoes to On Friday October 14, add a second shutout for 2011, the boys took the the season. field against the WireOn Friday October grass Ranch Bulls. With 28, the Cougars moved the homecoming game on to their next opon the line, the Cougars ponent, the Pinellas did not disappoint; they Park Patriots. The game easily broke the school’s didn’t start well for the record for most points Cougars, as the Patriots scored in a single game jumped out to a quick for a 66-6 victory. Af7-0 lead off a 30 yard ter halftime, head coach run by Marquis Samuels. Jared Davis decided to Trailing 14-7 at halflet the fans have a taste of time, the Cougars rallied the future, sending in the behind two touchdown younger members of the runs by Diomi Roberts dam Vinson, Zak Laursen, and Ryan Yates celebrate team with a 49 to 0 cushto take the lead 21-14. In after a hard fought victory. Photo credit idreamstudios.com ion to comfort them. The the fourth quarter, Roberts most notable performance scored one more time on a of the night was by senior running back, Diomi Roberts. 35 yard run to seal the game 28-21. Roberts finished the night with three rushing touchdowns In the final game of the season on November 4, the and a fourth off of a blocked punt. His total night included Cougars welcomed the visiting St. Pete High School and 11 carries for 54 yards for four touchdowns. Even though sent them home packing. Countryside dominated the Countryside was the favorite to win, the Cougars never al- game, holding the Green Devils to just 14 points, while lowed the Bulls into the game, dashing the Bulls hopes of scoring 28 unanswered points in the second half to secure claiming their first win of the season. the 41-14 win. This win gave the Cougars their second A week after the Cougars held Wiregrass to just six straight Class 7A, District 9 title, and a perfect 10-0 seapoints, Countryside put in another dominating perfor- son.
haliKUDLER
A
10
Tragedy on the track
zacharySTEELE
opinion editor When watching a racing event, fans often take for granted when a car flips, catches fire, or slams into a wall, and then driver walks out perfectly fine. It happens so often that sometimes fans forget about the dangers of auto racing. Unfortunately, on October 16, 2011, a horrific crash at the IndyCar World Championship in Las Vegas reminded the world of the extreme risks of auto racing On lap 11 of the final race of the IndyCar season, disaster struck. As Dan Wheldon headed into a routine turn, a massive multicar wreck broke out, and engulfed Wheldon, sending his car airborne at first and then straight into a wall. Wheldon’s car burst into flames in a frightening scene and everyone was left to hope for the best. W heldon was airlifted from his car, but died shortly heldon’s car goes airborne cause deafter, the after a multicar pile up. termined Photo credit as a blunt ESPN.com f o r c e trauma to the head. The race was cancelled, but the emotional drivers decided to give a five-lap tribute to Wheldon. Wheldon was the first IndyCar driver to die on track since Paul Dana in 2006. Wheldon was born in Emberton, England, but lived in St. Petersburg, Florida. He was an IndyCar Series Champion and a two time Indianapolis 500 winner. However, it was his great personality that made Wheldon stand out. Drivers loved Wheldon, and many were isn tears when his death was announced by IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard. The only positive that can be taken out of a tragic story like this is the hope that an incident like this will lead to improvements in the future. Obviously there is no way to completely take out the risks of racing, but changes need to be made to ensure better driver safety. The crash has brought much needed attention to the dangers drivers face every single time they step behind the wheel, and hopefully will lead
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Upcoming games:
Girls Junior Varsity Soccer Boys Varsity Basketball Girls Varsity Basketball Date 11/30 12/06 12/08 12/14
Opponent Palm Harbor @ East Lake Dixie Hollins @ Clearwater
Boys Soccer Date 11/29 12/05 12/07 12/09 12/12 12/13 12/15 01/03 01/06 01/24,25,27
Opponent @ St. Petersburg Tarpon Springs @ Seminole East Lake Riverview @ Northeast Lakewood @ Clearwater @ North Port 5A-8 District Tourney
Date 11/29 12/05 12/07 12/09 12/12 12/13 12/15 01/03 01/06 01/17,18,20
Opponent @ St. Petersburg Tarpon Springs @ Seminole East Lake Riverview @ Northeast Lakewood @ Clearwater @ North Port 5A-8 District Tourney
Girls Varsity Soccer
Date 12/02 12/06 12/07 12/09 12/13 12/15 12/16 12/20-22 12/27-29 01/03 01/04 01/06 01/10 01/11 01/19 01/20 01/24 01/30 02/07,08,10
Opponent @ Pinellas Park @ Northeast Palm Harbor Dunedin St. Petersburg Clearwater Tarpon Springs Port St. Lucie Tourney Boca Raton Tourney @ St. Petersburg Pinellas Park Seminole @ Clearwater @ East Lake @ Sun Lake Largo @ Seminole @ Dunedin 7A-10 District Tourney
Date 11/30 12/01 12.06 12/08 12/13 12/15 12/16 01/03 01/05 01/11 01/13 01/19 01/20 01/23 01/24 01/26
Opponent @ Seminole Northeast @ East Lake @ St. Petersburg @ Dixie Hollins @ Pinellas Park @ Osceola @ Northside Christian Clearwater Seminole @ Keswick @ Sun Lake @ CCC @ Largo @ Calvary Christian PCAC Challenge
11
SPORTS
Countryside champs conquer competitors alexMILLER
staff writer
Many great accomplishments achieved by Countryside High School’s sport teams can be blown off and never heard about; therefore, it is time to check back in with those teams and see how things are going.
Varsity foo tball rema ins undefe football go ated. es 8-1 so fa r this seaso JV cluding th n, ine one loss against Ea High Scho st Lake ol.
photo credit sicksport.com
The has volle far gone yball t thi s se 10-1 eam aso 4 s o n.
st f four fir a total o r d e fa n r o a s e s e has eir match d one olf team th g ’ in s y e o c b la n The ond p place a o d one sec five first o won tw places an e girls’ have had y have als e Muse Th th r. ; a r e a y e this in th this y lace wins ents: one s 2A, Dissecond p in their tournam C e las ce ther in th o n a third pla d n a ational tang Invit -11). A trict 11 (2
photo credit Elizabeth Mason
Boy has s’ cr o poi a tota ss c ou nts l the this score ntr y sco girls’ yea of 77 re o r a f 15 team n has d 3p oin ts. a
photo credit Kylee Strapp
photo credit countrysideswimdive.com
Gir tea ls’ swi mc m Aq a a u t and atic Che Pi me in nd di v n t e poi boys onfer llas hird e a nts e C t c n am o . e i ce wit unty n f our h 267 th p wit oints h 2 33
12
PAWPARAZZI
Countryside student turns ______________________________________ rachelWAAG staff writer
It is every athlete’s dream to be featured in the Olympics; however, for Ariel “Summer” Finke, it is reality. Ever since the age of six, Summer found her passion in the sport of swimming. Throughout the past nine years of her life she has worked her way up to the top of the charts, and has recently been asked to participate in the Olympic trials for swimming. Being a freshman here at Countryside High School, it is astounding that Summer has qualified for the Olympic trials this soon in her high school and swimming career. Summer says that without her head coach, Fred Lewis, to look up to and for support she could not have made it this far. Her family also plays a vital role in her swimming career for her siblings, Autumn and Bobby, also take part in the sport of swimming. Above the other events, the 500 freestyle is her favorite to race; having a fastest time of 4:50-- An amazing feat considering that the girl’s national record is 4:33. “She’s a beast!” Says sophomore, Megan Kearns, “Her swim times are amazing! And she’s not only a fantastic swimmer, but she’s a really great person over all.” Recently, at the FLAG (Florida Age Group championships) swim meet, formerly known as the Junior Olympics, on July 19th through July 22nd, Summer was ranked as one of the top sixteen finishers of her age group thirteen through fourteen; remarkably achieving first in 1000 yard free style, third in 200 free, second in 400 Individual Medley, first in 500 yard free style, first in 1650 yard free and eighth in 200 yard back stroke). Summer Finke is considered one of the best swimmers in the state of Florida. Even more so, she was titled the Florida Swimmer of the Year and is also the first thirteen year old to qualify for Olympic trials out of the whole country. This straight A student has quite the future ahead of her- with hopes to go to the Olympics or possibly College swimming. In June 2012, Summer will compete at the Olympic trials in Omaha, Nebraska for a chance to be in the Olympics, taking place in London, England.
Future Olympian S
ummer Finke, swimmer on the St.Petersburg Aquatics team, readies herself before the race. photo credit: http://oldnortheast.patch.com
Swimming five days a week and up to five hours a day, Summer is practically part fish. Obviously, swimming at her level takes pure power and dedication, which Summer seems to have an abundance of. Now, realizing that the Olympic ring is only a few steps away, Summer must work twice as hard and believe in her self more than anyone else. We congratulate her on all of her hard work and wish her luck in all upcoming meets, as well as the trials.
Cheering for more than just football photo credit: http://www.flickr.com
______________________________________ abbyMILLS
S
business editor
ydne poses in her Countryside Cougars Cheerleading uniform. photo credit: lifelong studios
The struggles of cancer include constant hospital visits, the loss of hair and the risk of dying. Cancer strikes 10,000 children each year, killing 1,500 of them. Cancer cannot only rob a family of their child, but it can put them through physical and financial strain. Sydne Mushaben, a current sophomore at Countryside is a survivor of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and has been through the life changing events of being a cancer patient. Sydne was diagnosed December 8th, 2010 after being sick with mono. Studies performed in the United States and England have found connections between mono and Hodgkin’s lymphoma but remain inconclusive. Sydne has visited the hospital four times due to her diagnoses of cancer. Three times she spent Saturday and Sunday nights going through chemotherapy. The fourth visit, due to a fever, was for Sydne’s safety.. Sydne was one of the lucky teens who never got sick from undergoing chemotherapy. After receiving her first round of chemo the cancer was almost gone. By the end of the third round Synde was considered cancer free. Therefore, she never needed radiation. Commonly associated with cancer patients is the loss of hair. This comes as a more difficult side effect to tackle because of the fact the other people can see it. Cancer patients put a label on themselves based on the loss of their
hair and receive sympathy because of it too. Sydne lost some of her hair but not all. She did however wear a wig that was both stylish and similar to her own hair color. Wigs come in various cuts and colors, allowing patients to choose a style thats right for them. Sydne took part in the Dunedin Dulathon. The purpose of this event was to “showcase me and show people survive cancer”, Sydne said. To promote her event her friends and family hung flyers around the community and school. Another organization that has greatly impacted Sydne and her family was the Dream Fund. This organization, very similar to the Make a Wish Foundation, only its local and only for kids. For her 16th birthday they threw Sydne a special sweet sixteen at the Safety Harbor Spa. Her party consisted of load music and happy teens dancing. The party was completed with a tiger and other exotic animals. As with any case of cancer, the disease effects friends and family almost as much as the patient. For Sydne her closest family, her mom and younger brother, had the hardest time knowing what Sydne was going through. Her dad however has other family members go through cancer and knew more about the process and how to be there for Sydne. According to Sydne “my doc thinks I have the cancer jean like my previous relatives” since cancer runs in the family. Sydne now is a star on the varsity cheerleading team. Sydne’s story is similar to many other teens. Although heartbreaking, knowing their success and triumph brings hope that one day cancer can be defeated.