The C.H.A.T. January Issue 19-20, Pembroke Pines Charter High School

20YEARS

Vol ume20·NewY earI s s ue

I N THI SI SSUE. . .

PRESI DENTI AL I MPEACHMENT I NTERVI EW WI TH J ENNAMANNI NG

THE C.H.C. STAFF Caroline Kadir Editor-in-Chief

Rebekah Jacob Managing Editors - Content & Layout Charter Daily News Ariana Ortiz Web Managing Editor Maxine Martinez Business Manager Mr. J. Foreman - Layout Mr. F. Fagen - Content Mr, J. Foreman - Video Advisors Mr. P. Bayer Principal

STUDENT LIFE

Alan Mathew News Editor Kiersten Warren Student Life Editor Paula Lillquist-Rodriguez Technology Editor

EN

Morgan Lind Clubs Editor Michael Muela Sports Editor Maxine Martinez Features Editor Sophia Cortes Entertainment Editor Brianna Butler Lifestyle Editor

2020 Predictions

FEATURES

Rachel Rivera Voices Versus Violence Editor Nicole Llanes & Sammantha Miragliotta Community Outreach Andres Alfonso - The CHAT Nicholas Amad - Web Photo Editors Justin Pierce Graphics Editor CONTENT STAFF: Caroline Kadir, Rebekah Jacob, Nicole Llanes, Ariana Ortiz, Rachel Rivera, Mia Mateo, Samantha Miragliotta, Maxine Martinez, Kiersten Warren, Paula Lillquist-Rodriguez, Morgan Lind, Andres Alfonso, Alan Mathew, Sophia Cortez, Brianna Butler, Samantha Cruz, Michael Muela, Sebastian Alvarez, Gabriela Carvajal, Kimani Dodd, Joshua Lasarte, Mariana Riano, Rebecca Lim LAYOUT STAFF: Caroline Kadir, Rebekah Jacob, Henry Severe, Megan Rasmussen, Hailey Watson, Zeshan Zubair, Monica Lozada, Natalie Fernandez, Valerie Verga

What it means to Fly and Then Fall

LIFESTYLE

PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF: Andres Alfonso, Nicholas Amad, Bryan Lara, Natali Brito, Megan Ingram, Jeinily Bencon, Yoko Witkowski, Aijah Harper, Francesca Brito GRAPHICS STAFF: Justin Pierce, Jasmin Bleus, Rosa Gomez, Carolina Othon, Matthew Morales-Galdamez, Dominick Zarcadoolas, Shane Wooden, Jaxen Wyborny CARTOONIST: Mariana Riano The C.H.A.T. is an official publication of the Pembroke Pines Charter High School (PPCHS). The content of out newspaper is not necessarily the opinions of our advisors and administration.

The C.H.A.T. staff welcomes any comments to the editors and/or staff. The C.H.A.T. is a publication of C.H.C. (Charter High Communications) sponsored by the Communications and Technology Department of PPCHS. Pembroke Pines Charter High School 17189 Sheridan Street Pembroke Pines, FL 33331 Phone: 954-538-3700 Email: ppchsnewspaper@gmail.com Twitter: @ppchsnewspaper Instagram: @ppchsnewspaper The CHAT welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be signed. The staff reserves the right to edit letters for poor taste, libel, and space.

Drop off letters in room C113 or send an email to ppchsnewspaper@gmail.com.

VOIC

NEWS

SPORTS

Impeachment

NTERTAINMENT

interview with Jenna Manning

TECHNOLOGY

CES VERSUS VIOLENCE

Best Sports Moments of the Decade Photo Donated

Entering the Decade of Adulthood RACHEL RIVRA VOICE VERSUS VIOLENCE

Happy New Decade! This time 10 years

ago, we were staring at all of the colorful walls and listening to our classmates run around the room screaming, “Tag! You’re it!” And 10 years ago today, we began a decade of learning, memories, and friendships. We grew up with Hannah Montana backpacks and Ninja Turtle lunch boxes. Everybody could sing to “High School Musical” whether they liked it or not and “Fireflies” by Owl City was a must have on the MP3 playlist.

Throughout the last decade we had our first sleepovers in middle school, our first crushes, and our first heartbreaks. This year just like every other we plan to start fresh, and create new healthier habits.

Unlike every other year this year is also

the start of a brand new decade, and for seniors the decade where we officially become adults and our lives completely change. It’s hard to know exactly what the next 10 years have in store for us, but it’s safe to say they’ll be anything but boring. This time of our lives will be full of wonder, endless possibilities, and emotional truths.

Our childhood has now sailed, it is time to grow up and face the harsh reality of the real world. We have to accept our college campuses as our new homes, create new memories, and make new friends just like we did 10 years ago.

Letting go of our childhood can often be difficult because we mourn the loss of a

simple life. Adult life may be more complicated, but it also brings many rewards.

We can make all our own decisions and truly make our lives our own. Another decade that will consist of learning, memories and friendships, but now we get to experience being an adult and make the most of adult life. “It’s really hard to believe that this next decade we are going to become real people in the world. Everyone we have grown up with will no longer be around us, everything we thought we knew about the world will prove that we actually don’t know that much, and everything in this decade can change our lives. By the end of this decade, some of us may have our dream jobs, some of us

may have kids, and some of us may still be figuring out what to do with life” says senior Valerie Samosky. Our new gained independence, but not nearly enough life experience will teach us new things and shape us into the people we will be for the rest of our lives.

We are excited about what the future holds, but nervous about what we have to leave behind: our comfort zone. It is time to create a name for ourselves and accept everything adulthood has to offer. No matter where we are, who we stay close with, and how often we visit home, memories will never fade. The class of 2020 optimistically looks forward to the next decade, and the new phase of our lives.

Photos Donated

Class of

2020

Charter Travels

Winter Break Edition

Graphic By: Jaxen Wyborny

Ringing In The New Upperclassmen 4

Student Life

CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Donated By: Herff Jones

What’s the Difference between Freshman and Senior Year?

MIA MATEO

STAFF WRITER

“The class work has defi-

“I started to learn how important

nitely gotten tougher. The

school was as the years went on. I

“The stress level is the main

biggest change from fresh-

know now that if I want to pursue a

difference. Freshman year

man year to now has got

future in real estate I would need to

to be preparing for college.

keep solid grades and continue to do

was my easiest year workload-

In 9th grade, I had zero

well in school. I made new friends

wise; right now I’m involved in

clue where I wanted to go

and we have grown closer ever since.”

and what I wanted to study,

-Senior Patrick Andrew

of the school year which is

but it finally feels very real.

Knowing what you want to study in the future makes it easier to think about graduation because you can see your path after high school.”

-Senior Kylie Fernandez

so much and it’s the beginning

“For myself I had a drastic change in the type of friends I had then and now. High school matures you. I had a completely different mindset due to everything I went through in high school and all the adversities I faced in and out of school.” -Senior Matteo D’Agostino

when college apps are due and it’s just a lot on my plate.”

-Senior Amanda Cooke-William

6

ENTERTAINMENT CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

The long-awaited second season of the wildly popular psychological thriller, ‘You,’ arrived on Netflix on December 26, 2019. In season one, audiences were introduced to Joe Goldberg, the main character of the show. It takes place in NYC and revolves around Joe and his love interest, Beck. He becomes obsessed with her and proceeds to stalk her online and in real life, and his criminal behavior escalates throughout the REBECCA LIM season.

STAFF WRITER The first-person narration gives fans of the show a look into Joe’s thought process and his twisted way of validating his sociopathic thoughts and behavior. His obsession leads him to commit numerous heinous crimes, including multiple murders.

However, the audience starts to learn through flashbacks and Joe’s hallucinations of his ex that this most likely isn’t the first time he’s done this for the sake of “love.” All the while, he continues to defend his actions by saying they were necessary to get to Beck and maintain their relationship.

After the first season’s shocking finale, season two brings a new setting, a new name, and a new love interest. Joe moves across the country and steals the identity of a man named Will Bettelheim. He does

Let’s Talk About

SEASON 2

this to try and get away from his revenge-seeking ex, and to get a fresh start “without love.” However, a new love interest, Love Quinn, is introduced early on and audiences see Joe’s obsessive cycle start to repeat. So, some things that got fans hooked onto the first season have stayed the same, but in general, season two is pretty different from season one. Many things have changed and many new ideas have been incorporated to keep the show fresh. This has led to many people preferring this new season because of its new and unpredictable nature. Freshman Rasika Sriram says, “I highly recommend it because I personally think that it was better, with all the twists and turns.” Nevertheless, some fans still believe it’s necessary to watch the previous one to fully enjoy it. Senior Chiamaka Osakwe says, “Season one is very necessary to watch or you won’t understand any of Joe’s actions in season two.” However, even audiences that skipped over season one can appreciate how thrilling and exciting season two is.

‘You’ season two includes a huge plot twist in the final episode that nobody saw coming. Many fans loved the ending, one being sophomore Melissa Lewis, who says, “Personally, I enjoy a crazy and unexpected plot.” There are many unexpected and shocking moments in this season, besides the final twist, that have viewers hanging on the edges of their seats and binge-watching the show. Junior Maria Herne says, “The second season took me two days to finish. I watched most of it during an all-nighter because I literally couldn’t put the show down.” Undoubtedly, the new season is definitely as good as, if not better than, the last season, and has something for everyone.

However, the show isn’t just entertaining to watch, it presents warnings that are extremely relevant in today’s society. Joe’s use of social media and the internet to stalk his love interests is an eerily familiar sight. In today’s digital age, using Instagram, Google, etc, to find out information about people has become extremely commonplace. Sophomore Melissa Lewis says, “Whether we realize it or not, we all find ourselves snooping a little too deep into a person’s profile.” Many fans didn’t even think Joe was doing anything wrong, because it’s something that everyone seems to do, which is exactly why ‘You’ is so relevant.

The show serves as a warning against social media, obsessive relationships, and the romanticization of characters like Joe, especially to today’s generation of young people.

Editorial

When John Mulaney goes back in time, he doesn’t do it half-heartedly. John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch is a Mulaney special like none before it, inspired by the comedian’s own favorite childhood T.V. shows and other similar influences. At the same time - despite drawing a foundation from programs like Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood - Mulaney’s Sack Lunch Bunch is uniquely him in ways that are simply impossible to miss.

Simultaneously irrelevant and genuine, the over-an-hour long Netflix special brings together a cast of kids between the ages of 8 and 13 in a series of sketches, skits, and musical numbers. While the production elements shine through each of these, some of the most remarkable moments are between the bits, where Mulaney and kids find themselves talking and bantering candidly for nothing but the sake of it. No adult themes are ever invoked, but shining gems like these moments aren’t just for the younger-viewing audience. Intelligence shines throughout, but nowhere more than in the child stars’ witty remarks, nuanced answers, and hilarious wisecracks. The Sack Lunch Bunch isn’t a comedy special just for kids, but it is one where their comedic power takes on a whole new light.

One particularly unique exchange took place between two separate and dramatic musical scenes. 10 year-old Tyler, geeked out in almost-but-not-quite Coke bottle glasses and a yellow plaid shirt is faced with a question: “How long have you been afraid of dying in your sleep?” Tyler isn’t the least bit fazed or surprised but answers the question seriously without even a hint of irony. Stopping only to take a breath, he responds, “Probably about, like, one year. ‘Cause then one day I just thought of it.” Situations like these are where the special reveals its own extraordinary style of humor - one many can’t help but chuckle at. The effort is obvious; even the music is directed (at least in part) by a former Sesame Street songwriter, Eli Bolin.The kids are never pressured, but always volunteer their own answers, and even the obvious scripted scenes are impossible not to giggle at.

Take Jake Gyllenhall’s surprise appearance as “Mr. Music” at the end of Sack Lunch Bunch. He appeared disoriented and confused - confessing to his friend John that he stayed up the night beforehand and didn’t prepare - and yet he barrels on anyway. The kids’ reactions as he tries to create sounds out of “everyday” objects is this a stroke of genius. The completely inept maestro fails miserably but evokes sympathetic reactions in the cast.

He also perfectly personifies the show’s fervent desire to avoid anything even resembling monotony. Overall the show is an absurd, magnificent masterpiece. It’s wholesome, relevant, witty, rational, and even reminiscent of Monty Python at times. As one Rotten ToSimultaneously irrelevant and genuine, the over-an-hour long Netflix special brings together a cast of kids between the ages of 8 and 13 in a series of sketches, skits, and musical numbers. While the production elements shine through each of these, some of the most remarkable moments are between the bits, where Mulaney and kids find themselves talking and bantering candidly for nothing but the sake of it. No adult themes are ever invoked, but shining gems like these moments aren’t just for the younger-viewing audience. Intelligence shines throughout, but nowhere more than in the child stars’ witty remarks, nuanced answers, and hilarious wisecracks. The Sack Lunch Bunch isn’t a comedy special just for kids, but it is one where their comedic power takes on a whole new light.

One particularly unique exchange took place between two separate and dramatic musical scenes. 10 year-old Tyler, geeked out in almost-but-not-quite Coke bottle glasses and a yellow plaid shirt is faced with a question: “How long have you been afraid of dying in your sleep?” Tyler isn’t the least bit fazed or surprised but answers the question seriously without even a hint of irony. Stopping only to take a breath, he responds, “Probably about, like, one year. ‘Cause then one day I just thought of it.” Situations like these are where the special reveals its own extraordinary style of humor - one many can’t help but chuckle at. The effort is obvious; even the music is directed (at least in part) by a former Sesame Street songwriter, Eli Bolin.The kids are never pressured, but always volunteer their own answers, and even the obvious scripted scenes are impossible not to giggle at.

Take Jake Gyllenhall’s surprise appearance as “Mr. Music” at the end of Sack Lunch Bunch. He appeared disoriented and confused - confessing to his friend John that he stayed up the night beforehand and didn’t prepare - and yet he barrels on anyway. The kids’ reactions as he tries to create sounds out of “everyday” objects is this a stroke of genius. The completely inept maestro fails miserably but evokes sympathetic reactions in the cast.

He also perfectly personifies the show’s fervent desire to avoid anything even resembling monotony. Overall the show is an absurd, magnificent masterpiece. It’s wholesome, relevant, witty, rational, and even reminiscent of Monty Python at times. As one Rotten Tomatoes critic Brianna Warren put it, “Who knew a childless, 30-something white man from Chicago would be one of the most reliable soldiers in the fight against toxic masculinity and a champion for weird and wonderful kids everywhere?”

John Mulaney Unironically Dives into the World of Ironic

Children’s Specials

ALAN MATHEW NEWS EDITOR

REBECCA LIM STAFF WRITER

7

ENTERTAINMENT CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Music of the Decade

Graphic by Justin Pierce

8

ENTERTAINMENT CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Nothing But “Sour Cherries” on Our Minds an interview with Jenna Manning SOPHIA CORTES

MARIANA RIANO

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

STAFF WRITER

On December 27th, 2019, Charter’s own senior Jenna Manning dropped a stunning scarlet music video for her song “Sour Cherries On My Mind”.

The song comes off of her EP Vitamin C, the talk of the town back in fall. The Chat sat down with her after an OutLoud Club meeting to talk to her about her process.

Mariana: So you’ve recently released a music video for one of the songs on your EP, “Sour Cherries on My Mind.” Can you tell us a little bit about the process?

Jenna: Initially I wasn’t planning to do a music video, but my sister had some friends at the UM campus who had to finish a project, so she suggested me to them. We kind of worked out a system where I would be gaining a music video for one of my songs, which is really cool, and they would be completing their project. So it was a win-win situation.

They made a whole inspiration board first and then they sent it to me. We set a day, and we just filmed the entire morning. They brought in a bunch of red props, red candy, made me wear red and red lipstick.

Then they brought in this boy after, (laughs) who I did not know! I was nervous about that because I didn’t know he was going to be there, so (laughs) it was really random! It was really fun though, it was a good experience it got me out of my comfort zone.

The UM students pretty much did everything that was amazing in [the music video].

Mariana: Would you do it again?

Jenna: I would definitely do it again! But this time I feel like I would be more prepared. Before I was asking a lot of questions because I was, like, “Oh my god…” because when I get nervous I ask a lot of questions. But I feel like if there is a next time I would definitely do it and be more comfortable about it.

Sophia: Would you be planning on doing another EP in the future?

Jenna: Yeah! The EP that I made, Vitamin C, it was pretty cool putting it all together and looking back on it and going, “Wow, I actually finished seven songs.” (laughs) I never thought I would get there. I would definitely do another EP because it’s something I had fun doing and it’s something I do in my free time anyhow—it’s not like I’m forcing myself to do it.

Sophia: By the way, what is “Sour Cherries” about?

Jenna: Initially, I never thought this would be a song I would finish. The first line, “Lips like sour cherries on my mind”—that came from a phrase that one of my counselors from my writing camp said that they put on my vision board. And I was just looking at my vision board one day and I’m like, “I just need to write something.” So I started with that line, and I kept writing after that but it didn’t make any sense. Then one day, it just hit me, and all of a sudden I had a GarageBand beat that I made and it just kept going. And then I made the second verse. It probably stems from the idea of wanting to be with someone—like, being in love with love is a nice idea that I like exploring a lot, because I think I’m in love with love! (laughs) Sophia: Are you planning on pursuing music as a career?

Jenna: It’s definitely an interest of mine but not so much that I would push for it. I’m probably going to explore music in college—all aspects of music too, like producing and all that—and we’ll see where it gets me.

Mariana: You’re a part of everything—you run OutLoud on Wednesdays, and you’re the president of Best Buddies. How do you balance this along with your EP and your music video, school and extracurriculars?

Jenna: Honestly, I always try to find a balance, and sometimes it gets rough, because there’s a balance between doing the clubs and then there’s also school and having fun with your friends, because that’s important. Also, making sure you exercise and eat properly because that’s important. The only thing I think I would be lacking in my balance at times is sleep, because it’s my goal to make sure everything in the circle is fulfilled, and so at the very bottom of it I would be losing sleep. I have no problem with that at all, it just gets very exhausting at times. I do have a lot of people helping me out of course; in Best Buddies I have the officers. I’m kind of a control freak too (laughs) so I pre plan everything. For the Outloud stuff I had that done in the summer, and the Best Buddies schedule planned out beforehand too. I make sure everything is planned. I don’t just do, you feel?

Mariana: What would you recommend to any aspiring artists at Charter?

Jenna: (laughs) Well, honestly, I don’t really feel like I’m in a certain position to give aspiring artists at Charter advice because honestly, I’m one of them. We’re all in this together. For me it’s more of a fun thing to do rather than a serious thing I want to pursue in the future. I wouldn’t give them any sort of advice but I would motivate them or help them with resources if they need anything. If they want to know if someone can video them for a certain thing, I can give them resources like my sister’s friends, or my sister even. I would like to help them because I think it’s pretty cool—I see very few people trying to go out there in the creativity zone and I want to push for more of that.

Sophia: Finally, could you explain your relationship with writing to us?

Jenna: Well, some days, I want to write, and I’m sitting there, pen in my hand, and nothing comes out. Once it does, though, it just barfs all over the page. I know I want to continue it. I keep going, and I keep going, and I have the rough draft all of a sudden. Then I keep developing it—try to find beats for it, or try to find new ways to sing it.

It’s pretty much like a language to me, and I’m glad I know it.

Mariana: Thank you so much!

Jenna: Thank you guys!

Features

Carrying Your Style Into the

KIERSTEN WARREN STUDENT LIFE

We all have things that define us. Steve

Jobs had his iconic black turtleneck. Marilyn Monroe had her famous blonde hair and red lipstick. Having an individualized style is just another way to voice your expression to the world. How you style yourself gives your wardrobe a voice.

Although we wear uniforms at Pembroke Pines Charter High, we still find ways to express ourselves on the daily.

One of the many ways that PPCHS students express themselves is through our fashion club led by science teacher Ms. Chancellor. Headed by president Whitney Sylvester and vice president Jannah Hessin, this charter club is known for their outfits and modeling at pep rallies and other fashion showcases. Senior Valentina Orduy expresses herself through modeling and fashion club. She says, “Fashion club helps me express my style to the entire school. I love modeling at pep rallies and showing it off, it’s really fun. Everyone is so nice and they complement me on my style.”

Another student at charter, junior Bradi Stewart, expresses herself through her style as well. Although she isn’t in fashion, outside of school, she lets her clothes speak for her. “I like wearing a lot of hoodies and jeans, since I get cold a lot.

I have crop tops, but most of the time I end up wearing jackets over them to keep me warm, but it adds to my style a lot.

My style defines me because I’m chill but fashionable, and I feel like that reflects in the outfits that I wear.” What you wear can inform people who may not know you about your ambitions, spending habits, and personality.

Psychology can now also help express

Next

how we define our style, nicknamed “the psychology of dress.” Clinical psychologist, Dr. Jennifer Baumgartner wrote a book about how psychology determines the clothing choices, and how to additionally overcome the issues your wardrobe could be bringing to light in our everyday lives. (Forbes) Sophomore Alexis Galletta says, “Someone’s style reveals a lot about them. If you dress too old or too young for your age, you could be attempting to express the age you think you are, or want to be. Maybe you’re caught between two different worlds: your internal age, and your actual age.” We should all dress how we feel, not how we want to feel.

Americans in general often rely on their style to define their social status to everyone else around them. Freshman Camila King says, “It’s almost as if we’re in an aristocracy. Our clothes help us establish where we think we want to be. On reality shows, the people wear expensive name brand clothing and drive nice cars as a way to put each other down.” One of the most famous families in our country, the Kardashian-Jenners, use their popularity to showcase their very expensive style. For example, many look up to famous model of the family, Kendall Jenner, for her amazing sense of style. She often wears name brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, and still gives off a sense of humility.

Your clothing can impact what a lot of outside people think about you, including any employers or strangers. Keeping an individualized style what many people pay attention to when they first meet you, and it can have a lasting impression. Students at charter are sure to bring their defined styles with them into the new decade.

Photos Donated By: Fashion Club

CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Decade

9

10 FEATURES

CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

What Defines You

ur lives are woven with individuality. Threads of our best and worst personality traits, our life experiences, and our views on the world lace around each other, rip and begin to fade as new threads are woven in. They tangle together to form the entirety of our persona. In this section we take a look at what defines a Jaguar in 2020.

“I would want to take my confidence into 2020 because you just live life better and happier without as many insecurities and not holding back from challenges.” - Freshman Marcelo Mondragon

“A quality that I am taking into 2020 is being a good listener because it helps people around me and I like being able to help people if they need someone to talk to. I am able to give good advice because I’m a good listener.” - Sophomore Nicolle Sanchez

2020

to Stick With in

Photos By: Jeinily Bencon

“I want to bring confidence, positivity, and organization into 2020 because I have struggled with confidence in myself and it sparked negativity and caused tears to be shed a lot. I also want to grow spiritually closer to God because I feel like I have been lost these past few years.” -Senior, Amanda Cooke-William

“I would like to bring my friendliness and openness to 2020. I would want to make people feel better and feel more included. I feel like this is a good quality to have because it would benefit not only me but other people as well.” - Junior Christian Sarmiento

Photos By: Nicholas Barcelo

FEATURES 11

How a Heartbreaking Experience Shaped One Student’s 2020 Vision

CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

At the end of every year, many people

like to reflect by posting and talking about the biggest and best things that happened in their lives that year including trips, achievements, and gifts they received. As a result, many choose to ignore or overlook the hardships that they went through or the obstacles they had to overcome.

Although it’s natural to want to focus on the positive and leave the past behind, sometimes it’s necessary to look back on the times that weren’t so good. It can teach you to be grateful that you made it out, and shape your visions and goals for the new year ahead. The process of grief, especially, and self-reflection can teach you lessons to take into 2020 and beyond.

For one freshman, 2019 definitely had dark times. This past year, Jeylah Valdes went through one of the most painful experiences in life: the loss of a family member. Her uncle’s unexpected death completely changed her life. Valdes was deeply affected because of how close she was to him and said, “My uncle was highly respected by those around him and someone I looked to for inspiration. He was one of the most successful, inspiring people I knew so his passing definitely left a hole in my heart.” His death was one of

REBECCA LIM STAFF WRITER

the worst things that happened to her, not only in 2019, but in her life. It was the first death in her family that she was old

trying to comfort and support her family.

Valdes expressed, “My uncle was always great at supporting everyone in my fam-

enough to fully understand.

What made this time even harder for the 14 year-old was that she was not only dealing with her own grief, but was also

ily and making them feel better through tough times, so without him there it was really hard because I knew I had to stay strong like he would for my abuela, mom,

and for my aunts.” Even though the passing of her uncle was one of the most difficult experiences in her life, it taught her many lessons that changed her outlook on the importance of life and family.

Because of this life-changing event, Jeylah’s vision for 2020 changed. She confessed, “After the passing of my uncle, I learned that I need to keep my family close…also, I need to take more time to appreciate every moment I have with the people in my life.” She realized some goals she had for 2020: to focus and work on her relationships with her family. Valdes explains, “I realized I wasn’t as close to my cousins as I wish I was, and they felt the same way, so now we all make it a point to try and communicate with each other throughout the week.” This experience undoubtedly opened her eyes and contributed to her goals and vision for 2020.

Jeylah learned through her uncle’s passing that there’s always something to take away from an experience - even from the most tragic events. She now knows that she can make it through any hardships in 2020 and come out with a newfound knowledge and appreciation for life.

Photo By: Nicholas Barcelo

What it Means to Fly and Then Fall MAXINE MARTINEZ FEATURES EDITOR

T

he gym felt like another universe, a place where I could be completely different. Anytime I put on a leotard I felt as though I was putting on a new layer of skin, one I could mold to be the person I truly felt like I was. This person found the scent of chalk and sweat to be familiar, along with the hard crashes of a body on mats and the hollow echo of wood to be comforting. I quickly became transfixed with the sport of gymnastics and to this day - despite it being years since I’ve put my leotards and grips away to gather dust - I still find myself dealing with the repercussions of the sport.

Four hours a day, six days a week, four years. This is the amount of time I devoted to gymnastics, competing at an optional level (levels 6 - 10, with 10 being the highest level in gymnastics). This is added to the years where I trained with less impressive schedules, like 2 hours a day, three days a week. As the days passed and I began to improve on my skills, my passion only grew. I wanted to jump higher, twist cleaner, and perform skills that seemed to defy gravity; however, this love was constantly dulled with the overwhelming feeling that I was not good enough (or that even if I was), my time was running up.

I trained with girls who had been in the sport since they were three years old - I had started at eight. That five-year gap mocked me, constantly reminding me that a female gymnast reaches her prime around 16 years old, and considering my late start, I would be less likely to be successful. For a long time, I did not understand why gymnasts saw their careers end so early. It was not until my last years in the sport that I realized why that was so.

Other than the obvious wear and tear the body undergoes, there are psychological factors that come into play. Children are fearless - it is through experience that they learn what to be afraid of. The younger someone is, the less hesitant they are (and for a gymnast, this is crucial). I was already older than most, so by the time I started to learn the more complex skills, I had known what it meant to get hurt and I had seen enough TV to know that there were some injuries you couldn’t come back from.

My anxiety began to take root. In my dreams, I was frozen on the beam - hands

up, ready to tumble backwards, but simply unable to. These fears translated into the real world, and standing on the real beam, I would check behind me to make sure it was lined up so my hands would not miss.

I grew resentment and fear, and no longer did I want to train for hours a day.

I continued with the sport for months, but I felt my initial love fleeting. When I finally made the decision to quit gymnastics, I expected it to be easy in the sense that I would have more time to do other things; however, I quickly started to feel like I had no other skills. I had spent so much time in the sport that it was the only thing I was good at, the only thing I knew.

That feeling of being too old for gymnastics took form in my life and I started to feel as though it was already too late to do anything.

I watched as my peers honed in on their

skills with art or music. I was a witness to all the young social media stars that began to rise up. As I made my way through freshman year, I realized that I no longer had a goal. It was not until I started writing for the school newspaper and began to read articles and watch videos that I realized the fault with my thinking in both gymnastics and real life.

Everybody is on their own timelines, as cliché as it sounds. I do not need to feel as if I am further behind or ahead than my peers because - in reality - everybody will accomplish their own goals in their own time. In cases where I experience fear, I shouldn’t look at it as a deterrent but rather something to keep me grounded, and at the end of the day, it should push me to prove myself wrong.

Graphic By: Bryan Lara

12

SPORTS CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Sports Shaping History: Best Sports Moments of the Decade SEBASTIAN ALVAREZ STAFF WRITER

This past decade was full of memo-

rable moments in the sports world: comeback wins, athletic catches, recordbreaking moments, and of course, the clutch shots. Every league had their unique sets of moments that represented them in a very unforgettable manner, as sports fans go to see how athletes across every league try their hardest. In the NBA, you have Ray Allen’s game-tying shot in the 2013 NBA finals, and in the MLB, the Cubs ended their 108-year drought of winning the World Series in 2016. And we definitely can’t forget the NFL’s famous 28-3 comeback of the New England Patriots that won the Super Bowl LI. The city of Miami got to experience the most clutchest shot in NBA history by Ray Allen. In the 2013 NBA Finals, the Miami Heat were down 95-92 in Game 6 facing elimination. The Heat would’ve inbounded the ball with 19.4 seconds left, looking for a three, and that’s when superstar Lebron James attempted a long 3 which didn’t go in. And that’s when it all starts, “Rebound Bosh, back out to Allen, his 3-pointer, BANG!” With 5.2 seconds left, Ray Allen’s game-tying 3 would assure the Heat to force Game 7 and resulted in the franchise’s 3rd NBA Championship. Junior Blake Marin confessed, “Definitely the Game 6 shot

by Ray Allen, that had to be one of the greatest moments of the decade, with 5.2 seconds remaining.” Ray Allen cemented

his legacy in that building. Clutch moments didn’t only happen, but droughts were ended as well.

In 2016, the Chicago Cubs were looking to end their 108-year drought of not winning the World Series. They made it all the way to Game 7 against the Cleveland Indians and that game went down as one of the greatest games of all time.

The Cubs led 6-3 in the 7th, the fans in Chicago feeling like it was right there.

The 8th inning began, and if you ask freshman Luis Azar (who is a major Cubs fan) what he felt during the 8th inning, he simply said, “Oh man, I didn’t know what to feel. I thought we were going to win it after Ross’s solo homer. And of course when the 8th began, my heart started beating rapidly.” A 3-run comeback by the Indians tied the game, which forced extra innings. With Ben Zobrist at-bat in a 6-6 game, WHACK! 1 run go-ahead double, Cubs lead. Finally, after 10 innings of old fashioned baseball, the Cubs would win their 1st World Series in 108 years.

Some would argue that the 28-3 comeback in Super Bowl LI in Houston, Texas when the Falcons faced the Patriots could go down as one of the best. Tom Brady was looking to win his 5th Super Bowl, but that seemed unlikely with the Patriots down by 25 with only 1 half left. But Brady being Brady, he for sure knew it wasn’t over. 2 touchdown passes gave New England their 1st reasonable chance

to win with 28-20 on the scoreboard, with the Falcons still up. Brady would end up throwing for 466 yards, giving the Pats every chance possible to drive down the field, and that’s what he did late in the 4th quarter with 3:30 minutes left in regulation. The Patriots started at their own 9-yard line, so Bill Belichick dug deep into his playbook, and Brady followed.

Shotgun play after shotgun play, it was obvious the Patriots were doing nothing but throwing the ball, and no one thought it was possible. But they did it, as James White rushed for a 1-yard TD and Brady completed the 2-point attempt with 57 seconds left in regulation. A 28-28 tie would force the first overtime in Super Bowl history. When the Patriots went on to win the coin toss and decided to receive the ball first, people knew it was over. All they had to do was score a touchdown to win it. Brady, with James White next to him, amd 2 yards to go.

HIKE! White would cross the goal line and there it was, 34-28 Patriots win in OT. Senior Trace Wills believes it was that moment when Brady was officially marked as the greatest of all time. He continued, “It’s the Super Bowl, the Patriots came back and won it because of him. He proved he was the G.O.A.T after that.” And indeed he did.

A decade full of moments, but it was difficult to decide the best out of all of them. They were all comebacks, and that’s how legacies are made. Athletes

Basketball: Best Start Ever JOSHUA LASARTE STAFF WRITER

The Pines Charter Jaguars Mens’ bas-

ketball team is off to its best start ever as they currently have 15 wins and only one loss. With this hot start, the Jaguars are currently second in the state of Florida in the class 5A standings. The Jags recently beat Everglades on January 8th with a score of 82 to 40 led by senior guard Osei Price who had 19 points. After they lost in their second game of the season, the Jags have been on fire in their 11 game win streak. Unfortunately for the Jags, star player Amarachi Ujagbor who has been a leader along side Osei, is recovering from an injury. One player who has been a big part of the team is guard Sophomore Geoffrey Sprouse who is the youngest player on the team. Sprouse said, “The talent we have this year can definitely help us achieve a state title we just have to continue to work hard.” The Jags know that they are a real contender for the title and believe that they are one of the most talented teams in the state. In the 12 games the jags have won, they are winning by an average of 27 points and the jags have won four games by a margin of forty points. On January 10th, the jags will travel to Lauderdale Lakes to take on Boyd Anderson in a district game who is currently ranked number 10 in the state.

The jags won the top ten matchup by defeating Boyd Anderson 69-65 extending their win streak to 12 games. Once again the jags were pushed by star guard Osei Price who has been a huge part of the jags success. Senior guard Osei Price said, “This team is a family and it feels great to be on a twelve game win streak.” With the way the jags and Osei are playing, they are serious contenders to not just go to the state championship, but to win it.

Out of pure talent, the jags are one of the top teams in that state and are playing as a complete team. The jags have been so dominant that, this four point win is the smallest margin since they won by six, a whole month ago. With all the success that the jags are hving, a lot more people in the school are starting to take notice of them. Freshman Justin DeLuca said, “The basketball team should win the championship because They are the best team in the state.” The jags have been so dominant over other teams, that the whole school believes that they are the guaranteed state champions. On Tuesday January 14th, the jags went into Cooper City and defeated the Cooper City Cowboys by 15 points.

With this latest victory, the jags win streak has grown to an impressive 13 games and they are now the number two team in the

state. The jags have taken control of class 5A and they don’t plan and giving up that control anytime soon. With how great the jags have been playing it does not seem like they are ever going to lose this season.All across the school there has been endless support for the jags and there has been even more people at all their games.

Students have even been taking time out of their days to see the jags crush it in away games. Junior Johnny Montilla said, “I think they’re going to kill it and make everyone in the school proud.” The jags success has made the school believe that they can win the championship. Their expectations are now through the roof and now they will not settle for anything less than a state title. The Jags beat Hollywood Hills on Tuesday January 21, by 40 points with a score of 84-44. This game helped push the Jags into the number two ranking in state class 5A, and extended the win streak to 14 games. Senior guard Dallas Graziani committed to Nova Southeastern University to play basketball in the future.

The jags will play Stoneman Douglas at home on January 23 at 7;30pm.

keeping their composure and poise no matter if they were up or down in the game, and showing the world they’re here for a reason. Junior Melanie Sorto expressed, “I bet this decade will bring more memorable moments, but I don’t think they’ll be better than this past decade.” It’ll be hard to see if this upcoming decade will bring more hype than what the last one brought us, but of course, all we have to do is keep our eyes on the TV, and wait for cheers from the

SPORTS

Ashton Cooper Goes for Goal

CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

MICHAEL MUELA SPORTS EDITOR

S

occer is a sport unlike most other sports. For some people, it can be full of fun and excitement, but also heartbreaking and nerve-racking for others.

And for PPCHS Varsity Soccer team star Ashton Cooper, it’s both of these factors that drive his love for the game.

Ever since he was a kid, Ashton has always played soccer. Even though he might’ve been older than most kids when he started, it was the beginning of a long journey. “Around the age of 10 is when I really fell in love with soccer. I just made my first travel team and that’s when I really started seeing how competitive, heartbreaking, and rewarding soccer could be.” Things were looking very bright for Ashton’s future in soccer.

However, he never saw himself playing soccer in the future. “Honestly, I never believed I was good at the sport,” he confessed. “I would just play and it just so happened I would score. I still don’t believe that I’m great at it, but I play and hope to score.” Cooper doesn’t care how well he does, but simply plays because he wants to play.

Ashton is in his final year at Charter, which means that he’s playing his final season. Cooper expressed that being at Charter has personally shown him

a family relationship and also taught him to never take any challenge lightly, which is a great life lesson. He is also one of the top goal scorers in the state. “It’s a great achievement honestly, something I never thought I would be able to do, but it pushes me to want to score even more,” Cooper expressed. In his career, he has scored a total of 46 goals. As of right now, he is unsure if he’ll be pursuing soccer in college.

The PPCHS Varsity Soccer team is off to an 9-0-2 start to the season. “I think it’s definitely showing the school’s ability to win in athletics for a change,” said freshman Luca Mancini. Junior Emma Caulfield is a big soccer fan as well, confessing, “I’ve only seen one game so far, but the boys this year are a very strong team. Definitely a squad that other schools should watch out for. They have great team chemistry and tend to keep possession and make great plays when it’s time to attack the goal,” she said. “They work hard and don’t give up. They’re also supportive of each other, cheering each other on from the sidelines and even on the field. All these things are very important in order to have an effective team that can work together and our Pines Charter boys got it all going. It’s been a great season for them and it’ll only continue to be an even greater season! Caulfield continued. Part

of the reason is Cooper’s great play. He has scored 15 goals this year, leading the team immensely. The jags’ next game is on Friday, January 17 against South Broward.

One of his teammates had some great things to say about Ashton. Sophomore Carlos Betancur stated, “What makes Ashton such a great teammate is the fact that he is very hardworking and an amazing person inside and outside the field. I am lucky to be playing with him since I was in 6th grade and since the first day he brought me in like if I was his son. He is very dedicated and amazing at what he does.” Betancur will look to become a team leader after Cooper graduates.

Of all the achievements that Cooper has accomplished in his high school career, he has one in particular that is his favorite. “Breaking the school record for goals in a season was my best achievement,” he confessed. Ashton scored 36 goals in his sophomore season, setting the new record.

The things that Ashton will miss when he graduates is coming out to practice and riding the bus with his teammates. From all of us here at Charter, we want to wish Ashton Cooper the best of luck for the remainder of the season as well as his future, and thank him for his contributions to PPCHS Soccer.

Kickin it into Spring GABRIELA CARVAJAL STAFF WRITER

As amazing as it sounds our very own

Lady Jags have been striking it as one of the top teams in the state! So far they are 12-2-1, making it a very exciting and successful season. Throughout the week of January 13th to the 17th they have been battling against a week’s load of games and practices non stop.

While it may be a struggle it is paying off with the players’ being rewarded a chance to make it to the playoffs and beyond! In fact with this team ranking 13th statewide they come in as the 26th ranked team nationally, which is quite an honor.

With 34 girls the girls’ varsity team is riding the wave as one of the most improved teams. So far this season, while they have won most of their games, their box score is merciless making the teams suffer a loss of more than 3 points each game. Sophomore Jasmine Morales said, “To keep this streak going the girls’ soccer team should continue to practice on their plays and scoring methods to strengthen their chances of winning.” As of January, they have been averaging 4.5 goals per match; more than the national average by at least half! On top of that, their roster has been able to experience the feelings of making a goal with every girl scoring at least 1-2 goals. “It feels amazing to know that all of our hard work paid off. Practicing almost everyday and we do have pre game rituals where we chant before the game PPCHS Jaguars,” expresses current soccer player

Photo By: Andres Alfonso

freshman Kaitlen Fernandez. But, one must give credit to junior Francesca Brito who has so far shot 20 goals this season alone! Junior Kaavya Polavarapu said, “As crazy as it sounds I am proud to be a Jaguar at PPCHS. To have an amazing team go out and win on a consistent basis is definitely commendable.” Besides all the success they have achieved, these girls’ can say they have surpassed the doubters. For one, who would have thought our very own Lady Jags would make it past the top 20 statewide? Senior Kelsey St. Louis says, “Finding this out made me feel pretty good to know that these ladies are representing our school with more than just Jag pride.” This year things may be working out for them, yet it is all about the courage and determination to stay on top, since those competitors down the line will fight for what they earned… Go Jags!

Photo By: Andres Alfonso

GOAL!

13

20 Easy Resolutions for 2020 BRIANNA BUTLER LIFESTYLE EDITOR

•

Drink More Water: As simple as this task is, it can become easily forgettable.

Make sure you stay hydrated to stay healthy for the year ahead.

•

Live More Sustainably: There are little things you can do to help the environment, such as reusing bottles and minimizing the amount of plastic bags you have.

•

Take Walks: This is a great way to get exercise in at your leisure. You can stroll anywhere, from the mall to your own neighborhood.

•

Spend a Day Offline: While difficult this may seem, going offline can help you focus on the things you might miss on your electronic device.

•

Sit Up Straight: Many students may find themselves slouching subconsciously.

While posture is one of the easiest things on this list to fix, it is also one of the most forgettable!

Read More: While it could be anything from novels to the news, reading more aids significantly with brain activity.

• •

Listen to New Songs: Try to branch out from the songs you originally listen to!

You may be delightfully surprised at the range of good music out there!

•

Watch a Good Movie: Has there been a movie you’ve always wanted to see but never had enough time to sit down and watch it? Make it a goal for 2020 to enjoy that film!

•

Stretch More: Take breaks from strenuous activities to stretch out your muscles!

Your body is sure to thank you for this one!

•

Try New Foods: Expand your palette! Look for new foods you have always considered trying but never took the initiative to!

•

Clear Out Your Inbox: Most of our emails are extremely cluttered, yet we push these to the side and allow junk mail to pile up. Clear out old, unneeded emails!

•

Volunteer More: Spend your free time helping out your community.

•

Moisturize: It may be hard to keep up a routine, but this one is important! From lotion to lip balm, use anything that will help you keep your skin glowing!

•

Cook or Bake a New Recipe: Look online and find something you’d be interested in making!

•

Make Your Bed Every Day: This is one of the best ways you can start your day off with! Such a simple task can leave you feeling motivated for the rest of the day.

•

Use Your Phone Less: Attempt to lower the average time you spent on your phone in 2019. You can try cutting down on the time you find yourself meaninglessly scrolling through social media.

•

Schedule Time for Yourself: When things get stressful, it is very easy to forget you have your own needs just as much as everyone else does.

•

�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Meet New People: Don’t be afraid to step outside of your friend group! Interacting with new people can help you establish even more meaningful friendships.

•

Get More Sleep: Try going to bed earlier than you usually would and see if you feel any better because of it.

•

Vote: For seniors and staff, this one should be a top priority. With the upcoming election, voting is extremely important to the future!

Photo By: Yoko Witkowski

TECHNOLOGY AND TACOS: 2020 THEORIES SAMANTHA CRUZ STAFF WRITER

Asanotherdecaderollsaround,theoriesandpredictionsarecomingoutoneafteranotherand Charter kids aren’t skipping over it. Though some crazy, the advancements with time and technology make these wild dreams a possible reality. The 2020s are a time to look

Freshman Miriam Ikner:

Sophomore Leo Graham:

In the future, I believe new technology will be created where when you video chat with someone, a 3D figure will appear.

Since technology is evolving rapidly with the changing times, virtual reality and face ID can both take part in this creation. A hologram type figure will appear instead of the usual image on a screen. I believe later on, this technology will transform into a way to do everyday activities such as watching TV, and it’ll eventually make its way into the workplace as a substitute for conference calls.”

“In the 2020s, we’ll have hologram concerts. Festivals will be held purely with holographic artists rather than the real deal. This will replace the need for live performers, making mistakes obsolete and maintenance a minimal cost. It will also ensure their safety and travel time. It will sacrifice artistry for easier streamlined music. The consequence of this will be an underground music scene that’s vehemently anti-hologram, and aims to overtake the industry. This will take place in the early half of the decade rather than later.”

Photos By: Yoko Witkowski

Junior Michael Rueda:

Senior Andrew Sandoval:

“Well I theorize that by a few decades from now we will be using artificial intelligence to enhance human interaction, or to make up for the lack there of. I believe this because it took nearly a thousand years to go from writing to printing papers and then only 500 to go from printing to email. This means we are unlocking new technologies at a faster rate. Artificial intelligence will become a big part of our lives to the point where we will have relationships with them as we do humans.

Many companies and innovators are experimenting with this technology now and we are just unlocking its secrets.”

“Based on the semi reliable sample I took from my school I can infer that the future will be interesting. Kids are becoming more and more involved with politics.

They get involved through movements and rallies. Government involvement is mostly coming from the older generation.

But just watch and see as the voting turnout of younger generations will consist of either more or equal to the older generations. Alongside politics, technology is also advancing. There’s a theory that we advance by double the rate of previous technology. The way we do jobs will also advance and be more machine-based instead of human.”

From Rags to Riches

LIFESTYLE CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

An editorial on fast fashion GABRIELA CARVAJAL

As clothing becomes cheaper, more dis-

pensable consumers often forget what they already own and turn to the trendy articles on the shelf. While it may seem cool at the moment, eventually that piece of clothing will end up being discarded.

The question is: How do you properly discard your clothing?

As we put much more emphasis on climate change, many have voiced concerns on why fashion retailers don’t put any thought in how to go green. Instead of focusing on our planet, companies are more concerned about their sustainability cred. In fact, at least four-fifths of consumers feel strongly that companies should implement programs to improve the environment (New York Times). If their own customers feel this way, what is holding retailers back from a revolutionary change? Since the technology isn’t there nor the drive to make a change in the system, we are left high and dry when it comes to conquering climate change. This has led translates to clothing companies facing backlash and pressure from politicians, shoppers, etc. who want to reduce their own carbon footprints. Freshman Tejpreet Kaur said, “I actually never knew that the fashion industry is a huge contributor in deteriorating our environment, so to make things better I would encourage a day of swapping clothing to promote a cleaner and more efficient way of preserv-

STAFF WRITER

ing our clothing. Since I believe fashion retailers put the environment as a priority, hopefully they will come up with better methods.” As crazy as it sounds, the fashion industry is one of the top pollutants in the world! The problem is that many companies struggle with their waste problem finding the whole process burdensome; nonetheless, many want a way to get rid of their old swatches knowing it can’t just be thrown out or donated. With the way this process was designed, it makes it very complicated and unappealing for retailers to invest their energy in such a process. To make matters worse, in 2017 H&M was scrutinized for having incinerated 60 tons of unsold merchandise. What is ironic about this headline is the fact that they are considered one of the leading retailers to push for recycled clothing. Besides, those immersed in the fashion industry say a contributing part in this is the marketing factor. Of course companies are quick to invest in environmentally-friendly marketing and using capsule collections derived from natural resources such as pineapple leaves (H&M) and beach-strewn plastic bottles (Adidas). As a way to appeal to the masses, they put benefits behind donating old clothes to their stores, such as a $5-off coupon.

ion, consumers have been blinded by fads that barely last a day causing a necessity reaction throughout the public known as the clothing deficit myth. In fact, senior Naveen Farook participates in fast fashion! Essentially, we are buying too many clothes at the expense of fast fashion - at least 400% more since the 1980s (CBS).

So where are you supposed to discard all those “old” clothes? Sophomore Alyssa Chin said, “If I have an outfit I don’t like anymore or doesn’t fit, I usually exchange with my family.” Unfortunately, at least 85% of our clothes end up in landfills, so think twice before donating your clothes because more often than not they end up being thrown in the trash. We have this notion that when we donate clothes, it ends up to the less fortunate - yet it is quite the opposite. Retailers actually send them off to Third World countries such as Kenya, who is a huge buyer in the textile recycling business. They spent over $22 million in our old clothes and most of those clothes do not even get sold due to the low quality they are in. In response to this issue, many

Canadian cities have already taken action by banning textiles from landfills. Junior Aaron Delarosa said, “One can say that retailers are “greenwashing” the public with their going-green campaigns,” thanks to companies’ business models relocating their attention solely to marketing and foot traffic. “Samantha MacBride, an assistant professor at Baruch College and a waste management professional, said that the ideas big brands implement often reflect a lack of understanding about waste management” (New York Times). One can wonder if companies had prior knowledge in this issue, they would be more proactive as well as having the technology in changing this whole process.

Considering this, the fashion industry is going to have to make changes in the way they recycle their last season looks.

Whether it may be through recreating a particular outfit or by swapping with family, something has to change, so might as well start now with a new decade beginning.

Sadly, this is what our fashion industry has turned towards, and a major contributor to this is fast fashion. With fast fash-

2005 Coming Back to Haunt the New Decade Editorial SOPHIA CORTES ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

It’s

not surprising that as we start off into the 2020s, people will want to bring back the fun and flair that defined the “Roaring Twenties” of yesteryear. And it’s already happened, a quick look on social media will show countless people celebrating the new year in bowler caps and flapper dresses, toting glistening glasses of champagne and dancing to the Charleston like they’re at a party right out of The Great Gatsby. But fancy neckties and long pearl necklaces aren’t the only things people want to make a comeback this decade.

Popularized by a viral tweet, the “RAWRing Twenties,” a name that harkens thick black eyeliner, dyed hair, and the phrase “Rawr’ means ‘I love you’ in dinosaur, are what many on the internet are calling this new decade. However, this is no mere play on words to remember the “good old days” of Myspace and AOL. Many people who were too young to experience the original emo and scene subcultures of the early 2000s have been using this phrase to bring back the iconic “emo swooped” hair and the neon arm warmers. “I adore the revival of emo/ scene culture!” States junior Emma Mengotti. “I am excited to see scene styles popping up again, mainly because I’m more drawn to that subculture because of the wider variety of colors incorporated into the “edgier” looks.” Searching the tag on social media sites like Instagram and

Tumblr will bring about blogs and posts anything, e-kids are just scene rebranded sporting blinking neon gifs, Converse to fit today’s society and its latest fashcovered in edgy lyrics, and emoticons that ions.” While e-girls and scene queens seemed to disappear the moment emo- don’t look much alike, the very concept of jis took the stage, all memories of a flip looking cute and retaining a sense of femiphone past now brought to the present. ninity while still being edgy was extremeWhile the extravagant looks of ly prevalent throughout the emo and scene modern emos and scene queens aren’t subculture during the early 2000s. Many seen everywhere once logged off of Tum- people, men and women alike, would don blr, their tight black subtle inskinny jeans fluences and heavy are hard makeup. to go unWith the help noticed of various once you rock bands k n o w popular at w h a t the time, the you’re notion of looking “guyliner” for, essoon became pecially mainstream.

Graphic By: Carolina Othon on the app that has quickly risen to fame in the Like many subcultures, the crepast two years: TikTok. The fast-paced ation of emo and scene are linked to muvideo sharing site made popular the look sic, specifically post-punk, post-hardcore, of the “e-girl” and “e-boy.” The common and emo bands that rose to fame in the style for e-personas mirrors many of the early 2000s, none more prevalent than fashion choices found in alternative sub- My Chemical Romance. While the band cultures, the most prevalent being the use members themselves have stated that their of chains, chockers, fishnets, and proudly music isn’t “emo,” it’s hard not to notice supporting bands on t-shirts and sweaters. their significant impact on both helping “I think e-kids are heavily influenced by to create and sustain the subculture, and emo and scene culture,” Emma states, “if nothing shows this more than their return

in 2019. “As I see it, the return of MCR is going to lay a hotbed of inspiration for new artists,” states sophomore Leo Graham, “particularly those who are willing to experiment with their sound. Depending on whether or not they release new music, there is a possibility of an underground wave of new emo artists.” Others, such as senior Maegan Jomsky, are seeing the band’s return as a revival of the message of acceptance in the self and the other that is the core of emo and scene. “They were the monarchs of the original emo generation,” she states, “campaigning self-love and self-expression not in spite of, but as a result of the challenges we face in life.” While the band themselves didn’t bring back the now popular again colorful kandi bracelets and the new Myspace-like website Friend Project, it’s difficult not to notice a slight rise in popularity in the many odds, ends, and important messages that made the emo and scene subcultures special after their magical and triumphant return.

Knowing how quickly things gain and lose popularity nowadays it’s unlikely that the emo/scene revival will make 2025 feel like 2005, but if you happen to catch a teen walking out of your local HotTopic looking like a vampire in skinny jeans, don’t worry it’s not a time traveler, it’s just a trend coming back from the grave!

15

16 TECHNOLOGY

CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Charter Junior Into The

To code is to create-ask anyone who’s experienced it. Weaving together lines and lines of letters, symbols, and numbers to build something is a singularly unique experience, but one that every coder knows. Just ask Maria Herne. A junior here at Charter, Maria first stepped into the world of HTML and Javascript through the “Kode with Klossy” summer camp initiative. Designed specifically for girls between the ages of 13 and 18, the program seeks to introduce what essentially is a foreign language to a demographic that might not experience it otherwise.

For Maria, it just worked. In her words, “Before the camp, I really thought I disliked coding. The camp really showed me how easy coding is and how I could use it for anything. It sets apart from my other interests because coding is a tool I can use for any goal I want.” Maria can code now, but more importantly, she can see just how much power that knowledge has.

She continued, saying, “Promote a club?

Build a website. Reduce food waste?

Build an app. Not only could I have a

Codes Her Way Future ALAN MATHEW NEWS EDITOR

Photo By: Jeinily Bencon great idea, but I could actually make it real.” That step from mind to reality can feel enormous at times, but through opportunities like “Kode with Klossy,” that divide grows smaller by the day.

The fact is that it needs to. According to the National Girls Collaborative Proj-

ect, women only earn 18% of computer science bachelor’s degrees in the United States, a baffling figure until one considers the myriad factors that has brought it to this point. During WWI, when the technology first became truly viable, women dominated the field of comput-

ers. By the time the personal computer rolled around a few decades ago, however, the graduation statistics of women in computer science had dropped to what it essentially is today (computerscience. org). Multiple factors fed into this trend, not the least of which was sexism and systemic pushback. Nowadays, though, regressive mentalities are not left unchallenged.

This is why opportunities like “Koding with Klossy” are so essential to the modern world of coding. Maria also offered her thoughts on the matter: “It’s important for young people to learn how to code because it encourages creativity and entrepreneurship. But for girls, learning how to code from a young age challenges [preconceived notions]. Coding allows young girls to say, ‘I can do this’ and encourages them to pursue computer science and engineering [...] Every person has the ability to learn computer science.” In other words, coding isn’t just an interesting skill to learn - it’s a way of breaking down barriers. Just ask people like Maria.

“Summiting” to New Technology MAXINE MARTINEZ

I

n a world where technology is the starting point of modernization and one of the biggest forms of prosperity, the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) brings with it some of the biggest names in the industry and is a good way to look into the future and see what 2020 brings.

The expo, which took place at Las Vegas from January 7 to January 10, was filled with thousands of people all waiting to see what the next big contraption will be; however, the event did not proceed without some controversy, specifically about one of their speakers, Ivanka Trump.

It is not uncommon to hear about the prejudice that runs through major institutions, and CES is no different. For years the event has faced criticism from females across the globe at its lack of inclusivity. In 2018 they faced major backlash for not including any female keynote speakers, In its second attempt to go against these claims CES invited multiple women to speak at the event, including Ivanka Trump. However, her invitation led to more criticism from other women in the tech field. ‘“Clearly they are not putting much effort into finding women in tech who can speak,” said Carolina Milanesi, an analyst with Creative Strategies, who is at CES.’ (time.com). Senior, Amanda Lafleu, commented that “I feel as though the show should have done a better job with inclusion. While the show did lack diversity and inclusion just sim-

FEATURES EDITOR

ply picking any woman to be in the show houses and factories and self-driving isn’t what was meant by inclusion. When vehicles are worrying truck drivers.” (appeople news. wanted com). inclusion He also they meant stated, someone “We’ve who is had actually politiknowlcians edgeable speak in that before, field and cabinet can bring secresomething taries to show and or make others everyone who’ve Graphic By: Justin Pierce come in.” However, some learn something that may have not still do not see the legitimaalready known” Many see Ivanka’s role cy in his decision. “I think while inviting at CES as a weak attempt to expand Ivanka Trump might have seemed like a diversity especially considering the idea good idea to Shapiro, I think he missed that women have previously been ignored an opportunity to have another women for their success in technology and not who truly represented the tech world” given a right to voice their opinions in the said Sa’nyaa Rosquete. The problem of field. women representation is one that is seriThe president of CES and organizer of ous and many will fight to see fulfilled. the Consumer Technology Association, Despite these criticisms, the show Gary Shapiro spoke against the negative itself seemed to be a success. Multiple claims of Trump’s speech. “Shapiro told companies announced their newest inThe Associated Press, ahead of the talk, novations. Patrick Ryan, a junior, states that Ivanka Trump is fighting for workers “ it would be pretty cool if they came out at a time when robots are filling warewith self-driving Ubers, like how Elon

Musk has come out with his self-driving Teslas, with no driver needed, uber cars will be able to get the passengers from one location to the next safely, and efficiently.” This ambitious idea took some root at CES, not with Uber, but rather with Sony who released the first look of their prototype smart car called the Vision-S. The vehicle is the futuristic car coming to its most modern form; filled with sensors, an infotainment system, and intense driver alertness.

Technology in transportation is not the only new thing coming to fruition in 2020. “Hopefully there will be phones that you only charge once a week or even once a month, so we won’t have to worry about them dying in case of an emergency,” expressed freshman Britton Katz.

While there seemed to not be the introduction of phones with an impressive battery at CES, there were still countless new phones that were shown. Some of those include the new IPhone 11, to Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 Lite, and even TCL’s foldable phone. Throughout CES a common theme of affordability, adaptability, and overall creativity was seen throughout all the electronics shown.

In a world where technology and electronics are becoming the most popular mode of entertainment, communication, and maybe even transportation, CES is an opportunity at the beginning of every year to see what’s in store for the coming months.

Technology 17

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TECH of the DECADE

Graphic by Justin Pierce & Henry Severe

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VVV

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Covering Up Your Bruises MIA MATEO STAFF WRITER

Y

ou walk around with bruises on your skin and it’s not just on the outside, bruises fill your inside; you feel trapped, confused, and scared; “why me?” You’re scared to go home, “what are they going to do to me?” No one knows what you’re going through and you feel alone. A lot of people around the world experience this everyday: it’s called domestic violence.

Domestic violence is violent or aggressive behavior within a home typically involving a spouse or partner. Many people may ask, “why don’t they just leave?”, but if you are in an abusive relationship, you know it’s not that simple.

Ending an abusive relationship is not easy, especially if that person has isolated you from your friends, family, and the world. At one moment, people in an abusive relationship may desperately want to get away and then the next moment they want to grab onto the relationship to try and make it work out. Sometimes someone stays in a relationship because they are in more danger if they leave. People who have never been in an abusive relationship sometimes wonder why the victim won’t just leave. People don’t understand

that the situation can be more complicated than it seems. Sometimes leaving is the most difficult time for a victim of abuse because if the abuser finds out that their partner fled, they can lash out and physically harm them. Junior Kjaled Fernandez says, “People in an abusive relationship get used to the abuse and start to feel like its normal.” An abusive relationship is all about power, when the victim leaves they are threatening the power of the abuser which may cause the abuser to lash out.

Many victims don’t leave for many reasons, it could be because of fear, they think abuse is normal, or the victim might even feel ashamed or embarrassed to admit that they are being abused.

When entering a relationship it is important to be aware of any red flags. There are a lot of things an abuser can do before going into the relationship that might tell you it’s not a good idea. An abuser can try to control you going into a relationship and they might tell you who you can and can’t trust. Sophomore, Derek Echeverria says, “When going into an abusive relationship some red flags to look out for is if the person is being really controlling over you

and if they physically or sexually abuse you” If someone acts jealous towards the people you talk to, that could also be a red flag because they want you to themselves and they want you to think that you can only depend on them.

Domestic violence is mostly physical and psychological, but it can also but it can also have an economic effect. Victims skip school or work or show up exhausted because they are afraid to be stalked or killed.

New Zealand recently passed a law where victims of domestic violence can take a ten day paid leave. Senior, Kylie Fernandez explains, “Most people who aren’t in an abusive relationship think that it’s easy to just pack up and run away, but in reality its the economic factors like these that actually make escaping the abuse very difficult. More often than not, these victims have no one to turn to for support and cannot afford to run away. Their only other option would be to live on the streets which is why they never leave at all.” A lot of people in this situation can’t leave because of financial reasons. With the law that New Zealand passed it gives people in an abusive relationship a chance to get

help without having to worry about not having a job when they get back.

If you’re trying trying to decide whether to stay or leave you might feel scared, nervous, confused, and torn. Someone being abused may feel like they are the ones to blame for the abuse, they might feel like they are alone and have no one to help, but in reality there are people waiting to help. They also might feel like they are the cause of their partners abusive behavior.

Freshman, Savannah Hawkins states, “My advice to someone in an abusive relationship would be to leave the relationship. If the victim is in danger if they leave then they can call the cops. It’s not healthy to be in that situation and if the abuser is controlling, then it’s only going to get worse if you don’t leave or tell someone that can help you get out of the situation.”

Don’t be trapped by guilt, confusion, or by blaming yourself. If someone you know is in an abusive relationship let them know that there are people around who will love them and give them the help they need to escape. They never have to feel like they have no options.

Teachers are Important Too: The Unsafe Teaching Environments S

chool violence is a big issue as well as a concern for students, but what people fail to mention is the safety of the teachers as well. Along with students, teachers can be in some situations that aren’t safe for them, preventing them from doing their job(s) comfortably.

Having to go to school with students that might not be in the right mental space can tremendously affect the teachers. According to The Hill’s article “Teachers Suffer Too,” teachers have been threatened, punched, and assaulted in many ways, making them feel unsafe in their working environment. When educators are put into teaching environments where students’ behaviors are an issue, it can be concerning for them.

Sophomore Hansini Koppolu states, “At our school, safety is always a priority for students. However, many teachers can be unprepared and often their opinion aren’t

accounted for.” There have been many surveys and other statistical evaluations that have shown how students’ behavioral issues have affected these teachers and staff. Teachers are crucial for the success of the education system(s), and with some not being able to comfortably teach and worrying about their own safety, it causes problems amongst the teachers and their job(s).

A group called the APA Task Force on Violence Against Educators is a group that strives to change the violence in schools amongst teachers by proper education, training, and many other important virtues that are needed in order for teacher violence to decrease and hopefully stop. A Member of the ASA Task Force on Violence Against Educators, Susan Dvorak McMahon, expresses her reasoning and the importance of being a part of this group is to make sure change happens in the education system from these instances. Junior Angelica Repaci expressed, “Thinking about the possibility of recurring violence scares

MORGAN LIND STAFF WRITER

me definitely...I would say educating the public on how to deal with these issues might decrease the violence.” With educating people about teacher violence, the situations may occur less, providing a positive effect of this.

It is crucial that our educators and teachers’ voices need to be heard in order for schools to keep dedicated teachers.

Without the ability to do so, teachers might not want to stay in teaching, and in the end, there might not be anyone willing to teach under those circumstances anymore. As senior Vince Charles said, “Teachers are great for helping kids and can decrease issues such as depression amongst students,” and without that trust between the students and their teachers, many won’t have the ability to express their emotions. Pines Charter history teacher Mr. Quigley expounded on this thought, stating, “Sadly this [issue] is a reality for far too many teachers in this country. A teacher’s job is to teach, and you can’t do that in a place where kids do not understand or care about the consequences of their behavior.” Teachers are amazing at their jobs and without them, inventors, engineers, and many more critical careers wouldn’t be possible.

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Making History and Fueling Division: The Impeachment Trial of President Donald J. Trump For the third time in United States

ALAN MATHEW NEWS EDITOR

an entire day (Vox). The first session was history, a sitting president has been 13 hours long and was where the rules impeached. The situation has grown significantly more complex and far more resolution was passed; it was this document, passed almost entirely on party remarkable these past few weeks. On January 15th, 2020, the House of Repre- lines, that establishes the specifics of the sentatives’ delivered articles of impeach- proceedings. ment to the U.S. senate; this came almost Opening arguments from both sides are allowed to take up to 24 hours over the a full month after the House actually course of three days. After each side comimpeached President Trump on Decempletes their portion, senators are allowed ber 18th, 2019. The Senate trial process began within in a day, with Chief Justice up to 16 hours to ask questions, but they John Roberts of the U.S. Supreme Court must submit them in writing to the Chief Justice. In addition to all this, it’s imporbeing sworn in. Immediately after, the senators swore their own oath to “render tant to note that the trial, as of now, has no clear end date. One of the most fervent impartial justice” (NPR). The step-bystep process of what exactly a trial in the calls from the left is to allow witnesses Senate entails can be confusing, but it can to be called, but a decision to allow be broken down relatively easily—even if subpoenaing and summoning witnesses was delayed as a part of the resolution it isn’t anything close to easy at all.

The process began with the Senate hav- that Senate Majority Leader organized at the beginning (WSJ). As senior Jessica ing to decide what exactly the rules and guidelines would be. It was in this initial Chang observed, “It takes a lot of work outlining process that the sheer intensity to impeach a president, [which is why] of impeachment proceedings first shone I think this is such a pivotal moment in current events right now.” through. During a Senate impeachment The significant and arguably ardutrial, senators cannot talk, cannot leave ous portion of the Senate trial began during the duration of the trial, and ceron Wednesday, the 22nd, when House tainly cannot use their phones. They’re impeachment managers—Democrats led also barred from bringing their coffee

by Rep. Adam Schiff who act as de-facto into the chamber and have to pay attention to full sessions that can last close to prosecutors—began their arguments.

Graphic By: Jasmine Bleus

Armed with powerpoints and focused, if dense, contentions, the managers presented their case for why they believe the Senate should find the president guilty of the charges: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress (Politico). Opinions are already charged as a result. Freshman Nicole Becerra said on the matter, “If congress feels like they have sufficient evidence to prove [to] the people of the United States that out president is not fit, or the correct person for the job, then we, as American citizens deserve the right to know what is happening with our country and we deserve a leader that will [...] bring upon a better future without violence, wars, or division in our country.” But just as many are opposed to the president’s stance in this trial, others are rising up to defend him.

Saturday the 25th saw the president’s official defense rise up to meet the allegations with charged rebuttals. The legal defense for the president include the White House counsel Pat Cipollone, who’s become much of the face of the team, and Jay Sekulow, who’s a personal attorney to Trump (LATimes). Despite arguing a field of constitutional points, Trump’s team has been notable for the fact that their time has been relatively

short. They’ve taken nowhere near the total amount of time they’re offered, seeming to prefer to make their point succinctly and definitively. Some take this is evidence of what they believe will be the trial’s inevitable conclusion. One sophomore, who commented on the condition on anonymity, said, “The impeachment will do absolutely nothing. I think it’s a waste of time and tax dollars.” The defense finished up on Tuesday the 28th, opening the door for the next phase of the trial, where senators can ask either side questions they find important.

The trial is still developing, and new updates can be tiring to keep track of as coverage seems endless and partisanship runs rampant. But as junior Arvin Saji put it, “No matter how you look at it, history is being made right now. If there’s even a chance it could change the way our country is being run, we shouldn’t let the trial slip right by us.” News develops every day on the trial, and while it might not be the most important story at all times, make no mistake: the trial is something to keep abreast of, even if that just means skimming updates or watching clips from the present day

20 NEWS

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Combatting the Australian Bush Fires ARIANA ORTIZ & REBECCA LIM

Graphic By: Dominick Zarcadoolas

WEB MANGING EDITOR & STAFF WRITER

T

he image of red skies and animals without homes has been burned into the minds of everyone across the globe. Even then, most people don’t realize exactly what is happening in Australia, and just how bad it is.

To start, the current situation in Australia can be better understood by looking at the events leading up to it. During 2018, Australia experienced their driest September as a result of a prolonged drought that started in 2017. In September of 2019, the first few fires began to spark and the continent experienced their driest spring ever (spring in Australia is from September to November). 2019 was the hottest and driest year ever recorded for Australia. The fires during the current bushfire season (which started in June) were intensified by the record breakingly long drought, high temperatures, and fast winds.

In November of 2019, the fire became fatal. The same month, a state of emergency was declared in Queensland and New South Wales. From this point on, the fires and effects escalated to unprecedented heights. Freshman Allyson Butler said on the severity of the fires, “These fires will leave a lasting impact.” Sydney, the capital of New South Wales’ air quality dropped to the worst of any big city on

Earth, and the amount of land burned was more than 300,000 hectares, or 740,000 acres.

In December, many countries began to send in firefighters who had decided to voluntarily join their Australian counterparts to help fight the powerful bushfires.

The first volunteers arrived in Australia on December 8 from Canada. Sophomore Cameron Greaves expressed, “I think right now, since firefighters from North America are helping out, the conditions should be stabilizing… but if they continue to get worse they will need more help.” On December 21, an almost 37,000- hectare fire began to create its own weather, worsening the conditions.

As a result, many Australians spent Christmas stranded, while more than 200 firefighters spent it battling fires. By the beginning of the new year, an estimated 24 people had lost their lives in the fires, many being brave firefighters who had sacrificed everything to save their country. 15 evacuation centers have been opened across the South Coast region, and the federal government has been using naval ships to rescue stranded people.

Many other relief efforts have taken off, and awareness, support, and donations have been directed toward Australia and its current crisis.

Celebrities and influcers have been showing their support for the Australian people and wildlife by using their platforms (and checkbooks) to raise awareness. Some of the most high profile donations include Australian natives Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban who donated to the Rural Fire Services who work to stop major fires through volunteer firefighters around the community.

Senior Dylan Toledo urged, “I think we really need to give credit to the servicemen who are putting their lives at rick for Australia right now.” These men donate their time to keep the country safe and sound. Actor Chris Hemsworth took to social media to announce he has donated $1 million to the relief effort and urged his millions of followers to follow suit in donating. As time progressed, more and more celebrities have announced their donations to the public including P!nk, Kylie Jenner, Leonardo Dicaprio, Ellen Degeneres, Shawn Mendes, and many more. Elton John announced his donation at his concert in Sydney, Australia stating that the loss of animals in Australia was “on a biblical scale and heartbreaking.”

His words were followed by a large applause from the crowd which mirrored the praises other celebrities have received after their social media announcements.

Many people on social media have begun to notice that celebrities have been using their donations to promote their own personal agenda and raise their fame. By posting every donation online, the public is free to criticize the amount the person donates and also scrutinize those who did not publicly donate. “ I think a lot of people are publicly donating to try and boost their followers, but no matter what Australia needs help and these dantions can really make a difference,” stated junior Jessica Adan. Kylie Jenner received scrutiny following her donation after she posted that the animal deaths “breaks my heart” yet proceeded to post a video of brand new mink sandals. Others have gone to Twitter to attack reality star Kim Kardashian for not publicly making a donation. She took to Twitter to respond saying, “Nothing gets me more heated than to see people think they know what we donated to and to think we have to publicize everything,” reminding everyone that not everything must be done in the public eye.

Regardless of the immense support that Australia has received, the fires are still ablaze growing strong. It is vital that we do everything we can to help the effort and end the tragedy. To donate visit: https://fundraise.redcross.org.au/drr

Puerto Rico se Levanta PAULA RODRIGUEZ-LILLQUIST STAFF WRITER

Puerto Rico se Levanta

Two years ago, Puerto Ricans faced one of the most destructive hurricanes in human history. This Category Five hurricane has left catastrophic damage causing a long road to recovery. Two short years later, Puerto Rico again faces tragedy and demolition due to natural disasters.

A series of catastrophic earthquakes have hit Puerto Rico, rocking the foundations of the island and its way of life.

These earthquakes have ranged from 4.0 going all the way up to 6.4. Moving through each magnitude of earthquakes, it releases ten times more energy than the previous level. This makes a 6.4 earthquake about 100 times more powerful than a 4.0.

Recovery is a major issue, especially considering the limited financial aid given by the federal government. Puerto Rico is a territory of the U.S., and while it may not be a state, it is still heavily impacted by the decisions made in the Oval Office. According to the Washington Post, Trump has approved an emergency declaration for the island where $5 million will be spent on emergency services.

However, Puerto Ricans still await the $18 billion in federal funding that was designated after Hurricane Maria. While $5 million may seem as plenty, keep in mind this is designated to cover damage on roads, government buildings, houses, and emergency medical services. Among

the damage is one of the largest energy power plants in Puerto Rico which will take over a year to repair. This is very dangerous for surrounding cities and has already caused blackouts. Sophomore Austin Mathew states, “I am ashamed that the U.S. government has restricted Puerto Rico of the money that they had previously promised. They are in need of financial aid to ensure the safety of the citizens, the United States citizens.”

Due to the severity of the earthquakes, people fear that their house may collapse during the night. More than 4,000 people have been staying in shelters, fearful of returning to their homes, and others unable to because of extensive damage (AP NEWS). Although a lot of the houses have not faced damage, fear and psychological damage still runs through Puerto Ricans. Freshmen Laisha Laracuente expressed, “My family is okay (thankfully), but the earthquakes have unfortunately affected my family more health-wise than physically due to panicking from the unexpected situation.”

Unlike Hurricane Maria, this natural disaster has been continuing for two weeks. The end of these calamities do not appear to be anytime soon. According to Jochen Braunmiller, a seismologist, “No one can predict what can happen next” (ABC News). Historically speaking, these earthquakes could reach a magnitude of about a 7.5- 8.0. According to Braunmiller, the earthquakes

are being caused by the convergence of the North American and Caribbean plate in the deformed zone near the upper crust. Due to the location of the plates converging, the Southwest part of the island is receiving most of the damage.

The government is encouraging citizens to temporarily reside in the Northern part of the island. Many Puerto Ricans in our school fear for their families, especially due to landlines falling and restricted communication. Puerto Rican Junior Cecile Castro confessed, “It’s super frightening what Puerto Rico is facing.

It’s crazy how your furniture shakes and you don’t know if your ceiling will fall on top of you. My family over there is all staying over my grandmother’s house taking shelter and are depending on a generator for electricity. Puerto Rico has been absorbing many of the Earthquakes’ punches, but I know that we’ll get back again and rise up from the

ashes, porque “Puerto Rico se levanta.”

Although many may believe that Puerto Ricans are solely affected, this situation definitely harms family friends in our area as well. Senior Kelly Bravo said, “My family was greatly affected by the earthquakes in Puerto Rico because a lot of our close friends are from there.

Seeing the negativity and damage it has caused made us incredibly sad because we care for them and wish for their safety at all moments. The struggle they are put in is none of their faults so we try our best to supply them with the necessities.”

These natural disasters are solely the cause of displaced tectonic plates and the citizens are suffering the consequences.

While this is a true tragedy, the people of Puerto Rico are always united and willing to help one another. This unity is unmatched and will continue to cause times.

Photos Donated By:Paula Lillquist

The Big Truth of Iran

NEWS

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NICOLE LLANES STAFF WRITER

But who exactly was Solemimani?

Major General Qasem Soleimani first started his line with politics by joining the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. He helped on special tasks, but after the attacks of 9/11 and the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, he went on his own. He unleashed al-Qaeda members, as well as those a part of the bin Laden family and Jordanian radical Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

He also had the members trained and provided them lethal roadside booby traps. His tactics ended up taking the Graphic By: Jaxen Wyborny lives of 1,000 American soldiers and he became the most hated adversary in the world to American military commanders mericans, along with the rest of the for generations (Sadjadpour, 2020). After world, have been on the edge of their seats these past few weeks worrying what all these lives he took, he continued to be a threat to America and this led to back-toexactly will come next with Iran. More back retaliation between Iran and America. importantly, the question remains: Will Trump wanted to put an end to these there be war? America’s standing with Iran didn’t just currently become rocky; threats and violence and protect America from Solemanani’s possible terrorist acts.

For years, there have been tensions.

Sophomore Molly Masson stated, “I These tensions started out as early as the nineteenth century, when a coup was believe it was the right time for action to performed to overthrow the ambassador. be taken after all the growing tensions in This was the beginning for the bad blood the Middle East.” However, assassinating Solemimani blew the conflict between between Iran and America.

Tensions arose to certain extremes with America and Iran to an extreme, one both countries knew and feared.

Iran on January 3, a few days shortly Approximately a few days after the assasafter the new year. President Trump sination of Solemimani, a memorial was ordered for a drone missile to be fired, held in Iran to honor him with thousands which would assassinate Solemimani.

Soleimani may have not been known by upon thousands of people arriving. This the American people, but he was watched memorial was heavily publicized to create the image that Iran was not only unified intently by the American government.

A

but strong. Rumors of ‘severe revenge’ and ‘death’ were said to be circulating at this memorial (WBRZ Staff, 2020).

The fear and anxiety only grew day by day, as no one knew what was to come.

Junior Ashley Lopez confessed, “Every hour I was refreshing CNN - I knew Iran was going to do something, I just didn’t know what or when.” Then, on January 8, Americans were stunned. Iran fired a barrage of ballistic missiles onto the AlAsad air base, which housed American troops and Iraqis. No Americans or Iraqis were hurt, as they received an advanced warning and were able to take cover.

Many troops stationed there stated it was a “miracle” no was hurt (CNN, 2020).

However, many people didn’t see it as a miracle, but planned. With Iran’s strength and the knowledge the troops would be warned, it looked almost impossible for the plan to have actually been to kill, but rather to send a warning. Then again, a few days later a Ukranian airliner was shot down, and following intense international pressure, Iran confessed to doing it accidently. Iran was on high alert of a possible retaliation effort from the U.S. and Brigadier-General Amir-Ali Hajizadeh mistakenly took it as one. So was this again a message of power, or truly accidental? Senior Matteo D’agostino expressed, “It’s crazy to think Iran thinks we’ll believe it was accidental, even with the powerful technology they have.” It still remains unclear of what truly did happen, so as of now everyone has their

own opinion.

After the attack on U.S. troops, the government and Trump waited for the verdict of whether or not any Americans were killed. When the news came that everyone was safe and alive, Trump went to speak at the White House. He stated, “The United States will immediately impose additional punishing economic sanctions on the Iranian regime,” and that these would remain until Iran changed its behavior. However, he also took a positive approach and expressed, “Iran can be a great country,” and emphasized the need for peace and stability in the Middle East. His speech’s view came as a surprise to many Americans. His current standings with Iran seemed to have contrasted with his past. “I always saw his harsh and funny messages on Twitter towards Iran, but when he suddenly wanted peace, I didn’t think Trump was the one actually talking,” explained freshman Lyndon Ocheoa. Many believed this to be due to the fact that no Americans were killed, but wondered if Trump would’ve moved forward differently if Americans had been killed.

This back-and-forth talk of war between Iran and America has been ongoing for years, but just recently reached a higher degree. The assassination of Solemanini will forever be a breaking point for Iran as well as America. There’s no certainty of what else is to come, except that this ‘war’ isn’t over yet.

How do You Feel About President Trump and Iran?

MAXINE MARTINEZ FEATURES EDITOR

“I think that Trump is not doing a good job as president and that he wasn’t the right choice to begin with. He is putting Americans in danger and causing a scare across the nation. Half of the posts that we see about it are jokes on social media platforms but the other half has great concern.” - Senior Amanda Cooke-William

Photo By: Nicholas Barcelo

Photo By: Nicholas Barcelo

“I just find it funny how Trump accused Obama of trying to start a war with Iran before the election for Obama’s second term “in order to boost his chances of staying in office,” even though Obama never committed any acts of war even nearly on par with the ones Trump has committed. And then he tried to do exactly that (and absolutely failed). I think that it really reveals how weak his leadership skills are and is just another example of his inability to follow through with what he intends to do (start a war to win re-election), which is reflected throughout most of his presidency.” - Junior Madison Bambino

“War is unproductive.

War solves absolutely nothing and only drives a wedge between the nations of the world. Considering the technology we have today, if we had a WWIII, it would be catastrophic. Hopefully we can rejoice and not destroy the planet.”

- Senior Julian Slagle

Photo By: Nico Amad

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