The CHAT February issue 2017-18 issue # 5

Valentine’s Day, The Labor of Love

For more, check out Features (pgs. 12-13)

Sarah Barrocas Editor -in-Chief Alexa Infante - Content Sofia Alfonso - Layout Managing Editors Chatter Daily News Evan Samuels Web Managing Editor Ariana Ortiz - Content Sofia Alfonso - Layout Business Managers Mr. J. Harris - Layout Mr. F. Fagen - Content Mr. J. Harris - Video Advisors Mr. P. Bayer Principal Brittany Evelyn News Editor Ainsley McCormick Student Life Editor

Contents

The C.H.C. Staff

Swati Kumar Technology Editor Jordan Alberti Sports Editor Florencia Azcura Features Editor Paolo Barrera Clubs Editor Rachel Rivera Lifestyle Editor

Student Life:

Ainsley McCormick Community Outreach Sofia Azcura Entertainment Justin Dourvetakis- The CHAT Eric Hernandez - Web Photo Editors Content Staff: Brianna Butler, Elizabeth Castillo, Sophia Cortes, Roselle Curiel Matthew Hernandez, Janae McDonnough, Frank Mora, Isabella Munoz, Arianna Ozuna, Andres Perez, Amanda Rodriguez, Alan Mathew Layout Staff: Sofia Alfonso, Sarah Barrocas, Brittany Evelyn, Alexa Infante, Rebekah Jacob, Caroline Kadir, Monica Lozada, Ainsley McCormick

Aram Johnson Sets a Goal on the Ice Brandon Regalado Conqers Cornell

Features:

Photography Staff: Andres Alfonso, Nicholas Ahmad, Aryiel Bryant, Maya Cabrera, Shaniah Cox, Justin Dourvetakis, Aijah Harper, Eric Hernandez GRAPHIC STAFF: Jasmin Bleus, Taylor Causey, Rosa Gomez,

The C.H.A.T. is an official publication of the Pembroke Pines Charter High School (PPCHS). The content of our newspaper is not necessarily the opinions of our advisers 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 & Technology Department of PPCHS. Pembroke Pines Charter High School 17189 Sheridan Street Pembroke Pines, FL 33331 Phone: 954-538-3700 Email: chc.ppchs@gmail.com Twitter: @_theCHATter Instagram: @thechatnews 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 chc.ppchs@gmail.com

An International Affair: Earth Celebrates the Day of Love Boys vs Girls: Who Loves the Day of Love the Most?

Clubs & Electives: SNHS Captures Culture In a Mural Art Enthusiasts TakeoverBasel

Clubs & E

Pg.

Electives:

Student Life: Pg. 4

14

Sports: Pg. 16

Sports: Big Baller Brand Turns Into a Big Baller Bust

Lifestyle:

Spring Baseball Profiles Galentine’s Day is the New Valentine’s Day

Entertainment: ALBUM REVIEW: Falling in Love with Camilla RESTAURANT REVIEW: No Pizza Lover Left Behind

Technology: Save Your Net Neutrality or Lose Your Internet Liberality Fortnite Burts into the Gaming Scene

Reading the Stars: 2018 Valentine’s Day Horoscopes

News: Jada Hinda Makes Wishes Come True California Goes Up in Flames: Mudslides and Wildfires Takeover

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Student Life

Matthew Hernandez

CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Staff Writer

Alisa Chavez (‘20)

“I began my artistic journey when I was about nine years old. Prior to this age, I did not really show much of an interest in art. I was heavily inspired by other artists that were around my age. I used to play a lot of online drawing games; when I started to see that other children were making beautiful pictures of characters, I thought to myself, “I want to do that too.” The fascinating thing about art, in my opinion, is the ability to put your ideas onto a sheet of paper and call it your own. I don't often get to share my thoughts with others; however, art enables me to paint pictures of what I see and think in my head. When people view my artwork and like it, it is like they favor my idea. Since I am also interested in computer science/ engineering, I would like to pursue a career in those subjects. My fascination with art and experimenting with different mediums will probably never end, so I plan to someday be able to sell my artwork and take commissions as well. The biggest goal, however, is quite simple: to keep improving.”

Brittney Bond (‘19)

“I've been immensely interested in art ever since I was very little! I remember initially drawing a lot around six years old, but I began drawing more seriously at around age 10. I started working with art because of how it provides an outlet for me to express myself and to turn my ideas into reality. Drawing also makes me feel free and relaxed. Once I began to seriously, draw I realized just how happy it makes me feel. I love how with art, the sky's the limit and you are able to create anything you want just from your imagination. You can convey so many important messages and ideas through a variety of mediums and it's all so intriguing to me.

Art is such a great escape and can be very powerful. I am incredibly passionate about animation (and I want to study that in college), so in the future, I aim to work in that particular industry. The art of Disney movies along with other animation companies have always been a large source of inspiration for me, so it would be such a dream come true to work as a visual development artist or an animator for Disney. I hope to maybe work on my own personal projects as well, and continue to inspire others through doing what I love.”

Natalie Alegria (‘19) Bryanna Caponigro (‘19)

“I started working with art when I was in the 8th grade. I started working with art because my grandma use to teach art classes, and I was always inspired by her artistic abilities. The thing that I love most about art is that it gives me the ability to express myself in so many different ways. It’s kind of like a gateway for me to go away for a while, forget everything, and focus on myself. I hope to pursue art in the future by being a tattoo artist besides my other career. I would really like the idea of being a tattoo artist as a side job when I’m older.”

“I’ve been drawing for most of my life, but I started to seriously consider art as a career in late middle school. Drawing has consumed my life in so many ways and I have a great passion for art and drawing. I was heavily inspired to start getting into art by the animated films I grew up with. I had a large collection of Disney tapes and I would watch them 24/7 trying to draw their characters. I love being able to portray the most abstract of emotions and experiences as tangible, real images. I hope to work with art in the animation or toy industry, as those are my two biggest passions.”

Photo By: Nicholas Amad

Student Life 5

PPCHS Honors the Best of the Best Elizabeth Castillo

PPCHS students, it’s time to

give a round of applause for best teacher and non-instructional employee of the year winners: Dana Ostendorf and Sherry Guerrero!

These women are an amazing part of the PPCHS community, and they truly do deserve this incredible recognition.

There is no question that Dana Ostendorf has an undeniable dedication to her students. Ms. Ostendorf is the PPCHS exceptional student education teacher, and she has dedicated her life to students who need additional assistance in their academic work. Her commitment to her students doesn’t just end at school work. She has positively influenced many students, and never fails to be hopeful and inspiring. It’s hard to walk past her, and not smile due to her radiating happiness that never fails to make a person feel just a little bit happier than before.

She has greatly impacted many students, including senior Alexa Benitez. “I’ve known Ms. Ostendorf for maybe eight years, and I remember the day I met her. She was super polite and such a nice person to talk to. She has the ability to brighten anyone’s day and was a huge help towards my education.

She would always be the person that if something was going on or if you simply needed someone to lean on, she would always there. She works so hard every day and treats each kid like her own. I am so happy she won this award. She most definitely deserves it.” Many teachers chose to teach because they want to impact a

Staff Writer

person’s life, and this is exactly what Ms.Ostendorf has done.

She said, “I am passionate about my job and committed to doing my best every day. I take pride in advocating for and being the voice for students with varying needs. It is gratifying and heartwarming to receive recognition and support from my amazing colleagues!” She is an exhilarating example of a person who puts other people’s needs in front of her own and does so with a smile on her face. One quote that “sums up her life” is: “Allow your passion to become your purpose, and it will one day become your profession.” Ms. Ostendorf is clearly a spectacular teacher, and truly does deserve this recognizable award.

PPCHS has its share of committed and hardworking employees on their hands. But, one shining employee stands out: Sherry Guerrero. Ms. Guerrero is the perfect example of a conscientious, diligent, and incredible hard worker. Ms. Guerrero has a huge responsibility, since she is the PPCHS bookkeeper.

Her work, without any exception, is always her best and finest, and she truly cares about helping her administration team and PPCHS students in general. She is definitely someone all PPCHS students should look up to for her leadership, management, and creative skills. It’s no question that she

Ms. Ostendorf

is a huge part of PPCHS’ well-oiled machine. She is extremely humbled by this award and is very thankful to her PPCHS family. “It is truly an honor to receive the Non-Instructional Employee of the Year Award.

I am humbled that I was nominated along with so many of my very qualified peers. I could not have accomplished it without their support along with the Administrative Team, Staff, and City Finance Team. They were all open minded to every new idea I threw at them and very helpful in the implementation process. This past year has been a roller coaster of learning experiences and it has been a fun ride! I truly enjoy working here at PPCHS and look forward to many more productive years."

We, as a community, should be very thankful that we have a person in our midst who cares about the students, and her fellow co-workers. It’s safe to say that she always gives 110% of her time, resources, and energy.

Ms. Guerrero is a positive influence, and we’re more than ecstatic she received this award.

Dana Ostendorf and Sherry Guerrero are two shining stars in the PPCHS family. If you happen to pass by them, remember to say congratulations. Or, even better show your support by attending the awards ceremony on February 13th at 6:30 p.m. at the River Of Grass Auditorium. They truly have earned the teacher and non-instructional employee of the year award. Their dedication and caring attitudes will always be remembered and honored here at Pines Charter for years to come.

Ms. Guerrero

CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Ms. Sabatier Returns as a New Mother Sarah Barrocas

U

Editor-In-Chief

pon returning from winter break, some individuals had new personal assets to show off and display at school- some students returned to school with the latest technological gadgets and gizmos they received for Christmas or stepped into the newest, and highly expensive, released sneakers; others simply sported a new haircut or school backpack. Ms. Sabatier, however, returned not just as the school’s BRACE Advisor, but instead came back earning herself a new title as a mother.

On Wednesday October 25th, 2017, Nicholas Andrew, the latest addition to Ms. Sabatier’s life, was born.

At 2:59 pm in the Baptist Hospital in Miami, Nicholas Andrew was officially welcomed into the world. Though Ms. Sabatier is always up for a challenge, her new role as a mother has been relatively, and surprisingly, easy. Since her son was six weeks old, he has been able to sleep a total of 12 hours. And even prior to that, he slept 5 hours a night (typically, many newborn babies don’t stay asleep more than 2-4 hours at a time). Her biggest struggle, however, wasn't her new role as a mother but her recovery as it has been physically taxing. Depending on others to help her move, sit, take a shower, and even hold her own baby was a toll that Ms. Sabatier had trouble accepting.

Since coming back to work, Sabatier has had her hands full, though she doesn’t mind. “Coming back to work has been bittersweet. I am excited to be back to help my seniors get through the finish line, but I miss cuddling with my sweet boy.” She adds, “Although I feared missing any milestones, and still do, I know I am setting an example that will teach him responsibility and appreciation in the long run.” As a now working mother, Ms. Sabatier has learned how to balance her roles as a professional, wife, and a mother. “When I am at work, I am at work, and when I am at home, I am a wife and a mom. Knowing how to set time for each has allowed me to be 100% dedicated to each of my roles.” As just a mother though, Ms. Sabatier’s outlook on life and how she spends her time has been a major change. When she is with her son or her family, she focuses on them, rarely looking at her phone or trying to multitask since her time with her son and husband have become ever so valuable and memorable.

Becoming a new mom has taught her how to love someone so small, how to be nurturing, and how to be patient. On behalf of The CHAT staff and the PPCHS student body, we wish Ms. Sabatier, her husband, and her newborn baby many years of love and happiness to come.

It’s a Boy: Mrs. Sabatier with her new baby boy, Nicholas Andrew Fernandez.

Donated By: Ms. Sabatier

Gay Straight Alliance Calls for Kindness Ariana Ortiz Staff Writer

P

eople can be empowered through expressing who they are, what they like, or where they’re from. Identity is something to celebrate, and the Gay Straight Alliance made sure to dedicate a week to just that. From Tuesday January 16th to Thursday January 28th, students and faculty were able to “pledge kindness” in an event called “No Name Calling Week” during their lunch periods. Bodies filled the bulletin board with their pledges, while heartwarming messages were spread across the cafeteria. The club members were ecstatic when they saw the amount of students coming up to spread their positivity.

“We mostly just wanted to bring some general awareness to an issue that gets ignored a lot of the time - someone’s identity being used as an insult against them,” said GSA president, junior Angelina Graham. “While there’s something to be said about joking around with friends, it usually crosses a line where someone’s whole identity, whether it be race, gender, or sexuality, gets turned into something negative and something to be laughed at.

This, especially for minorities, can really hurt those finding themselves or

those trying to make strides for their community.” The events didn’t stop there, as the club held one last event commemorating those who wished to express their true selves. On Friday January 19th, GSA and many others concluded No Name Calling week by standing at the River of Grass for a group photo, holding signs with an ‘I AM’ format that shared a part of their identity. An array of signs were shown, some saying, “I am a soccer player,” while others said “I am Latino.”

“The signs empower students, especially minorities, by giving us a voice to say that we are more than a label that’s placed on us due to us being a minority. So instead of me being just a black person or a gay person, I could state that ‘I am an artist’, or something deeper than my skin color or sexual preference,” says vice president, sophomore Christina Copeland.

No Name Calling week certainly gave awareness to the LGBTQ+ community and what it means to be yourself. The Gay Straight Alliance spread awareness, while also spreading positivity.

‘I AM’: Students hold signs stating ‘I AM’ with an identity in front of the River of Grass.

Photo By: Andy Alfonso

“The signs empower students, especially minorities, by giving us a voice to say that we are more than a label that’s placed on us due to us being a minority.”

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Student Life CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

“I went to Pilot Rock, Oregon over winter break. I went to go visit family and get a change in weather from Florida. I went sledding with my cousins too. It was a lot of fun.” - Thalia Garcia (‘19)

“I spent my winter break with family in Illinois. We went to downtown Chicago to have deepdish pizza and relax on the 98th floor of the John Hancock building. However, most of the time we just relaxed at my grandmother’s house, eating delicious gingerbread cookies and playing card games like Rummy 500. “ - Nika Ambre (‘19)

“My family and I flew to Colorado to see snow and ski for the first time. It was really lovely; the snow was as fun as I had imagined it to be. But a couple days there in the freezing weather was enough for my Floridian self. I can say now that I really appreciate our 70 degree "winters."”

– Chonnalin Sumonthee (‘19)

Students S US Over W

"My summer vacation started with the renting of an RV in Las Vegas. From then on it was only sights to behold. We rode that RV from Nevada to Utah and finally to Arizona.

We saw Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park, and finished strong with the grand views of the Grand Canyon."

- Alejandro Hernandez (‘18)

Student Life 7

CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

“This winter break my family escaped the warm weather of South Florida and traveled to the freezing cold of Boston and New Hampshire. We threw tea into the harbor, we visited Fenway, the second oldest baseball park in the United States, and went in to Paul Revere’s house. Also, my sister and I learned how to snowboard in New Hampshire. It was a trip for the books!” - Andres Alfonso (‘20)

Spanning the Winter Break “During winter break, I got the chance to visit New York with my family. My trip was filled with amazing pizza, the frozen fingers and faces, and lots of walking through the city. Just seeing all the tall and beautiful skyscrapers surrounding me in such a busy and lively place, I know I'll be coming back as soon as I can (this time in the warmth)!” –Bhavna Sriram (‘18)

“I visited the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) because I am thinking of applying, and we got so lucky because it snowed while we were there! I had so much fun that I didn’t want to leave.”

- Muriel Moralez (‘19)

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Student Life CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Band Master takes it to the Big Leagues Rachel Rivera Lifestyle Editor

A

popular sound throughout Pines Charter, particularly on game day, is the iconic PPCHS drumline. The drum line is full of some of Charter’s most proficient musicians, but not all of their talents stop at school. Sophomore Juan Florez has been playing music all his life. His incredible musical talents got major recognition last year when he was accepted into The National Take a Stand Festival , or NTASF, for violin. The National Take a Stand Festival is a seven-day orchestra festival which brings together young musicians from musical programs nationwide, providing them with world class music instruction and mentorship. This program offers a model for excellence among El Sistema-inspired programs in the United States. El Sistema is a publicly financed classical music education program founded in Venezuela in 1975 by composer and conductor Jose Antonio Abreu. NTASF was established in 2015 and has welcomed young musicians into classical music’s finest learning institutions and performance venues, including Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, Bard College Fisher Center, and Aspen Music Festival’s Benedict Music Tent.

Last year Juan put his talent to the test and auditioned for the program. The auditioning process requires you to play to your full potential in front of a camera along with a scale, a piece you prepared, something about yourself, and reasoning as to why you want to be a part of the orchestra. “I’ve always known Juan was a musician, but I didn’t know the extent of his talent so it’s really cool to hear about and it is really cool that he had the chance to do that, and it's only a start considering his age. I can only imagine how many more opportunities he will get in the future.” says sophomore Valerie Samosky.

Any student who has been in at least two years of a music program that is El Sistema inspired is eligible to audition and the best of the best get in. In March of 2017 Juan got the news that he Deep in Focus: Juan stands for a had been accepted, attached with the music required for the concert he would perform in. Three months later, Juan was flown out to Los Angeles for 7 days to take on an experience of a lifetime. bow after preforming with his orchestra.

The first four days, the program stayed at the Longy College of Music and from 7:30 am to 9:30 Donated By: Juan Flores p.m. every day was music nonstop, to ensure that the students were prepared for the concert.

After four days, the students moved to a hotel close to the Walt Disney Concert hall the concert was held. Juan said, “After all the hard work put in the concert turned out amazing, we sounded great and it was such a serial experience for me. It taught and inspired me so much.

It’s definitely something I’ll never forget.” Along with the experience he left with so much knowledge and many new friends.

The students were conducted by Venezuelan conductor and violinist Gustavo Adolfo Dudamel Ramírez. Ramirez is also the music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which contributed to the designing of the festival. With Gustavo’s impressive conducting career, he was a phenomenal fit to inspire and mentor the students, helping to expand their musical knowledge and up their performance.

Juan is no stranger to performing but this was unlike anything he had even done before and he hopes to continue getting chances like this. After years of dedication to music Juan’s passion is as strong as ever and his horizons continue to broaden.

Donated By: Juan Flores

Donated By: Juan Flores

Donated By: Juan Flores

The Power of Love, God and a Humbling Family Jordan Alberti Sports Editor

A

side from the dreadful ambiance of school and nail biting homework comes the hobbies or pastimes we all look forward to. More than often, these hobbies are something we have in common with someone else, but imagine being so extraordinary that the passion for that one thing becomes something greater. Junior Ethan Elms has shown what it means to believe in happiness, family, and love through the power of religion and music.

Ethan, a part of the religion Apostolic Pentecostal, actively takes part in a band with his siblings, Winter (18), Scarlett (21), and Austen (23). The band, creatively called, The Elms, focuses on Christian music and spreading God’s love. “I feel really great to be a part of something like this. It’s what my family is all about, and by performing we know we have done everything to show the world who we are,” says Ethan. The band, solely run and maintained by the Elms family, is dedicated to The Cathedral of Pentecost. The four siblings are a part of the platform staff of the local church in Davie, which helped and motivated them to create “The Elms.”

“Being a part of something this big in my life makes me feel like I belong to something bigger than me and reminds me to be nice and supportive to everyone,” says Ethan.

Photo By: Eric Hernandez It was only two years ago, that Ethan’s dad came up with the idea to form a small band.

Back then it had only been a concept, but it blossomed into something his kids would never forget. “It was my dad’s idea two years ago. We all thought it was cool, so we started writing songs, and it all came together,” says Ethan. All four Elms kids are musically talented.

Every Sunday at church, Ethan and his sisters sing, while his brother plays the guitar. The group was so dedicated and into the music, that they decided to come out with an album.

Both Music and Religion are very important the Elms family, so it was a given that the album, called “4thtothepower”, would center on the family’s love and importance to God. Creating the album was difficult, according to Ethan, but it wasn’t stressful to write the songs or play the music because being with his family put him at ease. “My parents are our biggest supporters. They always encourage us to sing what we love and perform our best. They help us so much,” said Ethan. Coming out with an album is no easy thing, but school or time wasn’t an issue for the family, since most of the recording for the music was done in the summer of 2014. “Even though the band and album aren’t really time consuming, I still try to organize my time so I can get my schoolwork done first and singing after. But it is really fun to just be in the studio with my family.” The music on the album was all written by the Elms kids. While most of the music is mainly written by Ethan’s older brother, Austen, Ethan wrote one song, “One Day.” In essence, the band formally started when the album came out.

One would think that bands have tours, but The Elms would much rather keep thing small and local. Although, most recently, the band was invited to perform at a summer camp in Georgia and at a church convention in Oklahoma City. “Being a part of something this big in my life makes me feel like I belong to something bigger than me and reminds me to be nice and supportive to everyone,” says Ethan. Creating this band has brought the family closer and created bonds with them, God, and new people.

Along his musical journey Ethan has been reminded that, family is not only an important thing, but it’s everything. Ethan has shown us that it doesn’t always have to be mainstream music or bands that sets you on a musical pathway The Elms might be a small group, but they certainly do have a loud sound that spreads love, happiness, and faith.

Student Life 9

Regalado Conquers Cornell

CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Ringing in Junior Year

Andres Perez Staff Writer

T

he moment he opened the email that would decide the next four years of his life, an abrupt moment of silence transitioned into loud cheers. Senior Brandon Regalado has officially accomplished every senior’s dream- getting into an Ivy League school. The application to Cornell University is rigorous, but it is definitely worth it.

Achieving his dream required an intense amount of consistency and challenging courses. During his studies, Brandon was faced with the task of balancing his extracurricular activities on top of the high intensity classes he was enrolled in. Throughout the process, Brandon encountered a lot of self-doubt and uncertainty. The pressing doubt stemmed from the extremely high qualifications necessary to be admitted into Cornell. With the possibility of being rejected from his dream school, Brandon began to focus on more positive thoughts denied. To help him erase the negative thoughts, his girlfriend Vicki did everything in her power to push Brandon one step closer to his goals, “She always stayed up with me during my many sleepless nights, helped me stay motivated, and overall brought out the best version of myself.” As the admission date came closer, Brandon repeatedly told himself that whether he was accepted or denied, he would be proud of what he has accomplished during his high school years. Once the results were released, the nerves took over and leaving him motionless at

his computer screen. Terrified to just make the one click that would determine how he would spend the next four years of his life.

After an hour, Brandon finally checked his result and “felt like a million bucks.” As much as Brandon should have taken the credit for all his hard work and dedication, he couldn't help but feel grateful for all the support from friends, family, and teachers.

Brandon’s acceptance took affected his closest peers and showed how much they loved and supported him. Brandon said, “...my friends helped shape me into who I am, and I definitely wouldn't have gotten into Cornell without them”. The best piece of advice Brandon could offer students attempting to strive for their dream schools is to just be yourself. The best way he believes you can do so is in your college essays by picking an impactful topic because

originality is important, “but it's only effective when it’s genuine.”

Brandon’s accomplishment speaks volumes for the dedication he has put into his college applications. The ups and the downs of the school work and stress is somewhat lifted off of his shoulders as high school is drawing towards a close, and his dream will soon be a reality.

Jordan Alberti Sports Editor

As

the booming microphone sounded with Ashley Velasquez’s voice singing the National Anthem, the junior ring ceremony officially began. It would see the coronation of the new upperclassmen in Charter.

The room gleamed and the crowd roared as each student was called up to the stage to receive their newest prized possession. Junior Ryan Gonzalez said, “It was an honor to receive the ring with all my peers around me, and remembering our first three years of high school and looking towards our future and our senior year next year.” The new upperclassmen left the night with blinding new rings, a token the Class of 2019 will never forget.

A Sigh of Relief: Brandon smiles with his acceptance letter from Cornell.

Donated By: Brandon Regalado

Put a Ring on It: Juniors pose with their new rings.

Donated By: Yearbook

Johnson Sets a Goal on the Ice Evan Samuels

P

Managing Editor - Web

PCHS is home to a wide variety of talents that are unique in the eyes of each and every student. Senior Ahram Johnson has a talent that many PPCHS students could say that they don’t have - playing the sport of hockey at a high level. This is the life of the senior, who will be playing hockey for Michigan State next year.

In Florida, hockey is a hard sport to get into, but Johnson, although not really knowing what he was doing, loved the sport right away. He said, “I was four years old at the time and it felt like magic to be skating on ice at the time. It started to turn into a daily routine that I began to love more and more.” Johnson currently plays right wing, but in college he will be

playing as a defenseman. Johnson said that he is trying to play water polo in our school this year to really build his endurance and strength as a hockey player.

Johnson's favorite hockey team is the Detroit Red Wings because it is where his father was raised, so he followed in his father’s footsteps. He said, “Peter Datsyuk is my overall favorite player because he is just a pure legend to the sport. He is one of my biggest inspirations to be on the ice, and I always watch clips of him to possibly improve on how I play.” Johnson’s hard work to the sport of hockey paid off this year as he was able to commit to Michigan State. Johnson loved the coaching staff and how they treated him

Skating into College: Aram and his teammates celebrate after scoring a goal.

Donated By: Ahram Johnson like family. He also loved the program because of how it will improve his skills and his academic skills. He simply said, “It felt like home.”

Johnson said his favorite memory playing hockey was “when I was a little kid. My dad always cheered me on and gave me the push to play. It felt refreshing and gave me energy day in and day out.” Congratulations to Ahram Johnson on his journey to Michigan State.

Every year we sit down on December 31st

and ponder over what our goal for the year is.

On The CHAT’s Twitter account, we opened two polls for students to vote on what their goal was for the New Year. Perhaps these results will encourage those with resolutions to find support systems that will push each other to achieve their goal for the year. Here are the results.

Graphic By: Justin Pierce

10 Faces of Charter CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Faces of Charter Photos by: Newspaper Photographers

Faces of Charter CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

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Features CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

An International Affair: Earth Celebrates the Day of Love Florencia Azcurra Features Editor

T

he traditional box of chocolates and teddy bear extravaganza may be exclusive to America, but the concept behind Valentine’s Day itself is in fact, international.

Countries ranging from Columbia to the Philippines all observe some form of “Valentine’s Day” to embrace the importance of love. While not often thought of, love is universal and taking a trip down the globe to recognize the different diversities love has isn’t bad for a change. So fasten your seatbelts and enjoy this worldwide edition of the love ride.

Starting in the Southern hemisphere, where Valentine’s Day is most compatible to the U.S.’s version; a few Latin or Hispanic countries celebrate something very similar to what America celebrates every year on February 14th. “My family is Columbian and while we do celebrate the American version of Valentine’s Day, my family in Columbia celebrates it in September,” says sophomore Vanessa Angel.

The people of Columbia celebrate what is known as “el dia del amor y la amistad” and takes place on the third weekend of September. According to Vanessa, Colombians approach the holiday much like they approach Christmas and Halloween, wholeheartedly. The celebration begins a week in advance with deals seen all over stores and restaurants. Now traveling farther south, all the way to the quiet country of Argentina where Valentine’s Day is well, different. Argentina has no official Valentine’s Day, but has a relatively equivalent holiday known as “the day of

friends” “In Argentina “el dia del amigo” is very important there. People go out and get not only their family, but their friends gifts too. The main purpose is to remember that friends are forever,” says junior Agustina Otero. The country celebrates this national holiday on the 20th of July to emphasize the importance friends have creating the

Graphic By:Taylor Causey Photo By: Justin Dourvetakis

love in your life. Instead of only focusing on partner relationships, many Latin countries also incorporate friendships to demonstrate that you don’t need a “bae” to be loved. But these friendship holidays prove their equivalent to Valentine’s Day here.

Spinning the globe all the way to the beautiful land of Ireland. In this peaceful country, Valentine’s Day is celebrated the

TO DO:

love, they go leave cards on his gravestone.

Very patriotic. “I’m Irish and so is most of my family. While most things are the same here as they are over there, I can say that in Ireland, chocolate is huge. If anyone gets there date any gift, chocolate is always a must,” says junior Julia Cunningham. It may be because of the country’s history, or beautiful mountains, or blissful oceans,

but the people of this country crave chocolate so much for Valentine’s Day that they spent roughly 85 million euros every year for this holiday alone. The Irish maybe doing it differently, but they aren’t doing it wrong.

Moving a little bit east...or west, based on what way the globe is spinning, we’ve come to the last stop of the “love ride”, the Philippines. In the Philippines, things get a little more traditional. It is common over there for couples to exchange gifts, but typically the man of the relationship buys the gift, it mainly being roses. “The Philippines is a very traditional country. My family even sticks to these Valentine’s Day traditions. We still celebrate on February 14th, but there are “rules” that people follow. Like flowers are big thing there. Getting someone flowers is important on the day of love,” says junior Hunter Fu. According to Hunter, being of Asian nationalities, on August 28th, it’s Chinese Valentine’s Day where people hold a festival and have vendors, stands, etc. Being a part of the festival is important to tradition since everyone in China celebrates together.

Although not all 195 countries of the world were covered, many new angels and aspects were visited. Different countries from all around the globe have some form of Valentine's Day or of simply celebrating love in general. The diversity of love within the world demonstrate how important a sometimes “overrated” labelled holiday is to countries, families and people.

Valentine’s Day

“My friends and I will usually spend Valentine’s Day getting each other gifts and sharing things like chocolate and flowers to show how much we care about each other. I've always loved Valentine’s Day because you get to express your feelings for one another. We also might get together and watch some romance movies and eat popcorn,” - Sophomore Alyssa Miragliotta “Valentine’s Day isn’t anything special since I’m single and so are most of my friends, but I do make my friends red velvet cupcakes so they feel appreciated and loved. Even if the treat isn’t from a significant other, that one small thing makes them feel special and I think Valentine’s Day is about making people, not just your boyfriend or girlfriend, feel loved” Senior Maria Amon “I love to spend Valentine’s Day with my friends. We drive around places and just chill. It’s a nice time, since we don’t really like to indulge into the stereotypical things of Valentine's Day. After that, I go home and spend the rest of it with my family and go out to dinner.”

- Junior Rithwik Nambiar

same it is here. Only over there, it’s tradition to buy a Valentine’s Day card and leave it on the grave of Michael Collins.

Who is this Michael Collins you may ask?

Collins was a very inspirational and influential leader for Ireland. The people of Ireland admire him so much that 93 years after his death, on the more common day of

“This year, for Valentine's Day, I’m lucky to have had found someone great to spend it with. I’m hoping to surprise my girlfriend with a nice gift and dinner.”

- Freshman Derek Cortez

“I have a weird tradition for Valentine’s Day. Me and my friends get together and eat Ben and Jerry’s ice cream together since we have no significant other to spend it with, but it’s all good!”

- Freshman Isabella Gonzalez

“Valentine’s Day is a really cool holiday since the love we spread is emphasized with gifts and cards. On this holiday, I usually get my parents a card to express how much they mean to me. It’s not the classic date night for me, but my family is a perfect way to spend Valentine’s Day.” - Junior Axel Rios

“On Valentine's Day I have a water polo game with the high school against South Broward. So technically I will be with the people I love.

My team. I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate a day to be with the people we look forward to be with.

I’m happy to spend the day of love playing a sport I love with the people I love.”

- Junior Ethan Coello

“Since some of my friends and I are single, we like to spend Valentine’s Day together sometimes making fun of all the mushy couples and teddy bears with chocolates. But being with my friends, who are some really awesome people, makes Valentine's Day so much better since we don’t worry about having to buy each other things, but rather just make each other happy” - Senior Addith Saji “I love Valentine’s Day. I like to spend it with my sister at home.

We’re three years apart and I’ll be going to college soon, so finding time to spend with her before time slips away is great and Valentine’s Day is a great to do it. I’m thinking about just watching a movie with her that night.”

- Senior Benson Alcime “This Valentine’s Day I’m going to be getting my friends small chocolates to express to them how much I really love them. Since only some of us are in a relationship, I want to show them that you don’t need to be in a relationship to be pampered with goodies on the national day of love.”

- Freshman Olivia Adorno

“Since I’m a single pringle, I spend Valentine’s day alone, but to make the best of a relationship holiday, I go home and watch some movies while hanging out with the love of my life. My dog.”

- Sophomore Jennifer Galvez.

Features 13

CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Boys vs Girls: Who Loves the Day of Love the Most?

Sophia Cortes Staff Writer

V

alentine’s Day, the day where most people celebrate their love for others -friends, family, or even significant others.

This “Day of Love” is celebrated all across the United States by boys and girls alike from kindergarten to adulthood, but there seems to be a common idea that girls celebrate, or put more importance to, Valentine’s Day than boys. From the countless numbers of chocolates, flowers, and jewelry commercials reminding people to get their “special someone” that more than perfect gift, to Hallmark rom-com marathons that depict rather cliché stories of falling in love, it’s easy to fall into the misconception that girls just happen to like - no, love- Valentine’s Day more than boys.

However, it is not all that black and white. For example, many might think that boys would regard Valentine's Day as a “feminine” holiday because it is all about “unmanly” things like love and tear jerking romance movies. But contrary to popular belief, boys and girls both agree on quite a few things when it comes to the lovely woes of Valentine's Day. For example, many agree on the fact that Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be for only celebrating the love between a couple, but the love that you have for your friends and family as well.

Junior Christian Laverde explains how he feels that holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day focus on things that a lot of people might not have: family and love.

He goes on to say how “that’s not to say Valentine’s day is bad or that if you don’t have a significant other you can’t celebrate Valentine’s Day, it’s more like I feel that people should look around them on days like this and cherish everyone they have.

So Valentine’s Day can still be all about romance and stuff, but it’s worth celebrating the types of love that are platonic as well.”

Like Christian, Sophomore Giulia Martins

agrees that the day of love should focus on being with friends, family, and your significant other. “Overall,” she says, “I think that Valentine's Day is a day to spend with friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, it can be

anyone.”

Many people across the school also believe that you shouldn’t even have a specific day to celebrate your loved ones, that it should be year round. AP World History teacher, Mr. Pargas, expresses that he feels “every day is a special day with your sweetheart. I am not going to suggest something as cliché as “every day is Valentine’s Day,” but every day is a special day whether you have someone to share it with romantically or whether you have friends to hang out with. Bake a cake, give a present, or send a message to make someone feel special because you want to (and do it

often), not just because it’s February 14th.”

Junior Antonella Lalinde is an avid Valentine’s Day lover, but she agrees with Mr. Pargas, saying that “I personally love, the idea of love because it’s such a happy and

how the social standard is that you have to have a significant other on Valentine’s Day to make it special.” Fellow Senior, Joshua Kim, also expresses his distaste for the commercialism on Valentine’s and says how “I love the concept and idea of the holiday, but personally I have issues about major companies trying to make sales out of it. It’s a romantic day, not a commercial business day.” To English teacher, Ms. Ellis, part of her feels that “Valentine’s Day is a commercialized, Hallmark holiday, but the larger part of me likes it, regardless of you being in a relationship or not.” However, to World History teacher, Mr. Grijalva, the “holiday” seems to be commercially generated. “I don’t hate it,” he explains, “because many people enjoy it and it helps the economy. It just seems somewhat “artificial” to me.”

Some people don’t even have any strong feelings towards the holiday either. Freshman Emma Mengotti explains how “I don’t really mind it much, no specific feeling comes to mind when I think about Valentine’s Day. Graphic By: Justin Pierce Sophomore Dylan Long also expresses that “I definitely don’t wonderful feeling that should be celebrathate it, I just don’t have much of ed all year.” Sophomore Rafael Benitez an opinion of it. I guess it’s a pretty signifialso feels the same way, expressing that “I cant day of the year for the kids in relationthink people sometimes don’t realize that ships, but it’s more a day to treat your “Valthey don’t need a label on a day to show entine,” usually your boyfriend/girlfriend.” someone that they love them.”

All across campus, whether teacher or Valentine’s is much loved by a lot of student, boy or girl, whether you love, hate, people, but there are also some aspects to or feel indifferent, people have showed that it that boys and girls have agreed on that it doesn’t matter what gender you are, Valaren’t exactly the best. Senior Katia Lobo entine’s Day is for everyone. It’s a time of explains how even though she loves Val- the year that should be celebrated every entine’s Day because she gets to spend day, and despite the fact that it’s heavily time with the people that she loves and commercialized, it is nice to by a chocolate shower them with gifts like pink cookies, or two, watch some of those cheesy romanshe “doesn’t like how commercial it is and tic comedies, and just be with the ones you love.

Valentine’s Day for the Party of One Paolo Barrera Clubs Editor

Valentine’s Day is a special holiday, to

say the least. It’s a beautiful opportunity for dates and nights out, but for others it’s a blunt reminder of their “missing half.”

Nonetheless, the hearts and heavy hues of red and pink are already in stores for all to see.

The “sadness” of being single may be a symptom for some, but not for all the independent men and women enjoying their own perks. Some of these perks come in the form of extra gifts. Chocolates and your favorite flowers are most likely on sale, so getting the bang for your buck means being your own “other half.” Why spend money on a tub of Ben & Jerry’s and a Redbox rom-com, when a fun night of self-love is only 10 dollars away? Couple’s deals are basically BOGO’s, where you buy one and get another one for yourself. Self-love and indulging oneself is not a sin, but more of a justified way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your most significant other: yourself.

Like the phrase “No man is an island” says: no one is ever truly alone. So all the single islands are more like single chains of islands; where there is always a friend nearby. Whether this friend may be blood or close to it, it’s still love. Whether the word “nearby” means across the Pacific Ocean, it’s still love. Whether that friend be human or animal, that other is more than enough of a reason to celebrate love. Cupid

shoots his arrows at people who are in love and people who have love to share. With that in mind, a heart made of bird feed is just as romantic as a heart of rose petals on your bed. A date with your best friend is just the same, because in all three instances you get to enjoy the shared love between you two.

In the modern age of technology, these suggestions may not be the easiest for you.

You might ask: “How can I enjoy my dog filter with my dog if my Snapchat is filled with all these couples?” The easy answer is to just ignore them. The better answer is to flaunt your night like the couples, and enjoy your Valentine’s Day just as much as they are. There’s no need to be jealous of someone just like you. You have a passion for your hobbies the same way that that couple on Snapchat have a passion for each other. The only thing in the way of you enjoying your selfie is yourself and the lighting of course.

As February 14th inches closer and closer, keep your happiness and enjoyment in mind. While keeping those in mind, keep your best friend close by. Valentine’s Day is less of a date night for every couple in the world, and more of a day for anyone and everyone to celebrate any type of relationship. Let yourself enjoy the chocolate, and pink and red vibes, but let your heart enjoy it too.

Photo By: Justin Dourvetakis

Graphic By:Jasmin Bleus

14 Clubs

Art Enthusiasts Take On Basel CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Amanda Rodriguez Staff Writer

“The painter has the universe in his mind

and hands.”- Leonardo Da Vinci. The world of art can be shown through infinite ways; Art Basel being one of them. On December 8, 2017 anyone in the art classes with Mrs. Vasquez or Ms. Wills, was given the opportunity to go on the annual trip to Art Basel. Needleless to say, it was an amazing experience.

Art Basel is an international art fair with three shows staged annually in Basel, Switzerland; Miami Beach, Florida; and Hong Kong. There were only sixty spots for the trip so students had to sign up as quickly as they could. Of course, it was completely filled. The trip has been going on for about ten years now. The students were able to dress in whatever they would like, and they mostly wore their best outfits to prepare for all the photos they were going to take. Art Basel is known for their incredible art, and awesome Instagram posts. For food, they were given the option of Starbucks, McDonalds, or Subway as well as the food courts inside the convention center. Once there the students were able to walk around freely and observe all the new and upcoming artists. The art displayed was understood by the youth, and the artwork could speak to the students, and spark inspiration into those who may want to pursue an art

Donated by : Mykala Thompson

career.

Each show is organized into sectors which showcase leading galleries from North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa, and they all show significant work from the masters of Modern and contemporary art, as well the new generation of emerging stars. Paintings, sculptures, installations, photographs, films, and works of the highest quality are on display in the main exhibition hall. Ambitious largescale artworks, films and performances become part of the city's outdoor landscape at nearby Collins Park and SoundScape Park (artbasel.com). This year, over 200 of the world's leading international Modern and contemporary art galleries display artworks by over 4,000 artists, including paintings, sculptures, installations, photography, film, video, and digital art. Visitors can find works ranging from editioned pieces by young artists to museum-caliber masterpieces (artbasel.com).

For most students this was not their first year attending Art Basel, “I went to Art Basel this year because I try to go annually, and it’s always interesting to see what will be displayed in contrast to the years prior”, stated Emily Nieto. Compared to last year Emily kept an eye out for pieces that caught her eye, “My favorite pieces

Donated by: Chloe Freire

SNHS Member Captures Culture in a Mural

were the Keith Haring ones since I had never seen those in particular and found them a bit more complex than other pieces I’ve seen by him.” This artist and many more were spread out at the convention center giving the students the ability to observe a wide variety of artworks that stood out to them.

Art can have many different meanings to anyone, and every person who walked by an exhibit viewed the work, and interpreted it in their own way. To some art is extremely powerful, “To me art is freedom. There are no rules by which to follow and there are infinite ways to express yourself. I also believe part of our purpose on this physical plane is to create and that's not just limited to art; anything can be art.”, stated Lissette Nova. The fair was not only moving to the students but to the teachers as well, “I think that this is just an inspirational and cultural experience to anyone who goes. I always leave wanting to go home to paint or create something”, stated Mrs. Vasquez.

The trip was a great experience for those who went for the first time, and for those who have been there before. Art has been around since history can tell, and it seems to be a flame that will never dull.

Donated by: Chloe Freire

Donated by: Abigail Maiz

Donated by: Chloe Freire

Brittany Evelyn News Editor

Clubs Editor

T

Photo by: Justin Dourvetakis

SGA and SNHS Help Rebuild After Irma

Paolo Barrera

hough the holiday season has passed, the decorations have made their way to the school. On the language side of upper C building, a masterful mural can be seen painted on the wall parallel to Ms.Ciafre’s room. The wall, adorned in hand painted flags, should bare no more thanks to senior Juliana Quintero.

Back in November, a pencil etched outline of a globe and various flags covered the wall. Day by day, the wall found itself layered with strokes of graphite and erase marks. Once paint was permitted to touch drywall, the progress began. “We tried to get as much [planning] done before Winter Break as possible,” said the team behind the project. The process of applying tape to edges, getting the right colors, and filling in empty space was a daily challenge.

“Everytime I had free time, I made it a point to come [to campus] and work on the mural,” said Juliana. After mistakes, missteps, and many minutes of rechecking for accuracy, the bulk of the job was done. Arguably the hardest part was next: painting on the words. A tagline crediting Spanish National Honor Society was etched in red across the bottom of the masterpiece. Juliana’s quirky signature in all black sit comfortably in the corner acknowledging the sweat and effort of the artist herself.

The project was sponsored by Spanish National Honor Society to illustrate a message and project the core of the club through a creative medium. The flags themselves represent some of the many countries that proudly speak Spanish. An open globe on

PPCHS Artists at Art Basel: Art students spent their day walking around Miami looking at featured art works

the side symbolizes the global culture of language, in which Spanish shares its roots with many of dialects that exist today. “The message was meant to be very clear while still being imaginative,” explains Juliana.

With its purpose fulfilled and its beauty free to enjoy, the masterpiece is definitely a success.

The beige plaster of the countless walls across campus can become an eyesore after a while. Juliana’s mural though adds some color and character to the walls at Pines Charter. Thanks to the purposeful dedication of a whole club and the talent of an artist, a glimpse into the Spanish speaking world is a wall away.

Photo by: Justin Dourvetakis

I

n the wake of hurricane Irma, several countries and cities are left behind to pick up the pieces. One of which is right in our backyard. It is 5 months later and residents of the Conch Republic are still trying to get back into the groove of things and find a sense of normalcy. The Stanley Switlik Elementary School in Monroe County is among many that are still in need of help.

The PPCHS Student Government Association (SGA) and Spanish Honor Society (SHS) have joined forces to send relief efforts to this elementary school. The SGA and SHS hosted several events, including raffles at three basketball games and a pizza night fundraiser at Pasquale’s. They are hoping to host a third fundraising event and popcorn sales during the month of February. Those who entered the raffles had the chance to win a $50 gift card, donated by an SGA committee member. Tickets were sold for one dollar, and the more students donated, the more tickets they got, increasing their likelihood of winning. The club raised nearly $100 from the raffle tickets and $400 at the pizza family night. “The fundraiser was meant to help a school in the Keys that was left behind. A lot of the efforts were going to the islands, like Puerto Rico, but we have one right in our backyard. We went through the process of brainstorming what they really need, but they already had a ton of supplies and clothes. Finally they told us families are getting everything except money, so we

Photo by:Justin Dourvetakis tried to collect as much money as we could to send gift cards,” said SHS sponsor and Spanish teacher Ms. Ferrer.

The city of Marathon was hit especially hard by hurricane Irma, with the majority of its student population becoming homeless. The principal informed Mr. Curry that families were in desperate need of the basics, such as toothpaste, deodorant, and underwear, as they had lost it all to the storm. “We’re doing a monetary donation because that’s what they really need.

They only have three stores in Marathon; a Publix, a Home Depot, and a Kmart. The school is looking for gift cards and money so they can either give it to the families or so the school can buy the necessities,” Mr. Curry, SGA sponsor and history teacher, elaborated.

To make a substantial donation, funds from the popcorn sales, as well as previous fundraisers, will be sent to the Stanley Switlik Elementary School. As of the month of January, SGA and SHS were successful in raising $486 in charity. It’s safe to say that as a community, PPCHS has been giving a helping hand.

Clubs 15

CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

GSA Students Surmount the Diversity Summit Paolo Barrera Clubs Editor

The foundation of Charter’s mission

and goals is built upon the principles of college, citizenship, and community. A few clicks and scrolls on the school website is all it takes to understand our values. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the website, and one can see Charter’s vision to work “as a community” to teach in a “safe environment,” In accomplishing that vision, Charter prides itself in catering to every community. One of the most recent ways of accomplishing this vision is with a field trip to the Diversity Summit.

This event, hosted by Pompano Beach High School, was put together with the collective effort of the different chapters of the Genders & Sexualities Alliance (GSA) in Broward County. It featured an opportunity for students from across the county to talk, bond, and share in a completely safe space. Charter students took advantage of the chance and had an adventure of a day growing closer to, and more comfortable within, the LGBTQ+ community.

The day began with an open gym decorated with flags and booths that was filled with students from all kinds of backgrounds

and upbringings. High schoolers of all gen- attendee Angelina Graham. ders and all sexualities waited awkwardly The panel discussion was followed by a for the itinerary to begin. In due time, the similar meeting that dissected a different first activtopic: sexuity came al education around in in schools. the form Accurate of a panel. and inforMembers mational of GSA and s e x u a l teachers on education the board courses discussed have been the topic of in demand LGBTQ+ for the representaLGBTQ+ tion in mecommunity Photo by : Andy Alfonso dia with the because of students in the nebuattendance, lous confustarting off the day with a conversation sion surrounding the topic. “The meeting everyone can contribute to. “The panel on on Sexual Education had to be my favorite representation as great. It’s not unusual to [of the first two summit activities},” said only see 1 or 2 LGBT characters within a junior Belen Perkins. “Considering that show, even more so to have them accurate- many schools don’t offer the accurate and ly represented. So to hear an active conver- necessary information for teens.” Spreadsation about it was really interesting,” said ing this vital resource to Charter students can potentially save lives and find its way

SGA Attends D6 Convention

Mother Nature Makes a Comeback

Rachel Rivera

Brittany Evelyn

Lifestyle Editor

News Editor

I

Running for Vice President: At the D6 convention Naveen Farook ran for a district postion in SGA

Donated by : SGA

During the weekend of January 21-22 the

student government associations from the Broward and Dade district came together for the D6 convention. Our very own PPCHS Student Government Association was in attendance, including sophomore and SGA member Naveen Farook who ran for district Vice President.

Starting off the convention there was a general assembly where the plans for the day were explained. From there, participants rotated between three different leadership workshops. The different workshops discussed a variety of vital topics such as women empowerment, leukemia, and Greek life. After rotations all members took part in a pep rally, conjoining everyone with games and activities. At lunchtime participants are greeted with a guest speaker, a cancer survivor, who talked about goals and purpose in life which inspired many students in the room. The motivational speaker talked about how she achieved her dream of wakeboarding

while still tackling a rare form of cancer.

Following lunch each school running for a position performs a skit to get other people to vote for them.

Naveen Farook ran a campaign based off of the new blockbuster hit, The Greatest Showman. She mentioned that “Running for VP was definitely a lot of work, creating banners, posters, speeches, and even a skit. Having the support and help of our entire SGA was the best part of our campaign though.” Pines Charter put on a skit focused on the circus theme with Naveen as the ringmaster, junior Krissana Abolafia as a baton twirler, surrounded by jugglers, gymnasts, roller skaters, singers, and many other circus themed acts. While putting on an entertaining performance, Naveen also cleverly incorporated campaign expressions while in the act. Krissiana says “Although we did not win, Naveen put on a great campaign that was difficult to beat.”

After Pines Charter’s ‘Greatest Show on Earth’,and all other performances a formal meeting took place where the members got to vote on, and discuss about future endeavors for the school year. Along with voting for school based events each school got to vote on the district candidates, and the winners were announced later on. Overall, it was an amazing learning opportunity for all the students from each district and each are in anticipation for next year!

among the community at Charter.

Finishing the day off was a quick lunch and an open dance floor. New faces became new no more and the awkwardness seeped out of the gym. The field trip became less of a visit and more of an experience for students in attendance, and that feeling was hard to miss. “That kind of energy and space to be yourself is honestly something to witness,” added Perkins.

Though the summit came to a swift close, the impact is never ending. Providing the LGBTQ+ community with the powerful resource of attending a county wide event touches the lives of attendees and non-attendees alike. “I was definitely impacted [by the summit]. There’s a certain loneliness that can creep up as an LGBT teen. Sometimes you just forget that there are other people like you until you see it firsthand in a dance circle of teens who just met,” confesses Graham.

For every ally or LGBTQ+ teen, the Diversity Summit is a testament to the safe environment that Charter promotes. It’s safe to feel comfortable and included in a school where diversity has no gender or race. Until the next summit comes around, become a part of the Charter community.

n the hustle and bustle of today’s world, people often forget to stop, think, and appreciate the world that has candidly been handed to them: Earth. Our planet is a powerful, compelling force that we humans have been unconsciously degrading.

Though fortunately enough, these planet inhabits those who are willing to promote its protection. Senior Nicole Cano, and with the help of her trusted “advisors,” have created a new type of spirit week: Environmental Week. At times, starting small to make a difference can leave more of an impact on busy, uninterested teenagers than say maybe a TED talk or uninteresting pamphlet.

Nicole, committee chair of the Environmental Week and Fair, is carrying out the week-long event with inspiration from the activities that SGA hosted last year. Environmental Week this year is set to take place from January 29th to February 3rd.

Nicole and everyone on the committee are all extremely passionate about what they do. That’s why when preparing and creating the event, they made the sole purpose of the week to advocate and raise awareness for the wellness of the environment.

“It’s a week of advocating for the environment with fun activities planned for each day. It’s kind of like spirit week but environment themed,” explains Nicole.

Throughout the environmental week there will be different activities for everyday of the week that students are motivated to participate in. “At first I didn’t know our school even had an environmental week last year, but I found out through some friends that they would be doing it again this year and I’m honestly kind of excited for this because it’s a cute and fun way to get kids to realize how valuable mother nature is,” says freshman Giovanna Gerbino.

In anticipation for the week, students are encouraged with banners, posters, and by eager committee members to take part in these fun mini events. With the new knowl-

edge gained by participating in this week, students will better understand the importance of Planet Earth.

If Environmental Week doesn’t sound interesting enough, the committee went above and beyond to host an environment based fair on that Friday in front of the River of Grass. “At the end of environmental week there will be an environmental fair where there will be vendors and clubs from the school talking about the environment” says Nicole. According to Nicole and her committee, the fair will also have a little farmer’s market kind of atmosphere where instead of food stands there will be “earth” stands. All faculty and students are invited to join. The influential Environmental Week will end on that Friday in hopes of being successful in educating students on the importance of the earth we live on. Organizing this certainly wasn’t easy either. Nicole and her cohorts helping out with this event brainstormed a tremendous amount to ensure that it was as creative as possible. When planning this, the earth-loving committee also thought of things students would have fun participating in. Committee chair Nicole says, “It's been a joy being able to run environmental week and conduct the fair. The planet and environment is always something I’ve really cared about.”

The senior says that this has been an extremely fun part of her senior year. In creating this educational and interactive event for the students at Charter, Nicole and her committee have made sure that Mother Nature isn’t forgotten. “We hope everyone takes part in it and is as excited about the week as we were creating it. I hope everything comes out as I expect!” says Nicole.

With the expected “green week” rapidly approaching, it is for certain that Nicole and her partners are not letting the driving forces of nature diminish.

Donated by : SGA Donated by : SGA

16 Sports CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

The Night of UCF Knights: Football Team Goes Undefeated Alexa Infante & Amanda Rodriguez Managing Editor- Content & Staff Writer

The magic in the Orlando air wasn't just

in Disney this year. It seemed to spread to the UCF football field, as their football team just completed a perfect season. The UCF Knights experienced massive success in all 13 games of their 2017- 2018 season. Although they made it look effortless, this team showed extreme development after losing all of their games just two years ago.

Coach Scott Frost lofted the footballshaped Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl trophy before passing it on to his players. The 12 prior wins suddenly felt like small details. Every win had brought them to this moment. “Watching this moment felt like watching history. Just like my older sister I plan to attend UCF. The pride my family felt while watching the game was indescribable. I can’t wait to walk the campus next year and be a part of the spirit,” said PPCHS senior Matthew Perez. Sophomore quarterback Mckenzie Milton was named offensive MVP. Shaquem Griffin, who had 12 tackles including 1½ sacks in their final game, was defensive MVP. Although

they did not qualify for playoffs, it is safe to say that the UCF football program has finally earned the respect they deserve.

“UCF didn't gimmick its way to victory.

The American Athletic Conference outfit knocked off an SEC power by sticking to the same principles and techniques and at-

Recap: Boys Basketball Brittany Evelyn News Editor

titude that guided 12 wins before,” com- and black was all over the park as confetti was popped and chants were shouted. The mented sports journalist Parker Gabriel.

After the Peach Bowl Victory, the celebra- football team walked along with the band and the two MVP’s were honored in a float of their own. “They may not be national champions per say, but UCF has a lot to be proud of this season. When an NFL team wins the Superbowl, they get to go to Disney. The knights got to do the same thing!” said sophomore Daniel Dellostrologo.

Aside from being honored in their hometown, the team will have the chance to take their success national as the NFL plans to honor them at this year’s pro bowl. They will not be introduced as national champions, but it would focus on their undefeated season and celebrate the overall organization.

Unfortunately, Scott Frost will be leavGraphic By:Michael Perez ing the team next year to return to coach in his home state of Nebraska. Frost had been leading the Knights to victory since 2015. tion even spread to one of Orlando’s most We wish the Knights good luck in their fupopular landmarks: Walt Disney. To honor ture seasons as well as coach Frost in all of the players, coaches, and fans, a parade was his future endeavors. held in the streets of Magic Kingdom. Gold

Recap: Boys Soccer Alexa Infante

Managing Editor- Content

Photo By: Andres Alfonso

Photos Donated By: Robson Lopes

Despite admittedly starting off to a rough start, members of the boys’ basketball team The 2017- 2018 PPCHS boys’ soccer team has made immense strides this season after have worked hard to be the best they can and have been successful in their games. “I think the season is going good, it’s been fun. We’re not at our best right now but we’ll get there.

I feel like we’re improving daily,” said junior Justin Debuck. Through putting in blood, sweat, and tears, the boys have grown together, and as a team. In preparation for a game, the boys listen to music to get in the right mindset, as well as try to encourage each other.

Before they come out the locker rooms the teammates start jumping to get hype and get each other excited. The boy’s record is 13-8, and they are hopeful to finish off the season strong. As the seniors tackle their final semester of high school, and underclassmen prepare for the future, the team hopes to end the season on a high note.

Recap: Girls Basketball

Recap: Girls Soccer

Andres Perez

Matthew Hernandez

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Photos Donated By: Robson Lopes

T

successfully securing the best record in the school’s history: 20-3-0. “The season is going really well so far. We have really been finding our form and playing as a team. Being a senior and a leader on the team is a great responsibility and I love helping the new players on the team start to love school soccer and be a part of our family,” senior Zeyad Ghali.

Now the team advances to district semifinals with high hopes for a longer season. With a strong underclassmen presence, the team is also lead by eight impactful seniors. The team has been able to create bonds as the season went on, that was essential to the success that was brought this season. As a senior, my goal is for us to make it to states, but we definitely have a few obstacles to maneuver before we get there. The season has been filled with lots of fun and lots of fun and lots of wins. I am very eager to lead to my team towards victory,” said senior captain Michael Reid.

he Lady Jags basketball season is well under way and thus far they hold a 6-13 record.

Although the season has endure a difficult road so far, Arianna Jimenez, Varsity shooting guard believes “...if we go out there wanting it more than our opponent then we will be able to compete.” The season has tested the patience of all the players but they are determined to continue to fight and finish strong with momentum going into next season.

The rest of the season holds strong opposition with an away game at Fort Lauderdale and two games at home to close the season out against Taravella and McArthur. The bonds formed between the team have grown into lifelong memories along with challenges. The underclassmen on the team have set out to not only improve their play for the remainder of the season but also to commit themselves to the Jaguar basketball team and the future in hope for success. The seniors on the team look to uplift the spirits of the rest of the team and finish the season on a high note.

Photos Donated By: Robson Lopes

The Jags girls’ soccer team has an overall record of 12-5-4 and their district record is

7-2-1. In February, the girls have some really tough games because they earned a berth into regionals. The teams they will be playing aren’t decided yet, but they will be challenging opponents. The girls started out the season strong but disaster struck when senior Ashlyn Correa broke her ankle early in the season against American Heritage. “I missed a lot of games and the team as a whole just hasn’t been playing their best. I’m starting to play again, and the team as a whole is doing really well. We got a big district win last night, and I think we will go far this season,” said Ashlyn Correa. However, the Lady Jags have continued powering through losing one of their senior captains and will look to continue their journey to a state title game.

The Girls soccer team defeated American Heritage on Friday night are now Class 3A district champions. Junior Maci Lopaka added, “I’m so proud of my girls and what we were able to accomplish. It wasn’t easy getting this far nor was it easy to finish the job and beat Heritage. This is a really good team that we beat and we have the utmost respect for them. I’m just thrilled with how far this team has come.” The Jags are looking to continue their conquest to bring a state title back to Charter and continue their amazing season. The Jags will face off against American Heritage in the regional quarterfinals, which makes them two wins away from a state title game.

Sports

17

CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Big Baller Brand Turns Big Baller Bust Jordan Alberti & Paolo Barrera Sports Editor & Clubs Editor

Lavar Ball is truly a unicorn of his own.

Not many athletes can boast a father that boasts as much as Lavar. Not many siblings can say that their favorite birthday present was their own personalized shoe.

Not many citizens around the world can claim one of their own as having fought the president of the United States either.

However, is Lavar a genius businessman or a cocky father trying to secure a check?

Lavar Ball’s business deals and plan of action narrowly misses the label of “exploitation” by a thin margin. He planted the seeds of having three professional athletes for sons at a very young age, and created a brand that would hopefully profit off the future blossoming of these seeds. His three sons (Lonzo, Lamelo, and Liangelo) know too well about the repercussions of this very business. The three brothers trained in their hoop and gym setup behind their home after school every day, and even on their birthday, according to Lavar in an ESPN interview. But after having the world notice their historic high school careers, they all chose to pursue profession over education. Though I am in no position to judge life choices, it takes a gutsy father to make a career in Lithuania (where Liangelo and Lamelo are playing) seem more of an incentive than a guaranteed college education in your backyard. “I didn’t expect to see [Liangelo and Lamelo] throw away a commitment to UCLA to go to Lithuania,” said basketball player D’andre Daniel, “I

“Going into my senior year next year, I want the team to get some great work done in the spring and summer so that we are ready to make a huge leap from this year in the fall.”

- Junior William Manuel

wish I had the opportunity to commit so early in high school myself.” Outside and inside of basketball, the three Ball brothers have gone through all of their lives wear-

tion business approach, Lavar’s words are notorious across the nation. He’s known to claim that he was and has always been better than Michael Jordan, while pick-

Graphic By:Michael Perez

ing clothes from their father’s brand, while playing on an AAU team that’s even been sponsored by it too! Big Baller Brand (the brand of Lavar’s creation) basically uses the three boys as billboards, creating the image that every game and every outing is in the name of Lavar.

Besides the borderline child exploita-

ing fights with the President of the United States over favors. While a jubilant, overly supportive father is a luxury some may have, it is not a model for everyone to follow. With a reality TV show inside the house and thousands of people coming at their throats across all forms of social media, an instigator like Lavar is not some-

thing that every young athlete can handle.

“I’d hate to have the eyes of media, scouts, other students, and cameras on me,” admits junior Robert Cochenour. The quiet perception of the three boys may be an effect of Lavar’s antics and constant hyperbole, but it cannot be denied that the spotlight burns very bright on three young men that aren’t even allowed to drink alcohol yet.

The most absurd part about the Ball situation is how relatable it is. Lamelo is only 16, Liangelo is going to turn 19 this year, and Lonzo turned 20 in November. From a student’s perspective, Lamelo can be just another junior or sophomore at school, while Liangelo and Lonzo can actually be attending the BCC center next to the school. The three brothers could be anyone on campus, but their crazy lifestyle has been given to them by a very motivated basketball dad.

In essence, the soccer moms and volleyball parents in Charter’s very active sports community are a reality show away from being Lavar. “I get that Lavar is another really, really proud parent, but I still don’t feel comfortable with how Lavar profits off his kids,” said Dylan Vega.

Not everyone can handle these circumstances, especially in a world where people who know your name only care to watch one fail. With that in mind, one Lavar Ball is all that the sports world needs. If there were more, one can expect teenagers to blame the trauma of being on the biggest of stages and the most public of platforms on their fathers. Being a big baller is a burden that people should not believe in.

Athletes Change Bad Habits for the New Year “I want to become a better overall player and win regionals in water polo.”

-Senior Diego Cano

“I want to improve my punching and my diving in order to get better in important 1 v 1’s and defending corners.”

- Sophomore Alex Usheng

“I want to go to states in swimming and I want to go further than any water polo team in school history has. I also want to become a better leader and teammate so we can get the best performances out of everyone.“ - Junior Ethan Coello

“I want to work harder than I already am. I’m working super hard and busting my butt but I need to ramp it up so I can get even better.”

-Senior Anthony Mederos

“I want us to go to states and win it all.

PPCHS Softball hasn’t done that in a couple years and I want our seniors to go out with a state title ring.”

-Junior Karley Borges

Graphic By:Justin Pierce

“I want us to become one cohesive unit. We joke around a lot on the team but I want us to also be able to be serious when we are on the field and then become the best team we can.”

- Senior Angel Padron

“I want to work on my jumpshot and improve as a ball handler. I also want to become a better-rounded player and just do whatever the team needs me too.”

-Junior D’Andre Daniel

I want to improve my swing and my glove work. I feel like I’ve been lacking in these areas as of late so I think to get better, I need to put extra effort into them.”

- Freshman Frankie Pinales

“I feel that the team already has great chemistry so I think we can work on just becoming a better team in a certain facet such as hitting or pitching or fielding. Really, whatever we can do to help us in our chase for a state title.”

- Sophomore Erika Andal

18 Sports CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Jorge Herrera

Photo By: Andres Alfonso

Senior Jorge Herrera has been a member of Pines Charter Baseball ever since he stepped foot on campus. He is the starting second baseman and the leadoff hitter for the Jags.

Herrera stands out among the voices and leaders on the varsity baseball team. Jorge is a very vocal and passionate player who loves his teammates and loves the game. Herrera constantly exhibits his love and passion for baseball through his hard work on and off the field for his teammates to feel his presence.

Jorge started playing baseball at the age of 3 because he loved the sport as a whole and has ever since he first touched a baseball. “I liked hitting balls and just running like crazy as a kid. Now, I love the feeling of squaring up a ball and the pressure of when a ball is hit your way on defense,” said Herrera. Jorge uses his strengths and weaknesses to his advantage. Herrera isn’t by any means the biggest player on the field, in fact, in many cases he is the smallest player on the field. He uses his quickness and speed to beat the slower, bigger players. “I knew that I could either wait months and months praying that I grow or I could use what I have to my advantage and get better every day,” said Herrera.

For Jorge and the varsity team, they hope to make it farther than most people think they can go. “Personally, I think this team can go far into the playoffs and even past the regional semifinal,” said Herrera. The last few years, the varsity team has been knocked out in the regional semifinals and despite losing some seniors, Herrera is still confident in his team.

Jorge is looking to do everything he can in his last high school season for his team to win a championship Herrera aspires to play baseball at the next level and to one day achieve his lifelong dream of playing in the MLB.

Maverick Medina

Photo By: Aryiel Bryant

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rom the impressionable age of four years old, sophomore Maverick Medina has been practicing and showcasing his talents as a baseball player. He is now living out his dreams as a varsity pitcher. Medina may not have always been confident in competing with such developed players, but he was up for the challenge. His believes that when someone pushes themselves to be better, it proves that people are always capable of improvement.

Medina learned the love for the game throughout the years and it came with an early attraction. He says, “When I was little, my dad took me to my very first Marlins game. It was that one simple game that had me hooked. Right after I told my dad that I wanted to play. That was twelve years ago and I haven’t stopped playing since.”

With playing sports, especially baseball, comes so many opportunities. There’s the chance to grow, bond with other teammates, and the memories. Medina says he’s never felt happier than when on the field and seeing his team come together and go for glory.

His favorite in school memory was being able to help his team in taking the spot as fourtime District champions. After that he became closer with all those around him to share this special moment.

For the long, Maverick has set his own goals for baseball this year. His most ambitious aspiration is to lead Pines Charter Baseball to their first state championship. Medina also hopes to be committed to a university by the end of the summer, in order to continue playing the sport he loves.

Timothy Snyder

Photos By: Aryiel Bryant

With one glance at the field, it becomes increasingly obvious that Timothy Snyder is go-

ing to make it one day. The first time he wore his number 4 jersey was at the age of three.

His parents wanted him to grow up playing a sport so they took the chance and signed him up for local baseball. He wasn’t necessarily a natural, but his hard work and discipline has given him a future in the sport. Many years later, Tim confidently walks the hallways knowing he is dominating the PPCHS baseball program.

“Every time I play with Tim, I’m ready for a good game. He is fun to play with and one of the most solid players in the lineup,” said teammate Nick Martinez. As a freshman, Tim made his mark by starting on the varsity team. He is truly a versatile player, as he uses his speed in right field and skill as a pitcher. Looking forward, he hopes that he will be able to higher his batting average, and achieve a better pitching ERA in the upcoming season. As a key part of the team, he also hopes that the PPCHS Jags will earn more wins this season as well. In fact, he recalls one of his best baseball memories as going 1-3 and catching essential pop flies in right field to win the District Championship against South Broward during the 2017 season.

Off the field, Tim exceeds in school- specifically math. “I want to continue to play baseball for a long time. It will help me to get scholarship money and make the overall process of college a lot easier. But whenever my careers comes to an end, I will hopefully be doing something math related,” said Tim. No matter if he is wearing his school uniform or baseball uniform, he brings an incredible level of poise through everything he does. Tim’s discipline at the plate, defensive versatility, and passion in the classroom clearly makes him a student athlete PPCHS is proud to call their own.

Sports 19

Spencer Nick

Photos By: Aryiel Bryant

Photos By: Aryiel Bryant

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or 13 years, Spencer Nick has been hustling on and off the field before, during, and after every baseball game with the confidence and skills that carry him high above others.

The junior is extremely involved in the PC baseball team, where he is a pitcher. In fact, his favorite memory of playing baseball comes from when he was only 11 years old and gunned down the winning run from the outfield, causing his team to win the championship game.

Standing on the pitcher's mound, with his mind focused on the next play, next pitch, and next move, Spencer loves dedicating himself to the sport that has given so much to him. Pitcher is Spencer’s primary position, and he loves the feeling of control when on the mound. Spencer has played on Charter’s baseball team since freshman year, where he began on junior varsity and then moved to varsity, where he now plays. “I like the competition and the high skill it takes to play the game. I also like the fact that it’s a team effort,” he said. Practicing with the school team every day isn’t something Spencer dreads, but rather something he loves as he gets to improve his skills and spend time with his teammates.

Spencer truly shines both on and off the baseball field. He's a history buff who his friends can always count on to remind them of a historical moment in time and succeeds in his science classes, too. However, nothing can overpower his love for baseball. Spencer’s love for the game shines through his success at this sport and proves future success for this PPCHS baseball player.

Maxwell Romero

Photos By: Aryiel Bryant

H

Kyle Heim

CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

aving a lifelong goal to play baseball at the collegiate level has always been engraved within Maxwell Romero. Since the first high school game he played as a freshman, Romero knew for a fact that he “could take baseball as far as the majors.” Max's hard work is beginning to pay off as he has begun to gain recognition from Division 1 schools.

Starting from the age of four, Max has continuously put in the extra hours to become the athlete he has transformed into today. In just his sophomore year, he was able to make varsity and get solid playing time on the field as a designated hitter, left fielder, and catcher.

When he first learned he made the team, he felt an immediate burst of accomplishment and satisfaction. His father was the most proud of him as he has been by Max’s side throughout the years and mentored him through the ups and downs of his baseball career.

The highlight of Max’s baseball career so far came this past summer when he began to receive offers to play baseball from prestigious programs like the University of Florida, University of North Carolina, and Florida International University this past summer. When he thought it couldn't get any better than that, the school of Max's dreams, Vanderbilt, offered him a scholarship. After receiving that offer, he verbally committed to the university on November 16th, fulfilling the first step in his journey to his overall dream: to play in the MLB. With two more baseball seasons in high school left, Max has his eyes set on becoming a standout player that can mentor his teammates and lead the Jags all the way to states. Everyone should keep their eyes out for Maxwell Romero as he has made a name for himself and looks to build upon it in the next couple of years.

E

ver since he learned how to walk, senior Kyle Heim has always been found with a bat or baseball glove in his hand. To this day, baseball and Kyle remain inseparable. The game became a part of his daily routine and he plans on sticking with it as long as he can.

At just the age of 3, he was introduced to the game that would become such huge part of his life. With his father by his side every step of the way, Kyle has been able to perform better and better each season. “Without my dad, I would have never continued to pursue the love and passion I had for baseball,” he said. Although thoughts of quitting have lingered in his mind, he decided to try to make varsity as a sophomore and made the team with ease. With Kyle’s hard work and dedications to the Jags, he was awarded the starting position in center field. Kyle has made it a goal of his to help his team win games, but also “try to shine on the field and secure the one thing every athlete dreams of- a college offer,” he said.

With this being Kyles last year as a Jag, he hopes to make it one to remember and memorable for his father who has guided him to where he is. The Jags look to pursue a District Championship once again and Kyle Heim, without a doubt, will largely contribute to this big season.

20 Entertainment CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

More Dark Secrets from Black Mirror

Fall Out Boy Ditches Rule Book with Latest Album

Paolo Barrera

Sophia Cortes

Features Editor

Staff Writer

“MANIA”

“Black Mirror” B

efore 2018, a gem more precious than the famous Times Square New Year’s Day Ball was dropped: season 4 of Black Mirror. On December 29th, Netflix added 6 new episodes of Black Mirror to their collection. What may seem as another new season of another run of the mill Netflix original show is actually a roller coaster of a season. For fans that have watched a majority of the older episodes, season 4 raises every bar. . Black Mirror is known for its 21st century “what if’s” that terrify to the core, and is even named after a dark, shut off computer screen (hence the name Black Mirror). With their roots in technological thrillers, the writers of each new episode designed a plot that skyrocketed off of what was produced back in seasons 1 through 3.

Season 4 offered an appetizer that got minds marinating with episode 1, “USS Callister.”

You follow creepy game developer Robert Daly (played by actor Jesse Plemons) through his role as CFO at the game development company behind hit space RPG “Infinity.” The story hits the accelerator when a new employee finds a copy of herself coded into Daly’s personal Star Trek-esque Infinity server, where Daly is a god among puppets. The hour long episode tells a frightening story that pits a group of digital carbon copies against the god who can destroy the real and game versions of themselves.

Episode 2, “Arkangel,” was Black Mirror’s most relatable episode. Arkangel plays off of the question of: “How far would a parent go to keep their child 100% safe at all times?”

With that question comes a mother who is traumatized from the event of her daughter getting lost. Upon finding her, she decided to sign her 4 year old daughter up for Arkangel: an implant that records sight, sound, location, and health data live from a tablet. The tablet can blur anything inappropriate from the girl’s eyes and even track her every move.

The concept bridges the gap between show and audience, in which anyone that has ever been a child can relate to the characters in the episode. The thriller sheds light on every dark hole and crevice in the relationship between parent and child, while adding its signature Black Mirror twist.

Episode 3, “Crocodile,” is crazy from start to finish. The idea of being able to build a story from the memories of others (like how investigators interview witnesses) using technology is the foundation of the episode. The simple premise follows an architect who has the accidental murder of a biker shoved deep within her memory. When an insurance agent comes to her for a witness statement based on an accident that occurred 10 years later, her fear of being probed takes over. From that point forward, you truly explore the question: “How far would you go to hide a secret from years ago?”

Episode 4, “Hang the DJ,” is an intuitive treat for long standing fans of the show since it’s only the third love story to take place in the entire Black Mirror franchise (the others are “San Junipero” and “15 Million Merits”). The complex love story takes place in a world where everyone knows how long their every relationship will last, whether the matchmaking pocket device (named Coach) says 4 hours or 4 years. Finding your “perfect partner” is one’s only ticket out of the world, which many of the inhabitants dream of when dating whoever Coach says to date. “Hang the DJ was an episode most of my friends were hyping up, so I was really excited when I watched it,” admitted junior Ariana Arvelo. The story echoes of similar plot features and technology traits as the hit episode San Junipero, but explores the ugly journey to true love.

Episode 5, “Metalhead,” is a 40 minute snack in between full course meals. It doesn’t necessarily resemble the same societal quirks in its technology, but it’s its own masterpiece. It’s a dystopian cat-and-mouse like episode shot completely in black and white.

With its borderline IMAX quality cinematography, viewers get to indulge in a chase between a lone survivor and what looks like Predator’s dog. The short, thriller of an episode mimics the inexplicable twists and turns of an Edgar Allen Poe poem in the form of a modern hunter versus hunted horror film.

The season ends with Episode 6: “Black Museum.” It’s rightfully one of the longer episodes, as every second and every frame is full of meaningful, yet tiny, references to items from past episodes. These Easter eggs range from the tablet from the “Arkangel” episode to the recovered hunter costumes from the earlier episode “Whitebear.” I The season finale is filled to the brim with prequel-esque flashbacks, unforeseen accent changes, and the sweetest revenge story in the entire season.

F

all Out Boy started out as a small punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois in 2001, created by bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. Since the release of their first studio album, “Take This to Your Grave,” in 2003, Fall Out Boy have been creating significant waves in the alternative music industry, winning a great number of awards and the hearts of fans. The road to their seventh and most recent studio album, MANIA, was rocky to say the least. The band had planned to release the album on the 15th of September in 2017, but after deep thinking and not wanting to release a mediocre album, they released it January 19th, 2018. Many fans were obviously annoyed by the set back, but had MANIA been prematurely released, it probably would not have been a magnificent, awe inspiring, absolute anomaly of an album.

MANIA’s first track, “Young and Menace,” is by far one of the best ways to open the album. The track’s haunting beginning and insane chorus sets a tone for the rest of MANIA. Not one of the EDM filled opener, but one that expresses that Fall Out Boy have left the rule book behind in the dust of their past. When listening to it, be prepared to be knocked back by a psychedelic wall of sound put together by warped versions of guitars, drums, the bass, and impossible to hit high notes. The second track, “Champion,” is more “easy” on the ears, meaning it doesn't have any crazy electronic influences or unorthodox sound, but that doesn’t mean the song is lacking in any way. The band’s talent really shines in this smoother track. “Champion” is a song to listen to if you’re feeling down.

It’s motivational chorus; “if I can live through this, I can do anything,” is like a comforting hug from a friend reminding you that everything is going to be alright. MANIA’s third track, “Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea,” on the other hand, thrusts you in face first into a vat of water that is both boiling hot and freezing cold. The track is essentially like a wall of sound, but one that is reminiscent of the band’s post grunge, punk rock roots. “Stay Frosty” is senior Katia Lobo’s favorite song off of the album. “I actually had an internal meltdown in Physics when I first heard the album. Everything was so different, yet so them. But ‘Stay Frosty’ has to be my favorite, it’s my new hype song!” And it’s not hard to believe why, listening to Stay Frosty is the equivalent of having pure caffeine coursing through your veins. MANIA’s fifth track, The “Last Of The Real Ones,” is a beautiful, nostalgia inducing song, infused with a wonderful balance of guitar and piano. The “Last Of The Real Ones” is the type of song you listen to blasting through your speakers as you drive down a long highway at 3am in the morning, your only companions being the music and yourself.

The seventh track, “Church,” brings back the creepy tone and amplifies it through the entire song with the tolling of church bell and a haunting chorus vocalizing in the background of lead singer Patrick’s powerful singing. This track will sure leave you speechless and spine-chilled. The next track, “Heaven’s Gate” will leave you speechless from the start. The moment you press play, your ears are met with nothing but pure Patrick Stump vocal power as he elegantly drags out the first line, “One look from you.”

“Heaven’s Gate” is a beautiful song that is by far one of the best examples of Patrick’s raw talent. Definitely one of the band’s slower songs off of MANIA, “Heaven’s Gate” is a true R&B love song. The second to last track, “Sunshine Riptide,” is the product of a wonderful collaboration between Fall Out Boy and Nigerian rapper, Burna Boy. The song has a more contemporary sound than people would expect of Fall Out Boy, but that’s what MANIA is about, breaking the “rules” and mixing in genres because they just felt like it. Burna Boy’s slow and mellow rapping and Patrick’s powerful voice create a nice, Summer-time feel song that anyone is bound to love. The wild ride of MANIA closes off with a bittersweet track called Bishop’s Knife Trick.

When listening to “Bishop’s Knife Trick,” don’t be surprised if you shed a tear or two, because the song is like looking through an aged photo book full of old friends you haven’t seen in ages, reminiscing the good times, the bad times, and every crazy moment in between. It is the perfect way to close off the rollercoaster of emotions that is this album. MANIA, in its entirety, is an album worth your time to listen to, because each song has a story, a meaning, a different feeling. It’s a whirlwind of emotions, full of ups and downs.

Falling in Love with Camila Janae McDonnough

“Camila” C

Staff Writer

amila Cabello, a former Fifth Harmony member and 2012 X-factor contestant, went on to pursue her solo career almost a year ago. In this short time she has accomplished a lot from her hit single “Havana” featuring Young Thug, playing on most radio stations all across the nation. In addition to that she had other collaboration songs like “Hey Ma” with Pitbull, ”I Know What You Did Last Summer” with Shawn Mendes, and “Bad Things” with rapper Machine Gun Kelly were among her hit songs made. Camila also went on tour with “Uptown Funk” singer Bruno Mars and ended the year with a big banger, performing in New York at the Dick Clark New Year’s Eve celebration.

Camilla’s long awaited first so lo album, self-titled “Camila,” came out on Friday, January 12. The album has a collectible account of 10 songs, including her hit single “Havana.”

Other songs that are on the album are “Never Be The Same,” “All These Years,” “She Love Control,” “Inside Out,” “Consequences,” “Real Friends,” “Something’s Got To Give,” “In the Dark,” “Into It,” and “Never Be The Same” (Radio Edit). This album displays a more relaxed Camila than seen previously with her former band members. There are a few songs that have a little bit of pop with reggaeton which makes you get up, dance and feel the music. The first song on the album is “Never Be The Same.” She expresses that when she has a boyfriend nothing remains the same. The next song on the album that follows is “All these Years” that talks about her life after being together with her lover for so long.

The song goes on to explain how they both found each other and that makes them happy. The third song is “She Loves Control” where she put some reggaeton in with the tropical known instrument, the steel drums. The fourth song and most famous one that everyone knows is “Havana” featuring Young Thug. This song is a little bit more of an upbeat song instead of a low-tone with Young Thug’s verse. “I think Camila did a great job on her first solo album without fifth harmony and one of favorite songs on the album is called “Inside Out” because I like the beat that she used in it,” said Sophomore Amber-Rose Lyon. The fifth song on the album, “Inside Out,” shows a little more of her vulnerable side talking about how she wants to know more about her lover, which goes back to the title, “Inside Out.” “I never knew anything about Camila Cabello until I heard one of her songs Havana on the radio and after listening to her album it made want to start becoming fan” said Junior Brittney Bond .As for the sixth song named “Consequences” she talks about loving her lover had problems it comes with. The seventh song is “Real Friends”. It talks about how she has to have people around that portray good and who won't let her down. “Something’s Got to Give”, being the eighth song, talks about a breakup and how they should separate for the good. The album continues with “In The Dark” that makes you want to cruise along to in your car. The tenth song is named “Into It” which talks about just having a great time with your love interest.

Entertainment 21 CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

The Breathtaking Coco for All No Pizza Lover Left Behind Elizabeth Castillo

Elizabeth Castillo

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

“Pieology”

“Coco” I

f you’re looking for a movie that is inspirational, family friendly, and visually stunning Disney’s Coco is the perfect film. Disney came out with a movie based on an adventurous young boy from Mexico with big dreams.

This movie celebrates Mexican culture, from el dia de los Muertos (day of the dead) to their beautiful soulful music. Disney outdid themselves once again, and this movie is truly a must see.

Coco is centered on family and the importance of it, reminding the audience to put their family first. The main character, Miguel, has big dreams of becoming a famous musician just like his great-great grandfather. However, his family despises music because Miguel’s great-great grandfather left his family to pursue a career in music. Feeling betrayed and angry, Miguel’s family do not support his dreams, which only drives him to do reckless things. For instance, stealing his great-great grandfather’s guitar and being transported to the land of the dead, where he meets his ancestors (whom are talking skeletons). Be prepared: There are many shocking and suspenseful moments in this movie.

This stunning portrayal of the land of the dead, leaves the audience in admiration. The high pigmented colors of purple, pink, and blue outshine the screen. Other than falling in love with the characters, you’ll fall in love with the spectacular visual effects. “I really want to watch it! I heard it was so good and it looks like a beautiful movie” said junior, Thalia Garcia.

The movie continues with Miguel meeting his ancestors in the land of the dead, and instead of listening to their terms to go back home, he goes on an adventure to meet his great-great grandfather so he can bless him and take him back home where he can play music. Along the way he meets a mysterious yet hilarious skeleton, and continues on his adventure with his new friend. As the adventure continues, Miguel soon realizes that even though following your dreams are important, family is a number one priority and a gift that is meant to be cherished. Character development is another huge theme, and as the movie progress the audience sees how Miguel is starting to change his views on what really matters in life. The movie is clearly special, and has everyone intrigued. “Usually I don’t enjoy these types of movies, but I’m truly excited to see it”, said sophomore Trace Wills.

Now, we can’t forget about the star of the movie, which is Coco herself. She is Miguel’s great grandmother. Even though she has very few lines, no one can deny that when they look at Coco your heart warms up a little. She is a very fragile and sweet old lady, who is loved by her whole family. The character Miguel is also very likeable, being rebellious yet kind, and very determined to make his dreams a reality. “I liked it [Coco] because Miguel is trying to explain that he’s special, and I feel that’s something people should try to do more often”, said freshmen Hailey Crenshaw. Clearly, the movie Coco sends a very positive message to the audience. What makes this movie so different is how much family is celebrated. Family, being the center of this whole movie, showcases what’s truly important in life. It isn’t about fame, money, or titles, it’s about your loved ones.

Coco stands out because it has numerous Mexican based songs in it. The Mexican culture is really showcased in this movie, and it honors their beliefs and traditions like the day of the dead, and how important it is to remember your ancestors. It is heartwarming to all families to watch this movie, but especially to Hispanic families due to the fact that it is centered on a Hispanic family. “It felt very relatable, which I can’t say for all Disney films. I loved how Hispanics were being represented, and how the importance of family was the main theme of it”, commented senior Margaret Copello.

Coco is perfect if you’re in the mood for a movie with songs, laughter, and a little bit of tears. You and your loved ones will not regret this breathtaking film. Disney managed to bring to life a delicate tradition with many Hispanics and showcase a breathtaking movie towards a younger audience, while most importantly talking about life’s most precious present: family.

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f you are a pizza lover and haven’t experienced the new and innovative restaurant chain, Pieology, you’re doing a disservice to yourself and your taste buds.

Pieology, one of the fastest growing chains in America right now (Business Insider), has sixty restaurants in eleven states, and are expecting to build more in the summer. This is only the beginning for Pieology.

As soon as you walk in, you can’t miss the huge quote board displayed on the side of the wall, filled with inspirational quotes that capture the vision of Pieology’s founder, Carl Chang. These motivational quotes include sayings like, “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” and “they can because they think they can.” Customers are also greeted with a beautiful atmosphere of dangling lights all throughout the restaurant, with modern metal chairs coupled with classic wooden tables and surrounding windows, giving the restaurant a lot of free space.

One of the main factors of Pieology that separate it from other restaurant chains is that it’s fast. Constructed in a similar assembly line to Subway, you can pick and choose from dozens of options. First entering the line to get food, there’s a big, bold sign that reads “Salad or Pizza?” Pieology appeals to all their customers, granting a good amount of healthier options. There is also another sign where customers can decide between getting a custom pie or a chief-inspired pie. The custom pies are $8.45, and you can decide what kind of crust, sauce, cheese, and meat you want. On the other hand, chief-inspired pies come in many forms, ranging from “Butcher’s Choice” to “Margherita da Vinci.” The Butcher’s Choice is a pizza that consists of hot red sauce, pepperoni, sausage, meatball, mozzarella, and olive oil, and is definitely perfect for those who enjoy eating a spicy, meat-filled pizza. However, if that’s not your taste, don’t worry! The “Margherita da Vinci” pizza is filled with fresh basil, grape tomatoes, garlic, mozzarella, parmesan, and olive oil. This choice are for those who are more health conscious, and do not like any sort of meat on their pizza. Of course, there are even more options, too. If you are craving warm grilled chicken, with fresh onions, and a kick of BBQ sauce, Pieology has you covered with their “Fire Grilled Chicken” pizza. If you are craving an all-fresh, vegetable pizza, the “Zesty Artichoke” pizza is recommended due to its roasted fresh peppers, marinated artichokes, red onion, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic herb butter blend, and fresh basil garnish. These are all different, yet equally delicious tasting pizzas that are $7.95, and under two thousand calories.

After picking and choosing all the toppings you want, the employees put your pizza in a fiery oven, with the word “Pieology” scribbled over the fire inside the oven. You can also choose between thick or thin crust, and custom drinks like freshly brewed teas and lemonade, which go great with any pizza. The lemonade is sweet but also has a sour taste to it, which only makes it better. The environment itself is very welcoming, and the employees couldn’t have been nicer. This is definitely a place where you can take your family and friends and be treated like a welcomed guest.

I personally recommend the “Margherita da Vinci” pizza. It is perfect for those who like cheese pizza, and garlic. The warm cheese melts in your mouth, and the crust had a hint of olive oil that gave the pizza a kick. The fresh red grape tomatoes were fresh and the overall, the pizza was satisfying. It was the perfect amount of six slices that satisfied my cravings and appetite. Do yourself a favor and try the “House-Made Original” crust.

Pieology has perfected the pizza crust, adding olive oil to their crust that is just the cherry on top of a delicious milkshake.

Pieology has hit Pembroke Pines in a delicious and innovative way. It’s a healthier option for pizza lovers everywhere, without putting a hole in your wallet. Bring your family and friends and enjoy the fresh pizza that offers dozens of options. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

The Greatest Showman, a Great Show Sarah Barrocas

“The Greatest Showman” T

Editor-in-Chief

he Greatest Showman, as directed by Michael Gracey, celebrates the birth of a new kind of show business- the circusand shares the rags to riches story of P.T. Barnum, a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation. Positioning itself as a story that celebrates diversity, The Greatest Showman showcases the importance of embracing all kinds of ‘oddities’ and accepting ourselves and one another.

As a young boy, Barnum worked with his tailor father. The pair worked for the high class Hallett family. P.T., infatuated with their daughter, makes Charity laugh and spit out her tea, prompting Mr. Hallett to assault him and forbid him from ever going near his daughter again. Despite their forbidden friendship, P.T. and Charity still spend time together and develop a close relationship. The two keep in touch by writing letters to each other while Charity is in finishing school. P.T. and Charity, played by Michelle Williams, eventually reunite as adults, later marrying and raising two daughters together.

The family live a humble life together in a small apartment; though Charity is comfortable, Barnum dreams of more as he wishes to keep the promise they made kids.

Barnum begins working for a trading company until his boss informs the staff that the company is shutting down due to bankruptcy. Taking a risk, Barnum takes a $10,000 loan from the bank. With the money he opens a wax figure museum devoted to some of the worlds many oddities; the wax museum fails to boost business. Still driven by attaining his dream, however, Barnum goes on a mission in search of “unique” individuals. Among the individuals he recruits includes a dwarf, a bearded woman, an obese man, a hair-covered man, the world’s tallest man, and trapeze artist siblings; together, the troupe coin a new kinds of show business- the circus. Barnum later meets playwright and social elite Phillip Carlyle, played by Zac Efron. Afraid to leave his noble circle, Carlyle agrees to join P.T.’s circus.

Greeted with national success, the circus troupe receives an invitation from Queen Victoria to visit her palace in England. While there, Phillip introduces Barnum to opera singer Jenny Lind, played by Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson. They invite Lind to the states to perform in their show in New York City. Singing “Never Enough,” Lind performs a captivating number, entrancing all of the opera hall’s attendees. While Barnum gains favor with the aristocratic patrons, he begins to distance himself from his troupe.

Jenny Lind joins Barnum on a worldwide opera tour, leaving Phillip Carlyle as the interim ringleader of the circus. While the circus perseveres, the troupe is met with continuous resistance from local protesters who harass the troupe. As the tour picks up, and Barnum’s success rapidly grows, Lind begins to develop an attraction towards Barnum. Realizing that Barnum abandoned his family, both his wife and kids and the circus troupe, he exits the tour early. Upon arriving home, however, Barnum finds his theater in shambles, burnt down to dust and rubble from local protesters. Barnum is left to question who he started the industry for: his own personal success, or for the troupe he created?

In a recent interview on Elvis Duran’s morning show, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the songwriting team for the Broadway hit Dear Evan Hansen, La La Land, and now The Greatest Showman, were featured in an interview with Keala Settle, Tony nominated and lead singer of the movie’s hit number “This is Me.” The songs message celebrates the importance of individuality and accepting differences. During the radio interview, a listener called in to share his experience while listening to the song, saying that the song saved him from taking his own life as he realized that he had a greater purpose to serve. PPCHS sophomore Bianca Molina comments, “The Greatest Showman opened my eyes to how people that are so different can come together and see each other as an equal. It also demonstrates how cruel people can be to someone who is different but in reality everyone is different and that’s what makes them unique.”

Phineas Taylor Barnum will always be remembered as the man with the gift to effortlessly blur the lines between reality and fiction. The Greatest Showman celebrates the importance of diversity within society and unconditional love of family. The suspenseful plot, captivating cinematography, and unmatched cinematic orchestration present in this movie will have you walking on your own kind of tightrope.

22 Entertainment CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

The Things You’ll Love About This Movie

14 Years Later, The Notebook’s Sparks Have Not Diminished Swati Kumar

Ariana Ortiz

Technology Editor

Staff Writer

“10 Things I Hate About You”

“The Notebook”

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Things I Hate About You features the life of two sisters in high school, Kat, the older sister, played by Julia Stiles, and Bianca, the younger sister, played by Larisa Oleynik, who could not have more opposite personalities… or so they think. Their over protective father forbids the girls to date until the older, socially deviant sister, Kat, ditches her high school teen rebel spirit and goes out on a date. The romantic comedy set in the 90s explores the ins and outs of teen relationships as Kat navigates her way through high school.

The movie immediately opens with a scene in which Kat drives up next to four pretty, popular girls in her car on their way to school. Stopped at a red light, Kat looks at the clique of girls with a disgruntled look on her face, judging them for dancing and singing to the music inside their convertible car. From the opening scene, viewers see a glimpse of Kat’s personality, and the tone for her character, and its development, is set from there forward.

In an effort to get a chance with Brianna, her love interest, Cameron, and his best friend scheme a plot to get the school’s bad boy, Patrick Verona, to whisk Kat away. As Kat is not the easiest to please, Patrick had his work cut out for him. From paintballing to going to school parties together, Patrick and Kat begin to develop a sort of special bond, learning more about themselves and one another the more time they spend together. Patrick’s most romantic and memorable gesture though was right before senior prom. While Kat was on the soccer field for practice, Patrick stood up on the bleachers and serenaded Kat with the song “Can’t Take My Eyes off you” by Frankie Valli playing on the speakers.

Patrick relentlessly waltzes down the bleachers as he gets chased by the school’s security, eventually making it down to the field for Kat. The audience could see from the expression on her face that Kat was falling for him. Being as her character was very cold and bitter, this was the first time the audience saw pure joy on her face, a pivotal moment for the viewers. As her relationship with Patrick continued to grow, she began to reveal her inner persona, a shy high school girl who just wants to find someone to love. Tragedy however struck at the prom when Kat found out Patrick’s original motive for pursuing Kat, believing that the bet was his true intention.

Hopes shattered and heart broken, Kat reads a poem to her class entitled “10 Things I Hate About you,” about her “hatred” for Patrick. PPCHS teacher and cheer coach Ms. Simon says, “I remember watching 10 Things I Hate About You growing up and I remember saying that I wanted to write a poem like that because what she did inspired us all. Of course we all have that feeling of what we dislike about a guy and say guys are full of it, but in actuality we girls really do care for them.”

While the movie was adapted from Shakespeare's play "The Taming of the Shrew," the sweet and simple plot of the unliked girl falling in love with the man of her dreams has been done over time and time again. While the movie follows the story of Kat and Patrick, it also showcases the importance of sibling relationships. When Bianca finds out that Kat once dated a boy, she realized that her and her sister were actually somewhat alike, once seeing her as her weird older sister with a complex exterior to just her sister. Sophomore Sophia Morgan says, “Kat and Bianca’s sister relationship reminds me of my relationship with my older sister. Even though we fight a lot I still love her endlessly.” It was heartwarming to watch how the sisters became friends.

Director Gil Junger and writers Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith did an excellent job refreshing the done over plot and made it a timeless hit. 10 Things I Hate About You is the perfect movie to watch with your friends this Valentine’s Day, although it may have you reaching for the tissues.

“So it's not gonna be easy. It's going to be really hard; we're gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, every day.

You and me... everyday.”

- Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

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he Notebook, Nick Cassavetes’ adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ 1996 novel, takes the unabashedly old-fashioned romance and intertwines it with leading modern actors to create a classic romance capturing the compelling and indelible love story of Noah and Allie. The movie begins with an aging Noah, still steadfast in his love, telling an aging Allie, disappearing into the shadows of Alzheimer's, about how they met, fell in love, and overcame the obstacles of their truly whirlwind romance. The story shifts between the past and the present as Noah tells their story: an unlikely relationship that ensued between a rich city girl Allie, played by Rachel McAdams, and a poor country boy Noah, played

by Ryan Gosling, over the course of an unexpectedly eventful summer.

“What makes The Notebook such a classic is the raw and pure emotion that the characters convey in the movie. The audience can feel as if it’s a real situation and they are right there witnessing it,” claims sophomore Danielle Porres. “In other words, it’s just of those love stories that leave you completely speechless because it is so beautifully written and acted out.”

The Notebook is and will likely always be a classic in the genre of romance; the evocative and poignant tale has continued to make a timeless impact on its audience. It is an achingly tender story about the enduring power of love and the miraculous nature of fate that stays with each person forever. The film is set amid the simple beauty of a coastal town in North Carolina during 1946 and tells the story of a rural Southerner, Noah, returning home from World War I. As he works on restoring his home to its former glory, he is haunted by memories of the beautiful girl, Allie, he met and fell in love with fourteen years earlier. Unable to find her, but unwilling to forget the summer they spent together, Noah remains content to live with his memories of her...until Allie- now engaged to another man- unexpectedly comes to see Noah once again. Yet, after all these years, she realizes that her original passion for Noah has not dimmed in the slightest over the passage of time. Still, the obstacles they once faced have not disappeared and the stakes are higher now as Allie tries to decide what she truly wants. As the tale unfolds, Noah and Allie’s story paints the portrait of love itself, accentuating the little tender moments we all appreciate and the large fundamental changes we are all affected by. “What I love most about this movie is how the couple never gave up and knew that no matter what happened, whether life would keep them together or push them away, they knew they would always go back and find each other again,” expresses junior Muriel Morales. “And it has shown me that although sometimes things can get tough, love is unstoppable, whether with family, friends, or a significant other.”

The Notebook is a film recommended for an audience prepared to submit to sentiment and watch a heart-wrenching romance, especially on the most love related holiday- Valentine’s Day. It is a simple, vivacious story that checks all the boxes for those after a good old-fashioned tear-jerker. While the relentlessly saccharine vibe might be too much for certain viewers to handle, for those who ultimately go after this classic, The Notebook comes off as one of contemporary cinema’s most enthralling and ineradicable love stories of all time.

It truly sinks deep into the audience’s hearts, expanding them, shattering them, and piecing them back together to become whole again throughout the duration of the movie, uniting its viewers through one impactful emotion: love.

A Proposal From the Past Brittany Evelyn

“The Proposal”

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News Editor

ith Valentine’s Day fast approaching, we find ourselves looking for a good movie to watch while we snuggle up with a blanket and our favorite snacks. The Proposal is one of the many titles that come to mind.

The romantic comedy that premiered in 2009, features A-listers Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. The movie surrounds high-powered Margaret Tate, played by actress Sandra Bullock, who is an executive editor-in-chief at a book publishing company. To avoid deportation due to a violation of her work visa, she forces her assistant Andrew Paxton, played by actor Ryan Reynolds, to lie about their engagement. Andrew agrees, but imposes conditions of his own, including flying to Alaska to meet his family, publishing a book he has been recommending, and making him an editor after they tie the knot. Suspicious immigration officers threaten them, stating that Margaret will be deported to Canada permanently and Andrew will be convicted of a felony if they cannot answer personal questions about each other. The movie follows the “couple” as they travel to Alaska to meet Andrew’s family and continue with their wedding plans, despite lurking immigration officials. Sophomore Lucero Alejo expresses, “The chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds makes the movie that much better. It's funny because at first they get into the marriage for one reason but end up falling in love.” The PG-13 movie is only 1 hour and 48 minutes, but promises that you’ll love every second of it.

Critics praised the chemistry between Bullock and Reynolds, making it the perfect ‘rom com.’ Sandra Bullock, renowned 53 year old American actress, has built her own arsenal of films, including The Blind Side, Miss Congeniality, Miss Congeniality 2, Gravity, and The Heat. Her 41 year old co-star Ryan Reynolds is a Canadian actor who found his way into the hearts of millions of viewers around the world. Reynolds has starred in countless movies, including Deadpool, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Buried. “I first saw the movie with my mom, so every time it airs on TV it brings back memories. It’s a really good unconventional love story. The complexity sets it apart from most other romantic movies, making it perfect for Valentine’s Day, as it takes you on a whole new ride,” said junior Jasmine Perez.

The Proposal became a box office success, grossing over $317 million worldwide and taking its place as the 20th highest grossing film of 2009. Although it’s not a new movie, The Proposal is a classic, the perfect throwback for date night, a night in with the girls, or even for ‘me time.’

Entertainment 23 CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Cluelessly in Love Sofia Azcurra

“Clueless”

Entertainment Editor

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he classically enchanting and witty film Clueless never fails to bring a little extra love to the table. This typical teenage rom-com redefines a true love story between an innocent high school girl and the handsome guy everyone loves, but she hates.

Alicia Silverstone stars as the 16 year-old “daddy’s girl,” Cher Horowitz. The carefree, and well, clueless, Cher has all the charge card privileges that come with her glorious and glamorous life. Her father, a hot shot lawyer who recently lost his wife, never fails to disappoint Cher’s particular and demanding taste in clothing. Alicia Silverstone manages to pull off a perfect innocent dumb blonde high school girl who loves solving her problems with makeovers and paring her fellow classmates with each other. While spoiled, her strict but oblivious father is overprotective of his daughter as well is Cher’s step brother and one her father’s interns, Josh, portrayed by Paul Rudd, who’s she happens to dislike.

Cher and her nonchalant best friend, Dionne, attend a typical high school and all its cliché cliques. Cher’s vibrant personality is always bursting throughout the movie. “I love both of them together! This movie is perfect for anything, Valentine’s Day, or just to have a laugh with your best friend,” stated junior Adriana Louis. Cher’s theory that happier people give you what you want is evident when she convinces her long-suffering teachers to give her the grade of her choice with brainwashing compliments.

As the movie unfolds, event after event, she starts to confide more in her step brother, Josh. Josh begins to support the troubled teen in situations like helping her out after she gets robbed at a vacant and shuttered gas station or when he offers to dance with her after her attractive love interest, Christian, happens to be gay and leaves her at a dance party. “It’s a weird kind of love story but you can’t say it doesn’t give you hope,” commented freshman Maria Noelia. The developing love story is seen by everyone except the two love birds.

The innocent teen soon realizes while trying to the perfect someone for everyone else, the one thing she was looking for was right in front of her.

The pair’s precious kiss at the end of the film is one for the books. With the audience in true anticipation, felt all the way in their toes, director Amy Heckerling managed to pull off not a tissue grabbing rom-com but instead a jumping on the couch with your best friend with enjoyment kind of movie, making it the perfect film to watch this Valentine’s Day season.

High-Rolling Boy Meets Street Walking Girl Sofia Azcurra Entertainment Editor

“Pretty Woman”

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ith Pretty Woman being one of the classics you're bound to watch on Valentine's Day, its heart wrenching and not so innocent love story plot proves that the 80’s are far from gone from our lives.

The carefree lower class girl meets the upscale millionaire and happen to create the captivating relationship no one thought would happen.

Garry Marshall’s spin on a typical romantic comedy starts off with hard driving millionaire Edward Lewis, portrayed by Richard Gere, getting lost in the bright and bustling city of Los Angeles. While in the city, Marshall happens to come across a carefree streetwalker named Vivian Ward, played by Julia Roberts. As he asks the streetwalker for directions, the realization that the two could not be any different sets in. Vivian decides she’ll help the lost Edward with directions for a ride in the classy car. Soon, Edward being efficiently and recently broken up, realizes her interest in cars as they drive.

He subtly invites her to his suite in Beverly Hills for a friendly chat and befriends her for the week. Slowly and noticeably, Edward’s attraction to the beautiful Vivian is only getting stronger. The movie defies all evidence that money can buy happiness. Once Lewis and Vivian have had their much anticipated kiss, the plot is locked into an undeterred straight line. Subtle differences like Vivian's lack of knowledge of Edward’s high antique life are distinct. However, it’s evident that the couple works together to pave out the minor bumps in the road. “Pretty Woman literally gave me a new vision on love. You can fall for anyone despite where you’re from and what you do and that doesn’t even matter,” emphasizes junior Chloe Littleton.

The story shifts between the differences in both lovers’ lives. Throughout the movie, Vivian goes on several shopping expeditions to change her attire to a more appropriate and sophisticated wardrobe for Edward’s high class events. While very comical, some instances leave the moviegoer completely jaw dropped and tear jerked. “You don't’ see this kind of love anymore or this kind of chivalry. It's so sad at some points, she feels she not good enough for him and it’s so awful but his love for literally bursts through the seams,” stated sophomore Dominique Evans.

The kind of cliché love in this movie is one where you stay awake after the lights come off sharing your deepest secrets. It’s sympathetic and original. Director Gary Marshall manages to pull off the sweet and innocent plot better than anyone could have imagined. It will definitely be one to watch this upcoming Valentine’s Day as many people prepare to binge watch the best classics.

Sleepless in Seattle: The Throwback of 40’s Romance Movies Florencia Azcurra Features Editor

“Sleepless in Seattle” T

he feather-light, tear-jerking romance released in ‘93 is unapologetically the most creative rom-com to hit screens, and has most certainly not been forgotten since. The movie often makes a comeback around the love-dove season of February when couples or all those single-pringles pull out the plush blankets, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, and Godiva chocolate bars to sit in front of the T.V. and watch a romance. Well, take it from Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, the stars of the movie, that this isn’t one to miss. The 1 hour and 46 minute long movie has you emptying a box of tissues one minute and smiling from ear to ear the next.

The 28 year old romance already begins in weird, twisty ways to make us love it even more. The works of Nora Ephron, the mastermind director of Sleepless in Seattle, begins with the passing of Sam Baldwin’s wife, leaving him and his son alone in Chicago. Now, it may seem cliché at this point, a hopeless, depressed good-looking man left a widower, alone to fend for his 8-year old boy, but the inner workings of Jeff Arch, the story developer, really chose to take a risk in the creation of this movie. “My parents watched the movie and had recommended it to me, and so did some of my friends. So naturally, I wa tched it. At first I thought it was just going to be a basic Valentine’s Day themed movie, but it really turns around,” says sophomore Ethan Nieves. The father and son move to Seattle as a fresh start; only then does the audience realize how smart Sam’s little 8-year old actually is.

Sam Baldwin, portrayed by Tom Hanks, isn’t interested in women, in fact, the poor guy is so out of “the game” that he ends up having a very short fling with his son’s babysitter.

Little Jonah Baldwin somehow knows the depths of the human heart and notices that his father is sad about losing his wife, Jonah’s mother, and needs a new partner to help erase those sorrows. As the film progresses, on Christmas Eve Jonah calls a radio show host, kind of like Light FM’s Delilah, and tells the woman on the line that his father needs a new wife. The next scene is sporadic, crazy, and humor-filled, having you clench your abdomen from laughing so hard. “When it got to this part in the movie, I was laughing so hard. I mean how unrealistic it is for a little kid to call a radio show. But that scene made it really funny and sentimental,” says senior Chris Carter. The movie really does pull at your heart strings. While we all thought this was going to be a comedic scene, it eventually turned out to be an emotional one when Sam lets out his emotions and true feelings on a live broadcast show just as everyone is tuning in to hear this very “dreamy” man.

Listening in was, nonetheless, Annie Reed, portrayed by Meg Ryan. Annie, just like every other woman in America, was drowning in tears and sentiment when Sam was speaking.

Since that Christmas, Annie had fallen in love with the voice of Sam Baldwin. She wrote him a letter to meet him on the Empire State Building on Valentine’s Day, and with mix up names and emotions, the letter eventually ended up in the hands of Sam. Throughout the entire movie, you can feel the love of the two growing through this little 8-year old boy. With laughs at every scene and tears at every corner, the movie ended with the kiss that never happened. Instead, the two lovers met, made eye contact, and walked away into a happily ever after together.

24 Technology CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

For the past decade, technology has ventured into unimaginable areas and allowed for immense improvement and evolution in society, taking center stage in almost every

almost every corner of the world, society is on the brink of disconnecting themselves from its own humanist communities. We have the world at our fingertips, yet we may lose serve us and make our lives easier; instead, we are letting it overtake us. In the pace our technologically driven society is going, gadgets and gizmos will inevitably dominate

10 Tech Resolutions to Consider for the New Year Swati Kumar Technology Editor

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echnology, though initially intended to make our day-to-day lives easier, has become more than an enhancement. People’s obsessive use and reliance on technology has led to the accompaniment of negative physical effects and antisocial behavior in recent times. So here’s a list of 10 resolutions to help you forget your bad tech habits and make the most of your devices!

1.) Put Away Gadgets While Eating Your phone isn’t going to stop ringing and texts aren’t going to stop coming. We’re all busy, especially with our tech oriented lives, but Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat can wait. Rather than staring at a screen while swallowing your food, make your meals something you look forward to.

Switch off the TV, shut down your laptop, and put away your phone when you come to the table. Instead of more screen time, spend time with your friends and family while eating or just take some time for yourself and your own thoughts.

4.) Go Paperless

Start this year! If you have a laptop, tablet, or a phone, you are well equipped to pay your bills and access important documents from anywhere. Scan old papers and convert all your paper files into digital files for safer and more reliable storage—or at least, as a backup. Going paperless not only helps issues such as the depreciating numbers of trees present in the forests, but it also reduces the overwhelming task of collecting and keeping track of various receipts, scraps, and documents.

6.) Take the TV Out of Your Bed- 9.) Back Up Information 3 Differroom ent Ways Did you like last night’s episode of Riverdale while snuggling in your bed with a box of Rocky Road ice cream? Though many would answer yes, watching TV in your room at 11:00 p.m. on Sunday night may just be one of the worst things you can do—not just for your 8 a.m. test tomorrow, but also for your health. . So try to keep the TV in the family room!

8.) Mind Your Misinformation

2.) Don’t Drive Distracted Each day in the United States, approximately 9 people are killed and more than 1,000 injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver (CDC). Don’t risk your safety for some text messages or calls. As a driver, you not only have an obligation to you and your passengers, but also everyone else you share the road with, so put the phone down, and keep your eyes up on road. Driving will definitely become a safer and more enjoyable experience for you.

3.) Clean Your Devices

Clean you gadgets—every single one of them. Over the year all your devices from laptops and phones to game controllers and TV remotes are highly likely of accumulating dust, dirt, fingerprints and sometimes even feces. Not only is it extremely gross to use such dirty gadgets, but all this debris can negatively affect the performance of the electronics. So, start dusting you keyboards, wiping down your headphones, and cleaning every single screen in your house.

Three-way backups are the solution to ensure your data doesn’t get lost.

Number 1: Always start off by backing up your files onto an external drive.

Number 2: Cloud backups are also very useful in emergency situations such as fires, so make sure to upload all your critical files online and encrypt them. As long as you have Internet, you’ll have your files.

Number 3: However, in case of natural disasters, it is also a good precaution to make a copy of your external drive once a month and bring it over a relative or friend’s house. Not only will you always have access to a reliable hard copy, you have an excuse to see your friend/family member more often!

Graphic By: Justin Pierce

5.) Manage Your Mailbox

7.) Use a Password Manager

If your inbox is sitting with over 2,000 messages of numerous sale alerts, Jupiter grades messages, and club emails, perhaps it is time for you to take some time to sit down and clear it up by trashing spam, unsubscribing to newsletters, saving messages from loved ones, and deleting old emails. Starting the next year, make a promise to yourself to set aside time every month, every week, or even every day to go through your email and delete any irrelevant emails to make your inbox more manageable.

Though it may be easy to keep one simple password for all your accounts, it is also much easier for all your accounts to become hacked. Always make sure to create a strong password with lots of random characters, numbers, and symbols. But instead of having to suffer through the “I forgot my password” process, make it easier on yourself by getting a password manager.

Apps like 1Password and LastPass or even the Notes app on Apple devices can protect all your passwords and you’d only have to memorize one password to unlock these apps, but with Touch ID, even that isn’t necessary.

In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln famously stated, “The problem with Internet quotes is that you cannot always depend on their accuracy.” Okay, you caught it—he never said that. However, equally bogus information is constantly put up on the internet and remains floating around, deceiving the people reading the false information.

This year, make a pact to stop and prevent the spread of misinformation online. Research before you repost.

10.) Stop Experiencing Everything Through Your Phone With technology at the tips of our fingers, every moment is spent looking at spectacles through your camera, making memories through your devices, and experiencing adventure through your phone.

People are now so worried about capturing the moment to keep forever that they end up missing the essence of it. An event experienced and felt will always secure a permanent place in our heads, but one seen through a phone’s camera lens is simply not the same. Put down your phones and start living in the moment. Actually experiencing concerts, games, recitals, or even a casual day out makes more beautiful memories than the hundred pictures you have stored somewhere in your hard drive.

Game Review: Fortnite Bursts onto the 2018 Gaming Scene Evan Samuels Managing Editor - Web

map that closes little by little so that eventually you meet up with every opponent in the game. If you get stuck in this storm, your health will go down by one every second you are in the storm.

Some decide to be resourceful and break down trucks, cars, and houses, in order to build forts that will give you a height advantage over your opponents. Some Fortnite Finds Its Way To The Front: This relike the offensive side of the game and cently published game definitely surprised and caught instead of building “forts” go straight everyone’s eye, with its intriguing gameplay making it through and attack their opponents. all the more fun.

Others like the defensive side and these Photo By: Sofia Alfonso people stay back as far as possible by hiding in big trees, bushes, or swamps. icture parachuting onto a random island with 99 other people doing the same. You “I’m definitely more of the resourceful have thirty seconds to jump somewhere, type,” expresses Senior Vincent Pirro. “I and ultimately fight for your life. You love breaking down every rock, every tree, see the bright colored towns around you, and especially every truck in order to get you see the greens of the trees, and you as many supplies as possible. When people see every opponent jumping down ready are shooting me I can use the resources to for a fight. You have to find guns as fast block the shots and survive longer.” as possible, immediately after landing, to outlive every opponent and be the last man The game starts with three options: solos, standing. This game, similar to the Hunger duos, or squads. Solos involve you vs 99 Games, is tense; every moment counts- but other random people; duos include you and a partner vs 50 other teams; squads there is a catch. comprise you and three other friends vs Every minute and a half to three minutes, 25 other teams. All throughout the island there is a circle called the “storm” on the there are an abundant amount of supplies

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such as guns and bandages to help you survive. Every gun comes in a different color, ultimately based on rarity. So gray is a common gun, which isn’t as valuable as green guns that are just above a common gun or blue and purple guns that rare and very good. The most valuable are the gold guns which are the best quality as well as the strongest.

You begin the game with 100 health and a blue bar that is zero. This blue bar, also called your “armor” can go all the way up to 100, meaning you would have 200 health against a person shooting you. You can get your blue bar up by going to parts of the island with gold crates. Potions are found in the gold chests, which help you gain armor. They take about four seconds to use, so you must be quick and make sure no one is around you when using them. Evidently, getting to 100 “armor” is not easy. When you open a gold chest everything is random. Sometimes you get a common gun, while other times you get lucky and get a rare gold gun. “This game is very strategy based, so you must always have bandages on you just in case you get shot as the game goes on. Playing squads is my favorite game mode because you have

to rely on each and every teammate to do their job,” claims junior Sinan Govaria. “I love how this game is so unique and different from every other shooting game.”

I believe that this game is here to stay. The gameplay is exciting and filled with never ending fun. Though it takes getting used to, as you play more and more of the game, you will improve and eventually become a Fortnite pro.

Fortnite came onto the scene only a few months ago, and it definitely swept everyone away into its “storm.” With its rapid and intriguing gameplay and never ending battles, it is hard not to enjoy this game.

Not to mention, this game is free on both PS4 and Xbox, and its developers constantly come out with new content including guns and new parts on the map to keep its gamers excited and interested. A Fortnite developer added that “2018 is going to be a really big year for us, and we can’t wait to share all of the fun stuff we’ve got in store for you guys,” (Fortnite Game). With the amount of conversations heard through the hallways in Charter and in public about this stirring game, it is safe to say that Fortnite could be the next Game of the Year.

Technology 25

CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

person’s life. At a time during which people can simply touch their keyboard or swipe their finger across a black screen to connect with people, products, and information from sight of the things right outside our windows. While technology has improved lives for some, it has caused others to lead a more isolated life. Technology should be a means to the human race, extinguishing any chance of growth and development for people. We are now using technology, but will technology be using us in the future?

Beware: Technology is Starting to Run Us Arianna Ozuna Staff Writer

cause we’re too busy staring at our phones.

Young children of this generation were practically born into technology’s thriving creations, and their actions are just a preview of the repercussions society will face if we don’t take action against things such as phone or tablet addiction. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, an average a child between the ages of 8 and Technology Is Taking Over: Phone usage has been drastically increasing as technology is constant10 years old spends eight hours ly developing with its new and recent advancements. a day exploring media such as Photo By: Aijah Harper television, computers, tablets, and cellphones, while older

e use our alarms to wake up in the children and teenagers spend as much as morning, phones to access our homework, eleven hours. During this time children and computers to surf the web every could be completing homework or indulgday. What would we do if all these items ing in sports and other social activities in were to suddenly disappear? With such general. The New York Times states that, numerous and various uses for technology, “heavy use of electronic media can have it’s hard to even imagine a world without significant negative effects on children’s it. Though technology initially served as a behavior, health and school performance.” tool for making day-to-day tasks easier, it This trend could eventually lead to lack of has now taken on a parasitic characteristic social skills. Imagine a world without sothat gives people the opportunity to gain cial interaction! Ideas would not be cominstant gratification. Our dependency on municated and people would not be able technology is extremely concerning and to interact and create bonds. As the social will most likely serve as a negative effect creatures we are, we cannot allow such an for humans in the long-run. important feature of humanity to slip away.

Even adults who did not grow up with such Technology is moving fast, and within technology are facing problems, and it’s afsuch a small span of time it’s still fecting businesses all over the world. extremely prevalent. Just this year alone, we’ve been able to reverse paralysis with Technology always seems to be running brain implants, create self-driving trucks, ahead of its creators, potentially leaving and make payments through facial rec- many at risk. Moore’s Law explains the ognition. Last year was the beginning of reasoning behind why technology seems immune engineering, precise gene editing to move so fast in the form of a graph, in plants, and conversation interfaces that which only shows exponential growth. make using a smartphone much simpler. A According to this law, every two years it few years down the line it won’t be crazy is expected for transistors and dense into predict of cures for deadly diseases such tegrated circuits to double, meaning that as cancer, or even flying cars! While all of the processing speed and overall power of these things may seem like great advanc- a computer should only improve. At first es in technology, there are many flashing this may seem like a good thing, which it warning signs that we as a society are not is to an extent, but under the surface there acknowledging, and that’s probably be- are many problems that could come from

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rapid developments that we cannot handle.

If, for example, an outage were to occur, we should be able to know how to quickly resolve the issue in under a few minutes or half an hour at most. Unfortunately, it’s beginning to take a lot longer to boot things back up, which is raising many issues in work or business places that simply cannot afford to have outages. Back in 2015 United Airlines airport was hit by a “router issue” that took two hours to fix, leaving over 800 flights delayed and 60 flights canceled. It’s important to realize that there’s no such thing as computers that don’t mess up, or worst of all, that all of our information is completely protected.

life, it’s important to acknowledge the toll it’s beginning to take on society.

If technicians could keep up with their creations rather than rapidly pushing out short-term improvements, they’d be able to solve any problems concerning their creation, helping all of us out in the long run. Parents should limit the time their children spend on electronic devices and indulge the family in activities that could bring them closer together. Instead of immediately putting information about yourself online, be cautious and always set up different types of two-step verification to ensure your information is safe. As the New Year approaches, make one of your resolutions involve using your phone less and spending more time with friends or family. Decreasing our reliance on technology starts with limiting time spent on social media, occasionally turning off the phone, or even doing something as simple as using paper instead of a computer document and working out a multiplication problem instead of typing it into your calculator. Technology has become integrated into our lives, making it seem essential for our sustainment and survival, but we need to learn to use technology as an enhancement rather than necessity. We need to learn to run our technology instead of letting it run us.

Moreover, although many websites guarantee safety and protection, there are still many looming threats of hacking that put personal information at risk. Nowadays it’s possible to look someone’s name up and find their address. Not to mention that the social media website Facebook reveals a lot of personal information as well.

With so much information exposed to the world, it’s only child’s play for hackers to dive deeper into the system and snatch private data. Just this year on September 7th Equifax, a consumer credit reporting agency, reported a breach in their system, causing over 143 United States consumers to be at risk. The hackers accessed social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, birth dates, and much more. The activity proceeded May through July, only to be detected in September, which is a two month gap! Who knows what could happen with all that private information in two months?

Our trust in technology is putting our private information at risk, and we need better ways of preventing such things How’s your from happening.

While technology has improved certain aspects of the world and everyday

day going?

Photo By: Aijah Harper

A New Apple Product a Day Keeps the Doctor Away Sophia Cortes Staff Writer

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pple has already made a resounding impact in 2017 after releasing new and raging products like the Apple Watch Series 3 and the iPhone X. Fans of these products were beyond excited when the company revealed at the 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference, held this past June, that on top of the new Watch and iPhone, Apple’s long awaited HomePod and new iMac are soon to be released as well.

The HomePod is believed to be Apple’s “response” to the Amazon Echo and Google Home, a new technology of smart speakers that allow the user to interact with the speaking object like they would with Siri on their phones. However, instead of focusing on the phone aspect of a smart speaker, the new seven inch HomePod will specialize more in delivering a top quality audio system-something that, according to users, the Amazon Echo and Google Home seem to lack.

Besides the release of the HomePod, Apple will also be refurbishing its line of iMac products. The new iMacs will include higher quality screens, faster systems, larger storage space, and the latest proces-

sors from Intel. Along with the remodeled iMacs that will be released soon, Apple is also set to release the brand new iMac Pro which is said to be “the fastest Mac ever” (Simply Mac) and will have a much bigger screen as well as larger storage than the previous iMacs. The new iMac also features a more sophisticated dark gray finish to differentiate the device from the original light gray iMac. Along with the rest of the world, students and teachers around PPCHS are excited for the new and improved line of Apple products, specifically for their promise of a faster and higher quality computer, something that many of our resident photographers and digital artists cannot turn down.

As the digital arts teacher Mr. Foreman explained, for graphic artists, iMacs are extremely important to creating artwork.

“Photoshop and Illustrator are efficient programs that function well, and I have high hopes to see it happen even faster.

That’s why I believe the iMac Pro could be a wonderful addition. I can’t wait to see all the benefits that are provided,” he expressed. Moreover, any artist who is able to get their hands on any of the improved

iMacs would be able to save more files and work on more projects without having to worry about having too many files with too little storage space, thanks to the heightened storage space in both the upgrade iMacs and iMac Pro. Not are students anticipating the upgrades to the iMac, they are also curiously excited for Apple’s HomePod. “I’m super excited for this new addition to the Apple family, and I’m sure it will be an interesting technological item to use around your home,” expresses sophomore Alissa Chavez. “The Apple HomePod seems like it can be very useful for day-to-day, around the clock business inside a household.”

With these releases, Apple is bringing in a new standard for products made in the technology industry. Both the HomePod and new iMac can be beneficial for everyday life use as well as for creative minds in our school and all over the world. The iMac Pro will be available this December, but Apple fans will have to wait until early 2018 to be able to obtain the new HomePod. And so, the wait begins...

Graphic By: Rosa Gomez

Graphic By: Shaniah Cox

26 Technology CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Save Your Net Neutrality or Lose Your Internet Liberality Brianna Butler and Sophia Cortes Staff Writers

Censored

information. Unnecessary fees. Slow Internet. If net neutrality were to be snatched from the hands of American citizens, this is what the United States’ future would become—a country restricted by corrupted individuals who put their monetary gain before the rights of the people. A controversial issue spanning many years, net neutrality has finally taken the spotlight after Ajit Pai, the current chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and other members have voted to repeal net neutrality on December 14th. However, not many people realize the significance of this right, the right to freely browse the internet, in our lives. The consequences of removing this important feature is extremely damaging to the United States as citizens will soon face restricted access to certain websites, ultimately creating a platform for oppressive forces and allowing companies to monopolize profits.

Net neutrality stems from the idea that there is an “open Internet, and the principle that Internet service providers (ISPs) should give consumers access to all legal content and applications on an equal basis, without favoring some sources or blocking others” (USA Today). Essentially, the internet allows people to freely access anything and everything without the interference of big name companies or government associations from restricting their search engines. Without net neutrality, however, the web faces the danger of becoming a place where individuals can no longer easily access information, a place where information is classified by govern-

ment at expense of the public.

“The consequences would be particularly devastating for marginalized community’s media outlets have misrepresented or failed to serve” (Save the Internet). The Internet is not only a place where people go to share and express themselves, but also a place where people go to find themselves. In the mainstream media, minorities such as the LGBTQ community, people of color, religious minorities, indigenous peoples, and so many more are either disregarded as a side Graphic By: Henry Severe character or completely forgotten about, but on the Internet there are all sorts of short films, web comics, miniseries, and stories that include everyone in a wonderful way. The Internet is also a place where people who belong to any minority group who feel isolated can reach out to others and realize that they are not alone in who they are, what they feel, or what struggles they face. If net neutrality becomes a thing of the past, we are risking losing a platform where representation thrives and those who feel unwanted can realize that being different isn’t a bad thing.

Not only will the end of net neutrality also mean the possible end of widespread representation in any media, but getting rid of net neutrality also assists in destroying small business owners and entrepreneurs.

The easiest way to start up a small business is by making it popular through the web via social media or the creation of your own website.

Using these methods of promotion, one has the opportunity to reach a significantly larger scale of consumers, opening markets without limitations from distance. It is also an easier and faster way to promote your business without having to resort to word of mouth. Many families in the US either have one or both parent(s)/guardian(s) who have their own small business. If net neutrality were to be repealed, those families face significantly large financial issue.

Not only will small business owners be affected by the repeal of net neutrality, but students of all grades as well. If the internet becomes restricted, then websites like Jupiter Grades or Turn It In will become either inaccessible to students, or too slow

to get any work done at home. Schools will also have to start paying extra fees to allow students and teachers to access the internet “freely’ at schools, which will cost the school an unnecessary amount of money to maintain. Senior Toni Martin explains that she feels if “net neutrality isn’t maintained, students will be at a major disadvantage.

Technology has allowed schools to advance their teaching methods, and the internet has provided students with immense knowledge that is accessible with only a few clicks. Without net neutrality, schools and students, at the very least, won’t be able to access certain websites that could have been provided a new perspective or valuable insight.”

The act of getting rid of net neutrality is simply meant for the people in power, whether they are a part of a big corporation or the government, to obtain more money and restrain society in its entirety. Destroying net neutrality means limiting representation of minorities and leaving small businesses with no to little chance to succeed.

Though the act has been approved, not all hope is lost. In order to be established as a law, the act is required to go through many revisions, giving citizens enough time to convince members of Congress to keep net neutrality. You can still fight for this right by calling or emailing your Congress or Senate representative to dismiss the attack on open Internet. Net neutrality is needed, for you and for me, for your family and for your friends, for everyone. And if we don’t do anything about it, then we risk living in a world where our simple liberties are limited by the people in power, solely driven by greed.

Drones, Flying Through the Air and Off the Charts Janae McDonnough Staff Writer

Drones are becoming an increasingly prominent gadget in people’s lives. The US Military uses these devices to obtain information and carry military actions which are considered to be dangerous for manned flight. Used by civilians as well as soldiers, these devices are also becoming widely popular among professionals. Photographers and directors use drones to capture many views that human operated camGraphic By: Justin Pierce eras do not have the ability to do, making their pictures and films rom the early inventions of the compass display a view invisible to people before and gunpowder to the latest inventions of the drone. These devices are also used by telephones and cameras, people have been sports reporters at major events such as consistently developing technology, creat- the Super Bowl or US Open to capture the ing a modern society in which almost all play by play of the game. Those mentioned ages and professions are dependent on in- above are only some of the many profesnovations and devices. Drones, unmanned, sions- engineering, science, and art- that robotic machines that have the ability to fly drones have impacted. in the air, were developed by the US army In addition to its professional use, drones during the post-World War I period. Since then, they have been improved to become are becoming increasingly accessible for easy for everyday usage, allowing people today’s’ youth. Teachers are starting to to control the invention through a remote engage their students with drone related and see aerial images captured by the drone activities. For example, many school through its built in cameras. They are be- newsrooms and yearbook classes are using ing used by engineers to perform 2D/3D drones to capture pictures and give a new mapping projects, artists for music videos, angle to their journalism. PPCHS Digital reporters for event coverage, and even Art teacher Mr. Foreman claims that drones have the ability to make his pictures more younger children as an entertaining toy.

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creative and fun. He is currently inspired by an online photographer who uses drones to take full length images of large structures and skyscraper buildings. Drones, he expressed, brought out new angles and perspectives to his classroom and passion.

These devices are becoming so popular that many little children have started to ask for their own toy drones to play with for Christmas. Senior Joshua Vasquez truly appreciates drones, especially when it comes to one of his favorite subjects: art. “These gadgets helps us gain a great aerial view of things that we could never capture ourselves. Drones really benefit my artistic interests and create a very fresh visual view of things that seemed ordinary before, but are now art in my eyes,” states senior Joshua Vasquez.

Drones have become so common that there are now drone camps for kids that are interested in learning more about these devices.

One camp, Drobots, states that having these camps allow the kids to gain a strong sense of curiosity, confidence, and teamwork.

The camp also offers to teach and help beginners learn how to use and operate drones.

These camps give children an opportunity to get off their computers and go outside to enjoy nature without having

to give up their interest in technology. In addition, children get a chance to interact with other people that share similar interests, drones.

New gizmos and gadgets are introduced every year, but one of the most impactful and prominent innovations have been the drone, taking over almost every category of work and recreational activity imagined.

Drones serve a variety of tasks, from surveying dangerous areas for law enforcement to capturing live events and filming, they have become an entertaining devices for our current technologically advanced youth. The impact of drones is not shocking however; after all, the science of tomorrow has ultimately become the technology of today.

Drones are Driving People In!: Drones are beginning to take over many schools and youth’s attention with its unique build and cool features.

Photo By: Sofia Alfonso

Technology 27

CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Black Mirror Calls Technology a Human Problem Arianna Ozuna Staff Writer

In most stories, technology, something

created to make people’s lives easier, helps the protagonist in their adventure.

The British Netflix series, Black Mirror, on the other hand, has a different story to tell. Created in 2011 by Charlie Brooker, Black Mirror is inspired by the eerie and supernatural show The Twilight Zone, and hopes to send thought-provoking messages about the current technologically driven and dependent society through each individual episode.

Graphic By: Shaniah Cox

“Black Mirror is interesting to me because of how it interprets how people use technology in a different way. It focuses on how technology has the potential to harm our society, or to be used in evil and manipulative ways. It changes sci-fi in such a unique and twisted way, and makes the show captivating and binge-worthy,” praises senior Alaina Bell. The name of the show itself is inspired by the black screen that appears when a phone is turned off, which shows someone’s reflection through a “black mirror.”

Each episode tells its own story with a fresh plot and a new set of characters who must face certain issues in society due to technology-for example, drones mass killing innocent people or A.I. robots taking over the human race. One specific episode hits close to home as it describes a society in which ratings on social media determined how someone lives, warning society of a life headed towards digit preference over real life. “Sometimes technology can really expose the characters or give them ways to supplement their dark tendencies. They’re

trying to say that advancements in technology are beneficial, but they also have their downsides and the way that Black Mirror expresses it, the cons outweigh the pros,” expresses junior Kenneth Martinez.

Black Mirror not only shows examples of technology’s power over the human race, but poses warnings for the future as technology develops into a stronger force and becomes more scrounging than beneficial.

The show hopes to reveal what limits humans will pass for the sake of their own selfish needs, and the growing dependence on technology. In the episode “Be Right Back,” the media storage from a dead person’s past life is turned into a system that mimics messages or phone calls that this said person would make, allowing their loved ones to have a surrogate that keeps them from “letting go.” This episode highlighted how systems like this challenge the constant need to record things and how often humans avoid reality- something that is becoming an increasing problem as a result of the extensive influence of technology.

Black Mirror is warning people of the future everyone is currently barreling towards and how often it is that technology manipulates our minds or actions to go against our reality. It exposes the huge risk of machines controlling humans rather than humans controlling machines. Allowing machines to take away a human’s own humanity is an issue, and Black Mirror hopes to show viewers what such an idea would look like.

Graphic By: Shaniah Cox

A Look Ahead....

Graphic By: Michael Perez

28 Lifestyle

Shoot for the Stars This Valentine’s Day CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Isabella Munoz Staff Writer

Aries (March 21 - April 19): Look forward to success, praise, and pleasure, Aries! Settle down and work relentlessly toward career and self-improvement goals. Prepare to rule. Everyone can benefit from some self-improvement. Emerge as a better, brighter, and stronger you.

Aries (March 21 - April 19): Look forward to success, praise, and pleasure, Aries! Settle down and work relentlessly toward career and self-improvement goals. Prepare to rule. Everyone can benefit from some self-improvement. Emerge as a better, brighter, and stronger you.

Aries (March 21 - April 19): Look forward to success, praise, and pleasure, Aries! Settle down and work relentlessly toward career and self-improvement goals. Prepare to rule. Everyone can benefit from some self-improvement. Emerge as a better, brighter, and stronger you.

Aries (March 21 - April 19): Look forward to success, praise, and pleasure, Aries! Settle down and work relentlessly toward career and self-improvement goals. Prepare to rule. Everyone can benefit from some self-improvement. Emerge as a better, brighter, and stronger you.

Aries (March 21 - April 19): Look forward to success, praise, and pleasure, Aries! Settle down and work relentlessly toward career and self-improvement goals. Prepare to rule. Everyone can benefit from some self-improvement. Emerge as a better, brighter, and stronger you.

Aries (March 21 - April 19): Look forward to success, praise, and pleasure, Aries! Settle down and work relentlessly toward career and self-improvement goals. Prepare to rule. Everyone can benefit from some self-improvement. Emerge as a better, brighter, and stronger you.

Aries (March 21 - April 19): Look forward to success, praise, and pleasure, Aries! Settle down and work relentlessly toward career and self-improvement goals. Prepare to rule. Everyone can benefit from some self-improvement. Emerge as a better, brighter, and stronger you.

Aries (March 21 - April 19): Look forward to success, praise, and pleasure, Aries! Settle down and work relentlessly toward career and self-improvement goals. Prepare to rule. Everyone can benefit from some self-improvement. Emerge as a better, brighter, and stronger you.

Aries (March 21 - April 19): Look forward to success, praise, and pleasure, Aries! Settle down and work relentlessly toward career and self-improvement goals. Prepare to rule. Everyone can benefit from some self-improvement. Emerge as a better, brighter, and stronger you.

Graphic By: Henry Severe

Aries (March 21 - April 19): Look forward to success, praise, and pleasure, Aries! Settle down and work relentlessly toward career and self-improvement goals. Prepare to rule. Everyone can benefit from some self-improvement. Emerge as a better, brighter, and stronger you.

Aries (March 21 - April 19): Look forward to success, praise, and pleasure, Aries! Settle down and work relentlessly toward career and self-improvement goals. Prepare to rule. Everyone can benefit from some self-improvement. Emerge as a better, brighter, and stronger you.

Aries (March 21 - April 19): Look forward to success, praise, and pleasure, Aries! Settle down and work relentlessly toward career and self-improvement goals. Prepare to rule. Everyone can benefit from some self-improvement. Emerge as a better, brighter, and stronger you.

Upperclassmen Change Their Bad Habits for the New Year Jordan Alberti

“I want to change my bad habit of going

“I need to stop playing so much Fortnite

and I need to go back to a more normal sleeping schedule.”

- Senior Vincent Pirro

“I need to stop biting my nails so much.

It’s just not a good look and it would be a good thing to stop.”

- Sophomore Blake Rodriguez

“I want to stop going on and off on my gym schedule. I need to be more consistent than what I am doing right now.”

- Junior Zachary Fischbach

Sports Editor

to sleep way too late. I always feel tired and that’s not good. I can change it by just forcing myself to go to sleep earlier.”

- Junior Robert Cochenour

2018-2019

“I want to change my bad habit of taking way too long on my homework. I’ll start my homework and then get distracted so I need to stop procrastinating and just do my homework so I don’t stay up late doing it.”

- Junior Ryan Gonzalez

“I need to stop procrastinating. If I stop procrastinating, I can get so many more things done.”

- Sophomore Sinan Majeed

“I want to stop going to sleep so late. I mean sometimes I’m doing homework and that’s why I go to sleep so late, but when I don’t have homework to do, I just need to go to sleep earlier.”

- Senior Daniel Gitelman

“I need to stop wasting so much gas. I mean I’m always out so sometimes I waste a lot of gas just sitting in my car. By saving gas, I save money. It’s a win-win.”

- Senior Bergan Oudshoorn

The CHAT Editorial: Is Valentine’s Day a Valid Holiday?

Roselle Curiel Staff Writer

Graphic By: Jasmin Bleus

J

ust as most modern holidays, Valentine’s Day was formed centuries ago, in 496 AD. Also like most modern holidays, the cultural and social evolution of our society has changed the way we celebrate the day, as well as our reason for celebrating it. Back then it was a day set by Pope Gelasius in order to honor a saint named Valentinus. Now it is a day centered around love, relationships, red hearts, and Cupid.

Most people believe Valentine’s Day is a

genuine time to appreciate those we love.

On the other hand, many also think the real meaning of the holiday has been corrupted by commercial gains.

Just like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, the main argument against Valentine’s Day is that people should show their appreciation and love for someone every day, not just on a “silly” holiday. “...It’s not the one day of the year you’re allowed to show your significant-other love. If you do that

you’re just buying into an arbitrary holiday and letting salesmen get the best of you,” said freshman Hailey Crenshaw. The question is, if you want to show someone you love them, why wait until February 14th to bring them a box of chocolates and a bouquet of roses? Others argue that the modern Valentine’s Day is more of a corporate holiday; like a scam to sell more chocolates, flowers, and balloons. “At this point it’s kind of like a made up holiday. It’s an excuse for companies like Hallmark to make Valentine’s Day cards,” said sophomore Alex Loucks. Just last year, the total spending on Valentine’s Day-themed gifts was $18.6 billion, and about 55% of that was on greeting cards alone (Marketing Charts).

It’s essentially “putting a price tag on love and appreciation,” as put by Loucks.

However, some people also take on a more optimistic approach when it comes to Valentine’s Day, “Obviously people are allowed to show their love for each other every day of the year, but the point of [this holiday] is to center all these emotions and really take time off to appreciate one another,” said senior Margaret Copello.

For couples with kids, for example, Valentine’s Day would be the perfect time to take a break from a busy life to spend time together. “Plus if you receive flowers, cards, and chocolates every day it wouldn’t be special anymore,” added Copello. This

is the same logic as to why we celebrate individual birthdays; our friends and family are always grateful we were born, but birthdays are a unique day to us that allow them to commemorate you. One could compare this holiday to ones like St. Patrick’s Day, where the real meaning of the day is to celebrate people coming together.

“I think people forget that no one is forcing someone to buy them Valentine’s Day gifts, they do it out of love, which is what the holiday is about in the first place. So the argument that it’s made to steal money from people trying to celebrate isn’t really strong,” said sophomore Jamal Saintilus.

After all, what’s so wrong about wanting to celebrate love?

Junior Chelsee Umbarita summarizes both opinions to the question quite accurately, “It can be considered both a scam and a real holiday. It’s a rip-off because stores rack up prices and finesse people into spending more money than ever on flowers and cards. Yet, it’s also a meaningful day for people who want to show each other they care, whether it’s through material items or something simple.” Though love is such a special human emotion, there is no doubt that human greed is bound to take advantage of those lovebirds when Valentine’s Day comes around.

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Galentine’s Day is the New Valentine’s Day Ainsley McCormick Student Life Editor

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hocolate strawberries, teddy bears, and candy hearts are often associated with couples during Valentine’s Day. These ideas and feelings that float around in the air, along with the love, can give single ladies the feeling of wanting somebody to spend this holiday with. However, there is good news for these chocolate loving, teddy bear rubbing romantics. This is the year that ladies should come together to embrace their love for each other on Valentine’s Day, or rather “Galentine’s Day.” Ladies, start off your preparation for this day of love by planning on getting little gifts for your girlfriends. Something as simple as little hand sanitizers are a simple and easy gift that everyone loves (especially if the scent is Eucalyptus Spearmint). Junior Kristen Johnson takes part in a week long Valentine’s event with her friends. She said, “My friends and I love giving each other gifts on Valentine's Day and actually the whole week. We organize a kind of "secret Santa," or "secret admirers," where we give our chosen person little gifts or candy throughout the week and at the end we bring one big present and reveal who our secret person was. It's one of my favorite things my friends and I do because we really get to know each other by buying things we think they'd like.” If

you feel like really celebrating the holiday, this is a great idea to get a large group of friends involved in.

If you’re not in the financial standing to spend some money this year, consider having your friend over for a “Galentine’s Day” dinner. Download an app like Pinterest or Yummy, a new app created by Buzzfeed, to browse easy and quick appetizers, dinners, desserts and more. Bake a heart cake for your friends and top them with yummy icing and pink sprinkles. A simple way to do this is by combining a single box of chocolate cake mix with a 12 oz can of regular coke and mix together until combined. Split this mixture into a greased circle and square pan, and bake according to directions. Once cooked and cooled, cut the circle cake in half and place on two sides on the square cake to create an adorable heart. This simple, two ingredient cake will produce moist chocolate deliciousness that the whole squad will love.

Perhaps your crew isn’t the type to spend time in the kitchen, but rather a group to go out and shop. If so, take a few of your girls out after school on Valentine’s Day to get manicures done together. You can talk about your day, while enjoying the relaxing feeling of a hand massage followed by a fresh coat of nail polish. Afterwards, stop

by a Starbucks to enjoy a little bit more of your day with your ladies.

If binging on Netflix is what you want to do all day every day, invite your girlfriends over for a movie and popcorn night (with chocolate, of course)! Purchase a chick flick from the closest Redbox, or download one from Netflix. Nestle together all your pillows and blankets to give everyone a comfortable viewing spot, and let the film roll. Make sure there is lots of popcorn and chocolate around for everyone to munch on Graphic By: Michael Perez during the movie so nobody gets hungry. Sophomore Alyssa Miragliotta said, “My friends and I will usually spend Valentine’s Day getting each other gifts and sharing chocolate and flowers to show how much we care about each other. I’ve always loved Valentine’s Day because you get to express your feelings for one another. We might also get together to watch romance movies and eat popcorn.”

Valentine’s Day no longer has to be limited to couples!

Spending Valentine’s Day with your favorite girls is a great way to show them how much you love them. Take one of these ideas and make it your own to have the best “Galentine’s Day” filled with lots of love, candy, and chocolate!

New Hangout Spots in Pembroke Pines

Ariana Ortiz Staff Writer

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ired of the same old hangouts? No need to fear, new hangouts are here! Recently, new hotspots are popping up all over Pembroke Pines where you and your friends can hang out and have a blast!

Everyone knows and loves Cream, the ice cream shop that specializes in ice cream sandwiches that caused a sugar rush craze when it opened in Weston. On December 9th, 2017, a new location was opened in the new Pembroke Centre directly next to The Shops of Pembroke Gardens. Upon their new opening, they added mini pies to their menu! They are served on their own or a la mode and come in apple, cherry, and many more flavors. Now, your ice cream sandwich needs can met at two locations!

The shopping strip also features four other restaurants; the most popular being the Habit Burger Grill and Pieology. The Habit is a fast food chain for chargrilled burgers that gives you a bang for your buck. The California themed restaurant eliminates the bad vibe associated with the word “fast food” by its relaxed environment and fresh ingredients put into the delicious food. Their signature menu item is the “charburger” which is an all American classic burger that everyone will be sure to love. The Habit doesn’t only serve burgers, but has a selection of salads, sandwiches, and even a kids menu for the little ones! Whether you're looking for somewhere to hang out with your friends or have lunch with your family, the habit is a great option.

Just down the lane is Pieology, an oven fired pizza chain. Pieology is not like every pizzeria, when you step into Pieology you can pick a crust, sauce, and as many toppings as you would like to make your own personalized individual pizza. After your pizza is constructed to your liking, they fire it up in the oven and your customized pizza is served to you in minutes. Junior Alex Mora says “I liked Pieology because the pizza was made fresh and they had every topping you could ever want. Not to mention it was delicious! I would definitely go back with my friends.” Stop into Pieology for a custom pizza experience.

Recently, Pembroke Lakes Mall opened up a new edition, an AMC theatre. AMC Pembroke Lakes 9 features 9 theaters including a Dolby Cinema and an IMAX theatre. Freshman Matthew Gordon says, “AMC was really fun with my friends. They have great food and comfortable seats.” Unlike normal theatres, AMC has an in-app rewards program where customers can earn awards like free popcorn refills just for joining! With reserved seating and red leather recliners, you can’t go wrong with a night out at AMC! If you’re ready to find a new place to hang out at, check out these new spots! You and your friends will definitely enjoy it.

Photos By: Eric Hernandez

30 News CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Jada Hinds Makes Wishes Come True Ainsley McCormick Student Life Editor

Opening her computer screen, Jada was

determined to find a volunteer opportunity that not only she would be able enjoy but one that would help benefit her community.

Scrolling through her endless tabs of web pages, an unprompted idea popped into junior Jada Hind’s head: The Make-a-Wish Foundation. As she had previously heard about this organization through friends inside and means outside, Jada grew confident this organization was one that gave back to the greater good of the community. As she opened up the foundation’s website, she found a tab for a youth leadership committee. Immediately, Jada inquired, leading us to present day where she now serves on the board for the youth leadership committee, volunteering twice a month for The Makea-Wish Foundation alongside many other selfless teens.

While getting involved in school clubs and sports is great, taking the initiative to branch out into large scale, more demanding extracurriculars is something to be especially proud of. Jada has taken these steps in not just Make-a-Wish but a plethora of other activities that she has become actively involved in, bringing along with her much success. She is involved in a branch of the Make a Wish Foundation, where she visits their offices once a month to discuss and plan ways to raise money for the organization.

“I have to execute an individual event, and within the committee we plan a group event to raise money for the organization,” she said. “So far, as a group we are executing a bowling fundraiser where different people can come and support by signing up a team to bowl and help to grant wishes!”

Jada has been a part of the youth leadership committee since the start of this school year, and yet, in this small amount of time, she has been nonstop brainstorming and carrying out many of the foundation’s fundraising events. “I’m so glad to be working with Jada in student council. She always has the best ideas and knows how to execute them

in an organized and timely manner,” said junior Sam Pratts. Currently, the bowling fundraiser is the main event that Jada’s committee is focusing on. By spending a day playing either competitive or leisure bowling games, the attendees will help grant wishes to the kids. Additionally, Jada is also planning an individual Make-aWish at PPCHS. Jada has since been organizing the well-anticipated Dance Benefit taking place at the end of the school year; all proceeds from this fundraiser will be donated to the Make-a-Wish foundation.

This ties her two passions together - volunteer work and dance. “I’ve been friends with Jada for only about a year, but I’ve noticed that she never fails to light up a room. She brings a professional aura with her that piques the interest of those around her, and makes them want to spend time with her,” said senior Ross Mishler.

As a member of the youth committee, Jada has met people who have pushed her to be even greater, and although it is an out of school group, it has allowed her to forge connections with her peers. While reading a previous article published in the school newspaper about Madison White, a sophomore diagnosed with bone cancer, Jada came to realize that she had seen that familiar face before, but couldn’t quite recall where. She soon realized that Madison was

Make-a-Wish’s 11,000th granted wish.

Jada had seen Madison’s picture in the meeting room of the Make a Wish Foundation’s office, and she had even watched the video of Madison’s story.

Being a part of Make a Wish only pushes Jada to reach her farthest dreams. In recent years, she has considered creating a Makea-Wish club for the school, and this idea of hers may even become official in the 2018- 2019 school year. The junior hopes to attend Columbia University, while continuing her job as a Brand Agent for Hollister. Her goal to reach for the stars in every aspect of her life is exactly what she's been doing and will continue to do inside and out of PPCHS.

Donated By: Jada Hinds

Donated By: Jada Hinds

A Rare Occurance: Super-Charged Super Moon on January 31st Amanda Rodriguez & roselle curiel

Last

year, the great solar eclipse caught the attention of all students. It was a big deal, with Snapchat filters and hashtags being made in honor of the rare event. This year, we witnessed three major lunar events happenings. All at the same time. A super moon, a blood moon, and a blue moon, occurred on January 31st, making it one of the most unique and beautiful moments in recent lunar history.

Super moons appear when the moon’s orbiting cycle is colliding with its perigee, or its closest point to Earth (EarthSky). These only happen about 3 times every year. Sometimes during a lunar eclipse, the sunlight reflecting on the moon will make it appear a dark red color. This is known as a blood

Staff Writers

moon. Finally, a blue a moon is actually a blue moon. It’s just the term for the second full moon in a month (Wired). These events all displayed consecutively around 5:00 AM in South Florida, making the usually-dark skies light up, with the bright moon contrasting against the black background that is the night sky.

These major lunar events were discussed in every science class at school. Science teachers burst with excitement as they explained the reason behind all these occurrences to students. Mr. Ramphall, the regular and honors physics teacher, explained the physics of how the moon works and what was occurring at the time of all this, “Not only is the science behind this amazing, as well as the

beauty in it. I woke up early just to watch If you missed the super-blue-blood-moon, it and even a little throughout the morning the next time to witness it will be 2037. you could still see the moon, and it was truly Mark your calendars! an amazing phenomenon”. Even students in the science club, such as president Lilliana Tomas said, “Many people don't know about these type of events and I think it’s awesome when people come out together to watch and learn about it, I hope science club can do stargazing events in the future to appreciate events like this. The moon was much bigger than usual, as most probably noticed but there was also a lunar eclipse, which is a rare sight. I follow a lot of photographers on Instagram and they took such amazing photos of the moon. I hope one day I can do the same”.

Graphic By: Justin Pierce

News 31

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Somaliland’s Step towards Women’s Rights

Pride Reigns through Australia as Same Sex Marriage is Legalized Ariana Ortiz

Arianna Ozuna

Staff Writer

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n Thursday December 7th, 2017, Australia’s parliament voted to legalize same sex marriage by an overwhelming vote, with only 4 members in opposition of passing the bill. This bill allows for same sex couples to be married in all regions of Australia. As soon as the vote was held and the bill was passed, citizens in the gallery began singing “I Am Australian,” a known Australian anthem, out of pure joy and pride to be a member of a nation that had taken such a large step towards equality. The passing of the bill came after a national two month survey concluded that 61% of more than 12 million participants were in favor of marriage equality. Upon hearing the news, the people of Australia were thrilled. Celebrations erupted in the House of Representatives, as well as in cities across the nation. This bill, previously introduced 22 times in Australian parliament since 2004, finally gave the local LGBTQ+ community justice.

This major breakthrough comes after the United States Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in 2015. Similarly, both nations went through a long process, as the bill was turned down by each legislature. Needless to say, when same sex marriage was legalized, citizens of both nations were ecstatic by the news. While this is a big step towards equality for all, communities such as the transgender community are still not formally recognized by many governments. Junior Megan Fraga says, “Every time I find out another country has been added to the list of places I can visit and literally be myself with pride, I cry tears of joy. Obviously, we still have a lot

Staff Writer

of work to do, but at the rate we’re going I see a very successful future. I think the government needs to focus more on improving the rights of the transgender community, in particular, especially after Trump’s attempt at his transgender military ban, which fortunately failed.” Nations such as Canada provide full insurance benefits for gender reassignment surgery, placing it on an equal to a mandatory procedures. Although Canada has been offering this opportunity for two years, other countries have failed to follow suit.

Although most high school students aren’t quite ready to get married, knowing that they will be able to in the future and raise children in a country where equality is a priority is an incredible feat that should be celebrated. Sophomore Kendra Herring says, “I think it’s really cool that us people in the LGBT community are able to know that when we’re older we’re going to have rights and it’s nice that we’re finally being recognized as equal to straight people.” At PPCHS, students that identify as LGBTQ+, as well as those who don’t, are welcomed to join the Gay-Straight Alliance club, where they will be celebrated for their diversity and not discriminated against for their sexual orientation.

Australia, the United States, and 22 more countries have taken a huge leap towards equality for all members of the LGBTQ+ community by legalizing gay marriage.

Many are hopeful that these countries have started a chain reaction, in what will one day became a world of acceptance for all.

Graphic By: Henry Severe

Graphic By: Henry Severe

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or years, women in Somaliland were forced to marry their abusers. Now finally a new law passed by the legislative branch has made rape in Somaliland a crime. Attackers can now face up to 30 years in prison, while rapists who infect someone with HIV are to be sentenced for life. Not to be confused with the neighboring country of Somalia, Somaliland is a self-governed society that isn’t considered a country internationally, but is still independent from Somalia, meaning their laws differ. While Somalia still does not criminalize rape, many are hoping they are influenced by Somaliland’s actions. The bill was passed after seven long years of debate in the capital of Somaliland, Hargeisa. This conservative Islamic region has high rates of gang rape, which shocked the new government under President Musa Bihi Abdi. The president also stated that this law was not passed to prove Somaliland’s functionality as an independent country, but rather in hopes that it will stop the trend of abuse and better protect the women of Somaliland. The progress doesn’t stop there, however, as the organization UN Women in Somalia said service providers are required to spread awareness on the topic. “This start in laws for equal rights may be slow and late but it is certainly a step in the right direction because it shows progress in both the government and the people of Somalia,” says junior Brendan Dubuisson.

Women and children’s rights activists are extremely pleased by this law. Faisa Ali Yu-

suf, an activist in the Women’s Agenda Forum, said the law was long overdue and for a long time many women were waiting for this to be put into action.

“The women of Somaliland will probably feel a lot safer and will eventually get more rights in their country,” says sophomore Jaden Crute.

Not only does this law protect women, but it keeps women from being trapped in relationships with their abusers. Because the tradition previously upheld the idea that any woman that fell victim to rape was not suit to marry, they were forced to marry their rapists and avoid shame. This damaging “solution” only humiliated women more.

A downside to the bill is that it does not cover instances of female genital mutilation or domestic violence. It also only allows a victim to use evidence of force, intimidation, or threat as a sign of rape, but does not acknowledge lack of consent as a reason.

There is much more needed to be done regarding rape in Somalia, but this law is a big step towards the right direction. As time passes more acts of equality should be expected, giving the women of Somalia a better and bigger chance at life.

California Goes Up in Flames: Wildfires and Mudslides Takeover Rachel Rivera Lifestyle Editor

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t has been an especially devastating year for wildfires in California, with thousands of acres of land ignited and in turn forcing thousands of residents to evacuate. In October of 2017 fires ravaged through Napa and Sonoma counties in Northern California wine country. Northern California fires destroyed an estimated 8,900 structures and resulted in the deaths of over 40 people.

As Northern California finds itself recovering, a new round of wildfires broke out in Southern California in December. It's been a witch's brew, fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds. The combination of the region's extremely warm weather and dry conditions is to blame for starting the record breaking fires. The Thomas Fire, the worst of six major blazes in Southern California, is already the fifth largest in the state since 1932. The state has spent more than $34 million on efforts to suppress the Thomas fire, which has, according to authorities, knocked out electricity for thousands of area residents.

“My family that lives in California has been unable to do things that they’d normally do, they love being outdoors, more specifi-

cally camping, which they used to do all the time. Now they obviously can’t,” said freshman Christopher Castillo. As it continues to grow, it has blackened 230,000 acres, destroying 790 houses and several other structures, leaving 90,000 homes and businesses without power. The blaze, which has been burning wildly for weeks, has prompted the evacuation of more than 200,000 people.

In Santa Barbara County alone, more than 30,000 residents were forced from their homes under evacuation warnings. Sophomore Vanessa Ramirez states “I have close family directly affected by the fires, they’ve gone through so much, having to evacuate knowing that they’d have to leave their childhood memories and go through such a long recovery process.”

As California natives face a new reality of horror, the attempt to contain the fires and recover is in full swing. In Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, the blaze is being fought by roughly 6,400 firefighters, continuously struggling with Santa Ana’s persistent wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph.

In a promising turn concerning the fire, de-

spite the strength and the fire's perimeter continuously spreading as of Friday January 12, 2018 the Thomas fire was 100 percent contained. Although the stress of the fires have ended the problems have not for the natives of the area. When heavy rains hit southern California at the start of 2018, deadly mudslides were triggered, killing at least 20 people. As most of it was charred due to the fires, the land on the hillsides were prone to rivers of mud and debris. The mudslides affected Santa Barbara County, wiping out and burying homes down below. Rescuers have been working endlessly digging through mud, downed trees, and power lines in search for survivors and missing people.

Graphic By: Justin Pierce

32 News CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Space X Falcon Launches into New Opportunities

Walkathon a Success All-Around Alan mathew

Arianna Ozuna

Staff writer

Staff Writer

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he annual PPCHS walkathon was a success! As a tradition that’s continued for years, the Walkathon has etched a place for itself in school history. When the once-ayear anniversary came again last Friday, all students had to do was pay $5 to attend the fun filled event. Students were glad to spend time with their friends and take a break from the stressful school day, as the event took place during homeroom. After all, homeroom isn’t usually the most productive time for a student, so spending it with friends was a nice change of pace. As an added bonus, students ended up contributing to the school.

Past years have seen thousands of dollars going to causes that directly support the community or help keep the school running.

Just take a look back to 2014 - the walk was started to raise awareness for autism and fund research. PPCHS partnered with the Dan Marino Foundation so the school could make an impact, not only within the community, but far from home as well. Charter is a family and family helps family. Students walked not just for themselves, but for those who needed support, resources, or just some time outside.

Even though the walk’s focus has changed in recent years, its impact remains just as crucial. Once the Save Our Schools initiative came to the spotlight, the walkathon evolved to meet the school’s needs. For every step walked, charter students felt proud to help a cause that would ultimately benefit their own future and education.

Five dollars and some fresh air went a lot farther than anyone expected. As Charter sophomore Alyssa Miragliotta put it, “It’s [a] great opportunity to help by doing some-

thing you’d have to do anyway.” Even beyond giving back to the school, the walkathon was more than just walking around the track for a cause.

In junior Ludrichard Edouard’s words, “The Walkathon [was] a fun experience that brought friends and fellow students together in support of our school, which was really great.”

A DJ got the event off to a fun start, friends gathered, and a raffle was held for everyone who attended. Prizes included gift cards to Habit Burger, tickets to PPCHS events, such as the highly anticipated and popular dance benefit, and varsity sports games, and for one special student: a Chipotle lunch with Mr. Bayer! The Academic Village high school raised $309.05, while the middle school was successful in collecting $1,658.00. Everyone agreed, the PPCHS walkathon wasn’t one to miss!

Photo by: eric hernandez

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s humans advance past traveling to the moon and find different ways to travel, new projects involving space flight are erupting. The Space X Falcon Boosters, which is a unique project that hopes to be the first step in reaching Mars in a cost effective way, while also being able to carry much more weight (Orlando Sentinel), is just one example of this. This launch is unlike any other, as three of these boosters will be strapped together for the flight.

On February 6th on lookers watched with excitement as the launch pulled into the air and left a trail of explosive success behind it. Sounds of people cheering and clapping flooded the watch areas as the boosters left the launchpad, making history.

“There’s some risks if we do ever reach mars, but doing so gives us a better grasp of understanding astronomy and potentially furthering our knowledge in science as a whole,” says sophomore Crystal Nguyen. The booster’s odd design has much to do with the founder, Elon Musk, as he has stated that he’d prefer something that look interesting and not plain. He also expressed his relief in the project’s success and how wrong he was for considering to cancel its

progression three times. Another improvement brought by the boosters is its ability to haul 141,000 pounds into Earth’s low orbit (Orlando Sentinel).

Eventually two of the rockets came down safely and made a clean landing vertically back onto their launchpads in Cape Canaveral. On the other hand, one rocket failed to complete the mission, although the failure was already expected by staffers; it made an unfortunate crash into the ocean at 300 miles per hour (Orlando Sentinel).

Viewers at the scene and watching the live streams were still ecstatic to view such an overall successful launch event.

“I think it’d be cool if we find out that other :M species exist; that’s what I’m anticipating the most,” says junior Afiya Phillips. This project proves to be tough competition for the rest of space launch industry. Many are anticipating how humans will experiment with travel in the future, hoping to move from test dummies to living beings. There is so much to discover, countless ways of doing so. The exploration through the vast universe has only just begun! created by

ichael perez

A Year With Trump: Timeline of Donald Trump’s Presidency Sarah Barrocas Editor-In-Chief

January 20, 2017 - Donald Trump Gets Sworn into Office

January 20, 2017 - Trump signs first executive order, directing agencies to ease regulatory burdens on Obamacare

January 23, 2017 - Trump signs an executive order withdrawing US from Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal

January 26, 2017 - Trump signs executive orders to build a wall along US-Mexican borders and to strip funding from cities that shield illegal immigrants

January 31, 2017 - Trump nominates Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court

February 3, 2017 - US announces new Iran sanction

February 3, 2017 - Trump signs executive orders igniting political fight over US banking reforms

February 3, 2017 - A federal judge places a nationwide block on Trump’s executive order temporarily barring refugees and nationals from seven Muslim territories from entering US borders

February 27, 2017 - Trump moved forward with defense spending increase, boosting Pentagon spending by $54 billion in his first budget proposal while slashing the same amount from nondefense spending, including a large reduction in foreign

March 6, 2017 - After his controversial first attempt was blocked by the courts, the President signed a revised immigration order banning citizens from six Muslim-majority nations from traveling to the United States; Iraq was removed from the list

April 26, 2017 - Trump unveils bold tax plan, which includes big cuts to the corporate tax rate and new tax brackets for individuals

May 1, 2017 - Congress reaches deal to avert government shutdown, with no body for Mexican border wall

May 3, 2017 - Trump fires FBI director James Comey

May 4, 2017 - House passes bill to repeal and replace Obamacare

August 12, 2017 - Trump condemns hatred on many sides after white violent Charlottesville rally

August 18, 2017 - Trump fires Stephen Bannon as the White House Chief Strategist

September 5, 2017 - President rescinds Obama-era DACA policy, a program that protects from deportation almost 800,000 young men and women who were brought into the U.S. illegally as children

September 26, 2017 - Trump suggests ban on NFL players kneeling during the national anthem

February 24, 2017 - White House blocks certain news outlets from the press briefing

March 6, 2017 - House Republicans propose a bill to remove Obamacare

Remembering Kenson Rynning

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CHARTER HIGH ACADEMIC TIMES

Brittany Evelyn News Editor

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n December 5th, 2017, the Charter family was touched by the passing of dearly beloved freshman, Kenson Rynning. The seventh of eight children, Kenson was the light in the lives of all close to him. Kenson’s undeniably heartwarming smile, his ability to spread joy by making others smile, and his goofy, kind hearted personality resonated not only with his closest friends, and family, but with his peers as well. Born and raised in Pembroke Pines, Kenson was a Charter starter, working his way from the FSU Elementary campus, to the West Middle School, and finally to PPCHS. Kenson took pride in his schoolwork, always staying on top of his assignments and even staying up late or waking up early to finish homework. He was confident, clean, and organized in all aspects. He spent extra time in the mornings picking out his hair, working hard to make it stand tall. In his free time, Kenson enjoyed cooking and coming up with new concoctions and sauces for his family to try. Looking to the future, he hoped to start a career in construction and attend college close to home.

Kenson was a strong believer in Christ, as he had been attending Christ the Rock Community Church since he was an infant.

He loved to play football, basketball, video games, and skateboard, as well as express himself through his artwork.

A picnic was held on Sunday, December 10th, 2017 at Vista View Park to celebrate Kenson’s life. His friends and family said a prayer before releasing balloons in the sky with messages on them for Kenson, played games, and watched the sunset together. “I don't think Kenson knew how many people really loved and cared for him,” said junior and big sister Kenya. Despite unfortunate circumstances, the family has been

introduced to new and loving people, and has formed amazing friendships with other families. The funeral took place on Saturday, December 16th, 2017 at Christ the Rock Community Church.

To honor Kenson, Kenya, some of her closest friends, her dad, brother Kenneth and little sister Kendall went to their older brother, Gable’s tattoo shop. Kenya got a tattoo of Kenson’s name with a heart on her left forearm. “It's so beautiful and I get to see it every single day. Kenson was a huge part of my life, not one day passed where he didn’t make me smile and laugh. This tattoo is a permanent mark on me, as he will always be an everlasting influence on my heart,” she said.

Although Kenson was cremated, he is still alive in the Rynning household. They hope to spread some of his ashes during his birth month of August. Kenson will never be forgotten. He will always be remembered the boy who loved to make people laugh.

PPCHS will be holding a latern ceremony on Feburary 21, 2018 at 6 pm to honor the life of Kenson and others that we have lost.

Left to right: Kenneth, Kendall, Kenya, and Kenson donated

January 24, 2017 - President Donald Trump signed to executive orders advancing of the pipelines in Keystone, Dakota, rolling back the Obama administration environmental policies in favor of expanding energy infrastructure February 11, 2017 - Trump reaffirms support for Japan after North Korean launch

March 10, 2017 - U.S. economy adds 235,000 jobs in the month of February, while the unemployment rate dipped to 4.7%

June 1, 2017 - Trump announces that the U.S. will withdraw from the Paris accords aimed at stemming the progress of climate change

October 12, 2017 - Trump sign an executive order making it easier for Americans to buy bare bones health insurance

Kenson and father at dinner. donated By: kenya rynning

Friends and family releasing balloons in the park in remembrance. donated by: kenya rynning

By: kenya rynning

January 27, 2017 - After his first meeting with British Prime minister Theresa May, Trump said he hoped to have a “fantastic relationship” with Russian President Vladimir Putin February 13, 2017 - Trump meets with Canadian Prime Minister

April 6, 2017 - The U.S. fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Syria overnight in response to what it believes was a chemical weapons attack that killed more than 100 people

July 21, 2017 - White House spokesperson Sean Spicer resigns

December 1, 2017 - President donates third-quarter paycheck to fight opioid crisis

January 27, 2017 - Trump signs orders suspending US refugee program

February 22, 2017 - Trump reverses Obama administration guidelines on transgender bathrooms

February 1, 2017 - Trump makes a trip to honor fallen US Navy Seal

February 28, 2017 - In a major speech to Congress, Trump condemns anti-Semitic threats and Kan

April 13, 2017 - U.S. drops the “mother of all bombs,” a massive GBU-43 non-nuclear bomb, in eastern Afghanistan against a series of caves used by Islamic state militants

April 18, 2017 - Trump sign “buy American, hire American” executive order

July 25, 2017 - Senate Republicans narrowly agreed to open debate on a bill to repeal Obamacare, though the party’s efforts still faced many hurdles. The plan to repeal, however, failed as Republican Senator John McCain votes “no”

July 26, 2017 - Trump announces ban on transgender individuals from joining the U.S. military

January 4, 2018 - President aims to open offshore drilling

January 20, 2018 - A year after the President’s inauguration, the government began a three day shutdown, beginning at midnight on Saturday. The shutdown began after a failure to pass legislation through a Republican Congress to fund government operations and agencies. This stemmed from disputes over the extension of status of persons affected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration policy. There was also a dispute over whether funding should be allocated towards building a Mexico–United States border wall, a keystone policy during Donald Trump's presidential campaign.

The Second Semester of Your Senior Year

Dear seniors,

Nadira Danticat

Guest Writer - Alumnae - Former Managing Editor

So you’ve finally made it. The second semester of your final year of high school. Maybe you’ve been dreading it or maybe you’ve been waiting for this time since the second you got here, but either way: you’re here. From the highs and lows of college acceptances to the thrills of Grad Bash to the beauty of prom and the bitter sweetness of the last day of school and graduation, the second semester will put you through more emotions than you’re probably ready for. For some people, the sentimentality of the Charter hallways hits gradually, making you slowly realize that things are about change forever as each day approaches. Or you could be like me, and not feel anything about the end of high school until weeks after graduation where it hit me like a ton of bricks that my life really will never be the same again.

I won’t tell you to savor every single moment of the second semester because truth be told, it isn’t the best time of your entire life. You still have college to look forward to and trust me, it’s worth looking forward to. I will tell you, however, to enjoy the little things. Enjoy standing in the parking lot with your friends way after everyone left, just to talk about your day.

Enjoy escaping a class to go to the bathroom and erupting in laughter at the sight of a friend doing the same thing. Enjoy rushing to the U-building because you see a crowd forming and then leaving five minutes later because you’ve realized that literally no one in the crowd knows why there even is a crowd. Enjoy after school trips to Chipotle and seeing half of the Charter population in line. Enjoy seeing Mr. Bayer’s happy face because I have yet to find someone at college who is as friendly or caring. You should even enjoy the times when the tater tots are just right--not too hard and not too soft. For me, it’s the little things that I miss the most because they truly express my high school experience best.

However, the mere mention of the cafeteria’s tater tots is a clear sign that I have digressed. There’s no way real way for me to tell anyone to live their last semester of high school because everyone experiences endings differently and regardless of how you feel about it, it’s happening. Soon enough, your family will have to say goodbye to you and they’ll act like it’s not killing them to see you go, but it does. Saying goodbye to your friends hurts just as much. I never really had a pet, but I imagine saying goodbye to them isn’t great either. Even if you stay home, your friends and family will see you going off into the real world every day and know that you’ve changed. All in all, it’s tough. But it’s also great. And stressful. And euphoric. Basically, it’s a lot. So all I can really say is this: Breathe in. Breathe out.

Soak it all in. Just really take it all in. And enjoy.

Sincerely, Charter alumnae Nadira Danticat, class of 2017

Touring Into His Dreams: Nico Raimont Sofia Azcurra

T

Entertainment Editor

here comes a point in a senior’s life when the decision about one’s daunting future has to be made. The nerve-wracking decision is immensely hard and not the most straightforward. But alumnus Nico Raimont, fresh out of PPCHS, has amounted to all his dreams. The act of singing and acting is no stranger to the determined alumnus.

Nico, who graduated PPCHS in 2017, found his passion for the art when he was just three years old, but knew he wanted to pursue music and acting after his sophomore year of high school. He took part in several in-school activities like the school’s distinguished drama program, which gave him a chance to take part in plays and events like the school’s High School Musical play in April 2016. Although acting continues to be a big part of his life, singing and music hold a special place in his heart.

“These two things were the only things I was good at, but singing transports me and makes me forget all the negative stuff,” Nico said.

He reminds everyone that success stems from the support of our families. At a young age, Nico’s father made him several memorable mixtapes that he still carries with him today that introduced him to his particular taste him in music. With songs like “Love Shack” and “I’m Just a Kid,” he also got his David Bowie vibe from his mother. Nico said, “All these people are doing what I want to do- running fashion lines, acting, winning Tony’s, writing and touring the world.” Learning and looking up to some of the greatest music lovers, like Donald Glover, Tyler the Creator and Daveed Diggs is how the curious alumni began his quest to write his perfect album, that describes his “rollercoaster of life.”

The stress and satisfaction of writing his music began soon after high school. He recently completed two summer tours through the School of Rock House Band program that allowed him to see the country, perform at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and even open for Dalton Rappatoni. While enjoying his time with the valuable program, he has since “graduated” from it and has been booking his shows individually. The latest project he’s worked on has been his EP, a smaller version of his album, “The One Bad Day,” which came out in 2016. Since then, the enthusiastic singer has been working on a full album to be released next year. “I support him so much and look up to his success all the time,” stated freshman Analucia Raimont, Nico’s younger sister. She participates in the school’s drama program as well and also wishes to follow in her older brothers footsteps.

Nico is currently working independently - no team, no manager, and no label. He makes all his artwork and videos, as well as all his promotions. However, the singer, adapting to this new world, receives help from a handful of successful producers. He takes gratitude from his producers and is grateful to have this kind of guidance at such a young age. The alumni has been reached out by various booking agents and promoters and has had the opportunity to do shows with them. His new album, that’s coming out next year, encompasses a new side of the younger generation. He’s reaching deep into his Latin-American roots for his sound and lyrical content. His experience reached its peak once he was invited to tour with a band known as “Most Bad Things” and some other artists over the summer of 2018. While touring and managing his shows, he has released his first song from his album, “Won’t Catch Me,” which surrounds a funky and catchy vibe. “I’m so happy to see him succeeded and doing what he really loves,” expressed alumni Nicole Gomez, who sang and acted with Nico when they were in high school. His music can be found almost anywhere, Spotify, ITunes, Sound Cloud and all other streaming services.

Nothing but gratitude and hope for the future can be heard in Nico’s voice as he talks about his career in the arts. He hopes to bring music that means something to others and brings others together. Keep your eyes open for this rising star Charter is proud to be able to call an alumnus.