The CHAT September issue 2017-2018 issue # 1

When Nature Attacks...

Charter Weathers the Storm.

Hurricane Irma: 23-26

Senior Shines Spotlight: 13-14

Bowling Strikes Charter: 9-10

Sarah Barrocas Editor -in-Chief Alexa Infante - Content Sofia Alfonso - Layout Managing Editors Chatter Daily News Evan Samuels Web Managing Editor Brittany Evelyn - 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 Mcormick Student Life Editor

Contents

The C.H.C. Staff

Swati Kumar Technology Editor Jordan Alberti Sports Editor Paolo Barrera Features Editor Elizabeth Castillo Clubs Editor Ainsley Mcormick Community Outreach Justin Dourvetakis- The CHAT Eric Hernandez - Web Photo Editors Justin Pierce Graphics Editor

Student Life: Welcome Baby Jags!

Begining of a Beautiful End

Content Staff: Florencia Azcurra, Sofia Azcurra, Roselle Curiel, Elizabeth Castillo, Matthew Hernandez, Janae McDonnough, Frank Mora, Arianna Ozuna, Andres Perez, Amanda Rodriguez, Isabella Munoz, Ariana Ortiz, Rachel Rivera, Brianna Butler, Sophia Cortes Layout Staff: Sofia Alfonso, Sarah Barrocas, Alexa Infante, Monica Lozada, Caroline Kadir, Ainsley McCormick, Rebekah Jacob, Brittney Evelyn

Lifestyle:

Photography Staff: Aijah Harper, Justin Dourvetakis, Eric Hernandez, Nicholas Amad, Andy Alfonso, Maya Cabrera, Shaniah Cox, Aryiel Bryant GRAPHIC STAFF: Rosa Gomez, Jasmine Blues, Micheal Perez, Justin Pierce

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

Conquering College Apps The Plaza Next Door

Sports: Senior Night Spotlight Alegria Steps Up to the Plate

Pg

Studen

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Hurricane Irma: pg 23-26

Features: 7-8

nt Life

News: Recovering from Irma Trump’s Afghanistan Plan

Clubs & Electives:

Entertainment: Follow Your Creams and Dreams

1-800-273-8255 spreads message of ho at VMA’s Bowling Fever Strikes Charter Seeing Through a Unique Perspective

Features: New Era, Same Moon A Solar New Year

Welcome Home, Baby Jags!

Ainsley McCormick & Brittany Evelyn

Dear freshmen, High school won’t suck. Welcoming a new and exciting stage of your life as the first month of school rolls Student Life Editor

&

News Editor

around can be intimidating. In order to ensure a fun and successful school year, we offer these simple tips to help!

For the newcomers who don't have a sibling, family member, or close friend to guide them through high school, here is some helpful advice that we hope you utilize to develop a first-year foundation that will set you up for later success. In addition, included are some fun facts about your new school that will put you a step above others. The first year of high school is your time to do things outside of your comfort zone and to get a feel for what you are interested in pursuing during your four years here… so enjoy it.

Recommendations As the year goes on, you will discover things about it that will help you succeed in school.

Here are a few of ‘the things’ that can help you. Honor societies offer free tutoring, and this is definitely something to take advantage of. Most popular are the math and science tutoring. Ask your teacher when the free tutoring is held, and check it out one day. You can even bring a friend who needs help, too. Your first year is the year to join several clubs in order to gain a feel about what you are interested in. You aren’t tied to the club next year if you can’t stand it. Always try to take advantage of the chance to receive extra credit in your classes. If that means taking the attendance to the office or wiping the board clean each day, the extra points you get from these things will add up and can boost your grade. Sometimes, teachers will give extra credit for attending school events, so be on the lookout for these opportunities. In the following years, try to get a table inside the cafeteria during lunch.

This will benefit you during Homecoming week when the events that SGA plans each day, such as a fashion show or game, occur inside of the cafeteria. Arguably, the most important part of freshman year is getting a solid start on your GPA. Freshman year will set you up for the rest of the school year, so make sure you excel in your classes by studying hard and staying focused. Class ranking will become a popular topic throughout high school, and if you are competitive in that field make sure you stay on top in all of your all classes.

Words to the Wise All over the school, administrators can be seen keeping an eye on the students. Make sure to listen to these tips to have a stress free year. Make sure you always carry a pass if going somewhere during homeroom or class, always carry headphones on you, and bring a jacket because at least one of the buildings will be freezing during the school day. Try to make a new friend, or multiple, in each class to help you with homework or projects, and become friendly with your guidance counselor so they can help you with finding scholarships, applying for jobs, suggesting what classes to take, and eventually applying to college. If you find yourself often running late for class, cut through the buildings for quicker travel. The walk from S building to U building can be shortened drastically by cutting through the office and C building.

Fun Facts Being only a month or so into school, you probably don't know many of the interesting things that make Charter unique. Here are some fun facts about your high school. The gates around the school were put in last year over the summer, and they're not going away anytime soon. If you are craving a midday treat, slushies can be bought during lunch on the right side of the cafeteria. The school blocked Snapchat last school year, so students can't access it through the school wifi. However, students are downloading apps like “VPN Go” to bypass this blockage. The building on the north east side of the school is the Broward College Pines Campus, and students are not allowed to go in there. You will never have a class in there during the school day.

Five Friends: Five freshman show their happiness during the first month of school.

Photo By: Eric Hernandez

“The freshmen should know that we have seven minutes between classes, so they don’t have to run from class to class. I’d tell them, ‘I promise you’ll make it to your class on time, even if you talk to your friends for a few minutes in between bells.’”

- Junior Riley Gonzalez

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“I used to teach at the middle school West campus, so I have been seeing familiar faces among the freshmen. I would tell them to focus on school and grades, but also try to have fun and stay active. Use high school study days to study!”

- Mr. Garcia

Lunch Time: A group of freshmen sit at their lunch table talking about school, freinds, and more.

Photo By: Eric Hernandez

School Project: Mrs. Altimore works with a student on an English project.

Photo By: Andy Alfonso

Graphic By: Justin Pierce

“I would tell freshmen to take challenging classes even if they think they can’t handle it because if they try hard and do well they can raise their rank and GPA.” - Junior Falak Abbasakoor

“My piece of advice for freshmen would be don’t worry about being perfect or pleasing everyone. Make friends who will be okay with whatever you do and who will be loyal to you.”

- Senior Ben Martinez

Duo for a Decade Brittany Evelyn

As we go through life, we often impact others unaware of our significance.

For many, one simple act of kindness, one sincere question, or one comforting News Editor

look can make a once bad day bearable. For some, they are inspired by friends who considerably impact their life in one way or another. This truth applies to junior Katelyn Ramirez.

It all started when a young Katelyn joined Pembroke Pines Charter Elementary School in 2007. As the first grader recently switched schools, she had no friends and resorted to walking the halls alone. A young bright eyed boy, also new to the school, approached her on the second day, leading to the start of what they both knew would be a friendship to last a lifetime. “She’s one of those people that no matter how long it's been since you last spoke to each other, you can just talk to them and it's so easy to start laughing and pick up a conversation,” says Julian.

The two best friends complement each other, as they understand and know how to handle the other. While Julian tends to gets anxious really easily, Katelyn has learned how to ease the situation and make it seem a lot simpler than it is to him. On the other hand, she tends to be extremely self-critical, so he tries to put things into perspective for her. In late middle school years and throughout their journey into high school, Julian has taught Katelyn a sense of self-confidence and how to believe in herself. They inspire and push each other, instilling the idea that the sky is not the limit and to follow their dreams, no matter how big.

The two not only support each other, but they invest in each other’s mental health and well-being. Katelyn has not been the only one to embrace Julian, but her family has as well. He feels, and is treated, as if he is part of the family.

Julian made it a habit to check up on his friend, ask how she was doing, and take a genuine interest. “Your friends don't always have to know your personal life, but to find one that's really invested in how you’re doing and take an interest in your emotional security and mental health is friendship on a whole other level.” said Katelyn. The companions not only have an emotional bond, but share countless memories, laughs, and experiences.

Katelyn ends by stating, “I thank God every day that I met Julian.” During their 10 years of friendship, the two have not only become inseparable best friends, but brother and sister. Their bond has been proven to be unbreakable.

Best Friends: Junior Julian Schenker and Katelyn Ramirez often hang around each other to maintain their special bond.

Photo By: Eric Hernandez

An Unbreakable Bond Ainsley McCormick

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Friends Forever: Freshman Matthew Gordon and sophmore Sofia Avello smile next to eachother.

The two help each other with every day advice.

Photo By: Eric Hernandez

Student Life Editor

or many, becoming friends with people of different ages might be strange… but for freshman Matthew Gordon and sophomore Sofia Avello, being in different grades only pushed them to become closer. The two met in middle school, where they attended PPCMS West. Sofia was joking around, and she tripped Matthew who fell down. They both immediately began laughing, and Matthew’s fall started a conversation where their friendship blossomed from.

Sofia described their relationship as personal, sharing a lot of advice between the two; the two of them attempt to equally give each other a helping hand, but since Sofia is older she is usually helping Matthew out. She said, “He’s like my little brother.” The two of them make sure to always say hello to each other at school, since being in different grades has put them in different friend groups. They don't hang out outside of school very much, so keeping in touch through text and during the school day is imperative to keeping their friendship alive. Matthew said, “I don't think we have a normal friendship.

Every time we see each other, we go out our way to give each other a hug, and we text pretty much every day.” The bond between these two students is unbreakable.

One example of when Matthew needed their friendship was when he was having some girl problems. Matthew was nervous to speak to a girl he had his eye on, but Sofia encouraged him to do it because otherwise he might regret not speaking to her. She knew that if he didn't take a chance, he would never get anywhere closer to where he wanted to be. Since they are so close, Matthew knew Sofia would give him helpful advice. The two know that opening up to each other is never awkward or weird, and they are happy to have somebody in their life that they can trust.

They both agree that the two of them are best friends. Although they are in different grades, their bond is strong, and it is one that they plan to keep for a while. Having someone who you can trust is a special thing, and they are very happy to be best friends.

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Student Life

Senior Sunrise: A Beginning of a Beautiful End Paolo Barrera

There comes a time in every Charter senior’s life, in which they are faced with a daunting challenge: painting their parking spot. Three years of high school under their belt, yet painting a parking spot has its own set of unforeseen obstaFeatures Editor

Hard at Work: Senior Gabriela Deno paints her parking spot during senior sunrise.

Photo By: Eric Hernandez

Power Team: Seniors Maia Hunter and Gaby Torres work together on Maia’s parking spot.

Photo By: Eric Hernandez

cles. For example, should one aim for symbolic or aesthetic? Should one go big, or go home? What size and font should one’s name be? For every question that was pondered upon, there were hundreds of different answers. These answers came alive on a bright morning on August 18th.

The first obstacle came early in the morning, before the sun was even up: waking up early... With their last first day only 72 hours away, any surplus of summer sleep was treasured. “It was a challenge waking up with my sleep schedule still in summer mode,” laughed senior Adhith Saji. Once out of bed though, the seniors took their grogginess through a drive all too familiar.

Once at school, familiar faces and a sky of moving colors were there to greet them. A short walk to the football field followed, accompanied by story-telling and catching up. As the sky’s gradient grew in yellows and oranges, the laughs grew a little softer. Conversations paused, and the class of 2018 took in the view that is the beginning of a sunrise. A craving for breakfast grew as quickly as the sun rose, though. Soon enough, the seniors ventured off to grab a bite in Senior Square.

After feasting on fruits and biting on bagels, the biggest task of the day was finally tackled: painting! Seniors brought out their equipment and decided on a plan of attack. Some followed their rough sketches from the night before, while others used their minds as a guide. “I had to think it through for a while, but I was confident in my ability,” laughed senior Bree Adan. The moment brush touched paint, though, every senior entered their own bubble. Car speakers and phone speakers blasted tunes to combat the sun’s heat. With every drip of sweat, there were strokes of paint and lyrics of songs.

Once a designated break came, friends went to visit other friends. “I made it a point to see the other parking spots around mine,” said senior Sabrina Perez. Offering whatever help they could give, car spot neighbors and class acquaintances helped finish the developing work of art.

Working through the day, the class of 2018 finished their senior sunrise at around noon. With the sun at its peak and the smell of paint finally disappearing, seniors were taking their cars off to their next list of obstacles to tackle… senior year.

Twirling to New Heights Sofia Azcurra

Most students enjoyed long days at the beach during the summer, but juniors Sofia Cano and Krisanna Abolafia were preparing for the competition of their lives- the Twirl International Cup in Porec, Croatia. On August 13th, along with their team, Synergy, they Staff Writer

accompanied Team USA to the competition, where they competed against 19 other countries.

The girls got the chance of a lifetime when they went to nationals in Madison, Wisconsin and came in sixth place, qualifying for nationals. To qualify, individuals and pairs had to place in the top six, and teams had to place in the top three. Synergy qualified as the only elite team. They went alongside other USA teams to the Cup. Sofia said, “There were over 100 of us representing Team USA. I was super excited about going but also incredibly nervous because it was my first international competition.” This was the first time her team would be going to the International Cup altogether. Previously, only three out of six of them had gone, making it an extremely special moment that she got to spend alongside her teammates.

When the contestants arrived a day before the competition, they were able to use the practice gyms and enter the arena to get a better feel for what the environment would be like during the competition. Sofia qualified for teams and pairs. Her partner for pairs was junior Krissana Abolafia. “All the work that I had been putting in since I was five years old paid off. In this moment, the experience became surreal,” said Krissana. They both were filled with pride to know that their families were in the crowd watching her and cheering their every move. When the competition started Sofia could feel the familiar instincts of running through her routines in her head. She was extremely nervous, but felt as ready as she’d ever be.

Once the competition begins, there is a process to keep moving on. Individuals and pairs who make the top five make it straight to finals and those who place sixth through fifteenth move on to the semifinals. Those who make top five in semifinals move on to finals. In team competition, only the top six automatically make it to finals. Her team was founded on the strong bond between teammates, a chemistry other countries lacked. They were very content with their performances but sad to be leaving such a glorious and special moment after finding out they did not place. “This was definitely a learning experience, since I’ve now competed internationally. I’m better prepared for my twirling career.” Sofia hopes to go to Nationals next year and qualify for the International Cup in 2019 which will take place in Paris, France. Although Sofia and Krisanna are two of many twirlers in PPCHS, they do see a future for themselves in twirling, as well, many more years of hard work and endurance.

Team USA: Juniors Krisanna Abolofia (third from left) and Sofia Cano (second from right) with their team.

Meeting New Teams: Sofia Cano met many new people from different countries at the competition.

Photo Donated By: Sofia Cano

Charter’s Clay Shooting Champion Isabella Munoz

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Staff Writer

oseph Pinchin, a junior at Pembroke Pines Charter High School, has been individually participating in the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation National Championship. For the past three years, he has made first in the Sporting Clay All American team. The Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation National Championships is an organization that showcases youth and their talents in various programs from all around the country, such as the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP).

According to the Clay Pigeon Shooting Association, “Clay pigeon shooting, also known as clay target shooting, and formally known as Inanimate Bird Shooting, is the art of shooting a firearm at special flying targets, known as clay pigeons or clay targets.” Joseph is a part of a team that shoots just clay materials. Clay shooting is not a popular sport for most, so Joseph’s interest is unique and fascinating. Joseph competed against 1,000 or more other people, and placed first with 184/200 points.

From a young age, Joseph had been in an environment with the sport of shooting. He said, “My dad shot a lot. We went out one time and ever since then I loved it." This was at the young age of twelve years old. Ever since then, Joseph knew he wanted to go for the top recognition in his sport. During his practice, he focuses on becoming the champion of competitions like the one he participated in over the summer. Joseph takes pride in his champion title, and let his friends know by posting it on his Instagram account, saying, “Incredibly blessed to have earned the title of SCTP National Sporting Clays Champions. The last few months have been difficult, but I preserved.”

Being named champion was the goal from beginning. From then on he practiced and practiced until practice became perfect. He mentions his feelings when it was announced he had won were, “Pretty surreal. I worked hard for Shooting High: Junior Joseph Pinchin it." Before competing, he admits to having nerves and says the best way to calm them down is to think positively. If focuses on shooting accurately as he takes aim at clay pigeons. you believe you will succeed, you have the potential of doing so. Balancing his practices, which were two to three Photo Donated By: Joseph Pinchin times a week along with academic courses, was not always so easy. Joseph says, “It is hard having to make up the work when coming home from practice, but it is the most important.” This goes to show with anything in life, especially with school, with hard work comes grand results.

Making Memories in Morocco

Student Life

Brianna Butler Staff Writer

On the 20th of June, senior Sonia Khan left the United States and travelled to Morocco for the summer break. During the next month and a half, she travelled to multiple places throughout the country, attending several weddings and getting a better grasp on what life is like in another country. Throughout her trip, she visited Rabat, Casablanca,

Marrakech, Tangier, Skhirat, and Fez. Sonia stated that her time there had been pleasant and she had a good time overall. She said, “I really enjoyed doing all of the ‘tourist’ things, like drinking the fresh and handmade orange juice in Jammat ul Finah. I also loved the unique and different lifestyle that Morocco has.” It is different in a sense that the culture resembles Europe’s. However, a key difference is that the people there remain true to and have strong faithfulness to their own religion. The country’s main religion is Muslim by an overwhelming majority. Morocco values religion to a great extent, but other minorities are still respected. Morocco is known to have hospitable people who are usually tolerant and easy going.

More and more people in Morocco have the ability to speak English, but the major languages are modern Arabic as well as a dialect known as Berber. The woman usually wear short-sleeved tops as well as long skirts, along with headscarves. Men will usually wear sleeveless shirts as well as shorts that are above the knee.

During her time there, Sonia was able to do many interesting activities. “My favorite thing to do was to be a part of several bridal parties! It was so interesting to compare and contrast weddings in both the United States and Morocco.” The weddings differ in a sense that Morocco has absolutely no ceremony, unlike America. In the place of ceremonies is dancing. They also celebrate by eating multi-coursed meals.

Sonia goes to Morocco once every three years, although she expressed interest in visiting the country more often to see her relatives more frequently. Overall, Sonia believes that her trip had been a new, thrilling experience that differs from what she usually has in the United States. It provides variety to her life and allows her to experience what she would not be able to do.

Real Life Princess: Senior Sonia Khan at a wedding in Morocoo.

Photo Donated By: Sonia Khan

A Beautiful Sunset: The sunset on a beach in Morocco.

Photo Donated By: Sonia Khan

Ready for a Wedding: Senior Sonia Khan poses in her outfit outside of the wedding venue.

Photo Donated By: Sonia Khan

A Student’s Ecuadorian Escape Amanda Rodriguez

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Waterfall Views: Senior Daniela Suarez infront of a waterfall in Ecuador.

Photo Donated By: Daniela Suarez

Staff Writer

ummer vacation has a different meaning for everyone. For some, they see it as a time to relax and enjoy having a light schedule. For others, it is a time to simply hit the books. For the adventurous souls it is a time to explore, discover, and create new memories. Many people travel in the summer time, seeking out more exotic places, enriched in cultural experiences they can never forget. Daniela Suarez aimed to find during her 3 week trip to Ecuador this past summer.

Daniela began by visiting her family in Ibarra, Ecuador. She and her younger brother have not seen their family in almost seven years, so this summer they took the opportunity to fly over and visit them. They stayed with their aunt and uncle who had planned on showing them the beautiful country and all it has to offer. They decided to take them on a road trip to the coastal and countryside of Ecuador. After hours of driving they arrived at Montanita, which is a village on Ecuador’s Santa Elena Peninsula known for its beaches with strong surf breaks. This was Daniela’s favorite place. She said, “Everyone stuck with an island vibe, and it was very authentic with people surfing and islanders selling food.”

The next destination on their list was to travel to the capital Quito which was constructed on the foundation of an ancient Incan city, so it sits high at an altitude of 2,850 meters (google.com). In the capital, they visited a site called La Mitad Del Mundo, meaning “The Center of the World.”

Ecuador is close to the equator, but at this place both the longitude and latitude are zero degrees. Daniela noticed the weather changed drastically.

“During the day it was very hot, around 95 degrees mid-day, but as night time approached the temperature dropped rapidly and reached around 20 degrees,” she said.

Spending time with family was a big part of the trip. She was reunited with people she loved dearly, but had not seen since she was very young.

She watched Ecuador's club soccer game at their stadium, which she enjoyed with her family. The trip impacted her, and she said, “This trip made me appreciate the things I have because a luxury like my phone or nice clothes are hard to find here.” Throughout this trip she experienced memories she will never forget, and created stories she can share throughout a lifetime.

Smiling in Ecuador: Senior Daniela Suarez is sitting far up on a mountain in Ecuador during her trip.

Photo Donated By: Daniela Suarez

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“Solar”brating the First Day of School Ainsley McCormick and Jordan Alberti

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on’t look at the sun, you’ll hurt your eyes,” echoed the whole country. The last total solar eclipse before 2017 was in 1979, but it only covered six states which didn’t include Florida.

Junior Ryan Gonzalez was watching the eclipse with his friends in his science class. He said, "I was excited to watch the eclipse. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity and is a natural phenomenon that cannot be missed because we might never see it again in our lifetimes." Luckily for us, Florida was somewhat in the line of viewing to be able to see the eclipse, although not to experience total darkness like those in South Carolina did.

For those who had a sixth period science class, the teachers took their classes outside to view the event. The school was keen on allowing their students to see the eclipse, and some teachers had glasses for their classes to use. Ms. Simon said, "I'm really excited to experience this in my lifetime. It's something I hope that other people can experience as well." Science teachers like Mr. Sacher had solar eclipse glasses for their students to use to ensure that they did not burn their eyes. If students did not use proper protection to view the eclipse, permanent blindness could be a dangerous effect.

A Solar Sensation: PPCHS students eagerly fled to the River of Grass and student parking lot to get a chance to look at the eclipse with their solar glasses.

Photo By: Justin Dourvetakis

After school, those who have and have not seen the eclipse, joined the rushing mob at the library to get their hands on any pair solar glasses available to use. In front of the library, about 1,000 people gathered around, beach chairs in hand, to watch the eclipse. Some student photographers, such as Megan Fraga, used solar camera lenses to be able to take safe pictures of the eclipse without harming the inside of the camera. With so many people watching and taking photos of the sun, this giant celestial body was definitely the “star” of the show on Monday.

Although Florida was not in the right geographical location to get to witness the eclipse in totality, we still witnessed a great spectacle. People put on their solar spectacles and watched the spectacle while enjoying it with their friends. Charter’s teachers had given everyone advice and knowledge to know what they were actually watching and help everyone appreciate the scientific show of the eclipse. The eclipse stole the show just like it stole the light from the sun on that day.

The next total solar eclipse that will be able to be seen in Florida will occur in April, 2024. For students planning on seeing it, make sure to make plans as early as possible because this eclipse surely showed how exciting people get to view natural phenomenons.

An Over the Moon Experience Sofia Azcurra Staff Writer

While most students were preparing for their first days of school, senior Gabriel Moljo was getting ready for a once in a lifetime opportunity. His family drove up to watch the solar eclipse that would span from coast to coast on August 21st and have him and thousands of Americans on their toes with anticipation.

Gabriel's family originally planned for the eclipse that would take place in Chile in 2019. However with further thought, his family packed their bags and drove up to South Carolina on August 17th. He originally proposed the idea to his family due to his deep interest in astronomy, so they all decided it would be an amazing opportunity to experience together. “I didn’t mind missing the first two days of school. I thought it was worth it for something that I would only get to see a few times in my life,” expressed Gabriel. They stopped in Savanna to get their glasses from a museum and continued on their trip. They initially had plans to stay in Orangeburg but cloudiness was to be expected, so they drove up more north. They ended up staying near Newberry High School, where they experienced the phenomenon on the high school’s field.

Being familiar with photography and cameras, Gabriel was able to flawlessly capture the moments on his camera. His equipment included a digital single-lens reflex camera with a zoom lens, binoculars and then used a time lapse on his phone. He used a spotting scope, which had solar film so he wouldn’t damage his eyesight or the camera lens, to keep track of the moon's movement. “I wish I wouldn't have worried so much about taking pictures of it and just have experienced it without any distractions,” he commented. Seeing a solar eclipse can be mind-blowing but the feeling might just be unbelievable. “I got so many goosebumps. The sky got dark enough where you could see Mars and Jupiter through the scope, maybe not those exactly, but they were definitely planets. The [aura around the sun] grew in diameter and the sun looked like it had wisps of hair…glowing bright yellow,” describes Gabriel.

He was also able to witness a 360 degree sunset, where instead of setting in one spot, it sets all around. “I’ve never seen the sky like that in my entire life,” he stated. The complete totality lasted a whopping two and half minutes, and although he wishes it were longer he says, “The moment is irreplaceable.”

His family has not made any certain plans about the 2019 Chilean eclipse, but has hopes of experiencing this sensation. Being an astronomy lover Gabriel also had hopes of seeing the New Falcon Heavy space craft take off in November with his family. He feels blessed knowing that he was one of the few who drove up to see it, knowing most people can't just get up and leave. As totality came to an end, clapping could be heard from all around as astonished faces turned to smiles. They then ended the glorious moment with a short verse from The Beatles, Here Comes the Sun.

Through the Looking Box Janae McDonnough

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Staff Writer

n August 21, 2017 several places in North America experienced a solar eclipse that only occurs once every 100 years. A number of people were ecstatic to witness this historical event. They had a problem to overcome, though: you can't actually look directly at the sun during the solar eclipse because it could cause retinal damage and possible blindness. The safest way that one could experience it without damage to one’s eyes was by wearing special glasses. “It’s interesting that some people figured out an easier way for them to watch the eclipse,” said junior Victoria Roman. These glasses were specially built to protect the eyes from the sun, but some companies had to recall some glasses because they did not meet the standard to protect the eyes.

Those who couldn’t get a hold of a pair got creative. Most of the people that created their own glasses used the internet for their DIY’s. For example, Forbes.com gave some ideas on how to create solar eclipse glasses. One of the ways that they have recommended is by creating a pinhole projector so that you may look sort of indirectly at the sun using only an empty pizza box, scissors. foil paper, and a pen. “It’s fascinating that some people actually created their own eclipse glasses from scratch,” said junior Jordan Brown. Another way that people created their own glasses was by using an empty cereal box and tin foil to form the pinhole projector. Dr. Paul from Forbes.com explained the significance of not staring at the sun, stating that “without the pinhole projector or the real solar glasses, you’d have to wear 400 standard glasses.”

Any person can create their own solar eclipses glasses from scratch. One only needs creativity and reference make the sunglasses that can used to look at eclipses in the future. Whether an idea online stands out or one’s imagination is sufficient, there are many ways to be prepared for the next great American eclipse, as long as it is done safely.

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A Tubular Time: For those who weren’t able to get their hands on the solar eclipse glasses, students had the opportunity to create a makeshift viewfinder in their science classes.

Photo By: Aijah Harper

A Solar New Year

New Era, Same Moon

Arianna Ozuna

Paolo Barrera

Staff Writer

Features Editor

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ith all the buzz about “The Great American Eclipse” of the new millennium, American students and millennials alike call August 21st their first experience with an eclipse.

However, was it always like this? Was there a rush for eclipse glasses, or a controversy with fake pairs for the last eclipse? With the United States experiencing its last solar eclipse almost forty years ago, testimonies from the audience must have their differences.

According to reports, the last total solar eclipse viewable from the continental United States was on February 26, 1979. That’s a thirty eight year gap of cultural progress and technological innovation. Back in 1979, the list of priorities was very different. Americans were not worrying about how they would safely view the eclipse, but how they would even get the chance to see the eclipse. At that time, the path of totality was only expected to hit the northwestern region of the continental United States and turn upwards toward central Canada. With that in mind, both Americans and Canadians rushed to get to Washington, Idaho, Oregon, or Montana to see the solar event. During the recent one, Americans did a different kind of rushing. With a predicted path of totality crossing America from the Northwest like a pageant sash, there wasn’t much competition for viewing space.

The rush, instead, was for pairs of eclipse glasses or DIY viewer supplies. Especially with live streams of the moon being supplied by NASA, the stress of not being able to see it wasn’t as urgent as it was in 1979. “I wasn’t too worried about not being able to see it, because I had friends taking pictures and I could rely on internet sources,” said junior Gurleen Cambow.

A Sight for Sore Eyes: Many students captured the natural phenonmomen through the lense of their camera and phones.

Photo By: Justin Dourvetakis

T

he first day of school typically consists of meeting new faces, signing papers, and going over classroom rules. This 2017-2018 school year, though, started off a bit more special: with a magnificent solar eclipse! Charter students raced after school, getting their eclipse glasses on just to see what most would call a once in a lifetime event. Many students asked themselves, though, what exactly is a solar eclipse?

According to NASA, a solar eclipse occurs when the moon orbits between the sun and the Earth, thus blocking Earth from receiving any sunlight. When it comes to solar eclipses, there are three definitive types. The first one is called a total solar eclipse, which is what most American students saw outside their classrooms August 21; this is only possible if the sun, moon, and Earth are in a distinct line. It’s only visible from a small area on Earth and those who occupy that area are in the center of the moon’s shadow. This causes the sky to become dark, almost as if it were nighttime. The second type is a partial solar eclipse where the sun, moon, and Earth aren’t lined up directly, causing the moon to make the sun appear to have a shadow on a small portion of it. Charter students can offer a testimony on this type of eclipse. The third and final type is an annular eclipse. This only occurs when the moon is the farthest it can be from Earth, which causes it to seem smaller and not block the sun.

Instead, the sun’s rays will peak behind the moon and appear as a ring. With all these different types of solar eclipses, it’s easy to get confused about other information concerning it.

Since the last solar eclipse to be seen in the United States was in 1979, many people are under the assumption that the solar eclipse itself is an extremely rare event.

“Doesn’t the next one come in 2024? What I do remember is that it [the solar eclipse] takes a long time,” stated 11th grader Afiya Phillips. “The last time this kind of eclipse happened was over a century ago.”

While the solar eclipse in the United States did happen an extremely long time ago, solar eclipses in general (that concern all parts of the Earth) occur at least twice a year. In fact, about every 18 months it’s visible from somewhere on Earth. Solar eclipse may take place more often than thought, but they rarely occur in the same place frequently.

When the solar eclipse was announced, there was a lot of back and forth questioning the kind of damage it can do and what is considered safe to view it. Even faculty continuously warned students of the dangers of looking up at the sun. 10th grader Amberrose Lyons said on the day of the eclipse she saw students outside the library wearing “special sunglasses” and some even using shoe boxes.

She also added on, “my mom said it [the solar eclipse] can damage my eyesight for a day or even permanently, and my chemistry teacher told me the same thing.” Due to south Florida not being in the path of totality, which is where individuals will be able to view a total solar eclipse with the naked eye, viewers without any protection were much more vulnerable to the sun’s rays. Florida, in particular, experienced a partial solar eclipse, as the sun was only covered about 75% percent. Although contrary to popular belief, it may not necessarily cause blindness. Instead retinal damage will occur but this is still just as dangerous and threatening.

The school year started off memorably as the sun and moon high-fived for all students and faculty to enjoy. Hopefully this joyous event is a sign of a successful year of school for everyone. Don’t forget a pencil and a pair of eclipse glasses on the way to school!

Graphic By: Justin Pierce

With taking pictures in mind, a big difference between 1979’s American eclipse and this year’s eclipse is how people actually captured the moment. In 1979, an ABC news report quoted a Montana native who described people “running around the Rocky Mountains going as much as 4- and 500 miles during the night trying to find a hole in the clouds” (usatoday.com). Running around to just capture the moment with one’s eyes would be laughed at today! Those people were much closer to the eclipse than all of the community members who were able to view the phenomenon from South Florida, yet they were struggling so heavily. With only the use of a high quality camera and a solar lens, students were able to capture the transition without the running around. Some online film makers, like Casey Neistat, even took time lapses of the moment.

For those lucky enough to be in the path of totality, much like that Montana native, the experience was still beautifully similar. Both viewers from 1979 and 2017 describe a drop in temperature and an odd glow, moments before the day was replaced by a sudden darkness. Though 38 years divide Americans of the past and Americans of today, the surreal experience of witnessing an eclipse is a timeless commonality.

8

Why Should I Join Your Club?

Ashley Clements, Key Club:

Swati Kumar

Interim Clubs Editor

Photo By: Aryeil Bryant

“K

ey Club is a student-led service organization that offers students the opportunity to learn about leadership, help the community, earn scholarships, and have loads of fun while doing it. I think people should join if they have a passion for service, need those school volunteer hours, or really just want to put themselves out there to get involved. It really doesn't matter if you're super involved in the school or if you've never been in a club before because Key Club is for anyone who wants to go out and help their home, school, and community!”

Monica Guevara, Best Buddies:

Photo By: Aryeil Bryant

Alissa Lopez, HOSA:

Photo By: Aryeil Bryant

“S tudents should join HOSA if they're interested in pursuing a medical career. HOSA is an internationally recognized club; therefore, students in HOSA compete at a regional, state, national, and international level. PPCHS HOSA students encounter many opportunities. For instance, this school year, we will be offering CPR certification and we will be hosting the Health Fair where students have many personal networking opportunities.”

Alejandro Hernandez, Mu Alpha Theta:

Photo By: Aryeil Bryant

“S tudents should join Best Buddies because it gives them a great opportunity to create “Our reason for recruitment is to form a club of people who have a certain love for amazing one-on-one friendships between themselves and anyone with Intellectual and the mathematics, not necessarily that they are exceptional at it. Math is a skill as well as a

Developmental Disabilities (IDD), all while gaining volunteer hours. As a club, we are talent. Any student who has taken or is taking Algebra II and above is encouraged to join. looking for students that are dedicated, who are always looking forward to all the upcom- In the club we give opportunities for all students to practice this skill of arithmetic that they ing events, and who most importantly have a love towards helping others.” have by the two semi-weekly tutoring opportunities.”

Lindsey Adams, National English Honor Society:

Photo By: Aryeil Bryant

Jena Manning, OutLoud:

Photo By: Aryeil Bryant

“T he PPCHS National English Honor Society is a branch of the nationally recognized “It allows students to creatively express their thoughts and ideas in a comfortable and organization. This club provides wonderful opportunities for students to help the commu- familiar atmosphere through writing their own original works and performing them. The nity, earn service hours, and spread their love of literature. In order to join NEHS, inter- club generally gives students a safe space as we work together as a unit when doing fun ested students must be in 10th, 11th, or 12th grade. We are looking for any students who group activities such as rap challenges or open mics. OutLoud gives students the opportuare passionate about English and are interested in fostering that interest on our campus.” nity to express their true selves in an accepting community and to make new connections.”

Matthew Allicock, Culinary Club:

Photo By: Aryeil Bryant

Andrea Tholenaar, National Spanish Honor Society:

Photo By: Aryeil Bryant

“Sabout tudents should join Culinary Club because it is a great way to gain basic knowledge “National Spanish Honor Society aims to promote Hispanic heritage and language in cooking and ingredients. Knowing how to cook will allow you to provide for our community through service projects, activities, and events. We look for hard working

9

yourself when you are on your own in the future. The students which we look for are students who are eager and passionate about spreading awareness concerning problems in ones who have an interest in culinary arts, who are dedicated, and who are mature other countries and help making a change in our community.” enough to handle themselves in a kitchen with knives and hot items around.”

Bowling fever strikes Charter Sophia Cortes Staff Writer

I t’s that time of year again when both new and returning students alike are looking for clubs they would like to become a part of. While Charter is known for its honors societies

team, Coach Kelly, reminded everyone that the sport should not be taken lightly and that there will be “zero tolerance for disrespect for me and for this team.” Coach Kelly explained that and volunteer organizations, there is a new club that has rolled over to campus and is guar- bowling, as a competitive sport, has recently been on the rise in Broward County with teams and clubs popping up in other schools in the county. He anteed to strike its members out: PPCHS’ first-ever also stated that he wanted to have different extracurbowling club. ricular activities for students to join, and while any Though it’s associated as a club, the bowling team other person might have thought that no high school will function similar to Charter’s other sports orstudent would be interested in joining a bowling team, ganizations, as far as club foundation and expectaKelly thought differently. “Knowing our kids, I was tions are concerned. The club will hold its tryouts expecting a big number of them to join,” he explained; th on Tuesday, September 5 at the Sparez Bowling and he was right. On Thursday afternoon, almost half Alley in Davie. The top 15 boys and 15 girls will of the cafeteria was filled with students interested in become permanent members of the team. Students joining Pines Charter’s first ever bowling team. interested in participating in the tryouts must fill out Sophomore Rafael Benitez expressed that he thought and bring the physical and consent forms, which can of it as a sort of joke before, but after attending the be found on the school website under the athletics informational meeting, he became more interested and tab, and maintain an average 2.0 GPA. Practices will immediately wanted to join. “The fact that there’s trytake place once a week at the Sparez Bowling Alley, outs makes it more exciting,” explained Benitez. ending at 5:30 pm. A typical season will start at the As expected, not many students have participated in beginning of the year and stretch until November, bowling competitively, but high school is all about and the first competition is already scheduled to be trying new things. As Benitez said, “It would be a on the 12th of September at Saw Grass Lanes.

Graphic By: Taylor Causey new experience to take on bowling as a competitive Freshman William Forero is a student interested in sport.” joining the bowling club and exerts his anticipation Joining the bowling team will give you the chance about hoping to become a part of this experience: to meet new people, create long lasting friendships, discover a new passion, and be a part of “I’m excited,” he exclaimed. “It’s my first ever club!” something that will probably stay with you forever! So what do you think? Might the new At the informational meeting held on the August 24th, sponsor and creator of the bowling PPCHS bowling team be up your alley?

Homecoming Coming Right Up! Swati Kumar

W

Interim Clubs Editor

ith homecoming right around the corner and coming up earlier than ever, PPCHS’ Student Government Association is working hard to prepare for one of PPCHS’ most eventful and exciting weeks of the year.

Homecoming is often a memorable time of year for many students, one in which they interact with new people, make friends, and show school pride. This American tradition intertwines a time of celebration with building a strong sense of community among a school’s students, teachers, staff, and alumni. “Homecoming allows students to express their school spirit, especially during spirit week,” expresses SGA sponsor Mr. Curry. “It allows them to have this connection with alumni and so, you’re getting a little bit of a legacy.”

With homecoming taking place so early in the school year and varied due to Hurricane Irma, SGA is trying to prepare as promptly and as well as they can. “Preparations are very fervent because and everything is much more abbreviated,” Mr. Curry explains. “We are working on everything: spirit week, the dance, the homecoming game, the homecoming court.” Though committees are present for each aspect, SGA’s 35 members, 16 of them being new, are still managing tight schedules and making ends meet to ensure that PPCHS’ homecoming this year will be a time to remember and cherish. In addition to making banners, planning decorations, and managing ticket sales for a successful dance, SGA has been simultaneously working on themes and activities for spirit week, the pep rally, and homecoming court crowns. “A lot of hard work is going into our homecoming preparations, but a lot of it is a secret for now - including spirit week themes- so stay posted,” sophomore and SGA member Kylie Fernandez exclaims.

Spirit week is the first of the homecoming festivities, from October 30th to the 3rd of November, and one of the most eagerly awaited by students. “SGA is always very excited to see the students’ creativity expressed through their outfits during that week,” expresses sophomore Naveen Farook, a member of SGA. Though most of the Spirit week themes are out, Thursday’s has not been released yet so make sure to keep a lookout for it!

SGA Preps for Homecoming : As homecoming approaches, Naveen Farook and Astrid Garrido begin working on some of the many banners and decorations planned for this exciting event.

Photo By: Aryeil Bryant

This year’s homecoming dance will be on Saturday, December 2nd at the PPCHS Cafeteria. Basing this year’s theme on the broadway musical The Phantom of the Opera, SGA is putting in a lot of effort to make sure the decorations bring to life one of Broadway’s most famous and beloved classics. PPCHS will find itself in the musical with the fragrance of red roses filling the school and candlelights illuminating the campus.

A time of spirit, celebration, and fun, students are eagerly awaiting homecoming week, the football game, the dance, and homecoming court. “Students should enjoy not only the week of festivities, but the dance as well because it’s a great way to celebrate our school and have fun with friends,” exclaims Kylie. “Homecoming is also a great experience and something you will remember all through high school and even later into the future.”

Moreover, the money raised from selling homecoming tickets pays for various events and activities on campus and directly benefits PPCHS’ students. Hence, it is important that students actively engage themselves in school activities and show support for Charter.

Homecoming is approaching soon and PPCHS students are soon going to fill the campus with spirit and excitement! With the upcoming pep rally, homecoming court, spirit week, the last football game of the season, and the dance, SGA members have their hands full. Thanks to them, PPCHS can look forward to an unforgettable homecoming and a great kick off to the school year!

NOTICE: Spirit Week and Homecoming dates have been updated as a result of Hurricane Irma!!!

10

Do Student Athletes Deserve Flexible Schedules?

Evan Samuels & Jordan Alberti Managing Editor - Web & Sports Editor

S

he wakes up at 6 A.M. gets dressed, and gets ready for the day of school. The night before, she got no sleep because practice ended late. All six teachers gave her a handful of assignments, homework, and classwork to prepare for the tests and quizzes that are right around the corner. Once school is over, the day is just starting to begin for junior Maci Lopaka. Soccer practice for the school team at 4 and then another soccer practice for the travel team she plays for at 8. By the time she is done with these practices Maci is ready to sleep, but instead she has to continue her focus towards school. She has to complete homework for four of her six classes, a test this Friday, and a quiz this Wednesday, but little to no time to study. Maci Lopaka is one of many student athletes that try to take on the challenge of balancing school and sports, but ultimately finds it to be too much. Some say student athletes deserve the same schedules as every student, while others say these athletes do not. This argument has come about for years, and athletes like Lopaka are

Junior Continues to Excel on Softball Diamond T

he pitch makes its way to the plate, Alegria leans back to hit, and BANG! She rips it down the line for a standup double to put Peru up 2-1.

Natalie Alegria, a junior at PPCHS, represented Peru in her second World Baseball Softball Championship over the summer. The tournament was Dominating the Diamond: held in Clearwater, Florida. Alegria Natalie Alegria represents Peru as she takes is now batting .524 in the tournament on her second World Baseball Softball and is one of the hottest hitters on this Championship in Clearwater, Florida. stacked Peruvian roster. Alegria is a Photo Donated By: Natilie Alegria University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball commit, and she excels on both sides of the diamond. She throws over 70 mph on the pitcher’s mound and is constantly hitting bombs.

“Going to the softball tournament this year felt like such an honor. It always is,” said Natalie on playing for Peru this year. Peru earned its first ever win at the junior world championship, winning 8 – 2. Alegria hit a homerun this game, amongst other hits, bringing in six runs throughout the game. She said, “It feels amazing to be able to have the opportunity to represent my country. It's the greatest feeling to be out on the field playing for Peru and knowing girls there are looking up to me.” Alegria takes pride in her softball talent as much as she takes pride in performing well in school. “School is more important to me than softball. I love softball, but I know that without good grades, softball will not follow. You have to be able to balance school and sports to help you in your future.”

Something that is overlooked with the World Baseball Softball Championship is the age difference amongst the girls. Natalie has played against grown women aged anywhere from ages 21-25. On the age difference, Alegria commented, “The age gap, at first, did make me feel nervous playing against college players and higher. However, as the tournament went on I got used to it. It's a new level of competition that I experienced, so I'm glad I'm playing with the older girls.” As people always say, better competition creates a better athlete.

In addition to her summer season, Alegria will also serve as the pitcher for Charter’s varsity softball in the spring. Succeeding on and off the diamond, and Natalie Alegria will continue to do so as she looks to go on to her third World Baseball Softball Championship

An Atypical Sleepover

Photo By: Eric Hernandez

Photo By:Andres Alfonso

ready to fight for what they feel is right: more flexible schedules.

Campaigning for prolonged or more flexible schedules is not a new debate. Some college athletes believe that school is more important but athletes such as Josh Rosen, QB of the UCLA Bruins, have commented otherwise on the situation. In a Bleacher Report Q&A, Rosen commented on the status of SAT scores and entrance into Alabama, testing their academic credibility when it comes to the football team. Before that, Rosen said “Look, football and school don’t go together. They just don’t. Trying to do both is like trying to do two full-time jobs.” A star college athlete such as Rosen, who is looking to win the Heisman Trophy in his sophomore year, is trying to show what is going on under the pads and in the classroom. He believes that time management is a struggle especially in football, when students have very limited time to be a full-time athlete and a full-time student. Going through a football player’s schedule shows the rigor of the student-athlete grind. The FIU punter, Stone Wilson, has a YouTube channel where his most viewed video is of him documenting an ‘easy’ day in the life of a student athlete. In the video, his day begins at 6:30 in the morning to go run at 8:00 and then hit the weight room from 8:30 to 10:30. After this, he has to go to the SAAC, Student Athlete Academic Center, where he is there to study and research for two hours. He goes on to deal with an issue at the bank and then takes a nap. He wakes up, eats, and then he has to study for another long period of time before he hits the sack. He considered this day in his video as “Today really wasn’t a bad day compared to most.” So, this packed day full of sports and academics and personal issues is not a busy day? Imagine what a normal day or a super busy week before games look like. Stone’s simple documentary of his day is a prime example of why student athletes should get a more flexible schedule.

To add on to this, senior and Jags baseball player Kyle Heim said, “Getting a flexible schedule without a doubt would lead to better grades for student athletes. Now, I think the flexible schedules should begin in college because college athletes need it the most. However, it is an important issue and high school administrators should definitely look into it.”

Perhaps, it is becoming a necessity for student athletes to attain more flexible schedules because of the growing demands and pressure put on them to balance sports and school.

Athletes like Rosen and Wilson have already expressed their difficulty with putting school and sports together, and with other athletes watching, they certainly won’t be the last.

11

Florencia Azcurra

F

Staff Writer

ootball season here at Charter brings out the school spirit we have within us. The pride and joy of the Charter football team can be felt at every game and at every pep rally.

Over the summer, the football team at Charter to got an early start to practicing and perfecting their craft for the upcoming season. What many didn’t know is that to boost team moral and tighten relationships, the football team hosted their very own “sleepover” on campus.

Spending the night on a high school’s campus sounds like a rebel’s perfect dream and a security guard’s perfect nightmare. However, the objective of the sleepover was for the Jags to come together as players, and teammates.

While a sleepover can be fun and games, this particular one was filled with field and team building exercises. Players at the sleepover, such as junior Jordan Brown or senior Jeremy Colon, said that the boys split up into three teams where each unit formed a line and put a ball in-between each person. The goal of this exercise was to race from one wall to another without dropping any balls. The ball could not be touched by the player’s hands. Other than these numerous sets of workouts, the team also listened to different motivational speakers and after that, well they took to the gridiron to practice their craft.

Football may be a physical, punishing sport but the mental side of football is just as important and largely centered around communication. Junior reciever Tyler Phillips said, “I think the team grew closer as a cohesive unit and became more of a brotherhood. This definitely contributed to our ability to communicate and perform on the Locked in the Gym: Looking for a field as a team.” Tyler, like most on bonding experience that would help unite the team, has been playing football the team, the football players stayed the night inside the school’s gym. for the school team since his freshPhoto Donated By: Football Team man year.

Almost the entire team went, consisting of 35-40 players. “We have a much more dedicated staff this year and a new head coach trying to change the culture. I feel it brought the team closer together and eventually a more tight-knit group,” said Jonny Cusack. This new idea might just become a new tradition at Charter to help future teams build to tighter bonds.

“I have a good feeling about this season. We only lost a few seniors and despite how important each of them were I feel like the underclassmen got to see enough of how we do things here. We know what we have to do and we have a mission and we’re out to get it.”

"B ig things are coming towards the team. We feel as if nothing is in our way of winning the state championship, we wear the jaguars proud on our chest and we want

the school to be behind us on our ride to victory, PCB is on the rise and on top soon."

"I

Junior Megan Calandra

“T his season I feel like the team is very balanced age wise and I think we are poised to have a big season as far as wins and losses go. If we stick together on and off the court and trust eachother fully I feel the sky is truly the limit.”

SOFTBALL

Photo By: Eric Hernandez

Photo By: Eric Hernandez

"W e expect big thing out of our team this year and we feel like we have to do well to continue our legacy.”

Senior Micheal Reid

TENNIS

SOCCER

Senior Lilliana Thomas

Photo By: Eric Hernandez

"F

Photo By: Eric Hernandez

predict that this season is a start of something new, I feel like the coaches are really trying to change the culture of pines charter football, we got off to a bad start this season, but you have to take L's before you can take dubs.”

Senior Gaby Torres

l . o

I y d

Senior Steven Umbarita

FOOTBALL

Photo By: Eric Hernandez

Photo By: Eric Hernandez

believe this season we have a high chance of reaching states, with Jags placing first in every event and winning the first over all meet, it gave us a good start."

Senior Addison Alufohai

e

m y l e r

"I

WATER POLO

BASEBALL Photo By: Eric Hernandez

e m e t g

s l p

Junior Leslie Cordero

Staff Writer

BASKETBALL

e , s g e I e

Frank Mora

Senior Brandon Andal

VOLLEYBALL

y

Athletic Predictions

or tennis this year we just expect to improve from last season and try to win as many matches as possible. If we take it one set at a time I think we can surprise a lot of people with our success this year.”

Photo By: Andres Alfonso

“I

expect us to go far this year. I believe that we can make it to states. This year we will have a very talented group and hopefully we can get some good freshman to help us to win the State Championship and hope we can win

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Sports Jordan Alberti Sports Editor

T he lights were bright and the band was loud. The melodies sang throughout the stadium as the Charter football team moved down the field to music and screaming fans. The cheerleaders did what they do best, cheer and support the team. Band’s music continued to disrupt Coral Springs Charter’s rhythm on offense. The environment was tense as coaches and fans disagreed with certain play calls. The coaches prevailed with cooler heads and re focused their team to play hard and try to get the win.

Charter Senior Night kicked off with a bang as seniors from the Majorettes,Charter’s favorite baton twirling team, the cheerleading team, and the football team were honored in pregame ceremonies.

9 football players were mentioned: #4 Panos Rabias, #5 Jaron Spaulding, #10 Eric Cumberbach, #11 Benson Alcime, #23 Tyler Pierre-Louis, #44 Amir Ali, #45 Alexander Lefty Tabraue, #50 Steven Umbarita, #67 Jeremy Colon. There were 11 senior cheerleaders: Dasia Bohler, Nicole Wong, Paige Septen, Madison Rimi, Mikel Brown, Armanie Gregorie, Talia Byrd, Jasmine Otero, Stacey Gabriel, Cheyanne Carter, Aaliah White. To top it off, there were 2 seniors from the Majorettes Mayra Saintilus and Amber Browning .

After the pre- game festivities, where roses were handed to the senior and few tears were shed, the main event of the evening kicked off. Senior Daniel Gitelman commented, “The atmosphere before the game brought everyone a sense of unity and pride. The players jumping around after being rewarded for their hard work through the years made me get hype for the game.” The Jaguars were facing Coral Springs Charter, who have already suffered from two losses this season. On the first drive, the Panthers’ quarterback, Jordan Sepulveda, threw a screen pass out wide and the play went for a huge gain and eventually, a touchdown. Charter would come back and make the game 7-21.the Jags were able to muster another 5 points while Coral Springs opened up the scoring and scored another 35 to give them the eventual win over Charter.

Even though Charter did not win, they showed what our school is all about and they embodied Charter pride and passion. They stayed committed throughout the whole game. Whether that was running down an opposing player or breaking free from tackles and plowing through defenders or more yards on a play. Junior Ryan Gonzalez, who attended the game, said “I was really proud of the team. They fought until the very end and they were able to capture the moment, no matter the result. I’m looking forward to the rest of the games they have so they can continue to build on their success!”

Seniors on the football field showed out. Key contributors included Jeremy Colon, who had 2 sacks, a forced fumble, and a handful of tackles. Jaron Spaulding also had over 40 rushing yards and a couple of receptions that helped Charter move the football throughout the game. Sophomore Daniel Dellostrologo said, “The seniors leading the way with their outstanding performance gave the rest of the team motivation to improve. We played very well and it was reflected by the seniors who showed out like Jeremy (Colon.)”

All in all, Senior Night encapsulated the accomplishments of some of Charter’s finest seniors and gave them a little reward for all of their hard work. They proved that hard work is rewarding and the seniors made their parents proud as they were on the field to watch their children receive their well-earned recognition. Senior Night is always a feel good event and it continued to be that way on Friday, September 22nd.

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Senior Nigh

Photos By:Andres Alfonso

ht Spotlight

Sports

14

“American Teen” Khalid is Climbing the Charts Ainsley McCormick Student Life Editor

Quickly and with reason, the name “Khalid” has been popping up in people’s conversations. Whether it be because of his angelic voice, witty tweets, or the fact that his album American Teen has been in the Top

10 on the Billboard 200 for the past few months, he is becoming very popular in the music industry. Khalid Robinson is a 19 year-old American singer and songwriter from El Paso, Texas. His lyrics are reminiscent of his youth, which is shown throughout his album American Teen; the themes of high school, life in general, and being in an endless routine are prominent in his music. In an interview, Khalid said that this album is about him trying to break that cycle (Genius).

Kylie Jenner is the one to thank for Khalid’s uprising. Originally, Khalid’s song “Location” became popular after Jenner played it in the background of a video on her Snapchat story. Because of its “chill” R&B vibes, the song quickly climbed the charts and hit the radio. In fact, Khalid wrote this song to try to impress a girl… however, it didn’t work out. It turns not all love songs result in happy endings, after all. Most of Khalid’s songs have the theme of love in them. As a teenager himself, he can relate to what other teenagers are feeling and thinking about. “My favorite song is ‘Young, Dumb, and Broke’ because it is so relatable. I could put that song on repeat and listen to it all day. The lyrics have so much meaning. Khalid makes videos explaining them sometimes,” said senior Ross Mishler, who has been a fan of Khalid from the very beginning.

Khalid’s album American Teen (2017) is currently on the rise, and it has been going up since it was released in March, 2017. He has also been working on singles with big names such as Calvin Harris and Marshmello.

Khalid came to the Fillmore Miami Beach Jackie Gleason Theatre in Miami Beach on August 2nd for his “American Teen” tour, after performing in Orlando a day earlier. Junior Luke Pollack went to the concert with his family, “I had the tickets to see Khalid for months before he came down. His song ‘Location’ has such a good vibe that I wanted to see him live. I wish he would have brought out a special guest, though, because he did at his other shows. The concert was amazing and I will never forget it. Plus, I had other school friends who went,” he said. At the concert, Khalid sang “Rollin’” by Calvin Harris, in which Khalid is featured in.

Khalid has been compared to The Weeknd and early Frank Ocean, as well as Britain’s Sampha. His album features upbeat, happy songs but have lyrics with a sadder meaning. Khalid is on the rise in the R&B and Today’s Hits music genres, and more of him is sure to come.

Graphic By: Rosa Gomez

Follow Your (Creams &) Dreams!

1-800-273-8255 spreads

Isabella Munoz

As a true testament to its name, Creams & Dreams has proven to be everyone’s ice cream obsession of the summer. Stepping into this trendy ice-cream parlor, one would immediately notice the modernized technique

Alex

Staff Writer

of ice-cream making; a giant, 2000 gallon, stainless steel tank filled with liquid nitrogen gets mixed with fresh ingredients to produce the tastiest and most satisfying dessert around. On the shop’s website, it describes their treats as containing “…nothing but the freshest ingredients, and is handmade to your order, so it never sits around for months and has no need for preservatives and other chemicals,” (creamsdreams.com).

Among the various flavors they offer, Cookies & Cream and Avocado are their best sellers. Their big selection carries over to a wide spectrum that includes the basic flavors like Vanilla and Chocolate, but it also includes more exotic ones like Orange Honey, Green Tea, and Litchi. There’s a special taste designed for everyone; whether one prefers sweet, tangy, or fruity flavors they have it! However, the fun on your taste buds does not stop there. Dragon’s Breath, an innovative creation now featured on their menu, has taken everyone’s mouth by storm, becoming the newest craze on social media. The ice cream balls are made up of cereal, and coated with liquid nitrogen. Then, they are tossed in a cup and served with big, chopstick-like toothpicks to eat with. This phenomenon was captured all over social media, and can be accredited for their mass amounts of publicity due to everyone showcasing their own Dragon’s Breath treat.

Employees are intrigued with all the new business, too. “Ever since school has started, business has slowed down. But during the summer months, and now weekends, the lines were out the doors.” Their effort to cater to the young crowd extends to their music selection that is heard the moment you step inside. In just a short amount of time, the following tunes were heard: “Location” by Khalid, “Congratulations” by Post Malone, and “No Promises” by Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato. Although Creams & Dreams is technically considered a chain, there are only three locations throughout the United States. Two parlors are in California, and, luckily, the third one is in Davie, Florida. With their newfound success, there is more hope for future stores to open up nationwide, since many people will be craving these tasty, creative sweets.

15

Photo By: Nicholas Ahmad

Creamy Creations: The nitrogen icecream franchise “Creams&Dreams” is known for its unique way of making dessert delectables.

Photo By: Nicholas Ahmad

E

Managing

very year multiple artists take the stage at MTV's Video Music Awards and put on impressive performances to their catchy songs in an effort to woo the audience. The 2017 VMA's, however, was dominated by one specific performance. Popular rapper Logic, in coordination with Alecia Cara and Khalid, teamed up for one true unforgettable performance.

“1-800-273-8255,” is not only the title of the popular song, but also the number to the National Suicide Hotline. The song promotes several powerful messages including the value of one's life and anti- discrimination.

Logic, a major advocate for mental illness, used his platform wisely to construct a song that would open the eyes of its listeners and potentially change the lives of many people. In the beginning of the song, Logic raps about ending his life. He claims that no one cares about his life and he “just wants to die.” Next Alecia Cara, representing a turn of the page, begins to sing about all of the reasons why life is worthy of living. Logic returns with a triumphant attitude, adamant to be alive.

“What makes this song so important for people contemplating suicide is that it displays a message of hope.

This inspires people to look for the brighter things in pop culture rather than glamorizing suicide. With awareness and a platform as such, even though this is just a baby step, great progre said Senior Brianna Adan.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, a Every day; approximately 112 Americans take their own life. At tional and moving performance that stirred many to tears. There enough, this musical masterpiece has had an even greater impact from people needing help, to wanting to help, or even just thankin Immediately after the music died down, Logic began to speak to in between. I don’t care if you’re Christian, you’re Muslim, you’ believe that we are all born equal, but we are not treated equally an it clear that suicide is an issue to be addressed. He stood by the are idols to kids. They can use their fame to impact and help the p following has allowed him to reach out to those who need it.” com 1-800-273-8255 is now dominating the charts; the performance have gone viral. Just as Logic wanted, his message of peace and p

What Are Our Student’s Favorite Sci-Fi Movies?

Elizabeth Castillo

e e dinosaurs ar ” rk because th “Jurassic Pa d there’s no movie like it. so cool an na Ward, junior -Brian

Staff Writer

“My favorite to the Futur sci-fi movie has to be B Fu and a great pl ture. It has comedy, ac ack tion, ot. Plus, it’s a cl as si the 80s, c from -Angelica Rmy favorite.” epaci, freshm an

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t ell known, bu s not really wg it in seventh it’ , ca ta at “G yed watchin I really enjo nce class while learning ie sc in e was really ad gr s. The ending about geneticsad though.”

“Captain Am it referenc erica: Civil War, beca covers topicses to the the Avengers anuse technology, regarding magic, advancd interests me and super powers. It real ed because it ly about S.H.I. goes into detail E.L.D.”

“I really lik ture; there ise Star Wars because of th al e out each of so a lot of suspense th action and advenstarted in 19 the movies. I also real at goes on through77 and is still ly day! Just havi being cont like that it first present day ng the old characters beinued on to present are many old by the original actors as ing reimagined in I understand references that are said tonishes me. There . So ov in ever fact of the olerall, I like Star Wars be y movie that d references cause of the and mem -Aisha Sivila y, sophomor ories!” e

“[Inceptio sense at the n] is a movie that confus sam es spectives an e time. It tells a story thyou, but makes d every mom rough many en -Marya Sain t in time is important.”pertilus, senior

Graphic By: Justin Pierce

message of hope at VMA’s

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We Put the “Fifth” in Fifth Harmony Janae McDonnough

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Graphic By: Justin Pierce

ess can be made to help people struggling with suicide and depression,”

a person dies by suicide about every 12.8 minutes in the United States. the VMAs the performers stood alongside survivors, creating an emois no doubt that it was a truly incredible performance, but amazingly t than previously thought. Suicide hotlines saw a 50% increase in calls ng volunteers for all that they do. o the audience. “I don’t give a damn if you’re black, white, or any color ’re gay, you’re straight -- I am here to fight for your equality, because I nd that is why we must fight,” he said. After several interviews he made belief that we must eliminate the issues that separate us. “Celebrities people who need it. I think that Logic did a great job of that. His large mmented freshman Vincent Toranzo. making waves. Videos of their emotional, show stopping performance positivity is spreading to those who truly need it.

Staff Writer

ifth Harmony is a well-known girl group that was formed by X-Factor judge, Simon Cowell, in 2012. Just like their boy band counterpart, One Direction, the girls auditioned as solo artists, but were eliminated only to be revived as a group. After almost five years of being together as a group, Camila Cabello, one of the group members, announced her departure from the group to go solo.

The self-titled album, Fifth Harmony, was released August 25th. “I love how this album truly displays all the girls’ vocal talents, whereas the last album, 7/27, was a lot more ‘bubblegum pop’,” said sophomore Ava Johnson. In Fifth Harmony, each song shows a more vulnerable, mature, and R&B side of the girls, rather than the average pop music heard in their last two albums. The album includes “Deliver”, “He Like That”, “Sauced Up”, “Make You Mad”, “Lonely Night”, “Don’t Say You Love Me”, “Angel”, “Messy”, “Bridges”, and “Down”. During an interview with Billboard, each member explained the meaning behind the songs. “Down” features a rhythmic, urban vibe with Gucci Mane rapping about his personal life and the love of his life. “He Like That” brings a different tone than the rest of their songs, introducing a Caribbean-inspired harmony to it. Co-written by Lauren Jauregui and Ally Brooke, “Sauced Up” is a dance song to listen to with your friends and have a good time. The flirtiest song, “Make You Mad”, includes an unexpected drop in the middle of the song. “Deliver” is an R&B song with hints of Mariah Carey influence.

“I like the songs without Camila because the others have more time to show off their voice now. I think they have really improved from the last album and I love the lyrics,” said junior Riley Gonzalez. “Lonely Night”, co-written by Normani Kordei and Dinah Jane, gives warning to things right in your life, otherwise you’ll have a “lonely night”.

“Don’t Say You Love Me” has a more soft touch, and is about a person that’s not really reliable. The eighth song of the album, “Angel”, is a perfect representation of Fifth Harmony’s more edgy, pop, and urban style. The message of “Messy” is saying how the girls are just normal people and at times, they can mess up. Last not but least, the album ends with “Bridges”, which makes a point that love can always conquer hate.

Overall, the album showcases the growth of Fifth Harmony ever since the leave of Cabello. As they mature, the girls show a Graphic By: Rosa Gomez new side to them not shown before, and this album is a symbolization of what’s in store for their fans in the next couple of years.

16

Be Wary, Don’t Wear These!

Roselle Curiel

Entertainment Editor

M

any women use baby powder to simply freshen up or to make their newborn infants smell good. For one Californian woman named Eva Echeverria, however, she got a little more than what she initially bargained for when she bought Johnson’s baby powder from the company, Johnson & Johnson. After developing ovarian cancer, Echeverria sued J&J for failing to adequately warn customers about the cancer-causing cosmetic ingredient: Talc, found in all their baby powders. The Los Angeles court stated that the company owed Echeverria $68 million for compensatory damages, and $340 million for punitive damages, resulting in $417 million in total―the highest amount of money paid in all lawsuits against talcum powder ever.

Echeverria unfortunately developed an illness because of Johnson & Johnson’s negligence to make women aware of the dangers of Talc; therefore, it is up to consumers to be informed of the dangerous chemicals found in the everyday cosmetics they use. These ingredients are either found or suspected to “cause cancer, genetic/hormonal mutation, cause reproductive harm, or even birth defects” (Safe Cosmetics). In the European Union, there are over 1,300 cosmetic ingredients banned from consumer use.

In the US, however, there are only 11 cosmetic ingredients that the FDA has put on the banned list. The miniscule restrictions set on the makeup and skincare industry leaves many opportunities for low quality brands to pump out products that feature these cheap, easily-acquired chemicals. EWG, a research company dedicated to making sure consumer goods are free of hazard and salubrious, did a study in which they tested the ingredients in 23,000 different products. They concluded that 1 out of every 30 cosmetics sold in the US contain ingredients do not meet up to the safety standards of the FDA― that’s over 400 products being sold in stores that have been found unsafe due to their harsh contents.

So, what else is being used in the beauty industry that’s bad for our skin, hair, and even hormones?

EWG lists many harmful ingredients that many people wouldn’t notice when skimming over the ingredients on the face wash or perfume they’re going to buy; however, these ingredients should still be avoided whenever possible. The first is phthalates, a mix of chemicals usually used for fragrances and is associated with reproductive disruption as well as hormone imbalances in boys and young girls. Phthalates aren’t required to be disclosed by law, so companies get around not mentioning them by solely stating “Fragrance” as the ingredient. Step into any high-end makeup store, and many products will claim they are “paraben-free” on their container. This is because parabens are a type of chemical preservative that acts as estrogen, therefore messing up hormone balance and signals, and they go by the name “propylparaben,” “isopropylparaben,” “butylparaben,” and “isobutylparaben.”

Oxybenzone is a type of chemical sunscreen that messes up hormone balance in young boys, causing low levels of testosterone. This ingredient is absorbed into the body system, and in pregnant women, the toxin can mix with the mother’s breast milk, exposing their infant(s) to the chemical.

The solution to finding safe, non-irritating skincare or makeup products is to watch out for these ingredients, of course, but also knowing which ingredients are the right ones. “Instead of a chemical sunscreen, I use a mineral one that has zinc oxide in it instead,” said senior Margaret Copello.

It is essential to remember that using a product with these certain ingredients doesn’t mean the user would immediately fall victim to the risks. In Echeverria’s case, she developed cancer after decades and decades of daily use of the baby powder. Another woman in St. Louis, Missouri was under the Graphic By: Taylor same umbrella as Echeverria, and she had developed the illness after 40 years of use. (ABC News).

Causey “Ever since I found out about the many unsafe ingredients in beauty products, I always look out and read the ingredients list before I buy something,” said senior Sabrina Perez. Like Sabrina, it’s important to stay informed and remain educated on the right products to buy in terms of safe and healthy ingredients. The next time you want to buy a random skincare item at Target, think twice about it!

Conquering College Applications

E ven tho period. Th

Matthew HernanInterim Lifestyle Editor

Iputer t comes to a point where every senior is sitting in their room staring blankly at their comscreen contemplating the next step towards their future. College applications can be

stressful and overwhelming for students. This process is very tedious and the amount of time required to complete a well-done college application is astronomic. Here are some tips on how to make the college applications easier on students... #1) Students should consider using the Common App or Coalition App. The Common App is an undergraduate admissions application that college applicants can use to apply to any of the 731 member schools. Rather than applying to each school, students can apply at once on the Common App and send their documents to the member schools of their choice, saving a lot of time. The sole difference between the Common and Coalition App is simply what colleges and universities are members of each one. In some cases, a university will be a member of both the Coalition and Common App. Senior Alejandro Hernandez said, “The Coalition and common App have really helped me while doing my college apps. My #1 school is Georgia Tech and, luckily, Georgia Tech is a member of both apps. I highly encourage all students to use these apps due to its efficiency.”

• A major key when trying to perfect your college application is to take your time. Completing your ideal application doesn’t happen overnight, it takes a few days, maybe even a few weeks. Colleges are looking for the best applicants, so students should put anything and everything to make themselves stand out. Senior Chelsea Frank said, “I started doing my college apps as soon as I could because I knew how time consuming it would be. I’ve spent weeks doing one just trying to make sure I have everything that I want to include and triple checking it to make sure I don’t leave anything out.”

• Lastly, students should not wait until the last minute to complete their college apps. Procrastination will not help in this case because these apps require extensive work and time.

Students need to separate themselves from the rest of the applicants with amazing applications. This can be easily achieved by using the Common or Coalition App, taking their time on these apps, and not procrastinating. Following these few and simple steps can be the difference between getting into the college of one’s choice or not.

17

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The New Plaza Next Door...

Florencia Azcurra

N

Staff Writer

o one believed high school study days and early release days could get any better from monthly trips to Cinemark and Starbucks. Now there is an entire plaza filled with stores only a couple paces from our school. Charter has only seen the beginning of a storefront ready to impress its customers.

The plaza, Sheridan Village, only a few minutes away from Charter, is filled with different stores, varying from restaurants to even a dry cleaners. The convenience of the proximity of the store is great for students, especially on high school days. ”Whoever came up with the idea of putting those shops there, is a genius! The stores have so much to offer and being in front of a high school makes business so much better,” says senior Saji Addith. The plaza really appeals to not only the general public but also the students of Charter. Of Sheridan Village, Dunkin Donuts would have to be the go-to place for Charter students. Kids scattered around campus can be seen carrying around their iced coffees, frappes, and mochas or even their breakfast to go from Dunkin Donuts. Sophomore Maritsa Jean-Pierre says, “I didn’t think that this plaza would be successful, but I actually go to Dunkin Donuts a lot more than I thought I would to get breakfast, donuts for school parties and other stuff too.” The coffee and donut shop offers students affordable food and tasteful drinks before or after school. For students like Maritsa, they can go to Dunkin to get donuts for a class party, pick up breakfast, or even have some caffeine and sugar before the long school day. It looks like Charter really does run on Dunkin.

Nowadays, being hip and aesthetic is kind of important to a high school student, especially when it comes to girls. The New Go-To Place: The new storefront across the street from Charter gives every girl her dream in today’s day and age: having perfect nails. The newCharter’s plaza across the street has become a small, but impressive spa offers manicures and pedicures of all kinds as well as short messages. Not to mention that the perfect place for students to go after school.

Nail salon is giving a 20% discount for any customer to promote their grand opening. MoMo’s Nail Salon has opened Photo by: Shianiah Cox for business just in time for the school’s biggest time of year: homecoming. A girl having her nails done for an event like homecoming is vital to her appearance, MoMo’s could essentially be a girl’s new go to place. Some students at Charter feel ecstatic about the opening of MoMo’s. “I was looking for a new place to get my nails done and I find it perfectly convenient that a place like MoMo’s opened up, especially since homecoming is around the corner. I’ll be sure to check it out,” says junior Serena Somberg. Other Charter kids, like junior Kaylin Hernandez, have already gone to the spa to get their nails done. According to these students, not only is the place clean and welcoming, but the workers are friendly and very talented at their job; not to mention that they offer a variety of different nail styles and designs.

Speaking of originality in the business world, Brain Freeze Nitrogen Ice Cream and Yogurt Lab seem to be doing everything right. They appeal to their customers like no other place before, especially Charter’s sweet-toothed students. A large majority of kids can be seen off of their snapchats and instagrams spending time at Brainfreeze. The ice cream and yogurt parlor approaches frozen goods in a completely different way. While Cream has their killer ice cream sandwiches, Litchi Snow Ice with their bubble tea and rolled ice cream, and the Sugar Factory known for their exotic, unique drinks, Brainfreeze is now known for incorporating science in their sugary desserts. The franchise has different combinations that a customer can create to their liking. Depending on the order, sometimes, a type of “medicine,” or syrup, comes in the form of injections. “What I really love about this place is that it’s not just some boring old ice cream place, but they made it fun by using science, a topic that needs to be enforced these days,” says freshman Daniel Saliba. The fact that this company used science to get themselves out there, really says something about the franchise because this could essentially be the sprouting of new scientific interests, especially since a large group of the customers are Charter’s students.

All this talk about sugar and desserts begs the question, is there an actual place to eat lunch or dinner in the Sheridan Village? Why yes, there is. Although not open yet, there is an Italian restaurant starting business sometime this year. The establishment offers pizza, pasta, and the rest of your typical Italian food. “It’s common knowledge that Italian food is diverse in a sense that, there is always something for someone. This restaurant is a great change from all the others we've had or have been going to,” says freshman Valentina Terry. This new restaurant is a nice change or addition to the many food joints they have in the Cinemark plaza.

The convenience of the storefront for the students is not nearly as much convenient as it is for the actual businesses. Sure, Charter’s students now have upgraded early release days and shorter high school study day walks, but the stores must benefit greatly from having a high school so near to their establishment. Business must be booming since kids, essentially, are on easy crowd to buy from. It’s even better because students have so much variety to choose from.

Surviving the Scholarly Struggles Sarah Barrocas and Alexa Infante

E ven though it may have been an impossible task to even open your eyes, in a few weeks, you will also be able to get out of bed, eat breakfast, and make your way to first period.

The back to school grind is always a difficult mountain to climb, but here are a few tips that can help any student conquer the halls and the classroom….

Editor-In-Chief and Managing Editor

Tip #1: Early Bird Gets the Worm Sleep is fuel for your brain. Not getting enough sleep can extremely inhibit your cognitive abilities and performance while in the classroom. For students to perform at their optimum ability, 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night is recommended; however, many students struggle from an irregular sleeping schedule due to time spent completing academic assignments or participating in extracurricular activities. Try to combat an inconsistent sleep routine by efficiently managing your time and starting your homework early; this will help give you more time to sleep at night. Additionally, setting your alarm in the morning is extremely helpful for those who have the tendency to sleep in. Setting your alarm at the same time each morning will help stabilize you sleeping schedule. If you’re one who consistently shuts off the alarm to go back to sleep, try setting your alarm 5-10 minutes before the time you should be getting ready. While the sound of your alarm is an unpleasant noise to wake up to, the sight of a tardy pass are consequently worse (sleepfoundation.org).

Tip #2: Get an Agenda and Plan Ahead!

Though planners are administered at the beginning of the school year, it is generally understood that Charter students rarely use their agenda; instead, leaving it in an area of his/her room to collect dust throughout the year. Between the plethora of tests, quizzes, homework assignments, study sessions, and school events or activities that accumulate throughout the year, school can be a very stressfully hectic time in many students’ lives. Rather than thinking of your agenda as a nuance, consider it your life preserver that will help keep you afloat throughout the school year. Planners are a good tool to help those who suffer from procrastination and poor time management by organizing any upcoming due dates and assignments in an easy, accessible manner. The school year is such a busy time for many, so look at your agenda to stay organized and plan ahead!

Tip #3: Get Involved… Academically & Socially Getting involved in extracurricular activities is a great way to volunteer and give back to the community while meeting people who you share a common interest. Here at Pines Charter, there is a variety of clubs and sports programs for you to choose from- from the fishing club and the football team to scrabble and the bowling team. Many studies have shown that students who are involved in sports and other school activities tend to have a higher GPA (huffingtonpost.com). While they are a variety resources at your disposal on campus, if there is a program you wish to join but isn’t available, then start your own! Active participation and leadership within your extracurricular activities is a notable asset that many college administrators look for during the application process. Additionally, the social atmosphere is crucial to your experience here on campus. Attend all the football games. Showcase your creativity through your costumes during spirit week. Before you know it, this four year journey called high school will soon be over… live in the moment, Tip #4: Set Goals With this upcoming school year as an opportunity to see the future as a new beginning, start by writing a list of goals that you hope to achieve by the end of this academic year.

Every goal is unique to the specific individual. But remember, don’t beat yourself with the struggles you have faced in the past; instead, look at your past mistakes as a learning opportunity to correct your once wrongs. Look into the future with a positive mindset to start new and try again. If you notice in the past that you tend to easily get distracted while studying by yourself, join a study group. If you aim to get that varsity spot on the basketball team, train for a couple of hours everyday in the school’s gym. When you write down a goal, you are able to mentally plan and physically realize what you need to do to prepare to meet them. Having a tangible list can be a driving force to help motivate you to reach those goals.

Getting back into the swing of a school year is never easy, but with these tips in mind the adjustment can be- and will be- a lot smoother. Good luck jaguars with the rest of this school year!

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The CHAT Editorial: Should we

YES, WE SHOULD...

Elizabeth Castillo

It’s about time Confederate statues are destroyed, and I’m not the only one who thinks this. After the riot that took place in Charlottesville where white supremacists protested for their “rights,” many outraged protesters Staff Writer

responded by destroying Confederate statues. Issues regarding the Confederacy and memorization of its leaders has plagued our country for a very long time. For example, in 2015 a mass shooting took place in South Carolina in which a self-proclaimed white supremacist, Dylann Roff, shot and murdered nine people in a predominantly black church. He took to social media, posting pictures of him holding the Confederate flag. The state responded to Roff’s detached behavior by removing the battle black from the state’s Capital grounds; a flag that had been hanging in their capital for decades.

Many people have also been questioning Confederate symbols, especially its monuments. The fact of the matter is that the Confederacy fought in the Civil War to maintain slavery. After everything this country has been through, the idea of idolizing racists and radicals who believed that their race is superior to others is not something that this country- a country founded off of the ideas of freedom- should not be associated with. You cannot change history, but you can learn from its mistakes.

Robert Edward Lee’s statue was vandalized after the events in Charlottesville, but think of the “why?” He was a Photo By: Maya Cabrera Confederate general who influenced racism and prejudice in America. People who oppose destroying Confederate monuments love to use this statement as a defense: “You can’t destroy history.” The Confederacy is a part of our nation’s history, but it shouldn’t be glorified. Confederate generals, such as Robert Edward Lee, shouldn’t stand proud for decades to come. People need to realize that the actions the Confederacy are not only wrong, but beastly. Imagine walking past Confederate monuments, seeing people talking pictures with their kids around the statues. It’s repulsive. It’s about time people realized that honoring or glorifying this part of history is not acceptable, nor will it ever be.

Many other states are getting on board with the opposition. For instance, Major Mitch Landrieu removed three Confederate monuments in New Orleans. However, in the center of Charlottesville, remains a twenty six foot tall statue of Robert Edward Lee. The city had even gone to the extent of holding a ceremony for him, where people called him the “greatest man who ever lived.”

During the Charlottesville protest, white supremacists used the Robert Edward Lee statue as their main rallying point. White supremacists represent hate, and if their main point of protesting is at the statue of a Confederate general, what does that shows you? Clearly, Confederate monuments symbolize hate for people of different races.

If something is embodying animosity and enmity, why should it be on display for the world to see? Beyond that it just offends people. If something offends someone or makes them feel uncomfortable in their own culture, race, or heritage, then it shouldn’t be for public display. Students can learn about the Civil War and the Confederacy in textbooks, not in a public park where kids are playing. Why expose people, especially children, to hatred in such a passive way. Displaying these monuments of people, who fought to make others suffer, is not acceptable in any aspect. So why are they for display?

It’s 2017, and sadly, people still feel superior to others of varying races. It’s not acceptable, it will never be acceptable, and it should never have been acceptable. There is no legitimate reason as to why Confederate statues should exist and be displayed. They don’t represent our future as a nation. In fact they just push us back, masking the progress this nation has made. No progress can be made if bigger than life statues of Confederates continue to be worshipped and put on demonstration for everyone to see. This demolition of these monuments should have been done decades ago. Let’s do this now.

The CHAT Editorial: Chaos in Paolo Barrera Features Editor

Since Donald Trump has taken the prestigious title of President of The United States, not only has his infamy grown, but his loosening control on America’s hate community has grown as well. Trump’s nationalistic rhetoric

during his campaign, and well after, has seemingly rejuvenated hate group agendas, as shown by an online following that “has gained increasing prominence over the past year” (bbc.com). Proof of this prominence was on display beginning on July 8, in Charlottesville, Virginia.

According to Time Magazine, the city of Charlottesville decided to take down a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from a public park earlier this year, upsetting confederate supporters around the country. In response to the decision, KKK members of the local chapter protested by waving around Confederate flags and hate signs.

Violence was avoided by the counter-protesters who outnumbered the racists entirely, surrounding them in an iconic image of true bravery.

However, further decisions to remove Confederate statues continued to upset the white supremacists. During the week of August 12, new age Nazi supporters (called “Neo Nazis”) decided to show their discontent by marching and protesting at the University of Virginia through the night. Counter protesters came to oppose the white nationalists, only to be met by tiki torches, Hitler-esque chants, and thousands of anti-Semitic college students. That same week, parades of white supremacist groups armed with bulletproof vests and assault rifles were seen marching Photo By: Eric Hernandez through the city. During the marches, a speeding car drove into a band of counter protesters, injuring 19 and killing 1. Clashes between these extremists and counter-protesters resulted in racist violence and hate chants, leaving even more injured.

The appalling display of America’s population of racists and extremists was later justified by the POTUS, in which he accredited hatred “on many sides,” while also condemning the decision to take down Confederate statues as acts against “our culture.” Trying to omit those words later on did nothing to deny the fact that Commander-in-Chief Donald Trump identifies with the racists and white nationalists that killed 1 and brutally injured many.

At this point in time, even conservatives are realizing the evil that is growing because of their elected president. They’re only realizing now that Trump has given confidence to a group of people who celebrate lynching and racial discrimination. They’re also realizing that Trump says more about terrorism from other countries than about the growing terrorism in “the land of the free.” But what conservatives and GOP members are not tweeting about is the perspective of the students.

High school students vividly remember their first encounter with the term “Nazi.” Some students say middle school, and some reference reading The Diary of Anne Frank in 8th grade. Imagine the feelings of students seeing the hateful, evil people they learned about, parading in the streets. Not only are these men and women walking around freely, but they are untouched and protected by police officers of color. Any word or reference to Nazi-ism is not even allowed in Germany, where Hitler’s hellish group was born. Why, then, are Confederate flags and white supremacists allowed to walk freely? Is their racism and hate different than Nazi hate? Middle school students learn about how General Robert E. Lee was defeated like Hitler, yet he is celebrated by Americans twice their age.

Donald Trump may feed the hungry hate culture in America, but he cannot get rid of those who are starving for justice. Students are citizens, and as global citizens, their knowledge of what is right cannot be taken away. Disagreeing with government is a basic right of freedom of speech, and it should be exercised to its limits. Charter does not condone hate, and its students are walking examples of that.

19

Tear Down Confederate Statues?

NO, WE SHOULDN’T...

Roselle Curiel Entertainment Editor

I

n light of the recent incidents in Charlottesville, Virginia, many people across the U.S are calling for the removal of Confederate statues and many news organizations are pushing this agenda too. With articles featuring titles such as, “The Whole Point of Confederate Monuments is to Celebrate White Supremacy” (Washington Post) being published by popular news sources, it is no surprise that some are quick to agree with the sentiment of removing these pieces, especially with the profound political accuracy culture surrounding our media; has a strong influence on the situation.

In order to preserve our American history, these monuments must remain intact.

The novel 1984 by George Orwell illustrates a dystopian society that is controlled by Big Brother, a governmental figure who controls all thought, speech, and actions of the citizens; essentially, all individuality is suppressed and those who are in opposition are indoctrinated. The main character, Winston Smith, is a free thinker who recognizes the propaganda being pushed out, and describes how Big Brother brainwashes the people, “Every record has been or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every state and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered… The process is continuing… History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the party is always right.” People want to take down these statues because of the ugly history behind them and the people who were forced to construct them: slaves. Isn’t this what Orwell was warning us about through his literature? Just because one doesn’t like the historical context associated with a statue, book, work of art, or record, does not mean it should be removed.

Photo By: Maya Cabrera One of the main arguments against the monuments is that they celebrate slavery, essentially because they were built by slaves. Famous historical world wonders like the Taj Mahal, the Egyptian pyramids, and the Turkish Basilica Cistern were all built by slaves, too. Imagine The Federalist writer John Daniel Davidson says, “It’s a mistake [tearing down the statues] not because there was anything noble about the Confederacy or its raison d’être, which was slavery, but because there is something noble—and, for a free people, necessary—about preserving our history so we can understand who we are and how we should live.” For many people, the statues are not a symbol of racism or white supremacy, but instead, a hallmark of southern pride. Confederate war heroes like Robert E. Lee are commemorated through these statues.

To act as if these past events never happened would be a major flaw. For example, during the French Revolution, the government proceeded to de-Christianize the country. Edmund Burke, a philosopher in the 1700s, criticized the French in their efforts, saying “-you chose to act as if you had never been molded into civil society, and had everything to begin anew...You began ill, because you began by despising everything that belonged to you… Respecting your forefathers, you would have been taught to respect yourself. You would not have chosen to consider the French as a people of yesterday, as a nation of low-born servile wretches until the emancipating year of 1789.” If we, as a country, acknowledge the fact that we are better now, in terms of social freedoms, then why would we get rid of those who helped us to learn from our ancestors’ mistakes and become better in the first place?

Philosopher George Santayana coined the phrase, “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” Taking down these monuments won’t change the past; it won’t erase the past either. The statues only serve as a memory of what once was, and the Confederate leaders who were a part of our history. Taking them down will only lead to less educated generations of individuals who aren’t aware of this country’s history.

Charlottesville & Neo-Nazism

Frank Mora Staff Writer

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n January 20th, 2017 Donald Trump was inaugurated as 45th President of the United States. Ever since then, the New York native has been the primary accusee of bringing hate and division back to America. The well-known conservative is being labelled by many across the media as a “white supremacist” and a “bigot.”

In reality, Trump has fallen victim to a harsh ridicule and a society that has been locked in a racial feud since way before he was elected. Fuel was only added to the fire with claims of him being “racist” after chaos broke out in Charlottesville.

According to multiple reports, the local government in Charlottesville, Virginia decided to take down a statue of confederate army hero Robert E. Lee. Because of this, many riots broke out during the week of August 12th between neo Nazi white supremacists who were against the statute’s demise and anti-protesters who were in favor of it being removed. The riots resulted in various accidents, one of which involved a speeding car ramming into anti protesters, killing one and injuring 19. Many other fatalities occurred in the thick of the rioting.

This madness went on for longer than 2 days before completely ceasing. As expected, many were anticipating the president’s response to these events, one that left many angry and offended.

Photo By: Eric Hernandez In essence, the President condemned all sides of the entire happening for being hateful and violent, proclaiming that he loves “all people” in the country. He also stressed how important it is for everyone to “come together.” After hearing his statement, people all across the nation criticized the POTUS, saying that his comments did not specify neo Nazis as being the “bad guys” in the whole dispute. Trump’s statement in his public address on the riots was the truth, leaving a harsh taste in the media and public’s mouth, as they don’t usually like to hear what is 100% honest because it not necessarily “politically correct.”

I believe that what Trump said was accurate. In no way am I agreeing or standing by neo Nazi beliefs whatsoever, but people must understand that although the statutes of these confederate leaders do represent a government that was against our current ideals, they also represent people’s family history and the very history of our great nation. Just because a man or woman wants to keep a statute of a former confederate leader does not mean he or she is glorifying the leader as someone to look up to or even that he or she agrees with what the confederacy stood for. A possibility could be they want to honor a family member who fought or even learn about the history of how this country has evolved.

Although our country’s history can seem grim and gruesome, it is something that all Americans should embrace, learn from, and acknowledge. Taking down statutes of people who fought for the “wrong side” 200 years ago just because some are hurt by the simple fact that morals were different than they are now just seems pointless, petty, and an overall waste of time. In addition, the feelings of others who care about the history of our nation and old family members are being jeopardized.

Trump’s statement on the events in Charlottesville does not defend the “white supremacists”, it simply does not commend the work of those trying to remove statues everywhere. The POTUS is constantly accused of being heartless and mean spirited when in reality all he is trying to do is speak the truth. The real problem does not lie in our president being desensitized to citizen’s feelings, but in our people being too sensitive to the truth.

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News

Hurricane Harvey Rains Down on Texas Rachel Rivera Staff Writer

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urricane Harvey made landfall as a category 4 hurricane on Friday, August 25, 2017 between Port Aransas and Port O'Connor, Texas. The hurricane is referred to as the biggest rainstorm in the history of the continental United States. Many towns were hit with up to 40 to 50 inches of rain. Harvey is the first category 4 to make landfall in the U.S. since 2004 and has made record shattering rainfall.

Hurricane Harvey has left behind a huge path of destruction along the coast of Texas. After four days of continuous rain, Houston soon came to resemble an island, rather than a city. Emergency responders have been working and rescuing people nonstop. Flat-bottomed boats and helicopters were used to help rescue victims from rooftops. People everywhere, regardless of race, color, or religion flocked to the devastated areas to help neighbors in need. The state has been taken over by a sense of community and compassion.

The damage was far from what residents were expecting. With record breaking floods, main highways, county roads, and everything in between were underwater. The depth could be measured against traffic lights, as the water neared the top. People were forced to tackle the catastrophic flooding with their pets and small children to seek shelter. More than 13,000 people have been rescued from flood waters, but amongst the 13,000 the death toll continued to rise. By Tuesday, August 29, 2017 18 people were reported dead and many more left homeless.

Many families’ lives were suddenly flipped upside down when the hurricane hit. Students who were expected to start school instead found themselves being evacuated and transported to shelters. “One of my best friends, Natalie, was hit really bad, she lives in Fulshear which got really bad flooding and most of the population was forced to evacuate to avoid danger,” says sophomore Malia Rodriguez. “Natalie said something that really helped her family and neighbors was the app ‘nextdoor’ where people were letting each other know if they had any available rooms for a family to stay.” During the state of emergency, communication through the app ‘nextdoor’ was a key factor in getting residents to safety. The app discusses evacuation routes, current food levels, and closest shelters.

Sophomore Mia Prieto has a close family tie in Texas and was relieved to hear her brother Anthony Gomez, who plays baseball for University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, was not affected

by Harvey. “Thankfully my brother didn’t get a drop of the storm but one of his teammates, Michael Garza, has family that dealt with the weak part of the storm which caused some flooding and debris.” Even the incapacitated parts of the storm greatly affected people; some citizens were left with their roofs badly damaged or even completely gone.

Although natural disasters are uncontrollable, what comes after is controlled by the people who take action. Many citizens across the country have donated to the Red Cross and Salvation Army, organizations that provide physical, emotional, and spiritual care to the survivors and relief workers. Many celebrities have also donated large sums of money towards help, such as actress Sandra Bullock, who generously donated $1 million to help the hurricane victims.

“There are no politics in eight feet of water, there are human beings in eight feet of water,” said Bullock, who has a home in Austin and is a longtime supporter of the Red Cross.

The help from people around the country is giving the victims of Hurricane Harvey a slight ray of hope, but they are still struggling with this major storm. As these organizations continue Graphic By: Michael Perez to aid the people affected, donations and volunteers are still very much needed. People from all walks of the world are coming together in this dire time.

An Opportunity to Be Great....

Sophia Ortega volunteered

over the summer with the Active

Community health care center Photo By: Eric Hernandez

Amanda Rodriguez Staff Writer

W hile some teens spend their summer going to the beach, hanging out with friends, and binge watching shows on Netflix, this special teen dedicated her leisure time to helping others. Someone who is not a typical freshman is Sophia Ortega. This summer she opened her eyes to a new way of thinking, as she spent the summer volunteering with kids who are

going through a hard time.

Sophia started her journey with the help of her neighbor, the boss of the Active Community Health Care Center. She has been interested in pursuing a career in psychiatry for three years. Knowing this, her neighbor invited her to volunteer three times a week for five hours, beginning July 3, 2017.

She was tasked with the job of overseeing the kids and mentoring the social workers. The summer program was intended for those who didn't have anyone to take care of them.

She felt for the kids as she stated, “They had to deal with the hardships of disapproving parents and bullying because of differences they had, compared to others.” They helped kids that have mental disorders, a rough time at home, or rough school situations. Most of the participants were foster children, suffering from ADHD, autism, depression, social anxiety, schizophrenia, etc.

While working, she continuously reminded herself that she was doing it for them, not herself. She was there to better their lives and feels as though she connected with the kids, without getting too personal, by helping them. She showed up three times a week, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., ready to work. She developed a love for her boss and fellow staff members, as they all guided her and checked up on her throughout the day. She helped the workers with every lesson, tantrum, filing task, early breakfast, lunch, movie showing, setup, and field trip.

She ended her journey here on August 11, 2017.

Working at the Active Health Care Community Center opened her eyes to a new way of thinking. “I’ve always appreciated life but I never really appreciated what I had in my life until now. It definitely made me feel grateful and selfless,” said Sophia. It not only gave her experience, as well as a new perspective on life. “This is something I would love so much to do as a career and this experience will always stay with me,” she said. When she looks back at her freshman year, this is something she will not cringe at, but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment in.

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News

Helping Neighbors 1,024 Miles Away Arianna Ozuna Staff Writer

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hen terror strikes an area of the world, people often find themselves wondering how they can help, despite being miles apart. When hurricane Harvey left the citizens of Houston in the midst of disaster and fear, people across the nation held this question to heart.

Luckily enough, in the United States a neighbor can be as close as next door or as far as 1,000 miles away. South Florida’s very own Miami Dolphins chipped in, holding a donation drive at the Hard Rock stadium, collecting essential items such as water, food, clothes, and even school supplies. These items were sent to several shelters in Houston. Publix supermarkets are also asked consumers for $1 donations at checkout, as the proceeds were to go directly to the American Red Cross for Texas Relief.

Even just as students, there are numerous ways in which we can help!

Junior Ariann Zurita, who has family in Texas, pointed attention towards donating or volunteering with the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD). She states, “Helping is not only important in these types of disasters, it’s important Graphic By: Jasmin Blus in everyday life too. In this case, it’s important because humans should all work together to keep each other above water, and because some are more fortunate than others, they should use that power to help those that are not as fortunate.” Another student with close relations to someone in Texas is drumline bass captain and junior Cayla

Cobb, who has a friend that lives right outside of Houston. She described how he had to drive through high waters to go to stores and even saw fish swimming on the sidewalks.

“He works at Target so he stocked up on water and canned foods that wouldn’t go bad if they lost electricity,” she said. Cayla went on to mention what those in Houston are going through in comparison to what South Florida experienced during hurricane Wilma in 2005. “It [Wilma] also left many people without homes, left many people without power, destroyed businesses, and forced many hospitals to evacuate. Both were very devastating natural disasters that damaged big states. If something like that were to happen here again, we would want all the help and support we could get from our fellow states, just like Texas does right now,” she said. Even those in Houston are lending a helping hand, as some are turning their holy worship areas into shelters for those in need. The Brand Lane Islamic Center in southwest Houston is a mosque that has provided coverage and shelter for over 90 diverse sets of people, with 100 rooms still available.

The community was more than happy to donate hot food, clothes, books, and toys for the kids.

During times like these, it’s important to step aside from all the raging politics and opinions that are tearing the country apart.

Helping during events like this show how even states apart, we can come together as one country helping one another. Neighbors helping each other can be as easy as loaning a cup of sugar next door, or donating to a state that’s thousands of miles away.

Trump’s Afghanistan Plan Continues a Long Road Ariana Ortiz

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Staff Writer

n Monday, August 21, President Trump announced his new approach to the ongoing 16-year war between the U.S and Afghanistan. While former President Barack Obama had previously been extremely open and specific about his military strategies, President Trump opposes this method entirely. He stated in his national address at Fort Myer military base, “I have said it many times, how counterproductive it is for the United States to announce in advance the dates we intend to begin or end military options.” His strategy includes holding back specific details to the public and keeping military plans behind closed doors with the intent to gain some victories for the United States through the element of surprise.

His speech outlined a few key points that gave the American people a general idea of what lies ahead regarding the future of this battle. While not giving specific numbers, President Trump has ordered the Pentagon to deploy thousands of more troops into Afghanistan to train Afghan forces and conduct counterterrorism missions. He promises to give the troops the resources and supplies they need to gain a win as they “deserve a plan for victory.” While this is the only plan that will directly affect the American people in the near future, the President has a new outlook on ISIS attacks and the Taliban movement. He plans to directly target these groups in an attempt to avert the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, destroy ISIS, and demolish al-Qaeda. Obama had the same intentions, only Trump has decided not to reveal the timelines of the withdrawal and addition of troops. He believes this method, along with changing the role of Pakistan in the war, will lead our nation to victory in the longest war in U.S history. It has been repeatedly shown that Pakistan harbors terrorists that pose a major threat to the U.S Military. President Trump is confident that his plan to get Pakistan to change their ways will better the military and the state of the war immensely.

Since his address, the people of the United States have been at odds on whether they feel as though this plan will go through, as keeping all military options a secret is a tall order. It seems almost impossible for all strategies to be secret for Congress and the troops themselves will have to be informed on upcoming procedures that need to be approved.

Many troops will be sent out, which may cause a disturbance within military families because of the fear of their loved ones being sent to war. Although they may be in panic, a portion of the nation believes this plan is another false promise that President Trump has made time and time again. As of now, all the American people can do is wait and see what the future holds.

Graphic By: Jasmin Blus

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he impact from this huge storm was predicted to be absolutely tragic, as the storm was noted as the powerful to ever strike the Atlantic. Category on everything they hit. A week before Hurricane Irma was set to impact the land, Floridians began the scramble of clearing out grocery store shelve

chose to stay and wait out the horror in the comfort of their homes. Now Florida, with help from all across the country, is looking to rebuild their bea

Timeline of H

News Ed

Aug. 30 - 11 a.m.

Tropical Storm Irma begins as a low-pressure system in the eastern Atlantic with winds of 48 mph.

Aug. 31- between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Irma intensified into a hurricane, with a small and clearing eye and winds up to 98 mph, about 650 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands and 1,845 miles east of the Leeward Islands.

Sept. 9 - 2 p.m.

Irma lingers at 7 mph over Cuba, with sustained winds dropping to 125 mph, major hurricane-force winds projected for the Florida Keys by dawn.

Sept. 10 - 9:10 a.m.

Hurricane Irma makes landfall at Cudjoe Key in the lower Florida Keys as a Category 4 storm with 130 mph sustained winds. A 106 mph gust was reported at National Key Deer Refuge in Big Pine Key. The storm headed northwest at 8 mph.

Sept. 9 - 5 a.m.

As Irma passes over Cuba, it weakens again to a Category 4 hurricane with 155 mph winds.

Sept. 1 through Sept. 4 Irma's strength fluctuates as it crosses the tropical mid-Atlantic, with 110 mph winds growing to 145 mph by the end of this passage. Hurricane warnings are issued for the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by 11 p.m. on Sept. 4.

Sept. 8 - 11 p.m.

Irma makes landfall on Cuba’s Camaguey archipelago as a Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 160 mph.

Sept. 10 - 2 p.m.

Irma weakens to Category 3 storm with 120 mph winds. A life-threatening surge of 10 to 15 feet of water was forecast, as residents of Naples and Marco Island were instructed to move away from the water.

Sept. 5 - 7:45 a.m.

Irma is labeled a Category 5 storm with maximum winds of 175 mph and strong gusts.

Sept. 8 - 8 p.m.

Irma’s southwestern eyewall moves over the north coast of Cuba.

Sept. 10 at 3:35 p.m.

Irma makes landfall again in Florida on Marco Island as a Category 3 storm with 115 mph winds.

Sept. 5 - 11 a.m.

The Bahamas issued a hurricane watch for Turks and Caicos Islands for the potentially catastrophic storm. The north coast of Haiti was also placed under a hurricane watch.

Sept. 8 - 5 a.m.

Irma moves over the sout Bahamas as a category 4 s with 155 mph winds.

Sept. 10 Irma winds down to a Cat tained winds of 110 mph, bu reported at Naples Municip measured water 2.2 feet a water, which represented a previous hour and a half, a Oceanic and Atmospheric A

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“I never lost power, I stayed home the whole time, lost water completely for a day and was on boil alert for about a week. Our food situation was fine because we had power for our stoves and microwaves and we were stocked up. I helped my dad put up the shutters and that was tiring. My younger sister was a bit scared when she heard the loud noises. My dogs went whenever they could without getting wet or blown away. For us there wasn’t much to clean up with branches outside and just putting the lawn equipment back.”

-Victor Acevedo, sophomore

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egory 5 hurricanes pose the risk of potentially being life-threatening, as the forceful winds, violent rainfall, and erratic storm surges have a major re shelves and protect their homes. As the week progressed, terror began to intensify. Many residents evacuated to other cities, states, or countries. d their beautiful landscape, and relentless sprits. As we continue to recover from the disastrous damage, our community unites to help those in need

Hurricane Irma Editor

Sept. 6 - 2 a.m.

Irma’s eye passes over Barbuda. Watches and warnings are placed across the Caribbean Islands.

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outhern 4 storm

Sept. 6 - 6 a.m.

Irma’s eye passes over St. Martin, St. Maarten, St. Barts, and the northern area of Anguilla.

Sept. 8 - 2 a.m.

Irma’s eye passes just north of Great Inagua Island.

0 - 6 p.m.

Category 2 storm with susbut a gust of 142 mph was cipal Airport. A tide gauge above mean higher high d a 7-foot increase in the , according to the National c Administration.

Sept. 6 - 1 p.m.

Buck Island in the U.S. Virgin Islands reports 110 mph wind gust.

Sept. 7 - 11 a.m.

Hurricane surge and storm warnings are issued for Florida and the Florida Keys.

Sept 11 - 2 am Irma decreases to a Category 1 with winds of 85 mph, making landfall northwest of Lakeland Florida.

Sept. 6 - 2 p.m.

The core of Irma passed over the northernmost Virgin Islands.

Sept. 7 - 8 p.m.

Irma pummels the Turks and Caicos Islands with sustained winds of 175 mph.

Sept. 6 - 8 p.m.

Irma’s eye passes just north of Puerto Rico at 16 mph as a Category 5 storm with 185 mph winds.

Sept. 7 - 2 p.m.

Irma’s eye moves between the north coast of Hispaniola and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Sept 11 - 8 am Irma lowers to a tropical storm with winds of 70 mph affecting Cedar key, Florida. The tropical storm makes its way up the northwest coast of Florida, into parts of Georgia.

Sept 7 -3 a.m.

The eye passed north of Puerto Rico.

Sept 7 - 4 a.m.

Irma passes north of the Dominican Republic, heading toward the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Sept 11 -11 pm Irma winds down to a tropical depression, making landfall in parts of Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee.

During Hurricane Irma

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verall, hurricane Irma was an interesting experience. Although it didn't hit us directly, there was mild damage around the city. In my house, with two younger siblings, the whole power outage was chaotic because it left us having to distract ourselves without using the TV or any other electronic. When the power went out, we were also left without a way to communicate with anyone. However, I think that my family benefited from it because it made us spend time together without technology. Luckily we weren't hit with the eye, because then we would've been in way worse conditions.

-Isabelle Gonzales, freshman

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their houses. Luckily, for my family people who lost power for multiple days and had a lot of damage outside family and I to have been extrememy consider I major. too nothing but fall branches of bunch a had we just ly lucky during hurricane Irma and I’m so thankful for that.”

-Daniel Dellostrologo, sophomore

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Hurricane Irma

Protecting your Precious Pets

Graphic By: Justin Pierce

Ainsley McCormick

A

Student Life Editor

“ dog is a man’s best friend.” This common saying sticks true to many animal lovers’ hearts, and nothing in the world, not even a category five hurricane, would keep them from taking care of their beloved pets. As Irma approached South Florida, evacuees had to make the tough decision of leaving their pets behind or taking them along or the trip.

Videos and tweets about people abandoning their pets have gone viral on the internet, causing this question to arise: should people take their animals with them if a dangerous storm is approaching? For junior Kevin Zak, the answer was an obvious yes. He evacuated to South Carolina with Fifi, his Pomeranian.

Sometimes, traveling with a pet can be anxious. Worrying about their bathroom needs, comfort, and safety can be a large concern for people who take their pets places, but in this case it was a better option than leaving them in the harsh wind and rain. Kevin said, “Yes definitely, she was very nervous at first so it was difficult to try to calm her down. She finally chilled out and got comfortable when we got to the house.”

With so many people evacuating, it could be difficult to pull off the side of the road to let their dogs use the bathroom- just one of the things that pet owners had to do. One junior, Sophia Francisco, stayed at home with her pets to make sure they were safe during the storm. Sophia has two dogs and two cats, and a few other animals as well. She decided that their lives were just as important as hers, so she did not evacuate and instead stayed at her house with them. This proved to be difficult with the loss of power and a boil water notice. “I’m glad I stayed with my pets and made sure they were safe. It was worth it to keep them with me. Before the hurricane, we made sure that there was enough food and water in my house to keep them full for at least a week, in case we were unable to get it after the hurricane,” said Sophia.

Our pets play an intricate role in our everyday lives, and protecting them from a disaster is as important as protecting the humans in their family. After Hurricane Irma, many pets were lost, but most students were aware of their pet and did their best to keep them safe.

Will the Keys Solve Irma’s Lock?

Swati Kumar Interim Clubs Editor

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ollowing in the fate of the Caribbean at the hands of Hurricane Irma, Cuba’s 90mile neighbor, the Florida Keys endured the infamous Hurricane Irma, a storm for the record books, on September 9th. With its brutal winds and immense storm surges, Irma takes a place in history as the most intense hurricane to brew in the Atlantic since 2007.

Though occurring exactly 10 years following the last extreme storm of the Atlantic, Irma took quite a significant toll on the Florida Keys, leaving behind a trail of destruction as farewell.

As of September 5th, a state of local emergency was declared for Monroe County and Key West International Airport closed on the 6th, cancelling all commercial flights.

Monroe Co. Emergency Operations Center Director Martin Senterfitt expressed that people could not afford to stay on an island with a Category 5 hurricane coming at them.

“Most of this island chain is only three to five feet above sea level. With the surges we’re expecting this is not the place to be,” he said. Hence, evacuation orders were issued, leaving the people of the Keys to stay elsewhere while Irma swept over their homes.

Making landfall at Cudjoe Key around 9:10 a.m. on September 9th, Irma uprooted Florida’s palm trees left and right, tore shingles off of roofs with its hurricane-force wind gusts of up to 90 mph, and brought storm surges of over 10 feet in low-lying Keys, sinking boats and loose vessels. In the aftermath, Keys homes were left battered but standing. Though there was flooding and minor damage including exploded houses, debris everywhere, misplaced boats, and mobile houses overturned, the Keys were not a Graphic By: Rosa Gomez scene of utter and complete destruction.

“Due to the inevitable wreckage that hurricane Irma cost, I believe the Keys will need quite some reconstruction and time to recover to its original state before the storm,” claims sophomore Angel Biju who often visits the Keys and holds a personal tie there, a very close friend. “My friend is alright since she and her family evacuated early, hoping to avoid extensive traffic and made their way to Atlanta. However, some of their property has sustained severe damage so they will need some time to fix things up,” she said.

If anything, Hurricane Irma highlighted the efficiency of Florida’s new building codes, a result of the lesson learned from Hurricane Andrew. Homes in the Keys, though in need of repair, still remained standing through the hurricane and after. They are models for reducing damage in Florida. “My family and I often travel to the Keys, mostly to visit our friend living down there,” expresses Angel. “I have been looking at the structures of the buildings there and I believe their current building codes were apt. Our friend’s home was damaged but it is still standing and I really think that says something.”

As of September 20th, 98% of power has been restored in the United States’ southernmost tip and the boil water advisory has been lifted in some areas of Monroe County. The Upper Keys’, Key Largo, and much of Islamorada went through less of Irma’s wrath. Others, such as parts of Marathon and the Lower Keys experienced far too much of the storm for their liking and are still on their road to recovery.

During such a disastrous event people will learn to find strength and resilience to face however terrible a situation comes at them? The Florida Keys are slowly but surely healing after this catastrophe. They are the Keys after all. How could they not solve Irma’s lock?

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Hurricane Irma

Recovering from Irma Matthew Hernandez Interim Lifestyle Editor

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n Sunday, September 10th, the massive category 5 hurricane, Irma, made landfall in the United States’ southeastern region. After destroying and devastating several Caribbean islands, Irma headed for Key West and eventually hit South Florida. Irma’s winds have quickly become known as the strongest of any hurricane ever. Floridians found themselves stumbling through stores, staring blankly at empty shelves as they searched for water and food, and gas lines were outrageously long, making it almost impossible to get gas. After the storm hit South Florida, the first issue for those affected was when the power would come back.

For some, they never lost power, and for others, they are still out of power. Now, hurricane relief efforts are in full effect as the community looks to repair and rebuild Florida and the Caribbean islands.

Clubs at Pines Charter are holding drives in order to help those islands in dire need. The Spanish Honor Society is holding a drive to help the islands of St. Thomas, St. John, St. Maarten and Antigua. The donations, which can be brought into room C201, include items such as disposable diapers, wipes, toilet paper, soap, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, insect repellent, first aid supplies, towels, blankets, and pillows.

Senior and member of SNHS Andrea Tholenaar said, “For some countries it is extremely difficult to find the necessary resources to come back from the disastrous effects of natural disasters. SHS joined Ms. Diaz’s efforts in organizing a drive to donate basic items such as hygiene products, clothing, and water to various Caribbean islands. There are times when less fortunate people need our help and this is one of those times.” Key Club is also donating to those in need, due to the devastating natural disaster by hosting a donation drive from September 20th to the 28th. Key Club President and senior Ashley Clements said, “When we heard about the devastation Hurricane Irma caused to the keys and the rest of Florida, the Key Club board and I knew that we had to help those people get back on their feet. We joined up with KG4 and are having a second period homeroom donation drive where students can Graphic By: Rosa Gomez donate items such as food, toiletries, and clothes. On September 29th, we will be delivering the donated items to Feeding South Florida.”

Also, many organizations around the state are seeking for citizens to donate to relief efforts.

The American Red Cross is taking donations for Irma victims and they are accepting volunteers for shelters and food lines. United Way of Broward County is working together with the Salvation Army and accepting donations of non-perishable items, water, and diapers. United Way is also partnering up with HandsOn Broward and actively recruiting volunteers to hand out meals and water. Lastly, Food for the Poor is accepting cash donations countries in the Caribbean affected by Irma such as the U.S Virgin Islands and Barbuda.

There are many ways for PPCHS students to take part in Irma relief efforts whether it is through clubs at school or through the community. From the Spanish Honor Society to the

Paradise Becomes Nuclear Landscape?

Swati Kumar Interim Clubs Editor

T he Caribbean, home to some of Earth’s most scenic destinations, is currently amid a thick darkness, lacking in food, water, and power. Hurricane Irma, the most intense

Atlantic hurricane to strike the United States since Katrina in 2005, swept across the northeastern Caribbean from September 6th to the 8th, leaving widespread and extreme catastrophic damage in its wake. Citizens of the affected islands are now left to cope with the devastating and traumatic effects of Hurricane Irma.

The storm certainly left behind a disaster to recover from in the affected islands: Antigua, Barbuda, St. Martin, Anguilla, St. Kitts and Nevis, US Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Turks and Caicos, Bahamas, and Cuba.

“The effects of Irma were extremely devastating, especially in the Caribbean. The islands’ building codes are not nearly as strong as that of Florida, and not all of them have such extensive precautionary methods as we do,” states sophomore Danielle Porres whose father grew up in Cuba. “Moreover, evacuation methods and transportation are limited if even possible. From hearing about Cuba so much from my father, I know that many Cuban citizens still do not have access to modern cell phones, cars, or flights than can aid them during this distressing situation.”

The Category 5 storm ravaged the islands, maintaining a near-record wind speed of 185 mph and wreaked havoc in the lives of approximately 1.2 million people. Leaving people to fend for themselves in an extremely erratic environment, Irma killed Graphic By: Justin Pierce 44 individuals in the Caribbean, caused considerable shortages in necessities such as food and water, and destroyed an immense number of government building, schools, and homes. In an interview conducted by CNN, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson expressed that this was the most extraordinary scene of decimation and devastation that many people have witnessed in their lives after touring Tortola, the largest of the British Virgin Islands. “It really is a nuclear landscape,” he expressed.

The US and Europe stepped up to assist their territories and former colonies by sending food, water, medical supplies, and aid experts following the hurricane’s disastrous effects. To the islands of St. Thomas and St. John, the US Federal Emergency Management Agency dispatched 443,000 meals and 270,000 liters of water, among other supplies. Moreover, according to the defense department, the US Army Corps of Engineers assessed St. Thomas’ main hospital and are helping send a 750-kilowatt generator to St. Thomas that can restart the island’s power plant. However, many residents in the Carib bean still feel forgotten by the rest of the world.

“We're just waiting,” said Mike Simmonds, whose St. Thomas home since 1985 endured severe damage from Irma. “I wouldn't say (for) help. One thing I can say for the weather report ... whenever there's a storm in the area, they always seem to jump over the Virgin Islands before the storm hits. It's always, ‘Is it going to hit Florida? Is it going to North Carolina?’ I'm like, ‘Hello. It didn't reach us yet. Tell us what to do.’”

Still in the process of recovery after Hurricane Irma, islands in the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, are anticipating category five Hurricane Maria and doing their best in preparation to brace for the impact. Already having made landfall in Dominica around 9:15 p.m. on September 18th, Hurricane Maria is expected to approach the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Wednesday September 20 with estimated winds of 160 mph and a possible 12-18 inches of rain. Necessary precautions are being taken in Puerto Rico with evacuation orders issued and 450 shelters opened. Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello encouraged residents to execute emergency plans immediately. “Now is the moment to save lives,” he claimed.

After such a distressing hurricane and the news of one following right behind, those in the Caribbean have to prepare themselves to face the current and possibly forthcoming volatile situation. They must show their resilience and go down the path of recovery to the best of their ability.

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Domonique Worship – NBA Lawyer Florencia Azcurra Staff Writer

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lthough it might be hard to believe, there is life after Charter. Just ask one of the many alumni who have graduated from the school in previous years. Or more specifically, someone like Domonique Worship. She graduated from Charter in 2007 and went off to become an attorney for the National Basketball Association, or NBA, in the beautiful city of New York. Past students who are so successful, like Domonique, after having graduated from Charter is really something the school and its staff are proud of. Pines Charter’s principal, Mr. Bayer says, “It’s awesome that there are kids going off to become something so big successful. I love that. It’s good to see different ways they’re successful too. Some are musicians, others surgeons, others with big sports teams and it’s really amazing to see what these former students do with their success. Overall, I think charter played an important role in their life, and I’m happy to have been a part of it.” Knowing these successful students came from Charter can serve as an inspiration to other kids currently here at the school; but it all has to start from somewhere.

When she graduated Charter, Domonique continued her education at UF where she completed her bachelor's degree in political science and Spanish. To enhance her Spanish skills, she also studied abroad in Mexico at the University of Guanajuato. After five years at UF, she was accepted into Harvard School of Law where after four years, she received her J.D. Domonique only recently started her work with the NBA in June 2017. Beforehand, she had worked as an associate with the Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP law practice. She also did an internship in 2014 with the United Nations Development Programme in New York. Her hard work most certainly paid off! Another internship she did was in 2012 for Justice Global in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While in Rio, she planned legal strategy for prison abuse cases. Domonique also spent some time in Mexico a few years back interviewing government officials in different cities throughout Mexico on the phenomenon of street children.

In her earlier years, she really tested her international experiences by doing work all over South America. Domonique also traveled within the United States. She was a teaching assistant in the Advantage Testing Foundation in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2011.

After graduating from Charter, Domonique Worship never failed to take an opportunity and succeed at it. She is a prime example of the kind of people our school molds and sends out into the world.

Charter Alumnus Produces Music Ainsley McCormick Student Life Editor

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ow amazing would it be to move to L.A. after college to produce music for big names, such as Fifth Harmony, Jason Derulo, and Pitbull? This was a reality for Marcus Lomax, often known as MarcLo, who graduated Charter in 2005.

MarcLo works in a group known as The Monsters and the Strangerz. They have been writing and producing music since 2011. Some of their hits include, “I Don’t Like it, I Love it” by Flo Rida ft. Robin Thicke and “Slow Hands” by Niall Horan. While attending Charter, he began developing the fundamental skills that would help him later in life. An important lesson he learned was how to interact with people from all different aspects of life. Being a musician, he has to meet new people every day and has learned how to work and get along with his colleagues to create amazing things.

For many, producing with famous singers and songwriters may be the best part of the job, but for MarcLo it’s hearing fans sing along to the songs his group has worked so hard on. He said, “My favorite part of my job is writing songs for various artists or for myself, and seeing people in the real world sing, dance, or meme them. There's not a more gratifying feeling than being on stage or at a concert and hearing thousands of fans singing your lyrics and melodies.”

Mr. Bayer and MarcLo both remember a specific moment from MarcoLo’s senior year. He played basketball, and he also sang. At his senior prom, MarcLo remembers preforming “The 05 Song” with his basketball teammates. Interestingly enough, this was an original song written by MarcLo for his class. In addition, he recalls making a dunk in his last basketball home game senior year.

MarcLo’s career does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon. He is a legitimate example of how the success students encounter upon graduating Pines Charter.

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