The chat newspaper february 2015 year 15 issue #6

See Feature on Black History Month Pages 16-19

Jake Dreilinger Editor-in-Chief Maria Bozo - Layout/Content Kyle Moss-Solomon - Video Managing Editors Chatter Daily News Taylor Horan Web Managing Editor Emily Deese Business Manager Mr. J. Harris - Layout Mr. F. Fagen - Content Mr. J. Harris - Video Advisers

Mr. P. Bayer Principal

Looghermine Claude News Editor Melissa Pierce Student Life Editor David Cha-Kim Technology Editor

Contents

The C.H.C. Staff

Shakayla Lee Entertainment Editor Brett Alayon Sports Editor Aalyiah Pasols Features Editor Nicholas Rivera Lifestyle Editor Hayley Hartwell Clubs Editor

Student Life:

Tyra Green By the Grade Editor Rebecca Gonzales - The CHAT Peter Dourvetakis - Web Photo Editors Matthew Perez Graphics Editor Carmen Pettersen Cartoonist CONTENT STAFF: Cristine Alayon, Josiah Celestine, Lauren Cookley, Matthew Deno, Sofia Gangotena, Camilo Grijalva, Hanan Hessin, LJ Lemmers, Amanda Peralta, Autumn Pough, Lauren Ramirez, Evan Samuels LAYOUT STAFF: Emily Deese, Tomas Eiletz, Esteban Gangotena, Jacob Morgenstern, Fernando Plata PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF: Ryan Corona, Jonathan Harris, Alexis MongeRodriguez, Aalyiah Pasols, Sydney Silverberg GRAPHIC STAFF: Katie Perez CHAT VIDEO NEWS STAFF: Samuel Eliacin, Matthew Fernandez, Genesis Vesco 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

SGA Campaigns: The Prep and Pep of running it PPCHS Student Leaders: Student Leaders become CyberALLYs

Lifestyle: The CHAT Editorials: Born this way, acceptance today Driverless Cars: Who’s behind the wheel?

Technology: Google Fiber: Google puts more ‘Fiber’ in your Internet SNES to Wii U: Evolution of Mario Kart

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Feature on Black History Showcase: Pg 16

Sports: PPCHS Girls’ Soccer: Jags claim second in state The Varsity Duo: Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball Recap

News:

Feature on BAFS Testing: Pg 4

Features: Affirmative Action: Equal horizon, equal opportunity The CHAT Editorials: Up close and personal with the truth

Entertainment:

The CHAT Editorials: ‘Land of the free’ (we can only hope)

The CHAT Editorial: A Trailblazer for black sitcoms

Student Opinions: Free College for two years

Black or White: Does love see color?

Clubs & Electives:

Columns:

New Green Flag: Jags take in a breath of fresh air

Caught on Camera: Officers enforce law or stand above it?

PPCHS Heath Fair: Fairly healthy turnout at health fair

Police Officers: The real life Guardians of the Galaxy

Charter P

Edmentum: The 21st Century Classroom Cristine Alayon

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Staff Writer

dmentum is a new online learning program that assists students in academic and career success, and it is now at Pines Charter. This program is basically the new 21st century classroom that strives for students to succeed in their individual level. To join the program, one must simply create an account and choose from 11 options of a product to login to; meaning there are many different criteria’s to learn and join. The goal for this program is to solve student’s challenges by having coaches and teachers assist them in their weaknesses.

Edmentum has found its way back to Pines Charter this winter. The program allows students to complete a required online class for students who are not pursuing an AICE diploma. Classes such as H.O.P.E could be taken through this online program that PPCHS recently purchased. “Last summer, I completed the H.O.P.E course online through Edmentum and it was such an easy process to complete my requirement,” said sophomore Erika Hammond.

Not only does Edmentum offer Math and English courses, but they are also going to add 70 career and technical Ed courses for the 2015-2016 school year.

The program is releasing more than 70 career and technical education courses. Featuring courses would be learning paths in arts, AV technology, communications, business management and administration, and health science. These new courses will be accessible on mobile devices with engaging, real-world content.

“The company recently released new Math and English Language Arts courses that are electronically handy and built to reach Common Core standards. These new courses enhance approved courses, making them easier to use on mobile devices, incorporate additional interactive activities, and include multiple item-types within their assessments to further improve their 21st century skills platform,” written in an article by Andrea Gronberg, from Business Wire.

Pines Charter has Edmentum returning this winter for students to get a head start in completing their required online course. Junior Lauren Martinez said “Since I haven’t completed an online class yet, I am looking forward to using the program over the summer.” PPCHS students, prepare for Edmentum which will equip all users for the future and make sure students have all the necessities to be successful. Importantly, now having Edmentum on mobile device makes getting the job done easier, the new 21st century classroom is here, Jags.

Edmentum: Edmentum offers students a way to enhance their education with a variety of courses to choose from. Photo by: Rebecca Gonzalez

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Hanan Hessin & Ama

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Staff Write

ake it seven straight A’s.

Pembroke Pines Charter High School received another A rating, although the road to an A took a little longer this year. A recent small mistake made a big impact and raised a lot of questions regarding how parents and students viewed PPCHS. It all came down to the miscalculation of three students and the imprecise shuffling of papers. On February 18, 2015, Pembroke Pines Charter High School received it’s A-rating once again.

Initially, Pines Charter was penalized and marked as a ‘B’ school because a portion of their at-risk students were incorrectly categorized as non-graduates. The state’s criteria prevents any school from receiving an ‘A’ grade if less than 65% of their at-risk population does not graduate. The Florida Department of Education confirmed that there was an error in calculating PPCHS’ grade.

Somewhere between the scores being mailed from Broward to Tampa, the data got misinterpreted and showed that PPCHS did not have enough at-risk stu-

dents graduating, when in fact, they di Quakenbush, PPCHS’ data processor, forward, the same mistake will not reo as a requirement. The state realized th a school through a small amount of st determining how they grade a school.

“It was a scary time for us because a l and to stay an A for seven years now i dedication and we know that all of ou and studies here at PPCHS so of cours fused. When Mr. Bayer announced ov once again, the entire D building shoo “Fortunately for us, Mrs. Quakenbu were able to prove without a doubt tha

Students test their Taylor Horan & LJ Lemmers

In the days of elementary and middle school, students had weeks where they spent showing what they know on a scantron and were not penalized for the scores. These

Managing Editor - Web & Staff Writer

tests were known as Benchmark Assessment Tests (BAT). These tests were created by the county and were used to show students and teachers what the students needed to learn or improve upon to perform well on state examinations. PPCHS students believed that the days of taking benchmark testing from the county were over since the FCAT was no longer administered and more changes were being made to state standardized testing.

However, students were surprised to learn that the week of February 2nd through 6th would be spent taking Benchmark testing in certain classes. Every 9th-11th grade student enrolled in an English course or a course that requires an EOC at the end of the year had to take a Broward Assessment for Florida Standards (BAFS) test in their respective course.

These tests were created by the county to help students and teachers prepare for End-ofCourse Assessments (EOCs) and Florida Standards Assessments (FSAs). The courses that required BAFS included Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Biology I, and U.S. History.

Both standard and honors courses had to take BAFS, but AP U.S. History and AP Biology were exempt. A.P., honors, and standard English courses required a BAFS to prepare for the FSAs. BAFS tests were administered during the student’s regular period. For example, a student enrolled in U.S. History took the U.S. History BAFS during his or her U.S. history period.

Each BAFS spanned two days, except for Biology which was administered in one day.

Each exam was 45 minutes in length and included a 10 minute warning before the end time. The exams were administered the old-fashioned way of paper and pencil, although EOCs are administered through a computer. Freshman Samantha Cabeza felt taking the BAFS was beneficial and a much better benchmark test compared to the BAT. “[The tests] were pretty easy. It was a good jump from the BAT to the BAFS. I was more comfortable taking this than the BAT,” said Cabeza. Some students did not have a very enjoyable or easy time with the new benchmark testing. “There were less questions and less time to answer the questions [compared to the BAT]. The reading was easy but the math was really hard,” said sophomore Christina Hartenhoff.

While students had mixed opinions on the BAFSs, teachers saw more pros than cons with the new tests. Many teachers felt that the testing was very helpful for their students to

excel on their EOC and FSA made them think more, whi Sophomore English teach was beneficial to students. we don’t practice, then we w The test was also beneficia struggling in the course co comprehension, a teacher c comprehension to improve. the illness is, we can try to important for our high scho Mrs. Portuondo.

The timing and administra typically were administered benchmark tests about a wee getting a practice test so soo were a lot of paired questio sides students being shocked not informed much earlier. “ the new tests. We have to d Students are given a chance Peter Bayer.

The BAFS test was truly istration alike. The test ha questions that make the tes that the questions asked in gives teachers a look at wha students will experience a n still unknown if BAFS will cannot conquer.

PrevAils

Success at the SOS Walkathon

SOS Walkathon: Jaguars contribute to a good cause by stepping onto the track during study hall to participate in the Walkathon. Photo by: Alex Monge

Graphic by: Katie Perez

manda

Peralta

Sofia Gangotena

ers

id. However, with the help of Mrs. Savina r, the error was quickly corrected. Going occur due to the state eliminating this rule the rule that based the overall ranking of tudents’ scores’ was an inaccurate way of

lot of work goes into staying an A school, is pretty awesome. It takes hard work and ur students put forth 110% into their work se all the teachers were shocked and conver the intercom that we are an A school ok with excitement,” said Mrs. Cabeza. ush kept very, very good records and we at we had the right kids graduating and that

we are, indeed, an ‘A’ school,” said Principal Peter Bayer.

Students, parents, and teachers were all confused as to why the ranking to a college preparatory school had suddenly declined after six years of being an ‘A’ school. Principal Bayer worked diligently to find the problem and why PPCHS had been ranked incorrectly. After viewing over all of PPCHS’ scores and records, making phone calls, and having discussions, Mr. Bayer and PPCHS’ administration were able to show beyond doubt that Pines Charter is in fact still as strong as it was when the system first opened. Pembroke Pines Charter’s ongoing success continues to prove to be the finest charter school system in the nation.

“I think that although our ranking changed for a brief period of time, it did not make much of a change because PPCHS is still a tightly-knit community,” said PPCHS senior Raul James (RJ) Reyes. Now, PPCHS stands proud as an ‘A’ school once again.

luck at a new exam

A tests. They felt that the new test challenged the students and ich of course is beneficial to them in turn. her Mrs. Cabeza was one of the teachers who felt the testing “It’s a lot of testing, but its good practice for the students. If won’t be prepared for when the actual test comes, “she shared. al because it allowed teachers to see what areas students are ontent. For example, if many students score low on reading can take this new knowledge and present a lesson on reading . “The BAFS are like our doctor diagnosis. Once we know what o fix it. I think it requires more critical thinking skills which is ool students across the state,” said AICE General Paper teacher

ation of BASFs took everyone by surprise. Benchmark exams d in the fall season. Students learned they would be taking these eek before they were administered. “I was shocked that we were oon. I didn’t even know about it till the day it was given. There ons making the test hard,” said sophomore Wynton White. Beed by the rolling out of these tests, administration and staff were “There are so many changes in the state and expectations with do everything we can to make sure the students are prepared. e to succeed even if they don’t want to take it,” said Principal

y a surprise and a change for students, teachers, and adminas offered a new challenge to students with critical thinking est more comprehensive than others. However, some do feel this test are easier than the previous benchmark tests. BAFS at areas their students need to improve on as well. Additionally, new challenge that will take their learning to new heights. It is l be back again next year, but there is nothing that our students

FSA: A class of sophomores prepare for the English FSA by taking the BAFS. Photo by:Jonathan Harris

O

Staff Writer

n February 4th, 2015, during Homeroom in second period, students and teachers piled onto the football field to take part in the second annual Walkathon to raise money for our schools. Students took the opportunity as a time to hang out with friends as they walked laps around the field.

Senior Austin Lockett said, “I thought that the walkathon was a refreshing break from my normal schedule.

It was nice to be outside with friends.”

Overall, between all campuses, the Walkathon raised approximately $14,000. Mrs. Cabeza was the head of this event for the first time. “The money gets placed in the Charter School Foundation and is keeping our reserves in a good place. We cannot operate in the ‘red’,” said Cabeza. During the planning for the Walkathon, Ms. Ostendorf and Mrs. Battle shared information from last year’s Walkathon, where it raised money for Autism Awareness.

Seniors like Kristen Rodriguez, Zach Sachs, and Sedric Nick helped Mrs. Cabeza plan the Walkathon.

“Planning was fun. We got some posters up and we saw the whole thing. It was really nice to see our hard work in real life,” said Nick.

Drumline was there performing while the students and teachers walked their laps around the track. Students attending the walkathon got the opportunity to listen to original music from Drumline, such as a song called “Duckmouth”. Senior and drumline member Kevin Borbolla said, “It’s always fun to play for people and give it our best, no matter what.”

SOS, or Support Our Schools, is the organization that benefitted from the Walkathon this year. SOS was created last year to fundraise for our schools in order to keep it running. Thus far, the organization has used walkathons, dress down days, and t-shirt sales to raise money for all Charter campuses. Using these methods, the schools have been to raise around $375,000. Mrs. Cabeza said, “Even the smallest donation can help our schools. If every student takes part in the dress down days to help our schools, we can raise a lot of money.”

Other ways that the schools have raised money is through selling snacks to students. This is not yet available in the high school campus, but in other campuses, it has raised over $25,000 since August. “It’s based solely on donations. Parents need hours and we need funds, so they are instrumental in saving our schools,” Cabeza said.

Students can expect to see the Walkathon for many years to come. It’s been very useful to raise money for many organizations. Mrs. Cabeza said, “If something works, it’s important to keep using it.”

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Student Life O

Taylor Horan

The Prep and Pep of Run

Managing Editor - Web

n Monday, February 2nd, 42 students gathered in U225 to attend the 2015-2016 Student Government Association (SGA) Intent to Run meeting. The meeting was mandatory for any student who desired to run and was filled with crucial information. Every 9th-11th grade student is eligible to run for the office of Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Parliamentarian. To run for the office of President, the student must have spent at least one year in the Leadership class and be a rising senior. To run for the office of class senator, the student has to be a member of that respective class. For example, a freshman would run for sophomore senator as the student would be a sophomore in the upcoming school year. Of the 42 students who attended, 21 decided to run for office. These students spent the week of February 9th-13th campaigning and working hard to get as many votes as possible. While running a campaign for SGA office may seem easy, it takes patience and dedication to hopefully be elected for a position on the SGA executive board.

Once a potential candidate attends the meeting, he or she is allowed to pick up an application for office. This application consists of administration approval, parent or guardian approval, recommendations from all six teachers, 40 signatures from peers supporting the campaign, and a written statement on why the student wishes to hold office. Once applications were picked up, students had three days to compete the application and submit it.

It was essential to submit the application on time as late applications were not accepted.

Once the application was submitted, a potential candidate became an official candidate on the ballot.

Candidates then began to brainstorm their campaign. When would the best time be to campaign? How should the campaign flyers look? Where should campaign flyers be posted?

Some candidates began as early as the Friday before campaign week to post flyers to make sure everything was ready, bright and early on the first day of campaigning.

For the upcoming school year, there was only one office that is being run for unopposed.

That position is SGA President. Junior Saman Govaria will begin her term as SGA President later this year once she is inducted at the SGA Banquet in March. “Even though I am running unopposed, I made a banner so people are still aware of who they were voting for.

I still felt anxious though because I had multiple close friends running for [SGA officer] positions,” Govaria stated.

For the positions that were not unopposed, candidates have to work especially hard to gain votes. The most students running for a single position was three. Junior Isabel Feliciano ran for the position of historian. “This year, I campaigned by posting flyers and telling my fellow classmates why I am a good fit for SGA historian,” she shared. Sophomore Madison Lear ran for parliamentarian. “I ran for the position because, ever since I joined SGA this year, I loved the organization and wanted to do my part in making it run as effective as possible. I tried to make my [campaign material] appealing and eye catching to help my campaign,” she stated. Campaign material included flyers, stickers, and banners.

Candidates had to follow a strict set of guidelines during campaign week that were agreed to upon submitting the application to run for office. Candidates were allowed to post 30 flyers and one banner up to six feet in the cafeteria. Stickers were allowed to be distributed but the candidate was to take responsibility for stickers placed on doors or walls. Campaigning had to strictly occur between the dates of campaign week. Violation of any of the campaign rules led to the consequence of immediate disqualification.

While campaign week can be quite stressful, the students elected to the SGA board will do a wonderful job serving their offices. After all, some say campaign week is the most stressful time for SGA students. Campaign week was tough but, on February 17th, 10 candidates learned good news that they had won. The officers for the 2015-2016 SGA Executive Board are President Saman Govaria, Vice President Arianna Noda, Co-Secretaries Diego Burga and Victoria Max, Treasurer Taylor Horan, Historian Skylar Cannon, Parliamentarian Madison Lear, Sophomore Senator Mia Gonzales, Junior Senator Emilo Montanez, and Senior Senator Pilar Sanchez. If these candidates were able to handle campaign week, the candidates can handle any of the challenges that SGA has to face.

SGA President Saman Govaria (‘16)

PPCHS Student Leader

Loogherm

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Taylor Horan (‘16)

Maria “Pilar” Sanchez (‘16)

News

ixteen student leaders from different PPCHS organizations gathered in the library o the students discussed problems that they’ve encountered around the school and online, lea The event started out with a brief introduction from the students and the moderators, Sta League and the seminar. Keeping with the goals, the students created words and phrases Role Model, Equality, Safety, Passion, Enthusiasm, Courage, and Tolerance were ideas Pila "I thought it was a great experience that really allowed me to understand bullying from passionate about the topic and made us feel like we could really make a difference," said C The even then segwayed into a group discussion about high school students’ in-person vs students decide to post and share things on social media that they may or may not have stat people’s online personas.

The participants were introduced to the story of Tyler Clementi, a freshman at Rutgers U the room, students first read off a PowerPoint actual conversations between people during Washington Bridge and killing himself. After hearing about the story and the death of Tyle broken into two groups to discuss the situation in depth. They spoke with each other about The discussion let students like Kelsey Farenhem, to face the problems of cyberbullying w "It was really different than I expected it to be. We got to share our opinions and thoughts on a unique view to the conversation, which made it an incredible learning experience for eve The students finished off the seminar by discussing what it meant to be a CyberALLY and had the chance to put these methods into practice as they broke into other groups and were the bully and use their strategies to try and fix their ways. As they left the library that day, th They will take these lessons back to the school, and help change the way they run the scho

nning an SGA Campaign

SGA Vice President Arianna Noda (‘16)

SGA Parliamentarian Madison Lear (‘17)

SGA Secretaries Victoria Max (‘17) & Diego Burga (‘17)

SGA Senior Senator Maria “Pilar” Sanchez (‘16)

Student Life

SGA Treasurer Taylor Horan (‘16)

SGA Historian Skylar Cannon (‘17)

SGA Junior Senator Diego Burga (‘17)

SGA Sophomore Senator

rs become CyberALLYs

ine

Claude

Editor

n Thursday, February 5th to learn about what it takes to be a CyberALLY. For three hours, arned about real-life scenarios, and understood ways that they could help as student leaders. anley and Tali, and the student leaders were introduced to the goals of the Anti-Defamation that went along with the letters in RESPECT that contributed to the cultivation of respect. ar Sanchez, John Paul Herrera, Alexa Kauffman, Taylor Horan and others came up with. m different perspectives. Tali and Stanley, the coordinators of the program, were also really Christina Yeh, president of NHS. . online personas. The participants were allowed to go back and forth about the reason why ted in real life. This discussion led to students discussing the way cyberbullying stems from

University. Tyler’s story is an example of a possible ending of cyberbullying. Going around g the period that Tyler was bullied. The story ended with Tyler jumping off of the George r and watching a clip from the trial of one of his bullies, Dharun Ravi, the participants were t other possible endings of Tyler’s stories and about how common stories like Tyler’s were. ith a real-life example. n what really matters in bullying and how to prevent it. Everyone there was able to contribute ryone involved," said Kelsey Farenhem, president of Key Club. the things that they could do in their school as student leaders to help fix the problem. They handed a letter from a cyberbully. The student leaders were given the task of responding to e students were truly impacted by the words of Stanley and Tali and Tyler Clementi, as well. ol, for the better.

John Paul Herrera (‘16)

Alexa Kaufman (‘17)

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Getting ready for the FSA Evan Samuels Staff Writer

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tudents at PPCHS are ready to take on the new Florida Standard Assessment (FSA).

This Florida Assessment has taken place of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), which most Floridian students are accustomed to. Similar to the traditional FCAT, the FSA has a writing portion and reading portion. The testing days will be starting in March and continue through April 2015.

The test days for the writing portion will be on March 2nd through March 13th. It’s made up of two different stories that students must read carefully and analyze. Students must be able to write informatively or argumentatively based on the writing prompt. “I am ready to take on the FSA Writing. I am a little scared because I’m not the best writer.

Although I do know my teachers are great at preparing me for the test, so I will be fine,” said freshman Gabriela Deno. Students will have 120 minutes to complete the writing portion of the exam. One can score up to 10 points. To get a 10 a student needs, 4 points for purpose, focus, and organization, 4 points for elaboration and evidence, and 2 points for correct vocabulary.

“I’m scared of the FSA Writing because I do not know what to expect. I still need a lot more preparation to be ready for the writing portion. I have confidence in my teachers to help make me ready for the FSA Writing,” said freshman Gabriela Perez.

The reading/listening portion will take place on April 13th through May 8th.

The listening portion students will put on headphones and listen to a story.

Students will have to answer questions based on what you hear. 70% of the portion is informative, while the other 30% is literature.

“I am a terrible listener in class, so I’m going to have a tough time listening to a passage. I will have to be 100% focused while taking this test,” said freshman Brandon Hedge.

Students will need to be ready to work hard every single day before the FSA. Science, History, and Math Departments are working cooperatively with the English Department to help students be prepared for the test. They are preparing students by giving students practice tests, and improving students’ writing style. As of right now, the students are the guinea pigs. It will not affect a student’s ability to pass a grade or and it isn’t a graduation requirement.

Sophomores and juniors are also taking the FSA, but the change is affecting freshman the most because of how, freshman students just learned in January there will be a writing portion of the FSA. Freshman are getting crammed with a lot of work, and it’s difficult for the ninth graders because of how the FSA is much more interactive with the student.

Freshmen are having a tough time getting use to the new format because of

the listening portion and writing portion of the test. Since the writing portion is no longer a 1-6 grading scale, students will have to adapt to these changes. With help from their teachers, ninth graders will be ready for anything the Assessment gives them this year and will be even more prepared for the following years.

Teachers are doing the best they can to prepare students. Whether it’s giving kids practice tests, or showing kids how to write informatively or argumentatively. With little time, teachers and students will need to work hard, be prepared for anything, and be at their highest potential to be ready to take on this new Florida Assessment.

Florida Standard Assessment: Freshmen are preparing for the FSA test, which will be administered this year for the first time. Photo by: Sydney Silverberg.

Hernandez making an impact Lauren Ramirez Staff Writer

Freshman class president Alejandro Hernandez has and hopes to continue to make a positive impact on the freshman class.

“I ran for the position of president because I feel that I would be the best possible person to hold the job. I put our school as a priority in my life and I feel that I can accurately represent the wants and needs of all members of the freshman class” said Hernandez.

While he is only a freshman, Hernandez is already looking forward to senior year and hopes that through the many fundraising activities he is planning the class will be able to decrease the cost of many senior year activities such as grad bash and prom.

“I think our biggest fundraiser of the year was our class shirts. Students are able to wear their class shirts on Fridays in order to show pride in their school and grade level. This concept attracted many students to the shirts and we sold more than me or the other student council members could have ever hoped to” said Hernandez.

Not only is Hernandez great at fundraising for his class, he is also a role model for his peers and fellow student council members, and is admired by his teachers as a forward thinking and responsible student. “Alejandro is definitely one of the smartest and most well behaved students in our class” said freshman Gabriel Moljo. Hernandez knows that as president he has to be an example for other students and he portrays this through his confident demeanor.

Hernandez plans on being re-elected as class president his sophomore year and he hopes his hard work and dedication to his position this year will prove to his peers that he is yet again the perfect candidate for the position.

“I would definitely vote for Alejandro if he were to run again”, said freshman Arielle Hernandez, “he has done a great job as president this year and I can see how he is already planning for the future of our class, even though senior year is four years away.”

Alejandro Hernandez hopes to continue his work for the next few years left in his high school experience. “Being a part of the student council really made me realize that each and every student has an importance in our school. Every student has an opinion that matters to me and I hope to accurately and appropriately represent each and every student to the best of my ability” said Hernandez.

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Alejandro Hernandez: Freshman Alejandro Hernandez does a lot as class president, which has proven to be a difficult task. Photo by: Peter Dourvetakis

Where Do They See Themselves In 4 Years?

Amanda Peralta Staff Writer

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he four years in high school from freshman to senior year is full of a variety of experiences and feelings. Walking into high school the first day of freshmen year can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. Some freshmen often feel lost about what to expect and what will happen; while other freshmen have their high school and college years all planned out. Meetings with guidance counselors and interviews with universities seems like so much at first but after a while freshmen look like they have gotten a grasp on high school life.

Christopher Rundell

Isabella Thomas

Katie Coleman

Imani Marabel

“I have goals I want to accomplish by “I am a musician so by the end of my “I cannot wait to graduate high school, “I’m getting great grades now so that I the end of high school, I want to go to avifour years I hope to be performing with go to college and hopefully study to be a have a fair chance of getting a full scholaration training, I want go to an engineering specialized university, and then apply to small aircraft licenses.”

bigger audiences, I hope to have been accepted to Julliard, and I plan to be playing the piano at international competitions.”

Dominic Carissimi

Tasha Echeverria

teacher; I’m taking it one day at a time.”

Morgan Robertson

ship and I want to have more than 120 service hours. I want to go to either U.C.L.A. (University of California, Los Angeles) or Full Sail University to study film.”

Sloan Moss-Solomon

“I n four years I want to be applying to “By my senior year I want to have “In the future I want to be playing soc“S enior year I want to be accepted into college and hopefully getting into a good scholarships for swimming and academics cer on T.V. I also want to have a full paid F.S.U. (Florida State University), it’s the architecture school. I also want to be spending a lot of time in the organization “Friends” (an organization that helps take care of horses for horse lovers)”.

to any school of my choice (University of Central Florida or Yale).”

scholarship for soccer to U.F. (University of Florida).”

school of my dreams.”

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At last, a license to drive Josiah Celestine

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Camilo G

Staff Writer

Staff W

s teens nervously write down the last answer, they watch as the time ticks by ever so quickly and hear the “alright, put your pencils down, and pass your tests forward,” that they’ve been waiting for. They await the results of their written driving test which can allow them to do what they’ve been planning on doing for years: driving. Driving is an important concept to most teenagers, and by the end of their sophomore year, they are able to drive on the open road by themselves at any time.

Statistically teens are not the best drivers, but to them driving is a way of life to them still. With this in mind everyone should be watching out for young drivers on the road. While driving, teens will always try to look as cool as possible to show off to their friends, which can lead to injuries and car accidents on the open road.

“Driving can have a positive and negative effect on your life at the same time because having a license gives you the right to go where you want when you want, but it also requires responsibility.

I believe that it is better to have your own car because you won’t have to depend on anybody else, even though you will have to maintain it and probably have your parents pay for things such as monthly payments, gas, and insurance,” said sophomore Anthony Madera.

To be able to drive in the state of Florida, a teen must first have their driver’s permit, which they are able to get at the age of 15. Many teens jump at the opportunity to be able to drive, but some prefer to wait a little until they believe they are ready. Teens will be able to get their permit, which allows them to drive as long as another person, over the age of 21, is in the passenger seat with them. In order to get their permit, a teens needs to have taken the 4 hour DATA Course, which is a drug and alcohol class. After completing the drug and alcohol course and passing its test, the teen needs to pass both the DMV Road Signs and Road Rules test. They have the option of completing it online or at the DMV office. After one year of having their learner’s permit, a teen can take the driving test which will give them their driver’s license which allows them to drive under no supervision between the hours of 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. if the driver is 16 years old. Once the driver turns 17, he/she will be able to drive between the hours of 5 a.m. and 1 a.m. All driving restrictions disappear once the driver turns 18 years old. If the driver is 18 years old and didn’t get their permit, he/she can go straight to their license with no driving restrictions after passing all three exams.

“Being able to drive as a teenager is looked highly upon by everybody, so I believe that people should get their license as soon as they can. Another reason why I believe that is the earlier you are able to drive, the more practice you can get for when you are older. For getting your own car, I think you should be able to have one as a teen because it gives you responsibility that you didn’t have before, which helps you to mature as a person. I don’t think you should get a very expensive car as your first one though because it would be too much for a teen to handle and maintain,” said sophomore Aspen Oudshoorn.

No matter what your view on driving as a teen is, driving is an important matter that people must take seriously. Sophomores are the first teens in high school to be able to legally drive, which puts pressure on them, but it is also a great thing to look forward to as a teen.

Sophmore Drivers: As first time drivers, it is important to be careful on the road. Photo by Ryan Corona

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Sophomores get a A

sophomore student gets home after a long week of wo bed and relax for as long as they can, but the student remem anything for me” they think, but for some reason they look the top of the stack of mail, there is a letter with their name o that the letter is from the University of Miami. A feeling of they realize all of the hard work that they have been putting It’s an exciting time for sophomores. After gathering up a and getting their scores a few weeks later, the tenth graders new; college letters. After PSAT scores are released, variou world, send out their letters for recruiting new students into Although the mail doesn’t come with the news of being a purpose. By reading them, students can receive advice from to acceptance. The letter recommends academic decisions s AP and other high level courses.

“I’m glad that colleges are noticing my achievements and g Feinstein. “The letters are pretty repetitive though, they all Despite the appeal that they bring, many students seem to being repetitive. Sophomore Chanoan Sumonthee firmly b purpose, if any.

“The letters give you a false sense of hope of going to your d of them are personalized, they just send out the same letters it seems like the colleges are interested in you specifically.”

The way colleges choose which students to send these let school sophomore scores incredibly high on the PSAT, it s actual SAT and other standardized tests. Therefore, they wil the country. The same works, unfortunately, for the opposi most likely will not receive much interest from colleges.

“It’s cool for me to see that colleges are looking at me from “It brings me an assuring feeling that I’m doing the right th I can get the attention of a lot of big schools in the country.

College letters are a huge step forward in the life of a sop they are achieving highly in school and that the immense am omore year, it will only get better. The college attention wi seriously consider their dream school.

Mrs. Hyacinth spotlight

a special delivery

Lauren Ramirez and Lauren Cookley

Grijalva

Writer

ork, tests and quizzes. All they want to do is lay down in mbers that they have to bring in the mail. “There is never k through the mail anyway. This time, it’s different. On on it. The student looks at the top of the envelope to see happiness and relief washes over the sophomore Jag as g into school is starting to pay off. all of their effort and putting all of it towards the PSAT s of PPCHS were finally able to experience something us universities all over the country, and even around the o their school. accepted into you dream school, they still come with a m the schools themselves on how to ensure a clear path such as which classes they recommend taking, such as

giving me academic advice,” said sophomore Samantha just tell me about the guides they offer.” o agree with Feinstein’s second point, about the letters believes the letters do not serve much of a beneficial

dream college, in my opinion,” said Sumonthee. “None s to everyone and just change the names on the letter so ” tters to is based on test scores like the PSAT. If a high shows how much potential he or she has to do on the ll receive college letter upon college letter from around ite scenario. If a student does not score high then they

m such an early age,” said sophomore Jonathan Herbert. hings in school. I know if I keep on putting in the effort .” phomore. It is a great feeling for a student to know that mount of work that they put in is paying off. From sophill get bigger and more serious and students can start to

Sophmore college letters: After taking the PSAT, colleges will begin sending out letters in hopes of landing on student’s radar. Photo by Jonathan Harris

M

Staff Writer

s. Hyacinth is the ideal class sponsor. She allows the students to have the spotlight- but still gives input and advice when necessary. This is a typical sophomore class officer meeting. Sophomore class sponsor Mrs. Hyacinth has been working diligently to ensure that the sophomore class raises funds and has a successful 10th grade year. Students have had class field trips and fundraising events recently, and will continue to have a great year with the help of class officers and Mrs. Hyacinth.

One of the most popular fundraisers was the Yankee Candle fundraiser. The candles were sold to family and friends and with this being they were able to raise money for sophomore Class of 2017. With the money made on this fundraiser they were able to give discounts on senior expenses such as jerseys, prom tickets, and Grad Bash.

Those who sold over a certain amount of candles, received a further discount on senior memorabilia.

The students are looking forward to planning a kickball tournament for some time this spring. Although there is not an exact date set, preparations are underway. They are beginning to make an outline for the project in order to get it approved. They hope that if they get enough student teams to participate in the activity they will be able to raise a substantial amount to support their class.

“The Class of 2017 and I are enthusiastic about both the kickball tournament and other future fundraising opportunities. We hope to both raise funds and engage students in fun school activities in an attempt to supplement school spirit and give the class of 2017 a sense of togetherness,” said Hyacinth.

Mrs. Hyacinth is dedicated to ensuring the Class of 2017 receives every opportunity they deserve. She forms a close relationship with each of her class officers so they will feel they have an open environment to share ideas and express the needs of their class as a whole. “Mrs. Hyacinth has had an unparalleled impact on our class” said sophomore representative Demi Iglesias. “Not only does she attend all class officer meetings, but she also shares ideas and gives input on our ideas. While she does assist during the meetings, she allows us to run the meetings and doesn’t try to control too much.”

Another fundraiser the Class of 2017 is working on are t-shirt sales. By selling spirit shirts for twelve to fifteen dollars each, the class is able to raise a substantial amount of money. “The class officers and Mrs. Hyacinth are really helping our school. As a member of the Class of 2017, I experience their impact on our school firsthand.

We are so lucky to have a sponsor like Mrs. Hyacinth,” said sophomore Bridgette Casellas.

The sophomore Class of 2017 has been very involved this year and it has been a great year so far. Aside from all the fundraising, sophomores have been working very hard to continue to strive for the best. As the homework, classwork, and tests tumble in sophomores are focused on their academics.

“I’ve been working very hard this year. I am very motivated to succeed and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the entire Class of 2017. This is the most exciting year in my point of view. Working hard is my main priority and with the help of the PPCHS facility and teachers and especially Mrs. Hyacinth, I am on the road to success,” said sophomore Sevval Ercin The sophomore class has benefitted our school community and continues to impact the PPCHS environment.

Through Mrs. Hyacinth, the Class of 2017 has left a lasting impact. As the year continues on more and more students strive towards success with the help on Mrs. Hyacinth. There has never been a class sponsor, mentor, and teacher quite like Ms. Hyacinth.

Mrs. Hyacinth: As the Class of 2017 sponsor, Mrs. Hyacinth has to make sure the class officers are doing their job. Photo by Rebecca Gonzalez

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College tour makes new homes I

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Tyra Green By the Grade Editor

n PPCHS, the words “college, citizenship, and community” are echoed over the morning announcements every day. PPCHS isn’t just a high school but a college prep school, so in efforts to expose Jags to the wide range of possible universities, juniors have the opportunity to sign up for a college tour. College tours are more than just missing time from school and going on a road trip. It’s the blossoming of new horizons and the opening of eyes to the future. On January 21st, 2015, juniors took three days out of their busy school schedule to embark on the annual PPCHS college tour.

This year’s college tour was different than the last. The students took a grey hound bus to six different Florida universities. University of Florida (UF), Florida State University (FSU) and the University of Central Florida (UCF) are three colleges that always rank high on the must-see list. However this year, the grey hound bus took a slight detour to Tampa to visit the University of South Florida (USF). Last year’s group of juniors, the class of 2015, were the last students to visit Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) in Fort Myers. “When I heard that they were swapping FGCU for USF I was really thankful because anyone could visit FGCU on the weekend because it’s so close to home,” said Junior Kellen Wills. FGCU was initially the first stop on this three-day tour but BRACE Advisor, Mr. Gonzales felt like FGCU was to local to make the cut of universities to visit. The two-hour drive to Fort Myers was turned into a fourhour drive to Tampa.

Other colleges that graced the itinerary were schools like University of Central (UCF), Flagler College, and the University of North Florida (UNF). The students were taken to the universities where they were guided throughout the campus. The students were able to experience walking to really popular facilities of the universities, for example in Gainesville the students got the chance to sit in a seat in the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. While some students eagerly took in the moment of being at these prestigious colleges, other students fell in love with the atmosphere and daydreamed to what their life would hopefully look like in the future.

Junior Alejandra Garcia is certain where she will spend the next four years of her life. With a sister who graduated from PPCHS as the Class of 2014 and went on to go to the University of Florida, Garcia isn’t quite following in her sisters footsteps. “I really fell in love with the University of Central Florida. The second I walked on campus, I knew it was mine. I felt so welcomed when we got there and the modern environment really stole my heart,” said Garcia. Along with Garcia, Wills has a clear sight on what school he wants to attend. Out of all the universities, the University of North Florida (UNF) was one that stuck out to him, “FSU and UF was nice and I can see why a lot of people would like to go there but UNF is so new and modern. The environment is really what I like about that college.”

The college tour has opened a lot of eyes for our young Jags. PPCHS’ Class of 2016 are on path to establishing a new hone all around Florida. Whether in Tallassee, Tampa, Jacksonville or St. Augustine, the annual college tour won over the hearts of PPCHS’s students.

College Tour: Students go on a tour of the FSU campus Photo By: Rebecca Gonzalez

Photo By: Rebecca Gonzalez

Charter goes bananas over Valentine’s Day grams Looghermine Claude News Editor

From Friday, February 6th to Thursday, February

Valentines Grams: Charter celebrates valentines day by selling valentines grams.

Photo By: Rebecca Gonzalez

Photo By: Sydney Silverberg

12th, the junior class sold Valentine’s Day Grams during A and B lunches.

Students had the chance to buy a stuffed flower for $3 or a stuffed gorilla for $2 for their sweethearts. For that extra special someone, students could buy the combo, which comes with both the flower and the gorilla for $4.

“Last year, the Class of 2015 had Valentine’s Grams and we are keeping the tradition going with our own version. I think that this is a great and cheap way to show someone that you appreciate them, plus it’s a way to help out the junior class,” said junior class treasurer Brianna Beach.

This is one of the many fundraisers the Class of 2016 is putting on throughout the year. Earlier in the year, juniors sold class shirts, AP Review Books, Candy Cane Grams, Yankee Candles, and volunteered at election polls.

The class officers have more things planned to finish junior year off with a bang like selling summer reading books.

“Senior year is incredibly expensive, but I like that throughout high school the class gets the chance go to events and buy things like food that go back to prom and senior dinner. Everyone has this idea of a picturesque senior year, and fundraisers like Valentine’s Day Grams are the best way to get that,” said junior Cristina Villegas.

As senior year gets closer, the junior class is coming up with more ideas to make sure that their last year in high school is not only memorable but also affordable. The Class of 2016 has events like getting their senior jerseys, Grad Bash, prom, and senior dinner to look forward to next year. The best way to keep costs low for senior while still providing the full senior year experience is to have fundraisers for the class Make sure to support the juniors as they get ready for all of next year’s senior events.

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Senior Dream Schools

Senior Mollie Bayer

Senior Stephen Litton

Senior Ethan Coe

“I choose Barnard because I visited “About a week after I applied to Kan“I was pretty happy when I got into my over the summer and I found out that it had sas University in October I got my accepdream school Lynn University. I plan on everything that I wanted. I found that it has access to both the facilities at Barnard and Columbia. It a small liberal arts college in the middle of New York City so there are so many opportunities. I was at a Silver Knight meeting, and I was checking my email for Silver Knight things and when I got the email I was with all of my friends.

It was the best feeling in the world because I worked so hard. If I could go anywhere in the world I would go there.”

tance letter. I was ecstatic when I got in.

The first thing I did was tell my dad because he went to the school and we were both really excited. Right then and there, I knew that if I was going to be going to my dream school I had to commit a lot and set up things to get ready to go. One of the reasons that KU is my dream school is that it has so many options available so I don’t have to go one set path and stick with that career choice.”

majoring in Aviation Management so that I can get into the pilot business or air trafficking or aviation business. I’m most excited about the campus. There are a lot of people from other countries and it’s a small campus that’s far enough away from home so I can be independent, but it’s close enough that I can drive home in about an hour. It will be easier getting to know people from other places because it’s a really doverse school.”

Graphic by: Katie Perez

Mark your calendar: Class of 2015 deadlines are here

A

Shakayla Lee

Entertainment Editor

s the end of February nears, there is no denying that senior deadlines are quickly approaching. It’s time for seniors to finalize their payments on their upcoming events, and get ready to finally start enjoying all that they have been planning for. From Grad Bash, to Senior Deposits, to Prom obligations of the Class of 2015 are reaching new heights. However, before looking beyond the finish line seniors do need to make crucial payments and stay up to date on the happenings of their class.

This year Grad Bash will be on Saturday April 25th at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. The Class of 2015 sponsor, Mrs. Cabeza, is collecting final payments- cash or checks made out to PPCHS c/o 2015- in her room (D221) all week. Also, it is important for all students to sign up for a bus this week (2/9-2/13). Students are advised to make payments during homeroom or after school, as well as jot down their name or a group of names on one of the available bus lists. There are 52 seats on each bus, 46 for students, 4 for teacher chaperones, and 2 required open seats. Students are not permitted to remove other students from any bust list or overfill the bus, disregarding the allotted number. Teacher chaperones and bus numbers will be assigned after all buses have been filled. Also, as a result of the Sunshine Tours policy there can be no refunds for Grad Bash. However, if students have an issue regarding the event they can email either Ms. Battle or Mrs. Cabeza.

“I honestly can’t wait for Grad Bash because it is a time for the senior class to not only unite amongst ourselves but to also get a chance to have fun with our friends from other schools. As seniors, these are the moments you wait for throughout high school and I’m glad it’s coming up!” said senior Camille Haynes.

While talk of Grad Bash has been buzzing around the senior class, the subject of Prom has undoubtedly had them anticipating the month of May. From potential prom dresses to debates over suits and ties, the Class of 2015 approach the event that they have all been waiting for. In addition to Grad Bash Payments, Prom payments can also be deposited to Mrs. Cabeza’s room until the first week of March (3/2-3/6), when the final payment is due. The total cost is $100, and guest forms are also currently available. Guests must be 20 years old or younger and a copy of a driver's license must be attached to the guest form.

Along with the deadlines of Grad Bash and Prom, seniors are also required to pay a $35 Graduation Fee to the front office at the Guidance desk. Both cash and checks, made out to PPCHS, will be accepted. If paying by check please indicate, in the memo field of the check, what the payment is for and the name of the student. The graduation fee is used as an effort to cut down some of the cost of the graduation venue and the printing costs of diplomas.

Although the dates and deadlines for the approaching senior events may seem overwhelming, in the end it will all be worth it. Seniors, remember to pay all requirement promptly so you don't miss out on all the last celebrations before graduation!

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Excitement: All the seniors are waiting in excitement for their upcoming deadlines so they can finally do the things they have been waiting for. Photo by: Alex Monge

Jonathan Selvin: He’s all heart

Struggles: Selvin’s fight to being healthy wasn’t an easy one and he was commonly restrained to a hospital bed. Donated by: Jonathan Selvin

Sofia Gangotena

O n December 14th, 2010, senior Jonathan Selvin went into Miami Children’s Hospital to have a surgery that would change his life forever. He was born with a heart defect called aortic stenosis. His aortic valve was not open enough, so then 8th grader Staff Writer

Jonathan went in for surgery to replace the faulty valve with a mechanical one instead.

“The doctors took note of how long it would last, and then I had the surgery at 14,” said Selvin. “The recovery took a month and a half, going in and out of school. I stayed home for three weeks after the surgery, then I went back to school but I kept having these dizzy spells, so I stayed home.”

The heart is made up three openings, or “leaflets”, that when functioning properly, fit together well. Aortic stenosis is mostly present at birth, and those who have it have all three openings, but they’re too thick to open and close completely (healthline.com).

Selvin had this problem. “It meant that it didn’t allow as much blood to pass as it should have,” said Selvin.

If someone were to meet Jonathan for the first time, they wouldn’t notice the scar on his chest peeking through his shirt. They would initially notice his happy and funny personality. “I like to make people laugh,” he said. As someone who always has a smile on his face, it’s not hard to believe he’s funny. So much so that he has own YouTube channel called Jewy J, where he posts sketch comedy videos, like “Party Like a Loner”, and funny original rap songs.

Some of his friends, like senior Thomas Hood, remember Jonathan before the surgery and after. “He was nervous before the surgery, but he was really excited when he came back, because it went so well. He was never one of those ‘poor me’ kind of guys,” says Hood.

Sometimes, people like Selvin have limits on what they can and cannot do, “I have to take care of my head, because if I get hit, it can cause brain hemorrhaging.” For example, Selvin bruises very easily, so he can’t play contact sports.

However, Selvin’s love isn’t for sports. Selvin’s passionate for band. A tuba player in the high school band, he started when he was in the 7th grade, a year before his surgery. “I was never really into sports as a kid. Music is a big part of my life. I have big dreams about it. I may want to play in an orchestra eventually,” says Selvin. He also says that his surgery actually improved his music playing, “Now my heart doesn’t have to work as hard.”

“The surgery didn’t change him, it only made him stronger. He’s always making jokes about his heart,” said Senior and Selvin’s friend Nicole Mallat. For example, when Physics students went to Busch Gardens this year, Selvin joked about how he wouldn’t be able to go on rides. Typically, people with a heart defect aren’t allowed to go on certain roller coasters because it is considered dangerous. However, that didn’t stop Selvin from going on rides and having fun with his friends.

“There’s different factors that have to be considered when doing something like going to Busch Gardens. For example, my valve is well fitted, which is a really good thing. If it wasn’t, it could pop out of place on a ride,” said Selvin.

Selvin won’t let the surgery stop him from doing what makes him happy. His aspirations include becoming a comedian or becoming a cardiologist. “Whenever I went to the hospital for checkups and stuff, I was really interested in everything I was looking at. If I were to become a cardiologist and a surgeon, I could help kids that go through this and tell them that I went through the same thing, so I understand them.”

Despite the success of the surgery, he still has to take care of himself and his heart. “I have to take medication called Coumadin, which is a blood thinner, every night.” Blood thinners are commonly used in order to help the blood flow smoothly by decreasing clotting proteins in the blood (Web MD).

With something like a scar on his chest, Selvin can easily let it get him down, but he doesn’t. “Honestly, the scar is a great icebreaker. I know people have questions and I’m happy to answer them. No one really treats me differently when I tell them about it.” He also attends conventions every year at Miami Children’s Hospital where people like him join together. “Everyone there have that one thing in common, so it’s cool to see that we all come together.”

Selvin, oozing with positivity, took the experience and learned from it. “I appreciate life more. All those little things that everyone takes for granted, I find them so amazing now. After 14 years of living like that, on the verge of death, and living a whole new life with a new heart, I love life now.” With a support group consisting of close family and friends, it would be hard to not have such a positive outlook. We can all take a page from Selvin’s book and have a better perspective on our own lives.

Friends for Life: Senior Jonathan Selvin and his doctor will always remember each other after Selvin’s life saving surgery. Donated by: Jonathan Selvin

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Equal Horizon, Equal Opportunity Nicholas Rivera Lifestyle Editor

The definition of minority is simply the smaller part of a whole. Despite being smaller, minorities are just as important as any other majority in making that whole. Now, being

in the 21st century, minorities in America, such as African Americans or Asians, make up almost 40% of the country according to the 2013 census. But America, it seems, has turned the term minority into something lesser than it is. Despite how far they have tried to come in order to be seen as equal, to this day there is still discrimination of minorities.

It doesn’t matter whether it is in school, in the workplace, or in public, discrimination is still occurring and it needs to stop. That is the goal of Affirmative Action.

“I think discrimination is very prominent in today’s society. It’s kind of an underlying problem and one of those things that people sweep under the rug. They don’t want to pay attention to it, but it’s still very alive,” said sophomore Anette Mago.

From the early 20th century, attempts have been made in order to end discrimination, primarily towards blacks. Franklin D. Roosevelt had the first ideas of affirmative action in his New Deal. During his presidency, he tried to move the country to a better place by ending discrimination and although some of his attempts were successful, discrimination was still prominent after his presidency was over. His successor, Harry Truman, tried to continue Roosevelt’s vision, but failed as well. In the early 1960s, the term affirmative action was first used by President John F. Kennedy in his 1961 speech. Kennedy’s intent was to “take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin,” (kon.org).

Later during that decade, a major Civil Rights Movement arose. African Americans began to fiercely fight for freedom to end segregation for good. Streets in Southern states were flooded with peaceful boycotts and protests which turned into violent riots after white people resisted (historybits.com). Groups like the Klu Klux Klan put down black protests. Civil Rights leaders such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King emerged at this time.

The evolution of affirmative action comes from Presidents Roosevelt, Truman, and Kennedy as well as the Civil Rights Movement, and it has still grown from the time of the Civil Rights movement to today. While Affirmative Action originally supported primarily African Americans, it has extended its support to all people that may be discriminated, including minorities, disabled persons, and women.

“I feel like as long as there is a different way of thinking and people aren’t open-minded then people won’t be as willing to accept. You can only lead a horse to water, so if you

have these clubs and programs to help people then it’s only a way to guide them. They can either choose to accept it or just push it away,” said senior Christopher Mitchell.

The main focus of affirmative action today revolves around guaranteeing a strong education for people who are discriminated as well as making Graphic by Matthew Perez sure they are employed, so that they aren’t being segregated because of who they are. There is a lot of support for the program. The program has managed to amplify the amount of minorities who apply to universities and are accepted. People who are educated with benefits from the program are more likely to become successful and live better lives. Some even argue that having diverse classes and work environments is advantageous to the education of everyone there (ncls.org).

Like all controversial topics, there are also many arguments against the program; one argument being that is causes a sort of “reverse discrimination” because the program favors one group over another. There is no proof that the program actually helps the economy.

Some also say that racial prejudice will actually be increased because of affirmative action and that there is no correlation between the color of someone’s skin and their education.

“I think it’s a positive concept to give minorities opportunities that they were not given before. This idea is a step further for the world and the way it visualizes minorities.

A pro of this is that it shows advancement in the modern world, considering that it has been around 50 years since African-Americans were granted freedom. The con is that not everyone is going to be on board with this concept. People will still have their views on minorities, as discrimination is still an issue today,” said junior Tiffani Neal.

The policy of affirmative action is one that may not be perfect, but its goal is recognized by many as being a leap towards ending the discrimination of minorities for good. The program will continue to evolve to alongside other anti-discriminatory programs to do as much as they can to support minorities.

Standing Ovation for the Black Stude Tyra Green &

By the Grade Editor an

O

n Thursday, February 26th, 2015, the River of Grass Auditorium doors opened promptly at 6:30 p.m. and the Black Student Union presented the Black History BET Honors Awards Show. Singers, dancers, and poets alike showed off their skills during the show, while honoring the monumental moments and people in African American history.

In true awards show fashion, actual awards were given to students who have demonstrated excellence academically and within their theatrical performances.

To celebrate the month of February as Black History Month, the Black Student Union put together an interactive and creative show for both the audience and performers to have some fun, and leave with an understanding of the message of the importance of Black History. Unlike in recent years, the Black History Show wasn’t just a show featuring the wonderful talent at our school but an award show honoring students for their excellence in both their performances and academics. Beautiful crafted, gold engraved trophies were handed out after every performance giving the performers a chance to thank whoever they wanted, while also giving the audience the opportunity to acknowledge the students for their performance.

“The show was better than I could have even imagined. Things backstage went smoothly and the hosts were so engaging that it felt as if we were all at a real award show. Everything came together perfectly. The theme worked out really well especially and I’m glad that this year we were able to do something differently that truly reflected the mindset of our organization. I'm proud of all BSU members for stepping up and working to make this show a success. Everyone enjoyed the show and had a great time,” said Black Student Union Secretary senior Alyssa Rogers.

To open the show the energetic hosts, Black Student Union President Shakayla Lee and Parliamentarian Tiana Costa, explained the theme and announced the first performers- RJ Reyes and Francesca Gonzalez. Like a true awards show, different hosts- Nkiru Chukwuelue, Briana Cousins, and Raven Veitch- also appeared throughout the night. Reyes and Gonzalez opened the show with an energetic cover of Michael Jackson’s song

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“scream.” Throughout the show many students took on well-known songs and created their own original rendition, to honor the artist for their great work. One of the highlights of the night proved to be the announcement of the winners of the annual poetry competition, with the BSU sponsor, Mrs. Chancellor, inviting the finalists of the contest to read their winning poems. Answering the question: ‘Why is it important to speak out against racial injustice?’ she first called up the third place winner Seth Lawrence who wowed the crowd with his powerful message. The second place winner wassophomore Tobe Osakwe, and in a different turn of event the first place winners was announced later in the night as seniors Kendra Fite and Chelsi Rogers who were actually performing their winning spoken word piece within their activist group known as the ‘Dream Defenders’. Each finalists went home with a cash prize of either $50, $75, or $100 along with the gratification of making it to the top three.

Not only were the performers honored throughout the night, but students who also showcased excellence in academics were given special recognition. The award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in Mathematics’ was granted to senior Symone Cyrus, ‘Outstanding Achievement in Literary Arts’ went to both juniors Taylor Horan and Melissa Pierce, ‘Outstanding achievement in Science and technology was given to senior Deepthi Gangram, and lastly the award for Outstanding Public Service was granted to juniors Looghermine Claude and Taylor Horan. According to the Black Student Union Vice President, Tyra Green, “The Black Student Union found it important to acknowledge the efforts of PPCHS students who go above and beyond, even though they may go unnoticed”.

“After months of preparation, I am so glad that the show went so smoothly. Seeing something that just started as ideas come to life was the icing on the cake for me. The professionalism and efforts put in by Mrs. Chancelor and my officers to get the job done was truly amazing, and I am so thankful for all of them. All of the performers and hosts did so well and truly honored the likes of pivotal moments and people in African American History, which was the main goal of the entire event. The theme of honoring people who have

The CHAT Editorial: Up close and personal with the truth Melissa Pierce & David Cha-Kim Student Life Editor & Technology Editor

Think slavery. Think segregation. Think white supremacy. Jim Crow laws, white masters, and inequality are amongst the first things that come to mind, but there is a much

more vulgar side to these concepts. Prominent figures and associations take social issues, such as racial inequality, to heart. They use the press and other public venues to their advantage by presenting this issues to any given audience in any way that they see fit. As of late, in movies such as Selma and Django Unchained, social issues have been presented in a blunt, graphic manner causing some people to feel attacked by the reality of their own society.

African-American actor Anthony Mackie recently released a statement concerning this very concept. Mackie said, “I think if you look at the voting audience, and let’s say they are 99% white, I think you have to look at the age demographic. I think you have to look at the time in which Selma came out, the racial trepidation in this country, that’s why it’s not doing so well at the box office. People are just tired of being bombarded with race right now. So everybody is shying away from certain topics and certain movies” (www. huffingtonpost.com).

As pointed to by Anthony Mackie, the film Selma showed the real travesties of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s time, sparing no feelings when it came to showing exactly what was happening during the Civil Rights Movement—bombings, burnings, shootings, beatings.

Viewers were dropped in the middle of a societal war between the whites and the blacks in the 1960s, and were exposed to every bit of violence associated with the time. Considering current controversy concerning racial issues, citizens possibly could have felt “bombarded” and blasted by the content in the movie. The reality of it is, the graphics shown in the movie were events that happened in real life; events that were much worse in person. But does the execution of a point being made in society need to be violent and completely realistic for it to be effective?

Sophomore Tariq Grinkley said, “People don’t want to deal with that [being bombarded with racial issues]. I would rather have these issues made more appealing because they can seem less threatening and still get the point across.”

In Quentin Tarantino’s action-packed 2012 film Django Unchained (set two years before the Civil War), the portrayal of the topics of slavery and racial segregation in the U.S. is considered by many film critics, and even some filmmakers such as Spike Lee, to be flip-

pant and disrespectful (The Guardian). The degradation of African Americans, especially when spoken by the Caucasian actors of the film such as Leonardo DiCaprio, has sparked much controversy in the media and is still spoken about more than two years after the release. The strong use of the n-word is considered by a large percentage of the viewers to be even more harmful than the depictions of actual physical violence towards slaves (Huffington Post).

In addition to the “inappropriate” language, Django Unchained is infamous for showing graphic scenes of violence and cruelty towards the slaves in the film. Themes of the Ku Klux Klan and Jim Crow laws were prevalent throughout the plot and several blacks in the film were tortured, whipped, beaten, forced to fight each other for the entertainment of their white owners, and even thrown to be dismembered by dogs. While these themes would obviously be necessary to display an accurate representation of the time period in America, Tarantino is criticized for taking upon these topics too lightly and often putting humor in sensitive parts of the movie. For example, in one scene, the members of the Ku Klux Klan complain and laugh about their masks as they hunt down Django.

Even so, a large sum of critics and viewers defend the film, stating that the graphic and harmful displays of cruelty and harsh racism to blacks in the film are necessary to truly capture the time period and create an accurate setting. While Django Unchained did spark its fair share of controversy, it was worth the criticism to create an accurate setting, and ultimately a better overall film.

“I agree that Django was a bit graphic and violent at some parts but to be honest it needed to be,” said sophomore Chris Alegria. “Back then America truly was the America that was shown in the movie and [Django’s] accuracy was one of the things that made it so great.”

Members of society truly shy away from issues when they are blatantly thrown at them, and the reason for this is because they do not want to be slapped in the face by the truth.

People feel ashamed and embarrassed in themselves and their fellow citizens when flaws within their own society are brought quite clearly to the surface. However, sometimes this straightforwardness is beneficial and necessary to convey an important point. What is real and what really happened during the times of segregation cannot be changed. It would be an injustice if these serious issues were to be sugar-coated; although they were violent and harsh times, they are times that people should face and celebrate how we overcame them.

ent Unions BET Honors Awards Show

& Shakayla Lee

nd

Entertainment Editor

paved the way for the African American community was something that was extremely important to me and I’m really glad it was conveyed so well. The show was outstanding, but at the end it dawned on me that as a senior it would be my last and I know at the end of the year it’s going to be really hard for me to say good-bye,” said Black Student Union President, Shakayla Lee. Congratulation to the Black Student Union for organizing a successful show that proved to allow the audience to have a good time, while honoring the contributions of monumental African Americans!

Juniors Looghermine Claude, Taylor Horan, and Melissa Pierce and Seniors Symone Cyrus and Deepthi Gangaram

Black History Showcase: Sophomore Francisco Saavedra performs a routine in front of the crowd. Photo donated by Yearbook

Black History Showcase: Freshman Ahmad Hamid, like many other students, wanted to perform a routine and be a part of the Black History Showcase. Photo donated by Yearbook

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Features

Black Women in

Looghermi

E

News E

very year, Black History Month is again the same black men are taught to stu ing the same people this month, in co Day, inspired by the TV show Parks an en who were pioneers an array of fields in

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(?-1883) Sojourner Truth

(1867-1919) Madame C J Walker

“Sojourner Truth was a prominent abolitionist and women’s rights activist…[who was] perhaps best known for her stirring “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech, delivered at a women’s convention in Ohio in 1851,” (history.com). Truth escaped from slavery and became immersed in the abolition movement. She also helped collect supplies for regiments during the Civil War and advocated for free black after the war.

“Madame C. J. Walker was lauded as ‘the first black woman millionaire in America’ for her successful line of hair care products,” (history.com). While working as a laundress, Walker developed the “Walker system” as a treatment for hair loss, and began selling it to black women. Walker was able to create a large enterprise that allowed her to purchase multiple homes, fund scholarships, and donated large amounts of money.

(?-1913) Harriet Tubman

(1891-1960) Zora Neale Hurston

Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery in Maryland in 1849 and returned to the South about 19 times through the Underground Railroad to free members of her family and about 100 slaves. As an Underground Railroad Conductor, Tubman never lost a fugitive or allowed one to turn back. She also served as a spy, scout, and nurse during the Civil War. If it weren’t for Tubman’s efforts, hundreds of lives would have been at risk in the slaveholding South.

Zora Neale Hurston was a novelist who became a central figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Like other authors, Hurton was unable to become popular when she was alive and died alone and poor in a welfare hotel. “[However,] at the time of her death in 1960, Hurston had published more books than any other black woman in America,” (history.com). Hurston went to Barnard College, as the sole black student, where she received her B.A. in Anthropology.

Hurston’s biggest work is her 1937 novel There Eyes Were Watching God.

(1906Josephin

Josephine Baker was out of poverty to beco ing success on Broadw France and became o well-known and high “She worked for the during World War II, a and '60s devoted hers gation and racism in (biography.com).

(1913 Rosa

Rosa Parks became dignity and strength racial segregation w up her seat on a bus was convicted for laws. For a year, lea community, led by R King Jr., organized honor. The boycott Supreme Court foun constitutional.

Features

History Timeline

ine

Claude

Editor

s brought back up in schools, and once udents. In order to break away from learnombination with the “holiday” Galetine’s nd Recreation, here are ten black womncluding writing, business, and even dance.

-1975) ne Baker

s a dancer who rose ome a star. After findway, Baker moved to one of Europe’s most hest-paid performers. e French Resistance and during the 1950s self to fighting segren the United States,”

3-2005) a Parks

e a national symbol for h in the struggle to end when she refused to give s to a white man. Parks violating segregation aders of the local black Rev. Dr. Martin Luther d a bus boycott in her t only ended when the nd bus segregation un-

(1914-1999) Daisy Bates

(1931- ) Toni Morrison

Before her claim to fame, Bates was the publisher of the Arkansas State Press and the leader of the Arkansas chapter of the NAACP. “[Then], in 1957, Daisy Bates became a household name when she fought for the right of nine black students to attend the all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas,” (pbs.org). Later on, she moved to Washington D.C. where she worked on anti-poverty projects.

“Toni Morrison is a Nobel Prize- and Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, editor and professor. Her novels are known for their epic themes, vivid dialogue and richly detailed black characters,” (biography.com). Morrison has won multiple book prizes for her works including the Pulitzer Prize, the American Book Award, and the Nobel Prize. Her most famous works include The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, and Beloved.

(1954- ) Oprah Winfrey

(1944- ) Alice Walker

Oprah Winfrey is an internationally popular billionaire, philanthropist, and talkshow host who was the only black billionaire of the 20th century. “Winfrey... was recruited by a Chicago TV station to host her own morning show. She later became the host of her own, wildly popular program, The Oprah Winfrey Show, which aired for 25 seasons, from 1986 to 2011.

That same year, Winfrey launched her own TV network, the Oprah Winfrey Network,” (biography.com).

Alice Walker is a novelist, poet, and feminist best known for her 1982 novel, The Color Purple, for which she won a Pulitzer Prize. In her other novels, Walker explores controversial themes like female genital mutilation. “She [also] worked as a social worker, teacher and lecturer, and took part in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi,” (biography.com).

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Drama class redefines the meaning of theater Maria Bozo & Lauren Cookley

Managing Editor - Layout & Content & Marketing Director

The Drama room here at PPCHS is unlike any other classroom on campus. Right when one steps in, there’s a large stage in front of what appears to be a green screen. In

front of the stage is a very large empty space in the middle of the room. Right from the start, one feels like all eyes are on them awaiting a performance. The desks are set up in a U formation, with Mrs. Kidd’s, PPCHS Drama teacher, on the left hand side closest to the stage. It’s like one enters a whole new world of lights, cameras, and performances.

There are three levels of Drama offered at PPCHS: beginning (Drama I), intermediate (Drama II), and advanced Drama (Drama III and IV). All students start off in Drama I. This class covers all of the basics of theater and is the foundation for the following levels of Drama if a student decides Drama is a good fit for them. In order to move onto Drama II, a student who has successfully completed Drama I automatically moves into Drama II, but to be placed into advanced Drama, which is an honors credit, the student needs teacher approval and recommendation. This approval and recommendation is based on how successful the teacher feels the student was in previous Drama classes. “Most students do move up, but others may not be ready for the challenge advanced Drama presents. On rare occasions, some students are able to skip Drama II, but that has only happened two or three times in the past seven years, although those exceptions were for girl to boy ratio in the classes,” said Mrs. Kidd.

The class is comprised of academic work, which includes studying theater terminology, different plays, and playwrights. The classes do this about three days a week. Two days a week consist of writing workshops or mime and movement, and acting activities that require students to be more out of their seats.

Senior RJ Reyes has been in Drama starting his freshman year, and although he took a break from Drama to focus more on academics, he signed up for Drama III for his junior year and is currently enrolled in Drama IV for his senior year. “Grease last year was amazing, all of the shows that we do are always awesome because Mrs. Kidd never puts on a bad show. This year has been absolutely amazing, especially competition because we won our first two Critic’s Choice for the school ever; one for costume design and another in ensemble acting,” said Reyes. District competition is where all of the Drama troops from around the county and district get together and compete with their pieces. Ensemble acting is a large group acting a scene and putting up a performance. “Another highlight of this year was being elected President because it has given me the opportunity of seeing the inner

workings of Drama, both behind the stage and what goes on actually on the stage, which is what everyone sees,” said Reyes.

Drama is infamous for its Winter Fantasy production held every year in December. All students in every level drama are expected to participate in Winter Fantasy because it is a class assignment, similar to the band holding their annual concert. The band’s concert is equivalent to Drama’s Winter Fantasy. To put on main stage shows, like Grease last year, a student needs to be in advanced Drama class because it is a part of the Drama III and IV curriculum. This year, Drama will be performing a play written by Neil Simon, which is a comedy entitled Fools at the River of Grass auditorium on April 9th and 10th. “My expectation for Fools is to make the audience laugh and to have fun. It’s a play rather than a musical so it’s definitely something PPCHS isn’t used to watching Drama perform, but I think this one is adorable, enlightening, and light hearted,” said Mrs. Kidd.

Drama is definitely a class for students who are looking to get a sense of accomplishment, step out of their shells, gain confidence, make new friends, and learn to look at things in a more artistic point of view. A common misconception is that Drama is only for acting, but students learn how to write scripts, design costumes, and even more things in the world of theater that don’t only include acting. PPCHS looks forward to seeing what things Drama has in store for the school and student body.

Drama’s Unique Spin: Mrs. Kidd is leading Drama to great things and making them different from most Drama programs in schools. Photo by Alex Monge

Jags take in a breath of fresh air Camilo Grijalva & Josiah Celestine Staff Writers

A

s a PPCHS students walks onto campus, they only have one thing in mind; the tremendous day of school they have ahead of themselves. They don’t pay much attention to their surroundings, like the cleanliness of the campus, the healthiness of the trees, and especially the quality of the air they breathe in. However, the next day they arrive at school, there is something different. There is a green flag placed right in front of the main office.

There is no need to worry, in fact, students should be happy to see it.

PPCHS was the school selected out of around 20 schools in Broward County and the school is honored to have been picked. The science club at PPCHS is in charge of this whole experiment and is taking this responsibility very seriously. Science National Honor Society (SNHS) member Sedric Nick is the one who has been given the privilege of checking the air quality and changing the color of the flag when needed.

“I think this experiment will help those who have breathing problems, and anyone else who is concerned about their health will now know what they’re breathing,” said Nick.

“If they are breathing in anything bad, then they know it’s time to do something about it and fix the problem. Hopefully this experiment will continue as long as it can, if people stay interested in it.”

There are five different color flags (air quality levels). The green flag, Charter’s current level, signifies that the air quality is satisfactory and the air pollution poses little or no risk.

Yellow, or moderate, means that the air quality in the school is acceptable. It is only a concern for people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution in low amounts. The next and middle level is orange, which shows that the air quality is unhealthy for sensitive people.

It is recommended that these groups of people cut back or reschedule outdoor activities.

The fourth level is depicted with a red flag. It means that the air quality is unhealthy for all groups of people. In this level, everyone should cut back or reschedule outdoor activities and the sensitive group of people should avoid outdoor activities altogether. The fifth, final, and worst level of air quality is purple, which means that the air at this stage is very unhealthy for everyone. Everyone should avoid outdoor activities when the flag is purple.

Mrs. Hernandez-Davis, head of the science department at PPCHS, said “This is a great experiment for the school. We are not just letting the school know of the air quality, we are also letting the whole charter community know as well by placing the flag in front of the school where everybody can see it easily. If

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all goes well, we will continue to do this for as long as possible.”

This is a great way to inform students of how the outside world can affect their health at school, and have them realize what harmful pollutants can do to people.

“It’s great to be able to know the quality of the air that I’m breathing in pretty much every day at school,” said freshman Oriana Orihuela. “Even though this is the first year that I’m at the school, there was nothing like this in middle school and I think it’s a really helpful tool to have on campus.”

The Broward Air Quality Index is a great program that demonstrates the initiative that leaders are taking to make PPCHS a great environment for everyone. The prominent flags are a great visual tool that everyone can see, so it is important to know what each of the five colors mean. From now on, PPCHS jags can walk with a little more assurance in their stride knowing that the air they breathe in everyday is healthy for everyone.

Clean Air: This green flag represents fresh air and good health for all students attending Charter. Photo by Ryan Corona

Fairly healthy turnout at health fair February snow storms into PPCHS Taylor Horan & Nick Rivera

O n Friday, February 13th, science students were able to get out of class and attend the Health Fair. PPCHS’ HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) hosted the Health Managing Editor - Web & Lifestyle Editor

Fair. Students were able to go to the gymnasium and visit different booths. These booths ranged for the Broward College Nursing Program to LA Fitness to the City of Pembroke Pines Fire Department. Students only had approximately 45 minutes to visit booths.

Two years ago, Mrs. Santiago hosted the health fair, then after a year hiatus, Mrs. Ramirez along with HOSA decided to bring it back. As a new club in its first year, HOSA looked to find events that they could do to put their name out there. Founder and president senior Rianna Haniff and other HOSA members worked, starting in October to plan the event.

All of the representatives were contacted and confirmed and Health Fair 2015 was a go.

“Personally I don’t know what I want to do but I know I want to be in the medical field so I think that the health fair can kind of give an insight. I think it’s great because our school doesn't really have health courses so I think this is a good opportunity for kids to come and learn about the field,” said Haniff.

The array of booths were vast, with nearly all areas of health and science covered. Booths included the Broward College Nursing Program, Memorial Hospital, and popular gym LA Fitness. Students had the opportunity to approach representatives from each of the dozens of booths and ask questions, receive brochures, and even do some hands on activities.

“Health fairs are nice because it’s about my field; it’s not just my career. All the kids are very nice and polite and the questions are very intriguing. It’s nice to be able to share my experiences. I’ve been practicing since 1996 so I appreciated people asking me what it’s like in a personal sense; not just about how much money I make or how long it took me to go to school, but how I juggle my personal life with my career. I think those are really important questions,” said Dr. Theresa Carissimi of the Stirling Spine booth.

One of the most popular booths to visit was not a booth at all. The City of Pembroke Pines Fire Department brought two fire trucks that were stationed in the teacher parking lot. Students were able to talk to different firefighters and sit in the driver seat of the fire truck. This made for a great photo opportunity for students.

The main speaker of the Fire Department presentation was Captain George Lindor, who has been a part of the fire department for over a decade. “Part of our mission [at the fire department] is public education. We routinely get in touch with schools and schedule health fairs, career days, and things of that nature to educate the kids and the public on what we do and how we do it. The ultimate goal is to educate and hopefully inspire some future firefighters. My ultimate goal is awareness to understand what we do, how we do it, and why,” Captain Lindor stated.

Besides outside organizations having booths, some of PPCHS’ finest ran booths. The Anatomy and Physiology Class and Science Club both had booths at the fair. Anatomy and Physiology had different body models for students to view and learn about. Science Club ran a booth that brought light to several different science courses that students do not typically enroll in as they have no prior knowledge. For example, the Health Fair was the first time many students learned that a Genetics course is offered for juniors and seniors.

“Health club informs students about things health related around the country and around the school. Science club had a board that teaches everyone about the science department of our school and classes that are hidden on course cards like forensics,” said senior Anthony Perez, a member of science club.

This year’s Health Fair was a success. After a year without the Health Fair, students and teachers alike were delighted to have the opportunity to learn about health careers and science. With the success of this year’s fair, it’s possible that HOSA will have a big event to look forward to every year.

Impressive Displays: Well made boards like these covered the gym during health fair for everyone to see. Photo by Ryan Corona

Softball State Champions: Sophomore Grasy Gomez along with Senior Damien Charles try to win Snowbowl for the softball team. Photo by: Bella Bobadilla

Camilo Grijalva & LJ Lemmers

On Friday, February 20th, the annual Snowbowl, hosted by SGA, was on the way.

At 2:30, teams were already there to face-off against each other in a vicious battle to be Staff Writers

crowned 2015 PPCHS Dodgeball champions. The stage was set as the PPCHS gym stands were full of fans ready to see their friends and fellow students play for the crown.

“I think it went really good for the first time I was hosting it,” said junior Camila Lopez, SGA student and the person in charge of this year’s Snowbowl. “I didn’t expect it to go so well. Many kids who didn’t attend came up to me and said they wanted to do it next year.

A lot of planning went into this with the advertising, clearing things with administration, setting things up, and getting the $5 Chipotle Mexican Grill gift card.

16 teams, each composed of five elite students, were ready for the battle of their lives, including TOD, Jasmine’s Squad, #44, MLG Rush, Senor Seniors, Drama club, and many more. Some of PPCHS’s finest clubs and sports also came together to form their own teams. Team BBC was composed of five members of the Girls’ Varsity Soccer Team.

PCSB was a team made up of a handful PPCHS Softball State Champions. SGA and Boy’s Cross Country also had their own team representatives.

“I really liked Snowbowl,” said sophomore Sophie Fabien. “I thought the event was very beneficial to the school. The teams were fair and the setup of the tournament was very well-worked. It was very fun for me and my friends and it was a great way to get involved in school activities.”

In the first round of the tournament, favorites PCSB were knocked out by #44 in a long match. Jasmine’s squad had better fortune and were able to cruise their way to the second round. After many other first and second round games, four teams were left to play; #44, Jasmine’s Squad, Boy’s Cross Country, and the Drama Team.

There were many memorable matches during the tournament giving the crowd entertainment during the event. A match between Jasmine Squad and MLG Rush had the fans on their feet. Sophomore Owen Cockrell was the last one on the court and was about to get out when he threw the ball at the other ball causing an impact. That play caused the crowd to go while leaving many on their feet yelling and cheering. Another star moment came in the semi-final match for team #44. Sophomore Christopher Alegria was able to pull off an amazing diving catch, but was unfortunately hit directly after.

The final match was between Jasmine Squad and a team composed of the Cross Country team. It was an intense battle as Jasmine squad pressured the Cross Country team into having only one person, junior Justin Ortiz, while they had four players on the court.

However, keeping his cool Ortiz was able to come through and beat Jasmine Squad making a comeback.

This year’s PPCHS annual Snowbowl went fantastically. A full set of stands set the scene for a memorable afternoon. Now, everyone can look forward to next year when teams come to defend their place and try to improve their previous performance.

Drama Team: Junior Daniel Khan and Senior Eli Radosevich go for the victory with the rest of their Drama Team. Photo by Bella Bobadilla

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The Varsit

The CHAT Editorials: NBA Stars Shine as Playoff Push Looms

Girl’s Basketball: Cypress Bay tries to defend their home court against the Jags. Photo by: Alez Monge Graphic By: Katie Perez

Matthew Deno

O

Staff Writer

n February 13th, this year’s script-flipping NBA campaign reached its midseason break for the All-Star Weekend festivities. Before we recap the weekend’s events, let’s take a look back at the first half of the season. Without a doubt, the Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks are the league’s best teams to this point, as they are both leading a list full of surprising upstarts. The Warriors, powered by All-Star guards Stephen Curry (23.6 points a game) and Klay Thompson (22.1), boast the NBA’s best record at 42-9 while the Hawks are on top of the Eastern Conference at 43-11 and had a record-tying four players on the East All-Star squad. In a topsy-turvy season, the once again LeBron-led Cavaliers have started to flourish as they continue to fight for the Central division lead with the Chicago Bulls, boosted by a healthy Derrick Rose, solid play from Joakim Noah and Spanish big man Pau Gasol. As for the hometown Miami Heat, LeBron’s departure and numerous injuries have kept the team from being at the top of the league. At the break, they a held on to the 8th seed by a thread, but they still should have enough in them to grab a playoff spot. Combined with the acquisition of All-NBA point guard Goran Dragic at the trade deadline, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh look to be reinvigorated for the home stretch alongside Cinderella story Hassan Whiteside.

“This season has been more exciting than in recent years as the teams at the top right now are new to the position. It’s refreshing to see teams there that aren’t the Spurs, Heat, Lakers, or Thunder,” said junior Myles Thomas.

With the rejuvenation of Durant and Russell Westbrook getting healthy, the Thunder improved to 28-25 at the All-Star break, one win shy of Phoenix for the eighth and final West playoff spot. In the Thunder’s absence and with the Los Angeles Lakers fading as injuries continue to nag star guard Kobe Bryant, a new set of West contenders has filled the void.

NBA scoring leader James Harden has an average of 27.4 points a game for Houston while LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard power Portland, both clubs at 36-17, and Marc Gasol, Mike Conley and Zach Randolph have combined to put Memphis atop the Southwest division and in contention to reach the West final for the second time in three years.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing how the rest of the season plays out. With the influx of young up incoming teams combined with the veteran teams who have been there before, this race to the playoffs is going to be great to watch,” said sophomore Owen Cockrell.

As a push for the playoffs is nearing, the NBA ascended upon the city of New York for the NBA’s All Star Weekend and all the events that go with it for the 1st time in 17 years. On Saturday night, in what is known as the most exciting fan filled part of the weekend, there were two events that drew the most attention. In what was tabbed as the highlight of the night, the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest had as deep of a field as ever before. It lived up to its billing as Stephen Curry hit 13 consecutive shots to score a three-point record 27 points in the final round to defeat Kyrie Irving. The Sprite Slam Dunk Contest has trended down recently with fans getting tired of the same dunks, but rookie Zach LaVine put on a show with two perfect 50s to go with a 49 and a 45 in the finals to dominate the competition. It was definitely a top 10 all-time slam dunk performance from the 19 year old. Finally, to end the weekend was the 64th NBA All Star Game. The West jumped out to a 20 point lead in the 1st half, but the East came back to make it a one point game at the half. When it was all said and done, the West, led by Russell Westbrook’s 41 points, beat the East 163-158. It was a great way to end the All-Star Weekend and a great showing of individual skill that all the NBA players in today’s game have. When you sit back and look at the legends that appeared this weekend, and the future legends playing in the game, you realize that the NBA has a lot to look forward to.

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Lady Jags: The Jags play hard on the Cypress Bay court. Photo by: Alez Monge

Boy’s Basketball: The Jags give it their all and defend the home court. Photo by: Alez Monge

Defending the Court: Bryant Hall fights to hold onto the ball. Photo by: Alez Monge

ty Duo

The CHAT Editorials: A “Super” Deflated Win?

Cristine Alayon Staff Writer

O

ne word to describe the boys and girls varsity basketball season is successful. All this success didn’t come easy though, it was earned. This 2014-2015 season has been the ultimate journey for these athletes as they dedicated themselves to the game of basketball. These athletes experienced every inch of the road they’ve taken this season. Despite the challenges with blood, sweat, and tears, both varsity teams managed to pull off the season with great achievement.

If anyone has ever seen the girls’ varsity basketball team under the lights, they would know that it turns into show time.

Behind the scenes, the Lady Jaguars work hard at practice to be successful during game time. Practicing two hours every day a week, aside from game days, is very tough to manage for these athletes. They get fumbled between homework and lack of sleep, but what keeps these athletes going is their love for the game. This season, the ladies earned a record of 17-8, which is the best record in Pines Charter girls’ basketball history. Speaking of history, these athletes have made their mark in the PPCHS history book. Being district champs, securing a banner in the gym, and winning regional quarterfinals and semifinals are major achievements for these athletes.

This season has been a long ride for the ladies as they have faced the ups and downs, but they have done it together.

What really makes their bond so special though? “Our bond on the team is like no other. We all share the love for the game and we all want to succeed as a team. We’ve always got each other’s back no matter what and I think basketball connects us together on another level. We’re all family,” said junior Gabriella Cordero. Having this strong relationship as a team helps their chemistry and communication on and off the court. There is no “I” in team and the Lady Jags know that because selfish basketball does not exist in their dictionary.

During this season, the young team has learned a lot and from here, they can only go up. Unfortunately, they were defeated

by Norland High School in the Regional Finals game, but the girls were so close to advancing to states. Next basketball season, the Lady Jags will return in eagerness to achieve their one and only goal: to win a State Championship.

On the other hand, boys’ varsity basketball is on the same page as the Lady Jags. Their final record was 17-10 as they seemed to pull off most of their games. This season is the last run for senior key players: Haanif Cheatham, Marcel Denbow, Mike Jones, Bryant Hall, Dimitri Harper, and Joshua Ferguson. “I am going to miss playing basketball here at Pines Charter,” said Denbow. “I’ve been here since freshmen year and I love my teammates and the program. It’s going to be sad to leave, but I know the boys will continue to play good basketball.” The team has grinded out many close games and has accomplished many things this season. Like last year, the boys won District finals and advanced onto regionals, but unfortunately, like the girls, they lost in Regional Finals against Norland.

One thing that differed the Jags from other teams is their dedication and hard work. “We work really hard in the gym and at every practice to be the best we can be. Even if it’s for 10 minutes, we will make those 10 minutes pay the price,” said junior Gibou Njie. Their number one priority throughout the whole season was to get “the ring,” in other words, to become State Champs. Although they fell only 8 points short against Norland, there is hope for next season and the future of boys Pines Charter basketball.

Many hours in the gym and dedication to the game will lead one on a successful path. For the girls and boys varsity basketball team, they have been on that path. This 2014-2015 season has been an unforgettable one as both teams won Districts and made their way to Regional Finals. Both varsity teams were one game short of advancing to States, but one thing they left on the court was effort. As the legend Michael Jordan says: “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships…” that, is exactly the direction the Varsity teams are headed.

Graphic By: Matthew Perez

Brett Alayon Sports Editor

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hat was the bigger headline? The 49th Super Bowl in NFL history or all the chaos that occurred before that? Thanks to the New England Patriots “deflating football dilemma” (yes, it’s true) and Seattle Seahawks very own Marshawn Lynch’s big show he put on in front of the media, the Super Bowl was almost a blur. When the lights are on an athlete in the most popular sporting event in America, they’re tested to the max. However, when the lights are off, their true colors come out.

Quarterback Tom Brady for the Patriots and his partner-in-crime, head coach Bill Bellichick, have been a dynamic duo for over a decade including four Super Bowls wins (2001, 2003, 2004, and 2014). With this success has come some rough patches as they were a part of a spy-gate scandal that involved “spying” on their divisional rivals including the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets. New England’s bleak history of being involved in these circumstances blew up the sport’s world once again after they were accused for deflating footballs in the AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts.

“I still remember that whole spy-gate situation like it was yesterday. I’ve always respected the Patriots and what they’ve been able to do on the field, but off the field, well that’s a different story,” said senior Dolphins fan Adam Isenberg.”

By the way, there was actually a game. The showdown between seemingly the top two teams in the league for their respected conferences proved to be an ideal matchup for all NFL fans to watch on the final Sunday night of the season. After one quarter of play the score was knotted at 0-0 and at the half both teams had two touchdowns a piece, although New England was dominating the stat sheet. Seattle jumped out to a 24-14 heading into the fourth quarter, but the always resilient Tom Brady bounced back and gave his team a 28-24 lead with under two minutes to play. In his second Super Bowl appearance, quarterback Russell Wilson for the Seahawks led his team down all the way to the 2-yard with just 20 seconds left on the clock, only to throw an interception to cornerback Malcolm Butler in the end zone to secure a Super Bowl win for the New England Patriots.

“The final two minutes of that game was probably the craziest I will ever see. It was literally a jaw-dropping moment when Wilson threw that interception because it really seemed like Seattle had it in the bag,” said senior Alex Orta.

Much controversy to this day remains due to the play calling of the Seattle offense as critics believe they should have ran the ball instead. When all was said and done, Tom Brady earned Super Bowl MVP with a record 37 completions and four touchdowns. Some still believe the Patriots did not even earn the right to be in the Super Bowl (due to the deflate-gate), but their name will be on that 49th Super Bowl trophy, whether you like it or not.

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Sports

The 2015 Lady Jaguars Hayley Hartwell

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Clubs and Electives Editor

oming off of a loss in the State semifinals and losing four seniors last year, the Lady Jags had doubt surrounding them. Although the team lost four key players, they gained new talent to the school in juniors Adriana Robles and Kristen Miles and freshmen Morgan Robertson and Ashlyn Correa. The girls took the criticism and doubt and channeled it into a drive to play harder and pass the State semifinals.

There were five captains this year who motivated the team and wanted this season to work out more than anything. Carrying the team on defense were seniors Rachelle Smith and Gabriela Eyrich, on the left wing was senior Samantha Toribio, the lone goalie of the team was Patricia Yordan, and top scorer for the 2014-2015 team was senior Courtney Zaher with 31 goals.

The team had an outstanding season only losing two games and tying one. Although the Lady Jags had a district that didn’t show much competition, there were games against Cardinal Gibbons, Stoneman Douglas, and St. Thomas that challenged the girls to see if they could compete with the more advanced teams.

As the postseason started, the girls first took on South Broward High School at their home field winning the District finals 7-0. However, warming up for the Regional quarterfinal game, a crucial member of the Jaguar defense, Rachelle Smith, got injured which would take her out for the rest of regional and could only return if the girls made it to States. This posed a problem for the team making Samantha Toribio move from left wing to center defense to aid the defense with speed. This compromised the Jags attack and made it difficult to receive the same opportunities Toribio would create.

“Getting hurt in the regional quarterfinals was devastating for me; although it was only a sprained ankle I couldn’t risk making it worse if we got to states or even for my future playing at the University of Florida. I knew the team could do it and get to states without me,” stated Rachelle Smith (’15).

The regional quarterfinal game proved to be easier than expected with an 8-0 win over Terra Environmental Institute. The next game ahead for the Jags was a tough fought battle against Miami Springs High School. The Varsity team had researched the opposing team through social media networks, but still didn’t know what to expect from the team that was said to be a real threat to the Jaguar’s return to States. As the game commenced the crowd could tell the girls were nervous and needed to settle down due to the long kicks to no one and no one working together. In the first quarter there was an opportunity as Emely Sosa crossed a ball directed towards Sawyer Hall in the six-yard box who got pushed down. This gave the jags a penalty kick, which rewarded the Jags with a 1-0 lead. In the end of the second quarter the Golden Hawks equalized the score and the Jags knew they had to step up their game if they wanted to make it to the Regional final game. The girls were giving everything they had on the field to get just one more goal, when in the fourth quarter an opportunity arose. Emely Sosa made a pass down the right wing towards Ashlyn Correa and it became a two on one situation with the ball then transitioned to Adriana Robles, who blasted the ball into the upper right corner. The Lady Jags would move on to the Regional final at their home field.

On January 30, 2015 the Jags took the field to battle Suncoast Community High School. Suncoast had a very good record and it looked like it would be an even harder challenge than the Jags’ previous win. With high pressure and intense game in the first five minutes Sawyer Hall saw an opportunity 40-yards out and the ball sailed into the top right corner with ease. The Lady Jags managed to hold off the Chargers for the remainder of the first half and came out hard again in the second half with another goal by Sawyer Hall in the first five minutes. Adriana Robles managed to seal the victory for Pines Charter in the fourth quarter, resulting in the girl’s varsity team earning their second consecutive regional championship title.

“I was beyond excited when I scored the first goal let alone the second goal. I was so happy that I could help my team move on to States because I know we deserved this, for all the effort and determination me and the rest of the girls had put in throughout the year,” stated junior Sawyer Hall.

States would be a different story this year, there was a whole new pool of teams, Charter being the only returners to the Final Four, and the Jags were looking to have a different outcome compared to last year. As the girls made their way to Melbourne, Florida singing along to Pitch Perfect, the girls were bonding but they also knew what the next day had in store and were focused on what lied ahead.

The Jags began their day at 6:00 a.m. outside of the hotel to work on endurance and speed drills to prepare for the upcoming semifinal game. In the locker room before game time, senior captains gave speeches about the determination and desire to win this game.

As the game commenced, it was hard fought battle with the Jaguar forwards pressuring the Venice High School defenders with 33 shots on goal, while Pines Charter goalie Patricia Yordan had 14 saves throughout the game. Senior Courtney Zaher was able to put the Jags on the scoreboard in the first half, but the point was answered soon after with the remainder of the game resulting in a 1-1 tie. After two halves of over time with neither team being able to take home the win, the game transitioned in to penalty kicks.

“At the end of every practice we take penalty kicks just in case of a big moment like this. I knew that Coach V would pick the best girls that could win the game and take us to the finals. The other team looked nervous and uneasy but I knew we were prepared for this moment,” stated senior Gabriela Eyrich.

PPCHS goalkeeper, Patricia Yordan, showed her talent impressively. Yordan came up with saves in the second and fourth round while the Venice kickers missed the goal completely in the first and fifth rounds. Junior Adriana Robles in the first round and senior Samantha Toribio in the third round made their penalty shots, which was all the Jaguars needed to move on.

The State championship 4A game, though, did not result in the Jaguars favor. After a goal within the first five minutes, the girls never recovered. The game ended in a 4-0 defeat, with the Lady Jags becoming the 4A State Runner-Ups. “It was a tough loss knowing we got so close and couldn’t win one more game. I am beyond proud of the team that we had this year and this is an accomplishment in itself being able to make history again. Hopefully next year will yield a different outcome for us,” said junior Emely Sosa.

The Lady Jaguars had another season to go down in Pines Charter history and have so much to be proud of. With the determination exhibited this year, there is no controlling what could come out of the girls’ soccer program in the upcoming years, hopefully a State championship title.

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Photos by: Alex Monge

Sports

The Goals that Ended the Season LJ Lemmers and Josiah Celestine

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Staff Writer

he year all started off when junior Danny Ordaz got Alvin James to coach the PPCHS boys’ soccer team. James is a retired Jamaican- American who played professionally for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. He was the coach for American Heritage when he left and came to Pembroke Pines Charter High School. With his experience playing professional, James was sure to give his tactics that could have given the Jags a ticket to States.

“I came to this school because it had talent, and that was what I was looking for. I just need to work on the errors the players make. This year I can make their weaknesses a strength that will help them with their games. I’m saddened that the season had to end so soon, but now we have to look to the future,” said Coach Alvin James.

When the season began, it looked bright for the boys Jags soccer team. As each week passed, the Jags were conquering their teams one by one winning six games in a row. The Jags got revenge against Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High School, the team that beat the Jags in districts last year. A penalty scored by sophomore LJ Lemmers made the Jags win 1-0. Other memorable games were Archbishop McCarthy win a score of 3-0 and against Saint Thomas Aquinas with a winning score of 8-0.

Going into Districts, the Jags were going to play against Northeast, a team that they lost to in the regular season, in the semifinals. It was a hard fought game with many injuries during the game to the Jags, including losing senior playmaker Jayson Isaacs. Nevertheless, the Jags were able to win against them on penalties and go through to District finals.

The District finals were against American Senior High. The game was a hard one as the Jags quickly went down 2-0 and struggled to find the back of the net. However, sophomore Rodrigo Souberville were able to score a goal in the dying minutes of this intense match, ending the game with a score of 2-1.

Captain Michael Martinez said, “I think we should have won the district final game but now we’re just looking ahead to regionals and even states. I believe that we can go all the way if the effort and heart is shown by the players.”

The stars were aligned for the boys’ soccer team at the start of the season. Game after game the boys’ soccer team were winning their games. They were top contenders to win States this year. However, that all changed when the boys lost when they needed to win the most.

The game against Belen was going to be one of the hardest games of the season for the boys.

Losing the ball in the middle, Belen were on the counter attack and quickly scored a goal five minutes into the game. The same error left senior captain Michael Martinez on a 2 on 1 situation resulting in 2-0 before the half ended. Desperately trying to score a goal, the Jags were caught off guard leaving Martinez alone. The Belen striker scored the goal that ended the boys’ soccer season in the regional quarterfinals.

Senior and captain of the team Danny Meltzer said, “It was a great season even though I believe that we could have gone further. No matter what, I’m proud of this team and what we’ve accomplished.”

When the final whistle of the game blew many of the players and even the coach didn’t want to get off the field to go back to Charter. They knew that their long journey had finally come to an end. After shaking hands and saying “good game,” to the other team with some bitterness in their voices, the Jags had to not focus on the past, but instead just keep looking forward. The players who are returning next year must fix their mistakes for next season. As a senior this was the hardest moment to face, knowing that what you’ve been working on for 4 years has come to an end all of a sudden. No matter what though, it was a great season of the boys, and Photos by: Alex Monge

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The 2015 La

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Courtney Zaher

Dana Meltzer

Senior 5’3 Forward Years of experience: 14 years overall, 4 years in high school “This season was absolutely unforgettable and I wouldn’t have wanted to experience it with any other team but this one.”

Sophomore 5’5 Right wing Years of experience: 6 years overall, 4 years in high school “This was a great experience all-around, we grew as a team and we became a lot closer as individuals, I’m looking forward to next year.”

Emely Sosa

Patricia Yordan

Junior 5’2 Center Mid Years of experience: 12 years overall, 3 years in high school “It was a great season with a hardworking group of girls, we just ran out of luck in the end.”

Senior 5’7 Years of experience: 9 years overall, 4 years in high school Goalkeeper “This season was something I will never forget. I have a grown a special bond with these girls and I will never forget this season or this team when I leave to college.”

Adriana Robles

Rachelle Smith

Junior 5’4 Forward Years of experience: 14 years overall, 3 years in high school “This season was a remarkable experience that made wonderful memories with girls I grew to love, and I’m glad I made the decision to transfer to Charter.”

Senior 5’5 Defender Years of experience: 15 years overall, 4 years in high school “This overall experience was on the most adventurous but also the most enduring of all my seasons because we were challenged to play the best we can and as a result, we gave it 100% in every game.”

Ashlyn Correa

Frances Acevedo

Freshman 5’4 Right midfielder or defender Years of experience: 12 years overall, 1 year in high school “We had a very successful season and I’m so proud of the team for making it so far!”

Junior 5’6 Goalie Years of experience: 12 years overall, 3 years in high school “This season was definitely challenging and I had a great time with the girls.”

Rachel Lorenzo

Gaby Eyrich

Junior 5’4 Manager Years of experience: 13 years overall, 3 years in high school “This season was rough for me because I had a major injury and was out the whole season, but the girls gave it their all and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Senior 5’5 Defender Years of experience: 10 years overall, 4 years in high school “This season and the memories with the girls are going to stay with me forever. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end off my high school career.”

ady Jaguars

Sports Sophie Fabien

Sawyer Hall

Sophomore 5’7 Right/left wing Years of experience: 8 years overall, 2 years in high school “This season was unpredictable and went beyond my expectations of what this team had to offer.”

Junior 5’6 Defender Years of experience: 12 overall, 3 years in high school “This season was the best season we’ve ever had and will ever have.”

Hayley Hartwell Hadley Rosendall Sophomore 5’7 Defense/Midfield Years of experience: 12 years overall, 2 years in high school “This season has been very memorable with being able to experience all of the excitement with these girls.”

Junior 5’5 Defender Years of experience: 12 years overall, 3 years in high school “This season was the best we’ve had yet and we surpassed expectations.”

Morgan Robertson Stephany Rodriguez Sophomore 5’2 Left defender Years of experience: 9 years overall, 2 years in high school “This season was an unforgettable experience and glad it was this group of girls that I shared it with.”

Victoria Max Sophomore 5’1 Years of experience: 10 years overall, 2 years in high school Midfield “My first year on Varsity exceeded my expectations. I am so glad to be a part of the experience of going to States.”

Freshman 5’3 Center midfield Years of experience: 12 years over all, 1 year in high school “Being my first year playing in high school, this year was very rewarding and I was so glad to be a part of it.”

Kristen Miles Junior 5’6 Defensive midfielder Years of experience: 11 years overall, 3 years in high school “This season was a positive change for me coming from Everglades and it is definitely something I will always remember.”

Houda Baajour Junior 5’3 Manager Years of experience: 10 years overall, 2 years in high school “This season was one of the most outstanding seasons I’ve ever seen a group of girls play.”

Veronica Gayoso Junior 5’3 Years of experience: 9 years overall, 3 years in high school Defense/Midfield “This seasons has been filled with endless memories as well as accomplishments.”

Sam Toribio Senior 5’4 Left wing Years of experience: 14 years overall, 4 years in high school “This season was gr8.”

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Girl’s Wa W

Jessica Cordero

ater polo might not be the most well-known sport to many, but at PPCHS some students treat it as their priority and favorite sport. One of these students is junior Jessica Cordero. She is currently a part of the PPCHS water polo team, and has been since her freshman year.

Cordero began competitive swimming as a child and her swimming coach recommended her to try out water polo. She has been swimming for a long time, but currently this is her 3rd year playing water polo. Cordero plays an all-around position but she prefers to play defensive.

“I am always trying to improve in all aspects of my game, but I feel that I need to work on accuracy with my shots mostly. Even though I am a defensive player, I think my shots still need to be as good as possible to help the team when I need to go up and score. Hopefully if I can improve as much as I can, I’ll be able to play for college either up north or in California,” Cordero said.

Jessica Cordero is an athlete who plays the unknown sport that is water polo who gives it her all and is only focusing on doing better than the last time she played. Next time the PPCHS water polo team is playing a game watch out for the defensive maestro that is Jessica Cordero.

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Leila Hathaway

he opposition of the team is swimming down the lane with the ball.

Then they are about to take the shot when Leila Hathaway comes out of nowhere and blocks her opponent from scoring the goal. Hathaway has just saved her team from losing in the District knockout round.

Leila Hathaway is a junior who has been playing water polo since 7th grade.

She has been on the team since her freshmen year. Hathaway gained inspiration from her mom when she put her in swimming when she was younger.

Then her coach arranged her to continue playing water polo and she has been playing the sport ever since.

Hathaway hopes to go to Brigham Young University after high school. She only plans to play at the club level of college and not pursue a career in water polo. Her hobbies include going to the movies, eating ice cream, and especially watching American Horror Story on Netflix. Hathaway hopes to improve her defensive abilities to prevent the opposition from scoring goals.

She hopes she can get better soon so she will be ready for Districts.

“I hope we can make it to States again this year. We made it to states last year and it was good experience. I think if we make it again this year, the team will have more determination to win it and be State Champs,” said junior Leila Hathaway.

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Melissa Gonzalez

ome people may lack determination and passion after playing a sport for a long period of time, but Melissa Gonzalez has participated in water polo for only her third year. There is still that fire and drive to preform to her highest capability. Gonzalez swims competitively for the South Florida Aquatic Club, SoFlo, so that is when her swim coach approached her in 7th grade with the idea of water polo.

“My competitive swim coach, Coach Luis, was a big influence in my decision to participate in water polo. Since he approached me so young he would always mention it every chance he got to make sure I was going to play in high school,” stated Gonzalez.

After researching videos of old games and watching professional water polo teams, Gonzalez knew she would fall in love with the high intensity sport. Now a junior, with a starting position, and in her third year on the Pines Charter varsity water polo team, she couldn’t be more thankful for her swimming coach.

Gonzalez plays either left side wing or the flat position which is on either side of the point player and they stay about 5-8 meters away from goal.

Gonzalez still competes on SoFlo and also participates on the swim team for Charter. There aren’t as many colleges that hold water polo teams compared to other sports, but Gonzalez is hopeful to continue playing in college.

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Rebecca Gonzalez

ebecca Gonzalez started playing water polo sophomore year when her sister was going to try to do it, and she wanted to do the same. Water polo is different than soccer because you use your hands to throw the ball in the net. You have seven teammates who are in the pool at the same time as you.

The game requires commitment, and dedication to your teammates. Gonzalez has all of these traits and that’s what makes her such a great teammate.

“My favorite moment was when the girl’s team made it to states last year.

Working so hard and then finally achieving it, it is just so amazing. Through water polo I’ve learned commitment and how to be a team player. There are not a lot of girls on the team, but the girls we do have on the team are strong athletes and always willing to work hard every single practice,” said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez and the water polo team are hoping to have a great season. Their main goal is to get to states again this season, and win the title. Gonzalez is one of several seniors on the team, and the good side of that is that they all have a lot of experience on the team. They all have the desire to win, and they know how to get to the finals.

Good luck to Gonzalez and the rest of the water polo team this season. Go win Jags!

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Viviana Calero

ater polo is not as easy as it may look. It takes dedication, strength, and a lot of talent. Senior Viviana Calero has it all. She is one of the starting 7 players on the PPCHS water polo team and is currently in her third year of playing on the team. Her inspiration to participate in water polo was her older sister’s footsteps and she absolutely loves the idea of being on a team.

Growing up, water polo was not her first passion, swimming was. Viviana began competitive swimming at the age of 10 and from there, she fell in love with being in the water. She decided to try something new and carry her swimming talents over to PPCHS and devote them to the water polo team.

Her favorite part about water polo is being a part of the family. “We all win together and we all lose together. They are a really great group of girls and we get along so easily,” said Calero.

Last season, the girls made it all the way to states, but were unfortunately eliminated. “My goal for this season is to work really hard and try to make it further by becoming state champions,” she said. Viviana is hungry for victory and ready to kick off this season. With her talent contributing to the team, there is no doubt the Lady Jags water polo team will make it far.

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Victoria Hill

or senior Victoria Hill, her four year water polo career is coming to an end, but her determination and drive is a big as ever. As a senior, this is Hill’s last chance to bring the team she dedicated the last four years to states. Her journey to the player she is today started in her freshman year. “I knew the coach for a while, since I was like ten,” said Hill. “He always talked about the team and hyped me up to play once I got to high school. So I just tried it for the heck of it and loved it.”

Hill is an on the field general, meaning she helps keep the team calm and gives them a sense of direction. At the same time, her team is her biggest motivation. “I’ve seen what we are capable of when we put in 100% and knowing that keeps me motivated and determined to put in the effort to make it as far as we can.”

As for herself, Hill wants to “improve the accuracy of my shots and abilities in the hole-set position.” She also wants to score at least one goal per game.

As for college, Hill isn’t sure where she is going yet. Water polo, though, may not be in here future. “I probably wouldn’t play at the collegiate level, but I’ve considered playing intramural or club level in college.” Her drive and determination from water polo will carry over to whatever Hill decides to do, whether it’s for college or a career.

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Colin Gonzalez

atural ability sometimes might not be enough to succeed in a sport. Junior Colin Gonzalez adds something else to the mix: hard-work. Two years ago in his freshman year, Gonzalez joined the swim and dive team. He put in the hard-work there, got in great shape, and joined the water polo team in the winter, with some encouragement from some friends. For two years, Gonzalez has dedicated hours and hours to make himself a better player overall. Along the way, he has met some people who he can now truly call his friends.

“My biggest motivation would probably be Blake Kelly, one of the best water polo players we have ever had,” said Gonzalez. “He’s my motivation because of how good he was when he played for us. He also scored a lot of goals per game.”

Never shy to set high expectations for himself and the team, Gonzalez wants the team to make it past districts and he wants to score more goals than he did last year. Last year, he scored 15 goals, but for Gonzalez, that’s not enough.

As for college, water polo is something Gonzalez wants to do. “I might want to play water polo in college, but it depends on if I can get a scholarship.”

Schools that interest him include Florida State University and University of California, Santa Barbara. No matter where Gonzalez decides to go or what he decides to do, his time spent on the water polo team will affect how he is as a person and as a player.

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Noah Hernandez

s they dive into the water, the PPCHS boys’ water polo team only has one goal in mind: success. This especially applies to senior Noah Hernandez. Hernandez has been on the water polo team since his freshman year, and the same applies for the swim team, where he is co-captain. He has been swimming ever since he was in elementary school and simply hasn’t been able to quit. Being in his fourth year of high school, this is Hernandez’s last chance to bring home a title.

“My biggest hope for this season is to take the team to states,” said Hernandez. “That has been my dream since I was a freshman. Every year we try our hardest as a team but we just haven’t been able to find the end product.

Hopefully that can change this time around.”

Hernandez was inspired to play by two people, 2014 PPCHS graduate Blake Kelley and his swim team coach Lewis Soler. They both saw the incredible ability that Hernandez had in the water, for both swimming races and water polo. Like Hernandez, Kelley was on both the water polo and swimming team, captaining both. He is seen as a school legend and not only inspired Noah Hernandez, but also struck hope into all current water polo members.

Hopefully Hernandez is able to accomplish his goals and bring a title to PPCHS on behalf of the water polo team.

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Tomas Legaspi

n all team sports, there is always that one key player who can constantly be relied upon to give 110% effort in every single game. For the Pines Charter boys’ water polo team, it isn’t any different as that player is senior Tomas Legaspi. A true competitor at heart, Legaspi thrives on the intensity of a game and becomes determined to come out victorious. Playing on the team with his friends also gives him the motivation he needs to come out and have a worthy performance every time.

“Unlike swimming, water polo is focused around your teammates and not so much about yourself. It takes all of us to win a game and I always give the max effort to make sure that I’ve done my part,” said Legaspi.

Since he joined the team during his freshman year, Legaspi has been working tirelessly to make vast strides of improvement. All of the dedication and pre-season conditioning has finally paid off, as Legaspi will be one of the main leaders on the team and go-to man in the pool. Legaspi is proud that he can now say that he has been on the water polo team in all four years of his high school career. He looks forward to enjoying his last season and hopes that he can play a few extra games when the team reaches Regionals and maybe even States.

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Water Polo S

Marcos Pagella

ophomore Marcos Pagella is already nearly finished with his second year as a part of the PPCHS Water Polo team but his days of playing are just getting off to a start. Being involved in organized swimming from the young age of 8, Pagella has developed much in his almost eight years of experience. A versatile and extremely skill-equipped player, Pagella likes to move around positions, but the one he has been playing the most this season has been hole-set (center). Also a member of the PPCHS Swim Team, Marcos started water polo with the school in his freshman year but has since also played for the South Florida Water Polo Club (SFWPC), a highly recognized and prestigious polo organization.

“When I was little, I would show up to practice and see the Charter Water Polo Team practicing. It looked really cool to me and I decided that I would keep swimming and get better at that until I could join the polo team in high school.”

Marcos, along with many of his fellow Jag Water Polo players, was greatly inspired by former Charter student Blake Kelly (class of 2014) who captained and led the team up until his graduation last year. Pagella’s greatest accomplishments with the PPCHS Water Polo Team so far are last season’s District Championship and their undefeated victory in a tournament they entered towards the end of last season. Pagella plans to play water polo for as long as he can, especially if he is able to continue in college.

“Water Polo takes an effort from the heart, body, and mind. And I would give them all for my team.”

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Stefano Dioguardi

t’s not every day one gets to meet a former professional athlete. It’s not every day that they’re your own father too. For senior Stefan Diogaurdi here at PPCHS, this is the case as his father is a former professional water polo player and is the central reason why he got into the sport in 8th grade. Dioguardi’s outgoing personality and strong leadership qualities have earned him the right to be a captain for the Jaguars in his final season on the team.

As both a defensive set and point on offense, the senior has many responsibilities when he’s out there in the water, whether practicing or playing a game.

In comparison to essentially all other PPCHS athletes, Dioguardi is a strong believer in teamwork and loves the feeling of winning a game collectively.

“The bond I have between my teammates is a special kind of bond, like a big brother bond. I am able to help them get better due to the knowledge I have of the game,” Dioguardi stated.

The water polo team has had more talent in the past; however, the work ethic that Dioguardi and the rest of the team attains can reach them to special goals. For the senior captain himself, Division I college St. Francis has showed much interest in Dioguardi as he hopes to commit before signing day rolls around in the spring.

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Tommy Bayer

t’s coming down to the wire. He’s swimming to the goal of the opposition. He gives a pass to senior Noah Hernandez and receives it back. It’s just him and the goalkeeper now. If he makes this the game is won for the Jags. He shoots the ball from his hand and it goes in. The crowd goes wild.

Tommy Bayer has just scored the winning goal for the Jags Water Polo team.

Tommy Bayer is a sophomore who has been playing water polo since freshmen year. He found love for the sport when Blake Kelly, a senior that graduated last year inspired him to play. His hobbies include looking at cool cars, eating, and watching TV. Bayer doesn’t have any plans to play water polo in college but has it as a backup plan in case his mind changes.

“The team this year looks good. We have to practice more and see how the team works out to fix the errors we make. I hope we can make it to States this year because the team lost in Regional finals last year,” said sophomore Tommy Bayer.

With Bayer in the water he is sure to make an impact that will help lead his team to States. He hopes to work on being more aggressive in his play to help his team score goals. All it takes is hard work and the water polo team can achieve their dream of going to States.

31

Waste not, want not Sofia Gangotena

and

Lauren Cookley

Staff Writer

A

s Valentine’s Day becomes nothing more than a memory, it’s time to think of ways to use the leftover candy. What better way than to use them in delicious desserts? Whether it be y you think, “Who needs a valentine?” Of course, St. Patrick’s Day is around the corner. What other way can one think of to celebrate this holiday than to bake some traditional desserts?

Irish Tea Cake

Sugar Cookies

P hotos B y : S ofia G angotena

1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup white sugar 2 eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup milk 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round pan.

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated; stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the batter alternately with the milk. If the batter is too stiff, a tablespoon or two of milk may be added.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack, then turn out onto a serving plate. Dust with confectioners’ sugar right before serving. (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Irish-Tea-Cake/ Detail.aspx?evt19=1)

Chocolate Brownie Bar

P hotos B y : S ofia G angotena

1/2 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup shortening 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda Additional sugar Candy of your choice

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add egg and vanilla; mix well.

Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture.

Shape into 1-in. balls. Roll in sugar. Place on greased baking sheet; flatten with a glass. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Place candy in the center. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: 5 dozen. (http://www.tasteofhome.com/ recipes/sugar-cookies)

P hotos B y : L auren C ookle

1 ½ Sticks of butter/ melted 1 ½ cups of sugar 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons water ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon of salt ½ teaspoon baking powder ¾ cups unsweetened cocoa powder ½ cup all-purpose flour 10 mini snickers (refrigerator cold)

Preheat oven to 350°. In a la cream butter, shortening and til light and fluffy. Add egg an mix well. Combine flour, bak der and baking soda; gradual creamed mixture.

Shape into 1-in. balls. Roll Place on greased baking she with a glass. Bake 10-12 minu til set. Place candy in the cente to wire racks to cool complete 5 dozen. (http://www.tasteofhome.com sugar-cookies)

The CHAT Editorial: Born This Way, accep Sofia Gangotena

L

Staff Writer

ady Gaga’s popular song, “Born This Way” can be seen as a major LGBTQ anthem, as it shows that the way you are is the way you’re born. This attitude is used as reasoning when parents. While some accept their kids, many don’t. They would say that it goes against their religion or that they didn’t raise their children to be this way. This failure to accept their kids a few things: anger or denial. Some parents kick their children out or deny the fact that they are a member of the LGBTQ community. They just refuse to believe it. Parents have a huge They have the job of being a positive and warm model in a kid’s life.

“You have a responsibility as a parent to your child, because you have decided to bring life into this world. You should be prepared for anything and you should be prepared to love yo said senior Isadora Zuidema.

Sometimes, parents don’t execute that job well that job. 26% of LGBTQ youth have said that rejection from their family is the most important problem in their lives (usnews.com). If a lesbian or transgender, the parent has the choice to do two things: accept who their children are and continue to love them as who they are or get angry about who their children are and l Fortunately, not all parents react badly when their children come out to them. When an anonymous student came out to his parents, he was scared. “It’s not a generally accepted thing. T They’d known pretty much my whole life, since I’d always been different than other boys.” In January, twin brothers and YouTube stars Aaron and Austin Rhodes from Ashland, Tenne YouTube of them coming out to their father over the phone. Visibly nervous, they were relieved by their father’s positive response. He said, “You know I love you both. That will never Another anonymous student was met with acceptance from his parents when he came out. “Since they were so accepting, I feel like I can be myself and I don’t have to hide from them YouTube personality Tyler Oakley from California came out to his parents and his mother was understanding and nurturing. Now, they have one of the greatest relationships on the intern together. When another famous YouTuber and Australian, Troye Sivan, told his story of coming out in a video, he recounted the story of when he came out to his dad. In it, he said that hi With doubt, Sivan wondered whether his father still loved him, where his father responded with an obvious “Of course”.

Sophomore Natalie Hill said, “I think that the way that parents react to their children coming extremely affects the child.” The step of coming out is not a small one, it is not one to b should be told that they are loved and accepted.

Recently, the LGBTQ community encountered a shocking and sad story. A transgender teenage girl in Ohio committed suicide and posted her suicide note on Tumblr. In it, she said t her parents, her mother, “reacted extremely negatively, telling me that it was a phase, that I would never truly be a girl, that God doesn’t make mistakes, that I am wrong.” Then, when s friends, thinking it would be easier to transition to transgender, her parents continued to react badly. They took her out of school, confiscated her phone and laptop, and gave her no acces parents reacted the worst way possible. They never gave her a chance. She committed suicide because she never felt like she would be accepted. After her death, her mother continued never admitted that her death was a suicide. On Facebook, her mother said that “he” was hit by a truck accidentally.

Her death should not be in vain. Parents of children in the LGBTQ should look at the way they reacted if their child came out, and if they reacted badly, rectify it. Look at her death as do in these situations. Children already feel alienated and different. Don’t make them feel worse.

Hopefully, there will come a time where acceptance is much more common amongst parents. Eventually, our generation will be the next set of parents. There’s no way of denying that Hopefully, we can expect that our generation will be a lot more accepting and open to the idea of a child who comes out to us.

Junior Juan Tellez said, “We’re less dependent on our parents now. Generationally, we’re becoming a lot more accepting of LGBTQ youth, so we’ll be better parents.”

If you think that parenting should be in your future, decide one thing. Will you accept your child no matter who it is that they love or who they are? You should because they wer

32

Who’s behind the wheel?

yummy sugar cookies or gooey chocolate bar brownies, they are sure to make ?

rs

Rice Krispy Vanilla Squares

P hotos B y : L auren C ookley

ey

arge bowl, d sugar unand vanilla; aking powally add to

l in sugar. eet; flatten nutes or uner. Remove tely. Yield:

Google Cars: As we move towards the future our technology get better.

G raphic B y : K atie P erez

1 cup of sugar 1 cup of clear Karo syrup 1 cup of peanut butter 6 cups of Rice Krispy’s 1 ½ cups of vanilla morsels

m/recipes/

Pour 1 cup of Karo into pan with 1 cup of sugar.

Boil on stove until it turns to syrup.

Remove from stove and add 1 cup of peanut butter.

Pour mixture over Rice Krispy’s and mix well.

Place in greased 9x13 inch pan Smooth out the batter.

Microwave the vanilla morsels for 40 seconds until softened.

Add two tablespoons of hot water to the morsels and stir well.

Pour over the Rise Krispy’s.

ptance today

n children come out to their s as whom they are leads to ge impact on their children.

your child no matter what,”

a child comes out as gay or lose a special relationship.

They were really accepting. nessee uploaded a video on er change” (NBC News). m,” he said. rnet, filming famous videos his father was so accepting. be taken lightly. The child

that when she came out to she came out as gay to her ss to any social media. Her d to use “he” pronouns and

s an example of what not to

at we are more progressive.

ere born this way.

LGBTQ: No matter who brings you down, never lose sight of who you are.

P hoto B y : A lex M onge

Autumn Pough

Imagine driving next to a car with no pilot or human controlling it. Imagine a world where the air is cleaner and cars are powered by different forms of energy. Picture long insurance waits and Staff Writer

the difficulties of figuring out accidents caused by autonomous cars. It is clear that there are many advantages and disadvantages to having driverless vehicles. How would the modern society adapt to this chain reaction of changes to come?

Just before Christmas, Google unveiled the first real model of their self-driving vehicle. This version brings together all the elements of the car in what is a functional form of the vehicle. Google’s driverless cars are said to use over $150,000 worth of technology, including a laser which can generate a detailed 3D map of the car’s environment, even identifying how high traffic lights are, which in turn produces different types of data models so the car can drive itself. Google has hopes of having the new cars on the streets of California by next year. In the last several years, seventeen states including D.C. have considered legislation authorizing self-driving cars, but only California, Florida, Nevada, and Washington, D.C. have enacted any form of law (techcrunch.com).

“I think driverless cars would be safer because a lot of people do not know how to drive properly and cause major accidents, but technology does not think or make rational decisions, humans do,” said sophomore Adil Haq. How are the test models of driverless cars doing? According to the TechCrunch website, The Audi A7 has already made a safe 550-mile trip from Silicon Valley to the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Google’s activities match that of Volvo which has been working on autonomous car devices in its home country and already has five prototypes out on the roads.

There are many beneficial factors put into these cars. When machines are in charge, it’s easy to imagine that quiet, upscale residential neighborhoods in congestion-laden cities like L.A. could become the place for driverless cars. Imagine the potential impact on congestion patterns and real estate values.

“Self- driving cars are going to have a lot of positive effects on drunk driving rates, elderly crashes, and the number of teen crashes caused by inexperience or pure distractions. With more security comes less freedom, and I do not think our society is going to give up that type of freedom any time soon for the security of a car that can drive on its own,” sophomore Cheyenne Wakeland-Hart.

Autonomous cars are highly efficient, could be powered by alternative forms of energy, and are deferential to pedestrians and people on bikes, which could help boost those forms of transportation. However, driverless cars could also make urban sprawl more appealing as cheaper, more convenient rides could encourage lower-density living and even hinder or reverse investment in public transportation infrastructure.

Although this new technology has many benefits personal and environmental, there are also many consequences. A driverless car probably will not cause an accident, but an inattentive driver could rear end the driverless car at an intersection. As soon as that first incident occurs, the ensuing insurance claim and potential lawsuit will create ripples across multiple industries.

When lawsuits evolve around driverless cars, it will be difficult for courts to process and account for the class of data evidence that will evolve including: reams of statistics about algorithms, traffic patterns, precipitation rates and traffic light patterns. It may well be easier, more practical and less open to interpretation to have a video recording of every incident. Humans are generally rational drivers and have route preferences. Driverless cars are always logical and have no preferences.

Automated GPS systems choose (and constantly update) the quickest path from point A to point B given based on thousands of variables.

What does the “driver” actually do when he is not actually driving? When these cars go mainstream, new entertainment forms are sure to emerge to fill the time previously spent paying attention to the road. New forms of entertainment will need to be engaging but not too distracting. Undoubtedly our legislators and insurance providers will have some opinions about what constitutes as “safe in-car entertainment.”

There are many factors and variables that need to considered for driverless cars to ever have a chance in society. PPCHS students share a variety of thoughts on the topic both agreeing and disagreeing about whether or not this new way of life is worth pursuing. “Do the benefits outweigh the negatives or vice versa and how will our daily lives be affected?” are some of the many questions students and the nation are considering.

33

Download this! Popular Apps of 2015 Evan Samuels

Our world is quickly beginning to completely revolve around simple smartphone apps. Like the app Twitter, where people reach out to anyone they want across the world or Instagram where you can capture any moment and post it online to share it with the rest of the Staff Writer

world. Also in Trivia Crack, where you vs your friends answering different category questions like, “who was The First President of the United States”, or “what sport is most popular worldwide?” There’s also YouTube, a video sharing worldwide app where any video you want is within reach. Then Spotify, an app where you can listen to any music you want for free. These apps improve your life by letting you engage with your friends, getting you information you might want, and it brings you closer to different varieties of music you love.

• Instagram On the app Instagram you can post a picture where your friends, and even celebrities can see your pictures you post online. You can even post videos with lengths of up to fifteen seconds. People love Instagram, because it’s a fast way to post a picture or video online and get comments back right after. Through Instagram you have the ability to see anyone’s life through the picture of a lens. “Instagram is my favorite app because of how fast the app is. I always wanted to travel, and through Instagram I can travel through the lens,” said freshman Amanda Cabus.

• Twitter Twitter is awesome because you get to message or “tweet” whatever you want. You can express your thoughts and feelings, tweet to celebrities, and discover more about the things you love in life. “I’m always on Twitter because I like to see what people are up too, and I like to know what celebrities are thinking around the world,” said freshman Sarah Barrocas.

• Trivia Crack Trivia Crack is a game where you vs your friends or people around the world, answering different category questions. In order to win you need to have more crowns than the person you’re versing. In order to get crowns you have to answer the questions correctly. It’s fun, fast, and exciting to compete against people worldwide. “Trivia Crack is my favorite app because I get to test my history skills vs my friends. It’s funny because I’m the best out of my friends, so I always win,” said freshman Gabriela DaSilva.

• YouTube YouTube is a video sharing worldwide app, where you can see different posts from almost anyone you want. You can watch videos uploaded from popular YouTubers like Ryan Higa, PewDiePie, and Jenna Marbles ranging from comedy, gaming, skits, fashion, horror, or even just watch the official music videos of your favorite songs. “I think YouTube is amazing on how every day thousands of videos are released. I personally like watching the funny videos because I love to laugh. I hate the scary ones they are just too freaky for me,” said freshman Michael Perez.

• Spotify Spotify is an app and also a social network where you can listen to any music you want for free. Listen to rock, pop, jazz, or even rap it’s all within your reach. You have the ability to create playlists, and share them with your friends. You can discover new music by browsing the collections of your friends, or even celebrities. You can share music through social media sites like Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. Follow friends when they discover music, you will too. “Spotify is amazing! Music for free it’s awesome. I use it every day, and I would recommend this app to anyone who has a love of music like me,” said Sophomore Gabby Canola.

These apps are changing lives, whether it’s by sharing music with friends, posting a picture online, or making a video for millions of people to watch, even just by simply tweeting. Apps like Trivia Crack, where your brain skills go into action, trying to remember different category questions. Apps like these are addicting and once you use them once, they become a part of your daily life. These apps keep you in touch with the world, your friends, and put your brain to ease while you sit back and listen to music. That’s why these apps are the top five apps of 2015.

Popular Apps: Through popular apps like Instagram amd Twitter, students can keep up to date with the lives of celebrities and friends. Photo By: Peter Dourvetakis

Photo By: Peter Dourvetakis

The Apple doesn’t fall far from fiscal tree Jake Dreilinger Editor-in-Chief

T he first quarter of the 2015 fiscal year has come to an end. It’s the time for all companies to count up their profits and see how much they made in the first three months. There will always be companies that produce a

huge profit, and those who need to work harder to increase that profit, but one company stood out from the rest.

This wasn’t just because they took the crown in this fiscal race or came out with products that dominated the quarter sales. Apple released the net income of the first quarter to be $18 billion, which is the most any company has ever earned in one fiscal quarter.

This was a mixture of technological dominance and great timing. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were released on September 19th, 2014, just in time for the beginning of the first quarter. Since the release date, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus has sold nearly 74.5 million iPhones in the first quarter of fiscal 2015 (businessinsider.com). These sales were the biggest part of Apple’s domination of the fiscal quarter. This comes as no shock, though; Apple has always produced high quarterly numbers whenever they release a new iPhone or iPad. In fact, according to craveoline.com, out of the 20 highest-grossing quarter records of all time, five of them come from Apple, and they are the only five to not be held by oil and gas companies.

“I did expect this just because [Apple] has very smart individuals and always come up with something new and better,” said senior and iPhone user Ian Gonzalez. “Every time they come out with an announcement on something new, society wants to spend their money on the new and better things and that’s exactly what’s happening.”

The $18 billion made by Apple will solidify their claim as the greatest technology company that ever existed.

Their numbers far exceed those of Microsoft and Qualcomm, which made $4.34 billion and $7.1 billion respectively (forbes.com). Qualcomm is home to Samsung, who made the Galaxy phones which many consider as rivals to Apple’s iPhone. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus even sold more copies than the Samsung Galaxy S5, which only sold 12 million units within a three month period (forbes.com). Apple has maintained their dominance over the technology industry, releasing tablets and phones that has become the social normality. Just by looking at the Apple logo, people are drawn to the brand and buy whatever they are selling.

Apple Record: Apple Questions still remain, though. Where does Apple go from here? They already sold at least 74.5 million iPhones earns the most money ever in one fiscal quarter. Graphic within the last fiscal quarter. Would people still want to buy iPhones? Will iPhone sales significantly decrease?

By: Katie Perez Has Apple reached its peak? Junior Logan McKinney still believes Apple can do more. “Apple will have a surplus of money to produce more phones for the increasing demand,” said McKinney. With the Apple Watch coming out in April 2015, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are expected to have updates that make the phones compatible with the Watch. With more people buying the new iPhones, many will be prompted to buy the Apple Watch, especially if it’s compatible with their new iPhones. This is where Apple will be looking to make a big profit in the later fiscal 2015 quarters.

While it’s an incredible feat for Apple to produce an $18 million profit, it’s important that this doesn’t go to their heads and decrease the quality of future Apple products. Apple has revolutionized the communication industry with their amazing tablets and phones. Apple has staked their place in history and will forever be known for their amazing products and their amazing profits.

34

NES to Wii U: Evolution of Mario Kart David Cha-Kim & Josiah Celestine Technology Editor & Staff Writer

A

s you are quickly approaching the finish line on the last lap, you can envision all the bragging rights you’ll have over your friends with your victory that is sure to come. You’ve gone through too much to have this race be thrown away. You have dodged endless amounts of your opponents’ green Koopa shells, red shells, bananas and even exploding Bob-ombs. But out of the corner of your eye, you see the small symbol for a blue shell approaching you and you hear the warning sound getting louder and louder. You push down on the accelerator with all your might hoping you can cross the line before the wretched blue shell eradicates your hopes of victory. Right as you’re about to make it, the shell appears on your screen and taunts you by circling around you before it strikes.

One second was all it took to ruin your hard-fought win. As your character whines on the screen while you fall to last place you can do nothing but think on how you can make sure to win next time. This is Mario Kart.

The competitive aspect of racing games and the lovable characters and landscapes/ worlds of the Mario Franchise combine together in a unique gaming experience that has touched the hearts of millions across the world. The series has greatly evolved in its many years, making the transformation from a simple, pixelated game with small amounts of characters and tracks played in arcades and on the SNES to a massively multiplayer online gaming experience with the beautiful 1080p high definition graphics of the next-gen Nintendo console Wii U (IGN).

With eight total titles for home and portable consoles and five more titles for Arcade games from 1992 to present day, the Mario Kart series has definitely had its fair share of big game releases. However, even despite the short gap between releases of the games.

Every time Nintendo releases the new edition, each and every Mario Kart seems to outdo the last one by an entire Rainbow Road.

In 1992, the first Mario Kart game was released on the SNES system and had the name, “Super Mario Kart.” It managed to sell 8 million copies worldwide, and went on to become the third bestselling SNES game of all time, behind Super Mario World and Donkey Kong Country. Super Mario Kart received extremely positive reviews and has been praised for its wonderful gameplay and graphics at the time.

Coming a few of years after Super Mario Kart in 1997, “Mario Kart 64” took center stage on the Nintendo 64 console. This was the first entry to have 4-player racing and sport 3D graphics, now capable because of the power of the system. Mario Kart 64 made what a Kart-racer is today. Its jump into 3D graphics was exactly what the game needed to succeed even more.

The next entry would see a more portable on-the-go version. The third game in the series was the first to be on the Game Boy Advance in 2001. There weren’t many improvements brought with the GBA version other than the that it was portable to players, but it was the first release in the series that could be played while being out and about and made the series as a whole much more popular.

In 2003 Mario Kart Double Dash was released on the GameCube system. It received

mostly positive reception, Nintendo Power gave the game a perfect score, and said the graphics were perfect, and the mechanics “rival those of any GCN racing game”. This was also the first and last game that featured the ability for two different players to share control of the same Kart.

Two years after, Nintendo released the second portable version of Mario Kart for DS and ironically, the first ever Mario Kart bringing online capability would be on a portable console. MKDS brought a unique experience with its double screen, giving players an interface they’ve never had before, with the mini-map, items, and rankings on the bottom, while the actual display of the race was on the top.

Junior Noel Garcia said, “I grew up playing Mario Kart. I played Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Double Dash, and Mario Kart on the Wii. My favorite was Double Dash because that was the one I played the most and in my opinion, it was the easiest to control.”

Following, Mario Kart Wii was released in 2008 and went on to be the second best-selling game for Wii and is still the best-selling racing video game of all time. In addition to doubling the amount of characters in the game (now 24), Mario Kart Wii took advantage of the motion functionality of the Wii Mote and allowed players to physically steer their Kart by tilting their remote in real life with a unique steering wheel controller. Like the DS version, the Wii version also had online multiplayer but was still not as efficient as online gaming in other consoles like the PlayStation and the Xbox.

Sophomore Aspen Oudshoorn said, “I grew up playing the Wii version the most, but my favorite was Mario Kart Double Dash because of the ability to be able to play with a friend on the same team and the gameplay was great.”

In 2011, Mario Kart 7 was released for the 3DS and it was the first entry to be named numerically instead of with a sub-name. Released in the holiday season of 2011, Mario Kart 7 introduced 17 characters, new items, hang-gliding, Kart attachments, first person racing and even the ability to drive underwater.

Most recently, Nintendo released Mario Kart 8 in 2014 for the next gen console, Wii U. Now on next gen, the MK8 was the first ever Mario Kart game in the series to be in 1080p HD quality and its colorful design and clarity have led MK8 to earn its place as one of the best looking games in Nintendo history. The online multiplayer was completely revamped and players can now easily join an online session and be racing against players from all around the globe in a matter of seconds. Along with its 30 obtainable characters, downloadable content in the Wii U version made MK8 the first of the series to feature characters from other franchises, most significantly Link from the Legend of Zelda.

Mario Kart is a gaming series that has taken the world by storm, and is a huge part to many people’s childhoods. It evolved much in its over 20 years of being around, but there is always room for improvement for anything, so we are sure to be able to expect more from this huge game in the near future.

Google puts more ‘Fiber’ in your Internet LJ Lemmers Staff Writer

T

Graphic By: Katie Perez

he most popular search engine company, Google, has taken its standards to a new high by introducing Google Fiber. Google Fiber is a new internet service provider that has been established in seven U.S cities: Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Kansas City, Nashville, Provo, and Raleigh-Durham. Google’s plan is to set up in residential homes before eventually making it available to businesses.

“Google Fiber sounds really good. I’m excited to see what this new Internet service provider can bring to the table. Google Chrome is really fast, so with this; Internet will be even faster than before. If it makes a name for itself, then I will surely ask my parents to check it out,” said freshman Matthew Levy.

Google Fiber offers three options: a free broadband internet option, a 1 Gbit/s internet option, and an option including television service. The internet service includes one terabyte of Google Drive service; the television service includes a two terabyte DVR in addition to the Google Drive. The DVR will be able to record eight live television shows at the same time. Also, it can save up to 500 hours of TV recordings.

Fiber has many other features that will give rival internet service providers a run for their money. It is 100 times faster than regular today’s broadband speeds. That means less buffering and more video chatting, uploading family videos, and playing your favorite online games (fiber.google.com).

With TV, customers can watch up to 150+ channels and tens of thousands of shows and movies on demand- all in one place. Fiber gives less compression which brings HD in its best form. To keep better control of the TV, customers can download the Google Fiber TV app on the Android or iOS devices, and turn any of the compatible devices into a super remote control (fiber.google.com).

“If my dad ever decides to buy Google Fiber, it will be because of the features it offers in the TV department. I like to watch TV and my dad does as well. Google Fiber with saving 500 hours of TV is a cool feature that will be sure to convince a lot of people to buy it,” said sophomore Samantha Feinstein.

Google Fiber has just started to make a name for its self in numerous cities. Google has already started working with 34 cities in 9 metro areas across the US to explore building new fiber-optic networks in their communities (fiber.google.com). It is just a matter of

35

Music’s Biggest Night

The CHAT E I

Graphic By: Katie Perez

Sofia Gangotena

O

Staff Writer

n Sunday February 8th, millions of music lovers gathered around their television sets to watch the annually anticipated 57th Grammy Awards. Although the Grammy’s started promptly at 8 p.m., the real show began at 6 p.m. with the red carpet preshow on E!. There is no denying that each year the Grammy’s never disappoints in delivering looks that are one to remember. In true Los Angeles fashion, some of the most talented musicians and performers took to the red carpet adorned in designers and jewels as they made their way inside the venue, to their seats. To say the least, the bold looks strutted across the carpet served to encapsulate the mood - jaw dropping. However, the real eye opening moments of the night were of those who walked away with the reason the stars were gathered- the trophies.

With LL Cool J serving as host for the 3rd year, the show proved to be a blast from start to finish. To tip things off, AC/DC took the stage as the first performance of the night, their first time at the Grammy Awards, and sang hits like “Rock and Bust” and “Highway to Hell”.

The audience sprang to their feet, donning devil horns as they sang along with the famous rock band. Later, Taylor Swift presented the award for the Best New Artist and gave a piece of advice: “Don’t worry if you don’t win, because neither did I” referring to when she nominated for the award in 2008. To no surprise, Sam Smith brought home the first award of the night for Best New Artist, as his first of four, beating fellow nominees like Haim and Iggy Azalea. Senior Sabah Abbasakoor said, “I’m glad that Sam Smith won because that meant that Iggy Azalea didn’t win.”

The next performance was by Pharrell Williams, who unfortunately did not wear his infamous tall-hat this year, as he gave a new rendition of his ever popular Best Pop Solo award winning song “Happy”. However, Pharell is known to appreciate all things unique so doing his performance dressed as a hotel bell hop, while accompanied by legendary pianist Lang Lang and composer Hans Zimmer, reinforced his mantra of expecting the unexpected. “It was a great performance. I’m always impressed with his outfit choices and his set,” junior Sabine Pagnant said.

Soon, A Capella group Pentatonix, who won an award for their medley “Daft Punk” in the Arrangement, Instrumental or a Capella category, went on stage with Barry Gibb, last surviving member of the Bee Gees, to present the award for Best Pop Vocal Album. Once again it went to Sam Smith for his album “In the Lonely Hour”, his second award of the night. In his speech, Smith said, “Before I made this record, I was doing everything to try to get my music heard. I tried to lose weight and I was making awful music. It wasn’t until I started to be myself that the music started to flow and the people started to listen.

President Obama made an appearance in video form to speak about domestic violence against women. In his speech he said, “Together we can change our culture for the better by ending violence against women and girls.” He continued with some shocking statistics: 1 in 5 women are raped or attempted raped and 1 in 4 women are victims of domestic violence.

Brooke Axtell, a domestic violence survivor, said a spoken word poem of her journey. She said, “What bound me to him was my desire to heal him. My compassion was incomplete because it did not include me.” After this, Katy Perry performed her song, “By the Grace of God.” “I really liked President Obama’s speech. I feel like it shed light on very important matters that are taken for granted. The poem was great because it helped people get an inside look in domestic violence and the affect it can have on people,” said junior Sabrina Ferrero.

Soon, to no surprise, Beyoncé won the award for Best R&B Performance for her song “Drunk in Love”. In a picture perfect moment, during her speech she thanked her husband, Jay Z, and expressed her “deep” love for both Jay Z and their daughter Blue Ivy. Never to leave out her fans, she also thanked her “beehive” which sent an electric shock through the crowd. The following moments proved to explain the fact that anything can happen at the Grammy’s. When the album of the year award was being presented, it appeared as though the Grammy’s flashed back to the 2009 VMA’s – when Kanye West took the Microphone from Taylor Swift and informed her that Beyoncé deserved to win Best Female Video over her- as West once again reprised the joke. When Beck took Album of the Year over Beyoncé, West was almost about to take the microphone from Beck’s hands, but he thought better of it as he proceeded to laugh and let Beck finish.

As funny as the moment was, questions spiraled if it was truly a joke. The short answer is, no. West got his two cents in on the Grammy’s late-night after show. He stated, “I just know that the Grammys, if they want real artists to keep coming back, they need to stop playing with us. We ain’t gonna play with them no more. And Beck needs to respect artistry and he should’ve given his award to Beyoncé” (Fox News).

Senior Todd McBride said, “Beyoncé should have gotten that award. I don’t even know who Beck is.”

Overall, the Grammy Awards was a night to remember for many, including celebrities and fans. As the night continued, more celebrities from the past made an appearance, like Sir Tom Jones. Senior Natalia Lugo said, “I thought the show was pretty good. All of the performances were amazing. Every year I never know what is coming with the show, but it’s always really exciting”. Overall, the awards show proved that night that its title as “Music’s biggest night” was well deserved.

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n the words of junior Andrew Kelleher, “com Black-ish does. It spreads messages about black Fishburne, the show depicts the life of an upperUnlike other famous black TV sitcoms like ish tackles the issue of race in almost ever spanking. I believe that Black-ish is a great side other minority driven sitcoms like Fres television in five years--the last sign of one w Black-ish uses the humor of the narrator and m allowing the show to point fingers at both wh that the show is tongue-and-cheek in the way i allows the message to get across better. “Blac ticularly, as a provocation. Political correctne “I think a lot of the time the purpose ‘how do people think like that/do that posed to call attention to how ridiculo Black-ish gets criticized for its oversimplific it needs to understand the message of that e nod and having real fried chicken are a part olic or Jewish or Indian or Italian or a memb your cohort takes in the same sort of inesse that only members of the group in question mean nothing, either. Our cultural identities And Black-ish is already showing that on the air, Black-ish has won five NA dy Series (Anthony Anderson), Outstandi ing Actress in a Comedy Series (Yara Sha I hope that Black-ish continues to thrive in a black shows that have ever made it past the firs on network television, more than half did not l ly open eyes and create laughs. It’s a salute to

The CHAT Ed

Editorial: A Trailblazer for black sitcoms Looghermine Claude

Tyra Green

News Editor

medy spreads the word better than tragedy”. That’s exactly what ABC’s newest sitcom k culture through humor. Starring Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Laurence -middle-class black family as Dre, the husband, tries to instill cultural identity in his kids.

The Cosby Show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, or Everybody Hates Chris, Blackry episode, exploring everything from having black friends to black people and approach to tackling hard-hitting issues, and it’s just what TV needs right alongsh Off the Boat. “Black-ish...is the first all-black ensemble comedy on network was Fox's "Brothers," cancelled after 13 episodes in 2009,” (huffingtonpost.com). main man, Dre, to point out flaws in not only his white co-workers but also his family, hites and blacks for their problems with maintaining black culture. I admire the way it presents this humor. As slate.com says, the lack of political correctness in the show ck-ish is not politically correct. But its lack of political correctness is not meant, paress is simply not sufficient to explain the nuances and complications of Dre’s life”. e of satire in general is to make something look so ridiculous that it's like with any sort of seriousness’ so when you satirize racial issues it's supous it is that these things are happening,” said senior Kayla Clements. cation of certain aspects of black life, but the simplification gives its audience what episode. The simplification of African Americans wants and needs like doing the of what makes the show successful. “Whether you are black or Hispanic or Cathber of any other of Americans’ myriad ethnic groups, you know exactly the pride ential, overly broad, and possibly even offensive generalizations—generalizations can make about themselves. These details don’t mean everything, but they don’t are more than just a list of clichés, and yet those clichés still signify” (slate.com). it has the power to hold down the comedy fort. Even with only 13 shows AACP awards: Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Actor in a Comeing Actress in a Comedy Series (Tracee Ellis Ross), Outstanding Supportahidi), and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy (Laurence Fishburne). a place where there are only few shows currently on that focus on majorities and few st season. According to Huffingtonpost.com, “of the 111 black sitcoms that have aired last longer than one season”. It’s a show that tackles race in a way that simultaneouso the past, great black shows, as well as a trailblazer in what these shows talk about.

By the Grade Editor

Jbutsuneat 19,the 2001 – The BET Awards deParis resort on the Los Vegas

strip. This award show honors African American entertainers from the music industry but also from the television world.

2002 - Halle Berry wins the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in “Monster’s Ball” and Denzel Washington wins Best Actor for “Training Day.” They both become the first African Americans to win Academy Awards.

2003- Kenan Thompson joined SNL in 2003 and is on his twelfth season. He is the longest-active African-American cast member.

2005 – In February 2005, Perry released Diary of a Mad Black Woman, as writer and producer. His successful debut effort generated sales almost 10 times its budget. Perry would go on to write, direct and produce more than a dozen more films, grossing over $600 million worldwide.

Graphic By: Kaite Perez

ditorial: Black or White: does love see color?

Melissa Pierce Graphic By: Kaite Perez

A walk through Black Entertainment

L

Student Life Editor

ove is internal, not external; thus, it cannot be associated with the color of one’s skin. In Mike Binder’s thought- provoking film Black or White, this very concept is observed. This movie follows Elliot Anderson (Kevin Costner) as he fights his mixed-race granddaughter’s paternal grandmother Rowena (Octavia Spencer) for custody. As Anderson’s wife has just died, he struggles with controlling his alcohol intake, managing the life of his jubilant granddaughter, and battling the hard-headed Rowena in court.

This film served the purpose that it was supposed to serve. Although it was quite predictable, the acting and production aspects of the movie were impeccable. This movie did an amazing job with characterization, making clear the personalities of each and every member; Eloise, the granddaughter, as innocent and energetic, Rowena as caring yet hard to take, and Elliot as troubled yet charismatic. Black or White is considered a definite must-see, but not for the theatrics or great acting on the part of Eloise (Jillian Estell). The moral of the story is the real aspect of the movie worth analyzing—love is blind to the color of one’s skin. Despite Elliot Anderson’s drinking in an effort to mourn his wife’s sudden death, he dropped everything to cater to and express his unconditional love for his one and only Eloise. Rowena went out of her way to attack Anderson with the typical, “You don’t like black people”, but he made it clear to the judge that his granddaughter was his whole existence, and the battle was concerning custody, not black or white.

Junior Liandra Gaston said, “Love is absolutely not defined by whether a person is black or white. Love is a feeling that people express for one another despite the fact that the other person is black, white, Muslim, Catholic.”

As exemplified in the movie, love does not see color. The concept of love is simple—any given human being has the capacity to care for and ultimately be concerned with the well-being and whereabouts of any other given human being. Love does of course quite literally see color, but true love does not mind color or use it to determine whether or not a person is internally wholesome. There is no color of love, no religion of love, no dollar sign of love, no size of love. Any one person who defines an emotion of the heart by the color of one’s skin, the beliefs of one’s soul, the thickness of one’s wallet, or the opinions of one’s mind has a true misunderstanding of what love really is.

Junior Allen Altenor said, “If anything, the color of love would be red, representing the heart. It doesn’t matter if you are black or white. Just like the example in Black or White, both grandparents loved the granddaughter equally. It didn’t matter the color of her skin.”

Black or White quite openly and effectively addressed the social issue of whether or not there is a color associated with true love. Love, happiness, and joy alike are all derived from the core of a person—the heart and soul. It is unacceptable and socially and politically incorrect to base a feeling of the heart off of the external appearance of another person. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. could not have said it better on August 28, 1963: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character” (www.cbsnews.com).

Feb 4, 2007 –Tony Dungy led his Indianapolis Colts to a 29-17 victory over the Chicago Bears and became the first Black head coach to win a Super Bowl title on Feb. 4, 2007.

2009 – Will Smith is widely regarded as the most successful actor making films. His movies have an amazing average gross of $127,145,449 million dollars, which is the highest among lead actors. His most successful films include Hancock, Independence Day, Men in Black and I am Legend.

Feb 23, 2011 – In commemoration of Black History Month, Screen Actors Guild National Ethnic Employment Opportunities Committee and SAG Affirmative Action & Diversity presented events in Los Angeles and New York celebrating the history and accomplishments of African Americans in film and television.

2012 – Denzel Washington was nominated for his movie Flight at the Academy Awards.

This nomination makes Washington an African-American Actor with the most nominations. (Best Actor (4 nominations) and Best Supporting Actor (2 nominations).

2014 - Beyoncé is currently the most nominated performer at the BET Awards with 46 nominations, solo and with Destiny's Child.

2015- Jourdan Dunn, British fashion model, becomes the first solo African American model to be the cover of British Vogue in 12 years. Dunn single handedly broke down a beauty barrier in the fashion community. No single black woman has covered the magazine solo since Naomi Campbell in 2002.

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To vaccinate or not to vaccinate: that’s the question Jake Dreilinger

A

Graphic by: Mathhew Perez

Editor-in-Chief

disease thought to be long gone has resurfaced and has spread to 17 states in the span of just a few days.

Measles is a rare virus that causes a rash all over the body. It’ an airborne transmitted disease, which means that whenever an infected person “coughs, sneezes, or shares food or drinks (webmd.com)”, others are at risk of getting the disease. What makes the disease so rare is that children are given the measles vaccine as part of their regular shots. With this new outbreak, though, all people within the infected areas who don’t already have measles are being given the vaccination. Naturally, this has started the debate on whether vaccinations should be given or not.

“Well, it depends on the vaccinations honestly,” said sophomore Alejandro Pellon. “I believe that they are needed to form immunities to diseases such as hepatitis and the common cold. For certain rare diseases, I would not get a vaccination because there is always a chance of it backfiring.”

Since its conception, the issue of whether to get vaccinations or not has been an ongoing debate. Vaccinations are medically produced serums that are injected into the bloodstream. Each vaccination exposes the body to a certain disease, all while injecting the cure for it so the white body cells can produce antibodies to fight the disease. What causes concern, though, is the fact that the disease is being injected into our bodies. If the cure to the disease were to not lead to the creation of antibodies, that disease would be running its course through the body. This has always been a debated issue, with the majority siding with those who wish to use vaccinations.

This would not be the first time this issue has come up. The most popular issue with vaccinations is that it is linked to autism. This idea has been proven to be a myth. But this has caused many parent to not allow their children to get the vaccinations they need to protect themselves from harmful diseases. Further down the road in life, those unvaccinated children will grow up with a high possibility of getting a disease like measles.

“I feel they are definitely necessary, they get rid of some serious diseases like polio or the measles,” said senior Danny Moran. “If people stop getting vaccinated the diseases might resurface. Like right now, for example, there’s a measles outbreak in the Midwest.”

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate, that’s the question. The ongoing debate will never end, with each side gaining new supporters when the issue takes the center stage. While it is unfortunate that the measles outbreak is occurring, it is important to realize that getting a vaccination, especially the routine ones, are a necessity.

The CHAT Editorial: ‘Land of the Free’ (we can only hope) Hanan Hessin Staff Writer

Imagine watching the murderer of your son walk away with absolutely no weight on their shoulders. Okay, now imagine the aftermath; you’re sitting in the living room, looking out that foggy glass window you haven’t

cleaned in months because you just don’t have the energy to anymore, and you just stare at that lonely basketball hoop sitting in the driveway. Before all of the chaos, you’d see a happy teenager playing around with friends, and a smile from ear to ear. This is what made you happy. He was the reason you got through the day. You saw all the potential he had in life, and now it won’t even be fulfilled because his life has been taken away carelessly. Your life is different now, every single thing has changed. You won’t be able to look forward to coming home to your precious little angel anymore, he’s gone.

Now that all of this has sunken into your head and heart, realize that there is someone out there actually going through what you just imagined. The woman experiencing this is Lesley McSpadden; the mother of 18 year old Michael Brown of Ferguson, Missouri. Brown and an officer, Darren Wilson, got into a physical altercation through the front window of the police vehicle when the officer’s gun went off and Brown was shot. Killing him with the last bullet, this very popular case has shattered the hearts of his family, the African-American community, and so many more people around the world who believe in equal rights over justice.

Senior Jonathan Wallace commented on this issue, “How am I supposed to consciously pledge allegiance to a system that supports police and governing officials that don’t care about me or my people. So if you ask me how I feel, I am angry and frustrated and want my people to be treated like how the nation treats the Anglo-Saxons.”

This tragic situation has caused tons of protests and violent riots all over the country. Some people see it as a racist act, and some people call it “self-defense” on Wilson’s behalf. Although there was evidence of Michael Brown shoplifting at a local convenience store early before the shooting, it has nothing to do with him being shot at several times.

“I feel that the officer had the grounds to do so, Brown wasn’t following orders and the officer felt like his life was in danger when things started getting physical. It’s sad the way it ended but the law is the law,” said sophomore Matthew Morin.

This will clearly be a controversial topic for as long as we live, but it is a topic that has compelled the citizens of the U.S to take a stand for equality.

“I don’t think justice was served for Mike Brown, I think there was way too much evidence against the police officer to not even get indicted,” said senior class president Leon Morgan. Morgan also stated that he believes the media is to blame for all the riots and unnecessary actions of Americans because the media gets a hold of information on cases like this and think of the most provocative way to broadcast it.

We, as human beings, live on the same planet, breathe the same air, and share the same struggles, deserve to have equal rights. No matter what skin color you are, what your sexual preference is, or whether you own a million dollars in the bank or not, we are all the same. Therefore, it is necessary for all people to have the same opportunities and chances to live their lives happily. It’s almost sad to think that none of us are treated equal for qualities and traits that we should embrace rather than hide in fear of being looked down upon.

When asked about her opinion on equality, sophomore Celina Neville said, “I believe that all of us should be treated with the same respect. Why does it matter if someone isn’t from here, or why they have different beliefs? This is supposed to be America, “land of the free”. People need to feel welcomed here, not like they don’t belong.”

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Graphic by: Katie Perez

Twins piloting our journey to Mars

Graphic by: Mathhew Perez

David Cha-Kim Technology Editor

Whether it’s Romulus and Remus from Ancient Roman mythology, Jacob and Esau from the Christian Bible, or even Zack and Cody from The Suite Life on Disney Channel,

there’s something about the unique connection between identical twins that has always fascinated the people of our world from what seems to be the beginning of recorded time.

However, for the first time, two twins are taking their connection to a whole other world, literally.

Two well respected astronauts, who also happen to be identical twins, Mark and Scott Kelly, will undergo a study that will significantly advance our journey to Mars and may very well put us on our red neighbor planet within the next decade.

“It’s a really great step in terms of technology,” said sophomore Aspen Oudshoorn. “Just not too long ago, people used to think that we wouldn’t be able to visit other planets, but now we’re only a few years away from reaching Mars. It really shows our greatness as a human race.”

NASA and other major space programs from other countries already have the technology in order to physically reach Mars in terms of transportation. The US’s uncrewed Orion spacecraft reached and successfully landed on Mars remotely controlled from NASA headquarters. In terms of actually getting to Mars, technologically we are more than ready.

The only thing holding us back is ourselves (Time Magazine).

The human body is completely designed for life on Earth, so when someone leaves Earth for an extended period of time, the body has a rough time trying to adjust to its new conditions. After spending enough time in space, humans experience a collection of effects on our bodies and even on our minds. Our eyeballs lose their shape, our hearts beat less efficiently, we begin to lose our balance, and the effects on the mind can bring even more problems (Time Magazine).

“Seeing space would definitely be a beautiful experience but I don’t think all the risks would be worth it,” said sophomore Mary Gaviola. “The idea of being off of the planet for so long is scary and I’m not sure if the info they get from this will be worth it, especially if something were to happen.”

Scientists already have data on people who have spent up to 6 months in orbit but a year worth of data or more is necessary for the preparation of a trip to Mars as the journey could take up to 300 days (universetoday.com).

With data on the human body’s changes over a year-long period in space, scientists will

be able to design suits and shuttles to suit the conditions necessary for humans to complete the journey without suffering from the major effects of being in space.

However, the one thing lacking from NASA’s previous data is a control group. How are scientists supposed to compare someone’s body when he or she is in space to his or her body while they are on Earth? Someone can’t be in two places at once, so it’s practically impossible to get a completely accurate comparison. But NASA decided to do the next best thing: compare identical twins.

As identical twins have almost exactly the same DNA and genetic operating system, comparing one identical twin’s body over the course of a year in space to his identical twin over the course of that same year on Earth, is the closest NASA can get to study the exact effects of space on the human body. And that’s exactly the mission Mark and Scott Kelley have been assigned.

Mark and Scott Kelley, identical twins aged 50, have shared an interest in aerodynamics from an early age and by the age of 5. By the late 80s, both brothers were aviators in the U.S. Navy before retiring and eventually joining NASA together in 1996 (Time Magazine).

From 1999 to present day, the Kelley brothers have served a combined 7 missions in space, but never at the same time. In 2011, Mark’s wife, former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, was shot in an assassination attempt while Scott was on a mission in space. The one person Mark needed the most at the time was off of the planet.

But this time, it will be Scott who needs to lean on his brother. Scott will take off in March of this year for a one-year stay aboard a NASA space station, setting a single mission record for a US astronaut (Time). No one has ever spent that much continuous time in space and it will be sure to bring a series of challenges. While Scott Kelly is in space over the course of the year, his fellow astronauts will be doing regular medical and psychological tests on him and sending the results back to NASA, where they will compare it to the control group, Scott’s identical twin brother Mark, while he is on Earth.

The data acquired from this experiment will give scientists the information they need to make the journey to Mars a safe one. Two brothers, who simply dreamed of building airplanes when they were little, are the leaders in what may very well be Earth’s greatest astronomical accomplishment since Apollo 11’s land on the moon in 1969.

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News Weekend Reviews Autumn Pough

State of the Union Address: H I

f you could attend any college or university for free fo Union address that he would like to make the first two yea ciate’s Degree without having to pay tution. Students coul where they could go to any college or university for free fo

Staff Writer

D iscrimination takes a life On Tuesday, February 10th, a forty-six

year old man was charged with the murder of three Muslim students in an apartment near the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus. The police do not know what caused Craig Stephen Hicks to carry out the attack. Police speculate that the victims’ religion played a major role in their murder and Hicks is being held on three counts of murder and the UNC Chancellor.

Senior Nick Angel

A merican Sniper The widow of Chris Kyle, the protago-

nist in the top-selling book and hit movie American Sniper, said on Wednesday, February 11th, that she could tell something was off about her husband and his friend the day the two were shot to death at a rifle range. On February 2, 2013, Kyle took friends Chad Littlefield and Routh, a troubled veteran he was trying to help, to a firing range at Rough Creek Lodge, about 90 miles southwest of Dallas. Routh is charged with murder in the killings of Kyle and Littlefield. “A war hero that had his life taken by a fellow veteran that he tried to help is heartbreaking. Chris Kyle deserves to be honored and remembered for his many contributions,” said Sophomore Cheyenne Wakeland- Hart.

A merican ISIS hostage dead On Tuesday, February 11th, the family of

Kayla Mueller received the news that she had been murdered by her captors. At first, ISIS said that Mueller, an aid worker captured in northern Syria had been killed in an airstrike, but new information revealed that she might have been paired with a male ISIS fighter during her captivity as a bride. During the August 2013, Mueller was kidnapped by hostage-takers in Aleppo, Syria after leaving a Doctors Without Borders hospital.

“I think if I could attend any university for two years for free, I would definitely take a chance and go to NYU (New York University). I would love to major in General Business in order to become successful in New York City.”

Junior Marisa Guralnick

“I fI UCLA

film be would b

Junior Tristan C

“D ead Sea” Lake Urmia, located in northwest Iran is

now almost completely dead. The extreme salinity of what used to be the largest lake in the Middle East, allowed people to swim and relax without sinking. Over the last 20 years, however, the salt lake has almost completely dried up along with the area's agriculture and economy. The environment now appears completely desolate.

President Hassan Rouhani has pledged $5 billion to fix the problem over the next 10 years. “Imagine a whole environment and ecosystem gone after being used as a wading area for years. It is terrible that creatures and animals that relied on Lake Urmia are all dead”, said sophomore Nicole Mercadal.

B

obbi Kristina Brown Bobbi Kristina Brown is in a medically induced coma after she was found unresponsive in her Atlanta townhouse. Police say that her drowning was ruled as accidental, but there are still many things authorities don’t know. Brown was found face down in her bathtub with unexplained injuries to her body and family members said that she opened her eyes briefly on Tuesday, February 10th, but she suffered several seizures. The police are now treating her case as a criminal investigation.

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“D uke University. It’s my dream school. It has such a nice campus and has amazing programs. I will major in biology because it is so broad that I can branch out and change my mind if I wanted to.”

“I would go to University of Florida (UF medicine because I have always had an intere

News

How do Jaguars feel about free college?

or two years, what school would you choose and what would you major in? Why? President Obama stated in his State of the ars of college tution-free. Students would be able to attend a state college, such as Broward College, and recieve their Assod then transfer to a four year university to recieve their Bachelor’s Degree. Students were asked that in an alternate universe or the first two years, what school students would choose, what major they would choose, and why?

Senior Will Sadler

I could attend any university, it would, without a doubt, be (University of California, Los Angeles). I would major in ecause it has one of the best programs in the country. Also, it be the perfect platform for starting my career in the industry.”

Colon

F) to study veterinary est in animals.”

Senior Josh Semander

“I would go to FSU (Florida State Univeristy) and study theatre. I love to perform and I like theater.

Junior Chinelo Osakwe

Junior Jana Ambre

“I would go to FSU (Florida State University) and major in law because their law program is ranked well in the state of Florida.”

“I f this was possible, I would like to attend Northwestern University. I would double major in Anthropology and East Asian studies. I

would like to attend this university because of the many options available in their program and its close proximity to my extended family.”

41

The real life Guardians of the Galaxy T

Melissa Pierce

Shakayla Lee

Student Life Editor

Entertainment Editor

rayvon Martin. Michael Brown. Eric Garner. These names are bound to be among the first that come to mind when any given person thinks of the police force. They immediately think: chokehold, stand your ground, “I can’t breathe”, black lives matter, protest. But in the midst of all this controversy, the public should never fail to forget the lives of those in uniform. Despite all of the heat surrounding current events, police officers ultimately defend each and every city in the country. They may have faults, but everybody does. Bottom line, officers set out every day with the intention of doing good and keeping safe all the citizens under their care.

Men and women in uniform set out each day not knowing whether or not they will be put in harm’s way. They leave their parents, spouses, and children every day without absolute certainty that they will be returning in the evening, all for the sake of the general public. Police officers whole-heartedly defend the lives of complete strangers day by day, and not a single person can say that they see them complaining. Many things happen within a community on a daily basis. Some things are obvious and draw the attention of the general public while other things occur behind the scenes. Impending danger can be noticed in each and every one of these communities, but what some people fail to see is that police officers work around the clock to protect their fellow citizens from harm, even when their heroic acts go unnoticed. According to the Daily Local News website, “You may have never had occasion to call the police but they provide this service without ever being summoned. It’s what they do. For those who have needed the police, whether it’s to calm a fear or pursue a criminal who has just wronged them, it’s a service that is invaluable.” Think about it, if the people of these United States of America felt unsafe for any reason, and there was no form of authority or absolute protection to call upon, then these very same people would complain that there is nobody to turn to. The police force and all other forms of defense are here to serve the public, and at the end of the day, it should be appreciated that they will do anything necessary to keep us out of harm’s way.

PPCHS’ security guard and the man in uniform on campus Mr. Laffin said, “My job is to help keep the school secure and in any other way that I can help, I do. I think for the most part, 99.9% of the time, law enforcement has the best intentions at heart. Unfortunately, a lot of them are defined by the bottom 0.01% that are in it for the wrong reasons.”

Most recently, the press and those who follow it have been preoccupied with specific instances of police brutality. What they are forgetting is that they have never been in the shoes of a police officer facing a threat; they have never had to decide whether it was time to put their training in action; they have never had to consider their own life for the sake of the lives of many others. Officer Chansey McMillin, an Oklahoma cop, found himself in this very situation.

McMillin was forced to shoot, and unfortunately kill, twenty-one year old Terence D. Walker after he fled from his custody while being frisked. Walker continued to run and then stopped to pick up a loaded gun that had slipped from his possession, forcing McMillin to take precautionary action and shoot at the suspect for his own safety. McMillin was wearing a body camera for the duration of this specific incident, and thus can attest to all of his actions (www.photographyisnotacrime.com). As is evident in this scenario, the man in uniform had to act with force in order to keep himself safe and potentially other citizens safe as well; after all, an armed and fleeing man was on the loose.

McMillin acted within his rights and boundaries, just as any officer would in this situation. At the end of the day, he did what he needed to do and used his resources to serve and defend.

Senior Thomas Carrio said, “The main purpose of those in uniform is to protect people and the laws that we have, along with making sure that they themselves don’t break these laws. Some officers really represent the meaning behind their badge.”

One extremely pertinent point that needs to be observed when analyzing and justifying police brutality is the psychology behind it. Nobody knows what it feels like to be forced to point a gun towards another human being until they are forced to do so. Policemen are humans too, and it is fair game for adrenaline to take over any hostile situation they may find themselves in. Messengers of the law do not typically set out with the intention of hurting, or even killing other citizens. According to policechiefmagazine.org, “Decades of empirical research have supported the idea that whenever a person’s behaviors are inconsistent with their attitudes or beliefs, the individual will experience a state of psychological tension—a phenomenon referred to as cognitive dissonance.

Because this tension is uncomfortable, people will modify any contradictory beliefs or behaviors in ways intended to reduce or eliminate discomfort.”

Although officers in the line of duty may slip up one time or another, their good deeds across the nation outweigh the bad. They are humans just like any one of us and have the capability to make mistakes, no matter how grave. Bottom line, uniformed men and women alike put the nation’s needs and well-being before that of their own; the least we can do is cut them some slack for it. Junior Brandon Beadleson could not have said it better: “I think the police provide a great and positive service, despite current poor execution. Each officer needs to be held accountable, but overall we

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Caught on Camera: Police officers enforce the law or stand above it?

W

hat does it take for justice to be served? A witness, a confession, video footage of the incident, or a blended remedy of them all under the unfortunate circumstances. However, when it comes to police officers the truth of the matter is there seems to be no touching them and their irrefutable tactics that allow them to get away with any charge. After all, it's their word against “ours”, right? This precise argument has caused millions to advocate body cameras for the police force that will document their actions, and leave little room for little white lies. With recent media coverage of protesting nationwide it is clear that tension and mistrust has cast a wedge between officers and civilians- leading the call for body cameras to heighten. However, with many clear cut videos of police officers committing illegal acts already spiraling on the internet that- despite the footage- have left officers getting off with merely a slap on their wrists, raises the question of whether body cameras will truly make a difference or if police officers “stand their ground”, above the law.

From media outlets like CNN and MSNBC, Twitter and Facebook, to radio stations nationwide the coverage on what have become national tragedies of cases like the shooting death of Michael Brown and Tamir Rice, has naturally caused outrage nationwide. Protesters peacefully marching through the streets have let “HANDS UP, DONT SHOOT!”, “I CAN'T BREATHE!”, and “NO JUSTICE NO PEACE!” become the slogans to their demonstrations.

The question of why police officers can use their sparkling gold badges and crisp blue collars as a pass to do whatever they want highlights the corruption within the justice system itself.

What makes them above the law they have sworn to vigorously enforce? Senior Brandon Stewart wholeheartedly agreed as he stated, “ Even though I think body cameras would help in eradicating biased cops and witnesses point of views, I think in today’s society somehow the police system will find a way to ‘help’ their fellow officer out of a sticky situation”.

Imagine standing on a New York street corner and watching an unarmed man be illegally choked to death for 15 seconds for suspicion of selling untaxed cigarettes. The first thing you do? Break out your camera phone, and record the incident second by second. Slowly, the man cries for mercy and help as the oxygen escapes his body and he exclaims “I CAN’T BREATHE!” eleven times to no avail. Then suddenly, his cries stop, his body goes limp, and the police officers proceed to handcuff him. This was the fate of 43 year old Eric Gardner, an unarmed father of six who was murdered on July 14, 2014 in Staten Island by NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo, along with a group of other NYPD officers. The video of Gardner added to the already blazing fire after the lack of indictment against Daren Wilson in the shooting of Michael Brown, but in this case the punch line is: unlike the Ferguson case, there are no unanswerable questions or ambiguities that would justify the lack of a case. There is visible footage of the officers taking Gardner down as he pleaded for his life. Yet the outcome is exactly the same. In my eyes, that is baffling.

Sophomore Alexa Mallat somberly stated, “It is sad that it has to come down to recording our policemen but I don't think they can be trusted as well as they use to”.

Astonishingly Eric Gardner’s friend, the camera man in this incident, Ramsey Orta was the only one indicted in the crime. The Staten Island Grand jury has indicted Orta with “weapons charges stemming from an arrest by undercover officers” (huffingtonpost.com). However, “Orta testified that the charges were falsely mounted by police in retaliation for his role in documenting Garner's death”. And at this point is it really even a shock that Officer Pantaleo lucked out when it came to his “punishment”? The 29 year old officer was merely stripped of his gun and badge and placed on desk duty. Ironically, this case was not the eight year police force veteran’s first run in with the law as, court cases show, he “has been accused of false arrest and violating police procedures in two previous lawsuits” (nydailynews.com). It seems that the Staten Island police department’s views the just punishment of unjustly taking someone’s life on duty is to catch up on Department paperwork.

The heated debate over the justification of police officers’ actions have risen and opinions spiral. In the words of Mr. Bayer, “the more transparency there is with law enforcement and the legal system, the less likely there will be a misunderstanding” and, in a perfect would, I would agree. Senior Ariana Chang agrees as she stated “I cannot believe the officer will not be charged. It’s just wrong. But, if the jury does deny the validity of primary evidence in those instances when they’re clearly wrong, it just shows that the judicial system is wrong in the matter”. On the other end of the spectrum, there are those, like senior Abigail Forbes, who feel that having body camera will not make a difference in cases involving police officers because “I have lost my trust for police officers because they will simply never be charged and now I never know what is going to trigger them into using brute force”.

However, the body camera system has already been set to trial. According to cnn.com, “President Barack Obama has called for 50,000 body cameras for police officers. And due to the fact that they’re in the middle of hot water, the Mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, called for the NYPD to wear them as well. Training on them began Wednesday, December 4th and six precincts that have the most “stop and frisk” rates will participate in the pilot program.

The cases that have stirred the pot among Americans have clearly displayed the power issue that stems from those who have an authoritative position in society. The police force have wrongfully exercised their ability to harm the people they have sworn to protect and justify it with the laws that they continually break. If seeing the crime is what is needed in order for the decision of what is morally “right and wrong” among officers, what is the excuse for the Gardner case? Or even Tamir Rice? And Oscar Grant? The list goes on. Frankly, the body cameras will help in that it will provide evidence that cannot be denied, however the issues go beyond believing a situation with our own eyes. The societal ills that still plague our country at such an advanced stage will always reign supreme over minutes of injustice caught on camera. The problem is not merely the brutality by the police that is caught on film, it is the fact that such aggression by police officers has increasingly become such an enormous issue with no viable solution. In my eyes, the police will go home with the victory, right or wrong, in any case and civilians will just have to sit back, press play, and watch history unfold.