The CHAT Newspaper - October 16, 2012 Issue

What scares you the most?

Features Pages 10-11

‘Think Pink’ for the cause!

News Page 5 Scooby, where are you?!

Student Life Page 4

A day in the life of a diabetic Health Page 12

Student Life

October 2012 Cassidy-Rae Brantley STAFF WRITER

2 National Merit and Achievement Seniors make PPCHS proud

On October 1st five PPCHS seniors were unexpectedly pulled out of class. They were going about their average day, taking new notes on the new chapter when principal, Mr. Bayer, entered classrooms escorting these individuals to the office.

With no indication as to why they were in the office, these students felt a combination of apprehension and excitement. It “was nerve racking” said one of the students who was called out of class, Lauren Saurez. But this surprise call was all for good reasons. Mr. Bayer was beyond happy to announce these five hard-workers had been recognized in the Annual National Merit and Achievement Scholarship program.

Last October, over 22,000 high schools and 1.5 million juniors took the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The program started in 1955 as a competition for recognition and scholarships. For the 2013, 58th Annual National Merit Scholarship program, congratulations to the commended seniors Sarah Deluca, Ashley Galvanker, Brandon R. Rodriquez, Nicolette Sponer, and Lauren Suarez who received letters of commendation from the program and were among just 50,000 students of the top scores to be recognized.

“My hard work paid off. Feels nice to be

recognized,” Nicolette Sponer said. These students have been consigned in the top five percent among more than 1.5 students who qualified for the program within the National Merit Scholarship.

“I totally wasn’t expecting it. I forgot about it since I took it so long ago,” says Lauren about when she found out.

This year, once again two other seniors are going a few steps farther qualifying as semifinalists in the program. Seniors Aditya Iyengar and Gabrielle Rosario have the special chance next spring to compete for several National Merit scholarships worth about $48 million. In order to proceed further in the program against the thousands of others applying, they’re required to maintain a good academic standing, to write an essay, and submit information on extracurriculars that they participate in. “It was so exciting to hear,” Aditya says. He hopes to use the opportunities given in his future planning towards the Ivy League schools he’s looking into.

For the 2013, 49th Annual National Achievement Scholarship programs, seven more PPCHS seniors are also being commemorated by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Beginning in 1964, the Achievement Scholarship program recognizes academically promising AfricanAmerican students to present scholarships to. The PPCHS Semifinalists Christina

Marshall, Artavia Phillips, Taliyah Roach, and Timothy Taylor are qualified for about 800 scholarship awards next spring worth $2.5 million.

“I felt so proud of myself and I’m glad I worked so hard to get to where I am. It’s paying off.” says Artavia. “Being recognized has National Merit Scholars: Lauren Suarez, Gabrielle Rosario, and Ashley Galvankar are all driven me to do recognized for their outstanding achievement on the PSAT. Photo By Johmi Vargas better.”

Titled as Outstanding Participants among fied students. “I’m really impressed”.

3,100 in the program, seniors Jonathan With all the SAT preparation opportunities Barlatier, Chizoba Ezenwa, and Julian PPCHS has been offering, like the Teach Graves accomplished placing in the top America program with Ray Dass, “I hope 3 percent of more than 160,000 other Af- we can continue to add more and more rican –American students and have been people to this prestigious recognition.”

All these outstanding students received referred to U.S. colleges and universities.

“I didn’t even know there were special certificates. These recognitions by the achievements parts of the program, so I National Merit Scholarship program will was surprised,” Chizoba admits. “It’s rec- introduce or give more notice to these students to colleges and universities all over. ognition I’m honored to receive.”

Principal Bayer is proud of all the quali-

math, reading and writing. Most seniors were not able to take the SAT at our school as they have already completed them last year.

“I think taking my SAT at PPCHS would have been much better because I am already accustomed to the environment of our school. Also taking it at a different school was an inconvenience because of the location and distance from my house” said senior Kimberly Audette.

Mr. Gonzalez, testing coordinator for PPCHS, informed the staff of this great news at the last faculty meeting; however proctors have not yet been determined. By adding SAT testing to Charter High School, this is allowing the school to grow and become more involved in the community.

Not only will Charter students be allowed to test at PPCHS but so are other students who are registering for the SAT. “I wanted to become a proctor for the SATs because I wanted to be involved with the school and am interested in my student’s success” math teacher, Ms. Kelley said.

By adding this testing Charter has really reinforced the schools vision of “College, Citizenship, Community” allowing students to prepare for college while opening up new testing locations to the community. Not only will charter be administrating the Standard SAT, they will also have the opportunity for selected students to take the Non-Standard Administration which is for students who may need extra time on their test or special testing. SAT testing at PPCHS will defiantly be a rewarding addition that students would be happy to take part in.

Andrea Bellorin STAFF WRITTER

SAT’s Now Available at PPCHS Haley Coolidge STAFF WRITER

The problem of taking the SAT’s in an unknown environment with unknown proctors is finally over for PPCHS students.

Starting this November, students will be able to take important college exams like the CollegeBoard SAT, at PPCHS. This is a huge change for Pembroke Pines Charter High School as they have never had this available to students in the past. Since PPCHS opened its doors in 2000, students would have to travel to different schools around Broward County to be administered this test.

“I’m happy that our school is now a testing sight for the SAT because it’s a familiar environment with proctors that I know, rather than at an unfamiliar school with unfamiliar people” stated senior Kelsie McCleary.

The testing dates start November 3rd and continue on with the normal SAT testing schedule. The deadline for the November 3rd testing date is October 19th. If you register after that, then you will have to pay a late fee. Charter high school will be administering all 3 parts of the exam including:

Where should I go?: PPCHS students can now choose to take the SAT at our school, instead of at another school. Graphic By: Julian Graves

Nicolette Sponer-Content Joshua Alleman -Layout Managing Editors

Brianna Cha-Kim Student Life Editor

Gabriela Cabeza Photo Editor

Alexandra Mangano Technology Editor

Julian Graves Graphics Editor

Mr. Fagen - Content Mr. Simon - Layout Advisers Mr. Bayer Principal

Angelique Berkowitz Entertainment Editor David Nabors Sports Editor Jordana Cutajar Features Editor Victoria Alvarez Environmental Editor

When looking for your future college, have you ever wondered where your favorite colleges are ranked among other colleges around the United States? Now through http://usnews.com, you are able to view national college rankings, tuition information, and many more crucial bits of information needed when applying for college.

In the 2013 edition of the U.S. News Best Colleges rankings, colleges are not only ranked by their campus life and academic offerings, but also for families in search of the best academic value for their money.

At the top of the list is Harvard University ranked number one in the nation along with Princeton University. Both of the universities are private, Ivy League institutions with very selective admissions. Third on the list is Yale University. Of the local colleges and universities here in South Florida, the University of Miami is ranked 44th in the nation, as a very selective, private university here in our own backyard in Coral Gables. Also on the list, the University of Florida is ranked 54th in the nation. This public university located in Gainesville has many well-regarded graduate programs and is very selective as well. For further information on any of your top college choices, visit the U.S. News website to gain any additional i n f o r m a t i o n Ranking Colleges: Students are able to access the list of the top colleges in the nation to

The C. H. A. T. Staff

Troy Bottom News Editor

Peter Dourvetakis Gabriela Garcia Business Managers

before applying to colleges. Many school guidance counselors and graduated students endorse that students acquire a complete understanding of their college choices and what they’re all about. The rankings are highly beneficial although it’s the student’s personal effort that makes all the difference. “The college rankings is a good tool to help narrow down college choices however, you need to take these rankings with a grain of salt and be aware it’s what you do that matters and what makes an impact” says college/scholarship advisor Mr. Greenbaum.

Don’t stress yourself out if you haven’t decided on colleges yet. With time and an open mind, take your time to research any schools in mind. “For a couple days now I’ve been looking into colleges and in my opinion, this website has helped me a lot. I never knew half of the things I read on the website about the colleges I want to go to,” junior Taylor Cowheard said.

Whenever in doubt of a college you might want to attend, useful websites like the one listed above can help a lot. Good luck on your applications Jags!

help with their decisions. Graphic By: Julian Graves

Nicholas D’ Agostino Editor-in-Chief

Alexandra Mangano Web Managing Editor

College rankings rank your choice of college

Christopher Fernandez Video Editor Emily Semander Cartoonist

CONTENT STAFF: Brett Alayon, Andrea Bellorin, Cassidy-Rae Brantley, Jessica-Lynn Carvajal, Chelsie Chang, Hayley Coolidge, Jake Dreilinger, Gabriela Garcia, Jacob Isenberg , Anthony Kellher, Chelsie Ramos, Nina Salcicciloi, Melissa Sullivan LAYOUT STAFF: Victoria Alvarez, Jake Dreilinger, Annette Marin, William McKinley, Melissa Sullivan, Jonathan Tabraue PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF: Natalia Cevallos, Peter Dourvetakis, JP Dussan, Rebecca Gonzalez, Alex Monge, Carli Stander, Johmi Vargas GRAPHICS STAFF: Nick Lee Yee, Armando Urena VIDEO STAFF: Andres Gonzalez, Kyle Moss-Solomon

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: chatnews@pinescharter.com Twitter: @_theCHATter

Pumped and ready for Pep-Rally Jessica-Lynn Carvajal STAFF WRITER

Every year students and faculty become overjoyed as the month of October approaches. October means that all the great events will be happening soon such as homecoming week and pep-rally. Students show their school spirit and give back to charter by performing in pep-rally and honoring school teams. There is a lot of hard work and preparations to get ready for pep-rally. First off are pep-rally tryouts, which are held by Mr. Velasquez.

Students who are a part of school teams and clubs have to try out to participate in pep-rally. The teams that tried out for peprally so far and will be participating are the step team, baton twirlers, and the cheerleading team. “I am so nervous for tryouts, I hope they like our dances I can’t wait to be in pep-rally” says sophomore Kayla Gallego, who is a member of the dance

Photo By: Gaby Cabeza

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Student Life October 2012

ly, Rebecca Cabrera and Myka Brown who will be performing a duet in the second, and Tavia Brown, who will perform her rendition to the national anthem in the third pep-rally. “I’m so excited to sing in peprally this year, it is going to be so much fun and I am glad I was chosen. I can finally check this off my ‘senior to-do list’,” says senior Tavia Brown. Pep-rally will be on a high school study day, so there will be no lunches in between pep-rally. This will not change pep-rally in any way. “I think pep-rally is going to be great this year, the students have really worked hard and it will turn out great,” says Mr. Velasquez.

Students are also very excited for pep-rally even though the preparation for it has just begun. “Pep-rally just gets better and better every year, I can’t wait for everyone to see it, I myself am very excited,” says SGA member Christian Alvarez.

team. The book club will also be in peprally and they will perform their traditional parade. The MCs, or hosts, of this year’s pep-rally are Laura Smith and Raul Reyes.

They will be hosting all three pep-rallies.

There was also a tryout held for singers who would like to sing the national anthem. The singers that have been confirmed and are singing are Lori Johnson, who will be performing at the first pep-ral-

must worry about the daily outfits and accessories to fit each day’s theme, along With Homecoming Week just around the with the choice of formal attire for the corner, thoughts of what to buy and what Homecoming Dance. The price of these to wear come quickly into PPCHS stu- items, along with things such as field trips dents’ minds. “Should I wear a black or and other school related activities, can blue dress?” “Should my tie have stripes sometimes be overwhelming. However, or be plain?” Questions like these roam that’s not how it has to be. Homecoming around in students’ minds, mostly because week doesn’t have to be all about the monit is one of the most eventful weeks dur- ey, as long as you’re spending your money ing the school year. But the most important wisely and putting old items to good use. thought would be the staggering question No, that doesn’t mean hand-me-down, old, ripped shirts, but it could mean reusof “How can I afford this?”

When looking at the big picture, Home- ing something that may have used the year coming week can be quite expensive. One before.

To help you come up with the perfect plan for your Homecoming on a budget, here are some tips that can help save you time, stress, and most importantly, money: • Reduce, reuse, and recycle: This phrase is not referring to the environmental approach of saving our planet, but more toward the thought of reusing some of your own clothes that may have already used before. At PPCHS, Homecoming expenses: Homecoming week can get very expensive, especially with it’s very common for students to go the tickets being sold at $80; plan appropriately. Photo By: JP Dussan

all out for the Homecoming week themes.

Many students are known to wear things such as tutus, bandanas, wigs, and more crazy accessories. These things can be used from old Halloween costumes, or maybe even something that you used from the previous year. For example, if you wore a black tutu last year with a red shirt to match your friends, you can still use that black tutu for another outfit this year. Reusing something like that can easily save you $15-$20. It’s really just that simple.

“Being in SGA, I have many things to reuse. This goes especially for tutus. I never have to worry about buying one for Homecoming week, because I have about 2-3 at home. I usually wear one and let my friend’s borrow the others. In the end, it saves us money, and it’s not like anyone realizes that they’re not brand new anyways,” joked junior Melissa Rueda.

• Accessories, accessories, accessories: Things such as jewelry, makeup, and shoes during the Homecoming week and at the Homecoming dance do not have to be the most expensive or professionally done.

Needless to say, this tip is mostly geared toward females. When it comes to jewelry, a simple pair of earrings and bracelet or necklace will do beautifully with a nice dress for the Homecoming dance. There’s no need to purchase the most extravagant jewels when you have choices laying out in jewelry box at home. The same tip applies to the makeup and shoes portion of the week. As a girl, you most likely have tons of makeup at home, and many shoes and heels waiting in your closet, making it

easy to step away from the store and just use what you already have.

“At home, I have an extremely large selection of makeup so it’s easier for me to just do my own makeup for the night of the dance,” says junior Olivia Hamilton. “I know that it will save me money, plus I like knowing that I am in control of how I look that night, instead of paying someone else to do it for me.”

When it comes to hair, you do not have to go to the salon and get it professionally done for the dance. You can ask a friend, friend’s mom, or your very own parent to try out different hair styles a few days before and you can pick one that nicely goes with your outfit. Speaking of outfits…

• It is all about the price tag: When purchasing formal attire, it’s important to shop smart. You must not pay close attention to the designer of the clothes and you must not fall in love with the first thing that you see on the rack. While shopping, if you see something you like, take a look at the price tag before taking the outfit into consideration. Doing so will help you keep your mind focused on buying something that is not only beautiful, but also on sale.

The memory you have of Homecoming week shouldn’t be haunted by the amount of money you spent. Feeling and looking handsome and beautiful doesn’t always mean that you have to be wearing the newest and most expensive material. Ignore the price tag attached, the memories you’ll create that night will be for a lifetime.

trip is only for fifty 11th and 12th grade students. We will have a blast. I’ve been to Washington DC before, and it was an amazing experience for me.”

Coming up very shortly is Charters own once in a lifetime chance to experience the outdoors with your best friends. Charter’s Springs Safari is taking place on October 30th to October 31st, where science students will get a once in a lifetime chance to travel to Kelly state park in Apopka Florida to experience the real outdoors while becoming closer to your peers. Once you arrive at camp, students will spend their time having blast tubing down the fresh water springs, and canoeing and swimming in the Wichita River. Students will also have a great opportunity to make their very own Native American campfire and go hiking at night to look and listen for nocturnal animals. Students at PPCHS have been talking nonstop about this exciting experience to come. Junior Alexis Chuisano says, “I am so excited to go on this camping trip.

I have never gone camping before, and I think it will be a fun way to spend time with my friends. I am super excited to go tubing and canoeing also.” Not only is this trip filled with fun activities, but it is very educational as well. This camping trip is an amazing opportunity for science students to understand and become closer to nature.

Being in the outdoors will really help you connect with the plants and wildlife all around you. While on this trip, teachers and wildlife experts will help you study everything from the fresh water habitats to

investigating wild plants. After this trip, we will be sure to hear about all the exciting events that had happened on this trip for days! So stay calm and camp on Jags.

Balancing the best budget for Homecoming Victoria Alvarez ENVIRONMENTAL/HEALTH EDITOR

Charter’s adventures beyond campus Nina Salciccioli STAFF WRITER

This year, Charter has already had many different field trips, and even more are predicted. From the recent snorkeling trip to the upcoming Washington DC trip in January, students and teachers alike have not stopped talking about these trips.

Take for example Junior Keanu Coupet; he went on the snorkeling trip a couple weeks ago. Coupet said “The snorkeling trip was really fun and so different from most of the Charter field trips. We took a bus to Key Largo and got a briefing on how to use the snorkeling gear and then took a boat out to the middle of the ocean that took around 45 minutes. We all got in the water and could swim really far away from the boat where we saw fish everywhere and some people even saw sharks! I would definitely go again.”

Charter is also offering students a once in a lifetime trip: the chance to go to Washington D.C. in January to see the newly elected president’s inauguration speech.

In all its years of education, Charter has never before taken students on a trip of this importance. They will have a private tour of the White house, see the president’s inauguration speech, attend the inauguration parade, and see all the monuments Washington has to offer. Law studies and Economics teacher Mrs. Hyacinth says, “The

Cartoon By: Emily Semander

Student Life

October 2012

4

Angelique Berkowitz ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

As each day passes, a variety of students travel the halls of PPCHS each embodying specific character and personality traits.

These traits distinguish who they are as an individual and a prideful jaguar. While some choose to participate in sports or be the leaders of prominent clubs around campus, everyone who is a part of the Charter family comes together in a common meeting place during the peak of their hectic school day: the cafeteria. For one brazen jaguar, the cafeteria is a place to meet new people and embark on a lunchtime adventure every day never knowing what to expect. A student named Giovanni Aponte, who is commonly referred to as “Scooby”, set an important goal for himself this year before walking the stage to claim his diploma.

At the start of the 2012-2013 school year, Scooby officially became a senior longing to make the most of his senior year. He began by making goals for himself including becoming a better football player, improving grades for college, and making new friends. For the gregarious senior, his goals weren’t farfetched once he decided to become a lunchtime nomad. One of the most audacious goals he set for himself was to meet new people by sitting at a different lunch table every day. He initially started the process of “table hopping” during the third week of school when he wanted to share his smile and kindness with others.

Scooby, Where are you?!

The main goal he wanted to accomplish was to meet a plethora of new people from different grades and genders and acquire a group of new friends.

While the cafeteria was daunting on the first day of school for many students, getting situated was not an easy task. Scooby enjoys not knowing what to expect as he enters the set of blue double doors, simply hoping that there will be a seat for him at a table with fresh faces and different personalities. “So far I’ve met around 60 new students within two weeks,” exclaims Scooby. “By sitting at a new table each day I feel as if my lunch period has more excitement and I always love coming across new personalities every day.”

“I thought it was very interesting sitting with Scooby at lunch for a day,” says junior Mya Goodman. “By talking to him, I learned that Scooby is an amazing person and he makes good conversation.”

The process of choosing a table each day for the nomad is quite simple. With the layout of the cafeteria mapped out in his head, Scooby goes to each table according to rows. He personally divided the cafeteria into rows, crossing off each table after he makes a visit. With his charming and charismatic personality, Scooby begins by introducing himself and asks if he can take a seat. After a few minutes at the table, students embrace the delightful character Scooby embodies when he begins to ask them questions ranging from their cultural backgrounds to their participation in

Table Traveler: With each new table that he visits, Senior, Scooby Aponte, gets one step closer to crossing off one of his goals for Senior year. Photo’s By: JP Dussan

school activities. Even though Scooby sits with a variety of classes he claims that the freshman class is his favorite. “Talking to them reminds me of the mindset that I had three years ago in their position and also makes me realize how much I’ve grown in that short amount of time,” states Scooby.

“Sitting with Scooby at lunch was quite the adventure,” exclaims junior Nicole Cordoba. “As he talked to us he made everything seem natural and he was very friendly as he told us about himself.”

The lunchtime adventures of Scooby still continue to this day as he’s one step closer to fulfilling his goal of paying a friendly visit to every single cafeteria table. Plac-

Relay for Life: What you need to know

Dylan Carter SPECIAL TO THE CHAT

“Relay: we love it, all 18 hours of it,” is what is constantly being chanted at the annual Relay for Life event, and refers to how long the event is. By the end of the night, the phrase cannot be erased from listening minds at the happening of the event. That night is the annual fight that all members of Relay for Life take after they have raised money throughout the year.

Relay for Life is a club that raises money for The American Cancer Society. Pembroke Pines’ Relay for Life event alone

rose over $100,000 this past year. For the PPCHS team the goal is $5000 and up. All of the money goes to saving the lives of those who have cancer. To raise the money, students go house to house, ask family members, or the most interesting way: selling something they have made. Corina Gornes said, “I made cupcakes, bracelets, and drawings that I, along with Daria Kidd, sold for Relay.” It is great to have so many people participating in raising money and awareness for an amazing cause.

The all night challenge of Relay is supposed to symbolize the obstacles a person

who has cancer faces. They are first energetic and fighting at the beginning, but then they are tired and cannot stop going through the challenge. At the end of their journey, the survivor is healed and exhausted; that is the time for rest. The times of the day that represent these feelings are sunset, the middle of the night, and sunrise or morning. Rachel Lorenzo said, “Once I walk that final lap, I feel like I have accomplished something amazing for myself and all those people who have cancer.” That is the reason why so many people

“Dealing with cancer myself has made the cause infinitely more important to me. This made Relay take on a new meaning for me.

No one thinks they’ll hear that word, especially at my age, so it has really made me want to fight and do as much as possible to bring awareness,” said Mrs. Torres.

Besides having a faculty member as a sponsor, students are highly responsible for helping the club to run smoothly. Senior Kyler Hevia and junior Fabiola Moliero are the two people leading the club this year. With experience under their belts and goals set high, there is no doubt that they will lead this team to success.

“We have been very successful in previous years, but this year our main goal is to have our team become a family and to participate in a lot more fundraisers. We have so many ideas to make the team great and we hope all goes well,” stated Moliero.

As a senior, Hevia definitely wants to

leave the team on a high note.

Feeling strongly for the cause, nothing will stop him from helping this group reach their fullest potential.

Hevia explained, “This year is going to be the best Relay that PPCHS has ever had. This will be accomplished through our members’ dedication and true care for the event and cause.”

While PPCHS has been running their club, the middle school also participated in Relay. Many 8th graders did their part last year and are anxious to continue as a high school student now. One person who joined the team is Leysi Espinel, who was a main contributor for the middle school team when it came to fundraising. Espinel cannot wait to “raise a lot of money and attend the big event this year.”

Relay for Life has high hopes

Alexys Nowak SPECIAL TO THE CHAT

Celebrate. Remember. Fight back. These words describe the club Relay for Life to a tee. Here at PPCHS, students strive to raise money for cancer research by joining this organization. While cancer is a sensitive topic, it is reality. Children and adults come together to celebrate life and the fight against cancer.

This year, the club has a new sponsor looking over all the meetings and making sure everything goes as planned. Mrs. Torres, former PPCMS teacher, is now helping to bring the 2012-13 team to the top of the fundraising list. With a close knit bond to many of her former and present students, she will sure be able to connect to the team and push them to accomplish their goals.

Recently, Mrs. Torres was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer, and has been fighting her own battle.

ing a true definition to the term nomad, you never know where Scooby will be sitting next. “Throughout this process, I want others to learn that regardless of whom you sit with at lunch or the group you associate yourself with, there’s always a possibility to make a new friend. In high school you shouldn’t be shy because there are some many opportunities to meet new people, especially since our school is so much smaller than others,” says Scooby. Be sure to watch closely for the lunchtime nomad; you may be the one to offer him a seat next!

also go through the all night event in addition to raising money.

Relay for life is one of the best clubs that you can join, if you want to make an impact. If you have any questions about Relay for Life, you can speak to Mrs. Torres in room U123.

Graphic By: Armando Urena

With over forty students showing up to the first meeting, it looks to be a very successful year. Every member has the same common goal: to have and celebrate more birthdays. By coming together as a family, being dedicated and committed and reaching all their set goals, Relay for Life 201213 will be outstanding to say the least.

‘Think Pink’ for the Cause!

Chelsi Chang and Chelsie Ramos STAFF WRITERS

month occurring at this very moment, pink is the color all around. Many people are going all out when it comes to helping bringing awareness to the cause. National sports team and our very own school teams are trying to help fund money to find the cure. The Lady Jags volleyball team decided that a great way to bring awareness to the Susan G. Komen’s Breast Cancer Foundation was to have a volleyball game.

During “Dig 4 the Cure”, all the proceeds

It sweeps through the nation, taking many innocent lives; some haven’t even seen their kids graduate. It pushes families to their brink, and forces kids to take on the role of a parent. It weakens a person’s mind, body, and soul. It becomes the center of conversations, the mind, body and prayers. This venomous poison infects nearly 288,130 women a year—it is breast cancer.

Breast cancer has become so common within women worldwide. In fact, 1 out of every 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. According to WebMD, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Cancer is a disease that is caused when too many of the wrong cells reproduce quickly and works abnormally in comparison to the functions of the normal cells in the body. When this happens, the mass of cells, which is known as a tumor, becomes cancerous.

Although doctors know how cancer is formed, it is still a mystery what the cause of breast cancer is -- which obviously causes complications for scientists in trying to find a cure. It is known, however, Dress down day: PPCHS sophomore, Victoria Hill, supports Breast that a person’s age, genes, Cancer Awareness month by wearing pink. Photo By: JP Dussan health and diet play a role in the chance of becoming victim to breast went straight to breast cancer. As the girls cancer. were decked out in their pink jerseys, Breast cancer comes in two different socks, ribbons, and shoelaces, they played forms- invasive and non-invasive. During to bring in donations for the foundation. invasive breast cancer, the typical cells that “We had a fundraiser where we had to are inside the lobules or ducts spread out ask for donations and for every dig we got, to the surrounding breast tissues, according people would donate money to foundation. to Komen.org. Then, the cells spread out It was really nice; we took pictures and to other lymph nodes and – in some cases- sent them to the hospital to let them know other organs. Non-invasive occurs when that we really care. It was really cool to be the cells stay in the ducts instead of spread- a part of something bigger than myself and ing out. The chances of non-invasive breast it was just an all-around good feeling,” said cancer to turn into invasive is still a possi- varsity volleyball player, Adriana D’meza. bility, so there really is no way to escape it PPCHS Varsity and Junior Varsity cheeronce you get it. leaders are bringing awareness through Signs of breast cancer are minimal and their bright pink pompoms being thrown once they appear the tumor has usually in the air for all the games throughout the grown too massive to fix with a simple sur- month of October. Along with the pomgery. For this reason, physicians recom- poms, the cheerleaders will be decked out mend women to get their yearly mammo- in pink bows, ribbons and socks. grams done, which is an X-ray of the breast Pink may not be boys’ color of choice but to see if there are any signs of a lump or our football players will be wearing pink cancer visible. socks, gloves, mouthpieces, and cleats at Junior, Sarah Duque, whose mother has one of their games as a part of the effort to wrestled with this disease two years ago, bring awareness. The boy’s football teams said, “I think it’s good and important [to are among many National Football Playget mammograms done] especially for my ers who also have been donning pink on older sister, since it runs in our family. So the field. According to NFL.com, teams yearly, she’s been getting scans and mak- like the New England Patriots, the Dening sure everything’s okay.” This precau- ver Broncos, and the Miami Dolphins all tion has helped save the lives of many. taking part in the campaign “A Crucial A disease as this one needs to have aware- Catch”. The NFL players and NFL Playness brought to it, which is what October ers Association are in a partnership with is all about. With breast cancer awareness the American Cancer Society and have the

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News Ocotber 2012

players, cheerleaders, and referee all ac- stressed out about work and was unhappy cessorizing in pink gear; as well as many because he had so much work to do and other pink touches throughout the stadium. he had to take care of her, so it as stressful These special apparel, footballs, and pink being in the house.” Duque says, “Instead coins will all be auctioned off at the NFL of going out and spending time with my auction site, with all of the proceeds going friends, I was at home helping her through to the American Cancer Society’s Commu- her appointments and sessions every week, nity Health Advocates National Grants for and being there for her was hard.”

Empowerment (CHANGE) program.

Going away from this, all four girls said However, pro sports teams and school they learned cherish every day and to keep teams aren’t the only ones playing their family a priority. “I learned to take time part in the fight for the cure. On October wisely, and spend more time with my fam20, the Susan G. Komen Foundation is ily,” says Claire Blount. “Anything can hosting their 17th Annual Komen Miami/ happen, you think it’s not going to happen Fort Lauderdale Race for the Cure at Bay- to you, and then it does,” says Bridget of front Park. Celebrities also join in to help her learning experience. Cowheard finished promote the cause and month including by saying, “No matter what goes wrong, Giuliana Rancic, who just notably a year you always have to have a positive attitude ago admitted to fighting breast cancer. On with everything and you have to live like October 9, both Giuliana and her husband it’s your last day because you never know Bill were guests at the University of South when something may come crashing down Florida in Tampa to share their story and on you.” Thankfully, Momma Cowheard, struggle with breast cancer.

Momma Blount, and Momma Duque have Unfortunately, like Giuliana, some students all lived to tell the story of how they beat in the Charter family have experienced breast cancer—and had amazing daughters breast cancer first hand as well. “I didn’t who were there for them through it all. know what to do, honestly [when I found Duque says, “During breast cancer awareout my mom had breast cancer]. It was ness month, it helps me remember how imreally shocking and my mom is my best portant it is to know you have to be there friend, so it was hard to see her go through for any person that has cancer. It opens that,” says junior Taylor Cowheard. your eyes and makes you realize that it A similar story has been said by fresh- such important cause to support and raise man Claire Blount, “I was shocked, and I awareness about. It’s not just a disease, it’s didn’t know how to react.” Sarah Duque a journey.” explains it the best way possible by stating, “It completely changes your perspective of life in general.” It was obviously such a surreal and emotional roller coaster for these girls that have seen their mothers at possibly the very worst point in their lives. “The first two chemotherapies she was fine, but the third one she broke out, and if you touched her body, it would tingle and she had an allegoric reaction. It was so hard watching her cry, there were points where she would sit on the couch and just lay there because she couldn’t move,” states Cowheard. Junior Bridget Blount says, “I tried not to be sad, because I wanted to be strong for her and I didn’t want her to feel guilty about her situation.”

Back at home, all four ladies admitted to a stressful home environment: “everything was different in our house, and my sister and I had to do things that my mom would regularly do,” says Claire Blount. Cowheard laments, “my dad was travelling for work so it was hard for my mom, not having my dad there to help her. So, he had to come home once a week NBCAM: PPCHS senior Dbora Lee, holds a pink ribbon, honoring all and help my mom with che- breast cancer patients and their families. Photo By: Gaby Cabeza mo. On top of it, he was so

Charter schools stay afloat even though some are sinking Anthony Kelleher and Alexandra Mangano MANAGING EDITOR OF WEB/ STAFF WRITER

Last month, Broward County Public Schools announced that three charter schools will be closing down permanently. The three charter schools are Touchdowns4Life Charter Middle School, Eagle Charter Academy, and SMART Charter school. These three schools terminated their charter due to low enrollment at the schools. According to NBC News, all three schools combined had about 400 students in total. Broward County schools stated that the students are more than welcome to enroll in their respective “home” school which is based on where they live and the district boundaries that the county has

made.

Unlike those schools, PPCHS has a thriving enrollment and there is a waiting list to get in to the school. PPCHS is ranked one of the top schools in the state. Since PPCHS is considered college prepatory, the school has great teachers who prepare students for college and the real world. Principal Mr. Bayer says “I think we have a great educational system here at PPCHS that sets the bar for all other Charter schools that are in the process of opening. Although some have close down, “Charter schools” still maintain their recognition that is perceived by all.”

After having an abundance of recognition within the community, Pembroke Pines Charter Schools are the most prestigious compared to other public schools

in the area. The passing rate for AP exams ensures that all of PPCHS’s students will venture off into the right direction. This accomplishment states the high ranking Pembroke Pines Charter displays amongst many other schools.

“I think it is outstanding how our school displays such excellence. It definitely demonstrates the school we aspire to be” explains English teacher Mrs. Santiago.

Even though many charter schools are closing down due to complications, “Charter Schools” in general have raised the bar for all public schools in the nation. With the excellence that Pembroke Pines Charter evokes, their recognition is remarkably noticed throughout the state, maintaining the “Charter” name as a positive example for all schools over.

Charter HS: PPCHS stays open, with students attending each day, while other schools begin to close down. Photo By: Carli Stander

News

October 2012

6 The Forgotten Issue: U.S. foreign crises and

The CHAT Editorials: Pink for a purpose or popularity?

Commentary By: Nicolette Sponer MANAGING EDITOR

I was nine years old when my family learned of my grandfather’s diagnosis of brain cancer. A particularly aggressive tumor, it was only eight months later that he passed away.

To say cancer is a cause I’m passionate for is an understatement; I join the millions of those who have lost a loved one to this cause and would do anything to find a cure. When people, however, bring up the topic of October being “National Breast Cancer Awareness” (NBCAM) month, I can’t help but be a tad bit cynical.

Over the years, Breast Cancer Awareness month has turned into an attention-seeking publicity month. Everyone, from NFL stars to PPCHS soccer players to bank tellers at SunTrust, wears pink accessories throughout the month of October in “support” for breast cancer. Personally, I think people do it for attention- boys especially. Ironically, strutting onto the field with bright pink socks makes the boys feel more manly- they sport the “yeah, I’m wearing pink, real men wear pink” attitude. The other reason males are inclined to deck out head to toe in various shades of pink is obvious: it’s breast cancer awareness month. No further explanation necessary. When it comes to the ladies, I think they too are guilty of letting NBCAM get to their heads. Is walking around South Florida in a pink sparkly bra going to find the cure to cancer? Most likely, no. Is getting intoxicated at benefits going to encourage oncologists to work more diligently?

Probably not. Now that Giuliana Rancic has recently hopped on the Breast Cancer Awareness team, many women just show their support because of her fame. Where were those millions of supporters when “regular” people were fighting this horrible illness? NBCAM has turned into Christmas, in a way. Christmas is the religious celebration of Jesus’s birth. Society, however, corrupted the true meaning of Christmas with gifts, money, and superficial meaning. Once a good-natured awareness project, NBCAM has been taken over by society as well and lost its real purpose: to spread knowledge and raise funding for breast cancer.

Without a doubt, all of the publicity stunts do raise a whole bunch of money that does go to a fantastic cause. National Breast Cancer Awareness Month was initiated over twentyfive years ago, founded on pure intentions and determination for a cure. According to cancer.gov, breast cancer is the third most common form of cancer yet receives the highest funding from the government: in 2010, breast cancer researchers spent over 600 million dollars. Affiliates state on ww5. komen.org that since 1982, $685 million of the money donated to the Susan G. Komen charity has gone to research. People continue to donate money, research continues to be funded, yet scientists are no closer to finding a cure than they were two decades ago.

Probably the most bothersome thing about Breast Cancer Awareness month is just that: breast cancer awareness month. What makes breast cancer so unique that it gets its own month? Where are the “National Brain Tumor Awareness” months? The “Prostate Cancer”, “Leukemia”, “Pancreatic Cancer” months?

Where was the nationwide, worldwide support when my grandfather was losing the battle to glioblastoma? There were no marathons, no 5k runs, no celebrity spokespeople, no baseball players wearing color-supportive gear, no fundraisers, and certainly no months dedicated. Women are special, of course. But breast cancer shouldn’t be allowed to hog the spotlight.

what they mean to the country David Nabors SPORTS EDITOR

From sea to shining sea, more than 300 million people hold the distinction of being able to call themselves American citizens.

Every last one of these people depend on military and foreign relations under the oversight of the federal government to keep them safe and secure, and to sustain peace in a violent world of ruthless dictators and hateful villains.

In a wired America that is rich in day- today access to technology, it is easy to dismiss or even ignore the events taking place on the other side of the planet. People hear about what happens, but more immediate concerns take priority: getting the newest smartphone, paying for college, finding a job, affording healthcare, cooking dinner.

Millions of people across the world wish they had such problems to worry about; a good example might be the people of Syria.

The tiny country in the Middle East is immersed in a nineteen-month long civil war that has taken the lives of more than thirty thousand Syrians and ousted more than one million refugees. The conflict erupted into fierce war when the oppressive Ba’ath Syrian government, headed by President Bashar al-Assad, deployed the Syrian army to quell protests against the regime by opening fire on civilians. The United States and other NATO forces have provided the Syrian rebel army with non-lethal aid, such as communications equipment and medical supplies, but the conflict continues to be monitored and further assistance might be granted in the future. However, the involvement of America in the chaotic state of Syria might even be deemed inconsequential to the average American in comparison to some of the other goings-on taking place in the foreign world.

The American war in Iraq, with the help of a troop surge, is over for the most part.

The long-term effects of the withdrawal are yet to be seen, but the United States has made progress in the protecting against terrorism, as several of al-Qaeda’s top level advisors have been killed, including Osama bin Laden. In spite of this, the recent September 11th terrorist attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that left four Americans dead cemented a harsh reality: there are still plenty of radicals in the world who want nothing more than to see Americans dead. A provocative actuality it is, but it is one of the cold hard truths of today’s world.

“There has always been and seems like there always will be an inherent conflict between America and the Middle East,”

said former politician and social studies teacher Dr. Lou Wangberg. “In our country we have free speech and the separation of religion and government and in much of the Middle East, their religion has everything to do with their government. In order to resolve the conflicts between us, we have to ask ourselves: how can we get to the point where we can tolerate each other?”

A great deal of the Muslim population in the Middle East respects and honors America, but much of the Arab world detests the United States as well. Last month, after an anti-Islam movie trailer made by a no-name American filmmaker surfaced on the internet, it sparked violent anti-U.S.

USA President-Barack Obama and Iranian PresidentMahmoud Ahmadinejad. Graphic By: Nick Lee Yee

protests across the Middle East in countries like Libya, Yemen, and Egypt. “Death to America” chants could be heard as protestors got as close as they could to U.S. embassies in disapproval of the United States government’s values of free speech that allowed such a video to come to light. These demonstrators equated a renegade amateur filmmaker’s views to the views of the U.S. government and the country as a whole, not aware of the fact that any reasonable Americans would not have a favorable opinion of such an insulting movie.

“I thought the movie trailer was really outrageous,” opined senior Lauren Arenal, who took the time to catch a glimpse of the infamous YouTube video. “I think it’s so wrong to put out a movie like that, but we have free speech here and it’s no reason to justify violence and killing.”

Farther to the east, Iran, an outspoken enemy to the U.S. ally Israel led by a president with strong anti-Semitic and anti-American views, is rapidly approaching nuclear capability. The president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has denounced America for years. Besides being cordial to terrorism and sponsors of it, he has called America a “bully”, called for a new world order, said that the Holocaust is a lie fabricated by “Western colonial powers”, said that the U.S. brought the 9/11 attacks in 2001 upon itself, and said that he wants to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.

The state of Israel is now close to panic mode, as it is widely believed that Iran is just months away from obtaining nuclear weapons. Military action could very well be taken in the coming months whether it is an Israeli preemptive strike, an invasion, or a blockade, and when it occurs, it will directly affect the American economy, as oil prices could skyrocket, speculators say. It is agreed by the defense department and anyone interested in American and Israeli safety that Iran, a nation headed by a government with an agenda of violence and a propensity to sponsor hate, must be stopped from getting such weapons, even if it comes with a heavy cost.

Conflict with Iran seems imminent, and to the distress of the United States and the world, it is just another dilemma on a long list of such foreign conundrums vexing the nation.

“There is no simple answer to the problems faced in the Middle East, as they’ve existed for many years,” weighed in Dr. Wangberg. “But I think the best thing to do is remain calm enough to sit down and talk, so that we can come to some sort of accommodation.”

The 2012 election cycle has been largely focused on jobs and the economy, but the most daunting problems that the country faces could swiftly become foreign relations and even war in the near future. The time for action in response to these crises is approaching quickly. Peace is in jeopardy and it is on the brink of collapse.

Washington derives trillions of dollars in taxes each year, and a good chunk of it goes to investing in military operations, projects, and equipment. A strong military is a necessity for a nation that cares for the very freedom and the security of its citizens, and if there’s one thing that can be learned from studying history it is that peace cannot be successfully preserved by laying the groundwork for weakness and concession; it can only endure by a foundation built on strength and the common goal of sustained and lasting harmony.

Bionic Cockroaches for Rescue Missions Joshua Alleman MANAGING EDITOR-LAYOUT

What can encounter the apocalypse and live to tell the tale? Bugs. That’s right, cockroaches. Many may consider these small creatures disgusting and vile pests, but they can be the reason your life is saved. Scientists from North Carolina State University have recently developed technology that can be equipped to the Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches so they can be controlled and moved through tight spaces like that of a collapsed building, nuclear facilities, war zones, or the aftereffects of natural disasters. Cockroaches are the perfect candidate for this job because they have with a type of body that can sustain extreme and hostile environments.

Some people may argue that this is morally wrong, but it is compared to using reigns on a horse; it doesn’t harm the cockroach at all because they have no concept of pain. The biobots or biological robots are rigged with electronic backpacks that attach to their antennae and cerci and are used to control the path, which they follow.

They are controlled similarly to a remotecontrol car that many children play with in the way that they are steered using a controller. When a certain button is pushed, it will trigger one of the sensitive parts of the body and trick it into thinking they need

to go a certain way to escape whatever set off their alarm, according to Matt Shipman from NC State University (http://web. ncsu.edu/abstract/science/wms-cockroachsteering/).

“It’s amazing to think that we have the ability to do these kinds of things. It’s like science fiction stories have come to life; hopefully the cockroaches don’t rebel and take over the world while enslave the human race,” says sophomore Kevin Borbolla, a member of the school’s drum-line.

These insects might not be seen as a nuisance anymore once they start to save human lives. Only time will tell exactly how effective this project will actually be during real-life situations.

“I had no idea that this was a real thing when I started reading the article. Cockroaches are a good candidate for this kind of mission due to the fact that they can survive hostile environments. This is an amazing experiment that will revolutionize the world and save many lives if it works successfully. Even though cockroaches are disgusting, I’m excited about their progress,” says junior Heather Johnson.

After this project is fully established, scientists will also start testing similar equipment on moths, which will be able to fly around and inspect the ground from a higher vantage point, says Jesus Diaz,

a writer for Gizmodo (http://gizmodo. com/5941033/scientists-discover-methodto-remote-control-cockroaches).

Pretty soon, our society will have bionic spies flying the skies and miniature land rovers that we can control. These insects commonly referred to as pests will help save the lives of many once the general population gets over how gross they are.

Cockroaches are now being used on rescue missions for the army. Graphic By: Nick Lee Yee

Nike scouts heighten expectations for boys basketball David Nabors SPORTS EDITOR

Sashay into the school gym in the afternoon on any given school day and you’re likely to find our school’s varsity basketball team preparing for one of their weekend fall league games. And if you look really close, you might see several gentlemen in college polo shirts lining the sideline near the northwest exit, observing the practice. This area is usually designated for college coaches and scouts who make visits to practice to evaluate the players they’re interested in recruiting, as well as the team as a whole. One day, you might run into scouts from South Florida, Florida Gulf Coast, or North Florida. The next day, you’d see recruiters from Alabama, Clemson, and Florida.

Practicing in front of high major Division I college scouts has become routine for our basketball program, but invitees are not limited to just no-name evaluators of little notoriety. In fact, just days ago University of Miami head coach Jim Larranaga and University of South Carolina head coach Frank Martin attended a Charter practice on the same day. Scouts from the University of Maryland and the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), among other big schools, are expected to partake in viewing practice soon.

state of the art warm-up suits that can’t be found in retail. The suits will be custom made to the Pines Charter basketball program, similar to the attire Duke and UM wear before games.

After the PPCHS varsity softball team won states last year, they became Nike sponsored as well.

“It’s great to get the opportunity to immerse our student-athletes in a successful brand,” said head basketball coach Dave Roca, “Nike is known to work specifically with credible and successful programs that have The PPCHS Basketball team has recently recieved a sponsorship from Nike. notoriety of doing Graphic By: Julian graves things the right way its now nationwide recognition. Recently, and teaching the game the correct way. It Nike made the Pines Charter basketball came about because of our program’s repuprogram just the 150th school in the na- tation for having solid teams and coaching tion and the 5th in the state of Florida to be good character kids on and off the court.”

The basketball team’s best season to date sponsored by the corporate giant. This season Nike will be outfitting the basketball will be given a run for its money by this team with the newest Nike lines, including year’s squad. Though eight players from After two consecutive winning seasons and the first district championship in school history last year, the basketball program is riding a wave of success, highlighted by

Charter in sync with Pink this cancer can be to a person and family.

Troy Bottom NEWS EDITOR

For years, pink has been associated as a feminine color representing the innocent beauty of a young girl or the female gender. But this month, PPCHS athletics has given a new meaning to the color pink.

For more than 25 years the tenth month in our yearly calendar has stood as a month of remembrance and recognition for the brave women and even men that have been diagnosed with this powerful illness. To show support, Jaguars athletes have been changing our school colors a bit: to pink, hot pink, and a little more pink.

“It’s so important to wear pink and represent breast cancer and show support,” stated sophomore Noah Levy. “I personally know people affected by breast cancer and had first experience how devastating

Jacob Isenberg STAFF WRITER

Fall sports at PPCHS are in full swing, with the girls’ volleyball team, cross country team, golf team, swim team, and football team in the middle of their seasons.

Girls’ Volleyball The girls’ volleyball team has been on fire as of late. With eleven wins and only five losses, the Jags look to be contenders for districts and even regionals with the regular season nearing an end. Key victories have been against Hallandale, Fort Lauderdale, and Everglades High School. One team the Jags have historically had trouble with is Archbishop McCarthy. The Jags played them in three close sets in their last match, losing in heartbreaking fashion.

“We are going to beat McCarthy in districts. It has been our goal from day one, and we will have to go through them to get to regionals,” said senior Victoria Gonzalez.

The Lady Jags volleyball team has yet to beat McCarthy in any tournament, but this is the year that many believe this streak will end.

Golf A team that does not get a lot of attention at PPCHS is the golf team. Made up of thirteen boys, the Jaguar golf team has been playing all fall in many golf tournaments.

Their captain, Nicholas Sacramento, has been their key player, although all the players have contributed nicely. Although they hoist a modest 1-3 record, the Jags still believe there is time to turn it around.

“This is a team full of potential, and we will develop and grow over the next few years. We are going to try our best and have a lot of fun at districts,” said first year coach Mr. Lavoro.

That’s why we should buy pink gear so the funds go to great foundations such as Susan G. Komen.”

Levy and the rest of the JV football team dressed in pink for their game against Archbishop McCarthy and truly showed their support with solid plays on the field.

The lady Jags volleyball team followed in the movement with a game against Everglades where the event was named “Dig 4 a Cure”. The ladies wore pink shirts with ‘Dig 4 a Cure’ printed on them, hot pink socks, laces, and even a pink ball that the Jags beat the Everglades Gators with.

“It’s just an upcoming and booming illness that we need to spread awareness and let everyone know about it and crack a cure together,” says junior Brittney Bruns, whose mother works at Memorial West

Sports October 2012

last year’s team graduated, several returning seniors are expected to make major contributions, and the team will also depend heavily on strong talent in its sophomore class this year. So far, the only gametime experience has been a fall league game every Saturday for the past month or so. Future plans for preseason games have not been specified, but the season will open on the road in a November 20th contest at St. Thomas Aquinas. The home opener will take place on November 30th against a formidable Cardinal Gibbons team.

“We’ve got a pretty tough schedule this season, but we’ll be alright,” said returning senior forward Justin Satchell, “Our goal this year is to get a state championship ring, and we’re all confident that we can do it.”

Regardless of the outcome of this season, it will surely be one to watch. Just a couple months into the school year and a month and a half still before the beginning of the regular season, there is a lot to be enthusiastic about when it comes to our basketball program. An explosive, talented roster should make for some very entertaining games this season, and the team is looking to rival the unparalleled fan support of last year’s district championship squad.

hospital giving breast biopsies. is doing its best to eliminate this oppoThe varsity team chose one game to wear nent and to back up every man and woman pink in October, but it’s not about how fighting for their lives. you dress says sophomore Tanner Redding. “I think it would be more meaningful to play and win for the cause than to just dress up.

Of course I love supporting the colors but I think it’s fit to fight for a win like those many breast cancer patients are fighting for their lives,” says Redding.

Along with Charter athletics, the PPCHS cheerleaders have looked like stunting pink Jaguars full of cheers and excitement. From top The Varsity Volleyball team along with other clubs and groups is raising to bottom the whole school awareness for Breast Cancer. Photo By: Rebecca Gonzalez

PPCHS Sports Round-up

Swim Maybe the hardest working team in PPCHS, the swim team, has been dominating their opponents. Every day, swimmers spend over an hour in the pool and then run a mile and a half after. Any swimmer will tell you the workouts are grueling, but that being on the team is a blast. The girls are led by senior captains Kimberly Audette and Madeleine Fernandez, while the boys’ team is led by seniors Ivan Parada and Josh Coote. Both teams have had a lot of success: the girls’ team is 4-2, and the boys’ team is 5-1.

“We are all swimming really well right now, and I just hope we can continue this streak into the district tournament,” said Audette.

7

Cross-Country No matter what the weather is, you will always see the cross country team out and running.

Leading the boys’ team are sophomore twins Carlos Penaranda and Danny Penaranda, and senior Tim Taylor. The boys have had a lot of success, winning their last two meets in convincing fashion.

“The team this year has the most potential out of any other team I’ve been a part of. We all still need to improve, but I’m confident we will qualify for the state meet, and maybe even make top five in our division,” said Taylor.

With star runner Andy Iglesias returning from his injury, the varsity team is expected to go all the way to states.

Collage By: Gaby Cabeza The girls’ team has had just as Football much success. They are led by freshLast, but not least, the Jags football team men Kali Hazera and senior Jessica has been playing well despite their many Davis. Hazera has continued to look injuries. Key injuries have been to senior impressive throughout the season, comNeil Morrison, junior Flavio Hernandez, peting with and often beating girls who junior John Jablonka, junior Alejandro are up to three years older than she. The Rojas, and sophomore Kevin Gonzalez.

Jags took second place in their last meet; Despite these injuries, the Jags have still regionals looks attainable and they are played hard, with many of the younger moving closer and closer to qualifying guys stepping up and making plays. The for states.

Jags feel they are better than their 1-5 record, and look to get back on track with The Jags sports teams are all working wins against Ft.Lauderdale and Hollywood very hard, and really need your support Hills. at home games. If you can’t make it to “We still have a chance to make districts if a game, don’t forget to check the Chatwe can get on a winning streak now. If we ter Daily News the day after to find the can eliminate some mistakes, and make the score and a recap. routine plays, I believe we can play with anybody,” said senior Omari White.

Sports

October 2012

Girls’ Volleyball Most Promising

8

Photo By: Alex Monge

Nikki Brito Middle Blocker Junior, # 12 The girls’ volleyball team has celebrated a success story this season thus far, and Nikki Brito, a junior middle blocker and setter, is a big reason why. She is one of the leaders and most important front line players of a balanced team that is rich in both youth and experience. The team has compiled a stellar overall record of 11-5, but they have struggled to be equally as successful in the district, as their district record is an even 4-4. Brito believes that the key to advancing this postseason will be getting past district foe Archbishop McCarthy, a team that the Jaguars failed to defeat during the regular season.

“Archbishop is a very fast team and they’re good all-around,” she said. “We need to focus on improving our defense and getting quicker to beat them.”

Strong team chemistry and cohesiveness has kept the Lady Jags competitive this season, but Brito has been able to distinguish herself with her consistent individual performance. Going into the rest of the season, she is looking to refine her individual play even further.

“I want to improve my skills in every area this season,” said Brito. “There’s always room for improvement.”

Photo By: Jhomi Vargas

Photo By: Alex Monge

Photo By: Carli Stander

Victoria Gonzalez, Middle Blocker Senior, # 10 Victoria Gonzalez, a senior at PPCHS, is one of the volleyball team’s most promising players. Many may know Gonzalez for her game winning homerun in last year’s state championship softball game, but not everyone knows that she is one of PPCHS’s only three sport athletes. While even she admits that her favorite sport is softball, and has accepted a scholarship offer to go to Palm Beach Atlantic University, Gonzalez is very talented in both basketball and volleyball. Her skill, height, and strength, and quickness make her an excellent middle blocker, and she is one of the staples to the Lady Jags volleyball team. Gonzalez has set high goals for both herself and the team. Just like many of the other volleyball players we interviewed, Gonzalez echoed one main message: “My goal is to help our team beat Archbishop McCarthy and to win regionals. I want to lead by example for our younger players and help our team continue to get better.”

Ashley Cristantiello, Setter Sophomore, # 13 With 5 years of on court experience she stands as a leader on and off the court for the Lady Jaguars volleyball team. At only a sophomore she stands a leader on the hardwood and a key piece to the Jags offense as setter. Before charter she played at Wildfire volleyball club where she learned her prestigious ball skills and excellent in game decisions.

“My goals are just to making it as far as we possibly can. We have to start with winning our district games and practicing hard every day,” Cristantiello added. “I need to really focus more and pick up my game to reach that next level.”

With her dedication and determination her dreams of playing volleyball at a D2 college or up seems a very reachable goal.

“I know I’m going to do my best day in and day out and I think the team can start gelling together and really start dominating set after set.”

Katherine Aristizabal, Libero Senior, # 9 Katherine Aristizabal, a senior for the lady Jags, is a key aspect to the team and is a great team leader. Katherine started playing volleyball at just 9 years old and has been attached to the sport ever since. “I began playing at the pines recreational center (which is now the YMCA) and I have had the feel for the game forever”, she said.

Katherine began playing for the varsity team as a sophomore. What makes her such a great team player is in fact the determination she displays on the court. She said, “Any ball that gets near me I try my best to get it because I know it will help my team win.” This type of determination will definitely be needed when the lady Jags play rival Archbishop McCarthy. Katherine and the rest of her team truly feel they can take down the Mavericks this year and according to Katherine the Jags must “minimize flaws and make their opponents create mistakes.” Every girl on the team, including the coach, knows how big of a matchup that game will be and with the leadership of Katherine and others out on the court, they believe they can make a deep playoff run this year.

MLB Playoffs: Win or Go Home more Patrick Mitchell said, “I think that’s great for the game. The A’s season reminds With the 162-game regular season in the me of the movie ‘Money Ball’ and these books, October has arrived and the MLB playoffs are far from over.”

Probably the biggest headline in the playoffs are finally here, and what a wild season it was. With a new stadium, a new MLB this season was Triple Crown winlogo, and new stars on the team, the Marlins ner Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers. were supposed to be among the league’s This feat is extremely rare because a player best, but they instead finished 14 games must lead the league with the highest batunder .500. At the beginning of the play- ting average, most homeruns, and most runs batted in. In fact, the last time this occurred was in 1967. As the Tigers soared into the playoffs, not every team eased their way in. For the first time in MLB history, there were two wild card teams and at the end of the regular season, those two teams from each league must play a one game playoff in order to make it into the postseason. In the American league, the Texas Rangers, American League champions for two years straight, were surprisingly defeated by the Baltimore Orioles team as the O’s went on the road and clinched a playoff berth with a 5-1 win. In the National League, the reigning World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals traveled to Atlanta to take on a very Batter Up: The world series are in full swing as only four good Braves team. In the end, the teams are left. Graphic By:William McKinley Cardinals were victorious with a 6-3 offs, the Yankees unsurprisingly clinched win on the road and ended star third-basea spot along with the Giants and Tigers; man Chipper Jones’ 19-season career with however, it was difficult to root against the Braves. Sophomore Anthony Nogueithe underdogs in the A’s and the Orioles. ras said, “Chipper had a great career and The last time the A’s made the playoffs he’s a definite Hall of Famer. Also, I am a was back in 2006, while the Orioles’ last diehard Yankees fan and I’m nervous the postseason appearance was in 1997. Even Tigers might beat us especially with their though the A’s and Orioles went down in strong pitching.”

Now, as the leaves change colors and the the first round, they gave it their all. SophoBrett Alayon STAFF WRITER

temperature begins to drop, the feel of the fall classic is in the air. In the American League, the New York Yankees faced off against the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland A’s battled the Detroit Tigers. Both series went into five games with the Yankees and Tigers coming out on top. They are currently battling each other in the ALCS – American League Championship Series.

Unfortunately for the Yankees, they are in a 0-2 hole and have lost star shortstop Derek Jeter to a severe ankle injury. In the National League, the St. Louis Cardinals played the Washington Nationals while the Cincinnati Reds went head to head against the San Francisco Giants. Like the Ameri-

can League, both National League Divisional Series went into five games with the Cardinals and Giants coming out victorious. Once again, the Cardinals made an improbable comeback in the 9th inning of the 5th game in a do or die fashion against the Nationals to move on. With four teams set and ready to go in the League Pennants, the tension is increasing. Will the Yankees win their 28th World Series? Will the Giants win their 2nd world series in 3 years?

Will the Cardinals repeat? Or will the Tigers win the Championship for Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera? No one knows the answer but baseball fans can tell you one thing: it’s anybody’s game.

The Spooktacular Events at Home Chelsie Ramos STAFF WRITER

The month of fright is here and students are now gearing up for scares of a lifetime. As Halloween closes out the month, October 31 isn’t the only day that people get the chance to enjoy going all out and dressing up. As many know, Halloween Horror Nights is the main destination when it comes to Halloween events; however, since the location at Universal Studios in Orlando is a distance away, not everyone who wishes to go has the chance. So for those you aren’t able to make the long trek to Orlando, there are several Halloween events that are popping up right in our own backyard.

People flock to numerous scare fests in October with an attempt to get their fair share of screams and frights. With events like Miami House of Horrors and BooVille, students are able to enjoy the adrenaline rush that they long for. However, the Charter family is also gearing up to dish out some fear and excitement of their own with the creation of a haunted house.

• The Halloween spirit will be felt right here at school, with the sophomore class’ Haunted House. The haunted house will be located in M building on October 25 and the event will take place well into the evening. The class of ‘15 is making sure that the fear factor will be evident, which will be a crucial factor for the success of the

haunted house. Mollie Bayer, sophomore is the House of Horrors, which boasts the class president, says, “The haunted house largest haunted house in the area. Carnival rides and perforis meant to bring all mances will be a major of our classmates toattraction for many, gether and take advanincluding sophomore tage of all the exciteAmanda Duran. She ment that comes with says, “I wasn’t able to the month of October. go to Halloween HorAlso, everyone can ror nights, so House expect a lot of spooky of Horrors just seemed surprises from the liked the perfect choice. event.” Ticket sales I love to be scared and will begin on October scare others so I can’t 18, a week before the wait to go!” Ticket event takes place. The sales are $15 for kids cost will be $5 if pur6 years of age and unchased during school der, and for adults it is and $6 at the door on $23. The ticket is good the day of the event.

Nights of Horror: Students at PPCHS are look• For those who ing forward to this October’s Halloween events. for unlimited carnival rides and one entrance don’t enjoy being too Photo By: Gabriela Cabeza scared, BOO-VILLE is an event that will into the haunted house. Costumes are algive the excitement of Halloween. Lo- lowed also to get more into the spirit, but cated at the Pines Recreation Center, at masks and face paints are strictly prohib7400 Pines Boulevard, guests will be given ited. The park opened on September 27th the chance to delight in costume contests, and will close on October 31st. The hours pumpkin patches with prizes, rides, tricks of the event are from 6 p.m. until midnight and treat stations, and more for the minute on Monday thru Thursday, and 5 p.m. until fee of $2. The event takes place on October midnight on Friday through Sunday.

• Haunted Nights at Flamingo Gardens, is 27th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

• The House of Horrors Amusement Park back with the Swamp Witch and several is back once again at the Miami Interna- other ghosts and zombies. The event takes tional Mall in the East parking lot. The Hal- place October 19th, 20th, 26th, and 27th, loween Horror Nights equivalent in Miami from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Flamingo Gar-

Song parodies the new ‘style’ (not Gangnam) Anthony Kelleher STAFF WRITER

In 1981, MTV released the first music video on national television for the world to see; this revolutionized the music industry.

Recently, a new type of music video has become popular with students at PPCHS and people around the world. These music videos are called “song parodies,” made to make fun of the song/artist or a specific topic or person. Junior Pablo Grijalva says, “I like song parodies because they are funny but they are not as good as the original.”

These videos are typically uploaded to websites like YouTube and are commonly used on Saturday Night Live and various other comedy programs.

As of right now, one of the most popular songs that has become a parody is Gangnam Style by Psy. On YouTube, there are many different parodies of this song, ranging from making fun of the song itself to integrating the tune with a specific topic.

For instance, “Mitt Romney Style” is a popular parody of PSY’s song commenting on the status of the Presidential Campaign. This video uses the same music and choreography as the original but has a Mitt Romney impersonator singing different lyrics to the music, making fun of the Republican candidate. Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” and a variety of Taylor Swift Songs such as “You Belong With Me” also have fallen victim to the world of parodies. One particularly memorable mix up of “Call Me Maybe” was over the summer when the U.S. Olympic team created their own version of the song video.

However, these parodies have more uses than just entertainment. Some people use them as a form of advertising and even as an integral part of education. Here at PPCHS,

teachers like Mrs. Hernandez-Davis, an AP Biology and Honors Biology teacher, use a song parody project to help students understand major concepts discussed in class.

She assigns students the task of picking a song and replacing the traditional lyrics with science-based words and concepts.

Senior Sasha Abrishami says, “I remember when Ms. Rago had us do this in ninth grade. We had a lot of fun creating parodies to all of these popular songs about biology, but the assignment also helped important facts stick in my head.”

Although the intention of a musical parody may be humor, it is the reuse of music that is the defining feature. Parodies are a new way to showcase a song; similar to a remix, they change the lyrics up a bit to match with what the creator wants to portray. Junior Diamond Joelle-Cunningham says, “I think song parodies are cool and unique. They actually help draw attention to the original song. I know that I have personally discovered a lot of cool songs just by listening to their parody counterpart.”

Graphic by: Armando Urena

Follow Your Dreams: Freshman Andrea Carmona is following her dream of becoming a recording artist. Photo By: Natalia Cevallos

Student by day, recording artist by night. After school hours, once volleyball practice has ended, freshman Andrea Carmona doesn’t exactly live a normal life. On top of her schoolwork, her passion for volleyball, and her social life, Andrea Carmona has found a way to be in the recording studio and on your very

own computer screen.

It all started about a year ago when Carmona opened up her latest YouTube channel and account. The rest was effortless -she only had to do what she had loved for so many years: sing. Taking her favorite songs and adjusting them to her style and voice range, Carmona takes popular hits and makes her own personalized covers.

“This was a big step for me,” says Carmona. “I had done a lot of auditions for singing and acting and I wanted to open up my opportunities globally in hope of gaining some recognition and getting my voice out there.”

Now, over a year later, Carmona is ecstatic and extremely proud to say she has come out with her first single, “Party and Love”.

“It was an amazing experience,” she reveals. “I teamed up with Infrared Studios and decided to start working with them.

When I got there, the producer had a song

Entertainment October 2012

dens. Witches, zombies, ghost and ghouls will take over the West Arboretum in this outdoor event. Tickets are $8, for general admission, and children under the age of 10 are not recommended to attend. Also, if you’re under the age of 16 you must be accompanied by an adult.

• Festival of Souls is a new event out there this year. It features an 8,000 square foot haunted house called Demon Mansion.

Set up in the form of a labyrinth, event goers get the opportunity to navigate around various rooms filled with demons and creatures. The second part is promising to be a huge hit. For the very first time you can actually partake in a Zombie Safari Paintball Hay Ride. Armed with paintball guns and a few hunting tips, a group piles into the back of a truck and gets toured around a land filled with live, shoot-able Zombies.

General admission is $25 per attraction with the option of ticket packages and fast passes. Festival of Souls will be open to the public every Thursday through Sunday from October 4-October 31.

The local events prove to be as just a spooky and ghastly as Halloween Horror Nights, so instead of taking the long journey to Orlando, try some of events down here; from the looks of it, they appear to be a frightening time!

Will new adult fiction novels cast a spell on teen readers?

Jordana Cutajar FEATURES EDITOR

Admired author JK Rowling is well known for her young adult Harry Potter Series. The nationally acclaimed saga was the driving force behind major blockbuster hits and the birth of some of Hollywood’s most iconic stars- Daniel Radcliff, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. Devoted readers waited anxiously for each book to come out; they stood in long lines and ordered the newest editions months in advance.

Some even adorned cloaks and glasses, dressing up as their favorite characters for the grand premier of the movies. However, now that the magic of the Harry Potter phrase has dwindled, JK Rowling has published a new novel, devoid of wands, spells, and wizardry. The Casual Vacancy doesn’t emulate the teen novels Rowling is renowned for. Instead, this new book is a work of adult fiction. Rowling said, “This is my attempt to do a modern version. As a writer you have to write what you want to write; or rather what you need to write.

I needed to write this book” (www.jkrolwing.com ) The Casual Vacancy has been described as a dark comedy that explores societal divisions in a small English village loaded with mystery after the death of Barry Fairbrother. His death, a “casual vacancy” since he was a member of the parish council, leads to desperate attempts to claim his position creating competitive enemies among villagers. Not exactly a supernatural tale of good versus evil, but so far the reviews appear to be favorable. Senior Lillian Coe said, “I’ve read all the Potter books when I was younger and I loved them. I think it’s great that Rowling is writing adult fiction, because as I get older that is what I’m go-

Andrea Carmona “parties and loves” her way to the top

Gabriela Garcia STAFF WRITER

9

that he said he wanted me to listen to in hopes of my getting inspired. After a while, the words just came to me, and my own original song just clicked and flowed- I wrote it myself right then and there. The recording of the song took around 5 to 6 hours, and I’m so proud of it.”

Don’t be surprised when you search up “Andrea Carmona” on YouTube and find an online sensation. Her channel continues to gain popularity and subscribers, with over 7,000 views- a number that continues to grow daily.

“All of this makes me so excited!” squeals the fourteen year old, “I know I’m on the right path. One day, I hope to make it big as an actress, which eventually will open up the doors for my singing career. My dream is to become a recording artist and possibly hear my own song on the radio. ” Andrea Carmona keeps her daily life as normal as possible. She embodies the life

New Books From Same Authors: JK Rowling and Judy Blume are following the success of their previous books. Photo By: Peter Dourvetakis

ing to want to read.”

Another beloved childhood author, whose writing genre has grown up, is Judy Blume. As kids, boys and girls rejoiced in her books “Blubber”, “Superfudge”, and “Fudge-a-mania”. Her novel that received the most acclaim was her coming of age story about a girl named Margaret, a loveable sixth grader trying to discover her religious identity, in “Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret.” You may not have heard of some of her more recent works, “Wifey”, “Smart Women”, and “Summer Sister”.

The titles alone hint to the maturity that is otherwise non-existent in her more playful works.

Sophomore Nikolas Ujueta said, “It’s good for authors to write something else for their friends. It’s good to try new things.” Just as we have matured and replaced “Double Fudge” with “Harry Potter” we are bound to load our bookshelves with books that suit our older age group. In a way, we have grown up with our beloved authors who thankfully are still creating exciting page turners for their devoted readers.

of a student by keeping up with school, maintaining a lively social life and playing her favorite sport- volleyball. None of this would be possible without her sturdy and continuous support system. “My parents are so supportive; I couldn’t be more thankful,” says Carmona, “Whenever times get tough or I think about giving up, I think about how bad I want it, and my inspiration, Christina Aguilera. She was the first CD I ever bought, I hope to be like her someday.”

Carmona’s best friend, freshman Madyson Mesa, is the prime example of how her family, friends and peers view and support her. “I met Andrea in Kindergarten, and we’ve been best friends ever since,” says Mesa, “In the nine years that I’ve known her, I’ve never met such a determined and likeable person. I’m so proud of her and her accomplishments, and I know she will go far.”

Features

October 2012

10

Scaring kids: goofy to gory Troy Bottom NEWS EDITOR

ies such as Paranormal Activity, the Haunting in Connecticut and other similar movies Many PPCHS students remember a very have been launching into theaters, solely to different Halloween than the upcoming leave people horrified beyond belief. Angenerations will remember. Ours were other factor that seems to creep out audimade of those chilly nights leading up to ences is seeing the sentence, “based on true the 31st, watching movies like Casper and events”. It is said the idea that what you’re Halloween Town as we munched on pat- going to watch, has happened or could terned candy corn. Or one may remem- happen, scares the audience even more. ber dressing up and having nerve rattling Dr. Lee Grotte, who has done extensive shockwaves blast throughout their body research on fear in minors, says no matter as they cautiously approached a haunted the time era, or child, one thing that children will always fear is the sudden pop up on screen, usually a loud noise accompanied with a villain or scary image.

“When I watched movies around Halloween I liked stuff like the Goonies or Casper.

Even that stuff shocked me a bit and scared me but I mean my brother (who is in 6th grade) loves really scary movies like The Devil Inside, I don’t get how he keeps his nerves,” Senior Candice Johnson said laughing.

The Scare: As generations get older so do the fears and phobias of each one change.

So what gets Graphic By: Nick LeeYee to teens these house. Skeletons and dug up graves are days? Well one obvious answer is the atscattered throughout the city as the whole tracting young adults have to haunted world turns to a darker, scarier place. Times houses and events like Halloween Horror have definitely changed, and what scares nights in Universal Studios. The real life the youth of America certainly has too. sights and sounds of those interactive scare No longer will a sinister laugh or swing- zones attract thousands of teenagers yearly. ing headless man scare children; the scare “ I went with a couple of friends this year must be boosted up to a truly new level to and just loved walking around and having get that reaction high school students got that unpredictable factor of not knowing when someone or something might jump so quickly as children.

“I remember watching the Haunted Man- out at you and scare you out of your shoes. sion with Eddie Murphy and was just petri- It’s something you can’t get as you sit in a fied. Whenever I closed my eyes all I saw chair and stare at a screen,” stated Junior was ghosts and half dead zombies lurking Nicole Batista. my way,” said junior Kali Cilli. “Now my On the contrary, other teens still love that 10 year old younger brother doesn’t seem on screen fright full of anticipation and fazed by those types of movies, instead he unpredictable scares. “I love scary movies looks at movies like Saw with a lot of gore and it’s a challenge to see which movies actually get to me,” said Sophomore David and blood.”

This new generation no longer has that Stewart. “Over the years, like in my childsame level of fear that was instilled in high hood I used to love watching Hocus Pocus school students’ childhoods. With video and Mickeys House of Villains, but I slowgames like Call of Duty and Slender, that ly saw myself liking the bloody and crazy offer both jump-at-you scares and vivid movies that other people are too afraid to military gore, children seem to be more watch.” accepting of scares than older generations. The true meaning of Halloween is just the They have become use to seeing it in video art of dressing up, watching scary movies, and being scared. No matter the age it is algames and on the big screen.

In the film industry, there has been a 23% ways a much anticipated day full of scares increase in the release of scary movies and candy. What scared us and what scares according to flixster.com. This can be ex- children today, doesn’t matter as long as plained by the “crave to be scared” and to you get that unique feeling of being frighthave people on the edge of their seat. Mov- ened beyond control.

What scares The thrill of horror Brianna Cha-Kim STUDENT LIFE EDITOR

Psychologists Jane E. Joseph, Xun Liu, Yang Jiang and Thomas H. Kelly from the University of Kentucky, along with Donald Lyman of Purdue University, were interested in testing how the brains of sensationseekers differ from those of us who avoid risky behavior.

They concluded: “Individuals high in sensation seeking not only are strongly activated by exciting, thrilling and potentially dangerous activities, but also may be less likely than other people to inhibit or appropriately regulate that activation.”

Dr. Farley, former president of the American Psychological Association, has studied people who have what he calls “type T” (thrill-seeking) personalities. These men and women thrive on the uncertainty and the intensity associated with activities that most people consider to be hair-raising -from riding roller coasters to bungee jumping. “Sky divers will tell you it’s the thrill, the rush, and a little element of fear that motivates them to push themselves to the extreme,” he says.

According to Farley, some people enjoy the physical sensations that can accompa-

As the month of horror rolls in, spooky excitement flourishes! Talks about Horror nights, Halloween, costume shopping, and haunted houses seem never-ending. Everyone seems to be searching for a thrillseeking for a little scare adventure. And the question is why? Why are teens eager to have zombies, goblins, and vampires unexpectedly popping up in their faces? Why drive hours to Orlando and spend a good chunk of money to experience fear?

PPCHS students recollect childhood memories of their parents preventing exposure to scary movies, haunted houses, or any subject related to horror. Now as teens, a good majority craves the thrill of scary activities. Senior Alyssa Leandro said, “I love Halloween Horror Nights. Every year I try my best to go. Getting scared gives you a feeling like no other. I like feeling that panicky feeling- as if I have to run away…or else!”

Sophomore Matthew Rondon said “I love scary movies now. Before I couldn’t even think about watching Jurassic Park; now, any horror movie sparks my interest.”

Teen’s perspectives and love of horror have certainly transformed from a childhood where scary movies were considered traumatizing and a perky clown seemed absolutely terrifying. Everyone knows what it’s like to feel really scared: A pounding heartbeat, faster breathing, nervous perspiration, and butterflies in the stomach.

Some people enjoy the thrill of wild roller coasters while Phobias: As generations get older so do the fears and phobias of each one change. some immedi- Graphic By: Nick LeeYee ately shut this idea down.

Senior Luis Leano said “When I was ny being scared -- from the adrenaline rush young I would have the worst nightmares. to the racing heart to the perspiring palms.

Some students find thrill in fright and I couldn’t watch any paranormal film or even hear a story about ghosts or anything some are horrified by the idea of anything spooky. Now I am a changed person. Last remotely scary. Whether it’s a fear of weekend at Horror Nights I was surprised heights, roller coasters, horror movies, the experience itself may not be nearly half as to find I was not scared!”

Some students are more eager for adven- bad as how someone plays it out in their ture than others. Scientific studies show head. Fear is a potential enemy if it is not that “growing out” of fear of scary movies conquered. Having a positive outlook and is not such an accurate idea. Some students straying away from unnecessary worrying disliked horror movies/events as a young can allow everyone the chance to have a child and still tremble at the thought of little fun with horror….

Horror Nights or a haunted house today.

you the most?

“Teletubbies because the idea of the show is creepy, also I have never liked them since my childhood.”

William Bertrand (10)

“I am terrified of falling. I had a bad experience from tripping once when I was little, and every time I trip I get a mini heart attack. I always watch where I step now.”

Grecia Valencia (9)

Features October 2012

“My biggest fear are spiders, just the thought of them gives me Goosebumps.”

Kyra Axelson (12)

“Oh my gosh I hate cockroaches! They scare me so much. I find it creepy that they’re so large and can fly.”

Fiorella Anda (11)

“I think reptiles because of the way they slither and the noises they make give me the creeps.”

Alyssa Rogers (10)

“I am scared of Chuckie. I watched the movie, and it gave me nightmares. I do not like Chuckie at all.”

Daniel Kan (9)

“I’m Scared of losing someone close to me like a loved one.”

Keiyla Rodriguez (12)

“I hate snakes, they’re ugly and scary.”

Luisa Garzon (11)

“I would have to say sharks and alligators because of the stories you hear about people being bitten makes me scared that I may be bitten if I go into the water.”

Justin Ortiz (10)

I get so nervous when I have to take tests.

I have a fear of getting an F on my test and it bringing my grade down. When I forget to study, I always have anxiety in my stomach.”

Leysi Espinel (9)

“I am so scared of cemeteries at night; I think it’s just creepy.”

Yasmina Pearte (12)

“When I was younger I was riding my bike and a frog came out of nowhere and I twisted my hand bar, flipped over my bike and landed on my back. Ever since then I’ve been afraid of frogs.”

KC Felix (11) “I would have to say paranormal things because the thought of a ghost possibly being in the same room as you gives me goose bumps.”

Ashley Cristantiello (10)

“I am scared someone is going to come out and hurt me when elevator doors open.

I saw this movie once where there was a shooter that killed everyone once the elevator doors opened, so now every time I hear a ding from the elevator, I always stand back.”

Maria Bozo (9)

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“My biggest fear are clowns, they look so evil to me” Christopher Gardener (12)

“I’m afraid of not being able to play football. Football is something I’ve always wanted to pursue later in life and I can’t imagine myself not playing.”

Dylan Fernandez (11)

Health

October 2012

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Gabriela Garcia STAFF WRITER

She was only four years old. A tiny little girl, lying alone in the emergency room with an IV in her arm, as her parents fidgeted in the waiting room awaiting the doctor’s response. Nicole Cordoba, a junior here at PPCHS, was just four years old when she was labeled a diabetic. Only four years old when her life was altered forever.

That little girl, Nicole Cordoba (’14), and fellow Jaguars Viviana Calero (’15) and Isaiah Lewis (’16) are now among the 25.8 million adults and children in the United States who live with diabetes. According to KidsHealth, this means that 8.3% of our country’s citizen’s bodies can’t use glucose normally and have issues with the hormone insulin. Glucose is the main sugar in the human body and its main source of energy.

Insulin is the hormone released by the pancreas that regulates that glucose. Depending on how the body reacts and produces these two major body components, we can determine the “type” of diabetes a person has.

Type 1 diabetes, previously known as juvenile diabetes, is usually diagnosed within children and young adults. According to the American Diabetes Association, it occurs when the body’s pancreas does not produce insulin at all; therefore the pancreas cannot convert sugars, starches and foods into energy for the body. Nicole Cordoba (’14) and Viviana Calero (’15) experience this firsthand. Both girls use an insulin pump to help regulate their blood sugar and help avoid having to take shots of insulin every time they consume a food.

Using a glucose meter and a finger prick, they check their blood sugar regularly throughout the day and most importantly, before they eat anything.

“My blood sugar levels are what determine the way I treat myself- it varies from day to day,” states Cordoba. “There’ll be one day where my sugar levels will be extremely low and I’ll have to load up on

The highs and lows: A day in the life of a diabetic

Life of a Diabetic: Students Viviana Calero (‘15) and Nicole Cordoba (‘14) proudly show off their insulin pumps, which help regulate their body’s blood sugar levels. Photo By: Johmi Vargas.

healthy sugars, like juices and fruits. On days like those, I’m sometimes forced to eat even if I’m not exactly hungry, or I can turn to glucose tablets, which work almost instantaneously. When my blood sugar is low, I’ll feel lightheaded and woozy, and have trouble concentrating.”

However, it’s a completely different story when sugar levels are going through the roof. “Having high blood sugar is uncomfortable. Sometimes I’ll be really hungry and I’ll have to wait for my sugar to go down in order to eat. It’s days like those when I’m really thankful for my insulin pump; it instantly delivers the insulin into my body and has a great, reliable effect without so much of a hassle.”

Many believe that diabetics have to miss out on a lot of things. In recent years, that statement has been proven a myth, just ask sophomore Viviana Calero.

“I was diagnosed in January of 2010. I was 13 at the time,” says Calero. “I can honestly say I’ve learned to live with this part of me. My insulin pump has helped a lot and changed my experience drastically, nothing is stopping me now.”

As a dedicated swimmer, Calero was initially worried about her future in the swimming pool when she was first diagnosed.

She learned that she can participate in any sport or activity she likes, as long as she is careful and constantly monitoring her sugar levels.

Freshman Isaiah Lewis was also extremely relieved to hear about this when he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes back when he was fourteen, in the eighth grade. As a passionate football player, the last thing he wanted to hear was that he’d have to stay and watch the sport he loves from the sidelines.

thing has to be done, we’re losing way too many people to diseases caused by obesity,” said junior, Kali Cilli.

Unfortunately, adults aren’t the only age group in America that is suffering from being overweight or obese. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention performed and published a study on the childhood and teen obesity rates in the U.S. This study found that obesity is now affecting 17 percent of all teenagers living in the United States. If this many young children are obese now, studies suspect that they will most likely struggle with obesity throughout the entirety of their lives. Children and teens that continue to be obese throughout their lives are also proven to be unhealthier

and suffer from more severe health issues compared to someone who wasn’t obese as a child. Overall, obesity is claiming more than 300,000 innocent lives in America each year.

Despite all of this, there are things being done to prevent obesity in future generations. The first lady of the U.S., Michelle Obama, is one of the many spokespersons that is not only trying to raise attention to obesity in America but help end it as well. With her plan “Let’s Move!” and the Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act of 2010, Michelle is providing children with the inspiration and nutrition choices to lose weight and pursue healthier lifestyles. She has encouraged schools to not serve lunch-

Rampant obesity rates Melissa Sullivan STAFF WRITER

In recent years, obesity rates in the United States have drastically increased to a staggering amount. Millions of people across the country are struggling with obesity on a daily basis and are looking for ways to become healthier before it’s too late.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 68.8 percent of all adults in the U.S. are either overweight or obese. Being overweight can lead to many severe health issues or even death. Some of these health issues include heart disease, diabetes, cancer and strokes.

“It’s unhealthy to be overweight, but I didn’t realize just how bad it was. Some-

Lewis’ case is slightly different than Cordoba’s and Calero’s. According to American Diabetes Association, Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Unlike in Type 1 where the body doesn’t produce insulin at all, Type 2 diabetics’ bodies may not produce enough insulin or it may produce it but ignore it completely.

“Instead of relying on an insulin pump, I inject myself with insulin throughout the day to keep my blood sugar levels steady,” says Lewis.

Though their variations of the disease may have different names, all three of these PPCHS students actually have a lot in common, and share a bond and understanding of one another like no other. Upon seeing their scabbed and scarred fingertips, worn out from the numerous times they check their glucose daily, they understand.

They’re the only ones who don’t act surprised when they see each other pull out a finger prick and a glucose measure right before entering the cafeteria. However, they can all easily agree on one thing: it doesn’t bother them when they have to pour sugar-free syrup on their pancakes in the mornings. In other words, these three teenagers, and 8.3% of our country, have adapted their lifestyles to accept who they are. Sure, they may have to ask for a Diet Coke at dinner, and maybe have to hold back on eating that second donut at dessert, but it doesn’t faze them.

“I think one of the most beautiful things about my condition is the fact that it makes me unique,” explains Cordoba. “Many people think that my being diabetic is a tragedy and causes me to miss out on a lot.

But in reality, it’s just become who I am, and it has helped me grow to be the responsible, conscious and to be the mature person I am today.”

es that contain 850 calories or more. She has also encouraged them to substitute sugary, fat filled foods with healthier choices such as fruits or vegetables.

“More people need to do what the First Lady is doing. I always see her in commercials promoting healthy living. It really makes me want to eat better, and if it continues, the obesity rate will probably decrease. America needs to be smart and get healthy,” stated senior, Kyler Hevia.

The obesity rates in America are startling but can easily be depleted. By making smart choices and eating better, the rate of obesity in adults and children can be reduced and brought down to a much lower level.

Graphic By: Armando Urena

Spooky and savoring Halloween snacks Victoria Alvarez ENVIRONMENTAL/HEALTH EDITOR

The night of Halloween haunts us all. No, it’s not because of the scary monsters that lurk in the dark, or the creepy crawlers that silently tip toe around, or even the haunted houses waiting for at the end of each street.

Truth be told, the scariest thing about Halloween is the sugary, sweet, and unhealthy treats waiting at each “trick-or-treat” stop you make. On a night filled with so many chocolate bars and tangy chewable candy, how is it possible to remain healthy while also enjoying great snacks?

When many people think of the word “healthy”, they automatically think of the phrase, “not tasty” but that’s not always the case. Healthy snacks can be both fun and delicious in many diverse ways. There are various ways to make food appealing to the eyes and taste buds. To spice, sweeten, and change it up this Halloween, the website www.spoonful.com offers many step-bystep recipes for fun, yet healthy snacks.

Apple Bites

Edible Eyeballs

What you’ll need: -Apples -Silvered Almonds How to make it: 1. Just quarter and core an apple 2. Cut a wedge from the skin side of each quarter 3. Press slivered almonds in place for teeth.

Carrot-Finger Food What you’ll need: -Vegetable dip -Four long carrots -1 carrot -Softened sour cream - Slice almond -Baby carrots How to make it: 1.To prepare them, just fill a serving bowl with your favorite vegetable dip. Wash and peel 4 long carrots for fingers and 1 medium carrot for a thumb.

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Environmental October 2012

Snack-o’-Lantern

Ghost Toast

What you’ll need: -Navel orange -Canned or fresh fruit salad

What you’ll need: -White bread (1 slice per ghost) -Whipped cream cheese -Currants

Photos Donated By: Melissa Sullivan

What you’ll need: -Carrots -Cream cheese -Pitted black olives How to make it: 1.Simply slice carrots into 1-inchthick chunks 2. Top each with a blob of cream cheese and one half of a pitted black olive

How to make it: 1.To make one lantern, use a small knife to slice the top off a navel orange and cut around its interior to hollow it out. Scoop out the orange segments, chop them, and mix them with canned or fresh fruit salad.

2.Carve small facial features in one side of the orange, and then cut a slit in the lid to accommodate the handle of a green plastic spoon. Fill the lantern with fruit salad. Insert the spoon and set the lid in place.

How to make it: 1.For each, toast a slice of white bread and then cut a ghost shape from it. You can do this freehand using a knife, or you can use a gingerbread-girl cookie cutter.

2.When the cutouts have cooled, spread on a generous coating of whipped cream cheese.

3.For eyes and mouths, add currants

These tasty Halloween treats offer a fun and healthy snack that appeals to all ages. Spoonful suggests many other recipes and ideas on their website, leaving you with hundreds of choices for any season. All of these treats are a great way for you to stay healthy while enjoying Halloween.

2.With a paring knife (a parent’s job), cut a flat, shallow notch in the tip of each carrot. Then use a dab of dip or softened sour cream to glue a sliced-almond fingernail atop each notch.

3.Stick the fingers in the dip, as shown, and serve with plenty of peeled baby carrots for dipping.

What Boosts Your Mood?

Haley Coolidge STAFF WRITER

Everyone has heard the expression “you are what you eat” at some point in their life. This expression also applies to how your intake of food affects your mood.

There are many different kinds of grains, fruits and vegetables that boost different kinds of moods. For example, according to www.ivillage.com, eating an orange is said to boost both your mood and energy at any time of the day and having a bowl of soup is supposed to calm you and put your nerves at ease.

Fruits and vegetables boost a person’s mood in many different ways. But how many you consume can affect you as well.

The antioxidants in fruits are what boost a person’s mood so much. Not only do these antioxidants give you more energy, they also prevent certain illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart attacks.

Fruits and vegetables have a great impact on student’s lifestyle and their moods. If you aren’t eating healthy then your mood will definitely show it; however, if you are eating the proper amount of fruits and vegetables you will seem a little more awake and alert every day. For students, eating an apple or orange in the morning is a great

way to make it through the school day after staying up late the night before. The fruits can give students’ energy and help them pay attention throughout the day.

“Grabbing an apple in the morning boosts my outlook on the day while also waking me up a little, causing me to pay more attention in my classes throughout the day,” stated sophomore Kayla Borges.

Although eating sweets such as candy may be appealing to your taste buds, they send your mood down. According to www. sciencedaily.com , many scientists have done studies and have discovered what foods trigger what feelings inside the human body. For example, many people may think that chocolate brightens a person’s mood because it’s appealing to their taste buds. However, scientists say that foods such as chicken, milk, bananas and leafy green vegetables will get the job done better than a chocolate bar will.

Eating healthy is very important, especially while growing in high school. It’s important that students remember to always go with the healthy choice of breakfast, lunch, and dinner so that their body, mind, and mood can benefit from it for the rest of the day.

Mood Boosters: Vanessa Estevez (‘14) munches on a healthy wrap as her lunch for the day. Photo By: Natalia Cevallos.

Mood Boosters: Chris Estrada (‘14) decides to eat a delectable chocolate chip cookie during his lunch period. Photo By: Natalia Cevallos.

Technology

October 2012

14 Google Revolutionizes the Internet

College acceptances tampered by social networking Alexandra Mangano MANAGING EDITOR OF WEB

Most people interact in today’s society via “social networking” sites. While others act more discreetly, some blog and post about their personal self, creating a reoccurring conflict in many teenagers lives. When these social networking sites were established, the “DO’s and “DON’T’s” were identified with every high school student.

Ever since conflicts arose on these teenage profiles, colleges began to take a deeper look as to who they are really accepting.

According to USnews.com many students are now being rejected due to their life they publish online.

• Sophomore Phoebe Mishler states, “Now that I am aware of colleges tampering acceptances due to your public life online, I will definitely be going back and double check that everything is perfect. I wouldn’t want to get accepted based on my Facebook profile.”

Anthony Kelleher STAFF WRITER

Google is one of the most widely used web-based search engines today. Recently, Google celebrated its 14th birthday. Many students use Google as a primary search engine. Before Google, the internet was full of information, but there wasn’t an easy and quick way for users to find this information. “Google was the result of a high targeted search engine, which allowed for highly precise results allowing people to find a needle in a haystack,” according to TECH XAV magazine.

Google was created by Larry Page and Sergey Brin. They first met at Stanford in 1995 and both were computer science graduates that began collaborating on a search engine called “Back Rub”, which is now known as Google. The name Google is a play on the word “googol”, which is a mathematical term for the number represented by the numeral 1 followed by 100 zeros. The name Google reflects its creator’s mission to organize an infinite amount of information on the web. On September 27th 1998 Google was incorporated and took the world by storm.

Google’s famous homepage “Doodles” (the changing Google logo graphics), is well known and enjoyed by millions around the world as a way to mark an event or anniversary. Over the course of 14 years, Google has drastically grown and

changed beyond the basic search engine.

This company has even created their own email client (Gmail). Google has also expanded by creating many other programs that people find useful such as Google Translate, Google Scholar, and Google Docs. “I use Google a lot for just about anything from homework to personal use. I think it is a great search engine,” says Valentina Rueda, a freshman at PPCHS. Without Google, students would not be able to

Google: How the worlds most famous search engine came about. Graphic By Julian Graves

research information so easily, translate a foreign language into English, keep all their documents in one place, etc.

Google reflects the zeitgeist of the 21st century. This company has changed how the world views information and retrieves information. Google has transformed every person’s life by providing them with easy access to facts, information, maps,

Technology Makes an Impact Chelsi Chang STAFF WRITER

• Junior Stephanie Norman states, “Since applying for colleges is right around the corner, I was in disbelief when I became aware of this issue. Even though I know I don’t have anything provocative on my personal profile, some of my friends do and I do not want to be tagged in that!”

• Senior Tavia Brown states, “I always knew that I had to be careful with what I was posting on these online sites, but now that it can affect my acceptance into college so I will definitely be more conscious and respectful.”

Little blue lights shine brightly on the face of many. Entertainment has changed our generation from spending hours outside to vegetating in front of the TV, computer, and smart phone. Making trips to the library for information have been replaced with walking down the hall to the nearest computer. All of this technology has been used not only for entertainment purposes but also for educational advantages.

Now that technology has become faster and more accessible, school life has become a breeze for both students and teachers. Want to know how the Stomp Rocket project affected your grade? Just jump onto your laptop and log onto JupiterGrades for the latest update on your grades. There once was a time where the only way a student knew their grades was to either ask their teacher or wait for the interim reports to go out. “I definitely think JupiterGrades is a benefit because now student can see what they’re missing and what they need to make up; and also, they can see how their grades are impacted by those zeroes. It also helps me communicate with my students better and makes my life way easier,” says geography teacher Mrs. DeTurk.

It seems that JupiterGrades is a technological advancement that is beneficial to everyone, right? It doesn’t seem so, junior Anesia Saunders laments: “Sometimes JupiterGrades can be annoying as well, because if I get a bad grade on a test, my parents see it and freak out. Now they’re

always on top of me, and sometimes they get mad without knowing that a teacher may have just been late putting in grades.”

Other websites have also made teacher’s lives easier, such as Quest and Turnitin. com. Turnitin, which is notorious around the school for its cheat-busting tactics has assisted teachers and students in keeping our school free of stolen ideas and words.

If a student plagiarizes work from the internet or any other source without citing, Turnitin notifies the teacher and there are some not so happy days ahead for said student. AP Lang teacher, Ms. Sunshine Phelps- infamous for her hatred of cheating- calls it “creepy” and wrong. “I used to have to Google [search for] sentences to see if a student was cheating, so it [Turnitin] has made detecting plagiarism easier.”

The Quest online program that many science and math teachers alike have used to reinforce the material in class has become a useful tactic for many teachers. Allowing

research and the world. Google has also been integrated into many devices such as Android smartphones, tablets, and even computers. Google is taking over the web browser industry with the newly created Google Chrome, which is a swift browser that can be compared to the original Internet Explorer. This company isn’t just a search engine but also one of the largest advertising platforms in the world. “I feel that Google has enhanced a lot and it is the best search engine out there. I feel that it also helps you connect with people with all its great features and it makes life easier in general,” says junior Beeloochee Louis.

Google is an unconventional company.

Every April Fool’s Day they feature a prank/joke from their offices. In April of 2004 they announced “Googlunaplex”, a new research facility on the moon as that year’s infamous April Fool’s Day joke.

Yoshka is the first ‘company’ dog that goes to work with the president of the company every day- Google is a dog friendly company that allows their staff to bring their dogs into the office. The Google offices (Googleplex) are also filled with microkitchens stocked with snacks. The creators have been quoted in the past saying no “Googler” should have to go more than 100 feet for food. Google has revolutionized the internet and seems to have great promise for future endeavors.

students to practice what they have learned in class, while getting their work graded right on the spot, allows for a stress-free night for teachers.

Teachers have even updated their means of communication to the latest and hottest social networks. English teacher Ms. Ellis has branched off into a social network many Jags know too well: Twitter.

She tweets to let her students know when homework and projects are due and finds that it’s a good way for students to communicate with her, in addition to email. “We were talking about technology and finding ways to communicate with students, and I just figured this would be helpful because so many students tweet,” she says. Ms. Ellis also said she might graduate to Instagram as well for her more picture savvy students. History teacher, Mrs. Hughes has started a Facebook page for her students as well.

Junior Diamond Cunningham says, “Parents back in the day weren’t as updated as they are now; they really only knew about grades four times a year when report cards came out, versus now when parents can check up on their student’s grades constantly. And I think that teachers creating Instagrams and Twitters are one of the best ideas Charter has come up with- it just shows how open we are to innovation.”

Technology has made school a whole lot more manageable for everyone. It keeps students on top of their grades and their school work. Well, as long as the teachers stay on the latest social media network.

Do you put your phone in your pocket upside down?

Josh Alleman MANAGING EDITOR- LAYOUT

• Senior Charles Sims states, “On Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram people do not realize what they post sometimes.

Now that it has been confirmed that colleges are checking I will be sure to make sure all of my personal comments and pictures are appropriate so it does not affect my acceptance.

As many have already noticed, the headphone jack is located on the bottom of the new iPhone 5 and this has caused somewhat of an uproar in the Apple community. Because of the new location for the headphone jack, the connecting port for the adapters—which include chargers, speakers, iHomes, iTrips, cases, and more—has been changed to 19-pin instead of the 30pin port that we have grown accustomed to. What does this mean exactly? It may sound like gibberish to those who aren’t technology savvy, but this affects every user who has or is planning to get the iPhone 5 and possibly every Apple product in the distant future. Every one of the chargers, set of speakers, iHomes, and USB connectors that an Apple customer owns will not work anymore on the most recent version of the iPhone.

“One of the main reasons I haven’t bought the new iPhone is because I don’t want to go through the hassle of rebuying all of the accessories and spending all of that extra

money,” says junior Gabrielle Jessurun, a longtime customer of Apple products. “It looks really cool, but I don’t want to waste money on new versions of things I already have that still work perfectly well.”

Are the new accessories enough to keep people from buying the iPhone 5? Photo By: Jean Paul

It is an amazing feat that Apple’s 30-pin port has survived unchanged for as many years as it has with technology being changed and outdated every day. The representatives at Apple say that the reason for the change is that since the headphone jack has been relocated, there is not as much

space for the port and it needed to be smaller. The question is ‘why is the headphone jack on the bottom opposed to where it has been for many of the last models of the iPhone and other Apple products?’

“I recently bought my first iPhone and it is the 5; I think it is great and I am really happy with all of the features. I don’t mind that the headphone jack is on the bottom because it doesn’t make it any less convenient,” says junior Lauren Olster.

There is an answer to this question that will catch many off guard; at Apple, they found out that most people put their phones in their pockets upside down. This might not sound like much, but this is very interesting and not many people think about how they place their phones in their pockets; they just place it in their pockets and never give it a second thought. Think about it next time: do you put your phone in your pocket upside down? Then the new placement of the headphone jack on the iPhone 5 might be perfect for you.

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