The CHAT Newspaper

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“High Lunging” into Yoga Month Environmental Page 11

Status of the 2012 Campaign News Page 4

A Place to Call Home Sports Page 6

Keep Your Head Up, Hope’s on the Way Environmental Page 11

Student Life

September 2012

2 A new field brings both excitement

and bittersweet emotions

Jessica-Lynn Carvajal STAFF WRITER

The speculation is true; the prayers of many Charter students have been answered.

The idea of home games no longer hosted at Flanagan High School is a tremendous change in charter history. Construction for the field will begin once the school receives its permit from the city to begin. The field will be ready in an estimated time around November or December of 2013. The field will include bleachers for both home and away, a press box, a permanent concession stand, restrooms, Astroturf and lights for evening games. The city is planning to pay $2.5 million for the field. The track will also be refurbished; rubber will replace the current concrete. “We’ve waited a really

long time for this field, exactly 12 years, so I am truly excited and I think this field will bring school spirit and a sense of belonging, students will definitely be happy with the outcome,” says Principal Mr. Bayer.

The news of the new field has seniors filled with mixed emotions. The field will only be experienced by class of 2014 and under. Some seniors feel heartbroken at the thought of not being around to see the new and improved charter stadium. There is a sense of envy lurking in the air. “Not being able to see the new events or new things being changed around the school basically sucks. It is my senior year and it would be nice to have these projects done now but as long as something fun and new happens I will be happy. I heard they are changing

the track to rubber I guess I won’t be here to enjoy it but I’ll live with that,” states senior Stephanie Van Nostrand.

Seniors may not get to experience the new and improved charter as students but they can come and visit to support their school.

Seniors will be able to come back home and see how the field looks like and enjoy it with their community and all their former classmates. Other seniors are a little more optimistic about the field and are very excited for this “I think it’s a good idea because charter will finally have a real home game. But it is bittersweet that the seniors won’t be around to experience it, I will definitely be back to visit” says senior Candice Johnson.

Besides the seniors mixed emotions, the

freshman, sophomores, and juniors can barely hold in their anticipation. The junior class will get to experience the field firsthand as seniors. “I think it’s great we finally are getting a new field, we won’t have to go to another school for games, we will have them at our school which makes perfect sense,” explains junior Juan Osorio. Students at charter have never had a field to call home, but now they do. The entire faculty and student body will benefit from this field. “I love the idea of a new field, I am so excited! The games are going to be amazing especially since it will actually be a home game,” exclaimed freshman Maria Osorio.

What will the new Stadium look like?: Students thinking about the plans of the future stadium and what it will look like. Graphic By: Armando Urena

New Improvements: After thirteen years without a home field, there are plans in the works to begin on the new field. Photo By: Rebecca Gonzalez

Change is good: Pines Charter students are looking forward to finally having a home field for games.

Photo By: Rebecca Gonzalez

Plans for the new Stadium: Specs for the new stadium show an area for the football team, soccer team, and lacrosse team to play on. Photos Donated By: Mr Bayer

Paper or Plastic?

Haley Coolidge STAFF WRITER

On September 12, many of our Charter school administration and staff were put to work in an unconventional way: bagging groceries at the new Whole Foods Market located on Pines Blvd. These “Celebrity Baggers” gave students and their families a chance to see their favorite faculty

members hard at work making sure that customers’ bread and other purchases remained safe. As a result of their efforts, 5% of Whole Foods profits went to the Charter School Foundation, raising an approximate $3,000.

There were a lot of familiar faces in the crowd including Pembroke Pines Mayor Frank C. Ortis, as well as commission-

Troy Bottom News Editor

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

Peter Dourvetakis Gabriela Garcia Business Managers 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

the Charter Schools. Principal Bayer said, “This Whole Foods event was fun, I had a great time and I think it was a great way to get our charter schools together and raise money.” If you didn’t get the chance to attend the Whole Foods event, another fundraiser is planned for Saturday, December 1, at Barnes and Noble. Be sure to attend and show your Charter School pride!

The C. H. A. T. Staff

Nicholas D’ Agostino Editor-in-Chief

Alexandra Mangano Web Managing Editor

ers Angelo Castillo, Iris Siple and Jay Schwartz. Some of the “Celebrity Baggers” included Mrs. Battle, PPCES-FSU teacher Mrs. Velasquez, PPCMS-West vice principal Mr. Castellano and our very own principal, Mr. Bayer. The temporary Whole Foods employees donated their time and were glad to see their students outside the classroom helping fund

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

Student Life

September 2012

3 T.E.A.M. strengthens bonds within Jaguar family

Victoria Alvarez ENVIRONMENTAL/HEALTH EDITOR

Pembroke Pines Charter High School strives to offer the best curriculum for their students. Their main goal is to ensure that every student is ready for college when they graduate and have had the opportunity to speak with many people that would do their best to help get them there. With that said, PPCHS is now trying out a new program at the school, called T.E.A.M. With this program, students are able to gather around in their third hour classes and grow closer to both their fellow students and teachers.

T.E.A.M. is an acronym for “Teachers as Educational Advisors and Mentors”.

In students’ third hour classes, they will come together for thirty minutes every other Wednesday to discuss topics such as college, future careers and even current events. The teachers will serve as guidance advisors to the students through their high school years. They’re expected to aid the students in making the right decisions and help the student by answering any question that he or she may have.

Mr. Greenbaum, college advisor and head of T.E.A.M. said, “I think the program is very beneficial to the students. Mentoring

is good for any teenager planning their future and doing the best to make the right educational choices. Charter strives to make sure that no kid slips through the cracks, and this is just another way of doing so. By creating T.E.A.M., the school is separating themselves from other high schools in the county.”

Though there are assigned guidance counselors to each graduating class at PPCHS, sometimes making appointments to talk about classes, school, or college can be quite difficult. Hundreds of students put in appointments each week and there’s only so many students that the counselors can see. T.E.A.M. was created to help solve this problem. Advisors and faculty at Charter want to ensure that all students have a mentor to speak to on a regular basis while they make their journey through high school. The third hour teachers, serving as mentors, will not only talk with the students as a group, but also have one-on-one sessions with their students. For example, on some Wednesdays the classes will talk about how to decide which colleges to go to and eliminate the ones that they don’t want to attend. When report cards come out, the teacher will take each student aside and review their grades and the report card

as a whole. Meetings such as these are beneficial to each student and allow them to grow close to their teachers while also preparing for their future.

“After experiencing my first T.E.A.M. meeting, I realized that I learned so much about my educational opportunities in the future in just thirty minutes,” said sopho-

more Daniela Gutierrez, “We read a magazine called Florida’s Next based on colleges, jobs, and our futures as a whole. It was nice to discuss my feelings and plans for my future with my friends and teacher.

I definitely can’t wait to see what the next meeting has in store for me.”

T.E.A.M. at Charter: Mrs. DeTurk, 9th grade World Geography teacher helps her students plan for their future education. Photo By: Alex Monge

College Tour: Planning for the Future Nina Salciccioli STAFF WRITER

All students have been hearing about since the second they walked into high school is college. Students often ask themselves, what college should I go to? What GPA do I have to have to get accepted into college?

Will I even like the college experience? Juniors are getting closer and closer to graduating and going off to college. But where does one begin to answer these dreaded questions and decide what they want to pursue as a career?

Pembroke Pines Charter offers junior students an exclusive inside look at some of the most prestigious Florida colleges via “College Tour”. If you are one of the 50 lucky students out of the whole junior class who are selected out of a raffle to attend, you will learn everything there is to know about in-state colleges. However, there are requirements to attend this college tour.

You must have a minimum of a 3.0 Academic Core GPA and no discipline issues.

The tour will take place on January 23rd25th 2013. The total cost of the trip is $330 which includes all meals, hotel, transportation, tours and entertainment. The final payment deadline for the tour is due the week of October 1st. The colleges that the

Getting ready for College: Juniors, Alexandra Lanao, Deanna Alford, Nicole Cordoba, and Brittney Bruns will be attending the College Tour this year in order to learn more about prospective colleges. Photo By: Rebecca Gonzalez

tour covers include, UF, FSU, UCF, USF, UNF, and FGCU. On this tour, you will discover all the programs each college has to offer, tour the campus, and witness everyday students doing their daily studies

and activities.

Juniors have been buzzing about this trip for weeks. Junior Jessica Kaminsky says, “I am so lucky to have been picked for the tour. I get to look at all the colleges I want-

Martial Arts students have more balance Cassidy-Rae Brantley STAFF WRITER

The legendary martial artist and actor Bruce Lee once said, “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” While this quote holds applicable to many situations in life, Master Lee’s usage of it refers to discipline and practice when it comes to learning a combat technique. The martial arts students here at PPCHS know the rule of discipline all too well and can relate to this way of thinking. These students have learned the ability to persevere and determination to conquer a goal.

Martial arts practices are various skills based combat techniques that have been around since ancient times. They can be broken down into 5 different styles of combat: Stand-up or striking styles, grappling styles, low impact styles, weapons based styles, and mixed martial arts (MMA).

Martial Arts “literally moves you out of your comfort zone and changes your perspective of the world around you,” says black belt in Taekwondo Brianna Bauman.

She has become stronger, more agile, and resilient of a person, and has taken from it, “lessons that are irreplaceable.”

Brianna believes martial arts, especially taekwondo and yoga has made her a stronger and more resilient kind of person. “Ever since I was a little kid I always wanted to do something that made myself better or made me feel I had some power or strength within me,” says Brianna. She was able to achieve her want with Taekwondo and yoga. She was doing Taekwondo since she was 8 and stopped at 16 to go for another passion that turned out to be yoga, in which martial art practices incorporate but is not a martial art itself.

Senior Sarah Garcia got into the martial art of Krav Maga, a striking style type of martial art that’s meant mostly for selfdefense. After suggestions from her Dad that it would teach her good defense and influence from her family and friends who did it, she started and really enjoyed it. “I like that it is a great work out class and that it is not focused on competitions,” says Sarah. She started her Krav Maga experience about 10 months ago and continues

to take the class 3 times a week for an hour with additional practice at the gym or by running marathons with other Krav Maga students.

If a martial art club or team was here at the school, “I would definitely try it out and possibly share what I know,” says Sarah.

Before Brianna started with Taekwondo she “wanted a sport that gave a feeling that it wasn’t about the points or winning, but it was about making yourself better and gaining strength from it.” Sarah believes it puts up a good challenge and would be a nice beneficial thing to get into.

Many students of martial arts can agree there are many life ideals to take from learning combat arts. Especially skills that students here at PPCHS can use that will greatly help with school related activities.

“I feel the success comes from being able to reach closer to the ground or be able to balance for long periods of time”, says Brianna. “The success also comes from being able to create tranquility within myself after it all.”

ed to go to and spend time with friends at the same time.” Unfortunately, most juniors do not feel the same way. Only 50 were selected, and it left the rest of the junior class upset. Junior Ryan Smith says, “I wish I could have gotten picked for the tour because it would have been a great opportunity to visit my future colleges. But I will just end up going to visit the schools myself with a couple of friends.” If you have not been selected for the tour, don’t worry! There are plenty of opportunities to visit those colleges yourself. Call ahead to the colleges you want to visit and make an appointment for a private tour.

Senior Gail Fletcher attended the College Tour last year. She says, “They never did a raffle last year. The whole Junior Class showed up to the school Cafeteria at 5 or 6 o’clock in the morning to wait in line to get a spot on the bus that left the same day.

I was chosen out of the 50 juniors, and it was amazing. I got to see everything from campus life to all their majors. It was really beneficial.” So no matter if you were picked for the tour or not, visiting the colleges on your own or with the school will help you make your decision on the right college for you.

Graphic By: Armando Urena

News September 2012

4

Jacob Isenberg STAFF WRITER

With the Democratic and Republican National Conventions over, the 2012 campaign is in full swing. Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate, and Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate and current President, are set for what is predicted to be a very close race. The two candidate’s running mates are Senator Paul Ryan for the Republican Party and Senator Joseph Biden for the Democratic Party. People have already learned a lot about the presidential candidates from the conventions, but the next few weeks and months will be crucial in deciding who the next president of the United States is.

The Republican National Convention took place from August 27th to August 30th in Tampa, Florida. Key speeches were delivered by Ann Romney, Senator Marco Rubio, and Senator Paul Ryan. The most controversial speech of the entire convention was said by actor Clint Eastwood. He was anything but conventional, but by talking to a chair he called Obama, he got laughs from people around the country. However, the speech and its style got mixed reviews.

Senior George Correa saw the humor in the speech, saying, “Clint Eastwood went up there, with no lines, and livened up the mood. I respect him for having the guts to do that.” However, sophomore Lindsay Benke wasn’t so fond of it; “Eastwood’s speech was disrespectful and ultimately inappropriate. There is no place for that kind of speech in a political convention.” When it came time for Governor Romney to speak, he shined bright. He made himself more acquainted with the American people, and said how he can revive America’s economy with his new policies and ideas.

The Democratic Convention, which lasted from September 4th to September 6th, took place in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Keynote speakers included Julian Castro, Michelle Obama, and Bill Clinton. Each of these speakers shed light on how America needs to “keep on believing” and that change cannot happen overnight. They

Obama vs. Romney:

Who will be the next President?

2012 Elections: Current president (and democratic candidate) Barack Obama and his rival, republican candidate Mitt Romney, start to near the end of their fierce campaigning now that the November elections are getting closer. Photo By: Peter Dourvetakis

showed how slowly, but maturely, people are getting back to work and the economy is improving. Barack Obama blew the audience away Thursday night with his masterful use of rhetoric and his inspiring words. He used his slogan, “Forward,” to energize the crowd and try to convince them that he deserves another term in office.

Unlike Barack Obama, many people are unfamiliar with Mitt Romney. He grew up in Detroit Michigan, where he and his family lived comfortably. His father was the governor of Michigan, and Romney credits his father for getting him started in politics. Romney graduated from Harvard with an MBA in business in 1975, and went on to co-found Bain Capital in 1984, which earned him millions of dollars. He managed this company until 2002, when he officially cut all ties from the company so he could start a career in politics. Romney won the Massachusetts race for governor in 2002, and served from 2003-2007. During his term, he is credited with reforming health care and cutting state spending. He

did not run for re-election, and instead ran for president in 2008, where he lost the Republican nomination to Senator John McCain. However, Romney did win the Republican nomination this year, and is now trying to convince voters that he should be the next President of the United States.

Currently, he is married with five kids, and is very involved in his church.

Barack Obama lived a very different life than did Mitt Romney. He grew up in Hawaii and was raised mostly by his grandparents. He did not come from wealth, but worked hard to rise up from his circumstances. Obama attended Columbia University, but obtained his law degree from Harvard. After he graduated, he moved to Chicago to be a civil rights attorney and to teach at the University of Chicago. It was not until 1997 that Obama became a senator in Illinois. He worked as a state Senator until 2004, and then became a U.S. Senator in 2005. Then, in 2008, Barack Obama announced that he would give up his Senate seat in order to prepare for his run at presidency. With powerful campaign slo-

gans like “Hope” and “Change,” the little known U.S. Senator defeated Senator John McCain in the 2008 presidential election.

While many PPCHS students may have an opinion on the election, some seniors will have an actual opportunity to make a difference and vote. Seniors born before Election Day, November 6th, and that are registered will be able to help decide the next president of the United States. After weighing in with a couple of students, the responses were quite varied. “Obama deserves four more years. He has created jobs, reformed health care, and succeeded in foreign policy,” says senior Danny Kalter, a registered Democrat. “Obama’s policies are working, and he is the man that will lead our country out of this recession” says senior Jenna Roberts, another Democrat.

However, not all students agree; “Obama hasn’t changed anything since taking office. The unemployment rate is still high, and I feel that it is time for a change,” says senior Lauren Arenal. Senior Joey Levy agrees, saying, “Obama has not taken us on the path to recovery; instead, he has put us trillions of dollars in debt. Mitt Romney is the man that will create new jobs and lower the national debt.”

Most polls have Romney and Obama within percentage points of each other with only months before the election. Both candidates will be touring the country, making speeches along the way and talking to people to get them most votes possible. On October 3rd, the first of three presidential debates will take place. This will be the first chance to see the candidates, side by side, debating issues which are central to the American people. It will surely be exciting to watch, especially because Florida is one of the most important, if not the most important, state on both candidates’ minds. Florida is a swing state, meaning that no candidate or party has overwhelming support in securing the electoral votes.

Since Florida represents the most Electoral College votes out of any other swing state, it could play a big role in deciding who will be the next president of the United States of America.

A new change in the U building Hack into this!

Joshua Alleman and Jake Dreilinger STAFF WRITERS

Chelsi Chang STAFF WRITER

You might have heard the rumors that fliers aren’t allowed to be put up in the U building anymore because it distracts the FIU students. As ridiculous as it sounds, this is half true: fliers can still be put up on the cork strips in the hallways. They can’t be put on the walls, in the lobby, or in the stairwells anymore.

The U building has recently been repainted. “It keeps the walls clean and nice without the posters and fliers on them,” says Mrs. Clark.

The only way a flier or poster can be hung is with a thumbtack or staple. As long as all of the loose papers and flyers that are taped to the wall and have fallen on the floor are organized on the cork strips, everything will go nicely and the U building will look more pristine.

“All of the information is still there,”

A computer virus named Flame attempted to destroy everything in its path as it made its way across Iran earlier this year. The severity of the virus was great enough to cause the entire country to disconnect itself from the internet altogether. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of the viruses coming from the Middle Eastern country; another virus similar to the harmful Flame was found shortly after named Shamoon.

Shamoon and Flame both contain a hazardous disk drive called Wiper, which is what makes this virus so powerful. Not only does Shamoon taint your computer, and erase all the information on your hard drive, it also makes it impossible for you to get back all those precious family photos and bank statements all while enjoying the fabulous background music of AC/DC. Shamoon was so powerful that its owner was able to hack into a power plant and obliterate all of its data.

The United States is taking proper precautions so that the virus does not spread here. The U.S. Senate came together and started the Cyber Security Act of 2012. In layman’s terms, it allows the supervisors to monitor your activity and report anything out of the ordinary to the government. Any sensitive communications can go straight to US military agency if they wanted. They came up with this to prevent any “future crime.” Govtrack.us says it will “enhance the security and resiliency of the cyber and communications infrastructure of the United States.” Obviously, the United States is not taking hacking lightly and is taking strict precautions against harmful hackers.

Most of us cannot perform hacking on such large scales; however, there are some who hack on trivial degree. Is that just

U Building Rules: Papers or flyers, hung like the ones shown above, are the only way they can be hung in U building now. Photo By: Natalia Cevallos

says Mr. Bayer. “It won’t affect our school.

I agree with what we are doing with putting up posters in the U building. It will make the building look nicer and more appealing.”

The group that this affects most of all besides the student body is definitely the

U Building Rules: Sadly, once-hung posters and flyers are starting to come down to meet the new U Building rules. Photo By: Natalia Cevallos

Leadership class. Because of this, they will not be able to put up their big banners in U building.

Mr. Velasquez says, “I don’t like it or think it will help us. This is probably a precursor to having to take down everything from the walls in U building completely. We aren’t allowed to paint banners in the U building anymore due to past paint spills on the carpet.” They began painting banners only in the hallways so that if paint spills, it can be easily cleaned up. Mr. V’s Leadership class has relocated their class into the M building in Mrs. Kidd’s room. “We will be more restricted in this new room and it is an inconvenience for me and for the Leadership students, but this is just another challenge SGA is ready to conquer,” says Mr. V. It is uncertain whether this change in the U building will be mandatory or temporary, but most likely it is mandatory. This will have an effect on all classes in the U building. Many classes will be unable to do many of the things they want to do in the hallway, but there will be multiple solutions available for these problems. Look for changes in the U building hallways and how the teachers present their student’s banners and projects.

Graphic By Nick LeeYee

as bad? Junior Adrian Dunbar jail broke his iPhone, which allows him to access a whole different app store, use different internet browsers, and completely change his theme to look like a laptop home screen.

“I saw it on YouTube years ago, where kids were doing these cool things with their iPods/ iPhones and I really enjoyed it, and started doing it,” Dunbar says. In regards to the legal side of it all, he says, “even though there are some legal issues with jail breaking because some people do illegal things on their phones, it doesn’t worry me too much.”

Others see hacking as something completely different. Administrator Mrs. Diaz puts it simply, “It’s a matter of morals…

It’s like cheating; you just shouldn’t be doing something you’re not supposed to be doing.” She has dealt with hacking on a personal degree, some time ago, when someone tried to steal her identity. The hackers tried to access her bank account and make profit off of her personal information until they were stopped. Hacking can cause serious complication, it can be trivial and harmless, but how far is too far?

Sports

September 2012

6

Jiovanni Aponte, Running Back/Linebacker, Senior, #2

Photo By: Johmi Vargas

Jordan de Leon, Running Back, Junior, #7

Both Photo’s By: Rebecca Gonzalez

Jordan Holsendolph, Linebacker/Running Back, Senior, #34

Pines Charter Football’s Most Promising Senior running back and linebacker Jiovanni Aponte, who’s known as “Scooby”, is one of the most talented and established players the Jags football team has to offer this year. With last year’s tough exit, Scooby is certainly determined to be a strong leader for the young football team. Scooby said, “This year is more about the younger guys in my perspective. It’s their time to make strides in growing as a football player. I think it’s my job to lead them.” Scooby hopes that his team can pick up the pace and win districts this season.

This senior has been searching for college schools for a while and he seems to have his place in sight. “Although I have no offers yet, I’m really looking into Illinois State. It’s a Division 1 school and I am truly working hard to go there,” Scooby said.

The senior is a force on and off the field and he desires to represent Pembroke Pines in college and possibly the NFL one day.

Scooby said, “My drive on the field today is basically winning and getting those scholarships for Illinois State.” Every yard Scooby gains and every tackle he makes, his determination and dedication to the game he loves will hopefully pay off as he strives to achieve his life-long dream.

Junior Jordan de Leon is a player with an incredible upside. His combination of speed and agility make him a talented running back and one of Charter’s most promising athletes. De Leon has set high goals for both himself and the team: “I want to have at least 500 yards by the end of the season, score a touchdown every game, and just win,” he said. “I know we have the potential to make the playoffs; all we have to do is play as a team.”

Jordan de Leon also expressed how he wants to be a leader both on and off the field. In practice, he helps teach other players about the different plays, and helps underclassmen that are struggling.

As for stats, the junior running back has put up good rushing numbers--averaging 33 yards per game--but even he admits that he is going to need to do more after the announcement was made that leading rusher Neil Morrison is out for the season.

“With Neil having season ending surgery, I am going to have to step up and help fill the role he played. Our team will have to work extra hard in practice, and execute our plays in the game if we want to win” said de Leon.

As for a future of football after Charter, de Leon has considered it, but wants to see how his junior season goes before making the decision to try to play in college.

Senior Middle Linebacker on the varsity football team this year is Jordan Holsendolph. An established leader for the Jag’s defense this year, this versatile player has moved from defensive end to middle linebacker to lead the team in halting other schools’ aggressive offenses. One of the leading tacklers for the varsity team this

Omari White, Offensive Tackle, Senior, #75

Photo By: Rebecca Gonzalez

John Jablonka, Quarterback, Junior, #5

Photo By: J.P. Dussan

year, his experience is a model for the younger, newer additions to the team. Holsendolph still believes that this year they will be playoff bound.

“This year I’m more focused, I have switched positions into a more important one for the defense. Now I have to make play calls for our defense and be the leader.

We can definitely still make the playoffs this year despite our rough start; we will

Senior offensive tackle Omari White has emerged as a leader for this young and growing Jaguars team. A team captain, he anchors the side of the line that protects the quarterback’s blindside. Though he might never touch the ball in a game, his blocking is vital to the production of the offense and he is one of the most important leaders of this youthful squad.

As an individual, White has said that he wants to become more of a leader, in addition to improving himself athletically, getting faster and stronger.

“For the seniors, I think this season is really about being selfless,” said White. “We still have to focus on being successful and we need to get tougher. This season is really a stepping stone for the underclassmen.”

After the Jaguars’ rough start, there is a difficult road ahead, and even if this season proves to be unsuccessful, the hope is that it will set the foundation for a brighter future.

He started his football career at Cooper City Optimist where he learned the fundamentals of the game he loves today. His name is John Jablonka, and he is now in Pembroke Pines and the starting Quarterback here at Pines Charter. Different than a traditional QB he is not so dependent on his arm but his quick legs in PPCHS’s aggressive triple option offense.

“I love running the ball and making quick reads on the defense and leading the team.

I mean, sure I like to roll out every once in a while and dump a pass off, but there’s this indescribable sensation you get when you run by a defense,” the Junior, Jablonka added.

Now in his third year as a Jaguar, he’s been watched closely in his JV years leading up to this point where he is now expected to lead the team. A work in progress and years of being corrected and taught has molded the quarterback into a weapon opponents must account for. Jablonka rushes for an average 7.2 yards per carry; and has helped lead many successful scoring drives.

“I’m just hoping I can really impress people this year and earn the respect of my fellow players and raise some eyebrows of some college scouts,” Jablonka concluded.

need more focus as a team and to work harder.”

Although there is no set plans for him to play in college he is still ready to give his all this season and bring the team a championship. His determination, experience, and confidence is a strong base for the younger defense and will be crucial to keeping other teams from outscoring the Jaguars. After all, a strong defense is what wins games.

Kicking to new heights Brett Alayon STAFF WRITER

Kathy Lieby, freshman at Pines Charter, is already enjoying her time in high school.

However, she’s also been active away from the books with something most students aren’t familiar with: judo. This exhilarating sport is a modern martial art typically practiced in Japan. Kathy kicked into it when she was just in 3rd grade.

“Actually, my 3rd grade teacher was a

Judo instructor and she truly inspired me,” she said.

Free time doesn’t come often for Kathy as she trains 5 days a week on average.

And her dedication has shown: “I have won many judo events over the years, including state championships and a national championship,” says Kathy. The young judo star has won several medals at many events in Florida and across the nation with her team.

In spite of the success she has already

achieved, Kathy says she isn’t done yet.

“I’ll soon be in the Junior Olympics; however, my dream is to go to Rio for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil,” she said. A new American icon, Gaby Douglas, at only 16 years old won two gold medals for gymnastics in the recent Olympic Games in London. This gives hope to Kathy that in four years from now, the buzz around the country may be about a talented Judo star from Pembroke Pines, Florida.

Achieve Your Goals: Freshman Kathy Lieby is a blackbelt in Judo.

Photo By: Peter Dourvetakis

A Place to Call Home

7

Sports September 2012

program,” said athletic director and head football coach Steve Bruns. “We’re finally going to have our own field right here on Pembroke Pines Charter High’s interscho- campus. More students will come to the lastic athletic program has been on a slow games and more kids will want to come but steady rise to prominence in its first out for football. Our younger players are dozen years of existence. Last year seemed especially excited since they will be able like icing on to actually play the cake as in it.” the football Construction and basketof the stadium ball programs is expected enjoyed their to commence best seasons to right after the date, and the end of this softball team year’s football brought home season.

The the school’s new plans inlong coveted, clude bleachers first state with capacity championship. to seat 2,500, Following a ticket booth, the football a concession team’s first stand, lights, a playoff apfour-lane rubpearance in berized track, school hisand most notory, the athtably a state of letic program the art synthetic is still reaping turf field.

New Stadium: The Football team will have an all new field to practhe rewards. tice on. Photo By Carli Stander “Right now This year, I’m looking such rewards are headlined by one that’s forward to this season, but I can’t wait unworth a cool $2.5 million. Promptly before til we can play in the new stadium,” said the school year started, the funding and junior running back Jordan de Leon, “I exproject for the construction of a brand new pect to see a lot more people at our games synthetic-turf field and football stadium and our team is going to be better because at our school was approved at a city com- of it.” missioners’ meeting with Principal Bayer Principal Bayer has also expressed interpresent. For the first time in school history, est in a separate project to have the water Pines Charter will have a single on-campus tower behind the field painted in Jaguars facility that will act as home for the foot- colors and bear the “PC” football logo; it ball, soccer, and lacrosse teams. It will also has not been confirmed yet. act as a training facility for the track team “I’m very excited. The kids have deserved and the rest of Charter’s athletes. this for a long time,” said Principal Bayer, “It’s going to do great things for our “It’s going to do so much for our programs

and for our overall school spirit.”

I would be able to use it,” said senior disThe training program will directly benefit tance runner Jessica Davis. “A lot of times from the new facility as well. Athletes who for speed work, our team has to run across participate in the strength and conditioning the street to Silver Lakes Park to work out program with Coach Bell will be able to because the cement track is so bad for a work out on the soft astro turf, a more even runner’s knees. I’m hoping that when I am surface that is much more durable than the home from school in the next few years grass field in place today. that I’ll be able to go to the track and run. It Principal Bayer also made clear that his will be a great place to practice.” hope is that the stadium will be ready by It will be a while until the construction at least homecoming week during next of the stadium is initiated, and a while still season, and maybe even for the season opener. Since current seniors won’t be able to experience playing games in the new facility, Mr. Bayer brought up the prospective idea of starting an alumni program in which former students could attend football games at a discount price.

“I definitely plan on coming to some games next year if I can,” said senior defensive end and offensive tackle Jor- New Stadium: The Football team will have an all new field to practice on. Photo dan Holsen, “I’ve By Carli Stander got to support my Charter family!” until it is ready to be put to use. But once The football team will reap the most ben- it is done, a new era of Pines Charter athefit from the stadium, but the entire athletic letics will be ushered in, and even though program will gain something from the ex- the project seems massive, it is just one perience. Strength and conditioning work- small step forward in building the powerouts will then take place on a synthetic turf house athletic program envisioned by our field that is made for major usage, which faculty and student body. As our athletic will replace the torn up grass field that is program progresses, so will the need for there today. The track team will be able to newer, bigger, and better facilities. For practice on a real rubber track instead of now, Pines Charter’s most immediate and the current cement one that is rough on a obvious need will be satisfied: a state of the runner’s knees and other joints. art home field, that is actually our own.

“I think the rubber track is great; I wish

The truth about Trueblood

Alumni Sticking Together

Troy Bottom

Brett Alayon

David Nabors

SPORTS EDITOR

NEWS EDITOR

When students mention “Trueblood” around campus, they’re not talking about the hit television show with the gory vampire scenes that teens crave. In contrast, they’re talking about Coach Trueblood, a helper in almost every sport, always around, always smiling, and always helping any student with any one of their needs.

He can be spotted from a mile away, standing upright with his maroon Pines charter visor fit snug on his head. His distinctive laugh can be heard echoing through the gym or carrying on in the breeze way.

There is usually alongside him a cluster of students needing anything from a door to be opened, an extra bag of ice, or help on their game. He has been here since his son Kenjay Trueblood (‘08) started playing sports at PPCHS. At two o’clock sharp Coach Trueblood’s job starts and he is on campus opening doors and beginning another day improving Pines Charter athletics.

“I just love helping and meeting children’s needs,” Trueblood says. “There’s nothing more rewarding to me than seeing a kid reach his goals.”

He’s in the clay with the baseball team, the hardwood with the basketball team, the field with a football in hand, and the track with a runner working on making him the fastest in Pines Charter. Trueblood’s words of wisdom stem from a lifelong involvement in sports and superior athletic play in track and football as an alumni of Pasco high school in the Tampa area. His favorite sport to coach, he says, is football.

“I just love the game of football so much and there is so much action and so many different things that can happen in the blink of an eye,” Trueblood commented.

“He is like the uncle of the team and very

uplifting and his dedication rubs off on the team and makes you want to be more dedicated to the program,” says senior Omari White, who has known Coach Trueblood since 8th grade.

Coach Trueblood has seen it all from the beginning of a school that wasn’t planned to have an athletics program, to a powerhouse in almost every sport in the county.

He’s at as many games as possible always decked out in school colors and the definition of school pride.

“He’s always at our volleyball games cheering us on and telling us good luck and giving us high fives,” says junior Nikki Brito. “It seems like little but it actually gets you encouraged and motivated.”

Trueblood says, “I just really love this school and will stand by every sports team here. I’ve learned so much over my 50 years of sports and love giving it back to the children here at Charter.”

STAFF WRITER

Bruns said with a hint of nostalgia.

Not only have they made it professionally, but they have proven to be star players for their team. Kito has a staggering 287 receiving yards through just a handful of games in the start of the 2012 season. In the beginning of the 2011 season, he suffered a minor knee injury but he is back this year in healthy condition this year. Carl, on the other hand, had 71 rushing yards and an average of 7.9 yards per carry as a backup RB in 2011. Unfortunately, Volny is not a starter for the 2012 season due to an ACL injury he suffered at the conclusion of last season.

Sophomore Tanner Redding said, “I think it’s really cool two people from PPCHS have made it pro.

Hopefully we hear more news about Charter alumni’s going pro in the near future.”

Ever wonder if a Charter alumnus had ever made it pro? Well, for the first time in our school history, someone has. Not just one person, but two, and they’re cousins, as a matter of fact. Kito Poblah, a 25 year-old born in Montreal, Quebec, and Carl Volny, 24 year-old from the same hometown, have made it. NFL? No. However, Kito and Carl are currently playing for the Blue Bombers in the CFL (Canadian Football League).

It truly is inspiring knowing an athlete from PPCHS has an established professional career.

Before reaching the CFL, these cousins attended Central Michigan together and were the first PPCHS graduates to go to a Division I school. Coach Bruns still remembers when they played for PPCHS, “Kito was a quarter- Together Forever: Kito and Carl, who are both PPCHS alumni, are back and Carl now professionally playing football in Canada. Photo donated by: With over 70 a running back Coach Bruns- Sports Director students playfor our Jags.” Coincidentally, Kito and Carl ing football at PPCHS, Kito and Carl have were born in Canada and are now back at inspired freshman and seniors alike into home playing professionally. PPCHS has going the extra mile. Junior Flavio Hernanlong awaited this to happen and what an dez said, “I really hope to play in the NFL accomplishment it is for our history. “I one day and Kito and Carl’s story is just have a picture of them in my office and I going to drive me to get there.” think this is great for our school,” Coach

Entertainment

September 2012

7

New shows ‘Fall’ into new seasons Chelsie Ramos STAFF WRITER

With summer officially over, we bid a farewell to our beloved summer TV series; however, fall is here bringing with it a new batch of shows to keep everyone busy for months. Although some of these shows may have already premiered, like Fox’s Bones which appeared once again on Monday September 17, there is still plenty of shows left to come.

Channels like the CW and ABC are rolling out the hits, along with new series to capture your heart. However, there is an infinite amount of shows to choose from which are not limited to just a few TV channels.

Gossip Girl- The hit CW show is hitting the airwaves on October 8th - for the final time- with the hidden Gossip Girl having to bid her farewells soon. The new season includes 11 episodes and begins at the start of fall, with the main characters trying to figure out the mess in their lives in the Upper East Side. Senior Soraya Bourjolly says, “I’m excited to see the new drama that is going to happen and to see what happens with Blair and Chuck; also, I can’t believe that it is ending!”

Revenge- After ABC’s hit newcomer last season captivated audiences, the show all about revenge is coming back on a new day- Sunday September 30th at 9 p.m. This season is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat, along with even more terrifying evidence that will help Emily Throne, the main character, avenge her father’s death.

The Vampire Diaries- The CW is bringing the vampires, werewolves, and mystery

back for its fourth season on October 11th.

The show that has fans all over the world asking the same question “What happens next?” will be sure to wreak havoc on numerous TV screens. “I’m excited for the

Fall into the new Seasons: Fall TV shows are beginning to start up again, drawing fans of all ages.

Graphic By: Armando Urena

new season because I was so shocked by the ending of last season. I just can’t wait to see what it going to happen to Elena!

Plus I can’t wait to get my weekly dose of Damon!” says junior Amanda Hernandez.

Arrow- Airing on October 10th at 8 p.m. the CW has decided to bring alive a new “hero”, Arrow. This show follows the story of billionaire Oliver Queen after he was found living for five years when a ship-

Out with the old, in with the new Jessica-Lynn Carvajal STAFF WRITER

The popular singing TV show amongst Americans around the country will be making its return to television later on this year with a few changes to the judging panel.

This show is no other than American Idol, which recently experienced departures from judges including Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez. Both Tyler and Lopez have decided to leave the show after two years of serving as judges on Idol.

Steven Tyler made the decision to leave the iconic TV show to further pursue a ca-

with new and endearing faces, such as that of Mariah Carey. Carey will be a wellknown face on idol thanks to her whopping 18 million dollar salary which she will be receiving this year after confirming that she will be a judge for season 12 of American Idol. “Mariah Carey is one of my most favorite artists, I am so glad she is a judge this year. I will definitely be tuning in to idol,” says senior Gabriela Hill.

There have been several names surfacing around the media rumoring who would be the next judge. It has finally been confirmed that Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban will be joining Mariah Carey as the new

American Idol: The hit reality series is expected to draw new viewers as they change judges. Graphic By: Armando Urena

reer with his band, Aerosmith. He felt it was important to put his love of rock and roll first and is currently touring with his band nationwide with an album releasing in the fall. Jennifer Lopez left American Idol for other reasons but still was affected by the departure of her fellow judge, Tyler.

Lopez felt that there were other priorities she needed to focus on in her life, and she never imagined she would sign with Idol for two years let alone a third.

Despite the recent departures, there is no need for panic. American Idol will return

wreck left him stranded on an island by his lonesome. Viewers get to see how those five years changed him, and how his new persona of Arrow wants to right the wrongs of his family and protect his city.

judges for season 12 alongside the one and only original judge Randy Jackson.

American Idol’s popularity has gone down these past few years since their 2002 debut.

PPCHS has many students that are fans of the show, and all this talk about Idol’s judging panel has students anticipating the new season and the cast of new judging faces. “I am so excited for season 12 and all the names that have been mentioned for the new judges. All seem great and I just cannot wait,” exclaimed senior Stephanie Martinez.

The X Factor- The show recently aired on September 12 at 8 p.m. on FOX, but it is sure to make a buzz through the entire season of fall with its new panel of judges.

From the previous season, Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid are still on the judging panel. However, newcomers Demi Lovato and Britney Spears will be sitting on the judge’s panel for the first time around.

“I’m excited for the new season because

I just love all of the singing competition shows. Also, I can’t wait to see how Demi and Britney do as judges,” says Hernandez.

Glee- While the hit show premiered its fourth season on September 13th on FOX at 9 p.m. Rachel heads off to college, and a new crop of cast and glee members makes an appearance which keeps the audience wanting more. “I have been watching the show for a really long time, so I’m excited that it’s starting again,” said freshman Giselle La Hoz. This season is set to still be the highly energetic and musical show of the fall.

Beauty and the Beast- This isn’t your typical Disney fairytale and this time the CW amped up the known tale of Beauty and the Beast to bring it to life with a modern twist. The new series airs October 11th at 9 p.m., where it follows a detective, Catherine Chandler, as she learns more about the night her mom was killed- the same night that she too could have died if it weren’t for something-or someone- who saved her.

Jersey Shore- GTL: gym, tan, and laundry, is now coming to its final season airing October 4th, at 10 p.m. on MTV. For 6 seasons viewers got to experience the summer fun of Seaside Heights, aka the Jersey Shore, with the shows 8 outrageous cast members. The final season bids a farewell to the cast, but it isn’t the end yet for these fist pumping animals.

Whichever way you “view” it, fall is here, and has brought in a new batch of addictive shows. Start getting cozy for those chillier nights that will soon arrive and prepare to watch T.V. with the multitude of shows to choose from airing this fall.

Becoming one with “The Walking Dead” Alexandra Mangano WEB MANAGING EDITOR

use of extravagant costumes, props and makeup.

The event will be opening their gates on September 21, 2012 and will be closing the event on the 31st of October. If anyone would like to go at an affordable rate it is suggested by many that you should pur-

The fall season is finally here and has been creating much excitement amongst all PPCHS students. One of the most popular activities that occur in the months of September and October is Halloween Horror Nights in Universal Studios, Orlando. This year, Universal Studios has taken a completely different approach on frightening their future audience.

According to the event’s website, halloweenhorrornights. com, the popular phrase for this year’s Halloween event is “Once you’re inside, there is no way out.” The 22nd year of the event will feature many terroristic characters and movies such as Alice Cooper and Pen & Teller. Sophomore Phoebe Mishler states, “I have never been to Halloween Horror Nights so I am thrilled to hear that this year’s theme is going to Horror Nights:Students all over PPCHS are anticipating the event that will be amazing. I want my provide them with a night of fear and excitement. Photo By: Gaby Cabeza first experience to be one of the best ones yet.” chase your tickets in advance. “I remember The three houses that are supposed to fill last year I went to HHN and bought my the park with fear are Silent Hill, Alice tickets a month before the date I attended.

Cooper, and Pen & Teller. For those who This was a smart idea because closer to the have never experienced an HHN event, date, the prices went up and became exthese houses bring terror to life. They are tremely expensive,” explains junior Galit filled with people transformed into fero- Sims. cious characters preying on young teenFor all PPCHS students that want to atagers as they turn around each wall in tend the horrific Halloween event at Unifear. However, the fun doesn’t stop there. versal Studios in Orlando, make sure you Throughout the haunting theme park, the prepare for the frightening experience you faculties of HHN are dressed up as zom- are about to endure. The atmosphere and bies. This year’s staff will be dressed ac- characters will give you a scare, but make cording to the main theme- “The Walking sure you are walking with a friend, and not dead”- which will be portrayed through the the dead.

Entertainment

September 2012

8

Nina Salciccioli STAFF WRITER

Child stars: where are they now? role model for younger girls and now she is the complete opposite.”

Junior Annette Marin agrees, “Lindsay Lohan was a great child star, but sadly she

Child stars are idolized for their fresh faces and starring roles in well accredited television shows and major movie flicks at a young age. As life goes on, the fame of the talented youngsters dwindles and their lives change for the better or sometimes even for the worst. From gracing the theaters in over 7 movies, Lindsay Lohan is known as one of the most famous child stars in history. Starring alongside Tyra Banks in the movie Life-size in 2000 and Amanda Seyfried, Tina Fey, and Rachel McAdams in the 2004 film Mean girls, Lindsay has become best known for her outstanding acting skills. But how has all of this childhood fame affected her life Lindsay Lohan: Beloved actress from the Parent Trap, has recently taken a huge spiral out of control. Cartoon By: Emily Semander as an adult? In 2007, People magazine reported that Lohan had gave into drugs and alcohol and her life two DUI arrests and was sentenced to one didn’t go too well. She is only recognized day in jail and ten days of community for her mistakes now and is always in and service. Today, eyewitnesses have seen out of jail.”

Another famous child star was Macaulay Lindsay partying to the early hours of the morning with friends and sometimes will Culkin. You may remember him from the go missing for days at a time. Carla Flyte, iconic Home Alone movies. At the height junior at PPCHS says, “It’s really sad how of his fame, Culkin was regarded as the Lindsay grew up because she used to be a most successful child star actor since Shir-

ley Temple. However, with all this fame states that they were the youngest millioncomes several consequences. As of 2012, aires in America whose wealth was not inmany eyewitnesses saw him use a deadly herited. Not only are these twins very sucmix of prescription drugs which could al- cessful actresses, but they also have created legedly kill him. The Huffington post has their own clothing line. Critics have looked reported that Macaulay has only six more down upon them because they used real fur months to live if he doesn’t get the help incorporated into their clothes; neverthethat he desperately needs. less, the Olsen Twins continue to be sucThe iconic childhood star starring in her cessful because of it. own show, “The Amanda Show”, has re- Life for these child stars has changed, and cently been up to a bit of trouble. Amanda as they continue to be in the spotlight their Bynes obtained a spot in the limelight when lives will be watched critically by the pubshe was driving home one evening from lic. So will Lindsay listen to all her fans and the L.A. hot spot Greystone Manor in her change her lifestyle or will she continue BMW at 3 a.m. She allegedly collided with abusing drugs for the rest of her life? Will a police car, reports People.com. Bynes has been charged with a DUI and two accounts of hit-and-run; consequently, her license has been revoked.

Aside from being involved in a series of car accidents, the young television star engaged in disruptive behavior at her local gym in Hollywood, reports TMZ. From her recent actions, the retired actress Stars: Well known stars such as Lindsay Lohan, have taken a downfall in has taken a turn for Child recent years and are spiraling out of control. Graphic By: nick Lee yee the worst from her days as a sweet little girl with pigtails.

Macaulay Culkin get help for his addicAnd who doesn’t know the successful tion to drugs? Will Mary Kate and Ashley child star twins Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen continue on the rise to their success Olsen. They landed their first role on the as fashion designers? Only time can tell of popular television show Full House. Their where the child stars land on the star map. acting careers took off and together they have starred in around forty eight hit video movies. At the young age of ten, imbd.com

‘Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice’ about our favorite kid shows Jordana Cutajar FEATURES EDITOR

Sugar, spice, and everything nice. These were the ingredients chosen to create the perfect little girls.” We all know the beginning theme song to the 1990’s Powerpuff Girls show, whether we watched it will-

Girls when I was younger! I even dressed up as Blossom once for Halloween. I felt like it was a great show, not only for girls, but boys too.”

The “Powerpuff Girls” made its series debut on Cartoon Network in 1998 and quickly rose to popularity. Most of us grew

were anxious to run into the living room and watch our favorite cartoons in our pajamas. Mom and Dad- who would be perpetually exhausted for years to comeallowed this weekly ritual, and probably took this time to enjoy their much needed cup of coffee. We on the other hand were vibrant and giggly, eagerly watching our beloved favorites. Even after school when we finished what little homework we had, our afternoons were filled with adventures as we sang along to Kim Possible’s theme song ‘Call me Beep me’ or even that of SpongeBob Square Pants. Sophomore Anna Wheatley enjoyed the even older cartoons when she was younger, saying, “I used to watch Tom and Jerry all the time and I also really liked Ed, Edd n Eddy.”

It appears that today’s cartoons are seriously lacking in comparison to our childhood favorites; after all they have a lot to

compete with. Disney Chanel, Cartoon Network, and Nickelodeon seem almost unrecognizable. Wheatley also stated, “Today’s cartoons aren’t as funny or original.”

However, it appears that some classics are being revived. “Cartoon Planet” which began last March, features an hour-long program that airs on Friday’s from 8-9 p.m. dedicated to the good old shows. Series that are included are “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends”, “Dexter’s Laboratory”, “Johnny Bravo”, “Flapjack”, and “The Powerpuff Girls”. (Huffingtonpost.com) Even though our kid shows have been replaced with teen dramas and reality shows, the one’s that started our T.V. addiction will never be forgotten. If we are lucky, when we peruse over these juvenile channels we may catch a flicker of the past. Long live the blue, pink, and green and several other charismatic cartoon characters!

Powerpuff Girls: The beloved childhood cartoon is coming to the big screen in 2013. Cartoon By: Emily Semander

ingly or secretly as a child. But guess who may be making a comeback? There has been speculation that exactly one year from now- on September 13, 2013- a new Powerpuff Girls movie is supposedly going to hit theaters. Rumors have been circulating on social networking sites, and although commercials have aired- advertising the return of our favorite blue, pink, and green heroes- there is also speculation that the movie is a hoax. The last Powerpuff Girls movie came out in 2002. For many of us, this blast from the past is a pleasant reminder of a simpler time when we were younger and more imaginative. Senior Erin Favus said, “I loved the Powerpuff

up with the show along with many other 90’s hits including, “The Rugrats”, “Hey Arnold!”, “Dexter’s Laboratory”, “The Wild Thornberry’s”, “Rocket Power”, and even “Courage the Cowardly Dog”.

It seemed that Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network were loaded with quality television shows for your average American kid.

Even the early 2000’s produced all-time favorites like the “Fairly Odd Parents”, “Code Name: Kids Next Door”, “Kim Possible”, “SpongeBob Square Pants”, and “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends”.

When we were younger, Sunday mornings were exciting days for us adolescents.

Upon waking up early, as usual, most of us

Kid Shows: Students across PPCHS can’t wait for their favorite childhood shows to come back and what new movie ideas there have been rumors about. Photo By: Rebecca Gonzalez

Environmental

September 2012

9

Birth to the turf: PPCHS’ new environmentally friendly stadium Gabriela Garcia STAFF WRITER

A new sports stadium at PPCHS opens the doors to an endless amount of fresh possibilities. New goals. New hard-earned victories. A new place for the Jaguars to call home. But before we start digging away and pulling our old stadium up by the root, maybe we should consider whether or not a real turf stadium is completely worth it.

Turf is a football player’s dream. When you ask any of the Jaguar football players about the new stadium, a smile will automatically light up their face; you can almost see their muscles twitch in excitement.

However, ask any soccer player and your response will be almost the exact opposite.

Sure, both teams will be ecstatic to find out that they won’t have to deal with muddy and uneven fields anymore, but the soccer players may also want to say goodbye to the favorite fields they’re accustomed to.

“It takes a while for us soccer players to get accustomed to turf fields,” says junior soccer player Melissa Rueda. “We definitely prefer our regular grass field; it’s so much easier to slide on and provides a better grip for our cleats.”

It’s funny how quickly a rumor gets around school, but what’s amazing is how easily the details are left behind. Many students at PPCHS know that the stadium will be coming soon, but few know how exactly we’re going to turn Field A into Field B. Coach Bruns, also known to the school as our Athletic Director and one of our Behavior Specialists, informs the CHAT that

the process involves “…breaking ground, pulling everything up completely, and putting in an entirely whole new base.” Many have cringed at the idea of pulling our ground up from the root, but it may be for the best. Most companies advertise their turf fields as 100% organic and beneficial to its surrounding environment. For example, the majority of turf fields end up being the home to scrap tires that would otherwise be thrown away and taking up space in a dump.

According to FieldTurf, a sports company who actually manufactures and produces turf fields, a turf field would be a lot safer than our old field, and would carry minimal health risks. FieldTurf has experienced the evident rise in popularity and economy in turf fields over the years firsthand. The company claims that, “The levels of chemicals […] at synthetic turf fields don’t raise significant health concerns as opposed to the regular grass involving fertilizers and chemicals.” They prove a good point. It takes a lot of effort, management, and artificial items to have a beautiful, lush green field when it’s consisted of grass. With a turf field, the worries and hassles would be cut in half, along with the levels of toxins, irritants and chemicals in the ground.

However, turf fields may not have completely positive health benefits. According to Sideline Sports Doc, turf fields provide for “higher lower extremity injury rates”.

This basically means that they reduce the amount of severe and permanent injuries, only to raise the amount of smaller injuries.

Sideline Sports Doc makes sure to point

Turf Field: The new PPCHS stadium will be made with truf grass instead of real grass for easier matinence.

Graphic By: Nick Lee Yee

out that these studies can be flexible, and may vary according to the quality of the turf field and the intensity of the sport being played. Other smaller factors contribute, like the type of shoes worn by the athletes. These magic words will mean a lot to some PPCHS Jaguar athletes, especially to those involved in some tragic accidents over the summer. Sophomore Sebastian

Cubillos is filled with relief with the idea of a new area. “Being a part of the Jaguar football team, you get to see a variety of different things. In the past two years, I’ve seen everything from torn ACL’s to concussions. I’d hate to see another one of my team mates fatally hurt again; hopefully this turf field will change that.”

Organic food: what are you really eating?

Commentary By: Melissa Sullivan STAFF WRITER

The grocery store seemed to be the perfect twentieth century solution to hunger, but in reality it was just a means for companies to draw in perspective buyers by lying to them through misleading advertising and catchy slogans. Students today are still being misguided by false advertisements and deceptively stated facts. Many students and their families eat organically in hope of becoming healthier, listening to the large companies that said they would. In actuality, organic food has proved to be not much healthier than non-organic foods.

Organic food companies claim to be healthier and better for consumers but really they have shown to provide the same amount of health benefits at a larger cost.

In most cases, these foods can be almost double the price of normally grown and processed food items. Despite popular belief, these organically grown foods are not worth the extra cash when shopping at the local store. Studies done at Stanford University have shown that organic foods have just a 30% lower risk of containing pesticides. These scientists pressed the fact that orthodoxly grown food, though it contains a higher amount of pesticides, is still deemed safer and just as nutritious.

“I always try to eat healthy; it makes me feel better about myself and gets me through the day. Learning that organic food isn’t healthier for me makes me question what it is that I’ve really been eating and if it makes any difference,” says junior Shaun Hudson.

Looking past the false advertisements, organically grown food can ironically be damaging to the environment and animals in the surrounding areas. A study conducted by researchers at Oxford University in the United Kingdom found that organic methods of farming, in comparison to the more common ways used by large companies, is actually more destructive to the atmosphere. Organic approaches to farming produce more gas emissions and toxins than other more common methods of farming does. These emissions can cause carbon dioxide levels to rise, becoming harmful to not only humans, but to all other

living animals.

“If organic food isn’t healthier for people and is super expensive, I don’t really see the need for it. I can eat organic or normal food and get the same benefits either way.

I usually eat organic vegetables and fruits because I’m vegetarian but organic food is actually harming animals and defeating my purpose in living a vegetarian lifestyle,” stated junior Raena Thelwell.

When shopping for food, consumers should beware of misleading facts that state that organically grown foods are healthier and more nutritious than products that are mass produced and use pesticides.

In reality, they may just be products of a greedy company, and all shoppers should be weary of costs and buy food based on the true facts.

Organic chocolate: This sugary treat is more expenisve than other named brand chocolate. Photo By: Jp Dussan

Organic cereal: This naturally sweetened mulitgrain

Organic apple sauce: This fruity snack claims to be organic, however the advertising makes the snack sound

cluster cereal is really a high-sugar snack. Photo By: Gabriela Cabeza

healthier than it really is. Photo By: Jp Dussan

Environmental September 2012

10

Andrea Bellorin STAFF WRITER

Have you ever been interested in starting any yoga classes? Now is the time to do so. What many people probably didn’t know is that September is National Yoga Month. A great way to celebrate National Yoga Month is by finding the closest gym near you and starting any of the many yoga classes most gyms have to offer. The word “yoga” means “to unite or integrate” and has origins in Indian philosophy. Yoga can be described as the union of a person’s own consciousness or the universal consciousness.

Many believe that by practicing yoga exercises, it provides improvement of cir-

“High Lunging” into National Yoga Month culation, stimulates the abdominal organs, and puts pressure on the glandular system of the body eventually resulting to better health. If you are willing to learn the ways of yoga and its ideas, then yoga is for you.

Many parents strongly support yoga for their teens because it has been proven to help reduce growing pains, increase flexibility, create good posture and support the maturation of internal organs. Students claim it’s a relaxing way of escaping from every day stress, providing a sense of calmness.

“Yoga is a great way to relieve tension when you feel too caught up in school. It relaxes my muscles and gives me a great workout. If you want a break from the real-

•The Lotus Pose: When practicing yoga, one of the most well-known poses is the seated yoga pose, also known as the Lotus pose, which is achieved by sitting in a cross-legged position. This pose creates grounding and calming balance, benefiting the spine for sitting meditation as well as opening the hips.

•The High Lunge Pose: Lastly, if you ever want to get in a quick leg workout, try the high lunge. By forming a low lunge, lift your body up vertical over your hips. Once you’ve maintained stability, reach your arms straight up. By doing this pose, your entire leg builds strength. By doing some of these simple poses a couple of times a week, your body becomes more balanced and you become more focused; essential for any student that is stressed out or that just wants a relaxation exercise to better their health.

Pain to the brain

Troy Bottom

NEWS EDITOR

Full speed, full velocity, his muscles worked to their absolute max, junior Jordan De Leon dashed forward after a ball.

On defense, he was closing in on a pass intended for the would-be receiver. He reached the ball but by then it was too late to notice his teammate, junior Kevin Ledford, charging at the same speed for the same ball. Like two sports cars at full throttle, the boys collided with a vicious jolt.

Their heads snapped back as the sound of skull against skull echoed across the field.

Both players simultaneously blacked out as blood oozed from their still mouths. Kevin lay motionless as Jordan tried to stand up and shortly fell back down as his body went into complete and utter shock. This was the scene on an early Wednesday morning practice over the summer. The 7 vs. 7 football drill hospitalized the two PPCHS football players with serious concussions.

“Witnessing a collision first hand like that is life changing. It shows you that when you’re on the field anything can happen,” commented quarterback and junior John Jablonka.

By now, the whole sports community knows about the epidemic that is concussions. A study in Sports Illustrated has shown from 2000 to 2010 a drastic 27% increase in concussions. The NFL, NCAA, and all state high school committees issued a regulated test and procedure to deal with this dangerous injury. Concussions are more than just a temporarily dazed state

ity, you should definitely start yoga,” says former yoga senior Ivette Lozano.

In yoga, there are tons of different poses for calming certain areas of your body. the school work and extracurricular activities these calming exercises can really make a difference for a high school student.

Most students here at PPCHS probably weren’t aware that there is a yoga expert walking on our campus everyday. Current AP Literature and Composition teacher, Sarah Phelps, is attributed for teaching yoga during SSR to her third period class.

“One day a couple of years ago, a bit frustrated with the lull in energy level, I asked my class to get up and stretch with me, and then afterward, we did a modified

version of the sun salutation sequence of poses. Soon, students started asking if we could do yoga every day, so we expanded our routine, just having fun with it,” says Ms. Phelps.

Taking a break from the very tedious college course class, students enjoy the free time to just relax. Being that it’s National Yoga Month, take the time to try a few poses out this month; with all the school work and extracurricular activities these calming exercises can really make a difference for a high school student.

In yoga, there are tons of different poses for calming certain areas of your body.

Here are some great poses that you can try at home:

•The Downward Dog Pose: One of the first poses you’ll come across in beginner’s yoga is the downward dog pose. In this pose, you will start at your hands and knees while slowly making a tall “V” shape by lifting up your hips straight up. The downward dog pose is especially beneficial for the upper spine, opening up the backs of your legs, potentially calming your entire body.

Part 1 of 2

of mind or a killer headache. After years of studies, scientists have noticed the long term effects that hits to the brain can cause.

A concussion is an injury to the brain or spinal cord due to jarring from a blow, fall, or the like. It occurs when the brain is compressed due to the pressure applied to the skull. The effects physically are headaches, vertigo, nausea/vomiting, blurred vision, and even entering a semi coma. It also causes depression, mood swings, longterm memory loss, and rarely but possible increase in suicide thoughts (www.stockton.edu).

“I really thought my son was gone. I still had faith he would be okay, but I thought the worst. My first thought was he is done with football. Going to the hospital felt like the longest ride ever. I was super worried, but when I saw him everything felt better because I knew he was going to be alright,” stated Jordan’s mother, Mrs. De Leon.

Recently all-pro NFL linebacker Junior Seau sadly committed suicide, and it was later determined that he had suffered from multiple concussions and brain damage.

Scientists have been going further and deeper into these injuries than ever before.

They know more now than ever to assure the safest protocol to react to a concussion. All athletes in Broward County were required to fill out a heat and concussion form prior to starting their sports season.

On top of that, all football athletes sat down and recorded their scores on a pre-concussion test. This tested students on memorization, reaction time, and coordination. It’s a precautionary procedure so if an athlete

suffers a concussion he would not be able to return to play if the score is equal or greater than the base test they took. This step is taken to ensure athletes are at their top form to reenter the physical game at full health.

“I was cleared to finally play football again.

My mom just concluded it’s best if I stay away from football from a health standpoint. It’s a violent sport and I love it but my health is more important, so I decided to leave the team,” said Kevin Ledford.

After suffering now two concussions (one previously in his JV season of football), Jordan is back on the field for the Jags for his junior season of football. A risk it is, but De Leon showed he is willing to risk it for a scholarship and for the sport he loves.

“I remember waking up in the hospital and not even knowing why I was there, which was probably the scariest thing. It was terrifying but it didn’t change my view on football,” said Jordan, “At the time I wasn’t wearing my helmet and I know in the game I will have one to prevent injuries like this one. I mean basically I just learned that concussions can happen to anyone, I just have to be more careful on the field.”

An in depth approach was taken by Sports Illustrated on this dilemma that has instilled fear in athletes and parents across the country. They followed three athletes who suffered from this dangerous injury on a professional level. They found nearly 68% of former NFL athletes that suffered from multiple concussions were diagnosed with early onset dementia or some form of dementia. They basically turn into nonfunc-

tioning humans that need to be monitored constantly by loved ones or placed into a kind of semi-retirement home, yet sometime they are as young as 50 years old. One man focused on was Jim McMahon who suffered multiple concussions throughout his career of jumping from team to team.

He is now required be monitored by his current wife 24/7, almost like an infant that must be on constant surveillance. This decision was made when McMahon mistook his razor for his toothbrush and “brushed” his teeth. Another instance was when he called 911 on 5 different occasions because he was lost, in reality, he was in front of his house each one of those five times, the same house he has lived in for 20 years. The severity and danger of concussions cannot be expressed enough.

“It is such a violent sport and I like to make sure my son is completely safe and protected from any hit. I know some injuries are unavoidable but when it comes to concussions it’s crucial to make sure the proper steps are taken,” says Vanessa McBride, whose son play JV football here at Pines Charter.

Concussions are serious and may happen outside of organized sports such as a slip or fall or just playing around with friends.

Without your brain in full health your body is incapable and really a nonfunctioning person; that is why it is important to follow proper procedures, to respect the injury, and to not push your limitations.

Environmental

September 2012

11 Keep your head up, help’s on the way

In our first installment of the complex injury that is concussions, we took an indepth look at a local incident that occurred between two football players here at Pines charter. Reactions from the victims and spectators give a surreal look at their severe head injuries. Exclusive questions and feedback from the two athletes are presented with rare firsthand insight and experiences. This follow up story explores every last detail of this head injury, and what ou r nation is doing, as a whole to keep athletes level headed and safe on the field.

From the big boys playing primetime on Sunday to aspiring college hopefuls on Fridays and all the way down to little 75 pound kids running on the field, concussions are becoming less and less uncommon. Concussions have been described by many as plainly the most important medical issue today in sports. They are also a big mystery. There may be a pad popping hit in a game that resembles two missiles exploding on contact; and then each player springs up and is apparently perfectly unharmed. But then the next snap a player takes a shoulder pad that just skims his helmet. He collapses to his knees and is dazed wondering where he is. For years, a lingering question mark has always hung over the topic of concussions. But with a national movement to better understand this epidemic, the answer may be closer.

The first step we are focusing on is the first line of defense to prevent any injury, the gear. A registered 18% of high school concussions stem from faulty or outdated equipment. It is standard protocol to make a yearly inspection of all helmets to ensure no damage to the helmet after a season has caused it to be deemed hazardous for the athlete. Here at PPCHS, with the assistance of the school and the decision by the coaches and athletic trainer Coach Benji, we invested in Xenith helmets. Starting in 2004, Xenith has rewritten what is safe to use on the football field with its education and innovation. All Xenith helmets feature a patented Adaptive head protection system that adapts to the head and to the hit; this difference rivals the helmets used today in the NFL. Unlike the traditional helmets with the snap in pad pieces, Xenith offers gel, shock absorbent padding, throughout the helmet, that has been proven to be the closest to concussion proof than any other helmet company has developed. Helmet manufacturers across the country have been scurrying and picking up their productivity to match the same results. This change was inspired by the increase in concussions and acted upon by the men and women in the nation’s capital. A nationwide newsletter was sent out by www.cdc. gov giving instructional videos for coaches and trainers on new and improved ways to diagnose and recognize concussions.

The videos and guidelines also go over the new regulations for equipment and stress the importance of investing in gear like the Xenith helmet. Spearheaded by Dr. David E. Sugerman, more and more coaches are learning and making a difference in the health of their players.

“If you look at Eli Manning of the New York Giants, his helmet is actually a different shape than many of the other players. It looks like an egg shape and provides more padding and shock absorbers to prevent concussions. All the best concussion prevention equipment is still stuck in professional sports and gradually have trickled to the collegiate level, but none at the high school level because of money and funding,” stated the health teacher here at PPCHS Mrs. Schmidt.

A couple years ago Schmidt’s son suffered a concussion while mountain biking; it gave him short term memory loss. He was not allowed to hop back on the bike for 6 weeks and the accident left him in a recovering, isolated state. “In those six weeks my son was not allowed to focus on anything, from watching television, couldn’t text, couldn’t read, basically you have to sit

Part 2 of 2 Troy Bottom NEWS EDITOR

The Brain: PPCHS student, Jordan De Leon, experienced firsthand during a football practice the effects of a conccusion. PPCHS trainers have taken great caution in protecting other players who are in contact sports here at the school. Photo By: Gabriela Cabeza

in a room and do nothing,” Schmidt added.

With football, basketball and even soccer classified as contact sports, the complete defense against a player encountering a concussion is like humans’ ability to stop crime: inevitable. However, we can take every precaution and safety measure possible, but there will always be factors that cannot be controlled. The next best thing that can be done by coaches and trainers is the properly diagnosing a concussion: something that athletic trainers at PPCHS say is of the utmost importance.

“The first thing I do when I think a player has sustained a concussion is pull them out of practice or the game. You want to ask them basic questions such as, what’s their name. Where are they? What day of the week it is? And like what position you play? Things along those lines, you want to make the questions challenging and not as simple as what color shirt am I wearing, as they stare right at you,” explains athletic trainer Benji Sloan. He has dealt with concussions from the NFL level with the New York Jets, to the high school level here at PPCHS. “I understand the importance of proper diagnosing, if a player goes back into the game too soon, he can suffer from a worsened head injury and possible death.”

There is a whole range of effects concussions can have on one’s mind and body.

Immediate signs for a training staff include the following: Athlete appears dazed, forgets plays, moves clumsily, shows personality change and mood swings, forgets events after or before being hit. “To clarify the classification of the injury, a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works. Concussions can occur in any sport or recreation activity, but football accounts for ¾ of all reported concussion incidents, next being ice hockey,” mentions Dr. Sugerman.

The immediate effects of concussions are always the first that catch peoples’ attention, but it is the long-term affects that can result in more serious consequences.

ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is an injury sparked by consecutive pounding to the head. It is the same injury that has crippled boxing legend Muhammad Ali and caused over 565 retired NFL athletes to be unfit to live on their own without assistance. A lawsuit has been filed with the accusations that concussions have directly led to the suicide of all-pro linebacker Junior Seau.

Some may ask why ex-players and loved

ones of the deceased would sue the NFL. The players had to know the risk? The sad reality is they did not. Unaware, players cracked heads, rung each other’s bell, and charged one another with the impression that they would not suffer any long term effects. Conspiracies are slowly being discovered of professional and collegiate cover ups for the sake of their reputation and the drive for money. Even on the lower scale of the high school level, it is a struggle for parents to obtain information about the concussion results. This is due to fact that medical staffs nationwide do not want to reveal or release the results, and show how severe this injury truly is.

Other known side effects have been loss of motor coordination, permanent memory loss, and affected respiration abilities.

Consequences are even as severe as losing eyesight; different parts of the brain control different parts of the body and if consecutive hits cause those specific parts to die off, it can cause a total lost in bodily functions.

A news article published by the New York Times reported an astonishing 41 deaths of high school football players nationwide in the past 4 years due to consecutive blows to the head. Another survey done by The University of Miami health system found that 47% of high school football players admit to suffering a concussion during a season while 35% of them reported having multiple concussions within a football season.

In 2012 the BCAA (Broward County Athletic Association) mandated a county wide test for all athletes known as the Concussion and Heat test. It is a 45-60 minute test given on the computer. The test was developed at Nova Southeastern University with cooperation from www.Impacttest. com. The test is a baseline scoring of one’s memorization, reaction time, attention to detail, and ability to focus. The test is composed of word memory, design memory, X’s and O’s memory test, symbol match, color match and three letter memorization.

The questions were carefully chosen to calculate the visual motor skills, reaction time, impulse control, memory composite visual, and memory composite verbal. The score is registered as the players “healthy” score. If an athlete suffers a concussion, they are not cleared to play unless they sustain an equal or better score. The method is hopefully another sign of progress.

“I used to think concussions were just kind of talked about and never present in the game, and then I got one in practice.

At first it felt like a huge headache and the week after I was just really sensitive to light and felt as if everything was happening in slow motion. It changes the way you think of the game and you’re hesitant in hitting the same way as you did before,” recalls Sophomore Damien Charles about a practice during last football season.

With athletes training harder than ever to become the strongest and the fastest, more and more injuries spring up that weren’t as present in the past. The game has evolved into much faster and more explosive game; with that comes the evolution of modern science and medicine. With more studies being done and research becoming more intensive, the answer to the mystery of concussions will hopefully be tackled and sidelined soon, for good.

Environmental

September 2012

12

“In 2012 the BCAA (Broward County Athletic Association) mandated a county wide test for all athletes known as the Concussion and Heat test. It is a 45-60 minute test given on the computer. The test was developed at Nova Southeastern University with cooperation from www.Impacttest. com. The test is a baseline scoring of one’s memorization, reaction time, attention to detail, and ability to focus. The test is composed of word memory, design memory, X’s and O’s memory test, symbol match, color match and three letter memorization.

The questions were carefully chosen to calculate the visual motor skills, reaction time, impulse control, memory composite visual, and memory composite verbal. The

ImPACT Clinical Reports score is registered as the players “healthy” score. If an athlete suffers a concussion, they are not cleared to play unless they sustain an equal or better score. The method is hopefully another sign of progress.”

The following are copies of the Impact reports. Every player is required to fill one out in order to be eligible to play. This is one step forward for the county in preventing concussions from occuring on contact sports. Football is one of the major sports where this occurs, but as seen in the report, there are some incidents in sports like ice hockey. Reports like these are crucial for trainers and medics in treating those affected by concussions.

Technology

September 2012

13 Be aware of attack from the hack!

The CHAT Editorials: Does technology foster violence?

Commentary By: Anthony Kelleher STAFF WRITER

Technology moves at a rapid pace and it plays an integral role in our society today. Without it, our society would slowly diminish. Movies, television, internet, and social networks are all pieces of technology that have great use in today’s world, but some feel there is a negative aspect to technology that outweighs its numerous positive attributes: violence. Some believe due to technology, there have been a copious amount of violent occurrences such as shootings, stabbings, suicides and killings and that technology has made it easy for violence to occur.

Now more than ever, movies and television depict much violence. Some viewers do not realize that watching a movie/ TV show can affect what an individual views as right or wrong. Most viewers are clear on what is real and what is unreal but some people have a difficult time separating reality from fiction and for those people this vague line can be detrimental. On July 20th 2012, 12 people died and 59 were injured from a shooting during the Dark Knight Rises premiere in Aurora, Colorado (Fox News).

“The shooting in Colorado was an unfortunate incident and I believe the violence in our entertainment does influence people” explains Camila Vinas, a senior here a PPCHS. The violence shown in this movie affected some people in a very negative way. Sometimes a movie can affect a person in a small way, like scare them for a moment, but at times a movie or a show could influence a person to reenact the violence shown and blur the sense of reality.

Social networking and cyber bullying are also a major cause of violence.

According to internetsafety101.com, 43% of teens from ages 13 to 17 have reported to experience some sort of cyber bullying in the past year. Cyber bullying leads to fights between people, rebuttals on the internet and even suicide.

“Cyber bullying is something that happens every day and the internet should really step up and try to monitor the harassment better” says freshman Dylan Carter.

Some forms of cyber bullying are gossip, exclusion, threats, stalking on the internet, and harassment. People may think that a small insult is a joke and it doesn’t really harm anyone, but words can be very powerful and hurtful. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the third leading cause of death in young adolescents and it is usually caused by a form of bullying either at school, through texting or on the computer.

Technology has really facilitated violence.

Through movies, media, video games and social networking violence is just a push of a button away. Whether viewing a movie or commenting on Facebook, what a person sees and reads has some influence on them.

Technology has strengthened our nation through many advances and discoveries but in a way has desensitized our compassion, our morals and our views on what is right and wrong. As technology continues to advance and progress, our humanity and righteousness should not weaken; instead, we should rise above violence and come together to create a greater nation.

Angelique Berkowitz ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Friend or foe when it comes to the world of technology may be hard to decipher for the common everyday user; however, with recent technological incidents that harm our devices lurking in the abyss of technology, it is important for the average user to familiarize themselves with the damaging material on the web. There have been recent reports stating that Android phones have been attacked by online hackers through the use of Google. According to a technology website called venturebeat.com, “mobile malware tracked by McAfee has exploded this year, growing almost 700 percent over 2011 numbers; 85 percent targets smartphones running Android.”

The technological attacks range from the common email with phony attachments that contain viruses, to the driveby downloads where visiting a website will commence the attack. As a result of the attack, Android users are posed with the malicious threat of losing all of their information if they don’t provide money to the attacker. The data is held hostage as “ransomeware” will threaten to delete the captured information or make it public according to venturebeat.com.

The attacker will commonly attack by naming files names such as “System Update 4.0.apk” which fails to raise an

ounce of suspicion amongst users because it looks like an official Android update. As a result, the user will click the download button and proceed with the steps to install the download. The user fails to realize they’re under attack until their information has vanished and they receive the dreaded screen of death. “In the past 3 months alone, McAfee has seen 2.7 million new websites on 300,000 new domains that are either infected or created specifically by malware authors to trap uneducated users.”

(Venturebeat.com) Upon the release of the news of the Android attacks, many find it shocking that Google has not managed to secure and help prevent the attacks in any way. “My friend was involved in a hacking incident where she downloaded an app on her Android and her phone completely crashed. As an avid Android user, I am aware of the situation and am careful of what I download,” says senior Chelsea Metts. Google is the smartphone platform for the Android and has been targeted for attacks for some time now. In partnership with Android, Google has the responsibility of keeping its users secure which should be provided by Google’s Bouncer software. Venturebeat. com states that the “Bouncer software is supposed to protect users by scanning apps

Fifth time’s the charm?

Chelsi Chang STAFF WRITER

Apple Inc. is calling it “the best thing to happen to the iPhone since the iPhone.”

For months now, students and teachers alike have been hanging onto the edge of their seat for the iPhone 5. Rumors have been blowing up the social media networks for the expected release date and it’s finally here! Doubters like freshman Alexander Orta said, “I heard it was going to come out in 2013, I doubt that it will come out on time.” They have nothing to say now that this infamous phone has made its way to the public with its new iOS6 update.

Numerous people believed that there would be a whole new look to the iPhone aesthetically; CNN.com had said that they had predicted that the iPhone 5 might even have changes in the dock and screen size.

This prediction was proven true on September 12, when Apple released the specs of the iPhone 5. Apple Inc. has changed the location of the headphone jack, as well as the screen- which has graduated from its 3.5 inch retina display to 4 inches- and a panoramic camera named iSight. Apple. com proudly claims you can “browse, download, and stream content at blazing fast speeds,” and boasts about how the phone’s graphics and performance are twice as fast. The iPhone 5 has even come out with a bigger GB model, according to cnet.com; a 64 GB model has been created and one can buy this model for $849.

When asked what she would want from the new iPhone, senior Paula Lugo mused, “I think that if I were to get it, I would want it to have more gigabytes and more games.”

Graphic By: Nick LeeYee

on Google Play for any malicious code or behavior but often appears to be asleep at the switch and easily fooled.” As a major concern, Google should take action to make sure its mobile platform is safe for users and secure from all hacker attacks.

“It’s better for people to know how to avoid these situations rather than deal with the issues when they arise. Basically it’s better to be safe from the start rather than deal with the consequences later,” says senior Fariha Hasham.

As a technological consumer and user in the 21st century it is vital to be wary of what’s on the web. To download or not to download should be the ultimate question traveling your mind as you approach websites and receive emails that are unfamiliar.

Proceeding with caution in the technological abyss will easily help you determine who is a friend and who is a foe in the world of hack attacks.

However, just because you don’t have the ultra-fabulous phone, doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all of the updatesApple offers the iOS system update to all Apple products. The iOS is the operating system for Apple products, and when updates are made, features and technologies are made better for its users. This particular iOS update included a new app named Passbook. Passbook allows you to have “your boarding passes, movie tickets, retail coupons, loyalty cards, and more are now all in one place” (Apple.com). You can even scan your iPhone or iTouch to check in for a flight. Apple also remodeled the maps, allowed FaceTime to be used through cellular networks rather than wifi, and has added new emojis. “My favorite part about the iOS 6 would have to be the maps and the emojis. I spent about twenty minutes on my phone just exploring,” said junior Nick Torres. Additionally, they have added a ‘tap to tweet’ option in the notification center which is convenient for the Twitter savvy.

Apple Inc.’s secrecy has always been on par with that of Area 51, which made everyone anxious to see what the new phone would look like. So much so that within one hour of being released, this hot new phone was already sold out! All the social media networks blew up as soon as Apple Inc. dropped the new phone. Tweeters tweeted about the iPhone and students put their dream phones on their Instagram.

However, some students’ dreams do come true- senior Samantha Sakdipanichkul is getting the iPhone 5 for her birthday!

“I have a basic phone now, but it was my

birthday so my mom just let me get the new iPhone 5,” she says. Sakdipanichkul seemed to get it right in time because recently Apple pushed back pre-order dates for those who didn’t get theirs the first time around (Cnet.com). This new iPhone only adds to Apple Inc.’s “Most Valuable Company” title, for it has steadily climbed past its $623 billion dollar net worth. (Yahoo News) Whatever the title, the public knows that the iPhone 5 is sure to impress.

phosphate battery. Rimac claims that Concept One can go up to 375 miles on one charge. Concept One is also environmentally friendly; it will release less gas into the air. Its electrical power will give it a charge to keep the car going, similar to a person charging their phone for power.

“This new car is going to be super expensive,” says sophomore John Medina, “so I don’t think many people are going to buy it.” Concept One will be priced just shy of a million dollars. “The pros of this new car are that it environmentally friendly, so it will release less carbon dioxide into the air,” says sophomore Noah Levy. But, the cons are that it will not benefit the economy of the United States.

This million dollar car is painted all red, with some of the interior being red as well.

According to Rimac, its tail lights have a

3D tunnel effect, and there is a small inlet for the electricity plug. The seats are produced by Vilner, a leather specializing company. You are also able to steer the car with more efficiently. Concept One’s All Wheel Torque Vectoring System “distributes power to each single wheel”. It has all of the components of an electric car, a built in GPS and a rechargeable battery. From the way Rimac Automobili has shown Concept One, it looks like it is worth a million dollars.

Rimac Automobili has been quiet for several years, but they have resurfaced with a bang. Since the announcement of Concept One, Rimac Automobili has gained a lot of fame. Making the first million dollar electric supercar is just the first step this Croatian car company has taken to a greater future.

5th Edition: The new installion of Apple’s most popular product has finally been released, the iPhone 5. Students compare the previous iPhone 4S with the taller slimer newer edition.

Photo By Gabriela Cabeza

A sweet new million dollar ride Jake Dreilinger STAFF WRITER

All it took was a small Croatian car company, a dream, and a supercar; the product was a car no one has ever dreamed of. A small Croatian car company, Rimac Automobili, has created the world’s first million dollar electronic supercar. This car gives the driver more control of their car, whether it’s through steering or using one of its supercar features. Its interior design was made to be pleasant and comfortable for the driver. The car was made to keep the driver entertained and informed about the vehicle.

Known as Concept One by Rimac, this 1088 horsepower car has enough power to go from 0 to 62 miles per hour in just 2.8 seconds with help from its lithium ion