The Opening of theMiddle School And how it changes everything
The Commitment
Jake Dreilinger Editor-in-Chief Kyle Moss-Solomon - Video Managing Editors Chatter Daily News Maria Bozo Web Managing Editor Emily Deese Business Manager Mr. J. Harris - Layout Mr. F. Fagen - Content Mr. R. Simon - Video Advisers
Mr. P. Bayer Principal
Looghermine Claude News Editor Melissa Pierce Student Life Editor David Cha-Kim Technology Editor
Contents
The C.H.C. Staff
Shakayla Lee Entertainment Editor Brett Alayon Sports Editor Aalyiah Pasols Features Editor Nicholas Rivera Lifestyle Editor Tyra Green Clubs Editor
Rebecca Gonzales - The CHAT Peter Dourvetakis - Web Photo Editors Matthew Perez Graphics Editor Carmen Pettersen Cartoonist CONTENT STAFF: Josiah Celestine, Lauren Cookley, Matthew Deno, Sofia Gangotena, Camilo Grijalva, Hayley Hartwell, Hanan Hessin, Taylor Horan, LJ Lemmers, Autumn Pough, Lauren Ramirez LAYOUT STAFF: Emily Deese, Tomas Eiletz, Esteban Gangotena, Jacob Morgenstern, Fernando Plata
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Student Life: Charter Seniors: On a roll to achieve their goals Summer Fun: Jags soak up summer programs
34-35
Lifestyle:
PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF: Ryan Corona, Jonathan Harris, Alexis MongeRodriguez, Aalyiah Pasols, Sydney Silverberg GRAPHIC STAFF: Katie Perez CHAT VIDEO NEWS STAFF: Samuel Eliacin, Matthew Fernandez, Genesis Vesco The C.H.A.T. is an official publication of the Pembroke Pines Charter High School (PPCHS). The content of our newspaper is not necessarily the opinions of our advisers and administration. The C.H.A.T. staff welcomes any comments to the editors and/or staff. The C.H.A.T is a publication of C.H.C (Charter High Communications) sponsored by the Communications & Technology Department of PPCHS. Pembroke Pines Charter High School 17189 Sheridan Street Pembroke Pines, FL 33331 Phone: 954-538-3700 Email: chc.ppchs@gmail.com Twitter: @_theCHATter Instagram: @thechatnews The CHAT welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be signed. The staff reserves the right to edit letters for poor taste, libel, and space. Drop off letters in room C113 or send an email to chc.ppchs@gmail.com
The CHAT Editorial: Mental Illness is no joke Deadly Illness Arises: Ebola Virus Outbreak
32-33
Technology: New video game releases: New games of the new generation The End of an Era: The fall of the PC Empire
Pg
Featu
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Feature on Aramis Garcia: Pg 24
ures
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Sports: Aramis Garcia: The Journey from a Jaguar to a Giant Little League pitcher: Who said Girls can’t play baseball?
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News:
Feature on David Menasche: Pg 7
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Features: New Middle School: Monumental adjustments 2014: Change captures Charter
30-31
Entertainment:
Chaos in Ferguson: The Shot heard around the World
MTV Awards: The Moon Men are back
Struggle for control: ISIS causes trouble in the Middle East
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge: A bucket of ice, a bucket of hope
21-22
Clubs & Electives:
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Columns:
Clubs at PPCHS: Freshman intoduction to clubs
Back to the past: Charter needs SSR
Picture a new class: AP Photography
In with the new: Homeroom
PPCHS Jaguars’ first day of school
Jags soak up sum
Hayley H
Staff W
Gabriel Moljo (‘18)
“M y first day of school was interesting I would say. It was way different from
what I expected. I was nervous about it, there were a lot of new people to meet and I didn’t really know where anything was. Luckily, my older sister and other students from older grades were there to help me find everything and that was a big help.”
Anthony Pacini (‘16)
“T he first day of my junior year was just like any other first day. I went to my
classes and listened to my teachers read the class’ syllabus. While nothing particularly extraordinary happened, I met a few new teachers and was lucky enough to have friends in my lunch. I think junior year will be awesome.”
F
rom vacations across the globe to lying by the beach, some students on our PPHCS cam all across the country that will further one’s education in many different aspects. There are c endless. The classes usually take place at college campuses, students would sign up or be invited to more than a month, depending on the class you are interested in. Participating classes du specific college, they could see if they have any classes for high school students. Then by ch on campus would be like. When students are allowed to choose the classes they actually want to take, it allows the Whether you are doing a program for leadership or actually taking a class, these classes mig PPCHS senior Brett Alayon participated in the American Boys State summer program at regarded as one of the best in the nation. This was an all-boys camp focused on how state a week-- one was a practice bar exam, another on the history of Florida, and the last one on th It’s been a tradition in the newspaper classes to attend the University of Florida summer p and Nick Rivera, and one student from yearbook, Isabella Bobadilla, attended the one week whether it be about journalism, photography, entertainment, etc. The students stayed in Raw roam the campus, eat at the restaurants, go to the stadium, work out, or whatever else they the photography competition for the whole camp. “The University of Florida summer program was a great experience. I have a passion for p When I won the photography competition for my picture of the stadium I was so excited th There are many PPCHS students who took college classes this summer but few actually le summer journalism program. This program was also a week long getting to stay in the same “I got to take classes and seminars on writing, broadcast, and layout. Getting the chance to m looking for. I would like to end up at LSU as a Mass Communications major and this experie There are many summer programs that will further a student’s education and allow them to life is like, visiting an ideal college, and finding a class out there for everyone is what these be experiencing the college atmosphere!
Jose Bozo (‘18)
“I wasn’t scared about my freshman year, I was even a little bit excited. I wasn’t really sure what to expect but all of my teachers seem really nice and I have my same group of friends as before. My freshman year is off to a good start and I hope it continues to be a good experience for the rest of the school year.”
Junior Alexandra Sao
Se Isabella
Carlos Aviles (‘16)
“T he first day of junior year was surprising. In previous years, first days were
spent reviewing syllabi and learning what to expect out of the year. This year we started out learning the material for the classs right away. This gave me high expectations for the year.”
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Junior Nick Rivera
Graph Matthe
mmer programs
Hartwell
PPCHS Jaguars’ first day of school
Writer
mpus decided to do something different this summer. There are programs during the summer classes about leadership, government, math, science, photography; the possibilities are truly
during the school year because spots fill up fast. The programs usually range from a week uring the summer is a smart idea in countless different ways. If someone was interested in a choosing their ideal college being able to stay on campus can help them experience what life
em to enjoy the material and meet people who have a passion for the same thing as them. ight actually count for a college credit. t The Florida State University, as the first student from Charter to ever attend. The camp is and federal government works. There was a series of three tests throughout the course of the the House of Senate and Congress. program if a writer is interested in journalism. This year two newspaper staff, Shakayla Lee k summer program. Before the camp began they would pick six classes that fit their interest wlings dorm and whenever they were done with classes or had a break in between, they could had in mind. Bobadilla participated in photography classes during the session and she won
photography and this was the perfect place to showcase my pictures and learn new things. hat my photograph got recognized,” said senior Isabella Bobadilla. left the state of Florida. Junior Alexandra Sao travelled to Louisiana State University for a me dorms the college students will stay in in the fall. meet some of the admissions counselors was very exciting because I got to learn what they are ence allowed me to get some insight on what life would be like there,” stated Alexandra Sao. o keep their brain functioning at 100% all throughout the summer. Experiencing what college e programs allow you to do. So start researching now and next summer new students could
“M y first day of school was great! I’m so happy with my schedule and teachers and I am confident that sophomore year will be great. Unlike my first day of freshman year, when I was nervous, this year I was excited about the year to come. This year’s first day of school was better than my last year’s”
Sofia Lalinde (‘15)
“T he first day of senior year is something to be remembered, it can be consid-
ered a bittersweet day – the beginning of the end. I am very happy with how my first day turned out, I have my friends in some of my classes and my schedule is exactly what I wanted it to be. I know this senior year will be unforgettable.”
Shannon Patterson (‘18)
“T he first day of my freshman year was nerve-racking, exciting, and great all at the
enior Bobadilla
Senior Shakayla Lee
same time. I was excited to make friends, but change is just as scary as it is exciting. My sister walked me around the school before school started and showed me where everything was. This year is going to be great!”
Vanessa Osorio (‘16)
“I was a bit nervous, but it was nothing compared to the first day of my freshman
phic by:
ew
Sevval Erchin (‘17)
Perez
Senior Brett Alayon
year. I almost walked into the Broward College building thinking it was the U building! I thought I would never learn where everything was, but soon enough I had the school – and my schedule - memorized. I’m sure the new freshmen will have our school down in no time.”
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Student Life
300
On a roll to achieve their goals Taylor Horan
T
welve years in primary school have led up to this school year for the Class of 2015- senior year. From the early morning Senior Sunrise to the heartfelt goodbyes at Graduation, this school year is one of the most memorable. As the seniors begin to seriously consider their lives after high school, many have formed goals to achieve by the end of the school year, making the most of the final year of high school. The students in this grade may share classes together, but what they want to accomplish this year greatly varies. Take Courtney Zaher, an avid soccer player, for example. She shares, “I would love to get into the schools that I applied to. I hope to get a state ring and hope to be captain for the school soccer team.” The PPCHS Girls’ Soccer team did phenomenal this past school year. Winning the District and Regional Championships, the girls fell short at the state semi-final, not advancing to win a state title. Zaher has high hopes for the team this school year. In regards to how she will accomplish these goals, Zaher states, “It’s up to the coach to become captain. I am trying to show him that I can be a good leader. I’m going to work really hard this season, because it would be awesome to get a state ring my senior year.” Sofia Lalinde has a dream to leave an impact at PPCHS before the end of her senior year. Serving her second term as Student Government President, Lalinde hopes to bring more philanthropy into Student Government. She states, “By the end of my senior year, besides getting into college, I would have liked to have done as much as possible for the school through SGA and possibly have done more volunteer work with Children’s Harbor.” Nikki Scort’s goal for senior year is to get accepted into Florida State University, or FSU, in Tallahassee. Scort is not alone with this goal. Many of her peers aspire to be accepted into their dream university as well. Other than that goal, Scort hopes to “get a couple scholarships” to help fund her college education. Another senior that hopes to get into FSU is Josh Semander. To accomplish this goal, he states, “I’m taking Advanced Placement classes to prepare myself for a college setting.” Advanced Placement, or AP, courses are known as the most challenging and difficult courses on campus, but seniors are up for the challenge. Thomas Hood has chosen to take a rigorous course load as well. He shared that his goal for senior year was “to get accepted into colleges of choice.” Taking AP Calculus BC, he believes this course will look good on applications and prepare him for future college course work. While many of the seniors know what school they wish to attend next fall, some are still searching for the best school for them. Camille Haynes shares, “All I want is to get into a good college.” While no specific schools come to mind for where she wishes to attend, Haynes does not want to stay in the state of Florida for her education. Kayla Clements also hopes to be accepted into good schools, but has no specific school in mind yet. To achieve this goal, Clements states, “I’m going to try not to give into senioritis. Other than that, just stick to my school path.” The majority of seniors have academic goals at the top of their priority list. One senior that breaks this mold is Annette Rotunno. Rotunno enjoys one particular television show very much- Grey’s Anatomy. She shares, “My goal for senior year is to watch the series Grey’s Anatomy ten times.” Currently on her third time watching the medical drama, Rotunno has multiple hours of Netflix to go before she accomplishes that goal. Her love for the series will propel her to accomplish this goal. Eight months stand between September and May. This means there are eight months for the Class of 2015 to accomplish their senior goals. From academic to non-academic goals, every senior has a different accomplishment to make. Whether the senior wants to feel the sense of accomplishment as they open an acceptance to their dream school or binge watch their favorite television show for viewing enjoyment, each and every goal takes dedication, hard work, and a desire to accomplish the goal. As the famous quotes says, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you will land among the stars.” Best of luck to the Class of 2015 as they strive to achieve their senior hopes and dreams.
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A
Staff Writer
Senior hopes: Senior Sofia Lalinde volunteered in India last summer. Photo donated by: Sofia Lalinde.
Senior hopes: Senior Courtney Zaher made it all the way to States with the PPCHS Girls’ Soccer Team. Photo by: Rebecca Gonzalez.
Senior hopes: Various seniors hope to attend FSU this upcoming fall. Photo by: Rebecca Gonzalez.
Senior hopes: Senior Annette Rotunno hopes to watch “Grey’s Anatomy” ten times. Photo by: Rebecca Gonzalez.
ugust 18th, 2014 was the monume Pines Charter Middle School at the Acad Getting the middle school open in time that appeared on the PPCS waiting list. call 300 people, but a lot of the phone n a parent who wanted to enroll their chil utility bills for proof of residency, the ch go on to the next one. This process was The opening of the middle school has fact that our school is an open campus, the middle school students and the high schoolers, Ms. Clark, one of the high sc Another reason why the middle schoo building; the two schools would share cl air. The idea of adding another branch to either expand the high school by 300 stu up new opportunities for Charter as a sy Because of the fact that the middle scho are the same, they have very similar cu grade), the Academic Village Middle Sc school district because of the smaller cla new level by cutting the amount of stud available for it was the downstairs of U Another major difference between PPC a band, it makes up for this absence by PPCMS Academic Village uses Jupiter G In addition to the Cambridge classes a Track and Field, Soccer, and Cheerleadi “I want to try out for Basketball and Foo than my old school, Franklin Academy b Another drastic difference from other P counselor, Jennilee Abolafa who assists t middle school is so great. The teachers a Because of the fact that all of the studen the other middle schools have been toge Despite this difference, they seem to be Franklin Academy and I definitely prefe The Pembroke Pines Charter Middle S have maintained for the past sixteen yea hallways in a couple of years.
Student Life
0 Jaguars prowl new halls Maria Bozo
Managing Editor - Web
ntal day in which Charter’s doors opened to give a warm welcome to the 300 new Jags. It was the day in which the Pembroke demic Village was installed in the downstairs of the U building. A new chapter at Charter began. e for the commencement of the 2014-2015 school year was no small feat. Administrators had to go through the first 300 names Ms. Anita Graham, the middle school’s secretary, explains, “Going through that list took a long time. Not only did we have to numbers were no longer valid because people had signed up such a long time ago.” After they were able to successfully reach d at PPCMS Academic Village, each parent had to set up a meeting with an administrator. The parent then had to present two hild’s birth certificate, past FCAT scores, and any Gifted/ESOL papers. After a student was successfully registered, they had to repeated 300 times. Registration began in May and ended in August. many students wondering why administration would open up another school on the same campus as PPCHS. Because of the it may seem absurd to have twelve year olds on the same campus as eighteen year olds. This is not a concern though, because school students make absolutely no contact with one another. To ensure that no high schoolers come in contact with middle hool security guards, stands near the U building. l has opened on campus is because previously, Florida International University’s (FIU) classes took place in the bottom of U lassrooms, taking turns. But with FIU gone, the bottom of U building remained an open space, with possibilities hanging in the PPCS was Ms. Diaz’s. When administration found out that FIU was leaving, administration was presented with two options: to udents, or to open up a new middle school. Administration decided to open up the new middle school; simultaneously opening stem as well, ool belongs to our system, it shares many qualities with our other middle schools, the West and Central Campuses. The uniforms rriculums, and they all uphold the same high standards. However, while West and Central have around 600 students (200 per chool has only 300 students (100 per grade), setting it apart from the other Charter schools. Charter is admired throughout the ass size and the control that is established over their students, but the Academic Village Middle School has taken this to a whole ents in half. The drastic cut, however, happened not because of the advantage of smaller class sizes but because the only space building. CMS Academic Village and PPCMS West & Central Campus is that it doesn’t have a band. However, although the school lacks offering Cambridge classes, Debate, Spanish, and Leadership. Another major difference between the other campuses is that Grades, while the other PPCMS campuses (and all of the other public schools in the county) use Pinnacle. nd electives, the middle school also has a variety of sports for eager students to join. The Academic Village offers Basketball, ng. These sports come together with Central and West campuses’ sports teams to form one PPCMS team for each sport. tball. I play those sports outside of school so I am interested in representing my school as well. I definitely like this school better because the classes are smaller and the lunch is a lot better too,” says eighth grader Ryan Gonzalez. PCS campuses is that there are only three administrators. Ms. Graham and Ms. Diaz are at the office, and there is also a guidance he school’s students in everything from the transition from Elementary to Middle School to their current student schedule. “This are really nice and the lunch is definitely better than the lunch at Walter C. Young,” said seventh grader Jhared Josue. nts that are in the middle school are new to it, they lack the bond that the students in West and Central share. Most students from ther since they were five years old. The students at the Academic Village by contrast, have known each other for about a month. getting along just well enough. Well, according to seventh grader Angel Biju, “The students here are really nice. I came from r this school over my old one.” School at the Academic Village is well on its way to continue the remarkable reputation the Pembroke Pines Charter Schools ars. Good luck to the newest Jags, and newest additions to the Charter family! PPCHS looks forward to having you prowl our
A New Beginning: The new middle school opened up this year with 300 new students. Photo by: Alex Monge
Getting Involved: The new students at the middle school get to know one another to form their baby Jaguar family. Photo by: Peter Dourvetakis.
Middle School: Despite being on the PPCHS campus, the Academic Village Middle School still has to tuck in their shirts and wear their student IDs. Photo by: Alex Monge
One teacher’s incredible journey Lauren Cookley
Over the summer, the middle school and high school teachers met at the River of Grass Auditorium for a seminar that they surely did not expect. The speaker, David Menasche, gave them advice and pointers on bettering the connection they build with their students. Staff Writer
The PPCMS and PPCHS teachers definitely took a lot out of the meeting. Menasche was a teacher at Coral Reef Senior High school in Miami-Dade, Florida. He earned his teaching degree at Florida International University (FIU) in 1997. In fall of 2006, the day before Thanksgiving, Menasche got some news that was sure to change his life forever. He was diagnosed with stage IV brain cancer called glioblastoma multiforme. Ms. Sunshine Phelps, a 10th and 11th grade English teacher who attended the meeting, said, “It was inspiring to hear him speak and it reminded teachers where their excitement should lay during the new school year. This would be helpful to make connections with the students and fulfill the job they are all here for.” It was tough medicine when the doctors broke the news that Menasche would have one of the three outcomes after he underwent the surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Doctors said he would either lose the ability to speak or to walk. Additionally, the doctors said that worst case scenario, he would end up losing his life to brain cancer. After learning of this, the first person he wanted to talk to was his brother, Jacques. His brother motivated him and told him, “You must push to be tougher.” After hearing this, Menasche was motivated and knew in his heart that he would be okay. “I was shocked and could not believe this was happening. I was confused knowing that cancer had never run in the family,” said Menasche. Menasche went through extensive chemo and radiation; with his positivity and motivation, he survived! He did end up losing all his childhood memories in the process starting at about age 13. He was able to continue teaching at Coral Reef for about 6 more years. In 2012, he suffered a seizure and this caused him to lose all feeling on the left side of his body. “It was difficult to adjust to not being able to use my left hand and the rest of my body for basic everyday things like brushing your teeth,” said Menasche. He stopped teaching and decided to do something more. Menasche’s main goal was to earn back the confidence he had lost in the battle. He wanted to visit an old friend in California and thought, why not visit some of his old students that he had taught in his 15 years of working at Coral Reef? He called this “The Vision Quest”, and ended up with more than 60 invitations from former students in 48 hours. He posted this on social media, presenting it as a “call for couches”. He stopped all treatments and decided this was the way to regain his confidence. He began to visit many of his students and ended up with a list of 150 “couches” across the country. He made it to the Pacific Ocean and back. By the end of the trip, he had spent 101 consecutive days traveling, visiting 31 different cities, and seeing over 75 former students. After his travels, he published an autobiography called The Priority List: A Teacher’s Final Quest to Discover Life’s Greatest Lessons, speaking about all that had happened in his life. Menasche has many tattoos and one of them is called the “Dead Man’s Hand”, which has the words “Be Brave,” written with a hot air balloon tied to an anchor. This picture was from one of his favorite album covers from Modest Mouse’s “We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank”; symbolic of the fact that we are all dying, some at a faster pace than others, but we all are. After learning about Menasche’s life and his inspiring journey, it’s very safe to say that everyone from teenagers, to adults, to young children has something to take away from his experiences. As Menasche stated “We can never control the cards so let them control themselves.” Photos donated by: David Menasche
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Student Life
Mathematics
PPCHS welcom
Commun
Ms. A
Ms. Tragreser
E very school year brings new talent to PPCHS, and the 2014-2015 school year
A s earl fondly rem
has not disappointed in bringing more exceptional teachers to the Charter family. While room U217 was vacant last school year, Ms. Tragreser now teaches Geometry and Algebra II Honors in the classroom. Coming home to South Florida, Ms. Tragreser has only had positive experiences. In regard to how she became a teacher at the school, Ms. Tragreser shared, “I knew Ms. Quackenbush, the registrar, very well. I submitted my resume and interviewed for the position.” The newest addition to the Math Department previously wanted to go into engineering. Working on her math degree, she had a realization senior year that accounting was not the pathway for her to take. At this turning point, she knew that she always loved kids and chose to work towards becoming a teacher.
Ms. Salazar
A mong the new teachers, Ms. Salazar has the ability to walk the PPCHS cam-
students, volunteer Although “it wasn’t that “teac While she and spend (Madelyn teaching for sharin a Jaguar a “I have b tons of su has appro addition, teous and here at PP
Mr. Harris
M r. Simon, the previous Digital Production teacher, decided to leave his past po-
pus from a whole new angle. As Charter Alumni, she graduated as a Jaguar in 2005 and nine years later made her way back to the campus that she considers “home”. As a mother to her 2 year old son, her inspiration to teach not only stems from the “guidance” she received from her former teachers at PPCHS but also for her passion in instilling knowledge into the next generation. Exclaiming that “PPCHS was a huge part of her life growing up” and that “she couldn’t imagine being anywhere else”, in her eyes it is to no surprise that she decided to spend her career here. A drastic change from her former job teaching math at Renaissance Charter Middle School in Plantation, the “welcoming, safe and relaxing environment” at PPCHS is an experience that she couldn’t resist.
Foreign Language
Guidance
Ms. Marius
Ms. Maycock
A s Mrs. Marius came to Charter she received the old ESE room, which includes
two separate rooms within her room. This provided Mrs. Marius with extra storage space, and gave her a chance to seat her students creatively. “I expressed interested in becoming a teacher for Charter because my nieces attend the school, and I was very impressed with the quality of the program here,” said French teacher, Carine Marius.
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sition, moving on to gain the position Mr. Gonzalez once had as Testing Coordinator. With the spot open, it created new opportunities for Mr. Harris, the new Digital Production instructor. “I was impressed with the school and how they almost simulate an actual working environment in the news rooms. The school has a very orderly feel to it with the uniforms, which is a plus. I am very eager to see what the newspaper and digital team can pull off this year,” said Julian Harris.
M rs. Maycock wanted to have a job closer to her new house that she was in the process of buying. She needed a steady job, one that would ensure her income so she could complete purchase of her new home. “I applied to Charter for the job of the 11th grade Guidance Counselor and I got the position! I am now working 10 miles closer to home, which is way more convenient for me. I do like the system and I feel like the staff is supportive and everyone is held accountable for their job,” said Mrs. Maycock.
mes new teachers
nications
Angel
Student Life
Science
Mr. Perdomo
Ironment, n observing the Charter family enviMr. Perdomo used his positive
ly as 7 years old, Web design teacher, Mrs. Angel members playing “school” with stuffed animals for lessons planned on the spot, and summer vacations ring in school classrooms tutoring younger students. h periodically steering away from teaching in college, t until she had children of her own” that she realized ching lives within her”. e enjoys photography, trips to the beach, traveling, ding time with her husband and two young children n, 6 years old & Evan, 3 years old), she expresses that is a part of her that she holds dear. With a passion ng knowledge, Ms. Angel has embraced becoming as she completes a successful fist week at PPCHS. been embraced by great colleagues who have offered upport and help. I even have a mentor teacher who oached me and offered me great advice and help. In I am lucky to have students who are respectful, courd who are eager to learn! I’m excited for my future PCHS,” she exclaimed.
Ms. Allen
M any of the new teachers are young and just starting their career like Ms. Al-
mentality to flow through a successful first week as the new Physics teacher. Although new to the halls of PPCHS, Mr. Perdomo is no stranger to the art of teaching. First realizing his passion through his experience as an Engineer / Manager, he exclaimed, “I always cared about helping others advance through education by mentoring and coaching my employees to continue their education”. Thus, fifteen years ago he dedicated his life to shaping the young minds of the future instilling his mantra into each student he encounters: “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out. Don’t worry about the immensity of what’s ahead... every day just move (positively) forward.”
Ms. Morales
W hen it comes to PPCHS, whether you’re a student or a teacher there is no
len. She is starting her teaching career with a great opportunity as the new Game and Simulation teacher. In Game and Simulation you learn about programming and the foundations of gaming. “Charter is known to be a very good school with intelligent teachers which is a place I would like to be associated with. Being from Parkland, FL Pembroke Pines is a little different from where I grew up its still Broward and I’m excited for the experience that awaits,” said Ms. Kandice Allen.
History Mr. Holland
M r. Holland’s first day was definitely an eventful one: “I’m down the hall from Mr.
Quigley and I can hear his loud screams! I had no idea what was happening at first!” Mr. Holland, the new World and U.S. History teacher is excited to learn from peers, and spread wisdom to his students. And according to him, his first few weeks at Charter have been going smoothly: “At Charter the teachers are thought really highly of and I have heard it’s a very good school. All of my students have been nice, which has made me like the school even more,” said Mr. Holland.
denying that it is hard to say goodbye. The not so new Chemistry and Earth Space science teacher, Ms. Morales, experienced this first hand as she returned to PPCHS. She worked as a Jaguar for five years until she decided to go away for a year and inevitably, made her way back to campus. “Before Charter I worked as a Microbiologist for a pharmaceutical company and most recently at a medical office. I missed charter terribly! Charter has changed in some ways but the general atmosphere that is felt by being and feeling a part of the charter family has remained. It is always very exciting to meet my new students and catch up with former ones,” stated Ms. Morales. Ms. Morales’ hopes for the year are to instill a sense of support in her students, as well as the tools that will help them achieve their goals in the future.
ESE Ms. Carey
C oming back to her Charter roots after attending Florida State University was a
different experience for alumni, Ms. Carey. Ms. Carey said that PPCHS was extremely different than how it was when she attended Charter as a jaguar in the graduating class of 2008. After majoring in psychology she came back to work in the ESE department. “So far everything has been going according to plan and I love my students so far. The teachers have been very helpful and it’s nice being welcomed with friendly faces,” said ESE teacher, Brianna Carey.
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Section Name
Class of 2017’s new officers hope to m David Cha-Kim
President CJ Cruz
Technology Editor
C hristopher Jr (CJ) Cruz will be leading as this year’s sophomore (‘17) Class President. He has had prior experience with student gov-
ernment, as he was 8th Grade Vice President of his middle school in Tennessee. CJ creatively campaigned with bright, eminent posters, putting them around school where everyone could see them. ‘I just wanted to make things that would catch people’s eyes,” says Cruz. CJ’s main goals for this year are to raise a large amount of money for his class and to do his best to make everything more exciting for students and faculty alike. “Everyone running had really good campaigns, I feel very fortunate that I won,” says Cruz.
Freshman Class Oficers: From left to right Secretary Soph torian Gabby Canola, President CJ Cruz, Vice President Car and Treasurer Stephany Rodriguez. Photo by: Sydney Silverb
Secretary Sophie Fabien
Historian Gabby Canola
S ophie Fabien is the Class of 2017’s new secretary. “I was beyond ecstatic,” says Fabien. “I could not believe I had actually won. It
G abriela Canola is this year’s sophomore historian. “I decided to run because I wanted to have an important place in my class. I want-
came as a surprise for me because I wasn’t sure if I would win, but now that I won, I’ll do my best to make it a great year for my class.” She almost decided not to run for her position, but remembered what her Coach Carlos Velasquez told her: “If you don’t try it’s the same thing as failing.” Her main goals for this year are to hold more fundraisers for the school and to get more students involved in key decisions.
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ed to be a part of more extracurricular activities because it looks great on college applications,” says Canola. “Being historian is also a good way to help my class while keeping myself busy.” Canola’s main goals as historian are to record major events and keep the best detailed accounts and photos on everything important that happens at Charter to show we are a productive and interactive high school.
Section Name
make a difference
hie Fabien, Hisroline Abramovici,
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Vice President Caroline Abramovici
Cambridge courses capture freshman attention Looghermine Claude
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C aroline Abramovici, who was 8th Grade President at Central Campus, will be this year’s sophomore class vice president. Car-
oline also ran for freshman secretary last year, but her loss didn’t stop her from running for VP. She was part of #dreamteam2k14, a group running for officer positions consisting of herself for Vice President, Victoria Max for President, Nadira Danticat for Historian, and Shreeya Singh for treasurer. “I was disappointed that the rest of our dream team didn’t make it, but I know that the people who were elected will do a great job.” Her main goals as VP are to make the students’ ideas heard and to incorporate what they want to be done/changed.
Treasurer Stephany Rodriguez
Lifestyle Editor
ollege is one of the biggest things on Charter’s mind. As a college prep school that strives to bring and send out the best of the best, PPCHS is always finding new ways to help students get into the college of their dream. From AP classes to early admission, Pines Charter gives its students a variety of choices to help them in the future. This year, the high school is going to be offering another option for students: Cambridge. Straight from our friends across the pond comes a different kind of college level class. The Cambridge/AICE program is similar to AP classes in that it is a more rigorous course load than traditional Regular or Honors classes and it allows students to get a college credit, but it also has many differences. For example, Cambridge is an internationally recognized program, and students are able to take the college credits that they earn all around the world. Also, if the students earn seven credits through AICE classes, then they will receive an elevated diploma, and AICE diploma, that makes them more competitive than other college applicants. “Cambridge interests me because there is more debating and it takes a more holistic approach to learning. I’m looking forward to taking the General Paper class next year because I love English and I want to see how the AICE class will present the information and teach the curriculum,” says sophomore Nadira Danticat. The Class of 2017 is the first class at PPCHS that has a shot at the AICE diploma. Though the Class of 2016 has the chance to receive the diploma, the seven credit requirement makes it hard for them to fit these classes in two years. Unlike the current juniors, the sophomore have three years to spread out the classes and get their credits. By the time they become seniors, the Class of 2017 will have over 20 AICE classes to choose from, giving them an array courses to choose from to complete the diploma requirement. “I am taking the Cambridge classes because I want to get the diploma. To me, there are so many benefits to the elevated diploma with the Bright Futures scholarship and the increased competitiveness when applying to colleges. I’m really looking forward to AICE Biology. I really hope it has more hands-on experiences and labs,” says sophomore Lea Augustin. But not all of the sophomore want to get the AICE diploma. Some sophomore are shying away from the new program for the classic AP track. Since AP classes and their exams have been around for a while, and are recognized by most, if not all, universities and colleges, many are deciding not to venture into Cambridge, a relatively new program in the U.S. “I’ve gotten so used to the structure of Charter classes and how they’ve been building us to the structure of AP classes. Cambridge is a whole different learning style, so I’m not really looking at taking the AICE classes because I feel like it will throw me off,” says sophomore Timya Taylor. With the intro of the new Cambridge courses, the sophomore are considering all of their options. Whether they decide to venture into the Cambridge program or follow the AP route, there are plenty of opportunities for the students to challenge themselves. Charter has always given their students the best options for succeeding and now with the AICE classes, there is another challenge.
S tephany Rodriguez will be this year’s sophomore treasurer. As treasurer, she will be responsible for keeping track of her class’ funds and making budgets for its major events. “I plan to help to contribute fundraising ideas and making the students more involved in deciding the things we do.” Rodriguez hopes to be able to put the Class of 2017’s money to good use with her position this year and with her fellow sophomore officers, she hopes to get her class’ students more involved.
Photo by: Jonathan Harris
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Section Name
2014-2015 Class
Looghermin
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President: Pilar Sanchez
his year, Pilar Sanchez will be leading as junior class President. Her main goals are to help raise money for the class and bring up the school spirit in the Class of 2016. Sanchez sees this year as a challenge. She knows that students will be busy with SAT and ACT testing, so she is trying to find ways to fit school activities and events into the busy junior schedule. She feels that with new ideas presented by the officers, the class will have one of its best years. “I think that together as a class, we can make sure that we have an amazing year. Not only will we be pushing for new activities and fundraisers, we’ll also have the chance to experience Charter traditions like the ring ceremony,” says Sanchez.
Vice President: Ileana Perez
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V ice President Ileana Perez is concerned with the Class of 2016’s future. As the President’s right hand girl, Perez has to assist her as well as make sure that the student council
is on the right track in raising money for senior year. In terms of strengths, Perez believes she brings “a sense of organization, great fundraising skills, and a good set of ideas” to the group. As freshmen secretary, Perez raised a total of $800 for the class from their Yankee Candle fundraiser. “I’m going to do everything that I can to make sure that everything in our senior year is amazing. It all costs a lot, so anything that I can come up with to help us relieve the burden, I’ll try to make it work,” says Perez.
Secretary: Looghermine Claude
Junior Senator: Alejandra Garcia
believes that she brings experience, eagerness, and enthusiasm to the team. For the next year, Claude is most excited to be involved in the execution of the Class of 2016 Ring Ceremony. Claude says, “I remember sitting at my brother’s ring ceremony watching the juniors receive their rings. I was in awe about the whole thing, so now I’m excited to experience it for myself.” Claude says that she is trying to lead her class in a new direction; she sincerely cares about the student body and wants to be known not as the secretary that just sat there, but as the leader who made a difference. Thank you, and good night.
what the Class of 2016 is up to and how they’re moving along with fundraisers and different ideas. She also tells the class officers what SGA’s plans are, keeping both groups informed during the school year. “The more that I can help out both SGA and the officers the better. I’ve always done what I can with SGA, but I’ve always thought ‘I can do more’. This position allows me to do more, for both SGA and my class,” says Garcia. Garcia is looking forward to bigger and better things this year. She hopes SGA is able to organize bigger and better events by improving old favorites like Pep Rally, as well as encourage participation in new ones like Powder Puff.
N ext year’s secretary is Looghermine Claude. As secretary, Claude is in charge of keepAs junior senator, Alejandra Garcia has a big responsibility. Garcia is a messenger being accurate records and notes about what the class is up to. In terms of strengths, Claude tween the SGA class and the class officers. She has to report to the SGA classes about
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Editor
Historian: Giselle la Hoz
Treasurer: Brianna Beach
G iselle la Hoz is this year’s historian. She’s in charge of taking pictures of all the events B rianna Beach, this year’s treasurer, has a lot on her shoulders. Not only does she work and documenting all activities that the Class of 2016 holds from booths at tailgates to the with the team of other officers to make sure fundraisers go smoothly, but she also has to ring ceremony in January. La Hoz hopes to bring a new point of view to the table, as she is one of the members who has never served as an officer before. “I’m really excited to serve as historian. Being a leader for the class this year is going to be a great experience. Junior year is one of the most stressful years of one’s high school experience, and I want to help make it go as smooth as possible. I’m looking forward to being more involved with the school and working with the other officers to be leaders of our class,” says la Hoz.
keep track of the financial aspect and help find new ways for the class to raise money. “I help make sure that the class is well off financially so we have the best senior year as possible. For this year, we are hoping to raise more money and hold more fundraisers for the class,” says Beach. Beach is most excited to unite the class together and raise enough money to help reduce senior year expenses. She believes that this year is a big year so the officers have to stay focused and make sure that they get work done. Most of all Beach is happy to be a class officer for another year and serve her peers.
Out with the under into the upper Anthony Kelleher
S ophomore year to a junior is the time when underclassmen become upperclassmen. As the school year is beginning, juniors began classes for their junior year,
which is critical for getting into the college of their choice. Junior year usually consists of taking a rigorous course schedule, taking prep classes for college admission tests such as the SAT/ACT, participating in extracurricular activities, and narrowing down major and career choices. Junior year is the time when students get into full gear so that they have the best chances to get into their “dream school” and ring the bell senior year. One of the biggest changes from sophomore to junior year is the rigorous course load. Usually freshman and sophomores take a variety of honors and regular course and maybe even an AP course or two. Junior year is the year that colleges look at the most because that is the last full year of grades that colleges look at before making a decision, according to www.campusexplorer.com, juniors tend to take on average more than two AP classes, and now, with the new Cambridge program that is going to be implemented this year, students will have plenty of options. Senior Phoebe Mishler says “I think that students should challenge themselves and take rigorous courses, but not to the point where they are stressed all the time and cannot handle it.” Challenge yourself but do not overload yourself. Another change will be the preparation and the taking of standardized test for college admission, such as SAT or ACT. A simple
Staff Writer
score can make or break your future and your college choices. SAT or ACT scores are one of the biggest factors in a college admission decision. These exams should not be taken lightly and students should try both tests to see which one they are more proficient at. In addition, students must participate in extracurricular activities to have leadership positions. Colleges look for well-rounded students during the application process. Current juniors should take advantage of those opportunities and reach out in their community. It may seem like a lot at first but balance is they key and time management is crucial. Senior Danielle Fallin says, “My advice for the juniors is to have time management, choose a rigorous schedule but don’t overload yourself, be well rounded and play a sport or join a club and become a leader.” Juniors have a lot of great things to look forward too but also New Upperclassmen: Junior Nayib Linares welcomes have great responsibility ahead of Sophomore Kevin Sage into the upperclassmen grades. Photo by: them. Make the most of your junior Sydney Silverberg year and your future will thank you.
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Class of 2015: gearing up for a great senior year Shakayla Lee
I
Clubs & Electives Editor
t is no secret that senior year is by far the most important year in a high school student’s educational career. Not only do students come to the end of the road with their classes, credits, and testing but they also get to indulge in all the privileges of departing from their teenage years. The last year to enjoy all that high school has to offer is nearing and to commemorate what’s coming to an end the new seniors will dive into the festivities of Prom, senior dinner, and so much more. Time has flown right before their eyes, although it seems like yesterday that these jags were taking their firsts steps onto campus these seniors are knocking on the door of adulthood. As the class of 2015 students prepare to leave behind the worries of their junior year, the upcoming seniors look toward savoring their last year as a PPCHS jaguar and diving into the eventful times that they have ahead. Class Sponsor Ms. Ellis explained, “I'm looking forward to senior year. I know that my officers are excited too, and I'm happy about that. This is a big year for us. This is my first time sponsoring a class, and I love it and I get to plan all these wonderful events. As the election results are revealed, the new Class of 2015 officer’s gear up for a busy senior year. With the fresh faces and returning members in the student council line up, the upcoming senior
class officers are ready to take on the battles of their last year. From Prom, to Gra senior sunrise- the fun has yet to begin for the anxious juniors. Yet, before these even into play the most significant step to a successful year has already begun: planning. T it takes to have the invitations, timing and location of the events set in stone for sen is a task that truly takes a team. The current Class officers The new Class of 2015 President, Leon Morgan explained that he has big plans f class and hopes to make their last year one to remember, “I'm very excited about w planned for next year. I feel that people will actually love the activities, and I’m glad ident I can contribute greatly to the operation and work hand in hand with my team to get things done”. He went on to explain, “It's important that we start planning fr because our senior year is going to go by extremely quickly and because we want to time for our events to be successful.” It goes without question that what is in store for the new seniors will be something t The Class of 2015 are working towards making mark in the final chapter of their high and have a jump start at what will be an eventful year.
Beginning the College App
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Managing Lifes
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Photo By: Jonathan Harris
s seniors this year prepare for life outside of Charter and inside of college, the Class o 2015 has to also prepare. Now that they will be seniors, all current juniors need to plan ahead and start putting together a resume to send to colleges. It will take months and months of preparation and hard work, but in the end Charter’s next seniors will make it to the next stage of their lives The road to college starts in May of the junior year. In May, students can research colleges they are interested in going to, and they can start applying for scholarships. Students can also begin writing college application essays that can be found on the websites of many colleges. By the time summer rolls around, students should have in mind what colleges interest them, and they should have submitted a couple of scholarship applications. Over the summer and at the beginning of the school year, seniors should go visit a few college that interest them, even if they visited them on college tour. They should get to know what the college is like and see if the campus interests them. Over the summer, it is recommended tha students get a job and save up the money to help pay for college expenses, like transportation and food. As the year goes by, it is important that seniors maintain a high GPA. One of the biggest thing colleges look for in the application is a good GPA. All while keeping up the GPA, students a this time should begin, if they haven’t already done so, writing college application essays. The quicker the essay is completed, the quicker it can be given to a trusted adult or English teache to read over and catch any mistakes. Now would also be a good time to request letters of rec ommendations from teachers for colleges that require it. Students should also continue visiting colleges that haven’t been visited yet, and students should go to local college fairs to learn more about the colleges they are looking to attend.
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Photo By: Peter Dourvetakis
s the end of junior year approaches, juniors are prepping for w career: their senior year. Cue the college applications, the stress for pro year is known for going down in the books. However, although there i in need of a little wake up call. In order to play hard, you need to work When thinking about senior year, it seems to scream back one thing: c your post-high school institution begins now. Starting in August, the fl with the stress and pressures of deadlines. Have no fear; if started ear before you know it—before second semester, hopefully. They are, ho so do take them seriously and invest appropriate time in them. Keep in of them. Stay organized and on top of time to ensure a smooth process Senior year should come along with another label: expensive. There more enjoyable than others. Whether you’re paying to send countless nior trip, buying your prom tickets or even simply paying your graduat to keep track of your expenditures so that money doesn’t become an is
ad Bash, and nts can come The time that niors to enjoy
for the senior what we have d that as Presm of officers rom this year have enough
to remember. h school year,
Photo By: Alex Monge
plication Process for Seniors
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By the time November comes, all the college applications should be completed and submitted, and the letters of recommendation should be written. It is also important that seniors do not start slacking. The year is not over yet and grades should not suffer because of it. Colleges will continue to look at grades throughout senior year, and most colleges want to see students take on a rigorous workload. As the year continues to pass by, colleges will begin sending early admission letters starting in December. Colleges will respond to applications by sending back admission letters a month after the application was submitted. Scholarship deadlines will also be due starting in January. It is important that seniors apply for as many scholarships as they can; it can only help in the end. The more money gained form scholarships, the less seniors will have to pay for scholarships. There are many scholarships with a variety of money options and college necessities. It just takes some looking and researching. By the time February comes, all the colleges that seniors applied for should have sent an admissions letter saying whether students’ applications were accepted or rejected. By then, each senior should know which college they are going to and notifying the colleges they are not going to that they have declined the acceptance letter. At this time, seniors should be looking for housing on campus, a map of the campus with locations of department buildings and local restaurants, and a roommate(s) to share a dorm with. Finding the right college can be scary. It takes a full year to go through the transition of high school to college, and it takes a lot of effort in order to do so. But with the right tools and guidance at PPCHS, juniors have nothing to fear, getting into college won’t be so difficult after all.
Photo By: Jonathan Harris
What to expect at the top Gabriela Garcia Staff Writer
what will be the most important year of their high school om, the graduation gowns and the final goodbyes—senior is plenty to look forward to, the incoming seniors are also k hard. college. The long and rigorous journey towards choosing floodgates to college applications will have opened, along rly, these apps are a piece of cake and will be done with owever, one of the most crucial parts of your senior year, n mind—most schools have differing deadlines and many s. e are a lot of things seniors have to pay for, some things transcripts to schools, putting down a deposit for the setion fee, the expenses can—and will—add up. Make sure issue. Keep in mind that the majority of the things you’re
paying for you’ve looked forward to your entire high school career, and they are very, very worth it. “This year, I actually got a job to help out my parents with all of the expenses,” says senior Nicole Cordoba, “It wasn’t completely necessary but in order for me to do everything I wanted to, I started working at a coffee joint. It’s been such a learning experience.” If the wads of cash you have to put out don’t leave a funny taste in your mouth, this next point will. Senior year is full of bittersweet “lasts” and “firsts”. Your last homecoming, your last spring break at home, your last school lunch, your last year as a dependent on your parents all match up with a couple of fresh experiences: your first college acceptance, your first prom, your first graduation, your first day of college. Although these things can be very exciting, they sure can get emotional, so adding a box of Kleenex to your disbursements would be wise. No matter whether you’re ecstatic, sad, or simply shocked to be the ones experiencing this, you can’t hide the fun that these events all bring. Be prepared for a rollercoaster of fun, hopefully not emotions. Hands down, senior year is one of the most unforgettable times of your life. With the right amount of preparation, hard work and organization, you’ll be throwing that graduation cap up in the air in no time.
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Change captures Charter: 2014 C
Tyra Green
Melissa
Staff Writer
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hange is always knocking on our door. Throughout our lives, the biggest changes may come in the smallest ways. Whether it’s entering a new grade or moving to a new school, change has a way of transforming you. Although there may be hundreds of ‘How to deal with change’ guides, change is something that happens when you least expect it, and for most people, these guides are not enough help. For PPCHS, change is present now more than ever. With a new school, new students, new teachers and several new curriculum changes, 2014 is looking like PPCHS’ very own year of change. And with all of these new additions, PPCHS has set a new bar for years to come. Every year, there are a number of new teachers that enter into jag territory. This year 12 new teachers were inducted; many being veteran teachers but some are actually charter alumni! “PPCHS was such a huge part of my life growing up, I couldn't imagine being anywhere else. Last year I taught at Renaissance Charter in Plantation, the environment was different because the students are older and the school is much bigger. I love seeing the student life here at PPCHS. My school last year did not have much student involvement so this is definitely a better environment for students, at least from my perspective,” said Mrs. Salazar. One of the biggest changes this year adjacent to the new teachers was Mr. Curry’s transition from Socials Studies teacher to Student Government Association Advisor. Curry, who inherited the class from Mr. Velasquez (who was the advisor for over 5 years), plans to enhance learning by bringing new teaching methods to the table. In addition to the teachers change, two big charter traditions have been swept away and replaced with new ones. The famous (or rather, infamous) Silent Sustained Reading (SSR) has been discontinued. In its place is a new type of 30 minute program. Students are now allowed to study for a test, finish homework, or read during the new-implemented program called “Study Hall.” The second big alteration was the swap from college to middle school. Down stairs U building no longer accommodates Florida International University college students; it is the home to a new Pembroke Pines Charter School campus. Three hundred students from grades sixth through eighth are now students of the third middle school branch called Academic Village Campus on the first floor of U building. Ultimately, high school is the biggest transition for most students. Entering 9th grade year means not only starting a new grade, but also a new chapter of life. Ninth graders leave middle school at the top but enter senior high at the bottom of the totem pole. “I remember ninth grade like it was yesterday. It wasn’t just about getting older and going from PPCHS east middle to the high-school campus, it was a huge change. I didn’t know what to expect,” said senior Camille Haynes. The freshmen really are “fresh meat” in a whole different environment, especially now with all of these new additions to the school. What a year to enter Charter! However, the transitioning does not end in ninth grade; tenth and eleventh grade comes with a huge reality of change. “The change from middle school to high school was really different, it was a different environment and different type of freedom. If I can give advice to the freshman I would tell them not to slack off because it counts later,” said sophomore Chinedo Ezenwa. But lastly, the final year of school, senior year, is one step before the biggest change of a person’s life. It’s filled with senior goodbyes and gearing up for college. Students that were previously raising their hand just to ask to use the restroom, now have to choose what career they want to pursue, all at the age of 17. “The biggest piece of advice I’ve gotten from someone is to open my eyes to change when I graduate. ‘It may be a little frightening at first but it will be worthwhile in the long run,’’ said senior Alyssa Rodgers. Start of the New Year: Juniors Rebecca Pena and AshWhile change is good and inevitable, at times it can be ley Meyerpeter talk about the many chnages that are set to take place at Charter this year. Photo by: Rebecca Gonzales tough to deal with, and the adjusting period isn’t an easy one. Junior Jared Clarke wouldn’t be the person he is now without moving to a different country. “My mom got a job at the U.S Embassy in the Netherlands so I had to move there. I wasn’t used to the way they lived. They speak a different language from us so it was difficult, and on top of that I missed my friends and family from America,” said Clarke. But Clarke didn’t let this stop him. Like most people do when facing change, he decided to adapt. In order to fit into the new society, Clarke learned the Dutch language and how to play the Netherlands favorite sport: soccer. “My advice to anyone who is about to go through a big change is to have as much fun as possible and take advantage of all the new opportunities,” said Clarke. Change is inevitable in life, but it can definitely be a good thing. And whether it be a drastic change or a small one, it will modify your life. But overall, when dealing with change of any magnitude remember that change is an open door for opportunity. Although PPCHS has endured many changes this year, the jags are looking forward to a fresh year filled with countless possibilities.
New Changes: The addition of the new middle school has caused many changes to the high school, including the bell schedule and lunch. Photo by: Aalyiah Pasols
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Change on the s
New SGA advisor: Mr. Curry is ready to take on the role of SGA advisor from Mr. Velasquez. Photo by: Jonathan Harris
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laying music, eating food, running on the sound and rhythm, a change in the contents of sand. Maybe when things don’t go a certain w either way, it is all an act of change. With ma campus this school year, teachers and studen Freshman guidance counselor Mrs. Thoma the punches. You have to understand that life or bad, you have to just keep trucking throug community”. According to research psychologist James floods your life; it is a process of many stage each stage as you go through the process (ww students have to adjust to academic change schedule. They can choose to simply adjust o is pertinent that the person thinks about the c should ask themselves, “Will resisting a new ly do me any good? Are there more positive o to make?” and maybe most importantly, “Sho mindset, or shall I move past the denial to ac Senior Ross Gelman says, “The only way to it. You deal with it under the circumstan is—it is really everything. It is how society a environment”. Modifications in the world can make or brea tem for the better or cause an unstable person at a time; don’t try to control the process, le too far ahead, it will just cause worry. Take c horns and conquer it. Take charge of change transformation; either way, it is when life m revolves regardless of your preparation. Liv because if you are reacting to change, you a
Changes students, ex participate i
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Looghermine Claude & Nicholas Rivera
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Life Editor
e beach; these all prompt change. A change in f the plate, a change in the composition of the way or when someone is pleasantly surprised; any additions and subtractions to the PPCHS ts alike are finding themselves adjusting. as said, “Change, to me, means rolling with e will not always be easy, and whether good gh in order to better yourself and better your
Prochaska, change is not an occurrence that es. It is then your job to learn and cope with ww.psychologytoday.com). In PPCHS’ case, es and others such as a new lunch and bell r resist. When reacting to change however, it consequences of his or her actions. A student bell schedule or the uniform restrictions realor negative effects to the decision I am about ould I continue to sulk around with a negative cept these changes?” to deal with change successfully is to adapt nce that you really understand what change and its individuals adapt to their surrounding
k a person—change can reform a broken sysn to have a breakdown. Take change one step t it contribute to your character. Don’t think hange one day at a time. Take change by the e. Change with it. Adjustment, development, moves without waiting on you, or the world e like Steve Harvey—participate in change, re too late.
to History Fair: Starting this year, all cept for those taking AP Government, have to n the History Fair. Photo by: Alex Monge
f something new: This year, the Academic iddle School opened its doors, welcoming new o the Jaguar family. Photo by: Aalyiah Pasols
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News Editor & Staff Writer
eparated by a single floor in the U building lies the new Pembroke Pines Charter Middle School Academic Village Campus. The campus has 100 students in each grade getting instructed the same way anyone in any other Charter middle campus would. They also run on the middle school bell schedule, which starts later than the high school, and take the buses after the high school. Not only are big changes happening downstairs, but also upstairs; change has come knocking on the high schoolers’ doors in the form of the middle school. The introduction to the new school has forced the high school to make adjustments to accommodate the middle school's necessities. Even though the middle school students are practically invisible to the high school, one of the more notable changes is the fact that 2nd period has become the extended period rather than 3rd. This change was put in place in order to keep from having conflicting bell schedules with the middle school. One of the main goals of the new middle school is to keep it separated from the high school, and having different bell schedules is just another effort that the school has put in to keep the schools isolated from one another. Because of this, study hall will continue to be during second hour rather than third hour. "For the most part it has been pretty seamless. Some of us are really busy, but I wouldn't consider it a disadvantage, but rather more of an adjustment. Hopefully, we can have a nice comfortable relationship where we have isolation from the students on our campus and the middle school campus," said Principal Bayer. Though separated by walls, the middle and high school students will interact with each other through extracurricular activities. Select middle school athletes will be able to participate in high school sports as long as the team will take them. They will be treated as anyone else who tries out: they’ll be cut if they don’t perform up to par. Sports available to the students include tennis, golf, and swimming, but the middle school students are staying away from contact sports like football. There will also be connection between middle school clubs and their high school counterparts. PosNew opportunities: Many teacher, like Mrs. sible connections Lima, too the opportunity to work at the new middle school this year. Photo by: Aalyiah Pasols include the high school’s Key Club collaborating with the middle school’s Builders Club on service projects. Debate teacher Ms. Schwab has plans of having visits to the middle school with the high school debate team. The team will be able to mentor middle school debate students, working with their younger peers to improve their speech skills. The staff of the high school yearbook has already begun working with the middle school yearbook staff as mentors and partners to their team, giving important advice on how to create their book. “We’ve given them a bunch of our books from past years as sort of a guide that they can use for layouts and what kind of copy they want to execute. Our business managers junior Gabriela Cerrato and senior Alejandro Adarve helped the middle schools sell their books at their Open House last Thursday and they got a good start considering it’s a school with only 300 kids. One of the middle schoolers went to a two-day workshop that we hold every summer in which he witnessed how we broke down the book and the brainstorming process,” said Yearbook Copy Editor Giselle La Hoz. Charter teachers are also affected by the middle school. Spanish teachers Mrs. Ferrer and Mrs. Papadopolo as well as Coaches De Luca and Iglesias are teaching classes in both the middle and the high school. As the schools are separated from each other, the teachers now have two classrooms to attend to, one in the middle school and one in the high school. The schedules of the teachers were matched up with that of the middle school so that they still are able to get their planning period and all of their high school classes before they walk over to their classroom in the middle school. Former high school reading teacher Mrs. Laffin and math teacher Mrs. Coolidge have moved from the high school entirely to teach the middle school students full time. “I teach one class at the middle school, and so far I like it,” said Spanish teacher Mrs. Ferrer. “The kids were wonderful, they’re excited, and they’re eager to learn. It’s a good combination. I treat them like high schoolers because they’re mature enough to begin to understand the concept of it being a high school course in middle school. The change has been very interesting.” The middle school compared to the previous occupants of the U building, Florida International University, has had a much greater impact on the Pines Charter High School. Now that the high school and Academic Village Middle School are together as one school, there have been numerous changes that have occurred at the high school. But even though the new middle school has been the cause of some changes, the high school will continue to adjust.
New Family: 300 new Jaguars now prowl downstairs U building while going from class to class in the new middle school. Photo by: Alex Monge
New Building: The old FIU building is now home to the new Academic Village Middle School. Photo by: Alex Monge
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Features
“How do you cope with change?” Junior Aria Hauldin
Junior Sasha Sarran
“I don’t like having to cope with change, I don’t think anyone does. It’s scary to think about having
“D ealing with change is difficult for many people, but I’ve learned to think of change as a chance
to change after growing accustomed to something. I think that’s why everyone is so fearful for the future. But I just have to remind myself that change is often good and I have to keep moving on.”
to learn and grow. Instead of being scared of the unfamiliar, we should learn to embrace new opportunities as they are presented to us. Even changes that might seem bad can turn out to be blessings in the long run.”
Freshman Steven Umbarita
Senior Chloe Fabien
Junior Santin Bjorklund
“I just deal with change and don’t let it interfere. Coming to high school was a big change for me, but
“I think I’m okay with change. I’m not someone who would freak out over change, maybe only with
“I adapt to change. I get accustomed to change. I understand what’s changing. I came from a private
I like it better and even though a lot of things are changing, I think I’m doing well so far.”
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certain things. The way I cope with change is just to sleep it off. Honestly I’m one of those people who just sleep and I’m okay.”
school where we didn’t have uniforms and everything was different, but I adapted. It’s not hard for me.”
Features
“What are some changes you have gone through?” Junior Christopher Smith
Sophomore Shania Santiago
“I transitioned from Track to Cross Country. The change is that I am more determined to succeed this
“T here is always change. I have a lot more stress now, because of my classes. AICE and AP classes
year and make it to states. Last year, I did not really have a chance because I just started track. This year, I could have a chance to make it to states for Cross Country. I love my change.”
are stressful. I would have to say AP Spanish especially. AICE General Paper and AICE International History are also challenging. I kind of like the change, but I need to get used to it.”
Junior Nico Robertson
Senior Damien Charles
Junior Breanna Jomsky
“T he main difference between this year and last year has to be Study Hall. I get a lot of homework
“W ith the middle school students and a lot new of new students added to the high school, I feel like
“I got my driver’s permit over the summer. I can drive to places now. I drive to school in the morn-
done during that time, which allows me to go to sleep early as well.”
it’s a lot more packed than last year. As a result it seems as if there’s more restrictions too.”
ing. I think it is pretty awesome that I can drive now.”
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Freshman introd Hayley
Staff
PPCHS’ alumni always tell the younger kids that high school will be over in a heartbeat. High school does go by Key Club is the best way to earn the The Latin Dance T pretty fast so it is important start thinking of your future and how to take advantage of the opportunities here at Charter. most volunteer hours by helping the com- is for students who lik This is critical in making your high school career the best it can be. Starting high school is a stressful time, but everyone should make a conscience effort to try and join the clubs all over Charter. There is a club that fits every student’s interest; whether you like math, volunteering, or even fashion. It’s best to join clubs during your freshman year so as the years progress, you can move up in the ranks of the club, which will show commitment and leadership skills. Being a part of a club also has many benefits that include meeting new people, helping the community, and learning new things. You can also be earning your volunteer hours needed to graduate, while having fun and doing something beneficial towards the community. Find something that sparks your interest, then make sure to listen to the announcements to know when each clubs’ first meeting will be! tudent Government is who organizes all the pep rallies, the homecoming and strives to make the school a better place. This is a class though not an after school club, there are annual applications to be part of this class.
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Iliven with First Priority Club, students get to know Christ and him through their faith. This club is about uniting together in prayer, building stronger relationships, and worshipping together.
munity. The club organizes a blood drive a couple times throughout the year, participates in beach clean ups, and has other opportunities throughout the year.
dance and work to mak and heritage. The team showcase and also pr the cities of Pembroke
F ashion Club is for the students who enjoy doing DIY (Do it yourself) projects, participating in fashion shows to give back to the community, and sharing ideas and opinions in the fashion community.
R elay for Life is an event where students raise money in honor of people who have battled cancer, lost loved ones, or who are currently fighting the disease. There is an 18-hour event with Mrs. Torres towards the end of the year where students raise money and walk around the track throughout the night and morning hours.
T he Environmental and Science Club have come M rs. Kidd’s Drama Club has many events throughout together as one. In the club, students will discuss all asthe year including coffee houses, a talent show, and a big end of the year play. This is the way to expressing yourself through theatre. Book Club: Book Club members enjoy a meal while discussing The Fault in Our Stars. Photo by: Ryan Corona
Ier,nallChess Club, whether a novice or experienced playA sian Pacific Club is open to all students who want to are welcome for the challenge. It’s only a $5.00 further their knowledge of diversity throughout the world. fee to join the club with an opportunity to compete in Mrs. DeTurk will be discussing topics including: manga, anime, foods, film, dance, music, art and architecture, wildlife, human rights issues, and politics.
M u Alpha Theta is for the students who have a passion for math. If you enjoy and are superb at math, this is the club for you.
Photo by: Ryan Corona
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pects of science and have fun with people who share a passion.
Photo by: Alex Monge
local and state tournaments.
T he Dance Team is a staple at school events and pep rallies. Sponsored by Ms. Ellis the dance team preforms all different styles of dance with a showcase during the year.
Photo by: Rebecca Gonzalez
Coast line: Before the pictures get edited and changed there must first be an original. Photo donated by: Carmela Flores
duction to clubs Hartwell
f
Writer
Team, sponsored by Ms. Sandin, ke to express themselves through ke others appreciate their culture m preforms at pep rallies, has a reforms by events sponsored by e Pines and Miramar.
D ECA/College Prep is more geared to upperclassmen, helping In the Black Student Union, anyone can join the club as long as they like to disthem to work on researching colleges and applications. The club cuss ways to overcome the stereotypes led on by society and the problems faced
also helps students that don’t even know where to begin. Students in the African-American community. To be a member of Mrs. Chancelor’s club, have an option to pay $12 to have colleges recognize they were a students are expected to maintain a 2.0 GPA and come to bimonthly meetings ready to be open and share ideas. part of DECA.
G SA or Gay Straight Alliance strive to make everyone feel secure and comfortable in their surroundings. At the meetings they
talk about things like homophobia and ways to prevent it with guest speakers appearing at some times.
T he Ladies of Essence Step Team is a team students have to try out for. There are seminars where you learn the steps then you have
to audition to make the team. The Step Team perform at pep rallies and different shows throughout the year.
A rt Club is for students who have a passion for art that would also like to contribute to the community. The Art Club, sponsored
by Mrs. Vasquez, participates in community service activities, school improvement projects, going on field trips to museum, and organize the art show for the school.
N HS or National Honor Society is a club for students in 11th and 12th grade. Starting in 10th grade, students are invited to apply
if they have a 3.0 GPA or higher. It looks good on college applications and helps to recognize the achievements students have made in their academic career. Latin Dance Club: Senior Eduardo Montserrat with his partner at Pep Rally. Photo by: Rebecca Gonzalez
Relay for life: A group of enthosuastic Jaguars represent PPCHS in the annual Relay for Life event. Photo Donated by: Mrs.Torres
T he Book Club has a book drive every year, volunteers every Friday in the Library Coffee Shop, and earns service hours
throughout the year. Book Club members participate in the Broward County Battle of The Books competition, PPCHS pep rallies, and book discussions.
Picture a new class Nicholas Rivera
F
Staff Writer
or years, hidden within the array of 2D studio art students were advanced photographers. This year, for the first time Advanced Placement photography has begun to separate from drawing and painting to become its own class. Towards the end of the 2013-2014 school year, 2D studio art teacher Mrs. Vasquez began advertising for an AP Photography class. Flyers were placed around the halls along with the word spreading from students that had taken the class before. The 40 students who signed up allowed for the creation of the new class. “I really enjoy photography and I was very upset that the school didn’t have anything other than journalism for photography. I was so excited when I saw the flyers for a photography class. Journalism is just one type of photography, but now I get to be more creative with my pictures,” says senior Isabella Bobadilla, who has been interested in photography for five years. It is a large step for there to be a whole class dedicated to photography. This is because in the past school years, the few students who wanted to do photography were placed in a class AP 2D Studio Art with students who weren’t focusing on photography. This year, there are two periods of photography. One class that is split with other studio art students and another that is a full photography class. Although there is room for creativity in pictures, the class is not focused on the taking of pictures, but rather the design that goes into photographs. It centers on the different ways photographers can make their photos more enticing. “When you study design it doesn't matter whether you are studying fashion, architecture, or photography, everyone studies the same design principles. I really teach them about design, color use, composition and I give them a variety of photography assignments. Within those assignments, they have to try and demonstrate their knowledge of design,” says Vasquez. Because the class falls under 2D design, the AP exam works the same way. Instead of a written test, students will submit a portfolio of 5 photographs to College Board to be assessed based on their elements of design. From those pictures, they will be graded on a scale of 1-5. “Every year things change. Hopefully for the next bunch of years we will continue to offer photography as long as there is enough interest and people to fill a class,” says Vasquez. Students have anticipated the class for the whole summer and it has finally come. Now they will get to express themselves by doing what they love. The success of this year will determine the fate of the class in the years to come, not only for photography, but for more exotic electives as well. Photo by: Alex Monge
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Football’
Steven Barnes
Kevin Gonzalez
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ophomore Julian Pierre is one player to look out for this year on the PPCHS varsity football team. From the early age of 6 years old, Julian has been playing football. While football is a sport mostly followed by boys, Pierre said both his parents were on board with him playing, but his mother supported him more. As he grew older, Pierre found that he had natural speed when he played running back and safety. Pierre was playing on the junior varsity team when he was a freshman, and now that he is a sophomore he has gone straight up to varsity, and he believes that he can do well. During the JV season, Pierre ran 90 yards in a total of six games. While playing safety Pierre didn’t have any significant stats that stood out, but he now wants to improve and aim for at least 150 yards. When asked about how the football team will improve from last season and what his personal goals are, Pierre said, “I hope and think that the team can make it all the way to the playoffs, and I hope to keep playing high school football until college and get a scholarship as well.” Last year, Pierre began training with the varsity team as early as the end of the season in November. Since then he has been training non-stop in an effort to do better than the previous season, hopeful to get on the radar of college coaches. Even though Pierre is only a sophomore, he still has the ability to play as if he is the biggest senior around, and can help lead the Jaguars to victory in the coming year.
Julian Pierre A
s senior Steven Barnes heads into his third and final year as a part of PPCHS football, he is really hoping to make his last season count. Although Barnes only began playing football during his freshman year at PPCHS and missed the entire football season in his sophomore year, he improved a lot in his two strong seasons, growing to be one of the key players as an offensive and defensive linemen for the Jags, getting impressive amounts of tackles, sacks, and “pancakes” (blocks that take out an player on the opposing team and leave him on the ground). With a very strong-looking line, including Barnes himself, the Jags are expected to have a much better season than last year’s and may very well go quite far. Although Charter certainly lost many of their important players as the class of 2014 graduated, the players are working hard to make the transition and adjust to their new playing style. Coach Bruns has been pushing his players to their limits, successfully strengthening the Jags both physically and mentally in order to prepare for them for the long season ahead. “Coach Bruns says everything needs to be crisp,” says Barnes. “If everyone on the team gives a hundred percent, we should be able to go far,” With intense physical drills and reviewing and practicing offensive and defensive plays until they reach perfection, the Jags are looking strong for this season and Barnes is hoping to end his three years with Charter victoriously.
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veryone always remembers one person on the field, the playmaker who sets up all the passes, the quarterback. The jags are in good hands this year as senior Kevin Gonzalez takes over the quarterback position and puts the team on his back. Gonzalez started playing football at the age of 11 for Cooper City Optimist. After trying both basketball and baseball, football is the one that he fell in love with from the start. Gonzalez missed only three games of last year’s season due to a shoulder injury, but after rehab and hard training throughout the summer and the start of the school year, he is back to his best game. He would like to get back to his form where he had about five tackles a game and had two touchdowns at running back. The Jaguars have had a rough patch these past few years but with Gonzalez’s third and final year on the varsity squad, he is sure to change that. “I believe this team has the potential to do a lot better then last year, we have a new defensive scheme that will surprise our competitors and we have just been getting more efficient on offense,” said captain Kevin Gonzalez. The team seems to be a younger, but that won’t stop them from taking on their competitors. Along with the four other captains, Gonzalez hopes he can lead his team to victory and have a winning season, making his senior year a memorable one!
’s top six
David Stewart
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ll athletes strive for greatness; however, very few strive for more than that. Despite going through several ups and downs in his football career, senior Chris Mitchell always has his eyes on the prize, no matter what’s at stake. Mitchell has loved football since the football was five times as big as his head was. He describes football as his “escape” and “a sport where you can just let loose in every aspect.” Going into the regular season as a Jaguar, Mitchell is determined to continue to produce great statistics as he ended last year’s season with 50 tackles, four fumble recoveries, and one interception. Mitchell is also determined to switch the program around and head in a positive direction for future years after he graduates. As a linebacker, Mitchell is the beating heart for the defense. Coach Bruns relies on Mitchell’s high football IQ and his willingness to be a legitimate leader in practice and in games. “My expectations for this year are pretty high considering we have a hard working group that’s willing to give maximum effort 100% of the time. As long as we prepare properly, I think we’ll have more than just a winning season,” he noted. As for college recruiting, Charleston State in Richmond, South Carolina is the only college that has had interest in this exciting young talent. Mitchell mentions he can only hope for more offers towards the end of the season. If he sets his mind to it, why shouldn’t he get more interest?
ophomore Javon Eaton, running back and linebacker, is hoping to make a break through into the starting varsity football team for the first time. After impressing in last year’s junior varsity team with two touchdowns and 30 tackles, Eaton hopes to carry on his form into the new and optimistic season. Eaton has been playing football for five years since the age of 10. After last year’s disappointing season, Eaton and all of his teammates are working hard to have a more prolific season this time around. During their long and intensive practices, the Jags have been working on offense, defense, and exact plays that Coach Bruns wants to see executed in the upcoming games. “If the team works together and finishes things up that we were not able to finish last year, then we will play better as a team and we will be able to have a winning season, or at least go very far,” said Eaton. “Coach has us working on drills that he wants to see perfectly repeated in games.” As a player, Eaton wants to be a better linebacker, and a better all-round player. He wishes to prove himself to his coaches and to pick up his game in terms of offense. Eaton also has high hopes for his team, saying “All we need is to pick up on our game. With the drills we are doing and the effort we are putting in, I think we can have a very successful season.” After a disappointing team result in the first pre-season game of the season, Eaton was able to complete 12 tackles, one catch, and seven carries totaling to over 50 yards, an impressive personal start to the season.
Chris Mitchell
Javon Eaton T
he determination to win is a key trait that all Charter athletes possess. For senior defensive end on the varsity football team David Stewart, he takes those words to a whole new level. Ever since he first put on a helmet in the 6th grade thanks to a neighbor’s encouragement, Stewart has dreamed of being on the big stage. Having an uncle who has played in the NFL has helped him realize that he can make it too. “As a kid, he inspired me to be where I am today and I always looked to him for advice when I needed it.” Says Stewart. When he joined the varsity squad as a sophomore, his coaches were immediately impressed with his elite strength. Unfortunately, Stewart injured his back at the start of last season, forcing him to miss the rest of the year. Since he wasn’t able to contribute as a junior, Stewart knows that he must have an increased role now that he is entering his senior season. He is going to take it one game at a time as his ultimate goal is to break the school’s single season sack record. Hopefully, it will be that impressive feat that will get a college to offer him a greatly desired scholarship. If he continues to be determined, he will reach that goal in no time.
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Sports
The CHAT Editorial: New system, same outcome
Graphic by: Matthew
Brett Alayon Sports Editor
W
hat’s tougher than winning a national championship? Winning it back-to-back years. Three years in a row. And so on. As the Florida State Seminoles prepare for another historic year, the rest of the college football nation looks up to those in Tallahassee. Last year’s Heisman winner Jameis Winston will attempt to be the first ever back-to-back Heisman trophy winner, and stay out of trouble as well. This season upon college football fans bring much excitement as four teams will contend to be crowned champion in early January. The brand spanking new playoff system comes with opportunity and of course, success. Last year’s title game between Florida State and Auburn was an instant classic, but how will this season turn out? Down in South Beach, there is much speculation around the quarterback situation as the potential starter Ryan Williams (season-ending injury) and his backup Kevin Olsen (suspension) will more than likely not be playing anytime soon. In comes true freshman Brad Kaaya who got the call just weeks ago that he will be under center week one when the “U” traveled to Louisville for the first Monday night game of the season. After a close game through the first three quarters, the Cardinals pulled away for a 31-13 victory. Looking ahead, the Hurricanes will storm into Nebraska to battle the Cornhuskers in a true road test in Week 4. Many forget Miami did in fact begin last season 7-0 and were ranked #7 in the country before getting dominated by the national champions in Florida’s capitol. This season, the Noles come to Sun Life Stadium, but don’t expect a different outcome on November 15th. However, in a weak ACC Coastal division, the Canes are still very well in the mix to match up against the Noles in the ACC Championship game. Miami will leave their fate in the hands (and feet) of junior running back sensation Duke Johnson. “Duke Johnson has great potential to be a Heisman contender. Miami has defensive issues, but their fast-paced offense can get them by several opponents. I think they will eventually play FSU in the ACC Championship game when it’s all said and done,” said senior Michael Ellenbogen. Following last year’s tragic 4-8 record, the Florida Gators seek to bounce back and compete in the SEC East division. Unfortunately for the Gator nation, they will have to go head-tohead with Florida State and Alabama on the road this season, the top two teams in the pre-season polls. In between these two unfavorable matchups, the Gators will take on the LSU Tigers,
Missouri Tigers, and the Georgia Bulldogs to highlight their 2014 schedule. Quarterba Driskel and head coach Will Muschamp have a mountain load of pressure to perform elite level or else both will probably lose their job. The SEC is by far the toughest conf in all of college football, so how will the Gators fair this season? Gainesville has high but after last year’s setback and a harsh schedule, qualifying for an impressive bowl gam be a challenge in itself. Jamies Winston was made for the spotlight, whether on or off the field. The Seminol first game of the year came with a test as they traveled to Dallas to take on Oklahom in Cowboys Stadium for the first primetime Saturday night game of the season. Surpri many, the Noles just barely snuck by Oklahoma State with a six-point victory. Florid has a very favorable schedule to make it back to the title game and potentially win it a their games against ranked opponents will be played at home this season (assuming does not crack the top 25). With this very favorable schedule, Noles players will probab “It’s a piece of cake.” Or in Winston’s case, a crab leg. “FSU should be very confident heading into this season. It appears that they’ll be f in every game they play, so I see them going undefeated once again,” said senior Peter vetakis. There is a boatload of title contenders this year ranging from the Big Ten, the AC Pac-12, the Big 12, and the SEC. Although Ohio State is currently ranked number five nation, it’s tough to see them making a run without injured quarterback Braxton Miller homa (ranked fourth) is relying on a quarterback who beat Alabama (which is outsta but their surrounding pieces won’t carry their own weight. I strongly believe Florida St Alabama will hold their ground as the top two teams in the nation. That leaves three an UCLA (ranked seventh) must go to war with the Oregon Ducks and the Stanford Card the Pac-12, but with Brett Hundley and a staggering offense, I believe the Bruins will their opponents in the regular season to clinch the number three spot. One spot remain lor’s (ranked 10th) schedule is extremely manageable as they will battle just two ranked this year with one of the being at Oklahoma. I have the Bears sneaking its way to the and final spot for the refurnished playoff system. Those Noles have every right to be h the championship trophy again. And that, they will do.
The journey from a
Matth
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Donated by: Amaris Garcia
e’s a baseball player. He’s a pro. He’s class of 2011 graduate Aramis Garcia. The former Charter baseball standout is now joining a Major League team. With the 52nd overall pick in the second round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft, the San Francisco Giants selected Garcia from Florida International University. The catcher had previously been drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 20th round of the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft, but opted to attend FIU to play collegiate baseball and pursue a degree. He will receive a $1.1 million signing bonus, according to Perfect Game USA. Making it to the MLB is a major accomplishment for Garcia, one that would not have happened without the help of Charter’s amazing athletic program, including all of his former coaches and teammates. “I am really excited to see a former student and player of mine achieve such an amazing goal. When Aramis was on the field, there was something that separated him from the others. I could tell that he was truly serious about playing and that he wanted to have a career in baseball,” says Charter baseball coach Mr. Iglesias. Looking to improve on his draft stock, Garcia decided to play baseball at FIU. He made an immediate impact as a freshman in 2012, as he had a .271 batting average with six home runs in 55 games. Meanwhile, Garcia struggled to control the strike zone as he struck out 43 times compared to only 19 walks. In his sophomore season, Garcia really caught the attention of scouts due to a breakout offensive performance. A much improved .321 batting average, along with 12 doubles, 11 homers, and 51 RBI, really helped his draft status. However, his 39 to 17 strikeout-to-walk
Sports
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Who said girls can’t play baseball? Tyra Green
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he’s captivating on the mound. With piercing hazel eyes, long braids down to her waist and the number 3 on her back, Mo’ne Davis isn’t your typical 13-yearold girl. She’s a girl dominating the male driven sport of baseball. There are no Barbie Dolls on Davis’ mind, only baseball gloves and baseball cleats. Similar to Philadelphia Phillies Jonathan Papelbon’s power and New York Yankees Orlando Hernandez’s delivery, with one simple pitch Mo’ne Davis is giving the phrase “she throws like a girl” a whole different meaning. There are very few seven year olds who know how to throw a football, and to find a seven-year-old girl slinging one is nearly impossible. However this is exactly how Steve Bandura, Philadelphia youth league coach, discovered Mo’ne Davis. One day she was throwing footballs to her cousin in the outfield, when Bandura asked her to come practice with his boy’s basketball team. She quickly caught on to the drills at practice and soon dominated in games. Her team beat one of their opponents 4138 and 35 of those points came from Davis herself. Bandura saw the talent in her shortly after meeting her and encouraged her to enroll in the Springhill Chestnut Academy. She has a dream of playing in the WNBA but has captured the world by storm using her right arm. Along with conquering the boys basketball team and boys baseball, Davis is also a center mid-fielder on the boys Monarch soccer team. The pitcher that stood on the mound for the Philly Taney Dragons caused attention all over the country. “This story shows that girls are becoming more popular in the upcoming era of sports and how they are entering everyday life,” said volleyball player Ashley Cristiantello. She has adults chanting her name, little girls holding up signs and celebrities reaching out to her left and right. Big names like Michelle Obama, Kevin Durant and Lil Wayne have felt the inspiring persona of the little leaguer and have tweeted her with wise words. Magic Johnson took to twitter to weigh in on the pitching phenomenon, “Who said girls can't play baseball? Yesterday, Mo'ne Davis threw a complete game shut out to lead her team to the #LLWS!” Her popularity has moved passed the computer screen and into primetime television. Jimmy Fallon, Queen Latifah and Ellen DeGeneres have all invited the pitcher on their shows. To Mo’ne, the little league World Series just meant summer fun with her friends, “To be honest, I never thought I’d be famous for baseball” she told Sports Illustrated. Her name “MO’NE” can be largely seen on the August 25th issue of sports illustrated followed by the words “remember her name, as we could ever forget.” The thirteen year old dominated the cover of the mainstream magazine and even pushed Kobe Bryant to the side. Davis is the first ever little leaguer to ever be featured on the cover of such a promising magazine. With a ball tightly gripped in hand, feet spread apart and knees bent, Sports illustrated captured the exact moment that a rocket has been launched out of Davis’s hand. Standing tall at five foot four, Davis silences the crowd with her 70mph curve ball.
“I love that Mo’ne Davis is playing baseball. It shows that girls can do what boys can do. We aren’t limited to just one sport,” said Softball player Kayla Borges. Girls playing in the sixty-eighth Little League World Series isn’t exactly unheard of. Before the pitching sensation, a total of seventeen girls graced the World Series field. Sixty years ago playing the boys sport of baseball was taboo. Kathryn Massar is the pioneer of girl little leaguers. In 1950, at the age of twelve Massar cut her hair and renamed her self as “Tubby” just to be accepted in a New York Little League baseball team. When her true gender was discovered, the league created the “Tubby rule” that prevented girls from playing in the association for the next 24 years. In the 2014 World Series Mo’ne Davis was accompanied by another female pitcher—12year-old Emma March. March is only five foot one and one hundred pounds but calls her fastball her first pitch. Sports have had its fair share of young professional stars. Serena Williams turned pro at the age of 14 and went on to win 17 major titles. One thing Williams and Davis has in common is determination. There is no question that Davis has talent but what will she do with it is the question? It may be hard to believe that the star pitchers real dream is to play basketball for the University of Connecticut. In 1994 Krissy Wendell became the first girl starter catcher of the little leagues. She then went on to win two Olympic medals as captain of the U.S national Hockey team. Mo’ne’s knee-buckling fastball strike outs has left a legacy in the World Series that will never be forgotten. In the year 2014, Mo’ne Davis is a clear example that girls
Graphic by: Katie Perez
a Jaguar to a Giant
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ratio in 57 games left something for him to work on. With all eyes on him this past spring, Garcia had to step up in a make or break year. He did just that and more with a .368 batting average, 14 doubles, eight home runs, 37 RBI, and most importantly, a much improved 23 to 25 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 45 games. It was this spectacular season that earned Garcia All-American honors as well as the 2014 Conference USA Player of the Year award. He was also a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench award, given to the nation’s best collegiate catcher. Garcia, also the Conference USA Scholar Athlete of the Year, will need to continue his excellent work ethic as he is estimated to reach the Major Leagues in 2017. He is currently playing on the Giants’ Short Season Class A team, the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. It is here where he will have to improve in some areas and polish others in order to become big league ready. Some of his needed areas for improvement are his defensive skills, such as arm strength and receiving and blocking skills behind the plate. When it comes to offense, Garcia tends to shine, as he is a great contact hitter and provides decent power, but he would like to gain some additional strength to become more of a deep threat. Garcia believes that if he continues to put in the time and effort, he will get positive results and progress through the Minors quickly and make it to the Majors in no time. “I have been taught since I was little that in order to get good results, you need to have the right work ethic. Everything you get is earned and even though I am extremely grateful to be drafted, I won’t be satisfied until I reach the Major Leagues,” says Garcia.
Donated by: Amaris Garcia
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Sports
Cheatham closes one door and opens another Jake Dreilinger Editor-in-Chief
The road from an average player to an all-star is a rough one. Senior Haanif Cheatham has experienced it firsthand. Ever since his enrollment into PPCHS two years ago, Cheatham has done everything possible to ensure
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that the PPCHS basketball team does nothing but play to the best of their abilities. He is an on-court general that can be relied on to come in clutch when the team needs him most. His abilities are unmatched at PPCHS. As a committed recruit to Marquette University, Cheatham’s journey to the top has been an emotional experience, one of determination, long days of practice, and extensive studying to make sure he is on top of his schoolwork. His journey started freshman year, where Cheatham played for a different school: West Broward. As a student at Silver Trail middle school, Cheatham decided to make a transition to the charter system because he felt that “the environment was a better place for me to get my work done and play ball at a high school level”. He credits his decision to come to charter as to why he is at this point now. “My journey coming into PPCHS was set,” said Cheatham. “I came in knowing the business I had to handle, and that I was going to graduate and head to a Division-I college.” Cheatham started in his sophomore year, and quickly proved that he was a key asset to the team. The team went all the way to the Regional Semifinals, only to lose the Norland Vikings. He was even ranked the #1 player in Florida, but with all this success came a rough patch in Cheatham’s basketball career. “I had tough times at the end of sophomore year after being named the #1 player in the state,” said Cheatham. “I had a lot on my shoulder as a 16 year old kid. So it got to me and that made me not play my best. After sophomore year, I started doubting myself.” All that changed when Cheatham reached his junior year. Averaging 26.2 points per game, 10.2 rebounds per game, and 6.3 assists per game, Cheatham took his game to the next level. Everything was starting to look better and he starting playing like his old self. He led his team farther than in his sophomore year, all the way to the Regional Finals. Again, Cheatham and the Jags played the Norland Vikings, where they lost another heartbreaker. One thing changed, though. Scholarships were being thrown at him left and right from numerous Division-I colleges. As one of the best college recruits in the nation, Cheatham’s summer has been anything but average. His summer started off at the Kevin Durant Skills Academy in Washington D.C., where he and the top 31 high school players in the country had the opportunity to learn from Kevin Durant about what it takes to become NBA MVP material. After that, Cheatham attended the LeBron James Skills Academy where the top 80 high school players had the chance to showcase their skills in front college coaches and NBA scouts. At the LeBron James Skills Academy in Las Vegas, Nevada, 80 high school players were split into eight teams that would compete against each other in a regular five-on-five fashion. The teams participated in a mini season that lasted four days, and one team would be crowned the winner. A few days after that, Cheatham traveled to Chicago, Illinois to participate in the Nike Global Challenge, an eight team, sixteen game tournament where high school players can show off their unique talents. Although his team didn’t win, he enjoyed the experience and was grateful for the opportunity. “All the top players in the country were at all three events,” said Cheatham. “Every day we competed against each other. Those camps were great experiences.” On top of the tournaments and skill academies he went to, Cheatham also received over 22 full-ride scholarships from Division-I schools. Throughout the summer, Cheatham has been in contact with multiple Division-I schools and had narrowed down his choices to six schools: Baylor, Marquette, California Berkeley, Florida State, Georgia, and Georgetown. Each school sees Cheatham as a good point guard at the college level. Each school is also interested in how Cheatham feels about going to college to play basketball. The coaches have been asking him questions like “Where do you see yourself in two years?” or “Do you want to win a National Championship?” On the day of his commitment ceremony, Cheatham’s final three choices were Georgetown, California Berkeley, and Marquette. Never before has Charter had an athlete as publicized as Cheatham. Never before has any Charter athlete been listed as one of the top fifteen high school players in the nation in any sport, receiving several full-ride scholarships. On the court, he can do “a little bit of everything. He hands, he passes, he defends, and he makes just enough from deep to keep defenders honest (rivals.com).” Rivals.com also describes Cheatham as “a utility wing who makes smart decisions and will help win a lot of ballgames in college”. From what he has demonstrated here at Charter, Cheatham is a force to be reckoned with and is a future star in the making. “He is an exceptional athlete and a good person,” said PPCHS basketball coach Mr. Opalka. “His leadership and influence on the team sets the tone for our success. The way he handles the pressure brings everybody up to another level. He has a great heart for basketball, his family, his teammates, and his school.” As the time has come for Cheatham’s PPCHS basketball career to end, another basketball career is just beginning. He will be gone, but Cheatham will leave behind his legacy. He has built a legacy not only for himself, but also for the team he plays for, the school he attended, and those he helped along the way. He is the best basketball player to ever don the white, black and maroon basketball jersey, the best basketball player to ever play for the PPCHS basketball team.
D
ozens o teammates. H day, Septemb Haanif Chea weeks as his parents, and As the 6’5 a with cheers decision to h of him, anxi by PPCHS p highly antici “Before I c finally payin mom was bro It was rough
Sports
Cheatham becomes a Golden Eagle Brett Alayon Sports Editor
of news reporters and journalists. Dozens of family members. Dozens of basketball Hundreds of fans. These were the people that instantly filled the bleachers on Friber 5th in PPCHS’ very own basketball gymnasium. High school basketball player atham has been the center of attention for Pines Charter athletes these past few s outstanding work ethic and talent has grasped the attention of students, teachers, most importantly, scouts. athlete walked in the gym at 2:15 after school, all in attendance immediately erupted for Cheatham. He made his way to the table where he prepared to announce his his fellow peers. His current basketball coach and his mom sat on opposite sides iously awaiting the upcoming star’s decision. With an encouraging introduction principal Mr. Bayer and Pembroke Pines City Mayor Mr. Ortis, it was time for the ipated announcement for Cheatham. committed I was just thinking about how hard I worked and how the hard work is ng off in this moment. It was a really emotional moment for my family and I, my ought to tears,” said Cheatham. ears ago Cheatham played his very first home game as Jaguar, impressing all that watched him as he sprang across the
court. From the high-flying dunks to the “nothing but net” three-pointers, the senior has not been anything less than a superstar for Pines Charter Athletics. Now he was back on the same court again, except this time, he was here to make possibly the biggest choice of his life. Clearly emotional, Haanif stared down the three hats (Marquette, Georgetown, and Cal Berkley) which lied right in front of his eyes. Then the crowd gasped as his hand outstretched, reaching for the blue hat reading “MU” on the front (Marquette University). With his proud mother, coach, teammates, friends, and news reporters filling the gym, the atmosphere was like no other as Cheatham officially made his commitment to a Division 1 school in Wisconsin, exhilarated to continue to pursue his dream and make it to the NBA. “After I felt so relieved,” said Cheatham. “I knew what school I was going to, and the choice I picked -Marquette- couldn’t be better.” Haanif Cheatham, just days ago, made a decision that will impact the rest of his life. The hard work he puts inside and outside of the classroom is essentially what PPCHS has been all about. On September 5th, hundreds witnessed PPCHS history. But it doesn’t stop there. Cheatham plans to continue making history on the basketball court in the future.
Photo by: Alex Monge
Photo by: Alex Monge
Photo by: Jonathan Harris
Photo by: Jonathan Harris
Photo by: Jonathan Harris
Photo by: Alex Monge
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It takes a
Sports “Haanif has distinguished himself from the pack through his hard work and motivation. There are guys who are just as talented as him, and maybe even more talented. However, Haanif has dedicated his entire life for the grind, and coaches of all levels cannot respect anything more than that.” -Senior Noah Levy
“He’s worked his entire life for this and he definitely deserves it. He shows us all that with the right mindset and dedication you can achieve anything you put your mind to.” -Senior Courtney Zaher
Raised Him Right: Haanif stands with the people that have molded him into the person he is today. Photo by: Alex Monge Team Haanif: The Pines Charter Basketball team congratulates their fellow team mate on his decision to attend Marquette University. Photo by: Jonathan Harris
So Many Fans, So Little Time: Haanif poses for yet another picture during the long process of taking pictures. Photo by: Jonathan Harris
“Haanif has been a kid to always work hard and impress in practice and in games. There’s no surprise he is going to a great Division-I school and I hope to watch him succeed.” -Junior Myles Thomas
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“I feel great for him. Marquette is an impressive school. He’s got an opportunity to play in the same school Dwyane Wade played in. That’s awesome” -Senior Gabriel Lopez
a village “We sat down and evaluated the pros and cons of each school, and Marquette had the least amount of cons. It’s been a challenge with all the ups and downs. It took a lot of money to get to the places he went to, and I am truly blessed.” -Ingrid Weiss
Sports “This is a big time commitment. It’s a good decision and took a lot of stress away a lot of stress. He will probably start right away at Marquette and he could possibly make it to the NBA.” -Senior Marcel Denbow
Highschool Legend: Haanif has already become famous in the eyes of his fans at PPCHS. Photo by: Jonathan Harris Supporting Haanif: Mayor Ortis and Commissioner Iris Siple pose with the PPCHS basketball star. Photo by: Alex Monge
Supportive Principal: Mr. Bayer boasts about Haanif before the big decision has been made. Photo by: Alex Monge
“I’m very excited and proud of him. He has done it right every step of the way. He is a class act on and off the court. I’m excited to cheer him on in college.” -Mr. Bayer
Support System: Haanif stands with some people that have supported him through his amazing journey from highschool star to college rookie. Photo by: Alex Monge
“I went to a few games and when I saw him play, it was beyond jaw-dropping. Every time he got the ball, you knew something special was about to happen.” -Junior Taj Ali
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Taylor Swift Can’t “Shake This Off” Sofia Gangotena Staff Writer
A t doesn’t seem like Taylor Swift will be able to shake off the haters quite so easily this time. On August 18, 2014, Swift released a music video for her song “Shake It Off”.
Cyrus and Iggy Azalea do it all the time. So, I wasn’t shocked or anything,” said Nyang. Saying that the video is racist is only one of the several putdowns the video has received.. A few of those who saw the video thought that the video was racist and supported black Fans of Swift’s music thought that the poppy video was getting away from Swift’s country stereotypes. roots. Others thought the video wasn’t even original. Those who saw the video also noted According to mercurynews.com, the director of the video, Mark Romanek, said that that Swift had taken notes from Miley Cyrus’s twerking and Lady Gaga’s costumes. Taylor came up with the concept of the video. “This basic idea was all Taylor’s. We Swift is not the only music artist who was criticized for perpetuating racial stereotypes. met and she told me that she wanted to make a sort Katy Perry suffered backlash and criticism in April of paean to the awkward ones, the ‘uncool’ kids that when she released her video for her song “Birthday.” are actually cooler than the ‘cool’ kids. She said she Critics thought that she showed Jewish stereotypes. wanted to shoot all these styles of dance and then Macklemore also suffered the same response. When be the individualist dork in the midst of these estabhe came on stage for his song “Thrift Shop”, he was lished genres.” said Romanek. dressed in a black wig and beard and a big nose, a As viewers click play, they should expect the uncommon stereotype that Jewish people have. He was expected. The carefree tone of the video was shown quickly criticized for making fun of Jewish people. through her various outfit changes and her zany Romanek has defended the video against those who dance moves. Swift opens up dressed as a ballet have said it was racist. He said, “We simple choose dancer and she continues to change her outfit based styles of dance that we thought would be popular on the type of dance in the video. One outfit change and amusing. And cast the best dancers that were in particular caught the eye of critics, where Swift is presented to us without much regard to race or ethintroduced and dressed in short shorts and a cropped nicity.” He has also said the Earl Sweatshirt should cheetah-print hoodie and is surrounded by dancers watch the video before judging it. that are “twerking”. Critics of the video, such as Despite the fact that the song had a lot of critics, the rapper Earl Sweatshirt, who admitted he has never song did really well when it was released. Accordseen the video, thought that this particular part of the ing to Billboard, the song “Shake it Off” ranked as video showed culture appropriation and black stereothe fourth-best opening week ever. The music vidtypes. Many also commented that it was racist that eo currently has over 44 million views on YouTube. the majority of the dancers were African American. Overall, while the video had a lot of fans, there were Taylor Swift: Senior Elizabeth Leal talks about the Senior Daga Nyang highlighted on the stereotypes also critics who thought the video was just not good Taylor Swift controversy. Photo by: Aaliyah Pasols of the music industry, “That one particular scene was enough for them. racist, but it wasn’t anything new because Miley
MTV Awards: The Moon Men are back Shakayla Lee
Clubs and Electives Editor
O n Sunday August 24th, 13.7 million viewers worldwide tuned in to the summer’s most-watched cable telecast that never fails to dazzle millions: the 2014 MTV Video
Music Awards (VMA’s). Leaving the bizarre occurrences and foam fingers behind, this year the VMA’s took the nation by storm with its jaw dropping performances that seemed to top the actual awards being handed out. Opening the show with a “bang” was none other than, South Florida Native, Ariana Grande followed by female rapper, Nicki Minaj. Performing her new single ‘Anaconda’ it was clear to the audience that, while embracing her curves, she has the undeniable ability to make jaws drop. Following Minaj’s risky set, Ariana Grande sang ‘Break Free’, and she and Jessie J were joined by Nicki Minaj to perform their single ‘Bang Bang’. When it comes to the VMA’s, viewers have come to know to expect the unexpected. The ever present wardrobe malfunction that Nicki Minaj went through as she returned to the stage- to perform with Jesse J and Ariana-struggling to hold her black mini dress together was just that- unexpected. “Honestly, you never know with Nicki Minaj. Her outfits for her videos and performances have always been crazy. She has just started to dress normal again after going through her costume phase, so the wardrobe malfunction was unfortunate. Even though things went wrong, she still performed really well”, stated senior Indikah Chong. After the passionate dance moves and wardrobe confusion, the show had just begun- literally. The performances throughout the night seemed to outshine what the entire room was gathered for- the awards. Some recipients were surprising, others not quite as shocking, however as the names continued to be called one thing became apparent- women were dominating the categories. Whether it be Lorde who became the first female to win the VMA award for Best Rock Video for ‘Royals’, or even Miley Cyrus with Video of the Year for “Wrecking Ball”- it was clear, there was no absence of “girl power” at the VMA’s. Though the females dominated, there was definitely a strong male presence in the winner’s circle. Drake won a Moon Man for best hip-hop video for “Hold On (We’re Going Home)” and- ironically- Common, a rapper he was known to have issues with, announced that Drake wasn’t present to accept it and did so on his behalf. Other male
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winners included, Eminem who won Best Editing for “Rap God”, DJ Snake and Lil Jon who took home Best Direction for “Turn Down For What”, and 5 Seconds of Summer with Best Lyric Video for their single “Don’t Stop”. Surprisingly enough, the male that made the biggest impact of the night wasn’t even a celebrity. Miley Cyrus’ date, Jesse Helt- a former homeless teen- accepted Miley’s Video of the Year award for ‘Wrecking Ball” “on behalf of the 1.6 million runaways and homeless youths in the United States who are starving, lost and scared for their lives right now”(cnn.com) . As he spoke of his experience and raised awareness on the growing population of homeless teens in Los Angeles, the camera zoomed in on Miley as she looked on with tears welling in her eyes. Compared to her negatively viewed performance last year at the VMA’s, her humbled attitude seemed to make fans rethink their harsh opinion of the 21-year-old singer. “Even though most people judged Miley Cyrus for her performance last year, I love that she doesn’t care about what other people think about her. I thought it was sweet and thoughtful to let the homeless teen [Jesse] accept her award and raise awareness for a good cause,” stated freshman Kelly Gonzalez. As the awards ceased to be handed out and the show was coming to a close, the stage was set and the lights dimmed turning the VMA’s into a Beyoncé concert. The one performance that every single awards show would have done anything to have on Graphic by: Katie Perez their stage was granted to MTV as Beyoncé gave the network a stellar sixteen minute performance that will never be forgotten. Beyoncé’s rendition of her entire album was not one prop nor dancer short of the quality that she graces her fans with at her concerts. According to rollingstone.com, “Beyoncé took home three VMAs: Best Video With a Social Message and Best Cinematography for “Pretty Hurts” and Best Collaboration for “Drunk In Love” with Jay Z”. The winnings didn’t stop there, after shutting down the stage she received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, presented by her husband Jay Z and their Blue Ivy. Ultimately, this year the 2014 Video Music Awards was a success. From the “women empowerment” themed performances, to the shiny Moon Men handed out, there’s no doubt that millions worldwide are anticipating what the show brings next year.
A Bucket of Ice, a Bucket of Hope Aaliyah pasols Features Editor
A hot summer day, a sunny blue sky, and laughs erupting as chilly water pours down over teens’ heads. Everyone knows what’s going on here: the newest movement on social
media that has sent waves through the country over the summer. But make no mistake, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge “trend” isn’t one for laughs. So before you add the hashtags on Instagram after dousing yourself with ice cold water, take a look into what you’re really doing, and why it means more than you may think. ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) isn’t just some word you add next to a hashtag; it’s a real disease that is affecting real people, all over the world. ALS rise to national awareness began in the 1930’s when New York Yankee first baseman Lou Gehrig was diagnosed with the disease. Going as far back as 1930, according to the official ALS foundation website, the disease affects people by slowly killing off the motor neurons that control the spinal cord, brain, and muscles. “When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiALS Ice Bucket Challenge: Mrs. Cabeza and Senior Ethan Coe ate and conaccept the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Donated by: Mrs. Cabeza trol muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed” (alsa.org). Perhaps the most terrifying aspect of this disease is that the brain remains completely functional, while the ability to control the body is lost. “It’s like your mind is trapped inside your body,” explained Catherine Jeffery with the ALS Association (Kens5.com). Although ALS is not contagious, it has still succeeded in spreading itself far enough to affect the families and friends of many suffering victims. Approximately 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year (alsa.org). Sadly, despite all of these victims and associated deaths, there is still no cure. The only drug that is used in aiding ALS patients is an FDA approved drug called Riluzole, which is used to help slow down the disease; giving the patient at least a few more months to live. No one has ever survived ALS, and patients are usually expected to succumb to the disease after two to three years after being affected (ScientificAmerican.com). However, there are some people who have beaten the odds by surviving for longer than the statistics may predict. The most famous of these patients is probably Stephen Hawking, who was diagnosed at the age of 21, and is still alive and breathing at 72. While this is a rare case and not very likely, continued research and tests hope to find a cure, or to at least preserve victims’ lives longer. ALS has clearly been around for a long time, so why are we just hearing about it now? Turns out, the ice bucket challenge started as just a dare between pro athletes, including Greg Norman and Jeremy McGrath. But it was Chris Kennedy, a golfer on a minor-league circuit in Florida, who was the first one to focus the challenge on ALS research on July 14. From here, the challenge caught the attention of Patt Quinn, an ALS victim, who then uploaded the challenge to his Facebook page: Quinn for the Win. Peter Frates, a former Boston College baseball player who has ALS then found the challenge and it took off
from there (Slate.com). Soon enough, these icy challenges were all over social media sites attracting attention to the deadly disease. It’s a good thing it became such a big phenomenon too; a disease that was once hidden in the shadows, has now received $62.5 million in donations compared to the $2.4 million raised during the same time period last year (July 29 to August 23) (alsa.org). “I think the ice bucket challenge is wonderful. It’s brought public awareness to a disease that people didn’t know anything about. Money is needed for research to hopefully do away with ALS, and I think that it’s great that kids are getting involved,” English teacher Mrs. Cabeza said excitedly. Mrs. Cabeza herself was nominated for the ice bucket challenge by Mr. Bayer, which shows that the challenge has even made its way onto Charter grounds! “It was a lot of fun doing the ice bucket challenge on the first day of school,” Cabeza giggled. “People said I cheated because I was wearing a raincoat but I was wearing a brand new dress underneath!” Other students at Charter are getting involved in more ways than one! Sarah Zaharako, a senior at PPCHS, has been affected by ALS: A close friend of her aunt passed away due to the fatal disease.“Because of all of the attention being attracted to ALS this year and the passing of my family friend, I’ve decided to become involved in my aunt’s annual 25 mile [bike] ride for ALS. I hope the ride will bring light to the disease rather than just having people dump ice buckets on their heads. Hopefully this will encourage people to donate to the cause,” Zaharako stated. The 25 mile ride will be held in Tampa, FL on November 8th and to participate, runners have to have donated $250. To sign up for the run go to: http://webfl.alsa.org click on the link that says “Ride to defeat ALS,” select Florida, and under Event Details-> Start or Join a Team-> Search “Hanson Sisters” and on the page that pops up click on “Sarah Zaharako.” Donations are also accepted on the page as well as signing up for the race. Although some people may say that this Ice Bucket Challenge is just another example of “slacktivism” (actions performed via the Internet in support of a political/ social cause but regarded as requiring little time or involvement), many people, including, the ALS Association, regard it as good being done. “The ALS Association is extremely grateful for the generosity of these donors, and for the actions of several people who initiated and spread this incredible viral effort,” says Barbara J. Newhouse, president and chief executive officer of the ALS Association ( We b M D . Good Cause: The Ice Bucket Challenge is responsible for com). raising awareness for ALS. Donated by: Mrs. Cabeza This simple, “for fun” ice bucket challenge evolved into something more. Something that has brought attention to a disease that was previously ignored, got people involved, and through awareness on social media has raised donations by the millions. And just as it says on Zaharako’s website: “It is with great hope that like a frozen breath in Winter, together, we can stop ALS cold.”
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New games of the new generation LJ Lemmers Staff Writer
W
ith a new year comes new games for the next-gen gaming consoles, the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Last year there weren’t many major games out for the new consoles, but with this year following there are many famous games scheduled to release this fall. Although PS4 outsold the Xbox One with a 3:1
ratio, the release of these games might balance the sales of the systems.
•FIFA 15-PS4, XBOX ONE The HD graphics of next generation of FIFA makes the game seem like you’re playing in real life. EA Sports have made the player models look like exact replicas of the professionals. Along with bringing many new in-game tactics, FIFA 15 also features a realistic terrain as the grass/ pitch now gets worn out and weather conditions directly affect the gameplay. Sophomore Aspen Oudshoorn said “I already pre ordered FIFA 15 and Destiny for the PS4. This year’s games are going to really change the way of playing on the PS4.”
•Assassin Creed Unity – PS4, XBO The seventh game in the Assassin Creed series comes a story set in Paris during the French Revolution. Follow the story of Arno Dorian who must expose the true powers of the Revolution. Assasin Creed Unity features the new Phantom Blade. The Phantom Blade uses the mechanics of a crossbow to fire a silent projectile a great distance, while serving the role as the Hidden Blade. Ubisoft has also introduced “Parkour Up and Down” to make it easier for players to climb buildings in either direction.
•Destiny-PS4, XBOX ONE Made by Bungie, the creators of the Halo franchise, they claim the universe of Destiny will be “alive.” The game is set 700 hundred years into the future in a post apocalyptic setting known as the Golden Age. You, the player, are part of the Guardian who are the last defenders of Earth that must protect Earth’s last city against the alien threat. The gameplay is described as a first person shooter that has MMO features. Destiny has a new engine that allows global illumination and real time lightning to occur together. Players will be able to create a character, choosing a race, Human, Exo, and Awoken, and a class, Titan, Warlock, and Hunter.
•NBA 2K15-PS4, XBOX ONE The 16th installment of the 2K franc brings new improvements never feat before. A new mode called My Lea similar to the 2K13 mode will come to game but with new improvements. It customized rosters, play a single se or 80 year franchise, fantasy drafts, p er-progression rate, in-season training fects, injury effects, and many more. N 2K15 will also come with a soundt selected by Pharrell Williams. Junior Alyssa Dobles said “I can’t to try out My League in 2K15. I alw played My League in 2K13 so this bring back some memories. Also I di get 2K14 so I haven’t been able to bea sister in a while.”
•Far Cry 4-PS4, XBOX ONE Follow the story of Ajay Ghale who returns to Kyrat to scatter his mother’s ashes. However, once he gets there he becomes caught up in a civil war under the king Pagan Min. A new feature with Far Cry 4 is allowing players to invite friends who don’t own the game to play cooperatively. To do this, players will receive 10 invites which they can send out to people who don’t have the game and they will download a trial version of the game.
•Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare - PS4, XBOX ONE The popular first person shooter game comes again with its 11th installment. Made by Sledgehammer, the game features many new changes to the gameplay, like the exoskeleton suit and rechargeable guns. This will be the first Call of Duty since Call of Duty 2 to use a new engine. Advanced Warfare doesn’t use the classical HUD, but instead information that is relayed to the player via holographic projections from the weapon equipped.
•WWE 2K15-PS4, XBOX ONE The new edition of WWE will feature the historical mode which focuses on two past WWE rivalries: Triple H vs. Shaun Michaels and CM Punk vs. John Cena. In addition, the game brings new graphics that make it more realistic than ever. WWE will have a MyCareer mode where players will take on the role of a superstar made in Creative Suite and follow the evolution of his career.
•Madden NFL 15-PS4,XBO Madden is a football game that comes the new “global dynamic global syst which makes the game more professi and gives cut scenes that show player teracting. Also improvements were m to the defensive play of the game, rush tackling. The player chooses the team the player then has the opportunity to up against other players who have their team.
The future is always changing. Every year, developers come out with new games that revolutionize the gaming world. All the games listed above will show you how much has
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Graphic by: Matthew Perez
evolved with the new systems. PS4 and Xbox One are the pioneers of a new generation will give a new look into features never seen before.
Graphic by: Matthew Perez
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Smartphones outsmarting PCs Lauren Ramirez Staff Writer
A high school student goes out with his friends on a Sunday night. He knows he still has a paragraph left on his essay that is due the next day, but he doesn’t worry about go- make smartphone computing just as visually appealing as computing on a full-sized ing out preventing him from finishing his work. While he is riding in his friend’s car on computer screen, and these such products will only decrease in price and increase in accessibility over time. The idea that PCs are soon the way to the movie theatre, he is busy typing away to be obsolete is becoming progressively realistic. his essay –and he is able to finish just in time for the “I don’t know how I feel about smartphones removie to start. With the portability and accessibility Computers VS Smart phones: Throughout the years, placing computers. I find a computer to be a lot of a smartphone, it makes it much easier for students it is becoming more apparant that carrying arround computers is a thing of the past. Photo by: Rebecca Gonzalez more user friendly and I don’t think I would be and workers alike to work, study, and communicate comfortable with only using a smartphone”, says on the go – in a way no computer, even a portable senior Emily Castellano. one, is able to do. There come many benefits to having a smartLess than a decade ago, desktop computers had phone serve as a personal computer. The dream less memory and processing power than the average of having your computer with everything you smartphone does today. While there are advanceneed on it accessible at any time and any place is ments being made in both the fields of computers and a concept that would have seemed idealistic just a smartphones, the smartphone industry has sprinted decade ago, but is now slowly becoming reality. past the PC industry and shows no sign of slowing It is foreseen that in the near future smartphones during the short time it has been in existence. With will be used for everything – from credit cards, cloud storage technology becoming increasingly to passports, to driver’s licenses. According to the popular, smartphones can be automatically synced to technology reporting company Extreme Tech, PCs and used as a portable computer for work on the in less than a decade smartphones are predicted to go. When returning to the computer, the cloud is able be cheaper, work faster, last longer, and be overall to retrieve any work completed on the smartphone much more capable than they are today. or tablet and the user is able to continue from where “Smartphones will keep growing in sales apthey left off on the mobile device. With smartphones proaching the billion-plus levels of total handset supplementing computers, it shouldn’t be long before sales before this decade is done,” Tomi Ahonen, a they begin to replace them entirely. “I type a lot faster former Nokia executive told The Guardian. “The on my phone than I do on my computer”, says junior Alexandra Sao, “with my computer the keys are all spread apart, but on my phone they trend of PC sales is stagnant or at best modest growth, selling around 300m per year.” Smartphones are becoming increasingly popular as opposed to PCs, and for good are all easily accessed and I am able to move from one letter to another faster. I find this reason. Not only are they cheaper, they are also more accessible and have many more method much easier for taking notes.” While some may argue that a computer has a more user friendly interface, this is capabilities. In the near future, all media based electronics will be replaced by one said to change in the near future. Products that already exist such as Google Glass object – the smartphone.
Twitch plays gaming David Cha-Kim
Out of all the improvements that have come to gaming throughout its decades and decades of evolution, the one that seems to be the most significant and the one
Technology Editor
that brings the people of gaming together the most is the integration of multiplayer gameplay. “The more, the merrier” applies to quite a lot in our world, and gaming is no exception. Video games are more enjoyable when you’re playing with others, whether you’re right next to someone playing on the same system or playing online with someone halfway around the world. With its convenience and breathtaking ability, online gaming has dominated the industry in recent years and is currently the most popular form of multiplayer gaming. But recently, a new and unique type of multiplayer gaming has emerged: Twitch Plays. Starting on February 12, 2014 and ending sixteen days later on March 1st, the first successful playthrough of Twitch Plays Gaming took place. Over 1 million people participated in and nearly 55 million witnessed a massively cooperative playthrough of one of the most popular Nintendo Games in history: Pokémon Red. With a peak simultaneous participation of 121,000, the Twitch Plays playthrough of Nintendo’s 1996 Pokémon game holds the world record for the most people playing the same game at once. But how did over a million people play a game originally made for just one player? How was it possible for so many people to play one game at once, controlling it simultaneously? Well, with the help of the work of an anonymous Australian programmer and the website Twitch.tv, a live-streaming video platform, the very unique multiplayer experience was brought to life. The anonymous Australian programmer who coded the system for the game, who was also the host of the Twitch.tv channel, claimed that his project started out only as a social experiment, testing people’s ability to work together to accomplish a shared task. However, it quickly rose to become something much greater. Using the official Pokémon Red rom, the programmer linked a Gameboy emulator (a program that enables a device to mimic the function of a Gameboy) to Twitch’s video and comment system, allowing people watching the live-stream of the game to control the game by typing commands such as “up” for the player to move upwards, “left” for the player to move to the left, “A” for the player to use the A button, etc. It seems simple enough, but with hundreds of thousands of people playing the game at once, constantly and repeatedly typing in commands, the relatively simple game quickly turned into chaos. The game instantly became a sensation on the internet and as days passed, the stream became more and more popular. As more people signed on to play, the game became more disorganized and frenzied. It also didn’t help that internet “trolls” would log on to the channel and type in random commands, hindering the progression of the rest of the players.
Simple in-game actions such as moving the character up was now an arduous task that took a lot of time and a lot of effort. Twitch Plays gamers were stumped for days, but not because of the difficulty of the actual puzzle, but the difficulty of getting everyone to cooperate. The developer even had to adjust his programming for the game so the players could continue with the game in certain spots. He had to code a new ‘Democracy Mode” in which rather than each command determining a move in the game, the comment system would take the majority of the commands in the comments so people would vote on the player’s next move. Players watching the stream could vote to switch between democracy mode and “anarchy” mode, which was the default. However, despite all the challenges and troubles that came with such a large amount of simultaneous players, the group finally made it to the end of the game. The first ever play-through of Twitch Plays Gaming which took more than half of a month, had finally come to an end. However, this wasn’t the end of Twitch Plays altogether. In its 16 active days on the internet, Twitch Plays Gaming attracted a lot of attention from people across the globe and was one of the main topics of the internet for weeks. Despite the painfully long time it took to complete the game, it was a major success, breaking world records and boosting the use of the twitch.tv website and other websites like reddit.com which increased in popularity due to their large community of people involved with Twitch Plays. “Since Pokémon as a series started, the series blew up and fans grew constantly,” says sophomore Robert Smith-Dominguez, who himself streams content on Twitch. tv. “And now since Twitch has started streaming the content, the live streams have become more popular.” This opened the door to more games being played on Twitch Plays in the future and since then there have been five more play-throughs of Pokémon games alone, each lasting around the same time as the Pokémon Red playthrough. There have also been streams of other popular games like the Legend of Zelda and even more are planned to be played in the future. “Usually games are played solo or just separately online,” says junior Taj Ali. ‘It was cool to see all of those people working together.” With Amazon recently buying Twitch for nearly one billion dollars, the potential for it as a site is immense. Several MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) game companies have announced that they will also try to implement a similar multiplayer system as Twitch Plays into their own games. Twitch Plays and its stunning popularity may serve as an influential role for multiplayer games in the future and could have very well started a new era in the world of gaming.
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Caffeine may be shortening our lives
Ebola viru
Josiah Celestine
The Ebola virus is a rare virus that causes bleeding inside and out of the body. As it spreads through the body, it damages the immune system and organs. The virus started
Staff W
Caffeine: Seniors Taylor Alfonso and Robert Rojas enjoy their caffeinated drinks to get ready for the day. Photo by: Rebecca Gonzalez
Lauren Cookley
C
Staff Writer
affeine is a plant product commonly found in coffee, beans, tea, soft drinks, cocoa and chocolate. Caffeine is known to give most people a boost of energy as it elevates your mood. It stimulates our central nervous system which causes complete alertness. If you ever are staying up late and still have a full load of homework, caffeine may be the answer. However, it may have unintended consequences. Something that many people may not think about is how caffeine actually affects your body. Its effects can begin as soon as 15 minutes after ingesting and can last up to 6 hours. It can increase your blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, and sugar levels webmd.com). Many people can possibly experience different conditions after drinking caffeine including dizziness, trouble breathing, anxiety, and confusion. As junior Madison Duke said, “I have never had a negative effect because of drinking something caffeinated but this is something to be very cautious of. I have seen people lose sleep because of the effects caffeine can cause.” Too much caffeine can lead to lack of sleep. When your normal sleeping schedule is disrupted this can cause mood swings. Some feel that decaffeinated drinks are better, because you don’t have to worry about the side effects you would have to worry about if you were drinking a caffeinated drink. Today’s society as we know it is fueled by caffeine. Almost every place you turn is a storefront, vending machine or event sponsored by typically a caffeinated drink. If drinks were not enough now chewing gum and other products are injected with caffeine to produce the excitement that everyone must have. Fortunes have been built on the addiction. Starbucks is a multimillion dollar global business that on the whole is built 100% on the caffeinated coffee bean. If you consider by today’s standards that driving while under the influence of alcohol, or driving while tired, or texting while driving can all impact our ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. It can be safely said that while caffeine increases awareness and your senses, that this energy can also inhibit this ability. While no arrests are typically made, or tickets issued, caffeine could be a contributor. Laser focus is also known as tunnel vision. We may be so focused on one thing that we fail to see the immediate danger around us or contribute to a dangerous condition. In many ages, health conditions can sometimes go undiagnosed. High Blood Pressure for example is called the “silent killer”. It’s very safe to assume that someone with high blood pressure should avoid red bull for example. While consuming these drinks and products we could either be causing our immediate death or a death that will arrive that much quicker. In an effort to stop what potentially is a very dangerous current problem should we have a minimum caffeine age for consumption? Caffeine is addictive and certainly could be considered a drug. Our challenge lies in the fact that we do not consider caffeine mind altering drugs. Like tobacco and alcohol, caffeine brings with some reasonable benefit to a “user” but also a huge number of consequences. The balanced approach on how to regulate this can be debated but it’s safe to say that caffeine could be shortening our lives. As some people agree it may be best to only have caffeine in small doses. As Kristen Rodriguez said, “I don't usually drink caffeine so that when I need it, it actually does something.” All and all we see how caffeine can attribute to our everyday life, and how this can affect our body in many ways, physically and mentally. Caffeine can bring benefits but also has many side effects like lack of sleep, health problems, and even addiction.
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in 1976 in Nzara, Sudan, and Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. The village where it was first discovered was near the Ebola River, which is how it got its name. The natural host of the virus is a species of an African fruit bat of the genera Hypsignathus monstrosus, Epomops franqueti and Myonycteris torquata, are considered possible natural hosts for Ebola virus. The virus then spread to chimpanzees and gorillas in 1994, and humans then contracted it from the primates through contact with them. If animals are suspected of being infected, they are quarantine, extracted, and then buried or burned. Even after the animals are killed, you can still contract the virus off of them if you handle the dead body. According to the World Health Organization media Centre, Ebola is spread from wild animals to humans. Humans spread the virus through contact or through infected needles. Right now, there is no vaccine for the disease. In the past, 90% people have died from Ebola. According to the Centers for disease control and prevention, or the CDC, there are treatments for the symptoms though: providing fluids and balancing electrolytes, maintaining oxygen and blood pressure, and treating other infections if shown. It is very important that when infected you go to a hospital or health center as soon as you recognize the symptoms for the Ebola virus. If you wait too long to be treated for the virus then you can be killed by the virus. If you believe that you have Ebola you will most likely be quarantined to stop the spread of the virus. There have been experimental treatments that have worked on animal subjects with Ebola, but it is yet to be tested on humans. “I think the best way to stop Ebola is to quarantine the current people who have it so we can study and research how to end it, and if they are out of reach from other people, then the virus can’t spread,” sophomore Owen Cockrell says. There have been many cases of the Ebola virus reported in America but only a few have required blood tests. One in California and another in New Mexico sent blood samples to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention but were tested as negative. Travelers to West Africa are being tested for Ebola if they show signs of symptoms with the disease. An Irishman died after returning from Sierra Leone is being tested for Ebola. Also a single Liberian-American traveler
Graphic by: Katie Perez
The horoscope pandem Hanan
Staff W
Believed to have been introduced by the Babylonians in 4th century B.C., astrology came to be considered a science (astrologers.com). While some view astrology as naïve,
irrational, and mythical others say that it provides a better comprehension of not only themselves, but also of their surroundings as well. Those who believe in astrology can transform their lives with the very study of the stars, the planets, and the zodiac. Sophomore Stephany Rodriguez is a strong believer in Zodiac signs and horoscopes. Born on November 11, the down-to-Earth and logical Scorpio said, “I believe in astrology simply because I think it offers expectations and details about the future.” Constantly checking her horoscope, the water sign, Scorpio’s sign, says “that it helps to explain most of the conflicts in my life and provides some type of way to resolve it”. Determined, passionate, and motivated, Rodriguez is a powerhouse like no other, just like a true Scorpio should be. Another strong believer in astrology is Dana Meltzer, a tenth grade Leo. Reading her horoscope weekly, Meltzer claims that her horoscope is always correct. When she first started learning about horoscopes and astrology, she wasn’t sure if it was real. However, as she continued to learn about it she saw how much it actually related to her . “Usually when I would need advice and there was no one there to give it to me, I would read my horoscope just to see if it can help. Sometimes it would and sometimes it would say things that just didn’t make sense to
The CHAT Editorials: Mental illnesses and the jokes they provide
us outbreak
e
& LJ Lemmers
Sofia Gangotena
Writers
collapsed in a Lagos airport and died. His death infected a dozen people. Between August 19 and 20, 142 cases of Ebola and 77 deaths were reported from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Nigeria. Ebola’s fatality rate in the recent outbreak is a little over 50% with 2,473 cases and 1,350 deaths, while previous outbreaks have been up to 90%. There’s no cure or treatment for Ebola, but some drugs are being tested. That includes ZMapp, which Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol received in Liberia. But, their physicians say since they were the first human patients to get the drug, there’s no way to tell what impact it had. As of now they are the only people to survive the recent outbreak. Nancy Writebol was working to defeat the virus in Liberia as a missionary with the organization SIM when she contracted the illness, but still wants to help the people in West Africa. Americans don’t seem to worry about the outbreak happening in the U.S. Four out of 10 people believe the Ebola virus will come to America, but 56% think it won’t happen. “I think the virus will spread in different ways, and we can’t afford to have it around much longer. It will evolve to become immune to the new vaccines but scientists need to find a way to stop it before it becomes a global pandemic,” English teacher Marta Cabeza says. The Ebola virus is a deadly illness that can spread throughout the world in a matter of days and needs to be treated immediately. The virus started in the 1970’s but when it dies down in one part of the world, it just begins to start up in another part of the world in a couple of years, or even months. In 1979 the Ebola virus was in Sudan, and 10 years later it spread to the United States. After that it was in the Philippines in the same year, and then spread to Italy two years later. After that it came back to where it formed in Africa where it spread throughout the countries in Africa. Even though the Ebola virus has been around before and it is very deadly, recently there have been many medical advances to help find a cure for the illness, and more people are surviving now than they did back then. If the virus dies down and pops back up again in another part of the world, there will surely be enough research to help finally put an end to this virus once and for all.
Graphic by: Katie Perez
mic spreads to PPCHS
Staff Writer
I
magine a friend came up to you at lunch. In a very disgruntled way, they say, ‘Ugh, I swear my teacher is bipolar.’ What do you say? Maybe you agree with them or correct them. You can tell them that bipolar disorder isn’t what they might think it is, that it’s not just changing moods. Maybe you tell them that people with bipolar disorder often also deal with depression and it’s actually a very serious illness. Chances are, you won’t correct them. You might not even say anything, just smile and nod your head. Because that’s normal. Because your friend automatically assumed their teacher had bipolar disorder because their teacher was angry that day, and maybe they were happy yesterday. Hopefully, you notice the problem in this situation. In this society, mental illness should be taken very seriously. According to The Courant newspaper, after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, a task force was created to study how well the state treated and supported young adults with mental illnesses. They were able to think of 47 suggestions that would create a “blueprint” for later action. Now, not everyone who did what Adam Lanza did, or anything like it, has a mental illness. However, those who did anything like what Adam Lanza did aren’t crazy either. They’re sick and they need help. So, when people make a joke of a disease and say things like, my teacher is bipolar, they’re showing their insensitivity and making light of a very serious issue. Some students may not have a problem with the saying. Senior Mai Eltantwy says, “I feel like it’s a way to exaggerate what they’re saying.” English and Debate teacher Mrs. Drumm dislikes the use of the sentence “my teacher is bipolar”. She says, “I have a lot of friends and family who have bipolar disorder. When people say things like ‘my teacher is bipolar’, they make light of it. It’s not accurate. It can belittle someone with the disorder and it could force someone to say something to defend their honor, or to be quiet. It’s a constant struggle,” Mrs. Drumm says. “People with bipolar disorder can become depressed and they can commit suicide. It can ruin families.” According to the National Institute of Mental Health, bipolar disorder is known to have two extremes, manic and depressive. The manic episodes are when the person may have a period of feeling extremely happy and outgoing. The depressive episodes are when the person feels extremely sad and hopeless, and these feelings can lead to suicide. These two episodes happen over a long period of time. People with bipolar disorder are on a constant rollercoaster that they can never get off of. So, why do we use mental illnesses as a joke? Sophomore Anthony Bombardieri uses the saying himself. He says, “People exaggerate what they’re saying about their teacher because they don’t like them or agree with what they’re doing.” Junior Andrea Carmona doesn’t agree with the use of the statement “my teacher is bipolar” or anything like it. She says, “No matter how you try to defend the statement, it could still offend someone.” To every problem, there is a solution, if people are willing to try. People have to be aware of what they’re saying and they need to understand what they’re saying. If you’re going to say anything like my teacher is bipolar, know what bipolar disorder is. Know that when you say those words, or anything like that, you risk hurting a lot of people, whether they have bipolar disorder or not. Most importantly, know that mental illnesses should be not the butt of your jokes.
Hessin
Writer
me,” says `Meltzer. Although it didn’t always help the fire sign, a Leo sign, Meltzer said that the more she learns about astrology, the clearer everything becomes. Junior Nicolas Robertson isn’t quite sure if he completely believes in astrology or not. Born a Taurus, Robertson said, “For the most part, yes. I do believe in astrology. A lot of the stuff that it says will happen does and it can’t just be coincidental. But at the same time I don’t think it’s real because of all the compatibility and fortune stuff. Signs can’t determine love or success.” Robertson didn’t start believing in astrology until just recently. Although his horoscope is almost always right, he still isn’t a 100% believer in astrology and zodiac signs. Someone who doesn’t think any of this is real is Rachel Lorenzo. A junior in PPCHS and a Leo, she believes that not any one person can be just one sign. “I think everyone has characteristics of each of the zodiac signs,” says Lorenzo. Horoscopes haven’t really related to Lorenzo, which is a big part of why she thinks astrology and zodiac signs are all fake. There is no actual way of knowing if astrology and horoscopes are real or not, but it does expand our way of thinking. Maybe it’s just a coincidence, or maybe the stars and seasons are the reasons for the similarities. You must be the judge.
Graphic by: Matthew Perez
35
Section Name
Chaos in Ferguson: the sh Shakayla Lee Clubs and Electives Editor
C apturing the attention of a nation and the concern of millions across the world,
the fatal police shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown caused thousands to throw their hands up in protest. On August 9th, in Ferguson, Missouri, as a result of a white police officer shooting an unarmed African-American teen, tension between those who wear a badge and those who don’t has risen. Though the racial difference between the accused officer and Michael Brown has raised a big question, ultimately the fact that the 18-year-old victim did not have any means to protect himself from the deadly shots that caused his untimely death led thousands to question its justification. With a potential murder trial looming after the death of Brown, the facts of the incident have turned into a battle of “he said, she said”. Unfortunately, the details of the case have been kept top secret by the Ferguson Police Department causing an uproar among the town’s citizens. According to vox.com, “Ferguson Police say Brown stole some cigars in a convenience store robbery prior to the shooting. But Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson also clarified that [Officer Daren] Wilson, who shot and killed Brown, was unaware of the robbery allegations during "the initial contact with Brown." Wilson, instead, initially stopped Brown for jaywalking”. Although Ferguson police tried to turn the incident into the “booking of a robbery”, in the video footage where Brown was “allegedly stealing”, there is also a portion that shows Brown paying for the cigars “but not having enough for the amount he wanted and putting them back”(aattp.org). Not only that but also, if in fact Brown stole from the store, then the question of ‘Why the store manager or employee who made the transaction not call the police?’ should be considered. The cause of the aggression by Officer Wilson is thus up in the air when considering that and he wasn't even pursuing Brown as a suspect. “The incident in Ferguson upset me because no one should have to fear law enforcement. They are supposed to protect us. I was appalled by the result of the Ferguson incident because that could've easily been my own family member. African American teens are stereotyped to always have an ulterior motive when in reality, we are like everyone else,” stated Senior Alyssa Rogers. Dorian Johnson, Brown’s friend, who was with him in the convenience store and at his time of death also made a public statement about what he saw and the attempted “cover up” by the police. He explained that as they left the convenience store—only
36
blocks from their destination of Johnson’s gate their duty in “serving and protecting” home and the apartment of Brown’s grandcitizens. Even the United Nations has sancmother—they walked in the middle of the tioned the U.S for the brutality of the postreet, rather than the sidewalk. Officer lice claiming a “human rights violation”. Wilson pulled up and yelled out his winCNN even reported President Obama’s dow “‘get the f— onto the sidewalk” and comments on the chaos in the small city. soon the altercation escalated. According “We have all seen images of protesters to Johnson and several other eye witnessand law enforcement in the streets. It's es, the officer reversed the car and pulled clear that the vast majority of people are up extremely close to them. He reached peacefully protesting. What's also clear is out and grabbed Brown from his car by the that a small minority of individuals are not. throat and as Brown struggled, caught him While I understand the passions and the by the shirt. Johnson explained that “the anger that arise over the death of Michael officer drew his weapon, and “…said, 'I'll Brown, giving into that anger by looting, shoot you' or 'I'm going to shoot'” and within seconds shot Brown. Reacting to danger, Johnson and Brown took off running, as Johnson hid behind the first car he saw and watched the incident unravel. He went on to say, "I saw the officer get out of the car, proceeding after my friend Ferguson: People speak their opinions of Ferguson through social media. Photo Big Mike with his by: Jonathan Harris gun drawn, and he fired a second shot and that struck Mike. And at that time, he or carrying guns, and even attacking the turned around with his hands up, beginning police only serves to raise tensions and to tell the officer that he was unarmed and stir chaos. Let's see some understanding, to tell him to stop shooting. But at that rather than confrontation, and let's seek to time, the officer firing several more shots heal,” the president states. into my friend, and he hit the ground and The tragic shooting of Michael Brown has died” (cnn.com). Following the shooting, made its mark in American history and has Officer Wilson did not proceed to call parashed light on police brutality across the namedic help, and Michael Brown’s body tion. In the midst of the chaos in Ferguson, was left in the street for hours. stories of violent police cases went viral. “Forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden In recent news, on July 17th, a man named said Michael Brown was shot six times. Eric Garner was killed after being attacked Baden, who has performed over 20,000 by police on Staten Island for allegedly autopsies, found that Brown has been shot selling cigarettes illegally. The 43-year-old four times in the right arm and twice in the father of six put his hands in the air and head, once while his head appears to have pleaded for his life as the NYPD officers been leaning forward”. (ktar.com) put him into a choke hold. In the video Following Michael Brown’s death, the footage caught of the officers, Garner can town of Ferguson would not rest until they be heard shouting “I can't breathe!” and saw justice served. Peaceful protests and seconds later, the 350 pound man laid moriots alike filled the streets of Missouri as tionless. Garners death was ruled a homithey call for Wilson to be reprimanded for cide. When hearing of tragic deaths such as his actions. With a town in uproar, police Brown and Garner’s week by week, there officers gathered heavily armed teams, is one factor that the media brings to the using military-level machinery, to try to forefront: race. Although the ruling for the contain the situation. Blocking the roads, proceedings of Officer Daren Wilson has they even resorted to shooting tear gas and yet to be determined, in both cases the smoke canisters at protesters, pointing riaggression issued by the officers are comfles at citizens, dressing in full body armor, monly deemed unnecessary; thus, causing and using tanks—which all seemed to nethe reason for their harsh reactions to triv-
ial infractions to be viewed as an issue of right and wrong. “After hearing about all the deaths of African American teens nationwide, I feel like we are targeted and I don't feel safe”, stated junior Elijah Chong. In any case as controversial as this, there are always two sides to every story. Those who believe that Officer Wilson was in fact protecting his community have come together and rallied a support system of their own. From selling ‘Support Officer Wilson’ t-shirts, to rallies backing his actions, the support for Wilson has grown. Several groups of people have also created online pages and organizations in support of the Ferguson Police officer. However, according to the latimes.com, “After raising more than $400,000 two online donation pages appear to have been shut down by their organizers without explanation this weekend. On the crowd sourced fundraising site GoFundMe, "Support Officer Darren Wilson" and "Support Officer Wilson”, two separate pages with similar names, have raised $235,750 and $197,620”. It has been reported that the family members of the accused Officer who were “looking out for his best interest” instructed the donation sites to end. But rest assured, the money raised has went straight to Wilson. After the protest and proceedings in Ferguson, millions nationwide have only one question on their mind: ‘What happens next?’. While there seems to be no rush in the case, soon a grand jury will hear the eye witness testimonial accounts and decide whether they will proceed with an indictment. Also, the Justice Department has also opened a civil rights investigation on Brown's death. Michael Brown was laid to rest on August 18th, as thousands of mourning family members, celebrities, politicians and strangers alike attended his funeral. Even President Obama sent three White House aides to attend out of respect. Among the 4,500 people in attendance, his parents were seen seated next to the baseball cap topped casket, tears streaming, as they listened to the words of those who cared for their son. Reverend Al Sharpton, who was expected to speak, brought thousands to their feet as he “…called for a national movement to reform policing, noting incredulously that the country has money to spend on militarized police vehicles but not on more educating funding” (huffingtonpost.com). Although Michael Brown has been laid to rest, there is no doubt that his legacy will live on and have a lasting impact on millions worldwide.
Section Name
ot heard around the world
“M
ike Brown shouldn’t have been shot and killed. The police officer should at least be tried. I obviously want things to get better in this country, but I don’t think that creating such an uproar through riots is going to help. There should be compromise,” said senior Kassandra Keator.
“I
think we should hear both sides before doing anything,” said senior Joley Hart.
“T
he officer was in the wrong. He shouldn't have killed Mike Brown. I thought that was unacceptable and unnecessary,” said sophomore Mitchell Torres.
“I
don’t think that we’re getting the full story. I want to see how the story develops,” said junior Alexis Mesa.
"I
think that the police should be trained a different way, so that it doesn't happen as often as it does,” said senior Jennifer Benitez
“I
think the officer followed protocol. I don't think there should be any consequences,” said junior Amanda Arechavaleta.
“I
agree with sticking up for what they believe is right, but I believe that peaceful protesting is the better way,” said junior Breon Cooke.
“I
do not believe the officer should have consequences because I am sure he followed procedures and attempted to defend himself from the assailant and his last resort was his firearm”, said sophomore Nicole Mercadal.
“F
or me Mike Brown brings up old resentment and feelings towards the Trayvon Martin case. It's cliché for me to parallel the two cases but I think they are similar in many ways,” said sophomore Casey McNamee.
“I
feel like there’s a lot of injustice right now. It’s like we think we’re free, but not really,” said junior Sabrina Ferrero.
“I
t was a terrible thing that happened and it's good that people are speaking out. It's terrible because he was shot unarmed”, said sophomore Jasmine King.
“T
he cop was in the wrong and went beyond his pay grade. He did not have the authority to dictate someone's life especially when that someone was unarmed,” said sophomore Jessica Ibarra.
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News
Ferguson finds kindness Nicholas Rivera
A single bottle of water does wonders for a troubled community and in Ferguson, Missouri, citizens
Staff Writer
are raising hope in spite of the disorder. There is a lot of negativity surrounding the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson early this month, but in the midst of the fighting and riots, some citizens are diligently attempting to keep the peace in Ferguson with acts of kindness. Often times when situations get out of control, police use force to disperse crowds. Ferguson has been no different. Due to the increased violence after Brown’s death, Ferguson police began to use tear gas, flash grenades, and rubber bullets to break up the protests injuring dozens of people (npr.com). Fortunately, those affected were greeted by people who voluntarily began helping out. On twitter, people posted the efforts by showing pictures of them using milk to treat those who were affected by tear gas, and giving out free bottles of water. One woman, Jamelia White, walked a mile to Ferguson from St. Louis County just to give out water and milk according to CNN. With some roads blocked and people in the streets, it became a problem for some people to drive to stores to pick up food or other items. Some offered rides to those that could not access their car. Ferguson natives also protected a beauty store from being burglarized. Companies like Dominoes and ESPN pitched in by giving free items—pizza and Green Bay Packers tickets—to citizens. Volunteers cooked and gave out food, including 300 hot dogs, as well as children’s books, and even diapers. People even volunteered to clean up the streets after long nights of turmoil. One person began a Kickstarter to raise money for gas masks (washingtonpost.com). “I used to volunteer at a hospital, and it made me feel a lot better about myself. I felt like I was making a difference, so I can sympathize with the people in Ferguson. Families
there are struggling and even a little bit of help goes a long way,” says freshman Yazmin Ibargwin. Not all police officers are taking part in the violence either. According to the Washington Post, officers, such as Ron Johnson, attempted to keep the peace by giving citizens hugs and kisses and calming down protestors. “It goes to show that no matter how hard fate and circumstance try to depresses or hold down or throw an entire community into turmoil, there is always going to be that sliver of humanity that emerges. Just like it might take one tiny little thing to insight a riot, it can also take one small act of kindness to insight a revolution. We still have this in us. We are not all devoid of caring for others, Ferguson: The students at PPCHS pay our empathy is not gone, and we aren't their respects to the situation in Ferguson. Photo by: Jonathan Harris just in this technological world where all we care about is the computer. There is something in human nature that makes us want to reach out and connect and I don't think you can kill that,” says English teacher Ms. Drumm. While it seems as if our generation is becoming less and less concerned with others and more concerned with themselves, the inspiring events in Ferguson have proved that there is more to each person than meets the eye. Even with the tragic incident that occurred in Ferguson, people are staying positive by helping the town. From cleaning to giving out necessary items, Missouri citizens have showed that they still have a big heart. Even the smallest efforts have diminished the negativity. It doesn’t take much to make a difference, but it takes courage and heart.
ISIS causes trouble in Middle East Camilo Grijalva
T he Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS or ISIL) is a former branch of the wellknown terrorist group al-Qaeda and has recently been
Staff Writer
making national and world headlines for the recorded murder of American journalist James Foley. For many people, this is the first time hearing of this terrorist organization currently based in Iraq. According to BBC, ISIS formed as its own organization only about one year ago, in April of 2013, when it broke apart from its parent organization; al-Qaeda. Since then, the group has become one of the main Islamic fundamentalist groups combating government forces in Syria and Iraq. Other factors, such as the Syrian civil war and the weak government in Iraq, have allowed ISIS to develop into an independent terrorist organization. The group’s current leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and active members hold their opinion that the Muslims of the world should live under a single Islamic state and be ruled by a common body of Islamic law (bbc.com). Currently in Iraq, ISIS wants to create and expand an Islamic state managed by a supreme and political leader known as Caliph, the head Muslim civil and religious ruler who is regarded as the successor of Muhammad. According to CNN, the rising terrorist group is currently working on its plan to spread from its original location and take control of the area from Iraq all the way to Northern Syria. ISIS now has control of a land area about the same size of Britain, but with significantly less people populating the area (around 4 million compared to the roughly 64 million in Britain according to CNN). “ISIS seems to be one of the biggest terrorist groups in the world right now, if not the biggest. The progress that they are making in their region of the world is actually really frightening to me. They are spreading really quickly and will stop at nothing, not even to spare the lives of thousands of innocent civilians, to gain control of land. They have to be stopped soon or who knows how much power they can eventually have,” said sophomore Jordan Farenhem.
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The main reason the ISIS has been making world news is for the death of American James Foley. The New Hampshire-born journalist originally went missing in Syria in 2012. From then until the date of his death, a span of two years, it is said that Foley was a prisoner of ISIS. In a video that captured the horrific murder, the masked killer spoke in English, stating that the reason they murdered Foley was because of the military air strikes that President Barack Obama had ordered to be sent a dozen days prior to the killing. The Guardian reported that Foley went missing in Syria in November 2012, when he was sent to report on the strive to overthrow current president of Syria, Bashar al-Assad. Being held captive was not an unfamiliar territory for the former Stars and Stripes reporter. One year before his November capture, Foley was imprisoned while reporting on the rebellion against Muammar Gaddafi, the dictator of Libya, although on that occasion he was only kept for 6 weeks, according to The Guardian. Sophomore Jonathan Herbert said “It’s crazy to see what extent some terrorist groups like ISIS will go to in order to prove a point or send a message. An innocent man was murdered simply as a response to President Obama. The worst part is that he is not the only person that is being killed. Thousands of civilians are dying in the crisis going on in Syria and Iraq.” ISIS is becoming a world giant in the world Graphic by: Matthew Perez of terrorism and has certainly made their name in America. They are spreading their range of power at an intimidating rate and at the same time are becoming a powerhouse. The American military, along with the help of other countries, are now working towards a common goal; ending ISIS all together.
News Ceasefire in Gaza Strip starts a shift away from assaults Matthew Deno
While we were gone Melissa Pierce Student Life Editor
Prince George turns 1: B ack in June, rocket fire from militants in Gaza and Israeli air strikes on the territory increased after the abduction and killing of three July 22, 2013 was a momentous day for Israeli teenagers, which Israel blamed on Hamas and it led to a crackdown on the group in the West Bank. Tensions rose even more after the Royal family; however, one year later Staff Writer
the alleged revenge killing of a Palestinian teenager in Jerusalem on July 2nd, after which six Jewish suspects were arrested. On July 7th, Hamas claimed responsibility for firing rockets for the first time in 20 months, after a series of Israeli air strikes in which several members of its armed wing were killed. The ceasefire formula is similar to the one which ended a 2012 conflict between Israel and Hamas, but following a period of relative silence after that, cross-border fighting started up again. The next day, Israel launched Operation Protective Edge, which was said to be aimed at stopping rocket attacks and destroying Hamas' capabilities. Since then, there have been thousands of air strikes and thousands of rockets have been fired. Analysts at bbc.com point to the fact that Hamas has become increasingly isolated in Gaza after losing the support of its former reliable ally Syria as well as Iran, and seeing the Egyptian authorities crack down on smuggling tunnels following the overthrow of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. Attacking Israel, they say, may be a way for Hamas to try to boost its popularity and obtain concessions in any eventual long-term ceasefire. The past seven weeks have encountered some of the deadliest violence in years, with a scattered string of failed truces. Does the one mean that the fighting is actually over? According to bbc.com, both sides have agreed to an Egyptian-sponsored deal, which has been extremely difficult to arrive at. It is not the first ceasefire since Israel launched its offensive on July 8th, as there have been numerous that were shortlived. However, unlike earlier truces which were for intended to last for hours or days, the latest ceasefire is open-ended. After Graphic by: Matthew Perez 50 days of fighting, there is more motivation, and complete exhaustion, to find a way bring an end to the conflict than at any time before. “The non-stop fighting has been going on for so long and the people on both sides have had to endure so much. It is great that they have decided to end it, but it should have happened much sooner,” says freshman Kevin Aviles. The ceasefire deal appears to combine elements of proposals that have been under discussion for weeks. There were however differences in initial statements from both sides. According to officials from the Palestinian factions, restrictions on Gaza's crossings with Israel would be eased and humanitarian supplies and desperately-needed materials for reconstruction allowed in. Fishing limits will also be extended, they said. Discussions about other issues, like Hamas' demand for an airport and a sea terminal, will be put off for a month, they added. A senior Israeli official told the BBC that while Israel accepted the Egyptian ceasefire proposal, it did not include the issue of a seaport, airport or the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The official said the two sides would discuss their demands through Egypt within a month. “Whatever it takes for both sides to come to a long term agreement must be done. The amount of damage that has happened is far too much for any country to handle.” says sophomore Mincheska Felipe.
Charter classes challenged by curriculum changes Looghermine Claude
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Lifestyle Editor
t’s been said time and time again that ‘Change is the only constant’, but before now sameness has been relatively constant in PPCHS. Unlike the usual fixed form of the school, this year students are going to face a lot of new changes in the classroom. Not only has the school added to the classroom curriculum, the state has created and changed some tests for the new school year. Students from 9th to 11th grade have been the ones most affected by the changes and are already preparing for what’s to come. For the first time, AP World History and AP U.S. History students will have to create a History Fair project. Just like their regular and honors counterparts and the AICE International History students, the AP World and AP U.S students will have to make a project due in December based on the theme: Leadership and Legacy in History. The students will be able to work alone or in a group to create a website, exhibit, documentary or a paper on the theme using whatever subject or topic they want. The best projects from the school will have the chance to compete in the county fair. “Having to balance the work of AP U.S. History with that of the History Fair is going to be a challenge,” says junior Ileana Perez. “AP classes go at such a fast pace because you have to cover all the material for the test. Doing that as well as working on such a large, time-consuming project will be demanding to students.” Also new in the classrooms is the introduction of an End-Of-Course (EOC) Assessment for Algebra II. There are already EOCs for Algebra I, Geometry, Biology, and U.S. History in place, but the Algebra II is being piloted this year. The exam will be administered to students between April 20 and May 15 and will use the computer to test students with different questions. Equation responses allow students to input an expression or value, graphic responses require students to graph or plot key features and multi-select responses have students choosing factors from a list (fsassessments.org). The test is designed to be more interactive than before as well as reach the Common Core Standards and Mathematics Florida Standards (MAFS). Changes coming to state standardized testing are the Florida Standards Assessment English Language Arts (FSA ELA) and the Florida Standards Assessment English Language Arts - Writing Component (FSA ELA-WRITE). These two exams will be administered for grades 9-11 on the computer. The ELA will be administered in Broward between April 13 and May 8, and the ELA-WRITES between March 2 and March 13. The exams are like the FCAT in structure, but include a few changes to test different concepts. The ELA exam has interactive portions with questions asking you to highlight the correct response or fill in a Venn Diagram with the information given as well as the usual multiple-choice. There will also be short responses in the exam where students have to go back to the passages they read and find support for their answers. Unlike the FCAT Writing exam, where students had to write based on a prompt given to them, the ELA-WRITES will give students a passage and have them respond to a question about what they read. “I feel our teachers are prepared to work with the Florida Standards and I think that they are preparing students well for the assessments that are coming. It’s a new year so everyone is anxious and nervous. It’s a new assessment. Even though we’ve been working towards it, we’ve never really been assessed on it so we don’t know how we would perform, but I think overall we are ahead of the game and we’re going to make it through,” says Curriculum Specialist Ms. Yanez. As the school and the state finds ways to improve the school system, changes will be initiated in classrooms. Though it might be hard and tedious to do more work and take more tests, students should know that all the new curriculum changes in the school are for their benefit and will help them succeed later on in life. These changes should be embraced, as they offer students a way to not only challenge themselves, but also to prove themselves as hardworking and determined learners.
would bring even more attention to the family. Prince George celebrated his first birthday this summer at his Kensington Palace home with his parents, grandparents, and other immediate family members. Although shiny gifts were present, the bash was a surprisingly small but sweet celebration.
Potato salad Kickstarter: O ne may need help saving up for a car or a new home, but Zack Danger Brown
needed to raise a total of $10 to make potato salad. Using the Kickstarter website, he was able to raise a total of $55, 492 and counting towards his goal. Junior Arria Hauldin says, “Some people probably started out wanting to help him because they didn’t know if he was hungry or what, while others just thought that it was a joke and played along. It is funny, but really sad because now the site can’t be taken seriously.”
Malaysia plane crash in Ukraine: O n July 17th, Malaysia flight MH17 lost contact with the airline four hours
into their journey to Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The crash site was later discovered on pro- Russian territory with many bodies scattered about. A conclusion was drawn that Russian forces helped the Ukrainians fire a missile in order to take down the flight.
World Cup: R io de Janiero, Brazil was a tourist attraction on steroids as of Thursday, June
12th as it marked the beginning of the 2014 World Cup. Reds, whites, blues, yellows, and greens filled the streets of Rio as every patriotic face cheered on their home team. However, only one team can leave victorious, and this year was Germany’s turn. Senior Jahcobi Simon says, “From the start of the games, I wanted the U.S. to win since that is where I am from. My next favorite team was Germany however, so I wasn’t too disappointed. I watched all of the games and saw how well they did throughout the World Cup; they deserved it.”
Pope Francis takes Korea: P ope Francis took a five day trip to Seoul, South Korea over this summer break. He
has politically avoided the touchy subject of North Korea, but sent out his prayers for the North and South to reconcile. The Pope made his usual rounds, touching as many hearts and hands as he could after the Catholic Masses he held throughout the nation.
Gay Marriage abroad: T he Supreme Court paved the way for same-sex marriage in California this June
with a vote of 5 to 4. As well as this, the European countries of France and Britain joined them in legalizing same-sex marriage. Senior Chase Sumner says, “It is good to hear that gay marriage is being legalized in our home country and abroad. People probably saw that every person deserves equality and finally took action.”
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Charter needs SSR Melissa Pierce Student Life Editor
ith a new bell and lunch schedule, Pembroke Pines Charter High School has truly adjusted to the beginning of the new 2014-2015 school year. Keeping in mind that there is a new middle school on campus, there was bound to be nips and tucks for the high school students in order to accommodate the added grades. This includes the termination of Silent Sustained Reading (SSR) at the beginning of third period; a break period in the day in which every student could read a book or article of some sort. This “sigh of relief” part of the day was replaced however, by a study hall extension to the beginning of second period. But why should our time to read and relax be even earlier than before? Third period was the perfect time to have SSR; it was the middle of the day and everyone was in much need of a time to stop their school work and read a book. As of right now though, students have first period, study hall, and then the remaining five periods of their day. There is no balance considering that study hall is quite simply placed too early in the school day. More importantly than when SSR took place, is what SSR was. In elementary and middle school, it was required to have independent reading books that you were tested on through either Reading Counts or Accelerated Reading. These books could be anything from a murder mystery to a sappy love story; it was up to the reader to decide what they were interested in. High school brought independence and a larger work load. It was no longer a requirement to read for points and some individuals don’t have time to read a book of their choice outside of school. SSR was the only time to do this. I was never big on reading outside of school, but when I picked a mystery book for SSR in my freshman year, I really enjoyed it and wanted to read another one like it. Students who are driven by literature and care about exploring all genres now have less time to read a book that isn’t chosen for them; a book that they don’t have to write an essay on or read a certain amount of pages of each day. Silent Sustained Reading was just as it seemed-- silent (or very close to it). Study Hall is intended for students to study for tests and do other work for any of their six classes. So, instead of reading a book or any other type of text, the students have time to do their work. Basically, we get work in periods one through six during the school day and then work from those six periods to do at home. This leaves us doing work all day and all evening. SSR was the monkey in the middle between our busy schedules. Throw in a sport, a club, or a volunteering event and then having a break is practically unheard of. A school is constituted of not only students, but also teachers; so what about them? Many teachers at PPCHS used SSR as a time to read as well. Believe it or not, they have just as little time as students do to read a book for leisure at home. If not a book, a teacher could use this time to catch up on grading papers or dedicate this time to staying up to date with all of the latest news around the world. They valued the time they had when their students were quietly reading what they wanted to. Silent Sustained Reading was more than a time to read a book. It was about the freedom to read what you wanted to at your own pace. There would be no test following the book and nobody was forcing you to take notes either. SSR was placed at the perfect time of day; the school day was halfway over and students had a break in the middle of the day. There was no academic work involved; it was solely for you to read what you were interested in. It was a guaranteed period of time every day where you didn’t have to do work, volunteer, a sport, or anything that required you to think beyond what you desired. All you had to do was sit back and read. Even teachers looked forward to SSR: they can read the news, read a book of their choice, or grade papers. Teaching six periods of similar subject material every day can make a person yearn to read a book. However, with all these new additions to our school, it is mutual to have to deal with changes here and there. Silent Sustained Reading is definitely not study hall and vice versa. Charter needed SSR.
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In with the new: Homeroom
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Looghermine Claude News Editor
ilent Sustained Reading (SSR). If you ask the students of PPCHS, it’s the title of a horror movie. For 30 minutes every single day student have to sit. And be quiet. And read. It’s almost too much to bear. It’s not like I was the biggest supporter of SSR. I had my gripes and complaints about that half-hour as well. But this year, Charter has changed and one of the many new additions is homeroom. Instead of sitting around staring at a book for 30 minutes, students are able to try out new clubs and study and do homework, which to me sounds a whole lot better. In reality, I didn’t read during SSR. It’s not that I don’t like reading, but I was never focused nor willing. To me, reading should be leisurely and SSR was anything but leisurely. It seemed like for 30 minutes the school went on complete lockdown and stared down your neck trying to force you to flip a few pages in a book only to be lifted when the morning announcements came on. I felt pressured to read during SSR, and at times became more focused on trying to read than actually reading. SSR could’ve given you the chance to read school-assigned books, but there wasn’t enough time. School books aren’t for casual reading. They’re for deep analysis and understanding of the books content page by page. By the time you even began to recognize that there were any examples of themes, tone, or mood in what you just read, SSR was over and you’d only gotten through a page. Sitting in odd chairs in a cold, quiet classroom, wasn’t the reading space for me or many other students. It seems that only in Charter folklore you hear about a napping club. Compared to other schools, there are only a few clubs here in the school. It might be because we don’t have enough interest, or there is already a class for that, or there isn’t enough time for it. With homeroom, we can cross out one of those problems off the list. Students will be able to sign up for clubs and during Study Hall and get a little break from school to have fun with others. a. You can ask anybody who knows me, I am not a morning person. After dragging myself out of bed at 5:15 in the morning and sleepwalking my way to school, things get lost. Papers aren’t stapled, projects lose their glue, and pencils run out of lead. By giving me time in the morning to regroup and wake up, homeroom lets me get everything together for the day ahead. My papers could be in order, my projects at perfection, and my supplies ready for the upcoming day. Sometimes lack of preparedness from a student doesn’t stem from the fact that they’re lazy, but from waking up at some of the weirdest times in the morning. By giving us the chance to take a few moments to get the thoughts in our brains in order, homeroom will make for better—and happier—students and teachers. Homeroom is great because it gives me the chance to study, of course. It’s not so much taboo as it is a sad reality: teenagers procrastinate and study last minute. Midnight. 1 am. 2 am. 3 am. The night before big test days, students cram as much material as they can into their brain hoping that it will improve their results. Homeroom, unlike SSR, allows students to shave some of that time off. If you have a quiz in 1st period and then a test in 3rd period, instead of stuffing all of that into you head at once, you can focus on reviewing for 1st and during homeroom do some last minute cramming for the test in 3rd. It relieves just a little bit of stress from a student’s life and I think that all kids need that right about now. Homeroom is just more practical. Instead of a prison like routine of being forced to shove your head into a novel for a half-hour, homeroom creates a world of possibilities. Better prepared students leads to happier times for both teachers and parents, club openings leads to a chance to explore your own passions, and more studying time...well that one’s a no brainer. SSR was an antiquated, old method that over time lost the value that it was given at the time of its induction. Homeroom is a progressive and positive method that has the potential to give Charter and its students a minor facelift.