Paw Print Volume 1 Issue 4

cscpawprint.com

@cscpawprint May 2016

3205 North University Drive, Coral Springs Drive, FL 33065

Volume 1, Issue 4

Jablonski wins Silver Knight award, Faiella wins honorable mention

By Kim Naughton, news editor

For the first time in three years, a Charter student brought home a Silver Knight award and another student received an Honorable Mention. On May 18th, our fifteen nominees attended the 57th annual Silver Knight Awards ceremony at the James L. Knight Center in Miami along with hundreds of other high school seniors from across Broward and Miami Dade counties.

Ashley Jablonski received a Silver Knight for Journalism and Courtney Faiella received an honorable mention in Digital and Interactive Media.

In preschool, Jablonski befriended a boy named Nicky who had autism. Their friendship sparked a love for special needs kids in Jablonski. At age 10, she started a special needs cheer team with her mom.

As a cheerleader of 12 years, Jablonski knows how expensive being on a team is, and she made it her goal to never make the kids on her team have Courtney Faiella won to pay for uniforms, honorable mention in Digital competition fees, or and Interactive Media. travel fees. To (Photo courtesy: C. Faiella) accomplish this, her and her mom have hosted an annual golf tournament for the past six years and have raised over $30,000. Jablonski’s team was the one of the first teams to ever compete at the 2015 Special Olympics Florida in the Fall Classic when they added cheerleading as a sport this past year. They are also the only team to have ever competed at the Contest of Champions at ESPN Wide World of Sports in Walt Disney World.

For any student, winning a Silver Knight is an honor, but for Jablonski it holds an even more special meaning. In 1988, Jablonski’s uncle, Scott Kaplan, won a Silver Knight in Athletics. Between always seeing the award displayed in her grandparents’ house and being encouraged by one of her teachers, Jablonski had set her sights on becoming a Silver Knight

Enclosed:

Gradbash 2016 Pg. 3

Panther athletics Pg. 5

and got it.”

Jablonski is the Editor-in-Chief of Charter’s student newspaper, Paw Print. She is going on to study Mass Communications at the University of South Florida this fall.

Courtney Faiella co-founded the first feminist club at Charter last school year, F.I.R.E. (Fighting for Independence, Rights, and Equality). “The goal of the club was to build self-love and promote tolerance and equality amongst students that could then be spread through their family and friends,” said Faiella.

She also created a website with self-help tips, funny videos, and distraction games to help people overcome problems that they’re facing.

Faiella will be attending Florida State University to major in Digital Media Production with hopes of getting into their film school.

Jablonski was awarded a $2,000 scholarship, a Silver Knight statue, and an American Airlines medallion. Faiella took home a $500 scholarship and an engraved plaque.

Ashley Jablonski poses with Vice Principal Jodi Robins at Senior Award Night where she was recognized for her accomplishments in front of her classmates.

(Photo credit: M. Jablonski)

ever since middle school. “When I walked into my interview, I, of course, cried and got emotional...because I was...in the same position that he was,” said Jablonski. “I just think it was really important to me that I carried on the tradition.” Jablonski’s uncle now lives in California and works as a radio show host. She had hoped that he would come down for the award ceremony, but she understood that it was unlikely. The day before the ceremony, he showed up at the Jablonskis’ house to surprise his niece. “All I wanted was for him to be there and he was. He got to see me win the same award he won 28 years ago,” said Jablonski.

When asked about how he felt when Jablonski was announced the winner, Kaplan had this to say to his niece: “I was off the charts proud, not because I won, but because you set your mind to achieve something. It was totally out of your control and you were facing the best of the best, so when you won, I was proud of your achievement, your determination! You knew what you wanted and you went

Juniors v. Seniors Pgs. 6-7

Weezer review pg. 9

Freshman 15 Pg. 11

Bales bad advice Pg.12

May 2016

News

Grad Bash: seniors’ last ride

By Samantha Rowan, copy editor

The class of 2016 embarked on their final class field trip on April 29th.

The majority of the class participated in going to Universal Studios in Orlando for Grad Bash, an annual event for Florida high school seniors. In the past, the tradition at Charter was for seniors to go to Grad Night, which was at Disney World. But in recent years the tradition has changed, and Charter’ s senior classes get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to enjoy the Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure parks after hours.

Participating high schools around Florida can have their senior classes participate as well, making the park full of soon-to-be high school graduates.

There are multiple rides and entertainment options for the students to enjoy, including a special performance by a current popular artist. This year’ s performer was Jason Derulo. “It was a fun experience that I had been waiting for all year,” said Rebecca Modica.Some seniors enjoyed their time at Grad Bash, while others did not.

33 seniors participated in a Twitter poll on how they would rate their experience at Grad Bash. The majority of the students polled said that Grad Bash was ‘ Not worth the money’ (37%). Only 21% agreed that it was the ‘ Best night of my life!!’ “I had a blast spending time with my friends.

I just wish that it [Universal] offered more weekends, that way there won’ t be so many schools in one night and lines won’ t be as long,” said Nicole Ferara. Just like any theme park, the lines were long. But at Grad Bash, it’ s even worse because the lines are long and filled with high school seniors.

“It was wild,” Derek Zepeda said.

“People became animals.”“If you’ re okay with waiting in line for an hour, then I recommend going,” Ashley-Paige Garcia said.

The park employees allowed students into different sections at the park in increments as a way to make sure that the park was empty before the seniors arrived.

This caused the few rides that were

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open in each section to be crowded by students. Students were eager to get inside the park and crowded the entrance gates.

Once the gates were opened, there was a mad dash for the ride that was the closest: The Mummy. Unfortunately, some students fell victim to the stampede of seniors, including our very own Derek Zepeda.

When asked about his tumble, he said, “10/10, would get trampled again.”Despite the rough entrance into the park, Zepeda, along with several other Charter seniors, were the first group to ride The Mummy, which was the only ride open at the time. Being the first people to ride something at Grad Bash gave the students something to be proud of.“Although we had to step on a lot of people to get there, we were first. That’ s pretty darn cool considering the amount of people trying to shove us down,” said Shelby Singleton.

Teen voices matter: getting answers at Teen Political Forum

By Danielle Gamboa, staff writer On April 11th, the City of Coral Springs held their annual Teen Political Forum at the Center for the Arts. Teen Political Forum is an event where high school students from all throughout Coral Springs come and voice their concerns and opinions about things that are happening in their community or at their schools. “As a teen that feels that local youth should be involved in politics, it’s great to see local students attend the event and have their voices heard,” said junior Rory Renzy. Many students had their chance to speak up and it gave students an opportunity to voice their opinions.

“Our teenagers can finally be heard and later down the line it can have an everlasting impact,” said senior Alan (AJ) Miller.

Officials were able to listen to the concerns

(Photo credit: A. Miller)

that high school students have. Students also had the opportunity to get to know their officials and learn new things. “Teen Political Forum allows the incoming generation to learn more about the political system and how it works,” said sophomore James Cannon.

As elected officials answered questions, some students were not pleased with the way the officials answered the questions.

“I feel the elected officials handled the questions properly, but beat around the bush sometimes,” said sophomore Stefano Galeb.

Teen Political Forum is not only a learning experience, but also brings awareness to high schoolers about the importance of getting involved in our community to make

Coral Springs a better place. “Teen Political Forum got high school students more involved and opened their eyes to what is going on in our community,” said freshman Ava Fittery.

At the forum, students chanted their school name and music was being played. “My favorite part at Teen Political Forum was towards the beginning when the Charter Panther logo came up on the screen and every single kid from Charter got up from their seats and…was cheering. It showed that our school has a lot of spirit,” said junior Karen Reynaga.

“Every county should have events like this so they could hear what students want and not just what the school boards want,” said junior Mikaeel Rampartap.

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News

May 2016

A bearhind the scenes look at Detective Bearington

By Alex Bale, staff writer

Detective Bearington: and the Murder of the Beayor, the comedic, murder mystery musical about a bear, performed on April 6th was beary entertaining! Bear puns aside, Bearington was written by seniors Joshua Soria, Jacob Iezzi, and Aleks Jasieniecka, and it was originally an assignment for drama class. The show was put together in a month, with only 6 classes to rehearse.

“It centers around Detective Bearington embarking on the case of his career, while his rival Hank tries to sabotage him and figure out the mystery first,” Soria said. “I kind of just wrote down Detective Bearington as a joke…we were really dead set on doing Bearington, and we ended up writing a script for it.”

The show had a grizzly amount of music, complete with catchy original lyrics.

The show featured songs like One Fierce Bear, Unbearable, Suggins (Ain’t Done Nuthin’), A Grizzly Fate/Polar Opposites, and many more. All the songs were written and composed specifically for the play by Soria.

“It’s been about a month, a lot of sleepless nights trying to perfect this audio,” Soria said when asked about making the music.

“At first it was just me and Jacob, and then Aleks came on later and just added some puns and helped with some story constructs,” Soria said.

Bearington was performed in the cafeteria with a full house.

“I was unbelievably surprised. I thought it would be maybe fifty people and I think more than a hundred people showed up to watch this ridiculous script…I couldn’t be happier!” Iezzi said.

All the money raised from the dinner went to the drama department for future plays and shows.

The Murder Mystery dinner is an annual event at Charter, so if you missed it you have a chance to see a new show next year.

(Poster credit: D. Zepeda)

Ethan Lopez-Nowak as Doug Suggins and the Suggins, after performing Bearington in the cafeteria (Photo credit: G. Rodriguez)

Joshua Soria as Bearington sitting with his on again off again girlfriend Honey Suckles, played by Madison Iosia.

(Photo credit: J. Webb)

The cast of Bearington, performing an encore in the Auditorium. (Photo credit: J. Webb)

Jacob Iezzi as Hank, singing his solo in the Auditorium (Photo credit: J. Webb)

Joshua Soria as Bearington in the cafeteria (Photo credit: G. Rodriguez)

May 2016

Sports

Charter athletics go above and beyond

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By Justin Aurora, sports editor

At CSC you can do that, as it is a middle and high school. It can be a seven-yearlong stretch with your friends, teammates, coaches and faculty.

“Being with your teammates for so long gives you time to become a wellrounded player, and develop your skills as a team,” said junior Varsity Football and Varsity Lacrosse player Patrick Heekin.

Recently, CSC has seen a great squad of softball players and together they have become the first team at Charter to win back-to-back states championships.

“You can recruit the best players of the game/sport, but it all depends on the amount of effort during practice and games. If you have players that have the mind-set of ‘we’re not going to have problems with this team,’ it will show in the game and they won’t go into the game with all of their heart. They will joke around

and ultimately lose,” said senior Varsity Softball player Kayla Scaperrotta.

“For us to compete with the schools that “recruit” or get kids in some way or another, is really that fact that we are a sixth through twelfth grade school because we can get the talent when it’s young,” said Principal Gary Springer. “Every year is different; it can either be a great year or a not-so-great year. I have very high hopes and can say that our consistency through the years has impressed not only us, but other schools as well.”

Not only do the players have to practice day-in and day-out to overcome the odds, but it is also very important to have a supporting crowd to cheer them on and the Charter Crazies have supported the teams throughout the year.

“When we have the Charter Crazies and a large crowd to help boost the players

Thomas Prisco

Olivia Mora

Matias Gasc

By Lucas Minguillo, staff writer

By Jonathan Deleon, staff writer

By Claudia Perner, staff writer

Thomas Prisco at Sawgrass lanes (Photo credit: J. Aurora)

Olivia Mora on the right holding a 2nd place trophy for cheer leading. (Photo credit: C. Trolz)

Matias Gasc on the football field (Photo credit: A. Gasc)

Thomas Prisco joined the bowling team in 6th grade after watching his father bowl while growing up and being inspired to take up the sport.

“When I saw my dad celebrate when he would do well when he bowled made me want t start bowling, and when I heard that there was a school bowling team, I knew I had to make it,” Prisco said.

His bowling team coach, Mr. Martin, has supported him throughout his years on the bowling team. “He is very strong, so he is able to get a lot of strikes. He is good at motivating the team, never complains about playtime, and he also has a lot of patience.

He is a good player, and I’m going to miss him when he leaves,” Coach Martin said.

After graduating, Thomas plans on serving our country by joining the Coast Guard. He has expressed interest in possibly joining a bowling league while he is in the Coast Guard to continue his bowling career.

Olivia Janai Mora has been cheering since she was four years old. She joined Charter’s cheer team her junior year of high school. She has since become the captain of the cheerleading team and led the team to states.

“Being a part of the team… for the past two years has had the biggest impact on me because it brought me out of my shell and made me more a part of school.

Once I became captain, it made me look at the team in a different way and taught me leadership and responsibility,” Mora said.

Olivia’s favorite experience during her high school career was the bonding experience of going to states with her cheerleading team.

Olivia’s plans for after high school are to get a job and start summer classes at Palm Beach Atlantic Community College before attending Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in January. Olivia is not sure what she wishes to pursue as her career after college but she has considered movie production and forensic science.

Matias Gasc has been punting for the Charter Varsity football team for three years, but has been interested in punting since he 10 years old. He has been playing with the Charter football team since ninth grade, “I’m going to miss all my teammates… We’ve been through a lot together,” Gasc said.

His favorite memory from football is “winning the championship” and a “68 yard punt” he kicked during the game. He is ranked 767 nationally, and 63 in Florida.

Gasc will continue to play football for Stetson College because “they showed [Gasc] a lot of love and… the best chance to play the most.” He plans on majoring in sports management with a minor in business law.

After college, Gasc has said that he hopes to make it to the National Football League (NFL).

This year has been a very good year for CSC athletics, with over five teams placing or winning championships. Charter started the year off strong with an overwhelming win against Calvary Christian Academy for the Southeastern Football Conference. This presumably created a feeling of pride, and generated a goal for the other sports to strive for.

Girls Varsity Bowling went to districts and won while Girls Competition Cheerleading made it to states and placed second.

“We have a winning mentality and practice harder than every team we play,” said senior Varsity Football and Varsity Lacrosse player Tony Rawda.

Most, if not all, teams have an undeniable chemistry about them, that seems almost as if they are reading each other’s minds.

To do this you need to spend time with your teammates and become a single unit.

Player profiles

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News

May 2016

Panthers walk to save lives

By Jacqueline Careccia, staff writer

Students and families from all over Coral Springs took part in Relay for Life on April 9th. Located at Coral Springs High School, the American Cancer Society Relay for Life movement is the largest fundraiser events to end cancer. It brings together citizens all around the city to support people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and take an action to fight against cancer.

In Coral Springs alone, $54,565 dollars was raised over the course of only a few weeks. “I really like Relay for Life because it was a great opportunity to raise money and awareness for cancer. Being able to go out and take laps around the track with people who walk for the cause made me feel happy because it shows so much support and care,” said junior Justin Rappaport. Participants raised money before the event through donors who gave flat rate

donations and sponsors who volunteered to donate a set amount of money for each lap walked. At the field, different tents were set up from a handful of organizations and clubs to fundraise. Some offered games, some sold products or food and some offered services like face painting.

Each hour hosted a different themed walk to keep the participants entertained.

These themed laps included a box car race where participants made a wearable car out of cardboard, a mummy race, Miss Relay where boys dressed as girls, a purple lap to represent cancer awareness, and a lap for all the cancer survivors.

“Relay for Life was an all-around amazing and heart-warming experience. Being my first year attending, I was not very sure of what to expect, but the coming together of different clubs and organizations make the event worthwhile. My favorite part

would have to be the final lap that we, as a community, walked together around the lantern-lit track,” said junior Marianne Ghantous.

(Photo credits: K. Pekala)

Wish-a-thon raises funds to grant wish for child in need

By Danielle Gamboa, staff writer

Charter’s first annual “Wish-A-Thon” was hosted on May 13th and was held in the gym and the cafeteria. Wish-A-Thon offered free food, service hours, dancing lessons, and more. Wish-A-Thon was held to raise money for the Make-A-Wish foundation.

The Make-A-Wish foundation is a non–profit organization that grants wishes to children with life–threatening illnesses. “Make-AWish gives children the chance to have their dreams fulfilled,” said junior Kevin Jimenez.

At Wish-A-Thon, students participated in a variety of activities and competitions to help raise money. “My favorite part about Wish-A-Thon was learning the dances,” said freshman Marti Horn.

Students interacted with each other throughout the night and got to know each other while “dancing” for a good cause. “I liked being put into groups with people I didn’t know that well so that way I made more friends and working together with them was really fun,” said junior Marianna Ghantous.

Thanks to the organizers of Wish-AThon and students who attended, $4,937 was raised for a child to make a wish.

“Wish-A-Thon can help a lot of kids and help us realize how important life is and how we should spend it with each other,” said junior Jonathon Gil.

All profits went to the Make-A-Wish foundation and every penny counted. One

wish can impact the child’s life positively by granting them their one wish they always hoped for and dreamed about. “It’s great to be able to be a part of something big and knowing I can do something to make a change in a child’s life was really heart warming,” said Jimenez.

s. Senior ectives

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By Kyle Santiago, staff writer

As the 2015-2016 school year comes to a close, many seniors start to reflect on senior year and think about what they remember and what they will miss the most. Some start to think about the future and what this will mean to them. Meanwhile, some have their colleges already mapped out while others are still working on improving their grades and test scores in order to gain acceptance into their dream school.

This year, our seniors have become a part of Charter history by being a class that devised a neverattempted senior prank, a senior class whose prom that was held at a club venue, and even a class who chose for their color in spirit week to be black, these all being things that have never been chosen by a Charter senior class in previous years. This year was the final year for senior students to leave their mark at Charter and to try and finish their final year of high school with a bang.

Senior year is usually one that will stay with seniors for years to come. From the memorable senior prank that included an inflatable obstacle course filling Charter’s entire main hallway where seniors and Charter faculty alike were taking part in, to the “Great Gatsby”-themed senior prom held at The Venue in Fort Lauderdale, this year at Charter is going to be hard to forget for seniors and even teachers.

When asked what made this senior class stand out from previous senior classes at Charter, Senior Class Treasurer Susanne Bazos said, “I would definitely say the pranks because those were some that have never been here [at Charter]. A lot of teachers that have been here for years say those are the best ones they have ever

seen.”

Senior year is constantly in perpetual motion being filled with activities and trips such as the Renaissance Festival, Grad Bash, and Prom. These activities, as expensive as they could get, served as memorable farewells to the senior class of 2016. These events served as rewards for all of the hard work and stress that seniors put into the previous three years of high school. Probably one of the most enjoyable aspects of all this year’s senior class events was the idea that this was all done as organized events for everyone in the senior class to participate in together, acting as a last hoorah in their final year of high school.

Senior Nathaniel Srour said his favorite part of senior year was, “All of the memories of the senior trips and being with my friends for it.”

For many seniors, this year was not only filled with going to these fun events, but also participating in clubs and other extracurricular activities.

From all the seniors in drama who directed their own student musical, to Cambridge seniors studying late nights in order to pass their final classes and exams, to Charter senior football athletes competing at the top of their game to win the conference title, this was the year to finish strong.

Out of all the years in high school, senior year is supposed to open your eyes to this “real life” thing and expose you to some realistic scenarios.

As graduation draws nearer, some seniors become more aware that they are moving on to the next stage of the real world. This means that, for what seems like the first time to some, they will be responsible for their own actions. Our teachers have been preparing us for graduation since day one, even though it may have seemed like

they were just there to give us tests, detentions, and study material that we were probably never going to use in real life anyway.

Middle School Dean and Senior Class Advisor Bruce Liebowitz, reflected on this year’s graduating class saying, “It’s nice to see the ones that thought when they were in middle school I was after them, because they were always in here [his office], realize whatever I did was for their benefit.

Most of this year’s senior class has been together since they first walked through the doors to the sixth grade wing and have been friends ever since, some even before that. Some are moving on to college together while others are setting their own path independently. Whatever the case may be, this was the year where students who have been together for years will say their goodbyes and end this four year chapter of their lives and try to move ‘on to bigger things.’

Junior vs Perspe

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By Brad Caldwell, staff writer

While seniors engage in endless activities and events, juniors anxiously wait in line for their chance to hop aboard one of the most exhilarating rides of their lives. A year that only comes around once with extraordinary memories to be made: Senior Year.

As the year is reaching its end, the class of 2017 needs to buckle their seatbelt because their senior year is only a matter of months away. When asked about senior year expectations, junior Alessandro Reyes said, “I expect us to take first place in spirit week.

And prom better live up to its hype.”

Events that take place at the end of senior year include, but are not limited to: Prom, Grad Bash, and graduation, all of which are events that

seniors relish. All of these events serve as a “farewell” to seniors, and cannot be missed.

When asked which event he is looking most forward to, senior Jibin Dani said, “I’m most excited for graduation. After spending seven years at this school, it’s going to feel great to be recognized for all of my hard work.”

The annual Cambridge trip is another event that students will be attending in 2017. The destination this year is Italy, and students will be visiting some of the most well-known places around Italy including: the ruins of Pompeii, Venice, and the Roman Colosseum.

“We are going to have a blast in Italy,” said junior Daniela Galvez.

“And we’re going to meet the Pope.”

”When the year begins, everyone is thrilled to finally be a senior,” said Senior Class President Adrienne McChrystal. “Then there’s a lengthy period between the first and fourth quarter, only to be bombarded by events and activities at the end of the year.”

Although the juniors may have yet to realize it, their time in high school is close to ending. Senior year is approaching, and it’s finally going to be their time to rule the hallways.

What was your favorite part of junior year, and what are you looking forward to in senior year?

“My favorite part of junior year was having Ms. G as a teacher, and I’m looking forward to not having Ms. G as a teacher in senior year.“ said Jodi Medina.

“I’m looking forward to graduating, and my favorite part of Junior year was definitly being outshunned by the seniors.“ said Julian Glasthal.

“My favorite part of junior year was journalism states, it was amazing, and what I’m looking forward to is killing in states next year for cross country.“ said Austen Shook.

May 2016

Opinion

Whispers of the Old Gods review

By Geno Fittery, staff writer

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft has finally released the much-anticipated Whispers of the Old Gods expansion. This expansion released 134 new cards including the four Old Gods who will be named later. Hearthstone is a rather simple game with 9 classes each with a different power.

All of the classes and most of the cards are straight from the World of Warcraft (WoW) universe; however, playing WoW is not necessary to understand and enjoy the game.

The expansion has brought new standards on how the Ranked Play Mode is played. They introduced the “Standard” formatted, which limits players to use only the most recent cards. This has excluded the “Goblins vs Gnomes” expansion, thus leaving only the last two years of cards allowed. The standard format has brought a new and much more slower meta= (the current competitive style that people are taking) that mainly revolves around the Old God C’Thun and his related cards. The opposite of the standard format is the “Wild” format, which allows any cards to be used.

This is a safe haven for people who can’t stand to lose their borderline overpowered cards that have been in the game for too long.

As for the actual cards, they revolve around the four “Old Gods,” C’Thun, Y’Shaarj, N’Zoth, and Yogg-Saron. The Old Gods have been some of the most powerful cards added to the game. The Old Gods all have their own unique ability. However, the

expansion revolves around C’Thun as most of the new cards gain him attack and one card can even bring him back to the game after he has died. As a nice gesture from Blizzard, C’Thun is given to all players for free, which helps newer players avoid the high cost of Legendary minions and also lets new players to try these new decks without having to spend too much time trying to figure out how it all works.

When it comes to the individual cards, this expansion lacks a little bit on the creative side. The new cards in the game usually feature a reversed version of the older cards. For example, an old GvG card called “Antique Healbot” has been reversed in this expansion becoming a “Corrupted Healbot” which had its ability swapped from its old card. I believe this is the main downfall of the expansion.

They added new cards, which are really just swaps of the old ones. I think this is not very creative and somewhat lazy of the development staff.

Overall, this expansion brings very fun, but somewhat cheesy, new mechanics to the meta. However, the new more unique cards should not be overlooked as it does detract from the traditional style of play people are used to. I give this expansion four out of five. The darker themes bring a new more lore-focused style to Hearthstone while bringing fresh new mechanics to the game.

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N’Zoth The Corruptor resummons all deathrattle minions that died that game. The center of many new high-ranking Hearthstone decks.

C’Thun deals his attack damage to all enimies randomly. The most popular Old God card as of yet.

Yogg-Saron Hope’s End casts a random spell for each other YoggSaron card played that game. So far, this seems to be the fan favorite.

Y’Shaarj Rage Unbound puts a random minion from your deck into the field.

This appears to be least used Old God card by players.

Weezer album review

By Kyle Santiago, staff writer

It has been quite a while since the band Weezer has released anything worth listening to. Fortunately for music enthusiasts, Weezer recently released their selftitled, tenth studio album, Weezer (White Album).

The White album conveys the band’s idea that you can perform songs that contain poetic stories while still being topped with layers of distorted heavy guitars, bass, and drums. This type of play-style has been the reason why Weezer has become so iconic in today’s rock music scene and the reason this album is such a success.

The White album has shown everyone that the old-Weezer, whom created classics such as, “Buddy Holly,” “Beverly Hills,” and “Say it ain’t so,” still has the potential to make future classics like the songs in this album. Each song on this

record reminds me that front man, Rivers Cuomo, has been able to keep his voice in mint condition since Weezer first blew up.

The lyrics describe the theme of this album as being a day in L.A told from Rivers Cuomo's perspective. Weezer also indicates this blatantly by titling songs on this album, “California Kids” and “L.A Girlz.” The lyrics in the songs add an overall feel-good vibe to the whole album, even though most songs mix these lyrics with heavy, overdriven sounds, the end result still definitely justifies the means.

Even so, there is a negative feature on this record. As great as it was to have abstract, story-telling lyrics on this album, it got to a point where it started getting hard to understand what Rivers Cuomo was singing about. The lyrics started off telling a story about girls in L.A and a girl in a cannoli shop who our main protagonist, Adam, had a thing for, but it just got to a point where I couldn’t keep up with the lyrics anymore.

This confusion can make any gold record lose its value. It’s hard to give a perfect score when you have no idea what the singer is singing about.

Nevertheless, Weezer (White Album) deserves respect. You have to appreciate the diverse tones featured in every song especially in “Endless Bummer” where it started giving off a Beach Boys sound and then alternated to a heavier mix featuring

a guitar solo at the end.

This song, like many others on the album, made me realize that Weezer is a band that has no plan of throwing in the towel yet and has plenty of gas left in the tank to deliver great hits.

Great job, Weezer. Four out of five rating.

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Editorial

May 2016

Exceptional seniors leave behind memorable legacies

By Ashley Jablonski, Editor-in-Chief

As the year comes to an end and we say goodbye to the class of 2016, we begin to reminisce on the accomplishments the class as a whole has achieved as well as those achieved by individuals.

On behalf of the Paw Print, both my staff and I hope we have left a legacy for you.

We created this publication as not only a space to share what goes on in school, but as a tool for you to express your concerns as a student and to understand that you are able to do so. My hope is that when I come back to visit, I will see our legacy, the paper that I and my staff have left behind, continue.

“I think [the newspaper is] fantastic. I think that it did a good job reflecting concerns from students,” Mrs. Jodi Robins, the high school assistant principal said in reference to her opinion on the release of the paper this year.

The class of 2016, has been known to exceed expectations and start new revolutions that will go down in Charter history.

Mateo Cañarte, Student Government (SGA) President, is known for his outstanding efforts with increasing school spirit.

“I feel proud to say that Coral Springs Charter School is a force to be reckoned with,” Cañarte said. He said he has the entire school to thank, and he believes that the organization will be left in good hands for its future endeavors, as Gabi Piñeros will be the succeeding President for the next year.

“Mateo has changed the Charter image forever. His passion for school spirit and community service events will carry over to my term as President, as I wish to continue making a difference in our local community while also making the Charter Crazies crazier than ever before,” said Piñeros, the incoming SGA President.

Cañarte is part of a large club -- however, there are seniors that created clubs that are newer, smaller and yet just as impactful as the others. Courtney-Lauren Faiella, for example,is one of the founding members of F.I.R.E, the gender equality club here at Charter.

“I feel as if it’s a safe place for students

to come and feel accepted for who they are no matter who they are, and to feel open to share stories and to ask for help if they need it,” Faiella said.

“Courtney was a huge part of F.I.R.E, and I think it will change a bit [when she graduates]. I think Courtney gave it a direction,” Ms. Julie Fry, adviser, said.

Kasia Weich is the founding member of the Science Club and has helped initiate a program here at Charter called “The Giving Tree.” This program takes place during the holidays where students are able to pick an ornament with gifts on it that less fortunate children have requested, giving Char(Photo credit: W. Fix) ter students the opportunity to purchase the gifts for them.

“She created a great interest. I had no idea we would have so many kids interested,” said Ms. Ash, Science Club advisor.

AJ Miller is known for his behind the scenes work with CTV2 and his creation of the sports section known as CSPN. He created CSPN in order to make the whole school aware of all of the sports teams.

He believes that when he leaves it will not only benefit the current class, but many to come.

“It’s provided positivity and entertainment for students and as long as dedicated people takeover I see it flourishing.”

“The people following after AJ are going to have to work really hard to live up to him,” said junior Breana Sause. Sause will be taking over CSPN for the 2016-2017 school year. “AJ made CSPN the way it is.

It’s not just the person in front of the cam era that matters-- the person behind does too.”

As a new chapter begins for the class of 2016, I just wanted to say thank you for accepting the paper with open arms and for giving me the chance to flourish as not only a person, but as a leader. For the class of 2016, I hope that you will take this paper away as a memory of all of our hard work and dedication together as a class. I will never forget my years spent at Charter and I am honored to have been the leader to an amazing team and part of such an amazing class.

May 2016

Features

Page 11

Freshman 15

By Valerie Kessler, Staff Writer

What is the “Freshman 15”?

As college plans roll around, and worries about dorms and meal plans are rising, you may have stumbled upon the phrase, “Freshman 15.” This is a common fear among college newcomers, as it refers to the 15 pounds that are supposedly gained by freshmen for various reasons.

Why does it happen?

Many people in high school are used to home-cooked meals by their parents, and a wide variety of food choices in their daily life. The second they reach college, it’s a huge shock. They suddenly have to buy or make themselves food, and there’s the obvious partying that many partake in.

Alcohol consumption is greatly increased, and laziness leads to purchasing more prepackaged and fast foods than ever.

Meal plans can lead to unhealthy choices of cafeteria foods, and the lack of money in college leads to the typical college diet---cheap ramen, easy mac, TV dinners, and basically anything microwavable. This increase in calories and fat (not to mention the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables) leads to that inevitable weight gain that so many high schoolers fear.

Most importantly--how can you avoid it?

Don’t be so cautious as to not set up a meal plan or to stave off partying entirely, paying attention to diet and excercise is the only action that will protect students from the freshman 15. Take advantage of the on-campus gyms, pools, and exercise classes. Many colleges offer these for free

and they’re a great way to spend some extra time in between classes or on weekends. Instead of driving to class everyday, try walking there.

Stress can also lead to weight gain, starting a new school with a difficult curriculum can lead to lots of worry. Homesickness and tests and roommates can cause a new college student great amounts of anxiety. It’s important to take time to relax and de-stress. Don’t forget to keep up with hobbies, go for a walk, and spend time with friends.

Many people may be rolling their eyes at the idea of actually cooking their own dinners-- after all, students will be busy cramming, studying, and attending school events.

Just remember: healthy, cheap dinners don’t have to take long or cost a lot of money! Cans of beans, grains like rice, and frozen vegetables can be very cheap. Instead of spending money on minimal things that add up, like candy bars and chips from vending machines, and muffins and desserts from the cafeteria, students will have plenty of money to spend on these healthy foods. For example, dried fruits, nuts, and energy bars (think Kind bars or Cliff bars) can seem costly at first, but they’ll last a long time without refrigeration and provide a healthy snack for times when junk food temptations kick in. It is even convenient to grab a quick fruit for a cheap, on-the-go snack. The savings add up.

It’s important to focus on health at this time in life--while metabolism is high right now, adulthood is just around the corner, and don’t set yourself up with

unhealthy habits that will be even harder to kick later in life. If students stay fit and healthy in college, they will have more energy and feel better all around.

Check out these sources!

Here are some easy, and cheap recipes.

This can be done through websites, cookbooks, and apps. The website (and conveniently, app) Yummly, searching for recipes by certain dietary preferences, is a perk.

For example, a user can pick specifically vegetarian/vegan recipes to get the most greens in your diet. Here are some cookbooks and websites: Websites: Chocolate Covered Katie OhSheGlows Cookbooks: The Happy Herbivore Cookbook Isa Does It

Page 10

Features

May 2016

Take a step back

By Raven Noel, features editor

As the current seniors prepare for the life ahead of them outside of Charter, some begin to look back at their lives here. Some wouldn’t change anything, while others would have changed quite a bit.

“I would have focused on Cambridge classes more in order to get better grades,” said senior Mirella Troia.

While some Seniors would go back and academically change their lives, others would have changed themselves.

When senior Tiffany Guerrero first came to Charter in her freshman year, she was hesitant about being open with people.

Guerrero would have wanted to be more outgoing at first, to make more friends, and to be herself.

The seniors of 2016 have passed down their words of wisdom to help the underclassmen as they may be facing the same issues.

Guerrero says, “To not take high school for granted, colleges look at everything from your service hours to your grades in Spanish class.”

“Don’t be scared to do things,” Senior Ryan Rodriguez said.

Some seniors suggest that underclassmen make their academics priority, and others, their sanity.

Senior Victoria Hehli said, “Focus on school work, it pays off in the end,”

In contrast, Senior Zach Weber said, “Don’t overstress, enjoy yourself,” Both Hehli and Weber wish they had been more involved in school clubs and activities.

Hehli wished to get more involved in order to make high school more enjoyable.

The class of 2016 will be graduating on June 2nd and, even if they can’t go back and change things, have left quite a legacy to remember.

A little prom never hurt nobody

By Ashley Jablonski, Editor-in-Chief

As the limos rolled up to The Venue in Fort Lauderdale on May 20th, the wait for the most highly anticipated prom in Charter’s history was over. As the seniors arrived, they anxiously waited to have their picture taken in front of the black and gold Gatsby background by a professional photographer. They were then ushered into the ballroom where the staff greeted them and the lights, colors and sounds of various music began to fill the room.

Unlike events past, this year’s prom was held at a club and not in a hotel.

“This was excellent because we used their decorator. It more than met my expectations when I compare it to the one I did two years ago. It was so much better,” said senior class co-adviser Mr. Leibowitz.

“The theme fit the venue that we picked. The inside was all decorated like Gatsby,” said 2016 Class President Adrienne McChrystal. The theme this year was Great Gatsby, so the room was draped with feathers, beads, an old fashioned car and clips of the film being played throughout the night.

The prom king and queen were announced during the dance and the winners this year are Emily Celetti and Alain Asfour.

The room was set up with tables on both levels of the two-story venue. The food and decorations were all taken care of by the venue themselves. There were multiple food stations such as Chinese food served in takeout boxes, a taco station, and sliders with fries.

“The food overall was delicious and very different compared to other proms. My favorite station would have to be the Chinese station that served their food in a take out box,” said senior Brenda Lupo.

Sophmores Kristina Trejo and Sofia Castelanos at Prom

The dessert stations varied from a (Photo credit: A. Jablonski) s’mores station to light-up cotton candy and the favors were chocolate bars this year.

“The cotton candy on the glow stick and the s’mores bar were awesome! Both were a lot of fun,” said Lupo.

“Prom exceeded my expectations. It was actually amazing,” said senior Nicole Henao.

The senior class officers, advisers and committee have been working on prom since last summer.

Charter kids enjoying Prom (Photo credit: S. Rowan)

May 2016

Bale’s bad advice

Entertainment

Are you ready for college?

Page 12

By Sanjuhi Ojar, staff writer

Keep track of your points and add them up in the end to see if you’re ready.

By Alex Bale, staff writer

I’m Alex Bale– you probably know me from winning the 2016 Annual Charter Lip Sync battle. It’s time once again for you to send me questions and for me to send you answers. This time I decided to only get questions from the senior class and to only get them from good looking seniors (so if you’re a senior and I didn’t answer your question, then you know why.)

Ryan Rodriguez asked, “I have a friend who’s really annoying (Kyle Santiago), but he’s a drummer and I need him for my band, what do I do?”

Don’t worry Ryan, dealing with this “friend” (Kyle Santiago) is easy! Just break his arms, steal his drums, and push him down a hole. It’s as simple as that.

“What do I do if I feel homesick when I’m at college?” asked Danielle Smith.

Get over it. Next question.

“How could I sneak my dog in without administration finding out about it?” asked Kendahl Krause.

You can get anything past administration if you know the right people. I’ve got a guy on the inside (Kyle Santiago) who can get your dog in.

Well, that’s all the questions I have.

Make sure to order the Thai Noodles from Pei Wei.

Points: 4-7: You’re the perfect student! No need to worry about college. It should be a breeze.

8-11: You’re living an average lifestyle. You slack off just enough to get by.

12-16: Uh… I’m sorry, but you’re not cut out for college life. Don’t worry, though. Your parents still love you.

Senior survival guide: the necessities of senior year

By Noelia DeLeon, staff writer

Throughout senior year, many have struggled to get through some tough days at school. Everyone constantly wants to drag their feet in the hallways, come to school late, or not even show up to school at all. What helps everyone get through the day is the many contributing factors that help them as a whole. After discussing with some seniors about what they need in their every day school-lives, many of them have the same idea, so they each came up with four tips to share.

“I’m gonna teach you some great survival tips to get through senior year. #1 you got to have some headphones-- that’s a must --you know some classes, especially computer classes, most of the time your gonna have a free day in there, as well as your other classes. #2 always have food since we don’t have the 10 minute break anymore. Everyone is gonna eat in class regardless of the teacher. #3 save up a lot of money so you could go on Grad Bash and everything. #4 definitely try to join the clubs where you could get a cord at the end

of senior year,” said senior Andrew Learner.

“The four things I believe you need to survive high school is #1 a jug of water, #2 your phone, #3 your thinking cap, and #4 a snack. Enough said,” said senior Alain Asfour.

“The four things I need throughout my day is #1 a charger, you never know when your phone is going to die. #2 headphones which always come in handy, #3 a snack, and #4 a drink-- I prefer water but anything works,” said senior Emily Celetti.

“The top important items to me during senior year is #1 definitely always having a pencil because you never know when a scantron is going to pop up and teachers always love the pencil. #2 make sure you have your headphones because those always come in handy all the time. #3 make sure you have a charger because your phone can die in the middle of the day which is total mood killer. #4 make sure you have a drink. You never know when the thirst will kick in,” said senior Thomas Presco.

“#1 always bring four dollars with you, because you never know when you’re going to get hungry. #2 always bring a water bottle, because you never know when you’re going to need something to drink if the teacher doesn’t let you out. Finally #3 if you’re going to call out absent make sure you have a doctor’s note because you never know if the teacher will penalize you for it,” said senior William Kline