1983-2013
devil’s advocate stanton college preparatory school
30 your stories. your school. your voice.
devil’s advocate
october 2013 number 1
4
GERMAN EXCHANGE STUDENT COMES TO STANTON In this exclusive piece, the Devil’s Advocate talks with new German exchange student, Tristan Bork, about his experiences, culture shock, and why he chose Stanton for his year abroad. BY SPENCER NACHMAN
6
A LOOK AT STANTON THROUGH THE LENS We take a look at Stanton life through the lens of a camera. From everday activities, to school sports, and all the events in between, we have photographs of it all. BY PHOTOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT
30 YEARS OF THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE
8
This year the Devil’s Advocate celebrates its thirtieth year of publication. We look back at where the newspaper started and its major achievements over the years. BY EMILY ISELEY
13
ARE GIRLS WEAKER WHEN IT COMES TO SPORTS? Stereotypes run rampant in sports — especially when it comes to guys versus girls. Zoe Reyes takes a look at whether or not girls are actually weaker than guys when it comes to sports. BY ZOE REYES
14
PEP RALLIES GET A FACE LIFT Stanton pep rallies received a major face lift this school year. We present our view on the controversial issue and discuss the implications of the changes. BY DEVIL’S ADVOCATE STAFF
Editor’s Desk
Taylor Galloway, Editor-in-Chief
When Stanton College Preparatory School became a part of the Duval County Public School’s magnet program in 1980, there were no sports, no pep rallies, no newspaper. Over the past 33 years Stanton has transformed into a school with an awardwinning newspaper, the most diverse nationally recognized student body in Duval County, and with sports teams for both
males and females. The Devil’s Advocate has given Stanton students the opportunity to share their opinions, as well as offering them with a source of current events for 30 years. The cover story in this issue closely examines the changes to the newspaper throughout the course of almost 150 issues. In the Opinions section we explore a major change that took place this school year: the elimination of class colors at the pep rallies
Contributing Advocates: The Devil’s Advocate is searching for contributing writers, photographers, and artists. Contact Taylor Galloway at tgalloway00@gmail.com. Ads and Sponsorships: The Devil’s Advocate is dependant on our advertisers and our sponsors. When you purchase an ad with us, it reaches a diverse student population that can help your business. We can also design your ads. Our prices are: $25 (1/4 page), $50 (1/2 page), $75 (insert), $100 (full page b/w), or $125 (back page color). Contact Jonathan Kemp at livetowrite@me.com, or Mr. Knight at knightl1@duvalschools.org.
2 | devilsadvocatepaper.com
in attempt to make our school and German exchange student Tristan Bork in the Student Life section. Lastly, in the Sports section we take a glimpse at the most prominent freshmen who will continue to impact Stanton’s sports teams for the next three years of their high school career. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, @scpnewspaper for school news and Stanton sports updates. Also
Follows Us On
Printed at Florida Sun Printing, Callahan, Fla. Please Recycle this Newspaper
‘like’ our page on Facebook and follow us on Instagram for pictures taken by our photographers (you could be in them)! If you have a story idea that you would like to see covered in the next issue email us at scpnewspaper@ gmail.com. We hope you enjoy this 30th anniversary issue as we embark on another 30 years of news and opinions.
Adviser: Larry Knight Editor-in-Chief: Taylor Galloway Managing Editor: Jonathan Kemp Features Editor: Auvion Bradshaw Opinions Editor: Manya Goldstein Sports Editor: Savannah Mika Student Life Editor: Samantha Foss Photography Editor: Kathryn McMullen Reporters: Vanessa Han, Emily Iseley, Desirae Lee, Spencer Nachman, Gabi Prioleau, Zoe Reyes, Nelson Thornton Photographers: Sanaa Belkaich, Ashley Hagins, Devon Leasure
october 2013
@ your library Stanton College Prep Library Media Center celebrates Teen Read Week October 14-18, 2013 A special thank you to Principal Majova for her support of libraries, books and 21st Century technology which allows students to explore the unknown.
Student Life
Blue Devil For a Year Student Life Reporter
Things to do in the U.S.A
-
-
-
-
Visit Miami and go to the beach
-
Things to do in Germany Stanton teacher Ben MacKay
Visit Berlin to see the -
-
Junior Tristan Bork
soccer match -
-
[at Stanton] than meeting and talking to somebody from a
#OnlyAtStanton: 4
october 2013
More Than a Security Guard Security guard Johnny Lewis is known around Stanton for taking phones at lunch, checking students for violation of
By NELSON THORTON, Student Life Reporter A Stanton student is sitting in the courtyard eating
go to church every Sunday, but says he goes as
around to make sure no administrators are present, when he sees there are none, he takes out his
“Without the man above how would we be able to
security guard Johnny Lewis with his hand out asking for the phone; the student knows in order to get his phone back he will have to pick up trash in the -
Lewis, passed away six years ago due to AlzheimLewis was at Stanton when he received the call re-
Lewis, many would be surprised to know he does more for Stanton and the community than most
yourself and you’ll get all the love you need,” which
years, and one of many things he enjoys is his abil-
Lewis, 26, Johnisha Lewis, 22, and his youngest
to treat the students the same way he treats his own “I feel they are my kids when they come through mother who always had him working in the yard and Lewis has been working here at the school for so long, he cares deeply about his job and takes pride “I like learning about peoples different cultures, you never know unless you go out there and experi-
“I love the outdoors because when I look at my surroundings I wonder how things are made and
Lewis is that he saved a man’s life this past summer Advice he gives Stanton students is that there is going to be someone, somewhere watching them they are on school grounds, making sure they do
pool when he heard two gun shots that sounded like
“There are going to be more people watching
-
en and he is not going to give respect to students, or
shot in the arm, and the bullet traveled through his
-
focus on how he is always taking phones, and how they feel it is unfair, not realizing that he is only do-
that two men tried to rob him and ended up shooting
Lewis said he yelled for the other workers to shut
“He can be a pain sometimes, but I know he is took Hall to the hospital where he was treated for when he leaves in the evening, he goes to RV Daniel Elementary School, to help out with extended -
“He gave me a hug and told me how thankful he
that we should not let life make us, we should make they should not let life dictate what they do and how moved to Florida at the age of 10, and then went on
#OnlyAtStanton do we have folders on our phones for studying october 2013
He says, “life itself is not promised to us, you
#OnlyAtStanton is our library more crowded than our football games devil’s advocate | 5
SCPDEVILSADVOCATE 137 posts
1623 followers
Follow Devil’s Advocate Paper Your source for all the latest Stanton news. www.devilsadvocatepaper.com
341 following
Barry Chefer, Broker Associate Cell 904-613-5058 Barry.Chefer@prunet.com Network Realty 11576 San Jose Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32223 Bus 904-260-4300 Fax 904-292-2060 www.bchefer.prudentialrealty.com
An independently owned and operated member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc.
NEED $$$ FOR COLLEGE! FREE REPORT REVEALS... “9 NEW WAYS TO BEAT THE HIGH COST OF COLLEGE!” CALL 1-800-823-1065 ANYTIME, 24 HRS/ DAY, FOR A FREE RECORDED MESSAGE TO GET YOUR COPY OF THE FREE REPORT THAT COLLEGES HOPE YOU NEVER SEE!!!! HURRY- DON’T MISS OUT- SUPPLIES ARE LIMITED!
30
In 1981 Stanton College Preparatory School beyears later the Devil’s Advocate, the school’s newspaper, was founded. Deep in the Devil’s Advocate archives is a historic thirty-year time capsule of Stanton College Preparatory, and in a wider scope, Jacksonville itself. With a new principal, a new academic program, and a new mission, Stanton was just beginning its rapid progression into the distinguished high school it is today. With an objective to support the opposing view, sometimes just for the sake of argument, it named itself the Devil’s Advocate chief, David L. Moore, introduced Stanton to the Devil’s Advocate with this statement, “Though we are a new school, our roots come from the old Stanton traditions and ideas. Just as roots are an important part of a tree necessary for life, so is old Stanton to us.” Thirty years, four advisers, and 147 issues ago, dents. Although enrollment was low, 16 students volno money or experience to work with, the Devil’s Advocate became a forum of self-expression for students. Since then, the paper has focused on representing the unrepresented, mainly the student body, by addressing small issues such as the school’s unsanitary bathroom conditions to reporting on riskier topics like the racial barriers that still existed in the 1980s. Through the years the paper has renovated an advocate for students views, thus providing them with a voice. “There has to be a voice that represents the opin-
ions and needs of the students,” said English teacher and former Devil’s Advocate adviser, Mrs. Matilda Bagby. Mrs. Bagby served as the Devil’s Advocate’s third adviser from 1992 to 1999. In a high school newsroom, the adviser acts as a bridge between student journalists and the administration. If one was to view the hierarchy of the newspaper staff as a pyramid, Mr. Larry Knight, the Devil’s Advocate’s current adviser sits at the very top. Right underneath is the editor-in-chief, the highest position a student can attain on staff, which often requires years
len, Sports Editor Savannah Mika, Student Life Samantha Foss, and Features Editor Auvion Bradshaw. These skilled editors supervise the Devil’s Advocate’s ten reporters, and photographers as well as several contributing writers and artists. In today’s newsroom, where Apple laptops and computers are plentiful, programs such as InDesign are used by section editors as a more effective way to design the newspaper. In Stanton’s pre-technological period, the layout of the paper was created through the use of paste-up boards, where students would manually move stories and images on a board then take a picture of it. “I remember spending hours meticulously lining up spaces for layouts, resizing pictures, cutting out pictures, and gluing them to pages,” recalled Megan Lynch, a Stanton alumni and former staff member. Mirroring the rest of the world, a number of technological advances have taken place in the past thirty years that have transformed the Devil’s Advocate into what it is today. Interestingly, the most substantial advancements have occurred fairly recently. It is common knowledge that both professional and scholastic newspapers across the country are experiencing a change. Some would call the change a downfall, while others call it a transformation. As readers are becoming generally too distracted to read classic hard news publications, newspapers are adapting as a result. On March 12, 2009, the Devil’s Advocate made its formal entrance into the age of technology when it Devil’s Advocate Online Journal.” Since then, the blog as well the Twitter account, @scpnewspaper, has provided its readers with an alternate source of news that is easily accessible, free, and updated daily.
Taylor Galloway, a senior and the Devil’s Advocate’s current editor-in-chief, works under a multitude of job requirements. “It’s my responsibility to set deadlines for reporters and editors, design the cover page, create ad pages, assist reporters with their stories, write the “Letter from the Editor,” and establish the overall guidelines for the editor’s pages,” said Galloway. Working alongside the editor-in-chief are the Managing and Section Editors. These sfr editing stories as well as designing the layout of the paper. There skill and expertise is honed through on the job training and “As Opinions Editor of the newspaper, I am able to pursue my love for journalism and improve my writing and editing skills on the job while learning vital life skills such as being able to work with others, manage one’s time and meet deadlines.” said Manya Goldstein, the current opinions editor of the Devil’s Advocate. Working along side Goldstein is Managing Editor Jonathan Kemp, Photography Editor Kathryn McMul-
1980s
In 1981 Stanton College Preparatory Duval County. Two years later the Devil’s Advocate, the school’s newspaper, was founded. Deep in its archives is a historic thirty-year time capsule of Stanton, and in a wider scope, Jacksonville itself.
1990s Devil’s Advocate Feeder School Rivalry OCTOBER 2007
Middle school division continues at Stanton
BY SHELBY GREENE
in this issue... Monthly Calendar Street Beat Know Your Music Roots Unwritten Laws Rumor Control Style Check Sports Team Review
2000s
stanton college preparatory school
Your vote. Your voice. Our future.
devil’s advocate
30 your stories. your school. your voice.
By EMILY ISELEY, Features Reporter
2010s
30
In 1981 Stanton College Preparatory School beyears later the Devil’s Advocate, the school’s newspaper, was founded. Deep in the Devil’s Advocate archives is a historic thirty-year time capsule of Stanton College Preparatory, and in a wider scope, Jacksonville itself. With a new principal, a new academic program, and a new mission, Stanton was just beginning its rapid progression into the distinguished high school it is today. With an objective to support the opposing view, sometimes just for the sake of argument, it named itself the Devil’s Advocate chief, David L. Moore, introduced Stanton to the Devil’s Advocate with this statement, “Though we are a new school, our roots come from the old Stanton traditions and ideas. Just as roots are an important part of a tree necessary for life, so is old Stanton to us.” Thirty years, four advisers, and 147 issues ago, dents. Although enrollment was low, 16 students volno money or experience to work with, the Devil’s Advocate became a forum of self-expression for students. Since then, the paper has focused on representing the unrepresented, mainly the student body, by addressing small issues such as the school’s unsanitary bathroom conditions to reporting on riskier topics like the racial barriers that still existed in the 1980s. Through the years the paper has renovated an advocate for students views, thus providing them with a voice. “There has to be a voice that represents the opin-
ions and needs of the students,” said English teacher and former Devil’s Advocate adviser, Mrs. Matilda Bagby. Mrs. Bagby served as the Devil’s Advocate’s third adviser from 1992 to 1999. In a high school newsroom, the adviser acts as a bridge between student journalists and the administration. If one was to view the hierarchy of the newspaper staff as a pyramid, Mr. Larry Knight, the Devil’s Advocate’s current adviser sits at the very top. Right underneath is the editor-in-chief, the highest position a student can attain on staff, which often requires years
len, Sports Editor Savannah Mika, Student Life Samantha Foss, and Features Editor Auvion Bradshaw. These skilled editors supervise the Devil’s Advocate’s ten reporters, and photographers as well as several contributing writers and artists. In today’s newsroom, where Apple laptops and computers are plentiful, programs such as InDesign are used by section editors as a more effective way to design the newspaper. In Stanton’s pre-technological period, the layout of the paper was created through the use of paste-up boards, where students would manually move stories and images on a board then take a picture of it. “I remember spending hours meticulously lining up spaces for layouts, resizing pictures, cutting out pictures, and gluing them to pages,” recalled Megan Lynch, a Stanton alumni and former staff member. Mirroring the rest of the world, a number of technological advances have taken place in the past thirty years that have transformed the Devil’s Advocate into what it is today. Interestingly, the most substantial advancements have occurred fairly recently. It is common knowledge that both professional and scholastic newspapers across the country are experiencing a change. Some would call the change a downfall, while others call it a transformation. As readers are becoming generally too distracted to read classic hard news publications, newspapers are adapting as a result. On March 12, 2009, the Devil’s Advocate made its formal entrance into the age of technology when it Devil’s Advocate Online Journal.” Since then, the blog as well the Twitter account, @scpnewspaper, has provided its readers with an alternate source of news that is easily accessible, free, and updated daily.
Taylor Galloway, a senior and the Devil’s Advocate’s current editor-in-chief, works under a multitude of job requirements. “It’s my responsibility to set deadlines for reporters and editors, design the cover page, create ad pages, assist reporters with their stories, write the “Letter from the Editor,” and establish the overall guidelines for the editor’s pages,” said Galloway. Working alongside the editor-in-chief are the Managing and Section Editors. These sfr editing stories as well as designing the layout of the paper. There skill and expertise is honed through on the job training and “As Opinions Editor of the newspaper, I am able to pursue my love for journalism and improve my writing and editing skills on the job while learning vital life skills such as being able to work with others, manage one’s time and meet deadlines.” said Manya Goldstein, the current opinions editor of the Devil’s Advocate. Working along side Goldstein is Managing Editor Jonathan Kemp, Photography Editor Kathryn McMul-
1980s
In 1981 Stanton College Preparatory Duval County. Two years later the Devil’s Advocate, the school’s newspaper, was founded. Deep in its archives is a historic thirty-year time capsule of Stanton, and in a wider scope, Jacksonville itself.
1990s Devil’s Advocate Feeder School Rivalry OCTOBER 2007
Middle school division continues at Stanton
BY SHELBY GREENE
in this issue... Monthly Calendar Street Beat Know Your Music Roots Unwritten Laws Rumor Control Style Check Sports Team Review
2000s
stanton college preparatory school
Your vote. Your voice. Our future.
devil’s advocate
30 your stories. your school. your voice.
By EMILY ISELEY, Features Reporter
2010s
Features “The Twitter page is helpful because it deals with everything. We don’t have much of a news outlet now that “Live on 5” is gone so it helps to keep us informed on sports and other things going around school,” said senior class president Kishan Patel. Patel is not alone. Many students feel that the Devil’s Advocate is an accurate portrayal of Stanton’s student body. “The newspaper represents the sophistication of our school and connects students to what’s happening Parks. After distribution, students inform themselves on the school’s latest news by reading stories on policies, peers, and problems on the Devil’s Advocate’s latest issue. Since its beginning the Devil’s Advocate has been free to the students. Presently, one thousand copies of the paperare distributed around the school on publication day. Because the Devil’s Advocate is independently run and therefore selffunded, staff members are responsible for raising approximately $2500 publication of the paper. “The newspaper keeps the students up to date on school-related issues,” said senior Chelsea Claverie. “It makes Stanton a more close knit community. After reading stories about your peers it kind of inspires you to do better things as well.” The Devil’s Advocate’s dedication, professionalism, and commitment to creativity and ethics has been rewarded with a number of awards over the years. The paper has been recognized as the best overall newspaper in the region by the Florida Times-Union. The Devil’s Advocate has received the “Excelthe “Best Newspaper Overall CatIn 2013 the Devil’s Advocate staff left Journalism Awards as the runnerup for “Best Newspaper Overall.” It also received the First Place award in photography, while sweeping First, Second, and Third place in sports writing. “We’re hoping to win the overall award this year,” said Galloway. “We are also hoping to compete in this year’s Florida Scholastic Press AssoAn institution at Stanton for no less than three decades, the Devil’s Advocate and its staff still strive for excellence. On Nov. 25, 2013 the Devil’s Advocate at the school and open the paper’s thirty year archive to the public. Students and guests will be able read old papers and see three decades ics, along with professionalism and creativity, the voices of Stanton’s students will be heard for another thirty.
10 | devilsadvocatepaper.com
Advisers Behind the Scenes Larry Knight Photography Editor Larry Knight, an English teacher at Stanton who has a master’s degree in Mass Communication and Print Journalism from adviser for the Devil’s Advocate. many things were different than they are today. “Technology was probably our biggest limitation, we didn’t have the resources because they didn’t exist. It was a lot more labor intensive than it is now,” said Mr. Knight. Even though technology was the biggest limitation, it was also the factor that helped the newspaper become what it is today. “As the technology advanced our paper became neater and more organized and we were allowed to branch out more,” said Knight. Although the newspaper has changed profoundly since Knight became adviser, the mission statement has not been altered. “The Devil’s Advocate is a forum for student expression and a place for issues to be discussed, I wanted to stay true to that when I became adviser,” said Mr. Knight.
Matilda Bagby By ZOE REYES, Features Reporter Mrs. Matilda Bagby, a current sophomore English teacher,
“I was given the position by coincidence,” said Mrs. Bagby. “I was applying here as an English teacher, and they were switching advisers and saw that I had some minor publication experience.” According to Mrs.Bagby, “seeing the student’s hard work pay off when they would win awards at the end of the year” was one of her fondest memories of her seven years as adviser. What she now misses about being adviser are the bonds she was able to form with students. “I miss the camaraderie, having students for all four years and being able to build close relationships with them,” said Mrs. Bagby. “You spend a lot of time together.” During her time as adviser, Mrs. Bagby played an important role in helping the paper become the nationally recognized publication that it is today.
“
Just knowing that students
Devil’s Advocate Digital Archive
could see what I could see and be more informed
about what was going on around them is one feeling that I hope I can experience over and over again. —Greg Todaro, Editor-in-Chief 2010
”
Leave the page and go to of the Devil’s Advocate and former staff anecdotes at devilsadvocatepaper.com.
october 2013
Sports
Fresh Faces
By now Stanton students should be aware of the new faces present on the various varsity athletic teams. From cross country, to volleyball and football, freshmen varsity athletes are now prevalent. By SHANICE SKYERS, Sports Reporter
photos by Devon Leasure
FOOTBALL Weighing in at 220 pounds and standing 6 feet 2 inches, freshman Jeremy Kowkabany plays the position of back up left tackle on the defensive end. Being one of the few freshmen on varsity football, Kowkabany had to overcome his talent. timidated, but once I got to know everyone
better at the running and tackling. I started to prove myself, and the team started to respect me as an equal,” said Kowkabany. Kowkabany’s effort and talent is noticed by his teammates. “He has the potential to be successful if he keeps up his good work ethic and studies the game,” said senior football captain Collin Conner. Kowkabany shows his best effort during games and practices. “For any freshman to play on varsity they would have to be a pretty good player,” said varsity football coach Rayshawn Tiller.
SWIMMING Freshman Raphaelle Hardan has her mind set on the Olympics, and being on the Stanton varsity swim team is a start to help achieve her goal. Hardan is honored to be a member of the team. ing the school with such a wonderful group of swimmers. It is exciting and fun,” said Hardan. In addition to the school swim team, Hardan swims year round for the Bolles Sharks. She has been swimming for eight years and has participated in the Junior Olympics since she was 10-years-old. At 12-years-old she won her event for the 50 meter freestyle.
1:01.56 minutes, and 25.31 seconds for freestyle. “She works really hard, and she is helping out her teammates. We are expecting big things from her this year,” said swim coach Bob Fleming.
CHEERLEADING Freshman Maddie Daniel is the head team. Daniel has been a cheerleader for two years now. Freshmen are not allowed to be on varsity cheer but if they were, Daniel would be among them. Daniel’s talent was noticed by coach Lashanda Casper. “She demonstrated excellent leadership skills and is really talented,” said Casper. Daniel was excited to be chosen as the head captain, but also realized the responsibilities the position required. “I was glad that someone realized my effort and hard work. It is an honor to know that the coach trusts me with the responsibility of leading the team,” said Daniel. With the responsibility of leading the team, Daniel stands to be a role model and a positive example for the team. With the motto of teamwork and unity Daniel is a responsible leader dedicated to her team.
12 | devilsadvocatepaper.com
VOLLEYBALL Lindsey McPherson is the new addition to the girls varsity volleyball team. She has been playing volleyball for two years and plays as a defensive specialist. McPherson started volleyball by following in the footsteps of her sister Shannon McPherson and since then volleyball has been her passion. “I was very nervous but also very pleased to see how practice paid off for us,” said McPherson. McPherson says being the only freshman on varsity volleyball team is a humbling experience which she treasures because of the friendships she has built with her teammates. “She gets along well with the team, and does not seem uncomfortsion and drive makes her one of the new athletes that will advance Stanton sports.
DIVING Madison Walker with her modest personality and humble attitude is a freshman on the varsity dive team. “I am proud to be on varsity. Being on varsity shows talent at a young age,” commented Walker. Walker has been diving for three years and competes in the 1 meter dive. As a former gymnast Walker utilizes the skills she acquired from gymnastics to enhance her diving. “With her gymnastic background, Walker shows great potential in diving,” said varsity diving coach Wayne Balcar. that both the male and female teams will be undefeated this year. “We have a really strong diving team, everyone is supportive and helpful to each other,” said Walker. Walker aims to balance a dedication both to athletics and academics in order to ensure her position for the next three years on the varsity diving team.
CROSS COUNTRY Robert Iseley is a freshman varsity athlete with a passion for cross country. Iseley trained for only two weeks before being drafted on the varsity team when coach Rodney Smith recognized his potential and talent. “Iseley has tons of potential. He could eventually be a scholarship caliber athlete in his senior year if he stays dedicated to cross country,” said Smith. Iseley believes that with more time he will perform at his full potential and be essential to the team. “In practice Iseley is always one of the hardest workers,” said senior cross country captain Eric Tallbacka. Iseley competes in the 5 kilometer with his fastest time being 18:30 minutes and sees the race as demanding and challenging. “It is a fast paced race that challenges the best of runners,” said Iseley. Iseley plans to continue cross country throughout his Stanton career and in college.
By the Numbers: Shocking Statistics
64 students had early outs the day of rally.
14 out of 50 football games won in the past 5 years.
32% Stanton students played school sports in the 2011-2012 school year october 2013
Breaking Barriers Stereotypes at Stanton are apparent within our sports, especially in discrimination of female athletes. These particular athletes face challenges everyday while trying to overcome society’s stereotypes. By ZOE REYES, Sports Reporter
“I felt accepted. They didn’t treat me any differently,” Raskiewicz said. The idea of a girl playing for a boys football team may
october 2013
Despite the extensive success of Title IX female athletes still face discrimination and bias nearly thirty years later. Senior varsity lacrosse player Kayla Lovett feels the lack of respect for her sport is based on her gender. “A lot of people look down on girls lacrosse because our rules are so much more strict and there are a lot more penalties, but it is really just as hard and physically demanding as boys lacrosse,” said Lovett. than boys lacrosse in an attempt to create less physical contact between the players to help prevent injuries. Checking is a vital element of lacrosse because it helps prevent the opposing team from scoring. Players check in attempt to dislodge a ball from an opponent or to block an opponent from picking up a loose ball. The to check for girls is more limited because they can only check with the side of their stick and the check has to be directed away from the ball carrier’s head. Boys who play lacrosse are allowed to body check and are permitted more physical contact. “People call girls lacrosse ‘freeze tag’ because of how often the whistle gets blown for penalties, the referthink that girls lacrosse is easier than boys lacrosse.” Junior Jarrod Darrow, a Stanton varsity lacrosse player, strongly agrees with the belief that girls lacrosse is not as physically demanding as boys lacrosse. “Girls lacrosse is not even a real sport, making a sandwich requires more effort. There is no contact whatsoever. There has never even been a recorded shot faster than thirty miles per hour,” said Darrow. He once
photo by Devon Leasure
virtually every part of a student’s life. They impact decisions about everything from picking out clothes to choosing friends. Stereotypes are integrated into everyday lives more than most people realize, and at some point they become limitations. One area where stereotypes are always present is sports. Women are perceived to be weaker than men and some people have the preconceived notion that they lack the strong desire to succeed athletically. These stereotypes are present at Stanton and female athletes have to face them on a daily basis. “I care about winning just as much as guys do,” said sophomore varsity soccer player Julia Silliman. “It is not true when they think we care less than them.” Silliman was one of a select group of players that made the varsity team during the 2012-2013 school year as a freshman, a feat that not many have accomplished. Sports stereotypes can be attributed to the way the media portrays male and female athletes. It is common for male athletes to be portrayed as strong and concerned only about winning; whereas, females are portrayed as fragile and not as dedicated as male athletes. Sophomore Isabella Galler, a student who runs both track and cross country, feels the media favors male athletes over female ones. “Strong and successful female athletes do not get nearly as much attention as male athletes do. People are just not as interested in them,” said Galler. Among the Stanton student body, there are athletes who are defying the sports stereotypes and bringing more focus on female athletes. These athletes are leaders and examples of how to break down gender barriers and be successful. For example, junior Tabitha Raskiewicz has earned a place in Stanton football history as the third girl to play for the varsity football team. Raskiewicz played as a kicker for the team last year in the Spring Kickoff Classic and practiced with the boys team throughout the year. “I was excited to play, I wanted to help the team win,” said Raskiewicz. “My only concern was if playing would interfere with my soccer schedule, that is it.” Recovering from a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament is the only thing preventing her from playing this season. Although Raskiewicz has weeks of physical therapy ahead of her, she is expected to be playing again for the team next year. The opportunity for her to play on the team came about when Coach Rayshawn Tiller, Stanton’s head football coach of two years, heard about her leg strength. “I asked her to kick the ball once, and it was a different sound, a completely different sound than when the guys were kicking it. It was louder, it was going farther,” said Coach Tiller. From that point on, he never had any doubts about Raskiewicz being a kicker for the football team. He expressed no concern about her facing discrimination or unfair treatment from the other boys on the team. “I had no fears whatsoever about her playing. Tabitha is tough,” said Coach Tiller. Being a kicker on a football team is a high a pressure position that requires both mental and physical strength, a
Seniors Leighton Baruch and Jack Story not impossible. However, thirty years ago girls that played sports in high school were rare and the idea of a girl being given the opportunity to play on a boys team was something completely unheard of. According to ESPN, in 1971 only one in 27 girls played a high school sport. Today, one in three girls play a high school sport. During that time, there were no regulations or rules saying girls had to be given opportunities to play sports. If there was a girls sports team, they often did not as coaching and practice facilities. This occurred because there were no rules put in place to enforce fair and equal treatment for females in athletics. Gender equality in sports was forever changed for the better by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. This education title was created to prohibit discrimination based on gender in all educational programs that were receiving federal funds. With the creation of Title IX, schools were required to provide male and female students equal opportunities to play on sports teams. Title IX allowed girls in sports to experience team that they had previously been denied. The impact of Title IX was immense. Without it, female athletics would have never gotten to be where they are today and Stanton female athletes like Raskiewicz would be much more limited.
‘too mean’ to each other.” Fellow lacrosse player junior Wilshem Pennick agrees with Darrow that there are differences in treatment based on gender. Pennick feels the differences in the rules of male and female sports shows the gender bias present at Stanton. “Boys sports seem to be more aggressive and the referees seem to be more lenient when it comes to rules, while girls sports seem to try and ‘protect’ them more,” remarked Pennick. Pennick acknowledges the gender bias and stereotypes in sports at Stanton, but thinks it can be attributed to the fact that male and female athletes have different strengths. “I do not think that means boys are necessarily better at sports. In sports like basketball, girls are usually more strategic while boys rely on their ability to jump or their quickness,” said Pennick who also plays basketball on the varsity team. In a world that seems to always be impacted by stereotypes, it is important for athletes to make sure that they focus on their own successes and not be weighed down by these stereotypical deterrents that plague our society. “There are so many norms we should adhere by and expectations of us as students, as athletes we should strive to break barriers and shape our own reality. Athletes should not limit themselves because of any stereotypes,” said Dalia Elmelige, a senior on Stanton’s swim team. If someone has determination and focus, they should still be allowed to continue to grow and thrive in their respective athletic environments. No one should be held back by stereotypes, bias, or discrimination.
devil’s advocate | 13
Opinions Teacher Behavior in Class The start of a new school year symbolizes new beginnings: new friends, new classes, and especially new teachers. Just as the teachers are trying to learn and understand the students, the students are simultaneously trying to understand the teacher. There are a few infamous teachers at Stanton whose reputations precede them. Usually, the teacher is known for using expletives, taunting their students, or sharing too much personal information. How far is too far? How much is too much? There is nothing wrong with telling jokes or occasionally poking harmless fun at the students. However, it should be done tastefully and a certain level of professionalism should always be maintained. At certain times, teachers use expletives in class. Teachers may do this to appear “cool” to their students and try to be the student’s friend. Some teachers may curse occasionally, sometimes even accidentally, but other teachers use expletives constantly. Teachers may not realize that when they drop “F-bombs” in class not only is their behavior crude, it is also not “cool.” The students may be able to relate to the teacher, but the teacher’s antics cause a disruption in the classroom environment. Another form of class behavior that teachers are guilty of, whether they realize it or not, is favoritism. Some classic cases of favoritism include males opposed to females, age preferences (amongst classes), and the most prevalent case at Stanton, IB in contrast with AP/Honors. Teachers may show favoritism to a certain gender by paying extra attention to them or by granting certain privileges. For example, if a teacher has been known to consistently give extra credit to their female students over their male students, it is clear that favoritism is in effect. Although the female students may prove they deserve the extra credit contrary to their male counterparts, the situation could be perceived as favoritable for all parties involved. Another form of favoritism can be found in age preferences. Teachers may choose to instruct only seniors or only freshmen. They may feel that a particular grade is easier to deal with or teach, or they may just simply enjoy working with one age group over another. Some teachers like working with seniors because “they’re closer to being adults,” while other teachers prefer working with freshmen to help them adjust to high school life, especially at Stanton. Although having age preferences is not particularly inimical, Lastly, a more prominent case of favoritism at Stanton can be found with the IB and the AP/Honors students. There are teachers who are very blatant with their opinions about teaching IB students opposed to AP/Honors students and vice versa. The two sets of students are treated and perceived differently, and this also varies from teacher to teacher. Some teachers think of the IB students as “know-it-alls” and that they would not be able to teach them anything new. On the other hand, other teachers who teach IB students could think of the AP/Honors students as “slackers” and “less motivated” than the IB students. Is it fair? No. Does it happen? Absolutely. It is clear that teacher behavior can take all forms and can be observed right in a Stanton classroom. Sometimes the behavior can be harmless, but at other times, it can be counterproductive. There are unspoken boundaries that both students and teachers shouldn’t cross, but some teachers choose to cross that line. With choosing to cross that line comes consequences, and based on the consequences, a teacher’s respectability could be in jeopardy.
devil’s advocate established 1983 I Stanton College Preparatory School
2013-2014 Editorial Staff Taylor Galloway Jonathan Kemp Auvion Bradshaw Manya Goldstein Samantha Foss Kathryn McMullen Savannah Mika
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Features Editor Opinions Editor Student Life Editor Senior Photography Editor Sports Editor
The Devil’s Advocate paratory School. It is produced monthly by members of the Journalism class. The editors reserve the right to edit any material submitted to the paper for content, grammar, length, and accuracy. The Devil’s Advocate is a public forum for student expression, which encourages free exchanges of opinions concerning controversial and non-controversial community and school related issues. The ideas and advertisements expressed within the newspaper are not necessarily those of the newspaper adviser, school administration, or the Duval County Public School Board. The Devil’s Advocate accepts advertisements from all businesses in the Stanton community. The ad format can be given to the staff or the adviser, Mr. Larry Knight. Students, faculty, and parents may contact the staff and adviser at (904) 630-6760 ext. 143 or at knightl1@duvalschools.org.
14 | devilsadvocatepaper.com
Identity Crisis By ALLEN POON, Contributing Artist
The New Pep Rally Format Pep rallies have been a tradition at Stanton for quite a long time, but this year, many changes have been made. Previously during pep rallies, classes competed against each other to prove who had the most class spirit. This year, instead of competing against Devil’s Advocate staff, believe the initial pep rally changes created dissatisfactory effects and were to better improve our pep rally experiences. The change from class colors to school colors was met with a negative response only made a physical difference and did not change the pep rally as much as students thought it would. Although it seemed strange that class colors were taken away, it was colors were removed during a winter pep rally to unify the school and eliminate the tension between the opposing classes. In theory, taking away class colors should shift the focus away from competing against the other classes and more towards cheering on the sports teams and athletes, the main reason for pep rallies. Because of the change in colors, negative competition can be removed, thus allowing more school spirit. Despite the changes, some pep rally traditions remain the same. For example, the classes are still split up and the spirit stick is still used by our mascot to prompt students since winners were not announced at the end, thus eliminating competition. Knowing that changes would be enforced, many students ended up skipping the pep rally and cations, some students wanted to skip the pep rally all together. Luckily, new changes were made for the second pep rally to bring back some aspect of competition. Freshmen and seniors wore blue while sophomores and juniors wore white, and the two sides of the gym competed for the spirit stick. Yet there were still those students who decided to retreat to the media center. One suggestion we have for the future to encourage more student participation entails that students compete for a class prize, such as a pizza party, rather than the spirit stick. many students. While the captains of the sports teams played “Just Dance” on the Wii, everybody else attending was forced to sit and watch. In theory, it may have seemed like a good idea, but no one enjoys watching others have fun while doing nothing. This whole idea was unnecessary and somewhat time consuming, taking up time from Club Unity’s performance. Overall, it was not an addition favored by most Stanton students and was removed from future pep rallies. ton’s previous pep rallies because of the lack of enthusiasm and competition. Following improvement in the most recent pep rally. These new changes seemed to have been met with a more positive reaction from most and hopefully, all students who attended the past pep rally were pleased with the results.
october 2013
Academic Competition: By DESIRAE LEE, Opinions Reporter
A Healthy Disease
focus exclusively on “beating the other person” detracts from learning. All the energy spent on comparing academic status, stressing over rankings, or speculating GPA values could, and should, be dedicated towards more productive ventures. Oftentimes, academic competition can rise to such an unhealthy level that it is the driving force behind everything we do, and in this situation, students can become the victims of competitive drive. At Stanton, academic excellence is one of the fundamental components of education, yet it encourages subtle, or sometimes obvious, antagonisms between students, instilling a mentality of “Who’s better?” I cannot describe how many times I have heard entire conversations based upon the question, “What’s your class rank?” In all honesty, class rank is a simple device developed by education systems in an attempt to quantify relative intelligence and ability among completely difit is in no way an accurate representation of intelligence or ability. Similar situations arise in the examination of GPA, grades, and class titles. All hold merit in some way as a measurement ourselves among our peers, but as is the case with all measurement systems, there are limitations. Getting caught up in such measurements can limit focus and blind us to the core of peer education. While it is important to note that academic competition can reach extremes, it is equally, if not more, important to note that it can be manipulated for positive effects. To understand the complexity of competition is to understand that its manipulation is possible only through the acknowledgment of its presence as situation where peers are “compared,” competition is sure to arise; however, that competition does not necessarily need to escalate to cut-throat tactics. It can be channeled into encouragement, motivation, and peer-support. In this case, peers work not for self-gain but for the promotion of each other’s abilities. The academic competition develops out of each student using their strengths to reach out to the weaknesses of another student. In this way, students challenge each other to improve their own abilities to improve the group, making such competition healthy and meaningful. Therefore, the real challenge is not simply noticing academic competition with others, but utilizing it. This is also perhaps one demic competition, they usually accept it and let it guide their actions in order to “beat” other students. This is, in my opinion, the wrong approach; students should focus on choosing students at or above their academic level and using mutually understood competition as a means to reach a new level. There are always people to learn from and there are always higher goals to reach for. Becoming competitive in a healthy way is an avenue to achieve those new levels and experience peer motivation. However, irregardless of your position on academic competition, an understanding of its components and capacity to help and to hurt is a valuable insight. Will you manipulate it, or be manipulated?
october 2013
photo by Kathryn McMullen
photo by Devon Leasure
Grade Point Average. Report card. Class rank. Class title. Each one of these is a standard with which we compare ourselves to our own preconceived notions and to others. It is only natural to strive to do one’s best to meet and exceed our own expectations, but in the vast maze of academics, these elements combine to create the perfect breeding ground for academic competition. This atmosphere is often imbued into the very mindset that governs our mannerisms, social interaction, and goals. However, the way in which we manipulate that atmosphere determines how it affects us. petition. Is it something to be encouraged, used as a tool for self-improvement? Is it something to be respected, used to facilitate peer bonds? Or is it something to be discouraged, turning academics into a war of test grades? The atmosphere we promote is the one that will eventually come to dominate
According to dictionary.com, Generation Y is simply “the generation born in the late 1980s and 90s.” Urban Dictionary may have the most accurate picture of our generation as being “today’s teenagers growing up with too much information...” The idea that our age group is more than just a demographic is hard for many people to acknowledge. As the last of the ‘90s kids’ come of age, Generation Y is still blogging, tweeting, retweeting and shaping history. Most commonly referred to as “millennials,” we ism and segregation. Generation Y’ers generally have an open mind and high tolerance. This quality has allowed for America to grow in diversity. The U.S. Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage as unconstitutional this past summer caused controversy in the ing for equality for decades and millennials continue Boomers,” led the way with the Civil Rights Movement. This generation left a legacy of peace that was recently celebrated at the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. In his speech at the Lincoln Memorial, President Barack Obama said, “Each successive generation seems to be making progress in changing attitudes.” The song “Same Love” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis -- which criticizes stereotypes forced onto homosexuals -- has peaked at No.11 on the Billboard Hot 100. With the help of the media and popular artist such Macklemore, our willingness to rally around a subject grows as disputatious topics are put into more relatable forms. Another judicial issue that has been endorsed by Generation Y was the Trayvon Martin case ruling.
The underlying tones of racism had teens and young awareness of the case. The internet proves to be our threshold for ideas and a way to spread information. Tagged as “Generation Me,” what makes us appear to be so self-centered? Could it be the assumed obsession with social media that is constantly asking us how we feel? Not only are we braggadocios in nature, but most websites and social media sites keep users focused around their personal version of the world. Could this modern form of communication justify Generation Y’s need to constantly post our thoughts down to the most minuscule blurb of emotion that crosses our mind? Just because there is a blank text must keep in mind that whenever you click submit or post, that information is online forever. At the same time, our self consumed mentality is sometimes necessary. Generation Y is facing one of the most aggressive work forces in history. Having egotistical work habits will help to build students with competitive careers. A concerning matter is that our generation does not seem to be fully aware of their futures. The hype from sensations of slogans like “YOLO” are heavily apparent in pop culture. At ruary, the chart topping song “We Are Young” by the indie band ‘“fun.” won song of the year. Coincidence? I think not. We are being tricked into thinking that time revolves around our youth. Although the idea of living in the moment is fanciful, Generation Y needs to take into account that we are the makers of tomorrow. With so many possibilities, Generation Y’s legacy is still developing. As a whole, we are resourceful, open, and imaginative. The constant exchange of ideas within our sphere may seem overwhelmingly self righteous to others, but we have adapted to a new and improved way of expression. Generation Y is the future and more than anything, we are powerful.
Demise of Live on 5 By NICHOLAS POINDEXTER, Contributing Writer “Although we don’t discuss current events in this class, if you are into that kind of thing one of our history discussions. But why does he have to give us this lecture? The fact of the matter is that if he doesn’t publicize his club, no one else will. At the end of the day, a curious freshman or an astute senior is left alone in the dark, trying to feel their way towards photo by Devon Leasure
By RYAN SHIH, Contributing Writer
bell times altered leaving no extra time for the news show, how can students still get their information? Although there are some who jubilantly praise the fact that now their second period isn’t bombarded with “improperly used class time,” other teachers like Mr. Bunton are frustrated with having to spread the word about their clubs. These teachers are frustrated for a good reason. With Stanton having more than sixteen hundred students, how can clubs expect to get a lot of publicity without a centralized method of communication? If club sponsors talk to all of their classes about the club they are sponsoring, they are still only reaching a fraction of Stanton students. Announcements over the intercom or lectures from zealous club sponsors aren’t nearly as effective as seeing someone’s face relaying the news on “Live on 5.” Due to the limitations of a school without “Live on 5,” events such as club fair become even more crucial. At body by talking to them face-to-face at club fair. But once again, this mode of communication is not as effective as a news show because information like club meeting dates and club events, which happen frequently, are still not being communicated. In addition to club fair, the absence of a news show is substituted with the presence of fourth period intercom announcements. These announcements are also now being posted on the Stanton website, a step in the right direction. Announcements that are permanently displayed for all to see and interpret as many times as the like are more likely to be communicated rather than trying to listen to intercom announcements while half the class is chatting with their neighbor. Limitations can also, in a sense, be even more extreme on digital announcements. The truth is many people don’t check the Stanton website, and some don’t even know how to get to it. and illustrated in news shows and news packages, expressionists could share their beautiful poetry on camera, could be shared. The biggest factor that is missing from announcements this year is the human factor. There is no more personality being shared with the school. The news show wasn’t just a mode of communication; it was a mode of connecting with the student body. By watching the news show every morning, the whole school had something to talk about. “Live on 5” is part of Stanton’s culture, and it is a missing link this year.
devil’s advocate | 15
1983-2013
devil’s advocate stanton college preparatory school
30 your stories. your school. your voice.