Devil's Advocate (Volume 35, Number 2, November 2018) by Devil's Advocate

DEVILâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ADVOCATE STANTON COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL

NUMBER 2 / NOVEMBER 2018

S TANTON

PRIDE BY VAISHNAVI SUREN

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE

VOLUME XXXV

NUMBER 2

STANTON COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL

4-7 9 11 12-15

Student Life

Cheating the System / Cheating culture is has an undeniable presence at Stanton, but its motives and implications vary from student to student.

By Katelyn Colley By Isaiah Fluharty

Photography

Black and White / A photos series utilizing the art of high-contrast in black and white to create interesting visual effects.

By Prachi Misra, Ysabella Rodriguez, Katie Stevens

The Record

November 2018 / The names, numbers and notions you need to know.

By Amra Kajdic

Features

Stanton Pride / As LGBT students face strugges specific to their identities, Stanton’s students, faculty and staff work to create a safe environment for its LGBT population.

By Vaishnavi Suren

photo by Katie Stevens

photo by Prachi Misra

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photo by Ysabella Rodriguez

Writers discuss Skadush Squad, the normalization of anime, the competitive nature of Stanton, the controversy surrounding the U.S. Open, the Thespian Festival, and humanity.

By the Editorial Board, Sudarshan Sindhuvalli, Nikki Kershner, Araceli Payan, Ronak Venkata, Angela Villanueva,Tatum Bowen

Sports

Sports Funding / Playing a sport requires not only time and energy, but funds to satisfy both expected and hidden costs.

By Serene Shibly By Seth Abouhalkah

Photography

Feels Like Fall / With the season now in full swing, our photographers set out to capture Jacksonville in all its autumnal glory.

By Prachi Misra, Ysabella Rodriguez, Katie Stevens

What does it mean to be an LGBT student at Stanton in 2018? Staff Writer Vaishnavi Suren considers this question and others in this issue’s cover story, “Stanton Pride.” In today’s rapidly changing political and cultural climate, LGBT youth find themselves confronted with many challenges specific to their identities. Suren focuses on the steps Stanton has taken to allow LGBT students to celebrate their genders and sexualities. Taking into simultaneous consideration Stanton’s diversity, its regard for principles like ubuntu

Contributing Advocates: The Devil’s Advocate is searching for contributing writers, photographers, artists and filmmakers. Contact Editor-in-Chief Rohini Kumar at krohini601@gmail.com, Opinions Editor Tatyana Esquilin at tatyanaesquilin@gmail.com or Digital Media Editor Zahra Casado at zahracasado@gmail.com. Ads and Sponsorships: The Devil’s Advocate is dependent 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: $35 (1/4 page), $60 (1/2 page), $75 (insert), $100 (full page b/w) or $150 (back page color). For an additional $5 fee, we can advertise your business on our website. Contact Business Manager Amra Kajdic at amrakajdic1@gmail.com or our adviser, Mr. Larry Knight, at knightl1@duvalschools.org.

NOVEMBER 2018

photo by Ysabella Rodriguez

Opinions

Editor’s Letter

Rohini Kumar Editor-in-Chief

(compassion and humanity) and the overarching social trend of gradually increasing acceptance for the LGBT community, the evolution of Stanton’s inclusivity is an expected step in the right direction. It’s also an individualistic one, considering Stanton’s geographic placement in the American South. Perhaps the most immediately evident marker of Stanton’s focus on inclusivity are Safe Space stickers, which were provided by the Jacksonville Area Sexual Minority Youth Network and can be found on doors, walls and lockers. Some Stanton teachers seek to bolster inclusivity by consciously identifying and disestablishing heteronormativity in their respective course curricula. The students

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themselves use Stanton’s Gender-Sexuality Alliance to make their voices heard and share their experiences with one another. Of course, it’s a wonderful thing to be able to acknowledge our progress, but a vital part of this development involves recognizing the ample room for improvement as well. Let this issue serve not only as a celebration of Stanton’s growth, but as a realization of the necessity for greater change.

Adviser: Larry Knight Editor-in-Chief: Rohini Kumar Managing Editors: Bettina Huang, Likhita Manchikanti Layout and Design Editor: Emmett Gideon Business Manager: Amra Kajdic Photography Editor: Katie Stevens Associate Photography Editor: Prachi Misra Digital Media Editor: Zahra Casado Associate Digital Media Editor: Brandon Deda Art Director: Caroline Robbins Videographer: Dylan Janson Public Relations Manager: Christa Assi Features Editor: Salma Drew Opinions Editor: Tatyana Esquilin Sports Editor: Jake Nachman Student Life Editor: Phong Huynh Website Editor: Zachary Genus Staff Writers: Seth Abouhalkah, Katelyn Colley, Kennedy Cottle, Isaiah Fluharty, Serene Shibly, Vaishnavi Suren, Angela Villanueva Photographer: Ysabella Rodriguez

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STUDENT LIFE

Cheating the System By KATELYN COLLEY, Staff Writer

Disclaimer: Due to the sensitive nature of the story, the names of certain sources have been changed in order to protect their privacy. photo by Prachi Misra

The cheating culture at Stanton is condemned for the violation of integrity but its prevalence is a major issue students encounter daily in their academic career. While cheating in schools has traditionally been regarded as a violation of moral principles, the cheating culture has become especially pervasive among competitive high schoolers. This idea of cheating is presented as a moral dilemma that many students face everyday as an alternative option to tedious studying or hard work. At Stanton College Preparatory School, on nearly every assignment or assessment, students are required to write the Stanton honor code, a statement acknowledging a student’s integrity. Despite this requirement, this statement is not a preventative measure against dishonesty. Not only is it important to recognize the fact that students cheat, but to also examine why this phenomenon is so prevalent. Stanton students are challenged to take rigorous coursework and college-level classes. These added pressures may cause them to resort to cheating on assignments and assessments in order to accomplish their goals. “There is a fierce, competitive nature to succeed academically here,” said Ms. Laureen Burke, a PreInternational Baccalaureate Spanish teacher. “More than anything, there is a pressure on our students, either selfimposed or externally imposed.”

tuition. Most of these scholarships have GPA requirements and grade minimums students may find difficult to maintain, leaving them to turn to cheating in order to achieve them. Part of the reason the cheating culture has become so prevalent may be the new technology that has been developed and made widely available to modern society. Students can use cell phone applications such as Mathway and Quizlet to receive test answers. Group chats and social media also serve as hubs for sharing assessment information. These technological innovations allow students to cheat in mere seconds, often without consequences.

“Technology opens up a large source to reference information from, which could count as direct cheating.” —Darrius, 10th

“This drive to be perfect in school leads on to do whatever means necessary to gain the highest grade.” —Mila, 12th Despite these moral predicaments, the cheating culture at Stanton and schools across America still persists. Some students believe their reasoning does not necessarily have to do with their GPA concerns, but with pressures from others. Parental and peer pressure are especially prevalent at Stanton’s competitive atmosphere. “I think peers and parents often pressure their kids to get good grades and get into college,” said Amy, an anonymous senior. “This drive to be perfect in school leads one to resort to whatever means necessary to gain the highest grade.” Several students are dependent upon college scholarships such as the Florida Bright Futures Program to pay for their

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graphic by Phong Huynh

A fictitious example of a group chat for cheating purposes.

“There is a more covert way to cheat now,” said Darrius, an anonymous sophomore. “Technology opens up a large source to reference information from, which could count as direct cheating if used during a test or if used to find the test online.” This technological aspect has impacted the cheating culture to an extent other generations have not experienced before. Students are being exposed to technology at a young age, giving them time to familiarize themselves with its full range of uses. “I believe it’s a lot more prevalent in the last ten years because you [students] are the digital generation and you’re so used to everything being easily accessed,” Ms. Burke said in reference to other forms of online cheating. “You don’t think about citing sources because you’re just so used to having everything instantaneously at your fingertips.” Cheating also affects more than just the perpetrator in many circumstances. One student, who wished to remain anonymous, was a first-hand witness to this cheating culture. “While I was taking a chemistry quiz, I heard the Quizlet flashcard audio go off,” she said. “The teacher had to stop the quiz and I felt that all of my studying for it was a waste of time. We had to take a new version of the quiz the next class.”

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Aside from the aid of technology, it is important to take into account the psychological reasoning behind cheating in order to examine the cheater’s own perspective and motives. Dr. Anjan Chatterjee, a neurologist at the University of Pennsylvania who has studied the science of cheating, expressed his view on the issue in a 2011 research article published by The New York Times. He observed that people cheat not necessarily out of corrupt intentions, but simply because they think their ways are justifiable in certain circumstances.

“I’d rather take a low grade than get an integrity referral and lose opportunities.” —Charles, 11th “It becomes a matter of evening the score; you’re not cheating, you’re restoring fairness,” said Dr. Chatterjee in the article. “Cheating is especially easy to justify when you frame situations to cast yourself as a victim of some kind of unfairness.” This analysis raises the idea that cheating may not always be done with bad intentions, but a reasonable explanation for a student wanting to get by. Many students agree that cheating is not always a conscious decision of immorality. “In the moment, you aren’t thinking about the consequences,” as one Stanton student stated. “You just want to get a good grade so that you can pass the class.” This theory has also led to several scientific investigations. The American Psychological Association’s (APA) studies on academic integrity have also examined the mindset of cheaters. In their report from 2005, the APA revealed that cheating alters a person’s moral code. After someone cheats once, they will be more likely to not perceive it as a necessarily immoral act. According to the APA, Dr. Lawrence Kohlberg, a prominent psychologist, described three stages of moral development that directly pertain to this idea. During a person’s teenage years, people are usually most concerned with legal and social rules. This is a critical point in a person’s life when their

environment is shaping their moral compass. “At your age, adolescence would fall in the middle rung of Kohlberg’s moral ladder, which is conventional morality. Students at Stanton would be looking to what their friends are doing,” said Advanced Placement Psychology teacher Mrs. Dayna Duncan. “If their friends are cheating, they would seem to think that it would be okay, but if all their friends were showing integrity, then they would act similarly. Overall, peer [modeling] is the standard adolescents look to at this stage.” Other Stanton students, however, do not view cheating as an option. They believe the reward is not worth the potential risks involved. Stanton has developed a long history and reputation of promoting principles of integrity by enforcing strict consequences for those who cheat. When a student cheats, they may be given an integrity referral, a class two violation according to school policy. Once an integrity referral is on a student’s record, the student will no longer be able to join honor societies and will have a permanent mark of dishonesty on their high school transcript. “I never cheat at Stanton because it’s too much of a risk for me,” said Charles, an anonymous junior. “I’d rather take a low grade than get an integrity referral and lose opportunities.” For others, cheating is considered a blatant disregard to school rules and authority. Many students have grown up being told cheating is inherently dishonorable and that it is a strong indicator of a poor moral compass. Cheating, at face value, is viewed negatively in many aspects of the law and society. The challenge, however, is that students have such varying reasons for cheating, causing this “face value” to be more distorted with every case.

“Overall, peer [modeling] is the standard adolescents look to at this stage.” —Mrs. Dayna Duncan Cheating culture is not expected to vanish any time soon. As technology progresses, it can be expected that the number of methods for cheating will increase, along with the magnitude of pressure on these students. Ironically, the only thing truly clear about cheating is just how blurred the lines are between right and wrong.

photo by Prachi Misra

Technology has enabled students to trasmit test answers and information across digital networks.

NOVEMBER 2018

infographic by Phong Huynh

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off the cl ck School hours do not confine learning to a period of time but before and after school through many learning mediums or activities that extend student learning. By ISAIAH FLUHARTY, Staff Writer Every afternoon at 2:55, the dismissal bell at Stanton College Preparatory School rings, signalling the end of the school day for many students. For others, however, the dismissal bell means quite the opposite. Many Stanton students participate in a variety of after-school activities, such as tutoring sessions, clubs, honor societies and online learning. These activities act as an extension of learning outside of school, as well as a way for students to make new friends and interact with others. “After-school activities can help a student make friends, and help a student go beyond themselves,” said Mrs. Diana Glendinning, Stanton’s Student Activities Director. “They also help out in the classroom, because they can improve [a student’s] self esteem, maturity and perspective.” Clubs are one example of an after-school activity in which students participate. Members of some clubs may spend many hours together outside of school. One example is the robotics team, in which students work on weekdays and weekends to build a functioning robot for a competition. The teammates form bonds and work together while learning about multiple engineering concepts at the same time. Team members such as senior Morgen Anthony have had many learning experiences at club meetings throughout their high school careers.

“At robotics, you learn a lot of things you don’t learn in the classroom, like management skills and how to use tools.” —Morgen Anthony, 12th “At robotics, you learn a lot of things you don’t learn in the classroom, like management skills and how to use tools,” said Anthony. “It also teaches you leadership skills that you can use in your other classes.” While clubs are a viable option for students who want to increase their educational abilities, honor societies are also an example of after-school activities that act as an extended learning period. Society meetings allow students to interact with each other and learn more about particular subjects they have an interest in. “Honor societies are important to Stanton because you can bond with others who share similar interests as you,” said sophomore Ann Sia, who participates in multiple honor societies. “You gain connections, and you experience lots of hands-on learning.” One such honor society is Mu Alpha Theta, Stanton’s math honor society. It is sponsored and facilitated by Mr. Douglas Peterson, an Algebra 2 and Pre-Calculus teacher who

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photo by Prachi Misra

Tutoring, after-school activties and online learning occupy much of a student’s time after school. believes students can gain a wealth of knowledge by coming to society gatherings. “During Mu Alpha Theta meetings, we discuss mathematical concepts, we do tutoring to help students that might need

“Honor societies are important to Stanton because you can bond with others who share similar interests as you.” —Ann Sia, 10th things that may not be covered in the classroom,” said Mr. Peterson. “Mu Alpha Theta gives students who are interested

the interested in furthering their mathematical knowledge the ability to do so.” The National English Honor Society, the honor society that publishes the “Stanton Literary Magazine,” is also a notable after-school activity that aids students in their learning. Senior Annelisa O’Neal, the magazine’s editor, has been able to explore and share her passion of literature with others. She wants to provide Stanton students with this opportunity by establishing a professional and reliable publication that features a diverse mix of creative writing, art and photography. “I get to engage my love for creative writing by reading and reviewing the work of my peers,” said O’Neal. “I am ultimately so happy to be able to give other students who are as passionate as myself the opportunity to publish their work.” Students who are not involved in clubs or honor societies may still participate in after-school activities, such as tutoring. Many of Stanton’s teachers hold tutoring sessions at least once a week, if not more. In some cases, teachers work extra hours without pay to ensure students are familiar with the

VOL. XXXV, NO. 2

to a greater extent. Mrs. Nicole Arteaga, an AP Chemistry and Honors Chemistry teacher, particularly believes that the flipped classroom is beneficial. “[The flipped classroom] frees me up to answer questions,” said Arteaga. “I don’t have to introduce every single topic in class, which means that I can have more dialogue with my students, and that there’s more time for labs and other activities.” Stanton students also see ways that the flipped classroom benefits their learning abilities. Freshman Lauren Ferranti enjoys the flipped classroom because of the way it helps her prepare for exams. “I like it because when you’re at home you can just concentrate on the material,” said Ferranti. “When you come into class you already know some of the information, and that can really help you during tests and quizzes.” Along with the flipped classroom technique, educational websites such as Achieve 3000, MathXL and Khan Academy have also become increasingly common in the teaching world. While some students may prefer worksheets over online assignments, others feel that online learning is an important aspect of their education.

the weekends. No matter how they decide to do so, they work with the resources given to them in order to extend their learning experiences.

“We’re in a new age, where technology is more relevant in the way we educate ourselves.” —Thomas Pottenburgh,11th photo by Prachi Misra

Mrs. Fleming tutors junior Marisol Pacheco in biology in an after-school session. course material needed to pass their classes. This sacrifice is returned by the students’ willingness and readiness to learn. Sophomore Henry Hunter enjoys going to tutoring often, and feels a sense of respect towards the teachers who stay after school to further educate him. “I go to tutoring as much as I can, and I feel like the teachers who tutor after school deserve more credit than they get,” said Hunter. “I’m not the best at some classes, and tutoring is something available that’s good for me and doesn’t hinder my performance.” One notable teacher respected for his work after school is

“There are many different applications that I have access to in order to enhance my learning experiences,” said junior Thomas Pottenburgh, who uses online educational resources frequently. “We’re in a new age, where technology is more relevant in the way we educate ourselves, and it’s important to be able to use it.” Students at Stanton don’t stop working while they are outside of the classroom. They participate in clubs and honor societies, as well as attend tutoring sessions and study online. By doing this they continue to learn and be active in the student community throughout the afternoons and into

infographic by Phong Huynh

“I go to tutoring as much as I can, and I feel like the teachers who tutor after school deserve more credit than they get,” —Henry Hunter, 10th Mr. Aaron Herbig, an Honors Chemistry and AP Chemistry teacher who is available before and after school every day to tutor students on a variety of subjects. While Mr. Herbig is paid to supervise the extended-day students, he is also given the opportunity to further fulfill his love of teaching. “They pay me to [work during extended-day], $16 an hour,” said Herbig. “But it’s the most rewarding part of my day because I get to sit down with kids one on one and help them if they’re having problems.” However, some students may not be able to stay after school for tutoring due to their tight schedules. This is why many teachers have been using the flipped classroom method more frequently. In this style of teaching, which was first used by Jonathan Bergman and Aaron Sams in 2004, material is taught to students at home by an online educational source. This allows teachers to help students with their class work

NOVEMBER 2018

photo by Prachi Misra

Stanton’s Brain Brawl team competing against other school teams.

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE | 7

stanton college preparatory school

photo by Ysabella Rodriguez

WHITE

BLACK

photo by Katie Stevens

Photography by Ysabella Rodriguez, Prachi Misra and Katie Stevens photo by Katie Stevens

photo by Prachi Misra

photo by Ysabella Rodriguez

Source: apnews.com

Source: npr.org

Source: nytimes.com

Source: nobelprize.org

Source: cnn.com

Source: devilsadvocate

The Record

Source: apnews.com

photos obtained from Google Images

Source: jacksonville.com

Source: nytimes.com

Source: apnews.com

Source: cnn.com

NOVEMBER 2018

Source: cnn.com

Source: abc.com

Source: washingtonpost.com

Source: apnews.com

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STANTON

PRIDE By VAISHNAVI SUREN, Staff Writer

As LGBT students face struggles specific to their identities, Stanton’s students, faculty and staff work to create a safe environment for its LGBT population. In every hallway, on the corners of desks, or plastered onto the file cabinets tucked into the corners of classrooms at Stanton College Preparatory School, lie rainbow stickers reading “Safe Space.” Given to the school by the Jacksonville Area Sexual Minority Youth Network (JASMYN), these small stickers are a large indicator of the growing discussion about the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students in academic settings. These stickers, along with the presence of openly gay and transgender students at Stanton, bring up the question of whether the school acts as a space of protection against discrimination of its LGBT population. “I see the Safe Space stickers all around the school,” said senior Joseph Dray, who identifies as gay. “They’re very reassuring because they show that teachers are making an effort for LGBT kids to feel more accepted in their classrooms.” Along with the presence of stickers, new chapters of Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) nationwide show the shifting attitude toward the acknowledgement of LGBT students throughout the past decade. According to the GLBTQ Encyclopedia Project, a comprehensive Internet archive on LGBT history, the first GSAs appeared in the 1980s to raise awareness of the AIDS crisis, and became nationwide organizations by 2005. Stanton’s own GSA was founded in 2007, and reflects the growth of Stanton’s inclusivity as more LGBT students are able to gain a platform to share their experiences. “Our GSA helps LGBT students feel more safe at school,” said senior Tatiana Caballero, president of the GSA. “Students have a place where they can feel comfortable talking about their experiences. Sometimes, we get to talk to incoming underclassmen who are a part of the LGBT community to help them feel more welcome at Stanton.” Stanton’s LGBT students have expressed appreciation for these efforts in making the school’s environment more accepting. Many LGBT students see the GSA as a club that helps them talk more openly about their identities at school.

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STANTON

PRIDE By VAISHNAVI SUREN, Staff Writer

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DEVIL’S ADVOCATE | 13

Sports

FEATURES

bullying of LGBT students. In Jacksonville, a 2016 study by the University of North Florida showed that only 1 percent of Jacksonville’s LGBT population agreed with the statement, “The laws in Jacksonville adequately protect LGBT persons and their families.” iiiiiThis evident lack of LGBT protection in Jacksonville puts Stanton in a unique role in defining itself as a safe space for its LGBT youth. In their lives outside of Stanton, LGBT students still face discriminatory attitudes. iiiii“We are still in an unwelcoming state in the South,” said sophomore Cecil Barnas, GSA’s secretary, who identifies as gay and transgender. “I have heard talk shows on the radio about how gay people are not welcome in church, and I hear about violence against trans women of color in Jacksonville. We have so much further to go.” iiiiiLGBT students view the homophobia and transphobia outside of Stanton as an incentive to make the school safer and more welcoming of all sexualities and gender identities. Some of Stanton’s faculty have contributed to improving the school’s role as a safe space through attempting to incorporate LGBT inclusivity into their classrooms and curriculums. iiiii“I try to model inclusivity for my students in the sorts of things I teach,” said Mr. Benjamin Yadon, a Journalism and Advanced Placement (AP) English Language teacher at Stanton. “Almost any text can have queer theory applied to it, so I don’t avoid the possibility of discussing that in texts I teach. Students should be encouraged to address different perspectives head-on.” iiiiiMr. Yadon’s inclusion of queer theory readings focus on the importance of sexuality and gender roles in texts. These readings are applied to plays such as “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare and texts written by LGBT authors, such as “A Streetcar Named Desire” by Tennessee Williams. Allowing these interpretations of works indicates one way curriculums have acknowledged LGBT content in academic settings, with teachers in subjects such as history now gaining the opportunity to incorporate LGBT movements into their classroom discussions. iiiii“Teaching a subject that analyzes social movements over time definitely makes it easier to be inclusive of LGBT topics,” said Ms. Amanda Hohne, an AP European History and IB Contemporary History teacher at Stanton. “It has only

been in recent years that events like the AIDS crisis have become old enough to be historically analyzed, so now we can try and incorporate LGBT history into daily discussion in the classroom.” iiiiiThese attempts by Stanton to establish its campus as a safe space despite conflicts with LGBT rights going on in Jacksonville may have led to students feeling more comfortable with being out at school. According to a recent Twitter poll conducted by the Devil’s Advocate, 74 percent of LGBT students feel Stanton is overall accepting of their identities. Students have noticed that the presence of the GSA, safe space stickers and teachers’ attempts to make their classrooms safe to discuss LGBT issues have all contributed to making Stanton an accepting place for LGBT youth in spite of the homophobia and transphobia present in Jacksonville. iiiii“In my experience, the school’s welcoming atmosphere has allowed underclassmen like me to feel comfortable being out as LGBT here,” said freshman Joaquin Marcelino, who identifies as gay. “It really emphasizes the openmindedness of Stanton culture, and how today’s youth are more accepting of identities past generations were not comfortable with.” iiiiiLike Marcelino, Barnas experienced this accepting culture early on in his time at Stanton, and connects this to his own experience of coming out as transgender at the Stanton Bridge summer program right before his freshman year. iiiii“Coming out at Bridge helped me start the school year more confident that people would accept my identity,” said Barnas. “The volunteers were really welcoming. When I corrected them when they used my birth name, they completely accepted it and did their best to use both the right name and pronouns.” iiiiiAlthough Stanton’s faculty and clubs work to create an accepting environment for its LGBT population, there is still room for improvement, according to some LGBT students. They feel their specific identities bring up unique struggles. iiiii“One form of homophobia I’ve seen at Stanton is the use of anti-gay slurs, or calling things gay as an insult,” said Dray. “And it can be disheartening to know people think it is okay to throw around those words like that.” iiiiiThe use of slurs at school coincides with the stereotyping

“The school’s welcoming atmosphere has allowed underclassmen like me to feel comfortable being out as LGBT here.” —Joaquin Marcelino, 9th

infographic by Salma Drew

iiiii“When I came to Stanton as a freshman, learning about the presence of the GSA helped me feel more comfortable with my sexuality,” said junior Lily Wilson, who identifies as bisexual. “The club acts as a support system for LGBT students who need to know they are not alone.” iiiiiIn 2016, Stanton GSA officers sought to increase the club’s inclusivity by renaming itself Gender-Sexuality Alliance, a subtle change many students and faculty believe showed an important shift toward being inclusive of all LGBT identities. iiiii“The name change was an effort to stop seeming as if the GSA was specifically for gay kids and straight kids, since there are people who fall somewhere else along that spectrum,” said Caballero, who was a GSA member at the time and contributed to the club’s name change. iiiii“I want people to realize we are trying to account for people on all parts of the gender and sexuality spectrums to discuss and acknowledge LGBT issues, regardless of how they identify.” iiiiiDue to Stanton’s location in the American South, the concept of creating a safe space for LGBT students through GSAs is especially prevalent. According to a 2016 report released by the Human Rights Watch, an international organization that conducts research on civil rights, Florida is one of the 30 states with no laws in place prohibiting

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photo by Katie Stevens

Symbols of LGBT acceptance at Stanton, such as safe space stickers and rainbow signs, help many LGBT students feel safer in the school environment.

VOL. XXXV, NO. 2

COMING OUT An anonymous student’s account of being able to come out and be herself at Stanton College Preparatory School.

photo by Katie Stevens

GSA president Tatiana Caballero (left) leads GSA meetings, in which LGBT students and straight allies come together to discuss current LGBT issues. of the LGBT community. LGBT students such as junior Percy Sarab feel they are restricted in the expression of their identities for fear of being judged and labelled by others. iiiii“Sometimes, I feel like I have to look and dress a certain way so that I can pass as a boy and people will see me as one,” said Sarab, who identifies as transgender. “I also do not want to come off as a stereotype either, so presentation of my identity can be difficult.”

“I think [the form for name change] is so important for trans kids. My name will be in the yearbook, not my deadname.” —Cecil Barnas, 10th iiiiiSarab’s view on stereotyping of the LGBT community is not an uncommon one. Wilson believes school events can also be rooted in stereotypes. School dances in particular may assume that all couples attending consist of a male and a female. This assumption has led to students like Wilson feeling excluded from these events. iiiii“The structure of the school dances like Sadie Hawkins dances can assume everyone is heterosexual by default,” said Wilson. “I know I can ask a guy out to them, but the fact that I could ask a girl out as well gets ignored.” iiiiiFor LGBT students such as Barnas, improving the school’s role as a safe space comes through seemingly minor changes and suggestions, such as the name change requests the Stanton Yearbook staff offered on their Twitter account. iiiii“I think [the form for name change] is so important for trans kids,” said Barnas. “I’ll be able to show the yearbook to my friends without having to cover up my name or explain anything. My name will be in the yearbook, not my deadname.” iiiiiOther LGBT students have expressed the desire for more small gestures of acceptance at Stanton. Changes such as accommodating for name changes in the yearbook and putting LGBT posters up around the school work toward

NOVEMBER 2018

creating a more transparent atmosphere of discussion for LGBT issues. iiiii“Displaying LGBT posters or pride flags for different identities at school can show that we encourage being more open about discussing LGBT issues,” said Marcelino. “Putting signs in the bathrooms to advocate for trans people to use the bathroom they are most comfortable with can also help. I’ve seen those signs at other schools, so we could try here. I think signs like that would fit right in here at Stanton.” iiiiiAlthough some teachers have sought to implement more LGBT content into classroom discussion, LGBT students have still expressed that feel more transparency can be achieved to improve Stanton’s role as a safe space. iiiii“Communication between students and teachers, teachers and administrators, and administrators and students should not be seen as separate,” said Caballero. “We need to bridge the gap between all of them to make sure all concerns about LGBT issues at Stanton are heard and worked upon and do not just get dropped in the middle because of lack of connectedness between the three groups.” iiiiiMs. Lisa Koehler, an AP U.S. History, Macroeconomics and Microeconomics teacher who sponsors Stanton’s GSA, agrees with this sentiment and makes sure she can be as responsive as possible to Stanton’s LGBT population. iiiii“I like to always make sure I have GSA meetings in my classroom,” said Ms. Koehler. “I want LGBT students to know that if they face discrimination at school or need someone to talk to, my room will be a safe space for them no matter what.” iiiiiMs. Koehler encourages openness between faculty and students as a way to make LGBT students feel safer about expressing their identities. She believes the GSA gives students the opportunity to both know they can come discuss issues relating to their identities with her and meet other LGBT students and allies so they will not feel isolated at school. iiiii“In my sixteen years teaching at Stanton, I have noticed people are becoming much more accepting of LGBT identities,” said Ms. Koehler. “I think the next hurdle is to help those who are LGBT feel these changes. We need to focus on making communication more open between students and teachers.” iiiiiAs a school in a state without laws against the bullying of LGBT students, Stanton plays a unique role by establishing a safe space on its campus. The fact still remains, however, that Stanton’s LGBT students have suggestions for improvement. The school’s students and faculty emphasize teamwork to ensure Stanton’s environment is and can continue to evolve to be more representative of the voices of its LGBT population.

In my experience, Stanton’s student body is so accepting of LGBTQ students because it sees the value of diversity. The majority of the students contribute to creating a safe space where everyone can be themselves. Although I am not yet out to my parents, I have had a very positive experience as a queer student at Stanton. I had never come out to anyone before high school, and I was worried about whether I would be accepted here. It’s hard to know for sure how people will react when you come out, and I didn’t want my queerness to be the first thing people knew about me. I didn’t plan on being openly queer in high school, but after the first semester of freshman year, I had come out to several of my new friends.

“The love and support from a dozen friends can help make up for the lack of understanding from our parents.” Coming out was a slow process, and I probably would have never done it if some of my new friends hadn’t come out to me first. It turned out coming out to people I had only known for a few months was a lot easier than coming out to friends I had known for a long time; I didn’t have to worry about changing people’s perceptions of me if they knew I was queer since the beginning of our friendship. Throughout my time at Stanton, I have built up a network of friendships with other LGBTQ people who are all open and comfortable with each other. Even if we don’t have much else in common, being queer brings us together and gives us a unique bond with each other. The love and support from a dozen friends can help make up for the lack of understanding from our parents. Being a queer student at Stanton, however, still has some drawbacks. While Stanton may seem like a safe place for someone to be out, the spread of someone’s personal information can still lead to awful consequences straight students at Stanton never have to worry about. The problem doesn’t lie only with straight students, though: after one of my classmates was outed as gay by another queer Stanton student, the information spread to other schools and he was jumped and beaten up by students from another school. The issue lies within the lack of respect for privacy and the sense of false security created at Stanton because of its progressiveness. It’s important to remember that a queer person’s decision to come out to a friend is based on trust and is weighted just as heavily as the decision to come out to a parent. We cannot get rid of homophobia altogether, but the LGBTQ community and allies can work together to be aware of the struggles that queer students face in order to make coming out at school less terrifying.

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OPINIONS

Turning the Red Tide iiiiiThe environment is an essential part of Florida. Aside from needing to maintain the business of tourism—the largest source of revenue for Florida—the environment is still critically important to those who live here. However, a phenomenon known as the red tide has created an ecological disaster that was brought into the 2018 gubernatorial race. The Spanish who first arrived in Florida documented accounts of red tides from the Native Americans. Since then, red tides have become more frequent, causing a greater amount of damage. iiiiiThe red tide is caused primarily by the microbe Karenia Brevis rapidly multiplying. The bacteria are always present in the water but do not become a problem until they reach extreme levels. According to a 2008 study by the University of Miami researchers Larry Brand and Angela Compton, agricultural runoff causes this rapid population growth. This attribution would explain the increasing frequency and intensity of the red tides as the Florida agricultural industry continues to expand. Once the bacteria population reaches a large enough size, a toxin, called brevetoxin, naturally produced by the microbe builds up in the water.

“By collectively making our views known to the Florida legislature and the newly elected governor, we can initiate a larger change than we can individually.” iiiiiThe build up of brevetoxins results in the deaths of birds, fish, manatees and sea turtles as they ingest contaminated food and water. According to the Fish and Wildlife Commision, a red tide in 1996 stretching from Pinellas county to Key West killed 10 percent of the manatee population. Last year, the heavy rainfall from Hurricane Irma caused a red tide bloom. The recent red tides continue to negatively affect the fishing industry as the fish are either dead or contaminated by the microbe. iiiiiAt this point, there are several potential solutions. One, suggested by Florida gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis, is to build a reservoir that will help direct the nutrient rich water south through the Everglades after filtration. Since Karenia Brevis is a saltwater bacteria, it would be unable to thrive off the nutrients in the freshwater of the Everglades. According to the South Florida Water Management District, the reservoir could reduce the emission of nutrient rich water by 63 percent. However, the construction required will take seven to nine years. Florida gubernatorial candidate and Mayor Andrew Gillum suggested a different solution to target those causing the problem he hopes to work with the sugar industry that is currently obstructing the flow of the water south into the Everglades. However, the effectiveness of this plan is questionable due to a lack of research into it. iiiiiThe red tides are a serious problem for Florida’s fishing and tourism industries as well as the environment. Over time this problem has only worsened and needs to be dealt with before its damage becomes irreversible. Research into the cause of the red tide should continue but efforts need to be made to counter the effects of the agricultural industry polluting the waterways with nutrients. As individuals we may be able to impact the red tide by from reducing use of fertilizers and disposal of yard waste. However, by collectively making our views known to the Florida legislature and the newly elected governor, we can initiate a larger change than we can individually.

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE established 1983 I Stanton College Preparatory School

2018–2019 Editorial Board Rohini Kumar Bettina Huang Likhita Manchikanti Emmett Gideon Zahra Casado Amra Kajdic Katie Stevens

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Managing Editor Layout and Design Editor Digital Media Editor Business Manager Senior Photo Editor

The Devil’s Advocate serves as the official newspaper of Stanton College Preparatory 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 advertisements and ideas expressed within the newspaper are not necessarily those of the newspaper adviser, newspaper staff, Stanton 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.

16 I devilsadvocatepaper.com

Illustration by Caroline Robbins

Reviving Downtown Jacksonville iiiiiThe literal definition of “downtown” is “the central area or main business and commercial area of a town or city.” This is evident in Jacksonville—to some extent. While there are some businesses in downtown Jacksonville, such as JEA, many are flocking from the supposed urban landscape to more popular and developed areas of town, such as San Marco and Baymeadows. Moreover, people are not going downtown to work, which has a tremendously negative impact on the industrialization of the location. iiiiiFor many, going downtown is a rare occurrence. People are no longer visiting the area to socialize and experience what the urban core of Jacksonville has to offer. They need a reason, such as a sports event or the rare adventure to the Art Walk, but even then, they complete their task and leave as quickly as they came. This has put the area in jeopardy because business and residential complexes are moving out of the city, causing it to deteriorate and be susceptible to crime and violence. More often than not, downtown Jacksonville resembles that of a ghost town. iiiiiThe downtown area of a city should be something its citizens are proud of; it should serve as a snapshot of all of the great things the city has to offer, not be something one just skips over when giving out-of-town friends a tour. This further extends to the daily lives of highschool students. Currently, Stanton College Preparatory School students do not have the privilege of going off campus to get lunch like students who go to school in different locations. One would assume this is because there are no places to get food close enough for students to go get back in the time allotted. However, there are many restaurants and fast food chains within a close proximity of the school—the only other logical reason for not allowing students to go off campus to get lunch is due to safety concerns. iiiiiThis is another stigma our generation must break; we need to revitalize downtown Jacksonville so people do not fear for their safety when visiting the area. To do this, business leaders need to bring more opportunities to the area. Our generation should implore others to move their businesses and housing complexes downtown. Similarly, we need to bring back culture and socialization to the city. Downtown should not only be about industrialization, it should be a place where culture is allowed to take flourish. iiiiiCurrently, the population of Jacksonville is 892,062, yet not even a tenth of this population lives downtown. To be exact, there are only 65,624 people living in the area, according to Point 2 Homes. While Jacksonville may be the largest city in Florida by land mass, there are still no excuses for why people are choosing to not live downtown. Many families are settling down in the suburbs instead of getting condos in the central hub of the city. This illustrates another problem: instead of giving the city the benefit of the doubt and taking the risk by settling in the downtown area, the urban core of the city is just being ignored all together. iiiiiWe, the Devil’s Advocate, implore city and business leaders to revitalize downtown Jacksonville and bring new opportunities to it. As citizens, we should all push for the development of those opportunities. The downtown area of a city should be the central hub of the city, it should be a focal point for cultural experience and it should hold residential and business buildings. In short, we must bring downtown Jacksonville to its full potential.

VOL. XXXV, NO. 2

Skadush Squad: Breaking Stereotypes

On Humanity

By SUDARSHAN SINDHUVALLI, Contributing Writer iiiii1400 views. That is what Skadush Squad achieved within just 24 hours of posting its first vlog to YouTube. We couldn’t believe at first that a group of five Indian boys filming themselves hanging out could attract so much attention. However, in no time at all the number of views began to climb upwards, and continued to grow far past what we expected. We then knew we had the potential to become much bigger than we were at that point. We could be able to influence people in ways we had not planned on before. Through Youtube we could help change perceived stereotypes of Indian youth as being completely studious and unable to have fun. iiiiOur generation has grown up watching YouTube. To us, it is more than just a place to waste time watching random videos—it is a place full of people expressing themselves to the world. In the last few years, YouTubing has become an extremely popular hobby. From vlogging to music production to performing skits, YouTube has increasingly become more of a creative platform than a place to watch random cat videos as many adults seem to think. iiiiiThis is why the five of us initially decided to create Skadush Squad. We wanted to have a way to show the world who we were. With such a large platform, we realized photo by Prachi Misra

By TATUM BOWEN, Contributing Writer

that our channel could become so much more than just stereotypical vlogs. It could be a way to give the world a view into the lives of the five of us and people like us. The vlog could break stereotypes of teenage Indians as being quiet and reserved students who only focus on their studies. What had started out as just five friends hanging out together had the chance to become something much larger. We started to record everything we did. Every time we were together, the camera would always be on. This gave an authenticity to our vlog that we had wanted. iiiiiBy showcasing our friendship so openly, we were hoping to break some common misperceptions of Indians. Many people view us as being reserved, antisocial and solely focused on our academia. In our vlog we were able to show a side to us that people who believed in those stereotypes may not have expected us to have. In contrast to those old stereotypes of Indian youth, the vlog showcased a fun and very open side to us. In this way, we used Skadush Squad to not only represent ourselves, but also to help disassociate Indian youth as a whole from those stereotypes. iiiiiI’m thankful for Skadush Squad. Its members are like my brothers—I’ve loved them for years and now through our channel, we’re able to show the world our friendship. I hope that by seeing what we’ve created together, more kids will feel inspired to create their own ideas and run with them. When I envision the future of Skadush Squad I see so many more exciting ideas and opportunites which I cannot wait to make a reality.

When we tear down forests, replacing them With governments as corrupt as the people within When the air is thick with pollution And the ocean is drowning in trash When equality is just a word to describe a dream And feminism is just wishful thinking We will know our humanity is gone When we bring down others With words, swords, guns, and discrimination When we automatically turn to war Rather than finding the good in peace When we are guided by a single mindset And we ignore the cries of others We will know our humanity is gone

“We wanted to have a way to show the world who we were.”

When we start to put on masks And disguise our true emotions When feelings of empathy and compassion vanish And all that is left is the need for competition When what matters is the beauty on the outside And selfishness takes control We will know our humanity is gone But, then again maybe we won’t Maybe we will be too blinded by our opinions Maybe we are deaf to the world And can only hear our own desires Leaving others to deal with their pain alone Maybe, Humanity is already gone...

The Normalization of Anime By NIKKI KERSHNER, Contributing Writer iiiiiOther than a few episodes of “Pokemon,” which I have been informed is not even “real anime,” my experience with anime is extremely limited, but this has allowed me to witness its evolution as an outside observer rather than an active participant. Anime is a form of Japanese film and television characterized by bright colors, distinctive character designs and exaggerated expressions. Big, shiny eyes and hair that defies gravity are features that commonly define the animation style. iiiiiUnlike Western cartoons, which are made primarily for children, anime is targeted toward all age groups due to its impossibly wide range of genres, from adventure to romance to erotica. It was first popularized in the United States in the 1960s with the English translation of “Astro Boy,” and since then, anime has become something of a cultural phenomenon, gaining further attention through comic books, video games and other media. iiiiiUnfortunately, as many fans are aware, enjoyment of anime has been demoted to a guilty pleasure. Due to stereotypes, common misconceptions and differences between anime and more socially acceptable Western entertainment, the former is often portrayed as weird or cringy. Terms like “weeaboo,” an insult originally used to describe obsessive Western fans but is now targeted toward the entire fanbase, illustrate society’s overall negative attitude toward anime. Particularly in middle school, the prime time for bullying, I remember kids who openly watched anime being ridiculed and shunned for what was really an innocent hobby.iiii iiiiiRecently, however, society seems to have had a change in heart and anime has become more socially acceptable. This is largely due to the influence of celebrities, who often set the bar for what is considered “cool.” Kanye West and Michael B. Jordan are open fans of anime, and in photo by Katie Stevens

NOVEMBER 2018

early 2018 Kim Kardashian tweeted, “I am obsessed with anime. That was legit my inspo,” in response to inquiries about her new pink hair. Celebrities set trends and people follow them. The original fans are still there, but more people, namely the “popular” kids, for lack of better descriptor, have begun jumping on the bandwagon. iiiiiThere is no issue with changing one’s mind on a subject. Many anime fans are thrilled that the medium they love is becoming more mainstream and getting the attention they believe it deserves. However, the change in pace rises questions of hypocrisy, as people who bullied fans of anime before celebrities validated it are now fans themselves. iiiiiMany new members of the anime community join because they think it’s cultured or adorably quirky. They take for granted the fact that, as students higher up on the social ladder, they never had to endure the bullying and ridicule long-time fans did. IIIIIFurthermore, the normalization of anime only applies to more popular programs, whereas society still turns up its

nose at films and shows off the well-beaten path. iiiiiAlthough Studio Ghibli films carry a more socially acceptable vibe than traditional anime, they can nonetheless be used to illustrate this phenomenon. For many people, Studio Ghibli represents an important part of their childhood and they have enjoyed the films long before they became mainstream. Now however, new fans can easily be distinguished from old by the elitist nature with which they discuss the films, as if their ability to recite lists of symbols somehow makes them more cultured than everyone else. iiiiiAnime is a changing landscape, especially as our world becomes increasingly more globalized and our entertainment increasingly cross-cultural. The shifting tides provide a good opportunity for everyone—anime fans or otherwise—to consider what influences their interests, why they like the things they like and how they treat people with less “cool” hobbies. Change can be good, but we should be conscientious of our actions.

illustration by Caroline Robbins

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE I 17

Disorder on the Court

Do Not Compete

By RONAK VENKATA Contributing Writer

By ARACELI PAYAN, Contributing Writer

iiiiiIn the world of tennis, the U.S. Open shines as a beacon of trendsetting brilliance. The American Grand Slam is considered to be the leader of innovation and progress, from being one of the first tournaments to include a roofed stadium for matches, to drastically raising women’s tournament earnings to match that of men. Add to this the New York City culture and the American fan experience, and you have yourself the most sought after tournament on the world tour. However, the 2018 U.S. Open may go down in the record books as one of the most controversial in open era history. The situation centers around arguably the sport’s most iconic figure, Serena Williams. In the finals of the Women’s Singles draw on Sept. 8, 2018, the American player received a questionable warning and two penalties from the umpire, causing her to be put at a considerable disadvantage towards the end of a match already in her opponent, Naomi Osaka’s favor. This sparked a fit of outrage from Williams, who did not believe she deserved the penalties. What happened was obviously a tragic situation for all parties involved; however, this incident raises a serious question within the tennis community: do umpires have too much leeway in regard to their code violations? iiiiiAs a competitive tennis player who has been to over 65 tennis tournaments in the past four years, I can confidently state that Williams deserved the warning and the first penalty that she was given. The warning was given because her coach, Patrick Mourataglou, attempted to coach her from the stands, an action well within the bounds of the umpire’s power. Mourataglou even admitted he was trying to coach Williams, and although she did not see his hand signals, photo by Katie Stevens

the action itself still merits a warning. The first point penalty, given for smashing her racket, is a common occurrence in both men’s and women’s tennis, and her behavior in that regard was completely wrong. iiiiiThe third penalty is where the line begins to blur. In regard to the “verbal abuse” cited by the umpire for her penalty, Williams stated that men “get away with a lot worse.” In all honesty, she is not totally wrong. Players such as John McEnroe and Victor Troicki have said much worse, even cursing on the court, with little or no penalty. This indicates partial subjectivity in the role of the umpire. iiiiiI would argue that yes, umpires do control too much of the game, and this subjective bias can pose some serious issues with 3.8 million dollars on the line. In particular, racial and gender based biases may considerably affect the outcomes of matches. However, it is this interpretation of tennis that gives it the volatility needed to remain as a riveting televised sport. If every line was checked without the need for human line judges, and if every rule was followed down to the smallest detail, the game would be quite bland. The challenges, on-court drama, and emotional tension are key factors in the continuing market ability of tennis, which is why I believe this subjectivity must remain.

illustration by Caroline Robbins

Colorblind Casting Crisis

IIIIIStanton College Preparatory School’s competitive nature is one of the many things that defines its atmosphere, and one of the first things I noticed upon my arrival. Stanton students are some of the most talented, intelligent and hardworking, and we are all constantly struggling to reach our goals and come to a point of content with our achievements. However, this is not always an easy thing to do, as the wide range of skills and talents among the student body at Stanton makes it hard to stand out. IIIIIOne thing I’ve noticed is that standards for what is considered “superior work” shifts as one transfers into Stanton. Students once top of their class in middle school are now seen as average compared to the entire student body at Stanton. Those once considered superior students were now in classes filled with many people as, or more intelligent than them. This is because Stanton attracts top students from all over Duval County. So now, what was previously considered the “top” is now somewhere in the middle, and in order to stand out, much more dedication and time is required. IIIIIMany of the students at Stanton take on a multitude of activities such as sports, clubs and honor societies in an attempt to stand out among their peers. Some even go as far as taking extra courses online to achieve a higher number of credits and boost their grade point average enough to photo by Prachi Misra

“The wide range of skills and talents among the student body at Stanton makes it hard to stand out.”

By ANGELA VILLANUEVA, Staff Writer iiiii“District 2 is better than you!” My friends would say, joking about competing at the state level. This would be my first District Thespian Festival—a gathering for theater troupes in Florida’s District 2 where student actors display their theatrical talent. I went with the intent to compete with my friends and improve my acting skills. There was an unspoken pressure to be the best, earn a superior—the highest rank for scores—and be picked for the critics’ choice show, where the judges in each room pick the best piece to perform at the end of the day. Immediately following performances, most people received their scores via email, but my group’s ensemble score did not appear until late into the afternoon. Upon receiving my evaluation, I had a rude awakening. iiiiiI was not disappointed about my score, I was shocked by one of the comments I received: “Sarah and Angela don’t look like sisters.” The judge was referring to the fact that I was Asian and Sarah was white. For a while, I kept thinking that the way the audience looked at me was all in my head, but the judge’s comment confirmed my suspicion. Although the comment about our different appearances was true, it was hard to believe it was an issue. The judge’s comment should have been based on our acting, but it was obvious our talent was not the only thing that influenced our score. iiiiiFrom that point on, I had two options—to overlook the critique or accept only half of the truth. Ignoring the issue meant ignoring who I really was, an Asian girl playing a white role. While judges usually explain their issues with photo by Ysabella Rodriguez

scenes and present a way to fix them, that judge left an ambiguous comment. Suddenly, I started to understand when I remembered the majority of the room was white. The only diversity among our audience was among students from our school. I felt displaced. Acting had always been my passion, and it was disappointing to find that people overlooked my effort and only paid attention to my ethnicity. While directors of Broadway shows have a vast number of white actors to choose from, directors at a high school level use the colorblind casting method to include everyone. Our judge, however, did not appreciate our choices in the characters we chose. iiiiiSometimes I forget there are people out there who are going to discredit me due to my cultural background. With events like the Multicultural Extravaganza—where Stanton College Preparatory School students perform dances representing different cultures—people can come together and perform without creating tension because of our differences. Here at Stanton, we create an accepting environment against the ethnic divide. iiiiiThe background associated with my appearance does not affect the quality of my performance. My culture is not something I should change or hide so people can comfortably watch me act. I am and should be proud to be an Asian thespian. At the Thespian Festival, I understood the world of acting would always be a challenge for people like me. Despite this, it seems people are interested in the appeal of Asian actors, as seen with movies like “Crazy Rich Asians,” and my next role in a future Stanton production does not seem impossible. I hope to extend this mentality of acceptance to others. Our differences should bring us together, not separate us.

“Our differences should bring us together, not separate us.”

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become valedictorian. These tasks, paired with the already rigorous courses required at Stanton, put an insurmountable amount of stress on students. IIIIIA quarter of the way into my sophomore year, I wouldn’t even dream of putting this kind of stress on myself, even if it means I’ll be nothing more than average. Putting too much stress on myself would only lead to mental exhaustion, and continuing to compare myself to others will only lead to more self-doubt. IIIIIHowever, the competitive nature of Stanton continues to cause students to push themselves to do better. In a constant struggle to exceed the accomplishments of their peers, students often forget that the effort they put in is good enough, and fail to reward themselves for their achievements. Usually, getting a B in a class is a seen as a good thing, but at Stanton I sometimes feel it’s not good enough because I have spent too much time comparing myself to my peers. I often feel let down by the fact that I can’t get straight A’s even with all of the work I put in. In reality, once simple achievements such as getting straight A’s are much more of a challenge at Stanton, and failure to recognize this causes students to put more pressure on themselves than they should. IIIIIThere is no doubt that Stanton is home to many intelligent students with diverse abilities. Rather than viewing this as an obstacle, we should allow ourselves to grow and learn from our peers. In order to do this, we must recognize our own abilities and wish to expand theim, rather than feel bad that they’re not as great as someone else’s. A little friendly competition never hurts anybody, but we must also realize that comparing ourselves to others isn’t always that best way to set our standards. Columns published in the Devil’s Advocate represent the views of the writers, not those of the newspaper.

VOL. XXXV, NO. 2

Sports

SPORTS

By SERENE SHIBLY, Staff Writer

The money required to pay for necessary sporting equiptment can add up to a hefty bill for student athletes and their families. From soccer matches to football games, sports are an integral part of the high school experience that add excitement to the lives of students and serve as an outlet for academic stress. Without sports, many students would be missing an important extracurricular in their school career. However, participating in a sport can be expensive as the price of uniforms and equipment add up, making it difficult to afford for some students.

“Rackets can cost anywhere between $200 and $230. Plus, you have to think about stringing, it is $32 every time you need to restring.”

photo by Ysabella Rodriguez

The Stanton football team now has new gear to help protect them on the field.

—Ronak Venkata, 11th Student athletes end up paying hundreds to even thousands of dollars for their sport. According to a TIME article published in 2017, the $15.3 billion student athletics industry has doubled throughout the past decade, although participation in sports has declined over the years, especially for lower income families. While the expenses students have to pay can vary, the cost can become overbearing in many cases. “Tennis is pretty expensive, depending on how high of a level you play,” said junior Ronak Venkata, co-captain of the boys’ varsity tennis team. “If you want to get a $10 racket at Walmart, go ahead, but if you want to play at a good level, rackets can cost anywhere between $200 and $230. Plus, you have to think about stringing. It is $32 every time you need to restring and I break my strings twice a week.” It is evident that prices change depending on the level at which one plays. Prices are also different depending on the quality of the equipment and uniforms students desire. For instance, a member of the swim team can either pay $60 for a swimsuit, or they can pay much more money for a higher quality suit at around hundreds of dollars. The price of a swim cap alone can go up to $30, let alone the many other items

NOVEMBER 2018

the student athlete has to purchase. “This swim season costs around $200 because we have to pay our $100 fees, which goes towards buses,” said freshman Brenna Dupries, a swimmer on the junior varsity team. “We also have to pay for our equipment and anything else that we would want. So, if we wanted to have a swim bag, then it would be an additional cost.” Other sports require more expenses. For instance, the price to participate in cheerleading goes up in the thousands. Although there are some students who are able to spend a lot of money on sports, not everyone can keep up with the cost and end up having to drop their sports. “Per year, I spent around $1000 to $2000 on cheerleading,” said junior Olivia Barksdale, a former cheerleader. “I left because it was draining money from my family. I could not keep cutting things out of my life to keep up with cheerleading.” There are free sports students can participate in as an alternative to the other costly sports. These sports have little to no costs. For example, the most the cross country team spends is on shoes and their one uniform requirement of spandex shorts. Football, unlike most of the sports at Stanton, is completely paid for by the school and the grants the team receives. “Our kids don’t pay for anything,” said football coach Mike

“Per year, I spent around $1000 to $2000 on cheerleading. I left because it was draining money from my family.” —Olivia Barksdale, 11th Healey, “We take care of everything.” Not every sport can be completely covered through the school, so fundraising also plays an important role in covering expenses. Fundraising is one of the most common ways to acquire a significant amount of funds for the team. Various fundraising efforts are seen all throughout the school, whether it is through selling chocolate during lunch or giving out catalogs filled with Stanton merchandise after school.

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Sports “We usually give options, like for flag football, we sell candy. Other sports might sell discount cards to help raise money if [the players] cannot afford [the sport],” said Athletic Director, Coach Chris Crider. Fundraisers are essential for a pricier sport, as it keeps athletics more affordable. For example, the cost for rowing is in the thousands, which is expensive to keep up with.

“For a full year, rowing is $2500, but I choose to do a monthly payment of $250.” —Irma Accius, 9th However, there are fundraisers and monthly payment options to make budgeting easier. “For a full year, rowing is $2,500, but I choose to do a monthly payment of $250,” said freshman Irma Accius, a varsity rower. “We get the funding for our equipment from our two yearly fundraisers, ‘Night on the Riverbank’ and ‘Mulch Madness.’ All of the proceeds go back to us.” However, some sports, like softball, do not partake in any fundraising. This can be detrimental, because it means students have to budget and pay for everything themselves, without the assistance of fundraising. In lieu of fundraising, some sports have mandatory financial contributions and fees in place. “We don’t do any fundraising and we have to buy our own gear and clothes. We have to pay for everything ourselves,” said junior Anjali Panchal, an outfielder on the varsity softball team. “Last year, I think we had to donate $100 and another $100 if we wanted food.” In addition to fundraisers, there are also grants, such as the Riddell Smarter Football Grant, that cover some of the sports funds. The $10,000 grant went toward ensuring safety for

football players. They received new shoulder pads, replacing their older ones, which were over 25 years old. The team also got new helmets, reducing player injuries. Without the Riddell grant, the football team would not have received the money to update their equipment and would have continued using outdated gear or might have had to pay it for themselves. Not only did the grant supply the team, it also boosted morale. “It made us feel like a real football school that we have actual facilities and equipment that other football schools have,” said senior Abdullah Khokhar, running back and outside linebacker on the varsity football team. “It just changed the culture. A huge part of the high school experience is sports.” Despite all the expenses and struggles, sports can also be fun and stress relieving, and remain a central part of high school extracurricular activities. The costs can become overwhelming, but many students still continue to participate because it is their passion. “Volleyball is kind of my life, I do it year round and I really enjoy doing it because it is my escape from home, school, homework and all of the stress in my life,” said sophomore Leah Christie, outside hitter on the junior varsity volleyball team. “It’s just something I can always go to and enjoy,” Sports participation varies in cost, some sports being quite expensive, while others are virtually free. Through various fundraising efforts, the cost of athletics become more bearable. Even with all the demands and fees, students continue to turn to sports.

prices taken from dickssportinggoods.com

“We don’t do any fundraising and we have to buy our own gear and clothes. We have to pay for everything ourselves” —Anjali Panchal, 11th infographic by Jake Nachman

photo by Ysabella Rodriguez

Some of the supplies that are necessary for cheerleaders during their season.

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VOL. XXXV, NO. 2

Leading the way Within sports teams, select athletes are chosen to be captains because of their preformance, work ethic and dedication to the success of their teammates. By SETH ABOUHALKAH, Staff Writer

photo by Ysabella Rodriguez

Alex King

photo by Ysabella Rodriguez

Ryan AdamCzyk NOVEMBER 2018

Senior Alex King has been on the girls’ varsity soccer team since her freshman year. She says that her experience over the years has gained her the position of team captain. “I’ve been one of the only seniors on varsity since freshman year,” said King. “I think having the knowledge from freshman year to senior year and knowing everybody and how they play is a reason why I was picked as a captain.” The girls’ varsity soccer team has had many successes in the past two years. In 2017, they made it to the FHSSA State Championship, and in 2018, they made it to the semifinals. King says in order to maintain her team’s success, she has to step up and take charge of the team’s performance. “One of the biggest things we need is a really strong leading role,” said King. “We’ve always had a captain that held everyone accountable and made the changes that needed to be made, and I think that’s something I need to carry on to this year to continue our success.” Although King has been playing on varsity since her freshman year, this is the first year she will take on the role of captain. To switch from a regular athlete to a team captain, King says she needs to become more serious about her position by keeping others in check. “I’m going to be more accountable and make sure everyone is focused, instead of being someone who jokes off, like I used to be,” said King. “Coach Heggood and our assistant coach, Coach Mott, now both expect me to fill the leading role and to not be the nice one when people are in the wrong.” King believes the management of her role can prove essential in her team’s success. Through her leadership and accountability, she hopes to continue her team’s effectiveness and lead them to another successful year. Senior Ryan Adamczyk has been running cross-country for four years and says that earning the role of team captain has been a long journey for him. “In freshman year, I was the second slowest on the team out of 42 people,” said Adamczyk. “I had no natural talent, so I had to grind to be able to get to where I am now.” To Adamczyk, being team captain is not just about setting rules for the other athletes. He identifies a more important aspect of being team captain: the determination and motivation he instills in the other athletes. “Being captain of the team means a lot because freshman year I remember seeing the senior captains, and them motivating me, which is probably the reason why I kept with cross-country,” said Adamczyk. “Being that role model for others is a heartwarming feeling.” In addition to his passion, he also explains another reason behind him being picked as a team captain. Adamczyk says his strong relationships with the other athletes and his undying motivation are factors that led him to be selected to the team captain position. “The coaches saw determination in me and they know that I can verbalize that as well, along with my relationship with the kids and with the coaches themselves. We’re all super close. They’re a family to me.” Adamczyk hopes to use his leadership to inspire others to work hard. The motivation and hard work he communicates to others and the relationships he forms is a key part to his fulfilled role as team captain.

infographic by Jake Nachman

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE | 21

Sports

photo by Ysabella Rodriguez

Max Zhang

Emma Salati

photo by Ysabella Rodriguez

Senior Max Zhang, the team captain of the boys’ varsity tennis team, is not only team captain, but has also been affected by a team captain himself. His experiences with others in his previous years of tennis has played a key part in his new role of team captain. “I started taking tennis seriously freshman year because our captain inspired me,” said Zhang. “He was my role model for what I wanted to be. He helped me become more of a competitive athlete.” Zhang has been able to take what he learned from his experience with previous captains and communicate it to his fellow athletes. Despite tennis having singles and double matches, Zhang doesn’t let the separation stop the cohesiveness of the team. He says encouraging others is his main goal, and it brings the team together. “Our tennis team is known for being obnoxiously loud, so whenever we’re playing, even when we’re on separate courts, you can always hear someone on our team cheering on others,” said Zhang. “We always try to encourage each other and help each other out, even if we’re not playing together.” However, Zhang’s role does not end at encouragement. As a leader of his team, he is expected to take on responsibilities

that help the other players improve and further the team’s success. “I make sure the team’s connected and one unit,” said Zhang. “I try to get everyone involved, no matter what their position on the team. Just making sure everyone has a good time, and bringing that team feeling, because we are a team, not just individual players.” Zhang showcases his leadership potential and promise by initiating team bonding and being a voice for his team. He hopes to convey togetherness that can lead to the tennis team’s success in their upcoming season.

During practices, games and team events, certain athletes are expected to take charge and lead their team. When a team needs leadership, team captains, players who are chosen to run the team and lead them in improving and developing skills for their sport, step up. These athletes have a vital role on their sports teams and the skills and unity they communicate to their fellow athletes are an essential part of how a team progresses and performs. Senior Emma Salati has been a captain for the swim team since her junior year, so she is very familiar with the role she must fulfill. She says her position of team captain has resulted in many benefits for her and the team. “I like to encourage the rest of the people on the team,” said Salati. “That’s why I love cheering really loud at the meets and making sure that swimmers who don’t have people supporting them get the support they need.” As a team captain, Salati has accomplished more than just uniting the team. She says that in addition to the standard responsibilities she completes, like helping the coach prepare and plan for the meets and sharing information about the meets to her fellow swimmers, she also connects with the underclassmen on the team. “A lot of underclassmen come in and might not have many friends,” said Salati. “I’m really thankful I’ve made the effort to get closer to the underclassmen, and hearing the younger girls refer to me as a sister to them really makes me feel like

I’ve made an impact.” Salati’s experience is not one-sided. Freshman Leonard Malobay is a new member on the swim team and has become close to Salati. Due to Salati’s welcoming attitude, Malobay has had an easier time adapting to the team and making friends. “Emma’s the senior I go to in order to know the stuff for swim,” said Malobay. “And she’s one of my closest friends. Team captains definitely play an important role. Sometimes it’s easy to overlook them, but they are important to the swim team.” As team captain, Salati acts as the bridge between the swimmers and the coaches by making sure there is clear communication between them. She says her determination helps her fill the role of team captain and got her the position. “Personally, I’m not that great of a swimmer because I never really had the background that some of the people did when they came to the team,” said Salati. “But I think I have the determination for it. I put a lot of my time and effort into making sure the team runs smoothly and things are taken care of. I think that’s something Coach Fleming saw in me and wanted to reward me for.” Salati’s dedication and love for swimming has allowed her to successfully take on the position of team captain. She does not take her job as team captain lightly and understands the importance her role can have on others.

photo by obtained from Google Images

photo by Ysabella Rodriguez

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VOL. XXXV, NO. 2

photo by Prachi Misra

photo by Katie Stevens

photo by Ysabella Rodriguez

photo by Katie Stevens

photo by Ysabella Rodriguez

Feels Like Fall

Photography by Katie Stevens, Prachi Misra and Ysabella Rodriguez

photo by Prachi Misra