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highlights 4 5 0 B i r d R o a d , C o r a l G a b l e s , F L 3 314 6

Issue 2,

S e p t e m b e r 2 014 , V o l . 5 5

Cav Crash makes comeback

Olivia Field/highlights COLLIDING TALENT: (Left) Junior Melvin Taylor is surrounded by his fellow contestants after being crowned the winner of the Cav Crash talent show. (Top Right) Senior Michael Marquez shows off his electric guitar skills during a riff. (Bottom Right) Los Movimientos put their hands up as they dance to Single Ladies during their routine.

By Olivia Field

The glowing spotlight of Cav Crash encompassed spirited students, an overwhelming amount of talent, and an abundance of Gables pride. Held in the auditorium this Monday, the show started off this year’s homecoming week.

The dual pep rally and talent show featured 10 talent acts, class skits, a club costume contest, and performances from the cheerleaders, Sistas with Attitude, Gablettes and Divaaz.

After lack of interest led to the show’s cancellation last year, English teacher Michelle Zaldivar decided to bring it back because of a personal connection.

“When I saw that Cav Crash wasn’t happening last year, it was like a stab to the heart. Cav Crash was such an integral part of my high school experience,” Zaldivar said.

The winner of the talent portion of the show was junior Melvin Taylor, also known as “Dougie Phreak,” who performed a self-choreographed dance routine to his own song mix. Taylor took the stage alone and moved his body to the electronic beats he produced, adding exaggerated facial expressions for comedic relief. As a new student at the school this year, he said he wanted to be a part of Cav Crash to be able to make a name for

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STAFF WRITER

himself and start off new.

“Dancing is my passion. I’ve been doing it non professionally since I was seven. I’ve just been dancing in my living room and annoying my mom forever,” Taylor said.

The two hour show was kicked off by the school’s very own Divaaz, who performed an acapella mash-up of popular songs. The show was hosted by the masters of ceremony, seniors Valerie Montesino and Keana Mercado and junior Alejandro Arzola.

The rest of the talent portion of Cav Crash was comprised of guitar and vocal performances and lively dance numbers. Senior Patrick Quintana performed a stand-up comedy act called “Little Tortilla Boy,” where he mocked corporate movies and impersonated well-known actors.

The performances were scored by a panel of judges, who each filled out a rubric that inspected the performer’s overall skill, execution, and appropriateness. The judging panel included Gables alumna Alexis Artiles, dance teacher Mo Marmesh, and Assistant Principal Lazaro Hernandez.

As Taylor became a recognized member of the Gables community, two clubs and one grade level were also given the lime light. Gables Earth won “Most Original” and Tri-M Honor Society won “Most Spirited” in the club costume contest. The junior class won the skit competition with their dance number, rising above the seniors and sophomores.

M-DCPS $1.2 billion bond takes effect

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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Since Miami-Dade County residents approved a $1.2 billion General Obligation (GO) Bond for capital improvements of district schools on Nov. 6, 2012, Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) has begun its rollout of plans and projects to bring all schools up to 21st century standards. The bond money will be spent on updating technology, renovating facilities, building school replacements, increasing student capacity and enhancing safety and security. The school is set to receive its allotted money— approximately $10.4 million— this school year, which marks the third year of the bond’s installment.

The bond will rollout in two phases. Phase one, from 2013-15, includes the majority of the over 140 projects with a

construction value of $2 million or less, and phase two, from 2016-19, includes the larger projects. The approximately 310 projects are split almost evenly between phases one and two, and 10 proposed projects have a construction cost of over $10 million. According to a M-DCPS media advisory, nearly 70 projects have been completed or are near completion thus far. Over 11,000 interactive boards have been installed in classrooms across the district, including the 138 Promethean boards that were installed in the school over the summer, and more than 100,000 electronic devices will be available to students. The cost of technological upgrades (e.g. Promethean boards and tablets) is not removed from each school’s allotted bond money.

The school is scheduled to receive building renovations, rather than replacements, though the list of projects to be completed at the school has not yet been determined.

According to Principal Adolfo Costa, within the next couple

PG. 13 Virginia Key Mountain Bike Park offers trails of varying difficulty

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PG. 11 highlights explores the lives of Miami’s homeless community

of months engineers, architects, and maintenance personnel will conduct a walk-through of the school to choose the projects. Costa said he hopes to see the school’s infrastructure and aesthetic needs addressed, including locker room and auditorium renovations, electrical system upgrades, painting, window installation and air conditioning improvements.

Homeowners in Miami-Dade County will pay approximately $27 for every $100,000 of taxable value for the full term of the bond (2013-50).

“When you look at your tax roll, the school board is one of the ones that you pay the most for, but when you look at the amount versus what you’re getting in return, it’s the best bargain in the world,” Costa said.

M-DCPS is hosting a series of town hall meetings to update community members on the progress of the bond.

Information about the bond and specific projects can be found at bondsforschools.dadeschools.net.

PG. 15 Donut Divas restaurant serves up reinvented carnival food

the scene

By Brooke Donner

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highlights September 2014

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Polo shirts distributed at no cost on Tuesdays

By Savannah Payne

but will also allow high school students to clear out polos that they no longer want or need. The seniors are still accepting polos from any student who wishes to donate.

Starting this month, school polo shirts will be available “So, now the main issue is just spreading the awareness at no cost for all students. In front of the New Building on about the availability of polo shirts,” Scanlon said.

Tuesdays during lunch, seniors Teague Scanlon, Raquel Braun, With inspiration from Hernandez, this project was created and Susana Rudin will be handing out polos they collected as a Creative Action Service (CAS) project by Scanlon, Braun, last year to anyone in need of school and Rudin. They collected and uniform. There are shirts in different cleaned over 260 polos, and brought [The project] is still in its baby color, size and brand. them back to school to give out. stages, but it has a lot of “[The project] is still in its baby Originally planning to donate to the stages, but it has a lot of potential.

Parent Teacher Student Association potential.

Hopefully [the seniors] get some other (PTSA), the three seniors decided Lazaro Hernandez, students that need community service that they wanted to give out the or who want to be a part of the project polos themselves.

Assistant Principal so it can grow,” Assistant Principal Hernandez is a former teacher Lazaro Hernandez said. at South West Senior High School, This project was created so that where he had a student who the polo drive could become an on-going activity for the conducted a polo drive as part of her Silver Knight project. school. According to Scanlon, the three seniors wanted to make “Kids grow. You’re a ninth grader, and you’re wearing a uniforms accessible to students who may not be able to afford medium. Then you’re a senior and you’re wearing a large, so them. The drive will not only help provide uniforms to students, what happened to all those medium uniforms?” Hernandez said.

STAFF WRITER

M-DCPS launches new app

By Sofia Viglucci STAFF WRITER

Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) recently launched a free mobile app available for iPhones and Android devices.

The app allows students, parents and employees to access new information regarding MDCPS, upcoming activities, and other basic school information with the tap of a screen. When the app is first opened, it is required to log in using the same student identification number and password used for the student portal.

The app may be downloaded from any app store available on iPhones and Android devices. It is organized into several categories: School, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), Foundation For New Education (FNEI), MDCPS, Notifications, Class Schedule, Bus Route, and Lunch Menu.

The app was launched in order to provide students, employees, and parents with quicker access to up-to-date information having to do with school. In order to access the gradebook, it is necessary to first click on the MDCPS category, which will then direct the user to the MDCPS website. From there, login information is required to view the student portal and gradebook.

“I think the new app is great, the only problem I have with it is that they did not include the only part of the portal that students need on a daily basis, the grade-book,” freshman Devin DeDonatis said.

Club Fair

EASY ACCESS: The MDCPS app homepage displays a variety of icons for quick access to school information.

Camila Lupi/highlights

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PILING UP POLOS: In front of the New Building, senior Teague Scanlon hands out recycled polos that he collected for his CAS project last year to students who want them.

Test scores improve

By Sydney Scanlon STAFF WRITER

There has been a significant improvement in the school’s test scores over the past few years and more students have taken both Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams.

The passing rate for the IB program in the 2008-09 school year was 54 percent. This past year the passing rate was 83 percent. According to IB Coordinator Diana Van Wyk, the 29 percent increase has been attributed to cracking down on deadlines and a Theory of Knowledge 2 (TOK2) class. In 2012-13 the school’s passing rates for IB were the third highest in the county, falling behind Coral Reef Senior High School and Miami Beach High School, that tested only 27 students compared to the school’s 154 students.

“I feel that the scores have shown an improvement as a result of a comprehensive calendar that spaces out assessment deadlines as much as possible and the added support of TOK2,” said Van Wyk. Teachers and faculty have seen an improvement in AP scores over the past few years too. Since 2011 the percent of students with a score of 3 or above has fluctuated only one or 2 percent. But from 2010-11 the AP scores improved from 50.3 percent to 59.1 percent. This sudden increase is accredited to more native Spanish speakers being encouraged to take the AP Spanish exam and a higher weight being placed on APs by colleges. In 2014 the passing rate was 58.8 percent, which is 5.6 percent over the Florida average and close to the global average of 61.3 percent.

Mia Tolpin/highlights CLUBBING: (Top Left) While preparing their snowcone machine and decorations for their booth, Best Buddies members await the crowd of eager new club members. (Bottom left) Senior Erik Suarez dresses up as Albert Einstein to advertise the SECME Club. (Middle) Junior Rafael Gonzalez holds up a debate club poster, smiling as he catches students’ attention with his purple blow-up body suit. (Right) Best Buddies members seniors Destiny Delgado and Deandre Irizarry embrace the “water” theme by sporting their pool floaties and sunglasses.

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Super Hero/Villain Day

September 2014

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Maya Iskandarani/highlights COSTUMED CAVS: (Left) Junior Maria Victoria Paredes flaunts her homemade Poison Ivy costume among fellow students at lunch. (Top Middle) Senior Nina Llado, dressed as Austin Powers, and senior Nicole Vilar, dressed as a “Super Gablette” strike fierce poses in their science class. (Bottom Middle) Senior triplets Michelle Robles, Oliver Robles and Juliana Robles pose as Bubbles, Buttercup, and Blossom from the Powerpuff Girls. (Right) Senior Alex Duran gets ready to throw his Poké Ball to show off his Ash Ketchum costume between classes.

New teachers sent to underperforming schools

By Savannah Payne STAFF WRITER

Recently, the Urban League of Greater Miami brought to attention a study concerning Miami Dade Public Schools which showed that 60 percent of first year teachers are being sent to the schools with the lowest grades in Miami-Dade County.

The Urban League of Greater Miami first announced the observation during a press conference it held on Aug. 20 to release a study, made by the National Council of Teacher Equality, on Miami teacher quality. This organization’s mission, as stated on their website, is to “enable black children to reach their fullest potential.” Their vision is “for every child born in Liberty City [to] grow up happy, healthy, and successful.”

School Board Districts One and Two are the districts highlighted in this study.

Carol City, Norland Senior, North Miami, Central, Edison, Jackson, Northwestern, and Booker T. Washington High Schools are in the lower socioeconomic neighborhoods and are the lowest graded schools in the county. A significant percentage of students qualify for free or reduced lunch in these districts. The students at these schools represent 70 percent of Miami-Dade students that receive an average of Ds and Fs under the Florida grading scale. Teachers in these schools, located in Miami Gardens and Liberty City, hold the most amount of absences and teacher retentions.

President of the Urban League of Greater Miami, T. Williard Fair, argued during the press conference that the “best teachers with the best experience” should be teaching in the neediest schools.

“The quality of a teacher is important,” Fair said during the press conference on Aug. 20th.

As a result, schools like Coral Gables Senior High School will not be receiving as many first year teachers as the schools in Districts One and Two. Ninety percent of the schools’ students are minorities and over 65 percent have economic disadvantages. Numerous teachers at the school have been teaching for over 30 years and the school maintains an A average.

President of the United Teachers of Dade, Fredrick Ingram, said to the Miami Herald that “if [we are] going to try to solve the problem, [we should] talk about the whole problem.”

Ingram said he believes that the teachers and their teaching experience is not the only factor impacting student grades.

According to Ingram, a lot can depend on the resources available, parent involvement, and poverty levels.

Additionally, the Huffington Post organized a study, which showed that family income could affect a student’s test scores. This investigation complimented Ingram’s statements.

According to the study’s results, students in a low-income family are 28 percent less likely to pass standardized tests in math.

Congrats

Seniors Jack Lawhorn and Daniel Osorio are the school’s National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists.

Senior Elih Marrero was selected to play for the 18-and-under USA National Baseball Team.

Football running back Kenio Mike received a full football scholarship to Florida International University.

Senior Robert “Coco” Montes signed early to the University of South Florida’s baseball team.

Senior Camilo Bacca won first place for his Posse Scholarship Program essay out of 3,000 applicants.

Senior Daniel Regalado received a $50 giftcard for being ‘most spirited’ at the Columbus game pep rally.

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highlights September 2014

Breakfast bags now offered

By Natalie Viglucci STAFF WRITER

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Senior square taken away

By Susana Rudin STAFF WRITER

The school has implemented a new free breakfast plan called Brk 2 Go Bags for all students in addition to the breakfast available in the cafeteria. Breakfast will now be brought in a small paper bag to the 300 hall for students who did not get a chance to eat that morning.

According to Food Service Manager Lacretia Strickland, many of the students at the school did not take advantage of the free breakfast offered every morning in both cafeterias, so Strickland decided she wanted to make a change. She came up with the idea of bringing free bagged breakfast to two randomly chosen classes every morning during first or second period to provide food for those students who did not have the change to eat breakfast that morning.

“I think it’s great that students are going to be able to get a good breakfast in the morning without having to worry about it,” freshman Alejandro Prida said.

Strickland said she believes the program will be very beneficial to the students in the sense that they will be more prepared for the day and more educated on the importance of eating breakfast. She decided that it would be much more convenient to just bag something like a parfait and take it to the students to eat. Strickland came up with the idea and the name Brk 2 Go Bags when she saw students who did not seem to be eating in the mornings.

“I noticed that a lot of the children were sitting in the patio and weren’t eating, so I figured why not bring the food to them?” said Strickland.

The square parking section of the student parking lot, nicknamed the Senior Square, has now been designated as cafeteria personnel parking. The senior square is the semiseparated parking square that is next to the New Building and neighbors the baseball field.

The Senior Square has been a “rite of passage” for the seniors of the school for years now.

However, this year the tradition will no longer continue.

This recent development is due to the new drop off system. The numerous amounts of traffic jams that occurred last year prompted the school administration to change and reorganize the structure and traffic flow of the Riviera parking lot.

“Prior to this year, the cafeteria personnel always parked in the Riviera parking lot.

The reason being that both cafeterias on campus just happen to be on that side of the school. The only difference was they were parking anywhere in the lot or behind the New Building. The decision was made to provide one location where all of them could park.

Having them in one location provides better traffic flow in and out of the Riviera lot both before and after school,” Athletic Director Louis Romero said.

According to senior Gabriela Urban, many of the seniors were shocked to find that this area was no longer designated to students.

“I am really upset that I can not park in the senior square this year. I just got my car this summer and I know it is silly but it is a fun part of being a senior,” senior Dylan York said.

Public libraries Eighth graders take biology receive funding

By Vanessa Vazquez STAFF WRITER

By Maya Iskandarani STAFF WRITER

Reversing the tide of library cutbacks, Miami-Dade County’s public libraries will soon begin instituting policy changes funded by a higher library tax that was approved in county legislation this July. The current $50 million budget is set to increase by $4 million, just in time to compensate for the depleting cash reserves left from the budget peak in 2010 that had been used to replace the libraries’ lost funding since the initial tax cut in 2011. The higher tax will become effective at the beginning of the new budget year on Oct. 1.

Most of the 49 branches of the Miami-Dade Public Library System will adjust their hours of operation in accordance with the distribution of the new budget. The five largest branches— Miami Beach, North Dade, West Dade, South Dade, and West Kendall—are adding Sunday to their current schedules to become operational seven days a week. Seven other branches are expanding their hours of operation from five to six days a week. The majority of the smaller branches are undergoing relatively minor schedule changes, typically switching one day for another or operating for a few more hours than before; for example, the Coral Gables Public Library will be now be closed on Thursdays and open on Sundays. All public library schedule changes can be found on the Miami Herald website, and all will become effective on Oct. 1.

“I use the library once or twice a week. I think they’re pretty efficient. [The budget increase helps] because I find there are times when I need to stay a little bit longer to finish certain things. I would take advantage of the longer hours; if anything, when projects need to be done I could meet with my friends there and get things done,” junior Marisel Lavizzar said.

Other changes that are to come with the increased budget include the expansion of the YOUMedia technology program to the South Dade library branch. This program is intended to immerse students in a computer-based learning environment and provide them with the means to express their creativity through technology. In addition, a “Geek Squad” will be founded to provide technology services, two “maker spaces” will be established for design and art projects, and wireless printing will be broadened to include 10 more library branches.

Six eighth grade Coral Gables Preparatory Academy students are now coming to the school in the morning to take Pre-International Baccalaureate (IB) Biology 1. The Gables Prep students are driven to the school every odd scheduled day to attend first period biology with teacher Eric Molina in room 2207. At the end of the class they return to their school.

This is the program’s first year running and is currently being offered only to Gables Prep students. The program first began at the school because there is no biology class being taught at Gables Prep, and because of the school’s close proximity. It is not known if the program will continue at the school in the future.

According to Molina, the students arrived to the school together as a group the first week of school. Now they all get dropped off individually by their parents every other day and then take a private school bus back to Gables Prepatory Academy.

According to eighth grader, Gabriela Morales, by the time they get back to their school, first block has already started.

Once arriving at their school, they work as office aides until it is time for their second block.

“At first it is kind of like a big punch in the face to think that you are coming to a much bigger school, but then you get used to it I guess,” eighth grader Alejandra Almada said.

The students all took physical science in seventh grade, and will be taking chemistry or physics in ninth grade. According to Molina, the curriculum remains the same for the eighth graders who are mixed in with the freshmen.

Most of the eighth graders plan on coming to the school for high school, and some students that are not planning to attend the school said that they are slowly being convinced. “[It is] different [because] we were at a small school [and] now we’re at a very big school. We’ve gotten used to it though,” eight grader Trey Riera-Gomez said. “I’d say yes [it is beneficial] because it puts us ahead [of our eighth grade classmates] and I think it’ll just help us because next year we’ll take chemistry and that’s another big step.”

High hopes for homecoming

By Mia Tolpin STAFF WRITER

The 2014-15 school year’s Homecoming dance will take place on Sept. 27 from 8 p.m. to midnight. It will follow the school’s annual spirit week, beginning Sept. 22, which is meant to kick off the new school year along with the start of the football season.

“When I started here, Homecomings had 1000 kids attending,” Student Activities Director Ana Suarez said. “Now we are barely hitting 280.”

A few changes have been made in hopes that more students will attend. The ticket price dropped from $65 to $45, and the venue changed from Briza on the Bay to the University of Miami (UM) Activities Center. The cost of catering was significantly cut because UM allowed the school to provide food for students attending. Instead of having to pay the 18 percent gratuity rate and a caterer to serve, underclassmen will be working the event replenishing the food and ice, and making sure things run smoothly.

Uber cars come to Miami

By Susana Rudin STAFF WRITER

Uber is a transportation company that started in San Francisco and created a mobile app which allows customers to connect with drivers. UberX, a subset of the company offers a much wider selection of cars to appeal to a larger crowd.

Uber car service faced difficulty expanding to Miami. Diego Feliciano, the President of the South Florida Taxicab Association, told the Miami New Times that he is strongly opposed to Uber because it seeks to steal all the taxi business.

There are safety concerns with Uber regarding being transported by unfamiliar drivers.

However this app tracks where and when the driver picks up customers, the names of the drivers transporting customers, and when customers arrive at their destination, making it, overall much safer than a taxi.

First the customer must download the app, make an account and sign in. Once signed in, customers can request a vehicle type and mark the location of where they would liked to be picked up. The app will notify customers of the drivers in their area and from there customers can track the location of the driver who will pick them up informing the customer how long they must wait. The customer is required to pay through the Uber app, meaning cash is not accepted.

Uber charges are based on a combination of time and distance.

The Homecoming King and Queen proposals were cancelled due to lack of interest and only one student was nominated for King. Besides that, this year’s theme will be a classic “old-school Homecoming.”

“We hope to see attendance from every grade level, including freshmen,” Student Council President Valerie Montesino said.

About 300 students were expected to be present at this year’s dance, which is almost a third more than previous years.

But after the first four days of ticket sales only 265 tickets were sold. This number is less than last year’s and even less than the year before’s.

“I’m dumbfounded. I thoguht we were right in singling out all the factors as to why students were not going and clearly it wasn’t the price,” Montesino said.

According to Montesino, the low number of ticket sales may possibly result in the cancellation of next year’s Homecoming dance.

“I feel like those who aren’t going will miss out on an eventful night,” Montesino said.

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Educating the new generation

STAFF

Editorial

Today’s high school students have often been included with the generational group coined as the Millennials, or Generation Y. More recently, however, the idea of a “Generation Z”– a generational group ranging from high school students who have just graduated to children being born now– has been suggested. The education system has to start looking at how quickly we should be adapting to this new strain of technology oriented students.

What mainly separates Generation Z and Generation Y is a difference in environment and skills. People who fall into Generation Y are often characterized in the media and entertainment industry as being go-getters with big egos who benefitted from the stability and conservative values of Generation X. Generation Z is, in the big picture, not greatly differentiated from Generation Y since they are often both seen as the same generational group, the Millennials. But, people who were born during the tail-end of the nineties grew up in a much more technologically fueled society. A trust and familiarity with technology has led the youngest generation to develop differences from previous generations in the way new information is processed, organized, and utilized.

Generation Z’s skill set has, in turn, called into question the current organization of education. Generally, public education has not deviated much from the classic classroom teaching model; it has mostly been supplemented by the integration of programs such as the International Baccalaureate program and the National Academy of Finance, which have shown developments that focus on specialized and advanced learning. More recently, initiatives have welcomed the inclusion of technology in the classroom, like the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) movement and the installation of new Promethean boards in every classroom in the school.

But is technology being incorporated into the classroom quickly enough to meet the needs of Generation Z?

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5 ALS challenge: a worthy trend September 2014

Attempts at modifying the classroom, like BYOD and Promethean board installations, are incredibly hopeful and full of potential. Lectures conducted with the Promethean boards can be saved and shared with students, which frees them from having to focus on copying down notes during class. Instead, students are able to process and retain the lecture and use their devices as supplements to the lecture. For example, if students need a deeper explanation of a concept or get ideas unrelated to lecture content, they can look up more examples and explore the topics further on their laptop or tablet. This kind of classroom set up, or a similar one, invites learning and understanding on a variety of mediums through all different kinds of media– videos, images, articles, audio, interactive media, etc. It is individualized and modernized.

However, the promise of these movements is thwarted by several forces. The first being that public schools cannot possibly accommodate for every student to be equipped with their own device so quickly. Finding the money and preparing equipment to be rolled out to students, especially on a full scale, can take a number of years before it actually happens. The prevalence of technology among students today can help mitigate the cost and time to a certain degree, but not very much.

The second opposing force is teachers who are not as cooperative as they could be with the movement towards a more technological classroom. Many teachers are unwilling to share the attention they receive from students with laptops and other devices. Some are distrustful of students actually focusing on class content when devices are around.

Ultimately, education needs to be further geared towards welcoming technology. Mainly, teachers’ attitudes toward devices in classrooms need to be more open and trusting. A natural exploration of subjects through the use of technology should be encouraged by teachers. Skills that are typical of students now, such as the ability to easily switch between different tasks, should not be written off as the characteristic of being “easilydistracted.” It is important to recognize that students are developing skills suited for the world we live in today and judging them and teaching them with the same standards of past generations is not the most effective way to educate.

Commentary by Sabrina Fiske STAFF WRITER

Internet challenges have gained a following among bored teenagers everywhere, and consequently, have also built a reputation of having no meaningful purpose. Trends like the fainting game and the cinnamon challenge, where the entertainment revolves around potential bodily harm, have given them that reputation. However, out of the many absurd challenges, one has emerged to raise awareness for a truly charitable cause – the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) ice bucket challenge.

To those who aren’t familiar with the charity, this would just seem like another thoughtless internet frivolity. However, the ALS ice bucket challenge has become more substantial than that.

The purpose of the challenge is not only to secure money for research, but also to spread the word on social media like YouTube and Facebook. The ice bucket challenge is supposed to help create a sense of unity among all people to promote change, and possibly even help find a cure for the degenerative disease. Naysayers of the challenge argue that the disease is still unfamiliar with the public, even with the attention that the challenge has received from mainstream media.

In just making it known that the disease is so debilitating and horrible, the ALS ice bucket challenge has accomplished its purpose – to let people know how terrifying it is to slowly, over time, lose your ability to move your body. Those who say that the ice bucket challenge is another pointless internet phenomenon are ignoring the facts.

Before the ALS ice bucket challenge, the disease was relatively unknown to most teenagers, and the approximately 5,600 people in the U.S. diagnosed with ALS each year did not have a voice by which to share the agony they live with. The ALS ice bucket challenge gave them that voice, and because it was such a brilliant social media strategy, it has helped bring more than $106 million to the cause, and still continues to bring awareness to the cause and the disease.

The challenge proves that internet phenomena can do good, and while viral web trends can end up like the Harlem Shake, they can also make a profound impact on the lives of millions. Too often we mistake virality for triviality: just because something grows popular on the internet doesn’t mean the movement is any less worthwhile.

The challenge may not be the most direct or impressive way to rally support, but it’s a better way to spread awareness for a good cause.

Control tactics damage police image Commentary by Daniel Delgado STAFF WRITER

ADVISORY BOARD: EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

BUSINESS MANAGER

COPY EDITOR

Brooke Donner

Maria Ovalle

Maggie Rivers

Cyrus Zeledon

ADVISER

Melissa Gonzalez

SECTION EDITORS: NEWS

OPINION

INSIGHT

FEATURES

SPORTS

THE SCENE

Camila Lupi

Stephan Chamberlin

Raquel Braun Francis Pérez

Bianca Mangravite Laura Acosta

Staff Writers:

Ali Band, Eleonor Bauwens, Avery Budin, Octavio Castro, Marko Ciklovan, Daniel Delgado, Rachel Ellis, Olivia Field, Sabrina Fiske, Amanda-Victoria Gonzalez, Leila Iskandarani, Maya Iskandarani, Joey Lancaster, Angelika Menendez, Jordan Payne, Savannah Payne, Susana Rudin, Araceli Sanchez, Sydney Scanlon, Kasandra Scholz, Howard Senior, Mia Tolpin, Vanessa Vazquez, Natalie Viglucci, Sofia Viglucci

Contributors: Cavaleon highlights is the official student-produced newspaper at Coral Gables Senior High School published and produced by highlights staff members. highlights has been established as a designated public forum for student journalists to educate and inform their readers of issues of concern to their audience and dissemination of news and ideas to the entire school community.

As the producer of a scholastic publication, highlights subscribes to the responsibilities set forth in the National Scholastic Press Association Code of Ethics for scholastic journalists and advisers.

According to Miami-Dade County Public School policy, student media is not subject to prior-review by administration or district personnel and as such, all content is determined by, and reflects the views of student staff members only. highlights welcomes reader feedback. All letters should be addressed to melissa_gonzalez@dadeschools.net Press Affiliations: Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association, NSPA Hall of Fame, Florida Scholastic Press Association, Quill and Scroll

The police militarization epidemic is the current topic of choice in national news in the midst of the killing of a young black teenager, Michael Brown, by police in Ferguson, Missouri. It is imperative that this becomes more than just the latest of controversial topics, which end up getting washed down by political rhetoric and laziness, and instead opens the doors to a larger conversation that encompasses the overreach of local police forces as well as the constant unjust prosecution of minorities by our justice system.

Considering that violent crime has dropped 38 percent since 1992, according to FBI data, and has dropped 4 percent in 2011 alone, according to the Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report, the current surge of military equipment and tactics being implemented by local, small town police forces appears to be even more inappropriate and unwarranted.

Police are being trained to always remain on the defensive to protect themselves, and while the reasoning is valid given the dangerous circumstances that officers encounter in their line of work, it is important to realize that most of the time police officers are stopping law abiding citizens. For example, 90 percent of New Yorkers stopped and frisked were innocent, according to the New York Civil Liberties Union.

Furthermore, local forces have gained increasing access to military supplies in recent years after receiving grants from the Pentagon to purchase that equipment. Some of the equipment includes Humvees, SWAT gear, automatic weapons

by the numbers

and tear gas, which has been used to control protesters. This is especially worrisome when it seems that one particular demographic is feeling the brunt of these new police practices.

Ferguson, Missouri epitomizes how a racial divide between the police force and the people they are supposed to “protect and serve” can turn into a messy situation that resembles more of a war-zone rather than an average small American city. The unjust persecution of blacks in this country, especially young teenage males, occurs much more frequently and profusely than most like to believe. African Americans are incarcerated at nearly six times the rate of whites, and together with Hispanics comprise 58 percent of all prisoners, according to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Contributing to those rates is rampant racial profiling; police search the vehicles of black and Hispanic motorists at nearly three times the rate of whites, and give out traffic tickets as opposed to written warnings close to those same rates.

The police must stop acting as a paramilitary force and re-examine their ideology of overwhelming force to create a cleaner image as opposed to the anti-authoritarian culture they are currently perpetuating. There is no doubt that black people in the United States experience racial discrimination ranging from ridiculous to deadly, and police militarization adds to the stigma surrounding the police versus blacks conflict.

Having police officers walk and actually interact with citizens, especially in small towns where it is more realistic to do so, is a more effective tactic than officers patrolling in vehicles. Using high-powered military equipment that instills fear is counterproductive. The former works better for both civilians and the budget.

58

17,000+

35 billion

percent of Americans think police militarization has gone too far

federal, state and local agencies that have accepted donated military equipment

dollars were granted by the Department of Homeland Security to local police between 2002 and 2011

Compiled by Daniel Delgado

Source: The Economist

opinion

highlights September 2014

STEAM movement gathers momentum

6

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics may now have to make room for the arts. Can the creative fit in with concrete academics?

Commentary by Maya Iskandarani STAFF WRITER

NO

The Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) movement seeks to inject creativity into what it perceives to be the stagnant fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by incorporating art and design into an educational framework otherwise centered on the STEM subjects. This method is not just arbitrary; it’s utterly unnecessary.

The proponents of STEAM at STEMtoSTEAM.org base their premise on two assumptions: members of the STEM fields aren’t innovative enough—and therefore not creative enough—and merging the arts and the sciences will effectively “teach” creativity to the future generations of STEM affiliates.

If not for the creativity of scientists who chose to educate themselves almost exclusively in the STEM subjects, the technological innovations that characterize life in the 21st

Commentary by Cyrus Zeledon COPY EDITOR

YES

Towards the beginning of 2013, Congress promoted the idea of STEAM—adding arts into the mix of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)—as a way to encourage creativity and innovation in the classroom. The notion has caught some steam—pun intended—in both public and private education, with the purpose of not only encouraging students to learn about the arts but also to aid student test scores.

As it stands, the teaching of STEM does not hold up by itself; incorporating the arts into STEM would mean to promote the age-old “think outside of the box” technique of teaching. Science requires the same curiosity of the mind, motivation to learn, and an overall creative expression and imagination as art does in order to discover new concepts about our natural surroundings.

Many scientists and mathematicians have stated that art has been a great influence in their work. Albert Einstein is

century—laptop computers, smart phones, tablets, hybrid cars, and the Internet—would not exist. The technological comforts of modern life are all results of the innovation and creativity of scientists who did not need an artistically enhanced education to accomplish what they did. Even if it was necessary for the human race “to ensure a prosperous future” by “turning to innovation,” as insisted by STEMtoSTEAM.org, forcing art down the throats of aspiring scientists, engineers, and mathematicians would do nothing for their creativity.

Teaching art and design does not equate teaching creativity, regardless of who is being taught. Creativity is inherent; it cannot be taught in any means. The arts are a vessel by which creativity can be expressed, but so are the STEM fields—the chosen vessel depends on the individual. The conclusion that art equals creativity is derived from the cultural presumption that the two are indivisible, which is not necessarily mistaken— creativity is often channeled through the arts—but nevertheless problematic because of the resulting assumption that art is the only vessel by which creativity can be expressed.

There is such a thing as an original, innovative

idea that can only be manifested in science, technology, or mathematics. While art is the stereotypic channel of creativity, it’s certainly not the only one, nor is it one that everyone can use.

Art and STEM will always, irrevocably be considered polar areas of knowledge. People who are innately scientists or engineers are often uncomfortable with deviating the creativity they channel through science to the arts, and vice versa; people who are inherently artistic can’t always funnel their creativity to the STEM subjects. While trying to be capable and creative in both might make someone more well-rounded, that someone will almost always have an inclination to either end because of that gap between them. Of course, there are always exceptions; Leonardo Da Vinci was every imaginable combination of artist and scientist. But most people are not Da Vinci.

There is nothing wrong with reintroducing arts into mainstream curricula, which has evolved to excessively exclude art and design; in fact, this should be encouraged. The mistake is attempting to teach the sciences and the arts as if knowledge of one is vital to expertise in the other.

quoted as saying that “the greatest scientists are always artists as well.” In its most basic form, science is nothing more than a collection of concepts created by the minds of imaginative and inventive people.

This holds true for mathematics as well. During the 20th century, M. C. Escher created mathematically inspired woodcuts of repeated geometric shapes. Today, artists like Kenzo Nakamura are pioneers in their field of art since they create art with the inspiration and guidance of mathematics.

For instance, Nakamura designs Escher-inspired art with the computer program Mathematica. Mathematics requires an intuitive mind that can recognize patterns and follow some basic logical reasoning.

The arts enhance creativity; they do not teach it. The arts even apply to engineers, who incorporate math, science, and the arts in their field of work to design everyday objects. While attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Tom Scholz of the band Boston experimented with the technology at hand to create his music. Leonardo Da Vinci, another artist who took on the sciences, modeled much of his artistic work to the

discovery of new techniques in both the arts and the sciences.

Thus, it would not be folly to include arts into STEM as it would enhance the thoughts of students, and may even bring about the next Da Vinci. However, it would be foolish to assume that students are better without the arts in their education of STEM. As reported in the 20 year study from the National Endowment of the Arts, students from lowincome backgrounds who had an art background in their STEM learning tended to score higher in both science and writing tests.

Of course, science and mathematics are governed by rules, and the thought of breaking the rules (as the arts are known to do) would seem heretic, yet that is all it took for several individuals in the fields of mathematics and science to create every equation, theory, and invention. Art fosters the kind of rebellious spirit that makes breakthroughs in science and technology possible.

It is through art that math and science flourish into their own forms of artwork, yet with different terminology and forms of expression. Both art and STEM rely on the innovative spirit, and there are few reasons why they can’t be taught side by side.

Student voters are unprepared Commentary by Avery Budin STAFF WRITER

Voting in any election is a privilege. Unfortunately, this responsibility is swept under the rug and left unaddressed by some students and young adults. You are 18: you can buy cigarettes, enlist in the military, go skydiving, spend the night at a strip club, and be tried in court as an adult, but you do not know how to vote.

So who is responsible for debriefing students on how to vote responsibly?

Parents have their own opinions on how the government should operate and who should be elected, but students often blindly follow their parents’ lead instead of doing their own research. Although it is likely that kids have similar points of view as their parents, they may not know exactly what their parents support. Growing up in a different generation, culture, or even country, students may have separate ideals or beliefs that are more contemporary than the adults who raised them.

The required middle school civics and half a credit of high school American government are not enough to prepare high school students for Election Day. Newly legal adults have the duty of cultivating a strong governing body capable of caring for the community. Learning the names of the presidents does not count as preparing students to vote. If we want to elect better candidates in the future, kids need a more in depth foundation of local, state, and federal government.

Senior history courses should delegate a few class periods in the year to giving presentations on the voting process and breaking down each nominee’s platform. Once all history classes are covered and an in-depth understanding of the government is established, students ought to be given the opportunity to learn the responsibility of voting in a classroom setting. More specifically, teachers should encourage discussions regarding the policies supported by the two major parties, a dissection of the candidates’ political profile, and an analysis of programs in past terms that have been successful or have failed. Without an understanding of politician’s position on issues affecting society, new voters and old voters alike are compromising the success of future administrations.

When we educate student voters we better prepare them for being active and engaged in their government. To continue to ignore this fact is to do a disservice to both them and the nation as a whole. Parents and politicians need to take action to finally fix the growing fault in our democracy.

TWO VIEWS

Reform the hostage policy Commentary by Stephan Chamberlin OPINION EDITOR

There are few words that can describe the videos posted online of the executions of James Foley and Steven Sotloff, two American journalists who were being held captive by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). What’s even more saddening is that we know this isn’t the end of prisoner executions by ISIS. All things considered, the US needs to place the worth of an American citizen’s life over the loss of face in paying out to the demands of terrorists. The cost of an execution is heavier than a ransom.

When James Foley was initially captured by Islamist extremists, ISIS demanded $132 million for his release. Rather than pay that money in exchange for Foley’s life, the US followed its policy of non-negotiation with terrorists and mounted a military expedition to find him, which failed. The strict non-negotiation policy put us in a situation where both the lives of the soldiers and the hostage were at risk. What we have to change about the way we look at international hostage situations is that sometimes it is better to make a compromise up front rather than have the prisoner beheaded on the internet two years later after a botched attempt to save him.

Take, for example, the case of US Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, who was released in a prisoner exchange along with several detainees out of Guantanamo Bay in May of this year. Whether you think that Bergdahl’s release was warranted or not, the fact that he made it out of captivity alive is a testament to power of negotiation. If we had made the same exception for James Foley or for Steven Sotloff, they would not have had to become martyrs for the anti-ISIS cause.

Granted, the reason why the US doesn’t compromise with terrorists is because organizations like Al-Qaeda depend on ransom money; once we begin to give in to the ransom demands of terrorists, we validate the idea that kidnapping foreign nationals and selling them back at a profit is a viable industry. What that concept fails to consider, however, is the lives and family of the detained.

There aren’t very many alternative options available. Military strikes like the one that attempted to rescue Foley are too bold; they put even more Americans in harm’s way. What we need to do is keep the safety of American citizens a priority before they fall into the hands of ISIS, and to make wise negotiations if need be so as to not have another journalist, humanitarian aid worker, or diplomat suffer the same tragic fate as Foley and Sotloff.

by the numbers 125

million dollars paid for hostages of Al-Qaeda since 2008

Compiled by Stephan Chamberlin

15

percent of hostages have died in captivity since 2008

Source: The New York Times

insight

highlights

September 2014

7

Raising the Bar As competition among students becomes more intense, students are forced to become increasingly involved in extracurriculars. Getting into top-tier colleges and universities has become all-consuming, leaving little time for self-exploration. highlights investigates the extremes that students must go to to even be considered for admission to America’s most prestigious educational institutions.

Congratulations!

Raquel Braun/highlights

insight

highlights

September 2014

8

THE STRUGGLE TO SUCCEED

As streams of students flow through their four years of high school, the pressure to get into top-tier colleges and universities has increased greatly. The common mindset of “if he did that to get in to college, I have to do that plus more” is being adopted by more and more determined students, perpetuating a cycle of raising the college admissions bar to a seemingly unreachable level. highlights delves into the statistics and stories of the school’s own students to demonstrate how they spend a disproportionate amount of time on activities that they may have no real interest in, sacrificing their true passions because there is just not enough time in the day to do it all.

What students actually do

What students wish they could do

Raquel

Braun/highlights

Just enough has become too much

By Kassandra Scholz STAFF WRITER

From the first day of high school to graduation day, the one thing that is prioritized above all impossible to get into. The blame for this lies not with the students, however, but with the else is college. For some students, college preparation begins as early as preschool, when parents education system. Students are either forced to become overachievers or risk failure. put their children into the most rigorous programs available. In the past, high school was a time Increasingly tough competition is not the only obstacle modern students face when preparing when students were expected to keep up their grades but, unlike today, were also allowed to enjoy for college. In the scramble to make themselves well rounded students lose some of the benefits their last few years of childhood freedom. Students are now expected to not only maintain a high that each activity has to offer. They spread themselves too thin, becoming involved in sports or grade point average (GPA) and do well on standardized tests, but also clubs that they have little to no interest in. This prevents them from complete community service hours, take the most challenging courses becoming passionate about their extracurriculars, and leaves them no I don’t think a resume full of offered, and participate in numerous activities both inside and outside time to discover what they truly enjoy. fillers you aren’t passionate of school in an attempt to be accepted into the university of their “I don’t think a resume full of fillers you aren’t passionate about about demonstrates your choice. demonstrates your completeness as a person,” junior Maria-Victoria completeness as a person.

Every year a select group of students goes above and beyond Paredes said. the minimum requirements for graduation in an attempt to make Students furthermore must contend with vast amounts of work Maria-Victoria themselves strong candidates for the upcoming journey through the from daily classes, along with the burden of setting aside time to study college admissions process. Students become board members of for the SAT and ACT tests. The combination of these tasks can leave Paredes, junior multiple clubs, create labor intensive and time consuming community students little time for anything other than work during the school year. service projects, take multiple Advanced Placement (AP) or Dual College is hard to get into, and it is not getting any easier. Students Enrollment (DE) classes, or International Baccalaureate (IB), and organize activities such as aid bend over backwards to make themselves appear desirable, even if it means sacrificing the last trips, all to enhance their resumes. This excessive preparation, while beneficial to the reputation of few years they have before becoming independent. Preparing for college applications is a long, individual students, ultimately raises the bar, making colleges harder to get into. arduous process where students work tirelessly make themselves look good on paper. Despite The cycle continues year after year: students apply for colleges with incredibly impressive the academic demands students put forth effort to ensure that they are not consumed entirely by resumes, forcing next year’s applicants to work harder to appear equally remarkable and to stand the responsibilities of school; students are, after all, still teenagers, and they would do well to out. The competition gets tougher as years pass, and colleges are slowly becoming virtually remember that.

‘‘

“

highlights

September 2014

STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS

Although college acceptance plays a role with my involvement in some activities, it definitely is not the primary reason for my involvement. I am a strong advocate for the importance of community involvement and the benefits they impose on both the community residents and oneself. Creating a project to better our community does not always have to be as extreme as eliminating poverty. As long as it is a meaningful project and can be reasonably executed, it is something worth carrying out.

“

according to collegeplanningsimplified.com Avery Budin/highlights

-President of National Spanish Honor Society -President of Speech and Debate -Vice-President of Key Club -Junior Class Secretary -National English Honor Society Secretary -CavsConnect Spanish editor -Youth Department of Mathematical

Development and Creativity Co-Founder -Youth Against Breast Cancer board member -American Red Cross Management volunteer -Miami Project to Cure Paralysis volunteer -National Honor Society, International Baccalaureate Honor Society, and Mu Alpha Theta member

“ Raquel Braun/highlights

I think what motivates me the most is my mother. She’s always pushed me to be the best I can be. I want to succeed in life, and my mother has always told me that the best way to do so is by working hard and doing what makes me happy.

She inspires me everyday to exceed my personal expectations and take every opportunity I can. She works very hard for my siblings and I, and I want her to see that I’m eternally grateful for all her sacrifices. Sure, getting into my dream college (Harvard) would be nice, but I don’t do all that I do because I want to get into college.

Kassandra Scholz/highlights

Before I knew it would look ‘good’ on my college application I was already who I am. I didn’t need the motivation or encouragement of a college resume to partake and do what I do. I think it’s nature. Indeed, many people do these things to show off such qualities of a leader and prove to be a well rounded individual to the universities, however you must like to help people and enjoy it every step of the way.

Harvard University Stanford University University of Pennsylvannia UNC Chappel Hill Yale University

hours required to graduate from Gables

Valerie Montesino, senior

-Student Council President -Cavaleon Yearbook -Quill and Scroll Treasurer -CavsConnect writer -NHS member -Interact member -Baseball fund raiser

Past Gables club leaders currently attend:

20

“

Maria Estrada, junior

“

join clubs participate in sports do community service take on a leadership role manage time efficiently maintain a high GPA start something new score high on tests

Jose Balcazar, senior

30

757.2 average number of community service hours completed by the top ten studnets from the class of 2014

hours required to qualify for Bright Futures Gold Seal Vocational Scholars

75

hours required to qualify for Bright Futures Florida Medallion Scholar

100

hours required to qualify for Bright Futures Florida Academic Scholar

Compiled by Raquel Braun

What would you have done with the free time that you directed towards extracurriculars, community service, and other activities that you put on your college resume?

“

Andrea Martinez, class of 2014

“

“

TO BE WELL ROUNDED:

I would have loved to get back into yoga, dance, and most importantly piano.

“

Elizabeth Wurmzer, class of 2014

“

-Senior class Secretary -National Honor Society Vice President -International Baccalaureate Honor Society Secretary -Gables Earth Vice President/Gables Earth Bike Rack Co-Founder -CavsConnect Editor -The Childrens’ Trust Youth Advisory Comittee Vice President

9

I’d paint more! I used to do it quite often, but stopped because there wasn’t any time.

“

highlights

September 2014

ABOUT MIAMI INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF ART & DESIGN

10

AREAS OF STUDY • ADVERTISING • GRAPHIC & WEB DESIGN • INTERIOR DESIGN • DESIGN & MEDIA MANAGEMENT • VISUAL ARTS

Miami International University of Art & Design was founded in 1965 and provides programs in design, media arts, and fashion.

Students come from across the nation and over 60 countries.

Students may participate in one of the many student organizations: AniNation Club, IDG (Interior Design Group), INSOMNIADS Advertising Club, AiHop (Art Institute House of Peace), Fusion (music production), Pixel Games, Beyond Borders Society, MIU Veterans Club, MIU Web Club, Saudi Students Association, The Society of Storytellers, Backstage Films, and Diversity.

• AUDIO PRODUCTION • COMPUTER ANIMATION • FILM

• DIGITAL FILMMAKING & VIDEO PRODUCTION

• DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY • VISUAL EFFECTS & MOTION GRAPHICS

• ACCESSORY DESIGN • FASHION DESIGN • FASHION MERCHANDISING

The University maintains a Career Services Department that assists graduates in obtaining field related employment. In addition, they work with students and graduates in developing job-search skills in resumé writing, interviewing, and networking.

The University has received numerous awards, including a Community Service award from the Florida Art Education Association in 2010, The Beacon Council in 2009, and was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll in 2008 and 2009.

OUR GRADUATES Fashion Merchandising Alumni Victoria Lopez Castro’s designer collections have been featured in Italian Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanidades, Vogue en Español, Women’s Wear Daily, and The Miami Herald.

Fashion Design Alumni Gustavo Cadile has dressed celebrities including Anjelica Huston, Alison Pill, Geena Davis, Jewel, Gloria Estefan, and Eva Longoria.

Graphic Design Alumni Raymond Adrian’s clientele includes Volkswagen, Geek Squad, Univision, CNN, American Express, Discovery, Domino’s, SONY and Universal.

Computer Animation Alumni Juan Pablo Sans works at Blue Sky Studios and DreamWorks Animation. Filmography includes Rio and Rise of the Guardians.

LOCATION Miami International University of Art & Design 1501 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 100 Miami, FL 33132-1418 Phone: 800.225.9023

WEBSITE www.mymiu.edu

INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION

STATE LICENSING

Miami International University of Art & Design and its branch campuses, The Art Institute of Jacksonville and The Art Institute of Tampa, are accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award diplomas, associates, baccalaureate, and masters degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404.679.4500 for questions about the accreditation of Miami International University of Art & Design.

Miami International University of Art & Design is licensed by the Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education. Additional information regarding this institution may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 325 W. Gaines St., Suite 1414, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400, toll-free number 888.224.6684.

See aiprograms.info for program duration, tuition, fees, and other costs, median debt, federal salary data, alumni success, and other important info.

features

highlights

September 2014

11

The many voices of Miami’s homeless

Bianca Mangravite/highlights

SLEEPLESS IN MIAMI: (Left) Ana, (Top right) Cupcake, and (Bottom right) John tell their stories about their lives being homeless on the streets of Miami.

By Bianca Mangravite

exported to countries all over the world. One day, my boss had called me in and asked me to sink one of their biggest ships for its high insurance. She said that it would do so much good for the company. I refused. They were not very pleased and sent me off. They cut me off from my family.

I decided I was finished,” Isaac said.

There are approximately 600,000 homeless people in America on a given night, according to Now primarily situated at the Coral Gables Public Library, Isaac has spent 25 years observing the Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress. Miami alone has roughly 4,000 people and trying to learn as much about anything as he can. homeless. But statistics tend to hide the story behind each individal. highlights hit the streets to “You must always keep learning. You can have a boiling hot cup of coffee, but at the end of find those stories. the day, it will be cool. You have lost the heat and the coffee has lost its purpose. You need to Cupcake constantly keep the coffee heated for it to serve its purpose,” Isaac said.

For eight months, Cupcake, the female impersonator from He has tried to maintain a low profile throughout the time he has been Savannah, Georgia has been living on the streets of downtown I could be in a casket right homeless and as a consequence, rarely speaks to anyone. When approached, Miami. now and technically have he explained that his vocal chords were strained from lack of use. He “There are lots of drugs and violence and it is not a safe a roof over my head, so observes the people around him silently. environment to live in. It causes so much stress,” Cupcake said. personally I would rather be “When you come out of school, you progressively forget everything.

Since he moved down to Miami, he has not been able to find You read and you observe, then you have learned enough to think for here. work. However, back in Georgia, Cupcake had a very unique yourself,” Isaac responded when asked if he had any advice for high school career. students.

“I dressed up like a woman and if I was good, which I was, John John I performed at drag shows. It was good money. I won the Miss For six months, John has been living on the streets of downtown Miami, near Jackson 1979 Sweetheart Ball Pageant in Savannah and ever since then, I have been dressing in women’s Hospital. clothing. Unfortunately, it has led to full blown AIDs,” Cupcake said.

“It has not been my favorite thing to deal with, but it is certainly an experience I have never “I have had tremendous sadness in my life. Many loved ones have passed away, including experienced before,” John said most of my family members. The worst was the death of my boyfriend,” Cupcake said.

He used to work many jobs, mostly geared towards computers, but because of “certain They had been dating for four years when Cupcake’s boyfriend was killed. complications,” he was laid off.

“My boyfriend used to sell dope, but he was a good man. He would come home every night,

“I feel like I have been rejected by society somehow and I do not know what I have drop off the money, kiss me on my forehead and he would always say ‘protect yourself.’ They done wrong. Homelessness can be seen in many different ways. Some people say it is just a group gunned him down one day just after I had said good-bye. He was lying there on the corner of the of pathetic people without a roof over their head, but all I have to say to that is at least I am not in block, dead. I lost my mind. He has been dead for 22 years,” Cupcake said. a casket. I could be in a casket right now and technically have a roof over my head, so personally Although he has dealt with severe circumstances, he still maintains a positive attitude.

I would rather be here,” John said.

“Every day is the happiest moment of my life, as long as I get up in the morning. I thank the Ana Lord for waking up and when I close my eyes, I thank him again. I live. I am still here. That is While she was tying her shoes on a cardboard box near Camillus House, Ana retold her views more than I have ever asked,” Cupcake said. on homelessness.

Isaac “I think that views on homeless people need to be changed in Miami. I have lived all over the Not all people whoare homeless are easy to spot. Some blend in completely with the general world, from Nepal to San Fransisco and people treat you better, more like a human,” Ana said. population. Isaac has been homeless in Coral Gables for 25 years.

She then saw a mission handing out food, got up and left.

Originally from Israel, Isaac had a full life before becoming homeless. He worked as a Navy officer, a marine superintendent, and directed large scale steamboats all around the world.

Every day, homeless people find themselves to be counted as a number for statistics, but their Unlike many homeless people, Issac is homeless by choice. stories remain to be told.

“I worked for [a multi-national company with offices in Miami] as a steamboat captain that FEATURES EDITOR

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HALL >> talk The highlights staff records what students are talking about in the hallways during passing between periods.

BLOCK 1 • “I guess being a troll runs in the family.”

BLOCK 2 • “Oh, nobody likes me? I do not give any piñatas.”

• “My arms are bigger than his legs.” • “I heard my dog needs braces.”

• “Oh man, I love eggrolls.”

• “I want to makeout with that tree.”

• “In middle school I wore two bras to make my chest look bigger.”

• “My music taste is just Riff Raff

• “Golden drops of wisdom are falling from the sky, so shut up and listen.”

• “My mom says I have to wait till I am 15 until I am allowed to get that tattoo.”

and Lorde.”

features

Before Beakers

By Natalie Viglucci

highlights

September 2014

12

Gables Live! from the inside

STAFF WRITER

Elenor Bauwens/highlights

Bianca Mangravite/highlights

Before teaching the periodic table of elements to high school students, new chemistry teacher Sergio Cartas has had a whole other life. With an already long list of experiences in his past, teaching is just a mere addition.

Coming out of high school, Cartas went to college on an army scholarship, and is a strong advocate of military service. He served during the Vietnam War, but did not see active combat.

During his time in the military, Cartas attended the University of Miami and earned degrees in reasearch and engineering.

The Army paid for his Bachelors in Electrical Engineering, and he earned his Masters in Environmental Engineering in 1992, seventeen years later.

After completing his military service, Cartas started his own business. In 1982 he created a real estate marketing company and focused on the buying, selling and renting of land, buildings and houses. Cartas said after many years of hard work and commitment it eventually expanded to six states, becoming very prosperous.

“It turned out to be a very difficult business to get off the ground, but very successful once we did,” Cartas said.

He then sold his business to a New York conglomerate.

“I felt my work had been done, and a break was needed, so my wife and I took some time off and redirected our lives,” Cartas said.

After selling the business, he and his wife then took much of their time to focus on raising their children. His wife took a teaching job after a while. Cartas noticed all the time off she got to enjoy, like full summers and long weekends, and became interested in the field. He said he realized that he did not need to make much money anymore, and with his experiences in the science world and the passion that came along with it, he decided that teaching chemistry was the right path to take.

Cartas said he has loved chemistry ever since his high school days, mostly from the influence of his old teacher, Dale Robinson.

Robinson was a source of inspiration for Cartas to be able to pursue his interests in science.

After pursing a teaching career, Cartas explained how he quickly began to love teaching students. Cartas said he does not think that he can change anybody’s life spending five hours a week teaching because everyone needs to get involved, but he can influence them in the same way his past teachers influenced him. He has also started writing a book with his sons about hieroglyphics, adding yet another accomplishment to his evergrowing list.

“Well, the easy answer to that [why he decided to become a teacher] is the time that it gives you, and the more complex answer is that I’ve always enjoyed learning,” Cartas said.

By Ali Band STAFF WRITER

Behind the monster camera lenses that roam the halls and the television screens that blast the familiar chime of the announcements every morning, is a team of students engaging in a complex, collaborative process to capture the energy in the school’s television news show, GablesLive!

Gables Live! has produced everything from commercials for homecoming and football games to the daily broadcast that clues the students in to upcoming events. Watching the screens every morning, students are looking at the product of extreme hard work and dedication by the cast and crew of the show.

The production of the show is the combined work of two separate staffs. The studio crew is responsible for prerecording the day before and editing all of the material in the broadcast so that it is ready to air the next morning.

Behind the studio, crew works in the studio. There is one student running the teleprompter, another person overseeing graphics and screens, anchors telling the news, and a director overseeing all operations in the studio.

“The most important thing for all members of TV Production to remember is to be organized and responsible, especially since there is so much going on,” TV Production Adviser Yvette Cuba said.

It is the class crew’s job to acknowledge film requests and to brainstorm new segment ideas. Students fill the

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: TV anchors seniors Gaby Depardon and Melissa Valladares await the countdown for their cue to start the morning announcements in the Gables Live! broadcast. It is a collaborative process to produce a successful episode.

positions of business manager (who consults Activities Director Ana Suarez once a month on news,) secretary (who enforces deadlines,) and social media manager (who works on getting the school population involved.) TV Production President and senior Javier Cobas oversees everything from field trips and competitions to the production of segments, like the school’s football promotional videos. Sound Director and senior Nicholas Dabby produces his own music for the show, which helps the program avoid copyright issues at competitions.

“This whole thing is a process: Get the picture in your head; Film, sit, and re-film shots; come back and finish editing. I once had seven different drafts of a pep-rally video before I finally told myself I was finished, and even then, I had concerns about some things,” Cobas said.

The program is extremely efficient, as the studio is equipped with all the necessary gear, however, it is a very expensive operation, considering that the break or loss of a camera lens or a computer screen is never simply a ten or twenty dollar fix, but rather hundreds or thousands of dollars.

“I am extremely hopeful this year, considering it is the last time thirteen of my senior officers will produce for Gables Live. My students are dedicated, determined, and I can honestly say that they put in all of the passion that they have into this program. It is the fact that these students have so much heart that keeps me doing TV Production,” Cuba said.

Little Cavaliers discover gadgets of the ‘90s

By Sydney Scanlon STAFF WRITER

highlights showed the Little Cavaliers, all born after 2008, iconic ‘90s objects and recorded their reactions. The children attempted to use the items while making equally adorable and funny comments.

Olivia Field/highlights

Tamagotchi

VHS tape

Gameboy Color

Floppy disk

The Tamagotchi was an electronic toy which displayed a creature that was cared for as a pet.

It was notorious for being ignored for weeks, resulting in a dead pet and an unhappy child.

Movies nowadays can be streamed on computers and tablets through instant video.

But a decade ago, movies entailed the obtaining of its respective VHS.

The gameboy was one of the first portable video games and was owned by seemingly every child in America. Now, its outdated technology and simplistic design are obsolete.

A magnetic disk, encased in hard plastic, the floppy disk was one of the first items used for storing data. It can hold much less space and is much larger than current external hard drives.

“That is a pretty necklace.”

- Christopher Duenas

“That is called a tape and you take the round things and you tape it to things.”

- Naya Clark

“You can put batteries in there.

Where are the batteries? It needs batteries.”

- Christopher Duenas

“It looks like a credit card. You can pay stuff with that.”

- Noah Bagwanden

“You put movies in there. I would watch Buzz Lightyear and Toy Story. It is probably called a movie theater.”

- Sebastian Martinez

It’s called a Gameboy because you play with it so much that you become a boy.”

- Sebastian Martinez

“Well, it looks like a key and I think you press the buttons...

Tamagotchi probably means a change in everything.”

- Sebastian Martinez “Wow, there is a rainbow. It is probably called princess, from the sunny world.”

- Naya Clark

“Those circles are like shoes” – Christopher Duenas

“That is a telephone, so you take pictures and call people.”

– Naya Clark

“I think it is called a mail because you can mail things and mail goes that way.”

- Will Morris “It is round... I mean it is a square.”

- Naya Clark

sports

highlights

September 2014

13

Explorers end Cavaliers's winning streak

By Angelika Menendez

Angelika Menendez/highlights Sabrina Fiske/highlights TRYING FOR THE WIN: Junior quarterback Voshon Waiters, number 17, runs toward the endzone (top) but disappoints the crowd as he runs out of the field’s bounds (bottom).

Changing sluggish ways

By Rachel Ellis STAFF WRITER

After winning two games consecutively this season, the Cavalier football team faced the Columbus Explorers on Sept. 12 at Tropical Park. The stands were filled with students cheering and holding posters hoping for the Cavaliers to continue their winning streak against the Explorers.

The game was close with a final score of 13-14.

The Cavaliers made the first touchdown toward the end of the first quarter. After a fumble from the Explorers, junior running back Amir Rasul ran the ball into the endzone with 1:40 left in the first quarter. The Cavaliers then scored the extra point, ending the first quarter with a score of 7-0.

The second quarter of the game started off with a fumble from the Explorers, and then senior running back Hans Supre ran the ball for 63 yards, scoring a touchdown at 10:56, but the extra point was blocked, leaving the score at 13-0. The Cavaliers tried to keep the Explorers from scoring towards the end of the first half, but they were unsuccessful. Junior line backer Gee Stanley tackled the Explorers with the ball at the 25-yard line on the first down towards the end of the second quarter. On the second down Columbus carried the ball to the 10-yard line, and on the third down Columbus scored at 1:43, with a 5-yard touchdown, ending the first quarter with a score of 13-7 after scoring the extra point.

“I wasn’t comfortable with the 13-7 lead knowing the type of team and the type of coaches Columbus has,” head football coach Roger Pollard said.

In the third quarter the Cavaliers carried the ball 40 yards on the first down. Then in the second down, junior quarterback Voshon Waiters ran the ball, but went out of bounds. On the third and fourth downs the Cavaliers were stopped at the Explorer’s 37-yard line. The ball was turned over to Columbus, and after gaining another first down, Columbus scored an 80-yard touchdown bringing the score to 13-14 at the end of the third quarter.

“There are a list of things we need to do because we had chances all second half to make a comeback and we didn’t,” Pollard said.

In the fourth quarter no points were scored for either team. Columbus intercepted a pass thrown by Gables, ending the game with a score of 14-13.

Pedaling through Virginia Key

By Octavio Castro STAFF WRITER

Through the mud or on paved roads, bike fanatics can enjoy rides on the Virginia Key mountain trails. The Virginia Key Mountain Bike Park has trails for all riders, from the slow cruiser to the high-risked daredevil.

Turning onto Rickenbacker Causeway, a toll is located at the entrance to Virginia Key. Next to Maritime and Science Technology (MAST) Academy and in front of Miami Sequarium on Key Biscayne, the toll charges $6 for cars and $1 for bikers. After going down the road and turning left, the entrance opens up to a novice trail.

Apart from this trail, there are two more types of trails that differ in level of expertise and physical aspects: the intermediate and the advanced trails. Volunteers from the Virginia Key Bicycle Club (VKBC) created all the bike RISKY RIDING: A returning biker jumps off a hill on an trails to replicate mountain trails with help and resources advanced trail in the Virginia Key Mountain Bike Park. from the city of Miami. The VKBC updates the trails regularly.

“The good part about [the trails] is that they’re constantly updating them. I’ve done maintenance there before; they do it every other Sunday. They’re constantly adding trails, so it’s always getting better,” senior Alexander Duran said.

All bikers must wear helmets on the trails. Also, before riding the trails bikers should undergo a self-mandated qualifier, which requires riding the first 20 feet to see if it is manageable.

The novice trails are longer than the other two types of trails and usually surround them. They are mostly flat and are the easiest to navigate, which is well-suited for first-timers. If you want a more exciting and mountainous experience, then the intermediate and the advanced trails are a perfect fit. Both types of trails contain elevations, climbs, and drops.

The intermediate trails are longer than the advanced and are not as intense, as the elevations are not as deep and frequent.

The advanced trails are much more intense and are completely shrouded in heavy foliage.

The Virginia Key Mountain Bike Park is open from sunrise to sunset, every day of the week.

Octavio Castro/highlights

While some people are fueled by the adrenaline rush and competitiveness of a sport, others have no interest in them.

Whether it is because of the substantial amount of time that needs to be devoted to practices and games, or simply because physical activity just does not sound appealing, sports are not for everyone.

With that being said, staying active and raising one’s pulse is still essential for anyone who wishes to maintain a healthy lifestyle, without the commitment of a sport.

Here are a few ways to stay active without participating in a sport: 1. Go for a long bike ride around your neighborhood.

2. Walk your dog in a park.

3. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

4. Challenge your friend to a few rounds of Dance Dance

Revolution, or practice for any future dance offs.

5. Swim a few laps in the pool on a hot day.

6. Clean your car.

7. Dust off your rollerblades and go for a spin.

8. Take a stretch break when doing homework or watching television.

9. Meditate to the soothing sounds of recorded nature and

practice some interesting yoga positions you found on

Google.

10. Park in the farthest parking spot at the grocery store or

mall (if safe).

STAFF WRITER

Guard's newest catch Little leagues:

By Amanda-Victoria Gonzalez

Starting a sport at an early age puts athletes in the lead

Commentary by Francis Pérez

STAFF WRITER

SPORTS EDITOR

Maria Ovalle/highlights

Freshman Isaiah Valentin is the newest member to the school’s Color Guard team.

Valentin said he was inspired by his cousin who was on the team last year. He had attended one practice which gave him a feel for what Color Guard is all about and it also made him well aware of what being on a team and performing is like. He was previously on a gymnastics team before attending the school and even though he enjoys Color Guard, he also takes pleasure in some unique hobbies outside of school.

“When I’m not at practice, I like to either draw or go horseback riding.” Valentin said.

Valentin is not only a new member of Color Guard, but he is the only boy they have had on FLUTTERING THROUGH: Freshman the team in three years.

Isaiah Valentin practices “butterflies” to run through his routine.

“It feels good because a boy on the team isn’t very common, but I like it because there are a lot of girls so I get a lot of attention,” Valentin said.

Valentin emphasizes how time consuming the sport is, but discusses how it has proved to be more of an advantage rather than a disadvantage. He also believes Color Guard is not what people make it out to be.

“Usually people refer to us as the ‘flag twirlers’ on the field, but I can guarantee that if students would take the time to watch us perform, the phrase ‘flag twirlers’ would change from top to bottom,” Valentin said.

This freshman seems to have found his calling for the rest of his high school years and he can be seen participating with the team during pep rallys and football games.

At the time, it is difficult to see if it is worth putting a three year old child into club or little league sports. Parents start to ask themselves if it is safe, or if the child will appreciate the sport later on. However, putting a child in a sport at an early age opens doors.

When considering the safety of little league sports, one must realize that those who were playing alongside you were about the same age. Sure, not all children are the same shape or size, but it will not be as big of an impact as playing with someone who is five years older. Also, children are young and still do not understand sports etiquette, which allows coaches and parents to watch over the small athletes and prevent them from getting hurt.

Not only is it safe, but being in a sport at such an early age can also be advantageous for the child’s future. First of all, if people were to start to work out when they are little, they would have increased their chances of growing up to be physically fit. In addition to this, if the little athletes wished to continue playing the sport, their skills would be perfected by the time they reached high school level sports. They would stand out; college scouts as well as other type of recruiters would be looking at these players and considering them for bigger things, whether for a scholarship or being part of a great team (national and/or professional). Professional golfer, Tiger Woods, began playing the sport at age two. Then at age 15, he was the youngest person to win the U.S. Junior Amateur championships. Now as a professional, he has won 14 golf championships and was PGA Player of the Year 11 times.

Junior Justin Sanchez, who started playing basketball at the age of ten, agrees that being put in a sport at an early age has put him at an advantage and wishes he had begun even earlier.

“I do wish I had started just a little bit earlier, only because I would have gotten that much more experience and that much more time to have worked on my game to become a better basketball player today,” Sanchez said.

There definitely are risks in playing sports at an early age, but the same risks are taken when the child grows up and plays the same sport. Starting at an earlier age only puts the athlete in the lead, by giving them an advantage in high school level sports and creating opportunities for potential college scholarships.

sports

highlights

September 2014

14

From school hallways to professional fields

By Sofia Viglucci

when she attended the school from 1980-84, she was the only girl on the boy’s golf team, where she made a huge impact. In her first tournament with them, she made the winning birdie that pushed the team to states.

“My mother told me at that tournament that a boy complained to his mom about having to play a girl, but by the end he said ‘wow she really can play,” Kerdyk said.

In her time at the school, Kerdyk said she made countless great memories from sitting in the roaring crowd at the legendary football games, to watching the Gablettes, to eating lunch outside in the courtyard.

“I loved the atmosphere; I loved Gables; go Cavs!” Kerdyk said excitedly. “I can still sing the Alma Mater.”

During her college years, Kerdyk was already a successful athlete, winning the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links in 1987, and winning 11 tournaments during her 1987-88 season at the University of Miami, which she attended from 1985-88. She also won records for the lowest 18, 36, 54, and 72-hole scores.

“No matter what, pursue what you love, and don’t ever let anyone or anything get in the way of that; always persevere,” said Kerdyk.

To add to her list of accomplishments, Kerdyk was also a twotime All-American and 1988 NCAA Collegiate Player of the Year.

She played on the 1988 U.S. Curtis Cup team, and played on the LPGA Tour from 1989-99, winning once in 1995.

After retirement, she worked on Future’s Golf Tour for 15 years.

She resides in Coral Gables today, and has returned to the school several times in the past few years to present awards, including the Kerdyk Family Trust Scholarship Fund, to students. She is also in the Coral Gables Hall of Fame.

“My roots are in Coral Gables,” Kerdyk said.

Now retired from the sport, Kerdyk is a real estate agent, selling homes in Southern Florida. She still plays golf in her free time.

STAFF WRITER

“

“

I loved the atmosphere; I loved Gables; go Cavs!

Courtesy of Cavaleon

-Tracy Kerdyk, alumna

Throughout time, many athletes have marched down the white, gray, and crimson halls of the school. Whether it was in basketball, football, golf, or swimming, some of the school’s athletes have made a mark in their sport, some even as professionals. Among them all, two have brought the Cavalier name to a national audience.

Frank Gore, a football star, has had his name mentioned by almost every football announcer or reporter, with enthusiasm ringing in their voices. According to the NFL Internet Network, Gore was born in Miami on May 14, 1983 and grew up in Coconut Grove, Florida. He attended Gables High, and excelled on the school’s football team as a running back, with multiple record-breaking games in one season alone.

After high school, he decided to attend the University of Miami on a scholarship to stay close to his mother, who was suffering from kidney disease. During his eight years playing in the National Football League (NFL), Gore has stayed loyal to the San Francisco 49ers. He has played for them throughout his professional football career, signing his first 3-year contract with them when he was picked in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft, then extending the contract twice more until 2014. Gore will continue to play with the 49ers for the 2014-2015 season.

Another athlete who attended the school and also rose to the national scene is Tracy Kerdyk, a former professional female golfer who was born in Miami on March 5, 1966.

“I always wanted to be a professional athlete, ever since I was nine or ten,” said Kerdyk.

She grew up in Coral Gables, Florida, first playing soccer and then tennis, until a friend stayed with her and her family while he was playing in a golf tournament, and she realized she wanted to learn to play herself. She said she fell in love with the sport, and

Triathlons: taking on a triple threat

By Marko Ciklovan STAFF WRITER

Triathlons are among the fastest growing sports, and are certainly one of the most physically demanding sports combination. Common triathlons begin with a one-mile swim, then a 25-mile bike ride, and end with a six-mile run to the finish line. However, everyone does not race together; competitors are separated into age groups so it is a fair race for all competitors. Although it may seem as a nearly impossible task it is doable.

“Don’t stop moving, just keep on pushing and you’ll most definitely finish,” said senior Coby Sanchez who has been participating in triathlons for the past four years.

Anyone, even with zero fitness, can be ready for a triathlon

in 12 short weeks. Most competitors break up their training regimen (swimming, biking, and running) into four different combinations in order to prepare for triathlons. By increasing overall distance and lowering their finish times, athletes increment the intensity of their training, and throughout the day, they are constantly staying hydrated.

“It’s difficult at first but it is a great all around exercise,” Sanchez said.

Every September, triathletes flock to the ultimate Miami multisport competition, the “Mack Cycle Escape to Miami Triathlon.” Miami offers a vast amount of opportunities for people to take part in triathlons, such as training sessions. More information can be found on escapetomiamitriathlon.com. The first triathlon in Miami begins Sept. 24 with bike checks for meeting regulations; the actual race begins on Sept. 28.

Toning muscles for the finish line

CAVALIER STAT BOX

Girls’ Volleyball SEP 17 Cavaliers

vs 0-3 L

Coral Park

SEP 19 Westland

vs 0-3 W

Cavaliers

SEP 22 Cavaliers

vs 0-3 L

@ Coral Park @ Coral Park @ Miami High

By Maria Ovalle

Boys’ Golf

BUSINESS MANAGER

MUSCLE MAN: Ramirez lifts 50-pound weights to prepare for the Reebox Spartan Race.

MARK THE DATE vs. Southwest

Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Bird Bowl

vs Hialeah 265-190 W

SEP 4

Cavaliers

vs Palmetto 194-191 W

SEP 9

Cavaliers

vs South 288-175 W

@ Bird Bowl @ Bird Bowl

Gardens

Miami

Football

vs Southridge 19-7 W

AUG 29 Cavaliers

@ Curtis Park

SEP 5

vs Cavaliers 0-30 W

Krop

@ CGHS

SEP 12 Cavaliers

@ Tropical Park

vs Columbus 13-14 L

to watch our athletic teams rack up the points!

Varsity

30 1 Bowling

AUG 28 Cavaliers

@ Bird Bowl

Maria Ovalle/highlights

Sept./Oct.

For senior George Ramirez, certain life experiences encouraged him to try new things and set goals to feel accomplished, such as body building.

Ramirez trains and travels to competitions to develop himself both physically and mentally for his future.

Ramirez said that when he was in middle school, he was somewhat overweight and did not feel as confident as he could have, so from that day on he began body building. About three years ago, he started attending bodybuilding competitions and rigorous obstacle courses demanding an ultimate athletic approach.

Now, some of Ramirez’s friends said they think that Ramirez is excessive with his bodybuilding, but he does not let that influence his desire to improve and compete. “[Bodybuilding] has changed my life so much that the dedication keeps me focused in school and helps me balance everything throughout life,” Ramirez said.

On Sept. 20, Ramirez traveled to Vermont, where he was sponsored

by Reebok Spartan Race and joined other racers to compete in the Spartan Race obstacle course. Participating in this event allowed him to attempt to win the Trifecta medal which requires 3, 8, and 15 mile runs. In these runs, Ramirez got to meet and talk to people about his experiences and how his accomplishments have shaped his personality to inspire others.

Girls & Boys Varsity

Miami High

Football

vs. South Miami Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Curtis Park

Girls & Boys Varsity

2

Girls Varsity

6

Swimming

Volleyball

Thursday at 5 p.m. at Tamiami Pool

Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Coral Gables Senior High

vs. Varela

vs. Lourdes

the scene Cooking up the carnival

By Olivia Field STAFF WRITER

Smoothie paradise Leila Iskandarani/highlights GROOVY SMOOTHIES: Sun Juice smoothies sits among a multitude of small local shops, all painted in bright colors reminicent of iconic Miami.

By Leila Iskandarani STAFF WRITER

Sun Juice Smoothies, with its wide variety of flavorsome juices and abundance of healthful, to-go snacks, appeals to anyone looking for arefreshing pick-me-up.

The small, family-owned shop is located behind Riviera Park, on 1405 Sunset Drive. The vividly colored walls are lined with shelves displaying pre-packaged salads, granola bars, veggie sticks, and more.

The smoothie bar has been open for 13 years, and has all the charm a family owned-shop would have: original smoothies, fresh ingredients, and a friendly staff.

However, the real appeal of Sun Juice comes from the diverse assortment of flavors its menu has to offer.

The menu is ideal for everyone.

Those looking for a dessert-like drink can indulge in a “Nutella Nouveau” or “Awesome Oreo”; people craving a regular, everyday fruit smoothie can help themselves to a “Mango Tango”

or perhaps a “Strawberry Samba.”

The most noteworthy feature about this menu, however, is that it contains a broad array of blends that cater specifically to health-oriented needs— for example, “Banana Burner,” which contains fat-burning ingredients, or “Raspberry Rejuvenator,” for a carbohydrate-infused drink.

Customers also have the option of adding protein, fiber, vitamin C, antioxidants, and other macronutrients to their smoothie, at a small cost.

Also available for sale are Matcha green tea and energy bowls, which contain açaí, fruits, and granola.

“I like Sun Juice because its cheap, everything is local, and it tastes good… If I could go every day, I would,” junior Gabrielle Martinez said.

While these fresh smoothies are not necessarity cheap, $4 for a small and $6 for a large is not a bad price to pay considering the size and quality of the drinks. In a time when healthy lifestyles, juicing, and exercising are all the rage, Sun Juice is pleasing to everyone.

September 2014

CARNIVAL CUISINE: Illuminated with a Donut Divas sign, the interior of the storefront is decorated with brightly colored candies and paint.

15

Olivia Field/highlights

Thanks to Donut Divas, locals do not need to “be there” to be able to fill themselves up with the delicious treats that come along with the Fair. The innovative restaurant, located off LeJeune on NW 7th St., dishes out reinvented carnival food made fresh to order.

The menu incorporates traditional carnival food, like elephant ears and corn dogs, while also integrating fair-inspired dishes like mini donuts and red velvet fried Oreos with cream cheese icing. Also unlike ordinary fair food, the ingredients for every menu item are specially chosen and fresh for each dish. Items range from $3-6, making these guilty-pleasure treats a little less guilty and a little more indulgent.

“Our most unique item is definitely the fried cheesecake, simply because we bake it in house and it is made completely fresh,” manager Alba Padilla said.

Created by owners Yojani Blandio and Maria Acosta, Donut Divas has been a catering company for six years and just recently began serving in store this past year. With party planning experience and an abundance of chocolate fountains at home,

Padilla said it was easy for them to start the business and bring together their ideas and knowledge of the food industry. The catering company, which is still in business along with the store, offers items like candy baskets, cotton candy machines, and do-ityourself candy apple stations for parties.

“My favorite part of working here is the fact that people are so amazed about it and the fact that they are happy they don’t have to wait for the fair and they get to come here. They don’t have to stand in line, and they don’t have to pay for a ticket, so that is pretty cool,” Padilla said.

With the food as the stars, the storefront mimics a colorful carnival top. The restaurant’s draping red curtains, array of bright sugary candies, and eye catching fluorescent sign that reads, Donut Divas finish off the thematic atmosphere.

The busier days do tend to be on Mondays and on the weekend. Even so, the store is open every day at either 11 a.m. or noon, and closes at 9 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on the weekend.

The unique and high-quality delights put out by Donut Divas will fulfill anyone’s sweet tooth, until it is time to head back and indulge in fried Oreos and ice cream once again.

highlights

Derek’s flaming pies

By Araceli Sanchez STAFF WRITER

From a food truck to a new restaurant in Wynwood, Fireman Derek’s World-Famous Pies have attracted customers with exclusive and uncommon flavors of pies, cheesecakes, pastries and homemade ice cream.

The owner, Derek Kaplan, is a current City of Miami firefighter who, in his spare time, bakes 50 to 100 pies a day. Kaplan has been creating these delicacies since he was 15 years old.

In the beginning of his culinary journey, he sold his delicious desserts from a food truck, this past July he opened a storefront.

His pies have been featured in “Ocean Drive Magazine” and “Miami New Times”, and are being sold throughout Miami in many restaurants.

The brightly colored and eccentric store serves unique flavors of pies and desserts, including classic desserts like apple and cherry pie and strawberry cheesecake, and unique flavors like chocolate dipped flan or crack pie (a rich, salty and sweet pie) that cannot be found in many other places in Miami.

The bakery is located at 2818 North Miami Ave., and it is hard to miss because of the flashy spray painted bricks adorning the front of the

bakery, and quirky neon designs decorating a mural next to the shop.

Additionally, Fireman Derek’s Pies can be found at multiple locations around the city. These include Brother Jimmy’s BBQ, Umami Burger, and Wall’s Ice Cream, among others.

Fireman Derek’s Pies stands out among other bakeries because all the pies on the menu change daily depending on availability and seasonal ingredients. Despite this, certain flavors, such as the specialty key lime pie and strawberry cheesecake, are always available to order.

Pies are available whole for $15 or in single-servings for $3. This welcoming Wynwood bakery is a great stop for customers searching for a delicious and unique treat to come try their specialty “world-famous” pies.

Gables Tutoring 1880 South Red Road Miami, FL 33155 (786) 972-1602 www.gablestutoring.com

the scene

highlights

Square dancing:

By Octavio Castro STAFF WRITER

16

classic southern entertainment takes off in an unexpected place

forms, and how to mimic your partner. After the instructional period ends, the actual event begins around 7 p.m. with a dance that newcomers can follow easily. It is fine if you do not know the moves to each dance, as there is a short briefing of the moves required for the dance before each song.

As the night progresses, the songs, which are performed by a live band, become faster in tempo and have a more energetic feel. The dances that come later are more intricate and harder to follow, but newcomers are always welcome to attempt them.

The night ends at around 10 p.m., with a huge song and dance that everyone is encouraged to participate in.

After or between dances, you can take in the scenery of this beautiful park overlooking the bay. You can also bring food to participate in your own picnic on the field or at one of the picnic tables, if you get hungry from all the dancing.

Dancing at the Barnacle is meant for all ages, from curious teenagers to youthful adults who want to experience the joy of square dancing.

Many people go to explore the uniqueness of a square dancing venue in Miami and find themselves engrossed in the beauty of the Barnacle Historic State Park, the wild country music from the live band, and the unique individuals, who take their square dancing very seriously.

Every month, the band and playlist change. The next event, D H Owhich will be held on Oct. 26, will have music by Joe ve isto SI-D Co nu ric O Bone. e : nt

T o St da f th ate he B nc e m Par ar e e o k na ve nth is t cle nt ly he .

ra

Araceli Sanchez/highlights

In the spirit of old America, Miamians are partaking in an old dancing tradition known as contradance, a partnered folk dance that originated in New England. Contradance, also known as square-dancing to Southerners, is a relatively new activity in the South Florida scene, with only a few venues. The Barnacle Historic Park, home of the Barnacle house in Coconut Grove, is the most accessible venue available to the residents of Miami.

Held every fourth Sunday, Dancing at the Barnacle is a way to get a taste of true Southern culture. Newcomers arrive at 6:30 p.m., and will find themselves welcomed by an upbeat atmosphere and a group of returning dancers who instruct the beginners on the proper way to contradance.

During this 30 minute session, the purpose is not to learn specific moves used in dances, but rather general movements and

September 2014

The ultimate puzzle - the Great escape

By Joey Lancaster STAFF WRITER

Finally there is a place in Miami for those puzzle fanatics to go and let loose their inner detective. Found on the second floor at 2315 LeJeune Rd., The Great Escape Room, originally located in Orlando, opened its new Miami location on Sept. 12. Tickets cost $29.80 and must be bought online around three to four days in advance.

The premise is fairly simple: Sherlock Holmes needs a hand solving his latest mystery. In order to become his assistants, he has devised a series of puzzles for the participants to solve in order to prove that they are worthy of being the next Watson.

However, there is a catch. Groups of up to 10 people are locked in a room together and are tasked with solving a series of four extremely intricate puzzles. The clues to solve them are hidden all over the room and every inch must be turned inside out in order to find all the clues to solve the puzzles.

As you walk in through the front door you will be immediately greeted by “Inspector” Julien and “Constable” Nick who give a pretty basic run through of how the game is going to work as you

and your group wait in the lobby. You could not ask for a more capable group of people to lead you through The Great Escape Room.

Once everything is explained and waivers are signed, participants will be lead to a different room designed to replicate Sherlock’s study. Inside, an audio tape intended to be Sherlock himself instructs your team on the necessary tasks that need to be completed in order to escape the locked room.

With only an hour on the clock, the goal is to find all the clue items and use them to solve puzzles relating to science, history and complex decoding. Once all the clues are accounted for and each of the four puzzles are solved, the group is lead to a lock box that contains tools and information on how to escape the room.

The clues are difficult to decipher, and only about 20 percent of groups escape within the one hour time limit, but the experience is designed so that every group has some measure of success and comes close to solving all the puzzles.

Everyone is released from the room after one hour whether they solved the puzzles or not, and a debriefing of the puzzles is conducted so no one goes home frustrated.

Cheap & chic: Budget mani pedis

By Vanessa Vasquez

Vanessa Vasquez/highlights

STAFF WRITER

Miami is crowded with nail salons offering different types of manicures and pedicures, some extremely cheap, but unreliable, and others fantastic, but extremely overpriced. From the familiar Coral Gables to the distant Miami Beach, salons are scattered all over the Miami area. Hard to find though, is a perfect mix of budget and quality, so highlights has compiled a few local salons that will not break the bank.

Em Nail Salon, located on South Beach at 906 Alton Rd, offers a special on Monday and Tuesday, a “Mini” manicure-pedicure combo for $35.

The salon focuses on natural nails and accepts walk-ins, although appointments can be made. Enjoying a massage while getting a pedicure is a must at this salon.

Any other day of the week, the combo priced is raised to $40. “Mini” manicures and pedicures include hand and foot soaking, cuticle cleaning, and nail polish. A light heel buff is also given during the pedicure. Separately, a manicure costs is $17 and a pedicure costs $27.

Avant-Garde Salon & Spa is a lot closer, located at 155 & n lo e.

Miracle Mile Coral Gables, but is a bit more costly.

Sa pric e t d Located right on the Mile, this salon/ a ar re -G a g spa combination offers regular t an or and organic manicures Av s f

he re : T aniu E UR m IC ral AN atu M n E s CL ffer A o R I M Spa

and pedicures.

Regular manicures are set at $20 and a regular pedicure at $35. Another option is to go the healthier route; organic manicures are $30 and an organic pedicure $45. These use products that do not harm natural nails.

The location is not open on Sundays, but is open every other day. To get your nails done, call ahead for an appointment.

Kijana Salon & Blow Dry Bar, also located in Coral Gables, offers manicures done by expert manicurists at worthy prices. Found at 2603 Ponce de Leon, their different manicures include Senior Artiste and Elite Artiste. A Senior Artiste manicure is a mere $16 and the Elite Artiste carries a $20 price tag. The Elite Artiste option is done by more experienced artists.

On Mondays and Sundays, the crowd gives you no chance of getting your nails done. Step inside any day from Tuesday to Saturday for a wide variety of nail designs and patterns.