THE RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE
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highlights \ Issue 2 \ Vol. 57 \ Oct. 2016 \ 450 Bird Road, Coral Gables, FL, 33146
Contents 2
highlights \ Vol. 57 \ Oct. 2016 \ Pg. 2
Features
Sports
6 | Fantasy worlds come
to life in the school’s new Digital Media and Electronic Arts Club, more commonly known as the Wizard Club, which is sponsored by history teacher Oscar de Armas.
Advisory Board
19 | The school’s varsity
football team won its fourth game in a row on Sept. 16 against Killian High School. The Cavaliers won 36-6, while keeping a large lead throughout all four quaters of the game.
The Scene
Sofia Viglucci/highlights
25 | Located on the busy
News
12 | The school
street of Coral Way, Oh My Gosh!!! Brigadeiros serves individually rolled and flavored Brazilian inspired chocolates and hot beverages to their customers.
Opinion
16 | The Black Lives
Matter movement aims to tackle the issues of social injustice. However, by failing to address other problems facing the black community, they are hurting their own cause.
Staff Writers
Cecilia Rodriguez/highlights
introduced a change in policy that allows for peanut products to be consumed and sold on campus. This follows the graduation of a student who initiated the policy.
Insight
28 | As the general
Editor-in-Chief: Olivia Field Copy Editor: Dylan Carol Business Manager: Amanda Pallas Social Media Manager: Sutton Payne Adviser: Melissa Gonzalez Features: Leila Iskandarani News: Vanessa Vazquez Opinion: Benjamin Estrada Sports: Jack Band The Scene: Sarah Galt Insight: Sydney Scanlon
election is quickly approaching, highlights has dissected the strengths and weaknesses of the two major candidates in the running, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
Nicolas Burniske, Tatiana Campos, Estelle Erwich, Angelle Garcia, Dan Leiferman, Kevin Monjarrez, Alejandra Orozco, Alejandro Prida, Shirley Ramirez, Cecilia Rodriguez, Luis Toruno, Mariam Vela, Natalie Viglucci, Sofia Viglucci, Audrey Weigel, Alfredo Wolfermann, Ana Wolfermann, Karina Wu.
Contributors Khareem Oliver highlights is the official student-produced news magazine 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 on 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.
Features 4
Class of 2015 graduate, back again David Pujol, Gables graduate and student at the University of Massachusetts, gives virtual assistance to IB students By Shirley Ramirez STAFF WRITER
Massachusetts, Amherst. Pujol took the position when a few of his friends, now IB seniors, reached out to him, seeking extra help in getting ready for the IB exam. In the past, Pujol has assisted students as an instructor at a tutoring center. Now
HALL >> talk The highlights staff records what students are talking about in the hallways during passing between periods.
TECH SAVVY: Seniors Pranav Sharma, Kevin Jimenez and Thomas Martinez (left to right) get help from Pujol.
in his second year of college, he plans on graduating early and moving on to graduate school, with the long-term goal of becoming a university professor. “Each topic and each student requires an additional approach,” Pujol said. “The only way to figure out that h
Shirley Ramirez/highlights
O
N ANY GIVEN DAY, A student walking into the International Baccalaureate (IB) office can expect to find IB coordinator Diana Van Wyk clicking away at her computer, the otherwise quiet room filled with office aids swamped with paperwork or stressed-out IB students seeking much-needed guidance. During eighth period every other week, however, a group of IB higherlevel (HL) computer science students clustered around the Promethean Board occupies the space. The students listen closely as alumnus David Pujol, on the screen, answers students’ questions and explains difficult concepts in computer science. Communicating with his students through Skype calls, Pujol, a graduate from the class of 2015, has returned to the school as a guest speaker for the IB HL computer science class following the departure of previous course teacher Michael Van Dyk. “[As a Gables student], the programming room and the structure it provided gave me a place where I could make the best of my high school experience,” Pujol said. Despite his youth, Pujol has had plenty of exposure to the subject. He earned a high score on his own IB HL computer science test one year ago, and is currently double majoring in computer science and math at the University of
BLOCK 1
BLOCK 2
“Stop projectile vomiting on your friends.”
“I’ve watched lizards. A lot.”
“Bro...he’s already whipped like cream cheese.” “I’m having an allergic reaction to the school.”
“I think my face is sliding off my face.” “I’m always starting fashion trends, but nobody ever follows them.”
highlights \ Vol. 57 \ Oct. 2016 \ Pg. 5
Senior creates pet-friendly app
Senior Khareem Oliver’s business, Find or Found, reunites lost pets with owners By Estelle Erwich & Karina Wu STAFF WRITERS
“
Most kids in high school aren’t really thinking about creating the next big thing, more so how to prep for the SAT or a prom date. This will make me stand out and open doors for greater opportunities. -Khareem Oliver senior owners, Oliver decided to take it upon himself to find a solution. Combining his love for animals, technology and innovation, he created “Find or Found,” a smart phone application and website that effectively locates lost pets using a tag with a Quick Response code. To use the app, owners purchase a Find or Found collar tag, register it on the website, FindorFound.com, and input details about the pet (such as name, age, size, color, etc.) and their contact information to their account. When the pet is lost, the owner can send push notifications to users in the surrounding area. If another Find or Found user finds the pet, he or she can scan the tag using the built-in scanner to alert the owner that their pet has been found. The app bypasses the need for
microchips, which most owners use as a locating device for their pets. The finder is also given step-by-step instructions to reach nearby pet-friendly locations, such as shelters, that are nearby. As both owners and finders need to have the app in order for it to work, Find or Found will be most effective when the majority of the pet-owning population is registered on its server. The website, designed by senior George Poincot, is already up and running. Oliver is still working on developing his coding skills and manufacturing Find of Found tags so the app, which is still being made, can be fully functional soon. A student of the Academy of Finance (AOF), Oliver credits the program and his teachers for helping him turn his idea into a reality. During his sophomore year, he was in the dual enrollment entrepreneurship program when business teacher and AOF academy leader Anna Carranza advised him to look into Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). NFTE is a Miami-Dade College program that helps students launch their businesses by supplying funding, tools and mentorship. After completing the course, students are given the opportunity to present their business models and receive funding to start their companies. This is what happened for Oliver, who was awarded the $5,000 for his website and application after winning the NFTE LaunchEd Challenge. Chosen from 21 participants, Oliver managed to surpass his competitors and win first place in the final round of the competition. This achievement was noted by his community, and Oliver has since been featured in news outlets like the Miami Herald and the Florida Villager. In addition to continuing his volunteer work with Operation Paw, Oliver has devoted much of his time to developing and perfecting the business. “As far as now I’m more of the ‘ideas’ guy,’ knowing exactly what needs to be done, and I just want to keep innovating, that’s pretty much it,” Oliver said. h
FIND YOUR FURRY FRIEND:
PUPPY LOVE: Khareem Oliver’s application and website, Find or Found, helps to reunite lost pets with their owners.
1
Purchase a Find or Found collar tag at FindorFound.com
2
Register your pet on the website, add your contact information and input your pet’s details
3
If you ever lose your pet, send push notifications to Find or Found users in the area and wait for your pet to be found
Courtesy of Khareem Oliver
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HILE VOLUNTEERING for Operation Paw, an organization that rescues and rehabilitates feral cats, senior Khareem Oliver noticed that, for a city with so many displaced pets, it was extremely difficult for owners to locate their lost animals. Motivated by the need to efficiently reunite lost pets with their
Features 6
T he
W
izarding orld of
CG HS MYTHICAL WORLDS COME ALIVE The school’s new Digital Media and Electronic Arts Club brings a realm of fantasy to room 9318 By Sofia Viglucci STAFF WRITER
N
ESTLED DISCREETLY IN a uniform corridor on the third floor of the Ralph Moore building is a lusterless door. What lies beyond is a typical classroom lined with teetering desks and decrepit textbooks. After school every other Thursday, however, students trade their pencils for magic wands and their collared shirts for shadowy capes. The classroom is no longer crawling with mere muggles— wizards now inhabit the space. The Digital Media and Electronic Arts Club welcomes all students, or “wizards,” who wish to join, free of ever-burdensome requirements. The bimonthly club meetings consist of students merging to play board and video games and to discuss the fanciful world of anime. “Every type of game is played in the club. You can program in this club, anything,” senior Andrew Rosell said. “Why do I love games? They bring
people together.” At club meetings, students with common interests gravitate together to stimulate each other’s minds and challenge their gaming skills. In the comfort of the classroom, students unveil their Pikachu beanies and hightop Converse adorned with fictional illustrations. “The idea of the club is this: we are trying to unify the clans of all nerdy endeavors that exist,” sponsor Oscar de Armas said. “People that love fictional books. People that love gaming and nerdy fan fictions. People that love things that are not counter-culture but correlate with more introverted people. I want them to meet through the vehicle of board games.” When the club meets, the classroom’s ambiance teems with a friendly competitiveness. Students wearing drooping wizard hats and Harry Potter hoodies lean over decks
NERD HERD: History teacher Oscar de Armas (right) leads the Digital Media and Electronic Arts Club’s first meeting. Senior James Lamb (far right) peers at his opponent.
of cards, stealing furtive glances toward the hands of their opposition and silently celebrating victories in a fictional world come to life. “My first goal is to create the club and have it exist for the year,” de Armas said. “Long-term goals are doing community service, maybe at the school by building an anime library or having a Lord of the Rings watch-a-thon...for now, it’s all just ideas.” Because the club is new, its aspirations are simple. For each category of gaming in the club, a student is granted the title “High Wizard” by other members of the club and knighted by de Armas with a glowing light saber replica. The High Wizard is the overseer of their respective game division in the club. “The club is originally called the Digital Media and Electronic Arts Club,” de Armas said. “But once you join, you’ll find out that we’re all just a bunch of wizards.” h
highlights \ Vol. 57 \ Oct. 2016 \ Pg. 7
THE BOY WHO LIVED RETURNS
Nearly a decade after the release of the last Harry Potter book, Potter mania returns with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child By Angelle Garcia STAFF WRITER
Leila Iskandarani/highlights
NEW BEGINNINGS: (top right) Starting where the final book left off, Rowling’s new play “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” brings back fond memories of the original seven novels for longtime fans.
legacy. As the past resurfaces and the present darkens, Harry and Albus must work together to defeat Voldemort’s dark magic. As expected, the book ends happily as the Potter family is ultimately reunited. The play gives a sense of closure for long-time Potter fans. Finally, the fate of the boy who lived is revealed, something thought about by every tried and true fan since the release of the last novel. For anyone who grew up following the journey of The Boy who Lived, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” provides the perfect finish to the most famous book series of all time. h
Sofia Viglucci/highlights
time while magic and adventure unfold before them in a fantasy world. Albus’s mischievous undertakings, remarkably similar to those of his father’s, make the book almost impossible to stop reading. Despite the play’s merit, there are some discrepancies between the details in the play and those in the original series. For example, Harry should have lost the ability to speak Parseltongue after the last novel in the original series, but in the play, he speaks it as though he never lost the ability. Besides minor inconsistencies like these, the play meets all expectations. It gives long time readers nostalgia for the original series, with the first scene opening on the legendary platform 9 ¾. As per usual, dilemmas begin as Harry is forced to grapple with events of his past and Albus struggles to cope with the pressure of upholding his father’s
Sofia Viglucci/highlights
I
T IS LIKE STROLLING through Diagon Alley, peering into the quaint shops brimming with talking chocolates and fortune-telling crystal balls. The newest addition to J.K. Rowling’s wizarding empire, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” brings the mythical world of Harry Potter to life. Nearly 10 years after the release of the last Harry Potter book, a new spinoff written by Jack Thorne has brought back the hysteria surrounding the famous wizard. The two-part West End stage play is set 19 years after the events of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” and follows Harry Potter, now a Ministry of Magic official, and his youngest son Albus, a first-year student at Hogwarts. The play is first-rate, the type of riveting book one never wants to put down. “One more page” turns into 20 more and one eventually loses track of
News 8
Club fair returns to school
Sofia Viglucci /highlights
Sofia Viglucci /highlights
Sofia Viglucci /highlights
The schools’ wide variety of clubs displayed colorful presentations encouraging new members to join, and take part in engaging activities
CRAZY CLUBS: Seniors Carlos Mannarino and Holden Payne promoting Gables Earth at club fair (top left). Juniors Tamara Sanchez, Marta D’Ocon, Yara Faour and Yvanna Cajina show their excitement for Gables Players (bottom left). Maria Estrada shouts to gather people for the Speech and Debate club (right).
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highlights last year?
Check out our online portfolio at issuu.com/gableshighlights.
highlights \ Vol. 57 \ Oct. 2016 \ Pg. 9
Briefings Amendment 4
Gables’ overall ranking sinks to a C By Alejandra Orozco
By Alfredo Wolfermann
STAFF WRITER
T
STAFF WRITER
HE SCHOOL HAS BEEN RANKED A C school by Miami Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) for the 20152016 school year, based on a point system that incorporates students’ grade point averages and test assessment scores. In the past decade the school was ranked a C school consistently until 2010 when it reached an A. From 2010 to 2015 the school’s grade fluctuated between A’s and B’s until last year. The school’s overall grade went down to a C because of the changes in MDCPS’ guidelines for ranking institutions. The components that go into calculating a school’s ranking include statewide standardized assessments like End of Course (EOC) Assessments and Florida Standards Assessments (FSA), Middle School Acceleration, which is based on the percentage of eligible students who passed EOC Assessments, graduation rate and College and Career Acceleration, which is based on the scores of an acceleration exam or a student’s grade in a dual enrollment or college credit course. The school did not decrease in these categories; the graduation and passing rates increased but because of the new changes to the scoring guidelines, the school was ranked a C. “The reason why we went down to a C is because they entered in a new grading factor that wasn’t there for prior years, which was student gains from the bottom 25 percent of our school. Our student gains from the bottom 25 percent did not necessarily drop, they just did not improve and that is kind of like a penalty,
you know within that, and that is something that we are concentrating on a little bit more,” Assistant Principal Joseph Evans said. When comparing performance grades from the past two academic years, the overall percentage of grades for schools in MDCPS went down. The changes in recent years all over the county show that the school is not the only institution that has been receiving a lower grade. In only one year dramatic changes in the county were observed, the total percent of schools ranked an A went down 16 percent and the percentages of B schools went down by 4 percent in that year. The number of C and D schools went up as A and B schools grew scarce. The percentages of C schools went up by 17 percent in that year and the percentage of D schools went up by 3 percent. Although overall rankings in MDCPS had gone down drastically in that year, the averages were still 3 percent above the state’s average. One reasoning for this is because MDCPS’s ranking in the state is at a B grade, which is considered in comparison to other districts. The school can be compared to MAST Academy or Coral Reef Senior High, which are both A schools. However these schools have requirements and selectively choose their students. Miami Palmetto Senior High is a more equal comparison, and in the last year they were ranked a B school. “I want to say at least 85 percent of schools, at least high schools, in [Miami] Dade County except for two did drop,” Evans said. h
O
N AUG. 30, FLORIDA VOTED “yes” to Amendment 4, a state law that will provide property tax breaks for people with solar panels on their residential and commercial properties. Solar power generates no air pollution and does not require water to function. According to the Orlando Sentinel, with no taxes on solar equipment installed on properties, the solar energy market will become more profitable. Additionally, Amendment 1, another solar power initiative, will be put on the general election ballot on Nov. 8. Unlike Amendment 4 it deals specifically with solar panel installations and government control over the energy use. Amendment 4 was approved by a 73 percent to 27 percent margin, when a 60 percent yes vote was originally needed. The amendment will take effect in 2018 and last 20 years. According to CBS Local News, it received little opposition. With all the sunlight in Florida, the state has one of the highest solar power potentials in the entire country. However, it is only ranked 17th in the country in terms of the amount of solar power generated. By reducing taxes on the solar power equipment, solar energy is expected to become more affordable to both residential and business customers. The amendment is also said to create thousands of jobs in Florida’s solar industry. The approval of Amendment 4 means taxpayers will reportedly benefit from lower taxes, reduced energy costs and the increased security of a alternative energy source. h
Upcoming Events Oct. 18
Oct. 25-26
College Fair
Oct. 11
Band Movie Night at 8 p.m.
Grade Nite Payment Collections
Oct. 19
PSAT Testing
Oct. 27
Senior Pep Rally Source: CavsConnect
News 10
New teachers make their mark
Gables welcomed over 20 teachers onto campus this year for a change in atmosphere By Mariam Vela & Dan Leiferman STAFF WRITERS
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HIS YEAR THE SCHOOL introduced 23 teachers to the school’s 22 departments. Over half of the athletics staff has been replenished, and a few teachers have even returned to the school, some taking up different positions. highlights spoke to some of the faculty members about their transitions and hopes for this upcoming school year, and to some of their students. Florence Rouit-Gonzalez Already well known around the school for her classroom’s pink walls and equally vibrant personality, Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) French teacher Florence Rouit-Gonzalez integrates music and pop culture references into her lessons in an attempt to lift spirits and better engage her students. “I wanted to be part of a school that serves the community with excellent programs,” Rouit-Gonzalez said. She transferred to the school after 16 years of teaching at Felix Varela High School. She went on to add that the reason she transferred to the school was because she liked the community’s diversity as well as the fact that she is a resident of Coral Gables and wanted to give back. Malcolm Munroe Another addition to the school this year is Malcolm Munroe, who has taken the responsibility of teaching Computer Science. Munroe teaches AP Computer Science, Networking 2 and 3 and other programming courses. “He’s younger than most teachers, and it’s refreshing that he talks to us as friends rather than students,” freshman Brooke Ford said. Roberto Del Valle Roberto Del Valle, a Miami resident and recent addition to the science department, is new to the field of education. He teaches physical science, biology and physics. “I was very intrigued by the IB and AP program here,” Del Valle said. “I was hoping at some point, since it’s my
“
Coach Villegas is an amazing coach and mentor. He has really focused on improving our game as a team. -Emily Simon, sophomore
first year teaching, I would get trained to teach students in these programs.” Sophomore Saily Salgueiro described his teaching method as “entertaining and energetic” but still orderly. Claudia Navarro A familiar face to the school, Claudia Navarro came back to teach developmental language, or English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), after teaching at a middle school for six years. She said that the environment at the school, to her, is unlike any other. “The school that I came from was much smaller and it was very different. I like the environment here, the people I work with and the school in general,” Navarro said. Nelson Villegas Another experienced teacher that has decided to join the school in the SPED department is Nelson Villegas. Villegas is also the head coach of the girls’ golf team, which according to students, he has a great impact on. He also teaches chemistry, mathematics and reading courses. “Coach Villegas is an amazing coach and mentor. He has really focused on improving our game as a team throughout the season by diversifying how we practice and incorporating conditioning into our workouts,” sophomore Emily Simon said. Villegas said his reason for coming to the school was wanting a change. He said that after a decade of working at the same school, “Coral Gables would be challenging because everything would be new” to him. “The pride and history there is in being a Cavalier makes it a great place to teach,” Villegas said. Alejandra Neira Previously a teacher at Shenandoah Middle School, Alejandra Neira teaches Algebra 1 and serves as the assistant coach for the girls’ basketball team. “Every school has its own identity and school culture, but it didn’t take long for me to realize there’s a strong sense
of school pride amongst the faculty and students,” Neira said. She said that she is also very excited to see some of her former students at the secondary level in Gables. “I want my students to be the best versions of themselves,” Neira said. “I want them to have a growth mindset.” Benjamin Groff Describing Gables as a “microcosm of the real world,” Benjamin Groff is the new art instructor. Groff teaches the IB Art Diploma Programme, as well as Portfolio Development and Drawing at the AP and Dual Enrollment levels. To Groff, the school is not just a fresh career venture or a school situated at a more convenient location, but more importantly, a way for him to try to improve the learning and social environment of his son’s future school. “My son is going to come here in three years, so it’s important that I can do what I can to help our population, and make a better school for not just my son in the future, but for all of our students,” Groff said. Niki Brown The latest addition to the staff of the Academy of Finance, Niki Brown, teaches various classes with business and entrepreneurship including Digital Information Technology and Legal Aspects of Business. She said that her main goal this year is for her students to accomplish the class’ and academy objectives, like obtaining industry certification. Above all Brown said she wants them to “rise to the level of distinction” the academy stands for. “I’ve been impressed, in a wonderful way, with how people have reached out to me and have made me feel very welcome.” Brown said. While those new to education take on the challenges that come with being educators, the more experienced ones are adapting to the change of environment and staff. These 23 new teachers are ready to take on the school and the bold personalities and quirky characteristics that come with it. h
highlights \ Vol. 57 \ Oct. 2016 \ Pg. 11 Ma
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I can already tell this school has a lot more tradition than the one I came from. -Andrew Gonzalez, algebra teacher
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My transition to Gables has been phenomenal. There’s a lot of talent and intelligence here. -Telio Gutierrez, English teacher
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It’s been kind of difficult being new to teaching, but the students... they’ve guided me through a lot. -Megan Aridas, biology teacher
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It’s been a really smooth transition and everyone’s been really, very supportive. -Jenna Lee Moore, chorus director
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I’ve been impressed, in a wonderful way... it’s been a warm reception, from faculty and students, staff [and] everyone. -Nikki Brown, business teacher
News 12
highlights \ Vol. 57 \ Oct. 2016 \ Pg. 12
The school becomes peanut aware
Administration has introduced a change in policy in which students can now enjoy peanut products By Amanda Pallas BUSINESS MANAGER
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HIS YEAR, THE SCHOOL officially no longer peanut free, as it has been since 2011. However, due to there being other students with peanut allergies at the school, the school remains “peanut aware.” For the past five years, the school has been peanut-free because of a student who is lethally allergic to peanuts. According to Principal Adolfo Costa, the reason behind the enforcement of no peanuts was that a 504 plan was created for a specific student, requiring the school to follow specific guidelines. A 504 plan is created in order to assist students with special health care needs that are not eligible for special education services. This plan attempts to accommodate the needs of the student in order for them to participate in a standard classroom setting and ensure they have a safe and engaging learning environment. The plan is supported by the Article 1 Section 504 federal civil rights law, meaning that the school must to follow it. Additionally, Costa said that in order for there to be a 504 plan, a meeting with the parent where they present an accommodation for their child is required. Following that, the plan must be drafted and approved by the district. In this specific case, the plan’s guideline required the school to be peanut-free while the student attended Gables, in order to ensure the student’s safety. The student graduated with the class of 2016, meaning the 504 plan is no longer active and there is no peanut free rule being enforced. Although the school is no longer following this rule, the administration is still keeping those that are allergic to peanuts and other allergens in mind. Under the new guidelines, peanut products are allowed on campus but those consuming these items should be cautious of people around them who may be allergic. Sports teams and clubs are now free to fundraise by selling
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There’s a lot of people that are allergic [to peanuts], including myself. -Adolfa Costa, Principal
candies with peanuts, like Snickers and peanut M&M’s, as a result of this change. According to Food Allergy Research & Education Peanuts, peanuts are in the diets of 73 percent of Americans, making them a popular staple in the United States. Given that peanuts are so popular, students who are allergic, along like those who are not must be careful when dealing with peanuts. Not all of the student body was aware of the new policy regarding peanuts. Junior Harrison Senior, who is severely allergic to peanuts, was not conscious of the fact that the school was no longer peanut free until he started hearing rumors from other students and seeing peanut candies being sold and consumed on campus. “I don’t think it’s just that [the school] has implemented this rule for four years just for the specific purpose of one student when peanuts are one of the largest amounts of food allergies to date,” Senior said. Senior is not alone; various other students were surprise about this change in policy. “I thought [the school] would just completely abolish the peanut free rule, but I’m glad that now kids are more aware of their surroundings when it comes to allergies because you don’t know who is allergic to what and even peanut aware is a great start to getting allergy aware,” junior Alyssa Lamadriz said. Junior Celina Montero also has a peanut allergy, but is not as severe as Senior’s. “Some kid ate a peanut granola in front of me and I got a little nervous because I began to get itchy... [my allergy is] not deadly, but I still have my reactions,” Montero said. Being peanut aware is something new for the school after four years. The new policy encourages everyone to be aware and cautious to others’ food allergies. h
QUICK FACTS: Every three minutes someone goes to the
emergency room
due to food allergies
150 to 200
deaths from peanut allergies every year
73
percent of Americans have peanuts in their diet The number of children with peanut allergies has tripled between
1997 and 2008. 4 in 100
children have a food allergy. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The Huffington Post and Food Allergy Research & Education Compiled by: Amanda Pallas
Opinion 13
highlights \ Vol. 57 \ Oct. 2016 \ Pg. 13
STAFF EDITORIAL: School Budget
Providing students with tablets is a worthy cause, but detracts from resources that could be put to better use
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HE DIGITAL CONVERGENCE initiative, introduced on June 20, 2013 by Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, included accelerating the adoption of digital curricula. Through this initiative, the Miami Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) district has supplied thousands of students with laptops and tablets. In an ideal world, there are plenty of positives to using tablets for the Miami Dade School district. Realistically, other than research classes, teachers and students alike are finding little use for incorporating these mobile devices within a classroom environment. To fund these devices, the district has a $63 million lease from the Bank of America. At the school, students receive the HP Elite Pad 900 and HP ProTab 10EE tablet for a $5-20 fee depending on their lunch plan. Tablets are less cost efficient compared to textbooks, considering their necessary software and download needs. According to a study by ProCon.org, implementation costs for e-textbooks on tablets are 552 percent higher than new print textbooks in an average high school. The funding put into this initiative is a direct by-
product of the paperless movement. Spending millions on tablets, when the money should be allocated to other necessary areas within schools, could also be wasteful for the county. By signing the Mobile Device agreement, students can find themselves owing hundreds of dollars to the county for small defects found on the device without the conception of the prices they will have to pay. If the student does not purchase insurance along with the tablet, these charges can add up, as most students aren’t aware of the actual replacement costs. By simply losing the stylus, a student is required to pay $19, about the same amount needed for the tablet itself. With broken screens or complete replacements, students will have to pay small fortunes back to the district Starting in April 2014, MDCPS went from distributing 15,300 tablets per year, to 69,800 tablets for this upcoming year. All freshmen, sophomores and juniors at the school are eligible to receive, or choose not to receive, a tablet. Despite this, teachers push students to purchase the devices, at times even forcing the buying of tablets as a grade for students,
BY THE NUMBERS
356% $71.55 increase in school tablet distribution since April 2014
80%
annual cost of K-12 schools of tablets per reported student per class insufficient vs. $14.26 for bandwith to print textbooks support tablets
Source: MDCPS, SETDA, ProCon.org
Compiled by Sutton Payne and Benjamin Estrada
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while sometimes failing to mention the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiative. According to the Digital Convergence guideline, teachers are expected to promote the use of these devices within the classroom through online lessons and exercises. However, the reality of tablet use is not what the district pictured. Students end up dragging these tablets around with the small possibility that they will even leave their book bag, with the exception of possibly using them for online research. “The tablets aren’t very useful,” sophomore Adriana Obeso said. “They should use the funding to update and modernize these devices so students have online resources that will actually help them work more efficiently.” With Miami Dade pushing a onedrive system, this countywide process should focus on supplying modern devices to schools that actually need them, rather than distributing tablets throughout the school district. The district should put funds towards schools with fewer resources that would need more technology in their learning system. As another alternative, the district could put funds toward renovating school buildings, supplying up-to-date textbooks or school sanitation. On a different note, the wireless Internet provided by the school for the tablets does not support the amount students that are on the server at the same time. This makes one of the major uses for the tablets, their online textbooks, inaccessible. Also, students need to download and install additional programs and software onto their tablets once distributed. This issue undermines the very purpose of the Digital Convergence initiative. This funding could be spent on ensuring that all students have a textbook for their classes. Another solution to this dilemma could be to supply only poverty-stricken students. Based on a case-by-case basis, only those in need of devices would be supplied. For now, we are forced to drag around the two pound, expensive devices that cannot even find a way to connect to the internet. h
Opinion 14
The Illusion of a Syrian Safe Zone
Establishing a US-enforced safe zone in the midst of a civil war presents more challenges than most realize Commentary by Kevin Monjarrez STAFF WRITER
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HE SYRIAN civil war has engulfed the nation for nearly six years. Following the outbreak of the conflict, a new terrorist group emerged in the Middle East that would eventually evolve into the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria(ISIS). After the group gained tremendous fighting power, they took large swaths of Syria, further worsening the situation. A crisis ensued. More than four million Syrians have fled the country to date. Few countries are willing to host these refugees, and with good reason. Hosting refugees is no easy task. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, from the moment refugees arrive, they make a significant economic impact, creating competition for land, water, housing and medical services. Later on, more substantial needs must be met such as education, transportation, social services and employment. This, along with the possibility of letting ISIS members into the country, are heavy prices to pay. In light of this situation, Turkish and German officials have repeatedly suggested the establishment of a United States (US) enforced no fly zone: a potential safe haven for Syrian Refugees. In theory, this safe zone would prevent further harm to refugees often caught in the crossfire between attacks coordinated by the Bashar al-Assad (President of Syria) regime and rebel groups, stem the flow of refugees and provide a base of operations for US supported rebel groups. Although this idea has met a mostly positive response, many do not realize that this zone comes with far more drawbacks than expected. Over the years, President Barack Obama has shot down the idea of a safe zone countless times. This is due to the fact that supporting the area would require a massive military commitment. Not only would this zone have to repel Syrian forces, but it would also serve as
SAFE ZONES: As proposed by Turkey in 2015, the three shaded areas represent the potential locations for safe zones to be implemented in Northern Syria.
a magnet for attacks from 31,000 ISIS ground troops. According to Secretary of State John Kerry, an estimated 30,000 U.S. troops would have to be deployed to defend the region from attacks. In addition, since this is a no fly zone, more American aircraft would have to be deployed to defend the region from bombardment, spreading resources thin. Enforcing the no fly zone in itself would be a monumental task, given the current circumstances. Since Russia currently sides with Assad in the war, there is immense Russian opposition to a no fly zone. This would mean providing a base of operations to rebel groups that Russian planes target. In order for it to function as a true safe haven, Russian cooperation would be necessary. Even under different circumstances, sustaining this no fly zone would be difficult. If Russia was willing to cooperate and the U.S. was willing to deploy thousands of troops to protect the zone in the case of an attack, there would still be yet another problem issue at hand: the risk of U.S. involvement escalating to massive proportions. For example, a U.S. enforced no fly zone was attempted in Iraq during the 1990s. As a result, surface to air missiles regularly targeted U.S. aircraft, resulting in the United States engaging the entire Iraqi air defense system. If the same were to
happen in Syria, the resulting situation would be a catastrophe. If there is to be an engagement, Russia would probably oppose advancements against Assad. It is unlikely that the U.S. would be able to respond at all, forcing U.S. aircraft to bear with the constant threat against them. However, a new solution has been presented. It is strangely the result of cooperation with Russia, something considered extremely difficult to establish when trying to build a safe zone. On Sept. 9, 2016, the U.S. and Russia agreed on a ceasefire, applying to them and their respective allies. They also gave moderate rebel groups a week to distance themselves from more radical groups with ties to terrorist organizations. Now, they are coordinating airstrikes against terror groups in hopes to get Assad and moderate rebels to negotiate for peace. This plan seems to be the most effective, even gaining the support of Assad. While the solution being implemented by the U.S. to destroy ISIS and support Syrian rebel groups against Assad is not viewed in the highest of regards, cooperation with Russia to get Assad and rebels to the negotiating table would result in less conflict and a better use of resources. A safe zone, while it may seem appealing, may be the worst way to handle this delicate situation. h
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Disaster Preparedness: Unenforced Miami-Dade county must take further measures to educate disconnected families on storm preparation Commentary by Dan Leiferman STAFF WRITER
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ITH THE threat of storms and natural disasters being such a grand part of the unpredictable city we live in, making sure we are all safe and secure should be the most fundamental concern. To be more precise, students depend heavily on the guidance and care of local government. Consequently, the county should focus more on informing the public on how to prepare for natural disasters as this addresses a concern of general safety. According to the Miami Dade County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, there are a multitude of measures that the county must take before and after a natural disaster. These include reaching out to the public and educating families about preparing for emergencies, and how to recover from a disaster. It is clear that MiamiDade County has developed extensive preparedness methods, but many people still have no clue as to how to properly manage the moment when a natural disaster occurs. While I am confident in my county’s ability to prepare for disasters, I am afraid that they are not doing enough to spread the message of disaster preparedness and its importance. In terms of student safety, according to the Miami-Dade Emergency Preparedness Report, schools around the area are expected to engage in pre and post natural disaster activities to properly secure the school and the students in it. Schools immediately support teachers and school staff by engaging in postdisaster activities that facilitate healing and identifying students who are at a high risk of being affected due to these natural disasters. “I believe more practices should be implemented because I don’t think that most students are as aware as they should be on the way to prepare for a natural disaster,” junior Alexsa Gonzalez-Leyva said. One example of an already existing
element that is meant to increase public awareness of disaster preparedness is the Community Emergency Response Team. The aforementioned program aims to educate families about disaster preparedness for hazards that may affect their homes and trains people in basic disaster response skills. This program is an effective and realistic approach to preparing our communities for disasters. However, Miami-Dade County must do more to promote these programs and make them a normal part of life for all families. Recently, Miami-Dade County has implemented emergency and public safety information into its mobile application platforms. This effort to increase public knowledge is a step in the right direction, but neglects many families who do not have immediate access to smart phones or other technologies that would alert them accordingly. The county should focus on reaching out to disconnected families and communities that may not be aware of these instantaneous warnings. One way that they can do a better job of this is to coordinate with the school system to disseminate information to the parents with little to no access to the internet, computers, and other platforms of instant knowledge that would benefit them in the event of a disaster. Fortunately, recent years have not brought extreme weather to the area. Despite this, we are at risk of experiencing a natural disaster, due to the fact that storms are only getting worse with time. Although natural disasters may affect us for many weeks, their effects can last months or years. For that matter exactly, a wider range of public preparedness programs must be implemented into the county’s public outreach system and must be practiced by all families, year-round. However, we do always have time before a natural disaster to prepare ourselves and maximize safety. Even though practices on the issue in our schools and communities may be infrequent, we have our homes to secure
us and are told by a multitude of news and emergency stations to seek shelter long before the actual natural disaster occurs. Though it may be difficult for the county to place their immediate focus on natural disaster preparedness due to issues concerning money, planning and effort, the benefits associated with taking extra precautions will lead to the progression of the county’s awareness and general safety. h
BY THE NUMBERS Since 2000:
341
climate-related disasters per year
$936 billion
in recorded storm damages
244,000 people killed by extreme weather events Source: ReliefWeb Compiled by Dan Leiferman
Opinion 16
BLM: A movement misdirected
The lack of attention to the real issues facing the black community harms the very cause the movement supports Commentary by Nicolas Burniske STAFF WRITER
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HE ACTIVIST movement that is Black Lives Matter (BLM) argues that the world’s people, if in favor of equality and social justice, must rally against the shackles of systemic racism harming and afflicting the black community. The intimacy, compassion and rage that many feel for the cause is justifiable, given the media’s representation of the incidents is anything but objective. It is 2016 in the world’s most prosperous and supposed “freest” nation, so how is the epidemic of systemic racism still present? In truth, it is not. Police brutality affects people of all races in absence of institutional racist intent. As of September 2016, 697 people have been shot and killed by the police and only 14 of those individuals have been unarmed black men. Additionally, fluctuations in the rate of blacks killed by police can be attributed to higher concentrations of crime in minority neighborhoods, resulting in more instances of police officers confronting violent criminals and subsequently using lethal force. Though blacks represent less than one quarter of the population of non-hispanic
whites, they are responsible for half of violent crimes like homicides. Despite this disproportionality, twice as many whites are killed by police than blacks. In short, the issue has nothing to do with race and everything to do with culture. According to a Harvard Study conducted by Ronald G. Fryer, black people are actually shot less frequently by police than white people when factoring in the level of compliance with the police. Additionally, police officers reported shooting before being attacked more often in encounters with white suspects rather than black suspects, as the fear and risk of being accused for exercising racially discriminatory practices takes precedent. This fear obscures the judgement of police officers, and their hesitance may, in some instances, cost them their lives. The main issue affecting the black community is single parenthood and the disintegration of the familial unit. As said by President Barack Obama, “children who grow up without a father are five times more likely to live in poverty and commit crime; nine times more likely to dropout of schools and twenty times more likely to end up in prison.” Consequently, when 72 percent of blacks are born out
DID YOU KNOW? In 2015, a police officer’s chance of being killed by a black assailant was about 18.5 times higher than the chance of a black person being killed by a police officer. Source: The Washington Post
of wedlock, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are bound to be severe negative consequences upon not only the black community, but society as a whole. The real threat to black lives are other black people considering that the primary cause of death for young black men, ages 15 to 34, is homicide. According to the 2015 Census report and the 2014 FBI Homicide Report respectively, black men are 6.7 percent of the American population but account for 43.2 percent of all murders, moreover, 85 percent of black victims who were murdered were killed by other black people. Compounding the issue even further, a study from Northeastern University modified FBI data files to estimate the characteristics of unsolved homicides and unreported cases. The data showed that from 2010 through 2013, roughly 92 percent of murdered black people were killed by other black people, while the figure for white people killed by whites was 81.5 percent. Baltimore erupted in riots and outcries of police brutality following the death of Freddie Gray in 2015. The turbulence occurred despite having a 63.3 percent black population, black majority police force, a black majority
People shot and killed by police in 2016 Out of 706 people killed, 14 were unarmed black males
= 14 people
Source: The Washington Post Compiled by Nicolas Burniske
highlights \ Vol. 57 \ Oct. 2016 \ Pg.17
city council, black police commissioner, black attorney general, black mayor, and black President of the United States (POTUS). Given such black representation, these officers were prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The six police officers, three of which are black, faced charges including second degree murder, manslaughter and assault. They were either acquitted of all charges, or had the charges dropped entirely. It is self-evident that systemic racism and white privilege are not present. The BLM movement delegitimizes their own cause and will continue to do so unless they internalize and confront the real issues facing them. Their refusal to also address the statistics rebutting their professed narrative is simply unacceptable and hypocritical. There is no evidence to support the supposed presence of systemic racism. The evil of racism only exists within a certain subset of individuals. Nevertheless, those racist individuals are a definite minority but should be condemned for their immoral practices. Ultimately, the blatant misrepresentation of the problems facing the black community and the responsibility for the lack of proper political and public exposure of these problems falls on the media as well the President, his administration and the party he represents. Obama’s inability to carry out his duty of uniting the country in the face of crumbling race relations was made clear during his speech at the funeral memorial of the five Dallas Police officers who were murdered by Micah Johnson. The President equated the murders of the police officers to the killings of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling by stating, “I see people who mourn for the five officers we lost but also weep for the families of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.” We still do not know the circumstances for either of these cases as per the investigations conducted by the Department of Justice and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Under US legal precedent, every person accused of committing a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty. For the POTUS to rush to preemptive judgement and suggest that Alton Sterling and Philando Castile were killed unjustly is not giving respect to due process of law. Obama then continues
Justifiable Homicides by Firearm in 2012
8.5%
of the persons killed with a gun in a justifiable homicide by a black shooter were white
91.5%
of the persons killed with a gun in a justifiable homicide by a black shooter were black Source: Violence Policy Center Compiled by Nicolas Burniske
DID YOU KNOW? People in poor households at or below the Federal Poverty Line had more than double the rate of violent victimization as people in high-income households. Source: Bureau of Justice
to make erroneous claims such as, “We flood communities with so many guns that it is easier for a teenager to buy a Glock than get his hands on a computer or even a book.” The American people deserve more from a president than sensationalizing the facts of an already contentious debate. Thereafter, Obama calls for more government spending, claiming “as a society we choose to underinvest in schools”, thus causing poverty to “fester” and “entire neighborhoods [to] offer no prospect for gainful employment.” This is simply untrue, as he previously pointed out, more money in schools will not make up for the approximate 70 percent of black children growing up without fathers. Poverty festers because of the indoctrination of the black youth to hate police officers, and more violence towards police causes less policing in areas with higher rates of crime. The propagation of misinformation regarding BLM and the so called “racist” police departments across the nation extends to the Democratic Party. During the 2016 Democratic National Convention the mothers of black men who died during confrontations with police were given the stage to voice their concerns. Clearly these mothers were given this platform to appeal and pander to the demands of the black community, despite their sons’ complicity to their own deaths. Lezley McSpadden, the
mother of Michael Brown, claimed her son was a victim of racially prejudiced police brutality, undeterred by a trial jury finding Officer Darren Wilson not guilty based on the overwhelming corroborating evidence. On the evening of his death, Brown had committed a strong arm robbery, assaulted a law enforcement officer and attempted to grab the gun of the accused Officer Wilson, who then shot and killed Brown in self defense. However, some killings do prove to be unjustified, in which case the officer(s) involved are found guilty by a jury of their peers. In April 2015, Officer Stephen Rankin fatally shot an unarmed black man, William Chapman II, in the chest and face and was later convicted for a charge of manslaughter. The majority of these controversial cases do not win because they fail to hold up in a court of law, not because of the inherent systemic racism in the judiciary system. The implicit sacrification of the truth on the altar of political expediency, as to secure the unfaltering devotion of a minority in the upcoming presidential election is unconscionable. The implications that even the leader of the free world and his respective party are leveraging the fallacy of systemic racism are quite egregious. It prompts us to ask questions as to what exactly the Black Lives Matter movement’s agenda really is, because it certainly is not justice. h
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Opinion 18
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Lobbyists infiltrate Dade County
As representatives try to rid local government of big money, politicians remain uncooperative Commentary by Alejandro Prida STAFF WRITER
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A R L I E R this year, a coalition of politicians from South Florida began an initiative called Accountable MiamiDade (AMD). Angry that lobbyists and big money interests have a greater voice than others, AMD’s goal is to limit the power of big money in politics by increasing penalties for violations as well as limiting contributions to mayoral and county commission candidates. A bill was proposed to be placed on November’s ballot which sets the maximum campaign contribution to a county office candidate at $250. This allows candidates with a majority of individual donors to succeed as opposed to a candidate with special interest donors bringing in large sums of money. Throughout the months of July and August over 130,000 petition signatures were collected in support of the bill. However, the Miami-Dade elections department (MDED) did not count the signatures in time for ballot printing this month and as a result, AMD co-chairs Monica Russo and Bettina Rodriguez Aguilera decided to sue the MDED.
Opposable THUMBS Waterproof iPhones “Yes, because I needed to check my email in the shower.” -Alejandro Prida, Staff Writer
After a judge ruled that voters should get a chance to decide on new donation regulations, the measure will now be included on November’s ballots. Phillip Levine, Mayor of Miami Beach, is the advisory board chair of AMD and is currently under investigation by the Miami-Dade ethics commission (MDEC) for soliciting a donation from the political action committee (PAC) Relentless for Progress (RFP). The PAC has raised almost $1.5 million in its over four month existence. Miami Beach Commissioner Jonah Wolfson, who runs RFP, and Levine have past connections with each other which is what attracted the attention of the MDED in the first place. Levine soliciting a donation from a PAC is troubling because these committees are created as a way for special interests with large sums of disposable money to lobby for laws in their favor by paying representatives. Lobbyist donors to RFP include the real estate conglomerate SMGW Golden Sands, who lobbied and received approval for the redevelopment of the Golden Sands hotel in North Miami Beach. Normally any politician accepting or soliciting donations from a PAC would be a red flag. This is an even greater cause for concern when that politician holds a prominent position in an organization created to limit the stranglehold that outside interests have
Seasons in Miami “What is this autumn you speak of?” -Benjamin Estrada, Opinion Editor
DID YOU KNOW? In 2015, the total amount of money spent on lobbying in the US was $3.22 billion. Source: Statista
Directions at Gables “Go to the hallway next to the hallway next to the walkway.” -Kevin Monjarrez, Staff Writer
on the political process. The hypocrisy that this situation presents has no place in government. It is common for politicians to become involved in a particular cause or movement simply to bolster or mend their public image. Levine’s plans to run for state Governor in the 2018 election makes it clear that his participation in AMD serves only to clear his name of prior wrongdoing. It is important to understand that money’s role in politics extends far beyond Washington D.C. Lobbyists and special interests have been using their money to influence elections at the county and congressional level for decades. They do this because they understand that the most effective way to manipulate politics is by giving themselves a financial stake in the legislative process. The efforts that representatives have made to eliminate corporate influence in Florida’s political landscape is a progressive step towards transparency and honesty in politics. However, if AMD is to maintain any sort of integrity as an organization, Levine should be replaced as advisory board chair. Any country, state or city that values financial temptation over the best interest of its citizens fails on every level. Allowing corporations to use their wealth to determine public policy is illegitimate and perpetuates the misrepresentation of an electorate. h
New Harry Potter book “It could ruin my childhood.” -Sydney Scanlon Insight Editor
Sports 19
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Gables football lights up the game
The school’s football team continues their winning streak after defeating Killian 36-6 By Tatiana Campos STAFF WRITER
drives later Galuppo added his own two yard touchdown to the score board. The Cavaliers went into halftime 16-0, leaving the Cougars struggling to score points. Football was not the only thing that shined that night. The halftime show pumped up the Cavalier crowd going into the second half. It was performed by the Gablettes, the cheerleaders, the color guard and the band. Riveting performances put on by the Gablettes, cheerleaders, color guard and the band kept the energy high with the team as well as in the bleachers. As the Cavaliers entered the second half of the game, fans were ready to watch the team crush their opponents, evident with the cheers and roars of the crowd. However, there were some setbacks. Ford was not able to play for the second half of the game due to an ankle injury, and with five minutes to go in the third quarter the Cougars scored a touchdown on a 62-yard interception. Luckily, the Cavaliers had
INTENSITY RISES During the Killian vs. Gables game on Sept. 16, junior defensive back, Rachad Wildgoose Jr. rushes in to make a defensive stop. With Wildgoose and the entire team, the Cavaliers able to triumph over the Cougars.
senior running back Jamar Thompkins, who excelled in the second half. Thompkins scored three touchdowns in eight minutes which helped lead the Cavaliers to victory. “It’s been a great game it’s 36-6. We are victorious. I’m proud to be here to witness this victory,” alumnus Carls Springer Jr. said. The team kept the crowd engaged in the game with huge plays and outstanding athletic performances. This game showed that the team has potential to go far into the playoffs this season. “ In all honesty we could’ve done better…but just like Roger Pollard (head football coach) said you really can’t apologize for a win,” senior and varsity defensive lineman Kevin Nuno said. The Cavaliers hope to continue this successful season with a series of upcoming games that the team prepares for every day. The team is hungry for another district championship. h
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Tatiana Campos/ highlights
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OTH THE VARSITY CORAL Gables Cavaliers and the Killian Cougars came onto to the football field swaggering after great victories in their previous matchups. The Cougars won effortlessly, 4118, against Coral Reef, while the Cavaliers destroyed Homestead, 56-0. Nevertheless, the Cavaliers came out on top and beat the Cougars 36-6 at the home game on Friday, Sept.16. Now with a 4-0 record, the team is looking good and should go far this season. “The team looks likes they are having one of their better performances [that] I’ve seen in my two years at Gables. It’s probably getting them ready for some tougher games up ahead,” sophomore Max Rego said. Running back Jonny Ford and quarterback Nick Galuppo helped the team start the lead early in the first half of the game. Within a few minutes of the first quarter the team scored a safety. Going into the second quarter, Ford scored a two yard touchdown and a few
Sports 20
NBA Super teams: The end of competition
The creation of the newest super team, the Golden State Warriors, raises the question: are they fair? Commentary by Dylan Carol COPY EDITOR
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HE 20162017 National Basketball Association (NBA) season has already been determined. The Golden State Warriors, barring some unexplained cosmic occurrence, will win the NBA championship this coming year by means of the super team developed during this offseason. A super team in basketball is a team with at least two superstars and at least one lesser star assembled through free agency. These super teams, although almost certainly securing a championship for a city, take away from the competitiveness of the league. Competition is the base of all sporting events and when that gets taken away the general interest in the sport declines, which will ultimately be damaging for basketball, the second biggest sport in the United States. There have been a trio of other dominant super teams assembled in the past 10 years. The Boston Celtics in 2007-2008, the Miami Heat from 2010-2014 and the current Cleveland Cavaliers also fall under the category of a super team. All of these teams have won an NBA title. There have been other franchises, like the San Antonio Spurs, who have assembled great teams through the draft (taking players out of college) thus not qualifying as a super
team since the team was not put together through free agency (signing already proven NBA talent). Teams like this assure at least one NBA championship, if not more. This offseason, one more super team was created in Oakland, perhaps better than all others preceding it. Considering the new addition of Kevin Durant, who is arguably a top three player in the NBA, to a Warriors team that last year was in the conversation for the best team of all time, the next season has been decided. Golden State was able to put such a dominant team together because they were able to wiggle around some cap space (team budget for players) by keeping some players with low money contracts in comparison to many other stars in the league. The super team now boasts of Stephen Curry and the newly acquired Durant, the top two finishers in the Most Valuable Player vote last year, while also having other borderline superstars in Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. The general consensus among the league is that, after figuring the team chemistry out in the early weeks of the season, the Warriors will cruise to their second NBA title in three years. The formation of super teams is not a particularly good thing for the NBA. Basketball is the only sport that allows for this kind of team building
Each of the last three super teams have won at least one NBA championship.
S
Source: ESPN
Golden State has 5-7 odds to win the championship and Cleveland has 5-2 odds.
and it damages the sports appeal since people are not generally entertained DID YOU by something for which they know the KNOW? end result. The fact that the next NBA has been determined goes The Warriors champion against the ideals of competition, the went 73-9 very thing every sport revolves around. during the Without competition in sports there is Super teams take away this 2015-2016 nothing. vital element from sports and the interest NBA regular in basketball for the coming year will season. That diminish because of it. do believe that super teams is the best haveSome a place in the NBA because it is fun record in to watch the constant dominance. After NBA history. all, almost everyone enjoys watching team USA clobber opponents in the Source: Olympics every four years. Although this ESPN may be true, dominance gets old after an 82 game season. Golden State actually losing a game this coming year is going to be the biggest NBA story on any given day, even if there is some miraculous performance from some other player somewhere around the league, then it will be back to the constant barrage of wins that will bore basketball fans out of their wits. The first few games the Warriors play, and every super team up until this point for that matter, will have fans glued to the television but as the season progresses and the wins pile up it will be the same old story over and over again, all the way to the title. Super teams destroy competition and intrigue in the sport, ultimately causing a decline in viewership. NBA viewership banks off dedicated fans who consistently watch the games taking place every week. When one team is a clear outlier, fans are bound to grow weary of it. Something needs to be done in respect to this team building method in order to save the competitive spirit of professional basketball and maintain interest in the NBA. If this continues, the NBA will turn from an exciting sporting league with even competition to an organization plagued by Goliaths that transcend the objective of the sport of basketball. h
Ana Wolfermann/ highlights
highlights \ Vol. 57 \ Oct. 2016 \ Pg. 21
TOO EASY: The Golden State Warriors stroll through the NBA season with a team consisting of star NBA players, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and newest player, Kevin Durant.
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Sports 22
A tragic loss: Marlin’s Jose Fernandez
Fernandez lost his life in a boating accident on Sept. 25, three years after his major league debut By Jack Band & Dylan Carol SPORTS EDITOR & COPY EDITOR
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OSE FERNANDEZ, STAR Marlins pitcher, was tragically killed on Sept. 25 in a boating accident, at 24 years old. He, along with two of his friends, were found at 3:20 a.m. at the entrance of the Miami Harbor, their 30-foot fishing boat overturned and run-up against a jetty. Major League Baseball (MLB) players and fans alike were shocked to hear of the fifth-year pitcher’s death. Fernandez not only captured audiences with his talent, energy and love for the game, but proved his greatness off the field as a family man and a proud Cuban. Fernandez grew up in Santa Clara, Cuba before defecting to the United States in 2008 after three failed attempts. Fernandez assimilated himself into his new world through baseball. He made it onto his high school team, even though he was considered a long shot, after a tryout in which he hit 93 miles per hour on his first pitch. While attending Braulio Alonso High School in Tampa, Fernandez made a strong impression on his teachers, including
Assistant Principal of Curriculum, Larissa McCoy, who at the time was Fernandez’s intensive reading teacher. “My favorite memory of Jose is when he came back to school after he made it to the big leagues and signed autographs for the kids in the cafeteria on lunchroom napkins and torn pieces of paper. He even took a phone call [on a student’s phone] so the kid’s dad could say hi. Jose was a bright light, a hero. He embodies what it means to live out ‘the American dream.’ I am blessed to have been inspired by him,” McCoy said. Fernandez made his MLB debut on April 7, 2013, setting the table for the great career to follow. He was named National League (NL) rookie of the Year that season, posting a win/ loss record of 12-6 with a 2.16 earned run average (ERA). In 2014 he tore his ulnar collateral ligament early on in the year and was required to have surgery that kept him out until midseason in 2015. This year, he won 16 games while losing eight, earned a 2.86
DID YOU KNOW? Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez, who tragically lost his life on Sept. 25, was the 2013 National Leage rookie of the year Source: mlb.com
ERA and tallied 253 strikeouts, among the best in the league. For his career he was 38-17 (win-loss) with a 2.68 ERA, all while owning the best home win percentage of all time and being able to win, posthumously, the NL Cy Young Award, which is given to the best pitcher of the year in each league. The loss of Fernandez reminds us of how he was a true representation of the Miami-Cuban community. He lit up the stadium every time he played and represented the hopes and dreams of the hispanic population in Miami. Aside from his greatness on the mound, he was energetic and full of life, leaving a lasting impact on anybody who met him. During his defection, he jumped into the water in order to save his mother who had fallen overboard, which in itself speaks volumes about the kind of person he was. He will be remembered as a great talent whose life was tragically cut short. The Marlins mourned Fernandez’s death at a tribute during the beginning of their game on Sept. 26. h
Yearbooks on sale! $55 until October 31 Buy now online at yearbookordercenter.com or in room 9222
highlights \ Vol. 57 \ Oct. 2016\ Pg. 23
UFC fighters stand for more rights
After much anticipation, an association that represents UFC fighters has become a reality Commentary by Kevin Monjarrez STAFF WRITER
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HROUGH sporting history, player associations have been required to protect the rights of the players and ensure that they are receiving their equal share. These associations have always increased compensation and greatly improved working conditions. Initially National Basketball Association (NBA) players were paid $8,000 without benefits before an association formed. Now NBA players receive multimillion dollar contracts and excellent medical care. On Aug 11. 2016, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighters aimed to change their organization as well by forming a fighters’ association, now known as the Professional Fighters Association (PFA). This newly formed association hopes to solve the many problems with the sport, the most prominent being the uneven share of revenue between the UFC and individual fighters. Talk of a fighters’ association had begun after fighter Mark Hunt, known as the Super Samoan in the octagon, had spoken out on how the UFC cheats competitors and allegedly makes things up as they go. Hunt cited an incident where fighter Brock Lesnar was supposed to be tested for enhancement drugs, but then such testing never happened. Controversy then arose when Lesnar tested positive for enhancement drugs after his fight against Hunt. The failure to administer the drug test prior to the fight resulted in Hunt risking both his health and career There are many problems that desperately need to be corrected in UFC. For one, UFC treats their fighters as independent contractors, when in most respects, they are employees. Because of this, UFC fighters do not get health care, pensions, physical therapy and many other benefits granted to employees. In addition, there are also numerous issues with the contract UFC fighters must sign as it contains numerous outrageous clauses.
DID YOU KNOW? A UFC fighter generally does not have a salary. They are paid per fight, with amounts depending on how wellknown the fighters are and how well sponsored a fighter and an event is. Source: mmajunkie.com
“It’s just preposterous the things that are in there,” said Jeff Borris, counsel of the Ballenge group (the agency that represents fighter Nate Diaz) “I don’t believe [they] are legal, valid or enforceable.” One clause states fighters must keep their salaries confidential, which causes problems for a fighters’ association that plans to negotiate salaries. A second clause states that should the fighter win a UFC championship, the fighter’s contract would be automatically extended forcing the fighter to continue working with the UFC. The main issue however, is the lack of equality in revenue in UFC. In most other sports, the revenue is shared between the players and their respective corporations 50/50. The revenue in UFC however is split 85/15 favoring UFC. Many fighters have argued that since the athletes generate the revenue, they should get at least an equal share in pay. One proposed solution to this problem was to drop the infamous Reebok deal, which forces fighters to only wear Rebook brand clothing and not any of their individual sponsors. Dropping the deal would allow fighters to monetize further off their sponsors, giving them a moderate pay raise. The UFC however has remained firm in their decision to remain loyal to their agreement. All of this change can come of the union, but forming this association does not come without serious complications. For example, fighters being ruled as independent contractors causes even more problems for the association. As of now, the association is unofficial and will go unrecognized until the National Labor Relations Board deem UFC fighters employees. While UFC fighters are still rules as independent contractors, little change can be made. An association also requires 30 percent of all athletes support to be recognized, a difficult task to fulfill. Once these conditions are met, the association has a chance of making some change. h
UFC does not grant fighters pension, healthcare, or physical therapy and training.
UFC rewards fighters based on the number of bouts they compete in.
30% 70%
In order for the PFA to be formed, 30% of the fighters must pledge their support.
Source: mmajunkie.com
The Scene 24
Finding the key to Escape
The Great Escape Room Miami allows customers to work together to solve mysteries By Alfredo Wolferman STAFF WRITER
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OCATED A BLOCK AWAY from Miracle Mile, the Great Escape Room Miami offers customers a real-life detective experience based on mobile and computer escape games. Sitting on 2315 LeJeune Rd., The Great Escape Room is open from Thursday to Sunday and provides thrillseekers with an hour-long frantic search for freedom. The game consists of 60 minutes of non-stop scavenger hunting, puzzle
Sarah Galt / highlights
solving and intuitive thinking to find the way out of a room. Customers are grouped into teams that must work together to find clues hidden around the room that will lead them to their freedom. It is an especially great activity for team building with a reasonable price, $28 per person. Inside the living room stands a worker that monitors the game and provides clues and help in exchange for magnifying glasses hidden around the place. Group members can choose when to redeem the magnifying glasses they find and often use them up when the team finds itself stuck on a certain puzzle. With locations in more than 13 cities across seven states, The Great Escape Room boasts of three different themed rooms including “The Gameroom,” “Sherlock’s Library” and “The President’s Bunker.” Each room
DEEP THINKING: The Great Escape Room Miami provides problem-solvers with a detectivelike experience, taking inspiration from the work of the imfamous Sherlock Holmes.
holds its own hidden compartments, secret passageways and clever clues. In “Sherlock’s Library,” players become the infamous detective’s apprentice and look through the collection of items in his personal study in order to find their way out. In “The Gameroom,” acting as Sherlock’s apprentices yet again, the players’ help is needed to discover a hidden object essential to Sherlock’s battle against Professor Moriarty, his arch nemesis. Sherlock has created a variety of devilishly clever games that must be successfully played before the winners continue on to the “final battle,” or puzzle. In the plot of “The President’s Bunker,” the players are locked in a command room by Professor Moriarty’s evil grandson. With only 60 minutes before he launches his plan for world domination, the team must work together to find clues and solve riddles to stop nuclear Armageddon. Senior Nichole Calle has worked at The Great Escape Room Miami for four months and has a lot of escape room experience. “The hardest part honestly is not being able to tell them the answer when they are in the room,” Calle said. “I had to do the rooms myself when I started working there, and I feel everyone’s frustration when they are trying to figure it out.” The Great Escape Room was created by an elderly couple whose main profession was law. They loved detective cases, mysteries and Sherlock Holmes, so they created the escape rooms along with all of the intricate puzzles and scavenger hunts. Their interest in the Sherlock Holmes series can be seen in every room, as the plot of each of them are based on the fictional character’s books. The Great Escape Room offers a once in a lifetime experience for people of all age and skill sets. No special knowledge is required to play and there is no intense physical activity within the game. All one needs is the willingness to think hard and have fun. h
highlights \ Vol. 57 \ Oct. 2016 \ Pg. 25
A tiny taste of Brazil
Cecilia Rodriguez / highlights
This new chocolate shop offers a variety of sweets to its customers By Cecilia Rodriguez STAFF WRITER
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HE RECENTLY OPENED OH My Gosh!!! Brigadeiros, located on 2771 Coral Way, immediately catches one’s eye with its one of a kind style and lively colors throughout the shop. If the vibrant shades are not intriguing enough, the endless rows of Brazilian sweets will easily lure one into the shop. A brigadeiro is an extremely popular Brazilian dessert, made of condensed milk and chocolate, with a distinctly rich taste. Luciano Brilho, who is a Brazilian (owner), thought of bringing this sweet to America with his new restaurant, Oh My Gosh!!! Brigadeiros. “We opened Oh My Gosh!!! Brigadeiros with the intention of
bringing a new concept of chocolate to Florida,” Brilho said. Each brigadeiro is hand-crafted, and individually rolled with care. At $2, the most popular brigadeiro is called the “Oh My Gosh,” which is comprised of milk chocolate, condensed milk and crunchy chocolate toppings. “I put all my love and effort into Oh My Gosh Brigadeiros, because it is something I really believe can come to American culture,” Brilho said. The store also serves coffees and teas, which perfectly compliment the chocolate. Some of the flavorful drinks that add to the overall sweet and chocolatey theme are the “Oh My Gosh Nutella Cappuccino” and the
COCO CRAZE: The famous “Oh My Gosh Nutella Cappuccino,” shares a petite platter with the two most popular brigaderios, “Oh my My Gosh” and “Dulce de Leche.”
“Latte Macchiato,” for $3.65. Many customers admire the display of the Brazilian selections including junior Kayla Ferra who describes her love for the chocolates and drinks, as well as the friendly atmosphere. “The Brazilian chocolates and coffee have such a unique taste. The environment of Oh My Gosh!!! Brigadeiros was phenomenal, the pink walls with chocolate dripping down gave me such a cozy feeling,” Ferra said. With its hours consisting of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, Oh My Gosh!!! Brigadeiros allows customers to swing by this interesting setting while stepping into a new world of chocolate. h
Natalie Viglucci / highlights
Cookie Craze Cured
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PON APPROACHING NIGHT Owl Cookie Co., only one thing stands between the customer and total satisfaction: the glass doors that lead to the priceless treasures they have come to claim. Once the doors are opened, the previously trapped scents attack the consumer’s senses, tickling their nose and taunting their taste buds. The customer has now become enslaved by the cookie’s aromas, they are a mindless zombie with one goal: to eat a Night Owl cookie. Located at 10742 SW 24th St., the local business is a late-night dessert shop and delivery service that is open from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., every day of the week. “I was studying for an exam late one night, nothing was open around me and I thought Miami definitely needs something different, so I came up with
Night Owl Cookies distinctively puts late night cookie cravings to rest By Natalie Viglucci STAFF WRITER
LATE-NIGHT BITE: In a display case lined with Night Owl’s freshly baked cookies, the warm treats are distinctly decorated with colorful sprinkles or topped with mounds of crumbled Reeces.
the concept, brought it into the area, and it was a hit,” owner and creator Andrew Gonzalez said. The interior of the shop is lined with black and white tables and chairs. The walls are covered in murals of colorful patterns and designs with a painted phrase reading, “I got baked at Night Owl.” At the front of the space, a display case sits filled with enticing cookies. Some are drizzled with caramel or white chocolate, while others are covered in mounds of cookie bits and filled with warm chocolate chips. Night Owl is famous for its unparalleled menu, with flavors ranging from sweet Cinnamon Toast Crunch to the salty Pretzel M&M. Each cookie is priced at $2, while delivery orders require a minimum purchase of 8 cookies and a delivery fee of $3.99. Milk is also
available for purchase, costing $2.99 per glass. “In coming up with the flavors, I would stay up every night until like four in the morning for a week. I thought about things from my childhood that I missed and loved… like what can you take a bite of and instantly reminisce on? So I came up with flavors like Reece’s, Oreos, Fruity Pebbles and M&M’s: just your childhood favorites,” Gonzalez said. Night Owl Cookie Co. is incredibly popular, and on the weekends the shop is packed tight with hungry customers, leaving those who cannot fit inside to stand in the line that wraps around the exterior of the space. According to Gonzalez, the company has a new store opening in Coral Gables soon, not too far from the University of Miami h
The Scene 26
Unique food trucks unite
Wheelin’ Dealin’ monthly food truck festival offers a blend of cuisine at Magic City Casino By Ana Wolfermann & Karina Wu STAFF WRITERS
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HE “WHEELIN’ DEALIN’ Food Truck Festival,” held in the Magic City Casino parking lot, has a lot to offer to a wide ranged crowd every third Saturday of each month. Authentic food trucks from all over the South Florida area gather at the casino for the festival. Located at 450 NW 37th Ave. the event is organized by the casino and Burger Beast, offering a variety of foods from different trucks. The festival presents a welcoming atmosphere full of music and opportunities to snag delicious meals, varying from Mexican dishes served by the Taco Fresh food truck to Asian delicacies offered by the Boba Station. This month’s festival will include over 20 food trucks showcasing and selling their creations. Some of the most recognizable food trucks that will make an appearance are Taco Fresh, King of Racks BBQ and the Wynwood Parlor. For more information on the rest of the food trucks, visit the Wheelin’ Dealin’ Food Truck Festival facebook page or website. “As soon as you step out of your car and onto the Casino’s parking lot, the first thing you experience is an amazing smell of a lot of foods,” sophomore Ivan Perez said. Sef Gonzalez, the founder of Wheelin’ Dealin,’ was originally a small time blogger who documented his food excursions in his free time. Over the past few years, he became known as the “Burger Beast,” gaining popularity on television and winning awards. He considers the festival one of his most successful projects.
“This is an opportunity for a lot of families to get here together and sit down. Yes, it’s partly about the food but it’s also about relationships with your good friends and family, you’re able to sit down and have a good time together,” Gonzalez said. The festival has a lot of parking and is easily locatable. Because it is from 5 to 10 p.m., the broad time span allows for different crowds to come and go as they please. There are also seating areas and open space, providing room for dancing or relaxing. Volksmusik, the DJ at Wheelin’ Dealin,’ is constantly experimenting with diverse music styles
“
“As soon as you step out of your car and onto the casino parking lot, the first thing you experience is an amazing smell of a lot of foods.”
-Ivan Perez,
and has been working the festival since the event began around five years ago. Sophomore Oliver Canosa shared his experience regarding the festival, saying that the reggae music with the bright lights add to the bustling atmosphere. “I usually go around eight and stay until closing time because that’s when things liven up and the neon lights are flashing,” Canosa said.
TRUCK -TASTIC: The bold artistic design of the trucks at Wheelin’ Dealin,’ (from left to right) including Main Stop Grill, King of Racks BBQ, Taco Fresh, Tuto’s Cuisine, Granny B’z and Potato Corner, attract huge crowds of festival goers.
Taco Fresh, a Mexican food truck that sells tacos and burritos at affordable prices, is a fan favorite. It was founded by head cook Alex Esparza. Esparza said he originally intended for Taco Fresh to be a Mexican Taqueria, which is a traditional street vendor found in Mexico. Their goal is to provide the streets of Miami, Fort Lauderdale and the rest of South Florida with an on-thego taste of their culture. “My favorite food from the festival are the tacos,” Canosa said. “They’re not Taco Bell cheap but they’re pretty decently priced and taste great.” Taco Fresh’s menu largely consists of Northern Mexico dishes including carne asada (grilled steak), burritos and fish tacos. Along with classic Mexican dishes such as the traditional tacos, burritos and quesadillas, they also offer vegetarian options for non-meat eaters. Their signature tacos, “La Pirata” ($5), “Gringa” ($6), “Shrimp Taco” ($6.50) and the “Super Carne Asada” ($5), are recognized among the streets of Miami. Although Mexican tacos are a great way to fill your appetite, no food truck festival is complete without classic American style comfort food. King of Racks BBQ serves top quality barbeque marinated in their homemade signature sauces. They have been a huge success over the past few years due to the originality and creativity of their menu. Grilled fresh everyday, the modern and deliciously tangy add to their charm. Their menu includes ribs, tacos, sandwiches, hot dogs, chicken tenders and more. The “Porky Sandwich” ($12), among others, is a crowd favorite.
highlights \ Vol. 57 \ Oct. 2016 \ Pg. 27 FRESH VARIETY: Taco Fresh (top) and Miami Roasted Corn (middle) come together to offer both meals and fresh lemonade in an effort to cool down Wheelin’ Dealin’ Food Truck Festival visitors. Trucks line in the casino parking lot, eager to receive their first customers.
Karina Wu / highlights
“Our truck offers comfort food, original style barbecue with a twist to it,” owner of King of Racks BBQ, Anthony Garcia said. “You can get a traditional barbecue sandwich anywhere else, but you come to Racks BBQ food truck and you get something totally out of this world.” After a long, hot night out at the festival, the Wynwood Parlor wraps up the evening with the perfect dessert, handcrafted ice cream sandwiches. The trendy ice cream food truck revamps the traditional idea of an ice cream truck with a retro design that goes hand in hand with its modern flavors. “We bring something unique … we bring an artistic flare from Wynwood, everything from the art on our truck to the custom sandwiches,” owner of Wynwood Parlor Alysse Richardson said. Their signature sandwiches include the Classic, which has chocolate chip cookies and vanilla ice cream in between, Tiramisu ($5.50) and Chocolate Caramel Cake ($5.50). While the BedRock ice cream flavor ($5.50) consists of red velvet cookies and vanilla ice cream rolled in fruity pebbles, the Cookie Monster goes all out with double chocolate chip cookies and cookies & cream ice cream in the middle sprinkled in chocolate chips. The Wynwood Parlor also sells sweets including cookies and brownies for $1.75 to $6.00. Though they are not cheap, the taste of the freshly baked goods makes them worth the price. The Wheelin’ Dealin’ Food Truck Festival also holds various giveaways, games and raffles that offer prizes such as tickets to concerts held at Magic City Casino, free food and more. Overall, the Wheelin’ Dealin’ food truck festival is a simple way to have fun and enjoy good food surrounded by family and friends. The event’s nice carribean music inspires a joyful and festive feel. able to sit down and have a good time together,” Gonzalez said. h
Sarah Galt/highlights
Insight 28
OFF TO THE FINISH LINE:
As the race to the Oval Office comes to a close, the divide between the American people seems to be greater than ever before. Story by Nicolas Burniske
Olivia Field /highlights
highlights \ Vol. 57 \ Oct. 2016 \ Pg. 29
On the Issues
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HE COMING OF EACH presidential cycle sparks an interest among the American people that stands unparalleled by any other cultural phenomenon because of one thing and one thing only — the representation of personal beliefs. Citizens, using the power vested in them by the constitution, choose to elect the candidate who they believe best represents their views and ideology. In spite of this, our broken system coupled with our corrupt media have given us two broken candidates from two crooked parties competing in an election for control of the nation. The 2016 American Presidential Election has reverted itself to a form of tribalism that many find frightening, as the candidates are more concerned with delegitimizing their competitor than discussing the implications of their individual policies when making public statements and participating in debates. The two deeply polarizing candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump,
“
I am not eligible to vote, but [the election] does have a big impact on my future and everyone else’s future, so we should all be interested and involved -Julian Perez, senior seem to represent the worst of us, yet are the only two legitimate candidates for the presidency. For the most part, this election consists of people who will begrudgingly vote for one of the two candidates, or will just not vote at all. “I’m not a big fan of either [candidate], I think they both have their disparaging qualities and I don’t agree with a lot of the things either of them say. Also I’m not in support of a lot of the things they’ve done” senior Julian Perez-Hernandez said. Clinton is a name that elicits a response, having been involved in the political machine since the 1970s at various levels including First Lady, Senator and most recently Secretary of State. Despite her padded resume, it is
Abortion
Supports that a woman should have the legal right to an elective abortion
Though self described as pro-life , supports women’s choice if the state allows it
Supports the current law: women should have a choice until viability of the fetus
Pro-choice, but wants to increase spending on pregancy prevention
Immigration
Wants to keep unauthorized immigrants. No extra hurdles for Muslim immigrants
Wants to deport 11 million unauthorized immigrants and build a wall at Mexican border
Wants to make work visas easy as possible and keep some, but not all, unauthroized immigrants in U.S
Wants to end the war on immigrants and clear path to citizenship for everyone except criminals
Environmental Policy
Belives in climate change. Wants to ban offshore drilling, but not fracking
Does not believe in climate change. Does not intend to ban offshore drilling or fracking
Does not believe government regulations should increase to prevent climate change
Believes economy and environment are mutual. Plans to spend money on ‘green’ jobs
Foreign Policy
Wants to keep U.S. military strong with strengthened alliances and maintaining wise rival ties
Wants to end radical terrorism, stop negotiating and paying Iran and standing strong with allies
Hillary Clinton
Gary Johnson
Donald Trump
Jill Stein
Wants to avoid foreign entanglements and all foreign aid spending, unless in U.S. interests
Wants to end foreign aid to countries that abuse human rights and take in Syrian refugees For a more in-depth view of the candidates stances, refer to the URL on the back cover
Source: insidegov, Washington Post, ontheissues Compiled by Audrey Weigel and Alejandra Orozco Sydney Scanlon/ highlights
Insight 30
Ana Wolferman/ highlights
not clear whether her accomplishments outweigh her possibly poor decisions. This ranges from her questionable actions in Libya and Iraq, to the Clinton Foundation’s probable conflict of interest in its ties to multiple foreign governments during Clinton’s tenure as Secretary of State, to her blatant negligence at worst, or deliberate ineptitude at best, concerning her private email server. Above all, she has shown to be a walking contradiction. For instance, she constantly rallies against the evils of Wall Street and big banks, yet has taken at least $23 million from them this campaign cycle alone. Her inconsistency with the truth is evident, having gone as far as stating that she landed under sniper fire in Bosnia when there is video evidence of her walking calmly across the Bosnian tarmac. In the 21st century nearly everyone is frustrated with the system, and Clinton is the foremost prominent member of establishment trying to maintain her position atop the political food chain. On a positive note, Clinton is a known quantity who cares about her reputation and her legacy. The political system is definitely flawed, but she is part of it and has been preparing for decades to become the first female president of the United States. Clinton’s many years of experience make her an invaluable asset for America, and she, along with her allies in Congress, will make sure that the country will not crumble during her time in office. Furthermore, her moreso progressive political views appeal to many and represent the growing trend of Americans moving to the left. If the American people believe that the ship is sailing smoothly, then it is perfectly logical to support, and vote for Clinton. “Clinton understands that the world grows more and more globalized every day...[her] promotion of free trade is vital to the growth of business and the economy today,” freshman Sebastian McGraw said. After these various months of campaigning the name Donald Trump has become synonymous with absurdity to many Americans. It is still unclear whether or not Trump truly understands the very basics of American government and politics. The fact that voters can not definitively say that Trump knows how a bill becomes a law, or that he is acquainted with the respective duties of the three different branches of government is in itself a red flag. Additionally, Trump has built his candidacy off of the
THIS IS WHAT THE MAYANS PREDICTED: Americans are voting between the lesser of two evils.
DID YOU KNOW? Only about 28.5 percent of eligible voters voted in the 2016 primaries Source: PewResearch
media’s spotlight, having his statements barrel through the paper thin barrier of political correctness, oftentimes treading along the line of obscenity. He does not seem to understand the difference between politically incorrect and being unequivocally rude. Stating that some immigrants who cross our southern border are criminals is politically incorrect, but saying that Fox Network’s Megyn Kelly had blood “coming out of her whatever” is simply crude. Moreover, he seems to do whatever is good for him in the present moment. For one, Trump decided to not release his tax returns because of a supposed IRS audit, though every major party candidate since Richard Nixon in 1972 has released them before election day. Trump is essentially unknown in the political sphere. It is this lack of experience that intimidates many citizens. Trump is the polar opposite of Clinton. He is the political outsider, the instigator, the fiery revolutionary and the system hates him, democrats and republicans alike. Trump has hollowed out the Republican Party (GOP) and wears it proudly as a skin. He has manipulated the GOP into accelerating its process of acceptance and tolerance for many modern day issues. For instance, during the Republican Convention, Trump got on the stage and endorsed the idea that people should do more to help the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer community. As soon as he made that statement, the Republican Party progressed. If the country seems to be going down a disastrous path and a political upheaving is the best course of action, then it absolutely makes sense to support, and vote for Trump.
“[I support Donald Trump] because although there is a lot of things he says character-wise that I disagree with, I support the overall change he wants to implement” juniorAmanda Fernandez said. As is made evident by each of the individual candidate’s claims, they and they alone can fix America’s problems. Only Trump understands how to handle immigration; only Clinton understands how to handle foreign policy. Trump says he can “Make America Great Again” by bringing the country back to its post-World War II manufacturing “golden” years, suggesting that the U.S. is in full-fledged decline. This claim fails to withstand basic criticism from various news outlets. Clinton says that she can improve upon everything that is wrong with the current system, though it has been her party who has been in power the last eight years. A probable conclusion being, Clinton has had the answers all along, she just forgot to tell them to her friend, and fellow democrat, Barack Obama. Both of these prospective candidates want to expand the influence and power of the government, thus increase the amount that government will be involved in the life of the individual. This is not about a battle between policies, nor an argument over which side of the aisle is morally superior. It is about understanding that both of these candidates have their respective positive and negative attributes. Even though most students cannot vote, it is pertinent that they do as much as they can to learn about both parties and candidates. This creates an environment of intellectual diversity where ideas can be discussed, thoughts can be challenged and everyone can speak their mind.
highlights \ Vol. 57 \ Oct. 2016 \ Pg. 31
Luis Toruno/ highlights
Out of 350 students surveyed
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Sofia Viglucci /highlights
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LIGHTBOX Senior and drum major Alex Leon conducts the Band of Distinction and Color Guard during the pep rally on Sept. 16 in anticipation of the football game against Killian. The Cavaliers triumphed over the Cougars with a 30 point advantage, winning their fourth varsity game in a row.