big brother is watching. Big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. Big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. Big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. Big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. Big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. 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IN THIS ISSUE: big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. SUMMER PLAYLIST (PAGE 5) Big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. COLLEGE SCANDAL big brother is watching. bigADMISSION brother is watching. big brother is watching. Big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. (PAGE 12-13) big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. Big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. Issue big brother is watching. brother is watching. brother watching. big brother is watching. Big brother is watching. 6, Volume 59 bigCoral Gables SHSbig450 Birdis Road, Coral Gables, FL 33146 big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. Big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. Big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching. big brother is watching.
highlights IS WATC R E H T O HING BR G I B
Ever feel like you are being watched?
highlights
features
advisory board
Editor-in-Chief Dylan Carol Managing Editor Alejandra Orozco Copy Editors Kevin Monjarrez & Mariam Vela Business Manager Ruben Escobar Social Media Manager Mathilde Requier Adviser Melissa Gonzalez Features Estelle Erwich News Angelle Garcia Opinion Jack Band Sports Tatiana Campos Insight Sutton Payne Online Alexandra Torres
Representing their diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, freshman Mauro Vieyra, sophomore Noah Rodriguez and senior Caitlyn Cuartas promote inclusivity in the school.
6 news 9 11
After multiple recycling efforts fell short at the school, the new Gables Earth board takes on the initiative and brings recycling back. The class of 2019 earns acceptances to various prestigious institutions of higher learning throughout the country.
opinion
staff writers Natalie Abrahantes Alex Anton Lisbeth Arrieta Dilan Denham Hanna Ebrahimi Sara Ebrahimi Aya Hamza Sophia Heilman Annie La Roche Ava Lederman Alma Martinez Thomas Morcillo
Melanie Nuñez Natalia Pallas Arianna Peña Grace Rodriguez Marta Rodriguez Oraida Rodriguez Alexander Sutton Emma Vela Isabella Villarroel Audrey Weigel Gregoire Winston
16
highlights takes a look at the Cavalier sporting teams that had outstanding achievements this past year.
22
As the wage gap controversy in sports gains steam, highlights evaluates both sides of the pay disparity argument.
the scene
publication policy
2 preview
As the school year comes to a close, highlights offers advice on how to make the most of your high school experience.
20
Cavaleon Cecilia Rodriguez
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 School Policy, student media is not subject to prior-review by administration or district personnel and as such, all content is determined by, and reflects the views of, student staff members only. highlights welcomes reader feedback. All letters should be addressed to highlightscghs@gmail.com with the subject line “Letter to the Editor.” highlights reserves the right to publish any letters sent.
14
sports
contributors 1-800-Lucky Luanna Navarro CavsConnect
With a wide variety of academies spanning across the school, some feel institutional bias may favor some students over others.
25
The 1-800-Lucky food hall boasts authentic Asian cuisine in the bustling streets of Wynwood, featuring dishes ranging from dim sum to ramen noodles to poke.
insight As the use of technology becomes more widespread, many Americans have begun to question how much privacy they are actually being given by social media companies and other large corporations and how their personal information is being used.
28
h
letter Dylan, I could not have asked for a better person by my side. Your passion and your drive made highlights run as smoothly as it did (there was only so much you could do). We owe our new reputation of “nice highlights” to you. After all the breakdowns, the late days at school and food orders, you deserve to be proud of the end product. Thank you, for all that you do. I will miss working with someone as great as you.
l
from the
editor
ooking back on my last year in highlights, many things have stood out. Sure, we happen to have received the inaugural Sunshine Standout Award for being the best newsmagazine in Florida (no biggie) and yes, we have the oddest mix of people I have seen in room 9220 in four years. Calendars have been forsaken and microwaves have been set ablaze. Gonzo’s cabinet of goodies has trapped an unsuspecting freshman in its grasp and dictatorships were weirdly praised. I sure know how to run a tight ship. Yet, through all the chaos, this year, more than ever, we made our mark.
Ale, I am going to start with you because saving the best for last never made much sense to me. So much
of what highlights was this year is thanks to you. I have never been around somebody that cares more about what we do and how we do it. You have gone above and beyond what was asked of you (way beyond) and put your heart and soul into the magazine. I am honored to have you as Managing Editor, and even more honored to call you my friend.
To our senior staffers, both new and old, thank you for rounding out the best staff in the country. Sophia
and Audrey, it only seems appropriate to mention you guys in tandem, just like it seems appropriate to mention your valuable presence in the back corner. Alex, your first year on staff had us all wishing it was not your last. To next year’s board, it is your time to shine. Ruben, although your texts in the Editorial Board group chat
never failed to infuriate, I could not be more confident in your abilities as Business Manager. Thomas, your calling as Social Media Manager has finally come. Answer it wholeheartedly. Natalia, you have more than lived up to the Pallas legacy; keep it up. Oraida, do not be afraid to bring your artistry and creativity to News. Sports has, and always will be my baby, but I know it is in the best hands now with Sara, just like Features will be taken to new heights with Hanna at the helm. Arriana’s unique style will blend perfectly with the Scene and bring a different flare to the back of the magazine. Kevin, you graciously gave up the name to Greg, but do not let anybody take the Opinion, the experience or the fun, away from what was formally known as Kevin’s Korner. Mathilde, never let that fiery personality go and bring that same passion to Insight next year (keep the outlandish things out though). Alexander, go crazy as Copy Editor, but not too crazy.
Alejandra Orozco Managing Editor
To the senior editors, this will be a very tough goodbye. Karina and Tati, you figured out a way to make
the Scene and Sports better than they have ever been, bring some noise to the middle of the room and deal with me all at once; very impressive. Mariam, you have taught me a lot about perspective all while catching grammar mistakes left and right. Remember what to do if all else fails. Angelle, bubbly may not be the word to describe you, but amazing sure is. One day, you will be in charge, I promise. Jack, you quit Troupe for us, and although you have worried me more than anybody else, I cannot thank you enough for making that sacrifice and for making me laugh all the way through. Sutton, Insight somehow got better from last year, all under your direction. Your friendship has been invaluable to all of us and I can confidently say, nobody will be able to fill your shoes.
To next year’s top brass, it is your turn now. Estelle, you are truly the meme queen of highlights (yes, I used
slang). Bring that spirit, your ability to connect with people and your incredible mind to your post as Managing
Dylan Carol Editor-in-Chief
next year and everything will fall into place. Alexandra, you are ready to take the reins. You have shown your ability to lead and your willingness to succeed this year. Keep that at the heart of your endeavors and the magazine will run better than ever next year. Oh, and always remember to have a little fun.
Finally, to Gonzo. Thank you for all that you have done for Ale and I and thank you for keeping us on the right track. I know the magazine would not be where it is today without you, and neither would I.
To highlights, thank you for the memories. We love you all.
h
Only in Hialeah
features
I
From endless traffic to rogue chickens running through the streets, students reflect on the experiences they have had in the newly named “most stressed city” in America By Lisbeth Arrieta, Staff Writer
F YOU HAVE EVER NEARLY HAD your car beaten by a baseball bat while on the road or witnessed middle-aged men strutting in revealing costumes on the side of the street, you are not alone. Hialeah, also known as the “City of Progress,” is locally infamous for its horrific traffic and eccentric citizens, and has recently been proclaimed the most stressed
city in the U.S. According to the National Stress study conducted by Babylon Health, out of all online posts reported from Hialeah, 13.03 percent were considered stressed, the highest rate in the nation. Students who proudly say they are natives to this city as well as others who have been fortunate enough to visit, are typically able to pinpoint a time where they
would see the people make questionable choices or just confront relentless traffic, while in “La Ciudad del Progreso.” highlights interviewed students who can reminisce on a time when they were caught up in the mayhem of Hialeah. Here are some of the first hand accounts of students’ experiences in Hialeah and what has been deemed ‘normal’ in such a remarkable city.
There was this one time my dad was driving on the street and we were in back of a guy literally on a horse… on the street. Lisbeth Arrieta/highlights
- Christopher Garcia, sophomore
I was at a light and I see a car get cut off by another car. Suddenly, the driver who got cut off grabs a baseball bat and starts banging the roof of the others car. It was hilarious.” - Vanessa Grau, Sophomore Miami is known for its horrific traffic and I honestly think it is because of Hialeah. If you’re trying to find Miami’s absolute worst drivers, go to Hialeah - Juan Guerrero, Senior One time I was driving and I see this guy on a bike wearing nothing but his American flag boxers. To be honest, I was not really surprised. - Justin Lara, Senior
HALL TALK
The highlights staff records what students are talking about in the hallways at school in between periods.
4 features
“Do you think you can learn to read before the test?”
“Square up, bro! Cuadrado arriba!”
“This hallway smells like pico de gallo. And socks.”
“Yo, Imma catch him, then Imma splack him.”
“Croquetas over everything, always.”
“Postmates is a reverse drive-thru.”
For all the moments that matter most, highlight has got you covered with the soundtrack to your summer. BY: ava lederman, staff writer
Bootleg Rascal - Sticky Fingers Kendall Drive - The Polar Boys No Diggity - Nick Murphy, Chet Faker Holdin On - Flume cooks - Still Woozy Lo que Siento - Cuco Me Rehuso- Danny Ocean Come With me (Radio Mix) - Nora En Pure Easily - Bruno Major Something Good - alt-J Someday - The Strokes Get Me Golden- Terraplane Sun Twist And Shout (Remastered) - The Beatles I’m Just Snacking - Gus Dapperton Almost (Sweet Music) - Hozier best view - black party
Lucerne - RIchy Mitch & The Coal Miners Beach Daze - The Palms nobody - mac demarco
features 5
R E P R E S E N T E D.
Spanning the wide spectrum of sexual orientation, students share their journeys from acceptance to actvism
T
HROUGH GABLES PARADIGM meetings, pride festivals and social activism, members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) community jointly combat the deep-rooted societal standards that have long restrained their abilities to openly express themselves. Within the school’s walls, LGBTQ+ students
By Hanna Ebrahimi, Staff Writer freely voice their frustrations and provide support for their struggling peers to challenge discriminatory actions that contradict the country’s foundational ideals of “equality and justice for all.” Despite increased acceptance in the U.S. in recent years, coming out as LGBTQ+ is nonetheless a profound, and often daunting, experience. Nonetheless, students
still fight to live freely. In pursuit of promoting widespread acceptance, freshman Mauro Vieyra, sophomore Noah Rodriguez and senior Caitlyn Cuartas, share their coming out stories and the many adversities they have overcome in school and in their personal lives to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and to help others cope with judgement when expressing themselves.
noah noah rodriguez rodriguez From enduring public humiliation in various educational environments to being a victim of derogatory slurs in the streets of his hometown, transgender sophomore Noah Rodriguez has struggled to live his truth without receiving backlash from others. He hopes to achieve normalcy for a group that has been undermined and discriminated against for centuries. Growing up feeling alienated in his biologically-assigned female body, Rodriguez faced many difficulties coinciding his developing feminine figure with his own perception of who he was and how he wanted to express himself. Desperate to convince himself that he was simply confused, Rodriguez concealed his emotions and was overcome by an intense period of depression. The severe distress was among the many results effects due to his gender dysphoria.
“When puberty hit I was devastated. I felt like a monster and there was nothing I could do about it,” Rodriguez said. In December 2018, Rodriguez was unwillingly outed to his family, and he was forced to reveal his true identity as a gay transgender male to his mother. “The pain was unbearable. The humiliation was even worse. But for the first time in my life I was not hiding from anyone or anything. I was
Hanna Ebrahimi /highlights
finally free,” Rodriguez said. Though enjoying the freedom of being out, Rodriguez continued to face prejudice both at school and in his personal life. Some doubted his sanity, while others tried to shift his perspective and force him to conform to the conventional gender standards. He, however, found empowerment in embracing his identity as a gay, transgender man, regardless of judgements. “Somehow we are not viewed as normal. “ Rodriguez said. “People think that if they give us rights then everyone is going to ‘turn’ like us. What is wrong with wanting to be happy?” He hopes to inspire other LGBTQ+ teenagers to prioritize their own happiness above other people’s judgements by offering an inspiring perspective on how he overcame obstacles with his sexuality.
caitlyn caitlyn cuartas cuartas Through her ‘traditionally’ feminine disposition and passion for the art of dance, senior Caitlyn Cuartas defies the stereotype that all lesbians are masculine or “butch.” As a member of the school’s national champion d a n c e team, the Gablettes, she openly embraces her sexuality and uses dance to motivate herself and other members of the L G B T Q + community to stay true to their identities. As mass Hanna Ebrahimi /highlights
6 features
media has oftentimes subjected LGBTQ+ women to a standard that they are more masculine than their heterosexual counterparts, Cuartas grew up believing that she could not be gay because she enjoyed doing feminine things. When she entered high school, she realized that her sexual orientation was not a reflection of her interests, but rather an innate aspect of her personality and identity. “I didn’t grow up as a ‘stereotypical’ lesbian and I’m still not one today, but my femininity doesn’t take anything away from my sexuality,” Cuartas said. Within a few months of this realization, she was ready to share her truth. She confided in her best friends, and soon after, she came out to all of her teammates, friends and family members. “People don’t realize that coming out is not
a one step process. I did not tell everyone at the same time and waited until I was completely ready, both mentally and emotionally, to share my secret with everyone,” Cuartas said. Through her involvement in the Gablettes, Cuartas has taken concrete steps towards promoting inclusivity in her art. She is among the first in the school’s history to have a female sweetheart and takes pride in altering long-held traditions for herself and future dancers in the LGBTQ+ community. “When I was picking my sweetheart, I took pride in choosing someone that not only supported me, but that represented me,” Cuartas said. Cuartas strives to inform those outside of the LGBTQ+ community of the importance of eliminating stereotypes through her art.
Mauro vieyra In hopes of exploring a culture that accepts him for his true identity, Mexican immigrant Mauro Vieyra proudly embraces his experience as a non-binary bisexual in a country with endless possibilities. By dressing in Victorianinspired Lolita garb and exploring the range of his sexual orientation, Vieyra actively prioritizes his own happiness over society’s perception of how he should dress and who he should be attracted to. As a genderqueer adolescent in a culturally conservative nation, Vieyra grew up fearing persecution for his unique interests and often concealed his emotions to avoid discriminatory acts of violence. Despite yearning for a day where he and other Hispanic LGBTQ+ adherents would be accepted for their sexualities, Vieyra’s desire to assimilate often became a priority over his mental health. “[In Mexico] the LGBTQ+ community is not as accepted as they are in the United States. Queer people are severely suppressed and often physically abused because of restrictive cultural and religious beliefs,” Vieyra said.
As his family emmigrated to the U.S. in July 2015, Vieyra envisioned a life devoid of oppressive regimes, and for the first time, saw a future with opportunity. The cultural diversity and acceptant nature of his new home motivated him to come out as bisexual and live the lifestyle he had always wished for. As he publicly explored h i s sexuality,
Hanna Ebrahimi /highlights
Vieyra took pride in embracing the opposing extremities of his masculinity and femininity. His gender did not dictate his selection of clothing or his role in society. Dresses soon became a staple in his closet and he began using makeup as a form of self-expression. In particular, a goth-inspired fashion fusion known as Lolita attire has played a pivotal role in enhancing Vieyra’s self-image. He chooses to embrace the uncommon Japanese fashion trend in a high school environment to encourage his peers to wear and do what makes them happy. “In society, people are always expected to choose one side or the other. You can either be gay or straight. A boy or a girl. I don’t limit myself to that standard,” Vieyra said. With a unique perspective on life as a LGBTQ+ teenager, Vieyra launched a YouTube channel under the name MCuteThings to inspire others to proudly embrace their unique identities. “I want people to realize that [members of the LGBTQ+ community] are equal and worthy of acceptance,” Vieyra said. h
Miami beach pride week Courtesy of Kaitlyn Duardo
Courtesy of Karis Knoll
Courtesy of Miguel da la O
Courtesy of Perla Batista
Courtesy of Kaitlyn Duardo
Raising their pride flags high, students take part in the annual Miami Beach gay pride festivities through parades, events and more. features 7
PROM
On April 27, seniors at the school celebrated their prom night at the JW Marriott. The doors opened at 7 p.m., kicking off a night of unforgettable moments and electrifying fun. Seniors ate, mingled with friends and danced with their peers in what was the culmination of four long years of dedication to the Cavalier spirit. The night ended with the crowning of the prom king and queen, Daniel Zapata and Natalie Aller, putting a great cap on an even better night.
8 pictures Thomas Morcillo/highlights
h News Review news
By Dilan Denham, Staff Writer
CALENDAR APRIL 30:
NHS Induction
BRIEFS Coral Gables election follow up
Incumbent Mayor Raúl Valdes-Fauli won the re-election and will now serve a second two-year term, beating out his challenger Jeannett Slesnick, wife to former Mayor Don Slesnick, by a slim margin of just under 200 votes. Mayor Valdes-Fauli says he “plans to continue promoting development within Coral Gables and expand the city,” according to his offices website. The race for city commission was left undecided after no candidate got an outright majority. Former commissioner Ralph Cabrera, who got the most votes, will face off against political newcomer Jorge Fors. Carmen Olazabal and Jackson Rip Holmes, who came in third and fourth place respectively, will not continue on into the runoff election in the beginning of May.
MAY 2:
IB and AP testing begins
MAY 24:
CAF&DM Banquet
MAY 29: Graduation
JUNE 6:
Florida city bans harmful SPF
In Jan. of 2021, the city of Key West will effectively start its ban against sunscreens containing the chemical compounds of oxybenzone and octinoxate. The two chemicals commonly found in sunscreen have been linked to adverse effects on the health of coral reefs and the marine ecosystem. The goal of the ban is to keep these harmful chemicals out of the waters of the Great Florida Reef as they have been found to be another cause of coral bleaching in addition to climate change. According to research from the National Park Service, an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 tons of sunscreen enter reef areas annually. This is not the first ban against sunscreens containing harmful chemicals. Hawaii has already signed a bill to enact the change and a recent Florida Senate bill called for a ban against the sale of all sunscreens with these chemicals without a prescription.
Last day of school
CONGRATS
The school’s Academy of Finance was named a 2019 Distinguished and Model Academy by the National Academy of Finance Senior Johan Soto won the Elie Wiesel Foundation’s Prize in Ethics Essay Contest
Gables Earth recycles again
The school’s environmental club “Gables Earth” has revived the school-wide recycling initiative. Many schools across the district have tried to introduce recycling but faced obstacles when it came to contracting companies to pick it up. Many students called on the district to assist in the recycling program. This year, a new company was hired and new bins were donated which helped in restarting the program. Gables Earth hopes to continue its advancements in recycling by lobbying the district to see if other materials can be recycled. “There’s a lot of materials that still go to waste at the school and it would be very beneficial to the school’s environment if we could recycle materials other than just paper and cardboard. We’re striving to have a more sustainable community,” Gables Earth president Natalia Torres said. h
news 9
School safety standards evolve Taking proactive measures after multiple incidents that ocurred across the country, the school implements new procedures By Angelle Garcia, News Editor
I
N THE PAST YEAR, SEVERAL RULES the floors where no one was in the hallway and have been put in place to assist in keeping the doors were locked, you can see why these the school, students and faculty safe. measures have to be put into place,” principal After various and frequent incidents in places Adolfo Costa said. of learning occurred throughout the country, The school has also been conducting more Miami Dade County lockdowns both “code Public Schools (MDCPS) yellow” and “code red” set in place new rules and even had a code red HARD CORNERS lockdown during lunch and procedures for their schools to follow in case of GIVE STUDENTS blocks to make sure emergency. AND TEACHERS THE students knew where to Safety protocols have go in case anything ever OPPORTUNITY TO happened while classes also transferred into the classroom as the school’s BE IN THE LEAST were passing or while on officer placed “hard VULNERABLE PLACE lunch break. Fire and code corner” signs inside each drills have now become IN THE CLASS ROOM IF monthly classroom. Hard corners occurences. are the corners directly THERE WERE EVER TO Newly, Costa announced adjacent to the front door BE AN EMERGENCY AT that teachers and students of the classroom that is should not wait the two THE SCHOOL minutes before exiting the concealed from view from ADOLFO COSTA, building when there is a someone standing in the doorway. Students and PRINCIPAL fire drill. Principal Costa teachers were instructed to then announced that the group in these hard corners only time students and if anything were to happen to be as obscured faculty should wait in the ocurrence of a fire from the front door as possible. drill is if it’s during a code red or yellow drill, “I believe strongly in these procedures they should always wait for an announcement because when you read the report of what from an administrator. Every measure was happened at MSD and see that it was safest on put in place to limit any and all possible risk
“
QUICK FACTS The school now requires an ID to enter the building 10 news
The school conducts monthly fire and code red and yellow drills
and harm to those in the school. The school recently updated various procedures after a year of modernizing rules to manage with the requirements from the state and county to keep all school members safe; the Florida State Education Board citing that schools should never be a place where students should be scared to go. The school’s new General Bond Obligation program also allocates 11.2 million dollars to rennovation plans that includes updates for security and focus on improvements that have the most immediate and longer-lasting positive impacts on students, faculty and the communtiy. For the most recent school year, Superintendent Alberto Carvahlo, named saftey in all schools the top priority whether it be fire saftey, active emergency drills or heightened police and security presence in school. There have also been installations of close to 15,000 high definition security cameras centrally linked to a command center that runs 24 hours a day. MDCPS has also contracted a detective team that investigates any threatening message that requires police action. The district also came to an agreement with the police forces and Mayors of the different municipalities to guarantee one police officer in every school, rather than an armed guard, which is the minimum a Florida law requires. h
The school reduced the number of entrances down to one to minimize risk All schools in the county now have a permanent police officer on campus
Oh,
the places
you’ll go!
The class of 2019 holds a myriad of acceptances from some of the top colleges and universities
h h h h
hh
h
The “h” denotes the college or university to which a senior highlights member has accepted admission
American University Baylor University Bringham Young University Brown University Chapman University h Clemson University Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth College Davidson College Drexel University h Duke University Emerson College Florida International University Florida State University h Fordham University George Mason University Georgetown University Hamilton College
Indiana University-Bloomington Johns Hopkins University Lewis and Clark College Massachussetts Institute of Technology Miami Dade College Michigan State University Middlebury College Mount Holyoke College h New College of Florida New York University North Carolina State University Northeastern University Northwestern University Notre Dame University Princeton University Purdue University
Rider University School of the Arts Institute of Chicago Stanford University Tulane University United States Naval Academy h University of Alabama University of California-Berkeley University of CaliforniaLos Angeles h University of Central Florida University of Chicago University of Colorado-Boulder University of Denver University of Florida h University of Georgia University of Hawaii-Manoa
h
University of Maryland University of Miami University of Michigan University of New Orleans University of North Carolina University of Pennsylvania University of South Florida University of Southern California University of Texas-Austin University of Virginia University of Washington University of Wisconsin-Madison h Vanderbilt University Wake Forest University Wheaton College Williams College Yale University
news 11 11
u.s. college entry fraud
Some of the most elite universities and high profile celebrities in the United States are involved in a fraudulent admission scandal
Alejandra Orozco/highlights
By Oraida Rodriguez, Staff Writer
O
VER 30 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN charged with fraud in regard to an elaborate plot where spots in the freshman classes of prestigious universities were bought by wealthy parents. Public figures and celebrities such as Lori Loughlin, William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman were caught taking part in these admissions schemes. The parents involved took great steps to ensure their child’s entrance into big-name schools, going to lengths such as faking athletic skills, lying about disabilities, faking SAT scores and being dishonest about their ethnicity. After coming out, many students went on social media to express their frustrations about the unfair hand dealt. Universities have academic standards, but when good academic standing is partnered with something distinctive, like athletics, colleges tend to favor the student. According to a study by the New York Times, recruited athletes make up over 20 percent of the class and many of them come in well below the academic standard the school has set for other students. The students involved with the scandal were granted admission into specific athletic teams within the university, such as rowing and water polo, despite never having played the sport before. This was accomplished by
12 news
photoshopping pictures of the teens onto other bodies carrying out the sport and bribing the coach to allow the adolescent onto the team. “The amount that an athlete has to train and dedicate time and someone just photoshops their face on someone else’s face and says they row, that’s not okay,” International Baccalaureate counselor Khushnuma Driver said. Millions of dollars were wired in these scenarios to the athletic directors so that they would portray the students as athletic prodigies, regardless of their inability to perform at the caliber they were representing. Once accepted to the schools, the student would then most likely end up leaving the team. Having already been admitted based on the athletic program, students were permitted to stay in the school despite leaving the sport soon after. Other methods, such as manipulating the ACT or SAT disability procedure, were done to gain a higher score. In these scenarios, parents paid to have their child in a different room with another proctor for testing accommodations to make sure the students got a higher score, or the score could be altered. “People always find ways to cheat the system, it just saddens me. I studied for exams to get my score, whereas some just bought theirs,” senior Dylan Arce said.
Another common ruse was lying about the students’ ethnicities to take advantage of the affirmative action process within the admission offices which was originally put in place to aid disadvantaged minorities. Despite this, wealthy families had their children’s ethnicities altered on paper too, having colleges favor them for their ‘diverse’ backgrounds. As for the children of these parents, the schools involved are not allowed to comment on each specific due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which prohibits colleges from publicly sharing information about education records or pupils. The students will also most likely not face charges, as it was mainly the parents doing, although the parents claim that they had no idea what was happening. Colleges are now looking for a way to change their admission process, using a more holistic admissions review rather than specific academic achievements like tests scores. Also, recently Loughlin and Huffman were placed on trial for their actions in federal court for two conspiracy charges in the case. Both parties have plead not guilty to the charges brought forth by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and are now demanding to see evidence and files presented by the prosecutors. h
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opinion
FUNDS
OVER
FERVOR
STAFF ED: As the integrity of the college admission process is questioned, the scale of the problem is still unknown.
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N THE WAKE OF THE NATION’S largest college admissions scandal, the corrupted mechanism that is the college admissions process has been revealed and with it, the undermining of thousands of hardworking lower to middle class students. Dozens of wealthy individuals have been indicted due to their participation in the reprehensible scandal and with distinguished celebrities giving a face to the issue, many question the viability and legality of both large-scale and small-scale bribery and cheating in the college admissions process. A string of $25 million funneled by a litter of actors and high-income individuals to eight first-class universities presents a microcosm of the current college admissions system. With income disparity playing such a large role in the admissions process, it is not surprising that those with wealth have seized the opportunity to take advantage of the system with little to no thought of those less fortunate. In fact, as stated by The New York Times, and to no surprise, affluent applicants have been favored to receive admissions packages to Ivy Leagues among other top schools for centuries. The influence wealth has in the higher education system allows many to circumvent consequences and shows no signs of subsiding. As per a 2008 Pell Institute study, the unmet financial need of low-income students amounts to $6,000 before loans. For context, that is nearly half of their median annual income of $12,100. Beyond a family’s ability to afford counseling in the college application process, the socio-economic opportunity gap begins at an institutional level. Although colleges consider how students take advantage of the opportunities available to them, if an applicant whose parent is willing to pay their child’s way through college despite them having little to no merit, anyone else of the same standing
is not viewed as favorably in the labyrinth of admissions. A study in The New York Times has found that those who matriculate into 38 of the nation’s top colleges have more students coming from the top 1 percent than the bottom 60 percent. While the income gap does play a large role in one’s admission odds, the gap’s existence is not what should be condemned, especially considering the importance of those paying full tuition. It is the susceptibility of a broken admissions system that enables illegal bribery to take place.
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I’M APPALLED, BUT UNFORTUNATELY I CANNOT SAY I’M EXTREMELY SURPRISED. KHUSHNUMA DRIVER, INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE COUNSELOR
The explicit preference for legacy students at top-tier universities has understandably been in place to affirm family tradition. Nevertheless, it inevitably serves as a support system for inter-generational wealth and favors legacy over many students who have worked double to receive half the consideration that legacy students inherently have at many institutions. This proves true,not only for students hailing from the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum, but middle-class applicants as well. Recognizing that there are high-income and legacy students who are meritorious and also certainly deserve admission, the niche demographic being spotlighted by the scandal consists of those who solely attend top-tier educational institutions as a result of their parents’ willingness to circumvent the
traditional admissions process and replace it with one consisting of bribery or other dishonest means. Often, even those qualified from this demographic do not get accepted and while the scandal has drawn attention to the bias, an overwhelming amount of smaller incidents continue to occur under the radar. Recently uncovered, ABC News reports that Stanford University expelled a student linked to a $500,000 donation to the sailing team in April 2019. “It gives us an insight into the corruption that is prevalent. It doesn’t mean that we should stop putting our best foot forward. With the scandal coming out, you see celebrities pushing for this, but it happens in other avenues of the admissions process. It’s not so clearcut. I’m appalled, but unfortunately I cannot say I’m extremely surprised,” International Baccalaureate counselor Khushnuma Driver said. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has launched an investigation into how participants in the scandal hired people to take their children’s SAT and ACTs. Despite demanding processes of identification, Silicon Valley CEO Manuel Henriquez, according to New York Magazine, had on four separate occasions paid to manipulate standardized tests for his two daughters. FBI special agent Laura Smith has penned a 200-page affidavit riddled with conversations between the defendants and the orchestrator of the scandal. Further corroding an already imperfect system, the economics behind American college admissions is failing to support the potential of lower and middle-class students in its many outlets of allowing the affluent to buy an applicant’s acceptance. The incentivized influence on admissions committees has finally been revealed, and now is the time for preventative action to take place in hopes for a just and uncorrupted admissions system. h
opinion 13
The rift between academies
With the diversity of academies offered at the school, students question the existence of bias in the system
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Commentary by Mariam Vela, Copy Editor ARLIER IN March, students from the school took to social media and voiced the unspeakable: their concerns. One student, senior Karen Pasos, officially launched the Twitter debacle when she tweeted this, tagging district superintendent Alberto Carvalho: “80% of the kids at @CoralGablesSHS aren’t allowed to go to PROM because of this completely unfair 10/20 rule. BUT are allowing the IB kids and FOOTBALL PLAYERS to have the chance for an appeal to get to go to prom…” Within minutes, Pasos’ tweet ushered in an entire thread of responses from both students and teachers. Although she initially spoke out about IB students and athletes receiving special treatment over the rest of the student body in terms of prom and the chance to appeal absences, Pasos insists that the root of the problem runs much deeper. Although it remains unclear over whether or not IB students and athletes are actually given priority through the appeals process, the social media feud Pasos ignited over Twitter did raise one vital question: Does academic achievement warrant special privileges? And the answer to that, is no. Students who earn above average grades should obviously be recognized for their efforts, but not when it is at the expense of marginalizing those who do
not have the same privilege to prioritize their academics. Systematically, we often fail take into account that students are individuals, with their own separate lives and sets of struggles. At the school, there are eight student academies. The ever-familiar 10/20 rule is a district-wide policy that applies to all students, regardless of academy, and states that surpassing 10 absences or 20 tardies at any given point in the year is grounds for being banned from further participation in sports, extracurriculars and activities like prom. But the appeals process, and exactly what it entails, is a bit more complex. Because appeals are generally handled on a case-by-case basis through administrators and faculty in the attendance office, no actual template exists to specify what circumstances or situations merit an appeal. According to Principal Adolfo Costa, 76 percent of students at the school receive free or reduced lunch benefits. Finding a balance between school work and outside commitments can be daunting for any student, especially those from a low-income household. Even within a public school system that offers ample resources and programs to students struggling financially, the difference between success and failure can still come down to the most minor factors. Transportation issues, a lack of sleep, poor eating habits and an overall dysfunctional home life are all hurdles that greatly affect a
student’s motivation to seek out assistance from counselors and teachers, let alone to excel in their classes. One can argue that anything is attainable if you just work hard enough and persevere, but what is not argued enough is that not everyone’s main focus can be their studies. Many times, low income students are required to work to maintain not only themselves, but their families. In cases like these, it is important to remember that more often than not, a student’s academic performance is not solely a reflection of their efforts, but of their priorities. It also comes as no surprise that students who prioritize school and are actively involved typically have stronger relationships with their teachers over students who do not. What is not being put into consideration is that many students do not have parents who concern themselves with their children’s lives, including their studies. In reality, it is imperative that a child has someone to encourage and impel them to work harder in order for the child to persevere. This is where teachers should step in and assume the role of guidance. More often than not, students who seem disinterested or inattentive are categorized as lazy and placed on the academic backburner. Rather than prioritizing students who already have the means to excel and successfully do so, the attention of teachers and administrators should be moved to where it is needed most. h
Mariam Vela/highlights
“NOBODY DESERVES SPECIAL PRIVILEGES, BUT EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT AND SHOULD BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY.”
RODNEY MICHEL, JUNIOR
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“FINANCIAL PROBLEMS ARE ALWAYS A FACTOR, BUT WHAT ACADEMY YOU’RE IN SHOULDN’T CHANGE HOW YOU’RE TREATED.”
ALIYAH CRUZ, SENIOR
“IF YOU TRY YOUR BEST AND BEHAVE WELL AT SCHOOL, IT SHOULDN’T MATTER WHAT HOUSEHOLD YOU COME FROM.”
JORGE MORALES, JUNIOR
FROM THE EDITOR
With anticipation for Avengers: Endgame pervading the entire globe, the prospect of spoilers is catastrophic
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Commentary by Dylan Carol, Editor-in-Chief ERE IT IS. MY last column of the year. My goal for each of these things has been to speak my mind, offer a positive spin on topics that normally do not receive one and hopefully change a couple minds along the way. But not this time. This time, I am going after the people that are ruining the world as we know it; no silver lining, no positive spin. And yes, I afforded myself a little more space to do it, because, well, I am the Editor-in-Chief and I am allowed to. This is my open letter to the bane of society’s existence. To all the people that took it upon themselves to spoil “Avengers: Endgame.” You people are the worst there are. You all have done something that Hannibal Lector would consider as going too far, and he eats people. You have ruined 10 years of anticipation, intrigue and dedication. You have taken happiness and crushed it. You have taken the rawest form of human excitement and destroyed it. You have done something that borders on sociopathic. And for what? A laugh? Two laughs? Some twisted sense of
satisfaction? Some sick sense of righteousness? Whatever the reason, the action is unjustifiably horrible. Usually I would not do this, but seeing as I am not in the mood for clever transitions or subtle argument construction, I am going to take each reason I have heard for ruining this cinematic masterpiece and pick them apart for the remainder of this “column.” I have heard some of the people that have spoiled “Endgame” say they did it because it was funny to them. To them. And nobody else. Making it very much not funny. Making that reason both incredibly self-centered and incredibly stupid. So, to those of you who used this ludicrous rationale to justify your actions: stick to knock-knock jokes and realize that what seems good for one may not be good for all. I have heard others say that they did it because “they can”. To be fair to those who used the previous rationale, this one is even dumber than that one. The fact that you can do something does not mean you should. That simple fact used to be common sense, and what differentiated us humans from animals and Rick James. Doing something so gratuitous, with no personal gain except the
satisfaction of having ruined something for such a large group of people who, I might add, were feeling just like you were three hours earlier because you “can” is as pathetic as it is incomprehensible. Sometimes, not doing things is more significant than doing them, especially now. Those however, do not hold a candle to the stupidity of this final justification, which revels in so much self-importance it is almost hard to fathom. That justification is, “people should not care as much as they do.” Thank you, Moses, for that bit of wisdom. It is not for one individual to judge what others should care about, especially when it comes to pop culture. Many times, cinema is a way for people to delve into something that has nothing to do with their daily lives. It is a way to escape into another world for a few hours. It can heal. Yet, your blinding arrogance and irredeemable stupidity prevented that from happening because you decided you were the Chosen One. Being different does not always mean you are better. If you spoiled the movie, look inward. And then look outward. Hopefully you will realize this one thing. Everybody needs nice things in life. Not just you. Everyone. h
opposable thumbs School renovations “Friendly reminder that there’s only one functioning bathroom in the whole school.” -Jack Band, Opinion Editor
Testing Season “I’ll start studying tomorrow.” -Alejandra Orozco, Managing Editor
Prom
“I went for the mac and cheese.” -Angelle Garcia, News Editor
Game of Thrones “This is what perfection looks like.” -Dylan Carol, Editor-in-Chief
Duolingo
“Learn a language, and feel guilty doing it!” -Kevin Monjarrez, Copy Editor
Avengers: Endgame “The most anticipated event of the– and it’s spoiled.” -Sutton Payne, Insight Editor
opinion 15
WORDS FROM THE WAY OUT
As the year comes to a close, highlights members reflect on the past year and offer insight into next year
SENIORS O
Commentary by Sutton Payne, Insight Editor
UR SCHOOL IS a special place, diverse in its nature and unparalleled in terms of its opportunity for experience. Whether it be from taking creative classes, participating in clubs or witnessing a vape session and amateur MMA fight in the bathroom, it is safe to say that I have learned several life lessons. I have never felt more ecstatic to discover a fully functional water fountain or more nervous when being herded like cattle from the pavilion following lunch. That being said, I have also experienced many disappointments. I have never been able to leave class because the “teacher didn’t arrive within 15 minutes,” I have not taken part in a notorious cafeteria food fight and I never got the chance to participate in a musical ensemble or cliché flash mob. So, from one side of the spectrum to the other, I have some advice. First off, I feel honored to tell you that you have been lied to. Freshmen, there is no swimming pool on the fourth floor of the new building. Sophomores, becoming upperclassmen comes at a price. And for the juniors, I can assure you that you can expect a cacophony of life-altering choices, mental breakdowns and sure, a picnic at the end of it all. Though seemingly improbable, you have
surmounted the rigor of coursework, the anxiety of social ambiguity and the stress of several all-nighters for three years now. In the midst of these trials and tribulations, you have emerged victorious. Wounded? Yes. But hopefully still sane. You have climbed a mountain of hardship and sacrifice, all for the illusive promise of a “magical” senior year that should surely be a breeze downhill. Newsflash: it gets all the more complicated. The fictitious “high school food chain” is no more. Social standards have shifted, maybe for the better, but you should definitely adapt to it regardless. Nowadays, an SAT score is arguably more valuable than a State Championship, so be wary. Cliques are still prominent but the stereotypical “jocks, stoners and nerds” paradigm is out the window. The only “bully” that you will be facing this year is your dauntingly unavoidable debit balance that is plummeting. The social scene is a spectrum of interest, lifestyle and sexuality, and the only thing more intimidating than the high school social atmosphere is the idea that you are going to have to start over next year. To make matters worse, everything becomes more important because you are now an adult. Things matter. Even though you still feel like a post-pubescent adolescent, you are expected to be politically knowledgeable, financially independent and educationally
confident in your intentions for the next four years of your life. College applications can hit you like a truck. This is not your typical homework assignment. It is your future, and a lot rides on it. This is toppled with the stress of working to graduate, maintaining a job or sport, and hopefully leaving room for spending time with your closest friends who will soon become strangers. Stuff does not always go according to plan and dealing with that can feel impossible. However, similar to the rest of your high school years, there is a silver lining. The diverse populace of the student body, while sometimes intimidating, has allowed me to become a more understanding and cultured individual. The mental strain and lack of sleep have forced me to become the epitome of efficiency, headstrong and devoted towards my passions. The social anxiety has pushed me to reach out of my comfort zone, creating friendships that I never would have thought to seek. The workload, once accomplished, was one of the most fulfilling and gratifying accomplishments of my life. And the limited time I have left has opened the doorway to the truly important things in my life. It has allowed me to be more reflective, appreciating my school, my home and the people that fill me with love. And for that, it has been all worthwhile. h
2019 16 opinion
JUNIORS
2020
Commentary by Annie La Roche, Staff Writer
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N ORDER TO prepare for nine full months of academic rigor, you must understand what is approaching. By far, junior year is the most important and academically challenging of all up to this point. During this year, you will have to handle your eightperiod workload, take your SAT and ACT and prepare for college all at the same time. After sophomore year, junior year hits hard so here is my warning for you. As an upperclassman, there is a sudden rush to challenge yourself and stay committed. Through the year, this should always remain a motivation. There will be times where you feel like breaking down or giving up due to your workload. However, it is important to remember that it will lead to success in the end. Starting off the year, you must be prepared. Have a calendar, journal or planner, manage time and start work early. Rather than waiting until the late evening to start homework, do some during school hours. This will keep you
SOPHOMORES
sane and save your sleep schedule. Trust me, you do not want to be that person who pulls an all-nighter to work on a project or study for a test for the next day. While struggling with my load of tests to study for, I would still prioritize sleep, even if it meant waking up at 3 a.m. However, if you do end up in a situation where you must lose sleep, try to stay content and remember that you are not alone. Through the worst of times comes the best of friends. Since everyone is going through the same things, you become closer with friends than ever. Always think of this in times of academic hardship. Although you may become closer with fellow classmates, your social life is not at a high. Because of your constant stress and work to manage, you may somewhat forget about going out. Once junior year began, I came to understand that I needed to focus on my grades and SAT over having a social life. The only times I really hung out with friends was to study all day at the library or write a paper. Although this may sound depressing, it really
did help me stay focused and on track. Instead of going out and procrastinating, try to study for your college prep exams. With so much time being taken up by studying, homework, extracurriculars or jobs, you must reserve at least a few hours a week to study for big exams, such as your SAT and ACT. The year provides you with plenty of options for when to take these exams. Do not rush into it. Instead, do it when your workload is not too heavy and you have extra time to study. Once taken, do not freak out about the score, you will have other opportunities. Above all, do not stress too much over anything. There will always be people around to help you, whether it is a friend, parent, teacher or counselor. Just remember to keep your mindset positive and be organized Junior year can be quite intimidating, and it will require more effort to get through the year. As a junior, remember that you must never lose focus or fall into bad habits. Instead, stay positive, communicate with others, stay on track with class work and most of all, manage your time accordingly. h
2021
Commentary by Mathilde Requier, Social Media Manager
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F T E R b a r e l y surviving freshman year, you would think you are finally settling into high school. This is both true and false. While you feel like you are officially a high school student and that nobody can run you over like they may have done freshman year, your time has come to actually get to work. I do not mean doing the bare minimum to pass your classes, I mean taking that extra step. It is time to decline those clubs you will not have time for and join something you feel you would dedicate effort and time to. In other words, join any publication that feels the most like you, apply to that board position in that club you like and try out for that sports team you have wished to be a part of. With the weight of adapting to high school off your shoulders, you can allow yourself to try these new experiences, which will only benefit you. Although sophomore year can seem like
it poses no challenges, it is an important step in your high school path. It is one of selfdiscovery, where you grow comfortable and confident enough to pursue what you love. Make all of your passions a part of both you and your portfolio. Use them to get involved around the school and community. Subsequently, when you pursue extracurricular activities you truly like, they feel like less of a burden and become more enjoyable. For those freshmen who had a rocky beginning, do not be afraid to start on a clean slate. Get back on your feet. With the increased confidence you have gained after enduring freshman year, this year can be a smoother start for you to build your GPA and extracurricular activities. Now that you no longer have to worry about adapting and forming new friendships, you can focus your time and energy on your school work. Greater responsibility is probably one of the scarier parts of this year. Teachers are no longer on your back as much as last year, and assignments are expected to always be
completed. To truly make this change easier, work in advance so that you do not stress out as often. With the varied workload throughout this year, procrastination will certainly be tempting, but with organization and time management the workload is manageable. High school is only going to get harder, so starting on the right foot this year will ease the transition into the increasing workload and stress waiting for you in the remainder of high school. Even with all the activities you will have next year, you willl still have a lot of free time. Start searching up colleges and potential majors you would like to take. With a clearer image of what you want to do, you will be able to specialize your classes in order to match with your college interests. All in all, do not fear sophomore year. Look at it as your awakening. A time to calmly prepare for the more challenging years of high school and get ahead on the large workload. The hard work you put in this year will pay off for the years to come. Nothing is holding you back, it is your time to shine. h
opinion 17
A nation against vaccination Alejandra Orozco/highlights
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Commentary by Kevin Monjarrez and Alexander Sutton, Copy Editor and Staff Writer
HAT DO President Donald Trump, college admissions, the Mueller Report, Brexit and vaccines all have in common? Division. Yes, getting your yearly shots has increasingly becoming as controversial a practice as wearing a MAGA hat in public or kneeling during the national anthem. Public discourse has reached a point at which even injections for immunization against pathogens has become an issue of political controversy. At the heart of the debate lies the conflict between the anti-vaccination movement and the medical community allied with society at large. The ultimate question raised poses manifold implications for public schools: should vaccinations be mandatory? The simple answer to this question is no. Every private citizen deserves the right to decide for oneself or their children the necessity for vaccines in one’s life. Though governments from the municipal to the federal level have pushed for vaccines to be legally mandated, the decision should ultimately rest on the shoulders of each patient. The more complex answer is that vaccinations, while effective, necessary and based upon watertight scientific evidence, cannot be forced upon any citizen within the legal boundaries of the U.S. constitution— but public services may reasonably be denied to any citizen who has not been vaccinated. Though vaccines must remain a choice, legally there is nothing stopping governments from highly encouraging citizens to make the right choice. Undoubtedly, vaccines are a source of much good for society. According to an official U.N. report, there has been a 99 percent decrease
18 opinion
in incidence for the nine diseases for which vaccines have been recommended in the United States. Though the anti-vaccination movement may seek to discredit the wide body of scientific evidence to support vaccinations’ effectiveness in preventing and curing diseases, the truth is apparent to the vast majority of American citizens: 92 percent of all Americans believe that vaccines are important to the health of society, according to the Immunization Partnership’s poll. That said, the same study actually reported a slight decrease in public confidence about vaccines’ importance since 2008. “82 percent of Americans felt it was very important for parents to have their children vaccinated. That number has since dropped to 71 percent,” the study said. Although most Americans believe vaccines are important to societal health, the number of people who believe they are “very important” has dropped from 80 percent a decade ago to 70 percent today. Because of lax vaccination laws across several states, this problem has only been aggravated nationwide. The CDC reports that as of April 7th, 2019, at least 465 cases of measles have been identified across the U.S., mostly among small children. These cases could have very well been prevented, had parents simply vaccinated their children or laws been made more strict to encourage such vaccination. Not just a national phenomenon, the antivaccination movement has reached the shores of South Florida. In 2016, an unnamed student in Miami-Dade County Public Schools was diagnosed with measles. Once the child had been hospitalized, estimates were drawn as to how many people she came into contact with while infected. Approximations were pegged
at around 100 people. The implications of this are momentous as just one unvaccinated child could potentially spread these life-threatening diseases to hundreds more people. At the same time, many of these students are prevented from getting vaccinated because of their religious faith, and multiple states, including Florida, have enacted policy allowing citizens to opt out of vaccines for any personal moral or philosophical reasons. The First Amendment states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Any law forcing citizens into mandatory vaccinations, however beneficial to society, is a violation of a citizen’s constitutional rights. Multiple school districts and municipalities have, however, instituted requirements for vaccines in order to use public services. School districts, public transportation and even public libraries have enacted regulations barring the participation of anyone who has not been immunized. Additionally, protections have been extended to employers not hiring anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated. In the wake of recent outbreaks both locally and nationally, Florida should drop its exemptions and actively deny unimmunized citizens the use of public services, regardless of any religious or moral reason. While still instituting requirements for vaccinations, these regulations do not constitute violations of one’s constitutional rights. It is regulations like these that Miami-Dade County, the county school system and surrounding local governments should adopt. Rules like these embrace the best of both worlds: a respect for the rights of the individual and precautions taken to prevent outbreaks of diseases like the measles and mumps. h
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IN FORMATION: The team competes in the armed regulation portion of the competition.
sports
JROTC leads at Nationals
Courtesy of Luana Navarro
Over spring break, the school’s JROTC team traveled to Virginia for their first Army Nationals competition By Sophia Heilman, Staff Writer
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FTER QUALIFYING FOR THE “It is something that you need to perfect in Army Nationals six years in a row, every single way. When you go in there you have the school’s Juniors Reserve Officers to be sharp. We got there, and we saw everyone Training Corps (JROTC) team finally made in their uniforms and it was like something from the trip to Richmond, Virginia for this year’s another world. We knew we could do our best, competition. The JROTC team is filled with and even if we did not win anything, the whole students who plan on experience was something being in the U.S. Army so big for us,” publicity and the U.S. Marines. officer and senior Luana THE GROUP THAT There were 103 different Navarro said. schools competing As a long-standing WE HAVE BEEN against the Gables tradition, they share a WORKING WITH JROTC team. Before prayer and encouraging THIS YEAR HAS the competition, they words in a circle before toured important parts of going to the competition BONDED SO MUCH Virginia and Washington square. JUAN TARANZO, D.C., including the Thirteen cadets SENIOR Lincoln Memorial and competed in the platoon, the Arlington National which is spinning rifles Cemetery. in position, then platoon regulation where “We were able to commemorate and the cadets march with rifles and do precision appreciate what so many have sacrificed for movements. The inspection portion is a part our country. It was an eye-opener for all of us of the competition where cadets are asked because it showed us that freedom is not free,” intense military questions about their futures senior Juan Taranzo said. and history by active military personnel and are As the first time competing so far from expected to answer the questions on the spot. home, the team practiced over a span of the The other competitions were exhibition, where school year and two hours each day to prepare the team performs a freestyle routine that they themselves. put together. In contrast with the exhibition,
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regulation is a strict routine that must be performed to perfection. Color Guard also competed in teams of four. For armed exhibition the team won 13th place, in armed Color Guard they won 30th, in armed exhibition 25th and in armed dual exhibition the team won 11th. Although the team did not win any first place awards for the routines, they were awarded the participation award, an award for teams with potential and qualifications across all competitions. “Even if we did not win top three at Nationals, we had a long drill season to get where we did. We had to beat a bunch of other schools and the participation award is an award of recognition,” sophomore Gabriel Armendariz said. The JROTC team took away many lessons from this experience, it brought them closer together and, most importantly, it taught them more about the importance of leadership. “The biggest accomplishment of the competition was sharing this experience as a team, as years pass, you meet so many people. The group that we have been working with this year is a group that has bonded so much. I would not have wanted to compete with any other team,” Taranzo said. h
sports 19
BADMINTON
Junior Nicholas Saliamonas placed fourth for boys singles in the GMAC tournament.
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ROARING RECORDS: (From left to right) Freshman Thais Forbes takes a swing. Senior Cecilia Rodriguez dribbles a soccer ball. Senior Fashawn Renejuste pins down his opponent. Junior Laia Gonzalez jumps a hurdle. Junior Sydney Pell approaches the plate. Senior Basilio Fernandez leads the football team.
20 sports
Courtesy of Cecilia Rodriguez
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Senior Fashawn Renejuste placed fourth in regional finals and had a total of six regional qualifiers.
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Courtesy of Cavaleon
GOLF
The girls varsity golf team won districts for the first time in the school’s history. Senior Zoila Herrera placed first and freshman Thais Forbes placed third.
SOCCER
Seniors Johnmark Kellog and Cecillia Rodriguez made First Team All-Dade. Senior Jason Wood and sophmore Nina Montara made Second Team All-Dade.
BOWLING
Junior Kevin Monjarrez made First Team All-Dade and senior Arturo Diaz-Dube placed first in district finals.
FOOTBALL
Seniors Gerald Williams and Rasaad Sawyer surpass the school’s all-time singleseason passing and receiving records.
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By Marta Rodriguez, Staff Writer
Courtesy of Cavaleon
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TRACK AND FIELD
Junior Violeta Alonso beats the school’s record for the mile time. She ran a 5:47, beating the previous record by two seconds.
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Courtesy of Cavaleon
GABLETTES
The team placed second out of 16 in varsity medium height kick competition at the National Dance Alliance National Dance Competition.
sports 21
THE THE WAGE GAP
As the pay disparity widens between male and female athlete re-evaluated, begging the question: is it justified to base wag
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Commentary by Audrey Weigel, Staff Writer
22 sports
By Gregoire Winston, Staff Writer
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highlights wishes luck to the school’s hardworking student athletes that will have the honor to play sports at the collegiate level
“The passion that I have for softball is what really motivates me. It sets standards in my life and it shows me how determined you have to be in order to go far,” Valerie Madriz, St.Thomas University Softball
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SENIOR SEND-OFF
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The U.S. women’s team has fought with the national soccer federation about this injustice for over 20 years now, it first became a public issue after the team boycotted a tournament in Australia in January 2000. Five players would file a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2016 and received permission from the federal agency in February to sue U.S. Soccer after a lack of progress on the complaint. Twentyeight of the women on the team filed the lawsuit immediately afterward, in March. The players’ have been using their social followings to support their cause and as a result,
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WOMEN DEFINITELY DESERVE TO GET PAID EQUALLY, BUT MOST COMPANIES ARE JUST USED TO WORKING WITH MEN. THE WHOLE ENDORSEMENT SYSTEM IS JUST VERY STRUCTURED AND STEPS NEED TO BE TAKEN TO CHANGE IT JACKSON HOFFMAN, SOPHOMORE
the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) decided to double the prize money pool for this summer’s Women’s World Cup after it was made clear how much less it is in relation to the men’s event. On top of that, the women flew on charter flights between matches, for the first time and U.S. Soccer has eliminated disparities in meal money and hotel accomodations. This lawsuit is already being used as a model for other female soccer teams, as the U.S. is the most prominent team in the sport. Spain’s team demanded the dismissal of its coach after the last World Cup and several members of Brazil’s team quit in protest after a popular female coach was replaced with a male one. Other national teams are becoming more public about the mistreatment and meager pay. “Women definitetly deserve to get paid equally, but most companies are just used to working with men. The endorsement system is very structured and steps need to be taken to change it,” sophomore Jackson Hoffman said. The women’s team has every right to be upset. Hopefully, this lawsuit will not only show U.S. Soccer the importance of valuing the women’s team, but poses as a model for the other soccer federations worldwide.
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and eight Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Gold Cups. In comparison, the U.S. Soccer men’s team has won no world cups, two Olympic gold medals and only six CONCACAF Gold Cups.
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HETHER OR not women have the same physical capabilities as men, or have the ability to participate in sports at the same level has been a controversial issue for a long time. When the modern Olympics were founded in 1896, the founder Baron Pierre de Coubertin stated that “no matter how toughened a sportswoman may be, her organism is not cut out to sustain certain shocks.” In 1928, women’s athletics finally made their debut at the Olympics and sixty years later, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognized sports and physical activity as a human right. Gender equality in sports has come a long way, but still has lots of room for improvement. There are now laws in place to prevent discrimination, and the sports industry claims to be doing all that it can to close this gap, but there are still many persistent issues. The U.S. Soccer women’s team has filed a lawsuit against U.S. Soccer, accusing the organization of gender discrimination. Most importantly, the women’s team makes less than the men’s team. On top of that, they have worse training equipment, medical treatment and means of transportation to and from the matches. This is not to say that the men’s team is necessarily better than the women’s team.On the contrary, the U.S. Soccer women’s team is the most successful in international women’s soccer, as they have won three Women’s World Cup titles, four Olympic gold medals
TAKES THE FIELD
hletes, the reasons behind the gap are being wages solely on merit?
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“I have a really good competitive drive and I’m very in tune with that. In golf, you are not only playing against the opposing side, but your teammates as well,” Zoila Herrera, Wheeling Jesuit University Golf
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Due to the active role of men’s sports in society, many male athletes are given opportunities for personal endorsements that most female athletes do not get. Much of this dissimilarity comes the lack of support for women’s sports. Globally, many places still view women as inferior to men. Therefore, men’s sports are publicized more and have a greater following, representing sexism on behalf of the fanbase. According to The Odyssey, since male athletes receive a greater amount of publicity, most companies like Nike and Adidas prefer to work with male athletes. Athletes with larger fanbases help the market
and help promote products much more efficiently because they have greater influences on supporters. These endorsements often make up a large part of their salaries, representing less inequity in the system and more in the economics. Moreover, in some sports like basketball, male-oriented teams provide funding for female teams. The NBA provides direct financial support and publicity for the WNBA, without which the latter would not exist. Given that their financial resources come from the NBA, equal pay is simply unobtainable. Regardless, there are some exceptions to the salary inequalities in sports. According to Adelphi University, the average salary of a female athlete in the Women’s Tennis Association in 2014 was around $345,000, whereas the average salary of a male athlete in the Association of Tennis Professionals was nearly $260,000. The financial success of an athlete does not correspond to the amount of talent or strength a player has. Rather it has to do with the level of entertainment and the demand of a game. Due to the commonality of advertisements in sports culture, many people are more motivated to go to a men’s sports game. This greater demand accounts for the difference in overall revenue, not the difference in skill. Although female athletes may be equally trained and talented, in sports, income purely comes from popularity and advertisement, something that is lacking in the field of female athletics, and needs to change in order for equal pay to become a possibility. h
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SINCE WOMEN’S SPORTS BECAME POPULARIZED LATER, MEN HAD MUCH MORE TIME TO DEVELOP A FANBASE EZEQUIEL GAMON SOPHOMORE
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“I play baseball for my parents, especially my dad. He’s put too much time and sacrifice into the game I love, so I play the game for him.,” Ernest Denis, ASA College Baseball
Considering women have only started gaining more rights in the past century, men have had an overwhelming amount of control in society for a long time, including sports. The men’s National Basketball Association (NBA) began in 1946, 50 years before their female counterparts in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) started off in 1996. The time disparity has allowed the teams and players in the NBA to develop a larger fanbase and gain more followers through its popularity in society for a longer period.
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OR CENTURIES, SALARY discrepancies between men and women have affected the workforce. The reemergence of feminism in recent years has caused great speculation and debate around the vast difference in pay between male and female athletes. However, the immense contrast in pay has more to do with sports economics than sexism. One major difference controls the disparity: revenue. Women are paid less because overall their games generate less profit. Since the majority of revenue earned in sports is raised through sponsorships and advertisements, male athletes typically get paid more. As per the Wall Street Journal, there was $17 million in sponsorship earnings for the 2015 Women’s World Cup tournament, in comparison with the $529 million collected for the 2014 men’s tournament. Since players get most of their salaries from the amount of advertisements they obtain, most male athletes get paid more, regardless of performance. “Since women’s sports became popularized later, men had much more time to develop a fanbase and now [women] are just overlooked. The truth is women get less attention,” sophomore Ezequiel Gamon said.
Commentary by Sara Ebrahimi, Staff Writer
sports 23
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BLAST TO THE PAST
the scene
Yesterday and Today Records’ vintage touch is the ideal hub for music collectors and connoiseurs alike By Isabella Villarroel, Staff Writer
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S ONE HEARS THE SOFT sound of the door bell, an LP plays The Human Beinz. As each song on the vinyl plays, a brief silence of people’s music powers through the small store on 9274 S.W. 40th Street. Yesterday and Today Records has held an amazing collection of 45s, LPs, CDs, eight tracks and cassettes among other miscellaneous memorabilia since 1981. Each vintage record has a story; who wrote it and who inspired it. This retro record store caters each of these stories to their eager customers. Employees like Bob Rubin, an alumnus of the University of Miami who’s now in his mid 70s, tells customers the background behind many genres and iconic time periods in music history. One of his all time favorite bands is The Kinks, a British band from the 60s and 70s. Some of their bigger hits were “Lola,” the perfect song for a road trip, released in 1970 and “You Really Got Me,” with a catchy, upbeat vibe, retrieved in 1964. This record store’s co-founders Rich Ulloa and Evan Chern moved locations five times in the span
24 the scene
of the 38 years they have been in business. As they progressively got more popular, they moved from their original corner store to bigger locations. They later split into seperate store fronts— one stocked with dance and techno, another with yesterday’s records and the other with present day records— which proved successful in its day, but did not last. Ulloa decided to try his hand at managing and working with local artists and left Yesterday and Today records in the hands of Chern who turned it into what it is today. As times changed, many abandoned their record players and their cassettes for iPhones and what was once a busy store became a hidden gem that has stood the test of time. As the years have gone by, collectors come in and out each searching for different genres and artists. Yesterday and Today Records has preserved the hard work of so many artists who did not have the opportunities to be commercialized on radio stations. Many blues musicians were never broadcast nationally but went on to influence great artists like Elvis Presley, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin
among many others. Although these musicians were not recognized in their time, Yesterday and Today Records allows them to still be heard. Some customers tend to purchase commercialized artists like The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Carole King and Queen. However, this is not the case for most of their clientele, which enjoy searching through Chern’s collection of unique records and CDs. “It’s really a mom and pop type of business now… I just like the music and I really enjoy turning a lot of people on to a lot of different music they wouldn’t know,” Chern said. Nowadays, Chern still runs Yesterday and Today Records with the help of his wonderful staff members who know music like the back of their hands. Ulloa, on the other hand, sold his share of the business to Chern and went on to manage rising artists and eventually work for the post office in the later years of his life. This business has catered to anyone with musical interest anywhere from the 50s to the 80s and has made its mark on the lives of the music lovers of yesterday and today. h
Isabella Villarroel / highlights
By Ruben Escobar, Business Manager
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PORTING COLORFUL DECORATIONS, UNICORN-THEMED sets, and eye catching props, the Unicorn Factory Miami has gained local fame following its early 2019 launch. It even claims to be one of the “most Instagrammable spots” in Miami, according to the Unicorn Factory’s website. The pop up is labeled as an experience, with its sole purpose being to provide professional settings for aspiring local media stars to take aesthetically pleasing pictures. The experience is open to all ages and is a self-guided tour through a picturesque building within Miami’s Wynwood design district. The experience itself consists of two, small, indoor mini-golf courses near the entrance that lead into a dark hallway lit up by black lights, glow-in-thedark graffiti of inspiring words and small portraits of iconic celebrities with an artistic Unicorn Factory spin. Within the hallway, there are five different rooms prepared with mystical and colorful twists on normal settings, such as a kitchen, a gym and a casino. Each set has its own theme and color scheme, but each one also incorporates a unicorn into its design in clever ways. At the end of the dark hallway, there is a small gift shop near the exit where visitors can purchase Unicorn Factory shirts, sweaters and merchandise. To visit the photographic experience, visitors must schedule a specific day and time in advance. However, due to the site’s popularity, sessions should get booked at least two weeks in advance. The overall price of admission with the addition of tax adds up to approximately $42. Additionally, there is a strict no refund policy and no tolerance for third-party tickets. But the price of the tickets does not mirror the quality of the experience. The cheap quality of the decorations along with the lack of cleanliness and maintenance to the sets does not meet the standards expected with such a steep admissions price. “The Unicorn Factory came out of nowhere without enough of a social media presence to bring in more people,” junior Sheyla Angelise said. “It might have one article on the Miami New Times, but nothing on Instagram or Facebook where everyone goes. I saw the posts on their story and their decor looks as if a child had put it up. I mean, the concept is cute, but its style will not attract everyone. I could see kids and influencers visiting to hype up their profiles on Instagram, but I would not drag my boyfriend to the Unicorn Factory.” Rather than a local attraction, the Unicorn Factory functions well as a method to build a larger social media following. Moreover, the Unicorn Factory does what it claims to do on its website, but for the same price or even lower customers could visit other local attractions geared towards amusement and an experience to remember. h
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This “Instagrammable” Wynwood pop up comes at a cost for its visitors
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Unicorn Factory
the scene 25
1-800LUCKY
By Arianna Peña and Emma Vela, Staff Writers Arianna Pena / highlights
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S ONE APPROACHES 1-800-LUCKY, THE illuminated neon sign shines through the crowded streets of Wynwood. Past the gates, customers see they are in a foodie’s paradise. A DJ blasts techno music as people mingle in the courtyard with phones in hand trying to capture the eclectic vibe of the patio. Customers line up at the window of a wooden ice cream stand, hoping to get a photo of the “Instagramable” fish shaped ice cream cones. Inside, the smells and sounds coming from different Asian food stands fill the hall. Regulars make bee-lines for their favorite stalls while newcomers wander around, searching for the perfect bite. People carrying trays with a collection of food maneuver themselves around tables, vying for an empty spot. 1-800-Lucky, located at 143 NW 23rd Street, has become one of the most popular spots in Wynwood. It serves an assortment of Asian foods, giving customers a taste of what a traditional Asian food hall would look like. Opened in 2017, the food hall has many different aspects to it including seven different vendors, a karaoke bar, a theater for private events and a shop selling everything from vinyl records to Japanese soda. 1-800-Lucky achieved internet fame for offering Taiyaki, a classic Japanese delicacy encompassing a fish shaped ice cream cone filled with red bean curd and topped with ice cream as well as items such as mochi and sprinkles. It has also gained respect among Miami foodies for its new and innovative take on a popular type of food. This trendy cafeteria is not without customer favorites. Those who frequent the establishment find themselves going to the same stands, Yip for dim sum, Myumi for sushi and Poke OG for poke.
26 the scene
Poke OG
Nestled right in the center of the 1-800-Lucky dining hall, it is next to impossible to miss Poke OG. The usually crowded venue causes long lines and slightly inconvenient wait times, but the large and attentive Poke OG staff makes sure to accommodate every customer’s need, even amid the chaos. The imitation sushi bar takes traditional Asian cuisine and adds a Hawaiian flair, offering signature poke bowls ranging from $11.50 to $16. Customers also have the option to build their own bowl with their choice of toppings, vegetables and proteins, ranging from salmon to vegan alternatives like tofu. Regular-sized bowls feature three scoops of protein and start at $13, while large bowls include five scoops of protein for $16 each. “Poke OG has the best ingredient combinations in the food hall, their bowls’ warm rice and cold toppings blend together for the perfect mouthful,” senior Trinidad McGraw said. “Don’t underestimate their vegan bowls either, delicious!” Their most well-known bowl is the Big Island OG, a delectable dish made from white rice, ahi, cucumber, sweet onions, fried onions and tossed in Hawaiian OG sauce to create a cool, sweet and savory platter. Another fan favorite is the Hybrid OG, which consists of brown rice, salmon, ahi, cucumber, sweet onions, edamame, green onions, jalapeno and fried onions seared in spicy OG sauce. In addition, any of the bowls can be made gluten free at one’s request prior to ordering. “The restaurant is usually packed with people, but PokeOG has the advantage of being right in the middle of everything,” sophomore Brigette Henriquez said. “You can stand in line and watch your bowl being made right in front of you.” This food bar, originally based in California, holds something in store for everyone, whether one is looking for an authentic Asian meal or a tangy bowl with a Hawaiian twist.
MYUMI
Courtesy of 1-800-Lucky
YIP
At the back of 1-800-Lucky a line forms for a small stand. A mountain of bamboo steamer baskets sit on the side counter, growing and shrinking as employees grab and put baskets back to serve. A golden lucky cat statue greets people as they walk up to the cash register to purchase food. Customers returning to pick up their food grab a pair of red chopsticks and walk away with a pile of these bamboo baskets. Created by Pembroke Pines’ Gold Marquess Fine Chinese Cuisine, YIP offers “dim sum,” traditional Chinese cuisine that serves food in small bite-sized portions in steamer baskets. Desserts are also served for customers who want a chance to sample different Asian dishes. At YIP, customers can order Dim Sum from three different categories. The steamed section includes the traditional Har Gao or shrimp dumplings and the customer favorite, Shanghai Dumplings filled with pork and savory soup, both for $7. YIP also offers vegetarian options such as the Veggie Spring rolls and Veggie Dumplings, for the same price. Additionally, the popular dim sum stand offers other Asian inspired treats, such as Cha Siu Bao, filled with savory kitchen roasted pork. “I love the stand and I have to come here every time I visit the restaurant. It feels like real and authentic Chinese food. They make everything fresh and right in front of you, so you know it is going to be good,” customer Melanie Nunez said. While limited, the options are a staple for loyal customers. The most in-demand dessert is the Crispy Mini Bao con Dulce de Leche, which are lotus leaf buns filled with creamy Dulce de Leche, for only $5. “Sometimes we have to put tape over the menu items. Our chefs work tirelessly to keep up with the demand of our customers and we appreciate the support from everyone. We aim to deliver both traditional Chinese and Latin fusion dishes,” staff member Juan Rodriguez said. YIP is an enjoyable experience for all clients. The food gives customers the experience of authentic Chinese food and Latin-Asian fusion. It provides an interesting take on dim sum, while also giving customers delicious appetizers at affordable prices.
At the center of the inner food hall, Myumi lures customers with the thought of their establishment’s enticing platters of colorful sushi. Chefs walk around the interior and serve customers slices of fresh fish laying on plates. It is easy to see why this stand is so popular. Myumi, an artisan sushi restaurant, shares a stand with the California-based Poke OG. One of the few places that offers Japanese style cuisine, the stand itself is a smaller version of the restaurant, also located in Wynwood. Customers can get nigiri, pieces of fish with rice or a selection of unique handrolls. When choosing nigiri, customers have the chance to purchase separate pieces of fish such as tuna for $15 or salmon for $6. “I love visiting Myumi whenever I come to 1-800-Lucky. My favorite is the Spicy Scallop roll with sesame seeds and pickled radish. The sushi is delicious and authentic and affordable for how good it is,” customer Brooke Grant said. If a customer wants the chance to sample everything that Myumi’s chefs offer, they can order the Omakase Plate, which includes a plate of five pieces of nigiri, hand picked by the chef, for $30. Myumi visitors can also branch out and take a look at the handrolls. One of the more popular items is the spicy tuna roll with tuna, scallion and pickled radish for $6. However, if consumers want to try a unique dish, they can order the uni or ikura roll with sea urchin, salmon roe and shiso leaf for $22. Myumi is a fantastic addition to the food hall, providing a break from the steaming food located all around 1-800-Lucky. Not only is it appetizing and fresh, the prices are relatively moderate for what is being sold, making Miyumi a must see on the next visit to the Asian food hall. h
STREAMING STARS: Top left: Looking up, red lanterns stream across the patio of 1-800-Lucky. Top middle: A graphic of the Maneki-neko, the Japanese cat of good fortune, greets you from the 1-800-Lucky website. Bottom right: The walls are decorated with vintage posters advertising everything from movies to cigarettes.
Arianna Pena / highlights
the scene 27
Sutton Payne/highlights
UNLOCKING ONLINE PRIVACY By Alexandra Torres
DID YOU KNOW?
Estimates predict that more than half of all data breaches globally will occur in the United States by 2023. Source: New Times
28 insight
In the midst of social media and online data scandals, the United states stance on user privacy and surveillance has come to the forefront of discussion. highlights investigated this phenomenon in an attempt to bring to light the need for improvement and accountability for online security.
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n a nation whose values are cemented on the foundations of honoring the rights of its citizens, the widespread implementation of invasive federal policies and lack of online citizen security seems to be inherently at odds with the United States’ principles. As the presence of technology has continued to grow in recent years, personal information has become increasingly accessible, leaving Americans prone to targeted marketing, leaked information and an infringement of basic individual freedoms. Social media has contributed greatly to this lack of privacy — when someone posts something, they are essentially allowing companies to profit off of their personal information. This can be attributed in part to the consumers themselves who are often careless about the things they post and naïve about the contractual obligations that social media brands often demand, which in turn leads to a direct forfeiting of their rights. People often post everything about where they are, what political party they align themselves with and what stores they shop at, making it effortless for companies to acquire their information for marketing tactics. Although the storing of information can occasionally be beneficial to the consumer, certain companies exploit this information for corporate profit with no concern for how it affects the people whose trust they are breaching. Recently, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg allowed companies such as Netflix, Airbnb and Lyft to buy users’ information to promote themselves through emails and advertisements targeted towards the specific interests of Facebook users. This phenomenon went unnoticed for years, as do most scandals of the sort. When it was made public, Facebook received immense backlash from government officials and users alike. According to Recode, Facebook’s growth has remained stagnant in the United States and Canada, its most lucrative markets, and lost $120
million in value, in addition to suffering a 20 percent stock drop as a result. Although the Facebook scandal received the most media coverage, it is by far not the only company to have infringed upon users’ privacy. According to the American Management Association, nearly 80 percent of popular websites use tracking software to monitor their users via the Internet and sell acquired information to other companies, thus infringing upon their rights and violating federal law. Google, the largest company in the world to use tracking software, tracks 60.3 percent of all Internet pages. Facebook comes in second, tracking 27.1 percent of all websites worldwide, and Twitter does not fall far behind, tracking 10.5 percent of websites, according to Ghostery Tech. Acquiring someone’s personal information is easier than it seems. Companies purposefully do not provide enough information on what people are agreeing to or display it as “fine print” incentivizing people to skim over it and sign away all their information without knowingly doing so. Thus, they create a system where they provide just enough information so as to avoid lawsuits but still be able to access private data for personal use. The U.S. government is also an active participant in the monitoring of its citizens. Questions about how much the government knows about everyone and how they acquire that information are not easily answered though. According to the Human Rights Watch, the U.S. government operates the largest and most advanced spying, surveillance and data collection programs on the planet. It is made up of multiple law enforcement and intelligence agencies, some of which operate in secret. The federal government consists of more than two dozen major agencies that perform regular record keeping for operational purposes, such as the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Social
insight 29
Sutton Payne/highlights
DID YOU KNOW?
In a study done by the University of California, Berkeley, it was found that roughly 50% of all websites use cookies.
Source: Berkeley Edu.
Security Administration. In 2017, the Patriot Act was updated, allowing for the unlimited surveillance of U.S. citizens and green card holders, often times without a warrant and with the use of discriminatory criteria against minorities when determining terrorist and crime affiliation. This bill highlights an even larger problem and possibly even a human rights violation — citizens have been kept in the dark, leading them to believe that the issue is not as pervasive as it actually is. The Patriot Act addresses several forms of surveillance, but it is unclear if electronic
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upon request. In addition to actively participating in the acquiring of personal information, the government also allows and sometimes even encourages companies to do the same. According to the American Bar Association, third parties such as Google and Facebook often work hand in hand with the government by trading information with government agencies, resulting in a relationship based on mutualism, but also making it more difficult for consumers to prevent being tracked. And while this cooperation greatly favors the American capitalism system and the competition that our
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Nicolas Vurgait,
Senior
surveillance is one of them. According to the Cornell University Legal Information Institute, if the government in fact does use systems of electronic surveillance, this would raise concerns that they are violating federal law, which generally prohibits spying via telephone or internet communications without a warrant. According to federal law, authorities may only obtain a warrant for internet surveillance if that person has or is about to commit a crime or is suspected to have connections to a foreign terrorist organization. The government does not explicitly state how they differentiate concerning behavior from normal one though, again raising concerns of unlawful surveillance. According to The Recorder, in January of 2019, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against seven government agencies, including the Department of Justice and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, for records related to social media surveillance activities. The lawsuit claimed that the failure of the seven government agencies to respond to a request for information involving the “surveillance of social media users and speech” violates the Freedom of Information Act which requires the full or partial disclosure of government documents
30 insight
marketing, sales and customer service efforts. If they do not have the right information on their customers, they are bound to waste time chasing leads that do not exist. Inaccurate data can also increase customer frustration if they are targeted incorrectly by marketing efforts, making it less probable that they will reach out to the same company again. From a monetary standpoint, poor customer data can cost billions in lost revenue every year, according to Pitney Bowes Software. Unfortunately, because of the sheer size of the data broker business, it is nearly impossible for consumers to do anything about the false information being sold.
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It's a free market so I do not believe that the government should regulate companies' electronic surveillance any more than they do now. nation thrives on, it also fails to recognize the importance of consumer and individual privacy rights. However, achieving substantial improvement in terms of user privacy has proved to be a difficult process to say the least. In fact, stronger laws have resulted in even more surveillance in the past, thus being counterintuitive in its initiative. When Facebook’s scandal came to light, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation put mechanisms in place attempting to protect users’ privacy, but it instead allowed the company to start using facial recognition across all of Europe, thus allowing a more expansive privacy invasion. As technology has continued to develop, buying and selling personal information has become an extremely lucrative market run by data brokers. Data brokers are entities that collect information about consumers, and sell that data to other data brokers and companies According to Forbes, most of the information sold by data brokers is incorrect which creates problems for both the company buying the information and the consumer. Most companies rely on accurate data to assist their
The way that most data brokers acquire personal information is through internet cookies, or small text files that are placed on a web browser or computer by websites, serving the same purpose as human memory. These text files usually make it easier for people when they are browsing a website they have previously visited by storing information that they entered into the website. Contrary to popular belief, cookies are not viruses and have no ability to create them. In fact, when used as first-party cookies — cookies belonging to sites one actually visits — they can be extremely helpful. Cookies become harmful when they turn into tracking cookies or third-party cookies. As the name suggests, the purpose of tracking cookies are often beneficial to the company but not the consumer as they track all of one’s searches on the Internet and make it easier for others to acquire information and eventually sell it. Internet cookies cannot take personal information unless it has already been provided, and although one is always presented with the option to disable cookies when browsing a website that uses them, the internet without cookies is a lot more difficult to manage. Advertisement companies often times
minimized. Althouh the first step in combating the problem is in the hands of the government, they are not the only ones to blame for the deterioration of privacy. Because of the capitalist nature of the country, it cannot be expected that private companies deem consumer rights more important than profit, but leaving consumers in
of times a person sees an advertisement within a certain window no longer exists, resulting in a bombardment of bothersome advertisements. On the other hand, the enablement of cookies may lead to a loss of privacy, resulting in a loselose situation for the consumer. Companies take advantage of the fact that most people do not have the patience or technical expertise to go through the lengthy process of disabling cookies in order to prevent them from turning them off. No cookies means no data for the company, which in turn means less money, as they do not have the data to sell to third-parties. When it comes to combating this epidemic, the rights of U.S. citizens are extremely limited. Although the Fourth Amendment offers some protection, the age of technology has brought along new challenges, creating loopholes for companies and government agencies to easily track everyone without a warrant, consent or even without their knowledge. Social media companies have more power than the consumers, but often refuse to use it because of corporate profit. Although they vaunt about their efforts to combat inappropriate or harmful content, they regularly stay silent when data brokers pay them to acquire customers’ personal information. Additionally, despite being criticized for their
As the privacy scandal gains momentum and is thrust into the limelight, questions have arisen about how to gain back the right to privacy. Though it is impossible to fully shutdown surveillance systems, the solution begins with the government. As the highest power, the government sets the standard for the rest of the country and if they themselves are illegally surveilling citizens, it cannot be expected that companies do any differently. By possibly going against their own laws, they are portraying the message that privacy is not important and that it is okay for government agencies and third-party companies alike to unlawfully acquire personal information. Instead of providing laws targeted towards a specific company who has already committed a crime, government officials should create a general guideline that all companies must follow when it comes to handling personal information, thus putting out the fire before it spreads. Additionally, consumers should be provided with a list of companies that are known to sell personal information to data brokers, allowing them to opt out of using certain websites. U.S, surveillence and illegal monitering has been a problem for nearly a decade, and must be
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I think that if anything, companies are using our personal information to their benefit and create sites with the sole purpose of acquiring our data.
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complacency and indifference towards the privacy problem, there is a substantial lack of accountability for media companies, allowing the process to continue. According to Forbes, because the current social media and internet platform favors the protection of large-scale companies, the consumer is “left in the dust.”
Barbara Borja,
Sophomore
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pay websites very large amounts of money to take up the whole page. But, since most website owners know that they are bothersome, they are usually rate-limited by sending cookies to the computer so that they are not seen too often by the same person. Consequently, when cookies are disabled, the limit on the number
the dark only creates more problems in the long run. Instead, companies should be required to notify the individual when their information is being sold and when the transaction is taking place, offering them the option of denying the company their data. Because the issue is largely centered around the misuse of cookies, websites should offer a middle ground instead of only giving their customers the choice of giving up their privacy or losing access to a website’s full capabilities by disabling cookies. Additionally, instead of automatically enabling cookies and later giving users the choice to disable them, the choice of whether to use cookies or not should be completely up to the user and should be disabled from the beginning, with the option to enable them if needed. Though the problem can in fact be somewhat attributed to the consumer, companies should be held at a higher standard so that people do not have to go out of their way to protect the rights they were given as American citizens. Because this phenomenon has become so widespread, the blame can not be fully placed on a single entity. To mitigate the spread of the issue, the government, private companies and the people all need to have one goal in mind : to provide as much transparency as possible. h
STUDENT
POLLS
highlights asked 353 students their thoughts about online security.
87%
of students do not trust that social media sites protect their information
47% Sutton Payne/highlights
of students believe that government surveillance is acceptable
71%
of students do not support the selling of data for targeting advertising
insight 31
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lightbox
Senior Marcel Paba acts his heart out during the Troupe 0476 endof-the-year show in the Little Theatre on April 1. “Gables Shorts” included a series of performances written, directed and acted by the incredibly talented Troupe students.
Gregoire Winston/highlights