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

I s s u e 5 , F e b r u a r y 2 015 , V o l . 5 5

TESTING TRANSITION:

EOCs introduced for all classes

By Mia Tolpin

The level of the course a student is currently enrolled in will decide between whether a DDEOC or a Teacher/Principal EOC assessment wil be administered. Most electives will The 2014-15 school year will see the receive Teacher/Principal EOCs, and most core subject classes implementation of End Of Course Assessments will receive a DDEOC. However, Advanced Placement (AP) (EOC) for every class. The tests will replace the classes will have the final AP exam take the place of their Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) that EOC. The same goes for International Baccalaureate (IB) was eliminated last year, filling in learning gaps left classes. by the district and the state.

“What I don’t think is fair is that In addition to state There are academic aspects in a state test is very different from a mandated EOCs, which test that a teacher makes. The test art classes, but what measures are computer-based, criterionmade by a teacher is going to be a student’s progress is the final referenced assessments that directly geared to what the teacher product.

[The tests] are turning correspond with state created taught, whereas a state test could the arts into academics. standards — like those given to cover something the teacher might Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, Jennifer Stapleton, not have taught,” Assistant Principal Biology, Civics, and U.S. History Ceramics teacher Joseph Evan said. students — District Designated All courses, including electives, End Of Course Assessments will have an EOC. Every course has (DDEOC) and Teacher/Principal Selected EOC assessments learning objectives dictated by the state. The exam will follow will be put in place. DDEOCs and Teacher/Principal Selected those set benchmarks. The standards and course descriptions EOC assessments are tests put together either by the district specify expectations for the students and provide the basis for (DDEOC) or by the teacher of the particular course (Teacher/ the content that will be measured on each assessment. The Principal Selected EOC). DDEOC testing will begin on May already existing state mandated EOCs count as 30 percent of 11. students’ final grades, though the weight of the new EOCs, or “Although I believe that there are more efficient ways of if they will have a weight at all, has not been publicized. examining the students’ knowledge and the teachers’ adequacy “There are academic aspects in art classes, but what in teaching the course, I don’t think that any of the alternatives measures a student’s progress is the final product, ” ceramics to such an exam is better. I do think the EOCs could benefit teacher Jennifer Stapleton said. “[The tests] are turning the some students in specific courses, but it should not be required arts into academics.” for all,” junior Sofia Lopez said.

news

STAFF WRITER

AUGUST

180 DAYS OF SCHOOL

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EACH CLASS MEETS

FOR 90 DAYS

5 IN A NO CREDIT

OR MORE UNEXCUSED ABSENCES MAY RESULT

JUNE

9 23 MANDATED TESTS

AVERAGE NUMBER OF TESTS A JUNIOR WILL TAKE AT GABLES NATIONAL/STATE/DISTRICT

ADMINISTERED AT GABLES

Maggie Rivers/highlights

Catharsis hosts first trivia night

By Sabrina Fiske

Participants answered questions in categories of History, Geography, Art, Entertainment, Sports and Science—similar to the categories in the popular trivia game app, Trivia Crack— In the school’s first trivia contest, 18 teams with each category having 10 questions. In order to participate competed against each other to raise money for the in the trivia contest, each team had to pay $10. academy of Communication Arts, Film and Digital “Everyone had a lot of fun. It was challenging, and Media (CAF&DM). In everyone seems pretty enthusiastic the New Cafeteria on Jan. to do it again,” Zaldivar said.

Everyone had a lot of fun. It 27, the teams of up to four Sophomores Holden Payne, was challenging, and everyone contestants each answered Mark Braun, Lane Morris and Sofia seems pretty enthusiastic to do questions ranging from Quevedo won with 47 points. The it again. completing lyrics from Bruno Mars’s E-Lemon-ators, Pizza Gang and Michelle Zaldivar, Uptown Funk to naming the largest Political Slackers tied for second organ in the human body. with 46 points. The winning team, English teacher “I personally love trivia. The First Place, got lunch from Chipotle trend in smart phone apps with trivia delivered to them at the school. seems to really be taking hold, but I think what solidified the Other random prizes were awarded to the winning teams of idea [for the trivia competition] was seeing the success of a each round. trivia night at a national conference that CAF&DM attended “We played a good game fair and square, [but] I think in November. We saw how they were able to pull [the trivia what helped us the most was our teamwork. We were contest] off with such a large group, and decided to give it a optimistic, we had great guesses… and we picked key people try,” English teacher and event organizer Michelle Zaldivar who knew facts about certain areas, like Entertainment and said.

Science,” Braun said.

Sabrina Fiske/highlights FACT FINDERS: Sophomores Sofia Quevedo, Holden Payne and Mark Braun discuss a possible answer during the entertainment round of the school’s first trivia night in the New Cafeteria on Jan. 27.

PG. 12 Junior Francis Robinson shows off his self-taught magic tricks.

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sports

PG. 14 Senior football players sign with college teams.

the scene

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PG. 15 highlights lays out a plan for picnicking in the park.

news

highlights February 2015

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Student government results announced

By Natalie Viglucci STAFF WRITER

On Jan. 20, students elected officers to Ashley Cruz were chosen as student council represent their respective grade levels for treasurers. Juniors Eleanor Harley, Daniela the 2015-16 school year. Students chose a Quijano, and Taylor Fay were chosen as senior president, vice president and secretary for the class treasurers. Sophomores Pepe Puig and sophomore, junior and senior classes and for Hannah Cordes were chosen for junior class student council. treasurers. Freshmen Leila Iskandarani and Junior Grace Howie was elected Student Valeria Gutierrez were chosen as sophomore Council president, junior Joshua Zambrano treasurers.

Student Council vice president and junior To run for office, candidates had to Alexander Elortegui Student Council secretary. complete an application that included Junior Jordan Payne was voted senior class information about themselves and their president, junior Gabrielle Saliamonas senior interests in running for their specific positions. class vice president, and junior Gisselle They then went through the campaig process, Gonzalez as senior class secretary. Sophomore followed by voting which took place on Annie Farrell was elected junior class paper ballots rather than online. According to president, sophomore Albany Muria junior Activities Director Ana Suarez, paper ballots class vice president, were used because and sophomore Sabrina Howie’s older I decided to run because I love Gonzalez junior class brother created the being able to lead and take a secretary. Freshman online voting site, stand for what I think is right.

Savannah Payne was and she wanted to voted sophomore class Alexander Elortegui, avoid problems. president, freshman Sara “I decided to Junior Saliamonas sophomore run because I love class vice president, and freshman Juliana being able to lead and take a stand for what I Balladares sophomore class secretary. think is right,” Elortegui said. “I hope to keep “Being vice president has allowed me to everything here at Gables running smoothly get a grat view on how the student body works. and continue to provide many activities to our Collaborating with other board members has deserving students.” been an extremely memorable experience and The campaigning started on Jan. 10. has taught me many life lessons. It’s great to Posters were placed all around the school be able to plan fun events for my class and sporting slogans and memes, and lanyards with senior year is going to be one to never forget.,” candidates’ names were passed out. Social Saliamonas said. media sites was used as well with photos and A runoff took place between Farrell and captions encouraging students to vote for the sophomore Holden Payne for the position candidates. of junior class president. They had time to Many of the elected officers have ideas and campaign again before the sophomore class expectations for the coming year that they are voted between the two. Farrell ended up the looking forward to implementing. victor.

“Junior year is a really big year. It is Treasurers for each council were also our last year before journeying into becoming selected through interview and application. seniors. I really want to make this crucial year Juniors Maria Estrada, Joseph Villafane, and the best for Class of 2017,” Farrell said.

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Natalie Vigluccii/highlights RESULTS REVEALED: (Top to bottom) The newly elected sophomore, junior, senior and student council officers. After a week of campaigning and voting, the board members took their respective positions.

upcoming events FEBRUARY

MARCH

12

JUNIOR TREAT DAY, BOTH LUNCHES

12

FIRST DAY OF GRAD BASH

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CAF&DM FIELD DAY, FIELD, 12:00 P.M.

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CAF&DM TREAT DAY, BOTH LUNCHES

BOOTH, 18 13 MARRIAGE BOTH LUNCHES

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CAREER FAIR, AUDITORIUM, DURING SCHOOL.

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SENIOR TREAT DAY, BOTH LUNCHES. SOPHOMORE TRIP, ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE

Fundraising for water stations

By Eleonor Bauwens STAFF WRITER

On Feb. 9, junior Tesla Sullivan began a Kickstarter campaign to fundraise for the purchase and installment of two water bottle filling stations at the school. Sullivan will be working with the Support Our Sports (SOS) and Gables Earth clubs to put together funds for one of the filling stations.

Sullivan said that she would like to be able to afford three water bottle filling stations, one on each floor of the New Building, by the end of April. In the future, she said she hopes that Whole Foods will work with her for additional installations of water stations throughout the school. The plan thus far is to raise funds to start off the installations and later ask Whole Foods to donate the water bottle filling stations that it no longer uses.

“As a kid I always cared about the environment and about protecting our waters. I recently began seeing water bottle filling stations in malls, other schools, gyms etc., and I thought our school would really benefit from having them. At home I recycle and reuse as much as possible, but I want to target a larger place. I think Coral Gables is the perfect place to raise awareness as well as encourage students to make more environmentally friendly choices,” Sullivan said.

Water bottle filling stations are equipped with sensors to detect when a bottle is ready to be filled. Once it no longer detects a bottle, it immediately stops the running water. This system promotes clean, filtered water and reusable bottles by giving access to better tasting water that easily and quickly fills up bottles.

Junior Class Ring Ceremony

Savannah Payne/highlights RINGING IN THE JUNIORS: (Left) Juniors Kaitlyn Smith and Sophia Calvo strike a pose for the cameras as they make their way through the ring on the audotirum stage. (Middle) Junior Jeanette Fernandez shows off her newly acquired ring after the ceremony. (Right) The junior class board gathers together in front of the ring as they wait for the ceremony to start.

highlights

4 3 Auditorium to undergo changes December 2014 February 2015

Ferreira joins men’s choir

By Savannah Payne STAFF WRITER

Senior Felipe Ferreira was recently accepted into the All-State Men’s Choir. After completing a written test, a sight-reading test, a sight-singing test and vocal auditions for bass voice, Ferreira was offered a position in the choir.

Over the weekend of Jan. 17, Ferreira attended the All-State Convention in Tampa at the David A. Straz Junior Center.

Ferreira has been taking piano lessons since he was ten years old and has been in a marching band for the past two years.

This year he joined chorus at the school and became Secretary of Tri-M, the music honor society at the school.

Ferreira said that he wants to continue his musical career in college “regardless [of] whether [he] gets into a music school or not.”

All-State is a music convention for different musical ensembles. As written on the Florida Vocal Association’s website, “The All-State Choirs are highly select groups of choral students from Florida’s junior high, middle, and senior high schools who are brought together for the purposes of rehearsing and performing selected music with guest conductors.”

Teachers recommend their students to apply for All-State, a highly recognized group among high school music teachers.

Encouraged by chorus teacher Mary Morrow who prepared the students and signed them up, Ferreira decided to audition.

Ferreira auditioned in early October at Westminster Christian School and heard the news of his acceptance in November.

“It was amazing. The quality of musicianship there is phenomenal,” Ferreira said.

After applying and auditioning, the best vocalists in Florida are put together to for the 2015 All-State Men’s Choir.

Among them, is Ferreira. Together the All-State Men’s Choir performed at the All-State music convention.

“It’s a great opportunity, but it isn’t about me or the end product. It’s about the process behind what we do,” Ferreira said.

By Susana Rudin STAFF WRITER

This year, the school plans to improve the auditorium. The funding and plans for the renovations are complete, and the next stage of the process will be the actual renovations.

Last year marked the schools 60th anniversary. Since the school’s opening, most areas of the school have undergone some sort of renovation, reconstruction, or technological update. However, the auditorium was in need of modifications and renovations.

The plans for the auditorium include reupholstering chairs, painting the bottom of the seats and carpeting the first floor.

The renovations will begin in late February or early March and will be completed, at earliest, at the end of April, according to Assistant Principal Joseph Evans.

The auditorium is the location of several annual events and ceremonies, such as the junior ring ceremony, which still took

place in the auditorium as planned, despite confusion earlier in the year about a change in location. In regards to other events, Evans said that other venues will have to be sought out.

Depending on the size of the event, the gymnasium may also be used as a substitute.

The Black History Show, which takes place every February, has been pushed back this year. However due to conflicting schedule dates for the show and the construction, the show’s date is not set according to social studies teacher Porsha Smith. As of Feb. 9 the show is still scheduled for Feb. 20, but this date rests on the projected construction start date.

Either way this year’s show will be much simpler than those before due to the confusion about when and if the show would take place. As for testing, the auditorium will not be used during testing for displaced classes regardless of whether the modifications are complete or not. “[The whole renovation project] will cost approximately $40,000,” principal Adolfo Costa said. The district will fund the full expense.

Gables drops to a ‘B’ school

By Vanessa Vazquez STAFF WRITER

The school received a B in performance for the 2013-14 school year. Performance grades are given yearly to score schools’ overall academic achievements.

For the 2012-13 school year and the year before, the school received an A. The school was given a B the year before, and an A in 2010. From 1999 to 2009 the school earned a C grade.

Test scores taken into consideration include End-ofCourse (EOC) Assessments, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), and other standardized tests. Test scores, graduation rates, and other factors determine a school’s performance grade.

One key determining factor for the school’s performance grade is the difference of at-risk graduates from year to year.

At-risk students are those who repeatedly score a 1 or a 2 on the reading or math FCAT. “[According to the state], seniors are identified as at-risk

[students] when they [are] in eighth grade. They took the FCAT and they [scored] either level 1 or level 2 in reading or math. They take the FCAT several times and they become retakers,” Assistant Principal Nestor Diaz said.

Three years ago, 65 percent of the school’s at-risk seniors graduated on time. An increase to 74 percent was seen in the following year, giving the school an “A” in performance.

In order for the school to once again be named an “A” school, an increase of 1 percent in the graduation rate of at-risk students is needed; however the school only had 70 percent, a 4 percent decrease.

Apart from an increase in graduates, a total of 1,120 points must be gained in order to achieve an A in performance.

Test scores and grades go into the point system. The school received a total of 1,150 points for the 2013-14 school year, but was not rated an A school because there was not a sufficient increase in the graduation rates of at-risk students.

According to Diaz, implementing tutoring programs and intensive classes can help bring the school back up to an A.

Congrats The JROTC drill team received five first place titles, four second places titles, and five third place titles at the Coral Park Drill Meet.

The Gablettes won first place in three categories and second place in two categories at the ADA Florida State Dance Championships.

The boys’ soccer team won the District Championship against Ronald Reagan Doral High School on Jan. 23 and advanced to the regional semi-finals.

Seniors Eldrick Clapp, Andy Moreira, Mateo Piedrahito, and Jontavis Testa received the 5000 Role Models scholarship.

City Wide Coin Laundry 2625 Coral Way, Coral Gables, FL 33145 (305) 854-2313

news

highlights

4 CAF&DM students show appreciation for journalism

By Sydney Scanlon STAFF WRITER

educate on the value of news. Feb. 3 was teacher appreciation day. All the publications voted on the teachers who are particularly helpful to them and CavsConnect provided the teachers with breakfast. Feb. 4, yearbook organized a photo booth, allowing students to dress up and take pictures. Field day, organized by TV Production, was scheduled for Feb. 5 but then postponed until Feb. 13 due to inclement weather.

The week concluded with a photography and photo contest put together by Catharsis.

“All the publications worked together,” Zuniga said.

Throughout the week, there were additional activities for the whole school. There was a scavenger hunt spanning the entire week that took students all over the school looking for clues. The clues were released through the CavsConnect Twitter account. TV Production aired segments on the morning announcements about First Amendment rights, specifically freedom of speech.

Zuniga said she hopes that the general population will be more informed on the five award-winning, student-run publications and possibly “peak their interest,” resulting in more students applying to each publication.

Courtest of Cavaleon

The Communication Arts, Film, and Digital Media (CAF&DM) academy celebrated Scholastic Journalism Week last week with a Newseum, teacher appreciation breakfast, photo booth and a photo contest. The Journalism Education Society designated the week of Feb. 22-28 as Scholastic Journalism Week.

Yearbook advisor Ana Zuniga has been academy leader for four years and immediately implemented the journalism festivities. She said that she had a “vision” for the academy where everyone could “celebrate each other.”

“Being a journalist myself, I find that we are oftentimes underappreciated and overcensored...the week’s festivities really accentuated the value of journalism,” CavsConnect Anchor sophomore Holden Payne said.

The first day of CAF&DM Journalism Week, Feb. 2, included a Newseum on the second floor of the New Building.

The front pages of nationally recognized newspapers reporting major events were posted on the walls, aiming to publicize and

February 2015

WACKY WEDNESDAY: Seniors Daniel Ruiz, Bradley Lee, Gabriela Urban, Paola Sanchez and Maria Arroyave dress up for a picture at yearbook’s CAF&DM week photo booth.

opinion

highlights February 2015

EOCs for all classes raise concerns

STAFF

Editorial

Starting this year, there will be an End of Course Assessment (EOC) for every class. Despite what students may think, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing; every teacher will now, more or less, be held accountable for what he or she teaches, though the system itself has kinks that the state, district, and school should work out and explain before any of the three can justify the use of the new system.

A Teacher/Principal Selected EOC is a test for classes without existing EOCs which will be created by teachers of the same course or in the same department, then submitted to and approved by the school principal; in other words, it’s a way to fill the testing gaps left by the district and state.

The concept itself is paradoxical: though it is somewhat individualized because specific classes are being tested based on what the state determines they should learn, certain elective classes are lumped together and evaluated with broad tests that are distantly related to the classes themselves. As of this year, for example, the journalismbased elective classes (e.g. Newspaper 2, Yearbook 3, TV Production 4) will be tested with a blanket EOC created by advisors that hearkens more to basic English grammar than actual journalism. On the other hand, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), the previous standardized testing system, was so specific to core subjects that electives were left out of the picture entirely and elective teachers’ merit pay was based on the scores of classes they did not teach.

The logical compromise is to further tailor EOCs to the classes they are meant to evaluate, particularly if those classes are electives that vary from school to school. The EOC itself doesn’t even have to be an exam; it could be an assignment that is already required of enrolled students, such as the Prescribed Title essay that certain International Baccalaureate (IB) Theory of Knowledge (TOK) classes will accredit as an EOC. Though this would stop detraction from elective

highlights ADVISORY BOARD: EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

BUSINESS MANAGER

COPY EDITOR

Brooke Donner

Maria Ovalle

Maggie Rivers

Cyrus Zeledon

ADVISER

Melissa Gonzalez

SECTION EDITORS: NEWS

OPINION

INSIGHT

FEATURES

SPORTS

THE SCENE

Camila Lupi

Raquel Braun Francis Pérez

Stephan Chamberlin

Bianca Mangravite Laura Acosta

Staff Writers:

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

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

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

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

classes with far-fetched blanket exams, it does little for students who think they will have to sit for an EOC and an Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) test in the same class. Fortunately, this is not the case.

It doesn’t make sense to overload students with double the amount of tests when they are already being academically challenged. Students should nevertheless be informed ahead of time, as with the whole new testing system in the first place: even if we’re used to an incessant battery of exams at the end of the school year, we have the right to know which ones we will be sitting for and why.

District Designated EOCs (DDEOCs) imitate the already established state EOCs (in Algebra I, Geometry, U.S. History, etc.) but are created by the district from a state database of questions. They have the potential to weed out teachers with low passing rates in classes other than those previously tested with the FCAT. In addition to administrators’ judgment in reviewing prototype Teacher/ Principal Selected EOCs, this is ultimately a good thing for students because the school’s grade—and thus, reputation—will depend on whether the students have a teacher who teaches the material on the EOCs well enough to keep the school’s grade at a “B.” Classes are assigned to DDEOCs arbitrarily. Ceramics 1 has a DDEOC, for example, but students in other electives will have to sit for a Teacher/Principal Selected EOC. According to school administrators, the only visible pattern to which classes are tested with DDEOCs is that lower-level classes with higher enrollment tend to have priority. The new DDEOCs don’t have an established weight in classes’ final grades as of yet. The district needs to have a sensible, uniform pattern of which classes have to take exams, and how much the exams will be weighted, as opposed to picking and choosing with little explanation.

The public school students of this generation have already been conditioned to standardized testing.

Additional tests shouldn’t come as a surprise nor be of a particular burden—though this does not excuse the poorlythought-out system that the district and state have come up with. An experimental year with FCAT as the temporary standard should be a model for pilot EOCs to test the new system for viability before students are unwittingly held to unfamiliar standards.

5

Reparative therapy: misguided, hurtful, and unethical

Commentary by Kasandra Scholz STAFF WRITER

In a world that is hostile toward those who fall within the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender (LGBT) categories, more and more people are turning toward treatments that they believe will help them, or their children, become “normal.” Marketed as a way to “fix” individuals’ sexuality or gender identity disputes, conversion therapy is a broad term that describes a range of psychotherapy and counseling methods that aim to change participants’ sexuality or gender identity. Conversion therapy can be hugely detrimental to both physical and mental health, as is evident in the recent incident involving Leelah Alcorn, and should be avoided at all costs.

Conversion therapy operates under the assumption that sexuality and gender identity are determined by choice, treating disputes as mental disorders that need to be corrected.

In the past, treatment involved destructive “cures” such as shock therapy, hormone injections, and aversion therapy.

Modern treatments, in contrast, are mostly verbal, but still have a great ability to do psychological harm, and have been known to exacerbate both anxiety and depression. Conversion therapists incorrectly tell their patients that their way of life is wrong, widening the chasm between LGBT individuals and what many believe is “normal” society.

Despite its dubious credentials and often negative impact, many individuals still seek conversion therapy. Some participate voluntarily, but in other cases, LGBT minors are forced into conversion therapy by their parents. Compulsive conversion therapy is indicative of an unaccepting home life, and can lead to depression or suicide. The recent tragedy where transgender teenager Leelah Alcorn took her own life after being subjected to conversion therapy is a testament to this.

Conversion therapy is an ineffective and harmful way of dealing with disputes about gender identity or sexuality. Therapy should not aim to change participants or convince them that they are wrong, but should help them examine and accept their identity in their own way. Conversion therapy should be replaced with better forms of aid, and LGBT individuals should have access to more supportive types of therapy that can help, rather than harm.

North Korea satires overshadow grim situation for impoverished people Commentary by Octavio Castro STAFF WRITER

Though only having been released online, the comedy film “The Interview” starring James Franco and Seth Rogen, has gained a lot of notoriety. The comical portrayal of North Korea and its leaders, both in the film and pop culture, can be problematic to North Korean citizens by undermining the seriousness of their struggles and lack of human rights.

Co-written by Rogen and Evan Goldberg, “The Interview” follows two journalists, played by Franco and Rogen, who have the opportunity to interview the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. The CIA jumps on the opportunity and hires the journalists to assassinate the dictator. This movie became controversial because of North Korea’s strong opposition to it.

A spokesman for the North Korean foreign ministry called the movie “an act of terrorism and war.” Further response from North Korea included Kim Jong-un launching test missiles and threatening to take action against the U.S. These threats were not taken very seriously, as North Korea doesn’t have the resources to wage a war alone against the U.S. The problem does not stand with the North Korean threats, rather the effect that the movie has on Western countries. “The

Opposable THUMBS

Interview” portrays Kim Jong-un and other North Korean leaders as dismissible figures who only shake their fists and make empty threats. Rising attention of the movie only adds to North Korea’s image of a far-off backwards country with a comical leader. It portrays North Korea as a minor threat and draws away from the real issues happening there.

Western media’s cartoonish portrayal of Kim Jong-un diverts attention from the tragedies that plague North Korean citizens, from mass hunger to prison camps. There is no free media, functioning civil society, or religious freedom; all of this is being regulated by the government. Any political opposition from citizens will result in placement into prison camps. Arbitrary arrest, detention, lack of due process, torture, and ill-treatment of detainees remain serious and pervasive problems. According to the World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization, approximately 2.8 million North Koreans face under-nutrition. The government food policies all favor military and government officials.

All these problems are evident, yet the North Korean government does not allow for any foreign aid. Still, increased attention should be placed on North Korean human rights problems, including increased popularity of movies like “Camp 14: Total Control Zone” instead of movies like “The Interview.”

Through this shift in focus, there would be increased sympathy towards North Korean people from Western societies.

Trivia Crack

SuperBowl Halftime

“The only reason I know the capital of Mozambique.”

-Vanessa Vazquez, Staff Writer

“Missy Elliott was the main act in my heart.”

-Maggie Rivers, Managing Editor

Postponed Exams

Red Light Suspense

Guac at Chipotle

“Now I can ruin all my studying with Netflix.”

-Avery Budin, Staff Writer

“I stare at people, Terry Crews would be proud.”

-Joey Lancaster, Staff Writer

“I could get a whole burrito in Mexico for that much.”

-Stephan Chamberlin, Opinion Editor

opinion

highlights

6

February 2015

Universal community college

In his State of the Union address, President Obama laid out a proposal to provide free two-year degrees to every student in America with a high enough graduating GPA. Is his plan a hopeful longshot or a plausible reality?

Commentary by Danny Delgado

Commentary by Joey Lancaster

STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

Once again, President Barack Obama has made another bold step towards economic prosperity by proposing America’s College Promise, which can be seen as a surefire way to get more people into the middle class however, while the concept of a free college education is dandy, America does not have room in the budget to give hand outs. The national debt now exceeds $18 trillion and continues to spiral out of control. Here is a news flash for the president: we are broke. Actually, we are beyond broke, and we cannot afford to do this.

As it is, many community college students don’t respect their education and prefer to do the bare minimum. Less than half of students who enter a community college graduate or transfer to a four-year college within six years, which, according to Obama, is what the American College Promise is supposed to fix. However, if these community college students already do not take paying for an education seriously, imagine how they will view it when it is free? All that free community college will do is insure that graduation rates will continue to decline.

The conversation around making community college free also masks a larger problem: community colleges are already subsidized and far less affordable. At $3,300, community college tuition is well under the $5,730 currently available Pell Grant for low-income students. However, the expenditure per student at a community college is far higher, about four times more at $13,000 per student.

That means that more than 60 percent of the cost of community college is not paid for through tuition, but through various forms of government aid at the federal, state and local levels.

Here is the bottom line: the government’s largest obligation is keeping the nation fiscally healthy, especially in our state of recovery. Borrowing money and adding to the national debt is just plain irresponsible. Another aspect that continues to be overlooked is the fact that college isn’t necessarily for everyone and there are plenty of jobs out there that require no more than a high school degree. So giving students a free ride without having to do something in exchange for an education being payed for by Uncle Sam is not only a bad idea in the short term, but it continues to reinforce the entitlement mentality that plagues so many in today’s younger generation.

Bold and innovative

TWO VIEWS

Expensive and unproven

President Barack Obama’s recent proposal for two years of free education at a community college is probably the most intrepid move in education from the White House in decades. The proposal, called America’s College Promise, would make higher education more accessible to millions of students, and save full-time students an average of $3,800 a year. However, like most of Obama’s proposals, it is currently under scrutiny from the right due to its costly nature.

The benefits of a more educated, specialized, and prepared workforce far outweigh the cost for two years of free college tuition is and this proposal should be taken as an important stepping stone in our flawed education system.

The proposal, although many might disagree, is plausible both financially and politically. Adding two years to the existing free education system will cost approximately $60 billion over 10 years, and while many might see this and balk at the expense and be detered from taking any further action on the idea, this is actually a fair price and investment that will in turn yield a more equitable and educated nation. Not only does this add to the pool of better-educated, better-qualified work force, but it also leads to a more-informed electorate, all of which in turn results in the progression and improvement of a nation.

An approach to paying for this investment is to recalibrate some of the corporate subsidies that are currently in place. Our oil and coal investments are approximately $21 billion a year according to several estimates, and Taxpayers for Common Sense count $3.38 billion in the most recent budget for military programs.

This is a matter of refocusing our national priorities and re-allocating money that the federal government is spending on ineffective programs. Politicians should stand behind and work for a plan that puts the health of the individual citizens over the well being of large and powerful corporations. It is time to update and reboot our education model to fit and work in a changing and global economy. This is about progress and investing in our nation, our students, and our teachers. For the U.S. to maintain its status as a place of innovation, opportunity and progress, it must refocus its attention on improving its own policies and educational infrastructure. This is the beginning of an era of internal reform for the U.S., and the last big fight of Obama’s presidency.

Music in the hallways: dangerous and corrupt Commentary by Stephan Chamberlin and effective at making us appreciate freedom. That OPINION EDITOR

We’ve all heard it. We’ve become all too familiar with the noise that comes on over the PA system walking from class to class on Mondays: the sound of those eccentric dressing, hip sounding so-called “artists” that plays between periods. As a school, we’ve lost the prison-like atmosphere that’s kept us on the right path, and now that it’s gone, the administration needs to help serious students like me take it back.

This school has an excellent track record of discipline.

The chain link fences that snaked around the school two years ago made this place feel more like a prison block. They funneled students to class; they were purposeful, cold, gray,

large gate we all know and love at the front of the auditorium stands as a nostalgic, cage-like, reminder of the good old days. The extravagant sugary PopTarts that were leading our students astray have been removed from the vending machines. The rebellious attitude inspired

by Papa John’s pizza and Sushi Maki has been justifiably crushed. And to think we were doing so well.

Now we’re lost. The “music” that plays in the hallways is evidence of that. I see the results of this corrupting force daily, in the smiles on the faces of students enjoying their six minutes of freedom, in the student who thinks the music is an excuse to leisurely saunter between the rigorous courses most students take at this school. Well I have a message for you, Hallway Saunterer. Going from Ceramics 1 to Drawing/ Painting 2 is a serious endeavor. This isn’t a party. Just

because Iggy Azalea is playing does not mean you get to walk slower and hold up traffic. The Freshman with the rolling book bag behind you is nervous, sweating, late for class, and your lack of discipline is affecting us all.

The solution to this problem is not to eliminate the music entirely. We have to actively repair the wounds that Beyonce, Hozier, Meghan Trainor, The Beatles, and Bob Marley have opened. What we need is Tchaikovsky’s symphony No. 4.

We need all four movements, all 45 minutes of it played in chunks between classes. His sense of emotional urgency in this beautiful piece comes with an unprecedented flow of melody, and is exactly what we need to keep the hallways the dark and emotionally confusing place that they once were.

Our students work best in an environment where they’re uncomfortable, and find almost nothing they can relate to. It’s time we took our school back.

Commentary by Maggie Rivers MANAGING EDITOR

Dollars spent by Big Pharma on lobbying efforts

42

Percent profit margin of Pfizer, world’s largest drug company from the US

6

Of the world’s 11 largest pharmaceutical companies are headquartered in the US

464 million Dollars spent on advertising by pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim

Daniel Delgado/highlights

Growing up in America, I never really thought about advertisements on TV for asthma inhalers or prescription drugs used to treat depression. They were always just there among the other advertisments. For my mom who grew up in Russia, however, this was extremely bizarre. She once asked me why they advertised pharmaceuticals, to which I really had no good answer.

I suppose the biggest reason they advertise pharmaceuticals is to give customers some brand recognition. For every type of drug out on the market, there is about a handful of companies that make the same exact drug under a different name. Oxycontin, which you may have heard of, is one of many brands of oxycodone, an opioid pain reliever.

But brand recognition means nothing once a patient is sitting in an office with their doctor, because that doctor is likely to know what competing drugs there are for that brand and what side effect each one has. As a doctor, it is their job to give their patient the treatment that is best suited to them, which may very well be no perscription drug at all. It seems more bizarre to me that a patient would suggest that maybe they should take Cymbalta, a depression drug they saw on TV, rather than just tell their doctor that they’re depressed and want to know what the

next step is. When it comes to your health, picking solutions isn’t like picking between grocery store chains.

I’m not saying that having competing brands of pharmaceuticals is bad either, since it actually promotes drug improvement and innovation, but they really don’t need to turn to TV advertising to see that their brand outsells the competing brand. If people are depressed and Prozac seems to help those who are depressed and take it, doctors are going to write prescriptions for Prozac.

Besides, pharmaceutical companies already have a method of advertising that seems much better suited for the situation. These companies send sales representatives to doctors’ offices where they talk to the doctor about the drug or treatment and often, they cater lunch for the whole office. So at an OB/GYN office, for example, a sales representative might come to talk to doctors about their intrauterine device (IUD) and what benefits their IUD had over others on the market. Of course it is up to the doctor to ultimately decide if they are going to suggest that product to their patients, but they have years of medical training and experience to inform their decision. This seems to provide a better, safer overall advertising method than advertising on TV, since patients should be encouraged to have real discussions with their doctors about what their feeling rather than just blindly asking to take some drug.

Source: The Washington Post

Advertisement of prescription by the numbers drugs iconic of backwards system 2.7 billion

insight

highlights

February 2015

7

Who’s the bully?

The old-school connotation of the word “bullying,” which is often associated with name-calling, locker stuffing, and head-dunking, does not come close to mirroring the realm of mental and physical abuse experienced by today’s average victim. Encompassing anything from cyber to sexual abuse, bullying is not limited to student perpetrators; even teachers, parents, and administrators can inflict emotional distress on students. This reality makes it unclear to students about who to report to and how to deal with the constant tormenting. highlights has investigated this modern form of bullying to create a more precise definition for the wide-ranged abuse.

Raquel Braun/highlights

insight

highlights

February 2015

8

Gables suffers from tyranny at the top Commentary by Avery Budin STAFF WRITER

People often associate bullying as a student-to-student interaction, not as a general expression applicable to adults and children alike. It is now evident among students that bullying is not always limited to interactions between friends and peers, but can also come from teachers, administrators, or other adults. We expect the adults in our lives to teach us the rules, tell us right from wrong, conduct themselves virtuously and with fairness. At home we learn how to eat at the table with manners, to welcome guests into our homes, and to distinguish between right and wrong; whereas at school we learn to read, write, and solve math equations, to share and work in groups and to make friends and tolerate enemies. Home and school are focused on instilling the basic human standards we as a society accept and live by on a daily basis, and they do so by exploring moral and ethical behavior. Students spend more time at school than they do at home; a large portion of our lives is based in an academic setting. We see our peers, teachers, security guards and administration more often than many of our family members. School has, for many kids, become a second home, a place to escape, a safe haven. Students struggling at home or with friends are supposed to have people to talk to and share their concerns with, faculty that can offer advice and assistance, and adults they can trust to comfort them. But when that trust is broken and students no longer feel safe in their “second homes” or with the adults they see every other day, school is no longer a place of security, but a cause of distress.

“To be a teacher is to be a mentor, a father or mother figure, a shoulder to cry on, a sounding board, a place to hide when you need quiet, and a friend when necessary,” biology teacher Eric Molina said.

Upon recent investigation, it has come to the attention of many that several individuals at the school do not feel safe, not because of harassment from other students but from being bullied, singled out, and taunted by certain faculty members. It is scary to spend seven hours a day, five days a week, in a confined space with authority figures who regularly intimidate the adolescents they are meant to educate. Upon being hired, teachers unofficially agree to stand as role models for their students. It takes a special type of person to dedicate their lives to a career of hard work and little financial compensation. The regard in which teachers hold their students is worth a lot more than some may believe.

Some adults have a warped perception of today’s high school social dynamic. They think that kids are hurt by the ring-leaders of their social groups or the “popular kids.” They are way off. The worst bullies are the ones who no one can do anything about. The ones who aren’t going through a childhood phase and finding themselves. They are the people who have never been reprimanded for their mistakes and have continued their persecution as adults.

“I would consider myself one of my teacher’s favorites, and it is evident by the way he treats others who he does and doesn’t like. He will go out of his way to jeopardize your reputation if you happen to be the latter,” junior Maria Estrada said when describing the relationship she has developed with one of her teachers.

With a population of over 3,000 students, the school does not even have one trained

professional to aid students with personal issues. Instead, students flock to teachers they feel a particular connection with, or have established a trusting relationship with, to share their concerns.

It would seem that after years of preaching the evils of bullying, both students and faculty members would understand the severity of its effects. Unfortunately, such logic is not a reality for some. A couple of the schools staff members - yes, the people who constantly condemn discrimination and bullying - are the ones taking part in this atrocity. Both on and off school grounds, students have been mocked, gossiped about, belittled, and depreciated by some school employees.

Students experience bullying from power figures more often than is brought to the administration’s attention, and even then there is nothing that can be done. When it comes to student misconduct, there are procedures, protocols and official documents, but when faculty members are involved, the formality of crime and punishment goes out the window. It is not that rules do not exist, but there has to be a follow through, written records, recorded complaints, and yes, the same amount of effort put towards punishing a student does have to be implemented when dealing with an adult.

“I complained to the administration about the unfair treatment I received from a teacher while running errands for another faculty member. I was called stupid and reprimanded for not knowing my place. While I received an official apology from Pricipal Adolfa Costa, the teacher himself was unapologetic and nothing else has been done to resolve the issue,” senior Jessie Wang said.

“When a student has an issue with a faculty member, regardless of the nature of the complaint, the policy is to bring them in for a meeting with an administrator and set up a parent-teacher conference to figure out the details of the issue. After the facts have been reported, one of the school’s administrators is responsible for talking to the teacher to find a solution,” Principal Adolfo Costa said.

Although the administration files and looks into every complaint, most students do not bother with bringing it to their attention anyways.

“I never filed an official complaint with the administration when I was harassed by a teacher during class but I did decide to switch out of the class. I just felt too uncomfortable seeing him everyday,” senior Victoria Padin said.

Not only does the district need to shape up and fix the loopholes that allow their staff members to go unscathed and unpunished for committing these acts of bullying, but a discussion has to be raised about the issue. Awareness of what is happening on campus needs to spread on a wider scale.

The school needs to have not one but several trained psychologists who can work with students beyond academic issues. Assigning a trained professional to a group of students and allotting them accessible contact hours is the next step in repairing mental damage done to the student body.

There are several students to every one teacher in the school, and not nearly enough individual time to divide between them all. Teachers are paid to teach, but no one is paid to counsel. In the school, counselors are there to aid students with academic issues.

It is time to change the corruption apparent in the system. Not one teacher or administrator should have the power to make a student feel inferior without repercussions.

Bullying by the numbers:

52% of students have been bullies

of students have excluded friends or peers

of students have been bullied

26%

78%

of students feel as though they do not have anyone to talk to about bullying in the school

29%

57%

of students have made fun of another student or peer (to or behind his/her back)

Students report being bullied by: Peers

Administrators

Teachers

Friends

Parent

Adult

Other

Each thumbs down represents approximately 10 students Compiled by Raquel Braun and Angelika Menendez/ Out of 200 responses

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February 2015

9

NEW AGE BULLYING

Kassandra Balart, junior

My whole school career I was bullied because I had severe acne.

They called me pizza face, a meth head, and I got a threat to leave school. I was scared for a long time; it's like I was contagious. Sometimes I still feel like people are only judging my scars.

I have a teacher that I would consider is a bully. She has no right to her point and is most of the time completely wrong.

The way she treats students is awful and I will never succumb to it.

Charalampos Politis, senior

[People] don’t care about my peanut allergy. They push you away, which can cause serious effects. People don’t understand and they are ignorant. There was a time where I didn’t have any friends and no one accepted me for who I was.

Compiled by Rachel Ellis and Avery Budin

In the past, bullying has seemed to typically be between student and student.

Although this specific type of bullying is still prevalent among students, highlights addresses the subject of bullying amongst students, teachers, administrators, and other adults. Students speak up about personal experiences with bullying as well as their thoughts on bullying in general.

Alejandro Arzola, junior I think that cyber bullying really sucks because you don’t hear it in the attacker’s voice, but rather in your own voice.

Kelly Hanley, freshman

Bullying becomes multi-dimensional

By Ali Band STAFF WRITER

Bullying is an ongoing issue in the public arena. It is a problem that is most prevalent in the school context. Bullying among students is avidly researched and impossible to ignore, however, there is a certain definitional issue that surrounds the concept, which makes it somewhat vague. The fact is that bullying is more than giving ‘wedgies,’ shoving people into lockers, and calling someone fat. It is often obscure and caused by factors of a much greater complexity than our society recognizes. It can occur from behind the keys of a keyboard, in the workplace, at school, or in one’s own home. The detection of this new type of bullying requires the world to look beyond just a quick cursory glance at the situation.

The regulation of bullying, in its complexity, remains difficult due to the lack of an acceptable legal definition. In some cases, people have cautioned against the use of the law as a cure-all for social ills, warning of possible threats to its integrity through involvement in judgments about matters that escape legal definition. It is clear that the development of accessible legal solutions may require the same time frame as earlier regulation of different forms of culturally and systematically rooted violence, such as domestic violence, sexual harassment, discrimination and stalking.

The reality is that bullying can take many forms: verbal bullying, with derogatory comments or bad names; bullying through exclusion or isolation of others; physical bullying; lies and false rumors; damaged or stolen property; being threatened or forced to do things; racial bullying; sexual bullying; cyber bullying; and so on. With this in mind, an entire new spectrum of possible bullying activity is opened, including that which occurs in situations other than in the schoolyard.

Florida anti-bullying laws and policies define bullying and harassment separately. The definition of bullying includes a non-exclusive list of specific behaviors that constitute bullying, and specifies that bullying includes intentional efforts to harm one or more individuals, may be direct or indirect, is not limited to behaviors that cause physical harm, and may be verbal, including oral or written language, or non-verbal. For the purposes of Florida’s “Jeffrey Johnston Stand up for All Students Act,” bullying means “systematically and chronically

inflicting physical hurt or psychological distress on one or more students and may involve: teasing, social exclusion, threat, intimidation, stalking, physical violence, theft, sexual, religious, or racial harassment, public humiliation, or destruction of property.”

Solutions to the bullying issue require the tightening of definitions, as some forms of bullying are undetectable. It is possible that the forms of bullying that are so difficult to recognize are considered illegitimate or nonexistent by society. For example, exploring the tendency of the human unconscious to neglect, at what point does indifference towards someone become intentional exclusion? It could be argued that if people who are a part of the same institution, organization or society have an obligation to at the very least be tolerant of one another. There is also the idea that the right to not be friends with someone is quite different than bullying. The former is inherent and passive and the latter is overtly hostile for its own sake.

The difficulty in controlling bullying lies heavily in the limited monitoring of behavior, especially in schools. According to the 2014 Florida Statutes, the school board has a duty to provide “proper accounting for all students”, including attention to health, safety, and other matters that relate to their welfare. However, certain rules and policies that schools have adopted, such as suspension and expulsion hearings, codes of student conduct, emergency drills and procedures, and crime watch programs only help curb part of the problem. In-depth counseling and personal interviews are necessary to detect possible bullying or harassment.

It is also possible that the problem can never be truly solved, as there are traces of it in every circumstance of daily life and casual conversation.

However, if people take the time to examine what is under the surface of both the perpetrator and victim, the real problem could emerge. Conducting discussions of how denial of feelings diminishes people and strangles relationships, seeing life through the eyes of others who are different from you—perhaps through a speaker’s bureau— experiencing freedom of personal awareness and sensitivity towards others and using one’s widened scope to improve personal and societal suffering are methods of striking the core of the issue.

features

highlights

February 2015

10

Just married

By Bianca Mangravite FEATURES EDITOR

Courtesy of Larry Hughs

Newlywed LGBT couples give a glimpse into their lives in light of Florida’s ratification of gay marriage LEGAL LOVE: The legalization of same-sex marriage in Florida, as well as in other states, has allowed couples, like Larry Hughs and Carlos Bernal (pictured above) to fulfill their dream of becoming espoused.

November,” Tita said.

On Jan. 5, a circuit judge lifted the stay on gay marriage in Miami-Dade, 13 hours before Popping the question the rest of the state. Florida has become the 36th state to legalize same-sex marriage. Newlywed After nine years of dating, Florida residents Larry Hughs and Carlos Bernal were married couples share their stories for highlights in light of the new ruling.

Feb. 2 in Virginia.

Engaged for decades “About a week or two after we made the reservations and payments, people started saying On Jan. 28, three same-sex couples, one female couple and two male, emerged as newlyweds that there was a possibility it might be legal on Jan. 5, but since we already paid for everything, from the Marriage Bureau in downtown Miami. The lesbian couple wearing matching island we stuck to Virginia to get our marriage license,” Hughs said. shirts have been together for 21 years. One of the male couples have been together for 54 years In their trip to Virginia the couple had a small wedding for the license--the state of Virginia and the other for 36. requires a wedding in order to receice a valid marriage license. Now, they have scheduled a larger “We have been waiting. Almost all of our gay friends have gotten married so far. We have wedding ceremony in Miami (where they live) on March 8. a large group of friends whose relationships have dated back up to 50 years and little by little In October, after going to their first gay wedding, Hughs decided he everybody’s getting married,” one half of the female couple who chose was going to propose. to remain nameless said.

Straight people have to “I wanted to give him a ring, but I didn’t know what ring he wanted.

She and her spouse were planning on getting married in New York I just wanted to give him something sort of as a simple way to ask him until the Florida decision came through. realize that we all have the to marry me. I got the ring at Aldo, so that after we could choose a ring Miles away same desires regardless together that he would like. I wanted to put it in a box, but you only get Miami residents Tita and Liliana were friends for 10 years in Cuba of your sexual preference. that box if you get an expensive ring, not at Aldo. I got a box at Target. before they realized they wanted to be together. Last November, after We all want to be loved I put a QR code on it, so he could scan it with his phone. I went to this another 10 years of being in a relationship, they finally tied the knot in by someone and to love website and set up a slideshow. So, when he scanned it, pictures of us Washington. someone else. over the last nine years came up on his phone and at the end it said ‘Will “At the beginning we were fighting against it, mostly because you marry me?’. He got a little teary-eyed,” Hughs said. of prejudice. One day, we decided to reveal freely our beautiful Larry Hughs Hughs had some insight on why he thinks Florida has taken so long relationship. We were together for many years without telling anyone, in the legalization of gay marriage, especially because it is home to a but now everybody knows and we’re not hiding. Over the years [people large LGBT community. reacted better] because when people see how we love, they are happy

“The top half of Florida is much more conservative than the bottom half. It’s near that it’s really love,” Tita said about her initial struggles with her relationship.

Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, so they share similar views. Also, the state capital is in the They had to live apart for many years, staying in contact mainly through visits. Tita lived in northern part of Florida.”

Miami and Liliana in Argentina. Since Nov. 15, they have been living together.

“Straight people have to realize that we all have the same desires regardless of your sexual “The marriage is a step in our relationship, but we didn’t marry each other to love more, we preference. We all want to be loved by someone and to love someone else. We want to be got married because we love each other. She is the most beautiful woman in the world,” Tita said. respected and someone to listen to us. It’s amazing how some people spend so much time doing After double-checking with her wife, Tita concluded that Liliana was the one who proposed everything they can think of to prevent gay couples from marrying each other, while Brittany to get married.

Spears can marry some guy for one day and no one considers that disrespectful to the meaning of “Once, when I went down to Argentina to visit her, she revealed a ring and when she gave me marriage,” Hughs said. the ring, she asked me to get married. It was like a dream- a dream that finally came true last

‘‘

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

BLOCK 1

BLOCK 2

• “There was a wallet in the urinal... was I not going to snapchat it?”

• “How big does your finger need to be?”

• “Oh gosh, I wish I could see Akon wearing a cheerleading outfit.”

• “I think my braces gave me herpes.”

• “If you’re Catholic, you’re a drinker.” • “I found him under my fridge.”

• “To this day, there is still a peanut • “Lame. I mean, it’s cool because I think It’s cool, but in general, up my nose.” lame.”

• “Snoop Dogg has a son that plays • “Bob Saget had it going on.” football.”

highlights

February 2015

11

Gables High through the eyes of ’65 1965

2015

Leila Iskandarani/highlights

Courtesy of High Lights

Olivia Field/highlights

Courtesy of High Lights

Courtesy of High Lights

HISTORY IN THE MAKING: Since 1965, the countless changes the school has seen have never kept the title of “Cavalier” from maintaining its prestige. The color guard, formerly known as the Cavaliettes, remains a charming aspect of the school, and award-winning highlights newspaper continues to bring news about all things Gables to the students.

By Olivia Field and Leila Iskandarani STAFF WRITER

Championships, academic excellence, and renowned clubs- qualities that have been with the school for a long time. highlights looked back 50 years ago to see what the school was like back then.

The year was 1965. The school had a national champion football team, fraternities and sororities were essential to the school’s social ladder, and the Beatles were all the rage. The sophomores, juniors, and seniors of 1965 lived a high school experience that does not come close to mirroring the reality of school as it is now. With the help of alumni and half-a-century-old copies of the newspaper, highlights has been able to look 50 years into the past to see exactly what it meant to be a Cavalier in 1965.

The foundation of an average day was entirely different. School began at staggered times.

Seniors arrived at 7:30 a.m., juniors at 8:30 a.m., and sophomores at 9:30 a.m. The school was not air conditioned, and classes like history and biology were taught through recorded television programs.

“Our social studies class was taught in the auditorium on TVs, you know, I call them like TVs on legs ’cause they were on platforms. We had two teachers on the stage, but the whole auditorium was filled,” 1965 alumna Carol Carlson-Yellen said.

There was also a strict dress code instead of a uniform, which disallowed skirts that were three inches above the knee, jeans, and non-collared shirts. Despite this policy, the newspaper, called High Lights then, always kept the student body up to date with the current fashion trends, thanks to the recurring “Sewing Corner” section.

“The thing that I think was so funny about High Lights was that they would report on certain parties and what some of the guys and girls were wearing,” alumna Susie Krissel said.

The 1964-65 school year was also a monumental year for the school’s sports. The tennis team won states, the badminton team was founded, and the football team won its first national championship title. This winning streak for the football team, which lasted for years, was ultimately attributed to head coach and Florida Hall of Famer Nick Kotys and quarterback Lenny Rentz. The jingle: “There’s no defense for Rentz,” quickly became the motto for that year’s season, as the quarterback led them to the first of four national championships in the school’s history.

“I always had the feeling, if we were losing by 14 or 16 points and there were 2 minutes left, no problem, [Rentz would] get it fixed,” Krissel said.

At the time, the University of Miami was a small university and the Dolphins football team had just been founded, so the school’s football games brought in large groups of fans from around the county. When Gables went up against Miami High, more than 48,000 people showed up to the game to cheer on the opposing teams.

“Everything revolved around high school. And you didn’t have that many schools then, so either Thursday or Friday night, everybody went to the Gables High football game, and after the game— depending on what club you were in, or what social group you were in— there were different places to go,” former athletic director and 1965 alumnus Howard Cole said.

Restaurants like Hot Shoppes, Jimmy’s Hurricane, and Jan’s in the Gables were always packed with Gables students after every football game. Roller-skating waitresses worked these dinner-style restaurants, and dished out French Fries, cheeseburgers and milk shakes by the dozens. “[When we went out after the games,] there was a rule: you never left with a guy. You always left with the girlfriends. Who you came with was who you left with,” 1965 alumna Betty Callaway Temple said.

School spirit ran rampant during 1965: everyone was somehow involved in the success that the school experienced that year, whether they were part of a sports team, an award winning club, or even helped organize senior Bermuda day. To start off every new school year, Gables used to throw a “Kickoff Booster Barbecue” the night before the first day of classes. Including a bonfire, club fundraisers, and a large pep rally, this tradition raised money and spirits for the upcoming year.

“Gables, back when we went to school, was Camelot. It was the perfect storm. From athletics to clubs to socials to academics. You never even worried about students skipping school because everybody wanted to be at school. If somebody wasn’t there, why wouldn’t they want to be here?

Why would you want to be any place else but at school? It was the place to be, I mean if you were absent, people worried about you,” Cole said.

In the past 50 years, the school has evolved along with trends, technology and curriculum changes. Even so, these years did not hinder the ability of Gables students to unite and take pride in the fact that they are Cavaliers.

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features

highlights

February 2015

12

Gables insiders Making magic

By Eleonor Bauwens STAFF WRITER

Unique in every way, these pictures of our school would not be understood from students from other schools.

Sofia Viglucci/highlights

HIGHLIGHTS HORROR STORY: The best place to find a copy of highlights is on the floor .

CONJURING CARDS: Junior Francis Robinson displays the deck of cards that create the magic during his astonishing magic performances.

By Sofia Viglucci STAFF WRITER

MAYO’S MATH MAYHEM: “It’s just algebra y’all.”

Eleonor Bauwens/highlights

MARCH OF THE PENGUINS: The science hallways keep it fresh, just below 0.

Junior Francis Robinson needs only a deck of playing cards to perplex and astonish the minds of his friends, peers, and family members. With numerous mind-bending magic tricks up his sleeve, Robinson can outwit nearly any audience. What started out as pure curiosity toward the world of magic tricks has become a talent of Robinson’s that seldom fails to amaze.

Robinson discovered his passion for magic tricks a little over a year ago and has been performing magic ever since.

“I realized I love blowing people’s minds and sense of reality,” Robinson said. “At first I wanted to learn after seeing a guy on Youtube do [magic tricks], and I thought it was really awesome, so I decided to learn.”

According to Robinson, he has learned the art of magic primarily through the internet, and by simply teaching himself. Robinson said that his tricks are free of any devices or gadgets, leaving the magic solely to his hands and his deck of cards.

“I do street magic, which is up-close magic and it doesn’t rely on gimmicks like special decks,” Robinson said. “I like that I can do the extraordinary.”

To supplement his trusty deck of cards, Robinson said he sometimes uses pencils, coins, rubber bands, rings and mental deceit during his illusions. As for the future of his knack for bewildering imaginations with his magic tricks, Robinson said it will likely remain a hobby.

“Magic tricks will primarily be a hobby, but if I am able to make some money on the side, I wouldn’t mind,” Robinson said. “I still have a lot of practice and learning to do.”

According to Robinson, although he said the idea is unlikely and still in its early stages, he plans to start a magic club where students would meet weekly to learn and teach magic, and eventually perform magic shows for the school and children’s hospitals. Robinson is currently recruiting students to sign a petition in favor of the club.

“I feel that this club would foster friendships, develop social skills, and inspire students to use their imaginations to create incredible and original routines,” Robinson said.

Robinson said that although anyone can be a magician, it takes certain showmanship qualities to be convincing and a good performer.

“Skills are important, but anyone can learn tricks,” Robinson said. “I think what makes someone a good magician is carrying out the performance with confidence. Being a good people person is important too.”

One of Robinson’s favorite tricks involves a sleight-of-hand manipulation of a cell phone into an inflated balloon. In another, an audience member selects a card, and it reappears consistently with the snap of his or her finger. Besides Robinson’s artilary of tricks, he can do virtually anthing he wants with his cards, whether it’s flicking one up in the air and catching it behind his back or twisting them into a complex pyramid-like structure with his fingers.

Being a magician and performing for fellow students during school has made it easier to interact with some of the students crowding the bustling halls of the school, Robinson said.

“Magic really did improve my confidence and social skills, and I can’t imagine being me today without it,” Robinson said.

With tricks to learn and even more already mastered, Robinson continues to impress with his talent. With the flick of his finger he can locate the card one secretly picks from a thick deck of cards, and with the twist of his wrist he can contort his deck the same way he contorts the perception of his audience.

www.gablestutoring.com 1886 Southwest 57th Avenue Miami, Fl 33135 (786) 972-1602

sports

highlights

February 2015

13

NCAA uses unfair system for playoffs >> Speak up!

Commentary by Cyrus Zeledon

How do students feel about the new NCAA playoff system?

It’s effective because you find a level system where four teams get to battle it out.

-Deandre Irizarry, senior

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I think it’s better than what they did. Now they’re playing the actual game in the conference.

-Amir Rasul, junior

As the anticipated College Football Playoffs (CFP) came to a close on Jan. 12 with the Ohio State Buckeyes becoming the first team to win under the new system, there was still some animosity from many college football fans. I, for one, did not agree—and still do not—with the NCAA when it decided to replace the unbiased method of computer selection and polls from the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) with the more subjective CFP system.

Now besides the fact that the CFP system is essentially the BCS without the computer selection methods, it is unfair to all conferences. For the past few years, the Big 10 Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Pacific-12 Conference, Southeastern Conference, and Big East Conference have dominated the college football post-season in regards to bowl appearances.

With the CFP, not only are one of these “powerhouse conferences” guaranteed to be left out since there are four playoff spots, but there is also the possibility that only one conference can dominate the playoffs since there is no limit to the amount of teams allowed per conference in the playoffs.

Nonetheless, a committee of 13 “high-integrity individuals”— including retired athletic directors, coaches, NCAA officials, sports writers, and Condoleezza Rice—ranks the top four college football teams based off of their “expertise” in the sport.

So it didn’t come as a surprise that when the playoff committee

chose Mississippi State over Alabama, they were completely wrong since the Roll Tide was clearly the better team and defeated the Bulldogs, thus placing the wrong team in the wrong ranking. Did I mention that Condoleezza Rice is on the committee?

Throughout the whole season, the committee had four SEC teams in the top 10 of the playoff polls several times; not to mention that we would have had an all SEC playoff had the few SEC teams in the top 10 not lost in the final weeks. So it goes that the committee then decided to make another controversial decision by replacing Texas Christian University (TCU) and Baylor University (both Big-12 teams) with the undefeated Florida State University (with a relatively easier schedule) and Ohio State University, respectively. Arguably both Baylor and TCU were better teams than both of their replacements, however, the “experts” deemed them otherwise.

But despite the CFP not having real “high-integrity individuals” with in-depth knowledge of football deciding the playoffs and a playoff system that is not fair to all conferences, the CFP is a major improvement from its predecessor. However, much can be done about the committee and the playoff system.

For instance, instead of having four teams compete in a playoff semi-final, it would be better to have eight teams—one from each conference—to compete in a playoff quarterfinal with two wild card teams from the remaining conferences. And instead of having individuals on a committee select their favorite teams, there should be a poll from the whole college football community (i.e. coaches and former players) that decides which teams make the playoffs.

having worked in it for 10 years, it has become a large part of her life, not including her time as a sports manager for the wrestling and football teams in high school.

“I liked sports, and I liked medicine. I actually wanted to become a doctor, but then I went to a basketball camp and discovered athletic training, and then that’s what I wanted to do,” Singleton said.

She started her studies in the College of Charleston majoring in athletic training. She then moved to Miami for graduate school at Florida International University while simultaneously working in an assistantship, a paid academic appointment that involves part-time teaching or research.

After graduating, Singleton had jobs ranging from high school teaching and athletic training to working in UHZ Sports Medicine Institute.

After a few years, Singleton moved back to South Carolina to be closer to her mother for three months, until moving to Miami to work as a Cavalier. At the school, Singleton said that the staff and students have been very welcoming and helpful.

Singleton said that she likes the “self-sufficient” nature of the student athletes and the overall ambience of the school.

FEEL SWELL: New athletic trainer Shannon Singleton wraps ice bags on junior Mariana Kellog’s ankles to reduce swelling.

COPY EDITOR

Compiled by Maya Iskandarani

Trainer hired in time for spring season

By Octavio Castro STAFF WRITER

Octavio Castro/highlghts

Shannon Singleton joined the school as the new head athletic trainer on Dec. 9. During the second grading quarter, Patrick Miller left the position of athletic trainer to pursue other professional opportunities. Shortly after, there was a replacement trainer but he was unable to complete the hiring process due to lack of certification.

According to Athletic Director Louis Romero, the hiring process for a new athletic trainer is “extremely difficult.” The process includes verifying the candidate’s licenses, which includes the training license, Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification, and first-response certification. After that, the candidate has to be hired by the county before being hired by the school; the county performs a drug test and verifies the candidate’s transcript. Once this has been completed, the school hires the candidate into work.

“She is everything we wished she would be. I think she will fit in just fine as a Cavalier,” Romero said.

Singleton did not always want to be an athletic trainer, but

Outside students join Cavalier athletics Santiago Perez

Deshay Fernandes

Junior Santiago Perez scored the most goals on the boys soccer team this year. Perez attends ISPA and is originally from Spain. He decided to try out for the team after several of his friends, juniors Alejandro Facundo and Nicolas Poveda, told him about it.

“He’s on my club soccer team, and I knew his school didn’t have a soccer team, so I told him to come to Gables to play because I knew he would be one of the better players on the team,” Facundo said.

Along with being a part of the school’s soccer team, Perez is a member of the Coral Gables Toros club soccer team, which is where he met some of the players that are on the school’s team.

“I knew people when I joined the team, so I felt like I fit in and was part of the family since the first day,” Perez said.

In the district semi-finals game against the Columbus Explorers, Perez scored the game winning goal for the team in the second overtime. Head coach Joseph Hudak said Perez is a good student athlete who is very dedicated and very athletically blessed.

Freshman Deshay Fernandes joined the school’s track team after running for a variety of different schools. Fernandes currently attends Musical Conservatory Academy (MCA), but is on the cross-country and track and field teams at Gables.

Since MCA does not have a sports program, Fernandes takes 10-15 minutes every day to bike to the school.

“My favorite part of being on the team is how we are with each other for two to three hours, and we treat each other like a family. It’s good to know that you have people you can count on,” Fernandes said.

Along with Gables, Fernandes has also run for other schools such as Coral Reef Senior High School and Ransom Everglades. He said that the main difference between Gables and other schools is the stronger bond he has built with the athletes at Gables.

Head track and field coach Hajji Ingraham said that Fernandes has a tremendous upside great work ethic, and that the sky is the limit for him.

“Whatever he wants to do on the track, he can accomplish it and his outcome is great,” Ingraham said.

Daniel Sanchez Rial According to head water polo coach Kelli Fraga, one of the fastest boys on this year’s water polo team is freshman Daniel Sanchez Rial, who currently attends International Studies Preparatory Academy (ISPA) and was also on the swim team for Gables.

“Daniel is learning now how to play water polo, but because of his speed he is going to be a huge asset to the team,” Fraga said.

Besides being a part of the team, Rial also does club swimming. This is Rial’s first time playing water polo, and he said he was looking forward to it.

“It was interesting because I learned new things, such as new strokes, and I made new friends. I think our team is good because we have experienced members,” Rial said.

As for adjusting to the team, Rial said it would not be hard since it takes him 15 minutes to get to Ransom Everglades, where the water polo team practices.

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Honestly it’s hard to get to know other people because there isn’t much to talk about, but my best friend Luis is there with me.

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I feel special because I’m the only one who doesn’t go to the school and I [get to] make new friends. This is a great family.

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STAFF WRITER

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I bike pretty much everywhere and I adjusted pretty quickly to the distance from my school to Gables.

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By Angelika Menendez

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sports

highlights

February 2015

14

Football players sign off to college teams

By Savannah Payne STAFF WRITER

National Signing Day is the first day when high school senior athletes can sign the National Letter of Intent, a document commits a student to a college to play a sport in the NCAA. Collegiate Commissioners Association runs the National Letter of Intent program that has over 500 institutions that participate each year.

“It’s the same thing, different level,” Testa said.

The school’s ceremony was held on Feb. 4 in the media center for the school’s senior football players signing with college varsity teams. Out of 24 seniors on the varsity football team, four players are committing to colleges. Wide receiver Shaquery Wilson (7) signed with the University of Georgia

Division I team. Middle linebacker Emilio Gibbs (5) signed with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Division I team. Defensive tackle and defensive end Jarred McGahee (57) signed with Monmouth University Division I team in New Jersey. Middle and outside linebacker Jontavis Testas (11) signed with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Division I team.

“I really have a love and passion for the game. I’m just happy that it’s going to take me miles away,” McGahee said.

Joined by family, friends and teammates, each player got a chance to speak about the opportunity. One by one, the seniors signed the National Letter of Intent with their designated colleges.

“It’s a life changer. In everybody’s life, you’ve got certain decisions that will change your life forever. There are big

milestones. Which college you go to and who you get married to are the biggest two that change your life in either a positive or negative direction. It’s presenting a wonderful opportunity for some kids, and opportunities only work if you take advantage of them,” varsity head football coach Roger Pollard said.

The actual signing of the National Letter of Intent entails athletic financial aid that covers the expenses of room, board, books, and tuition.

“At first, I didn’t even know that I was going to attend a college, but then football gave me a chance to attend a college for free,” Gibbs said. “I went on my college visit and I felt like it was home.”

The senior players who signed their National Letter of Intent will start the practice in the fall of 2015.

Savannah Payne/highlights SIGNING TO THE FUTURE: On Feb. 4, (left) Jontavis Testas signs his National Letter of Intent for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, (middle) Jarred McGahee watches the senior pep rally football video sporting his Monmouth University hat, and (right) Shaquery Wilson is accompanied by his family for photographs after he signed for the University of Georgia.

FootGolf gains popularity in Miami

By Sydney Scanlon STAFF WRITER

Changing the traditional way of playing golf, FootGolf is also played on a golf course with the goal of sinking a ball into the hole, but instead is played with the feet and is not mostly composed of older business men. Played with a soccer ball, FootGolf follows the same rules as golf and caters to a wide variety of age groups. Marcelo Landau, the implementor of a foot golf course at International Links golf course, claims they have been playing unofficially in the Netherlands and Hungary “since forever.” However, it became an official sport in the U.S. in 2011 and continues to grow.

The closest course, located next to Miami International Airport, was the second FootGolf course ever in America. Now, there are over 300 courses in 43 states. The lack of extra work required for courses to exist contributed to its popularity. The maintenance for the FootGolf course is the same as a regular golf course and the game is played on the side of the greens,

so it does not interfere with golfers. At the International Links course, anyone can play weekdays after 2:30 p.m.

FootGolf’s rapid expansion is helped in part by the nature of the sport. With limited cardio and only basic kicking skills necessary, it is “an easy sport to start” according to Landau.

Players only need their feet and a ball as opposed to the number of clubs necessary in golf.

“Soccer players are always looking for ways to improve their abilities off the field and games like this make practicing these skills more fun,” junior Zachary Walsh said.

The International Links Course has multiple tee boxes, or putting points, for each of the 18 holes. There is a tee box for professionals with a distance is the same as national standards, and an amateur tee box which is a shorter distance.

Players range from children to 80-year olds. Competitions have categories for seniors (45 and up), regular, youth (17 and under), and women’s. Landau was asked to compete in the first World Cup in Hungary in 2011 and in February he will be flying to South America to compete in two more competitions.

Schiefer: jumping towards a goal

By Rachel Ellis STAFF WRITER

The school’s girls track and field captain, senior Hanna Schiefer, has a passion for the sport of pole-vaulting and for reaching new heights in the future, as well as out on the track.

She began vaulting in eighth grade and has been training ever since. She was recently recruited to vault at the collegiate level in California.

“I’ve been recruited to California State University Long Beach and have received an athletic scholarship as well. I’m looking forward to competing at the higher level with more competition, and to travel to different places while also being a part of an amazing program,” Schiefer said.

As part of Schiefer’s pole-vault training, she runs and conditions with the school’s track and field team three days a

week in order to improve her endurance and get stronger. The remainder of her training is focused purely on vaulting, which includes working on technique and planting drills, training that emphasizes technique and lowering the pole into the box to improve timing.

“Last year I got third place pole vaulting at the state meet, but this year I have trained even harder and am hoping to place first,” Schiefer said.

While Schiefer has aspirations to improve as an athlete and jump to even greater heights, she does not plan on training to compete at the Olympic level.

“When I first started vaulting, I had hopes of going to the Olympics. Both of my parents went to the Olympics for sailing and they have pushed me in the opposite direction of that being my goal though. I just want to have fun with it and see where the sport takes me,” Schiefer said

February

MARK THE DATE Varsity

CAVALIER STAT BOX

Girls’ Basketball JAN 9

vs Cavaliers 37-42 W

South West @ CGHS

JAN 12 South Dade @ CGHS

vs 44-35 L

Cavaliers

JAN 14 Ferguson

Cavaliers vs 68-19 L

JAN 28

vs 20-58 L

@ CGHS

Cavaliers @ Ferguson

Ferguson

Boys’ Soccer JAN 14

Columbus

vs 0-1 W

Cavaliers

JAN 23

Reagan

vs 0-1 W

Cavaliers

JAN 29

Reef

vs 3-4 W

Cavaliers

FEB 3

Varela

vs 1-0 L

@ Traz Powel

@ Traz Powel

@ Mylander @ CGHS

Cavaliers

to watch our athletic teams rack up the points!

Boys Junior Varsity

Boys Varsity

Girls Varsity

13 14 17 18

Wrestling Cavalier Duals II Friday at 2 p.m. at Coral Gables Senior High

Baseball

vs. La Salle Saturday at 10 a.m. at Coral Gables Senior High

Water Polo

vs. Belen Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Ransom Everglades Upper School

Softball

vs. South Miami Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at Coral Gables Senior High

the scene How to:

highlights February 2015

have a picnic

As spring comes back to the city and the weather stays at a tolerable temperature, a day outside can be a perfect outing. highlights has paired together two restaurants and locations in the Miami area for a picnic day, combining scrumptious to-go meals with enjoyable views, ensuring a fantastic picnic experience any day of the week.

By Olivia Field STAFF WRITER

An inviting expanse of green pasture, a mystifying view, and a delectable togo meal are key to an enjoyable picnic experience. highlights has located two parks and restaurants that compliment each other, fulfilling these requirements and more, making it easy to savor a picnic-style lunch or dinner any day of the week.

Country Club Prado & 1909 Cafe Tucked in between two buildings on SW 57th St. is 1909 Cafe, an inviting sandwich, soup and salad shop. The menu offers everything from “The Godfather Sandwich,” which includes salami, ham and an aioli sauce, to the “X-Fit Salad,” which is composed of lettuce, bacon, avocado and bean sprouts. To go alongside the appetizing

sandwiches are chips and freshly baked goods, as well as coffees and smoothies. All sandwiches on the menu cost less than $8 and come with a side of fruit, pasta salad, cole slaw or bean salad, which perfectly top off the meal.

Nearly a block away from 1909 Cafe is Country Club Prado, a vast grassy median that divides two almost traffic-less roadways.

During the sunniest hours of the day, towering trees provide relieving shaded areas that are perfect grounds for a picnic blanket.

The space is open to the public every day of the week, with no opening or closing times.

Alice Wainwright Park & The Daily Bread Marketplace With a crystal-clear view of Biscayne Bay and a serene sitting area, Alice Wainwright Park is an ideal location for a

picnic meal. Situated right off of Brickell Avenue, the grassy area of the park stretches right up to the water, allowing for a meal with a view.

The area surrounding the bay is lined with gazebos and tables that are free to use and almost always empty. Along with the beautiful view, free parking is also available at the entrance gates.

Only two miles away from the park is the Daily Bread Market Place. Located at 2400 SW 27th St., the restaurant’s “Fast Food Counter” serves up Middle Eastern dishes like the tabouli salad and falafel pita sandwiches for no more than $7. These quick meals are easy to grab and can be accompanied by a side of hummus, stuffed grape leaves, or a walnut baklava from the bakery and market section.

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Don’t want to buy your food?

Here’s an ideal picnic sandwich from highlights Ingredients 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)

Ciabatta roll Brie cheese Arugula Sliced turkey Preserves of your choice

Directions 1) Layer turkey and cheese on a sliced ciabatta roll- skip the turkey for a vegetarian option.

2) Toast until cheese melts.

3) Spread the preserves on the bread and pile on the arugula.

4) Wrap up your sandwich and enjoy it on a picnic in your favorite park.

Olivia Field/highlights PACKED UP PICNIC: These sandwiches, sides and homemade treats are all available at 1909 cafe, located a block away from the picturesque Country Club Prado.

DARAB We buy antiques, jewelry & collectibles (786) 287-0630 FREE fitcamp Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:30 p.m. at Body Image

808 Ponce de Leon Blvd, Coral Gables, FL, 33134

the scene

highlights February 2015

Citibikes take off in Coconut Grove STAFF WRITER

Restaurants, businesses and galleries continue to spread throughout the city, and Miami residents are looking for new ways to access these exciting venues. Regular events such as Critical Mass, and the addition and improvement of bike trails and tours in the South Florida area are feeding the Miami bike scene. The Citibike program is one of the more recently expanded additions.

Citibike is a bikeshare program that allows for relatively simple rentals and returns of bicycles within Miami. Originally, Citibikes were only available in Miami Beach, but due to the success of the program, it has been implemented in Brickell, Midtown, Downtown, and now Coconut Grove.

The bikes are docked at parking stations scattered throughout certain parts of the city.

Riders are permitted to pick up and return the

bikes to any available station. Customers are not assigned to only one station, but the stations must be in the same part of town. For example, a bike picked up in Miami Beach must be returned in Miami Beach. The bright blue bikes are three speed cruisers and have a medium sized basket in the front where riders can store their groceries or other bags. In each location there are about ten parking stations where riders can return or pick up a bike. Most of the time there are only about four bikes available to be picked up.

Citibikes were meant for shorter distances, but longer rental periods are allowed. To pay, riders need to decide how long they would like to rent the bikes before paying. Rentals range from 30 minutes to a full day. Prices start at $4 for a 30-minute ride and increase to $24 for a one-day rental. To find a map of the docking stations, access the website online at citibikemiami.com.

Araceli Sanchez/highlights

By Araceli Sanchez

PEDALING PAVEMENT: Located on an inconspicuous corner in Coconut Grove, the new Citibikes are now available for a trip to the grocery store or a quick stroll around the city.

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By Lelia Iskandarani STAFF WRITER

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people gain a better appreciation for their community,” Schena said.

“In my case, I’m hoping that [the participants’] favorite thing is learning to love the area more than they already do.”

Schena, who has lived in Miami for 22 years, provides insight into Coconut Grove’s history and nature. Participants, who are free to offer their own stories about their experiences and knowledge of Coconut Grove, often contribute to the other bikers’ learning experience on the tour.

“Truth is, it’s more residents and people that live in the area [that take the tour], whether they know a lot about the Grove or not,” Schena said.

“I think, overall, I get people that at least know some things, if not a lot, about the Grove, so I get more… residents [who] are familiar with the area than tourists or new residents.”

These free tours usually contain around 20 people who are free to leave and rejoin the group as they please. Advanced registration through the website, royalpalmtoursofmiami. com, and personal supplies, such as bikes, helmets, and water, are required.

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Visitors to Wynwood are often in awe over the murals S surrounding them as every single wall seems to be filled to the brim with illustrations. However, as this is often times overwhelming, local artist and bike enthusiast Ryan Ferrel is hosting daily tours of the murals of Wynwood to show visitors the best of the area.

Over the course of an

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hour on the tour, you will see murals from artists all around the world, and discuss the history of the murals and the meaning behind each. You will get to explore Miami’s outdoor museum and its greatest hidden murals. The tour is far from scripted; it is more like an openended conversation. He talks about the artists and where they are from, giving background information onto how they painted the murals. Oftentimes, Ferrel runs into artists painting their own murals while on the tour, adding a new dimension to the experience.

Ferrel aims to display different genres of graffiti such as old school graffiti, new school, experimental street art. He also offers international tours that showcase works of artists from specific places, which include European street artists and South American artists.

Unlike other bike tours that take place in Wynwood, this one occurs all year long and there is always a new site to see. The tours start at Panther Coffee (2390 NW 2nd Avenue) in Wynwood and takes place Tuesday through Sunday at noon.

Leila Iskandarani/highlights

Featuring the hidden, quaint parts of Coconut Grove that the town has come to be known for and the bountiful nature that surrounds it, the Historic & Eco Friendly Bike Tours of Coconut Grove give people the opportunity to bike through and connect with the area. Naturalist Frank Schena gives tours every second Saturday of the month year-round, and will be giving them every first and third Saturday of the month until March.

Two different tours of Coconut Grove are offered: one of North and Central Coconut Grove, and another of South Coconut Grove. Participants meet at Calamari Restaurant at 9:30 a.m., bikes in tow, and prepare to cycle through Coconut Grove for two and a half hours.

After going over basic safety rules and having bikers sign a waiver, Schena weaves participants through the Grove, stopping at seemingly irrelevant areas— certain streets like Trapp Avenue and Mary Street, and particular trees like the Ceiba and Sausage trees— to provide an indepth explanation of their historical significance.

“I love the area… I love to share the information with others and have

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GROVE GREENERY: Within the roots of a tree, naturalist Frank Schena shows the participants of his bike tour the complex nature and stunning trees found in the Coconut Grove area.