Issue 2, Vol. 60

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IN THIS ISSUE

O C T

Microtheaters in Brickell, page 6

2 0 1 9

Body image in sports, page 23

highlights

CUTTING INTO

GERRYMANDERING

highlights

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Issue 2, Volume 60

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450 Bird Road, Coral Gables, FL 33146

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highlights

editorial board Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Copy Editor Business Manager Social Media Manager Adviser Online Features News Opinion Sports The Scene Insight

Alexandra Torres Estelle Erwich Alexander Sutton Ruben Escobar Grace Rodriguez Melissa Gonzalez Natalia Pallas Hanna Ebrahimi Oraida Rodriguez Kevin Monjarrez Sara Ebrahimi Arianna Peña Aya Hamza & Isabella Villarroel

staff writers Isabella Ahumada Camila Aitken Lisbeth Arrieta Barbara Borja Mercedes Debesa Dilan Denham Sharon Florez Alia Gamez Sandra Hanuschik Laura Hernandez Miguel Lemus Alma Martinez Jonathan Mesa

In this issue

Isabella Morales Thomas Morcillo Melanie Nunez Alexa Orozco Celine Perez Addys Plata Nataly Rabelo Marta Rodriguez Isabel Quintanilla Maya Shah Emma Vela Gregoire Winston Austin Yagoda

publication policy highlights is the official student-produced news magazine at Coral Gables Senior High School published and produced by highlights staff members. highlights has been established as a designated public forum for student journalists to educate and inform their readers on issues of concern to their audience and dissemination of news and ideas to the entire school community. As the producer of a scholastic publication, highlights subscribes to the responsibilities set forth by 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 the student staff members only. highlights welcomes reader feedback. All letters should be addressed to highlightscghs@ gmail.com with the subject line “Letter to the Editor.” highlights reserves the right to publish any letter sent.

pg.21

Marta Rodriguez / highlights

Features 4 Biracial students raise their voices 7 Halloween recipes: Miami edition

News 9 Trump’s new food stamp policy 10 GPS system now available on buses

Opinion 12 Florida responds to national vaping crisis 18 Homeless hurt by lack of legal protection

Sports 18 Athletes share their body image struggles 22 Arianna Gonzalez: female football player

The Scene 24 South Beach Cat Cafe 26 Micro Theaters come to Miami

Insight 28 Redrawing political boundaries

spirit and service

Grace Rodriguez / highlights

LENDING A HAND: Students fill cars with donations for the Bahamas Hurricane Relief drives led by NHS and Key Club.

Marta Rodriguez / highlights

DECKED IN RED: Student Activities members show off their school pride at the pep ralley with outfits matching the school’s colors.

G

ables thrives as a collective because of the strengths of its individuals.

Though our natural tendency is to categorize people by their similarities or our own assumptions of them, the further we venture into the school year, the deeper we understand the unique aspects that differentiate and empower us. These differences elevate us and allow us to have the boldness to go where no man has gone before, or, where no woman has gone before, in the case of Arianna Gonzalez (pg. 22). Our stories come from unique backgrounds that form our individual narratives, such as the experiences recalled by biracial students as a result of their unique perspectives (pg. 4-5). Similarly, our narratives are molded by the challenges we face and the ways in which we overcome them, such as the featured experiences of athletes who must overcome body image issues to thrive in their sports (pg. 18-19). Diversity of thoughts and opinions is essential to a

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pictures

Marta Rodriguez / highlights

TUG OF WAR: The Class of 2020 participates in a game of tug of war against their classmates from different grade levels.

Mercedes Debesa / highlights

STRIKE A POSE: The school’s cheerleading team finishes their performance at a football game against Palmetto with a pose.

from the editors healthy academic atmosphere, and the ability to express even the most antipodal positions, such as the debate over the federal funding of Planned Parenthood (pg. 13-14), is paramount to understanding and accepting one another.

This acceptance leads to deeper channels of empathy, as we can extend greater effort into understanding the plights of those who differ from us, such as homeless populations being affected by legislation and hostile architecture in Florida (pg. 15-16). We can celebrate our differences, narratives, and experiences through taking the time to listen, or even watch, as done through the creative medium of culturally rich micro theatre performances (pg. 26-27). But why is this so paramount? Is it not often considered sage to “stay in your own lane,” focus on oneself and one’s goals, and ignore the background noise? Perhaps this focus could lead to success, but it threatens to hurt our connections and understandings of one another. This mentality has the dangerous

potential to create a biased, self-absorbed mindset that can destroy our relationships and build walls around potential avenues of communication. In an increasingly polarized world, being able to understand one another is worth more than ever. Beyond our classrooms, they extend into the real life practices such as gerrymandering (pg. 28-31). Proactively working to understand and accept our differences is the only way to fully harness our abilities as a whole. Through a mindset which embraces and celebrates the individuality of its members, a community can be as strong as the sum of its parts. At the end of the day, we only truly find unity through our diversity.

Sincerely, Alexandra Torres and Estelle Erwich

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features

One Race

Biracial students open up about the difficulties they have endured in their journeys to accept themselves

BY ISABELLA MORALES AND THOMAS MORCILLO, STAFF WRITERS

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IAMI IS SAID TO BE ONE OF the most diverse cities in the world.

From the rich cultural traditions embedded in the skeletons of the city to the distinct ethnic groups that parade the streets from Calle Ocho to Little Haiti, there are residents from all over the globe. Despite this widespread diversity, people with mixed cultures still face distinct challenges. Life for biracial people often comes with the feeling of being an outcast, both socially and physically, as society often defines them

based on their unfamiliar blend of cultures.

Juniors Devon Rall and Daesha Watler, as well as sophomore Anthony Perez, are examples of such people who struggle to fit in because they feel like outcasts as they attempt to embrace their multiracial identities. These students struggle to find their cultural niche as they often receive doubt about their true races from their peers. As they walk the halls of the school, they are met with judgemental stares as other students try to decode their racial backgrounds based on their physical

appearances. Whether their peers slander derogatory comments or their families have trouble accepting them because of aspects of their “other” cultures, these students speak out about the obstacles they encounter daily to combat the negative stigma placed on interracial people. To understand how these students are impacted by society’s perception of their identities, highlights explores how aspects of their races and cultures have defined them in their daily lives.

Anthony perez From the claims of blatant racism having others acknowledge the beauty in against the sound of his voice and his his differences. His stance regarding the unique place in his friend group, sophomore importance of accepting people for their Anthony Perez’s Jamaican and Costa differences is a direct result of the teachings Rican heritage manifest themselves into of his parents, as they taught him and his Perez’s physical and internal ambiguity.

“If I am seen hanging out with my black friends, certain people stop me to say, ‘you don’t gotta hang out with them. They’re not going down the right path,’” Perez said. “They just say that because they [are] black, but then if I am with white kids, there’s no problem.”

From an early age, Perez’s distinct background has brought race to the forefront of his social interactions.

Given that his race’s duality draws charges that he is pretending to be “too Thomas Morcillo/highlights white” or “too black,” elements of his individuality are often invalidated.

Among the most prominent judgments have been those against his personality, as siblings to look past race when chosing his peers scrutinize him for ‘acting ghetto.’ who to love. Perez believes that people For Perez, coming from such seemingly should look past surface-level traits and dissimilar cultures is as much about learning come to accept others for who they are in about one’s own identity as it is about their actions and individual personalities.

“The right crew is not really just about skin color, it is about how you act, what your morals are and how you were raised.

If that means that I have to be with black kids I’ll be with black kids. If I have to be with white kids, I’ll be with white kids. There’s no difference. [Your morals] are just a matter of your attitude, not of your race, but that’s not what people think,” Perez said.

P e r s e v e r i n g through people’s judgements has become particularly important to Perez’s life as a biracial student as he is learning to love himself. He has discovered that identity should be defined by an individual’s characteristics and morals rather than by something as uncontrollable as race due to his interactions with people of different races on campus.

“Regardless of what skin color you are or who you think you are, you always have to be yourself. Race should not factor into your personality.

Don’t let it matter,” Perez said.

Daesha watler

As the daughter of Honduran parents across two different racial groups, junior image of what it means to be Hispanic.

Throughout her life, Watler has

have tried to restrict her into explicit categories of race and identity, telling her that her appearance is hard-set as white or black. Growing up around a predominantly white Hispanic family, Watler’s black culture was often overlooked or misinterpreted in every aspect of her life, from her family history to how she should maintain her tightly curled hair. As the only black person on her maternal side of the family, Watler often faces criticism from within the walls of her own home.

“To this day, my mom says our family is super racist. At cookouts I hear ‘oh, turn off this black people music,’ or ‘oh, look at that girl’s hair, that’s how black people style it,’” Watler said. “It sucks to not be comfortable in your own house.”

Beyond her own experiences, Watler believes that people’s perspectives towards biracial individuals are systemic by nature, stating that outdated perceptions of race

accepting herself, feeling like she will never be white enough for her American relatives or Asian enough for her Japanese relatives. She believes that her mixed heritage would prevent her from looking or feeling like she belongs, no matter where she resides.

“When I was younger, my mother would always tell me that no matter where I am, I will never harsh, I’m proud to say that I’ve learned to embrace that individuality,” Rall said.

Along with the social problems she encounters Rall struggles with being

those of the diverse population at Gables, who each provide a unique perspective.

“I have met so many people that hold a bias against people of color. They do not want to talk to me because I’m black. Like, excuse me, I’m funny.

I can make [anyone] laugh in an instant. What does my race have to do with anything?” Watler said. race have caused Watler to battle with how she should approach both her own and society’s view of herself. Before as people constantly tried to explicitly label her as white or black. Seeing other biracial students in school who encouraged her to ignore traditional

can cause some to hold themselves back from doing things not typically associated with a particular social group. Watler believes that these outdated attitudes can be challenged through genuine interaction with other cultures such as

devon rall

Junior Devon Rall has felt like an outsider her entire life. With distinctive Asian features, Rall’s traits are clearly dissimilar to those of people from white descent.

Since early childhood, Rall has conformed to the societal standard that as the product of a biracial relationship, she would never be accepted for her true racial ambiguity. Her father was born and raised in Kumamoto, Japan while her mother, coming from Germanic and Irish descent, grew up in Pittsburgh.

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viewed as a statistic because of her race.

Identifying herself as Asian on standardized tests, Rall feels that she reduces part of her ethnicity to adhere to a checkbox.

With college approaching, this constantly circulates her train of thought, seeing

as race is such a large component in the college admissions process. Rall inherently faces the academic pressures that coincide with her race, as people commonly correlate her race to excelling in school.

“It angers me that race is such a big factor of the college application process because

reassert her identity as a biracial woman.

“People tell me, ‘you’re not black, you’re yourself by this [standard]. Coming to high

while colleges are trying to promote diversity, they are also excluding people based on one factor they have no choice over,” Rall said. society’s expectation of her academically, but so does her Caucasian descent. Although people hold Rall to high academic standards because she is Asian, there is also a lowering of what is expected when she indicates that she is also white. white, it’s almost as if there is this relaxation of what is expected of me.

There is a sudden assumption that I don’t need to try as hard anymore,” Rall said.

Despite coming from two seemingly different cultural identities, Rall proudly embraces her individuality. The wisdom and knowledge that she has attained through the fusion of her American and Japanese cultures have generated her unique outlook on society today.

“Being biracial has helped me realize that there are various interconnections between cultures. Everything throughout history and time is just intertwined, which supports the idea that discrimination and segregation of any kind are completely wrong,” Rall said. h

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features

Rockin’ in the USA

Cecilia Reyes’ passion for music grants her the opportunity to tour with the School of Rock

BY ISABEL QUINTANILLA, STAFF WRITER

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S CAREFREE TEENAGERS rollicked to the strum of her guitar and euphoria filled the atmosphere, sophomore Cecilia Reyes’ long-held dream of becoming a professional musician became a reality. Her passion was put on display for the world as she belted out the lyrics of her original songs while on tour with School of Rock (SOR).

From a young age, Reyes craved the enticement brought with every musical sound she heard. Her thirst for the craft inspired her to sing professionally as well as play instruments like the guitar, piano, bass and alto saxophone. Reyes’ mom took notice of her daughter’s talents and enrolled her in music classes to help her excel.

The amalgam of Reyes’ ambitions and artistry yielded her acceptance to the SOR AllStars, an internationally recognized music organization with branches everywhere from the United States to South Africa.

To be part of the 1% of applicants, R e y e s underwent Cou rtesy of G a tedious iu liano rADI DeP A ortu selection SOR NT RO C thei member KSTA process where R r re s ndit perfor S: io m she had to provide song ns of h it s. a five-minute

HALL TALK

The highlights staff records whats students are talking about in the hallways at school in between periods.

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music sample and undergo a live audition.

Through this organization, Reyes would receive the opportunity to tour across the Eastern seaboard, from cities like Brooklyn and Boston to Atlanta and Richmond.

“The tour made me optimistic for what the future holds for me. I was able to do the thing I love and make special

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MUSIC HAS PUSHED ME TO KEEP TRYING, EVEN IF SOMETHING SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE AT FIRST. CECILIA REYES, SOPHOMORE bonds with everyone there,” Reyes said.

Reyes’ primary role on tour was as a vocalist.

She sang songs like “Back Pocket” by Vulfpeck or “One Out of Two,” one of her original songs.

Reyes differs from her peers with her unique vocals. This versatility along with her expertise in various instruments has allowed her to explore different positions within her band.

“She brings a funk aspect to the table, which gives our group a versatility that we would not have otherwise,” band member Will Diaz said.

Apart from her successes with the SOR AllStars, Reyes has nonetheless faced her share of challenges. The schoolwork she receives is often a setback for Reyes as she tries to separate her academic and extracurricular tasks effectively. Among the most gruesome aspects

o f acknowledging her talents at such a young age is the criticism she receives. Reyes’ peers often give harsh critiques that indicate she is not worthy of the success she has achieved.

Reyes copes by translating these frustrations into her music through songwriting.

“Songwriting allows me to express myself without having to put anyone down or create any drama,” Reyes said.

Aside from Reyes’ notable accomplishments within her musical career, she nevertheless strives to reach bigger and better stages. She hopes to acquire skills that captivate audiences and catapult her to the top of the music industry. Through her experiences with the SOR AllStars, she is one stride closer to achieving these goals.

“AllStars has been an u n f o rg e t t a b l e journey.

Music has p u s h e d me to keep trying, even if something s e e m s impossible at first. Despite the talent someone carries, there ortu is always room no DeP f Giulia rtesy o u o C to grow and get ROCK: ADY TO rms her E R o better. There is no perf ile Reyes ual wh limit, not even the ow rit pre-sh boston. in sky,” Reyes said. h

“I’m not homophobic. Why would I be afraid of houses?”

“Can ladybugs be male?”

“Do bald people wash their heads with shampoo or body wash?”

“Don’t die! It’s not good for your health.”

“Who would’ve known taking a dog named Shark to the beach is a very bad idea.”

“If someone acccuses you of being argumentative there is no way to defend yourself.”

Trick-Or-Treat Yourself

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features

With Halloween around the corner, treat your sweet tooth with these mouth watering, horrifying desserts

BY EMMA VELA, STAFF WRITER

Dracula’ Dentures Ingredients: • 1 tube chocolate chip cookie dough

Em m

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Bloody Pastelito Ingredients: Instructions: • 1 package puff pastry 1. Preheat oven to 425°F dough 2. Roll dough on a surface and cut two hands from pie crust.

• 1 package guava 3. Brush the edges with beaten paste egg whites. Then, fill with three tablespoons of guava paste.

• 1 egg white 4. Top with second dough hand, pressing edges and fingers • 2 tbsp cane sugar together to seal.

5. Bake for 18 minutes until golden brown. h

Instructions: 1. Prepare ingredients by baking cookies. Then, mix the frosting with the red food coloring to • 1 can vanilla frosting create a bloody paste.

2. Cut the cookie in half to • Red food coloring resemble an upper and lower lip.

Spread a thin layer of frosting on • Minature marshmallows each cookie half.

3. Place mini marshmallows • Dark chocolate chips between both halves, in place of the teeth. Use almonds • Slivered almonds as fangs.

NEWS REVIEW

8 news CALENDAR OCTOBER

16th

PSAT test day Football gameCavs against Columbus

25th

Spirit week begins

28th

Halloween day

31st

BY MERCEDES DEBESA, STAFF WRITER TV PRODUCTION CLASS GETS NEW TEACHER Lianne Clark has been established as the school’s new teacher for TV production after its former teacher, Nicholas Ronda left on September 13. She was formerly known for working with Channel 4 as a technical engineer and has joined the school in order to focus on teaching.

“I look forward to sharing and teaching my students the knowledge I have accumulated over the years,” Lianne Clark said.

According to Lianne Clark, it was not an unfamiliar environment as her family consists of teachers.

COLLEGE CAFÉS HOSTED BY CAP ADVISOR College advisor Khushnuma Driver created a new school event called College Café with the intention of giving students who are preparing for college the extra guidance they need.

College Café sessions will occur throughout the entire school year for all grade levels and will be held during lunch in room 6109 to provide any information that the students request.

“Being one CAP advisor in the school this size could make students feel as if I’m not accessible to them, so my goal is accessibility for all students,” Driver said.

HOMECOMING AT UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI After four years of homecoming not reaching the minimum sales, the school’s student council has decided to move the event to the University of Miami (UM). Most years that homecoming was planned in the gym, the school’s ticket sale shortage had made it difficult to host the event.

After the change to UM, homecoming tickets had sold out on the second day of sales. The student council has also officially decided on a theme — A Night in Paradise.

Want to read more? Check out more great stories online!

Faces to know Get to know the school’s essential administrative staff

CONGRATS BOX Senior Ari Herrera’s play “They Will Love You” was chosen by theater teacher Tracey BarrowSchoenblatt to represent the school in state wide competitions for the near future.

The school earned a B grade by Miami Dade County Public Schools, an increase of last year’s grade by 22 points.

Fire in the Amazon Largest rainforest on fire caused by queimada process

The Democratic debate highlights editor is the youngest person in the first 2020 presidential debate

FOLLOW US ONLINE Read our online stories: @www.cavsconnect.com/category/ highlights-submissions/ Instagram: @highlightscghs Twitter: @highlightscghs

scan to visit our online content!

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THE FOOD STAMP BAN

news

New legislation by the Trump administration leads to decrease in food stamps for struggling Florida families.

BY ALMA MARTINEZ, STAFF WRITER

F

SNAP benefits supplied to roughly 40 million Americans in 2018.

3 million Americans could lose food stamp benefits as a result of the new administration proposal

Source: cbpp.org and npr.org

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I DON’T THINK THE NEW LEGISLATION WAS VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT, DUE TO THE HIGH NUMBER OF LOW INCOME FAMILIES LIVING IN FLORIDA.

CARLIE LONDON, SOPHOMORE Alm aM

ights highl

by the numbers

STUDENTS SPEAK UP

ez/

the government is furthering the restrictions placed on the families abusing these privileges, and has been focusing on saving taxpayer money above all, an estimated three million have no choice but to give up on their regular resources.

In response to the food stamp shortage, s e v e r a l nonprofit organizations f o c u s e d on fighting hunger, such as Feeding South Florida, have already gone into action in order to help the families whose SNAP benefits have been reduced or fully removed.

Since MiamiDade County is home to children who do not have access to regular meals, nonprofits had been put in place long before Trump’s proposal, leading organizations to believe that they can help families in need during times of crisis such as now. h

tin

per month in government-aid money for at least six months.

In addition, non-cash benefits that could convey automatic eligibility would be restricted to subsidize employment, work support or childcare.

According to the Miami Herald, families ranking higher than 130% above the federal poverty line are subject to little or no benefits at all. Though it seems like a large number, most lower-class working citizens sit just above the 130% mark, and reducing these benefits makes it more difficult for these families to get food each month.

“It’s unfair how Trump’s administration is leaving so many families wondering where their next meal is coming from in such short notice. Many of them don’t even know where else to go to for help,” Junior Sheila Melgar said.

The updated USDA website states that some low-income families may now only be provided with a governmentissued informational brochure describing social services or access to hotline numbers instead of the usual benefits that they routinely depend on in order to get by. Before the proposal was pitched, one in seven workers in Florida regularly received SNAP funding. However, now that

ar

OOD STAMPS HAVE served as a safety net for millions of foodinsecure Floridians, but will soon be partially eliminated due to new legislation, leaving families stranded with few places to turn. On July 23rd, President Trump’s administration proposed new legislation that would make it more difficult for families to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (SNAP), weakening the food stamps program. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a press release stating that too many Florida families have taken advantage of food stamps and taxpayer money through numerous loopholes in the government assistance guidelines and that the situation needs to be reevaluated.

“While 2.8 million Floridians struggle with food insecurity, including 850,000 children, reducing federal nutrition assistance is a step in the wrong direction,” Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said.

Legislators also have yet to inform the public about where the food stamp funds are being redirected to.

In order for families to collect their food stamps, they now have to prove they are being given at least $50

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I UNDERSTAND THAT MANY FAMILIES NEED THE MONEY, BUT MANY ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE BENEFITS.

LEONARDO SUAREZ, SOPHOMORE

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TRUMP AND HIS ADMINISTRATION SHOULD NOT BE CUTTING DOWN FOOD STAMP FUNDS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO STRUGGLE.

DIOSLYN OLIVIA,

10 news

New MDCPS bus safety measures

The MDCPS transportation system will install GPS trackers on their school buses as part of a new initiative.

BY MIGUEL LEMUS, STAFF WRITER

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IAMI DADE COUNTY PUBLIC School Systems (MDCPS) has partnered up with DataRemote, a local cellular and wireless technology company, to equip buses with GPS tracking devices for the 2019-2020 academic school year. These devices will allow them to secure the location of school buses and improve the technology used for the benefit of both students and parents.

The initiative came to light as a way for MDCPS to keep its buses safe. The mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School led to a new awareness of the limitations of previous security measures.

Consequently, MDCPS is working on creating a more stable and better-secured school environment throughout the county.

Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has announced the implementation of this upgrade in bus safety and technology in 2015, but the process recently was put into full effect. Buses equipped with high-end technology such as hotspots, speed trackers and traffic predictions are the latest improvements introduced.

MDCPS is equipped with 18,000 HD cameras where footage is observed continuously by district officials in the seven command centers. Cameras will allow authorities to keep surveillance on any suspicious activity in schools. These command centers will now connect to all the school buses in addition to the school cameras. All of MDCPS’s 1,037 public buses have GPS trackers installed onboard. The GPS trackers were set in place to eventually create an application where students or parents can access the locations of school buses. District

officials and dispatchers will be the only ones that can view real-time updates of bus routes throughout the county. Currently, tracking features will not be revealed to the public to ensure that there is no malfunction or glitches before its official release.

“I would feel a lot safer if my parents had the location of the bus at all times of the day.

If MDCPS were to release an application that would allow students and parents to track the buses it would also help us greatly,” junior Cristina Palacios said.

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IT CAN PREVENT STUDENTS FROM BEING LATE TO SCHOOL FROM THE UNCERTAINTY OF THEIR BUS COMING AND OVERALL BE EFFORTLESS AND TIMESAVING PROCESS FOR STUDENTS.

LIZZETH CARBONELL, SENIOR

Although there has been no set release date of the tracking application, parents will still have the ability to call the district if they want to know the whereabouts of their child’s bus. The goal of this new system is to decrease parent concerns, offer the ability to confirm pick up times and lower the number of students missing their buses.

In case of an emergency, the enhanced system will prove to be more advantageous.

Previously, the link between the bus fleet and dispatch office was through a two-way radio, but if the bus’s battery died the source of communication would be rendered futile.

With the improved GPS unit, the individual batteries would allow the tracking feature to function regardless of the bus’s battery percentage.

“Transportation administrators can create better and more effective routes and schedules for their students. This allows for better time management, reduce fuel cost and overall operational cost of the bus fleet,” Administrative Director of the Department of Transportation Orlando Alonso said.

For the prospective future, MDCPS plans to continue improving its bus safety technology. For example, they intend to introduce a barcode reader connected to the GPS system. Students would then be required to swipe a barcode which would then record if the student is on the bus. Furthermore, bus absences are planned to be reduced through a “drive substitution” program to replace missing or late buses.

“After that, we plan to integrate a new routing and scheduling program that will provide our drivers’ turn-by-turn navigation via a tablet mounted on the buses. We hope this will help any new drivers or standbys who may be asked to step in and cover a route when the regular driver is out on leave,” Alonso said.

If all the test trials run smoothly, superintendent Carvalho announced that the new GPS tracking system alongside an expected application in Miami-Dade would go into full effect for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year. h

QUICK FACTS

26 million students

in the U.S. ride the bus everyday

24%

About of bus related injuries involve getting on or off a bus

Source: Standfordchildrens.org and asumag.com

11

The ban on plastic

news

The City of Coral Gables introduces legislation to ban the use of plastic and styrofoam containers in retail stores

BY JONATHAN MESA, STAFF WRITER

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Gables should be the one to make the call because Florida is such a different place depending on what city you are in so I think that matters like this should be handled more small scale rather than from a person who is miles away and does not know the city of Coral Gables as well as our local government does,” senior Aiden Beaton said.

Most businesses in Coral Gables plan to or already have eliminated the use of plastic and styrofoam from use, despite the State Supreme Court’s ruling on the ban.

One way to incentivize getting these remaining businesses on board that has yet to be implemented is to reward them with free decals for the front of their stores. Even though some continue to use styrofoam and plastic, the collective desire of the community’s businesses has been an inspiring example as Miami Beach now vouches to back Coral Gables in their effort to repeal the State Supreme Court’s ruling.

Getting the ban against plastic and styrofoam to pass over as a local one would be difficult for Coral Gables. With a group of corporations this large putting immense legal pressure on anyone pushing for bans, Coral Gables has very limited options.

A group of commercial powerhouses

comprised of Walmart, Target, Publix and others hit Coral Gables with a lawsuit for the attempted bans. The Retail Federation argued that the City of Coral Gables is infringing on a past decision that does not allow it to ban any sort of plastic or polystyrene products.

Once the ban reached the state supreme court, the state shot down Coral Gables’ attempts at a ban which would undoubtedly cost the Retail Federation millions of dollars collectively. The switch from plastic bags to environmentally safer paper bags would be a low effort for these businesses but the extra pennies that each paper bag would cost add up quickly. The paper bags would be recyclable, while the plastic bags usually end up inside landfills or oceans. The pressure from these three business titans is immense and has even caused other delegations, like Miami Beach, that supported Coral Gables to back down from fear that they too will face a lawsuit.

With most of The City of Coral Gables’ businesses already supporting and following the plastic ban regulation, perhaps the state government can be persuaded by Coral Gables’ officials to leave the decision of the matter to the local governments, where the citizens of Coral Gables have more power and are less likely to be overruled by big retailer representatives. h

STUDENTS SPEAK UP

Jona tha

n

ast August, the City of Coral Gables’ city government presented a new piece of legislation that would eliminate the use of plastic bags and styrofoam containers from use at most large retailers. The matter rose all the way to the supreme court of Florida where it was unanimously rejected.

Despite many South Florida influential figures such as Coral Gables mayor Vince Lago and Coral Gables city attorney Miriam Lagos deeming the denial of the ban unfavorable for environmentalists, the state supreme court ruled that the regulation of polystyrene substances will be a state decision rather than a local one.

Since the ruling, the Coral Gables city government has received vocal and written support from both anonymous Coral Gables business owners and environmentally conscious citizens that they are willing to do their part in the effort to get the ban through the state supreme court. Many Coral Gables officials, however, feel that the matter should be decided locally, basing their argument on the fact that Florida governor Ron DeSantis has vetoed similar state legislation in the past with his reasoning being that the matter would better be handled by local governments rather than the state.

“I think that the city of Coral

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AT HOME, I’M TRYING TO CONVINCE MY PARENTS INTO USING REUSABLE BAGS INSTEAD OF PLASTIC ONES. THEY ARE SLOWLY INCORPORATING THEM MORE INTO OUR SHOPPING TRIPS

AYELEN ESQUERIDO, SENIOR

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THEY’VE PROBABLY ALREADY NOTICED THE EFFECTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT BY NOW. IT’S ALL JUST MONEY BASED.

SALMA DIAZ-MARTINEZ, SENIOR

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AS LONG AS [COMMERCIAL TITANS] HAVE MONEY, THEY CAN PAY OFF WHOEVER THEY WANT FOR WHATEVER REASON THEY WANT.

PIERRE COUTO, JUNIOR

12

opinion

STAFF-ED: Florida’s Vaping Vice

As e-cigarrettes take center stage for their harmfulness, Florida continues to ignore its vaping problem

W

HEN IT COMES TO e-cigarettes, the train to ban them is going full steam ahead. With reports of five vaping related deaths, concerns over the once considered safe practice have come into question.

However, On our state level, the most that has been done has been to ban vaping indoors, and while Floridians may appreciate the lack of mango scent at their local hangouts, if there is to be an end to the epidemic of teen vaping in schools, then more serious action must be taken.

In other states though, some have been quick, with Michigan declaring an emergency ban and New York limiting the sale of flavoured cartridges, at least until more is known of the cause of the harmful effects of vaping. On the federal level, Presdient Trump proposed a complete national ban on the selling of flavoured cartridges as a result of the reported 530 vaping illnesses in 38 states. On every scale, vaping has been recognized as an issue that must be addressed, except Florida.

Immediately, it is important to disregard foggy-brained vaping apologists who claim that vaping is not harmful, targeted at teens, or even of any importance.

While one trip to a school bathroom easily dispels the myth that teens are not targeted, there is plenty of other evidence against these vaping apologists. Although the direct cause is not known, it is remarkably evident that vaping does damage, and that its target audience is teens, with

the average patient suffering from vaping related diseases being 19, as per the CDC. By far the most prominent seller of e-cigarettes are Juul, so much so that the name has almost been synonymous with vaping.

Juul however, is owned by Altria, the nation’s leading tobacco company, and as such, it is no surprise that Juul has been excelling at advertising itself as healthier than what it actually is. While it does boast that it is FDA approved, its products were only approved for ingestion, rather than inhalation. Only recently has the FDA been cracking down on this, as on Sept. 9 they sent a warning letter to Juul about its claims that e-cigarettes are safer than regular cigarettes. At a congressional hearing, it was also admitted that a Juul representative spoke at a school, claiming that Juul products were much safer than cigarettes and that they would get FDA approval any day One popular argument in favor of vaping is that e-cigarettes breathtaking numbers are irrelevant, seeing that use of traditional cigarettes among teens dropped significantly when vaping hit the scene in 2007, implying that tobacco would have remained a problem should vaping have never been commercialized.

However, the reality is that this fallacious argument ignores several facts for the sake of defending the precious golden ichor that rests within a pod. While indeed declining teen smoking rates coincided with rising teen vaping rates, teen smoking rates had already been on its way down as e-cigarettes became popular, and since then, vaping rates have surpassed the peak of the teen smoking rates. In 2018, as per the National Academy of Science,

By The Numbers:

15.2% of students in Miami-Dade County reported current use of vaping products

20% of teens reported having used an e-cigarette in the last 30 days. In 2011, the rates for smoking were at its highest 15.7%, with e-cigarette usage was at 1.5%. What’s more is that e-cigarettes also function as a gateway drug towards smoking as, according to the FDA, the uptick in e-cigarette use has led overall tobacco product use to increase by 38% among high school students.

In Florida specifically, teen vaping is even more worrisome, as approximately one in four teens vape, and specifically 15% of teens consistently vape in Miami-Dade-County according to the Florida Department of Health. Although the news of the harmful effects of vaping have deterred some teens, vaping has still run rampant through the youth of Florida, unless the scattered e-cigarette packaging on bathroom floors is to be interpreted as the result of a unified teen effort to quit vaping Clearly, instagram anti-vaping campaigns are not enough, although Tobacco Free Florida and the FDA would tell you otherwise with their “The Real Cost” movements. With the threat of vitamin E acetate and formaldehyde in vaping pods, further action against vaping must be taken. Important to consider though is that the restrictions put upon e-cigarettes must not be harsh enough as to prevent their use among adults who use them in an attempt to quit smoking.

In order to prevent further casualties to vaping, Florida should at the very least create a temporary ban, and maybe even follow in New York’s footsteps and ban all flavoured e-cigarette cartridges that attract teen users.

Should the end of teen vaping be the desired result, legislation must be drafted quickly and decisively to address the issue, lest teens continue to wander in a continuous smog. h

Source: CDC, The Florida Department of Health, FDA

538

Use of tobacco products has risen by

38% 38 states 29% cases of vapingrelated illness have been reported in

among high school students among middle school students

13

opinion

Power for the Powerful

Florida’s biggest power company, Florida power and light has been leveraging the power markets for its own profit.

COMMENTARY BY AUSTIN YAGODA

F

L O R I D A president and CEO Eric Silagy claimed that Power and Light people are ignorant of an “energy crisis” (FPL), the third in Texas, in which wholesale energy prices largest electrical and raised to $9000 due to a heat wave, but only power utility company for a brief amount of time. The true length in the country, provides of this crisis was not specifically mentioned the state of Florida by FPL, and through this they were able with clean and renewable energy, for to justify increased prices without other what had once seemed like a reasonable consumers knowing the full extent of the price. However, it has been revealed crisis, essentially hiding facts and extremely that FPL has been taking advantage of necessary information from the public. a deregulated market in other states to Because FPL almost has a complete increase its own profits. Regrettably, monopoly over renewable electrical energy Tthe well-known and in Florida, there is little reliable company has been leaving competition Floridian consumers in that market and, despite the at a disadvantage, while Texan Floridians would have companies low rates, has lead to consumers are getting been abe to save five no increase in the to reap the rewards.

The deregulation million dollars each year quality or value in renewable of the energy industry should the energy ballot e n e r g y . I n throughout parts of terms, the United States initiative have been statistical has allowed for FPL Floridians have available in 2016. been paying to “compete” with its sister company Source: Economic Benefits 33% more than in Texas known as Texans, while of Statewide Competition on Texas provides Gexa Energy, and as a Florida Electric Power Market 100% renewable result, prices for clean energy in Florida have for (Perryman Group) energy 7.5 cents per significantly increased.

The energy kilowatt hour, company has reportedly been using and Florida provides 5 to 6% renewable what is known as “cherry picked,” or energy for 9.9 cents a kilowatt hour. selectively displayed data to raise prices Florida also remained behind Texas in in Florida. This all began when FPL terms of solar energy output throughout

Did you know?

opposable thumbs Spirit Week “I get to dress up as myself, a clown.”

-Alexa Orozco Staff Writer

the last year. This is obviously a faulty and unreasonable system, as no consumer should need to pay more for an inferior service.

In addition to the pricing, FPL had originally laid out a plan to withhold solar power from their upcoming SolarTogether program from people who did not fully support the continuity of the solar program, instead only allocating it to those who did not support the Citizens for Energy Choices ballot initiative. The ballot initiative would have given citizens of Florida the right to choose their own energy provider, rather than having a provider that was automatically assigned by the state depending on the consumer’s location. As a result of different companies vying for customers, renewable energy rates would drop throughout the state, decreasing the income of the major providers, especially FPL themselves.

However, after some questioning on how FPL would enforce the restriction, they completely scrapped the exclusion idea.

As a combined result of using Texas’s deregulated energy market to drive up prices in Florida and the later overturned decision to exclude select individuals from clean, renewable solar energy, Florida Power and Light has been branded by many as a powerhungry, stereotypical big business. The power and utility giant is increasingly being seen in a negative light, although it is seemingly unaware of the potential consequences of its questionable choices, decisions and actions.

Hopefully, FPL will come to realize the errors of its methods, and at least attempt to right its wrongs and provide proper and reasonable clean and renewable energy rates. h

Thirteen Reasons Why “Didn’t know you could die three times.”

-Isabella Ahumada, Staff Writer

Politics

“Alexander Sutton probably has something to say about that.”

-Jonathan Mesa, Staff Writer

14

opinion

The future of Title X

With the new Title X ruling preventing refferals to abortion, is the decision infringing on people’s constitutional rights?

COMMENTARY BY MELANIE NUNEZ

T

ITLE X’S l a t e s t regulations resolved an ongoing debate sweeping the nation — should taxpayers’ money be utilized to fund the corrupt business of abortion? On account of the persistent deception displayed by Planned Parenthood, the largest single provider of abortions in the country, the answer is no. These new rules established a necessary, clear line separating federal money and abortion organizations.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) established new guidelines limiting abortion procedures for organizations receiving federal funds from Title X, a program distributing funds to public and nonprofit organizations providing natural family planning services. Planned Parenthood, a nonprofit reproductive health care organization, chose to leave the family planning program instead of complying with these new rules.

The organization is now faced with the undeniable possibility of being defunded.

Planned Parenthood maintains that their apprehension towards the new legislation stems primarily from the multitude of low-income women who rely on their reproductive health care.

However, there are about 1,200 federallyqualified health clinics and 2,000 pregnancy centers, including the Primary Care Medical Services of Poinciana in Florida, that provide crucial services to women facing unplanned pregnancies

such as medical testing, ultrasounds, child-birth classes and other prenatal care.

In an attempt to discredit Title X’s new regulations, Planned Parenthood is pushing the narrative that it imposes a “gag rule.” This allegedly restricts physicians from informing patients of all their options, and enforces language designed to discourage patients from considering having an abortion. Planned Parenthood has failed to comprehend the true intentions behind the new rule. Although health clinic physicians are not allowed to issue or perform an abortion, they have the authority to counsel patients and give information on abortion that they would not get at Planned Parenthood. Regardless of the countless claims suggesting this “gag rule” violates the First Amendment, speech is neither censored nor discouraged.

The general public often perceives Planned Parenthood as an organization that is empowering women by defending reproductive rights. The reality is that their focus is on economic gain. To obtain money, Planned Parenthood milks abortion for all it is worth.

“When dealing with an organization like Planned Parenthood that banks off hundreds of thousands of preventable abortions every year, measures need to be taken,” junior Brayden Sanchez said.

“It is saddening that we currently live in a society where abortion is celebrated as a form of women’s empowerment.”

Providing natural family planning is the exact goal Title X strives to accomplish, and this goal does not need to include abortion. Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood’s entire foundation is dependent on women

Quick Facts 70%

of women who receive service from Title X clinics have an income below the federal poverty line Source: National Public Radio

NO receiving abortions, despite its insistence that women’s health, not abortion, is their main focus. According to The Heritage Foundation, Planned Parenthood performs one of every three abortions in the U.S. Just last year, they performed 327,653 abortions. They made only 1,880 adoption referrals, and completed just 18,684 prenatal services, such as physical exams and ultrasounds, that same year. Even cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood have decreased by 50% since 2004. Former Planned Parenthood employees have come forward with allegations of mandatory “abortion quotas,” including Abby Johnson, an anti-abortion activist and previous Planned Parenthood clinic director.

The HHS’s wish for Title X not to be associated with organizations that depend on abortions is twisted by the mainstream media to seem malicious, but the reality is far from that. Title X’s funds should be granted to organizations concerned with the health of women and the unborn, not simply on monetary gain. Taxpayers should not have to fund organizations that are in the bloody business of abortion, but should instead fund clinics providing natural family planning and health care for women — clinics that do not view abortion as a means of monetary profit, but as a last resort. h

Over 60% of women who received health care services at a Title X clinic identified that as their usual source of health care.

15

opinion

students speak up

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IT PUTS UNDERPRIVILEGED WOMEN IN DANGER, AND WOMEN SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE

-Caroline Febre, junior

T

HANKS TO A NEW TITLE X restriction, yet another hurdle has been put in front of millions of American women to get the care they need. The gag rule is a new lesgislation under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that makes it illegal for doctors working under Title X to refer their patients to abortion services if needed.

Unstigmatized reproductive services for women were already somewhat of a rarity in the United States. Now, with the defunding of Planned Parenthood, the restriction puts women, mostly those from low-income backgrounds in a dangerous position, leaving them without access to affordable birth control, cancer screenings and STD testing.

Title X was originally made to help lower-income Americans receive affordable preventive services. After years of advocating for women’s rights, women’s victory over their right to choose came to an end. The ruling has affected women everywhere in the United States, and in response, the internet has blown up with anger towards the TrumpPence Administration, as well as rallies in favor of the #BansOffMyBody movement created

by Planned Parenthood. This movement was created with the intention of taking action and spreading awareness of the recent legislation.

Those in power do not have to morally agree with abortion to recognize that it is a woman’s choice to decide what to do with her body, and it is a doctor’s duty to give a woman the information

YES

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“ I DO BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING A GOOD THING TO STOP GIVING [PLANNED PARENTHOOD] MONEY. ”

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-Dariel Gonzalez, junior

COMMENTARY BY SHARON FLOREZ

she has a right to. With the passing of this rule, The American Medical Association Code of Medical Ethics is clearly being violated.

This has become a direct attack on the rights of underprivileged women that are left with no choice at all. With the defunding of Planned Parenthood, not only is it harder for women to get abortions, but it is harder for them to access any type of reproductive healthcare.

The President of March for Life Jeanne Mancini has gone on record to argue that if Planned Parenthood were really advocating for healthcare, they would stop abortion services.

However, Planned Parenthood has proved to be advocating for women’s rights and consistently providing their patients with crucial information by releasing a statement in response to these allegations.

“As a doctor, I believe in providing my patients with accurate, evidence-based information they need to make the best decisions for themselves and their health. It’s not my right — or anyone’s right — to shame, judge and impose my personal views on patients” former President of Planned Parenthood Dr. Leana Wen said in press release about March for Life.

As stated by the National Conference of State Legislatures, with the help of previous Title X services, unplanned teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases in the United

States had gone down to an all-time low, declining by 67% since 1991.

Already, influential people such as former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy and former executive director of Doctors for America Dr. Alice T. Chen have openly conveyed their disapproval of the new rule. In their USA Today article, they asserted the importance of affordable health services to families who are struggling financially.

A whopping 530 million dollars annually of Title X’s funding goes towards Planned Parenthood, aiding more than four million Americans. In addition, contrary to popular belief, the defunding of Planned Parenthood would be exceptionally detrimental to tax paying citizens, considering the surge of unwanted pregnancies over the next 10 years that would bring the spending of Medicaid up to $650 million, as maintained by the Congressional Budget Office.

With the lack of funding to Planned Parenthood, there are no other immediate health providers to take its place or rival the amount of resources provided by them, including care for men and for transgender patients. This gag rule enforced by the current legislation mirrors the one seen in the 1990s under the Bush Global gag rule, continuing to restrict the rights of women as well as those of transgender patients who rely on Planned Parenhood for hormone therapy. The regression of these policies evidently does the opposite of what they were originally made to do: truthfully assist and support American citizens. h

16

opinion

Life under the

BR E ID G

COMMENTARY BY LAURA HERNANDEZ

H

OMELESS INDIVIDUALS have lost yet another comfort, no longer allowed to be on the streets, due to the abolishment of The Pottinger Agreement in Miami.

The class action lawsuit from the 1990s set rules allowing homeless residents of Florida to reside in public areas without police interruption. It was brought on by 5,000 homeless people and as of mid-2019, this agreement has been abolished by U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno through a directed opinion. For many, The Pottinger Agreement was a last bastion, providing a way to thrive in the face of overcrowded shelters.

It was neither fair nor right for Moreno to strip away a law protecting citizens from residing in the streets, especially when, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), a staggering 31,030 of people in Florida are homeless, with upwards of 50% of them without a shelter or viable places to spend a night. Moreno justifying his decision by stating that homeless people have no need to be in the streets due to the city’s available shelters was a gross oversight. Homeless people need protection in order to have a safe place to reside and avoid discrimination

because of their status in society. To keep the homeless people off the streets, Florida first has to improve sanitary conditions and rule regulations associated with Miami’s homeless shelters. The struggles homeless individuals face are excessive without the worry of failing services and persecution for sleeping outside. The abolishment of the protection agreement was the cherry on top to the sundae of disaster that homeless people are up against in today’s mediocre attempt to help save them from a cycle of poverty.

“It goes to show a cultural bias. The judge obviously has not been homeless, he makes a lot of money and his vision of homelessness would probably be an inconvenience to him. There are insufficient homeless shelters for people who need them,’’ Michael Maxwell, a substitute teacher and social worker in homeless health facilities in the Miami area, said. “Those who live in the street have no opportunities or options, and many people are mentally or emotionally incapacitated and cannot afford any other way but living on the street.”

Contrary to popular belief, housing shelters have their limits, and are not equipped to house large masses of people.

Reports from the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH) show that Florida has the highest homeless rates in the country

Quick Facts

and those by the World Health Organization show that the state’s inadequate shelters are a major factor in the transmission of diseases among these homeless. The National Center for Biotechnology Information found that agencies around the world that serve the homeless are frequently overburdened and understaffed.

It is also worthy to note that these shelters receive little to no funding, especially with Florida cutting homeless protection budgets, with a $158,000 cut for Miami-Dade. Even if a homeless member of the public wanted to be put into a shelter, they are not automatically guaranteed a place to stay. The ICH shows 8,346 shelters, that are only capable of 50100 residents at a time, are provided for over 31,030 residents, and in addition to this hurdle individual must meet certain criteria and keep frequent tabs on the shelter and somehow communicate with them.

Another consideration is that shelters often follow regulations that make them difficult to live in. Some of these rules are minor, like no outside possessions, but others make them inhospitable. In 2018, NAEH published a list that specified the rules and procedures shelters often follow. This list includes a minimum income requirement or program fee, taking criminal background

Florida has the Third Highest 564,708 people are homeless on homeless population in the a given night in the United States, Unites States 25% being mentally ill.

Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

17

opinion

The Pottinger Agreement was essential for homeless people to survive in Florida. With its abolishment, the homeless population of Florida is left stranded checks, following prohibitions against Other non-health related causes couples staying together in shelters of homelessness include a lack of and abiding limited hours of operation. affordable housing and social support, Such date times force residents to poverty and domestic violence. arrive during restricted evening hours Solutions to these causes are and leave early in the morning. The consistently not prioritized. Research isolated and inaccessible locations of from SEH shows that if our community these shelters make them hard for the had fully-functioning, medical clinics, homeless to locate and to find jobs comprehensive services and intensive nearby. This along with the issues above, case management, connections with make shelters an unreliable solution in community health partners, hygienic place of The Pottinger Agreement. restroom facilities and private rooms, “The solutions to ending then there would be a higher chance of homelessness are so much broader being able to end staggering homeless in scope than rates.

Florida’s this protection residents should agreement, spread information which requires and educate others police to offer on the issue at 2.5 million children hand and be the shelter before they can arrest to destroy experience ones someone for stereotypes about engaging in homelessness every h o m e l e s s n e s s . life sustaining should year, which equates to Residents activities on let it be known the street’’ ending roughly 12.5% of the that Constance homelessness is Florida population a cause worth C o l l i n s , President of for Source: The American fighting Miami’s Lotus Institute of Research because, at the end House Women’s of the day, families Shelter, said. are on the street “We need to fighting for survival commit the resources it takes to provide and their plea’s aren’t being heard. affordable housing for low income In Florida, barbed wire hangs individuals in our community and menacingly in heavily populated shelter with deep protective factors areas to dissuade homeless people in times of transition, affordable from camping there and shelters high quality childcare for working overflow with people just trying to parents, wages commensurate with find a place for a night to call home. market rents, and affordable access This speaks volumes of the effect to healthcare for everyone in our of the abolishment of The Pottinger community. In these measures we Agreement, something agreed on by will find the solutions so essential to representatives that don’t represent transitioning everyone off the street” the people out on the streets going The organization Strategies to End hunger and the people who work Homelessness (SEH) states that people at shelters trying to help them. frequently become homeless because Truly, the abolishment decree had no of serious health conditions, like those business being made and the reasoning who suffer from substance abuse, mental of it was an overlooking of the real illness or a chronic health condition. threat homelessness has on the state. h

Did you know?

Kevin’s Korner

The Perfect Font: COMMENTARY BY KEVIN MONJARREZ

I stood still, deep in prayer, begging, pleading, for new music — I prayed for something fresh, hip, or at least for Billie Eilish to release “Bad Guy Two”. Then, just moments later, a voice gently whispered in my ear: “The future is bright and it will be written in comic sans.” And although this had nothing to do with my prayer, after quick research into this claim, I knew that this voice was right.

How I had not discovered the Lord’s font sooner was beyond me. Upon my first viewing I instantly accepted Comic Sans MS not just as a font, but as a beacon of hope — knowing deep in my heart that MS stood for My Savior.

Assuredly, my discovery of Comic Sans will usher in a golden age of writing, and in turn, a golden age in this new world.. There is no particular science behind it, but just like Martin Luther and the Reformation, I am asking you to confide in the font through faith alone. Simply know that it doesn’t take a genius to recognize that Comic Sans is easy to read, fun to type and overall reduces the rates of smasehd trophy cases by 50%.

Upon conducting several interviews across the school, the consensus is clear. The Editorin-Chief of CavsConnect, Alexander Yagoda, reported that he thought the font was “not tacky at all” and that this article was “sure to be a hit if you continue using that font.” The Editor-in-Chief of the Cavaleon, Christopher Brazda, stated that he thought “If I ever pick up a yearbook written in comic sans, I worry that I’ll never be able to put it down.”

When asked the question “Why is the future of our world dependant on Comic Sans’ use?”

Our very own Editor-in-Chief of highlights, Alexandra Torres, even went as far as to say “Please just finish writing your godforsaken column we are behind schedule,” to which I will liberally paraphrase as, “To oppose comic sans is to oppose the idea of God itself.”

Although there are some who oppose the font, I compel those who read this to push for the use of Comic Sans, not only for our future, but for the future of all writing. Do the new building teachers give up after one kid manages to go down the stairs? No they don’t, and neither should we. With continued group effort, we can create a perfect world just as exciting as the font itself. h

18

sports

Embodying the game

The school’s athletes overcome the perceived benefit of a certain body type in their athletic fields

BY BARBARA BORJA AND ADDYS PLATA, STAFF WRITERS

I

N THE AGE OF BODY positivity, people’s imperfections are becoming more accepted.

However, in sports, many athletes still struggle with feeling minimized because they do not have the typical body type for their sport. Many athletes struggle with their body image because of variations in size that may cause disadvantages. They are compared to their teammates and are pressured into performing even better to

compensate for their perceived ability.

The athletic profile of an athlte is often associated with bodies that are physically fit and have the type of physical characteristics that others in their sport may have. Those able to rise against standards reveal characteristics of determined and passionate athletes who make valuable additions to their teams. Junior athletes Pietra Goa and Merrick O’Dell share their stories of resiliency and advocate for body positivity

and changing athletic body norms. Though opposing types of sports, their contrast demonstrates how anyone can strive to make the most out of i n s e c u r i t i e s and continue to p u r s u e t h e i r p a s s i o n s .

MERRICK O’DELL Although many football players depend on their physical form to excel in their athletic performance, junior slot receiver Merrick O’Dell does not let his small physique prevent him from pursuing his passion. As a child, O’Dell was surrounded by his large, muscular older siblings, who inspired him to develop an interest in football. Having to compare himself to family members with bigger builds, he was likely to fall under self-deprecating insecurities. With time, he was able to appreciate his size and make as good of a football player as his brothers. Although his family and friends occasionally bother him about his size, they still support his perseverance for continuing to pursue football, despite his vertical disadvantage.

As a five foot, four inch tall slot receiver, O’Dell is on the lower end of the size charts for the position, but his speed and agility help compensate for his size.

A slot receiver is one who easily perform well in open spaces and is able to run fast, his smaller body runs in his favor. Despite not being as tall or muscular as the rest of his team-mates, O’Dell’s does not let his efforts on the field go unnoticed. Seeming an outcast for his team, O’Dell actually plays a great role as a slot receiver, using his size and determination to facilitate plays and and help lead his team to victory.

Although societal norms do not impact his self-perception, they do affect his point of view on football. Winning is what is most important to O’Dell, which is why

he does not allow room to worry about his appearance and has learned to play as well as he can with who he is. His main focus is improving his skill. He has been able to grow and become comfortable with his size and has applied himself in practice and training to be a strong effective player on the field.

His body image only affects him physically because when a play gets too aggressive, the hits he takes are more painful for him than for someone bigger.

“You have to be big and strong because the bigger you are and the stronger you are the more you stand out to coaches and it also makes it harder for opponents to dominate you, which is why football players are in the weightroom more 50% of the year,” O’Dell said.

O’Dell emphasizes the importance of training on his athletic performance because he puts in hard work to build the muscle he needs to compensate for his size. He accepts his weaknesses and does what is necessary to become the player he wants to be. O’Dell exemplifies an athlete driven by passion and insatiable motivation, who is able to accomplish more than what is

expected based on a societal norms.

“Even though I’m small, I can not let my body image effect the way I p l a y , ” O ’ D e l l s a i d .

Barbara Borja / highlights

19

sports

PIETRA GOA GROWING UP in Brazil, junior Pietra Goa never felt comfortable in her own skin. She started noticing she did not fit into children’s clothing at an early age, making her stand out from her peers, creating a lasting impact on her susceptible mind.

In her first year of high school, she joined the cheerleading team where she was bullied b y

Barbara Borja/ highlights

people who said she should not be a surgery has helped her by allowing her to cheerleader because she did not have the do many things she could not do before like typical cheerleader physique. This was when exercising and practicing for long durations she began to question herself and her athletic without feeling the consequent back pain abilities. Because she could not stretch or and soreness all throughout her body. Even jump as well as some of her teammates, and though her surgery was never about changing she was not as tall as a typical backspot, herself to fit society’s standards, she does whose job is to feel more confident and ensure the safety of beautiful in her own skin. the flyer, Goa felt like Goa used to define she did not fit in and herself by her physical was good enough to image—how she was I BELIEVE SOCIETAL be on the team. In shaped, the amount of PRESSURES EXIST order to overcome cellulite and stretch marks BECAUSE WE ALLOW the low expectations she had, how tall or short others set for her she was and the size of THEM TO. WHEN and maintain her clothing she was wearing.

PEOPLE REALIZE THAT self-confidence Through the support BEAUTY IS SIMPLY A in the sport, Goa of her team, family and dedicated herself to friends, Goa started to CONCEPT, THEY WILL cheerleading.

She love herself and accept UNDERSTAND THAT strived to do as well her body. Instead of THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL as her teammates focusing on negativity, by making an effort she decided to follow EVEN IF IT IS NOT WHAT to better the issues body-positive influencers IS EXPECTED FROM that held her back online, such as plus-sized SOCIETY. through hours of model Ashley Graham, extra practice. who has inspired her to PIETRA GOA, “ I n be more confident in her JUNIOR cheerleading, athletic abilities. She also t h e started watching videos stereotype is that backspots are on body positivity to boost her confidence supposed to be tall and I’m 5 because they showed her that people feet 2 inches tall. I started to do not have to conform to societal feel like I was the opposite standards of success to love themselves. of what a backspot was “I believe societal pressures exist supposed to look like because society allows them to, that beauty and struggled with body is money in a world where it is the only image,” Goa said. thing that matters. When people realize Her chest that beauty is simply a concept, they will caused her a lot of understand that they are beautiful even if it is physical difficulty not what is expected from society,” Goa said. in cheerleading Goa was grateful to have her friends because the rigorous and family by her side during this process. stunts caused her They never judged her and they understood severe back pain. the issues she faced with her breasts. Goa After dealing with is currently waiting until early October to discomfort for be cleared to start performing again, but her two years, Goa back pain has been reduced significantly. underwent breast “I think my experience can help others reduction surgery because I am at a point in life where I to eliminate her love myself. And by loving myself, I can pain. However, love others to the point that they realize her decision was they are worthy of love,” Goa said. “I made because learned that there is always going to be of health pressure from society to look a certain way, concerns rather but there are also a lot of body positive than societal people who can help us learn to love p r e s s u r e . ourselves. We are human and we are never T h e going to be perfect.” h

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20

sports

Cavs fall to Miami Beach Hi-Tides

The girls varsity volleyball team dropped a hard fought game in their most vexing game yet

BY DILAN DENHAM, STAFF WRITER

I

Dilan Denham/ highlights

N A FRAY OF EFFORT AND motivation, the girls volleyball team fought an unforgettable match against the Miami Beach/Doral Hi-Tides.

Starting with six brutal 3-0 wins and three close losses during the early season, the team understood that the Hi-Tides would prove to be formidable opponents, as they were one of the only teams to have beaten them this school year.

Their recent loss became motivation for them to redeem themselves and dedicate themselves to the hours of practice they put in before the game. Training Monday through Friday with dynamic warm-ups, fast-paced scrimmages and conditioning, the team was prepared to excel during the competitive match.

“They’re a young team that has a great opportunity to improve. Their bond as a team is extremely strong, they’re more than just a team, they help each other out in order to reach their goals. It’s really an amazing experience to see them build such a strong foundation in their team work and they’re always improving,” coach Monica de la Vega said.

The fast paced game started promptly at 5 p.m. Freshman rookie Avery Felix was put into action with placement of the Cavs leading scorers senior Isabela Garcia and sophomore Emma Hardie, who averaged over nine points each in the season. The

game began with Garcia’s powerful serve, which broke the Hi-Tides defense for the first point, crucial in mentally dominating the match. Up five points within the beginning of the first set, the Cavs held a strong lead, which would shortly be broken. When the HiTides returned from a time-out to rethink their strategy, they came b a c k

t w i c e as hard, tying up the score at 23-23. Two more points was all that was needed to assure victory over the first set for either team. However, through misplacement and intense pressure, the Cavs were unable to secure the points needed to win the set.

“When we lost by only two points in the first set, I felt like it was the wake up call we needed to get ourselves together and defeat the Hi-Tides in the next set,” junior libero Renata Ruiz said.

In the second set, coach De la Vega continued to cycle the players to keep energy levels within the team as high as possible.

Determined to win the next set, the school’s supporters chanted the infamous school chant to motivate the team.

“Volleyball really comes up to mental power, we just need to continue hyping each other up and keep morale. It’s really great to play on home ground as we practice on these courts all the time, it helps for morale and makes us more determined to win,” Ruiz said.

With an eight point lead for the High-Tides during the middle of the second set, the Cavs were motivated to catch up. With the help of powerful serves and aces from senior Isabela Garcia and spikes from freshman Avery Felix, the score was quickly tied up at 14-14. Yet the HiTides came back much stronger with perfectly set up spikes to finish the set out at 16-25.

There was still one last chance for the Cavs to secure a victory over the Hi-Tides in the third set. Placing a new lineup in an effort to break the Hi-Tides strategy, the players demonstrated a much stronger effort in the last set. The Cavs implemented a new strategy of placing their balls much shorter than usual and forcing the opponents to dig in an unconventional manner. This secured the team a few extra points and they were now closing in to a tie at 15-15. However, the Hi-Tides were quick to spot their strategy and used it to their advantage. Even with their best efforts, the Cavs were unable to defeat the Hi-Tides in the third set and lost the match 18 to 25.

“It was a very slim loss, but the team is staying strong in their efforts and will continue to improve their abilities. This loss was just a small bump that will make the team strong enough to make districts,” coach de la Vega said.

The Cavs displayed the strong bond they share and the willingness they have to keep going. The team hopes to use the lessons from the mistakes they have made to fuel successes in the future. They plan to keep practicing their individual skills and work on team bonding.Only two games remain until districts rivalries are drawn in which the Cavs will have to face their toughest opponents yet.

The Cavs will be playing on Oct. 11 against the MAST Academy Makos for their last game in the regular season. h

SPIKING SENIOR: Senior middle hitter Isabella Garcia aces the ball over the Hi-Tides undettering defense.

21 sports

WINNING STROKE: Senior captain

Nora Gonzalez rushes through the water.

Cavaliers swim to victory

Marta Rodriguez/ highlights

The swimming team won the third game of the season in an eventful meet against Ronald Reagan/Doral High School

BY MARTA RODRIGUEZ, STAFF WRITER

A

FTER WEEKS OF PRACTICING and building their agility, the school’s girls swimming team defeated Ronald Reagan/Doral 118-22 on Sept. 16.

The school’s team had been practicing almost every day for an hour and a half leading up to the event to prepare themselves for the intense competitors. Each practice is different for the swimmers because they focus on enhancing different skills such as breast, back, freestyle and butterfly strokes.

Warm weather and anxious competitors heated up the atmosphere as the two teams prepared to compete. The school’s team sang an on-the-spot chant to boost enthusiasm and promote team spirit.

“Before it starts, I just think about having a good time and cheering for my teammates, as well as pushing myself to do the best I can,” junior Iliana Ravelo said.

As the coaches blew their whistles to announce that the meet was about to start, Reagan huddled up by the benches, while Gables formed a big circle by the pool.

Before every race, new members are chosen to go in the middle of the huddle, where they each get to give a motivational speech to the rest of the team. The boys captain, Jonathan Gonzalez, encouraged all of the swimmers to try their best and to have fun.

“I’m always the one to be scared and very nervous, but the best thing is looking over my teammates’ smiles. They motivate me when I’m in the water,” junior Sara Rabell said.

“While I am in the water, I feel the adrenaline running through my body, pushing me to go

harder and I think to myself that I have to go.”

Along with their high morale, the school’s team encouraged good sportsmanship during the event. While the athletes competed for each event, their teammates could be seen rooting for them or screaming advice from the sidelines.

“

I’M ALWAYS THE ONE TO BE SCARED AND VERY NERVOUS BUT THE BEST THING IS LOOKING OVER AT MY TEAMMATES SMILE. THEY MOTIVATE ME AND WHEN I’M IN THE WATER I CAN HEAR MY TEAMMATES SCREAM. SARA RABELL, JUNIOR The girls captain, Noora Gonzalez, motivated all of the girls once they had finished and gave them positive feedback for trying their best.

The meet started off with the 200 medley relay. Unlike other relay races, the race includes different strokes per lap, alternating between backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle. In this race, it is paramount to prove how the group can work together to win.

Every high school swimming meet has a total of 11 events: eight

individual events and three relays.

Some of the specific events that were done during the meet were the 200 freestyle, 200 individual medley (IM), 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 100, 50 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 100, 100 breaststroke, 400 freestyle and the 400 freestyle relay. Relay races are scored 10-5-3-0; meanwhile, individual events are scored 8-6-5-4-3-2-1-0.

Only two relay teams are allowed to represent each team per event. Points are tabulated at the end of the meet to decide the winning team. Gables had an advantage over Reagan, since the Cavaliers have a greater amount of girls competing in a variety of competitions.

The school started with veterans in the long distance events since they are more experienced and can help the team get the fastest times.

The 5oo freestyle was the longest distance they competed in. Captain Noora Gonzalez got a time of 6:48:66; meanwhile, one of the newest members, Sofia Rodriguez, got a time of 7:20:00. Rodriguez, a rookie, contributed to the win by earning a total of 6 points.

Although Reagan did score a couple of points, it did not get the Cavalier team down; instead, it pushed them to go faster and continue to cheer each other on. Reagan made most of their points at the beginning, but the Cavaliers sustained effort helped them gain an advantage and win in the end.

For future meets, the swimmers hope to work harder on getting faster times, allowing them to win more points per event. On Oct. 17, thew Cavaliers will face off against the Columbus team. h

22 sports

ONE OF THE BOYS

Overcoming gender stereotypes in sports, junior Arianna Gonzalez becomes the first girl to join the boys junior varsity football team

BY ALEXA OROZCO, STAFF WRITER

I

N THE 21ST CENTURY, BEING THE only girl on the boys football team is a touchdown in itself. On a team of 55 boys, junior Arianna Gonzalez has broken gender standards with her bold decision to be the first girl to join. As a kicker on the junior varsity team, Gonzalez relied on hard work, time and perseverance to follow her passion.

“I think everybody has a choice. Just because the majority of the players are male, doesn’t mean that only males could play,” head football coach Roger Pollard said.

Her interest in playing football piqued in her freshman year when she took a sports medicine and athletic training class to better understand the game. She discovered her passion for football and began playing in the spring season of her sophomore year on the junior varsity team. Aside from her love for the sport, Gonzalez’s choice to become a football player is driven by the feeling of commitment and exhilaration that embodies her experiences on the field.

“Watching the game from the bleachers is one thing but when you’re actually

there out on the field. I would have butterflies in my stomach,” Gonzalez said.

Because of the rarity around females playing in male-dominated sports, Gonzalez was nervous about what the people around her would think of her decision to join the team. The question about her wanting to play football was even initially perceived as a joke to the people around her.

When she started practicing with the football team on the field, it was evident to Gonzalez that she was being treated differently by her teammates. When it comes down to tackling during practice, her teammates are hesitant to put all their effort in with Gonzalez, which makes her feel underestimated.

“It’s different because it’s something that you’re not used to seeing and it’s good to have a bit of diversity and [see] that females are just a capable as putting on gear the same as the guys do,” teammate Sebastien Francisque said.

By keeping in mind the love and

dedication she has for football, Gonzalez overcame the feeling that she was not as good as the rest of the players on the team. Her motivation to continue playing is centered around her teammates because they inspire her to improve as an athlete.

“It all comes down to the love I have for football, the love I have for Coral Gables Senior High School [and] the love I have for [the] Cavalier Nation,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez’s commitment and dedication does not just stop on the field. She hopes that her participation on a male-dominated football team will inspire people to steer away from feeling discouraged from following their dreams and to show them that it is possible to follow your passions. Gonzalez believes that gender should not get in the way of what they want to achieve or affect their goals.

“I do it because it’s what I love and sometimes you have to do what you love, whether you’re a girl or guy, it doesn’t matter,” G o n z a l e z s a i d . h

BREAKING BARRIERS: Junior Arianna Gonzalez gains support practice.

from

her

teammates

during

Barbara Borja / highlights Barbara Borja/ highlights

Cars and Guitars

23

the scene

How a ‘will to work hard and a library card’ inspired one of Wynwood’s most popular destinations

BY LISBETH ARRIETA, STAFF WRITER

F

OR WALT GRACE VINTAGE, IT all started with a song. Bill Goldstein, founder and Philadelphia native, worked as the global head of a publicly traded technology company for 25 years. Despite being extremely successful, he was miserable and wished for a sense of purpose in his life.

One day, while listening to music on a speaker in the shower, Goldstein found himself relating to Walt Grace, the character in the song “Walt Grace’s Submarine Test, January 1967” by John Mayer. In the song, Walt Grace relents, “When you’re done with this world, you know the rest is up to you.”

Captivated by these lyrics, Goldstein had an epiphany: everything he had yearned for was entirely up to him. In a span of 10 minutes, he called his boss, quit his job and was ready to take on whatever was in store for him. With time, Goldstein began to cultivate his love for vintage cars and guitars. Soon enough Goldstein started to look in The Wynwood Arts District, an emerging art hub to open a studio solely dedicated to celebrating the artistry of the two things that he was so passionate about.

Open Tuesday through Saturday from 11am to 8pm and Mondays and Sundays from 12 to 5pm. and sitting proudly at 300 NW 26th Ave., Walt Grace Vintage grabs the attention of any passerby. Hundreds of guitars from the 1960s to

the present day are lined up against the walls and are available for customers to test and check out. The main attraction of Walt Grace Vintage is the iconic car brands that they have on display. From Chevrolets to Porsches, one

“

DREAM AND DREAM LOUD AND DO WHAT FEELS RIGHT. BILL GOLDSTEIN, OWNER OF WALT GRACE VINTAGE

cannot help but marvel at these shiny vehicles when entering the shop. The current vintage car collection includes a 1985 Porsche, a 1994 Ferrari 348 Spider, a 911 Carrera Targa and a 1956 Ford Thunderbird, among many others.

Along with being a dealership, Walt Grace Vintage also offer services such as consignments and appraisal opportunities.

The store’s staff, “The Dream Police,” are named after a song by the band Cheap Trick,

and Goldstein constantly reminds them that although they are hired as salespeople, selling is not their goal.

“They are much rather a facilitator. We only sell things that people dreamed of having when they were little kids, when they had those cars on their walls...we are fulfilling their dreams,” Goldstein said.

With the curation of vintage vehicles and guitars Walt Grace Vintage is an internationally renowned brand, and according to Tripadvisor, they are the seventh most visited attraction in Miami today. This car shop does not shy away from breaking the mold of the typical car dealership dynamic, by valuing the relationships they build with customers and h works to embody their slogan of ‘Dream L o u d . ’ Goldstein’s mantra and lesson echo throughout Walt Grace Vintage. Their distinctive approach to running this type of car dealership is nothing short of extraordinary.

“Dream and dream loud and do what feels right and when it doesn’t feel right any longer, you stop....It’s a lesson that took me until I was 44 years old to learn… and you don’t spend a day longer than you need to doing something that doesn’t fulfill you no matter what the people tell you, no matter what the money tells you,” Goldstein said. h

COOL COLLECTION:

(Top) An acoustic guitar hangs on the wall of Walt Grace Vintage.

(Bottom) This 1957 Jaguar XKSS, among many other vintage cars, is on display in the store.

Walt Grace Vintage

24 the scene

Coffee with Cats

This beach-themed cafe is home to coffee, cookies-and cats

BY GRACE RODRIGUEZ, SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

T

HE AROMA OF COFFEE AND TEA lingers in the air as customers sit around listening to classical music.While it may look like an average cafe, take a quick glance to the right behind a glass wall and you can see cats lounging and playing. At the Cat Cafe South Beach, customers have a chance to grab coffee and a bite, surf the web-and of course-even play with cats.

Founded by Celyta Jackson, the cafe was opened to provide temporary shelter for homeless cats in the South Beach area.

“I opened the cat cafe because it was the right thing to do for Miami Beach…considering the cat population that we have, and the cats that need to be adopted,” Jackson said.

Located on 1423 Washington Ave., the Cat Cafe South Beach is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Monday, and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays to groom the cats and deep clean the facility. The cafe also provides monthly flea treatments to the cats to ensure a safe environment for both cats and humans.

Caroline Heyninck is a regular customer, and when she is not busy studying chemistry at Florida International University, she spends time at the cat cafe.

“This is my third time at the cat cafe. I last visited in mid August with a few of my friends.

We all came down here and spent about an hour in the cat room,” Heynick said.

Being a cat owner herself, Heyninck has much of experience being around cats.

“I’ve raised a total of six cats in my life and I currently own two cats and

I’m planning to adopt a few more… I just like giving some love to these foster cats, because this is basically a giant foster home,” Heyninck said.

The Cat Cafe South Beach is separated into two sections — the general cafe area, which serves all the delightful snacks and drinks and “Purradise” the beach-themed cat sanctuary that guests can enter to spend time with the cats.

Purradise is separated from the general cafe area by a glass wall so that those who cannot enter can admire from afar.

Purradise is open by the half hour starting at $10 per guest for half an hour and increasing by $5 for every additional half hour. Guests ages 6 to 10 may enter with an adult’s supervision and guests over the age of 11 may enter without adult supervision.

“Children under 6 really don’t have the empathetic skills developed, they see a cat and they think it’s cute and they want to treat it like a stuffed animal,” Jackson said.

The cafe offers a wide array of treats, from freshly-brewed coffee starting at $2.60, warm Cindy Lou Cookies for $5 to a healthy avocado toast for $8. The Cafe also features vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options for guests, and avoids the use of high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils in its baking. Cats are never allowed in any of the baking areas to ensure a safe and allergen-free environment.

“I always come here to order some hot chocolate with hazelnut flavoring in it and it is absolutely amazing,” Heyninck said.

The Cat Cafe South Beach is home to 30 cats in total. Other than staying in Purradise,

there is a back area for cats to stay in, in case they need some time away from humans.

Through a partnership with SoBe Cats Spay and Neuter, rescued cats are available for adoption by the Cat Cafe South Beach patrons.

All cats are spayed and neutered prior to entering The Cat Cafe South Beach’s facility, so as to avoid any additional hurdles in the adoption process. All of the profits from the adoption go straight to SoBe Cats Spay and Neuter.

“Sometimes people walk in and a cat has chosen them, and they decided to walk out with a cat. Since we, opened we’ve had 64 adoptions,” Jackson said.

Offering delectable treats and a soothing view, the Cat Cafe South Beach is the optimal place to study and clear one’s mind. Interacting with the cats is a one-of-a-kind experience that can only be found in urban places like Miami, New York, and Japan. The Cat Cafe South Beach is the perfect getaway from life’s craziness. h

MEET THE KITTIES:

Three of the cats available for adoption at the cafe are, from left to right: Chloe, a domestic short-haired; Gotti, a black and white long haired; and Ophelia, a domestic short hair.

“Dame Dos”

25

the scene

Miami’s first croqueta bar has captured the hearts-and stomachs-of its Latin population

BY NATALY RABELO, STAFF WRITER

I

NSIDE AN INCONSPICUOUS AND plain building on a quaint corner of Bird Road, an innovative restaurant is staying true to the heart of Miami culture in the most unique way. An artisanal croqueta bar may sound foreign to the rest of the world, but it fits right in with the Miami scene.

A croqueta, a typical Cuban comfort food, consists of a small fried roll typically filled with minced ham, beef, chicken or fish and bound with bechamel. Dos Croquetas, Miami’s first croqueta bar, is an embodiment of its surrounding culture. Infusing popular and contemporary ingredients into a food with strong French, Spanish and Cuban roots, Dos Croquetas gives a a innovtive liveliness to the feeling of a traditional Cuban bakery.

This recently established, family-owned eatery has defied traditional standards and surpassed expectations.

“This is my first restaurant. It has been incredibly challenging but at the same time incredibly rewarding,” owner Alec Fernandez said.

“I thought I was only going to see some family members in line and we ended up seeing almost 2,000 plus people that night,” Fernandez said.

This dive accommodates the ever-changing Miami lifestyle, even offering a traditional “ventanita” option, an ordering window

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that serves fast fixings for those with a busy schedule. From their flavors to their decor, this cafe gives customers an amazing experience intertwined with Cuban authenticity.

In the kitchen, each croqueta is crafted by in-house chefs and made to order on the spot. The Miami flavor and influence is very prominent with menu items like the traditional ham croqueta. From the very first bite, the taste of ham and the crunchy fried exterior come together in perfect union. However, a different type of croqueta aims to combine the new and the old. “The 305” stays true to the staples of a typical Cuban dish by filling the croqueta with fried plantains, picadillo and queso, making it the perfect sample of a Cuban diet. The Mexican Street Corn croqueta takes a different approach.

Filled with cotija cheese and corn, this pankocrusted croqueta is topped with spicy red pepper flakes that tie the whole dish together.

Not only has Dos Croquetas provided dishes with an ingenious twist on Latin flavors; they have also created two croquetas that take inspiration from some classic American dishes.

The Mac+Cheese+Bacon croqueta oozes with a cheesy macaroni that, when mixed with the crunchiness of the outer layer, makes for a flavorful bite of popular American comfort food. Taking from another American staple, the Cheddar Burger croqueta encases the flavor of a cheeseburger and fries into one fried delicacy.

CROQUETA CRAZE: (Left) The savory Mac+Cheese+Bacon is a treat for everyone to enjoy.

(Right) Traditional ham croquetas are a crowd favorite.

The Buffalo Crack Chicken croqueta puts tangy and spicy chicken wing meat within an herbseasoned croqueta shell, packing a punch of bold flavor for even the most daring of taste buds.

Each croqueta has an equally unique sauce to accompany it, made specifically to balance the croqueta’s unique flavor profile and add the final touches to pull together one delicious bite.

Aside from the savory flavors, the menu also offers an assortment of dessert croquetas.

Ranging from sweet croquetas with a guava and Cinnamon Toast Crunch filling to a whole croqueta ice cream sundae, the possibilities to satisfy one’s sweet tooth are endless. These ‘dulce’ or sweet croquetas may come as a surprise, but Dos Croquetas has mastered mixing the sweet and the savory and sweet to create a tasty dish for dessert.

“The experience was one of a kind. I walked in expecting your traditional flavors but got so much more. I’m definitely going back soon for another Mexican Street Corn croqueta,” junior Nicolas Musa said.

Croquetas are a true Miami delicacy, and Dos Croquetas has taken that concept and transformed it into an iconic South Florida staple. Dos Croquetas has a flavor to satisfy every palette and enchant every taste bud. With an extraordinary concept, this unique eatery has brought a new perspective to tradition, right in the streets of Miami. h

26

SHIPPING AND ENTERTAINinG

the scene

Catering to Miami’s bilingual community, these makeshift theaters offer opportunities to local Hispanic thespians

BY CAMILA AITKEN, STAFF WRITER

E

NVELOPED IN PALM TREES, plastered with art and serving good food, the patio of the Miami Hispanic Cultural Center (MHCC) offers a unique spin on thespian entertainment. Lights hang overhead and tropical plants decorate the not-so-empty lot of asphalt. Every night, patrons line up behind a food truck and stand around a booth trying to decide on which plays to watch. Soon enough it is time and audience members line up infant of the array of intricately painted shipping containers.

This is Miami Microtheaters, a viewing experience and concept that was thought up in Madrid, Spain, and brought to the United States

by Jorge Monje, the founder of the Microtheater Project. The current Project Coordinator, Maite de la Torre, shared the Microtheater’s humble beginnings “about 8 years ago in the center of Madrid, Spain, from the minds of five aspiring actors,” de la Torre said. “The project was first situated in an abandoned brothel.”

In 2012 Monje proposed the idea of these theatres to the MHCC and the Knight Foundation stepped in to fund the project.

The Knight Foundation works nationally and invests in a multitude of things, including the arts.

“We did it in small rooms as well, in this same courtyard. Then it occurred to us to have them in these shipping containers,” de la Torre said.

This innovative and unconventional method of presenting theater has made Microtheaters Miami stand out from the rest. The containers are 160 square feet and can fit up to 15 viewers into one box, creating an intimate and, some claim, overall better viewing experience. Since the performances are only 15 minutes long, the constant repetition allows for adjustments, improvements and variations that come with each show, making it a unique experience every single time. Getting a chance to view one of these shows up close is overwhelmingly unique and a great experience for all parties involved.

The majority of the plays are performed in Spanish, but there will occasionally be one or two plays that are translated to English, to help cater to a bilingual community. The creatives behind these performances want to attract a diverse and evolving population in Miami. In the play Area 52, the actors use a combination

of Spanish and English, or Spanglish, incorporating an aspect of Miami culture into the play and keeping the humor fluid and real.

“My experience here has been amazing, the performances are super intimate with the audience....Coming from a Cuban home and seeing these inclusive performances featuring Miami culture in a comedic way really brings joy to me because of how it represents the community I am from,” said senior Melany Falcon.

Currently Microtheater Miami has eight shows playing, with two in both English and Spanish. The Spanish plays available are: Perico, Roommates de Miami, Gigolo, Dios Aprieta and Dinero Facil.

‘Dios Aprieta’ is a hilarious comedy about a Cuban American who recently got a job; however, there is a catch; his boss is God himself. The play takes place in a restroom with fluorescent lighting that shifts in color.

The play ‘Area 52’ takes place deep into the future and one of the most interesting aspects of the play is it is interactive. The audience was asked to participate in a few impromptu scenes.

This added to the excitement and absolute

DIP INTO FUN:

Bruno Gatti dips cast member Jennifer Fernandez during their performance of Roomates de Miami.

ludicrous atmosphere of the play, making lives or anything they might witness. every audience member laugh constantly.

Every actor performing is a Performances are open Thursday local that has a passion and drive to Saturday from 8 to 12 pm, and for the visual arts, and takes creative close at 11 pm on Sundays, these $6 advantage of the Microtheatre concept. shows are brought to the public by “The shows change in seasons, they local performers, directors and writers. are thematic. A group of people choose One of the aims of the Microtheater the works and we pick the ones we fiind project and the MHCC is to involve the most interesting for the project and for community in every season and display the people. The next seasons we have are original work by created by writers talented creatives from the city or people from all over Miami from Madrid, Spain and abroad. These and other countries,” original works can be de la Torre added.

COMING FROM submitted by anyone, Microtheaters A CUBAN HOME including students.

Miami is a gem hidden The MHCC will inside the hustle and AND SEEING select a play and take bustle of the city.

THESE INCUSIVE actors and directors These performances PERFORMANCES...IT present an entirely from the community to bring it to life. new concept and BRINGS JOY TO ME. The Microtheatre innovation to the MELANY FALCON, productions range theater viewing SENIOR from moving and experience.

This realistic dramas experience is to knee-slapping guaranteed to impress comedies.

Every those who visit writer tries to capture for the first time. the culture and essence of Miami, Latin The MHCC will select a play and take America or Spain in their plays, taking actors and directors from the community inspiration directly from history, their to create something truly unique. h

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27

the scene

Upcoming Performances October 1-27 (Every Thursday through Sunday)

Al Modo Bar Crazy Por Los Locos Adams Encerra 2 Tinderella, El Musical

Virtual Tour Of microtheaters miami FILMED AND EDITED BY RUBEN ESCOBAR, BUSINESS MANAGER

SCAN THE QR CODE WITH YOUR PHONE TO WATCH THE VIDEO SALSA SHOW:

Actress Julie De Grandy dances to salsa during a performance of Gigolo

Arianna Peña/highlights

28

insight

CON-CENSUS By: Alexander Sutton

Mercedes Debesa/highlights

As politicians draw the perimeters of the communities they represent, democracy suffers.

When Florida fills out the 2020 census, its politicians will continue to gerrymander. Is there an escape from the tangled redistricting trap?

I

MAGINE A NATION WHERE politicians pick their voters instead of the other way around. Such a nation exists, and its name is the United States. Every two years, Americans elect their representatives in local, state and federal government — but every 10 years, congressional districts get redrawn, and those same elected representatives designate the borders of the communities that elect them. In short, redistricting means that people in power can decide which voters get to vote for which politician, which many see as unfair to regular citizens who have no say in the district they are put into. The 2020 census is on the horizon, and once it is conducted, congressional districts across America will be redistricted, giving the presiding political party in each state the ability to skew the partisan lean of each district. And with an infamous history as a swing state, Florida’s map is among the country’s most vulnerable to unfair partisan redistricting.

Gerrymandering, the official term for the process of unfair redistricting, is named after former Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry, who approved maps with districts drawn so strangely, one of them looked like a salamander — or, as one cartoonist later dubbed it, a “Gerry-mander.” Both political parties are guilty of gerrymandering, and its consequences for the nation’s democracy cannot be overstated, with Florida in particular ideally situated to be the site of a heated redistricting battle. With the 2020 census looming, new justices on the Florida Supreme Court, and a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision giving those state justices more power over redistricted maps, the Sunshine State is perfectly poised for fresh district-drawing drama.

Joni Armstrong Coffey is South Florida lawyer who has served as County Attorney and teaches law at Florida International University and the University of Miami.

One of her favorite classes to teach is election law, where she gets to focus heavily on gerrymandering and related issues.

In the classroom, she defines reapportionment — or “malapportionment,” as she calls it — by explaining that when

members of the majority party have the power to redraw their own districts, “they have every incentive to draw seats that will support their political party and views,” and if they can get away with it, they often will. By law, they have to make maps with “districts that have equal numbers of people in them,” districts that she says “according to law, should be contiguous — but occasionally, you get a strange district with a really odd shape.”

Oddly shaped districts like the original “salamander” approved by Governor Gerry are born through two main methods. The first, packing, involves filling a district with as many voters of the same political party, ethnicity or race as possible. The remaining districts are drawn to contain very few of those voters. This happened in Florida in 2012, when the Republican-controlled legislature drew Florida’s 17th congressional district. It stretched from Jacksonville to Orlando and branched out to absorb major African-American communities along the way, including parts of Sanford, Eatonville and Gainesville. Surrounding districts were therefore more conservative, since heavily Democratic black communities had been concentrated into a single district.

Another major method of gerrymandering is known as cracking. Cracking dilutes the votes of the minority party by putting some members of the minority party in each district, but not enough of them that they could ever swing an election. For example, if Florida Democrats want to make the 25th congressional district more liberal (it’s a Republican-held district that has slowly been turning bluer), Democrats could redraw conservative areas of the district into the nextdoor 27th district, which is heavily liberal. This would make the 25th district a swing district, stripping it of Republican voters, without endangering the Democrats’ control over the 27th district.

“The best way to draw a district is to have 55 or 60% of one party, because you have to draw districts that include Democrats, but you want to concentrate voters in such a way that there are fewer Democratic districts,” Coffey said.

Many believe that one of the most unfortunate aspects of gerrymandering is the partisanship and lack of compromise that it brings to legislatures. “If most of the

29

insight

by the numbers

35%

of voters are registered as Republican

Source: Florida Department of State

37%

of voters are registered as Democrat

27%

of voters are registered as Independent

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insight districts consist almost entirely of voters of one worse in Florida after 2020, with the issue of the 17th that disfavored African Americans. party, then those representatives are going to partisan gerrymandering being more pressing It wasn’t until 2015 that a judge cited the be accountable to a limited array of political than ever in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Fair District Amendment in a ruling that opinions,” Coffey said. “To keep office, those Court’s June 2019 decision on unfairly drawn declared district maps for both the Florida representatives answer only to the voters in districts. In a 5-4 decision split along ideological state Senate and U.S. House unconstitutional. their constituency, and those representatives lines, the Supreme Court ruled that federal “I think the Fair District Amendment don’t have as great an incentive to compromise courts cannot issue rulings on gerrymandering to the Florida constitution is one of the most the political views of their constituents, issues, since redistricting is a statewide process, effective tools that the public has to ensure fair because they could lose their seat.” not a national one. Though the Court did in no apportionment… The Florida Supreme Court Outside of Florida, some of the worst way condone the practice of gerrymandering, wrote some opinions on this, and there was cases of gerrymandering can be seen in North it ruled that only legislative bodies or state solid evidence that offices for the Republican Carolina and Maryland. In party were drawing the latter state, Republicans districts in violation of won 37% of the statewide the state constitution,” vote in 2016 but carried only Coffey said in reference highlights surveyed 352 students for their thoughts on gerrymandering in September 2019. one U.S. House district out to the lawsuits brought of eight. By the numbers, on the basis of the Fair however, Republicans District Amendment. should have carried three “The court found that districts.

Republicans they did [gerrymander], are guilty too: in North in at least five districts, Carolina, the Republican to benefit incumbents and party drew districts so their own political party.” obviously skewed to its favor News like this, 71% of students surveyed 76.1% of students of students 79.2% that its district maps gained showing the state’s believe that Florida’s politicians surveyed believe that surveyed believe that nationwide attention. The legal system working do not accurately represent the gerrymandering should not be gerrymandering is dangerous. districts themselves have properly to eradicate views of residents legal. incredible shapes — one unfair redistricting, even resembles a grasshopper may seem reassuring — and the data is even more egregious: though courts can throw out gerrymandered maps. and increase people’s confidence that Florida has a long history with Florida law is now strong enough to prevent less than half of the overall vote in 2018 was cast for Republicans in North Carolina, the gerrymandered districts. In 2010, Florida gerrymandering. All of these things, GOP won 29 out of 50 state Senate seats. voters approved the Fair District Amendment, however, happened before Ron DeSantis.

Florida, though less obviously prohibiting any redistricted map drawn with Since his election, Florida’s new governor gerrymandered, still shows statistical evidence the intent to favor or disfavor a political party has appointed three new judges to the Florida of malapportionment. Only 35% of registered or an incumbent, requiring districts to be Supreme Court, meaning that all seven justices voters in Florida are members of the GOP, while drawn according to geographic rather than are now the appointees of Republican governors.

37% are registered Democrats and 27% are political lines. But Republicans in Tallahassee Though the court had been relatively liberal up independents. Despite this seeming numerical g e r r y m a n d e r e d district disadvantage, Republicans control 52% of U.S. Florida’s House districts from Florida, 57% of state maps anyway, using Senate districts and 61% of state House districts. the 2010 census data Such gerrymandering could only be made to create districts like

by the numbers

students speak up

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“I think we should set some limits for how to redistribute a perimeter, so you couldn’t make it an abstract shape. ” - Paulina Texier, sophomore

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Alexander Sutton/highlights

“They’re getting the illusion that they’re voting, but really [their] choices are being made for them because the way voting is set up. There should be a board with members from both political parties to evenly draw up the map districts.”

- Andres Hurtado, senior

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“If [politicians] are in a position to redraw the lines, they’re going to do it. Obviously, not to a full extent as they don’t want to make it too obvious but still [enough] to favor them.”

- Elizabeth Villar, senior

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insight

CIVIC CAVALIERS A student engages in the political process that gerrymandering manipulates.

Aya Hamza/highlights

to 2018, it is expected to side more heavily with Republican-leaning causes, which could mean approving GOP-drawn maps that may be unfair.

When the 2020 census is conducted, a new opportunity to gerrymander districts across Florida and across the nation will present itself. Due to population growth in Central and South Florida, the state is expected to gain two new congressional seats. And when entirely new seats can be drawn, the party in power is given a blank slate, justified in making big changes to the shapes of districts. In states like Florida, where one party has a trifecta of power in all three branches of state government, redistricting could become a game of who can draw the most heavily gerrymandered districts — and the newly skewed state Supreme Court will be much less likely to throw the maps out.

Many solutions have been proposed to end the scourge of unfairly drawn districts. The one most widely adopted is instituting an independent, nonpartisan, statewide redistricting commission made up of cartography experts tasked with drawing a state’s districts as per demographic and geographic considerations, eliminating political factors from the discussion completely.

Though this strategy has been met with much success in states from New Jersey to Idaho, Florida has yet to pass a law creating a nonpartisan redistricting commission, and there are no signs that such a law will be getting any traction soon.

“What we need is a group of people that has no affiliation to any party, and they should just stay completely neutral,” junior Lucas Tembras said. “It would just be full of people that have an intent and a goal to redraw the districts according to population, fairly, equally and with no set political party in mind.”

A theoretical but perhaps ideal solution to redistricting is to take humans out of the process entirely. Brian Olson, a software engineer from Massachusetts, has written a program that draws districts electronically based on population, creating perfectly proportioned districts that have nearly the same population without any regards to partisan lean. Solutions like this one completely eliminate the problem of suspicious, salamander-looking district shapes.

“I think you should probably keep [district shapes] to something straight. You can’t just cut districts in half and cut neighborhoods in half… you have to keep it within a rigid boundary,” freshman Ben Shearin said.

From the Fair District Amendment to nonpartisan boards and digitally generated district maps, policymakers are in no shortage of solutions to quell the curse of gerrymandering.

Despite this, however, progress has been slow in Florida and across the country.

Gerrymandering is a problem that, in the end, is nearly impossible to fix completely, because the only perfect solutions to the problem are

taking politics out of district-drawing — and district-drawing is political in and of itself.

“I think that redistricting is an inescapably political process — the only question is whether it is a fair political process,” Coffey said. And though Coffey is a university professor, even students in high school agree: Shearin, likewise, believes that gerrymandering is likely to remain a persistent problem in the political system. He told highlights that although he thinks it may be unfair, gerrymandering is unavoidable, because the motivation for both parties to do it is too great.

Coffey believes that responsible voters have to pay attention to the political process.

In her view, vigilance and accountability for those who represent us are, ultimately, the ideal solution. “We have to go to public hearings, we have to write our representatives, and we have to be attuned to the way these districts are being drawn,” Coffey said.

If we, as citizens, forget to hold those in power accountable when it comes to the districts they draw their constituents into, gerrymandering will continue, and the goal of fair representation will remain elusive as ever.

But with voter turnout at record highs and a younger generation of voters increasingly in tune to the modern political climate looks less and less like a fantasy every day. Voters must remain civically aware and engaged. All we have to do is keep paying attention. h

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the school to discuss the Apprenticeship Intern Program on Tuesday, Oct. 2. with students and school administrators, such as program leader Ernie Padron.

Thomas Morcillo / highlights