Issue 5, Vol. 60

IN THIS ISSUE Teacher workout routines, pg. 20 Calle Ocho domino park, pg. 23

M A R 2 0 2 0 highlights

RELIGIOUS RIFT AND SPIRITUAL SHIFT Coral Gables SHS | Issue 5, Volume 60 |

450 Bird Road, Coral Gables, FL 33146

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

Alexandra Torres Estelle Erwich 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.

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Isabel Quintanilla / highlights

Features 4 Passion for fashion 6 Find your Cavalier Zodiac match

News 9 Trump’s new green card policy 10 Coronavirus: the new pandemic

Opinion 12 Depression cured by Edgenuity 17 The effects of the Iowa Caucus

Sports

18 Gables’ skating aficionados 22 Unhealthy dieting in wrestling

The Scene 25 Virtual Reality: a new dimension 26 Miami’s best Middle Eastern food

Insight 28 From religion to spirituality

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fun and festive

pictures

Isabel Quintanilla / highlights

SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM: The freshman board serves ice cream for the freshman treat day on Wednesday, Jan. 22.

Jonathan Mesa / highlights

AVID ARTISTS: During Art Walk, Gables’ artists showcased their abilities through paintings, pencil drawings and more.

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PROGRESS COMES AT A PRICE, be it waning cultural ties as a result of long-lasting colonial influence, bittersweet nostalgia or disappearing historical relics. Change is often placed on a pedestal and considered to be what keeps the world afloat. Without it, chances are you wouldn’t be reading this right now.

However, as we continue to propel ourselves into a world of progress, we run the risk of losing touch with our roots. In a city as culturally rich as Miami, a lack of change might be exactly what we need. In these formative years of our youth that forge the foundation for our lifelong identities, forgetting where we come from can be disastrous.

Isabel Quintanilla / highlights

CALLING CUPID: Seniors Rodney Michel, Eddie Caldera and Richard Valdes sell cupid proposals for Valentine’s Day.

Barbara Borja / highlights

SAVVY SKATERS: Juniors Irene Martinez, Sara Rabell and Catherine Pasternac skate in Boston during Harvard Model Congress.

from the editors Being a Puerto Rican woman raised 1,014 miles away from my island, I often feel a disconnection with my heritage. As my Spanish slowly merges with my English and the memories of my childhood spent in the streets of San Juan fade away, I have witnessed firsthand the detriments of not creating a bridge between my birthplace and my home.

While “arroz con habichuelas and mofongo” are, and always will be, in my veins, the fear that the years spent away from my island have created an irreparable rift in my identity still remains. I wish I had never left. I wish I had visited more often. But a wish without action goes nowhere. As Puerto Rico continues to bleed from the effects of hurricane Maria and

the ongoing economic crisis, I owe it to my ancestors to revive the culture that is slowly seeping out of the island. However, reconnecting with your culture does not come easy.

In the end, our roots are the foundation of all else — the intangible cords that link one generation to another and us to our predecessors. After all, as F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote, even as we trudge on towards the future and continue to usher in the new decade, “we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

Sincerely, Alexandra Torres, Editor-in-Chief

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Gables handmade

Entrepreneurs across the school discuss their handmade products as they share the success of their businesses

BY ISABELLA MORALES AND ALIA GAMEZ, STAFF WRITERS

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ITHIN THE CAVALIER community, there is a group of unsung entrepreneurs who strive to transcend in the business world to embrace their love for fashion. A multitude of small businesses have risen as individuals showcase their artistic and entrepreneurial skills. By creating and selling unique fashion pieces, school-wide entrepreneurs use

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skills they have learned that make their businesses efficient. As they expand their consumer bases, sophomore Cristina Abello, senior Chloe Casaudoumecq and digital and web design teacher Karen Gray continue to incorporate their interest in fashion to expand their handmade companies.

Chloe Casaudoumecq

Through the halls of the school, many students have started donning one distinct hair accessory: bandanas. Senior Chloe “Coco” Casaudoumecq takes a whole new approach to teenage fashion trends through her cyber-based accessory business, @thehandmadecoco, with her unique hair and jewelry products. By incorporating various patterns, colors and textures into her handmade designs, Casaudoumecq caters to the demand for fashionable, eco-friendly products among the s c h o o l ’s student b o d y .

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online platforms such as Instagram and Facebook to promote their emerging businesses. By incorporating vibrant colors and eclectic patterns into their handmade garments and accessories, these companies turn passion into profit. In their individual paths to success, these Cavaliers share the experiences that have taught them how to lead companies, as well as the

Casaudoumecq has released a series of one-of-a-kind products that allow her customers to merge their personal styles with the school’s uniform policy.

“I decided to take the lead and make my own bandanas because even though they had recently become really popular in the Coral Gables community, there wasn’t a store focused on selling an accessory like this,” Casaudoumecq said.

Casaudoumecq’s creative process often entails hours of searching for unique fabrics and product designs that cater to the demand for stylish products. In making each hair scarf, she starts by choosing from her collection of over 20 distinct fabrics. She then measures the selected cloth and cuts it with fabric scissors to ensure all of her merchandise is consistent in both size and quality. Finally, Casaudoumecq uses fray tape and a clothing iron to flatten the fabric, leaving the product smooth and fray-free.

“Quality is an important factor because, without it, I would be losing customers. My products could be beautiful but if there is fraying and unevenness then people

wouldn’t come back,” Casaudoumecq said.

Casaudoumecq recently launched a jewelry collection comprised of necklaces and earrings. Symbols of pop culture and her personal taste are reflected as she incorporates various flowers and space symbols into her designs. Among the most popular items are her “Star Huggie” earrings, available in over nine colors for $10 a pair.

Casaudoumecq’s scarves typically retail for $10 each, with additional discounts and patterns during the holidays.

With the help of her mom and best friend, Casaudoumecq has created a business platform that is both professional and appealing to her customers. She takes note of her customers’ concerns and frequently publishes content that help potential buyers visualize what the products would look like on a diverse range of skin and hair colors.

She further creates tutorials teaching her clients how to style her products.

As she extends the influence of her small business, Casaudoumecq hopes to expand her range of products by introducing new fabrics and by branding her items with tags.

She further plans to create a digital site to better reach potential customers across the nation.

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beaded bracelets. Her most expensive piece, a swarovski crystal-encrusted necklace, is priced at approximately $200.

“Throughout the years I’ve learned that by being kind and giving my customers advice and instructions on what to do and how to wear my pieces, that they return to buy from me again,” Gray said.

Upon retirement, Gray hopes to further pursue her business by attending more promotional events such as picnics and festivals. lata /h

Jewelry TV, she discovered and mastered artisan techniques such as braiding and beading that enabled her to create her own products. Among her favorite artistic methods is kumihimo, a Japanese board braiding style mainly for bracelets and necklaces that traditionally involves silk strands to create complex cords. Gray uses this technique along with her own spin of colorful beads in her designs.

“It is all based on what I feel, the energy I get when I look at designs and stones that inspire me to make my own,” Gray said.

Most of the stones incorporated in her designs are authentic gems as she often creates multi-color combinations using Swarovski crystals, rose quartz and silver wires to make individualized products.

Gray sells her jewelry in stands near various beaches, as well as digitally through her Facebook account called Jewelry by Karen Gray.

Gray’s products vary in price, starting as low as $8 for simpler designs such as

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While teaching students the art of Adobe platforms Photoshop and Illustrator encompasses a large part of digital and web design teacher Karen Gray’s career, she also utilizes her creative expertise for her personal jewelry company, Jewelry by Karen Gray.

For over eight years, Gray has created and sold a collection of handmade necklaces and bracelets inspired by the trends she finds in department stores, catalogs and worn by the student body.

Many of her products are further inspired by Polynesian, African and European cultural traditions.

“In my native city of New York, everyone my age was selling for larger businesses, I decided that instead I should take charge and sell my own products,” Gray said.

Gray first learned how to make jewelry from her childhood martial arts teacher Cindy Rogg. She later took karate classes in her forties, where the instructor frequently hosted ‘girls nights’ in which the women made jewelry. By watching a television series called

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Cristina Abello t o denim pieces as she tries to incorporate various vintage styles into her clothing. Most of her denim pieces range in price from $20-$30.

“A piece of advice to someone starting a business is don’t be afraid. You never know what people end up liking, [so] you might as well try anything that makes you happy,” Abello said. h

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using a sewing machine and fabric glue.

Given the popularity of the item with her customers, Abello further adds vibrant artistic designs, such as customized patchwork,

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women’s fashion. Since Nasty Gal began on a similar path as The Vintage Locals, Abello views it as significant encouragement to continue expanding her business.

Other factors also impacted Abello’s path into starting a business, specifically, her environmental concerns.

After realizing that she can continue her devotion to fashion while benefiting the environment, Abello began using recycled clothing as the primary base for her products.

“What inspired me to recycle old clothes was not only the fashion world, but the environment too. So when I realized I can transform old pieces into something interesting with recycled clothing, I started,” Abello said.

Along with selling refurbished clothing, Abello has other techniques to generate income from her shop.

“I generally buy used clothes, sometimes from thrift stores, and resell them,” Abello said. “Sometimes, I also change a top or bottom by using my sewing machine or simply cutting it and changing it completely.”

Some of Abello’s most popular products are denim shorts and pants. She transforms thrifted items with patches of denim by

Isabella Morale

Seeking to combine her passion for environmental preservation with her interest in entrepreneurship, sophomore Cristina Abello founded The Vintage Locals, an Instagrambased shop where she sells upcycled vintage clothing and accessories. Using her creative skills, Abello, in collaboration with her partner Coco Castrec, adds hand-drawn illustrations and embroidered patterns to produce unique products for her customer base.

Since June 2019, @TheVintageLocals has amassed over 350 customers, providing Abello with a diverse clientele to curate unique fashion pieces for.

Before creating her own business, Abello often thrifted for herself to find items that were unique while being environmentallyfriendly. Now, she takes similarly thrifted items of clothing and other fashion accessories and transforms them into creative pieces that appeal to her young consumer base.

“Sometimes I see an item and I have a total vision of what I can do with it,” Abello said.

Abello’s main inspiration for creating her products was the Netflix original series ‘Girl Boss,’ which portrays the rebellious life of Sophia Amoruso, the founder of Nasty Gal, an American retail brand that specializes in

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Utilize your zodiac sign to determine which member of the Cavalier staff best represents your personality

BY ADDYS PLATA, STAFF WRITER

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Aries

Taurus

March 21-April 19 Louis Romero

April 20-May 20 Silvia Yanes

Athleticism takes a human form in you, as your competitive nature reflects that of the school’s Athletic Director, Louis Romero. You hope to excel in every aspect of your life, whether it be in an academic or personal endeavor. As an ambitious go-getter, you carry the Cavalier spirit with you in everything you do.

As a lover of all things savory, you can be found devouring a fresh-baked bagel from Student Activities or a crispy chicken empanada from the pavilion, just like the school’s Registrar Silvia Yanes.

Fierce by nature, you manifest your strong opinions and undeniable work-ethic into productivity.

Cancer

June 21-July 22 Oscar De Armas Due to your imaginative nature, you, like history teacher Oscar de Armas, can be found playing video games in room 9318 at a Wizard’s club meeting or showing off your spirit at school events. You want to see others excel and do anything in your power to help the people you care for attain their goals.

Leo

July 23- August 22 Ana Zuniga Known for your fearlessness, you lead your life with the same enthusiasm as math teacher Ana Zuniga. You are the center of attention on the dance floor as you bask in the spotlight and celebrate your successes. Your confidence and crowd-pleasing intuition makes you a fantastic entertainer.

Gemini

May 21-June 20 James Dunn As a Gemini, you are inquisitive, always eager to attain knowledge similar to social studies teacher James Dunn. You are the life of the party and your curious, sociable nature enables you to make the most of the experiences you are presented with.

Virgo

August 23-September 22 Elizabeth Kiely Like chemistry teacher Elizabeth Kiely, you are a lover of life’s simple pleasures who enjoys exercise, meditation and being outdoors.

You are driven by a desire to solve problems, attentive to details and can be found enjoying an after school yoga class in room 2109.

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Libra

September 23-October 22 Teresa Fleita Similar to Early Childhood Education teacher Teresa Fleita, you soak up the world around you like a sponge.

You enjoy learning new artistic techniques and teach others all the skills you have mastered. You are likely to be a member of one of the school’s five award-winning publications as you enjoy reading the news and staying informed.

Capricorn

December 22-January 19 Stephanie Cosgrove With little regard for the materialistic aspects of life, you — like history teacher Stephanie “Stevie” Cosgrove — make good use of the existing opportunities around you. You have a deep interest in learning about different cultures and your open-minded nature prompts you to try all the distinct ethnic foods and activities Miami has to offer.

HALL TALK

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

Scorpio

October 23-November 21 Roger Pollard As an avid sports enthusiast, you can be seen cheering from the bleachers much like head football coach Roger Pollard. You are relentless and adamant about improving on your strengths and weaknesses to achieve your goals. You have a powerful will to overcome life’s obstacles as you know what you want and deserve.

Aquarius

Sagittarius

November 22-December 21 Tracey Barrow Attentively watching a performance in the Little Theatre, you—like Fine Arts Drama teacher Tracey Barrow— enjoy creatively expressing yourself through activities like art or theatre.

You are a truth-seeker who has faith in yourself and others as you accept people for their differences. Your fiery personality makes others fond of you as you exude confidence.

Pisces

January 20-February 18 Mara Figueras Similar to math teacher Mara Figueras, you are true to yourself, regardless of what anyone else thinks. As an air sign, you are naturally curious and you enjoy traveling to significant historical sites. You are most likely to be found volunteering around campus given your desire to make the world a better place.

February 19-March 20 Adolfo Costa As a natural-born leader, you embody the enthusiasm and principled nature of the school’s Principal Adolfo Costa, through your involvement in numerous clubs and activities. You are considerate of the needs of your peers and work towards creating equal opportunities for everyone you work with by facilitating open communication.

“I’m telling FAFSA you got the new MacBook Air.”

“Whenever I’m depressed, I just turn on Edgenuity.”

“Isn’t soy milk just milk introducing itself in Spanish?”

“You don’t wash your hands, you watch them wash each other.”

“I couldn’t find any water so I grabbed an ice cube and put it in the microwave.”

“One more cheesy Gordita from Taco Bell and I’m going to be a cheesy gordita.”

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NEWS REVIEW

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CALENDAR March PolitiCare health resource day

12th

First day of IB sophomore Boot Camp

17th

End of grading period First day of spring break

20th 23rd

CONGRATS Congratulations to the girls and boys soccer team for winning the District Championship.

Congratulations to the Mock Trial team for winning districts and going on to the semi-finals.

BY LISBETH ARRIETA, STAFF WRITER

INTERACT TEAMS UP WITH “SAVE!” FOR FUNDRAISING

NEW PROPOSED BILL TO ERASE JUVENILE RECORDS

During Valentine’s Day, students were able to use the Interact marriage booth to fundraise around $500 to raise awareness for the LGBTQ+ community.

This year, Interact will be granting $150 to SAVE!, South Florida’s longestserving organization aiming to protect people in the LGBTQ+ community.

“I think it’s really important that Interact is teaming up with this organization. It’s awesome that we are able to spread awareness to this community!” junior, Daniel Fernandez said.

A new proposed bill could erase juvenile records for minors with felony offenses.

To do so, minors would have to complete diversion programs, which are an initiative designed to prevent them from committing crimes in the future.

“We should still be able to maintain some kind of record” school resource officer, Officer Denise Bremer said.

“If it is something minor, it should be erased in the sense that employers and the university won’t be able to locate it.”

MIAMI-DADE “PUT IT DOWN” CAMPAIGN The Put it Down: Focus On Driving campaign was created to encourage a safer driving environment as well as to help prevent accidents caused by distraction due to using a mobile device while driving. The campaign serves to increase awareness of texting and driving. If caught, drivers may be cited and have points taken from their license.

“This campaign will be very beneficial since texting and driving is extremely dangerous. I see it everywhere I go.” social studies teacher Ricardo Gonzalez said.

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

New abortion bill threatens minors

A proposed bill would require parental consent for a minor to be able to have an abortion

Nanndi ice cream shop A tasty pastry and ice cream shop located in the heart of downtown Dadeland that was founded by a celebrity chef

Possible highway name change

South Dixie Highway, along with other roads, are subject to controversy after changing historical names

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

scan to visit our online content!

Trump Restricts Green Cards

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“Inadmissibility on public charge grounds” makes getting a green card harder for low-income immigrants

BY MAYA SHAH, STAFF WRITER

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he United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has placed a new addition to the Immigration and Nationality Act Section 212, which holds all of the inadmissibility grounds which can make someone ineligible for a green card. Inadmissibility on public charge grounds refers to the ability to deny green cards to people who seem more likely to depend on public welfare from the government such as food stamps or Medicaid. The USCIS began its implementation on Feb. 24, 2020.

Immigrants who are only staying in the U.S. on provisional or temporary terms are no longer legally allowed to remain once their visas expire and they have failed to obtain a green card. Immigration laws are being more heavily enforced with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducting raids more frequently.

In the first three months of 2019 alone, a total of 63,540 people were removed from the U.S. according to ICE. Many law-abiding migrants who were denied their green cards on public ground charges can face removal from the country, leading to higher deportation rates.

Public charge grounds would reduce the number of people considered in the naturalization process since someone must hold a green card and be a resident of the country for at least five years to be permitted to start the next steps towards citizenship.

“I believe that the inadmissibility on public charge grounds is discriminatory against people’s backgrounds and will only hurt our

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country, which advertises as a place for people with nothing to follow the American dream,” sophomore Cecilia Reyes said.

The rule has caused heated debates from both sides on its legal and moral standpoint.

Supporters consider the admissibility grounds a good way to filter those who can stay whereas those who do not approve deem it going against the classic American principles. Its addition follows in suit of a new wave of stricter immigration policies and closely monitored borders since the Trump administration was elected in 2016.

DID YOU KNOW?

About a million immigrants receive a U.S. greencard each year, but more than half are in the U.S. and updating their status.

Source: PewResearch.org

“I wonder what indicators are going to be taken into account to see if a person could potentially be on welfare in the future,” college advisor Khushnuma Driver said.

The enactment of this green card modification is a step towards the proposal president Trump made in May 2019, which suggested that immigration should be a merit-based visa that would award applicants points for things such as being younger, having an advanced degree or earning higher wages. It would eliminate most

ST STUDEN UDENTTSS

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“The bill is promoting classism and is a ploy to keep criminalizing immigrants,” Lucia TorresMugica, Freshman

visas granted to extended families of citizens or permanent residents. Since qualifications for a green card normally favor immigrants with higher skills and experience based on education and past jobs, the new regulation will strengthen the goal of more strategic immigration laws and hinder the chances of gaining a green card solely on familial ties. The new rule can deter lowerincome people from attempting the road to legal citizenship and lessen family-based migrational patterns.

The public charge test evaluates different aspects of an applicant’s life. Age, health, assets, education and current financial status are all considered. Applicants with serious and costly health issues must show proof that they have private health insurance or enough money to cover their medical bills in order to be considered for a green card. Applicants must also be at least proficient in English, as well as literate.

Bad credit history, unpaid taxes and bankruptcy filings will make it harder to receive a green card for applicants. However, there are exceptions for certain people, such as: refugees, asylum seekers, victims of trafficking and domestic violence.

Cubans who apply for adjustment of their status are immune to the rule under the Cuban Adjustment Act which allows Cuban natives in the US who meet certain requirements permanent residence. Applicants under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) and Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act (HRIFA) are also exonerated from public charge as well. h

SPEA SPEAKK UP UP

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

PERMANENT RESIDENT

“National security is important but keeping people out due to financial issues is not productive,” Kaylah Clethen, Sophomore

10 news

The COVD-19 coronavirus: the newest worldwide pandemic

BY MELANIE NUÑEZ, STAFF WRITER

STUDENTS SPEAK UP

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I BELIEVE THAT [THE] ez/highligh CORONAVIRUS N un ts e i SHOULD BE an CONSIDERED A GLOBAL CRISIS BECAUSE APART FROM CHINA, ABOUT 25 OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE REPORTED CASES OF THE CORONAVIRUS. IT NO LONGER ONLY AFFECTS CHINA.” ALAINA VILLALONGA, FRESHMAN

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I DO NOT THINK IT’S A GLOBAL CRISIS BECAUSE IT’S ONLY IN A FEW AREAS OF THE WORLD. IT’S NOTHING NEW. WE’VE HAD SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. MYA SEPULVEDA, SOPHOMORE

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HE NEWLY symptoms. However, there Palm Beach Gardens were identified COVD- are no concrete statistics confined to their homes as 19 c o r o n a v i r u s due to constant changes in they waited to be informed is a respiratory illness information. on whether they were originating in Wuhan, According to the exposed to the virus.

China, has become a global Herald-Tribune, the Florida “Miami is a popular phenomenon following a Department of Health tourist destination, so we massive outbreak throughout confirmed that it is working constantly have people the country, and resulting in with the Center for Disease from all over the world thousands of people being Control and Prevention coming here, which could infected and an increasing (CDC) in order to keep the potentially spread the virus death toll. virus in check. As of now, to us.” junior Isabella Reyes The initial local crisis the Miami International said. has turned global as the Airport has set up a Although the virus continues to spread to quarantine station where government and public other regions of the world passengers returning from health officers are working at a fast rate. There have China are checked for fever, to prevent the spread of the been various confirmed virus, there are things cases in the U.S., Japan, that can be done at an Australia, France, the individual level. There U.K., Canada and other is a low risk of the MIAMI IS A POPULAR general American public nations. Due to the huge impact the spread TOURIST DESTINATION, contracting the virus has had thus far on the unless there is direct SO WE CONSTANTLY contact with someone Chinese public and to HAVE PEOPLE FROM who is contaminated, other regions of the world, the World Health however, it is still ALL OVER THE Organization (WHO) important to understand WORLD COMING declared the virus a how the virus works and HERE, WHICH COULD the most effective ways to public health emergency of international concern.

POTENTIALLY SPREAD prevent it. According to In early January, the CDC, the coronavirus THE VIRUS TO US. the coronavirus was is extremely contagious ISABELLA REYES, introduced to the public due to an incubation after some reportedly period, which is the time JUNIOR caught it in the vicinity between ones exposure of Wuhan, China. In to an infection and the the weeks following the as reported by Live Science. appearance of the first incident, the virus spread Any passengers with symptoms. The incubation quickly throughout the symptoms that could period can last up to two country with the number indicate contamination are weeks, which means there of infected continuing to sent to the quarantine station may be a potential for the grow exponentially. The staffed by CDC medical virus to be contagious even Chinese government has personnel.

The airport if symptoms are not present. consequently taken extreme became one of 20 designated Due to all the information measures to prevent the virus CDC Quarantine Stations being released, Alberto from further spreading. in the United States, which Carvalho has actively been According to the Los means CDC staff is present tweeting updates on the Angeles Times, there are to provide information on COVD-19 corona virus in about 50 million people prevention and to monitor relation to MDCPS. quarantined in China, for possible illness.

However, despite all the and those with symptoms There have been few panic there seems to be an are kept fully isolated. suspected cases of the improvement with the health Additionally, due to coronavirus in Florida, of those that were infected. overcrowded hospitals, the first likely case being According to Johns Hopkins China built two hospitals in one that originated in late University, more than 51,000 a span of 10 days specifically January when 30 students people have recovered, the for COVD-19 patients, as and three teachers from mass majority of them being well as those with flu-like the Benjamin School in from China. h

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The spread of the coronavirus, if treated with proper care and attention to hygiene, is not a cause for panic, but rather awareness

HOW TO IDENTIFY SYMPTOMS As reported by the CDC, the coronavirus is highly contagious due to its incubation period following infection. It can take anywhere from two days to 14 days for symptoms to begin to show.

Regardless of this, it is of foremost importance to be aware of the symptoms in order to keep from spreading the virus any further.

Symptoms can include anything from: • fever • cough • shortness of breath However, if somebody is experiencing these symptoms, there is no immediate cause for concern unless the individual has recently visited an infected area or has been in contact with somebody who has.

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PREVENTION As reported by the World Organization (W.H.O.) the important precautions

Health most are:

• regularly and thoroughly washing your hands, for at least 20 seconds •keeping a distance from those that are sick •avoiding touching your face, •covering your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, •staying informed on new developments regarding the virus.

PROPER HAND WASHING TECHNIQUE

wet hand with water

Apply soap to hands

Rub fingers together with fingers

Rub back of fingers to palms

Rub each wrist

Rinse with water

Lather hands, rub palm to palm

Scrub in between fingers

Clean each thumb

Rub tips of fingers

Dry thoroughly

Your hands are now clean Oraida Rodriguez/highlights Rodriguez/highlights

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opinion

STAFF-ED: Mental Health Curriculum Seving as a state-wide solution to mental health issues, Edgenuity’s mental health curriculum fails on all fronts

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N PRACTICE, MIAMI DADE County Public School’s new mental and emotional health curriculum currently taking the form of Edgenuity is a great way to show initiative, but in reality, it results in being a waste of time and money.

Edgenuity is a learning platform that the school district is utilizing to make mental health education accessible. For some students, unpleasant past experiences with Edgenuity have conditioned them to have negative views of the curriculums provided by the program. Although the curriculum itself is not provided by Edgenuity, but by a partner company, Purpose Prep, the reality is that due to the program’s format, students do not take the sessions seriously ultimately resulting in a loss of teaching time for teachers with pre-established English curriculums.

One of the main failures of the courses is how late in the year it has been implemented.

The Edgenuity sessions have been stuffed into English classes seemingly last minute, depriving students of about two weeks of regular class. Particularly, on AP, IB and DE students the effects are even more magnified, as they lose valuable practice and learning time required in any rigorous college-level course.

If teachers had been informed about Edgenuity at the beginning of the year, class-time could have been set aside properly, ensuring a smoother transition and proper scheduling.

Furthermore, the required idle time to complete the sessions is five hours.

Although on the surface five hours is not lengthy, it is monumental in terms of class time, considering that classes last around only 90 minutes. As a result, the loss of time pushes lessons back further into the year FL-MDCPS

Did You You are: 34% complete and BEHIND

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and potentially eliminates classes that could be used for reviewing important material for testing.

Caridad Hidalgo, District Supervisor for the Division of Academics, is currently working with schools on the implementation of this curriculum.

“Other formats were considered including assemblies and mental health day activities,” Hidalgo said. “However, the state declined our request and directed us to the Board Rule that states that the required instruction must occur in a credit bearing course.”

These rules do not allow for instruction that does not result in earning a credit, meaning that attempts at influential mental health education were shot down. Granted that the state followed board rules, the plan to implement Edgenuity is rushed and poorly put together.

In many aspects, the Edgenuity program feels like the state’s way of putting a bandage over the bullethole for mental health problems.

If the fight to call attention to the significance of mental health had been more prioritized, it could be that funding for a more efficient, non-credit bearing course could have been granted. In the end, money that could have gone towards more engaging, interpersonal activities is spent in a less-than-satisfactory program that students barely acknowledge as anything more than an annoyance.

Additionally, the school already has a mental health program in the form of the Health Information Project (HIP). In the case of HIP, teachers are aware of the program and of the days Peer Health Educators will be coming to classrooms to teach.

Somewhat similar to the goal of Edgenuity, the HIP program is responsible for teaching freshmen about mental, physical and emotional health. The modules discuss physical and emotional abuse in relationships, the effects of drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and STD prevention, among others. It already has seen a massive success, being the result of in-person, open discussion. Success stories about the impact of HIP on student’s lives can be found on the HIP website, which demonstrates

examples of teens previously suffering from physical abuse, depression or drug dependency and their journey out of such issues with HIP guidance. These intense, but necessary topics are taught by juniors and seniors enrolled in the club. Students are free to ask as many questions as they want, as well as get the necessary help they need. Mental health sessions should be similar, and if provided by the State, professional.

The lack of personal interaction lacking from Edgenuity creates disinterest with students, making it an inefficient method of education and spreading awareness. The time-logging system also poses a problem for absent students or students who did not progress at the same pace as the rest of the class, since attempts to do sessions at home resets progress. Additionally, students remark that some solutions that Purpose Prep proposed are motivational and oversimplified, rather than legitimately helpful, devaluing the issues being experienced by teens.

“No one is learning from it and no one is listening to it,” junior Joah Brooks said. “It’s a waste of time and a waste of tax money.”

According to Edsurge, the company that owns Edgenuity, Edgenuity earns from about $350 to $1,000 per student. This money being used on an unwanted, unappreciated program is also money that could be applied to bring more effective changes, such as easily-accessible mental health counselors present in each school or teacher raises.

An extension to the HIP program or an attempt to take a similar plan of action would be more productive and appealing to students. Regardless of interest in the topics, students would be required to pay attention out of respect and would be more drawn in by the presence of real professionals present to educate them. Otherwise, attempts at educating students on mental and emotional health through such a platform as Edgenuity would continue to drain taxpayer dollars, while still not providing a proper working solution for students to improve their emotional and mental health. h

Mental health issues Purpose Prep serves affect up to 20% of 300+ schools in 30+ students in the U.S. countries Source: Illumincation Education

Source: Purpose Prep

13

opinion

Moist: the forbidden word

The cursed word moist is one that plagues modern society and impedes social progress and needs to be stopped.

students speak up

COMMENTARY BY KEVIN MONJARREZ

T

“Thank you mother, the meal was moist.”

“My first kiss was wonderful, so moist.”

“I love the moist makeup you’re wearing.”

In all three of these cases above, the sentence started out as a compliment. As soon as moist

hit the scene, however, it turned into a stiff, sarcastic comment that either brought confusion, ritual sacrifice, or some combination of the two. Inserting the word moist into any piece of writing spoils it.

“My writing career didn’t take off while I used the word moist, it was awful,” senior Leo Ramsey-Watson said. “It still hasn’t taken off, but moist in my writing for sure alienated my potentially massive audience” Even worse, is the physical qualities implied by the word moist. Not quite wet, but not quite dry either. Somewhere in between, the beginning stages of wet, and the ending stages of dry. This inbetween quality annoys many, and has even been cited as the cause of domestic terrorism by no expert in particular. Wet or dry? You cannot have both, choose a side.

To some, moist is but a word, simply because there is no logical reason to dislike the word. They say I’m too emotionally attached to an insignificant word, I say they are not attached enough. They claim that moist is a hero not a menace, ignoring the enemy right in front of them. And to this unnamed group I offer no logic or science-based evidence, because I have better things to do with my life than researching why I hate moist, like hating moist. One does not need the vices of logical and smart to hate moist, it is just something you need to accept, blindly, whenever possible.

Moist is a scourge that leaves death and destruction in its wake.

So long as the disease is allowed to thrive, spread and propagate, all Anglo-American people are losing smart. To keep our smart, as a people we must eliminate, not exile it. Black it out in every dictionary, protect the ears of our youth, and shun the believers of moist. Let this be the last piece of literature that uses the accursed moist, and then we will achieve freedom. h

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Monjarrez / hi

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“IT’S A VERY WEIRD WORD TO SAY, ITS WET, BUT NOT WET. JUST SAY WET, IT MAKES MORE SENSE.”

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HE Mword, or “Moist” for those brave enough to read it, is a word that brings distaste to whoever’s lips it comes across, a piece of our language that has been exiled, yet never makes its departure. Elegantly stubborn, it imprints itself in our brains and hides, waiting for the moment to strike. We are cursed. Cursed with the prescient knowledge that “moist” will someday return. And with that, we become slaves to our future. We see moist all around us. The boy’s bathroom, Little Caesar’s Pizza and somehow the math hall, constantly. Everything is moist, and it must be stopped.

Moist is a stupid word. I hate it and its dumb. The person who invented it is an idiot. Why moist continues to thrive is a mystery to me, but all I know is that it actively makes life worse. In fact, moist was internationally voted by the “I Hate Moist International” group to be the most repulsive word in the English language, and for good reason.

It is difficult to imagine the word moist in a positive connotation, where it sprinkles a dash of happiness on any sentence or object. This is because you literally cannot. There is no case where this is possible. To prove this point:

-Daniel Marrero, Junior “[THE WORD MOIST] FEELS SLIMY. DESPITE THAT I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD APPRECIATE THE WORD.”

-Phoenix Pierre, Senior

“I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE WORD MOIST. IT’S BETTER THAN SAYING SOMETHING’S WET. IT’S ONE OF MY VOCAB WORDS.”

-Kyrone Beard, Sophomore

14

opinion

Middle eastern peace plan flops

Though Trump’s Middle Eastern Peace Plan claims to offer a fair solution, the plan lands far from being just.

COMMENTARY BY JONATHAN MESA

I

N RECENT years, it has become commonplace to see the words Palestine, Israel and conflict grouped together in news headlines. President Donald Trump recently tried his hand at a deal to handle the infinitely complex task of proposing a plan to re-draw the Israeli and Palestinian borders so that each party would be satisfied. He assigned his sonin-law and Senior Advisor Jared Kushner and his team of advisors to do so. What Kushner came up with was, in essence, a piece of paper labeled “You Own Everything,” which he promptly handed to Israel. This deal which would include “heavy compromise between both parties,” put Israel and Palestine in a playpen with America demanding that Palestine play nice and give Israel all of its toys.

When given the opportunity to draw borders in the Middle East, Kushner and his team of advisors accepted the task and began working, keeping news

e in t s e l a P d n a l e a To Isr

organizations updated on their progress as Kushner claimed to work with both parties.

However, the deal seemed to be heavily favored towards Israel. He claimed that while other deals are small and minimal, his is,” an 80-page solution to the issue of the competing territories”. While President Trump and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin were certainly satisfied with the terms Kushner created, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was far from delighted. The deal, when it was presented, did re-draw the Israeli and Palestinian borders.

However, most of the disputed territory that has been the reason for decades of conflict was given to Israel without question.

Palestine was very vocal in their response to the terms of the agreement, with Palestinian government official Dr. Saeb Erkat tweeting, “If Mr. Kushner says PM Netanyahu is allowed to annex Jerusalem, settlements, Jordan valley, Dead Sea ports, have security control west of the Jordan River, Control Palestinian airspace, territorial waters, no harbors no airports, and refugees off the table, what is [there] to negotiate?”

Palestine’s reaction to the deal led Kushner not to modify the deal, but to blame the Palestinians for “being so unreasonable.”

One can see an example of this in the settlements along the West Bank border with Israel.

About 75,000 Israelis live in these small settlements encroaching in on Palestinian t e r r i t o r y, naturally c a u s i n g a dispute of land ownership.

K u s h n e r ’s p l a n consists

: n a l P r e t s a M The ;; g n i h t y r e v e Israel gets r i a f y a l p d l u o h Palestine s

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of giving everything to Israel. This could mean that either Kushner does not know how sensitive this conflict is, or he does not care and is willing to stomp out Palestine to provide an excuse to give Israel the disputed territory. In a CNN interview, Kushner stated that he believes that, ”if Palestine cannot meet the terms of the deal then Israel should not take the risk and recognize them as a state.” These terms include Palestine adopting free press, more religious rights, and free elections, and “are conditions that no Arab country is ready to meet.” Palestinian government official Fareed Zakaria questioned Kushner on whether or not this is all just a roundabout way of telling the Palestinians that they will never be a state.

When Kushner responds to this also on CNN saying “that’s not the question at hand” Mr. Zakaria’s fears were somewhat confirmed.

With this new plan, President Trump and his administration entered into the long line of presidents who have tried to find peace in the Middle East but have effectively done nothing. All that this new plan has shown (through Kushner’s incompetence) is that the US is willing to lend a shady hand as long as you help us.

If a successful plan ever were to be created, it certainly would not be the work of the United States. The reason at heart that so many attempts to resolve this conflict fail are because of America’s continued friendship with Israel. America is perhaps the worst country to draw up the terms because it is one of the most biased countries in terms of this conflict. It should not be one country that determines the new border.

An organization like the United Nations would be the perfect platform for a unified effort to dissolve any conflict in the area.

The UN has deemed the conflict at the moment as a “dangerous paralysis,” citing rising extremist tension as the main factor for its inaction. However, if a more concentrated effort between several dominant world powers is made besides just the one that loves Israel, then perhaps some progress will be made. Israel and Palestine have been fighting over this territory for what will soon be a century, so a cooperative effort is well worth to finally put an end to it. h

15

opinion

Raising the standards

Where Common Core failed, the new Florida BEST standards may prove to be a more elegant solution COMMENTARY BY AUSTIN YAGODA

F

OR MANY students, C o m m o n Core will live on in their memories as the ambiguous and complex math curriculum full of long-winded and overcomplicated explanations of problems. However, the failed Common Core curriculum may soon finally be removed from the state of Florida in favor of the new Benchmarks for Excellent Student Standards (BEST), and for good reason too.

Common Core was designed as a course plan in the U.S. for math and English Language Arts (ELA) that details what a student should learn from Kindergarten to 12th grade. All students on the plan generally learn at the same pace in a streamlined learning system. The course was mainly put in place to best prepare students for standardized testing, such as the SAT and ACT. While most states fully accepted Common Core upon its initial release, some states — including Florida — partially accepted it, remaining in control of part of the curriculum they taught. Some states simply rejected it and have since used their own standards.

Despite its intentions, the Core was unefective for multiple reasons, the first being the lack of educational freedom. With the Core in place, schools had less opportunity to teach subjects better suited to certain students, who learn at different paces than others. Classes were also forcibly shifted from their original lesson plan to a more narrow curriculum to prepare for standardized tests. One of the most obvious problems with the core, however,

was it’s over complication of basic math. For example, a subtraction problem with the numbers 82 and 49 would be broken down and solved with a number line, rather than simply putting one number above the other and subtracting the integer below from the one above. The problem starts out by the student writing each number at each end

Did you know?

Only 9 states have not adopted the Common Core standards, or have partially adopted them.

Source: Common Core State Standards Initiative. of a line, then jotting down the number every ten numbers down, until the number can no longer be subtracted by ten. The next interval would be by 3, reaching the final answer. To put it into perspective, 82 - 10 = 72, 72 - 10 = 62, 62 - 10 = 52, 52 - 3 = 49.

This is a very real example, making it very clear to see why this doesn’t encourage ‘critical thinking’.

Recently, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida would no longer use Common Core, instead using Benchmarks for Excellent Student Standards, (BEST), which teaches the overall basics of subjects rather than just what is needed to prepare for tests.

“When I took office, I made a pledge to the citizens of Florida to overhaul our educational standards to remove all vestiges

opposable thumbs Democratic Debates “Welcome to the Bloomberg roast session.”

-Thomas Morcillo, Staff Writer

Color Run “A real drag for blind people” -Hanna Ebrahimi, Features Editor

of Common Core and return to the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic,” DeSantis said on January 31 while announcing the new system, which requires board approval before being implemented into the school systems.

These new standards are meant to cover more simple math and ELA content, which was lacking under the Core. These changes make time for extra classes, such as civics and music, which expand students’ accessibility to learning about a diverse range of content, which DeSantis heavily encourages. Learning civics in school is a great way for students to prepare themselves for adulthood, as they will have a firmer grasp on what laws and regulations they will have to follow.

Another selling point for the new standards is that they are easy to understand for parents and students. The improved ELA system will have a heavy focus on classic literature, which will be used to teach basic yet essential reading skills.

One of the largest changes that BEST brings is improvements in the way math is taught. Whereas Common Core focused on finding ways to reach an answer. BEST turns students’ attention to more basic math subjects, making the whole system much easier for both students and teachers. While individual school districts have the option to use BEST when they deem fit, the state designated time for release is after 2023 to allow for the distribution of new textbooks and lesson plans.

Some teachers have claimed that the new changes to the curriculum will make their job more difficult, as they now need to adapt their lessons to the new standards. “I think it’s removal was a good idea.

It’s best to go back to the basics rather than finding the method,” math teacher Mrs. Figueras said.

Because of DeSantis’ executive order, students and parents will be able to understand the curriculum Florida students must follow, rather than face frustration over needlessly confusing problems. h

Coronavirus “With a new disease comes a cure for Ultra” -Kevin Monjarrez, Opinion Editor

16 opinion

Falling back on health

The Trump admnistration cuts down on public school food requirements COMMENTARY BY DILAN DENHAM

S

C H O O L lunches, one of the most controversial topics within any school around the nation are widely debated for their lack of development within the fields of nutrition and taste. Not all students can agree on the tasty day to day dishes that schools try their hardest to achieve with their limited resources, however, it is clearly evident that nutritional standards set for public school foods are one of the most effective ways in combating childhood obesity and nutrition problems. Sadly, a recent proposal by the Trump administration plans to cut down on the nationwide nutrition standard and make disastrous reforms.

The proposal runs under the plan to simplify nutritional guidelines within public schools in an effort to reduce food wastage and reform the 2010 Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act (HHKA) popularized by Michelle Obama during her years as First Lady.

Although this is not the first reform made to Obama’s nutrition based school lunch programs, the recent 2020 proposal will take a much greater toll on the program as a whole, making it almost obsolete.

The proposed changes, which were submitted on Jan 17th, Michelle Obama’s birthday, received harsh criticism from numerous nationwide news outlets. The negative sentiment received, however, only focused on a particular reform in the proposal— the reduction in the nutrition standard which would lower the requirement of a cup of fruit for meals to an optional half cup, and lower the vegetable subgroup requirements to become completely optional for schools to implement. The change is meant to lower costs spent on food at public schools and leave a greater flexibility for schools in food options, allowing for cheaper vegetable or fruit alternatives such as potatoes or even meats. Sadly, this surface level goal is extremely misleading. Within the proposal lies several larger changes that could severely impact Mrs. Obama’s nutrition based school lunch programs as a whole.

The most detrimental change would be

the proposed rule to allow acceptable standard entrées such as pizza, burgers, French fries, and other foods that are served on a weekly basis to become a la carte items every single day.

This would without a doubt simplify school meals considerably as fewer options would be available, however, the consequential effects to children’s health cannot be undermined.

“I feel like the problem is that we are not even trying to find a progressive way to move about school lunches,” senior Aidan Tamargo said. “Regressing current standards just makes no sense.”

With the switch from structured meal plans for students to an a la carte system, the possibility of eating the same unhealthy foods every school day could rise considerably.

Since the 2010 HHKA, a recent Harvard study has concluded that kids were now eating 16% more vegetables and 23% more fruit during lunch time — a substantial increase in healthy food intake which has been cited as one of the most substantial factors in combating childhood obesity within the last few decades. A reversal of the HHKA would only worsen the ongoing efforts made against childhood obesity.

Not only could it be detrimental to students’ health, but the reasons for the switch do not have a proper foundation.

The original claim, originating from the Perdue Farms company, stated that reducing current nutrition standards would reduce food wastage, however, a recent study done by their own agency seems to prove the opposite in that there will be no effect on current food wastages. The other claim — that the new implementations would help lower costs to produce school lunches— has also been disproven by a USDA report in 2019 claiming that serving nutritional foods did not result in a significant increase in cost or food waste.

The Trump administration’s newly proposed rules will be open for public comments until March 2020. It is clear that these proposals have become a means to cheapen public school costs rather than to implement progressive changes for the future of the country’s youth. It is now up to the public to comment on more progressive changes to ensure that each and every child has a chance to have and nutritional meals. h

Kevin’s Korner In Defense of Ice Age baby

COMMENTARY BY KEVIN MONJARREZ Roshan, more commonly known as Ice Age Baby, has been the source of much contention on internet forums and our local community. With accusations of proliferating communist propaganda, the “Baby” trend, and being patient zero of the coronavirus, people have found themselves wishing that the perils of Ice Age would have taken care of the repugnant child.

However, it is my view that Roshan is a blessing rather than a curse, and that he is simply misunderstood.

The main grievance held against Roshan is that he is the herald of the “Baby” movement.

First Baby Groot, then Baby Yoda, then Baby Nut, what’s next? I understand the logic that Roshan, as the first famous baby, is responsible for this marketing trend, preying on the youthful charm of babies to sell us products. However, by the time that these marketing ploys came to foot, Roshan was well into his teens. While the accusations of spreading communist propaganda stand, his worst crimes are at best false allegations, as his prime time as a baby came far before the baby bandwagon.

Still, Roshan receives unnecessary and undeserved flack for simply having been a famous baby, a launching point for others to come. This may be true, except for the fact that there is a distinct difference between the marketable babies and Roshan. Baby Yoda, Baby Nut, and Baby Groot are gosh darn adorable. Because of them alone I watched Guardians of the Galaxy volume 2, The Mandalorian, and have consumed an unreasonable amount of Planter’s peanuts. Roshan, on the other hand, is an idiot. Not only an idiot, but also so obscenely hideous. As soon as Roshan hit the screen when I first watched Ice Age, I wished I could unsee Ice Age. That being said, it is because of these unfortunate qualities that we have reason to be grateful for Roshan.

Because Roshan was so distasteful, companies didn’t dare attempt to use a baby to market their product for 12 years. Roshan functioned as a barrier, and protected us for over a decade from the baby movement.

For this, I, and our communities should thank Roshan for his service. Long live Ice Age Baby. h

17

opinion

Stick to corn kernel polls, Iowa

The Democratic party should do away with caucuses entirely and rearrange the presidential primary schedule COMMENTARY BY ALEXANDER SUTTON

E

very four years at the Iowa State Fair, Hawkeye State residents line up to cast their vote for President — with a corn kernel. This political tradition, which usually takes place in August of the year before the presidential primaries begin, gives voters and pundits an idea of the way Iowans are planning to vote, and serves as a reminder of how proud Iowa is of its rural heritage. But in light of recent events, Iowa’s quadrennial “Cast Your Kernel” poll might be the only election that the state is capable of running.

The Iowa caucuses — the first real contest of the primary season — take place about six months after the “Cast your Kernel” poll, and tell the rest of the country which candidates are most likely to win the primaries (no corn required).

However, when citizens across the country tuned in to their TVs the night of Feb. 3, 2020 to find out who won the Iowa caucuses, they were left disappointed.

Initial results of the caucuses did not emerge until the next day, and the final delegate count that certified the winner was unclear until 6 days later. The Iowa Democratic Party explained the delay as a result of poor planning and a malfunction of the phone app that poll workers were supposed to use to report results.

The 2020 caucuses were an epic failure. Instead of giving the top finishers extra momentum heading into New Hampshire, the delayed reporting of the results created a fog that allowed all candidates to declare victory on caucus night — since no one knew who had won, the smartest move for each campaign was to tell everyone that they had, and wait until later to see if they were right. But more than muddying the waters of candidates’ momentum, the caucuses exposed several long-standing flaws with the way primary elections in the U.S. are conducted.

The main flaw of the Iowa caucuses is the fact that they are, well, caucuses. In contrast to an election with ballots, voters

in states with caucuses must go to open public spaces like high school gyms or local libraries and stand in groups, with each group supporting a different candidate. Members of each group get to give speeches about why they support their candidate and can try to persuade members of other groups to join theirs. Supporters of candidates with sparse support have to realign into other, bigger groups. Then, election officials count the number of people in each group and tally them up. The candidate with the biggest groups is declared the winner of the caucuses.\ Though voting via caucuses instead of ballots may seem like a harmless, quaint tradition, caucuses are a deeply flawed system of democracy and need to be replaced by regular elections. They are outdated, and reduce accessibility for the elderly, disabled and those who work odd hours. They also have much lower turnout rates than regular primaries: in 2016, the Iowa caucuses had a turnout of 15.7%, while the New Hampshire primary saw a turnout of 52.4%. Minnesota, which has one of the highest voter turnout rates in the nation, had a 74% turnout in the general election — but in the Minnesota caucuses, turnout was only 8%. The Democratic Party should officially call for all states to phase out caucuses and transition to a standard primary system.

The other issue with Iowa is that it goes first. Because Iowans vote before anyone else, they wield significant political power, often single handedly winnowing the candidate field to the top Iowa vote-getters. But Iowa is not first because it is important — it is important because it is first. The state is at the front of the primary calendar simply because of happenstance: when the Democratic Party was redesigning its primary election system, they put Iowa first because it had the oldest mimeograph machines, and therefore needed extra time to print out the raw data from its caucuses. Today, neither Iowa nor any other state uses mimeograph machines to report their results, but Iowa retained its status as the first-in-the-nation nominating contest.

Iowa, however, does not reflect the demographics of the Democratic Party, so the outsized power it wields over who wins the Party’s nomination makes no sense. Iowa is one of the whitest states in the country, but 39% of the Democratic Party is made up of voters who are Black, Hispanic or Asian American.

Political blog FiveThirtyEight created a ranking of states that sorts them from most similar to the national Democratic Party to least similar. If the Party reformed its primaries according to the ranking, the first state to cast votes would be Illinois, where the numbers of white, black and collegeeducated voters match up nearly perfectly to the numbers for those demographics in the Party as a whole. Iowa, which hardly matches the national Party demographics, would move from first on the primary calendar to 42nd.

The turmoil in Iowa this year is just one of the many reasons why the Iowa caucuses need to be reformed. Even if the 2020 caucuses had gone perfectly smoothly, the fact that they foster low participation and give power to an unrepresentative demographic of voters would be reason enough to ditch Iowa for a more sensible first-in-the-nation primary system.

This year’s fiasco only serves as a further reminder that moving forward, Iowa should probably just stick to corn kernel polls. h

BY THE NUMBERS

2020 Caucus Turnout

7.6 percent of Iowa’s elligible voters voted in the Feb. 3 caucus

2016 General Election Turnout 72.8 percent of Iowa’s elligible voters voted in the 2016 election Source: United States Census Burea u

18

sports

DECKED OUT The school’s skateboarders share their journeys of turning their passions for skateboarding into lifestyles

BY MIGUEL LEMUS AND ISABEL QUINTANILLA, STAFF WRITERS

F

ROM THE RATTLING OF the wheels on the pavement to the swooshing of the board as it lifts up from the ramp, the thrill of skateboarding has become common among many different kinds and groups of students at the school.

Whether it is considered a sport, hobby, method of transportation or a lifestyle, skateboarding has become popular among students due to the trendy appearance and relaxing manner.

Not only has the act of skateboarding become popular but the style aesthetic of skateboarders has also become well-

known among teens through the popularity of skater culture and clothing through common brands like Thrasher and Vans.

Many students embrace the skateboarder aesthetic by wearing sterotypical skater gear.

However, modern teens have developed the trend of skateboarding into a common pastime that they can enjoy with their friends. Additionally, many students at the school embrace their individuality by decorating their skateboards and to differentiate themselves from their peers.

The skating racks at the school can always be found filled with one-of-a-kind boards

from students. Through the various shapes of skateboards like longboard and shortboard as well as a mix of vibrant colors, intricate patterns and shapes, students express their individuality through the uniqueness of their boards.

Moreover, as the popularity of skating grows, some students, including senior Christopher Arauz, freshman Alejandro Dorado and sophomore Sofia Postupack have taken their passion to the extreme through dedicating time to perfecting their skateboarding skills and abilities.

CHRISTOPHER ARAUz

h Isabel Quintanilla/ highlig

ts

Passionate for landing front shuv tricks in his free time, self-taught skater senior Christopher Arauz has been skateboarding since the age of nine. Arauz’s enthusiasm for skating radiates from him on a daily basis as it has reshaped his life in an irreplaceable way.

“Playing the Tony Hawk video game and other famous skate games inspired me to try and go outside and do the tricks myself,” Arauz said.

As a young kid, looking up to big names in the business like Tony Hawk, Andrew Reynolds and Eric Koston motivated Arauz to develop his skating skills by dedicating most of his time to the craft. He is usually found at skate parks like Lot 11 and Indian Hammocks because of the diversity of the skaters there and the new tricks to learn.

Arauz has mastered tricks like the front shuv, performed by putting the back foot with the toes hanging off of the front of the board, and she is currently learning how to do a half-cab flip which is when the skater rotates 180 degrees. Like most skaters, Arauz has been known to practice his tricks in places where skating is prohibited such as public places like railings, parking lots and stairs.

“Usually the places that don’t allow skating are the best spots so skaters will still do it, get kicked out and go back in a couple hours once they get the trick they’re trying for,” Arauz said.

Additionally, Arauz believes skaters can often be misjudged by their appearance and are stereotyped to act a certain way. People can mistake skaters as being uninterested in their education but there is more to them than just a love of skating.

“There are a lot of stereotypes [towards skaters], like people think skaters are trashy people or all skaters are delinquents or at least turn into [them]. [It does] not bother me at all because I know who I am,” Arauz said.

Arauz hopes to turn his passion for skating into a business. Famous brands like Supreme and Palace have inspired him to create his own.

He wants to bring people together through the common love of skating. He hopes to create a clothing and skateboard brand that eradicates the stereotype of a typical skater and opens people’s minds to the idea that there is a more thriving community than what is perceived.

19

sports

ALEJANDRO DORADO

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She has learned to value the importance of patience as the sport takes time to master.

“Depending on how much you want to progress, skating can take on a different meaning for you. You can either see it as a sport, hobby or lifestyle,” Postupack said.

As a female skater, Postupack is not shy to the harsh criticism that comes with the sport. In a male dominated activity, it is unexpected for girls like her to try such dangerous tricks that skaters do. However, she breaks boundaries as she dominates in sport activities making the phrase ‘girls rule the world’ a reality.

“Any girl that skates is definitely breaking gender barriers. When you think of skating you don’t necessarily think of a girl, so when you see a chick skating it’s a pretty big deal,” Postupack said. “It definitely opens doors for the other girls who think skating’s cool, to really progress and not be intimidated or shy.”

Postupack encourages positivity through her skating as she hopes gender does not prevent others from taking part in activities they enjoy. h

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hi

Although many sports, including skating, are heavily male dominated, sophomore Sofia Postupack ignores gender barriers by following her passion and getting thrill of being a skater.

Postupack proves gender norms cannot hold her back from unlocking her full potential as she cruises down the streets in her decked out board.

Postupack began skating at an early age but started taking it more seriously in seventh grade after seeing one of her friends become deeply committed to the sport. She is now constantly active, not only in skating, but also in surfing and biking as well.

“I’ve surfed my whole life. Skating and surfing are both kind of similar but the feeling is completely different,” Postupack said.

She takes inspiration from popular female skaters like Victoria Taylor and Elissa Steamer and the dedication of her friends to the sport.

Seeing others excel at skating made Postupack want to learn more skills. She is constantly willing to try new tricks and has no doubt that skating will be part of her life for a long time as it has helped her grow into a strong individual.

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unconventional places have created stereotypes of skateboarders that have changed the skating community overall. Skating in these public places has created a sense of stigmatization that has overshadowed the positivity that comes from the skating community. Dorado feels that the skating community has offered him a place free from judgement and caused him to change his attitude on life. He is confident that the stereotype that skaters are “delinquents and mindless” is the opposite of what the skating community stands for as a whole.

Dorado’s changed perception of life has caused him to view anything he sets his eyes on as a potential chance to grow when it comes to attempting a new skateboard move like kickflips and heel flips, taking every chance he can get to become the best version of himself.

Skating motivates Dorado to try new things because he has learned to not get discouraged when he makes mistakes, and he tries his best.

“Skating really brings out the creativity in people. When someone who doesn’t skate sees a stair set they think it is just a set of stairs, but someone who does skate looks at the possible trick you can do on that stair set,” Dorado said.

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Constantly scraping his knees and failing when trying new tricks have not put an end to freshman Alejandro Dorado’s passion for skateboarding. Dorado began skateboarding at the age of 12 unexpectedly as the thought of skateboarding never crossed his mind before. What became an unforeseen pastime for Dorado quickly became a lifestyle.

“Before I began skating I never really thought that it would have such an impact in my life,” Dorado said. “If I did not begin watching online videos of people who cruised, I do not think I would be here today.”

Stumbling upon short online videos of people cruising on their skateboards motivated Dorado to get involved in the world of skateboarding because testing out new popular tricks helped him build up his personal courage and confidence. Skateboarding pushes Dorado to aspire to take his passion to new heights and become as skilled as his role models, Jamie Foy and Boo Johnson. Dorado attends North Trail Park and Lot 11, but he typically enjoys searching for atypical skate spots such as stair rails, benches or ledges.

Dorado believes skating in these

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sports

OUTsIDE GRIND highlights presents the after-school exercise routines of some of the school’s most physically active teachers

BY ALEXA OROZCO, STAFF WRITER

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ROM TEACHING A CLASS to hitting the gym, the school’s teachers take the initiative to set an example for their students by prioritizing their health and physical activity.

Collectively, the school’s teachers prove that it is never too late to promote selfbetterment and healthy living by learning to maintain workout routines. Even with their busy schedules, these teachers strive to promote healthy eating lifestyles and consistent physical habits by exercising. As

a beneficial way to help relieve stress and ellongate their lives, these teachers are making sure their bodies match their strong mentalities.

By putting in time for themselves after being surrounded by teenagers throughout the day, working out helps some of the school’s teachers feel like their best-selves all the time so they can continue to promote positive vibes to the student body and the faculty.

Through their unique workout routines, these teachers enjoy their independence through their time at the gym. With hopes

of providing insight into the after school routines of the school’s teachers, highlights shares the athletic hobbies of Geometry teacher Lisa Barrocas, advanced mathematics teacher, Niurka Prado and physical education teacher Michel Fotso. As prioritizing healthy lifestyles and maintaining exercise routines plays a crucial role in the lives of the school’s teachers, highlights shares the stories of some of the faculty who want to promote healthy lifestyles to the youth around them.

lisa barrocas Courtesy of Lisa Barrocas

From equilateral triangles to triangle grips, Geometry teacher Lisa Barrocas’ days develop from teaching about shapes to getting into shape.

Barrocas mainly started working out to get back into shape and to encourage her daughter to do the same. Since being idle does not sit well with her, Barrocas has been seriously working out for consecutively for seven years in the gym.

Barrocas’ workouts are steady and efficient because she revolves her routine around weightlifting to target different muscles in her body such a her chest, triceps, quadriceps, calves and shoulders. She prefers weightlifting as it helps her maintain a healthy balance when toning her upper and lower body. To prepare herself for the intense weightlifting, she typically includes 10 to 20 minutes of cardio into her workout routine and she works out at least four days a week for around an hour and a half a day.

“Working out should make you feel so good to be there, listen to fun

music, do a little dance, do anything that you’ll smile at,” Barrocas said.

Barrocas exercises at a YouFit Health Club with her eldest daughter, Taylor Barrocas, because she enjoys the affordability and the variety of workout equipment available at the gym. Additionally, Barrocas earned a personal trainer certificate, dedicating her career to teaching others, within school and out of school.

Although, Barrocas does not have a specific diet because she is aware of moderation and selfcontrol. Her primary motivation in maintaining a healthy lifestyle is to feel good and prevent any back pain.

After having two back surgeries in the past, fitness has expanded into a deeper meaning for Barrocas as she believes being fit is not merely mean the size of clothing one wears. Being fit for her means being able to walk around comfortably, even in high heels.

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niurka prado After seven hours of teaching higher level students, mathematics teacher Niurka Prado transitions from Calculus to cardio to pursue her passion for fitness in while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

From the age of 13, exercising has been a constant in Prado’s routine She has always been adamant about maintaining a healthy lifestyle because she prioritizes having a healthy and disease-free future.

Whether she is on a beach or at a traditional gym, Prado gets in her daily cardio by running and walking.

She enjoys walking at least three miles per day in different places as she likes to enjoy the natural scenery of the city.

To Prado, the importance of exercise is its biological benefits.

Working out has always been important to Prado since it has helps

the brain in ways, such as relaxation and building a good defense. “[To those who just began] just keep doing it,” Prado said.

In order to keep up with her busy schedule as a teacher and parent, the duration of Prado’s workout routine depends on the day of the week.

Weightlifting in the gym and cardio are what mainly dominate the majority of her workout sessions. However, Prado still prioritizes consistently walking and running because she enjoys doing simple and efficient workouts which she can easily implement into her busy schedule.

Prado encourages others to live healthy lifestyles because she hopes other people will not give up and put effort towards bettering themselves and taking time for themselves.

michel fotso Apart from coaching the boys soccer team, physical education teacher and soccer coach Michel Fotso keeps his physical health as one of his top priorities. Fotso’s workout routine consists of a variety of activities including cardiovascular exercises, heavy biking, running and going to a gym.

“I like to keep it interesting.

I go to the gym, I go outside, I can do it with my body weight when I do muscular fitness. I vary in order to stay motivated,” Fotso said.

To make his routines amusing, Fotso motivates himself to follow through with his workouts by doing a different combination of activities every day. As a physical education instructor, being fit and maintaining a healthy lifestyle has always been a priority for him because he strives to be an example to the students around him and show them that it is possible to maintain long term goals through consistency and practice. Other than being physically fit, Fotso wants his

students to be more aware of the importance of staying in shape and the long term advantages fitness has, such as avoiding diseases. Since he strongly values his independence, he promotes a healthy lifestyle so his students can support themselves physically as they age, and so they do not have to depend on others.

Apart from maintaining his physical build, Fotso also tries to keep a consistent diet by eating everything in moderation. Although he does not eat excessive amounts of food, he tries not to be heavily self conscious about the amount of calories he consumes on a daily basis. His overall goal is to always be able to be in control of what he can by staying fit.

Being in control of his health helps Fotso stay in control of his future by monitoring his health and self.

“I want to stay independent for as long as I can stay. I want to avoid [the likeliness of getting any] hypokinetic diseases,” Fotso said. h

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sports

Fighting the scale

highlights evaluates the unhealthy weight loss habits of wrestlers and battle of trying to maintain a healthy diet COMMENTARY BY MARTA RODRIGUEZ, STAFF WRITER

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H I L E the beginning of the season or the day before Another unhealthy method they use while working out, is wearing plastic clothing or m o s t a t h l e t e s Clinic, it is dangerous to lose all the weight several layers of clothes, making them sweat spend their off-seasons they need in the little time they give more and lose more weight. These dangerous building up muscle themselves, yet it is still common for wrestlers methods can lead to dehydration, or leave and mentally preparing to use extreme methods to cut their weight. them underweight and mentally exhausted.

According to the WRTC, some of the Losing weight can be a mentally draining for the matches they will face during their thing, especially when wrestlers depend on most common effects of severe dieting upcoming seasons, the this weight to win their matches. According to include organ damage and eating disorders routines of wrestlers vastly differentiate from Children’s Hospital Colorado, an athlete who due to the intense lack of eating or overeating.

Wrestlers need these two factors for those of other athletes. Unlike most sports, is starving themselves to get to their desired wrestling competitions are based on weight weight will lack nutrients and water that it is energy and strength in order to win the match.

For this reason, wrestlers may class rather than grade, skill think that they do the right thing or age which causes many by losing weight when in reality, MANY WRESTLERS DEFINITELY DO STRUGGLE wrestlers to develop unhealthy their with relationships WITH MAINTAINING A HEALTHY DIET BECAUSE all they are doing is losing the factors they need to succeed as lowoverly weight as they become PROCRASTINATION IS A HUGE PROBLEM AMONG calorie diets tend to lack important dependent on the number on TEAMS THESE DAYS. SOME PEOPLE EAT CLOSE TO nutrients such as vitamin B12, iron the scale due to the competitive sport. the of manner NOTHING ONE WEEK AND EVERYTHING IN SIGHT and folate. The body needs those nutrients to function and grow, According to the Los ANOTHER WEEK. PEOPLE HAVE WEAK HABITS. especially in developing teenagers.

Angeles Times, if a wrestler GABRIEL ARMENDARIZ, There are healthier ways to diet are believes that they wrestling, and athletes should for stronger in a lower weight, JUNIOR follow these safer guidelines to they will be compelled to not damage wrestlers’ health in the cut the weight. Even if they Coaches make up diet plans for run. long Sometimes energy. have to them for needed already is it it, only thinks they can manage enough for them to do it. The strength of these athletes cannot even get through their wrestlers, so they can have a strict plan the mentality of the athletes motivates practice, let alone a match. Dehydration is a to gradually lose the weight. The diet plans them to do anything to win, it does not dangerous thing, as it declines their strength, that are made for them, help them lose one endurance, and to two pounds per week, which is healthy matter how many pounds they have to lose. and also teaches students to have alertness.

The average high school wrestling a balanced, nutritious diet. season begins in November, food making By which gives coaches choices that are high a couple of months in carbohydrates, low before January, which in fat and with just proper amounts of protein, w e i g h - i n s wrestlers will be able to This begin. eat a healthy and balanced weigh-in determines diet without worrying what weight category weight. their about wrestlers will be competing Finding better ways to in and how much weight manage their meal plans will be needed to and gradually lose lose or gain for it. can weight,athletes which forces them health their maintain to either cut their long-term . h weight a lot during Sa r

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23

the scene

While always prominent in Miami, Cuban culture in Little Havana can best be portrayed through a friendly match of dominoes

BY RUBEN ESCOBAR, BUISNESS MANAGER

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highest numbers. However, what makes Cuban dominoes different from other versions is the set-up of partners sitting across from each other and the inclusion of the double-nine piece. Oneby-one players build a flat snake that sprawls across the table until the final piece is placed or there is a “tranque,” where no player can play a piece and it is time to count the score.

The final slam signifies the end of the g a m e and the

Ruben Escobar/highlights

NDER THE GAZEBO’S SHADE, listen to the hustle and bustle of competitive Cubans and take in the distinct scent of “cafecito” from the nearest “ventanita.” Despite the superficial impression, playing dominoes is more than just a game to the regulars at the appropriately named Domino Park or to Spanish-speaking locals “El Parque del Dominó.”

Domino Park is the adopted title of Maximo Gomez Park, the City of Miami’s domino club. It stands at the heart of “Calle Ocho” in the neighborhood of Little Havana and is a significant landmark of Miami Cuban culture. The park itself is not the traditional green area with a dog park and slides. Its entrance is adorned with a metal arch labeling it “Domino Park” with a fully stone-brick foundation. Walking through the gates and onto the patio, crowds obscure the few tables sitting underneath each gazebo. At each table, four players are focusing on which piece to place on the snaking layout before them. With each slam, tensions grow.

“I have been coming to this park for the past twelve years,” Gilda Troche said. Troche has made it a habit every weekend to “bring coffee for the other players to get their spirits up, because the game can get old unless you play it with the right people and eating the right food.”

The spectators eagerly examine each player’s poker face to see who is winning until someone knocks the table with their fist and yells “Me Pasé!”

The aim of the game is simple, yet complicated.

To win you have to pass, which requires that the player places all of their “fichas” or tiles onto the board.

Another way of winning is having the smallest score when counting the numbers on the tiles on hand. This leads to the controversial strategy of “votando la gorda” or getting rid of the pieces with the

PLAYING IN THE PARK:

Four Miami locals play a game of Dominoes at Little Havana’s Domino Park.

snake. This is the game of dominoes, the game that acts as a staple of every Cuban family function. For over 35 years domino enthusiasts have gathered at the park to refine their skills through repeated gameplay.

“Dominoes, in my family, is played all the time, ” said senior Annabel Garcia. “We use any excuse to take out the domino table and play.

Sometimes we play for quarters or we just play as a way to have fun… it is where we are all laughing and having fun as a family.”

The park is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is always full of players playfully arguing about the game and local news in Spanish.

On March 9th, Domino Park will take part in Carnaval Miami by hosting the Kiwanis of Little Havana’s Domino Tournament sponsored

by Cafe Pilon and Aetna Health Insurance & Medicare. The event is considered a classic Little Havana cultural experience to take part in: a traditional game of dominos for the chance to win an award. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., seasoned locals and players from all over the country, as specified by the Carnaval Miami website, come to this small but mighty park to partake in the game of dominos.

It is a free-ticketed event where all are welcome to spectate or join in on the sportsmanship. This year, local corporate and small businesses are invited to form teams and compete against others. To finish off the afternoon, attendees will be treated with a feast of Latin food while the winners of the tournament receive awards and sashes.

Domino Park is a hidden gem within the historically Cuban culture-rich city of Little Havana and a staple of Cuban-Miami.

It is not a typical tourist attraction, but witnessing the familial, yet competitive interactions between the players give the spectator a sense of cultural tradition and the occasional “chisme” from down the block or even a story from the player’s time in Cuba. h

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the scene

PARLOR PARADISE

Cream Parlor in Biscayne Bay is serving up classic café foods and delicious desserts with a cute, quirky and aestheitc twist

BY GRACE RODRIGUEZ, SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

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“We’ve been open for three and a half years but it took me a year to get the place open.

Before the parlor, this space was an abandoned beauty salon,” Sheppard said, “Little by little, after we opened, we were able to add things, like the awning on the patio to shade people.”

Not only does Cream Parlor feature signature milkshakes, they also serve as a cafe.

Options such as ice cream can be found next to avocado toast, lattes, tartines, paninis and wraps on the menu. The prices range from $2.95 to $10.95.

One signature dessert is the Unicorn Poop ice cream sundae. Sweet and creamy, this pastel blue and pink cakebatter flavored ice cream is topped with sprinkles, three wafers-two square wafers and one in the shape of a unicorn horn - and a pink and light green meringue designed to look like it came straight from a unicorn. “ I

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L A I D - B A C K storefront sits peacefully on Biscayne Boulevard, waiting patiently for the next customer to stroll in. The clanking sound of an ice cream machine echoes around the store, making yet another delicious dessert. Owner Ainsley Sheppard and her team move around precisely as they perfect delicious and Instagrammable desserts.

Colorful and vibrant, Cream Parlor serves unique and aesthetic desserts at a low price.

Located at 8224 Biscayne Boulevard, Cream Parlor is open seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, and 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Mondays. Established in August 2016, Sheppard opened Cream Parlor motivated by her history of baking and a keen sweet tooth. Sheppard wanted to connect with those who shared her passion and shortly after establishment, Cream Parlor rose in popularity. The photogenic concoctions were spread all over social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter.

[usually] get avocado toast and eggies on top. Super good,” Stephanie Casado, a regular customer at the parlor, said.

Colorful couches, chairs, throw pillows and vanities decorate the parlor as well as all sorts of vintage looking knicknacks.

Photos and artworks of Prince, Marilyn Monroe and unicorns are displayed all around the building.

Behind the parlor is the dining area. An outside patio covered with colorful tarps, t h i s bohemian s t y l e garden is surrounded by potted plants and twinkling lights.

Picnic tables with pillows are scattered around for customers to relax and enjoy the brisk South Florida weather.

Sheppard has created a beautiful environment, one where customers can connect and enjoy their time together. The unique and delicious options offered at Cream Parlor truly make this place a Biscayne Bay gem. h

MILKSHAKE MADNESS:

Cream Parlor whips up desserts that are treats for the eyes, and mouth.

VIRTUAL VOYAGE

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the scene

The world of gaming is leveled up when real life meets the virtual platform at the indoor theme park, Ultimate Virtual Reality

BY NATALY RABELO, STAFF WRITER

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DARK ROOM WITH VIBRANT neon lights is, for some, the gateway between the real world and another dimension. For the player, a whole new world awaits once they place the virtual reality (VR) headset on and set off to engage in a new adventure. The VR simulation makes players feel as though they are truly inside the game and experiencing the thrills in real time. The Ultimate Virtual Reality attraction offers its visitors a portal into a world they have never seen.

Open from 2 P.M. to 10 P.M. on weekdays and 11 A.M. to 10 P.M. on weekends, Ultimate Virtual Reality is located inside of Dezerland Park Miami, a theme park in North Miami. Ultimare Virtual Reality offers over 50 different attractions that simulate a seemingly life-like experience. Ranging from skiing, to piloting an airplane and fighting off zombies, Ultimate Virtual Reality has a wide variety of games that make the player feel as if they are facing the obstacle head on. The games all take place in different settings and

entail different challenges, giving visitors options to explore their next adventure. The world of virtual reality, a computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image that lets players interact in an almost real way by using special electronic equipment, allows for the players to submerge themselves in exhilarating and fantastic thrills.

For $8 per experience or $45 for 90 minutes of unlimited games, the player puts on a headset and becomes part of the game itself. The intense sound effects and high-definition screen add to the overall experience of the game, adding to the thrill and excitement. Some of the games even mimic the motion of the player’s avatar in order to give the impression of a first person perspective of being within the game. These simulations can be as simple as swaying to a full 360° spin. The intensity of each game play varies from game to game, resulting in a mix of clientele from children to adults.

“The experience felt surreal. The graphics were so realistic and and all of

the other effects really tied it all together to make the feel of the ride so life-like,” junior Denisse Martinez said.

Although the static rides are one of the main attractions, Ultimate Virtual Reality even has an arena setting where players can go head-to-head with one another in more mobile versions of the games. The players are given their usual headsets and even hand blasters to help them in their journey to fight against the enemy team. The park also has a virtual reality escape room, where players must work together to solve the murder mystery, and two 5-D cinemas, where players see a 3D movie as their seats move along with the action and feel effects like wind.

Ultimate Virtual Reality brings to life the world of video games and allows the player to experience their quest through the avatar’s perspective. From video game newbies to full time gamers, Ultimate Virtual Reality gives players a new platform to explore the world of gaming. h

TOP TECH:

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Various virtual reality games lighted up with neon lights add to the slogan “better than reality.”

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FIRE FEAST:

the scene

At Shahs of Kabob everything is cooked to perfection.

ARABIAN BITES

Fatair Al Basha and Shahs of Kabob brings Middle Eastern cuisine to Miami neighboorhoods

BY ALMA MARTINEZ AND CAMILA AITKEN, STAFF WRITERS

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IAMI IS WELL-KNOWN for its vast variety of Cuban and mostly Latin American cuisine, with residents who hail from numerous continents and walks of life, the city’s palette is inherently multicultural.

Though it is not the first thing to come to mind when thinking of South Florida, Middle Eastern food is one of Miami’s hidden gems. Unlike Cuban restaurants,

which are located on just about every street in Miami, Middle Eastern restaurants are slightly more difficult to find, but well worth the hunt. From the Shish-Tawook Sandwich at Fatair al Basha to the variety of wraps and platters at Shahs of Kabob, each bite is worth every penny. These delicacies are prepared by following traditional recipes, and have remained a staple of Middle Eastern culture and

Jay Bud /Shahs of Kabob

customs. The affordability of these restaurants also allows people to grab a filling lunch, without leaving a significant dent in their pocket. With environments that are accommodating to both families and fast-paced individuals, they will always be able to enter the restaurant and expect an authentic, hot meal. The warm and friendly atmosphere of the employees will also leave the customer with a smile. h

Fatair Al Basha Despite an unassuming interior, an authentic and delicious meal awaits inside the restaurant. Immediately upon entering the restaurant, the smell of beef and chicken sizzling on the back grills fills up the room.

The family friendly feel of the restaurant also serves as a source of comfort for customers. Located on 440 SW 8th St., the quaint and hidden Lebanese restaurant sitting among a strip of restuarants with Latin American-based cuisine is certain to leave an impression on any Fatair Al Basha is also conveniently located in the heart of South Florida, on one of it’s most popular and visited streets.

Every dish listed on the menu has been carefully selected to represent Lebanese

cuisine as much as possible.

“Here at Fatair Al Basha we try to share our culture with others in the most immersive way possible, and we believe food is the best way to do it,” Manager Mousa Fataya said.

The dishes are prepared using the same spices and sauces in Turkish and Lebanese cuisine in order to preserve authenticity and tradition. For one, the beef shawarma platter—which allows the customer to choose three sides including hummus, baba-ganoush, Lebanese rice, and more— gives the customer a taste of a different world. Staff at Fahair Al Basha pride themselves in being able to proudly and positively share their sacred and cuisine

and culture the minute a customer walks through the door.

The restaurant’s unusual location— nestled between traditional Miami businesses—also adds to its charm and appeal. Fatair Al Baska serves an exciting and different option from the Latin American restaurants open all around Miami with its uncommon menu choices and culture.

“Not only is the food completely different than anything you’ve ever had before, but it gives Miami natives a taste of what Arabic cuisine is like, despite being a continent away,” says sophomore Karla Martinez.

Adding to the distinctiveness of the

28 insight

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By: Laura Hernandez, Staff Writer

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I think everyone needs to have a sense of purpose in life, which is why they search for spirituality [or maybe] something to calm them.

-Emellie Ferrer, junior

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A fundamental shift begins as younger generations move towards spirituality over established religious institutions.

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Many people disregard religion [when] they’re not informed of the different aspects of it, so they should definitely inform themselves and find what religion fits them.

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-Alanis Lago, junior

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Being agnostic offers a sense of security to me that it’s okay not to agree with ... the existence or absence of God.

-Sofia Rebull, junior

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I think everyone needs to have a sense of purpose in life, which is why they search for spirituality [or maybe] something to calm them.

-Emellie Ferrer, junior

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though actions and going to church or temple are ways in which religious people may show their affiliation. This religious foundation, in turn, influences the behavior of all those that follow.

However, youth today tend to gravitate towards defining the foundation of beliefs themselves. Spirituality is an inner expression of faith where the person establishes a relationship with themselves, some higher power or God and unlike religion, spirituality has no rules to expression. It does have methods which may involve confidence in one’s own faith, free thought, active communication with oneself and others, often attracting those generations seeking these ideals. Spirituality’s lack of rules and guidelines is appealing to those who want to independently manage their views and priorities without the assistance of a religious group. This freedom in turn boosts the popularity of spirituality among younger and more liberal generations, especially of those who wish to stray from paths of tradition. The individualistic mentality found in those practicing spirituality shapes them into people that are less focused on formalities and instead more fixed on one’s own presumptions of human nature.

“With secularization, the disconnect with institutionalized religion since the 1960s and the rise of social media, the range of spiritual options for Generation Z has increased.

Nearly everyone wants meaning in their lives and youth especially look for the truth and that meaning,” Henry A. Green, Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Miami, said. “Institutionalized religion provides dogmatic answers, which does not appeal to Generation Z and by not having life-experience, they are more open to spiritual options and it might be to elevate oneself in order to become a better human being.”

As newer generations gain access to more information, there is an increased desire for open-ended religious or spiritual constructs.

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T FIRST GLANCE, ONE’S religious association is not outwardly apparent. As a new age begins in, the pre-existing religious narrative has begun to shift.

Newer generations are starting to transition from organized religion to self constructed beliefs due to the freedom which religious structures cannot always grant them.

Generations today are more open with their beliefs and are getting more involved in societal matters and lesser so with religious ones, as per a study conducted by Florida State University where Generation Z described their church or temple involvement as either “not too,” or “not at all” important, both ranking at 27%.

Religion may be multiple things to an individual like a safe philosophy, a familial connection or what brings meaning to human existence. Generally, religion today is an institutionalized or personal set of religious beliefs, practices and attitudes which are systemized and followed by groups of people who share these beliefs.

Coversely, spirituality is the personal and private worship one dictates and follows in their search for life’s meaning and a connection with the soul. Both spirituality and religion link to one another — to be religious or spiritual one must believe and have faith, but these groups are separated in terms of organization and composition.

“I don’t think any religion is intrinsically hateful but that tends to be how most organized religions are portrayed. Gen Z is a very open and unapologetic generation and some religions seem to have very strict rules that I assume wouldn’t sit well with them” junior Alina Astacio said.

Religion is the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods. An outward expression of religious faith is different from that of spirituality in the sense that they’re specifically mandated. Activities such as reading religious scriptures, studying and practicing the religion

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CURRENT ATTITUDES

DEEPER INTO THE SPIRIT The unconfined nature of spirituality is a reason why young people may choose not to believe in one religion.

Spirituality serves as an outlet for humans to follow their faith without constraints. This is emphasized by a Generation Z report organized by the research company Barna in which 58% of youth today reported believing that there is not one true religion and that what may be true for them is not necessarily true for another individual.

Since there are no set ways to practice spirituality, spiritual individuals may come up with their own ways to connect with their spirit and inner religion.

According to Stewart Bitkoff, a professional in therapeutic recreation, psychiatric rehabilitation and treatment, a person may increase and improve their spiritual development by helping and giving to others, like donating and volunteering, taking care of their physical body and dedicating 10 to 20 minutes per day to inward exploration which can be done through various

spiritual disciplines, including prayer and meditation.

For each person these rituals or practices can be widely different. One may choose to pray in order to shape the mind and gain a sense of oneness within themselves and their environment. Often, praying is a daily occurrence where a person may reach out to a higher power, whether within themselves or not and call for advice, simple conversation or peace of mind.

Meditation is usually done to increase mindfulness and detach from daily worries.

Given youth’s dwindling connection to the Church, undefined spirituality has become a more viable option for Generation Z. In a study conducted by Lifeway Research, 66% of those sampled had stopped attending church.

With m o r e t h a n half of Gen Z s a ying church

involvement is not important, it is apparent that modern religion is struggling to keep teenagers interested.

However, those religiouslyaffiliated maintain strong ties to their faith, through experiences such as mission trips and summer camps.

For those turning to spirituality, there are multiple degrees to this version of divine connection.

The Pew Research Institute has reported that people are moreso seeking non-institutional platforms.

“I believe people are becoming less religious and it is due to how this recent generation is more accepting,” sophomore Ava Jackson said. “Many people in past generations were subjugated to personal limitations which led them to view a higher power and to hope that someone i s guarding over them, which was why religion used to be powerful.”

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GROUPS ON THE RISE There are certain faith groups, like Atheism, skepticism and agnosticism, in which members are considered nonbelievers, a label given to those who don’t believe in a higher power or are secular, meaning not connected to religion or the church. Any one of these faith groups may be spiritual if the individual chooses so through spiritual faith which is the openness to spirituality without requiring a divine entity. These groups follow their own paths of belief that are flexible, with the underlying connection between all being that a divine entity may not exist, at least in the perspective of organized religion.

The popularity of these groups has skyrocketed the past decade as Ryan Burge, a political scientist at Eastern Illinois University and a Baptist pastor, found that 23.1% of Americans claim no religious involvement with a rise of religious nones (non-believers) which, he states, has grown 266% since 1991, close to 30 million in a decade. This signifies that more than ever people are shifting from religion to their own faith and spirituality.

Another survey, a 2019 review of religious landscapes in America done by the organization Pew forum says “…atheists now account for 4% of U.S. adults, up significantly from 2% in 2009; and 17% of Americans now describe their religion as ‘nothing in particular,” therefore broadcasting the significant amount of adults shifting from religion to other forms of conducting their faith or worship spiritually.

“Spiritualism is a way for people to feel connected to more than just themselves and so they can be a part of a cause much greater than what they already believe,” junior Andre Eguigure said. “People may lose their religion and become non-believers because they may not find their religion as promising. These groups, I think, would like to experience a different type of faith to see if it meets their expectations”. h

by the numbers highlights surveyed 354 students in Febuary 2020 to determine the student body’s take on the generational shift.

31.1% of students consider themselves as solely religious, 24% as spiritual, 20.1% as both and 24.9% as neither.

Out of the religious students, 42.4% identify as Christian.

75.1% of students have noticed a generational shift away from traditional religious systems and toward spirtiuality.

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Junior Lisbeth Arrieta and sophomore Gregoire Winston participate in the wheelbarrow competition at the annual CAF&DM Field Day on Feb. 21.

Ultimately, highlights took the win for the second year in a row.

Grace Rodriguez / highlights