The Blueprint: Volume 17, Issue 6

the

blueprint

Hagerty High School

Vol. 17, Issue 6

May 16, 2022

Oviedo, Florida

BIG NIGHT OUT

Senior Barbara Cullen slow dances to Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” with date Nolan Dhedouville. Prom was held on Saturday, April 23 at the Hard Rock Cafe under the theme “Night at the Met Gala.” Full prom coverage on page 2. photo by Shannon Hahn

senior issue

the last cabaret On May 9 at 7 p.m., Troupe 6885 performed the “History has its Eyes on you” cabaret, a collection of short performances of dance and song.

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This issue of the BluePrint features a special section to commemorate the senior class, including arts and athletics superlatives and the senior destination list.

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crisis in Ukraine

Ukrainians are currently enduring heavy fighting in their Eastern cities, and junior Karina Ostashchuk’s grandmother still suffers the daily effects of war.

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School holds first prom since 2019 Nadia Knoblauch

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PARTY-ROCKERS Seniors Matthew DeVasto and Cole Gustafson get together for a photo outside of the prom venue. Prom was held in the banquet hall of Universal CityWalk’s Hard Rock Cafe. photo by Shannon Hahn

the annual crowning of prom king and queen.

Like many of his peers, senior Andy Ayup had looked forward to prom since childhood, and the night did not disappoint.

“After I first watched High School Musical 3, I loved the thought of going to prom,” Ayup said. “I think it was great. I really liked the food, the venue was so amazing and I was dancing with my friends the whole time.”

With the stress and baggage of the school

Asian Club holds elections Sophia Canabal

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Lifestyles Editor

hen sophomore Nicole Chmilnitzky first decided to run for president of Asian Culture Club, she knew that the position would mean more than just an addition to her college applications.

“I’m half Asian, and I always felt a connection to Asian culture and thought that Asian Culture Club was a good outlet for that,” she said. “I joined the club freshman year, and during my sophomore year I felt that this was a club that I really wanted to help out.”

On Monday, April 25, Asian Culture Club held elections for president, vice president, secretary, historian and treasurer. Contrary to their previous leadership structure, which only consisted of president and general officer positions, candidates could run for president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and historian. Each candidate was required to complete an application prior to Monday’s meeting, disclosing their grade, reason for running, unique qualifications and potential contributions as an officer. During the election meeting, each candidate summarized their application in a speech addressed to the club before voting began.

“When I found out I won I was happy and a bit nervous yet excited for future responsibilities,” newly elected treasurer Helen Zou said. “I had been stressing quite a bit over the speech and was glad it was over.”

Besides Zou and Chmilnitzky, junior Janell Lim was elected vice president, freshman Laura Chen historian and sophomore Amira

Admin hosts awards night Zahra Ateeq

Multimedia Editor

aking group photos at prom is a tradition carried on by almost every high school senior, but not all have their photos taken in front of thousands of tourists.

On Saturday, April 23, Hagerty held its annual senior prom at Universal CityWalk’s Hard Rock Cafe. This was the first prom held since 2019, as the two previous senior classes were interrupted by the spread of COVID-19.

“It was really exciting to know we were having prom this year,” student body president Anisa Mafarachisi said. “There hasn’t been a ‘normal’ prom since my freshman year, so it was good to be able to experience one myself before I graduated.”

Not only was this the senior’s first prom since COVID-19, but it was also a first for principal Robert Frasca, who started at Hagerty during the 2019-2020 school year.

“It was great to have prom this year,” Frasca said. “I always enjoy watching students dancing and having a good time, and this year’s seniors definitely did that.”

After four years of car washes and fundraisers, the class of 2022 Student Government Association was able to put on their “Night at the Met Gala,” which included gala curtains and a red carpet.

According to Mafarachisi, there were approximately 500 students in attendance, mainly consisting of seniors. However, underclassmen were also able to attend this event if invited by a senior to be their guest, which required filling out a guest form.

Aside from dancing, other activities included a photo booth, specialty mocktails and

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Patel secretary. Though they were only recently elected, each new officer is confident in their ability to lead Asian Culture Club, maintaining high hopes for the upcoming year.

“I think I’m capable in terms of organization and responsibility, and I want to use these skills to help build the Asian community and representation at this school,” Zou said. “I hope that Asian Culture Club can be a chill place where people can make friends and have fun while learning about Asian culture and eating plenty of Asian foods and snacks..”

Meeting every other Monday after school in room 6-225, Asian Culture Club has most notably hosted a Lunar New Year celebration and a spicy ramen contest, during which members cooked and ate spicy ramen in room 6-125 to test who could “handle the heat” the longest. On Monday, May 9, the club plans to make boba tea for their last meeting of the year. According to Chimilitzky, each event encouraged members to stay involved in the club, an aspect that attests to what former co-president Marissa Young thinks was Asian Culture Club’s most significant accomplishment this year.

“Our biggest success was having people get involved. We had people make PowerPoints to talk about their own Asian background and culture,” Young said. “We were able to bring out more about [members] while learning more about each other.”

Newly elected officers plan to ease into their roles and discuss potential club activities in the near future, but Chmilnitzky already has a clear picture of what she wants to bring to the table.

“I would love Asian Culture Club to be more diverse. When people think of Asia they

year coming to a close, it was important for seniors to remember what the point of school events like prom were for: seniors to celebrate with their peers before a new chapter of their lives begin.

“I really think that when it comes to prom, it’s just about what you make of it,” Ayup said.

“It’s fun to just let loose and dance with your classmates one last time before we all go our separate ways.”

RUNNING FOR OFFICE Junior Helen Zou gives a speech to the Asian Culture Club while running for treasurer. Candidates were required to both give a speech and fill out an application to run. photo by Sophia Canabal

just think of East Asian countries, but I want to make sure that all Asian countries are included,” Chmilnitzky said. “I’ll keep track of different holidays from different cultures and make sure we celebrate them. If we’re talking about Asian music or Asian fashion, we’ll include fashion and music from every region too.”

Staff Reporter

n May 17, administration will hold the annual Scholarship Awards Night in the auditorium at 6:50 p.m. to recognize seniors. The event is free to attend.

Throughout the night, students will receive recognition for scholarships and awards from colleges, the community and the school.

“The date for awards night was strategically planned in accordance with a little look at athletic schedules, other awards nights, and facility rentals to make sure seniors can attend,” organizer Kelly FateQuinn said. “Students get called up and their scholarships or awards will be read out, and some students will be up there several times to be honored for their achievements.”

The ceremony will start with a presentation by JROTC showing off the school colors and playing the national anthem. After the presentation, principal Robert Frasca will give a welcome speech to the students and families attending.

After, scholarships and community awards will be presented. This includes awards such as the Sam Momary Tradition of Excellence and the Sia Yorker Medical Science Scholarship as well as PTSA scholarships.

“Hagerty awards like those are going to be a surprise for the people who got them like some of the PTSA scholarships,” FateQuinn said. “It just depends on the group [that awarded the scholarship] and whether they want to remain anonymous.”

Senior Braylin Maxwell won multiple community awards, and has four that she knows of, which include the Aveda Woman Club scholarship and the Kiwanis scholarship.

“My mom found a lot of the awards for me, and a bunch could be found on the student services eCampus page,” Maxwell said. “It felt like my work was paying off.”

After community scholarships and awards are presented, administration will recognize the recipients of Seminole State College and University of Central Florida scholarships.

National Merit awards and department senior awards are set to follow, including Principal Leadership and Principal Citizenship Awards

by Frasca.

Scholarships can be achieved through personal identifications and hurdles, such as financial aid or medical struggles. Maxwell explains that she was able to receive the highest reward amount of $1500 for the Sia Yorker Medical Science Scholarship at the scholarship banquet in March.

“The foundation is named after a girl who was in med school studying to become a doctor and she died of a brain aneurysm randomly,” Maxwell said. “It’s really special to me because I had brain surgery in middle school and the scholarship board liked that I wanted to go into medicine, specifically neurology to help people because that’s what their whole mission is about too.”

Fate-Quinn believes that each senior is due for an acknowledgment of their accomplishments as their high school career comes to a close.

“Students should be celebrated because they’ve worked really hard to get these scholarships,” Fate-Quinn said. “If you worked hard and you’re able to get rewarded with such achievements, then you should definitely be recognized.”

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Robotics takes on worlds

upcoming events may 17 may 18 may 19 may 23

ENGINEERED TO WIN Team 4717 gets together outside of the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. The team was able to finish in 35th out of the 160 teams present at the competition. photo by Jensen Miller

Nadia Knoblauch

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Staff Reporter

ophomore Jensen Miller is used to early mornings. Waking up to get to school by 7 a.m. is a daily task, but on Tuesday, April 19, his morning was filled with robots, programming computers and boarding passes.

Robotics team 4717 “The Mechromancers” left for the Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology World Championship in Houston, Texas last Tuesday with head robotics coach Po Dickinson. The team qualified for the competition after receiving the Think Award and second place Inspire Award at the FIRST Tech Challenge state championship, only one of three teams from Florida to advance.

“This year, the number of teams advancing to compete at worlds was significantly reduced,” Dickinson said. “This competition was one of the toughest they participated in as only the top two to three teams from around the world attended.”

The day after their arrival, the team presented their robot, Scoopie, to a panel of judges before going through a pre-match field inspection that afternoon. Once all the teams’ robots had gone through inspection, the match schedules were created for both divisions.

“Throughout each day and between each match, team members monitored the pit for judges who came in to ask questions, along with other visitors who had questions about the robot,” Dickinson said. “They did a fantastic job with their presentation and interviews with the judges.”

With 160 teams from around the world competing, including groups from Canada, Mexico, Australia, Turkey, Romania, Israel, India, Taiwan, Netherlands and South Korea, the FIRST Tech Challenge level was broken into two divisions with 80 teams each: Jemison and Franklin.

4717 competed in the Franklin division along with one other team from Florida. They played a total of eight qualifying matches throughout the three competition days, earning points from each match played. At the end of the qualifying matches, the top four teams from each division selected three alliance partners for the semi-final matches, where the winners played each other to claim winning alliance

titles and trophies. Unfortunately, 4717 was not able to make it into the top four, ranking 35th out of 80 in their division.

“We originally went with the mindset that we were going to try our best and have fun, and with that in mind, we did a lot better than I expected,” senior Rose Kiriazes said.

Although the team did not bring home any trophies from the competition, they were able to learn different engineering techniques used on other teams’ robots. They also attracted many visitors to their booth due to their robot’s unique appearance, which stood out against the competitor’s robots.

“One of the things that was interesting was that our robot stood out a fair amount, so we had a lot of people asking questions,” Miller said. “I think the way that we were able to layout that information was really helpful.”

Talking to the other teams allowed 4717 to gain new relationships as well, as they created a bond with one of the Australian teams, asking them questions such as, “Do mermaids and moon pools actually exist?”

“Everyone there was kind of bored at points since you’re there from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., so many of the teams were willing to strike-up conversations,” Kiriazes said.

Team members were grateful for the experience to compete at worlds, but it came at a cost to some senior team members. The worlds competition took place during senior week, causing them to miss many school events including dress-up days, The Sammys, The Honors Grad ceremony and prom. However, the team was still able to celebrate their seniors by having their own “robo-prom,” which was set up as a surprise by their mentors and parents.

“It was a lot of fun to dance with the people I cared about the most, so it honestly wasn’t completely sad to miss all those events,” Kiriazes said.

The team returned home on Sunday, April 24, rejuvenated with a sense of pride for their hard work and determination for the next competition season.

“The mentors and coaches are super proud of 4717 and how hard they worked,” Dickinson said. “Even though we did not come home with medals or trophies, we have already won because we got to compete with the best of the best.”

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Scholarship Awards Ceremony

Students will receive scholarship awards from the school and community.

The award ceremony will last from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Participants must come in at least 10 minutes early for preparation.

Mandatory graduation practice

Graduation practice will take place in the auditorium from 2 to 4 p.m.

Seniors will get their graduation tickets and overview on the ceremony.

Participation is mandatory for seniors who will walk at graduation.

Unleashed dance team tryouts

Students interested must have gone to the informational meeting on May 5. Students should bring dance shoes, sneakers and water for try-out in the auxiliary gym. Results will be posted after tryouts outside the gym.

2022 graduation ceremony at UCF

Seniors should report to the UCF Arena by 7:45 a.m. They must be dressed in graduation attire, including a dress, robe, cap, gown, tassel and chord if they have one.

news briefs Premedical club hosts seminar

On Friday, April 29, the Premed Club hosted a seminar in room 3-123, where dentists Sandra Wasif and Raina Nicola taught students how to stitch using fake skin models and medical thread. The doctors also instructed students on how to measure blood pressure with a sphygmomanometer.

Sophomore Elise Rash, a member of the premedical club since the beginning of the year, said that the event was both fun and educational. “Suturing always seemed like something for medical school, so being able to do it now was awesome,” she said. photo by Sarah Hinnant

Beta Club holds final meeting

On Tuesday, May 4, Beta Club held their last meeting in room 7-224, during which they handed out senior cords and held officer elections. Sophomore Christie Knowles was elected president, junior Zoe Zachry vice president, sophomore Jensen Miller treasurer, sophomore Nathan Treibitz secretary, sophomore Anouska Seal historian and sophomore Mia Campese social media manager. Though the club has a member count of over 30 students, club sponsor Pamella Lynch’s main goal is finding and engaging active members. photo by Sophia Canabal

Admin begins textbook returns

On Tuesday, May 3, administration released a textbook collection plan via the HHS Student Services eCampus page. Seniors should return their books to the auditorium lobby from May 9-13 from 7-7:30 a.m. or 2:30-4 p.m. while freshmen, sophomores and juniors will return them during their English or U.S. History classes from May 16-20. If seniors miss their return dates, they can drop their books off on May 18. Students using dual enrollment textbooks should return them to the with a textbook receipt form, found on the school website. photo by Sophia Canabal

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FLDOE rejects 41% of math textbooks

BOOK SMART Freshmen Annabelle Etz (left) and Josephine Lim (right) take notes in Geometry Honors. Two Geometry textbooks were rejected due to the discussion of banned topics. photo by Skyler Glenn

Skyler Glenn

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Online Editor

ust weeks after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Stop WOKE Act and “Don’t Say Gay” bills into law, the Florida Department of Education has rejected 41% of adopted math textbooks, and according to the FLDOE Press Office, one-third of those rejections were due to discussions of unsolicited topics in the books, including the critical race theory. At least eight of the selected SCPS textbooks for the 202223 school year are now banned, including the Precalculus and Math for College Liberal Arts books, and every SCPS elementary school textbook used since 2013. Although this ban has a much greater impact on elementary schools than high schools, the selection and ordering

process for new textbooks is now delayed.

“My hope is that decisions regarding textbooks can be finalized as soon as possible so as not to unnecessarily cause a stressful opening to the next school year,” Algebra II and Calculus teacher Gretchen Knoblauch said.

Over the past few months, teacher textbook selection committees from every county met to adopt textbooks for the upcoming year. In total, they adopted 132, and 54 were rejected.

These textbooks are required to meet the new Florida’s Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking standards, which are the topics that teachers must cover in every grade level, in place of Common Core. While BEST standards do require real-world application of math problems, they leave out discussions of CRT

and Social Emotional Learning, which the FLDOE sees as a “gateway” to race discussions.

“Some of the books we adopted had buzzwords or topics that made people uncomfortable, given our political climate,” assistant principal and textbook coordinator Kristi Draus said. “It has been eye opening to watch what is happening.”

When textbooks go through the review process, they are checked by FLDOE employees, school board workers and parents. According to the Orlando Sentinel, a panel of five reviewers evaluated two high school textbooks for Precalculus and Math for College Liberal Arts, and only one reviewer specifically had issues with the “political bias” they contained, with one discussing global warming and the climate crisis.

“Teachers have the ability to skip inappropriate questions and don’t need to rely on a textbook being banned,” Geometry teacher Lois Arp said. “We know what is best for our students.”

In response to criticism of the ban, FLDOE released four examples of CRT topics being discussed in textbooks that were sent in by the public. One Algebra textbook contained a bar graph that displayed scores on a racial prejudice test, accompanied by a photo captioned “What?

Me? Racist?” Another textbook listed an SEL objective to help students “build proficiency with social awareness.” DeSantis felt that materials like these indoctrinate students into a “leftist ideology.”

“The ban is politically motivated and does a disservice to both teachers and students, all of whom have a difficult enough task to teach and learn,” Knoblauch said.

Similar to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran claims that the ban was put in place to protect parents’ rights and prevent white children from feeling like they are inherently racist or responsible for “historic wrongs.”

“When it comes to education, other states continue to follow Florida’s lead as we continue

to reinforce parents’ rights by focusing on providing their children with a world-class education without the fear of indoctrination or exposure to dangerous and divisive concepts in our classrooms,” Corcoran said in a statement following the ban.

Due to the new education laws in states like Florida, Texas and Kansas, many large corporations have released statements regarding issues like discussing CRT, including College Board. In March, the organization sent a reminder to AP teachers expressing that they oppose both censorship and indoctrination, as they feel it is important for students to be exposed to multiple viewpoints and form their own opinions. They said that if AP instruction material is censored, students could potentially lose their credits. Currently, it is unclear if this will impact Florida.

“It’s such a hot political climate that so many companies and organizations want to make sure the public knows where they stand on these issues,” Draus said.

Selection committees for new Precalculus and Math for College Readiness Liberal Arts will convene over the next few weeks to choose new textbooks. Because of the short notice, it is possible that teachers will not have access to the books over the summer or even at the start of the next school year, according to Draus.

“Until you have the resources, you can only plan so far, right?” Draus said. “This is going to make [prepping for the year] a lot tougher for them.”

Even so, teachers have access to the new standards and will participate in numerous training sessions over the summer to become more comfortable with their course. Draus feels that despite the difficulties they may face, teachers will still provide a strong education to their students.

“We have professional teachers and they are experts in their subject areas,” Draus said.

“Although it is unfair that a lot of these things are happening to them, students at Hagerty will still get a dang good math education.”

Theater performs end-of-year cabaret Janell Lim

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News Editor

orry Hamilton fans, but this cabaret is not about the meteoric rise of one of America’s founding fathers, but Troupe 6885’s final performance of the year.

Featuring songs from shows like “Six,” “Come From Away,” and “The Greatest Showman”, the “History has its Eyes on You” cabaret, a collection of short performances of dance and song, premiered on May 9 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium.

Tickets were sold at the door for $5. Only members of the acting competition class and selected seniors performed, along with an appearance from theater teacher Jamaal Solomon, who sang a song from “The Greatest Showman” and “Titanic”. “[This performance] is really special for me this year, because the seniors that are performing were freshmen my first year here.

So it’s kind of like we’re all seniors together,” Solomon said.

His students expressed a similar excitement about sharing a stage with their mentor.

“He’s definitely been a big role model and the teacher that has been there for me a lot,” senior Grant Gibson said. “He’s been a very

central figure in me being in theater. So I like the idea of getting to do one last performance with him.”

Coming off his performance as Prince Charming in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Gibson performed in the opening and finale of the show, along with “From Now On” from “The Greatest Showman” and a solo, “Still” from “Anastasia.”

“I think the reason I want to be a part of [the cabaret] is because I get to perform songs from some shows that I would have not thought of before,” Gibson said. “I never would have picked out [the song from] Anastasia.”

Although this will be the cast’s seventh show, the performance did not come without challenges.

“I was labeled as not a good dancer because I’m too small,” senior Averie Newton said.

“So over the past year, I’ve been taking private dance classes to perfect my technique and perfect my craft to be able to say that I am a good dancer.”

Despite these challenges, Newton still pushed on to fulfill her dreams of being an actor.

After taking dance classes, she was promoted to dance captain for the Cinderella production, getting her one step closer to reaching her dream.

HISTORY HAS ITS EYES ON YOU Junior Desiree Snell, sophomore Carter Wegman, senior Courtney St. John, junior Alexane Ayup, senior Andy Ayup and sophomore Julia Register rehearse their cabaret song and dance in a small group. photo by Brandon Nieten

“Theater is the one thing that I want to do for the rest of my life. I’m actually going to college for musical theater,” Newton said. “And [being a part of theater] really helped me to be more well-rounded. Not only as a performer but as a person. So it’s like you discover yourself along the way.”

Rehearsing since the end of spring break, Newton encouraged people to come see the culmination of the cast’s hard work.

“You should come see it because of every single talented person that has put in so much hard work this year,” she said. “It’s worth your time and you will be entertained.”

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opinions

OUR TAKE Seek solutions, not attention Y The BluePrint staff editorial

ou are organizing the fake bones in your anatomy class to show the proper outline of a human skeleton, when you hear the annoying girl in the back complaining yet again: “Ugh I can’t do this! I’m too OCD!” We all know she does not really have OCD. People like her will always claim victimization, even if it does not actually relate to them. Victimization is when someone is singled out as the sufferer of cruel or unjust treatment. These days, however, a victim seems to be anyone who has had to put up with even a minor annoyance, and they single themselves out in the same manner. The problem is not that people are undergoing harder struggles, but that their perspective on how to deal with them has changed. Many choose to wallow in self-sympathy or drag those around them in a pity party instead of actually putting in effort to fix their problem or change their behavior.

Additionally, pretending to be undergoing some great struggle is incredibly dishonest and harmful to those who are actually in a strenuous situation. If everyone finds out someone’s lying about an eating disorder, they are not going to believe the next person who is suffering from one. It creates a negative cycle, especially when the victim begins to question their own diagnosis.

Forcing others to feel sympathy for a fake victim also breeds tension and conflict. Compassion for someone going through a difficult situation is a natural feeling, so when something bad happens people will always feel bad for those who underwent it. But being forced into a fake sympathy is unbearably irritating and simply drives

Reagan Eastlick

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Staff Reporter

hat was the point of it all?

That is a difficult question to answer, especially in light of the highly controversial stories I have written. With near every article there has been squabbling and outrage, disbelief and ostracization. But that was not the point, at least not exactly.

The point of it all was to inspire thought.

That is what it boils down to. The path was long, narrow and tumultuous, and before you can really understand why I did it, you have to understand how.

In October of 2020 I began to write Letters to the Editor for the Hagerty Journalism website. I wrote because political events were picking up with increasing intensity, and for the first time I saw a real potential for helping kids understand what was happening around them by writing stories from a student’s point of view. The crazy thing is that it worked. As I covered the absurdity of debates and elections, thousands of folks tuned in. But every silver lining has its cloud.

For the hundreds and hundreds of views that my writing garnered, there were dozens of comments and posts slandering my name. It was not an easy thing to deal with.

others away.

No one wants to be the athlete stuck in a rut for months after falling behind due to a big injury, instead of working hard to make up for lost time. Yes, mental health problems are serious and no one should feel they have to bottle them up, but the most important part is taking steps to solve the problem: speaking to a professional or asking family for support.

For those with genuine problems holding them back, however, the solution will never be self-deprecation. The only way for people to overcome, or at least improve, their own situation is to take control of their lives and make improvements. Weakness is never strength, but overcoming weaknesses makes one strong.

It is important to understand we are not saying we do not want to hear about your issues. Talking through your problems and getting help from others is a crucial part of getting better, and we never want to minimize that. But complaining and not working on yourself is not the same thing, and it will not improve anyone’s situation.

There will not always be a silver lining to a problematic situation. But staying stuck on it will keep you stagnant, not progressive. You are going to have a professor who hates you and marks you down for the smallest things. You will have an ex cheat on you.

You might even get your car wrecked (as two of our staffers have found out), but you cannot let these things ruin your life. Embrace the best of what you can and overcome the rest. Whichever group you fall into, be part of the solution.

Illustration by Alexis Madlang

I have had my family, relationships, education and even my life threatened. And it wasn’t just kids - last year multiple teachers protested the administration to take one of my letters of our journalism website. I remember thinking how crazy that was. How crazy it was that the small spark of a 16-year-old kid writing from his old laptop could ignite our little corner of the world.

After teachers and parents and students complained, Hagerty understandably refused to publish my letters. Unwilling to give up the fight, a friend and I started our own website to pick up the slack. The Daily Discussion was born, and with it, the ability to publish anything

means “to engage in political activity (Oxford English Dictionary).” And that’s exactly what we did.

I say we because it was not just me. Every time my opinion was published, a person from the other side of the political aisle was also invited to have their writing featured. Politick became a conversation on two halves of a paper and screen and ideological divide; it became ground zero for a school and society better informed.

The idea was to provoke thought. And provoke is a fitting word considering the nature of political discussion.

It is foolish to think it probable that any

and everything. My laptop and I reached thousands of people in locations including the United States, Ireland, Chile, Taiwan and even Nigeria. For those of you counting, that’s five of the seven continents. The Daily Discussion got people involved in the conversation - in all sorts of conversations - all across the globe.

It was at that point that I decided to join Hagerty’s newspaper team and start a two-sided political column. I chose the name Politick, the archaic spelling of the modern politic, which

conversation which cuts deep into a set of previously held beliefs will not conjure up some sort of antagonism. It is only when people are rubbed the wrong way that real progress is made. So I made it my goal to ruffle feathers in the most productive way possible.

Even if you disagree with every word that I have ever written, if you have read them and then disagreed after, that is good enough. You have thought; a novel thing in a world where too often others think for us. You have entertained

another idea, even if only by running a slurry of consonants and vowels quickly past your eyes before looking away.

Agree or disagree, right or left, it matters not. Never stop thinking. Never relinquish the ability and joy that is coming to your own conclusion. The choice is never binary - there is always a third route, always a better option. But you will never find it if you never push yourself to become independent from others. I earned my independence in a crucible of disagreement and anger. The outrage over what I wrote was a necessary birthing pain of a larger thing.

I hope that in my writing I have opened the door for others to follow in my footsteps. Please disagree with me. Or agree with me. Or find happiness in between. But go out and share whatever it is with people. Talk to people you would never talk to; do things that you would never do. Push your limits, push the limits of what people expect, and always push the limits of what people are comfortable with.

If you will not write about it, speak about it. If you will not speak about it, think about it.

Whatever it is, whatever the fight. Never stop the conversation, especially now that it has been opened here at Hagerty.

In fewer words, thank you for thinking with me these past few years. It has changed my life.

THE POINT OF IT ALL

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blueprint Hagerty High School 3225 Lockwood Blvd.

Oviedo, FL 32765 hagertyjourn@blueprint.com Phone: (407) 871-0750 Fax: (407) 871-0817

The BluePrint is a student-produced newspaper in which the student editors make all content decisions.

The newspaper belongs to the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association and the Florida Scholastic Press Association.

Opinions expressed within the newspaper do not represent the staff’s views as a whole (except for Our Take), the views of Seminole County Public Schools or Hagerty High’s administration and staff.

For information about advertising in the paper, please contact us via e-mail or phone. We reserve the right to reject any advertisement.

Editor-in-Chief Gabriella Jaye Herrera

Sports Editor Karson Cuozzo

Print Editor Alexis Madlang

Opinions Editor Julia Sumpter

Online Editor Skyler Glenn

Multimedia Editor Nadia Knoblauch

News Editor Janell Lim

Adviser Brit Taylor

Lifestyles Editor Sophia Canabal

Principal Robert Frasca

Staff Reporters Greta Carrasco Reagan Eastlick Zahra Ateeq Joshua Krob Angelica Mendez Ava West

,, , toxic smiles ,,,

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Angelica Mendez

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Staff Reporter

hink happy thoughts.”

This phrase is a common thing to say to a friend who is upset, but behind that positive quote and big smile is something darker—toxic positivity.

Toxic positivity is when someone responds to negative thoughts with a lack of validation and support, instead masking their words with positivity. Those participating in toxic positivity tend to exhibit little empathy and provide false reassurance that only makes the “negative” person feel worse. For example, saying that “failure is not an option” or “you will get over it soon.” In other words, toxic positivity is a form of gaslighting.

Even expressing that people should have “good vibes only” is not a form of positivity— it is an example of toxic positivity. People need to be very cautious of how they cope or help others cope with negative thoughts and feelings.

In 2020, a survey done by the Science of People showed that the number of people who said they had dealt with toxic positivity in one week was about 67.8%.

Considering that more than half of these people have experienced the downsides of toxic positivity, people should take the time to think about whether what they say will have a positive or negative impact on others.

The dangers of toxic positivity One of the most dangerous aspects of toxic positivity is its dismissal of significant problems by things such as ‘feel good’ quotes. When all forms of negativity are ignored, it can cause a feeling of shame, potentially damage personal and interpersonal relationships and suppress emotions.

Relationships can be damaged because the lack of empathy or real advice toward one’s feelings could lead people to believe that the person does not really care. It can also impact personal relationships because it can cause

people to get upset with themselves for feeling this way, and it ties in with the feeling of shame.

Piled on to the damaged relationships, people will begin to suppress their emotions– feeling like their feelings are being invalidated. As a result of all of this, people may suffer mentally.

An example of this is if a person expressed

suffer and isolate themselves because they feel like no one cares.

they have been struggling illustration by Caitlyn Hale with school and someone just said, “You will get over it.”

This could damage their relationship because they may feel this person does not really care and stop expressing problems they may be struggling with to this person.

Although it is good to be positive, when it comes to people being upset, it is important to be attentive empathize with them. This way they know their feelings are valid and they have the support of others. People should not have to

How to stop toxic positivity The first step to healing the impact of toxic positivity is to recognize that feeling negative sometimes is normal and allowed. It is important that people realize not everyone has to be happy all the time; some days people may be going through something or feeling down and the way they feel is acceptable. Normalizing that sadness and being angry is important because by normalizing it we do not feel the need to mask it with fake positivity.

Among the other steps is to stop saying popular ‘feel good’ quotes, like the saying “It will be fine.” A simple saying, even one this common, acts as if there is no real problem and the person should be positive.

While these feel-good quotes may seem like nice ways to help people cope, they actually do the exact opposite.

Toxic positivity takes root in some of these “positive” quotes and can be what causes people to suppress their emotions and be ashamed in the face of negative emotions.

Some ways to avoid being a victim or attacker of these toxic quotes is to reword them. Things like “other people have it a lot worse” can be reworded to things like “you are not alone; there is support to help you.” By rewording these things, people know it is okay to feel sad and they know they have help.

The myth that positivity in any form is good needs to be debunked sooner rather than later. People need to understand that someone does not have to be positive all the time and that they are allowed to feel upset. Along with that, people should help get others through it in better healthier ways that do not disregard their emotions. Toxicity is considered unacceptable in any form, so why should toxic positivity be the exception?

number of teenagers who recently experienced depression increased 59% between 2007 and 2017. While there is no single answer for the cause of this rise, self-deprecating humor is not helping. A 2016 study from Europe’s Journal of Psychology shows that self-deprecating humor is linked to depression and anxiety. “[Self-deprecating humor] can prolong getting help, because when you use selfdeprecating humor, the situation doesn’t seem as bad,” Bartlett said.

That is not to say self-deprecation is a onesided monster with no benefits. In moderation, self-deprecating humor can project an image of modesty and humility, an essential trait in leaders. It can turn an awkward situation into a funny one, and jokers do not run the risk of accidentally insulting others. However, there is a difference between a joke at your own expense and a pattern of constantly putting yourself down.

Like almost everything in this world, there is a line where self-deprecation becomes harmful. Signs include not being able to take a compliment, self-deprecating when you are alone or believing the jokes.

“I think it becomes harmful when people

are mentioning it to you, when your friends and family are saying, ‘I see you joking about this, but when you’re joking about it, you don’t really look like you’re laughing. I see sadness or I see you looking down when you do it,’” Bartlett said.

Bartlett advises seeking out a therapist or counselor if students are experiencing these symptoms. Bartlett himself uses a treatment known as cognitive behavioral therapy, a treatment based on the concept that your thoughts, feelings and physical actions are interconnected. CBT aims to help people deal with overwhelming problems in a more positive way by breaking them down into smaller parts.

“If someone has low self esteem and they’re constantly thinking negatively, CBT would identify that thought, help the student challenge those negative thoughts and then replace it with a more realistic thought,” Bartlett said. “So it would change from ‘I’m ugly’ to ‘I am not as happy with how I look.

Here are some things that I could do to help it.’”

Self-deprecation is not the only way to get a laugh and it is not the only way to fit in. It has its place; the only thing we have to do is know where the line is drawn.

Self-deprecation is not funny Janell Lim

“I

News Editor

suck at math, I’m gonna fail this test.”

“I literally look so bad in this, I’m so ugly.”

“I’m so sick of this, I’m literally gonna kill myself.”

Words of self-deprecation, self-loathing and even self-harm are commonly heard in a high school hallway. Whether the subject is something as small as the shirt they are wearing or as big as failing a semester exam, self-deprecating humor is concerningly present in everyday life. However, while these words are symptoms of a disease, it is not the disease itself. The greater problem is the fact self-deprecation becomes an instinct. When we are convinced self-deprecation is the only way to get along with others, we make it a part of who we are, and the more we say it, the more we believe in it.

“Sometimes students focus so much on being unhappy about something that it almost becomes second nature to just be down,” mental health counselor James Bartlett said.

According to the Pew Research Center, the

opinions Fired Up!

Being pro-choice doesn’t mean being pro-abortion

O

Gabriella Jaye Herrera

n Jan. 22, 1973, the Supreme Court ruled on the controversial Roe v.

Wade trial that granted women the right to a private abortion under the Fourteenth Amendment. For decades, this right has been guaranteed to anyone with a womb, limiting deaths of pregnant people via botched abortion and giving women the right to choose their own bodily autonomy.

Now it can all be taken away.

In a leaked draft decision from the Supreme Court, the justices appear to have ruled in favor of overturning the former ruling, thus giving states the right to create legislation banning abortion without exceptions of cases of rape, incest or child pregnancy. This controversial decision actively undermines not only the autonomy of women, but the will of the American people.

According to a poll by the Pew Research Center, 61% of Americans believe women should have the right to an abortion. For such a contentious issue, the majority is far clearer than we are led to believe. Even if 80% believe in third trimester limitations according to NewsWeek, women will still have six months to make their decisions.

The only reason this decision may be ruled is because the Supreme Court has a conservative majority. This is something that cannot be changed; justices have their positions until retirement. For decades, they will be allowed to rule against the will of the American people if it increases support among pro-lifers in their party.

Arguments about the right to abortion are so complex in society because they are difficult to engage in without discussing religious beliefs. While no one is denying individuals their right to practice their own ideology, personal beliefs cannot be allowed to affect the lives of others.

Hesitations about having abortions should and will happen. It is a difficult, life-altering decision. But it is one individuals should have the right to make on their own, for their own reasons, be it personal or economic. It isn’t the business of the state, or anyone online who wants to judge their situation without knowing anything about it. If you aren’t taking care of the embryo after it’s born, it isn’t your place to comment on what the individual does with their body.

There’s a misconception that those who support the right to choose are trigger-happy when it comes to abortions, and view it as an alternate form of birth control. This could not be less true. We view it as a medical necessity for many situations that shouldn’t be denied by law.

It’s not about being pro-abortion. It’s about being pro-choice.

The future for women is incredibly bleak. While those living in Democratic states will likely retain all the rights they currently have, everyone in conservative states like Florida is now under threat.

While there is little to be done about the conservative court majority, there is a small leading margin of Democrats in Congress, and our only hope is they hear our pleas and make abortion a constitutionally-protected right owed to all.

LOUD LO UD exc it i n g

f ulfi lli n g Alexis Madlang

W

Print Editor

e are loud, we are exciting, we are fulfilling. We wear our colors with pride, we cheer on our teams, we strive for greatness. It is safe to say the graduating class of 2022 has developed a unique connection thanks to all the memories that have been made.

Senior year has been a lot, but it vanished in a moment’s notice and many would agree that it has been the best year yet. Seniors applied to colleges, finalized scores, sorted out scholarships and made college decisions all in one year. Through it all, seniors have left their mark, whether it be in as sports captains leading their teams to state and national championships or in academics as the class with the most honor graduates in school history.

“I think I have had a great impact at Hagerty especially in sports because I have shown lots of tenacity when playing, and I hope the underclassmen getting into sports see that,” senior Olivia Price said.

Not only have seniors had an impact on sports, but sports have had an impact on us through learning life lessons, building relationships and alternate skills.

“I’ve learned that sometimes the more you try, the less you may achieve. When you throw in track, if you put too much strength into it, your form kind of falls apart,” senior Ryan Winningham said. “So I feel like the same can be applied to schoolwork or just anything you’re trying to achieve. Way too much effort can lead to unnecessary stress.”

Navigating through high school has been an individual journey for everyone.

Some have been with the same friends since elementary, and others have had to make new friends along the way.

“I didn’t know very many people coming in and it wasn’t always easy to make friends.

Then COVID hit and it was hard to put myself out there,” senior Riley Gordon said, “but by senior year, I knew I had to reach out to people and involve myself more and I have met so many people. It’s been fun being able to spend this year with them.”

Nevertheless, seniors have been left with a lot to reflect on. The past four years have been a period of realization, and figuring things out.

Learning lessons that needed to be learned, whether pleasant or unpleasant.

“In the future when I look back at this year I will feel thankful and know what I chose was best for me,” Gordon said. “I came to a school that I knew was going to be more academically successful. I am grateful for all that I was provided with, such as amazing teachers, staff, and friends.”

The senior class has been together through a lot, and considering the challenges faced, seniors like Nicholas Patrylo have found it motivating.

“It kind of gives me a look on life later and I’m excited to work more and harder,” Patrylo said.

Moving forward, many seniors will not see each other again unless it happens to be around town or at a reunion in 15 years. There is so much to look forward to however, and so much to remember.

“I think we have a lot of bright students in our grade who will achieve so much and who go above and beyond,” Gordon said. “We have had a good time with all the activities and have lived life to the fullest.”

senior ads

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Spanish Honor So c i ety Congratulations NHS seniors!

Young Republicans Club

Felicitaciones a todos nuestros seniors!

Esatamos muy orgullosos de ustedes (especialmente nuestras directivas).

Buena suerte a todos!

Congratulations to our seniors and younger members.

Together we have built more than anyone can tear down. Thank you, and good luck!

CONGRATULATIONS

NEWSPAPER

AND YEARBOOK

SENIORS! Congrats to the Seniors

Ian Salinger, Timothy Horanic, Dylan Douglass, Jah Nze, Walker Mitchell, Isabella Caro, Macy Merrihew

Senior Issues

9

Fine arts Superlatives Theater

ARIAH TODRIFF Troupe 6885 President Participated in 11 productions Best In Show Solo Musical Thespian of the Year

“Ariah is a true team player as well as a capable and dedicated leader. Without a doubt, I know that she will go far in life and make the world a better place. I cannot wait to see what comes next for her!”

–Jamaal K. Solomon photo by Shannon Hahn

Dance

To quote Doctor Who (#11 Matt smith): “The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don’t always soften the bad things, but vice versa, the bad things don’t necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant.” Keep things in perspective and always consider the source when someone tries to diminish your sparkle! Be well.

Maria Coville: Art To the Class of 2022, we have been together every step of the way and I honestly don’t know what Hagerty looks like without you here. I am so proud of you all and I cannot wait to see what comes next in your journey. Always know though that you will always have a home here. Truly, with all of the love in my heart...thank you.

Jamaal K. Solomon: Theater Congratulations, Class of 2022! We love you and wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Continue to make us proud. Go Huskies!

Robert Frasca: Principal Be good, behave, enjoy life, we love you all!

William Bordelon: Economics Congratulations. Remember, I have no favorites...I despise all of you equally. My only words of wisdom that I have for you are these: Never be afraid to go on a wild-goose chase, you never know where it will take you.

Adam Stansbury: Economics

LEXI SMITH AND KARLEY RASCH

Congratulations. Best of luck. Maybe one day soon you will be able to beat me in Rukus. But I doubt it.

Matthew Malkovich: Government

National champions in All-Star Lyrical Four-year members Unleashed Captains “The success of this year’s Unleashed Dance Team stems from the leadership of Lexi Smith and Karley Rasch. They came in with a plan and executed it from day one. I couldn’t be prouder of these ladies and the team will miss them greatly!”

-Diane Hasenbank

Teacher Farewells

I'm so proud of you guys! All your hard work has paid off!

Dana Donovan: English Congratulations! I’m so proud of you! Remember nothing you try is ever if a failure as long as you can learn from it. “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” ~Mohandas Gandhi. Good luck!

TERESA DECIO: HISTORY

photo provided by Karley Rasch

Congratulations class of 2022. When I came in January of your freshman year as the ELA teacher you welcomed me with such enthusiasm. You were without a doubt the best class I have had the pleasure and privilege to teach. You made teaching fun! Wow four years have flown by just like that. Wishing you much success with your future endeavors. Don’t let anyone rain on your parade! Remember every moment is a fresh beginning!

CHORUS

Lisa Lake: English

JARRETT WARNER Huskafellas member Superior rated Solo and Ensemble All-County Honor Choir Member

photo by Shannon Hahn

“Jarrett Warner has been a key member of the Hagerty Chorus Program for the past four years. Beyond being a phenomenal baritone, Jarrett has the uncanny ability to make the entire room laugh at the most inappropriate times! We will miss you Jarrett!”

-Christopher Hickey

BAND

Lisa Smith: Art Good bye lovelies! You pushed through the Seniorities! Remember to ‘work to live’ and not ‘live to work.’ Don’t burn yourself out working for the hustle. This is the time to grow and figure out who you are as a person. Try to find a work-life balance between school and work. Learn to cook vegetables. Manage your anger. Don’t max out your credit cards. Drink your water.

Respect your sleep. Love you!

Elaine Sayre: History ConGRADulations Class of 2022!!!! You continue to impress me with your resiliency and your drive to overcome every obstacle that is placed before you! Go out and do BIG things--the BEST is yet to come!! :)

Christy Bryce: Assistant Principal I absolutely love your class and will miss you all dearly. May you go forth and be the best person you can be. Stay safe, not scared, and thanks for a wonderful four years. All the best to you -- always!

Laura Ramsey: Mod and Sim

BRADEN MEYER

Congrats to class of 2022, good luck in all you endeavors

Tuba and bass player All-County and All-State Honor Band Attending FSU for music “Braden Meyer has been a superior student in the band program at Hagerty.

He is an accomplished musician on tuba and bass performing with all state bands, all county bands, and jazz combos. He has been an integral part of the Hagerty band program here and will truly be missed.”

-Brad Kuperman

I miss you already!!! Snap me as much as you can. Good luck, follow your heart.

Jennifer Compher: Math Nice ;)

Steven Martinez: Mod and Sim Congratulations to the Class of 2022! I am so proud of you! Reach for the stars. Always have a plan A and B. Best of love and happiness.

Barbara Chaves: ASL Seniors! I’m thrilled to see how you have grown and matured since your middle school days.

Always remember to make good choices!

Julie Duncan: History You guys were an awesome class, good luck! photo by Skyler Glenn

Pamela Lynch: French

10

GPA: 4.73 Main Motivation: Not having to wake up at six in the morning anymore.

Melissa Erdem

GPA: 4.696 Favorite Quote: “A little knowledge removes a lot of ignorance.”

TOP TEN Kaleb Zhai GPA: 4.681 Main Motivation: Spite.

Sana Yooseph

GPA: 4.683 Hero: My older sister is my hero. She’s incredibly selfless and always uplifts others.

James Hu

Darya Tavvafi

Rachel Pu

Rose Kiriazes

Sarah Garan

Lillian Sullivan

GPA: 4.629 Favorite Quote: “Can my quote be about anything?”

GPA: 4.585 Favorite Quote: “If you see someone without a smile, give them yours.” -Dolly Parton

GPA: 4.598 Hero: My mom. She raised, cared for, and supported me my entire life.

GPA: 4.573 Main Motivation: Stems from reacing a future where I love my career and have a happy family.

PHOTOS AND SPREAD BY GABRIELLA JAYE HERRERA AND ALEXIS MADLANG

Nitin Balasubramanian

CLASS OF 2022

senior top ten

GPA: 4.585 Main Motivation: Curiosity to be able to connect to the world around me.

GPA: 4.564 Favorite Quote: “If I have not seen as far as others, it is because giants stood on my shoulders.”

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senior destinations

Class of 2022 Destinations A list of the graduating seniors and their destinations for next year, provided for those who responded.

A Hakim Abdurrashid UCF Devin Abo Valencia Alexia Abraham SSC Miguel Acero Sophia Acevedo Victor Acuna UCF Ainsleigh Albert FAU Alvaro Alcala Mariela Alvarez-Lopez SSC Briaunna Anderson Celeste Andl SSC Monica Andrade SSC Lauren Andres Cal State U Leeann Andrews Daytona State Paris Andruss SSC Jason Arcena UNF Elizabeth Ariza Schyler Arroyo Bethune Aniya Ashford Nathaniel Assenmacher UCF Chloe Attie Valencia Andy Ayup UCF Kenzy Aziz

B Ashkay Babu Malikai Badalamente Madeline Baeli SSC Carson Baker Mariah Baker Nitin Balasubramanian UCal Luis Balina Faria UNF Jennifer Ballentine UNF Ryley Basco Giana Basora SSC Jasmine Beckett Undecided Ryan Beliech UCF Katherine Bell Stoneybrook Nicole Beltran Gabriel Benitez FAU Michael Benton Benjamin Bianco Carly Bitner St. Leo Brianna Blanton UCF Emma Bloomquist UCF Timothy Bochkarev Hunter Bock UNF William Bohan Undecided Vance Bordner SSC Jayden Bort Lauren Bowlin SSC Anthony Brancato Elmhurst Tiana Brandvold SSC Jaiden Braunston Savannah Elyse Breen Undecided Breanna Brittain Tristen Brummond Valencia Arbrieanna Bryant Bradley Bryan SSC Blake Bryden Andrew Bundy Aidan Burrowes Michael Byrne

C Christina Caban Trade school Estelle Cachat UCF Steven Califano Military John Cantera SSC Wesley Carder Florida Poly Skyler Carnicella Valencia Isabella Caro UCF Christian Carrasquilla SSC Evan Carrasquillo Juan Carreras Undecided Karsyn Carriuolo SSC Ryan Carroll Olivia Caruso UCF Mason Casiano FGCU Francisco Castro Dones Nicholas Cazeau SSC Ryan Cedergren FSU Samuel Cedillo Helena Celentano UCF Matthew Chandler Undecided Chase Chapman Rei Chen UF Kiana Chin Chelsea Chiriboga Vega UCF Julia Cioca UCF Alyson Cipolla Sara Ciupik Alexandra Clarke Emily Cobb UF Andrew Collazo Borges UCF Edward Collazo Borges UCF Kayla Collins U Tampa

Gabriella Conde UF Destiny Conkling UCF Hannah Connell UF Kevin Connell UF Vincent Connelly SSC Jack Conrad Haley Costa SSC Cailey Crandall USF Joseph Crist Flagler Matthew Cruz Nicholas Cryan Juliette Cuadros SSC Barbara Anne Cullen Valencia

D Sophia Dakoulas Jacob Daleandro UCF Juan Davila Perez SSC Autumn Davis SSC Samuel Davis UNF Makenze Day Zachary Dayeh UF Hannah Dayton Georgia South Anna Deer Ethan Deford UCF Skyler Deland Rachel Denning Undecided Mia Derwinis Michael Destefano SSC Joseph Digregorio Joseph Dineen U of Colorado Kaylee Dion Christopher Djedi Aidan Donaghy USF Angelina Donato Cortiva Callan Donovan UF Sierra Dos Santos Dylan Douglass Parker Douglas UW-Platteville Cole Downing FAU Myles Drawdy Brady Drummer UCF Kaitlyn Dudley UCF Analia Duenas Undecided Marianne Duncan BYU Lucas Dye

E Logen Eagle Shaun Eales Reagan Eastlick Erik Eaton Brooke Eddy Emily Einheit Kaden Ellis Seth Ellis Lindsey Engel Melissa Erdem William Espejo Olivia Esposito Amaya Estevez Sarah Everson Joseph Evevard

West Point SSC UCF UF SSC UF SSC Savannah USF SSC

F Ziann Facey Williams College Verina Faragalla Molly Farrell SEU Wesley Farrell Ryan Farwig Luis Federick Antwone Felix Cecilia Felix Cavazos Rory Ferguson UNF Sebastian Fernandez Undecided Ateijha Ferreira . Undecided Jacob Ferrier U Wisc Hali Fildes UCF Abby Filtz Aiden Flores Andres Flores SSC Paulina Flores Quant Melah Foley Vanessa Fonseca Jouseph Fontanez Rondon SSC Caleb Foshee UCF Terrell Foster Charles Foust Skylar France SSC Isaac Franklin UCF Joseph Fromm SSC Lia Fuchs UF Duane Fuller Lauren Fuller Embry Riddle

G

Mhyles Gabriel UCF Victoria Galindo-Orjuela SSC Giorgia Gambacorta Sarah Garan Annabella Garay Brianna Garcia Marcano Bryan Garcia Diego Garcia Torres SSC Tanner Garick Tallahasee Community College Cristina Garrett Lilly Garzon Bama Michael Gaston Ramos Mareesa Gemmati Matthew Gemuendt SSC Jacob Genao William George Grace Giacomino CU Boulder Grant Gibson Tyler Gibson UCF Kayley Gilman Santa Fe Samuel Gish UCF Olivia Gobeil UF Cameron Goben Aiden Goff Elijah Gomez Ethan Gomez Cumberland Andrew Gonzalez Jacqueline Gonzalez UCF Samantha Gonzalez Riley Gordon FGCU Chhavi Goyal UCF Makenna Granados Alyssa Greenier Mckayla Greenier UCF Matthew Grennan U Mississippi Ian Grobler Blake Grose UCF Alexandra Guilfoyle UCF Cole Gustafson Diego Guzman UNF

H Emma Haddad FSU Lincoln Hadden Ashlynn Hall UNF Robert Handler Anthony Hanna Helen Hanson Anthony Harper Adeline Hart Louisiana State Jacob Hartman Mackenzie Hawk Anna Hawkins FSU Devon Hawkins Raina Hawkins FAU Natalia Hayes Abigail Hayward FSU Emily Healy SSC Amanda Hedrick Deandre Henry Ron Henson Centre College Ariana Hernandez Corina Hernandez Mary Hernandez USF Natalie Herr UCF Gabriella Herrera UCF Haley Hibdon James Hicks UCF Carter Hildebrandt Savannah Hill Valencia James Hilston Jake Hinton UCF Chloe Hoffman Chase Honeycutt Timothy Horanic UCF Chase Horne Cadeja Howard Donivan Howard Savien Howard James Hu UF Jada Hunter Matthew Hurley UCF

I Jacob Ibrahim Fabian Irizarry Samuel Isaacs

UNF

J Jakquline Jacobs Jeremy Jacobs Lia Jakubowski Alan Jauhari Tyler Johannes Auburn Anthony Johnson Colton Johnson South Georgia Emma Johnson FSU Haileigh Johnson Falon Jones UCF

Gabrielle Jones Kurt Jones Veronique Jourdenais

Work UCF

K Neda Kadivar UCF Pooja Kannan Chase Kaplan Purdue Megan Kaplan Brooke Karten Jasmine Kaur UCF Tyler Keating Daytona State Asia Kendall SSC Thomas Kibble Jessica Killough John Kimball Cameron King Bethune Cookman Rose Kiriazes UF Ellie Kitts SSC Alexander Klopfenstein Aurora Knowles Bella Knowles W Carolina Lucas Konvalina Kelly Krawczyk DePaul Raegan Kroeger

L Anthony Labarbera Embry Kevin Langvinis SSC Kacy Larsen Ella Laureano Tyler Laureano Destiny Lawrence Justin Lawrence Eden Lawson Undecided Abigail Lee Dylan Lemma Samuel Lesnak Marines Zachary Levy UNF Michael Lewars Miguel Lewars Caitlin Lewellen Dylan Lewis Sergio Leyte-Vidal SSC Audrey Li Abigail Lin UF Ziheng Lin Mikael Lindley Gideon Lindsey SSC Mecca-Alle Lindsey Undecided Owen Lingle Dominique Lizama UCF Jada Llamido Mesa Colorado Chelsea Lochner Angel Lord Raelin Loveland SSC Leah Luedeman Southeastern Jordan Luiz Megan Lundstrom Valencia Hope Lusher UCF Kaitlyn Ly Alexander Lynn

M Jacob Maddox Alexis Madlang RPI Anisa Mafarachisi U Miami Raad Majed SSC Hannah Makhecha Kaitlyn Malantonio FAU Gianna Malave Hunter Marcello USF Haiden Marchese Johanna Marino Cintron UCF Sabrina Markeci SSC Aaron Markowitz UCF Hayden Martin SSC Leahnesse Martinez Matthew Martinez SSC Olivia Martin Undecided Tyler Martinez SSC Jennings Mas UCF Michaela Maschhoff Kush Mathow Emily Matthews UCF Abigail Maxwell SSC Braylin Maxwell UF Ian Maxwell Eddie Mayo Mari Mccluskey Joseph Mccreary Julia Mccunney WVU Shane Mcdermott UCF Emily Mcgowan Molly Mcgrath Lenoir-Rhyne Jessica Mcgregor SSC Lauren Mcleod Owen Mcpherson Zayana Medina SSC

David Mejia Alcantara Genesis Mejia Garcia SSC Theodore Mello Laura Melo USF Alexander Melton Valencia Isabella Mendez Macy Merrihew Braden Meyer FSU Emily Miller Undecided Kym Miller Bethune-Cookman Tyler Miller Braden Mills Daniel Minardi Phillip Minshall Ryleigh Mitchell SSC Walker Mitchell UCF Arsenii Mokhun SSC Tessa Monroe U Tampa Maia Montecalvo Owen Mooney Raniya Moore Jackson Morris Stephen Morrissey Mackenzie Morrow SSC Caitlin Mosher Rollins Jolee Moss Rylee Moss Cameron Mostecki Eli Mousseau Sarah Mouton UCF Oliver Muller Averi Munoz Queens Jayden Murray SSC Allyson Myers UCF

N Isabella Naaktgeboren Vishaylin Naidoo UCF Peyton Neat Slippery Rock Joshua Nemery UF Averie Newton Nazareth Darrin Nichols Abigail Nicolas UCF Amanda Noorlander Christian Norman Jah Nze UNF

O Abigail O'Donnell Bama Mia O'Neal UNF Grant Oliver Carla Ortiz Rodriguez Aaron Osborn Undecided Connor Otterlee UCF

P Vyom Parikh UF Lucas Parmar SSC Andrew Parmelee Isabella Parron UCF Daniel Pate SSC Nicholas Patrylo Undecided Stone Patterson Laney Payton Antonia Paz Lily Perella Mackenzie Perkins Bama Ryan Perkowski Keva Persaud UCF Nayan Persaud FAU Alex Pham UCF Keagan Philippe Navy Ashlee Pollack FAU Jocelyn Polley Dylan Post Olivia Price Roberts Wesleyan Braden Pringle Joseph Pritts SSC Rachel Pu UF Quinton Puckett USF Austin Pulcini Katie Purcell SSC

Q Leah Quilumba

R Diego Ragosta Pougaven Ramen Sophia Ramirez

Eliany Gabriela Ramos Isabella Ramos Karley Rasch UCF James Rasco Tyler Rassel Jaelyn Rayner Natasha Rechsteiner Miriam Restrepo Baez UCF Mason Reyes Joshua Rhodes Ashleigh Rigell Taryn Riley Valencia Ellis Rivera Sean Roberson Florida Tech Julianna Robles Erin Rodd SSC Christian Rodriguez Ian Rodriguez Juliette Rodrigue Lydia Rodriguez Stella Maris Rodriguez Fernandez Caroline Rogan Valencia James Rogers FSU Iyanna Rollins Rebecca Rollins UF Olivia Rommel SSC Landon Rudolph Isabella Ruiz

Dalton Taylor Zakary Taylor Kailey Tedeschi SSC Hannah Thomas Anderson Charissa Thompson USF Panphailin Thongthon Kieran Thorn Zoe Thornsbury Indian River Michael Thrash FAU Ariah Todriff UCF Marlie Tollefson UNF Sophia Torres William Torres Kirsten Trevino Columbia Scott Tschetschot Olivia Tulloch UF Isabela Turner SSC Dylan Tyler Lineman

S

Aidan Vail Saarah Valentin Rollins Erin Vanscoy SSC Chloe Varady Lindenwood Ava Varghese Quinnipiac Aiyana Velasquez Jordan Velez Gonzalez Kimberly Velez Molina Natanael Velez Cordero Radhika Venkatesan UCF Connor Verstrate SSC Lia Vickers Vlad-Iustin Vulpe

Casey Saad UCF Neeka Safi UF Winesia Saint Louis Gabriella Salas UCF Ian Salinger Marc Sanchez Cristobal Santos-Burgos Giovana Sasaki Siddhart Sathya Bradly Sauerbrun Collin Schaefer Jackson Schweickert Coleman Sechrist Audrey Segura Olyvia Selitto St. Leo Nathan Seminara Matthew Sermacisian SSC Nikhil Shanbhag UCF Ethan Shaw Undecided Michael Shaw Mark Shenouda Julia Shepp UF George Shock Michaela Shovak Steubenville Evan Siegel UCF Emily Simmonns FAU Julia Simoes FIT Luiza Simoes SSC Brett Sims SSC Jaden Sinanian Adriana Singh Amine Sjauw-En-Wa USF Kyle Skillington FSU Amber Slater Alexandra Smith UCF Xavier Smith Anthony Solis UCF Logan Solorzano USF Riley Sophia UF Jessica Sorensen Jordan Sorvillo Aaron Soto David Soto Rojas Rollins Jarelis Soto Marquez Lizabelle Soto Mia Spitulski FAU Julia Squitteri American Courtney St John Colin Stansbury FGCU William Stanton Timothy Staples Quincy Stewart Lorelei Stillwell UCF Jordan Storm Linnaea Straka Dylan Strickland Palm Beach Jack Stueber Mark Stueber Ethan Suarez Full Sail Noah Suarez Krithika Subramanian Serena Suffern Valencia Sarina Sukhraj Lillian Sullivan Ethan Sweat Charlotte Swinehart U Miami Madison Swinford Valencia

T SSC

Hajra Tareen Darya Tavvafi

U of Toronto

U Allie Ungaro

V

W Tyler Waddell SSC Aislin Walker Evan Walker UCF Ny'Asia Walker Jarrett Warner Valencia Joseph Wasif UCF Joseph Watson Ryan Watson Xavier Watson Blake Watts Cumberland Anthony Weaver UF Kelo Weaver Jack Wegman Megan Welling ssc Samira Welo-Nsumbu Matthew Whisenant FSU Payton Wickizer UCF Karly Wilkins Petra Williams Rodney Williams Sophia Willis FSU Cooper Wilson Madalyn Wimberly USF Ryan Winningham Ashley Wise Valencia Connell Woods Clayton Workman Savanna Wrye

X Keenan Xiong

Y Jailyn Yankeloff Hallie Yonker Sana Yooseph Alexa Young Marissa Young Taylor Young Annika Yun

FAU UCF UPenn SSC UF

Z Jashton Zambrano Muharem Zdralic Andrew Zeiger Zakaria Zeini Kaleb Zhai Cady Zhu Brandon Zou Renan Zuniga

Undecided UF

senior ads

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Kelly

Nicole

Congratulations Unleashed Seniors Olivia

Karley

Lexi

athletic superlatives

13 Team of the Year - Girls

Team of the Year - Boys

BOWLING

Boys bowling made it to the Elite 8, advancing to the playoffs of the last day of the state finals.

They finished their normal season at 15-1, with the only loss coming against Lyman, a loss they avenged with a district title that included a rematch win.

CHEERLEADING

The girls varsity won a state title as a first-time participant in the Medium Division, beating Winter Park by one-tenth of a point. The team placed second at regionals, first at states, and 15th at regionals.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Weightlifting - third place state finalists - snatch

Wrestling - 10th place in 4A state finals

Lacrosse - elite 8

Cross country - 5th place in 4A state finals

Beach volleyball - final four

Tennis - regionals - round of 32

Basketball - sweet 16

Baseball - regional round of 32 - ongoing

Soccer - sweet 16

Track - regional championships - ongoing

Softball - regional round of 32 - ongoing

Academic Athletes of the Year

Multi-sport Athletes of the Year

EMILY EINHEIT

The female academic athlete of the year is senior Emily Einheit. While on the water polo and swimming teams, Einheit had a 4.519 GPA, was an AP Scholar with Distinction, a SCPS Scholar with Distinction, and she ranked 17th in her class. photo by Ashley Einheit

REAGAN EASTLICK

The male academic athlete of the year is senior Reagan Eastlick. Eastlick played soccer and ran cross country while having a 4.509 GPA. He was an AP Scholar with Distinction, SCPS Scholar with Distinction, was the school’s first member of the FHSAA Academic All-State team, and he was ranked 22nd in his class. photo by Sarah Hinnant

Male Athlete of the Year ETHAN GOMEZ

Gomez was a linebacker for the varsity football team.

Along with football, he was on the wrestling team where he was a SAC champion, district champion, regional champion, and he placed fifth in state finals. photo by Sarah Hinnant

HOPE LUSHER

The female multi-sport athlete of the year is senior Hope Lusher. Lusher was on the varsity volleyball, weightlifting and beach volleyball teams. She was a state finalist in the snatch for girls’ weightlifting and competed in the Final Four for beach volleyball. photo by Isabella Guise

PARKER DOUGLAS

The male multi-sport athlete of the year is senior Parker Douglas. Douglas was a captain on the varsity football team and set school records as a member of track and field.

Douglas, who played tight end, was a member of the Cure Classic all-star game. photo by Alexis Madlang

Female Athlete of the Year HALI FILDES

Fildes was team captain for the girls wrestling team.

She was state champion in the snatch and placed third for traditional. photo by Mia Campese

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senior ads

Girls Volleyball "In order to be irreplaceable, one must be different." ~ COCO CHANEL Congratulations to ALL of our Senior Volleyball players. We are so proud of each and every one of you!

As Coach Tawni would say: "Don't Suck!"

Love you all Coach Hitt, Coach Mike, Coach Clodfelter & Coach Jarem

We congratulate our Career & Technical Education seniors who have achieved the highest level of their chosen educational pathway here at Hagerty High School in the areas of Television Production Technology, Early Childhood Education, Culinary, and Modeling & Simulation.

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Do

Congratulations, graduates. you ever think about what exactly it means to reach adulthood? Your generation has come of age in a difficult time. You’ve suffered through a pandemic, saw the terrors of war, and endured a culture that often seems divided against itself.

Better.

Things will get The pandemic will ultimately fade, freedom will be supported, defended, and thrive. Our national rifts will heal. But none of this will happen without dedication and real effort.

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You Can. Do the difficult things necessary to

make the world a better place. It won’t be easy. It will take determination, focus, and grace. It will take time. It will take courage. It will take work.

You Must

You may ask, “why us, why now?” embrace the challenge. Your generation was fated to do these things. Not because they’re easy, but because they are hard. It was true in Kennedy’s time; it is true now.

Have Faith. In yourself, in your family,

in your country, and in God. The world is yours, the nation belongs to you, the future of your family is in your hands.

Make good choices. Improve on the gifts you’ve received.

Be grateful for both the miracles and mistakes in life.

Take seriously your destiny.

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entertainment “Tomorrow Me” Luke Combs

Released April 22, “Tomorrow Me” is surely a new favorite. This track is one of 12 songs expected to appear on Combs’ next album, “Growin’ Up” dropping June 24. From the beginning, “Tomorrow Me” starts with an instrumental piece that screams country music. When Combs starts singing, listeners can automatically tell “Tomorrow Me” is strictly country and does not sway towards the pop genre like many ‘country’ songs do now. After the first listen, the audience finds themselves listening to “Tomorrow Me” a second time, then a third, and soon enough, it is on repeat for hours.

r e v i e w b o x

Parking Time (Android)

Released April 17, Parking Time is a fairly easy parking game more similar to aim-and-shoot games like Bowmasters and Tank Stars than driving simulators like 3D Driving Class or Driving Academy Car Simulator. Players must aim the car into a while avoiding obstacles like passing traffic or roadblocks. This game is an exception, as each level promises newer, harder challenges that are sure to keep the player on their toes. Skins are interesting, but they don’t change the playing experience until you get one of the more expensive, larger vehicles, but even then the change is minimal.

- Julia Sumpter

“Blue Water Road” Kehlani

Released on April 28, Kehlani’s new album “Blue Water Road” is a shift from the typical hip-hop R&B vibe. The album truly captures the R&B soul side of Kehlani and, unlike other albums, it shows the change in Kehlani’s music style – one that probably comes from the maturity of motherhood.

While past albums like “SweetSexySavage” have a more pop and hip-hop vibe, the majority of the songs on “Blue Water Road” are slower and more sensual. Many songs not only show her versatility but are also super catchy.

- Joshua Krob

“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (theaters)

Released May 6, the most recent entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness” is a fitting addition to the darker trend of the MCU. While the movie was not transformative in terms of the usual Marvel filmography, it was distinct. This film was shocking and the mystical aspects make it stand out in the usual line up of super-powered action movies. With a combination of new and old directing, the movie took on a captivating and quick pace that combated the recent rise in unnecessarily long superhero action movies.

- Angelica Mendez

“The Kardashians” (Hulu)

With the first episode released on April 14, “The Kardashians” come back to reality TV with a warm, drama filled welcome. The Kardashians come back into the spotlight with cameras and directors following their every move after being without them for a year. Between Kylie Jenner’s pregnancy with Travis, Kourtney and Travis’s new lovely romance and Kim’s divorce with Kanye, there is a lot going on with the Kardashians. They have come full circle; if you liked the old one you will like the new show that is just as melodramatic. New episodes are released every Thursday at midnight.

- Emily Patterson

“Heartstopper” (Netflix)

Series adaptations of books and graphic novels often fail, but Netflix’s “Heartstopper” brings justice to the warm story of Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) and Nick Nelson (Kit Connor). Based on the British graphic novels written by Alice Oseman, “Heartstopper” follows the story of Charlie, an outsider ostracized by his peers for being gay, and Nick, the picture-perfect rugby star.

“Heartstopper’’ brings both an important message and a sweet perspective on what it means to “come out” and does an amazing job of shining a positive light on the LGBTQ+ community. Many shows will only make you cry; this one will teach you to love.

- Marlene Bekheit

- Nadia Knoblauch

‘The Bad Guys’ provides mix of good and bad Animated movies being released in 2022

May 20 “Chip ‘n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers” Disney’s popular chipmunks, Chip ‘n’ Dale, live in a live-action world where they continue their TV show storyline.

June 17 “Lightyear” Buzz Lightyear’s life story is showcased as he goes on an adventure through space.

July 1 “Minions: The Rise of Gru” Gru has a group of villains following him that he used to want to be apart of. He and the minions look for help from another villain shows him it is okay to get help from others.

July 29 “DC League of Super-Pets” Superman’s dog, Krypto, has the same powers as he does. The whole Justice League is kidnapped and Krypto, as well as other superpower dogs, must rescue them.

Sept. 23 “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” Puss in Boots realizes he only has one of his nine lives left and has to find the last wish and get back his nine lives.

Julia Sumpter

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Opinions Editor

very family movie has some kind of message. “Beauty and the Beast” teaches not to judge a book by its cover, and “Finding Nemo” is about courage and the importance of family and friendship.

“The Bad Guys,” released in theaters April 22, has a great overall message, but too many parts of the movie fall short. This film follows Wolf (Sam Rockwell) and his criminal friends, who get help turning their lives around from mayor Diane Foxington (Zazie Beetz) and Professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade) who try to help the group turn their life around. “The Bad Guys” has a heartfelt storyline, showing the heart in people who seem like they only do bad things and how doing good things makes someone feel good.

Unfortunately, this movie was nothing different than any other movie where the bad guys turn good. When there is supposed to be suspense, viewers will catch themselves correctly screaming out what is going to happen.

Every event has already been seen before in other movies that have the same storyline. With the exception of an end twist, every event from

this movie has been seen before.

Universal Studios films are known for their interesting and ‘out there’ character drawing styles which is different from the more cartoony look audiences are used to. The animation of “The Bad Guys” was different from a lot of kids’ movies. The animation is not typical, and it took a while to get used to, but once you did, it was nice to see a different take on animation. As cheesy as the animation was, it reminded viewers of “Turning Red” because of its modern twist.

This film’s best feature was its character choice. Shark (Craig Robinson) was a fan favorite with a great sense of humor and corny, but hilarious, jokes. In the beginning, Shark dresses up in a dress, high heels and makeup to disguise while the group is trying to steal something. When asked to create a distraction, Shark pretends to be going into labor. These types of scenes created a character all viewers can enjoy.

One question “The Bad Guys” leaves the audience wondering is why the main characters are all animals but everyone else is human.

Although they are background characters, it still does not make any sense.

This film is similar to popular kids movies

like “Zootopia,” following a similar storyline about someone being not always who they seem. “Zootopia’s” storyline went more in depth about their characters and had a more unique twist to it though. “The Bad Guys” was good, but not as good as these films.

After being released from theaters, viewers can watch “The Bad Guys” on the NBC Universal streaming service, Peacock, and eventually, Netflix. This film had a feel good storyline to it, but not enough to make it stand out from films with a similar plot. “The Bad Guys” may not be one that goes down in history, but is still a good movie for families to watch together or anyone to watch. illustration

by Jouseph Fontanez

lifestyles

Finding fault: victims’ struggles J Ava West

Staff Reporter

ess* wanted justice after what happened to her. She looked for help from the legal system, but could not find it. She had pictures of bruises and marks on her body. Jess* was told by the legal system that her evidence was not enough to press charges. Now, her accused assaulter walks free. Even though it was not her fault, she started to feel guilty for what happened to her.

People know about sexual assault and rape.

They know it is a horrible thing that can happen to people. But what is not known is how long the effects last.

Victims’ guilt is an emotion that can be described as a victim feeling like it is their own fault after being harmed in some way. Most often, victims’ guilt is associated with instances of assault, abuse, or rape. They think: [Was it my fault? Was it how I dressed? Am I making this up? Did I make them do this?]

The victims can feel at fault for many reasons: victim-blaming, the legal system, acquaintances gossiping, and the school system being just a few.

“He gaslighted me into thinking that he did nothing wrong,” freshman Jane* said. “He told me he only hugged me and claimed he did not do anything, but then he proceeded to blame me for how I dressed.”

What Jane* described is victim-blaming.

Victim blaming is when the assaulter or acquaintances blame the victim for what has happened to them. The victim could be blamed because of how he or she dressed, moved, talked, or for simply being there in the first place.

“I was sexually assaulted by someone at my high school and the school was informed. They were supposed to keep me out of classes with him, which they did for the first few months.

Sure enough, the next semester rolls around and I have two classes with him,” sophomore Ashley* said.

Administration can assure the victim that they will keep them safe and out of the presence of the assaulter, but schools can forget while the victim has not yet, making the victims feel like the school is not supportive of them anymore.

The legal system is another main reason as to why people feel like an incident was their fault.

It can be very misleading at times, according to junior Emma* “I was told that the proof I had against him was enough to charge him when I first spoke with the attorney. My mom later got a call saying that the evidence and proof I had against him was not enough and if I took him to court, he would most likely win the case,” Emma* said.

These are only a couple examples of how victims can get blamed. Even though most victims’ guilt comes from outside sources, sometimes it can develop internally.

“After it happened, all I could think about was that it was my fault. I thought it could be the way I dressed or how I talked,” Jane* said.

Victims’ guilt is more common than most people think because not many people speak up about it. This also leads to victims struggling to get over the guilt.

“It took me a year to feel okay again,” Julia*, a sophomore, said. “It was a hard fight but people around me and various different sources helped me through it.”

Mental health counselor James Barlett

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SURVIVOR’S GUILT Victim’s can feel guilt from many things after sexual assault, rape, or abuse. With people against them, they start to question if it was their fault or not. illustration by Emily Patterson

believes that society can rush a victim to get over it and just go talk to someone.

“I think it is a very complicated situation,” Bartlett said. “Everyone says, ‘just to go talk to someone,’ and it is easy to feel pressured to do that even when you are not ready. Obviously talking to someone will be important, but a victim should not be rushed when they are not ready.”

Nobody is responsible for the assault imposed onto them. If you are a victim who is

feeling guilt because of what happened to you, there are places that can help. There are various hotlines and numbers you can text to get tips or just have someone to talk to. Victims’ guilt is more common than people think. National sexual assault hotline:1-800-656-4673. Sexual assault text line: text SASS to 839836. Orlando victim service center: victimservicecenter.org

work and school.”

Although he has missed several shifts to attend senior events in April and May, he plans to replace the days he missed with more hours at a later date.

“Toward the end of the year, there were a lot of school events that conflict with work events. As a student-athlete as well, I’ve had to take time off of work for practices and meets,” Casiano said.

Some, however, are not as lucky as Casiano. Working as a shift manager at Martins Dreamery Creamery and Coffee House, junior Amanda Barna has experienced the full extent of the struggle of handling work and school.

She has had difficulties managing work with exam schedules and barely has any free time left after fitting in homework time during the week.

To find balance, Casiano and Barna try to complete homework during school so they have more time to spend working on the weekend.

They have also seen the need to prioritize their responsibilities from their friends, working on school and homework at the expense of hanging out with friends.

“Students need to make sure that they feel ready enough to handle the responsibility of having to be somewhere and prioritizing it over friends and time to hang out with them,” Barna said.

With a decently flexible job, junior Diego Osorio has been able to fix conflicts with work and school easily. Working as a GES Research assistant, Osorio prioritizes school while letting his boss know the time he can put on the job.

“My job has allowed me to learn how to manage myself a little better and give me an

insight as to what I am capable of taking up with my time,” Osorio said.

Filled with hours of work, sophomore Malou Anderson has attempted to manage school with work to the best of her abilities. She spends long days at work as an assistant director in Theater West End, helping organize the show, making sure it runs smoothly, and clean up afterwards.

“The end of school comes with a lot of exams that make me feel unmotivated and due to my work I can’t study as much as I would like to,” Anderson said. “I try to do my school work and study during the classes I have extra time in.”

Even with a lack of motivation, students find ways to conform to their schedules.

After procrastination hits, students have to be able to get back up and follow up with their responsibilities.

“I focus on what I need to do first and not procrastinating helps keep me afloat during exam season,” Barna said. “There can be stressful days but things have to get done so I keep my priorities straight.”

Trying to balance work and school is exhausting. Students need to understand how much they can physically do within their schedule and how much they can move around.

They become willing to sacrifice free time with friends or simply for themselves in order to finish needed work. So, adding this new responsibility is not for everyone.

“I would recommend finding a good balance between school and your personal/ social life before adding in the extra stress and responsibilities of a job,” Casiano said. “It can be tough at first to find that balance, but over time it’ll get easier.”

*Victims asked to remain anonymous

The challenges of juggling work and school

STRESS IN RESPONSIBILITY Junior Diego Osorio works as a GES Research assistant after school. With tight schedules and almost no time at all, students find ways to adapt to a filled schedule with work and school. photo by Diego Osorio

Senior Mason Casiano started working at his family business Wholesome Keto Treats Staff Reporter last summer, mainly for a little extra money. very student juggles responsibilities: As a part-time mixer, baker and front staff he from homework, extracurricular believes his family’s involvement has made his activities, and personal life. But add work life easier to manage. one more factor to this: a part-time job. Most “My school life hasn’t been too impacted, students enter the workforce for a little extra working part-time at a family-owned business money and financial freedom, but balancing allows me to have flexible hours,” Casiano said. responsibilities is extremely difficult and “I have missed out on certain events though, but exhausting. overall I’ve been able to find a balance between

Greta Carrasco

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War on the homefront

Junior Karina Ostashchuk struggles to cope with tensions in her homeland

Sophia Canabal

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Lifestyles Editor

hen junior Karina Ostashchuk first came to Florida during the summer of 2019, her future was uncertain: her family had secured neither a job nor a home before the move. Surrounded by suburbs dotted with palm trees and beachfront houses, a view much different from the cold, arid Ukrainian landscape, she was utterly overwhelmed.

“My parents wanted to live somewhere that was always warm, but it’s super hard [to adjust here],” Ostashchuk said. “At first I was like, ‘Why is everything so weird?’ Everything was super different, even car doors.”

In 2015, a year after Ukraine’s Maidan Revolution, Ostashchuk’s family was forced to choose between their home country and a safer future in America. They chose the latter, leaving Ukraine four years later to start fresh in the United States.

“People were poor: everyone had nothing, there was no money, so my parents said ‘There is no future in this country,’” Ostashchuk said.

“But [moving] was so sad because I had my family and friends [in Ukraine].”

Ostashchuk struggled to adjust. Being one of the only Eastern Orthodox students at her school, she lacked a community she could

celebrate holidays like Orthodox Easter and Orthodox Christmas with. Ostashchuk also had to overcome the language barrier between her and her classmates, having only spoken Ukrainian and Russian prior to the move.

“It was hard because I didn’t know English at all. When people asked me what my grade was, I would say I’m 15,” she said.

Over the next three years, Ostashchuk would gradually settle into her new home, enrolling in English ESOL and making friends within her community. Then, just as her parents announced that they would be visiting Ukraine during their summer vacation, she received startling news.

On Feb. 24, Russian president Vladimir Putin authorized a “special military operation” in Ukraine, an invasion that would further disturb the country’s teetering democracy.

“We started crying, and I couldn’t sleep because I didn’t know what would happen,” Ostashchuk said. “I still have family there.”

Ukrainians are currently enduring heavy fighting in eastern cities like Mariupol, Izium and Kharkiv, but Ostashchuk’s grandmother, her only relative that remains in Western Ukraine, still suffers the effects of war, as she has had to leave her home during evacuation drills almost daily.

“The last [few] months, everybody [said] it didn’t look good. They were like, ‘I think a war is going to happen,’” Ostashchuk said. “[My family] waited [to leave for] a long time because they didn’t know if [the war] was going to stop.

I get so scared for my family. I hope everything

will be alright and that they can leave Ukraine.”

The remainder of Ostashchuk’s family— those who chose to flee their hometown after the start of the war—joined 4.3 million other Ukrainians displaced in neighboring countries.

Although they are oceans apart, she and her family have still found ways to support their relatives from within the U.S., recently attending a rally in Lake Eola, Orlando and donating to local food drives. Aside from her own efforts, Ostashchuk has also witnessed overwhelming support for Ukraine across social media. In contrast with the crisis of 2014, the current conflict has received extensive coverage across every major news corporation, and the tag “#standwithukraine” has accumulated 998,000 posts on Instagram alone. Locally, Young Republicans and Young Democrats clubs recently held a fundraiser that yielded over $1,000 to donate to Doctors Without Borders, an organization that is currently providing medical aid to victims of war in Ukraine.

“I don’t want America to also be impacted and get into war, but to help from afar,” Ostashchuk said. “I think [awareness] is goodbecause more people can know about the problem and at least help somehow.”

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Staff Reporter

anytime I try to go to sleep I just lay there for hours,” freshman Tracelyn Witsell said.

Some common causes of lack of sleep include large amounts of homework, challenging classes and time-intensive jobs. If students are unable to get to sleep in a timely manner, many resort to using coffee and energy drinks, which tend to make wallets lighter.

“I get two hours of sleep each day because I have work, so I don’t get back from work until like 10:30 p.m.” senior Isabella Ramos said. “I drink coffee and energy drinks that I spend my money on. I don’t have tons of money, so it’s harder for me.”

Though occasionally useful, home remedies for insomnia are anything but fool-proof, and students often find themselves searching for a fix to their unhinged sleep schedule.

“I've tried stretching methods like yoga and meditation and I listen to ASMR. I've tried aromatherapy, I'll use candles and different

scents to just help calm me down,” Witsell said. “That works sometimes. It's all kind of random for me, I’ve used a humidifier and all that stuff.”

Many students depend on cell phones for alarms to wake up. This can be detrimental to their sleep schedule, as they have easy access to their phones and blue light can keep you up. Students have tried to find ways around distractions: powering phones off or asking family members to wake them up provide viable alternatives. Often though, the allure of a phone overpowers the boring silence of the night.

“Sometimes I would try leaving my phone across the room so I don't grab it because I’ll try falling asleep and just stare at my roof. I get bored so I’ll grab my phone and it keeps me up. Sometimes I’ll completely turn off my phone and tell my dad to wake me up in the morning,” freshman Valeria Romero said.

veryone knows what to expect after pulling an all-nighter; you wake up bright and early for school and find yourself exhausted. You drag yourself through classes, falling asleep sporadically, and as soon as your return home, you crawl into bed.

“You can’t focus because your mind is literally falling asleep in class. It’s like your brain is turning off; it's not fun and you can’t do any of the work most of the time, but you still have to push through. It just really sucks,” junior Trent Turner said.

Some students get as little as two to four hours of sleep a night, far below the eight to 10 hours recommended for teenagers by the CDC. “Sometimes I just can't go to bed. I don't know how to explain it. I don't have anything diagnosed like insomnia or anything, but I just have a really difficult time. I stay up and

POPPIN’ OFF Celebrity Court Cases Skyler Glenn

Eternally nocturnal – sleepless nights Joshua Krob

lifestyles

Flipping through channels on your TV, you stumble across something interesting: CourtTV. While speaking to the judge, an attorney begins to pull up evidence for the case. Your eyes are glued to the screen and your anticipation grows. Finally, the evidence is presented. It’s a text message.

“Leave me be, Officer Square Head.

Your display of guilt and matronliness as a lesbian camp counselor was plenty.”

The current Johnny Depp versus Amber Heard defamation of character trial has taken over social media, television and the minds of the public for its serious, yet funny nature. It’s just like a reality TV show – except this is actually real.

Depp has taken it upon himself to ease the courtroom tension by making jokes at any chance, or by giggling at things he has done in the past.

Throughout the trial, Heard’s lawyers have frequently cut Depp off or interrupted his testimony by saying “Objection.

Hearsay,” which has fired him up multiple times. When his own attorney asked to move on to a different question, Depp replied “Yes, let’s let them object to another one,” while laughing and rolling his eyes. His laid-back and comical attitude has gained him thousands of fans and supporters, and rightfully so. But his funny comments don’t stop there.

Heard’s lawyers have asked him a number of stupid questions, and Depp doesn’t refrain from letting them know.

As he was explaining a story in which he was drinking, her lawyers said, “You were drinking pretty heavily.” His response was well-crafted: “Were you there?” It’s surprising that he isn’t holding back his sarcasm in such a situation, but the masses certainly enjoy it. Depp’s attitude might not be the best legal move, but the media doesn’t care. It’s funny, so he will continue to do it, and we will continue to watch and cheer him on.

SCAN THIS CODE

to listen to the Poppin’ Off podcast

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sports

Girls lacrosse season ends in top 8 in the postseason. I was nervous for regionals Sports Editor but also excited and ready to play,” Thomas said. he girls lacrosse season came to an end The team kept the same momentum from on Friday, April 29, against Vero Beach districts and rolled through quarterfinals and High School in the regional finals match. semifinals with huge wins over Boone High The team faced Vero Beach during the regular School, 19-2 and Windermere High School 16season and beat them 7-6 in an intense match 1. Winning those two games sent them to the up. In the playoff rematch, Vero Beach gained finals where they would face Vero Beach once a big lead, and held it for the rest of the game. again, this time to see who was moving onto the “We were all really prepared and knew we Final Four. just needed the ball to do what our coaches “We were practicing for weeks for one of asked for. We had so much energy whether it our toughest games this year. Which we knew was on the sideline or on the field,” attacker was going to be our regional final game against Ainsley Pomp said. “Our team didn’t give up Vero Beach,” Pomp said. until the last whistle blew.”

The game plan going into the game against Captain Hannah Thomas scored all of the Vero Beach was to be better and stronger than team’s goals in the loss, and defender Elena them. The team’s game plan was not much Hill had five draw controls. But, it was not different from when they faced them in the enough for the team to secure the win. normal season. They made sure to improve on “We had the individual skills to win that their weaknesses from the normal season game game against them, but we were just having a and had high energy. really hard time communicating on the field, “Our practice before that game was one of and communication is key,” Thomas said. our best practices of the season,” Pomp said.

Despite this season-ending loss, the team “We were very focused. had a lot of success. They went 16-7 and Once the team started losing their draws, had a tough schedule, facing teams like IMG however, Vero Beach gained a big lead over the Academy, Bartram Trail, Vero Beach and other team in the first half, they started to feel defeated out-of-state teams ranked in the top five. They as they moved into the second half of the game. also made program history this year, beating After halftime they came out unenthusiastic, Vero Beach early on in the season by one point. and were not executing their game plan.

“This was a very big win for us. We knew They managed to start a comeback, and we had to play our best because they were score three goals, but it was not enough to keep going to come out strong and we really wanted the team in the game. to prove something to them,” Pomp said.

“We had been working on a certain play As the team moved into postseason play for this specific team and we got it to work in they started off districts hot, Beating Timber the second half and I really thought it gave us a Creek 20-0 in the district quarterfinals, and boost at that point during the game,” Pomp said. securing the district title against Winter Park They lost 13-3, and their season came to with a 19-1 win. an end. It was a hard, disappointing loss for “We all felt super excited to keep moving on the team, since they had already beat them in a

Karson Cuozzo

T

Didn’t get a yearbook?

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SPRINTING INTO ACTION Attacker Ellie Wilkins runs the ball away from her opponent. The lacrosse team won a district title and made it to the regional playoffs. photo by Isabella Guise

tough matchup prior.

Overall they are still proud of the season they had. Ending their normal season strong, and having that momentum carry them through postseason play is not something most teams can do, and they executed that well.

“That was not the outcome we had expected, but I think we had a pretty good postseason this year,” Pomp said. “Obviously, our ultimate goal would have been to make it a bit further but we still accomplished a lot this season and postseason.”

sports shorts

Softball falls to Lake Brantley

The girls varsity softball team played Lake Brantley High School for the district championship title on May 5. It was a close battle throughout the game. Even though the team fell short and lost 2-1, the low score of the game reflects the defensive nature of the game. In the bottom of the sixth inning Lake Brantley’s pitcher hit a home run, which secured the win. The team will still move on to the regional tournament as the fifth seed. Games are set to start on May 12, location is to be determined.

Boys volleyball finishes season

The boys volleyball team ended their regular season on April 28 against Bishop Moore in a 2-0 loss. Their overall season record was 3-15. Their three wins were against Oviedo, Crooms Academy, and Berkley Prep. The boys did go on to compete in the District tournament but lost in the first round to East River 3-2 in the final game of their season. They played an Orlando tournament prior to the District tournament and went 1-3. Even with a low win percentage, the young team shows promise for a successful season next year.

Track advances to states

The track team competed in the 4A region 1 championships on Saturday, May 7 at Flagler Palm Coast High School.

Brayden Seymour took first in the 1600 and 3200, and took third in 4x800. Miguel Pantojas took third in the 4x800 as well as Jonathan Leon and Aiden Wetzl. Pantojas also took second in the 800. Molly McGrath placed fourth in the 100.

All of these competitors will represent the school at the FHSAA state finals on May 14-15. Most of the team is going and will be returning: for instance, on the 4x800 team there are no seniors.

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sports

Beach volleyball reaches first final four Alexis Madlang

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Print Editor

t was the district final against Oviedo, and the pressure was on for senior Anisa Mafarachisi and junior Alana Garcia.

During one of the most intense rallies, Garcia sprinted to save the ball after it was hit up into the trees behind the court. Mafarachisi was able to play the ball over the net and win a point.

Momentum and energy picked up on the sand, and the pair secured the match, 2-1, providing the winning point for the team.

The district title against Oviedo would prove to be the closest match the team would play until getting to the Final Four on May 6-7, in Tallahassee. The team rolled through the regional playoffs with a 3-0 win over Montverde, a 3-1 victory over Orangewood Christian and a 3-0 win over Timber Creek before falling to eventual state champion New Smyrna Beach.

After the Montverde win at home, all the other matches took place in Tallahassee, with 16 teams fighting for the championship over two days. Prior to the tournament in Tallahassee the twos, threes and fives pair went undefeated and the team finished second in the state and sixth in the nation.

The team left Thursday, May 5, and rode in three vans to their hotel in Tallahassee.

Saturday, May 7, they drove back home.

But the Final Four trip would not have happened at all without getting past Oviedo first. Wednesday, April 27, the beach volleyball team took to the sand to play Oviedo in the first FHSAA-sanctioned district playoff and won 3-2 after all but one pair went to three sets.

Junior Brooke Stephens and freshman Brielle Mullen won their match 2-0, with over 10 points in both sets.

“It’s a really cool opportunity that my senior year beach volleyball is finally a varsity sport, and that we get the chance to make history and possibly be part of the first teams to go to a beach volleyball state championship,” senior Hope Lusher said.

It was a match between two of the best teams in Central Florida, but only one could continue to regionals and potentially become the first ever state winners in high school beach volleyball history. Running on an undefeated 13-0 record, expectations on intensity for the game were high, especially considering the hometown rivalry.

“Every call is reviewed, parents argue, players argue, and we really battle it out,” junior Sabrina Valentin said. “[Having] team chemistry and [playing] with integrity and pride helped us beat them not only in finals, but also during the regular season.”

With a goal of a state title, the team had to mentally prepare before the game. Head coach Juanita Hitt wanted to emphasize that working for each other was the most important step in success.

“When you go into the military, you go to battle with a buddy, and they are someone that keeps you accountable. You do everything with them and they fight for you,” Hitt said. “That’s what I wanted them to do today. I wanted their partner to be their battle buddy. They fought for each other and they did a great job.”

The team took advantage of their passion and growth over the whole season, allowing them to not only win districts, but regionals with ease. Monday, May 2, they defeated Montverde Academy 3-0. Pairs three, four and five won all their matches 2-0 in the overall win.

“In the beginning of the season we were a little quiet and timid when playing with our

CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES The team celebrates with Alana Garcia and her partner, Anisa Mafarachisi, after winning the third set of their match against Oviedo. The team won 3-2 over in the District final and 3-0 in regionals. photo by Alexis Madlang

partner, but now we are loud in calling the ball and know how to tell our partners where to place the ball,” Willis said. “It has made us more comfortable and a stronger team overall.”

All their hard work and bonding paid off and the team was able to go to the Final Four to experience the first-ever high school state competition in beach volleyball.

“It was a really unique experience because it was the first beach volleyball state competition

ever. I also really enjoyed the experience because it’s the last time I’m going to get to go on a school sports trip like that,” Lusher said. “I’ve had similar experiences with going to states with the indoor volleyball team my sophomore year, the Arizona trip we took with the indoor volleyball team this year, and the states weightlifting trip this year. They were all super exciting experiences that helped to further build friendships and memories.”

Baseball wins district, moves on athlete of Angelica Mendez

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Staff Reporter

he boys baseball team started their postseason run after a district semifinal, 3-2, walk-off win against Winter Park, taking them to the championship game against Timber Creek on May 5 at Oviedo High School. The boys scored their second back-to-back district title with a 7-4 win, advancing them to the regional tournament.

“These two district titles did not come easy,” head coach Mike Sindone said. “Honestly, they never do these days with how competitive our district is. [There are] probably a lot of people [who] did not expect us to be in a position to win it.

The team was led by left fielder Luis Rivero, who hit a home run and went two for two, along with second baseman Austin Desoto, and pitcher Cameron King who helped secure the win to move them to the championship.

Despite starting their season off with three losses and facing many issues such as injuries, the team has gained lots of memorable moments together and on the field. Rivero recalled going 2-2 as his memorable moment because it was a “clutch” play in a big game and third baseman Dylan Strickland’s walkoff hit that sent them to districts.

“It felt amazing to hit the walk off,” Strickland said. “Seeing everyone run out to me was one of the greatest moments of my high school career.”

The momentum continued on May 10 when the team played against Sandalwood High School in their first regional game. The team took home a 3-2 win, and was led by shortstop Austin Jacobs who hit the game winning RBI and pitcher Garrett Baumann.

“It was a tough victory, Garret pitched really well and the team came together,” Jacobs said.

They are now 3-0 in postseason play and are preparing for their regional games by working on keeping their opponents score down with good pitching and defense, along with bettering their base running to limit the mistakes previously made at districts.

“We are always trying to get better, [we are] grateful for the district title but there [are] bigger goals,” Sindone said. “[Our region is] extremely challenging. So survive in advance, find a way to piece things together and figure it out.”

The team will play in the sweet 16 pairing against Lake Brantley on May 13 at Lake Brantley High School. Game time will start at 7 p.m. The team has some unfinished business with them, after Brantley knocked them out of the tournament last year, they are looking to come out on top with a win.

“I feel like we are highly matched against them, we just need to come out on top and play hard,” Jacobs said.

the

issue Who

Hannah Thomas

Team

Varsity Lacrosse

Date

April 30

What

Scored all goals at Vero Beach game

Where

Vero Beach High School

FIRED UP Junior Garrett Baumann pitches against Sandalwood in the first regional game. The team won 3-2. photo by Mia Campese.

Captain Hannah Thomas scored all of the goals for the girls varsity lacrosse team in a 13-3 loss against Vero Beach on April 30. The game was the regional finals which decided who went to the Final Four. Thomas scored 74 goals this season as well as multiple assists and draw controls. She started playing lacrosse when she was in fourth grade and has found a love for the sport ever since.

“My favorite part of the sport is the feeling you get when you know you helped your team win a game,” Thomas, who will continue her lacrosse career next year at Anderson, said.