The Blueprint: Volume 17, Issue 5

the

blueprint Hagerty High School

Vol. 17, Issue 5

April 14, 2022

Oviedo, Florida

THE SHOE MUST GO ON Junior Mackenzie Allis rehearses her role as Ella for the theater department’s Spring musical, Cinderella. The show was performed from April 7-9, with a split cast for the roles of Ella and the step sisters. photo by Jaye Herrera

grad bash On April 1, the grad bash event was held at Universal from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Seniors had full access to DJ booths and rides.

To attend, students were required to pay $100 plus transportation costs.

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head in the clouds Administration has seen a rise of vapers. With warnings and frequent checkups, schools are trying to prevent this issue from worsening.

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baseball gets revenge After losing a close game against Oviedo earlier in the week, the baseball team beat Oviedo at home 13-6, scoring runs in every inning.

page 12

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news

Seniors celebrate Grad Bash at Universal Alexis Madlang

Print Editor

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ext in line to be strapped into her seat, senior Mia O’Neil watches the students in front of her disappear onto the roller coaster tracks. It was the moment before getting on the ride that O’Neil enjoyed the most; the anticipation before being able to experience the thrill of Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.

On April 1, seniors like O’Neil were able to experience Universal’s Grad Bash event, where students had access to DJs and all rides between both parks from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.

“I have been to Universal before, but what made this experience different was having mainly seniors around and getting to enjoy one last trip together,” senior Casey Saad said.

In preparation for the event, senior class sponsor Pamela Lynch had to request a Grad Bash date, collect money and permission slips and request buses and communicate with Universal.

“I think they will remember this as a fun time with their friends, a memorable event in their senior year,” Lynch said.

Seniors planning to attend were required to pay $100 for their ticket and transportation through MySchoolBucks before Feb. 14. They were also asked to get permission slips signed and turned in to Lynch before being listed as eligible for the event. To ensure the safety of students, Universal provided rules on early release and dress code for participants. For example, students were not allowed to wear shirts with zip codes and high school or college logos.

Seniors and chaperons met in front of the auditorium at 5:30 p.m. and departed around 6 p.m. Students were given their tickets for park entry and yellow wristbands for exit.

Unfortunately, there were not enough buses, so students were required to sit three to a seat on the way there and back.

Upon arrival, students exited the bus and were sent through security. With many other high schools there, it took roughly 30 minutes

Teams compete at Brain Bowl Joshua Krob

T

Staff Reporter

he four contestants stand in a line, waiting for the question to be asked.

Finally, the question is announced; it is an extremely advanced calculus question.

The teams scramble to find the answer. Senior Reagan Eastlick buzzes in, proudly shouting the answer, which he had recently reviewed in a YouTube video: “π^2/6!” The other teams shake their heads and snicker, thinking he was wrong, but they quickly stop when the judge announces he was correct.

Brain Bowl, an academic competition for all high schools in Seminole County, was held Friday, March 25 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Students are split into groups by school, ranging from four to six participants in each group.

Hagerty’s two teams, Blue and Black, had nine students in total. Neither team placed, with records of 2-5 and 3-4, respectively. Despite the team records, two students scored well outside of their groups, Eastlick, who scored 10th overall, and junior Eshan Kabir, who scored 14th overall. Both were a part of Hagerty Blue.

Since Brain Bowl is set up like a game show, it gives participants a rush of adrenaline, while also making them nervous to ring in, according to Eastlick.

“I’m a big Jeopardy fan and that’s probably the closest thing I’ll get to doing something like

that,” Hagerty Blue member and senior Hannah Connell said.

Hagerty’s Brain Bowl teams have been sponsored by Brandi Malkovich for 14 years, excluding the past two years when it was canceled due to COVID-19. She enjoys seeing the students gain the confidence to push the buzzer before the other schools can, and hopes to see the students improve academically and continue to explore topics that interest them. “[I want them to have] a continued drive, for them to be into [academics] and enjoy it,” Malkovich said. “It’s a different group of kids but they get to know each other and make connections.”

CONTESTANTS Senior Hannah Connell, Senior Reagan Eastlick, senior Matthew Whisenant, senior Julia Shepp, junior Eshan Kabir, junior Tristan Irving, junior Connor Pham and junior Michael Ma pose for a photo after Brain Bowl. The two teams scored 2-5 and 3-4. photo by Jackie Pham

Purchase a yearbook! www.yearbookforever.com Preorder for $80 Deadline is Friday, May 6

to pass through security. Once they made it into the parks, the fun began and seniors had freedom to go wherever they wanted between Universal and Island of Adventure. With nearly 10,000 students in attendance, the park was very crowded.

“My favorite part was to simply have an occasion that was based on the theme of graduating, and seeing all the seniors happy and rejoicing together in a non-educational environment,” senior McKayla Greenier said.

Nearing the end of the night, around 2 a.m., seniors met at the exit and drove back to Hagerty. However, while they enjoyed the trip, students admitted they would like to see some changes.

“A recommendation for a change would be to leave the school earlier so we have a better chance of getting off the bus and through security faster, or getting another bus or two so it’s less crowded,” senior Abigail Hayward said.

“But I am glad I attended because it’s important to take part in the senior activities as much as I can since I am only a high school senior once.”

MOMENTO Students taking photos in front of a Universal Grad Bash mural. Students were able to travel through both parks to enjoy food, rides and street entertainment. photo by Alexis Madlang

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news

Student government starts election process

news briefs Band performs “Jazz under the Stars”

Originally set to be performed in the amphitheater, “Jazz under the Stars” was moved to the old gym due to a thunderstorm. Jazz I and Jazz II performed together with Lawton Chiles Middle School band students on March 31 from 6 to 8 p.m. The concert allowed participants to showcase bands in a casual setting and served as a fundraiser for the jazz programs. They played songs like “Afro Blue,” “What is Hip?” and “Wind Machine.” The audience viewed the performance while seated at tables around the gym, enjoying trays of desserts throughout the night. Tickets were sold for $7 a week prior to the concert. photo by Gabriella Jaye Herrera

Sophia Canabal

I

Lifestyles Editor

n preparation for the upcoming school year, SGA held an informational meeting in room 6-117 on Wednesday, March 30. Sponsors Karie Miller and Sarah Bearss disclosed the responsibilities for student government positions and briefed potential applicants on the upcoming election process.

“I think student government is a great opportunity for students to see what’s going on in the school and have a voice with things that directly impact them,” Miller said. “It’s an opportunity to work with the school board and their representatives on a higher level.”

During the meeting, students received a form that requested information on their preferred position and were given the SGA Constitution containing requirements pertaining to next year’s elections. Although students who did not attend the meeting could still register to run for a position, all applicants were expected to submit their forms by April 4. According to Miller, students may not campaign until elections officially start, and they must be willing to attend all meetings before elections, especially the informational meeting on April 12, during which candidates will finalize their eligibility and discuss campaigning.

“Right now, nobody is running for anything; you’re just interested in running for something,” Miller said.

Student government is made up of both class officers, who solely represent their grade levels, and executive officers that represent the student body as a whole. Candidates will air their campaign speeches on Woof TV April 21 and 22, and voting opens on April 28 via the student services eCampus page. Bearss warns that although SGA sponsors granted students some leeway in regards to active participation due to COVID-19 restrictions the previous year,

Book club holds first meeting April 4

RUNNING FOR OFFICE Sophomore Lauren Bliss fills out her Intent to Run form during SGA’s informational meeting. The form, along with teacher recommendations, is required to run as a potential candidate.

students will not enjoy as much leniency going forward, as every officer will be expected to put their best foot forward by participate in fundraisers and attend meetings.

“If you want to commit to a position, you not only need to be in leadership but you need to be able to commit time after school to these events,” Bearss said.

Planning to run for treasurer or vice president of her class, freshman secretary Amaya Waters attended the meeting with hopes of rejoining SGA the upcoming year, eager to take on more responsibility as a potential sophomore officer.

“I help out whenever it’s necessary. I go to meetings and events,” she said. “I think [the workload] will be more work but I don’t think it’s something I can’t handle.”

Students stuck in Spain

Greta Carrasco

D

Staff Reporter

uring spring break, a group of seven students from AP Spanish classes and seven chaperons traveled around London, Paris and Madrid.

The trip had been planned since the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year and was created to study and explore European culture. The trip was originally planned two years ago but it was rescheduled due to the pandemic. “[The trip] hs been cancelled and rescheduled but it finally happened and I’m glad it did,” senior Victoria Galindo-Orjuela said.

As if a two-year delay was not enough, the group was supposed to return on March 22, but their flight was canceled for three days due to mechanical problem. During the three days at the airport, they were provided food and water as well as a place to stay until seats opened or the flight resumed.

“We were all frustrated. Students were worried about missing classes and events and parents were worried about missing work,” Lopez said.

Finally, they returned on March 25, with a flight to Texas and then Orlando. Despite the problems, the group still enjoyed the tirp.

With help of sponsor Karen Hernandez and 10 participants, the book club opened its doors April 4. During their first meeting, each student picked several books to review and sample, reading the first two chapters to gauge interest. After sampling the books, the group discussed which book they would collectively start reading. The club is also currently cleaning and organizing a book closet. The club was created in order to promote the enjoyment of literature and celebrate the writing skills each member has. Meetings are Mondays after school in room 3-201. The next book club meeting will be on April 18. photo by Janell Lim

“When we figured out we couldn’t get home, it sucked, but I’d do [the trip] again in a heartbeat. I got so much closer with people I go to school with and learned so much about Europe,” senior Evan Siegel said.

The trip started with a flight to London on March 13, where the group stayed for four days navigating the city and visiting sites like the Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Globe Theater and St. Paul’s Cathedral. Later that week, they took the Eurostar train that travels below the English Channel to Paris. The group visited Place de la Concorde, Les Invalides, Notre Dame and the Siennes River, where they saw the Eiffel Tower light up on their last evening in Paris.

“Europe’s way of life was fairly different from how it is here,” Orjuela said. “Most people are really polite and go out of their way to say hello, which is surprising since people often mind their own business in big city environments.”

The final stop of the trip was Madrid, where the group visited Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Mercado de San Miguel, Prado Museum and Toledo, where they learned about the art of sword and jewelry making.

“Now that I’ve experienced a tiny bit of traveling, I would love to go again. It was amazing to see such influential and historical cities and walk where kings and queens have walked,” Galindo-Orjuela said.

Spring musical premiers Cinderella

The musical Cinderella premiered in the auditorium from April 7 to 9. The theater department has been preparing since early January. Junior Mackenzie Allis played Ella for the Thursday and Saturday shows, while senior Olivia Martin took on the role for Friday’s show. The musical was directed by theater teacher Jamaal Solomon, choreographed

by Angelyn Rhode, and the set was managed by junior Zoey Zachry. General admission tickets were sold for $13, and premium or reserved seating was sold for $15. photo by Gabriella Jaye Herrera

upcoming events apr 15

apr 19 apr 20

Science Honor Society inductions

SNHS will notify those eligible to join the club through eCampus in the weeks following April 15. Students currently enrolled in a science honors class with at least a 3.0 grade average will receive an invitation.

Honors Graduation ceremony

At 6:30 p.m., seniors who received invitations will participate in an honors graduation ceremony, in which the valedictorian, salutatorian, top ten seniors and National Merit finalists will be recognized.

Sammy’s awards ceremony

Leadership plans to host the Sammy’s Awards Ceremony at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. Nominees will be called on stage to receive their awards. All seniors are invited and allowed to bring one guest, as seating is limited.

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opinions

OUR TAKE The BluePrint staff editorial

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Taking responsibility to sleep better

ou sat in your economics class, listening to the teacher drone on about gross domestic product and employment statistics, when the next thing you heard was your name followed by quiet giggles. You fell asleep again. Maybe you should have gone to bed instead of finishing your Spanish homework after all.

Students are rarely able to get enough sleep to be fully productive, no matter how hard they try. According to Better Health, most teenagers get between 6.5-7.5 hours of sleep, while they need 8-10 every night. While a couple hours might not seem like that big of a difference, lack of sleep can cause slow reaction times, which can be a risk to drivers’ lives, and an increased chance of depression. If that is not enough, lethargy can also cause problems with concentration, motivation and memory.

The education system plays a large part in the exhaustion of its students. Waking up at five in the morning to go to first period is incredibly draining, and given that teenagers are wired to be night owls, it works directly against our internal clocks. While upperclassmen might have the option to take a morning class off, underclassmen do not usually get that opportunity, putting them at a distinct disadvantage as they are forced to drag themselves through their day and onto their bus home.

While starting school later could be a good idea, it would interfere with extracurriculars and after school jobs, which is not something we should be taking away from students. Instead, teachers should offer small assignments each class or one big assignment due at the end of the week, so students can do a little each day and still have plenty of time for themselves.

Although school is a contributing factor, it is not the only thing to blame. Given we are the ones staying up all night, we need to take some of the blame ourselves. Sure, homework might keep us up pretty late, but so does binging Netflix and scrolling through Instagram. If more students can learn how to better manage their time and keep themselves responsible, they might be able to have a better work-life balance and keep their homework from piling up.

In reality, there are a lot of great long-term solutions for setting a better sleep schedule, but being the social-media obsessed teenagers we are, drastic changes are not realistic. Instead, try to find some small healthy habits you can implement within your weekly schedule. Setting a bedtime and sticking to it, even if it is just 15 minutes earlier, is still better than your usual schedule, or, if you are pulling all-nighters several times a week, give yourself one “cheat” night and stick to your bedtime for the rest of the week. Setting aside an hour or two on a Sunday to get work done to keep things from piling up all week. These changes are not major, but they would be immensely helpful in the long run.

Getting enough sleep is crucial for the peak academic, social and athletic performances we all want to achieve. Accepting that our choices play a part in this is just the first step to giving our bodies the rest it deserves.

Illustration by Alexis Madlang

the

blueprint Hagerty High School 3225 Lockwood Blvd.

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

Not to be taken lightly

Skyler Glenn

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Online Editor

ou arrive at a big family reunion. It has been years since you have seen your aunts and uncles, and you have looked forward to catching up. As you walk in the door, you are greeted with a hug and a long look up and down. Of course, the dreaded comment follows.

“Are you okay? You look like a skeleton!”

Immediately, you become self-conscious, and your excitement fades.

Often causing body dysmorphia and selfdeprecation, skinny shaming is a problem in a “loving” and “accepting” society’s rear-view mirror. Thin people tend to get the short end of the body positivity stick, being insulted and told that they should be grateful for their figure, no matter how they view themselves.

“During quarantine, my family would constantly point out how skinny I am and insist that I eat more,” senior Victoria GalindoOrjuela said. “The comments had an opposite effect and I started to eat less.”

Backhanded compliments such as “You look like a stick” and “You’re the size of my pinky” are common forms of skinny shaming, and many people do not understand why they are harmful. According to a 2017 study by Carleton University, women with a higher BMI failed to see the implications of skinny shaming, only acknowledging the benefits of being thin.

No normal person is going to love their body 100% of the time. Creating a false narrative that being skinny automatically leads to happiness is extremely harmful, and can make skinny people question if their feelings are valid.

“My family members will grab my wrists, thighs, or hip bones and make comments about how I’m ‘too skinny,’” Catherine* said. “It creates problems and is very hurtful.”

But the problem with backhanded compliments goes beyond personal feelings.

It seems easy to comment on someone’s small body while everyone agrees that commenting on a bigger body is a moral wrong. The same Carleton study found that women partake in skinny shaming twice as often as they do fat shaming. You would never hear someone say “Put down the cookie, fatty,” without consequence, but “You need to eat a cookie” is considered okay.

The discussion needs to be all-inclusive: whether you are fat, skinny, curvy or rectangular, self-love is a priority. Shaming someone for their body type should not happen regardless.

“Neither [form of shaming] is acceptable, and they’re both equally harmful,” GalindoOrjuela said. “Size doesn’t matter, as long as you’re healthy.”

Though skinny shaming is often associated with women, men deal with similar problems.

The “protector” stereotype entails men being

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.

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emotionally void and physically big with muscles and a six pack. Going to the gym often is not enough, and specific eating habits are necessary to grow. Fitting the stereotype is not realistic for some, like Justin*, who has a chronic illness that makes eating difficult.

“I’m skinny shamed practically all day, every day,” Justin, who gets called small and bony, said. “When people make comments, it’s like, ‘I get it, dude. I’m skinny. Big deal.’”

Some people skinny shame because they, too, suffer with body image problems. As hard as it is to deal with insecurities, shaming creates conflicts and will make the pain worse. Bringing others down only provides temporary relief to a broken ego, and makes society more cruel than it already is. The decades-old saying holds true: if you do not have anything nice to say, then do not say anything. Rather, focus on personal confidence and letting go of any bitter feelings.

Nobody deserves to hear negative things about their body.

“Skinny shaming feels very intrusive,” Galindo-Orjuela said. “Why make those comments? It’s awkward at best and rude at worst.”

If you are concerned about someone’s eating habits or physical well-being, there are better ways to confront them than to comment on their body. Instead of saying things like “Have you been eating? You look so skinny,” simply ask the person how they have been feeling lately and if they have been taking good care of themselves.

This gives them an opportunity to explain what is happening in their life and leaves no room for assumptions about their body. Making someone feel uncomfortable in their own skin will only make their mental and physical state worse.

“When people ask me if I eat, what do they expect me to say? No?” Justin said. “Minding your business will make people feel better about their weight.”

If you are struggling with skinny shaming, bullying or self-esteem issues, there are resources that can help. To speak to a professional, you can call the National Institute of Mental Health at 1-888-ANXIETY, or visit www.stompoutbullying.org. *Names changed for privacy

to ly , Fin als beginingver I

wa you ne th i n k eat.

Illustration by Emily Patterson

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 Zahra Ateeq Greta Carrasco Reagan Eastlick Joshua Krob Emily McCluskey Angelica Mendez Ava West

5

opinions Ukrainian solution starts with United States

Reagan Eastlick Staff Reporter, From the Right

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ussia’s invasion of Ukraine has cost thousands their lives, and that bloodshed has been broadcast over social media to millions around the world. That world and those people have come to a singular conclusion: war is hell, and it’s Russia’s fault.

As war rages on in Ukraine, the question that really ought to matter to Americans is what should we do. And the answer isn’t simple.

The solution to war in Ukraine is not American boots on Ukrainian soil. It’s important to understand that before anything else. Any action taken by the United States against Russia would rightly be considered an act of war. The United States does not need another war, especially during the faltering first steps of a previously pandemic ridden state. An escalation to war would be yet another burden on the American people, and we don’t need that.

If the answer to the conflict isn’t missiles or bullets, what should the United States do? The solution diverges in two separate directions.

First, the United States should supply Ukrainian forces with cutting edge military

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technology. So far, the guerrilla tactics of Ukrainian forces have held the Russians at bay, forcing them to throw more men and money at stronghold cities like Kyiv. But supplies will run low, and valiant efforts to hold cities will soon crumple without reliable and effective military technology. The US is in a prime position to supply said technology, and improved weapons could be the deciding factor in beating back outdated Russian forces.

The first step to ending the conflict in Ukraine?

Make the prospect of invasion hopeless for the Russians. The best way to do that is to supply Ukrainian forces to the teeth.

Second, the United States should cut off all economic ties to Russia. If you’ve been to buy gas recently, you’ve seen the ramifications of war. Russia produces a large amount of oil and gas, a significant portion of which fuels the U.S. Increased fuel prices, due to American sanctions on Russia, have led to increased prices for products in every sector of our economy. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Under President Trump in 2020, the United States was energy independent, meaning that we didn’t have to import any oil or natural gas.

Gas prices, in Florida at least, hovered around the low $2 range, and other energy prices were universally lower than they are now. In fact,

Conflict in Ukraine

prices were lower than they were in Biden’s presidency, even before the giant price hike following the Ukrainian war. That’s because Biden ended U.S. energy independence in the pursuit of green energy on day one of his presidency. Spoiler: it didn’t work. Now we just import “dirty” energy instead of producing it.

Green energy fails on an international scale because someone else will always produce the energy we won’t. That’s how capitalism works, and we’re losing the game.

Energy independence is vital to the Ukrainian conflict because the Ukrainian conflict affects more than just Ukraine. By producing its own energy, the U.S. insulates itself from global unrest in markets and sets itself up to sell energy to countries overseas.

The United States could sell oil to countries that need it, especially those countries that may be seriously considering an alliance with Russia purely for their energy needs. Fixing the energy crisis begins with the U.S. Fixing the energy crisis could cripple Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky put it best after he was offered an evacuation out of Kyiv by the United States: “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride.”

Give this man his ammunition. And we’ll work on producing the oil.

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Illustrations by Areli Smith

America needs to do more to assist Ukrainians

Veronika Maynard

Opinions Editor for Lion’s Tale, From the Left

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ar is something that can traumatize nations for generations. It devastates the lives of millions, leaving wounds that never heal. It is a terror that shouldn’t have to be faced by anyone. But the actions of one man are once again forcing hundreds of thousands of people to rush to the front lines to defend their country and their families.

This leaves the rest of the world to try to figure out the next steps to tiptoe around a possibility of war. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made that difficult by threatening nuclear warfare with any country that interferes.

Nevertheless, many countries have offered their support, placing sanctions against Russia.

Even the historically neutral Switzerland broke neutrality to show solidarity for Ukraine.

As a Ukrainian, I want as much supplies, weapons, and aid as possible to be sent to Ukraine to end the war quickly- with as little casualties and destruction as possible. Every day that passes, I hear of more horrific deaths made much worse with the knowledge that the

barking mad

people I care about remain trapped in Ukraine.

Interference into the war would end it much faster, but as an American, I don’t want WWIII to potentially be sparked. Especially after the devastation of the WWII that left the earth with the threat of nuclear attack.

It is that threat that made it impossible for Ukraine to join NATO, at least not any time in the near future. Because if they do, a third world war would be unavoidable. If Ukraine becomes a part of NATO, they must involve themselves in the current war to defend their territory. And even if the war ends, Ukraine still won’t be able to join NATO because if they do the Kremlin will start a new war to keep Ukraine out and keep NATO as far away from Russian borders as possible.

At the moment, it appears one of the only ways for this war to end without it escalating is if Putin surrenders, which doesn’t seem likely. Otherwise it looks like the war won’t end without another country becoming officially involved or Putin’s death. If Putin does manage to take Ukraine, I am certain he will not stop there, and that he then will make plans (if he hasn’t already) to spread to another former

“The food should be cooked more thoroughly.”

-Jarianna Fletcher, 9 “Communication between the students and teachers could be better.”

-Adriana LaBarbera, 11

Barking Mad is a collection of short submissions about things that tick students off around school. If something at school makes you mad, e-mail us at hagertyjourn@gmail.com and it may be featured here.

“They don’t do anything about people skipping the lines.”

-Madyson Mitchell, 10 “We have too many tests all the time.

We shouldn’t have quarter exams.”

-Bernice Wong, 11

Soviet country.

Right now, more than 4.3 million people have been forced to flee Ukraine. And that number is only going to increase. One of the best ways Western countries can help Ukraine without directly interfering (outside of sending military and humanitarian supplies), is by helping the refugee crisis, which is the biggest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II. Many refugee accommodations at the moment only offer a place to rest for five days in most cases. And in most cases, that isn’t enough time for people to figure out a way to settle.

Outside of helping people, America and other countries shouldn’t involve themselves in the war. They should increase the aid they send, but right now, the risks of joining the war outweigh the risks of staying out, although that is liable to change in the future.

The world becomes smaller day by day with increased globalization and the internet. If people in America think war overseas will not impact them, they need to reevaluate. This war does not just involve Ukraine. It is a culmination of the tyrannical leadership in Russia, and it involves the rest of the world – and us.

“There’s water on the bathroom floors all the time and I just want to know where that’s coming from.”

-Kylie Gaetan, 10 “I see so many people sitting alone at lunch, so I think they should form more of a community here.”

-Jaiden Braunston, 12 “We need more school spirit and more school dances.”

-Lauren Tait, 11 “Waking up at 6 a.m. is a pain.”

-Ali Jacobs, 9

Fired Up!

Ukraine conflict highlights major reporting hypocrisy

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Gabriella Jaye Herrera

ussian ground forces are regrouping” “Latest news: Russia could use chemical and biological weapons” “Ukraine war: Putin seeks foreign volunteers to fight in Ukraine” Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine as Vladimir Putin seeks to form a barrier state between himself and NATO, international criticism has faced the dictator for his atrocious violation of human rights.

Since the invasion, the extensive coverage in the United States seems to have an underlying theme: they look like us. CBS senior foreign news correspondent Charlie D’Agata noted that Ukraine is not “like Afghanistan or Iran,” as it is “relatively civilized and European.” Reporting for the Telegraph, Daniel Hannan said “they seem so like us. That is what makes it so shocking.

Ukraine is a European country.”

These phrases highlight the racism permeating the Ukraine coverage: we care because they look like us. Therefore we are concerned for their freedoms, like we would be concerned for ours.

Meanwhile, oppressed people of color are lucky to get an hour of Western coverage.

When was the last time you thought about the Palestinian people subjugated in Israel, with thousands being displaced from their homes? Or the repeated U.S. bombing of Syrian structures, causing dozens of deaths and home displacements? What about the Uyghur internment camps in China, believed by the BBC to have held more than one million people? These are ongoing conflicts and struggles millions endure on a daily basis, and yet they are practically forgotten by our media.

It’s easier to forget their suffering when so many view these countries as being “uncivilized” and inherently violent, when they’re instead full of average people just trying to get by without the threat of violence.

It’s not realistic to be constantly monitoring the news, but being aware of our biases is important, and when we say we care about a cause and support the people suffering, we need to continue to stand by them, even when there is another cause to support.

There isn’t a problem with caring about Ukraine. Putin’s invasion is deplorable and disgusting, and the Ukrainians deserve our help and support as fellow human beings, but helping one group doesn’t mean we need to ignore another.

“The bathrooms in buildings 2 and 3 are always disgusting.”

-Nina Honda, 11 “The school has all the Ukraine stuff going on but they don’t do the same for other countries. Like Palestine has a genocide going on but we aren’t doing anything about that.”

-Jada Itani, 11 “I don’t think people realize how much the Theater Department, especially here, works outside of school.”

-Lily Joseph, 11

“Uneven enforcement of school rules and dress code. I can just walk into school without an ID on but for some reason they require IDs.” -William Wallen, 11 “I see people in crop tops, and they don’t get dress coded. But I come dressed in a tank top but I get dresscoded.”

-Leo Blemke, 10 “People are always so slow and they never clean anything off the stairwells.”

-Amanda Noorlander, 12

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BURN

Burn

“When I get out [of burnout] I look back on what I was able to accomplish during that hard time and use it as motivation to prevent future burnouts.”

- Isabella Parron, 12

OUT

the struggle is Real A serious hurdle many high schoolers face but talk little about Alexis Madlang Print Editor

E

xhaustion. Collapse. Fatigue. Weariness. Consumption.

Stress.

According to author Lexi Wright, burnout is a state of mental, physical, or emotional exhaustion. Burnout in children happens when kids are faced with ongoing stress or frustration with no chance to relax and recharge.

“The name in and of itself is exactly how it feels: the flame of motivation is snuffed out, and you feel completely unable to do anything productive, sitting in a rut of laziness and mindlessness,” junior Eshan Kabir, who plays in the band, participates in clubs, regularly volunteers and takes four AP classes said.

The dangers of burnout

Burnout can cause real physical and psychological problems such as headaches, insomnia and depression, which is why it is important to start taking steps to reverse burnout as soon as symptoms are recognized. Many students admit to currently experiencing burnout or having so in the past.

“In one of my classes, my teacher asked who is tired of school after exams, and almost every student in the class raised their hand,” Kabir said. “When not only the majority, but almost every student in the class is feeling burnt out from school, it becomes apparent that it’s becoming a problem.”

A survey conducted between August 2020 and April 2021, found that 71% of nearly 1,100 Ohio State University (OSU) students said they battled burnout this past spring. That number was up

“Writing music has gotten me out of my burnouts before.

It serves as a way to be productive again without actually forcing myself to do the work.”

- Eshan Kabir, 11

from about 40% back in the summer of 2020. So, how have high schoolers been affected?

Senior Neda Kadivar, who takes five APs and participates in clubs, some of which she leads in, experienced a damaging burnout her junior year that not only took a toll on her mentally, but physically. She lost almost half of her hair. Her mental health declined, causing her many doctor visits and medical tests relating to stress.

“Even now I don’t have a diagnosis for everything. I just have a bunch more conditions I can list as a result of my stress. It’s something I hope to never repeat but even in senior year I do feel myself slipping in and out of it,” Kadivar said.

Mental health is a key part of the conversation when it comes to burnout. Whether it is extreme stress, anxiety or depression, students can get caught in a burnout, especially if they are going through it alone. What may lead to keeping students in a burnout relates back to expectations, and being afraid or embarrassed to reach out and tell someone about the struggle.

Why burnout happens

A leading cause of burnout is the constant pressure placed on students to perform well in order to succeed in a competitive world.

This haunts students, especially as they move up through high school.

While demanding societal expectations can be unintentionally placed on students by their parents and peers, there is a divide on whether teachers also contribute to this workload.

“I feel like they don’t understand that we have other things outside of school to do, and that’s a really big problem when they

pile homework assignments,” junior Alfonso Hilero, who plays varsity tennis, takes three APs and volunteers at the Dr Phillips Health Hospital every weekend, said. “I’m hurrying and making sure that I finish them but at the same time, I’m going to bed super late, because I’m balancing sports and academics.”

While Kabir recognizes that teachers are just doing their job and are trying to prepare students for the workload they may see in college, the problem is still overwhelming.

“Granted, I don’t think they are at fault for it, but the mounting pressure leads to a tipping point where you find that it is easier to stop working and relax than to keep pushing forward on the train that is education leading to college,” Kabir said.

Teachers expect students to understand what they are signing up for at the beginning of the year when they decide to take rigorous honors and AP level courses. Students are strongly encouraged to pre-evaluate the workload they are getting themselves into, but some students slip into the misconception that everyone else is also pushing themselves to the limit.

“I did all these extracurriculars, all of these courses, all of these really tedious things, because I thought everybody else was doing them and I wanted them to think I’m equal and have good expectations for me,” Kadivar said. “That was not true whatsoever.

No one’s doing everything at such a high level all the time. That’s impossible.”

Classes often become more involved during the third quarter because students are practicing an accumulation of their curriculum up to that point. This can cause burnout to flare up at an inconvenient time, as exams – both school and AP – rapidly approach. Each year, Kabir finds himself tired of homework and classwork assignments,

nout

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“I’m not as energized. I have removed myself from my friends and I am noticing it is starting to make me unhappy.”

- Ruby Issacs, 11

Can Relate For every student swamped with homework and extracurriculars, there is a teacher struggling with a similar issue.

Though they may seem responsible for all-nighters spent finishing homework, many teachers can sympathize with busy nights and school-induced burnout.

“It’s exhausting, being tired all the time and feeling like no matter how much sleep you get, it’s never going to be enough.”

- Julie Duncan, History

“

“It literally takes a toll on people. That’s when you start understanding how you can recognize [burnout] in other people and recognize how you can help them, because everyone’s going through it, just at different times.”

- Neda Kadivar, 12

but knows there is more work to be done, so he does what he can to catch a break before preparing for exams starts. Kabir calls this time of the year “prep season” because not only does he have to study for big AP exams, but his regular class exams as well.

“I tend to throw myself into prep season hard, which leads to me not wanting to do any work before so I can keep a hold of the feeling of having fun without expectations,” Kabir said.

How to deal with burnout

Teachers

“Usually burnout is just too many things going on at once and I feel the best way to deal with it is to take a step back and take a deep breath,” senior Jouseph Fontanez said. “Just evaluate the situation from a different perspective and maybe gain enough clarity to not overwhelm yourself.”

Working past a burnout is difficult, and often a frustrating experience for students. Getting help from fellow students that may be feeling the same way is especially helpful in knowing they are not alone.

“I do feel like [my friends] help me manage my emotions and motivation when I feel like lying in bed all day and doing literally nothing,” Kabir said. “They have given me things to look forward to, and when I’m in a massive rut, they pick me up and push me forward.”

Kabir highly recommends taking a true break to escape a burnout. Working out a schedule that allots for free time and selfcare is necessary to get back on track and feel productive. Starting with small, achievable activities will be most beneficial.

“Burnout can feel like a trench you can never escape from. But it isn’t the end of the world. Approach it healthily and listen to what

your mind tells you,” Kabir said. “Take a breather from the endless stresses in life. Soon enough, you’ll feel ready to take on the world again.”

Like Kabir, Kadivar is actively taking steps toward recovering from and preventing burnouts.

“I am taking a stance on my mental health in order to prevent burnout from happening again because there’s a point where you question if your body can handle burnout a second time, or third, or fourth or fifth,” Kadivar said. “It’s always gonna be there lingering, and you have to make sure you have the resources to handle it and that you know how to use them.”

Seeking help from a mental health counselor is imperative for students who are experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression.

In fact, getting help from anyone is important because burnout is something one can not recover from alone.

“Something as small as going to visit a counselor at Hagerty really does help because you are having people reaffirm what you are feeling and giving you better coping strategies to manage it,” Kadivar said.

After overcoming a burnout, the next step is to prevent it from happening again. Kadivar finds keeping a planner and getting ahead is very helpful when moving forward. She believes that maintaining healthy habits and communication with parents and teachers is essential in avoiding a burnout, and understanding that everyone experiences burnout is just as important.

“It isn’t exclusive to one person or one group of people, it’s not something limited to a grade or a gender. It’s not limited to anything because anyone can have burnout and we’re all going to see it and manage it differently,” Kadivar said.

“I get upset over the littlest things and I don’t have patience. I get very discouraged to the point where it seems like nothing good comes from my efforts.”

- Aglaia Christodoulides, Math “When I see that I have no breaks coming up besides the weekend. It what makes me feel overworked.”

- Steven Martinez, Career ED “By the end of the day, I’m exhausted and more irritable than usual, and I have a hard time completing tasks.”

- Heidi Grasso, Math “In my class, I have people come in and talk about potential career aspects, so just to see that I’m helping a student figure out what they want to do for their future makes [burnout] worth it.”

- Kaitlin Jones, Forensics

8

entertainment “Turning Red” (Disney+)

Released March 11 on Disney+, “Turning Red” follows Meilin (Rosalie Chiang) as she fights her emotions to avoid turning into a red panda. This movie shows good aspects of Asian culture and adds to the diversity of Disney’s movies. The drama of the storyline in this film keeps the audience entertained for the whole duration. Between the storyline, music choice and voice actors, “Turning Red” should be added to everyone’s watch list. Even if someone is not a huge Disney fan, “Turning Red” is a great family-friendly movie, even for all ages.

r e v i e w b o x

“The Girl From Plainville” (Hulu)

Released on March 29, “The Girl From Plainville’’ follows the real life case of Michelle Carter who encouraged her long distance boyfriend to kill himself over text. While the show is based on real events, some details are added for the drama effect, nonetheless the show still does a good job at explaining the case. A notable aspect been present in each episode is the acting of Elle Fanning who played Carter. Although having to play a girl who assisted suicide through text, she manages to play the role very well. The next episode will be aired on Hulu April 12.

- Julia Sumpter

“Our Flag Means Death” (HBO)

“Our Flag Means Death” is a 10 episode series starring Taika Waititi (Blackbeard) and Rhys Darby (Stede Bonnet) in a pirate-themed emotional roller coaster. The show has an incredibly diverse cast and is nothing like anyone has ever seen on TV before. The plot is simple but engaging and the movie goes in depth about the characters, making them entertaining. Even if someone is not one for romance, the main relationship in this film may change their feelings.

Overall, the show is definitely worth the watch.

- Angelica Mendez

“Jujutsu Kaisen 0” (Theaters)

Released on March 18, “Jujutsu Kaisen 0” is a dark fantasy that follows Yuta Okkotsu (Kayleigh McKee) on his journey to become a sorcerer. The animation was beautiful, the action sequences engaging, and the characters well fleshed-out. If anything, the only criticism would be that the film should have taken more time to tell Yuta’s story.

At 1 hour and 45 minutes, the film goes through multiple time jumps that take away from the storyline and rush the movie. Despite that, the film still ranks as one of the best anime films, even for viewers who have not watched the show or are new to anime.

- Emily Patterson

“As It Was” Harry Styles

Released March 31, “As It Was” by Harry Styles is a catchy, upbeat song with great vocals that tells the story of a couple who has gone through changes in their relationship. It is part of Styles’ album “Harry’s House,” which is set to be released May 20. The song has an indie vibe that makes you want to dance and groove around the room. Styles once again proved his stellar songwriting abilities, as the lyrics gracefully craft Styles’ narrative. The music video adds to the song’s superiority, as it visualizes the relationship in an interesting and creative way, with emotional choreography to enhance the story.

- Skyler Glenn

- Janell Lim

“Moon Knight” (Disney+)

A glorified cult leader and an array of lost memories brought a dark twist to Marvel’s new series “Moon Knight.” Released March 30, “Moon Knight” introduced the Marvel Cinematic Universe to Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac), a museum gift-shop employee, who struggles with dissociative identity disorder.

Despite this being Marvel’s fifth live action series within the past year, “Moon Knight’’ still brings excitement to the MCU, introducing us to a new, gruesome and mysterious side of Marvel.

New episodes are released every Wednesday on Disney Plus.

- Nadia Knoblauch

You can’t look away from ‘The Weekend Away’ Angelica Mendez

W

Staff reporter

ith work and a child, you just need some time away from your hectic life, so you book the first flight you can for a getaway vacation with your best friend. However, your trip ends up being more stressful than expected – a missing person, a strange city and not a single person you recognize are all on the itinerary.

Released March 3, Netflix’s original “The Weekend Away” stars Leighton Meester (Beth), Christian Wolfe (Kate) and Ziad Bakri (Zain).

The movie takes place in Croatia where Beth and Kate are on vacation. However, things take a turn for the worse when Kate ends up dead and the cops suspect Beth to be her murderer.

Although the movie may not currently be a top Netflix pick, it should be. The main plot of the movie is Beth trying to prove that she is innocent by finding Kate’s real killer. With each second of the movie, new evidence is discovered, and the viewer is left on the edge of their seat.

Moments like when the police questioned Beth or other people’s secrets being revealed

leave viewers wondering: “Why did they do that?” “What are they hiding?” “Could they have killed Kate?” But up until the end, you are still left guessing: “Who killed Kate?”

Throughout the movie, there are suspenseful twists and turns for viewers. Between chasing the two men they saw before Kate died and Beth running from the cops, viewers are dying to know what will happen next.

“The Weekend Away” does not lack suspects. The movie creates a motive or way each person could have killed Kate, and the roster of suspects just continues to grow. The audience will be left trying to decide whether it was the creepy landlord, the seemingly kind taxi driver, the two club flings, the far away ex, the distant husband or maybe even the cops.

While the movie was excellent, there were some unnecessary details. Details about Beth’s baby and when she and Zain talked about their love lives just seemed like filler details that were added to take up more screen time. Moments like these lacked any real development.

Despite these moments, “The Weekend Away” was worth it all the way down to the acting. All the actors did a great job at becoming their character and bringing them to life, like

Meester, who had a lot of great scenes where you could feel the emotions she felt. When she was running from the cops or finding out that Kate had been murdered, viewers could feel either her fear, stress or sadness pouring through the screen.

Up until the very last second of the movie, viewers are left guessing who did it, and the ending is unpredictable. While similar movies make the killer obvious from the beginning, “The Weekend Away” does a good job at not dropping major hints and making one person seem overly suspicious.

Overall, the movie was anything but boring.

Every scene was either filled with action-packed or mysterious moments, preventing any dull moments. The directors did a good job at even making moments like Beth and Kate reuniting enjoyable to watch.

“The Weekend Away” is one of the better murder mystery movies available on Netflix.

With shock after shock, the movie does a great job of capturing the audience’s attention, and viewers are constantly left wondering what will happen next. It is definitely worth the watch and audience members will be guessing ‘Who did it?’ the whole time.

SIMILAR MOVIES ON NETFLIX BRAZEN A crime writer must uncover the death of her sister, uncovering secrets in hopes to find her killer.

DANGEROUS LIES A caregiver receives all of her deceased patients belongings, and with it comes secrets and danger.

SECRET WINDOW A writers worst fear comes true when someone accuses him of copying their work.

Dancing Students dance flamenco to express their culture

Color

in Fusion Fest, a competition that aimed to celebrate the different cultures in central Florida.

In total, she estimates she has participated in about 20 competitions in her life, but her first performance feels most special.

“I was very excited. But at the same time I was also scared because I didn’t know what to do,” Bello Riera said.

Flamenco is characterized not only by its powerful dance, but the clothing the dancers wear. Shipping directly from Venezuela and costing an average of $200, Bello Riera’s dresses are long with vibrant colors and ruffles.

The skirt can cost an extra $180, and tacones, or flamenco heels, can cost around $150. However, she feels the cost is worth it because flamenco helps her de-stress. “[Flamenco is] my way to take everything off my mind,” Bello Riera said. “If I’m stressed, I just go to flamenco. I don’t think about anything in my life; I just think of what I’m doing right now. I go there so I can stay on top of everything else.”

Jaime agrees, saying flamenco has increased her self-esteem.

“It’s very confidence boosting because when I do the steps, [the dance] doesn’t like being shy. The steps are very strong. Whenever I’m dancing, I just feel free.”

flavors, teenagers become their ultimate victims.

“I started in sixth grade through older Similar to Kretzschmar, sophomore Jane* friends I met that I believed were ‘cool,’” has also been exposed to vaping on campus in Jennifer said. “I started because I wanted to fit the girls’ locker room. in and be accepted into the group.”

“This girl and I were talking, then she paused As students are most commonly exposed and I could see smoke come out in a cloud from to vaping by their peers, it has become a behind the lockers,” Jane said. “It was weird, widespread problem on campus. School she couldn’t even hold a conversation without security guard Darryl Harris said he catches using [her vaping device] multiple times.” students vaping on campus at least three to four As nicotine is a highly addictive chemical, times each week. it can become very difficult for “They want to be followers,” Harris students to stop this habit. said. “They know they will get Symptoms of nicotine easily caught for smoking withdrawal include a cigarette on campus, “The thought headaches, irritability, so they use a vape pen of it would tremors, trouble instead, which is not any concentrating and mood safer.” always be on my swings.

As vaping products mind,” “I could go without are not regulated by the it for a couple of days, FDA, they can easily Jennifer, 10 but when I would, the be laced with harmful thought of it would always chemicals, which many be in my mind, making it hard are unaware of. The same to focus on other tasks. I would need FDA study found that 16.6% of students to use my device before or during anything,” believed that E-cigarettes caused little to no sophomore Jennifer* said. “I have relapsed a harm to one’s health. This false notion has left couple of times. It’s normally when I am in a many students ill, and some even hospitalized. bad place and someone around me offers, and I “Once, my device was laced with some feel guilty almost immediately after.” other chemical that almost sent me to the According to the FDA, 57.8% of student hospital. I could barely breathe or move, and E-cigarette users started vaping because “a my heart was racing after using it,” Jennifer friend used it.” said. “Personal sellers could put anything in

their devices and you wouldn’t know until you tried it.”

While cases like this may be small in comparison to the large population of users, it is still a serious threat to students’ health and well-being. School resource officer Milton Gil believes that if students were more educated, instances like this would not happen.

“You can’t trust any of it, you don’t know what you are putting in your body,” Gil said.

“It is important that high schools gather news and educate students to show them what could happen down the road. They don’t hear the bad things about vaping.”

When trying to quit an addiction, it can be easy to feel defeated and want to give up, but by reaching out to family and real friends, a little help can make a big difference, according to Jennifer.

“I threw all my devices away and told my parents and friends,” Jennifer said. “For me, surrounding myself with people that didn’t use [vaping products] was the most helpful step. Getting off an addiction is hard, but it is possible and you are capable of overcoming it.”

Resources to help quit vaping: 1-800-QUITNOW, 1-877-44U-QUIT, Truth Initiative

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people about it, like if I have a show,” Jaime said. “And then I could talk about my culture and it’s easier with flamenco.”

For Bello Riera, her flamenco journey started at age 3, when her mother took her to a beginner flamenco class in Venezuela. She continued to practice flamenco for the next 11 years, until she moved to Mexico, where she took a break for three years. When she moved to Florida a year ago, she once again started dancing flamenco. Compared to her classes in Venezuela, Bello Riera prefers Flamenco Del Sol because it challenges her more.

“Here, we challenge ourselves by doing stuff that we don’t know but we’re going to learn. We didn’t do that in Venezuela because we were too young for that,” Bello Riera said.

In addition to teaching the dance itself, Flamenco Del Sol teaches students how to play flamenco instruments. Jaime learned how to play the cajon, a box-shaped drum that musicians sit on, while Bello Riera learned how to play castanets, small shells of wood that are clicked together by the fingers. Utilizing these instruments in many of their performances, Jaime and Bello Riera perform shows for family and friends, in places from Trinity Prep to the Oviedo Mall.

This past year, Bello Riera competed

Janell Lim

Illustration by Ar

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News Editor

he lights dim. The crowd stills, waiting.

As the music begins to play, freshman Emiaj Jaime’s foot follows, her heart beating fast. She recites the rehearsed steps in her head, and begins to dance.

Jaime, along with freshman Camila Bello Riera, are part of Flamenco Del Sol, a dance class offered in Oviedo that teaches the art of flamenco. Flamenco is a form of dance that originated in southern Spain, but is now practiced all over the world, including Puerto Rico and Venezuela, the home countries of Jaime and Bello Riera. For the both of them, their families and culture played a large role in their motivation to learn flamenco.

“My great grandma was a professional flamenco dancer, so it helps me have fun embracing my culture,” Jaime said. “Since it’s a Spanish community, it helps us to just come together.”

For Jaime, flamenco not only helps her embrace her culture, but express it to other people.

“When I do flamenco, I get to tell

Head in the clouds Nadia Knoblauch

W

Staff Reporter

alking into the school bathroom, sophomore Mason Kretzschmar was met with a cloud of smoke. Two boys moved back from the sinks as he went to wash his hands, the mirrors foggy from their breath. After he was offered a hit of their vape, Kretzschmar told them no and headed back to class, feeling annoyed and uncomfortable.

“I don’t like it when I’m in the bathrooms and all I smell is vapes,” Kretzschmar said. “I don’t want to deal with that in school.”

According to administrative secretary Patricia Narvaez, vaping on campus has been on the rise. To combat this problem, the administration has increased security, started checking bathrooms more frequently and has even posted signs stating “One person per stall.”

“It’s harmful to the campus environment,” dean Kelly Fate-Quinn said. “We try to talk to students about how harmful it is and educate them on what they’re doing.”

Since its rise in 2007, vaping has become the most commonly used tobacco product among youth in the United States. Vaping is similar to smoking, but instead of cigarettes, vapers use a battery-powered device that vaporizes liquids or solids. These tobacco devices contain the addictive chemical nicotine, and through social media posts and the advertisement of different

Illustrations by Caitlyn Hale and Alexis Madlang

*names changed by request

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Stories of struggles and successes from LGBTQ+ students hoping to have their voices heard.

hoff

Read the full story here

Sha

Grade: Junior Lesbian and Asexual (she/her)

Grade: Senior Bisexual and Genderfluid (they/she)

Growing up, Michaela Maschhoff never realized there was anything different about them. They thought everyone had a crush on the older girl who played with them on the playground.

“I didn’t think it was anything that wasn’t considered normal. So I never really brought it up,” Maschhoff said.

Now that she is older, Maschhoff works to fight stereotypes about their identity as president of the Gay-Straight Alliance. “I think that Hagerty needs to realize that we are people, too. We’re not just things to be made fun of and laugh at,” Maschhoff said.

POPPIN’ OFF

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Born this way

lifestyles

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Around her sophomore year of high school, Gwenivere Shaw began to realize she did not feel the same sexual attraction found in her peers.

“I was in a relationship at the time... so I was scared how she was going to take it. But it felt kind of relieving to find that label,” Shaw said.

Though Shaw feels comfortable from her sexuality, she remains aware of the prejudice people hold against her, and encourages others to stand strong against it.

“There’s a lot of people out there who aren’t going to be supportive of who you are,” Shaw said. “You just need to be able to accept yourself.”

Grade: Senior Lesbian (she/they) Marlie Tollefson did not grow up hearing about non-straight relationships. It was not until the Pulse Nightclub shooting of 2016 that she even realized women could love other women.

“I don’t think my brain started to really process it, but the gears were turning in there,” Tollefson said. “By now, I know this is a thing and it’s alright.”

Since realizing her sexuality, Tollefson has been able to find comfort within her Jewish community, where she has found nothing but acceptance. Tollefson hopes to extend the same support to others who may be struggling with their identity.

“I have thought a lot about what the Jewish community thinks of the LGBTQ community, and I asked my rabbi and stuff, and we’re just here to love other people and make sure everyone is accepted,” Tollefson said.

Con flicting bias– a personal story Gabriella Jaye Herrera

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Editor-in-Chief

here is a sense of betrayal, guilt and overwhelming loneliness when you realize your fantasy for acceptance is just that: a fantasy.

I became a very active member of my Baptist church beginning in fourth grade. The community aspect of the church made me feel I had a place where I belonged, and the idea of a greater power looking out for me gave me hope as I began to move uncertainly into puberty.

When I realized I was more excited than everyone else to see the pretty girl in Sunday School, I immediately refused to accept it.

Of course, deep down I felt the cold reality of my attraction to women, and I buried it under feelings of disgust and fear. I was terrified of betraying my faith; of going to hell and leaving my family behind. It took a year of internal reflection to understand that I had nothing to be ashamed of, and I had the right to love people just like everyone else.

I was determined to power through and be unapologetically open about my identity.

The one thing standing in my way was the

relationship I had with my father. While I loved him dearly, I knew of his reputation of homophobia, to the point where people warned me about it when I initially came out to them.

Mustering my courage, I pulled my dad and stepmom aside and told them I needed to tell them something. After a few moments of stuttering, I finally managed to spit out my confession: “I am bisexual.” There was an uncomfortable pause, before they told me to go upstairs, not ready for the conversation.

We spoke a bit that night, but since then, the topic had stayed largely taboo. Out of respect for their authority, I did not tell any of my siblings about my identity, not wanting to cause further family conflict, though it did not prevent some from figuring it out on their own. One Christmas, I was cornered by my aunt and given an hour long lecture about the importance of Christianity and the sinful nature of homosexuality. Merry Christmas.

My resentment festered about their treatment for years. Overcome with emotion, I did not realize how deep the hurt ran until my friend pointed out I hold just as much hate as my dad did.

On a phone call with my friend, a member of the Catholic church, he gently reminded me I had my own prejudice against the church and Christians in general, noting that I had made several snide comments throughout our friendship about religion and its fallacies.

Appalled, I denied these accusations, but they would not leave my mind. I reached out to a few friends who practiced Christianity and talked a lot with them about their experiences, and their relationship with the LGBT community.

Part of me struggled to let go of the pain my church had caused with their lectures about “a man belonging with a woman.” However, I feel moving on is a personal decision everyone should eventually make, and although I can dislike the church that hurt me, I refuse to continue to hate the religion they happened to be associated with.

Since coming out, my father and I have grown a bit closer. We still struggle significantly with communication, but our progress is still evident. Though there may be hurt on all sides, I feel as though my family has grown exponentially, and there is only more growth and love in our future.

Celebrity Parents

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Skyler Glenn

fter months of avoiding the paparazzi and dodging any personal questions, a major celebrity announces the big news: they’re pregnant! Their Instagram becomes flooded with ultrasound pictures and gender reveal clips almost instantly, encapsulating everyone’s attention. When the soon-tobe famous child is born, everyone has one thing on their mind: what’s their name?

To the public’s dismay, the name is Gene Attell. Good job, Amy Schumer.

Celebrities have a reputation for interesting child names, with highlights like Wolf, North, Apple and Dusty Rose.

It seems as if these parents have no regard for their child’s future social life, practically inviting people to bully them.

There are plenty of decent and socially acceptable names in the world, so why name a kid after a plant, body part or inanimate object? It’s more than likely that they do this for public attention, as pop culture fans go nuts when a weird name is announced. However, the media rage only lasts for so long; names last forever.

Nobody wants to write “Moon Unit” on a job application (especially if they want a shot at getting hired). But that’s not the only confusing thing about celebrity parents.

Ye West has been trying to gain more control of his daughter, North, following his split with Kim Kardashian. Prior to the breakup, he didn’t seem to have much of a relationship with her, but now is complaining about her use of TikTok – and publicly posting about it. On Instagram, he wrote, “Since this is my first divorce I need to know what I should do about my daughter being put on TikTok against my will?” The chances that he actually cares what North is doing on TikTok are incredibly small. Again, celebrity parents seem to use their children for publicity, and Ye makes headlines every day. It’s all fun and games until the headline reads “Ye West handcuffed outside of elementary school.” Good luck avoiding the childhood trauma, North.

Celebrity parents might name and raise their children in untraditional ways, but they aren’t going away anytime soon.

YouTube’s favorite problematic creator, Trisha Paytas, recently announced that she is pregnant with her first child.

Her comment sections were filled with surprised and worried fans, but at the end of the day, we can’t prevent her – or any celebrity – from having kids, no matter how awful their media presence or personality is. All we can do is congratulate them, hope for the best and laugh at their ridiculous name choices.

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11

Weightlifting takes district, regional titles Julia Sumpter

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Opinions Editor

acing off against six other schools from Central Florida, the boys weightlifting team participated in the district championships at home on March 30. The team placed first in snatch and third in traditional (bench and clean and jerk), and all 19 lifters qualified to move on to regionals.

Two lifters from each weight class competed. Top performers of the night included junior Benjamin Stewart (154 weight class), senior Alvaro Alcala (183 weight class), senior Erik Eaton (unlimited weight class), and junior Rylan Fitzgerald (179 weight class). Several of the lifters hit all of their lifts and set new personal records.

On April 9, the momentum continued as Eaton (2nd), Kristian Macaw (2nd), Stewart (2nd), Jagarii Gardner (3rd) and Matt Martinez (3rd) each placed in the top three of their class, along with strong finishes from several other lifters to lead the team to the snatch title at regionals as well.

This season, snatch was added to the movements in competitions. Snatch requires a lot more mobility than bench and clean and jerk, as the lifter has to lift the bar in one motion from the ground to overhead. The team had to learn form for the new movement by first perfecting their technique in practice.

“We have been doing more technique

focused workouts and perfecting our form specifically for snatch since it is a new movement to us,” senior Tyler Martinez said.

Before the postseason, the boys had not won any of their meets, so districts was a good change for them.

“The season has been great and the team has done way better than anyone predicted they would have at the start of the season,” Martinez said.

Before the district championship, the boys were ranked third in the district 5 class 3A out of seven schools, behind East River and Colonial.

“We’re an underdog team,” head coach David Attaway said. “We don’t have the support of football like some schools do. We have weightlifters.”

The state meet will be held on April 21.

“It is great seeing how strong others are and my own potential,” Stewart said.

District winners Coleman Sechrest, 129 lbs, second Benjamin Stewart, 154 lbs, first Caden Chapman, 169, second Alvaro Alcala, 183 lbs, first Rylan Fitzgerald, 199 lbs, first Daniel Zuniga, 199 lbs, second Vishaylin Naidoo, 219 lbs, second Kristian Macaw, 238 lbs, second Erik Eaton, unlimited, first

sports shorts Lacrosse beats Flagler Palm Coast

The boys varsity lacrosse team beat Flagler Palm Coast on senior night, Friday, April 8. Goalie Caleb Foshee, midfielder Connor McLaughlin, face-off specialist Sam Lesnak, and midfielder John Scarelli were the game’s top performers. Foshee had a lot of saves but was temporarily taken out of the game after getting hit in the head by a shot.

He later got back into the game and continued to perform well. The offense did a good job communicating and keeping possession of the ball, allowing them to get more opportunities to score. The defense communicated well and was able to stop Flagler Palm Coast’s offense.

Seymour takes first at Florida Relays

Junior Brayden Seymour placed first in the 1600 meter run at the Pepsi Florida Relays on Saturday, April 2. The races took place at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Seymour ran a speedy first place time of 4:13.62 in the long-distance event.

Junior Miguel Pantojas also placed first in the 800 meter run, with a time of 1:52.71 in the half mile race. “I went out there with the intent to win, and I did. It felt good,” Seymour said.

Seymour is currently ranked ninth in the nation for the 1600, but he also placed fourth in the 3200 meter run at the same meet with a time of 8:59.72. Seymour’s time is the fourth best ever for Central Florida and in the top 20 ever in the state.

Girls lacrosse flexes on Oviedo

The girls varsity lacrosse team beat Oviedo 14-5 in one of the last regular season games of the season. Midfielder Hannah Thomas had five goals and midfielder Carly Bitner had one goal and majority of the draw controls. The game started off close with a 3-1 lead, but they pulled ahead with a five goal streak to end the first half. The defense held strong and the offense scored a couple more to finish the game. “It felt amazing to beat our rival, it gives us a confidence boost,” Bitner said. The team is 12-6 and ranked ninth in the state as they move into district playoffs this week.

RAISING THE BAR Sophomore Tanner Passons lifts at the boys weightlifting district championships, placing him at the top of his match of 145 lbs. The boys weightlifting team placed first in snatch and third in traditional (bench and clean and jerk).

Boys tennis beats Oviedo Ava West

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Staff Reporter

he boys varsity tennis team won over Oviedo 7-0 in a seven match game.

“We played really well all around and it was nice for them not to get a single win,” junior Aryan Patel said.

This game was not the first time the team beat Oviedo this season. Earlier in the season the boys also beat them 7-0.

“We usually beat Oviedo every time we play them,” Patel said. “They started to talk about us, so beating them by that much was good for us.”

The team’s record is 12-2, with both losses to Seminole. The team knew they needed to practice more to have a better shot at going farther in postseason play.

“After the two losses to Seminole, we bounced back by making sure that my focus was on the next match and not the previous one,” junior Alfonso Hilerio said. “I knew if I still thought about how we lost to Seminole it would not have helped my mental side of the game which would also affect how we play.”

Oviedo was the team’s last opponent for the regular season, and they are now moving into the postseason which includes districts and, the team hopes, regionals. Patel believes they will be able to make it far in both.

“In the district tournament, we have to place first or second to get into regionals and then place first or second in regionals to get into states. I think that is an accomplishable goal for us,” Patel said.

Last year was the first year the team played in the postseason, with a second place district finish and a match in the regional playoffs.

The team bonds together by hanging out on

the weekends and doing extra practices to make sure they are ready for their next games.

“The team chemistry is much better than last year. The major reason why it’s better is because everyone on the team makes an effort to be closer. We also make a lot of jokes that make each other laugh. It lets us have more fun with each other,” Hilerio said.

IN THE SWING Sophomore Long Escudero hits a backhand during practice. The boys tennis team has only lost to Seminole in the regular season. photo by Shannon Hahn

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sports

Baseball gets revenge versus Oviedo Karson Cuozzo

A

Sports Editor

fter a heartbreaking walk-off loss to Oviedo on April 5, the varsity baseball team redeemed themselves with a 13-6 win on Friday, April 8.

It was a much-needed win for the team. In the first inning, catcher Skylar Arroyo hit a tworun home run to put them on the board, and that set the tone for the rest of the game.

“The game was a hit-fest, we won every inning offensively and defensively and came out on top for the win,” Arroyo said.

A different team showed up to play Friday, spirits were high, and their only goal was to leave that game with a win.

“After losing a heartbreaker Tuesday due to some unlucky breaks we were ready to get back and get some revenge because we knew we were the better team,’’ pitcher Carter Kamm said. “We played as a team, everyone was all in.”

In the first game against Oviedo, Hagerty had the lead in the bottom of the seventh, but Oviedo scored four runs, including a two-run walkoff double in the bottom of the seventh inning. The final pitch from Danny Beldowicz resulted in Oviedo’s first baseman, Carter Cook, hitting the walk-off for Oviedo to win, 7-6.

“I thought we played pretty well throughout the whole game, we just could not push through in the end,” pitcher Garret Baumann said.

The boys offense was solid throughout the game, scoring two runs in the first inning, and consistently hitting throughout the game, scoring one run each inning. Third baseman Dylan Strickland, first baseman Dylan Post and designated hitter Luis Rivera all put up hits for the team.

Before Beldowicz came in to close the game, Baumann pitched five innings and only gave up three runs. Pitching and offense were there, but the defense could not make the plays when they needed to.

“I think one of our struggles was not making the simple plays, which lead to making unnecessary errors,” second baseman Austin Desoto said.

The team is 8-8 as they move toward the end of their normal season. The team has had a tough schedule this year, but they look forward and feel confident about making postseason play once again.

“They are having a great year with a solid senior class,” head coach Mike Sindone said.

“Our athleticism and pitching has kept us in games.”

Some of their toughest games were against Lake Brantley and Lake Mary, splitting both series 1-1.

Against Lake Brantley, they lost 4-2 and beat them 8-0. The team bounced back after their loss and proved they deserved to beat Lake Brantley.

Aganist Lake Mary, they lost 5-3 in extra

PLAYING WITH FIRE Pitcher Garrett Baumann throws during the Husky Challenge. Baumann has been the top pitcher for the team this season. photo by Shannon Hahn

innings and then came back and beat them 1-0.

“We are working hard to get better every day. If we can get and stay healthy we could truly turn the corner,” Sindone said. “The season has had ups and downs, however, I am

Softball rolls through tough schedule Ava West

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BACK ON A WIN STREAK Senior Mackenzie Hawk steps up to bat in the girls softball game against Lake Mary. The team won 4-2. photo by Jouseph Fontanez

Staff Reporter

he varsity girls’ softball team was down 10-3 in the fifth inning against Winter Springs. Outfielder Addison Orr stepped up to bat and hit the first home run. Immediately after, pitcher Rachel Matthiesen hit the second home run of the night. The team scored 10 runs in the last two innings, including three in the seventh, to beat Winter Springs on April 8.

“The game was so exhilarating – it was back and forth the whole time and we had a seven-inning come back,” Orr, who went one for three with a walk and a home run, said. “When a team gets ahead early it can be disheartening but we did not fall back.”

The score was tied at 10-10 after six innings, but then Winter Springs scored two more in the top of the seventh. Center fielder Ana Roman and Matthiesen scored two more runs off of hits for the team, making the score 12-12. Second baseman Karson Cuzzo was up next and got the walk-off hit, leading Matthiesen to score the final run for the 13-12 win.

“We knew if we could score more points it would get our momentum going,” Matthiesen said. “It felt amazing to hit a home run and get multiple runs to help win the game.”

Winter Springs was a big game for the team as they were a huge conference rival for them. Since the team was able to win over Winter Springs and other teams in the Seminole County athletic conference, they also won the SAC championship.

“Last year, we played one of our worst games against Winter Springs, so this game was a comeback for us,” Orr said.

In the same week as the Winter Springs game, the girls went 3-0 against multiple state powerhouses including a 5-4 win over East Ridge and a 5-2 win over Lake Brantley, making their overall record 11-2. Against Lake Mary, Roman hit two home runs to beat another strong team 4-2.

“We had amazing energy in the game,” Roman said. “Our defense held strong and we were able to put hits together when we needed.”

The team’s next game will be against Timber Creek on April 18. The team hopes to keep the momentum going and have a deep run in the postseason. District playoffs start in May. “This team has the opportunity and potential to be something special,” head coach David Stone said.

confident in what we do to prepare for playoffs and I believe in this team.”

District playoffs will start in May. “The game plan is to stay true to who we are and find a way to win,” Sindone said.

athlete of the issue Who

John Scarelli

Team

Varsity Lacrosse

Date

March 31

What

Went 14 for 14 on faceoffs and scored 3 goals

Where

Apopka High School

On March 31, sophomore John Scarelli played aganist Apopka High School, Scarelli went 14 for 14 on face-offs and scored three goals for the team.

The boys went on to beat Apopka 160, with only a few normal season games left before they move into post season on April 11.

“Our defense played a solid game with takeaways and ground balls, we also had some good saves from our goalies.” Scarelli said.

Not only did defense have a good game, but offense performed well too.

“Our offense kept running the ball effecitvely which allowed us to consitantly score all night,” Scarelli said.

“It was a big team effort from everyone.”