Minga put into action

Since the introduction of the Minga app at the beginning of the second semester, it was just a presence on everyone’s devices, shown once or twice in exchange for a Husky buck. Since then, a new hall pass system is being piloted throughout the school using the app. Minga was introduced as a new form of student identification, as opposed to physical IDs, with hopes of aiding in safety and transportation. After its initial introduction, not much was done with it school-wide, but now, staff members like English teacher Sarah Bearss and TV Production teacher Donna Parker have been chosen to utilize the system in their classrooms. Currently, select classrooms are piloting the system to test its effectiveness and gauge its capabilities.

“The new Minga system has the ability to be more consistent, accessible and effective for the school as a whole,” Bearss said.

According to School Administration Manager Jason Maitland, the reason for the sudden usage is for the safety of the school. When creating a hall pass using Minga, teachers can set specific time limits for how long a student can be out of class and can set it according to where they go, like the bathroom or another teacher’s classroom. Some may have concerns of privacy invasion, but that is not administration’s goal.

“We are not GPS tracking kids across campus. We are just keeping track of who is out of class, where their destination is and how long they’re out of class,” Maitland said.

Some teachers feel that using the app is a step in the right direction for the good of the school and internal problems, but thoughts of student push-back is also a factor in the success of the new process.

“I don’t think they’ll receive it very well, but you just have to get used to it,” Parker said.

However, reception on the student end has already started to generate positive feedback.

“I feel like [transportation] may be easier to track [since] papers can be lost or used incorrectly,” senior Lindsey Gimbert said.

“Something Rotten” cracks open

Opening March 30 and running through April 1, “Something Rotten” kept the audience on the edge of their seats the entire time.

“Something Rotten” is a musical comedy about brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom trying to find success in playwriting. However, they find themselves in the shadow of playwright William Shakespeare.

Considering the current political climate and the show’s risky nature, theater director Jamaal Solomon had to consider what could be said and done. When the cast was first given scripts, they took out lines they could not perform due to language or inappropriate jokes.

Main characters were double- casted and referred to as either the “fried” cast or the “scrambled” cast. Senior Lily Joseph, who was part of the ensemble in the “fried” cast and played Bea in the “scrambled” cast, experienced pride while performing.

“I love musical theater and performing more than I love to breathe, so the fact that I get to tell this story and tap dance is more than I could ever ask for,” Joseph said.

One of the biggest numbers was the song “A Musical” which featured tap dancing and a kick-line. Assistant principal Christy Tibbitts-Bryce made her stage debut, as well as principal Robert Frasca.

“I’ve never done anything like that, but it was a lot of fun. I would definitely do something like it again,” Tibbitts-Bryce said.

Spanish teacher Patricia Lopez retires

Janell Lim | Online Editor

As a young girl, Spanish teacher Patricia Lopez dreamed of being a teacher. Now, after 35 years of teaching, Lopez is retiring to spend time with her family.

Although Lopez started her career as an optician, fitting glasses and contact lenses, she always loved Spanish in high school, and began working as a Spanish teacher in Georgia. After five years there, she moved to Florida and worked at Lake Howell before transferring to Oviedo and eventually to Hagerty.

This year marks her 17th year at Hagerty, giving Lopez ample time to see how the Spanish program has grown across the years. Reflecting on her years teaching, Lopez says her students made a big impact on her, just as she hopes she made an impact on her students.

“Just working with the kids, each moment is a memorable moment,” Lopez said. “I’ve had so many students that touched my heart.”

Lopez’s last day was on March 31, and students and faculty sent her off with goodbyes.

“She taught me a lot about expanding my view of the world,” senior Ariana Seguinot said. “It’s more than just learning how to speak Spanish, it’s learning the history, the culture.”

Seguinot, who also serves as president of Spanish National Honor Society, had Lopez as a teacher for two years and says that she will miss Lopez’s fun and quirky personality.

“It’s really sad. But I’m really happy for her,” Seguinot said. “She’s gonna get to do a lot of things that she wants to do. It’s just sad because she’s a really good teacher and makes me a better speaker.”