The BluePrint - Volume 16, Issue 1

the

blueprint Hagerty High School

Vol. 16, Issue 1

Oct. 8, 2020

Oviedo, Florida

get connected After the introduction of Seminole Connect, the new way of learning has come with many new issues for students and teachers trying to make the best of the situation.

page 4

blm protests Following the death of George Floyd, students gathered under the social justice movement, Black Lives Matter, to protest with hope for reform.

page 10

Mega FOR OVIEDO MAYOR

cross country One of the biggest cross country meets of the season was hosted on Sept. 26.

After running a 5k course, the boys team placed second and the girls team placed fifth.

page 12

GOT YOU COVERED Sophomore Benjamin Leclair checks out a textbook from the media center. Textbook pickups were conducted individually for students with social distancing. photo by Faith Marino

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News

Trainers keep their cool with Martin Act Matthew Dearolph

A

Staff Reporter

s she dragged the cold-water immersion tub behind her, junior student athletic trainer Sophia Ramirez struggled across the football field, face mask shortening her breath. Behind her, fellow athletic trainer,senior Addison Smith rolled a cart weighed down with 60 pounds of ice. Finally arriving at their destination, Ramirez started to fill the 150 gallon tub with water to prepare it for cold-water immersion.

Athletic trainers such as Ramirez have taken on new responsibilities since the Zachary Martin Act. After Zachary Martin died from heat exhaustion at Fort Myers Riverdale High School from running sprints in 2017, the FHSAA passed the act requiring high schools to have cold-water immersion tubs.

In case any athletes start to show symptoms of heat exhaustion, the tubs cool down athletes’ core body temperature. Student athletic trainers learned to spot the signs of heat exhaustion, such as lack of sweating, throbbing or glazedover eyes. If they noticed something off, they would follow the “cool before transport” procedure: trainers would transport the players to the cold-water immersion tub and submerge them for 15 minutes before going to the hospital.

“I would feel a little stressed out if someone suffered from heat trauma, but it’s important to

CARRY THE TEAM Junior Abigail Maxwell led the student athletic trainers to carry the cold-water immersion tub to the football field. photo by Matthew Dearolph

remain calm,” student trainer Ryleigh Mitchell said.

In the past, if a player exhibited signs of heat exhaustion, trainers removed them from practice and led them to the shade. If they still seemed disoriented, the player would be moved into a building with air conditioning and if they started to fall unconscious, they would go into the cold-water immersion tub.

“The Zachary Martin Act is better than what we have done in past years,” Miessau said. “The guidelines are much safer and they give strict rules and guidance instead of guess work for when decisions are made. We live in one of the most dangerous climates when heat is not properly checked.”

The wet bulb globe temperature heat stress gauge, or WBGT, was also added this year to

ensure safety. It uses an algorithm to calculate the temperature for which heat trauma procedures are based on. A WBGT showing over 90 degrees prevents football players from wearing pads; above 92 degrees and no team can practice.

“I’ve been practicing in the heat for three years, and it is a pain to stop practice multiple times to take off and put on our pads every couple minutes,” fullback Aramis Sattler said.

Rules for off-campus sports are different.

While off-campus sports are required to have a Zachary Martin box on hand with tarps and 20 pounds of ice, they do not have trainers or cold-water immersion tubs nearby.

Instead, coaches and players learn the “taco method” where teammates wrap the player experiencing heat exhaustion in a tarp with ice for 15 minutes.

As an extra precaution, track and field coach Jay Getty drives his truck with the Zachary Martin box when his players are on long distance runs outside of school.

“We took a heat illness course and I learned the procedures for someone experiencing heat exhaustion while we are running,” senior cross country runner Jacob Smith said. “I would be nervous for the person’s health but excited to try out the taco method.”

Trainers and athletes continue to cope with the heat and humidity of Florida. However, the Zachary Martin Act allows for little risk of heat trauma.

Contact tracing administered for COVID prevention Charlotte Mansur

T

Online Editor

he person to your right has been gone all week. Your third period teacher was teaching from home while you watched her from the classroom.

Rumors have been swirling throughout campus, making speculations as to who was the first to fall victim to COVID since the start of the school year and how they caught it.

Administration has been using contact tracing, detecting those who have come in contact with the virus, to determine if students and staff have been exposed to the virus and need to quarantine. This procedure is difficult and requires the team to carry it out to be thorough and up to date on the latest information.

“That’s the hard part with this disease – things change daily,” principal Robert Frasca said. “I mean, even the definition of exposure has changed from one day to the next.”

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention currently defines exposure as close contact with an individual for 15 minutes or more. This includes contact with or without a mask. To determine who has been exposed to the positive individual, school leaders look back at the student’s lunch groups, break groups, seating charts and anywhere else the student could have spent extended amounts of time with someone. From these findings, the school makes a record of who needs to quarantine. A number of students and staff have already had to go through this process.

This determination is not intended to be the final decision. Once administration creates a list of students and staff, they are required to submit it to the local Department of Health, who makes the final call on which individuals need to be quarantined. However, the Department of Health is understaffed for the crisis at hand and the school has had to directly contact the

families that have to quarantine.

“Initially, I thought that the health department would be taking the lead on more of this, and that has not been the case. It’s been more us taking a lot of that responsibility,” Frasca said.

With the task of contacting parents handed down to administration, Frasca wanted to make sure that the process was conducted in a manner that would not upset the families affected.

“I was kind of nervous the first time, and every school has done it a little differently,” Frasca said. “But I know I wanted a more personal touch so we called families directly.”

Kimberly Warner, the mother of junior Jarett Warner, was recently on the other end of that phone call. In September, Jarett was asked to quarantine after coming in contact with someone who tested positive. Warner was assured by assistant principal Douglass Miller that it was only precautionary and that he could return to school after two weeks.

“He was very kind about letting us know and if we had any questions he was just a phone call away,” Warner said.

However, quarantining is not just a onesided decision. If a parent or guardian believes their student has come in contact with someone who is infected or the student is showing symptoms of COVID-19, they are encouraged to contact the school to discuss a quarantine plan.

Once a student is quarantined they are still required to attend their classes through Seminole Connect. This has created issues for some students, including Jarrett, whose first class had to be temporarily moved to later in the day since Connect was not possible during that period.

The same protocol applies to the staff.

Multiple staff members have been asked to quarantine since the start of school, including

SCAN IT Sophomore Leylani Neris scans back into her classroom so administration can track where she has been and what she has touched. photo by Peyton Sutch

graphic design and journalism teacher Brit Taylor after he had sustained contact with an home contractor who was not showing symptoms yet. Taylor was still expected to teach from home while a substitute stood in the classroom for supervision.

“Teaching virtually was rough,” Taylor said. “I need to read faces and see if people are getting what I’m saying.”

During this time Taylor struggled with sound and connection issues, which made it even harder to teach.

“It did make me appreciate the Connect students more because I felt disconnected from what was happening in class, just like what [they] say they feel most of the day,” Taylor said.

It is different for students and staff who test

positive, however. Similar to quarantining, people who have the coronavirus are required to isolate. The isolation phase is a 10-day period, where the student or teacher cannot have contact with anyone, including those they share a residence with. This means if students test positive for the virus, they are out fewer days than if they were told to quarantine, which means 14 days at home. This is due to the incubation time for the virus versus the time it takes to show symptoms for the virus.

After a student quarantine or isolation is complete, they are encouraged to return back to school, wear their masks and continue to social distance.

“We know that Jarrett knows what to do to stay safe, and we trust Hagerty to help keep him safe as well,” Warner said.

news

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Campaigning with COVID-19

UPCOMING EVENTS OCT 10 OCT 12

Laura Shaw

T

Politics Editor

he moment a reality star billionaire got sworn in as President of the United States, it was clear that the 2020 election was going to be a topic of interest for the next three years.

The November elections are shaping up to be something voters have never seen before, with challenges no one in the history of modern democracy has ever faced – not to mention the president being diagnosed with the very disease sweeping the nation and causing all of these challenges a month before the election.

Voters are struggling with early voting, mailin and absentee ballots while candidates are battling Zoom events, social-media outreach and fundraising calls, and that is on top of the most divisive political climate the country has seen in decades.

Politics is constantly changing, therefore the people immersed in it are forever adapting to newer and better ways of doing things. But this year the campaign process is dramatically different.

One of the most fundamental and expected changes is the increase in mail-in voting.

Supervisor of Elections Chris Anderson told News 6 Orlando that for the September primaries there was a 10,000 vote by mail increase from the 2016 primary election, meaning that the November elections will break every mail-in voting record in history, and the questions and rhetoric surrounding this has been heated.

For many, all interactions with candidates could be completely online, flipping the entire campaign process on its head.

In-person fundraisers and door-to-door canvassing have transformed into Zoom events, and an emphasis on social media outreach, with the number of campaign-related phone calls increasing.

One of the most common problems in the political process right now is the inability to connect with a potential voter over the phone.

Sharing personal anecdotes and relating to the community is a large part of the appeal for many politicians, especially in local elections. “(It was)very difficult for me. I am very, very much of a people person when it comes to campaigns,” Republican Lee Constantine, who is running for Seminole County Commissioner, said. “I like to shake hands, I like to pat people on the back.”

But many candidates used to the old school

methods and reaching their community in person struggled to find their feet. They could no longer host dozens of small fundraisers at homes and go to community gatherings, family-owned restaurants or coffee shops, so adapting to the more modern approach proved hard in the beginning. But many now claim to be finding their feet just in time for the election.

“Most of the time we contacted the individual citizen was through social media… using Facebook and the other media available to get the word out,” Constantine said. The ‘grass-roots’ campaigning of present day has adapted to include social media, zoom calls and fundraising only on a one-on-one phone call basis.

In an effort to overcome the necessary distance between candidates and voters, Democrat Pasha Baker, who is running for Florida House District 28, emphasized using all the resources she could.

“We used lots of different ideas and ways to campaign, more than we had ever before,” Baker said.

Republican David Smith, who will be facing Baker in November for District 28, has started to return to some in-person events, but says that a majority continue to be online. “[With] COVID restrictions on gatherings, we haven’t done many in person events. We have been able to do them virtually with zoom and meetings,” Smith said.

Baker and Smith both said that their teams had some, but not a lot of struggle switching completely virtual due to the fact that the message and true essence of their campaigns staying the same.

“Seminole County is evolving, the United States is evolving. We are evolving, we have to adapt to that,” Baker said.

Unlike Baker, who has chosen to stay completely virtual leading up to the primary, Smith has also paired his small in-person events with restarting door-to-door canvassing, but says it is “not going as good (as 2018),” and he has less contact points than previous years.

No matter how it gets done, voter outreach is guaranteed to be completely different than before. Voter turnout and how people vote will be closely watched in November and the outcomes of all elections, national or local.

And using the more digital approach will be sure to impact how campaigns are run for years to come.

Integration of the methods used right now to reach voters will most likely be added to usual campaigning once things return to normal.

OCT

The National Honor Society will be holding a food drive on Oct. 10 and 17. NHS officers will be there to collect food, and students will be able to drop off different food items from noon to 2 p.m. Food items will be donated to the HOPE foundation.

CHANGES TO CONNECT

Starting on Monday, Oct. 12, Seminole Connect students will be required to turn on their webcams for class. If students do not have a camera on their device, they will have to use their phone webcam in order to join class. Failure to comply with such principles will lead to the student being marked absent from class for that day.

SAT SCHOOL DAY On Wednesday, Oct. 14, seniors

will take the free SAT provided by the school. The bell schedule has changed from a black block day to a silver (seven period) day.

Students that are hybrid will be allowed to attend their face-to-face classes through Seminole Connect without any penalty.

PUMPKIN PATCH

Throughout the month of October, the lacrosse team will be hosting a pumpkin patch. Pumpkins of all different shapes, colors and sizes are up for sale. They can be purchased on weekdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and all of the proceeds will go toward any expenses for the lacrosse season. The last day to buy pumpkins will be Oct. 31.

NEWS BRIEFS ‘

SIGNING UP Signs belonging to various Seminole Country campaigns decorate the streets of Oviedo. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. photo by Peyton Sutch

OCT 14

NHS FOOD DRIVE

@hagertyjourn TikTok goes viral

A TikTok posted by the yearbook staff on Sept. 17 reached 220,400 likes and 1.5 million views. The Tikok was intended to show students how to submit pictures to the yearbook through Snap, a photo app, but the video reached well beyond Hagerty. TikTok users viewed the video and submitted random pictures to the staff.

The Hagerty Journalism account, @hagertyjourn, has skyrocketed from 100 followers to over 2,000 followers within a week. People from across the country commented on the post. “I’m buying one [senior ad],” TikTok influencer Chase Rutherford commented.

Second quarter changes made

After a quarter full of surprises and uncertainties, schooling options have been released for the second quarter. Connect students had to choose if they wanted to change in mid-September. The hybrid option has been removed for students who did not initially pick it.

Seminole Connect and Seminole County Virtual School students had two options: returning to campus or staying virtual. Additionally, in-person students cannot opt into online learning. According to Wesh 2 News, over half of the students who returned their surveys will remain remote. Class sizes will be limited to 25 instead of 20.

Homecoming postponed

Principal Robert Frasca decided to postpone homecoming week and the homecoming dance to early winter, to either January or February. Although no definite schooling decisions in regards to the second semester have been made, Frasca expects all students to be able to return to their normal, in-person activities. “Our current plan is to have a traditional homecoming week during the basketball season,” Frasca said. Currently, no information is available on what precautions will be put in place, such as face masks or social distancing. Homecoming might be held outdoors.

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opinions DRAWN OUT The future of the SCPS plastic dividers

OUR TAKE

Learn to navigate sensitive conversations with friends and family

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re cats better than dogs? Is water wet? These two questions draw out the passion in many, evoking a surprising level of emotion even among the quietest of people. When it comes to the tougher conversations, these can be a little bit less comedic and fun, and more of a minefield.

During elementary and middle school, few of us could memorize all 50 states, let alone understand the intricate politics of the election process. Yet, in high school, an environment for personal growth and a transition into adulthood, many have been able to learn about in depth history and government in school, research world events, and even dish out those underhanded Thanksgiving dinner jabs at your least favorite uncle.

The current political climate, the state of the environment and the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked much fiery debate that goes beyond the scale of tame holiday roasts or friendly conversations. With flashy bumper stickers on every car you drive by, reports of red skies and new coronavirus cases daily, some want nothing more but to hide under a blanket and wait until this is all over.

However, it is important to continue to have these conversations. By dismissing ongoing events, it divides us further, stopping us from hearing the ideas of those around us. Invite your friends and family to a serious discussion, and engage with others on social media and online forums such as Reddit. This is what drives life-changing legislation and politics, which affects us all.

Of course, with some discussions evolving into fullblown battles, it can get tiring. It is important to know when a discussion between differing views turns into an argument and when you should walk away. Bickering will solve nothing and only creates unnecessary tension and conflict.

When a civil conversation escalates to yelling and insults, take a break and reconvene once everyone has calmed down. This is not to completely disregard mental health. By avoiding one-sided Internet forums and people that tend to get heated, you are better able to focus on the matter at hand.

There will also be people who are uncomfortable talking about certain issues or topics and would rather not participate.

This is okay too. By sitting down and patiently listening to those who want to talk, these exchanges can be fulfilling and educational experience.

Aside from online pages and communities, partaking in serious dialogue can be difficult with close friends and family. Having opposing views makes interactions more tense; while you want to talk about important and difficult subjects, you do not want to alienate someone. Be sure to have respect with anyone you are talking to, and listen rather than imposing your own views. The goal is not to educate; it is to be educated. Be open-minded and ready to learn; by doing this, people will focus more on the discussion and what can be said, rather than thinking about their next comeback.

The same can be said for discussions outside of politics.

Whether you are trying to end a serious relationship or disputing a poor grade on a test, being respectful and listening will go a long way.

the

blueprint Hagerty High School 3225 Lockwood Blvd.

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

by Alexis Madlang

Let’s get reConnected with Connect Sharika Khondaker

R

News Editor

olling out of bed five minutes before class, still tired, not worrying about the fact that you are still in your pajamas, you lazily walk to your laptop to begin the first day of online school. You don’t think it’s going to be that bad, but as soon as the WebEx call begins, you are met with the booming voice of your teacher mixed in with heavy background noise piercing your ears. That is one way to wake up.

This is life as a Seminole Connect student. By no means is everything perfect in 2020, as everyone is constantly adapting to audio quality and connection issues for both teachers and students, and there are still problems even after a quarter of being back in school. While life on Seminole Connect may not ever feel like normal, there are viable ways to make it a better experience.

According to digital learning specialist Lindsey Jackson, families and students had to take responsibility for learning the new system and be attentive during class. But even finding a quiet learning space to work and pay attention during class may not help, as most issues come from the other side of the screen.

The major problem is the lack of communication. Audio quality issues make it extremely difficult for Seminole Connect students to figure out what is happening in class. It makes it hard to focus on school, and when not texting group chats with other Connect students asking about what just happened, students stare blankly at the screen trying to decipher the teacher’s words. The audio is either too quiet or too loud and includes a lot of background noise. It detracts from the learning experience.

Coupled with feeling left out as the teacher focuses on the faceto-face students, students are in for an interesting class—one that ends in students feeling like they are watching a live stream of class, not actually able to communicate, leaving them confused.

Instead of being restricted to the space next to their laptop, technology can assist teachers in helping it feel “normal.”

Administration has given teachers wireless microphones and cameras to help close the gap with Connect students. This is a good start, but even with headsets, students have trouble hearing the rest of the class, especially during a discussion.

Editor-in-Chief Zoey Young The BluePrint is a student-produced newspaper in Print Editor which the student editors make allLukas content decisions.

Goodwin The newspaper belongs to the Columbia Scholastic Online EditorPress Association, the National Scholastic Press Association Charlotte Mansur 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.

Face-to-face students can hear the Connect students, but Connect students are not able to hear the face-to-face students. In some classes, teachers have bought their own equipment to help bridge this gap. In journalism classes, a conference microphone, which can pick up a wide range of voices from various distances, was bought to make the experience better. If more teachers invested in this, it would help make the Connect students feel like they are truly connected to the rest of the class.

In addition to audio problems, many Seminole Connect students have found issues with the mic and camera requirements during class. Students are over-reliant on the chatbox feature in WebEx, due to the inability to turn their cameras or mics on. This can be frustrating, as teachers are not always available to read every message. To help alleviate this problem without constantly checking up on Connect students, teachers can move the chatbox from WebEx over to their second screen on the whiteboard by using the floating panel view. Even if they can not see the chat while they are talking, students in the classroom will see what is happening and notify the teacher of the Connect students’ needs.

Connect students can also help make the experience better from their end. Making group chats with other people in the same class as you can help make sure everyone is on the same page and simulate the social environment of class. And when teachers mess up in class, students should unmute their microphones and let their teachers know that there is a problem on their end.

Though there are severe issues with the system now, administration is providing resources. Equipment like computers, iPads and webcams are provided to teachers, and the technology department created videos on how to navigate the different learning platforms and training for effective online lessons.

Given the unprecedented times, Jackson believes that everyone needs to be open to learning in a completely different fashion from previous years. While a classroom environment cannot be brought to the home, everyone is in this together.

Being understanding of the other side is important, but learning is everyone’s top priority. Though learning through a screen may seem like a foreign concept, there are ways to make it more engaging for students at home and narrow the gap between online and in-person students.

Editor-in-Chief Zoey Young Print Editor Lukas Goodwin

News Editor Sharika Khondaker

Sports Editor Hayden Turner

Lifestyles Editor Alexis Madlang

Politics Editor Laura Shaw

Online Editor Charlotte Mansur

Opinions Editor Sophie Woodburn

Photo Editor Peyton Sutch

Staff Reporters Skyler Glenn Bethany Barker Gabriella Herrera Chanson Cadet Julia Sumpter Karson Cuozzo Matthew Dearolph

Social Media Editor Andrea Izaguirre Adviser Brit Taylor

Principal Robert Frasca

opinions

5

A few bad apples can ruin the basket Looking for romance?

Bethany Barker

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Staff Reporter

hen done right, love triangles are a tug-of-war of the heart. The exploration of two relationships is an ambitious feat, but unfortunately when the members of the triangle are less interesting than the characters outside of it, the story falls flat. “Fruits Basket” is a victim of weak characters, and in a romance where the interactions between characters makes the story, weak characters destroy it.

The 2019 remake of the romance anime “Fruits Basket” follows 16-year-old Tohru Honda struggling to live on her own when she meets two brothers: the elegant Yuki Soma and the charming Shigure Soma. As Tohru’s life falls apart due to family issues, she is taken in by the Soma brothers to act as a live-in maid: cooking and cleaning. Only after Tohru moves in does a third Soma boy appear, the fiery Kyo Soma. In a fight between Kyo and Yuki, Tohru uncovers the secret of the Soma family: that they turn into Zodiac animals when hugged by the opposite gender.

“Fruits Basket” is a story reliant on character interaction between Tohru and a large cast of characters. The problem with this structure is that Tohru is an uninteresting and predictable main character. Tohru meets new characters and conflicts, but she behaves the same way in each episode: painfully apologetic and “perfect.” Every character

“Toraadora!” is a fun cute anime with relatable characters, and has a simple plot that’s easy to get into.

“Ouran High School Host Club” is a funny romatic anime, with lots of fun charcters and love interests/stories.

“Your Lie in April” is a well-filmed anime with a deep, emotionally moving story about two musical prodigies.

loves her, and if they don’t, they will by the end of the episode. It is infuriating to watch a character undeserving of others’ admiration still receive it.

Emotional scenes are a staple for this anime. However, these scenes often lack the impact they aim to achieve. Tohru is shown to endure tragic events back to back, lacking a father figure and mourning the death of her mother, but the audience is never shown the genuine impact of these events. The same applies for other main characters, like Yuki’s broken relationship with his mother.

It is underwhelming to be presented a tragic scenario but for it to rarely shine through in the behavior of the characters. These stories are only sob stories that have no bearing on their character.

The technical side of “Fruits Basket” can be nice to look at. More often than not, though, the scenes and characters are average. The style reflects that of most slice-of-life romance anime. The scenes and main characters are not memorable. Character designs are hit or miss, with most of the ambitious designs being side characters. It is underwhelming when put next to visually unique and ambitious animes that break the boundaries of animation and utilize the medium to its fullest potential.

This anime may be enjoyable for a viewer who wants to turn their brain off and look at 2-D eye-candy, but beyond that it has no depth for an audience looking for content that stands out from any other anime.

Disney makes a remake out of you Gabriella Herrera

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Staff Reporter

Barking Mad 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.

“The school doesn’t inform the kids who do virtual or Connect classes about events and important dates.

I wasn’t aware of the new exam schedule until a friend told me.”

-Rae Fitzgerald, 12 “At the beginning of the school year they said there were four entrances but now there’s only two.”

-Sammi Marino, 12 “Many teachers don’t accept late work, especially in AP classes and even if I email them or have issues submitting.”

-Judd Brock-Edgar, 12

from being exceptional. Several scenes were not nearly as interesting as before, such as the training scenes.

Mulan’s own self-contemplation didn’t feel quite as profound as it did in the original, especially with the lack of “Reflection.” Though it makes sense for them to have taken the songs out, they really underestimated how the music helps to move the story and tone along. That said, it was still fun whenever you’d hear instrumental versions of each song in the backgrounds of scenes.

Comparing this movie to its superior predecessor is no competition, (no one can compare to the original Shang) though it certainly stands on its own. It is easy to understand, however, why few were willing to pay the $30 for it. If this were a $10 movie ticket, it would be a fun watch, but unfortunately unless you have a family of six “Mulan” is simply not worth that much money.

“I hate the fact that school starts very early in the morning, even with Connect.”

-Ian Strykowski, 9 “The amount of homework every night definitely increased this year.”

-Tiffany Odimegwu, 10 “The dress code seems to be directed towards girls.”

-Lily Ives, 11 “I think we need more time in between classes. Sometimes it seems super rushed.”

-Roshna Cherugail, 12

Illustration by Noah Larson

fter years of creating successful live-action remake after live-action remake, Disney may have finally met their match in the box office. Despite being one of the best Disney live-action remakes so far, “Mulan” could be the first to fail due to its inability to play in most theaters.

With campaigns to boycott this movie on social media and a poor performance in ticket sales, many have written this movie off.

However, “Mulan” is still a decent and bold movie with exciting new character dynamics and exceptional cinematography.

Easily one of the best parts of this movie was its beautiful cinematography. Many shots were gorgeous and filled with beautiful scenery and historically-accurate props and costumes. The real highlight, however, is the interesting spinning-camera shots they used during fight scenes to show different angles and perspectives. It really made the movie stand out from the first action scene to the last.

There are quite a few new characters in this movie that were not in its 1998 animated predecessor, such as Xianniang (Gong Li), Bori Khan (Jason Scott Lee) and Chen Houghui (Yoson An). Though Bori Khan was a pretty bland and unoriginal bad guy, and Houghui was a knock-off version of Shang, both Xianniang and Mulan’s father Hua Zhou (Tzi Ma) brought different dynamics to Mulan’s (Liu Yifei) story that were not in the original.

Xianniang and Mulan share many similarities in their characters and ambitions that they work as direct foils to each other.

Xianniang is a witch who has suffered from social exclusion due to her refusal to fit into the social norm for women, much like Mulan, and shows her who she could become. Hua Zhou, while being in the original movie, benefits from the remake as his character’s interactions with Mulan are more complex and demonstrate more of the struggles Mulan had to deal with in a period where many women had little free will.

While “Mulan” is clearly a decent remake, there are still a few flaws that keep the movie

CHAR-CASM

Parking lots: the ultimate stay-cations

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Charlotte Mansur

ince the first day I drove to school, and every day since then, I have parked in the front row of the red parking lot in the tenth spot left of the main entrance. I used to arrive at the dark lot every morning at 6:15 a.m. to secure my place, until I recently found myself without a first period and have had to settle for a subpar spot in the middle rows. While I thought not having to wake up at the crack of dawn was a blessing, I find myself missing my time spent in the parking lot.

For starters, the people-watching is fantastic. You would think that the best action is in the front rows, but almost all the dumb stuff happens in the back because students think no one can see them.

Arguments, breakups, almost-accidents and shady activity, where students exchange homework answers, can all be seen from the comforts of your car. Sometimes you will even get to witness the early stages of a breakup or a meltdown over a final project.

It’s like watching a melodramatic soap opera without having to invest in cable.

Just watching the traffic around you is entertaining enough. I’ve seen people get pulled over, I’ve seen middle fingers thrown and I’ve even seen someone get rear-ended.

It is enough to make you want to arrive an hour early just to ensure you don’t end up with a freshman-sized dent in your car.

Another great thing about sitting in the lot is the ability to get homework done. It sounds nerdy, but it allows you to procrastinate. Forget about waiting until the night before the assignment is due; now you can panic in your car 20 minutes before class. The car is a pressure cooker for homework. There are no distractions, so all you can do is crank the radio and pray you will get your work done in time.

For those of you who actually manage your time wisely, the car is a great place to sleep, too. When I don’t have any work to do and the people-watching is stale, I grab my blanket, turn on my heated seat and take a nap. Some might consider this risky business, but the school bell provides a natural alarm clock that has not let me down so far.

The parking lot is underappreciated amd understimated, and cars flock in at 7:10 a.m. without realizing what they are missing. So if the white Toyota that pulls into my spot every other morning is reading this, treat her well, and be sure to flip off the white Maserati for me.

“The school’s Chinese noodles make me sick.”

-Micheal Rygh, 12 “School starts very early.”

-Devin Abo, 11 “I wish the school made better use of the IDs because they’re kind of useless at the moment.”

-Billy Bohan, 11 “The bathroom doors need locks.”

-Kelly Krawczyk, 11 “No social distancing.”

-Raad Majed, 11

“School was better for me back when it was distance learning, last year, versus the Connect format.”

-Andy Ayup, 11 “It’s annoying how some parents drop off their kids in student parking. There is a carline.”

-Charissa Thompson, 11 “The regular bell schedule is bad. I always almost fall asleep regardless of how long I slept.”

-Jazmin Simpson, 10 “There are no assigned parking spots.”

-Ella Smith, 12

It cancels out

The modern phenomena of “cancel culture” has proven to be a constant source of debate Andrea Izaguirre Social Media Editor

Taking a public stance on just about anything comes with the possibility of disagreement and controversy; the development of certain community responses, both online and in real life, has cultivated the widely misconstrued concept of “cancel culture.” Intended to hold those with public influence accountable in terms of human decency, for some cancel culture has developed into what is now a socially acceptable platform from which to silence and persecute those whom the masses deem as “wrong.” Everyday students, celebrities and strangers face the possibility of getting wrapped up in the wrong crowd and being effectively “canceled”, something that holds the potential to affect every aspect of their lives, on campus and online.

Sophomore Raylee Simmons experienced a taste of cancel culture when she posted a vacation picture posing with a Donald Trump floatie on her personal Instagram with the caption “me and my man #trump2020” on Aug. 29. Due to the backlash, Simmons was forced to turn off her comment section.

“I expected people to have different opinions but I never expected to be getting threats,” Simmons said. “I was very surprised how little respect some people have for others… [the comments] included a lot of profanity as well as physical threats.”

Affected students feel that there are no benefits to cancel culture, rather it discourages conversation. Junior Blake Watts says cancel culture does nothing but instill the concept of “guilty until proven innocent,” and finds that many are unwilling to learn from others.

“We are morally obligated to let [others] voice their own opinions. The fact that [people] can’t even have a civil discourse without someone wanting to either punch you in the face, walk away or block you on social media is just beyond me,” Watts said. “I’ve found myself being actively silenced simply because my political opinions didn’t fit the status quo.”

Despite the controversy surrounding cancel culture, there are students who stand by its “original” intent.

Junior Olivia Tulloch agrees with this premise on an individualized scale. At times where she felt that her morals were compromised by her continued relation to the problematic person involved, she removed herself from the equation.

“I have purposely stopped listening to artists, being friends with certain people [and] supporting creators because of their lack of morals,” Tulloch said.

Tulloch has unfollowed celebrities like Kanye West, Tory Lanez and Lil Wayne along with ending personal relationships with certain friends and family. All three figures have had controversy in the past surrounding “disparaging remarks” against black women.

“I simply can’t support anyone who vilifies my own people,” Tulloch said. “If those three men have the right to voice those comments, I have the right to not support them.”

Aside from major figures, Tulloch has

refrained from publicly shaming or rejecting individuals that go against her personal views as she does not agree with the concept of collectively canceling someone.

“I would never push [my] views on anyone else, I simply stick with what feels right for me,” Tulloch said. “On that same note, I won’t support anyone associated with predatory behavior, violence, racism, homophobia [or] sexism and I’d obviously encourage others to do the same.”

Similarly, senior Izzy Pacheco has personally “unsubscribed or unfollowed” peers and celebrities whose behavior does not align with her views, but sees benefits in collective cancelling.

“The fear of saying something bad should be there because it prevents further cancelations,” Pacheco said. “[However] we need to do better in ensuring that if canceling someone, it stays constructive and educational.”

Most agree that while the intent served to better relations in the face of controversy, the concept has been widely manipulated past the point of personal morality. “[Conceptually] it’s great, but the idea is just being abused at this point,” said senior Caleb Touchstone. “I think people should try to figure out the whole situation before disrespecting someone’s name.

Anyone who partakes should look at themselves first before becoming the ‘judge and jury’ for everyone else.”

As an individual with an edgy sense of humor, Touchstone is familiar with the fickleness of cancel culture.

“There have been a few times I’ve joked around and trashed someone’s name right after a public accusation is made only to learn the truth about them shortly after and regret it,” Touchstone said.

With the internet foaming at the mouth to take down the next unfortunate celebrity or classmate with a controversial past or

opinion, it is up to each individual to decide whether cancel culture is still worth participating in either individually or collectively or whether the trend has simply gone past the point of reconciliation.

“My situation was definitely taken way out of hand,” Simmons said. “[All] because I have a different opinion.”

While some students strongly reject the concept,

“Originally I believe it was supposed to be a way to stop the spread of radical ideas, ideas but now it’s found it’s way into most conversations.”

Junior Blake Watts

Perhaps the most public example of toxic collective cancellation, in 2019 James Charles lost a total of 3 million YouTube subscribers in less than three days over a conflict with fellow beauty YouTuber Tati Westbrook.

“others firmly believe in the original intent behind the movement.

- This not only broke the world record for most subscribers lost in such a window, but gave way to the popularization of the term “cancel culture.”

- Having regained public favor, Charles’ platforms no longer reflect any consequences from this cancellation.

-CNN Entertainment

“Defending someone who definitely deserves backlash is a red flag,” flag Senior Izzy Pacheco

Kanye West

From his latest presidential bid scandal to urinating on a Grammy, Kanye West, while arguably one of the 21st Century’s most influential rappers and business moguls, has been the center of public controversy for over a decade.

Some examples of past behavior resulting in “cancellations” include: - Claims that Harriet Tubman “never freed” anybody.

- ” Yo Taylor, I’m really happy for you, Imma let you finish but Beyonce had one of the best music videos of all time.” - West, VMAs 2009.

-CNN Entertainment

“most targets of cancel culture are singled out based on misunderstandings and harmless jokes,” seNior Caleb Touchstone

From students to celebrities, everyone has been exposed to the social construct of “cancel culture” design by Zoey Young and Andrea Izaguirre, illustration by Emily Patterson

For the culture?

James Charles

8

Entertainment “Woke” (Hulu)

R E V I E W B O X

“Chemical Hearts” (Amazon Prime)

Released to Hulu on Sept. 9 was “Woke,” a binge worthy, thought-provoking comedy. Content with his life as an uncontroversial cartoonist, Keef Knight (Lamorne Morris) was on the verge of his big break when he was racially profiled by police officers. Suddenly able to hear objects speaking to him, Knight cannot shake off his experience.

Unable to handle this, Knight confronts casual racism in his former workplace and society while turning his life around. “Woke” is a charming series that confronts passivity while balancing humor and sincerity.

- Gabriella Herrera

Amazon Prime’s new drama “Chemical Hearts” misses the mark and leaves audiences wondering how they spent their last 90 minutes. “Chemical Hearts” is about senior Henry Page (Austin Abrams), who meets new student Grace Town (Lili Reinhart) when she joins the newspaper staff.

The movie is very slow, with the drama heavily packed in the end. “Chemical Hearts” missed an opportunity to go deeper into the minds of teenagers with a less direct reveal of the story’s message. For “Chemical Hearts,” it’s enough to see the trailer and not worth the entire watch.

“Nectar” by Joji

“The Sims 4: Journey to Batuu”

From the creator of hit song “SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK,” popular lo-fi artist George Miller (Joji) released his newest album, “Nectar,” on Sept. 25. As fans expected, a great deal of songs included on “Nectar” hit the mark, but not all. Some of Joji’s songs did not contain the originality of his previous work, conforming to the mainstream vibe that is constantly heard on the radio. On the other hand, listening to these new songs is like soaking in a giant pool of honey, with dance-worthy melodies.

- Sophie Woodburn

On Sept. 8, “The Sims 4 Star Wars: Journey to Batuu” came out. The new game pack allows the player to transport their sim to the “Star Wars” vacation world Batuu. The player can complete missions for any of those organizations and, as their reputation grows, gain access to new content and iconic characters like Kylo Ren and Rey. Despite the fact that the world is beautiful, it has boring gameplay, unusable clothing and the relative inability to use the game outside of Batuu made it incredibly disappointing.

On March 26, Netflix’s newest mini series “Unorthodox” was released, and it follows Esty Shapiro (Shira Haas), a Jewish woman who fled from an arranged marriage leaving Brooklyn, New York and ending up in Berlin, Germany.

Netflix failed to meet viewers’ expectations, and it is safe to say that it was a huge disappointment.

“Unorthodox” educates viewers about the religious practices throughout the series of the Jewish religion while Esty gripples with her new environment in Berlin.

Jan. 28, 1986 was an unforgettable day for the United States. Seven astronauts attempted to go into space on the Space Shuttle Challenger.

After only a minute into flight, the shuttle exploded, proving fatal for all on board. What truly occurred on this day has been a mystery to many Americans—until now. Released Sept.

16, this Netflix’s docuseries “Challenger: The Final Flight” gives insight as to what caused this tragedy and how it affected all future space travel, with an equal amount of data and feelings.

- Julia Sumpter

A real estate show with real problems

F

Assistant News Editor

rom “Property Brothers” to “Love It or List It,” real estate shows are incredibly popular. Viewers watch the shows for interior design inspiration, to learn the cost of renovations, or even just for entertainment.

Real estate programs feature many areas of the country—from quaint towns in Mississippi to busy cities like Los Angeles and New York.

Unlike its well-known predecessor “Selling Sunset,” reality series “Million Dollar Beach House” is a mediocre attempt to capture the challenges of being a real estate broker in a luxury housing market. It lacks any true substance.

The series was released Aug. 26 on Netflix, focusing on five realtors who work for Nest Seekers International. The show follows how the realtors perform their jobs, their personal affairs and the real estate market in the Hamptons.

The first episode shows potential, with a nice balance of real estate and drama, but as the series progresses, all hope is lost. By the second episode, the arguments become annoying and are no longer entertaining. The series is

- Gabriella Herrera

“Challenger: The Final Flight” (Netflix)

“Unorthodox” (Netflix)

Skyler Glenn

- Leah Leudman

extremely repetitive, making it a challenge to watch. Series such as “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” and “The Bachelor” are able to draw viewers in with diverse arguments and exciting plots, but “Million Dollar Beach House” fails to do so.

The real estate aspect of the show is drowned out by the petty arrogance of the realtors, who are an embarrassment to the real estate profession. The features of the homes are briefly mentioned, and then followed by 20 minutes of childish arguing—in front of potential buyers. It is disappointing to see brokers who work in a competitive market act so immature with millions of dollars on the line.

The arguments could have been solved with ease, but were dragged out to create “good” TV. It’s safe to assume that this show was staged, as are many reality shows.

Traditional and simple open houses are a great way for realtors to converse with buyers while giving them a tour. The realtors in “Million Dollar Beach House” spent upwards of $30k out of their own pockets to hold unnecessarily extravagant parties which served as their open houses.

They claimed that they needed to create an image to lure in buyers, and they did—an

image of privilege and wastefulness. Hundreds of people attended the parties, with only a few having serious interest in purchasing the houses. The realtors drink and get into intense arguments with one another, taking attention away from the house and attracting all of the attention to their nonsensical bickering. Many of the houses shown in the series are still up for sale, reflecting the realtors’ skill. It would be completely understandable for clients to refuse working with these crude realtors.

Despite the many problems in this show, there is an audience for it: reality TV fanatics.

For those who do not care about real estate and just want to see drama, this show will deliver.

It’s rich in pointless arguments and ignorant people, like most reality shows. The realtors are certainly cause for laughter; it’s interesting to watch how their thoughtless actions influence their peers and their job.

All in all, “Million Dollar Beach House” was a huge disappointment to real estate lovers, with a generally negative response from the community. With the unprofessionalism of the realtors and the time-consuming arguments, it is safe to say that this show decreases the legitimacy of real estate and casts a poor shadow on Netflix’s reality television game.

- Skyler Glenn

Other reality TV shows on Netflix The Circle “The Circle” is a reality TV show about contestants who live in the same building, but never meet.

They communicate though an app and compete for the best rating.

Selling Sunset

“Selling Sunset” is another real estate program that features realtors in the Los Angeles real estate market competing for deals, clients and money. Drama ensues when a new realtor joins the company.

Love on the Spectrum

“Love on the Spectrum” showcases seven adults on the autism spectrum who enter the dating pool, dealing with the reality of relationships, such as and intimacy.

9

Lifestyles

Getting her feet wet Senior Emma Canty creates and expands her own bathing suit company Hayden Turner

W

Sports Editor

hen senior Emma Canty and her older sister Lauren launched L&E Bikinis in August. The idea for the company came from her frustration at the lack of perfect-fitting bathing suits at an affordable price.

“I thought to myself, ‘If no one is going to sell me one at a reasonable price why don’t I just make them,” Canty said.

And that is exactly what she and her sister did. Last month, they split $700 in the cost of a sewing machine, materials, and other expenses to get the idea off the ground and try it out.

“My sister and I both love bikinis and have always wanted to start a bikini company, but we never had the time to actually take the risk and invest,” Lauren said.

Before getting started, Canty had to learn how to use the sewing machine.

“Before I thought, they probably just do a thing or two and send it off somewhere once it’s done, but once I started doing it I realized that it takes hours to make stuff,” Canty said.

The process was long, as Canty wanted to experiment the longevity and wear of her products before selling it. They made three bathing suits to test at the beach, lake, pool and even did some wake surfing to make sure the colors did not fade, the material did not wear away, and the straps did not tear.

“If we were going to start selling, we wanted to make sure that it was worth our time and we weren’t going to sell people some low end product,” Canty said. “People are always looking for a good quality bathing suit and we don’t want to rip people off.”

After the successful test period, they were able to start selling tops to friends in their area, but decided to take the business nationally. In their third week of production, they received orders from North Carolina and even Hawaii.

“I try to get these types of orders done as fast as possible because I know there is a shipping date that I cannot afford to miss,” Canty said. “We are trying to integrate that which is new for us because everyone was ordering locally before.”

When an order comes in, Canty attempts to finish a bikini in two to three days after the order is placed, since all orders are custom made, to maintain a personal touch for the brand.

“I try to make it as personalized as possible so the buyer knows that their money is going into something with people that actually care,” Canty said.

Customers can pick which color patterns they want and what type of cut from a variety of sizes for each piece with no additional charge, at a fraction of the prices that big-name companies sell for.

To get this information out for customers, Lauren created a company Instagram, @L.e_ bikinis, to post finished products to engage with customers by posting finished products on their feed, along with staying personalized by letting the customer know the status of their order in real time. They have also recently begun developing a website.

Even though her company is gaining trac-

tion with multiple orders, her ultimate goal is to get a scholarship to play college soccer, and to raise money through her business to attend medical school.

She wants to be an obstetrics and gynecology specialist to take care of newborns and their mothers.

She practices soccer, plays in sports games, and manages Top Dog Car Wash. Now she balances all of that with the creation of her new bathing suit company.

“The main goal is to get some side money for college, but if this really picks up and I feel like I can take it somewhere, then I might need to reconsider,” Canty said.

There are a lot of details that go into the economic side like any other business. She considers pricing for colors and patterns on the material, and determines whether or not to restock a certain color or style depending on the order history.

They also recently changed their prices from $15 to $20 due to the time and cost of labor and material.

“We have to keep monitoring our price margins and make sure they are good, and if not we might have to change some things,” Canty said.

Even though they are sisters, and this can sometimes come with a little bit of tension, they both found the middle ground to make this company successful.

“There can be some butting heads but we always find a way to compromise or talk about the situation and come to an agreement,” her sister Lauren said. “But we are a team when it comes to our company and it will not grow into what we pictured it to be if we are not a team.”

Illustration by Bethany Barker

SCAN THIS CODE Go check out a day in the life of Emma Canty!

COVID-19 with an extra-large order of fries Sophia Canabal

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Staff Reporter

hether someone’s running late and needs a quick meal, or whether they are simply craving a burger and fries, fast food restaurants have at one point had everyone’s back. People have cried in the Burger King parking lot and held memorable birthday parties in McDonald’s playplace. However, since the pandemic reached the US, fast food restaurants turned from a convenient pit stop to one of the riskiest places to eat.

The biggest conflict that students face at the drive-thru is whether or not to sacrifice caution for convenience. Students have been limited in the number of drive-thru orders they make since COVID-19’s reach increased.

“When we could go out we just didn’t want to anymore because it’s so much more of a pain to do that than it used to,” sophomore Sarah Hinnant said.

For her, sanitation overruled convenience, so fast food had to make an unfortunate exit during her quarantine experience.

However, some students feel that drivethrus are the next best alternative than going out, and have been taking advantage of them more The reve nu during COVID.. for drive e thru “We’ve been driving restaura nts through more since the has rise n by pandemic reached the 7% in 20 20 U.S. since we can’t go into restaurants,” said sophomore Gwenivere Shaw.

Shaw uses drive-thrus to her advantage and considers them a safe, low contact alternative to dining in. She represents a good portion of people within the U.S. whose consistent orders are keeping fast food franchises from going out of business.

According to a graph published by S.Lock on Statista, the revenue of drive-thru restaurants has risen by seven percent since 2019. However, the revenue for restaurants that don’t offer drive-thru services has done the opposite. Since 2019, they’ve experienced a seven percent decrease.

In regards to local restaurants, their lack of revenue has brought bankruptcy and closure for the majority of nonfranchised businesses. In Oviedo alone, restaurants such as Peppino’s Ristarante, Cafe Rio, and multiple stores within the Oviedo Mall have closed their doors permanently.

Major changes can be seen in how employees carry out their workday and how customers order and receive food. Sanitation stations, much like the ones in place at Hagerty, are common in every restaurant. Employees can be seen taking the time to put on gloves and change them between orders. Even customers, whether dining in or driving through, take precautions.

Sophomore Rylan Fitzgerald often orders fast food from home during family events. He and his family still find themselves taking safety measures despite never actually leaving.

“If they are still there when I answer [the door], I wear a mask. In fast food, I would wear a mask in the drive-thru or inside,” Fitzgerald said.

For many, ordering a diet-destroying order of fries at the closest quick-service restaurant means more than a quick pit stop in their busy schedule. Fast food restaurants are an easy way to spend time with family and friends. “ My sister and I don’t usually have the chance to spend time together because we both run on different schedules,” Hinnant said. “So whenever we go and get food together it’s always a good way to grow closer with each other and the rest of my

STAYING SANITIZED Sophomore Sarah Hinnant and her sister Amy Hinnant eati ice cream from Dairy Queen. The two do more drive-thru eating now this year because of COVID-19.

family.”

While spending the day at home or in quarantine becomes an increasingly common activity, students often find themselves recalling the good times in which they could enter buildings care-free and mask-less.

“One time, at Chick-fil-A, my mom, my sister, and I went in, and my sister was wearing a princess dress,” Shaw recalls.

“The cashier thought it was cute and ended up giving her a meal for free”.

While everyone waits for the world to return to “normal,” students have had to adapt to new risks and challenges they have to face every day. The pandemic has allowed uncertainty and caution to rule every student’s mind with an iron fist, and it’s affected everything from socializing with friends to where they’ll eat their next meal.

10

A race for revolution As a progressive movement sweeps the nation, Seminole County tackles racism locally Lukas Goodwin

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Print Editor

America and a moment of silence was held.

This was followed by a walk to City Hall and back, before more speakers wrapped up the day.

Senior Emily Taylor attended the event, and she appreciated not just the thorough organization of the event, but also the sentiment

n June 13, a small group of college students rounded together the voices of Oviedo to march for the Black Lives Matter movement that took the nation by storm following the murder of George Floyd. When UCF “Black Lives Matter supporters... and people that senior Tania Sims, the face of BLM don’t support [it] are going to see us. Everyone is Oviedo which would become known as Ready Set Reform, turned to face going to see us because that is what has to happen.”

Tania Sims, 12 the waves of protest attendees as they advanced to the police station down Alexandria Boulevard, she behind it.

“Oviedo has a long history of silencing was struck by the overwhelming number of allies rallied behind Black voices and minorities, so I was happy to see a change,” Taylor said. her.

Others were less enthused about the “I just felt like, ‘Wow, all these people are here in support way the protest was run. Due to Black Lives and [solidarity] of a movement Matter’s history of opposition to the law about me, about my father, my enforcement system, some did not like that the brother, my sister, my family, group’s efforts to keep things orderly entailed people that look like me,’” communications with the Oviedo city manager Sims said. “It was a very proud and police department. Black Lives Matter carries a long record of controversy, between moment.”

Black Lives Matter is an debates over the of law enforcement and ongoing social justice movement whether it excludes other races, so backlash that gained publicity in 2013 in was anticipated.

Sims, however, affirms that “successful defense of African Americans, and against racial violence protesting is going to be planned out.” She and and prejudice. However, after the other members of BLM Oviedo worked for the death of George Floyd in weeks preceding the event to ensure everything May, and the ensuing deaths of panned out smoothly.

Many will attest to the mass approval the countless others, the pressing issue of police brutality brought Black Lives Matter movement has received itself to the forefront of American all over Central Florida. Outside of Oviedo, several protests were held across Orlando and minds once more.

As many protests were led in surrounding areas for the entirety of June. nationwide, Sims and her friends Senior Bella Wright went to one near UCF felt inspired to do the same in on June 9, will “100 percent” attend future Oviedo. While Sims believes that protests.

Although the rise in protests over the the population of a neighboring UCF is considerably diverse, she still summer has since died down, those who have stresses the need for a predominantly backed the movement still continue to through white Oviedo to “[embrace] diversity.” other means. Sims’ group rebranded to Ready With the help of university Set Reform after the march, and they are in the process of becoming students Kim Ariza, Natalia “Oviedo has a long history of silencing Black voices a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Their goal Alvarez, Paula R o d r i g u e z and minorities, so I was happy to see a change.” is to work alongside elected officials to Emily Taylor, 12 and Leeann reach out to the Black Fi g u e r o a , Sims launched the march at community.

Sims claims that there is more to activism Oviedo on the Park, garnering a crowd of roughly 500 than just protests. Even for those who cannot supporters, under the be as vocal, she encourages involvement title BLM Oviedo. The in politics on all scales, engagement in the itinerary consisted of a community and education on systemic racism.

However, she still believes that protesting congregation at the amphitheater, where is an attention-grabbing method that works a few people spoke well for movements such as this, and avidly their thoughts defends Ready Set Reform’s decision to lead on racism in the march. When planning where to stage the march, the group had to fight city officials to set it at a more public location in Oviedo on the Park, rather than down Oviedo Boulevard.

“Yes, we want it organized, and yes, we want it safe, but you’re going to see us,” Sims said. “Black Lives Matter supporters are going to see us and people that don’t support [it] are going to see us. Everyone is going to see us because that is what has to happen.”

Lifestyles CHAY’S CLOSET Sweater Vests: The sweaty sister to muscle tees Chanson Cadet

T

his past summer’s fashion was less than ideal. People were confined to their homes and the bar for what was acceptable to wear was lowered. Most people wore the same set of pajamas for days at a time, but the worst of the worst wore muscle tees in place of regular shirts. These monsters should have been stopped when the weather became too cool to excuse the horrible fashion choice but instead, they adapted to make a warmer version and worst trend of 2020: sweater vests.

Sweater vests were at their peak popularity back in the ‘90s, and frankly they should have stayed there. They are exactly as they sound, a knitwear sweater with the sleeves cut off.

Typically, when thinking about who would wear a sweater vest, professors, Englishmen and kids named Ronald come to mind. For the past year, menswear has been exceedingly popular, which was reflected in the blazer trend of fall 2019. However, pairing menswear with the thrifting phenomenon has led to people reviving this long-dead clothing item.

While it is true that celebrities like Harry Styles, Bella Hadid, and Emma Chamberlin are wearing the novelty piece, it does not mean it looks good. Celebrity influence over fashion is bearable to a point until the celebrities themselves look bad in what they wear. Sweater vests will just never be cool no matter who wears them.

The only plus side to sweater vests, is that they are pretty easy to find and relatively cheap at either the thrift store or in your dad’s closet. Thrifting itself is a great way to expand your closet ethically and on a budget, but at its core, they are called thrift stores for a reason: a place where you discard your unwanted items.

This trend would not be as terrifying if people were buying sweater vests that fit them and their body shape. The way sweaters are made, they already have an added bulk that other apparel lacks. No matter the person’s body shape,wearing a too loose or tight vest looks awkward. Either the armholes are cutting off your circulation or it looks like you needed extra space to air out your sweaty pits.

The most popular print of sweater vest is Argyle, a diamond pattern made up of various colors on a plain background, because of the academic aesthetic that is associated with it.

However, for those that love the print, they make regular sweaters featuring the pattern year-round. There is no need to spend over $50 on a thrifted argyle sweater vest from Depop that just looks like an extra bulky muscle tee. The world is already distraught enough without the unnecessary added terror of sweater vests.

SCAN THIS CODE

View a Pinterest board with sweater vests that will deter you from the trend.

sports

11

Girls volleyball back in Matthew Dearolph

O

Staff Reporter

n Tuesday, Sept. 29, the girls volleyball team defeated Lake Brantley 3-0 at home. Hagerty kept the lead in the first two sets scoring 25-18 and 25-13. But after falling behind in the third set, outside hitter Alina Carrillo helped the team rally by racking up points on her serves. The team went on to win the set 25-17.

“I knew that we were down, but I kept my cool and served consistently to keep my team in the game,” Carrillo said.

Carrillo led the team with 10 kills and outside hitter Brooke Stephens followed behind with 9 kills and 16 digs.

“It was a big win for us and we knew it was going to be a tough game,” setter Kyla Mullen said.

Head coach Juanita Hitt anticipated Lake Brantley’s starting outside hitters and practiced defending the outsides prior to the game. This allowed for the team to receive the ball and have better ball handling to return it. Mullen came in with the most ball handling attempts at 57 and led the team with 15, earning her player of the match.

“I wanted the team to be able to change defense mid-game making the other team focus on us so we could get the defensive point,” Hitt said.

On Wednesday, Sept. 30, the team beat Osceola for their fourth win in a row(25-23, 25-17, 25-23). Carrillo set a new school record during the game for most kills in a match with 21, a record previously held by 2020 graduate Sydney Conley at 20.

“It was great to break a school record,” Carrillo said. “I was able to exploit Timber Creeks open spots to get the kills.”

Before the match coach Hitt knew that Osceola had a setter with skill, and that they

BLACK BLUE &

DOMINANCE Setter Kyla Mullen (left), hitter Alina Carrillo (middle), and middle Chantal Clemens (right) in their games against Lake Brantley and Seminoles, dominating both teams 3-0. The team discusses strategy against Seminole (top right). Photos by Hayden Turner and Taylor Philpot

needed to take her out. The team played their hits to the setter so that Osceola couldn’t play a fast offense.

“The game was competitive and Osceola was one of the tougher teams we’ve faced, but we were able to finish the sets before Osceola could catch up,” hitter Madison Drewery said.

After losing five D1 commit starters last season, the team was not sure how the new

season would go.

“The players have come in this season with a great attitude and ready to play,” Hitt said, “With seniors like Madison Drewery leading by example and getting the younger team members hyped before a game.”

Coming towards the end of the season the team is 10-4. Carrillo leads the team with 133 kills and Mullen has the most assists at 177.

After finishing the regular season games versus West Orange and Oviedo the team will play Timber Creek at home on Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. for the district semifinals. Tickets can be purchased through Go Fan for $3 for students and $5 for parents.

“The team has had great players to great connections. It has really helped with our success on the court, ” Mullen said.

ATHLETE OF THE ISSUE who

Ethan Lopez

team

Football

date

Sept. 25

what

Two touchdowns against Lake Howell

where

Lake Howell High School On Friday, Sept. 25. running back Ethan Lopez scored all 14 points for the Huskies in their win against Lake Howell. Lopez first scored two minutes into the first quarter from the five-yard line. The Silverhawks started coming back soon after and made the score 6-3, until the third quarter when Lopez scored again. He scored on a 52-yard run and made the two point conversion for the final score, 14-3.

“It was nice to move the ball together then punch it in the end zone,” Lopez said. Lopez is the leading rusher on the 1-2 football team.

sports

12

Football falls to 1-2 after Winter Park loss Karson Cuozzo

G

Staff Reporter

oing into the game on Friday night against Winter Park, the football team was 1-1 on their season. The first game was an upsetting 42-3 loss to Timber Creek, followed up with a 14-3 win over Lake Howell.

During the game against Winter Park, the team wanted to stick to a certain strategy. running back Ethan Lopez feels that the simplicity of the plan was necessary.

“The angle of attack against Winter Park was to just hold the ball, score, get the ball back and try to hold it for as long as possible,” Lopez said.

Winter Park won 44-3 after pulling away in the second half. Despite the end score, quarterback Anthony Benzija felt confident in the team’s performance.

“I felt that we did a good job throughout the whole game,” Benzija said. “Winter Park had a lot of speed on their team and they started to burn us towards the end of the game.”

Even though the team lost by a lot, they played well in the first half.

“I know the score doesn’t indicate that, but they were [only] up 15 at halftime, and we stuck to our game plan,” head coach Steven Mikles said.

The season highlight so far was against Lake Howell. “We played as a whole and our communication was really good that game” wide receiver/corner Jeremy Fredrick said.

Going into the start of the season, players were ready to be back, as they were especially looking forward to practice with new coaches.

Usually the spring season is a mini season

of four weeks of practice that ends with one spring game, but not this season.

But even without the official spring season, the team was able to stay in shape and still keep their skills sharp over the summer with conditioning practices and personal training activities. The players feel that they are gelling, and everyone is starting to work as a team better.

Before COVID-19, the program had experienced many changes within this past year. They gained three new coaches, and had to adjust to new styles.

“Our new coaches mean business and they teach and show us more drills and plays during practice,” Lopez said.

In addition, they also have had to adjust to new protocols. These include the cancellation of game-day pep rallies.

“I miss all the pep rallies and other game day activities throughout the school day before game time,” Fredrick said. “I miss looking over at the stands and seeing how packed they were.”

The team has adjusted to these new rules, but with only one win, it is hard to stay focused.

However, they have stayed positive.

“We played pretty well considering that the kids really don’t know what to expect from me, and I don’t know what to expect from them,” Mikles said.

There are still more games left to play, and the team is confident that they will be able to create a win streak.

“We played two very difficult teams in the first three games,” Milkes said. “But with these next three games, these teams are more on our level, so we expect some good things.”

SPORT SHORTS Girls team swims back in motion

The girls swim team came in 15th place at the Patriot Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 26. Senior Gina DiLulio came in 14th place in the 200 individual medley, and 12th place in the 100 backstroke. The 200 free relay team was made up of DiLulio, junior Emma Bloomquist, sophomore Samatha Galiano and junior Chloe Vardy. The team came in 14th place, which led to an overall place 15th out of 16 teams.

“We were the smallest team out of all the teams there, and I think we did a pretty good job,” Bloomquist said.

Boys golf takes first at tri-match

The boys golf team faced Lyman and Lake Howell in a trimatch win at Casselberry Golf Club on Thursday, Oct. 1, led by senior Charles Nguyen (31), junior Ethan Sweat (38), and freshman Carson Turner (39), led the Huskies. Hagerty won the meet with a team score of 149, with Lyman in second at 158 and Lake Howell in third at 167. “The team played very well, we were getting absolutely cranked around the course,” Sweat said. This brings their regular season record to 5-2, and 5-1 in conference play.

Slowpitch softball 5-1 on season

The slowpitch softball team split the doubleheader on Wednesday, Sept. 30. The team beat Lake Mary 6-4, but lost 6-1 to Lyman. Left fielder Mackenzie Hawk threw a runner out at home plate from left field in the second inning to keep Lyman from scoring. Second baseman Lindsey Engel and shortstop Addison Orr both turned double plays in the third inning. The slowpitch team is now 5-1 on their season. “We played really well in our first game, we just weren’t hitting during the second game,” Hawk said.

ON THE RUN Quarterback Anthony Benzija hands the ball to running back Antwone Felix. The team lost to Winter Park, ranked 13 in Central Florida, last Friday, 44-3. photo by Sharon Sheridan

Cross country hosts Invitational Alexis Madlang

T

Lifestyles Editor

he cross country team hosted the Hagerty Invitational on Saturday, Sept.

26. Each team ran in the 5k course on the school’s campus, and the boys team took second while the girls finished fifth.

Sophomore Brayden Seymour, the top runner for the boys, placed third with a time of 17:03, followed by senior Lukas Schoenfeld in sixth with a time of 17:20. The top female runners were Isabella Skidmore in 19th place with a 21:28 time, and senior Käthe WilkenYoder in 26th place at 21:59.

The fifth place finish was a step in the right direction for the girls team, who had felt uncertain about the season before Saturday’s meet.

“My goal for today’s race was just to get back to where the girls team was last season,” junior Charissa Thompson said. “We are now back in our groove and it feels so good.”

For Schoenfeld, the most difficult part of the race was the start. He had to remember that a lot of the people who sprint to the front end up losing energy after a while.

“Although you might be in 30th place at the start, if you don’t waste your energy by sprinting the start, you will be able to slowly make your way in front of people,” Schoenfeld said. “The key to a good performance is preventing the time it takes for you to run each mile to not vary too much.”

Schoenfeld said that the course is more challenging due to the amount of turns.

Typically, courses are only one lap, but the course at Hagerty is three laps, which he said helped him control his speed and make sure he

had enough energy to finish the race.

“I feel great about my performance. I got a personal best and I’m hoping to go even faster in future meets, but I know I’m going to have to work hard in practice in order to do that,” Schoenfeld said.

Racers work in groups during practice, but must also work on individual skills that need improvement.

Runners face challenges such as fatigue and soreness, yet racers like junior Reagan Eastlick believe that the challenges extend beyond physical pain.

“Cross country is a mental sport, and I always know I need to keep my head clear and priorities straight,” Eastlick said.

Wilken-Yoder harnesses the mental aspect of running in a unique way to help her compete to her best ability. She relies on music to clear her mind before races.

“Before the race I try to have a clear mind and not think about anything.” Wilken-Yoder said. “During the race I try to pick a song and sing one section of the lyrics in my mind to keep my head clear of other thoughts and focus solely on running.”

Although the team is pleased with their results, they want to focus on the workouts in the next couple of weeks and let their work show through their results during their next meets.

Hagerty placed second overall. After the Deland Invitational on Oct. 2, their next event is Oct. 10 at the Lake Mary Invitational.

“That’s the fire that keeps everything going,” Eastlick said. “The fire that drives you to run, drives you to those early morning workouts, and late night exercises. I hope that fire never goes out for us.”