the
blueprint
Hagerty High School
Vol. 17, Issue 1
October 6, 2021
Oviedo, Florida
BANDING TOGETHER The saxophones and trombones play during the Winter Springs halftime show. After a year of no on-field performances, the marching band has enjoyed performing their Queen halftime show this season. Story on page 3. photo by Makenna Blonshine
Mega FOR OVIEDO MAYO MAYORR MA
searching for options
through the camera lens
volleyball digs deep
The lunch staff packages chicken sandwiches, a daily meal. However, options are harder to come by for students with food accommodations.
An aspiring photographer, senior James Hilston’s passion has bloomed into a future through snapshots of sports games.
Varsity girls volleyball has put together an incredibly challenging early schedule, including two Nike Tournament of Champion appearances.
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Governor changes quarantine protocols Julia Sumpter
If you are quarantined - Positive for COVID: You must stay home from school until an isolation return protocol is fulfilled. - Exposed to someone who tested positive: You may choose either quarantine option (test negative and proven asymptomatic or get a legitimate doctor’s note). - Exposed to someone who tested positive and asymptomatic: You do not have to quarantine, and if you wish to do so, no longer than seven days can be taken off, given no symptoms are shown. - Anyone may return to school upon parent request if asymptomatic with no testing required.
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s part of the ongoing COVID-19 war last week, Gov. Ron DeSantis altered the state’s quarantine policy for school districts. On Sept. 22, the day after DeSantis named him surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo signed a new protocol declaring that parents were now able to decide if their child, if asymptomatic, should quarantine or not after exposure to COVID-19. Under this new guideline, students who were exposed but show no symptoms and choose not to quarantine can go back on campus without any restrictions. Those who choose to quarantine are only allowed to isolate for no more than seven days if they are asymptomatic. “Students who are out on quarantine may return to school with parent permission if they are not showing any symptoms of
Exploring the options
Zahra Ateeq
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Opinions Editor
COVID-19,” principal Robert Frasca said. According to the Florida Health Department, if a student tests positive or shows symptoms, they must quarantine for 10 days after showing symptoms or testing positive. This has been the rule for 11 months and did not change with the new protocols. Students may also return when they are asymptomatic, able to provide negative test results to their school or have a permission letter from a medical professional. With a permission letter written out by a medical doctor, osteopathic physician or advanced registered nurse practitioner, students may also return to campus. Although all local districts are following the new policy on quarantining, the battle continues over mask mandates. Seminole County is following the governor’s orders, allowing students to opt-out of wearing a mask with a parent note. Orange and Brevard counties are requiring all students to wear masks, unless they are excused in writing by a medical doctor. Orange County policy has this policy in place
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until Oct. 30, despite threats of reduced funding from the state. In Seminole County, administration will continue contact tracing and contacting parents to make a decision about their child’s isolation options. “We notify parents when their student has been exposed to someone who tested positive,” Frasca said. “The parent will let us know if they choose to quarantine their student as a result.” Masks remain optional for students while teachers are still required to wear one when teaching their classes. This policy has remained the same since the start of the school year. What has also remained the same has been the school’s commitment to contact tracing. Administration still has to determine if students were in close contact with each other. “As of right now, nothing has changed in the contact tracing and quarantine process for faculty and staff,” Frasca said.
Staff Reporter
heese pizza, chicken burgers, and granola parfaits. What’s for lunch? Although the answer is simple for many, students who have to accommodate food restrictions are less certain. To tackle these restrictions the cafeteria staff provides accommodations for people who cannot eat certain food items. Cafeteria manager Erin Basillo emphasizes this through her description of what can be done if a student does not particularly enjoy the meals at school, and how certain items can be used as substitutes. “We always have salads for people who don’t want any animal product whatsoever,” Basillo said. “Even though there is cheese and meat in certain salads, these items do not touch the veggies themselves, and can be removed.” However, providing alternatives that students appreciate is not easy. Sophomore Cailin Kilkenny, a vegetarian since fourth grade, does not particularly enjoy the meals the cafeteria provides for people who cannot eat meat or chicken. “I buy lunch like twice a week, and it’s always the same three: veggie burgers, parfaits and cheese pizzas,” Kilkenny said. “The pizza is fine, but it’s not the type of food you would want to eat all week.” Kilkenny claims that meat is the main focus of the meals provided at school, and without them, the food options can be considerably bland. Sophomore Amari Patel has been vegetarian her whole life and feels that the school could put in more effort with what is being provided as a vegetarian’s typical meat counterparts. “Certain restaurants have a lot more variety and options, and substitutes that can easily make meals vegetarian,” Patel said. “For example, instead of chicken, you could get some type of tofu.” With the growing population of students who have food restrictions, students such as Patel and junior Sofia Federman bring lunch from home to supplement the options they may have. “The school might have more options since they have parfaits and yogurt, but I bring lunch from home because of the line, and I also would not be able to get certain meals [as a vegetarian],” Federman said. Sophomore Arianna Cruz also brings lunch from home, but as someone with severe tree nut allergies, she believes that the school does a good job with restricting certain foods in the lunch line for those with allergies.
HEALTHY OPTIONS ESE paraprofessional Ann Solomon comes in during fourth period to get lunch. Salads are one of the key options available to students and staff who have food restrictions. photo by Nadia Knoblauch
“They have a ton of different options for allergies and everybody is able to get different stuff, [for example] I can eat most of the stuff the school provides,” Cruz said. Meal options for those with food restrictions vary from district to district and state to state. “[The] majority of the time the lunch line here has meat in it. When I lived in Michigan there was a vegetarian option specifically,” Patel said. “There they had a vegetarian option and a meat-eater option every single day. For example, sometimes we would get grilled cheese.” While school dining still lacks variety when it comes to their vegetarian or gluten free menu, Basillo explains that food restrictions should not be a dilemma, as long as the student speaks to the cafeteria staff. Sophomore Ayden Krob has a gluten restriction and has spoken to the cafeteria staff to be provided with lunch meals without gluten every day. “Sometimes I get gluten-free pizza instead of a gluten-free substitute of the meal and the staff does have to prepare the meal separately for gluten restrictions,” Krob said. “Mostly if something like chips are not gluten free there’s multiple types and that can be substituted.” Krob said that dining at school is “a nice commodity to have” and the cafeteria staff emphasizes that anyone with food
restrictions can have this commodity if they communicate, and with their new pizza oven it is much faster to accommodate a larger number of students. “The one student we make a gluten-free meal for every day, he knows what line to go to, he knows his meal is going to be there,” Basillo said. “Some students don’t speak up and say that they can’t eat certain foods though, and I know [during Lent] Catholics can’t have meat on Fridays. so we know we’re going to make a lot of cheese pizzas that day so we’ll make an excess amount.” Cheese pizzas are one of main meals that can be flexible and often work for those who are vegetarian or vegan. Basillo also explains that the cafeteria staff could make specific salads for those who don’t want meat products, or certain meals that the school provides. “Once a student is willing to talk to us and let us know what they need, we’re willing to work with them and see what we can make,” Basillo said. At the end of the day, many students acknowledge that the school lunch is not going to be perfect. “Since there are so many students with differentiating food preferences, I do not think that school lunch could ever truly be perfected,” sophomore Katie Pham said.
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Interns teach and learn in class Joshua Krob
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Staff Reporter
resh meat, uncaring seniors, crazy freshmen, new teachers, college courses, labor of love. All these words explain interns such as social studies intern Priscilla Hudyberdi, art intern Samuel Bigelow and band intern Kaleb Daniels. Each year, a handful of senior UCF students intern at schools across Seminole County to get experience teaching. These interns are learning how to teach everything from math and social studies to art and music. Interning can introduce and strengthen many skills that the future teachers would not learn from their college courses. While teaching, interns learn how to control classes, manage their time and find the right balance between teaching and activity. Hudyberdi, who is interning with social studies teacher Teresa Decio, has experienced this firsthand, learning
about classroom management and improving her ability to manage the class. “I have had troubles with students not doing what they should. [At a previous school], I had a few kids get up and start dancing in the middle of my teaching,” Hudyberdi said. Inspired by many of her past teachers, helping educators is something that Hudyberdi especially enjoys. She hopes to improve her teaching and follow in the footsteps of some of her best teachers. “When I was a kid, I remember struggling in school. It made me want to be a nice teacher to help the students get through their hard days,” Hudyberdi said. Bigelow loves to use his art skill to help high school students learn some of the more complicated techniques that aren’t taught to younger students. “I love helping students with their work and it is very validating to have a skill that you can use to help people with,” Bigelow said.
The supervising teachers help the interns learn how to be a better teacher, giving them tips on how they should teach and how to run the class. These supervisors play an important and active role in helping the interns prepare for their personal teaching career. “[Hudyberdi] can look through my lesson plans. I do recommend for her to look through and change things. You can say I provide a framework for her,” Hudyberdi’s supervising teacher Teresa Decio said. Hudyberdi plans to teach a high school social study class, specifically hoping to teach history and hopes to get a job as soon as possible. “As soon as I can get a [teaching position], I want to start working right away,” Hudyberdi said. Daniels looks forward to start teaching, picturing himself conducting a band in the classroom and help students learn instruments. “I just want to teach, I love it, I just want to conduct my own 100 person band.”
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NEW EXPERIENCES Art intern Samuel Bigelow helps sophomore Kaleb Heyliger with his artwork. Bigelow is a senior at UCF and hopes to teach by himself soon after getting his masters degree. photo by Sarah Hinnant
Getting the band back together and the practices after school really paid off,” flutist Arielle Medina said. “It was very exciting marching, seeing all my friends in the stands and being a part of the marching band.”
COVID Continues
DON’T STOP US NOW The brass section performs during the Sept. 10 halftime show. The band performed their full Queen halftime show for the first time on Oct. 1. photo by Makenna Blonshine
Nadia Knoblauch
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Staff Reporter
he beat of the drumline, energy from the trumpets and flow of the marching band as they covered Queen song “Don’t Stop Me Now” excited the crowd for their return to Friday night lights. It was a big difference from last year, as COVID-19 outbreaks posed a great risk and the marching band’s performances had to be put on pause. After one year of standing on the sidelines instead of marching on the field, the band has now returned to the football games, showing their progress despite the disadvantage of having no season last year. “We’re much further along this year than we have been in previous years, which is kind of weird considering the circumstances,” baritone section leader Zack Dayeh said. “Some of the stuff that we do have is still pretty sloppy, but we’re working on it.”
The Return
The band returned to Sam Momary Stadium on Sept. 10 for the varsity football game against Winter Springs. For seniors, this was their first time back on the field since their sophomore year, and many felt back at home. “It was nice [getting to march again],” Dayeh said. “We didn’t get it last year and it’s our senior year, so we get to do it again before
we leave.” With returning members getting back into their normal routines, many parents also felt relieved as their students stepped back under the spotlight for the halftime performance, unlike last year’s remote concerts. “As a parent, it was hard watching [him] sit in his room with his bandmates on Zoom screens, playing alone,” mother of drum major Braden Bast, Lisa Bast said. “These kids just want to perform, and they are back. They sound great, they are having a blast, and I must say more than a few tears were shed by parents when they marched onto that field for the first time in two years.” However compelling their performance may have been, it takes the band all marching season to perfect their routines, so critiques were still seen by band members. “I think we did well, but there’s still a lot to go,” trombone section leader Cade Rogers said. “That’s kind of natural this early, but I think it’s mostly just how consistent we practice as well.” Although some band members may not have performed to their expectations, they still entertained the spectators with their rendition of Queen songs, including “Don’t Stop Me Now” and “Somebody to Love.” For sophomores who missed out on the opportunity to play at football games last year, they were grateful for the experience and proud of their performance. “I think the sophomores did really good
Even though the marching band has come back to the field, COVID-19 still affects the program due to the group’s large size. “We have to have more buses for away games because we are more spread out,” Bast said. “We even have to take pictures on the travel buses in case we need to contact-trace or prove who was sitting near whom and who had masks on.” Despite the current struggles COVID-19 has presented the band, directors and students put in long hours to prepare for their return to marching season, including a two-week summer camp to introduce new members to the program and set the group’s first movement of the halftime show. Clinics were set up for the different instruments and sections to practice on their own, and the groups came together to practice their drills from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. “We move very quickly during camp,” band director Brian Kuperman said. “It is required for all students to attend because we accomplish so much.” Although the band was able to have their summer clinics this year, last year’s concerns over COVID-19 led the directors to make a difficult decision. “A lot was unknown about COVID. Daily cases were very high, and vaccines were not available,” Kuperman said. “All the directors were concerned about the safety of our students and their families, so we determined it was safest to not hold a normal band camp and have large groups of students meeting together for hours at a time.” With last year’s concerns causing the directors to cancel the camp, the marching band was unable to cover the basics of marching and begin setting the halftime show, leading to the overall loss of marching band last 1 school year. “A few weeks into the school year [20202021] we were approached by administration about performing at the home football games,” Kuperman said. “Our main concerns were all related to having enough space and being able to spread out.” Even though the band could not perform their marching show last year, they were still able to play at the home football games in a new
location. “We decided being down behind the end zone would allow us to spread out and not take up room in the stands for spectators to spread out,” Kuperman said. During the 2020-2021 school year, the band directors worked to make playing as safe as possible for their students. They provided face masks with slits near the mouth, which allowed students to play their instrument without risking exposure. However, due to current SCPS policy, masks can no longer be enforced during outside activities or for students with opt out letters. “We now highly encourage masks while in the stands when we are closer together,” Kuperman said. “Everyone receives a black surgical mask at the beginning of every game to look uniform.” Wearing masks, spreading out and attaching cloth filters to the brass instruments made playing last year difficult for band members, even those with more experience. Although these policies have been put to rest, many still felt the repercussions of not having a true marching season last year. “Half the people have never marched before since we didn’t have a show last year,” Dayeh said. “This means instead of one class not knowing what they’re doing, two classes didn’t know.”
Together Again
With the whole program back in person, those who had marched previously were able to reconnect with their friends, directors and sections, while new members were able to find a family within the group. “It is good to have the marching band part of our class back,” Kuperman said. “It helps build relationships between the students.” Despite the social distancing, mask mandates and sideline performances of last year, the band has officially come back into full swing with the help of their band directors’ cautiousness. This gives many a greater understanding and respect as to how the halftime shows contribute to the football games and high school experience. “All of us involved in band have a greater appreciation this year. We loved it before, but now we know what it’s like not to have it,” Bast said. “My greatest appreciation, however, is for the band directors and how they kept those kids sane last year… they rose to the occasion to keep those kids engaged, give the parents concerts, and give those seniors a senior year.”
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Fighting toward equality Sophia Canabal
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Lifestyles Editor
eniors Julia Squitteri and Jasmine Kaur stood before five Seminole County School Board members, the superintendent, and the school board attorney. Their goal: to demand complete reform to the Seminole County dress code, a policy long-abhorred because of its restrictions regarding student attire, through the Ruth Project. “We only received three minutes to voice our opinion, but it felt really nice to be able to stand up and let people know about the problems with our dress code,” senior Jasmine Kaur said. The Ruth Project had previously managed to remove the word “cleavage” from the Seminole County student dress code at the beginning of July, but many of the other amendments that they suggested during their meetings with the Student Conduct Committee were largely ignored, as the policy still prohibits tube tops, backless dresses, and other traditionally feminine items. “The school board meeting was really a matter of accountability for not removing some remaining gender-discriminatory language,” Squitteri said. Putting public pressure on the Seminole County School Board was the most recent of a series of efforts to legitimize the Ruth Project’s fight towards gender equality. Before Squitteri’s appearance at the school board meeting, the organization’s directors had started a mentorship program, in which students would become active participants in starting initiatives within their school districts. “I wanted to take it further and teach leadership, intersectionality, self-advocacy, and sexual harassment prevention,” senior Neda Kadivar, deputy director of the Ruth Project, said. “I couldn’t teach topics like these in a classroom, but I could give them to the mentees that joined.” The mentorship program, coupled with the Ruth Project’s strong use of social media, has created an influential group that is now able to operate on a national scale. The Ruth Project currently has members ranging from California to Europe, and initiatives similar to the SCPS dress code reform have been started across the nation with the remote help of the organization’s leaders. “We went viral on TikTok, and that was really what jump started us into growth,” Squitteri said. “We went global pretty much overnight, and going through that experience transformed a localized organization with
members mostly in central Florida to a global organization with hundreds of members.” Since its creation, the organization has expanded far beyond the injustices of school dress codes, and initiatives in Texas and Florida have been created to amend statewide policies that are too broad to legally protect students from sexual assault. According to Squitteri, the Florida Civil Rights Act and Texas Senate Bill 212 have the potential for reform according to the initiative. “These laws talk about sexual harassment, but it is really centered in the workplace,” Squitteri said, “and we want to address sexual harassment as an epidemic in education.” Although policies restricting sexual assault are scarce within state government, it is addressed within Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination under any education program. The Office for Civil Rights states that Title IX obligations also include “sex-based harassment, which encompasses sexual assault and other forms of sexual violence.” This means that schools are obligated to tend to reports of sexual harassment that have occurred between anyone in relation to SCPS, including teachers, students and staff. Although these obligations were intended to “support” victims of sexual assault, the system by which these reports are assessed has a tendency to hold victims, rather than the offenders, accountable. “One of the questions on the [SCPS] harassment reporting form was, in fact, ‘Why do you think you were harassed?’,” Kadivar said, “so a student would literally have to answer with ‘I think I was harassed because of the clothes I was wearing, because of my ethnicity, because of who I am.” The Ruth Project is still an organization in its youth, only having been operational for the past year, but Seminole County schools have already begun to feel pressure to amend its policies. “We have had more dialogue regarding issues that deal with gender equality on campus and we need to continue to turn these discussions into actionable items,” said principal Robert Frasca. The organization will continue to support young women through its initiatives, mentorship program and social media, and encourage students to advocate for themselves. “You have an opinion that nobody else can give, and you have a perspective that nobody else has,” Kadivar said, “and both those things are what you’re going to harness when speaking up about gender equality.”
news briefs Admin changes court elections
Homecoming nomination polls closed Friday, Sept. 24, and nominees were announced through the Leadership Instagram page on Sunday, Sept. 26. Voting for Homecoming court will be announced in the coming weeks. This year, instead of having a set number of male and female court members, Leadership will recognize the top vote getters regardless of gender. Court members will get to choose their escort, whether that student is on court or not. The homecoming court will be introduced and the two senior winners revealed at the homecoming football game on Friday, Nov. 5.
Languages hold honor inductions
The French, Spanish and ASL honors societies inducted both new and returning members in their first in-person induction since May 2020. During the ceremoney, inductees recited the honors pledges and lit the “mother candle.” The night helped make up for the lack of extracurriculars last year, and the ceremony, led by club leaders like ASL Honor Society president Bella Knowles (left), proved livelier than last year’s virtual induction. “Parents and friends were able to see [the students] during the ceremoney, and virtually, the ceremony loses a lot of that,” Spanish teacher Patricia Lopez said.
Malkovich wins Teacher of the Year
AP Government teacher Matthew Malkovich (pictured) was announced teacher of the year Oct.1. The nomination was on behalf of teachers who anonymously submitted their nomination choices prior to the announcement. Malkovich was celebrated by his students, family, colleagues and administration during the beginning of period 4. “As a teacher now for 21 years, your job is to try and do what’s best for your students,” Malkovich said “It’s been tough but this place became my home so there is no chance I’m leaving.” Malkovich has been teaching at the school since its opening.
upcoming events oct 11 oct 13 oct 21 nov 1
Lacrosse pumpkin patch fundraiser
Gifting Hagerty with the spirit of fall, the girls lacrosse team will open the pumpkin patch to the public until Oct. 31. The team will to sell pumpkins as well as provide a corn maze walks and fall photo backdrops.
Juniors, seniors to take in-school SAT
Juniors and seniors will take the SAT in school on Wednesday, Oct. 13 while those not taking the exam will attend classes as normal. Tuesday is also set aside for juniors and seniors that need to make up any FSA exams.
Chorus to feature movie songs at pop concert On Oct. 21 at 7 p.m., chorus members will perfom a pop concert from the genre of movie songs. Tickets are $5 for general admission and $8 for premium seats, sold at the door. The concert will feature 18 student acts.
Homecoming week returns
After a year without homecoming, the school will hold homecoming week from Nov. 1-6. All of the traditional activities will return: dress-up days, powderpuff football, a pep rally, football game and dance.
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OUR TAKE The BluePrint staff editorial
Standardized testing prevents educational opportunity
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alking in the media center doors, you see the inside is full of nothing but black dividers with pink papers taped to their sides. On the window, a sign reads “TESTING: DO NOT DISTURB.” The school year can feel like one standardized test after another. Not only do they get in the way of our regular classes, but they prevent students and faculty from using the valuable resources in the media center. Announced by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sept. 10, the Florida Standards Assessments will no longer be administered after this year. Though the decision will not impact our seniors, we could not be more relieved. Nine years of constant standardized testing and exam preparation takes a massive toll on student education. Widely unpopular, preparing for standardized tests puts a lot of pressure on an already overworked population. Furthermore, those with poor testing skills, standardized exams like the FSA do not show an accurate perspective of their skills. Likewise, many students learn more about how to take a test rather than developing an actual understanding of the content they end up regurgitating onto paper. Additionally, poor test scores frequently have a negative impact on students’ mental health. If young people feel a number is indicative of their intelligence, then anyone who simply scored poorly could be left feeling empty-headed and worthless. While standardized testing will always exist in some form, it may be best if it is limited to SAT and ACT scores. By using already existing tests, students can focus on one or two exams instead of 10 at once. Students are far from the only ones who struggle with standardized testing, since teachers do as well. Given that their performance as educators is often evaluated by their students’ test scores, many teachers feel pressure to teach based on the exam, rather than what would actually benefit their students’ education. Nearly anyone can recall a time their English teacher said, “Now today’s going to be a bit boring, but we have to go over question types for our exam.” Since the governor has not announced what will replace the FSA, it is unclear what the new system will look like. Hopefully, the end result is less high-stakes testing and leaves more time for subject-based instruction. So far, this seems like the direction the administration is heading in, a direction that that has long-time critics of DeSantis agreeing with him for once. Though standardized testing was originally designed with the pure intent of helping educational development, its ultimate reputation will be one of anxiety, division, and tension. By canceling the FSA, DeSantis took a step in the right direction towards the quality of our education and mental health. We hope that the state will look into alternative measures to determine student achievement. Testing is just a small part of the picture.
Lanyards prove ineffective Reagan Eastlick
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Staff Reporter
he idea of a high school ID is not necessarily a bad one. On Aug. 16 2019, Robert Frasca wrote to parents that he “want[ed] to be proactive when it comes to student safety and security on campus,” saying it was “important for our staff to be able to quickly identify who should be on campus at all times.” His sentiments were and are admirable: school shootings and unauthorized personnel on campus are real and present threats, problems which can be greatly mitigated by identification of students. The issue lies in the way our IDs have been implemented. In Japanese culture there is an elaborate form of classical theatre, rich with intricate details and magnificent masks. Kabuki theater is created and executed for the audience; behind each set lies only cardboard and paper, behind each mask is just an ordinary actor. Wearing lanyard IDs at school is Kabuki theater- their only real purpose is to put on a show of school safety. Scratch their surface and they are nothing but cheap plastic pretending to provide safety. What’s my point? First, that in their present state, lanyard IDs are accomplishing very little. Random ID checks in classrooms accomplish nothing if the IDs serve no purpose other than to pass random checks. Religious adherence to a rule is not reason enough for its existence; one should only follow rules that serve a purpose. A student remaining in a class is testament to their belonging there: teachers know their students after the first three weeks of school, and it is they who should act as the first line of defense against those who don’t belong on campus. Second: lanyard IDs do not have to be
Frasca: Safety comes first Robert Frasca
Principal
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Illustration by Alexis Madlang
the
blueprint Hagerty High School 3225 Lockwood Blvd. Oviedo, FL 32765 hagertyjourn@blueprint.com Phone: (407) 871-0750 Fax: (407) 871-0817
useless. If the point of wearing an ID is to ensure the school knows who belongs on campus and who doesn’t, then they can easily be used to do so. The administration could set up scanning stations at the entrances of schools (and possibly even classrooms), utilizing the bar codes on each lanyard. By scanning student’s IDs, not only has the school greatly improved security, but they have also transformed an ineffectual piece of plastic into a useful item for students. There are, of course, serious drawbacks to such a system. To implement scanning stations around campus would cost money and manpower. Losing an ID would be enough to deny a real student access to his or her class, potentially stalling their learning until a temporary card could be procured. Finally, one has to question just how necessary tracking students is? Contact tracing for COVID could prove invaluable in lowering case loads, but mass quarantines could disappear as quickly as they came. As for protecting the student body, many school shooters attend the school they eventually attack. Implementation of a scansystem could be too much hassle for too little reward. What I am trying to say is that the school needs to choose a direction with lanyards. Right now they solve half of a problem. We need to either fully commit or fully withdraw; playing hopscotch on the line of practicality is not conducive to a learning w. Students are reluctant to wear IDs because they have been provided with no real answer as to why they should. Give the student body a reason to wear their lanyards beyond “because I told you so,” or don’t make them wear them at all. Anything in between is unacceptable.
t has been brought to my attention that many students do not understand why it is important to wear their student ID while on campus. It is extremely important for me, as the principal of Hagerty High School, to do everything that I can to ensure the safety and security of our campus. While student ID’s may not seem to matter to students, I believe that it is an important security measure as photo ID badges are considered a security industry’s best practice for large facilities. We have over 2,500 people on campus throughout the day, and it is important that emergency personnel and school staff can identify unauthorized visitors as quickly as possible. With that being said, I do not expect students to always understand the reasons behind certain policies or decisions. They don’t have all the information that is necessary to make these decisions. Nor should they! Passengers in an airport do not know everything that is going
The BluePrint is a student-produced newspaper in which the student editors make all content decisions. The newspaper belongs to the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association and the Florida Scholastic Press Association. Opinions expressed within the newspaper do not represent the staff ’s views as a whole (except for Our Take), the views of Seminole County Public Schools or Hagerty High’s administration and staff. For information about advertising in the paper, please contact us via e-mail or phone. We reserve the right to reject any advertisement.
on behind the scenes to keep them safe as they travel. If people are always aware of the security measures that are in place, then we would simply be giving the bad guys everything they need to harm us. Mr. Eastlick has stated in his editorial that we need to choose a direction with lanyards and that we need to either fully commit or fully withdraw. The implementation of ID’s on campus is a process that we are committed to. We will continue to look for ways to utilize ID’s beyond security and would love to hear some ideas from the students! In conclusion, I believe that every person on campus has a responsibility to keep each other safe. If wearing an ID keeps one person safe, then it is worth doing. I do not want to be punitive with students for a lack of compliance, nor do I want them to comply simply because “I told you so.” I want our students to comply because they believe in a collective responsibility to do everything that they can to keep our campus safe.
Editor-in-Chief Jaye Herrera
Sports Editor Karson Cuozzo
Print Editor Alexis Madlang
Opinions Editor Julia Sumpter
Online Editor Skyler Glenn
Social Media Editor Zahra Ateeq
News Editor Janell Lim
Adviser Brit Taylor
Lifestyles Editor Sophia Canabal
Principal Robert Frasca
Staff Reporters Greta Carrasco Reagan Eastlick Nadia Knoblauch Joshua Krob Emily McCluskey Angelica Mendez Ava West
opinions
6 Lone Star State plays ping-pong with morality
Reagan Eastlick Staff Reporter, From the Right
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hen does life begin? What constitutes life? These questions, and their subsequent answers, drove the Texas legislature to pass a law which bans most abortions after six weeks. Before dissecting the new law, I find it necessary to answer those very same questions. Many biologists believe life begins at conception. There is no point, other than fertilization of an egg, where one can draw the cutoff for what is alive and what is not. If the ability to live without external support constitutes life, then every person on a respirator or taking medication to prevent organ rejection is “dead.” If a heart beating is the metric for living, then any person on bypass is “dead.” If conscious thought establishes life, then a coma patient is “dead.” These prerequisites for life – external support, heartbeat, conscious thought – fail to completely define what is alive and what is not. Killing a person in any of these circumstances would still be considered a homicide. Why should these exemptions be considered justification for abortion? They shouldn’t.
It is my firmest belief that abortion is a moral wrong. That does not mean abortion has no place in the world. The 1973 Supeme Court decision Roe v. Wade established abortion as a constitutional right. The decision was intrinsically flawed, as it created a right which was never enumerated in the Constitution, spun out of whole cloth by Chief Justice Burger. The ramifications of Roe v. Wade are still felt today. In 2018 there were over 600,000 abortions in the United States. To put that into perspective, there were approximately 3.7 million births that same year, meaning that any given fetus had a roughly 14% (1 in 7) chance of being aborted. And then there is the Texas law. Banning most abortions after six weeks ought to be very controversial: if there is no clear line for when life begins (other than conception), then in a world with legal abortions, there can be no clear line for when abortion should be allowed or prohibited. The Texas legislature did what every state has to do, they made a decision and stuck to it. Disagreement with that decision doesn’t make it any less valid. Where Texas went wrong was with their enforcement of the law. Instead of being
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enforced by the state, any Texas citizen is able to report and testify against those who receive a now-illegal abortion. The normal avenue to fight against anti-abortion laws is to sue those who enforce the law (normally state officials). By putting enforcement in the hands of every Texan, pro-abortion groups cannot sue the state and are unable to sue every individual. No suing means courts are unable to reverse the law. The structure of the law is brilliant and brand new, but also authoritarian. Creating a law that is unable to be challenged, pitting neighbor against neighbor, and exploiting court procedures is deeply wrong. More so than this, it opens the flood gates to a whole slew of laws which follow the same structure, the same grey areas. Remember – just because you agree with this law does not mean you will agree with the next. My point is that abortion (excluding special circumstances) is morally wrong, and that the government should keep its fingers out of such a private and deeply personal decision. The libertarian perspective says “live and let live.” If you hate abortion, don’t abort. If you don’t, make whichever decision suits you best. The consequences of either decision are the mother’s to live with.
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Texas Abortion Law
Texas tramples women’s rights in search of political win
Rylee Moss
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Guest, From the Left
ver since Texas passed its most recent heartbeat law, there is no way to avoid the division it has brought to people. The topic of what actions should be given a choice has only gotten louder. Signed on Sept. 21, the bill has caused an enormous amount of outrage. The effects of it are now felt, as it took effect in September. The bill states that abortions will be banned after six weeks of conceiving. To put this into further perspective, most women don’t know they’re pregnant until weeks 4-7. In the most ideal situation, a woman is only given two weeks to decide whether or not they want an abortion. And no, there are no exceptions for women who were raped or are having children as a product of incest. The implementation of this bill has sent the Texas justice system back in time. After the decision of Roe v. Wade in 1973, abortion laws
barking mad
remained where women had the choice. But, the Texas justice system has seemed to find a way to give the illusion of choice by allowing ‘six weeks’ for the woman. Women barely have any time to think, and providing them with just six weeks isn’t enough to say they have a choice. The main source cited for passing this bill was to prevent the murder of children. Whether or not you agree that abortion is murder, this fact alone goes into even more hypocrisy posed by this bill. State representative Bryan Slaton wants to go as far as proposing a death penalty for Texans who get abortions. Although Slaton’s words may seem like a drastic example of just how controlling Texas lawmakers are willing to be, the ideals can still be found in many. And that is where many stand divided. The topic of providing women the choice has become a political one. On one side, we see many conservatives in support of the bill. They generally agree on the idea that abortion is murder, and that they want to prevent this. But on the other side, we see many liberals
Should we question antivaxxer intent?
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Gabriella Jaye Herrera
ager to return to some sense of normalcy, thousands rushed to get any COVID-19 vaccines available starting December 2020, after being cleared by the Federal Drug Administration for emergency use. Nearly eight months later, on Aug. 23, the FDA officially cleared the Pfizer vaccine, now called Comirnaty, for anyone 16 or older. The response to the vaccination approval has resulted in mixed reactions across social media, with many venting their frustration at anti-vaxxers who still refuse to get Comirnaty. The irritation is understandable, as the lack of FDA approval was supposedly a huge barrier. But since the majority of states refused to mandate masks, it should not be a surprise that vaccine approval has not turned the tide. While worrying about future health is understandable, the biggest risk to personal well-being lies not in the vaccine, but the threat of new variants. When a virus spreads through a partly vaccinated population, the weaker COVID-19 variants are repressed, while the stronger variants survive long enough to continue their rapid spread. Additionally, these highly transmissible variants put a lot of major school events at risk. Sure, it may not be a big deal to get what will feel like just a cold to most teenagers, but imagine the uproar if football games, pep rallies, or homecoming were canceled. Although not a guarantee, vaccines are very likely to prevent such casualties. Moreover, while the symptoms of COVID-19 may not be as severe for teenagers now, future strands spread through anti-vaxxers could potentially make the virus more difficult for young people, potentially turning this year into a repeat of the last. While personal agency in medical choices are important, putting the lives of others at risk just to further a political agenda is perhaps one of the greatest instances of political bias in the modern era. While hesitation when the vaccine first came out is more understandable, the confirmed safety of Comirnaty by the organization designed to keep Americans safe shows that current refusal to vaccinate is a lot less about being fearful than it is about making a statement. In a period of political and economic instability, the last thing any country needs is more death and division.
“Dress code is super unfair. Girls should be able to dress the way they want to, not just the way the school thinks is good. I don’t see them enforcing it for boys.” -Lena Magee, 10
“I wish math classes allowed us to do math our own way. I used to get points docked even if I got the right answer, and it got so bad that I switched to an online course. Now I have to explain that to colleges.” -Charissa Thomson, 12
“I hate having to walk up the stairs because my legs hurt when I get to the top.” -Elyse Breen, 12
“The IDs really annoy me. Like what are they even for? Makes no sense.” -Megan Kaplan, 12
“Hats. If I had a dollar every time I got told to take my hat off at school, I’d be rich. If religious headgear is allowed on campus, then all headgear should be. It’s just common sense.” -Blake Watts, 12
“The lines take me the entire lunch and I barely get time to eat. I wish they were quicker.” -Caleb Barber, 11
“It is super annoying when people stop in the middle of the hallway for no reason” -Alanak Mistler, 9
“When teachers give homework that is due at 2:30 instead of 11:59 pm.” - Amanda Hederick, 12
“Mullets. Why are they back? Stop it now.” -Joshua Nemery, 12
“The line in the cafeteria is ridiculous.” -Grant Henning, 9
“I don’t like the rushed pace in class.” - Doa Desook, 10
“I hate the bees in the trash at lunch.” - Alexis Butler, 10
“Too much testing in general.” - Christian Carrasqiulla, 12
“That only thee guys got nominated for homecoming court and six girls did. It’s annoying” -Aries Locks, 10 “Hagerty cares more about their reputation than the students that go to it. That’s wrong.” -Lizzy Soto, 12
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.
believe that this isn’t murder. But that begs the question, why is there so much outrage? The main thing that has caused the swarm of hate and anger is the loss of choice. Many women in Texas lost their rights in May, and we have no way of knowing how this bill passing can affect other states. But one shred of hope can be seen with the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice has started talks of sueing Texas for their restrictive bill. In the following months, we may see the events of Roe v. Wade repeat themselves all over again. With the loss of freedom this bill invokes, I only continue to advocate for those who have lost control over their body. The nature of choice is very important, especially in the medical field, and Texas is stripping this away. In the end, it is your choice what you want to do with your body. As in other situations where you would like a choice, this one is no different. You can advocate for women’s rights by showing your support towards the pro-choice movement or even sign a petition.
Fired Up!
“I wish that I had more time to sleep.” -Natalie Gonzalez, 9
opinions
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Flaws visible even in the ‘flawless’ Emily McCluskey
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Staff Reporter
hether it is Kim Kardashian, Emma Chamberlain or Chris Hemsworth, there is a specific appearance that others strive to obtain despite their differences. In the era of social media, being “perfect” has a negative stigma. The MV Organization, a non-profit social startup, defines the beauty standard today as having a small waist, long legs, narrow hips, fair skin and plump lips. Beauty standards, like having a small waist and thin legs, promote an unhealthy relationship with oneself. Nobody is ever considered “perfect” since everyone is different in their own ways. An unattainable goal of ‘perfection’ causes people to feel like there is a specific way that they need to look to be accepted by society when it is farther from the truth. Beauty standards are not just one specific set of qualifications. According to Teen Vogue, beauty standards vary from culture to culture and change over time. The constant change of standards makes it hard for anyone to be completely set in each bracket. Trying to keep up is like a competition of who has the better lips and favorable hair at a specific time. Today, society loves to pretend that the beauty standard has become more inclusive since the start, which is not true at all. Beauty standards are forever changing, and since social media is much more popular, society is altering their ‘face of beauty’ to fit with the trends on social media. Instead of trying to fight against these norms in our society, beauty standards should not even be considered when trying to determine
if someone is beautiful or deserves respect. As a community, we need to turn our heads away from social norms and accept everyone for who they are. Not only are the beauty standards toxic surrounding women, but they also affect men. No matter the gender, beauty is defined at specific statutes, according to society. In 2016, CNBC described the male beauty standard as lean, muscular bodies, above 6 feet tall and clean, cut hair (2016). More than ever, males have been placed with an unrealistic view of how they should look in order to be considered up to par with what is perfect. Height as an expectation is similar to race: it is genetics. There is no way of changing what you are born with, so it should be appreciated regardless the characteristic. These beauty standards can have negative effects on body image and mental health. Not looking a certain way to fit into society leads people to believe they are not good enough, which then makes people want to change their appearance to be accepted. People can go as far as permanently altering their bodies to fit into the ‘perfect type’ that society chose. The idea that self-worth is based on society’s perception of beauty allows for other people’s opinions to matter, when the only person who should define your self-worth is you. Individual people are beautiful in their own ways. Whether it be their looks or their personality, everyone is born into different lives which makes them unique. Teens tend to look at others and feel envious of what they look like, no matter race, gender, ethnicity or orientation. It is time that the beauty standards that society is centered around are overlooked and a person’s individual beauty is truly appreciated.
MORE THAN ONE VERSION OF “PERFECT” Students come from different backgrounds and experiences. Everyone is different, but all are beautiful. photos by Ava West and Alexis Madlang
What is your definition of beauty?
“Ability to see good in everything” - Annalise David, 11
“Being a genuine person.” - Ari Clarke, 11
“Kindness and having a good sense of humor.” - Maya Douglas, 9
“A nice personality and being genuine.” - Sofia Bonadonna, 9
“It’s what matters on the inside.” - Ysabella Pierre-Louis, 9
“Beauty is within and can’t be measured.” - Isabella Parron, 12
Budget buyers don’t deserve brutal criticism
Sophia Canabal
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Lifestyles Editor
or avid spenders, finding the funds for choice products is always a challenge. Buying duped, or off brand, items is another popular way to save, which is why fast-fashion brands like SHEIN and Romwe continue to enjoy sky-high profit margins by selling cheap dupes. Why, then, are people faced with silent scrutiny when a peer notices that their duped Birkenstocks are not actually namebrand? Why do green text bubbles bother countless Apple users? And why can name brand items manage to escape any sort of judgment? Why is simply saving money a subject of such controversy? Whether or not a product is on-brand does not have to determine their value. Although lacking in authenticity, companies that sell duped items serve as opportunities to save money while preserving quality. For example, clothing brand House of Sunny’s “hockey dress” was priced at $127 but cheaper versions of the item can be found on sites such as EMMIOL and SHEIN. Although they are priced up to $90 cheaper than the original dress, the dupes are almost indistinguishable from the authentic product. The only real difference between high fashion and fast fashion products is that highend brands like House of Sunny tend to use
high-quality cotton while other brands use spandex or polyester substitutes to keep their prices affordable. Yet, this superficial difference is apparently cause for concern when name brand becomes a factor. I n c r e a s i n g demands for ethical production has raised the question of whether or not these low prices are worth their toll on both employees and the environment. As a result, efforts to raise awareness has destroyed the reputation of fast-fashion brands, and the bad press has inevitably harmed their customers as well. Although this movement was meant to target the fashion brands themselves, their customers often receive the criticism, but on a completely different premise. Scrutinizers will often excuse their holier-thanthou attitude by hiding behind their “concern” for ethically, but in reality, they are merely seeking to showcase their entitlement by putting down others in any way they can. Righteously judging the financial decisions of those who cannot afford to pay double the price for stylish clothing is not ethical in the slightest. It only serves to protect one’s own social status, one that equates popularity to wealth, prestige, and superficiality.
Non-Apple customers receive the same type of criticism, and it rarely has to do with the quality of the products themselves. For example, although Air pods are widely used among Apple customers, Raycon earbuds are close competitors in terms of quality, regardless of their $60 price difference. This gigantic discount should be seen as an opportunity to save, yet because of the brand’s lack of prestige, it is instead seen as a flaw in someone’s class or style. Subjecting someone to scrutiny based on what they cannot control is not something that should happen. The first step to absolving this unfair judgment is simply to be less critical of others, and to understand which comments cross the line. Ridiculous as it may seem, whether or not someone receives financial scrutiny can even be based upon which coffee chain they frequent. Spending $4 on a prestigious Starbucks latte is less likely to set off the same reaction as picking up a 99¢ McDonald’s premium roast. In cases like these, scrutiny boils down to whichever logo ends up on your cup. How superficial does judgment have to be before its morality is questioned? How long will money and spending be the sole determiners of social status? When name brand bias reaches social media, it not only spreads misinformation about name brands, but also continues to divide those
who can and cannot afford popular products. This has reached to such an extent that it has become commonplace to mock or tease Android users. On Tik Tok, this kind of scrutiny becomes heightened because the app only accommodates iPhone cameras. For example, one Tik Tok mocks Android camera quality while another goes as far as to sarcastically call Android users “social rejects”. Criticizing inherently inexpensive brands purely because of their “low” quality only reveals someone’s economic privilege. It is easy to say that “Androids suck” or that everyone should “just get an iPhone” when they have ample money to spare. These phone wars, although unintentional, put pressure on those who cannot afford an iPhone to either feel insecure about the products they own or spendings toward a superficial “status” symbol. Not everyone can afford to spend over $700 for the sake of owning a popular phone, and it is not anyone’s place to be providing commentary on someone else’s financial situation. The prospect of judging a classmate because of what pencils they own, or even the color of their socks, is inching ever closer to reality. Whether an off brand product is a mirror image of the original or hardly comparable, criticizing it inherently criticizes the buyer. Prioritizing savings over brand names should not condemn someone to insecurity and embarrassment.
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How GSA, administration worked to improve campus life for LGBTQ+ students Nadia Knoblauch
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Staff Reporter
ast year, after being online for half of the semester, John* (he/him), a transgender student, walked into his first inperson class. He, like many freshmen, looked forward to new friends, engaging classes and special memories. Also like other freshmen, John expected to be addressed by his preferred name and pronouns, but instead, he was met with his teacher using his deadname, Jane*, as he walked through the door. “I always email my teachers before the school year starts so they know in advance, though it still makes me nervous to start school because I’m unsure if they will slip up in class,” John said. “I just feel safer without strangers knowing.” “He/him,” “she/her” and “they/them.” Pronouns are used frequently in daily conversations when referring to objects and people, yet many don’t even think about which ones to use. While many people use pronouns based on their sex assigned at birth, others use different pronouns to help express themselves and their gender identity. Although using historically plural pronouns like “they/them” when referring to a singular person can be confusing for some, preferred pronouns and names must be used inside the classroom to make students feel more comfortable and safe in their learning environment, according to the Gay-Straight Alliance club. On Aug. 9, GSA gave a speech to teachers and administration on the importance of using students’ preferred names and pronouns in the classroom setting. “One of our main topics that we addressed was using proper pronouns in the classroom and how that can help someone,” GSA president Michaela Maschhoff (they/them) said. “We also talked about how not using these pronouns can affect someone mentally and how detrimental it can be to someone if their identity is being essentially ignored.” The speech given by Maschhoff and former GSA secretary Marlie Tollefson (she/they), was made in collaboration with principal Robert Frasca (he/him), who asked them to speak to the faculty. “I’ve been working with the leadership of our GSA for probably about six, seven months now. I’ve met with them as a group and they’ve done some trainings through their organization,” Frasca said. “I’ve been really concerned with diversity and inclusion on our campus, GSA being a part of that, but even bigger, culturally, racially, just making sure all of our kids feel safe on campus.” Maschhoff and Tollefson worked over the summer to prepare their speech by talking with activist Ashley Rhodes-Courter, an advocate for foster-care and LGBTQ+ children in Florida. The GSA leadership also included research and statistics on how feeling safe in the classroom can affect students both academically and in their relationships with their teachers and peers. “I made sure to mostly address different pronouns, how to correctly use pronouns, how using people’s names can make the classroom more safe, and how teachers can identify to students that their classroom is a safe place,” Tollefson said.
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pronouns
In part with addressing ways to make students more comfortable in their classrooms, the GSA and Frasca worked to create surveys for teachers to use during the first week of school. These surveys included questions for students relating to their pronouns, preferred names, and with whom their teachers can use certain names and pronouns. “We did give out some of the surveys, but a lot of the teachers actually made them on their own. We kind of told them what to put on there and how they should address it in their classrooms, and it was great seeing that in some of my classrooms as well,” Maschhoff said. While most teachers handed out questionnaires, made Google surveys, or even put their own pronouns on their whiteboards, not all teachers participated in this attempt to increase inclusivity on campus. “I think that it has reached a lot of the staff, but unfortunately, I have seen some staff that have not been listening to what we said and not following what we encouraged them to do,” Maschhoff said. “But still, a lot of teachers learned from that experience and from what we have told them.” However, for the teachers that did give out surveys and had conversations relating to inclusion, many of their LGBTQ+ students were grateful for their support and the efforts made to make them feel safe in their classroom. “With the teachers that had handed those out, I definitely feel safer in their classrooms because it lets me know that they understand my identity, at least to some extent, and that they respect it,” GSA vice president Angelique Boles (she/they) said. “It makes me feel a lot more comfortable in their classrooms.” Teachers welcoming LGBTQ+ students into the new school year allowed them to feel both accepted and safe, creating contrast from previous school year experiences. “In the past, I wasn’t sure which teachers were safer to interact with because I didn’t know if they would share information about me with other teachers and students,” John said, “But now with the surveys, I feel like you can tell which teachers are more supportive than the others.” LGBTQ+ students, GSA leadership and administration look forward to the progress being made this school year. Teachers continue to learn more on how to respect their students’ identities through the use of pronouns and names, but mere respect is just the beginning. “I think that there’s always more that can be done, but so far this is a really good step in the right direction,” Boles said. “I just think that these conversations need to be brought up more where it’s applicable. Like obviously, math teachers don’t have a lot of space to talk about it, but maybe history teachers can implement a few historically LGBTQ+ people in there… or English teachers implement more LGBTQ+ literature to just show it more in the classroom.” Through surveys, Google documents, and a 10-minute speech, the GSA has helped to encourage both inclusivity and respect on campus, helping teachers, administrators, and students improve the academic and social life at school. “We’ve talked a lot with our staff about the fact that all students will learn, that’s our goal,” said Frasca, “That’s why we’re here as a school, for all of our students to learn, but I know that all students can’t learn until all students feel safe.”
But now with the surveys, I feel like you can tell which teachers are more supportive than the others. -John, 10
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*names changed for privacy
Room To Gr
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centerspread
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The
IMPORTANCE OF AN Open mind EDITORIAL
Julia Sumpter Opinions Editor
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magine not listening to anyone who wears purple socks. Maybe professing deep hate for anyone taking Sign Language. Sound insane? Unfortunately, the world is full of people who refuse to listen to the opinions of other people. It seems nothing opinionated can be said without a fight breaking out. The problem may appear difficult to solve, but the solution is simple: people need to be more openminded. Topics like racism, homophobia and xenophobia are what everyone thinks of when the phrase “closed-minded” is used, but the examples go beyond these few. Our deepest opinions, from politics to food to music, are generally formed in childhood. Many of us learn to carry a negative attitude toward things that are different from what we are used to, which creates a number of issues. Instead of parents teaching their children to be open to learning about new things, ideas are shot down and children are taught to think through their parents and not for themselves. Instead of politically, imagine the same thing with food. From a young age, children develop favorite foods that parents have offered to them. If your family always ate the same three or four meals and everything else was discouraged, you would be less willing to try new foods—less open-minded. People generally form their own opinions about everyday things. Not everyone chooses a friend group that shares all of the same interests as them; that would be boring. A little bit of disagreement on relevant issues is part of healthy conversations, until individuals start getting overly defensive. That is why listening to what others have to say is important; you do not necessarily have to agree, but listening to a different opinion is an important life skill for everyone to have. Stereotypes people tend to form about certain music stops them from listening to different genres. All country music shares the same themes: beer, trucks and girls or metal music being made up of a bunch of people screaming into a microphone,; these are all common assumptions of certain genres. People grow to be so comfortable with the one selection of music that they do not give other types a chance. Different groups of people are thought to listen to certain music when in reality, music is music, and anyone from around the world can take a liking to it. Because certain customs are associated with different cultures, cultural stigmas tend to show up. Some choose to decide in their head that one race is more superior than another, which could not be farther from the truth. Without different cultures, there would be no flavor in the world and day to day things such as food, clothing and music would lack diversity. A person’s favorite piece of clothing may come from China or their favorite food originate in Mexico. Superiority complexes blinds a person from realizing that without the culture they dislike, their life would not be the same. This subconscious “I am better than everyone” mindset plays a huge role in racism in the world. Black Lives Matter brought people together against racism, but there are still prominent acts of discrimination in the world. Traveling to other countries can give people an opportunity to learn more about aspects of other people’s lives that they may not be as aware of such as a certain lifestyle. With COVID-19 as the world’s biggest topic for the past year and a half, people have differing opinions about masks and vaccines. Instead of respecting others’ choices on the matter, some choose to shove their ideas down people’s throats. In many counties, masks are optional for students, giving them a chance to make their own decisions about the topic. People are entitled to their own thoughts and opinions, but that does not mean that everyone else has to live their lives based on what you think. “Put a mask on” and “you should be vaccinated” are common phrases. This has caused a lot of controversy and excessive arguments amongst diverse groups of people. It is important for teens and young adults to understand the importance of being open-minded instead of immediately rejecting things that they are unfamiliar with. Open-mindedness is not something that can be developed overnight, but with elevated patience and understanding, everyone has the ability to accept all different ideas and people. just making sure all of our kids feel safe on campus.
illustration by Areli Smith design by Nadia Knoblauch
10
entertainment “The Kissing Booth 3” (Netflix)
photo from Netflix
After the success of the initial season, fans were ready for season two of “Outer Banks” was long overdue. Released July 30 on Netflix, providing 10 additional episodes in the series. Following a packed plot, season two does not give their viewers a chance to look away from their screen. Jaw dropping events fill the 50 minutes of each episode and in this case is unfortunate for someone who did not watch both seasons. While you cannot disagree with those fans, the stars also play their characters very well. A huge cliff-hanger at the end makes it hard to wait for the release of a new season.
- Angelica Mendez
- Julia Sumpter
“Pretty Poison” Nessa Barrett
photo from lyricsfa.com
Released Aug. 20, Jake Bugg came out with “Saturday Night, Sunday Morning.” The mood and surreal music videos of the first five songs on the album knocked expectations for first time listeners out of the park. In the first few songs, the background music was kept at just the right volume and speed while he sang more slowly and calmly, really diving listeners into the music. With the catchy lyrics and great singing listeners would have thought it would have been perfect all the way through. For what it was, listeners will take a liking to it
- Joshua Krob
“Shang-Chi” (Theaters)
photo from IGN
Initially released on Aug. 31, Hulu original “Only Murders in the Building” has since released a new episode every Tuesday. The show follows true crime junkies Mabel, Charles-Haden and Oliver as they come to realize they are stuck in their own murder mystery. Each episode slowly exposes characters for who they truly are. Ridiculous or strenuous situations become funny, making it a show you can watch with your family for a good laugh. There is never a dull moment, and each episode leaves viewers anticipating what will happen next. - Angelica Mendez
Released Sept. 10, “Pretty Poison” is Nessa Barrett’s first EP of seven songs. Throughout multiple platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube, fans may be disappointed with the music Barrett has come out with. Yes, her reason for writing this EP may have spoken to a lot of young people, but the songs were unfortunately not worth the listen. Barrett’s tone to these soundtracks were very dark and edgy, something she used in a lot of her music but “Pretty Poison” was a lot darker. Her voice is beautiful and the covers she posts on social media are always amazing, but certain songs on the EP do not do her justice.
- Julia Sumpter
“Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu) photo from lyricsfa.com
Released on Netflix Aug. 11, “The Kissing Booth 3” follows Elle Evans, Lee Flynn (Joel Courtney) and Noah Flynn (Jacob Elordi) as they choose where to go to college and try to soak up every minute left of summer. While the first “Kissing Booth” film was a good addition to Netflix’s movie selection, the more they made, the worse the series got. Instead of focusing on the funfilled summer, the movie was a roller coaster full of constant fights then forgiveness creating an obnoxious and tiresome plot.
“Saturday Night, Sunday Morning” Jake Bugg photo from Genius
r e v i e w b o x
photo from Amazon
“Outer Banks” (Netflix)
Released Sept. 3, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” changes the narrative and adds diversity to the Marvel Universe. The film follows Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) as he challenges his father, Wenwu (Tony Leung) for power over the ten rings. Unlike past Marvel movies that are full of jam-packed action, the storyline of “ShangChi” could not keep up. Despite a messy plot, the acting done by the cast is superior and is one of the only positives of the film. Great acting was not enough to make “Shang-Chi” as good as it should have been being the newest addition to the Marvel Universe.
- Julia Sumpter
With ‘Montero’, Lil Nas X puts his name on rap genre “MONTERO” TRACKLIST 1. Montero (Call Me By Your Name) 2. Dead Right Now 3. Industry Baby (feat. Jack Harlow) 4. That’s What I Want 5. The Art of Realization 6. Scoop (feat. Doja Cat) 7. One of Me (feat. Elton John) 8. Lost in the Citadel 9. Dolla Sign Slime (feat. Megan Thee Stallion) 10. Tales of Dominica 11. Sun Goes Down 12. Void 13. Don’t Want It 14. Life After Salem 15. Am I Dreaming (feat. Miley Cyrus)
Skyler Glenn
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Online Editor
rom breaking Billboard records with country-rap song Old Town Road to coining the viral phrase “nah he tweakin,” singer songwriter Lil Nas X is no stranger to surprising the world with bold and unusual music, videos and social media posts. He has quickly become a household name, confounding the media with pregnancy photo shoots and forever changing the mainly heterosexual rap industry. Released Sept. 17, Lil Nas X’s debut album Montero is a stunning blend of storytelling, instrumentals and vocals. It offers a diverse emotional palette while still providing the traditional energetic feel of most rap albums. Montero largely expresses Lil Nas X’s views on the pressing matters of LGBTQ+ acceptance and ending racism. The first song, Montero (Call Me By Your Name) challenges the idea that homosexuality is a sin. The controversial song gives the overall vibe and message of the album while also having a captivating beat. Sun Goes Down, the second released single from the album, accounts for Lil Nas X’s childhood struggles with Christianity as
a gay person of color. The lyrics read, “Was I too dark? Could they sense my fears? / These gay thoughts would always haunt me / I prayed God would take it from me.” Not only is the song passionate and beautiful, but it has a compelling message that undoubtedly tugs at listeners’ heartstrings. The album has the power to truly speak to anybody who listens to it— not just a select few. Finding rap albums that touch on topics other than drugs, violence and sex is rare, which makes Montero all the better, though these themes do appear. Throughout the album, Lil Nas X goes deeper with his lyricism than most artists in the genre. The album is divided into two distinct parts: the positive and the negative. The first eight tracks are more upbeat and fun, but by Tales of Dominica, the mood takes a sharp turn and becomes darker. A typical album keeps the same attitude throughout, so the contrast that Montero offers is refreshing. It has a song for any emotion possible, making it a perfect everyday listen. Perhaps the best aspect of Montero is the strong use of instruments and bass. Industry Baby (feat. Jack Harlow) begins with a catchy, exciting brass introduction that carries throughout the rest of the song. It is an ultimate
hype song and confidence booster. Scoop (feat. Doja Cat) has an addicting beat that makes one want to dance and jump around the room, and One of Me (feat. Elton John) has a lovely, dream-like piano theme. Lil Nas X avoided the harsh and loud nature of most rap, giving the album a more contemporary feel. It has a little bit of everything and is not limited to one repetitive style. Although Montero is a beautifully crafted album, it does fall short in a few places. Lost in the Citadel sounds like a Christian rock song, which is ironic, to say the least. It may not be the greatest, but it details a one-sided, emotionally draining relationship, the lyrics reading “I need time to get up and get off the floor / I need time to realize I can’t be yours / I need time to give up just like before.” Lil Nas X’s lyrics do not fall short, even in the album’s worse songs. His strength as a songwriter is incredible, and it shows in every single track. To say that Montero is an exceptional album would be an understatement. It is rare for a debut album to become so prevalent, but once again, Lil Nas X broke boundaries. Expect to hear Montero taking over radio stations for a long time to come, but until it does, get ahead of the game and put it on repeat.
lifestyles
Somos Hispanos Greta Carrasco
E
Staff Reporter
mpanadas Argentinas, dough filled with meat or ham and cheese, cooked in the oven till golden and crisp. A savory aroma and taste that satisfies hunger: When sophomore Juan Karpow thinks of a good meal, this is the ideal. Karpow was born in Argentina and later came to the United States at the age of 9 for better educational opportunities to help him succeed in his future. “We had struggled leaving Argentina since we were leaving behind our family, friends and all we had known,” Karpow said. “But after we got adjusted to this new life, we realized it was the best decision we took.” Karpow admits that even if a lot of his culture has been cut out of his life, some still remains within him. He does not celebrate many traditional holidays; those that he does celebrate are done by making traditional cuisines. “My mom makes milanesas a la napolitana, which are thin slices of beef dipped in a mixture of egg and breadcrumbs, fried and topped with tomato sauce, ham and mozzarella,” said Karpow. “She is the one who allows me to celebrate and recognize the cultural aspects of my country. Her cooking allows me to enjoy and remember the foods I knew.” Hispanic Heritage Month was created as a way to celebrate those with a Hispanic background that contributed to the progress of American society. It was made as a way to learn and understand their culture and origins while celebrating diversity. This national holiday has been celebrated since 1968, lasting from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. The culmination of art, history, achievements and people tie together a rich cultural community. Celebrating one’s origin
holds a special importance to many students, as it shows pride, amazement, and identity towards their home. “My origins and culture shows me as a whole: my family, the history and all the opportunities it opened for me,” Karpow said.
Family Matters
Family background and history has always been tied to culture. Freshman Angelina Aragon has not only been shaped by her immediate family, but also by the influence of her ancestors. She was born in the U.S. but moved to Colombia at age 2, where she was raised by her mom, aunts and grandparents. She was 8 when she went back to America to live with her dad. “Being able to bring my mom is my goal as of now. I want her to see that all the sacrifices she made for me over the years were worth something,” Aragon said. In Hispanic culture, families typically sacrifice a great deal for the success of their children. “My mom would stay up late at night learning English so she would be able to teach some to me. She gave all custody to my dad and sent me to the U.S. to have a better life,” Aragon said. “She worked hard to make sure I would be able to be where I am now.” Aragon makes sure that even across long distances, her family is able to be a part of her life by sending pictures and calling via FaceTime every other week.
Sports and Support
Everyone demonstrates their heritage differently, but for sophomore Gabriel Gonzales, soccer is one of the most important aspects of Puerto Rican expression. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Gonzales later moved to the United
Illustration by Marcela Carrasco
States to start a new life. His passion for soccer started in his native land and due to his family’s support he has been able to continue playing, developing a passion rooted deeply in support, familiarity and emotion. “I feel the sensation of support when my family is watching, which gives me motivation to keep on playing,” Gonzales said. “Every single time I’m on the field I think of my family and my country, it represents me and really all I do is for them.” Gonzales is currently playing in Florida Kraze Krush Soccer Club. He has won 50 medals and 20 trophies. Although he prefers to base his success on progress, he hopes to one day be able to play at both the college and professional level. “My goal is to get into a professional soccer team in order to show gratitude towards my family’s support,” Gonzales said.
Freshman Marcela Carrasco considers art one of the most influential parts of her culture. She was born and raised in Mexico and moved at age 9 due to work opportunities her father
was given. Carrasco was first introduced to art by her mother and ever since she has had a love for mesoamerican art, indigenous artesania, and embroidery. “One of the artists that has specifically influenced my art is Frida Kahlo, mostly because of her meaningful art such as ‘The Two Fridas,’” Carrasco said. The piece serves as an inspiration to Carrasco, as it expresses the stark contrast between her indigenous and European personas. “The way everything from color, technique and meaning to art is reflected with what I create,” Carrasco said. Being able to recognize and celebrate diversity is the ultimate goal to advance society. “It is very important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage as it represents a large number of people,” Karpow said. “Especially for those of Hispanic Heritage that live here in America in order to never forget where we came from.”
religions were suppressed and discouraged, including hoodoo. As a result, hoodoo was practiced in secret, as a way for Africans to retain their tradition and identity. They would cast spells for security or protection, stemming from the violence and abuse they often endured at the hands of their owners. Junior Leah Strickland, a student new to Hagerty this year, practices hoodoo. Although she was born a Christian, she decided to switch religions after discovering how Christianity was imposed on her ancestors. “Christianity was forced upon my people. It didn’t make sense for me to practice a religion that had nothing to do with me,” Strickland said. First emerging in the southeastern United States, particularly in the Gulf Coast, hoodoo became popular among African-Americans who wanted to reconnect with their ancestors. The same goes for Strickland. “I had been doing some soul searching and I wanted to align myself with my ancestors...I felt disconnected from my roots,” Strickland said. For Strickland, the decision to convert religions came when she was 14 years old, after watching a video about the forced conversion of African-Americans to Christianity. “[The video] went into how the slaves would use hoodoo to protect themselves as well as everyone else from the slave masters. I saw them as heroes in a sense. I wanted to be just
like them,” she said. Although Strickland had known about hoodoo from a young age, hearing about it from older African-Americans in her community, she had not practiced it until that moment. “I already knew about hoodoo but to hear about how they used it seemed magical to me,” she said. Today, hoodoo is often portrayed negatively, widely labeled as dark or black magic. This misconception stems from the biased research of previous Christian academics, leading to a demonetization of the African tradition. “There is no reason to think hoodoo is evil; it is only practiced to bring people closer to their ancestors, specifically African-Americans,” Strickland said. Hoodoo beliefs are purely naturalistic, and its rituals use naturally obtained supplies like herbs and minerals. “I wash my hands with salt if I feel as though something bad is going to happen and I don’t want to attract any negative spirits. I sage myself once every three weeks as well,” Strickland said. On a personal level, hoodoo has affected Strickland mentally and spiritually, helping to improve her mental health. As Strickland practices hoodoo, she learns more about herself and her people. “It has made me more open and awake in a sense,” Strickland said. “For a long time I questioned who I was as a person and I have finally found that answer.”
Recognizing Art
Getting to the roots of hoodoo
HEALING PRACTICE Junior Leah Strickland uses sage to ward off negative spirits. Although hoodoo was discouraged throughout Western society, Strickland works to keep her culture alive. photo by Janell Lim
Janell Lim
C
News Editor
arrying a bag of garlic and brimstone as a safeguard. Walking backward into one’s house and then forward to ensure that no harm will come. Showering money with salt and cinnamon to bring in greater wealth.
These may seem like superstition to many, but they are just some of the rituals of hoodoo, a form of traditional African-American folk magic brought to America by African slaves. Also known as rootwork or conjure, hoodoo developed from a combination of beliefs of various separate West African cultures. Since Christianity was the dominant religion, other
lifestyles
12
KPOP brings culture, confidence Gabriella Jaye Herrera
N
Editor-in-Chief
o group on the internet is crazy enough to tackle Twitter racism, take over a presidential rally and dominate the global music charts more successfully than the Korean pop fans across the world. While the reputation of the online fandom is largely negative, many KPOP super fans, or “stans,” claim outsiders are simply ignorant to their true intentions. For senior Annika Yun, KPOP is more than just a fun time-killer, it is part of her culture. With a Korean background, Yun grew up listening to KPOP with her mother, before abandoning the music genre for several years. “I think the older I got, I kind of stepped away from it, and then as I wanted to get back into the culture, KPOP became a big part of who I am,” Yun said. Anyone with a cell phone and access to social media have seen some sort of stereotype of KPOP fans, largely due to their enthusiastic online presence with platforms like Twitter. For Korean fans like Yun, the backlash the KPOP community receives feels personal. “A lot of the time, when I was younger, I was not actually proud, and I like to think now I’m becoming more confident with it. I highly promote fans to be expressive about their interest,” Yun said. Though she mostly talks about KPOP with other fans, Yun is very aware of the perception fans like her get on the internet. “I think a lot of the stereotypes that are seen by outsiders of the fandom are [that we’re] hateful, obsessive, and often negative, but when you’re in the fandom, you can also find a lot of love that’s in there, and maybe sometimes obsession,” Yun said. Senior Stella Fernandez feels similar, with added frustration over the perception that KPOP fans only obsess over artists’ looks. “Some people go crazy over the little
things,” Fernandez said. “And some people say, ‘Oh, you just like them because they’re Asian.’ That’s not actually what it is. I’m just here for the music.” The misconception that all KPOP fans obsess over the appearance and culture of their idols, something Fernandez constantly finds herself battling online. The hyperfixation on the singers’ race has caused concerns over possible fetishization of Asian performers. “It’s really awkward, because that’s a kind of fetishization, and that’s not okay at all. That’s really gross,” Fernandez said. Like many other fans, Fernandez does not actually speak Korean. However, she is able to understand the content through online translations and her own personal connection to the music. “When I listen to other music that I really don’t understand, it’s more of a thing where I feel connected to the songs, or the music [and] the tones of it,” Fernandez said. Fernandez’s connection to the music does not just involve language, but also dance. Both a theater student and a dancer, the upbeat nature of the songs and energetic choreography are perfect for fans like her. “I love to dance. So, it kind of really pulled me in that they have choreography while they’re singing, and I kind of love that style,” Fernandez said. Fernandez has also used KPOP music as a creative outlet for her vocal work. Though she only posts in a private fan group, Fernandez’s covers are something she does for fun and practice. Junior Karina Oscashhuk uses the creative opportunities surrounding KPOP in a similar manner. A fan of the dance choreography, she analyzes both the visuals and lyrics. KPOP artists often choose to take on issues that are relevant to their mostly-young audience. Depression, anxiety, first-love, breakups and empowerment are all themes in many of the
songs they produce. “I love that they dance. Also there’s a lot of meaning, which is really helpful for teenagers. A lot of topics they pick are really important,” Oscashhuk said. For teenagers dealing with mental health like Oscashhuk, KPOP songs like SEVENTEEN’s “Clap” deal with overcoming the small struggles of life, even when it feels impossible. Additionally, BTS’s “Whalien 52” tackles the loneliness everyone felt during quarantine. “I was in a little bit of a depression, and then I started listening to the songs and reading the meaning of them, and it helped me a lot,” Oscashhuk said. While all fans seem to agree on KPOP’s empowering effect, others point out the negative impact caused by its community. Sophomore Katie Pham explains that although she enjoys discussing KPOP with her friends, she dislikes the “koreaboo” nature of the KPOP fandom— or when non-Korean people appropriate Korean features and culture for themselves. “Asian fishing,” for example, is when non-Asian individuals wear makeup that makes their eyes look smaller. “There’s a lot of stuff around KPOP stans and them being really stalker-ish and too koreaboo. It really depends on the person, because I feel like part of the fandom can be described that way, but others are just chill and just want to listen to KPOP,” Pham said. Ultimately, KPOP is just another expression of popular culture that has been felt around the world. It has impacted students from all different backgrounds, and changed many peoples’ perspectives on music, culture and identity. “I would say there is a toxic portion of the community, but over that, there is a greater portion who are kind and [proud],” Yun said. “You can find a lot of kind people that are willing to be friends and have good relationships with you.”
Fast Fact #1 In the 90s, boyband “Seo Taiji and Boys” kicked off Fast Fact #2 modern KPOP KPOP began as a combination of American pop/ rap and Japanese lyrics and folk Fast Fact #3 music Most kids begin training between the ages of 10-12 Fast Fact #4
Psy’s “Gangnam Style” was the first music Fast Fact #5 video to reach 1 billion views Many KPOP songs contain different music styles, such as rap, hip- Fast Fact #6 hop, or rock To expand their audience, many work with Fast Fact #7 American musi2009’s “Girls cians like Selena Gomez Generation” served as the blueprint for future Fast Fact #8 KPOP girl “Bias” is a groups phrase used by Source: TeenVogue.com
fans meaning your favorite group member
James Hilston living life through the lens Alexis Madlang
Print Editor
F
or most, Friday Night Lights is about cheering on the varsity football team, hanging out with their friends or even playing on the football field. But for senior James Hilston, it is about the moments he captures through the lens of his camera. What started as taking photos on an iPod transformed into a future through his summer travels. He wanted to share the
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PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT Taking pictures at football practice after school, senior James Hilston works as the team photographer. Photo by Jackson Fromm
interesting places and things he had done, and what better way to capture it than photography. Hilston dares the most inspiration from people like professional photographer Michael Fullana and former Hagerty student Artie Nayak, a videographer for Auburn’s football team. While a majority of his pictures cover sports, Hilston also takes photos of landscapes, stars and rocket launches. Long exposures of vehicles traveling down city streets creates a light trail effect that Hilston has enjoyed shooting since he got a camera with manual mode. Hilston believes practicing using manual mode was crucial to advance his photography skills. “I always tell people that whenever I step onto the field for a shoot, 90% of the time I have the least valuable equipment there,” Hilston said. “Photography is not about having the newest and fanciest gear, it’s about working hard and getting better in order to produce something that gets people’s attention.” Almost all of his equipment has been bought with his own money. Some of his equipment came as gifts or from money he earned from his t-shirt logo campaign. Hilston believes not having the best equipment forces him to be more creative in his shot selection. In the last two years Hilston has been taking photos, he has been the photographer for the football program, which started when a few friends asked him to take pictures of their games. Since then, a majority of his audience has come from football and his Instagram account’s “Shot of the Day” series. “Being only one person, it can be a lot to edit thousands of photos for hundreds of players, but I truly enjoy what I do and the hard work is beyond worth it to get to contribute to an amazing athletic program,” Hilston said. Looking ahead, Hilston looks to take photos for more sports
and school events. Originally, to distribute his photos, Hilston would send the pictures to any players that asked. But, expanding his reach beyond football has also motivated him to develop his brand further and create a website, through which athletes can download any photos for free after an event. As a student, Hilston understands the magnitude and impact that playing a sport has on his peers, so he wants to be able to share the moments with them at no cost. “I’m very excited for this year as I’m expanding my reach into other sports, allowing me to share my passion with even more people,” Hilston said. Recently Hilston has been working with The Varsity Sports Network, a sports media company which hosts video broadcasts for high school sports throughout Florida. His job is to provide them with information about what is going on at school related to athletics, so VSN can share that information with their audience. This internship will allow Hilston to get to know the more professional and corporate side of the sports media industry. “When you are getting paid, a certain expectation is being set for the quality of your work and if you don’t meet that expectation, you can’t expect to be working as a photographer for very long,” Hilston said. After high school, Hilston is unsure if he would like to pursue a career in just photography. He aspires to be a pilot, but if the opportunity presents itself, he would like to combine the two into one career. “I would say right now that it’s still just an interest because to be quite honest, expectations like that are daunting,” Hilston said. “To me, your success is based a lot on who you know, the risks you’re willing to take, and the amount of hard work you’re willing to put into every photo you put out for the world to see.”
lifestyles
13 POPPIN’ OFF
ANTISOCIALS Despite popularity, students have negative feelings towards social media Skyler Glenn
R
Online Editor
olling out of bed, sophomore Levi Cal unlocks his phone to check his Instagram feed, answer Snapchats and scroll through TikTok. At the same time, freshman Michael Pang gets ready for school, not giving a thought to social media. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 90 percent of 13–17-year-olds have used social media, and 75 percent have at least one active social media account. The surprising part may be that 25 percent do not have an active account, and 10 percent have never used social media. Pang’s main concern is the lack of privacy the internet provides. “I don’t want to get social media because I am not comfortable sharing information about myself online,” Pang said. “Not having it makes me feel more secure.” Many fear that the use of social media can lead to the loss of communicative skills. The Liberty Classical Academy says that people can become so comfortable with texting and emailing that their verbal communication skills decay, causing awkward face-to-face interactions to occur and surface-level relationships to form. Cal feels that relationships formed through social media lack depth. “Social media has helped me meet new people, but it’s unhealthy and consuming,” Cal said. “It’s harder to have conversations inperson than it is over text.” Although social media is important in some students’ lives, it does not make the world go round for everyone. Sophomore Rylee Rozier, who does not have social media, says that she does not care about its absence from her life. “Not having social media hasn’t had any sort of negative impact on me,” Rozier said. “It hasn’t affected me much.” Other students do not have social media because their parents forbid them from getting it until they reach a certain age. Junior Ariana Seguinot was allowed to download certain platforms once she turned 16. Though she is happy to have it now, Seguinot is glad she was not exposed to social media in her younger years. “As a kid, I was able to stay focused on school, the activities I enjoy, and not get involved in internet drama,” Seguinot said.
“Social media would have been a distraction.” The harmfulness of social media platforms is an issue for many and can have an overwhelmingly negative effect on the mental health of teenagers, according to the AACAP. Between “cancel culture” and the rapid spread of hurtful messages, Pang believes that it is important for him to stay clear of social media altogether. “Social media is very toxic,” Pang said. “I have seen inconsiderate and sometimes outright harmful things that people have posted without a second thought, so I choose not to engage.” Social media can also set harsh expectations for beauty, life and relationships. Influencers and models tend to misrepresent their “perfect” life, which leads to unrealistic standards among their teenage followers. Seguinot says that she avoids looking at some accounts and posts to preserve her self-esteem. “On Instagram and TikTok especially, I try not to look at certain things that I know will hurt me or make me think of myself as less,” Seguinot said. Not everyone has negative feelings about social media. Shaw says that her life has improved greatly since getting more involved with these platforms, as she can find funny memes and build stronger bonds with her peers. “I know that social media can be toxic, but that has not been my experience,” Shaw said. “I’ve seen a lot of positivity and support for others.” – Levi Cal, 10 Another pro of using social media is having access to important information regarding school, activities and events. Most clubs, honor societies and organizations have Instagram pages where they share news and updates. Sometimes, Rozier feels “out of the loop” with school information. “I am involved in theatre at school and they post information about their events on Instagram, which I can’t see,” Rozier said. “I have to ask my friends for that information. It gets tiring having to repeatedly ask them.” All considered, social media is a double-edged sword that can connect or disconnect one from their community—and from reality. Seguinot thinks that these platforms are not for everyone, and it is important to take your own needs into consideration. “The more involved you are in social media, the more toxic it can become,” Seguinot said. “It will affect you as much as you let it.”
“Social media is unhealthy and consuming.”
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‘Devious licks’ versus ‘angelic yields’ Skyler Glenn You go to glance at the clock in class, but for some reason, it’s not there. Later, you go to use the restroom, only to find that the soap dispenser has been ripped off the wall. Walking back to class, you see someone fitting a basketball hoop into his backpack. The cause of this stupidity is the TikTok trend, devious licks. Devious licks entail students stealing random things from around their school campus—usually the bathrooms— including anything from pencils to toilet paper to entire scoreboards. The trend was funny at first, given that the items were insignificant, like boxes of crayons. But, of course, it escalated quickly, and the newest part of the trend includes criminal charges, which have even happened at our school. Custodians have replaced 20 soap dispensers this year alone. Do we really want people walking around with unwashed hands after using a high school bathroom? The comedians of devious licks want social media validation, and then complain when there are consequences to their actions. To put it simply: if you don’t want to get in trouble, then don’t participate. It’s not rocket science. Better than the devious licks trend is its exact opposite: angelic yields. People will bring random stuff from their house, such as shampoo and pillows, and put them around the school. Seeing a sofa in the middle of the hallway is funnier than not having stall doors in the bathroom— though it may still land you in detention. Devious licks are far more popular on social media, but users like angelic yields more, commenting that they are both wholesome and funny. One way or another, everyone will stop the devious licks, whether it’s by free will or incarceration. If you desperately want to be funny, consider an angelic yield—just leave your couch at home.
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14
sports
Upgraded offense looks to pass Oviedo Emily McCluskey
A
coach Richard Quinones said. “Although any team we play will be bringing the best they got which is always a challenge.” The second game of the season was an away game against Lake Brantley. Despite the team’s efforts, Lake Brantley came out with the win, 34-27. Barber led the team with three receiving touchdowns. “I believe our players are willing to sacrifice for each other and support each other through all aspects of the team. I believe that is why we will have a successful season,” Quinones said. The varsity football team then played their first home game against Winter Springs on Sept. 10. Barber opened the quarter with a 78 yard touchdown within 4 minutes of kickoff. Linebacker John Scarelli ended the first half with a touchdown bringing the score to 14-0. Williams ran a 52-yard touchdown, increasing the advantage. Benzija ended the game with a total of 156 passing yards and the team won, 28-6. “We have done a lot in practice, we have been more uptempo, we’re throwing the ball more. And I always have new things that you haven’t really seen,” Benzija said. Due to increased communication and passing the ball more frequently, the football team routed Lake Tohopekaliga, 44-0. The numbers have improved, but the big test will be Thursday against Oviedo. For the players, this is the game that makes or breaks the season.
Staff Reporter
fter four games last season, the varsity football team was 2-2 with 44 points scored. After four games this season, the record may be the same, but the team looks a lot different. A year ago, Winter Park won 44-3, in a game that was never close. In the rematch last Friday, the team held the lead for most of the game until Winter Park scored four times in the late third and fourth quarters to pull away. Wide receiver Caleb Barber led the Huskies in the first quarter with a touchdown only two minutes into the game. Running back Antwone Felix scored to again give the team a lead in the first half, but in the end, Winter Park won with a score of 41-28. Still, the team looks different, and increased offensive production is the biggest difference. “Right now, our skill work and our skill players are our biggest strength. We have some skilled players that have come from the basketball team. That has helped a lot,” varsity football coach Steve Mikles said. Right out of preseason, the football team traveled to their first game at East River on Aug. 20. The varsity team left with a 20-14 win. Running back Jeremiah Williams assisted the team with two touchdowns. “I think our team is really prepared. We’ve been practicing hard all year so we should be able to play really well this season,” senior Ryan Farwig said. With seven games to go, the varsity team is projected to surpass their 2020-21 offensive output by a lot. So far, quarterback Anthony Benzija has more than half, 577 yards, of last season’s total passing yards. “Lake Brantley so far has been our toughest opponent. Timber Creek still looms on our schedule as our biggest competitors,” varsity
Date 8/20
Opponent
Result
East River (*preseason)
20-14 W*
8/27
Lake Brantley
34-27 L
9/10
Winter Springs
28-6 W
9/24
Lake Toho
44-0 W
10/1
Winter Park
41-28 L
Boys bowling stays undefeated
Ava West
H
Staff Reporter
eading into mid season with a 8-0 record, the boys bowling team beat Lake Howell with the overall score being 2412 to 2053. Cade Rogers bowled the team’s high score, a 289 series. “Everybody is afraid to play us,” coach Jacob Colquhoun said. “Talent-wise, I think we are the best team in the county.” Though the team has won almost every match the last few seasons, they have not gone undefeated for this long in about six years. Colquhoun became the head coach two years ago. After finishing second at districts and qualifying 16th in the state last season. Colquhoun thinks the team could go farther this season.
ON FORM At the Oviedo Lanes, sophomore Jason Saguinetti bowls against the Master’s Academy on Sept. 17. The team has won every match this season. photo by Makenna Blonshine
“Last year we qualified first for districts but then lost in the first round. We had to work our way up out of the losers bracket to qualify for states,” Colquhoun said. “I try to take it one match at a time and keep the guys focused so we can get far this year.” They have played all the teams and so far they have beaten everyone. They have played and won eight out of the 16 game season. “It’s been a long time since we have been able to do this well consistently. So, it’s nice to know that we have the best team in the county,” senior Jacob Daleandro said. Daleandro has a season average of 184 while also having a game-high of 225. People like bowling for different reasons, but senior Cade Rogers thinks about it more analytically. “The mental game is interesting to me. The sport involves a lot of strategies and that’s my favorite part,” Rogers said. From training on their own time to having set team practices, practice is an important part for the sport. The team practices four times a week not including matches. On top of that, some of the players do their own personal training. “I talked to the team before the season and they said they wanted to take it seriously, so we practice a lot more than they used to. We went from one practice a week to four,” Colquhoun said. According to Colquhoun, a big focus as head coach was to make sure the athletes are always there for each other. While many often stereotype bowling as an “individual sport,” he sees teamwork as an integral part of it. “The reason we are doing so well this year is we are all there for each other and help [each other] when needed,” sophomore James Dre said.
PERFECT THROW Quarterback Anthony Benzija throws to Colin Schaefer in the third quarter of the East River game. Hagerty won the preseason game, 20-14, and the offense has been the key reason for the improvement. photo by Shannon Hahn BLOCKED BUT NOT STOPPED Running back John Scarelli tries to break through the East River’s defensive line. Scarelli scored the touchdown in the third quarter. photo by Alexis Madlang
athlete of the issue Who
Brayden Seymour
Team
Boys varsity cross country
Date
Sept. 25
What
Broke the school 5K record
Where
Hagerty Invitational On Saturday, Sept. 25, the boys cross country team came in second in their first home meet. Junior Brayden Seymour broke the school record with the fastest 5k time any cross country member has ever run for Hagerty. As a sophomore in track last spring, Seymour placed first in both the 1600 and 3200 meter events in the FHSAA district. “I feel very proud to have broken the school record. It has been my goal since freshman year and to do it at Hagerty was even better,” Seymour said.
sports
15
Volleyball digs into tough schedule Ava West
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Staff Reporter
he tension was everywhere in the gym, as the crowd anticipated the final serve. It was game point for the girls’ varsity volleyball team against Oviedo. The serve was hit and it led to a long rally back and forth, which left everyone guessing when someone would make a play. Libero Mayte Camacho dove across the gym floor for the dig which in turn led to the kill, winning the game. The girls held a record of 5-4 after their win against hometown rival Oviedo. The game was close, with the team winning three out of five sets. “Oviedo is our biggest in-town rivalry,” Hitt said. “I was so happy and thrilled that the team was able to work together and come out with a win.” After last year’s loss to Oviedo, the team as a whole felt they had something to prove going into the game. “A relief,” was what setter Brielle Mullen used to describe beating Oviedo. “It felt incredible to beat Oviedo because of how much we lost to them last year,” outside hitter Brooke Stephens said. “We were able to show them how much better we have become. Stephens not only led the team with 29 kills, but also broke the school record of kills in one game by nine. “It was really exciting after we won our home games,” Camacho said. “Everyone was jumping up and down, and the student section ran onto the court to celebrate.” The season home opener was against Winter Springs. The team won in the fifth set of the game. Camacho had 24 digs and a 2.07 pass rating, leading the team to victory. “We worked very well together,” Camacho said. “The blocks didn’t go up when a spike was made against us, we were then able to communicate and I got the dig. This play allowed us to win the fourth set.” The team started off with a tough schedule
early in their season. In the first couple weeks, they won against Winter Springs, Oviedo, and attended the Nike Tournament of Champions placing 8th. At the Nike Tournament of Champions, the girls had a record of 3-4 which led them to place eighth overall. It was a three day tournament over Labor Day weekend. The girls played teams from in and out of state. Setter Jaycie Bryce had 95 assists throughout the tournament while Stephens had 54 kills. “I was proud of our team because the majority of the teams we played were very good competition,” Bryce said. “We were able to stick with and beat some of them.” At the tournament, according to coach Hitt, the record does not give the team justice to how good they are. The team played different competition who were nationally ranked in the top ten and the girls were able to hold their own. “One thing I have noticed about the girls is they will never give up no matter what is happening,” Hitt said. “Through every point and set, they fight through it.” While the Orlando Nike Tournament of Champions was a first-time event, last weekend the team traveled to Arizona for another Nike Tournament of Champions, an event they have been to before. The team took third in the Silver division, again finishing with a record of 4-3 after facing a lineup of nationally ranked teams. The current record is 10-8, though almost all of the losses have come to teams ranked at the state or even national level. Hitt’s hope is that a challenging early schedule will pay off during the playoff run. The team’s hopes are high to make it to states and have great success, according to Camacho. Their next game is Tuesday, Oct. 12 against Lyman High School. It will be an away game and tickets can be purchased at Gofan.co. “We are pretty strong this year,” Mullen said. “The chemistry is great on the team this year and I think we have a chance of making it to states.”
VICTORY FORMATION The varsity girls volleyball team celebrates after outside hitter Brooke Stephens gets the kill. The team beat Oviedo in five sets. photo by Ava West
Athletic director Jay Getty runs the show Angelica Mendez
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COACHING THE TEAM Coach Jay Getty prepares his team for practice. Among one of the many jobs Getty has is the head coach for the boys and girls cross country teams. photo by Alexis Madlang
Staff Reporter
thletic director Jay Getty starts his day around 4 a.m. By 5 a.m., sports updates are posted on Twitter and email announcements are sent, and by 5:35 his morning run is completed. At 6:20 a.m. he pulls into the school parking lot. Getty is the athletic director and coach for the cross country and track team, but his responsibilities extend far beyond that. Among them, he coordinates the assistants program, various events, COVID-19 issues, bus ramp supervision, lunch supervision and schoolbased community relations. With the number of jobs Getty has, it is important for him to understand how to manage his time. Getty’s handle on timemanagement began at a young age with his mom who worked in the athletic office. “As a youth, I was surrounded by coaches and administrators, including my mother, who was an athletic secretary,” Getty said. “If there was a spare minute, we were working on setting up an event or planning for the next one. I have always thought that was normal.” With the early influence of being around coaches along with being a student athlete, Getty’s childhood fostered his overall love for
athletics and running, which now helps him excel as track and cross country coach. “Each day I am blessed with staying involved in the sport that I love the most,” Getty said. Getty began running when he was in sixth grade, and when he entered high school he became a varsity runner for the school team. After high school Getty ran at Mt. Union college and UCF, and despite all the work he does now, has managed to maintain his running streak. “Running and outdoor time is a must,” Getty said. “My consecutive day running streak is at 4,636 as of Sept. 6.” After college, Getty started volunteering with the Oviedo High School cross country team until he was hired in 1991 as a coach. Getty then continued to work with Oviedo until Hagerty High School opened in 2005. Throughout Getty’s coaching career he has done a lot, from coaching Olympian Jenny Simpson to saving a spectator’s life at a meet. “In November of 2017, while at a cross country preview day at Lake Nona High School, I was fortunate enough to provide CPR to a fallen Lake Mary parent,” Getty said. “That parent survived and I gained a new friend for a lifetime.” One of the main jobs Getty performs within
the school is athletic director. Getty makes sure athletes are eligible to participate in sports, coordinates buses and referees, and records team wins and losses, among many other things. Organizational habits are key with the amount of responsibilities Getty has. Some key factors that allow Getty to stay organized are working before he gets to campus, always using some type of planner and getting the help of other staff. However, destressing is also key to Getty’s success. “[My advice to students feeling overwhelmed is to] find time to unplug and disassociate from the grind,” Getty said. Getty tries to make time to regain motivation by going on daily runs to regain “sanity” and going down to the dock to listen to the frogs. “Listening to the frogs is extremely calming,” Getty said. No matter the crazy in the world, the frog serenade is always present.” Despite all the responsibilities and bad days, he loves what he does and hopes to share the happiness he has from athletics with students now. In the end, no matter what the day throws at him Getty has three important ways to be a successful coach and athletic director. “Get ahead of the day,” Getty said. “Work while others are resting, get things done before arriving on campus, and have fun!”
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Home on the range Ava West
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CLUBHOUSE LEADER Chelesa Nguyen leads the girls golf team to a 253-192 win against winter Springs on Sept. 27. She placed in districts and states last year. Photo by Makenna
Girls golf on their ‘A’ game Team is 6-1 with one close loss as they head into postseason play Karson Cuozzo
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Sports Editor
he girls golf team stands at a 6-1 record as they hit the halfway mark of their season. Their only loss was to Lake Brantley, just falling short with a 185-179 score. The team has been working hard nonstop, and has high hopes they will make it to postseason play, according to junior Chelsea Nguyen. “We’ve put in a lot of work throughout the season, and to see the results pay off it feels awesome,” Nguyen said. “ I feel like we are one of the best teams so far, and I think we will have a winning record the rest of our season” The team went on a six game win streak, beating East River, Lyman, Seminole, Lake Howell, Lake Mary, and Oviedo. Nguyen (39 for nine holes) and sophomore Mia Ladores (45) led the team to a 195-182 win over Seminole The match against Lake Brantley was challenging for the girls, as one of their top performing golfers was absent due to injury. Even so, the girls came together and pushed through the inconvenience, Ladores said. “The loss to Lake Brantley was upsetting, but we can’t control injuries, we played the best we could without one of our top performers,”
Ladores said. Besides the loss against Lake Brantley, the team has been victorious against all of the teams in the district. The team beat Winter Springs on Sept. 27. Nguyen shot a 41 which led the team to a 253-192 win against the Bears. “So far this season hasn’t been that good for me, but I’ve been working on a couple things in my swing so hopefully it’ll work out in the end,” Nguyen said. Many of the girls create their own practice schedules that they strictly follow throughout the week. Those practices often consist of practicing their driving, chipping and putting skills. The girls also take nutrition very seriously on the green, especially before matches. “I like to make sure that I eat a good breakfast, and then I’ll get to the course an hour early to warm up,” Nguyen said. “I hit range balls and then get the speed with the putting greens and just chip a couple balls.” The tenacity required for golf often goes unnoticed, but the “gentleman’s game” takes fierce passion and commitment, Nguyen said. The team feels that they will show their strength throughout the rest of the season. The girls golf team has proved their drive in the past, and they will show it again soon. The next match is against Winter Park on Sept. 29, followed by the Seminole Athletic Conference match on Oct. 6 in Casselberry. “I think we have a strong team to make it to regionals this year. We have a lot of hardworking girls,” said Ladores.
Staff Reporter
unior Chelsea Nguyen took a deep breath. She looked up, measured the distance from her to the hole, put all of her power into her swing and hit the ball. It fell just short of driving the green, only 15 yards away on hole 11 at Twin Rivers Golf Course. Nguyen has been playing golf since she was 9. She started to love the sport when she first went to the driving range with her dad and older brother. “The first time I hit balls on the driving range, I loved it,” Nguyen said. “I would ask my dad to go back every day, and that is what started my love for the game.” Nguyen plays for the varsity girls golf team and has played a huge role in the team’s successes since she was a freshman. The team currently has six wins and one close loss to Lake Brantley, scoring 183-179. “I would say that the match I played against Lake Brantley was the best one. This was because I was able to minimize large mistakes,” Nguyen said. “However, the small mistakes that I had added up and the end result wasn’t the outcome that I wanted.,” According to Nguyen, golf requires a very strong mentality. Most people do not realize golf requires a lot of focus. Nguyen has experienced internal conflict that proves challenging to push through and hinders her game. “Self doubt and not having the confidence to pull off certain shots during tough situations can be challenging sometimes,” Nguyen said. During the Winter Springs match, Nguyen started to work on a swing change, which made it difficult for her to score well. Nguyen pushes through the conflict by knowing in the future it will only make her a better golfer. “There have been many hard times where I have had to push through. Especially this season, as I am undergoing a swing change in the middle of the season and not playing well,”
Nguyen said. “It can be frustrating when the results aren’t showing, but I know once I get it down it’ll prepare me to be better for the future.” Pushing through a tough headspace is important to continue playing the game. Nguyen has certain ways to prepare for her match so she can focus on playing well. “I will come to the course right after school before a match to warm up as much as I can,” Nguyen said. “Usually, I’ll putt some balls to get the feel of the greens before teeing off.” It is important for her to practice as much as possible to continue elevating her game. Nguyen practices everyday after school and plays tournaments on weekends. “I try to dedicate as much time as I can towards practicing golf. If there’s any free time I have, I will usually spend it practicing or playing golf with friends,” Nguyen said. Balancing schoolwork and a sport can be hard for any athlete, but with how much Nguyen practices, golf takes up the majority of her time. “Balancing school and golf can be difficult at times, but for me it’s all about priorities,” Nguyen said. “Even though I always want to spend my time on the golf course, I have to make sure my homework is done and I keep my grades up first.” Maintaining a positive mindset is important when it comes to focusing on winning a match. Nguyen tries to focus on winning, but sometimes, she gets side tracked. “During a match I usually think about taking each hole one shot at a time in order to score the best I can to help my team win our match,” Nguyen said. “If I’m being honest, towards the end of my matches I definitely think about what I’m going to have for dinner and what homework I need to complete.” Nguyen plans to continue golf in the future, as she says it can be played for a lifetime. Her ultimate goal would be to play at the highest level on the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour.
sports shorts Cross country strong at home
The cross country team ran in the Hagerty Invitational on Sept. 25, the first race of the year at home. The varsity boys had a strong showing, with junior Brayden Seymour (15:32) and sophomore Jonathan Leon (16:03) leading the team to a second place finish. Seymour broke the school record and finished first, while Leon finished second. The girls finished sixth, their top placement of the year. The girls were led by sophomore Alena Pezzoli (21:01) and sophomore Kailyn David (21:04). Both girls and boys were able to earn personal bests, which showed how fast of a course it was.
Volleyball sweeps Lake Mary
The freshman and JV volleyball teams both beat Lake Mary in the competition gym on Monday, Sept. 27. The freshman game was scheduled for 4:30 p.m. and the JV game for 5:30 p.m., but Lake Mary arrived late and the games were delayed 30 minutes. Both teams won in straight sets, 2-0, with the first set scores being 25-22. JV won the second set 25-11, and freshman won 25-21. “The second [set] was the best,” said freshman Nykila Bush. “We played more like a team and communicated better.”
Girls bowling falls to Crooms
On Wednesday, Sept. 29, the girls bowling team lost to Crooms, 1509-1503. The team is 6-2 overall. They lost by six pins after their two normal and three Baker matches to the panthers. Baker matches are played by a team of five bowlers that bowl two frames each. Although they lost, sophomore Riley von Hauptman bowled a team-high 280, two-game total with a 151 game high, and freshman Raegan Plumtree had a 257 two-game total with a high of 164.