Vol. 20 Issue 1 | October 4, 2024 | Hagerty High School | Oviedo, Florida
Locked in State law requires building doors locked
Campus clubs like Entrepreneurship, Robotics, Women in STEM and Key Club educate aspiring female leaders
Celebrating 20 years
A look at Hagerty’s first year compared to now
On the run
Varsity football looks to beat Oviedo Friday
Josephine Lim | Print Editor
Six days before school began, principal Robert Frasca received 1800 student IDs, which would be needed to unlock hallway doors as part of the new year’s safety measures.
One problem, though–he was 600 cards short.
By the first day of school, hundreds of IDs were still missing. In addition, distribution during fourth period became hectic as students changed classes and took periods off.
“The [company that made the IDs] had to pull rosters so early [that] we didn’t have the Skyward roll over yet,” Frasca said. “Figuring out who didn’t have one, trying to get one into their hands and making sure they were working was the biggest stress for us.”
These locked hallway doors are just one part of HB1473, a new bill passed in early July. In a
unanimous vote, the Florida Senate established stricter perimeter and door safety policies, enforced through unannounced inspections by the Office of Safe Schools.
“I don’t dislike the concept of IDs to open hallways, but the way that Hagerty integrated it made me view the system negatively,” senior Tracelyn Witsell said.
Considering the execution of the law, policymakers kept the details vague, allowing each county to decide how to deal with the new protocols.
sent down to campus to activate IDs and fix card readers.
For School Resource Officer Milton Gil, the system’s initial problems were somewhat inevitable.
My
number one thing is to make sure everybody goes home and sleeps in their bed tonight…I’ll take any tools available to me to make sure that I complete my job and my mission every day.
Out of Seminole County, Hagerty was one of only five schools to receive keypads and ID cards; other schools were
- Milton Gil, School Resource Officer
“Our buildings are a little older now, our doors are older, so the new technology may not work as smoothly as we want [sometimes],” Gil said. “My number one thing is to make sure everybody goes home and sleeps in their bed tonight…I’ll take any tools available to me to make sure that I complete my job and my mission every day.”
Although HB1473 was only passed this year, it is actually part of a larger set of bills spearheaded by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission. As school shootings become increasingly prevalent every year, even the most reluctant students can acknowledge the bill’s relevance.
“I don’t know if necessary is the right word but I do think [the system] is good for an extra layer of protection against threats,” Saint-Jean said. “[While] it seems impractical sometimes, it’s an extra step that makes it harder for any threat to get to someone, so…it’s good.”
With a month of implementation already completed, many students have gotten used to the ID system, just as administration hoped.
“I was surprised by the new system [at first]. However, I don’t think it is too bad [now],” junior Melinda Salgado said.
Since this is a permanent system, Gil hopes that it will eventually become second nature to students.
“As time goes on, the negatives will get smaller, but the positive is still going to be there,” Gil said. “Transitions are hard sometimes, but I think this one’s worth it.”
Q: What happens if I lose or forget my ID?
A: Students need to report lost badges immediately so access can be disabled for lost/missing cards. It costs $5 for replacement cards.
Q: Do the badges work all the time?
A: Student IDs only work on doors from 7:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Q: Do these badges open external gates, doors etc. at school?
A: No, the badges only unlock internal buildings on campus. They cannot open exterior entry/exit points.
“I think [the bill] is amazing. We have both Republicans and Democrats saying that we need protect our kids.”
“The biggest message I’d like to send to [students] is that the state cares about them.”
- Ralph Massullo, HB1473 co-presenter - Adam Botana, HB1473 co-presenter
Lia Miller| Opinions Editor
Not everyone can claim the career trajectory of Dr. Robin Dehlinger: high school teacher, assistant principal, middle school principal, executive director of middle schools and then elementary schools, and now District 4 representative on the Seminole County school board. It’s an impressive résumé, to say the least.
Dehlinger’s election took place on Aug. 20, along with the race for the District 3 representative, the primary elections for US Senator and House Representative, and the Circuit Judge elections, among others.
“Knowing that you need to get thousands of people to vote for you, it’s very challenging,” Dehlinger said. “I attended a lot of events, just to meet people, and so that they could see me, and I could talk to them, and tell them about what I believed about the school system. It’s a full-time job, really— running for office.”
District 3 candidates. With a three-way race between Kelly Critz, Stephanie Arguello, and incumbent Abby Sanchez, one candidate would have needed to win over more than 50 percent of voters in order to end their race. Because none of the three ended up with a majority of the votes, Arguello and Sanchez (the two with the highest percentages) will face off again on Nov. 5.
Sanchez’s top priorities include growing school programs for art, academics and techincal education. She also hopes to reengage the community with local authorities, and—having served on the school board since 2016—she is well-known both by voters and her peers in various levels of government.
Recently students and parents who drive to Hagerty were met with a familiar friend--once again, Lockwood Blvd. was blocked off near the Carillon subdivision. While the road was expected to be open for the foreseeable future after the conclusion of past repairs, a leak was discovered in a manhole, and had to be repaired.
“I’ve been assured that everything is done, the roadways done, we’ve been blessed by the public works division who’s in charge of the street,” senior engineer Dennis Westrick said.
It seems that after over a year of issues, Lockwood Blvd. will be fully open.
Fabric, style, flair. The Fashion Club aims to incorporate all three of those focuses to invent and transform fashion. On Sept. 6, they held their first meeting of the year, making plans to ride on the momentum of breakthrough events like the Black History fashion show. Held in social studies teacher Teresa Decio’s room, president Misa Gibbs shared her plans for the club. The club’s mission is to allow students to express their creativity through fashion, while also learning about different styles and techniques.
“It’s a fun place to be after school, because it’s just people who like the same things as you, you get to be creative and make stuff,” senior Bella Aguayo said.
Avalanche’s Attic night canceled
Elleigh Ackerman Staff Reporter
- Robin Dehlinger, school board member “
When I was a teacher, I always tried to have good relationships with students. I wanted to get to know them; I wanted them to know me.
Though she already had considerable recognition due to her work in the school system, Dehlinger and her campaign team led door-to-door canvasses in order to garner more awareness among the general public, and made calls to request donations.
Dehlinger spent the morning of the election driving between various polling locations for last-minute campaigning, before heading back home in time to watch the results come out.
“Throughout the day, I was very anxious,” Dehlinger said. “I put a lot into this race—like everybody does—and you just never know what’s going to happen. You want to win, but there’s always that uncertainty. So all day, I was just praying that I would be successful.”
Dehlinger won her race with 57 percent of the votes, meaning that she can end her campaign and take office on Nov. 19. However, the results are not quite as cut-and-dry for
“I feel that our state has tried to dismantle our public schools,” Sanchez said. “And I have a connection with so many people in Tallahassee, as well as locally, and I still want to continue being a voice of the teachers and our constituents.”
Arguello’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment, but according to her official website, she aims to embrace the positive changes of the times by focusing on current challenges for schools and improving the experiences of students.
Arguello has worked primarily in science and health education, and has led several public health programs through her work with various nonprofits and community institutions.
Dehlinger, Sanchez, and Arguello have all expressed a desire to connect with students.
“Students should know that I care about them,” Dehlinger said. “When I was a teacher, I always tried to have good relationships with students. I wanted to get to know them; I wanted them to know me.”
Once Dehlinger assumes office, she will list her contact information on the school board’s website, but until then, students can learn more about her at vote4robin.org.
Due to the developing Hurricane Helene, SCPS canceled all after-school activities and events, including the upcoming Avalanche’s Attic community night. Hearing the news of the cancellation on Sept. 24, event sponsor Erin Isaacs was disappointed that the community would be missing out on the support her store had to offer. Plans to reschedule the event are underway, but a date has not yet been announced.
“It’s disappointing because I know (based on some of the answers from the permission form questionnaire) that there are some families that are truly struggling,” Isaacs said. “So now it’s just reorganizing everything, changing the dates, changing the signs that I ordered, changing everything, but we’ll work through it.”
Traditionally, senior privilege days excused students from their seventh period and lunch. Now, it will be held at various periods throughout the year, including periods 1, 2, 5 and 6. This change has brought mixed reactions from both teachers and students.
“I have my first and second periods off in the morning, and my fifth and sixth off after lunch, so I can’t even participate in senior privilege,” senior Sebastian Rubio said.
Students can access the privilege forms on the “Class of 2025” eCampus page.
Kailey Calvo | Editor-in-chief
n August, school administration released a new attendance policy, lowering the permitted number of unexcused absences a student can have per semester from nine to five. The updated attendance policy came as a surprise, but for junior Mikayla Miessler, she knew that the policy would impact her.
“When I first heard about it, I honestly just started stressing out because there was no way I was going to be able to fit all my club volleyball tournaments into five absences,” Miessler said. The number of unexcused absences was set
by the SCPS board themselves, as a part of their uniform High School Attendance Policy. However, administration reduced the number of allowable unexcused absences per class to better reflect block periods, as missing one class period means missing an extended period of instructional time.
“While the county’s new uniform attendance policy doesn’t change any of Hagerty’s specific attendance policies, it does reinforce our efforts to ensure that both students and parents take attendance seriously,”
assistant principal Reggie Miller said. “This focus underscores the importance of being present and engaged every day.”
It’s made me more cautious and fearful about missing class time
- Kamryn Debaets, 10
In an email to students and parents, administration detailed the new attendance policy and addressed misconceptions about credit denial.
“This new attendance policy has made me so much more cautious and aware of my attendance because I need to save my absences for volleyball season,” Miessler said. “Because of this, I have had to attend school when I am sick or injured rather than just resting for a day because I don’t have absences to spare. It almost makes it impossible for student-athletes to be able to succeed in our sport and our education at the same time.”
Both the attendance policy and the process of submitting attendance documentation to excuse absences were streamlined. Now, a Google Form will be used for parents to upload documentation.
While administration intended to clarify the attendance policy to hold students accountable, students felt surprised by the change.
“The change is bound to cause many issues with students,” sophomore Kamryn Debaets said. “I live relatively far from school and my mom drives me every day, what will I be able to do if she gets sick and can’t drive me? It’s made me much more cautious and fearful about missing class time.” Administration believes that while the attendance policy will take getting used to, it will ultimately better serve students and allow them to take full advantage of all instructional time.
“The decision to revisit the attendance policy this year is grounded in the need for accountability,” Miller said. “Students and parents must take responsibility for consistent attendance, as it directly impacts academic performance.”
College/Career Counselor
Andrea Fuhrer had an untraditional summer—her new role took her on the road. Fuhrer spent time visiting selected colleges such as Duke University and UNC Chapel Hill while collaborating with national college advisors.
With the help of the school counselors, Fuhrer built the College and Career Research Center from the ground up.
can expect to ask Dr. Fuhrer at the Counselor Corner at lunch each day. The center is also bringing back college and career visits. Several tours are already planned for this year along with further resources that will allow students to learn how to be a competitive applicant for college admissions.
We want to give them a bridge from high school and connect that to their next steps.
-Andrea Fuhrer, College and Career counselor
“Regardless of whether you might be going straight to college or straight to a career, the number one way to figure out what you want to do is just exploring and getting lost in that interest,” Fuhrer said.
The research center is located in the media center and is open from 2:20 to 3 p.m. every day except Wednesday. If students need quick answers, they
“The main goal is for all students to have a four-year plan leaving high school. Whether that be college, military, starting their own business, going into a career, whatever it is, we want to give them a bridge from high school and connect that to their next steps,” Fuhrer said.
The College and Career Center will cater not only to students, but to parents as well. On Tuesday, Aug. 20, Fuhrer, along with school counselor Michelle Cortes, gave an introductory presentation. Over 60 parents attended the presentation,
where they were informed about all kinds of events like Living on My Own, a financial literacy activity, and Informed by the Uniform, a career expo focused on first responder and military pathways.
“My daughter’s in 11th grade. She’s my second daughter and my oldest graduate from Hagerty… they did a great job [before the Career Center], but it was a lot of navigation that we did on our own,” Simon Small-Ali, a parent in attendance, said. “This is something at the school where she can come and ask questions for herself. It’s just another layer, another level of help for us.”
In addition to the research center, Fuhrer is also offering a Dual Enrollment credit class in school called Career Life planning. This class will go deeper into the investigation portion of post-graduation plans and has full enrollment.
“I want [students] to feel like they are equipped whether it is for college or another path. I want to make sure that if they need anything. I have the ability to offer them that,” Fuhrer said.
Holly Smyers | Staff Reporter
IThe overruling of Looper v. Raimondo has become...
Greta Carrasco | Online Editor
A messy implementation for state locked door law
Omagine devoting your whole life to one thing enough to achieve the revered title of an ‘expert,’ reaching the point to where you can apply your knowledge as you see fit. A cardiothoracic surgeon would have the knowledge to make heart surgery decisions on their own based on the absurd amount of years grinding away in medical school.
Now imagine someone with far less knowledge on the subject coming in and messing everything up. The guy who owns the hospital walks in during the open heart surgery and tells the surgeon how to do his job.
That is essentially what the overruling of the Chevron deference does in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, except it applies to all federal regulations, from food to education, to literal toxic waste.
In 1984, the Supreme Court established the Chevron deference in a ruling for Chevron USA v. Natural Resources. The Chevron deference stated that federal agencies should have more power when it comes to interpreting laws related to their field, since they have a wealth of knowledge in their chosen subject. When cases arose, the courts looked to them for help interpreting vague laws. Congress was able to pass “bubble policies” that gave these agencies plenty of room to adjust and interpret rules as they see fit, since the in-house experts know how to best tackle difficult problems specific to them. This ruling has impacted over 18,000 different cases in every area of law.
of Health and Human Services tries to prevent us from dying from unbacked medical procedures and ensures we can recover from medical and public emergencies.
Suppose Congress wanted to limit harmful benzene emissions. (Benzene is found in glues, adhesives, cleaning products, etc.) They would simply make it clear to the EPA that something needed to be done; they would not write the precise formula to determine how much benzene is safe under certain circumstances—because that would be ridiculous. Imagine having to know literally everything. And it still would not be as good as the actual scientists who have been working in the field for their whole lives.
And now, with Loper overruled, guess what? Instead of those experts having a majority say in how complex industry decisions are made, it is a bunch of people who went to law school.
At first look, it may not actually sound too bad. After all, interpreting laws is the court’s job, so why shouldn’t they have more of a say when it comes to the regulations that impact everyday life?
If the guy owns the hospital, why shouldn’t he give instructions on how to use the space?
There are hundreds of different niches of regulations: finance, energy policy, education, labor, consumer protection, the environment, health care, housing, food and drug safety, law enforcement— the list is endless.
Someone who mixes up basic chemical elements should not be regulating them. “
The ruling in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo on June 28, where a group of fisherman fought a ruling from a national agency, now undoes all of that. Instead of Congress passing the “bubble policies” for the agencies to interpret their own regulations, the court now interprets any vague laws or inconsistencies.
Federal agencies dictate most aspects of life and safety. The Food and Drug Administration makes sure our meat is not actively rotting; the Environmental Protection Agency makes sure we do not die of radiation poisoning; the Department
How can we expect anyone to have enough knowledge of even four of these subgroups to properly regulate them?
We can’t.
There have already been some embarrassing slip-ups caused by the supreme court. Justice Neil Gorsu confused nitrous oxide (laughing gas) with nitrogen oxide (a smog-causing emission), which when written in law could have disastrous effects if not caught And someone who mixes up basic chemical elements shouldn’t be regulating them.
The overturning of the Chevron deference is simply a judicial power grab. It takes power away from both the federal agencies and the congressional branch of government, and it gives that power to people we cannot trust to make these decisions.
First established in 1984 the Chevron deference had been in existence for June 28 the Court overturned Chevron, finalizing their decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. The Supreme Court overturned Chevron in a 6-3 ruling, with six conservative judges ruling in favor of the decision.
40 years
Federal courts have applied the Chevron deference in approximately 18,000 cases in energy policy, education and food.
n the first day of school, Broward County students came across a singular metal detector at the entrance of their schools. It took three hours for all students to be let in.
In Volusia County, superintendents encouraged students to be designated hallway guards, exposing them to potential lines of fire.
Seminole County has keycard access but only for certain schools.
HB 1473 was passed in early July as one of many bills headed by Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission. The bill created new safety guidelines that included locking all outdoor entryways to school, keeping hallways locked at all times and replacing the 12-hour diversity training to a deescalation training.
While the law’s safety requirements provide an extra layer of protection, the implementation process has created many problems throughout Florida schools.
The law required implementation to start July 1, 2024, and for all schools to comply with the safety processes by Aug. 1. Considering the short time frame for enforcement, schools expected greater guidance–to no avail. The law failed to fully outline how each county should implement the new security requirements and what strategies would be used to transition into the new school year. Interpreting the policy of locked doors on points of “ingress” and “egress” on campus was an especially difficult concern left up to the counties to sort out.
Schools like those at Broward County interpreted these points as the doors that face the outside of campus only, but for Seminole County, these points include entrances to buildings from inside the courtyard of the school. Trying to decipher what lawmakers meant by these routes is already a timely process, not to mention designing a feasible strategy to implement the changes.
It would be understandable if the law asked for a full implementation a month after HB 1473 was passed if there was a concrete definition for these entrance routes and enough in-school time to pilot a successful program for implementation. However, schools were simply asked to comply with the requirements without having students try out the new security processes until the upcoming year.
This is not the only hurdle schools have to face—budgeting ultimately decides what works. In Orange County, the OPENGATE pilot program designed to enhance security screening was scrapped due to cost. A similar budgeting problem is happening in Seminole County: although Hagerty was lucky enough to receive funds for student keycards, many schools were left without unlocking mechanisms.
The law was passed with a legitimate goal in mind: adding protection for students, but there are too many issues that need to be resolved for the security additions to be efficient. For now, we should just be glad that our problems are much smaller than most and that Hagerty’s safety changes have been relatively trouble-free–most schools are not so lucky.
Hagerty High School
3225 Lockwood Blvd.
Oviedo, FL 32765
hagertyjourn@gmail.com
Phone: (407) 871-0750
EDITORIAL POLICY
The BluePrint is a studentproduced 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, the views of Seminole County Public Schools’ or Hagerty High School’s administration and staff.
Editor-in-chief
Kailey Calvo
Print Editor
Josephine Lim
Online Editor
Greta Carrasco-Garcia
News Editor
Josephine Lim
Features Editor
Gabriella Navarro
Opinions Editor Lia Miller
Sports Editor
Greta Carrasco-Garcia
Staff Reporters
Elleigh Ackerman, Delaney Roberts, Luca Huff, Angelina Habib, Kayla Agnos, Isabella Ross, Faith Walsh, Emily Rasco, Luke Thompson, Paul Simone, Jessica Johnson, Kaitlyn Taylor, Holly Smyers, Isaiah Macri
Adviser
Brit Taylor
Walking into Sam Momary stadium at kickoff, students would be lucky to find a spot on the bleachers. In just two years, the conditions at home football games are noticeably different, with the student section halfway full at most games. Hagerty has a record-breaking population of 2,580 students, but they have been less spirited than ever. The main culprits? Off-campus periods and a lack of participation.
With increased student involvement in online learning and dual enrollment courses, students are on campus less and less during the actual school day. While it is good that students are taking advantage of these higher-level courses, it is leading to a major disconnect in their participation in school activities.
Hagerty is a relatively new school
at just 20 years old, it doesn’t have nearly as much of the camaraderie as other local schools like rival Oviedo, with less time for the development of key traditions or withstanding school identity.
So what’s the solution?
More events on campus should be held to raise student involvement. The school should host more pep rallies and parade activities to increase excitement about upcoming sports games and pride for their school.
While leadership does offer candy to students wearing Hagerty apparel on Fridays, many students seem to not be informed about the reward system, indicating a clear disconnect between leadership and students themselves. Morning announcements are a helpful way for students to be informed about events and activities, but hundreds of students have first and second periods off. Social media does help reach more students who
Illustration | Hannah Jiang
Mikayla Agnos and
Paul
Simone | Staff Reporters
Kayla and Paul discuss the recent debate and the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, and provide commentary on the ways that each party is running their campaign.
Kayla: We’re going to be talking about the national conventions and how [the candidates are] talking about their policies.
Paul: I think we haven’t gotten a lot from Kamala Harris about her policies, other from than social media and stuff. But we can look at her prior work as a senator, as
district attorney, and the stuff that she’s done, like fighting in California to improve the economy.
Kayla: From what I saw and what I heard, they mentioned their policies only a few times. And, I got this from the independent candidate Ron F. Kennedy Jr. himself, that on the on the first day of the Democratic National Convenion they mentioned Trump’s name147 times. I just think it’s a little bit crazy how, out of all the time that they had they, really focused on Trump and what they think he’ doing wrong.
Paul: I think in a lot of Trump speeches, you can kind of see the veil is chipping... I don’t think we should have presidents who are too old, because some of their policies don’t even affect them.
Kayla: So you’re saying, younger presidency is better?
Paul: Yes, and that’s why I’m really excited for Kamala, because if she
may not listen to the announcements, but there should be more promotion within each class’s eCampus pages, so the maximum number of students would be able to see it.
The majority of students do participate in homecoming dress-up days, but the winter week dress-up days are far less popular. Student voices should be taken into account to increase participation. The correlation is clear—if students like the themes, they are more likely to dress up.
Arguably, the senior class has the largest role in school spirit. Many seniors created senior crowns to wear on the first day of school and were encouraged to wear them every Friday and at every home football game, but the trend fell off after the first day. More incentives for students who participate in spirit-related activities could be a helpful way to get more students involved, as they might feel more motivated if there was something they could get in return for being spirited.
Although Hagerty is rated top in Seminole County for its academics, it’s clear that the student body themselves are clearly missing the fun. While administration and leadership could be doing more to create a spirited environment, the student body should also have the initiative to be involved in activities. Pep rallies, football games and dressup days should be the time for the entire student body to be involved. Whether spirit comes from more pep rally games, more activities during breaks, or a clearer reward system for students who do get involved, leadership, school administration and the student body should work together to create more events to foster spirit and cultivate a better school community.
does something and then she doesn’t get elected next term, it affects her.
Kayla: How do you feel about RFK and the independent party? Because I want to say that it’s been very overlooked, especially this year.
Paul: I’ll be honest, RFK was kind of under my radar.
Kayla: That also has a lot to play in with social media and how technology has grown, even since Obama was president. It’s insane how much it’s changed.
Paul: It’s a two party system.
Kayla: Yeah, it really is. Nobody’s focusing on the independent candidate, unless you’re a part of the independent party. If you’re, not a part of the Democratic Party or Republican Party, you might be focusing on RFK more.
Paul: I’m really excited to see what Kamala plans to do, because she hasn’t been candidate for that long.
Kayla: She hasn’t been very open about her policies either. It’s like, okay, you’re running for president. That’s great. That’s awesome. You’re a woman. You’re an African American woman, at that. So everybody is obviously obsessed. Everybody on the left side is obsessed with the idea of her becoming president, of course. But, what is she going to do for our society? What is she going to do for our country? Is she going to make things better? Is she going to make things worse? Or, is she just going to sit there and, watch everything happen and not lift a finger to help our country do anything?
Listen to the rest of the podcast
Jessica Johnson | Staff Reporter
The banana pudding milkshake from Chick-fil-A came out on Aug. 26 and went viral on TikTok and Instagram. It is a vanilla-base milkshake with banana puree and chunks of vanilla wafers in it. Coming from someone who enjoys banana pudding a lot, it is delicious. It has a lot of banana flavor and the vanilla wafers add a nice crunch to the shake. It is also very unique because most places don’t serve this flavor. The milkshake is only sticking around until Nov. 16. If you enjoy banana pudding, go try this drink.
The pumpkin spice latte became popular in 2017 when so many people were posting it on Instagram that fans became known as “pumpkin spice girls.” While it is the grandmother of fall drinks, my personal opinion is that the Starbucks iced pumpkin spice latte is very yummy but too sweet, with an overpowering amount of pumpkin syrup. Instead of the usual four pumps of pumpkin syrup and whipped cream, I recommend trying two pumps of pumpkin syrup and pumpkin sweet cream cold foam to cut down the sweetness.
Not every fall flavor has to involve a trip to a coffee shop. Pumpkin-shaped Reese’s peanut butter cups might not have pumpkin flavor, but they definitely add some Halloween fun. The milk chocolate peanut butter cups became popular during Halloween, when some houses started giving them out to kids. In my opinion, the pumpkin ones are superior to the normal ones, with a better peanut-butter-tochocolate ratio. The main taste is peanut butter with a hint of chocolate, so definitely get these if you’re a peanut butter lover.
“Try This!” is a way to find underground albums similar to your favorite albums. This week, Emily is reviewing an alternative to Gracie Abram’s album, “The Secret of Us.”
“The Cheat Sheet” by
Sarah Adams Gabriella Navarro | Staff Reporter
SVespr Coffee Bar is popular around the UCF campus and many students go there to study or do homework. The atmosphere is very calming and there are couches, tables and dim lighting. Their pumpkin spice latte is always popular in the fall and has the perfect ratio. It’s not too sweet and has a hint of pumpkin. Pumpkin spice added to the top of it makes it pretty. For coffee lovers, this is one of the best pumpkin spice lattes because it has a very espresso-forward taste. For those who prefer a classic sweet pumpkin spice latte, stick with Starbucks.
The honey caramel crunch iced coffee enjoyed another surge of popularity this year since they brought it to First Watch, a popular brunch spot at Stonehill Plaza. It is coffee topped with a sweet cream cold foam with toffee crumbles on top. The coffee flavor is caramel, layered with honey and caramel drizzle around the cup. This is a coffee on the sweeter side, but it is very delicious. It has the perfect mix of caramel and coffee and is very cute looking. My one complaint is that you can’t taste much coffee as the sugar overpowers it a little. It won’t be around for long but, if you’re craving sweet caramel coffee, go get it now.
Gracie Abrams’ sophomore album “The Secret Of Us” took over social media after its release in June. Abrams offers a poignant take on synth-pop with passionate lyricism, describing the pain of failed relationships.
21-year old Mercer Henderson’s “Not Really Strangers” is her debut album released just this month on Sept. 6. Despite only having seven tracks, it packs a punch with the emotional lyricism and catchy instrumentals.
arah Adams’ “The Cheat Sheet” was supposed to be a swoon-worthy, friendsto-lovers romance that warms your heart. But it ended up being the most cringe-worthy, frustrating book I have ever read. Reading it felt like a bad joke where the punchline was the plot itself. Imagine a rom-com where the characters spend 90% of the time pretending they’re in middle school and the other 10% ignoring every social cue. Yep, that’s the entire book.
Let’s start with the fact that Bree is ground zero for pick-me girls. Bree constantly tells Nathan’s girlfriends that he will pick her if he is forced to choose between them. Why are you saying this to anyone, especially someone who hasn’t done anything to you? Not to mention the way she describes how she and Nathan first met: “He saw me in my scuffed-up sneakers, curly hair piled on my head in the grossest bun anyone has ever seen, and he stopped running.” If someone told me this came from a 2013 Wattpad story, I would have believed it. If you thought Bree was annoying, just wait until you get to the plot. Let’s start with the book’s most significant slip-up: the love story timeline. This is a friend-to-lovers, so I expected maybe one of the characters to already be in love with the other, but I was so very wrong. Spoiler alert: both Bree and Nathan are in love with each other. And guess when we find this out? Chapter one! The second it was “revealed,” I knew this book was doomed. All the tension, build-up, and suspense of watching two characters gradually fall in love that really makes up a good slow burn is ruined before you even get comfortable. Whoever labeled this as a slow burn is a moron. The whole “will-theywon’t-they” is dead on arrival, and that’s where my frustration began because I felt like I was stuck waiting for them to catch up with what’s already painfully obvious.
But all of these problems take second place to the writing. The book tries so hard to be quirky and charming that it trips over its own feet. The internal dialogue is some of the cringiest work I’ve ever read. Our first impression of the main character is “ATTENTION ALL SEXY QUARTERBACKS! COVER YOUR GOODS! A GREEDY-EYED WOMAN IS IN THE HOUSE!”…This is on page one. I stared at this for a solid three minutes, questioning what I was about to get into. But that was just the first offense. All of the characters act this way. I’m supposed to believe these characters are in their midtwenties when they act like middle schoolers. It’s safe to say it will take me a few days to recover from this book. I’m rating this book two out of five stars and that’s being generous. If you’re looking for a laugh—whether at the book or with it—”The Cheat Sheet” might be worth a read. But if you’re after an emotionally mature, well-developed romance, do yourself a favor and keep searching. It will be more worth your time to read something like “Better Than the Movies.”
Luca Huff | Staff Reporter
In 2004, Hagerty High opened its doors to the inaugural class.
Twenty years later, the school has changed in innumerable ways.
The campus originally served as Lawton Chiles Middle School.
It only had buildings 2, 3, 4 and the cafeteria. Different rooms served different functions—the current weight room was first a band room; the portables used to be a place for administration to work. In its early years, the smaller size was able to accommodate the smaller school population.
“
As more students were drawn to the school, changes were needed.
I remember when the bell would ring, and it’d be like, just a few 100 kids walking around this area, You look out there now, It’s going to be packed. - Josh Kohn, basketball coach
“I remember when the bell would ring, and it’d be like, just a few 100 kids walking around this area,” Kohn said.
“Iremember being in the gym, and it was just like, naked,” Kohn said. It took the school years to win its first banner. It remained as the lone accolade to Hagerty’s name and walls for a long time.
“The whole gym was nothing but the one. At a high school you like to have a lot of sports banners—football and basketball and tennis and golf—and we had one banner, and it was the bowling conference championship.”
Hagerty’s extracurriculars have brought home a multitude of different awards and banners. Most recently, the school’s athletic department earned the Seminole Athletic Conference Championship.
“I have moments when I look in there now and I think, ‘There really was a time when there was nothing here.’ It’s surreal to think that I saw when there was nothing. It’s been fun to watch it grow right in front of you,” Kohn said.
Even after this improvement, the school’s athletics shows no signs of slowing down.
“Our athletic standing in the district is at the top. It usually comes down
Although it took several years to complete, as the school grew, the campus did with it. Now, buildings 6, 7, 9, including the auditorium and competition gym, have all been added, and the size of the cafeteria was doubled. This gave students access to far more facilities on campus, facilities that were greatly improved. It also gave the growing population much more room.
“You look out there now? It’s going to be packed,” said Kohn.
At this time, only half of the campus now was constructed. It stands at double the size of what it was in the first year.
Photo provided | Laurie Kurtz
to three high performing schools, the one right down the street, the one over there in Lake Mary, and then ourselves,” said athletic director Jay Getty. “Earning a spot on our teams is a challenge, but it’s one our students accept.”
In 20 years, the school has grown in many ways: in spirit, in community standing, in sports competitiveness, in the number of students and staff and even in actual size. However,
the standard of excellence has been maintained throughout.
“That was the goal and the vision that we set out with,” said first principal Sam Momary. “That was the goal we worked around. We talked about the culture that we wanted to build, the camaraderie and the spirit was all about excellence and about helping kids achieve their highest level. We worked everything around that vision of excellence in everything we did.”
Inaugural year begins Campus completed
Hagerty opened in 2005 to a class of only freshmen. It was commonly viewed as the little brother to the much older and more established Oviedo High School, which had over 70 years of history when Hagerty opened its doors. The school was even dubbed “Oviedo East” in the community.
“You definitely had a stigma. I mean, we all felt it. [People thought] ‘It’s no good, the sports stink,’” coach Josh Kohn said.
Having to jump start a culture from scratch, it took years for Hagerty to move past this reputation. With time and success, Hagerty developed into a unique school with its own student culture and spirit, as well as a community supporting it.
“We’ve come a long way. Our students have come a long way. Even our facilities have really changed for the better. We used to be the homecoming opponent for everybody, and that’s not the case any more. We were always everybody’s senior nights in all the other sports, and that’s not the case any more. Now we make other people part of our senior nights and our homecoming opponents. So it’s nice to be on the other side,” assistant principal Christy -Bryce said. “I feel like we were like the little brother when we first started. We kind’ve had to forge our own path, and it was hard,” “[We’ve] grown leaps and bounds.”
SPECIAL EDITION,The BluePrint celebrates the completion of the first year. The BluePrint blossomed into a nationally recognized, award winning publication.
Campus completed First class graduates
Hagerty opened with a full offering of sports such as basketball, football and soccer. However, it took several years for the school to fully add varsity teams to the offered sports— It took longer for teams to be able to compete. In the early years, the school lost athletes who transferred to other schools for more established sports programs.
“Why, if I was a good athlete, am I going to go to the school that’s brand new when Oviedo has all the tradition and all the success over the years?” Kohn said.
With persistence, the school grew its sports teams to a competitive level.
“Kohn was coaching basketball with a bunch of little ninth graders playing against Jones, who was a state champion for years in a row, getting destroyed,” Tibbitts-Bryce said. “Now, we’re beating those teams and playing
When Hagerty first opened, it only had a small class of freshmen. Coming straight from middle school, the first class had no understanding of what high school life and traditions were like. With no upperclassmen around, the staff had to lead the way.
“We, as faculty and administration, had to basically take their hand and walk them through everything that was going to happen,” Sam Momary, the inaugural principal said.
The groundwork laid by the opening staff members paid off, eventually forming the culture students know today. Student leadership became integral to this, with upperclassmen showing underclassmen the ropes.
“We talked a lot about building a tradition of excellence. I think for a lot of us, it was more, ‘How do we build this culture of supportive excellence in the classroom, band field, athletic fields?’” assistant superintendent Mike Rice, founder of the band program said.
“And I think that as the competition got better, as the students got older, and they started buying in more and having that feeling of, ‘This is our campus. It’s
First school “A” earned First varsity football win over Oviedo
Photo provided | Laurie Kurtz
right there with them, and playing with the Oviedos and the Lake Marys and the Seminoles.”
OPENING DAY Mike Rice directs the band at the ribbon cutting event. He returned to direct the band this year during the football game against Lake Howell as part of the 20-year festivities.
”It brings back so many memories.
Just thinking about the times we got together, the uniform, the excitement, it’s awesome,” Rice said.
Photo provided | Laurie Kurtz
not Oviedo East.’ It was cool to see that transition happen and students start stepping up in different ways.”
First Alumni to play pro sports
School population hits 2500
Dr. Paul J. Hagerty, the namesake of the school. Sam Momary, the first principal. Mike Rice, the assistant superintendent and former band director. These three, part of a group that included four current or former superintendents and lots of past and present faculty, gathered for a Aug. 23 reunion.
The VIP dinner, held in the media center, marked the beginning of a year-long celebration for Hagerty’s 20th anniversary. Dinner started at 5 p.m., and during the hour-long meal, the original staff joyfully recalled and reminisced on all the memories they shared from 20 years back.
“I was the most hated man in Seminole County because I robbed every school and the administrative office of some of their best people,” Momary said. “They all wanted to come work [at Hagerty] because of the parent support and the great group of kids that we would have.”
Culinary students, with the guidance of culinary teacher Matthew Thompson, arranged a selection of food including dinner rolls with honey butter, baked red baby potatoes and chicken picatta.
A video with pictures of the school’s 20 years of growth was shown while the attendees ate dinner. After, principal Robert Frasca asked everyone to sing to Momary for his 76th birthday.
HEART WARMING REUNION
Sam Momary and calculus teacher Carolyn Guzman share a hug as they reunite. The dinner was part of many events to come as Hagerty celebrates its 20th anniversary. Photo | Kayla
“We’re fortunate to have four superintendents in this room and that is four individuals that have seen over the last 40 years, some of the great things that have happened in Seminole County— building Hagerty High school was just one of them,” Seminole County Superintendent, Serita Beamon said. “It’s kind of a continuous reminder of all of the efforts that the school system has made for our community and for our kiddos.”
When the dinner finished, the guests were led into Sam Momary Stadium where a special spot was reserved in the end zone. Before the game started, Rice, alongside seniors Amya Waters and Katy Smith, directed the band during opening.
After the ceremony ended, Momary was called to do the coin toss that would decide what team would kick off the game—it was in favor of Hagerty. Despite an hour-long weather delay to start the second half, the varsity football team beat Lake Howell, 31-14.
More events are planned in celebration of the 20th anniversary. A Hall of Fame induction will be in January, each sports team will host an alumni night, two professional football players’ jerseys will be retired and the theater department will hold an event commemorating 20 years.
“It’s really kind of exciting…to still be here; there are only 11 of us [original members]. Everyone’s doing their own thing to invite people back and celebrate the 20th,” Tibbitts-Bryce said.
High school can feel like a social battleground, especially for the 40% of students who identify as introverts. For those who thrive in quieter environments, the hustle and bustle of passing periods, crowded cafeterias, and loud pep rallies can be overwhelming. Yet, many introverts have discovered creative ways to navigate this chaotic world.
For introverts, their natural tendencies also make them adept at subjects requiring deep focus and individual effort. Senior Karissa Emmert finds that being introverted has built up her listening and observation skills.
“In subjects like English or science, being able to focus on my own is a big advantage,” Emmert said. “It’s amazing how much you can learn just by paying attention to the little things others might miss.”
When it comes to introverts like Emmert, the best kind of school day involves as little group work as possible. She tries to make the most of solo projects and independent assignments. In fact, Emmert admits that a canceled group project feels like “winning the lottery,” even if she has to play along and act like she’s disappointed for the sake of her classmates.
music—they’re your secret weapon against unwanted small talk,” Emmert said.
Many introverts in high school share a common ability to find calm amidst chaos, creating their own personal space even in the busiest environments. Building meaningful, sincere relationships is another key strategy for navigating the social landscape, allowing introverts to focus on quality connections rather than quantity.
“Focus on building meaningful connections with a few close friends who understand and appreciate you rather than collect as many people as you can that don’t care,” Emmert said. “Quality over quantity should always be prioritized.”
Similarly, senior Danielle Hoffman credits her introverted nature with her ability to excel academically. While many students are distracted by social interactions, introverts like Hoffman use their observational skills to their advantage.
TIP #3: MALL K S L SKIP THE
meeting new people.”
Introverts may find themselves in unexpected situations where their instincts backfire—where trying to remain unnoticed instead brings them to the center of attention.
Senior Haley Hines tried hard to go unnoticed, but found herself in the spotlight at last year’s ROTC ball.
“I went to the military ball and I was just trying to blend into the crowd and go unnoticed, but I got crowned queen and I got dragged to the middle of the dance floor,” Hines said.
Her introverted strategy of blending in was quickly turned upside down as she found herself in the spotlight. However, despite the initial discomfort, she soon realized that being the center of attention wasn’t all bad.
I N T QU T TIP #1: EA ODPH S E H N ARE YOUR SHIELD TIP #2: A YLIT Q OVER
“Being an introvert, you tend to pick up on details better, which in my experience has led me to better grades than the more extroverted people at times,” Hoffman said.
“At first, I was like ‘Oh my gosh,’, but then ‘Oh my gosh!’ because I realized everyone just wanted to be around me,” Hines said. “I realized that I shouldn’t be so afraid when people approach me. Sometimes it works out a lot better than the scenario you create in your head.”
On a day-to-day level, many introverted students develop coping mechanisms for surviving loud, busy school environments. For Hines, her introverted nature has helped her focus on forming close, supportive friendships rather than wasting energy on superficial social interactions.
TIP #4: UI T Q PLACE TIP #5: PO L I T S H AVOID THE TA FIND YOUR E T G
Focusing in class and excelling in academics may come more naturally to introverts, but navigating rowdy environments like pep rallies does not.
“My biggest advice for louder events is to keep breathing and find one thing to focus on,” Hoffman said. “After that, tune everything else out.”
TIP #3: MALL K S L SKIP THE TIP #4: UI T Q PLACE
“Being an introvert has really helped me ignore toxic people and keep them out of my life,” Hines said. “It’s also helped keep me grounded and not get wrapped up in unimportant things.”
TIP #5: PO L I T S H AVOID THE TA FIND YOUR E T G
“I love when a group project gets canceled, but I try not to show it,” Emmert said. “I pretend with the people around me like, ‘Oh no…wish we could’ve worked together…’ but on the inside, I’m celebrating.”
Her advice to fellow introverts navigating high school? Embrace the quiet moments.
“Find those quiet corners, cherish your independent work, and remember, headphones aren’t just for
However, while Hoffman values her introverted strengths, she also advocates pushing beyond the comfort zone. For her, stepping into uncomfortable situations, like presentations or meeting new people, has helped her grow both socially and academically.
“If I could give one piece of advice it would be to push yourself out of your comfort zone,” Hoffman said. “I have grown so much because I’ve been pushed out of my own comfort zone. I find it’s helped my social skills and has made me more confident when it comes to presenting and
Junior Maria Stea takes a more tactical approach when navigating chaotic school events like pep rallies or assemblies. For her, noise-canceling headphones are an essential tool for surviving these overwhelming environments.
“Headphones are my lifesaver. I pretend to be focused in class, but really, it’s my curated playlist that keeps me in my own world,” Stea said.
She suggests investing in good
Illustrations | Kayla Agnos
headphones and planning out quiet spots in advance, whether it’s at lunch or during assemblies.
TIP #1: EA ODPH S E H N ARE YOUR SHIELD TIP Q OVER
“[Noise canceling headphones] create a bubble and gives me a chance to mentally escape and recharge even in the loudest settings,” Stea said.
During silent study periods, some introverts find themselves with extra time after completing their work, with no way to spend it. Stea uses this downtime to learn new skills and hone her hobbies.
“Recently, I’ve been watching videos on origami and I’ve already learned how to make small frogs, jumping snakes and ninja stars,” Stea said.
TIP #5: PO L I T S H AVOID THE TA FIND T G Q
TIP #3: MALL K S L SKIP THE TIP Q PLACE
For her, it’s a fun and productive way to stay engaged without needing to interact with others. And when she’s not folding paper, she often reads or watches other videos to pass the time.
Introverts develop their own methods for thriving in high school, proving that while the environment may be challenging, it is certainly not impossible. Whether through finding solace in solo work, using headphones to block out the noise, or carefully navigating social interactions, introverts have found their own unique ways to flourish in the often hectic world of high school—one quiet moment at a time.
“Being introverted is not a weakness–it’s a unique trait that brings depth to your experiences. We’re not just quiet; we’re observant, thoughtful, and often more attuned to the world around us,” Emmert said.
ARE YOU AN INT ROVERT?
TAKE THIS QUIZ:
MElleigh Ackerman | Staff Reporter
ath-geniuses, business-startup owners, even robot builders gathered on Aug. 29 for the inaugural Women in STEM Club meeting. Math and science fields are traditionally male-dominated, but several clubs are trying to combat this imbalance and encourage more female involvement in STEM. Hosted by female leaders and filled with innovators, WISTEM focuses on girls who are eager to apply their scientific passions.
Club co-founder and vice president senior Valeria Romero built the club with the intent of making girls feel included and open to discussing their passions for STEM in a safe space. “This club was kind of formed around some of the women on the board not feeling that they were included enough in other STEM-focused clubs,” Romero said.
The broader initiative for WISTEM, an international organization, is to welcome girls interested in the STEM field to interact with each other and build important life skills. To advocate this, schoolbased WISTEM clubs, like the one in the school, organize lab activities, workshops and guest speakers to educate members on specific career fields and find what they are most drawn to.
Emiaj Jaime, plans to incorporate workshops to teach members how to advertise products and plan out a business venture they’re passionate about. Members will also receive experience by participating in fundraisers and learning the process of selling a product.
“Obviously it’s going to be hard to start up a million startup businesses, but we want to teach them different concepts so they know that they’re able to succeed with a success mindset,” Jamie said. “The biggest thing about entrepreneurship is that it isn’t hard. It takes a lot of work, but it’s not rocket science.”
“The biggest thing about entrepreneurship is that it isn’t hard. It takes a lot of work, but it’s not rocket science.”
Jaime looked into entrepreneurial education this summer, as she read countless self-help books and educated herself on the different tactics of an entrepreneur. Building up her entrepreneurial knowledge has helped her workshop her own business, an experience Jaime hopes to impart to others through the club.
The biggest thing about entrepreneurship is that it isn’t hard. It takes a lot of work, but it’s not rocket science.
- Emiaj Jaime, 12 “
As club members tackle post-high school education, WISTEM offers multiple opportunities to apply for scholarships and summer programs with notable colleges.
Beyond the club’s goal for inclusivity and awareness, sophomore Lucia Howe loves how the club tackles worldwide stereotypes associated with girls working in male-dominated fields.
“I feel like in this contemporary world, women are playing much bigger roles now and it’s really important that we provide opportunities like this to women so we can create [a] more equal society,” Howe said.
Although WISTEM is notable for its STEMfocused program, Entrepreneurship Club is another club aiming to teach girls how to advocate for themselves and use what they’ve learned for life after high school. The club’s president, senior
Women in STEM Club latest to promote female leadership GIRL BOSSES
“After high school I plan to attend university to major in something related to business, entrepreneurship, or investing and I plan to run track in college. Being president of Entrepreneurship Club has shown me that organization is vital to achieve your goals.”
While WISTEM and Entrepreneurship Club are on the newer end of the spectrum, Robotics has been pushing for more girl involvement since its start decades ago. In only the second year after its creation, the Robotics team was able to create a team of all girls to go to competitions, eventually making it to states.
Robotics sponsor Po Dickison wanted to eliminate the disparity of women involved in the STEM community and assured these girls that there was more to robotics than building and programming. They would need to communicate with each other and create a “sense of belonging” among each other.
These life skills prepare students for any interview they encounter after high school, whether they are for internships or careers. One year, Robotics had four seniors , two of whom were girls, apply for a scholarship at Cole Engineering. They earned themselves a paid internship for the summer after they “blew the interviewers out of the water,” Dickison remembers. By equipping them with the knowledge and expertise in programming and building, the students’ participation in Robotics
ensured they would stand out.
“It truly is a team effort and that’s as close to real life as you can get, like a real job,” Dickinson said.
Junior Brenda Maciel, president of Key Club, agrees that club experience has been integral to learning real-life skills in her own life.
“I’ve learned networking, I’ve learned working with people, I’ve worked with assigning tasks, I’ve worked with contacting sponsors and adults,” Maciel said.
Maciel sees all the organization that is needed to maintain her leadership position and the club altogether. Her passion for guiding others started her freshman year and continued to grow as she participated more in Key Club.
“Since I was a freshman, I knew I wanted to be on the board,” Maciel said. “I want to put the best effort that I can into making Key Club the best club [at] Hagerty.”
How leaders carry themselves demonstrates their experience and dedication to their position, serving as inspiration to those around them.
Sophomore Satvi Vijaykumar wants to embody this and teach other girls that their passions can contribute to the STEM community, removing any doubt from their minds.
“A lot of character traits that you get to develop alongside leadership [are] so important for you to be able to handle things in life,” Vijaykumar said. “When you have to collaborate, it’s very important to have those skills so that you’re able to stand out and not be afraid to not back down.”
“I plan on majoring in engineering. Being a leader has shown me that your characteristics as a leader extend to whichever profession you pursue and it gives you the confidence to do so as leadership teaches you how to work with people, perserverance, and commitment.”
“After high school, I intend to enroll in college while also launching a small business or side hustle. I plan to invest $5K towards initiatives that support college students. With that experience, I plan on proactively committing to a more challenging business in the future.”
SIP OR CHUG Senior Dakota Pacheco sips from her Owala Free Sip water bottle. Many students purchased an Owala before the school year, as their trendy design and funky color combinations made them rise in popularity.
Photo | Ava Medina
There is no question that Gen Z tends to have a new water bottle fixation each year: this year, it is the Owala’s time to shine, after the Stanley cup in 2022-2023 and the Hydro Flask in 2019-2020 but what makes it so special? The Owala gained popularity towards the end of last year, but recently started trending; making Owalas the new “it” water bottle. Coming in many shapes and sizes, the unique color palettes are the water bottle’s main attraction, ranging from vibrant pink to even glow-in-the-dark.
The Free Sip Owala has become the most popular model because a built-in straw pops out after pressing a button and has a opening where students can drink from. It also has a handle making it easy to carry.It is not as messy as other water bottles because there is no worry about
Delaney Roberts | Staff Reporter
While walking to class, you can’t help but notice the same shoe brands over and over again. What makes these shoes so trendy at the moment? While trends constantly come and go, the three most popular shoes this school year have been New Balance, Adidas, and Birkenstocks.
“I saw the Adidas Spezials a lot on Pinterest and TikTok and fell in love with them. When I saw more people started styling these types of shoes, I got them because I thought they would suit my style,” sophomore Perry White said.
White found her dark green Adidas Spezials on StockX, an online thrift site, and paid 90 dollars for them
White is not alone—social media has become a tremendous influence on people’s styles and the products they choose to buy. From TikTok influencers with millions of followers to Snapchat stories posted by a popular individual at school, it all dictates what teens wear, now more than ever.
With the advent of social media, micro-trends have become increasingly prevalent. While trends are usually random and have no certain pattern, micro-trends have
even shorter lifespans than the average trend, spanning only a few months with rare permanence.
“I think people pick and choose what to be popular. Just like the bow trend, people are starting to get sick of it because it got so popular so quickly and ended up on everything,”
junior Kaylee McKee said.
“I think micro trends are cool and keep things fresh and existing,” sophomore Julia Wood said. Others, seem not too fond of micro-trends.
“I don’t follow micro-trends as much as I used to, I just kind of like what I like and if it’s trending then so be it,” senior Mallorie Nusbaum said. “I don’t buy things just because they are trending in the moment because before you know it the trend will be out.”
McKee owns Adidas Sambas. Sambas have grown significantly in popularity in the past year. Could these be a new micro trend?
“I got sambas because some of my friends got them and I saw them on Pinterest a lot, and I thought they suited my style,” Mckee said. “Sambas are so cute and basic staple shoes that everyone needs in their collection…I honestly don’t think they will ever go out of style like a microtrend.”
cleaning a straw, and the company guarantees they are completely leakproof.
“They are very durable and they have a lid that you can either choose to sip or chug which I like,” junior Priya Williams said. “The Owala has a better design than previous water bottles that I have owned, like the Hydro Flask.”
In addition to the functionality, Owala’s also cost less than the Stanley Cup, the previous “it” water bottle. The 40-oz. Free Sip Owala is priced at $37.99 on their website, in comparison to the 40-oz. Stanley being priced at $45. Many people have begun to utilize the Owala as a fashion accessory, with different colors to compliment their outfits.
With 19 unique colorways, Owala’s have become the latest trend on TikTok and other social media.
Senior Aleena Jacobs did not learn about the Soviet Union from her middle school World History class. She learned it from her mother.
“It was probably eighth grade where I learned about it in class and was like, oh, my mom’s from there,” Jacobs said.
Jacobs’ mother, Svetlana, was born in 1976, the peak of the Soviet era. Amidst the nuclear arms race, rapid industrialization and class divides, Svetlana remembers a relatively peaceful childhood, growing up in a five-story apartment building with 100 other families.
“I remember myself from like five, six years old… once I was done with school homework, I would be spending hours and hours outside until bedtime,” she said.
But even as a child, Svetlana noticed the government’s grip on citizens’ everyday lives.
“I lived during socialism, so school was free, medicine was free, [our] apartment was free,” she said. “But [voting], we had two choices…you could vote for or against. If in a specific geographical area there were too many votes against it, then the government would start looking at that area, maybe remove the mayor of that area…”
based on the idea of public ownership and equality for all. On paper, the philosophy seemed utopian–a perfect society. However, in practice, it was filled with class strife. Jacobs remembers an especially striking story from her mom about food access.
“She told me that when you were in the USSR, based on your job, there were certain stores you could or couldn’t go to. My Baba and Deda weren’t able to go to certain stores,” Jacobs said.
Within the borders of the USSR, Svetlana and other citizens were limited to governmentapproved broadcasts and newspapers, keeping them isolated from the rest of the world. Americans were portrayed as child exploiters, a myth that Svetlana looks back on with humor.
Isabella Ross | Staff Reporter Cami Sanguinetti - pointe
As a young girl, junior Cami Sanguinetti joined Joy Performing Arts, a dance studio where she explored many dance styles such as ballet, jazz, tap, and contemporary—but her favorite was pointe dancing, which she initially watched from afar.
Joining pointe in middle school, Sanguinetti entered the world of a highly challenging dance style, which involves specialized shoes that allow dancers to put their full weight on their toes, dancing in a classic ballet style.
I’m Russian, after all…I want to know the history of my country, what’s going on there, the traditions.
“The newspapers would describe [Americans] like aliens,” Svetlana said. By the fall of the USSR in the 1990s, Svetlana remained relatively oblivious to American customs and habits. Even the color of American marketing was a shock to her.
-Aleena Jacobs, 12 “
As a Socialist country, the Soviet Union was
Husky Heritage is hosted by Angelina Habib, where she interviews people about their different cultures. In this episode, she interviews sophomore Blajia Girges, who lived in Egypt until 2014. She describes foods , celebrations, and experiences from Egypt.
“One feature of socialism is that since the government has everything, there are no brands. So you go to the store, you buy flour—it is a gray bag. It doesn’t say who made it,” Svetlana said. “When the borders opened, we started getting different products from other countries which were more colorful…a striking difference from what we were used to.”
After completing her bachelor’s degree in Russia, Svetlana moved to America for the master’s program at UCF. Education was not the only thing fueling her flight from the USSR—as the government’s power waned, crime rates increased, pushing Svetlana, with the support of her parents, to emigrate.
This year marks Svetlana’s 25th year living in the US. The days of Soviet Union power are far behind her, but her longing for her homeland is always close by. Every few years, Svetlana makes an effort to bring Jacobs back to Russia to keep her in touch with her roots.
“I’m Russian, after all…I want to know the history of my country, what’s going on there, the traditions,” Jacobs said. “My mom doesn’t necessarily mention [her childhood] a whole lot, but when she does, it makes me realize that everything has its own flaws and its own good things.”
Angelina: “How was it living through one of the biggest protests of Egypt?”
Blajia: “I don’t remember much, but I do remember the fear and anxiety of many people during that time.”
Angelina: “What traditions were celebrated better in Egypt rather than here?”
Blajia: “Definitely the Eids, because of religions that dominate there. A lot of our big days and big eids or moments are always during normal everyday life here.”
Angelina: “What are the main differences between Egypt and here?”
Blajia: “The quality of life, the treatment of people, both positive and negative in both places, the luxuries that we have. I don’t think they have a lot of luxuries there like we do here and it makes me really thankful.”
Listen to the rest of the podcast
“My first experiences during pointe were honestly rough, I had a lot of problems with my shoes not fitting me right and a lot of hip problems,” Sanguinetti said. “I wish people knew just how hard it is on your body.” Injuries among pointe dancers are not uncommon, as the style forces dancers to put all of their weight on their toes, which can cause foot, back, and hip problems.
Another issue pointe dancers face is the cost of often handmade pointe shoes, ranging from $50 to $200. Additionally, dancers are expected to replace their shoes at least once a year to ensure they can properly protect their feet, and that they are a perfect fit. Despite this, Sanguinetti continued her passion of pointe.
Spending multiple days a week at her studio, Sanguinetti found community with her fellow dancers, allowing her to pursue her aspiration for dance while forming lasting relationships.
“I’ve found such a supportive community through dance and pointe, I’ve made friends that I know will be lifelong friends,” Sanguinetti said. “They make me remember why I love dance so much and how grateful I am to dance with them.”
During her time at her dance studio, Sanguinetti participated in pointe dancing for four consecutive years, as well as performing four pointe dances in the annual recitals at her dance studio. In preparation for these dances, students are expected to take both a pointe class and ballet class where they practice their technique.
“When doing pointe, you do a lot of different exercises to make sure your feet are strong enough,” Sanguinetti said. “I really had to constantly work on having the right technique.”
While Sanguinetti thoroughly enjoyed her time dancing pointe, she made the decision to take a break from it to continue her other dance classes.
“It’s such an important style-because it shows people just how hard dancing can be and just how hard people work to be a good dancer.”
SOME
Students and staff comment on the current state of school spirit. Do we have any?
Greta Carrasco | Online Editor
With half of its current campus completed and a small class of freshmen as its first students, Hagerty officially opened its doors in 2005. To build its reputation as a school of excellence, faculty members polished everything from academics, fine arts, and the athletics department. And while most categories were easy to get up to par, one important factor was trickier to complete: building school spirit.
“It wasn't really hard, it was just new because none of our kids had been to high school yet. [We] had to teach our kids what a high school looks like. I mean, they had school spirit. They just weren't like a regular high school,” assistant principal and original staff member Christy Tibbitts-Bryce said.
in spirit? Malkovich credits this change to students taking fewer on-campus classes.
“People don't come to school any more. You have online, you have dual enrollment. Unfortunately, I see the demise of brick and mortar schools unfolding,” Malkovich said. “I've been doing this for 20 years, and it's kind of sad to watch it.”
While U.S. history teacher Julie Duncan does not see as clear of a decrease in spirit, she came up with a similar conclusion: the lack of students has impacted school spirit.
“Honestly, I wouldn't say [spirit has] decreased. It's just not as exciting as it used to be. And I think part of the reason is because we have so many people that are on and off campus at different times,” Duncan said. “By the end of the day, it just seems as though there's not as many people on campus and they don't know as much about the events.”
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Let's celebrate it. Let's enjoy it. We're here to work and have fun and learn, and it can all be one big, happy family.
- AP Government and pep rally emcee Matt Malkovich
Now, with the school cementing its rank as the number one high school in Seminole County, it seems like the school’s season of catching up has ended. However, school spirit continues to be a crucial aspect to improve on. A poll conducted by hagertyjourn showed that 59% of students feel like the school spirit is relatively low. Students are not the only ones—AP government teacher and pep rally emcee Matthew Malkovich has noticed a decrease in Hagerty’s school spirit in recent years.
“I have seen a shift [in school spirit] sadly,” Malkovich said. “ I look at the south side of the bleachers that used to be filled with the senior class and [in our first pep rally] it wasn’t even half full. So that's not really an opinion that I have, it's pretty clear to see.”
Student attendance
The question is, what prompted this decrease
Senior Nico Garces was first asked to be student section leaders through a casual conversation with senior class president Valeria Romero. When the end of his junior year came around, Garces decided to take up the role and started planning for the position. Although students taking periods off has contributed to the shift in spirit Garces also attributes this change to leadership issues and a lack of student participation.
“I think the decrease [of spirit], it's due in part to leadership—some of the student section leaders in previous years, they didn't really immerse themselves in the role, and they didn't show up half the time,” Garces said. “And then part of it is the students. There's got to be enough students at the game to make it a fully school-wide thing. It's a team effort to have that school spirit.”
Senior and varsity cheerleader Peyton Farwig similarly believes the state of school spirit is due to low student participation.
“We have a lot of potential but the majority of the school doesn’t like to participate. I think school
spirit is low because most people think they will be judged for participating or they think they’re ‘too cool’ to have some fun with spirit,” Farwig said.
Although there is room for improvement, efforts have already started to increase school spirit for both faculty and students. As a new implementation, Bryce created a calendar of dress up days for faculty members with the hope of highlighting camaraderie within the staff. Dress up days for teachers include What’s On Your Mind Wednesday, Hawaiian Shirt Day, and Western to match with the Sep. 13 football game’s theme.
“I have been asked by students ‘why are all the teachers wearing these random shirts today?’ Or, ‘Why are you all dressed in red, white and blue today?’ It's kind of nice that kids are noticing and maybe if we are publicizing it more and giving prizes like ‘hey, students vote on which department has the best shirts,’ it can be even better,” Duncan said.
Dress up days are not the only solution though—leadership is planning a school-wide club decorating event, a game carnival and giveaways for homecoming week.
“Homecoming Week is big. We are trying to build spirit, morale and give clubs opportunities to get involved,” leadership secretary Hyatt Hitt said.
Leadership is also working on creating spirit days and planning out events throughout the year instead of only during homecoming and winter week.
Regardless of the circumstances, faculty hopes for the day that students can, above all, have fun.
"I think it's important that you have ownership of what you're doing. Getting a diploma is the ultimate goal of all four classes here, but enjoying that four year ride of your life that you're never going to have again is as important,” Malkovich said. “It's important to be involved in band, it's important to be involved with theater. It's important to be involved with sports. I don't want to discount anything that is done here. We're doing this together. Let's celebrate it. Let's enjoy it. We're here to work and have fun and learn, and it can all be one big, happy family.”
Isaiah Macri | Staff Reporter
Hagerty hosted its annual cross country meet, the Hagerty Invitational on Sept. 20. The meet kicked off at 5 p.m. with the boys JV team and moved to varsity later in the evening. The boys varsity team, led by Jacob Leon, placed first out of 24 schools in attendance with a score of 32, beating out rival Oviedo for the top spot. This is the third year in a row the boys have taken first place at the meet.
Leon finished the 5,000 meter race in first place with a time of 15:56.30. Leon’s older brother Johnathan, who now runs for the University of Florida was a top runner for the Huskies last year. “He got first a lot last year, now I’m trying to make a name for myself by doing good in these races,” Leon said.
Like his brother, Leon wants to run in college next year, but hasn’t decided on a school yet. The boys team had four other runners place in the top 15. Noah Mott (16:23.50) in third place, Connor Stromberg (16:29.30) in sixth, Alexavier DavisMedina (16:48.90) in 10th, and Ricardo Hernandez (16:50.50) in 11th.
The girls placed third out of 18 teams with a score of 163. The team was beaten by Boone (109) and Lake Mary (65) who placed second and first. They were led by Ava Howell who placed 16th with a time of 20:45.90. Amalay Schwarzbauer (21:39.80) and Alaina David (21:56.80) both finished top 40 for the Huskey girls.
“It was different from most meets because they are usually in the morning. I liked it, it was just a different feeling, it was nice to run at a different time,” David said.
The boys have been on a winning streak taking first place in the DeLand, Astronaut and
West Orange invitationals prior to the Hagerty Invitational. The girls managed to secure a top 10 spot in all three of those meets.
Both teams are now gearing up for the 25th FLrunners.com Invitational on Oct. 4 and 5. The meet will be held at Holloway Park in Lakeland and hosted by Polk County Sports Marketing. Last year the boys placed fourth, with Naples High taking the top spot. The district, regional and state championships will begin in November. The state competition will be held in Tallahassee at Apalachee Regional Park on Nov. 16.
“It’s going to be a really hard meet to win, I think we can place top three as a team,” Leon said. “I think it will be a good opportunity to showcase how good we are and get some new PR’s.”
Luke Thompson | Staff Reporter
In the rules of bowling, you may not re-use the same player to fill in empty frames. Instead, the frame will be scored a zero. At the start of the school year, the girls bowling team was down two players, meaning they would lose every match. This is no longer at play for the team as they now have a full set of players. Coach Britanny Ziobro, new to the school and new to the sport, believes the current distraction to be preventable, considering the school’s large population.
The bowling program runs into this issue almost every year. Most of the time, it is a lack of confidence for joining the team or maybe because bowling is not that fascinating for many students.
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create good vibes without too much pressure.” Ziobro agrees that bowling is a great start to learning the participation of a sport.
“Whether you know anything about bowling, what you could take away from participating in the sport is really helping with your mental side of everything,” Ziobro said. “I love bowling, so there’s nothing to be really scared about. I have been heavily involved in soccer and lacrosse at Lake Howell High School before I started working. Whenever I think about team bonding with my club teams we always go to the alleys to bowl.”
If we are able to have a full team for the whole season, it would keep our spirits up and motivate each of
us to do even better.
-Ashton Zitzke, 12
“Girls that play other sports, maybe in the spring or winter, they’re trying other sports because they are fearful of not being good enough or what their peers might think if they have to wear the jersey at a pep rally,” Ziobro said. “I’m new to the bowling culture and like how mental the game really is, [but] it can really help someone build confidence.”
Ashton Zitzke, a returner for the team, has been playing for a year now and believes that bowling is a fun learning experience. “You make friends with the other teams and get the opportunity to play on your own and as a team. It’s very exciting and we
This season, the girls bowling team lost two games out of default, and has lost six games overall. However, with new members Ember Disorbo and Jordyn Patenaude, their losses have been by only a few pins compared to losing to over 1,000 before at the beginning of the season. But on Sept. 11, they won their first game against Seminole, 1612 – 1557. After a win against Crooms on Monday, the team is 2-9 but hoping to improve and get more wins.
Zitzke is happy with what the team’s morale is now that there is a full squad and what the future holds for the team.
“If we are able to have a full team for the whole season it would keep our spirits up and motivate each of us to do even better,” Zitzke said. “Having a team behind you for support is always better.”
Down 13-5, girls varsity volleyball was struggling in the third set of their match against Lake Mary. They changed their defense and realized where the ball was being placed, making them claim their way back up. The game ended with an ace from Samiya Bolten, a 3-0 sweep for the varsity team.
“At that moment (down 13-5), we realized that we were way better than what we were playing so we started to lock in on defense and put more balls away,” outside hitter Mikayla Miessler said.
Hagerty put in their A-game and took the win. They won the first set, 25-15, the second set, 25-16, and the third set, 25-15. Miessler got 12 kills and Jeness Orcutt helped the team with six kills and 13 attacks. Setter Brielle Mullen had 22 assists.
after six matches, the girls golf team was looking forward to playing Lake Brantley on Sept. 19. The team expected a win, but the match ended in a tie, 188-188.
In the past few seasons, girls golf has had several close matches with Lake Brantley, and they have developed a rivalry.
“I got to play with our team captain, Emma Roberts and Lake Brantley’s first seed, so it was a little intimidating for me and our team to play against such good golfers,” sophomore Isla Saint-Jean said.
Saint-Jean shot a 46 against Lake Brantley with Roberts, and ended up second in the overall the match.
“I think as a team, we played just okay. We ended up tying against them, but we tried our best and that’s all that matters as a whole,” Saint-Jean said.
The two teams also compete in the postseason.
“Last year when we played them in districts they were our top competition, but we ended up pulling through,” Roberts said. “Their team also has a D1 recruit going to college so that might be a little bit of a factor fueling the competition.” The team finished third in districts last season.
Before the tie with Lake Brantley, the girls have beaten everyone they have faced, with matches against Lake Howell, Lyman, as well as a tri-match between Oviedo and Seminole high schools on Sept. 10. Hagerty shot 183, Oviedo shot 199, and Seminole shot a 204.
Theboys bowling team started off the season strong. Initially beating Lake Mary on Aug. 19 at Airport Lanes, they played through the next few weeks with a strong success rate. On Sept. 18 they took on the Rams again, this time beating Lake Mary at the Oviedo Bowling center.
“I would say that it’s special that you beat a team twice. It’s meaningful that [we stay] consistent.”
They had 1913 pins, beating Lake Mary’s 1589.
“A lot of bowling is the mental side of everything,” Ziobro said. “So what we talked about is just after each frame, trying to stay positive, resetting, [and] having—if they’re kind of getting in their head. That self-talk is important.”
“This game brought both teams together, in a sense,” Ziobro said.
Top performers included Connor Jimenez with 365 pins, and Noah McPherson with 312.
Football uses experienced offense to start 4-2
Kaitlyn Taylor | Staff Reporter
The boys varsity football team has started off the year with a solid 4-2 record with four more games on the schedule. Despite a frustrating 52-3 loss to Lake Mary on Sept. 27, they’ve had some high points this season, including a 46-29 victory on the road against Timber Creek the week before.
Heading into the Timber Creek game, their third win in a row, offense has been a big strength for the team as they put up a total of 46 points. They started off the first quarter scoreless, but jumped out to a 2114 lead to finish off the first half. After scoring a touchdown in the third quarter, they put the nail in Timber Creek’s coffin in the fourth quarter, adding on 21 more points for the victory. The running game was an especially bright spot, led by senior running backs, Porter Williams and Jalon Lewis. Williams rushed for 146 yards and scored two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Lewis ran for 147 yards and also scored two touchdowns.
of the offense is quarterback Caden Mitchell. Mitchell said that the team has been “exceeding expectations” this year. He has been excelling this season, throwing over 1000 yards, while averaging 202.2 passing yards per game.
The offense shined as Hagerty won three in a row against Tohopekaliga, Pine Ridge, and Timber Creek. This was highlighted by backto-back 49 point wins over Pine Ridge and Timber Creek. Mitchell led the victory against Pine Ridge, syncing with senior wide receiver Bryson Bock for three touchdowns and 101 receiving yards.
While the offense has been strong, the defense is working to improve.
“Our team has played with a lot of unity. We’re doing a good job facing adversity and staying resilient.”
“We have a lot of people on defense that are first-year starters, that haven’t been out on the field that much, so just getting them experience would be beneficial,” Mikles said.
- Porter Williams, RB “
“I’ve been very focused on just doing my job and winning, one game at a time,” Lewis said. “As long as everybody stays focused, we’ll be good.”
Head coach Steve Mikles points to Williams, who leads the team with nine touchdowns, as one of the biggest surprises this year on the team.
“Basically all spring he was hurt, so we didn’t really know how he was going to be, and he’s turned out to be probably one of the best backs in Central Florida,” Mikles said. Williams put on a show in the season opener against Lake Howell, which included an impressive 74yard run. He rushed for a total of 161 yards and scored two touchdowns on two carries to help lead the team to victory.
“I think from here, as we face more difficult teams, you really have to take it up a notch with the intensity. But other than that, I would say we’ve started off pretty good,” Williams said.
Adding to the overall strength
Top Performers
The inexperience of the defense showed in a district match against Lake Mary on Friday night, as Lake Mary scored 52 points in a blowout loss. Starting in the first quarter, Hagerty allowed 31 points. Hagerty’s defense was able to keep Lake Mary in check, but this did not last. The defense was unable to hold them down in the second half as Lake Mary scored 14 points in the third quarter and seven more points in the fourth. Lake Mary quarterback Noah Grubbs, a Notre Dame commit, threw for five touchdowns in the first half. Although the defense struggled, a game highlight was senior Noah Mecabe intercepting the Notre Dame commit’s throw in the second quarter. In addition, despite the defensive woes, the team has yet to have had back-to-back losses.
“I think our team has played with a lot of unity,” Williams said. “We’re doing a good job staying resilient.”
The team looks to put this loss aside and get back on track for their game against Oviedo on Friday. This will not be easy, considering Hagerty’s poor track record against Oviedo historically. With a disappointing 3-14 record against Oviedo in past years, and Oviedo’s recent 52-27 victory over Wekiva, Hagerty definitely has their work cut out for them.
1075 total yards
Caden Mitchell
52.2 receiving yds/game Bryson Bock
113.8 rushing yds/game Porter Williams
9 touchdowns Porter Williams
7.2 tackles per game Ryan Davis