Volume 20, Issue 2

SPOOKY SWEETS: Cake gallery

Culinary gets CREEPY

Elleigh Ackerman | Staff Reporter

Culinary III and IV classes were in full speed over the past week, preparing decorated cakes for their Halloween Cake Wars Competition. Over the span of a few days, culinary teacher Matthew Thompson’s students went through over 150 pounds of powdered sugar and over 100 pounds of butter.

Thompson saw the rising interest in his students to break away from their tradition of making Christmas-themed cakes. The students had few guidelines to meet and were allowed to take liberty over the ingredients they used and the designs they crafted.

“They [had] everything they need to make any sort of professional cake awesome,” Thompson said.

Students collected all the necessary ingredients, from standard elements, such as flour and butter, to more creative elements, including fondant and colored dye. With six kitchens per class, and six classes that participated in this competition, by the end of the week, Thompson’s classroom was home to 36 cakes.

Every period, judges ranging from school administration to Assistant Superintendent Mike Rice, came to watch Thompson’s culinary students display their skills.

“What made [a cake] stand out was just the icing work and the attention to detail. It’s just so challenging,” Thompson said.

Though most groups were able to carry out their original plans for their cake, senior Eliza Markeci’s group struggled after experiencing multiple setbacks on their Purge-themed cake. One member miscalculated when measuring ingredients,

Credit checks allow students to plan for future

Lia Miller | Opinions Editor

Senior credit checks just ended, but on Monday, school counselors began pulling juniors out of class to commence their checks. These will take place during students’ U.S. History classes throughout the next month and into the first week of December.

“It’s a busy month for us,” school counselor Michelle Cortes said. “For the entire month of September, we met with every senior one on one, which we love, but it’s exhausting. It’s a good conversation to have.”

future. For juniors, it can act as a guide for what courses they will need to enroll in next year.

Students also receive a paper with a few guiding instructions for whatever path they choose after high school.

time to answer questions.

accidentally doubling the cake recipe.

“My mindset was if we mess up the first day, then it affects all the other days, which is exactly what happened,” Markeci said.

Getting past the difficulty of measuring ingredients and properly coating the cakes in simple syrup - to ensure their lasting freshness - was the most strenuous aspect of the competition for students. The opportunity to be creative made up for the difficulties, making the competition enjoyable for students.

“I think decorating has been our favorite part so far because it’s fun to see our designs come to fruition,” senior Jazmine Burton said.

Taking heavy inspiration from televised baking competitions, the event gave students the space to make mistakes and improve.

“I really like the environment. Since I’m not in a restaurant where it’s so serious, where [food is] actually going out to people, if you have questions about something, just ask it, because it’s not like your job is on the line. If you mess up, [they are just] learning opportunities,” Markeci said.

Though this is Thompson’s 10th year leading the culinary program, his students continue to surprise him with their artistic skill and culinary expertise.

“I’m amazed at what they can do… because some of these kids are so talented,” Thompson said. “Every time I come in here, I’m like ‘Oh man, these cakes. How are they going to turn out?’ and then comes cake day, when they get an hour to finish things off, they’re incredible.”

The best looking cake for third period was senior Lilla Mendola and her group’s Jack Skellington cake, while senior Marli Hallberg and her group’s Friday the 13th cake stood out in fourth period.

It’s a mixture of what you need to get out of here at Hagerty and graduate, and next steps depending on the path that you want to take.

— Michelle Cortes, school counselor “

During each credit check, students sit down with their counselor and review the graduation requirements that they have completed, and the ones that they will need to fill in the

“It’s always a good thing to start thinking about next steps,” Cortes said. “‘Do I want to go to school? Do I want to go to the military? Do I want to work?’ Just stuff to help us in that conversation. Because depending on the path that they’re thinking about now, that’s kind of how we gear our conversation in terms of life after Hagerty.”

The counselors have also prepared a presentation to give before they individually speak with each student, involving a video and

“We put together a video—one for the juniors, one for the seniors—and it’s just what we feel we want to share with them in terms of graduation requirements and the supports that are available depending on what the student wants to do,” Cortes said. “Whether they want to go to a college, whether they want to go to a vocational school, [or the] military, just all the options that they have available to them. So it’s a mixture of what you need to get out of here at Hagerty and graduate, and next steps depending on the path that you want to take.”

If students are wondering about opportunities for scholarships and volunteer hours (some of the most frequent topics brought up), they can find information on the Student Services section of the school website, or talk to Dr. Andrea Fuhrer in the College and Career Room.

If a student misses their credit check or does not have the class when they take place, they can

email their counselor or schedule an appointment. Counselors try to contact any students who they did not see.

“I set up an appointment, and then I walked over to [my counselor’s] office, and we had a little conversation,” senior Kat Arnott said. “She looked over my grades, and everything was fine. I just wanted to have a set time where I would go see her. I have some classes virtual[ly], but I thought it would be better to do it that way instead of just walking to the office.”

THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRIS Jack Skellington cake, chosen as the winner for third period. Its frosting work impressed the judges. Photo | Julia Harpin

TERRIFIER Fondant ruffles, polka dots, and a ball cap, embodying the Terrifier’s clown suit. Rim of the cake is black buttercream frosting. Photo | Julia Harpin

TH PURGE Glow-in-the-dark powder and blood-red frosting dripping down the sides of the cake brings the murderous masks to life. Photo | Jazmine Burton

THE RING Creatively uses black licorice, green frosting and white fondant to recreate the undead surfacing in the film. Photo | Julia Harpin

THE CONJURING Black, white and red fondant creates the horrifying image of a nun screaming. Photo | Julia Harpin

INSIDIOUS: THE RED DOOR Blood-red door, miniature devil, and smooth black frosting from film. Photo | Jazmine Burton

CREDIT TIME School counselor Nick Maby talks through a credit check with a senior. Checks will last into December. Photo | Ava Medina

TRIO hosts financial aid night

The event was first of several for students looking for help in preparing

College and Career counselor Andrea Fuhrer heard that the participation for the first financial aid night would be low due to overlapping events at Hagerty. Still, 85 parents and students showed up Oct. 22 in the media center for the event.

“We were a little concerned with the conflict with powderpuff, but I think it was really good,” Fuhrer said. “I’m really glad that we had a lot of parents, glad we had a lot of students. It showed us [people] are interested in these events.”

As part of the new College and Career center efforts, the first financial aid night took place from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and TRIO Connections, a federally funded outreach program, hosted the event. TRIO is designed to support and assist students during the college enrollment journey and their services are completely free.

away they would be allowed to enter the portal for the FAFSA application when it was available. Now, students must wait one to three days as the FAFSA ID gets verified.

While the FAFSA is the most common form of financial aid, Rosa-Alvarez suggested students and parents look at other options like scholarships, work studies and grants. She emphasized the importance of applying to big and small scholarship as well as keeping communication with parents.

Be prepared. Ask questions if you don’t know.. If you don’t feel comfortable, call someone from TRIO, because we will support you. We don’t want a financial barrier to be the reason someone doesn’t finish their degree.

- Melissa Rosa-Alvarez, speaker

“Our biggest goal is to educate the community that they can go into a career, a technical job, a trade, a college or university and get an education debt-free,” TRIO speaker Melissa Rosa-Alvarez said. “There are scholarships and grants that are out there, and TRIO is here to help [students] overcome those barriers and walk along them so that they can obtain their degree.”

Rosa-Alvarez introduced some changes and misconceptions about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The main confusion among students is how to complete the FAFSA application. Students should complete the FAFSA ID, which opens in December, prior to the FAFSA application which opens on January. A change was also made for this year’s FAFSA applications. In the past, students only needed to complete an ID and right

After Rosa-Alvarez finished, counselor Pamela Boodram talked about Florida Academic Scholarship, commonly known as Bright Futures. During the last 30 minutes, Boodram explained pointed out that for the class of 2026, Bright Future requirements were lowered. She also gave students who have not received good SAT or ACT score to try another option: CLT. To finish the meeting Rosa-Alvarez stressed the importance of asking questions. TRIO Connection for Central Florida is located at Seminole State College Sanford and Lake Mary campus or can be contacted by email at trio@ seminolestate.edu.

“Be prepared. Ask questions if you don’t know. If you don’t feel comfortable, call someone from TRIO, because we will support you,” Rosa-Alvarez said. “When you have someone like us that will come with you and will ask the questions, it gives you a different perspective of how you can go to school for free. And that’s the goal. We don’t want a financial barrier to be the reason someone doesn’t finish their degree.”

TRIO Connections will host two other financial aid events at Hagerty, a FAFSA open lab on Jan. 28 from 6-7 p.m. and in-class workshops Dec. 5 and Dec. 7 where students will set up their Bright Future applications. This event will be for seniors who have an economics or government class on campus.

Ling named Teacher of the Year

Jamie Ling was named Teacher of the Year on Oct. 7. Ling teaches AP English Language and Film.

“It was such an honor,” Ling said. “I think I wanted it more than I even wanted to admit.”

During her seventh period class, principal Robert Frasca surprised Ling with the award. She won once before earlier in her career.

“I was in my third year teaching at my other school and I feel like I didn’t work hard enough…it was so early in my career I didn’t appreciate it for what it was,” Ling said. “With all these years of experience I have at Hagerty, I feel the significance of it.”

Teacher of the Year is not simply the most valuable teacher award, but it is a representation what Hagerty has to offer.

“She’s challenging, she’s demanding, but she cares,” Frasca said. “That’s the best quality she brings for Hagerty High School.”

Ambassadors host pumpkin painting

“C’mon,

guys, let’s go out and make some friends!” senior Emma Willadsen shouted, dispersing her board members.

As the president of Student Ambassadors, Willadsen organizes community events and on Oct. 30, the program hosted their annual Pumpkin Painting Palooza.

From various styles of ghosts to a Pennywise-themed pumpkin, students used their previous knowledge of Halloween and horror films for their submissions.

“[Since it’s my first year] I thought each of us would have a solo pumpkin, but I think it’s more fun in teams,” junior Samika Unnithan said.

Unnithan teamed up with junior Solimar Servin, who has been in the Student Ambassadors program since her freshman year.

The event was originally scheduled for Oct. 9, but complications due to Hurricane Milton pushed it back. The program also faced budget cuts.

“It’s all about volunteers,” Floyd said. “Aldi’s…donated pumpkins and food, it just warms my heart.”

Seniors give advice in college seminar

In order to make the process of adjusting to high school life less formidable for students, College and Career counselor Dr. Andrea Fuhrer held a seminar Oct. 28 with members of the senior class.

“I really want to help our underclassmen to be smart and strategic about what they do early on,” said Fuhrer.

Fuhrer chose eight seniors to speak, representing the senior class and sharing experiences as well as advice for attendees.

“I wanted to inform the younger classmen of what they could really do and accomplish within their high school,” senior Vietlong Bui said.

Along with other College and Career events, the program aims to help students find their own path.

“[We wanted] to educate people about all the different opportunities that there are,” senior speaker Grace Jackson said.

Greta Carrasco | Online Editor

HELPING HAND Seniors Hannah Jiang and Huixin Chen listen to advice from TRIO connection speaker Melissa RosaAlvarez about scholarships and FAFSA applications. TRIO connection and Hagerty’s College and Career center plans on hosting a FAFSA workshop on Jan. 28 during both government and economics classes. Photo | Greta Carrasco

Luke Thompson | Staff Reporter

Luca Huff | Staff Reporter

Michelle Henry, 11

Josephine Lim Print Editor

Dr. Andrea Fuhrer

Teacher of the Year Jamie Ling

Tuesday Powderpuff Game

During the second quarter of Tuesday’s powderpuff football game, senior Olivia Cachat scored a 40yard field goal against the juniors. The seniors kept steady scoring all game, winning 30-0. The powderpuff game is an annual event that many students look forward to, where the senior girls go against the junior girls in a flag football game while the boys perform cheer leading stunts and rout routines on the sidelines. The class of 25’ is one of two classes to win two years in a row.

Photo | Alexa Straka

Sunday Door Decorating

Leadership worked to involve clubs more during homecoming week by getting black-tier clubs to decorate hallways and blue-tier clubs to decorate a door on campus. Halls fit the themes of the different dress-up days and doors had to fit with the homecoming theme “Party like it’s 2005” and still represent the club. The winners of the hallway decoration were Thespians/Tri M and Future Educators of America. The winners of the doors decorating contest were Education Rocks and Best Buddies.

Photo | Lacee Ginga

Thursday Neon Pep Rally

Building up to Friday night’s football game, the neon glow pep rally took place on Thursday at Sam Momary Stadium. This event excited both students and faculty about the Friday’s homecoming football game and Saturday’s dance. The pep rally included many activities such as a ring toss, cheer, competitions between sections in the stands and a dance performed by teachers and staff which was a fan favorite for the event.

Photo | Paul Simone

To celebrate 20 years of Hagerty, the homecoming theme was 2005—the year the school opened. Every day of the Oct. 21-26 homecoming week, the school, led by student government and the Leadership class, hosted a variety of events, championed by spirited members of the student body.

Wednesday

Paws on the Wall

Paws on the Wall was previously held during Club Crawl, an event to preview clubs before the school year starts, however, it was moved to homecoming week to become more of a main event. The 16th annual ‘Paws on the Wall’ took place on Wednesday. Seniors got to leave their mark by dipping their hands in paint, then signing their names. The event allowed seniors to be celebrated as they cemented their legacy onto the cafeteria wall.

Photo | Shalyni Patel

Monday Club Carnival

Eating donuts off a rope, face painting and a limbo contest— on Oct. 21, students had the opportunity to participate in club carnival, a free event held during both lunch periods to kick off homecoming week. Sixteen different clubs participated, each bringing a small game or activity for students to play. The winner of the club carnival booth display was The Majorettes Club and the runner up was The Drawing Club.

Photo | Francesca Salas

Friday

Varsity football

Varsity football went into the homecoming game with hopes of an upset against Seminole on the night of Oct. 25, but Seminole did not let that happen, beating Hagerty 42-7. While the defense was more effective during the second half, the offense was not able to get going throughout the game with costly turnovers.

Photo | Kayla Rrapi

Saturday

The dance

On Saturday, Oct. 26, the homecoming dance started at 7 p.m., and lasted until 10 p.m. Over 1,000 students and their guests attended the annual dance, with refreshments available in the courtyard. The dance is one of the highlight events students look forward to the entire school year.

Photo | Shubhani Chawla

See the full stories and photo galleries here

Senior Gia Digiore

Seniors Caden Mitchell and Alyssa Basillo

Junior Kiera McDermott

Senior Izabella Robinson

Junior Lucas McFarland

Senior Jalon Lewis

Senior Amalay Schwarzbauer

Honors

FIRED UP is NOT

Greta

Carrasco | Online Editor

An absurd campaign method

“Florida’s biggest snake isn’t the Everglades, he is in the Senate.”

“Amendment 4 goes far beyond Roe v. Wade.”

“Debbie Mucarsel–Powell… helps dictatorship.”

Every election season, political ads throw around absurd statements on televised channels and social media platforms. While many of the claims seem funny and illogical, an underlying issue remains the real root of the “ad wars”: polarization. Polarization, an extreme division of contrasting groups, especially in politics, has never been as high as it is today. The political parties have become so divided that peaceful and productive conversations cannot happen without a fight. With this polarization comes an increase in political violence— and ads are helping fuel that fire.

This election season, the Mucarsel-Powell/ Scott Senate race is one of the nastiest campaigns on both sides. Mucarsel-Powell released a campaign ad berating incumbent Senator Rick Scott by describing him as the biggest snake in Florida. Not only that, the ad photoshopped Scott’s face on a snake while accusing him of Medicare fraud and raising taxes. The ad might be funny to onlookers, but this type of humor is better off on Saturday Night Live. The ad dehumanized the candidate and completely overrode the purpose of a campaign ad: to inform the community why the candidate should be elected. And the worst offense is how these ads make American politics look—silly.

The idiotic visuals are not where the problem ends. The content of the ads are becoming increasingly misleading. A recent ad created by Florida’s Republican Party blatantly presents misinformation about Amendment 4 in hopes of getting Floridians to vote “no.” The ads start by describing the amendment as dangerous due to its vagueness when it comes to defining the limits of abortion–“viability,” “patient’s health” and “healthcare provider” among the terms the ad highlighted. However this “danger” is nothing more than a farce; amendments are not required to have definitions. In fact, out of the six initiatives Floridians are voting on this year, only one has concrete definitions.

It makes sense why campaigns make ads that are negative—it is easier to point out candidates and amendments’ flaws. But these ads are too obnoxious. There are many ways campaigns can create impactful and positive ads like mentioning the candidate’s ideas and what they can do for the community.

But the current tactic of both parties is to create ridiculous statements and make the opposing party look bad and create an even further divide between both groups. And while we cannot control the visuals or contents of political ads, we can control what we believe and how we react. No matter if campaigns are for senate elections, amendments or presidential primaries, it is important for people to research what they see and hear, and understand that politics are a lot more nuanced than political ads make it seem.

Illustration | Lia Miller

BLUEPRINT the

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.

STAFF

Editor-in-Chief

Kailey Calvo

Print Editor

Josephine Lim

Online Editor

Greta Carrasco-Garcia

News Editor

Holly Smyers

Features Editor

Gabriella Navarro

Opinions Editor

Lia Miller

Sports Editor

Kaitlyn Taylor

Staff Reporters

Elleigh Ackerman, Kayla Agnos, Angelina Habib, Luca Huff, Jessica Johnson, Isaiah Macri, Delaney Roberts, Isabella Ross, Paul Simone, Luke Thompson, Faith Walsh

Adviser

Brit Taylor

Principal

Robert Frasca

An election, not the apocalypse

School of the future...divided by politics?

Windows broken, entrances breached, an increasingly violent crowds surround the Capitol Building. On Jan. 6, 2021, the Capitol was stormed by Trump supporters amidst the finalization of the 2020 election. And while this event was an incredibly impactful moment in our political history, it was above all, a huge overreaction.

The 2020 election was one of the nastiest presidential elections the United States has ever seen, and four years later, the political division has worsened. While the aftermath of this election will hopefully not lead to another Jan. 6, listening to people talk has a similar feel to four years ago. But does it have to be that way?

The 2024 presidential election was undoubtedly important and personal for everyone. With issues like women’s reproductive rights, immigration and an out-of-control economy, it makes sense that people were going to be upset no matter the results. But losing friendships and family connections, and even proposing a move to another country is just not worth it.

both agree on certain issues. The difference? Each side’s solution.

“

People were going to be upset no matter the results. But losing friendships and family connections, and even proposing a move to another country is just not worth it.

Amidst this extreme division there is a perspective that many people fail to realize: the United States has faced more politically challenging times, and democracy survived. Ultimately, the best way to preserve our democracy is by continuing to communicate.

As divided as the country seems, Republicans and Democrats can

President-Elect Donald Trump believes the economy will improve by imposing tariffs of 10% or 20% on every import coming into the US, as well as a tariff upward of 60% on all Chinese imports. Vice President Kamala Harris pledged to not raise taxes on anyone who makes under $40,000 while raising taxes for those who make over $1 million.

And the similarities do not stop there: a survey published in 2023 found that both Democrats and Republicans agreed on the importance of values like fairness, compassion, and responsibility.

Yet, only one-third of either

group believed the opposing party had the same values. People are extremely out of touch when it comes to their opposing political party. Instead of making an attempt to research opposing political views or sympathizing, people continue to stick to their corner. Political extremism has become prevalent as the media fuels this issue with misinformation and sensationalism.

At the end of the day, Trump’s second presidential term is not going to drive the United States to the ground. The same way that a Harris win was not going to turn the country into a communist state.

The U.S. is a democratic country with purposeful checks and balances, with countless decision makers and voters—but if we can not communicate and compromise, then every election, for at least half the population, will continue to feel like the end of the world.

STICKY ICKY : The gum

Paul Simone | Staff Reporter

You’re sitting in class, the clock ticking away as you reach your hands under your desk to pull your chair in. Suddenly, you find yourself playing “Where’s the Gum?” and—lucky you—it’s EVERYWHERE. You pull your hand back only to rub against more damp, grotesque balls of saliva and mouth-gunk. In disgust, you look under the table to find an endless mound of multi-colored sludge covering every inch of the desk. Each individual piece of gum covered in hair and teeth marks.

This epidemic is a staple of the high school experience. It has left its stain on the world and caused many to lose their faith in humanity and beg, “Why?”

Why must this apparent evil ruin lives on a day-to-day basis? Is the trash can too far? How much gum

do you own? Are you saving the gum in your cheeks for the winter? These menaces are the same type of people who leave their shopping carts in the middle of parking lots.

It is absurd to think that there are hundreds of students who view themselves as so important that they are above the laws of common decency and don’t need to throw out their chewed-up disease spreaders.

Likely, it is only a few people ruining it for everyone else. But why? In a perfect future all desks would be electric and would subject you to the harshest form of corporal punishment for vandalizing them.

Even worse, it doesn’t stop at just the desks. Chairs, walls, pillars— anything that is capable of holding gum is likely covered in layers of dried mouth putty.

The freshman class is typically given the blame for these kinds of

problem

immaturities, but finding gum in juniorsenior classes proves that’s not quite true. Just take a look in any classroom campus-wide, the invasion of everyone’s personal space with these pink monstrosities is unbelievable.

Contrary to what these villains might think, there is no gum cleaner, no maid or servant scraping the gum off the desks. The solution to this has been to simply ignore the years-old reminders of human regression.

Touching gum under a desk is like seeing someone litter. The secondhand embarrassment of sharing a space with someone who can’t throw out their trash is undeniable. It is up to us as sane members of the student body to make workspaces and common areas as usable and comfortable as possible. So please, next time your Juicy Fruit has run out of flavor, spit it out into the trash. For all of our sakes.

Photo | Kenzie Parker

BluePrint staff

Illustration | Josephine Lim

School schedules

Future pep rallies

Future school cafeteria

The Creator...has created

Tyler, The Creator has dropped another banger of an album. ‘CHROMAKOPIA,’ features a funky mix of different vibes and deep meanings. The album ranges from genres like jazz, hip-hop, R&B, and even choir. Some of the songs are boasting, like a diss track to the haters, while others have deeper meanings, like celebrity struggles when trying to navigate a life of fame.

Most of these songs are really fire, with some even making their way into my daily rotation of music.

Track seven on the album, “Judge Judy,” starts off with a story about a girl named Judy, who Tyler met at a cafe, and the song goes into details about their love life. The whole song is about not judging people for being in need of a relationship. The song has a slow, funk vibe. It is very melodic, and all the lines flow well together, as well as the chorus. It’s not repetitive, and the story is really interesting to listen to. Also, a bonus is the background vocals, which sound freakishly like Frank Ocean who hasn’t come out with any new music since 2020 and is a close friend of Tyler.

The song “Tomorrow,” track 10 on the album, starts off with a spoken skit by Tyler’s mom. It’s basically her begging Tyler to give her a grandchild. This song is on the slower, more sentimental side. When he’s comparing himself to all his other friends who have families and children while he’s out being busy in Hollywood, the verse that really hits me is, “All I got is photos of my ‘Rari and some silly suits.” This is the first song that officially made it onto my playlist.

Tyler has great experimentation on this album, and some of the sounds he puts together are pretty mind-blowing. However, not everything he tries works, and some of his words and sounds are so repetitive that it’s hard to listen to.

Starting off with my least favorite of the bunch, the song “Thought I Was Dead,” featuring ScHoolboy Q and Santigold. The main reason I hate this song is its repetition. Tyler repeats the N-slur an incomprehensible amount of times, to the point that it takes away from the enjoyment of the song. This song is a ‘diss track to the haters’ type of songs, which are usually not my favorites… it is just a stream of hate and cursing. Sometimes it can be humorous, but in this case, it is just annoying.. I just think it’s unnecessary, with him cursing 63 times.

Next is the title track, “St. Chroma,” which begins with another spoken skit, and then just a loop of the word ‘chromakopia,’ which is really

2,

annoying and made me want to immediately turn the song off. Later in the song, however, we can understand the deeper meaning of the song which is basically that to dim your light or personality just to fit social norms can make your whole life feel gray and dull, like the title with the word ‘chrome’ in it suggests. The concept is good, but the repetition is just too much.

“Sticky,” featuring GloRilla, Sexyy Red, and Lil Wayne, has gathered some mixed opinions. You either love it or you hate it…but for me, it’s the latter. The song begins with whistling, which is obnoxious and can even hurt your ears if you’re wearing earbuds. While the song touches on confidence in taking down the haters and getting through sticky situations, it suffers from over-repetition like the last one. Like the last song, there’s the use of overrepetition of cursing…again.

“CHROMAKOPIA” features Tyler’s funky style and diverse genre inclusion, which lends to a great listen. I definitely recommend taking a listen to at least a few of the songs, even if this genre of music isn’t your style. I think everyone could benefit from listening to some of the messages in these songs, and I think it’s enjoyable.While not every song is perfect, the album is solid. The diss tracks and cursing get a bit repetitive (but, hey, it’s more acceptable for the rap genre), nonetheless, “CHROMAKOPIA” is a solid album from Tyler, The Creator. Even if this genre isn’t your style, the range of sounds and deeper meanings on this album make it worth a listen.

Nothing Like The Movies

Gabriella Navarro | Features Editor

For those who fell in love with Liz and Wes in “Better Than the Movies,” Lynn Painter’s follow-up “Nothing Like the Movies” feels like a heartbreak of its own. This sequel picks up as Liz and Wes, once the ultimate rom-com couple, are following their college journeys— separately, after a poorly-explained breakup. While Wes is on a mission to win Liz back through grand gestures and schemes straight out of her favorite rom-coms, Liz seems almost unrecognizable.

In the first book, Liz was so relatable–her rom-com obsession, quirky optimism, and those awkward adorable moments that made her fun to follow. But in this one? She feels like a completely different person. Apparently, Liz is now an anti-romantic. She doesn’t watch romantic comedies anymore because she would rather watch football (no disrespect to football but she flipped) and she’s a baseball manager/ influencer/filmer. “She’s one of the guys you know? She’s just…different,” Oh! I never want to read that sentence again thank you very much.

As for Wes…oh dear Wes. I was obsessed with him in the first book. He was sweet, funny, a perfect rom-com hero. But this is not the Wes I know from BTTM, his character felt SO off. All that growling, possessiveness and weird metaphors? NO THANK YOU. Why did we swap all the adorable, wholesome moments for territorial growling? “Climb on me like a good girl,” actually I think I’ll order a restraining order instead.

Let’s not even get into that breakup. I get that Wes was going through something heavy, but pushing Liz away like that? It didn’t make sense—the unnecessary miscommunication between the characters, the breakup that was never fleshed out properly and the patch up seemed so rushed. I didn’t sign up for emotional turmoil. I wanted cute romcom moments, not a soap opera. If I wanted this angsty drama I would’ve picked up “If He Had Been with Me.”

It’s missing them bonding properly like in the first book. There wasn’t enough of him finding ways to talk to her properly. It was annoying that his sister had to remind him to set her straight and that they couldn’t just COMMUNICATE.

Then, the story packs in an excessive number of side romances that feel more filler than enriching. it feels as though the author aimed to give everyone a love story without allowing Liz and Wes’s relationship room to breathe. On the bright side, I did enjoy the moments where Liz and Wes had that flirty banter like the first book. The romance, when it actually happened, was chef’s kiss. The scene outside the ice cream shop? LOVED IT. The emotional confessions? SIGN ME UP.

Overall, “Nothing Like the Movies” was missing the essence that made “Better Than the Movies” so special. I wanted to be swept off my feet with this second chance romance, but instead, I was left wondering where all the fun went. Will I re-read this one? No. But I’m probably going back to “Better Than the Movies” to remember why I ever adored Liz and Wes.

Kayla Agnos | Staff Reporter

Photo | Capitol Records

at the POLLS

The BluePrint staff conducted a mock election, focusing on top issues and races. Out of 194 students, here are the results:

Kailey Calvo | Editor-in-chief

President

At the national level, former president

Donald Trump won the election, receiving 295 electoral college votes, swiftly crossing the 270 threshold. 30 votes were from Florida. School polling mirrored results, as 58.6% of students thought President Trump to be the best fit for the nation’s next president.

“This was my first time voting, so I was really disappointed in the outcome especially because I was convinced that America could start moving in the right direction,” senior Zuri Bailey said. “It saddens me to know that people voted for this president because they actually supported his plans and ideals.”

FLORIDA

Students and teachers share

Josephine Lim | Print Editor

HAGERTY

Amendment 3

This amendment served to legalize marijuana for adults 21 and older. 56% of voters wanted the legalization; however, this needed amendment needed to cross the 60% supermajority threshold to pass. Falling 4% short, this resulted in a “no.” School polling was similar to official voting, as 53.6% of students said that marijuana should be legalized for recreational use for adults.

“If [legalizing marijuana] can help society or help people with medical or mental health issues, I feel like why not,” senior Eldon Ampomah said. “I don’t think there’s any con to legalizing it, which is why I personally voted for it to be legalized.”

FLORIDA

HAGERTY

Amendment 4

Abortion was on the ballot in ten states including Florida and was passed in seven. While most states needed a simple majority of 50% of the voting population to agree that abortion is a constitutional right, Florida needed a 60% supermajority, and fell short at just 57%. School polling resulted in 64.9% of students agreeing that abortion should be legalized past the six-week mark.

“I’m devastated that this amendment failed. As a girl going into her college years, which are typically known for being exposed to new experiences, I am extremely scared,” senior Madalena Agosto said. “I wish that women had more of a say in the matter, and I think that this will cause a lot of devastation and many of us will be affected negatively.”

Rick Scott (R) wins against Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D)

FLORIDA

HAGERTY

Amendment 1 (making school board elections partisan) fails to pass

Listen to Paul cry and Kayla gloat about last week’s election results

In their AP Literature class, seniors Antonio Pizza and Jack Levin discuss their shared love of flip phones, the symbolism of the pear tree in Their Eyes Were Watching God and the latest Thinkpad updates. Listening to their amiable discourse, it may come as a surprise to some that they are the presidents of the Young Republicans and Young Democrats.

“Even though we don’t agree politically, we try to share each other’s thoughts,” Levin said. “I think a lot of times, we’re so stuck in our ways that we don’t realize that there’s eight billion other people who have different perspectives than ours. So seeing where they come from, even if we don’t agree on particular issues, [is important].”

While Pizza and Levin have been able to put aside their political differences, America as a whole can not say the same. According to a 2019 Pew Research study, unfavorable views of the opposing party have risen in recent years for both sides. 75 years ago, presidents like Harry Truman (D) and Dwight Eisenhower (R) could count on approval ratings that were similar for their party and the opposing party—68 to 59 for Truman; 89 to 58 for Eisenhower. These days, the gap has widened, with Biden enjoying an 83% approval rate from Democrats, contrasted to a meager 6% from Republicans during his term.

While many Americans wave this juxtaposition off as the way things have always been, AP government teacher Matthew Malkovich is not so sure.

especially divisive.

“We have seen an ebb and flow through history, [and] it is very polarized right now,” Bingham said. “I think it really is a reflection on our society…there are different rules of etiquette [as] society is more open and vocal, [and] our politicians are reflecting how people in society act.”

Since America’s birth in 1776, political polarization has been at the forefront of the founding fathers’ minds. In his farewell address, George Washington warned Americans against political parties, geographical divisions and involvement in foreign affairs.

Throughout history, there have been countless times where his warnings have come dangerously close to fruition–the bitter Adams vs. Jefferson election, where both candidates used newspapers to spread rumors about the other; North-South tensions that escalated into the Civil War; the gap between the monopolists and factory workers of the Gilded Age.

I think a lot of times, we’re so stuck in our ways that we don’t realize that there’s eight billion other people who have different perspectives than ours.

- Jack Levin, 12

“With social media, people have information at their fingertips at any time they want,” Malkovich said. “All this access to information that we have 24/7, and people dig their trench, put their line in the sand.”

Although it would be impossible to blame social media as the sole perpetrator of polarization, AP US history teacher Amy Bingham notes that today’s political climate is

I am hoping that pendulum swing back. we can come together to disagree on some than just, saying, ‘You corner, I’ll stay in really where we’re

- Amy Bingham,

“ “

“I am hoping that we see the pendulum swing back,” Bingham said. “Hopefully we can come together and agree to disagree on some things, rather than just, saying, ‘You stay in your corner, I’ll stay in mine,’ which is really where we’re at right now.” Historically, the political system might look very different than in past eras, but honors government teacher Thomas Kreahling points to current candidates as a large cause of the current state of politics.

“When I was a kid at 18, participating in elections…with Romney vs. Obama and Bush vs. Gore, they were very civil in terms of how they treated each other,” Kreahling said. “The followers of the candidates [now], they don’t attack policy so much as they attack people and their character.”

DOWN THE AISLE

share their take on the rise of polarization in American politics

Students notice this too, and Pizza has seen this firsthand in his social interactions.

“I’ve had long friends that I’ve known for 10 years all of a sudden go, ‘Oh, we don’t want to talk to you. How can you support this one person, etc. etc.,’” Pizza said. “It makes me upset because I feel like we can look past what we think in politics and what our beliefs are and make connections.”

For Levin, a proud wearer of his Democrat shirt, the key to civil conversations starts with acknowledging potential controversy.

that we see the back. Hopefully together and agree some things, rather ‘You stay in your mine,’ which is we’re at right now.

AP US History

“The main way [to keep things friendly] is just to avoid political discussion entirely, and try to talk about other more uncontentious things,” Levin said.

Malkovich agrees with him, emphasizing that the Constitution’s protection of free speech remains legitimate even when people’s opinions do not coincide.

“Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, right or wrong, left or right. That’s the beautiful thing about this country,” Malkovich said. “What my family does is not the same as what your family does, and that’s okay. I’m going to go about my business. I’m going to go about raising my kids, feeding my kids, taking care of my family.”

However, sometimes politics becomes an inevitable topic of conversation, especially during election season. In those situations, Bingham encourages her students to do proper research beforehand.

“People really need to dig into lateral reading–go and find a source, and dig into that source. [Ask yourself:] are they connected to something? Are they promoting a bias? Are they supporting a certain side or candidate?” Bingham said.

As a first-time voter, Levin prided himself in his objective

research, regardless of his party affiliations.

“I did a fair amount of research into each of the amendments to see how both sides saw it, and I felt as though one side definitely matched my opinion better,” Levin said. “I [try to] get to the core of the issue rather than the headlines.”

tolerance.

Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, right or wrong, left or right. That’s the beautiful thing about this country.

- Matthew Malkovich, AP government teacher

“I tell everyone, you don’t have to be a Republican to be in the Young Republicans,” Pizza said. “We’ve actually had some people that are liberal come into our club, express their point of view, and we welcome it. We love that we don’t have an echo chamber.”

For Kreahling, objectivity is

While he is too young to vote this year, Pizza seconds Levin’s thoughts, using the Young Republicans Club to promote political awareness and

the facts presented in his class.

“Every day we talk about current events and the election. I try to bring in the sample ballot to go over, and try to get kids as educated and excited about the rest of the ballot [besides the presidential candidates],” Kreahling said. “I’ve made it a game…I always make the kids do a poll on what party or who they think I voted for–if it’s a 50/50 split, [then] I did my job correctly.”

Above all, Malkovich stresses to his students, even those under voting age, to retain their unique voice in voting.

“Get out of echo chambers, get off of social media. Be true to yourself. [Only] you know your beliefs, your convictions,” Malkovich said.

Illustrations | Josephine Lim

THE JUNIOR YEAR

STRUGGLE

Isabella Ross | Staff Reporter

The first two years of high school are marked as a time of exploration for students–trying out for sports, joining clubs, and adjusting to the demand of new high school classes. But as summer ends and junior year approaches, their previous carefree days of school are replaced with a heavy workload, standardized testing, and the looming pressure of college applications.

Academics

“My course load definitely made me realize I need to set aside time to make sure my assignments get done. Teachers here are keen on making sure that you are responsible to get stuff done on time,” Campbell said. “I was frustrated at first that most teachers wouldn’t take late work but I realized that in life you need to do things by the time they’re assigned.”

and it makes me feel like I’m not trying hard enough.”

Classes such as AP Pre-Calculus, AP Language, and AP US History are all highly challenging classes common among juniors, all including more indepth subject matter, homework, and studying. For junior Adriana Pagan, balancing multiple AP classes has proven the hardest change from sophomore year. Before, Pagan only spent an hour a day working on homework, but now, she averages two to three hours a day, and that does not include time studying.

“

I feel like I have practically no time for myself or to just relax when I get home from school, because I know if I don’t do my work it will build up and make me stressed.

- Adriana Pagan, 11

Both academic rigor and the quantity of homework rise during junior year. This requires that students have a high understanding of all of their subjects and put elevated levels of effort and time into their work.

“I’m taking more difficult classes so I can challenge

“Just AP Lang alone leaves me with so much work, I’m usually left trying to find time in other classes just to finish it before it’s due,” Pagan said. “I feel like I have practically no time for myself or to just relax when I get home from school, because I know if I don’t do my work it will build up and make me stressed.”

For many, the expectations to take challenging classes can lead to more hardship as homework piles up and students have less time for extracurriculars. Additionally, as the topic of college approaches, many are left feeling overwhelmed, now dealing with new experiences such as

high testing anxiety. While students can build a strong GPA, showcasing their grades across all years of high school, standardized tests, which play an essential role in college admissions, rely on students to recount years of knowledge in just a couple hours.

“I think the SAT really adds stress to students because it covers material that we might not have seen in a bit or passed off as not as important. Sometimes it’s hard to gauge what material you think will be on the test, so a lot of students over or under study,” Campbell said.

Working

The difficulty of junior year does not end at school as many take on the challenge of a job. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, 79% of all juniors have a job at some point during the year. This results in not only less time to focus on school, but the challenge of learning to balance these different responsibilities.

“Because I got a job, studying became a struggle to try and juggle. I knew I would need to set aside my free time to make sure I did well in school, so I just told myself the faster I got it done, the faster I could be done and relax,” Tirado said.

Between school, work and extracurriculars, students’ time becomes limited, leaving many feeling overwhelmed.

“Sometimes this would mean I couldn’t play games after school to relax or take an afternoon nap before work. It’s really frustrating looking forward to doing something all day just to realize you have responsibilities first. It’s a constant battle between priorities,” Campbell said.

The transition from sophomore to junior can be a challenge, introducing new obstacles to students. But with the right time management, dedication, and balance between school and self-care, students can not only survive, but thrive during their junior year. Successfully overcoming these struggles allows for personal growth, preparing students for not only the last year of high school but also what lies ahead after graduation.

“Dealing with a lot of homework and other responsibilities you’re not used to, it forces you to learn how to deal with those things even if you’re not prepared,” Sauvao said. “Getting through junior year definitely helped me, even if it seemed stressful at the time.”

“A lot of important things come at you, but it’s important to not let them stress you out too much. It’s still school, so just enjoy it.”

- Aydin Rahman, 12

“I would suggest getting everything you need to do out of the way first. I can’t count how many times I’ve almost had a meltdown because I realized that the assignment I thought I could get done actually wasn’t going to be completed on time.”

- Kaylee Campbell, 12

“Prepare. Think about what you love doing now and what you would love doing in the future. Think about what classes you want to take next and pursue them. Just do what you love but find new things to enjoy.”

- Eileen Sauvao, 12

HARD AT WORK Junior

Benjamin Keast works on handout for AP PreCalculus, a common math class taken by juniors. Photo | Sydney Munchow

License to DRIVE

It’s every new driver’s nightmare: a car crash. When junior Khloe Burton pulled out in front of someone on Mitchell Hammock, her car was totaled. The seatbelts never locked and the airbags didn’t deploy so they ended up sliding across the street, and Burton and her friend were left with a bad concussion and some bleeding.

Jessica Johnson | Staff Reporter like the Oviedo Mall or Hagerty. Gradually, they move onto the road once they master the basics.

Even without a serious crash, between finding time to drive to school, being scared of the road and passing the drivers license test, the process of getting a license is nerve-wracking.

The first step to getting a license is practice. There are many places to practice around town. Many people start slow in parking lots at places

Facing the UNEXPECTED

“I didn’t expect the feeling of freedom it gave me. I can do anything I want, when I want, without relying on my parents.”

-Keltan Fitzgerald, 11

“I didn’t expect how bad other people drive. No one pays attention, and you have to constantly be watching out for others’ mistakes.”

-Khloe Burton,11

“It’s [actually easy] to drive...I thought that it was going to be super difficult to drive on my own but now it’s just like riding a bike.”

-Adyson Tucker, 10

“I started in the Lawton Chiles parking lot to get used to the wheel and feel of the car, and eventually graduated to the road which was a big difference,” junior Alyssa Gutierrez said.

Before taking the license test, applicants are required to have at least 50 hours of daylight driving and 10 hours at night while a parent or someone over the age of 21 has to be in the passenger seat at all times.

“It is really hard for me to stay consistent while practicing driving because I have to have one parent in the car at all times and that can be hard. Both of my parents work and are very busy so I rarely get time to practice,” sophomore Chelsea Townsend said.

Learning to drive might be the hardest part, but it is not the only part. Drivers also have to get familiar with their car—the lights, windshield wipers and other features. Also, drivers have to find a comfortable seat position for them to drive in during the test.

“I learned to drive in all sorts of cars, like a Toyota and Sequoia; also I learned to drive a stick shift, which is much more difficult but made me feel more comfortable when in a normal car,” junior Keltan Fitzgerald said.

The scariest part of the entire process, however, is the driving test to get a license. Potential drivers are tested on parking, three-point turns, stopping quickly, reversing, obeying stop signs and using their turning signal when needed. The Florida pass rate is 90.1% on the driving test. Drivers can take their test at any Florida DMV you want to, but the most popular one is the Casselberry Seminole County Department of Motor Vehicles.

take it one step further and practice the exact test with their parents. Many drivers practiced over and over until they had it perfect.

“I would watch videos on YouTube on how they graded the test and I practiced in my neighborhood,” junior Chloe Tabor said.

Several factors can result in an automatic fail: not fully stopping at a stop sign, hitting a curb or driving over the speed limit. Also, it is possible to lose points if drivers do more than a three-point turn, look at their mirrors when reversing instead of looking out the back window, not pulling into the parking space far enough, and not using a turning signal.

“I got two points taken off for looking in my side mirror while backing up and forgetting to turn my blinker on for the three-point turn,” sophomore Adyson Tucker said. Tucker only attempted her test once and passed, and now she has no problem with three-point turns.

Before the actual test, many people face difficulties scheduling the appointment to take their drivers test. Drivers need to select the right DMV location, and make sure to book the appointment at least a month ahead to guarantee a spot.

Being able to drive yourself everywhere gives you so much more freedom.

- Gabrielle Cervantes, 11 “

“Parking was something I struggled with for a while. I would do it over and over again and still couldn’t get it perfect. I was so scared to do it for my driving test but I ended up doing it perfectly. The parking spot on the test is so much bigger than the normal parking spot,” Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez only took her test once and got a perfect score the first try—she now finds driving extremely easy and loves to do it.

In the test, instructors can ask drivers some hard questions that many people struggle with, such as how do you park on a hill with or without a curb. Drivers have to make sure to know which way to turn the wheel and what to do when done turning.

“The skill I found more difficult is remembering how to park on a hill with or without a curb. It seems pointless to learn in Florida but you still have to be able to answer their question,” Burton said.

While everyone practices driving, some teens

Burton had to go to Jupiter, Florida, a three-hour drive to take her driving test because the appointment was booked on all the days she had time, and she wanted an appointment as soon as possible.

“This was so frustrating because Jupiter is a twohour drive from here so we had to spend all day in the car then waiting at the DMV for multiple hours. Then another two-hour drive back home,” Burton said.

Once you pass the test, drivers are free to be on the road alone between 5 am and 1 am unless they are driving from work due to the curfew for being under 18 years old. While the process of getting a driver’s license can be challenging, students find the sense of freedom and independence that comes with it is well worth the effort.

“Being able to drive yourself everywhere gives you so much more freedom. I love rolling my windows down and listening to music while I drive anywhere I want, I don’t have to ask my parents to drive me somewhere every time I need to,” junior Gabrielle Cervantes said.

Photo | Chloe Tabor

Afor AESTHETIC

Holly Smyers | News Editor

Appearance is always the first thing we notice in people—what someone wears and how they look can give away lots of information before even talking to them.

Same goes for classrooms. Imagine walking into class on the first day of school and seeing blank gray walls and a mess of papers everywhere. Right off the bat the mood would change. Teachers spend the better part of their day in their classrooms, so how it looks can signal to students a lot about the teacher’s personality and dedication.

“If there are pictures of students, it makes the teacher seem a little more human, so I think more highly of them, especially when they spend the money to make their classroom as comfortable as possible for students,” junior Tyler Harris said.

Walking into a classroom that’s clearly well decorated can feel rejuvenating, since each extra addition shows the teacher’s passion for the subject. For junior Sophia Azevedo, how a classroom looks impacts her experience in it, with her history teacher, Amy Bingham’s classroom being one of her favorites.

Teachers find ways to make their classroom their own

Some teachers put a lot of thought into the color-scheme of their classroom, intentionally trying to make it a space where students feel as comfortable as they can.

“I like to use a lot of different colors, but kind of soft colors, because I don’t want people to come in and feel nervous,” ASL teacher Grace Wilken-Yoder said. “Using a new language can be stressful and can create some anxiety, so I try to use a lot of greens and blues to make it more calming.”

Right next door, ASL teacher Barbara Chaves takes a different approach to picking the colors in her classroom.

“I think it’s important for the students to feel at home and also have lots of color and brightness, instead of the block walls,” Chaves said.

When kids customize the classroom, it means they enjoyed the classroom enough to leave their mark there, and they had fun doing it.

-Olivia Hamby, 11

“I feel a lot more creative in history than I do in math, because there are so many colors and cool things to look at around the room,” Azevedo said.

Some teachers put up quotes and other encouraging posters for their students

“If you have posters about certain content, or posters that are inspirational, it does help students. If their eyes are wandering around the room during the lesson, maybe they’re going to see the poster that says ‘mistakes are proof that you’re trying’ and get inspired,” Wilken-Yoder said.

However some teachers take it a step further and leave little relics of their lives around the classroom, which helps students feel more connected to

the teacher and all they do in and out of school.

“I’ve got some running medals on one wall, and a bunch of history books and souvenirs for all of my travels, just kind of showing the constant pursuit of history and learning and all of that and hopeful it’ll remind students to never stop learning,” history teacher Erin Foley said.

Something that can be incredibly meaningful to students is seeing work that students have done specifically for the classroom. Lots of art and classrooms that host clubs have ceiling tiles painted by students. Some dedicate a tile to each class of students, others let skilled students paint an individual tile of their choosing.

“When kids customize the

classroom, it means multiple kids have been there and have enjoyed the classroom enough to leave their mark there, and they had fun doing it,”junior Livy Hamby said.

Notes, gifts or cards gifted to teachers are by far the most treasured decorations among teachers. Usually, teachers designate the sport where they will see them as much as possible, because it reminds them of the impact they make on student’s lives.

“When I walk into my classroom, I want to feel inspired. The first thing I do see is the art gallery that I’ve made with students’ work. I try to have things around that remind me of my purpose and help students remember what they’re trying to do,” WilkenYoder said.

Online fashion works to keep it cheap

Boxes arrive every week at sophomore McKinna Grant’s house—from Shein, Temu and Amazon. While moving to Florida, problems with her family’s U-Haul made Grant lose a lot of clothes, pushing her to find cheaper options to build up her wardrobe. She chooses to buy from fast fashion websites because she can get a lot of clothes without spending hundreds of dollars.

Fast fashion is inexpensive clothing that is produced quickly and has gained popularity among students for their low prices and variety of clothing. While Amazon has recently started getting into the fast fashion market, Temu and Shein are still the best known fast fashion companies.

A lot of students pay for their

own clothes, so students find it more convenient to shop on a website with affordable prices in the comfort of their own home.

“It beats going to the store because of the much larger variety found on each website,” Cann said.

Another benefit is their very quick shipping. Amazon Prime offers nextday shipping, Shein takes seven to 10 days to arrive and Temu can make shoppers wait up to 22 days.

“Their fast shipping is what I’d say is my favorite thing about [fast fashion],” Martinez said.

The biggest reason students buy from these stores, however, is because of the prices. Average prices for a T-shirt can be $5-$10, while the price for hoodies is below $20. But in-store or on other websites can sell them for around $30-$40.

“Their prices are cheaper than

most places, so I can get more things with the same amount of money [if i were to buy clothes elsewhere],” Grant said.

These affordable prices make it easier for students to own more; however, students get what they pay for. On Temu and Shein, the cheaper the cost is, the lower the quality is. But, Amazon mainly sells higher quality clothes from mainly cotton.

“I was going to wear [this dress] for a few holidays, but the dress felt like it was made of sandpaper,” Cann said.

Amazon now facilitates some fast fashion brands, causing the company to get the negative feedback that comes with it. Critics accuse fast fashion companies of exploiting child labor and that their mass production harms workers and the planet. Also, Temu and Shein are both owned by Chinese companies, where unfair

wages and lower standards for labor are common.

Many students have had bad experiences where they have bought something and did not get what was shown in the picture or said in the description. Once when sophomore Ana Martinez bought five hoodies, she only got four and they were “horrible” quality.

Fast fashion has its disadvantages, but students still love to shop on these websites. For these consumers, the prices balance out the quality, and the quick shipping and variety balances out for the questionable products.

“A couple weeks ago, I was looking for costumes that would go with my film characters,” Cann said. “They were good quality for a cheap price so I ended up getting four costumes. I would do it again, and again.”

FINE ART Different flags sit in the back of Amy Bingham’s class beside student work on the top left. Middle right is from the early childhood classroom. Every level five classroom gets their own tile .

The rest of the photos are student painted works that sit in Mr. Ottero’s class. Photos | Holly Smyers

Angelina Habib | Staff Reporter

BOTHSIDES from

How students from both parties feel about a variety of issues

This election season, many seniors cast their vote for the first time. Some couldn’t care less about politics, while others, like Gavin Zinnert and Jack Levin, are more invested. With the media mainly focusing on the extremes of both sides, many wonder what the average member of each party actually believes. Zinnert is a member of the Young Republicans club while Levin is the Young Democrat president. The two disagree on a plethora of issues but their views have more in common than people might think.

Influences

Both Levin and Zinnert cite their parents and values as key reasons why they believe what they believe.

“You have the people you’re surrounded with, and then you have certain beliefs that you have instilled in you,” Zinnert said. “Specifically with my parents, we’re not Sunday churchgoers; we’re not majorly religious, but there are those more traditional Christian and Catholic views that I’ve been highly exposed to.”

Levin’s father switched political parties, which plays a big role in his desire to see things from different perspectives.

Isaiah Macri | Staff Reporter

Emma Smith-Welding

Isabella Ross | Staff Reporter

Sparks fly when junior Emma Smith steps into her shop, using her heating tools to work on another one of her welding projects.

contribute to division, the fact that it has a name and the fact of who players are nowadays does,” Zinnert said. “You have to look at all of the things going on in the world, you have to look at who’s controlling it. It’s not as black and white as you’d think.”

Misinformation

In the digital age it can be hard to know what information is true. Both Levin and Zinnert see issues with the news that is put out regarding politics.

“I think informing people on what’s real and what’s fake. I think a lot of fake news riles people up unnecessarily. If news was more factual and gave people the facts rather than opinions people might be less violent towards each other,” Levin said. Zinnert emphasized the importance of checking who the information is coming from.

Let’s

figure out

“I think a big part of it was my parents. My father was originally a Republican, but as he grew up he switched sides politically, so he sees things from both sides.” Levin said. “He’s not super religious and the Republican Party was shifting more to that side so it sort of put him off from their ideas.”

Division

Welding involves working with heat or pressure to join together materials. Smith was introduced to welding a year ago when she was assigned a project to work on repairing a Camaro.

“My teacher put me on a project to weld a car back together–he wanted me to weld pieces of metal to it and replenish it,” Smith said. “I found it really interesting, so I just continued with it.”

Smith previously showed interest in mechanics and automotives, but welding quickly took over as her passion. With no training, Smith had to rely on experience to teach herself the basics.

“I kind of taught myself and learned from people who’ve already done welding, and then I’ve just been trying and working on my skills,” Smith said. “It was harder but it was also worth it.”

Welding includes three major types; Metal Inert Gas, which involves welding things together with an electric arc, Tungsten Inert Gas, which works to fix holes and create joints in metal, and Stick, where a metal rod is used to melt two pieces of metal together. Working in MIG welding, Smith is exposed to constant dangers.

-Gavin Zinnert, 12 “

how we can come together and use both of our different ideas to make something bigger and better than

it was before.

“It’s one of things where you really have to consider your source. You have to consider what the information is,” Zinnert said. “Both sides will have their conspiracy theories and quite frankly some of the stuff you see posted about Biden and Harris you have to take with a grain of salt, and some stuff you see posted about Trump you have to take with a grain of salt. You have to realize if they’re personally attacking someone or trying to spread facts,” Zinnert said.

Unity

Both sides feel civilized, respectful discussion is needed to push the nation forward.

“If you don’t wear a proper mask, or if it doesn’t work, it could damage your eyesight. With the grinding afterward, you could also go deaf, and the hot metal, could spark and burn you,” Smith said.

Nevertheless, Smith does not let the dangerous aspects of welding deter her from her projects, especially working on cars. Operating under the hood, Smith takes scrap pieces of metal and welds them to the car, fixing problems while giving her creative freedom.

“It allows me to be creative and create designs in order for it to be unique, and be able to replenish it and make it itself again,” Smith said. “My favorite part is at the end, seeing what it looks like and then focusing and visualizing what I need to do in order to fix it and make it better.”

Both Zinnert and Levin agree that the nation is more divided than ever, and both students want to find a way to unify the country.

“I think a big part is because social media is becoming more and more ingrained in our lives. A lot of what you see on social media is talking points, whether it’s true or not, it doesn’t matter... [people are] going to be talking about it to friends and family,” Levin said. “Maybe like 20 years ago, people would agree to disagree. It wasn’t a life-ordeath thing like how it feels now.”

Zinnert thinks that the feelings associated with each party are a big reason for the division in our country, as when people hear a party name, they are conditioned to pick sides regardless of the issue.

“While the true heart of the parties may not

“I’m never going to try to be insensitive. I think one of the other things is that people need to be sensitive, everybody’s going to hurt everybody’s feelings at some point, and I think that the biggest issue is how you respond,” Zinnert said. “The biggest sense of unity that we can provide is understanding that there’s different views...Let’s figure out how we can come together to make something bigger and better than it was before.”

Both sides agree that compromise is necessary.

“Nobody wants to have a calm, civilized discussion any more, and it’s ruining our democracy because compromises are needed to make any progress ever. We have a lot more in common than we don’t,” Young Democrats member Idika Banerjee said.

Smith has received many surprised reactions from others both because of her appearance and the dangerous nature of welding. Despite this, Smith continues to pursue welding, hoping to continue after she graduates at the University of Northwestern Ohio where she plans to study in their welding program, striving for a career in either underwater or mechanical welding.

In this episode of Tell Me More, Elleigh gets insider info on twins and triplets: parent preference, birth order and class swapping

Photo Illustration | Isaiah Macri & Luca Huff

Football finishes the season 5-5

With losses to Seminole and Lyman, football ends the season and misses the playoffs

Kaitlyn Taylor | Sports Editor

Varsity football went into the homecoming game with hopes of an upset against Seminole on Oct. 25, but Seminole, the #3 ranked team in 7A, did not let that happen, beating Hagerty 42-7.

“The biggest challenge would be our mindset. Just getting over the idea that they're so big and great, and really just looking at them as another football team,” senior Porter Williams said.

defense kept them off of the scoreboard in the third quarter, and they minimized the damage to only one touchdown in the fourth quarter. While the defense was more effective in the second half, the offense was not able to get going throughout the game with costly turnovers.

“We were trying to keep the intensity up, doing what we do best, which is playing football, and keeping the energy,” Williams said.

Next

year we need to

build chemistry amongst the younger players that are going to replace the seniors from this year.

After taking advantage of a fumble recovery, Seminole started off strong with two touchdowns in the first quarter to get out to a 14-0 lead. Seminole's dominance continued into the second quarter where they scored three more touchdowns for a total of 35 points in the first half.

-Richard

Quinones, assistant coach “

The team looked to finish their season strong in the regular season finale on Nov. 1 against Lyman. There was a lot on the line, including not only keeping their season alive, but also an outside shot at a trip to the playoffs. Despite a late-game comeback,they could not hold off Lyman's offense. With a 21-14 loss, Hagerty’s season ended with a record of 5-5.

“We prepared the same way that we always do. The seniors really wanted to step up this week because this is [their] last regular season game for the rest of their lives,” Encarnacion said.

While quarterback Caden Mitchell managed to connect with wide receiver James Ketron for a touchdown in the second quarter, that would not be enough. Along with a struggle on the offensive side of the ball, the defense also was not able to stop Seminole.

“On the defensive side of the ball, we were trying to make positional adjustments, Coach [Mikles] was trying to put us in better positions to make bigger plays. We ended up stopping them a few times, so it ended up working,” senior Kale Encarnacion said.

The positional adjustments worked well as

The team started off the first quarter with a 31yard field goal from kicker Gavin Zinnert, getting out to a 3-0 lead. The lead was short-lived as Lyman’s offense answered back with a touchdown, making it 7-3. In the second quarter, Hagerty pulled within one point on Zinnert’s second field goal of the game. After Lyman scored a second touchdown, the score was 14-6 going into the second half.

“The biggest challenge for us was staying focused after giving up the first touchdown,” inside linebacker Ryan Davis said.

While the offense was unable to score a touchdown in the first half, quarterback Caden Mitchell still had an effective game, going 13 for 19 in completions with 181 yards. The running game was strong in the second half as running back Porter Williams scored a late 20-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter to tie the game.

The defense was able to hold Lyman scoreless in the third quarter, but in the fourth, they could not contain Lyman as they allowed a 55-yard passing touchdown. This would ultimately be the difference in the game as the final score reached 21-14.

“I think the biggest challenge for the team was just pushing through the mental and physical exhaustion of a long, demanding season. We wanted to finish strong, but I could tell that the fatigue of the season had gotten to some of us,” Williams said.

While the season did not finish how they wanted, the team understands what needs to be worked on in order for a more successful outcome next year.

“We need to build chemistry amongst the younger players that are going to replace the seniors,” assistant coach Richard Quinones said.

The team will look very different next year as this was a senior-dominated team, with 28 seniors due to graduate in May. For many of the seniors, this program has helped them develop their skills, providing lessons on and off the field.

“This program has meant a lot to me. I owe a lot of my development and success to the coaches who have poured into me and given me the opportunities to perform,” Drake commit Williams said. “Being a husky will always be a part of who I am.”

Lake Howell - 8/23

In the home opener at Sam Momary Stadium on Aug. 30, Hagerty defeated Lake Howell in a 31-14 win. Hagery was led by wide reciver Bryson Bock, running backs Jalon Lewis and Porter Williams, who all scored touchdowns in the victory. Photo | Kayla Rrapi

Pine Ridge - 9/13

At home on Friday, Sept. 13, the team won 49-14 over Pine Ridge. Quarterback Caden Mitchelll threw for six touchdowns, two of which were caught by wide receiver Bryson Bock. This would match their season high in points scored. Photo | Caydee Claps

Timber Creek - 9/20

On the road, Hagerty would beat Timber Creek 49-26, picking up their fourth win of the season. The running game was strong as Porter Williams ran for 146 yds with two touchdowns and Jalon Lewis ran for 123 yds with a touchdown. Photo | Kayla Rrapi

GROUND GAME Quarterback Caden Mitchell hands the ball off to running back Porter Williams in a 21-14 loss against Lyman.

Photo | Caydee Claps

Volleyball season ends in playoffs

Team takes one set from Winter Park in 3-1 regional semifinal loss

Isaiah Macri | Staff Reporter

The girls volleyball season came to an end with a 3-1 loss to Winter Park in the regional semifinals on Oct. 26. The Huskies lost the first set 25-19 but pulled out their only win of the match in the second set with a score of 27-25 before losing the third 25-16 and the fourth 25-21.

The Huskies were the only team to win a set against second-ranked Winter Park during regionals. Winter Park has been on a 23-game win streak since Aug. 31, and the team won the state championship over Plant High on Saturday.

“I think we played really well. It was one of our best displays of energy and working together as a team. They ultimately just came out on top,” outside hitter Jenness Orcutt said.

Orcutt is ranked 150th in the state for kills with 240 for the season.

Other leaders for the team include libero Allyson Leach who had 304 digs this season ranking 147th in the state, and outside hitter Mikayla Miessler with 223 kills for the season ranking 191st in the state.

I feel like even in rough times we were able to come back stronger and work together as a team. Jenness Orcutt, outside hitter “

Prior to the match the team had lost twice to Winter Park, getting swept both times, and they knew they needed to adjust their mentality going into the semifinal.

“I think the last game we walked in not prepared and with a negative mindset,” outside hitter Samiya Bolton said. “If we contribute mentally the physical stuff will follow after.”

Communication was something the team wanted to improve upon going into what turned out to be their final match of the season.

“I think we started off really strong then we kind of went downward, now we’re bringing it back up again because we’re talking more so we just got to talk a lot more during the game and I think we can win,” middle blocker Sophia Wattles said.

Another challenge for the team was playing the regional match on the night of homecoming. Players had to quickly travel home and change out of game uniforms into formal attire for the school’s dance, which began at 7 p.m. Despite the tight schedule, the team saved their best performance for their last match

“I think it was the best we’ve ever played,” Leach said. “After the game we all rushed out to get home and get ready since it was like 30 minutes away.”

The loss came after a home win in the regional quarterfinal against Creekside 3-0, led by Miessler with 17 kills, Orcutt with 12 kills, and setter Brielle Mullen with 40 assists. Mullen is ranked 58th in the state for assists.

The match was held three days prior to the Winter Park match, with the team starting off strong, winning the first set 25-19. The team did not let up in the second set, winning 25-20 and managed to finish off the match even stronger with a 25-17 win in the final set giving the team their only playoff win this season.

“I feel like we did really well this season. I’m really proud of how we progressed,” Orcutt said.

Six swimmers advance to regionals

Junior Ethan Yu, junior Rieley Vu, sophomore Lucas Franco-Sutachan, sophomore Tristan Hall, junior Daniel Zou, and junior Noah Stasik moved on from districts to regionals in swimming. Placing seventh in the 200-yard free race and fifth in the 400-yard race in districts, the team traveled to West Port High School for regionals, placing 12th in the 200-yard race and 14th in the 400-yard race. Additionally, Zou placed fifth in districts in 200-yard free race. Stasik placed first in the 1 meter dive, scoring 588.95 and advancing to state championships on Nov. 15-16, where he finished in third place.

Connor Jimenez places 12th in state

Withhis team just missing out on state championships, on Wednesday, Oct. 29, junior Connor Jimenez reached the individual bowling championships. Against his opponent from Space Coast High, Jimenez bowled a 175, 155, and 236 to advance to the second round. However, Jimenez lost to a bowler from Mariner High School and was sent to the consolation bracket, where he won one more match before falling in his fourth match and finishing 12th in the state .

Despite the loss, Jimenez was happy with his individual and team performance.

“I feel like I did way better than I did last year, personally,” Jimenez said.

Boys soccer wins home opener, 4-0

Comingoff a 2-1 loss to Timber Creek and a 4-0 loss to University during their preseason, the Huskies bounced back with a 4-0 win against Lake Howell on Nov. 6.

“We came out, worked hard, and played as a team to secure the win,” center-back Mohamad Mutawe said.

The team was led by midfielder Daniel Erazo, Mutawe and striker Leo Garay who each scored a goal. Senior Brendan Valentin recorded five saves in the goal, helping the team earn the shutout.

“I had quite a good goal off a corner kick, and I feel like it cheered up the boys and it really got us going throughout the game, helping us push the pace because later throughout the game we were also able to score more goals,” Erazo said.

After Erazo secured the lead with the initial goal, Garay was fouled by a player from Lake Howell, which led to Mutawe’s opportunity to take a penalty kick.

Valentin recorded five saves in the goal, helping the team earn the shutout. He ranks 11th in the 7A class ranking for goalkeeping, and he recently announced his commitment to further his athletic career at Daytona State College.

Next week, Hagerty faces Lake Brantley on Nov. 13 and Lyman on Nov. 15, both at home in Sam Momary Stadium.

Isabella Ross | Staff Reporter

Luca Huff | Staff Reporter

Faith Walsh | Staff Reporter

Rieley Vu, 12

Connor Jimenez, 11

Adrian Davila-Guzman, 12

SERVING WINS Senior setter Brielle Mullen hits a serve against Winter Park on Oct. 5. Mullen finished with the 58th-most assists in the state. Photo | Andrew Sanfilippo

BRING IT IN Team team huddles up after a kill during an Oct. 5 double match against Plant and Winter Park. The team finished 14-10. Photo | Andrew Sanfilippo

Runners win districts, second at regionals

Elleigh Ackerman | Staff Reporter

Dozens of parents gathered along fences and bleachers, waiting in anticipation for the starting shot to go off and mark the beginning of the 5,000-meter race.

On Nov. 2, 15 different schools gathered at Hagerty for cross country’s FHSAA District 4A-2 meet. The girls raced at 8 a.m. and finished third, followed by the boys, who finished first, at 8:30 a.m.

Junior Noah Mott was the champion runner at the event with his time of 15:51, and the boys team walked away with first place for their lowest team score of 32 points.

“We have had a great team this year, and

- Noah Mott, 11 “

We have had a great team this year, and we’ve been performing well at every meet, and just winning some great times.

we’ve been performing well at every meet, and just winning some great times,” Mott said.

The runners were front-loaded at the beginning of the week, prepping routes, perfecting pacing and strengthening endurance. The rest of the week served as rest days to ensure they would run well.

These practice methods proved successful, with several players beating their personal record at the district meet. Junior Athena Turner was thrilled with her time of 21:36, a breakthrough 23 seconds under her previous PR time.

“During the two miles, it started getting a little hard, but in the end, I caught up to one of my teammates, and we both ended up running together during the entire thing. So I was really proud of myself…and then I was just so excited to celebrate with my teammates,” Turner said.

Leon led the team with a fourth place finish and a 16:08 time. The environment of districts and

heightened competition contributed to his improved performance. At the Seminole Athletic Conference championship last week, he topped his PR.

“I like districts and the more competitive meets, because when it’s more competitive, [you] usually run better times. It’s a better experience and I like when we’re running it, [since] the meets are more serious,” Leon said.

Running at districts was a new experience for freshman Tara Brewster (21:53), who has been pleased with her first season on the team, hitting a new PR every race. Her appreciation for her teammates and the potential to improve at every meet contributes to the love she has for the sport.

“It’s great for the body [and] the mind. It makes

me a happier person. It keeps me healthy, my love [for] racing and seeing where I can be the next week or so,” Brewster said.

At regionals, the success continued with a second place finish for the boys. Leon finished second with a 15:39 time. The girls, led by senior Amalay Schwarzbauer and junior Ava Howell, finished ninth, just missing out on a state trip. Getty was impressed with both teams’ performance and is eager to take the boys team to the state championships this weekend in Tallahassee.

“[I’m] excited for both teams. Everybody ran really well, we managed the environment effectively,” Getty said.

Girls golf advances to regionals

After a season of weather delays and missed matches, the girls golf team finished on a strong note. On Oct. 29, girls golf competed in the district championship hosted by Lake Mary at Debary Country Club. The girls finished in third place and moved to regional championships.

Despite hurricanes and other delays, the team had their most successful season in years, they found themselves in a spot in regionals. On Nov. 5 the girls traveled to Gainesville and played at Hawkstone Country Club to end their season. Isla Saint-Jean was the top performer at regionals with an 85, while Emma Roberts, the top seed who had the lowest round in districts, was one behind SaintJean with an 86 in regionals. Adriana Pagán shot 88, Kira Saint-Jean scored a 93 and Gabriella Heina shot a 94 in regionals.

The girls had to make adjustments to prepare for postseason competition, but the highlight of the season was their performance at districts. A huge advantage to the team was that districts were held at Twin Rivers, their home course. Senior and number one seed Roberts, who shot an 88 at districts, enjoyed the home match.

“After conference, all we did was practice that whole week before. We did a few practice

rounds because that’s our home course, so we just practiced a lot,” Roberts said.

They placed third with a 361 behind runner-up Lake Brantley (357) and district champion Lake Mary (304).

Heina practiced along with the rest of the team weekly ahead of districts to make sure they were ready to drop low scores, but more than anything, they tried to keep improving in the postseason.

“I could have done better but I improved from my [conference championship] score,” Heina said.

At regionals the girls placed ninth with a 352 overall. A highlight of the season was placing higher than Lake Brantley, a team they tied during the regular season and finished behind at districts.

Roberts was happy with the season, even though she did not score her best in regionals.

“I thought I performed okay, I could have shot better,” Roberts said.

However it was the first appearance at regionals for the team in a long time. Head coach Donna Parker was happy with the team’s success.

“It’s a beautiful position, the girls just had great days, and played great in both long and short game,” Parker said. “Everybody had issues now and then but they played great this season.”

SUCCESSFUL START Seniors Jacob Leon and Connor Stromberg share a fist bump before the start of their race. The team finished first at districts and second in regionals, advancing to the state championship. Photo | Jazmine Burton

HOME STRETCH Senior Gabriella Heina tees off at Twin Rivers Golf Club. She shot a 99 in districts and 94 in regionals. Photo | Sydney Muchow