The BluePrint - Volume 5, Issue 1

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3225 Lockwood Blvd

Hagerty High School Oviedo, Florida 32765

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What’s inside news....................2 lifestyles..............5 middle.................8 opinions.............10 sports.................14

News bites New band director: Replacing Mr. Rice as band director, Todd Leighton of Lake Howell High School heads to Hagerty. For the past ten years Leighton has directed the LHHS band to win numerous superior rankings and has performed in many special functions and events. Leighton will begin on November 9 after the District Marching Band Festival.

College visits: Representatives from the University of North Florida will visit on October 22.

Representatives from Seminole State College will visit on November 9.

Sign up in the College and Career Room in the media center to attend these visits.

Senior privileges: The upcoming senior privilege day will take place on November 18. The senior dinner takes place during periods 5 and 6.

“Is He Dead?”: The first theatrical play of the 09-10 year is the comedy, “Is He Dead?”. Teasers for the play will be held during English classes on October 28 and 29. Performances will be held on November 5 through 7. Tickets will be sold for $6 in advance and $8 at the door.

Teach-In: Teach-In 2009 will be held on Tuesday, November 17. This is a program in which community leaders visit our school to speak to students during class. If you are an interested commmunity/ business leader, please contact Christy Tibbits-Bryce at 407-8710729 or e-mail her at: Christy_Bryce@scps.k12.fl.us.

Husky poll Which homecoming spirit day was your favorite?

Based on a survey of 365 randomly selected students compiled by Mehak Rahmen and Patrick McCormack

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opinions

Was the switch to block scheduling a good idea? Students share their thoughts and opinions.

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back

Hail to the chiefs.

Interviews with class council presidents and a look at leadership volume 5 issue 1 october 21, 2009

Staff welcomes new vice principal

Barry Coleman brings a wealth of experience after years in local area schools.

Megan Amend

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lifestyles editor arry Coleman has been both a Lion and a Bear. Now, after attending and working at local schools, Coleman has made his transition to a Husky as Hagerty’s new assistant principal.

“I am thrilled to become a Hagerty Husky,” Coleman said.

Coleman started on Tuesday, Sept. 8 and arrived to find what he considers a very warm welcome.

“I think it was the day that it was announced that I was coming to Hagerty, I checked the website out and my picture was already up,” Coleman said.

He likes to meet the students, teachers and parents. At lunchtime, Coleman walks around to supervise the tables and introduce himself to students.

“The kids are great at [Hagerty and Winter Springs] and that’s the primary thing in terms of similarities,” Coleman said, “The kids are what make the school and in both cases [they] are outstanding.”

His responsibilities within the school, such as supervising the Parent Teacher Student Association and Project Graduation have allowed him to build relationships with the parents.

“Both schools are very similar in that they’re both community oriented,” Coleman said, “There’s a tremendous amount of parent involvement which is a huge asset in both schools.”

Coleman does not plan to bring any specific traditions from his previous schools; however, he is more than willing to share his insight and opinions based on his experiences because he feels both schools are similar.

“In my opinion Hagerty is very much like Winter Springs was when I first arrived there,” Coleman said, “It was a new school and there was a real air of excitement surrounding the school.”

In terms of administrative work, Coleman has taken on many of former vice principal Michael Kotkin’s previous responsibilities. However, not all of Kotkin’s original duties have fallen onto Coleman’s plate.

Making friends. Coleman greets Avalanche at the pep rally.

“Whenever there is a change in the administrative team, any principal has to kind of reshuffle responsibilities based on the people they have,” Coleman said.

“With me being new to the school, there were probably some things that Mr. Kotkin did that some of the other administrators may be a better fit for now because they’re more familiar with the school.”

Principal Sam Momary was excited to see someone as experienced and knowledgeable as Coleman take on Kotkin’s previous position. Momary expected Coleman to enter into his new

photo by kaitlan aries

role ready to assist the administrative and instructional staff in their fine work. He feels Coleman will be a strong leader for the school.

“Part of my job is to prepare my staff to take on bigger and better jobs,” Momary said, “Mr. Coleman was sent to Hagerty to provide him with a different school and leadership experience so he can soon be ready to lead a school of his own.”

Coleman, however, did not always know he wanted to take part in administrative work.

COLEMAN, cont. on page 2

FCAT only one piece of puzzle Jem Mason

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staff reporter

lorida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) will now account for only 50 percent of a school’s grade, while enrollment in advanced placement classes, graduation rates, and scores on college preparation tests such as SAT and ACT will make up the other 50 percent.

For years, Florida schools have earned accountability grades based on math, reading and science FCAT scores. The Florida Department of Education (DOE) has made changes so schools will be graded on a wider scale with more criteria than FCAT scores alone.

“The DOE wanted to look at a broader level of student achievement because FCAT only applies to lower house and juniors,” Assistant Principal Kelly Thompson said.

Schools that earn top points will not only have the prestige of being called an

“A” school, but as DOE states, also receive a $75 per student award for school funds.

Despite the new challenges with the new scale, the largest hurdle to become an “A” school remains unchanged from the original. Schools will be penalized a letter grade if at least half of the bottom 25 percent of students do not achieve a higher score than their previous FCAT. “Last year we had more than enough points to be an “A,” but not enough students made a learning gain in reading,” Thompson said. “In looking at that, we’re doing a lot of things to work with teachers of those students and help them achieve that learning gain.”

To better assess student performance, over the next few years schools will offer additional accelerated courses and introduce final exams that will consist of everything students learned in the class.

New programs have also been added

to Florida schools this school year to help keep graduation rates high.

“We start at an early age as possible looking at students who received a level one or two on the FCAT and provide as many resources as possible (tutoring, intensive courses) up to graduation,” Executive Director of Secondary Education for Seminole County public schools Walt Griffin said.

Special efforts have been made to help seniors who may not make graduation requirements.

“We offer that one-on-one counseling and support,” Thompson said. “We provide information for teachers so they know which kids may need some extra help, some extra encouragement.”

Through the course of the year, counselors will meet with at-risk seniors to evaluate how they have progressed and what needs to be addressed.

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H1N1 makes mark in Oviedo

Hagerty

Sohani Kasireddy

highlight

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Yash Naran

• Yash Naran began his career as a disc jockey (DJ) with the influence of his father, a former DJ himself. He describes it as “passing the torch” from father to son. y

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b o • Naran perceives the responsibility of a DJ ot ph as a job and a hobby. Although Naran views packing and loading up equipment as a job, he is much more enthusiastic about playing music and entertaining audiences.

• Naran has served as a DJ in a variety of programs – birthday parties, weddings, anniversaries, New Year’s Eve parties and charity events.

• He plays an assortment of songs for his audience by mixing in exotic Latin, Indian and African songs. Naran also plays songs from the Top 40, including popular hip-hop and pop music.

• Naran is paid for his services as a DJ. Recently, however, he has found it difficult to find work because of the recession.

“

“I know I was put on this earth to entertain people and make them smile.” Naran said, “I will do that at a venue of millions of people, or ten. Either way I am happy.”

COLEMAN cont. from page 1

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compiled by sohani kasireddy

As a teacher, Coleman enjoyed his said. “My entire administrative career had work with his students and saw his strong been at Winter Springs so this affords me effect on their daily lives. But early on in an opportunity to really gain experience his career, Coleman found new ambition with a new campus, a new clientele, a new to become an administrator as he saw how group of teachers [and] working with a they affected the school firsthand. new principal.”

“I saw the impact that some of Dean and athletic director Christy the outstanding Ti b b i t t s - B r y c e administrators I knew Coleman worked for had from his time as a “He’s going to make great on students and teacher and coach things happen here with I realized I could at Oviedo. She his knowledge and what he have even more of was excited to brings to the table.” an impact globally have previously -Christy Tibbitts-Bryce on the school as known the new an administrator,” administrator and Coleman said. has introduced His administrative career began when him to people and informed him of he transferred to Winter Springs. For the regular procedures to help him adjust to first five years at Winter Springs, Coleman his new position. She says Coleman has was a dean and then he became an assistant wholeheartedly taken on his position as principal for the following five. administrator and it is reflected in his After Michael Kotkin transferred to knowledge, professionalism and sharp Lake Mary High School, Coleman left his dressing. job at Winter Springs to assume Kotkin’s “He has a great wealth of knowledge; former position. he’s been in the county for a long time,” “I think that the district likes to give Bryce said, “He’s going to make great their administrators opportunities to have things happen here with his knowledge and experiences at other schools,” Coleman what he brings to the table.”

assistant editor nxious dancers vying for awards in the Tremaine Dance Convention crowded the Orlando Renaissance Hotel for a weeklong competition held in July last summer.

Sophomore Madison Daniel was among the many participants at this global contest.

Daniel attested to her experience at the convention with enthusiasm as she was able to dance and reside at the Renaissance Hotel. However, her experience dimmed when she contracted the H1N1 virus, commonly known as Swine Flu. “I was dancing, having a great time,” Daniel said, “You don’t feel like anything is wrong until you actually have swine flu; it just happens.”

Daniel was unaware that she had contracted the virus until after the convention when she arrived home.

Three days after contracting the virus and experiencing symptoms, Daniel was officially diagnosed with the H1N1 virus.

Within those few days, Daniel experienced a high fever along with body aches. Her father, James Daniel Jr., suspected these symptoms to be the swine flu and his suspicion was confirmed at the doctor’s office. Chemistry teacher Trent Daniel, Daniel’s mother, recalls the scene at the doctor’s office.

“They put a cotton swab up [her] nose to test for the swine flu,” Trent said, “The doctor made Madison and my husband leave out of the back exit without paying, and he wore a mask the entire time he was with them.”

Immediately after being diagnosed, Daniel was quarantined in her bedroom for nine days. Books and television were a form of escape; Daniel spent other days sleeping and studying for her driver’s test. Daniel was not allowed to come into contact with any electronics besides television, family or friends as they would face of a risk of contracting the virus from Daniel.

Daniel’s encounter with the flu lasted for two and a half weeks. During the initial

graphic by sabrina chehab

stages she experienced intense back pain.

As the virus progressed, Daniel went through the hot and cold stage in which she would cover herself with blankets under the pretense that she was cold. In actuality, Daniel had a high fever that peaked at 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

“During the beginning, it felt like a knife was going in my back,” Daniel said.

Toward the median stage, Daniel began to suffer from nausea and was later prescribed with Tamiflu. Although she underwent a loss of appetite, Daniel was aware of the dangers of not eating- such as vomiting. Four days after being subjected to these conditions, her fever gradually lessened but she continued to feel dizzy.

“I wasn’t used to walking, I hadn’t walked in a week and I was getting used to that again,” Daniel said.

Daniel’s asthmatic younger brother, Britton Daniel, made the experience more frightening for her. A chronic medical condition such as asthma can become lifethreatening if mixed with swine flu.

Infants, senior citizens and patients with lung or cardiovascular sickness have a weaker immune system than a healthy adult or teenager.

Although Britton contracted the virus, the consequences had not been as drastic as medical officials predicted it would be.

In fact his fever peaked at 103 degrees Fahrenheit – less than that of Daniel.

Trent and James spotted flu symptoms in Britton weeks after his sister was diagnosed with the flu. Britton was required to participate in breathing treatment to ensure the virus would not spread and affect his lungs.

“I was probably the most freaked out because I was the last to find out,” Daniel said, “He could barely get up to go the bathroom. Someone had to help him.”

With an optimistic view, Trent is glad her children have contracted the virus, as they cannot catch the same strain twice.

Nevertheless, she will make sure both Britton and Daniel get the flu shots because they are not immune to that strain of flu.

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Essays exceed national writing standards staff reporter

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r i t i n g , editing, and revising.

Through these steps, seniors Deirdre Manning and Annaliesa Watters won the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Certificate for superior writing, the only two students in all of Seminole County to do so.

Each year, NCTE hosts a writing competition open to high school juniors across the nation.

This competition is geared toward Annaliesa Watters

recognizing the writing achievements of students to write freestyle and edit their such young talent. One English teacher essays before submission.

For the impromptu essay, Watters chose from each school is allowed to choose a the topic “Persona” and wrote a narrative maximum of 5 juniors to compete.

Students enter the NCTE writing about how clothing is used to portray competition as juniors and the winners are personality. Then at home, Watters wrote announced in their senior year. Maureen an essay about the creation of the Alma Mater since she was Warner, the AP part of the committee Language and that created it.

Composition “It was really cool to be “It was really cool teacher is in able to write about one of to be able to write charge of selecting my personal experiences.” about one of my own students eligible -Annaliesa Watters personal experiences,” to participate in Watters said. this competition.

Manning chose Once a student has been chosen, he/she is asked to write to write about “The World of Politics and two different essays. The first essay is Dirty Campaigning” for her impromptu a pre-selected prompt written at school essay. At home, Manning wrote her essay and submitted online within 75 minutes about her personal history of drama and of starting. Each impromptu topic gives theater performances.

Writing in Warner’s AP Language students the opportunity to express their own opinion about a certain subject. and Composition class allowed these two The second essay is written at home and students to develop and refine their writing students are given one month to write skills. Both Watters and Manning requested his or her essay. At-home essays allow Warner to edit their drafts and improve

their papers.

“It was all thanks to Dr. Warner; she helped my writing a lot,” Manning said.

On Sept. 22, NCTE mailed out certificates to school principals who then distributed certificates to the winners.

Principal Sam M o m a r y presented W a t t e r s , Manning, and Warner with certificates and Woof TV broadcasted the entire ceremony.

“I was surprised,” Manning said, “but definitely pleased.”

Deirdre Manning photos by ela ine lam

Elaine Lam

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How they wear it:

lifestyles

Gladiators conquer fashion world Megan Amend and Kristin Elias lifestyles editor and staff reporter hether fighting for your life in a Roman arena or fighting through the school hallway, gladiators are a fashionable choice of footwear.

Gladiators compliment a wide variety of clothing including sundresses, skinny jeans, and high-waisted skirts. These sandals offer an alternative to everyday flip-flops without sacrificing comfort. While flipflops have a restrictive design, gladiators offer creative variations and styles.

“I love the floral appliqué [on my sandals],” English teacher Kimberly Reese said. “You never [see] those.”

These sandals first appeared around 264 B.C. when the Romans began gladiatorial games. Slaves, criminals and prisoners of

W Her gladiators?

Target

“They’re comfortable, and you can put them on with anything and they look cute.”

war participated in the games and fought for their lives and social identities. The fighters wore what became known as gladiator sandals as they fought in the arena.

In 2007, gladiator sandals re-entered the fashion world as designer label Balenciaga initiated the trend. Many of the first renditions of gladiators extended to the knee and featured a high heel. Today, these gladiators have morphed into the flat, ankle-high sandals seen in everyday wear.

Gladiators remain popular among both students and teachers due to their versatility, and different styles are seen all over campus.

Many feel this fashion trend will continue.

“I think the trend of gladiators will last because you get all the perks of high fashion without having to pay the price,” junior Dori Wood said.

What’s the deal?

These stores offer a wide selection of reasonably priced gladiators:

-PacSun -Tilly’s

-Target -Express

Consider the following stores for great deals on designer gladiators:

-Steve Madden -TJ Maxx

-DSW Shoe Warehouse -Marshall’s

Smart Shopper!

Her gladiators?

GoJane.com

“I like wearing gladiators because they’re cute, and they’re different from flip flops.”

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With the end of the summer season, don’t miss out on all the gladiator sales at your favorite stores!

photo from fashiontraveler.com

Designer Balenciaga -1895, Getaria, Spain: Cristobal Balenciaga born -1937, Paris: Balenciaga opens first fashion house which becomes an immediate success -In a fashion house, designers sell their own work under their own label or freelance designers sell their work to the fashion house.

-1972: death of the revolutionary designer Balenciaga -2001: Gucci Group acquires Balenciaga through partnership with Ghesquiere -Gucci Group plans to develop Balenciaga’s reputation as a global luxury brand, mainly in the women’s ready-to-wear, accessories and fragrances.

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Teachers by day, students by night Educators seek higher degrees to broaden knowledge, move up in rank English teacher Kimberley Reese holds a bachelor’s degree in business management, as well as a master’s degree in English education. Currently, she is pursuing an education specialist degree in school counseling.

Reese is set to graduate in the summer of 2011, which will end her three-year program at UCF. Why did you go back to school?

As much as I like teaching, I would like to counsel more. I would like to take a couple of additional classes to be Mental Health Certified so I can work in the school, but also work in the public sector.

Does this degree affect your teaching?

Being in a counseling program, you really [gain] some insight to how kids develop. It also gives you a lot of direction on how to treat a kid better, and it gives you a different perspective that helps a lot.

Do you encourage other teachers to go back for their degree?

Absolutely, but in a way that benefits them. Doing it so that you can make more money may be not worth it. If it’s something that you’re truly interested in and is going to benefit your whole life, not just your income, do it.

What’s your ultimate motivation?

To reach those kids [who feel that] school is not their favorite thing. I want to be able to influence the kids that are struggling to get by, and I want them to see that there are more possibilities. Even though everything is against them at this point, there are possibilities to move on. Education is the way to do that.

Shakeba Thomas is a law studies teacher, and currently holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and a master’s degree in teaching speakers of other languages.

She has been working on her doctorate in educational leadership at Nova Southeastern University and will graduate in 2010.

Why do you want a higher degree?

I want to make myself marketable in case I’m interested in pursuing other parts of education; that way I’m not confined just to the classroom.

How do you expect this degree to affect your teaching?

It just helps me to better understand why certain decisions are made by the administration.

Learning about how they get budgets and all that information is really helpful.

Will you become an administrator?

Eventually. I don’t think that’s something I’m interested in today. I’m still young, and I’ve only been teaching for five years. I have to pay my dues.

Do you have a special schedule?

Actually, now [that I’m doing my dissertation] it’s harder. Now I’m on my own time and it’s actually more difficult to get myself to sit down and say, ‘Okay, Shakeba, it’s time.’

How does it feel being so close to the end?

I’m just thanking God that I’m almost finished. Even though I’m not finished yet, I’m so thankful because it wasn’t easy. It will be a chapter closed in my life.

Casey Stilwell is a social studies teacher who currently holds a bachelor’s degree in social science education. Stilwell is one class short of a bachelor’s in history and has recently begun the master’s program in social science education at UCF which will take an additional four years.

Drama teacher Michelle Backel currently attends the University of Central Florida and is working on her doctorate in educational leadership. She already holds a bachelor’s in arts and theater and master’s in arts and English and is slated to graduate in the summer of 2010, ending her five years of study.

Why are you going back to school?

How close we are to UCF and my [children’s age] made it possible. And I like school; I want to try something new.

Will this degree affect your teaching?

Even though the degree is preparing me for being an administrator, it’s helped me in the classroom to see the bigger picture. I understand from an administrative point of view how my little teaching world fits into that bigger picture.

What’s your ultimate motivation?

I think that we, as teachers, never stop learning. This is my eighteenth year teaching, and going back to school has reenergized [me] and given me new ideas and new avenues.

Is it difficult to balance teaching and learning?

No. [I’m] very humble when I’m the student in the classroom. I don’t feel like I know administrative content very well, and I’m there to soak it up.

Do you have a special schedule?

I’ve been loading up during the summers to try and get ahead in my classes. I’ve finished all of my class work so [now] I am on just the dissertation. There’s no classes or meetings, so it’s very self-directed.

How do you expect this degree to affect your teaching?

Hopefully, improve [my teaching] with techniques that I learn through the master’s program and just able to share a wider range of skills with my students.

Are you excited to graduate?

Of course! I can’t wait to finish. That’s what I thought after my first bachelor’s. And then I went back, and now I’m like, ‘Why am I doing this?’

Why are you doing this?

To further my education. If I had the ability to be a professional student, I probably would. I love learning, I love teaching.

How do you stand so much school?

It’s just something I’ve always liked, once I became an adult. High school was not necessarily for me but after the military, I really enjoyed going to school and learning.

Is it difficult to balance teaching and learning?

No, because I always feel that even when I’m teaching, I’m learning. I’m learning about my students, about how they learn best. Teachers are always learning.

How to:

be a freshman, not fresh meat

Will Henken

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azed and confused, intimidated, overwhelmed and out of sorts; most have been there, whether they will admit it or not.

Think back to when you were a ninth grader, a freshie, a frosh, or any other less-polite term used to describe your youth and inexperience. Everyone had questions and concerns, but were all too cocky or stubborn to actually ask anyone.

To solve this problem I gathered a few willing freshmen who want to voice their questions. Hopefully these answers will help to make both the freshman mind and the school’s hallways a little less messy.

So what’s the deal with these lockers?

If you’re coming straight from a local middle school, this will probably be your first year using lockers. It is a good idea to store unneeded textbooks and other class materials to avoid a trademark case of “freshman backpack.”

Don’t go locker-crazy, however, because anyone who runs to and fro between each class will only cause exhaustion. My advice? Manage your trips efficiently for unloading the maximum amount of materials in the shortest number of visits.

How do I get through the hallways?

Yes, the school’s crowded corridors are just a part of life. But if you are getting frustrated at how congested they are, remember that freshmen are the biggest cause of hallway confusion.

staff reporter If you want to avoid playing a reallife game of Frogger just to get to your next period, remember some basic navigational tips. Always stick to the right side of both stairways and hallways.

If only one door is open in a hallway hold open the other one out of courtesy.

What do I do if I get lost?

There have been enough deer-in-theheadlights freshmen at the school to show that this is a pretty common occurrence. Just get oriented, find some point of reference, and your auto-pilot should kick in.

If you have no sense of direction, then just ask an upperclassman for directions.

Will it be embarrassing? Probably. Is it a world better than a referral for your third tardy this week? Definitely.

Remember these tips and keep disorder to a minimum. Don’t be afraid to clear up your confusion; it would make it easier on everyone.

How bad will this homework get?

What you see is what you get: you are in the big leagues now. And as time goes by your after school load will only get bigger.

According to freshman Megan Rudd, the best way to handle this problem is “time management, it’s really important.”

As long as you can keep procrastination under control, discipline yourself and put work before play, you will be able to manage your homework load.

lifestyles

hagerty high school

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Hookah trend grows in local area Robyn Smith

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staff reporter

ruit-flavored smoke fills the crowded room. A group of teenagers sit together around the hookah. One leans over, lights the coals on top of the pipe and returns to the circle of friends.

Like a round of pass-thebottle, they breathe in the smoke and pass the hose on to the next in line. Laughter breaks the silence as the teens slowly get buzzed.

Hookah, a popular trend with teenagers, is a pipe used to smoke tobacco or marijuana. The tobacco is heated in a bowl at the top of the hookah and the smoke is filtered through water at the bottom of the pipe.

A hose, from which the hookah users smoke, is attached to the container. Called shisha, the tobacco smoked in hookahs is moist, sticky and usually flavored.

Medical sources show that hookah smoke is more dangerous to the body than regular cigarette smoke. According to Tobacco Free U, an organization that fights against tobacco use, a 45 to 60 minute hookah session contains higher levels of arsenic, lead, nickel and carbon monoxide than one cigarette. However, some students believe that hookah carries few health risks in general.

“There’s hardly any nicotine. There is .01 percent. So it’s not addictive at all,” a 16-year-old junior boy said. “A lot of the stuff that’s bad in cigarettes are the tar and chemicals. So that’s filtered out or it’s not even in shisha.”

Other students do acknowledge, though, that smoking hookah is not good for one’s health and carries risks. “Any smoke going into your lungs at all, of course, can’t be good for you in some way, but it’s not nearly as bad for you as other things like cigarettes,” a 17-year-old junior boy said.

Nevertheless, students continue to use hookah. Mostly a social activity, hookah appeals to teens because of its taste and the buzzed feeling the smoke creates. Students describe hookah as a party activity.

“It’s relaxing. It’s a good time with your friends. It tastes good and it gets you buzzed, which is always a plus,” the 17-year-old said.

The 17-year-old believes that hookah has not affected his life at all. He thinks that if anything, hookah has made his relationships better because of the unique bonding time experienced by those under the influence.

The 16-year-old also thinks that his life has not changed by doing hookah because it is not a drug so it only affects the smoker when they’re doing it.

“It’s not like being high or anything,” the 16-year-old said. “It’s not weed.

It’s just tobacco. It’s a more intense buzz than cigars and cigarettes.”

Increasingly popular, the hookah trend targets teenagers and college students.

Hookah lounges are one of the more common changes caused by the growing trend.

Meridian Hookah Lounge in Orlando draws in customers with its upbeat atmosphere. Meridian describes itself as a “cozy place to relax and spend quality time with friends.” However, Meridian and other hookah lounges let in guests only 18 year of age and up.

“I have noticed that it’s gotten really, really popular,” the 17-year-old said. “But I haven’t really seen any negativity to it.”

History of hookah • Originally made from a coconut shell base in northwest India • Used to smoke opium and hashish • Smoked by women as entertainment • Hookah bar waiters revered because of the skill necessary to prepare hookah • Became known as shisha after spread to Morocco and Egypt Hookah smokers can choose from a wide variety of flavors.

There are many hookah suppliers who bring unique options to consumers. The possibilities become almost endless due to the ability to mix flavors. Some of these flavors include:

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • graphic by sabrina chehab

Strawberry Watermelon Kiwi Tropical Punch Grape Honey Cinnamon Coconut Banana French Vanilla Chocolate Mint Pink Lemonade Prickly Pear Pomegranate

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Meet the class middle spread

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PRESIDENTS

2010

leadership, what are your duties?

We have leadership during midblock. We handle the receipts and run around trying to get the administrators to approve ideas. We also get to interact with the other presidents and create messages.

Every Tuesday we have meetings photo by elaine lam after school.

What is your job in SGA? I know it sounds weird, but just Then I go I am the senior class president. I knowing that I am leading the entire home and handle major senior events such as senior class is my favorite part. create an prom and senior privileges. We try What do you sell to your class agenda for the to create events to make it fun so the in order to raise money? next meeting. Each seniors remember their high school The biggest thing right now is the meeting we build on the meeting years. I am also going to speak at drawstring bags. We have hundreds from the week before. graduation as the president. left. They have a husky paw print What advice would you give to What is your favorite part of and Huskies on them. They are someone running for a position in being in SGA? available for $10 and you can get leadership or class council?

I like the good relationships them 24/7. We are also pushing the Don’t try to be friends with SGA creates with the students and senior privileges to help pay for everyone. Make sure you listen to administrators. I really like having prom. During homecoming, we split everyone and what they want, but [do the administrators know you and I the profits with the other classes. not] expect to please everyone [or] like having that extra responsibility.

During a typical day in you will be making compromises.

2011 photo by sarah landers

What is your job in SGA? I am the president of the junior class council.

What’s your favorite part of being on SGA? I love helping plan school events.

It is very rewarding to see your hard work pay off when an event you helped plan is a success.

What do you sell to your class in order to raise money?

We sell junior class t-shirts, junior privileges, and candy grams.

What are your typical duties?

Leadership responsibilities vary based on the committee you are involved in and the time of the school year. I was the chairperson of “Flick on the 50.”

When is the busiest time during the year in SGA? Homecoming (involves the beginning of the year through homecoming date) is by far the busiest time of the school year.

What advice would you give to someone running for a position in leadership next year?

Leadership requires a lot of responsibility and effective time management, so be prepared to work hard.

What events have you planned this year?

We have planned the “Flick on the 50,” the powder-puff game, car washes for the junior class, and the spirit days for homecoming week.

junior class Kristin Elias

All interviews by Kaitlan Aries.

Make the right choices.

What events have you planned so far this year?

Personally, I planned the prom venues (the timeline and meetings).

In one day, we went to six hotels. We drove around with Ms. McDonald and Mrs. Foley (our sponsor).

It happened to be the first hotel we looked at, but we still visited five other places just to be sure.

Are you in charge of reunions or other events after graduation?

Absolutely. We will gauge how many people want to have reunions.

We will probably have a 10, 20, and 50 year reunion if we are still alive. I also want to have little get togethers at restaurants in between the big reunions.

senior class

Saabira Mohammed

Leadership: more Kristin Krawczyk

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business manager

hey herd the crowd at pep rallies, sell tickets for dances and give their input at School Board meetings. These four students play an important role when homecoming events, prom and fundraisers need to be organized.

They comprise the Student Government Association’s (SGA) executive board.

“I run the executive board meetings when I see fit to have one and I also attend school board meetings,” president senior Jamori Montgomery said. As SGA president, it is mandatory to attend these School Board meetings.

The student body elected junior Erin Dunne as Montgomery’s vice president. “[I do] anything that Jamori can’t do as well as helping to make decisions regarding the school as a whole,” Dunne said.

Senior Megan Pugh ran unopposed for the position of secretary.

“I have to take notes at every meeting, call minutes and explain to everyone what we talked about,” Pugh said.

Treasurer senior Krystal Dannenhoffer keeps track of the money in the accounts.

“I go to Ms. Burleson and give her updates of what she needs to be ready for and when a lot of money is coming in. I also get the balances for all grades plus the executive board,” Dannenhoffer said.

Leadership teacher, Kari Miller heads SGA and attends all of the events.

“I am the queen of organization. I keep students on task and on track. I remind them of meetings, have weekly progress updates with them. I try to teach them how to do their best,” Miller said.

Takin’ out the trash. Senior Megan Pugh Madison Ellis help clean up after the hom After being elected, the group is placed into the leadership class.

“I have no idea how an election will turn out; I’ve been surprised every year,” Miller said.

During class when they do not have an event to work on, they practice communication activities like mock interviews to prepare themselves to be leaders. There are three kinds of interviews that all students in the leadership class practice: leadership students interview other leadership students, Miller interviews students, or administrators interview the students. This also helps prepare seniors for job interviews.

2012 middle spread

hagerty high school

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photo by elaine lam

What is your job in SGA? My job is to fundraise for the class and make decisions and put in input for the class.

What is your favorite part of being a member of SGA? I like running the meetings, public speaking and the ability to have control is nice.

What do you sell to your class in order to raise money for other things?

We are not sure. Right now we are planning fundraisers for later in the year.

During a typical day in leadership, what are your duties?

I do whatever needs to be done.

Right now, we are busy with homecoming, sorting out ballots for homecoming court and organizing what happens and when.

When is the busiest time during the year in SGA? Right about now, which is during homecoming week.

What advice would you give to someone running for a position in leadership next year?

Prepare to be a dedicated leader.

It is exciting and it takes a lot of times [when] you have to be committed.

We have meetings every Tuesday which last about an hour or whenever I run out of stuff to talk about. During homecoming we have to stay after school a lot more.

What events have you planned so far this year?

We do car washes and I would like to get movie nights.

Homecoming conflicts with it, so we are not sure.

sophomore class Tyler Yeargain

photos by Dave Rudd and Sabrina Chehab

Busy bodies. The class presidents and executive board played integral parts in planning the homecoming events like powder puff and the homecoming parade.

e than just a class

photo by sabrina chehab

h, and juniors Nikki Havey and mecoming parade.

According to Dannenhoffer time management, organization, responsibility, good work ethic and social skills are important qualities for being a leader.

The executive board unanimously agrees that homecoming is the busiest time of the school year. According to Dunne, they plan for everything that has to do with homecoming from the themes of each day during homecoming week to the organization of the parade. After homecoming ends this year, they start planning for next year’s homecoming.

“If you hate planning things and being at school, then leadership isn’t for you. If you’re passionate about it, then the events

will turn out well,” Dunne said.

Each executive board member has a position on one homecoming committee and on one of the community committees.

Homecoming committees include groups who plan Flick on the 50, the dance, the coronation, the parade and the spirit book. Community committees include Relay for Life, Student Advisory Committee (SAC), Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA), and athletic and band boosters. Students stay after school if they do not finish a project they were originally working on in class.

Although planning dances and pep rallies consumes a large portion of SGA, students also help raise money for themselves and other groups with causes.

“We raise money not just for the school, but for other causes, such as cancer. Relay for Life and Put a Cap on Cancer [are two of the fundraisers],” Dannenhoffer said.

Other things that have been prepared throughout the year include pep rallies, the Sammy Awards, red ribbon week, a dodge ball game and violence prevention week.

“We have personal satisfaction after accomplishing something,” Dunne said.

This year they planned the alumni dinner. The seniors from last year are invited to come back for the homecoming game. Twenty dollars covers dinner and entrance into the game.

Sam Momary acknowledges their work for homecoming by giving them a commendation letter.Being on the executive board looks good on college applications.

“Just knowing that you planned something so big and knowing it turned out well is awesome,” Pugh said.

2013 photo by elaine lam

What is your job in SGA? I’m president of the freshman class. My job is to [run] meetings and say what needs to be done and who needs to do it.

What is your favorite part of being in SGA? I like to get to be a part of something. Most people don’t know this exists, so it’s cool to know it’s there.

What do you sell to your class in order to raise money for other things?

We are selling class t-shirts for $13. We might do candy cane sales in December and a bake sale somewhere like Winn-Dixie.

During a typical day in leadership, what are your duties?

Well, I’m a freshman so I am not in charge of much. I help whoever needs me.

When is the busiest time during the year in SGA? Homecoming. We are going to do a float for the parade but we still do not have a song yet.

What advice would you give to someone running for a position in leadership next year?

Make sure you know what you’re g e t t i n g yourself into and know what you are doing. Don’t stress out. With the amount of stuff people have to do, they could feel pressure with the deadlines [during the year].

What events you have planned so far this year?

I haven’t really planned many events. We are hoping to go to the nursing home in December for charity to keep the residents company for a full day.

freshman class Nikki Nowotny

10 opinions According to Kait Let’s honor the honorable Kait Moorman

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opinions editor osh Hashanah? Day off. Martin Luther King Day? Day off.

Veterans Day? No day off.

The Seminole County School Board recognizes a number of holidays throughout the school year from religious events to occasions that celebrate the life of a specific person. Often times, these holidays are celebrated with a day off from school.

Now I fully support the honor of

the

religious beliefs and the recognition of personal achievements, and I am all for a break from school. But some of the events we “celebrate” do not deserve near as much glory as they receive. At the same time, other, more worthy holidays, fail to be recognized at all.

One such holiday is Veterans Day. Originally called Armistice Day, it was established in November 1919 to honor those who died while serving America and to celebrate our nation’s victories. Nineteen years later, “armistice” was changed to “veterans” so that the holiday honored all who have served in America’s military, those who have died and those who are still alive.

According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the holiday was originally “observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11 a.m.” It also encouraged observation

of the day in schools which today most schools disregard.

Memorial Day primarily celebrates veterans who have died. Although those who have died in service to our country deserve our respect, those who continue to serve deserve the same respect.

Without veterans, America may not have come into existence at all, let alone become one of the most prosperous and powerful countries in the world.

Many of the veterans responsible for America’s successful development are no longer active in the military or are no longer alive. But veterans who are still alive and in service are just as responsible for keeping America free and safe. All of these men and women deserve our recognition and gratitude for their services. That is why the holiday was created in the first place.

On federal holidays, banks are closed, post offices do not deliver mail, and

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federal employees have the day off.

Generally, students are also awarded a day off from school. However, Veterans Day is an unnecessary exception. If government officials and businesses have the day off to honor veterans, students should, too.

“Support our Troops” magnets decorate vehicles across the nation.

Americans are adamant about flaunting their pride in the military. But they fail to properly celebrate its accomplishments and honor those who serve.

If the Seminole County School Board recognized Veterans Day as a holiday, students and their families would be more encouraged to celebrate veterans and take more pride in their country.

This could, in turn, influence recognition of the holiday in adjacent counties, and encourage more of the country’s people to follow suit, increasing American morale and patriotism.

Teens’ social skills become scarce Mehak Rahman

Hagerty High School

3225 Lockwood Blvd.

Oviedo, Florida 32765 Telephone: (407) 871-0750 Fax: (407) 871-0817 Email: hhsblueprint@gmail.com

The Blue Print is a student-produced newspaper published six times a year in which the student editors make all content decisions.

The newspaper belongs to the National Scholastic Press Association and the Florida Scholastic Press Association.

Opinions expressed within the newspaper do not represent the staff’s view as a whole, and do not reflect the opinions of Seminole County Public Schools, the school board or Hagerty High School’s administration and staff. Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.

Letters to the editor are encouraged, but cannot be anonymous. Please submit to Helen Reed’s mailbox or to room 6-201.

For more information about advertising in the paper, please contact the staff via one of the methods listed above. We reserve the right to reject any advertisement.

Naveed Clarke Editor-in-Chief Sarah Landers Managing Editor Megan Amend Lifestyles Editor Kaitlan Aries News Editor Kait Moorman Opinions Editor Patrick McCormack Sports Editor Jeff Howell Graphics Editor Kaitlan Aries Photos Editor Sohani Kasireddy Assistant Editor Kristin Krawczyk Business Manager Jacob Calloway Staff Reporter Sabrina Chehab Staff Reporter Aidan Coffey Staff Reporter Eileen Dombrowski Staff Reporter Shannon Dunne Staff Reporter Kristin Elias Staff Reporter Will Henken Staff Reporter Elaine Lam Staff Reporter Jem Mason Staff Reporter Justin Moser Staff Reporter Mehak Rahman Staff Reporter RobynSmith Staff Reporter Scott Strauss Staff Reporter Helen Reed Adviser Sam Momary Principal

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staff reporter er fingers fly across the keyboard while her history notes remain untouched on her bed. A forgotten vocabulary book lies on the floor as the laptop screen flickers from blue to white.

Even if teen users simply need to update their status, wait for a comment on a newly uploaded picture or find a couple of new followers, it all contributes to the same thing. Compulsive use of social networking sites has caused teens to lose their sense of effective communication with others.

It is not practical to interpret a person’s expression through a text much less to observe body language through a wall post. Technology has warped teenage minds into a deranged sense of emotional judgment. At the rate teens post updates, it is impossible for us to avoid the addiction that stares us right in the face.

Facebook alone offers its 600 million users an excessive amount of opportunities to update, comment, and post whatever they want, whenever they want. Pointless posts and immature comments have dulled the character Facebook used to have.

As if Facebook was not enough to appease the over-socializing teens of the world, the masses have been introduced to Facebook’s less popular counterpart known as Twitter.

Twitter made itself known around November of 2008. Celebrities piqued an interest in it and the public “followed.”

Users send and receive text-based posts that can be read on the user’s profile page. Majority of users on Twitter are celebrities; fans add their pages and “follow” their every move.

As soon as the hype about Twitter and Facebook dies down, some genius will think we need another means of online communication and will spend

Our view:

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illustration by justin moser

an excessive amount of time creating a similar fad. The constant production of new social networking mediums hinders teens’ abilities to develop necessary social skills for the real world.

Without Facebook or Twitter, teens would be socially inept. In some cases, instead of developing social skills, teens have developed annoying habits.

The constant texting and online communication has affected teenagers in a professional environment as well. For example, teens now use slang in instances where it is inappropriate.

The sites constantly produce irritating users with too much time on their hands.

Some members send around quizzes like, “What cartoon theme song are you?” or, “What kind of junk food are you?” Then, there are the constant, random friend requests and virtual gifts that are sent around at Christmastime.

As if an obnoxious amount of quizzes are not enough, there are the gossip queens and the people who whine about

Kanye West at the Video Music Awards and join pro-Taylor Swift groups.

Then there are the awkward sympathyfishers; the ones with status updates that say, “I want a hug,” or “I’m really sad.” It is a main course of sympathy and a side of immaturity all wrapped up together in one status.

In the end, the only advantage of Twitter and Facebook is to keep in touch with out of state or overseas family members. Majority of users, however, use a constant stream of, posts, and picture comments to aggravate the rest of the social networking population.

Teens rely on computers and cell phones to project their feelings and it is not an effective method of communication. If we keep at it, teens will lose the ability communicate in daily situations all together.

Some may pass this obsession off as a phase, but at the rate teens post updates, it is impossible to avoid this constantly growing epidemic.

Students should not be required to wear uniforms.

agerty High School, along with many other Seminole County schools, is considering the enforcement of a stricter dress code beginning in the fall of 2010.

The proposed dress code will consist of khaki pants and polo shirts that are generally part of a uniform package.

The Blue Print staff feels such uniforms will decrease individuality.

Kids today are encouraged to “be themselves” and “stand apart from the crowd,” but monotonous uniforms will suppress the students’ abilities to express themselves through clothing.

We also wonder how uniforms will be enforced. Students who come to school in something other than their uniform cannot just be sent home; they will be deprived of their education. The school could try to keep extra uniforms available for such purposes, but if the rebellious student does not fit into one of the available uniforms, what will happen? They cannot be allowed to wear their casual clothing around to class; other students would become jealous.

The county claims the enforcement of uniforms will benefit parents as they will not have to spend money on “school

clothes” annually. But what the county fails to consider is that teenagers always request more clothes. Just because we have to wear uniforms in school, does not mean we will wear uniforms when we go out with our friends. Our parents will still have to pay for those clothes, thus eliminating the so-called costeffectiveness of uniforms.

The idea of uniforms may seem wonderful, but the downside drastically outweighs the positive aspects. Hagerty has been uniform-free for over four years and should remain that way.

opinions

hagerty high school

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the switch to blockBack Talk: Was scheduling a good decision?

NO

YES

“With a confusing package and a schedule that strains the student body’s learning capabilities, the switch to block was clearly a bad move.”

“The switch to block scheduling was an amazing decision that has brought nothing but positive change.”

- Sabrina Chehab

Sabrina Chehab

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staff reporter our classes per day instead of seven.

Two hours of homework a night instead of four.

Less school time is the dream of almost every student who has ever walked the halls of an educational institution, and it’s come true thanks to block scheduling.

Longer class periods result in better comprehension because subjects can be taught more in-depth. Students have time to ask questions in class and develop a deeper understanding of the subject material. The increased comprehension may lead to higher test scores and higher grades overall.

The extended class time also allows for more one-on-one student-teacher time.

This gives teachers a better understanding of each student’s individual learning abilities, which creates a more effective learning environment.

A maximum of four class periods a day puts a limit on the number of daily assessments. Students now have fewer topics to cram for the night before a test or quiz. This eliminates a portion of stress students experience on a day-to-day basis.

Stress is also reduced when enough class time is given to complete the science lab, get through the entire math lesson or take the test.

Seeing the same seven teachers every day becomes redundant if a poor studentteacher relationship exists. A student may believe he or she is given detentions based solely on a teacher’s personal grudge.

Because of block scheduling, students are only required to sit through their leastfavorite class every other day. This gives disagreeing students and teachers a break from one another.

One of the most common objections to block scheduling is that students will not be able to focus in class for two straight hours. There is no doubt that the teenage attention span doesn’t last very long. In fact, the average teenager can stay focused for only 40 to 50 minutes according to North Dakota State University.

- Will Henken

Will Henken Fortunately, the staff reporter majority of teachers ith change as lecture for only half the the current class period which gives trend these remaining class time days, whether it is “change for hands-on activities we can believe in” or or homework completion. personal changes for While some teachers may self-improvement, it is choose to lecture for two photo by mehak rahman difficult when a big change hours, students should does not work out for the best. consider this preparation for college. Most This is especially true when a change college professors lecture for the entire involves a switch to a less efficient, less class period, which can range from one logical, hassle of a system. Such is the to three hours, depending on the subject, case with our recent switch to the block school, and professor. schedule system.

Students must uncomfortably carry The new agenda reduces the amount several textbooks and binders at the same of days at a time a student makes contact time because of the seven period day. The with a teacher which means that students break between the first two periods of the have to retain knowledge longer, without day gives students the opportunity for as much reinforcement. Students also more frequent locker visits. This means fewer binders and books to carry around at must absorb more information in a single sitting than they would normally. one time. No need to worry about looking According to Simon Fraser University, “un-cool” with an overstuffed backpack The average person’s attention span is anymore. The break also gives time to somewhere between 10-20 minutes. So to catch up with friends or purchase a snack sit high-schoolers down for an hour and or drink at one of the vending machines. forty minutes at a time and to ask them Block scheduling may have confused to remember everything they are told is many for the first week of school but, like anything new, it takes time for adjustment. way over the line. Even though a teacher may successfully get through two days of The large, color-coded banners between lesson plans in one block day, this does buildings indicate what day it is to not equate to two days of student learning help minimize confusion. If for some because they material cannot be processed reason students cannot see the flags, the to the fullest amount. morning announcements serve as an Not only do academic classes take a obvious reminder. There is also a calendar hit, but electives like band and sports also available on the school web site that has each school day labeled according to color have to scramble to squeeze two days worth of practice time into one session. which makes confusion an illegitimate With our school’s passionate coaches, this excuse for being tardy.

The switch to block scheduling was an ensures longer practice hours outside of amazing decision that has brought nothing class for students.

Especially important with the constant but positive change. Sure, there are cons to the new schedule, but almost everything school bugs and colds, the block schedule makes it nearly impossible to catch up has a downside. In this case, the after a student misses just a few days of advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Less stress and fewer assignments per day school. A two or three day absence is now equivalent to an entire week of instruction gives school a more relaxing perspective and assigned homework. which encourages students to become School-wide studies back up these more involved in their education. claims, specifically one by Dr. David

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Bateson, professor of Curriculum Studies at the University of British Colombia.

Bateson studied 30,000 tenth graders in a demographic similar to what would be found in the United States. His findings were that academic subjects suffer when administered through the block schedule.

Bateson’s report gives the specific example that “Students in year-long science courses significantly outperformed those taking science in…blocks.”

The alternative option, a straight seven period day schedule, succeeds in all the areas where the block fails. Teachers have an easier time working with students with short attention spans. Class curriculums tend to have more directed substance because of the shorter time for teaching, instead of being watered down to fill an extended class period. And according to a recent issue of The Washington Post, dropout rates decline because students are less bored in class.

Now supporters of the system will try to make points like “the block schedule gives more one on one time,” or “now students have to carry less between classes.” But there is no point of “one on one time” if it is overkill and an excess of academics that the student’s attention span cannot physically handle.

Those in support of the block schedule may also claim that a few colored flags draped over staircases will clear up any and all confusion about the system; but the first week of school proved that the confusing class layout caused mass chaos.

Freshmen and new students are disoriented and scared enough on a high school campus; to introduce them to a system that calls 7th period “midblock” and to turn one’s schedule into a crisscrossed game of connect-the-dots just increases their confusion.

With a confusing package and a schedule that strains the student body’s learning capabilities, the switch to block was clearly a bad move. The only question that remains is how many more changes will the students have to sit through before the school hits on a system that works?

Tell it like it is...

“It’s kind of nice. When you’re doing work there’s a lot of time left over. You have time to ask a lot of questions.”

- Katherine Knight, 10

“I like it because I get more time to do homework for a certain class. It gives [students] more time to do things.”

- James Erickson, 12

“It’s too long.

There’s too much time in each of the classes.”

- Julianne Ramos, 10

“I’m a very organized person and I don’t like changes.”

- Ryan Palmer, 11

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opinions

Is chivalry dead?

Narcissism possesses a generation Eileen Dombrowski

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staff reporter new age in America has begun.

This is not an age of peace or intellectual growth, but instead, an age of narcissism.

Our generation has come to be known as the iGeneration. At first glance, this name seems cute and harmless. But truly, this is the recognition of declining civility. Youth are being conditioned to respect and care for the feelings of only one person, him or herself.

A huge part of this generational attitude change can be attributed to the media. The media not only perpetually advertises and displays unrealistic body

the

images to young people; it also constantly behavior on television all our lives, the glamorizes bad behavior. behavior seems normal.

Celebrities who do community service Anyone can see the lack of courtesy or donate to charities often go unnoticed in our own school’s halls. People ram while young, bad-behaving stars are into each other frequently, and rather than showered with attention. Look at how apologize, angrily mutter about how the much media coverage Kanye West got other person needs to watch where they’re when he interrupted Taylor Swift as she going or get out of the way. accepted an award on a live television In the cafeterias, students blatantly show. Or how much cut each other in attention any celebrity line without a word.

“Our generation’s gets when he or she Students frequently children are being stumbles out of a club interrupt each other, shaped into egoists. half dressed and drunk. disregard teacher’s I don’t know anyone instructions and ignore including myself, who parent’s requests for wants his or her children or younger help with small jobs around the house. siblings exposed to ‘idols’ who are lazy Students even disregard the law. partiers rewarded for bad decisions with According to the Substance Abuse and job offers and attention.

Mental Health Services Administration Children are conditioned to believe no (SAMHSA) family guide, three in four one around them deserves respect except high school seniors have tried alcohol at themselves. Our generation’s children are some point. These statistics aren’t even being shaped into egoists. the most disturbing. 19.3 percent of high The scariest part of this trend is that school 12th graders report that they drank most adults don’t even realize the negative alcohol before the age of 13. Currently, changes in our society. After seeing bad 33.9 percent of high school freshmen have

Internet fuels newsprint’s demise magazines face bankruptcy as Americans staff reporter everywhere cancel subscriptions. Popular ideo killed the radio star when entertainment magazines widely read by our parents were kids. Now the teens such as Entertainment Weekly have forward march of technology has cut staffs and the number of issues to pitted the internet against the magazine prevent collapse. and newspaper.

However, economists do not blame the Technological progress is usually poor economy for print media’s troubles. good, but the internet threatens to plunge They blame the rise of the internet instead.

America into a journalistic dark age.

The Pew Research Center reported For teens, an internet takeover does not that in 2008 over 40 percent of people seem like a big deal as teens are children obtained the majority of their news of the digital age. But a world that relies from the internet, while only 35 percent on internet media is a very different one claimed to use newspapers as their main and has horrible effects on the quality of source of news. journalism. These new “journalists” have The internet’s appeal comes from its little to no experience and rarely behave free “blogs” and journals which usually like journalists should. offer the same quantity of information as Bloggers spin and falsify information their print counterparts. on an unprecedented scale to support a Old-school journalists such as war partisan viewpoint. correspondents and even papparazzis The University of California-Berkeley, often work for one of the big newspaper commonly known as UC Berkeley, or magazine companies. The Los Angeles reported that stocks Times estimates that for newspapers up to 80 percent of “...the internet threatens fell 83 percent on the internet blogs and average in 2008. journals simply leech to plunge America into a The financial panic off of these traditional journalistic dark age.” that followed news sources.

- Aidan Coffey has resulted in Without paid disastrous sales magazine and and a cascade of cancelled subscriptions. newspaper reporters, the internet has no All over America, newspaper giants actual news to work with and instead from The New York Times to high school is riddled with lies and rumors. Some papers have hit an all time low in sales internet sources may try to report the news and circulation. responsibly, but even these honest few Magazines are in the same situation. depend upon “anonymous” contacts and UC Berkeley claims that 8 out of 14 rumors instead of reporters in the field.

Aidan Coffey

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Entertainment journalism also suffers because of the internet transition.

Entertainment magazines have been notorious for their poor credibility as they often purposely spread rumors to attract viewers. However, the internet takes slander to a new level. Celebrities and other public figures can always threaten to sue malicious magazines in order to preserve their reputation; an internet gossip blog is impervious to any legal threats. These blogs use anonymity as a shield that lets them publish whatever they wish, regardless of how unethical it is.

The only solution that Americans can hope for to preserve our journalistic integrity is that print media somehow survives its current death spiral. The U.S. Congress is currently locked in a debate over a bill called The Federal Shield Law. If passed, this bill will provide legal bonuses to professional journalists. The Federal Shield Law allows journalists to protect confidential information they gather in their line of work. Hopefully this is enough to resuscitate print media while Congress looks for a more permanent solution.

An internet takeover will make everyone’s life difficult, teens included.

Doing a current event for history will be pretty difficult when your most reliable source is a guy named “Fred” who supports the existence of UFOs from his home in Kansas. Newspapers are a legacy of America’s past, and we as Americans have a duty to protect them.

No Child Left Behind Act deserves “F” Jeff Howell

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staff reporter n past years, this school has maintained a reputation as an excellent high school and has received a ten out of ten on GreatSchools.net, a web site that rates schools based on reviews from parents and students.

Last year, our school received the highest scores in ninth grade FCAT reading and math in the district; however, the school received a “B” rating.

Why did we only score a “B”?

Because less than half of the students who previously ranked in the lower 25% made a learning gain. Schools must improve more than half of their lower quartile students’ FCAT reading and math scores to obtain the “A” rating due to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). This act

is to blame for the “B” rating. It is the cause for most of the problems that affect schools around the nation.

The act says that states must administer a standardized test to evaluate the school systems and must make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) to be allowed to receive funds from the federal government. Some of the schools across Central Florida did not receive these finances since the scores the students received did not meet AYP. Without the funds, schools cannot correct the problems that the NCLB asks be corrected.

Not only does the NCLB refuse to give “under performing” schools resources, it requires that schools with inadequate test scores spend more money to hire new teachers with ‘better’ qualifications. This is unfair to the teachers who lost their jobs

due to the FCAT scores of students.

With the lack of funds and the requirements to hire new teachers, the school loses money. This loss hinders the amount of funds available to provide students the best education possible, which undermines the very premise that the NCLB was made for in the first place.

Last year, President Obama delivered a speech at Mapleton Expeditionary School for the Arts in Thornton, Colorado. In this speech, Obama spoke about the flaws of the NCLB and what to do about them, saying that they “must provide the funding we were promised, give our states the resources they need and finally meet our commitment to special education.”

The NCLB must be revised or removed in order to allow schools to give students the best opportunities possible.

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reported doing the same.

These climbing statistics are disturbing and show how today’s teenagers search for instant gratification at younger ages than in past generations.

Today’s teenagers are learning through bad example to completely disregard the consequences of their actions for themselves and others.

However, this trend should not just be blamed on irresponsible celebrities and morally bankrupt reporters. Many parents allow their children unlimited access to unrealistic television shows, demeaning songs and the worst parts of the internet.

Parents need to teach their children selflessness and respect, and they need to stop using the media as an easy distraction for kids.

Without proper attention to the daily activities of children and young adults, they will continuously be bombarded with information from sources disinterested in setting any kind of good example, and messages from the media will continue to have a worse effect on our society.

Bright Futures flat-lines funds

Naveed Clarke

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editor-in-chief he future doesn’t seem too bright for Florida students anymore.

A widespread goal of most students in Florida high schools is to obtain a full Bright Futures Scholarship, a program which was designed to reward students with funds for their academic achievements. But from its inception in 1997 to the legislative changes of 2009, this purpose has become skewed.

As of this fall, Bright Futures no longer covers 100 percent or 75 percent of tuition, but is instead a flat rate per credit hour based on a student’s gradepoint average.

State lawmakers have allowed an increase of over 15 percent in tuition for public universities in addition to differential (unpaid) costs. By allowing such increases without adjusting Bright Future funds, they are abandoning the over 160,000 who receive the scholarship.

These fragile educational decisions are being made from an economic perspective to pay off debt, with no concern for worried students who seek the simple liberty of assisted education.

Another absurd change made by the Legislature is the elimination of the Bright Futures award allowance for books and related expenses. This makes for an uneasy feeling knowing that thousands of dollars from students’ pockets are headed down the drain.

The Florida Department of Education now requires a minimum of 24 semester hours per academic year in order to maintain the scholarship. Students are placed under increased pressure as the competition level continues to rise while the level of financial help declines.

Another notable discrepancy forces students to repay the state for classes withdrawn after the add/drop deadline, a cost previously paid by Bright Futures. A low-income student is now deterred from dropping a class to avoid the repayment of outrageous amounts which may result in failing grades and the subsequent loss of the scholarship.

These drastic changes made to the Bright Futures Scholarship are an untimely response from Florida to compete with other states. Unfortunately, these actions are focused more on the economic struggle of universities and lawmakers rather than the educational success of students.

hagerty high school

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sports

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sports editor

till early in the season, the boy golfers have set records as a team and as individuals. After several close matches, they currently hold a 2-3 record in what is one of the area’s most competitive conferences.

The team opened their season with a 153-158 stroke loss to Winter Springs.

Senior Erik Ware and freshman Kevin Reilly both shot 38s while junior Patrick McCormack and freshman Daniel Wieck shot 40 and 42 respectively.

The boys won their first match of the season against Lake Brantley, 159-160 s t r o k e s . McCormack shot a personal best 37; he was followed by Reilly at 38, Wieck at 40 and sophomore Tobias Midtvaage at 44.

In the next match against Seminole, the team shot their season’s worst score, a 164, which resulted in a loss. However, they beat Lyman in the following match 157-160 strokes.

Ware shot a school record 35.

R e i l l y, McCormack andWieck followed with 37, 42 and 43, respectively.

The team shot a school record of 155, but still lost to Trinity Prep who shot a 149. For the

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sports editor ummer and sports are not generally the most illustrious of couplings.

Basketball and hockey are over, and football is yet to come. Baseball is in the doldrums of its excessively long season.

Save for a few big time trades, summer does not usually produce the excitement or intrigue of the other seasons.

However, this generalization does not apply for the summer of 2009.

One of the biggest stories of the summer was the reinstatement of Michael Vick to the NFL. After 18 months in jail for participation in an illegal dog fighting ring, Vick will finally be able to step foot on the field again. This raises a slew of ethical questions.

While dog fighting is a shameful thing, it does not warrant a lifetime ban.

Of course, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and other animal lovers do not agree, retaliating with boycotts and protests.

However, football is Michael Vick’s job. He served his time and should be allowed to return to work. If a bluecollar “average Joe” was arrested for dog fighting, he would be back to work with few consequences, but Vick, being so prominent in the public eye, is subjected to the often overly-emotional views of the public.

On another football note, Brett Favre has made a second return from retirement.

Through his zombie-esque (“It won’t stay dead”) career of the past few years, he has played with three teams in as many years with intermittent retirements.

Favre is making it hard to believe that he will ever permanently retire. At least Lance Armstrong had the decency to stay away for four years post-retirement.

Michael Phelps certainly took advantage of the opportunity to redeem himself at the swimming world championships in Rome. After a recent layoff due to an illegal drug scandal, he won five gold medals, one silver and he set four new world records.

Incidentally, one of the biggest factors in this meet was the polyurethane suits worn by some of the competitors. No one can dispute that this was the fastest meet in history and a practically unknown German, Paul Biedermann, beat Michael Phelps and his old world record by just short of a second.

In fact, FINA(Fédération Internationale de Natation), the international swimming organization, has instated a ban on the suit to take effect in 2010. Phelps himself, after his defeat, expressed a desire to see a more equalized field.

The golf world had its own share of excitement this year with headline stories at the majors and a strange year for the world’s number one, Tiger Woods.

The most interesting major this year, the Open Championship, produced Woods’ second missed cut in a major. Then at the PGA Championship, Woods relinquished a 54-hole lead in a major for the first time in his career for a loss to Y.E. Yang.

The question asks itself: is Woods’ career on the decline after his knee surgery? Hardly.

Between these majors, Woods won two tournaments in a row. Then in the Playoffs, he finished second in the Barclays, won the BMW Championship by eight strokes and secured the FedEx Cup to crest the billion dollar mark. Woods is back to his old dominant self, and, if anything, he has improved.

Patrick McCormack

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Patrick McCormack

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Golfers maintain recordbreaking season

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Patrick’s picks

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photo by sabrina chehab

Long shot. Freshmen Kevin Reilly and Daniel Wieck watch Reilly’s shot on the range. first time in school history, the team turned in three scores under 40: Reilly, tying the school record, shot a 35, Ware shot a 37 and McCormack shot a 39. Wieck followed these three with a 44.

The boys look to maintain their high level of play throughout the rest of the season.

“I expect to shoot in the 30s most of the rounds and our team should do pretty well in the SAC [Seminole Athletic Conference],” senior Erik Ware said.

The team holds high hopes for the postseason as well. They will compete in the SAC, then the district tournament to try to reach regionals.

“I think we’re capable of winning the SAC. [Also,] we have a really good chance to qualify photo by sabrina chehab for regionals,” coach Up and down. Tobias Midtvaage and Brandi Malkovich said.

Kevin Reilly chip at golf pratice.

With the amount of “Everyone’s practicing a bunch,” improvement the boys have made from last year, they should prove legitimate Malkovich said. “I think that the returning competition in upcoming matches and players from last year will have their best season ever.” tournaments.

sports shorts Girls’ cross country ranked fourth in state Jacob Calloway

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staff reporter

he girls’ cross country team has attained one of their best starts in school history with only three races left before the Florida High School Athletics Association (FHSAA) district competition on Nov. 7.

Freshman Bryce Seymour leads the

girls with a 5 kilometer time of 19:24.

“Talent always helps; having talented athletes obviously makes my job much easier,” head coach Jay Getty said.

The team’s last competed in the Race of Champions, a race for the top 21 teams in Florida. The girls’ team took twelfth over all.

“Our whole practice has gotten more intense; we put on more mileage

and speed workouts have gotten harder,” senior Zavia Menning said.

In addition to the Race of Champions, the cross country team raced in the Key West Cross Country Invitational on Sept.

26. The girls’ team snatched first place out of the 7 schools that competed.

The team is currently ranked fourth in state in the class 4A rankings by FHSAA.

Bowling teams head down winning lanes Jacob Calloway

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staff reporter he bowling team is en route to another winning season this year, retaining their reputation that started four years ago. Under the guidance of sophomore Daniel Kosiba, the boys have secured a record of 7-3 which places them second in their conference.

Kosiba, the team leader, has the highest average in the conference at 212 pins.

“We have already lost three games but despite all the stuff we are going through, we still come out on top as a team,” senior captain Andy Kurila said.

Head coach Erin Foley’s plan for a victorious season is to target specific arrangements of pins and practice them repetitively.

Practice for the bowling team consists of playing three games after school at the local alley, The Oviedo Bowling Center. The team places pins into common formations that may occur during an actual match. To become more competitive, they practice these formations repeatedly.

The team still has plenty of time to redeem themselves and clutch first in the district before the season ends in Nov.

“Our biggest thing is not necessarily our bowling skill, but dealing with pressure,” Foley said.

The girls’ team has a record of 8-1.

Their sole loss was to cross-town rival Oviedo High School.

Freshman Jessica Camacho has led the girls’ team so far holding the highest three game series record at 624 pins, third highest in their conference. The girls also hold a team record score of 2,425 pins, second highest in their conference.

With only 8 matches left in the season, both teams are poised to roll down the lane toward a strike at districts.

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hagerty high school

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OF THE ISSUE ATHLETES Kosiba bowls over rivals McIntosh sets standard Scott Strauss

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staff reporter aniel Kosiba first set foot on the hardwood floor of a bowling alley 10 years ago. Ever since then, Kosiba has loved to bowl. He currently plays on the boys’ team.

“Daniel is a great player who always listens to advice and his teammates,” head coach Erin Foley said.

Kosiba’s bowling career began with the influence of his parents who are both bowlers. Daniel’s dad is a bowling coach.

“When I started bowling, I only bowled for fun. After a while, I got better and moved into competitive bowling,” Kosiba said.

Kosiba maintains a 3.6 GPA as a sophomore. He also plays in the high school band. Despite his long career in bowling, he feels that school and band are his main priorities.

“While he is an athlete, he also is a fantastic student. He is able to not only balance athletics and academics, but he excels at both,” Foley said.

Bowling has made impacts on Kosiba’s life. For example, it has helped him earn money for college and given him a time

consuming hobby. He has also made a major impact to his team.

“Daniel is our leading scorer. He also is one of two people in the entire district to have over a 200 average. He is a team player who supports his fellow bowlers,” Foley said.

Kosiba’s favorite things about bowling consist of the pressure he experiences during matches and the friends he makes through the bowling leagues.

Kosiba spends a couple of hours each week to improve his bowling.

The best game he has ever bowled was a 289. Kosiba hopes that he will be able to bowl for a long time.

“I think it is a hobby and pastime that would be fun for the rest of my life,” Kosiba said.

Daniel Kosiba 200 bowling average Varsity player for four years

Bowled best game of 289

Shannon Dunne

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staff reporter our-year member of the varsity volleyball team, senior setter Mandy McIntosh demonstrates leadership, commitment, and perseverance.

After fighting her way through a shoulder i n j u r y, she has proved to be dedicated and talented.

When McIntosh was fifteen years old, she suffered from a tear in her labrum and was no longer able to swing her arm without tremendous pain in her right shoulder.

Since she was still able to pass and play defense, McIntosh spent the volleyball season of her sophomore year as the team’s libero, defense specialist.

The surgery to fix her shoulder failed so, she taught herself how to play the game left- handed.

Varsity player for four years Played as libero and setter

3.6 GPA

“I’m not left-handed at all,” McIntosh said, “so it’s like if you can imagine even brushing your teeth left- handed…it’s hard.”

By the season of her junior year, McIntosh was able to swing and set with both arms. “[Changing positions] totally took her identity away,” varsity volleyball coach Corey Radford said, “She kind of had to reinvent herself.”

She has played as the varsity team’s setter for two years now and has become a leader of the volleyball program. She leads the team in kill efficiency, assists, aces, and total points.

Her competitive spirit and adversity allows her to help her teammates with skills and plays.

“She pushes the team really hard and is pretty much the core of our team; if it wasn’t for her we wouldn’t be where we are today,” current team libero junior Candace Johnson said.

McIntosh hopes that her experience and practice will lead the volleyball team into the state tournament this season.

“She’s going to demand the best out of them [her teammates],” Radford said, “She really is like a coach on the court.”

Mandy McIntosh Leads in assists, aces, points 4.2 GPA

Athletes selected by coaches.

The Schedule: Husky Varsity • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Girls/ Boys Bowling at Oviedo Softball at Lake Mary Volleyball vs. Dr. Phillips Volleyball at The Master’s Academy Football at Oviedo Cross Country- Edgewater Invitational Girls/ Boys Bowling at Lake Brantley Softball- SAC Tournament Volleyball- District Tournament Girls/ Boys Bowling at Crooms Volleyball- District Tournament Cross Country- SAC Tournament Football at Evans High School

Oct. 21 Oct. 21 Oct. 22 Oct. 23 Oct. 23 Oct. 24 Oct. 26 Oct. 27 Oct. 27 Oct. 28 Oct. 28 Oct. 29 Oct. 29

3:30 5:30 7:00 7:00 7:30 8:00 3:30 4:30 5:00 3:30 5:00 4:00 7:30

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hagerty high school

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CrasHed

Students deal with first serious car accident.

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graphic by sabrina chehab

By the numbers

12 10 34 %

of all fatal car crashes are accounted for by teenagers.

% $

of high school students report that they do not wear seat belts.

billion equates to the estimated cost of crashes involving 15-17 year olds.

Contributing to the problem

Sources:www.car-accidents.com, www.rmiia.org

very 12 minutes, one person dies because of a car accident. Every 14 seconds, a car accident results in an injured victim. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers. According to car-accidents. com, teenagers account for 10 percent of the population but 12 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths.

Texting tribulations I Justin Moser

staff reporter t takes only a few seconds to check or send a text message. It also takes only a few seconds to lose control of a vehicle and cause a crash.

A 2006 Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study showed that every year nearly 80 percent of all crashes are caused by some sort of driver distraction, texting behind the wheel included. These statistics may seem contrary to the traditional notion that driving under the influence (DUI) causes most crashes and fatalities each year, but they have caught the attention of lawmakers nationwide.

According to The New York Times, several studies show that texting while driving is as dangerous as driving drunk.

This danger has already prompted 18 states, as well as the District of Columbia, to set bans on texting while driving. Florida may soon become the 19th state.

On October 6, in hopes of making the roadways safer, the Florida Senate filed a bill that would ban the use of texting while operating a motor vehicle.

In 2007, Liberty Mutual Insurance Group conducted a survey showing that teens were the most likely age group to text while driving, meaning this law would have the greatest impact on teenage drivers. One would expect most teens to oppose this

law, however, this is not the case.

“I don’t think it should be legal to text and drive,” senior Zavia Menning said.

“It’s so distracting and you risk not only your own life, but other people’s lives. ” If the state congress passes the bill, being caught while texting behind the wheel would make the driver eligible for a $100 ticket.

School Resource Deputy Norfleet says that is not enough. Norfleet thinks that the punishment for driving-whiletexting (DWT) should be as severe as being caught speeding.

“But if a crash is involved, then an additional citation should be given,” Norfleet said.

Florida’s proposed law is lenient by comparison to Utah’s law. If caught texting behind the wheel in Utah, the offender could face up to three months in prison and a $750 fine. California, however, only cites a $20 fine.

The recent trend in banning texting behind the wheel has piqued the federal government’s interest as well. A bill to impose a federal ban on texting behind the wheel may be on the way.

The law would take effect in Florida on July 1, 2010.

“Hopefully it will pass,” Norfleet said. “Anything that’s going to make the roadway safer is a good thing.”

FIrst accounts: hand

Shannon Dunne

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staff reporter

n August 31, junior Rachel Clark was on 419 crossing the bridge over the Econ River when she hit the tire of the car in front of her. Her car flipped and landed on top of the barrier that separated her from the Econ River.

“20 more feet and I would have been in the water, dead,” Clark said.

The car’s right tire slid down the barrier while the back tire was stuck. She first sought to find a way out of her car by pushing the door with her arms, but realized that she was not strong enough. She then pushed it again with her legs, bent the door, and found a way out.

“I saw all of it happen like it was in slow motion,” Clark said. “The fact [that] I knew I was flipping scared me the most.”

Clark stayed at the accident scene for three hours during which time the cops at the scene told her that she “shouldn’t be alive right now.”

She left with only seatbelt burns and soreness, but her car, which she got on August 12, has over 15 thousand dollars worth of damage.

“I’m pretty scared [of] driving now, but I have to get over it,” Clark said, “I’m only 16; I can’t stop now.”

Clark is now more cautious and a lot safer while on the road. Her advice for other student drivers is to leave earlier for school, be careful, and pay attention.

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unior Lauren Milligan got into an accident while out driving in the rain on September 2. She made the turn out of Live Oak onto 419 when her truck’s tires lost traction. Her truck spun and then hydroplaned into a ditch full of rainwater.

It took about an hour and a half to get her truck out of the ditch. All the water flooded and ruined the interior. When she popped the hood, she found a fish and three frogs inside.

Milligan thinks that this accident was unavoidable because she drove slowly, but there are certain precautions she now takes while on the road.

“I will definitely make sure to drive like a crippled old grandma if I’m ever out in the rain again,” Milligan said.

Milligan could not drive her truck for a while and says that it is still not the same as it was before. She feels that the cause of her accident was the fact that it was raining hard, her tires did not have good traction, and her truck was light.

“My mom was super angry with me,” Milligan said. “She didn’t even know [that] I was out driving, and the added shock of me being in an accident made everything so bad.”

Milligan’s advice is for students to call their parents if they are supposed to, and not to drive if it is raining hard.

Advice Call parents if necessary and don’t drive when [it’s] raining too hard.

Advice Leave earlier for school, be careful and pay attention.

-Rachel Clark, 11

-Lauren Milligan, 11