The BluePrint - Volume 5, Issue 4

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3225 Lockwood Blvd

Hagerty High School Oviedo, Florida 32765

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news

Policy Change: A new cell phone policy may allow students to text during lunch.

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lifestyles

Break a leg. Drama students, motivated by a passion for the arts, work long hours. volume 5 issue 4 April, 15 2010

What’s inside news....................2 lifestyles..............5 middle.................8 opinions.............10 sports.................13

News bites “Seussical:” Hagerty High Theater: Purebred Productions presents Seussical the Musical. The show will play on April 22, 23, and 24. Tickets are for $8 in advance and $10 at the door. All seats are reserved.

Fourth nine weeks exams schedule: Senior exams are periods 2 and 7 on Friday, May 28, periods 1, 3, and 5 on Tuesday, June 1, and periods 4 and 6 on Wednesday, June 2. All other exams are Monday, June 7, periods 1, 4, and, Tuesday, June 8, periods 2 and 5, Wednesday, June 9, periods 3 and 6.

United States Service Academics application: The application process for students hoping to be granted a congressional nomination to a United States Service Academy has begun. Application packets are available upon request from Senator Bill Nelson’s office and can be accessed online now though September 24.

Credit by Examination Testing: On Saturday, April 24, the Spring CBE for academic courses will be open for seniors at the Education Support Center in Sanford. A list of courses from which students can earn credit by examination is available on the school website.

Project Grad yard signs: Project Graduation offers graduation yard signs to celebrate the class of 2010.

Two designs are available to choose from and both can be personalized.

An order form is available on the school website. Order forms are due by May 7.

Husky poll

compiled and created by Jem Mason Based on a survey of 300 randomly selected students

Students accept awards for outstanding video productions in unique categories.

photos by Sydney Gabel

Students showcase video talent Video production students participate in the third annual It’s Called Entertainment Awards show

Kristin Krawcyzk

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business manager odeled after the Oscars, this one of a kind award show was the most important event of the year for TV Production. The third annual It’s Called Entertainment (ICE) award show was held on March 19 at 7:00 p.m.

“Band has their showcase; dance has their showcase; ICE is like our little showcase of what we do all year,” senior Courtney Hitzel said.

Video production planned for this event since the beginning of the second quarter and has already started to prepare for the 2011 ICE awards.

In order for the award show to be executed, Donna Parker, TV production teacher, found sponsors, judges and enough talent to fill each film category.

The chosen judges watched every video submitted for each category and score the films. The top three films in each category were recognized as the nominees. The creators were notified that their videos were one of the top three of their category.

The 16 categories students could enter include humorous, quick shots, experimental, music videos, movie trailers, sports, short films and public service announcements (PSA).

“I did a promo for world vision which is a nonprofit organization that supports

people in third world countries,” senior Zavia Menning said. “I wanted to document how they live and how easy it is to help them, and I thought ICE would be the perfect way to get my point across.”

Students such as senior Vu Tran, did not preplan the plot for their video, but instead went with what popped into their head.

But according to senior Austin Seward, in order to make a video, students do need some sort of inspiration.

“I entered ‘quick shots’ and ‘how to’ because I was inspired by a floating plastic bag I saw and I had visions,” Seward said.

Although ICE was originally for TV production students to show off their skills in the creation of their videos, all students are encouraged to submit videos.

“I was really impressed this year with all the [non TV production] students who entered videos for judging,” Parker said.

On the night of the ICE awards, everyone in TV production had a specific job to do, from the impersonation of the paparazzi, to the collection of interviews from students about their thoughts of the ICE show.

“I am the producer so basically I organize everyone and everything. My role would be equivalent to a director,” Parker said. “Most [of the responsibility] is supposed to be on the students but that isn’t always how it works.”

Tran was the coordinator of the ICE awards, so she consulted with Parker about what needed to be done and found things to improve upon from last year’s show.

“The new seniors [ran] it and [put] a lot of time and effort and brainpower into it,” Menning said.

According to the TV production students, this year’s ICE was the most organized compared to the past shows.

“It went a lot smoother than previous years. We are finally getting a feel [for managing ICE]. It was a lot of preparing, but it was less hectic,” junior Suzanne Grage said.

Next year, TV production plans to include a ‘school projects’ category into the ICE awards so students can enter any projects they created for a class project.

In a few years, they hope to open the ICE awards to other high school students to form a tri-school contest.

The TV production students suggested that next year there should be a screening night the month before which would be open to all students. This would solve the problem of having too many choices of videos to judge in a single category.

“Looking from the first ICE we’ve had, it’s already gotten better,” Hitzel said.

“More people are entering videos and coming to the show because they know how good it will be.”

Teachers, students await Crist’s decision Robyn Smith

co-news editor ension sits behind the scenes in schools across Florida. Teachers, parents and students wonder what Gov. Charlie Crist will decide for the future of Florida education.

Senate Bill 6 (SB 6) was passed on March 24 despite much protest. Backed by Republicans and sponsored by Sen. John Thrasher, the bill was passed 21-17. House Bill 7189 (HB 7189) is the equivalent of SB 6. HB 7189 was passed by the House of Representatives April 6. It promises the same changes.

Crist originally stated he would likely approve the bills, however, due to teacher protest, he is now reconsidering.

These bills are the first step for merit pay in Florida. Under SB 6, Florida teacher salaries will be based on their performance.

This teacher performance is split between student achievement and teaching skills.

New standardized tests will replace the

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Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in order to more accurately evaluate student accomplishment. Teachers will be eligible for pay raises or losses based on their students’ performance and improvement levels on these tests.

SB 6 will also bring annual contracts for teachers, versus continuing contracts, or tenure. With an annual contract, teachers are only guaranteed one year at their teaching position. This gives less job security for them but allows for unsatisfactory teachers to be let go easier.

Teachers will receive increased pay if they teach at schools in need or if they take a hard-to-fill post.

The bills originally did away with increased pay based on doctorates and specialist degrees, however this was amended in a later draft.

The funds for teacher salaries will remain the same, although they will be redistributed. Five percent of a school district’s funding will go towards this bill

for teacher raises and both student and teacher evaluation systems. If districts choose not to implement the new system, they lose the 5 percent funding that will go towards the program.

DECISION, cont. on p. 2

Highlig hts of th e Bill: •Teachers are to be paid on the basis of job performance.

•Annual contracts only guarantee teachers one year in their teaching position.

•Compensation must be based on student learning gains for the classroom for teachers.

•The compensation system for teachers may no longer be based on years on the job and degrees attained.

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Issue 4

news

Interracial dating brings new cultures, customs Sohani Kasireddy

they have not faced any issues with race. co-news editor To Adair, interracial relationships have a eneration Y exhibits an attitude of positive effect on a person because they openness towards diversity and teach the importance of tolerance and relationships. The growing number acceptance of other’s views and beliefs. of interracial relationships is present among Adair believes interracial relationships high school students. should not be looked down upon and those According to a national survey who oppose it should give it a chance conducted by the Gallop Poll in the 1990s, before commenting against it.

64 percent of African American, Hispanic “It is really no one else’s business who and Asian teenagers that are between the you are dating,” Adair said. “[This is] ages of 13 and 19 have dated someone who America and it is a free country.” was Caucasian.

Senior Wagny Caucasian junior Decembre and “I don’t think race plays a Kate Stedman and sophomore Jesse role. We both care about Hispanic junior Victor Conigliaro are each other and no matter Gayton have been the “typical” what other people think dating for a year and interracial couple a half. The couple has — Decembre is that will not change.” not faced any issues African American - Jesse Conigliaro in relation to race. and Conigliaro is Their peers and family Caucasian. The members have been highly supportive and two met through band and developed a have encouraged their relationship. close bond.

Stedman’s parents initially showed “I don’t think race plays a role,” skepticism, as it was her first serious Conigliaro said. “We both care for each relationship. However, their uncertainty other and no matter what other people disappeared as they got to know Gayton. think that will not change.”

Gayton feels race should not define Throughout the nine months the couple a relationship or set parameters for it. has dated, they have received both positive Stedman enjoys the variation in her life; and negative comments in relation to she likes the exposure to a different culture their relationship. and the customs that accompany it. But the Both realize that the “disapproving couple recognizes that their relationship looks” from adults and sometimes even can be judged. peers are inevitable. The looks, along with “Sometimes older people, [like apprehension of what others might think, grandparents], are a little bit more made Decembre slightly hesitant to begin judgmental just because they never had the relationship but he was quick to dismiss [interracial dating] in their teenage years,” those feelings.

Stedman said.

“At first, I thought about [what other Another couple, Caucasian junior people would say] but then I realized it Rachel Adair and Hispanic junior Sergio should not matter as long as [my girlfriend, Alamaraz, began their relationship five Jesse] and I are happy with each other,” months ago. Like Gayton and Stedman, Decembre said.

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photos by shannon dunne

Interracial couples juniors Sergio Alamaraz and Rachel Adair and sophomore Jesse Conigliaro and senior Wagny Decembre welcome change and the opportunity to learn about new cultures.

Seniors request privileges Kristin Elias

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staff reporter igh school students spend three years looking forward to one thingbeing a senior. With that title come senior privileges. The senior class council sells senior privileges to allow seniors to take a break from school and provide funding for senior activities.

The senior class council requests senior privileges prior to the beginning of school.

Administration decides which requests they will honor.

“Our primary goal is education,” Principal Sam Momary said. “We will look at each class’s requests and see what works with our mission—classroom instruction.”

The senior class requested two breakfasts, five lunches, two brunches, four dinners, and four college days.

Administration granted four breakfasts, one lunch, one brunch, two dinners, and two college days. This gave seniors one privilege each month with the exception of March that already had multiple privileges due to FCAT. In order to determine what the upcoming senior class can handle, administration awards privileges to that class during their junior year. Privileges can be reduced or eliminated entirely if the class cannot handle them properly or if students demonstrate irresponsibility by arriving to school late after a privilege or skipping the day entirely. “[My] favorite privilege would be college days, but we were only granted two,” senior class president Saabira Mohamed said. “This is understandable because we miss entire days. Otherwise, I think a privilege per month was reasonable.”

Some seniors were disappointed in the privileges and had hoped for a completely different set altogether.

“I would have liked off campus lunches every Tuesday and Thursday,” senior Scott Schaare said. “Every day would have been too excessive, but Tuesdays and Thursdays would have been nice.”

Other seniors found disappointment in smaller aspects of the set of privileges.

“I would have changed senior breakfasts and extended our time for another period, but that could be ‘senioritis’ talking,” Mohamed said. “Also, our senior lunch was disappointing to some because we were allowed off campus before noon due to block scheduling, but many restaurants don’t open for lunch that early.”

Despite disappointments with the set of privileges, 354 passes were sold. Each pass cost $20. The senior class council raised $7,080 to help pay for prom and other senior expenses such as senior apparel and powder puff fees.

Local high schools provide similar privileges. Seniors at Lyman High School have one off campus breakfast or lunch each month, yet they are able to leave two minutes early before lunch and two minutes early at the end of the day at teacher discretion.

Other high schools offer more frequent privileges to their seniors. Seniors at Lake Brantley High School enjoy off campus lunches every day. Winter Springs High School allows seniors off campus lunch every Wednesday when the bell schedule provides an hour for lunch.

Although privileges are not consistent from school to school, seniors are thankful to have privileges at all.

“People forget that senior privileges are actually privileges,” senior Chris Galletti said. “If people are not satisfied with the amount of privileges, then they should push for more based on academic and other types of achievements.”

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Issue 4

Dress code here to stay

Hagerty

Mehak Rahman

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illustrati

• This year, Laborde started Hagerty’s Youth Pals club, which is an outreach program for Autistic students. At present, the program has forty strong members and Laborde hopes membership will continue to grow.

• Youth Pals meet every other Friday after school and visit Carillon Elementary school on Thursdays, where high school students play and read with autistic children.

• “I used to have much more free time but now I focus my time of Youth Pals,” Laborde said.

• The group has been involved in several fund-raising events this year, such as the Heart Walk and Puzzle Piece project.

The Heart Walk event raised an astonishing total of 2500 dollars.

• Laborde also helped put together a bowling event in which 40 normal and autistic teens spent time together on a Saturday morning.

”

“I decided to start Youth Pals because my brother has a form of autism and I wanted to raise funds and awareness [for] the mentally disabled.”

DECISION, cont. from page 1 Supporters of the bills insist that it will improve education in Florida. By demanding good teacher quality, the success of students will increase. Supporters also state that teachers’ salaries will not decrease. Effective teachers will receive pay raises, while ineffective teachers will not. Most of the changes that SB 6 brings will be instituted during the 2014-2015 school year.

“I think teachers should have some motivation to make their students do well,” junior Kevin Heckle said. “I’ve had teachers in the past who don’t care whether their students fail or pass, so if they’re penalized for failing students and they don’t try to help the student succeed, I think that they should be penalized for that.

Or if they put in the extra time, then they should be rewarded for it.”

Those opposed to the bills question how elective teachers will be judged, as there are no standardized tests that measure learning gains for students in elective courses. Many teachers also worry about the impact this will have on new teachers who are not as experienced.

“Even though I already have my tenure, if I were a new teacher going into the profession, there would be no benefits or reasons that I would want to continue in a college of education because as soon as I got out the stakes would be so high for so little pay that you would be crazy to take a job as a teacher,” English teacher Marisa Robinson said.

Complaints against the bills include that it is unfair to teachers because a teacher’s impact on students is only one factor that affects achievement.

“One of the biggest ways they judge

an

photo by elaine lam

• Freshman Michelle Laborde was recently awarded with the Walt Disney Dreamers and Doers award. This award recognizes outstanding students who improve their communities through volunteer service in Central Florida.

staff reporter tarting next fall, students will be forced to follow the new official dress code.

Seminole County school officials have fine tuned the dress code to emphasize issues that administrators have repeatedly dealt with over the past years.

The Seminole County School Board found that the district’s previous dress code was unclear and brought about confusion among students. The official dress code clarifies regulations regarding the width of tank tops, the required length of shorts, as well as foot wear.

Administrator Juliene McDonald commented that the most common problems faced with dress code pertained to neck lines and straps.

“I think the new dress code is clearer and there is no misunderstanding. It cleared up issues with tank-tops and sleeveless shirts.

I think the regulations are pretty much spelled out for you,” McDonald said.

Administrators speculate that the hardest adjustment students will have to make is to the sleeveless shirt and collar alteration. Shirts must have appropriately sized sleeves and necklines; if a sleeveless shirt is worn then it must have a collar.

As far as disciplinary actions go, consequences for actions are identical to the previous procedures. However, administrators want to be effective in means of enforcement.

“We are going to be more diligent in enforcing it. We are going to make concerted efforts as an administrative team to crack down on dress code,” Assistant Principal Barry Coleman said. on by meh ak rahm

Michelle Laborde

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news

compiled by eileen dombrowski you is based on standardized testing, and the standardized tests that we have, even the ones they want to create, are nowhere near sophisticated enough to have such an important thing like teacher pay based on this one test,” Robinson said. “You could have a student that might have a dozen other things going on that day that could affect their test score that the teacher has no control of.”

Students themselves find problems with the new bills.

“This bill just shows how little the Senate really knows or cares about our education.

It really shows how much they’re interested in the money they get,” sophomore Brad Baker said. “It will cause teachers to scramble for the higher achieving classes, leaving the standard classes behind. It’s not fair to us at all.”

Many events and groups have protested SB 6. Protests include rallies and mass letters to Crist, Thrasher and others who support the bill.

The bill was projected to help Florida in President Barack Obama’s Race to the Top program, under which educational grants are awarded to states that made changes in their school systems. Florida did not win a grant, but will apply for a second round of the program.

“Teachers are going to teach to this one test. Learning how to take a test isn’t real learning. That’s not learning geography, it’s not learning literature, it’s not learning algebra,” social studies teacher Jane Palmer said. “It’s learning how to take a test and get a good grade on it so that you can pass a grade and graduate from high school and I can keep my job. You’re not teaching for learning’s sake or long term retention.

You’re teaching for this one day.”

Teachers and administrators anticipate that the new dress code will fuel conflicts between students and their closets.

“I believe in the very beginning kids will be very resistant and there will be a need of disciplinary consequences to get students on track,” McDonald said.

Middle schools in Seminole County have daily morning checks as enforcement techniques for dress code. Coleman believes because of the differences in student body sizes, daily checks as a part of enforcement are not compatible in a high school environment.

“It is difficult to be consistent with enforcement because of the variety of clothes students are exposed to,” Coleman said.

While the weather in Florida may put forth natural obstacles against the students’ wardrobe, Coleman still hopes that students will be able to fully express themselves with the presence of the dress code’s new restrictions.

Even with the finality of the dress code there is a possibility Seminole County will endorse uniforms.

The county also took student opinions into account when uniforms were debated at district meetings. A minority of high schools wanted to adopt school uniforms because of student interest. According to McDonald, students were interested in uniforms because it would be easier to get dressed in the morning.

“The greater the level of noncompliance, the greater the chance of our school adopting uniforms,” Coleman said.

Collectively, administrators believe a student’s daily attire is a reflection of the quality of their education. The dress code will take effect with full regulations and it is here to stay.

news

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April 15, 2010

Large theater productions need large budget Will Henken

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staff reporter he lights go down, the curtains go up and the theater department’s production of “Seussical the Musical” begins. This is no ordinary school play, however.

From “Beauty and the Beast” to “Footloose” the theater department has consistently produced big-budget performances at a caliber and frequency greater than what most other public high schools create.

photo by jem mason

Students hard at work create and paint the sets of the spring musical titled “Seussical.”

Sophomore and drama student Aly Brown attributes part of the lavishness of the plays to fundraising. These funds are raised through a variety of means; one method is the collection of advertisements.

Each student is responsible for collecting an ad that is printed in the play’s program guide. The programs are then distributed to everyone who goes to the play and the advertised sponsors pay the theater department for this type of circulation.

“We take meeting our budget goals seriously,” Brown said, “Obviously we can’t put on a show [without funds].”

Other theater students consider the play production process many-sided.

Drama student and Junior Paul Jaskowski attributes most of the drama department’s success to the rigid rehearsal schedule.

Drama teacher Michelle Backel is “dedicated to these plays, and every student involved has to share that dedication,” Jaskowski said. “As long as you keep up a good work ethic and have a passion for theater, it’s a labor of love anyway.”

A quick look at the drama department’s online schedule confirms this; practice sessions are listed after every school day for up to two and a half hours a day.

The merit of these practices would be lost, however, without adequate funds to actually support the production. Along with the ad-riddled program guides, the drama department is supported through advanced, priority, and at-the-door ticket sales. The theater web site lists five such moneymaking events online alone, including a murder mystery dinner show.

photo by jem mason

Drama student Jason Montgomery practices for the “Seussical.” The lavish decorations reflect the large budget of the musical.

The drama club also has a boosters program similar to sports teams. Dividends and parents meet four times a year to discuss volunteering, set designing, and fundraising. Both drama students interviewed mention this as a vital part of the play process.

Both the results of the theater department’s work and the methods used seem unique to this school’s breed of drama students, as Oviedo High School sophomore Aaron Scott confirms.

“It’s definitely not taken as seriously here [at Oviedo High School],” says Scott.

“You are talking to a guy who has seen plays from both schools and I can tell you, Hagerty is putting on a way more impressive show than Oviedo is.”

Scott says he attributes this success to the dedication of the students, and that drama students here seem much more close-knit and driven to perform than the average student.

“At the end of the day it’s a group effort,” said Brown. “This is something that we all work hard for, and so these are the results we’re aiming for. We are just glad we can share the experience with everyone.”

New policy would allow electronics at lunch life now and the use of it is important. This staff reporter group of students has grown up with it and tudents have acquired ways to use there may be times in the school day when cell phones and iPods in school the use of technology may be appropriate without getting caught by teachers and not have a negative impact.”

The proposed policy gives students or administration. Hoods on while in the hallways and backpacks in the lap at permission to use cell phones and iPods at lunchtime are common ways to keep these lunch and possibly between classes.

“I think it is a good idea to change the devices hidden.

However, as of next school year there policy because people are going to use may no longer be a need for students to go [their cell phones and iPods] anyway,” sophomore Amy Ankli said. “Now they to this extent.

Currently, students cannot have their won’t have to be taken away.”

The modification of these rules requires cell phones or iPods out or displayed in any a waiver of manner during the school board school day. Cell “This group of students has policy. In order phones and iPods grown up with [technology] and to initiate this cannot be used on there may be times in the school change, the campus between idea must be day when....[it does not] have a the first and last submitted with bell of the day. If negative impact.” the school a cell phone rings - Sam Momary improvement or vibrates during plan for next school, there is a year and possibility of disciplinary consequences ultimately the final decision will be left to which may include confiscation.

Administration has begun to consider a the school board.

The cell phone and iPod policy varies change in this cell phone and iPod policy from each high school around the area. for the next school year.

“The cell phone and iPod policy was Certain high schools overlook the use created by the school board to address issues of these electronic devices while others from a prior era,” Principal Sam Momary strictly prohibit their uses during the said. “Technology is a bigger part of our school day. Oviedo High School prohibits Shannon Dunne

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the use of cell phones and iPods between instructional time and from bell to bell, but allows students to use cell phones during the lunch break.

The idea of this new policy leaves teachers and administrators hopeful for attitude changes and better cooperation from students.

“If we allow this, I expect students to be more cooperative in class and put [the electronic devices] away for the class periods,” Foreign Language department chair Pamela Lynch said. “It needs to be a mutual working relationship.”

A decrease in the use of these items during class and other inappropriate times is also a hopeful outcome of this proposal.

“Kids love to text on their phones and listen to music,” English teacher Lauren Ellsworth said. “Allowing them to do so during down time will alleviate behavioral problems since students will be distracted by something positive.”

However, not everyone is in agreement with this possible change.

Some teachers are concerned that this may allow students to share information on tests and other assessments as well as cause a disruption in the class period. “[Students] simply won’t remember to turn [their cell phones and iPods] off and

will be tempted to use them during class,” English teacher Tonya Smith said. “Too often, students are calling their parents to come check them out of school, which causes a disruption between classes, and at lunches. There is a reason for [land line] phones in every classroom.”

illustration by justin moser

lifestyles

page 5

April 15, 2010

prom perfection In today’s times, anyone

Classic

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can find the perfect prom look for their style.

istinguished by a sheer skirt that puffs out from the bodice of the dress, the bouffant, has been a popular prom style for decades.

The dress emphasizes the upper body and the flow of the skirt flatters all shapes. This traditional dress is available in many colors, but most girls prefer softer tones like pink, blue, white, or purple.

A dress such as the bouffant style is best matched with a classic tuxedo. The tuxedo should consist of a cummerbund and bow tie and should follow the tranditional black and white color scheme.

Modern

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he one-shoulder trend emerged in 2007 and remains a popular style today.

This trend applies to bathing suits, shirts, casual dresses and formal attire. The style creates a sleek look as it accentuates the shoulders.

Bright, vibrant colors like orange, hot pink, lime green or yellow have become a recent trend. Prints have also become increasingly popular, and add a lively touch to any dress.

A one-shoulder dress can be accompanied by a tuxedo with a vest and necktie as opposed to a cummerbund and bow tie. Today, stores offer a wide variety of tux styles and even patterns: look for a camo tux next time you’re out! Both the vest and tie should match one of the main colors in the dress or the tuxedo should be completely black and white.

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Issue 3

lifestyles

An actor’s gotta do what an actor’s gotta do Sabrina Chehab

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co-lifestyles editor f theater was an inanimate object that conveyed its thoughts and opinions to me through vocal communication, it would be like, ‘Justin! Join us!’” freshman Justin Hughes said.

Drama students feel as if their dedication comes from a love for the fine arts and there are those who feel as if they were meant for the stage.

Whether they practice lines from the play or build sets for the show, they continue to report to rehearsal every afternoon without the assistance of the intercom.

This group consists of both the cast and crew. They spend approximately two to three hours after school every day.

Because students are given the opportunity to complete homework assignments when there is free time during rehearsal, this extra time does not interfere with most of

their academic work.

“It doesn’t really affect my academic work because I’m a hard worker,” sophomore Alli Walter said. “When I’m not on stage or practicing, I’m doing homework in the wing.”

These students are well aware of the amount of time they must dedicate after school before they become involved in theater. They must sign a contract to verify their dedication, which specifies the required attendance policy, behavior policy, grade expectations and deadlines.

“The purpose of the contract is to inform both the student and the parent of the time commitment and the expectations needed to be successful in a theatrical production,” drama teacher Michelle Backel said. “We require the contract prior to the auditions so that families can review the expectations and the rehearsal schedules and make sure that this is an

activity that they can fully commit to.”

Students who do not follow the requirements of the contract are no longer allowed to participate in the production.

After school, students participate in activities to prepare for the various productions. Members of the set crew make the entire set by hand and those directly involved in the play recite lines, sing, and run scenes for the show.

“We build everything in the play pretty much, and we have to reuse screws and everything,” sophomore Kyle Medin said.

Despite the rigorous time schedule and amount of work required, drama students believe that their dedication towards school productions is well worth it.

Students are able to form strong social bonds from the experience, make new friends, and spend time with those who have similar interests. To these students, drama does more than teach them lines; it teaches them life.

all photos by jem mason

Students involved in the drama program spend extensive time after school and during off days to perfect the plays. All shows are produced entirely by students including the acting and the construction of sets. Thespians also use this time to earn “points” for the society or for membership if they have not joined already.

lifestyles

page 7

April 15, 2010

Study hall makes a comeback

Eileen Dombrowski

staff reporter n the past, study hall was a sacred space in time in every high school student’s day. Students caught up on gossip, took a quick nap, or finished homework.

However, in recent years, extra classes have replaced study hall.

Study hall is a nonacademic class where students spend time on homework and study quietly. Typically, it is a semester course, but a student can request to take the course both semesters.

This class was not an option until this year because the course was detrimental to students fulfilling credit requirements.

But when the new block schedule emerged this year, study hall became a much more sensible class to have. It also can help guidance counselors fill an empty period in a student’s schedule.

“If a student is in intensive classes and passes out of the class, we [guidance counselors] have to place them in a class, which is often study hall,” upper house guidance counselor Roger Campbell said.

Oftentimes, study hall is regarded as a class where students simply don’t accomplish any work and “goof-off.”

“It’s pretty relaxed as long as everyone follows the rules. It’s not a sit and talk class.

But after doing about an hour of work, students can take a break,” said study hall teacher, Coach Goodwin.

Some also believe that a study hall class reflects badly on a student’s overall resume to colleges, but this is not necessarily true.

“I don’t think colleges have a strong opinion about study hall if a student shows rigor and uses [it] as a means of support for their workload,” Campbell said.

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a stud!

Juniors Branden Oliver and Kelsey Carpenter work on assignments during their study hall period.

Students, especially upperclassmen, view study hall as beneficial to their overall stress level. Senior Alison Graff is in a study hall class and says the course gives her much more time to relax and sleep.

“It helps me essentially because I am able to get all my work done before school is over, so I have more free time and am a lot less stressed out,” said Graff.

Graff is currently enrolled in four Advanced Placement (AP) courses and recommends study hall to students who have a heavy workload.

“Study hall really lessens my workload

because I’m in AP classes and get assigned a lot of time-consuming work. But I wouldn’t advise anyone who isn’t taking hard classes to take study hall because it would get really dull,” Graff said.

Junior Brandon Oliver, currently in five AP courses, also knows that many students without homework-intensive classes take study hall to have a period to relax, but end up without anything to do.

“People get bored in study hall because they don’t get much homework from their teachers, so they have nothing to do,” Oliver said.

photo by elaine lam

Oliver plans to take study hall his senior year and recommends others with demanding classes take it as well.

“Next year I’m going to be taking all AP courses. I need study hall to keep me sane,” Oliver said.

Despite being dubbed a “free period,” study hall has made a comeback in high schools. With harder classes and more homework given to students each night, the extra time in school set aside strictly for studying is critical to students who do not have enough time to finish their work at home.

all illustrations by sabrina chehab

lifestyles

For the

football

$400 ref. fee (per game) jersey: $98 pants: $74 shoulder pads: $330 helmet: $249 buses: $1200 (per game)

Megan Amend

A

water polo

seasonal pool rental: $2054 goals: $2400 girls’ suit: $65 boys’ suit: $25 t-shirt: $10

boys volleyball

$350 ref. fee (per game) ticket sales profit: $1000 uniform cost: $2000 volleyballs: $900 buses: $1200 (per game)

co-lifestyles editor thletes play, coaches instruct, spectators cheer. The thrill of the game, though, comes with a price tag that allows the athletic program to operate. But who pays the bill?

In terms of money, each team operates independently of the school. The costs of field maintenance are covered by the school, but teams are responsible for their own expenses like uniforms, equipment and referees.

“In a best case scenario, the school would be able to fund all aspects of our program, [but] we are not nor have we ever been in that category in Florida,” principal Sam Momary said. “The money we receive from the state barely covers the cost of school supplies, so providing any funding of athletics is out of the question, especially with the budget cuts we have experienced this year, last year and this upcoming year.”

Teams receive 85 percent of ticket sales (the school receives the other 15 percent for Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) dues and end-ofthe-year awards), but most teams, other than football, earn their money through yearly fundraisers.

“Ticket sales might be $1000 over the season but even that’s stretching it,” head boys volleyball coach Lauren Ellsworth said. “[So] the boys can participate in the

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April 15, 2010

e price of the game

undraisers or pay a fee up front.”

If they opt to pay to play rather than undraise, they owe $330 at the start of the eason to cover referees, apparel and other am expenses.

Water polo coach Heather Ambrosi ces another financial burden. With no onampus pool, the water polo team rents the ty pool for practices and home games.

This year the water polo teams face a ajor expense: the replacement of goals. t $1,200 apiece, goals are no cheap vestment. However, for big-ticket items ke this, the Athletic Booster Club (ABC) ssists teams in their purchases. The ABC urchased the goals and were reimbursed a ercent of the cost by the teams.

“The coaches go through athletic rector Christy Bryce and present [their quest] to her. Then she comes to the ooster club and presents it to us,” ABC resident Laurie Kurtz said. “We discuss it the meeting and figure out what needs to e approved.”

The ABC earns money through embership fees, local business and parent ponsorship and concession stands. Sports ams also benefit from concession stands; the teams work the stand they receive 25 ercent of profits.

Recently, the ABC purchased yard arkers for the football team and indscreens for the baseball field. In May, e ABC plans to sponsor a new project

that includes new bleachers and a bathroom facility at the baseball field.

In addition to financial aid for equipment, the ABC also provides fundraising opportunities for athletics. Sports passes are sold to allow entry into all sporting events or one particular sport (depending on the type of pass). The money goes to the booster club, athletic department and the sport of the purchaser’s choice.

The Husky Trot, an annual five kilometer race organized by the ABC, also allows the runner to choose which sport will receive a portion of his or her entry fee.

“We’re trying to make things better for our athletes,” Kurtz said.

For many teams, transportation has recently become a new financial responsibility. The school receives a set amount of money from the district for field trip transportation. In the past, the district subsidized some of the transportation cost whereas now the school is responsible for the entire price of each trip which consists of fuel, mileage and driver costs. Though it varies based on the distance traveled, the average cost is $200 per bus.

“This year, we were able to cover the large group activities: football and band,” Momary said. “Most other sports can arrange to have their small number of team members transported by automobiles.”

Football is the one sport that differs in its financial aspects compared to others.

“Ever since the opening of the school our games have been well attended [so] we get most of [our money] through gate receipts,” head football coach Nate Gierke said. “I ask so much of my players as it is that [for instance] asking them to do a car wash on a Saturday is asking more than they need to do.”

Also unlike many other sports, football players do not have to pay to play.

“Anyone that will come out in the 150 degree heat and listen to me yell for three hours every day deserves to play [whether or not they pay a fee],” Gierke said.

The football program had enough money to purchase quality equipment when the program was established.

Since then, Gierke has bought one to two dozen top of the line helmets and shoulder pads. He also plans to order new varsity uniforms and will pass down old uniforms to freshmen and junior varsity teams.

Despite the fewer restraints from financial burdens, football still receives some assistance from the ABC. “Everything I need I have, it’s just what I want,” Gierke said. “I go to them if it’s something that will enhance the program.”

inning isn’t cheap

alloway

staff reporter hough the mantra among athletes has been “winning isn’t asy,” today, the phrase has turned into “winning isn’t cheap.” undraising for athletic programs has become more important strive to acquire money needed to participate each season. aising is an essential part of an athletic program ow consists of multiple events throughout the year and epercussions for players who fail to meet the quota. h not something players see as fun and easy, new fundraisers from the norm tend to pique the interest of potential donors. do other fundraisers, but nothing compares to the Daytona ead girls basketball coach Brittany Campbell said. rls’ basketball team worked the concession stands at NASCAR Daytona this year to fund their season. Between the Coke Zero he Daytona 500, the girls’ basketball team raised a total profit this year. he economy down and wallets tight, athletic programs are not the top of everyone’s fiscal agenda. Teams now take it upon lves to explore new ways to meet their expenses. he wrestling team participates in a Takedown-A-Thon each ar where wrestlers get pledges from various people for the umber of takedowns a player completes in the event.

The Takedown-A-Thon consists of six 10 minute rounds of wrestling where each of the contestants keeps track of the number of takedowns he or she successfully completes.

For example, if a person pledges 10 cents for every takedown the wrestler achieves, and the wrestler finishes 50 takedowns, then the wrestler will collect $5 from the donor.

All proceeds from this event go directly towards the wrestling program. The wrestling team raises around $1,000 each season.

In the same fashion as wrestling, the bowling team holds an annual Bowl-A-Thon where players acquire sponsors who donate in accordance with the number of strikes or spares each player bowls.

The bowling team also holds a

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more traditional fundraiser, the car wash. But car washes are not what they used to be. The major source of income for car washes no longer originates from hours of work in the scorching sun soliciting people to support a cause.

Making money at car washes now revolves around the sale of event tickets. Each of the 19 bowlers are required to sell 10 presale tickets at $5 each. At this point, the “traditional” car wash has now made over $950 of profit, and the team has yet to fill the soap buckets and plug in the hoses.

Hosting an event can be a laborious process for the team who organizes it. Although the goal of fundraising is to alleviate the financial pressure on teams, it can also be a service to the community as well.

The cheerleaders hold a cheer clinic every summer to raise money for their upcoming season.

“Our cheerleaders provide elementary and middle school aged cheerleaders with skills like stunting, tumbling, cheers, chants, and jumps. We then host a showcase for all of the youth cheerleaders and their parents on the last day of the clinic,” head cheerleading coach Emilee Sykes said.

Community involvement is a common ambition among sports teams, but some teams reach a little farther to help those in need.

The lacrosse team hosted the third annual Face Off for a Cause tournament where four Division II lacrosse teams, four Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) teams and 24 high school teams competed in different brackets. Tickets to the event cost $20, half of which went to the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) and the other half went to the lacrosse program.

Along with the boys’ lacrosse team, the girls’ team also hosted an event to raise money this year. In the first annual Pink and Blue game, the girls’ lacrosse team played lacrosse against the boys’ baseball team. The girls earned $2,000 from presale tickets, gate tickets, and concession profits.

Fundraising is essential to the existence of sports. Without money, teams would be unable to afford necessities like jerseys or field paint.

“We have to fund everything. I wouldn’t call it a chore, just a necessary evil,” head track coach Jay Getty said.

page 9

opinions

page 11

April 15, 2010

high school students Back Talk: Should be required to take sex ed?

NO

YES

“Students deserve to be informed of all their choices and steered in the desired direction, not just herded down one path with no explanations.”

“As hard as teachers might try to educate the youth of America on safe sex and abstinence, no one can inform students better than their parents.”

- Sarah Landers

Sarah Landers

T

managing editor eenagers everywhere still have sex despite the best efforts of teachers, parents, and after-school specials alike. The infamous “Just Say No” policy among high schools has lost its effect.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recorded that in 2007, 47.8 percent of high school students had had sexual intercourse; 35 percent of those students had it a minimum of three months prior to the survey. Public school officials blatantly ignore these facts and assume that their methods of abstinenceonly teaching are effective.

Florida specifically teaches only abstinence, complete with a website called greattowait.com. It boasts that thousands of teenagers make the decision every day to wait until marriage.

The Florida Department of Health must be confused. Fifteen percent of high school students have already had four or more sexual partners, says the CDC. The topic of sex at any age is uncomfortable, but that doesn’t mean it is okay to ignore the topic with teenagers.

It is time that schools prepare themselves and their students for the instances when students want to say “yes.” A semesterlong, mandatory, and fact-based sexual education course is exactly what Florida and the entire nation needs.

Students deserve to be informed of all their choices and steered in the desired direction, not just herded down one path with no explanations. Without the usual authority figures available, kids will turn to their most valuable information source: the Internet.

Some websites claim that one can use the “calendar method,” which schedules “safe” times for sex based on the girl’s menstrual cycle. Others offer quick solutions, like plastic wrap, a method that has been proven ineffective, in the place of condoms.

Unfortunately, this is the best information teenagers can get. School is intended to educate teenagers about

- Scott Strauss

skills that can help them through life. Certainly, information about how to use birth control is equally as important as lessons on how to divide polynomials.

The United States has the highest percentage of teen pregnancy according to multinational polls, and is also the leading country in abstinenceonly education. It doesn’t take much to notice the connection.

What students need is a frank discussion of sex and the impact it has on individuals and their relationships—the emotional aspect as well as the physical.

A sex-ed class for students does not need to be pro-sex; no one is advocating teen experimentation here. Schools can still discourage the behavior and explain it at the same time.

Most kids would be happy to skip an Advanced Placement Physics class for an easy “sex class;” their parents, however, may not like that idea. Such a mandatory class will ensure that all students get the same factual information, despite potential parental protest.

Most likely, parents will argue that they have had “the talk” with their child, and he or she need not be exposed to “inappropriate” class discussion. They may even believe that it is not the school’s place to intrude into students’ personal lives in this particular way. But they are completely wrong.

Now more than ever, students need an intervention. Without it, the consequences can be life-altering. The CDC says that Florida has the secondhighest number of kids with AIDS in America. Our system of “no, no, no” is not working.

Schools need to stop condemning and ignoring the thousands of kids who have decided to have sex before marriage. They need to step up and provide information that could save lives.

Ignorance isn’t bliss—it’s dangerous.

Scott Strauss staff reporter igh school opens up new doors to students—doors that reveal drugs, alcohol and sex, among other things. No matter what is revealed, high school students are sure to experiment.

What is commonly misconstrued, however, is the role that schools should take to prevent students from pursuing this experimentation.

The most controversial subject currently taught to the American youth is sexual education. However, making this subject mandatory where abstinence is the focus is morally wrong, illogical and a waste of time.

Sex education is taught in schools all across the country. According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, an organization that specializes in sexual awareness and intelligence, more than two out of three public school districts have a policy that mandates sexuality education.

As hard as teachers might try to educate the youth of America on safe sex and abstinence, no one can inform students better than their parents. It is a parent’s duty, not the schools’, to educate their child about safe sex practices.

Not only does sex education in schools run the risk of negatively influencing students with ideas that their parents do not believe in, but it can also be an area of instruction that can cause moral and religious conflicts with students and their parents.

Sex education classes were recently banned in many Catholic schools across the nation, but since the education is mandatory, students have to be bused to another school every day for one class.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, 51 percent of school districts require that abstinence be taught as the preferred option, but also permit discussion of contraception as an effective means of protection against unintended pregnancy.

H

To force a student to learn these ideas goes against many students’ moral and religious beliefs, as parents may not believe that sex should happen until marriage or that contraception should not be used in sexual practices.

Another unjustified method of sexual education is the idea that abstinence is the only option for unmarried people and to completely prohibit the discussion of contraception altogether or limit discussion to contraceptive failure rates.

Thirty-five percent of schools in America teach sexual education this way, and while certain cultures and parents do find this the most effective way to preach about the birds and bees, the fact is that most people do not believe in abstinence only education. ­­­­ Despite this, 86 percent of school districts with a sexual education program require the promotion of abstinence.

For students who work hard and are dedicated to being successful throughout their time in high school, sex is the least of their worries. For that reason, forcing them to take the time out of their schedule to go to a sex education class is a waste of time and could disrupt their course schedule and, in turn, their future.

Not to give students a choice whether to attend a sexual education class is simply not fair and could take away from a more beneficial course.

As much as the words “sex education” catch the eye, students would not want to fill a spot in their schedule with such a course. Sex is an uncomfortable subject for students to discuss, and to force this discussion upon them and expose them to awkward themes is cruel and unjust.

Though a sex education class can put the values of safe sex and abstinence into perspective for students, to force students to take such a course can be morally conflicting, religiously wrong and educationally distracting.

Sex is a touchy subject to talk about in school, and to force students of America to do so could cause a crack in the foundation of modern day society.

Tell it like it is...

“Yes, some parents neglect to fully educate their children on the ill effects of premarital sex.”

- Xavier Moss, 11

“Yes, not every teenager is going to adhere to abstinence, therefore, it is important that we teach teens safe sex methods.”

- Lauren Fragapane, 11

“No, it’s the parent’s responsibility. The government shouldn’t be involved in these personal decisions.”

- Hunter Yoches, 12

“No, it’s something your parents should teach you and not the school.”

- Jillian Dyer, 10

page 10

Issue 4

According to Kait Hagerty High School

3225 Lockwood Blvd.

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

The Blue Print is a studentproduced 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.

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

Do minors deserve medical confidentiality?

Kait Moorman

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opinions editor ithholding medical information from a guardian can be potentially harmful.

Doctor-patient confidentiality laws yield more hazards than advantages when it comes to minors, who tend to make bad decisions regarding their health—decisions they should not have the opportunity to make in the first place.

For example, if a 16-year-old girl has sex and contracts an STD, her parents have every right to know about her condition so they can help her receive the treatment she needs.

But the doctor-patient confidentiality policy allows her to keep vital

information about her disease from her parents. Because of this, she could suffer from further complications due to her potential lack of money to purchase necessary medical treatment.

Had the information not been withheld, she might be punished and embarrassed, but she would likely live a longer, healthier life—one in which she had access to antibiotics and medication that could prevent further progression of the disease.

Minors only gained the coverage of this policy after the 1977 Carey v. Population Services International case, when the Supreme Court used the Fourteenth Amendment to grant adolescents medical privacy. The Court found minors had a fundamental right to doctor-patient confidentiality.

This is a dangerous right they are not mature enough to possess.

Some parents oppose this law. They want to know what their children are treated for and what kind of treatment they receive.

And they have every right.

The person who is responsible for the health insurance should have full access

opinions

to any and all medical information his or her money goes toward.

Minors, however, argue that they deserve the same privacy rights as everyone else. Often times, the reason minors are uncomfortable with the release of their medical information is because they fear their guardians will discover their involvement in unfavorable circumstances, such as an event that led to the contraction of an STD or engagement in illegal activities.

Guardians need to know this kind of information, especially when health is on the line.

There are instances in which minors should be protected by doctor-patient confidentiality laws. For example, minors who are responsible for taking care of themselves and the bills, including their own insurance, have no need to share their private medical information with anyone other than their doctor. But this is one of few exceptions.

As a minor myself, I understand why minors may want to keep information from their parents, but the importance of good health far exceeds the desire for secrecy under these circumstances.

Senior year not a waste of time if juniors have all the necessary credits, staff reporter a little extra practice never hurt; they n high schools across the nation, should continue to stay in high school to seniors seem to waste their time. gain more experience.

Some claim that seniors do nothing Early graduation programs have a but play around and wait for graduation, special credit requirement system meant that the last year in high school is a waste to “make up” for the loss of senior of money. The economic downturn has year. In three year plans, there is an left the education system hopelessly in astonishing loss of emphasis on electives debt which sparked debate on the best and core academics. way to fix the deficit.

In academic One proposal begs fields, credit require“Students don’t just the question: should ments are shortened senior year be cut so students cannot play in the 12th grade. in order to save advance as far as They really do study.” schools’ money? they could under a - John Balden Like it or not, four-year curriculum. the answer is no. A Regular elective few seniors may be unwilling to admit, participation standards are severely but senior year is an absolute necessity. lowered, with only three credits However, that necessity has not stopped needed instead of the average eight.

Utah state Sen. Chris Buttars from Requirements in the fine and proposing to allow high school students practical arts and physical to graduate early. education are nonexistent.

According to Buttars, cutting senior Most elective classes year from high school curriculums may are meant to let students save states that do so anywhere from explore and broaden their $60-102 million annually. interests, often in As cost effective as those numbers possible may seem, there are far less drastic ways career for schools to save money. Examples pathways. include shorter bus routes or a school This is week that lasts four days instead of five. especially true for “[Buttars’ stance] is very short most seniors—the last year of high sighted,” John Balden, the American school is crucial to students who ab Federation of Teachers’ Utah chapter are still searching for what they a cheh n i president, said. “Students don’t just play want to do in life. That is not y sabr b n o in the 12th grade. They really do study. In possible in three year high trati s higher education, we find an awful lot of school programs. With illu students unprepared for college.” the de-emphasis on A three year high school career would elective classes, wreak havoc on the college admissions students in a process. Many juniors in high school do three year high not have the necessary credits required school program have for graduation, and they need senior little or no opportunities year to fulfill those requirements. Even to experiment with their Justin Moser

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Our view:

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interests in classrooms.

Proponents of a three year program argue that it would stem the spread of “senioritis.” They also claim that such a program would allow students to get out into the real world, join the work force, and become active members of society at a much faster rate.

But faster is not always better.

Sure, the students get out into the world earlier, but how well are they prepared? Truth be told—they are hardly prepared at all.

Students who graduate early and move on to college are 16 or 17 years old in most cases. That is far too young. Early graduates will not be at the maturity level required to excel in the posthigh school world.

They will lack the skills and experience necessary to become an effective leader.

If senior year is sacrificed for the sake of a few bucks, the nightmare it will create is unthinkable. Most early graduates, unless excellent students, will have a difficult time succeeding in life beyond high school.

Thankfully, most plans to change high schools to a three year program do not go into effect. They are extremely unpopular and are too radical to be taken seriously in legislature.

The only three year plans that do manage to pass are those that make early graduation an option, not a requirement.

Upperclassmen privileges should remain

unior and senior privileges are an integral part of the upperclassman experience. In fact, said privileges are what many students consider their favorite aspect of upperclassmanhood.

Being a senior would not be as rewarding if it did not come with a day designated to free pancakes at IHOP. But we are merely adolescents, and as such, often return late from these ventures, if we return at all.

However, this is not a cause for the revocation of privileges.

In a perfect world every student would return on time from every extracurricular outing without question.

But what administration fails to understand is that this is not a perfect world and that such a scenario is virtually impossible in reality.

Students do not deserve punishment for unavoidable behavior. Administration

needs to accept the tardiness as inevitable and work around it. By taking into account that some students are going to be late upon return, student privileges can be restructured in a way that allows for a margin of error.

In the end, kids are going to skip school. Revoking privileges is just going to destroy a characteristic part of being an upperclassman and punish the many for the inevitable crimes of the few.

opinions Swearing too common, meaning lost page 12

Issue 4

staff reporter n epidemic has spread throughout the school’s corridors—not the usual spring flu or the latest fashion craze, but enough profanity to drive any parent mad. A few occasional swear words are to be expected, but there is nothing wrong enough in our little section of suburbia to create the profanity charged outbursts of which teenagers are so fond.

Swear words are unique in that they provide an outlet for anger and frustration that used to be expressed through crying and violence. Society frowns upon crying, especially by males, which makes swearing the main outlet. Swear words still have a use, as studies have shown that people can resist pain better when they are allowed to swear.

John Hopkins University states that even an individual’s brain treats swear words differently than other words. The brain flares up when it hears a swear word, the same way it does when the brain registers other powerful emotions.

Profanity is an important part of the English language and does play a crucial role, but it is abused. Swear words do not provide much emotional release in a crisis if their meaning has been destroyed by people who use them for trivial reasons.

Losing a limb in a car crash is an excellent excuse for dropping the “f-bomb,” but to tell your friends you need to use the “f-ing bathroom” destroys the value of the swear word entirely.

Teens think they are cool when they use gratuitous profanity to rebel against society and its rules, but it really makes them sound like immature children. A

study from John Hopkins Medical School investigated why teens of this generation swear so much. The results showed that teens swear primarily to gain attention from authority. Essentially, constant profanity will not make one “socially cool,” but instead paints a picture of a petulant child who is starved for attention.

Students fail to realize the potential consequences of swearing like a sailor.

Perhaps the most obvious is that people will judge them throughout their lives on whether or not they can control their tongue. If people think someone has a dirty mouth, they are likely to think that individual is an undesirable person overall, and first impressions are incredibly difficult to change.

Frequent attempts to impress people with profanity are typical behavior patterns of those who are emotionally and intellectually insecure. Emotionally secure people have no desire to use offensive words just to secure a place within a social clique. Important adults (think college admission officers) can see through the façade easily.

In terms of the intellectual insecurities of profanity, Henry David Thoreau said it best when he stated that, “profanity is the confession of a weak mind.” Individuals who are not intelligent enough to draw attention through cleverness use swear words for their shock value. Constant profanity is the last resort for someone who is desperate for attention.

Language is the most powerful tool a person has at his or her disposal, but some squander this gift with profanity in an effort to elicit cheap laughs. Teens need to wash out their mouths to clean out the stench of profanity.

increased. Because of this, seniors will pay more than they would have had to if only seniors attended the dance. The new location might not be as glamorous and intimate as it could be.

There are few schools in Seminole County that host a prom available to only seniors. Older schools in the area such as Oviedo High host proms that welcome both juniors and seniors.

Many seniors would even prefer a separate prom for juniors so that there would be fewer underclassmen at their prom.

If all classes are allowed to attend prom, a “seniors-only” label is useless.

This suggests that the prom is only for seniors, which is clearly not true.

Prom is supposed to be a night spent with

members of one’s own class. Attendance should be monitored more closely if the prom is to remain seniors-only. That way, seniors are able to enjoy their special night without the worry of underclassmen in attendance.

With the large number of non-senior students at prom, the event is basically the same as Homecoming, and therefore a less intimate experience for the senior class.

Prom is a privilege that seniors have earned after enduring four years of high school. Seniors have looked forward to prom as a rite of passage. They had to wait for their chance to attend.

Underclassmen should too.

Aidan Coffey

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illustration by justin moser

Senior-only prom overrun by underclassmen Robyn Smith

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and misbehave. Also, underclassmen who attend prom encourage other underclassmen to attend, thereby further increasing the number of underclassmen at prom.

It is understandable if someone goes to prom as a senior’s date; however, a large number of underclassmen come “just as friends” of seniors.

If every senior were to bring an underclassman friend to prom, there would be over 400 freshmen, sophomores and juniors at the dance. It is harder for seniors to celebrate their graduation and the end of high school if underclassmen outnumber them. In order to make prom the best possible night for seniors, underclassmen and juniors should not attend.

Because prom is supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, underclassmen lose out just as seniors do.

When someone attends multiple proms, their senior prom is not as special. Prom becomes familiar and does not have the same impact it would have had if students had only gone to their senior prom.

Additionally, when more people attend prom, the location must be bigger in order to fit everyone comfortably. A larger venue of the same quality costs more. To cover this cost, the ticket price must be

illu

co-news editor tudents dream about prom throughout their four years of high school. For many, the seniors-only dance is the highlight of high school.

But when more and more underclassmen attend, prom becomes less meaningful.

Underclassmen and juniors can only attend prom if a senior purchases a ticket for them. Most seniors invite underclassmen so they can spend a fun night together and enjoy the dance with their friends. While a minority of seniors want underclassmen there, others do not.

Allowing underclassmen to a seniorsonly prom is unfair to the seniors who want a night for just their class.

The senior class government and sponsor estimated about 700 seniors will attend prom this year. So far, more than 500 students have purchased tickets to the event. Out of those 500 students, onethird are underclassmen or juniors. This means that seniors will be surrounded by underclassmen at their own prom.

Many seniors dislike the presence of freshmen, sophomores, and juniors at prom because of different maturity levels. The whole night can be ruined if immature underclassmen attend

Prom attendees:

283 142 60 Seniors

Juniors/ Underclassmen

Students from other schools data compiled as of april 13, 2010

page 13 sports Valdes shows dedication to three sports April 15, 2010

Patrick McCormack

co-sports editor ess than 60 percent of high school students play sports; fewer still are dual sport athletes.

Truly, a rare amount of motivation is required to participate in three sports, yet junior Cristina Valdes does so with considerable results.

Valdes currently runs the 100 and 300 meter hurdles and competes in the triple jump and pole vault on the track and field team.

One of the better hurdlers in Seminole County, she holds the 100 meter record at Hagerty and placed fourth in the 2009 conference meet where eight schools attended.

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“The idea of being successful [motivates her],” track coach Matt Malkovich said.

“She’s not afraid of hard work.”

Valdes’ desire for success carries over into her other athletic pursuits as well. She participated in weightlifting this winter, and became one of the first girls to qualify for the sectional weightlifting meet, having placed third in her weight class in the county.

“She has a competitive nature about her,” head weightlifting coach Nate Gierke said.

“She loves a challenge which is a trait of any good athlete.”

Va l d e s ’ favorite sport, however, is

photo from dsp

gymnastics. She has been a gymnast since she was a child, and she is currently a level ten gymnast.

Valdes has participated in state and regional competitions.

She says that to stick with gymnastics for more than ten years and still to be able to participate in her other sports is her greatest athletic achievement.

Athletic participation has taught Valdes time management and responsibility and keeps her fit and healthy. In addition to athletics, she is dedicated to her schoolwork; she maintains a 3.8 GPA and is a member of the Science National Honor Society.

“I have to be organized and responsible,” Valdes said. “I find ways to [manage three sports

and schoolwork] before and after school.”

Even though she has an unusually demanding workload, Valdes maintains a positive attitude.

“She’s a very happy, charming young lady,” Malkovich said.

“I’ve never seen her slack off, whether it’s stretching before a race or before practice or a cool down run after practice.

She’s always had 100 percent effort.”

Valdes plans to continue gymnastics after high school and into college, and she might continue weightlifting.

“She’s got plenty of support whether she does it one way or another,” Malkovich said. “She’s a competitor.”

Cristina Valdes places in weightlifting, track and gymnastics events. photo provided by Cristina Valdes

page 14

Issue 4

Patrick’s picks Patrick McCormack co-sports editor o event affirms the glory of sport more definitely than the Olympic Games, an event that unites nations and produces heroes. The recent winter games in Vancouver fully lived up to and, in fact, surpassed many people’s expectations in both the richness of its stories and its exciting moments.

Similar to the Chinese in Beijing, the Canadians intended to make the Vancouver games “theirs,” and few could have foreseen the enormous success they would have in reaching this goal.

Prior to these games, Canada hosted two Olympic Games, and both times Canadians failed to bring home gold medals. Now Canada can boast 14 golds, the most of any nation in these games. In the eyes of Canadians, nothing could have surpassed this feat. One of their medals came in the dramatic (though unfortunate) hockey victory over the United States – a victory which Canadians had so long desired.

Americans also have plenty to boast about, which includes their record-setting 37 medals. Unlike in previous Olympics, many of these medals came in sports often ignored by the general population.

In Nordic combine (back-to-back ski jump and cross-country skiing), the US team took three medals including Billy Demong’s gold in the large hill and 10kilometer combine. Furthermore, the team’s two silvers came in a field stocked with traditional powers from the Alps and Scandinavia.

At Whistler Creekside, a slew of interesting stories developed on the Alpine Skiing slopes. Though unlucky at previous Olympics and suffering from a bruised shin, Lindsey Vonn won gold in her first event, Women’s Downhill.

Disappointingly, she only won one more medal, a bronze in the Super-G. In an interesting turn of events, a rivalry of sorts emerged between Vonn and her teammate Julia Mancuso, the silver medalist in the Downhill and Women’s Combined.

This rivalry came to a “tipping point” when a crash on the giant slalom by Vonn forced Mancuso to stop and repeat her run despite severely deteriorating conditions.

Because of this, Mancuso did not perform as well as she had hoped to and harbored not always concealed bitterness toward her teammate thereafter.

With a silver and two bronze medals, Apolo Anton Ohno became the most decorated athlete in Winter Olympics history. After an intense pre-Olympics training regimen, he performed very well in the short track series, which was unsurprisingly dominated by South Koreans. Ohno, the pop culture icon, certainly lived up to expectations, both personal and public.

One of the most controversial victories of the games came in Evan Lysacek’s Men’s Figure Skating gold. He won the gold even though his routine lacked the technically challenging quadruple toe loop. The absence of this trick came as a major source of dissatisfaction to Russian Skater Yevgeni Plushenko, who continues to claim that it is he who deserves the medal. He is so deluded that he awarded himself a “platinum” medal on his website. His actions show nothing but poor sportsmanship and immaturity.

Except for this blemish, the Vancouver games served as a model of the Olympic spirit of promoting international cooperation, aided by the generous attitude of the British Columbian Canadians.

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sports

sports shorts Tennis plays strongly in district Elaine Lam

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staff reporter ractice makes perfect.

To prepare for the season’s competition, the boys’ and girls’ varsity tennis teams keep up constant, consistent practices to refine their techniques and skills.

“Both teams have been playing pretty well this season, but the competition has definitely gotten better,” tennis Coach John Kohn said.

The tennis team consists of two varsity teams, one boy and one girl team.

Each team consists of nine players with 1 senior girl and 2 senior boys. For the team to play well together, the senior players instruct the newer players on the teams’ structure and rules.

Out of the 9 teams in the district playing singles and team rounds, the teams rank third or fourth overall.

“The upperclassmen set a good example for the younger players; they have good morals and good chemistry,” Kohn said.

With constant practice, both the boys’ and girls’ teams are able to keep up with other tennis teams. Players have

practice every day except Sunday. They are encouraged to practice on their own time , however, as well as participate in the United States Tennis Association (USTA).

The USTA gives players a chance to meet people and play outside of school.

At each practice, players perform various drills for an hour to refine their technique, and then they play against other members in their team. The frequent, mandatory trainings prepare the two teams for upcoming competitions.

Regardless of the weather, students find a way to play. Many games have been cancelled due to bad weather. Even with the rain outs and better competition, the teams have managed to win a few games, including the March 1 games with Oviedo.

With all team members working on their own time and during practices, the team insists on keeping up a good rank throughout the entire season.

“Everyone has been putting a lot of effort into this season and I hope that it will all pay off when we play in the district games,” junior Miguel Carvajal said.

The teams will continue their practices to play in the district games on Apr 12.

photo by elaine lam

Junior Miguel Carvajal starts his serve in a home match against Lyman.

Lifters work to victories Elaine Lam

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Junior Chris Bosco presses 255 lbs. in a weightlifting match against Lyman.

Lacrosse steps it up Jeff Howell

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graphics editor he Varsity Boy’s Lacrosse team is finished with their season. April 6 started the district tournament.

With the recent loss against Lake Brantley in the District Championship, the team finished the season with a record of 6-10.

But with 19 seniors leaving the team after this year, the team will definitely need to be changed for next year.

“It will be a rebuilding year,” said senior defender Andy Shriver.

Last year saw the loss of many seniors as well, some of who played for the entire four years.

“We did have to fill a lot of spots that the seniors used to fill,” said senior defender Jamison Lenczyk.

Both Shriver and Lenczyk agreed that the team needed to do better at practices and games.

“We do work hard, but we could work harder,” said Shriver.

The boys went into the district tournament with their first game against Oviedo on the first day of the tournament.

The boys played hard and were able to win 10-9 in overtime.

The second game was for the district championship against Lake Brantley on April 8. The boys tried to defeat Lake Brantley but fell short and lost 3-18.

photo from www.hagertyhigh.scps.k12.fl.us

Freshman varsity member Anthony Fiorini cradles the ball in a home game against Seminole.

staff reporter he boys’ weightlifting team is on its way to another successful season as the conference championships and sectionals approach.

The season’s success became evident as the team beat Lake Mary for the first time on March 3.

Juniors Chris Bosco and Xavier Brewer both won 2 out of 3 of the matches in their weight class and are on their way to the conference championships. Bosco lifts in the 154 pound class while Brewer lifts in the 129 pound class.

“We’ve been working really hard so I think that we have a really good chance of placing high this year,” said Bosco.

Although the team consists of younger students than last year, they have been able to rank number 2 overall. Mostly juniors and sophomores participate in this season, since many of the senior lifters left last year.

The athletes practice two kinds of lifts: bench and clean and jerk. The students concentrate on their chest and their lifting technique to build up their upper body strength.

In this way, the team has decreased the number of injuries from last season. The students lift lighter weights but perform more repetitions. This helps the lifters increase their endurance without muscle strain and muscle tears.

With less injury occurrences, lifters are able to participate more often during training sessions to prepare for each of the upcoming competitions.

“Everyone is in it together, always working towards improvement,” weightlifting coach Nate Gierke said.

sports

page 15

April 15, 2010

College-bound athletes earn recognition Kristin Krawczyk

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business manager ore than 4,000 colleges are in the United States. The college coaches scout out the top high school athletes to better the school’s athletic program. These athletes are persuaded

to commit to these schools and are given benefits to pursue their sport in college.

This year, at least four seniors have been signed by various colleges throughout the United States for their athletic abilities.

“Ever since I was little, I wanted to get a college scholarship,” senior Kayla Hani

said. “I looked up to the older girls [at my gym] who all got college scholarships when I was younger, and I wanted one, too.”

Hani’s goal was fulfilled when she signed to Ball State University in Muncie, IN for gymnastics.

Seniors Amanda McIntosh, Ashley Seymour and Brandon Bixler have similar stories. McIntosh signed to play volleyball as Florida State College Jacksonville.

Seymour wanted to run cross country in college since the eighth grade and now finally got the chance to do so at Western Texas College.

Bixler signed to Florida Gulf Coast University because of their rising baseball program, which is ranked twenty-fourth in the nation. “[Being chosen] was like a weight off my shoulders,” Bixler said.

According to the coaches, their signed athletes assumed the role of leaders during

practices and games. The students also grew as athletes through their four years of high school.

“As a female athlete, Ashley progressed from the kid we worried about in terms of finishing practices to the kid we are amazed by when she competed in the FHSAA state cross country finals sicker than any other athlete I have coached in my 20 years,” cross country coach Jay Getty said.

The coaches agreed that all of the athletes’ hard work paid off by being signed by these colleges. “[Bixler] has grown into a leader and become more mentally strong and that has helped him grow into a really good pitcher,” baseball coach Jared Goodwin said. “He is one of those kids that when he takes the mound, he thinks he is better than the batter he is facing. Having that attitude will take Brandon a long way in his future in baseball.”

Gymnast Kayla Hani, her mother, father and sister celebrate Kayla’s scholarship to Ball State University.

photos from http://www.hagertyhigh.scps.k12.fl.us/

Volleyball player Amanda McIntosh writes her signature, finalizing her scholarship to Florida State College Jacksonville.

page 16

Issue 4

feature

ChangingCharacter

“Costume Playing” is a new form of performing art that draws on its participants’ creativity.

Franco part of c os-scene Jem Mason

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for fabric and a wig, whereas others spend hundreds.

“Most of my family thinks it’s weird that I dress up as characters from shows,” Franco said. “But they think it’s cool that I can make each outfit.”

At conventions, people recognize the characters Franco imitates and approach her to admire her work and talk about the series. To stay in contact with newly made friends, Franco often exchanges usernames for cosplay sites and continues to talk with them online.

“It’s great [talking online], because you get closer to the other cosplayers and it’s easier to plan photo shoots or meet up with them outside of conventions,” Franco said.

Thanks to online sites, like DeviantArt. com where art and cosplay is featured, friends and fans of Franco’s cosplay also follow her work. As a result of her online fan base, Franco has been recognized out of costume in everyday dress.

“I don’t know how, but people just know me from conventions,” Franco said.

“It is weird because no one ever sees my actual face since I am so disguised under my makeup and wig. But for some reason people come up to me and talk to me about conventions they’ve seen me at.”

While Franco appreciates the admiration of friends and fans, her motivation for such effort on her cosplay comes from an internal source.

“You can express yourself through the costume, like showing what you like,” Franco said. “And the conventions let you be yourself because it is not like you can walk out in a costume and be normal.”

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staff reporter ostume play, better known as cosplay, is a niche for creative fans to sew and showcase costumes of their favorite characters. These characters range from Japanese video games to cartoons also called anime.

Although cosplay is not well known, freshman Becca Franco is an active part of the scene.

Franco first discovered cosplay when she found a cosplay group on the Internet.

She took interest in the creativity of cosplay. Justin Franco, her older brother, explained to her about cosplay and anime conventions where cosplayers congregate.

“It sounded cool so I tried it out,” Franco said. “I really liked it and I wanted to continue cosplay with all my friends.”

Although there are many pre-made cosplay outfits available online, Franco sews each of her cosplays.

“Making your cosplays yourself feels so much better than just buying it [from a store],” Franco said.

Franco puts her time and effort into her cosplay. During the school year, she sews and styles her wigs for months to create a single outfit.

“To be a good cosplayer you need to not just throw things in your closet together,” Franco said. “You need to make an effort.

You cannot just spray paint your hair or buy an expensive cosplay from Ebay; people can tell when you do.”

When Franco sews her outfits and does not buy them, she saves quite a bit of money. She is able to spend about $60

Franco portrays anime character Sasuke Uchiha in the outfit she created.

Creating the Costume: 1

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The first step in cosplay is choosing a Create: After buying material, it is time to begin making character. Once a character is chosen, research is needed to the cosplay. For those with little sewing experience, it is best to find what outfit to make and what materials will be needed buy a pattern and sew the outfit according to the pattern. Be sure to pay attention to details found from research. to create the outfit accurately.

Research:

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Franco gets into charac ter as she mod els her crea tions. all pho to

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Franco has portrayed each the following character in her hobby of costume playing:

Finishing touches:

With the outfit sewn, a cosplay Take your cosplay out: The final part of cosplay is is still incomplete without an accurate wig and accessories. taking it out of the house and into the world. Go to an anime When wearing cosplay, it is best to use make up to define convention or meet up with fellow cosplayers to socialize, exfacial features and hide blemishes for males and females. change sewing tips and have fun!

•Sasuke Uchiha from Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto •L Lawliet from Tsugumi Ohba’s Death Note •Haruko Haruhara from Hajime Ueda’s FLCL (Fooly Cooly) •Rabbit Boy from deviantart user Mikeinel’s video Draw with Me •Lelouch Lamperouge/Zero from Ichiro Okouchi’s Code Geass •San from Hayao Miyzaki’s Princess Mononoke