The BluePrint - Volume 8, Issue 2

HAGERTY HIGH SCHOOL

3225 LOCKWOOD BLVD. OVIEDO, FL 32765

INDEX

the

blueprint

Rezoning.....................4 Super subs................7 Presidential election..8-9 Volleyball victory........14 College football.........16

vol. 8, issue 2

Nov. 5, 2012

Millage mayhem Matilda von Kalm

T

Managing Editor he next president of the United States might get the majority of the press, but it is not the only thing Seminole County voters will decide on Tuesday. The Nov. 6 ballot will also give the option to vote on the millage referendum, a property tax that would add an additional dollar for every thousand dollars, or one mill, of assessed property value for homeowners, starting in November 2013.

If passed, the Seminole County Public School Board would determine how much money, up to one mill, would be needed to continue funding SCPS schools. The money is estimated to generate up to $25 million in additional revenue for the school system in the four years it would be in effect.

“The money would go into the general operating budget, which means that it could impact any priority that the [school] board established,” Executive Director Dr. Michael Blasewitz said.

Some of the programs hurt by the current lack of financial support include air conditioning systems and fire alarms. The county also lacks the money to update the bus system, which according to state and federal guidelines should be updated every ten years, though some are over 18 years old.

Principal Sam Momary feels that if the schools decline, fewer new residents will move to Seminole County, and housing values will continue to decline.

“Nothing is free in our world, and a quality education system requires quality teachers, quality instructional materials, and lots of hard work,” Momary said. “Without this, student

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achievement levels will deteriorate. So our citizens need to step up.”

Many of these financial problems have remained from the failure to pass the one cent sales tax increase in 2010. The tax was estimated to raise $133 million for SCPS schools.

“Orange County residents have passed both a millage increase and a sales tax that leaves them with $600 more per student per year than we do, though they lag behind SCPS in performance measurements,” Blasewitz said.

Voters who oppose the tax, such as the Seminole County Republican Party, reason that the referendum will increase financial obligations for landowners in Seminole County. Other landowners, however, will do whatever it takes to help the education system.

“At one of the events I spoke at [about the millage referendum] a single mother told me with tears in her eyes that she would work a second or a third job so she could give her daughter the future she had dreamed of for her,” former Magic coach and chairman of Citizens for the Preservation of Property Values Stan Van Gundy said.

If the referendum passes, the average added cost per household will be less than $9 a month, or $80 a year, for the average $150,000 dollar house. The millage referendum is on the last page of the Seminole County ballot and the fourth to last item from the bottom, which has worried supporters that it will be skipped or not seen when citizens vote.

“I suggest turning over the ballot when you receive it, voting yes for the millage, then going back and voting for the president,” School Board Member Dede Schaffner said.

things to do this month

Education tax. Advocates of the Millage Referendum stand outside the Seminole County Public Library to raise awareness while protestors make it clear they are not in favor of higher property taxes. The increase would cost homeowners an average of $9 more a month. photo by Isabelle Sarnek

 Great Day in the Country  Annual Arts and Crafts Fair  Turkey Trot

[Nov. 10] Enjoy the food stands, live [Nov. 6] [Nov. 16] entertainment and family Tune in to find out the outcome of Support cancer awareness at the friendly games from 9 a.m. the 2012 presidental election beUniversity Carillon United Methodto dusk. Come and see the tween Senator Romney and Presi- ist Church from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

SCPS art showcase and dent Obama, as well as the results with Oviedo’s favorite food trucks support local artists. of the 12 proposed amendments. from around the city.

2012 Presidental Election

Relay For Life Food Truck Rally

[Nov. 16 - Nov. 17, Nov. 18] Come and enjoy familyoriented art shows and child friendly crafts in Winter Springs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 18. Admission is free.

[Nov. 22] The Track Shack is hosting a Thanksgiving Day 5k (3.1 miles) at Lake Eola at 8 a.m. Come out wearing the best pilgrim hat or turkey costume.

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news

Ten qualify for National Merit program Haley Gaeser

S

Opinions Editor

tudents receive many awards, but few are as significant as the National Merit and the National Achievement scholarships.

“I studied every night for weeks before the exam by using the SAT booklet,” senior Eric Anschuetz said.

The National Merit award honors students who are academically talented and have received the highest scores for all juniors on the PSAT. They do not know their scores until later in their senior year.

The National Achievement award provides recognition to outstanding African American students. They can also apply for the Merit award but will only be honored for one.

“When I found out that I got it I was so happy and super excited. I was kind of expecting it though because I felt like I knew all of the material,” senior Jennifer Lam said.

16,000 of high scorers represent less than one percent of the nations graduating seniors as semifinalists.

Ten students were honored in either one of the two categories: Eric Anschuetz, Adam Berlinski, Kaylie Catlin, Chang-Hyun Choi, Jennifer Lam, Nicholas Maier, Jessica Valdes and Jenna White who received the National Merit award and Austin Amos and Christopher Valentine who received the National Achievement award. These students are semifinalists and will find out in February if they make the requirements to move on.

The process to become a finalist consists of filling out an application which lists the student’s grades, SAT scores and extracurricular activities.

“The application is supposed to prove that we did not cheat on the test and that it was not some random fluke,” Jennifer Lam said.

The scholarships received by the winners of the contest can be used

what’s news?

PINK’D The third annual Breast Cancer Research Awareness month took place throughout October. Different clubs around the school teamed up through events such as the PINK’D Out Pig Out and the PINK’D football game to raise over $5,000 to donate to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

GREAT DAY IN THE COUNTRY Oviedo Woman’s Club is hosting the annual Arts & Crafts show on Saturday, Nov. 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It takes place at Lawton Elementary School and features artwork and performances from numerous Hagerty students.

JUNIOR PRIVILEGES The junior class has their first privilege on Nov. 7 during periods 4 and 7. Students must be back at school by 11:50 for fifth period. Privileges can be purchased in Ms. Jamison’s room, 6-117B, for $10 and must be attached to the payment when turned in. The form can be found on the school website.

JV DANCE The JV dance team traveled with the band to Deland on Nov. 3 to compete in the MPA competition. They performed as part of the rEvolution performance.

MARCHING BAND ReVOLUTIONIZES The marching band received the title of grand champion of the Colonial Invitational on Oct. 27 with their 2012 show rEvolution. They also won first place in class 5A and were deemed most outstanding music and most outstanding visual in their class.

for many colleges, in or out of state.

Although some schools do not accept the scholarship, it is still worth it.

“The University of Central Florida offers really good scholarships for the award whereas the University of Florida offers almost nothing,” Anschuetz said. “It seems that the harder the school is to get into, the less money you receive.”

There are different types of awards for National Merit and National Achievement. For both scholarships, students can receive a $2,500 single payment scholarship as well as a corporate sponsored scholarship which can be renewable for up to four years. There is also an additional scholarship for National Merit which is college sponsored.

To honor these students for all of their hard work, there was a recognition ceremony held at the school on Oct. 23.

“I felt like our parents were more excited than we were,” senior Jessica

photo by Devin Becker

Top scholars. Seniors Eric Anschuetz, Adam Berlinski, Kaylie Catlin, ChangHyun Choi, Jennifer Lam, Nicholas Maier, Jessica Valdes and Jenna White post during a National Merit semi-finalist ceremony. They represent the top one percent of the nation’s juniors.

Valdes said. “They were smiling ear to ear. It was sweet.”

Another ceremony will take place on Nov. 16 at UCF where a free dinner will be provided to all of the winners and their families.

The National Merit and National Achievement scholarships are prestigious awards given to students with good work ethic. Whether they make it to the finalists or not, they certainly have left their mark.

Anti-bullying club fights back Jessica Jeffers Staff Reporter he sits in the back of every class and has her music volume blasted on high. She listens to Sleeping With Sirens and knows that others talk about her and spread rumors slowly kill her inside.

The Anti-Bullying club was made for students that feel the same way.

This club is for people who are bullies and need to learn consequences, and for the student being bullied who needs to talk to someone or have a group to help support them. It is even a place for those students who do not fall into either category and enables them to learn what to do when something like this happens.

“There are too many individuals committing suicide or refusing to attend classes because of being bullied,” English teacher and antibullying club sponsor said. The purpose is to ultimately save lives and provide hope for people,” English teacher and anti-bullying club sponsor Clifphene Reid said.

The anti-bullying club was created to prevent bullying within our school,

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prevent suicides due to bullying and harassment, and to create a better and friendlier atmosphere at school. This club is for students being bullied and also for students who want to prevent bullying or any student who wants to dissolve bullying in school and local communities.

“I started catching myself more when I would think about someone since I started the club. I feel like since I started this club I should set an example for everyone else at this school,” sophomore treasurer Lexi George said.

The club meets on the first Thursday of every month in room 7-202. They discuss upcoming events and projects, watch videos and do different activities for anti-bullying.

The club wants to start an antibullying week in January, be a talent show, a movie night and fundraisers throughout the year for local charities.

“I want to create a friendlier and safer environment for students.

Safety goes beyond just the physical aspects, but into the emotional and mental safety needs that need to be enhanced. Students should feel free to be themselves,” Reid said.

Bullying Facts • 3.7 million teens engage in bullying • 3.2 million are victims of bullying • Bullying usually goes unnoticed because kids are afraid to “tattle” • It has become a much larger problem today than it used to be • Most school shootings are caused by kids who feel victimized • 160,000 students stay home each day to avoid bullying • 60 percent of students report that adults do not step in to stop bullying.

• More than 25 percent of girls surveyed feel that they do not have more than one adult to talk to. compiled from www.bullyfree.com

3 New director begins with play within a play news

Natalie Castle Student Connections Editor

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umpkins, Halloween, loads of candy- all the ingredients of the fall season, and with it comes the annual school play. However, this year, it was not a typical school play.

With a show that boasted a unique plot and a new director to lead, the theatre department showed off with “Noises Off!” Noises Off was a play about a play where the actors work to create the show, Nothing On. As the British comedy went awry, the actors dealt with tension in their relationships while trying to put on a performance.

Nothing On took place in modern times and showed the various couples of the show as they sneak into a foreclosed home together.

Nothing On featured a cast of nine characters including Lloyd, the director played by senior Justin Hughes and a housekeeper played by

senior Jamie Everett.

“The really crazy housekeeper really added to the comedic element and made the show even more fun and interesting.” senior Eric Callovi, who plays Gary said.

Since the play Noises Off! showed the progress of making a play, the audience were able to see both the backstage aspects and onstage aspects of what happens at an actual play.

“The play within the play shows the progress as more exaggerated than it really is in real life,” Callovi said. “The atoms are the same, but the element is different.”

One hurdle the actors had to overcome was the separate portrayal of two characters- one character in Noises Off and completely different character in Nothing On. “Sometimes that got confusing, but after awhile I genuinely felt how the character feels and it was easy to make the performance believable,”

Callovi said.

The backstage crews also tried new ideas. For this show, the costumes department used colors to represent the characters’ attitudes.

For the character of Brooke [played

by Alexa Johnson] her dress was red with a white slip showing underneath.

“We wanted to show the white to represent innocence with the red on top to show that she is not completely innocent,” costume crew member Cassie Hess said.

Along with the uncommon story, the crew and cast experienced changes with the new director, Anne Stout.

“The style is very different and the floor is more open,” Johnson said. “The vision from everyone is the same and all the actors give their input instead of just a director deciding everything.”

As the theatre department grew closer as a family, the actors saw Stout’s professional experience shine

photo by Anesu Mucherera

Getting into character. Sophomore Alexa Johnson and senior Zach Smith perform during the play Noises Off! The actors enjoyed the play within a play.

through as she gave the actors tips to make the actors successful in the real world of theatre.

After several weeks of nonstop work, late hours at school, and a weekend of performances, the actors left the stage with standing ovations, loud applause and more confidence than every before.

The initial confusion from the audience at the teasers subsided after they saw the entire performance.

The actors agreed that the shows ran smoothly and that the plot was well interpreted by the audience.

“Noises Off! really left the audience thinking ‘Wow, I can’t wait for the next show,’” Johnson said.

Homecoming week shows “How Far We’ve Come”

Darbi Filliben

H

News Editor

omecoming week took place Oct. 8-12. Throughout the entire week students were given the chance to wear their pajamas, prehistoric outfits, decade specific attire, and zombie costumes.

Night activities included Flick on the 50, the H-Factor and the Hypnotist show as well as a televised volleyball game.

The juniors and seniors continued their rivalry on Thursday night during the PowderPuff game, where the seniors won with a score of 28-14.

In a close game on Friday night, the football team won their second game of the season when they beat Lake Minneola 34-32.

During halftime, homecoming court was presented and Tayler Johnson and Justin Hughes were crowned homecoming queen and king.

The festivities concluded on Saturday night when “The Last Dance” took place. The dance was decorated with an end-of-the-world, apocalyptic theme.

photo by Devin Becker

Royalty. Seniors Tayler Johnson and Justin Hughes celebrate over their new royal titles. Johnson and Hughes were crowned Homecoming King and Queen at halftime at the Homecoming football game against Lake Minneola.

photo by Devin Becker

photo by Devin Becker

Strike a pose. Junior PowderPuff cheerleader Marcos Arroyo performs during his halftime routine of the PowderPuff football games. The juniors and seniors had an intense rivalry that took place throughout the entire week.

Zombie attack. Senior Alana Carey walks the Homecoming parade as a zombie. The parade personified the different time periods that have taken place throughout history and went along with this year’s theme of “How Far We’ve Come.”

photo by Isabelle Sarnek

Just dance. Senior Allison Lujan dances with her date Jonah Kozlowski at “The Last Dance.” The homecoming dance was the final event of the spirit week and closed out the Homecoming theme “How Far We’ve Gone.”

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news

Population increases force county wide rezoning

Daniella Parcell

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Staff Reporter

ue to an imbalance of populations in public schools, Seminole County has started to rezone, or change the attendance boundaries, of elementary schools to take effect by the beginning of the 2013 school year.

The rezone is made possible by a new geographic information system that will allow the school board to know where every student lives and how many students are at each school.

“For every type of unit that there is, we have an idea of how many elementary, middle, and high school students that will be generated in each area,” Deputy Superintendent George Kosmac said.

The number of students who eat free and reduced lunch also factors into the rezone.

According to Kosmac, the goal is to balance the number of free and reduced lunch students at each school and bring

each school to the average amount to prevent the creation of “rich” and “poor” schools.

With the differences in populations of elementary schools, there is also the risk of schools closing. While there were no closures this year, with schools such as Carillon Elementary under capacity, the risk has remained high.

“From a budget standpoint, it makes sense to close schools that are not in use,” first grade teacher at Evans Elementary Stephanie Ward said. “I worry in the sense that any school closing will be a challenge to many families and they will not support the closing, which will have an extremely negative impact on the entire community.”

The rezone and possible closure of schools are sure to trigger emotions of the parents of students at the effected schools.

Parent Heather Siudak was effected by the closure of Longwood Elementary last year.

“Closing a school has the effect

on students, teachers and families like a divorce would. A school is sometimes the only safe place a child has,” Siudak said. “To close a school is like telling the kids no one cares for their feelings or well being.

Everyone has to adjust to a new school, new teachers, new rules.”

After the elementary schools are finished, the stage will be set for high schools to rezone, which will take effect in August 2014. Rising seniors will be allowed to stay at their original school as long as they are able to provide their own transportation, but students in lower grades will be required to attend their new school, even if they can provide transportation. Current freshman whose schools are rezoned, will be forced to spend two years at one school and then transfer to another one for their last two years.

“The curriculum system can be a lot different between schools,” freshman Vanessa Quolke said. “It would be hard to readapt to a new style of school.”

Imagining a better future?

Seminole County Public High School Populations 3340

2944 2306

2845 2237

2398

2096

Population Graph. After elementary school rezoning, Seminole County will begin rezoning plans for high schools. Due to the unbalanced populations, high school rezoning will be put into motion in the near future.

Because of a system called sibling-linked transfer, siblings of rising fifth, eighth, and twelfth grade students will be allowed to stay at their original school if they were to be rezoned. However, once the older sibling graduates, the link is broken, which forces the younger sibling

must go to the school that they are zoned for.

“Rezoning will impact students on the social aspect,” Ward said.

“They have bonded with their friends and will find it difficult to start all over from the beginning at a brand new school.”

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lifestyles

Dixon super subs keep it in the family Ellie Bonck

T

Staff Reporter

hree years ago, students started to put two and two together, and figured out that the Dixons were not only substitutes, but also married. One boy in Mrs. Dixon’s class asked her if Mr. Dixon was her husband and when she said yes, he replied with “I thought so, you look exactly alike!”

Todd Dixon, his wife Mike Dixon, and their daughter Molly Embry all substitute at Hagerty. For Todd and Mike Dixon, after retiring from teaching in 2005, they both thought that substituting in high school would be a fun way to spend their time and stay occupied. As substitutes, their style of teaching is to treat all students as they would want to be treated, as adults, with respect and lots of humor, along with emphasis on academic excellence. They try to follow the plan that the teacher left for them, but give the students a little bit of leeway.

“We love teaching high school kids, because you get a snapshot of an individual before they take that first step into the real world,” Dixon said.

“I just think it’s so cute that they both ended up working at the same

school together,” sophomore Hayden Goshorn said.

Before becoming a substitute teacher, Todd was a fighter pilot in the Vietnam War and the Cold War, and traveled to places like Europe, North Africa, South East Asia, and all over the United States. When in Germany during the Cold War, the Dixons met for the first time. Mike was married to another man who was good friends with Todd, and flew F-4 Phantoms with him.

When Mike’s husband was killed in a plane crash in France, she moved back to Florida. Shortly after, Todd also moved back to Florida. They were good friends for a short time, and then they started dating. One year later, they got married, and along with the three daughters Mike already had, they subsequently had a son.

One of their daughters, Embry, began substituting last year. Since then, she has had the opportunity to be a long term sub twice. Embry is now in the process of upgrading her degree to become a full time teacher because she has enjoyed it so much.

After living in Texas for two years, the Dixon family moved to Izmir, Turkey for a couple of years after that.

“It was an interesting East meets

West experience,” said Todd. The Dixons also lived in Virginia and South Carolina before Todd retired.

When they moved back to Florida, Mike headed up the home economics department at East Lake High School, and Todd took a job in the ESE department. Mike Dixon said

that students should be the best that they can be, achieve all they can in life, persevere when things get rough because they will, and tend to their spiritual lives.

“Never cease to dream, it is never too late, and always believe anything is possible,” Mike said.

the school on Sept. 25.

As far as going to the actual college, there are plenty of opportunities to go sightseeing.

Students can register to visit at any college at any time from the college’s website.

“The application process is constantly changing, so it is important that students pay attention to college visits so they can get all the information they need,” College Room Coordinator Mary Cullen said.

“Students also need to ask questions. One of he best ways to get information is from the college itself.

The college room is open to anyone who needs information on college visits, applications, or on the colleges themselves. According

to Cullen, if students need college information, the time to act is soon.

The earlier students act, the more informed they will be and the higher chance they will have of their college applications being approved.

“The visit to UF really helped me realize what classes look good on my application and to really try in school” senior Isabelle Arrell said.

Information on visits for certain groups and individuals are available on the university’s website and in the college room.

“They told us about the dorms and different things that go on at the school. It really made me want to actually go to UF,” Arrell said.

Colleges like UCF, Seminole State and Full Sail University offer

tours and visits of their campus regularly. During these visits, students can set up meetings with professors, go on a tour, or in some cases spend the night in a mock dorm to get the full college experience.

“The guy you could sit down with and talk to during a college visit could very well be the guy who reviews your application,” Cullen said.

To partake in college visits at Hagerty, students need to simply sign up for them in the College and Career room.

To visit a college or university students can find out more information in the college room, or they can schedule personal tours with the college from their respective websites.

photo by Isabelle Sarnek

Family time. Todd and Mike Dixon report for a day of substituting. The Dixon family has been substituting at Hagerty since 2005.

College visits help prepare for higher education Ben Sorkin

T

Staff Reporter

he upper class is about to start to feel the pressure. They have to worry about college testing, homework, jobs, getting good grades and juggling whatever else they have going on. But, this does not mean the college room should go unvisited.

There are two kinds of college visit: one which involves the student going to the college and the other, which involves a college representative coming on campus.

Colleges are constantly visiting.

Big colleges are out and about, offering visits to local schools starting in the beginning of the school year.

Rollins College, for example, visited

That Sounds Familiar...

The hypocrisy of the anti-bullying movement

Matilda von Kalm Managing Editor Society has made it a focal point to teach adolescents the prevention and consequences of bullying. I have seen the tear-jerking videos and the celebrity endorsements that all tell me that making fun of another human being is wrong.

Yet when I log onto any social media site and see a girl with a “natural hair, no makeup #tellmeimpretty” picture, I am the first to judge.

But no one can blame me. After all, I am a product of society and my environment just like everyone else. My 11-year-old sister learns that it’s okay to make fun of the heavy girl on the dance team when I laugh as she calls her fat. Wait, I suddenly think. Maybe I shouldn’t encourage this. But I’ve already showed her through my actions that someone she respects thinks she is funny when she makes fun of other people’s flaws, and I can’t undo that with a “Hey. Stop being mean, Sophie.”

But then Canadian teen Amanda Todd commits suicide and leaves a heartbreaking video on YouTube in which she explains how she was bullied for over three years and suddenly everyone is up in arms, trying to convince one another and themselves that they aren’t that extreme when it comes to bullying. “Whoa girl, when I made fun of your body I said it in a semihumorous way, followed by a ‘just kidding’, so you aren’t allowed to take it seriously and get all upset.”

So we all take a step back and reflect on how maybe we should change the way we talk to others and treat our peers, and how maybe next time the weird girl sitting behind you says “Hi,” you won’t roll your eyes and wish she understood that when you copy her homework every day, you are not initiating a friendship. Because just being nice is a risk no self-respecting high school student can afford to take.

6 O HOW T

lifestyles

GANGNAM STYLE 1. THE COWBOY

Fold one arm in front of chest and put the other arm in the air creating a lasso; combine with galloping step for full effect.

2. THE GALLOP

Move legs in a galloping motion first step to the left, then right, rotating from one foot to the other. Then add bounce. This movement should be fast.

3. THE HORSEBACK

Cross arms at wrist and move arms in an upward wave movement. It should look like riding a horse. illustration by Lexi Rossow and Keith Clowney

GALLOPING gangnam Lauren Lee

E

Staff Reporter

ver since it went viral worldwide, “Gangnam Style”

by PSY has achieved major dance domination; students have been affected by the random dance moves and Korean singing of the unique song.

The Gangnam Style dance includes a set of hip and leg movements with various hand gestures at a consistent style. The first step is to move the hands in an up and down motion, the second making a lasso in the air and the third step is moving the legs up and down in a stomping motion.

What encouraged sophomore Sam McGinnis and junior Jonathan Napolitano to try the Gangnam style steps of the dance. They both agree that the steps are hard to learn at first, but fun to perform.

After convincing McGinnis that it would be an awesome idea to make a flash mob, the two students teamed up to make it happen during break.

“I had seen that Jonathon made a Facebook status about wanting someone to do a Gangnam style dance flash mob at school, so I organized it and invited him. A lot of people wanted to attend, mostly because of how random and hilarious it would be,” McGinnis said.

Another student also used the “Gangnam Style” popularity for his own benefit. When asking junior Lexi Rossow to homecoming, senior Jake Egan created a flipbook on sticky notes of 36 drawings of someone dancing to “Gangnam Style,” depicting all of the dance moves PSY performs. At the end of the cartoon, he wrote a note that asks her to homecoming.

“The reason I did it was because it is an inside joke between us, and if I was going to ask someone to homecoming, why not do it in an extremely cool way?” Egan said.

Just like the song “Soulja Boy,” another song-and-dance combination popular in 2005, the “Gangnam Style” phenomenon has dominated the dance floors. Students have been

dancing to the Korean pop at their homes, parties, homecoming and everywhere it is played. On Youtube, it received over 336 million views.

“The [Gangnam Style] dance is so different, new, and very strange, but it is one of the most entertaining dances to do in a big group. So many people dance to it, most of the students do, me being one of them, because it is so amusing to watch,” sophomore Ane Jonigan said.

The lyrics in the song “Gangnam Style” translate to a humble guy and his pretty girl calling out to his brother.

“If you translate the song lyrics from Korean to English, the song is hilariously stupid, which makes it more fun to listen to,” McGinnis said.

In one part of the song, PSY basically says, ‘On top of the running man is the flying man, I’m a man who knows a thing or two.’

“I don’t even understand the lyrics, but that is what makes it more fun to dance to. He could be saying anything, but it just makes it amusing to have no idea,” Napolitano said.

Twitter fights should be filtered #subtweet Daniella Parcell

I

Staff Reporter

n the realm of social networking, Twitter and Instagram are taking over as sites to not only express opinions, but also bash others.

“With Twitter you feel like you can put anything you want,” sophomore Hayden Goshorn said.

“Part of the reason is that there are no parents on there.”

In a recent Twitter fight, one high school girl (who wanted to remain anonymous) hooked up with another girl’s boyfriend and Tweeted about it, which caused the other girl to Tweet how trashy the first girl was. Many of the girls’ friends and eventually a coach got involved, leading to a long, heated argument.

“People say anything they want on Twitter and others get mad and annoyed,” freshman Taryn

Wheeler said. “Twitter is more for complaining.”

Although some fights are started unintentionally and caused by misunderstandings, they are more often started when someone directly attacks or cyber-bullies another user. The End to Cyberbullying Organization states that approximately 1 in 3 teens have reported that they have been bullied over the Internet. Twitter and occasionally Instagram are just the latest outlets for this issue.

“I think cyber-bullying is a really big problem,” junior Emily Ostrom said. “It really crushes peoples’ self esteem.”

According to Wheeler, one fight started after a girl began posting pictures of herself on Instagram that others thought were weird or unusual, and then a group of girls took a picture that made fun of her.

“People started commenting on it and laughing,” Wheeler said.

“Then someone tagged that girl in the picture and she commented on it, ‘Oh real mature guys’ and everyone got in this big fight.”

Arguments on the Internet not only affect those involved, but also spark the attention of people who just see the fight. Sophomore Sarah Parker said she has not been a part of an online fight, but has witnessed one and felt like she was in the middle of it.

“It was between two people about a subject that I knew about and had a strong opinion on,” Parker said. “So I did Tweet some things that were opinionated but I didn’t Tweet them directly to those people.”

When teens have something to say about another but do not tag that person in the Tweet it is called “Subtweeting”. This is a popular way for someone to get their opinion across, but not say it to someone directly.

“Subtweeting starts a lot of drama

because people think it’s about them, but sometimes it’s about someone else,” Goshorn said. “No one knows who it’s truly about unless you say it.”

Whether teens are directly Tweeting or Subtweeting one another, fights have dominated the Internet and victims are sure to feel an emotional impact.

“Fights affect people negatively because there are tears between friendships,” said Parker. “It just creates a negative attitude.”

7 Teacher pregnancies bring joy, long term subs lifestyles

Ryan O’Connor

S

Staff Reporter

ome people would prefer to take it easy while pregnant, but anatomy teacher Brandi Malkovich taught classes right until she was forced on maternity leave.

Pregnancy for teachers often means they have to take a quarter or half the school year off and have their class be taught by a long-term substitute.

However, Malkovich used her pregnancy to her advantage and incorporated it into a classroom lesson for her students.

“I turned it into a lesson going through the different processes,” Malkovich said.

Even while on her maternity leave, Malkovich said that her students continued to perform well academically.

One thing that made it easier was that Malkovich’s students were curious when she was pregnant with her now five month-old daughter Miley Joe and would constantly ask her how she felt, which she said “made her job easier.”

Transitions are not always so smooth. Science teacher Angela Campbell had to go on maternity leave earlier than expected, missing the final 11 weeks of school.

Campbell worried that her students would not be as focused as they

needed to be.

“Those kids want to push,” Campbell said.

Since Campbell was gone during the last part of the year, she was worried that her Biology students were not focused enough for their End of Course exams, and that having a long-term substitute would negatively impact their scores.

This is one of the major worries for teachers who miss several weeks— students will miss out on significant portions of course knowledge.

While pregnant, Campbell felt fine at first, but as she got closer to her expected due date she “was carrying all this weight, feeling tired, with swollen ankles.”

Yet she is not new to maternity leave; she took leave once in 2009 from Oct. 14 until the end of spring break and once again in 2012 from March 1 until the end of the year.

Even if she could not see her child for nine hours a day, Campbell felt more prepared when she came back after having her now sevenmonth-old daughter, Harper. She said that her first pregnancy was more like a whirlwind while her second was easier and that she was better prepared for maternity leave.

Sometimes the stress of having a child can cause more than a temporary classroom interruption.

History teacher Courtney Sandoval left on Tuesday, Oct. 30, transferring

photo by Isabelle Sarnek

Husky pup. Anatomy teacher Brandi Malkovich brings her baby girl Miley Joe Malkovich to her future high school. Malkovich returned from her maternity leave last quarter.

to Indian Trails Middle School for easier hours and a closer location to her home. She wanted get more time with baby.

The transition from teacher to

new mother and back to teacher takes a great deal of adjustment.

“I was a brand new mom who transitioned to not seeing my son for nine hours,” Campbell said.

Whether teachers teach while pregnant or are home on maternity leave, finding the balance between being a new parent and a teacher is one that takes patience and time.

they share what they are thankful for, and on Fun Fridays they play games involving scriptures.

“The goal of Seminary is to memorize as many scriptures as possible,” Heidi said, “This way, we can help to spread the word of God to other people.”

The games played on Fun Fridays help students do this. From playing games like Scripture Mastery to putting stickers beside each scripture they’ve memorized students find these classes extremely rewarding.

“Starting my day off with Seminary makes the biggest difference. I feel happier and more enlightened,” George said.

“Not only does it put me in a good mood, it also helps me remain more focused throughout the day,” Hunter said.”Because it’s early in the morning my brain has already been awake and active, and I am more engaged in first period.”

Seminary is required if students want to go to a Mormon university.

“I want to go to Brigham Young University-Idaho or Brigham Young University-Provo. They have a very clean environment with no drugs, and no cheating,” Heidi said.

However, many students just go for fun and for the enjoyment of being with their friends.

Students have received mixed

reactions about their religious beliefs and practices. People have negatively stereotyped them due to their beliefs or automatically assumed that they have more than one mom.

Misunderstandings have occurred with teachers as well.

“Last year if I had to get extra help or make up a test, I wasn’t able to do it before school,” Hunter said.” That didn’t make some of my teachers too happy, but in the end it all worked out well.”

They all stressed that students do not need to be Mormon in order to participate in Seminary.

“Everyone is welcome [here]!”

Hunter said.

Mormon morning school provides early education Adeline Davis

F

Staff Reporter

ive days a week, sophomores Lexie George, Hunter Winters and Heidi Winters get up at 4:45 a.m in order to attend Seminary, a 50 minute class teenagers in the Mormon Church take from their freshmen year until they graduate.

“We come and learn more about the teachings of Jesus Christ and apply his attributes in our daily lives,” Hunter said.

Seminary classes involve the study of the Bible and other scriptures. This year, students are learning about the New Testament. Seminary contains

four leaders, 50 students and takes place at the Mormon Church building in Oviedo. Many of the students that go to Seminary attend Hagerty.

For students, these classes are not typical lessons with desks and a black board. Seminary starts off with an opening hymn, then a student is picked to say the devotional.

A different theme accompanies a related activity for each day of the week. On mastery Mondays, students get to recite their favorite Bible verse, on Testimony Tuesdays they focus on the Testimony, on Witness Wednesdays they share an experience where they spoke to someone about the gospel, on Thankful Thursdays

8

POLL:

Who do you want for president?

FIGHT

TO THE

9

middle

FINISH

43%

Barack Obama

The national election between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney has been filled with abrasive ads and contentious debates and Tuesday’s vote promises to be one of the closest in recent history.

42%

Daniel Neveras

Mitt Romney

A

15%

Independent/Undecided

Freshmen

middle

based on a survey of 300 random students compiled by Winnie Meyer

Mitt Romney

46%

Barack Obama Independent/Undecided

44% 11%

Sophomores Mitt Romney

41%

Barack Obama Independent/Undecided

35% 24%

Juniors Mitt Romney

52%

Barack Obama Independent/Undecided

39% 9%

Seniors Barack Obama

57%

Mitt Romney Independent/Undecided

24% 18%

Staff Reporter

rguments among friends, red and blue around every turn and commercials that contradict each other–it is that time of year again. Election 2012 is here and the students who were bystanders four years ago are now in the heat of the contest.

The election features Democratic President Barack Obama against Republican candidate Mitt Romney and students are likely to have seen both candidates on nearly every news station. This election is expected to be one of the closest in recent history, with no candidate leading by more than 5% in CNN national polls since the end of August. The school-wide poll also echoes these statistics, as the candidates are separated by only one percentage point.

However, the election’s effects can be felt close to home. Election season is as prominent inside school walls as outside of them. Teachers and students alike get into the spirit as Election Day creeps closer.

“I love the emotion of elections. The anger, passion, and joy that elections can have is wonderful,” history teacher Craig Johnson said. “I appreciate the Machiavellian and deceitful aspects of elections.”

Students who regularly participate in politics have become even more involved in election year. Junior Christian Pasciak has attended Romney rallies and believes this election will directly affect Hagerty.

“This election will affect our school budget, and we may lose great teachers because of cutbacks,” Pasciak said.

This is also the year where many seniors will be qualified to vote for a presidential election. But regardless of their ability to vote, staff and students as a whole are divided on whether they will participate in this year’s election or not.

“I believe voting to be the duty of every American, as they’re determining their future and everyone else’s,” Lopez said.

The age of social media has also helped involve young people in politics. Facebook and Twitter feeds that are commonly filled with varied information have become involved in the election, as friends now analyze and critique both candidates’ debate performances live. Johnson believes this is another step forward for the nation.

“Open and frank discussion about the direction of our country is vital for the continuation of our government,” said Johnson.

With the use of social media and open discussions with friends and classmates, students are able to stay more informed for the presidential election than in previous years. However, students should be cautious to believe everything they hear on how each candidate will affect the nation as both will say what voters want to hear.

“I think I’ll let the candidates explain this to you themselves,” Johnson said.

Election Day falls on Nov. 6, as is tradition for it to fall on the first Tuesday of November. Unlike four years ago, this current generation now has the ability to affect us all–just like candidates in the polls, a power shift has now involved students in the fate of their country.

What’s your Big Issue?

“The economy, because

“The most important thing to look for is what [the candidate’s] beliefs are in we’re in a lot of debt and I think that their religious area. since Obama has basically put us in more debt, I think that we should get I think that religion has a big part of what they do–their morals are important.” a new president.”

-McCall Leduc, 10 -Lauren Nelder, 9

“Stabilizing the federal budget [and] stopping the deficits so we’re not adding anything to the debt at least.”

-Chris Bracci, 12

graphics by Ben Sorkin and Sarah Casagrande

8

POLL:

Who do you want for president?

FIGHT

TO THE

9

middle

FINISH

43%

Barack Obama

The national election between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney has been filled with abrasive ads and contentious debates and Tuesday’s vote promises to be one of the closest in recent history.

42%

Daniel Neveras

Mitt Romney

A

15%

Independent/Undecided

Freshmen

middle

based on a survey of 300 random students compiled by Winnie Meyer

Mitt Romney

46%

Barack Obama Independent/Undecided

44% 11%

Sophomores Mitt Romney

41%

Barack Obama Independent/Undecided

35% 24%

Juniors Mitt Romney

52%

Barack Obama Independent/Undecided

39% 9%

Seniors Barack Obama

57%

Mitt Romney Independent/Undecided

24% 18%

Staff Reporter

rguments among friends, red and blue around every turn and commercials that contradict each other–it is that time of year again. Election 2012 is here and the students who were bystanders four years ago are now in the heat of the contest.

The election features Democratic President Barack Obama against Republican candidate Mitt Romney and students are likely to have seen both candidates on nearly every news station. This election is expected to be one of the closest in recent history, with no candidate leading by more than 5% in CNN national polls since the end of August. The school-wide poll also echoes these statistics, as the candidates are separated by only one percentage point.

However, the election’s effects can be felt close to home. Election season is as prominent inside school walls as outside of them. Teachers and students alike get into the spirit as Election Day creeps closer.

“I love the emotion of elections. The anger, passion, and joy that elections can have is wonderful,” history teacher Craig Johnson said. “I appreciate the Machiavellian and deceitful aspects of elections.”

Students who regularly participate in politics have become even more involved in election year. Junior Christian Pasciak has attended Romney rallies and believes this election will directly affect Hagerty.

“This election will affect our school budget, and we may lose great teachers because of cutbacks,” Pasciak said.

This is also the year where many seniors will be qualified to vote for a presidential election. But regardless of their ability to vote, staff and students as a whole are divided on whether they will participate in this year’s election or not.

“I believe voting to be the duty of every American, as they’re determining their future and everyone else’s,” Lopez said.

The age of social media has also helped involve young people in politics. Facebook and Twitter feeds that are commonly filled with varied information have become involved in the election, as friends now analyze and critique both candidates’ debate performances live. Johnson believes this is another step forward for the nation.

“Open and frank discussion about the direction of our country is vital for the continuation of our government,” said Johnson.

With the use of social media and open discussions with friends and classmates, students are able to stay more informed for the presidential election than in previous years. However, students should be cautious to believe everything they hear on how each candidate will affect the nation as both will say what voters want to hear.

“I think I’ll let the candidates explain this to you themselves,” Johnson said.

Election Day falls on Nov. 6, as is tradition for it to fall on the first Tuesday of November. Unlike four years ago, this current generation now has the ability to affect us all–just like candidates in the polls, a power shift has now involved students in the fate of their country.

What’s your Big Issue?

“The economy, because

“The most important thing to look for is what [the candidate’s] beliefs are in we’re in a lot of debt and I think that their religious area. since Obama has basically put us in more debt, I think that we should get I think that religion has a big part of what they do–their morals are important.” a new president.”

-McCall Leduc, 10 -Lauren Nelder, 9

“Stabilizing the federal budget [and] stopping the deficits so we’re not adding anything to the debt at least.”

-Chris Bracci, 12

graphics by Ben Sorkin and Sarah Casagrande

10

student connection

EVERYONE HAS A STORY

Every issue, the newspaper staff picks a student through the use of a random number generator.

Whoever is chosen is featured in the next issue of the newspaper.

Out of 19220 possibilities, the generator chose 2394, sophomore Robert Burke.

Robert Burke has loved music since a young age, and has played trumpet since sixth grade. Burke performs in the marching band and enjoys the final performance after “lots of hard work.” Burke considers the football games some of the best perks of marching band, as he can play music and have fun with fellow band members.

Q: A:

Why did you begin band?

Q: A:

What is your favorite part about band?

Q: A:

I began band in sixth grade. My sister loved band and encouraged me to do it, too.

My favorite part is getting to play really fun music, and seeing friends at the games.

How are you going to continue band in some form?

ART CORNER

“Flower Power” by Jake Arther, 9 “I took a picture of this specific flower because it was the best one of the batch.”

I’m going to continue taking it in high school and maybe continue when I get to college, but I will definitely still play on the side even when I’m done with band.

POLL We live in a culture where media and technology is part of our daily lives. 75 percent of teens have unlimited texting and most of us have smart phones where we can contact everyone in the world and soak up each other’s awesomeness all day long. Where would we be without our technology?

Kindles are great for reading. iPods are great for music. And Facebook, of course, is great for stalking. And now most of us have a Twitter account or a blog where we feel the need to post all the time and vent our feelings to get attention, when really everyone could care less. Technology has successfully taught us all how to be extremely annoying, but we love it anyway.

What technology devices do you use on a daily basis?

95%

74% Laptop

16% Tablet

“In the Arms of an Angel” by Julia Refinberg, 11 “I took this photo of my dog Buddy because he was in the perfect position. I quickly grabbed my camera and got a picture of him staring out the window.”

Cell Phone

14%

50% iPod

Kindle

“Sunset Sky” by Savannah Pennington, 12 “I took this photo on the way to the bus stop at my apartment complex. The sunrise was so pretty I couldn’t resist to take my phone out and capture the beauty.”

Submit your own 2-D or 3-D artwork! Visit room 6-201.

11

reviews What’s on your

HORRIBLE

GOOD

OUTSTANDING

iPod? AWOLNATION performs at House of Blues

“Headphones”

by Britt Nicole

“It talks about love and music and how music is just something that you can use to escape the world .”

Katelynn Jewett, 9 “I Don’t Like”

by Chief Keef

“It gets me pumped before our games and it’s just something that I can listen to.”

Allen Martin, 12

“With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear”

by Sleeping With Sirens “It relates to me and it is the best representation of things that have been happening.”

Ben Livingston, 12

“Cowboys and Angels”

by Dustin Lynch “I love country music and in this song it talks about how two people can be so different and mean so much for each other.”

Lexi Rossow

A

Lifestyles Editor

WOLNATION performed at the House of Blues in downtown Orlando on Thursday, Oct. 25. This was their second to last venue in their concert series, “Never Let Fear Decide Your Fate,” and adrenaline was high with an abundance of pranks.

AWOLNATION’s prank-victims were concert partners electro-pop band Imagine Dragons from Las Vegas, and Zeale, a rapper from Austin, Texas. Zeale “lost” his cymbals on his drummer’s drum set in the middle of the opening performance. During the Imagine Dragons performance, members from the other bands that had performed jumped on stage and mocked the Imagine Dragons performers.

For AWOLNATION’s second to last performance on their tour, the House of Blues in Orlando proved to be an exceptional location. Even though it is smaller and cannot hold as many people as the Amway Center, the House of Blues had excellent seating. Wherever you stood, the

AWOLNATION

photo by AWOLNATION

Standing ovation. AWOLNATION is greeted by an energetic crowd at the House of Blues during their second to last concert on Oct. 25. AWOLNATION”s last concert for their tour will be held in New Orleans.

The answer to everything is always Greek Adeline Davis

Tiffany Crouch, 9

Staff Reporter he minute you step into Santorini’s, the smell of cooking spices and the sound of Greek music fills the air. A few small booths that spread across the cozy restaurant give off a warm vibe, and the bright paintings on the walls add to the Greek ambiance.

Santorini’s was founded by a Greek family three years ago.

Business was slow at first, then it started to pick up when word spread about their amazing authentic Greek food. Lines filled with hungry Greek cravers began to form outside the restaurant. Business has slowed down since then but they still push forward.

Do not let the fact that Santorini’s is located next to a hardware store deceive you. Inside, it overflows with

T

“Honestly”

by Hot Chelle Rae “This is my best friend and my song. Every time I hear it I cannot help but think of her and she’s like a sister to me.”

Torii Robertson, 10 “The Climb”

by Miley Cyrus

“It’s just so inspirational and it always makes me feel better when I’m sad.”

Devin Caldwell, 11

stage was in perfect view.

Each band performed with exceptional enthusiasm and the crowd was ecstatic, especially during the performance of well-known singles

by Imagine Dragons such as top charted songs, “It’s Time” (number 27) and “Radioactive” (number 87) . AWOLNATION’s hit single “Sail,” number 90 on the top charts, also sent an exciting spark through the crowd.

Both Imagine Dragons and AWOLNATION were praised for their energy in live performances.

After the concert, fans got the chance to meet the bands. Band members greeted fans by the merchandise, signing autographs and taking pictures.

With free parking and a close proximity to the stage, the crowd was engaged throughout the performance.

Each band took a significant amount of time to set up, but the performances were worth the wait.

Imagine Dragons enjoyed the venue and performance so much, they promised to plan a returning date in December.

photo by urbanspoon.com

Bon appetit. Santorini’s is open Tuesday through Sunday. Santorini’s is located on Geneva Drive.

friendliness and warmth. You are seated almost immediately and the waiters always greet with a smile as they waste no time to ask what you want to drink.

The wait for your meal is a little long, but it is worth it. The menu has items for bolder customers, such as Dolmathakia, which consists of stuffed grape leaves with rice and meat. Santorini’s also has selections for less adventurous customers, such as a simple Greek salad. For an appetizer, every table is served light, fluffy pita bread and dipping sauce.

The prices are fairly reasonable.

A family of four can order drinks, two Greek salads, an entree of Dolmathakia, an assortment plate of lamb, and Dolmathakia stuffed with meat for only $65.00. The food choices are for all ages. Because of its

size, Santorini’s is never too crowded and is quiet enough for people to have a conversation without having to yell.

Santorini’s may be a small restaurant, but it is definitely not weak. It uses its small structure to its advantage, with a majority of the restaurant’s space left open, thus showing off its interior design and unique wall paintings.

There is no need to worry about bacteria crawling around. The floors and tables are always freshly cleaned and dried, assuring you that your eating in a healthy environment. The kitchen is also open so customers can see their food be prepared.

If you’re looking for a taste of Greek culture and a fun night out, Santorini’s is the place to go.

Santorini’s

12

opinions

the

blueprint

The Blue Print is a student-produced newspaper 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 views as a whole (except for the Our Take), the views of Seminole County Public Schools, or Hagerty High School’s administration and staff.

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

Hagerty High School 3225 Lockwood Blvd.

Oviedo, FL 32765 Telephone: (407) 871-0750 Fax: (407) 871-0817

News Editor Darbi Filliben

Graphics Editor Benjamin Sorkin

Lifestyles Editor Lexi Rossow

Staff Reporters Ellie Bonck Adeline Davis Jessica Jeffers Lauren Lee Brianna McGuire Winnie Meyer Ryan O’Connor Daniella Parcell Spencer Thompson

Sports Editor Sean Donovan

Principal Sam Momary

Managing Editor Matilda von Kalm

Adviser Brit Taylor

Business Manager Lexi Rossow

Opinions Editor Haley Gaeser

Editor-in-Chief Sarah Casagrande

Photo Editor Isabelle Sarnek

Student Connection Natalie Castle

Reviews Editor Daniel Neveras

Our�take: School rezones a necessary evil

W

hile county officials work to balance school budgets, a new issue needs to be balanced as well – school populations.

On Aug. 7, school leaders approved a massive re-zoning of Seminole County elementary schools and plan to do the same with middle and high schools within the next three years.

Any change or closure in school attendance is bound to cause uproar with upset parents, students, and staff. In 2005, some students from the overcrowded Lake Brantley High were to be switched to Lyman High.

Parents were so upset by the proposed rezoning that they attempted to overturn the school board in court.

Eight years later, the new proposal would shift the zoning line and move students from overcrowded Hagerty High to nearby Oviedo High, which is only three-fourths full. The rezone would affect not only the incoming freshman but would also remove students already enrolled in Hagerty– current freshman who are affected would spend two years each at both schools.

While students should not be pulled from their current high school, those in middle and elementary schools will not be adversely affected as many parents disagree. As School Board attorney Ned Julian argued, a sixth-grader who will not be in

high school for two more years does not have a vested right to go to a particular high school.

A reshuffle of students may be needed for more reasons than just overpopulation. Students of different ages and wealth are dispersed in various areas throughout Seminole County. Rezoning may be an inconvenience, but the creation of “rich” and “poor” schools, which can be detrimental to a student’s confidence and learning ability, must be prevented.

However, this must be done in a no-strings-attached manner. There are loopholes to escape the rezone, such as a sibling-linked transfer

in which a student with a sibling currently enrolled at Hagerty may attend Hagerty until their sibling graduates. The transfer is a pointless effort as the student would eventually be rezoned anyway–without being alongside their already Oviedo classmates.

School is stressful enough, but a messy rezoning that shuffles students between high schools would cause the same issues as eight years ago. If a shift is to be made, it must not affect current students. Within a few years, new students into Oviedo would balance the populations and allow students to remain at the schools that they have already attended.

provides apples, oranges and various vegetables, but when reaching into a clear bowl of fruit on the counter at the lunch time, finger tips will sink into a piece of moldy brown mush instead of firm fiber-enriched apple skin. That texture is repulsive enough to never buy fruit from the cafeteria again.

Created by the National School Lunch Act in 1946, the National School Lunch Program works sideby-side with the Department of Defense to provide “organically fresh” alternatives, even though they come from across the world. Why is the Department of Defense, which is the country’s national protection program for foreign policies, organizing our fruit provisions?

Truly organic foods are bought locally. Instead of having to travel across the desert on a camel’s back, we can buy from farmers’ markets in various locations nearby, including Oviedo’s own farmers’ market that

sets up on the first Saturday of each month in downtown Oviedo near Friendship Park. Families buy from this market, and many vendors would happily provide homegrown organic food for our school. Largo’s Downtown Open Air Market also has offered to provide vendor contacts to assist in making the cafeteria a healthier, more organic school.

Local, organic food is cheaper, healthier and much tastier. Travel prices are lowered because of the crops don’t have to travel as far, and burn more wasted gas and time. In result, the community’s economy will become self-sufficient, without having to rely on the foreign food from across the ocean. Dangerous pesticides and preservatives would also not be necessary, and crops would not have to be picked early and forced to ripen on the trip to the school. Food always tastes better when it ripened on the tree versus the truck.

Buying from local farms also preserves the nutrition content of the fruits and vegetables, which makes the food more flavorful, and hopefully entices students to select an orange from the fruit bowl instead of a bag of chips from the vending machine. These flavorful fruits could be grown by your neighbor, even potentially with your own assistance.

Healthy alternatives would be more attractive to purchase at lunch instead of one of the two calorie busters at our school lunches, promote community connections, and even provide an example of the fruitful rewards working in an agricultural profession. Inorganic preservatives will not be needed during the crops’ growth period and shipping costs will be lowered because of the shorter distance traveled. Local purchases of organic food will benefit our cafeteria in more ways than not, and reduce the chance of a worm finding a home in your apple at lunch time.

School lunches need drastic local change

Lexi Rossow

L

Business Manager

ike every other school in America, our cafeteria is on a diet, especially with regards to calorie counts and sodium content, because of the National School Lunch Program. The average calorie count for menu items here is under 500 calories, but there are two calorie-busters, the chicken burrito (780 calories) and the Asian chicken and lo mien meal (1099 calories).

Our school provides veggie trays and bowls of fruit at every counter, but these carrots and apples have stories to tell. Many of them have traveled farther than the average high school student, as they are shipped out-of-season by food trucks from across the country.

Despite the fact our school “follows the rules” of the National School Lunch Program, our food is not organic. Yes, our cafeteria

barks

& bites

Haley Gaeser Opinions Editor A BITE to the teachers who gave last minute, or even worse, decided not to give any exam reviews for first quarter exams.

Many reviews were posted the night before or were quickly told in class when no one was paying attention. Not only does it hinder student prep for exams, but nothing is reinforced from the past quarter.

On a related note, a BITE to all of the teachers who talk during exams. The over explaining of multiple questions and feeling the need to pull out your cell phones while students are testing was really unneeded.

The tests are stressful enough without anything extra going on. Students would rather concentrate on their tests instead of your talking.

A BARK to the members of the Anti-Bullying club for enlightening students on the issues of bullying. The club fundraises all throughout the year for local charities and is organizing an anti-bullying week with multiple events such as a movie night. Bullying may not seem like a major problem, but even one instance of it is one too many.

A BITE to Seminole County for providing us with textbooks that are falling apart. Due to the fact that the textbook budget is low, the county cannot meet the average textbook renewal time of five to seven years. This issue qualifies for mostly AP classes because they are not district adopted so they cost much more than a regular textbook. Even if this is true, students should not receive textbooks with missing pages and inappropriate drawings.

13

opinions�

YES

“AP students should not be penalized for challenging themselves.”

Sarah Casagrande

Editor-in-Chief ne of the simple facts of high school–and college–is that not every student is a test-taker. They are tired.

They skip breakfast. They stress about home and sports and social lives and fail to fill in every bubble before time is called. And in the classroom, where tests are the major determining factor for grades, students can fail a class even if they know enough information to pass an Advanced Placement exam.

When executed correctly, test corrections not only reward students for their work but also help them re-learn any information they missed. The ability to learn and retain an entire textbook’s worth of information is crucial to passing many AP courses, yet these classes are the least likely to be allowed the privilege of test corrections by teachers.

AP teachers who do not offer corrections claim that AP students in a college course need to prepare for the “real life” scenario of truly final exams. AP classes should be considered a preparation for college while still experiencing the benefits– test corrections included–of a high school setting.

Corrections prove most useful when students have to dig through their archive of notes and write out and explain what they did wrong and why they were incorrect. In Marc Pooler’s AP Environmental Science class, students who did corrections on a recent test were required to not only retake the test but write sentences that explained why each incorrect answer was wrong. Out of the 52 percent of students who did the corrections, 38 percent of the students jumped to the next letter grade because of the assignment.

Standard and honors students can take a test, or even a nine weeks exam, and simply dump the information out of their memories when they are done, but AP students have to remember and study every term, statistic and concept until May. Test corrections aid in this crucial memory.

AP students, some as young as 14, should not be penalized for challenging themselves in college-level classes and learn information that is usually reserved for students much older than them. They have as much right to correct their mistakes and gain the knowledge that is so crucial for AP courses as any other student in any other course level.

O

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Do you like to write?

Have an opinion for the BluePrint Staff?

Send us an email at hhsblueprint@gmail. com or come to room 6-201. Letters to the editor cannot be anonymous.

Should AP students be allowed to complete test corrections?

“Test corrections are a good thing for AP students because if you have one really bad test score that you cannot fix, it would bring your grade down. Test corrections are a good way to relearn material.”

Lyndsey Lewis, 10 “I have a lot of trouble finding any time to do anything with all of my AP classes and theater after school. Some nights I end up staying up past midnight just to complete my homework. I physically have zero time to spend on test corrections.”

Hannah Melin, 11 “Although test corrections are extremely hard and challenging, they should be allowed for everyone including the AP students.”

Laura Carman, 9

%

“There is no real need for me to have test corrections in AP. I already get one hundred’s on almost everything.”

Andrew Crawford, 11

Dear editors, The school schedule is confusing to me. I do not like how you have to go to some classes some days and the rest other days, and half way through the school year, your schedule gets changed to a new set of classes. Also, I do not like that at the start of school you get three weeks of a certain schedule then administration does the class size amendment and your classes get changed just as you figure out all of your teachers.

They do it every year when students get settled in their classes and they start moving everyone around causing confusion for both the students and the teachers. This just makes the entire school go chaotic. I feel that it would be easier if they got all this schedule stuff handled at the beginning of the year so that you know what your classes are without worrying if they are going to change.

Sincerely, Thomas Goode Charmel, 11

NO

“Test corrections are not for everyone. For AP, there is no need for them.”

Benjamin Sorkin

T

Graphics Editor est corrections are that glorious second chance for students to earn points by evaluating what they did wrong on a test. Even though the point bonus varies by the class and by teacher, those little points make a world of a difference when a student is on the brink of a low grade or just want that extra oomph.

So far, every tier of classes offer test corrections, whether it is standard, honors, or AP. To be honest, this is not really necessary.

AP classes are the closest thing students can get to college level classes besides dual enrolling, so obviously AP students are set to a higher standard. The mounds of homework, the FRQs, and College Board booklets are meant to simulate what it would be like to be in a college class. If the AP classes are set to such a high standard, why should students have test corrections?

When they sign up for AP, students say that they are knowledgeable enough in a topic to bypass standard and honors courses. If the student can handle that massive flow of work and information, why would they want to do them?

Test corrections are often a lot of work. Teachers request that the student documents what they got wrong, why they got it wrong, and cite information from the textbook. In the time an AP student spends working on test corrections, they could have tackled another more important task such as studying for a chapter test or practicing writing an FRQ. While AP students can typically grasp topics better than standard and honors students, it is necessary to give lower level students the opportunity to correct themselves. They also have more time to do so. Standard and honors students aren’t set to the same time limits that AP students are. Test corrections are also counted as a class work grade for most standard and honors classes. This offers incentive to the lower level students to make points up, even if it is being forced upon them.

In short, test corrections are not for everyone. They can provide a little boost to grades, but for AP there is no time and no need. Standard and honors deserve them only because the students are set to a lower standard and learn at a slower pace.

Dear editors, If I were to change anything about HHS, it would most definitely be what is in the soda machines. I hate drinking all this “no caffeine” and “diet” stuff they call soda, and wish we could have regular soda such as sprite like we had in the past. I love the fact that they have Gatorade but that simply won’t cut it. I wish they would get drinks like regular coke and other brands so we can get our money’s worth for our drinks.

I think that the students should get an opinion on what goes into the machines. Not everyone likes diet soda and some students just prefer regular. It just seems like the school would make more money if they gave a variety of diet and regular drinks. It probably would not cost that much more to have both in the machines.

Sincerely, Ryan Meyer, 12

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sports

sports shorts

Fourth fight vs Lake Mary looms

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY SHINES IN CONFERENCE The boys cross country team finished fifth overall in a close battle on Monday, Oct. 29 at the Seminole Athletic Conference Championship. The team finished with two All-American runners, sophomore Charles Lynch and Junior Matthew Gargiulo. Lynch ran an average mile of 5:35, and Gargiulo ran average of 5:45. The boys team hosted the district championships on Nov. 3.

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY WINS CONFERENCE The girls cross country team won the Seminole Athletic Conference championship meet on Monday, Oct. 29 at Lake Mary. Senior Bryce Seymour led the team through conference as well as districts, which was held on Saturday, Nov. 3 .

BOYS GOLF ONE STROKE SHORT OF STATES The boys golf teams season came to an end on Oct. 15 as they lost their district championship by one point, with a final score of 307-308. Because of their regional loss, the team did not qualify for states. The team, however, did win the Seminole Athletic Conference championship on Oct. 3 with a team score of 296. The team finished 6-4 in their matches, first out of eight in the SAC championship, second out of 12 in districts, and fourth out of nine at regionals.

GIRLS BOWLING PLACES THIRD AT DISTRICTS The varsity girls bowling team ended the season on Oct. 22, defeating Winter Springs: 2335-2110. The team was led by Megan Bradburn and Jessica Perry. They then went on to districts on Oct. 29-30 at Seminole, where Perry was the overall winner of districts with a score of 631, and Bradburn came in third with a score of 568. The team placed third.

GIRLS SOCCER GETS FIRST WIN OF SEASON On Monday Oct. 29, the varsity girls soccer team defeated Lake Mary at home in their first game of the season, 3-2. Sophomore forward Ru Mucherera, scored twice and senior Amyah Banks scored once Mucherera scored with around three minutes left in regulation to ice the game.

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photo by Isabelle Sarnek

Great service. Setter Chrissy Teixeira serves the ball. Teixeira was replaced after an elbow injury and is questionable for the remainder of the playoffs.

Sean Donovan

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Sports Editor he varsity volleyball team set a record for wins, 17, in a season and has tied for their best finish, second, in districts and conference, but to go farther in the playoffs, they will have to do something they have

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only done once this season: beat Lake Mary.

The team continued their state run with their first round regional win over Sandalwood 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-20) on Oct. 30.

“We went into the game thinking we would get the win, because we heard that the team was easy,” senior libero Alexis Fasone said. “We didn’t play to our potential. But after the first game we played much harder.”

In district play, the team defeated Spruce Creek 3-0 in the first round.

However, they fell to Lake Mary in the finals, in Deland, 3-1 (19-25, 2522, 20-25, 22-25). Ballantyne led the team with 14 kills and 40 digs.

“We were disappointed after the loss to Lake Mary,” Fasone said. “But we were proud of the win against Spruce Creek. And we really want revenge against Lake Mary when we see them again.”

To round out the season, however, the team lost four straight games.

Two in a tournament, one of which was a district match, and two games in conference to Winter Springs and Lake Mary.

“We definitely had some good wins, but we also had some bad losses,” senior outside hitter Emma Ballantyne said. “For the good wins, we kept the spirits high.”

Another key moment toward the end of the season was the injury to

junior setter Chrissy Teixeira, who injured her elbow during the district finals. Sophomore opposite Nicole Mattson and back-up setter Taylor Ferraro replaced Teixeira, which forced the whole team to adjust.

One of the best moments for the team was a feature match on Bright House Sports Network, where the team defeated Lyman 3-0. At the time, they were ranked second in the state and atop the district. Another highlight of the season was a full sweep of Oviedo.

“I’ve been working harder every practice,” Fasone said. “Every time I do something wrong, I go to my coach to see what I can do to make it better.”

The team also gained a reputation for two star twins, the Ballantynes.

They both earned scholarships to Palm Beach Atlantic University and were both elite hitters and servers on the team.

The fours straight games lost at the end of the season deflated the team and forced them to refocus practices on the little things they could not practice as much in the regular season due to time limitations, such as serving and serve-receive.

“Practices are going to emulate Lake Mary’s offense,” head coach Corey Radford said. “The offense isn’t the problem, it’s surviving their serves and attacks.”

sports Sports Truths Student-athletes prove their smarts Sean Donovan Sports Editor

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hen students think of top 10, they think of the kid who turns their homework in all the time and the person who can mindlessly answer questions others deem impossible.

When people think of the kids who play sports, they do not think top 10. Athletes stereotypically have marginal bad grades in easy classes, which they often skip.

All of which is wrong.

A study done by the National Federation of State High School Associations in 2007 revealed that student athletes actually had a higher average GPA than nonstudent athletes: a 2.84 to a 2.68.

Senior Kaylie Catlin is ranked in the top 10 with a 4.5 weighted GPA, a runner on the cross-country team, and a midfielder on the stateranked varsity girls soccer team.

She is a National Merit Scholars semifinalist, and involved in three honor societies.

Senior volleyball libero Alexis Fasone has a 4.2 GPA and is involved in seven clubs outside volleyball, and became used to a busy life.

“I sometimes have to give up nights just for studying,” Fasone said. “I’ve been very busy with multiple sports since I was young.”

Catlin and Fasone feel that the stereotype of athletes being below average has diminished due to their increase atop class ranks.

Senior football player Robby Vantwyver feels that getting his work done as soon as he returns from football, he keeps a social life.

He likes breaking the stereotype.

“I just like to disprove the people who think I’m dumb,” Vantwyver said.

Student athletes are the best kind of student to have. They can regulate their time and be part of something others may not understand. Through superior planning, these students rise above others and secure a place at the top.

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Girls swimming makes a splash

Darbi Filliben

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News Editor ame the sport that has come closest to a state title. Girls soccer? Boys basketball?

Not quite — swimming, one of the most successful and underrated programs at the school, boasts three individual state titles in the past three years. While the boys have dominated headlines in the past, now the girls’ team is taking center stage.

On Oct. 26-27, the swim teams traveled to Lake Brantley High School to compete in the district competition. Six female competitors, six male competitors and four relay teams qualified for regionals which took place on Nov. 3-4 at the YMCA on International Drive.

“Districts went really well, outstanding actually,” head coach Sue Hensley said. “Just about everyone had personal bests and competed better than expected.”

The boys’ team is made up of upperclassmen while the girls team has a strong balance of all grades led by seniors Danielle Nuszkowski and Natsuko Worrell.

With a strong showing in regionals, both teams hope to send participants to states Nov. 10 on

photo by Isabelle Sarnek

Stroke of success. Senior swimmer Natsuko Worrell performs a back-stroke at a meet. Natsuko is part of the team’s strongest relay team that is expected to surpass regionals and do well in states.

International Drive. The teams hope to press onto states, but for now, the teams have had to shift their focus from districts to regionals.

“We are expecting a very fast, very competitive regional meet,” Nuszkowski said. “Everyone will have to have their best times in order to go onto states.”

The guys team is relying on seniors Derek Daugherty and Austin Schroeder to step-up after threetime state champion Jason Coombs fractured his back.

“It’s the worst feeling in the world. I can only watch, I can’t

swim,” Coombs said. “The team hasn’t changed much besides my fill-in, maybe a small confidence drop, but they will still do really well at regionals.”

The team found themselves forced to adapt to a new coach this season. Since Sue Hensley has taken over for Seth Tasman at the beginning of the season.

“Sue has focused more on tapering during practices and they have been a lot more focused this year,” returning coach Debin Long said. “She brought a new coaching strategy to the team.”

The changes in the practices have had a good effect on the swimmers.

“The times for everyone have lowered due to our practices. We taper for every big race,” Daugherty said. “The practices are a lot harder but shorter as well.”

Overall, the team has been more productive than ever before with the number of swimmers in regionals.

The coach with a new approach and new senior leadership that is balanced out with underclassmen talent has allowed the team to become one of the strongest swim teams in the school’s history.

Bowling strikes trip to state competition Winnie Meyer Staff Reporter ifteen is the number of wins it took to get the men’s varsity bowling team to states. So far, the highlight of the season was a first place at conference for the second time, but a second place district finish, this sent the team to the state competition on Nov. 7-8.

“We lead our division and we got first at our conference, but we didn’t do too well at districts,” sophomore Conner Berdine said.

The team began districts with morning trials, and qualified fourth to go onto the Baker format, where they lost against top-seeded and hostschool Seminole. Then the bowling team was placed in the losers bracket, where they beat Lake Mary Prep and moved on to face Oviedo in their last

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match of the tournament to advance onto the state competition.

“Whoever won that match went to states,” Berdine said, “We lost the first match, beat ourselves down a little bit, then we came back strong and beat them in the next three games.”

Overall, they received second behind Seminole with 2782 points, who hosted the event, and are now set to prepare for their upcoming state competition.

“The pressure is very high,” Berdine said, “We have all of these other teams that are striving to beat us, so it’s a little stressful.”

Even with stress and four out of the eight members missing practice due to marching band, the team has still managed to win all but one regular season match against Lake

Howell, which was a loss of only 21 pins, 2782-2761.

With this new record has come a new focused yet laid-back vibe to practices and even blow-out games like the Winter Springs game, winning by over 1,000 pins.

“Winning feels pretty good,” freshman Noah Sutch said.

To add to the stress, the bowling team underwent many changes from last season including a new coach, new captain and over half a team of new players.

New captain senior Ricky Basen has been on the team for the past three years and wants to lead them to a win at states. He also led the team through districts with the most amount of points scored, 617.

“Ricky’s good and he knows exactly what he’s doing,” junior Nye

Gomes said, “We all kind of know what we’re doing, but Ricky’s been around the longest, so it’s good to have him as our captain.”

Along with Basen, the team also has World History teach Adam Stansbury as their new coach.

“Coach Stansbury, he is an interesting character. He likes to joke around a lot and have fun, but he’s very serious when he needs to be,” Berdine said. “He gets a little nervous when he thinks we’re going to lose and paces back and forth.”

Despite many changes, the team manages to do well and improve while they keep a fun yet focused wavelength at their games.

“We’re not super serious, we’re focused on the game, but we make sure to have fun too,” sophomore Brandon Dishman said.

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craze Students go all out for their favorite college football teams

Spencer Thompson

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Staff Reporter

oach Urban Meyer of Ohio State used to say that what made a great college football player was love, passion and enthusiasm for the game. The same can be said for what makes a great college football fan. This time of year, Saturdays are all about college football.

It is a game of passion, and fans can go a little crazy when it comes to their teams and traditions.

Sophomore FSU fan Ben Hogan has a tradition of ordering a large Dominos pizza with onions and jalapenos before every game. Hogan believes it has a powerful effect.

That’s why we lost to NC State-because I didn’t order my Dominos,” Hogan said.

Food is also a tradition of sophomore Florida fan Bradley Ballew. He and his dad play a game called Victory Cheeseburgers.

On the way to The Swamp, the Florida football stadium, they pick the number of cheeseburgers they will eat on their way back from the game. If the Gators win they double the number of burgers.

“So last time, when we won against LSU, I thought we were going to lose, so I was only going to get three, but then we won, so I had to eat six and I almost threw up in the car,” Ballew said.

While food is an important part of any fan’s tradition, outfits are even bigger.

Junior UCF fan Tyler McGregor has to wear the same thing every football game: UCF socks, gold UCF shorts, a white Bruce Miller jersey and big, puffy yellow hair.

“It’s a superstition. UCF usually plays well when I wear it,” said McGregor. “And I don’t want change anything, and hurt anything.”

Other fans have clothing superstitions too, such as sophomore FSU fan Conner Berdine. Berdine wears a pair of lucky boxer shorts. They read “Go Noles.”

It is something Seminoles have in common. Hogan also has a pair of plaid boxers that he wears on gameday. He compliments them with a Seminole spear cheese head, and an E.J. Manuel jersey.

For Florida fan Jacob La Motta, a Tim Tebow jersey is his gameday choice. Fellow Gator fan Ballew doesn’t have any special uniform, but he and his family inflate a six-foot alligator in their front yard during Florida away games.

“Gameday traditions are something that get your mojo going every Saturday,” said Ballew. “The giant alligator we put in our yard is one of my favorite traditions that my family does.”

So where does all this passion come from? In almost every case, it seems it is passed down from generation to generation.

“I like FSU because my dad is an FSU fan, and my great grandma was in one of the first graduating classes back when it was a girls’ college, so my family has a long history with FSU,” Hogan said.

Gator fan Ballew’s father graduated from Florida, and his sister is currently student at the university.

“I’m a Florida fan because my dad went there,” La Motta said, “and because they don’t lose to NC State.”

Field-goal frenzy. Sophomores Bradley Ballew, Ben Hogan and junior Tyler McGregor show off their school spirit for their favorite college football teams. Ballew and McGregor are both season ticket holders for UF and UCF and Hogan travels regularly to see FSU games.

photo by Isabelle Sarnek

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