The BluePrint - Volume 9, Issue 5

HAGERTY HIGH SCHOOL

3225 LOCKWOOD BLVD. OVIEDO, FL 32765

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Go to Hagertyjourn.com for extra content, including:

 Wind Ensemble Superiors  SAT question changes  Donut lovers rejoice  Prom

dress drive kicks off

volume 9, issue 5

April.�9, 2014

Promposals Prom hopefuls get creative in date search story on page 11

photo by Tyler Copeland

stories�to�read�this�issue

5

 THE APES EXPLORE

AP Enviormental students benefit from visiting the Lotus Learning Center for hands-on interactions with Florida’s ecosystem. page 3

 SCREAMO STEREOTYPES

Contrary to popular belief, screamo fans connect to the lyrics and find far more meaning behind the music than just noise. page 7

 BRACKETOLOGY

Stakes raised as underdogs emerged and brackets were busted, leaving everyone out of luck in beating the Billion Dollar Challenge. page 10

 COLLEGE TIPS

Before entering the real world make sure you know these basic tips- everything from changing a tire to making that first impression. page 12



UNCHARTED WATERS Water polo faces the challenge of new coaches and players as they attempt to strengthen their team for districts and regionals. page 22

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news

Ballerina takes dancing to higher level Jeannie Williams

S

Photo by Tierney Wixted

HOLDING HER POSE. Lauren Menke practices the attitude derriere position at the barre during ballet practice in downtown Orlando.

Staff Reporter

tudents struggle to find a way to balance schoolwork, extracurricular activities and plans for the future. Junior Lauren Menke has found a way to combine all three by taking part in the Orlando Ballet Dance School.

Dancing for the Orlando Ballet requires Menke to dance continuously from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on an average day. She takes three courses at Hagerty and takes the rest virtually in order to make it to her dance class.

The dedication she shows to ballet has been 15 years in the making.

“Dancing started out as just a pastime, and it progressed into something I really enjoy, and I want to make a career out of it,” Menke said.

Dancing full time means having

what’s news?

RELAY FOR LIFE FIGHTS CANCER

On April 5-6, Relay for Life was held at Lawton Elementary to honor and support those who have battled cancer. People arrived at 3 p.m. on Saturday and the event lasted until the next day. Events included a volleyball tournament, a luminary service and a pancake breakfast.

STUDENTS WASH CARS FOR CAUSE

On Saturday, March 29, students attended a beneficial car wash for Ashley Komanetsky at a 7-11 in Winter Springs. The money raised went toward Komanetsky’s bone marrow transplant, which will be on Wednesday, May 7. Komanetsky is currently fighting Aplastic Anemia. Komanetsky’s family and friends washed over thirty cars and handed out “fight Aplastic Anemia” bracelets.

ANNUAL SAMMY AWARDS APPROACH

The Sammy Awards will be held on Thursday, April 10 in the auditorium. Tickets are free, however tickets are required for student entry. Seniors will be able to pick up two tickets to the show for free at both lunches, and the second ticket can be used to bring an additional guest. Further tickets can also be purchased at both lunches. Award categories range from Worst Driver to Class Clown.

WIND ENSEMBLE PREPARES FOR STATE ASSESSMENT

After receiving straight Superiors at the district Music Performance Assessment, the Wind Ensemble is preparing for its state-level assessment on Monday, April 21 at the Daytona Beach News Journal Center, as well as a final concert on Friday, May 2 in the auditorium. The concert will include performances by the Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble and both jazz ensembles.

to give up other extracurriculars.

Menke had to quit cross country in order to be more serious with ballet and is currently only in one school club, National Honor Society.

Since she was two, Menke has been dancing, but it was not always ballet. She used to dance competitively with Adrenaline Dance Studio before it closed, which led her to the Orlando Ballet. Because Orlando Ballet is not oriented toward competitions, Menke can only participate in two. Her most recent competition was the American Dance Competition on Saturday, March 22.

Menke’s mom pushed for her to take up ballet, but she refused because she wanted to compete.

“When I got to high school, I wanted a fresh start and decided to give it a try. I ended up loving it,” Menke said.

A big part of participating in the

Orlando Ballet school is studying the different styles of ballet and putting them to the test.

“It’s really been a learning experience. You have to know a lot about the art before you can do it,” Menke said.

The Orlando Ballet divides dancers into seven levels of ability for classes. Even though she started out with little experience in ballet, Menke was able to increase two levels quickly in her time there.

She has been able to gain more knowledge by working with several different dancers. In an environment with so many experienced dancers, she has gotten to take classes with several different instructors that help her learn more.

“As a dancer, you can only improve from experience and taking classes from different instructors who help you look at things from a

different perspective,” Menke said.

Menke also uses the Orlando Ballet to complete her community service hours by assisting with the classes for three- and four-year-olds.

On days when she feels like she is not making any improvement, she says working with the kids helps her to see how far she has come.

“She’s an amazing dancer and I’m proud of her,” Menke’s brother Mitchell Menke said.

After practically a lifetime of dance, it can be easy to get bored, but Menke has stuck with dance all these years because of her love for both the art and the sport.

“I like that it’s not solely based on one talent. You get everything in one,” Menke said.

Menke plans on staying with the Orlando Ballet through graduation, and then continuing at the collegiate level.

New SGA officers announced Kallie Delis

T

Staff Reporter

he time for decisions has come to pass. Campaigning for next year’s student government began Monday, March 24 and officially ended on Friday, March 28 and voting took place on Thursday and Friday. With all the ballots filled out and submitted, there was nothing left to do but count.

By usual procedure, spreading the word helped to influence the voters’ decisions. Comical campaigning caught on as phrases like “Vote for Sierra Hittel, we’ve all done something stupid” adorned posters throughout the school. Video clips ran after the morning announcements, introducing candidates and allowing them time to give a speech.

More than five of the runners did not need to campaign, due to the fact that they were unopposed. Because no one was running against them, these students will immediately assume their titles next year.

“I was happy because there was no stress, but I wanted the experience because I have never been opposed

before,” sophomore Haley Parlette said. She will be taking the role of executive board secretary.

The difference between executive board and general positions is the amount of authority. Executive board members deal with more control and involvement over the school’s decisions. While a junior vice president may assist in leading that specific class, an executive board vice president will supervise the entire student body. Though there are slight variances in power, the two groups work together much like the Senate works with the White House.

“I believe that all of the people elected to these boards, including me, contain the ability to work well alongside each other,” junior Christian Rosa said. He will be the senior class president next year.

The future officers view their responsibilities with sincerity as they work toward next year.

“Being elected president of the senior class is definitely one of my biggest accomplishments so far. Not everyone gets to have this opportunity, so I am extremely eager and willing to do my best,” Rosa said.

SGA Officers Executive Board

President Vice Pres.

Treasurer Secretary Historian

Ellie Bonck Andrew Yoches Elizabeth Smith Haley Parlette Madeline Kemper

Senior Class

President Vice Pres.

Treasurer Secretary

Christian Rosa David Yun Stephanie Steedle Emily Robinson

Junior Class

President Vice Pres.

Treasurer Secretary Historian

Mackenna Tobey Ashtyn Maccagnano Tania Imani Emma Delis Mariana Hira

Sophomore Class

President Vice Pres.

Treasurer Secretary Historian

Sierra Hittel Karly Harms Emily Beach Cassidy Cabrera Shelby Shepardson

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news

AP Environmental experiences Florida nature Matilda von Kalm

I

Photo by Lisa Gabel

hands on nature. AP Environmental Science students pet a baby alligator at the Lake Lotus Learning Center. Students were able to see the Florida ecosystem in action as they walked through separate areas of the center.

Editor-in-Chief

nstead of learning about the natural world through their AP Environmental Science textbook, AP Environmental Science students traveled to the Lake Lotus Learning Center March 31 and April 1 to experience the Florida ecosystem up close and personal.

“Actually learning about the flora and fauna right in front of us was more physical than learning about the same things from our textbook,” senior Nathan Fraas said.

Students from AP Environmental teachers Marc Pooler and Yvette Pigott’s classes took a bus to the nature center in Altamonte Springs on two separate days to accommodate the amount of students attending. Once there, students were split up into three groups and rotated through activities on effects of weather, human impact and different organisms.

In one activity, park rangers

Dual enrollment restricts options 2014-2015 Dual Enrollment Policy

Sarah Gibson

I

Staff Reporter

n the past, dual enrollment gave students the opportunity for high school credits, college credits, and an • Dual enrollment increase in GPA. However, the face of can only be dual enrollment is changing and the school scheduled for a board is cutting back on its advantages. student’s fifth or One of the main changes is the lack sixth periods of variety. While in the past, students

could take classes beyond high school requirements, even earning college • Cannot enroll in credits, now students can only take credits elective courses required for high school graduation. if the elective “In the past, students were taking requirement has classes that were beyond the 26 required already been met credits to graduate. Technically the school district was paying for their college education,” guidance counselor Charlotte • Credits must be Barolet said. “With funding now, it is required for high very difficult and not a financially good school graduapractice.” tion Students are no longer allowed to enroll in elective college classes if they have • Less variety fulfilled their elective credit requirement in courses to for high school graduation. Students can not get ahead in curriculum through dual choose from enrollment if they already have enough

credits to graduate, but the same benefits can be acquired by taking AP courses.

“I took dual enrollment classes this year for college credit, and it made choosing classes for next year harder knowing I can’t receive any more college credit,” junior Joey Schulz said.

The other change is that students can no longer dual enroll during any period they wish. Now, dual enrollment will only be during fifth or sixth periods. If a student is only taking one dual enrollment course, it will be assigned for sixth period, and if a student takes two, they are assigned for fifth and sixth periods.

While some students are deciding dual enrollment is not worth the trouble anymore, others still decide to give it a try.

“I chose to take dual enrollment because it helps me get the experience of being on the college campus,” sophomore Kendra Baird said. “There are so many benefits that would help me in the long run.”

As dual enrollment continues to change throughout the years, the pros and cons change as well, but students still have the power to choose the curriculum path that suits them best.

assisted students in sifting through organic lake matter, looking for the biodiversity that indicates water quality.

“I found a bright green Darner Dragonfly Larva, and the rangers explained to us how this dragonfly species spends most of its life as a larva and only two weeks as a dragonfly, which I never knew,” senior Nikki Meyer said.

Another activity involved students learning about the different organisms that lived in the park, including a family of Florida black bears, a mother and her two cubs, that had made the Lake Lotus Learning Center their home. Rangers also explained to students the importance of animal interactions and how they shape their environment.

“We learned about a keystone species, the gopher tortoise, that digs holes in the ground that other animals use later as shelter,” senior Tori Todaro said. “They also told us about how humans can harmfully

affect the environment by harming these keystone species.” In Florida, companies are allowed to disrupt gopher tortoise nesting sites by laying asphalt and concrete over the holes as long as they are willing to pay a hefty fine.

The Lake Lotus Learning Center was completed last year as a replacement for the former Environmental Center, which was shut down during the recession.

Because Seminole County gave the center a grant to build the facilities, Seminole County Public Schools were encouraged to take classes out on field trips to the center.

“The idea is that students will come to the center once or twice in elementary school, middle school, and high school, each time seeing the center in a new light as they learn more about their environment,” Pooler said. “Putting together a field trip is a daunting task for teachers, but I can’t teach nature out of a textbook.”

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news

Urinetown for a good show Lexi Rossow

“N

Managing Editor

o, it’s urine like pee.”

When the posters went up around school advertising the new musical this year, Urinetown, senior Monica Oquendo and all the other theater students were asked to clarify a pressing question.

Is the musical really about pee?

The musical will be playing from April 24-26 and newly hired theater teacher Trevor Southworth is planning to continue with the tradition of play teasers prior to the musical’s opening night. Though he was brought in the middle of the year because of previous director Anne Stout’s unexpected resignation, Southworth calls it an “easy transition.”

Tickets will be sold in advance for $9, and $11 at the door. Priority seating tickets will be $13, and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets will be

on sale beginning the week before opening night.

Urinetown is about a company that takes over a small town’s water supply and they made it illegal for any sort of private urination, forcing all the inhabitants to pay to use the bathroom. The musical performs the story of a young hero who rises up to take on the company and win free pee rights for everyone.

“The whole concept of the show is that we are constantly breaking the fourth wall,” Southworth said.

“We are constantly reminding the audience that they are watching the show and that they’re not just there and we are living in our own world.”

Southworth was hired the day before auditions, but intentionally did not take part in them to lessen the stress already placed on the students auditioning for the play.

“With me being there, making my judgments after seeing them for the first time, wouldn’t be fair,”

Southworth said.

Oquendo plays as Penelope Pennywise, one of the four lead female roles, and her character’s job is to monitor one of the toilets, making sure everyone in the town pays.

“Mr. Southworth allows a lot of freedom to make some of our own choices,” Oquendo said. “He is in charge of telling us where to go and when to speak, but we can develop our own characters, and I like that a lot.”

The cast of the play will be directly addressing the audience throughout the musical with lots of double meaning, parody and puns throughout the musical. There are “hidden jokes” in the script.

“Don’t let the name scare you, it is age appropriate. It is extremely funny, the music is terrific and there’s all different styles of music in it,” Southworth said. “You will not be disappointed.”

photo by Jake Burton

MOVE TO THE MUSIC. Senior Bethany Ferri practices the dance moves to the spring musical with the rest of the cast. The play will premiere April 24-26 and focuses on bringing the audience into the play’s action.

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things�to�do� this�month

Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival [Mar. 5- May 18] Enjoy the Epcot World Showcase decorated with beautiful flowers and topiary displays. Outdoor kitchens serving seasonal appetizers will also be featured, as well as the Flower Power Concert Series.

Florida Film Festival [Apr. 4-13] Come enjoy this exhibition of 170 independent films at the Enzian Theater. Throughout this 10-night event, enjoy such mini-parties as Italian Cinema Night and the Whole Foods Market Movie and Tasting.

Individual tickets can be purchased for $11.

Viva la Musica at Seaworld [Apr. 26- May 17] Celebrate Latin culture at SeaWorld during their annual Viva la Música festival, free with the price of admission. This family-friendly festival includes live performances from award-winning Latin artists.

Central Florida Earth Day [Apr. 19] Vegetarians of Central Florida presents the 9th annual Central Florida Earth Day festival from 10:00am-6:00pm at Lake Eola Park. Admission is free and festivities include art, animals, and environmental education exhibits.

The Zombie Run For Your Lives 2014 [Apr. 5] Whether you’re a zombie or a human, the race through Little Everglades Ranch will leave you muddy, sweaty, and hungry for more. Enjoy the post-apocalypse party after the run.

news

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National Honor Society more than meets the eye Katie Curley

A

Staff Reporter

sea of neon sprawled across a pond. Most of the neon t-shirted kids wade kneedeep in murky water, streaks of mud coloring their skin and clothing, as they plant a variety of vegetation to stimulate the ecology of the community. This is SERV, a Lake Brantley restoration project, and one of many events National Honor Society participates in.

Students see them everywhere on and off campus helping with the community, their neon yellow shirts and bold black print hard to miss.

Boasting 80 juniors and 80 seniors, the mere size of the club is daunting.

Even on graduation day, their blue and gold cords stand out amongst the rest. But what is NHS really about?

NHS is an exclusive, invitation only club. In order to receive an invitation, a student must have at least a 3.5 cumulative, unweighted GPA at

the end of their sophomore or junior year. An application is then required, focusing on four specific points: leadership, service, academics and character. A faculty board, consisting of different teachers from different disciplines, then reads through these applications, picking out those who excel in these four characteristics.

“Most of the time the faculty board will just read off of the application and what’s written on the application makes the kid stand out,” NHS sponsor Sarah Zietlow said. “If there are misspellings on the application or it’s haphazardly written, then them getting into NHS is very slim. It is really up to the board.”

After being accepted, the pressure is on. Each semester every member must complete a minimum of five group and five volunteer hours.

Members sign up for group events on the NHS BlackBoard, and they must fill out a required waiver. For individual hours, members can volunteer anywhere that is approved

by SCPS: reffing at the Oviedo Recreation Center, helping teachers at Carillon Elementary, taking care of puppies at Pet Rescue by Judy, and helping out in the Seminole County Public Library are all approved options.

Signing up for events allows for some freedom to NHS members, as it is a mature club and focuses on responsibility. Those who do not complete the required hours or do not turn them in on the proper date are sent a probation letter. Those on probation must turn in all 20 hours when the second semester hours are due. If this is not completed, they are kicked out of NHS. Although completing hours can be stressful, it is worth it whether members do it for the hours or for enjoyment. The events are popular and bring the community together for a good cause.

One of the most popular group volunteering events was the Special Olympics at Lake Mary on Feb.

22. Participants were split into two groups, helping out in both cycling and volleyball events. NHS was in charge of tallying and timing cycling competitors and keeping score in volleyball.

“This guy I never even met before went up to me and he was like ‘Look what I got!’ and he showed me his ribbon,” junior senator Kelsea Johannes said. “We all took a picture with him. It was really cute.”

Other exciting events included the Run or Dye 5K on April 5. This race was much like the Color Run 5K in that runners got sprayed with colorful paints. NHS members got to work this event, joining others in painting joggers.

“It was the most fun because you throw paint on people,” NHS Vice president Kelly Dunne said.

Outside group events are not the only ones NHS participates in.

Members volunteer at the main oncampus events too. This involves the blood drives, where members act as

assistants to those donating in case they faint after getting blood drawn.

NHS also runs the Pink’D Out Pig Out, serving hamburgers and hot dogs to students in support of breast cancer awareness. “[Pink’D Out Pig Out] is for a good cause; all the proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation,” NHS president Marcos Arroyo said.

“It’s just fun because you all come together for that cause and we’re all happy and everyone’s wearing the shirt. We listen to music and it’s just a good time.”

It is not just the conspicuous cord that catches the eye, but also the dedication the members have to the volunteer work that makes them stand out. For graduation seniors, some of their favorite volunteering moments were made through participation in NHS. Almost as good as this is the cord and recognition they get at the end of it all.

“It’s kind of like it’s my baby,” Arroyo states.

Honor Societies Requirements Club:

Requirements:

ASL Honor Society

Enrolled in at least ASL two; an overall 3.0 GPA and a 3.5 ASL GPA.

French Honor Society

Enrolled in at least French two; an overall 3.0 GPA and a 3.5 French GPA.

German Honor Society

3 semesters of German; an overall 3.0 GPA and an average 3.6 German GPA; 3 teacher recommendations are required.

National Art Honor Society National English Honor Society National History Club National Honor Society

Enrolled in an art class and have taken an art class passing with a B or above.

At least a 3.5 English GPA; an entrance essay is required.

Juniors need a 2.5 Social Studies GPA and seniors need a 3.5; both need an overall 3.5 GPA; 2 teacher recommendations are required.

An overall 3.5 unweighted GPA; be a junior or senior; an application essay is required; invitation only.

National Science Honor Society An unweighted 3.65 science GPA; enrollment in honors or AP science; invitation only.

National Technical Honor Society Enrolled in level 3 of one career education area; an overall 3.0 GPA and a 3.5 GPA in area of concentration.

Quill and Scroll Honor Society Spanish Honor Society Tri-M Honor Society

Two years of journalism; an overall 3.0 GPA; juniors and seniors only.

At least in second semester of second year of Spanish; an overall 3.0 GPA and a 3.5 Spanish GPA; 3 teacher recommendations are required.

Two consecutive semesters of music and be enrolled in a music class at the time; an overall 2.0 GPA and a 3.0 music GPA; an application is required.

VISIT US SEE WHAT SEMINOLE STATE IS ALL ABOUT

7

lifestyles

o m a e r c s s e p y t o e r e t s

Adeline Davis

A

Back Page Editor

popular Facebook cover photo says, “Your heroes wear capes and have super powers…my heroes are covered in tattoos and sing.”

In our society, pop music plays endlessly on radio stations.

Meanwhile, Screamo music gets pegged for being music of “devil worshippers” or “emo freaks” in the back of classrooms. The long hair and thick eyeliner sported by screamo band members receives high levels of criticism and leaves people with negative stereotypes. However, the ones who listen to the passion weaved into the screaming vocals develop a deep connection to the bands. For them, these singers act as their heroes.

“I think people think that we’re a bunch of punks,” junior Lindsey Lewis said,” but we just like the music, we just like the guitar, beat and drums.”

The starting point for any fandom is the search for light in challenging times. For screamo fans, the raw truth the lyrics hold penetrates through the darkness more successfully than pop music. Instead of focusing on young love, screamo music brings reality to life, which is why many stereotype it as negative.

“Screamo music made me stand

"[Screamo} teaches you that no matter how alone y ou feel, you never a c tually - Ny eG are." ome s, 1 2

out more, it made me different,” junior Cara Petrullo said. “A lot of my friends actually stopped being friends with me because of it.”

Due to screamo’s dark stereotype, many fail to see the enlightenment it provides for its listeners. In the song “Legacy” by Memphis May Fire, the lyrics “lift up your eyes discouraged one” serve as a constant symbol of hope for Petrullo. In fact, she plans to get a tattoo of the lyrics when she turns 19.

Senior Felix Begley experienced a similarly deep connection to lyrics from the song “Apology Rejected”

by These Hearts. For him the lyrics “‘Now I’m sitting at a green light, I could sit here all night, singing where do we go from here’” act as the inspiration for his future ahead.

“I like these lines because life is ready for you to just attack it whenever you want,” Begley said.

“I’m 18 and I’m about to take my first steps into the real world. It’s a green light and its waiting for me to go anywhere from there.”

According to Begley, the most negative aspect of Screamo music is the people who judge the genre.

In order for people to get the full effect, screamo fans insist people must listen to the lyrics. Of course, critics frequently argue that the lyrics are hard to understand due to the screaming. As it turns out, Screamo fans have an explanation for this as well.

“The reason why the musicians scream is because no one’s really listening,” Petrullo said. “They

scream because they want to be heard.”

In the screamo musicians’ eyes, being heard could be what saves a teenager’s life. Throughout his teen years, the lead singer of Memphis May Fire, Matty Mullins, suffered through depression and high levels of anxiety.

According to Petrullo, he understands what it is like for people to strive towards their dreams but encounter an obstacle that can bring them down 95 percent of the time. In his song “Miles Away,” he stresses how much his fans need him, making it evident he cares deeply about the ones he is singing to.

Mullens is one in hundreds of screamo stars who use their pain to form deep connections with their audience.

Critics of screamo music view the screaming as meaningless noise, but to the fans and musicians, this screaming is a way to make the pain, anger and suffering more real and bearable.

“People have to understand that everybody has a different mindset and opinion. For a lot of people this music can be the thing that keeps them from failing or even killing themselves,” Begley said.

Like every music genre, Screamo has a purpose. It was made to inspire.

For the musicians and fans, screaming simply intensifies the passion of the song. Society was just unprepared for teen heroes to come in the form of long haired guys with multiple tattoos and screaming voices. For Screamo fans, these heroes provide the support they need to live and enjoy life. As it turns out, screaming actually is a superpower.

8 That sounds familiar...

College myths debunked Matilda von Kalm Editor-In-Chief he moment I found out I was going to Florida State University, I called up my best friend, who went up to FSU last year, to start planning our living arrangements. I was surprised when she told me it would be a bad idea to live in the same dorm together.

“You don’t understand how many friendships I have seen ruined that way,” she told me. I didn’t understand how that could be true, until I went up to visit her.

According to my friend’s biology partner, the best friend and roommate relationship is usually a rapid deterioration from, “Oh it’s okay she watches Netflix without headphones,” to “ Why does she think breathing in the same room as me is okay, because it’s not.”

Even the established idea of more sleep in college was false.

Turns out the late night hangouts and early morning classes add up to approximately four hours of sleep on weekdays, even less than I get now. I couldn’t believe it; I went to bed at 3 a.m. and was waking up at 7 a.m. to escort my friend to her chemistry class, and she wasn’t even phased. No wonder there are three different Starbucks locations on campus.

Though my time up at FSU was an enlightening perspective on the next four years of my life, I returned home exhausted and ready to go back to the 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. schedule I had hated for so long. All the rumors I had heard about college were very much true, and though I will probably end up in a comatose in the matter of weeks on I start college, I can at least revel in the one college myth I discovered was absolutely false.

Freshman fifteen? Not a thing if you don’t have a car. Walking an average of ten miles a day does a pretty good job of balancing out the Ramen Noodles meals.

T

lifestyles

The education of teacher love Haley Gaeser

Lifestyles Editor hen couples move in together and finally tie the knot, they expect to spend a lot of time with each other. Their usual daily routines intertwine and they figure out how to live their lives as husband and wife, but while most couples work separate jobs, there are the few that get to be together every step of the day, namely teachers.

Lauren and Brett Hamilton met through mutual friends after they both were already working at Hagerty. The two hit it off and got married a few years later. Since Lauren’s father was an English teacher like she was, and her mother was a PE coach like Brett, their marriage was meant to be.

Even though they work together, the Hamilton’s have different morning and afternoon schedules.

“We take separate cars to and from school because I take Baylor to his babysitter in the morning,” Brett said. “She likes to get to school as early as humanly possible.”

The two of them have learned over the years how to maintain a healthy work relationship. They fight like normal couples but are professional enough to never bring it out during school hours.

“Working together has strengthened our relationship. We always run ideas off of each other for inspiration,” Lauren said.

Around the same time the Hamiltons started teaching, the Malkoviches joined the Husky family

W

Spending time together is important for all married couples, but while Brett and Lauren barely see each other throughout the day, Brandi and Matt get to spend a lot of time together. They even call each other during class and out of the 180 days of school, they eat around 160 lunches together.

“If we were not here, there would be some days we would never see each other. She goes to bed at 8 p.m. every night and I consider her to be the oldest 32 year-old I know,” Matt said.

While the salary for teachers is not ideal, they do what they do for the vacation time they get and for the students. It is a type of job meant for a family person.

“If someone were to offer me an extra $10,000 for another job, I would turn them down. Money does not make me happy,” Brett said. “Spending time with her and my family does.”

too. Matt and Brandi grew up together in the small town of Benton, Ill. and became golf partners. They bonded by playing in tournaments with each other.

Matt knew since freshman year of high school that he always wanted to be a teacher, but Brandi’s sights were set on being a professional golfer. After her golfing career did not work out in Chicago, he convinced her to take a Biology job when there was an opening.

Although Matt has some prior knowledge of anatomy through Brandi’s job and by coaching, when it comes to certain aspects of it, he gets grossed out easily.

“After I gave birth, the first thing people asked when they called was not whether or not I was okay, but rather how Matt was,” Brandi said.

Matt also teaches AP Government, something that Brandi never liked. She is more scientific and just never had the desire to learn about social studies. However, Matt has the highest level of respect when it comes to her job as many students choose not to take anatomy due to it not being an AP class.

Like the Hamiltons and Malkoviches, Pam and Chas Lynch teach very different subjects: French and Computer Apps. While Pam is more artistic, Chas is the more technical and left-minded of the two.

“One of the perks is not needing to ask an IT guy for help because I can just ask my husband,” Pam said.

LUNCH LOVE. Matt and Brandi Malkovich tease each other with a carrot. The Malkoviches eat lunch together almost every day at school.

it’s how to ask people out, how to break up with them and what to do when they screw up,” Christodoulides said.

Whether students choose to believe it or not, teachers were at one point in high school. They underwent the same struggles teenagers go through now and worked through the same break ups everyone experiences.

Teachers are also knowledgeable in helping students ask others out. English teacher Lauren Hamilton has helped students arrange Valentine’s Day gift deliveries and Christodoulides frequently works with students and their crushes.

Relationship-wise, teachers do not mind having two students in one class that are dating. Teachers are fine with students dating as long as they can still focus on what is happening in the classroom academically.

“Most of the time, they are pretty mature about it. They won’t always sit together, which I like,” English teacher Helen Reed said. “It’s the breakup that’s kind of tough where they now sit at opposite sides of the room.”

Despite breakups being awkward, the majority of teachers generally support dating in high school.

“I think it’s a rite of passage,” math teacher Carolyn Guzman said.

Dating is not the only topic that students ask teachers about. Teachers are open to giving advice to students on any topic, including academics, college questions, parent problems and homelife in general. Considering homelife, students who confide in teachers should know that if they talk about home abuse or neglect, by law the teacher must report the information.

“I always let students know my professional obligation if I feel the conversation could be heading that way,” Hamilton said. “Usually, the student wants help and continues, and I’m happy to get them the help and information they need.”

As liberating as asking advice can be for students, teachers enjoy being sought out just as much. They enjoy the personal connection it can create with students in and out of the classroom.

“I love students. I love talking to them. I like getting to know them,” Reed said.

Photo by Jake Burton

Teachers advise students on life Winnie Meyer

C

Reviews Editor

ommonly, when seeking out advice or help with personal problems, teenagers go to their friends, and, if forced to talk to an adult, their parents.

Nobody ever considers consulting a teacher.

However, teachers help students with their personal and academic issues more than most people know.

“I know more than I want to know, and more than they want me to know, but I do,” math teacher Aglaia Christodoulides said.

Students confide themselves in teachers because they can get an experienced answer to their problems. It is a break from teenager opinion.

“I ask about things I can’t ask other students because I’ll feel judged,” sophomore Leslie Gallagher said.

Christodoulides, and other teachers frequently receive students asking for advice with their personal problems. “[Students] ask me a lot of things. Mainly,

9

lifestyles

One in a Million Madeline Kemper Business Manager

I

am. I am that girl. I am that one in a million. I am diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia. I am not cured.

I do not know what will happen next.

My body does not produce enough red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. This is because the bone marrow’s stem cells in my body are damaged. Aplastic Anemia is also called bone marrow failure.

Doctors are unsure of the cause of my disease; actually they are unsure of a lot. It could be genetic, it could be environmentally induced, it could be something that I have had since I was a baby. It could get better, it could get worse. I could be better, I could be worse, but not much worse...

I sometimes wish that I could have a “copy and paste” button for everyone who asks what my condition is. I try to make it sound bad, because it is bad and when I say I have Aplastic Anemia everyone automatically thinks, “I know what anemia is. That’s not bad; get on some medications and you’ll be fine.”

But what they don’t know is, I can die from it.

In the beginning, it was just a

Ashley Jade Komanetsky’s story, as told by Madeline Kemper

bruise. Then a welt spread down my leg. I went to the emergency room, they did a blood test, and next thing I knew, I was getting three to four blood and platelet transfusions a week, all-day processes that took six hours, just to come back one or two days later and do it all over again. At one point, my immune system was completely gone. I was living off of antibiotics, with only a 50/50 chance of survival.

I was very angry. It’s hard to understand why I have been chosen for this. I will never be the same person. I may one day be cured, but I will never stop feeling like a sick person. I no longer consider myself normal.

Right now, my blood levels are at a constant low, and I am always on the verge of having to go back into the hospital. I am always cautious.

Stay out of the sun, no exercise, don’t stand for too long. I have been told that my platelets and red blood cells are not forming correctly.

I have had to miss a lot of school because of my condition. My friends, all but one, left me. I used to be popular, I used to have a lot of friends, people knew me. Then one by one, they stopped talking to me. I

guess it was just too hard. I thought, I got it in my head, that these were my good friends. That they would be there for me in the good and bad times. Not that it matters now; I have changed and so have they. I know now who to lean on, but what hurts the most is sitting at lunch with one other person I barely know.

Last Thursday, I was admitted into the ER with bad cramps. They did a CAT scan and found a lot of stones in my body. Friday, I was put through a HIDA scan and I had to lay still for three hours. I was already experiencing stomach pains, and then doctors injected enzymes that were the equivalent of a greasy hamburger to see how my gallbladder would react. It was so painful. I was crying so hard. I begged and screamed for them to stop. I threw up on the side of the table, but I still was not allowed to move. The one nurse was crying. She ended the scan three minutes early after she turned to my mom and said, “I just can’t do this any more.”

I knew they had to do it, though; you can’t cut into me unless it is completely necessary, because every time I go into surgery I could bleed out on the table.

As I was regaining consciousness,

supplementary resources created by other instructors. She stresses the importance of orchestrating lessons that allow students to critically discuss topics instead of simply reading and answering questions, “attack[ing the lesson] in a different way,” Reed said.

Many higher-level courses do include units on current events, and teachers are amazed at many basic questions students cannot answer.

“There’s such a lack of knowledge from students about current events.

Students do not have an awareness of their own world,” Reed said.

Juniors and seniors are already praising this trend.

“It informs people on things going on in the world that they may not have been exposed to before,” senior Sarah Bradley said. “It allows

for in-depth thinking.”

Bradley’s English IV Honors teacher Heather Bent uses similar teaching methods for her AP students.

Students spend a considerable amount of time watching clips from popular shows for their unit on satire.

They then gather and discuss the current event or issue brought to light in the video clip, sometimes for an entire block period.

Bent’s activities focus on important issues students may not be exploring outside of class. After a particularly in-depth class discussion, her students wondered why such realworld connections were not taught more often throughout high school. “[State representatives] claim that the Common Core standards will attempt to make more connections between subjects,” Bent said. “Ideally

AGAINST ALL ODDS. Sophomore Ashley Komanetsky waves after just having had gallbladder surgery at Arnold Palmer Hospital. Komanetsky has been fighting Aplastic Amenia for two years. my first thought was to post the bandages on my stomach to my followers on social media. I like my scars. They tell my story and I want to tell people what I go through.

Instagram and Facebook have been my release, my place to go when the real world is too much. I have found so much positivity in social media and being able to share my story. I am able to fade from my typical shyness into a much more open and expressive person. Prayers and well wishes are constantly posted to my wall, and I know that there are those people watching out for me.

But more than that, it reminds me that I am not completely alone in a world that at times can be so lonesome.

I have been able to raise awareness with wristbands, T-shirts and support groups through the Internet which have also allowed me to connect with survivors of my disease. My mission is to teach others about this disease. I hope through this all I can help just one person in what they are experiencing. I have come so far and I am stronger than I have ever been.

Strong for the moment. I am getting a bone marrow transplant in four weeks that has the potential to cure me. But it may not work. I don’t freak out over small things any more.

I’m thankful for more things. I am that one in a million. I am going to keep fighting.

it [would also incorporate] the things we’ve been suggesting in class.”

Bent feels that if students were given more opportunities to connect the lesson to their lives, they would be more engaged and high school dropout rate would decrease .However, she has “low confidence” that such connections will actually

happen under Common Core.

As things stand now, topical discussions in the classroom serve as a bridge between student and the real world. Though these discussions are well-received by students, whether they will become a bigger part of the general curriculum remains to be seen.

Teachers turn a new page in English curriculum Kate Cousins

A

Staff Reporter

sk a typical student how English class is conducted and the common response will be groans and complaints about outdated literature and monotonous notation that has no applicability to real life. However, for many English Honors and AP Lit and Lang students, the wave of the future is here. More teachers are moving away from traditional teaching methods and expanding their curriculum to include current events that tie lessons in with relatable material.

AP Lang teacher Helen Reed said that her classes do not even use a textbook. In fact, Reed, like other teachers, creates much of her own teaching material or uses

10

lifestyles

Horses help special needs campers Failed Daniella Parcell

A

News Editor

ny break from school usually brings an outcry of enthusiasm, excitement and excessive eagerness to “lounge” on a crowded, tourist-infested beach for countless hours each day. To junior Erica Cannon, however, the idea brings a more truthful vision of peaceful recreation.

Last summer, Cannon began her job as a volunteer at the Center for Horsemanship And Personal Success, an organization which provides horseback riding lessons and valuable activities to children and adults who suffer with mental and physical disabilities. Founded in 2012, CHAPS’s primary purpose is to provide therapeutic benefits to such individuals.

“There are some kids who are calmer on horses,” freshman Bailey Meyer, who also volunteers at the organization, said.

“They basically ride and play games to help their balance and concentration.”

For Cannon, the experience of CHAPS relates to her early beginnings with horses, as the initial reason for her riding was to help with ADD, while her sister began

the activity to help a troublesome hip disability. Like the soothing results shared by the sisters, as participants at CHAPS ride, the rhythms of the horse act as a sort of therapy, and, according to Cannon, bring obvious comfort. The program has been especially helpful for students with special needs, such as autism, Down syndrome and Tourette’s syndrome.

“We had this one student with autism so severe that she couldn’t speak,” Cannon said. “I would make [the horse] go faster or slower and you could tell because her face would change every time the rhythm would change.”

While the rhythmic horse trot delivers a special sense of contentment, the animal itself also plays a role. For CHAPS students with severe communicationimpairing disabilities such as speaking or hearing restrictions, the horse can be a unique outlet for interaction, one they may have difficulty finding in other human beings who rely more on noise to communicate.

“There’s just a sort of interaction with them because [the horses] don’t use language either,” Cannon said. “It’s all body language, and [the participants]

New recruits for Army Ellie Bonck

S

Staff Reporter

traying from the traditional college path, seniors Wyatt Garr and Andres Carbone have chosen to serve their country, and to carry on a military family tradition. The males in their families have been serving in the army for the past couple of generations, and it has inspired them to follow a similar path, specifically their fathers and grandfathers. Both Carbone, leaving July 22, and Garr, leaving Sept. 9, will be pursuing careers as military police for the Army. In order to enlist, both boys had to go through a three week process.

They had to take physical, medical and intellectual tests, and fill out paperwork to ensure that they met the qualifications for the army.

Since he was a child, Carbone has always wanted to become a part of the military police, more specifically the 307 Narcotics Team that focuses on drug suppressions and personal investigations.

When Carbone leaves in July to Ft. Leanorwood, Missouri, he will be away

for eight months. The hardest part about leaving will be leaving behind his parents, sister, close friend and cousin whom he is close to. While gone he will go through a nine week basic training, an 11 week training specific to the military police, and an nine week criminal investigation training. In July, Carbone is doing a program called 50/50 to prepare him for basic training. Each day he does 150 pushups and 150 sit-ups, and runs a 5K. “I haven’t really prepared mentally.

I’m just trying to keep my head high, and remember when times get difficult, just got to push through it,” Carbone said.

For both boys, there is no fear, only excitement for this new chapter of their lives. Garr is following this plan closely, choosing the military police as well, but leaving Sept 9.

“I chose the military police, because it provides me with different options and a stable job after I serve my required time,” Garr said.

He is training a little differently physically, but he is also running and working out daily. After completing

understand that better.”

As Cannon’s rigorous schedule interferes with her weekly attendance, Meyer, a newer addition to CHAPS, dedicates each weekend to similar practices, helping students ride and weave through courses.

“I love interacting with the kids because they’re just really nice,” Meyer said. “It’s cool seeing them progress and watching how much stronger they get.”

With summer break approaching, both Cannon and Meyer have the opportunity to commit even more time to CHAPS; Cannon plans on spending four days each week at the center, and Meyer hopes for similarly heightened attendance. While this increased time allows extra practice for themselves, the two find the greatest pleasure in assisting those with disabilities.

“To me, horses are just like dogs.

When you see a dog and you just kind of get happy, it’s like that,” Cannon said.

“It’s great helping [the students] and seeing them get happy with it.”

Horseback riders who wish to join the growing community of CHAPS volunteers can visit chapscenter.com.

W

Bracketology Ben Clyatt, Staff Reporter

hen 11-seeded Dayton upset 6-seeded Ohio State in the first game of this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament, sophomore Aadit Vyas went on a “bracket-wrecking rampage.”

“I not only crumpled up my own bracket, but I destroyed other people’s brackets,” Vyas said. “It was like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre of brackets.”

The NCAA Tournament tipped off this year in Orlando, Florida, featuring the top-seeded Florida Gators playing the 16-seed Albany Great Danes. Florida went on to win, and have since advanced all the way to the Final Four, along with Kentucky, Connecticut, and Wisconsin.

Few people simply watch the tournament; they all get infected with the Madness. People make their own brackets, trying to correctly pick all 63 games. With written, set-in-stone predictions of all the games, games are watched with a certain fiery intensity, fans screaming at their TV, rooting for teams they’ve never seen play before solely because they picked them to win.

The odds of making a completely accurate, or perfect, bracket are one in nine quintillion. That’s one nine and 18 zeroes. Nobody has ever made a perfect bracket in tournament history.

These odds didn’t stop the 11 million people who participated in ESPN’s Tournament Challenge this year, where the prize for correctly picking the most games was a $10,000 Best Buy gift card.

“My brackets are just

destroyed, every year.”

Nicholas Yaroma, 10

ARMY STRONG. Seniors Andres Carbone and Wyatt Garr are sworn into the US Army in Tampa. Joining the army and becoming military police have been lifelong dreams for both of them. the program, he plans to either attend Seminole State College or the University of Maryland. While the 21 week program will present Garr with new physical and mental challenges, Garr is looking forward to meeting new people and overcoming these challenges.

Quicken Loans released a challenge, insured by Warren Buffet and only available to Yahoo! bracket-makers who entered in the challenge, where the prize for picking a completely accurate bracket was $1 billion.

Warren Buffett and his billions were safe before the first day of the tournament was even over. After the very first game, Dayton versus Ohio State, 83.7 percent of all brackets were eliminated, with Dayton pulling off the upset. Going into game 26 on the second day, VCU versus Stephen F. Austin, only three perfect brackets remained.

As VCU went down, so too did those brackets.

“My brackets are just destroyed, every year,” sophomore Nicholas Yaroma said.

Brackets being busted should be the expectation for everyone by this point, yet every wrong game only seems to add to frustrations. Twitter feeds are filled during the tournament with people proclaiming they called this year’s underdog team, and others cursing the powerhouses for losing to a nobody.

“It’s as frustrating as trying to put a square block in a circular hole,” junior Joey Schulz said.

11

lifestyles

? m o r P A SCENE FROM UP. Senior Syndey Egan opens the car and finds a balloon surprise.

Sam Sorkin

S

Staff Reporter

enior Daniel Guin nervously drove down the road on one school morning to pick up senior Sydney Egan. One hundred green, orange, red, blue and yellow balloons filled his car and the hope that his promposal would turn out perfectly filled his thoughts. He knew it was a risky move but if she said “yes,” he knew he would have an awesome prom date.

With prom right around the corner, on April 12, promposals have been common among upperclass students. A promposal is usually a unique, cute or creative way to ask a date or friend to prom.

“I would suggest that if you are asking someone to prom, you should make it exciting. It’s something you only get to do once, so a simple ‘Will you go to prom with me?’ is boring,” senior Daniel Guin said. “Surprises are always the best.”

The common thing is to go all out when asking someone to prom.

Whether they are just a friend or someone another student may be dating or considering dating, the

WHAT A RIP OFF. Senior Christa Johns was in for a shock when her boyfriend ripped open his shirt to reveal her promposal.

SWEETER THAN PIE. Senior Kaitlyn Lobkovich got a sweet treat when her friend senior Jeff Joseph asked her to prom.

common consensus is to “go big or way to his girlfriend, senior Katie balloons, five softballs that each Loveland, by having the sushi chef had a letter on them that spelled out go home.”

However, senior Rachel Blair write out the question on the same “Prom?” and a Cheeze-Its box with “I hope this isn’t too cheesy” written flipped roles. She drove her car and plate as their sushi.

“He was driving to Takeyama and on it. With the help of his friends and journeyed out to the beach to ask her boyfriend, junior Vincent Moreschi. I was like ‘OH! Are you asking me Miller’s mom for her car keys, he She put a message in a bottle and to prom in sushi?’ He was bummed created the set up for his promposal.

“After setting all of [the dug it into the sand so he could find it that I guessed but I acted surprised promposal] up, I went back to the anyway,” Loveland said. while they were digging in the sand.

During prom season, students can game. It was raining so I got an “He did not think the bottle was for him at all; he was so surprised,” also look to social media for ideas umbrella and held it over her so we or inspiration. Twitter, Tumblr and could get back to her car. When she Blair said. opened the door, she was so Some students even hop “My date asked the chef at surprised.” McGregor said. in their cars and travel to the Social media sites act beach or a romantic restaurant the restaurant to write ‘Prom?’ as an archive for promposal for the picture perfect promposal. However, going out in chocolate and bring it pictures throughout the years, underclassmen have a wide on an adventure to the beach out to me. I was so excited, I so variety of options to take is not the only option.

“My date asked the chef shrieked and yelled ‘OH MY inspiration from.

“Last year, I went to at the restaurant to write prom and he [graduate Iñaki ‘Prom?’ out in chocolate and GOD, yes of course!’” bring it out to me,” senior - Amanda Guzman, 12 Erkicia] invited me over for dinner, and afterwards we Amanda Guzman said. “I was so excited, I shrieked and yelled ‘OH Facebook all have numerous accounts went on his balcony upstairs outside dedicated to the various ways people his room, and it was lit up with lights MY GOD, yes of course!’” and a big bouquet of roses spelled out Food is also a common trend can be asked to prom. among students. Senior Jeff Joseph Senior Tyler McGregor found prom,” senior Lyndsi Grose said.

Romantic gestures like sparkling asked his friend, senior Kaitlyn inspiration for his promposal, to lights and beautiful flowers can seem Lobkovich, with a cookie cake that senior Alex Miller, on Twitter.

McGregor went to one of her to come straight from the pages of a had “prom?” written on it. Senior Kyle Ings also asked with an edible softball games, equipped with Nicholas Sparks novel, but they can

become reality with the right ideas and even some help from friends.

“I talked to a few of Kaitlyn’s friends to put a few ideas together to ask her to prom,” Joseph said.

Friends not only can help a student ask someone else to prom, but they can also become a student’s own prom date. Alumni Gio Gonzalez came in as a visitor during lunch to ask senior Addy Below to her prom this year as a friend.

“I saw people with their phones out [when Gonzalez came into the cafeteria] so I knew something was coming. He stood up on one of the lunch tables, read out the poem he had written on a poster, he also gave me flowers and a photo album for our future prom pictures,” Below said.

“I was so surprised. It was the cutest thing ever.”

A simple “Will you go to prom with me?” is also acceptable among students if an elaborate plan is not what the asking student is going for.

“Of course it’s fun to go all out, but no one should feel obligated to do a big promposal,” Below said. “As long as it’s the person you want to go with, it shouldn’t matter about how they ask you.”

12

MIDDLE

TOP TEN

CHANGE A TIRE THE BASICS:

WHAT NOT TO DO:

Only raise the car from the frame (the bottom part of the car); if you raise the underbody you might chip the paint or dent the car. Tighten the bolts in a star pattern (not in a circular pattern) to distribute the weight evenly. The car will only tighten those bolts when it is lowered.

Do not drive on a flat tire for a long time otherwise you will put stress on your car and your tire can literally blow off from your car. Plus, the cost of replacing the wheel frame is much greater than replacing a tire.

ONLINE HELP: www.wikihow.com/Change-a-Tire

PULL AN ALL NIGHTER

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE COLLEGE

In college, you will either have to pull some all-nighters or stay up late regularly, especially if you are among those who procrastinate. Gather your coffee, snacks, and focus abilities, and learn some tips from students who have pulled all-nighters and survived.

“I have never had to pull an allVETERAN ACCOUNTS: nighter, but I’m up until 1 or 2 a.m. on a regular basis. I hate procrastination “I have pulled a few and get things done ahead of time, all-nighters in a row before, which I think prevents me from having and I survived on lots to pull one, but I have friends who do it of coffee and breaks several times a month. They drink lots using the Internet. of coffee and sometime sleep through But when I get to classes. Pacing yourself is a major school I usually feel necessity in order to get good grades like death and crash and a decent amount of sleep.” when I get home.”

- Sarah Casagrande, Hagerty grad – Ashleigh Andrews, 12

USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Most colleges do not require the use of a car or do not permit the use of one, so you will have to survive on public transport. In Florida you will notice the lack of public transport, but colleges use it often, especially from dorm rooms to campus classes.

RIDING THE BUS:

You must first have a bus pass which you can buy at the college. Some buses, however, do take cash. If you do not know where to find a pass, ask the counselors.

You will use your pass to get on the bus, and bus times and destinations can usually be found posted on a notice board or on a bus route app provided by the school.

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2.

MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION ON ROOMMATES THE BASICS:

TIPS BY LAUREN LEE AND HALEY GAESER DESIGN AND LAYOUT BY BEN SORKIN

USE A COIN LAUNDRY MACHINE

3.

Bring your own detergent as they do not provide you with any and use an appropriate Steve goes through 16 shirts amount of detergent (a capful), and read the bottle and 10 pairs of jeans in a week due for further instructions. to excessive activities and stress; Choose cold water for colors, but it’s his first week of college hot for whites. and he does not know how to use Set controls according to the a coin laundry machine. Don’t be amount of clothing.

Steve…here are some helpful tips When putting in dryer, be sure and guidelines. not to shrink your clothes.

THE BASICS: Make sure to look at your clothing labels to Make sure to sort whites determine from colors, otherwise you how long will end up with pink underwear. to dry.

Have quarters handy since that is the only type of coin the machines will take.

THE SCENARIO:

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“I’ve gotten random roommates each year and I’ve met them for the first time when we were moving in.

But I think it’s important to talk before you move in! Whether that means Facebook or email or text, just kind of get to know each other before you’re stuck living together for a year.

Also, just generally be nice. Avoid doing anything really weird like singing along to Glee (my roommate does this) or wearing footie pajamas (I do this) until you guys actually know each other.”

- Robyn Smith, Hagerty graduate

ONLINE HELP:

Roomsurf.com and easyroommate. com are two easy roommate finder services that will allow you to find a compatible roommate.

13

MIDDLE GET A STAIN OUT OF A SHIRT

PRACTICE CLEANLINESS

THE GURU The wonderful and always clean-kept Mr. Vaughn teaches the basics behind getting a stain out of a shirt. Download the “Aurasma” app from the Apple App Store or Google Play to view the video. Follow the Hagertyjourn channel.

COFFEE STAIN

Presoak the stain in a solution of one quart water, one tablespoon white vinegar, and one teaspoon laundry detergent.

GRASS STAIN

Either soak grass stains in full-strength white vinegar or brush non-gel, non-whitening toothpaste directly on the stain. Then rinse thoroughly and dry.

INK STAIN

Pour salt on an ink stain that’s still wet, gently dab with a wet paper towel, and then brush off the salt. Repeat as necessary.

You are probably shaking your head at this one, as you are sure you have grips on the art of hygiene. Just in case you do not…

WASH YOUR DISHES The dreaded dishes. The way to avoid them? Use plastic plates and cutlery. If not, keep dishes in the sink until you wash them. Wash them the day you use them, otherwise they will start to smell and the leftover food will harden. Use hot water and detergent to wash the dishes. If food is stuck on the plate, soak the plates in water for an hour.

CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES It’s easy to fall asleep in your clothes after a long night of studying, and tempting to just wear the same outfit again the next day. But at night and throughout the day your body starts to smell, and so will your clothes, enough that everyone in your classes will notice.

VETERAN ACCOUNTS:

BUY CHEAP TEXT BOOKS ONLINE HALF.EBAY.COM

If buying sounds too expensive and you don’t need to keep the books forever, Half.Ebay. com has different books for cheap prices. If you need books for English this is the place to go. Books such as “The Great Gatsby” can be sold for $1, while school textbooks can range from $50 to $90.

CHEGG.COM

Students may spend $500 on textbooks each semester, but by using this website a student can rent or buy them for as little as $100. The website does not cause much of a hassle and students will not have to spend large amounts of money buying or selling books back.

BIGWORDS.COM

This search site rifles through online stores and ads looking for text books a student needs.

These textbooks can be new, used buybacks, or extremely specific books. It is cheaper than buying them from college book stores.

WRITE A CHECK THE BASICS:

1.

To be able to write a check, you must first have a checking account. After registering for the first time you will receive blank checks or you can buy a customized set with cute puppies or Spongebob!

To fill out the check first fill out the corresponding date. There are limits on cashing a check, so if you get the date wrong, the person will not be able to get the money.

Put the name of the person or company on the line that says “pay to the order of.” Make sure it is spelled correctly or it will not go through.

You must also write the amount the check is for. Write the amount in numerals where it says $, and in word form where it says dollars. Be careful to write the correct amount or else you could be billed for $1000 rather than $10!

Every time you fill out a check, you must balance your checkbook. If you write a check for more than what is in your bank account, the bank will fine you for bouncing a check.

“My roommate never fails to amaze me. You wear something all day long and then come back to the room to take it off and hang it back up?! No, that is DIRTY now, you’ve sweat in it all day. Just no!

My nose is always being punished, it’s not fair!”Shannon Gonzalez, Hagerty Graduate

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ADDRESS AND MAIL AN ENVELOPE

Have you ever tried to send someone a letter from Africa or even a check to the college for tuition but did not know how?

Well, now is the opportunity to learn.

Begin addressing the letter on the top middle of the letter.

On the first line, write the name of the person you wish to receive the letter. You can probably skip titles (Dr./Ms.) for close friends.

On the second line write the street address or PO box number (if there is one). You can use Pkwy for parkway and other such abbreviations.

Write the city, state, and ZIP code on the third line. The state should be abbreviated with two letters, not spelled out.

If you’re mailing from another country, write the country on the last line.

You can always write sender (with your address and info) in the top left so that if it does get sent back you will get it.

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14

student connection Do you know how Twitter Feed

POLL:

to change a tire?

For many high school students , driving a car can be a rite of passage, and soon their car becomes a necessary aspect of their everyday life. With programs such as AAA that offer car care on the spot, some students do not have the knowledge needed to change a tire and use excuses as reasons for not learning. According to AutoMD, two-thirds of public high school students surveyed have either very basic or no auto care education. To know how to change a tire is part of the regime of owning a car and not knowing or being too dependent on a car care service can lead to a situation when you are alone, with a dead cell phone and a flat tire.

No:

50%

Yes: 50%

100 people surveyed graphic by Kate Cousins

SOMETHING OF INTEREST Fabric Bracelet

Time: 5 to 10 minutes Approximate cost: $5 Junior Adriana Caamano creates a cute, cheap bracelet from household items.

Prom

“So many promposals today ♥ #yesss” senior Shannon Torrence @shannontorrence “Ask me to prom with a Chipotle bowl pls” junior Mandy Rose @rosieaintfab “SOS need prom date” senior Ciara McGoona @CiaraMcGoona “Ugh so in love with all my friends prom dresses ♥” senior Addy Below @_addyBelow “I’m excited for prom but it’s also one of the most stressful things ever” senior Lauren Willover @LaurenWillover

Teacher Love “Starting the day off right wih my favorite sub, Mr. Dixon ♥ It HAS to be a good day if one of the Dixon’s is your sub #socute” junior Bella Cortes @bella_cortes5 “Mr. Adams favorited my tweet and I’ve never had him as a teacher so this is such an honor wow I can’t breath. “ senior Chloe Gambrell @ChloeGambrell

Spring Breakers

1

You will need a wire hanger, an old piece of fabric, and a pair of wire cutters or strong scissors.

2

From the hanger, cut a piece of wire that will fit around your wrist. Bend the wire into a circle, twisting the ends together.

3

Wrap the piece of fabric around the wire circle and tie the edges to secure the decoration.

“It’s super easy and fun to make as a gift or just for yourself.”

Adriana Caamano, 11

“Beyond depressed cause spring break is over...” senior Danielle Rasmussen @Danielleeee_Ann “I hate how spring break always feels like summer but then it’s like jk you have a whole quarter left of school.” sophomore Emma Tardrew @Emma R

student connection “Deer Head” Lindsey Cavazos, 12 “I decided to make the deer because my grandpa passed away and he really liked deer hunting and fishing.”

Art Corner “Camera on Table” Mary York, 9 “I saw the idea in a YouTube video once, and when I heard we were doing a project I decided to use the idea.”

“Kangaroo” Madeleine Schmitz, 10 “I was inspired mainly by colors, for the kangaroo it was warm colors and cool colors for the Joey.”

“Arizona Tea Flowers” Alexa Rodriguez, 9 Meghan Lee, 9 “We saw that Arizona Tea cans had flowers on them so we decided to make flowers with those cans.”

Check it out Lea Michele’s “Louder”

A look at what’s hot in apps, videos and technology

Procrastination Dash Timer

Released on Feb. 28, Need an efficient way Michele’s new album to juggle study time with showcases her hard-hitting break time? Go to www. music abilities on a more procrastinationdashtimer. personal level. After the com to download the Dash Glee star’s boyfriend, Cory Time. When you cannot Monteith, died last June, trust yourself to manage songs such as “If You Say So” time, this timer allows users highlight her heartbreaking yet to set up specific amounts of inspiring journey to recovery. time for working periods and breaks, helping to provide a “The album is seriously the productive way to study. most amazing thing I’ve ever heard. I listen to it nonstop.

“It allows me to get my work The song ‘If You Say So’ done efficiently and quickly, makes me cry every time.” it’s really helpful.”

Ashleigh Andrews, 12 Kelly Broderick,11

Hannibal

New Giver Trailer

WonderPolls

Wonderpolls is an interactive app that challenges indecisive people with questions. The questions range from “what is the best ice cream?” to wouldyou-rather questions. After the player picks their answer, a poll chart shows up with percentages for each answer.

The app is available on Android phones and iPhones.

“It helps connect to other people your age, and it is fun to know what other people think.”

Jessica Ritchie, 11

The first season of Hannibal has been released on Netflix, leaving fans raving over this darkly humored hit. The show follows the life of FBI agent Will Graham as he investigates various cases of murders and cannibalism, while the psychotic killer Dr. Hannibal Lector manipulates Graham into believing he is the one committing the crimes. This psychotic thriller features 13 episodes, leaving the audience wondering which character is the craziest.

Lois Lowry’s 1993 book The Giver, follows the life of Jona while he lives in a Utopian civilization. In this society, pain, fear and hate have been completely eliminated, controlling the citizens choices and lifestyles. Will Jona revolt against the Utopia, or will he endure scarring memories that the community is not allowed, for the rest of his life? After 21 years of waiting, The Giver movie trailer has surfaced on YouTube and is due to come out this summer.

“Not only does it have an interesting plot, but the cinematography’s great.”

Catie Mason, 11

“I’m excited to see how the creators will portray the film on the big screen.”

Madison Marcano, 11

Queen of the Hill

15

Tweet-me-not?!

Sophie Hill

Staff reporter In high school, drama’s sneaky tendrils manage to weave themselves into nearly every team, club, party, meeting and Tweet.

But don’t we all have enough stress in our lives than to get absorbed in this week’s newest travesty unfolding in our timelines and to passively aggressively call out our friends?

In this era of instant technological connectedness, having to scroll through masses of fights and subtweets every day gets aggravating.

As a generation, we are gifted with the ability to update friends, families and even strangers with issues we can work together to solve and with aspects of our day that would have otherwise been swept under the rug.

And yet, we cannot bring ourselves away from the harsh light of our sleek laptops because we’re too busy tweeting our feelings in place of settling the quarrels we have with people in person. We invest ourselves in petty fights and trivial arguments that could be easily resolved if we were not hiding behind the impersonal veil of digital text.

Twitter, Facebook and Instagram were created to bring people closer together, not to drive a wedge between friendships. If you’re pushing away the people who want to be by your side, why try to connect with them in the first place? Arguments, fights, and misunderstandings are difficult, especially with your girlfriend, boyfriend or best friend. But that person is close to you for a reason.

Give them the respect they deserve and resolve your issues privately in person.

We all crave attention, but tweeting dramatically cliché posts dripping with ridiculous existential angst over ‘the one’ will only ever gain you an unsavory reputation. Be smart about what you tweet and don’t involve your followers in issues you should solve yourself.

And if worst comes to worst, there’s always the ‘delete account’ button. I’ve found that Candy Crush and doing work on time reduces stress and sleep-deprivation-caused arguments a lot faster than tweeting some deep quote you found on Tumblr.

16

opinions

the

blueprint

Hagerty High School 3225 Lockwood Blvd.

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

The Blue Print is a student-produced newspaper in which the student editors make all content decisions. The newspaper belongs to the Columbia Scholastic Editor-in-Chief Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association and the Florida Matilda von Kolm Scholastic Press Association.

Opinions expressed within the newspaper do not represent the staff’s views as Managing Editor Lexi Rossow 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 at Business Manager Madeline Kemper hagertyjourn@gmail.com. We reserve the right to reject any advertisement.

Designer Specialist Staff Reporters Ellie Bonck Adeline Davis Sarah Gibson Sports Editor Jeannie Williams Spencer Thompson Kallie Delis Reviews Editor Katie Curley Madison Garr Winnie Meyer Ryan O’Connor Photo Editor Opinions Editor Nathaniel Kauffman Jake Burton Jessica Jeffers Ben Clyatt Student Connection Sophie Hill News Editor Lauren Lee Taylor Ferraro Daniella Parcell Graphics Editor Kate Cousins Ben Sorkin Sam Sorkin Lifestyles Editor Adviser Principal Haley Gaeser Brit Taylor Mary Williams

barks

& bites

Jessica Jeffers

BARK to the senior class A and Dr. Williams for getting

graduation changed back to the traditional “High honors walk first,” concept. Dr. Williams announced in January that high honors students would no longer be first to walk at graduation to avoid the other students feeling conned. These students fought to keep graduation the traditional way, and were successful. The changes will now apply to the graduating class of 2015, and will not come as a surprise.

Our�take: EOCs in all classes is unrealistic

N

ot every class can evaluate students on what they have learned through a 60 question multiple choice test. That is why the new implementation of End of Course exams for every high school course offered is unrealistic; setting benchmarks for over 300 classes, more than 50 of which are pass/fail or project based electives, is a large step up from this year’s EOCs in only Biology, Algebra 1, U.S. History and Geometry. Though the state has already contracted the tests and set next year as the date all the new EOCs will be implemented, little information has been given to

schools on what material teachers will be expected to teach for the upcoming school year.

Many of the classes that will now have EOCs have no business evaluating students by a multiple choice test either. Leadership students learn to work with their peers and school faculty to organize school events and fundraisers, skills that cannot be tested by bubbling in the correct letter. Design classes such as art or yearbook also have no logical way of being tested in a multiple choice format, unless students will be asked to draw in their answers.

Classes such as these are evaluated

based on different standards than the core classes such as work ethic and creativity, skills unmeasurable by conventional EOCs. According to the “The Ramifications of Standardized Testing on our Public Schools”, Florida schools give up to 62 different tests per year. These tests take students out of class and cause them to miss the information given out that day in their class.

When EOCs are implemented next year, students will have to miss their daily classes to take their seven different EOCs. This means that students may have to miss their

science class to take a dance EOC. Students already miss enough of their classes due to standardized testing before EOC’s, which will be implemented in all seven classes.

Students should not be punished for taking classes that cannot be measured by a standardized test.

Though a test format has always worked well in the core classes of Math, Science, English and Social Studies, it is not applicable to many of the elective credits offered nor should students have to miss their core classes to take an EOC in a class that should have never required a standardized test.

Classic classes change for lack of EOCs Taylor Ferraro

N

Staff Reporter

obody likes change and in the nine years that Hagerty has been a school, Senior Survival, Study Hall, and student assistants have always been classes offered to students. However, starting next year, Study Hall and Senior Survival are being permanently removed from the school’s curriculum and the student assistant class will be slightly tweaked.

Due to the new rule that all classes must have an end of course exam, the school has erased certain classes from curriculum guides.

There is no way to test students in Senior Survival and Study Hall with a state exam at the end of the year because they are either learning basic life skills and lessons or doing homework and cramming for the test in their next class. The EOCs are also

included in teacher evaluations and without them, there is no accurate way to manage how they are doing as instructors. The EOCs provide an accurate way to see if teachers are doing their job at the school.

According to assistant principal Jesse Walker, study hall was also one of the most skipped classes and not every student was taking advantage of the free time in the class to do homework. Walker would walk in on the class seeing students sleeping and listening to music, not taking the time to learn their newest math lesson or to brush up on their physics equations.

Despite these problems, the fact that the next generation of seniors will miss out on these classes is ridiculous. There are many people who have looked forward to balancing their homework in Study Hall and learning how to survive without the guidance of their parents or legal guardians. Senior Survival teaches

students the basic ways to function by themselves such as balancing a checkbook, banking, budgeting, buying an apartment, etc.

Study Hall also happens to be extremely beneficial to student athletes, students with jobs, and students who overwhelm themselves with AP classes. Not everyone has the time to do all of their homework when they come home. Many have used study hall to catch up on their daily dose of homework. So by taking away study hall, the school is taking away a student’s opportunity to balance the perfect triad of sleep, extracurricular activities and school.

Student assistant, on the other hand, is not being cancelled, but it has been changed slightly. This class is also one that is hard to give an EOC for, but, fortunately for seniors, they have decided to keep it without giving the students a test at the end of the year. Seniors have made it through

three years of high school and many of them find that the last year of high school is the worst, motivation wise.

Seniors develop “senioritis” within the first two months of school and become unmotivated throughout the entire year.

Sometimes they need a break from all of the AP and honors classes and need one that allows them to relax and does not require a lot of cognitive function. Without it, there would be no classes that offer a break in the seniors already time consuming schedule.

At the end of the day students were looking forward to taking these classes their senior year and the fact that they were taken away within a month’s notice of students picking their schedule is unfair. Instead of taking senior survival and study hall, they are left to resort to classes they do not enjoy in the slightest and end up sleeping through.

Opinions Editor

BITE to the people who  A maintain the elevator. For

students that are hurt, they are at an inconvenience with using the elevator rather than it being a helpful service. The elevators seem to be broken frequently.

They also scare most students because of the dried gum on the buttons and the stench of mold.

A BARK to the school cafeteria staff. Students rave about the chocolate chip cookies and other food produced by the staff, which they pick up during break or lunch. The cafeteria has both chocolate chip and sugar cookie options, and both are delicious. The staff is also bright and cheery in the morning, and make mornings better with their attitudes.



A BITE to administration for excluding juniors in the incentive given to sophomores being eligible for free parking passes or other choices if they get a six on FCAT Writes. This incentive for sophomores is great, but current juniors were not given the opportunity and should be able to get a free pass if they got a 6 on their FCAT Writes the year they tested.



opinions

QUESTION:

Should teachers be penalized for leaving midyear?

Teachers have personal issues too

Better policy for teacher switches

Jessica Jeffers

Ben Sorkin

Opinions Editor

ath is a rough subject for most students, ranging from Algebra I to Advanced Placement Calculus. So when Algebra II Honors and Geometry Honors teacher Gary McComb left before the second quarter exams, students in his classes were left dazed and confused. Math department chair Aglaia Christodoulides had to take charge of the class and help students to review.

This has happened many times; teachers having to pick up and leave, with students left confused and without a teacher to guide them. Although this is rough for students to deal with at the time, it is possible for students to overcome the challenge of a teacher leaving in the middle of the year. Teachers have the right to leave if they need to leave, and should not be penalized for leaving during the year. They have the right to do things that will be a long term benefit to them, even if it causes momentary confusion for their students.

McComb could not control having to leave and many other teachers are in situations that need emergency action, whether quitting their job or transferring to another state. It is hard to think of teachers as having a life, and realizing they have issues just like students is even harder to imagine. Teachers go through obstacles, such as divorce, a parent being sick, and so on; then they have to come to school and deal with students.

In many cases, life matters of family and friends cannot be put off, and require immediate action. So when a teacher leaves, there is always a legitimate reason behind it, and they may not be able to put in a four week notice. They may have to move, deal with family members, or switch school districts for a different pay that will benefit their families.

Teachers should never be penalized; it is not warranted.

Emergencies happen, which makes a four-week window unreasonable.

The current way things are is fine, with the department head taking over and helping to supply lesson plans and substitutes. The situation, when handled by people who know what they are doing, already works well and students end up being cared for and rarely forgotten.

Christodoulides found a new teacher to replace McComb when students came back in the third quarter. Gary Arthurs took charge and led the class, staying after on Tuesday and Thursdays to help students who were still confused, and students are in good of shape as before.

There will always be those instances where things do not go as smoothly. For drama students, Annie Stout left in the middle of the second quarter leaving students not knowing what would happen next. But even Southworth came in and eventually restored order in situations like these, with classes that do not have department chairs, substitutes can replace temporarily who have experience in the subject until a new teacher is hired.

“Teachers have lives and need to leave if they need to leave.”

Andrew Davilla, 12 Students can leave during the year without penalty.

Why should teachers not be able to leave?

they should

M

they should not

S E Y O N

17

S

Graphics Editor

chools work much like a machine, robust and intricate in their construction and operation. Many parts and aspects go into this machine. The teachers and faculty members serve as gears, keeping the whole machine up and running. But, once a single gear is removed or replaces with a misshapen one, the entire machine can fall apart.

Our school system experiences this machine-oriented destruction constantly. Teacher turnover, the act of teachers leaving or moving up in position, is what removes and replaces gears in our machine.

A single teacher or faculty member quits, and all of the sudden, sometimes the entire workflow of the school must be altered. Teachers move around, double up on positions, or even quit themselves. At the end of all the chaos, the school and county are left with a mess to clean up. New faculty members must be hired, and even more people get moved around to make everything “work” once again.

But the greater victims amidst all of this are students.

We must take the full blow of the chaos first hand. Fellow faculty members do not have to worry about signing up for classes next year while not having a counselor. They do not have to worry about being taught EOC and exam materials by a substitute who may or may not be familiar with the material.

The county can sometimes end up paying hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to repair what turnover destroys. A lot of time, effort, and money has to go into finding, hiring, and shuffling around teachers due to one leaving. One teacher gone can easily turn into a financial problem quickly.

While it is unrealistic and unethical to prevent teachers from doing as they please, there should be some system in place to reprimand teachers who leave during the middle of the year.

If the county were to introduce policy changes to prevent rapid teacher turnover, perhaps we could all benefit. For example, if the teacher leaves mid-year, the school would replace them with a permanent substitute for the rest of the semester or year instead of shuffling other teachers around. And to help thwart turnover as a whole, schools could require a one month or more notice of leave. If the teachers do not submit a notice, they would have their paychecks withheld or reduced.

Also, by only allowing teachers to quit or move around during “natural breaks” within the school year, that would help alleviate some of the stress on students and other faculty members. This would mean that teachers would only change out after winter, spring, or summer breaks and between new semesters.

By enacting similar rules, the county can greatly reduce the rate of turnover and benefit the entire school system.

“In AP classes when teachers are not there it affects the, students grade.”

Annie Raby, 11 School is like a machine; if one gear pops out then the whole machine will fall apart. What happens if a gear can not be replaced?

18

opinions

AP students should know their testing rights Jeannie Williams

W

Staff Reporters

ith the dread of Advanced Placement exams looming in the near future, students are having to face the question of whether or not they will take their exam. Students even question if they can take it.

The confusion surrounding the issue confirms that the policy needs to be clarified.

Some students have been told that they cannot take the exam, hands down.

Students who had a “D” or an “F” first semester and showed no improvement in the third quarter are recommended not to take the exam. Several are under the impression that there is no possibility of them getting college credit for the class whatsoever because of their grades.

In recent years, national AP enrollment has been increasing, but the percentage of students that fail the exams has been steadily increasing as well. Especially now that a bigger push is being placed on test scores when it comes to evaluating teachers, it has become possible for students who are failing the class to view the recommendations of not taking the test as something teachers do to protect themselves.

All of this contributes to the cloud of uncertainty

that surrounds the AP exam policy.

What needs to be clarified is this: Students are allowed to take the Advanced Placement exam. There is nothing that says students that have a “D” or and “F” cannot take the exam.

Students whose teachers have recommended they not take the exam still have the option of doing so. The student will have to pay to take the test, but they will be refunded by the school

students who have been told they cannot take it deserve to at least be told their options. Besides the boost in GPA, a student’s main cause for taking AP courses is receiving college credit, but no credit can be awarded without taking and passing the exam.

This time of year can get hectic, but time needs to be made for AP teachers and students to review options for students who want to take their exams. The burden of having to pass to get a refund falls on the student, but they still need to be made aware. It is too easy for a student to not know they can take the exam before it is too late.

The bottom line is that every student has the opportunity to take the exam. It falls on them to decide whether or not to take that opportunity.

Whether or not they do is on them, but teachers cannot be blamed for taking the choice away from them. In order for this to happen, teachers need to be prepared to better educate their students on options for receiving college credit next year and in years to come. No student should be able to spend a year in a class and find out in the third quarter that they can’t take the exam that makes the course. Every student has an ability to take the exam and receive college credit.

“There is nothing that says students that have a ‘D’ or ‘F’ cannot take the exam.” if they pass. In some cases where students feel that their teacher should have signed them up to take the test, they should discuss it with their teacher or upper house administration before resigning to their fate of wasted AP effort.

Teachers were required to submit the names of which students will be taking the exam in March. In the chaos of checking the grade averages of every student and taking down names of those who will not be taking the exam, it is difficult for teachers to find time to explain the exact foundation of the AP exam policy, but

I do not like how you can not eat or use your phone in some classes, especially when we are not doing anything and it is a free period.

– Jennifer Surh, 9 I have hours and hours of homework all the time and I hate how teachers assign homework that you don’t even know how to do or haven’t even learned yet.

They do it as an introduction to a new topic, but it doesn’t help if I don’t know what to do.

– Allison Huffman, 9

Graphic by Ben Sorkin

There are not any good ‘Woof Extras’ anymore. All of them are just academic announcements. What happened to stuff like Teacher Spotlight?

– Meagan Gilman, 10

Graphic by Ben Sorkin

Upperclassmen have a very limited amount of classes that don’t require pre-requisites. There aren’t many electives that are honors level that you can take, plus a lot of the classes are being combined to one full year class instead of two semester courses.

It’s hard to find a one-semester class since a lot of the electives are full year now.

- Michael Bradley, 11 The fact that seniors weren’t allowed to vote on the prom theme is unfair. We had this year’s theme (Alice in Wonderland) for homecoming my sophomore year, and I’m pretty sure the majority wanted some variation of Gatsby/twenties.”

- Mckenna Calabro, 12

I think lunch is too short. Lunch needs to be longer because it takes a lot of time just to buy lunch, let alone eat it.

-Denzel Mahoney, 10

What ticks me off the most is all of the students who think it’s okay to cut in line. Whether it’s in the lunch line or the car line, not following the rules makes it harder on the students who are following the rules.

– Taylor Ciafone, 12

-Elizabeth Hertz, 11

- Sarah Nelson, 11

Barking Mad is a collection of short submissions about things that tick students off around school. If something at school ticks you off, go to hagertyjourn.com and submit your entry to Ask the Editor, and it School starts so early. I wish it would start at 8. I Not enough of the administrators are friendly. I wish wouldn’t mind waking up at 7. I just need more sleep. they were more enthusiastic. may be featured here.

19

reviews Best waves Lexi Rossow

COCOA BEACH

C

Managing Editor

ocoa Beach is the best location for an impromptu trip to the beach, with its more

experience and local pride. Unlike many tourist beaches throughout Florida, Cocoa Beach is more for the regulars, after you avoid the large iconic Ron Jon Surf Shop and Cocoa Beach Surf Company located nearby.

Cocoa Beach has more solitary beach spots for a private beach experience rather than a crowded shore, such as 16th Street or Picnic Tables, which both have free parking.

Ron Jon also has free parking, but

parking at the Pier costs $10. Unlike other Florida beaches though, there is not any parking directly on the beach, which keeps the sand and water clean.

Cocoa Beach is also where famous surfer Kelly Slater grew up, and his statue sits in front of Ron Jon Surf Shop. Roughly 45 minutes away, Cocoa Beach is great for the local Oviedo resident to get away from the tourist crowds clogging the rest of Florida’s shorelines.

While it is publicly available, it costs $10 on some gates to park on the beach and is offered only on certain Ellie Bonck days. If $10 seems like too much for Staff Reporter a spot up close, there is free parking orth of New Smyrna Beach in the park by the pier. Ponce Inlet’s is the hidden treasure of crowd consists of mostly locals and Ponce Inlet. Ponce Inlet adventure seekers. These adventure keeps up maintenance on the seekers are usually doing some types beach and it is evident from the of intriguing activities like kitetrash-free white sand. The water surfing. The two-hour drive might is equally as clear, and there be a little too far for some Oviedo seems to be an abundance of residents, but it is worth it once you visible wildlife as well; pods of reach the eye-pleasing and crowddolphins are a common sight. free beach.

Prettiest beach

PONCE INLET

N

Most popular

NEW SYMRNA Beach Ellie Bonck

N

World Famous

DAYTONA BEACH Lexi Rossow

I

Managing Editor

f you are looking for a beach that has everything—from carnival rides, soft white sand and historical background—Daytona Beach is the place for you. The classic location for spring break, Daytona has more to offer than just waves and water, with its proximity to the famous International Speedway where the Daytona 500 race and the Coke Zero 400 happen. There also is a monument dedicated to the historical motorcycle races that used to take place in Daytona.

Nearby the Pier is a cluster of carnival rides and tourist shops, and further down the beach is a threelayer, outdoor building with coastal restaurants such as the well-known Bubba Gump Shrimp Company and MyPI, where you can create your own pizza. These restaurants are only a few

steps from the water, allowing easy access to a yummy dinner after a day in the sun.

Parking, like most other beaches, is difficult to find for free, but for $5 you can park on the beach from sunrise to sunset, Nov. 1 through April 30, and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., May 1 through Oct. 31.

Outside those time frames, parking can be found in various inland locations, but for higher fees and parking meter prices.

Daytona Beach is one of the more tourist-laden beaches, considering the main entrance of the beach has a large arch that says “The Most Famous Beach.” Even so, it does have the accommodations for a well rounded beach trip, for locals and tourists, despite the moderately lengthy hour drive to get there.

Staff Reporter

ew Smyrna is one of the most popular beaches for Oviedo residents, evident by the large number of people and the lack of parking found at this beach. The drive is only 45 minutes including beach traffic, and is even shorter when taking back roads.

There are plenty of places to grab a bite to eat nearby, and on-the-beach parking would seem convenient, but turns out to be a hassle due to the large number of people who visit the beach on a daily basis.

New Smyrna is also one of the world’s largest shark attack capitals, which is extremely unnerving when stepping into the murky ocean waves. Different than most Florida beaches though, New Smyrna has lifeguards on duty, who take their jobs seriously and watch out for children and adults caught in the strong currents. There are food trucks and rental chair carts right on the beach that allow you to go just a short distance in case you get hungry or forget something and it is a helpful amenity to have right on the sand.

When leaving the beach, dessert and food options are endless, between the popular choices of Breakers and Frozen Gold to Treats on the Beach.

20

reviews HORRIBLE

What’s on your

iPod?

Mackenna Tobey, 10 “Partition”

by Beyoncé

“I love how the song has two different parts. It makes it unique.”

“Talk Dirty”

by Jason Derulo “Rooting For My Baby”

by Miley Cyrus “Any Other Way”

by We The Kings Seema Whilkou, 11 “23”

by Miley Cyrus

“It’s my workout song, it’s just so catchy and Miley’s voice is flawless.”

“I Want Crazy”

by Hunter Hayes “Dark Horse”

by Katy Perry “Mmh Yeah”

by Austin Mahone Tucker Paré, 12 “Audience of One”

by Rise Against

“It’s my favorite because it signifies that everyone will change, including the ones close to you.”

“Boulevard of Broken Dreams”

by Green Day “Fake It”

by Seether “Wake Me Up”

by Avicii

GOOD

OUTSTANDING

T-Riffic Cafe thrills Downtown Disney visitors

Madeline Kemper Business Manager

A

voiding that second glance at a towering ten-foot dinosaur as it roars towards the incoming meteorite is nearly impossible as you walk past the T-Rex restaurant at Downtown Disney. From the fun architectural designs to the exciting light shows, it was not only a dinner, but a Disney experience.

The themed rooms, which include underwater, forest, iceberg and volcano, have you wanting to see more, as every corner seems to have its own individual quirk.

Disorganization of getting a table was a bit frustrating for a hungry family of five. Given an hour wait on a Friday night, we walked around for a while, but when we came back we had to wait in another line. However, once finally seated, the night took a turn for the better.

Although the restaurant was loud, it added to the atmosphere. Our waiter was very friendly, and even had the chef come out to talk about gluten -free dishes. Since the café opened

in 2008, it has set a gold standard for accommodating dietary restrictions.

Our service was surprisingly fast considering the restaurant’s capacity, and the food did not disappoint.

Taking a bite into that juicy burger was the highlight of the night. The fries reminded me of Chick-Fil-A with the waffle shape, but the extra crispy taste was a delicious touch. Other options such as Pterodactyl Salad and Triassic Tortellini add delicious options for any wide range of picky eaters.

“The End is Near” titled desserts include gigantic proportions of chocolate fudge cake, powdery doughnut holes and traditional cheesecake. Large portions left us asking for leftover boxes.

Disney experiences do come at a price though. Typical entrees range from $9 to $25 and can quickly add up for a family. Like all things at Downtown Disney, expect to enjoy yourself and get a fun spin on a typical dinner experience. Plus, just two spots down from the Lego store there is plenty to see. It is, overall, a very fun Photo by www.orlandocity.com atmosphere for date night or dinner Dining with dinosaurs. A T-Rex statue towers over customers as they eat. with your family.

The detailed design of the cafe took over a year to build.

T-Rex Cafe

Sugary Sweetness

Taylor Ferraro

D

Staff Reporter

e Azucar is a quaint little bakery that delivers excellent flavor and sentimental feelings when customers walk through the door. It is located on Alafaya Woods Boulevard, just beyond Racetrac. The service at De Azucar shows that the bakery appreciates its customers and wants to see the look of satisfaction on their face when taking a bite of their famous black-out cake.

The shop is small, but its atmosphere gives off a vibe that makes you feel like the baker/cashier is a close friend. The shop owner and employees seem to really care about their customers, which is hard to find with corporate restaurants who only care about the cash in your wallet and not the smile on your face.

Walking into the bakery, you are bombarded with the sweet smell of cinnamon rolls mixed with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. One cannot help themselves from wanting to devour everything on display such as black forest cake, apple caramel pound cake and chocolate cheesecake.

This bakery is a sugar addict’s dream.

They have an assortment of delicious treats ranging from flan to croissants to scones. They are known for their baked goods and desserts, but they also offer a variety of breakfast and lunch foods. The cubanini sandwich or grilled focaccia never fails to satisfy.

However, De Azucar is expensive.

If you are not looking to take a chunk out of your wallet, stick to Dunkin’ Donuts. But, if you are looking for a cute atmosphere and sweet flavors, De Azucar might just be a perfect fit.

De Azucar

Fast Pass+ fails riders Winnie Meyer

W

Reviews Editor

atching the Space Mountain Fast Pass machine spit out a slip of paper produces the same feelings as watching a baby come to the world: joy, ecstatic cheering and a few tears.

However, the Fast Pass system has been shot dead. Guests are forced to replace time-saving slips with an electronic replacement. The time has come for the birth of Fast Pass +.

In January 2014, Disney parks made the change from paper Fast Passes to digital ones kept on a customer’s ticket. The change may not seem large, but rules in place with it are.

The first Fast Pass system allowed customers to order as many Fast Passes as they pleased after current Fast Passes held on person expire.

Fast Pass + must all be ordered at one time and only allows customers three Fast Passes a day.

Also, only a certain amount of Fast Passes are allotted for each attraction, so when getting Fast Passes, guests may not have the ability to get choice passes. Guests staying at Disney resorts have the ability to order Fast Passes from their hotels.

The new Fast Pass + kiosks only add to the chaos. There are only a few kiosks per park whose lines rival those of the actual attractions. Fast Pass + kiosks themselves have waittime boards. It is not uncommon to see the time on these boards hit above the 120 minute mark.

This could mean waiting two hours for a 10 minute walk to the front.

At this rate, it makes more sense to just wait in the stand-by line.

Fast Pass +

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sports shorts

VARSITY BASEBALL FALLS SHORT TO LAKE MARY

On Wednesday, April 2, the varsity baseball team was defeated by Lake Mary, 7-6. Lake Mary is currently 10-9 and third in the district. Key players in the game included junior Casey Crawford with two hits and two doubles and junior Ryan Mountcastle with two hits and one RBI. The team is currently 14-5 and first in the district.

TENNIS TEAM WORKS TO IMPROVE

While the tennis team is young this year, with seven underclassmen between the girls and boys teams, they continue to improve. The girls are currently 1-12-2 with their only win being a 6-1 victory over University and two ties against Lake Mary and Lyman. The boys have a record of 5-7-4 heading into the district tournament. Junior Andrew Matyko placed second overall at districts.

TRACK MAKES HISTORY AT SAC CONFERENCE MEET

On Wednesday, April 2, the track team traveled to Lake Brantley for the annual Seminole Athletic Conference Freshmen and Sophomore Championships. Freshman Nicolette Worrell placed first in the 1600 meter run and sophomore Tia Menna placed first in long jump.. Sophomore Andrew Stivers placed first in the 800 meter run. The girls team scored 157 points and the boys scored 133 points, leading to the first time in school history that both teams have won the meet.

JV SOFTBALL ENDS SEASON UNDEFEATED

On March 25, the JV softball team played crosstown rival Oviedo at home in hopes of continuing their winning streak. The girls were down 3-0 in the first inning, but after switching pitchers they were able to score 18 points to end the game at the bottom of third inning. The girls beat Oviedo 18-3, and finished the season 14-0.

The HIGHLIGHT box Girls Softball vs. Oviedo, 3/26 Summary

On Tuesday, March 25, the varsity softball team beat rival Oviedo at home 15-0. The girls struck first in the bottom of the first when senior Kiley Dechau sent sophomore Sarah Harrison and senior Alex Miller home to put the girls up by two. The best inning for the team came in the bottom of the third, as the girls scored six runs to make it an 11-0 lead going into the fourth. The game ended off sophomore Maggie Borosky’s hit to send junior Taylor Garick and Erin Crawford home to put the girls up by 15, which ended the game because of the run rule.

Quotes

“Beating Oviedo was awesome because we got to run rule our rival, which is always fun.” - Alicia Tomberlin, 10

Tweets

15-0 win over Oviedo! Great win tonight!- Junior Samantha Worrell, @sammmy44 SB - Alex Miller and Samantha Worrell teamed up for 7 RBIs in a 15-0 win over Oviedo. Team is now 13-2 overall.- Jay Getty, @HagertySports

Player of the game

Senior Alex Miller had four hits, four runs, and a key play to send Harrison home to give the team an early 5-0 advantage over Oviedo.

Boys lacrosse enters rebuilding mode Spencer Thompson Sports Editor

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hey were matched against the fourth best team in the state, state semifinalists last year, and were playing in Jaguar Stadium in front of scouts and the top teams in the state, but none of that seemed to phase the varsity boys lacrosse team.

On Feb. 17, the team opened their season with a 9-8, triple overtime victory over the Benjamin School at EverBank Field in Jacksonville.

“Everyone was fired up. It was so awesome because we’ve never beaten Benjamin or any team that good before,” senior Kevin Collin, who scored the game-winning goal, said.

“At that moment everyone thought we were going to get destroyed. No one thought it would be a game, so to finally come back and win it was really good.”

The team’s success was short lived, however, as the boys went on a three-game losing streak after beating Benjamin. They fell short to Lake Mary 13-7, Boone 9-8, and Lake Highland Prep 10-5. However, on March 5, the team regained their momentum with a 17-7 victory over Winter Springs and a 14-11 win over Timber Creek.

The team lost 11 seniors from last year’s historic Elite Eight team, many of whom had been playing together since the sixth grade. This, as well as the team’s strength of schedule, have proved to be obstacles for the team.

The boys are 4-7 this season, a stark difference from last season’s 18-4 overall record. However, this makes no difference to head coach Mark Ayad.

“The losses aren’t anything in particular. We have the hardest schedule in the state and we’ve competed in every game,” Ayad said. “This season is about learning as we go, making adjustments, and hopefully seeing Oviedo again in the district championship.”

The team has had recent success, however, by winning 19-4 over Trinity Prep. The boys are led by Collin, who has 26 goals and 10 assists, and senior Jacob Collins, who has 17 goals and 19 assists.

photo by Tyler Copeland

PLAYING THE FIELD. Junior Colby Floeter defends against last year’s state champions Lake Highland Prep on March 4. The team lost 10-5.

Juniors Chris Carpenter and Cory Schulte have also added to the team by scoring 16 goals between the two of them.

Despite having a tough season, Ayad continues to show pride in his team no matter what.

“If we get better every game

and the guys I coach become better lacrosse players and men of character and integrity on and off the field, then this season is a success,” Ayad said.

“Repeating last year’s success and/or going further is a bonus of the effort, work, and love these guys put into the game for each other.”

22 Boom! goes the dynamite

uncharted

Waters

See you at the pole (vault) Nathaniel Kauffman Staff Reporter Quick- name a track and field athlete. Chances are you know of Usain Bolt, the fastest human, but not Yelena Isinbayeva, the world class pole vaulter.

Track and field started in Ancient Greece as a simple foot race but quickly turned into a sport that showed one’s strength, speed and athleticism.

One event in particular combines all these attributes. Pole vaulting. Yes, most of us have heard of it but for the most part it goes largely under the radar.

Pole vaulting is jabbing a long stick into the ground and using it to lift yourself as high as you can.

Athletes have been launched as high as 20 feet in the air.

“The best athletes are normally the pole vaulters because you can’t just be a random person,” senior pole vaulter Christ Tiedge said. “You have to be one of the fastest and strongest people, and you have to be very good in the air.”

For vaulters like Tiedge, pole vaulting is more than just a sport, it’s a lifestyle. He spends four hours a day, six days a week just pole vaulting.

“All pole vaulters, unlike most sports, are really friendly. We all watch out for each other and help each other out even if we’re against each other,” Tiedge said.

“After a while we just become a family.”

Pole vaulters are aware of the fact that their sport will never be as big as other sports like football and basketball, but for them it doesn’t matter.

“I don’t really care that much because if a lot of people wanted to start doing it most of them would probably fail miserably and get hurt,” Tiedge said.

BREAKING THE SURFACE. Senior Erin Hall sets up to shoot against Oviedo. The girls won, 11-6. photo by Nolan Riccard

sports Sophie Hill

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Staff Reporter

he overwhelming stench of chlorine, sunscreen and sweat, the sun beating down during humid afternoons in thick, suffocating waves, and long hours of practice every day after school comes to mind when junior Jenna Bakke thinks of polo practice.

“Polo is a tough sport. It involves a lot of hard work, guts and strength, but one thing that makes polo special is it’s always open to new players because the team is so supportive and encouraging,” Bakke said.

It is through the strong friendships forged in polo that the girls team united to fight through an 11-6 win over Oviedo, bringing them to an 6-3 regular season record so far under coach Devin Long.

“This was my first game playing in against Oviedo and it probably was the best game of my life,” senior Courtney Hicks said. “Last year we relied a lot on the seniors so this year we finally did it ourselves.”

However, the boys team, under new coach Zach Yarbrough, suffering a blowout loss to Oviedo 19-0 on March 28 and bringing their regular season record to 5-4.

“For this season we’re working

more on building this team from the ground up,” senior boys water polo captain Johan Guasp said. “We’re perfecting the basics, securing the play and focusing on a strong team for the future with the new players and new coach.”

But the changes Yarbrough has brought, including getting both teams to be more focused and train harder, has built the team from the ground up, without affecting the family-like relationship between the girls and boys teams. From cheering each other on to being study buddies after practice, the relationships created between the teams during polo season are “unforgettable,” according to Bakke.

“We have been playing with each other since freshman year and I hope we [beat Oviedo] again in districts,” Hicks said.

And as the season progresses, polo players are fighting adversity in hopes of making it past districts and through regionals with the help of fresh faces and a new coach, all the while ensuring a stronger team in seasons to come.

“My first year of polo has been amazing because we are a close, passionate and devoted team,” freshman Brandon Daugherty said.

“We’ll improve from this year, but for now, we’re going to have a great season, regardless of the record.”

Boys volleyball sets sights on overcoming obstacles Nathaniel Kauffman Staff Reporter

B

efore this season started, the boys volleyball team did not have a coach. From the beginning, the season promised ups and downs.

Coach Chuck Macintosh had been the team’s coach for three years and last year was thought to be his last. He ended the year with the team’s best season ever where they made districts and finished 12-8.

But when the team could not find a replacement, Macintosh was brought back for one more season.

“We were excited for change, and when we heard Chuck was coming back, we were excited for someone who knew us players individually and knew the system we run,” senior Jake Burton said.

Not only did the team have to change their mindset but they also had to completely redo their starting lineup after the loss of five seniors.

“Trying to rebuild our team is difficult because of how young our team is. They lack experience, but considering that, they have played pretty well this year,” senior Danny Maurer, the one starter who remained, said.

Maurer has been captain of varsity since freshman year and he knows what it is like for the young athletes and the difference a leader can make.

“My job is to put them in a good situation just like I had my freshman year, when I was the only freshman and I was with all seniors,” Maurer said. “It can get pretty hard because it’s hard to connect to each player because they have different

personalities and are all ages.”

The goal for the team has always been to make districts just as they were able to do last year. This district includes last year’s state champion, Lyman, a newcomer to the district and Lake Mary, last year’s district champion.

Although the team has lost the chance to make districts this year, Coach Macintosh and the rest of the team can still finish the season out on a positive note.

“I would really just like to finish the season on a winning note and beat some of these bigger teams,” Macintosh said.

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Athletes work to get seen Maddie Garr

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Staff Reporter

eople might think recruiting is as simple as a college coach approaching an athlete and offering them a full ride, and that training and playing well was all that the athletes had to do. However, the process can be much more extensive than that.

For most sports, such as volleyball and lacrosse, college coaches cannot make an athlete an offer until their junior year. In freshman, sophomore and junior years it is critical for an athlete to make themselves seen. There are many ways to do this such as e-mails, videos, telephone calls and even college visits.

Senior Madison Gilbert recently committed to Florida Atlantic University for swimming.

“In the beginning, I e-mailed them a lot because it was me trying to get their attention, but after a while, it was easier because I caught their interest,” Gilbert said.

E-mailing the head coach is a way to

spark attention and start communication.

When sending an e-mail, athletes send a lot of information, including grade point average, graduation year, position, academic and athletic achievements, game schedules and potential majors.

Another thing that many athletes send along with their e-mails is a link to a video of them playing, which is often uploaded to sites such as YouTube. This can consist of a whole game or even short clips of the athletes’ best plays.

Videos are a way to showcase the ability and talent of a player and allow a college coach to evaluate the player. Most coaches request a video before a visit is allowed.

However, putting together a video can be very time consuming. Junior Nicole Mattson spent six hours putting together her video for volleyball, in which she included film from the game at Oviedo.

“I used Microsoft Moviemaker to make my video and included slides with my information in it as well as game film,” Mattson said, who

has recieved responses from Jacksonville University, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and University of South Florida.

Mattson is currently one of Jacksonville University’s top recruits for the year of 2015, largely because of the communication she initiated over e-mail.

Senior Nathan Pittman received his scholarship offer to Youngstown State over the phone. Phone numbers are often found on college websites along with the coaches’ information.

Athletic skill is not the only factor coaches are looking at when recruiting athletes. In college, student-athletes are required to maintain a certain GPA in order to be able to play. Academics are an important factor in evaluation, and some scholarships can even be split between academics and athletics. Having a budget and only being able to give out so many scholarships each year, athletes that receive half of their tuition in academics have a leg up against other options.

AURASMA EXTRA: MATTSON’S RECRUITING VIDEO

photo by Jake Burton

SERVING UP THE CONVERSATION Junior Nicole Mattson serves against Deland.

Mattson, because of her promotional work, is now being recruited by Jacksonville University.

To see Mattson’s recruiting video, download the free Aurasma app on your smartphone or scan the QR code with your phone, follow the “hagertyjourn” channel, open the app and point it at Mattson. Then enjoy the video.

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Senior athletes contemplate life without sports Ryan O’Connor

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Staff Reporter

hen student athletes play a sport, it becomes a part of their identity.

However, when they enter college and decide not to play any more, it causes a range of emotions from depression to relief to even joy.

“It made me really sad thinking that a huge part of my life was just going to be gone,” senior volleyball player Sarah Whipple said.

For senior Dakota Hoppe, running track and cross country has been a big part of his high school career. He is one of many senior student athletes who will not be playing in college.

Some student athletes make the decision not to play because college level can be too demanding, they end up getting injured, or they plan to focus more on their studies.

“The coaches rule your life in college, they dictate what you eat, how much sleep you get, and how many times you work out. It’s like a job,” Hoppe said. Hoppe plans to pursue a career in physical therapy, a seven-year degree.

Hoppe felt like running track in college would interfere with schoolwork.

When a student athlete is not able to play in college they come to the realization that they are losing a huge part of their lives. For

Whipple, it will be a big transition from having volleyball consume her schedule to not playing at all. For her, it feels like having a gaping hole in her life when she starts college without it.

“It sucked. I’ve been playing all this time and it’s been a huge part of my life, and I’m then going to college and it’s not there,” Whipple said.

For many student athletes, the choice is made not by love for the game, but by what comes first. Senior Lauren Willover made the hard decision not to play lacrosse in college.

Even though she loves the sport, it would take too much focus away from her studies and the college experience.

“I was sad because it’s a sport I love, but at the end of the day, I’m happy with the decision I made,” Willover said.

For some athletes, making the decision not to pursue college athletics is easy. Many feel that after playing a sport for years a change is needed. Students often become tired and burned out after playing a sport for so many years.

Others feel that the magic has disappeared.

“I’ve been running for five years now, which is thousands upon thousands of miles.

I’m getting burned out,” Hoppe said.

While students may get burned out on one sport, the option is always available to play other noncompetitive sports.

“Ultimate frisbee is another sport I really like,” Hoppe said. “Maybe I’ll try tennis. I really just want to expand my horizons.”

For other students, however, it is not necessarily a choice. This was just the case for senior Kylie Houston, who got injured during the beginning of her junior year. She had to get surgery on her elbow, a detrimental injury to have as a volleyball player. Although Houston returned to play her senior season, she decided to move forward without playing volleyball in college.

“I didn’t even have the chance to be recruited because of my injury,” Houston said.

“That’s just how life is. It was meant to be. Now I can focus more on my studies.”

The decision to give up the sport makes students remember all the reasons why they started to play it. For many athletes, they were inspired by an athelte they looked up to, while others were introduced to the sport by family.

“My dad played in high school and college so he encouraged me to try and then I ended up loving it,” Willover said.

Even if a student athlete is not playing in college, they are still putting all their energy and spirit into their final season. Many want to make their final season a memorable one.

“This is the last hurrah, so I’ve got to give it all I got,” Willover said.

photo by Tyler Copeland

MOVING FORWARD. Senior Dakota Hoppe crosses the finish line at Lake Highland Prep.

Hoppe is one of many athletes not pursuing college athletics.

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