The BluePrint - Volume 10, Issue 4

HAGERTY HIGH SCHOOL

3225 LOCKWOOD BLVD. OVIEDO, FL 32765

INDEX

the

blueprint

News............................... 2-6 Lifestyles......................... 7-9 The Language Barrier...10-11 Student Connections.... 12-13 Opinions......................14-15 Reviews....................... 16-17 Sports......................... 18-20

volume 10, issue 4

Feb. 17, 2015

Marriage Equality Granted Florida becomes 36th state to issue samesex marriage licenses. Story on page 4

Five­ things to see on hagertyjourn.com wSHOWING AFFECTION

Heading in a romantic direction, the choral department held its first pop concert on Friday for members of Husky Howl.

wTHE INTERVIEW:

FORBIDDINGLY FUNNY Despite its bumpy release, “The Interview” has viewers doubling over in laughter through pure comedy.

w

ANTICIPATING THE AWARDS Coming Wednesday: Staff picks and predictions for what will win Picture of the Year at the Oscars.

w POTTED POTTER

CHARMS AUDIENCES Every student’s dream of absorbing seven books worth of information in 70 minutes comes to the Dr. Phillips Center and delights all.

w IMPRESSIONS OF

BULLYING Humans of Hagerty asked people throughout Anti-Bullying Week the importance of promoting anti-bullying ideas and putting a stop to bulllying.

Find the dog: Whenever you see the above HJO logo, scan the page with the Aurasma app to see extra content. You must follow hagertyjourn for it to work.

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In a league of their own Select seniors apply for chance at Ivy League end ar: att ne ye o st t r o Co ia fo b lum ,440 Co

$63

Average class sizes at Harvard: 2-19 students: 67% 20-49 students: 11% 50+ students: 7%

Total number of students enrolled in Yale:

Haley Gaeser

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Managing Editor

hat do gaining superpowers, licking your elbow and solving a Rubik’s cube blindfolded have in common with getting into Harvard?

They are all nearly impossible.

Despite the improbable chances, some students are striving to join the select few by applying to Ivy League schools.

“I thought I might apply [to Ivy League schools], but I never thought I would apply very seriously,” senior Nina Kumar said. “This year I was like, ‘You know what, I am within the range of acceptable SAT scores and GPA and I do a lot of volunteer work,’ so I thought maybe I will go for it, maybe I will get it.”

Kumar was one of the few students who took the chance of applying to Harvard and Yale. With acceptance rates as low as 5.9 percent for Harvard, 6.3 percent for Yale and 6.9 percent for Columbia, the chances of getting in are about as likely as hitting a bulls eye on the first try.

To get into an Ivy League school, high SAT and ACT scores as well as an outstanding GPA are a no-brainer. Last year’s incoming Harvard freshmen averaged a 4.4 weighted GPA and a 2237 on the SAT. Kumar has a shot with her 4.5/2260.

Senior Yasamin Sharifi, who has a 4.65 weighted GPA and a 35 on the ACT, applied early action to Harvard and got deferred, just like 73 percent of the school’s applicants did.

However, she still has a chance of acceptance come March 27 when Harvard releases its regular action acceptances.

“They have a higher admission rate for early so it felt kind of like a rejection,” Sharifi said.

“I guess it’s a ‘maybe,’ so I’m happy that I still have a chance.”

In order to increase her chances of acceptance, Sharifi must send Harvard her mid-year grades as well as any significant developments, such as winning a competition or an award. Any information she sends them between now and the decision date in March will be taken into consideration when they are making their final acceptance decisions for next school year.

Out of state schools cost a lot to begin with, and Ivy Leagues are no exception as they average around $55,000 a year to attend.

However, scholarships that cover financial need are available upon inquiry, at Harvard in particular. In fact, according to Harvard’s financial aid page, 90 percent of American families would pay the same or less to send their children to Harvard as they would to a state school.

Senior Alaine Coffey found the financial aid statistics for Harvard to be favorable, which is one of the main reasons why she decided to apply there.

“I applied to Harvard because they can waive tuition for anyone. They can give me money and a full ride,” Coffey said. “The application was pretty easy so it was sort of a practical strategy for me to apply.”

Other students, like senior Prerna Sharma, applied simply to see if she could get in.

Sharma, like all the other applicants, will have to wait until late March to see if she has been accepted or not.

“I feel like I’ve worked hard, so it’s up to them to see if they will accept me and see if I am a good fit,” Sharma said. “If they don’t [accept me] then I feel it’s for a reason so I’m not going to be bitter and angry.”

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Ivy League Acceptance Rates Harvard: 5.9% Yale: 6.3% Columbia: 6.9% Statistics gathered from theivycoach.com

graphic by Lauren Lee

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news

Chorus scores show superiority Jeannie Williams

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Floater Editor

ingers’ tuxedoes and floorlength dresses brushed through the hallways on the way to be judged for the District Solo and Ensemble Music Performance Assessment hosted and attended by chorus students on Friday, Feb. 6 and Saturday, Feb. 7.

Judges ranging from voice teachers to Rollins College faculty were brought in from the community to provide feedback. They critiqued groups and individuals after they performed, sometimes after asking them to sing twice to provide clarification on certain parts, and ultimately decided on their scores ranging from Poor to Superior.

Out of 21 Hagerty entries, 17 received Superiors and four received Excellents. Entries spanned several

categories including solos, duets, a trio, Student Conducting and Special Category.

Voices of Hagerty performed “Over the Rainbow” in Special Category, a combination of chorus and musical theater, and it proved a success by earning a superior. “‘Over the Rainbow’ is just so pretty with really tight harmonies and key changes. We could all feel the music and sing along together, and it was the coolest thing I’ve experienced,” senior Jessie Whittemore said. “We were all so in tune with each other, the music just flowed. The piece turned out really beautiful, and the judge had great things to say about it.”

Whittemore was also one of five students participating in the student conducting portion of Solo and Ensemble MPA. For Student Conducting, individuals are graded

what’s news?

MUSIC DEPARTMENTS JOIN FOR PRE-MPA SHOW In preparation for their Music Performance Assessments next month, the band and choir departments will join together for a pre-MPA concert on Wednesday, Feb. 25. This will be the final performance before the ensembles receive their annual ratings at MPA. The show begins at 7 p.m. in the auditorium and admission is free.

PROM TICKET SALES BEGIN Prom tickets will go on sale on Monday, Feb. 23 for $75 and will be available during both lunches until Thursday, April 2. The price will increase to $80 on Monday, March 2 and $85 on Monday, March 23.

The dance will be held on Saturday, April 11 from 6:30 to 11 p.m. at the Orlando World Center Marriot.

SOPHOMORE RECOGNIZED IN TEEN READ CONTEST After submitting her entry in January, sophomore Karen Zhang’s poster titled “Pet Cemetery” was chosen as a winner of the 2015 Teen Read Contest. Zhang, along with other winners from across Seminole County, will attend the Teen Read Fest awards ceremony on Thursday, March 5 to showcase her project and receive a cash prize of $50.

YEARBOOK GAINS NATIONAL RECOGNITION The yearbook is one of 59 books from across the nation to be named a Pacemaker Finalist by the National Scholastic Press Association. The staff now has the opportunity to win the prestigious Pacemaker award, announced in April at the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention in Denver.

on their pattern of conducting. She received a superior for conducting a group of Hagerty Singers singing “Will You Teach Me.” “I felt pretty vulnerable, with it being my first time doing [Student Conducting]. It really helped having Ms. Rathbun in the room,” Whittemore said.

Chorus teacher Victoria Rathbun ran District MPA twice before and had judged once, so she knew what to anticipate going into hosting Solo and Ensemble. Over the summer, she decided she wanted to host and spent the year preparing by coordinating technology in the auditorium and organizing concessions. Preparations for pieces began in November, and a full run-through was performed for families and friends of singers on Friday, Jan. 30.

“It was a good experience to be able to perform our songs in front of

Photo by Angel Norris SETTING THE STAGE. The Huskafellas Honors Ensemble perform their song “Courage Lives” for Java Night on Friday, Jan. 30. The show was held to perfect performances before being judged.

people before we were judged. As we performed, we found out things we had to work on in the week before we performed in front of the judges,” sophomore Cole Monica said.

On the days of the event, students who had signed up for shifts greeted, ushered and worked the concession stands. Rathbun oversaw all of this

and also helped direct those who were not familiar with the school’s campus. She made time to watch as many of her students’ performances as possible.

“My students were calm, cool and level-headed, and it was incredible,” Rathbun said. “They were fantastic.

I could not be prouder of them.”

Orlando welcomes new arts center Courtney Dziewior

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Staff Reporter

newly paved walkway leads to the sparkling lights of the new, modern glass center. The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando opened Nov. 6.

The construction of the Dr. Phillips Center was funded through large donations, public funds and tourist development taxes. Due to a slower income than expected, the plans became phased. The first phase, which has already been completed, included a lobby, the Walt Disney Theater, Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater and the School of the Arts.

The lobby was designed with a grand staircase and multiple concession stands, extending five stories high.

“When I walked in, it was overwhelmingly beautiful. They had this huge staircase that lifted up to so many levels,” sophomore Madison Barrett said.

The Walt Disney Theater is an amplified theater used for productions such as Broadway, concerts or traveling sets. It has already hosted

three national tours, “The Book of Mormon,” “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Newsies.” The theater contains over 2,700 tiered seats to eliminate viewing obstructions and provide amplified sound with strong bass support.

“Sitting in the back of the [Walt Disney Theater] at Dr. Phillips, I was able to hear everything clearly and the speakers were on point,” sophomore Sierra Hittel said. “There was nothing I couldn’t understand.”

In contrast to the large Walt Disney Theater, a smaller, 300 seat, multi-purpose community theater was designed. The Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater has a U-shaped upper and lower level deck, filled with seats extending to the stage. The ceiling of the theater is ordained with pieces of abstract art and the floor of the room contains orchestra seating that can be modified into a flat floor.

The School of the Arts was the last part of phase one. It was created to include all, from little kids to adults, in the arts, giving them a comfortable place to learn. Classes are arranged into age groups and teach subjects such as acting, vocals and different forms of dancing.

The second phase, to be completed in 2019, will have a third theater, a large rehearsal room and a finished CNL Arts Plaza. Due to the need to gather more funds, the second phase had to be pushed back.

The theater will be an intimate acoustic theater suitable for many different genres of performances and capable of transformations in shape and acoustics. The theater was designed to have technological superiority, which made it more costly to build. This is why it was pushed off to the second phase.

The CNL Arts Plaza, once completed, will welcome guests to the center with landscaping, lighting, fountains and music, and will have the ability to become a theater in addition to the three others.

“The CNL Arts Plaza will be the region’s town square,” Kathy Ramsberger, Dr. Phillips Center president said.

With new shows constantly coming through the Dr. Phillips Center, ranging from “Jason Mraz & Raining Jane” in the Walt Disney Theater and “Potted Potter” in the Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater, there is something for everyone.

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news

Gay marriage out of government closet

Big sister is watching

Lauren Lee

Obama’s plan for new year a long shot

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Jessica Jeffers

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Opinions Editor

ducation, Cuba, equality; Obama covered an extensive range of topics with his State of the Union address in January. The words hit home with the American public because of his promises to bring a free two-year education for community college, a higher minimum wage and a reduction of student loan payments.

But are the promises actually backed?

Not really. Although they caused his approval rate to hit 50 percent, his highest rate since his push on healthcare, there is little to actually back up what he stated at the podium. Since the 2014 midterm elections, Congress was upturned from a Democratic to a Republican majority, and since almost nothing has been passed in Congress since the switch, any initiatives from Obama have a very limited chance of being passed.

This is combined with the fact that many of Obama’s proposals are just empty promises, rather than the largely impactful words that made Americans change their opinion of their leader.

The one thing that does seem promising; a free two-year college education for community colleges. Republicans have been calling for Americans to fall back on their community colleges for a while now, and since the party supports this cause, it will probably pass. There are many catches to Obama’s plan though; for example there will be a minimum GPA requirement and required community service hours, much like the Bright Futures Scholarship requirements we currently have.

But even this, the one promising thing, will not happen anytime soon. There is currently no legislation toward the idea nor is there any promise that it will happen by a certain time. Especially since he only has two years left in office and the Republicans have overrun the government.

Obama spoke a pretty good game and did exactly what he had to do to get people to feel good about U.S. politics, which was the main purpose and fuel behind the address.

With only two years left in office, though, his big talks will not go much farther than the paper sitting in front of him. Which seem to be just “Words, words, words.”

Graphics Editor

any couples in Florida are now rejoicing as Florida has become the 36th state to issue same-sex marriage licenses as of Jan. 6.

Same-sex marriage had been banned by statute in Florida since 1977, and in 2008 Florida Amendment Two was passed, banning both civil unions and same-sex marriage. If any court clerk did issue a same-sex marriage license, they faced penalties such as a $1000 fine or a year in prison.

The Brenner vs. Scott case that U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle handled ruled the ban on Florida’s same-sex marriage unconstitutional due to a 14th amendment violation. The ban on same-sex marriage was lifted 90 days after the court decided on the case on Oct. 6. For the first time ever, Florida got the green light to go ahead with same-sex marriages.

The first county to allow same-sex marriage was Miami-Dade, which allowed the licenses to be issued 10 hours before the ban ran out.

Counties such as Orange and Seminole waited until 8 a.m. on Jan. 6 to issue the licenses.

The long-awaited change was celebrated throughout Florida, with couples lining up outside the county courthouses. Three couples waited outside the Seminole County courthouse on Jan. 6 at 8 a.m. to get married.

Although some areas of the state have faced the possible repercussions (such as lawsuits due to the uncertainty over whether the order applies statewide), according to the Seminole County Clerk office, there have been no repercussions of letting same-sex couples marry, nor will it affect the future of issuing marriage licenses.

The decision of lifting the ban allows students such as senior Amanda Wise, a bisexual student, and other gay and lesbian individuals to get married in the future if they wish.

“I will be able to see loved ones truly happy

due to this. I feel like [having a Supreme Court decision] will enforce equality not just in a few states, but in them all,” Wise said.

According to a poll by the Public Religion Research Institute, 57 percent of voters in Florida support the freedom to marry.

Many groups such as ACLU of Florida rallied in support of lifting the ban, while only a few individuals such as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush voiced their opposition. Overall, the general reaction was positive, and all county clerks will be issuing licenses.

Florida now allows for same-sex marriage throughout the state; however the U.S Supreme Court may rule on the issue in the future.

In an email from the attorney general’s office, Assistant Attorney General Lagran Saunders said, “the matter has been accepted for review by the United States Supreme Court and will be addressed later this year, such that hopefully, the issue will be resolved uniformly throughout the United States.”

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Dance kicks it for Nationals Alex Grace

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Photo by Jake Arthur

LOOKING TO THE SKY. Junior Mackenzie Scroggs and other members of Unleashed perform at the Oviedo Rivalry Football Game. Unleashed competed in Nationals on Saturday, Jan. 31.

Staff Reporter

fter not qualifying last season, Unleashed Dance Team has reached its goal to go to Nationals, strutting its way into the competition.

On Saturday, Jan. 31, out of 52 contestants, Unleashed scored one of the 23 spots in the semi-finals at the Dance Nationals Competition. “[Last year] we didn’t make it into Nationals, but the team is so much stronger this year and has done so many things differently from changing the overall attitude to the practice schedule,” junior Faro Makuto said.

In order to qualify for Nationals, the dance team had to go to Universal Dance Association at UCF, a week long intense summer camp with six hour practices every day in which a

new dance is choreographed. At the end of the week, dancers performed both the choreographed routine and one routine that was learned throughout the week. Unleashed succeeded in the requirement to have three or less mistakes in each dance and became eligible for the national competition in January.

Unleashed competed in the Large Varsity Jazz category during the camp, and the Large Varsity Hip-Hop category for the national competition. The dancers were judged on each routine and received blue ribbon recognition for both, which secured them a spot in the national competition.

After making it past the first round of Nationals, the team qualified for the semifinal round. However, they did not make one of the nine positions for finals. This will give the dance team room to improve, and a

new goal as they go into next year’s dance season.

“We are definitely more focused and we know what we need to do in order to make accomplishments,” senior and varsity captain Leanna Higgins said.

Now that the team has gained some confidence, the dancers are looking forward to a new season where they can achieve a place in the final round for Nationals with a new mindset.

Because there are currently only four seniors on the Unleashed team, the bulk of talent will remain and grow for next season. “[The team should] keep working, keep drilling skills and things we know we need to have in sync as a team. It doesn’t matter if I can do four turns, it matters if I can do four turns with my teammates,” said Coach Diane Hasenbank.

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Robotics kicks into high gear Jessica Ritchie

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Staff Reporter

n sports, the home field advantage is a supportive fan base, but in robotics, the home field advantage means extra equipment to add last minute touches and none of the transportation stress. While other teams were only given a lunch room table, the robotics team was practicing in room 6-123 on a regulation size practice court.

At the competition on Jan. 11, Instinct placed 13th out of 128 teams, advancing them into the state finals in Tampa on Feb. 14.

Mechromancers placed 49th out of 128 teams, but their robot won the Promote award for having the best PSA about leadership.

Competitions consist of three stages: Autonomous, Game Play and End Game, with a goal of placing balls into containers across

the court, called Cascade Effect, which is the challenge every year. However, every few years the regulations change, making past robots ineligible. Autonomous Play is 30 seconds of pre-programmed coding where the controller does not regulate the robot. Game Play is where the controller uses a PS3 controller to maneuver the robot. In End Game robots can do things not allowed in other parts of the match.

When working with electronics, sometimes there are issues that arise during competition.

This can eventually lead to disqualification.

“In one match, one of our wires got caught on another robot, causing our robot to short out and spin until the referee had to wrestle with it to turn it off,” freshman Zachary Irving said.

A lot of the building process is trial and error, but with a general box design. Thus, the process from conception to completion is a lot easier. The club is part of the Tesla League,

YEA gets down to business Spencer Thompson

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Editor-in-Chief

hen he was 13, Ani Patel took a trip with his family to Southwest India and noticed that many children in that region did not have access to education, something he had never seen in the U.S. When he got home, Patel developed Intel4India, a company that sets up “learning centers” in rural villages across India where kids can receive education for only 25 cents a month. In just two years, over 500 children were enrolled in Intel4India. All of this was possible through the Young Entrepreneurs Academy.

YEA is a program for middle and high school students who aspire to be entrepreneurs. The program specializes in production, strategy and marketing skills, and the end result is a student run and owned business. The program, which is run through the Orlando Science Center, was started in 2004, but it was not introduced to Seminole County until November.

Freshman Thomas Kuzma and junior Justin Ferrer are two students involved in the program.

For both, the decision to join the academy was a no brainer.

“It wasn’t that long ago that I decided that I wanted to be an entrepreneur, but it was something I thought about when I was young because my dad was an entrepreneur,” Kuzma said. “That’s what got me into the program.”

While both students went into the program without an exact idea in mind, a little over a month in, both students have confident business

plans. Kuzma plans to open his own contracting business. He plans to be the middle man and hire employees. Ferrer plans to produce a kit that lets customers repair dry wall themselves.

“It’s a full kit for a relatively low price and it’ll look just as good as new,” Ferrer said.

YEA helps students come up with ideas and develop them by visiting local businesses and meeting successful entrepreneurs, lawyers, marketing agents and accountants. The program has a session every Tuesday from 4-7 p.m. As a class, the students move forward together and are able to help one another.

“I presented my business idea to the class and we discuss it and they give me feedback,” Kuzma said. “They help me know what I need to do and have a plan instead of going in head first to something I know nothing about.”

Once the students have all the details of their businesses worked out, they will present their ideas to a panel of investors with a chance to get funding for their project. The opportunities and lessons learned through activities like these are what makes YEA stand out to program manager Cade Resnick.

“The people involved in the program learn skills that are not taught in the school setting,” Resnick said. “I see students who are excited to be involved in a program that is different, unique and will leave them with more success than they thought they were capable of before.”

YEA admits on a rolling basis. Students can still apply for the six open spots the program has left and can find the application on www.orlando.org/yea.

Robotics club makes way toward states with community support

which is that program the creates the guidelines and rules.

“One of the strangest rules is that our robot cannot knock over our own cylinder otherwise we get penalized,” senior Jared Thue said. “I would understand if we knock over the other team’s cylinder, but for our own it seems kind of extreme.”

With 20 more teams in the league, compared to last year, the district had to be reorganized.

This lead to a new group of competition for the club, and a greater number of unknowns.

“Having more teams does not affect me that much because it evens out at the state level, a team will be good or bad no matter the competition,” junior Qianyi Chen said.

The district is not alone in growing, the club is as well. When the club held its first meeting this year, sponsor Po Dickinson only expected a turnout of around 15 students. She

was surprised to have 40.

Participants are drawn to the field because it is a freethinking activity. When building a robot there is no set way to complete the task, allowing for more ingenuity.

“I was interested in programing and engineering. I liked how it meshed with what I was doing,” freshman Zachary Irving said.

The club is not all about competition though. It has an outreach program where members go to Carillon and Partin elementary schools and work with younger kids, getting them interested in robotics.

“It was fun to do workshops with the kids to build marshmallow towers and see how high the kids can make it with just toothpicks and marshmallows,” senior Omar Alinur said.

The club has grown from a single robot to competitions at the state level with the help and dedication of volunteers.

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lifestyles

Locks of love donators become mane advocates Sarah Gibson

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Staff Reporter

nglish teacher Lauren Hamilton was “terrified” to chop off 12 inches of her long blonde hair as a donation to Locks of Love. Making such a drastic change was a hard decision, especially knowing she had eyes on her all day long as a teacher.

“I’d never had short hair before, and knowing I’d be teaching in front of 200 kids who would tell me their honest opinion, gave me anxiety,” Hamilton, who ended up loving her new look, said.

Chemotherapy, the typical treatment for cancer, often results in hair loss, which for people of all ages can be devastating. Other conditions such as alopecia areata or severe burns can also cause complete loss of hair.

With a wide range of the population in need,

the organization Locks of Love works to “return a sense of self, confidence and normalcy” to children suffering from long term hair loss nationwide.

“I’ve donated twice. When I was younger I donated to support a sick family friend who was struggling with breast cancer,” junior Erin Crawford said. “Cancer patients have so much going on and they shouldn’t have to deal with extra complications of having insecurity from hair loss.”

The organization creates hairpieces that would otherwise cost up to $6000, free for financially disadvantaged children under age 21. Anyone can donate hair as long as a minimum of 10 inches is cut and the hair is not bleached or dyed. Similar organizations such as Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths program will even accept hair as short as eight inches.

“Hair grows back. So why not be part of a

worthy cause and provide a sense of confidence to someone who is lacking?” Hamilton said.

According to Wigs for Kids, an organization devoted to child hair loss, it takes about 20-30 ponytails to make a single hairpiece.

Locks of Love differs from similar organizations due to the technology behind their hairpieces. Kids no longer have to fear the embarrassment of a student yanking off their wig during math class or their hairpiece flying off while swinging at recess. Locks of Love uses a vacuum sealed hairpiece, similar to a suction cup, that can only be taken off when the wearer breaks the vacuum seal. Kids can swim, shower and participate in sports without the insecurity of losing their hair.

“It’s a great feeling knowing that you helped a little girl have hair and be able to braid it and everything,” junior Kassandra Mentlick, who donated 14 inches, said. “The hair goes straight

to kids in need.”

Donating hair can be life changing for children struggling with illness as well as the added stress of insecurity and low self-esteem.

However, many agreed that the process of donating hair was life changing as well.

“I have definitely gained a bigger appreciation for my hair,” Crawford said.

“Although I resented the challenges that came from having short hair, it felt so rewarding and I would donate all over again.”

The organization is always in need of donations as the demand for hairpieces increases. Though change can be intimidating, the timeless act of charity and the lessons gained are rewarding in themselves.

“Donating hair showed me that change is good,” Hamilton said. “Going outside your comfort zone, even for something as miniscule as a haircut, is important for personal growth.”

New Orleans. Even as she moved away, she and her family go back every year possible for the epic celebration. Her mother even makes costumes for the Mardi Gras festivities.

“There’s so much joyful celebration across the entire city. Everyone needs Mardi Gras in New Orleans on their bucket list,” Pigott said.

Pigott starts out the Mardi Gras season by decorating her classroom in the classic colors.

She strings colored lights across her white board and dresses up her skeleton in a sparkly top hat and a feathered boa. Then to top it off, she has her krewe flag magnetized to her white board for all to see.

Mardi Gras krewes run the parades, and each has a unique history. Some have been around over 100 years, and Pigott belongs to the Krewe of Iris.

Named for the messenger of the gods and the goddess of the rainbow, the Krewe of Iris was founded in 1917 and is the oldest and largest all-female krewe in New Orleans. This specific krewe has 900 riders, 32 floats, 12 equestrian units and marching bands, and they also follow strict Carnival traditions such as wearing white gloves and full length masks.

However, these social organizations do more than get together at Mardi Gras; they gather throughout the year. The Krewe of Iris holds meetings, fashion shows, bowling evenings and charity events all year long.

A social event that Pigott has to participate in is a ball, held on Jan. 23, where the queen and her court are represented. She and all of her krewe members have to wear the costume of the float that they ride on, and dance around. After

the queen and her court are presented, a ball is held with dinner and dancing for the members until the crack of dawn.

Growing up in New Orleans, Pigott has been exposed to a lot of the Mardi Gras scene.

She even chooses to live by the motto of Mardi Gras: “laissez les bon temps rouler.” This it translated to “let the good times roll.”

Even though the main purpose for the flight to New Orleans is to experience the magic of Mardi Gras, Pigott also enjoys visiting family and living the typical New Orleans life. She rides the street car, goes to the zoo, visits the aquarium and sees Jackson Sqaure, but nothing beats the hustle and bustle of Mardi Gras.

“It’s a time to enjoy life and forget about worries,” Pigott said. “It’s a time for family and fun.”

Pigott celebrates essential New Orleans tradition Taylor Ferraro

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Twitter Editor

ost family traditions include holiday reunions, going to the movies on the weekend, or family game night every Thursday. But that is not the case for science teacher Yvette Pigott and her family. That is, unless you consider the wild celebration, Mardi Gras, a typical family gathering.

Mardi Gras is a series of carnival celebrations, beginning on or after King’s Day and lasting until Fat Tuesday. Revelers wear masks and costumes, have social conventions, participate in sports competitions and, of course, parades.

Mardi Gras has been a tradition for Pigott for years, and it started when she grew up in

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Surviving Suburbia

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Don’t throw popcorn & other guidelines for movie behavior Winnie Meyer

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Reviews Editor

s a rare afternoon treat, I went to see the matinee for Birdman. There were three people in the theater, including myself. The other two were elderly, and despite being around longer than Shakespeare, neither understood how to behave while watching a movie.

One of the gentlemen brought in a large bag of crinkly food, food he had snuck in from home. For the first 90 minutes, I had the pleasure of listening to his crunch-sounding music. Once he finished the food, he left.

The other old guy snored right when (spoiler alert) Michael Keaton was preparing to shoot himself in the nose.

I spent most of the movie debating whether I wanted to eat my popcorn or shove it in his mouth to keep him quiet.

In every setting, there is a common etiquette that is unspoken yet widely accepted, including the movie theater. It should be understood, even by the elderly, to consider those around them and act accordingly. Meaning, attempt to eat your snack of choice quietly. And, if you snore, bring a buddy to keep you awake, safe from releasing earthshaking moos, baas, or whatever animal noise your sleep grumbling sounds like.

Our oldest generation is not the only one at fault. New parents don’t seem to understand their bundle of joy’s loud crying is making the opening for Big Hero 6 a lot less emotional than it should be. Tweens who finally can go see a movie without their parents provide an obnoxious giggling element to any soundtrack.

My personal favorite is when small children manage to crawl under the seats and sit on my toes. Yes, this actually happened.

Simply put, I would like to watch a movie in peace, without crude words screeching in my head about those around me. If I’m going to the theater and spending money, I’m excited to see my movie, and I’d like to enjoy my $10 experience without disturbances.

The lesson here is to simply enjoy your movie without being uninclined to the theater’s etiquette.

If you keep the whispering to your friend at a minimum, I swear I won’t throw popcorn.

W

Staff Reporter

hat fast food chain is closed on Sundays? What crop shortage caused widespread starvation in Ireland?

Who holds the record for most touchdown passes in the NFL? Trivia Crack was released in July of 2014 by the Argentinian company, Etermax. The game has 25 rounds and players answer questions from six categories, including science, entertainment, art, geography, sports and history. If someone answers three questions correctly, they earn one of the characters needed to win the game. If no one has all six characters when the 25 rounds are up, the player with the most characters wins.

“I play it every day,” history teacher Erin Foley said. “It’s just as addictive as Flappy Bird, but at least it’s educational.”

It was already downloaded in more than 20 countries before reaching the U.S. in December, and is now a top app in Google Play and Apple’s app store. It is based off of the board game, Trivial Pursuit.

“I got it before it was even on the top

charts,” junior Cameron Yap said. “I saw one of my friends playing it and knew I had to get it because I’m really competitive.”

While Trivia Crack has been highly rated, it is not solely based on the entertainment factor.

The game brings in school-relevant questions.

In fact, many of the history questions include material taught in classes like AP Euro, AP U.S. History and AP Government.

“Just getting one question right is a small win because I can apply knowledge I’m learning and I already have learned to be successful in my classes,” senior Rachel Morgan said.

While some players gain knowledge and feel a sense of achievement for the answers they get right, others think differently when it comes to certain categories.

“Sometimes I feel straight stupid, especially with the sports questions,” Foley said. “Who cares who won the NBA championship in 2007?”

A favorite part of the game for many players is challenge mode. In this mode opponents go head-to-head, answering the same questions, to determine who really knows their trivia.

Trivia Crack, with its fun learning, has made

some students question why school cannot be as enjoyable. The game solves common school problems when it comes lectures by being diverse and entertaining.

“The multiple choice questions and the variety of categories would make school easier and definitely less stressful,” senior Bailey Viator said.

Despite students mainly enjoying Trivia Crack, other teachers, besides Foley, play it as well, including ESE teacher Lauren Schminky, English teacher Samantha Richardson and social studies teachers Robert Potter and Adam Stansbury.

One can play friends by connecting through Facebook or signing in with email.

There are some flaws, such as online cheats and advertisements, but if one pays $2.99, the advertisements will no longer show up.

“The ads are really annoying, but it’s not worth paying for the app,” sophomore AnneMarie Cox said.

Trivia Crack has quickly spread around the world and while it may not stay on top forever, it will be remembered as leaving players with a buzz.

9

lifestyles Peyton Whittington

m e W t s y s e h glitch in t

the stats Women age 1 8 or older rep resent a significantly g reater portion of the game-playing population (36 %) than boys age 18 o r younger (17% ).

Statistic from the Entertainm ent Software A study recordin ssociation’s 20 g sales, demog 14 raphic and us age data.

Staff Reporter

hen the word “gamer” is mentioned, the stereotypical image that comes to mind is a headset-clad, teenage boy with the pallor of a fish belly playing on his Xbox at 3 a.m., surrounded by a sea of empty soda cans and bags of Doritos.

Now try to imagine the same scenario, but the gamer in question is a girl. Hear that?

Someone’s head just exploded.

Video gaming, what used to be considered a boys club, is now fair game to all genders.

Women and girls are taking up their controllers and joining the shoot-and-loot festivities.

Although the concept of women gaming is not by any means a recent development, the rise of mobile gaming in particular has been fueled by the female consumer market.

In fact, a 2014 study by the Entertainment Software Association shows that females make up 48 percent of the gaming market.

Despite this, prejudice against girl gamers still exists in the gaming community. Some gamer girls, such as junior Erica Vanacore, avoid games known for their inhospitable communities.

“I’ve avoided games like ‘Call of Duty’ and ‘Halo,’ and I used to be turned away from ‘Team Fortress II’ until my friends convinced me to play it,” Vanacore said.

Senior Julianna Weidler says she plays with an open-minded circle of friends and has never personally experienced prejudice in the gaming community. However, there are stereotypes about games girls play she finds troublesome.

“I play a lot of different games that people say ‘That’s a boy’s game’ or ‘Girls can’t play ‘Call of Duty’ because girls aren’t supposed to like rough military things,’” Weidler said. “It’s not a boy’s game, it’s just a game that I play.”

For gamers like junior Emma Delis, negativity in the gaming world is more benign than hate speech or preconceived stereotypes.

“It’s discouraging because usually when you go into GameStop, it’s just a bunch of guys,” Delis said. “Whenever I talk to other girls at this school, not a lot of them play video games.”

Vanacore, on the other hand, says that almost 90 percent of her gamer friends are female, many of whom have experienced white knighting, a gaming term for when male gamers protect a girl gamer to win her favor.

“White knighting is even worse [than hate speech] because they’re implying that you suck at gaming,” Vanacore said.

Despite the fact that women and girls make up a large demographic in the gaming community, female character designs are still generally geared towards a male audience.

Three-dimensional female characters do exist,

as Nariko from “Heavenly Sword,” Elizabeth from “Bioshock: Infinite” and Ellie from “The Last of Us,” yet girl gamers have found certain character developments unsatisfactory.

“When you’re a guy warrior in fantasy games, you have all this really cool, bulky armor and when you’re a girl you have a bathing suit,” Delis said. “It’s completely ridiculous to have your stomach exposed when wearing armor.”

Character substance, as well as character dress, is an issue in female characters.

“Some NPC (non-playable characters) that are girls can act very ditzy or very dependent on the main character, which is sexist as well,” Vanacore said. “Even if their clothing may be modest, behavior affects representation.”

The most famous example of this situation lies in the “Super Mario Bros.” games. Princess Peach is the stereotypical damsel in distress, forever waiting to be rescued from a tower.

“There’s always going to be a character whose purpose is for you to save them,” Delis said. “In a lot of games I play, like ‘Star Wars: The Old Republic,’ they also happen to be dudes. It’s mostly older games that make girls seem helpless.”

The “Borderlands” trilogy is an example of a series that depicts women in a non-degrading manner. The games feature female characters with diverse body types and personalities. The series’ latest game also offers an equal number of male and female playable characters.

And what of the effect of women’s depiction in video games on male gamers? Sophomore Zachary Pakizer is an avid gamer who averages 45 hours per week playing video games.

Pakizer admits to playing various games with sexist themes, but he also considers himself to be a feminist.

“Sexism in games has always bothered me, but if I like the game or series enough, I’ll look past the sexism,” Pakizer said. “So both parties are at fault: the gamers for encouraging [sexist games] by buying them and the makers for putting it in the game in the first place.”

Regardless of personal opinions on the state of the gaming world, girl gamers in particular have expressed their desire for more gaming representation of all players.

“It’s important to make everyone feel loved in the gaming community,” Vanacore said.

“That way gaming companies have a better demographic and everyone can enjoy the game they’re playing.”

For most gamer girls, gaming is just a hobby they happen to enjoy; no different from any other gamer.

“There’s always going to be those basic stereotypes [about girl gamers] but at the end of the day you just sit down and play video games with your friends all night,” Weidler said. “It’s just like anything else. It’s just gaming.”

the

LANGUAGE MONSTER

Story by Adeline Davis, Student Connections Editor Graphics by Ben Sorkin, Design Editor

ESOL learners overcome ODDS to master english

M

ost of us live in a world where our classes are easy to pass, our parents worry about grocery shopping, and socializing comes naturally.

Bilingual students, however, live in a different world; one where incomprehensible state exams are forced upon them, where their parents send them to find food in the grocery store and where socializing seems impossible.

A ROUGH START

Senior Lissa Rodriguez moved from Cuba in 2011, the same year the Biology EOC was implemented. Even though she had only just moved to this country, she was required to pass the class.

“When I took Biology, I got an F because I couldn’t understand what the teacher was saying,” Rodriguez said. “People don’t know how hard it is.”

When she went to summer school, Rodriguez had trouble understanding other students, and spent the month feeling selfconscious about the language barrier.

After three years, her fluency has increased, but she continues to struggle with some of her courses. Learning Anatomy and Physiology terms was difficult for her this year; therefore, she is now taking the class online.

difficult standards

Since she has lived in America for over two years, Rodriguez, like other ESOL students, is required

to abide by the same standards as American students, meaning she and other bilingual students must pass their EOCs, FSAs, SATs and ACTs on their own.

When the ESOL students took the SAT and ACT this year, only 30 percent met the reading and verbal requirement score they needed to graduate.

the four-year plan

According to ESOL teacher Christine Pierce, the state requires two years for a bilingual student to become somewhat fluent. After two years, the student begins to build mastery skills to help them pass a test. However, the average time for a student to become completely fluent is four years.

Therefore, requiring students to pass state tests, after just two years of learning English, is a hardship for many.

“The nation sees bilingualism as an opportunity, not a disability,” Pierce said. “The sooner you learn English, the [sooner] you can compete with other students.”

Senior Maureen Fleitas faces the pressure of passing the FCAT Reading to graduate.

She and her family came from Venezuela four years ago and in her family of four, Fleitas and her sister are the only ones who speak English.

Her final deadline to take and pass the reading FCAT is in April.

“I care about my future,” Fleitas said. “It has been challenging to pass the state exam to graduate.”

According to the St. Petersburg Tribune, only 11 percent of 9,320 English Language learners earn a passing score on the FCAT Reading.

Due to the pressure from the state to learn English quickly, students find ways to immerse themselves in the language.

outside influences

In order to improve his fluency, senior Aimad Ajjane got a job at McDonalds over the summer. When he came back to school this year, his English had drastically improved. McDonalds provided

10 THE LANGUAGE BARRIER 10-11 Middle taylor.indd All Pages

Senior Victor Vargas, photo by Jake Arthur

an environment which forced Aijane to interact with customers; it was either learn the language, or get fired.

Being surrounded by the language at school helps improve fluency; however, conflict is often present in the students’ homes, where their parents speak little or no English.

Sophomore Joey Menchaca’s first language is English, but when he gets home from school, his family depends on him to interpret everything in Spanish, despite his lack of confidence with the language.

“They just expect it.” Menchaca said.

“They depend on me too much.”

“You have that huge spectrum from parents who are proficient, to parents who, even if I got an interpreter, [still] wouldn’t even know what I was talking about,” Pierce said. “You get a little bit of everything.”

Out of her family of three, Rodriguez is the only one who speaks fluent English. Her parents depend on her to interpret directions and school papers and they often find shopping by themselves difficult.

THE SOCIAL ASPECT As if state testing and translating were not stressful enough, students also experience the social pressure to fit in. When senior Nick Chen moved from Taiwan, he felt intimidated by the English conversation around him.

“I go to class, but I don’t know who is [whom] and I don’t understand the teacher,” Chen said. “I need to [force myself] to learn [my] classwork so I can have friends.”

Making friends was also a main concern for senior Victor Vargas when he moved from the Dominican Republic. However, when he joined the Spanish Honor Society, he found the community and “brotherhood” he was looking for, and Vargas is now the president of the club.

“You’ve just got to be confident,” Vargas said. “I became fluent by not being scared of feeling stupid or having people laugh at me.”

While the process of becoming fluent in high school is strenuous, many have hope for the future. According to Pierce, when ESOL students leave high school, their fluency levels are high enough for them to be successful in future jobs and in school.

“It took me three years to learn English and I’m still learning. I’ll be learning for life,”

q&a

A round-table with students from christine pierce’s ESOL class

What is the dumbest question an English speaker has ever asked?

Christopher Kim: “Does Korea have pizza?”

Mark Tadros: “Do you still worship statues in Egypt?”

Lohany Guerra: “Do you speak Puerto Rican?”

Vitaly Pimkin: “You’re from Russia, so you speak German?”

When is being bilingual an advantage?

Vitaly Pimkin: When I go into the Army, I will get paid

more because I can translate.

Elias Marrero: I have more opportunities to get a better job.

Lohany Guerra: You are able to help others when they don’t speak the same language.

Lissa Rodriguez: When I go to Spanish restaurants, I feel more comfortable because I know the language.

Besides ESOL CLASS, what has helped you learn English?

Karim Aziz: Instagram, songs, game and Facebook.

Lohany Guerra: Watching Netflix, T.V., music

and tutoring.

Maureen Fleitas: Korean dramas because I put the

subtitles on in English.

Lissa Rodriguez: My cousin helped me a lot with my

English, she was like my second teacher.”

What is the strangest English Ad? Maureen Fleitas: Skittles commercials: “Pet the

rainbow, taste the rainbow.”

Arim Kellini: Soap commercials; they kill 99% and keep 1%. What is the idea of it?

Vitaly Pimkin: “Geico, I don’t get it.”

THE LANGUAGE BARRIER

11

2/13/2015 11:15:44 AM

the

LANGUAGE MONSTER

Story by Adeline Davis, Student Connections Editor Graphics by Ben Sorkin, Design Editor

ESOL learners overcome ODDS to master english

M

ost of us live in a world where our classes are easy to pass, our parents worry about grocery shopping, and socializing comes naturally.

Bilingual students, however, live in a different world; one where incomprehensible state exams are forced upon them, where their parents send them to find food in the grocery store and where socializing seems impossible.

A ROUGH START

Senior Lissa Rodriguez moved from Cuba in 2011, the same year the Biology EOC was implemented. Even though she had only just moved to this country, she was required to pass the class.

“When I took Biology, I got an F because I couldn’t understand what the teacher was saying,” Rodriguez said. “People don’t know how hard it is.”

When she went to summer school, Rodriguez had trouble understanding other students, and spent the month feeling selfconscious about the language barrier.

After three years, her fluency has increased, but she continues to struggle with some of her courses. Learning Anatomy and Physiology terms was difficult for her this year; therefore, she is now taking the class online.

difficult standards

Since she has lived in America for over two years, Rodriguez, like other ESOL students, is required

to abide by the same standards as American students, meaning she and other bilingual students must pass their EOCs, FSAs, SATs and ACTs on their own.

When the ESOL students took the SAT and ACT this year, only 30 percent met the reading and verbal requirement score they needed to graduate.

the four-year plan

According to ESOL teacher Christine Pierce, the state requires two years for a bilingual student to become somewhat fluent. After two years, the student begins to build mastery skills to help them pass a test. However, the average time for a student to become completely fluent is four years.

Therefore, requiring students to pass state tests, after just two years of learning English, is a hardship for many.

“The nation sees bilingualism as an opportunity, not a disability,” Pierce said. “The sooner you learn English, the [sooner] you can compete with other students.”

Senior Maureen Fleitas faces the pressure of passing the FCAT Reading to graduate.

She and her family came from Venezuela four years ago and in her family of four, Fleitas and her sister are the only ones who speak English.

Her final deadline to take and pass the reading FCAT is in April.

“I care about my future,” Fleitas said. “It has been challenging to pass the state exam to graduate.”

According to the St. Petersburg Tribune, only 11 percent of 9,320 English Language learners earn a passing score on the FCAT Reading.

Due to the pressure from the state to learn English quickly, students find ways to immerse themselves in the language.

outside influences

In order to improve his fluency, senior Aimad Ajjane got a job at McDonalds over the summer. When he came back to school this year, his English had drastically improved. McDonalds provided

10 THE LANGUAGE BARRIER 10-11 Middle taylor.indd All Pages

Senior Victor Vargas, photo by Jake Arthur

an environment which forced Aijane to interact with customers; it was either learn the language, or get fired.

Being surrounded by the language at school helps improve fluency; however, conflict is often present in the students’ homes, where their parents speak little or no English.

Sophomore Joey Menchaca’s first language is English, but when he gets home from school, his family depends on him to interpret everything in Spanish, despite his lack of confidence with the language.

“They just expect it.” Menchaca said.

“They depend on me too much.”

“You have that huge spectrum from parents who are proficient, to parents who, even if I got an interpreter, [still] wouldn’t even know what I was talking about,” Pierce said. “You get a little bit of everything.”

Out of her family of three, Rodriguez is the only one who speaks fluent English. Her parents depend on her to interpret directions and school papers and they often find shopping by themselves difficult.

THE SOCIAL ASPECT As if state testing and translating were not stressful enough, students also experience the social pressure to fit in. When senior Nick Chen moved from Taiwan, he felt intimidated by the English conversation around him.

“I go to class, but I don’t know who is [whom] and I don’t understand the teacher,” Chen said. “I need to [force myself] to learn [my] classwork so I can have friends.”

Making friends was also a main concern for senior Victor Vargas when he moved from the Dominican Republic. However, when he joined the Spanish Honor Society, he found the community and “brotherhood” he was looking for, and Vargas is now the president of the club.

“You’ve just got to be confident,” Vargas said. “I became fluent by not being scared of feeling stupid or having people laugh at me.”

While the process of becoming fluent in high school is strenuous, many have hope for the future. According to Pierce, when ESOL students leave high school, their fluency levels are high enough for them to be successful in future jobs and in school.

“It took me three years to learn English and I’m still learning. I’ll be learning for life,”

q&a

A round-table with students from christine pierce’s ESOL class

What is the dumbest question an English speaker has ever asked?

Christopher Kim: “Does Korea have pizza?”

Mark Tadros: “Do you still worship statues in Egypt?”

Lohany Guerra: “Do you speak Puerto Rican?”

Vitaly Pimkin: “You’re from Russia, so you speak German?”

When is being bilingual an advantage?

Vitaly Pimkin: When I go into the Army, I will get paid

more because I can translate.

Elias Marrero: I have more opportunities to get a better job.

Lohany Guerra: You are able to help others when they don’t speak the same language.

Lissa Rodriguez: When I go to Spanish restaurants, I feel more comfortable because I know the language.

Besides ESOL CLASS, what has helped you learn English?

Karim Aziz: Instagram, songs, game and Facebook.

Lohany Guerra: Watching Netflix, T.V., music

and tutoring.

Maureen Fleitas: Korean dramas because I put the

subtitles on in English.

Lissa Rodriguez: My cousin helped me a lot with my

English, she was like my second teacher.”

What is the strangest English Ad? Maureen Fleitas: Skittles commercials: “Pet the

rainbow, taste the rainbow.”

Arim Kellini: Soap commercials; they kill 99% and keep 1%. What is the idea of it?

Vitaly Pimkin: “Geico, I don’t get it.”

THE LANGUAGE BARRIER

11

2/13/2015 11:15:44 AM

12

POLL

Which is your best category on Trivia Crack?

9%

13% Science

Sports

22%

“The LOI is in! Officially a Univeristy of West Florida Argonaut! #GoArgos” senior Michael Beaudry (@Beaudry_15)

Geography

Art

13%

Twitter Feed Signing Day

26% Entertainment

student connection

17%

History

“It feels so unreal that I’m signing my life away for the next 4 years. But I love it” senior Qua Dixon (@Qua_NeedLike10)

SuperBowl XLIX “Only happy for Gronk bc he’s cute as heck” senior Natalie Doyle (@NatalieLDoyle)

“Someone called the cops because @ScottydaHottie and his family were screaming outside cause the Pats won” junior Travis Hosterman (@travishosterman)

100 people surveyed

Instagram Highlights

#LikeAGirl “It makes me sad that the commercial created to spark equality for women is just made into a joke #LikeAGirl” junior Erin Crawford (@e_craw_) “Girls biologically throw different than boys bc of anatomical differences in our arms so there’s really such a thing as throwing like a girl” junior Granite Porcher (@granite_p)

@theresa_kal Senior Theresa Kalinowski shares heartwarming shots with Disney characters.

@msnoap Junior Morgan Snoap goes there and back again for the last time.

@kaitieekat Junior Kaitlyn Gurtner checks out Cocoa Village Playhouse’s production of “West Side Story.”

Grammys “Man they just love to put tswift dancing on national television” senior Katie Krawczyk (@katiekaay8) “YES BEYONCE RULES EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE INCLUDING MY HEART” junior Kenzie Helmick (@kenzieah)

@stinecole Junior Christine Cole poses with Reel Big Fish after their show at the House of Blues.

@stephenliterallycannoteven Sophomore Stephen Pitters poses with fight coordinator Greg Powell at Harry Potter Celebration 2015.

@aboo_abi Senior Abiezer Santiago-Cruz gives a sneak peek of his senior photos.

“John and Ed together are making my heart melt and I’ve never been so happy” senior Kelsea Johannes (@kelijoh)

13

student connection

EXPRESSIONS Art

Julia Cha, 12 “My piece is based on sleeping beauty and has a deep meaning that sometimes you get caught in society and seclude yourself.”

Poetry Love

Chloe Rodrigue, 9 I am the victim the spell Cast upon I am the heart of a Black swan I am the roots of a Willow tree I am the caged bird desperate To fly free I am the reason for Once upon a time I am the smell of Wild thyme I am the taste of Bittersweet I am the reason you all Retreat I am the reason you shed A tear

I am the source of your Deepest fear I am the comfort in a time Of fright I am the voice you hear At night I am the ghost that everyone Sees I am the insanity forever Leaves I am the decision he always Forgoes I am the heartbroken Dying rose I am the pearly white wings of A dove I am the rapturous idea Of love

Viners Austin Ekern, 12 Ekern posts humorous “how to” and #remake Vines showcasing the truths of life. @Austin Ekern Stephen Pitters, 11 Pitters Vines feature him singing about life problems in his classic soprano voice. @Stephen Pitters

Hannah Hanson, 10 “I like the illusion it creates since it seems like I put it together piece by piece.”

Kristen Edwards, 10 Edwards Vines feature her singing pop classics while including witty life narrations. @Kristen Edwards

Double Take

Paired up for college

Adeline Davis Student Connection Editor

I

n less than a year, Savannah and I will be rooming together. Even though we once shared an egg, we have not shared a room since we were 7 and I’m still adjusting to this realization. Because we are twins, people think that living together would come naturally, but trust me, we have completely different living standards.

For one thing, Savannah doesn’t love her snooze button as much as I do. I have six different wake up alarms on my phone; she has only two. Although I admire her self-control, I cherish any extra minute of sleep I can get. This trait has gotten even more pronounced since she started taking AP Psych. Apparently, your body keeps an internal clock of all the hours of sleep you miss per night. I could care less about this fact, but Savannah took it to heart. In fact, her New Year’s resolution was to go to bed at 10:30 every night. If this continues in college, I will be spending my nights by myself, watching Netflix in the dark.

When we were in kindergarten, Savannah was the child who colored inside the lines, while I tended to let my crayon roam free. Thirteen years later, this difference in personality impacts our organizational preferences. For her sanity, I hope she doesn’t expect our dorm room to resemble her current one. Her anxiety was high enough when we had to share a suitcase over Thanksgiving break, and that was just a suitcase. When we shared a room during Christmas break, we divided up the room into two sides. It worked until I lost my phone charger and invaded Savannah’s space to borrow hers. The death glare she shot me made me give it back, but secretly I hoped I could still borrow her leggings.

Unlike so many other college freshmen, I’ve had 18 years to adjust to my college roommate. Despite our differences, I wouldn’t want to room with anyone else.

Thankfully, we still have six months to figure out a proficient living system.

Maybe if I’m lucky, I can get her to agree to turning off the lights at 11.

See this column’s twin by Kallie Delis online.

14

opinions

“I

Rumor mill just another form of bullying

hate high school.”

It is the phrase that every high school student says at least once during his or her four year saga. Yet, most students do not actually hate high school. Some may dislike the work, while others may not enjoy waking up early. The majority of students who say they do, do not actually hate high school. But there are outliers.

These outliers are the bullied. They are the students who actually hate going to school because they feel hated themselves. These outliers are the students who are often a large topic in the rumor mill.

While many students think of bullying as a big jock beating up some little nerd for his lunch money, that is not truly the case. Today, bullying comes in many different forms. It comes in the form of rumors spreading throughout the school. It comes through countless ridiculous stories and opinions about someone or something. And high school students eat up these rumors like they skipped lunch. Yet, the subjects of these rumors themselves go unnoticed.

The subjects of these rumors are the kids who can barely make it out of bed each morning because they feel so hated by everyone around them.

But who cares?

“Who cares how they feel?”

“She deserves hell because she slept with...”

“He should be hated because he said...”

For some reason, these thoughts overpower the idea that someone may actually be suffering because of what is being said about them.

One issue standing in the way of destroying the rumor mill is that many students feel that they’re not a part of it. Many students believe that if the story is true, then it is not a rumor. And if it is not a rumor, then it is their duty to spread it everywhere they can. The fact of the matter is that most stories students share with one another are not positive, regardless of whether or not they are true. Imagine having your deepest, darkest secrets, the horrible parts of your past, talked about by students on a daily basis.

No matter what the subject of conversation is, no one wants that.

Therefore, if what you are saying is not positive, there is no use in sharing it with everyone you know. If it does not involve you, then you do not need to weigh in on it. What is the point in telling everyone about it? Other than your five minutes of high school fame, all you are doing is bringing someone down.

barks & bites

A BITE to the poor bathroom upkeep. Many of the bathrooms lack paper towels and soap, which makes it hard for students to efficiently wash their hands. Some stall doors are also in need of locks and a lot of the time, toilet paper is not even accessible.

How can students avoid sickness when there are so many issues affecting simple hygiene?

Hagerty High School

blueprint

the

OUR TAKE

The BluePrint is a student-produced newspaper in which the student editors make all content decisions. The newspaper belongs to the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association and the Florida Scholastic Press Association.

Opinions expressed within the newspaper do not represent the staff’s views as a whole (except for the Our Take), the views of Seminole County Public Schools, or Hagerty High School’s administration and staff.

For information about advertising in the paper, please contact us via one of the above methods.

We reserve the right to reject any advertisement.

3225 Lockwood Blvd.

Oviedo, FL 32765 Email: hagertyjourn@blueprint.com Phone: (407) 871-0750 Fax: (407) 871-0817

Editor-in-Chief Spencer Thompson

Lifestyles Editor Madeline Kemper

Floater Editor Jeannie Williams

Managing Editor Haley Gaeser

Reviews Editor Winnie Meyer

Online Editor-in-Chief Sophie Hill

Opinions Editor Jessica Jeffers

Online Managing Ed Katie Curley

Student Connection Adeline Davis

Photographer Jake Arthur

Graphics Editor Lauren Lee

Business Manager Maddie Garr

News Editor Daniella Parcell

Sports Editor Ben Clyatt

Design Editor Ben Sorkin

Twitter Editor Taylor Ferraro Staff Reporters Justin Baronoff Kallie Delis Courtney Dziewior Sarah Gibson Alex Grace Nathaniel Kauffman Jessica Ritchie Peyton Whittington Adviser Brit Taylor Principal Dr. Mary Williams

Swearing is not caring, darnit Kallie Delis

C

Staff Reporter

olorful language decorates the halls every day and it comes as no surprise. Most students begin cursing in middle school, a time when vulgar language is severely discouraged, at least by adults. High school students are closer to adulthood in a way, so it is more socially acceptable for them to drop these word-bombs. Cursing seems to be some kind of high school rite of passage, but there is nothing impressive about it.

On a daily basis, rude and offensive profanity is thrown carelessly around. Whether in the classroom, at lunch or in the hallways, the offhand nature of modern-day cursing gives

A BITE to honor societies A BARK to the smoothies for not collaborating. in the cafeteria. Students A BARK to Clifphene Typically, students are enjoy the new healthy Reid and the Antiin two or more societies option, and at $1.50, the Bullying Club for and when meetings smoothies are not overly a successful Anticoincide it makes it priced, so students do Bullying Week. The difficult for them to not need to bring a lot sheriff’s department did pick which to attend. of cash. They come in a good job at getting If too many meetings two flavors: mango and the importance of not are missed, students berry. While Thirsty bullying across at the run a risk of getting Thursdays are great, assembly. While many kicked out. Society the cafeteria smoothies students did not take allow students the part in the dress up days, officers and sponsors should communicate opportunity to buy a the ones who did went more often so that smoothie on whatever all out, especially for this can be avoided. day they wish. pajama day.

the impression that these foul words carry no weight at all; as if they no longer possess any meaning.

In any case, students need to broaden their vocabulary. Since curse words are primarily used to insult, the end result tends to be unintelligible.

Surely, I am not advocating verbal abuse, but if you plan on delivering a proper insult, you need a larger selection than three or four expletives.

True, people cuss for different reasons. It can be entertaining or it can better articulate the anger and fury you are trying to express. Whatever the reason, it is understandable that you do curse. But what happened to “everything in moderation?” My biggest problem with swearing is the overindulgence that this generation has adopted. Be conscious of your

cursing because it has become far more than excessive.

Not only have swear words lost their meaning, they are also far from professional. Colleges tend to conduct research on their applicants, especially through looking at social media accounts. If a college is on the fence in their decision, odds are that they will choose a student whose Instagram captions are not littered with obscenities.

Being mindful of what words you say is not only good for you, but it also benefits others. Though it may seem that everyone in the school finds cursing acceptable, there are still those who are sensitive to it. You have no obligation to speak formally toward your friends, but try to censor all of the vulgarity.

Back of the pack A comic by Peyton Whittington

opinions

Prom goes wrong? No second chance Winnie Meyer

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Reviews Edtor

rom is the most stereotypical experience of teenage life. No high school movie ever has been complete without a prom. Our parents and grandparents brag about how they knew each other was “the one” because of prom. Every girl is raised believing that her prom dress will be the most important dress she will wear until her wedding day.

Prom is everywhere.

Prom has become so romanticized, students spend months, even years, mulling over the dance to figure out how to make it perfect. Some are so distraught over not having a date that they just do not attend. We begin

to believe that without the “perfect” night, our high school experience will be left incomplete.

To lessen the tension and stress of prom, we need to embrace an idea which nearly all of Seminole County has adopted: proms, where both juniors and seniors are invited.

Apart from Lake Brantley High School, we are the lone wolf of the county with a senior-only prom, while students at Oviedo, Winter Springs and Lake Mary enjoy two nights of long dresses, bow ties and uncomfortable high heels.

But it should not just be about second chances; a one-class prom also limits the amount of money the senior class can gain from tickets.

The senior class budget is dependent

BARKING

MAD

upon prom, and adding a second round of ticket buyers would act like a mushroom in Mario Bros: it would give prom a second life.

Also, with a larger budget from ticket revenue, better venues for prom are possible. For example, Bishop Moore, a school that does junior and senior proms, raises enough money to hold their dances at Disney resorts.

Having a two-class prom can also increase attendance since that students are given two years to mull over whether prom is truly worth attending. Many who would not attend their first chance could take a thwack at it their second.

Also, with two proms, students have two tries to get everything right. With only one prom, there

is no second chance in the back of attendees’ minds that “maybe my date will dance with me next year,” or “hopefully next time my hair won’t look like a giant blonde toucan.” In the case of one, if you tank, you tank.

There is no redemption.

With a budget dependent upon it, and a possible stress reliever for already stressed students, not having a junior-senior prom is acting like an annoying zit on the face of the school.

There may be a reason prom is so commercialized. In general, it is a fun evening to hang out with friends, dance and complain about some really terrible hotel food. Two proms means two wonderful memories we have to look back on when we are grey and wrinkly.

“It is annoying how disrespectful kids are toward teachers.”

-Emily Abernathy, 11 “I absolutely hate the state-mandated testing. It takes away from the learning experience and instead drowns us in tests.”

-Steven Carolus, 12 “The amount of cars in the parking lot is annoying, especially when people park on the curb.”

-Tom Grotkopf, 12 “I hate how slow people walk and how they only open one door for everyone to converge into. There are two doors!”

-Tenley Porcher, 12

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 may be featured here.

“Students are so disrespectful towards each other; we’re supposed to support one another.”

-Sam McGinnis, 12

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graphic by Lauren Lee

“I hate the attendance policy because I know how to handle my work. The school should have more confidence with students’ responsibility.”

-Sierra Hittel, 10 “Manuevering through the halls is hard. The moment class gets out the stairways are crowded. It is a fight everytime.”

-Zach Armstrong, 9 “The water tastes like rust and is probably not even filtered right.”

-Daniel Dearoff, 9 “I hate when my lock gets stuck, especially when I am in a rush to get to class.”

-Maddie Kowalski, 9 “I don’t like how long school is. It takes up most of my day then I have to go home and do more work on top of that.”

-Gracie Humbert, 12

“I think the rest of the top 10 would agree with me when I say it’s terrible we won’t be graduating before the rest of the class.”

-Robert Burke, 12

“School has become so boring because the teachers do not make class exciting. Learning has become a drag.”

-Emily Burton, 9

“The food is never really cooked well and does not look appetizing.”

-Conner Dayton, 9

“There are so many rules without thought or meaning, like the locked door policy.”

-Joseph Curtin, 10

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Wawa pest Trail Chea a y a Alaf 3000 a $1-2s station that hffaese that willead.

co ga rh For a Wawa has k into you e are c , a e f b p o y l t l c fe stereo our eyes ro d flavored t only n y a e n. No t also ffee mak o o i c t c d e e f ic er bu Their to sweet p g flavors, 2. in d 1z e $ a w e m m r a o b g fr ave n h i g y n e a h do t ces r ng pri amazi

Dunkin’ Donuts Best bang for your buck 3015 Alafaya Trail $1.50-3 Dunkin’ Donuts is a rising competitor in the coffee industry and definitely holds its own. For massive sizes at microscopic prices of $1-$3, more people seem to be lined up at their door than at other coffee shops. Even though the deal is great, it can occasionally be too sugary. It is made for rookies of the coffee industry and people who cannot resist their sugar cravings.

reviews

Starbucks

Most expensive

4650 North Alafaya Trail $3-6 The coffee served here is definitely not for beginners. Although it is the mecca of coffeehouses, Starbucks’ coffee has one of the strongest roasts. It is mainly for coffee lovers who will appreciate the deep and bold flavor of the bean. But sadly, the price matches and sometimes surpasses the quality. If you are looking to budget yourself, spending your pocket change on Starbucks is not the way to go.

Velo Creek

Bike and Brew Most creative

93 Alafaya Woods Blvd. $3-4 This new store on Alafaya Woods is the coziest local brewery in Oviedo and has received growing attention from many around town. One of the favorites at the brewery is the red velvet latte, which is creamy, smooth and topped with a thick layer of froth. The regular coffee has so much caffeine, though, that you will be up all night. But if you are looking to cram for a test, this Velo Creek is one of your best bets at an average price of only $3.

De Azucar Richest flavor 150 Alafaya Woods Blvd. $4-6 Although not very well known and hidden behind a Racetrac, the flavor of De Azucar’s coffee is striking. It is so rich that it might knock you off your feet with just one sip. It is not the best coffee in town, but it is definitely a competitor. However, this coffee might just rob you of your weekly earnings as it is overpriced, with prices ranging from $4-$6, and may not be worth it at the end of the day.

McDonald’s Hottest brew 1605 E. Mitchell Hammock Rd. $1-2

Though they are not known for their coffee alone, McDonald’s does a decent job providing the morning caffeine that most people need to get through the day.

The flavors may not be the best, but for the cheap cost, it might be worth it. For only $1, it is hard to refuse. The one downfall to McDonald’s, though, is the temperature.

The drink is nearly boiling inside your cup.

If you take a sip, you might as well say goodbye to your taste-buds for a week.

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The Coffeehouse Most overrated 1016 Lockwood Blvd. $4-6 Although new, the Coffeehouse has nothing to rave about. The coffee lacks flavor and its prices are a little over the top as well.

Even the frappuccinos are dull in essence and powdery tasting.

Panera The middle man 205 W. Mitchell Hammock Rd. $3-5 Panera has a wide range of hot beverages as well as frappes and they are all quite rich in flavor. At the perfect temperature, their steaming coffee, whether Colombian or Brazilian, is blended to perfection. The frappes are a little on the small side, but they are still refreshing and delicious. The only downside is that the prices are a little heavy at $3-$5.

Oviedo coffee shops offer variety of choices, flavors Reviews by Taylor Ferraro and Alex Grace Graphic by Lauren Lee

2/13/2015 11:19:26 AM

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reviews

Sus Hi deserves five ninja stars Peyton Whittington Staff Reporter

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Photo by Peyton Whittington

NOM NOM NOM Sus Hi’s helpful ninja staff fosters a fun-loving environment and assists customers in creating their perfect sushi masterpiece.

he typical Western response to sushi usually goes along the lines of, “I don’t like sushi because I don’t eat raw fish.”

This is a sure sign of a person deprived of the many sushi possibilities out there, namely those offered at Sus Hi Eatstation, a favorite of UCF locals and those looking to master their ninja style.

Sus Hi, also called “The Dojo” by regulars, is located on Alafaya Trail and is open every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sus Hi has succeeded in introducing the wonders of sushi to the people of Central Florida through their Subway/Chipotle, à la carte concept of giving customers full reign over what goes into their meal.

The Sus Hi formula is simple: each customer picks from three sushi creation options: roll, bowl or tortilla wrap. Each order gets two proteins

Hummus House a has-been Alex Grace

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Staff Reporter

ith locally made pitas wrapped with homemade hummus and customizable local ingredients, Hummus House tries to put a new spin on classic hummus. These fresh and local ingredients are used to make the basic meals that encompass Hummus House’s healthier Greek cuisine.

Hummus House makes hummus fast and affordable for its customers.

Although the Cafe has some issues, one of the menu options is a make-it-yourself pita, constituted of the customer’s choices of meats, fish and veggies as well as an assortment of toppings. One of the six homemade hummuses can also be chosen. The best was the guacamole flavor which took the best of both the Mexican and Greek worlds by combining a classic dip with a Greek spread. Another great topping for your make-it-yourself pita was the fried cauliflower which had a creamy and garlic taste.

The safest bet on Hummus

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House’s menu is any of their wraps, since customers are allowed to customize them.

On a healthy note, all of the items that are fried at Hummus House avoid heavy oils, allowing food to have a unique texture compared to food fried in vegetable oil. Hummus House also expanded their menu to offer gluten-free and vegan options.

The prices were pretty good, usually ranging between $6 and $8, making the restaurant more desirable.

Despite these draws to Hummus House, this Cafe is burdened with setbacks. Although you would expect a restaurant to have good desserts, this one only offers two. These desserts include stale cookies and a not-so-impressive baklava. Their items failed to create authenticity and flavor, which left me dissatisfied and disheartened. It is understandable that the restaurant would try avoid unhealthy treats, but at the same time, Hummus House should include more “Greek themed” desserts on its menu.

Also, Hummus House’s salads lack creativity and fresh ingredients.

One might think that a Greek

restaurant would have a killer Greek salad, however that is not the case at Hummus House. The lettuce was warm and the toppings tasted like they were canned. While there are a wide variety of toppings to choose from, many of them had additional charges which was a huge disappointment. Also, the falafel was overcooked and brittle.

In addition to these issues, there is only one size for each menu item, making it difficult to choose what to eat. And while the portions were large, the food’s flavor was very bland. The menu did not lack options but rather lacked the full amount of flavor that Greek food usually has.

The majority of Hummus House’s menu was not very impressive to my surprise because of the tasteless food and unappealing salads.

Overall, the concept of Hummus House was great, but the establishment was not able to follow through. Even though the restaurant is good to try, Hummus House another visit is not worth another visit.

Hummus House

(vegans never fear, tofu is here) and endless toppings from a wide selection of delectable additions, including mango, tempura crisps, rice crispies, raisins and sweet potato flakes. The Eatstation’s specialty sauces also include white, sweet soy and spicy mayo sauce, all available for purchase at checkout.

As for drinks, The Dojo has the standard soda fountain, but also carries specialty Japanese beverages such as Ramuné, the refreshing marble soda, and Aloe Vera Juice.

For mature customers, specialty beer and traditional Japanese sake is available for purchase.

In addition to their tempting meal selections, Sus Hi’s staff is knowledgeable, friendly and energetic. Each staff member has their own unique “ninja” name that reflects an aspect of their personality, such as Ninja Sparkles or Ninja Rhythm. If a customer asks for the blowtorch to be used to melt cheese onto their creation, the entire ninja

NATEflix

staff shouts “Fire!” in unison, adding to the festive atmosphere.

Sus Hi also offers sweet ninja merchandise, including t-shirts, pins, and free stickers and ninja trading cards with every meal.

The Eatstation offers a plethora of appealing add-ons, such as volcano topping or tempura frying the entire meal, which can run up the bill if careless. However, customers can escape with a sizeable white rice roll and a Ramuné for under $10, which is reasonable pricing for a quality meal.

Unfortunately, The Dojo is quite popular with UCF locals, so be sure to get there before the lunchtime rush to ensure a couple free tables and a modest queue.

A trip to Sus Hi is an excellent way to branch out from the usual hamburger and fries when eating out.

Its appetizing selection and amiable environment guarantees Sus Hi Eatstation a black belt in delicious.

Sus Hi

Nathaniel Kauffman Staff Reporter

MOVIE TO WATCH - The Interview

As far as quality of film and storyline go, the 52 percent score from Rotten Tomatoes may be accurate, however the entertainment factor far exceeds the rating.

Actors Seth Rogan and James Franco lead the way in a comedy filled with political satire, anti-North Korean sentiments and fifth grade fart jokes. The movie is not to be taken seriously, but it’s worth the two hour view and may just be worth it on the premise that someone across the globe may be upset that you’re watching.

MOVIE TO AVOID - Earth to Echo

The Blair Witch Project introduced the “found footage” category to movie making, Earth to Echo may very well have ended it. Something about a few 12 year-olds with a camera and a little robot just doesn’t translate into a quality production.

This group basically finds this small robot, Echo, and they are tasked with helping it rebuild its spacecraft. They all have to lie to their parents, creating some “drama,” but as in all good kids movies, everything works out in the end.

SERIES TO GET HOOKED ON - House of Cards House of Cards uses an interesting type of filming. Main character Francis Underwood, played by Kevin Spacey, breaks through the fourth wall and talks to viewers to explain what’s going on. Spacey’s character is a corrupt politician who uses lies and trickery to work up the totem pole.

Underwood is very good at manipulating situations so that they work out his way. The storyline is unique and although episodes don’t end on complete cliffhangers, they certainly hook you into watching more.

4/2/2015 3:55:13 PM

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sports

Soccer kicked out of playoffs

Katie Curley Online Managing Editor

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fter several years of dominant postseason runs, the girls soccer team suffered a different fate on Tuesday, Jan. 13 when Lake Brantley defeated them 4-2 in the first round of districts, ending the season and giving them a record of 10-7-2.

“This season was frustrating,” said right back Alana Lebl. “It’s hard to adapt from having so much pressure on you, because you were at the top tier, to losing in the first round of districts.”

Even the regular season started rough, with the team losing every other game. One reason for this struggle was the loss of so many seniors, but by midseason, they started to become stronger, led by North Carolina signee Ru Mucherera. “[Mucherera] was a great leader and friend on and off the field,”

center defender Kiele Mohre said. “It will be hard for returners next year to fill her shoes.”

With a leader and a purpose on the team, they started their streak to success.

“We were playing as individuals towards the beginning of the season,” said Mohre. “I think the game we began playing as a team was against Lake Mary. Although we lost [4-3], it was extremely close and we played very well and connected.”

Once the team got back on their feet, they beat Oviedo 2-1 in a rematch, avenging a 3-2 loss earlier in the season.

“We came out strong and everyone played like they wanted to win because nothing else mattered,” Mucherera said.

Nearing the end of the regular season, the team went on a five game win streak, which came to an end with a 2-2 tie against Lake Highland Prep on senior night, a little over a month

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JV BOYS BASKETBALL SEASON ENDS IN VICTORY On Friday, Jan. 30, the junior varsity basketball season ended with a 63-51 win against Olympia. Sophomore Damien Marquez scored 17 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out nine assists. The team finished the season 17-8 overall.

VARSITY GIRLS LACROSSE BEGINS REGULAR SEASON The varsity girls lacrosse team opened up the regular season with a 15-5 win over Lake Mary. Junior Alyssa McCoy scored five goals and senior Abby Faust scored four goals to lead to the win.

VARSITY BOYS BASEBALL GOES 2-0 IN MASTERS TOURNEY On Tuesday, Feb. 10, the varsity boys baseball team opened the regular season playing in the Masters Academy Tournament.The team beat Masters 1-0 with junior Joe Sheridan, who pitched four innings with six strikeouts and senior Ryan Mountcastle, who added a triple to lead the way. The team then beat Ocala St. John, 6-0.

Junior Travis Hosterman (4IP, 8K) and Mountcastle (4H, 3R, 2B) secured the win.

VARSITY SOFTBALL CONTINUES SEASON 3-0 The varsity girls softball team beat Spruce Creek 13-1 on Wednesday, Feb. 11. Senior Samantha Worrell and freshman Ashley Worrell both hit home runs to secure the victory. The team now owns a 3-0 record.

before postseason games began. By that time, the team had bonded both on the field and off as they became very closely knit.

After the break, they were ready to play. However, the playoff game against Lake Brantley proved more difficult than expected. The game was hard fought, with the score tied at 2-2 early, but when Lake Brantley scored their fourth goal, the team “gave up,” as Mucherera said.

“I could tell our team was not ready except for a few individuals,” said Lebl. “There was just no heart.”

Although the girls’ soccer season ended early, there were some high points, like the win against Oviedo and the late season win streak. Despite a season which was disappointing compared to recent years, Mucherera and the rest of the graduating seniors have high hopes for the future of girls’ soccer team they are leaving behind and they look forward to their future success.

photo by Angel Norris

RU THE DAY. Striker Ru Mucherera dribbles to the corner flag for a cross in a game against Oviedo. The team lost the game to Oviedo, 3-2.

Voting is super cool !

18 or older? You can register to vote today 16 or 17? You can pre-register to vote today

www.VoteSeminole.org

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sports

Cheer makes sweet repeat Nathaniel Kauffman

Staff Reporter fter unprecedented victories by cheerleading last year in States, Nationals and Worlds, the pressure was high to defend their titles. Despite losing 13 of 20 members from that team, the cheerleaders managed to win a state title again.

“The feeling of winning this year was 10 times better. We actually hit and finished with a perfect routine,” senior captain Taylor Scalora said. “We separated ourselves from second place this year and we made sure we weren’t just going to be another one-hit wonder.”

A repeated state title is rare, putting this team in a class of very few. Last year, the team won by only a fraction of a point, but the win this season ended any question of whether they deserved it. The team had the highest score out of any division, with a score of 90.75. The next closest in their division was a 79.88 from Vero Beach High.

This repeated success did not come easy; it came via morning practices, Saturday practices and endless after school practices.

Despite the success last year, the team did not go in expecting to win, and that was shown in the manner they prepared themselves.

“People who don’t understand cheer don’t really understand how much work we have to do to win,” Scalora said. “We don’t just face teams

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that are in finals, we are, in a way, going against all the teams they had to beat as well.”

The team felt pressure going into this year’s competition, and this pressure extended to not only returners of the team but also the new members, whether from the JV level or the freshman team.

“There was a lot of pressure coming back into [States] from last year, I felt it too because people just associate the win with you,” sophomore Kellen Marini said. “[But] the team was really motivational and they told us what to expect, so we knew coming in about the pressure and difficulty.”

While the team did not follow the state title with national and world titles like last year, they did place eighth in nationals and second in worlds, competitions judged entirely separate from each other. They performed multiple times for nationals and once for worlds.

After an imperfect run at Nationals, the team was not at their full potential, but still finished eighth overall. At Worlds, however, the team hit a near perfect routine and placed second.

“Our first two performances at nationals didn’t reflect the talent we have as a team,” junior Stephanie Fenning said. “Instead of being frustrated, we used it to make us better and motivated ourselves to compete to the best of our ability like we did at worlds.”

The biggest prize though, remains the

Winning no Mohre Ben Clyatt

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Sports Editor t the start of January, the boys basketball team was 7-6, and if anyone had told head coach Josh Kohn that the team would eventually become district champions and host a regional playoff game, Kohn might have found it hard to believe.

However, the team currently has a 21-8 record, with a 51-50 district championship win over Lake Brantley and a 83-73 home playoff win against Sandalwood Thursday night. Their unexpected success has been due in large part to the team-first mindset implemented among the boys.

“It’s not a one-on-one situation; it’s all 11 of us just playing together,” point guard Grant Greene said. “We look out for each other, we find each other, we sacrifice for each other.”

Finishing the second half of the season with a 13-2 record, the team went into the regional playoff game against Sandalwood on Feb. 12 riding a seven game winning streak.

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Sandalwood, who came into the game with a 17-8 record, jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter, and the boys team spent most of the first half trying to keep up. Sandalwood guard Zach Turner scored 20 points in the first half, and the barrage of five threes gave the home team problems. Sandalwood went into halftime up, 43-37.

“We were kind of frustrated at halftime, but we knew if we just came out and kept playing defense and kept knocking down threes, we would come back and be in the game,” center Robin Loh said. “We just knew we had to keep playing, and it would fall for us eventually.”

Kohn reminded the players in the locker room that they either had practice the next day or they did not; this was either the end of the season or they would live to play another day. The team responded, and they outscored Sandalwood 26-17 in the third quarter, and went into the fourth quarter up 63-60.

The game stayed close for much of the fourth quarter, with Sandalwood fighting to

Sports Editor t was a rough year for me. I went 0-3 in 2014, but, as you may have noticed, it is no longer 2014. It is 2015.

New year, new me?

It is going to be the year of opportunity, the year of winning, and to kick off the new year, I took on soccer player Kiele Mohre.

Since I haven’t played soccer since I was 5, I needed a somewhat sizeable advantage.

So I went recruiting for this one and I brought in keeper Erika Grasso to help me out. The challenge went like this: Mohre and I each got to take five penalty kicks, but Mohre, who has no experience in goal, had to play as keeper when I kicked, and Grasso, who has a lot of experience defending penalty kicks, was keeper against Mohre.

I went first, just like every other challenge.

Mohre acknowledged I would probably win because she was so bad at defending, so, feeling confident, I lined up to fire a shot at the top right corner of the net. But the ball went to the bottom left corner. Mohre’s foot shot out and sent the ball to Geneva. The next three shots went to the same spot, except for the one that went right into her hands. I was 0-for-4, and had one shot left. Realizing that the ball would go exactly where I didn’t aim, I aimed for the left side of the net, and just as I had hoped, the ball went to the right, catching Mohre off guard, and I connected on my first penalty kick of the challenge.

Grasso replaced Mohre in the goal, and Mohre lined up to take her penalty kicks. The first one went to the top right corner (copycat) and breezed over Grasso’s outstretched hands.

Mohre proceeded to connect on the next kick.

And the one after that. And the fourth one.

As she got ready for her final kick, I could only hope that she would not go a perfect 5-5. Because hoping gets you nowhere in life, Mohre summoned her inner Ronaldo and hit her fifth in a row. Game over. Final score: 5-1.

This wasn’t the start to 2015 I expected.

Sometimes in life, you’re gonna start slow.

But that’s okay, because you’re always gonna finish fast. This whole thing was probably rigged anyway. Mohre and Grasso probably conspired beforehand, since teammates always look out for each other.

Whatever. I call shenanigans.

Record: 0-4

I Photo by Jake Arthur

FLYING HIGH. Flyers pull a heel stretch during a stunt sequence. The team placed first at States.

consecutive state titles, and winning back to back state titles may never be repeated by any team at the school. The legacy this team leaves behind is an exciting one, but for head coach Kim Hackman, the legacy will not be ending anytime soon.

“The season was still definitely a success and I’m very proud of [the team],” Hackman said. “To only have seven returning girls and still being able to play it off says a lot for their hard work. I think this team can only get better.”

Basketball catches fire for postseason Ben Clyatt

Ben vs.

keep the boys team from pulling away, but with a couple of minutes left in the game, Sandalwood started to visibly fall apart. Down only two with three and a half minutes to go, Sandalwood found themselves down 11 two minutes later. Mahoney finished the game with 37 points, one point off his career high. Guard Alex Keel also scored 26. “[The scoring] just came. I had to knock down shots to help my team win,” Mahoney said. “I was just making some big shots for us, and just getting to the basket and scoring.”

The team outscored Sandalwood 46-30 in the second half, executing both on offense and defense. Sandalwood’s guard, Turner, who had 20 points at halftime, was held to just four points in the second half.

The team’s next game is at home on Tuesday, Feb. 17 against Lake Brantley.

For the complete story, photo gallery, plus links to our SmugMug basketball photos and live Tweets, visit www.hagertyjourn.com or use Aurasma and follow the dog.

2/13/2015 12:05:00 PM

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Girls weightlifting team sets school records, wins district title and sends two to states Maddie Garr

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Business Manager

n Monday, Jan. 5, the girls weightlifting team won their first ever SAC/district title, and they got to do it at home. Twenty girls competed for the title and seven girls advanced to the regional meet: Olivia Albano, Erin Catlin, Tia Menna, Bethany Bailey, Kellen Marini and Samantha Worrell.

The seven girls who advanced tied the record for number of lifters who qualified for regionals.

From regionals, Catlin and Albano advanced to the state meet on Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Kissimmee Civic Center. Catlin finished third at regionals with a 120 pound bench and a 130 pound clean and jerk for a 250 pound total, giving her her first state appearance, while Albano went as a sophomore as well. She won her weight class at regionals with a 280 pound total, lifting a 140 pound bench and 140 pound clean and jerk.

“I was a little nervous because this was the first competition that I really had competition,” Albano said.

Before their postseason success, the girls were undefeated in the regular season, and head coach Matt Malkovich said that what contributed to their success was doing a better job of being better teammates and supporting one another through practices and matches.

While experience was important, new faces like Worrell helped secure success as well. She only competed in two regular season meets before the conference meet but still qualified for regionals.

“I was nervous for regionals because I am

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still learning and I don’t have proper technique yet,” Worell said.

However, with the help of other teammates, she contributed the district title.

Malkovich continued to coach Albano and Catlin individually up until the state meet.

“The regional meet we compete in is one of the toughest in the state and advancing even one, but in our case two, is a great accomplishment. [I am] really excited for the girls who advanced,” Malkovich said.

At the state meet, Albano set a new personal record with a 295 pound total, with 145 pound bench and 150 pound clean and jerk. She received second overall at the FHSAA Finals.

“I’m really excited to have gotten second. I knew it was going to be close going into it but I am completely pleased with the results and I’m looking forward to next year,” Albano said.

Catlin, however, was not able to participate in the state meet due to the fact that she did not make weight.

“I was pretty emotional about it all, I hadn’t eaten anything in 48 hours. I was tired and hungry, and it was 7 in the morning,” Catlin said.

Her dedication to weightlifting showed through when she found herself running two and a half miles around Kissimmee in the cold trying to sweat off one pound. She even tried to turn Malkovich’s car into a sauna, since it was too cold outside for her to sweat enough.

However, the inability to compete this year did not discourage Catlin.

“I’m pretty confident for next year,” Catlin said. “I’ll be moving up a weight class so I won’t have to cut weight and I’ll be stronger.”

TOP TO BOTTOM: Junior Olivia Albano, junior Allana Green, sophomore Emily Beach, senior Tarra Keating. Photos by Jake Arthur LEFT: Junior Erin Catlin

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2/13/2015 11:37:35 AM