SCHOOL GRADE UPDATE Hillsborough’s school grade, previously “incomplete,” is now a “B.” Visit hhstoday.com for more details.
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Florida’s first high school newspaper Hillsborough High School 5000 N. Central Ave. Tampa, FL 33603 April 2016 hhstoday.com @HHSTodayOnline Volume 117, No. 6
QUEEN B HITS TAMPA Beyoncé comes to Raymond James a week after surprise album drop | pg. 10 BUTTERFLIES, DODGEBALL, AWARDS, OH MY! Check out more campus news on the Briefly page | pg. 2
BOYS BASEBALL MAKES PLAYOFFS Despite Districts defeat, team looks to post-season | pg. 15
DISASTROUS DATA LEAK An explanation of the Panama Papers | pg. 5
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briefly
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HOSA wins at states
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Students are handed red envelopes with butterflies to release.
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Ladybugs are set in a tray, ready to be released into Positive Park. | Photos by Jeremy Leong
Taking flight Jeremy Leong @HHSTodayOnline On Earth Day, Apil 22, the Environmental Awareness Club and others participated in a presentation describing the biology of butterflies, bees and other insects, culminating with the tradition of releasing butterflies at the end of the event.
Environmental Awareness Club releases butterflies for Earth Day The release marked the celebration of Earth Day as each student was able to release one from a red envelope given by Environmental Awareness Club members, as spectators looked on. Along with the releasing of the butterflies, the Environmental Awareness Club also provided students and teachers with a step-
to-step tutorial of making a garden box and the releasing of lady bugs in addition to the butterflies. Former Hillsborough staff members were also represented at the event as guests, along with nurse Janice Vogt as acting sponsor of the Environmental Awareness Club.
Journalists win national and state awards
Dodgeball tournament coming May 9
The Red & Black newspaper, Hilsborean yearbook and HHSToday.com will all be honored this week as All-Florida publications, and newspaper co-editor Dana Dinh will be recognized as the third-place winner for the Florida Student Journalist of the Year award. Dinh, a senior, also earned a school-high seven All-Florida awards from the Florida Scholastic Press Association for her writing, design and photography. Junior Annie Aguiar added five awards and senior Kathy Xie had four as journalism students earned a combined 31 All-Florida recognitions for their work. At the National Scholastic Press Association convention this month in Los Angeles, the Red & Black placed in two Best of Show categories, with a third-place finish in special section for its R&B magazine. Also, senior Daniel Hamilton earned an honorable mention in sports writing. Journalism adviser Joe Humphrey was honored last month by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association with its James F. Paschal Award, for service to scholastic journalism.
A dodgeball tournament will be held on May 9. To participate, students must pay $10 per team and $2 to come and watch. The event is organized by teacher Samantha Wallace. All proceeds will go towards a Breast Cancer awareness foundation. “Come out and support us!” Wallace said. -Atiya Simmons
Watch students showcase their talents What: Talent Show When: May 13 Where: Auditorium Price: $7
Red & Black
IB seniors lock in tradition before graduation The IB senior class will be having an overnight lock-in later this month on April 29. Attendees of this event will stay the overnight with many of their peers. The lock-in, run by Tom Paloumpis and sanctioned by Principal Gary Brady, is a tradition for the magnet program. It is set to take place at LaFluers Gymnasium. This annual event allows the seniors to bond over many different activities, including a dodgeball tournament among the various homerooms. According to Paloumpis, the lock-in is an important aspect of the IB graduation experience.“The lock-in is a tradition for IB seniors and one of the last times they are together as a group before graduation,” Paloumpis said. -Alex Morrison
The HOSA (Future Health Professionals) team attended the State Leadership Conference in Orlando on April 14. The attendees qualified for state level competition by placing at the district level in January. The team, sponsored by chemistry teacher Tammy Crosby and biology teacher Judy Charlton, returned with several awards. Junior Meghana Bhimreddy won first place in research persuasive speaking, sophomores Poorvi Dinesh, Sydney Cabana, Manasa Satyajit and Mica Jadick placed first in biomedical debate as a team, and seniors Laura Quevedo and Arnika Karthik won fifth place in transcultural health care and first place in dental, respectively. -Vishwa Shah
HELM for sale soon From poems and short stories to comedic sticky notes, Hillsborough’s literary magazine HELM incorporates the creations of student artists. Once a week, members meet to produce the magazine, which in past years, has won multiple awards from the Florida Scholastic Press Association. The theme for this year is “Roots.” The theme aspires to encompass both the symbolic and literal meaning of roots. “Roots can symbolize family heritage, or there’s the literal interpretation like nature and plants,” senior Gia Jadick said. The magazines will be sold May 2-May 6. HELM members will be walking around the school promoting the magazine. It can be purchased for $10. -Tegan Smith
MAO takes on states Through a series of events ranging from relays to individual tests, the members of Mu Alpha Theta competed at the state convention on April 15-16. Members such as freshman Danny Chen can testify to the team’s growth. “It was a wake-up call to study more for sophomore year,” he said. According to sponsor Alexandra Wehrman, “[the state convention is] a lot of fun to see them compete and achieve their goals,” which she believes they accomplished to advance their skills for next year. -Katie Delk
Biology teacher will travel to Costa Rica Freshman biology teacher Maritza Kasey was one of 10 selected from a group of 157 Florida teachers to receive a grant for a trip to Costa Rica from Save the Rainforest. Kasey will take four students, two freshmen and two sophomores, to the Osa peninsula in Costa Rica this upcoming summer. For 10 days, they will live in the rainforest and study the environment. The students will also have the opportunity to engage with the local culture and meet the indigenous people. -Vishwa Shah
campus
hhstoday.com
A 130-year legacy
Alumni examine the school’s architecture as HHS Ambassadors provide guided tours. Former students stepped back in time as the school celebrated its 130th anniversary with a look back at the school’s history. | Photo by John Veliz Shelby Shoup @shell_shoup These hallways are crowded with memories. Some of these memories belong to the students. Out on the football field are visions of convertible cars, upon which the Homecoming court sits pretty and perched. The senior lot is home to thousands upon thousands of conversations, gossiping sessions, and prom proposals. The classrooms are breeding grounds for funny anecdotes, class projects and bursts of inspiration. Some of these memories, however, belong to those who have come before us. In the auditorium, there are mirages of students buying bracelets at weekly Friday pep rallies in the 1970s. In the main building, there are shadows of students presenting their favorite teachers with watermelons stolen from local fields in the 1950s. Slightly off-campus, ghostly hands exchange crisp dollar bills, finalizing the purchase of the golden terrier statue that now symbolizes the spirit and tradition of Hillsborough. The Hillsborough High School Alumni Association hosted the Decades of Greatness celebration on April 9. The celebration lauded the 130th anniversary of the school’s establishment, and the rich
history that it boasts. Hundreds of alumni convened at the school’s grounds to partake in the day’s festivities. Clusters of reunited friends milled about the H Patio, cooing over the marvelous performance of the Big Red Band. Women dragged each other to the homemade photo booth set in the cafeteria. Veterans donning their Vietnam caps follow JROTC members with inquisitive looks. As they walked through the florescent halls, alumni were reminded of the memories they created – memories of pep rallies, watermelons and Terriers – and the legacies they crafted during their four years in high school. Roland Sanchez, Class of 1957, sat down with his close friend Cecil Maples, Class of 1959, and their wives after shadowing a current student. He was impressed by the school’s continued commitment to sustaining the JROTC program. He looked out on the sea of students, teachers, and alumni, but he wasn’t really seeing them. He was searching instead for a memory, a glimpse into his childhood. “When I was a senior, I had some personal problems and I was about to quit school. I had seven teachers … who got together be-
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cause I had missed 83 days of school in one semester. They called me in before they were doing the college prep tests. They had like an intervention, and they talked me back into coming to school. They said if I came back and I worked hard, they’d pass me.” His eyes welled with tears. “I thank my teachers. I guess that’s what I think about most when I come back here.” Maples graduated high school with the rest of his class, the same class that donated the iconic bronze terrier statue after their graduation. Unveiled on Thanksgiving Eve of 1957 under the watchful gaze of Principal Vivian Gaither, the Class of 1957 saw their dream become a reality. The bronze mascot was revealed in conjunction with the Terrier Creed. “The Terrier Creed was about what we thought our students should be, pertaining to Hillsborough High School.” said Sanchez. The Creed – a six-point code of ethics – pledges for future generations of students to preserve the school’s beauty, demonstrate school spirit, avoid public displays of affection, refrain from gambling, refrain from intoxication and refrain from profanity when on campus. The Creed was a result of collaboration between students, teachers and administrators alike. The compassion of the faculty characterized the high school experience of Maples, one of Sanchez’s life-long friends, as well. His fondest memories of Hillsborough include his interactions with his teachers, and reflections of how their guidance set him on a positive path in life. “We were brought up right, he said. “We were taught the right things … right from wrong.” Maples and his wife have attended alumni events for 12 years; besides the Decades of Greatness celebration, he is a regular attendee of the annual Christmas parties for alumni from the 1950s. “It’s fading now – not as many people come anymore – but it’s a good time. It’s a good fellowship with good people.” A lot has changed in 130 years. Hillsborough has moved locations, expanded in size and witnessed countless cycles of administrators and teachers. A lot has changed in 59 years. Hillsborough is no longer a majority white, majority Christian schools. The school has traded watermelons for packs of Expo markers as a reflection of appreciation for our teachers. The terrier statue is no longer a new fixture, but a multi-decade testament to the rich history of our school. However, the Decades of Greatness celebration also reflected what has not changed – the camaraderie between teachers, the pride to call oneself a terrier, and a desire to leave a legacy, and create more memories to linger beyond our four years.
1 Junior Lydia Bicknell explains to her tour group the recent changes to Positive Park.
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Senior Amber Pirson, over the loud chatter of the H Patio, answers a query of an alum.
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The Big Red Band blares with passion, bringing livelihood and entertainment to the Decades of Greatness celebration. | Photos by John Veliz
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campus
Red & Black
AP Euro to be offered
Reminders:
- AP Exams start on Monday, May 2 - Students must arrive 30 minutes prior to the exam start time - Late students will not be admitted to their exam, under any circumstance Graphic by Madison Forbis
John Veliz @TheJohnVeliz Teacher Sandi Ancona will be extending AP European History classes to traditional students. After two previous years of proposing the expansion of the course, administration gave her the approval to begin teaching the course starting next school year. “It is one of the top social science AP classes that colleges look for, so I found it unfair that it was only offered to IB students,” said Ancona, a former tutor for the history department at the University of Central Florida. Approximately 2,000 colleges accept credit for the AP European History exam, according to an annual report by College Board. About 45 students showed in initial interest in the taking the class and Ancona hopes to raise that number to 60 by the beginning of next school year. Currently, the only AP European students at Hillsborough take the course through IB teacher Mike Mikulec, who teaches all IB sophomores. He boasts the highest pass rates in the county with an 88 percent last year compared to a national average of 59 percent. Ancona wants to replicate this success on the traditional side, having planned to discuss teaching strategies with Mikulec following AP exams. However, she doesn’t expect all techniques will transfer over to her own class. “It is going to be a little different just because IB is able to do more things like summer assignments that aren’t as possible in traditional,” she said. Despite whatever differences exist between their classrooms, Ancona seeks to maintain the same levels of success.
New security cameras will quadruple eyes on campus Laurie Rodriguez @Lauriesayswut Safety concerns have pushed school administrators to increase the number of cameras on campus. There are currently about 25 cameras around the school, but by the end of April there will be over 100. The additional 75 cameras will cost around $100,000 and will focus on hallways, the H Patio, cafeteria, student parking lot, teacher parking lot and the staircases. There won’t be any cameras in the bathrooms, locker rooms or classrooms due to privacy issues. However, there will be cameras outside the bathrooms to see who is going in and out. “It adds an extra 75 eyes to our campus,” said Assistant Principal Henry Burns.
The cameras are meant to be in spots around the school where administrators can’t be at all times. “Whenever the 400 building staircase smelled like smoke, we would just go out there and try to find the students who did it. But now all we have to do is look at the cameras,” said Principal Gary Brady. “The students who like to smoke in the staircase or skip need to understand that Hillsborough isn’t the place to do it and that they will get caught.” However, some students have concerns that the new cameras will invade their privacy. “We’re supposed to have more freedom in high school, not less,” said junior Brian Ortiz. Others worry that the cameras are a waste of school resources. “I understand it’s to keep us safe, but 10 or 20 cameras would be
fine, not 70,” said sophomore Emily Otero. “The school could have spent the rest of the money on things we need, like better food and toilet paper.” The cameras are also being installed to prevent crimes and behavior issues throughout campus. “It adds an extra layer of security for students, not just in the school but around the perimeter,” said Assistant Principal Larry Fulkroad. “When a student knows that there’s cameras everywhere, they are going to be more hesitant when acting up.” “My No. 1 priority is safety,” said Principal Gary Brady. “I want students to feel safe here and I want parents to feel safe sending their students here.”
world politics
hhstoday.com
April 2016
Document leak of the century
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things to know about the Panama Papers
What exactly are they? In early April, Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca experienced a 2.6 terabyte leak of confidential papers. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists attained this data and dubbed the information “the Panama Papers.” The law firm has an array of international operations, but specializes in helping foreigners set up Panamanian shell companies to hold financial assets without revealing the identities of the assets’ real owners.
Worldwide effects
Iceland’s Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson has stepped down and has been replaced by agriculture minister Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson in response to the release of the Panama Papers. Public protest ensued after the reveal of the Prime Minister’s involvement and continued after his resignation.
How are governments taking action?
If a heavily-covered person or company needs to buy assets but doesn’t want their purchase to be known, they can start a shell company. For example, Apple is rumored to have created a shell company called SixtyEight Research to pursue its interest in building a car without the media finding out about the plans.
Before the Panama Papers were leaked, governments like Switzerland’s had already been changing laws to make it easier to incarcerate people participating in tax evasion. But, there’s a key difference between tax evasion (illegally refusing to pay taxes) and tax avoidance, which is hiring people to help exploit legal loopholes to minimize one’s tax bill in the first place. Tax avoidance is an inevitable part of any country’s tax system, but it pervades so severely because politicians don’t regulate it as heavily as needed. Thus, the document leak puts public pressure on governments to prioritize this issue. -Kathy Xie
Why is this leak so important? The leaked documents show massive corruption in several countries, both developed and developing. For instance, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle appears to control about $2 billion of offshore assets and Pakistan’s prime minister’s family owns millions of dollars’ worth of real estate.
Information leaks: not without precedent
Although the The Panama Papers leak was the largest in history, it’s preceded by several others WikiLeaks is a nonprofit organization that releases documents revealing government and corporate misconduct. The organization’s acclaim to fame was the release of 1.7 gigabytes of data in 2010. Documents included 400,000 secret U.S. military logs of operations in Iraq, providing the public with insight to military strategies in Afghanistan.
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yousaid it: Panama Papers Information for this report from CNN, NPR and the New York Times
ICIJ
Edward Snowden
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists released 260 gigabytes of data in 2013. Unlike WikiLeaks in 2010, this leak didn’t reveal specific information; the data was an unstructured collation of official documents, spreadsheets and databases. Analysis of these files revealed China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Russia’s involvement in offshore shares.
Scandal strikes soccer star
United Kingdom
Prime Minister David Cameron has admitted to profiting from the offshore trusts. In the midst of these allegations, Cameron plans to host an anti-corruption summit with U.K. territories and dependencies with the primary focus of tax transparency. -Yesha Shukla
2.6 terabyte document leak reveals global corruption and tax avoidance
What’s a shell company?
WikiLeaks
Iceland
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Valued player of FC Barcelona and idol of Americans and Barcelonans alike, Lionel Messi is revered around the world for his soccer skills. Yet, he too has been involved in the Panama Papers scandal. With proof in the form of signed contracts, there is enough
Edward Snowden, a former CIA systems analysis, disclosed information about global surveillance by the NSA and other U.S. corporations in 2013. Although his leaks were not as large-scale as previous ones, they impacted Americans’ trust in the government. -Yesha Shukla Graphics by John Veliz
evidence to send Messi to trial. Although he claims his actions were solely based on his father’s judgement, there is still evidence of his culpability in the actions that took place. Messi and his father were able to amount a nearly-tax-free 10.1 million euros ($1.2 million) and between 2007 and 2009, evade 4.1 million in Euros. -Denzel Pierre Photos courtesy Creative Commons
“[Tax avoidance] is messed up. Like, instead giving the money to the people, the government is keeping it all for themselves. The government is selfish and petty.” —Alex Gonzales, 10
“It’s a clever tactic [to evade taxes], I’ll give them that. But they’re world leaders and they should follow the rules they establish, which is not cheating on your taxes.” —Bianca Pastrana, 11
“I knew that world politicians might have been corrupt, but I never realized the full extent these leaders are involved in tax evasion. I hope this leads to actual political change and a decrease in corruption in the future. —Gaurav Rao, 11
6 April 2016
opinion
& #FightFor black Minimum wage should be set at workers’ living wages
ABOUT Content decisions are made by student editors. Member of Florida and National Scholastic press associations. 2015-16 FSPA All-Florida 2014-15 NSPA All-American 2015-16 NSPA four Best of Show awards Printed by the Tampa Bay Times EDITORIAL The staff editorial reflects the view of student editors and can be found in each issue’s opinion section. COLUMNS The bylined columns located throughout each issue represent the viewpoints of their authors. LETTERS Red & Black welcomes letters from students, teachers and members of the Hillsborough community. Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity, and should be submitted via email or delivered to Room 506 or by mail to Red & Black, 5000 N. Central Ave., Tampa, FL 33603. ADS Advertising content is subject to approval of the editorial board. ONLINE Each issue of Red & Black is available online at HHSToday.com. CONTACT Phone (813) 276-5620; Fax (813) 276-5629; email hhstoday@gmail.com
editorial
Minimum wage laws have come under scrutiny in recent months, with the two major Democratic presidential candidates advocating for some form of increase to the minimum wage. The #FightForFifteen movement has become a nationwide advocacy group, with members pushing for the minimum wage to be increased to $15 across the board. The debate has divided people into three major camps: those who want the minimum wage to stay the same, those who want it to rise slightly and those who are pushing for the dramatic increase to $15 an hour. Economic theory gives the general idea that drastic increases to the minimum wage — such as the 106 percent increase of the $15 minimum wage — will drag down the economy, not lift it up. Based on economic theory, the raise will only help in the very short
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VOLUME 117, ISSUE 6 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Dana Dinh, Kathy Xie DESIGN EDITOR John Veliz WEB EDITOR Daniel Hamilton PAGE EDITORS Annie Aguiar, Sarvika Bommakanti, Bianca Cegatte, Madison Forbis, Jorge Garcia, Alyssa Ierna, Matt Lutton, Denzel Pierre, Monisha Pillai, Amber Shemesh, Shelby Shoup, Tegan Smith, Atiya Simmons, Theontae Walton, Michael Strobl STAFF WRITERS Katie Delk, Daniel Garrison, Jeremy Leong, Julissa Machado, Cade McCurdy, Alex Morrison, Shreya Patel, Laurie Rodriguez, Vishwa Shah, Yesha Shukla ADVISER Joe Humphrey, MJE PRINCIPAL Gary Brady
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Differ minim and li per st
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term, and then the cost of living will rise to compensate for the increased wages, also known as inflation. However, while the minimum wage workers will be back at the starting block, those who work on a long term contract will be in trouble. This is because their wages are “sticky” and won’t change according to economic fluctuations in the short term. Eventually these wages will “unstick” and go back up to the real spending power they had before. At this point, everything will go back to the way it was, and then what are we going to do? Raise the minimum wage again? The cycle will just repeat itself. However, just because $15 isn’t the answer, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be raised. The problem still stands that the current federal minimum wage is not sufficient to make a living. When it comes to establishing a living wage for the nation, a new problem arises. The cost of living
Difference between minimum wage and living wage per state
varies drastically depending on where you live in the United States. In the state of Florida, the living wage is $10.94 an hour; however in Washington D.C., it’s $14.78 an hour and in Ohio, it’s $9.39 an hour. This magic living wage number is too hard to hit on a national level. If the government sets the federal minimum wage at the lowest living wage of any state, then there’s nothing protecting those who live in the states where the living wage is much higher. On the other hand, if the government sets it at the high end, then there is the possibility for the economies of the states with lower living
$1-$2 $2-$3 $3-$4 $4-$5 $5-$6
Graphic by John Veliz Source: MIT
wages to be drastically effected by the increase, and not necessarily in a good way. The solution is to mandate the states to set the minimum wage at their living wage. Make it a stateby-state wage, rather than a national wage. The federal government needs to establish a uniform way to formulate a living wage, rather than trying to hit such a moving target.
for the $20 yousaid it Change Students voice their opinion on the U.S. Treasury Department’s decision to replace Andrew Jackson with Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill
“I don’t agree with the decision to change the face on the bill ... They should have just kept it the same way.” -Thalia Martinez, 10
“Harriet Tubman is one of the most inspiring figures in history, so it’s about time she got more recognition. She deserves to be on that bill.” -Ken Montgomery, 10
“Isn’t Andrew Jackson the president that issued the Trail of Tears on the Native Americans? It’s about time that the bill got replaced with someone more deserving.” -Jacob Harwell, 12
snapshot
hhstoday.com
April 2016
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Field tripping
Competitions, conventions and celebrations get students out of the classroom and to places as close as downtown and as far as California.
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Members of Student Government rest for a moment during their April 9 field trip to Walt Disney World. They attended a leadership seminar before enjoying Magic Kingdom. | Photo courtesy Meghan Tindel
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Seniors Funmi Daudu, Kayla Childs, Nedi Ferekides and Kathleen Tan, members of the HOSA (Future Health Professionals) team, attend the State Leadership Conference in Orlando on April 14. | Photo courtesy Kathleen Tan
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Seniors Beth Hanson, Daniel Hamilton and junior ReiAnna Graves stand by the Pacific Ocean while visiting Malibu April 14; they traveled to California to attend the spring National High School Journalism Convention along with about 4,000 student journalists and educators. | Photo courtesy Joe Humphrey
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Junior Jakob Nicolasora holds his trophies from the Mu Alpha Theta 2016 State Convention. Nicolasora won third in History of Math and sixth in Statistics Bowl. | Photo courtesy Alexandra Wehrman
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Members of the Best Buddies club attend the Best Buddies Walk in downtown Tampa on April 16. | Photo courtesy Cameron Fishback.
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8 April 2016
focus
Wait, wear what?
Every year during Autism Awareness Month, a multitude of people wear blue shirts to show support. However, April at Hillsborough consisted of both blue and red shirts because some felt conflicted as to whether they supported #AutismAwareness or #AutismAcceptance.
#AutismAwareness Moryah Wells
What is Autism Speaks?
#AutismAcceptance
(blog.AutismSpeaks.org/) After this, Perez pushed Autism Speaks for support and today over 100 international landmarks have followed. Autism Speaks now owns trademark rights to this campaign and utilizes this to spread awareness. It does not require money; it implies no harm. It does not ask for acceptance; it asks for awareness, because without awareness, acceptance is impossible. This is my goal and that of anyone who chose to wear blue on April 2.
Autism Speaks is one of the largest organizations to raise awareness for autism. Per Autismspeaks.org, its purpose is to “change the future for all who struggle with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.” Funding What’s everyone else saying? While some struggle with the is dedicated to research on In researching dissenting opinions, I discovered Boycausation, prevention and a cottAutismSpeaks.com. Many statements on this website idea of a ‘cure,’ as that it implies possible cure. are controversial and incorrect. While I am open to all individuals with ASD should be While some struggle with the idea of a “cure,” as that opinions, it is important to do research and know the changed, Autism Speaks provides facts before publishing libelous inaccuracies. Autism implies individuals with ASD should be changed, Autism Speaks provides any support possible, whether it is eduany support possible, whether it is Speaks does not support the anti-vaccination movement cational, behavioral, medical or even a cure. although BoycottAutismSpeaks.com states “the anti-vaceducational, behavioral, medical cine sentiment of Autism Speaks founders have been well Judgment against this organization, whose goal is to provide support, is harmful to those who rely on their documented.” or even a cure. mission. According to Autism Speaks and vast research, vacWho can say what is right for one is right for all? Consider a family with a child cines do not cause Autism. Given this may still be a concern for some, I do not whose needs are such that they could never see an independent future. Who are question this. However, if one believes Autism Speaks supports the causal link bewe to take away this hope? How can we judge? We must understand that Autism tween vaccines and Autism, they have not done their research. Speaks is important in the lives of many, and thus I ask for open-mindedness. Another fallacy I question is the notion that Autism Speaks does not have individuals with Autism on its Board of Directors. Autism Speaks has diversified its What’s “Autism Awareness” all about? Board by appointing Stephen Shorv, Ed.D., and Valerie Paradiz, Ph.D., who both The United Nations designated April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day. Aware- have ASD, to their board last year. Further, numerous prior board members have ness, having realization or knowledge of Autism, is simply that: knowing about family members with Autism. For example, Sallie Bernard has a son with ASD. Autism. Thus, continued criticism of this organization no longer holds merit. The Light It Up Blue campaign observed that the day was developed to “shine As a student active in the Intellectual and Developmental Disability communia bright light on Autism as a global public health priority” by asking people to ty, I witness what a lack of knowledge does to our peers and ultimately our friends, wear blue to show support and spread awareness. This was not initiated by Autism so I hope for change by increasing awareness. My goal is never to offend anyone Speaks. — it is only to help those I care about live a judgement-free life. I understand this Emil Jensen Perez, an individual with Autism, “asked the Empire State Building will take time and while both organizations are attempting to make this happen, to light it up blue for Autism in 2008.” Blue light was chosen “as a symbol of hope.” we must work together.
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Red & Black
Daniel Garrison It’s kind of funny how everyone seems to think they know what’s best for us, yet nobody ever actually asks us. How about you listen to us this time?
Why acceptance and not awareness?
Autism Speaks, a majorly allistic-run organisation with only two Autistic board members out of 31, claims to be “dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for Autism.” They say this as if autism is a disease that needs a cure. As if we need early intervention to help us seem less Autistic. As if we are something to be gotten rid of. You need to be What is Autism? “aware” of autism so you can help find ways to prevent us from even being born, ways to abuse us It is a different type of “wiring” that develops in Autistic people’s into suppressing Autistic behaviors, ways to “cure” us. brains before birth or shortly afterwards. It According to its 2014 tax form, out of its $58.6 million budget, only is a broad spectrum that encompases many about 3.75% of it actually goes to Autistic people and their families. On different ability types, such as in language Autism acceptance makes the the other hand, most of their funding goes to research on causation, and communication, sensory processing, prevention and treatments. world a better, safer, happier place The goal for Autistic people has never been awareness or a cure; it motor skills and many more. It is a way of being; a difference in brain structure that influences every experience has always been acceptance of autism and Autistic traits, behaviors and for Autistics, while Autism an Autistic person has. It is impossible to separate a person from their existence. awareness, on the other hand, autism. Every Autistic person is different, just like every allistic person is #REDinstead (formally #WalkInRed), an Autistic-created counterspreads hatred and fear by different. While this definition is vague, this is done so it can be inclusive movement to Autism Speaks’ #LightItUpBlue (#LIUB), is focused on of every Autistic person. contributing to the mistreatment spreading the message of Autism Acceptance. According to their webIt is not an illness or disease or something to be “cured.” It is a vital site, they are “a more empathetic alternative to #LIUB” that focuses on of Autistic people. part of the diversity of the human mind and humanity would not be “equality, understanding and #acceptance.” complete without it. Autism Acceptance, as stated by ASAN, is an action. Luckily, a complete understanding is not necessary for acceptance and fair treatment, which It means giving Autistic people the accommodations and assistance we need and assuming is what Autistic people truly need. competence until told otherwise by us. It means respecting us as people, maintaining our autonomy, not trying to change us and not subjecting us to abusive “therapies” such as Applied Behavior Why should I care? Analysis. It means not ignoring or speaking over us when we tell you what we need or want. According to Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) and Autism Women’s Network (AWN) It’s respecting our Autistic identities by using identity-first language and never using funcabout 1-2 percent of the population in the U.S. are Autistic, and although that may sound small, tioning labels (high/low functioning autism). It’s being understanding when we do things that that’s at least 3.2 million people as of this year. “aren’t appropriate” or that you don’t like. Basically, it’s everything that allows us to be Autistic as In other words, Autistic people are all around you. Even if you aren’t Autistic and don’t have safely and comfortably as possible in a world that is not made for us and is, more often than not, any Autistic family members or friends, it’s unlikely that you will never meet and interact with against us. an Autistic person in your lifetime. Even if you didn’t know or notice, you have probably already Because of this, Autism acceptance makes the world a better, safer, happier place for Autistics, done so. Regardless, the stigma and ableism perpetrated by allistic people affects Autistic people while Autism “Awareness,” on the other hand, spreads hatred and fear by contributing to the everywhere. mistreatment of Autistic people.
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Media secretary Susan Hunt and her Autistic grandson, Aidric, learn to accommodate their lifestyles to his disability of autism.” For her, attitude is everything because “it depends [on] where your perspective is.” After grieving the death of her daughter, Aidric’s mother, and not knowing what will happen in the future, she relies on her husband who “is [her] partner in every way and is a wonderful papa.” To raise awareness, Hunt participates in the Walk Now for Autism Speaks walk-a-thon and raises funds for research and services. Originally, her daughter created a team for the walk and Hunt has continued going, in hopes of to carrying on her daughter’s light and passion for serving those with autism. “Awareness is about letting people know: this is a real thing,” she said. “These are real people. They all have real feelings.” Although Hunt states that Aidric has irrevocably altered her family members’ lives, the change is not negative. “He has brought so much joy and knowledge to our lives,” she said.
Terms to know When reading anything, it’s helpful to be familiar with the terminology. Here are some (although not all!) terms to know. 1) Allistic - Non-Autistic person 2) Stimming - a repetitive action that self-stimulates one or more senses in a regulated manner. Often used to regulate emotions, avoid sensory over/ underload, focus or recharge spoons (see “Spoons”). The many types of stimming include verbal, auditory, tactile, olfactory (smell), vestibular (body movements), taste, etc. 3) Special Interest - A specific or broad subject that an Autistic person has an especially strong interest in. It can be an unusual interest, collecting information on that subject and often organizing it (putting it into lists or categories or collecting items related to the interest). It may be short or long term, lasting anywhere from days to an entire lifetime. (Note: not all Autistic people have special interests, and even fewer have them all the time.) 4) Info dumping - A long stream of information given out by either writing or speech and usually, but not always, pertaining to a special interest of the given Autistic person.
Adapting for autism
Katie Delk @HHSTodayOnline Despite the daily battles of autism, Aidric Hunt wakes up every morning with overwhelming joy and is always “ready to go love again another day,” according to media secretary Susan Hunt. Aidric was diagnosed with autism at the age of 4 and was adopted by Hunt. Since he has been taken in as their own, they implement new routines to see what works, such as Aidric’s gluten-free casein diet. His weekly schedule also consists of six hours working with his Applied Behavioral Analyst (ABA), 12 hours with his Behavioral Assistant and attending public school in the self-contained ASD classroom. However, he is able to interact with others of the student body; these services enable Aidric to strengthen his verbal, social and communication skills. According to Hunt, Aidric has “enriched [her] life so much because
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5) Spoons - A metaphor for a disabled person’s energy level. Each activity requires a given number of spoons, which will only be replaced as the person “recharges” through rest or stims. A person who runs out of spoons has no choice but to rest until their spoons are replenished. Aidric Hunt hugs his mother, HHS graduate Larsen Hunt, who passed away in 2010.
Aidric, wearing his blue “Aidric’s Angels” T-shirt, participates in the Walk Now for Autism Speaks fundraiser with the rest of his team.
Aidric with his grandparents, media secretary Susan Hunt and Richard Hunt, for a seasonal picture. The 10-year-old now lives with the two, whom he calls “Yaya” and “Papa.” | Photos courtesy of Susan Hunt
-Daniel Garrison
10 April 2016
entertainment yousaid it
With a Tampa performance on Friday and a new album with an hour-long HBO special film adaptation, everything’s coming up Yoncé Julissa Machado @JulissaMacho “I was served lemons but I made lemonade.” This is the theme of the highly anticipated, surprise album released by Beyoncé on April 23, “Lemonade.” After having the BeyHive on the edge of their seats waiting for an album to drop ever since her Super Bowl performance and Formation Tour announcement, the album finally arrived with quite an entrance. Beyoncé released a mysterious trailer for the Visual Album in collaboration with HBO on April 17 that left everyone wondering what the project, titled “Lemonade” could be. The two-minute video showed her in multiple different sceneries, one that we’ve seen in the Formation music video, and has a voiceover of her asking a series of rhetorical questions and vague statements, sounding much like fragments of a spoken word poem. “Lemonade” jumps from genre to genre, with a surprise jump into country at one point, to not only tell a story of infidelity, but of forgiveness and healing. According to the unconfirmed canon of the album, Beyoncé was cheated on by Jay-Z; this has lent itself to an Internet conspiracy theory involving the infamous Solange elevator incident and a fashion designer named Rachel Roy. At 9 p.m. on April 23, the Visual Album “Lemonade”
was live on HBO and Tidal. In between each song, Beyoncé performed a spoken word poetry. The poems were meant to illustrate the sequence of emotions a woman feels when she gets cheated on, and included Intuition, Denial, Anger, Apathy, Emptiness, Accountability, Reformation, Forgiveness, Resurrection, Hope and Redemption. In the album, Beyonce strips away the film of perfection over her marriage and expresses how infidelity affected her marriage and herself as a woman. Throughout the album, viewers and listeners see her go from an angry, scorned woman adamant on leaving her man to a much softer, more vulnerable woman unafraid of revealing her scars. More than a wronged wife, Beyoncé’s work is, at its core, about generations of women coming together to get through life. The special not only includes countless appearances from young black celebrities like Zendaya, Amandla Stenberg and Quvenzhané Wallis, but also features poetry spoken by Beyoncé written by Warsan Shire, a young Somali-British poet. Despite the raw nature of the album, Bey added some fun, party songs in the mix like “Hold Up,” “Sorry,” and “Formation.” The roller coaster of emotions on this album ensures an incredible live show that the BeyHive can’t wait for. The Formation Tour hits Miami Wednesday and Tampa on Friday, giving fans a whole four days to learn all of the lyrics to every song on the album to be fully prepared.
BEYONCÉ IN TAMPA: CAN I STILL GO?
Tickets are still available for the Friday concert, if you’re willing to pay.*
stage
An exclusive close-tothe stage seat-- the BEYHIVE package- will run you almost $800.
Red & Black
Beyoncé. What’s your opinion on America’s musical matriarch?
She became independent and a role model. When she makes statements, they’re true unlike other singers. -Kaitlyn Monterroso, 10 [Beyoncé and Jay-Z] have so much money that they can live on an island. She can own the island too. -Henry Berns, AP Student Affairs Because her music is a talent. She can actually sing and doesn’t have to use autotune. -Jasmine Dokes, 11
She’s a good role model for the younger generation. -Demitiri Duarte, 11
A seat in section 301, on the other hand, costs $52.
Her music stinks now. -Larry Fulkroad AP Student Affairs *Ticket prices accurate as of April 22. Source: Ticketmaster Photos used in illustration and cutout courtesy MCT Campus. Graphic by Annie Aguiar.
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entertainment
hhstoday.com MOVIE REVIEW
Bear without the Jungle Alyssa Ierna @AlyssaIerna Normally, the talking animal thing is just wrong and creepy. The lips are animated weirdly and I feel violated watching it. But, the animation in “The Jungle Book” was not only amazing, but when the animals spoke, it looked biologically possible. It wasn’t human lips on the animal’s mouth, like the
creepy “Air Bud” franchise. When an entire movie is based in the animal kingdom, it’s probably important to make sure they don’t look creepy, so I’m glad they focused on that. Additionally, the moviemakers didn’t even use real landscapes; it’s all CGI! No animals or puppets were used in the creation of the characters, which was shocking, considering how realistic the animals looked. Included were songs from the original movie (thank god). But, the music distracted from certain scenes. For example, when the characters were worried for their lives in front King Louie, a giant orangutan (who is surprisingly agile), he burst into song. It just felt convoluted and detracted from the intense action movie the directors were aiming for. However, the classic “Bear Necessities” number didn’t seem too forced. Baloo the bear was played by Bill Murray. His personality synched perfectly with Baloo’s, but his voice didn’t fit a big giant burly bear, or an action movie for that matter. I feel like someone with a deeper voice would have been better. Now, Mowgli actor Neel Sethi is 12 years old and he killed it, destroyed it, obliterated it. This
April 2016
‘The Jungle Book’ is extremely realistic with documentary-worthy graphics, but lacks in comparison to the 1967 original
little bro gave me goosebumps. All of the characters were CGI, so Sethi was literally talking to himself throughout the filming process. But, it looked like he actually interacted with the characters. Absolutely amazing. Also, I think Scarlett Johansson was in this movie? But I’m not sure because of her utter lack of screen time. She played one of the villains, Kaa, but was only on screen for like, seven minutes. It was a weird scene in general because the struggle between Kaa and Mowgli was so short it was unclear why the directors decided to put this scene in besides introducing Baloo. The whole scene was rushed and felt misplaced. The moral of this Disney movie was focused more on family and becoming an individual, which directors accomplished without the traditional love story. “The Jungle Book” was basically the first part of the original, but instead of showing Mowgli going back to the humans and focusing on the love story, the directors chose to give Sehti’s character the strength to fight for his home and ani-
To see the official Jungle Book trailer, go to hhstoday.com
ALBUM REVIEW
Buy ‘ALWAYS STRIVE AND PROSPER’ A$AP Theontae Walton @HHSTodayOnline A$AP Ferg’s second studio album, “ALWAYS STRIVE AND PROSPER,” is a miscellaneous collection of songs that each have their own different styles, beats, and messages. Most songs on the record center around the album’s title, and in its own way portrayed Ferg’s positive message of self-growth. The album features artist like Missy Elliott, Skrillex, Future, Chris Brown, Ferg’s grandmother Mama Ferg and many more. Each person adds their own perspective, style and flavor to each of the tracks and help Ferg expand on his idea of “ALWAYS STRIVE AND PROSPER.” Throughout the album, Ferg repeat-
edly refers to his grandmother and uncle, whom he calls “Psycho.” He dedicated and named a song after each of them individually, showing them each how grateful he is to have each of them in his life. The songs show how the family members’ roles in Ferg’s life growing up have made him into who he is today. The third song on the record called “Strive” is an upbeat, club song featuring Missy Elliott, and is about getting motivated and taking control of your life. In the song, Ferg says, “I can see it in your face and I know you want to fly / ... Create your life / Because you’re missing opportunities / I know you’re rich in opportunities.” Ferg then continues about how he changed his own life by taking control of it.
In “Beautiful People,” Ferg features his grandmother known as “Mama Ferg,” where she reads a poem on the true definition of beauty. In the song he says, “We can be positive, don’t let negativity kill you.” The song is about how people can be beautiful and grow and can do it together if we just stop with negativity. After months of promoting its release, Ferg has really met the expectations of the fans who have been waiting for this album since 2013. He carries a positive message through each song, and each message is connected to the album’s central idea of bettering yourself in ways you could only imagine.
mal family. It was a great movie. Ten out of 10, would see again, but maybe in the comfort of my own home so I can bawl comfortably.
Graphics by John Veliz
12 April 2016
life
Red & Black
Keeping up with comic books DC Rebirth
Michael Strobl @BoxDropperMike
Free Comic Book Day Every year on the first Saturday in May, comic book fans rejoice. That’s because that is Free Comic Book Day. This year, it will be held on May 7 at almost every comic store. While many stores do hold sales, not every comic book is free; publishers, including Marvel and DC, send specific books to be given out. Fans will be able to choose from 50 different books this year when selecting their free comics. These comics feature either new or reprinted material. Free Comic Book Day isn’t just for the fans though; one of its goals is to attract new readers. Sophomore and lifelong comics fan Duncan Mugford agrees with that philosophy. “Since they allow free comics, even if they aren’t very good plot-wisen … they allow a lot of new people to get introduced to those characters and their worlds,” he said.
Free Comic Book Day isn’t the only event comic book fans and new readers have to look forward to in the coming months. Beginning on May 25 and lasting through the end of September, DC will begin relaunching its comic book titles as part of an initiative called “DC Rebirth.” This will begin with an 80-page Rebirth Special and will continue with individual series throughout the summer. All titles will be prefaced by a “Rebirth Special” issue and then relaunch at Issue 1; the only exceptions are “Action Comics” and “Detective Comics,” which will retain their original numbering dating back to the 1930s. Some titles will ship once monthly while others will be published twice a month. This initiative is meant to bring new readers and return longtime readers to DC Comics following a series of low sales. Mugford offered his own opinion, saying, “It appeals to me as a comics fan just because DC’s last restart was a bit lacking, and it looks like they’re going in a new direction with this one
If you liked these 2016 superhero movies, you’ll enjoy these comics:
Deadpool “Batman: The Dark Knight Returns” by Frank Miller not only served as the basis for this movie, but many consider it the best Batman story of all time. It takes place in the future with an aged Batman coming out of retirement for final confrontations with Two-Face, the Mutants gang, the Joker, and ultimately Superman.
Deadpool Classic, Vol. 2. Although Volume 1 contains the character’s earliest appearances, Volume 2 is where Deadpool started evolving into the character he is today. Written by Joe Kelly with art by Ed McGuinness and more, this volume touches on Deadpool’s past and introduces many of the side characters seen in the movie.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Deadpool and Suicide Squad graphics by Alex Morrison Batman v Superman and Dr. Strange graphics by John Veliz Captain America and X-Men graphics by Michael Strobl
and that they’re going to add more depth to the characters.” He’s looking most forward to the new “Flash” comic. “That’s just because personally, I’m a fan of the Flash more than any other DC superhero,” Mugford said.
Convention season The summer also marks an important time for comic book fans: convention season. Tampa is host to one annually. This year, the Tampa Bay Comic Con will take place from Aug. 5-7, the weekend before students return to school. It will feature a variety of guests ranging from comic book creators to movie and television actors. Mugford enjoys them too, saying, “Well, it’s just that the people there, for the most part they’re all so nice … and you can see the comic book artists themselves, you can see them draw, you can see how they actually make all those details … it’s just a nice experience all around.”
Sophomore Duncan Mugford poses with Marvel comic books at Heroes’ Haven Comics | Photo by Michael Strobl
What comics to read before you see the rest of 2016’s superhero movies Captain America: Civil War Mark Millar and Steve McNiven’s “Civil War” comic takes place following a government decision to force superheroes to register before allowing them to operate. This divides the superhero community, with Iron Man leading a team in support of the rules and Captain America leading the opposition. X-Men: Apocalypse “Uncanny X-Force” written by Rick Remender with art by Jerome Opena features hit-squad of X-Men characters including Wolverine, Deadpool, Fantomex, Psylocke and Archangel seeking to end the threat of Apocalypse. Suicide Squad “The Batman Adventures: Mad Love” by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm, which is collected into “Batman: Mad Love and Other Stories.” It tells the story of how Harley Quinn fell in love with the Joker and highlights the madness and abuse of their relationship as Harley tries to do what the Joker never could: kill Batman.
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life
hhstoday.com
A moment of silence
Two Red & Black staffers describe their experience participating in the ‘Deaf for a Day’ project Atiya Simmons @Atiyaxxo
What is the ‘Deaf for a Day’ project?
The American Sign Language program did a project called “Deaf for a Day,” where the students of the program plug in their headphones or use earplugs to cancel out all the noise and experience what it is like being deaf.
How were you able to communicate with other people?
In the beginning of the day I attempted to read lips to try to communicate. But that didn’t go too swell as lips were moving too fast to make out words. I then realized maybe it should be considered a skill to read people’s lips.
How did people react towards you?
April 2016
Who do we appreciate?
In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, students express why they admire their teachers “I feel very close to Ms. Clarke (AVID) because she talks to us like a friend. She always tries to engage us and make sure we have everything we need. She’s a really special person.” -Erika Mondragon, 11
Some students stared at me like I was a caged monkey. I didn’t even try to speak to avoid the stares and judgement.
What did you learn from this experience?
My mind was racing with thoughts on how the deaf community stays strong in a world full of hearing people who dont have any understanding of their culture. I gained a lot of respect for those who can’t hear in a hearing world.
Theontae Walton @HHSTodayOnline
How did people interact with you?
Some of my friends adjusted to my temporary silence and texted me what they wanted to say or wrote it down, but if a piece of paper wasn’t near, I was able to make out the words “never mind” on their lips.
“Ms. Manganello (math) always stay positive, even though sometimes we disrespect her. The work she does for us is amazing. Thank you, Ms. Manganello.” -Danny Nguyen, 12
Was it difficult being unable to speak?
There were times when I had to “break character” because I grew too frustrated of attempting to communicate and having no one understand what I wanted to say. I had to use two pages in my notebook for just one conversation!
Did you learn anything from this experience?
The “Deaf for a Day” project gave me a little taste of what those who are deaf experience every day. Not being able to communicate with those around you can be stressful, as you desperately wish you could join the conversation or even just communicate with them somehow. It definitely gave me a better understanding of what it is like to be a part of deaf culture.
“Mrs. Lamarand (English) is just a very nice teacher and she’s always trying to see us succeed. She has definitely helped me improve my writing which is important.” -Dayan Vizoso, 10
-Jorge Garcia
14 April 2016
life
Red & Black
The price of paralysis
Dana Dinh @byDanaDee She was standing in Room 301 with a class full of students, but her mind was at Tampa General Hospital, wondering whether her husband was going to live or die. Math teacher Liz Funk’s husband, Bryan, was admitted to the ICU back in December after suffering a spinal cord injury resulting from surgical complications. Although Bryan is now stable, he is paralyzed from the chest down. Since then, Funk has taken a three-month leave from teaching and moved to her in-laws’ home in Plant City. “I feel like I’m letting my students down, but on the other hand, I cannot possibly be doing my job as a wife and doing my job as a teacher at the same time,” Funk said. “I wanted to make sure that I maximized my time with Bryan once he got out of the hospital because I knew it was going to be a huge adjustment … and I wanted to make sure that I was there for that part.”
Their new normal Now, instead of getting ready for work, Funk’s first priority each morning is to help Bryan tend to his wounds. She must change his dressings twice a day, which can take up to half an hour, and while helping him change clothes, check for new pressure sores. Pressure sores are areas of damaged skin caused by staying in one position for too long, and if left untreated can be deadly. Although the couple’s new routine is a lot slower than their old one, Funk said focusing on what she needs to do — browsing for items Bryan needs and reading forums about spinal cord injuries — helps her cope. “I spend a lot of time thinking more about the logistics of things than the emotional aspect of them because that’s easier for me,” Funk said this month. “I’m sure it will get easier, but it hasn’t yet. I think it’s just like any other grieving process. That’s really what it is, a grieving process.” Both Funk and her husband agree that while they have not adjusted to their “new normal,” it is important they are there for each other. “Life is never going to be easy, and I’m sure that it’ll have its ups and downs just like anything,” Funk said. “One thing I think is important though is that we know that we’re in this together. We’re not going to give up on each other.” “Every day is a new challenge. Every day I wake up a paraplegic, and I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to that,” Bryan said. “But she has been a rock throughout this entire process, incredibly resilient and supportive, to an extent that really continues to be amazing.” Although their daily routine has been severely altered by Bryan’s paralysis, the nature of their relationship has not changed much, Funk said. “I feel like the way we talk to each other has not changed at all,
Outside Tampa General Hospital, Liz and Bryan Funk take a break from rehab to play with their dogs. | Photo courtesy of Liz Funk which is good because that’s an important part of our relationship. We banter back and forth. We tease each other,” Funk said. “I think you have to maintain a sense of humor in a tough situation otherwise it just drives you crazy.” One of the ways the couple ensures they get “a normal hour or two” is by watching TV shows and movies, a hobby they enjoyed before the injury. Prior to Bryan’s operation, he had “refresh[ed] the Fandango site like a madman” in order to obtain two opening night tickets to “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” Unfortunately, Bryan was in the ICU on opening night, and the tickets went unused. One of the couple’s first “victories” after the injury was being able to see the movie once Bryan was discharged from rehab.
Priceless support Funk’s parents have visited multiple times since Bryan’s operation and Bryan’s parents allowed the couple to stay with them while their Tampa Heights house was renovated. Until this month, Bryan was not been able to come home since the morning of Dec. 9 because it was impossible to get his wheelchair inside the house. The renovations included adding lifts and ramps and completely remodeling the master bathroom. The couple had originally planned to install a lift to allow Bryan to get upstairs, but with the renovations costing $40,000 without the lift, they will have to wait to do that. In addition to the cost of renovations, the cost of an accessible van can be up to $60,000, and the medical bills adds even more, according to Funk. The couple has been asked by several people how help can be
given, but while money is needed they are uncomfortable asking for any. “I don’t like asking people for money. It’s not something either of us are fully comfortable with, but we really appreciate the generosity,” Funk said. “Lots of people want to know how they can help, and unfortunately this is the best way they can help right now.” Bryan’s colleagues and friends have offered a listening ear when the couple is stressed and company when they want to do something completely unrelated to Bryan’s injury. Funk’s own co-workers and other members of the Hillsborough community have helped manage Funk’s classes and offer support. Other teachers have left kind comments on Facebook and the IB Alliance had flowers delivered to Funk’s classroom. Funk is particularly thankful for members of the math department, such as Danna Kaye who creates plans for Funk’s Algebra 2 classes, Gary Tubb who teaches her Math Analysis class and Alexandra Wehrman, who has taken over her Mu Alpha Theta responsibilities. “[The entire math department is] here to help each other, especially when one is going through something so devastating,” Wehrman said. “We want her to be able to take care of what she needs to take care of without worrying about what’s going on here.”
To make a donation to support the Funks, visit this story on HHSToday.com for a link
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sports
hhstoday.com
April 2016
Kennard defeats long-time rival Dana Dinh @byDanaDee Thirty minutes was not enough. At least, that’s what his tennis team thought as they gathered outside Court 27, sitting in a row of folding chairs and passing a bag of mushy grapes like popcorn at a horror movie. They might as well have been watching one with the way they leaned closer, eyes wide, groaning after every nerve wracking point. Kennard had been sick for the past week, causing his asthma to flare up, and minutes before his match began, he’d thrown up — nothing but water because he’d refused food throughout the morning. It was the district finals, and senior Jake Kennard faced an opponent he’d played seven times but never defeated, King’s Vignesh Bhethanabotla. “Out of all of the matches I watched Jake play, this one was different,” boys tennis coach Leslie Kennard, also Kennard’s mother, said. “This was his last shot, his
Senior Jake Kennard hits a forehand in the district final, which he won. | Photo courtesy of Jake Kennard last chance to beat Vignesh, his last chance to go to states.” Later, Kennard would joke about his illness. “[After the match,] I went to the bathroom and threw up again,” Kennard said. “But you should’ve seen what happened to the other guy.” But, at that moment, no one on Hillsborough’s team was laughing. 4-6. Kennard lost the first set. “Motherly instincts” kicking in, Coach Leslie ran to the car to get a second inhaler. She asked him if he needed more water. Or Gatorade. Or a medical timeout. He declined
all three and continued playing. “He was not about to walk away. That’s not in Jake’s character,” Coach Leslie said. “If I had pulled that away from him, I would have robbed him of this life event, the chance to beat an opponent he’s never beat before. I could never do that to … my son, or to any player.” 0-1. Kennard lost the first game of the second set. Every point after that was a series of long rallies, the ball striking the baselines one return after another as the Kennard and Bhethanabotla tried to push each other into a defensive playing style. Kennard, in an effort to play “smarter” than his opponent, aimed for Bhethanabotla’s “weak backhand” until he was forced to return the ball right to Kennard’s forehand. Kennard stepped in and, with a violent snap, sent the ball flying into the corner of the court. According to Kennard, he was motivated by his desire to beat Bhethanabotla, the long-standing rivalry between Hillsborough and
King and the teammates who had been cheering him on since the match began. “I think I wanted it more. I think I had more reasons to win,” Kennard said. “I don’t think he had anything going for him.” 6-1. Kennard won the second set, and a 10-point tiebreaker would make the difference between a chance to compete at states or eight losses to Bhethanabotla. With one final shouted “Out!” the players walked to the net to shake hands for the last time. Almost immediately, Kennard collapsed onto the bench in exhaustion, adrenaline fading and nausea returning. In a flurry of incoherent yelling and flying clay, members of both the boys and girls tennis teams charged onto the court — totally ignoring their rivals and the referee — to congratulate the district champion. Kennard won the tiebreaker 10-2 and advanced to the state tournament, where he made it to the quarterfinals.
Baseball falls in district final but makes post-season Tegan Smith @HHSTodayOnline With one run already in and men on first and third, junior Jacob Thornton gets caught in a rundown. Senior Sam Burnett sprints to home while Thornton is caught between two bases. The throw goes home. The catcher makes the tag while Burnett slides into home plate. He is out. One inning, a bench warning, arguments with the umpire and three runs. That was all it took for Hillsborough to fall to Gaither in the district finals. The Terriers’ bench received a warning after the home plate umpire called a low strike for Gaither. The bench called out to the umpire about the ball being in the dirt. He gave every player a warning. After that, the umpire had the ability to eject anyone from the game if they continued their comments. Throughout the second inning, there were disputes from both teams about play calls. Gaither was called out at first for a pickoff and Hillsborough ran into a double play. Both events led to arguments between the umpires, coaches and
Junior Tim Elko consoles teammate Rodnie Bernard after athe Terriers’ loss to Gaither in the district championship. | Photo by Tegan Smith disputes from the players on the bench. “The calls are part of the game and we try to deal with them the best we can,” coach Bryan Burgess said. Junior Nick Romano pitched through the third inning until senior Rodnie Bernard took over. In the bottom of the second, Gaither was able to gain the momentum Hillsborough could not achieve. With two outs Gaither scored three runs. “We need to reduce the amount of runs we [give up] in one inning and stay mentally focused throughout the game,” junior Tim Elko said.
In the district tournament game against King the day before, Elko hit a walk-off, three-run double in the bottom of the seventh to carry the team to a 5-4 win and send it to the district final. “It felt good to get out of my slump,” Elko said. The boys baseball team is the 7A District 8 runner up. They play at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Winter Haven. Winter Haven is the 7A District 7 winner and undefeated in their district. “We’re taking on a legit arm so we need to hit the baseball and limit our mistakes,” Burgess said.
Will she make the Dancerettes? Atiya Simmons and Theontae Walton @AtiyaXXO and @HHSTodayOnline The girls stood outside the gymnasium, waiting for the results to be posted showing who would be joining the Dancerettes for the 2016-17 school year. The three-day audition for Dancerette tryouts was held in the school’s gymnasium, where the girls were tasked with completing simple exercises, doing splits and learning a new dance routine that they would all perform in front of sponsor Linda Wilson and coach Danielle Reid. “I was nervous when I first walked in and I saw them sitting at the table. They looked so intimidating,” incoming freshman Isabella Martinez said. “But over the three days I got to meet some girls and make some friends.” Martinez’s brother is a member of the Big Red Marching Band. She attended a game last year, where she discovered the Dancerettes. “I’ve done so many auditions that I’m used to the audition process, but none have been over three days. I like that their tryouts last three days,” Martinez said. Junior Odessa Churchill gave the girls a little advice before they were each called into the gym. “Remember to add a little personality to your routine, and add some flavor,” she said. “That’s what they’re really looking for.” “The hardest part about the routine was remembering the kick lines,” Martinez said during a water break. “The dancing was easier than the kick lines.” Looking around the outskirts of the ROTC hall, none of the girls seemed to be nervous. All were chatting away, until the results appeared. Silence washed over the crowd. Each girl scanned the paper, rapidly searching for her name. After the scores were posted, girls who made the team received sashes and introduced themselves to everyone. Five new dancers were welcomed to the 201617 Dancerette team. One of them was Martinez.
Incoming freshman Isabella Martinez demonstrates a high kick during Dancerettes tryouts. The tryouts were held over three days in the gymnasium. | Photo by Theontae Walton
16 April 2016
sports
Red & Black
Free agency for student athletes Daniel Hamilton @dham013 After years of attempts, the Florida Legislature passed a bill that allows for multiple provisions resulting in near-free agency for high school athletes. The bill was signed in Florida law on April 14. The bill, designated HB 7029, allows for students to transfer to any school in the state, so long as that school is not at student capacity. This clause would permit students to transfer from a school in Hillsborough County to one in, say, the Pasco County. This system is contingent upon the student providing their own transportation to and from school every day, and that a student traditionally zoned to the school cannot be denied admittance to make room for a transfer student. HB 7029 does not end there. While that section of the bill allows for the free transfer of students from school to school, creating a sort of “academic free agency,” it adds provisions for athletes as well. Based on the proposed law, athletes would not face any sort of “suspension” for transferring schools. Currently, student-athletes aren’t able to participate in sanctioned athletics until the school year following the transfer. Student-athletes would be able to transfer and play in the same school year, even if the sports season has already started. However, the athlete cannot play that same sport at another high school that year. The limitation does come with four exceptions: a student-athlete moving because of their parents’ military orders, foster care problems, a change in custody or the death of a parent. In other words, a student could not play football at Hillsborough and then transfer to play football at Sickles High mid-season. However, they would be allowed to play football at Hillsborough, transfer to Jefferson for basketball and then transfer to Steinbrenner for baseball. The bill has been met with opposition from athletic directors
and coaches. They worry that recruiting under this system will run rampant and students will transfer solely based on athletic motives. However, under both current policy and under the new bill, recruitment is illegal. “Our coaches still won’t be able to recruit, by the letter of recruiting,” Athletic Director Mick Boddie said. “Students making their choice isn’t recruiting.” Under the bill, schools or faculty found to be recruiting will face a first time violation penalty of $5,000. A third time violation will result in the loss of their educator’s license for three years. The Florida High School Athletic Association has been resistant to similar bills in the past, but as a state agency, it has no choice but to accept the provisions of the bill. “The FHSAA has been in contact with lawmakers before and throughout the legislative session and after review of the ‘school choice’ bill, the FHSAA has identified some key changes that will impact out membership along with local schools,” the FHSAA said in a press release. “The FHSAA will next begin the process of communicating with the impacted parties and developing a plan to prepare for July 1, 2016 implementation.” Some worry this bill will cause athletics-motivated transfer students to lose sight of graduation requirements, and subsequently not be able to graduate. Senior Connor Knauer said that even if he had the opportunity to utilize the choice law, he probably wouldn’t. “I don’t think [I would have used the provisions] because the reason why I came to Hillsborough was for IB,” Knauer said. “For high school, I’m more concerned with my education than sports. I wouldn’t have changed to a different school just for sports. I would’ve stayed at Hillsborough.” Opposition also stems from the bill’s potential for creating “dynasty” teams. If a school has a good football team, then students with high potential in football will be more likely to transfer to that
Alonso Chamberlain Leto Plant Hillsborough
Graphic by John Veliz high school in order to be on a good team. This creates a system where the good teams get better and bad teams get worse. However, Boddie doesn’t share concerns about the effect it will have on schools. “[Athletics] won’t change here at Hillsborough,” he said. “Choice just means that there will be more kids whose parents’ desire being at Hillsborough High School ... Student choice will change because now you’ll have students who will want to be a part of Hillsborough basketball, and now they’ll get that opportunity.”
Girls track team wins district title Multiple boys also advance to Regionals
Sophomore Reggie James, member of the 4x400 relay, prepares for his race at the district meet. (Photo by Matt Lutton)
Matt Lutton @Matt_lutt For the second year in a row, the girls track team is a District 9 champion. And much like last year, many of the points needed came out of the infield. The team dominated the throwing and jumping events, earning nine total top-four finishes in field events. Senior Chloe Jones won both the shot-put and the discus, while junior Daneesha Davidson finished first in the triple jump. These first-place results were complimented by six second-, third- and fourth-place finishes in the infield from four different girls. They surprised many with the extreme
success in the field events, and hung on to enough races to win. The victory is one that not many outside of the Hillsborough community expected. Gaither, a favorite to win the district, has been a competitive team throughout the season. With only 20 runners on the team, every person needed to perform. “Everyone contributed,” girls coach Jean Wiser said. Nine girls advanced to the regional meet, which will be held this week in Orlando. The boys team fell just five points short of the championship, according to coach Joe Sipp, who thought they could’ve won. “We left a lot of points out there that we should’ve gotten,” he said.
Sipp formed the lineup conservatively for the district meet, recognizing a desire to plan ahead for regionals and states when choosing the runners for each event. This strategy may have caused more harm than good, however. Sipp believes that a few different lineup decision may have meant a victory for the Terriers. Nevertheless, the boys team finished second, helped by personal bests in the discus, 4x400 relay and 4x800 relay. “Overall I think those kids went out and competed well and ran hard and jumped hard,” Sipp said. “We’re trying to get all our guys out to the state meet, and we want to try to win states.”