& black
Florida’s first high school newspaper Hillsborough High School 5000 N. Central Ave. Tampa, FL 33603 February 2015 hhstoday.com @hhstodayonline Volume 115, No. 5
New to FSA Testing? pg. 3 Girls’ basketball dominates pg. 16 Many fresh faces pgs. 8-9 (Photo illustration by Ellie Rodriguez and John Veliz)
pg. 13
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hhstoday.com | February 2015
& black Editor-in-Chief
Ellie Rodriguez
Associate Editor
Samantha Votzke
News Editors
Ivy Bennett-Ford Maria Roberts Kathy Xie
Sports Editors
Dana Dinh Daniel Hamilton Matt Lutton
Opinion Editors
Annie Aguiar Bianca Cegatte
Entertainment Editors
Vijata Patel Monisha Pillai Shelby Shoup
Life Editors
Sarvika Bommakanti Alyssa Ierna
Photo Editors
Katie Frost Aleesha Mundra
Graphics Editor
John Veliz
Online Editor
Amber Shemesh
Staff Writers
Alexus Beacham Aliece Brown Kacey Johnson Denzel Pierre Toni Skraastad Tegan Smith Anthony Suarez
Adviser
Joe Humphrey, MJE
Principal
Johan von Ancken
Red & Black belongs to the Florida and National Scholastic press associations. The paper is subject to prior review by school administration. The staff editiorial reflects the view of student editors and the columns represent the viewpoints of their authors. The R&B 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, Fla. 33603. Advertising content is subject to approval of the editorial board. Red & Black is printed in partnership with The Tampa Tribune. This newspaper includes content from the MCT Campus wire service. Phone (813) 276-5620; Fax (813) 276-5629; e-mail hhstoday@gmail.com Red & Black: All-Florida, FSPA; First Class, NSPA
www.HHSToday.com
Students’ financial futures may brighten Maria Roberts and Ellie Rodriguez News Editor and Editor-in-Chief Students attending Florida public universities could graduate with less debt under Gov. Rick Scott’s new higher-education plan. Under his $23.5 million extension, students could be compensated for summer courses. Bright Futures assists students attending in-state public universities. Three possible scholarships are available based on SAT/ACT scores and service; most receive about $2,300. The Florida Department of Education boasts helping at least 660,000 students since its start 18 years ago. “By expanding Bright Futures scholarships to include summer courses, we are offering more flexibility for students to achieve their goals,” Scott said.
summer courses “would help offset the cost of college” for him.
Tougher benchmarks In order to qualify for any level of Bright Futures, students must score at least a 1170 on the SAT or a 26 on the ACT, and graduate from high school with a 3.0 GPA, acccording to the Tampa Bay Times. In 2011, the Legislature reduced funding for Bright Futures and raised the SAT and ACT requirement; requirements continue to rise each year. One-third of studemts received aid at the program’s most profitable. This year, one-eighth of students will receive aid according to projections by the Office of Economic & Demographics’ Student Financial Aid Estimating Conference in 2013.
Unfair requirements
the chance to make excuses,” said sophomore Jolanda Sanchez. The cuts however, upping the benchmarks and unintentionally disqualifying large numbers of minority and disadvantaged students, seem “unfair. We should still put ahead the summer plan, but it’s not fair to minority students for those qualifications to be raised.” Freshman Kadina King argued that legislators “need to focus on [the changes already made in 2011]” before extending current coverage.
National impact Education has been making national headlines as well. President Obama proposed a free two-year community college education to all students who attend school at least half time, maintain a 2.5 GPA and stay on track to graduate from a four-year university. Similar plans are already underway in Tennessee, where the presi-
dent announced his plan, America’s College Promise. Ball State University in Indiana was Stephens’ first choice; however, he didn’t even apply because of cost of attendance. If Obama’s plan had been available, he would’ve taken the opportunity, as it would’ve “been nice to get those general education classes out of the way for free, because those were what [he] did for the first two semesters at USF anyways and had to pay for them anyways.” Both Stephens and Travis intend to graduate early, hopefully in 2016. Stephens emphasized that had he been able to afford more summer semesters he would be able to graduate even earlier. Travis has not yet completed her summer semester requirement (in-state university students must finish at least nine summer credit hours) but said she would have already had it been covered under Bright Futures.
College students emphasize benefits
“[It’s a] good change, the summer plan is good, it doesn’t give you
“Oh [Scott’s proposal] is definitely a good idea. Yes!” explained 2013 graduate Kevin Stephens, a junior at University of South Florida. He explained summer classes help students graduate earlier. Both Jenn Travis and Aaron Hotham received the highest Bright Futures scholarship for Florida State University and USF respectively. Travis, a 2013 graduate now at Florida State, explained, “I wouldn’t have been able to afford [college] if I hadn’t received the highest [level of Bright Futures] or had Florida Prepaid.” Combined, both programs cover Travis’ tuition, except for summer semesters. Hotham, a first-year business student at USF, agreed that including
$$$ $$$$$ $$$$ $ $ $ $$ $ $ $ $$$ $ $ $$$$$$$$$ $ $$$ $ $$$ $$ 7% $ $ $$ $ 39 % $ $ $ 83,751 $$ $ $ $ $ predicted number of $ $ $$$ students receiving $ scholarships in $$ $ $ 2017-18 15,4160 $$$$ number of students who received scholarships in $$$ 2013-14 $
73%
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $$$ $ $ $ $
of students who’d consider going to community college if the first two years were free
of students who think Bright Futures requirements should be raised
$ $ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $ $$ $ $
$$ $ $
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$ $ $ $ $$ $ $
$ $ $$ $ $ $$
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ of students who think Bright $ $ $ $ Futures requirements should $ $ $ be lowered $$ $ $$ $ $$ of students would attend $ $ $
77%
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summer courses if Bright Futures paid
-Ellie Rodriguez | Based on survey of 220 students
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Q: What kind of questions will be on the FSA?
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campus3 February 2015 | hhstoday.com
The FSA test items will include four-option multiple choice questions, free Q: Why was the response questions (requiring students to type or write a response) FCAT replaced? and technology-enhanced items, which will require student interaction with computer-displayed content to construct The FSA English Language or support their answers. The biggest change from Because of the new, Arts section is one exam with three FCAT is this: the writing portion takes place on sessions: two reading sessions and one more rigorous standards, a computer. writing component. The scores from these the FCAT no longer adequately three sections will be combined in the student’s measured student achievement, final Language Arts score. according to the Department of Education. FSA Writing (One FSA Reading (Two The FSA was then created as a more accurate Everything you 90-minute session) 90-minute sessions) measurement of student education development need to know Grades 9-11: March 2-6 Grade 9: April 27-May 1 throughout the school year.
Q: When will the exams be given?
Because of spring break, testing window is one week
Grade 10: April 13-17 Grade 11: April 20-24
about the
Florida Standards are the set of language arts and math skills that students must master by the end of each grade level. Mastery of media and technology use is also incorporated into the standards. They are based on Common Core standards that have been adopted by 45 states and the District of Columbia.
Q: What are the Florida Standards?
FSA
There’s a new test in town, and its name is the FSA. FSA stands for “Florida Standards Assessments” and it will be administered to grade 3-11 students starting this spring. The test, which will measure reading and writing skills, reflects the newly revised Common Core standards, which the state Department of Education now refers to as “Florida Standards.” It replaces the FCAT reading and writing; students will continue to take end-of-course (EOC) exams in math, science and U.S. history.
Take a look around the wheel for answers to some frequently asked questions about the new examinations.
Guidelines for grade promotion and graduation will remain the same throughout the state. Students requiring exam retakes based on an FCAT 2.0 score (current juniors) will be able to retake the FCAT 2.0.
Q: Will students be required to pass the new assessments to meet graduation requirements?
by Kathy Xie Information from Florida Department of Education
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4briefly
hhstoday.com | February 2015
Students shine at Gator MUN Alyssa Ierna Life Editor After 2 hours of car rides and events all day, the participants of Gator MUN at UF, Jan. 29- 31, brought back four awards. Meghana Bhimreddy, 10, was awarded best in committee for Iraq in UNICEF, while Parth Patel, 11, won best in his committee as Joseph Brant in the Iroquois Confederacy. Nick Pham, 11, won outClockwise, from left: Sydney Cabana, 9, Meghana Bhimreddy, 10, Angela Yen, 10, enjoy some free time together between competitions in the UF dining hall. Nick Pham, 11, and Elena Smith, 11, prepare for their competitions in the UF dining hall. Cade McCurdy, 11, receives his award for his crisis committee as Miguel Santiago in the Adventure of Hernan Cortes 1500s. (Photos by Yesha Shukla)
Award-winning writing Students submitted stories to Scholastic’s art and writing competition and received the following awards Maria Roberts News Editor Senior Ivy Bennett-Ford’s profile about Chris Strickland earned a Gold Key award in the Scholastic Art & Writing Competition. The story, which appeared in the November R&B magazine, is also one of five best in show finalists. The winner of the contest will be honored at Carnegie Hall in New York. Bennett-Ford also received two Silver Key awards, for poetry and flash fiction, Senior Ellie Rodriguez recieved a Silver Key award in critical essay and an Honorable Mention in personal essay/memoir. Dana Dinh, a junior, was awarded a Silver Key for “Unexplained Pain” in journalism. Senior Samantha Votzke received an Hon-
orable Mention in poetry for her piece “Salt Water Cures.” Kathy Xie was awarded an Honorable Mention in the journalism category for her article “Drum Line Marches On.” Sophomore Annie Aguiar won the Silver Key award as well for her story “Family Bonding Isn’t a Joke,” in the journalism category. All are Red & Black staff members. Also, sophomore Meghana Bhimreddy received two honorable mentions in the flash fiction category for “A New Gift” and in the Short Story category for “Memories.” Senior Matthew-Issac McCombs received a Silver Key award for “Silent Night: Not a Bed Time Story” in scince fiction/fantasy.
Science Olympiad teams take Au at Regionals again The Hillsborough Science Olympiad team won the the SW Regional competition for the second year in a row. Out of the 23 events the students placed first in six, second in four and third in four. Every team member medaled during the competition. The team members included sophomore Meghana Bhimreddy, juniors Enzo Cabrera, Sameer Puri, Mauricio Rivera-Condori, Kamil Taneja, Samantha Reiss and Khushali Mashruwala and seniors Louis Leon and Max Site. The team members will all advance to states.
standing delegate award in his crisis committee, 1964 Communist Government of Vietnam and Cade McCurdy received an honorable mention in his crisis committee, as Miguel Santiago in the Adventure of Hernan Cortes 1500’s Every year, the MUN teams win in at least one of the committees they sign up for. “It’s just a matter of how prepared [they are],” said APUSH teacher Lisa Sigmon. The main struggle of the club isn’t just money or time: it’s preparation. Most of the biggest rivals in the competitions are the private schools. Private schools have classes dedicated to MUN work and study, rather than just a weekly, half hour meeting. While Cade McCurdy, 11, deems this team of mostly underclassmen, “pretty good,” they still have a difficult time making up for their lack of training and time.
Teacher of the year award finalist surprised Bianca Cegatte Opinion Editor About an hour into class Room 221 was covered in 10 different shades of confetti and its students were in an enthusiastic state of cheering and laughing. Although the classroom was filled with the school’s administration, district, Macy’s and even McDonald representatives, all eyes were on AP European History teacher Mike Mikulec. Mikulec was being acknowledged as one of seven finalists for the title of Teacher of the Year of Hillsborough County. “I still think it’s like a dream. I honestly don’t think it’s real. I’m one of the top teachers in the county? I can’t wrap my head around it,” said Mikulec. Mikulec celebrated his accomplishment with friends, family and coworkers and received gifts such as cards from English teachers Valerio Reynolds and Sylvia Sarrett, which were signed by his students. “My IB family has really done a lot to make me feel worthy,” Mikulec said. After receiving a framed certificate and plenty of confetti, Mikulec was emailed a set of instructions in order to be awarded the title of Hillsborough County’s Teacher of the Year. The results will be announced Feb. 24.
Mike Mikulec celebrates his award with leftover confetti as he awaits the results. (Photo by Denzel Pierre)
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Film on the Field // Feb. 20 SGA is having its first ever Film on the Field charity event. “Frozen” will be played on the football field Friday, Feb. 20. Every year, senior SGA members run a charity event to earn their SGA cords for graduation. Peyton Barnwell wanted to do something SGA had never done before. Barnwell has had multiple encounters with cancer. “I’ve had four family members diagnosed with cancer and two that have passed away,”
Barnwell said. She was inspired by her family history for this event; the proceeds from the event will go to the Children’s Cancer Center. It will cost $5 for adults, $2 for 3-12 year olds and it is free for children 2 or under. -Denzel Pierre schedule
February 2015 | hhstoday.com
DECA Fashion Show // Feb. 20 DECA, an association of business marketing students, is hosting this year’s school fashion show. Last year, the show was run by the club Fashion Express. Tickets have already gone on sale for $5, at the door they will be $6. It will be held in the auditorium, doors open at 6 p.m. and the show will begin at 7 p.m. Men’s Warehouse will provide tuxedos for the male models and Paul Mitchell Design School will be there to do hair
5:30 p.m. - Gates open 6:30 p.m. - Guest 7 p.m. - Frozen costume contest 7:30 p.m. - Movie Starts 10 p.m. - Event ends
HELM Coffee House // March 6 HELM, Hillsborough’s literary magazine, is hosting its annual Coffee House event in the auditorium on March 6. In order to raise money for printing the magazine, talented students will be performing a variety of acts on behalf of HELM. “Coffee House gives HELM the chance to raise the money we need for our magazine so that we’re able to start selling,” said junior Chloe Jones. The event serves free food cour-
tesy of HELM staffers and parents. To make it seem like a real coffee house, they also serve coffee from Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts. HELM also runs a bake sale the week of Coffeehouse. Tickets are $5 and will be sold starting late this month. If you are interested in performing contact Samantha Votzke,Vijata Patel, or Ms. Sleeter. -Kacey Johnson and Annie Aguiar
We’ll take you through the next few weeks of Hillsborough-related functions and activites. From charity benefits to entertainment, here are this issue’s upcoming events.
and makeup. The theme of the show is Passport to Fashion. It will have scenes displaying styles from the top four fashion capitals of the world: Paris, Milan, New York and Los Angeles. There will also be an intermission performance by the step team. By doing this fashion show DECA hopes to promote their club, school spirit, student involvement, business and careers. -Alexus Beacham
On The Brink // March 12-14 A night of refreshingly clever comedy is on its way to the stage of Epic Problem with a cast of 11 Hillsborough students and one from Chamberlain. On The Brink is a comedy show geared strictly towards students. So strictly, in fact, that it’s run completely by students. With the addition of six new members and promo videos on Twitter and YouTube, OTB is back. “From what I’ve heard they tend to put on good shows, so I’m expecting it to be hilarious,” said freshman Romel Felipe.
Tickets are $5 this week, then go up to $7 at school before increasing to $10 at the door. The first showing is March 12 starting at 7 p.m. at Epic Problem, formerly known as Transitions Art Gallery, 4215 E Columbus Drive, Tampa. T-shirts deemed “dope,” according to senior cast member and co-leader RJ Murphree, will be sold for $10 at each showing and the days following. All proceeds support Friends of Joshua House Foundation Inc., which aims to help children in need. -Alyssa Ierna
what’s
GROWING ON Graphics by Annie Aguiar and Alyssa Ierna
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6opinion
hhstoday.com | February 2015
editorial
Not worth the sacrifice Americans hold certain truths to be self-evident; we also take them for granted. Perhaps that is excusable. In America, we live with virtually no fear of censorship. While many Americans live with a debilitating obstruction of their rights to medical care and education because of financial status, we can all be sure that our right to free speech will be upheld and respected, even in the face of opposition. This was not the case in France on Jan. 7. Charlie Hebdo, a popular satirical magazine in Paris, published an incendiary cartoon, ridiculing the extremist Islamic State. Consequently, two operatives of terrorist cell origin entered the street offices of Charlie Hebdo and massacred 12 staff members, including four primary cartoonists, before fleeing the scene. Journalists can only do their job. The French cartoonists were no different; they wrote and drew something they thought would make people laugh, something that would point out the posturing of a violent terrorist sect. In France, law dictates that a journalist can print what they like so long as they do not denigrate a specific religion or culture out of racism. It says nothing of criticism against any other organizations. Graphic by John Veliz
Unalienable rights The French people, their government and other supporters around the world are adamant in their beliefs: the cartoons did not criticize Muslim culture and religion, rather the violent and extremist sect known as the Islamic State. People grieve. Questions fly. Was their livelihood, the publication of a satirical cartoon, reason enough to murder the journalists? We cannot say the attack was committed without reason. Obviously someone took grievous offense. But such a reaction was not justified. As journalists, as Americans who must by law respect the constitutional rights of others, we cannot condone the actions of the killers. As student journalists, we recognize the need for accuracy and justice in our writing. While we recognize that some content, perhaps even the Charlie Hebdo cartoons, can and should be criticized for the potential for offense, one truth must be upheld. That is, if the laws accepted by a society protect the rights of a journalist, no person or organization has the right to take that away.
We can only do our job Journalists have a job to do, a service to provide. According to the Society of Professional Journalists, our job is to seek truth and report it. Satire emphasizes certain aspects of the truth. Its ultimate goal is to criticize, and maybe, to make people laugh, not to make them reach for guns. Should it be admissible by any organization that 12 magazine employees were gunned down for doing their job? The aversion to the Islamic State has only grown, particularly on the part of the French people. This in itself has not supported the reported national resentment of sub-sects across Europe. The attack, if anything, has further served to make the message of extremists more clear: they are not here to make life easier for other Muslims. They are here to engorge their own brand of terror, cast it over a people like a suffocating shroud. Then again, was it right to publish the cartoon?
Yes. The morality of this issue is murky; the content of the cartoon is neither pleasant nor pretty. But as soon as we begin to argue that the magazine should not have published the cartoon in question, we begin to erode our definition of free speech. The content and subject of the cartoon is not the most important aspect of the issue. It is the right of the journalist to publish such a cartoon, or any content that pushes an envelope, that we must defend. The Islamic State took lives, whereas the staff of Charlie Hebdo galled them. Yet the staff remained journalists; their rights, not to mention their lives, demand respect, and the IS continues to ignore the rights of journalists outright, for the sake of their pride. Without a shred of doubt, the rights of a journalist should not be sacrificed for the pride of any organization, let alone a fundamentalist regime. This is the case in America, and if the truth is to be upheld, it should be true for all journalists.
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opinion7 February 2015 | hhstoday.com
Hands off. High school campuses are known for their hormonal teenagers, but there is a difference between a harmless joke and outright sexual assault Dana Dinh Commentary Don’t touch her. That girl walking down the hallway is minding her own business. She’s not asking for a catcall or a stranger’s arm slung around her shoulders. And she’s certainly not asking to be slapped on the butt, no matter how she dresses or the way she walks. But, much to my chagrin, some sexist pig will anyway. And he’ll do it with a laugh and a smirk on his face. No man has the right to touch a woman who doesn’t want to be touched. We live in 21st
century America, a nation that prides itself in offering equal rights. The idea of feminism has become one of the most prevalent social topics of our generation. Women and men alike have been demanding gender equality all over the world – remember Emma Watson’s “He For She” speech? So, why do men still think that they can get away with touching a woman without her permission? Why are women still victims of such sexual objectification? The fact – plain and simple – is that such behavior is sexual harassment. However, girls who speak up about being sexually harassed are often dismissed as whiny and overdramatic by their peers. But they still have a responsibility to speak up, specifically by alerting a teacher or administrator with whom they feel comfortable.
The U.S. Department of State defines sexual harassment as “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment.” The key word is unwelcome and sexual teasing, jokes, innuendo and unwanted touching all meet the criteria. Students often downplay or even ignore the fact that sexual harassment happens at school. Sure, a few sexist pranks don’t cause any physical harm. But, where do we draw the line between harmless joke and outright assault? According to the 2009 National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence, more than one in four adolescents have been sexually victimized at some point in their lifetimes, most commonly by flashing by a peer, sexual harassment and various forms of sexual assault in-
cluding, but not limited to, rape. It only takes a few minutes for sexual harassment or assault to occur, but their effects can last a lifetime. The trauma of sexual harassment and assault can lead anxiety, depression, immense guilt and suicidal thoughts. Victims may let their grades fall or drop out of school, isolate themselves from friends and families or turn to drugs for relief. Physically, some victims are left bruised, scarred or pregnant. This isn’t the first time we’ve written about sexual harassment and assault. Last month, we wrote about rape culture and the need to educate high school students about it. So why are we still talking about it on these pages? Because it is imperative that we know how to behave responsibly toward one another. If we fail to educate ourselves, we will never learn to prevent it.
Speak your mind, but mind your speakers Aleesha Mundra Commentary Speakers are the new boom boxes. Not like the romantic or rebellious kind from an ’80s movie, however. Blasting speakers in the middle of the hallway is more obnoxious for the surrounding people than enjoyable for the person playing it. It is a part of our first amendment: freedom of speech. Music enables us to express ourselves and our opinion in the way that simple speech lacks. In a society that prevents us from vocalizing our opinions, students might believe that blaring music through their speakers at school is a justified means to express ourselves. But there is a fine line between expressing free speech and, frankly, being annoying. Side note: I don’t understand people’s need to spread their music around. I personally acknowledge music as very private. Music evokes a multitude of feelings that vary for each person
and sharing it so openly is eerie. I feel embarrassed when people listen to my music aloud. I’ve got to give them credit; it takes a lot of guts to play songs out loud so confidently without caring what people think. A feeling of awe and amazement comes over me when I open and select the perfect song; that feeling is lost when music is played without any care. If music is played out loud for a crowd there should be an agreement on what is being played, not a bombardment of annoying noise coming out of speakers. I would personally only share music with my friends who I think would enjoy the same music as me through my headphones – not blurting it out for the whole school to hear. I understand that it is fun to share music with friends but headphones were invented for a reason. Keep the music to yourself. When music is played at such a tumultuous decibel in the halls, the overall reputation of the school diminishes. When I am in the middle of class taking a test I lose my train of thought when I hear blaring music echoing through the hallway; it is not
only me that is affected. When someone walks down the hallway with music echoing from the speakers the whole class stops and goes off on a tangent that can last anywhere between five seconds and five minutes. The learning environment is disrupted by the music. School is just not the place. It is funny to see people carrying a surround system rather than a backpack when we are in school. I’m more or less confused considering that we spend at least eight hours a day five days at school. That requires some supplies. A notebook at least, right? Are speakers reserved for bragging rights? Is there a sense of pride when someone brings the most expensive speaker? I would assume that people would use money earned on something else like new headphones rather than a portable speaker. I cannot fathom why there is a need to compare wealth according to speakers. Common courtesy and regard for others is not hard. Just put headphones in.
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Dawna Tapia’s replacement, Heather Hill, moved to Tampa with her family over Winter Break after teaching for 11 years in Virginia. “It is a huge change,” Hill said. “I think motivation is probably the largest thing I see as the difference. Elementary students still want to learn and are excited about learning. And I don’t see that so much in ninth grade.” Hill spent eight years as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill
hhstoday.com | February 2015
danna kaye Danna Kaye, originally from Bogota, Colombia, came to the United States when she was almost 16 and studied math and math education at the University of South Florida after high school. Now the second semester replacement for Katelynn Budny, she teaches Algebra 2, Geometry, and Math Analysis. “Education in Colombia is so much more strict that it was kind of hard for me to adjust,” Kaye said. “I used to have a lot of weird rules that the kids would get mad at me. I have learned I have to pick my battles and under-
in Washington, D.C., lobbying for environmental issues concerning chemists and funding for math and science education. She says that she thought that as a teacher, she would see the results of her work more immediately. “It was more fulfilling as a teacher.” As the reading intervention teacher, Hill says that the necessary rigor isn’t there because of the students being used to another teacher or substitutes. “It’s been tough to come in mid-year,” Hill said. “I’m getting used to it.” -Annie Aguiar
stand that teenagers are growing up. And I think that helps, to remember that I was once a teenager.” Before teaching at Hillsborough, Kaye taught at Jesuit, St. Petersburg IB, Osceola and Dixie Hollins (the last three high schools are all in Pinellas County). Outside of school, Kaye is married and has a 22-month old daughter and likes Zumba, organizing, and spending time with her family at parks or picnics. Teaching a new group of kids half way through the year hasn’t been as difficult as she thought it would be. “I think everybody was just ready to move on and I’m happy to be here,” Kaye said. “So far, so good.” -Annie Aguiar
ashlee palmer
Second semester surprises New English teacher Sandi Ancona reviews a student’s Edsby account in her English I class; the class had worked on a poster project previously. (Photo by Annie Aguiar)
Ashlee Palmer, the replacement for Jacqueline Mitchell after her mid-year retirement, has spent a lot of time on her new room, plastered with Harry Potter posters. “When the first teacher was here, the room was dirty and dingy,” Palmer said. “So this was a huge work in progress.” Palmer has brought in lamps and word walls and the like since starting the second semester. Despite becoming cerified just this year, Palmer’s not a newbie; she was a substitute teacher for six years while getting her undergraduate
degree in philosophy and her master’s in English literature from the University of West Florida. Previously a marketing executive for music festivals like DeLuna Fest, Hangout Music Festival and Austin City Limits for five years, she “realized if you’re not happy when you go to work every single day, it’s just not worth it,” Palmer said. “This doesn’t feel like work to me, this is what I want to be doing.” “I don’t feel like I’ve been here for a couple of weeks, I feel like I’ve been here a long time,” she says. “I really lucked out.” -Annie Aguiar
sandi ancona Juggling the tasks of a mother, teacher, and student, Sandi Ancona is a new addition to the English staff. As the replacement for Samantha Caldwell, Ancona teaches AP Language and Composition as well as English 1. After being a graduate teaching assistant at UCF, the Orlando native decided to become a teacher. She taught reading for one year at Gaither High School before transitioning
to Hillsborough. “I just really loved the kids and the subject so it kind of just stuck with me,” Ancona said. “I really wanted to teach English, and so it was a great opportunity for me to come and teach a subject that I’m passionate about,” Ancona said. “I really like AP Lang. The same books are assigned as when I took AP Lang, so it’s cool to be on the other side of it.” -Sarvika Bommakanti and Annie Aguiar
focus9
February 2015 | hhstoday.com
Teacher retention an issue Sarvika Bommakanti and Annie Aguiar Life Editor and Opinion Editor Somewhere between pregnancies and promotions, retirements and relocations, Hillsborough lost more than a dozen teachers going into the second semester. Some, like PE teacher Babita Artabasy accepted new positons; Artabasy was promoted to assistant principal at Alonso High School. Others, like IB English teacher Sylvia Sarrett, retired after a long career. Monica Sleeter didn’t leave the school, but she did leave Room 528 to take over for reading coach Colleen Mascherin, who is on maternity leave. The English department bore the brunt of the losses with 10 different staffing changes. “We’re making changes in a positive way, and it’s working,” said Principal Johan von Ancken. “Unfortunately, sometimes it’s slow and it’s frustrating, but we want to get the best teachers we can in front of our kids.” The hiring process has been exhaustive for administrators. “As soon as we post the vacancy, immediately we get resumes,” said Assistant Principal for Curriculum Kysha Herald. “I’m always interviewing. I’ve probably done about 30 interviews in the past week, two weeks.” According to von Ancken, all but one or two positions have been filled with “very qualified teachers.” The new teachers have been well received by the staff and students. Ashlee Palmer, the new intensive reading teacher, feels comfortable at Hillsborough despite being new. “I like my department, everybody’s super helpful, and it’s been easy to get started,” Palmer said. “The administration, they know me by first name, which you don’t find a lot at some schools. I just feel at home already.” But the staff and teachers aren’t the only ones affected by this change. Juniors Hillary Gonzalez and Meghan Tindel are on their third AP Language teacher of the year, after the first two both moved to other schools. “I mean, it’s like her teaching style and Caldwell’s teaching style are so different so we have to adjust to her style so we can succeed in our AP Course,” Gonzalez said. Tindel agreed, “Before with Ms. Caldwell, we didn’t have any tests and now we’ve had way more tests in class.” von Ancken agreed students can be impacted. “I would say, if any, the detriment is the adjustment for the kids. It’s a new teacher; it’s a new learning style. Anytime you bring is somebody new, it feels different,” said von Ancken. “The truth is, they’re our best practices so we need to make sure our teachers follow the best practices. If they do [the best practices], the students are going to be successful regardless of who’s in front of them.”
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8 focus
heather hill
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10 entertainment
Oscar predictions
hhstoday.com | February 2015
share their opinions What’s on TV? Students on TV shows returning, John Veliz Graphic Editor
Shelby Shoup Entertainment Editor
premiering and ending
CINEMATOGRAPHY
birdman or (the unexpected virtue of ignorance) / the grand budapest hotel / ida / mr. turner / unbroken
Two and a Half Men
expected? birdman
Two and a Half Men should not end. I love watching it.
MUSIC/original score
the grand budapest hotel / the imitation game / interstellar / mr. turner / the theory of everything
Sophia Mendez, 11
expected? the theory of everything
The Flash
COSTUME DESIGN
I think it’s cool. The Flash is a very good character.
the grand budapest hotel / inherent vice / into the woods / maleficent /mr. turner
expected? into the woods
Nick Aguilar, 9
WRITING/original screenplay
birdman or (the unexpected virtue of ignorance) / boyhood / foxcatcher / the grand budapest hotel / nightcrawler
How to Get Away with Murder It’s very intense, a very good show.
expected? the grand budapest hotel
ACTRESS in a leading role
Joshua Thomas, 12
marion cotillard / felicity jones / julianne moore / rosamund pike / reese witherspoon
Scandal
expected? julianne moore
It’s so good, such a great series.
BEST PICTURE* american sniper / birdman or (the unexpected virtue of ignorance) / boyhood / the grand budapest hotel /the imitation game / selma / the theory of everything / whiplash
Alyssa Nieves, 10
Expected wins provided by IndieWire (*IndieWire did not provide an expected win for Best Picture)
Illustraion by Shelby Shoup
Oscars fall short on nominations
The Oscars celebrates the best films of the year, but the committee fails to recognize what the audiences love 1. Every nominee was white
4. History for the win
There were no African Americans or Latinos nominated in any of the acting categories. David Oyelowo (“Selma”) deserved an Oscar nod, but was outrageously left out.
For historical films, the Oscar committee doled out more than 33 nominations, with five out of the eight Best Picture nominees basing themselves on historical events.
It was a stab in the heart for me to see that the mastermind behind the thriller, “Gone Girl,” didn’t receive a nod for Best Adapted Screenplay. There were no women nominated for any writing or directing categories.
I watched all eight Best Picture films and only “Grand Budapest” made me chuckle. It seems the Academy focused too much serious films and doesn’t like the funnies.
2. Women, where art thou?
3. All hail the independent film
Both “Boyhood” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” nabbed nine nominations each, the most for any film this year.
5. Where are the laughs?
6. It’s a man’s world
None of the Best Picture films feature any female lead or female-driven story. Not even Julianne Moore’s “Still Alice” could break the testosterone pattern.
7. Everything is not awesome Me and countless others all over the interwebs were outraged after “The Lego Movie” was snubbed from the Best Animated Feature Film category. - Katie Frost
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Watch it Box
When: Feb. 22 Time: 8:30 p.m Where: ABC Hosted by: Neil Patrick Harris
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entertainment11 February 2015 | hhstoday.com
Existing in harmony QA
Sophomore Humberto Salazar flaunts his musical talents in two forums; he is a member of both the orchestra and the band
How did you begin playing music? “I started in the third grade at Oak Grove [elementary school] because we had to play the guitar. I went into band thinking, “Oh, there’s guitar in band!” but [I ended up playing] bass clarinet. As I progressed and came into high school, instructors said I should [start practicing] tenor sax because that’s what they needed [at HHS].” What instruments do you play? “I play guitar, tenor sax and bass. Guitar is [my favorite].” What are the differences between orchestra and band? “Orchestra is more [cohesive]. While in band, you have to work with your own section. I don’t want to say orchestra is more like a family, but I would say that the orchestra is more together than the band.” Is is difficult to balance both the band and orchestra? Do you have any conflict with practices? “Not at all! ... Actually, never mind because we recently started changing the schedule for orchestra practices. Now orchestra practices are the same time as Jazz practice. I now have
QA Q A
Q A
to go [from one to the other] in [the middle of practice].” Do you plan to continue both band and orchestra throughout high school? “I don’t know. I’ve considered it, but I’m not entirely sure. If the tenor section gets better, then I might switch out of band and into percussion. I’ve always wanted to try percussion. Does your ideal career involve playing music? “It does. I’m considering majoring in music when I get into college. Either music performance or music education. For performance, I would have to do the bass, but for education, I would do the guitar.” How much time do you spend practicing a week? “I don’t think Mieder would be happy if you add this in here, but none.” Describe how you feel when you play music. “Well, that depends on whether I’m playing by myself or with someoen else. To be honest I prefer playing with someone else because it gives a connection. That’s another reason I like music; I feel like it connects people. If you’re jamming with a guitar and someone else with a guitar comes along, that’s just communication through music, and I think that’s really cool.” As told to Anthony Suarez
Q A
QA Q A QA
Katie Frost Album Review Imagine Dragons’ voices are hitting the radio waves yet again, this time with singles from their second studio album, “Smoke +
GRAMMYS
Anthony Suarez Staff Writer This year’s Grammys was important for one reason: Kanye West. Whether you like him or not, he captured every single moment he was on screen. He delivered one of the deepest, most personal and captivating performances with his rendition of “Only One.” Putting Kanye center stage with a single light underneath him was brilliant, as it highlighted his words and movements and didn’t distract the audience with flashing lights and background dancers that seemed to drown some other artists (cough, Madonna). Kanye’s throwback to 2009’s microphone snatch incident effectively diverted all attention from Beck just moments after Beck won Album of the Year, the biggest award given at the Grammys. He made an event like this, which has very little actual significance in the music industry, something that I could bear to watch. Most of the awards were not a surprise, Sam Smith is a great artist and he deserved to win everything he received. I really didn’t care who won in any of the categories, I just wanted Iggy Azalea to go 0-4. So, thank you to the Academy for respecting the sanctity of music and giving another year to pray that Iggy never makes it up to that stage.
in case you missed it... Best Solo Pop Performance: Happy (Live), Pharrell Williams Best New Artist: Sam Smith
A REFLECTION of genius Mirrors.” “I Bet My Life,” the first single, has a similar style to “On Top of the World,” but feels more like a classic rock song, accompanied by the sensational voice of Reynolds and Wayne Sermon’s guitar. Throw in easy-tosing lyrics and a simple beat and you have the makings of a hit. “Gold” is a complete 180 degree shift from the band’s other songs. It blends R&B beats and Latin influence with a techno background. My favorite of the singles trio, it features epic guitar riffs that are the key to
The grand
Best Pop Vocal Album: making me a happy music listener. Rounding out the trio of singles is “Shots.” This mixture of relaxing harmonies and hardcore guitar solos is unconventional yet pleasing. A definite improvement over their freshman album, “Smoke + Mirrors” is filled with infectious beats and hooks that leave even the staunchest music listener ready for more. The entire album hits stores on Feb. 17.
In the Lonely Hour, Sam Smith Best Rock Album: Morning Phase, Beck
Best R&B Performance: Drunk in Love, Beyonce and Jay-Z
Best Country Album: Platinum, Miranda Lambert
Record of the Year: Stay with Me (Dark Child Version), Sam Smith
Song of the Year: Stay with Me, Sam Smith
Album of the Year: Morning Phase, Beck
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12life
hhstoday.com | February 2015
Homecooked is where the heart is Aliece Brown Restaurant Review Fodder and Shine, Seminole Heights’ newest eatery, approaches traditional Florida Cracker cuisine while adding its own modern twist. The menu highlights the old-school cowboy grub inspired by Scottish, Irish, African and Spanish cultures, including gluten-free and vegan options. The Pot Likker Poached Shrimp (an appetizer consisting of three shrimp on top of a cornmeal hoe cake with vinegar soaked onions and cucumbers) is a nice way to start if you aren’t adventurous enough to try frog legs. The vinegar soaked veggies brought a nice kick of flavor to the shrimp and crispy hoe cake. Next up: Hardwood Grilled Catfish with a side of Black Pepper Mashed Potatoes and Bacon Fat Cornbread. As a lover of cornbread, I could not begin to tell you how excited I was when I came across this item. Sadly, despite the amount of honey butter I smothered onto it, there was hardly any moisture. But the meal wasn’t a total loss. The mashed potatoes and grilled catfish were amazing and had plenty of moisture to make up for the cornbread. The catfish was grilled to perfection with a blend of herbs that nicely complimented the fish, bringing a kick of
The outside seating of Fodder and Shine appears empty as customers eat indoors. (Photo by Aliece Brown) flavor to the course. By the time I had finished, I had my heart set on trying the Caramel Cake. This white cake, marbled with caramel and topped with caramel buttercream icing was heaven for my taste buds. The batter was perfectly moist along with the sweet icing and golden, flaky crust. Overall, I was impressed with Fodder and Shine and how they were able to bring these old-fashioned recipes into the modern
Tampa loves Gaiman
Author Neil Gaiman signs books in Colorado. (Photo by Clinton Steeds/Creative Commons)
world. The service was great and the food was even greater- enough to leave me anxiously awaiting my next visit.
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Tonje Skraastad Staff Writer Author Neil Gaiman is arriving in Tampa on Feb. 14. Along with his wife, he will perform live in “Amanda Palmer & Neil Gaiman present: Heartbreak Hotel Famous titles like “Coraline,” “The Sandman” and “American Gods” are associated with the award-winning author, alongside his books on the New York Times Bestseller List. The Tampa Theatre describes the show as “a special Valentine’s Day
Check out www.fodder andshine.com to explore the menu and history behind the food.
The hottest CITY in town Monisha Pillai Restaurant Review Jet City Espresso has been garnering the interest of many in the Seminole Heights area. The coffee shop is tucked away in a quiet corner on North Florida Avenue. The interior is spacious and decorated with strings of fairy lights and various paintings. Overall, the cafe has a quaint atmosphere. The coffee shop has been in Seminole Heights for a year, attracting customers mainly through word of mouth. It is the fifth Jet City in Florida. Jet City is known for its espresso. “We pride ourselves on the quality of our espresso. Our baristas are highly trained,” employee Branwyn Bregler said. “Each barista has a different specialty.” After tasting the white chocolate mocha, it was easy to see what all the hype was about. While on the higher end cost-wise ($3.50), the mocha was rich and creamy. It was definitely worth the cost. The baristas were friendly and more than willing to engage in conversation. It was apparent that they all shared a love for coffee. Jet City Espresso is worth a try for anyone in Seminole Heights.
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‘one night stand’ of music and stories, featuring the most heartbreaking work the duo has ever made and possibly some lovey stuff too.” In his youth, Gaiman was inspired by timeless books, such as “The Lord of the Rings,” “The Chronicles of Narnia” and the comic books of Batman. His control over language appeals to both old and young. Tickets are on sale at the Tampa Theatre box office for $40-50. Fans can also buy a $200 “meet and greet” ticket to interact with the duo.
The interior of Jet City is tastefully decorated. (Photo by Aleesha Mundra)
Jet City’s menu boasts a wide range of options. (Photo by Aleesha Mundra)
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life13
February 2015 | hhstoday.com
A day without bae
Coming soon: Guys & Dolls
Here are four different ways to spend your Valentine’s Day. Alone. Bianca Cegatte and Amber Shemesh Opinion Editor and Online Editor
1.
Distract yourself Take a bubble bath, paint your nails, drink a smoothie. Hide your tears with cucumbers. Mask your emoƟons with a seaweed face mask.
Take advantage of the holiday
2. 3.
Order pizza, stop at the gas staƟon to pick up your “best friends,” Ben & Jerry, and enjoy spending some Ɵme with your only real “friends.”
Replace the bad feelings with the good Surround yourself with animals, instead of a significant other. Volunteer at Lowry Park Zoo’s ValenƟne’s Day event, Wild at Heart, from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Me To: : Me For
Treat yourself
4.
Instead of wasƟng money on someone, take advantage of the store sales, and spend money on yourself.
Illustrations by John Veliz
Netflix flips flicks Netflix replaces some of their movies with new movies for February Amber Shemesh Online Editor I woke up one Saturday morning, and to my horror, found that the Netflix movie I was in the middle of watching had disappeared. It all started Friday night. To my right, there was a pile of homework due the coming Monday. I turned my head and decided to watch a movie on Netflix. After searching the website for several minutes, I finally picked “The Truman Show”. It was getting late, so I paused the movie and decided to finish it the next morning. On Jan. 1, Netflix removed “The Truman
Show.” I hadn’t even watched 30 minutes of the movie, and it was gone. Unfortunately, this tragedy is not uncommon. Movies get taken off of Netflix pretty often. There have already been numerous movies and TV shows taken down since Feb. 1, such as “Nacho Libre,” “My Little Pony” and “Jane Eyre.” Sporadically throughout the month, Netflix is uploading newer movies and TV shows, such as “Gimme Shelter,” “Mr. Peabody & Sherman,” and “Scary Movie 5.” Binge away.
Annie Aguiar Opinion Editor Ladies and gentlemen, boys ning class has a movie adaption and girls, Guys & Dolls. The and countless high school prohit musical is coming soon to ductions under its belt. Senior Gina Pamplona is Hillsborough for the third time courtesy of the theater pro- playing the female missionary Sarah Brown, one of the musigram. cal’s two female The play has been presented by “So, this’ll be the leads. Guys & the theater program absolute best version Dolls will be her fourth high twice before- once in 2010 and once in of it ever. Anywhere. school producBroadway, tion, and her 2005. According to drama teacher Jeff Hollywood, doesn’t character is a dePittard, this will be matter.” parture in tone the last time the the-Jeff Pittard from her previous roles. ater program does “I’ve never had a role this Guys & Dolls. “Every time you do a show, big. It’s more reserved and kind I think you learn a whole lot of like closed-off since she’s a more about yourself, about nun, and I’ve always played, your kids, about everything. like, ‘Kit-Kat Girl’ or ‘Dancer’,” I’ve decided, third time’s the Pamplona said of her former parts. “I do like how she’s a litcharm,” Pittard said. Guys & Dolls is the story of tle bit snobby, almost, like ‘oh, two New York gamblers, a long- don’t talk to me’, or whatever.” Guys & Dolls will run from suffering fiancé, a female missionary with a shortage of sin- April 14-April 16. “Please come and see the ners and the endless tasks that men do for their “dolls.” Origi- show,” Jeff Pittard said. “We nally premiering on Broadway need money, and you want to in 1950, the Tony-award win- see a good show.”
If you wanted to watch these:
Watch these instead:
“Phineas and Ferb” and “Mr. Peabody & Sherman” are essentially the same thing. Besides the plot, they’re both comedic, kid friendly animations with two lovable main characters. If you’re also a fan of animated animals, such as Perry the Platypus, then you will love Mr. Peabody (a dog).
If you wanted to watch the older “Batman” movie, watch the newer version of “Robo Cop.” Both these movies are action and adventure; and, similar to “Batman,” “Robo Cop” is basically a superhero. Illustrations by John Veliz and Annie Aguiar
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14 sports
hhstoday.com | February 2015
Five take next step on signing day Daniel Hamilton Sports Editor Twelve hours. Twelve hours made the difference in three football players’ careers. Had those hours not passed, they most likely wouldn’t be playing football again. Only two students at Hillsborough knew their collegiate destiny prior to 8 p.m. the night before signing day. Anthony King, Xavier Byrd and Willie Lanier were stuck waiting on phone calls that may never have come. But in those 12 hours, they did. They would be playing college football.
Dwayne Lawson If you had asked him before Dec. 18 where he was going to play football in college, Lawson probably would have told you the University of Miami, to which he had orally committed to on May 14. Everything changed when his relationship with the University of Miami suddenly shifted, and Virginia Tech joined the mix for where he would play college football. According to Lawson, Virginia Tech didn’t start out trying to annul his recruitment. “They weren’t really trying to break up the commitment, they just wanted to present the opportunity for me to come in and get playing time right away and be in a program and get a great education around players that want to win,” Lawson said. “I’m ready to get started.” On Dec. 18, Lawson tweeted a notice of decommitment from Miami. “I want to thank all the coaches at the Uni-
Dwayne Lawson, Willie Lanier, Anthony King and Azeez Al-Shaa’ir sign their letters of intent. Lawson will play at Virginia Tech, Lanier will play at Florida Tech, King will play at Central International and Al-Shaa’ir will play at Florida Atlantic. (Photo by Alex Lutton, cutout by Daniel Hamilton) versity of Miami for the opportunity,” he wrote. “But I’ve chosen to go another route in this recruitment.” “What happened was, their quarterback, (Brad) Kaaya, is a true freshman who really did a heck of a job on the field, and I think that, coupled with the fact that Virginia Tech was consistent in their recruiting, even through the commitment, and really concentrated more on his academics than his athletic ability,” head football coach Earl Garcia said. Less than a month later, he entered into a new ve verbal commitment, this time with Virginia Tech. Te He honored that commitment with a signat signature at 7:21 a.m. on signing day. Lawson compared Virginia Tech to HillsLaw borough when he explained what he was goboroug ing to take away most from HHS after officially t signing with the Hokies. “Being part of a tradition. Just like Virginia “Bei Tech, b being part of a team that has a coach that’s b been around for a long time. He knows what wh to do to win because he’s been doing it for a long time, so you buy into it,” Lawson said. “Just like Virginia Tech, if you so buy b into it, everything else will come to you. y ”
Azeez Al-Shaa’ir Al-Shaa’ir’s path to commitment was less fluid. While getting offers from schools such as Toledo and USF, he ultimately made the decision to issue a verbal commitment to Florida Atlantic on June 14. “The opportunity [made me choose FAU],” Al-Shaa’ir said. “Different schools wanted me to come to their school, but FAU has got a beautiful campus, and I’ll be able to play early if I go there. It’s just a great opportunity. I felt that it was like home. I went and talked to the coaching staff, and it was great. It’s a good relationship.”
Anthony King After being sidelined for the entire season because of an injury he suffered in the first game of the season, Anthony King had to wait until the last day to get his scholarship information. “We figured out that in 2014, [King] played 16 minutes,” Garcia said. “He got hurt in the second quarter of our first game this year. It required surgery, so it was a season-ending injury to his ACL and meniscus. It was a serious injury, so for him to be able to recover
from that and get a football scholarship after a very limited number of minutes this year is phenomenal.” King signed his letter of intent with Central International University, a small Christian school in Virginia that plays football in the NAIA classification.
Xavier Byrd Xavier Byrd, a wide receiver, also signed to play for Central International University. His offer came late, too. In the days leading up to signing day, he used Twitter to contact coaches in hopes they would check out his highlight tapes. “All I need is one more chance,” he wrote on Jan. 20.
Willie Lanier Willie Lanier’s scholarship also came in after 8 p.m. the night before National Signing Day. He signed to play football for the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne. “[Florida Tech] is close to home and offered me a better scholarship than most people would have, so that’s why I committed with them,” Lanier said. “They’re a good football team too. We’ll play some nice teams.”
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sports15
For more updates on girls soccer and boys basketball visit hhstoday.com
February 2015 | hhstoday.com
Sophomore strives to start lacrosse team Annie Aguiar Opinion Editor There are certain requirements to a great high school sports game. Adrenaline. A healthy sense of competition. Bleachers packed with cheering fans. Face paint isn’t mandatory, but highly recommended. But first, you need a team. Sophomore Rachel Arcangeli is trying to bring lacrosse to the Big Red. “I started playing lacrosse a little while ago and I thought it was really fun so I wanted to have a team that can play for our school,” Arcangeli said. “It’s really fun. Everyone thinks it’s really hard, but it’s my second season and I think it’s easy to pick up.” In order to get a team here, Arcangeli has to get 15 boys and 15 girls to sign up. So far, she’s gotten enough girls on the team, but she only has five male players interested. Lacrosse is a school sport at other high schools in the county but not here. Arcangeli says it’s a matter of money; lacrosse is an expensive sport due to the cost of the gear. “I think that this area doesn’t have as many wealthy people, but at Steinbrenner, it’s like all wealthy people,” she said.
Girls tennis starts season without coach
Arcangeli started trying to get lacrosse at Hillsborough after she wasn’t allowed to play for another school’s team due to Hillsborough’s lack of one. Madison Stuart, a junior, played on a lacrosse club team with Arcangeli. “I think it would be interesting trying to get a team at Hillsborough just because right now they can’t even field local club teams because of lack of interest and lack of coaching staff,” Stuart said. “But having a team at the school would be amazing.” The potential team doesn’t yet have a coach, but Arcangeli is trying to get a lacrosse player from the University of Tampa to coach them. In the meantime, she would coach for the girl’s team herself. Arcangeli is also attempting to get the team to practice at Northlakes Park. But, for now, Arcangeli just has to get people interested in joining. “Really, anybody who wants to join is fine,” Arcangeli said. “Everybody’s a beginner, so if you want to play, then you won’t feel bad.” Those interested in signing up for lacrosse can contact Rachel Arcangeli in her homeroom, Room 222. Arcangeli is also selling T-shirts and magnets to raise money for the team.
Samantha Votzke Associate Editor Yellow tennis balls, some old and dingy and some newer, scatter around the courts of Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park as four members of the girls tennis team play a round of doubles at practice. In the adjacent court, a larger team from another school is hitting brand-new tennis balls that are glowing neon, while across the fence a private coach barks orders at his young players. It is early in the season, the week before their first match, and the girls team is still missing one crucial component: a coach. For the past few weeks, the girls have been practicing and learning under the guidance of junior Dana Dinh, the team captain, and occasionally with the help of Dinh’s parents. According to sophomore Mackenzie Gracyalny, the girls spend more time practicing and less time talking in order to compensate for the lack of a coach.
“We’re kind of better off, but there’s a lot of stress,” she said. Luckily, later that same week, Dinh was informed that the search for a coach was over. Kaitlyn Barrett, the new ESE social studies teacher, has now taken over the position. She has previous experience assisting coaching and plans to bring two crucial components of success to the team: “Camaraderie and consistency.” Barrett has something in common with a few of the girls on the team: she has no experience playing tennis. Junior Nedi Ferikedes said she “never played before” but wanted to learn. “I’m playing for the first time in six years,” junior Funmi Daudu said. As for the rest of the season, Barrett has a goal in mind: “I learn, and they do the best they can,” she said. Some of the girls had equally straightforward goals. Freshman Tiffany Nguyen said “I hope we don’t lose.”
Hopping upwards, sophomore Doan-Vy Vu reaches to hit a lob from junior Dana Dinh. Vu is one of four returning team members. (Photo by Samantha Votzke)
Boys soccer loses semifinal round of district tournament Daniel Hamilton Sports Editor The boys soccer team lost in the semifinals of the district tournament to Plant City, and with 25-minutes left, they also lost a major player. Senior Blake Rehl went out with an injury in about the 55th minute, leaving the team without its captain and leading scorer. Following an attempt at a header to reclaim possession of the ball, Rehl received injuries to his head, which included a broken eye socket, nose and jaw, along with a Grade 2 concussion, where the symptoms last longer than 15 minutes but one does not lose consciousness. At the time, the game was tied at 1; however Rehl was removed from the game and was placed on the bench. While he was out of the game, Plant City scored its second, game-win-
ning goal. Senior Brian Spivak said that the tipping point in the game was when Rehl went out with the injury.
“I think the team was getting too cocky after our wins previously.” - Blake Rehl, 12 “It was pretty even throughout and then [Rehl] went down with about 25 minutes left,” Spivak said. “They scored their second goal while he was on the bench. Usually when [Rehl] isn’t in the game, we [don’t] play as well; we have trouble getting the ball forward.” Rehl scored almost half of the team’s goals this season, net-
ting 28 of the team’s 67 goals. He did not score in the semifinals against Plant City. Overall, Rehl attributes the loss against Plant City to an overabundance of confidence. “I think the team was getting too cocky after our wins previously, because we beat Lennard 8-0 the night before, so I guess that gave everyone a lot of confidence but it really shouldn’t have been that confident because Plant City was a good team,” Rehl said. “I was surprised at how fast their team was. All of their players were pretty fast.” The boys soccer team was going for its third straight district title. During the team’s last two district champion seasons, it went into the district playoffs with a lower seed, however this year, the team was seeded first.
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16 sports
hhstoday.com | February 2015
Historic season still rolling Matt Lutton Sports Editor After 29 seasons without a district championship, coach Babita Artabasy has led the Lady Terriers back to the top. In an edge-of-your-seat season filled with surprises, the team has gone 26-2, its best record in years, and has made it to the regional championship. In the district championship game, Hillsborough dominated King 53-6 as they had all season: with defense. “Defense,” coach Artabasy said, “that’s what we’ve preached all year.” The Terriers forced 37 turnovers in that title game, and King didn’t score a single point in the second half. “She always says, ‘Make your defense your offense’,” said senior guard Jada Roberson. “That basically means don’t let them score and eventually, you’ll score.” The team has relied on overpowering defense throughout the season, holding opponents to only 25 points per game. “We spend a lot of time on defense,” said junior guard Trinity Baptiste. “It’s really paid off.” The game that got them to the regional finals was much tougher, but Hillsborough proved to be too big and its defense too overwhelming for Osceola to handle. The Terriers won 57-45 after starting out slow. Trailing 12-10 after the first quarter, Artabasy reminded her team of their emphasis on defense and their game plan to attack the paint. Led by Baptiste, the team responded by taking the lead for good in the second. Baptiste scored 16 points in that quarter and finished with a game-high 34. “Her game is to attack and rebound,” Artabasy said, “and against a team that was a little smaller we [needed] to take advantage of that, and she did.” Baptiste returned this year
after missing the entire 2014 season with a torn ACL. “Having her back really changed our dynamic,” Artabasy said. Baptiste is the most productive player on the team and has contributed immensely to its success. She is seventh in the state in scoring, averaging 25 points per game. She also leads the team with 10.1 rebounds per game and 3.5 steals per game, and she reached the 1,000-career-point mark during the regional semifinals. “Her abilities change the game plan of a lot of teams when they play us,” Artabasy said. “It’s hard to stop her, so of course it helps the rest of the team and opens them up as well.” “It’s amazing,” said Baptiste. “It’s like a dream come true. I couldn’t wait to get back and now I’m here.” Artabasy credits the veterans on the team for much of this year’s success. While the team has only three seniors, they have each been on the varsity team for four years. “A lot of it has to do with the girls being with me for four years,” Artabasy said. “They’ve been able to be a part of the system for a while now so it’s a very cohesive group. Their leadership is great because they know what it takes now.” The three are also team captains this year. “I’ve kind of been in a leadership role a little bit just because of my position as point guard,” said Khoi Wilson, “but this year I’ve embraced it more. [The other two captains and I] work really well together and [that leadership] has really helped us win.” “We started literally from the bottom as freshmen so we know what it’s like to lose, and once we started winning, we did anything we could to keep winning,” said Roberson. Three years ago, the basketball team finished
6A Regional finals Saturday 7 p.m. at home vs. Naples Barron Collier
Winner advances to state semifinals
“Our goal at the beginning of the year was to make it to the state Final Four, and now we’re one game away. We’re very excited.” -Coach Babita Artabasy 7-14. The next year was slightly better at 15-9, followed by 17-12. It wasn’t until this season that the group had a serious chance to do well in the regional and state tournaments. This year is also Artabasy’s last as a basketball coach and teacher at Hillsborough. During districts, she received a promotion to assistant principal at Alonso High School, effective immediately. Those who know Artabasy well know that being an assistant principal has been a longtime dream of hers. “It was something I’ve always set out to do in my life so for me to be able to achieve that personal goal is a big deal,” Artabasy said. Artabasy informed the team of her decision to move only a few hours before the district semifinal game against Jefferson. In a tense and focused locker room, Artabasy broke the news to the players, who received it with mixed emotions. Happiness and congratulations met sadness and heartbreak. Some were even angry at the suddenness of her decision. “[At first] some people were angry,” Wilson said. “They were disappointed that she wouldn’t be there for her last game, but we’ve all become such a good family that we are just happy for her.” After the initial shock and sadness, the players have been totally supportive of Artabasy’s decision. “Of course we were happy for her, but it’s kind of a heartbreak for us,” added Roberson. “[We] love her like she’s our mom so it’s sad, but we’re happy for her.”
Top: Junior guard Trinity Baptiste puts up a shot in the lane in Hillsborough’s first regional game against Dixie Hollins. Baptiste finished with a game-high 27 points. Bottom: Freshman Jaylen Vance fights for a rebound against Dixie Hollins. Left: Senior Khoi Wilson looks for a pass in the regional quarterfinal. (Photos by Katie Frost)