r&b magazine, March 2017 by HHS Today

cuLture 4 5 6 7 8

Home sweet home language Speak more, understand more ÂżNo entiendes? A mixture of me Trigger warning

schooL 10 11 12 13 14 16

Something to speak about Preaching for a choir Silent voice Speech and relate Los orales Working behind the scenes

Arts 18 19 20 21 21 22 24

Harmonious Hillsboreans Karaoke down to a science Finding a forte Student finds her voice through poetry Listen up! Five podcasts to check out Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talent in Tampa Nodes not stopping her

sports 26 27 27 28

Cheering for a win Capturing competitiveness The art of the pep talk Appeasing the river gods

survey 29 Your voice

finAL words 35 Our voice 36 Who said it?

Check out hhstoday.com for multimedia and extra coverage 2 | r&b | opening

35 34

Editors-in-chief Annie Aguiar (A) and Bianca Cegatte (B) discuss the magazine, the past and what comes next A: Going into high school journalism, voice became about how you tell the story as well as the story itself. Voice is our personalities, our souls, our little quirks, how a dog would wear pants if it had to (page 29). B: Because the theme is so flexible, we were able to take advantage of that and at the same time we were also able to showcase all of the students on our campus the best we can. A: Everyone has a voice and everyone has the opportunity to share that, but we try to tell stories that maybe don’t get told; the star singer who has to take a step back because of a condition (page 24) or the camaraderie in the dugout of softball games (page 26). B: We were able to showcase every characteristic within our school. So, we were not only able to do crazy surveys so everybody gets a word in (page 29), but we were also able to dive into sports and say like, ‘Hey, why are you throwing pudding into the river?’(page 28). A: All of these profiles going into different lives seek to understand other people’s situations; it’s through that we get to place ourselves in another person’s shoes. B: This is a very light-hearted magazine in some places, so you might lose sight of the bigger picture. I feel like the bigger picture in the end is there’s ignorance in the world and we’re showing there’s more to it. What was really lucky for us is this was the staff’s idea. They created Voice. A: This magazine is built upon the hard-work

of people in Room 506. It’s the reporters who sat down and got people to share their most sensitive and vulnerable moments. It’s the photographers who went out and sat on the fields, on the sides of stages to capture the moments that were important to people. It’s remarkable we’re nearing the end of the year. It’s our senior year and we have one more deadline to go after this. B: And then we pass the torch... A: I think a lot about legacy. About the people who came before us and the people who come after us. I know things are about to turn upside down and the people in there are capable of handling it. B: If you had asked me if I thought our staff could handle it prior to the magazine, I would’ve been a little afraid because we had our shy ones and, uh, confused ones. A: And then we made them ask people about their virginities. (page 32) B: But you know what? They thrived. So, I feel like if you asked me again now – A: Hey Bianca! B: Oh my god. A: Do you think our staff is ready to handle a year without us? B: Hell yes.[High-fives] B: I am ready for Mr. Humphrey and Mrs. Burns to just throw them into everything because that’s what they did to us, ya know? I can only hope they have the same experience. I’m grateful for Hump more than anyone. He just sees something in everyone they don’t see in themselves

editors-in-chief Annie Aguiar, Bianca Cegatte web editor Amber Shemesh deputy web editor Maddie Dhondt PAGE editorS Katie Delk, Madison Forbis, Jorge Garcia, Lauren Komar, Juliana Lechner, Matt Lutton, Tegan Smith, Michael Strobl staff writers Jubilee Gonzalez, Carolin Hearne, Denzel Pierre, Fernando Rosas, Yesha Shukla, Anthony Suarez, Mercy Tsay Contributors Makayla Brown, Jalen Chambers, Marin Fehl, Alyssa Ierna, McKenzie McIntyre, Reema Patel, Deeya Patel, Jaden Shemesh, Bre’Asjia Thornton advisers Joe Humphrey, MJE Jill Burns, MJE PRINCIPAL Gary Brady

quite yet. He looks at them and he knows there’s something there. There’s almost a miscommunication in the beginning because he knows something you don’t. But then he pulls it out of you. A: I think more than anything — and both of us can agree on this — Humphrey has shown us our voice. Our magazine is full of words, but I don’t think I’ll ever find the words to thank him. We’ve talked a lot about new staffers, but shout out to J. Burns! I know she’s only been here for a year, but it feels like she’s been here forever. B: It was like, we had the staff mom we wanted. Anytime any staffer made any accomplishment, Mrs. Burns would point at her Pinterest account and say “Pick anything you want me to bake!” I think that’s so mom of her. A: And to wrap it up, there is one more person I’d like to thank and she’s sitting in front of me. B: We saw ourselves getting into something scary and watching ourselves now, we’re so excited to use our newfound voices. I want everybody who worked on this magazine and read this magazine to feel that way. A: Yeah, it’s been a good ride. It’s difficult to imagine not being here and it’s difficult to imagine this place without us, but they’ll be just fine. B: Yeah. They’ll be OK, as long as they use their voice.

The cover is a photo illustration of junior Vanessa Ambard mimicking a yell. Three different versions of a cutout of Ambard, each in a different color from the magazine’s color scheme, are layered on top of each other to suggest both an echoing of student voice and the power of the multitude of student voices. Photo by Makayla Brown Photo illustration by Annie Aguiar

opening | r&b | 3

home sweet home language Many of us are exposed to a different language at birth, depending on ethnicity and background. Being raised in a Hispanic household may expose you to Spanish while being raised in a Japanese household may expose you to Japanese. Your “home language” can help you adopt a sense of cultural, social and personal identity. Adopting a new language may have an addictive effect; many times one language leads to another. Various languages are categorized under the same root, leading to something called “mutual intelligibility.” This is a relationship between languages or dialects in which people speaking different languages can still understand each other without any extra effort. In other words, the more languages you pick up, the easier it becomes to learn more; the easier

it is to understand even the languages you’ve never studied. Senior Ashley Fils-Aime speaks English and Creole, said it’s beneficial to learn more languages. “I think that knowing my languages is pretty good. When I don’t know something in Creole, I say it in French to my mom so that way she can translate for me. But overall I think it’s pretty good for me to know more than one language.” Here on campus, English is the majority of home languages, but Spanish comes in second with over 400 students speaking it. A minority of other languages such as Vietnamese, Chinese and French also are spoken on campus. Although that seems overwhelming (and impressive), if we consider mutual intelligibility, imagine the multitude of connections and the harmony we’d witness on campus if we all adopted

one more language. For senior Horcaditte Kiniffo who speaks English and two languages of her native country of Togo, Ewé and Mina, it can get confusing sometimes to know more than one language. “It’s good and weird at the same time for me. Sometimes I have to translate words I see in my head when I’m reading and between those three languages, I get mixed up. I mean it’s good but I can see why it can be confusing for me and other people,” Kiniffo explained. So, for those who have been raised in a diverse household, maybe it’s time to pick up that extra language — just in case. Story and graphics by Fernando Rosas

To put into perspective just how diverse our campus is,

7 out of 10 speak English Of those who don’t...

2 1/2 speak Spanish

1/2 speak other

The other languages heard around campus are...

1.Vietnamese 2. Gujarati 3. Chinese 4. Hait. Creole 5. Hindi 6. Telugu 7. French 8. Arabic 9. Portuguese 10. Indian 4 | r&b | culture

French is the primary language in France; also spoken in Belgium, Canada and Luxbembourg

11. Malayalam 12. Siuslaw 13. Tagalog Spoken in 14. Bengali Malaysia, 15. Bhojpuri as well as 16. Bulgarian in SW India, 17. Abkhazian Bahrain, Fiji, Israel, Qatar, 18. Creole Singapore and 19. Estonian UAE 20. Fre. Creole

21. German 22. Tamil 23. Hebrew 24. Igbo 25. Japanese 26. Kannada 27. Korean 28. Laotian 29. Mandarin 30.Potawatomi

31. 32. 33. 34. 35.

Roman Turkish Urdu Yoruba Other

Laotian is the primary language in Laos

Source: Parent-reported data to HCPS

ech

гово

tiế

hab la gl as ni je

spr

e la r pa r

le Fa

lê

i s a

t r o sf

i ow

p y w

n da

Plu

ū uō ch

рить

lái

Μίλα

speak more understand more

America is a land of immigrants and the languages spoken vary as a result of multiculturalism; a prominent feature of our nation that can devastate or empower the people in it. It all depends on whether we choose to embrace it Language creates the biggest bond between people. It helps us express our feelings, thoughts and ideas in a way that is easily lost through nonverbal communication. Having the ability to speak a language provides us with the opportunity to form lasting relationships with people. Learning new languages will allow us to connect with people from different cultures, improve cognitive ability and open up more job opportunities. Language is a main element of a society’s culture. It has the ability to convey traditions and cultural ties that cannot be understood without verbal communication. Learning a language is not limited to studying grammar rules or the alphabet, but it also encompasses the ability to learn about the behavior of the society and its customs. In my IB Spanish class, we are taught to go beyond the constructs of the language and explore how the language influences the culture of Spanish speakers. The language permeates Latin American movies, television, songs and news. We are given assignments that allow us to discover more about the culture rather than devoting all of our time to conjugating verbs. Learning a language in conjunction to the culture provides a more holistic approach to learning.

It allows students to have a greater appreciation for other societies and learn from another culture. We become more globally-minded and cognizant of how we can benefit from international relations. Language has the power to connect people to a society outside their own where they can meet new people and gain a fuller understanding of the world. Many studies have also found learning another language improves cognitive ability. Being bilingual or multilingual can provide the benefits of a longer attention span, a better memory and a decreased risk of cognitive decline due to advanced age. Bilingual people have better sensory and cognitive processing. It is easier for them to learn new vocabulary and master a third language quicker than a monolingual person can learn a second language. According to findings presented at a 2011 meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, bilingual people may develop Alzheimer’s four to five years later than monolingual people. In addition, it has become increasingly important in the job market to speak multiple languages. Individuals who are multilingual will be more appealing to employers because they have the

ability to communicate with a greater number of people. Monolingual people are at a disadvantage because their conversations are limited to people who speak the same language as them. This makes employers more inclined to hire multilingual employees, because they will be the most beneficial. Companies are continuing to expand in foreign countries so mastering several languages will allow people to build relationships with people overseas. Being multilingual also provides people with the potential to make higher salaries than their monolingual counterparts. There are no disadvantages to learning a new language. It helps people learn about a new culture and become more globally-minded, which is especially important in today’s society. Learning a new language also has the potential to improve cognitive development. Dedicating one’s time to mastering a new language may even delay the onset of diseases that destroy important mental functions. Bilinguals or multilinguals are also in higher demand in the job market because of their ability to communicate with more people than monolinguals. Learning a new language has many benefits that will have long-lasting effects. Commentary by Tegan Smith

culture | r&b | 5

¿No entiendes? You don’t understand? Comprehending family members is hard; it can be ever harder with a language barrier in the way For a long time, my grandmother absolutely terrified me. It’s not like she’s a particularly terrifying woman; she’s this little old lady living in a retirement home in Jersey City who will feed you until you burst and not let you leave her house without a gift of some sort, but dread piled in the pit of my stomach every time I had to speak to her on the phone during my childhood. I was scared because I knew the second I said hello to her, she would launch at a breakneck pace into a conversation I had no chance of understanding. To this day, my grandmother only speaks Spanish despite living in the United States for over 50 years. For the majority of my life, Spanish was a mystery, the mesmerizing words I would catch slipping from the lips of those in conversations on the outskirts of my life; I would listen in, feeling like an invader stepping foot on foreign land. It was the food we ordered at my favorite Cuban restaurant, Liborio’s, phone calls between family members and the saying about a frog’s butt that would comfort me whenever I scraped a knee (that sounds weird, I know, but I swear it’s the truth). Spanish is my dad’s first language, the words that introduced him to life. And I had nothing to do with it. My dad was born in Cojimar, Cuba in the 1960s and spent the early years of his life growing up under Fidel Castro’s Communist regime. He came to the United States with his family on the Freedom Flights, the single largest airborne refugee operation in American history, when he was 5. The family relocated to Hoboken, New Jersey, and my father was plopped into a life as intelligible to him as my grandmother was to me. Meanwhile, my mom hails from the Bronx. All my life, I’ve never felt entirely in tune with either side. The area I occupy, the strange in-between I build my half-chicken with rice, half-arroz con pollo house in, is nothing close to new territory but still feels singularly lonely. One thing I’ve learned living in the overlap of two circles is that you never entirely feel a part of either one. When I was younger, my father made it a mission for me and my brother to be able to speak Spanish. The first challenge was in

6 | r&b | culture

teaching up how to roll our Rs like the good little Cubans we were. He even had a double R-laden tongue twister for us to practice with: “que rápido corren los carros, cargados de azúcar del ferrocarril.” (How fast the cars run, loaded with sugar from the railroad.) Much to his chagrin, neither of us were ever able to make the right sound, perfect the trademark trill despite how many times he showed us how to do it. I didn’t take an actual Spanish class until high school after spending three years in middle school French. Now, four years into learning enough Spanish to graduate from high school, knowing a little more than I did before does make me feel better, closer to my family history. One recent challenge to myself in my quest to learn a little Spanish is to consume some entertainment and news entirely en español; I try to listen to Spanish songs from time to time, reading the lyrics in time to the song and trying to test myself for comprehension. I watch movies entirely in Spanish. (Always with the subtitles on, of course, but still.) But life doesn’t come with subtitles; watching a movie and having a conversation are entirely different worlds. The entire conversations I’ve had in Spanish are few and far between, but with each one I feel a tinge of pride. My grandmother recently turned 82, and the phone call loomed over me. I know that I am far from fluent; I know I’ll never sound like a native speaker. Hell, I can’t even roll my Rs. As I dialed her number, I rushed to construct sentences in my mind: OK, I have to tell her happy birthday, I have to ask her how she is, and I have to tell her I love her. Wait, do I refer to her as tú or usted? She picked up the phone and said hello. Or, rather, hola! And the fear melted away. To her, it doesn’t matter if I’m half-Cuban or half-anything. I’m just her granddaughter, the one she’ll cook piles of food for when I visit soon. The one she’ll fawn over on her tiny couch, saying ay, que linda (oh, how pretty) as we watch a telenovela that might as well be in gibberish to me. As for me, I’ll keep trying to make my lopsided abode in the in-between my home. Commentary by Annie Aguiar

TOP The author’s grandfather holds the author as a child. MIDDLE Aguiar’s father, mother, grandmother and grandfather at her brother Michael’s baptism in 1997. BOTTOM The author’s brother, Vinny, holds Aguiar as a baby while sitting next to their grandmother. | Photos courtesy Aguiar family

A mixture of me To connect with the people around her, Sydney Cabana takes on the challenge of learning three languages: English, Mandarin and Spanish. Growing up, she learns both the benefits and struggles of being trilingual Taking a second language is an expecation for some and a requirement for others in school, but what happens when you take it a step further? Junior Sydney Cabana is a trilingual Taiwanese-Cuban American who takes Spanish in school. Many students pick up second languages from their parents and Cabana is no different. Although many students live in households with parents who aren’t American, it is a bit rarer to find cases like Cabana’s where each parent is a different ethnicity. Cabana’s mother is Taiwanese and her father is Cuban, but Cabana herself was born in America. “We do Hispanic culture and sometimes it mixes with the Asian culture,” Cabana said. “For dinner we would have yellow rice and chicken with miso soup.” Cabana takes advantage of her skills by using them in her daily life. “In Spanish class, occasionally when I cannot come up with the Spanish words to say, I will blurt it out in Chinese,” Cabana said. Even beyond just communication, Cabana had once written her Spanish essay in Chinese because her teacher had jokingly told her to. Cabana says that a perk of speaking another language is knowing “when people are talking about me.” People whose parents speak another language typically learn their second language from there, but Cabana didn’t just pick up the language she studied the language in school and learned from teachers and experience. “When I was little [my mom] made me watch cartoons and go to language school,” Cabana said. From there she has improved her skills by helping others improve their skills. “I serve as an assistant teacher at a Chinese school every Sunday,” Cabana said. “I teach 4 and 5-year olds basic Chinese.” This gives her an opportunity to spread the knowledge as well as help the community. Despite knowing the language because of her culture, Cabana didn’t just learn these languages because of that. She learned them through her own in-

terests. “I really like Asian culture, like anime,” Cabana said. “I think it’s really interesting, so I guess that influences me to learn the language.” Furthermore, it allows her to explore cultures different to her own. According to Cabana, one significant benefit of adopting a new language is that it simultaneously exposes you to an entirely new culture.

“Speaking multiple languages has enabled me to make countless friendships.” Sydney Cabana, 11 The previous summer Cabana took a trip with her family to Taiwan. She takes this time to immerse herself in the language and improve her skills. The most commonly spoken languages in Florida are Spanish and English according to MLA’s language map. So, although she has chances to practice her Spanish, it becomes difficult to find opportunities to practice other languages. “It’s hard to practice my Chinese here in the United States,” Cabana said, “My sister and I always split ourselves up during hiking camps so that we wouldn’t only speak English to each other. It gives us a chance to interact with Taiwanese kids our age and really practice our language.” Being able to communicate with people is one matter, but Cabana has been able to build relations around this as well. “Speaking multiple languages has enabled me to make countless friendships abroad; if I couldn’t speak the language, there would be no way for me to go off with my friends in Taiwan without another English speaker to translate everything for me.” Story by Mercy Tsay

TOP LEFT Cabana walked the streets of Taiwan during one of her family trips. TOP RIGHT Cabana celebrated her birthday in Taiwan with her family. BOTTOM RIGHT During summer camp, Cabana and other camp members pose for pictures| Photos courtesy Sydney Cabana

culture | r&b | 7

trigger warning

Four students sit down to discuss one of today’s most controversial topics — political correctness Anthony Suarez: [Political correctness is] using language in a way that preserves people of any kind. Political correctness is not using the word ret****d. Because it’s a taboo, because it’s become stigmatized at this point. Denzel Pierre: It’s specifically using any inflammatory word that’s related to a minority group. Suarez: Saying the n-word is not not being politically correct it goes beyond that, because I think it’s a whole other level of error. Pierre: That’s interesting because I’ve told people to not say the n-word and they’ve been like ‘oh, stop being so politically correct to me.’ I’m personally in favor of political correctness because I think that in the society we live in today, words and images have a lot of power in how they influence people’s actions. Political correctness will help guide us the right way. Now, I see in some [situations] where political correctness can overstep its boundaries, but a lot of the times when I see political correctness, people say it’s ruining free speech. But I think it’s just being polite. Alyssa Ierna: What do you mean by politically correctness overstepping its bounds? Amber Shemesh: When people kind of say that it infringes on free speech and if you’re always worried about being politically correct you can’t always speak your mind. Suarez: I feel like that is an issue. Like political

8 | r&b | culture

correctness has kind of hindered free speech in a lot of ways because really free speech encompasses all points of view, so people who have views considered outside of the spectrum of ‘acceptable’ are silenced. Obviously, I’m not trying to say I agree with any of those extreme views; I do think those people have a right to speak, if only for our reference, to be like ‘That’s what we don’t want to happen’, ‘That’s what we don’t want to see’. We want those views to be spread. Shemesh: When you’re not actually thinking about what you’re saying, you’re not trying to be politically correct. And I know what you’re saying, all points of view should be heard, but there are some remarks that only further provoke further actions. Then, Neo-Nazis think it’s okay. “Oh, he’s saying these things, so it’s OK if I act on my actions.” Pierre: I completely agree. One thing that I think the media has done wrong at the beginning of the Trump election [is] they just let him say what he wanted to say without showing that he was lying, showing that he was using false facts. I think “free speech” is just a misnomer extremists used to get riled up because we limit free speech all the time. We limit curse words, free speech in schools, but you don’t see them caring about that. They only care about it when it’s based on minority groups and what they can say to them. I think that with political correctness a lot of people are more ashamed of doing that. They get called out for the things they do and I’m not going to be against that.

Suarez: I think that moves beyond political correctness. Lack of political correctness can encompass racism and sexism, but I don’t think that inherently not being politically correct means that you’re espousing racist and sexist views. You see an example of political correctness hindering free speech with Milo Yiannopoulos (a conservative pundit whose recent planned appearance at the University of California was met with protests). I don’t agree with hardly any of his views, but the fact that he is more censored whenever he tried to speak somewhere, it is a hindrance of free speech and it’s mostly because of a lack of political correctness and he does use words that are inflammatory and not politically correct. Pierre: But when I think about Milo and everything that he does, I feel like we’ve forgotten in this country that there are consequences for what you say. No college has to book someone. Nobody has to say we’re going to reach out and connect with these people. I don’t connect with people like Milo or Richard Spencer because Richard Spencer has literally written articles that are called ‘Black Genocide’ (Editor’s Note: Actual title of Spencer’s article is “Is Black Genocide Right?”). Should we do it? And should we let someone like that speak at a college? Should we let Milo Yiannopoulos, who has said horrible things about woman, who has said horrible things about different minority groups, should we let him speak? Suarez: Actually UC Berkeley arranges for the bookings, so they coordinated with Milo in order for him to speak. It’s not like Milo forced them to

reference g u i d e Your own personal glossary of some terms used in the debate political correctness adj. 1: conforming to a belief that language and practices which could offend political sensibilities (as in matters of sex or race) should be eliminated LEFT Alyssa, Anthony, Amber and Denzel sit down and touch on the n-word, Neo-Nazis, Milo Yiannopoulos and more.| Photo by Juliana Lechner ABOVE Streets during the highly debated Women’s March earlier this year.| Photo by Marin Fehl let him speak, it’s that UC Berkeley did. I feel like, to answer your question, yes we should allow these people to speak because censoring that type of speech and language only makes it more powerful. Every time Milo gets shut down, he only gets more powerful. He only gains more followers and what he wants.

and going up there and destroying his views in that platform [is better than] stating why he’s wrong in what he’s saying then saying ‘no you can’t speak at all’.

Shemesh: But at the same time, if you’re going to say that everyone should not draw the line between political correctness … Where do you draw the line?

Suarez: I don’t think there’s anything wrong with peaceful protests. With something like the Women’s March I admire, but I think protests have to be more pointed and organized.

Ierna: I feel like if he is calling for someone to hurt someone else then I feel like he shouldn’t be allowed to speak. But, if he’s just voicing his opinions I think it’s infringing on his rights. As long as it doesn’t directly form something that breaks the law I feel like he should be allowed to say it.

Shemesh: I think that it was more of a universal statement, a show of power.

Suarez: I totally agree with Alyssa because I have watched a lot of Milo’s speeches; his views fascinate me. He takes speakers from the crowd,

Shemesh: Then What do you think about the peaceful protests?

Suarez: I totally appreciate that, but they could have been more effective. You: Join the conversation on Twitter by sending your us thoughts @HHSTodayOnline

Do you feel that people should make an effort to be“politically correct” in society? “Anything to do with politics is a [sensitive] topic, so you have to be careful.” Richard Alonso,10

“It just depends on you and your beliefs, so you can’t be incorrect.” Angel Jose Perez Cruz,10

taboo adj. 1: forbidden to profane use or contact because of what are held to be dangerous supernatural powers 2 a: banned on grounds of morality or taste the subject is taboo b: banned as constituting a risk stigmatize verb 1: brand 2: to describe or regard as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval inﬂammatory adj. 1: tending to arouse anger, hostility, passion, etc. free speech noun 1 : the right of people to express their opinions publicly without governmental interference, subject to the laws against libel, incitement to violence or rebellion, etc. extremist noun 1 : a person who holds extreme or fanatical political or religious views, especially one who resorts to or advocates extreme action. Terms appear in bold in story Sources: dictionary.com, Oxford

culture | r&b | 9

Preaching for a choir Singing students advocate for an on-campus chorus elective for Hillsborough "We could've had it all," resounded the voices of juniors Christine Robinson and Erica Mack in the halls as the duet sang “Rolling in the Deep.” All throughout the day, voices sound in the halls from singing Adele like Robinson and Mack or original songs like senior Keemo Jackson. Mack said that singing, “Really helps with your positivity” and is something she and Robinson have loved since childhood. However, without a chorus on campus, student singers lack the means to grow as musicians and be in fellowship with their peers. "I miss the training, I don't know how to train myself," Jackson said. "I just wake up and sing." Hillsborough has not had a chorus for years because of the lack of a teacher that has the qualifications to teach chorus and keep student interest. Assistant Principal Philip Morris said, "No. 1, we can talk with (band/orchestra director Michael) Mr. Lebrias or any other staff member that is on campus that has the qualifications necessary to teach chorus, and if we have someone that a group of students have in mind, we could put a survey out to see if there is a teacher is interested, then we would try to implement that." However, administration is in the process of creating the classes for next year so chorus cannot be initiated as an elective until possibly the following year. In addition, a choral club can build the foundation for a class in the future. Among other students, junior Lauren Andrews attempted to do just that. "I got the petition of people to sign it and wrote up a constitution, but I couldn’t find a sponsor," she said. Lebrias does have singing experience from college. He was the song leader of social men's music fraternity and led the group with men's choral music. Despite not having prior participation in a choir, Lebrias said it helped him grow as a musician. "I think it’s really important because you can create music with whatever is around you and the most natural thing that everyone has, or mostly everyone has, is the voice and can create pitch," he said. Every day in band and orchestra, the students begin their warm ups with singing as well. "We start the day always singing and then we try to transfer over to the music because it’s almost like a psychological thing," he said. "If they can hear the pitch in their head, they’ll be able to play it more in tune."

10 | r&b | school

With his multitude of classes, it would be difficult for him to begin to teach chorus. “The opportunities are there [for chorus], we just have to get them established,” he said. Andrews is a part of the theater program and said it is another outlet for choral members. “You don’t have to be the best singer for it, whereas chorus solely focuses on singing, but you can be an actor as well or a dancer,” she said. “There is such a wide range of parts to fulfill in a musical.” The duet Robinson and Mack found another alternative to choir; they performed in the coffeehouse concert together. “I tried to be involved in sports, but it was not my thing,” Robinson said. Robinson also sings in her church choir, but said she wishes there was a choir at school. “That would make a lot of people want to come here,” she said. “For other kids coming in, it would be a nice experience.” Mack loved chorus because she felt like the other chorus members were her "family." “You get a sense of togetherness,” she said. By writing his own songs, Jackson uses music to share his story. “I can express my feelings so I leave it all on the track,” he said. “I leave it all in my lyrics, in everything I write.” Sophomore Mary Cabalan said she misses her “voice blending with others.” She loved being able to connect to the people around her. Cabalan said chorus is beneficial because, “It helps develop logic and recognition because being able to read music, memorize parts and not get mixed up in other parts is especially challenging.” “I believe choir should be required at our school because it helps to both discipline and unite students of all backgrounds,” she said. In the music room, Lebrias said he observes the diverse student body unite to form one, blended sound and are able to overcome their differences. “It’s a great opportunity for students to A, be a part of something bigger than themselves and B, to learn much more about themselves and express themselves in that way,” he said. “They’ll understand to a certain degree because they’ll connect with you on that level.” He said music bonds unique people together. “The music classes at any school gives a sense of belonging to students. Students that don’t really fit anywhere else, but want to express their creativity,” he said. “That’s kind of where they belong.” Story by Katie Delk

ABOVE Senior Keemo Jackson is one of many singing students who wants a chorus.| Photo by Katie Delk BELOW Michael Lebrias with his college choir at Tropicana Field. | Photo courtesy Lebrias

Know your rights There is a reason why students arguing with their teachers in class can get sent to the office legally. “The only rights denied of any student are those rights that might be deemed inappropriate or illegal, as determined by either the school resource officer or the principal themselves,” said Quasar Givens, assistant principal of Student Affairs.

years,” Givens said. For Givens, being proactive is key.“It’s all about the whole idea of communication. We don’t want to wait. I tell students all the time to take the ACT when you’re in the 10th grade,” Givens said. His focus is on making sure students don’t miss advantages they could otherwise take. “It’s all about making students aware, making those programs available,” he explained

Teacher-student relationships

Students have rights

Getting to graduation Teachers and faculty use their resources and the rules to assure one goal is reached: graduation and the success of their students. “Basically, what we require is for students No. 1 to come to school, to do those things they need to do, to subsequently walk across that stage in four

When it comes down to student’s free speech within classrooms, Givens emphasizes distinct situations. “I think it all comes down to that thin line. No. 1 the presentation, as well as the response that the teacher [or students get] back, and one of the things I’ve stressed to the students I have is that you want to make sure that you don’t put yourself in a position in where it becomes a contest between you and the teacher,” Givens said. While students may have the ability to voice their dissent and opinions, faculty members aren’t able to as clearly. “As a teacher, my own personal views of things that are going on-whether it’s political, whether it’s religious, I tend to keep those to myself,” Givens said. He thinks that the words he says have an impact on the students future and is careful not

to say anything offensive or hurtful. “We work very hard not to retaliate, not to say things that could negatively affect the students, because it could have long lasting results.”

Modern day rights Givens said students today have more freedom than ever before. “It’s amazing even when you look back into when I was in high school there were certain things that you didn’t question, certain views and philosophies that you didn’t express, you just basically kept them to yourself. They have a lot more freedom and flexibility now than they had in the past,” Givens said. While there may be restrictions on Teachers what students do are allowed to too do in school, they also enjoy unique benefits and resources. Story by Denzel Pierre Graphics by Michael Strobl

Go Terriers!

13510 N Rome Ave, Tampa, FL 33613 Call: (813) 269-9466 school | r&b | 11

Silent voice Students in American Sign Language (ASL) utilize the language to help communicate and express themselves While ASL may not be a verbal language, according to a some students it provides a useful voice. The teacher, Rhonda Leslie, began instructing ASL at HHS two years ago. After having discovered an interest in languages, Leslie stumbled upon sign language at a church camp. “I just fell in love with it,” she said. “I had to do a demonstration speech for my senior year of high school, and one of my friends said you know you are really good at that, you ought to consider doing that as a job.” Although the language is comprised of hand movements and gestures, many people who sign believe that it provides a new outlook on communication and life. “I think it [serves as] a voice for the culture. For example, a deaf person may not pay as much attention to a hearing person who doesn’t understand the language compared to a person who signs,” said senior Cyanne Mamer, a student assistant in ASL. “With that happening, a lot of advocates for deaf culture can be heard.” Leslie said the class helps students communicate with a variety of people, as well as assists more bashful students in communicating. “Some of [my students] might be shy, and they might not want to use their voice a lot,” Leslie said, “and so when they are able to stand up and sign something, or present something in sign language without having to use their voice, sometimes that empowers them.” The difficulty level of learning ASL differs depending on the student. “Remembering what the signs are, the act of making them, positions, shapes and movements, is most [challenging],” sophomore Luci Fontenot said. However, Mamer had an easier time becoming proficient in the language through the use of certain techniques. “Once I learned the alphabet, I would listen to music and I would finger-spell every word in the song, and

then I got much better at finger-spelling,” she said. As in every language, each student learns at a different pace. “Once you put your mind to it, it’s pretty easy,” Mamer said, “It is just a matter of actually [practicing].” Even though the program revolves around the language, the course focuses on other lessons. “It’s an interesting class because it’s not only [about] teaching the language, but also the history behind it,” Fontenot said. Some classes may consist of lessons about culture and language, while others are about iconic figures in ASL history. “We have guest speakers come in who are either deaf, hard of hearing, interpreters, or people who have developed games for sign language classes,” Mamer said. Some of the guests include former students, professionals in fields such as speech pathology, deaf-blind people, and speakers that share their personal experiences with ASL and communication. According to Leslie, the speakers aim to expose the students “to ways that they can use ASL beyond just taking up ASL in the classroom.” ASL has had a major impact on some of the students, including Mamer. “[The class] has actually changed how I’m going to go about my career,” Mamer said. She plans to pursue deaf studies in college and become a teacher for deaf students. She says that the language resonates with her, and she sometimes signs without realizing it. “[Signing] ends up happening when I’m talking and have energy,” she said. Her aunt influenced her to take ASL, and Mamer originally learned the language in order to communicate with some of her family that was deaf. “For anybody that doesn’t really talk a lot and keeps to themselves,” Mamer said, “sign language is a great way to get out there because it is a different way to express yourself.” Story by Jaden Shemesh

Signing voice

William Cox demonstrates American Sign Language. See the rest of the alphabet at www.hhstoday.com.

V O I C E

1) To make V in sign language, hold the index and middle finger up.

2) To make O in sign language, connect all the fingers to the thumb.

3) To make I in sign language, hold up the pinkie and connect the other fingers to the thumb.

4) To make C in sign language, curl the fingers towards the thumb.

5) To make E in sign language, curl in the tips of the fingers to the palm of the hand.

Photos by Jaden Shemesh Compiled by Katie Delk

12 | r&b | school

From left, sophomores Kiersten Andrews, Jayla Rogers and junior Dayan Visozo practice for the Grand Finals competition. Andrews said Visozo is the “dec dad” and calls the club a “family.” “We all help one another and care about each other’s success,” she said. | Photo by Katie Delk

Speech and relate

Speech and Debate represents a diverse body of students of all grades. For many of the students, it has given them to opportunity to be a part of a team and improve upon their speaking skills

A bang of the gavel signifies the beginning of a speech and debate meeting as club presidents launch into announcements about competition details. There is talk of payments and T-shirt sales, but the focus of room is on one thing only, practicing for the upcoming competition. Roaming the halls after dismissal, you’ll often find speech and debate kids gathered outside Room 531, reading their speeches aloud and offering judgment to others. “Typically we bring some sort of speech and present it during practices to other so we can get criticism and feedback,” sophomore Brandon Smith said. The speech aspect of the club requires students to write or select a piece to read aloud. Speech competitions include extemporaneous speech, literary interpretation and dramatic performance (DP). The dramatic performance can be humorous or serious, giving participants the choice. The other section of the club, debate, offers competitions like the public forum and policy debate, along with the Lincoln-Douglas debate in which students debate values and philosophy. Freshman Hirsh Kabaria, along with many others, favors Student Congress in which competitors

prepare legislation, or drafts of laws on specific issues, and participate in parliamentary debate. “I joined because I like debating and I have an interest in the legislative process,” Kabaria said. Juniors Dayan Visozo and Tiffany Nguyen teamed up this year to take part in another event called Duo Interpretation, in which two participants choose a selection of literature and act it out as one or more characters. The pair explained that they must act out a scene with no props or costumes. “Those 10 minutes when we’re performing, we don’t have to worry about technique and everything, we just run around and have fun,” Visozo said. Speech and debate is not just for those with a love of public speaking. In fact, many say they joined to gain courage and perfect their skills. “When we had to do our English orals it was very helpful for me to have that confidence built up over the past few years,” Visozo said. Other members, like Smith and Nguyen, joined because they heard about the club from an older sibling and were interested. Once they found their place in the club, they found that they really enjoyed it. No matter what led them to join, many members of speech and debate agree on one thing:

they are surrounded by good company, including both those they are competing with and those they are competing against. “Just working together with everybody and having a little community that understands what it’s like,” Nguyen said of her favorite part of the club. Members said although it may get competitive at times, they are in a friendly atmosphere. ”We work to see others succeed and we all try to help each other out,” Kabaria said. The speech and debate team travels to several competitions a year, including local competitions once a month, Grand Finals, Nationals, and Blue Key, which is also a semi-national competition. “The practices are good, but the competitions are the best. There are a lot of good people there and it’s a fun, competitive time,” Smith said. The remainder of the time they spend diligently practicing their speeches, drafting legislation or preparing to debate; giving them various opportunities to express their voice. “Speech and debate is good for building up confidence in public speaking [and] becoming more articulate,” Smith said. Story by Reema Patel

school | r&b | 13

o o t c m e s a s?

S al u t HO LA

Los Orales

Individual oral assesments are required by the International Baccaleareaute program to measure students’ understanding of expressions and vocabulary, and they are important because they allow seniors to demonstrate the ﬂuency they’ve built up over four years of instruction. A student prepares notes on a picture that they are presented with on the spot, then discusses that picture for several minutes. The student is then asked both follow-up and general questions. Compiled by Yesha Shukla Graphics by Jorge Garcia

“La musique permettre qui artiste comme shakira et black m peut chantent en

Eduuy McCook “The picture I had to talk about was very culture based and related to music. Because I’m bilingual it was easier. Even though I was freaking out beforehand, I used my Spanish knowledge to guide me. Compared to the English oral, it was a lot scarier because you went in there without really being able to study for the picture.”

14 | r&b | school

“In the beginning, it’s always intimidating because you’re not really sure what to expect even though you’ve been practicing; but when you sit down, you calm your nerves and try and focus on the picture and the vocab you’ve been practicing for years. Your nerves are ameliorated. I thought I did well on my oral, and Mrs. Cummings helped us prepare really well.”

“ J’adore le foot parce que il est Levi Bognar

“Le technologie est tres diﬃcile pour les personnes ages comprehender”

Angela Yen

“It was OK I guess. It stressed me out that we had to speak into a microphone, though, because if you freak out, it’s kept on tape. I felt relatively prepared. I knew I would be OK. I was worried there would be a speciﬁc word that I wouldn’t know, but overall I felt it would be OK. A month prior to orals , all we did was practice orals, so we were really prepared.“

“I’m probably decent at Spanish; not the best. I would say the oral experience was easy overall. It wasn’t as difﬁcult as I thought it would be. I had sufﬁcient time to prepare for the oral. Even though I didn’t have the picture that I was hoping for, I was still prepared for the oral.”

“En la foto, hay un parque con muchas personas y arboles” Dhruv Patel

“Tecnologia es un parte mayoria de nuestras sociedad” Jake Snow “It was really nerve-wracking going into it, but once the oral starts, it’s so much easier. I had no problem talking for 10 minutes and answering Ms. Gonzalez’s questions since she’s really helpful. I went early in the morning to get it over with as soon as possible.”

“The Spanish oral wasn’t very stressful for me considering I know it. I went in expecting not to use all of the planning time, so the rush of being late didn’t affect me as much. The person that was supposed to go before me let me go ﬁrst, so I was able to give them more time.”

“Pienso que la amistad es muy importante y se puede expresar con la musica ” Nicole Hernandez

As an underclassman, what are your thoughts and opinion on the oral your senior year?

“I’m excited. I mean, I know Spanish. So I was raised in a spanish household and my parents speak ﬂuent Spanish around me frequently.” Rafael Carrion, 11

“I’m nervous for it because my brother did it and he was also nervous about it, he spent a lot of time on Spanish at the time.” Brandon Carpenter, 9

“I guess I’m nervous because I just don’t like speaking Spanish. I don’t know why, I just don’t like it.” Alexis Gordillo, 9

school | r&b | 15

Working behind the scenes A completed version of one of SGA’s most recognizable projects of the year, the Take What You Need wall, hanging in the 500 Hall| Photo courtesy SGA

Some may criticize the Student Government Association for not expressing the voice of the student body, but the student-run government claims that they truly are impacting the school - they just are doing it out of the public eye Gary Brady isn’t Hillsborough High School’s only leader. The Student Government Association (SGA) is Hillsborough’s own student-run legislative branch. They are responsible for organizing events for the school and advocating for the student body. But is their voice really effective?

“We really do it all” The members of SGA pride themselves in everything the association does for the school. “Throughout the school, we work tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure everything goes smoothly, from pep rallies to homecoming to fundraisers to donation drives-we really do it all,” junior Emily Quin said. Quin’s fellow leaders work alongside her to orchestrate events like homecoming, charity drives, and prom, and they aren’t really worried about the club’s voice. “SGA has a really positive impact on school activities and getting students involved,” senior Breanna Ciccone said. Ciccone isn’t alone in this sentiment. Many of her fellow members feel a sense of joy in the work SGA accomplishes and the impacts it has, big or small. “SGA has unique access to the Hillsborough administration, which allows us to bring up topics that are personal to the student body,” Quin said. “Through our widespread and unique reach in

16 | r&b | school

HHS, we have the ability to extend our love and passion for this school into the student body, and I think that is an important aspect as well.”

Making an impact SGA doesn’t just have an impact on the attitude of the student body, it changes how things are done. “SGA is responsible for, or is an integral part, of the large majority of events that take place in the school. We plan, organize and execute all school assemblies, including getting

“We don’t expect gratitude or glory for what we do for the school. We do it because we know the impact that we have, not because we expect others to.” Marlee Linnell, 12 school involved for games, working with recognized groups and sports teams, and coordinating with administration,” said senior and SGA vice president Marlee Linnell. SGA is also responsible for one of the most recognizable projects around campus - the Take What You Need wall, which was created to spread

positive messages that students can take from the poster in the 500 hallway.

Helping others Ciccone, Quin, and Linnell are excited about what they do in SGA because it makes a difference for the community surrounding Hillsborough and for those in need. A major part of what SGA does is organize school events in partnership with charities. In fact, the drives that collected items for Haiti earlier this school year were orchestrated by SGA. But that isn’t the only thing they have in the works for this year. “In the next month, Nicole Hernandez and I, along with SGA, are hosting The Film on the Field to raise money for the Children’s Cancer Center,” Linnell said. “We are beyond excited to have the resources and dedicated members to execute an event of this magnitude.” SGA has had success with events like this in the past. Last year, they raised over $4,000 at the same event. This money was also donated to a charity. The work that SGA does on a high school campus has historically had the ability to reach the lives of those miles from the main office.

Behind the scenes Although SGA has organized events that give back to the community such as The Film on the

Students make some noise at one of the many events hosted by SGA, the Terriers on Track assembly on March 10. | Photo by Harmony Tarpein Field, it is still criticized by some students for not being present enough in school. However, members like Linnell don’t this discourage them. “I feel the stigma of ‘SGA does nothing’ persists because so much of what we do is behind the scenes,” Linnell explained. Not all heroes wear capes, and Linnell is understanding of the pretense that SGA has in the eyes of some students. But she doesn’t let it take away from what she does with the club. “We don’t expect gratitude or glory for what we do for the school.

We do it because we know the impact that we have, not because we expect others to,” Linnell said.

Open to criticism This doesn’t mean that SGA isn’t open to criticism. Leaders of the association listen to the critiques of the students to take the necessary measures to make the voices of SGA’s members heard. “In fact, we’re working very hard to completely restructure the student government organizations for next year to make them more accessible and

effective,” Linnell said. It’s the goal of SGA to continue to make improvements so that they can but the voice of change in the school when leadership is needed. Despite those who believe SGA is just an insignificant force in the daily lives of the student body, it does make a difference. Whether its outreach is on a scale as small as a classroom or as large as across the ocean to countries like Haiti, the voice of SGA can be heard by all those who attend Hillsborough High School. Story by Marin Fehl

Bella’s Italian Café is one of the longest standing and most popular establishments in the area. 1413 South Howard Avenue Suite 100 Tampa, Florida 33606 Call at: (813) 254-3355 school | r&b | 17

Harmonious Hillsboreans dAbbIng 101 Francesca Giorgianni

your guide lessis athletic A 12-year musician, self-taught guitarist and performerHere’s people,” Giorgianni added.to Heramusic on iTunes, Spotify wayandtoYouTube. move. Dab plans responsibly, Giorgianni to pursue musickids. past high around the country, she is mostly known here as Francesca Giorgianni. But her fans know her as Francesca school and will attend college online so that she can tour. “I love playing live shows, so hopefully [I can] tour and play Ani. Giorgianni, a senior, attributes her stage name to the difficulty of saying her last name. “It’s much easier for larger audiences,” Giorgianni said. “The energy of the for people to search on social media,” Giorgianni said. audience is such an adrenaline 1.) To begin your dab, rush, it’s my favorite feeling She currently has 19,000 followers on Instagram.“It’s in the world.” extend both arms Story by Carolin Hearne, photo courtesy Giorgianni just been very fun to share my experiences with that many

of students

of students EXERCISE

exercise for

wEIgHT

LoSS

fully.

Josh 30% Carpenter - Walk / Run

You may have heard him playing at International Day or HELM Coffeehouse, or you may know him from his Soundcloud. But no matter where senior Josh Carpenter plays, he always - swim keeps an acoustic13% tone. “If you know Jack Johnson or John Mayer, [I play] that kind of laid back beach music,” he said. Although he has not had any formal instruction, Carpenter 28% - Play a sport has a long history with the guitar. “My grandfather actually taught me a little bit,” Carpenter said. “Then I just kind of picked it up

by myself.” Although he is passionate about it, Carpenter plans to keep his guitar playing a hobby. 2.) While leaving one arm “I’ve thought about doing it professionally, but I think it’s extended, bend the other more just a hobby now that I’ve kind of figured out what I want to do in college,” Carpenter said. “But it’s always going to be so that your hand elbow something I do just on a regular basis.” touches Story by Michael Strobl your chest.

How

STudEnTS

MoVE

28% -Jeffrey Other

Pittard

Drama teacher Jeffrey Pittard writes music for not only for the program he leads, but also for his own band. Pittard has been playing music since he was a child, and plays professionally in Big Picture, a band he co-founded with his wife. Data taken from a Twitter a Once hepoll had@HHSTodayonline, children, he realized that with a musician’s salary total of 219 responses isn’t enough to pay the bills. “So I became a teacher to supplement that income,” Pittard said. While balancing his

18 | r&b | arts

3.) As you bring your hand

two sources of income is difficult enough, his biggest challenge in, turnto play youraround facehisinward, is managing family’s schedules. Pittard’s daughter, who your graduated fromtouches Hillsborough in 2015, is the so that nose band’s bass player and singer, while also majoring in theatre at your inner elbow. USF. He is grateful his family is doing what they love. “I get to do theatre ... and I get to do music,PHOTOS so I’m blessed.” BY vARUN PURI Story by Juliana Lechner_ COMPILED BY CAMERON FIsHBACK

physical| r&b | 25

Karaoke down to a science Biology teacher Mishell Thomas-King takes the chairs off the tables and puts them on the floor, and stands at the front of the room. She gathers herself to present to the group. But the group she presents to is not her Biology 1 class. It’s the crowd of people that came to watch her at a local karaoke bar. Not many people, including other teachers, know of Thomas-King’s hobby. Some teachers found out at the most recent staff Christmas party. At the party, Thomas-King and fellow biology teacher Alexis Cooke sang karaoke. “Most people were surprised because I don’t really advertise that I sing to people,” Thomas-King said. While everyone found out about Thomas-King’s hobby that night, it was not the first time she had ever done karaoke; she has been doing karaoke for quite a while, and singing for most of her life. “I have been singing since I was really young,” Thomas-King said. “I am actually a trained singer which most people do not know.” She isn’t the only musician in her family. Thomas-King is in a family of trained musicians, and so has been surrounded by music her whole life. “My little brother is a drummer, and he plays for lots of different artists, he has gigs, he has rehearsal all the time, and he’s on CDs,” Thomas- King said. “My uncle also plays for this group- he’s their drummer and they travel all over the world.” When Thomas-King was a child, her family figured that she would have the same musical goals for her future. They thought that she would grow up to be a music teacher, but she wanted what many would perceive as the total opposite. She originally wanted to become a doctor. But Thomas-King still continues to pursue her passion. She has auditioned for The Voice twice, has sung live before, and is on a CD produced by Grammy-nominated music producer. When Thomas-King does do karaoke, she usually does it alone, but sometimes will go with Cooke, her karaoke partner at the Christmas party. Previously, Thomas-King would go and sing karaoke every Thursday at her favorite spot. Now, with the responsibility of being a teacher, she doesn’t go as often. However, when she does go to the karaoke spot, her current go-to songs are “Lay Me Down” by Sam Smith and “Proud Mary” by Tina Turner. Although Thomas-King didn’t go on to become either a music teacher or a doctor, she has a reason for not having a music career and is happy with her choice. “Music is more of a fun thing, I never wanted it to be a job,” Thomas-King said. “I feel like if I had to do it for a living it wouldn’t be fun anymore.” Story by Lauren Komar; photo courtesy Michele Whalen

arts | r&b | 19

Which music genre is for you? START HERE Feeling upbeat?

No... dark like my soul. Abroad, please!

Sure!

Feeling old school? Not my style.

Want to laugh?

Up for partying?

Never.

America.

Mainstream?

Yep.

Let’s stick to music.

100%.

‘70s.

Farm or city? Farm.

Um...Neither? City.

Banjo, guitar, or piano? Guitar.

How ‘bout Wicked? Too peppy.

What kind of singing are you looking for?

Love it!

Anything rock-ish. Piano.

Folk- From the Lumineers to Bob Dylan, you like to chill out when listening to music.

Something soulful. Preferably none. BB King or Frank Ocean?

Blues- If your interests include sad songs and deep vocals, blues is where you belong.

20 | r&b | arts

Comedy- Whether listening to George Carlin or The Lonely Island, you’re always looking for a laugh. Disco- If every Saturday night, you’ve got a fever, this may be the genre for you. outs of headbanging, and dream of smashing guitars.

Reggae- You always run on island time, and love to keep it lowkey. Bob Marley may be your idol. Jazz- You might be personally offended by the phrase ‘elevator music,’ love a good saxophone. Showtunes- You know you’re never fully dressed without a smile, and you might just sing in the rain. Alternative- From Young the Giant to Twenty-One Pilots, alternative is where you’re at.

Religious- You pray all day, everyday. Including when jamming out. Or you might just like Christian Rock. Classical- Bach and Beethoven are

Country- If you have made a farmersonly.com account, or have a propensity for tractors, look no further.

Timberlake are your most played artists, and you love a good beat.

Hip-Hop- Whether getting ready to party with 50 Cent or getting poetic with Tupac, you’re down for Hip-Hop.

‘80s. Not for me.

Absolutely amazing.

Banjo, always.

‘50s.

Of course! Thoughts on La La Land?

Pop- Madonna, Gaga, and Justin

Rock n’ Roll- You know the ins and

Pick a decade. Not today.

or your favorite K-POP group, you’re always in international waters.

Rap- Drake and Bryson Tiller will have you crying over an ex you don’t have, once you put on rap.

America or America or abroad? abroad?

Yes!

Foreign music- Whether it’s Mr. 305

Want something lighthearted?

Not really.

Metal- If you’re into head banging and extended guitar riffs, this genre is for you.

BB King.

Frank, totally.

your BFFs, and you live for a good orchestral interlude.

R&B- You may like slow beats and soulful sounds. Solange, Frank Ocean, and Marvin Gaye are for you. Graphic by Madison Forbiss

LISTEN UP!

Five podcasts to check out Podcasts are great to listen to when driving, walking or working out; here’s five to look up

Radiolab

A program from a public radio station in New York City, Radiolab is a critically- and listener-acclaimed podcast hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich. Radiolab doles out scientific and philosophical discussion in neat 60-minute packages, tackling topics like “time” or “words” while maintaining a conversational tone that’s easy for audiences to access.

episode length: 60 minutes topic: science, philosophy and more listen if you like: TED talks

Junior Jenesis Miller revisies an unfinished written piece during C Lunch.| Photo by Jubilee Gonzalez

Student finds her voice through poetry Everyone has their ways of showing their voices and talents, whether it be through art, protests, speeches or poetry slams. On the last Friday of every month, junior Jenisis Miller and other teens from around the Tampa area meet together at the Blind Tiger Café in Ybor City to take part in an open mic or compete in poetry slams where they get to showcase their writing and poetry to a small public audience. The poetry slams and open mics are a chance for teens to share their beliefs and emotions in a safe place. “It gives people a chance to express themselves and gives a safe and fun area for them to be while doing it,” said Jack Beattie, who runs the cafe. Yet, there is more to it than random people performing poetry at an Ybor café. There is a difference between the open mic and the poetry slam. The open mic is simple; just a fun way for anyone to enjoy coffee and some poetry on your average Friday night. People can come in and sign their name on a performance list and wait their turn while watching others speak. The poetry slams have a little bit more to them. The slams are when teens all around the Tampa area join the “Heard em’ say” slam team and compete for spots to a national poetry slam competition. “Before this year started the open mic was just a regular open mic for fun,” Miller said. “Now since January there’s [been a slam] and kids are slamming to get on the team to go to the Brave New Voices competition in the summer.” Six people are chosen through a system of points, earned based on how they performed and the work spoken during slams, to place in a national competition called Brave New Voices in Los Angeles. The competition is held every summer where slam teams meet up for four days to face off and show off their poetry. The top six

with the most points before the competition are chosen to represent the team at the competition. “The difference is to think of it like a showcase versus a talent show,” Miller said. “In talent shows you’re competing to place and a showcase is just showing your talent.” Miller is determined to work hard and practice so that she can get one of the spots on the Brave New Voices team. “I plan on going to the poetry workshops every Saturday. I plan on writing and editing my poems every single day and practicing my performance element of the poems,” Miller said. “I believe I have a really great chance of making the BNV team because I work very hard. My very first slam ever I got second place so I can imagine what more I can do in the future.” Millers writing focuses on social issues and problems she believes the world faces today. “I’m a black girl so I write about how we’re not usually seen as beautiful, shootings and things like that,” Miller said. (As shown in this excerpt from her poem Black Bird: “They try to marginalize you in the steel bars they set to cage you. But you have the ability to break through or fly over any obstacle. They cannot tame you.”) Whether people are there for the slams or for open mic it is still a fun night according to Beattie. “It’s fun, It’s open, It’s energetic, everybody’s always having a good time and they’re here to enjoy themselves,” Beattie said. Miller has been writing since she was young and always loved to do it. “Competing in slams is new to me but poetry and music has always been an outlet for me,” Miller said. ”It really helps with venting and just expressing myself through melodies and metaphors.” Story by Jubilee Gonzalez

WTF with Marc Maron

Seven years in, and standup comedian Marc Maron’s interview podcast is still going strong. Weekly conversations with famous guests from within the entertainment industry with celebrities bearing their vulnerabilities fuel the show along with Maron’s own sense of humor, tried and tested by decades of comedy experience.

episode length: 90-120 minutes topic: entertainment listen if you like: standup comics

The Cracked Podcast

Fans of internet comedy are doubtlessly familiar with the work of Cracked, be it their articles or sketches; the podcast is essentially the website but in audio form as the editorial team discusses pop culture tropes, myths and other topics behind the microphone; the podcast is as informative as it is hilarious.

episode length: 60-90 minutes topic: miscellaneous listen if you like: movie trivia

Welcome to Night Vale

If you like your scary stories tinged with a hint of humor or your comedy on the darker side, WtNV is for you. A radio show for a fictional desert town, the podcast takes its listeners to a place where all conspiracy theories are true and the dog park might be a portal to another dimension.

episode length: 30 minutes topic: the fictional town of Night Vale listen if you like: scary stories

My Favorite Murder

Hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark take their listeners on weekly trips through murder cases and, stick with me here, it’s a comedy podcast. Murder doesn’t lend itself to light-hearted material easily, but the show has set up shop in that specific niche to find a dedicated fan base of “Murderinos” hungry for more.

episode length: 60 - 90 minutes topic: murders and violent crimes listen if you like: true crime stories Graphic compiled by Annie Aguiar

arts | r&b | 21

There’s talent in Tampa “Music is ... a language that everyone can speak, which is probably the most fascinating thing about it.” If you agree with this, then you’re probably one of our many music lovers on campus. Matthew Reisinger, an electronic artist born and raised in Tampa, is one community member who’s made a career out of his love for music Just like most current students at Hillsborough, Matthew Reisinger grew up in Tampa. He spent his college years at the University of South Florida and now lives in Seminole Heights. However, what sets Reisinger apart from the average Tampa citizen is that he has another name: Fr33dback. Reisinger is a local electronic artist who goes by the stage name Fr33dback. For the past 16 years, Reisinger has been making music, but what differs in each of his music projects is its sound. “I’ve tried every genre; I’ve been involved with all sorts of instruments, all sorts of musicians that have always kind of changed my sound a little bit … It’s more interesting to just keep making instead of rehashing the same thing,” he said. Unlike some artists, Reisinger revels in the evolutionary process of his work. “I feel like there’s a lot of times when an artist will become famous for something, and then they get into a mindset of ‘Well, we gotta do that same thing again because that’s what people like,’ and I feel like that attitude, although lucrative, certainly, I feel like sometimes it’s the death of creativity. So I like the idea that artists … can make a piece of art and then make something completely different and still call it their art … I really don’t want to be the same artist. I want to always evolve,” he said.

be a part of that onstage as well, and to sort of be the person creating music while that feeling is happening around you is sort of why you do a live version of your thing.” “So my hope is that I can … continue to sort of commune with people that are like-minded and inspired by sound.”

Living in Tampa

A native to Tampa, Reisinger credits the city as one of his sources of inspiration. He said that growing up, he frequented Ybor, inspired by its eclectic nature and grit; now, he plays many shows in the Ybor area and said that Ybor was one fo the first “real downtown city vibe[s]” that he’s ever been a part of. “Once I started touring and getting out of Tampa, I definitely felt that being a part of that Ybor scene back in the day was a good primer for that,” Reisinger said. One of Reisinger’s favorite things about Tampa right now is that it “feels like it’s exploding a little bit.”The artist finds inspiration from the city’s community, especially now, at what seems to be the forefront of a modernization movement in Tampa. “[Seminole Heights] definitely has that small town feel, Finding a voice but it also has a lot of really cool restaurants and a lot oy my artist friends that Initially, there is a degree of hesitance that comes with developing one’s live in town all kind of live in the area, so it definitely feels like we’re in the own sound, Reisinger said. beginning of this great artistic movement in the Due to the overwhelming amount of music area,” he said. already produced, artists may feel intimidated “Tampa, St. Pete and the surrounding area “I really don’t want to be the and begin to wonder what voice they can add is really kind of just like, in my opinion, one of same artist. I want to always to the seemingly endless pool of monumental the coolest cities to be a part of now because music. However, Reisinger said that “you find it’s so new in the way that it’s so progerssive, evolve.” your own voice just from the process of learning and it’s changing so fast, but it’s still not ... your craft, and once you’ve done it long enough Matthew Reisinger, Fr33dback oversaturated. Like if you go to other markets, … even if you try hard and try to do music that there’s just so much happening and so much doesn’t sound like you, your self will just come going on, it’s hard to cut through the noise. But out of it: regardless of if you want it to or not.” here, you can make something and it can be Reisinger said that if you maintain acquiring inspiration and staying true to seen and heard very easily, which is great.” what you do, you’ll make distinguishable music “that sounds like you ... that Passing it forward doesn’t really exist somewhere else.” You’ll develop your voice. Reisinger advices any aspiring musician to not give up. He said that Without uttering a word, Reisinger channels his voice through his instruthinking that you can’t make it in the industry or that you’re wasting your time ments. During live performances, he’s like a conductor. His musical devices: making music is just a “defense mechanism.” While your brain is trying to a band. “I’m directing these devices to do what I hope they’ll do and because prevent you from potential pain by pursuing music, “there’s really no pain in they’re all analog, and they’re all kinda playing at the moment, it’s very much the whole thing.” like a bunch of invisible people all around me, so I never feel as alone as it “The worst that could happen is someone says no to one of your ideas, seems when it’s just me onstage,” he said. but to me, that’s not the worst at all. That’s the best because that ... shifts Performing onstage your focus into something different, into something more inspired or maybe To Reisinger, one of the most memorable features of his live performances something introspective. [Making music] is so easy to do now with the internet is the atmosphere. Whether its actually him onstage or one of his favorite artand with modern technology. Fortunately, there’s no excuse anymore,” he ists performing, Reisinger said that what remains constant is the overarching, said. amalgam of sentiments: embracing the present and feeling the music. He “If you make art, and you’re proud of it, show people. The time is now.” said that “that feeling is kind of permeating the entire crowd, and [for him] to Story by Amber Shemesh

22 | r&b | arts

Matthew Reisinger, also known as Fr33dback, performs at the Crowbar in Ybor in October. He performed with Chrome Sparks and Roland Tings. | Photo by Amber Shemesh

arts | r&b | 23

Nodes may silence singer Senior Pearl Obioha belts her rendition of “Listen” by Beyoncé in the 2016 Terriers Got Talent Show, a performance which won her first place, in the Auditorium. However, Obioha has recently developed a vocal condition known as nodes, which have affected her singing. | Photo by Annie Aguiar Her voice is her passion. Senior Pearl Obioha is living her dream – singing, dancing and performing for Hillsborough, she is doing what she loves and pursuing her passion every day. Obioha is a household name around campus. She has sung the national anthem at more than five basketball and football games, performed at the NOPE candlelight vigil and participated in six coffeehouse performances. She is about to perform in her sixth musical put on by Hillsborough, having choreographed four of them already. She’s competed in three talent shows, winning first place each time. However, after being diagnosed with a condition called vocal fold nodules, or nodes, her voice may be silenced. Nodes are growths that may develop on vocal chords due to repeated vocal abuse. If left untreated, they can swell and become hard and calloused. Obioha was born in Nigeria and moved to the United States. when she was 7. “It was different: everything was bigger, louder, brighter,” she said. “I got picked on a lot because I didn’t know what was ‘cool’.” However, Obioha’s heritage remains an important part of her. It inspires her to perform. “In Nigeria, I got all my music from my older relatives, and they were pretty old stuff like ‘N Sync, Backstreet Boys [and] Westlife,” Obioha said. “So seeing them on that stage, I wanted it to be me.” Enamored by the bands she listened to with her family in Nigeria, Obioha began putting on performances of her own, singing and dancing for her family whenever she got the chance, until her family encouraged her to pursue her talents. “My dad started pushing me to do it in front of others, too,” she said. While her voice may be hindered by her condition, becoming an award-winning performer didn’t come easily. “I always sounded OK, but it took a lot of hard work and practice to get to where I am now,” Obioha said. “[Before I go on stage], I always sing the song in my head a couple times, then once out loud.” While her talent takes serious practice to perfect, Obioha still makes sure to enjoy her time on stage. “I just remember to have fun with my performance,” she said. “I never go on stage without doing the little vocal exercise that Sharpay Evans does on High School Musical,” Obioha explained of her

24 | r&b | arts

eccentric vocal warm-up, which is best described as ‘brr brr brr MAH!’ “I belong up there,” Obioha said of being on stage. However, after being diagnosed with nodes a few months ago, she isn’t sure if she can ever get back on that stage. Nodes may develop as little growths on vocal cords from repeated vocal abuse. They can become much worse over time if left untreated, becoming hard and swollen. Obioha was diagnosed with the condition a few months ago, in the midst of practicing a new musical for Hillsborough, and before the yearly talent show. With such a recent diagnosis, Obioha still isn’t sure how her diagnosis will affect her performing long-term. “I still haven’t fully acknowledged that I have it,” she said. However, she is beginning to see it affect her performing already. While the condition has started taking a physical toll on her voice, it also has affected her mentally when she performs. “It’s made me a lot less confident to the point where I’m uncomfortable being up on stage sometimes,” Obioha said. During arduous times of coming to terms with her condition, Obioha looks to all of the people who inspire her to remember how she got where she is and help her stay hopeful. “My inspiration comes from singers like Beyoncé, Céline Dion and Lauryn Hill,” she said. “And definitely my close friends … my musical theatre teacher, my family [of course], and just a lot of people at Hillsborough and most importantly: God.” Obioha counts on close friends like Savannah Puleo to help her stay positive about her voice. “Not only is she an amazing singer, but she’s an amazing friend with such a kind heart,” Puleo said of Obioha. Obioha also looks to another of her inspirations, teacher Jeff Pittard. “She’s a great performer,” he said. “I’d like to have her in my class more than I do.” While she is still learning how to live with her newfound condition, Obioha is trying to remain hopeful that it will not interfere with her passion of performing. “I love music and what I do; I just hope and pray I can continue to do it for you all,” she said. Story by Juliana Lechner

Chris and Kevin Suarez HHS Alumni

3940 Cedar Cay Circle Valrico, FL 33596 Phone: (813) 299-3679 Fax: (813) 657-8550

Tickets can be purchased 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at DicksTickets.com or by calling 800-805-2827 to speak to an experienced ticket specialist. For sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and more, go to

dickstickets.com

3401 Henderson Blvd Suite B Tampa, FL 33609 | Call: (813) 289-4020 Email: info@dickstickets.com | dickstickets.com arts | r&b | 25

Cheering for a win

Jade Mention, Marquicia Mosley, Jalyce Lewis and Ciara Cannon all cheer on teammates during a game against Chamberlain. | Photo by Lydia Bicknell I step into the batter’s box. From the dugout I hear the clamor of 20 girls cheering for me. Softballs bang on the roof of the dugout to the beat of the cheer while people clap and bang on the fence. Every at-bat the team yells out a cheer to support the hitter. They can be inspirational for the batter or deprecatory for the other team, but they are my favorite part of a softball game regardless. Cheers are a major part of a softball game, since here is always an opportunity to cheer. Even if the team is not on offense, cheers still are vocal and alert from the dugout. Chants can accomplish many goals. They can pump up the time for a two-out rally, discombobulate the other team’s pitcher or help motivate a girl to get on base. Each cheer has a different purpose, and while they may not always be successful, they are always fun. Cheering gives the team a

way to unite under one voice and convey a single message. For players, it can be easy to spot which pitchers can be easily rattled. They either keep peering into the dugout or have a look indicating that they can’t deal with such nonsense. As a four-year catcher, a large part of my job is to settle down the pitchers and to ensure that they do not pay attention to the belligerent calls of the opposing team’s dugout. Often, the intensity of the game determines the aggressiveness of the chanting. Our coaches encourage us to keep cheering no matter what the score is. They say it has the ability to boost morale, but that is not always the case. There have been times when we have had to play defense for 45 minutes while the other team scores run after run. To me there is no amount of cheering

that will ever help us defeat a team that has made it to states more often than we have made it to regionals. Playing against a superstar team influences the team’s ability to stay positive, but so does a poor at bat. After a strike out, it is challenging to walk into the dugout with the same intensity as everyone else. Even when the last thing I want to do is be positive, sometimes cheering my team on is the best way to improve my mood. There is no better time to cheer than a close game against a rival. Every cheer needs to be louder and more powerful than the other team’s. It becomes a competition on the field, as well as in the dugout. Commentary by Maddie Dhondt

Secret Signals

LEFT Third base coaches give signs to batters and runners to communicate various play calls and orders. These can range from bunts to hit-and-runs to steal and more. “[They] are essential for hitters as they enable the team to come through in big situations,” Jensen said. RIGHT Catchers relay series of signs to pitchers before every play, calling for one of a variety of pitches, such as fastballs, curveballs or change-ups. “Signals allow the pitcher and catcher to stay on the same page and successfully communicate,” Hillsborough catcher Aaron Jensen said. Graphic by Matt Lutton

26 | r&b | sports

Capturing competitiveness Senior Jalen Chambers relies on photography, particularly sports photography, to create memories and share experiences.

TOP LEFT Junior Jamia Hickman runs in a 200 meter dash prelim at the Charles Johnson Invitational. TOP RIGHT Senior Moses Wells takes off during a hurdles race. BOTTOM Senior C.J. Williams clears a hurdle during a race at the same meet. |Photos by Jalen Chambers

The art of the pep talk As one of the few things that are common to all sports, the pep talk is a powerful tool. When used correctly, it can even be the difference between a win and a loss, between a championship and a disappointment or between a good team and a great one. Though nearly every team has some form of a pep talk before a game, the versions vary for each team. The result, however, is clear: motivating the athletes to rise to the occasion and play their best. For the basketball team, it’s about accountability. “It’s usually a small contribution from everyone,” senior Junior Charley said. “Everybody brings something to talk about or a statement and then we go around and share as a team.” By allowing each player to speak before a game, the basketball team sets standards for everyone, helping to hold each other accountable

“I’ve been around sports my entire life, so I know the emotion and passion it takes,” Chambers said. “I choose to help capture it for my teammates.” For Chambers, photography provides a way to show others what it’s like to be an athlete. “It’s how I share the things that I see,” Chambers said.

and to stay focused on their goals. “Everyone has a certain role on the team, and if there’s room for improvement or something we need to work on, it gets said during the talk and it gets done,” Charley said. The pep talk strategy helped the boys basketball team advance to the regional finals and finish the year with a 26-4 record. The tennis team, on the other hand, looks to its leaders for encouragement before matches. Senior Rohit Srinivasan often fills the role of motivator, delivering occasional pep talks to younger players. “I’m trying to motivate the team to do better while teaching them lessons at the same time,” Srinivasan said. “You have to focus on yourself and put the bigger things out of the way.” Srinivasan takes a simple approach — trying to convey his message without unnecessary drama or flare. “I probably don’t sound as good as like

Arnold Schwarzenegger when I’m speaking, but I just say what I have to say and I think the team usually responds well,” Srinivasan said. According to him, a motivational speech given before Hillsborough’s match at Robinson propelled the team to victory over a tough opponent. “A lot of the team thought we were going to lose,” Srinivasan said. “I told them to not worry about that and not watch the other team while they’re practicing and just focus on yourself and what you need to do, and we won the match 4-3.” Whether taking the form of a dramatic, movie-like speech or a simple, collaborative discussion, a pep talk is often the key to the success of a team in any sport. Story and graphic by Matt Lutton

sports | r&b | 27

LEFT Junior Luis Cuevas prepares the crowd for the sacrifice while freshman Vivek Kondapavuluru beats on a water cooler. TOP The crew team walks to the river while banging on drums and chanting. BOTTOM Senior Luke Jeske dips a paddle into the water, providing the river gods with chili powder. |Photos by Cassidy Bull

Appeasing the river gods To prepare for the upcoming spring season, the crew team performs a sacred ritual in the Hillsborough River to help bring all of the members good luck throughout their future competitions The loud banging of water jug drums ring through the air. The Hillsborough River is flooded with a mixture of protein powder, fish and pudding. Prayers are being made to the river gods for good luck in the coming weeks. This can only mean one thing: a new season of crew has begun. Before competition begins in the fall and spring seasons, the crew team seeks luck in a way that senior Rachel Nieland describes as “very unique.” The team has special sacrifices where they buy foods high in protein and throw them into the river while praying to the elusive river gods.

Origin story This tradition is a recent custom for the crew team. Three years ago there was a group of seniors that decided they wanted to start performing the sacrifices. They enticed the freshman to join and it became an event for the whole team to participate in. “The coaches were always encouraging us to create some kind of a legacy to leave behind so that the team grows culturally,” senior Luke Jeske said. The first sacrifice was late October 2014. It was Columbian river trout, protein powder and

28 | r&b | sports

pudding. The fish was because crew is a water sport. The protein powder was because it’s an intense sport that requires strength and energy. Then “the pudding was just kind of thrown in there for no real reason,” Jeske said. Since then the sacrificial foods thrown in the river have grown exponentially. While they willingly toss in bags of rice and protein powder, team members have accidently thrown in watches, sunglasses and even a Fitbit. “We just go crazy with it. One year, our sacrifice was conducted with a frozen burrito,” junior Rafael Carrion said. The aforementioned river gods play a significant role in the ritual. “Because we were going for a tribal feel we just kind of dubbed that the river was a god and that’s [why] we were sacrificing, for the river gods to give us good water to row in,” Jeske said.

Rescuing the ritual Besides being a unique activity, Carrion notes the event’s overall importance to the team. “It’s like a morale booster,” he said. “It’s a little team-bonding thing we do to prepare ourselves for the season. Something to look forward to.”

In recent years, the ritual has been placed in jeopardy. “It’s been almost deteriorating, because the team as a whole has gotten smaller,” Jeske said. “We had to change locations, but we do enjoy that tradition so we’re trying to keep it alive as best we can.”

Lovin’ it The crew team also has another tradition that is equally unique. Each member takes a placement test where they go on the rowing machine and row as fast as they can. Those hoping for a good score on their personal record (PR) placement tests eat at McDonald’s, which team members affectionately call McDank’s, prior to rowing. They believe that fueling up with McDonald’s will help them set a new record. “We all go and we just go crazy at McDank’s. And then the next day, for those who do PR, they get to go to McDank’s again,” Carrion said. Whether for morale or just sheer entertainment, the crew traditions have become a part of the team’s reputation and a tenet of each new season. Story by Michael Strobl

Increasingly, politicians, parents, advertisers, TV writers and more try to speak for the modern American teenager when we’re perfectly capable of speaking for ourselves. When we started working on a magazine with the theme of “Voice,” we knew that we had to listen to what you had to say about what it means to be an American 2017-ager. Inspired by Esquire magazine’s “The Survey of the American Man,” [r&b] conducted a mass survey of around 150 students on a range of topics, from drugs to mental health to exactly how a dog would wear pants. (We’re not kidding). You spoke, we listened: Flip through this survey section to see what life as a Terrier is like by the numbers. Graphics by Annie Aguiar, Katie Delk, Madison Forbis, Carolin Hearne, Juliana Lechner and Mercy Tsay Photos of Donald Trump, Madonna and Barack Obama courtesy Creative Commons

of survey takers say that they have a job outside of school

of respondents say that they’re not afraid of public speaking

keeping quiet: On a scale of 1 to 10,with 1 being quiet and 10 being loud, survey takers ranked themselves as a

of respondents say they use profanity

What comes next? next?

survey | r&b | 29

38%

56% When asked if they were happy with their appearance,

1/3

around HALF of respondents say they have or would attend a protest...

but 48 percent say they wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.

of respondents said no.

on average, respondents sleep hours a night

30 | r&b | survey

70%

MILK

of respondents procrastinate About half of the respondents

Most have chosen

The average unweighted GPA of survey takers was

while 8% didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even know their unweighted GPA carolin

Notes

Scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is not at all and 10 is very, how stressful is your life?

of survey takers said school was their largest source of stress survey | r&b | 31

Over half of respondents said

they have 5 or less close friends

of respondents have done something illegal

of respondents have snuck out of the house

We’re in the bright green building at 5127 N. Florida Ave. in Seminole Heights! We have our handcrafted ice pops, plus house-made gelato, superfood açai bowls and locally roasted coffee. Come on in; it’s all good! whatever pops.com 32 | r&b | survey

71%of students

When asked how a dog would wear pants,

want senior quotes in the yearbook.

We also invited survey takers to draw their own answers. Here are some of our favorite responses:

said that it would wear it like this, on its hindlegs.

here are some of your responses: “If you like water, you already like 72% of me.” “Believe in your inner Beyoncé.” Only 9 people said it would be in this style, covering all of the legs

10 hours katie

96% of students surveyed think they are on track to graduate.

According to the students surveyed,

Gary Brady is the most admirable adult at HHS

Honorable mentions: Mr. Lebrias, Mr. Mikulec, Ms. Dorsey

100

100 0 11000

prefer

Respondents’ favorite social media sites were:

100 100

Pepsi

When asked to pick one,

53%

chose Batman

47% survey | r&b | 33

POSITIVE IMPACT

Students grade classes As part of our surveys, respondents ranked different school subjects (math, English, foreign languages, science, history and electives) on two scales: How interesting they were and how much of a positive impact they thought the subject would have in their life. We averaged those results and used them to form ordered pairs, which were graphed together at right to compare. Below is a subject-by-subject breakdown of the results.

elective english foreign language

BORING

history

FUN

math

NO IMPACT POSITIVE IMPACT

POSITIVE IMPACT

BORING

science

FUN

BORING

POSITIVE IMPACT

FUN

BORING

FUN

NO IMPACT English class is seen as generally fun and having a positive impact. POSITIVE IMPACT

NO IMPACT Foreign language is seen as less interesting, but with a positive impact. POSITIVE IMPACT

NO IMPACT Electives were the most popular, seen as fun and positively impactful. POSITIVE IMPACT

BORING

FUN

NO IMPACT Science class is seen as just barely fun and having a positive impact. 34 | r&b | survey

FUN

NO IMPACT History is similar to Science, but is seen as slightly more fun.

FUN

NO IMPACT Math was rated as both boring and having the least positive impact.

Our voice JANUARY 1919

Since 1889, the Red & Black staff has voiced its thoughts on current events through editorials. Here’s a look back at some

Compiled by Madison Forbis

NOVEMBER 1982 This edition includes an editorial praising the county’s decision to award academic letters. “The awarding of academic letters gives every student the motivation to make better grades,” it reads. “Letters will also finally reward students who have worked many years to attain the scholastic excellence they now have.”

SEPTEMBER 1991

APRIL 2012

An editorial in the 17th volume bemoans the creation of daylight savings. “We are often told that we should be thankful that we don’t have to go through the great hardships that our forefathers had to,” it reads. “But we feel quite sure that those same forefathers never had to be continually confronted by that bugbear of changing time.”

AUGUST 1970

More recently, the Red & Black published an editorial on what it called ‘slacktivism’. “The trick is to not get caught in the web of social networking slacktivism,” it reads. “The internet gives us the gift to communicate on a global scale, but the step after slacktivism, real help to others, is proven to have a tangible effect on our society.”

MAY 1932 In 1932, the Red & Black published a

combination yearbook and newspaper to accommodate the financial strain of the Great Depression. It includes an editorial titled “Kwitcherbellyakin,” poking fun at seniors who complained their photos in it were unflattering. “The staff has worked hard and asks only one thing in return,” it says. “If the paper doesn’t suit you individually, keep it a secret. Let your friends tell you that your picture doesn’t do you justice; don’t you tell them.”

DECEMBER 1983 This paper includes a set In this edition, the Red & Black staff encourages its readers to “rap”- the exciting new name for writing letters to the editor. The staff had seen a dip in the amount of letters and wanted to hear from more students.

of editorials, including advice for a junior concerned about new zoning changes. Armwood and Gaither high schools were opened that year, affecting school zones.

An editorial on the importance of freedom of speech. It focuses a new “underground” publication floating around campus called “The Woody.” “We are pleased to see students exercising their First Amendment rights,” editors wrote.

final words | r&b | 35

Who said it?

NAME _________________________________ submit to Room 506 by April 12 for a chance to win an amazing prize

When you spend a year with a teacher, you start to pick up on their mannerisms. We asked teachers to share their most-said phrases. Can you match the teacher to the catchphrase? (TIp: Answers use only teachers’ last names)

Check ’em off Boyce Burns Cooke Galan-Vega* Goodwin Jackson Kelly Leto Mikulec Ratliﬀ Tubb Zimmerman

John Jackson, social studies teacher

* don’t forget the hyphen

Alexis Cooke, science teacher

Gary Tubb, math teacher Photos by McKenzie McIntyre, Bre’Asjia Thornton and Madison Forbis. Puzzle by Bianca Cegatte

ACROSS 1 “Do some push-ups.” 2 “Easy, peasy!” 3 “Stay safe, make good choices and remember that boys are trouble.” 5 ”Ask yourself: ‘Self...’” 6 “If you can hear me, clap three times.” 7 “You can catch an ‘L’ for the day.” 9 “Joker, you killing me.” DOWN 1 ”Si se puede!” 4 “Hello, beautiful people!” 6 ”You really should get your own dates.” 8 ”By golly jingo, we got it!” 10 ”Are we good?”