& black
Florida’s first high school newspaper Hillsborough High School 5000 N. Central Ave. Tampa, FL 33603 May 2016 hhstoday.com @HHSTodayOnline Volume 117, No. 7
HEINOUS HYGIENE Here’s our guide on what bathrooms to avoid | p. 4 SUMMER MOVIES PREVIEW Hot films hit the screen | p. 13 WANT TO CHEER? Find tryout information | p. 15
So long, seniors See how seniors spent their last day and the marks they leave behind | pgs. 7-10 During their last day of high school, seniors pose with a homemade banner during senior sendoff. | Photo by Bre Thornton
2 May 2016
briefly
Red & Black
Dancing with buddies
Big Red Band plans to perform in D.C.
Members of SGA organized a prom for students in the Best Buddies program
Bianca Cegatte @BeaLovesYou2
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Best Buddies members Christopher Roldan and Takis Simmons sing “I Believe I Can Fly.”
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Principal Gary Brady joins students in the “Cha-Cha Slide.”
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SGA students try to get buddies to join them in dancing.
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Antwan Williams smiles while watching fellow students dance. | Photos by Eliza Loaiza
Florida Teens Read, Rumble By Daniel Garrison @HHSTodayOnline Teams slapping their hands on a desk, arguing in a hurriedwhisper to try to remember the right answer. The frantic shuffling of papers, before the corrrect one is triumphantly held up. Tensions were high at this year’s Reading Rumble. Every year, students from Hillsborough County pariticipate in this Rumble, the high school equivalent of Battle of the Books. This year, the team included sophomores Jaime Rodriguez and Madison Forbis, as well as juniors Denzel Pierre, Cassidy Bull and Duc Nguyen. They were coached by media specialists
Barbara Magee and assistant Susan Hunt. Improving upon last year’s third place, the team placed second, though still beaten by their rival. “Gaither only got four questions wrong [in the final] so we didn’t think we’d beat them,” Rodriguez said. “But it feels great because we all worked very hard to get there.” To get on the team, students had to read as many of the 15 Florida Teen Reads books as they could and take a test on them. Then, each team member chose three books to focus on. They met every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during lunch to practice. In total, there were 80 questions in the first four rounds of the Rumble. Students were given
a detail from a book and asked to name the title or author, alternating between the two. The competition was tough; Hillsborough got 73 correct and almost had to compete in a sudden death round to get to the final. The last round included the same type of questions as the first four, and in the event of a tie, teams would have had to answer free response questions. For the team this year, the win represented an improvement. But, for some, it wasn’t everything. “I was especially happy because there was pizza at the end,” said Bull, a first-time competitor. “That and the trophy made all the stress worth it.”
For the past few months, band director Michael Lebrias has been on the hunt for a big trip to treat his students to. Fortunately for him, his phone rang just in time. Worldstrides, a traveling company, invited the Big Red Band to perform at its Onstage Heritage Festival in Washington D.C. on the weekend of the Presidential Inauguration. “I’ve been on this trip myself when I was in high school and I loved the trip,” Lebrias said. “When I was looking for band trips, I was looking for something more extravagant than just going to Orlando for a couple days.” The band also attended the festival about six years ago, according to Lebrias. Worldstrides invites schools on a rolling list and this year just so happened to be Hillsborough’s chance to return. The trip is predicted to last four days and cost an estimated $550 per student. Lebrias expects to provide the students with payment plans, although he does believe the price is reasonable when taking into account all of its benefits. Although the presidential inauguration will be nearby, the band has not yet decided if they will attend any of its events. The students will have the opportunity to witness the inauguration, but they will not be performing at the ceremonies. The Worldstrides Heritage Festival consists of several performances in Ford’s Theater; each ensemble is given 15 minutes on stage and a panel will observe and critique their performance. Not only that, but each group also receives a one-onone with a critic on stage immediately following their performance. On the last day of the trip, performers attend an awards ceremony and celebrate with a dance. Days in between are scheduled with whatever tours they decide to do of the city. Not the entire band will be attending. Only about 60 students, chosen by Lebrias based on musical ability, will travel. “That’s the expectation if they’re going on the Washington D.C. trip,” Lebrias said. “Obviously, we’re not gonna go and put a bad product on stage.” The students chosen to take part in the trip plan to perform at the festival as well as visit places such as the National Air and Space Museum and Arlington National Cemetery. “It’s a really great opportunity for the kids to witness a part of the nation’s history,” Lebrias said. “I think it’s just a great stepping stone for the Big Red Band to get to that next level.”
campus
hhstoday.com
May 2016
3
a shorter
School’s out for^summer
The overwhelming ratification of a bill cuts summer short and shifts the 2016-17 school year earlier Shreya Patel and Denzel Pierre @shreyapatel98 and @HHSTodayOnline The last days of July always force students to remember that school exists — and frantically finish last minute summer assignments. Those final minutes are arriving much sooner this year. Hillsborough County Public Schools are headed back on Aug. 10, cutting the summer by 15 days. This means that the first semester will be over before winter break even begins. For the first time since the district moved to late August start times, midterm exams will take place before the yearly two-week vacation. The school board approved the change several months ago, but with this year ending reality is beginning to set in for students. “With the summer being shorter, I feel like I have more pressure being put on me to finish the college classes I’m taking in a smaller amount of time,” said junior Breanna Ciccone. According to school board member Cindy Stuart, the final decision was made after “listening to both students, parents and teachers who found it difficult to schedule for vacation when off days changed each year.”
Not needing to study over break would be beneficial to students, said Stuart, and for some, “It’s difficult to travel and have access to the internet,” in order to do so. There was good news too; Stuart said that the county will return to “a ten-week summer starting next year.” Summer tends to be the ideal time of year to add extra schoolwork to your plate, but many students have expressed concern about doing so this year. Emily Quin, a sophomore, said she “might take Latin on FLVS this summer but since there’s less time to do it in, I may not be able to.” If you’re worried about being able to finish your courses, however, it seems that the shorter summer actually shouldn’t make a significant difference in your plans. According to Assistant Principal Kysha Herald, “With Florida Virtual you get finished whenever you get finished so you’re on your own pace anyway, and HCC is over by that time, so it won’t affect you.” Herald said that there will be different camps held at HHS over the summer that kids will come in early for, but other than that it shouldn’t be a drastic change in scheduling. “That’s all it is,” she said. “It’s pushing the dates up.”
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With the new calendar, the entire school year is essentially shifted 15 days earlier... 2016-2017
2015-2016
School year start
Aug. 10
Aug. 25
School year end
May 26
June 10 cutting summer short by more than two weeks. Graphic by Annie Aguiar
Retiring teachers Retiring teachers Phillip Packard, Valerio Reynolds and Gary Tubb receive plaques for their time at Hillsborough. | Photo courtesy Gary Brady Bianca Cegatte and Annie Aguiar @BeaLovesYou2 and @annieinfinitely This year’s seniors aren’t the only ones turning towards a new chapter; three International Baccalaureate teachers are leaving their own footprints behind as they begin their retirements. Teachers in Hillsborough County choose the day they will retire five years ahead of time; for Philip Packard, Valerio Reynolds and Gary Tubb, their dates all come close together. They were celebrated at a party April 25, where they received cards signed by their students and plaques honoring their work. Packard, a Spanish teacher, has taught for 25 years, with 18 at Hillsborough. “I feel a genuine warmth [for] the students and will most certainly miss them most of all,” he said. Packard is known for telling many stories to his students about his life growing up in Mexico. Packard retired in late April. Students against Tubb’s retirement organized an online petition to advocate for an extension on his time in the classroom. The online petition for Tubb, who teaches Algebra II for freshman and SL Mathematic Studies for juniors and seniors, has gained 278 signatures. The comment section is filled with 55 messages from students past and present along with parents calling for Tubb to remain. Reynolds, an English teacher, retires May 27. She teaches sophomore sophomores and juniors. Posters on the front of the Media Center depicting scenes from plays and books are fromher sophomore students, to whom she assigns multiple art-driven projects along with songs for building vocabulary. At the April 25 celebration, she brought home a bouquet that she proudly displayed in her room as the days count down until her retirement. The evening of the retirement party, Principal Gary Brady sent out a Remind congratulating the teachers and notifying parents and students. “Well-deserved, but we will miss you,” he said. Additional reporting by Nora O’Neill
yousaid it How is the shorter summer going to affect your plans next year? “It’s going to be better because over winter break, I can relax.“ –Thalia Martinez, 10
“This summer is going to suck because I’m going to have less time to volunteer.” –Ashley Minano, 11
“Swim season won’t start until after school does, so we’ll have more of a transition period since they won’t begin at the same time this year.” –Fitz Rawls, 11
4 May 2016
campus
Over three days...
“Could you pass me some toilet paper?” is commonly heard among the restrooms on campus. Checking each bathroom once a day for three days, Red & Black collected data on inventory and where to do your business. Really Unreliable Restrooms
72%
Avoid these bathrooms at any cost:
of stalls had toilet paper
-Boys restroom 215 was out of order two of the three days. -Girls restroom 132 had a gigantic flood.
28%
of paper towel dispensers had paper towels
-Girls restroom 200 had no toilet paper and is often locked.
Better than the Rest Sit like royalty upon these porcelain thrones: -Girls restroom 303 most consistantly had everything needed.
46%
of soap dispensers had soap
-109 was the only boys restroom to have soap for three days. Graphics by Alyssa Ierna, Bianca Cegatte and Annie Aguiar
Red & Black
Toiletries: Out of stock, out of mind Junior Pedro Alvarez recounts a time when the bathrooms let him down Q: When have the bathrooms at HHS not pulled through for you? A: Well after being sick for a couple days I went to the bathroom to wash my face and ‘do my thing.’ And I guess what, there were no napkins, or soap or toilet paper, or trash can! I went to the bathroom upstairs and guess what: nothing either. Complete horror.
Q: What do you think can be done to prevent this? A: What I suppose it’s not a complete necessity for guys but in some instances when we have to poop a lot of toilet paper must be used because they’re so thin. Administration probably does all they can to keep the bathrooms safe, but it’s very hard for the janitors to keep track of what the students do. -Alyssa Ierna Right: Pedro Alvarez poses with a wad of toilet paper strew across the floor of the bathroom.
AVID class initiates 1-1 program to provide computers for its students Katie Delk @HHSTodayOnline To AVID teacher Jazmine Clarke, it sometimes seems as if the only way to make her lessons “exciting” is through the use of technology. “When I put them in front of the computer and give them the opportunity to think beyond, they’re ready to type; ready to go in and research stuff,” Clarke said. AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination, encourages and assists students to work their hardest in every subject. Students in AVID are encouraged to take Dual Enrollment in order to be better prepared for college. When balancing such rigorous academic schedules, it may be difficult to keep up with the work, but a new program set to begin next year might be just what they need to extend their potential. “The AVID 1-1 program is an opportunity for each student in the AVID program to receive a laptop,” Clarke said. As a result, students will have access to computers at school and at home. A large benefit is that they are provided with the chance
to utilize technology without limitations. A significant improvement for the students is that they will now be able to submit their work to their instructors online, thus, not losing papers and giving them influential technology experience. In addition, AVID is becoming a cohort, which means it will offer the students the opportunity to take classes with one another; this allows them to become prepared for college and the challenges ahead, while growing closer together as a team. “We are going to work with the cohort to make sure the students are successful in all of their academic classes,” Clarke said. And although AVID is already “a family,” this new system will allow the students to rely on each other and develop a bond that encourages them to push towards achievement. According to junior AVID student Ki’Yania Caldwell, the program provides the “tools and software on the computers to make sure [they] succeed.” In college classes, technology is heavily utilized and incorporated in order to provide the students with a way to follow the subject. Through the setup of their classes and use of technology, students are exposed to college learning styles that
prepare them for their future and establish a “produced assessment or project” from the objective, said Clarke. Throughout the year, students in Project Innovate, a program within AVID that places students into the technology based setting, have learned Office 365, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. This program uses technology instruction to teach the students programs vital for their future in their high school career as well as college. The AVID 1-1 Program and Project Innovate have already begun impacting the school on a much broader aspect. “It has branch[ed] out to new teachers,” Clarke said. “Not only is AVID spreading, but Project Innovate is bringing new people to AVID. People who are really tech savvy want to be a part of it.” AVID is a means through which students can advance their academic endeavors as well as find their niche with people looking toward similar goals. The new program connects the student body and faculty, while motivating students to achieve their academic potential. The program will provide 150 students with computers.
hhstoday.com
campus politics
May 2016
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In the spotlight Performers competed in the annual Terriers Got Talent competition for a chance at one of three awards Annie Aguiar @annieinfinitely She sits to the side of the stage in a small chair between a prop for an old play and the ropes that will soon open the red velvet curtains once the talent show begins. Junior Pearl Obioha, who won first place in the talent show last year, has been watching the other acts prepare for about an hour and a half in preparation for her own. Performers practice behind the closed curtains, running through raps and playing piano riffs one last time before they face the crowd. Shreya Dundigalla, another junior and a member of the Bollywood Dance Club that will close the first half of the show, walks up to Obioha and asks her if she’s nervous for her performance of Beyoncé’s “Listen” in the second half of the show. Obioha: “No. I’m too tired to be nervous.” For Hillsborough’s rappers, singers, dancers, sign language translators, drummers and pianists, the annual Terriers Got Talent show is the night that they get to showcase their abilities. “We have a lot of talent at this school,” reading coach and master of ceremonies Monica Sleeter said. The show, which was held Friday, May 13, was run by the Junior Class Council and raised
around $700 in ticket sales and baked goods for the Class of 2017. Laura Wells, APUSH teacher turned judge for the event, says that she was apprehensive at first about judging because of having students in the show. “It’s a good time,” Wells said. “It’s nice to see kids outside of the classroom.” Wells, Principal Gary Brady, AP Jackie Eisenhauer and HHS graduates Rex Gordon and Darlene Fabelo graded the student performers on a rubric to give out three awards at the end of the night. Previous years had separate awards for group and individual performers, but this year’s show judged all performers against each other. This talent show was the first junior Dez Roman has participated in at school, but the fourth one in general. Roman, who in is the rap group We Dem Boyz with friends, rehearsed his original song “Hood Dreams” for a couple hours after school ended before the show. He wrote the song last year, so he says that he “pretty much has it down pat” by now. “I just want to show [everyone] what I can do,” Roman said. “It’s not really about winning, [to me] doing my thing is what matters.” As the show went on, the stage was occupied by more student performers such as HHS Drum Line and singers like junior Claudia Berroa and
sophomore Nehemia Briseneau. While the judges deliberated after the performances, an extended dance battle set to songs like “Brass Monkey” by the Beastie Boys and “Poison” by Bell Biv Devoe between Sleeter and students took over the stage. Post-dance battle, Sleeter called all of the contestants to the stage to hold hands as the winners were announced. Third place went to the Step Team for their performance set to Beyoncé’s “Formation” and other songs. Second place went to Briseneau for his a capella performance of his original song “If You Knew Better.” And first place, for the second year in a row, went to Obioha. When Sleeter announced her name, her heart dropped, she said. After winning, Obioha accepted congratulations from friends and other contestants with a beaming smile on her face, barefoot because her heels would’ve made it more difficult to maneuver through the crowd. “I couldn’t contain it anymore,” she said. “I wanted to run and hug people.” Trophy in hand and so happy “words couldn’t even describe it”, Obioha said, she put her heels back on and went home. Theontae Walton contributed to reporting for this story.
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Junior Pearl Obioha sings her rendition of “Listen” by Beyoncé; her performance won her first place.
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The step team performs to a medley of popular songs, winning third place overall. | Photos by Annie Aguiar
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Junior Warden Himinez and freshman Patrick Lewicki prepare to make changes before their performance | Photo by Theontae Walton
To see more photos from the talent show, visit hhstoday.com
6 May 2016
opinion
Red & Black
& Uniforms limit individuality black
ABOUT Content decisions are made by student editors. Member of Florida and National Scholastic press associations. 2015-16 FSPA All-Florida 2014-15 NSPA All-American 2015-16 NSPA four Best of Show awards Printed by the Tampa Bay Times EDITORIAL The staff editorial reflects the view of student editors and can be found in each issue’s opinion section. COLUMNS The bylined columns located throughout each issue represent the viewpoints of their authors. LETTERS Red & Black welcomes letters from students, teachers and members of the Hillsborough community. Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity, and should be submitted via email or delivered to Room 506 or by mail to Red & Black, 5000 N. Central Ave., Tampa, FL 33603. ADS Advertising content is subject to approval of the editorial board. ONLINE Each issue of Red & Black is available online at HHSToday.com. CONTACT Phone (813) 276-5620; Fax (813) 276-5629; email hhstoday@gmail.com
editorial
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VOLUME 117, ISSUE 7 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Dana Dinh, Kathy Xie DESIGN EDITOR John Veliz WEB EDITOR Daniel Hamilton PAGE EDITORS Annie Aguiar, Bianca Cegatte, Madison Forbis, Jorge Garcia, Alyssa Ierna, Matt Lutton, Alex Morrison, Shreya Patel, Denzel Pierre, Monisha Pillai, Laurie Rodriguez, Amber Shemesh, Atiya Simmons, Tegan Smith, Michael Strobl, Yesha Shukla STAFF WRITERS Sarvika Bommakanti, Katie Delk, Daniel Garrison, Jeremy Leong, Julissa Machado, Cade McCurdy, Vishwa Shah, Shelby Shoup, Theontae Walton ADVISER Joe Humphrey, MJE PRINCIPAL Gary Brady
Clothing is inarguably one of the most prominent ways that students are able to identify themselves. Everyone knows who’s most likely to wear a suit or heels to school, and everyone knows who’s most likely to wear his/ her pajamas to school. However, without the option to freely choose what to wear to school, that boy with the suit or that girl with the pajamas ends up becoming just another indistinguishable person among a school of close to 1,900 faces. Recently, faculty members were given a survey that included a question asking whether or not the school should implement uniforms. Assistant Principal for Administration Mick Boddie said the survey was commissioned by the district and state. While Boddie said that the administration probably won’t be requiring students to wear a school uniform in the upcoming school year, it is a topic of discussion for future years. Uniforms are typically a topic of controversy among students, and rightfully so, because they should have no place in a public high school. If we
you
said it
As we approach the new school year, we asked 150 students what they thought about uniforms
were to get uniforms, we’d be one of the only public high schools in the district to have them. Rather than stand out for being “that one school with uniforms,” Hillsborough should stand out for its academic quality, or its surplus of expressive, self-assured students. Not to mention, uniforms are boring. They don’t allow students to express themselves, and implementData collection and graphic by Laurie Rodriguez ing an uniform policy would only make school even more unbearable than it is (for some). It’s already difficult faced with choices: jeans or shorts? T-shirt or for students to wake up each morning and stay mo- sweater? While these choices are seemingly trivial, tivated to go to school, so why add an uniform to they are crucial to our development as adults. We’re make things worse? responsible for what we choose to wear, and by exIf a student is told that he “must” wear some- perimenting with our clothing choices, we’re given thing in order to attend school, chance are, he’ll leeway to grow as responsible adults. probably choose not to go at all. In addition, almost every school uniform inHaving a school uniform would remove a lay- cludes some form of khaki. That in itself is an arguer of responsibility from students. Everyday, we’re ment against uniforms.
83%
of students are against uniforms
Students share their opinions about the benefits and disadvantages of potentially having mandatory uniforms on campus
“People love to express themselves so why take that away from us.” -Angelo Larry,11
“Uniforms don’t allow you to be who you are.” -Patrick Lewicki, 9
“Uniforms will help us save time in the morning because you know what to wear.” -Kimora George, 10
Caps should be allowed to fly at graduation Laurie Rodriguez @Lauriesaywut
If you throw your cap at graduation, you might be getting more than expected. When thinking of graduation one usually thinks of the long speeches, people crying and throwing your caps at the end of the ceremony. However, some schools have been hesitant on throwing caps due to safety concerns for the students.
Students who chose to ignore the rules will have their diploma held by administration. Punishing students who throw their caps is unreasonable, when was the last time that you heard of someone getting poked in the eye by a flying cap. Students shouldn’t have to choose between getting their diploma and throwing their caps. The throwing your graduation cap tradition was started by the U.S Navy in 1912. The Navy gave its
graduates an officer’s hat and the graduates responded by throwing their old midshipmen’s caps into the air. As time went on, students began to follow the tradition. Throwing your graduation cap is a symbolic gesture that represents the end of a chapter in a graduate’s life and is part of the graduation experience. It is disheartening to know that a 100-year old tradition is losing its momentum. Students already aren’t allowed the
Graphic by Laurie Rodriguez
decorate their caps and now we can’t even throw them. People get injured by doors everyday but that doesn’t mean that we should ban doors. If you’re worried about getting hurt by the caps, simply close your eyes.
seniors
hhstoday.com
Seniors sent off
May 2016
After a day of teary eyes and emotional farewells, the traditional seniors completed their final day in high school. Here’s a look at how the Class of 2016 spent its last day on campus:
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Seniors arrive to a fun final day of bouncy slides and similar activities on the football field. | Photo by Bre Thornton
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After arriving on the field, seniors engage in a friendly volleyball game. | Photo by Amari Pyatt
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Ladedra Green is caught in a sneak attack during a water gun battle. | Photo by Bre Thornton
4 Trinity Baptiste shoots an unsuspecting friend during the fight. | Photo by Theontae Walton
5 After a turn on one of the slides, a senior jumps with excitement . | Photo by Bre Thornton
6 As the day draws to a close, seniors pose for a final group photo on the field. | Photo by Bre Thornton
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8 May 2016
seniors
Red & Black
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While they leave their textbooks and high school careers behind, the Class of 2016 carries with them four years of experiences, memories and more has had 3 principals while in high school lived through both the pre- and
survived the spirit week schism
post-
bathroom vest era
William Orr
hilsborean 2016 Vol. 100
more than
were at school when the bell started working
Johan von Ancken
Gary Brady
entered high school when “Whistle� by Flo Rida was No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 is graduating June 2 at 9 a.m. at the Florida State Fairgrounds
Graduated with the 100th Hilsborean yearbook Of course Page 1 of the
100th yearbook features stained glass; that is what we are known for. The beautiful bricks, the gothic architecture, the clock tower, the wooden floors and, of course, the stained glass. but hillsborough is not survived @HHS_Confessions just these surface details. is andThis all ofplace its copycats so much more...
LOL BYE
was the first class to paint their curb stops
408
Hillsborough School missedHigh the new SAT 5000 N.and Central Ave. FSA by one year Tampa, Florida 33603 (813) 276-5620 hillsborough.mysdhc.org Enrollment 1,991 Faculty/Staff 175
Graphics by Annie Aguiar and Bianca Cegatte
10 May 2016
seniors
What does it take?
Red & Black
After four years of work, these vals and sals earned the highest grades in the Class of 2016
Adrian Fernandez: Traditional Valedictorian Yearbook, student council, student government, Young Democrats club and more were on traditional valedictorian Adrian Fernandez’s plate going into senior year. Yet, he completed his high school career with a cumulative GPA of 6.29 and an unweighted GPA of 3.55 and plans to go to Florida State University in the fall. “It was never like a goal to become valedictorian, but come sophomore year I somehow came across my
Despite her academic success, traditional salutatorian Meghan Tindel has had her fair share of struggles. “I wouldn’t start my work until 3 in the morning and just like stay up to go to school,” she said. “It was not a good idea.” Tindel has since learned to manage her time better, balancing her classes with her hobbies. She concluded her senior year with a weighted GPA of 5.81 and an unweighted GPA of 3.8.
class rank and saw I was two,” Fernandez said. “I kinda kept myself on track ... I didn’t completely stress, and it wasn’t a big deal for me. I kinda just let things fall into place and if it worked out, it worked out.” Fernandez did this by taking several honors and eight AP classes from his freshman to junior year. In addition, he took six college classes at HCC in his senior year. Aside from extracurricular activities and school-
work. In order to balance his life and schoolwork, Fernandez would often skip parties to make sure his grades wouldn’t falter. “It's a way I find my balance: knowing when I can and when i can't go out, but it’s not something I do often” For aspiring valedictorians and regular students alike, Fernandez said that the best thing to do is, “find that balance between leisure and school.” -Yesha Shukla
Meghan Tindel: Traditional Salutatorian
She took an active role in participating in all of the higher level classes available to her. “From freshmen year I was always put into AP classes and honors classes, and from there I wanted more.” Her favorite AP class was Psychology, but Tindel opted out of taking AP classes in her senior year to participate in the dual enrollment program at HCC. “I like [college classes] a lot better than high school class,” Tindel said. “They’re a lot more focused
because everyone wants to be there, so there are a lot less distractions.” Tindel uses her free time to pursue her interests such as volleyball, hockey and photography. As an avid Tampa Bay Lightning fan, she hopes to study sports medicine and get an internship with the team. She will be a freshman at USF in the fall. -Yesha Shukla
Sameer Puri: IB Valedictorian With an unweighted GPA of 8.7, one might expect for Sameer Puri’s years of high school to feature sleepless nights spent feverishly studying, busy days spent juggling work from entirely too many classes, all in an effort to raise that figure. But according to Puri, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. By and large, he never pursued extra coursework in hopes of being top of the class. It just, in his words, “kind of happened.” “I never thought about being in a ‘GPA race,’” Puri
said, “It was a surprise to be named valedictorian.” He attributes his motivation to instead of taking on as many classes as possible, exploring subjects he found interesting. “I feel like the most important thing is to figure out what you like to do and what you hate to do,” he said, with a laugh at the slight ineloquence of the statement. “No, seriously! I had no idea that I would like programming so much until I took AP Computer Science, and now that’s what I want to do [as a career].”
This fascination with the workings of the world can be seen in Puri’s plans for the future, as well. This fall, he will major in computer science at Vanderbilt University. After that, he hopes to join a technology startup company, working to unite two of his academic interests – programming and international business. -Kathy Xie
Mauricio Rivera-Condori: IB Salutatorian With a weighted GPA of 8.4, seven HCC classes under his belt and more Mu Alpha Theta awards than he cares to count, it seems almost ironic that Mauricio Rivera-Condori’s words of wisdom for his peers is this: “You are more than just a number.” His classmates know him as the guy who breezes through calculus. Few know that he reads The Washington Post daily, struggles with crossword puzzles and is really really obsessed with the Hamilton musical.
Fewer know that he doesn’t actually enjoy Mu Alpha Theta. “I don’t like Mu Alpha Theta, and I don’t have fun at competitions.” Rivera-Condori said. “I just like math. I’m willing to sit down, grab a textbook and do it for fun. For me math was never about the grade, it was about learning, and that’s why I enjoy it.” Rivera-Condori is proud of the way studying for math competitions has made him more “disciplined.” His “drive” has gotten him admitted to Columbia University, where he will major in Operations Re-
search: Financial Engineering. His biggest goal for next year is to volunteer more; he feels that he was too “self-absorbed” in high school and is obligated to help fellow Hispanics and those who are disadvantaged. “You are more than just a number, more than a pass or a fail, more than an acceptance or a reaction,” Rivera-Condori said. “You are a human being who deserves to be treated with respect. Just be confident in yourself and good things will follow.” -Dana Dinh
A modern Cuban crisis
Rebuilding diplomacy with Cuba, which has been under an American embargo for over 50 years, is a divisive topic for many families, especially in Florida, the state with the majority of Cuban immigrants. Can a baseball game fix over a half-century of conflict? (Spoiler alert: no, it can’t.) Annie Aguiar @annieinfinitely All my life, I’ve heard the stories. Any child with an immigrant for a parent has heard them too; the struggle to come here, learning the language, building a new life. My childhood was built in part on the foundation of my dad’s stories about coming to America from Cuba when he was young. Now more than ever, the stories of my father seem more pressing as the United States seeks to repair diplomatic ties with Cuba. My dad spent the early part of his life in a small fishing village east of Havana. Even though he left the country when he was 6, he remembers enough to have filled my childhood with stories of a life I’ve never known. For example: my aunt was playing on her front lawn when she saw a stranger come up to the house, trying to greet her. She ran inside and told her mother, terrified. As it turned out, it was my grandfather; he was returning home after spending time in a work camp. Another: my family had to receive their food through weekly rations from the government. When it came time to stand in line and wait, my grandparents used to send my father. They figured that a cute kid would maybe get a little extra piece of food here and there. While this is heartbreaking to hear, it’s important to remember that that was in the 1960s. It’s even worse to imagine other children standing in those same lines for the last 50 years. Which is why it is fantastic to see that the strengthening relationship between the United States and Cuba signals the inevitable future of the lifted embargo, of healthy diplomatic ties, of American industry 90 miles to the south.
Understanding the past To understand why the embargo needs to end, we need to understand why it is in place at all. In the late 1950s, Fidel Castro overthrew Fulgencio Batista’s government with a guerilla army and the aid of Che Guevara, becoming prime minister in 1959. Relations between the two countries only worsened in the coming years, with the failed Bay of Pigs invasion (an American-sponsored invasion aimed to overthrow Castro), multiple planned CIA assassination attempts on Castro and the Cuban Missile Crisis as Cuba became a communist state allied with the Soviet Union. A large part of the opposition to strengthened
11
opinion
hhstoday.com
American-Cuban relations cites its communist nature as reason to not lift the embargo. It’s ludicrous to suggest that Cuba poses a potential threat to American safety. Its economy has been crippled by 50 years of embargo, it’s a small nation with 39,000 troops according to a 2015 report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and the greatest ally to its communist government, the Soviet Union, hasn’t even existed for 25 years. The American goal of weeding out communism is a relic of the past, something long since eclipsed by other more pressing matters. The only people that stand to suffer from hostile relations are the Cuban people themselves.
Steps toward progress President Obama’s rejection of the Cold Warera policy towards Cuba is much-needed progress. There is simply no need to continue the mistakes of the past. A healthy relationship between the two countries is inevitable; the question isn’t if relations will completely normalize, but when. According to the White House website, the president aims to rebuild diplomacy with the Cuban government, empower the Cuban people by increasing their access to information, and continuing to expand travel to Cuba in his new approach to American-Cuban relations. An important step in getting these goals accomplished was for the president to actually visit Cuba.
It isn’t if relations will completely normalize, but when. “Today, more Americans are visiting Cuba than at any time in the last 50 years — be it Cuban-American families, American students, volunteers, faith leaders or entrepreneurs. The President’s trip is a big opportunity to advance this progress,” White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said in a press release in March. “A better future for the Cuban people will take time. But, it’s a path we’re now on, because the president decided it was time to take those necessary steps toward a better future for citizens in both of our countries.”
Necessary evils Obama was the first sitting president to visit Cuba in 88 years, with the last visit being Calvin Coolidge in 1928. Air Force One arrived in Havana in March and the visit has been lauded
as historic. The first family walked through Old Havana, met the Cuban people and ended the visit by watching the first Major League Baseball exhibition game in Cuba since 1999 as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Cuban national team. However, it was disheartening to see President Obama doing the wave at a baseball game with the Cuban president, Raul Castro. While Obama’s steps towards improving the relationship with Cuba have been overwhelmingly wonderful, I can understand the doubts it’s raising; does improving relations only serve to further an abusive government with a history of human rights violations? Do Obama’s actions signify an acceptance of the Castros, a notion that makes me sick to my stomach? I can’t help but feel that improving the lot of the Cuban people means allowing the Castros to remain in power. I’ll be much more comfortable with the state of relations between the United States and Cuba once the Castros are gone, through diplomatic or inevitable means. In order for Cuba to truly start again and rebuild, it needs to shed the weight of the past and move forward.
May 2016
One reason that relations between the United States and Cuba are such a controversial topic is the large amount of Cubans living in the United States.
Around
1.8 million
Cubans live in the United States.
68 percent
live in Florida, and the Tampa/ St. Petersburg/ Clearwater area has the third highest concentration of Cubans by region, with
Looking towards the future For families in Cuba with relatives in the United States and vice-versa, improving diplomatic ties is an important move towards being together again. It also marks the opportunity for immigrants who haven’t seen their home country in decades to return; the post-Castro wave of immigration after 1959 was an exodus. Many of these immigrants, like my family, didn’t return to the homes they had to abandon until a half-century later. My aunt has already returned to Cuba, seen the house she spent the early part of her childhood in before coming to the United States, stood on the lawn where she didn’t recognize her own father. My dad has no desire to return to Cuba as long as a Castro is in charge. He’s always felt that he is an American who just so happened to be born in another country, and looks forward to American businesses expanding into Cuba. I don’t feel any more Cuban than the next person, but a part of me feels that I have a responsibility to know where my family comes from. I don’t really know if I want to go to Cuba. But, in light of recent events, at least I can. Like other Cuban-American kids my age, I have the opportunity to turn the foundation of my childhood into more than just stories.
93,553 Cubans overall. That’s just under
48 times the student population of Hillsborough High. Source: 2010 Census and 2013 Census population figures Graphics by Annie Aguiar
12 May 2016
life
Red & Black
S O, YOU'VE NEVER BEEN TO
Hot Chocolate
STARBUCKS?
Hot
Hot or cold drink?
First time Starbucks goers are presented with options from macchiato. F your perfect Starbucks order!
Are you sophisticated?
Machiatto
Nope.
Green Tea
Yes.
A classy drink for a classy person. Purchase does not come with Hemingway novel.
Cold
Iced Latte
Not much.
Espresso
No-nonsense energy. And it’s pronounced “eSpresso,” not “eXpresso.”
Get a burst of childhood nostalgia with a drink that exudes fun and coziness.
lections, lattes play it safe. Smart decision.
Ew. No. Definitely!
Do you have a sweet tooth?
Fruit juice:
START HERE: How much energy do you need?
Yum!
Berry Refresher
It’s like Welch’s older, cooler cousin.
minus the foam mustaches.
A classic choice. You probably have an admirable work ethic and wear a bluetooth headset.
Frappuccino
All the energy of a cup of
A lot. >:( :D
What if you had the option of getting
Cold
Hot
Hot or cold drink?
of ice cream. It’s the best of both worlds!
Tall
Grande
Venti
Small
Medium
Large
SKY
head in the
Extra large Graphic by Kathy Xie
When she’s not playing volleyball, Maggie Kratzer flies planes
Alex Morrison @HHSTodayOnline
While most students are beginning to get their driver’s licenses and hit the road, junior Maggie Kratzer is planning on getting her pilot’s license. Kratzer has been recreationally flying planes out of the Zephyrhills airport. She has been flying for so long that she doesn’t even remember her earliest memory of doing so. This year, Kratzer will finally be able to fly an airplane on her own when she gets her Silver Flyers License. Kratzer comes from a family of pilots. Both her father and uncle have a long history flying; her uncle was in the Air Force, while her father inteded to become a commercial pilot. Due to piloting being a large part of her family, Kratzer has always been supported in pursuing her hobby. “I think they’ve always trusted me with it.,” Kratzer said. To become an official pilot, Kratzer had to complete a class similiar to Drivers Ed. These classes require Maggie Kratzer’s two-seater, a 1968 Citabria, stays parked at Zephyrhills airport. This year she will be able to get her Silver Flyers License.| Photo courtesy Maggie Kratzer
Trenta
much time. “It takes people roughly 70 hours,” she said. These classes describe the functions of the planes and the basics of flying. “I’ve always been around planes ... I’m really comfortable around them,” she said. “It’s really just peaceful up in the air. I can explore the area.” Kratzer said that piloting aircraft is far easier than piloting motor vehicles, due to the latter’s danger. She said, “When you’re flying there’s nothing to distract you.” Though aviation seems like a costly hobby, Maggie Kratzer is actually able to fly on a low budget. Her plane, a Citabria, is a small, two-seated vehicle. Kratzer said that her plane is “less expensive than a small truck.” Despite her love for flying, she prefers not to pursue a career in piloting. “I thought about it,” Kratzer said, but decided that she wanted to focus on other carrers instead. Despite this, she plans to keep flying in her spare time.
entertainment
hhstoday.com
13
May 2016
Instead of spending the whole summer on Netflix, drop by the movies to see these upcoming films. ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows’ (June 3)
‘Suicide Squad’ (Aug. 5) Operative Amanda Waller creates a team of incarcerated DC Comics supervillains to perform black-ops jobs for the government. Forced to comply due to bombs placed in their necks, this team, called the Suicide Squad, will be facing a currently unknown threat.
The Turtles return to face the combined threats of Shredder, the invasion by Dimension X’s Krang and the mutated duo Bebop and Rocksteady. They also receive help from a new ally, hockey-loving vigilante Casey Jones. The film will also feature a plotline in which the Turtles attempt to become human.
‘Finding Dory’ (June 17) ‘Ghostbusters’ (July 15) This all-female reboot sees a team made up of comedians Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones working together to save the world from a powerful demon following a ghost invasion in Manhattan.
This film takes place shortly after the events of “Finding Nemo” and will see Dory attempt to find her family after suddenly remembering her childhood. Alongside Nemo and Marlin, Dory will explore the coast of California and meet new companions along the way, including beluga whale Bailey, whale shark Destiny and octopus Hank.
‘Jason Bourne’ (July 29) Following the events of “The Bourne Ultimatum,” superspy Jason Bourne suddenly reappears to the shock of the CIA. The film will confront recent political events, specifically the Edward Snowden leaks.
Compiled by Michael Strobl. Graphics by Jorge Garcia, Amber Shemesh and Michael Strobl
summer, Tampa will be packed with music festivals and artists Music festivals heat up the summer This performing. Here’s your guide to who’s playing and when. Bianca Cegatte @BeaLovesYou2
MidFlorida Amphitheatre summer concert series June 17: Keith Urban July 17: G-Eazy, Logic, Yo Gotti & YG July 21: Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, Kevin Gates and Jhene Aiko July 26: Gwen Stefani and Eve Aug. 6: Blink 182, A Day To Remember & All-American Rejects
Busch Gardens Summer night’s concert series June 28: ZZ Ward and Hot Chelle Rae July 5: Bridgit Mendler July 12: El Gran Combo July 19: Pentatonix July 26: Zion y Lennox Aug. 2: Cher Lloyd Aug. 9: Taking Back Sunday
Bridget Mendler, G-Eazy and Snoop Dogg | Creative Commons photos
14 May 2016
entertainment
Red & Black
Angry Birds fly into cinemas
Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox from Smosh star in a new animated film about flightless birds based on the popular 2009 app. By Jeremy Leong @hhstodayonline Starting as a popular game for the smart phone, Angry Birds is now taking a step from just being on the small screen to an even larger screen. That’s right! Angry Birds is getting a movie adaption, based on the iconic red angry bird of the franchise. The premise of the plot is now basically the pull and shoot gameplay of Angry Birds, except Red has a few anger management problems that ends up starting the story itself and a few other interactions between the characters. The relationship between the pigs and birds will be explored in this story. Angry Birds started out as a phone game initially for the
Apple iOS in 2009, made by Finnish company Rovio Entertainment. They expanded their gaming program to other smart phone operating systems including Android. Due to its relatively simple gameplay and the feeling of satisfaction of blowing up pigs by throwing birds at them, Angry Birds quickly rose to popularity. After several years of release, they added new expansions within the game with parodies of movie series such as Star Wars and Rio. There has been many a film adaption gone wrong due to how authentic they are to the original source. Previous attempts to adapt this into a cartoon have had
mixed results, along with already average score of 60 percent on Rotten Tomatoes for the movie, Fans of the game right now have mixed reactions to the game due to the flaw in transitioning from a phone game to the big time screen.
Graphics by Jeremy Leong and Alexander Morrison
Fantastic new Harry Potter film opens this fall J.K. Rowling’s newest movie, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, features surprising differences from previous titles By Alexander Morrison @magadon433 Another Harry Potter film is headed to theaters this fall. The newest installment of the J.K. Rowling series of films will be getting a brand new prequel on Nov. 18. Titled Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the movie is loosely based off the book of the same name, which catalogued magical creatures in the Potter universe. Directed by Rowling herself, the movie is set long before the events of the the original novels and films. It places a character named Newt Scamander in the lead role. This sort of magical zoologist is played by Eddie Redmayne. The 34-year-old actor has starred in popular movies such as The Danish Girl and The Theory of Everything. This is a shift from previous Harry Potter entries in which the main characters’ ages range from young children to being on the brink of adulthood. Another change in this new
entry is the primary setting. This new adaptation will be set in the United States, and will introduce a new magical school. For the first time in Harry Potter, Hogwarts will be put on the back burner for the time being. This may either horrify existing fans, or rekindle the excitement of long-time followers of the books and movies. For those who prefer the books to the movies, they seem to be in luck. J.K. Rowling has announced that the film’s screenplay will be adapted into a novel for release a day after the film’s premiere. The wizardry doesn’t end with this new book either, with a new play coming to London on July 30th. This stage production is actually a sequel to the original Harry Potter books, and is a first of its kind for Rowling. Harry Potter fans have a lot to look forward to with Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them as well as with the accompanying book and play. Graphic by Amber Shemesh
Ariana gets dangerous By Atiya Simmons more bonus tracks for Japan and one more @atiyaxxo for the Target edition album. Ariana Grande debuts No. 10 on the top Four songs are already available on Billboard 100 with her new single “Danger- iTunes and the album is available for pre-orous Women,” as a teaser for her new coming der at $12.99. album releasing May 20. She declared no favorite songs on her Grande had three singles on her last al- upcoming album at her radio interview bum titled “My Everything” that have with 102.7 KIIS-FM in Los Angealso reached top 10 on the top Billles. “Every song is special to me.” board 100 chart. The album that feaGrande said. tured these three singles hit No. 1 on When it comes to talking the Billboard 200 chart in 2014. about her tour, Grande said it’s a Her new single has her fandom, whom call themselves The Arianators, raving for the different, more intense mature feeling than her old work, which her new album is expected to carry on. “@ArianaGrande never disappoints me when we feature together,” Nicki Minaj while away as she has said on Twitter. Grande to first put the album spilled some beans that out and promote it, sent the Arianators wild. but it is already beFour artists will be feaing planned. tured on her new album: 4 songs are alMinaj, Macy Gray, Future ready available on and Lil Wayne. itunes, and the alThe album will reportbum is available edly contain 11 tracks for pre-order at with four North AmerGraphic by Amber Shemesh $12.99. ican bonus tracks, two
15
sports
hhstoday.com
May 2016
Victory in spring game Matt Lutton @Matt_lutt In a game filled with dropped passes and penalties, the football team scored twice late to beat Wharton 14-0 in the spring game on May 19. After struggling to find an offensive rhythm in the first of the two quarters played in the Jamboree-style matchup, the Terriers finally found the end zone with 1:32 left on the clock to take the lead. Junior Duran Bell went into motion as the ball was snapped and received the pitch heading full speed towards the sideline. He caught the edge and turned up field, making it impossible for the defense to catch the state 400-meter runner up. “We let our line develop, started blocking the right people, and then all we [had] to do is score,” said Bell, who used his speed to score on a similar play in the Terriers’ first spring scrimmage. The offense struggled at first to overcome a slow start. Wharton held the Terriers to two straight four and outs to start the game. On its third possession, however, Hillsborough picked up momentum. Sophomore quarterback Caleb Youngblood led a drive that spanned 11 plays — including three first downs. Helped by a roughing-the-passer penalty on the defense, Hillsborough kept the ball into the second quarter, when two penalties and two incomplete passes ended the Terriers’ hopes for a score. Still, the offense had finally found its rhythm. Freshman quarterback Tyler Thomas started the next drive with a first down run, showing impressive speed and footwork. Sophomore running back Russell Booth followed with a 15-yard run of his own on the next play for another first down. Thomas completed one of his next two passes, both thrown while scrambling to avoid extreme pressure. “Tyler’s going to be
a superstar down the road. Trust me,” said head coach Earl Garcia. “He’s got some growing pains, but three years from now he’s going to be the most highly recruited quarterback in the area.” Just as the drive began to fizzle, Wharton dropped the punt to give the Terriers a great opportunity with the ball on the 21-yard line. With Youngblood back in at quarterback, the Wildcats defense stepped up to force a sack and three incomplete passes, ending Hillsborough’s drive. The offense got the ball back quickly, thanks to the Terriers’ defense, and immediately set up Bell’s scoring play. Hillsborough’s defense was aggressive and domi- Junior running back Duran Bell cuts past a Wharton defender. Bell scored the first nant from the first snap. Linebacker Armand Chalk set touchdown of the game with 1:32 left to play. Bell looks to use his track speed to the tone early, putting a huge hit on Wharton’s quar- help the Terriers out of the backfield this season. | Photo by Moryah Wells terback on the fifth defensive play of the game. The quarterback’s helmet flew through the air as the crowd reacted to With less than a minute left and the Wildcats attempting to the loud crack. “(Chalk) is our leader,” Garcia told the Tampa Bay score the tying touchdown, sophomore defensive back MarterTimes. “He’s a four-year starter, he’s the team captain and he was rence Holloway intercepted an overthrown pass and returned it the team MVP today.” all the way to score Hillsborough’s second touchdown. “We scored The rest of the defense brought the same energy, allowing Whar- two times in the last two minutes,” Garcia said. “We thought we ton only four first downs. The defensive linemen and linebackers would out-condition everybody we played, so that’s a good thing. were largely successful in shutting down the aggressive running That’s a testament to our coaches and our players who bought in game from Wharton, which attempted to pound the ball both up completely.” the middle and around the edge. The Wildcats’ quarterback didn’t The Terriers hope to use the summer months to clean up the throw a single pass until the fourth possession. “They quit running mental and technical errors of the spring scrimmages, looking the ball after a while because they gave up,” Garcia said. “We made to bring momentum and a winning attitude into the start of next them pass and we turned it into seven points for us.” year’s season.
Cheer Tryouts will be held from... JUNE
13
A Minimum
2.5 GPA
JUNE
16
...and will begin at 4:30 p.m in the gym Cheer tryouts are open for both
girls and
boys
is REQUIRED
TERRIERS
Those trying out will be tested on their ability to... ...dance ER E ...cheer CH S HH ...chant
Graphic by Jorge Garcia
16 May 2016
sports
Red & Black
Crew races to Tegan Smith @HHSTodaySports
Nationals
One boat on crew is headed to Nationals. Five members are competing in the boys junior four 1500 meter against 24 other boats on May 27 in Nashport, Ohio. To qualify for the 2016 Scholastic Rowing Association of America Regatta, they needed to be in the top three of their division at the Sweep State Regatta. The boys junior four is composed of sophomore Andrew Schweitzer, freshmen Savion Fordham and Nick Jeske and junior Luke Jeske. Rachel Nieland, also a junior, serves as coxswain. To qualify for Nationals, the boat had to compete at Grand Finals, which is composed of both club and school teams. They finished in almost 5:30 and came in fourth place overall. However, they were still able to qualify for Nationals because clubs are not allowed to compete in the National SRAA Regatta. “[Nationals is] going to be a tough race so we need to be the strongest and we displayed that at states,” Fordham said. Fordham rows an openweight junior double with Luke Jeske. The pair competed at Sculling States but did not qualify for Nationals. They finished sixth in Grand Finals in just over 6:00. In order to qualify for Nationals, the duo would have needed to finish first. This is the first trip to nationals for every row-
er. Nieland qualified in 2015, but was not able to attend. “I’m not sure what to expect but I’m very excited and even more nervous,” Nieland said. As the coxswain, she acts as the eyes of the rowers and steers the boat. Since the members of the boat row backwards, it is not possible for them to see where they are going. It is Nieland’s responsibility to tell the rowers if another boat is passing them. She motivates boys in the boat to row harder to enRachel Nieland, Savion Fordham, Nick Jeske, Luke Jeske and Andrew Schweitzer practice rowing on the Hillsborough River sure that they place as high as in preparation for Nationals. The boys junior four will be competing May 27 in Nashport, Ohio. | Photo by Harmony Tarpein possible. May 27 is the first race. They will only be competing against eight boats powerful rowers on the crew team. There have heavyweight category. and have the potential to race in three more heats not been any recent members who are able to Despite the lack of experience in Nationals, in order to make it to the final regatta. Even if match his size and strength. He is used to be- the boys junior four feels prepared for Nationals. they do not place well in the first heat, they are ing placed in boats that do not fit his category Schweitzer believes they can finish in “the top ten placed in another race where they can still quali- because nobody has the same height or power. [boats] in the nation.” To achieve this goal, memfy. “I think we have the capacity to do really well,” However, this boat has provided Luke with a bet- bers of crew practice five times a week to become Nieland said. Luke Jeske shares a similar opinion. ter experience. “I have people to work with and faster and stronger. “It’s an amazing thing to race Luke Jeske aspires to earn first place at Nationals we work well together,” Luke said. His sibling, with the people in my boat. They are the most and believes the boat has better times than over freshman Nick Jeske, is also a member of the boat motivated group I’ve ever known,” Luke said. half of its competitors. traveling to Nationals. This is Nick’s first year on Luke Jeske is classified as one of the most crew and he is able to compete with Luke in the
Two silvers at track states McKenzie McIntyre Correspondent Junior Duran Bell and senior Chloe Jones both placed second in the state track and field meet earlier this month. Bell was runner-up in the boys 400 meter dash and Jones came in second in the girls shot put. He ran a time of 48.76 seconds in the preliminaries, in which he placed fourth and an even faster time of 47.83 seconds in the finals. He trailed the first place runner only by 0.09 seconds. “I feel like I should’ve won more and that I need to get better for next season,” Bell said. Jones also brought home the silver at the state championships, held at the IMG Academy in Bradenton. With an average throw of 42 feet, 6.5 inches, she trailed first place by 3 feet, four inches. Although Bell and Jones were the only two students to place, multiple other athletes performed
well at the meet. One such student was Daneesha Davidson. She placed sixth in two separate events: the girls triple jump and the girls 100 meter hurdles. She also placed eighth in the girls 300 meter hurdles. Along with Davidson, Rico Rodriguez, Kevin Pearce and Qaseem Wajd competed in states as indivuals. The boys relay team placed 14th in the boys 4x800 meter relay. Tyhieme Williams, Bell, junior Jalen Chambers and freshman Adrian Arano all ran on the team. Reflecting on the team’s performance, Bell said, “I feel as if we all got better, faster, and stronger and that we started getting closer as a team.” Though this year yielded impressive results for the track team, they still aspire to improve. “Our way to work on improving next year is to work on our weaknesses and make them stronger to use them to our advantage” Williams said.
Baseball season ends in regional semis Yesha Shukla @yeshaa42
The baseball team advanced to the regional semifinals, but lost to the same team that kept it from winning the district title. The May 3 loss to Gaither ended the Terriers’ season one game short of a shot at the final four. “Last year we had zero chance at the regional finals,” senior Rodnie Bernard said. “But this year we would’ve done better.” After three losses (including in the district title game) and one win against Gaither over the course of the season, the baseball team felt it was now or never to take down the Cowboys. Instead, they lost 9-2, concluding their season with an 18-8 record. Gaither went on to win the state title. “We gave up a lot of runs in the second inning and it was really hard to come back from that,” junior Levi Bognar said. However, the team remains optimistic about
the pitching performance for next year, and will remember this game as a learning experience. “In high school pitching is everything but ... next year it’s not about the pitchers,” coach Kenny White said. “We’re bringing back all of them, but we’re missing a few holes in the lineup.” This is the team’s fourth straight year where it has won over 15 games. “We’ve had great team chemistry over the last few years; these guys hang out on the weekends, they get along at school. It’s a good mix of IB and traditional, so it’s been a lot of fun to coach over the last few years,” White said. Similar sentiments were expressed by senior Alejandro Coronado, who said, “We understood each other’s roles on the team, and we backed up one another throughout every inning of every game. “No, we did not finish the way we wanted to,” he said, “but all of us tried our hardest until the very last inning we played.”