r& REWIND b
Taking a look back at the first quarter
Hillsborough High School | HHSToday.com 5000 N. Central Avenue | Tampa, Florida 33603 November/ 2020/ volume 122/ issue 1
Last in means first out for the 124 teachers that could be fired due to budget cuts | page 4
Editorial: a time capsule dedicated to the first quarter of our new normal | page 10
Fashion trends of this quarter modeled by students on campus | page 13
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November 2020
BRIEFS
hhstoday.com
RED&BLACK Letter from the Editors VOLUME 122, ISSUE 1 EDITORS-IN-CHEIF Asher Montgomery Kylie Smith Carolina Tortorelli
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Tammy Nguyen
STAFF WRITERS Traeshan Brown Dylan Cantrell Sarah Ellis Jackson Gore Eden Kay Marley Lambert Isha Modha Morissey Montgomery Mercy Ogunsola Isla Riddell Kaylee Robinson Meredith Yen
ADVISER
Welcome back, Its been a while, hasn’t it? We know we’re late, as we usually have our first edition out in August. We won’t make any excuses as to why, but it’s been a rocky few months for everyone. That rockiness is what we chose to focus on in this Rewind edition. If you flip through the pages, you’ll find stories from all across the campus and further, from best friends that were split by eLearning (page 7), to inspiring photos of football senior night (page 15) and everything in-between. We decided to tackle the election, as it plays such a prominent role in our lives, even if you don’t think it does. We don’t know the results of the election as we are sending our newspaper to print, but we will by the time this newspaper reaches your hands. We wanted to see what role Hillsborough plays in this election and if what our students agree on is demonstrated by the results
So much as happened and time seems to be moving faster than ever. It’s important we take the time to reflect on what has all went down, so we can learn and grow from it. And time is what we took, with hours of reporting and writing, photographing and drawing, fixing and editing. And Editing again. You’ve probably seen us in the process, walking around with cameras or notebooks. All to bring you this. When your finished reading and dying for more to read, of course, visit hhstoday.com. Anyways, Happy Reading.
COVID- 19 update
Don’t forget
Below are two graphs showing COVID-19 by the numbers. All information came from the Hillsborough county website.
Jennifer McMullian
PRINCIPAL Kelly King
Click on this picture on HHSToday.com to buy a 2020- 2021 yearbook. Get yours before its gone.
About Content decisons are made by student editors
Snow is coming to Florida
Membership Red & Black belongs
For the first time since Jan. 19, 1977, Florida will be experiencing snow. Despite the fact that it won’t actually be falling from the sky, a new attraction has caught lots of excited Floridians’ attention. Snowcat Ridge will be opening their snowy slopes, igloo and village in Dade City on Nov. 20. It will be about a half hour drive from Hillsborough High School. The attraction’s Snowy Slopes is a 60-foot tall hill that extends 400-feet for people of all ages to slide down on. It features a Magic Carpet conveyor that lifts the riders to the top of the slope to begin their experience. From there, they will either ride in single tubes, tandem tubes or even family-style tubing that has space for 6 people. The Arctic Igloo in the park allows individuals to play in several thousand feet of snow. The Igloo is ideal for snowballs, snowmans, snow angels and basically anything that Floridian’s dream of doing in the snow. Alpine Village is intended for gatherings and also for shopping holiday crafts that were specially made by each individual vendor. Families and friends can also enjoy a variety of hot and cold beverages and food of all types. Alpine Village offers areas for pictures, Snowy Slopes music, light shows and getting into the holiday season with your loved ones. “I think it sounds like a really cool place to go, especially with friends and family,” junior Lauren Novorska said. “As someone who has never seen snow, I’m very excited by the idea of getting a chance to do winter activities unavailable here in Florida, like snow tubing and building a snowman.”
to the Florida National and Columbia Scholastic press associations
Awards
FSPA 2019-20 All-Florida and Sunshine Standout NSPA 2019-20 First Class CSPA 2018-19 Gold Medalist Bylined COLUMNS represent the viewpoints of their authors We welcome your LETTERS which my be edited for brevity and clarity. Submit via email, deliver to room 506 or mail to Red & Black, 5000 N. Central Ave, Tampa, Florida 33603 Phone: (813) 276-5620 Email: hhstoday@gmail.com Twitter: @HHSTodayOnline Instagram: @HHSToday Visit us online at
HHSTODAY.COM gathered by tammy nguyen
story by meredith yen
3
US
November 2020
hhstoday.com
Wearing a shirt reading “periods during the pandemic: no girls left behind,” Sophomore Aanya Patel speaks at a school board meeting addressing the issue of period povery. Through her recently formed non profit, she plans on donating 50,000 pads and tampons to schools across Hillsborough county. She is also looking to combat period stigmas and spread awareness about sustainable period products. photo by asher montgomery
To pick up a 9,300 pad donation, Patel and her mom rented a UHaul truck to carry them back to her garage to package them for donation drop offs. After, they donated 1,050 pads each to 12 high schools in the county. photo courtesy of aanya patel
AANYA PATEL: THE PHILANTHRAPIST Speech in hand, Sophomore Aanya Patel stood up to take the podium. Her dad gave a supportive nod. Her mom scooted over for a better angle for her video. She tucked her hair behind her ear while she waited for the mic to be wiped down. Her hands were shaking, but when she began to speak to the seven board members and the superintendent at the school board meeting on Oct. 20, her words were confident. “My topic today is about accessibility and affordability of menstrual hygiene supplies that leads one out of four young girls to miss class,” she said. “Yes, that’s correct. One in four young girls.” It had been a little over a month since she first learned about the issue of “Period Poverty,” or the inadequate access to menstrual hygiene products such as pads or tampons. While looking for opportunities to do creative, action or service (CAS) hours over the summer, a requirement for the IB program, she decided to participate in the Women Ambassadors Forum. She was inspired by the activism of some of the speakers at the online global forum, especially Tanisha Pandit, who founded an organization that teaches women in rural India how to make their own pads. She learned that some girls use rags or sometimes mud because they don’t have access to anything else. She also learned that it’s an American problem too. She decided to try to help at a local level. In September, she asked her parents to fill out the form to create a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. With her dad’s experience in business, they were able to figure it out pretty fast. Her organization would be called “Global Girls Initiative.” The aim: to give girls a platform to voice their opinion and support STEAM education -- or Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math -- for girls.. Her thought she would start on mini projects, the first being, “Periods During the Pandemic, No Girl Left Behind.” She reconsidered, however, when the project grew bigger than she originally anticipated. She began to receive donations from her friends while planning a social media campaign on GGI’s Instagram-- @global.gi, called #periodsinpandemics, to combat the stigmas associated with menstruation. By Oct. 10, National Period Day, she collected around 3,000 pads from friends, other organizations and good samaritans. Close to $1,600 was donated to her Gofundme, and her friends helped her collect $500 on top of that. She met with MaryLou Whaley, the district department manager of partnership engagement, to donate 1,000 pads to Hillsbor-
ough High School. “It felt really good delivering it to Hillsborough because I know the nurse said they’d been out for so long and they don’t usually get too much funding or donations,” Patel said. Later that day, Patel got the news that a large organization called Period Partner was interested in sponsoring her. Originally, they said they might be able to donate close to 34,000 pads, and although that number may now be closer to 10,000, that number means a lot to Patel in achieving her goal. With the money she had, she could buy close to 20,000 pads at nine cents a pad. With this huge donation on top of that, she would reach close to three times that amount. She increased her goal to 50,000. Fifty thousand menstrual products to donate to the 12 Title One high schools and 27 middle schools in Hillsborough County as well as to the Springs of Tampa Bay, a domestic violence shelter in the area. Besides fundraising, Patel is looking to impact the societal views of periods as well. On Oct. 19, she hosted a zoom call about Sustainable Menstruation. With grace and enunciation, Patel introduced herself and announced the speakers to the 28 participants. The first two speakers, young girls named Alisha and Sheya, discussed the pollution caused by period products. “In her lifetime, an average woman throws away 250 to 300 pounds of menstrual hygiene waste,” glowed from the powerpoint of the shared Zoom screen. They continued on with products made to combat this, such as menstrual cups, washable cloth pads and period underwear. Patel gave a homework assignment to the viewers. “Next time you’re shopping for period supplies at the store, notice the sustainable choices,” she said. “Think about it in a new way.” One of the viewers was School Board member Cindy Stuart. “I have to say, y’all have taught me something already tonight,” said Cindy Stuart, a school board member who tuned in. She emphasized how amazing she thought it was for the girls on the Zoom to talk to freely about their periods. After a representative of Peace at the University of Tampa talked about the period product drive, the other girls discussed their favorite sustainable menstrual products and where they get them. They shared links and resources. It didn’t quite last an hour and there were fewer questions than she imagined, but Patel saw the event as a success.
“I think we did a great job on spreading awareness for sustainable menstruation,” she said. After corresponding with the district to figure out how to give her donations to the schools, she decided she wanted to speak to the school board directly. She wanted to make them realize that this is an issue they need to be focusing on. “I want to show the effect of this issue on a girl’s life,” she said. “A lot of girls miss school because of it, and it’s affecting their education.” Without directly requesting it in her two-minute speech, she hoped her speech pushes the school board to consider adding dispensaries into the girls’ bathrooms. At Hillsborough, there aren’t even proper places to dispose of used pads or tampons. According to Hillsborough’s nurse, they only go through about 500 pads a year. Patel thinks this number would probably increase with dispensers, because girls who may be embarrassed to ask the nurse would have access to pads. “You shouldn’t have to go to the nurse,” Patel said. “You should be able to get [hygiene products] on your own.” At the end of her speech to the school board, she made a request. “My hopes are that the county shares my concerns and creates an ongoing means to support this initiative so that one day, every girl has ready and free access to menstrual products so that she may get the education she deserves,” she said. As her project has gotten bigger, her goals and views have grown along with it. How far could she take this? “Holy crap, this has grown so much in just a few weeks,” she remembered thinking. “Maybe I could make a long-lasting impact on the whole county, or maybe even Florida.” After a donation of close to 9,300 pads from Babycycle Diaper Bank, Patel’s mom, Rina Patel, rented a UHaul truck to carry them back to their house. They added the boxes to the already large collection in the garage. They then used the truck to deliver 1,050 pads each to Jefferson, Armwood, Brandon, Tampa Bay Tech and Freedom High schools. If anything, her work is fulfilling. “It feels amazing to be able to give back to my community and knowing that I am making a difference in girls’ lives,” Patel said. story by asher montgomery
4
NEWS
November 2020
hhstoday.com
Governor Desantis reopens Florida Phase 1 Schools remain distance learning. restaurants and bars are 25% capacity
Phase 2
Restaurants and bars open to 50% capacity. Amusement parks submit reopening plan.
Phase 3 Restaurants and bars open to full capacity. Employees return to work. Sporting events consider small amount of people.
On Sept. 25, Governor Ron Desantis announced that Florida would be moving towards phase three which reopens the state. Florida’s businesses, restaurants, bars, and amusement parks, could open to full capacity. This phase overrided every other local restriction and was in effect immediately. This decision came after DeSantis thought the state was prepared enough to move past phase two. The coronavirus downfall in numbers was a big reason why Florida moved to phase three. Mask and social distancing are still recommended. The biggest differences in phases is that most places can go to full capacity like gyms, amusement parks, bars, and restaurants. Although they can go to full capacity it is up to the business on how many people they
COVID-19 poses new challenges in applying for college Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States in March, everything has been off tilt. Students especially have had to learn to navigate a new way of life, have had to sit down and decide whether they would do e-learning or take the risk and go back in person. Now, seniors have another thing to worry about. College applications. College applications are never an easy thing to deal with — the stress, the standardized tests, the essays, the deadlines — there’s a lot of wrap your head around. But now, Covid-19 is an added factor to this whirlwind of a process. For one, some Ivy League schools such as Brown, Columbia and Harvard, among others, are no longer requiring SAT/ACT scores to be reported on applications. This is because these standardized tests have been more difficult to take during this time period as summer dates were cancelled, and spots are limited. Unfortunately, state schools — at least for Florida — are still requiring these scores. For senior Alex Randall, whose top schools are University of Florida (UF) and University of South Florida (USF), his biggest frustration comes from not being able to go on college tours. “Not being able to go to the physical campus is really annoying, especially considering that a big part of why I want to go to college is for the social life and the atmosphere,” Randall said. “So losing that aspect really sucks when it comes to making a decision.” While many colleges prohibited tours due to the virus over the summer, some have
now reopened their campuses for visitors. However, he doesn’t really feel comfortable going somewhere that he doesn’t feel is absolutely necessary. Another issue that Randall is facing is that he’s only taken one college standardized test, being the in-school SAT that was required of all juniors back in March. “I probably would’ve done more testing if there wasn’t the virus,” he said. Nicholas Bowling, on the other hand, is struggling with a lack of motivation when it comes to college applications. “Since we’re always at home, it feels like we have more time to do more to prepare for colleges, but sometimes you just don’t have the motivation” Bowling said. He’s worried about competing with people who have more motivation and are able to get creative with their applications, specifically in regard to their essays. Similar to Randall, Bowling feels like the virus has inhibited his opportunities to take the SAT and ACT, especially during the summer. He also has another frustration in regard to testing: having to wear a mask for four hours straight. “You’ve got to take the test with the mask on, and that’s a bit uncomfortable,” he said. “But you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.” Since Bowling is doing e-learning, and does not have to wear a mask all day at school, the idea of wearing one for an extended period of time is a bit foreign to him. Lastly, Bowling has noticed that this year, there haven’t been the typical amenities that college applicants normally
receive. In particular, college meetings. He reflected on his sister, who had college meetings throughout her senior year where she would receive information about the application process, scholarships and their deadlines, etc. Bowling feels like the class of 2021 is missing out on this, and that it may jeopardize students’ applications. “The school could be doing so much more,” he said. As for senior Xenia Bond, she’s got other things on her mind that are taking precedent. “Applying for colleges has been put on the backburner for me,” she said. “I’m struggling with the fact that I’m running out of time and I need to make a decision, but I don’t want to make the wrong [choice],” she said. “I’m stressed out about the fact that I have to make this huge life-altering decision, and I don’t have any information to go off of, other than if I go into the military and I do 4-6 years, I can get a GI Bill.” A GI Bill consists of benefits that members of the military receive, such as a payment of tuitions and fees, a monthly housing allowance and a sum of money used for textbooks and supplies. On top of all of this, Bond is concerned that if she goes to college and contracts the virus, she may infect her newborn niece, leaving her feeling guilty and like she made the wrong decision.
story by sarah ellis
want to let in, so everywhere may not be full capacity. Some places must have even more social distancing, for instance, movie theatres, bowling allies, court houses and small places. Since these places are smaller, they have an increased chance of somebody catching corona virus so they cannot be full capacity. Vulnerable people can resume public interaction but must practice social distancing. Vulnerable people include seniors and people with disabilities. You can now visit senior care and hospitals as well. The state has also gotten rid of all travel restrictions besides wearing a mask and social distancing. Planes are at full capacity which could be a big risk. Even with the state being issued to reopen, Gov. DeSantis acknowl-
edged that there will probably be a second wave but he wanted to give the state a chance to reopen. With everything people have learned and with what the new normal way of living is, Desantis says he believes people are responsible enough to go to stage three. Gov. Desantis stated on Sep. 25, “in the state of Florida, everybody has an opportunity to work.” This gives people a chance to go back to work and for people to make more money. Recently however Florida is on an upward trend in daily new cases, showing the effects phase three have had so far. The number of daily deaths has continued to decrease. story and graphic by dylan cantrell
Teachers don’t make the cut Hillsborough County is facing a 72-million-dollar deficit due to lowered enrollment numbers in schools than they anticipated. Because the district gets funding from the state based on enrollment number, if the district overestimates those numbers, they then have to pay some of the money back to the state. As an attempt to recoup lost funds, the district has decided that staffing adjustments will need to be made, meaning that many teachers and staff members will lose their jobs. Superintendent Addison Davis announced a tentative agreement on Oct. 21 that raises teachers base pay from $40,000 to $46,000 following the announcement of positions cuts and teacher reassignments. According to Principal Kelly King, the staff cuts were not a sudden decision. There were multiple meetings and class evaluations that led up to the cutting of staff. “Staff cuts will not have an immediate effect on the school as a whole or on class sizes,” King said. However, she said she believes that the cuts will have a more prominent affect come next year. The district says of the 333 positions that are being cut, 124 are teachers who were hired after Aug. 14 on temporary contracts. The staff
members who were hired before Aug. 14 will remain employed, but they could be moved or reassigned to open jobs at other schools, or they could get a different role at their current school depending on the school’s enrollment numbers. About 105 teachers who were hired knowing that their jobs could possibly be cut while on these temporary contracts are expected to find positions in a “hiring pool.” Davis wrote in an email to employees reminding them that this is a routine part of every school year. “Please understand that staffing adjustments occur every year in districts across the state based on student enrollment.” he wrote. Davis has made a public statement saying that he would not be cutting music, art, International Baccalaureate or magnet programs. However, he warned that teachers in those programs may be reassigned based on student enrollment and that in some cases teachers may be providing instruction at two schools. This means that mainly core subjects such as math science and English will be cut which will lead to larger class sizes as students will have new schedules in order to cover the teacher that was cut. story by kaylee robinson
5
LIFE Ethan Wright is taking precautions to stay safe November 2020
hhstoday.com
Freshman Ethan Wright poses with his protein shake. In order to aviod taking off his mask to protect himself from COVID-19, Wright drinks his protien shake through a straw under his mask. photo by asher montgomery
Freshman Ethan Wright is taking every precaution he can against COVID-19 while attending school. Along with the stress of starting high school, he is also dealing with the anxiety around COVID-19. “I try to minimize exposure as much as possible,” he said. This means washing his hands whenever possible, wiping down desks before sitting down, not taking off his mask during lunch and keeping distance from students who refuse to properly wear a mask. At the start of the school year, Wright wore scrubs, a face shield, as well as a N-95 mask. As the school year progressed, his routine has relaxed. This doesn’t mean he is any less careful. He continues to drink
Social Studies teacher Michael Mikulec instructs his new Psychology class. Having never taught psychology before, the course and curriculum is new terrain for Mikulec. photo by isla riddell
History teachers are psyched out
For fourteen years, social studies teacher Michael Mikulec has been eating, sleeping, and breathing AP European History. He knows the information by heart and makes lectures interesting with little known weird facts like how Marie Antoinette never actually said ‘let them eat cake!’ and how Rasputin survived multiple assassination attempts. Every writing assignment he gives is carefully read and receives handwritten feedback. His website is always up-to-date. But this year that’’s been changed. Due to budget cuts from the district, he’s had to pick up two AP Psychology classes, something he’s never taught before. Alongside him is social studies teacher Tom Paloumpis, who hasn’t taught a psychology course in 24 years. Psychology is considered to be a social studies class that requires a teacher certification which is why social studies teachers were chosen. While Mikulec navigates the entirely new course, Paloumpis finds himself having to restudy the material he has forgotten. Reading the textbook and getting advice from current and former teachers of the course has helped both teachers learn the course. Mikulec has even had upperclassmen who have previously taken the course assist him. Although both courses are different, Paloumpis has found that, in a way, teaching both courses are similar as they both follow patterns. “You go from Sigmund Freud to newer psychologists and
in history you might go from dictators to democratic leaders,” he said. Already dealing with the extensive coursework of their history classes, the addition of this new course has made balancing the two classes difficult. Before taking on the psychology classes, each teacher had one JA a day, an hour and a half where they could grade papers and assist students, but now it’s been replaced and cut down. Mikulec admits keeping up with both courses has been challenging. “I’ve been waking up at about four-thirty to grade essays. I’m known for getting things back quickly, but I haven’t been able to this year because I don’t have the time,” he said. To help him keep up, he’s had to cut down on the amount of essays he normally has his students do. For Paloumpis though, he’s found the workload to be manageable, even if his sleeping schedule has taken a hit, saying that “if I expect [my students] to work hard, I have to work hard too.” Despite the initial nerves and learning curve, the two teachers believe that their students will be successful and that teaching the course will get easier. However, Paloumpis feels that the students have been cheated, criticizing the intentions of the district. “They lost a really good psychology teacher,” he said. “They wouldn’t let [the school] replace her, which is really an insult to education quality.” story by isla riddell
his lunch in the form of a protein shake so he doesn’t have to take off his mask. Wright takes these precautions for multiple reasons. “Originally my mom didn’t want me to come back but I knew Zoom learning would be ineffective for me,” he said. Wright’s mom is an ophthalmologist and although her work isn’t directly affected by COVID-19, she takes many precautions to make sure her, her staff and customers are safe when they enter her office. Her company supplies her with N-95 masks as well as goggles. Wright claims his whole family has been safer than most. Wright believes that by taking these precautions, he is protecting
more people than just his family. He urges all students to wear a mask and be cautious at school to prevent the spread. Unless people are more responsible about masks, he does not believe the pandemic will end anytime soon. “The pandemic could be over in six months but if people refuse to wear a mask, it could be stretched out for two years,” he said. When a vaccine approved by medical professionals is released, Wright says he will be the first in line. Until then, he will take all of the proper precautions to protect himself from COVID-19.
story by jackson gore
Teachers are using instagram With the dramatic shift in the school enviorment due to COVID-19, teachers strive to engage students outside the classroom and Zoom calls in an effective way: Instagram. “Ms. River’s Instagram page gives me peace of mind when I’m stressed” Junior Caliana Rossiter said. Sallie Rivers, a math teacher, understands that students have limited time for themselves, which is why most of her Instagram posts are related to yoga,” to help the mind rest” Rivers said. Her love for yoga and the idea of making an Instagram page prompted the username @hhs.mathandyoga. “I started this page last year because I knew all my student’s teachers were flooding Edsby with assignments, I also know students are on their phones 24/7. It just made sense to post the homework on both Instagram and Edsby,” Rivers said. She also went on to express how important relaxing your mind is. “I love making my students turn in videos of them doing yoga. Although
they think it’s an easy A, I’m helping them destress,” she said. Mrs. Rivers hopes that not only can her Instagram account help her students, but hopes she can create a profound impact on their lives. Andrea Lewis, a new English Language Arts teacher at Hillsborough, is determined to build a great relationship with her students. “In order for learning to occur, students have to trust you and know you care for them,” Lewis said. “Without a strong relationship, effective teaching cannot happen” said Lewis. Along with building strong teacher-student relationships, she make sure everyone is informed on class assignments by using the apps Remind and Instagram to engage all her students. Lewis’s use of her Instagram account has helped her grow closer to her students; their bond is more reliable. ”My students always reach out to me with any problems they face with Canvas,” she said. story by mercy ogunsola
6
LIFE Covid-19 couldn’t scare Halloween
November 2020
It’s Saturday night, cool outside, and the moon is full, a seemingly perfect Halloween night. However, rather than going door to door, freshmen Olivia Barber, Jackie Bryant, and Gabby Cassana decided to have fun this year from the safety of a tent in the backyard. While they would normally go trick-or-treating, the risk of contracting COVID-19 simply didn’t seem worth it. Instead, they decided to have a sleepover where they ate candy, watched scary movies and dressed up in costumes from the popular cartoon “The Fairly Odd Parents.” With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many people have found that their usual Halloween traditions have been disrupted. While some students felt safe going out to celebrate, many felt it best to stay home. Junior Jiliana Vargas spent Halloween with her family this year. They made costumes, ate, and played games. Normally, Vargas would go out and go trick or treating in her neighborhood, but she decided to spend this year in a more safe environment with her relatives. Some students went a different direction. Senior Ariana Petrotky chose to spend her Halloween night at
Mad Chiller World Kava Lounge in downtown. “It attracts people you can have really interesting conversations with,” said Petrotky. Petrotky was able to speak with artists and musicians and also listen to live music with her coworker. While she wouldn’t normally go house to house on Halloween, Petrotky explained that the pandemic affected the friends she hung out with. “I think the coronavirus affected my friend group a lot and it’s forced me to make different plans and be creative about what I’m doing,” she said. Rather than completely changing her Halloween plans this year, freshman Eliana Shellman was able to continue her traditions in a covid-safe way. Shellman and her mom went to a drive-through haunted house. In this new version of a haunted house, visitors can experience jump scares from the safety of their cars. “Even though it wasn’t like usual, it still was entertaining and I would do it again,” Shellman said.
story by morissey montgomery
Freshmen Olivia Barber, Jackie Bryant and Gaby Cassana dressed as Wanda, Timmy Turner and Cosmo from the popular show “The Fairly Odd Parents.”
hhstoday.com
Freshman Eliana Shellman poses in a Halloween store.
photo courtesy of eliana shellman and olivia barber
From classroom to class zoom The first few weeks of school, Junior Savannah Keaton woke up at 6:30 am every weekday. She rushed to complete her morning routine in 40 minutes before racing out the door to get to school. Now her morning walk to class consists of the five steps it takes to get from her bed to her desk. Keaton had originally chosen to return to brick-and-mortar learning, but after only about three weeks of being in school, she changed to exclusively e-learning. Worries for the health of her grandma is what pushed her to make the switch, wanting to choose the safest option for her and her family. Lenient follow-
With the global COVID-19 pandemic, rates of anxiety and depression in teens have been rising. Trying your best to socially distance yourself from others can often make you feel isolated, and the risk of contracting the virus can increase anxiety in many people. Not to mention, the stress of school doesn’t help much. If you feel that you are personally affected by any of these things, remember that you are not alone. Reaching out to a friend or a trusted adult, or doing any of these things above, can help you to manage days when you are feeling especially anxious or emotional. story and illustration by morissey montgomery
TOP Junior Savannah Keaton customizes her background on Zoom to a fun Christmas theme. BOTTOM Sophomore Amanda Cerrano completes algebra work in class. photos by isla riddell and kaylee robinson
ing of school guidelines from some of her teachers was another thing that concerned her. “Some teachers weren’t really doing proper stuff, following all the guidelines,” she said. While Keaton had made the decision to go online, sophomore Amanda Cerrano had decided it was time to return to brick-and-mortar. Concerns about her grades were a deciding factor in her switch. Originally she had started off the school year online, but after only a couple weeks she returned to brick-and-mortar. She struggled to find the motivation to do her work and found it hard to concentrate. “It was really hard to do my work and find the time to submit it,” Cerrano said. Even with the switch to Canvas from Edsby, she still found it difficult to focus while at home. Her mental health was another consideration, as the lack of socialization from quarantining was taking a toll. “I couldn’t socialize really, at least now I have some sort of human interaction besides my household. So it’s definitely been easier,” she said. Cerrano doesn’t see herself returning to e-learning any time soon, unless she comes in contact with the virus. Despite the technological difficulties that come with staying at home, both students feel that a lot of their teachers are doing well in handling the two groups simultaneously. “Honestly, I think teachers have done a pretty good job of including online students, at least the teachers I have,” Keaton said. She noticed that many of her teachers have been using breakout rooms and coming up with creative ways to integrate them to lessons, such as facetiming classmates during a science lab so that she doesn’t miss out. Cerrano found though that some of her teachers were nicer to online students than they were to those in class. She said one of her teachers was super kind to her while online, but once she returned, that side of her switched. story by isla riddell
LIFE
November 2020
7
hhstoday.com
Club Rush As students at Hillsborough High School are slowly adjusting to the COVID-19 pandemic a semester into the school year, many are eager to resume their normal extracurricular activities and clubs. Club presidents are now faced with engagement obstacles for both face-to-face and e-learning club members. Like every year, new clubs are formed by students to better accommodate the student body’s diverse interests. Here are some of the new clubs this year:
Indian Association Club
Junior Caden Spokas poses in class holding his phone up on a video call with his best friend, junior Robby Burton, who is doing school online. photo by carolina tortorelli
Friendship through a screen As the A lunch bell rings, junior Caden Spokas walks to the cafeteria, knowing this is the hardest part of the day. His lunch table is oddly quiet and empty. His best friend is not there to mess with him, move around his backpack, and laugh very loudly. A couple miles away from school, junior Robby Burton also feels the challenge of lunch time, sitting in front of his computer at his house, while waiting for his next zoom meeting, eating alone. The two friends met in Government class at the beginning of their freshman year and quickly bonded over their similar humor. They’ve been on the swim team together, and for the past two years they have been gaming, making fun of each other and laughing at random jokes. However, thanks to the pandemic, the two friends were split when Burton chose to do eLearning, and Spokas chose to go back to school in person. Although not seeing each other at school caused some changes to their dynamic, Burton and Spokas play games such as Minecraft and Among Us while talking on a server called discord almost every night. “Before the transition we already talked a lot online, so it wasn’t that difficult,” Burton said. He says already having friendships established over two years made online school way easier than to those who are just starting High School and don’t have bonds with people yet. “I’m glad that I already had that
What is your favorite part of Being at school?
“My favorite part about going to school is getting to see my friends everyday and getting to be away from a computer screen.” ANGELINA CULLEN, 9
set up before this, because if I didn’t I could see it being really difficult trying to chat with people and stuff,” Burton said. “I would definitely go crazy if I couldn’t talk to people.” At school, Spokas tries to include his good friend in his day and make it as normal as possible. “One thing we do sometimes is, we’ll call during class, and he’ll screenshare his zoom class and I will stream through my phone camera my classes. That’s pretty funny, we like doing that,” Spokas said. He also invites Burton to Among Us games being played in class. These efforts from both of them make the distance a lot easier, but they also recognize that their friendship is not completely the same. “Getting to be with your friends in person, it’s a bit better than calling on discord,” Spokas said. Burton also said it is very difficult to keep in touch with people, especially with acquaintances who he didn’t know super well. “[Lunch time] was definitely the biggest social time with all the people that I know at school, because you can’t really talk in class anyway,” Burton said. Since they can’t meet at school, swim practice every weekday for an hour and a half has been really helpful to their friendship. As they progress through the new school year full of changes, Spokas and Burton continue to come up with new jokes and play a lot of games, overcoming the challenges of not seeing each other in person at school every day. story and photo by carolina tortorelli
After a year of absence, the Indian Association Club returns with unexpected changes in their meeting plans to safely follow social distancing guidelines. Junior Krishna Kothiya originally planned to have club members participate in traditional dances in celebration of the holiday Navratri. However, with the push back of the school year at the beginning of the quarter, it couldn’t take place. “As of right now, the club plans on participating in Holi, the color festival that takes place in March of next year,” said Kothiya. When asked about her concerns Kothiya said, “the inability to properly communicate with club members makes me nervous to see how e-learners and brick and mortar kids will interact.” Just in case social gatherings are not allowed in the near future, the co-presidents made a website for art competitions and challenges to aid interaction between students outside of school. The club’s main goal is to engage students in celebrating the culture as well as participating in group service activities outside of school.
Medical Awareness Club
Starting this school year, juniors Gabriella Gonzalez and Kylie Fiore formed the Medical Awareness Club out of passion because they both want to be in the medical field in the future. Gonzalez is currently attending her classes online, making it very difficult to be hands-on with club planning with Fiore, who is attending class traditionally. “It has been difficult reaching out to people from home, but we’ve been using technology to communicate and engage members [on social media],” said Gonzalez. The co-president’s plan is to work with like-minded club members to spread awareness about many lesser known illnesses and diseases. They hope to start fundraisers to donate to organizations to provide aid. The Speech and Debate club meet over Zoom, in order to recruit members doing e-learning.
Students sign up for the Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) during club rush.
Being at home? “My favorite part of e-learning is that I get two extra hours of sleep and save gas money.”
Officers of the Midel United Nations (MUN) club pose in front of their booth during A lunch club rush, as they look for new members.
ANIKA BALARAJU, 11 story and photos by tammy nguyen
8
November 2020
THE ELECTION AT HILLSBOROUGH
9
FOCUS
We anonomously surveyed 134 Hillsborough students abut the election and voting . Here are the results:
63%
hhstoday.com
Five reasons why the results of this election should matter to you 2020 has been a whirlwind of a year, and the leadup to the election was no exception. In the words of former vice president and presidential candidate Joe Biden, “we are living through a battle for the soul of this nation.” With COVID-19, the impending doom of climate change and former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s death being just a few things at the forefront of politics, it’s hard to think about what’s not on the docket. Whether you’re able to vote or not, the results of the 2020 presidential election matter. Here are five reasons why.
Women’s Right To Choose
Vice President Joe Biden wants to protect women’s right to choose by passing a federal law that would do so. He also hopes to repeal the Hyde Amendment, which — except in the case of rape, incest or danger to the woman —blocks taxpayer money from being used for abortions. In 2016, president Donald Trump promised to pick judges who would automatically overturn Roe v. Wade. While newly appointed Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett will not condone nor condemn this court decision, her religious background leans toward the idea that she would vote against the right to an abortion if she is called to make a ruling.
said they would vote for Joe Biden if they could
COVID-19
Joe Biden has a seven-point plan to beat the virus, consisting of steps to increase testing, aiding people in obtaining health insurance, implement a nationwide mask mandate and more. Trump’s main goal is to have vaccine developed by the end of the year, but health experts — including those in the White House — agree that this trajectory is highly unlikely. He also plans to fully blame China for the virus during this second term.
10.5%
said they would vote for Donald Trump
7.5% 8.5%
were eligible to vote but chose not to
Immigration
For the past four years, Donald Trump’s mantra has been “Build the wall!” A large part of his presidential platform is severely reducing the amount of both legal and illegal immigration. While the wall is meant to separate the U.S. and Mexico, these are not the only immigrants he wants to keep out. In 2017, the president instituted an executive order banning travel or immigration from several Muslim-majority countries. He has also tried to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which would
Casting her first vote
Of those that voted.....
voted
36%
voted by mail
46%
voted early in person
The Ideal presidential candidate must... 1. Be honest and trustworthy 2. Make overall change for the better 3. Have morals
84%
were not able to vote
18%
4. Support equality
voted on election day in person
*These were the top four most common responses from the survey compiled by asher montgomery, kaylee robinson and kylie smith graphics by asher montgomery
Teachers help students register to vote In Florida and a few other states, 16 – 17-year-old students are allowed to pre-register to vote. Our state has this program so teachers can help students register throughout their time in high school rather than just in senior year. Voting is important for students to be a part of a better society and become aware of what is going on in this country, according to math teacher Michael Welch, who helped register students to vote last school year.
According to Welch, in a democracy, citizens must be informed on how to participate in elections, which creates educated voters. It is important that citizens know how their votes will contribute to the final result in an election. Dr. John Jackson, an economic teacher, explains to his students the importance of voting. “I really think it would be an excellent idea for students to vote,” Jackson said.
Throughout his explanation to his class about why registering to vote is important, he managed to convince about half of his class to vote. Most of his students watch the news and debates going on with the president and Joe Biden. After talking about the significance of young people voting, Jackson’s students asked him how they could start voting. He showed them how to pre-register because they were not yet 18. They went on to ask what they
could do to get other young people to vote. “I explained to them that they can start by doing a registration drive,” Dr. John Jackson said. A registration drive is an effort by a government authority for people to obtain an opportunity to vote early or on election day. “There are a couple of websites that they can start at to register, such as voteflorida.com,” Jackson said. story by traeshan brown
As Heavenlee Padilla slid her scantron into the scanner machine at the polls on Sunday Nov. 1, she felt a sense of relief. Like something she did actually matters. Finally, she thought, her complaints about the way things were going were backed up by the singular action that makes a direct impact. Voting. Her grandma was the one who told her it was time to vote. The senior had been planning to vote on Nov. 27, but work and deadlines packed her schedule to the brim, so she pushed the day she planned to vote farther and farther, until Sunday, when her grandmother asked her about her voting plan. “[I told her], I’ll just go vote next Thursday, but she was like, ‘Heavenlee you know you have to vote by Tuesday right?’” So, they went together that night, Padilla in a SpongeBob t-shirt and pink SpongeBob shorts. On the way to the polls, her Grandma gave her a cheat sheet on who to vote for in the local elections and they talked about the back of the ballot, which amendments would be there to vote for and what they meant. “My grandma is a very smart and educated woman and she motivates me to be a better person,” Padilla said. Now a nurse practitioner, her grandmother raised two kids on her own while working and going to school. And she has a lot of thoughts about the world around her. Padilla was raised in a political family. “In my family, [politics] is the discussion of every single dinner, breakfast, lunch,” Padilla said. When she’s introducing a new girlfriend to her family, she has to ask them not to get too much into politics. During the presidential campaigns in 2008
between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, Padilla, as a five-year-old, and her younger sister, Freshman Keyera Padilla, as a toddler, went with their parents to campaign door-to-door for Obama. After the 2016 election, their whole family stayed home from school and work for a day. Their mom couldn’t sleep for a week. Everyone was very upset. But when Padilla and her sister went to their charter school the next day, other students were happy and upbeat. A teacher yelled at Padilla for wearing an Obama shirt on the day of the election, then again later on for sitting outside while the rest of the eighth grade watched a live stream of Trump talking. Keyera got a referral for not standing up for the pledge of allegiance. Padilla knows that there’s a lot riding on this election for her. As an openly gay woman, she worries that if Trump wins again he may take away her freedom to marry whomever she wants. She’s also looking to enlist in the Navy after high school and doesn’t believe Trump makes the right decisions about war. “I do not want to be caught in a consistent war, and that is all [Trump] will do,” she said. She acknowledges that this election will impact a lot of other people too. On the way back home from the polling place, Padilla’s Grandmother told her that the worst people are those who complain about politics and then don’t vote. She agrees. “A lot of people don’t vote because they think, ‘Oh my vote won’t matter.’ That’s not true,” she said. “Stop complaining and sitting around, and do something. If you see something that you want to change, you vote.” story by asher montgomery
in result allow Dreamers to be deported. Finally, in 2018 he created a zero-tolerance policy for illegal border crossings, leading to mass detentions and family separations. Biden plans to overturn Trump’s family separation policies, as well as his Muslim immigration ban. He also believes that Dreamers should be immediately granted citizenship. He has called Trump’s attacks on immigrants “morally bankrupt” and “racist”.
Climate Change
Soon after Trump took office in 2016, he withdrew the United States from the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate, hence removing the U.S. from the plan to slow the use of greenhouse gases. The president has also repeatedly voiced his doubts about how much human activity has to do with climate change. On the other hand, Joe Biden believes that climate change “is the biggest threat to our security” and plans to commit the U.S. to zero-net carbon emissions by 2050. Climate change directly impacts our future — already the effects have been seen. Glaciers are melting, sea levels and temperatures are on the rise, droughts and heat waves are increasing. If action isn’t taken soon, it could be too late to reverse these effects.
Education
Biden wants to triple the funding for Title I, a federal program that funds schools with a high percentage of students from low-income families. He will require districts to use these funds to offer educators better salaries. By dramatically increasing the funding for this program, school districts and educators will now be able to allocate money to what they believe would be most beneficial to their communities as opposed to using a one-size-fits-all approach. Throughout Trump’s first term he has sought to decrease federal funds for K-12 education. In 2018, the proposed decreasing the Department of Education’s funding by 13.5 percent. compiled by sarah ellis
Honoring the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed,” said the notorious justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, just days before her unfortunate passing on Sept. 18, 2020. Going against her wishes, President Donald Trump pushed for the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett. His supporters have made merchandise that some see as a mockery of Ginsburg. An example is a “fill that seat” t-shirt created and sold shortly after her passing. With the controversy over Barrett’s nomination, it’s important that we take the time to look at Ginsburg’s life and what it meant, not only for women but for all Americans. Ginsburg first attended Cornell University where she earned a bachelor’s degree with high honors in government and distinction in all subjects. Ginsburg then went to Harvard Law School as one of only nine women in a class of over 500. She faced tons of misogyny throughout getting accepted as well in her schooling. She was an attorney, professor, scholar, mother, wife, fearless advocate for equality, feminist icon, and an esteemed Supreme Court Justice throughout her life. From appearing frequently in front of the Supreme Court arguing sex discrimination cases to being appointed as a Supreme Court Justice by President Bill Clinton, she became embraced by many people. Ginsburg accomplished many things, being a woman of many firsts, yet fought constantly to make sure others could have equality and follow in her path. She even made history when she became the first woman and Jewish person to lie in state on Sept. 25 at the U.S. Capitol, which means that her body was placed
inside the U.S Capitol so people could pay their respects. Although she was faced with tedious personal challenges, she never gave up. I’ve seen her represented on television from a young age, since before I could even walk. I’ve grown to study her and her past along with how she shaped our country today, and it has caused me to find her as none other than a hero; she’s somebody I look up to and always will. With news of her passing, myself along with many of the world grieve in such a remarkable woman and we are left wishing to uphold her legacy. May her memory be a blessing and peace be upon her. tribute by eden kay graphic by asher montgomery
10
November 2020
EDITORIAL
What it’s like...
It’s weird. It’s asking yourself if it’s okay clear your throat with a cough or will people think you have the virus. It’s everyone turning to look at the person who sneezes. It’s not knowing what the bottom half of your peers’ faces look like anymore. It’s a teacher asking for everyone with braces to raise their hands, just so she knows. Its thinking, “Oh crap, my mask!” when you’re already halfway to school from the parking lot, then turning around to race back to your car to grab it. Its panting through your mask on the climb up to the 300 hall. Or, it’s looking at a computer all day. It’s seeing your teacher in a box on the screen and not always knowing what’s going on. It’s trying to participate, but in the seconds it takes you to click the tiny microphone on the bottom left of the screen to unmute yourself, someone else has already answered the question and the class is beginning to move on. It’s being late to a Zoom and waiting for the teacher to finally realize that there’s someone in the waiting room. It’s feeling the absence of friends at lunch and reminiscing about how much fun and loud and full lunches last year were. It’s having a “bubble” of friends that you trust to have your mask off around. It’s flinching in the hallways when you see someone wearing their mask under their nose or over their chins instead, or it’s being that person, hating masks and hating to have to wear one, so you just don’t. Its having too much weight on our ears. Our ears carry so much now a days. Glasses and earrings for some, and now masks, too. On top of that, they hear for us the weight of the world. We listen to disputes about politics that have divided the country, to our president telling white supremacists to “stand by,” to videos showing the traumatic deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police officers, to chants at a protest demanding justice, or to music to drown it all out. It’s wondering if there are any adults left anymore, adults we can trust to fix things that is. It’s considering what the future is going to be like, it’s knowing in the back of our minds that within our life time, Earth might become uninhabitable due to climate change, that our adult life will look nothing like those of our parents or our grandparents or of any generation before us. It’s knowing this, but it’s still not registering it in our minds. These abstract issues are hard to internalize. So, we’re swept away by the ins and outs of each day, when on a larger scale we know they don’t really matter. It’s a general feeling of anxiety and hopelessness mixed with just trying to be a high schooler. It’s wondering, waiting, anticipating for if and when things might return to normal. When we can gather in the gym for a pep rally and hear the deafening cheers of our peers and the glitchy music from the gym speakers again. When we can return to school at full capacity and leave our masks at home. When we can hug and kiss our parents and grandparents without worrying about the possibility of transferring a virus. It’s knowing, though, that we all have shared experiences. We’re here, a part of Hillsborough. And even from home, we’re together. It’s tough, awkward, strange and lonely but we’re all together, bonded through similar events, thoughts and emotions. Yeah, that’s what it’s like.
THIS EDITORIAL REFLECTS THE THOUGHTS OF OUR EDITORIAL BOARD WHICH IS WHY IT APPEARS WITHOUT A BYLINE. WE WELCOME YOUR LETTERS TO THE EDITOR DELIVERED TO ROOM 506 OR EMAILED TO HHSTODAY@ GMAIL.COM
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11
OPINION
November 2020
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Should Florida be reopening from COVID-19 now? Yes, it’s about time
We have been locked in our houses for almost eight months now and yes while coronvirus is important and we need to act accordingly, it’s time to wrap this up. Obviously, everyone should be wearing their masks but its time to let people out of their houses. Most people are concerned about getting sick but if you follow the guidelines there really shouldn’t be an issue. Putting the world on lockdown only makes the economy worse and the depression levels sky-rocket. If weren’t for apps like TikTok I firmly believe that the suicide rates would’ve spiked. No one can be kept in their houses for extended periods of time without contact to the human world and be okay. Not to mention all the quarantine weight everyone has gained from being so bored out of their skulls all they can do is eat. After being stuck in our homes Covid19 will be the least of our problems. We’ll be too busy with obesity, heart disease, and suicidal thoughts. Especially when all that we used to know was being in overpopulated businesses of downtown Tampa and Ybor. Not to mention the fact that people are too scared to even see their families. Grandparents dying without seeing their kids and grands. The education that students get also suffers. Students doing brick and mortar as well as e-learning running into their own trials and tribulations. People get sick every single day. There is literally a time of year referred to as ‘flu season’. It’s unavoidable. If you’re one of those people who are immunocompromised, or you just don’t want to catch the virus then stay home. Regardless of your decision you should be able to choose. You can provide all the facts and information in the world. Whether or not the choose to listen to what is right in front of them is a decision they’ll have to live with. At the end of the day it’s just natural selection. So wear your mask, follow the guidlines, but get out of the house.
No, we aren’t ready
Federal and state government officials have been working remotely to determine how to safely reopen the economy, but these “plans” are filled with uncertainty. The government’s response to COVID-19 is an issue that has caused a massive uproar throughout the country and now leaves us with an overwhelming question of whether or not we should be reopening now. Governor Ron DeSantis announced his plan on Sep. 25 for Florida to be reopened in Phase 3. This simply means that businesses such as: restaurants, bars, gyms, etc. can open back up to full capacity. Florida should not be reopening for a number of reasons. Almost everyone knows that Florida has a high rate of cases, and we’ve had our abnormally high spikes from time to time considering the virus is unpredictable. This just goes to show that our state isn’t ready. Since the reopening plan has been in play for a while, it seems that history is repeating itself, not even just in Florida. According to data from Johns Hopkins University and CNN, there have been spikes in cases and deaths across our nation. With around 69,967 new cases per day, the week-average of new cases is at the highest it’s been since the beginning of the pandemic. This brings the national death rate to 225,720. In Florida, cases have also risen in the past two weeks. Data from Google News reports that Florida’s total cases on Oct. 13–26 is 1,037 with 45,989 deaths. The main reason for reopening is the economy. Since the country started shutting down for the pandemic, the economy has had a dramatic decline which has caused controversy all over. Obviously, we live in pretty much what you could call a capitalist country, therefore the economy is very important to many Americans. I completely understand wanting to reopen for money, that’s just how our minds are derived to think. Nevertheless, this doesn’t change the fact that many citizens are getting sick and dying every day because of this pandemic and our nonchalant responses to it.
column by kylie smith
column by eden kay
Has COVID-19 distracted us from other important issues like the BLM movement?
graphic by isha modha
The death of George Floyd on May 25 began a new chapter in America’s history. Floyd’s last words, “I can’t breathe,” were being chanted at protests and painted on posters all over the country. The Black Lives Matter movement (BLM) began after the death of Trayvon Martin in 2012, when Martin was shot and killed by his father’s neighbor George Zimmerman for looking suspicious. BLM continued to grow with the racially motivated deaths of black people in the United States has become a norm that Black people are questioned by authority for looking like someone or that they “fit the description of.” The term “Police Brutality” began showing up on social media and at protests. Police Brutality was always happening on the other side of your door, we just didn’t notice because we weren’t seeing it on our Instagram feed. During the protests of this summer, the police, the people who are being paid to protect us were doing the opposite, using excessive force on those exercising their first amendment rights. Hashtags like #BLM, #Blackouttuesday and others were a trend for about two months till the world “returned to normal.” People who argue that BLM means that black lives matter MORE, are wrong. It means that all lives don’t matter until black lives do. The “All Lives Matter” and “Blue Lives Matter” movements ignore the oppression
black people face due to the systematic racism present in the police force of this country. The Black Lives Matter organization is not saying the lives of everyone else doesn’t have purpose or isn’t as important as our own, BLM is saying that the lives of Black Americans are not being treated the same as the lives of White Americans. People backing the “Blue lives matter” and “All lives matter” movement use the hatred they have for black Americans to justify the fact as to why so many of us are still being killed. Police officers are given too much authority that they go overboard, and the power consumes them. The black lives of America are not something you should address once on by Instagram or twitter then pretend like it doesn’t happen. Although not every Black person has gone through the same situation, as a society we must know what’s right and what’s wrong. Deciding not speaking out on the matter contributes to the problem. With everything going on in the world with COVID-19 and the presidential election, it’s almost as if the BLM movement isn’t being cared about as much anymore. This generation is growing to stand up for what we believe in; we cannot forget the lives innocently lost. Knowing this, we must continue to fight for equality. story by mercy ogunsola
12 November 2020
ENTERTAINMENT
The most creative update yet The new iOS 14 update dropped on Sep.16 and its one of Apples biggest iOS updates to date. This new update includes home screen design changes, Siri improvements, picture in picture video, inline replies to messages, compact phone calls, a new translation app and much more. The main feature that I was the most excited about was the customizable widgets and the ability to hide screens. While this is a great new feature, the edit widget button doesn’t include the option to resize the widget once it’s been placed meaning you have to go through the process of deleting the widget in order to make one of a different size. Another feature I found useful is the ability to hide screens. I found that this was a good idea as I have tons of apps I don’t use and I’m tired of looking at. When I do need them, I can scroll all the way to the right to the app library and access the apps without them taking up another home page. Siri has also been redesigned to where the voice assistant no longer takes up the entire display. instead, it will instead appear as banners
that appear at the top of the screen the voice assistant can also send audio messages. I never really understood why Siri needed to take up the whole screen and felt that the voice to text option never came out so having the ability to send voice messages is a great thing because you don’t have to worry about your message coming out completely wrong. One long awaited feature for many iPhone users, including myself, is the picture in picture feature, which allows for you to watch a movie, show or video on a small section of the screen while navigating other apps on your device. I find that being able to watch Netflix while scrolling through social media is one thing that was mainly missing from iPhones. Having to switch between watching a movie and answering messages on Instagram is a pain for me because by the time I finished answering messages I have missed most of what was going on during the movie. Since this feature is new, it only is supported by a few apps including Netflix, Podcasts, Safari, iTunes, Facetime and Apple TV.
21 Savage’s new album reveals his potential
“SAVAGE MODE II” by 21 savage and Metro Boomin, is a follow up album from Savage Mode which was released in 2016. The album has features from artists such as Drake and Young Thug. One thing that sets the album apart from others, is the monologues from Morgan Freeman. Freeman appears in the intro and interlude. The album puts light on challenges and experiences 21 Savage has faced. The beats and lyricism bring out the emotions that you don’t always get in rap albums. When starting the album, Morgan Freeman’s monotone voice starts a monologue, speaking of how great men come together and lift each other. “Whether they are two or two billion, the greatest their numbers could ever become, is to truly become one.” he says. Savage Mode II is a massive advancement in Savages work. When compared to his other albums, the new album shows more emotion and reality, when previous tracks were mainly about material things, like money and drugs. Metro Boomin’s production on the project went above and beyond. The beats go perfectly with the lyricism of each song, matching the emotions.
One of the most popular songs from the album “Mr. Right Now,” featuring Drake, puts the two artists talent together perfectly. The flows and lyricism that go perfectly with the beat, makes it a stand out track. One of the most iconic tracks is “Snitches and Rats (Interlude),” in which Morgan Freeman has a monologue where he speaks on the difference between a rat and a snitch. The track refers to the rapper 6ix9ine who caused a lot of drama in the past year, for being put on trial and ratting out his friends and other rappers. The track may not be the most listened to but is one of the most influential songs on the album. Overall, the album is some of Savage’s best work, showing his full potential. The album is a fan favorite and will likely be one of the most influential albums of 2020, for the lyrics, flow, and relatability. story by marley lambert photo courtesy of creative commons
Two things that I always found annoying with past updates was that they never included the ability to reply directly to texts in a thread format and incoming calls taking up the whole screen. This new update resolves both of these annoyances, as phone calls now show up at the top of the screen as a banner. You can now hold down on a text message and then choose reply which will then show the original message in a different color so that you can keep track of the thread. Another notable feature is apples new translation app which can work offline and can translate in 11 languages. The built-in translation app has a simple and easy to use interface, allowing you to easily switch between languages. The app also has the option to paste/type text or speak and have it translated. The best part of the new translation app is that it will read out translations which can help those who speak another language and it can also help you learn proper pronunciation. These features can come in handy when doing homework for foreign
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language classes such as Spanish and French. Overall the iOS 14 update came with many new design elements and is by far one of the best updates to date the updates new features lead to a cleaner home screen and overall better iPhone experience. review by kaylee robinson homescreens by kylie smith and carolina tortorelli
History’s full circle: the trial of Chicago 7
Fast paced and witty, Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago Seven,” reiterates the idea that history doesn’t move in a linear direction, but more so a cyclical one. The “Chicago Seven”, consisting of defendants Abbie Hoffman (Sacha Baron Cohen), Jerry Rubin (Jeremy Strong), Tom Hayden (Eddie Redmayne) and four others, were a group of anti-Vietnam war protesters of whom were charged with conspiracy and crossing state lines with the intention of inciting riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. To avoid confusion, there’s the premise for the film. Like many historical movies, context is key. This movie is no exception; so much so that it almost seems like the director
has thrown you right into the past and said “have fun!” while you try to decipher the events unfolding before your eyes. At the start of the film, the audience is thrust into the mayhem of 1968 America. Starting off with president Lyndon B. Johnson’s controversial announcement of his plan to severely increase the amount of American troops in Vietnam, you’re immediately faced with the Chicago Seven’s central issue: the Vietnam War, or more specifically, the president’s policies surrounding it. While the film started off as a bit of a whirlwind, waiting it out was well worth it. As The Trial of the Chicago 7 chugs on, the audience is able to watch the story unravel. Thanks to the help of Tom Hayden’s flashbacks, the viewer is able to see what actually occurred at the 1968 protests and why it became a national issue. As the eight defendants — including Bobby Seale (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), who was later declared as a mistrial — sit through the prejudiced rulings of Judge Julian Hoffman (Frank Langella) for months on end, tensions boil and realizations come to light. As the trial went on, it became increasingly
political. “I’ve never been on trial for my thoughts before,” Abbie Hoffman said. The fact that this movie was released in 2020 could not have been any more perfect. Hoffman’s Orwellian quote, while originally uttered more than 50 years ago, could have just as likely come from the mouth of a Black Lives Matter advocate this summer. This quote accentuates one of the central goals of the film: to have the audience ponder how free freedom really is. At the end of the day, however, Sorkin wanted the viewers to be able to take away that the motivation behind an action is what’s most important. In the case of the Chicago Seven, the fatalities at the hands of the Vietnam War was their central motivation. “Your honor, since this trial began, 4,752 U.S. troops have been killed in Vietnam,” Hayden said. “And the following are their names.” The Trial of the Chicago 7 reminds the audience to stay true to their motivation, and to not forget what they’re fighting for. story by sarah ellis photo courtesy of creative commons
November 2020
FASHION
DRIP
13
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ON CENTRAL
RIGHT Freshman Victorian Cotter wears a mid length black dress wish fishnet sleeves and leggings. The dress has a purple logo on it and she carries a black and pink stuffed cat. Both match the hairclips in her hair. She accessorises the outfit with black boots and a choker. “I like wearing darker clothes because I feel the most comfortable in it,” Cotter said. BOTTOM Freshman Alianna Ortiz wears a long sleeve fishnet shirt tucked into a high waisted army green skirt. She pairs the outfit with black high heel boots. “I like this outfit because it has a bit of flare, but still looks normal enough for school,” Ortiz said. To match her shirt, she wears fishnet leggings. Her outfit is all black with the dark green skirt, which makes the outfit dark, but not overly done. The outfit is completed with golden dangling earings amd black belt.
TOP Freshman Johanna Barnett poses outside her class in the hallway, pairing a fishnet shirt and black tanktop with chains around her neck and waist. The outfit is inspired by the recent alt trends on social media. “The pops of red and gold in my outfit bring it together” Barnett said. BELOW Junior Caleb Pierce wears a pink button up dress shirt theat is paired with a pink and grey neck tie. The outfit is competed with leather dress shoes. Pierce dresses up every football game day.
BELOW Senior Mykel Woodruff is in a black and blue floral button up shirt witha bow tie and dress shoes. He dresses up every game day for football. The shirt is tucked into dress pants with a belt, bringing alll aspects of the outfit together.
compiled by marley lambert
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SPORTS Girls volleyball wins district championship
November 2020
TOP Senior Leira Rodriguez tips the ball over the opponent team’s block. LEFT The girls bend their knees as they prepare to defend the other team’s serve. RIGHT Fort Meyers attempts to block the ball as senior captain Sophia Ousley passes it over the net.
hhstoday.com
As they step on the court, there is focus on their eyes, and victory on their minds. They spent countless hours of practice, training, conditioning, and even doing 19 suicide sprints during a serving drill. It was rocky in the beginning, with a new coach, a smaller team, and around three games per week, but the girls volleyball team did not only overcome those challenges, but went further than they have in many years. The varsity volleyball team started off the 2020 season strong, as they achieved win after win. With only one game lost against Strawberry Crest 3-1 sets, they advanced to districts with a total of 10 wins. Their first playoff game was against East Bay, which they had already defeated back on Sept. 24 on their senior night. They then proceeded through districts, and on Oct. 15, the Hillsborough High School Volleyball team won the championship against Leto and became the district champions for the first time in decades. “t’s an exhilarating feeling to win something so huge. It’s completely unreal to me still,” senior captain Brianna Drummond said. Eager to continue their journey further, the girls then advanced into regionals, where they faced even more challenging teams. After a win against Armwood at home on the first round of regionals, they played Plant city on the semi-finals on Oct. 28, and moved on to finals vs Ft. Meyers on Saturday, Oct. 31. “It was definitely our hardest and most competitive game of the season,” sophomore Lucy Pellenbarg said. Although they had a lead during the first two sets, their
main setter Angelica Ruiz was injured with a sprained ankle. That caused the team struggles, and they were not able to get back on track. “The only way to get a kill is with a great defensive play that sets up a great set so that we even have the ability to get a point,” Pellenbarg said. Pellenbarg is a middle hitter, but recognizes that good teamwork is necessary in order to make up a good play, and all positions play a huge role in getting the point. Besides being very skilled players on their own, the girls were also able to work together to improve and accomplish more than the Hillsborough girls volleyball team has ever seen. “I loved being able to play with the team and I felt really close with all of the girls. Practices, games, and team meals were all a lot of fun and there was never a dull moment. We were truly a team this year,” junior Lauren Novorska said. They not only became district champions for the first time in many years, but the team also moved on to regional finals for the first time in Hillsborough history. With a season filled with 15 victories and a new trophy for display, the 2020 volleyball season came to an end. story by carolina tortorelli photos by tammy nguyen
Crew team takes on the Head of the Headless Horsemen
TOP LEFT Seniors Sierra Sane and Aanya Gormon pose for a picture. Gormon, dressed as a pirate for this Halloween Regatta, placed first in her single. BOTTOM LEFT Coming up to the catch, Sophomore Kelemen Kovacs returns from his race down the Hillsborough river. Varisty rowers rowed 3500 meters for their race. TOP MIDDLE Freshman Kai Figueroa checks behind him as he bows a double. The crew team competed against five other teams at this event in doubles and singles races. Bigger boats have been prohibited by US Rowing due to the coronavirus pandemic. BOTTOM MIDDLE Dressed as the joker, Senior Alex Randall went all out for his costume this year. RIGHT Almost halfway through their race, Sophomores Evelyn Wooley and Chloe Jones row down the 1500 meter novice course. photos by sarah ellis and gianna settimi
November 2020
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SPORTS
hhstoday.com
Friday night, senior lights The varsity football team prepares to run on the field for their last home game of the season.
Ian Smith, junior drum major, conducts the band on the field during the halftime show.
Before the game starts, the cheer team poses for one last home picture with the seniors. BOTTOM Band performs stand tunes while the football team scores
TOP Junior Dancerette Hannah Nguyen performs during halftime. LEFT Senior Emma Zimmerman wears her senior sash and garter while she performs at Hillsborough one last time before she graduates.
TOP The cheer team performs chants and hypes up the crowd for the seniors. BOTTOM Junior Dominic Reaves celebrates after scoring a touchdown. Senior Gerald Tribling JR walks across the field with him mom as the crowd cheers on the seniors
Varsity football recap HHS @ Armwood- L 56-10 HHs vs Brandon- W 72-0 HHS vs King- W 52-18
HHS @ Jefferson- W 17-13 HHS @ Spoto- W 62-0 photos by tammy nguyen and morissey montgomery
COVER Freshmen Francisco Garcia, Eli Mohabir, Sophia Hayder, Adriana Martinez Sanchez and Sharon Mancias watch the senior night football game from the stands on Oct.23 photo by eden kay
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