Us Winter 2023

[R&B] Winter 2023

Hey,

Nice to see you here. I’m just here to tell you a few things before you go on reading.

It all started with a simple question a few years back.

IftheRed&Blackwroteastoryabout you,whatwoulditbeabout? And every single year since we try to answer that question.

It is our second year using colorful backdrops for our photography. ere’s a deeper reason for this choice. Not only does it make the process of creating this magazine more manageable and creative, but it also helps us answer the question from the beginning.

Photos tell stories, and hopefully, our simple photography gets to do that.

e plain background in the photos makes our eyes focus on the person in front of it. It helps us appreciate the intricate features of a person, something that we usually overlook.

e photos highlight individuals that you see in the hallways every day. e very same people that make this school special. is magazine is essentially telling the stories about US.

e stories of our hobbies. Stories about our passions, the things that motivates US. Stories of our personal achievements, our experiences, and our conditions.

In this issue, you will nd stories about artists, athletes, musicians, teachers, leaders, and much, much more.

Hopefully, you might learn a thing or two about some of the individuals that make the school what it is.

And as always, happy reading.

About the Cover

For this year’s US magazine, the cover uses cutouts to represent the uniqueness and ambiguity of those around us in our school and in the world. Every person has a story- this magazine simply touches on a select few. The photos, taken by Jaden Mancini and Mathew Moreno, help to highlight each individual’s character and personality using colorful backgrounds to make the profiles pop. As you read, you can fill in the spaces and learn about some of the individuals that make up our Hillsborough High School community.

Mathew Moreno Morissey Montgomery

Josephine Smith

Jaden Mancini Lia Rojas

Kalyse Cromartie, Roberto Jackson, Sophia Jelks, Anh Le, Tamie Nguyen, Nia Randell, Beatriz Tortorelli, Aiden Sanders, Ace Valitutto, Kaylee Robinson, Isela Alvarado, Layla Hines, William Johnson, Madelyn Perrone, Vausi Smith, Bella Pease

Jaden Mancini, Mathew Moreno

Selena Ward

Special thanks to Scott Toner, Neal Mobley, Terry Bigelow, Suzanne Cooks and Kevin Gordon.

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OTIS CURRY-MILLER

KEVIN GIBSON

DYLAN DIAZ

AMANDA SERRANO

NIHARIKA KOTHAPALI

CHRISIAN SANTIAGO

ASHLEY TRAN

SAMANTHA HINES

ADRIANNA RODRIGUEZ

ISAAC PENA

AIDEN MORALES

AMANDA SALGADO

TANISHQ KALRA

FABRIZIO FARFAN

SPENCER HENSEL

SHAWN MEEKS

PHOUNG LAM

DEANA EPPS

TANISHA TANEJA

KATELYN QUIAMBAO

NATE HOFFMAN

LINDA WILSON

GRANT CASSILLAS

JAEDEN WILSON

TORI DAWKINS

MARQU’ONA ENGRAM

SHEILA BOYD

OTIS CURRY MILLER

It’s the seventh-grade, spring break. Home from school, your friends are busy, and you are stuck in your room watching YouTube. You click on the rst video in the queue. It’s a solo guitar cover of your favorite song and you get so inspired by the musician in the video who seems so enthusiastic that you decide to nally touch that dusty instrument you had laying around from when you were 8. Otis curry miller loves the guitar. “Me and my father bonded over it. We would both consider ourselves creatives and this was just something new we could do together” Curry said. He’s been playing for the past 5 years in and out of bands nally settling in “Don’t Elaborate” the band that he and his friends created. To share their sound with the rest of the world, they plan on releasing music soon in the next coming months.

“I like it because it is unique like it is di erent for everyone who tries it. I love the creative process of writing songs and performing them especially when we our doing our gigs,” Curry said. “Don’t listen to what everybody has to say. Play the instrument that you like the most and try to make a new sound with it,” Curry said. In Otis’s case, his choice of instrument is the Gibson SG, perfect for the alternative music he likes to play. He likes a lot of indie rock and shoe gaze. He’s been inspired by his favorite bands like Pavement, the Smashing Pumpkins, and Velvet Underground. He plans to continue his love for music and his guitar in the future by going to college and getting a music industry degree. He wants to go to Loyola in New Orleans and the degree he’s following is in music production and recording.

CURRY

Sophomore Kevin Gibson views every day as an opportunity. An opportunity to make someone smile, to give someone advice, to li someone up.

By the end of the rst semester, Gibson’s voice has become familiar to most B lunch students.

As he runs onto the H Patio, students look up from their lunches, excited to see what he has planned for the day. For many, watching Gibson dance on the H Patio is one of the highlights of their school day. Gibson considers himself a performer. He dances, does pushups, and acts out scenes from his favorite anime shows for the entertainment of others.

Gibson takes pride in his above-average performance in school as well. He credits this to his hard work and determination in his classes. Even more than this, Gibson nds grati cation in helping others.

“ e fact is, I just like helping kids in the school,” he said, “I’m nice and kind.”

Outside of school, Gibson enjoys updating his TikTok and YouTube channels, playing video games, and watching anime.

One of his favorite things to post is videos where he interviews other people in school or gives advice to his followers.

“I just like going around and walking around and doing my thing- it’s what I do best. I just really like interviewing,” Gibson said.

Gibson occasionally notices that some students think this practice of making TikToks in school is strange, but he doesn’t let it get to him at all. Instead, he focuses on what is enjoyable for him and what makes him happy, and advises others to do the same.

KEVIN GIBSON

DYLAN DIAZ

A er a hyperin ation in Venezuela, senior Dylan Diaz moved to the U.S. with his family to start a new life. In 2014, the beginning of the school year, 9-year-old Dylan would begin – in the U.S.

“At the time I couldn’t even process that we were moving, I thought we were going on a vacation,” Diaz said.

e economy had gotten bad in Venezuela, to the point where it was hard to earn good money. His parents saw an opportunity up here so they moved. During the move, his family only took necessities and valuables, leaving all the furniture behind. He felt sad having to leave his friends and family behind but knowing his current life and friends he would choose to move every time. He still remembers the memories fondly.

“

e teachings were very di

erent,” Diaz said.

In Venezuela, they don’t learn about U.S. history. Since he was so young, Venezuelan history wasn’t really cemented into his head so he doesn’t remember as much. A history has stuck with him. Learning U.S history has taught Diaz to see from di erent perspectives.

Before moving, Diaz and his sister took English lessons to prepare for the move. For the English. Whenever the teacher would call his name, he would just stare. He has heavily improved since then but he still has his little mishaps.

“I never feel not included, I feel like I

t in,” Diaz exclaimed.

e U.S. is known for its diversity of people. You will nd many di erent people of di erent races and ethnicities everywhere. He likes to learn about others cultures as well as teaching about his own. He does have moments where being an immigrant isolates him from some conversations. his friends’ experienced things that he couldn’t which makes him feel isolated. Otherwise, the safer and more inclusive environment is something that he loves.

AMANDA SERRANO

As you walk into the culinary terrier café you are immediately aware of the students hard at work in the kitchen, you hear the clatter of dishes as students skillfully move around the kitchen as they start prepping for the upcoming lunch rush consisting of preparing several orders for

Senior Amanda Serrano has always had a passion for culinary and has been in culinary since her freshman year. While she admits that she originally joined culinary thinking it would be like how it’s portrayed in movies and tv shows, with students working at stations baking and decorating cakes and deserts, she soon realized there was more to it

and fell in love with the class.

Serrano has done the basics such as prepping vegetables and forming burgers upon receiving her ServSafe. Having her national registry certi cation moved her to do bigger tasks such as learning the menu and being part of the group that makes lunch for students

Having bigger and faculty.

Serrano is a station lead and line cook on the salad side, and while it may not sound like much it’s just as important as any other job within the kitchen. As a station lead and line cook, she’s in charge of salads, quesadillas, Cuban sandwiches, soups, and several other items found on the lunch menu. Serrano says that when working in the kitchen no job is small as everyone has a role to play.

Having Culinary twice a day during 4th and 5th period means that Serrano gets lots done and is consistently honing her culinary skills. Among nishing student orders, cleaning equipment and dishes, as well as cleaning up the kitchen. Serrano feels that many people don’t realize how similar the terrier cafe is to other restaurants erence between the two is that the Terrier café doesn’t er a dine-in option like other restaurants. However, Serrano’s involvement in culinary doesn’t end with her participation as a member of the HHS Culinary program.

Serrano also has a job at the restaurant Little Greek and while she never believed that she could love working in the food industry, she has come to love the fast-paced and chaotic environment and hard work that’s required to succeed in the

Serrano attributes her ability to easily get a job within the food industry to her experience and certi cations gained throughout her time in culinary as it helped her learn the basics such as kitchen protocols, correct food temperatures, and overall kitchen management tactics needed to run an

Serranos many tasks include people as the only di o while food industry. gained an e cient kitchen.

While Serrano loves being part of the culinary problem and loves her job e food industry certainly isn’t for everyone it takes dedication hard-work and patience to work in such a di cult eld but the satisfaction comes from seeing customers enjoy the food you prepared which makes it all worth it.”

at Little Greek she said, “

Serrano

SERRANO

Childhood is something special to some. Where you are free to be immature and learn to grow. Before you fall down from the childhood sky and into the adult world. You will encounter many childhood memories along the way.

As for sophomore Niharika Kothapalli, her most profound memory was seeing snow for the rst time.

From an early age, she has always wished to see and touch snow. She longed to enjoy the cold of the beautiful winters, but she could only see it through cartoons. When she was in 2nd grade, her family decided to move to the United States from India.

“It was an early winter day in New Jersey, my mom woke me up to see it,” she said. ose days in her childhood are like an old movie, blurry and fuzzy, the joy is clear, but the image is blurry. Only the memories of her family playing in the snow are clear.

“When I rst came to America, I felt like my dream had come true for an eight-year-old girl,” she said.

Kothapalli and her brother were playing around in the snow and sledding down a small hill near their house with his friends. ey tried to make a snowman, but it just kept falling apart. It was one of her best experiences and she felt so happy. She spent the entire day playing in the snow to the point when she had to soak her hands and legs in warm water because they were numb. She kept wanting to play even though she was getting super cold and sick. at was one of the best memories from her childhood.

“I have been spending my rst moment in America with my family and I felt at home and comfortable again,” Kothapalli said.

Now she’s grown up. But when she comes back to that place, she does not know why she can’t laugh like she used to. Maybe because it was the rst experience. at’s what makes childhood memories so precious

Because it’s something that can only be recalled but cannot be experienced again. She will always experience nostalgia, but also for the future ahead. A bright future with reunions and happiness.

KOTHAPALLI NIHARIKA

CHRISTIAN SANTIAGO

rings me,”

While most students at Hillsborough High School leave their classroom when the bell rings at 3:25 p.m., Christian Santiago has already le . Santiago was diagnosed with Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, which is a genetic disorder that results in a shortened trunk, posture, and limbs. “Movement and sometimes breathing might be the hardest parts for me,” Santiago said. Due to his condition, he has trouble traveling from place to ects his breathing.

Physical activities can be the greatest challenge in Christian’s life, being stressful overall. However, he really likes sports and has joined the School’s Crew team as a Coxswain, which is someone who steers the boat

place and his asthma a Physical be challenge overall. a and makes calls on directions.

“Especially when I try to do something like the simplest things as going to the kitchen to grab something or doing the dishes, I have to get a stool,” Santiago said. Having to get used to climbing things to reach when no alternative is available has also become a part of his everyday life. Another challenge Santiago is faced with and it may get frustrating, some people not understanding or not realizing what to expect when they rst meet him about what he can or cannot do.

Santiago overcomes this challenge mainly through his motivation to prove people wrong when his ability to do a certain activity or skill is doubted.

is a frustrating, what expect through a activity

ortless advantage at nding good hiding spots, one of his favorite games to play is hide-and-seek. One of his favorite experiences was at Hooch, when Santiago and his friends played the game and he hid with the students’ backpacks, where no one found him. Another advantage Santiago gets from his di erent point of view is scaring people unexpectedly, since many times his friends do not notice him walking by.

“Mainly no one looks down, so it is always fun watching people jump when they notice.”

For Christian, he is happy with his condone, although it gives him limitations, he gets to see the world from a erent point of view. It’s all a matter of perspective.

Since August, Senior Ashley Tran can be found walking into classes every Monday, each with a di erent focus as she takes part in the Tampa Police Explorers program. But she hadn’t always planned to join the program. In fact, she hadn’t heard about it till her mom received a call over the summer asking if she would be interested in the police explorer’s youth program.

Tran decided to join the explorer’s program in hopes of gaining more information and skills that will translate to her future profession. While in the program she has made many connections with higher-ups and has received trainings that will go hand in hand with her goal of becoming a future cop and guaranteeing the safety of others as well as learning how to ensure her safety as well.

As part of the police explorers’ program, Tran takes part in a number of training and is required to volunteer around the community as part of service details in which she must have at least 10 hours a month of community service. As part of her required service hours, she has been able to volunteer at a number of community events such as the Memorial 5k run, fall festival, and Santa’s workshop, handing out toys to children in need.

“Getting to interact with my community and being able to help people is something I really enjoy and thanks to this program I can really get out and do things within my community,” Tran said.

roughout her time in the program, Tran has learned several skills and has attended many pieces of training. Training includes how to handle tra c stops, domestic violence, and active shooters. Tran also has learned a series of codes and signals necessary for her future profession.

While Tran mainly joined the program so that she could learn and utilize the skills required to become a cop, she has also taken part in many courses that have earned her certain certi cations such as one in CPR and she currently working on her gun safety and shooting certi cation.

Even though Tran has only been in the program for a few months, she had made a good impression and was even awarded Explorer of the month. is award is given to explorers who go above and beyond. Her superiors describe her as committed and say that she never hesitates to volunteer and exhibits a positive attitude and encourages those in her unit to do the same.

ASHLEY TRAN

ADRIANNA RODRIGUEZ

She is colorful like her art and bold as any athlete can be. She cannot be stopped. Anything she does, she does it with passion and courage. She was born with a right club foot, but that still didn’t stop her. Her early life was full of surgeries, casts, and braces, even before she turned a year old. is early disability made walking a struggle for her. She had to learn to walk later than most kids usually do. She had to wear a brace on her right leg up until when

she was 9 years old. rst

But seeing her mom run in marathons not only inspired her to run for herself, but to always keep going in life, and not let any obstacles a ect her future. When she was around the age of 6, she ran her rst 5k with her mom. Since then, she has not stopped counting her life in miles.

“My love for running comes from my mom,” Rodriguez said. She joined the cross country and track team in her freshmen year and is still going as a senior. She runs because of her mom and does art because of her dad. She had a great deal of in uence on art and expression from her dad and uncle, who both went to the Rochester Institute of technology

Her style is mostly pop art and illustrations.

Realistic grayscale drawings pose a challenge for her, and though she has done this style in the past, color has a special place in her heart. With a bright and colorful perspective, she loves to play. She likes setting her computer on her dining table with Net ix or a movie on, while she works on her art projects. She usually watches any movie, from action/revenge to chick icks. Her favorite movie to watch is “ e Sandlot.”

Realistic she to while she her watches movie, chick “ very

SAMANTHA

RODRIGUEZ

Samantha Hines loves to paint and play soccer. ey aren’t just hobbies for her, they mean a lot more. Hines’s hobbies have even helped her through her brother’s death.

“Painting is special to me because it represents my brother and it’s just a way to represent what I love doing and even in paintings there’s always something that represents him,” she said. Hines paints pop art and even sells her paintings in restaurants.

“I taught myself from a younger age to paint and I did it to get my mind o stu , it was kind of like a stress reliever for me.” Not only did soccer really help her but also painting. Even though she sells her painting the money doesn’t mean much, what she really cares about is the painting itself. “My dad realized I could paint, and he bought me canvas and I started posting my artwork, I was drawing NFTS, and then I started selling my artwork”. Meaning Hines went from making artwork to posting it, then to selling it. Even though she hasn’t painted in months, the painting will still be her favorite Hobbie and she will never stop painting. For soccer, it was a second home. “It’s a lot of fun, it’s de nitely like a community, it’s not even just like playing a sport it’s like we’re all friends like a second family, we make TikToks, we take photos, we laugh together, team meals together before every game, we carpool and listen to music.”“As a 9th grader, it helped me a lot like blend into Hillsborough, so it means a lot to be able to go to those people and spend time with them,” Hines said. “For me, going to practice and going to the games takes my mind o a lot of stu , it’s a distraction for me,” she said.

SAMANTHA HINES

ISAAC PENA

It was his rst High school football game, he was consumed with feeling nervous and excited. His heart could not stop racing, it felt as if it was going to burst right out of his chest.

Being a freshman and having that rst-time experience was nerveracking enough, but also being the only quads player meant that there was no room for error.

His rst “Friday Night Lights”, having the crowd cheering the band on, feeling the eyes of hundreds of people on him, he had to close his eyes, take a breath, and let his hands do all the work. A night that he will never forget. It was everything he could’ve imagined, the marching band and the drum line all performed perfectly, and he truly fell in love with the feeling.

You have heard the phrase “moving to the beat of your own drum”. In most cases, it’s a phrase that ies over people’s heads, but in senior Isaac Peña’s case, he takes it quite literally.

Peña grew a passion for music from an extremely young age. At the age of three Isaac’s curiosity began to wander, he would take pots and pans from his childhood kitchen and bang them together creating loud but surprisingly amusing beats. His parents saw how talented he was from such a young age. ey decided to buy him his rst drum set at the age of ve. Peña’s father has always reminded him growing up that he has potential with music in his future.

Peña knew playing the drums would lead him somewhere, he just wasn’t exactly sure how far. Growing up has allowed Peña to progress musically. At the age of three Peña began to play music in church, his father being a pastor helped contribute to that experience.

Around the age of ten Peña stopped playing music in church and transitioned to playing in school. He rst started learning music in the sixth grade at Memorial Middle School and was put in the symphonic band immediately.

He was soon awarded the most outstanding all years in middle school and was rst chair, meaning that he was considered the best and of the highest rank. From there he knew high school would be where he would truly prosper.

PENA

To Pena music is an escape from reality, he can just go into his own world. And when he makes music it’s a beautiful feeling for him, he embraces putting music together and just hearing his creation. Peña has attempted to create his own original music, however, in the near future he plans to take it more seriously and produce beats.

Entering the Big Red Marching Band during his freshman year has allowed Peña to expand his musical range with instruments. His main instruments are the drums, Isaac can play the snare drum, the tenor quads, the bass drum, the drum set, and more. Give him any type of drum and he can play it.

Pena plays all instruments that fall under percussion, so in addition to the drums, he plays Mallet instruments and Auxiliary instruments. As he became more musically inclined, he was rewarded with Drum-line Section Leader for his senior year. is position consists of Isaac leading and teaching others, he disciplines them and makes sure they are in line. e requirements for the position are an application that is examined and decided by Mr. Sims, Mr. McNeil, and Mr. T. Peña believes that he could really have a future with this and impact the world.

He believes that his musical abilities are a gi from God and knowing that he comes from a family of musicians it was expected. A music career path is something Pena will pursue, due to his range of instruments and other musical components he has many options. He can become a music producer, and music composer, and take those to a professional route. Achieving one of these career paths is his ultimate goal. Music is not just a hobby for Peña, nor just a passion. Music has been ingrained in Isaac and contributes to who he is as a person and whom he will become. In the near future, Pena plans to attend a four-year university in Tallahassee, in pursuit of joining the “Marching 100” at the infamous Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University or the “Marching Chiefs” at Florida State University.

Whichever school Pena attends, he knows he will prosper. Peña’s passion for music follows him into the classroom. Peña’s classmate Alani Rivera mentioned, “In class, you constantly catch Isaac tapping his foot, hands, or pencils making beats.”

It’s not unusual to see Peña in class, in the halls, or at football games. One way or another he will be playing music.

AIDEN MORALES

As the bell rings and most students go home for the day, Aiden Morales packs up his gear and heads over to the baseball eld. He dedicates almost all his a ernoons to what he cares about most, baseball. He’s played shortstop and pitcher since he came to Hillsborough in his Sophomore year.

Aiden found his love for the sport at an early age. His father introduced him to baseball when he was just ve and he joined a little league team called the Tigers in Citrus Park. Just a few years later, a er a lot of practice and hard work, he was chosen as one of the best players in the league of his age group to participate in the summer team, giving him the motivation to keep pursuing the sport. He continued to play through his rst year of high school, at Sickles, before deciding to switch to Hillsborough. He felt that the Hillsborough team was a much better t for him. e coaches were far more helpful, and his teammates were more welcoming. On one memorable trip when he was 12, he traveled with his team to Cooperstown, New York, famous for its baseball history. e park they played at is known for being easy to get home runs at because of the low fences, but he was struggling to get any throughout the trip.

“In our second to last game I nally got a home run, and I was super excited,” Aiden said. Aiden says his friends are one of the best parts of the sport. When he was on the little league team, he met his rst of many lifelong friends, Kyler Martin. “It gives you a lot of friendships. Some of my best friends have come from baseball.” His friends help get him through the hard days, especially at practice. When his coaches make the team run, he and his teammates complain together. When he strikes out, they help him talk it out, so it doesn’t a

ect the rest of the game.

e sport is quite challenging not only physically, but also mentally. Failure is a big part of baseball, and only getting to bat about four times each game means there are very few chances to get a good hit. “It’s really mentally challenging to play baseball because you’re gonna fail 70% of the time and to keep going even though you keep failing is really impressive. You’re gonna have a lot of rough days. You can go 0-4-4 strikeouts but the next day you can be amazing.” Aiden says staying positive is key to staying focused on the game. When he strikes out, he can’t let it get in his head too

game means

In the future, he wants to stay as close to baseball as possible. He plans on continuing with the sport in college, dreaming of playing at the University of South Florida or the University of Tampa. A

In the meantime, he’s working almost every day, as hard as possible, to be the best that he can be. His love of baseball and the support of others is what keeps him going. He looks up to Tampa Bay Rays player Brett Phillips for his attitude toward the game. “He [Phillips] is always having the most fun out there and always energetic, always bringing his teammates up.” Aiden o wears a shirt that says, “baseball is fun”. made by Phillips, is a testament to what Aiden loves about the sport, and why he plays: Simply because it’s fun, and what he really cares about is

though keep failing of next head much. Otherwise, it a ects how he plays the rest of the game. with South erward, Aiden wants to go into the sports medicine eld so that he’s able to stay involved. the others to player en e shirt, having a good time.

Tanishq is one of the few people to be a date savant to help him through his everyday life.

He says a date savant is a type of great memory which means he is able to recall dates and tell anyone what happened that day. One of Tanishq’s cool memories was his rst time driving a car with his mom on September 22, 2020, he remembers being scared but luckily his mom was there to help him through it. Being a date-savant can help him stay on top of his academics, but it does not mean he does not need any type of notes just because he has a great memory. He says his memory still gets a

little foggy when it comes to certain things, like what he has done throughout that day and what happened that day. He says he does not totally rely on his memory. Being a datesavant can help him in his classes by trying to remember certain dates in history or certain facts that one needs to remember.

Tanishq believes that being a date-savant can help anyone become a history teacher or any type of teacher because you will be able to recall anything really easily. One of the things he loves about being a date savant is reliving his family’s memory he can remember anything when going through pictures of his family it is like a walk down memory lane for him.

TANISHQ KALRA

AMANDA SALGADO

Politicians usually argue back and forth on policies, make a lot of promises, and spew out ideas to only get the support of people. Who “we the people” put in power greatly a ects day-to-day life. ey’re how we’re represented as a nation.

e political world is a confusing and di cult world to be a part of, despite that young scholar and aspiring politician Amanda Salgado wishes to dive in and right the wrongs our nation deals with today.

As a child, Amanda o en read books on the di cult experience of group of people. She says she read on injustices they faced and how they were mistreated and misrepresented. is sparked her interest and she wanted to make a change happen.

“I became interested in politics in the sense that I want to advocate and be a voice for the marginalized groups,” Amanda said.

As Amanda got older, her dedication to change only grew. She advocates for equal access to higher education for minorities, and for better lives for the poor and less fortunate. She wishes to shed light on how climate change strongly a ects low-income families and also to push for public housing for the poor.

Despite her young age, Amanda has already taken steps forward in achieving her goal to write the wrongs of this nation. Amanda has spoken with congress about protecting.

A rmative Action is the practice of favoring certain individuals that belong to the group who are o en seen as disadvantaged or discriminated against.

Amanda strives for change and beliefs in equality. She pushes for it and continues to hope that someday she will help achieve this through politics.

FABRIZIO FARFAN

People who know Fabrizio Farfan will, for the most part, agree that he is a funny guy. He is always cracking jokes and doing bits. Anybody could see the time he puts into making the people around him laugh. One way he spreads his passion for joy is through the Instagram page he runs, HHS Now.

In March 2022, Fabrizio had the idea to start a satire page about Hillsborough Highschool.

e name HHS Now was a spoof of the HHS Today Website and Instagram run by the school’s newspaper sta . He got the idea for the page from a popular satire news site online.

“I was reading a lot of the Onion, which is the grandfather of satire in America. I wanted to make something like that and I thought, why not apply it to my school.” Fabrizio said.

Since he created the page about a year ago it has gained a lot of traction with his classmates. People will repost the fake news stories and satirical videos he creates and uploads to Instagram. His most popular post was about the bathroom escorts at the beginning of the school year and it got over 400 e page itself has nearly 800 followers and

“People know the page, they don’t know me as much as they know that one funny Instagram

page,” Fabrizio said. Many times he will hear people talking about the page or reposting it without realizing that he is the metaphorical man behind the curtain.

He likes having that platform to express himself referring to it as a “playground” where he can post and experiment with di erent forms of comedy. Comedy and Humor in general have been a tool he used to bring himself out of his shell.

“ at’s how I make a lot of new friends and meet new people, with my humor,” He said. People like that he makes them laugh. e HHS Now page allowed him to share his comedic talent with more realize that he was a funny guy and a good friend.

An Instagram page he started for fun has now become a Hillsborough Highschool staple. It would not have ever happened without the creativity and

SPENCER HENSEL

Years ago, in a garage with a couple of other kids, Spenser Hensel started art classes. His mother signed him up when he was seven and he went once a week. Over time, he got better, and he enjoyed seeing himself grow as an artist and his He took these lessons all the way to high school, getting better and better

Some things like watercolor don’t exactly t what he likes to do, but he likes to dissect the look and feel of the art and accomplish how they made that speci c medium or piece. He gets this trait of dissecting from his father, who liked to take nd out exactly how they worked.

Eventually, because of his childlike nature and having his own children, he wanted to share an experience with them. He said the reason for wanting to make a book like this was because of his childlike nature. He enjoys many of the same things children do, like bright colors and animated movies, so he feels like he can connect more to them. He began to research other children’s book artists and learn more about how

nature.

is made him even more excited to make something like that of his own. He began to start working on his own book with his wife, with her writing and him drawing. ough they help each other with their roles to make sure the book comes

Coach Hensel has many inspirations for his book, but he can’t pick just one. Works like “Float”, “If I had a dream”, and other works have helped him with his own work. Especially since he enjoys their styles and illustrations. ey still have room to improve, and they do face issues since it’s a new thing for both, but they have fun making ough they don’t really know if they’ll get it picked up by a

of other it.

publisher or not.

they hope to

Coach Hensel and his wife don’t have a release date yet, but nish it by the end of 2023. Until then, they’ll keep it nish the illustrations in time.

SHAWN MEEK

In 2009, during the bird u epidemic, Coach Meeks was stuck in his dorm room. He was a freshman in college and had nished all his work from his professors. With nothing to do and tons of time, he started to read a lot in the quarantine. One of those books was the Bible, and at that moment everything clicked. What he read in the Bible ceased to just be stories written thousands of years ago and started to feel real. He started to devote himself to Christianity and work through these new feelings. He started to go to a Christian school called Southeastern University for Soccer since he didn’t really approve of his coach or his teammates at his former school. As he moved to the school he began to learn even more about the religion, and he even got baptized. He grew more appreciation for the religion, and he became even more devoted. It was a little awkward with his family though, less so with his mother. She grew up in a church setting, so she accepted this turn easily. His father has some bad experiences with religion, but he respected his son’s decision to make his own choices. Now, Coach Meeks believes in spreading the gospel and trying to give truth to people, but he doesn’t push beliefs on people. He leads by example and spreads love wherever he can.

PHUONG LAM

LAM

Sketching away and painting skillfully using cool and warm colors owing along the blank canvas. Yet another beautiful masterpiece created by Phuong Lam. At a young age, Lam has done many art projects and entered in many contests. As she entered high school, she never thought about considering pursuing art as a career because of fearing her mother’s approval and the dissatisfaction of hating her own artwork. She doesn’t want to disappoint her mother or begin to hate her own work, a er putting a lot of time and e ort into making a piece that won’t live up to her expectations. Although, a er some time resolving and considering what she wanted to do with her future, she decided to take the opportunity to pursue art because she realized it’s something that she enjoys doing and appreciates it more. “It’s also a great stress reliever and helps me pull out of a funk.” Lam said. As she’s the coordinator of the recent murals around the school, the murals are a project created by herself to help raise money to donate to a charity called Arts4All, a Florida based art charity that helps provide and support for art programs in schools. Each mural was commissioned by teachers to have an appealing artwork representing the class on the empty walls and windows around the school. “ ere are many blank spaces or un nished murals that need to be touched up, so I thought a great way to guratively and literally ’leave our mark’ on the school.” Lam said. To this, Lam wants to leave a creative legacy that tells the story about the school. She wants this service artwork to represent the NAHS club and contributions to the school. “Honestly, I just wanted to promote creativity and the idea that truly anyone who has a fondness or respect for art can be a part of it. Our school is a beautiful piece of art in and out of itself, but I feel many don’t really appreciate that and so by putting more art into the school itself I hope it brings an awareness about how much ‘life’ art can bring into a setting.”

DEANA EPPS

It’s your very rst time going to a high school basketball game.

You wonder what it’ll be like since everyone’s much taller and older in high school.

You ask a friend to go with you because your nervous to sit alone.

e game starts at 6:30pm, so you arrive at 6:15pm, een minutes early just to be safe.

You have your tickets scanned at the entrance since tickets are sold online now due to COVID.

You notice the concession stand is open so you go to get a sprite and a hot dog with only ketchup because you haven’t eaten anything since lunch.

You and your friend sit in the middle section of bleachers towards the half court line.

You sat at the h row, not too close to the court but not to far away either, just the right view.

e game is nished before you know it with the Terriers winning once again.

You begin to see some people leave but also notice some stay

at’s when the Lady Terriers come out.

You and your friend come to the realization that the games are both the boys and girls teams that play.

You quickly text your mom to ask to stay a little bit longer and she agrees.

As the game begins you quickly notice number 10, your not sure what her name is so you look it up on Maxpreps to nd out.

Deana Epps, that’s her name.

As the game continues you witness her make two 3 pointers back to back, everyone in the gymnasium goes wild screaming, “Go Dede!”. “Dede?” You whisper to yourself.

Dede is a junior and has been on Hillsborough’s girls varsity basketball team since her freshman year. And this school year she has set the ultimate goal for herself.

She will score her 1,000th point in basketball before the end of the season.

And she did exactly that.

Epps’s goal is one many don’t accomplish till their senior year, that’s if they accomplish it.

She did it at the Hillsborough vs Freedom game on January 17th.

Growing up, Epps had many inspirations, she stated “Well at rst my sister started playing basketball rst, so I wanted to play so I can get better than her. And then the coaches and my teammates just motivate me to keep playing.”

When asked who are her favorite players she replied, “On the womens side it’s Maya Moore, on the mens side, I have to give it to Kevin Durant.”

Epps expressed that her favorite basketball team is e Nets.

Epps was in the third grade when she truly developed a passion for playing basketball.

She began to notice while in middle school how good she truly was at playing basketball.

In high school Epps talents in basketball continued to grow.

During her freshman year she made second team all district.

In her sophomore year she made rst team all district.

Epps has the medal to prove it.

During Epps sophomore year she also scored 39 points in a single game against Wiregrass high school.

Epps is an extremely talented athlete and it will be great to see how she progresses as a player in college.

Epps aspires to make it to the

TANISHA TANEJA

Music is the universal language that everyone can enjoy. So, when music is threatened, it’s people like Tanisha Taneja who stand up and help preserve it.

Tanisha Taneja is much more than just the band conductor. She’s one of the main reasons the band program can allow kids to try new experiences.

“I am raising money for multiple underfunded music programs in Hillsborough County. Because Hillsborough High School is a Title I school, our music program doesn’t have enough money to repair all our instruments or constantly buy new resources, materials, and instruments. “

Having played instruments for most of her life it was only natural that she would continue in high school. She gained an admiration for the versatility erent instruments to styles of music, and cultures there is something for everyone to enjoy whether it be playing

or just listening.

“I started a non-pro $7,000

t organization called Make Music Today. I rst started raising money through a GoFundMe, and I have currently raised around $7,000 through that. I have also performed in local businesses, like Sam Ash Music, and attended events where I have received donations as well.” She was recently interviewed on the WFLA News Channel 8, which helped bring some publicity to this issue and raise more money.

Her appreciation for music and band motivates her every day to spread her love of music and raise awareness.

KATELYN QUIAMBAO

Carpal Tunnel is numbness and tingling in the hand and arm caused by a pinched nerve in the wrist.

Katelyn Quiambao is a sophomore who got diagnosed with it when she was only 11. Before the diagnosis, Quiambao has had pain in all the upper le side of her body starting at only age 6.

“I went to about 20 di erent doctors, and no one could tell me what I had,” Quiambao said.

As most diagnosed with this syndrome tend to be around the age of 40-60, no one would’ve suspected a young girl of 11 to have Carpal Tunnel.

“Some doctors even advised me to go see a psychologist since they believed I was making up that I was in pain”

A er being diagnosed, Katelyn, at age 12 had to go through Carpal Tunnel surgery to release her lower arm. Along with wearing a cast for about a month, meaning no movement of the arm at all, it took about a year for her full recovery to go back to doing sports.

A er recovery, she joined the Hillsborough High School’s swim and dive team, which, is not a ected by her Carpal Tunnel. Although it is not as painful anymore, Quiambao still attends physical therapy about three times a week, ranging from 30 minutes to an hour, to bring strength to her arm and hands.

Since she was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel on her le dominant hand, Quiambao had to learn to adapt using her right hand to do tasks such as writing.

“Because I was diagnosed at a young age, I am probably going to have to get the surgery again later in life”

Quiambao was one of the rst patients with Carpal Tunnel that was younger than the age of 40 at the Florida Orthopedic. Carpal Tunnel is usually caused by typing and developed later in life. No one is certain of what caused Quiambao to develop it, but some doctors suspect that it was due to her arms and hands not forming properly before birth.

NATE

HOFFMAN

He never rowed before high school but participated in a wide variety of sports. One day during his freshman year, his mom asked him if he wanted to try something new, he accepted and immediately became fascinated with the sport. Sports that he had previously played were not challenging enough, but rowing was. Even as a senior now, he is still learning new things and perfecting the technique

e sloshing sounds of water moving, the heavy wind blowing past his face, the screaming of the coxswain in front of you. is was Nate’s rst race. is 5,000-meter race was a long, tiring race. Pushing himself past the limits, overcoming every obstacle. Finally, hearing the beep that signals that he had crossed the nish line. He looked around and realized that his boat had won. is feeling of relief and the rush of excitement, knowing that all of your hard work was worth it. Winning this medal meant so much to Nate, it paved the path for the rest of his rowing career. “It showed me that I had a place on the team, it helped build my con dence is race established his friendships with the fellow novices, that

and ability to row.”

He was in a double, a boat for two people, and was paired with a new person. While rowing, his boat started to tip, they lost control and it ipped. Nate tried to swim to the top but realized his feet were still strapped into the boat. He couldn’t nd the tie, he waved his hands around trying to feel for it but worry was nally found it, pulled the strap with urgency, and got up to the surface safely.

Now that he is graduating soon, he says that he is sure sad about having to leave the team, but he is excited to start his new journey rowing in college. He is eager to receive his oar during the end-of-the-year banquet. Every senior is awarded an oar that is wrapped with gold, silver, and bronze tape to symbolize every medal they’ve earned. He expressed that it feels like the closing of a circle and symbolization of his commitment to rowing over the years. Rowing is an immense commitment with early practices on Saturdays and late practices 5 days a week, on top of the constant pressures of IB. He said it was very hard to get through, but he is proud of how far he has come.

a and of He come. this

One thing he is going to take away from this experience is when the team’s strength coach, Coach Shawn, always pushed him to try harder and never give up. He would push himself to hit these goals that seemed unreachable before, but once he completed them, he felt ecstatic. He will carry these habits to college and for the rest of his life.

IB English teacher Linda Wilson has been at Hillsborough High School since the start of the program in 1991, and in her over 30 years here, she’s taught thousands of students, seen two school-wide renovations, and watched the school progress over the years.

Since she was young, Wilson always had a natural gi and passion for teaching and helping others. She taught her peers and people at church, and she helped old people learn how to read. “I could always imitate the teacher, even as a little kid. If I had a classmate that was struggling, a lot of times I could teach the classmate better than the teacher, I could always do that,” Wilson said. ere are many challenges that come with being a teacher, but the toughest for Wilson is getting the students to where they need to be without pushing them too much.

“You’re constantly trying to move them along without killing them. You don’t wanna hurt them a lot, just a little bit,” Wilson said, partially jokingly e COVID-19 pandemic made this issue even worse. She feels that the time that was taken away from school set students back and has made it harder for them to be where they need to be.

One of the best and most ful lling parts of the job for her is getting to see a student prepare themselves for adulthood. Many of her students have been very successful, and she feels what she teaches lays the foundation for that success. “You need to be able to read and write, and be able to study in order to do good in adulthood on a professional level,” Wilson said. Wilson says you can learn a lot from students, just from observing them. She notices what they wear, what they listen to, and what they say. Although she may be the one teaching the academics, she’s picked up a lot from students over the years.

As the rst IB English teacher in the entire district, she has overcome many challenges that have come up within her long career. Working with students every day, she is not just able to teach them traditional curriculum, but also prepare them to be successful a er high school.

LINDA WILSON

GRANT CASILLAS

It’s dark, cold, and spooky in the cluttered room you’re in. Despite the screams heard in the background, you unknowingly face the wraith that’s about to unfold in front of you. It seems calm but then a heavy feeling is weighted on your shoulder, sending chills down your spine. Goose bumps emerge seeing the barely visible creature invading your personal space and in a split second, you are screaming until your ears go numb.

But who are these people who scare? You may think that they are sadistic people who seek and gain satisfaction. However, IB senior Grant Casillias has his own reasons. His scare-acting work is nonpro table, and while it does spark as an opportunity for CAS hours, he doesn’t take advantage of it because he enjoys the thrill of the hobby itself. “I hold scare acting to a degree...It’s creative arts,” he said.

hobby of volunteering for scare-acting. Scare acting is when haunted attractions feature the live entertainment of actors whose sole purpose is to engage and scare their audiences.

Haunted Trail, a haunted house attraction located in Plant City. scary events for all holidays besides Halloween such as Valentine’s Day and Christma His whole scareacting experience was born there, and he still remains in ties to the community. Since then, for 5 years and counting, he has participated in all attractions for the seasons.

While it may sound easy to intimidate and raise fear among people, there are multiple techniques and preparations before going into character. He given the freedom to act out in any way he nds t. Casillias says, “When I get there, I’m me...But as soon as I put on the costume, I can no longer think like me.”

Besides his scare acting hobby, Casillias has been a part of Hillsborough’s theater program, working behind the scenes as a crew member. He expresses that it’s very di erent from scare-acting because of the limitations and experience. “Scare acting is the only time I’ll willingly get myself in front of people,” he said. It gives him a sense of freedom.

Perhaps the most memorable part about being a scare actor is the people’s reactions. Some being so frightened, noisy, cheeky, funny, and rarely nonchalant. Casillias is not concerned with the expectations of reactions he receives. He enjoys

to his scare-acting future.

JAEDEN WILSON

His rst viral video from his sophomore year that he made with a former teacher, Ms. Clarke Jaeden Wilson has not stopped creating humorous and trendy content. He knows exactly how to catch his 15.9K followers’ attention by giving them the TikTok they want to see.

“I come up with the ideas to make these TikToks by nding relatable content and videos that I like constantly showing up on my for you page,” Wilson said. Other users on TikTok such as @meatball1101 and @ realfamouswooda also help him brainstorm his next popular video. “It’s not only them who inspires me, I also inspire me,” Wilson said jokingly.

Beyond TikTok, he is more than just a funny guy on an app, he also brings his humorous, energetic side to the people he meets. Even when he is with his friends, he will produce video ideas with them, and they will start recording videos together.

“My favorite part about TikTok is the outcome. Sometimes I make myself and others laugh because of the good vibes these videos give o ,” Wilson said happily. A er making a video, he gets excited to see if it goes viral.

A er using the app since March 2020, his videos have gotten popular a total of 21 times. With 1.7M likes altogether, he has been recognized by so many people who come across his pro le.

“I want people to enjoy my videos and receive the good energy I give o in them,” Wilson said. No matter where he’s at or what he’s doing, there’s always time for him to make a TikTok.

WILSON

CARLOS DIAZ

He is wandering around his house, walking down the hallway while humming his favorite tune. He turns the corner and starts whistling. “Carlos. Stop whistling!” his mom shouts from the kitchen. Always nding himself in trouble for interrupting the radio that his young parents put on. Diaz has always had a natural ability for music, ever since his parents handed him a trumpet at 8 years old, he had begun lessons at his elementary school. “I do it because it makes me feel good, it’s very relaxing, and it’s psychologically rewarding,” Diaz said.

In high school, he pursued a lot of music-related activities, because he loved branching out and being a part of his community. In time, he was recruited into the chorus, and this was something he continued through college. He also became the band o cer, as well as a member of the ROTC band.

a smile on their face when they played. ey loved hearing their music played and having this moment together. Diaz loved doing things for his community and changing people’s lives with music, as he did.

Getting a full-ride academic and performance scholarship to UT was a huge weight li ed from his shoulders. e burden of student loans and balancing job a er job was gone for Carlos, thanks to his musical talents. He was a music education major there, but also went further into his studies to earn his master’s as an educational specialist, and even earning his educational leadership degree at USF.

Karl Kelner, Carlos’s algebra 2 teacher had said to him one day during school, “Everything’s written in English, if you master English...you can learn anything.” is has always been a moment that he frequently looks back on, and what inspired him to work hard at his goals. at was the cause of his return to the school as a counselor, academic coach, eld announcer, and more. is teacher was a huge eld,

Listening to the loud cheering that came from the stands that surrounded the football eld. Watching as the player scored another touchdown. Observing the marching band as they got o bleachers that were placed in the endzone of the to start these intricate formations that these students choreographed themselves. Working diligently every day a er school to perfect their performance and get ready to perform it on these Friday nights. What is now the teacher parking lot, used to be 50 yards of lined area speci use. Diaz loved these moments, even performing for the pep rally every week.

more.

inspiration to him, as he was always so impressed with him as a child.

cally set for the marching band to

One day during Halloween time his stage band would travel to the old folk’s home to play a Halloween song. During one of his annual times, they had arrived at the home, but as they were walking in everyone’s faces lit up. had thought that the band wasn’t going to show. Diaz had reassured them that it was just a cause of the time change and that the home had forgotten to turn their clocks back. Laughter resumed their yearly activity.

e old folks always had

For him, playing music is special. “ ere is nothing like it, not drugs, not alcohol. Nothing. ere’s nothing about that high that you get from it, it’s euphoric,” Diaz said.

Carlos “Charlie” Diaz is a Hillsoborugh alumni. His time as a student prepared him to live an eventful and ful lling life. He wants to inspire other students the way that the school inspired him.

TORI DAWKINS

the fact that she was stuck

While Covid-19 was spreading across the United States, everything has been delayed, students were unable to go to school. During the lengthy period of isolation, Tori Dawkins decided to learn how to do nails to keep herself occupied and keep her mind o in the house. She loved doing nails and it was more of a hobby than something professional.

From a youthful age, she has always been fascinated with beauty, so as she got older gradually, she got into doing hair, nails, and makeup because she found that it was something that she really enjoyed doing. When she rst started, the biggest di just perfecting it because it was not something that just came easy, and she had to really work on it to perfect it. She knew that every job has its di culties and obstacles, so she never gave up and was patient in the

She was learning and practicing in her spare time. culty was keeping up with the trend and practice.

“If there is something I like, and really enjoy doing, I will not let anything stop me from doing it to the best of my abilities and keep

She was asking for support from her parents and her family members would volunteer for her to do sets on them to get more practice. And her parents never had negative feelings about it; they were supportive because she enjoyed and wanted to do it. At get which her mother bought her, but as she ventured o realized that she needed better quality stu

Her only di up because she knew if she gave up, she was not going to get it at was going to have to keep on practicing. It’s been three years now and she’s still

trying,” Dawkins said. She rst, she got the cheapest kit she could , she in which she got a job buying better materials. culty was trying not to give she rst try, she to learning as she goes.

“I’m not perfect, but I’m better than when I rst started and I’m thankful that I did not give up and I kept trying” she said. In the next three years, she sees herself as an entrepreneur, helping other people nd what works best for them, and helping them would enjoy for the rest of their lives.

I nd something that they

YONA ENGRAM

Her uniform is lled with shiny medals and colorful military decorations. Her eyes are attentive, but you might feel that they pierce right through you. She displays a great deal of con dence and authority through the cool tone of her voice. But in reality, Major Engram is a multitude of things than what rst meets the eyes. She is the Special Operations and Training O cers. Her job is to make all the physical training schedules in her battalion. Although stressful, it is a job she gladly does. She is dedicated. ere is a good chance that if it relates to JROTC in any way, she will have a role in it. She is in room 155, it’s almost like a second home. Her favorite color is purple. at’s why her favorite medal in her uniform is the Purpleheart. She earned this by showing her leadership skills in and outside the classroom. She is a natural-born leader. She leads by example. She makes sure everyone is where they need to be in JROTC and guides them where they want to go. She is willing to go the extra mile for her cadets, pushing them toward their goals. But besides her responsibilities in JROTC, she is also just a teen, like every member of her battalion. She comes home every day to her grandparents. Every now and then she enjoys watching movies with them. Her favorite movie to watch with her grandpa is Avatar. With her grandma is Halloween. Her grandparents are the most important people to her. ey have pushed her to be what she is today. At heart, a caring person.

SHEILA BOYD

Bus driving is a job no one talks about, even though it’s an important job. Yes, teachers tutor the students but who drives most of the children to school? Parents can be terribly busy either having to take another child to school or working a job. Bus drivers take one less job o these children’s parents’ chests. Shelia Boyd started 26 years ago. “I love my job I’ve been doing it for a very long time, and I love it, but this is my last year I’m retiring this year,’ Boyd said. Being a bus driver can be a very loving job. When someone’s a bus driver they don’t want to quit. “Most of the kids make it special, how they smile and how they tell you about their

day or weekend makes you love this job,” Boyd said. “Having the holidays o and longer vacations make the job better,” Boyd said.

“I try to keep to the same schedule it’s an early morning job I have to get up at 4:30 and start getting ready and be on my bus by 6 am so it’s a tight schedule but you learn every “Teenagers grow up and they listen more” Shellia stated. Meaning that bus-driving older kids like teenagers can be better than bus-driving

minute counts,” Boyd said.

When being a bus driver you must get a current test done called the CDL which Shellia took, passed, and got her CDL license.

requirements for when you get into an accident. “I have to call radio in at k6 the dispatch and he’ll send out a Hillsborough County employee and plus the Tampa police

Bus driving is a very loving and easy job that’s also important for schools. Bus drivers drive for hours a day driving kids home from school or to school from home. ey do not only have to watch these kids but protect them if

younger kids. is test is a requirement. ere are also department if I get into an accident.” something happens.