The Panther 2021-22 Issue 5: Celebrating Women's History Month at Palmetto

PANTHER

the

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Miami Palmetto Senior High School

7460 SW 118 Street, Miami, FL 33156

Thursday March 31, 2022

CONTENTS

LOCAL

news briefs

The Miami Seaquarium announced they will no longer show Lolita, the 7,000 pound Orca whale who has been on display at Miami Seaquarium since 1970. The Seaquariam’s decision comes after years of pressure from activists who accuse the Seaquarium of torturing her into performing tricks for visitors. After a 2017 audit by the federal government found that Lolita’s tank did not meet the legal requirements, pressure only increased. Recently, PETA has claimed that Lolita is suffering from malnutrition and pneumonia. The Seaquarium said she was in good health despite her age.

9 NATIONAL

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04 | NEWS

Ketanji Brown Jackson

06 | LIFE HOSA Profile

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, gas prices have spiked worldwide. Although the U.S. imports significantly less Russian gas than their allies in the European Union and NATO, they still import about 672,000 barrels per day (8% of the U.S.’s total gas consumption). Ukraine also exports gas, but it does not export a significant amount to the U.S. In recent weeks, prices have reached well over $5/gallon, with Americans expressing anger at paying $70 to refill their tanks. The high prices are especially detrimental to people working in transit, such as Uber drivers.

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BEHIND THE cover

Ryan McKean (11) photographs Head Cafeteria Manager Olga Talavera, Head Custodian Cari Medina, Student Services Department Chair Lisa Mallard, Activities Director Elizabeth Valero, Athletics Business Manager Mylene Exposito and Principal Victoria Dobbs.

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09 | Feature

Female Backbone of Palmetto

16 | SPORTS

Girl’s Flag Football Profile

18 | OPINION

Prom Promotes Female Toxicity

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Dear Editor,

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On Feb. 24, over 150,000 Russian troops invaded Ukraine. The Russians carried out the invasion from three sides: their western border with Ukraine, their ally Belarus’s southern border with Ukraine and the northern border of Crimea, a formerly-Ukrainian peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014. Russians saw early success in locations like Chernobyl, the site of a 1986 nuclear disaster that was responsible for the deaths of thousands. However, on their route to Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, the Russian army has faced stiff resistance and been unable to occupy Kyiv or Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv. Many believe the goal of this invasion is to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO.

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SCOTUS in the Making: The Rise of Palmetto’s Miami Palmetto Senior High has long been known for its quality education, involved student population and famed alumni. Recently, however, the nation’s attention has turned to one of Palmetto’s very own: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.

As President Joseph Biden’s pick for the role of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the U.S., Judge Brown Jackson makes history for not only Palmetto but for the world. Potentially the first AfricanAmerican woman to serve on the Supreme Court, Judge Brown Jackson serves as a model for aspiring legal minds across the n a t i o n ,

exemplifying that there is room for everyone in the nation’s judicial systems.

“The nomination of Judge Brown [Jackson] demonstrates that there should be and is greater equality and representation on the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court’s not really intended to be a representative body; it’s a judicial body.

That being said, we’ve seen presidents, the last three presidents, nominate women to the Supreme Court. I think that this should be inspiring to young people that anything is possible,” AP U.S. Government and Politics teacher Kenneth Spiegelman said.

While currently residing in Washington, D.C., Brown Jackson grew up alongside her family here in Miami, Florida, where she attended Miami-Dade County Public Schools for primary and secondary schooling.

Brown Jackson, first a student at Palmetto Middle School and later Palmetto Senior High, ascended through MiamiDade’s feeder pattern schools and made her mark as an actively engaged member in school events and activities, most notably, high school debate.

During Jackson’s senior year at Palmetto, she attended the National Catholic Forensic League Championship, the nation’s second-largest debate tournament for high school students, and won the national oratory title.

Despite Palmetto’s prestigious debate history, as made evident by Brown Jackson’s success, the COVID-19 pandemic has stunted the debate club’s ability to compete in competition. However, the

1970: Born in Washington, D.C.

recent discovery of Brown Jackson’s debate history by many current students has increased both interest in and admiration for those participating in debate.

“What [Brown Jackson’s nomination] has done is reinvigorate debate…being in the pandemic, everything stopped two years ago. Then, when we heard that she was being nominated…we couldn’t stop talking about it once we found out how involved she was in Palmetto debate and what it meant to her,” AP U.S. History and AP Research teacher Silvio Vargas said. “It kind of lit a fire under us, that okay, there’s a pandemic, but just because there’s a pandemic doesn’t mean that we have to use that as an excuse to not do the things that Palmetto debate is known for. I think that a lot of the kids that have been in this club because of their participation in debate, their self esteem, their confidence, their writing skills, their research skills, their argumentation skills, public speaking, and all those skills have been well-developed.”

Public service has long played a role in Jackson’s life. Jackson’s mother, Ellery Brown, a lifelong educator, was the principal of New World School for the Arts for a number of years. Working in the justice department, her father, Johnny Brown, spent his career working as a lawyer, chief attorney for the M-DCPS school board and later, worked as a judge.

Early on, Brown Jackson’s family was personally exposed to the inequities of the justice system. Thomas Brown Jr., Brown Jackson’s uncle, received a life sentence in prison as a result of a nonviolent cocaine conviction while Jackson was in college.

1992: Graduated from Harvard University

1988: Graduated from Miami Palmetto Senior High

NEWS | 05

Ketanji Brown Jackson Later on, Jackson successfully secured a pro bono lawyer team for her uncle, whose sentence was later commuted by former President Barack Obama.

While attending Harvard University studying government for her undergraduate degree (co ‘92) and later Harvard Law School (co ‘96), Brown Jackson continued her involvement within the academic and social elements of the school’s community. During her undergraduate years, she participated in the performing arts and later, at Harvard Law School, she served as supervising editor of the “Harvard Law Review.”

Brown Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court not only serves as an additional facet of support for her tenacity, skill and dedication to the legal profession, but also solidifies her position as a role model for people of color and young girls across the country.

“In terms of representation, I think it’s going to do a lot. I have a young daughter and the fact that we have a woman of color who is being elevated to the highest court of the land — to me, it’s not only historical that it’s happening, but now my daughter has a role model — someone she can look up to,” Vargas said. “I think that it is historical in that she’s adding a viewpoint and she’s adding diversity that the court sorely needs and also just as a role model for students, including young girls who are watching this, and are beginning to see that ‘this is feasible for me, it’s not this thing that only men can do or something that is unattainable. If I work hard the way she did, I can do something like that.’”

This balance in prioritizing academic excellence and engagement is one that many students begin learning during their secondary school years, and is an element of education that

Palmetto prides itself on fostering in its students and future alumni.

“I tell you all everyday that you have to be active and educated and engaged. Whatever it is you decide to do, you need to be educated, you need to be engaged, you need to vote,” Spiegelman said. “Palmetto has a really remarkable history…we have a judge, [Jeff] Bezos of Amazon, we have the Surgeon General of the U.S.. I think we’ve had two astronauts, the current secretary of Agriculture for the state of Florida, and a likely candidate for governor of the State of Florida as part of our graduates….

Everyone who’s here now will soon join that community. I would venture to say there are very few public schools in the country that have the same alumni list as we do.”

Despite all the media attention that MDCPS and Brown Jackson’s alma mater have received in relation to their role in shaping her as a person, student and legal professional, the reason for her success and impact on the world at large lies with a single individual: Brown Jackson herself.

“100% of the credit goes to her… All the credit that Palmetto has gotten, all the popularity and all the good words that people have been saying about Palmetto, it’s 100% due to her and what she did as a student here and what she has done after leaving here. She deserves all the credit in the world,” Vargas said. “If one of my current debate students in 30 years accomplishes something like that, then I will be incredibly proud in the same way we’re proud of her.”

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Contents/Copy Editor

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DESIGN BY PAUL YAN PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PALM ECHO

2021: Received her commission as a U.S. Circuit Judge

1996: Graduated from Harvard Law School

2022: Nominated for justice of the Supreme Court

06| LIFE

HOSA: The Future of Medicine HOSA — Future Health Professionals, formerly known as the Health Occupations Students of America, consists of students interested in natural and health science careers. Officially organized in 1976, the global student-led organization looks to provide students interested in these careers with an opportunity to lead, educate and collaborate in the health community while promoting quality health care to all.

Dominated by males for over a century, the health industry has discriminated against women long looking to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math solely on account of their gender.

For decades, this prevented many capable women from following their passion and helping those in need. However, in recent years, the establishment of programs like HOSA has allowed women an equal opportunity to make their mark in the STEM field.

Miami Palmetto Senior High’s HOSA chapter is made up of 100+ students, ranging from

freshmen to seniors. Bringing together people from all parts of Palmetto, HOSA is led by a small but diverse group, the majority being women. HOSA President Lily De La Roca, Vice President Aryana Motlagh and sponsor Joyce Brislawn make it their mission to guarantee that female students have the same chance as anyone else to expand their health science expertise.

“I started HOSA here at Palmetto 22 years ago and before that I worked at Palmetto Middle and started a HOSA chapter there as well,” Brislawn said. “I’ve also been a dental assistant for forty years and like a lot of my students, I started right out of high school. At the time, there were no women in dentistry and now probably 50% of dentists are women.”

Palmetto sophomore Aryana Motlagh is passionate about all things STEM and took a specific liking to the health sciences as she entered high school.

Channeling her enthusiasm for the field, Motlagh joined HOSA as a freshman and grew to become one of the primary leaders of the club. HOSA, while not a conventional high school interest, has allowed Motlagh to collaborate with other like-minded Palmetto students interested in health occupations. “ H O S A connected me to leaders and people with the same mindset and interests.

This year, it helped me grow

and learn what it is like having a leadership position, as well as broadening my view of science and the health industry,” Motlagh said.

As a STEM based organization, one of the main focuses of HOSA is to participate in competitions. Middle and high schools enrolled in health science programs are eligible to compete against others in skill events of various STEM topics. Some of these topics include: dental terminology, human growth and development, medical math, pharmacology and more.

“For my competition, Dental Aid, I have to be able to, based on a detailed rubric: seat and prepare a patient for a general exam, make impressions of teeth, assemble an aspirating anesthetic needle, properly disinfect an area and more,” Motlagh said.

While centered around health-related STEM, HOSA provides students looking to expand their horizons with various other creative opportunities. Some of the contests HOSA offers include health career photography, essay writing, medical art posters and other events.

“People interested in this field don’t only have to participate through a test but they can express themselves through something they love,” De La Roca said.

“It helps bridge the medical field and the creative arts and it’s great because kids need that connection.”

At the beginning of each academic year, HOSA holds an opening-of-the-schoolyear conference in which students, like Palmetto representatives Motlagh and De La Roca, can run for regional HOSA officer positions. Dozens of Miami-Dade County schools and over 2,000 students attended this year’s Gold Coast Conference, in which De La Roca and Motlagh ran and won the positions of Regional Vice President and President. “[As Regional Officers] we help coordinate the whole conference along with other schools,” De La Roca said. “[HOSA] is about learning and being a mentor to others, so it’s our job to ensure that students are having fun,” De La Roca said.

Despite this being in her final

year of high school, De La Roca plans to continue on Palmetto’s legacy by running for the Postsecondary position of HOSA Southern State Vice President. Acquiring this position would make De La Roca one of those chiefly overseeing every HOSA chapter in south Florida.

“You have to sign up to run while still in high school and I would sign up through Palmetto so I would still be representing our school while in college,” De La Roca said.

“Some kids don’t know about the medical academy and these clubs, especially the underclassmen. Getting this position would let me stay involved and help show these kids that they shouldn’t be afraid to get involved.”

Worldwide, nations have long faced shortages of health workers and doctors.

Especially with the recent COVID-19 pandemic, this struggle has been amplified ten-fold, with the addition of medical supply shortages. Despite these setbacks, institutions like HOSA continue to encourage students’ passion for natural and health sciences.

“It piques their interest and opens up the window, and they realize it’s not all the same jobs, like a veterinarian or pediatrician, but you can go into research, or become a medical nutritionist or counselor,” Brislawn said. “There’s endless fields you can go into in medicine and you’ll always have job security because it’s never going to go away. The world will always need more doctors and radiologists.”

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Kate Markus Life Editor

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DESIGN BY DENISE VAQUE PHOTOS BY ISABELLA HEWITT PHOTO COURTESY OF JOYCE BRISLAWN

LIFE |07

HOSA CONNECTED ME TO LEADERS AND PEOPLE WITH THE SAME MINDSET AND INTERESTS. THIS YEAR, IT HELPED ME GROW AND LEARN WHAT IT IS LIKE HAVING A LEADERSHIP POSITION

ARYANA MOTLAGH (12)

the

PANTHER

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OUR FAVORITES

STAFFER OF THE MONTH

Favorite Spring Break Activity

TRAVELING

Favorite Girl Bosses Favorite Song

EMMA WATSON

WHO CARES? REX O.C.

Favorite Oscar Nomination

DUNE

Sara Paredes Copy Editor

HOW GENZ’s it:

THE VALUE OF GIRL CODE

“He’s mine!” “There’s other fish in the sea”...right? In the 21st century, the two words “girl-code” work as an established yet unwritten set of rules and ethics that exist between a girl and her best friend. It ranges from relationship problems to basic healthy terms that girls should follow. When it comes to the relationship aspect of things, some may not value their friend’s heartbreaks or even try to steal the person they have long had feelings for. These are examples of what one should not do. Do not steal the person that broke your friend’s heart but instead go for the “other fish in the sea”…there are plenty. Another instance where many girls do not follow the basic rules applying to relationships is when a girl finds interest in someone and her “closest” girlfriend immediately chases after him. Do not do that.

Instead, become her wing woman and do not put in effort to try and attract her crush. Becoming her hype woman not only makes your bond stronger but will lessen the chances of the friendship falling apart. Ruining a friendship over any crush is never worth it.

Now to talk about the other areas of girl code: shaming, bashing and judging. If you argue with your best friend, do not bash her secretly with other friends; instead, communicate. Communication is key. When a girl seems to have found herself in an uncomfortable situation, do not laugh or walk away, but help her instead. Every girl knows what it feels like to be in an embarrassing situation and to simply want someone to help. By breaking girl code, gaping holes can be left within a friendship.

Ever since elementary school, we have grown up with these agreements. Whether it was a pinky promise or a cutely decorated list of oaths made to your best friend, now it is girl code;breaking these promises is just as bad as breaking a pinky promise with your 5 year-old best friend.

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FEATURE |09

CHANGING THE : NARRATIVE The stories of six influential women at palmetto

From the cafeteria to school activities, to the main offices to the athletics department, women play a central role in the foundation of Miami Palmetto Senior High. Whether it be leading a team of administrators or managing the finances of Palmetto’s sports teams and activities, this piece shares the story of just six of the many impactful women in the Palmetto community.

10| FEATURE

PALMETTO’S LEADING WOMEN,

LEAVING THEIR PRINT

Recently, Palmetto has faced an increase in female leadership, changing the narrative for future administration, faculty and staff. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the percentage of female administrators in recent years has increased by 10%, with 54% of public school directors being women in comparison to 2000, when only 44% of public school administrators were women. Similar changes have been seen in Palmetto’s executive structure.

Palmetto has been historically run by a homogeneous administrative team composed primarily of white men; now, the group is heterogeneous, including various cultures, genders and personalities — with a 3:4 ratio of women to men. The diverse student body that comprises Palmetto’s population can now be represented by and relate to the administrators that run their school.

“You look at our administrative team, you’ve got three Hispanic females, a Black male, two Hispanic males and then a white male.

It’s nice to be able to laugh with each other in Spanish or know about each other and be able to discuss it together,” Activities Director Elizabeth Valero said. “In a way, it’s good to have that because we can have a little bit of every kid on campus represented on the administrative team and know that there’s someone looking back at you.”

The women who influence school-wide procedures view themselves as naturally driven to excel in their crafts and defy odds. For Valero, she feels her natural, female instincts propel her through the duties that the Activities Department entails.

“There are days when I make 700 decisions by first period and days when I run myself so ragged that people have to tell me to slow down in the hallway and I’m like, ‘never.’ Being a woman reminds me of that because I don’t even slow down at home; I

don’t get to stop and not be a mom, or I don’t get to stop and forget about all the important things that I do for my family,” Valero said.

“We as women are just naturally, intrinsically trained for that kind of lifestyle that never ends, and so when the Activities Department doesn’t stop here, it’s just my speed.”

Although Valero was raised in a female-oriented family, crediting her upbringing for making her feel empowered to take on any role, she now lives in a new stage of life becoming a “boy mom,” which has altered her perspective.

“I come from a house of females. I was one of two sisters, and even my cousins were all female. For me, I never knew a situation where my sex was something that I had to take into consideration on whether or not I could accomplish something because it was always very clear to me and my family that the world was whatever I wanted to make of it,” Valero said. “So then it was kind of funny when I had two boys. I could see a shift in my thinking because I was no longer in a place where I was like, ‘I hope my children get everything that they’ve earned because they’re girls.’ Now my shift was, ‘I hope my boys grow up always knowing that their female counterparts are equal, not anything else.’

Palmetto’s principal Victoria Dobbs has overseen a predominantly female faculty along with staff leaders for the past seven years, guiding students through everyday endeavors.

While Dobbs does not preside over a particularly male or femaledominated field, she credits her success to her drive and dedication, rather than her gender orientation. Rather than assuming she acquired her position because of her gender, Dobbs knows she has earned her place through hard work and commitment, like any other female in leadership.

FEATURE |11 “I worked really hard and put in a lot of time, put in a lot of hours and learned a lot and made sure this was something that I was really very dedicated to, and I really wanted. I love this community. Not everyone does. It’s not an easy community, but I love it and I think working hard is how you get your place. You show that you’re able to do the job,” Dobbs said. “That’s the way we should look at strong females; we earned our place; we weren’t just given it.”

In recent years, society has seen women fill leadership roles at an increased rate, motivating future generations of leaders to work hard towards earning their place in any position, no matter their gender. While women in leadership acknowledge their identity, society continues to discredit their qualifications because of their orientation.

“When they [news stations] were coming to do a lot of stories about Judge Jackson, one of the reporters said to me ‘how do you feel about her being the first black female judge?’ and I said, ‘I think it’s awesome, but I think even better, that she’s a highly qualified judge.’ Why do we have to put that in? It’s great that she’s a woman, but she’s highly qualified.

Let’s not just say we’re giving it to her because she’s a woman,” Dobbs said.“We have earned our place in these jobs. I think that no one is making concessions for us to appease us. We are earning our place in society.”

Dobbs also capitalizes on her perspective as a woman and her staff’s unique abilities to ensure they succeed in their field of work.

“One of the biggest strengths that I have, and as a woman, I think I am a little bit more sensitive in being able to place people in the place where their strengths can come out; everybody has a strength somewhere, it’s just sometimes you’re not in the location where it comes out the best,” Dobbs said.

Down the hall in the attendance office, Student Services Department Chair Lisa Mallard has identified

herself as a Panther since birth, following in her mother’s footsteps in the school counseling route.

Continuing in her mother’s narrative, Mallard distinguishes the influential female mentors she’s worked with along her journey.

“Palmetto runs in my blood. I went to high school here. My mom was the department head and a counselor here as well when she was pregnant with me, so I have been a Panther literally my entire life,” Mallard said. “I saw so many strong influential women here going through school, not even just as a student, but growing up; it was just my calling to continue from a Panther cub into becoming a fullgrown Panther.”

Along her journey earning her stripes and becoming an influential Panther, Mallard has watched students grow from the start of their high school career to their college acceptances to their graduation; when not assuming the everyday duties that come with being a Department Chair, she sees herself as a cheerleader, reassuring and providing a support system for every Palmetto student.

“A lot of times you will have students come by just to say ‘hi’ to have a smile, and sometimes they do it for me when I’m like ‘argh’ and they give me a smile. But through everything, when [students] come in, I need to be supportive, so sometimes my role needs to be more obvious and then sometimes I need to kind of be a silent supporter,” Mallard said. “[My role] is just about being a team player, motivating, preserving being a cheerleader.”

Alongside viewing herself as a pillar of support and encouragement for Palmetto students, Mallard considers motivating and lifting up her fellow female staff members just as important as being there for her students. She emphasizes resilience and perseverance as important traits within the women of the Palmetto community, and she sees the consistent strength in the women around her.

ELIZABETH VALERO

victoria dobbs

lisa mallard

OLGA TALAVERA

mylene exposito

cari medina

12| FEATURE

MAY WE KNOW THEM

With various women assuming leadership positions in administrative offices on Palmetto’s frontlines, there are also those who embody the skills and qualities necessary to manage the behind-the-scenes aspects of Palmetto’s foundation.

Palmetto’s Head Cafeteria Manager Olga Talavera understands that as a woman, she appears as the stereotypical fit for her position. She notes that although women can excel in any role, she considers her brain wired to succeed in her managerial role within the cafeteria, and finds her field to be a more female-oriented aspect of Palmetto’s staff.

“I’ve seen more women in my time right here, and I’m not saying men can’t do [the work], but it’s more flexible for a woman

than for a man,” Talavera said. “It’s important that women never stay in the same position. It’s always go, go, go, run, run, run; it does not matter if the position is for man, it does not matter. A woman is strong, and a woman always can.”

Leading a team of experienced cafeteria personnel, Talavera emphasizes the importance of a strong work ethic and commitment.

Although her staff is mainly female, she acknowledges and praises her male counterparts as equals in the cafe.

With Palmetto’s Head Custodian Cari Medina ensuring that all physical aspects of Palmetto’s campus be clean and comfortable for students, she considers her role to be a humble but mighty form of leadership — thanking her staff for the school’s success.

“My job has been a really positive thing for me at the moment; the administration trusts me and I’ve had five years of positive experiences.

I’m thankful for the administration and for my staff, and we do the best we can to make sure that every student at school is comfortable,” Medina said. “For me, my consistency, my honesty, my responsibility prepared me for this job. I take it with a lot of respect and this position consists of those things.”

When Medina reflects on her position, her qualifications and sense of responsibility overshadow her gender, which also parallels society’s same shift in perspective that opens more seats for women at leadership tables.

“I think that there is no difference in being a woman or a man, the difference is in knowing that this job requires a lot of responsibility, and knowing that this job needs a lot of responsibility with the students,” Medina said. “And thanks to [the students] we are able to continue doing our work.”

MAY

FEATURE |13

M MAY WE BE THEM For the women behind the scenes at Palmetto, the path to mastering their crafts owes its success to the women that came before them. Talavera, for example, credits her predecessor, Zella Johnson.

“I have so many stories of my time working here, and I have met so many fantastic women in these almost 20 years,” Talavera said. “For example, my manager when I first got here, a woman named Zella Johnson, taught me everything I need to know about the cafeteria. I started as an assistant and it was 23 women and one man. She helped me stand out and not be scared. She told me, ‘You can do it! You can do it!’ Now, everything I know is thanks to her.”

On the other end of the spectrum, Athletics Business Manager Mylene Exposito takes on a role in a typically male-dominated field, working alongside two men in Palmetto’s Athletics Office.

She is tasked with the financial aspects of the department from securing money for sports officials, to selling tickets and managing home games.

“I’m not really a softy, but I think being a woman kind of adds a different perspective. I think I’m a little bit more practical. I guess my way of thinking can de-escalate certain situations or maybe I have a different outlook on certain things and how they should be done, how they should be managed,” Exposito said. “I have always felt very welcome, and always like an equal. I feel consulted; I feel appreciated.”

Reserved and typically maintaining a low-profile, Exposito considers herself an atypical fit for the Athletics Department realm. However, rather than changing her personality to fit the mold of the position, she has molded the position to fit her personality.

“I’m kind of an introvert in an extroverted athletics arena which tends to be very much more aggressive. I don’t draw a lot of attention to myself,” Exposito said. “I’m very low-key behind the scenes, but I’m probably the go-to person. Students will ask me for advice, other teachers may ask me for support. I am

somebody that can give you an honest opinion and you know that you won’t be judged.”

Alongside Exposito, female students at Palmetto have taken it upon themselves to break the status quo and exceed expectations, both in sports and in student government. This year, Palmetto welcomed its first female football kicker, Hanna Adams, as w first female well as electing Abigail Lambert, Student Council’s President-Elect since 2014. “[Hanna’s success] makes me feel like a million bucks. But that’s where I go back to Palmetto’s athletic department. It’s very unique; we’re very inclusive. It feels great to see her on the field, a participant in football, and I hope she feels that it’s a proud moment,” Exposito said. “I think [Hanna] owned that job. She went out and auditioned, and guess what? She earned it. It wasn’t like, ‘oh well she’s a girl and maybe we need to rethink this,’ no.

I don’t think that conversation ever came up. It was more that, she tried out and she made the team and it was like, ‘wow that’s awesome.’”

Within the walls of Palmetto, each and every young woman is provided with a community of other, strong, independent and resilient women equipped with the tools necessary to uplift and support them. Each individual female faculty and staff member from all stages and directions in life, with their own unique personalities and stories, form a large part of Palmetto’s foundation.

“When I think about [girls supporting girls], I think resilience.

It’s powerful. Girls supporting girls, we need to reassure each other that we got this. Yeah, we got a lot on our plate. Everybody does. But emotionally, mentally, physically, women have a lot, not knocking men in the least. But there’s a lot on our plate. And when one is thrown off, we still have to keep going. Our best will change every day. Sometimes our best is up here, and sometimes our best is average. Sometimes the best isn’t average. But it’s okay. And the way that we keep going is by having each other’s back,” Mallard said.

PHOTOS BY RYAN MCKEAN DESIGN BY ELLA PEDROSO

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Y WE RAISE THEM

14|INFOGRAPHIC

CELEBRATING “HER”STORY: ARTISTS

SCIENTISTS

Frida Kahlo

20th Century Mexican painter best known for her surrealist self-portraits

Shirin Neshat

Late 20th Century Iranian visual artist best konwn for her work in video and photography

ACTIVISTS

Marie Curie

Sojourner Truth

Lise Meitner

Malala Yousafzai

20th Century Polish physicist and chemist who pioneered research in radioactivity 20th Century chemist who studied X-ray diffraction and DNA structure

1848

Seneca Falls Convention marks the first women's rights convention in the US

1869

The National Women’s Suffrage Association is founded by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton

American abolitionist and women’s rights activist famous for her famous “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech Pakistani activist for female education and the world’s youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate

1917

Jeaneatte Rankin is sworn in as the first elected woman in congress’s House of Representatives

1920

19th amendment to the US constitution is ratified giving women the right to vote

INFOGRAPHIC | 15

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED IN 1981

SENECA FALLS, NEW YORK

CELEBRATED IN MARCH IN ALIGNMENT WITH INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

1963

The Equal Pay Act is signed by President John F. Kennedy which abolishes wage disparity based on gender

1997

Madeline Albright is sworn in as the first female Secretary of State

1981

Sandra Day O’Connor is sworn in as the first female justice on the Supreme Court DESIGN BY JASMINE JUDGE AND ELLA PEDROSO

2021

Kamala Harris is elected as the first women and woman of color to serve as Vice President of the US INFOGRAPHIC INFORMATION FROM BRITANNICA AND HISTORY.COM

16 | SPORTS

One small flag fOR GIRLS, One Giant Touchdown for Girlkind: The Lady Panthers Capture the Spotlight Down, set, hut! Unbelievable…look at her go…she has still got all her flags on… will she make it and TOUCHDOWN! These phrases sound familiar to most American football fans; well, almost familiar. That one word in each of the phrases above that describes the athlete as a “she” rather than “he” may have thrown you off, in addition to the word “flag”. A new side of football, one that showcases the talents of various female athletes, is making history this year as Miami Palmetto Senior High School introduces their first ever flag football team.

Palmetto Physical Education teacher and Girls’ Flag Football Coach Kevin Mujica, popularly known as “Coach K,” established Palmetto’s varsity flag football team in January 2022. After over 80 girls attended the interest meeting in December 2021, Palmetto’s administration made efforts to establish the team.

“A lot of people still have that bad perception that a lot of sports are male oriented, especially football… Now I’m a big believer that there’s a lot of female athletes there that get overlooked. You know I got some girls on my team that catch better than some of the guys on my team. The fact that now they have this opportunity to showcase their talent with this sport is just amazing,” Coach K said.

Along with Palmetto’s academic success, its athletic program remains highly regarded in South Florida. With this comes countless championships and recognition, but as there are a multitude of teams practicing on the home field, conflicts in terms of scheduling often occur between teams.

Thankfully, Coach K worked in partnership with school administration to find a way for the team to overcome these concerns and train for their season. Five days a week, players watch film, practice drills or play

offense versus defense in preparation for their games.

“People tend to not take it really seriously or treat it as a joke. But I mean once they see us out there everyday working out, going super hard at practice, they tend to then realize how serious it really is,” Palmetto senior and safety Emily Mazzei said.

Currently, the team is playing independently since they were unable to compete until halfway through the school year.

Although this hinders the teams ability to qualify for states this year, the team continues to establish themselves and maintain Palmetto’s reputable athletic prestige.

Many players on the team switched schools to attend Palmetto in hopes of joining a flag football team. Previously unable to play flag football at their other schools, some even made efforts for the administration at their original schools to establish one. To no avail, Palmetto’s announcement of their new team provided these girls with the opportunity they had long been searching for.

In South Florida, a large competitive flag football community exists, demonstrating how quickly the sport is gaining popularity. In the U.S., a national team competes each year at the International Federation of American Football competitions against other countries. This year, Coach K received an invitation to play for the U.S. Men’s Flag Football National Team in Israel for nine days. His experiences in flag football and competing nationally and internationally demonstrates that the Lady Panthers are coached by the best and are a force to be reckoned with.

“If I can’t play anymore, I want to share my knowledge to athletes who can have that opportunity at some point. Since flag football is growing, especially for women, I just want to give that opportunity to them

because now colleges are offering flag football scholarships to play college football,” Coach K said.

For athletes, athletic scholarships and college scouting provide them with opportunities to play their sport at a collegiate level. Currently, 15 colleges and universities offer flag football scholarships as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics officially declared flag football a college sport in May 2020.

“I definitely want to play sports at a collegiate level. Because [flag football] is still growing, getting yourself known and getting people to watch you is a lot easier in comparison to other sports…I feel like flag football is an opportunity, especially now in the next couple of years for girls who want to play at the next level,” Palmetto junior, quarterback and defensive back Tara Llorente said.

While some opportunities have opened up for these athletes, adversity still remains as football remains a traditionally male dominated sport.

“I feel like when I tell people that I play flag football they’re kind of like ‘really?’ and kind of in shock. But I feel like I get more shock when I tell people I’m a quarterback.

They’re like ‘are you really a quarterback?’ or ‘can you really throw?’ I also feel like when girls say they play football, people think it doesn’t fit,” Llorente said.

This notion has not affected the Lady Panthers in their mission to continue dominating the field each day. Although the season is fairly new, the team has already formed life-long bonds with one another.

Team members sport their jerseys on game days and encourage a high-energy environment on their bus rides to games.

From hair braiding to Coach K’s post-game donut celebrations (rewarded if the other team does not score on them), the Lady

Panthers have found more than teammates: a family.

“I found it really easy to connect with these girls and build chemistry just because we all have this thing in common. We share the common goal of wanting to get better and win games.

I feel like it’s been very easy to connect with girls and it usually is when you’re in a sport,” Llorente said.

The Lady Panthers determination, hard work and endurance will carry them past the end zone and straight into the record books, as these girls set the precedent for the future of Palmetto flag football.

Samantha Elkins News Editor

s.elkins.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY GIANNA HUTTON PHOTO COURTESY OF COACH K

A LOT OF PEOPLE STILL HAVE THAT BAD PERCEPTION THAT A LOT OF SPORTS ARE MALE ORIENTED, ESPECIALLY FOOTBALL… NOW I’M A BIG BELIEVER THAT THERE’S A LOT OF FEMALE ATHLETES THERE THAT GET OVERLOOKED.

Coach Kevin Mujica

18 | OPINION

PROM PROMOTES FEMALE TOXICITY Prom: one of the most special and long-awaited nights of the entire school year. An evening surrounded by new and old friends in celebration of all that is to come and everything that was; right? For many, prom constitutes a day of festivities, yet for others it perpetuates toxic habits, judgemental attitudes and strives for perfection.

An end-of-year celebration in the form of a dance for highschoolers, or prom, originated in the 1930s and 40s in the elite schools of the Northeast. Students dress up in their best suits to enjoy a night of dancing, catering and entertainment for all of their hard work. Yet, expectations for a perfect night drive girls towards competitive and toxic thoughts. Why? Social media plays one of the largest forces that motivates this mentality.

“I think [prom] puts a lot of pressure on females in general to look a certain way just because that is what the media portrays,” Miami Palmetto Senior High’s Women Union Co-President Criya Mahabir said.

Girls constantly look towards images on social media for inspiration, yet many fall into the trap of comparisons with unrealistic standards of beauty. Social media induces this pressure to change oneself to fulfill this one standard of beauty as it defines true “perfection.” As prom represents this one night where one must be the best version of themselves, girls equate that image to what they see on social media.

“You look forward to this event for so long and many people, including me, feel this pressure to look a certain way and dress to fit a certain stereotype,” Mahabir said.

Every year, girls may find it difficult to find that one dress that will make them feel beautiful all night.

One must be original, but not too bold. One must be formal, but not too basic. This pressure to conform to a rigid stereotype establishes a difficult environment to be expressive and experimental. Girls may hold back their individuality to fit the mold.

Prom should constitute a night where anyone can experiment on methods that make him or her feel beautiful and confident.

Our generation constantly strives for perfection in almost every aspect of our lives; it does not come to a surprise for the expectations of prom.

“I think this urge to be perfect has always been embedded in the idea of prom. This pressure starts with prom king and queen. They promote this idealized version of yourself that you are supposed to want to be,” Mahabir said.

Promoting an unrealistic version of oneself is not perfection.

A perfect night means actualizing the emotions one wanted to feel: Beautiful. Confident. Distraction from everyday stresses. None of those emotions need to be attached to one’s physical appearance that night. That toxic mentality can be broken with a realignment of focus: a focus on the achievement of finalizing one’s high school experience.

The blame does not lay entirely with the woman and their relationship with social media. Many times, girls attempt to achieve a certain look simply for the anticipation of others.

“A lot of the pressure to

look a certain way sometimes comes from the expectations the other gender has on females. It pushes women to critique other women,” Mahabir said.

Insecurity mixed with jealousy breeds a degrading competition between girls on who impresses their date the most. Mentalities that only bring each other down perpetuate this urgency to change oneself.

Why do we continue to participate in this toxic cycle when we are constantly reminded of female empowerment and the feminist movement? How can we celebrate Women’s History Month, but judge each other’s dresses on social media?

It is very easy to preach the idea of girls supporting girls, but when put this into practice, insecurity always seeps through. This toxic cycle is not easily mended because it thrives off of girl’s self-doubt and uncertainty about who they truly want to be. We should be reminded of our self-worth and that we are so much more than the trivial stresses of one night. Prom can, and will be a magical night; a night for celebration of you and everything that brought you to where you are today.

Why do we continue to participate in this toxic cycle when we are constantly reminded of female empowerment and the feminist movement? How can we celebrate Women’s History Month, but judge each other’s dresses on social media?

It is very easy to preach the idea of girls supporting girls, but when put this into practice, insecurity always seeps through. This toxic cycle is not easily mended because it thrives off of girl’s self-doubt and uncertainty about who they truly want to be. We should be reminded of our self-worth and that

OPINION | 19

AND WHY Do WE LET IT? Prom: one of the most special and long-awaited nights of the entire school year. An evening surrounded by new and old friends in celebration of all that is to come and everything that was; right? For many, prom constitutes a day of festivities, yet for others it perpetuates toxic habits, judgemental attitudes and strives for perfection.

An end-of-year celebration in the form of a dance for highschoolers, or prom, originated in the 1930s and 40s in the elite schools of the Northeast. Students dress up in their best suits to enjoy a night of dancing, catering and entertainment for all of their hard work. Yet, expectations for a perfect night drive girls towards competitive and toxic thoughts. Why? Social media plays one of the largest forces that motivates this mentality.

“I think [prom] puts a lot of pressure on females in general to look a certain way just because that is what the media portrays,” Miami Palmetto Senior High’s Women Union Co-President Criya Mahabir said.

Girls constantly look towards images on social media for inspiration, yet many fall into the trap of comparisons with unrealistic standards of beauty. Social media induces this pressure to change oneself to fulfill this one standard of beauty as it defines true “perfection.” As prom represents this one night where one must be the best version of themselves, girls equate that image to what they see on social media.

“You look forward to this event for so long and many people, including me, feel this pressure to look a certain way and dress to fit a certain stereotype,” Mahabir said.

Every year, girls may find it difficult to find that one dress that will make them feel beautiful all night.

One must be original, but not too bold. One must be formal, but not too basic. This pressure to conform to a rigid stereotype establishes a difficult environment to be expressive and experimental. Girls may hold back their individuality to fit the mold.

Prom should constitute a night where anyone can experiment on methods that make him or her feel beautiful and confident.

Our generation constantly strives for perfection in almost every aspect of our lives; it does not come to a surprise for the expectations of prom.

“I think this urge to be perfect has always been embedded in the idea of prom. This pressure starts with prom king and queen. They promote this idealized version of yourself that you are supposed to want to be,” Mahabir said.

Promoting an unrealistic version of oneself is not perfection.

A perfect night means actualizing the emotions one wanted to feel: Beautiful. Confident. Distraction from everyday stresses. None of those emotions need to be attached to one’s physical appearance that night. That toxic mentality can be broken with a realignment of focus: a focus on the achievement of finalizing one’s high school experience.

The blame does not lay entirely with the woman and their relationship with social media. Many times, girls attempt to achieve a certain look simply for the anticipation of others.

“A lot of the pressure to

look a certain way sometimes comes from the expectations the other gender has on females. It pushes women to critique other women,” Mahabir said.

Insecurity mixed with jealousy breeds a degrading competition between girls on who impresses their date the most. Mentalities that only bring each other down perpetuate this urgency to change oneself.

Why do we continue to participate in this toxic cycle when we are constantly reminded of female empowerment and the feminist movement? How can we celebrate Women’s History Month, but judge each other’s dresses on social media?

It is very easy to preach the idea of girls supporting girls, but when put this into practice, insecurity always seeps through. This toxic cycle is not easily mended because it thrives off of girl’s self-doubt and uncertainty about who they truly want to be. We should be reminded of our self-worth and that we are so much more than the trivial stresses of one night. Prom can, and will be a magical night; a night for celebration of you and everything that brought you to where you are today.

Cayetana Jaramillo Opinion Editor c.jaramillo.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY JASMINE JUDGE PHOTOS BY AVA STUZIN

Call 305-377-0391 or visit klaacademy.org to register for school year 2021-2022.

STAFF

Editor-In-Chief Bella Martin

Print Editor-In-Chief Allison Gould

Online Editor-In-Chief Ana Martinez

Managing Editor Kate Stuzin

Senior Copy Editor Katriona Page

Senior Media Editor GiannaHutton

Business Manager JuliaStrasius

Feature Editor

Amy-Grace Shapiro

Contents Editor Angelina Astic

News Editor

Samantha Elkins

Life Editor

Kate Markus

Sports Editor Michael Angee

Opinion Editor

Cayetana Jaramillo

Multimedia Team Mikayla Ashe Valentina Arias Isabella Hewitt Ryan McKean Ava Stuzin

Copy Team

Angelina Astic Eitan Greenberg Nicole Martin Sara Paredes

Design Team

Ella Pedroso Jasmine Judge Paul Yan Denise Vaque

Staff Writers Tomas Curcio Ava Garcia

Adviser

Laura Aviles

staff editorial

Throughout history, women have been forced to take a back seat, allowing the patriarchy to flourish. However, with the increased awareness and enthusiasm for feminism and female empowerment, women began to take the initiative to make their own mark. Rather than living in a male-dominated world where only men make decisions about society, politics and the economy, women have become pivotal figures within our world.

Personally, as I have matured, I have seen women take the world by storm, creating space for females in all different fields. Holding powerful, high-level positions in government, STEM, business, athletics and popular culture, influential women are leading the way for our generation, discrediting the belief that only men can work in these roles.

I admire women like Florence Nightingale and Rosa Parks for helping establish that women are capable. I admire women such as Vice President Kamala Harris, Malala Yousafzai and Rosalind Brewer, who are currently paving the way for other women to step up.

Allison Gould

Print Editor-in-Chief

a.gould.thepanther@gmail.com

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MISSIONSTATEMENT The Panther staff aims to inform fellow students and parents about school-wide, local, national, and international news. The Panther’s content aims to represent the student body. Editorials feature the opinions of staffers. Features of other students, teachers and clubs further promote the spirit, culture and personality of Miami Palmetto Senior High School.

EDITORIAL POLICY The Panther is a monthly publication of Miami Palmetto Senior High located at 7431 SW 120th Street Miami, FL 33156, (305) 235-1360 ext. 1124. The views expressed are solely those of The Panther staff.

Students who wish to respond to an article in this publication or discuss another issue may write letters to the editor and submit them to room 1237 or e-mail us at n.markus.thepanther@gmail. com. The Panther has professional membership in NSPA and CSPA. The Panther prints 1,400 copies per issue for distribution. The Panther is distributed for free to all students in school. Please visit our paper online at thepalmettopanther.com.

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All creative work (such as illustrations, graphics, photos and writing) excluding staff editorials and staff member pictures will include byline credits.

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Any errors in print will be acknowledged in the next print issue in a correction box. Any errors online will be acknowledged immediately. Errors include facts, figures, misquoting and name misspellings.

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Ads will be designed by the advertiser and include all information the advertiser wants included. If the advertiser asks the staff to design the ad, the individual who sold the ad will design the ad or the Ads Manager will. Ads will be approved by EICs, the Advisor and the Ads Manager. If an ad produced is illegible, contains false information, or the advertiser does not like it, they will receive a free ad in the next issue. If you would like to advertise, please contact us.

ANTI-DISCRIMINATIONPOLICY

The School Board shall comply with all Federal Laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination and all requirements and regulations of the U.S. Department of Education. The Board will enforce its prohibition against discrimination/harassment based on sex, race, color, ethnic, or national origin, religion, marital status, disability, age, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender, gender identification, social and family background, linguistic preference, pregnancy and any other basis prohibited by law. The Board shall maintain an educational and work environment free from all forms of discrimination/harassment, which includes Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX prohibits sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct such as unwelcome touching, graphic verbal comments, sexual jokes, slurs, gestures or pictures. All students, administrators, teachers, staff, and all other school personnel share responsibility for avoiding, discouraging, and reporting any form of prohibited discrimination or harassment against students by employees, other students and their parents or guardians, or third parties. This policy prohibits discrimination and harassment at all School District operations, programs, and activities on school property, or at another location if it occurs during an activity sponsored by the Board.