Up in Smoke- Eagle Eye News - Volume 8, Number 4 - March 2023

SMOKE SMOKE up in

Editor Letters

Make it Free

Dear Editor, School lunches costing money isn’t a good idea. Some students aren’t able to afford the lunches. Or sometimes when a student forgets to pack a lunch, and they don’t have any money in their account, they aren’t able to have a lunch.

If lunches were free, even if you forget to pack a lunch, or you were running late, you can still have a healthy balanced lunch for you to enjoy. Sometimes when I have a long first two periods, I just want to enjoy a lunch, but sometimes I don’t have one. Free lunches would fix this issue.

ARYEH GOFFSTEIN, 9

Let us Rest

Dear Editor,

Having so much homework as a student is tiring. After doing seven hours of school then going to have homework is crazy. Students have after school activities like sports and other things to do. Even if students have studying for a test they should do that and then have homework? It is just too much after seven hours of school. If you do not finish your class work I understand it though. If you have enough time to finish an assignment in school and just sit on your phone it is unacceptable. Overall homework isn’t good for a student.

JOSH LIEBERMAN, 9

Off Your Phone

Dear Editor,

Social media has become a global phenomenon with millions of people worldwide using platforms like Instagram, Tiktok, Snapchat and Facebook to connect with friends and family, share information and news and express opinions. While social media has indeed brought many benefits, it has given rise to a number of complex issues that affect individuals, societies and the world at large. One significant challenge associated with social media is its impact on mental health.

Studies have found that excessive social media use is linked to a range of negative outcomes, including depression, anxiety and poor self-esteem. The constant need to compare oneself to others, the pressure to present an idealized version of one’s life, and the endless notifications and updates can contribute to feelings of stress and unworthiness. Social media addiction has also been identified as a growing problem, with some people spending hours every day scrolling through their feeds and ignoring other aspects of their lives.

With the constant scrolling, misinformation can also be spread across online platforms. It is quite easy to spread information on social media and some of the information can include conspiracy theories and rumors. Misinformation has serious implications because it can lead to people undermining important institutions and officials.

Social media is a global issue with consequences for societies and communities at large. Addressing these challenges will be hard at first and will require a complex solution to harness the power of social media.

PREESHA ZAVERI, 10

Another Conflict

Dear Editor

Relations between the U.S. and China are tense with the recent shooting down of what the U.S. believed to be a Chinese spy balloon. The balloon was discovered to have the equipment to collect communications, not just images, as it traveled across the country last week.

There was also news that the airship was part of a much larger operation run by the

Dear Editor,

Most of the time when we hear the word “express” we think of doing it through words or writing, something that we have trained to do our entire academic career and that can have a huge role in deciding our future, that’s why most people forget another way of expressing yourself, which would be through fashion.

The way we dress can say a lot about ourselves and as someone with interest in learning fashion it’s a little disappointing that there isn’t any class offered in the county for helping students to succeed directly in their

Dear Editor,

Fun on Campus

Chinese military to spy on more than forty countries across five continents. The incident is believed to have marked a new era of espionage and counter-espionage activities between the U.S. and China, putting both nations on high alert.

The future of relations between the two countries is uncertain; the economies and states of both nations could be at risk.

ISABEL

Express Yourself

As a high schooler in this day and age, with the pressures of school, college, and constant competition, two-day weekends are just not enough. School days are jam-packed with homework, extra-curricular activities, and sports. We only have 24 hours in a day. It is practically impossible to get sleep, go to school, take competitive classes, do the homework of those competitive classes, play sports, do extra-curricular activities, and be social. The least the government and school boards could do to assist with this growing problem is to give us three-day weekends.

Three-day weekends would allow students to get quality rest and give them a break from the stress and anxiety that comes with school. This would also solve a problem that

Dear Editor,

ROMERO, 11

career choice. Some will say that it could be an unnecessary class and no one would take it, but it is actually a life skill, imagine you rip your jeans, how much would fix them cost? In response most people would just buy another pair.

Making a fashion related class could help to expand MSD’s art field, while still teaching basic life skills that are useful in the future, the important relationship between clothing and the environment, and in general making students happy and confident with their clothes.

NICOLE PARRA, 11

numerous high schools across the United States have right now–block schedules. This is where students have a different set of classes on each day. They go to one set on one day, and the second set on the next day. We have this system here at MSD; however, things get complicated during the normal fiveday week. One set of classes will have more instruction time than the other, three days, whereas the second set of classes will only have two days of instruction. By implementing a three-day weekend, and therefore a four-day school week, everyone’s lives would be made so much easier. Students would be able to utilize their time more wisely and will benefit greatly from the extra day of rest.

ELLE NAQVI, 10

Take Action

A national issue in the world right now is fentanyl. This drug is very dangerous and it has been causing people to die, especially in the teen age. This drug can be laced in vapes, carts, and many other kinds of drugs which can then end up finding there way to teens or young adults that use. This can end up being

very harmful and can lead to death and cause harmful respiratory issues.

This issue is becoming a national headline and a worry for parents because kids and young adults are dying to young from this very potent drug. Action needs to be taken before it continues to get worse.

DEVIN

FITZ-GERALD, 11

Have something to say about the school? Have something to say about a local, national or global issue? Have something to say about this issue of the Eagle Eye? We want to hear your opinions. Email submissions to: MSDEagleEyeNews@gmail.com Submissions must be between 100-200 words

Dear Editor, Events at Stoneman Douglas makes high school much more interesting and exciting. The Multicultural show in December was so exciting to watch, for both in school and the after-school show. Students gather together and learn dances, while appreciating their traditions and culture. The performances this year were so good. There is another performance for school which would represent Black History Month. It will be another success to add to Stoneman Douglas Performances.

School performances bring out the happiness and skill of students. As well everyone likes time away from class, especially for a good cause. At Stoneman Douglas the performances are top notch.

BIAGIO BROCCOLI, 11

Burning Out

Dear Editor,

Editor to the Stop the Smoke

With the distribution of course cards this quarter, comes the creation of mistakes. Students select classes that set them up for failure. Unaware teenagers enroll in classes outside of their academic level and interest in the hope to ensure a better future for themselves. Students want to fit in with their friends and seem as intelligent.

Our school misguides and peer pressures students into schedules that will lead to eventual failure. The adults responsible for signing off on our courses should be aware of this, as it has happened in the past. Previous generations of MSD students have been persuaded to pile up their schedules, which led them to suffer from major burnout as an adult.

The school culture around the courses students take must change to stop the cycle of burnout.

MATEA COHEN, 10

One More Day

Dear Editor,

A serious issue within the school is the amount of students vaping. On several occasions bathrooms have been locked and out of use because students feel that is it acceptable to flush their vape pens down the toilet, causing it to clog and make the bathroom out of use for everyone.

There are many times where I have to walk to the other side of the school to use a bathroom because a peer of mine has clogged the toilet; this causes me to miss my own instructional time due to their choices. In addition, if the pens are properly disposed of it still doesn’t change the fact that too many students are crowding the bathrooms to vape, the lines are always absurdly long and nobody has the opportunity to go in between classes.

In conclusion, not only are vape pens and e-cigs terrible for the health and mental well being of the students, it is also damaging to the peers of those who partake in it.

DELANEY VAN ECK, 10

MSD

brief

for your information

BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS. The men’s varsity basketball team lost to Deerfield Beach High School in the first round of the playoffs, ending their season with a 19-7 record.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL. The women’s varsity basketball team finished their season with a 3-15 record and did not make the playoffs.

SOCCER REGIONALS. The men’s varsity soccer team finished their season with a record of 11-3-3, leading to the regional championship as the No. 4 seed in the district. The Eagles fell short in the first round, losing 1-2 against Monarch High School. The women’s varsity soccer team finished the season, with a 14-11 record. After winning their first two playoff games, the Eagles fell short against Cypress Bay High School in the regional championship with a score of 0-1.

WRESTLING STATES The men’s wrestling team finished the season

SWERVING AND CURVING. Humble Tip invites sophomore Emery Jackson and juniors Joshua Gayle and Zara Dautruche on stage to swerve and curve away the haters. The Beautiful Tomorrow Assembly was held on Feb. 15 and Feb. 16 to encourage students to work hard for their future.

after competing in the regional championship. The team competed in the hardest region in Florida, which is nicknamed “the region of doom.” MSD has three members attending the state championship: Gaby Caro, Rocco Duygulu and David Leiva.

DAY OF SERVICE AND LOVE.

MSD commemorated the fifth anniversary of the Feb. 14, 2018 shooting. To honor the victims, Broward County Public Schools hosted a countywide “Day of Service and Love.” MSD students could opt to participate in service activities.

LITERARY FAIR 2023. MSD announced the winners of the MSD Literary Fair. For prose, sophomores Julianna Webster, Eliana Gatsoulis, Michael Cacace and Brendan Heffernan won for formal essay, myth, political/satirical cartoon and short story, respectively. Sophomore Edna Satinover won for her personal narrative, as well as her free verse poem. The following students won

in poetry categories: freshmen Kalli Wheeler (ekphrastic poem), Maya Ruzicka (ekphrastic poem), Silas Escalante (haiku) and Mylie Mayberry (rhymed verse), sophomores Julia Castro-Videla (ode) and Liam Alvarez (ode), and junior Jack Shaffer (free verse). All winners will be entered in the countywide BCPS Literary Fair.

MSD REZONING. The School Board of Broward County recommended proposal C-4 to change the boundaries of MSD. Neighborhoods south of Wiles Road, which includes TAZs 112, 653 and 107, would be rezoned to Coral Glades High School. Public hearings will be held on March 29 at Coral Springs High School and on April 12 at J.P. Taravella High School to discuss the proposed plan before the SBBC makes a final decision.

SUSPICIOUS PHONE CALL. MSD and other nearby schools, including Country Hills Elementary School and Westglades Middle School, went on a secure code on Feb. 15 due

to a suspicious phone call. MSD students were released in a staggered dismissal after 3:20 p.m.

RUN 4 BEIGEL. The annual “Run 4 Beigel” was held on Sunday, March 5 at Pine Trails Park. The run raised money to send underserved children affected by gun violence to sleep away camp in the name of Scott Beigel, a geography teacher killed in the Feb. 14, 2018 shooting at MSD.

HALL PASS. As of Monday, Feb. 27, any student found without a golden rod hall pass, bathroom pass or personalization pass will be issued a one-hour detention for “being out of area.” This measure is one of many in the crackdown against tardiness and students wandering in the halls this year. Earlier in the year, “random hall sweeps’’ were conducted and students without a pass were issued a referral.

REPORTING BY Brynn Schwartz and Ryan Shimony

aspirationalassembly

confidence and positivity when it comes to thinking about their futures. They spoke to students about following their dreams and not allowing other people’s opinions to influence their actions, ideas or beliefs.

“It’s always a privilege [be]cause [students] never have to [attend], especially because we’re not your average assembly,” Walton said. “We’re a bit rowdier, so we felt excited when we were asked to come here and do it. Most people stand on the podium with a PowerPoint for their assembly, but we try to get the kids involved and moving.”

The Beautiful Tomorrow Assembly conducts motivational show for MSD students

following our dreams really resonated with me, as I have big aspirations for the future. It is sometimes difficult to find motivation, especially during junior year, but Humble [Tip] was really inspiring and was a fun person to listen to compared to our other assemblies.”

Motivational guest speaker Jason Lewis, also known as Humble Tip, and co-host Jodie Walton III from The Beautiful Tomorrow Assembly visited Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 15 and Feb. 16 during fourth and sixth periods. The main goal of the program is to “spark an excited desire [within students] to pursue their future and its endless potential.”

Curriculum specialist Robert Johnson

scheduled The Beautiful Tomorrow Assembly, which was created by Lewis has traveled across the U.S. speaking and performing to motivate students, promote peace and inspire students to never give up. Lewis is also a music artist who has produced and released music on Spotify. He fuses hip-hop with his public speaking abilities to encourage students to participate in repeat-afterme exercises.

Lewis and Walton aim to boost students’

Lewis and Walton explained to students that they should avoid fake friends and keep a positive mindset. The performers chanted mantras, danced and sang songs with the students, teachers and any other faculty present. Selected students were called up onto the stage to talk about their futures and how they plan to commit to their dreams. They were given Beautiful Tomorrow t-shirts before they left the stage.

“The assembly was really entertaining, and I loved seeing all of my teachers and fellow classmates on the stage,” junior Rebecca Stember said. “Their message about perseverance and

Teachers were also brought onto the stage to dance with Humble Tip. They continued to dance in the aisles during his closing song. Students crowded at the bottom of the stage and created mosh pits while chanting one of his many mantras, “Can’t put me out–” intended to mean that no one can stop students from achieving their dreams.

“Students have a funny way of showing their appreciation,” Walton said. “They’ll sit silently, but eventually they’ll start getting into it especially because it’s a message that isn’t dated, so it’s always relevant to them.”

Teachers brought their study hall classes to attend the assembly, as well as students who got personal invitation slips. It lasted for the entirety of a 90-minute period, with students going to their next class period once it ended.

STORY BY Alison LaTorre and Jessie Gesund

PHOTO BY Quinn Braun

GOING GREEN. President of the Marjory’s Garden Club DJ Paris speaks to incoming freshmen about the program. Extracurricular clubs and activities were able to showcase themselves in the Cafeteria during curriculum night. PHOTO BY Anna Horowitz

new kids on the block

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School administration and guidance department hosted their annual curriculum night for eighth graders and their parents on Thursday, Feb. 9, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The event took place across campus, with the majority of the itinerary in the auditorium, gym and mini gym. The eighth graders attended from MSD’s two local feeder middle schools: Westglades Middle School and Coral Springs Middle School.

Each year, attendees have the opportunity to discover activities within the school and ask questions about core classes and extracurriculars. It provides families with insight about the school and what their students will be experiencing as freshmen.

“There’s a lot of excitement in the air. There’s a lot of good people around and kids learning about MSD and getting familiar with the school,” father Adam Jay said. “I really just came to understand more about some offerings and to understand a little bit more about my daughter going into ninth grade. It’s all very exciting.”

Assistant Principal Daniel Lechtman organized the event. Elective teachers and club advisers coordinated their booths located in the cafeteria and prepared to talk one-on-one with students attending curriculum night.

Before the main presentation, Gifted Coordinator Holly Van Tassel-Schuster led a 30-minute meeting in the media center to discuss the school’s gifted program.

The Student Government Association greeted the guests and directed everyone to the

MSD hosts annual curriculum night for incoming freshmen

auditorium as they began to arrive around 5:30 p.m. At 6:00 p.m., administration presented a video showcasing classes and activities. Immediately following, Principal Michelle Kefford took to the stage to welcome the audience and introduce JROTC students, who performed the presentation of colors.

Lechtman began the main presentation afterwards, giving basic information to the new students. Athletic director Albert Guzzo spoke about athletics. SGA officers performed some school spirit activities throughout the meeting, and once it was over, students and parents were permitted to stay in the courtyard to listen to the band set up or go to the mini gym and cafeteria.

In the mini gym, department heads for core classes stood at tables, talking to parents about the different courses, allowing parents to learn more about classes offered in each department.

Meanwhile, the PTSO sold merchandise such as hoodies and pajama pants in the cafeteria and elective teachers and club advisers manned their booths. Some electives did more than just have conversations to try to recruit students: JROTC held a pull-up challenge and culinary handed out free cookies.

Many electives stuck with a simpler approach, opting to go up to families and pitch their programs. DECA and National Academy of Finance officers stood by their display, passing out flyers and explaining the club. Three of the four advisers were also present, giving incoming students a chance to meet their possible teachers.

“I’ve talked to a lot of people and the kids seemed interested, sometimes the parents more so than the kids,” Academy of Finance and

ATTENTION PLEASE. Gifted Coordinator Holly Van Tassel-Schuster talks to parents about the gifted program in the media center before the main curriculum night presentation. The school held a meeting for incoming gifted freshmen to learn about the program at MSD. PHOTO BY Anna Horowitz

Throughout the last hour, eighth graders had the opportunity to engage with school club members and ask questions about their courses. While many were overwhelmed by the number of choices, some were able to find interests for the upcoming year.

“I think tonight prepared me just for how overwhelming high school really is,” Coral Springs Middle School eighth grader Ben Goldman said. “I really have to take it all in.”

STORY BY Anna Horowitz

backstage business

Agentle melody fills the auditorium as the audience hushes to a silence.

The curtains rise, displaying actors on stage dressed in elaborate costumes before decorative scenery. Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s drama department performed to impress the audience with their production of “Head Over Heels.” Behind the scenes, however, many preparations, unseen by spectators, were made in order to produce the show.

Douglas Drama first announced their plans to perform “Head Over Heels,” at their theater banquet back in May 2022. The publicity team promotes the performance using a collection of strategies. A group of seniors, consisting of Ashley Fronstin, Logan LaPierre and Nick Bedusa, advertised the show to spectators on the official drama Instagram account, @ douglasdrama, by making playbills, designing posters and creating merchandise. Their work has won a Cappie award, which recognizes high school students in theater and journalism.

Before the drama department began show preparations, drama director Melody Herzfeld first decided on a play. To pick their annual musical, Herzfeld looks for shows that highlight the student actors’ talent and capabilities, such as singing, dancing and performing.

“Head Over Heels” is an adaptation of Sir Philip Sidney’s “The Countess of Pembroke’s

Arcadia,” which was adapted for the stage by James Magruder. The music in the show was written by The Go-Go’s. The play follows a royal family who is trying to save their kingdom from an oracle of doom and destruction. Along the way, the family learns life lessons of selfdiscovery and love.

Auditions took place during the week of Aug. 16. The directors of the show then held callbacks for students who put on notable performances, before deciding on the final cast list. The crew then worked toward establishing theatrics and effects for the performance and costume designers cut fabrics into unique outfits for each character.

“Our shows are done almost entirely by students, from sound to lighting and music to choreography,” sophomore Melissa Azzarito said. “Mrs. Herzfeld helps out with directing and guiding the students’ work.”

The music for the performance is mixed by students in the drama club. From the set designs to the lighting, stage hands craft the scenes of the performance from scratch. Their goal is to ensure the show runs smoothly and keeps the audience entertained.

“There’s a lot of aspects that go into it and every department has a different job,” Assistant Stage Manager Christina Garofalo said. “I write down every cue, like lighting, sound and props,

MSD drama department works behind the scenes to produce their “Head Over Heels” show

and all of the blocking, which is stage directions for the actors including when they enter and exit the stage and from which side of the stage. During the show, I help anyone who needs help with props, quick changes with costumes, rails and generally just make sure everything is running smoothly.”

“My favorite part of working behind the scenes is being able to watch the show while also

being a part of it,” Technical Sound Director Belinda Silva Beuke said. “I love going to rehearsals and I genuinely love doing sound and being behind the scenes.”

“Head Over Heels” was performed on both March 9 and March 10 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. Tickets were available for purchase online for $15.

STORY BY Jasmine Bhogaita

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. Drama club members meet in Drama teacher Melody Herzfeld’s room in preparation for their upcoming show. Students learned new songs at the practice from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24.

DECA teacher Lisa Webster said.

PHOTO BY Miguel Garcia

Waiver

Eighty-four percent of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School teachers in the math, science, social studies and exceptional student education departments voted to approve a waiver on Tuesday, Feb. 21 that will make midterms mandatory for classes with end-ofcourse exams starting next school year.

The proposal waives Broward County Public School’s Policy 4000, which allows classes with an EOC to exempt the midterm, but not the final exam. The waiver will require all students in Algebra I, Geometry, Biology and U.S. History to sit for the midterm in those classes, regardless of the semester grade.

Currently, students who have earned a grade of a B or higher during both the first and second quarters are able to exempt the midterm in any class, except for advanced placement courses for up to three classes. However, students who have a quarter grade of C or lower in a class are required to take the midterm.

Policy 4000 has been waived for EOC classes at six other high schools in the Broward Schools district: Cooper City High School, Everglades High School, Fort Lauderdale High School, Miramar High School, South Broward High School and Piper High School.

On the Algebra I and Geometry EOC, MSD’s pass rate ranks third compared to other high schools in the district. It is directly behind Cooper City High School, which is in second place and has implemented the waiver and Cypress Bay High School which is in first place has not. MSD also ranks third in the biology pass rate, trailing behind Cypress Bay High School in first and West Broward in second, both of which have not introduced the waiver. In U.S. history, MSD ranks first.

The goal of waiving this policy would be to boost MSD’s performance on the EOC exams. This would further solidify the school’s “A” rating, based on the school’s test scores, as well as increase MSD’s rank against other schools in Broward County.

Proponents of the new waiver argue that the midterms will provide vital diagnostic data about gaps in student knowledge. Using this, teachers feel they can better prepare students to ensure

Worries Worries

they can improve their skills before the EOC.

“If we don’t get the information back into the students’ heads at some point, you are now asking a kid in May to remember something from August,” Assistant Principal Anna Koltunova said. “It would be so much easier for them to recall material from December when they take the midterm.”

The mandatory midterms will also serve as a tool that will require students to study and review for the EOC. Teachers argue those who have exempted the midterm in the past likely do not review during the school year’s halfway point. Teachers believe students will be more motivated to study what they have learned thus far in the year if they have to take the midterm, making it easier to do well when the EOC rolls around.

Some students and teachers believe adding the provision may inflict more stress on students who are also taking AP midterm exams, since they are mandatory.

“If we follow through with this process, we would be putting more stress and anxiety into the student body, especially those in higher level classes, and make it that much harder for them to succeed in the rest of their classes,” senior Jonmarco Aponte said. “I wholeheartedly believe that the system we have in place, which rewards students for their outstanding grades, is a beneficial part of our system and should remain.”

Teachers argue that while the midterms can inflict more stress, the benefits of the additional practice will outweigh the consequences.

“Truthfully, the teachers that are teaching the content wouldn’t be asking [themselves] to do more work unless it was truly valid and in the best interest for the academic integrity and content of the students,” Assistant Principal Sandra Davis said.

A handful of parents raised concerns at School Advisory Committee and community

QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS. MSD parent and School Advisory Committee member Nicole Rothenberg asks a question at SAC meeting presentation on Feb. 22.

CONDUCTING CONVERSATIONS. SAC Co-chairs Holly Van Tassel-Schuster and Elisa Williamson announce the committee voting on the EOC midterm waiver proposal.

HERE’S THE FACTS. Principal Michelle Kefford discusses various topics at the monthly SAC meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 22. Among them was a proposal to require students to take midterms for classes with an end-of-course exam.

RAISING CONCERNS. Broward County Public Schools ESE Advisory Committee Chair Jacqui Luscombe speaks about her concerns with how the proposal to require students to take midterms for EOC courses will impact ESE students.

input meetings about whether the new midterm waiver would put ESE students at a disadvantage because those with learning disabilities may have to work harder to maintain their grade. ESE parents believe it removes the incentive for these students to push themselves to work hard during the semester to earn a grade to exempt.

The EOC midterm waiver will last for five years, but has to be reauthorized each year through the School Advisory Committee and a vote that requires a minimum of two-thirds of the teachers voting to approve it.

STORY BY Jasmine Bhogaita

12% of MSD students support the proposal to make midterms mandatory for all EOC classes

EOC classes should have exemptable exams. Midterm week is extremely stressful for students as is, and the pressure will simply multiply with the addition of an EOC class midterm.”

Aditi Sawant, 9

“

Alexa Kaufman, 10

Yes, I do think the addition of midterms to EOC classes will be beneficial in that it will show you, as a student, what you need to know more about in preparation for the exam itself.”

Matthew Smith, 12

“

I think removing exemptions is a great idea since it will make students have to apply themselves to their coursework rather than just being complacent with two B’s.”

PHOTOS BY Kate Becker

Moments Moments Meaningful

PAINTING WITH LOVE. Sophomore Jolyna-Eryka Quiambao paints a rock to help decorate the rock garden. Art teachers Jacquelene Lieberman and Randee Lombard let students paint rocks to create a rainbow in the rock garden.

HEARTS FOR HEALING. Seniors Paola Romero Gonzalez, Isabella Moline and Maria Francisco crochet hearts at the Maker Space service project on Feb. 14. The project was held in the media center where students were able to make bracelets, blankets and crochet.

Coral Springs and Parkland communities participate in service events on five year anniversary of MSD shooting

CELEBRATING FIRST RESPONDERS

CELEBRATING FIRST RESPONDERS. Leadership students cheer for first responders to welcome them to a breakfast held in the cafeteria. The first responders breakfast was one of several service projects held on campus for the Day of Service and Love.

CHEERFUL COLORING. Senior Danielle Tamim, junior Ana Ferreira and sophomore Bailey Carter color in the media center. Mind Body Ambassadors hosted a mindful morning of activities involving coloring, bracelet making and letter writing.

CHEERFUL COLORING

MEMORY LANE. A community member looks at portraits of Helena Ramsay and Martin Duque Anguiano. Throughout the community commemoration at Pine Trails Park, guests were able to walk through the sea of portraits depicting the 17 victims of the Feb. 14, 2018 shooting.

LIGHT FOR LOVE. Jennifer Montalto lights a candle in memory of her daughter Gina Montalto at the Candle Lighting and Dove Release Ceremony held at Eagles’ Haven at 13:20 p.m. on Feb. 14. Family members and community members gathered together at various events in Coral Springs and Parkland to remember the 17 lives lost five years ago.

PHOTO BY Anna Horowitz

PHOTO BY Glory Lee

PAINTING WITH LOVE

HEARTS FOR HEALING

PHOTO BY Glory Lee

PHOTO BY Quinn Braun

MEMORY LANE

LIGHT FOR LOVE

PHOTO BY Caitlyn Acosta

PHOTO BY Quinn Braun

ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. A local faith leader has the crowd raise glow sticks in the air. During the 5 year memorial gathering at Pine Trails Park, religious speakers took the stage to spread strength to the Parkland community.

PLAYFUL PONIES. Therapy ponies line up single file waiting for the beginning of the event to start. Personal Ponies brought several trained therapy ponies out to Eagles Haven in hopes of supporting their community.

A

MORNING. Tai Chi instructor Jonathan Fields walks students through the different moves. For the Day of Service and Love, Mind Body Ambassadors hosted a mindful morning of Tai Chi.

GETTING DIRTY. Freshman Lucca Aguilar-Lizzi digs holes in the newly laid dirt to plant native ferns. Students had a variety of tasks to pick from when volunteering in Marjory’s Garden, including making the garden lush with new plants.

FIRED UP. Sophomore Riley Walsh uses a heat gun under the supervision of Chemistry teacher Sean Simpson to create holes in a pipe for the newly established aeroponics system in Marjory’s Garden. Aeroponics is the process of growing plants vertically in the air using mist to hydrate them; the pipes are the vessels that will hold the plants and allow water to go in to the top and flow to all the plants below.

SOLEMN SPECTATORS. In the school’s memorial garden, Jessica Palomino, secretary of the Chris Hixon Foundation joins victims’ family members, administrators, staff, first responders and students to look at the plaques of the students and staff who lost their lives in the Feb. 14, 2018 shooting at MSD. Flowers were placed on each plaque by administrators, teachers and family members of those who have passed.

PHOTO BY Anna Horowitz

PHOTO BY Glory Lee

MINDFUL

PHOTO BY Quinn Braun

PHOTO BY Kate Becker

PHOTO BY Kate Becker

PHOTO BY Jessie Gesund

FIRED UP GETTING DIRTY SOLEMN SPECTATORS

ALL IN THIS TOGETHER PLAYFUL PONIES

A MINDFUL MORNING

DESIGN BY Grace Brill

“Personally, I don’t really like the bathrooms. Lots of the other students draw on the stalls and make it uncomfortable to use. There are also always really long lines, which isn’t convenient if you’re trying to go quickly or often.”

Lindsay Rogalla, 10

Drain DrainDown the

MSD students report multiple issues with campus bathrooms

Through a survey of 351 MSD students, a variety of issues were reported in the restrooms on campus. Sixty-eight percent of students reported finding empty toilet paper rolls and 91% reported finding water on the floor.

Approximately 7% of students surveyed admitted to having purposefully vandalized or damaged the bathrooms at some point in their high school career. However, 64% said that if there was a method to report issues in the school bathrooms, they would use it.

“Sometimes I find that the boys bathroom has extremely long lines and have water all over the floor. I often have to go to other restrooms out of my zone, which puts me at risk for a detention.”

Ryan Rowe, 11

statisticsslippery

I think the students themselves are causing the majority of the problems... I think at the high school level, that students should be able to monitor themselves and figure out where the toilet paper, pads and tampons go.”

Assistant Principal Jay Milmed

What have you seen in MSD bathrooms?

91% 87%

7% I don’t use school bathrooms

How often do you see empty toilet paper rolls in MSD bathrooms? 11% 14% Never Daily

76%

62%

78% 34% Once or twice

21%

STORY BY Alison LaTorre

Toilet paper litters the floor and the sink of the 400 building’s girls’ restroom. Students frequently complain about mess in the bathrooms; however, some faculty members say the students are at fault for the dirty conditions.

PHOTO BY Rayne Welser

Empty soap dispensers Water on the floor Trash on the floor Rodents in restrooms

MSD students express concern over rise in gun violence in the U.S.

Harvest Music Festival, 60 murdered. Pulse Nightclub, 49 murdered. Virginia Tech University, 32 murdered. Sandy Hook Elementary School, 26 murdered. First Baptist Church, 26 murdered. El Paso Walmart, 23 murdered. Robb Elementary School, 21 murdered. Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, 17 murdered.

“Gun violence is a major problem in America. It’s so disgusting to see headlines almost every day of people killed by a gun. It’s hard to grasp how many people have died,” freshman Saoirse Popen said. “You didn’t know them; they didn’t know you, but they’re dead and now a statistic.”

In 2023, over 6,900 gun-related deaths and 90 mass shootings have already occurred, including a shooting in Half Moon Bay, California that killed seven people on Jan. 23 and a shooting at Michigan State University that killed three people on Feb. 13.

The high numbers already in 2023 directly correlates with the uptick of gun violence and mass shootings in recent years. One of the deadliest years on record for gun violence, 2022 saw over 44,000 gun-related deaths and 648 mass shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

The Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas on May 24, 2022 was one of the deadliest in 2022, where 19 students and two teachers were killed. It was the third-deadliest school shooting in the United States, following the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting that killed 32 students and faculty and the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that killed 26 students and staff.

These mass shootings added more fuel to the national

Not One

outcry for gun control, which led to the nationwide return of March For Our Lives protests. MFOL is an organization founded by the student survivors of the deadly shooting here at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018. On June 11, 2022, MFOL held additional protests across the United States, including the main march in Washington D.C.

“A shooting should not have happened at my school, but it also should’ve stopped at my school,” MSD yearbook adviser Sarah Lerner said in her speech at the Parkland MFOL protest on June 11, 2022.

Pew Research Center data from 2021 shows that 48% of Americans see gun violence as a major problem in the U.S. A survey of 362 MSD students shows that 81% of MSD students also believe that gun violence is a major problem in the U.S. today.

“Currently, in the United States, firearm-related injury is the leading cause of death for adolescents and younger,” junior Jason Johnson said. “It is unbelievable that more children die yearly from gun violence than car crashes.”

The significance of gun violence incidents to MSD students was also evidenced by a survey earlier this year where 77% of MSD students said gun violence was one of the most important issues to them in the 2022 midterm elections.

Gun violence was a critical subject of debate in the 2022 midterms, as voters became increasingly frustrated with the alleged shortcomings in stopping gun violence.

The mounting pressure by organizations such as MFOL in the wake of the Uvalde and Buffalo shootings led to the passage of the first sweeping gun violence

legislation in decades in June 2022: the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The act increased background checks on those under 21 attempting to purchase guns, gave funding for “red flag” laws, cracked down on gun trafficking and provided funding to communities for mental health resources.

The act also closed the “boyfriend” loophole, long criticized by gun violence prevention activists. Now, any person convicted of domestic abuse cannot own a firearm. Previously, the law only prevented those convicted of domestic abuse from someone that a victim was married to, had a child with or lived with from owning a firearm. The law now additionally applies to those convicted of domestic abuse from within a dating relationship.

On Feb. 14, President Joe Biden announced that the Justice Department will be distributing $231 million to states to curb gun violence and includes funding for “red flag” laws.

Florida already has a “red flag” law and system in place, passed in the wake of the shooting at MSD. The law gives police the ability to ask a judge to temporarily restrict someone’s ability to own and carry a firearm if they are considered a danger to themselves or others. Following the Uvalde shooting, politicians and activists looked to Florida’s law to find possible solutions. Sen. Chris Murphy suggested that it could be a solution moving forward for the federal government.

The “red flag” law was one of the many pieces of legislation passed in Florida in response to the MSD shooting. The largest legislation was SB 7026, the “Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety

NEVER AGAIN. Former MSD student X González raises their fist along with other March For Our Lives organizers at the conclusion of the original March in Washington, D.C .on March 24, 2018. At least 200,000 participants came out to support the cause.

NEVER AGAIN

NO MORE. Former MSD student David Hogg gives a speech at March For Our Lives on March 24, 2018. He was one of 20 student speakers.

MAKING VOICES HEARD

MARCHING FOR A CAUSE. Hundreds of thousands of people march down East Capitol Street at March For Our Lives on March 24, 2018. On that same day, over 800 sister marches took place nationwide, including one in Parkland.

NO MORE

MARCHING FOR A CAUSE PROTECT OUR KIDS

PROTECT OUR KIDS. Coral Springs resident Debra Davis marches to support legislation to end gun violence. She was one of many who showed up to the march at Pine Trails Park on June 11, 2022. “We have to be able to work together in this country, so I think each side needs to be able to give something and give up something.”

MAKING VOICES HEARD. Over 3,000 people gathered at Pine Trails Park with signs advocating for gun violence prevention. They were there to demand change and listen to the speeches given by those affected by gun violence and those a part of gun safety organizations.

PHOTO BY Julia Landy

PHOTO BY Suzanna Barna

PHOTO BY Kate Becker

PHOTO BY Suzanna Barna

PHOTO BY Emma Dowd

More More

Act,” to address gun violence, including in schools. One of its most controversial elements was its later-added clause in the Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program section of the law that would allow teachers to be armed on campus.

Only 17% of MSD students support arming teachers as a solution to school gun violence. Among the counties that rejected this initiative are Broward County Public Schools, Miami-Dade County Public Schools and Orange County Public Schools.

The Florida legislature is currently considering HB 543, which supporters refer to as the “constitutional carry” bill. The bill would allow people to carry a concealed firearm without a government-issued permit. HB 543 is relatively unpopular among MSD students, 63% do not support the bill. If passed and signed, the “constitutional carry” bill would go into effect on July 1.

“With the…governor of Florida, a lot of new laws and restrictions are coming about which don’t really make sense and are ridiculous,” junior Inzley Lwin said. “For example, the gun law that permits anyone to carry [firearms] without government-issued paperwork.”

While mostly unpopular among gun control activists, the bill has divided gun rights advocates. Some gun rights activists want to see the “constitutional carry” bill include open, unconcealed carry, but other gun rights proponents believe HB 543 is a good step towards securing Second Amendment rights.

A controversial subject in the argument of gun control, the Second Amendment gives Americans the constitutional right to bear arms. Critics argue that the amendment

is causing more harm than good by giving people access to potentially dangerous firearms.

“The Second Amendment was created in a world where the common person did not have access to firearms with the potential to mow down crowds of people,” junior Oliver Grushka said. “The amendment has become less about self-defense and more about letting people feel empowered [to] carry…weapons of mass destruction.”

Conclusions similar to Grushka’s have led to a feeling by many students and Americans in general that the Second Amendment does not apply to the U.S. today. In fact, former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens wrote in a 2018 op-ed that the Second Amendment is a “relic of the 18th century.” One in five Americans supports repealing the Second Amendment, according to a February 2018 YouGov poll.

“The Second Amendment is an outdated piece of the Constitution that has been misused for generations,” senior Damian Francis said. “We’ve changed the Constitution to become more applicable many times in the last centuries of our government, I think it’s truly idiotic that this is an exception.”

Forty-four percent of MSD students believe the Second Amendment is intended to give people the unrestricted right to own firearms and guns, but a follow-up question shows that 72% believe that there should be restrictions placed on the Second Amendment. “At the time of the creation of the Second Amendment, the world was a different place,” freshman Madison Hamilton

said. “The Second Amendment needs to be restricted to properly suit today’s people’s needs and wants. It is the only way we can fix this problem we have in our country.”

A popular solution among MSD students is stricter background checks. The goal of universal background checks is to close any loopholes in purchasing a gun and require background checks on every gun sale and transfer.

“If places would just do a background check or a mental health check, it could keep the wrong people from buying guns. We could also just simply raise the age requirement to buy a gun,” sophomore Katie Dellaclava said. “Most of these mass shooters are young men [that] have access to guns when they aren’t mature enough or… aren’t mentally well.”

According to a 2022 Politico poll, 88% of Americans support universal background checks. In addition, a poll by the University of Chicago and the Associated Press found that 71% of Americans support stricter gun regulations.

“[There should be] stricter gun laws [and] entire bans on certain firearms. Civilians have no need to be carrying around weapons used in the army,” sophomore Ava Argieri said. “To fix gun violence, guns should be harder to access and even harder to obtain. The restrictions and work it takes to get a gun should be much harder.”

Gun violence continues to be on the rise in the U.S. today and is expected to continue on that trend. While it is unclear what future local, state and national actions will be taken to regulate or protect the right to own a firearm, the majority of MSD students hope to see action taken.

STORY BY Brynn Schwartz

53%

of MSD students worry a lot about violencegun

4 YEARS LATER. MSD shooting survivor Sari Kaufman spoke at the March, urging politicians to make change and for attendees to “keep fighting.”

PHOTO BY Carolina Ochoa Lozano

Use of electronic cigarettes remains high among teens

SmokeUp in

Astudent enters the bathroom as the bell signaling the start of lunch rings overhead. She pulls a USB-shaped device out of her pocket. Drawing it towards her lips, she begins to take short puffs, inhaling and holding in the vapor. Seconds pass and she exhales, suddenly overcome with satisfaction. The gratification received from the act has proved worth the venture. Little does she know the health implications that await her in the future.

In the United States alone, upwards of 3 million middle and high school students currently use e-cigarettes, as reported by the National Youth Tobacco Survey, which is conducted by the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control. While this is an increase from the 2.55 million students found vaping in 2021, the rate has substantially declined in comparison to that which was reported in 2019, at 6.2 million students.

The epidemic of youth vaping across America, however, is nowhere near over. Vaping rates throughout the U.S. are still far above what health organizations have dictated that they should be. Therefore, it perseveres as a problem within the nation, the state of Florida and MSD.

Vaping is defined as the inhalation and exhalation of the aerosol, or vapor, produced by the heating of e-liquids that occurs within a vape. E-liquids often contain flavoring and nicotine, as well as substances that help facilitate the creation of the vapor. Yet, it may sometimes contain heavy metals and dangerous chemicals such as Tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC, and diacetyl.

In an anonymous survey consisting of 355 students at MSD, only 4% of students admitted to vaping. Although, according to the Florida Department of Health in Broward County, 16% of high school students have at the very least tried an electronic vapor product at some point in their lives.

Currently, it is not legal to purchase or possess a vape in the U.S. until one turns 21. Therefore, all students vaping at MSD are doing so illegally, since they are underage. As a result of this, many students are also not purchasing vapes themselves. Out of the students who admitted to vaping in the survey, 36% of them acquire their vapes from a friend and 29% of them acquire them from a parent.

Presently, there is no shortage in the variety of different vaping devices, most of which are made up of the same basic parts: something to hold the liquid, a heating element

and a battery. While some vapes are disposable, others can be recharged, refilled and reused.

Common types of vapes include cig-a-likes, vape pens, vape mods and pod systems, all of which vary in size, shape and the smoking experience they provide. Cig-a-likes and vape pens are exactly as their names imply, e-cigarettes designed to look and feel like traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes designed to resemble pens. On the other hand, a vape mod is a power source. It uses rechargeable batteries to power a vape’s heating element, called an atomizer. Finally, pod systems are ultra-compact vaping devices that use pods instead of atomizers, although they serve the same purpose. Pods are just detachable or a self-contained unit.

The JUUL, an extremely controversial product, was once the most highly used vaping device amongst teens. Discrete and simple, with high concentrations of nicotine per pod, this type of vape pen soared in popularity. However, the company has faced significant backlash over their marketing, which appeared to be targeting teens as consumers. Further aggravating this controversy was the fact that the flavors they were producing had become popular with adolescents.

According to the NYTS, nearly 85% of teens who vape reported using flavored e-cigarettes, with fruit flavors being the most popular, followed by candy and other sweets. This is consistent with the findings at MSD, as the most popular flavors included Blue Razz, Mango and Strazz, a strawberry and raspberry combination flavor.

In 2020, the FDA ordered nearly all flavored vape pods off the market via the Enforcement Priorities for ENDS and Other Deemed Products on the Market Without Premarket Authorization policy, yet the order did not apply to disposable devices. These devices are not cartridgebased, and therefore do not have a pod; instead, they contain everything in one unit. This order, paired with the 2022 JUUL ban and subsequent administrative hold, caused JUUL’s popularity to decline, as the brand does not make a disposable device. Now, brands that produce disposable vapes, like Puff Bar, Elf Bar and Vuse, are much more common and their fruit flavors remain extremely popular.

“I like any of the fruity Elf Bar flavors,” junior Nathan Brown* said. “They have a stronger taste, but it is not too overpowering, like just enough to not be breathing in straight-up air.”

breathing it in

MSD students share their most common vaping habits

44% of MSD students who vape use the flavor “strawrazz”

44% of MSD students who vape use the flavor “mango”

56% of MSD students who vape use the flavor “bluerazz”

At MSD, vaping is a common occurrence. In the survey, it was established that 74% of students have at the very least witnessed one of their peers vaping on campus. Additionally, the School Environmental Safety Incident Reporting Data for MSD, from Aug. 16, 2022 to Jan. 31, 2023, reports a total of 36 tobacco-related incidents, which includes vaping.

Of the students who vape on school grounds, the locations where they do so vary. The most popular vaping location is the bathroom, followed by public, outdoor spaces–such as the courtyard, the parking lot or a sports field–and then the hallways.

“It’s sort of easy to get away with vaping in school and the bathroom and stuff,” sophomore Alexa Smith* said. “Most students don’t care or don’t bother to report it, so I’m not worried of being tattled on by anyone if they happen to see it. Plus, they’re easy to hide, and most people seem kind of oblivious to it or just go with it anyways, so I feel like being caught is just a wrong place, wrong time situation.”

suspension, along with a referral to the District Substance Abuse Case Manager and required intervention assignments. Upon a second offense, students will receive a six-day suspension with the same additional consequences. If a student continues to commit offenses, they will receive a 10-day suspension, a recommendation for expulsion and a referral.

While some users choose to vape alone, vaping can also serve as a social activity. This factor differs from person to person, varying in accordance to a vaper’s personal preferences. The survey of 355 MSD students determined that 50% of the students who vape do so both alone and with friends.

“I vape with friends and alone,” freshman Sally Johnson* said. “I don’t really have a preference, but when I vape with my friends it’s not like it’s planned or anything. It just sort of happens, but we all do it and enjoy it and depending on the day, it makes it more fun. Other times though, I prefer to just be alone, do it when I feel like it and be in my own world.”

revealed that 50% of the students who admitted to vaping do so daily.

Among the students who offered a reason for why they continue to vape, the most common responses were that it was enjoyable and helped them cope with depression and anxiety.

In the past, vaping in MSD bathrooms has even caused schoolwide plumbing issues and backups, with students flushing empty cannabis cartridges and disposable vapes down the toilet.

“We constantly have to close down bathrooms and put emergency work orders in to get those things [plumbing issues caused by vaping] resolved,” Assistant Principal Anna Koltunova said. “It is something that impacts school activities directly, like the cafeteria and the making of lunches. One time we had that and we had to serve lunches outside because students had flushed so many vapes down [the toilet] it blocked the system, which created backup issues, preventing us from using the cafeteria in the back.”

Despite the fact that many students continue to get away with vaping on campus, security measures have increased over the years in response. Currently, the school monitors the bathrooms twice every period and has security constantly tracking it on the cameras.

Vaping is also thought to be the cause of many of the school’s false fire alarms. Therefore, when one occurs, cameras are immediately checked to see if any students ran out of the bathrooms, and then security looks to clear out any students remaining in the bathrooms at the time.

If caught, school policy dictates that the consequences of one’s first offense are one or two days of in-school

The majority of surveyed MSD students who vape reported having started between the ages of 11 and 14. For most, this means that they began in middle school. Among the students interviewed, it was found that many chose to try vaping simply because they had a friend or family member who did it or were curious and wanted to see what it was like.

“I first tried vaping when I was 13,” Smith* said. “My dad did it, and I had a few friends who did, and eventually I just decided I wanted to see what it was like. I had been around it for a while, so it’s not like it was a spur of the moment thing. I think it was sort of bound to happen at some point because of how often I saw other people doing it, but regardless, I wanted to try it so I did.”

For a great deal of these teens, the decision to try vaping was then followed by a decision to continue. However, in deciding this, many teens had already been made aware of the dangers it may pose. These dangers include being at an increased risk for developing asthma and other lung conditions, developing heart disease or its symptoms and harming their brain development.

In spite of this, daily vape use is still extremely common. The NYTS found that more than a quarter of youth e-cigarette users vape on a daily basis. This is consistent with the survey results at MSD, where it was

“[I vape] because it’s fun or more so like I just don’t really care to quit right now,” Brown* said. “I’ll quit when my lungs hurt… I’m aware [of the health problems vaping may pose]. I stay healthy. Besides vaping, I like to exercise and eat well. I just don’t really care right now, I’ll deal with the problems later.”

Furthermore, students appear to be vaping both marijuana and nicotine, although nicotine is more common. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in 2022, 21% of 12th graders reported having vaped marijuana in the past year. Nicotine is found in tobacco plants and is an extremely addictive compound. Marijuana is found in the plants Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa. These plants contain THC, which is considered a psychoactive and mind-altering chemical.

Nicotine has a tranquilizing effect when one takes deep drags and a stimulating effect when one takes short puffs. Vapes do not have to contain nicotine, but according to the CDC, 99% of those sold in U.S. venues do. Additionally, some vaping products fail to disclose on their labels the fact that they contain nicotine, while others claim to contain 0%, but have been found to contain it as well.

Both the nicotine and other particles found within the aerosol produced by vapes pose serious health implications.

In 2019, there was a nationwide outbreak of e-cigarette or vaping product use associated lung injury, known more commonly as EVALI. Currently, vitamin E acetate is thought to be its primary cause. Vitamin E acetate is a

Story continued on page 17

Most students don’t care or don’t bother to report it, so I’m not worried of being tattled on by anyone if they happen to see it. Plus, they’re easy to hide, and most people seem kind of oblivious to it or just go with it anyways, so I feel like being caught is just a wrong place, wrong time situation.

*Alexa Smith, 10

also contain THC. By February 2020, 2,800 hospitalizations and 68 deaths caused by the condition were recorded, as reported by Yale Medicine.

Another chemical potentially found in the aerosol is diacetyl, a flavoring linked to popcorn lung. This condition causes the smallest airways in the lungs, the bronchioles, to become inflamed, damaged, and scarred, resulting in reduced lung function. Popcorn lung has no cure, proving fatal in some instances in which an individual does not undergo treatment.

“All we should be inhaling is oxygen,” pulmonologist Dr. Scott Lieberman said. “All it takes is one

inhalation to cause respiratory distress and lead to popcorn lung.”

E-cigarette users are also at a higher risk of developing cancer and heart disease, as the aerosol contains cancercausing chemicals and ultrafine particles that are prominent cardiovascular toxins.

Additionally, there is nicotine addiction. Nicotine reinforces the behavior of vaping, as it increases dopamine levels. Consequently, when the effects of nicotine begin to wear off, an individual will face withdrawal symptoms that make it much more difficult to quit.

As previously stated, one reason teenagers may continue to vape is to help deal with anxiety or depression; but what starts out as a form of relief, develops into a dependency. Yet, this dependency will frequently come to be something that serves as another source of stress. Many studies have proven that with the increased frequency of vape use comes a higher likelihood of reporting depression. One specific study by the National Institutes of Health found that depression occurred in about 17% of all e-cigarette users, as opposed to 5% of those who have never used an e-cigarette.

A dependency on nicotine is only further enhanced by the concentration of nicotine in vapes, as many contain the equivalent of, if not more than, a pack of cigarettes. High nicotine concentrations can be found in many of the vapes most popular among teens. For example, an Elf Bar typically has a level that is equivalent to 65 cigarettes, and a Puff Bar and HQD Tech USA Cuvie Bar have about the equivalent of 100 cigarettes.

This high concentration is a result of the use of nicotine salts, which allow for the easier inhalation of higher amounts of nicotine, along with less throat irritation than with the nicotine found in most tobacco products. This then serves as an instigator for increased dependency, particularly when it comes to young adults.

Despite their consequences, vapes were initially developed to help people quit smoking; however, they have now created a new generation of smokers. While many of the effects of vaping remain unknown, the ones unearthed thus far have only incited panic among health organizations. This has led to a resulting demand for government intervention, a pressing request backed by educators, parents and other individuals across the globe.

Anti-vaping campaigns are common worldwide, including The Real Cost E-Cigarette Prevention Campaign

created by the FDA. This campaign was designed to specifically target youth vapers by advertising on social media and other online platforms and partnering with youth-centered content, like Marvel Comics.

Still, among the interviewed MSD students who admitted to vaping, it is the general consensus that they are not looking to quit. Instead, these particular students see the act of vaping as something that tastes good and feels good, providing a sensation that is well worth whatever consequences may occur. For the most part, this select group of teens does not seem to be as oblivious to vaping’s health implications as everyone has made them out to be. As they expressed the sentiment that their decision to vape was not for a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of concern for their future well-being, favoring the present over any prospective complications.

Despite the decrease in teen e-cigarette use between the years 2019 and 2022, vapes are not yet diminishing in relevance or demand. Market analysis by Grand View Research states that the global market size for vapes and e-cigarettes is expected to grow by almost 31% from 2022 to 2030. Therefore, the likelihood of teens continuing to

Mouthpiece Tank

holds

vape remains high.

Actions have already been implemented to aid in decreasing this extortionate rate. E-cigarettes have been made harder to obtain, many flavored, non disposable vapes have been taken off the market and the minimum age of possession and purchase has been raised to 21. Still, these changes have not proved impactful enough. Consequently, health organizations such as the FDA, have developed plans to further dissuade teens from vaping.

The FDA’s Youth Tobacco Prevention Plan focuses on three key areas: preventing youth access to tobacco products, curbing the marketing of tobacco products aimed at youth and educating teens on the dangers of tobacco and e-cigarette use, as well as educating retailers on their key role in protecting youth. It is recognized, however, that such plans will not succeed overnight. Changes need to occur not just within retailers, manufacturers and the government, but within teens and their attitudes toward vaping.

*Names indicated were changed to protect the students’ anonymity

STORY BY Andie Korenge

GRAPHICS BY Liliana Griffis

100% of MSD students who vape at school vape in the bathrooms

Heating Element Battery

the e-liquid heats the e-liquid to make it a vapor charges the vape

where users inhale

I love going to the movie theater. It brings together all of your friends and you guys can experience the movie together. It’s fun to even have the whole audience react and enjoy the movie; I like the people aspect of it.”

Black

Excellence Celebrating Black

Excellence

Trinidad because I am showing where I came from to my friends and peers. I love dancing to Soca music; it’s so much fun for me,” Dyal said.

LISTEN TO YOUR

Show hosts Syrus Davis, Samiera Whitmore and Israel Goodwin talking to the crowd at the annual Black History Month Show. Whitmore pretended to be a “grandmother,” and the rest of the hosts were her “children;” she was teaching them about Black history and its importance.

Student Union holds their annual Black History Month showcase

SMOOTH CRIMINAL. Junior Ronel Chery performs as Micheal Jackson in Act 2 of the Black History Month show. Chery danced to hits like “Smooth Criminal,” “Remember The Time” and “Beat It.”

PHOTO BY Kennedy Browne

HYPING UP. Show hosts Joey Chiera, Syrus Davis and Israel Goodwin introduce the next performers. The Black History Month show had a wide range of acts from poems to dances.

PHOTO BY Carolina Ochoa Lozano

I’M THAT GIRL. Valeria Sandoval dances to Beyonce’s new album Renaissance in Act 2 of the Black History Month show. Along with other dancers, she was able to express her fierceness.

PHOTO BY Carolina Ochoa Lozano

WAVE THE FLAG. Junior Sienna Dyal represents Trinidad and Tobago in the Black History Month show. The dance was inspired by the Trinidad and Tabago carnvial that is held on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. “It feels so special representing

PHOTO BY Carolina Ochoa Lozano

ELDERS.

PHOTO BY Carolina Ochoa Lozano

SMOOTH CRIMINAL

I’M THAT GIRL WAVE THE FLAG LISTEN TO YOUR ELDERS

HYPING UP

FROM THE HEART. Sophomore Kalyani Mullings performs “At Last” by Etta James during the first act. James was recognized during the show for her music and the impact it had on the Black community.

SING-ALONG. BSU students sing during the rehearsal for the Black History Month show, which was held on Feb. 24. Students have been practicing since December and had rehearsals the week leading up to the performance. “I enjoy sharing the stage with my friends, it makes it so much better,” junior Thierry Dennis said.

JAZZING UP. Spencer Blake performs “All the things you are,” “Yard Bird Suite” and “Summertime” by Charlie Parker. Blake played alongside other musicians, speakers and dancers.

WISE WORDS. Senior Noldine Belizaire performs “I talk Black” poem. This meaningful poem illustrates the emotions and hardships many black individuals face. This poem along with many other acts celebrated trends and history in the Black community.

UP IN THE ISLANDS. During the first act of the show, sophomore Madison Mitchell, junior Natalya Perez, sophomore Vasthi Pierre, and senior Alexander Senior hype each other up during their Jamaica-themed performance. Their performance also included information about the history of Jamaica.

DESIGN BY Anna Horowitz

PHOTO BY Carolina Ochoa Lozano

PHOTO BY Carolina Ochoa Lozano

PHOTO BY Carolina Ochoa Lozano

PHOTO BY Breanna Gordon

PHOTO BY Kennedy Browne

FROM THE HEART SING-ALONG

WISE WORDS

JAZZING UP

Loud Loud Let’s Get

Music has continuously worked its way into the lives of students by healing and inspiring them, according to Harvard Health. Listeners find inspiration in music and express themselves by communicating their feelings through songs.

According to the National Library of Medicine, when people find an artist or genre that resonates with them, they also find a sense of identity by relating to the lyrics and finding comfort in a community. A large number of music listeners are teenagers. Throughout the day, students listen to music while

How frequently do you actively listen to music?

37%

of MSD students listen to rap and hip hop more than any other genre of music of MSD students listen to pop music more than any other genre

What music service do you use most?

driving, doing homework, working and sleeping. According to a survey of 401 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students, 94% of students say they listen to music frequently. Of these students, 49% listen to music more than three hours a day compared to the 5% that listen to music less than one hour a day. People continue to connect through their favorite artists, playlists and songs, while the industry unites listeners and provides a community. According to John Hopkins Medicine, the impact music has on teenagers is only growing.

STORY BY Lyla Sachs

KEIRA CHEN, 11

38%

32% have made more than 10 playlists

59% 26% 2% 7%

“

When I listen to music, it helps me fully take in and capture moments or in the sense of reminiscing.”

“ I use music as escapism and as an outlet to help me express my emotions.”

KENNEDY COLEMAN, 10

Music comforts and influences teenagers in ways other forms of media do not

*Results are based on a survey of 351 MSD students

Unrealistic romantic expectations in high school cause complications for teens

Break Up

Wake up and Break Up

For many, high school is a time when teens want to act and be treated like adults; they drive, work and enjoy a variety of newfound freedoms. Elementary and middle school crushes become more serious in high school and many find themselves in their first romantic relationship.

Teenagers perceive false expectations of healthy relationships all around them, from social media to their favorite book. They tend to rush into undesirable relationships, diminishing their high expectations of a real relationship.

According to a survey of 355 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students, 60% of students have been in a romantic relationship during high school and 57% of students have been in a relationship before high school.

According to a 2020 brochure by the National Institute of Mental Health, the brain does not reach full maturity until the mid-to-late 20s. This specifically affects the frontal lobe, which controls decision-making and risk-taking. As a result of this, students may have difficulty identifying signs of an unhealthy relationship.

While this does not mean that students must wait until they are in their 20s to pursue a relationship, a teenager’s difficulty with making rational decisions instead of emotional ones poses a great challenge to students who want to maintain a healthy one.

Teenagers have greater activity in their amygdala than their still developing frontal

lobes. According to Brain Connection, the amygdala is responsible for “instinctive ‘gut’ reactions, including ‘fight or flight’ responses. Lower activity in the frontal lobe could lead to poor control over behavior and emotions, while an overactive amygdala may be associated with high levels of emotional arousal and reactionary decision-making.”

This can lead teenagers to become infatuated with someone or believe they are

love.

While some relationships may end up like the movies, most romantic high school relationships are much different from the whimsical love story of Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez from “High School Musical,” where students have all the free time in the world to spend with their partners.

In reality, a student has many priorities they need to focus on, such as sports, extracurriculars,

shared in the hallways and online.

On the bright side, romantic relationships may contain true feelings of love in which a couple actually enjoys each other’s company. Even so, as students leave high school, they often feel the need to break it off with their high school partners.

According to a Stanford University study titled, “How Couples Meet and Stay Together,” only 9.2 out of every 1,000 high school sweethearts stay together. Also, out of every 20 that do get married, 10.8 get divorced. With that said, the probability that a high school couple will stay together throughout their entire life is very low.

truly in love, when it may only be superficial. The initial excitement of a relationship can blur teens’ judgment, and their relationship could be disingenuous. While some teens do experience real love with their partner, others may enter a relationship for the wrong reasons or under false pretenses, such as for status or conformity.

Most often, high school relationships are romanticized in books, television series, songs and films, which creates false expectations that students’ high school years will be filled with

What’s Your Status?

57% of students met their partner at school

30% of students currently in a relationship are seniors

college prep and academics. They can become distracted by their relationship, diverting necessary focus from academics to time with their partner.

The public culture of high school is not a nurturing environment for a blossoming relationship, especially if the people involved go to the same school. The dating scene in high school is a gossiper’s playground. While people attempt to keep their relationship status private at times, rumors and crude comments are often

Of students who had previously been in a relationship...

50% 13% lasted 6 months or less lasted 1 year

In college and beyond, there are more opportunities for romantic relationships. Your graduating class in high school may only contain 100 to 900 students, but there are almost 8 billion people in the world. The rush to get into a relationship early in life does not need to be prioritized.

Romance in high school should not be at the top of one’s bucket list. Students are still trying to figure out who they are and what they want to be. There is time to work hard in school, enjoy college and meet many new people out in the working world. Students should instead take their time to enjoy their school life, their friends and their family.

OPINION BY Jessie Gesund GRAPHIC BY Gabie Soivlus

When asked their opinions on high school relationships...

28% 42% said they are overrated said they are fine

“

The dating scene in high school is a gossipers’ playground. While people attempt to keep their relationship status private at times, rumors and crude comments could be shared in the hallways and online.

*Results displayed are the two largest student responses to the survey question; based on a survey of 361 MSD students

GIZMO7802@#!

Through the Cracks Cracks

Asilent epidemic is disrupting school classrooms across the nation. More students than ever before have been diagnosed with mental health disorders, ranging from depression to anxiety, according to a 2022 article published by the American Psychological Association.

As the percentage of students suffering from mental health issues increases, so must the awareness and education on the topic. To help students battle their mental health disorders, schools must start taking steps toward creating open lines of communication by educating staff and offering a variety of resources to ensure there is one that works for everyone.

Addressing mental health needs in school is critically important because 1 in 5 children have a diagnosable emotional, behavioral or mental health disorder, and 1 in 5 young people have a mental health challenge that is severe enough to impair how they function at home, school or in the community.

Mental health issues can sometimes be caused or agitated by the school environment. For instance, overbearing schedules filled with hours of homework and extracurriculars that leave little time for sleep can cause students to develop anxiety or become stressed.

If an individual does not receive enough sleep, they may be more likely to experience anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts. Those with a lack of sleep are also at an increased risk of having mania or psychosis according to a 2021 report by Mind, an English mental health organization.

However, the exacerbation of mental health issues by schools can go beyond academics. Some students and staff have post-traumatic stress disorder, which is caused by a traumatic event. PTSD triggers depend on the person, but

for some, it can be loud noises related to their trauma or lockdowns.

Frequent faulty fire alarms can be triggering to MSD students and staff, including those with PTSD.

MSD fire alarms have gone off numerous times over the past several weeks and are often sudden and unexpected. Since they are loud and unpredictable, it can be stressful for students that tend to get overstimulated or for students sensitive to noise. Sometimes, this is known as sensory processing disorder,

said. “Every time we have a lockdown or secure [code], even if it’s over something small, I get scared. I feel like I hear news about a casualty due to gun violence every week, and it makes me scared to go out in public.”

For some, their anxiety shows up in the form of panic or anxiety attacks. Panic attacks involve intense and typically overwhelming fear, as well as physical symptoms such as an increased heart rate, shaking, chills or shortness of breath. Panic attacks can be unexpected or expected, as classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical

Schools overlook students’ mental health issues

Recognizing and supporting students’ mental health in schools matters because early detection and intervention strategies are often successful and many disorders are treatable. Those who do not receive help are at risk for chronic school absences, low achievement, disruptive behavior and even dropping out of school.

Only 40% of U.S. students with mental, emotional and behavioral disorders graduate from high school, as compared to the national graduation rate of 76%. Over 50% of students with emotional and behavioral disabilities ages 14 and older, dropout of high school, the highest dropout rate of any disability group.

While this is an important issue, there are many solutions and plans that schools can implement in order to better serve their student population. For one, every school should have at least one certified mental health counselor that is available for students before, during and after school. Students should have the ability to schedule an appointment with the counselor, or be able to drop by whenever they need to talk to someone.

which affects how the brain processes stimuli. However, other common disorders can cause someone to be hypersensitive: autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or schizophrenia.

Similar to fire alarms, sudden lockdowns and secure codes can incite fear and anxiety among MSD students. In a survey of 364 MSD students, 53% say that they worry a lot about gun violence. Their anxiety is only exacerbated by the frequent lockdown and secure codes called at MSD.

“Ever since the tragedy here at MSD, me and those around me have had much anxiety over gun violence,” junior Ananyaa Sutaria

Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.

“Every time we have a…lockdown, I have a panic attack and start crying,” freshman Myah Boleen said.

Despite such a large number of students suffering from these disorders, nearly 80% of children who need mental health services will not be able to receive them, according to a 2020 article posted on NPR. This is because mental health is still heavily stigmatized and there can be many obstacles for those attempting to get help. Having a way for students to work through their issues during the school day would ensure that every child has an equal opportunity to access quality mental health services.

In addition to employing mental health professionals on campus, schools should clearly designate a wellness center where students are able to visit to either speak to a counselor or just have some down time to de-stress.

Schools already have the tools to address mental health issues in students. If they utilize hands-on techniques with teachers and administrators and spread awareness about programs designed to help students, the rates of teens suffering from anxiety and stress would severely diminish, creating a healthy environment for students.

OPINION BY Eagle Eye News Editorial

Board

“

Addressing mental health needs in school is critically important because 1 in 5 children have a diagnosable emotional, behavioral or mental health disorder, and 1 in 5 young people have a mental health challenge that is severe enough to impair how they function at home, school or in the community.”

Sticking the

Landing

Landing

MSD competitive cheerleading team placing third in state championship

Five, six, seven, eight. As the music begins to play, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School competitive cheerleading team begins their performance at the regional championship. The Eagles’ performance lands them a total score of 86 out of 100, crowning them as regional champions. As a result, the Eagles clinched a ticket to the Florida High School Athletic Association State Championship. The Eagles have made it to the state

other and working [with each other],” junior Cami Shavelson said. “We made a very big comeback. Nobody knew what we were capable of until the competition.”

The district competition, held at Dillard High School, was the Eagles’ first playoff event of the season and did not go as planned; they did not perform as well as they hoped. Their performance exceeded the

occasionally frustrating their coaches into leaving practices early. However, the cheerleaders took this as motivation to perform above expectations.

““We had a lot of ups and downs,” junior Shavelson said. “There were a lot of bad practices, but we pulled it together. When we had a lot of drilling, we worked hard and put out good work.”

The team made major improvements from the district competition.

Coach Patti Thompson

They began practicing with a shorter song and became more efficient with their cheer.

As a result, the regional competition, held at Coral Glades High School, was a whole different performance for the Eagles. The team earned a spot in the state finals and placed first in the competition.

“The cheer team is so special,” junior Anabelle Civalero said. “You create such a good bond with everyone and become friends with so many new [people]. Everyone is so close and it

makes it such a great experience.”

Winning the regional championship, granted Eagles a first-round bye in the state championship; as a result, they did not play in the state semifinal round, but went straight to the finals.

“My favorite memory from this season was states,” Civalero said. “We had the best time and bonded so much as a team. It was so meaningful to go through everything together. It was such a good time and being with the team made it so much better.”

The state championship was held at the Stephen O’Connell Center at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Ultimately, the team finished in third place.

With the current season concluding, the team is already starting their preparation for the next season. The team has eight seniors graduating out of the 22 total team members

“Next season, I am looking forward to redemption because this year we got so close at states,” Shavelson said. “I am very excited for the opportunity to work with a bunch of new people and can’t wait to see how far we can go.”

STORY BY Ryan Shimony

Winning regionals was priceless. We beat a fivetime state champion and the moment was priceless!

EAGLE PRIDE. Seniors Anabelle Niddam, Kylie Messmer, Ella Weiss and sophomores Savannah Jean and Kiera Haley compete in the regional championship on Jan. 9. The team went on to win the competition with a score of 81.8 points.

PHOTO BY Lilianna Scopino

FLYING HIGH. Seniors Ashley Fronstin, Samantha Santo and Anabelle Niddam stunting at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida. They competed with their 2 minute and 30 second routine and placed third in the state.

PHOTO BY Lilianna Scopino

STUNTIN’ ON ‘EM. Seniors Samantha Santo and Ashley Fronstin stunt at the regional competition. They came in first at regionals beating the five time champions, West Broward High School.

PHOTO BY Lilianna Scopino

EAGLE PRIDE

HIGH