Out of Bounds - Eagle Eye News - Volume 8, Number 2 - December 2022

DESIGN& EDITING BY Julia Landy

PHOTOS BY Rayne Welser, Dhaanya Balaji and Tatiana Ortiz

Editor Letters

Unfair Academics

Dear Editor, I wish more people of color took honors and AP level classes. MSD is a predominantly white school, but I’m still surprised that I often find myself as one of the very few or only people in my classes. In May, during my AP exam, the auditorium was filled with people, yet I could count on a hand how many Black people were in the room. This year out of all my seven classes (excluding study hall) I can count 10 Black people total. Ever since I was a freshman, I’ve questioned the gap in people of color at this school taking higher level classes. I wouldn’t like to think about race when I walk in a room, but when you’re constantly one of the only people who look like you, you can’t help it. Last year during a Black Student Union meeting, our club sponsor asked why a lot of us wouldn’t take these classes, and some of the responses were that some teachers, guidance counselors or administrators discouraged people from taking higher level classes. One of them even told a student “you’re just not smart enough.”

ZARA DAUTRUCHE, 11

Better Lunch

Dear Editor,

I wish I could actually enjoy eating the cafeteria food. It’s such a hassle packing my lunch every morning for school, and I know that this school offers lunch to the students, but the food is not edible. I have tried to like the food for many years now, but I can’t even look at it without feeling sick. Public school foods have gone down in quality over the years. I’m sure this is not a shocking opinion to anyone, considering all my friends that I have talked to about this issue feel the same way. It is frustrating that so much money goes into the school system and the lunch food gets the short end of the stick. Getting actually good food in the lunch lines would be a great investment. Lunch food is already stigmatized as it is, but if the food was actually good everyone would be happily eating the meals.

JOSH LIEBERMAN, 9

Not So Real

Dear Editor,

It’s an unpopular opinion, but the app “BeReal” is far from real, and it’s actually a little annoying. The app attempts to showcase realistic moments of people’s lives, as the user has two minutes to take a picture of what they’re doing at any random moment throughout the day. When the app first came out, I didn’t engage in it because I didn’t understand the point of it. However, at the beginning of the school year, my friends convinced me to download the app. For a while, I actually enjoyed the app and started to appreciate the idea of it. Shortly after, I got bored with it, and it’s truthfully far from the concept of real. I’m also constantly getting notifications because the app notifies you every time someone posts late. Not many of my friends still use the app, either.

SYDNEY NOBIL,

Dear Editor

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The world of sports used to unite nations and create a safe space free of politics or other troubles. Now with the World Cup, this unfortunately has not held true for all nations. Iran is divided because there are multiple protests occurring around the country due to the strict rules requiring women to wear head scarves, called hijabs, that cover their hair.

These very protests have been the most serious challenge to the Iranian government in years. Unfortunately, the government has been suppressing the peaceful protests with acts of

Dear Editor,

Uniting Factor

violence and force.

In relation to the Iranian national soccer team, many fans are angry and upset that the organization hasn’t done more to side with the protesters. The team did not play the national anthem before their game against England, but citizens thought it was too little and not soon enough. Protesters are demanding more action and have started rooting against their own team, cheering every time England scored. It is very sad to see how a political divide can tarnish a uniting force.

STELLA MARVEL,

Reef Rundown

Above the ocean and beneath the surface, it is a completely different world. As a scuba diver, I have been diving in the same area for the past four years. In only four years, I have seen a coral reef go from being big, colorful, and full of different variations of fish, to being small, dull in color and having little to no fish. I would hate that coral reef to end up like the great pacific garbage patch, but that is the direction it seems like it is going. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a constantly moving body of water that swirls between Hawaii and California in the Pacific Ocean.

Dear Editor, Antisemitism is a prevalent issue, not only in the real world, but also at MSD. As I sat down to take my PSAT, I was greeted with an inscription on the desk that read “I LOVE HITLER.” As a Jewish teenager in Parkland, I feel shielded from the harsh realities of our world. I am aware of the dangers of possessing my faith in this social climate, but I was still stunned to see this hatred manifested in my very own school.

This small town has provided me with

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This gyre sucks in plastic that never comes out unless an animal takes it out. The GPGP is not small and something we can just ignore; it is about three times the size of France. So how do we clean up the GPGP? The best way to remove the trash from the GPGP and our local waters is to keep it from entering our oceans. Other ways include reducing your use of single-use plastics, recycling properly, participating in beach cleanups and supporting organizations addressing plastic pollution. This is not something small, it requires attention as fast as possible.

NATALIE BRIGHTON,

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security for my whole life, up until now. Following the controversial Kanye West tweets, I am even more on edge, due to the large fan base he possesses. Many fans of the music artist are present throughout MSD, leading me to believe that there are many potential antisemites who adopted his views littering the school. Antisemitism is on the rise and becoming increasingly visible in our school, the world and the media, causing great fear and discomfort for the Jewish population.

MADDI SCHAPIRO, 10

Theater Appreciation

Dear Editor, I believe the school should do more to promote their drama department’s productions. I have just returned from seeing “The Importance of Being Earnest” and was beyond impressed. Let me begin by admitting that I am not one who enjoys live theater.

Before today’s play, I had not seen any other performances by the Stoneman Douglas Drama Department, nor am I a regular at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. However, when my English teacher offered extra credit for attending today’s play, I did not think twice.

Since I was not familiar with the play, I spent a few minutes researching it so I would

know a little of what to expect. Even though I learned that the play took place in England, I never expected the drama students to speak with British accents.

As soon as the play began, I was taken aback not only by their British accents but by their incredible acting skills as well. I am not sure how the school can do better at promoting the shows, but I believe that it is important that the school finds a better way to spread the word about these performances. In addition to being an enjoyable experience for those who attend, it is rewarding for the performers to see an audience full of spectators celebrating their hard work.

COOPER SPITZER,

Send Us a Letter

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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 submission to: MSDEagleEyeNews@gmail.com

Submissions must be between 100-200 words

Hot Days

Dear Editor, Living in Florida, we see the sweltering days all year around and with a massive school that consists of buildings far apart from each other, how are students expected to handle the hot Florida sun? With backpacks that weigh a ton, the expectation of getting to class on time, and the 90-degree heat, students have to juggle all of those factors just to make their way around campus. Along with no air conditioning present in a school that is mostly outside and insufficient amount of shade to shield the bright light, it makes it next to impossible to be comfortable on a casual day.

Therefore, I believe that MSD should consider extending the shade in the courtyard and around campus in order to not only protect our students from the harmful rays year round, but also to provide quality comfort so that students can focus on other priorities while at school.

JIYA ANAND, 10

Savvy Skincare

Dear Editor,

Editor to the History Repeats Itself

A small issue I think should be acknowledged is the lack of working skincare products within drugstores. In places around the area, skincare products are typically looked upon as very good or extremely hydrating for your skin. In reality, these products have extremely harsh chemicals and will destroy your skin barrier. When all these companies are testing on animals and not doing their proper research on the people they advertise to, their products can end up being terrible for someone with dry, oily, acne-prone or combination skin. If you do not have the average looking skin type, companies will not recognize you and won’t know how to treat their consumers’ skin type.

Something I think we can do to solve this problem is by uplifting small businesses for skincare that listen to their customers. Most small businesses for skin care know the best remedies for most skin types. Letting these brands be available in drugstores gives people all around the area know that there are people out there who care about all skin types.

VIVIAN LEUNG, 9

Trashy

Dear Editor,

People could be disgusting. When you are walking around the school, why should you have to see wrappers and spilled drinks everywhere? Especially after lunch each day, it gets disgusting around the school. You’re scared to sit down in class because there is gum under the desk. This shouldn’t happen. I don’t get why students are so filthy and think they could do this to the school. I blame the school system for letting students eat their lunch around the school. Students are allowed to eat on the stairs, on benches and on the ground. Not only is it disturbing to see food everywhere, but people could also get hurt, by tripping on the wrappers and slipping in the puddles of milk and juice. I just feel like students should make sure they clean up after themselves and not be messy.

JENNA SPIEGEL,

9

MSD for your information

in brief

New developments occur at MSD

MULTICULTURAL. MSD’s Spanish Club hosted its annual Multicultural Show on Friday, Dec. 2 joined by multiple other clubs, including the Legends of Destiny Step Team and the LED Dance Team. The show followed the theme: “Travel Diaries of my Grandparents” and consisted of a variety of cultural performances in different dance styles, music styles and design styles. The countries represented by the performers were Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Venezuela, Spain, Puerto Rico, India, China, Korea, Haiti, Brazil and the United States.

ANTHONY RIZZO WALK. The foundation of MSD alumni and MLB first baseman Anthony Rizzo hosted their 11th annual Walk-off for Cancer on Saturday, Dec. 3. Rizzo’s foundation, the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation, raised over $1.2 million at the event for cancer research and treatment. Over 1,000 Parkland residents attended the event, Rizzo’s hometown.

SUSPICIOUS SUBSTANCE. MSD went on a hold for 32 minutes on Dec. 2 out of “an abundance of caution” after an envelope was delivered with a “suspicious” white powder substance. Guidance, student services and the front office, as well as the rest of the 100 building, where the envelope was opened, was fully barricaded off while the Coral Springs Fire Department and Parkland BSO investigated the scene. The substance was later determined to be non-toxic.

HURRICANE NICOLE. Broward County Public Schools canceled school Wednesday, Nov. 8 and Thursday, Nov. 9 due to Hurricane Nicole making landfall in North Hutchinson Island, Florida.

FALL-O-WEEN. The MSD Drama department hosted their second annual Fall-o-ween event on campus Saturday, Oct. 29. The event included a Fright Night Fear Maze in the school’s garden, Marjory’s Garden

midterm madness

The 2022 midterm elections on Nov. 8 were widely expected to result in Republican gains, but the midterms failed to live up to the expectations of the voters. There was no obvious winner nationwide.

One of the most critical wins for Democrats was the gain of a seat in the senate, further extending their lead to 51-49. This was made possible by the flip of Pennsylvania’s senate seat by John Fetterman and Democrats’ continuing hold on one of Georgia’s senate seats, where Reverend Raphael Warnock was re-elected on Dec. 6 in a runoff election.

Despite this, Republicans did have several successes in the 2022 midterm elections. They regained control of the House of Representatives, now holding 222 seats to Democrats’ 213. More locally, Republicans won by large margins in Florida.

With Gov. Ron DeSantis winning in a landslide by a margin of roughly 20 points, he is becoming increasingly favorable to run for the 2024 presidential election. That said, Democrats have said the red shift in the midterm elections was a product of alleged gerrymandering that would ensure the GOP would win in house, senate and gubernatorial elections.

“I think that, as a debate student, I am well

Florida midterm elections result in gains for Republicans in Florida, but loses nationwide

informed on these topics to an extent in which I can make an educated decision on DeSantis. That being said, I do not support his campaign,” junior Abigail Melamed said.

The Republican party has grown throughout the state in recent years, especially in more southern areas. Democrats appear to be increasingly losing the Hispanic vote in Florida, which was critical for DeSantis’ success in areas such as Miami-Dade County, which is traditionally Democratic, but has flipped Republican. In the county, three out of the four congressional seats were taken by Republicans.

Sen. Marco Rubio also held onto his seat against Rep. Val Demings, winning by a margin of 16 points.

“While I believe that having a black woman serving as one of [Florida’s] senators would be a huge step in the right direction of proper representation, I knew realistically that she would not win against someone like Marco Rubio,” junior Maya Gordon said.

Locally, four new school board members were elected to the School Board of Broward County. In District 1, Rodney Velez secured 52% of the votes over his competitor, Murray Martin. Velez campaigned heavily on the premise of

where drama members dressed in scary costumes. At $9 per ticket and the event was held to raise money for drama to attend states.

RED RIBBON WEEK. This year, MSD held the annual Red Ribbon Week from Oct. 24 through Oct. 28 with dress up days relating to the theme. Red Ribbon Week is an alcohol and drug awareness campaign launched by the National Family Partnership. Each year, peer counseling visits each classroom and delivers a short speech cautioning against the effects of drugs and alcohol. They also handed out slips of red paper to students. The students write their names on the paper and pledge to never engage in drugs. The paper was linked together into chains and hung from the cafeteria ceiling.

FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS. The MSD varsity football team fell short of Palm Beach Central High School in the regional semifinal match on Friday,

Nov. 18 by a score of 55-23. The Eagles finished their season as the 5-seed with a record of 7-3.

JROTC STATES. The MSD JROTC Raider mixed team earned first place in the Florida State Raider Meet on Saturday, Dec. 4. The meet events consisted of Team Run, Rope Bridge, Cross Country Rescue, Fitness Challenge and Tire Flip. Of these events, the MSD Raiders won four.

VOLLEYBALL DISTRICTS.

Finishing their season with a record of 10-4, the MSD varsity women’s volleyball team placed second overall in the district tournament on Oct. 18-19. During the tournament’s elimination rounds, the team beat Spanish River High School, with a score of 25-22, and lost to Boca Raton High School by the same score.

REPORTING BY Kate Becker, Reece Gary and Brynn Schwartz

transparency and expanding student mental health programs and resources.

In District 5, Jeff Holness, a former mayor of Broward County, won the seat by 8 points over his competitor Ruth Carter-Lynch. Holness ran on a platform of improving working conditions for staff and teachers, as well as, like Velez, student mental health resources.

In District 8, which is an at-large seat that represents the entire county, Allen Zeman defeated Donna Korn by 2.8 percentage points.

In District 6, Brenda Fam won against her competitor Steven Julian with 52% of the vote. Fam believes strongly in “respect for parental

rights and family values and the removal of obscene and age inappropriate materials.” Fam also stands for the safety of those on school campuses. Fam does not support sex education for students from grades K-3 and also does not support Critical Race Theory.

These local and state government elections will affect future state laws and school board policies.

STORY BY Alison LaTorre

PHOTO PERMISSION. U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock waves at supporters after winning the senate runoff election on Dec. 6, 2022. PHOTO

PERMISSION FROM Natrice Miller/ AJC/Tribune News Service

there’s nothingearnest about Ernest

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School drama department performed

“The Importance of Being Earnest” on Thursday, Nov. 3 and Friday, Nov. 4 marking their first play of the school year. Described as a Victorian comedy, the play is witty, full of eccentricity and suspenseful in its absurdity.

MSD drama department brought to life, via their own interpretation, Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest.” It follows two men, John Worthing played by senior Jacob Harris, and Algernon Moncrieff played by senior Nicholas Bedusa, who both pose as a man named Ernest. Both “Ernests” attempt to earn the love and hand of their desired partners, Gwendolyn Fairfax played by senior Naomi Sternberg and Cecily Cardew played by sophomore Melissa Azzarito.

When all of these characters converge at Worthing’s country home one weekend, the women find themselves in a battle for Ernest’s affection, while the two “Ernests” attempt to win the hearts of their beloveds. Thus, chaos and confusion ensues, bringing with it a few more preposterous characters and predicaments, including Lady Augusta Bracknell played by senior Pearl Mass, Miss Laetitia Prism played by sophomore Sydney Lotz and Dr. Frederick Chasuble played by sophomore Nicholas Lemus.

The play revolves around plotlines of lover entanglements, mistaken identities, secret engagements and other ludicrous situations the characters become involved in. Yet, while remaining comedic and light-hearted throughout, it introduces themes of societal image in the Victorian era and how far people would go to escape its rigid standards. The ways in which both Algernon and Worthing utilize the alter ego of Ernest to escape the constraints placed on them as upper members of Victorian

society demonstrates this.

Drama teacher Melody Hertzfeld directed the play, while senior Emma Kaufman designed the costumes. The play was composed of three acts set in 1890s London. Act 1 took place in Algernon’s flat, Act 2 in the garden of the manor house and Act 3 in the drawing room of the manor house. With one 15-minute intermission, the play was approximately three hours in length.

According to the cast, the play was a pleasure to work on, as well as a challenging and enlightening experience that allowed them to interact with a group of talented and dedicated individuals.

“Working on ‘The Importance of Being Earnest,’ I had the chance to experience a whole new style of theater, one that I haven’t had much experience with before,” Harris said. “I got to work on my British dialect, which is always fun to do, and I had an amazing time doing so with such a talented cast and crew.”

However, while a rewarding and enjoyable experience, cast members faced difficulties, particularly with comprehending the outdated language and engaging the audience while speaking it.

“Working on the play was so much fun but also so tiring,” Mass said. “Since the play is set in the 1800s, the language is a bit difficult to understand. We had to work extra hard to first learn what we were even talking about, and then how to execute it in a realistic and entertaining way.”

Upon completing both performances of the play, many of the cast and crew members felt they did exceptionally well.

“I think the play went wonderfully, more than expected,” Mass said. “The cast was

worried that the audience wouldn’t enjoy a classic or wouldn’t understand the jokes, but the audience was great, and we were able to play off of them during our performance.”

With the first play of this school year having been such a success, onlookers and actors alike look forward to future productions. The spring musical, “Head Over Heels,” is set to be performed on Thursday, March 9 and Friday, March 10.

STORY BY Andie Korenge

THE MIX UP.

I HAVE A CRUSH. Melissa Azzarito, played by Cecily Cardew, talks to Miss Prism, played by Sydney Lotz, about her engagement to Moncrieff. Miss Prism is Cardew’s motherly figure as she has no mother.

BY Rebekah Sasser

PHOTO

MOTHER KNOWS BEST. Lady Bracknell played by Pearl Mass shows up to express her disapproval of her daughter and Jack Worthing’s engagement. It is later revealed that Worthing is Bracknell’s nephew and is an acceptable match for Gwendolen Fairfax.

BY Rebekah Sasser

PHOTO

collectinggoodness

Each year, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School hosts its annual Harvest Drive, an event designed to collect food, gently worn clothing and other necessities for underprivileged families. In order to achieve their goal of giving to those in need, the Harvest Drive organization has 13 different school-based distribution centers working with 190 Broward County Public Schools, one of which is MSD.

Key Club hosted MSD’s Harvest Drive this year, as opposed to previous years when Student Government Association and their sponsor Danielle Driscoll hosted the event.

“Since Mrs. Driscoll is on maternity leave, she reached out us since we have a really big club,” Key Club Sponsor Sarah Howell said. “She figured that since we have so many members, it would be easier for us to run it than any other club.”

The collection of goods took place from Monday, Oct. 31 to Friday, Nov. 4 and included boxed breakfast items, canned goods, stuffing and drink packets. Students gave their

MSD Key Club hosts annual Harvest Drive

donations to their first or fifth period teachers. They were sent to the collection center at Westglades Middle School.

“We asked all the clubs and teachers at school to donate to the Harvest Drive,” Key Club Vice President Jessie Stein said. “Many of them participated and helped us collect over 60 large boxes of non-perishable foods.”

The National Honor Society was one of the many clubs participating in the Harvest Drive. They gave out NHS service hours to their members who donated goods to their adviser, Lisa Hitchock’s, classroom. Students received half an hour of credit for every two items donated, and could earn up to a total of five donation hours. Howell also gave out service hours to her students that donated to the Harvest Drive.

After collecting the items from students and other clubs, Howell and the members of Key Club stored the boxes of donated items in her classroom. They ended with 64 boxes worth of goods.

STORY BY Rayne Welser

MSD Drama performs first play of school year, ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’

Cecily Cardew, played by Melissa Azzarito, discusses her engagement to Algernon Moncrieff, played by Nicholas Bedusa. Moncrieff was confused to find that Cardew already considered herself engaged to him as he had only just proposed.

PHOTO BY Rebekah Sasser

Dust

The School Board of Broward County fired

in a 5-4 vote on Nov. 14. The decision came three weeks after Cartwright was given 90 days to fix a list of 15 alleged failures during an 11-hour “special meeting” on Oct. 25.

“There are some great people who work for this organization, but toxic behavior continues to happen,” school board member Daniel Foganholi said when he made the official motion to fire Cartwright. “This is about accountability.”

The five board members that voted to fire Cartwright were those appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Aug. 26: Torey Alston, Ryan Reiter, Manuel Serrano and Kevin Tynan, as well as Foganholi who was appointed on April 29 to fill the seat of former school board member Rosalind Osgood. The four elected members: Lori Alhadeff, Debbie Hixon, Sarah Leonardi and Nora Rupert voted to keep Cartwright as superintendent.

“I can kind [of] see both sides. Since it was a grand jury report, there has, to me, some merit to it, and I don’t think it was as much of a surprise as she says it is, as they have been recommending to suspend her since September,” junior Cianna Furton said. “But, I also don’t think it’s right that four of the five that voted to fire her [left with] in a week. Instability seems constant now, and it’s not beneficial.”

Alston, Reiter, Serrano and Tynan were chosen to replace Board Chair Laurie Rich Levinson, Board Vice Chair Patricia Good and board members Donna Korn and Ann Murray, as a result of the release of a 2021 grand jury report. The report alleged mismanagements within BCPS that resulted in the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and failures with the SMART bond project.

An additional vote was held on Nov. 15, after school Hixon made a motion to rescind Cartwright’s firing. The board upheld their decision with the same 5-4 split as the original vote.

All appointed members, apart from Alston, were

replaced following the midterm elections in November.

“I think they should have waited for the new board members to vote; people who are leaving in a week don’t have near as much vested interest in a situation as people who will be affected long term,” Furton said.

Former superintendent Robert Runcie announced his resignation in April 2021 following three years of intense criticism surrounding the failures of BCPS that led to the Feb. 14, 2018 shooting at MSD that killed 17 students and staff members. In July 2021, the school board selected Cartwright to replace Runcie as BCPS interim superintendent with the stipulation that she could not apply for the permanent superintendent position. The school board later voted to allow her to apply, and she became the official superintendent on Feb. 9, 2022.

Cartwright faced her first major controversy in June; she was accused of racism by unfairly demoting Black BCPS administrators. Cartwright defended herself, arguing that she is “not a racist” and that her career “has been focused on ensuring equity and diversity.”

However, the largest controversy was the list of her 15 alleged failures.

“While there have been numerous achievements with our amazing students, instructional/non-instructional employees and key stakeholders, there have been a series of major issues that continue to plague the district and overall culture,” the document that listed Cartwright’s failures said. “Leadership starts and ends with the superintendent of schools.”

Despite her firing, her contract allows her to remain superintendent until January 2023; the contract, which went into effect with her formal hiring in February 2022, requires her to be given 60 days of notice before termination and entitles her to $134,600 in severance pay.

By the end of her term, it is possible the new board members will choose to bring Cartwright back as superintendent. The school board will hold a meeting on Dec. 15 to discuss her firing and possibly rescind it.

Cartwrights’s BCPS backstory

90-daynotice

School Board of Broward County fires Superintendent Vickie Cartwright days before new members sworn in

Former Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie offers to resign, following his arrest on perjury charges.

Dr. Vickie Cartwright takes over as interim superintendent of BCPS.

Superintendent Vickie Cartwright

STORY BY Brynn Schwartz and Cypress Northcraft Oct. 25, 2022 Nov. 14, 2022 Nov. 22, 2022

Cartwright officially becomes the permanent superintendent of BCPS.

Gov. Ron DeSantis removes and replaces four school board members.

School board gives Cartwright 90 days to correct “failures” in 11-hour “special meeting.”

School board fires Cartwright in a 5-4 vote.

New school board members that were elected during the 2022 midterm elections on Nov. 8 are sworn in.

MEETING MAYHEM. Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright speaks during a meeting at the Kathleen C. Wright Administration Center on Monday, Nov. 14, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale.

PHOTO PERMISSION OF Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service

DESIGN BY Julia Landy and Jessie Gesund

Hate

Hate Fighting the

Paintball attacks while frolicking in a backyard. Extremist demonstrations during a torchlit march.

Vandalizations of Jewish schools and community centers. Online radicalization. A number of hate-fueled incidents have targeted the Jewish community in both private and public settings, reignited by recent antisemetic sentiment in the media.

Beyond headlines of antisemetic surges, the global issue has been persistent throughout history, with the most significant event being the Holocaust, when 6 million Jews were murdered by the Nazi regime during World War II.

However, the radicalism witnessed over 75 years ago has not died down. According to the Anti-Defamation League, the leading global anti-hate organization, incidents against Jews in the United States reached an all-time high in 2021 “with a total of 2,717 incidents of assault, harassment and vandalism tracked.”

“I always say that history is not exclusive to the past; we continue to see the language of the 1930s supporting Nazism and supporting views against Jewish people today,” Holocaust History teacher Darren Levine said.

Antisemitism did not begin with the Nazis, but has existed for millenia prior to the Holocaust. In a June 11, 2021 statement on the American Psychological Association website, former president of the APA explained that the normalization of stigmatizations of antisemitic attitudes not only internalizes harmful messages, but desensitizes offenders to violence.

Considering his reputation as a dominant cultural figure of the 21st century, rapper Kanye West’s antisemitic statements have sparked ongoing controversy. In early October, he vowed to go “death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE” and insinuated that Jewish people “toyed with” him and “tried to black ball anyone who opposes [their] agenda” on his Twitter account. Although the tweet was removed for violating company policies, West’s media presence persists and continues to espouse dangerous rhetoric concerning Jewish intimidation and extremist ideology.

“Antisemitism is something I believe should

be strictly prohibited everywhere. Someone with influence [like Kanye] should not be speaking of this matter,” senior Riley Tromer said. “I identify as a Jew, but I don’t consistently participate in all Jewish activities, so I don’t feel it impacts me to the extent it does others.”

The persecution of Jews can be traced to decide, the assertion that Jews “bear eternal responsibility for the death of Jesus Christ,” as stated by the American Jewish Committee’s “Translate Hate Glossary” on their website. While many churches have repudiated this assertion, antisemites continue to use it to justify their anti-Jewish sentiment to this day.

Moreover, the frequency in which hostility towards Jewish people can be seen in current society has resulted in dangerous psychological, physical and social consequences. Kelly’s research found that hate crimes induce fear and anxiety among victims and community members, instigating feelings of anger, depression and insecurity. The trauma likely reinforced by recent antisemitic acts parallel the cruelty of the Holocaust, raising concerns about how the historical event is often downplayed or misinterpreted.

“In my view, our biggest concerns are: one, a lack of education, and two, apathy. For many Jews, it can often feel like many others don’t care about antisemitism,” Chairman of the Board for the Florida Holocaust Museum Michael Igel said. “If you care about one form of racism, you should care about all forms of racism. That’s what antisemitism is. It’s racism.”

The ADL reports an average of more than seven antisemitic incidents per day and a 34% increase from 2020 to 2021 in the U.S., with the highest instances in New York. Microaggressions against American Jews is only one way antisemitism is perpetrated on a daily basis; this includes assault, harassment, vandalism and invalidation. Prevailing stereotypes of Jews further ignite a constant state of uneasiness within the population.

“[Antisemitism] makes me feel unsafe wherever I go. I’ve had to hide my necklaces when going on trips and that’s such a small thing,” sophomore Courtney Solinksy said.

Rise in antisemitism in the last year has instilled fear among the Jewish population

PERMISSION FROM Pedro Portal/Tribune News Service

“Being Jewish is a part of who I am, and it hurts when people could hate me because of that.”

White supremacist groups or extremists are responsible for the majority of antisemitic propaganda distribution, pushing an increase in references to Israel or Zionism as well as fomentation of anti-Israel and antisemitic beliefs. From the 2018 attack at the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue, where 11 congregants were killed and six others were injured, to the swastika graffiti on numerous public buildings across the country, antisemitism remains one of the longeststanding forms of prejudice in the nation.

Local occurrences of antisemitism have also been noted in South Florida. On Oct. 30, racist and antisemitic messages were spray-painted on a speed limit sign and an electrical box in a Weston Hills neighborhood for the second time in less than a month. Additionally, a children’s playground in the area was defaced by swastikas and derogatory terms.

“I feel that it is important to be aware of things such as antisemitic acts in your community as it can affect you personally,” junior Emma Kramer said. “Personally, I don’t think it limits who I am because I’m proud of [my religion], and I won’t let this stop me from being who I truly am.”

Antisemitism has appeared in Parkland as well. Swatiskas, known as a symbol of hatred and a component of the Nazi flag, were found at Westglades Middle School, located next to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. On May 2, the emblem was seen inside of a bathroom stall in the middle school; this occurred again on May 11 on a lunch table.

However, many Jewish students at MSD have little-to-no recollection of antisemitism in Parkland; this may be attributed to the large Jewish demographic found in the city, which may influence the frequency in which antisemitic acts are committed.

“I honestly haven’t had antisemitism impact me in any way. I am blessed that I live in an area where people are accepting of Jewish people,” senior Brooke Merfogel said. “I feel horrible for the Jews that are experiencing antisemitism; it’s scary that the world hasn’t overcome its hate since the Holocaust occurred and that we haven’t made much progress.”

Prejudice against Jewish people encompasses a distinct history. Subjected to misunderstandings and negative characterizations, the ADL’s “Antisemitism Uncovered” feature proclaims that “Jews often have found themselves wrongfully scapegoated, reviled, persecuted, expelled and murdered.” Citing myths and conspiracy

theories imposed against Jews, the ADL insists that the global community adopts a greater understanding and involvement in combating antisemitism.

MSD offers a Holocaust elective taught by Levine and Elizabeth Ziolkowski to discuss and explore the historical events of the genocide and its long-term impact on the world. The course is meant to increase awareness of antisemitism and comprehension of Jewish history through its split curriculum, utilizing documentaries, films and literature to illustrate how the Jewish people were portrayed to the public.

“I don’t know if the reality of what antisemetic comments mean have registered with every student, especially those that haven’t been the target of hate or discrimination before,” Ziolkowski said. “The real reason why I teach it is oftentimes, it’s a subject that a lot of people are curious about and they get tastes of it throughout their elementary and middle school career.

People shy away from learning about the Holocaust because they know they have a morbid sense of curiosity and have to look at that horror in the face. I think teaching about it is using that curiosity for good, to remember that there are people behind the stories we are hearing.”

Discussion of antisemitism has evolved over the last century, transforming into a form of discrimination beyond geographical constraints and changing political environments. Often referred to as the “oldest hatred,” the rise and fall of antisemitic hate groups, grievances from high-profile figures and visualization of microaggressions have persisted. Despite the long history of antisemitism, the work conducted by various institutions and organizations across the nation work towards bringing peace to the Jewish community.

To address the long-standing issue of antisemitism, the ADL offers various ways to eliminate the age-old hate. By monitoring

antisemitic incidents both online and off, advocating for policy solutions and teaching about the dangers of antisemitism in the classroom, the current generation can work together towards reducing, and eventually eliminating, hate crimes indefinitely.

STORY BY Ivy Lam and Lyla Sachs DESIGN BY Julia Landy and Lyla

ANTISEMITIC ART

JEWISH AND PROUD

Oct. 5, 2022

Oct. 30, 2022

Swastikas, as well as other racist and antisemitic writings, were spray-painted on a street sign and an electrical box in a Weston neighborhood.

Individuals associated with the Goyim Defense League distributed antisemitic flyers in residential areas of Parkland.

ANTISEMETIC ART. Visitors to the international Holocaust cartoon contest in Tehran, Iran on Aug. 16, 2006 view one of the 1,100 Holocaust cartoons from 60 different countries that were submitted to the contest, staged by Iran Cartoon and the country’s largest selling newspaper Hamshahri newspaper, which is published by the capital’s conservative municipality. The following day, a leading Jewish organization sounded alarm bells about the antisemetic cartoons presented at the event, which was held in response to the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed in Western papers.

PHOTO PERMISSION FROM Farzaneh Khademian/Abaca Press/Tribune News Service

JEWISH AND PROUD. Laurence Bolotin, executive director of the American Jewish Committee’s Chicago office, helps organize a group photo in front of The Bean at Millennium Park in Chicago on Jan. 6, 2019. PHOTO PERMISSION FROM Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service

Antisemitic and racist graffiti was spraypainted in the Weston Hills neighborhood of Miami on Yom Kippur.

Source: ADL Tracker of Antisemitic Incidents

Sachs

Bal Harbour Yacht Club 188 Bal Bay Drive Bal Harbour, FL 33154

In the Limelight

SHARE THE SMILES

HIPS DON’T LIE. Tambores dancers representing Venezuela in the multicultural show. The dancers practiced for months leading up to the show. “My favorite part about being in Tambores was being able to represent my country in a way I love, dancing,” junior Barbara Rodriguez. “I was able to make my family proud while showing a piece of my culture with me coming from Venezuela.”

PHOTO BY Carolina Ochoa Lozano

MOVIN’ AND GROOVIN’. Dancers Isis RincónGonzalez, Daniel Morales, Gabriela Paez and Santiago Corral Espejo perform bachata. Bachata is a traditional Dominican dance. “Getting the dancers to coordinate and listen to me as choreographer was a challenge,” Paez said. “I spent since August choreographing my dances along with my co-choreographer.”

SHARE THE SMILES. Dancers Gabriella Fayad and Juan Diaz laugh while practicing their performance in the multicultural show. The performers follow the Spanish Club’s saying: “We came as strangers, became friends, left as family.” “The best part of the show was spending time with my friends, being part of something so incredible with them and meeting people with the same passion and interest as me,” Fayad said.

PHOTO BY Carolina Ochoa Lozano

SHAKE IT OFF. Hip-hop choreographer Valeria Anzures enjoys her moment on stage. Anzures, as well as all choreographers, have been practicing for over two months prior to the show. “I was extremely happy about how the show turned out, of course, but having a vision for what you want the dance to look like and then seeing how hard the girls worked and the amount of effort they put,” Anzures said.

PHOTO BY Carolina Ochoa Lozano

KEEP LOOKING UP. Bachata choreographer Paola Gutierrez gives her dancers various tips while performing on the stage. Choreographers have held the responsibilities of giving directions and tips to general performers. “The choreographers created the dances in June; we did tryouts in late August and started practices in September,” Abufele said.

PHOTO BY Carolina Ochoa Lozano

PHOTO BY Carolina Ochoa Lozano

MSD students prepare for the 13th annual multicultural performance

SHAKE IT OFF

HIPS DON’T LIE

MOVIN’ AND GROOVIN’

My favorite product is edge control, because I feel like edges really do make or break the hair.”

Jayda Jean, 10

I like that it stands out compared to other people’s hair because I can style it in many different ways.” Hair type:

Students share their specialized hair care routine “

When I was little, I thought I had really straight hair, but now I’ve started taking care of it, and I really like the texture of it.”

Isaac Reyes, 11

Ayden Mclean,

Mariana Neri Sapori, 11 Anjali Sethi, 12

My favorite thing about my hair is the color; I like the red tones.”

Best Face

Local dermatologist shares advice on teen acne and skin care

Forward

A:If a patient has very dry skin, they will require more hydration. They would need to be careful with multiple acne medications as this can further irritate their skin. Also, even in patients that have more oily skin, they will also require a good moisturizer while treating their acne. Acne medicine in general can dry out the skin and cause it to produce more oil.

Q: Q:

A: A:

Dermatologists are helpful in evaluating each patient individually with their type of acne and skin type. Some acne requires just topical treatments while others require more aggressive approaches with oral treatment as well. A dermatologist can customize your skin care regimen and prescriptions which is tailer made for you.

Sarah Wasser, PA-C Q: A:

Teens should make sure to use products such as face washes, moisturizers and sunscreen that says oil free and non-comedogenic. For oily skin and clogged pores, washes that include salicylic acid can be helpful. Try to avoid oily products in the hair as well, as that can contribute to acne on the face and forehead. Sunscreen is crucial while treating your acne, as acne medicine tend to make your skin more sensitive to the sun.

Q: A:

Make sure all products are oil free and non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores). Salicylic acid is helpful for oily skin and mild congestion. Benzoyl peroxide is helpful also for oily skin and pink acne bumps or pus bumps. It can also help with body acne. Just be aware that both ingredients can also cause skin sensitivity as well.

Teens try multiple acne treatments which often dry out their skin and make it more sensitive. They also try to hide their acne under make up or cover up which can worsen the condition. Online Tik Tok and social media can also influence skin care which may not be the best for certain skin types. Picking at acne can cause scarring, and sun can aggravate the skin while on acne medications too.

under myskin

Students have varying skin care issues and routines

Q: A:

Many teens are struggling along with acne. You are not the only one. If over the counter regimens are not helping you, please get evaluated by a dermatologist to help you out. This can be a tremendous help in clearing and controlling your acne as well as preventing scarring.

Q: A:

I often see teens struggling with how to best control their breakouts and figure out a skin care regimen that works for them. Many teens try and do what works well for a friend or a sibling; however, all skin types are different and what may work for some won’t necessarily work for others.

What is some advice you would give to teens who are struggling with their skin?

What is the most common thing that you see teens struggle with regarding their skin?

Sarah Wasser is a board-certified physician assistant specializing in dermatology for over 12 years. She is board certified through the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. Wasser has extensive clinical experience in both general and surgical dermatology. She enjoys treating all ages from infant to geriatric patients. Some of her expertise includes treatment of acne, eczema/atopic dermatitis, molluscum, psoriasis, warts, full skin exams, biopsies, rashes and excision of precancerous lesions.

What is a good routine for teens to follow if they are struggling with acne?

What are some ingredients teens should look for in their face washes or moisturizers?

What are some reasons why teens struggling with acne should see a dermatologist?

What are some things you see teens do that worsen their skin rather than help?

what circumstances is it good to use more products in a routine, like serums, and in what circumstances would it be better to use less?

Parental Parental

Children should form their own political beliefs instead of blindly following their parents

We inherit many traits from our parents—eye color, hair color and mannerisms.

However, recent research suggests that parents pass on more than just their genetic code; they also tend to pass their political ideology on to their children.

In modern society, politics can be difficult to avoid, as political discussions are constantly trending in the news, on social media and are present throughout daily conversations. The overall growing participation in politics has led many children to become involved in the political conversations. Today’s youth often have to choose whether to blindly follow the beliefs of their parents or form their own political opinions.

For many children, their parents are their biggest role models; parents often have the biggest impact on their child’s life, as well as their beliefs. The famous 1961 Bobo Doll experiment, conducted by Stanford professor Albert Bandura, proved this idea by demonstrating that children will interact with others in the same way that was modeled for them by adults.

Often, young children are easily impressionable and have a tendency to pick up on the words and behaviors that they observe being used around them. If a parent is clearly supporting a particular political party, it is likely that the child will want to do the same. As a result of the experiment, the prevailing view since the 1950s is that children passively adopt their parent’s political affiliation.

One of the main factors that can impact an individual’s political identity is being influenced by others’ opinions and beliefs. Many parents try to instruct their children and impart their views, perhaps hoping their kids will become

Politics

carbon copies of themselves, or become the people they wish they were. Some children will end up following what their parents tell them to believe, while others will do the opposite, totally disregarding the beliefs of their parents.

It is understandable that parents with strong beliefs would feel that it is their duty to see their children adopt those same beliefs. However, this rarely works out the way that parents hope. A 2020 study published in the British Journal of Political Science found that parents who are insistent that their children adopt their political views inadvertently influence their children to abandon the belief once they become adults.

The mechanism is perhaps surprising. Because children who come from homes where politics are a frequent topic of discussion are more likely to talk about politics once they leave home, they are more likely to be exposed to new viewpoints, enabling them to then adopt new ideologies with a surprising frequency.

When parents have extreme world views, their children have the clear choice to either side with their parents through agreement or against their parents through disagreement. This is well explained by Carl Pickhardt, an author and child psychologist.

“Extremely rigid views of right/wrong, trust/distrust, love/hate can be embraced by children who want to stay connected to parents, and can be cast off by children who, for their own independence, are willing to place the parental relationship at risk,” Pickhardt said in a 2019 interview published in Insider.

If the parents try too hard to teach their own beliefs as established truth, this teaching can be quickly set aside when the children have strong political awakenings of their own.

This is why it is extremely important for

parents to focus less on forcing a political party onto their child and more on ensuring that their child has all the tools they need to make an educated decision for themselves. Politics addresses a wide range of subjects and can be difficult to understand, which is why children deserve to be taught about politics in an unbiased manner.

Some children may be fearful that their parents or family members may treat them differently if they support a different political party than them. This can result in kids deciding to follow what their parents tell them as they believe it is the only thing for them to do because they may not be accepted otherwise.

In families where the parents and children have split alliances with political parties, there can be tension and discomfort that can cause the child to feel like their opinions are not welcome. Especially in today’s society where political parties have become extremely polarizing and the government has been acting very partisan, it is important that parents allow their children to form their own beliefs without fear.

After following your family’s beliefs for so long and constantly being reinforced that their opinions are right, it can be difficult for children to go out and form their own opinion. This can lead to children continuing to follow these beliefs way into their adult life when they are able to vote before ever really deciding what beliefs they personally agree with compared to those their family does.

While it may seem instinctive for children to believe everything that their parents tell them, it has never been more important for children to take the time to develop their own political beliefs than it is now.

No two people are the same, and with so

many controversial debates going on in our society, it is not uncommon to have a wide range of differing opinions that don’t align fully with either party. Oftentimes, parents will teach only what they think is right without mentioning the opposing side. However, this leaves children with a very limited view of the world.

It is incredibly important for students to educate themselves on politics because when they are 18 they will be able to vote. Students should think about how politics affect them, compared to how they affected their parents, compared to how they affected their grandparents.

Children are different individuals than their parents; the problems that younger generations face are not the same problems that adults face. The generational gap between children and their parents is significant enough that the political views of parents may not always align with the problems that are affecting the current generation.

Adolescents deserve the opportunity to follow what they personally believe in. Children should not be expected to inherit their parents’ political expectations, nor should they be disregarded for having their own ideas. Parents should be loving and accepting of whatever beliefs their children take on, even if they don’t align with their own.

In a society crowded by a wide array of available influences, we should be pushing our children to strive to be knowledgeable and informed in order to develop opinions, rather than simply indoctrinating them with our own. People of every age deserve the opportunity to formulate their own beliefs and opinions without being forced to follow specific ideologies.

OPINION BY Lily Singer GRAPHIC BY Grace Brill

Boundless

Blabbering Blabbering

their homes for the same reason. Some Parkland parents have even gone so far as to claim that they pay more property taxes for schooling than Coral Springs parents; therefore, they should be entitled to send their children to MSD, which is not true.

Everyone in Broward County pays the same set millage rate for schooling. Some of these Parkland parents believe that MSD is inherently better than the surrounding high schools due to the track records of their academics and extracurriculars. They often fail to do any research into the enriching programs offered at nearby schools.

The district does not determine boundary lines based on the quantity of taxes paid per city. MSD has always been a school composed of students from both Coral Springs and Parkland students. Since its founding in 1990, MSD has never been solely a Parkland school as Parkland parents online seem to believe it should be. Currently, a whopping 39% of MSD students are Coral Springs residents.

MSD parents set bad example for their children by engaging in hostile debates with neighbors

media as young as elementary school, it is crucial that parents exemplify good behavior. This childish conduct by the parents is not only an embarrassment to the community, but a bad example for kids.

As far as solving the issue of MSD’s overcrowding is concerned, it is understandable that people who live in different communities will have different opinions about who to zone out of the school. What no one has brought to the floor yet is the possibility of solving the problem another way.

Although the district is not permitted to build a new building at MSD using state funds, due to the fact that there are still 6,526 seats available in Broward County Public Schools’ high schools, if the community was so inclined, they could potentially petition the cities of Parkland and Coral Springs to delegate local tax dollars toward funding the production of another building at MSD. This would assist in alleviating the issue of overcrowded classrooms; by expanding the campus, hallways and classrooms would be less crowded for students.

With a true capacity of 3,077 students and an enrollment of 3,500 students, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is severely overcrowded. Over the past five years, a multitude of students and parents alike have voiced their complaints in regard to issues caused by the school’s capacity situation.

Due to the influx of students, many find themselves shoving through crowded hallways, only to be late to classes that are stuffed to the brim. Although the Class Size Amendment in 2007 prohibited having over 25 students in one core class, SB 2120, passed in 2011, changed the definition of “core class.” Because of this, advanced placement, and other higher-level classes, are not considered “core,” regardless of the subject, and may have upward of 40 students. It has also been more difficult for some to find room to eat at lunch, despite the split A and B lunch schedule.

As a result of these issues and many others, the community called upon the Broward County school district to alleviate the overcrowding problem, to which they responded by allowing Parkland and Coral Springs residents to submit community proposals for rezoning plans between Oct. 3-31, 2022. Meetings are being held at various points between November 2022 and April 2023 to discuss these proposals. The final decision will be made between March 2023 and April of 2023.

Each of the proposals are classified as “phase-in” proposals, meaning that students who currently attend MSD will not be impacted regardless of which plan the district chooses to adopt, if any. Only new students to MSD will need to comply with the hypothetical new zoning plan.

Despite the democratic approach to dealing with MSD’s capacity conflicts, parents online and at meetings have engaged in heated debates regarding the aforementioned proposals during recent months.

Many of those who live in Parkland believe that their children are entitled to attend MSD because they bought properties in Parkland in order to utilize the schools. What they fail to realize in many cases is that parents who live in the northern section of Coral Springs often bought

Regarding the rezoning, a large number of Parkland and Coral Springs parents have been arguing via social media sites such as Facebook over which area(s) should be removed from the MSD school zone. The problem here does not lie in the subject matter of these debates, but rather in the manner in which they are being conducted.

Entitled parents have been speaking to their fellow community members online in such a way that could potentially be considered cyber-bullying in some cases. Numerous parents have also sent threatening messages to those who have submitted proposals, disrespectfully asking them to withdraw their proposals, though only a couple of proposals have actually been withdrawn.

The arguments online are unprofessional and disrespectful in nature. Almost the entirety of the noise has been caused by parents, not by students. But despite this, parents online are setting a bad example for their children on how to behave on the internet. These parents are not exemplifying respectful netiquette, which is the general guideline for how to communicate online. Rather than trying to come to an agreement, they are showing their children that it is perfectly acceptable to treat their neighbors with disrespect over a disagreement.

The parents of Parkland and Coral Springs students have not been limited to just online debates. At the public meeting held on Nov. 3, 2022, parents further elicited highly inappropriate behavior.

When community members were given the opportunity to stand on a podium and ask questions to Jill Young, Broward County Public Schools Director of Demographics and Enrollment Planning, some were interrupted by others screaming vile insults over them. Although the purpose of the forum was simply for parents to ask Young questions, they used the platform to insult one another instead. These insults included talking about reporting fellow community members, insulting nearby schools and saying that their children do not associate with children from neighboring cities.

In general, children tend to emulate their parent’s behavior. In a time when children are accessing social

The method of solving the issue through construction, though it is not currently being discussed in mass, is not unprecedented. In 2016, the city of Parkland provided money to the district to construct modular classrooms at Heron Heights and Park Trails Elementary schools to ease their overcrowding issue. This represents only one of many possible solutions to the overcapacity issue.

If parents focused their attention on finding solutions that could serve as a compromise rather than fighting on the internet, they would be able to foster a stronger sense of community for their children and enable them to have kinder conversations. Even with the rezoning proposal discussions that are currently happening, parents could definitely stand to use more respectful language when addressing their community in order to set a better example for their children and for the students of Parkland and Coral Springs.

EDITORIAL BY Eagle Eye News Editorial Board GRAPHICS BY Julia Landy

students

Home Team Root, Root, Root for the

Home Team

From die-hard fanatics to simple sport admirers, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s population of over 3,500 students is filled with fans of professional athletic clubs. Whether they are rooting for local teams like the Miami Dolphins or distant organizations like the New York Yankees, countless MSD students share incredibly strong passions various sports teams. Despite the diversity in fan bases, MSD’s spirit for professional sports is evidently vivacious. However, being a zealous fan extends much further than simply putting on a jersey or flying a pennant. For many, athletic fandom is a part of one’s identity.

A fan’s affiliation with a sports team is rooted in the origin of their connection. Often, a devotion to a fan base dates back to one’s childhood, especially originating with early relationships to people close to them, nostalgia or core memories.

“My favorite sports team is the Las Vegas Raiders. I first got involved with the team because they play in my first home state, so I felt that I could always look up at the team for motivation,” freshman Jessica Rice said.

By committing to a fan base, fans are given the ability to win and lose along with their chosen team. In fact, a team’s performance can go as far as to affect the mental health of its fans. When a team wins, their fan base is invigorated and enthusiastic; however, a loss can lead to feelings of failure, embarrassment or depression. However, an emotional attachment to one’s favorite team only invigorates their growing passion for them.

Fans’ affiliation with sports teams stems from psychology as it contributes towards their emotions, sense of belonging and social skills. Ultimately, psychology explains why fans feel devoted and affiliated to sports teams to the large extent they display.

According to AP Psychology teacher Ronit

Reoven, most people gain a strong personal connection to sports teams because they share “some sort of commonality.” In many cases, fans find such commonalities through having the same origin as the team or growing attachment to players as they idolize and grow with them. As fans develop loyalty to their favorite team, their emotional connection only strengthens, as evidenced by the fluctuating mood of a fan depending upon the outcome of games.

Additionally, fandom builds relationships of old and new, and it does so in both positive and negative ways. When students of the same fan base recognize their team’s logo worn on another student in the hallway, they stop on their way to class for an obligatory high-five, handshake or cheer. On the other hand, many students argue and are put at odds with one another when supporting rival teams.

On top of building a foundation of relationships and mental health around teams, many fans feel devoted simply because of the commitment they’ve made. While fans do enjoy their fandom, being affiliated to a team can lead to the investment of lots of time and money. Fans purchase merchandise, attend sporting events, place bets and take part in countless activities surrounding their team, often to the point where they feel a part of it.

Nonetheless, fandom is rooted in simple fun and love that the team brings to fans. To many, there is nothing better than tailgating before a big game, repping the logo of one’s favorite team and cheering as loud as possible with every touchdown, goal and home run. Affiliation with a sports team is a significant part of the identities and lives of people across the MSD community. Despite differing fan bases supported by each and every student, fans can come together under the love of the game and the memories, passion and experiences that fandom has brought them.

STORY BY Reece Gary and Natalia

Ethan

MSD

develop sense of identity through affiliation with sports teams

Lopez

“

I’m originally from Boston, so I’m a Patriots fan, as well as all Boston teams. I’ve been supporting them since I was a kid and have gone to a lot of games with friends and family.”

Jimmy Keene, 12

“

[Having a favorite team] has impacted my life a lot as I play sports that they do like basketball. I was born in Virginia, so I’ve always had a connection to teams in Washington especially.”

Justin Shoemaker, 10

The Jets mean the world to me because I grew up watching them. When I was a kid, I went to my first football game, which was in New York.”

Dylan Gretzinger, 11

I was born in New York, so [the Giants] are my favorite team. My whole family rallies around them.”

Biagio Broccoli, 11

It’s great that [Brazil] is representing the country in the World Cup. Although, it is just soccer, it represents way more because of the opportunity it brings people.”

Ashley Lage, 12

Ever since I was 6 years old, I have been watching the Miami Heat. They’ve been motivating me to keep pushing, even when I’m not always doing good.”

Popelca, 9

MajorMaking it

Major

Ifirst visited the Northeastern campus a year before I committed, and I never thought about going to Boston for college, but I’ve always wanted to live in a city. I loved the campus so much, so I emailed the soccer coach, and it ended up working out. I think it’s special because it’s very different from Florida, and I am excited for a different scenery and lifestyle. I am most excited for being able to get super close with my new teammates and create great bonds while playing the sport I love and hopefully winning many conference titles. My main goal is to enjoy playing college soccer and have fun because it will most likely be the highest level of soccer I play, and I want to make the most of it.”

Maya Berndt, 12

Ichose Michigan because the gymnastics program is incredible. They are one of the best teams in the country. The academics are also top-tier. This place is special because they prioritize student athletes and have so many resources to help you succeed. I am most excited to compete for the team. I really want to try to contribute all around and help lead my team to another national championship victory. My goal for college is to take things one step at a time and really soak in every moment. I also want to be team captain at some point in my career. More goals will come when I am there, but I am just so thrilled to be a Wolverine next year. Go Blue!”

Education is a big part of my day and part of me. I want to study risk management and insurance in the future. Appalachian State has one of the best programs in the nation for that. And also, I just fell in love with the baseball coaches there. And the whole atmosphere just being up north in the tree lines where true seasons are. Here at MSD, we have had a lot of success these past two years winning two back-to-back national championships and, I mean, Coach Fitz just instills competition every day just having great teammates around you every single day and pushing you to the next level, just makes you just a better player overall. And I feel like taking that competition and just knowing that a spot on the team is not guaranteed. It’s really going to help me be successful in college. Overall, [I] just [want to] be the best player I possibly can just draw not only for myself, but for my team and for the program and just representing Appalachian State, and also representing here at Stoneman Douglas.”

Ichose Duquesne because I really felt a connection with all the players and coaches. When I went to visit, everyone made me feel so welcome, and I knew I’d fit in great. I’m really excited to continue my volleyball career at the next level, especially since it’s something I’ve been working towards since I was 15. I’m excited to meet new people and continue to develop my skills. My time playing at MSD has taught me many valuable lessons, including leadership, time management and determination, which are all things I can use at the college level.”

The recruitment process was a very exciting part of my baseball

career. The University of Florida was always my dream school, and when they wanted to recruit me, I was beyond excited. They ended up offering, and it was a no-brainer where I would end up committing to. A lot of memories from playing baseball at MSD will be with me for the rest of my life, but most [of all] will be my competitiveness. I am a big competitor and love playing the game of baseball. It is more than just a game; it is a lifestyle. My goals for playing college baseball will be helping my team to the best of my abilities, [and] to win in every game. No matter what it is, whether it is picking up my teammates, or cheering them on, I will do everything in my power to help the team win.”

Ichose Ohio State because it is such a large university with endless opportunities. The network of community that comes with representing Block O is like no else. From athletics to academics, Ohio State is a university that excels in all aspects. I love the positive, hard-working culture that the coaches have established for the gymnastics team as well as the numerous resources and high end technology that is offered to the students. From the moment I stepped onto campus, Ohio State felt like home and a place I could see myself growing in. I am excited to be able to compete for a team. Gymnastics is a very individualized sport, so having the opportunity for my scores to count for more than myself is something I am really looking forward to. I am also very excited for the high energy collegiate gymnastics brings to the arena and being able to travel across the country. “

DESIGN BY Julia Landy, Dhaanya Balaji, Alison LaTorre and Ryan Shimony REPORTING BY Ryan Shimony

Dillon Moquin, 12

Jacob Gomberg, 12

Haylen Zabrowski, 12

Samara Buchanan, 12

MSD

students extend their athletic careers as they commit to colleges on athletic scholarships

Jordan Robertson, 12