V
raider oice
Gulliver Preparatory’s Award-Winning Newspaper www.theraidervoice.com Volume 14, Issue 2
October 30, 2015 6575 N Kendall Drive, Pinecrest, FL, 33156
The Breakdown on BLOCK Page 8
Inside
Opinion.......................2 News...........................3
Features...................8-9 Photo Essay ...............10
Sports......................11 Entertainment..........13
Calendar..................15 Community..............16
2 Opinion
Syrian Refugees Seek Aid BY CLAUDIA PICADO Web Editor Throughout the past few months, amidst campaign drama and new Apple products, the one issue that has remained in news coverage on the daily is the refugee crisis in Europe, yet the situation has yet to be handled effectively. Considering Syria has been in the midst of a civil war for years, the rule of Bashar AlAssad and several other factors contribute to the fact that Syria is an incredibly dangerous and potentially life-threatening place to live, in its current state, so the numbers of those seeking refuge in Europe should not be surprising. According to syrianrefugees.eu, over 9 million people have fled their homes since the beginning of this civil war, and primarily to countries that border Syria like Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. Recently, however, thousands of Syrians fled to Europe instead, as it is the safest, wealthiest and most welcoming place they are able to get to from Syria. Countries like Germany and Sweden are very open to asylum requests from Syrian refugees, but the countries that have unfriendly attitudes towards immigrants pose a problem for those seeking refuge in these countries. Denmark in particular has been unfriendly towards migrants. According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, the Danish government released an ad in early September warning immigrants that they are not welcome and rejected pleas to accept more into the country. Until recently, refugees aiming to travel through Denmark to Sweden, where refugees are welcome, were
detained by the Danish government, due to chaos at its border with Germany. The situation has continued to escalate as the number of migrants continues to increase, as the United Nations prime commissioner recently stated that the world has waited too long to respond to the crisis in Syria and underestimated the scale of the problem. United States government officials have also weighed in on this issue, with President Obama recently stating that world leaders need to do more in order to help the millions of refugees fleeing dangerous conflicts. Since WWII, European countries have grown accustomed to the United States taking charge of addressing major security threats in and near Europe, creating a sense of complacency in European foreign policy, which is now evident considering the lack of organization and agreement regarding the current situation. Germany in particular is known to have been welcoming refugees into their country, yet still fails to take charge regarding the ever growing issue. Once it was clear that the United States was not going to intervene in this situation, Germany should have worked together with stronger European countries like France and Great Britain to find an effective European response to this crisis. The United States is constantly on the receiving end of criticism from the rest of the world for involving itself too much in foreign affairs. This time, the opposite is true. Instead of stepping back and expecting the U.S. to take action itself, countries that on the surface seem friendly to immigrants, need to take appropriate actions to stem the flow.
Have Grades Taken Over the Ability to Learn? By Brigitte Northland Staff Writer
Don’t ask me what geometric theorems are or what happened in World History freshmen year. I tend to learn things in a span of ten hours and forget the information immediately after the test. High school students today are under such great pressure to do well in school that they forget about what learning is. The purpose of school is not just to get the best grades. In reality, the primary purpose for school, which some often forget, is to learn! To many high school students, doing well means getting an “A” or being top of their class. It should really be about actually learning the information they will be tested on. It’s not their fault. When there is such a high expectation for good grades, it puts immense pressure on students. They often get sick because they are under so much stress that their immune systems get weak. There are also standardized tests, like the ACT and SAT. Sometimes I wonder if the college system just wants to put high school students in a “hunger games” of academic trials. Who can survive through the obstacles of high school and still have a 4.0? We aren’t superhuman! How are students supposed to enjoy their lives when all there is to think about is school? Yes, of course school is important, but so are our lives. Most people take part in extracurricular activities and can’t even enjoy that to the best of their ability. In my case, I play
Artwork by Karenna Northland
soccer full time and also play the piano. I sometimes find it hard to enjoy my passions because all week I’m stuck doing homework. By the time I get to practice I’m exhausted. There is a lack of balance in today’s society. No one has time for anything, not just high school students. There is a constant pressure to be the best and reach the highest level. What people are forgetting is the true value of knowledge. Being happy and enjoying the things you do is part of living. Being young is supposed to be about experiencing, learning, and being exposed to new things. Today, we are just a part of a mass schedule in which everything is a time crunching, fastpaced world. I feel that people aren’t looking around them. In the classroom students just focus on learning how to get an A, but not the actual information in front of them. Tests are usually studied by memorizing the information for a day and forgetting them the next. As a high school student enduring this college process and also among a huge pressure to do well, I sometimes lose myself within all the numbers. I forget that what really matters is me learning and enjoying what interests me. Of course, I care to get the good grades, but it’s important to know ourselves as well. Not all of us are going to be at the top. I know that I am not a top student, but what is important is the effort I give, and the processes I take while I am learning to become a better “me.” School is not just about getting that precious “A” it’s about training the brain to become stronger and develop our minds for the future. It is important that, through all the hardships and pressure associated with school, that students learn to put things in perspective, and not lose themselves in a sea of numbers.
Our Team Bianca Corgan Editor-in-Chief
Estefania Martinez Editor-in-Chief Brooke Ellis Managing Editor
Katherine Cohen Copy Editor Claudia Picado Web Editor
Brigitte Northland Staff Writer
Tyler Perez
Staff Writer
Evan Silberman Staff Writer
Aurora Hermida Staff Writer
David Akerman Staff Writer
Marcela Royo Staff Writer
Robert Burns Staff Writer
Monica Rodriguez Adviser
Our Mission The Raider Voice is Gulliver Preparatory’s award-winning monthly publication to inform, educate, and entertain the entire Gulliver community. Only documented news stories and responsible opinions will be published. Opinions expressed as commentary may not reflect the views or policies of the school. The Raider Voice welcomes signed letters to the editors. We reserve the right to edit, condense, or reject any letters, Professional associations include Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association. Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service. This publication is printed by Sun Coast Press, 200 East Venice Avenue, Venice, FL 34285. Tel: 941207-1406.
News 3
Time is Too Rare of a Commodity For Students By katherine cohen Copy Editor
Stress is palpable, homework is infinite, sports are time consuming, extracurricular activities take entire afternoons away from students. It feels like everyone is running out of time! This precious commodity is lost in small pieces. An hour for a club meeting here, and hour for sports there, and all of a sudden there is no time left. Students are left with little to no time to socialize, nonetheless sleep and eat. The stress that students put themselves under to fufill all of their commitments is difficult to comprehend. “I have to find a balance between time writing my book, time writing other things and then everything else that I am involved with; practice time, practicing voice, piano ,flute guitar and writing my own songs,” said senior Erin Keating. It adds up quickly. The majority of students play a sport that takes an hour or more out of weekdays and eats up entire weekends during games and tournaments. Band and practicing instruments is another common cause for losing precious time. In addition, there are various clubs, never ending homework, SAT preparation, college application, community service hours, studying for exams, and (if possible, if there is still some extra room to continue functioning) extracurricular activities. So how do students do it? When asked, most
students reply that they cut into sleep or, simply put, they don’t. Most solutions require lessened sleep and absurd levels of caffeine. “I play tennis for about seven hours a week and have eight hours of PSAT tutoring every week, two hours on Tuesday and Thursday and three hours on Saturday. I’m the vice president of Key Club and I’m in a bunch of clubs like Hispanic Cinema and Smiling Tummies. I get about three hours of sleep every night, in all honesty. I usually go to sleep incredibly late and wake up early,” said junior Tina Barrios. There is no good place to point fingers regarding where all of this work comes from. The stress of getting into colleges often induces an urge to join clubs and play sports. With classes comes homework, projects, and hours of studying. Community service is mandatory for graduation, and testing and college applications are inevitable time monsters for juniors and seniors. Certainly, students also do extracurricular activities for their own enjoyment. However, it often turns from an enjoyable activity into just another thing to get done. “I play both volleyball and water polo, I try not to procrastinate even though I do so occasionally. I do most of my homework on the weekends, we don’t have practice on Sundays, which is usually when I try to do most of my homework. It’s a lot to balance, with sports and APs and such. “Yeah, it’s a lot,” said sophomore Anastasia Perez-Ternet.
Judson Cohen has been handling catastrophic injury, medical malpractice and wrongful death claims for over 25 years. Judson is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, which means that he has received the highest possible ratings for legal ability and professional ethics by other attorneys and the Judiciary. Judson is recognized as Legal Elite in Florida Trends Magazine, as a Top Lawyer in Florida by the Florida Legal Guide and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. If you need help, call Judson at 305-3741011, or visit him online at www. fairnessforall.com.
4 News
Presidential hopefuls worked to make lasting impressions in recent debates BY TALIA PFEFFER
Staff Writer
Post- Debate Tweets Candidates share their policy ideas via Twitter.
With the primaries quickly approaching, many tuned in to watch both the Republican debates and the Democratic debate, to formulate opinions on which hopeful would best fit the position of Commander In Chief in 2016. Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, and Republican candidate Carly Fiorina, could be considered the winners of their respective debates, making it a possibility that 2016 will be the year when a woman will lead the country. If the U.S. chooses a female President in the next election, it will be the first time in history that a woman will assume the role. This could make a difference when discussing women’s issues, and the purpose and future of Planned Parenthood from a national perspective. In the secondary GOP debate, Fiorina made it clear that she was against Planned Parenthood, and was disturbed by the PP abortion videos she claimed to have watched. “They [Republicans] don’t mind having big government to interfere with a woman’s right to choose and to try to take down Planned Parenthood. They’re fine with big government when it comes to that,” said Clinton, a big supporter of the agency. Another issue discussed in the debates was foreign policy. Clinton defended her role in engineering a “reset” of relations with Russia while Secretary of State and said things had changed only
when Vladimir Putin returned to the presidency. She said the United States must stand up to Putin’s “bullying” and must take “more of a leadership position” to help end the bloody civil war in Syria. Her Democratic opponent, Bernie Sanders slammed the war as a “quagmire in a quagmire” and argued that it was triggered by the war in Iraq; referencing Clinton’s 2002 decision as a New York senator to authorize the war in Iraq. In the GOP debate, It was established early on that each of the candidates have a negative view on the Iran Deal, but Kentucky Senator Rand Paul had the unique perspective that it would be absurd to tear up the agreement like all of the other candidates vowed to do on their first day in office. In addition, Jeb was the first candidate in the debate who acknowledged his strong support and connection for Israel, which led to a discussion about reconnecting ties with Israel. The Republican front-runner, Donald Trump, criticized Hillary Clinton from the beginning but on Oct. 13 he told ABC News that she was the definite winner of the Democratic debate. According to the Republican candidates, Clinton’s email scandal was something that made her a nontrustworthy person, who should not be in charge of making nationwide decisions. The debates served to bring the candidates’ stand on issues to the spotlight as both parties prepare to make their final nominations.
Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton on the debate stage on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, in Las Vegas. (Brian Cahn/Zuma Press/TNS)
Republican presidential candidates Ben Carson, left, and Donald Trump during the GOP debate at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015. (Robert Gauthier,Los Angeles Times)
News 5 Student-Athletes Make Verbal Commitments By Robert Burns Staff Writer Each year, countless student-athletes throughout the country sign letters of intent to attend schools of their choice. Before these athletes sign their names, they typically verbally commit. A verbal commitment is an agreement that the student intends to bring their athletic talent to a particular university. The verbal commitment is not binding, though. According to the
NCAA, “only the signing of the National Letter of Intent accompanied by a financial aid agreement is binding on both parties.” In the talent-rich Athletic program, there are a few student commitments that stand out. The Raider Voice met with some of these athletes to learn why they chose certain schools.
Cedric Wright Namilla Sanchez C. j. Hassan Football / Free Safety U.S Army All-American “ I knew UM was the right place for me. The familiar faces make me feel at home. The atmosphere in all is incredible. I’ve built relationships with the coaches and future teammates such as Joseph Jackson, Robert Burns and Dionte Mullins also playing with me. Also it’s a great feeling knowing I’m close to my family. It lets me know they can support me at all my games.
Swimming / Freestyle 2x Finalist @ 201415 Florida 2A State Championships All-Dade relay team member
“ I chose Vandy because it had everything I was looking for. It’s a great academic institution, it has a great swim program that’s also in the SEC which has always been a dream of mine to be a part of, and the location is ideal, it’s in Nashville where there’s always something going on but the campus has that “homey” feel to it.
Lacrosse / Middie First Team All-South Florida 2015 Team MVP “ I chose Colby College because of the high academic reputation that it has. It is also a great school lacrossewise and when I went to visit the campus it was really beautiful. Coach Sandler really influenced me the most. He didn’t guarantee me anything. He told me if I worked hard during the offseason and then proved my play on the field then I could be playing.”
NICOLE Urquidi Swimming / Freestyle 2x Finalist @ 201415 Florida 2A State Championships “I went on a recruiting visit at The University Of Florida and loved the team and the pool and everything. My parents left the decision up to me but they definitely like me being close to home. I owe everything to my coach and teammates, because none of this would’ve been possible if it weren’t for their guidance and support.”
6 News
Voter Registration Event Raised Political Awareness on Campus
Health Information Project begins another year
By Estefania Martinez Editor In Chief
By Estefania Martinez Editor In Chief On Oct. 7, the Health Information Project (HIP) officially began its 6th year with a full day training session in the library. With a new board of student members as well as teachers Suzanne Landsom and Michael Gambrell as sponsors, the club is hoping to engage the freshmen class in a mutual conversation about issues that all students face when first coming into high school. “So far, the HIP members are very enthusiastic about teaching the freshmen. I’m very pleased with how everything is going,” said Landsom. Like any other club, HIP members are required to attend meetings, held every other Wednesday. However, these meetings are made up of two-hour training sessions where the students, also known as Peer Health Educators (PHEs), read and study different modules presented in a booklet provided by the HIP organization. The HIP student board is fully composed of seniors. There are two presidents on the board, Dominic Benitez and Joao Guimaraes. The rest of the board is comprised of Isabela Medina, vice
president, and Olivia Carbi and Alison Riemer, both secretaries. “I believe that students should be informed about everything that HIP teaches before they actually experience these things. I also joined HIP because I really like teaching and talking in front of other people. HIP gives me this opportunity,” said junior Joao Guimaraes. The club takes training its PHEs very seriously, considering that they will be relaying vital information to younger students. “I not only like that we’re teaching and raising awareness in other students but I feel that we are actually learning from the modules as well. I would really suggest this club to sophomores who can join in the upcoming year because it has been a great experience for me,” said senior Sofia Espinosa. The club plans to spread awareness about several issues including mental health, relationships, nutrition, and how to lead a healthy lifestyle. The first HIP session took place on Oct. 19, with the remaining seven scheduled for every other Monday during science classes.
Sustained Dialogue opens up discussions By Bianca Corgan Editor In Chief
On Saturday, Sept .19, 17 students and eight faculty members participated in the school’s first Sustained Dialogue chapter. The purpose of this program is to begin discussions focusing on difficult and challenging topics. “I believe Sustained Dialogue builds the skills required for members of the community to learn from one another and work together to explore sensitive, complex, and important social issues,” said Department Chair of International Business and Entrepreneurship Kamal James. The first day training led by program representative Sallie Batchelor, who explained the basis of the program, and helped initiate discussions that will eventually lead to proactive responses to various challenging issues. “I was unsure about what this training would involve. However, it was not just a lecture about leadership but rather an interactive experience that helped broaden my perspectives,” said senior Valentina Wakeman. Sustained Dialogue was originally founded by U.S. diplomat Harold Saunders, at Princeton University. Over time the program expanded
its realm to include multiple college campuses, with 44 schools around the world having active chapters. Prep Principal Jonathan Schoenwald explained that the program will hopefully allow people to regularly come together and exchange ideas regarding pertinent yet sensitive topics, in a comfortable and respectful environment. As people become more acquainted with one another, the more active they become in voicing their opinions, and thus can help spur action and essentially progress. “One of the things I enjoy doing is talking to people about issues that are important and current to our society. Sustained Dialogue has provided an academic platform for me to do that with people I wouldn’t necessarily know outside of the classes and activities I partake in at school,” said senior Marina Wakil. The program hopes to expand over the course of the school year, eventually allowing Prep students to discuss such topics with the Senior Kindergarten class at the Academy.
On Sept. 22 the Official Voter Registration day found a place at the Prep campus when teachers set up an initiative to help students and faculty register as official voters. The registration days continued throughout the week. Sign up was open for any student who was at least 16-years-old, and an American citizen. Underage students were able to pre-register, but must wait until they are of age to legally vote. Sponsors, English teachers Adam Schachner and Tyrone Sandaal, along with Science teacher Luis Luis-Fayat, initiated the sign up to encourage students to register, as well as to follow through and vote in both municipal and national elections. Almost 80 students participated in the sign up. “I think we all have responsibilities to be participatory, at any level, within government, and the only we can insure that our voice is heard is at the polls. So, I don’t care what parties people are signing up for or what their political beliefs are. I just want to see people voting; the more, the better. This was a chance to make sure that we could help the process and get them to be more active members of their community,” said Schachner. The sign up provided students with an opportunity to register to vote where they otherwise may not done so. The event also promoted political awareness around the school. “I was really surprised that so many students were at all interested in politics. I didn’t realize we had such a politically active student body,” said senior Andrew Boas. The event also created a promising platform for the upcoming elections in the city of Miami and for next year’s Presidential election. Many students had a lot to say about the registration event. Participants expressed their enthusiasm about the registration as well as appreciation for the sponsors. “I also was really impressed with the enthusiasm of the teachers helping out. I think it’s great that they’re encouraging voter registration because it really makes students want to get involved,” said senior Gabriela Telepman. The amount of participation was outstanding and the sponsors are hoping that this sign up can become a sort of legacy at the school so that they can keep supporting higher interest in politics. “I’m thrilled and I hope that this is an environment that can continue with this degree of energy and investment across campus and at all times. Hopefully, we can keep registering people,” said Schachner.
News
Guidance Department to Offer North East College Tour in the Spring By bianca corgan Editor-in-Chief
The lead Sganarelle played by Marcello Perdomo (center) is asking the gypsies if he should marry Dorimene. Clockwise from left: Senior Qifeng (Wind) Du, senior Jaclyn Soria, junior Marcello Perdomo, junior Emma Nissim, junior Madison Artz. Photo by Fox Mar.
Drama Presents Moliere’s “The Forced Marriage” By marcela royo Staff Writer
The drama department presented the play The Forced Marriage at the Prep Campus on Oct. 16 and Oct. 17. The play was a French comedy, written by playwright Moliere.
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From Tuesday, May 31 to Saturday, June 4, Prep Guidance Counselor Jessie Bayag will host a Northeast College Tour. These visits are intended to help current junior and sophomore students get a jumpstart on the college search process. The total price of the trip is $2,269, and will cover the college towns of Boston, Cambridge, Providence, and New York. “This trip allows students to view different campuses and see what each one has to offer, such as the differences between urban and traditional campuses,” said Ms. Bayag. On the first two days of the trip, students and parents will have guided tours of Harvard University, Tufts University, Boston University, Boston College, and Northeastern University. This allows students to not only cover prominent universities in the area but also gives them the opportunity to experience different sized universities, within the same area. “I really want to go to college in the Northeast so I think this would be a good opportunity to not only visit the different college choices, but also the surrounding areas and find out if this is a place that I would want to live,” said junior Tina Barrios. On day three of the trip, students will be able to select two out of the four universities provided, including Brown University, Providence College, University of Connecticut and Yale University. The last two days of the trip will culminate in New York City, where participants will not only have the opportunity to tour New York University, Columbia University, and Fordham University, but also experience New York City itself through sightseeing. “This is a good opportunity for students to see firsthand what each particular campus has to offer. They get a vibe for student life, facilities, and dorms that are important factors to consider when making the decision of where they want to go to college,” said Preparatory Guidance Counselor Adriana Muñoz. Registration for the college tour is still open. Contact Guidance Counselor Jessie Bayag for details.
Before the play began, IB drama students provided a brief introduction about its history and costumes, which were provided by student actors. The play told the story about an older gentleman who wanted to marry the young, beautiful girl next door. After hearing rumors surrounding the girl and seeing how awful she truly acted, he began to question the soon-to-be marriage, thinking he might be made a fool. By the end of the play, he is trying to find a way out of the pending marriage. In an amusing plot twist the main character is taken away, saving him from the marriage and the young woman ends up with the man she truly loved. The actors chose this classical piece because they wanted to perform a 40-minute play they could present both at school and competition, as well as add to their repertoire. “The kids are very enthusiastic to take this show to competition,” said director and drama teacher Mrs. Fox. Tickets were sold the week of the show at $10 each, selling out quickly. The cast rehearsed as often as possible to get as much practice as they could. “Rehearsals lasted about 2 hours. On Saturdays they could go over that time depending on how much we needed to work,” said Fakhoury. A period workshop was held to study the French culture before the play. People had the opportunity to learn authentic seventeenth-century dances with the cast. The cast also learned about sword work from a professional, who spoke about how to safely manipulate the weapons to create a more realistic experience for the audience. Other departments, like the engineering and French classes, helped to create a more historically accurate play. The engineering department built the stage and set while the French students helped with learning the pronunciation of French words. Audiences packed the “Second Story Theater” at the Prep campus during the show’s two-night run. Drama students will take The Forced Marriage to competition on Oct. 29.
8 Features
School Proposes Shift to Block Scheduling for 2016-2017
Lunch will consist of s. two 45-minute wave ce Lunch will take pla 6th either before or after d an ys period on “A” da . ys da 5th period of “B”
clas Bird” d ly r a E “ cte e affe ule b t o n sched block et daily, e will m s. e t u min
By EstefaNIa Martinez Editor-in-Chief Even before its implementation, block scheduling has students, teachers, and parents asking many of questions. Block scheduling, over the past year, has brought up many issues concerning how the new system will function as well as how the classes will be altered. With much speculation surrounding the change, the school has been buzzing with personal anecdotes of students who have experienced block scheduling as well as students who are scared of the upcoming changes. “I think some of our happiest students are in classes where versions of it are already happening such as the robotics team who comes in after school and have extended class time to build robots. The architecture teams work after school as well to build their presentations. I think everyone is going to like it - the hardest group might be teachers who have taught the same way for so long, I say that because I was one of those teachers. When you have to rethink how you do what you do, it is hard but it’s better for students and lets them really earn their learning,” said Mr. Steel. Teachers really petitioned to have block scheduling. With the art department and the science department really pushing for 80 minute class periods. Although there are 25 teachers on the block scheduling committee, three notable teachers sponsoring the initiative are Mrs. Goldman, Mr. Del Castillo, and Mrs. Diaz-Cooper, who all believe that their classes would be more effective if they were allowed to teach for an extended amount of time. “Teachers, overall, in all subject matters, have really been leaning into teaching a more hands on and student centered way. In order to do this, as well as do it with the aid of technology, you need more time. So, while the block schedule does not add more time to the amount of time that students spend in class each day, it just rearranges the way that time is spent so that teachers can go more
into depth on the material,” said Mrs. Goldman. As of now, the schedule is still in the process of being finalized. On Mondays and Fridays, students will be attending their ‘even’ periods while on Tuesdays and Thursdays, students will go to their ‘odd’ periods. An interesting addition to this block scheduling system is that on Wednesdays, students will go to each one of their classes, such as they do this year. Special consultants were hired to really try and create the most flexible block schedule there could be. Students, who are worried about the way that the schedule will work will have a chance to see it implemented during two test weeks - one in January and the next in April. “Studies have shown that teaching and learning in a block schedule environment has been more effective. Students - specifically average students, not the top students since they will do well in whatever environment, but average students or struggling students - actually excel greater with block scheduling,” said Mrs. Goldman. The new schedule will also include a new class titled ‘Raider Seminar’ where students can choose an array of courses that will be designed to be applicable in real life; whether it is a french cooking course or a fishing lesson, students will be able to choose a class that fits their personality the best. However, this has caused some confusion among some students who are overloaded with work and claim that this time could be spent doing more productive activities such as finishing college applications or just the night’s homework. Students must keep in mind that Raider Seminars will not last the entire year. Instead, they will have eight weeks of class and then, they will get to choose another course. Students will likely receive a two week anticipation period to pick out their new classes. “The way that the classes are structured now is all we know. The reason that we looked into block scheduling is because teachers were curious about the way that it worked. They felt like there wasn’t enough time. We know that lecturing is not the most effective way of teaching and we have to change it up; whether it’s with class activities or more
A new addit ion to the schedu le is the Raider Sem inar. It is a mandatory course but the classes are geared towards stu dents’ interest leve ls, covering a wide varie ty of topics .
co Tutorials will om take place fr de 4:00pm. Stu e be able to att lr class tutoria d of their sche y. a d t tha
will sses e by th y h t e e, as 5 , for 4
ontinue to m 3:05 ents will end any regardless dule for
Wednesday’s schedule will rem ain as it is currently. All classes will meet for 45-minutes. Atriu m announcements w ill also be moved to Wednesdays.
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pros cons “I had block scheduling at my old school and I loved it. It may be tough to sit through a class you don’t like but you have more time to study for tests and do your homework since you see your teacher every other day instead of everyday.” -- sophomore Lauren Gold
Flex Time is a period set aside for activities. Pep rallies, guidance seminars, guest speakers, etc. will take place during this time. Setting aside weekly time for activities within the weekly schedule prevents having to miss class.
When I went to Palmer Trinity, I disliked block scheduling so much. It was so hard to go an entire day without going to every classes plus I thought it was kind of disorganized. I really did not like it so I switched to Gulliver.” -- senior Olivia Dagrosa
“I don’t really understand why everyone is so against block scheduling. At my old school, I actually really liked it. It was more efficient and I got a lot of work done.” -- senior Francisco Di Capua
“I’ve attended three separate schools that had block scheduling; one in Venezuela, one in Spain, and Miami Country Day. Honestly, I hated it and definitely would not want block scheduling next year.” -- junior Gabriel Meler
“In Venezuela, my school had block scheduling. I liked it because it spaced out my schedule more, not only giving me more time to do my homework but more time for after school activities.”
“I used to not mind it when we had block schedule in my old school, but now that I’m used to this new schedule it’s gonna be hard to adjust again. I really like the schedule that the school has in place now.”
“I think that having less classes a day is actually a good thing. It means having less on your mind and gives you more time to focus on just a few classes per day.” -- junior Mason Lykes
“I am really looking forward to block scheduling mainly because of my art class. I really want to be able to have more time to work on my pieces. Right now, it is really hard to work on anything because of the time constraint.
“Coming from a high school with block scheduling, I’ve never been a fan of the idea. It helps with completing homework but I would always zone out because of the long classes. -- senior Kelly Fertel “For next year, I heard there’s only going to be two lunch periods which I think is going to be a problem. Our school is too big to have all students eat during those two periods. It’s going to be too crowded and chaotic.” -- junior Daniel Roth
10 Photo Essay Raiders TakE the Field In Celebration Of
HomecominG
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1. Homecoming court crowned during halftime of game. 2. (From left) Juniors Morgan Hall, Mikayla Thomas, and Lauren Pelletier race down the slide. 3. (From left) Seniors Namilla Sanchez, Natalie Aulicino, Nicole Urquidi, and Kelly Fertel make their way to the football field to cheer on the Raiders.
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4. (From left) Senior Sundancers Brooke Bailey, Monique Martinez, Sofia Beveridge, Natacia Zunjic, and Qifeng “Wind� Du perform at the halftime show. 5. Junior Niles Miller shows his school spirit while performing on the sidelines for the pep-band. 6. Cheerleaders prepare to charge the field with enthusiasm. 7. Pep-band members get the crowd riled up for the game. 8. Senior linebacker Bryce Handy focuses on the upcoming play during a time out. 9. (From left) Freshmen fans Alexandra Cicero, Carola Difranco, Jamie Shapiro, Emily Tano, Samantha Robinson, and Caroline Wood pose for a picture before the start of the game.
Photos by Fox Mar. Design by Brooke Ellis.
Sports 11 Golf tees off their season with a great start
Cross Country looks to improve from slow start BY Tyler Perez Staff Writer
BY Evan Silberman Staff Writer Sophomore Roman Lopez watches his ball after crushing it off the tee. Photo by Coach Piggot.
Several cross country runners, finish the latter part of the race. The runners include juniors Ryan Pino.
Despite a disappointing start, the Boys Cross Counrty team has made strides in the latter part of the season. In their first race of the season at Larry & Penny Thompson Park on Sept. 3, the boys finished 17th out of 28 teams. This was not an awful start, however, the team was hoping to place better. “We have not gotten off to the best start, however, I feel like we have the ability to improve as we just need to practice and train harder and put our mind to it,” said junior Franco Caputo. The unity among the team is one of the aspects the runners possesses that has led to their positive mindframe despite a disappointing result. Most of the players on the team are juniors and sophomores and have been on the team together for the past couple of years. They have built bonds of friendship and brotherhood, which many of the players cite as the team’s biggest strength and the reason why they can push through the rough start. The roster consists of five juniors and two sophomores who have raced with each other several times before. “Our biggest strength is that we are an experienced and well behaved team,” said head coach Tomas Esquijarosa. This friendship and teamwork has led to a positive mindset in not only the coaches minds, but also in the runners’ minds. “Our biggest strength is definitely the fact that we are all very close friends, and this brings a very important aspect of teamwork to our races that I think is hard to find among other high schools we face,” said junior Mark Royero. The team has bounced back well from the lack luster start as they finished fourth out of twenty three in the Junior Orange Bowl Race on Oct. 8. This positive momentum could carry over into the latter part of the year and in the playoffs. Still, the team is pushing harder to do better at the next race. “We can improve by working harder and overcoming adversity, which will be key in the upcoming races,” said Esquijarosa. Constant improvement has increased team morale, and has made the expectations of the team had at the beginning of the year, come closer to reality. “My outlook for the season is nothing less than districts, as we have the ability to achieve such lofty goals,” said junior Michael Garcia. The team starts the regional and district playoffs during mid-late October.
The Golf team is off to a rapid 7-1 start to their season, a record that includes dominating wins over rival Ransom, Westminster Christian, Key West and Palmer Trinity. However, the team stumbled in the recent county tournament, finishing with a score of 319, which was good enough for fourth place. “We didn’t get the outcome we were expecting, especially coming in with such momentum. I think we can improve on that result and look forward. We are looking for more consistency and get better each day in practice,” said Coach Steve Solomon. Throughout the season thus far, Seniors Scott Martinez, Trevor Pelletier and Ryan Fluxman have all made improvements and contributions to the team. Along with the senior trio, Junior Chris Nido, and Sophomore Roman Lopez have made their impact as well. “Scott Martinez and Chris Nido both have a good chance to play in college if they chose to. Both of them should be highly competitive as they aim to make the state tournament,” said Coach Solomon. Martinez hasn’t quite set his goals so high just yet. “I’m just taking it one game at a time adding new skills to my game. If I continue to improve playing and the mental aspect of the game, I’m confident I will succeed. The game is 90% mental, 10% physical,” said Martinez. The team hopes to bounce back from their disappointing showing at the county tournament and finish the year off strong. “Obviously, our goal is to reach the State tournament. We have the capability, however, we need to improve individually and the team as a whole,” said Coach Solomon. Next, the team will compete in the district tournament on October 10th.
“The game is 90% mental, 10% physical.” - Junior Scott Martinez
12 Sports Volleyball Falls in Districts to Tough Competition BY TYLER PEREZ Staff Writer
The volleyball team had a great start to the 2015 season going 5-0, but the team’s level of play has declined. Winning all five of their first games at the start of their season was great for the players and coaches. The team defeated Miami Country Day, St. Brendan, Pine Crest, and Coral Shores. Their biggest win was on Sept. 10 over rival Ransom Everglades at home. It was not an easy win as it went into 5 sets, but the girls pulled it off against a hard match-up. Losses to top quality teams such as Palmer Trinity and Westminster Christian helped the team improve on their weaknesses and get back on their winning streak as they approached districts. “We can improve by communicating better which will have a positive overall impact on the team,” said senior captain Carolina Mengotti. The mindset and expectations of the team were still the same as they were before. “I am really excited for our team, We hope to make the best out of it since we have a lot of seniors that we are going to miss next year,” said junior Valeria Londano.
The battle for seeding in the district resulted with the team finishing 2nd in their district during the regular season. “This was a great season as we continued the progress and improved,” said head coach Ed Potter. The team has implemented a multitude of strengths to get to this point, which helped them overcome some of their lesser components. “Our biggest strength as a team is definitely our offense,” said Potter. Despite the promising regular season the girls fell to Ransom in the semifinals of districts on Oct. 20. “It was a heartbreaking loss. Going into districts, we were prepared and excited for the rematch. We gave it our all, but it didn’t work out,” said sophomore Isabella Lamus. It was a stellar season, however, tough competition led to the team falling short of their ultimate goal.
Bowling Finishes up Regular Season Games BY TYLER PEREZ Staff Writer The bowling team performed well this season, though they remain committed to further improvement. The boys’ team has a record of four wins and seven losses while the girls’ team has a record sitting at seven wins and five losses.
Top: Senior Carolina Mengotti digs the ball to set up an attack. Her teammates watch intensely ready to assist. Bottom: Junior Natalie Mouawad passes the ball to her teammates. The team was working hard with high intensity to capture the win over Ransom Everglades on Sept. 10. Photos by Fox Mar.
All matches were held at Bird Bowl Bowling Center in Miami. The girls and boys teams have faced off against Braddock, Miami Christian, Hialeah, and Coral Reef. “I am very pleased with how both teams have performed and improved thus far. Some of these bowlers bowled less than 100 the first couple of weeks of try-outs. Others have never bowled in their life,” said bowling coach Yaritza Roman. Practices were held at Bird Bowl since it is the only regulated bowling alley in all of Dade County. “My goals for them are to improve their bowling score in each practice or match by 10-15 pins and also to be consistent when they practice and during our matches. That goal has been met and surpassed by some of our bowlers,” said Roman. As a whole, players on both teams want themselves and their teammates to do well while consistently improving each time. The top bowlers for the boys’ team are captain and freshman Mason Gebhart, who has been on the team since he was in middle school, and senior Daniel Slodarz. The top female bowlers include senior Ana Hilton and junior Taylor Heyser. Gebhart has the highest pin average of the boys with 135 while Slodarz averages 115 pins per game. As for the girls, Hilton has averaged 122 pins per game and Heyser has averaged 114. District Championships took place on Oct. 27 at Bird Bowl. Coral Reef hosted the tournament, which included 16 teams in district 17. The girls team placed 6th overall, and the boys placed 10th. Individual scores included senior Ana Hilton in 11th place and junior Taylor Heyser in 18th place. “Boys showed a lot of improvement this year by finishing top 10 in the district, and girls finished 6th in a highly competitive district. We look forward to our season next year, with both of our young teams,” said Coach Yaritza Roman.
Entertainment 13
Halloween Horror Nights Strikes Fear into the Hearts of Visitors
By Aurora Hermida Staff Writer Zombies, werewolves, vampires, monsters -- these are the creatures roaming the streets of Universal Studio’s 25th annual Halloween Horror Nights. After nearly three decades of continuous scares, Halloween Horror Nights, is an event that features 9 haunted houses, 5 scare zones, 2 outrageous shows, and 30 nights of mayhem throughout the Universal Studios theme park. Based on common TV shows and movies such as The Walking Dead, Insidious, The Purge, and Friday the 13th, Horror Nights is regarded among students to be one of the best ways to celebrate Halloween. Horror Nights is not an average “Haunted House” experience. “Scare zones” are park walkway areas filled with anything from zombies to creepy costumed characters on stilts to escaped mental asylum patients. Makeup and costumes are detailed and realistic. These actors are known as “Scareactors,” mainly because they are the primary cause of fear at the theme park. Every year, Horror Nights takes on a different theme; two years ago it was “The Walking Dead,” last year it was “Purge Anarchy,” and this year it is “Insidious: Return to the Future.” Originally created in 1992, Horror Nights,
Junior Brooke Ellis interviewed the cast of Maze Runner:Scorch Trials on Sept. 14 during a press event at the Mandarin Oriental in Brickell Key.
The Raider Voice Interviews the Cast of the Maze Runner BY Brooke Ellis Managing Editor Fans flocked to theaters for the release of Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, which grossed over $30 million in its opening weekend. The Raider Voice had an opportunity to sit down with cast members Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Giancarlo Esposito, and Rosa Salazar during a Miami visit, prior to the premiere.
which was first called “Fright Nights,” was created by Julie Zimmerman and John Paul Geurts and first implemented in Orlando, Florida. Compared to the 30 days offered currently, “Fright Nights” only lasted for three days, including one haunted house and Original Universal Monsters. Tickets also initially sold for $19.99 compared to a near $100 today. Halloween Horror Nights has continued its tradition of scaring its patrons by using live entertainment and drawing in realistic scenarios from fictional horror movies. Currently, there are four Horror Night parks open around the world: Singapore, Orlando, Hollywood, and Japan. Because of the anticipation and hype, Halloween Horror Nights tends to get crowded very fast. Tickets sell out almost hours after they are put on the market; hotels all around the parks are also booked sometimes the year before. Lines are long and it sometimes takes from 15 min. to an hour to get inside of a haunted house. Fast passes are a must, making the total cost for a ticket and fast pass approximately $170. It is strongly recommended to begin planning a trip to
Having played an antagonist in many prior films, and do you find yourself to prefer villainous or heroic roles? Esposito: I love every role that I play equally if I can put my heart and soul into it. I was anxious to see if I could pull off a character other than a villain, having done it only a few times in the last few years. Once in a while I like being the nice guy who sweeps in and saves the day. I just wanted to make Jorge into a likable guy, but one who you’re not completely unafraid of, mostly because everything in this film is kind of earned—trust is earned, loyalty is earned, and relationships are earned. He’s just a straightforward guy who knows there’s a better world out there that he wants to be a part of finding. Many young adult franchises are splitting the last film in to two parts, like The Hunger Games and Divergent. The Maze Runner is going its own way and is not doing this. What is your opinion of that? O’Brien: I love it, because I hate the idea of trying to milk the story line it for all its worth. Our director, Wes [Ball], will do all three of the films and it’ll be a straight up, old school, Sci-Fi trilogy, which is what we all want to do. What do you think are some strengths and weaknesses that your characters posses in the film? O’Brien: I think Thomas is strong and smart and courageous and just believes so hard. He provides the hope and takes pride in that, but I think that
visit Horror Nights early, before all the hotels and tickets are sold out. Offered in weekend packages, tickets for Halloween Horror Nights range from $69.99 from Sept. 18 to Oct. 7, but $119.99 from Oct. 10 to Oct. 24.
can also be his weakness. He can get very narrowminded about what he believes and strong headed about his plan of action. I know it’s hard to call it a weakness, but it’s just a human flaw, and that’s what I love about him so much. He is flawed and he is human, he feels fear and he feels doubt. That’s what makes the movie so compelling. Scodelario: I think Teresa is very brave, very strong, and very caring. She arrives in the Glade and she’s there for less than a day before she trusts this group of people. She helps them survive and she helps them escape. Continuing on in this movie, you see that. But you also see the more vulnerable side to her. I think she’s more afraid, after experiencing such devastation and loss. Then again, it’s hard to say that’s a weakness because ultimately it can help her in the future. Did you perform your own stunts and can you tell me a little bit about the preparation for that? O’Brien: We just jogged as a group everyday for the first couple of weeks and did some stuff in the gym to get our legs in shape. With the repetition of the running scenes, we needed to condition our bodies. At the same time, though, we’re not super athletes, we’re kids, which is very much the spirit of the book. So we didn’t have to go through this crazy training to do that. The stunts were nothing major either, but it worked better that we were all game to do as many as we could.
14 Entertainment
Big Name Broadway Plays Come to Miami BY Katherine Cohen Copy Editor The upcoming theatrical calendar for Miami includes quite a few options, ranging from 2013 Tony Award winner Kinky Boots at the Adrienne Arsht center to West Side Story in the Actor’s Playhouse. Broadway is bringing some big name plays to town at the Adrienne Arsht center. The first of five notable plays to watch out for is Kinky Boots, playing from Dec. 8 –Dec. 13. This show is about a man name Charlie Price who owns a failing shoe factory. In a fortuitous turn of events, he meets an interesting character that convinces him to begin producing flashy footwear. With a peppy score and six Tony Awards under its belt, there is quite a lot of excitement regarding the play. “Kinky Boots is one play that I definitely want to see in the upcoming season. Overall, it’s a pretty family friendly season, but this play stands out because of its previous success. I’m so glad that it is coming to Miami,” said junior Madison Artzt. The family favorite The Sound of Music, directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O’Brien, will be showing in the Arsht center from Dec. 29- Jan. 3. Based on the story from the classic movie featuring Julie Andrews, the play is a brand new production of a traditional story. Another much-anticipated show is The Phantom of the Opera, running from Feb. 24- Mar. 6, also at the Arsht Center. This production features an orchestra cast of 52, making it one of the largest productions currently on tour.
The story revolves around a brooding Phantom, the sprite of a 19th century opera house, and his infatuation with the young chorus girl Christine Daae. It is traditionally known for its intense score and haunting plot. “Phantom still delivers the goods! Judging by sheer invention, emotional punch and onstage talent, the venerable blockbuster still beats out almost all of the shows currently on Broadway,” said Jason Zinoman of The New York Times in a review of the production. Other Broadway plays showing at the Arsht include Motown the Musical running from Feb. 2-Feb. 7. This show pays tribute to multiple legendary artists including Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, and Stevie Wonder. Cabaret, the final play of the season, will run from Apr. 12- Apr. 17. From reviews of the show, it seems that it will end the season on a high note. “(Cabaret was) a superb production of one of the greatest musicals of all time. Exhilarating!” according to a review by Adam Feldman in Time Out New York. Even local theaters offer a tempting schedule. Actors Playhouse will be holding a performance of West Side Story Jan. 27- Feb.21 as well as Sondheim on Sondheim Mar. 16- Apr. 3. Tickets are still available for all of the following productions mentioned above for all wishing to experience a taste of the diverse upcoming season.
Caracal changes the face of Disclosure By aurora hermida Staff Writer
British duo, Disclosure, dropped their second studio album Caracal on Sept. 26, one of the last EDM albums to drop this year. From hit singles such as “Latch” and “You & Me”, Disclosure, which consists of two men who grew up in Surrey, England, are making a comeback from their 2013 album Settle. The new album was announced by the duo at the Wild Life Festival in England this past June and shortly after when they uploaded an album teaser on their YouTube account, @OfficialDisclosure. Disclosure first started when two brothers, Howard and Guy Lawrence, came together to create their first single “Official Dexterity.” After releasing more than three EP’s, some of which including The Face and Control, Disclosure released their first studio album, Settle, which is considered to be their “big break.” Settle sold more than 40,000 copies in the U.K. on its first week, receiving 4.5 stars on Billboard music review, and a 5-out-of-5 star rating on Mixmag music review. “Latch” the hit single from Settle, peaked at number 7 on Billboard’s Hot 100 list.
“It’s been more of a gradual climb for us over the last three-and-a-half years. We put in a lot of work in at the time, but once we put ‘Latch’ up and it got much more radio play, I can totally understand how it seems like that.” stated the duo in an interview with Clash Magazine. Compared to their old album, Disclosure features many more artists in Caracal. With stars ranging from Lorde to Sam Smith, Caracal has been on iTunes’ top album list for almost two weeks. Over the past months, since the duo announced their new album, fans were able to pre-order the album on iTunes before its release. When the album is preordered, the customer automatically receives the new songs. Some songs that have dropped include “Willing & Able ft. Kwabs,” “Omen ft. Sam Smith,” and “Jaded.” “I really like their music because it’s different; not hard-core EDM but more ‘feel good’ music. My favorite song is ‘Willing & Able,’ only because you could dance to it even though it’s chill and slow. I expect the new album to be different from the old, not only better but more upbeat and fun,” said junior Kayla Sharp.
Caracal is available on iTunes for $10.99.
Listen to some of the group’s biggest hits
Latch ft. Sam Smith White Noise ft. AlunaGeorge
Help Me Lose My Mind ft. London Grammar You & Me ft. Eliza Doolittle Holding On ft. Gregory Porter Hourglass ft. LION GLASS Willing & Able ft. Kwabs Omen ft. Sam Smith
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Monthly Insights... The SAT will be held on Nov. 7. The deadline to sign up for the November test has passed, but this is not the last test that will take place. Two more are scheduled for December and January. The SAT will be changing in March. The significant change in the new SAT is the one math portion allowing use of a calculator and one without. The structure of the grammar section has also changed.
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On Nov.14, the Make a Splash Fundraiser will take place at the Preparatory Aquatic Center. The fundraiser is a swim-a-thon that will collect money to support the Booster Clubs and the Visual and Preforming Arts Department. A portion of the proceeds will go to the KiDZ Neuroscience Center at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. To sponsor the swimmers, visit www. gulliverschools.org and complete a sponsor form.
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