“Being with friends creates good memories that will last a lifetime. I would go back next year to create more with my friends and family,” Sarah Martinez said (‘23).
News (page 3)
•The 2023 Florida State Fair
•The skyrocketing prices of concert tickets
•Students discuss whether or not art should be used for protesting.
Lifestyles (pages 4-5)
•Advice for choosing a major
•Students discuss how going to the gym has impacted their lives.
•Spring flower themed crossword
•Some of the best berry picking farms in Florida.
•A rising cake pop business starts in the school.
Centerspread (pages 6-7)
•What is your aesthetic? quiz
Sports (pages 8-9)
•Colorguard works on their wintershows in preperation for state championships.
•The boys’ wrestling team has started off strong this year and has high hopes for the future.
•The Girls weightlifting team did great at Regionals, and are heading to States.
•Track superstars of the 2023 season.
•2023 boys lacrosse season preview.
Entertainment (page 10)
•Students discuss their thoughts and fan theories for The Mandalorian season 3 trailer.
•Upcoming tours in the area with student opinions on live music.
•Information on The Herd, the Hoofbeat podcast.
Opinions (page 11)
•Seniors reflect on their high school careers and offer advice to the underclassmen.
•Students have different opinions about whether AP or DE is bettter.
•The debate on whether parents should be taking kids phones.
Back Page (page 12)
•Choosing between the SAT and ACT
Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram at @mhshoofbeat
Check out our online newspaper: jwmhshoofbeat.com
are subject to laws governing obscenity, libel, privacy and disruption of the school process, as are all contents of the paper. Opinions of letters are not necessarily those of the staff nor should any opinion expressed in a public forum be construed as the opinion or policy of the school administration, unless attributed.
When artists go on tour they give fans an opportunity to enjoy their music in a different way and make an experience out of it. Concerts are considered a cool or unique way to rock out and have fun. Here is a list of musicians performing in Florida over the next few months with locations and ticket prices. Mia Powell (‘24) who has been to a few concerts herself, talks about how she perceives the live music exposure.
“You can connect to the person you’re listening to. It’s a way to really get into the music rather than just listening on a screen. You can actually experience it with other people around you or with other people you love or even total strangers. Its a way to really engage with music,” Powell said.
Some of the artists with Florida on their tour line ups this year are: Surf Curse- May 8. at The Beacham Orlando, May 9. at The Orpheum Tampa, May 12. at the Gramps Miami. Only general admission tickets are available for purchase, the price of one ticket being $25. Rainbow Kitten Surprise- May 17. at Hard Rock Live Orlando, May 18. at Jannus Live in St. Pete. Tickets range from $99-$130.YellowcardJuly 23. at the Yuengling Center Tampa FL. Tickets are selling for $143-$554. Blink 182- July 10. Amalie Arena. Upper zone tickets can be found for as low as $66. Remaining floor seats are going from $248 up to $600. The Goo Goo Dolls- July 24. Coachman Park Clearwater. Seats from section 204 through 103 of the venue are being sold for $130-$305. David
Londono (‘24) shares his thoughts on the positives and negatives of attending live shows.
“Art is subjective, I think the same goes with music. -- There’s two sides to a coin. There is the better side where artists and bands have a really great performance that allows you to see what that song would look like physically instead of just audibly. You can see their emotion being executed through song. On the other side of that coin there is the possibility of a band or artist not having a great performance because for example, they might be at the last leg of a tour and the last few dates they might be really tired. Their energy starts to dwindle because they’ve been doing it for so long. It does add a different layer because when mixing processes in studios,
Around the world, prehistoric artifacts and paintings are not being treated as value worthy. The value of prehistoric paintings along with important historical artifacts are being disregarded for what they are worth and treated as if they are disposable.
In 2022, climate activists began a series of protests to which they glued themselves to the frames of iconic artworks in Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, all to move governments to act more efficiently to relieve the threat of ecological disaster. Two protestors brought things to another level when, at the National Gallery in London during Frieze Week, the activists threw tomato soup on Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers (1888).
Skyler Laslo (‘24) a student who has a love for the arts, explains why this act of protesting could be taken positively.
“Personally, I do not
believe this was wrong, these climate activists’ entire goal of throwing the soup at Van Gogh’s painting was to draw attention to the climate crisis, specifically fossil fuels. And that is exactly what they did, they got the world’s attention and once they had a platform they informed and protested in hopes of climate action. The painting was unharmed by the soup and was cleaned up and was returned to the same spot the same day,” Laslo said.
In 2018, a monumental work about the European migration crisis was torn apart. The piece was presented as a 920-foot list pasted onto a long outdoor wall that itemized the 34,361 known people who had died trying to migrate to Europe since 1993.
Liv Sylvester (‘23), a former art student who enjoys history explains why the destruction of this monumental piece is a disaster.
“The destruction of this monument is a devastating occurrence to people of European Dicent, because
usually some things go unnoticed but when you’re in a live setting a lot of the aspects that were hidden post production are now brought out,” Londono said.
More artists coming to the area are: Blake Shelton- March 3. Amalie Arena. March 4. Orlando Amway Center. The average cost for a ticket is $165 for pit/floor seats and $25-$45 for general admission/backseats
Sabrina Carpenter- March 17. Jannus Live in St. Pete. Floor tickets range from $50-$166. Taylor Swift- April 13, 14, and 15. Raymond James Stadium. Ticket prices were going for thousands of dollars when the tour was first announced. Now, so close to the concert, only ‘nosebleeds’ are open and they are going for $400-$600. Yung BludMay 17. at Jannus live
St. Pete. General admission tickets are selling for $89.
Ed Sheeran-Tampa Sports Authority
May 20. Tickets are $43-$150 for general admission.Luke Combs- Raymond James Stadium July 8. General admission and upper, middle, lower zone tickets range between $140$350. DJ Nappy (‘24) leaves off with how music can connect people and how big of a part it can play in life.
“You’re there listening to the person sing and not only that you’re with people that listen to the same music that you do. So you’re with people you have something very big in common with, because music basically runs everything we do.-- I think music is one of the
most important things in people’s lives, I think it’s a big part of people’s personalities and it determines who they are. I know that I love my music and I listen to music every single day. I think music’s very important because it describes who you are,” Nappy said.
many people were killed and died during the migration crisis, and the demolition of this sacred artifact is setting back historical progress for these people, erasing their names from history,” Sylvester said.
Art can be used often as a way of protesting, whether there is a positive outcome or not, the physical destruction of these pieces of history is a tragedy for many, unless left untouched such as the Van Gough painting protest.
“Historical art holds the greatest value and source of information as well as interpretations of our world and can be utilized as guidance to uncover and understand our past as humans,” Laslo said.
Even though art can be used positively to help make change in the world with acts of protesting, people should always consider how art has benefited our society with learning key details to our lives in the past, before making a drastic action to destroy heavy importance to our world’s growth.
Cassidy Thurber staff reporterThe annual return of the Florida State Fair came back around in February. Celebrated by most Floridians in the area, all seem to share the same excitement when it comes to this fair. With midway rides like the Giant Swing and the Electric Slide; adults and children purchase individual tickets or wristbands to get their adrenaline pumping. Another draw for fair-goers is the food! Diets are left in the parking lot as donut cheeseburgers, old school corndogs, funnel cakes and deep-fried candy bars are embraced. The fair’s offerings leave a good taste in people’s mouths and are a source of joy with the many guilty pleasure choices. Wash it all down with some fresh-squeezed lemonade and the sugarcoated memories bring patrons back year after year. The fair is a place for everyone, they offer many things so it can be enjoyed by all ages.
Rides that are offered at the fair are one of the biggest draws with visitors
of all ages. Being the first, and one of the biggest, festivals the Tampa area hosts every year, they highlight many different options for thrill seekers.
Ciara Conforti (‘24) finds the most joy at the festival with the rides.
Fair-goers discuss what draws them to the Florida State Fair asked for a better time with my friends,” Martinez said. Being known for lots of creative tasty foods and treats, Isabella Richard (‘26) was the most excited about the food. Trying many different types of fair foods over the years, Richard narrowed down her favorites.
“The best thing about the fair in my opinion is the rides. I really enjoy the thrill of the rides. My favorite is the Ring of Fire, I have been on that one so many times. A lot of the rides they offer at this fair are better than any of the amusement parks around this area, like Busch Gardens and the Strawberry festival,” Conforti said.
Sarah Martinez (‘23) reminisces about her time at the fair. Creating lots of memories and giggles with friends this year.
“My fair experience was so fun! I really enjoy riding the rides with my friends and having an enjoyable time with them and laughing with them. Being with friends creates good memories that will last a long time. I couldn’t have
“Throughout the years of going to this fair, I can say my favorite foods from this festival would definitely be the Takis tots and the walking nacho dog. I really like how they take basic foods and make them into something entirely different. The food is something that makes this fair stand out more than any other festival I’ve been to,” Richard said.
On the Florida state fairs official website they showcase many different events presented at the fair. They have many different shows like extreme allusions and escapes, the flying royals, many band performances and even pig racing. There is something for everyone at this festival.
As the SAT took place on Mar. 1, many juniors start to think about college and their upcoming senior year while this year’s seniors are getting accepted into college and preparing for the future. One thing juniors need to think about at this time is their major (if they plan on going to college).
Some common majors are targeted towards health care and business careers but many also go in undecided. Those who are undecided can receive support from their guidance counselor in college to see what is the best fit for them. College and Career Specialist, Michele Chamberlin (FAC), is on campus ready to help students with any college related questions.
“As students go through High School they are exposed to different courses, experiences, and jobs that they might have. It’s all about just finding something that’s a right fit for what you have an interest in, what you have a skill in and then what there is a need for in the economy. You want to have a major that is productive for you
later on but you also want to find something you are interested in and that will make you enjoy going to work everyday,”
Chamberlain said.
One platform students can use to help with their search is Naviance, which is available for every student on MyPascoConnect. Naviance is full of career and college resources where students can make interest inventories. This can help with self exploration to find what their interests, strengths and weaknesses are. Drea D’ Piazza (‘23) will be furthering her education at Pasco Hernando State College and later transferring to another university to finish her studies.
“I’ve always loved the weather, the news, and the local community. I’ve always liked volunteering because I love getting to know the community more. So I want to be a news anchor or something like that as it’s an important way to get to know the city around me. I’m in the yearbook and I love communicating with people, and getting to know people. That’s kind of what helped me get a base of wanting to be a news anchor,” D’Piazza said.
Although choosing a major is important for college, it can be changed later. For now, juniors should focus on the taking SAT and ACT. Katherine O’Ryan (‘23) is planning to attend Florida State University to study Political Science and will be studying abroad in London for her first semester.
“I had a tutor for the SAT and it was very helpful. She actually gave me a lot of homework for it. Something that also helped me which I don’t think a lot of people talk about is reading books, because you learn how to comprehend things and you learn how to retain things, that’s very helpful. In math there’s always certain tricks that they try to stump you with so if you learn the types of questions and the techniques that you have to use, it is very helpful. Don’t procrastinate. Make sure that you are on top of everything, know the deadlines for each college and know where you’re going to apply. For deciding majors, do research and, go on the college websites and see what they offer and see the courses that they offer, you can always change your major so don’t focus so
much on it, just really focus on getting the application in before it’s too late,” O’Ryan said.
Khan Academy is one way students study for the SAT. It links to your College Board account to make personalized
test prep off of your PSAT score report (if you took the PSAT). A college night for juniors was held on Feb. 21 by Mrs. Chamberlain. It is important juniors remain on top of college deadlines.
Students discuss what they do to improve themselves, and how going to the gym has shape them as a person.
Bella Melby-Mazzei sports editorThe sound of weights clanging against the floor, and the use of equipment can be heard throughout the gym. Many students have taken up the hobby of going to the gym in hopes of bettering themselves and their lives. David Nappi (‘24) is one of the people, sticking to a workout schedule for each week.
“I work out six times a week. I have one and a half rest days. I usually have one day where I ease out a little bit. Usually my sessions are 45 minutes to an hour. I don’t like to be in the gym for a long time, so I like to get what I need to get done and go.” Nappi said.
Nappi works towards improving the intensity of his workout each day he goes to the gym.
“My goal is to have as much as intensity as possible and be able to feel the muscle that I’m working and to also just lift as much weight as I possibly can while using good form,” Nappi
said.
Austin Willis (‘24) wants to have a career in bodybuilding. After winning his first competition last year, he knew that this is what he wanted to do, and he continues to work towards this goal.
“[My biggest accomplishment was] definitely winning that show, because it was my first one, and when I was six weeks out and I didn’t really think I was gonna be ready. I would just keep texting my coach, and he’d keep telling me just to stick to the plan and when they called my name for first place, I definitely knew that I was going to have a future in this,” Willis said.
Working out has been proven to have a lot of positive effects on not only one’s body, but also their mind as well. This statement is true in regards to Nappi’s workouts, and the effects that they have had on him.
“It’s definitely made me a lot more mentally tougher. It’s made me have a better outlook on life because when you’re in the gym and you’re working out as hard as possible, and you’re putting
yourself through pain it carries on throughout life and your daily life. So I face challenges more head on now than I would if I didn’t live,” Nappi said.
If Nappi could improve in one thing throughout his workouts, it would have been to stretch before each workout, which is very important when it comes to working out.
“It’s like stretching and doing enough therapy work and all that because a lot of teenager lifters forget to take care of their joints, they forget the warm up all the time, they forget to do things properly, and it affects you in the long run and I definitely wouldn’t have the injuries I have now if I took care of my body more,” Nappi said.
Aleksander Slater (‘24) is another student who goes to the gym multiple days a week.
“[I am proud of] gaining a lot of weight like that, because I gained 40 pounds,” Alexander Slater said.
Willis has goals set that he wants to accomplish while he continues to improve in bodybuilding. He wants to get a pro card, which is basically a draft for bodybuilding, by the time he is 25. Then he would
continue to work towards going to the Olympia.
“I want to do this as a career so like win this show, get my name out there, sponsorships, and then go for what they call a pro card. So, that’d make me a professional, and I’d compete for money and hopefully get to the Olympia by the time I am 30, which is like the Super Bowl in bodybuilding,” Willis said.
Willis already sees major improvements from the last competition that he competed in.
“I mean I look at pictures of like nine weeks out of my last show and I look at this show and it’s night and day like I put on like 10 pounds which is straight muscle, and it’s not even close,” Willis said.
Nappi tends to go to the gym on his own but he has tried to convince his friends to join him.
“I actually try and influence my friends to work as much as possible to the point where sometimes it gets annoying. But there are a lot of people that I know that workout and I do go to the gym with them very often. I’d rather train alone. I actually like it better. But I do have a select community of people that I go to
the gym with all the time,” Nappi said.
Going to the gym and working out has changed so many people’s lives, and it will continue to have that long lasting impact. Going to the gym will make such a positive impact on the health and mental state of a person. Wiorking out and weight lifting has become a trend among teens and seems to be one that has a strong postive impact.
Averi O’conner staff reporter
It’s officially strawberry picking season and people go to many places to pick them from and some of the best places to go are sometimes the ones you would least expect. There are some places close such as the Starkey Market and Nadler’s U Pick blueberry farm.
The Starkey Market is a very popular berry picking farm in the Trinity, on top of it being a berry farm it is also a place where family can go and hang
out and eat snacks and there is even a little store with produce and home made treats. Kairi Bowles (‘26) went recently and said, “I went to Starkey Market and it was really pretty and the strawberries were all really good even though it was super muddy it was still so fun.”
Another little farm is Nadler’s U Pick blueberry farm, it is in hudson and is a popular place to go for quality berrys. They have all different types of fruits you can pick such as blueberries, strawberries and raspberries.“I went to Nadler’s farm and it
was so fun, I stayed for about two hours. All the strawberries I had collected tasted so good.” Orhant(‘25) said.
The last place you can go to is any sort of strawberry festival. The strawberry festival is a common thing with both strawberry picking and attractions. Stella Tucker (‘23) said “I went to the strawberry festival last year and it was so fun, there were fields and fields of strawberries that were all so delicious.”
With this being such a popular activity there are many options to pick from to go and enjoy all the seasonal berries .
Sophomore Lixandra Medina (‘25) starts a cake pop business around the school.
Jonathan Arce staff reporterCake pops are simple but fun dessert items. They are fairly simple to bake and easy to eat due to how small they are.
Lixandra Medina(‘25)started to advertise and sell cake pops for valetnines to students. With her passion for baking Medina found a way to do what she loves while alos createing a profit for herself.
“Since I was a little girl I always
loved baking and I would do it for my family and they would be like w‘you should start selling these’ and I said no. But then I made some for my friends and they would eat them up in like 10 minutes and I realized I could start a business with this.,” Medina said.
With the wide variety of baking products and esigns out in the market today Median has a greater chance to show her creativity and passion through
her cake pops. Medina has a couple of recipes that she uses to make her cake pops. She takes some inspiration from her family culture while also creating her own.
“I do have one where it’s a family tradition called dulce de leche. I don’t ever give out that recipe but I do have other ones like Oreo and red velvet and birthday cake,” Medina said. Making cake pops for a
a profitable business. that has room to grow. Medina shares how much sales and money she makes a week with her cake pop hobby.
“Within one week of selling them I made about $100,” Medina said. With Medinas sales rising the closer she got to valentines, Saint Patricks day is coming aroud the corner which can help fuel a larger profit with more advertising.
1. What city would you live in?
A. Bora Bora
B. Paris
C. Los Angeles
D. New York
2. What house would you live in?
A. Beach house
B. Cottage
C. Old mansion
D. Apartment
3. Pick a subject.
A. Social Studies
B. English
C. Math
D. Art
4. Pick a music genre.
A. Pop
B. Country
C. Indie
D. Rock
5. What are your favorite shoes?
A. Vans
B. Doc Martens
C. Crocs
D. Converse
7. Pick an era.
A. Victorian
B. Roaring 20s
C. Flower Child
D. Y2K
8. Pick an activity.
A. Baking with friends
B. Go to a muesum
C. Shopping
D. Go to the park
10. What is your favorite season?
A. Summer
B. Autumn
C. Spring
D. Winter
HOOFBEAT
6. Pick a pet.
A. Snake
B. Cat
C. Raven
D. Dog
9. Pick a movie.
A. Scream
B. Perks of Being a Wallflower
C. Batman
D. Dead Poets Society
11. What app do you use most?
A. Snapchat
B. Pinterest
C. TikTok
D. Instagram
Minimalism refers to lack of clutter. For this reason
Minimalism style normally has solid, mutted neutral colors, simple patterns, and clean lines.
Streetwear is a casual fashion style. It takes inspiration from both hip-hop culture and skater style. It normally includes comfortable clothing such as graphic tees, hoodies, sweatpants, and expensive sneakers.
Mostly B
Dark Academia
Dark Academia is a popular academic aesthetic that revolves around classic literature, and a general passion for knowledge and learning. Normally, Dark Academia fashion is mostly earth tones and vintage looking clothes.
The Preppy aesthetic draws cues from those attending Ivy league schools. Naturally, Preppy fashion is highclass, sophisticated, and elegant. It is also inspired by the “Old Money” aesthetic.
The girls’ weightlifting team is preparing to go to States soon.
The girls weightlifting team has made it to regionals, and the event took place on Feb. 2. The team had worked very hard to make it there, and 13 of the girls on the team will be going to lift at the state meet on Feb. 18, at Lakeland. Many of the girls are doing whatever they can to be in the weight class they need to be in, including Sophia James (‘25).
“I’m just trying not to be nervous. I weigh like 150 but I have to lift in 183, so I have to weigh in at 169. So I’ve gained a lot of weight and am just eating bread and drinking a ton of water. So that’s what I’m doing,” James said.
The team lifts together at practices, but some girls have taken to doing extra practices outside of school, just like Addison Smith (‘26).
“Every time that we have practice during school, I go every single time I have a chance. Then I’m going to try to train harder during the offseason, too,” Smith said.
The team has grown closer throughout the season, and have helped each other along the way.
“Our team works really good together. Everyone gets along and everyone helps everyone out too. Especially the seniors they help out,” Smith said.
The girls are continuously trying to improve on their lifts, and always training to add more weight each time.
“I can clean and jerk a 165, snatch 140 and bench 185,” Smith said.
With the end of the season approaching many of the girls are sad to have to say goodbye to the team, but many of them plan on trying out again next year.
“I am kind of sad. I was having fun, and getting into it. The first few practices in the morning when you’re not used to it are rough, but now I wake up and I’m like, “okay, like, I can do this,” James said.
The team won the regional Olympic lifting category, and many girls on the team ended up placing.
“Izzy Guillan and Addison Smith placed 1st, Alyssa Barcz, Alexis DiNicola and Lahela Haney placed 2nd, Ava Byrd placed 3rd, Kassidy SIdders, Emily Gonzalez, Novalie David, and Leann Freeman placed 5th, and Julie Michael and Sophia James placed 6th,” Coach Lee said.
When asked, Coach Lee had nothing but good things to say about the team and this season.
“I am extremely proud of the hard work and dedication they have put into the season. I have also been very excited to see how much the team has bonded even though many times it can be considered a team sport. JWMHS girls weightlifting has definitely had some big accomplishments this year, we won the SAC westside
conference for the first time in school history,” Coach Lee said. Congratulations to the girls weightlifting team, and good luck to the girls heading to states.
The 2023 boys lacrosse season started off strong with a win at the first game on Feb. 14, against Cypress Creek. Making sure his athletes trained all season with CrossFit and speed and agility training, Coach Ethan Quinlan (FAC) is confident in the abilities of his team this year. New Player to Watch For Moving here from Orchard Park, NY, Dylan Fritz (‘25) is a new player to watch for. With only 3 years of experience, he will be a starting defender as a sophomore. Fritz and his teammates have big goals for this season: winning districts, regionals, then advancing from there.
“We’ve been preparing with a lot of practice, a lot of running, a lot of basic stuff so we’re ready for the season, get the basics down first then we’ve been progressing. [The upperclassmen] help me, they bring me up, they coach me up because they have more experience,” Fritz said. Returning Players to Watch For Lefty attackman Noah Radle (‘23), nicknamed “The Big Lefty” is in his sixth year of lacrosse and is committed to Seton Hill University’s Division II Lacrosse team. With this being his last season of high school lacrosse, he has some goals he wants to reach.
“I want to surpass 100 points in the season this year and score at least 60 goals,” Radle said.
Charles “Charlie” Fisher (‘23) has eight years of experience under his belt and is committed to Florida Southern College.
“[He is] one of the best long stick midfielders in the state and is
dangerous on defense and offense,” Quinlan said.
Christopher Ferrini (‘23) is a dual-sport athlete, as a quarterback in football and lacrosse playing midfield and attack.
“I’m excited for the Jesuit game, because I have some friends on the team so it makes it more competitive and fun,” Ferrini said.
On March 29, the team will be headed to H.B. Plant High School, the reigning district champions for the past two years. The game at Jesuit High School is on April 5.
The boys lacrosse team has a long season ahead of them. Support them by attending their games, their schedule can be found on maxpreps.com.
On Feb 17, people gathered around in anticipation, waiting as the first race started to begin. Leaning over the fence, the starting pistol was heard and the girls’ 4x800m baton relay shot into action. Making all their rounds around the field, the race ended at around 13 minutes on the clock, preparing for the boys’ relay to proceed after them. Competing against teams like East Lake, Anclote, Steinbrenner, and Clearwater, the first track meet of the ’23 season commenced after many months of preparation. Dedicated senior members of the track team start to see their work pay off as college scholarships and acceptance letters emerge. Accepted into Saint Leo University on a track scholarship, Nella Petersen (’23) sets high goals for her last
high school season and beyond.
“My main event is the mile, so my personal record from last year was a 5:50, but my college coach wants me to end up running a 5:25. I’m going to take that and go one step at a time, so for this event, I want to get down to a 5:45 minute mile to even things out a little more,” Petersen said.
Similarly, a consistent passion for running manifests in Adia D’Piazza (’23), a senior member of the track team, set to attend PHSC on a Cross Country scholarship. Maintaining a long relationship with running, she describes how she finds comfort in doing something challenging.
“Ever since I was in middle school the PE coaches would always mess with me and tell me I was too slow. They honestly convinced me to run cross country [and track]. It was just more motivation because
I loved running, it acted as a coping mechanism to get my anger out. I’m the fastest 400m runner, so my goal is to just keep reaching my personal record as the season goes on,” D’Piazza said.
Out of the track season for almost a year, members focus on conditioning and speed work to enter the events strong. Running in his second to final season, Hunter Viens (’24), hopes to close in on his mile times.
“Personally, I’m trying to get around 4:50s on my mile time. My goal for a two-mile run is about 10:10 or 10:40. Last year it was low elevens for the two-mile and 5:15 for the single mile, so I’m hoping to reach a personal record,” Viens said.
Only into their first meet of the season,
the strong track team hopes to cut down on their times and give it their best for the rest of the upcoming events. Mar. 2, marks their next meet, a home game at 4:00 p.m. on the Mitchell track field.
The boys’ wrestling team started the season off strong this year and has high hopes for the future and upcoming seasons.
Breanna Valentine staff reporterOn Jan. 18, 2023, the boy’s wrestling team competed in their duel against Anclote High School in which they won 42-24. Their show of sportsmanship and teamwork was unlike any other and helped pave the way to their success.
First-year wrestler, Cooper Burden (’26), was the first to score points for his team at the duel. Although it is just the beginning, he has high goals of making it to regionals this year.
“We’ve done pretty good at winning, because this year was supposed to be a rebuild year since we lost a lot of good wrestlers last year that were seniors,” Burden remarked. “Regionals are before states, but I hope to get there.”
Ken Zhang (’25) who is also working hard in his first years shares some insight on the team.
“We support each other, we’re friends, and we make each other better. We are tough on each other to make ourselves stronger to help pin somebody from a different school. I would like more people to join. We don’t have many on JV because we don’t have enough for the weight classes. It’s pretty difficult to get
people to join because you don’t just want anyone and it’s rude for me to walk up to someone and ask what they weigh,” explained Zhang in a joking manner.
While there are challenges that the wrestlers must overcome, there is a huge reward of accomplishment in the end. Roman Acevedo (’24) has already returned for his second year and plans to continue pursuing this sport as a senior. He just placed first in the Sunshine Atlantic conference as well.
“My favorite moment is when you stand up and
the time is over and you’ve won,” said Acevedo.
With just a few more meets left of the season, optimism from the team about
regionals and possibly even states is still in full effect. The team as a whole is going to districts Friday, Feb. 17th.
Performing complex choreographies, colorguard is working towards perfecting their upcoming winter shows.
Mesmerizing the audience with intricate flag choreography and saber tosses, colorguard is now in preparation for their winter shows. The Varsity winter guard is performing their show, “Diamonds in the Rough” and the Junior Varsity’s show is “Far Away.”
Colorguard is performing art that blends the use of equipment such as flags, sabers, and rifles with dance to produce a carefully choreographed show that interprets their music. A member of the Varsity team and colorguard leadership, Courtney James (‘24), explains colorguard’s transformation from marching season to winter guard,
“Winter guard takes place in the 2nd half of the school year when the guard breaks off from the band after marching season to compete separately, typically in a school gymnasium or in an indoor arena. Our school competes on the state level through FFCC [Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit] and nationally through WGI [Winter Guard International] against hundreds of schools, making it very competitive,” said James.
Every year, winter guard picks a theme and formulates a show around it, this show contains different formations and choreographies that are not just limited to dance but also include flag and rifle. DayAnna Rogers (‘23) another member of the Varsity winter guard and colorguard leadership, as well as a 2023 FFCC featured performer for the school’s circuit, discusses their show and team’s progress on it, “Diamonds in the Rough,”
“Our show is about being more than meets the eye, as a team we are working on getting better at the choreography we currently have and new skills,” said Rogers.
Ariana Beacham (‘25), one of the JV captains elaborates more on their show, “Far Away,” which is about fresh starts and becoming a new person and how she has seen personal growth,
“Colorguard has helped me grow as a person by teaching us how to be confident and how to learn from the mistakes we have made,” Beacham said.
Due to the competitiveness of colorguard, the team is constantly pushing themselves to new limits, all in the hopes of performing an award-winning show at the championship, which will take place in March at Daytona Beach. James notes how much the team bonds over collective progress,
“My favorite part about colorguard is the bond we have as a team and how we all push each other to improve,” said James.
Additionally, guard members particularly note the strong bond they have with their coaches, discussing how they guide their personal and team growth, as well as form connections with the members,
“My favorite part about colorguard is making new bonds and having a team and coaches we can trust and make memories with,” said Beacham.
Rogers expands on this, noting her personal growth, and adding that one of her favorite parts about colorguard is forming connections with her team and seeing their growth,
“Colorguard has helped me grow as
a person as it has taught me how hard work pays off and that any goals I have, I can accomplish if I put my mind to it, my favorite part about colorguard is getting to spend time spinning with my closest friends and getting to watch us grow as performers,” Rogers said.
Colorguard has already proved themselves to be an accomplished group of individuals, performing well with the marching band and on their own during the winter season.
“Last year, varsity was able to make it to finals at world championships in Dayton, Ohio and this year we are working on building upon that success by adding more difficult tricks to our shows so that
we can be even more successful when we return in 2024,” James said.
With colorguard being an important part of her high school experience, James reflects on the time she’s spent with her team,
“Something guard has taught me that I will always remember is to try new things even if they seem out of your capabilities. Many times when I am learning a new toss, it might seem dangerous or impossible, but with practice, I am always able to surprise myself,” James said.
Winter guard is now preparing for the 2023 state championships in March at Daytona Beach.
Standing on the stage as music blasts from the speaker, the audience begins to cheer as they listen to ther favorite performers. In the past couple months, websites like Ticketmaster and Seatgeek have considerably raised prices for concert tickets. These price increases have been seen with a variety performers. In 2022, The Backseat Lovers visited Florida, and had general admission priced at an affordable $15. This year, they announced their “Waiting to Spill” Tour with presale tickets starting at $35, just a week later, they were $85.
Emily Wise (‘24) noticed this obscure pricing for the Taylor Swift tour. With prices ranging from $49
to over $400, many fans cannot afford tickets. This left Wise feeling cheated.
“I hate the skyrocketing concert prices, especially Taylor Swift. I love her music, but nosebleeds were over $80. If it is nosebleed seats in an arena it should be no more than $40. Right now, it is better to go to smaller shows because tickets are about $15 to $35,” Wise said.
According to NPR, concert ticket prices used to average around $25 in 1994. James Lee (FAC) gives his thoughts on today’s average ticket prices.
“I used to go to concerts a lot back in the early 2000’s, but lately concert prices have skyrocketed to where it is so expensive you do not want to
go to them,” Lee said. With similar sentiments, Riley Payne (‘25) shares how she feels about the unfairness of expensive ticket prices that limit the ability of many people to attend.
“I feel ticket prices are overpriced for especially where you are sitting in the stadium or whatever venue you may be at. They should be lowered to a decent price because a lot of people cannot make up $1000 within a couple of weeks to save up for it because it is going to sell out,” Payne said.
Catching a local show has always been a way to bond with friends on the weekend, and with the way shows are currently priced this is not feasible for many young people, who
dont have disposable income. Jacob Watson (‘26) shares how he feels about these prices.
“I wish concert tickets were cheaper because I would like to attend more concerts. It is a little unfair to people who cannot really afford going to concerts,” Watson said.
Concerts are a rite of passage for fans to see their favorite music in person. Last year, Blink 182 tickets were selling for as high as $600. However, according to the article “Tech by Vice” Ticketmaster is to blame, not the band; Ticketmaster has debuted dynamic pricing, an algorithm that puts a larger price tag on tickets for everyone and cuts down the desire and ability to resell tickets, leaving fans disappointed.
Crossword Puzzle
The Mandalorian returns for a third season. Students discuss their thoughts and theories.
Johnathan Arce staff reporter
On Jan 16, 2023, the official Star Wars YouTube channels released the official trailer for The Mandalorian season three. The show began back in 2019 and takes place between Return of the Jedi (1983) and The Book of Boba Fett (2021). This show follows the Mandalorian, a bounty hunter, played by Pedro Pascal who goes rogue protecting the Force-sensitive child Grogu. This new trailer for the show has many fans excited and looking forward to the future of the show, and the future of the Star Wars universe.
There were many things to love about both seasons one and two of the show. Rick Ryder (‘26) enjoyed some of the key plot points of both seasons.
“My favorite part of season 1 is the first battle to save Grogu for a bounty, and [The Mandalorian] ends up keeping him. My favorite part of season 2 is [the Mandalorian] getting the darksaber, because it will be a great plot for upcoming seasons or upcoming projects,” Ryder said.
Another student, Jessica Marino (‘25) liked the inclusion of other Star
Wars universe characters throughout the show.
“My favorite part of the first two seasons was the inclusion of the other characters, and seeing their point of view on things we didn’t get to see in the films,” Marino said.
In every trailer, there are hidden easter eggs spread throughout. Quentin Parkes (‘25) noticed that there was an inclusion of an important moment in the Star Wars universe in the trailer.
“Based on the trailer I think season three will be just as great as the others. I noticed that Order 66 was in the trailer which is awesome,” Parkes said.
Every new trailer springs up new theories for what may happen. Rick Ryder share his theories on what he believes will happen.
“My prediction is Mando will start his own army and eventually stray from his strict ways of being a Mandolorian and create a new Mandalorian generation,” Ryder said.
The Mandalroian season three releases the first of a weekly eight episode series on Mar 1, 2023 on Disney+.
Down:
2.Don't get it tangled, you want to remember this flower.
4.Innocence; main character's name in F. Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece.
Across:
Across:
1.Every year fields of these offer lots of daytime enjoyment.
3.Taylor Swift's been in a haze for this one lately.
1.Every year fields of these offer lots of daytime enjoyment. get it tangled, you want to remember ower.
5.Popular name for girls, boughs of it are seen at Christmas.
4.Innocence; main character's name in F. Fitzgerald's masterpiece.
5.Popular name for girls, boughs of it are seen Christmas.
6.Flower; often given at Valentine's Day
3.Taylor Swift's been in a haze for this one lately.
6.Flower; often given at Valentine's Day
The second semester of school is in full swing, and students are scrambling to measure up to the academic rigor of the third quarter. With AP classes amping up the course load, winter sports in full swing, and multiple assignments and tests to take on, many wish that this time of year could go faster. However, for seniors, it’s the beginning of the end.
In her last semester of high school and wrapping things up before college, Maegan
Smarkusky (‘23) looks back at the 4 years she spent here and how they’ve changed her, she picked sophomore year as her favorite.
“My favorite year of high school was sophomore year. I started taking classes that I was really interested in, AP Capstone taught me to love writing that year,” Smarkusky said.
As an AP scholar, Smarkusky grew as a person and as a writer throughout her high school experience. However, she also recognizes that it wasn’t always easy.
“Breathe in, breathe out, you got this.” This is the inner monologue of a student taking the AP and DE exams. The AP exam and the DE final have so much pressure riding on them. The whole year the classes are preparing students for the final exams. There are many different reasons for taking AP or DE that fit the needs for the students.
Maegan Smarkusky (‘23) has taken a total of sixteen AP
most. Juggling grades and college applications at the same time was a challenge,” Tucker said.
In contrast to Smarkusky, Adia D’Piazza (‘23) believes that 11th grade was a year that impacted her positively.
“I believe I grew the most junior year because junior year I went through a major change in selfidentity… [I] came out with a whole new mindset, a new group of friends, and a stronger bond with my family,” D’ Piazza said.
Meanwhile Tucker notes that junior year was her favorite due to the sense of direction it gave her in terms of her interests and potential career path.
future and make the most of their time.
“Don’t waste your summers… I’m talking papers, internships, community projects— whatever! Just do something worthwhile,” Smarkusky said. However, they also stress the importance of letting go.
“My advice to next year seniors would be not to stress so much about your future. You are still young and you should still have fun while you get the opportunity to,” said D’Piazza.
On a similar note Tucker emphasizes the importance of recognizing personal needs.
“Remember to still prioritize yourself during the admissions process. The idea of a rejection sucks but you are more than an application. Also don’t waste time applying to schools you know you won’t go to even if you get in…it is a lot of work to do the applications for each school and it is better to prioritize quality over quantity,” Tucker said.
“The most difficult year of high school for me was junior year. I was probably doing the most inside and outside of school that year; sometimes I found rationing out my time was hard,” said Smarkusky.
In accordance with Smakausky, many high schoolers stand by junior year being the most difficult, and senior year being the easiest since it’s the last stretch of high school. Stella Tucker (‘23) disagrees with this notion.
“The first semester of my senior year was where I struggled
classes and nine DE classes. She is very passionate about learning new information from the classes she takes, to her it’s not just about passing the class, it’s about exploring your interests.
“I am definitely more of an AP person. I care about the material but there are times where I’ve taken a DE solely for the GPA boost, like I’ve taken classes over the summer that were never because of my intellectual curiosity. They were always because I was thinking, well, how can I get my GPA just a little higher next year?” Smarkusky said.
Others believe that the classes you take should depend on the college you want to go into and your decision for your future.
Similar to Smarkusky, Chau Le (‘25) believes that you can take
“It was the year I felt like I was reaching my full academic potential…I got the chance to do and publish independent original research that year, an experience that was completely invaluable. That’s when I learned I wanted to go into science and academia as a career…[and] that I was capable of doing it in the first place,” Tucker said.
As they prepare to finish off the school year and face the world independently, these seniors have also learned a lot from their four years of high school and advise the underclassmen to prepare for the
AP and DE classes to boost your GPA but it is important that the class is enjoyable.
“I’m taking three AP classes this year. And I’m taking them mainly because I feel as though it is important for me to raise my GPA but also I enjoy the material being taught and the environment of the classes,” Le said.
She is not taking any DE classes at this moment because her schedule is pretty full with AP classes and those are the most important in her opinion.
Most people who are taking AP classes have or will be taking DE classes even though most say that DE is much less rigorous, DE and AP are around the same level of academics.
Alexandra Florida (‘26) took her
In the end, high school is a time of learning and selfexpression. It’s about taking on responsibilities like an adult, but also about being a kid, Smarkusky encourages next year’s seniors to be bold.
“Now’s the time to be weird. You’ve got one year left, what do you care if you make a fool out of yourself? Take chances…The fact that you may never see some of your peers again can be so freeing if you change your perspective,” Smarkusky said.
With much to consider as the finish line getting closer for this year’s juniors, the seniors serve as a reminder that at the end of your high school journey, a new one begins.
first AP class this year. She has been in advanced and honors classes her whole life, so it only felt right for her to start with an AP class.
“I definitely take AP classes for the academic advantage. I like the difficulty of the classes and it makes me feel good that I’m pushing myself instead of just being bored in a regular class. I will probably take DE classes in the future but I’m not totally sure yet,” Florida said.
The reasons people take AP or DE classes for many different reasons but it’s mainly for the GPA boost even if the class being taken is interesting it mainly comes down to the lesson being taught and the GPA advantages for most people.
Seniors reflect on their highschool experience and give a word of advice for the underclassman
Khan Academy. Tutors. SAT book. With the college readiness season in action, juniors and sophomores start to prepare and get ready to take a test that can decide their future. Since 1926, according to the Web site, Best College, SATs have been taken and provided to high school students. The SAT contains three sections; reading, writing, and mathematics. The SAT is crucial for college preparation as a student’s highest score can be used for college acceptances and scholarships like Bright Futures.
“I used Khan Academy and private tutoring to prepare for my SATs, I feel like they helped me a lot and increased my score. The SAT definitely is intimidating but me and all my friends definitely prefer it over the ACT as it has less questions and more time. With my score I got into Florida Atlantic University and have committed with my friend Brooke,” Arianna Lavelle (‘23) said.
According to the Web site, College Reality Check, the SAT is a necessity for college admissions. As juniors and seniors start to prepare for their college admissions they prepare three things: GPA, extracurriculars, and high test scores. With the SAT the test stretches for three hours and contains 154 multiple choice questions.
Compared to the ACT, the SAT is usually more preferred as it does not contain a science section. The ACT is only two hours and fifty five minutes but contains 215 questions. Unless a student is stronger in the science and English category and tends to be fast and efficient when answering multiple choice questions, the ACT is a stronger challenge than the SAT.
“I prefer the SAT over the ACT because the ACT has a lot of science which is not my strong suit. While the SAT had more reading and grammar and I do really good in grammar, the SAT was a lot better,” Courtney Thurber (‘23) said.
With the SAT testing season coming, tutors are advertising to students taking the exam. Nearby tutors, Mathnasium, Knowledge Points, and Kumon Math and Reading center are available to start SAT tutoring as soon as a couple days in advance. Two of which are cheaper and free.
By Uma Limaye staff reporterEvery year, upperclassmen spend hours in preparation and taking standardized tests, namely the SAT or ACT. Because these tests are incredibly important to college admissions and financial aid eligibility, it is important for test-takers to carefully consider what test best suits them, and which test they will earn the highest points from.
The ACT stands for American College Testing and is scored from 1 to 36, with 36 being the highest score. To qualify for the Florida Medallion Scholars Program (Bright Futures program that funds up to 75% at a public institution) a minimum ACT score of 25 is required, and for full funding, a minimum score of 29. The ACT is a little different from the SAT.
“The ACT is designed with 4 sections and instead of having a math section with no calculator section, they have a science section which is mostly reading comprehension of graphs and charts,” Paulina Benitez (’23) said.
Benietez took the SAT earlier this year in February and notes that the SAT and ACT are both very similar, she found the question style comparable, though the ACT is much faster paced.
Noah Wilson (’23) also advocates for the ACT, taking the test twice: once during junior year and then again later in the summer.
“When choosing between the SAT and ACT, there’s nothing you can figure out until you actually take the tests, they’re different tests and work for different people based on their strengths,” said Wilson.
However, Wilson heavily recommends the ACT to those enjoy science, however to those who overthink, there is less time to do so.
“There’s not enough time to think, you have to go with what you immediately guess, the problem is that thinking can actually be worse for me on some tests,” Wilson said.
Overall, while preferences between standardized tests is a very personal choice, there are important benefits to consider with the ACT. For those who enjoy science and typically are good test-takers (have good gut feelings with answers), it may be worth taking the ACT to strengthen your college application.
