“The best thing about playing hockey is developing the chemistry required to win games as a team,” Alexander Noti (‘24) said.
News (page 3)
•Clubs in our school are helping out through fundraisers and donations.
•Students discuss Christmas activities they do with friends and family to get into the joyful spirit.
•Abbey Herbage (‘23) was selected for AllNationals
Lifestyles (pages 4-5)
•Students discuss Christmas Spirit celebrations at nearby themeparks
•Students discuss different ways that they celebrate the holidays with those they love.
•New cookie shop “Crumbl Cookies” opens in Mitchell Ranch Plaza.
•Gift Guides for those you love.
•Five different cultural recipes.
Centerspread (pages 6-7)
•Reflecting back on Christmas memories
Sports (pages 8-9)
• Girls Varsity soccer team has five freshman and they are ready to grow and chieve new goals.
•Freshman girls prepare for their first season on the Weightlifting team.
•The boys hockey team prepares for state champs.
•The boys soccer team talk about superstitions and habits before a game.
•Sam Unger is the Male Gregg Schindler Athlete of the month.
•The boys basketball team talk about how their season is going.
Entertainment (page 10)
•Students talk about what new albums they are excited about, and how music has changed them.
•Students discuss the impact on older bands making a comeback on the newer generations.
Opinions (page 11)
•Hurricane Ian takes away students days off leaving many upset.
•Students debate whether traditional peppermint or fruity candy canes are better.
•Students debate on whether Harry Potter is a Christmas movie.
Back Page (page 12)
•Is Christmas spirit dead or alive?
Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram at @mhshoofbeat
Check out our online newspaper: jwmhshoofbeat.com
express the views of the majority of the editorial board.
Letters to the editor are welcomed and will be published as space allows. Letters must be signed, although the staff may withhold the name upon request. The paper reserves the right to edit letters for grammar and clarity, and all letters 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.
The Christmas season is approaching which means festive activities are starting to open to the public. The holidays give everyone the option to find something that brings them joy. Whether that is spending time with family, stuffing your face, or finding fun activities to do with your friends.
As Logan Polen’s (‘24) family prepares for the Christmas season, they
take a trip around the neighborhood to look at the sparkling Christmas lights.
“My Father works at the Mercedes dealership and so every year he’ll take a convertible and we’ll all go out and look at Christmas lights in the convertible and drive around.” Polen said.
D’Andra Hamilton (‘23) took a trip this year to Busch Gardens Christmas town, and she reflects on her time spent there with her boyfriend.
“I usually go to Busch
Gardens Christmas Town because it truly is the most magical memories you can make with your friends and family. There are lights and hot chocolate stands everywhere, making it feel so unreal and joyful. Taking a trip to Christmas Town really is the perfect way to get into the Christmas mood,” Hamilton said.
Paityn Hutchinson (‘25) reflects on her yearly trip she takes to Snowcat Ridge with her best friend, and how it is a fun experience for Floridians who have never seen snow.
“For the past few years, I have gone to Snowcat Ridge Snow Park in Dade City with my best friend. Going there and getting to experience snow, even in the Florida heat, really makes it feel more like the holidays.” Hutchison said. Busch Gardens Christmas Town will continue to be open for the special event until Jan. 9, where students can go see the twinkling Christmas lights and ride the thrilling roller coasters. Snowcat Ridge is open until January, where you can experience snow as a
As guests watch the fireworks display in between the twinkling trees on Nov. 19, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, give their big finale to finish off the night at Christmas Town.
Floridian. The Cottee River Christmas Boat Parade will be happening on Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. through 8 PM and the Tarpon boat parade is occurring on Dec. 2 from 5:30 p.m through 8 p.m. When looking to be in the Christmas spirit any of these events will leave a twinkle in your eye.
The Clubs Interact, Leo, and HOSA hold fundraisers and collect donations almost every year. They take a lot of pride in the work they do for the community and the positive impact it has for all those involved.
Stephanie Martanovic (FAC) is the sponsor of the Interact club. The Interact club shows students how to connect with their community through volunteer work. Every year the club collects and organizes canned
food from students. That is then donated to Metropolitan Ministries. Metropolitan ministries is an organization that helps the homeless in Florida. The food drive helps out people who are having trouble affording food during the holidays.
“The drive was very successful, we collected almost four thousand cans and we are going to feed probably over a dozen local families just from our school to help them out,” Martanovic states.
Jenn Leavey (FAC) is the sponsor for the Leo club. Leo club specializes
in teaching students leadership skills while earning volunteer hours and fund raising for the community. Recently they held a suicide prevention walk called The “Out of the Darkness” walk.
“Out of the Darkness walk, is a walk for suicide awareness and just to acknowledge and raise money to support people and get them help if they’re struggling. It was very successful, our Leo’s club helped raise quite a few hundred dollars.” Leavey says. Leo club has had a few other fundraisers as well, they try to find
new ways to help out the community as much as possible.
The medical club, HOSA, teaches students about medicine if they are interested in nursing . They just did a suicide prevention fundraiser similar to the Leo club
Elizabeth Bruegger (FAC) is the sponsor for the Hosa club Mrs. Bruegger says “During our suicide prevention fundraiser, we get to partner with the Crisis Center Table, which they cover all of them Tampa Bay, they have a suicide hotline. So anyone in the Tampa Bay Area
felt like they needed to talk to somebody about how they are feeling, they would have someone if they called the hotline. we’ve kind of toured with the Crisis Center Table and that’s how we started doing a fundraiser for them.”
They also have a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness. They raise money and it goes to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. According to Komen.org
“To date, we’ve invested more than $3.3 billion in groundbreaking research, community health
outreach, advocacy and programs in more than 60 countries. Our efforts helped reduce deaths from breast cancer by 40 percent between 1989-2016 and we won’t stop until our promise is fulfilled.”
The clubs, Interact. Leo, and Hosa have been doing these fundraisers for many years and they have worked so hard. The clubs around campus do many fundraisers every year and that has done lots of good for our community.
Playing and practicing gorgeous melodies for hours, the musical talent at school soars with clarinet player Abbey Herbage (‘23)
Gathering student musicians of diverse backgrounds from around the country, All-Nationals is an annual music convention hosted by the National Association for Music Education. With auditions open to students across the country, Abbey Herbage (‘23), a clarinet player, secured a spot in this highly competitive and selective band. Herbage discusses the audition process,
“I had to learn a required audition piece. The
audition was online, so I had to submit a video of myself playing the audition repertoire. I also submitted a video of myself playing extra excerpts and solo material.”
All-Nationals has many ensembles to audition for, including a Jazz Band, Guitar Ensemble, and Mixed Choir. Herbage was accepted into the AllNational Concert Band, and during the first week of November, she traveled to National Harbor, Maryland to play in the band. Herbage had the opportunity to meet with
musicians from Georgia all the way to Hawaii.
A clarinetist of 7 years, Herbage is also Band Captain of the Marching Mustangs and a member of the Wind Ensemble, and hopes to pursue music past high school. As a musician, she reflects on the experience and the opportunities it brought her with positivity.
“I did not expect to be chosen for All- National when I auditioned. However, I remained hopeful and put my best foot forward,” Herbage said.
Receiving the opportunity to perform with musicians from around the country and from diverse backgrounds, Herbage has been on quite the musical journey, however it was not without its challenges, she reflects on her growth as a person and as a musician, “Often it is easy to doubt yourself. Whether it’s in sports, school, or other hobbies, self doubt is a struggle…However, I try not to let it get to me. Even if I’m having a rough time, I will persevere to the best of my ability.”
There are multiple different ways that people can celebrate the holidays. Each family has a set of traditions that make the holidays more special to them.
Jonathan Arce staff reporterThe holidays are a time every year where people can get together with their loved ones and create many new memories together. Most families have their own ways that make the holiday season so special and memorable to them. Even without many traditions, the holidays can still be enjoyable. Mervin George (‘25)
enjoys spending time with those he loves during the holiday season, even without many set traditions.
“I like the holidays because that’s when my friends and family get together and we go to other people’s houses and have a good time,” George said. Many families have many traditions set in place to make the holiday season special and memorable.
Student RickRyder (‘26) has traditions for both Christmas Eve and Thanksgiving.
“On Christmas Eve, family members come over to my house and all the kids open gifts from those family members, but only one or two from our parents. During Thanksgiving we always watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” Ryder said.
Another student, Aaron Carpenter (‘25), goes away for
the holiday season to see family he doesnt see too often.
“Every year we get together with my family in North Carolina and go sledding and have snowball fights,” Carpenter said.
Each of these traditions have a special place in the hearts of these students. Most of the time, one of them stands out compared to the rest. Carpenter explains why he likes snowball fighting the best out of all
the traditions he has set.
“I like the snowball fights the best because that is when the family is all together. I also get to hit people in the face,” Carpenter said.
No matter how the holidays are spent, each family should have the opportunity to have fun and enjoy the holidays with those they love, while also making new memories together.
There are so many different places and things to do that can help get in the Christmas spirit. A place many people go to are theme parks in the state of Florida. Some of the most visited parks are Universal Studios, Disney World, and Busch Gardens.
Mia Powell (‘24) goes to Universal Studios to enjoy the Christmas decorations and atmosphere. Universal typically starts putting up decorations around Nov. 2, and leaves them up until Jan, 1.
“I try to go as much as I possibly can, but I’d say maybe two to three times a year, if I’m lucky. I really just space it out to go during Christmas time because I love it so much, but I try to go as much as I can,” Powell said.
The park does an array of different festive things like decorations throughout the entirety of the park, the Macy’s Balloon Holiday Parade, the Holiday Tribute store, Grinchmas, and holiday shows throughout the Wizarding World of Harry Potter sections at Universal Studios, and Islands of Adventure. Her favorite part of the holiday celebration is the
light show on Hogwarts castle, and meeting the characters.
“It really makes you feel like home with the lights, and the songs that play. It really just gets you into the Christmas spirit,” Powell said. “I think one of my favorite parts is meeting the Grinch. That’s always my go to and just the way that everybody is always in character, and it’s just really fun to interact with them.”
Logan Carr (‘26) attempts to go to Busch Gardens at least once a year. A couple years ago he went during the Christmas Celebration.
60 cookies
Makes: Time:
Directions:
“It’s just a fun experience to have, and to enjoy it with friends and family during the holidays. [My favorite part was] the decorations and just getting to look and to see everything around it,” Carr said.
Erin Reed (‘24) goes to Disney around four times a year, the decorations for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party start going up on Nov. 1. The atmosphere and events throughout the Christmas season are loved by all.
“My favorite part of the celebration is the atmosphere. There is so much Christmas spirit everywhere, it is so enjoyable,” Reed said. “A tradition my family has at Disney during the Christmas celebration is going to the Grand Floridian to see the gingerbread house.”
Reed has many good memories from her visits, but one sticks out during the Christmas season.
“My favorite memory would be walking through the Osborn family lights Disney use to have at Hollywood studios,” Reed said.
The Christmas celebration at these Florida theme parks usually stay open until the first week of Jan. So, even after Christmas the spirit continues on.
my gas,” Girard said.
Crumbl Cookies opened its first shop five years ago and since then has become a nationwide franchise with over 600 stores.
On October 21, Crumbl Cookies- Trinity made its official opening in Mitchell Ranch Plaza, which is considerably closer than the other location in Lutz. With frequent new and limited-time flavors, many find this cookie shop as a unique way to satisfy their sweet tooth, along with a new place to work.
After hearing the “hype” surrounding Crumbl Cookies, Kayleigh Girard (‘24) tried it for the first time at the Lutz location. Up until the Trinity location opened, Girard could only try the new flavors when she was in the Lutz area for her brother’s hockey games and practices.
“When I heard there was a Crumbl opening near us, I was very excited that I wouldn’t have to drive 40 minutes to get to the one near Wesley Chapel. Now if a flavor looks really good, I can go and try it without using up all
Trying Crumbl Cookies a few times before the location in Trinity opened, Deslynn Jacobsen (‘23) applied to work there as a way to receive more hours and earn more money, on top of her other job at Publix.
Crumbl Cookies produces their products at the location they are sold at, allowing customers to see how their cookies are prepared and baked, as well as the ingredients going into them.
“I really do enjoy working there.
It’s always fast paced and there is always something that needs to get done which makes time go by faster. Certain cookies bring more people in than others, but we always kind of have a steady flow of customers coming in,” Jacobsen said.
Never hearing about Crumbl Cookies before, Brendan Wells (‘23) got his first taste of their cookies when his friend, Jacobsen, started working there.
Before then, he had only tried Crave Cookies, which is another cookie shop nearby in Odessa.
“I didn’t really know what Crumbl was until it opened, I never really
Norwegian butter & vanilla cookies
Ingredients:
4 cups of flour, ½ cup baking powder, 1 cup and 6 tablespoons salted butter, 1 and 1/3 cups granulated sugar, 2 eggs, lightly beaten, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 egg white, almond shavings or pearl sugar.
Prep: 10 Cook: 30
Step one- Mix the butter, baking powder and butter together in a bowl until an almost ash like texture is achieved. Mix in the sugar, beaten eggs, and vanilla extract. Roll the dough you’ve know made into a ball.
Step two -Put the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it over night. In the morning leave the dough out to warm up.
Step three- Rip off pieces of the dough and make smaller balls. Place balls of dough on baking sheet. Press your thumb into the middle of the dough to make impression.
Step four- Glaze the cookies with an egg white and add chopped almonds or pearl sugar.
Step five- Bake cookies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 16 minutes.
Step six- Enjoy!
English sausage wrapped in pastry bread
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 medium chopped onion, 2 pounds sausage meat, 3 eggs, black pepper + salt, 2 tablespoons of flour, 25 ounces of pastry bread or shortcut pastry.
Sliced pieces of roast duck
Ingredients:
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, teaspoon ground cloves, 3 tablespoons soy sauce,1 tablespoon honey, 5 -green onions, ½ cup plum jam, ¼ cup finely chopped chutney, 1 ½ teaspoons sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar, 1 sliced orange, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
just around the corner students are able to try their new weekly flavors.
heard of it but when I found out my friend was working there I was really excited. I like the cookies there because they’re really well made compared to a lot of the cookie places around here, like Crave,” Wells said. With the Trinity area expanding, many new restaurants, stores, and neighborhoods are constantly flowing in. Crumbl Cookies is the one of many shops opening that this area has never seen before. Be on the lookout for more “Coming Soon” signs.
Fried dough with sugar
Ingredients:
all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, warm water, oil for frying, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon.
Makes: Time:
Directions:
Prep: 25 Cook: 27
Step one- Place vegetable oil in pan on medium heat and add in the chopped onion. Leave the onion to cook until it is a golden brown. Step two- Mix together the meat, onions, and two eggs. Step three- Roll out the pastry into eight by ten inch rectangles. Cut rectangles into two strips and place them in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Step four- Take pastry out of the fridge and place it in a greased baking pan. Place the sausage you mixed earlier in the middle of each pastry strip. Beat the third egg then brush the edges of the pastry with it.
Step five- Fold the pastry over the sausage to make two long rolls. Brush the top of the pastry with egg.
Step six- Cut the rolls to 1 inch lengths or the desired length of your choice. Step seven- Preheat oven to 400 degrees then cook for 20 minutes.
Step eight- Pull baking pan out of oven, let the rolls cool then enjoy!
4 Servings
Makes: Time:
Directions:
Prep:15 Cook: 30
Step one- Rinse duck inside and out; pat dry. Cut off tail and discard. Step two- Mix together cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, white pepper, and cloves in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon spice mixture into cavity of duck. Stir 1 tablespoon soy sauce into remaining spice mixture and rub evenly over entire outside of duck. Cut 1 green onion in half and tuck it inside cavity. Cover and refrigerate duck for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Step three- Place duck breast-side up on a rack set in a wok or pot. Steam for 1 hour, adding more water as it evaporates. Lift duck with two large spoons to drain juices and green onion. Place duck breast-side up in a roasting pan and prick skin all over with a fork. Step four- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Step five- Roast duck in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Step six- Mix together remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce and honey in a small bowl. Brush honey mixture onto duck.Step seven- Mix together plum jam, chutney, sugar, and vinegar in a small serving bowl. Chop remaining green onions and place them into a separate bowl. Step eight- Place whole duck onto a serving platter and garnish with orange slices and fresh parsley. Serve with plum sauce and chopped green onions.
Makes: Time:
12 50 minutes
Directions:
Step one- Make the dough by adding all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Mix together until combined. Add warm water and 4 tablespoons oil. Mix together with a fork until the dough comes together.
Step two- Transfer the dough onto a clean working surface and knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Roll the dough into a ball, place it in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Step three- Roll out the dough by dividing it into 8 separate pieces and rolling each piece into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll out each ball into an 8 to 10-inch circle. Step four- Fry the dough by heating frying oil to 350°F. Fry each dough circle for about 60 seconds, turning once with metal tongs, until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to prepared plate to drain any excess oil.
Step five- Garnish the Banuelos with cinnamon sugar and eat!
Thoughts from our student body
“you can get creative with it, it’s a fun time to spend with family, you can make it different every year but the tradition still stays the same. It’s not super time consuming, and it’s not you have to plan in depth for. it’s a fun way to relax with your family and then afterwards, you get to eat cookies. we usually make sugar cookies. So we just do sugar cookies with a bunch of different colored sprinkles,” Teagan McCracken (’25) said.
“Since I was little, we’ve went to my grandma’s house and made hundreds of cookies. we used to give them out to all of our neighbors. we always make different ones, but they’re always homemade. [My favorite is] probably the orange cranberry ones that we made last year,” Becca Wilson (’26) said.
Thoughts from our student body
“Candy is my favorite stocking stuffer because it can be different every time and is still festive. I love getting Reese's cups,” Aidan Wallis (’24) said.
“Who doesn’t love candy? There’s no aspecial candy I get around Christmas. My favorite is probably Snickers,” Colton Rendell (’23) said.
Thoughts from our student body
“It’s just easier since you can spend it on your own stuff and to go out with friends and family. It’s just easier in general because thinking of a specific gift idea is always a pain in the butt. [This year] we’re not going to get as much because we’re going on a skiing trip, which will be really fun,“ Colton Rendell (’23) said.
Thoughts from our student body
“it’s really funny and the guy eats spaghetti with syrup. That’s definitely my favorite scene. I tried the spaghetti and syrup and it tasted pretty good. I’m not gonna lie to you,“ Isabella Richard (’26) said.
“I think mostly just because when I was younger, my dad would put it on a lot because it was his favorite. So it just kind of caught on to me. I remember when I was younger, I just really liked the ending just because of the singing and how funny it was,”Liam Hornung (’25) said.
Thoughts from our student body
“it’s not very normal, it’s very different, very colorful compared to the basic, you know, tan gray colors that you see it very often. So it’s good to see every once in a while. I don’t really go anywhere special to see lights,“ Dwayne Cole (’26) said.
Ham Ham
Thoughts from our student body
“Ham is my favorite because of It’s flavors, brings people together and works well with Christmas. I don’t help with cooking, but I want to. I love helping my family with it when I can,” Aidan Wallis (’24) said.
“My stepdad cooks the ham. I don’t help with the cooking but he gets a gaint thing of it and cooks it on the grill,”Jackson Giles (’25) said.
The girls varsity soccer season is accompanied by five freshmen.
Averi O’Connor
The freshmen girls weightlifting team is inspired by their peers.
Lexi Swere staff reporterThe varsity girls soccer season has just started and they are dominating the field with a win streak of 5-0. This season they have added 5 new freshmen to the team, leaving much room for these new additions to grow with their skills and experience. Morgan DeSmith (‘26) has been practicing ever since she could remember, proving her dedication to their passion.
“Making it on varsity for me was a huge accomplishment. It has been a dream of mine since I was in middle school and I am so happy I made it,” DeSmith said.
Carlee Kromolicki (‘26) is a right winger and right defensive player and has been playing soccer for 12 years.
“I am so excited and surprised I have always wanted to be on varsity and now I am,” Kromolicki said.
Most of the freshmen put in seven plus hours into practicing a week, and on top of doing soccer for the school most of them do club soccer. With them doing soccer for clubs outside it is giving them more training to help better themselves and reach their goals they have set for the season. Adallai Widmar (‘26) continues to work towards her goals for the season.
“My goals for this season is to grow in fitness and to know more technical vision on the field,” Widmar said.
Coach Christopher Castro (FAC) is beyond proud of the girls for working super hard to hold up their part on the team.
Coach said, “All of them are doing better than expected and I’m lucky enough to be able to coach them.”
Go show your support to these girls at their next game on Tuesday Dec. 8 at Mitchell high school.
The girls weightlifting team has just started the season with a whole new set of six freshman girls. It can be tough entering a new team with people they don’t know very well. The team had their first meet on Oct. 27, at Wesley Chapel high school.
Alyssa Harragan (‘26) is new to the team and found it by looking through the school activities and thought she would give it a try.
“Some of the girls were a little frightening because they were able to lift very heavy weights and I wasn’t able to lift much, but since I’ve gotten to know them, doing it with the upperclassmen has been fun” Harragan also said “Watching them cheer me on during meets and see me grow has also been very fun.”
Harragan says the training is a lot of work. For 3 to 4 days throughout the week, the team trains for an hour and 45 minutes, and they have meets on Wednesdays. During their practice several lifts to improve their jerks, snatch and bench.
Addison Smith (‘26) has always loved working out. She did gymnastics for many years and recently quit. In gymnastics she was always working on her strength so she could so she could do things like bars, vault, floor ,etc. After she quit she still wanted to build muscles. So she decided to try weightlifting.
“The girls were welcoming because they help a lot and teach us how to do the lifts but, they can also be intimidating sometimes because of how much weight they’re lifting but, they are very encouraging and helpful.”
Smith said she gets inspiration from the older girls on the team. She explains that seeing the older girls do their lifts
encourages her to keep practicing so one day she can be as good as them. The coach of the girls weightlifting team, Cobie Lee has lots of confidence in her freshman girls and is excited to see them
Lee says “Freshman have been doing well at meets, they have only had one so far, but are learning and making a lot of strength gains. They are meeting my expectations and fitting into the team really well. As a sport weightlifting is so important to start as a freshmen and they are setting themselves up for success in future years.”
These girls have shown everyone, just because something might be scary doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go for it. With the right support, anything can be fun and rewarding. The girls have trained so hard to get on the team and succeed and with the help of their older peers they have had early success because of it.
The male Gregg Schindler State Farm agency student athlete of the month is Sam Unger (‘23). He has been playing basketball since he was in the sixth grade. Having such a long history with the game including early adolescence means Unger has experienced the many highs and lows within the game. Unger shares what the allure of the game was that drew him in.
“It’s fast paced, there is always something going on. It’s a team game too so you get to work with your teammates.” Unger said. It’s an old saying
that a team’s performance is only as good as the team itself. With team games, such as basketball, there is a need to work as one in order to achieve success. Unger believes his team this year will be more successful than in his last season. Unger talks about the positivity surrounding him and the other players.
“I think we’re really good, better than last year. I think we have a good chance to do really well.” Unger said.
“This year we work as a team well.” He added. Unger does not plan to pursue sports in college, instead he is interested in furthering his education on engineering and making a
career out of it.
The young athlete recalls his best game so far in this season. “A preseason game we played at Tarpon. I made three fours.” Unger said. A three-point shot is when a player scores outside the three-point arc.
Traditions and team rituals can be helpful in keeping up team moral and bettering athletes’ performance. Unger discloses his pregame routine.
“Before the games in the locker room we always listen to music.” Unger said. The basketball player talks about his thoughts on being named athlete of the month. “I think its great, I’m very honored.”
When someone is part of one sport for a long period,
they can feel dedicated to it. Dedicated to not only the sport but their teammates. Unger shares the closeness between his team. “One of our mottos on the team is family. All the people on the team are a
Sam
a nice
family so everything that we do is just for each other.” Unger said.
Congratulations to Sam Unger for being the Gregg Schindler student athlete of the month!
Getting an inside look at the boys soccer team from the way their team works together to their certain habits before a game.
Ceyphora Wamba staff reporterThe soccer season has circled back around and the soccer players are putting their best foot forward to win as many games as possible and have a successful season.
Dominick Orama (’24) gives insight to how their games have been going since the beginning of their season.
“It’s going pretty good so far. It’s 3-1-1 right now and we’re trying to get better and improve for the rest of the season,” Orama said.
As their game stats are now at 4-1-1, after a win against Clearwater on the 24th, they are doing well against teams in their
district, some of the players attribute their teams success to their bonds and camaraderie. Denton Buchanan (’25) details why their team works well together on the field.
“We’re all just friends so it’s like a natural chemistry, everyone’s cool with each other and so we just play well together,” Buchanan said.
Some also have superstitious pre-game habits to aid in their performance in the field to guarantee a win. Superstition is seen a lot in athletes as they feel the need to do certain things before a game in order to be successful.
Cole Hawkins (’24) is one of those athletes. He gives the rundown on what he does and why he does it.
“Yeah, I always make sure I do
the exact same thing before every game. I always make sure I put on the same shin guards and do the same warm-ups, anything to win the game,” Hawkins said.
As a beautiful start to the beautiful game begins for the soccer players, the FIFA World Cup which, on a global scale, has everyone excited to support their countries and see which country ends up winning one of the largest events in sports. On a local and global scale the well loved game has people bouncing on their toes anticipating the results.
At the varsity girls’ basketball game on Friday, Nov. 19, a Tampa Prep player tries to block Isabella Reed (’23) when trying to pass to her teammates. Photo by Ceyphora Wamba
The boys Hockey team prepares for successful conditioning and games, after making it to the playoffs.
Cheer at the opposing team taking a check from one of our players. Feel the energy of the ice flying with the puck, straight into the goal. Jump to your feet at an intense breakaway play, and celebrate as the team takes another hard earned win. The Junior Varsity and Varsity Hockey teams’ seasons are in full swing, with games on Fridays at the Tampa Bay Skating Academy at Oldsmar, Center Ice at Wesley Chapel, or Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex. The team currently holds eight wins
and four losses, with 16 points and counting at their third place standing in their division of the Western Conference, spanning through the Tampa Bay area. Lex Petrov (‘24), highlights the sense of playing on the Varsity team and how the season feels so far.
“I want to contribute to the scoresheet more, and we want to keep winning games and make the playoffs,” Petrov said.
On Nov. 23, the team secured a win against Palm Harbor with a final score of 3-2. To make the playoffs, the team aims to place in the top four teams of the division they are in, those being East
Lake High School, Palm Harbor University, Steinbrenner High School, and Berkeley Prep School. Currently, the team is ahead of Steinbrenner and Berkeley. Jake Girard (’25) reflects on his first year on the team and how he has bonded with his teammates so far.
“I love everyone on the team. I think my bond is good with everyone on the team. I have no issues with anyone,” Girard said.
The boys practice every Sunday where they do drills and scrimmage. Their drills consist of them practicing passing back and forth then shooting on their goalie to help warm up.
Another Varsity player, Alex
Noti (‘24), plays his second year on the varsity team, believing confidently that they can reach where they were last season as a team.
“I expect the team to make a deep playoff run and it is doable if we play like a team better. We need to build better relations and improve our team chemistry,” Noti said.
The boys plan on continuing to
work towards their goals as the season continues with their next game being against Manatee high school on Dec. 9 at Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex.
Starting the season off strong with a 4-1 record, members of the boys basketball team discuss how the season is going so far.
Cassidy Thurber Features EditorStarting the season off strong, the Mitchell basketball team has a record of 4-1 with a 0.80 percent winning rate. As the team works toward playoffs, their work ethic remains strong to maintain their winning record. They spend time working on and off the court to achieve this goal.
Forming a tighter team, players all share their tradition before games to prepare, Jack Donaldson (‘23) shares his love and friendship with the team at the beach.
“Me and my teammates take long team bonding walks on the beach during sunset to talk and
prepare for the upcoming games.” Donaldson said.
Coach Jason Vetter has been the coach of the Mitchell varsity team for a long time. Coach Vetter is a phenomenal leader on and off the court, treating his athletes not only as players on his team, but acts as a leader for guidance on and off the court.
“I think our relationship is better than they realize, the season is always a grind and I’m sure they get sick of me. But they have the freedom to express themselves and try things on the court that many coaches don’t allow. Off the court is always very good- they know I care about them as humans first and players second.” Vetter said,
Many of the boys don’t know If they will be pursuing their passion for basketball professionally after high school or starting a new chapter in their lives. Jalen White (‘24) doesn’t know if he is completely prepared to go professional yet.
“I don’t really know what I’m going to do with basketball after high school ball, I definitely plan on going to college mainly for music production. I wouldn’t say I would be ready for the NBA or college level ball right now, but I will definitely still continue to play basketball for fun after high school.”
With the future up in the air, the athletes are going focus on finishing this season up doing everything they’ve learned to go to playoffs.
Sharing their joy for christmas movies, students give their opinion on holiday favorites.
Older bands make a comeback to the music industry and fans get excited.
“My favorite Christmas movie is Home Alone. I watch it every year so it brings a sense of nostalgia,” Stella Tucker said.
Warming up their voices and gathering their guitars, old hit bands Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Metallica and Green Day all are making a comeback from their time away. In the month of October, Smashing Pumpkins made an appearance on stage at the Amalie Arena. Students Emily Wise(‘24). Michael Pekarek(‘24), and Mark Hynes(‘23) roam the halls with gossip and excitement as they talk about the band’s comebacks and their favorite bands as they make an appearance. Wise scrolls through TikTok early Aug. 2021, she realizes that one of her favorite bands, The Smashing Pumpkins, was trending on her feed page.
“ My favorite christmas movie is Die Hard of course, I know people debate on whether it’s a christmas movie or not, but i really like die hard because I love the fact that there is action and Its got some really cool christmas movie in it,’ Mr. Burnes [FAC] said.
“ My favorite Christmas movie is How the Grinch Stole Christmas because it’s a classic Christmas movie that my family watches every year. The movie plays all Christmas long in my house.” Jessica Scura (‘26) said.
“My favorite christmas movie would probably be White Christmas. It is special to me because I would always watch it with my grandparents, and now my grandpa is gone. So watching White Christmas is a really nice way to remember him,”Mrs Henry [FAC] said.
“Because of social media, people’s music is trending on stuff [social media] and reaching out to the teenage audience. If you want to be more specific, for example, The Smashing Pumpkins, I feel like they are becoming more mainstream now because number one, Target [store] had their shirts and people thought it was cool, so they decided to listen to them. But also, TikTok trended their songs 1979 and Today, so I think those songs are making more of a comeback.” Wise said.
After hearing music trending on social media for months, Pekarek talks on how musicians’ songs are being put into highly streamed movies and shows and then becoming recognized from there.
“Bands I’ve seen back are more rock or metal like Metallica and Nirvana after their songs got added to shows and movies and then blow up.” Pekarek stated.
Although Hynes is a fan of older bands, he elaborates his thoughts on how bands making a comeback is not always the best thing that could happen.
“Some of them, I’m all here for it. then sometimes there are some bands that I really like their old stuff
On November 18 2022, Wise looked through vinyl records at Rock’n Records in the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks. Wise has a hobby of collecting records and cds from all of her favorite bands and artists. Photo by Alanna Wyatt
and they make stuff now and it’s like oh come on. Like Green Day, their last album sucked so bad, and it made me sad. But there are some bands like Bad Religion that put out an album a couple of years ago that was actually pretty good. So, I mean it’s a hit or miss for the most part. But if they can keep making good music, I think they should.” Hynes said.
In the coming year bands Paramore and Blink-182 will be playing at the Amway Center and the Amalie Arena. Other bands like Sum 41 are still unknown of their comeback but have awaiting fans who are willing to support.
When walking through campus, a casual observer may notice students listening to music on their way to class. Most of this music tends to be from new albums released this year. Artists like The Weekend, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Arctic Monkeys, Drake and Beyoncé are just some of the artists who have new albums out. With Taylor Swift’s album ‘Midnights’ snagging every spot on the Top 10 just last month. Three hours later she dropped seven extra tracks in the release of the deluxe version ‘Midnights (3am edition)’.
Bella Rodriguez (’24) looks back on her favorite albums this year as she waits for the new Paramore album ‘This is Why’ coming out Feb. 10.
“My favorite album so far this year is a tie between Harry Styles’ “Harry’s House” and Taylor Swift’s “Midnights”. I love both of their music styles and they both had some incredible songs. I usually stay up to listen to an album right when it comes out and film my reactions on my computer to save my initial reactions as memories,” Rodriguez said.
Students celebrate new albums by staying up late to listen to them while with friends. Especially as many can relate
to the new music being released.
Dayanna Rogers (’23) normally celebrates new albums by listening to them on repeat for a few weeks after being released.
“My favorite album of this year is Harry Styles ‘As It Was’. The music is my style and I love getting to listen to him grow as a singer as I’ve been following him since One Direction. Music gives me the feeling of welcome as a lot of songs that come out express the way I am or have felt,” Rogers said.
As music has become a part of everyday life for most, some listen to music as it is known to help with focusing and lowering stress as it may be considered calming. Music has helped Cassidy Haberlin (’26) stay focused in class when she is feeling stressed.
“I really liked Harry’s House. Just because of how it was organized and how each song had a different vibe. I think that albums could have more diverse songs because I find a lot of new songs sound the same,” Haberlin said.
As new albums come out one complaint students still have are that songs tend to sound very similar.
“I think that they could have more diverse songs because I find a lot of new songs on the same,” Haberlin
said.
Along with others who believe that songs could be blended better to help flow within their albums.
“I feel like albums as a whole are great cohesive bodies of work but some artist’s could work on blending the songs to make them flow a little better,” Rodriguez said.
Artists like Gorillaz and Selena Gomez plan to have new albums released by the end of the year. Many students still eagerly wait for new albums to drop with the new year around the corner.
purchase new and old
Supermarket speakers, cars, classrooms, music can be found everywhere. Students shared their thoughts on what new albums they look forward to, what music means to them and how music can improve.news editor Students can albums from stores like Target. Target sells records and CD from artists including Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Harry styles and many more.
Students discuss their thoughts about Hurricane Ian taking away many of off-days of the second semester
Averi O’Connor staff reporterOn Sep 27, Pasco schools were sent home due to the projected path of Hurricane Ian. Category 4 Hurricane Ian that was presumed to hit close to Pasco county. The school board shut down from the 27th to the 30th leaving students home for 4 days, now the Pasco school board have decided to have students make up those days, leaving most upset about
losing all the half days in the second semester as well as taking away one day from their winter break.
Many students find it unbeneficial to take away the half days. Not only is it taking away a day where the kids get to go home early, but it is also a day in the month that teachers are able to go to meetings and get a lot accomplished. Students like Clara Mikhaiel (‘26) disagree with the hurricane make up days.
“I think this change is
I think that the hurricane make up days are annoying but I understand why we have them.
Stella Tucker (‘23)unnecessary. Half days are not only fun for the students but also beneficial for the teachers,”
Mikhaiel said. Teachers and students understand having to give up the days, but find it unreasonable to do so. With the district taking away one day off from the winter break students like Amelia Bosorio (‘26) find it absurd because some families’ preexisting responsibilities.
“Some people already made plans and bought plane tickets for the day they removed from Christmas break,” Bosorio (‘26) said.
Students debate over traditional or unique candy canes
Peppermint, smores, starburst, and sour patch kids candy canes litter the shelves at local grocery stores in the upcoming Christmas season. Dating back into the 1900’s candy canes have been a symbol of the Christmas season and the cold winter. Seen in Christmas stockings, stores, and classrooms, candy canes are favored by both kids and adults as a gift or snack. Students give their opinions over the debate on whether or not traditional peppermint or unique flavored candy canes, like smores, are better.
Between November and December 1.76 billion peppermint candy canes are sold alone according to Gourmet Gift Baskets.
Lixandra Medina (‘25) shares her favor for an old classic peppermint candy cane.
“I personally love the classic peppermint candy cane, it reminds me of Christmas, Santa Claus, and hot chocolate. I don’t like those weird candy canes with chocolate or vanilla, it doesn’t belong in a candy cane,” Medina said.
Flavors like starburst, sour patch kids, and watermelon are unique flavors created following the rise of popularity among peppermint candy canes. Student Sarah Martinez (‘22) gives her opinion on unique flavored candy canes.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love peppermint candy canes but I feel like fruity flavors like watermelon or sour patch kids are really good and different compared to the boring peppermint flavor. I’m not very fond of the taste of toothpaste in my mouth. If I’m going to risk getting a cavity it needs to be worth it,” Martinez said.
Local grocery stores like Publix, Walmart, and Greenwise all sell candy canes for the Christmas season. Along with Martinez, Kayleigh Girard (‘24) also favors the fruity and different flavors over peppermint.
“My favorite candy canes are the Jolly
Ranchers because they have a variety of good flavors and still incorporate Christmas colors into them. I prefer the fruity candy canes because they taste better in my opinion. Since they come in exotic flavors it makes it more interesting to try new ones at the store,” Girard said. Getting further into the Christmas season Peppermint hits the shelves and market as in forms of coffee, syrup, candy canes, and milkshakes. Getting deeper into December, the sales of peppermint rocket. To stock up on these items local stores Publix, Walmart, and Target will have them.
Stella Tucker (‘23) is on the fence about the make-up days
“I think that the hurricane make up days are annoying but I understand why we have them,” Tucker said. According to the state law it said one full credit means about 120 hours in front of a teacher, so most students understand having to have the school days restored. With many students agreeing that they understand having to give some of their time off, they still feel it isn’t a fair sacrifice to get rid of these off days.
The controversy on the global Harry Potter (Christmas) movies
Ceyphora Wamba staff reporterWith the holiday season approaching people start ramping up their holiday spirit, decorations start being seen around the block along with the view of Christmas lights shining through windows. People also celebrate in smaller ways like getting pajamas and slippers, listening to Christmas music from high streamed artists like Ariana Grande, Mariah Carey, and Wham!. Watching movies creates a large part of the culture around holiday “cheer”. With the Christmas season around the corner, this spikes topics about christmas culture and representation, one being the controversial view if Harry Potter is a Christmas movie or not. Students give their opinions on whether they feel Harry Potter should be recognized as a Christmas movie or not.
A fellow Harry Potter fan, who’s watched the movies, along with reading all the books, Reece Hess (’23) gives her opinion on the matter.
“No, you can watch it year round, it’s just a comfort movie, literally. I mean maybe one of them takes place more in the Christmas setting, but no,” Hess said While many do watch it during the holiday season it is still advocated by many as not solely a Christmas movie, a movie meant for any time of the year. This unclear view of the movies has sparked debates. Kaelyn Rosa (’24) gives her perspective on why there tends to be dispute over the topic.
“Probably because they’re close minded, just kidding, maybe because they think it’s a Christmas kind of movie, it makes them happy, it gives them a Christmas feeling,” Rosa said.
Although some think the aspects of Christmas within the movies add to the christmas spirit rising back up. Grace Tomlin (’24) states why it should be considered a Christmas movie.
“It’s a Christmas movie because there’s
As the holidays role around, Harry Potter World at Universal Studios prepares a grand mock feast, replicating Hogwarts Hall from the Harry Potter movies. Despite the debate surrounding whether or not Harry Potter is a Christmas movie, people nonetheless embrace the coziness of Hogwarts decor to get into the holiday spirit. Photo from Flicker.
always so much snow and they seem to celebrate a lot by giving gifts. Really gets you in the Christmas spirit you know? And they have a train like the polar express,” Tomlin said.
Harry Potter’s spinoff series Fantastic Beasts takes place in the same world following different characters in a different timeline. Following the magical world and mythical creatures, the newest movie Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbeldore throws viewers back into the world. The anticipated Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is set to come out in 2023 following Harry’s child and his adventures in the world with glimpses of beloved Harry Potter characters.
The time of year has finally come to put up lights, bake cookies, and watch Christmas movies, the environment should be filled with holiday cheer. However, the growing opinion of many is that these traditions are becoming more like chores, and holiday spirit is either dying, or worse, dead. Marlee Michael (‘23) explains her views on why holiday spirit has weakened.
“With COVID and everything happening, I feel like there’s been a downward slope on putting so much importance in celebration, family, and traditions,” Michael said.
When COVID-19 hit in 2020, obviously many traditions and holiday activities were either canceled or adapted, Michael believes that the world is still recovering from the loss of routine holiday traditions. Alexander Tatum (‘24) discusses what he thinks about the loss of holiday spirit,
“With the [social] decline in the world and particularly in the country, spirits aren’t exactly raised to celebrate the holidays fully,” Tatum said.
Tatum believes that the general problem for the loss in holiday spirit comes from the rather depressing state of the world, watching the news and scrolling social media he believes can be detrimental to holiday spirit and cheer. Conversely he also feels that outlets such as social media and the news are
not talking about the holidays enough, meaning they aren’t at the forefront of people’s minds. Tatum notes in reference that this also could just be a side effect of getting older,
“I think it’s just as you age, holidays are more demystified than when you were a kid,” Tatum said.
Michael also adds something similar, discussing how the mood this is year is more dull.
“I just feel that time passing has become more mundane. The days just truly feel like they blend because there’s no real difference in the seasons,” Michael said.
However, even after all of this doom and gloom, Michael believes holiday spirit is not lost yet, and that the challenges faced could actually lead to the innovation of new traditions.
“COVID could’ve possibly killed some traditions, but I don’t think they killed them all. In fact, I think many new traditions might come out of it.”
The sweet smell of gingerbread and holly drifts through the air as Christmas is rapidly approaching. Twinkling lights and days off of school help to define the holiday season for many. Christmas clearly the most anticipated day of the year that nearly everyone looks forward to.
Among those looking forward to the festivities is Nathan LeBlanc (’25).
“Christmas spirit is very much alive because every person I know always celebrates in November. We make some fancy dinner and open up one present on Christmas Eve,” LeBlanc recalled.
There are some who claim that the excitement around the holiday has dwindled greatly, especially with repeated exposure to the Florida heat.
However, Jayden White (’24) continuously pushes
through the struggle each year and makes it a priority to spread the joy to others.
“Mariah Carey’s album, music, and movies can make it feel like Christmas because it doesn’t feel like Christmas outside,” White states.
“We go door to door in my grandma’s neighborhood knocking and doing carols as a whole family,” White added on. The Floridians who are dedicated know that a 90-degree Christmas is just as good as a white Christmas.
When discussing how spirit could be improved Kaithyln Tubens (’23), a Christmas enthusiast, had some recommendations.
“It needs to happen sooner and be longer. Why is it the most wonderful week? Why not the most wonderful month?” Questioned Tubens. “I think we need to start celebrating Christmas earlier because we can’t wait until Thanksgiving; Thanksgiving is a part of the holiday season.”
Hoping to head home to Puerto Rico this winter to spend time with family, she awaits every day leading up to Christmas.
Mya Delmante (’26) is also awaiting the chance to head to Puerto Rico, agreeing with Tubens and pushing the timing of her own celebration to an even further extent.
“Usually around September or October me and my mom put up the Christmas tree together and if I go to my grandparent’s house, I’ll help them too. So my tree has been up for a while now,” Delmante said excitedly.
Uma Limaye staff reporter Breanna Valentine staff reporter