POP January 2015 by Pep O' Plant

Pep O’ Plant H.B. Plant High School • 2415 S. Himes Avenue, Tampa, Florida, 33629 • January 30, 2015 • Volume 88 • Issue 6

January 2015

2 • Opening

Throw•back noun

a reversion to an earlier ancestral characteristic he first edition of the Pep O’ Plant was written, published T and sold by a staff of teenagers attending Plant High School in 1927. Originally, the paper was a combination of school event

coverage, poetry, student profiles and personal passages similar to diary entries written by the student writers. Evolving throughout the decades, new content developed including advice columns, open letters to the student body and thriving Letter to The Editor sections. Through progression, the skills featured earned the newspaper multiple awards for writing and advertising. Its role as an open forum for the community’s opinions and dedicated deliverer of news made the Pep O’ Plant a respected publication and cornerstone of life at Plant. In early 2014, the Politics section was replaced by an Arts & Entertainment section, which features food, music and movie reviews. Pepoplant.com was launched in April 2014 and serves as a daily news service and online catalogue for articles originally published in the print edition. Awards and recognition won by the 2014-2015 staff include Florida Scholastic Press Associated awarded First Place for TV Review Writing, Second Place Sports Game Twitter Coverage, Third Place Hand-Drawn Illustration and Third Place Short Story. National Scholastic Press Association accreditation ratings include Excellent in Magazine Layout, Honorable Mention in Review Writing, Honorable Mention in Newspaper Layout and Honorable Mention in News Editing/Headline Writing.

New Staff at Work (1944)

In 2015, the Pep O’ Plant is in its 88th year of circulation. Nearly every issue remains archived and preserved in room 102, the modern newsroom. This issue’s purpose is to showcase student journalist’s reporting throughout the almost 9 decade life of the newspaper, as well as feature articles created by the 2014-2015 staff.

Cover Photos “Aerial Act” (1957)

“Sock It To ‘Em” (1969)

“Life Can Be Gruesome” (1952)

“With a Shriek of Joy...” (1969)

“Seasons Cheerleaders Selected” (1935)

“Students Selected to Publish the Pep O’ Plant” (1950)

“Cagey Doug Captain” (1944)

“Down, Set...” (1975)

“Newly Selected Annual Staff ” (1950)

“‘Good-bye’ hug by a Thai Friend” (1966)

Cover design by PO’P Jessica Jagodzinski and Allison Figueroa

January 2015

Advertisement • 3

4 • Features/News

January 2015

Features/News • 5

News Features OriginalLy Published: February 1946

OriginalLy Published: November 1945

New guesS who: page 7

Teenagers weigh obligations of today versus previous decades Matthew Blydenburgh Business Manager Teenagers and adults alike have had stressful facets of their lives throughout history. According to USA Today, 27 percent of teens experience “exam stress” during the school year, as compared to 13 percent in the summer. 34 percent of surveyed teens say they expect to feel stress in their next year if schooling. During the 1930s, such issues as the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl led to decreased education, malnutrition and a rising death rate for children. Stressful situations for American teens have changed significantly within the last ten years, with much less physical and financial problems becoming prominent parts of teens’ lives. Modern teenagers face problems more associated with schoolwork and extracurriculars, particularly towards the end of a semester when tests and exams become much more common.

“A day where all the teachers cram a ton of tests into one day before a big break. That is hashtag the struggle.” Joe Ryan, junior said. As compared to the increased workload that modern students face on a daily basis, teenagers during the 1930s were faced with minimal opportunities to obtain educations. According to “Life During the Great Depression”, published by academic.mu.edu, most schools between the period of 1932-1933 were shut down due to lack of funds, with the exception of those with teachers who cared little

riding the rails in search of employment. “A stressful day for me involves multiple AP tests in a single day, with rehearsal after school, work,” Ashley Morales-Pacheo, s e n i o r , said.“Then volunteering, only to be folPO’P Allison Figueroa lowed by hours upon hours about monetary compensation. of homework, Due to the common difficulties causing me to go to bed around 1 in obtaining an education in the a.m.” 30s many teenagers would resort This overflow of volunteering to abandoning their homes and and after-school jobs appears to stowing away on trains in order be commonplace among teento find jobs across the country. agers, as they attempt to pay According to “Teenage Hoboes for their own expenses, or serve in the Great Depression” from time in their community to meet the National Heritage Museum, school and scholarship requireover 250,000 children within the ments. range of 16-25 years of age began However, during the Great

Depression, teens mostly spent their time working in order to feed themselves or their families. “How Young Americans Survived the Hard Times of the Great Depression” by Errol Lincoln Uys details the lives of various young teens and their families who rode the rails in search of work for menial pay. “Having three tests, two club meetings...I also had a copy to write for yearbook, so that’s a thing,” Luke Brittain, senior, said. Aside from the modern stresses of teens, teachers also face the struggles of dealing with a modern age of meeting educational and societal needs. “Club days. You wind up having to teach the kids faster and reteach it to them later on,” Richard Marchant, Pre-calculus and AP Calculus AB teacher, said. Examining the lives of teenagers in the modern age presents an interesting contrast towards the lives of teens growing up in the 1930s, particularly in their involvement in school.

January 2015

Features • 7

Dating customs change drastically through decades Rachel Ferreri Staff Writer Imagine sitting in your house and all of the sudden a boy from one of your classes comes over or calls your house and asks your father if he can take you on a date. This is how dating worked in the 1940s. It was formal and manners were important. The places that people go for dates in the 40s and now has changed a lot. 75 years ago, old fashioned diners like the Colonade were common, whereas now a days, people go to a movie or just hang out. “In 2014, I would consider a date as going to the movies, Curtis Hixon Park, going to dinner or getting Yogurtology,” Darnell Henderson, sophomore, said. Lauren Hirsch, junior, thinks a classy date is when a guy asks a girl out and then picks her up. “They may go to dinner in a spot like Hyde Park Village, be-

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Senior Silhouettes: Guess Who? Left: Luke McFadden, Right: Mary Helen Bayless

January 2015

6 • News

cause that is romantic and lots of fun at night,” Hirsch said. In the 1940s, the main component to a first date was politeness. When he asked her out, he would do it face-to-face or call her house. It was characteristic that the boy met the girl’s parents and he escorted her out of her house and to his car. Dates were more formal and traditional. “Usually, a boy will text a girl and ask if she wants to go out,” Hirsch said. “It’s less face-to-face now.” Henderson said that a lot of people are more shy and reserved on first dates but begin to act more like themselves when they are comfortable. “Now, people are engrossed in their phones a lot of the time while on a date,” Hannah Schultz, junior, said. Now, some couples consider “talking” a modern idea of dating. This dating occurs unofficially

and there are not as many pressures as in a serious relationship. In the early 40s, dating was more for material reasons. People only “went out” to show popularity. This trend changed when World War II ended because people realized that life is short. People dated for more solid reasons like love than popularity, and relationships lasted.

In Tampa, the places people go to on dates has evolved in the last 70 years. The Colonade, an old fashioned diner, functioned as the go-to place for teenage dates as well as after school hangouts in the 1940s. Presently, it has been converted to a more upscale place for dining. According to Henderson, Hirsch and Schultz, anywhere in

PO’P Allison Figueroa

Hyde Park Village or restaurants like Kotos Japanese Steakhouse are typical for dates. Another popular location is Daily Eats, a casual diner style restaurant. Over the last 75 years, the places where people go and the things people do on dates have changed. Even the mannerisms of people when they go out has changed over time.

Students reveal clues to their mysterious identities This well-known senior guy is 6’3 has short brown hair and brown eyes. A member of the football team, as well as an active member of the community, he has been voted onto both the Pantherilla and Homecoming courts. In more recent events, he was selected as one of the three finalists for Mr. PHS and Best Looking for the senior notables. His favorite color is blue and his favorite song is “Stop This Train” by John Mayer. He enjoys watching his favorite movie, “Good Will Hunting” while “The Kite Runner” ranks as the best book on his bookshelf. The comedy program “The Office” entertains him during his free time. Coming in as his favorite actor of all time? Sandra Bullock.

This senior gal has green eyes, dirty blonde hair and measures in at 5’5. She is the Academics Editor in Yearbook, president of First Priority and was voted onto the 2014 Homecoming court. The senior class nominated her as one of the finalists for Miss PHS and Most Sincere. “Movements” sung by contemporary Christian rock band Rend Collective, is her favorite song. The drama packed television show “One Tree Hill” is one of her guilty pleasures. This girl’s favorite food is the classic coleslaw. Her dream job is to be an elementary school teacher, which many of her peers find fitting for her nurturing personality.

Can you guess who?

Can you guess who? PO’P Haley Babbitt

January 2015

8 • Opinions

January 2015

Opinions

Opinions • 9

OriginalLy Published: March 1954

OriginalLy Published: December 1957

Learn the new lesSons: page 16

January 2015

10 • Opinions

Pep O’ Plant 2415 S. Himes Avenue, Suite 103 Tampa, Florida 33629 (813) 272-3033 ext. 247

Print Editor-in-Chief Jessica Jagodzinski Online Editor-in-Chief Robby Killette News Editor Katie Whitson Features Editor Melissa Jassir Opinions Editor Bennett Taylor Arts & Entertainment Editor Helen Kahassai Sports Editor Erce Phillips Centerspread Editor Meg Barrett Photography Editor Haley Babbitt Public Relations Allison Figueroa Webmaster Henry Jetmundsen Online Editor Morgan Robinson Business Manager Matt Blydenburgh Copy Editor Emily Greiwe Staﬀ Artist Nikki Lund Photographer Emalee Herrera Circulation Manager LaNae Fluellen Staﬀ Rachel Ferreri Katie Chae Allyssa Ashmeade Faculty Adviser Louisa Avery

Comments hating on current era grow repetitive

Supporting our school paper can be easier than most think Editorial Pouring through the distinctive smelling, old and slightly crusty Pep O’ Plants of the 1950’s will lead to interesting article finds; gossip columns and extensive reporting on - now nearly extinct - Hillsborough football rivalries competing in games at Dad’s Stadium, miscellaneous columns consisting of inches of gibberish, the quickly-typed, last resort work of a writer on deadline for a then 30-year-old publication. One news article of particular interest gave an insight into the way the student-run newspaper was perceived immediately after the end of the ‘40s. The news article describes what students once thought of the Pep O’ Plant: a privilege, something

PO’P Nikki Lund

that they felt gave unique insight into the daily lives of the typical student. The article described how homerooms used to contribute money for the up-keeping of the Pep O’ Plant. The winning homeroom would receive various gifts and prizes. Meanwhile, today’s papers are rejected by the general population of the school, recycled the moment they are delivered to individual classrooms. The 50s had homerooms paying for a semester’s worth of publications, and while financial contributions to the paper are helpful, the general support and readership would be much more appreciated. Sixty years ago, students

showed interest in the publishing of their school newspaper, a place where news of club gatherings, dance gossip and sports updates gave students something that could increase school spirit. Yet, the modern issues receive minimal attention from the student body, as most papers end up sprawled across the hallway floors like desolate tumbleweeds. Read it. Share your opinion. As a staff, we crave your opinions and interests, so we can report on the events going around school- events you care about. This school has become synonymous with extracurricular participation. It is a school where there is a club or group for everyone. As a newspaper, it is our job to cov-

er them with equal attention and devotion. Chorus recitals, football games, special events- all have been covered by student journalists on staff. We want opinions. This is the sole open forum for discussion. Nowhere else in the school can you voice your opinion about your perspective on your life and experience while at our school. Email us, visit our website and tell us what you think is newsworthy Tell us what makes it special, or not so special. Make our current paper feel as supported as it did 60 years ago. Hopefully, in the year 2075, a student looking through the archives can find this page and see the dedication of the Pep O’ Plant, currently 90 years strong.

Man on the Street: What do you know about the 1950s?

Column Erce Phillips Sports Editor

If you’ve spent more than a month browsing the Internet in some fashion, there’s a chance you have come across a certain saying which is tossed around from time to time, “I was born in the wrong generation.” This now seemingly popular saying must be stopped immediately, and people who deep down really believe that we live in a world that is far worse that one 20 to 50 years ago must consider the pros and cons of the era they obsess over before spreading their opinions all over the Internet and all over the real world.

Allison Figueroa Public Relations

-Desiree Anderson, freshman

-Greystoke Melgar, sophomore

“Frank Sinatra was a prominent jazz singer of the era.”

“Marliyn Monroe was a good looking lady from the 1950s and Elvis was jammin’ his heart out!”

-Indra Bradley, senior

-Charlie Gorder, junior

PO’P Helen Kahassai

The phrase itself has gained popularity in recent years as people have gone back and compared the pop culture, more specifically music, and deemed the styles they listened to superior to today’s mainstream pop and hip-hop tastes. This trend of comparison eventually spread into more than just music, with styles, politics and the way of life coming into play. Some claimed they were “born in the wrong generation.” “Defener” was a mocking term used to call out people who overly-defended older eras. Feeling nostalgia for something and reminiscing is far from bad, and appreciating the lifestyles and pop culture of those who lived before is completely fine. However, when the hatred for the modern era grows in the minds of people make it their mission to hate on modern trends, listening to their rants really gets

“OMG everyone was so much nicer in the 1950s!!!”

PO’P Nikki Lund and Allison Figueroa

annoying. From there, they often talk about how an era they weren’t alive for was superior and then whine about how modern life sucks compared to the life they’ve built up in a past decade. This is simply aggravating and stupid.

Some of the most common decades people seem to adore are the 1950s and 1960s, mostly deemed the time periods with the best music of all time, iconic classy fashion, and economic prosperity politically led by some of the best

U.S. presidents of all time. This causes the social cons to be overlooked, and they often don’t take into account how different life was, with “different” often alluding to negativity. In the 1950s especially, though civil movements were not quite active, teenagers became their own social class and were often separated from the adult society. Many delinquents starting rebellions led adults to worry of a “teenage takeover.” Though this may sound good for youth both today and in the past, the separation created an restless society which would have been hard to repair. This would most certainly not want to be a positive thing, A person thinking they’re superior to others due to their different and older tastes in music is nothing more than an ignorant person. Now defeners must flush the ideas they have out of their minds and attempt to enjoy the world they live in.

Home economics deserves comeback

Column

“The first 'Peanuts' comic “Rock and roll emerged in strip first came out,The the mid 50s.” modern day credit card was introduced,and the Korean War began.”

Opinions • 11

Blind ‘wrong generation’ comments must stop

Pep O’ Plant needs love from readers

The Pep O’ Plant is Plant High School’s student run newspaper. Opinions expressed may not reflect the views of the entire staﬀ or school. We welcome signed letters to the editors. Letters can be brought to room 103 or placed in Louisa Avery’s school mailbox. We reserve the right to edit, condense, or reject any letters. Some material courtesy of MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service. Professional associations include Florida Scholastic Press Association, Southern Interscholastic Press Association,the National Scholastic Press Association and Quill and Scroll.

January 2015

Most grandparents, parents and even some 90s kids can probably pull out an old apron, hand-sown tote bag or whip up a dessert or two. Many of them started honing practical skills like cooking and sewing in the home economics classes offered in the “good old days.” In the 1930s, women were still expected to abide to certain “cultural spheres” and gender roles, including tending to the house and raising children. As ridiculous as these restrictions turned

out to be, home economics was the only valuable byproduct of the “stay in the kitchen” attitude that characterized most of America before the 70s. In an attempt to toss the life of a housewife aside, home economics was gradually weeded out from the school system. In colleges and universities, the class was absorbed into Family and Consumer Studies. But, with the recent revival of organic foods, handmade goods, and rustic themes, there’s no better time for a reintroduction of this valuable course. What is Pinterest other than society’s attempt to link people back to the self-suﬃciency of a home? Students shouldn’t have to learn crafts, cleaning, cooking and sewing from the Internet. It doesn’t matter whether an individual has a double major, a master’s degree or a prestigious job if they cannot go home to a clean home and make a quality meal for themselves.

As it turns out, the kid in math nomics with the twist of modern class with his feet on the desk whimsy that Pinterest provides. asking, “When are we ever going Recipes for raspberry lemonto use this?” was right. A quality ade, delicious fruit popsicles and education should also consist of cheesy garlic bread are among the traditional life skills. Many high most popular pins of all time, and school graduates haven’t learned stand to prove that society is still everyday tasks like changing the interested in cooking. oil in a car, or doing income taxes. At the very least, a home ecoIt seems like nomic course with the only option a cooking attachis to attend a ment would fill trade school, students’ need for learn one skill practical knowlthoroughly and edge by giving There’s no get a job helping them a platform regular citizens to experiment with better time for a with simple their own foundatasks. This soluknowledge reintroduction of this tional tion is ridiculous of food, health, considering the and family. Health valuable course. Opportunities ease with which through Physianyone can gain cal Education, or remedial knowlHOPE, is already a edge on a trade graduation requireschool subject. ment that teaches Or, schools about exercise and could reintegrate home econutrition.

‘‘

Home economics can expand on the subject of nutrition and health by showing students how to prepare heart-healthy meals in an hands-on environment. Home economics with emphasis can fight childhood obesity and create long lasting, positive effects. Home economics is more relevant than ever, and its time for a reboot. With public interest in health and food increasing, and the introduction of the HOPE course, the next step is to give students a way of applying the healthy values they’ve learned so far. Home economics would not only fill the need for this aspect of education and produce well-rounded students, it would revive a forgotten practice.

1960s

January 2015

12 • Centerspread

The 60s were a tumultuous time of clashes between war and peace. With the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr., the building of the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis and America’s entrance into Vietnam, tensions were mounting around the world. The pressure channeled into the arts, with the emergence of the classic Alfred Hitchcock films, the sci-fi series “Dr. Who,” and the first episode of Sesame Street. The decade closed off with the triumphant moon landing and the Woodstock festival, that embodied peace, love and music; the trademark sentiment of the 60s.

JFK’s legacy lives on

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, America’s 35th president, promoted and stood for values that have survived 50 years later. He expressed the importance of not letting one’s political view get in the way of success; that in order for decisions to be made, both parties needed to know how to compromise. However he also knew when it was necessary to be firm in one’s stance, evident in the Cuban Missile Crisis. “JFK was one of the most beloved, if not the most beloved president in history,” Robert Angert, U.S. history teacher, said. “His leadership was what America needed in the early 60s.” Kennedy was a man who knew the road ahead would be hard and filled with perils, but he didn’t let that stop him. Despite the perils and injustice for many in the 1960s, Kennedy’s presidency was a testament to the nation’s fight for equality. He knew that a society built on

LaNae Fluellen Circulation Manager

12% Asian

75%

Centerspread• 13

Society continues its move to racial equality

racial divide could not possibly survive and in turn dedicated a large part of his career to ending racial inequality. Even more so, JFK knew that America was not just a country meant to reign supreme above others, but a country that should use its power and resources to help those in need. In hindsight, Kennedy promoted ideas that many would come to understand and invoke after his assassination on Nov. 22,1963. “Although it was cut short, I would have loved to have seen the direction that he was going to take civil rights,” David Webb, Assistant Principal, said. John F. Kennedy, in the short span of his 1,000 day presidency, was able to impact the nation, this world and the hearts and minds of generations to come. “A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.” JFK once said.

The average white teenager attends a school that is:

civil rights January 2015

Latino Black White Source: thehigherlearning.com

Above article originally published in a 1963 edition of the Pep O’ Plant.

Plant did not always have the diverse student body it has today. There was a once a time when it was rare to see a person of color walking the hallsbut the civil rights movement changed it all. At the height of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, Americans across the nation decided they would no longer stand for racial inequality. Since the beginning of time, a man’s worth depended on the shade of his skin tone, deemed respectable purely based on his skins melatonin levels. Although no person has control over the color of his skin, it controlled their life and place in society. In the early 1960s, an array of individuals: young, old, black and white decided that it was time for a change. People began to work together, train in non-violent protest and stage sit-ins and peaceful walks, according to the New York Center of Black Research. Citizens knew that if they kept protesting despite the hate they received from many close-minded individuals, they would eventually be heard. “We knew that our voices, no matter how much the media, and a large majority tried to drown them out mattered,” Dr. Jeffrey Smith, a black high school student during the 1960s, said. “So we sat at lunch counters, despite the condiments and drinks being poured on us, we sat in silent protest. We didn’t just sit for ourselves, we sat so that our children, and grandchildren could one day be seen as equal, that they would be able to live in more just and fair world then we did”. Growing tensions between Americans who wanted equality and those who believed in racial inferiority led to increased violence and conflicts across the nation. “We are confronted primarily with a moral issue… whether all Americans are to be afforded equal rights and equal opportunities, whether we are going to treat our fellow Americans as we want to be treated,” late president John F. Kennedy, in his speech against the 1963 Alabama race riots, said. Through the work of thousands of people, with many losing their lives to pave the way, President

Lyndon B. Johnson enacted the Civil Rights Act of 1964. According to government archives, this act outlawed all forms of segregation and discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Civil rights and the call for equality were not only felt in the national arena, but were also prominent in South Tampa. In the 1963 Pep O’ Plant article “Birmingham and Mobile: Plant too?” it says “Plant High is not yet integrated. It might remain status quo for as long as we live. Then again, one day Negro students might enter through its front door to attend classes, walk the halls, and eat lunch with us,” a 1962 article published in the Pep O’ Plant read. “This is something to which no one can close his eyes. Even the most staunch segregationist must admit that integration of the schools is coming.” In the early 1960s, Tampa’s black students primarily attended Middleton High School or Howard W. Blake High School, according to their school website. Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had been enacted,things didn’t change suddenly. The Panther’s 1968 edition was the first Plant yearbook to include students of color-all nine of them. “When they began busing students to Plant there was a lot of tension,” Linda Reiner, student during 1969-72,said. “ I know it erupted in a lock-down and protest one day when I went to the guidance office and suddenly was not allowed to leave for hours. I know desks were thrown in classrooms, and students marched around the school.” Just as society has made gains so has Plant. Although there is still a largely white majority, there is also a diverse fraction of minorities. “If there were more minorities in the school population, there would be more recognition of them and more mixture of friendship,” Katy Wood, junior, said. There is still progress to be made. “I think that so much has changed over my lifetime, but racial equality still has not been achieved,” Reiner now 59 years old, said, “Income and socioeconomic equality will become a greater issue for your generation to tackle.”

In 1963, James Meredith became the first black student to go to the University of Mississippi. By 1968, one out of three black kids went to school with white children.

In 1960, Ruby Bridges became the first black child to attend an all-white school in the south. In July 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. On Aug. 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Source: propublica.org

14 • Arts & Entertainment

January 2015

Arts & Entertainment

January 2015

Arts & Entertainment • 15

OriginalLy Published: September 1973

OriginalLy Published: February 1976 Read about the upcoming film: page 16

Find out who’s playing now: page 17

OriginalLy Published: October 1975

January 2015

16 • Arts & Entertainment

Bond ﬁlm No. 24 spawns high expectations Haley Babbitt Photography Editor No emotion, no attachments. These are the guidelines for being a secret agent in the 007 movies. However, confronted with the harm of his colleagues and loved ones, James Bond develops determination to uncover the secrets and, more so, individuals behind the incidents. Bond’s latest adventure, “Spectre,” the 24th 007 movie, comes out Nov. 6, 2015. Bond goes on a quest to uncover a sinister organization.M tries to keep the secret alive and a cryptic message from Bond’s past drives him to reveal the terrible truth behind “SPECTRE.” A small plot summary teaser which was released in April 2014. Author Ian Fleming first introduced the character James Bond. These popular novels were then continued by other authors af-

Courtesy of 007james.com

In April 2014 at Pinewood Studios, Director Sam Mendes introduced returning cast members Ralph Fiennes,Ben Whishaw,Naomie Harris, and Roy Kinnear. Daniel Craig will also return as the lead role of James Bond.

ter Fleming’s death in 1964, and first transferred to the big screen by Terence Young in 1963. Sean Connery starred as the now iconic secret agent, James Bond.

While many Bond movies may seem to have similar plots and recurring themes, “Spectre” should vary from past films. For one, viewers who watched the

previous film, “Skyfall”, will more easily follow the plot. “[“Spectre”] does relate back to “Skyfall” in many ways,” Sam Mendes, the Director, said, according to 007. com. Another difference is location of the set. Instead of filming in mostly England, “Spectre” is “more international,” according to Mendes, filming in Pinewood, London, Morocco, Mexico, Austria and Italy. “Changing the location will give the movie more options,” Libby Schlaifer, senior, said. “I am a fan of James Bond but the continuous recurring patterns of location and plot does get old.” Contrary to “The end of 007?” published in a 1976 issue of the “Pep O’ Plant”, James Bond has survived. The Bond franchise is ranked No. 2 as the series that produced the most revenue; below the Har-

ry Potter movies as No. 1 and above Star Wars movies as No. 3. James Bond films continue to thrive financially and see a strengthening in fanbase with every box oﬃce release despite the change in actors and directors. Total gross revenue of the Bond movies, not including “Spectre,” is $13.8 billion, according to 007james.com. On average, each movie individually brought in $600 million in revenue. “Skyfall,” released in 2012 and the most successful film in the series, set high expectations for the upcoming release. Though expectations have been set fairly high, the truth of its success won’t be revealed until the premiere this coming fall. Hopefully the legacy will continue.

Take our James Bond quiz at pepoplant.com

Programming provides useful tips for viewers Melissa Jassir Features Editor With the health epidemic sweeping through the 21st century, an increase in television viewing comes as a major complain Bold new headlines arise every year claiming that television will increase the risk of early death. The villain? Television. Yet in reality, television also brings benefits by teaching life lessons. Nowadays, a plethora of educational television programs exist. However, shows for pleasure have tidbits of educational values. For example, criminal shows like “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Castle,” “NCIS” and

“Criminal Minds” teach legal jargon, the Miranda Rights, knowledge of mental and physiological illnesses, how to stay away from strange people and how to win court cases. Some useful bits of knowledge that popular, seemingly un-educational shows have taught me: Nothing good comes after 2 a.m.. Slapsgiving is a real holiday. Long distance relationships may not work, but the care packages are awesome. Your lobster is out there somewhere. Unagi is a state of social awareness. If two people are meant to be, they will find their way together. It is perfectly acceptable to get

emotional over food. The Empire State Building is not very romantic if you have to climb the stairs to the top. Finding good people to date in New York City does not come easy, but never give up. For a girl living with 4 other guys, including an ex-boyfriend, life is very interesting. Never try to hide things from cops or flush bath salts down the toilet. How to Get Away With Murder. The perfect murder weapon: an icepick because it will melt along with the evidence. The IT person is extremely important in solving cases. When the FBI tries to steal your cases and hide critical new leads problems arise. Always be awake when going

to the doctor. If you get artificially inseminated, don’t freak out, you will have support from your family. Cop shows always show a male and female partnership. And almost inevitably, they will end up together unless one of them is unfortunately already married. Revenge is harder than you think. If you think your mom and dad are dead, check again. Doctor shows are always an emotional rollercoaster. Sometimes life will throw curveballs at you -hospital shootings, plane crashes, best friends moving to Switzerland, your husband leaving you for a job mapping brains for the President of the Unit-

To read more articles visit pepoplant.com After school special: $5 off of any catering order

ed States- but you have to push through and keep on living. Go after your passion; don’t let others hold you back.

Test your knowledge: pepoplant.com

PO’P Nikki Lund

January 2015

Arts & Entertainment • 17

January - February concerts Genre

♪ Rock ♪ Hip Hop ♪ Classical

♪

Artist

Date

Venue

Price

Peter Murphy

Jan. 30

Orpheum

$20+

♪

Kongos

Feb. 3

The Ritz Ybor

$56+

♪

Boston Pop Orchestra

Feb. 3

Amalie Arena

$61

♪

Wale

Feb.10

The Ritz Ybor

$56+

Hashtag concert photos #POPshows for a chance to be featured in the Pep O’ Plant.

Celebrities change, trends survive Emily Griewe Copy Editor Teen heartthrobs have long dominated the sphere of popular entertainment. Headshots tattooed with bold headlines tactically aimed to intrigue the “preteen” and teenage demographics still tempt shoppers in checkout lines, usually becoming the impulse buy at the end of the conveyor belt in 2014. Simply mentioning names like Zac Efron, Niall Horan and Dylan O’Brien brighten the mood of the stereotypical high school female. However, crushing on the newest teen pop sensation isn’t a new concept, rather a continuation of a phenomenon that has survived the departing of decades, a metamorphosis of style and transition of trends. The ‘70s persist as a decade honored by nostalgia, the last true decade of creativity in an America not plagued by such corporations as Wal-mart. John Travolta, Patrick Swayzee, David Cassidy Just as decades before and after, TV, movie and pop music stars claim spots on centerfolds and the walls of a “far out” youth. One cannot address the prevalence of heartthrobs without mentioning fan bases, and in 2015, “Directioners” reign supreme. Screaming mobs of girls obsessed with the boy band originally created by The X Factor’s Simon Cowell swarm at any and every opportunity to catch a glimpse of Niall, Harry, Zayne and Louis.

Lionel Hahn/Abaca Press/MCT

Concert tours by One Direction and Justin Timberlake made more money than all other road shows combined in 2014,according to Pollstar. The average number of tickets sold for each of One Direction’s 69 stadium shows in 2014 was 73 thousand.

“I like to think I keep the act of fan-girling pretty low key,” Lauren Lastres, junior, said. It was the group’s sense of normalcy and catchy music that originally attracted Lastres and a group of her friends. “They were staying at the Grand Hyatt this past October for the Raymond James concert and some of my friends got a hotel room there,” Lastres said. “They waited for a suspicious looking car to leave and then they followed and it worked for a little.” 70s pop star David Cassidy, the world’s highest paid solo performer by age 21 at the time, developed a similar following that was said to surpass even that of The Beatles. Cassidy’s fan base has evolved from masses of

groupies outside venues to communities of fans on the Internet where his dreamy legacy survives.. In the –70s, the first Cassidy following collected under the name “David’s Girls Against Disease.” Today, his fan still meet as members of “The Oﬃcial David Cassidy Fan Club” Cassidy starred in the role of Keith Partridge, eldest son on “The Partridge Family,” a musical sitcom about a widowed mother and her five children who start a band and road trip across the country in a school bus. After its cancellation in 1974, Cassidy broke out as a solo act and rose in status to an idolized teen icon with hits like “I Think I Love You” and “Lyin’ to Myself.” Achieving stardom as a double threat, includes dual talents

of singing and acting Star of today Zac Efron first emerged as a Disney star in “High School Musical.” After two subsequent musicals following the original pitch of a sport’s star teenage love drama, Efron continued on to play roles in films such as “Hairspray,” “17 Again” and “Charlie St. Cloud.” Most recently, Efron starred alongside Dave Franco as a scheming frat boy in “Neighbors,” which received a 73 percent rating by movie critics on Rotten Tomatoes. “High School Musical made me realize he’s a cool actor, an okay singer, a bad dancer, but very hot.” Zoe Gholson, sophomore, said. Despite this, Gholson admitted her favorite Efron movie was “That Awkward Moment.” “His character was just so sweet to the girl and his lines were super funny.” Gholson said. Nearly 30 years prior, star John Travolta began a similar path to stardom, also playing an attractive high schooler who develops a habit of breaking out into song in the iconic movie “Grease” released in 1978. The romance targeted the teenage audience and immediately attracted an almost cult-like following. Even after his days as a slicked-back heartthrob, Travolta starred in over 70 feature length films, dabbled in producing, television and more. His most notable role was in Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction,” one of the most highly acclaimed movies of

all time. Though the names and faces of heartthrobs have changed from the 70s to now, the characteristics, such as striking good looks, musical talent and colorful personality remain the same, feeding the powerful attraction to the concept of deitizing entertainers.

Courtesy of davidcassidy.com

David Cassidy is most remembered for his role as the charming and talented Keith Partidge in the 70s sitcom “The Partidge Family.”

Who’s your favorite teenage heartthrob? Let us know at pepoplant.com

January 2015

18 • Sports

January 2015

OriginalLy Published: November 1987

Sports

Sports • 19

SeE the change: page 23

January 2015

20 • Sports

The NBA needs a new look

Current classrooms host different purposes than previous years PO’P Haley Babbitt

The cheerleading squad cheers on the sideline during a home football game. The cheerleaders train hard before every event, showing their dedication.

Cheerleaders hollaback at negative stereotypes Katie Whitson News Editor

Robby Killette Online Editor-in-Chief Let’s be honest here, who didn’t love watching basketball back in the day, when players wore high socks and short shorts? Yeah, I know most of Plant High wasn’t alive when players wore those uniforms, but just imagine if they wore those today. “Look good, play good.” That should have been the NBA’s motto from the ‘60s to the mid ‘90s. A perfect example of NBA style back in the ‘80s was Lakers forward Kurt Rambis. No one on the court looked as fresh as Rambis. He rocked the thick-rimmed glasses and classic mustache, all while putting up double-doubles on a nightly basis. There’s a reason why there were so many great players in those decades, they got to wear those uniforms that helped them dominate on the hardwood. The combo of the tube socks and short shorts compare to the legendary duos of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen or Shaq and Kobe. Even today, players still wish to get the old uniform styles back. Take Clippers Guard Chris Douglas-Roberts, who requested his shorts in a size too small to replicate the feel of the classic shorts, for example. Douglas-Roberts changed shorts style due to the ability to move easier the more comfortable fit in shorter shorts, which helps with his defensive play. I’ll tell you what, the NBA should bring back the authentic style of the ‘70s and ‘80s. It doesn’t affect the coaches, management or the commissioner, so why not? C’mon, Commissioner Adam Silver, I’m waiting.

Sports • 21

“Do you ever wander the halls of Plant and hear echoes from the past, telling you what was here long, long ago?”

I’ll tell you what...

Column

January 2015

Cheerleading, an All-American high school sport, holds a long-established position in Plant athletics. Despite cheerleading’s rank as the second youth sport in “catastrophic injuries,” according to the United States Sports Academy, some cheerleaders feel that people underestimate their skill level in addition to holding more personal prejudices against cheerleaders. “I feel like a lot of times, people don’t realize how much work cheerleading takes,” Olivia Goutoufas, junior, said. “People take us as a joke sometimes and we had to practice a lot to get where we are.”

In addition to practices for the school squad during the week and performing at school sports events, many cheerleaders practice outside the gates of Plant. “[I cheer] about eight to nine hours a week between practices, competitions, and other events,” Allison Daley, junior, said. Spectators often only observe the squad calling out cheers on the sidelines at sporting events. However, stunts and tumbling skills required to make the team require hours of practice at cheer-focused gymnastics centers. “Even though it involves dancing, it takes a lot of work and muscles to pick up girls and tumble,” Gabriella Casares, freshman, said.

The conclusion of the football season marks the beginning of competition season for the school team. Squad members commute to other high schools during the week in order to compete, often arriving back home as late as 11 p.m. some nights, according to captain Caroline Miller, senior. “It’s hard because we get back really late and are tired from competing and have to start our homework,” Miller said. “It’s especially diﬃcult if I have multiple tests the next day.” Not only do the cheerleaders dislike the perception that the squad lacks talent, but they object to use of cheerleader stereotypes to define their personal conduct. “It’s hard to believe that some-

one would be able to have an idea of cheerleaders as a whole, since I’ve spent so much time with our team and experiencing how different each one of us is,” Miller said. Although sports events constitute a large portion of the time commitment of cheer, the athletes don’t feel that they receive enough credit for their own abilities. “I think people undervalue cheerleading. A lot of people think we are just there to cheer on other sports,” Daley said. Competition season for the cheer squad ends in late January and the squad will continue to cheer at basketball games for the remainder of the season.

Man on the street: What was the best workout music of the 1980s?

• Room 101 - used as a •Room 102 - another Home Reading Resources room where students prepared for testing. Before this, it was a Home Economics room filled with sewing machines where young ladies learned to make garments.

•Room 103 & adjoining oﬃce - was one large kitchen

where students learned to become chefs, and ran “The Golden Spoon” catering service. Today this space powers Plant’s Yearbook and “Pep O’ Plant” publications.

Economics room where young ladies learned how to run households and plan for that “big day,” hosting a “Mock Wedding” in front of the school beneath the flag pole each spring. Today this room is headquarters for “The Morning Show.”

•Room 156 - was a student

lounge (for a very brief period) where students earned the privilege of going there for lunch, as part of Plant’s incentive program

•Room 140 - the Social

Studies Department oﬃces before it became the Reading Resources and Testing room

•Room 215 - was the oﬃce,

the old library till the media center was built, then became an art studio

•Room 152 - housed “Pep O’ Plant” publications before it became a classroom

“Lionel Richie’s ‘Dancing on the Ceiling’. We had a step aerobics routine we had to do to that song everyday in the 7th grade.”

“AC/DC. Anything with

-Ann Glenn, social studies teacher

-Tracy Chevaillier, science teacher

-Peter Jones, math teacher

AC/DC.”

“‘Let’s Get Physical’ by Olivia Newton John. We did a play with that song in the 8th grade. We wore spandex. It was terrible.”

-Margaret Drumsta, science teacher PO’P Allyssa Ashmeade

stores for students where they earned rewards, purchased school supplies and blow pops at lunch

•Room 140 - the Social

Studies Department oﬃces before it became the Reading Resources and Testing room

•Room 006 - was an art room, briefly a computer lab, now an art studio

•Room 125 - used to be a science lab, now it is home to “Sound Production”

•Room 113 - a student

government oﬃce which has become a teacher planning area

Submitted & Compiled by Ginger Goepper

Looking for Special Olympics Coaches

2015 - 2016 school year

* Must be 16 years or older “The ‘Loveshack’ by the B52s. It seemed like every YMCA aerobics class I took they had that song! I just remember grapevining to the right!”

•Rooms 141 & A-142 -

to team up with athletes. Must take 3 hour training.

Fall: Flag Football Spring: Soccer

Special Olympics Project UNIFY® is an education and sports based strategy powered by an engaged youth community that increases athletic and leadership opportunities for students with and without intellectual disabilities, while creating communities of acceptance for all.

See Ms. Radigan Room 151

22 • Advertisement

January 2015

Sports • 23

Plant, Plant, Plant Students’ school spirit skyrockets over past 30 years Erce Phillips Sports Editor Though Angela Adamo may have been right in questioning the lack of school spirit at school, it’s entertaining to look back and see that the school has done some serious student renovation since the 1980s. Now, when presented with the question, “Does Plant have school spirit?” students can answer without a doubt “yes.”” But how do we maintain such an impressive amount of spirit, and why were people concerned about a lack for spirit 20 years ago? Well, the 2014 football season may have ended, but looking back at the team’s impressive record is alone enough to draw in the crowd of students that are regularly attending games. In fact, this isn’t limited to just this past season. Looking back in the record books shows that head coach Robert Weiner’s Panthers have been dominant since 2005, and since 2006 have finished every season with 10 or more wins under their belt. To go along with this are four state championships to show that

they are truly a force to be reckoned with. Another factor that could be contributed to this large amount of team support is simply the enrollment number of over 2,000 students that Plant has. Combine such an impressive showing of actual gameplay with a notably large enrollment number and it’s easy to see why the student section is filled with spirited high schoolers ready to erupt at any touchdown or fantastic play. However, despite the impressive showing of spirit the school has for the football team, it’s hard to argue that this sup-

port ranges outside of football. With student sections completely packed at football games, it’s sometimes odd to go to another sporting event and witness the minuscule crowd of a few parents and close friends. Lack of students at other sports games as opposed to large amounts at football games is simple to explain, however, and it really all comes down to three reasons as to why people won’t show up to a random game or meet. The first reason is simply that some students simply enjoy the sport more. Football, especially when your school spirit can almost look to be driv-

‘‘

Combine such an impressive showing of actual gameplay with a notably large enrollment number and it’s easy to see why the student section is ﬁlled...

en behind a dominant football team, is to most people simply an enjoyable sport to watch. It’s an extremely popular sport in this region of the United States, and people are fans of teams all the way down to the high school level, which shows not only through Plant, but also through the fact that some major high school football events are shown on major broadcasting networks such as ESPN at times. The second reason is that a lack of initial and steady attendance leads to a growth in spirit for that sport and eventually a lack of hype and additional fan attendance. Most situations of sports not receiving good support are due to most students not wanting to go because nobody they know plays and nobody they know is going, which ultimately causes a chain of students that don’t go, and a drop in attendance. However, since football games already have a large attendance and are known for a massive student section, most students will go as they want to be part of a large crowd, not a small one. Finally, most students simply

enjoy going to football games more due to an unchanging element which connects with the last two things mentioned: the time of the games. Friday nights are the perfect time to schedule an event, and football games are truly given the primetime spot. Coming out of a week of school pays off with a home game at the end of it, where it seems not only like the kickoff to a football game, but a kickoff to the weekend. Next time someone asks how amped up Plant’s student section is or how spirited Plant’s school is in general, be proud to posses the ability to answer positively to all of those questions. To go to school in which people have the spirit to cause the student section to roar and be heard across the neighborhoods a mile away, in which people have the spirit to crowd the restaurants across Dale Mabry after a game, in which people have the spirit to drive up to Orlando, witness a loss and are so heartbroken by the season ending that they break down and cry as if they lost a loved one, that’s some school spirit to have pride about.

PO’P Haley Babbitt

(From left to right) The cheerleading and Dancero teams, Kyle Henderson, senior, Whop Philyor, sophomore, Richard Mize, sophomore and members of the student section get amped up during a Friday night football game. The turnout of fans of both students and parents alike was often enough to crowd the entirety of the stands during the 2014-2015 season.

January 2015

24 • Online

Online

January 2015

Online Articles

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December Poll What word should we stop using in 2015? Answer

Literally (5%) Salty (14%) Bae (16%) Bruh (22%) Turnt (43%)

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