‘ PEP O PLANT
H.B. Plant High School• 2415 S. Himes Ave • Tampa, FL, 33629 •March 2016 • Volume 89• Issue 6
Should newly popular eSports be categorized as sports as well? Read the full debate Page 14
Ready for prom? Read up on some of the tips female students gave to make sure your night is truly special Page 6
Find out how a recently passed bill is changing the face of recruitment in Florida school sports programs Page 18 Thomas Harmon, senior, gets ready to serve during a set in Plant’s Match against Robinson. Plant secured victory with a score of 7-0. Photo: PO’P Darnell Henderson
2 • News
Administration defines exam exemption requirements Allison Figueroa Centerspread Editor Exam exemptions are meant to relieve pressure off of graduating seniors, but many find qualifying difficult. A senior must have only five excused absences in the class, no ISS, no ATOSS, no OSS and three quality points for the semester. The term “Quality Point” is the source of some confusion, but meeting the quota is the main way to get exams exempted. Four quality points is an A, three quality points is a B, two quality points is a C, one quality point is
a D and an F is no quality points. “For example, if you got an F and a D, that’s only one quality point for the semester and you cannot exempt your exams,” Erin Melnick, assistant principal, said. Fighting senioritis can be difficult, but meeting the quality point requirement in a class and exempting that exam can sometimes be that extra motivational push to finish off the year strong. “You cannot fail the fourth quarter and exempt your exams,” David Webb, assistant principal, said. Even though the semester requires three quality points,
March 2016
Do I Qualify for Exam Exemptions? No unexcused absences Cannot fail fourth quarter At least a C and a D No disciplinary issues P’OP Allison Figueroa
getting a B in the third quarter and an F in the fourth quarter is still not acceptable. The student handbook states that the senior need not pass both grading periods but must pass the final quarter. The five absence requirement throws a lot of seniors for a loop. Melnick warns about how signing in and signing out can cause
students to lose track of where they are in their absences. If a student signs in late five times, they’ve just hit their limit in first period. Or if they sign out in the middle of the day and come back, they’ve got absences in those classes as well, and it will count towards their exemption. “Excused or not, we have to stick to [the policy],” Melnick
said. “It’s a privilege to exempt your exams and you can always talk to us, but the answer will most likely be no.” Seniors are not only advised to know the requirements for exam exemptions, but to follow them to the best of their ability. But with two days of exams instead of a full week, the trade-off is entirely subjective.
World?
in the
What
March 2016
News • 3
FBI demands Apple for more security Apple, at a court order hearing, refused the FBI to design software to be able to break into the iPhone of Syed Rizwan Farook, the deceased shooter of the San Bernardino terrorist attacks. The FBI is unable to get past the passcode and the only way Apple can get through is by writing a new software for them specifically to get through. The government is justifying their demands with the All Writs Act of 1789 and the fact that there could be valuable information in the phone. Apple argues that the demands are violations of the first and fifth amendments. Why should you care? Everybody knows and cares about their phone. If Apple is forced to comply to the demands of the FBI it will set a precedent for many phones to be unlocked today and in the future. (Sources: New York Times)
Brexit referendum announced
Obama visits Cuba in hopes of reform
Obama nominates Scalia for SCOTUS
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, announced that there will be a referendum on June 23 to allow the citizens to vote on whether the country should stay in the European Union (EU). The EU consists of 28 countries and 19 of them use the euro as their currency. It also has its own parliamentary body governing the member countries and they must adhere to its wide range of rules. Why should you care? If the british vote to stay in the union then they will have to agree to the recent changes to the economic regulations voted on by the member countries and it will allow for easier trade with other member countries. Leaving the EU will give more sovereignty to the UK and will prevent the free movement of european citizens into the UK without a visa. The decision will impact the economies of all the EU member countries. (Source: BBC, europa.eu)
President Barack Obama landed in cuba meeting with not just Cuba’s president, Raul Castro, but the country’s citizens as well. It is the first time a sitting US president has visited the communist country in 88 years. Obama delivered a speech in cuba in hopes of encouraging the government to permit more freedoms to the people and to strengthen relations with them. Why should you care? As part of his visit, Obama spoke with pro-democracy and anti-castro activists. These protesters have verbally clashed with pro-castro supporters not just in the past but hours before Obama landed on the island. Dozens of the activists in the pro-democracy demonstration were arrested and Obama heard of oppression like this from the everyday citizens he spoke to. (Sources: Time, CNN)
United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died on Feb. 13 leaving a vacancy on the supreme court that must be filled. President Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland, chief judge of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, to fill the vacancy. However, GOP senate leaders are against the appointment in the midst of the presidential election year. Why should you care? Garland is a moderate judge that is regarded highly by politicians across the political spectrum. Historically supreme court nominations have been confirmed during an election year without political conflict. The appointment is being done by a democratic president with a senate republican majority. Scalia was a more conservative justice and the appointment of Garland could change the ideological balance on the supreme court. (Source: USA Today) Compiled by: Joseph Rosenberger
March 2016
News • 4
March 2016
Advertisement • 5
6• Features
March 2016
Girls give advice on preparing for prom As 2016 progresses quickly, some students struggle through hard classes and time consuming extracurricular activities. However, at the beginning of April, juniors and seniors look forward to prom. “I am looking forward to prom and my friends will help me get ready,” Katrina Dobrev, junior, said. Where do you find a dress? Most girls struggle with finding a dress because they don’t want to have the same dress as other people, or spend too much money. They can also be picky. The variety of stores in Tampa is an advantage to finding this dress. “I have not found a dress yet but I will definitely go to Urban Outfitters, since they have casual options. I will also check pinterest for other options,” Arden McIntosh, senior, said. An alternative way to shop for prom is Lending Luxury, where people can rent a dress for the night. While it is
PO’P Rachel Ferreri
Emma Heese, junior, applies makeup to Hannah Patterson, junior, before the Ricks Cafe performance. Heese does girls’ makeup before dances like Prom.
difficult since the dresses cannot be altered, people can save money since they are not purchasing their dress, and save money for other things such as tranportation to prom or plans before or after.
Nails Making an appointment for the day before prom is often a good idea because nail salons are less busy, and nails will still look freshly done the next day. Popular
options around Tampa include T & L Nails on Davis Islands and Manhattan Nail Salon, which is about a five minute drive from school. “I always get my nails done at T & L Nails. For prom I’ll probably get them painted either budapest or black,” Mackenzie Malone, junior, said. Hair Everybody has different ideas of what they want their hair to look like for prom. Blow Bar on Dale Mabry and Toni & Guy Hair Salon in International Mall are common places to get hair done, but it’s suggested that appointments are made as soon as possible. “I am definitely getting my hair done at the kiosk outside of Pacsun since they always do a good job on half my hair,” Isabel Moya, senior, said. Stylists suggest that girls getting their hair done for prom provide them with photos of the
styles they want, to ensure that their hair turns out the way they envisioned it. If going to a place like those doesn’t fit the budget, many tutorials are available for DIY hairstyles. Makeup Most people want to do something different than their usual look, but it can be difficult to find something that doesn’t feel like too much. “When I do people’s makeup, I love when people say suprise me because they do not know I am about to throw some bright purples or red in there,” Emma Heese, junior, said. Many places in the mall offer these makeup appointments such as Sephora, Mac and most department stores such as Macy’s and Nordstrom’s. Compiled by Rachel Ferreri , Features Editor, and Maggie Fitzsimmons, Copy Editor
March 2016
Features• 7
Students turn hobbies into businesses Students would normally do an activity out of pleasure but would not expect to have their activity put to business. Jorge Webb, with his car business and Whitney Durrance, with her necklace business, both seniors are put to the test in their business. Whitney Durrance: Q: How did you get started with your business? A: It started when I made a few necklaces for myself just for fun. I began to wear them around and a lot of people started asking me to make one for them. I started ordering the materials in bulk and was making them for my friends who convinced me to make an Instagram. Now I make necklaces in multiple different styles and have people from different schools in Tampa ordering. Q: How do feel about making necklaces? A: Making jewelry honestly gives me something to do and it’s fun for me to come up with new de-
signs. It’s especially fun to pick out new pendants and jewels online to see what new jewelry I can make. Q: What is your favorite necklace you’ve made? A: The long wrap necklace which is the first one I made. Q: What would you say to a person if they were interested in going in this field? A: To make sure you manage your money well- be cognizant of how much money you’re bringing in vs. how much you’re spending. Q: Where do you see your business in a couple of years? A: It’s going to be hard going to college and keeping up with it but I think I’ll be able to manage it. It’s just for fun. I’m not necessarily trying to get too serious with it, but just see where it takes me instead. Jorge Webb: Q: How did you get started with your business? A: It’s me and a friend. My friend,
Ben Coker, has a detailing experience and one day we were just hanging out and he mentioned the idea of having our own detailing company and I thought let’s just do it. Q: How do you push through your worst times? A: Sometimes you find yourself lacking motivation and you just got to do it and you realize that it’s fun like making the website, business card, networking, and marketing. And I enjoy it because I’m doing it with my best friend. And we had some troubles from the beginning but now it’s great Q: When do you consider yourself a success? A: I would say as of right now we’re doing pretty well and right now the main goal is to make money and go to college. But as long we’re making money and making people happy it’s great. Q:How does it feel going in the car business? A: I think it’s great. It’s an inter-
PO’P Blair Eustace
Jorge Webb, senior, runs a car cleaning and detailing business with a friend. Webb said he hopes to make enough money to not work in college.
esting experience and you get to meet other car dealing owners and it’s kind of experience to go into business and make money. Q: Where do you see your business in a couple of years?
A: Flourishing in a multinational level. And making enough money where I don’t need to be working in college. Compiled by Katie Chae, Business Manager
8• Features
March 2016
Students explain impact of stress in daily lives Rachel Ferreri Features Editor Most students are under a lot of pressure to do well in their classes, be involved and go on to do big things in life. Thinking about expectations is a major stressor for some students. Some activities are stressful because students put pressure on themselves and sometimes parents and friends add to the stress, along with teachers increasing workload. “When I am really stressed out, I try make self deprecating jokes because who doesn’t love to laugh at how quirky I am,” Kent Malizia, junior, said. Many students cram as many as seven AP classes into their schedules, participate in various varsity sports, serve the community through volunteering or are a part of club boards. The amount of work required by each of these things is enough to send any student into overload. “I’m a stress eater usually, es-
pecially during big test weeks, or I just watch Netflix and attempt to avoid the stressful things,” Sarah Segrouchini, junior, said. After talking to many stu-
PO’P Zoe Antinori
dents, it was established that the most stressful weeks of school are the weeks before Thanksgiving, winter break, spring break and final exams. This is because it is the
most logical time for teachers to add last minute tests to the grades before students spend a few weeks forgetting material. “I cry, eat and hit things when I am worried about tests,” Genevieve Greminger, sophomore, said. Many students also worry about standardized tests like the SAT and ACT. For juniors and seniors, getting the scores are important for scholarships as well as college admittance. “Stress makes me anxious, unsteady and I get belligerent at things easily,” Gabe Rincone, freshman, said. Stress can take forms other than just academics. Students can feel worried about various social situations, as well as an abundance of extracurricular activities. “It takes a skill to balance academics and extracurriculars. Once one thing slips, there is almost a snowball effect, making it worse if you don’t act fast enough,” Matthew Hafer, junior, said.
Social stress is a very real thing in high school. One of the big struggles among high school students is trying to figure out who you are as a person. Each day, students are faced with decisions such as who to take to prom, whether they should go to the party, and more. “I personally use stress as a motivator so that it doesn’t overwhelm me too much,” Garrett Spicola, junior, said. Students can use techniques like yoga, meditiation, exercise, and more to relax themselves and get away from the pressure for a while. “Personally, when I am really stressed out, I like to go for a run on Bayshore either by myself or with one of my friends,” Laura Gonzalez, junior, said. Students also find leisure activities to relieve stress such as painting, writing, reading, or beach trips.
March 2016
Advertisement • 9
10• Centerspread
Centerspread • 11
March 2016 March 2016
Black lives matter
1865
A disrespect to other races? Or the new civil rights movement?
1961 1965 1965 MLK Jr. Assassinated
Start of BLM Movement
Jenna Snodgrass, senior
Aaron Phillips, sophomore
Dylan Fidler, sophomore
Corey Thompson, senior
ShanTorrian Underwood @ToryUnderwood
#IfTheyGunnedMeDown today which picture would they use?
Mark Halloway, Resource Officer “Some officers might express their opinions openly in public. I don’t feel that is a good idea, and it’s not going to be in favor of everybody. And at the end of the day our number one responsibility is to serve and protect, bottom line... Regardless of how we feel about any president or candidate that comes to town that we don’t like, if we are put on that detail, we need to protect that person. It could be, me as a black man, having to protect a Klansman or a rally for something like that. If I’m sworn to protect and serve that movement for that day, it is what I have to do, and I have to put my feelings aside.”
Eric Garner killed
Darron Porter senior
Mitch Buntyn
“Affirmative action had been labeled as a system to move POC ahead of others and to give them a special look or privilege when applying for a job or college, when it is a system to level the playing field so everyone has an equal opportunity at higher education and employment.”
“Reverse racism... is most common in the world of college education, due to affirmative action, which is counterproductive and does more harm than good. Affirmative action programs set people up for failure. Instead of having them go to a college where they can handle the workload, they are pushed to go to a more difficult college, which leads them to drop out and owe money. It's the same with race-based scholarships.”
Hector Amezcua: Sacramento Bee: TNS
Jachai DeJesus senior
If They Gunned Me Down hashtag begins
“The song [Beyonce] performed, the outfits, and hair all added to a more compelling display of black pride. There is not such thing as going "too far" when it comes to expressing ones culture. Beyoncé showed the world a piece of American History. Frankly, it's the blackest thing Beyoncé has ever done.”
“Even I get hesitant to talk about race sometimes, because a lot of things revolve around race and people just don’t want to see it that way. I think if we talked about [race] when we were younger and made it less of a taboo thing, the issues that we have wouldn’t completely go away, because there are still racist people no matter what, but it would alleviate a little bit.” -ShanTorrian Underwood, junior
senior
“There is a misconception that affirmative action causes schools to elect an unqualified person of color over a qualified white person, and this is not the case. Affirmative action encourages schools to elect the person who can contribute the more unique perspective to their community when choosing among equally qualified candidates people.”
Clayton Hurd junior
I don’t think we need to have the Back the Blue movement. And not because I disagree with it. I believe we shouldn’t have to have a movement to support the people who dedicate their lives to protecting our safety. That support should never wane, never weaken, and certainly never be as bastardized as it has become today, where one need only support the protectors until they benefit someone other than oneself.
Carolyn Cole: Los Angeles Times: TNS
Back the Blue hashtag begins
2015 2015
Beyonce’s Halftime Show
Michael Brown killed
2014 2014 2015
Sarah Bland found dead
Lissie Elorza
2014 2014
Plant High School, FL
143, 696
Tamir Rice killed
Affirmative Action, Beyonce, and #BacktheBlue
junior
148,959
Trayvon Martin killed
2012 2014
Andre Chung: MCT
Right to Vote
1968 2012
Leila Navidi: Minneapolis Star Tribune: TNS
Andrew Levesque, junior
Slavery Ends
2014 2015
All Lives Matter begins
12• Opinions
Pep O’ Plant 2415 S. Himes Avenue, Suite 103 Tampa, Florida 33629 (813) 272-3033 ext. 247
Editors-in-Chief Bennett Taylor Erce Phillips News Editor Joseph Rosenberger Features Editor Rachel Ferreri Opinions Editor Matt Blydenburgh Arts & Entertainment Editor Savannah Lowry Sports Editor Jacob Robinson Centerspread Editor Allison Figueroa Photography Editor Ysabella Canto Public Relations Zoie Ashmeade Webmaster Gianna Cacciatore Business Manager Katie Chae Circulation Manager Sam Werner Copy Editors Emilia Difabrizio Blair Eustace Maggie Fitzsimmons Staff Artist Zoe Antinori Photographer Darnell Henderson Staff Writer Pershia Haj Faculty Adviser Louisa Avery The Pep O’ Plant is Plant High School’s studentrun 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.
Follow us on Twitter @plantpop Follow us on Pinterest pepoplantnews Follow us on Instagram @pepoplant
March 2016
Seniors deserve greater leeway on exam exemptions Editorial As second semester of senior year begins, many seniors begin to feel the excitement of the approaching events at the end of the year. From prom to Grad Bash and ultimately graduation in June, seniors bask in the comfort that the difficulties of high school are all but complete and adulthood draws even nearer. However, this excitement can be cut short by the idea of facing final exams as a senior. Most students currently meet the requirements of the exam exemption policy put in place by administration: accrue no more than five excused absences from each class, have no disciplinary records with student affairs and three quality points in each class. The only true concern with these requirements stems from the five absence policy instated. Unless a prearranged agreement is made between a student and administration, almost any excused absence of any nature will count against
that student’s five allowed absences. Even in cases of college orientations made mandatory by that student’s university or even long-lasting illness, a senior still must take their exams at the end of the year. Seniors should be offered the opportunity to prevent absences in extenuating circumstances to not count towards the five-absence policy that would later require them to take their exams in May. Particularly in cases of extreme sickness with an extended require rest period, such as strep throat, flu and mononucleosis, a student must have time to recuperate from this sickness due to the particularly taxing symptoms they exhibit over the course of their time in recovery. Students with these afflictions will already face a rather significant disadvantage in their classes because of this, and will have to make up all of the work that they have missed from class. As the year comes even closer to its end, much of this class time is spent in preparation for the end of curriculum and for AP
‘‘
Seniors should not be penalized for attending required college orientations if required to do so by their university.
PO’P Zoe Antinori
exams in May, which usually results in a significant spike in a senior’s workload for their courses. By forcing a senior to take their semester exams after losing valuable class time getting over highly taxing illnesses, these students are essentially punished for something that is almost entirely out of their control. In almost every situation, seniors who will attend college after graduation will have some kind of mandatory orientation they must attend at the request of their school. These orientations usually last the course of a couple days and often take place while high school is still in session. However, these sessions still count against the five absence policy and missing class to attend may result in
the administration of final exams. Although some schools may offer sessions after graduation, there are many students who are required to attend summer terms as part of their admission conditions and thus must attend an early orientation. Due to this inevitability, seniors should not be penalized for attending required college orientations if required to do so by their university. Altogether, the absence policy does draw a very logical argument for its basis, but cases of excused absences that have more insignificant purposes should still count against a student’s allotted days. Despite this, circumstances out of a student’s control should not further damage what should be an enjoyable final semester.
Have an opinion of your own?
Check out the article online, and leave a comment at www.pepoplant.com
Opinions• 13
March 2016
Pro Vs. Con:
Should eSports be considered sports?
Column Joseph Rosenberger News Editor eSports possess many elements of traditional sports and the definition of sports has become largely flexible over the years so as to categorize video games, chess and other nonathletic games as more than just a competition. ESPN has recently began coverage of eSports, last years winter X-games featured eSports and eSport competitions are now being played in football and basketball stadiums in front of tens of thousands of viewers. The video games played at these world wide tournaments require just as much practice and training as traditional sports. Endless hours are invested into developing incredibly complicated strategies for these games that require it. Professional gamers possess lightning fast reflexes and, as a team, can make hundreds of decisions in minutes. The top players in the world have million dollar salaries and to get to that status players have to climb an extremely competitive ladder. The excitement at these competitions are real and the same amount of viewers as the MLB World Series or the NBA playoffs will tune in to world championships of e-sports like League of Legends, Starcraft II, Super Smash Bros., Counter-Strike, Hearthstone, and many others. Many will agree that for a game to become a sport it requires physical exertion. E-sports require very minimal physical exertion. However, this hasn’t prevented the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the authority of the Olympic games, from categorizing games
like chess, bridge and billiards as sports. None of those require any physical exertion whatsoever and billiards is the only one of the three to require tactical ability. If chess is considered a sport for the cognitive ability and strategy players need in order to be the best than eSports certainly should reach the status of sport. Starcraft II, for example, is one of the most popular competitive video games and requires strategy and attention far more intense than that of chess. Players must develop economies, dispatch armies and extract minerals while simultaneously predicting moves and adapting to the final goal of victory. It is a macro game where one defeat or comeback is not as straightforward. But one small mistake can be taken advantage of by the other player resulting in inevitable defeat and expected surrender. Some eSports don’t require as much intensive strategy as Starcraft II but do require tons of practice. Games like these require quick in the momet actions. A popular example is Super Smash Bros. Everybody who has played this Nintendo classic thinks they are one of the best players there are. But if you don’t have a lot of experience you will get destroyed by those who know the best combinations of actions instead of just mashing the butons. Other examples like this include Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. Traditional sports have similar required skill sets as those in Super Smash Bros. that you need in order to be successful. Basketball, football, and baseball players need to be able to react quickly without thinking. The only way to be able to do this is through hours and hours of practice. eSports are not physically taxing but the most popular ones are very much mentally taxing. They require patience, intelligence, quick reflexes and strong communication. And they culminate into pure excitement, outrage or shock just like any other sport. It should be expected, then, that the IOC will consider e-sports as a sport in the not too distant future.
Column Erce Phillips Editor-In-Chief
P R O
C O N
Whether familiar to the subject matter of video games or not, it’s impossible to shy away from the fact that gaming has reached new heights, and some people are now making a living - even a killing - off of playing games competitively, through various “eSports”, a term used to define taking the aspects of competing or playing a sport, but through playing video games. Now, does this all mean that eSports should be classified as a sport themselves? Well, not exactly. As playing video games has shown a steady rise in popularity over the past years, video gaming has broken away from a small clique and has entered the mainstream as a means of entertainment. However, with the rise of gaming comes the rise of gaming competitively. While video games may have been played in “competition” ever since they begun, with the introduction of online multiplayer shooter games such as “Quake” and “Counter-Strike” in the late 1990s, some of the most popular video games to date such as “League of Legends”, “DOTA”, and “Starcraft” have moved away from playing through a story and have catered all of the game towards playing competitively against other people. Though the idea may seem crazy without prior research, people have now made careers out of playing games for a living, and in a way, some of these professional gamers have lives that reflect those of professional athletes. Compete at major events in large arenas which pack loads of
fans and spectators, and, if good enough, cash out crazy prize pool amounts and build up a net worth of millions of dollars. Despite all of these parallels, however, it should still be noted that eSports are still not a sport, they are a competition, and people who play “Starcraft” should be treated like people who play Chess: as competitors, not athletes. By textbook definition, a sport is “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature,” and playing video games for long periods of time is most certainly not an athletic, physically requiring activity in any regards. Being good at a video game is completely different than being good at a sport. Though it should be said that playing certain video games at top level require tons of mental focus and crazy reaction times, it still doesn’t match up to the physical requirements and training of traditional sports. For the time being, attempting to push eSports to have the same label as sports is not only wrong by dictionary terms, but it is doing nothing but hurting the industry built around it. For example, a large majority of people have never heard of eSports at all, and by asking random people with no prior knowledge to the subject matter, “Do you think playing video games competitively is a sport?”, many will tell you no. With this being said, showing major eSports tournaments on ESPN is not going to build up a positive feedback that many gamers may want eSports to have, because by broadcasting to a population who care for traditional sports, it is doing nothing but confusing people who know nothing about video games and giving them an ample opportunity to call these competitors nerds. So, while it’s undeniable that eSports is on the rise as a growing form of entertainment each day, calling them sports is an incorrect statement. Though society may ultimately bring eSports into the mainstream, they should not be held under the same umbrella as sports, and it’s best if everyone keeps it that way.
14• Advertisement
March 2016
Arts & Entertainment •15
March 2016
Animal Collective releases colorful album E
Tribune News Service
Emilia DiFabrizio Copy Editor
xperimental pop group, Animal Collective, has recently released their long-awaited new album, "Painting With". Active since 1999, Animal Collective is composed of friends and collaborators Avery Tare, Panda Bear, Deakin and Geologist. This is the band’s tenth album, following 2012’s Centipede Hz. "Painting With” is bright and colorful, however it might be an adjustment for long time listeners of the band. This album sounds near skeletal, straying away from the deep, indulgent sounds used on past albums such as their 2009 “Merriweather Post Pavilion”. However, their latest release’s ebullience is reminiscent of their 2007 record "Strawberry Jam”. While not as expansive and
wide-sounding, “Painting With” is still sweet, sharp and catchy. Its concerted sound directs the listener through the album, creating music that commands attention. The band noticeably uses less effects, yet they maintain a shining exuberance, especially exemplified on the track, “Floridada”. The album’s brevity is not underwhelming, though, as round, jungly songs are easy to lose oneself in. Fantastical sounds guide the audience through the record, and prominent vocals only add to the work. Furthermore “Painting With” is a minimalist approach from Animal Collective, especially in comparison to past albums. While energetic and playful, it lacks the expanse to make this album great. There is a noticeable shift within the group’s direction
with the music compared to the magic of their first few albums. After a few listens, the audience can see the simplistic approach the band took with this record. Longtime fans may be disappointed with the lack of depth to the record, as it lacks the depth and range to really reach its own world. While loud and entertaining, the album has a tendency to come across as superficial and lacking depth, an unfortunate shift in the band’s artistry. Past albums have felt more urgent and important, and “Painting With” seems to slightly be a chore, which is not unusual for bands that have been around over 15 years, as members have grown and changed as people exponentially. While “Painting With” is playful and shiny, it lacks the same heart Animal Collective has had before, perhaps marking a lull or an end to an era for the band.
16•Arts and Entertainment
March 2016
Anthropomorphic buddy cops tackle mystery
Column
W
Bennett Taylor Editor in Chief
hat happened to children’s TV and movies? Nickelodeon’s current lineup of shows, aimed primarily aimed at preteens, reeks of cheap production value and simply horrifyingly shallow plots. “Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn,” “Max and Shred,” and “Henry Danger” all currently run as part of Nickelodeon’s live-action shows. From what the brief promotional clips, during commercials in between Spongebob episodes, show, these shows are cheap, assembly line- like programs that somehow did not get the axe after a season. What happened to original, creative programming, and when
did live-action TV best animated series in terms of children’s shows? Pixar, almost inversely, has seemed to thrive at producing original films for their young audiences. “Inside Out” recently won an Oscar, while “Up”similarly attracted large crowds with it’s creative story and entertaining, unique characters that animation allows. In what seems to follow a profitable trail of animated productions, “Zootopia,” directed by Byron Howard, Rich Moore and Jared Bush, beautifully depicts a rich story of a young bunny named Judy as she chases her dreams of being a police officer in a diverse, intriguing city called Zootopia. In a refreshing change of pace, this children’s story taught a message to its young audience of acceptance and ability to recognize each differences and accept them, while slipping in a vast array of jokes and references poking at current world systems in animal terms. Strikingly precise and detailed, Judy’s Iphone, with a carrot instead of an apple adorned on the back, ran on the “PB&J” network. Even the assistant mayor Bellweather, a sheep, remarks that she only got her spot because the
mayor, a lion, wanted to carry the sheep vote. I also believe Bellweather slipped in a reference to the Ways and Means Commit-
Tribune News Service
tee, referring to it as Herds and Grazes, or something of the sort. With a plot that I expect-
ed of “London Has Fallen,” the story diligently described an interesting story of governmental corruption, with twists that reminded me of any episode of NCIS; the first identified villain, of course, was not the true villain, and all the aspects of a governmental conspiracy plot. The dark, careful infiltration of the bad guy’s lair, the crime lord, the mystery, even a jump scare is all there, and it brilliantly advances plot in a visually stimulating way. But the moral that the story conveyed brilliantly described a message that is directly applicable to today’s society; that being, that all peoples are different, but these differences do not elevate one above the other, and individuality in any person can transcend common traits in a group. Such a politically charged message is not sloppily mixed into the story last minute, like vanilla into a boiling pot of fudge on a Thursday afternoon; it accompanies each phase of the story, often fueling the conflict on which the story develops. Judy’s parents beg her not to go to the downtown district, worried for all the bad people that the city has; the fellow cops at the station, all male and bulky,
dismiss the female, tiny bunny. These surprisingly mature themes indicate a level of thoughtful plot development, dedocated writers and the basic want to produce something worthwhile that would give children a message that they could at least remember at the thought of the movie. Such elements help convey the message of inclusion, but also recognize the still lacking deficiencies that society lacks. Such a rich film deserves high praise in a culture so keen on profits and ratings. “Zootopia” tackled tough issues with a fiercely original, visually pleasing story through an animated bunny, bent on reaching her dreams. As a conossueir of the so called dad joke, the obvious animal humors encompassed by this film provided a sincere and hearty laugh; notably, the opening scenes. stuffed full of rabbit jokes, had me, chuckling. Witty references and lighthearted commentary on life’s irks all create a sense of for older viewers, while playful characters and funny lines keep a young audience happy and entertained. Pixar has proven they are a formidable producer .
Check out a review of the new restaurant, Drama Burger @ pepoplant. com
March 2016
Sports •17
New FHSAA bill paves way for high school recruiting...
Coaches and players weigh in on controversial bill Jacob Robinson Sports Editor Walk into the gymnasium at any point during the school year from the classroom side, and look at the many state championship banners hanging up at the wall near the south end basket. The tradition set here includes multiple state titles, final four finishes and seasons with records well over 50%. The water tower that reads “Plant High School- Home of State Champions” not only shows what it’s like to be a Panther for South Tampa, but for the rest of Hillsborough County. The way that the athletics continue to do extremely well is by home-grown talent in the South Tampa area. Kids from Coleman, Wilson and others come not only for academics, but also to get a piece of what it is like to be a state champion. But the new FHSAA bill will put an end to all of it. There will be no more town environment and tradition. The bill gets rid of the one year waiting rule for transfers. It also says that anyone can go to any high school for whatever reason, as long as the school isn’t full, you haven’t gotten suspended, you meet the required 2.5 GPA in order to participate in the sport, and you can get a ride to and from the school. Coach Carrie Mahon, head girls’ basketball coach, strongly voiced her displeasure with the bill. “It doesn’t personally scare me, I just hate how it’s going to detract from the normal high school experience, and this is going to turn into the way that it is for every other level of athletics,” Mahon said. “If you’re within an hour drive, we are now all competing for the same group of kids. The debate then becomes, if there are ten kids who want to go here, who determines who gets those ten open spots?” Brian Kenny, wrestling coach, said. This not only paves the way for high school “free agency”, but also opens the door to recruiting straight out of middle school. Coaches can’t get caught
recruiting, or else there are some offenses. The first and second offenses result in fines, but the third offense results in that coach’s teaching license being taken away. But here’s the catch: Only the
because of the prestigious championships,” Atlas said. The new bill is great for those who want to make money. Stations like Bright House Sports Network will see an increase in
come to Plant. I think the good will get better, which is nice, since we’re the good tier,” Culpepper said. “If it becomes legal, I believe I would try and persuade others to come play with us,” Trina said.
PO’P Blair Eustace Football Coach Robert Weiner talks with assistant coaches in the homecoming game against Sickles on Oct. 9. They went on to win the game 28-21. head coach has a teacher license. Hypothetically speaking, the many assistants on one’s staff can directly recruit, because they aren’t the one with a license to protect. There are loopholes everywhere. “What’s to prevent me from telling an assistant coach to tell a player that he would love it here at this school?” said Cameron Coleman, boy’s basketball coach, said. Some athletes would take recruiting into their own hands and try to persuade others to come be a Plant Panther. “If I could I would. It was unfair with the paperwork for transferring, so had this bill been introduced in the past, I would have gone straight to Plant,” said Dylan Wilson, sophomore, who is a transfer from Tampa Bay Tech and plays basketball. Lexie Atlas, junior, who plays volleyball, also agrees she would without a doubt come here. “It’s interesting because I probably wouldn’t have gone to a school farther away, but I was choosing between Plant and Berkeley
profits. This bill applies to all sports, but Volleyball Head Coach Margeaux Sinibaldi thinks it doesn’t really apply to hers. “It’s not about top teams being good at recruiting, it’s more good players wanting to play for teams because they’ve built that tradition of being a good program. They don’t have to recruit anymore, because if you’re a player who wants to play college volleyball, you’re gonna look for the school that will get you there,” Sinibaldi said. Like Coach Sinibaldi, Coach Robert Weiner thinks although it’s positive for school choice, football won’t be affected. “I look at the possibilities, and I feel like from Plant’s perspective if it hasn’t happened before, it won’t happen now where there are people leaving this school,” Wiener said. Kyle Trina, junior, and Judge Culpepper, sophomore, disagree on the assessment made by Coach Wiener, as Culpepper took a modest approach to the issue. “There’s gonna be a lot of people who are going to want to
For basketball, Coach Coleman is all for it. “It seems pretty cool on paper but I will say this: I’m not the type of person who will go out of his way to try and track down a kid because there is a big problem with that. Now it becomes an ‘I-owe-you type situation.” “If you come to Plant with the whole mindset of basketball first and school second because I’m the deciding factor, what happens if it doesn’t work out? You get cut, or be declared ineligible, or even get hurt? That’s the problem.” said Coleman. What concerns the coaches is when a given player comes to a school for a particular coach or position coach. If that coach ends up leaving, the new coach is given an athlete who either doesn’t want to play for the school or is going to end up transferring. On whether or not it creates a leveled playing field, it probably won’t. “For wrestling, you’re gonna see a couple good schools will get better. Riverview or Steinbrenner may get kids that would go to
either Jesuit or Brandon. There will be a small shift then a gap, followed by everyone else. The rich will get richer. The lower tiers might not catch up to the top,” said Kenny. But maybe in five years, it will be a free-for-all. “You won’t see teams get worse, but teams that will stick out that they are that much better,” said Chase Hollmer, a wrestling assistant coach. Something that comes to mind to every athlete or future athlete in the state of Florida is the level of talent at each school. If an athlete gets cut from the Steinbrenner basketball team, can’t that athlete take his or her talents to a different school, like King or Freedom? Can’t someone who isn’t getting enough minutes transfer to a school where he goes from riding the bench to a starting athlete? That is what concerns all of the coaches: high school sports turning into high school free agency. Payton Paro, junior, admits that she is torn on the decision of getting players to come play for Plant. “I don’t mind playing against my friends. That’s a part of the fun. I know someone from just about every school in Hillsborough County and it’s friendly competition, but I don’t mind if they come here,” Paro said. Soccer coach John Feely knows that this bill doesn’t necessarily mean that it will allow an athlete to play for the best high school. “It’s all about trying to get exposure for colleges and scholarships, like baseball and trying to be drafted. If you happen to be at the wrong school, it could hurt your chances so that makes a big difference. We’ve seen people willing to buy homes to go to a certain high school. So now that they have that ability to do it easier, it’s gonna happen a lot,” Feely said. All of it is overwhelming for any coach, athlete, or parent. Come a couple of years, the art of high school sports as we know it will be changed, but it is unclear on whether or not it will be positive or negative. Only time will tell.
18 • Sports
March 2016
Girls flag football looks forward to new season Savannah Lowry Arts and Entertainment Editor Last season, girl’s flag football made it to district playoffs, but lost to Robinson High School and therefore, falling short of receiving the title of State Champions. However, they have high hopes for this year’s season as they prepare to take on teams in their district. The team approaches the new season with skills in regards to both mental and physical capabilities. “Our team’s greatest advantage is that we have speed on offense and also very mentally capable people on defense,” said sophomore, Martie Mahon. According to junior, Maysie Calzon, the team’s greatest advantage is, “that we put a lot of work in, to be the best that we can be.” Throughout past seasons, the greatest competition has been
with Robinson High School’s team, but that spot could be taken this year as Robinson is no longer in their district. Although, according to Mahon, the two girls flag football teams will be playing each other for, “pure fun and bragging rights.” As the season charges on players are looking forward to different things the sport and team may provide. “I’m looking forward to learning the game better and becoming closer to my teammates,” said Alexys Mathangani., freshman. As it is her first year on the team she also finds her teammates for the season to be, “really fun and welcoming.” Also, as the season continues Calzon is, “looking forward to seeing how far the team goes this year and bonding as a team.” With a new season comes a universal goal of the flag football girls is to be state champions, however there is a variety of goals
for the team and personal goals via teammates. “I am looking forward to getting scrapes and bruises showing that I play hard,” stated Mahon. Girls flag football is a stand out as one of the few to be exclusive to girls and also, according to Calzon due to their “great diversity of players from basketball, soccer, volleyball and much more.”
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“Our teams greatest advantage is that we have speed on offense and also very mentally capable people on defense,” said sophomore, Martie Mahon.
PO’P Gianna Cacciatore Jesse Harbaugh, sophomore, gets ready for the snap in a drill during practice. The team is currently undefeated at 3-0.
PO’P Darnell Henderson Thomas Harmon, senior, leans into his forehand during a match against Robinson High School on March 22. He is the number 1 seed on the team.
Tennis star reflects on end of season Sam Werner Circulation Manager The tennis season is coming to an end, as Thomas Harmon, senior, reflects on his career and the season on the team. He will continue to play, as he will attend Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia and be on their tennis team. Q: What matches are coming up and how do you expect the team to do? A: Districts are coming up. I definitely think we can win districts, there are some tougher teams like Steinbrenner, but I think if the whole team plays the way they should we have a good chance at winning. Last year we placed second, which was a decent result, but we had lost some matches that were very winnable. Q: What do you enjoy most about the matches and practice? A: I love the team aspect, it’s fun because tennis is such an individual sport and so whenever we compete together it makes tennis a lot more interesting. Q: What do you hope to accomplish for the rest of the tennis season? A: My goal is to win states, I competed in states last year and did not play my best. There are some very tough competitors but
I think that if I practice hard, I will be able to take the title. Q: How does the team compare this season to previous seasons? A: Our team this season has many more underclassmen than we have had in the past. It’s not necessarily a bad thing; if anything it means that if they continue to improve the team will only get better in the coming years. Q: What are you most proud of (so far) in your tennis career? A: I am most proud of my rankings in the state. I have played tons of tournaments to achieve my ranking and I am very happy with the results. Q: Do you have any plans for tennis in the future? A: I am playing college tennis, so I hope to do the best I can there and support the team.
Be sure to check out the other interview with Katherine Arnold, senior on our online website: pepoplant.com
March 2016
Sports•19
Bottom Line Is… History will be made in new baseball season
Column Jacob Robinson Sports Editor Another baseball season is upon us. Sit back and take in the 162 games over the span of the upcoming summer, because it’ll cease to amaze anyone. During this offseason, many stars followed the money and found new teams. David Price went to Boston on a 7-year, $217 million deal. Zack Greinke left Los Angeles for 6 years and $206.5 million to join the Arizona Diamondbacks. Jason Heyward went to Chicago
from St. Louis for at least 8 years and $184 million. Now it’s obvious; that’s a lot of money. Many teams spent big in the offseason, regardless on whether or not it was to make the postseason, or to take the next big step to win a world series. Bottom line is, history will be made in this 2016 MLB season. Many people think that since it’s an even year, the San Francisco Giants will win the World Series. They won it in 2010, 2012, and 2014, so it all signs point to another “Fall Classic” victory. It is for good reason, as the Giants added prized free agent pitchers Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija to an already deadly pitching staff. Another option is the Boston Red Sox, who had a rather nice offseason when acquiring pitchers David Price and Craig Kimbrel. The Red Sox also didn’t lose anyone big on offense, so during the David Ortiz farewell tour, they will look to go from worst to first again, and win it all like they did three years ago. But this year is where the Chi-
cago Cubs will break the “Curse of the Billy Goat” en route to winning their first World Series championship since 1908. They’re the favorite to win it all, due to Theo Epstein’s smarts and the way he has approached the offseason. Epstein is a miracle worker, as he has reversed a curse before. He was the General Manager of the Boston Red Sox, and took them to win the 2004 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. They came back down 3-0 against the rival New York Yankees to win the series 4-3, making history. Now that Epstein is in Chicago, he will get to work his magic again. He and his team are prepared to win the NL Central and go the distance. The Cubbies have talent, and plenty of it. In addition to signing Jason Hayward, Epstein also added Ben Zobrist from Kansas City and John Lackey from St. Louis. They will head into the new season with one of the best offenses in baseball: Jason Heyward, Kris
Bryant, Ben Zobrist, Anthony Rizzo, and Kyle Schwarber. And with a rotation of Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta, John Lackey, Kyle Hendricks, and Jason Hammel, every aspect of the game of baseball is covered with extreme talent for the south side of Chicago. Aside from the favorites for winning the World Series, there are many storylines that makes this season more than interesting. David Ortiz, arguably the greatest Designated Hitter of all time, is playing his last season of his career, so the farewell tour will be entertaining to watch. Alex Rodriguez, Third Baseman for the New York Yankees, is 28 home runs away from breaking Babe Ruth’s home run record. He has stirred controversy recently by using performance enhancing drugs, but nonetheless 4th all time. The spotlight will also be on Tropicana Field, and whether or not the Rays relocate to Tampa. Some teams lost key players, so they will look to rebound from
a poor showing in the offseason. Los Angeles lost Zack Greinke, and the Cardinals lost Hayward and Lackey, so they will look to remain division champions regardless of who they gained and lost. It’ll be tougher than before, because these teams did rely on vital players to perform in clutch situations, so they will lose that part of it. For teams like Minnesota, or Milwaukee, it’ll be unfortunate to watch them potentially finish with a record over 50% due to a great farm system finish third or fourth in their division. This will be the case due to a competitive division, which may happen in the AL and NL Central. Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis are teams that occuy the division. When the Mets take on the Royals to kick off the 2016 MLB season, each team starts off fresh, chasing a playoff spot throughout the 162-game season and during the summer will be top priority. Let the season begin. It’ll be one heck of a ride.
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March 2016