POP April 2014 by Pep O' Plant

Pep O’ Plant

April 30, 2014 • H.B. Plant High School • Volume 87 • Issue 8

Senior Decisions

See where graduates are planning to further their educations and some defining features of the class. On pages 6-7

Photo of Jordan Jacksec taken by Alexa Castellano

Noah’s a No Go

The movie Noah may not be worth time or money.

Final At-Bat

Senior baseball captains reflect on their final season after winning districts.

2 • Opinions

April 2014

Pep O’ Plant 2013-2014 2415 S. Himes Avenue, Suite 103 Tampa, Florida 33629 (813) 272-3033 ext. 247

Editors in Chief Alexa Castellano Christian Chambers

Production Manager Jessica Jagodzinski

Photography Editor Haley Babbitt

Graphics Editor Allison Figueroa

Circulation Manager Carson Collins

Online Editor Bennett Taylor

Opinions Editor Melissa Jassir

Features Editors Jesseca Sands Andrea Wynter

News Editors Meg Barrett Alexis Hayes

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Teens unwillingly help needy people Melissa Jassir Opinions Editor Amidst the rigorous academic competition students endure, one aspect that sways the outcome of admission in a student’s favor is their volunteering. At Plant High School, volunteering is a requirement to qualify for certain clubs and merits. Induction into BETA club and NHS demands that students meet 15 hours and 50 hours, respectively. To qualify for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program, students need at least 30 community service hours. Volunteering is a prominent criterion to reach the highest achievements and recognitions. But, should students be obligated to complete a certain amount of service hours? How many of these students truly care about helping others and how committed are they to volunteering? Often times, students volunteer at any place they can find -- usually wherever their friends have previously volunteered -- and are committed to their role half-heartedly. Volunteering has come to be seen as

Bright Futures scholarship community service requirements

Leigh Miller

Sports Editors Robby Killette Megan Przeslawski

•Florida Academic Scholars -100 hours•

Emalee Herrera Helen Kahassai

•Florida Medallion Scholars-75 hours•

Emily Greiwe Morgan Robinson Katie Whitson

•Gold Seal Vocational Scholars-50 hours•

Business Managers Copy Editors Staff

Andrew Beekman Marlee Belford Haley Billig Matthew Blydenburgh Ysabella Canto Trevor Coulter Katherine Gabler Henry Jetmundsen Connor Jones Gabbi Okun E.V. Phillips Gale Porter Caroline Sandler Esme Yarnell

Faculty Adviser Louisa Ogle

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 Ogle’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.

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a drag. Whether it be on a weekday, during the weekend, or during a break, this “voluntary” service has become a burden to students. Excuses can be made that volunteering during the school year is too difficult because it takes time away from academic endeavors. Yet when a break comes around, the new excuse is that the student needs to relax or hang out with friends. While, for example, Bright Futures seeks rigorous, committed students, they also want people who participate in the community. It is important that students desire to improve the place in which they live, not only for themselves, but for others as well. Many times, however, students that satisfy the required number of hours will never volunteer again for they see no immediate reward. Volunteering should be something that students do because they have a passion for it. The more it is forced onto kids, the more it will be resented. Moreover, those who truly enjoy community service will give true effort and dedication to their cause. This will be more beneficial and appreciated for those receiving help.

Students say “Volunteering is not about the hours. It is about the impact you make.”- Anooshay Asim, senior “Getting a scholarship out of my passion for volunteering is just an added plus to the enjoyment volunteering brings me.” -Alex Muscaro, junior

Church, state debate

Contraception ruling challenges religious freedom Alexis Hayes News Editor Strides are being made in the United States into a new era of what is deemed appropriate and “the social norm”. Contraception, which formerly, and still is a topic of huge debate between conservatives and liberals, is once again back in the legal spotlight. Under the Affordable Healthcare Act, coined “Obamacare”, companies and employers will soon be required to provide their employees with insurance plans that cover different forms of contraception. With birth control becoming more and more popular among women and more readily available, it makes sense that ultra-liberal President Barack Obama would want contraception covered by medical insurance plans. What’s causing havoc on Capitol Hill is the fact that Christian-based companies are resistant to provide contraception to their employees, considering it goes against their moral values. Under the Affordable Healthcare

Act, companies - religiously affiliated or not - would be forced to cover contraception for everyone on their payroll, regardless of their feelings toward the matter. These Christian-based companies, although a minority, have a solid case arguing against these additions. Being forced against their will to provide contraception to their employees challenges their moral values and undermines their first amendment rights to freedom of religion. What is being deemed ironic by some, regarding the situation, is that large-scale, Christian-based companies, such as craft store chain Hobby Lobby, are technically corporations, and receive all of the perks and government benefits that come along with being a corporation. For these religiously-affiliated corporations to expect to be pardoned from a federal modification just because they feel subjected is borderline ridiculous. While it is unfortunate for business owners to have to pay for contraception for their employees against their will, times are changing.

When it comes down to it is highly unlikely that every employee working for a Christian-based corporation is a Christian, or at the very least, upholds religious values. Looking at the big picture, situations like this prove that maybe the interaction of Church and State isn’t what’s best for the United States. While it does seem to be unconstitutional and unfair to require business owners to turn their backs on their morals, it is a far cry. What people should realize-- business owners and politicians alike-- is if something goes against a person’s moral values, they have every right -- their first amendment right -to avoid it. If taking contraception challenges what someone believes in, then by all means they shouldn’t take birth control, but business owners shouldn’t prevent their employees from practicing their medical and constitutional rights.

News • 3

April 2014

Students ‘Walk Like MADD’ Katie Whitson Copy Editor

On Friday March 21, Anchor Service Club and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) both participated in the 2014 annual Walk Like MADD 5K. The event, hosted at University of South Florida by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), raised awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Volunteers from Anchor Service Club and SADD distributed T-shirts for the event and handed out pamphlets to runners. “It was a really fun experience. It was so cool to see everyone come out for such a great cause,” Alexa Ruiz, junior, said. Walk Like MADD attracted many different organizations and food vendors from the Tampa Bay area, including PDQ, Wright’s Gourmet, McDonald’s, and

Evos. These restaurants provided free food and small souvenirs to volunteers and participants of the event. Organizations such as the Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Police and Tampa Fire Department also attended the event to show their support for the cause. A special lap at the beginning of the 5K was dedicated to those who had lost family members or friends to drunk drivers. Posters of victims of drunk driving were displayed on the route of the race. “It was such a great event to volunteer at because we all enjoyed setting up for the walk and getting to see all those who were walking to raise money for MADD,” Cameron Jones, junior, said. Since its founding in 1980, MADD has contributed to the passage of stricter national and state laws regarding drunk driving. They helped to set the legal blood alcohol content limit of 0.08 that is now standard in most states, including Florida.

MADD also sponsors programs that educate teenagers on the dangers of drinking alcohol and driving, as well as programs that inform the community on how to take preventative measures against drunk driving crashes. Due to the fact that Plant has lost students to drunk driving, this event had personal significance for many volunteers. “When I went to Walk Like MADD, I met many families walking in honor of their loved ones. It made me realize how much effect drunk drivers had in our community,” Ei Thazin, senior, said. With tens of thousands of volunteers participating in events in sixty different cities, MADD raised almost 3 million dollars during the 2013 Walk Like MADD event last year. All of the money donated to the event directly supplies the organization’s efforts to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking.

Friendship Walk raises funds for Best Buddies Chapter

Carson Collins Circulation Manager

On April 12, hundreds of people gathered to walk to end discrimination against children with mental disabilities. The Best Buddies Friendship Walk has been in effect since 2009 and has raised over $3 million for the Best Buddies organization. Many of the ESE students from the Best Buddies program shared their testimonies and how the Best Buddies program has affected their lives. Many of the ESE students are enrolling in college and even getting jobs. The moving stories all had a common message: “Join me today as I walk to change the world.” This year, Plant was at the center of the event. As the first place fundraising team, they raised $9,032 out of the event’s total $61,918. Junior Kelsey Hill walked away as the top individual fundraiser, raising $3,040 for the walk.

Hill said, “It’s so rewarding to see the kids so happy and developing such good friendships.” The school also brought in many other awards, including Best Chapter of Best Buddies in the county PO’P Carson Collins for a high school. Best Buddies aims to pro- Many students were involved with the Best Buddies Friendship Walk. Jordan Hurst with sophomores Daphne Schmid, Sam vide one-on-one interaction Lopez, Katherine Ward, Kassadie Nieto and Lilyann Guagliardo walked to support students with mental disabilities. with high school students and students with mental disabilities. Caroline Medina has been the sponsor of Best Buddies for seven years, ever since the program began. The goal of Best Buddies is to foster friendships between regular education and special education students. The future goal of Best Buddies is to get more people involved in the program. “I want more students to be knowledgeable about this program and to not be afraid of these amazing kids,” Medina said. Courtesy of: Sullivan Henry To join or partake in any of the opportunities Best Taking part in the event, juniors McKinley Musco, Alexa Ruiz, Katie SADD president Ei Thazin and her sister, Buddies has to offer see Whitson, Cameron Jones and Landon Turner believe the event is Wint Thazin pose at Walk Like MADD. The Caroline Medina in room important for the chapter. girls enjoyed free smoothies, provided by 153. McDonald’s at the event.

4 • News

April 2014

Nature photographer Carlton Ward speaks to students about importance of preserving wildlife corridors in Florida Alexa Castellano Editor in Chief

During his wildlife exploration, Carlton Ward visited areas in Africa and the Caribbean taking photos of animals by their footsteps.

Conservation photographer Carlton Ward Jr spoke to AP Environmental Science and photography students in the auditorium on April 16. Art teacher Ginger Goepper arranged the event. “ [I wanted] Mr.Ward to enlighten this generation so they could save Florida,” Goepper said. Ward told students about the Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition he co-led. The expedition was a 100 day, 1000 mile journey that explored the remaining natural path through the length of the Florida peninsula. “I could see how much of the environment we were losing,” Ward said. The Corridor Exploration began in Everglades National Park in January and continued until they reached the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in south Georgia in late April. During the trip the team walked the same paths animals do in the wild. This included crossing areas of I-4 with heavy traffic and swimming through swamp-like waters. “We had to dodge spring breakers,” Ward said. He also reminisced about another experience. “[We would] smile and pretend there are no alligators beneath us,” Ward said, smirking. Another expedition is planned for September. The presentation was sponsored by the Academic Foundation.

PO’P Jessica Jagodzinski

At the start of the presentation, art teacher Ginger Geopper introduced Carlton Ward Jr to the audience.

Before donating his photography book to the library, nature photographer Carlton Ward Jr signs and personalizes the front cover.

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pepoplant.com for all the latest news, stories and sports scores

April 2014

News • 5

Trader Joe’s opens for business Emily Greiwe Copy Editor

PO’P Haley Babbitt

Trader Joe’s specializes in reasonably priced organic foods. Over 125 people were waiting outside for the store’s grand opening.

int ena nc

• Free Estimates • Commercial • Residential • Landscaping • Maintenance • Tree Service • Nursery • Irrigation

outd l a o ot

Trader Joe’s opened its South Tampa location on Friday, March 21 on West Swann Ave. Over 125 people waited outside for the doors to open at eight a.m., some even arriving at five a.m. in an attempt to get as close as possible to the newly installed sliding glass doors. The early risers were greeted with a steel drum band to accent the “specialty” grocery store’s laid back Caribbean atmosphere, decor, and workers adorned in vibrantly colored tropical t-shirts. The stores arrival was eagerly anticipated by some consumers in the area. “I love it. Their food is like happiness for your body. It’s organic and delicious, and their cookie butter is to die for,” Logan Bell, junior, said. The hype the store created has consumers eager to visit. “I haven’t been yet myself, but the food that my parents bring home is so good. I once prayed for their edamame hummus, and those prayers were answered. It was good,” Liz Herold, junior, said. The first Trader Joe’s was opened in the 1950’s by Joe Coulombe in Pasade-

na, CA and was called Pronto Market. But in 1967, Coulombe changed the name and transformed the store and its policies to those that attract crowds today. Trader Joe’s specializes in organic food that is reasonably priced, 70% of which bears the company’s own label. Those planning a visit to the new Bay area hotspot shouldn’t expect much personal space. The entirety of the store could fit inside the frozen section at other grocery stores. The privately-owned company now boasts more than 350 stores. Trader Joe’s prides itself on promoting a sense of community, and exhibits this through murals and checkout lines that display recognizable Tampa street names and sports teams. Not everything about the new store is running smoothly. Residents have complained about increased traffic congestion since the day of opening. The parking lot only offers 70 spots, and until the initial buzz wears off, costumers have been advised to park legally in the surrounding neighborhood. On the store’s first day of business, home owners in the surrounding neighborhood even charged shoppers to park on their lawns.

813-299-6619 Tim Robinson

6 • Features

College Facts

93%

of graduates attend a college or university to continue their education

April 2014

Class of 2014

Who are seniors in a nutshell? 241 seniors were surveyed to find out.

73%

attend an in state college or university

27%

attend an out of state college or university

72%

attend a four-year college or university Source: 2013 College Resource Reference Sheet

Top 5 colleges/universities of the class of 2014 are:

FSU 2. UF 3. USF 4. UCF 5. HCC 1.

Compiled by Katherine Gabler

April 2014

Features • 7

Oh the places you’ll go See where seniors are heading for college out-of-state.

University of Alaska Anchorage

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

London England

Graphics by Allison Figueroa

“I’m going out of state for something new,” Alexis Heredia, senior said. She is planning on attending the University of Wisconsin

“I’m staying in state because I want to be close to my family and my boyfriend,” Darby Baker, senior, said. She is going to attend the University of South Florida.

Read more about deciding between in-state and out-of-state colleges on pepoplant.com

8 • Arts & Entertainment

Music festivals gain popularity

Marlee Belford Staff Writer

The start of warm weather not only marks the beginning of summer, but also the beginning of music festival season. Although the United States and Britain are notorious for their raging festival weekends, they are a worldwide phenomenon. Events such as Donauinselfest in Austria, Mawazine in Morocco, and Rock in Rio in Brazil draw in crowds nearing 1 million spectators per year. Youth across America will be sadly disappointed as some of their favorite alternative, indie, and hip hop acts perform all summer long at various festivals that they are not able to attend. Along with many well known headlining acts, these weekend long festivals are also notorious for outrageous ticket prices with some approaching the upper hundreds range. America’s biggest and most talked about festivals consist of Bonnaroo in Tennessee June 13-16, Coachella in California April 12-14 and 19-21, Lollapalooza in Chicago August 2-4, and South by South-

west in Texas which occurred this past March. These festivals draw in enormous crowds from across the nation to experience some of the biggest names in music, all accessible in the same place. To cope with large crowds, music festivals often have multiple stages with different acts throughout the day performing on them. It’s up to the attendee to pick and chose who they want to see most. Recently, Florida has experienced an influx of smaller music festivals that the south east region has never seen before. The success of Coastline Music Festival last November with acts such as Two Door Cinema Club, Matt and Kim, The Neighborhood, and Passion Pit along with the Ultra Music Festival in Miami, the biggest EDM festival in the world, brought about new festivals happening this year. One of these festivals, Big Guava, has acts such as Vampire Weekend, Outkast, Foster the People, Earl Sweatshirt, and Haim gracing the stage at the Florida State Fairgrounds this summer. Starting May 2-4, Big Guava kicks off with 3-day passes at $165 and single day passes for $65.

April 2014

Big Guava Festival Florida State Fairgrounds May 2-4, 2014 Outkast - Vampire Weekend - Foster The People Slightly Stoopid•Cale•Tegan and Sara•Violent Femmes Girl Talk•Earl Sweatshirt•Grouplove•Haim •Twenty One Pilots•Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience•Chance The Rapper •Walk The Moon•Blue October•Band of Skulls•ZZ Ward•MS MR•Timeflies•Hoodie Allen•American Authors•Deap Valley•St. Lucia•Smallpools•Bear Hands•Morning Parade•Kitten•Magic Man•Jacuzzi Boys•Gringo Star•Unlikely Candidates•Vic Mensa•Terraplane Sun•Jessica Hernandez and The Deltas•Fly Union

Dubstep king conquers new styles E.V Phillips Staff Writer Electronic dance music (EDM), has risen into popularity in the past two to three years, and whether an individual likes him or not, it is impossible to deny that Skrillex is one of the most popular electronic dance artists. Skrillex has almost singlehandedly introduced dubstep into the world of mainstream music through his past album releases, Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites and Bangarang. However, through this process, Skrillex has picked up about as much hate for his music as he has love, both from the existing EDM community and mainstream music lovers. From the latter, critique comes for having a different sound of music in general, and being based off of chords and musical sound, rather than lyrics. For dubstep and electronic fans, however, Skrillex is often criticized for mindless drops and repetitive filler sound. On his new album, Recess, Skrillex adds more variety and experiments with more styles of electronic music than ever before, completely disproving the theories that he is only capable of one beat type and one style of music.

Through his lead tracks, All is Fair In Love and Brostep and Recess, he keeps the style that has pulled him into the mainstream. His style consists of heavy drops and a hint of “big room” house, which is a style of house music that is focused around minimalist but hard hitting drops. Through the rest of the album, Skrillex keeps a portion of this sound while fusing it with drum and bass, reggae, and other fast paced “party” electronic styles. His styles are only part of his variety. Recess features more artists than in any of his past albums. Chance the Rapper is featured on Coast is Clear, the Ragga Twins are featured on his reggae infused track Ragga Bomb, and he even receives producing help from Diplo and lyrical help from K-Pop stars G-Dragon and CL in Dirty Vibe. Skrillex’s new album is not comparable to his past EPs, as it is based all around variety and being unique. Overall, the change and variety can be seen as a positive feature, as it opens up types of electronic and dubstep that almost everyone can enjoy. However, fans of his most popular past work may be disappointed that this album steps away from the past style that put him in the current position of where he is today.

Skrillex has picked up about as much hate for his music as he has love.

mctcampus

Notable Achievements •Billboard Music Award for Top EDM Album for “Bangarang”• •Grammy for Best Dance/Electronica Album for “Bangarang”• •Grammy for Best Dance Recording for “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites”• •MTV Video Music Award for Best Visual Effects for “First of the Year”•

April 2014

Cafe Hey hosts Open Mic Night Allison Figueroa Graphics Editor

Anyone can volunteer to sing at a karaoke bar or sign up to be in a talent show. Most aspiring performers enjoy their time in the spotlight, while others may be mortified with all eyes on them. But if you want to showcase your abilities and be taken seriously in a comfortable environment with a supportive audience, open mic nights are the only way to go. Cafe Hey is an excellent example of the classic, cozy open mic. The coffee shop opens up a small corner to performers every Thursday night from 7pm to 9pm. Cafe Hey encourages musicians, comedians, poets and spoken word artists to share their work. On Thursday, April 3, a slew of guitarists, comedians, and a handful of sonnet writers took to the cafe’s stage. The audience crowded around in the small space, sitting on barstools or leaning against the walls. It was easy to tell who signed up to perform that night, those who sat in the audience nervously shuffling papers or silently going over their chords, while the regular performers stood in the back sipping cappuccinos. One of the first performances was by a young man going by the name J.B, who comedically riffed about the Florida State Fair and his girlfriend’s racist father. As the set began to drag on and the laughter slowed, he mumbled, “I just need to get through these so I know which ones never to say again.” This quip started back the flow of laughter, and illustrated a valuable point about open mics themselves.

The majority of artists don’t use these showcase nights to “get discovered”. Experienced performers use them to showcase new work, in order to find out what works and what doesn’t. These artists usually critique themselves after they leave the stage, rather than receiving rude heckles from a hostile audience in the middle of their piece. Two older men named Zane and Larry sat near the stage, engaging in playful banter with the host between sets. When it was their turn, they sauntered confidently up to the corner and plugged in their acoustic guitars. They announced their intention to play two songs as fast as they possibly could, and then started out with a rapid-fire, country chord progression. They sang about driving a fast car through the mountains, while the audience clapped along to the down-home southern beat. When the song concluded with them getting arrested for speeding, they played a lovely Bob Dylan tune that included a soft guitar solo from Larry. “There are a few regulars who come here all the time,” said Cole Bellamy, the rotating host for Cafe Hey’s open mics. “There’s a great family atmosphere.” Cafe Hey’s open mic night is filled with more amateurs than professionals, due to its cozy neighborhood vibe. This makes people feel comfortable sharing deep emotions with a live audience. Host Bellamy attempted to make sense of this phenomenon. “We work hard to make it a safe and welcoming atmosphere. Its not easy to get up here, it leaves you literally and emotionally vulnerable. But it facilitates community building. Its primordial, like we’re all sitting around the campfire again, exchanging stories. Sharing is just a part of being a person.”

Arts & Entertainment • 9

The staff encourages aspiring performers to arrive early, because the sign up sheet fills up quickly. It also helps pre-show nerves to secure a seat and skim the unique menu, famous for its kale salads and other “trendy” dishes. Latecomers will find they have to stand in the crowded areas with obstructed views of the stage. Even if an individual is not interested in performing, Bellamy assures that “its a good time, and its good for you.” Not to mention the cultural experience and the chance to see the greatest concentration of berets in the Tampa Bay Area. Cafe Hey’s open mics take place every Thursday from 7pm to 9pm, and admission is absolutely free. Open mics give people the opportunity to network with other performers in the area while sharing their individual art forms. These events are an important part of bringing communities together. The intimate, quiet, and artsy setting of Cafe Hey allows even the most timid of performers to find some common ground, along with some top notch coffee.

PO’P Jessica Jagodzinski

Cafe Hey on N Franklin St. hosts Open Mic Night every Thursday at 7.

Warhol exhibit extended at Dali Marlee Belford Staff Writer

jllschensul/therecord/MCT

The Andy Warhol exhibit at the Dali Museum has been extended until June 1.

Dali Museum 1 Dali Blvd, St Petersburg, FL 33701 (727) 823-3767 Daily Hours 10:00am - 5:30pm Thursdays 10:00am - 8:00pm Sunday 12:00pm - 5:30pm

From January 18 – June 1 the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida will be hosting an exhibit showcasing over 100 works from Andy Warhol. This rare opportunity allows paintings from two of the 20th centuries most influential artists to be hosted in the same museum. While Salvador Dali was a pioneer in the art form known as Surrealism, Andy Warhol was famous for his involvement in the visual art movement known as pop art. Warhol’s works included a magnitude of variety such as hand drawings, paintings, photography, sculpture, film, and involvement in music by managing the 60s rock band, The Velvet Underground. The Dali Museum is displaying over 100 works, including 35 of Warhol’s most famous paintings including the Campbell’s soup cans and pop art portraits of Jackie O. All of these works are on loan from

the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, where the artist was born. Also available to museum goers in a Warhol - style screen test where visitors sit in front of a camera for 3 minutes while a film style that replicates Warhol’s days in The Factory, his Manhattan based studio which flourished in the 60s, shadows the “movie”. The final work can then be emailed to participants and shared online. Upon leaving the exhibit, visitors are met by the museum gift shop featuring items from coffee mugs to socks to printed paintings replicating works by both Dali and Warhol. Tickets for the museum are $15 for students and $21 for adults and is open Monday through Sunday. Recently, the exhibit has been extended from its April closing date to June 1 due to an influx of attendance. Its popularity is partly due to the fact the Warhol exhibit is the first exhibit at the Dali Museum that isn’t a work created by Dali himself.

10 • Arts & Entertainment

April 2014

Noah lets down audience

Bennett Taylor Online Editor

The movie industry often celebrates innovative, artistic ideals that few directors bring to life in the context of teenage scifi films and R-action thrillers. And yet, ancient themes and stories often explode at the box office, such as Passion of the Christ and Lincoln. Noah promises to be in this surprising category, as it offers an interesting historical piece that mixes dark, thrilling action with a very loose interpretation of a story chronicled in many religious texts. Directed by Darren Aronofsky, who produced the hit thriller Black Swan, and starring Russell Crowe in the named role, Noah cashed in with an impressive $15.2 million on opening weekend. The movie’s trailer foreshadowed a dark, thrilling tale of survival, which Darren Aronofsky thrives in creating. Set in prehistoric times, Noah, his wife Naameh ( Jennifer Connelly), adopted daughter Ila (Emma Watson), and sons Ham (Logan Lerman), Shem (Douglas Booth) and Japheth (Leo McHugh Carroll), together venture out from a gray, seemingly scorched land to seek Noah’s grandfather, Methuselah (Anthony Hopkins), and ask advice about visions Noah has seen in his dreams. Noah is the last of Abel’s line and believes he has been pre-

destined to build an ark to protect himself The special effects team might as well and his family from a great flood that will become the director for most of the movdevour the world. As the ark is built, a self ie- every scene for the first hour consistproclaimed king named Tubal-cain (Ray ed of either fallen angels that looked like Winstone) seeks to gather his followers huge rock monsters, or a green screen and take over the ark. background that amateur artists could Economically speaking, Paramount recreate. While some scenes displayed Pictures could have easily benefited from incredible feats of computer animation, splitting this movie into two, or even cre- some background set pieces and digital ated a trilogy. Many different subplots characters left something to be desired. introduced unique themes on everything As with every movie concerning Bibfrom the nature of sin to the sting of for- lical stories, controversy shrouded this bidden love. The movie had blockbuster as to it’s acmultiple climaxes, plot points With a two hour curacy when compared to and meaningless side stories run time, emotion the Biblical account of the that added unneeded minutes story, which consists ran high as many Noah to a hefty 138 minute run of roughly a single chapter people died and in the Bible, or about 2400 time. The movie consisted of many became words. While the movie several high action scenes a story from the traumatized. depicted followed by longer, passive Bible, it blended many inscenes where a single characterpretations of what the ter would take most of the atBiblical story represented. tention, after which another action scene Finding no actual dialogue from the Noah would direct attention to another charac- of Genesis 6, the writers of the movie ter. A character’s development paralleled morphed the story into a sensationalized, their importance in the story. Noah un- dramatic tale, as Hollywood is famous for derwent multiple shifts in character: loyal producing. servant of the Creator to lunatic murderer With a two hour run time, emotion ran to stark realist who saw evil in every man high as many people died and many bewho existed. Ila had little change in her came traumatized as result of the events character, as her constant objectivity and that occurred. But crying might stand as faith provide a strong base for her hus- a theme itself: every character cried at band Shem. least once, and tears were shed in almost

every scene. The only joke that found its way onto the script sparked a laugh solely from the characters in the film. No one in the theater laughed, or even caught it. A successful film often tells a compelling tale of a dynamic tragic hero, and Noah is no exception. With eye-dazzling special effects, boatloads of crying, and enough storylines to write a trilogy, this film managed to tell an old story in a very creative, dark way.

Paramount.com

While Noah seemed like an interesting movie in previews, its length made it less entertaining.

Captain America saves Marvel movie franchise ‘Oh Captain! My Captain!’

surface the audience is kept guessing who’s really alive and who’s dead throughout the entire movie. The overwhelming pain suffered by Captain AmerIn the years since the Avengers movie release in ica would’ve left the audience in tears within the first 2012, Marvel has continuously tried to shake the fun- twenty minutes into the film if it weren’t for the confor-all-ages reputation from their movies. stant explosions, car wrecks, and shootCaptain America: The Winter Soldier is As one of the outs. The idea that no citizens should be the darkest sequel yet, overwhelmingly was completely ignored as fifty darkest Marvel harmed beating the depressed, anxiety-filled stopolice cars wiped out an entire street in rylines featured in 2013’s Iron Man 3 and movies to date, downtown D.C. The Wolverine. Captain America: The movie features a generous amount The movie takes place two years after of dry humor mostly delivered by the the Avenger’s battle in New York with The Winter Soldier witty remarks of Captain America’s Steve Rogers living in Washington D.C. is one of the best butt-kicking partner, Black Widow. The Still adjusting to being in the modern age, plot twist was the presence of strong superhero movies best Rogers makes cute lists of pop culture reffemale characters. Cobie Smulders and erences to learn and tries to accept that released in years. Scarlett Johansson revived their roles everyone he loves is dead or dying. as Agent Maria Hill and Black Widow, The movie builds on the story from the first Cap- characters vital to the storyline. There were no damsels tain America: The First Avenger (2011) and without in distress and refreshingly no love interests that cloud prior-watching the sequel can be confusing to follow. the superheroes’ judgement. Congratulations should be given to the screenwritAs one of the darkest Marvel movies to date, Captain ers for consistency in their recent superhero movies: America: The Winter Soldier is one of the best superStark Industries is referenced, Bruce Banner is name- hero movies released in years. Hopefully, it is just the dropped, and the film consistently hints at a main char- start to the upcoming summer stream of super movies. acter’s unknown backstory. As unlikely characters reJessica Jagodzinski Production Manager

Marvel.com

With its strong emotional pulls and plot twists make Captain America: Winter Soldier is a hit at the box office.

Captains

April 2014

Sports • 11

reflect on final season together Alexa Castellano Editor in Chief

While waiting on deck, Matt Vaka gets advice from a coach. Vaka had 37 career hits and also had nine wins as a pitcher.

With a 10-0 record in district play this season the baseball team is on its way to one of the most successful seasons in recent history. Senior captains Stephen Chamblee, Ben Russ and Matt Vaka are working together to help the team succeed. What has been your favorite moment from this season? Chamblee (C): “Winning the Saladino Tournament over spring break because it was a good bonding experience as a team and a huge tournament to pull out.” Russ (R): “ Being one of the captains on the first team to win the Saladino Tournament under Coach Braun.” How has the team’s dynamic changed since you started playing on it? C: “We get along better as a team and have developed better than [in] recent years.” Vaka (V): As a team [this year] we really enjoy playing together and getting better.” What is the best part of being on the team as a senior?

V: “The best part for me is just playing because last year I had Tommy John surgery* which takes 9-12 months to recover from. So, I am just happy to be out there with my friends and coaches enjoying baseball.” What do you think helped the team continue to win? V: “The talent level we have and the chemistry. We blend together and bounce off each other. If someone is doing well then we are all doing well. We pick each other up on bad days. We honestly just care about each other.” R: “Losing our first two games [made us] realize we were not as good as we thought and that we actually needed to work hard to win.” What is the most difficult part of being a captain? R: “Trying to keep the team positive and confident even when we’re losing.” What are your goals for the team as the season continues? C: “To continue playing well and take it one game at a time.” * Ligament in the elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body.

Stepping up to bat, senior Ben Russ prepares for the pitch.

PLAYER

Batting Average

Chamblee

RBIs

Hits

ERA Wins

309 37

1.58

7 9

Vaka

.306

1.29

Russ

.321

N/A N/A photos by PO’P Carson Collins

Compiled by Robby Killette

On the mound senior Stephen Chamblee winds up to pitch. against Durant April 17. Chamblee got the win 7-3.

12 • Sports

Sports Briefs

April 2014

Student-athletes excel on, off field

Junior Ally Donahue committed to the University of Florida for swimming.

Senior Carlos Andino committed to

Robby Killette Sports Editor The soccer and basketball teams accepted awards for highest team grade point average (GPA) for winter sports in Hillsborough County march 27. The boy’s soccer team had an average GPA of 3.282, girls soccer teams average GPA of 3.687, boys basketball had a average GPA of 3.507, and girls basketball had 3.703 GPA. This year is not the only time that the sports teams have won this award. Not including this year, the girl’s basketball team has won two consecutive years, with GPAs of 3.637 and 3.610. Boy’s basketball finished

second behind Newsome in 2011 with a GPA of 3.456, but took first place in 2012 with a GPA of 3.310. “It’s harder than it is for people who don’t play sports or participate in an activity, yet at the same time Coach Slonaker preaches academics first, so you have to stay focused because your academics will help you in the long run,” John Voiland, junior basketball player, said. Boy’s soccer has not placed in the top three in the last three years. Despite not winning anything in 2012, girl’s soccer won in 2011 with a GPA of 3.665. “It required a lot of dedication and late nights of hard work to make sure I was able to balance all the practice time and games with tests and homework”, Zach Thompson, senior soccer captain, said.

Elon University for cross country.

Junior Erica Oosterhout won the 4A

state championship for girls individual tennis.

Both the boys and girls lacrosse teams

won districts in their first varsity season.

Go to Pepoplant.com to see more about athletes signing.

Follow @PlantPOP_Sports on Twitter

Courtesy of Morgan Robinson

Soccer players Abby Sanchez, Emma Haney, Kira Zagorc, Morgan Robinson, Kendall Harmon and head coach Pam Smith represented the team to receive their award for highest GPA .

Offensive tackle recruit signs with Clemson Megan Przeslawski Sports Editor The school’s football program is known by many universities nationwide. There are a few players that many top schools seek out, including junior Jake Fruhmorgen. Fruhmorgen has accumulated 35 scholarships and is only a junior. Recruiting scout websites have him nationally ranked at 10th for offensive tackle, and he received four out of five stars. In the middle of March, Jake visited Clemson and attended their Junior Day, staying over to watch practice as well. “He enjoyed it. They rolled out the red carpet,” said Fruhmorgen’s father John, a former lineman at University of Alabama. Fruhmorgen said, “We met the president of the school. We went to dinner Saturday night with Dabo [Swinney]. We went to practice, which was the main reason we went up there, to see the culture of how they practice and the personnel.” After visiting Clemson, Jake decided to make the short trip over to University of Florida for an unofficial visit. “It

went well,” Fruhmorgen said. “I spent about 40 minutes with Coach Muschamp.” After the visit to Gainesville, Fruhmorgen was still calling Clemson his top choice. Fruhmorgen said, “It’s close, 55-45 Clemson. Until tomorrow. I like the campus and the facilities. I really felt comfortable. It’s a family atmosphere.” But more recently Jake Fruhmorgen and his father visited Michigan State University, Ohio State University and University of Notre Dame. Of those three colleges, Michigan State made the greatest impression and is now a finalist, along with UF and Clemson. Jake’s father told sportstalks.com after the visits, “It was the players, the coaches, facilities, the tradition, the stadium,” regarding Jake’s interest in the Wolverines. “He got a good feel for the program. They’ve been recruiting him aggressively the last few months.” Jake, however, still feels Clemson is the team to beat based on what he has seen. That being said, Fruhmorgen was finally ready to make his decision the second week of April. But all it took was one visit and one promise for the consensus four-star recruit to make up his mind.

“The coach-he specifically said-I’m going to hold up that [national championship] crystal ball one day,” Fruhmorgen said about his February visit to Clemson. “When he said that, I looked into his eyes and realized he’s the kind of coach I want to play for.” In front of about 100 teammates and family members at Plant’s field house on Thursday, the 6-foot-5, 285-pound Fruhmorgen verbally committed to the Clemson Tigers, putting a long recruiting process to rest. “What I probably love the most is I’m not a real big campus guy, that’s one of the cons of Florida is its big campus life, its city environment. I’ve always been one of those kids who likes to be outside, likes to hunt and fish and live in a rural area. Clemson to me is like a campus out in the woods. I like that a lot.” And even though Thursday was about celebrating his new team, Fruhmorgen couldn’t forget his current one. “The team gets you to where you want to be,” he said. “I’m just happy to have this decision over with so I can be a Panther before I become a Tiger.”