‘ PEP O PLANT
H.B. Plant High School• 2415 S. Himes Ave • Tampa, FL, 33629 •April 2016 • Volume 89• Issue 7
See what designs student artists created for a contest to transform the water tower Page 6
Read more on why taking an excessive amount of AP courses can have harmful effects Page 12
Check out what senior athletes said about their high school careers and moving forward Page 17 Egan Baber, junior, plays in the lacrosse team’s regional final against Lake Highland Prep. The Panthers were defeated 14-6, ending their playoff road. Photo Courtesy of Maddie Johnson
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April 2016
April 2016
News • 3
4 • News
April 2016
College-bound seniors seek student loans Ysabella Canto Photography Editor The need for student loans and financial aid has increased exponentially over the years as the price of a higher degree has increased. There are 43.3 million Americans who have student loan debt the nation itself has $1.2 trillion out in college loans according to US News & World Report. The most recent graduating class, the class of 2015, accounts for a portion of those numbers as it is the most indebted class in history. “I think student loans are a good way to afford college, but they’re also dangerous. If you’re not confident that you can pay them off then you absolutely should not be getting them,”
Korina Hernandez, senior, said. A lack of knowledge in the actual realities of paying off a student loan can lead to being behind on payments or even defaulting on the loan, which 17% of borrowers have done. “I think loans can be useful if used sparingly and if the student gets them from the right location,” Lissie Elorza, senior, said. “Obviously federal aid would be better than private bank loans because generally they have significantly lower interest rates. Everyone should have a plan on how to pay them off before they take them out.” To keep student loan debt in check and paid off most efficiently, here are three methods that could help. 1. Treat your debt like a mortgage. Every student loan debt comes
with an interest rate, usually between 4-6.8%. What you pay in interest increases over time the longer it takes you to pay off your debt. Paying in larger sums for a shorter amount of time will end up saving you money. For example, if a student took out $20,000 at a 6.8% interest rate with a 10 year payback plan, the monthly payment would be $230.16. If that student paid $615.71 instead then the debt would be paid back in only three years and they would save about $2,000. This is because the student is paying back the principal faster, resulting in lower interest rates. 2. Get a part-time job in college. Nearly four out of five students in college have a part-time job, according to a survey by Citigroup and Seventeen magazine. Part-
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time jobs average 16-24 hours a week and can benefit a student with either a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly check. This check can be used to either help by being automatically deposited towards your student debt, or part of it can be set aside to be put towards the monthly payment. 3. Start a college repayment account.
Students who have their own bank accounts can open an account separate from their checkings that extra money earned a month can be placed in. This account can sit and gather interest as well as extra deposits you make. This money can grow over time and eventually be put towards paying off your student debt.
April 2016
Marijuana law changes Erce Phillips Editor-In-Chief
As April starts up, a new law regarding the decriminalization of marijuana in Tampa is in full effect. The law, officially enacted on March 31, essentially states that anyone found with under 20 grams of marijuana will not be punished and sent to serve jail time, but will rather end up with a fine. This fine amount begins at $75 on a subject’s first offense, then gradually increases to $150, $300 and eventually $450 on a subject’s fourth offense and beyond. Despite these seemingly simple rules, there are a few additional requirements to receive the fine instead of being charged with a crime. Though some of the additional fine print may be obvious, there is some extra criteria that, if not informed of, could land someone with even a minuscule amount of the drug in serious trouble. Of these additional rules, one of the most prominent is that the subject must be 18 years or
older, meaning that most high school students found possessing marijuana still are at hand to be arrested. Other requirements to avoid arrest include the subject having no prior unpaid civil citations, the subject being qualified for release on their own recognizance and no other criminal charges are applicable from the same incident. Along with this, if a person is pulled over while driving for any reason, police still have authority to search someone’s car if they smell marijuana and the right to arrest anyone found with marijuana in their car. Additionally, the subject at hand will also have whatever marijuana they possess confiscated from them on sight. This new law serves as just one representation of the many new civil acts to remove state and federal crimes behind marijuana possession, and may even lead to future acts easing upon prior established marijuana laws both city and state-wide.
The {Weed} to Know: Punishment may vary depending on the amount of marijuana found. One U.S. citizen was arrested every two seconds for possesion of marijuana in 2012. Four states have legalized recreational use of weed including Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington.
Twenty Four states have legalized the use of weed for medical purposes.
What in the World?
News • 5
Harriet Tubman to be on the $20 bill
Prince found dead in elevator
Abolitionist Harriet Tubman will be the face of the $20 bill, moving former President Andrew Jackson to the back. The approval is the beginning of redesigns of the $5, $10 and $20. The $10 bill will keep Alexander Hamilton on the front with suffragettes Lucretia Mott, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Alice Paul on the back. The $5 bill will keep Abraham Lincoln, but the Lincoln Memorial will feature historical events that happened there. Why should you care? The changes came with controversy. Jackson, a former slave owner, will be sharing the $20 bill with a former abolitionist. (Source: CNN)
Singer-songwriter, Prince, died on April 22 at the age of 57. He was found unresponsive in an elevator in his studios. Autopsies have begun but are not yet completed. He was widely regarded as one of the greatest guitar players ever and has released notable albums like “Purple Rain,” “Around the World in a Day,” and “Parade.” In addition, he made the soundtrack for the 1989 “Batman” movie and his own movie titled “Purple Rain” based on the album by the same name. Why should you care? There have been many celebrity deaths recently, including David Bowie and Alan Rickman. Now Prince Rogers Nelson is dead too. (Source: CNN) Compiled by: Joseph Rosenberger
6 • News
April 2016
Students submit artistic changes to water tower Pershia Haj Staff Writer The Plant water tower, seen by many around Tampa, will be subject to changes in upcoming weeks. A contest presented by the school administration will be incorporating winner, Kyle Snyder’s original artwork to be the new look for the well-known tower. Snyder explains that Ms. Geopper and Mr. Renninger both encouraged him to enter. “I was very excited to get the chance to see some of my art on something that can be seen by so many people,” Snyder said. His design was laid out so wherever you are looking at the water tower and whichever landmark you see on the water tower, the real landmark would be somewhere behind the viewer. Aury Morales, Junior, entered the contest as well. Morales describes that if she won, she would be shocked and happy at the same time, and that it would be an honor to look up at the water tower each day and just feel proud that she left an important
artbykyle.com
Senior, Kyle Snider’s photo illustration encompasses many different famous landmarks around Tampa like Bayshore, UT, and the pirate ship.
mark on the school. “I drew a panther holding a football, as this is what represents Plant High most accurately and
is what we're most famous for. I added the famous colors of black and gold to truly represent the pride of being part of Plant
High School. If I win, there is an option of having the picture with a completely black background or black with sparkles that
represent the lights at all football games. I feel that overall, it's what represents Plant more than anything else,” Morales said. Alex Philippidis, Sophomore, believes that the whole idea behind having a drawing on our water tower is that Plant needs to have more of an artistic viewpoint representation of the school, rather than focusing on athleticism. Philippidis’ design suggests unity. She explains that the wide variety in sexuality, gender and ethnicity at Plant would be represented by triangles in her art, each being different colors. “Triangles are the strongest shale in the universe. Without one side of the triangle, the triangle will not function. Triangles represent strength, and the strength works through unity.” “I think having my idea would be really cool, but also getting to see someone else's work of art up there would be awesome and I think it would really make Plant more unified,” Philippidis said.
Redesigned graduation regalia available for purchase Allison Figueroa Centerspread Editor Seniors who participate in honor societies will now have to buy their regalia for the graduation ceremony. The final deadline to order is May 31, any orders made before May 12 must be picked up from the main office no later than 2:45 p.m. on Friday, May 13. “Students have wanted to keep [their regalia] in the past and we haven’t been able to,” Lauren Otero, assistant principal and athletic director, said. “So
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we’ve gone to what the majority of schools have, which is to the purchase the regalia and then you keep it on your own.” The regalia has been completely redesigned, although the school does not receive any kickbacks when students purchase their cords and stoles. Some students have responded negatively, with the rising price of other graduation expenses like gowns and memorabilia presenting some difficulty. “I have mixed feelings about [purchasing regalia],” Alex Goforth, senior, said. “On one
hand, you get to keep them, but spending more money on something that used to be free bothers me.” Otero believes the price of regalia is reasonable, pointing out that the average cost for seniors who wish to purchase would be about $25. The Black and Gold stole is the most expensive at $25, followed by the NHS and Beta embroidered stole at $13. The least expensive stole is for graduates with a 4.0 or higher at $9. Any student who purchases regalia for a distinction they do
not have will receive a refund. Herff-Jones checks a masterlist of students and their honors before issuing each student their stoles or cords. “You don’t have to buy the regalia,” Otero said. “But we hope you would.” Otero cites the importance of the regalia as a keepsake, and a way to be recognized for what a student has earned throughout their high school career. A student will not be penalized for wearing only their black gown, medallion and cap without a regalia at the ceremony.
Courtesy of Herff Jones
The gold sash is awarded to seniors with a gpa of 4.0 or higher. Members of any honor societies received the white tassel.
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April 2016
April 2016
8 •Features
Award-winning teacher gives advice on past years’ success Mary Radigan, a special education teacher, has been named Hillsborough County’s Teacher of the Year for 2016. Radigan and her students have planted a garden which is currently being studied by the AP Environmental students, sold coffee to students and teachers and cheered at football games. She has played a role in this school establishing life skills and social skills within the ESE kids. Q: What is your favorite thing about teaching? A: Developing independence in socially acceptable students.
Q: As Teacher of the Year, what do you look forward to in the future? A: I look forward to inspiring and promoting excellence in education. Q: For new teachers coming into this profession, what advice would you give to them? A: The new teachers need to understand the process of education but don’t lose sight of individual needs of our students. Q: If you could share one thought with fellow teachers, what would it be? A: If you can reach one child and make a difference in their life you have the gift of being a great teacher.
Q: What are your thoughts about Plant? A: The students at Plant accept diversity in my six years teaching at this high school. I’ve seen growth in acceptance in students with disabilities. Q: How are social and living skills important in your teaching? A: For the artistic and intellectually disabled students, these skills need to be mastered before graduation. Our students are able to remain in school through their 22nd birthday period. This added time is needed for many of our students. Compiled by Katie Chae, Business Manager
PO’P Katie Chae Mrs. Radigan demonstrates her dedication to her students through her service to Paw Bucks. Mrs. Radigan served Plant’s ESE department by helping the students life skills and social skills.
April 2016
Features • 9
Students give advice on taking AP exams AP Exam season starts in May. This means that students will begin studying hard and continue in-class reviews daily. Getting a 5 on the exam is a great reward for all of the hard work that AP classes require.Many students are involved in AP Classes, making it easy to seek advice from students who have already taken the class, or get the help that is needed. Social Sciences: “The grade you make in the AP class does not determine how you are going to do on the exam. Don’t worry about where you are or how you’ve done. Just look at where you want to get and figure out what you need to do to get there,” said Esteban Cummings, junior, who earned a 5 on the 2015 AP World History exam. English: “English is probably the weirdest exam to study for, but I’d say [it’s important to] pace yourself. It helps to know if you are a fast or slow reader and then prepare for that. If you have time to read the whole passage then that will help with details. Don’t spend too long on a question you don’t know the answer to, and listen to the tips
your teacher gives you about each essay. [I prepared for the exam] by doing the reviews [Ms. Renaud] did with us in class,” said Alaina McCumber, senior, who earned a 5 on the 2015 AP Language & Composition exam. Math: “I would recommend really sticking to the reviews your teacher gives you. They’ve taught the class before and know what you need to expect, so anything they’re giving you is most likely relevant to the exam. My teacher, [Mrs. Rayburn], gave us quick reviews for each chapter and then gave several mock exams, with multiple choice and FRQs for homework before ultimately taking a practice AP exam in class, for a grade, over the course of a couple days,” said Andrew Howard, senior, who earned a 5 on the 2015 AP BC Calculus exam. Science: “Don’t stress too much about taking science APs, because you always know more than you think you do. Just do your best to go over the material and remember that teachers give good reviews, so you’ll be well prepared to take
the exam,” said Fiona Cheung, senior, who earned a 5 on the 2015 AP Chemistry exam. Foreign Language: “I mostly just used the in class reviews that Mrs. Machado did and studying outside of school for the class is important,” said Isabel Moya, senior, who earned a 5 on the 2015 AP Spanish Language and Composition exam. Electives: “I had a lot of prior knowledge about computers and coding before I took the class, so that definitely helped me a lot. Studying material beyond the scope of the class is very beneficial and I would suggest doing that. I also recommend simply paying attention and doing the homework, because your teacher knows what [he/she] is doing,” said Jaxon Brown, junior, who earned a 5 on the 2015 AP Computer Science exam. Compiled by Rachel Ferreri, Features Editor, and Maggie Fitzsimmons, Copy Editor
What to bring to an AP exam #2 Pencils Pens with black or dark blue ink Watch that does not make noise A high energy snack (Trail Mix) Water bottle Sweatshirt AP Student Packet (Not for your first exam) Calculator for math and science exams
PO’P Rachel Ferreri, Maggie Fitzsimmons, Darnell Henderson
10• Centerspread
April 2016
Navy I’ve always wanted to join the service, and the medical field has always been interesting to me. I’ll stay in as long as they me. I’m planning on doing combat medicine!
Lit
Exhausting
Yikes
Umm
Saucy
Fun
Anticipati Bye
Dea
Stressful De
Tiring
UNC-Greensboro I’ve always wanted to go to North Carolina for soccer. I accepted on the first day of summer last year. It was nice to get in early, but it made senior year harder. I’m most excited about just playing at the next level. I love the game, I love the sport, meeting the team and travelling to different places to play.
Peter Kieffer
Rebekah McFadden
Class o Cal Schumacher
Olivia Clark
Alexia Rojas I never thought I actually had a chance of getting into Yale because it’s so competitive, but I worked hard for it. I also had help from coaches because I got recruited through rowing. As a student I took a lot of AP classes and had my older brother to help. He was a junior when I was a freshman, so he told me what classes to take and that helped. I also try to get involved in whatever I can. I’m most nervous about not knowing anybody and not having my family and friends that I’m used to. I am also nervous about the classes and dealing with time management between rowing and actual school classes.
“Get involved in different kinds of things.”
Do well your freshman year because you’ll need all the A’s you can get!”
Class o Peyton Purdy
Adrian Hernandez
“I want to get into Florida or Florida State.”
“I want to graduate with good grades, higher that a 3.7 GPA.”
I’m most excited about meeting new people and getting to the next level of education. My advice would be work hard, take as many AP classes as you can, try to get involved in clubs and the community as well. For me I picked the one thing- rowing- that I really liked and stuck to it for four years.
ion
Centerspread • 11
April 2016
Wilfrid-Laurier
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Different Sensational
Difficult
epression Exciting
Relieving
Enlightening
“I have family in Canada, about an hour away from the school. I got into the kinesthesiology program up there, which is like a special program for therapies, exactly what I want to study. I just love it up there, too. I’m most excited about being closer to my Canadian family. I’m nervous about the change in weather and being far away from my parents.”
Stanford
of 2016 Gabriel Santana
Andrew Tulsiak
I applied to Berkeley, UCLA, Penn, Brown, Georgia Tech and UF. I only got into my top two, which made the decision pretty easy. I thought Stanford was better. I want to major in Human Biology Pre-Med. I’m most excited about the atmosphere, everyone there cares about everything more; nutrition, the environment, eachother. I’m kind of intimidated because the people there are insane! My sister is a sophomore right now.
Wint Thazin
Arden McIntosh
Joseph Ryan “Be yourself, you’re awesome!”
“Only take on what courses you can handle.”
of 2019 Maya Gonzalez
Chloe Murphy
“I’ve always been very driven, always wanted to make opportunities for myself that I wouldn’t have been afforded unless I worked hard or pushed myself to be the best at what I was doing. I didn’t always have West Point in mind, actually when they first started contacting me I really had no desire to be in the military or pursue that career, but once I went up there and saw the tradition and saw what kind of person it could turn me into and mold me into, that’s when I decided I wanted to be a part of something special like that. I’m nervous that it’s a total 180 degree flip lifestyle, everything is very regimented, but I’m also very organized so that’s something I can get used to, and I’m excited at the same time. What I wanted to do is go to a school that I wouldn’t have been able to get into without football, and I think West Point is the epitome of that and I worked really hard to get there.
“I want to get a water polo scholarship.”
“I want to participate in internships for forensic [and criminal] science.”
Advice I would give to underclassmen would be work hard, but set yourself apart from other candidates because it’s a really competitive field of people trying to get into West Point.”
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
April 2016
Realization of capabilities required
Column Bennett Taylor Editor-In-Chief Current crazes over college credits control a huge majority of students that wish to gain admission to the toughest schools. Year after year, multiple juniors and seniors sign up for seven Advanced Placement courses, plus a multitude of college classes offered at Hillsborough Community College, which both boost weighted grade point averages to astronomical heights. While such students constitute a slim number of the overall student body, a larger amount of students are signing up for such classes, aiming to best the competition for class rank. More and more, many of these students find themselves over-
loaded with these classes and are not able to keep up with or simply participate in certain classes. So how much is too far? Unfortunately, the answer is entirely too unique to a multitude of situations and scenarios to answer. The top echelon of students are truly gifted and are able to knock out a full day of college level courses without breaking a sweat. And while small in numbers, these students tend to influence many classmates inadvertently through their staggering GPA’s, as many students hope to be within the top five or ten percent of their class to seem competitive to colleges nationwide. And luckily for these students, Plant offers the most AP classes in the area, which is a prized commodity. But taken outside of personal context, the influx of work and material associated with these courses often overwhelms and mystifies some students. Many students are not capable of taking a large amount of AP classes. Since it is ambiguous, the classification of “large amount” will quantify as four or more of such courses. Simply put, the effort and attention necessary to achieve the highest grade is not possible for a large amount of students. Guidance counselors often
PO’P Zoe Antinori
warn of such situations during programming, making sure that students understand the dedication that they must place on their academic studies if they choose to invest their time on so many high level classes. As for how many are right for each individual student, it truly lies as a personal decision, perhaps a mature realization of capabilities. Taking a few as underclassmen often proves a trustworthy gauge as to future success. For those gifted in a particular
subject, an AP course is a perfect place to learn and grow in places that normal classes cannot offer. But if not gifted, or even if not honestly interested in a subject, then these courses often come off as annoying, time wasting, and tough over the course of the academic year. So figure out the proper amount of courses; find a subject to be passionate about, and don’t complain about workloads if already signed up for a large amount of AP classes.
Marijuana decriminalization promotes further acceptance Editorial Mayor Bob Buckhorn recently signed a new bill into law decriminalizing the possession of marijuana in the city of Tampa. Now, as opposed to immediately facing the most likely reality of up to a year of jail time, those found in possession of pot will only face a fine, with it’s severity depending on prior records of possession. This law acts as an important step towards the movement away from the harsh treatment of those in possession of marijuana and future widespread legalization. As more and more states have followed in the footsteps of Colorado and Alaska, the idea of marijuana legalization has become even more acceptable by the American public. Many have noted the positive role it plays in its medicinal use for patients suffering from cancer or other debilitating illnesses and have noted
their agreement with passage of legislation to legalize pot. However, there are those still opposed to legalization and seek to maintain possession of marijuana as a criminal offense. This course of action only serves to further prohibit those with the direst need to use marijuana from obtaining the treatment they need to restore some normality and ease to their lives. At the basest level, individuals with illnesses and in other situations where the use of pot may help their condition deserve access to whatever form of medication available in the world. This paired with the alarmingly positive response towards legalization of marijuana in recent years notes how much of the American public want to see these plans put into action and deserve to see their will carried out. Tampa’s decriminalization legislation helps to place our community on
PO’P Zoe Antinori
this path towards a future where the extensive positive uses of pot
may finally be available to those who need it the most.
April 2016
Opinions• 13
Pro Vs. Con: Should graduating students take a gap year before college?
Column Blair Eustace Copy Editor Tired of monotonous work and studying for endless tests? Eager to start working in your field of interest, or want to learn something new while you are still young? Imagine, instead of immediately starting college, working in a poverty-stricken village teaching English to underprivileged children. Visualize yourself completing a semester of school on a cruise ship traveling from continent to continent, port to port, enriching your education. Think of how incredible it would be to work on an internship, traveling internationally and filming documentaries. Consider taking a year off of school between high schooling and college, or a gap year, and the limitless opportunities it could hold. Taking a year off is highly beneficial to a student. In the time spent traveling, working or volunteering, one’s maturity can expand exponentially. A gap year can teach a student how to learn outside of a classroom and beyond core classes and extracurriculars. Earning real life experience in a new environment broadens a student’s understanding of not only themselves, but the world around them. Many students at the time of their high school graduation are not ready to live by themselves in their college years. An extra year is the perfect route to gain the independence and self-awareness needed to be successful in college and later life.
There are many programs offering structured gap year programs in which a student can travel with a group, do missionary work, complete an internship or learn a new skill to strengthen their resumé. Unstructured gap years are also an option, during which a student can work and earn money to put towards college. Many universities offer lend scholarships and fellowships to students delaying their incoming freshman year. Either way, the insight gained in a gap year is irreplaceable. There are also multitudes of emotional benefits to taking a gap year after high school. Many students, especially those that are deeply invested in their academic careers, feel burnt out at the time of graduation. Senior year can prove to be the most strenuous year of schooling, with the added stress of the college application process. A break from the routine of school can boost enthusiasm for that student’s education, improving the student’s mental health and recalibrating their brains before their return. Not only will a student feel emotionally refreshed before starting college after their gap year, but they will also perform better academically upon their delayed beginning of enrollment. According to a study done by Middlebury College, students that took a gap year were recorded as significantly more likely to over perform in college. This trend even continued through all four years of their undergraduate studies. Gap year students also utilize the break from their academic careers to ‘find themselves’. An independent study done by Karl Haigler and Rae Nelson found that after taking a gap year, 60% of students reported their gap year impacted or confirmed their choice of major or career. The benefits of a gap year are innumerable. Students should take control of the most formative time of their life, divert from the norm and impact their life for
Fast Facts • 60% of surveyed students said a gap year helped them decide what subject to study at university. - The Leap • 90% of students return to school after taking a gap year - Deseret News • 66% of students took their academic work more seriously after having a gap year. - The Leap • For those with 13+ months following high school graduation, only 6% got their bachelors degree. - National Center for Education Statistics
Column Darnell Henderson Photographer Doesn’t petting a kangaroo in sunny Australia as you munch on a meat pie sound amazing? Or maybe instead you’d like to venture to lively Brazil? Have an entire year to take in the breath-taking sites, wildlife, and diverse culture? Or maybe it’s in your best interest to go to college? As seniors rapidly approach graduation they make decisions that have life-changing effects, debating what the next and best steps for their post high school life and future may be. While the majority of seniors have already chosen and selected what universities they will attend next year, some consider taking a break from education altogether and taking a year off, or a gap year. Though this option does seem enticing at first glance, susceptible seniors don’t realize the chancy results that this “break” could have. A study done from 2002 through 2012 by the National Center for Education Statistics followed tenth graders until their mid-twenties, conducting interviews with the rising students and three follow-ups on their college and high school experience. The studies showed that a shockingly six percent actually obtained their Bachelors Degree after taking a thirteen-month break after high school, with an even lower one percent receiving their doctorate degree. While the studies showed that those who chose to attend college after completing high school saw a significantly higher percent for those who received their bachelor’s degree, 42 per-
cent, and with Doctorates Degree at an eleven percent. The studies emphasize that the motivation to go to college is diminished when individuals decide to take a gap year, for when they take this year of they become too adjusted to the easy and serene lifestyle that traveling overseas provides. Without the momentum of continuing their education students are easily discouraged when it comes to re-entering the process of schooling, desiring to keep their blissful journey uninterrupted by foreign concepts such as college. So instead of attending college after the year, they skip out on college completely. Never receiving any form of degree, a necessity in today’s society when looking for a job in any field of interest. Not only does it ruin the drive to go to college, but it also results in a lack of responsibility when it comes to taking action for one’s future. Due to the idleness of gap year students towards their life after their year break, most aren’t taking the necessary steps to ensure that they will have a secure and stable future but instead are oblivious when it comes to any future matters and ignore the consequences of not gaining a degree that will later on benefit them when searching for a career. Students who attend college and turn down the option to take a gap year may feel as though they have missed a grand opportunity to explore the world, but colleges do offer abroad programs. These abroad programs provide the same thrills of taking a gap year: encountering intriguing and new cultures, gaining life experience that will make an impact for a lifetime, a change of perspective, and additionally knowing that this trip is bettering their education and benefiting their future. All the while satisfying one’s case of wanderlust. Gap years have proven to be a risky and unintelligent decision for after high school, especially when seniors consider the numerous perks of attending college and refraining from the tempting, but unsound, gap year.
14 •Arts and Entertainment
April 2016
Hardcore Henry simply exhilerates
Column Bennett Taylor Editor in Cheif
All baseless metaphors, references to prices of popcorn, and other equally weak intros behind, I did not expect to enjoy “Hardcore Henry” even in the slightest. If anything, the possibility of motion sickness primarily was the main factor most discussed before entering a back theater of Westshore AMC on opening night, while mocking trailers of future horror films such as “Lights Out” and “The Bye Bye Man.” But walking out of that the-
ater produced feelings of both mangled horror and a genuine, hearty laugh that would not end until the end of the weekend. “Hardcore Henry,” written and directed by Ilya Naishuller, promoted itself as a game changer in film, based on its first person camera angle, as the entire film is through the eyes of the cyborg known as Henry, who suffered an unseen accident that left both arms and legs, below the respective joints, gone. His memory wiped out, he awakes to a woman, claiming to be his wife, who fixes him up with bionic limbs, but is unable to reattach a voice box that will restore his ability to speak. From there, it’s on. Set in what appeared to be Russia, based exclusively on most characters speaking Russian, Henry tries to take down a villain who has a telekinetic ability to throw objects. No, there is no explanation as to why. Based on limited research on
Naishuller, I learned that his previous experiences with any sort of production is a writing position of an obscure video game, where he created a character named Jimmy, voiced by Sharlto Copley, who starred in “District 9” and the 2010 remake of “The A-Team.” This Jimmy character seems to serve as an inspiration to Naishuller’s big screen flick, as the character almost seems to co-star with Henry. All the signs pointed to a film that would question my purchase of a seemingly overpriced ticket, along with even my use of that Friday night’s time to go to opening night for a boasted “Call of Duty” type experience. Such a reference appears fitting when attempting to sum up the bloody, incessant stream of violence that defined “Hardcore Henry.” The opening scenes portrayed various weapons being thrown, shot, or dropped onto a dummy, as to foreshadow the unexplained, random nature of violence that entertained a relatively
tiny opening day crowd. No plot, no character development, not even an effort to explain anything beyond why Henry couldn’t talk, but the entertainment dwarfed that of most movies in years. All 96 minutes of runtime j a m m e d packed with every imaginable form of violence, intertwined with self-deprecating humor and sarcasm that appeared to mock itself, as well as the entire action genre. So after a slight headache from constantly shaky
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camera shots, a slightly delirious crowd actually clapped after the end credits, amazed at the sheer entertainment that “Hardcore Henry” had given them. Unlike any other, this film is a must see, simply because it is a must see.
Arts and Entertainment • 15
April 2016
Nintendo launches new social media experience Jospeh Rosenberger News Editor Nintendo recently discovered that they could apply their creative brilliance to the online world. “Miitomo” is Nintendo’s take on social networking, where users answer questions with their miis for friends to see. It is Nintendo’s first app, available on iOS and android, and is the most fun and unique way to interact with people since the release of snapchat. In it’s infancy, Nintendo experimented with many failed business ventures: playing cards, love hotels, cab services, rice, toymaking and several others. It wasn’t until the company turned to video games that it found itself. Nintendo is universally known for making some of the most recognizable and fun games in the video game industry since the 1980’s with titles including Mario, Legend of Zelda, Pokemon and Donkey Kong. Now they have con-
tinued their history of going to bold new areas with “Miitomo.” After the app installs and connects to the Nintendo servers, the mii creation begins. Now, a lame user will make their mii from scratch so that it actually looks like them whereas the cool users will take a selfie and have the app make the mii for them. The cool users will, as a result, have a mii that, incredibly, looks nothing like them, but also looks exactly like them all at once. Then the user makes the voice of the mii by adjusting pitch, depth, energy, accent and speed. After just answering a few questions the hilarity and quirkiness of this app becomes apparent. Whenever a mii speaks it will generate facial expressions to reflect the words. These expressions will either match up perfectly with the words or completely miss the target. Regardless, the result is hilarious. The combination of the mii’s
colorful clothing, exaggerated appearance, robotic voice and automated facial expressions is just the beginning. Friends can visit each other’s miis and hear
options. Miis can plummet from the sky in the frustrating miitomo drop minigame. The app is only as fun and creative as the user and their friends make it.
some of the answers they made, which can range so widely in relevance and appropriateness that there is always a surprise. They can create and share miifoto’s by throwing their mii in ridiculous clothing with any background and limitless editing
The app, however, is without its flaws. Nintendo is notorious for just not understanding the internet. It is an absolute miracle then that they managed to make something that actually works with the internet and connecting to others. Unfortunately, it is a
Nintendo
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Nintendo
pain to find people and add them as friends. People can only add friends locally or by connecting to facebook or twitter. There is no way to search for people which is a huge limit that needs to be fixed. Another issue with the app is that it does not allow people to ask their own questions to other friends to see how they answer. They are only able to respond to the thousands of questions Nintendo made. “Miitomo” is a breath of fresh air and is a super funny way to share thoughts with friends. Based on their history and depending on how Nintendo continues to market this project, “Miitomo” could go on to be a long lasting and widely respected social media innovation or it could end up joining Nintendo’s long list of failures. But presently it is fun, colorful and original with many opportunities for the user to show their own sense of fun and creativity by reflecting it in their mii.
16 •Arts and Entertainment
April 2016
Brooklyn Water Bagel Company disappoints with new bagel concept Sam Werner Circulation Manager Newly established on the corner of Dale Mabry and Kennedy, Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. offers a new concept meant to revolutionize the bagel industry. This whole restaurant chain is founded on the concept of using New York style water to make the food. Each location includes a water filtration system that transforms the water into a form more similar to that found in upstate New York. The water is thought to give the food better flavor because water from the North is rumored to taste better. This water is used to make everything found on the expansive menu. The bagel company of course sells bagels, as well as typical breakfast sandwiches and lunch sandwiches (both hot and cold) as they stay open til late afternoon. The food is nothing to rave about. For a restaurant that is
founded on the concept of the food tasting better because it’s made with “special” water they missed the mark. The bagels, which are the main dish of the
Brooklyn Water Bagel
establishment, are nothing extraordinary. Customers could find a cheaper, faster option at a place like Einstein’s or even Panera. Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. does include a unique coffee bar, which was set up along a whole
wall of the restaurant. Including flavors such as Brooklyn Dark, Brooklyn Medium and Brooklyn Infusion all which are made onsite with high quality coffee beans. The signature beverage of the Bagel Company is the Iced Coffee Cubsta, which offers a pleasant twist on the typical ice coffee. Since iced coffee tends to get watered down by the ice cubes, Brooklyn Water makes the ice cubes out of freshly roasted coffee. So the beverage taste like coffee for the entire time it’s consumed. The Brooklyn murals on the wall given off the essence of a relaxed New York Coffee shop. The urban decor and soft, upbeat music create a comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere that keeps the conversation flowing. Brooklyn water bagels is a great option for an average breakfast, but doesn’t compare to some of the other breakfast options on the Tampa culinary scenes.
Events of the Upcoming Riverfest Mayor’s Mac & Cheese Throwdown 4/30, 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Curtis Hixon Park Shakespeare in the Park 4/30 - 4/31, 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Water Works Park 13th Annual Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat races 4/30, 8:00a.m. - 5:00p.m. Cotanchobee Park
April 2016
Sports •17
On to the next one: Seniors look back on athletic careers Jacob Robinson Sports Editor When some people are little, they dream about playing sports at the highest level. For most, it also includes being a star in high school. Throughout freshman, sophomore, junior and senior year, playing any given sport works to build talent level, to get closer to achieving the dream of receiving a scholarship to play in college. For many athletes, they will play in locations far from home, leaving behind family and friends to go to new states and regions of the country. This will be the last stop in their career for sports, or the next stage in the process of becoming a professional superstar. Numerous athletes across multiple sports reflected on what they’ve learned while playing for Plant, and how far they’ve come while in high school, among other questions. Q: What are the biggest lessons you learned during the course of your high school athletic career? Stephen Yaffe: Consistency is key. If you’re doing anything, make sure you’re doing it the right way and to the point where you can teach what you’re doing to someone at a younger [age]. Emily Evangelista: Patience with playing with younger players. You have to deal with things you wouldn’t have to deal with at club. Also you understand that they’re younger than you. Megan del Missier: There’s no “i” in team. Everyone has to work together to win a lacrosse game. When you do this, you can see what kind of team you can be. Q: Why that college? Sierra Terrana: Washington and Lee was the size that I wanted because I knew that I wanted to go to a small school and they had the academic caliber that I was looking for. Nick Cerelli: USF is close to home and I don’t have the urge to get away or anything. It’s cool to be in town to go from Plant to USF. Not a lot of kids do that. Sean Kissel: Yale has a family feel to it and it reminds me of Plant. They care about their athletes and it’ll be the closest for playing. They want to develop you into a man and a player. Education was a big part of it too. Michael Murphy: I chose Columbia because for one, it’s an Ivy
League school, and my goal was to use football as a way to get to my dream school. I love New York City, it’s an amazing place. And to think that I’ll be living in New York City at one of the best academic institutions in the world is crazy. And along with that I get to play my favorite sport. Dani Tringali: I’ve always wanted a small D1 school. I can’t do a big lecture hall because I can’t learn in that way. The team there is different from Tampa people. It’s in a completely different region so it’s different types. Q: Any collegiate teams you’re looking forward to playing against? Sean Kissel: Harvard. I was recruited by Harvard and Princeton both, and they were angry with me when I committed to Yale, so it’ll be fun to play them. It’s what I’m looking forward to the most. I’m also looking forward to playing against Joe Ryan and Michael Murphy at Army and Columbia too. Joe Ryan: At Army, it’s big time division one college football there. We play Notre Dame in San Antonio next year, Ohio State at “The Shoe” my Sophomore year, Michigan at “The Big House” my senior year of college too. It’s a really impressive schedule going forward. I’m really looking forward to playing Navy because of the rivalry and it’s the biggest game in college football. Henry Brannan, Grove City College: Well the first year I’m at the school it’ll be a club sport. But my sophomore year it will go Division 3, so I’ll have the opportunity to play against teams then. Q: What’s your favorite memory from playing this sport for Plant? Jackson Misner: The first game when me and the senior captains went on to the field and realized that this is our team this year and we’re ready to play. Zane Hedaya: Definitely beating Robinson. We were down to our last strike of the game, and we came back down 3 runs to win, even though I didn’t pitch. Michael Murphy: The big about the Sickles game wasn’t just the fact that we won in double OT, but what we realized about playing for Plant. The student section never left and never gave up. Had that game been at Sickles, I don’t know how we would’ve fared. Kayla McGory, UNF: I like
when we have our pink practices and games for breast cancer, and then purple games for overall cancer, that is pretty fun to take part in. Q: Do you view college as the last stop in your athletic career or the next step before playing professional? Aaron Tobin: I’d love to say that I would play professionally, but this is probably the last step in my career. I’ll continue to play golf and I’ll try to make it on tour, but it probably won’t happen. Zane Hedaya: I see this as the next step before going pro. At Holy Cross they have really good player development as they get one or two kids drafted a year, so I see the possibility. Dana Rowley, Embry Riddle: This is going to be the last stop for softball. I’m not going to coach or anything. After college I’ll be done, but it has been really great playing. Q: Who was the most influential throughout your career? Rebekah McFadden: Caroline Bado, who was a senior when I was a freshman. We still talk and get together to work out, so that’s awesome. Emily Evangelista: My teammates because they make me work hard and they support me. When I was younger I had a coach who played for FSU and then was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I know that she worked hard and persevered through so much, and it motivated me to do all I can with my life because I’m very lucky. Sasha DeHaven, Washington and Jefferson: My coach right now for club, Brent Fleming. I’ve never seen someone who has loved the game as much as he has, and I really fed off of that with my passion and playing style. I’ll coach when I get older and I’ll model it after all of my coaches. Megan del Missier: I would say Coach Chapman. She’s been a big influence and taught us a lot. My travel team coach also helped me get to the next level and be able to play in college. Also, all of my current and past teammates have pushed me to be better and taught me new things.
Check out the interactive map on our website!
PO’P Blair Eustace Sean Kissel celebrates with fans following an overtime victory over Sickles on Oct. 9, the Homecoming Game.
PO’P Zoe Antinori Joe Ryan concludes his speech at the fall pep rally prior to the game against Sickles. He led the team in tackles last season, with a total of 123.
18 •Sports
April 2016
Track coaches retire after successful cross country runs Emilia DiFabrizio Copy Editor As the end of track and field season ends, both the boys and girls track coaches are leaving Plant. Physical Education teacher and coach of the girl’s track team, Roy Harrison has coached track at Plant for 25 years and cross country for 34. He names his biggest accomplishment as winning ten state championships in cross country, along with three runners-up. In addition, he also coached seven individual state champions, a state record. Furthermore, under his leadership, the girls team has qualified for the state championship 26 years in a row. “There are so many memorable moments. Mostly the feeling I get when one of the girls runs a personal best after training many hard miles during pre-season training,” said Harrison. “Remember the discipline it
took to accomplish what you did in Track and Cross Country and use that knowledge for whatever obstacle you may encounter in life,” said Harrison, referring to his message to athletes. He has no immediate plans for the future yet besides relaxing. Coach of the boy’s team, Bryan Garcia has been coaching at Plant since May of 2011. He started with cross country and worked his way into track the same year. “Being able to be involved with a great group of kids year in and year out is what coaches wait careers for. I’ve been blessed to have kids every year want to excel and become more than just a runner,” said Garcia. “Being there to watch Jack Guyton become a state champion and now move on to college and be in the top 3 in his age group in the world has been incredible,” said Garcia, talking about some of his favorite moments. “Rob Leverone and Quasan Markowski have combined to be two of the strongest leaders and
runners to come on the team. They both really have embraced this mentality of making the team great and not putting themselves first and it has paid off tremendously. Being so close in age also helped to form a closer bond with athletes” said Garcia. “Watching kids set PR’s and break school records has become commonplace. It’s been a great and exciting time to be a part of cross country and track and field at Plant,” said Garcia. “These guys know what’s expected of them and what I believe they can accomplish in the future, both running and non-running related. They must make their own paths, own mistakes, own failures, and then learn to pick themselves up and start again. Most people will not be able to adapt and move on, but the ones that do will redefine what greatness is,” said Garcia. His immediate plans are to continue the dream of coaching in college. “I’ve put a lot of energy into this and believe it’s something I can do. If it’s not meant to
‘‘
be, I’ll move on. But I’m going to try all my options to get my foot in the door,” said Garcia.
Watching kids set PR’s and break school records has become commonplace. It’s been a great and exiting time to be a part of cross country and track and field at Plant.
PO’P Ysabella Canto Girls Cross Country Coach Roy Harrison.
PO’P Ysabella Canto Boys Cross Country Coach Bryan Garcia.
April 2016
Sports •19
Bottom line is... basketball postseason gears up for endless entertainment
Column Jacob Robinson Sports Editor What a rollercoaster this NBA season has been! From retirements to records, if one is an average basketball fan, he or she should be more than pleased with how this hoops season turned out.
We got the last game from future Hall-of-Famer Kobe Bryant at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, California. We got multiple records broken by the Golden State Warriors led by the “Splash Brothers,” Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. We even got exciting buzzer beaters that capped off exciting games. What a time to be alive! The dynamic, out-of-thisworld shooting by Warriors guard Stephen Curry has captivated America, making little kids inadvertently stop from driving in for layups, and instead retreat back to the 3-point line to jack up a contested shot. Some people argue it’s ruining the game of basketball, but then again those people don’t play in the NBA, have any champion-
ship rings, or have won any MVP awards. Who do they think they are to tell Curry to stop shooting three-pointers and making them? The top seeded Warriors aren’t the only teams headed into this postseason looking to do some damage and win a title. The same goes for the Lebron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers, who, with a new coach, will look to avenge last summer’s NBA Finals loss to none other than Golden State. Get your popcorn ready. The NBA Playoffs will feature powerhouse teams, and small sleepers that could advance to the respective Eastern and Western Conference semifinals. In the Western Conference, every team deserves to be there. None of the teams had fluke wins, a poor record or an outrageously
easy schedule. Golden State, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, and even the Clippers all rightfully claimed their place among the best of the best in their conference. Another storyline in this postseason are the teams who made the playoffs after failing to qualify last season. The Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Hornets, Utah Jazz, and Oklahoma City Thunder all earned Playoff berths, bringing new excitement to the best-of-seven series. Amidst all of the controversy surrounding who deserves to be Coach of the Year (it should be Boston’s Brad Stevens), Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell secretly filming teammate Nick Young, and who will participate in this summer’s Rio Olympics, there are
plenty of reasons to tune in this postseason. To watch Stephen Curry do his thing. To watch Thunder guard Russell Westbrook rack up triple double after triple double. To watch Brad Stevens show no emotion on the sideline of any given game. When the San Antonio Spurs win the NBA Title come June, it’ll cap off the great careers of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. All of them will cement their legacies as one of the best trios in the history of basketball during their run. They will most likely retire, but all will be good in Texas, because the Finals MVP of that series, and the second of his career, Kawhi Leonard, will nonetheless stick around for many years to come. What a way to end the season.
Check out more sports columns like this on our website: pepoplant.com
20 •Ad
April 2016