' PEP O PLANT
H.B. Plant High School• 2415 S. Himes Ave. • Tampa, FL, 33629 • May 2015 • Volume 88 • Issue 9 Page 5
New garden installed Read about the new funded project and the school’s plans for its future
Page 12
the
BACK TO SCHOOL issue
Owen Wilson changes gears Find out if “No Escape” satisfied our columist’s taste
2 • Advertisement
September 2015
WannaGetFast is a unique neuro dynamic speed and strength training program that attacks an athlete at their individual speciďŹ c limitations, allowing for rapid improvements in their ability to absorb and produce force. This proven method translates into an athlete not only getting stronger but running faster, improves ďŹ rst step quickness, jumping higher and increases their overall athletic ability. Visit us online at wannagetfast.com, or email us at wgftampa@gmail.com for more information!
September 2015
Previously @ Plant
3 • News
ROTC Remembers
Taps Roman Mamus (11), part of the band, plays Taps on his trumpet. In front of him the flag is raised to half staff and the flight is saluting.
PO’P Ysabella Canto
Flight Attention Peter Kieffer (12), Core Commander, orders his flight to attention. Ahead of him, the colors are posted in memory of Sept. 11.
Carry Colors Christopher Testa (12) stands at attention during the joint service color guard event at the football game on Sept. 11. He was ordered to carry the colors while the flags were being presented. PO’P Gianna Cacciatore
Rememberance Cadets raise the flag to half staff in rememberance of everyone lives on Sept. 11. Students look on as Roman Mamus played Taps in honor of all the victims. PO’P Gianna Cacciatore
Forward March
PO’P Gianna Cacciatore
Clayton Hurd (11), Holly Carroll (10), Athena Gadarowski (10) and Harrison Cooper (11) stand before the first official game on the field to present the colors for the National Anthem. They received the “forward march” order from Carroll before making their way onto the field. PO’P Gianna Cacciatore
News • 4
September 2015
New tardy policy implements revised punishment policy Matthew Blydenburgh Opinions Editor
Administration introduced a new policy regarding the issue of tardies in the classroom. Previously, offenders received some form of warning after their first three tardies. As of now, only the first two occurrences call for a warning and the third offense results in a lunch detention. This new policy began on the first day of school. Some students believe that lunch detention as punishment for their third offense seems too drastic of a way to handle the situation. “They don’t give you a lot of second chances and a lot
‘‘
“Tardies have always been a problem at this school, so it’ll be interesting to see how long something like this will play out in the long run.”
-Peter Jones, AP Statistics teacher
of times it’s just hard to be on time.” Pearson Brooks, senior, said. “The lunch detention isn’t bad but I feel like there should be at least a couple more warnings before you get to something like that.” Brooks said. Underclassmen also expressed their distaste towards the new rule, focusing on the removal of the time they spend with their friends. "Lunch is like my downtime to be with my friends and relax." Anna Curtis, sophomore, said. "I would rather have some kind of detention in the morning rather than waste my lunch period in detention." Teachers have also come up with their own opinions to this new system and
seem to be interested as to how it will work out as its use becomes more and more frequent. “Tardies have always been a problem at this school, so it’ll be interesting to see how long something like this will play out in the long run.” Peter Jones, AP Statistics teacher, said. Students also face lunch detention upon their fourth infraction, regular detention on the fifth through seventh infractions and Saturday Work Detail upon the eighth through ninth. Upon the tenth and eleventh infractions a student could face a referral to the guidance office, a parent conference after the twelfth and thirteenth infractions, and potentially In School Suspension if found tardy fourteen times.
News •5
September 2015
New school garden starts community outreach plans Allison Figueroa Centerspread Editor
Vacant corners on campus are often the subject of some less than reputable activity, but the field near the new building draws the most attention in recent years. Seniors “forked” the area in 2014 as a class prank, and some other unknown students spraypainted the side of the building that same year. Finally, in the wake of recent sweeping changes to beautify campus, this mischievous patch of grass is transforming for more than the growth of fruits and vegetables. This new garden will engage the most marginalized groups of students, including those who might not be involved in all the club life Plant has to offer. “We graduate over 95 percent of our kids here, and we put a lot of kids into college and universities,” Mr. Wade said. “We want all of [the other] kids to do just
as well as [those high-achieving] kids.” In the same way as this dismal area of campus is transforming into a lush, thriving garden, students previously not involved in school activities can blossom by supervising the garden's operations and other up-and-coming projects. Reshaping the atmosphere to where everyone feels included is a top goal for the administrative staff. Wade calls this objective “closing the achievement gap,” and focuses on targeting specific groups of students who may not be fulfilling their potential. To help reach these students, Wade enlisted the club formally known as Ebony Scholars, now Scholars II, to recruit students who may have been “left by the wayside” as far as involvement goes. These gardens will be run primarily by the special needs classes, with supervision by clubs like
Best Buddies, Ecology club, and of course, Scholars II. "[The special needs students] run the coffee shop and the recycling process, so I wanted to try and give them something else here that would help them branch out into the community, and also to give them something to do after they graduate." said Wade. Lowes on South Dale Mabry provided all the materials and the manpower to build the garden, which took over four months of planning and two days of construction. Lowes liked the idea of supporting the special needs kids with a fruit and vegetable garden, and we're excited to help. “The ESE students are the ones who are really in charge of it, they’re going to tend the crops, weed them, take care of them,” Mrs. Drumsta said, “We have a drip irrigation, so its self watering, which is kind of fun. All I have to do is turn on the water!” Drumsta plans on using the
garden to teach her AP Environmental classes about soil, by having them measure phosphates, nitrates, and other chemical components. “When the [crops] start to come in at first, they will be incorporated into the teacher’s cafeteria,” Drumsta said, “and the ESE students will be able to make some salads as well." Later, the produce will find its way into the student lunches, as part of the nationwide health policy spearheaded by Michelle Obama. “We're producing kids that have a lot of health issues,” Wade said, “Then we're looking at society to say, ‘Hey, now we want you guys to also pay for these kids… you’re [still] contributing to their lack of health [with your taxes, but you should pay for them] to now have medical care.” Creating this garden will not only addresses the health issue, but also encourages the most marginalized students to participate.
PO’P Ysabella Canto
Students in the ESE program have the ability to take care of the new garden planted up outside of New Building.
The beginning of the garden initiative is a school wide push for inclusion, but the next phase of the plan shifts more towards community outreach. More gardens will be planted in other areas on the patio, so students will be able to see the fresh fruits and vegetables that they’re eating. The final phase culminates in a brand called “Plant goes G.R.E.E.N” which employs the ESE students selling their produce out in the community. This garden is not just for growing fruits and vegetables, it symbolizes an idea of schoolwide participation, community involvement, and brighter horizons.
September 2015
6 • News
Attendance trumps incentive cards An existing rule which now prone to being enforced this school year stirs up controversy for often absent students Blair Eustace Copy Editor Perhaps one of the most impactful policies regarding students’ grades, the incentive card attendance policy also remains one of the most widely unknown. The policy states that if a student has more than two unexcused absences in a class period, he or she would not be eligible to use a black or gold incentive card in for grade forgiveness in that class period. Lindsay Tait, a chemistry teacher and enforcer of the policy per administrative rules, weighs in on the topic. “The policy was set in place after exam exemptions were taken out and attendance used to be tied to exam exemptions, so [it was put in place] as an effort to keep the attendance percentage high...,” she comments. However, the controversy arises not in the policy itself, but in its
inconsistent enforcement. “That’s causing concern among students because either they aren’t familiar with the policy or the teachers that are following the policy tend to get vilified…,” says Tait.
The ambiguity surrounding the policy has proven problematic, resulting in conflicts around the ends of grading periods when students have been relying on their incentive cards and they are unexpectedly rendered useless. Es-
PO’P Ysabella Canto
tablishing these guidelines early in the year can sidestep difficult circumstances such as these. “The administration and teachers and parents and students, they all got together to make that policy,” says Tait. “That’s the unfortu-
nate situation: that if the administration doesn’t put something down in writing, then teachers can do whatever they want. Even when it is down in writing and teachers aren’t following it, then that causes problems.” Kassadie Nieto, senior, remarks on the situation. “I don’t think it’s fair,” she says, “because people miss school for a variety of circumstances but it shouldn’t invalidate the work they did to get the card.” Lindsay Tait and other teachers offer other compensations in their classes such as test corrections to benefit those that have acquired more than the allowed number of absences. Since the rule looks to continue strong enforcement during the rest of this new school year, awareness of this potential conflict is raised and students and teachers are able to come to an agreement to avoid future animosity.
September 2015
Advertisement• 7
September 2015
8 • Features
Students relive summer adventures Darnell Henderson Photographer
As the student body returns from their seemingly short summer, many students have interesting tales to tell of the places where some their summer adventures happened. •Hannah Diasti, junior, journeyed to Cairo, Egypt. Q: What are some of the highlights of your trip? A: The highlight of my trip was definitely being able to see my family that lives in Egypt. I really got a chance to embrace my culture and find my identity, since I was constantly surrounded by people who have similar ideas and values as myself. Q: What part of Egypt did you visit? A: During my trip we went to the East Coast and stayed at the Red Sea. We also stayed in the capital city of Cairo, where we lived a city life for a few weeks. Q: How did Egypt contrast or compare to Tampa, Florida? A: In Cairo you really get the city feel, similar to New York City, with the hustle and bustle of the people and taxis everywhere. An-
other contrast is that in Tampa we are sitting on the bay, where as in Cairo you have deserts on the outskirts of the city, but it is not a sandy desert town like most people would picture it. Q: What are some activities that you did while in Egypt? A: While I was at the Red Sea I went deep sea scuba diving, which was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had. In the main city of Cairo, I went to a lot of market festivals and restaurants, and of course, we visited the pyramids.
•Maya Gonzalez, freshman, headed north to Hayward, Wisconsin for a camp like experience. Q: What are some of the highlights of your trip? A: Tubing on the lake, a bonfire that we had, and kayaking down the Nameckogen river. Q: Coming back from the trip, is there anything that you found you had more appreciation for? A: Its sounds kinda cheesy but my family because I was away from them the whole two weeks I was there. Q: What are some activities that you did while in Wisconsin? A: Well it was kinda like camp. I mentioned I spent a lot of time
Follow us on Twitter @plantpop
on the lake wakeboarding, tubing and swimming and the fires and all. We also played a lot of volleyball outside, and went into town and pubs occasionally •Lucas Carrillo, junior, voyaged to London, England to the minecraft convention: MineCon. Q: What are some highlights of your trip? A: The highlight of my trip was speaking at a panel at MineCon. Q: What part of England did you visit? A: London and the countryside. Q: Coming back from the trip is there anything you found that you had more appreciation for? A: Airline meals. Q: How did London contrast or compare to Tampa, Florida? A: …it’s more urban and lively. Q: What are some activities that you did while in London? A: I went to Oxford, and it was really fun. Of course we had MineCon Parties…it wasn’t a materialistic venture; it was more personal than London it was about us being together. Q: Give an overall rating of your trip. A: It would have to be a 4.5.
“I really got a chance to embrace my culture and find my identity, since I was constantly surrounded by people who have similar ideas and values as myself,”
-Hannah Diasti, junior
“I went to Oxford, and it was really fun...it wasn’t a materialistic venture... it was about us being together,” -Lucas Carrillo, junior “Tubing on the lake (I went to a lake house), a bonfire that we had, and kayaking down the Nameckogen river,” -Maya Gonzalez, freshman
September 2015
Advertisement • 9
September 2015
10 • 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 Gianna Cacciatore Webmaster Gianna Cacciatore Business Manager Katie Chae Circulation Manager Sam Werner Copy Editors Blair Eustace Emilia Difabrizio Maggie Fitzsimmons Staff Artist Ariana Makar Photographers Zoe Antinori Gianna Cacciatore Darnell Henderson Staff Writer Pershia Hajj 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
Tardy policy keeps students honest Editorial Often, during the course of the school year, staggering amounts of students stumble into classes north of the bell marking the beginning of the period; without a pass, they are marked tardy, entered in Plant Internal for their own permanent record. After a few days of being late, students experience the joy of detention, Saturday work detail, and even ISS if enough tardies are racked up. Building on changes first in-
troduced last year, tardies once again are changing. Added to the mix this year are lunch detentions, which are applicable upon the third and fourth tardy, in addition to other punishments as more tardies build up. Last year, new policies on tardies allowed students, wandering in first period no later than 15 minutes after class begins, to simply take a tardy instead of checking in at student affairs. And while seemingly harsh and counterintuitive, these tardy policies seek to take a burden off administrators and staff in student affairs, as a staggering, nearly 2,500 student body poses other problems not concerned simply with being on time to class. It’s not hard to make it to class on time. Even if the journey starts in the college resource room, and ends in Mr. Messano’s room upstairs in new building, the six minutes or so to make it on time does not have to involve running, racing, or any major forms of hustle. Being tardy constitutes a personal failure to even attempt to make it on time, a laziness that cannot pass for any excuse. New policies and procedures are designed annually to better the daily life of the student- not to harm or punish undeserving
PO’P Artist Zoe Antinori
individuals for actions they do not commit. And so complaining about lunch detention- which prevents scheduling conflicts for attendance that normal detention suffers from- prevents such programs from properly functioning since incessant complaints often halt or destroy new incentives created by administration. Losing half an hour social time to avoid staying after school, or showing up early, will only help teachers with scheduling, and help administration properly manage those who choose to be tardy.
In the uncertainty of daily life of high school, tardies are one thing very much controlled by students themselves. Showing up late to any class simply means that the minimal effort to walk to class could not be mustered up. New tardy policies can only make life easier for those who choose to be tardy, providing additional options to serve punishments applicable to them due to tardies. Administration wants to help. So just go to class, don’t complain.
“I think it’s an… interesting thing to do because, I’m for tardies, one of those few kids I guess because I don’t really get tardy a lot.”
“It doesn’t really matter if kids are like a second late. I think that they should just not have the tardy rule at all… I think that they should decrease it; I think that tardies is a lost cause.”
Man on the Street
“How do you feel about the new tardy policy?”
“You shouldn’t have to go and lose your lunch, like I’m hungry all the time, so we shouldn’t have to lose your lunch.”
-Rachel Harris, 12th -Previn Martin, 10th -Lucas Carrillo, 11th grade grade grade Compiled By: Emilia DiFabrizio
May 2015
Opinions • 11
Staying in Tampa Bay area for summer gains popularity Rachel Ferreri Features Editor As the years go by, summer becomes shorter and shorter. Two months are all that is given to relax and to catch up on sleep that students miss out on during the year. Given the choice, staying in town is more ideal during the summer because it means relaxing and choosing what to do. By staying in town, airports are avoided. Airports are a pain. They are busy and full of grumpy people who are sleep deprived and exhausted. The worst part about airports is that they are full of impatient people who are only worried about catching their flights on time. By staying in town all of this hassle is avoided. Airports also mean that you have to stand in long lines and just wait for many hours.
Plus, once you go through security, you are forced to pay a fortune for food that is normally much less expensive. Staying in town is also great because netflix is available 24/7. On a vacation, hanging out with family members or touring new places is required. By staying at home, people can binge watch to their heart’s content. Shows like Gossip Girl, 90210, or the Vampire Diaries have so many seasons which guarantees days and days of entertainment. The amount of money that saved from not leaving your house is huge. Why pay a couple hundred dollars for a plane ticket when you can do so much in Tampa? There are concerts, movies and theme parks here that are much less expensive than outings and plane tickets. These activities are similar to what you could do in new cities as well. With that extra money, you
PO’P Ariana Makar
can go on more family outings, hang out with your friends more, or shop more. Lots of people get summer jobs. During the school year, AP classes and sports keep students busy while in the summer, they have free time to have a job and earn money. Staying in town also guarantees time to get a job.
Most students drive and gas is expensive. If you stay in town all summer, you can get a job and earn enough money to pay for your gas so that you can do more fun things. If you’re going in and out of town, you may not get hired since you are unavailable constantly when you would be needed to work.
By earning the money for gas, you can go to the fun events that Tampa has such as outdoor concerts at Vinoy Park or Busch Gardens. Restaurants and stores in the mall constantly look for new employees and staying in town means being able to apply.
“Graduating.”
“I’m most excited about being on executive board.”
“I’m looking forward to becoming an independent person. And playing poker.”
“Parking in the senior lot.”
Hector Sierra (11)
Max Jenkins (11)
Philip Hampton (11)
Olivia Goutoufas (11)
Given the choice, staying in town is more ideal during the summer because it means relaxing and choosing what to do. Man on the Street
What are you most excited about for your senior year?
Compiled by: Emily Greiwe
September 2015
12 • Arts and Entertainment
Dad Jokes:
Owen Wilson diversifies portfolio in No Escape Bennett Taylor Editor-in-Chief As Daniel Radcliffe spoke in an odd accent, conversing with a mad scientist that Hogwarts students would never associate with, many in the theater excitedly whispered with their seat mates about what Harry Potter was doing in the preview for this Frankenstein film. Already Radcliffe had appeared in films not associated with the extremely profitable teen book adaptations, causing many die hard fans to ask what had happened to their favorite wizard who had tamed Voldemort in an unnecessary two part movie adaptation of the final
book. For stars of long standing series or movies, the phenomenon of representing a singular character often drives them to abandon their known genre or role, like Radcliffe in “The Woman in Black,” or Jason Segal(my doppelganger) after “How I met your Mother.” And when it’s time to change an image, the method of choice entails a role in a genre entirely polarized from one they worked in: and Owen Wilson decided to take the leap, ditching Ben Stiller and even Marley to star in “No Escape,” an action thriller directed by John Erick Dowdle. Much like the super blockbuster “Mad Max”, an intense, visually entertaining film,
“No Escape” completely ignored any notion of legitimate storyline, instead cramming an exposition within the cramped legroom of the economy section of an airliner, bound for what the movie vaguely calls the “Pacific.” And while attempting to avoid any future conflict with another nation that may of felt offended that their country was the scene for this film, not naming such country added a dimension of fiction that the writers did not wish upon the plot. I’m no geography major, but the only possible countries this mysterious “Pacific” country could be are Laos or Cambodia, since they are the only countries (not including China) that border Vietnam, but I di-
gress.Owen Wilson indeed tries to diversify his roles, playing Jack Dwyer, a dad bringing his family to a foreign country for a new self described “Mid-Level” job as an engineer for a water project. And this super serious dad, able to avoid mobs of angry mobs of rebels actively trying to kill him, still manages to keep the mood light like the classic Owen Wilson always does; I’m talking about the dad jokes. While hiding under some rubble, Jack’s daughter Lucy whispers that she’s hungry. So, in an apparent attempt to appeal to cool new standards of humor approved by teenagers and dads alike, Jack whispers back “Hi hungry, I’m Dad.” Hilarious!
This forced humor, an attempt in the script to contrast the dark horror that is their entire quest, provided only a cheap laugh, much like one that kind patrons of a comedy club give to the new self-described “Up-and-comer.” Owen Wilson is not capable of tossing his two daughters across buildings, navigating streets of a city he has known for one day effectively, and possessing the required hand to hand combat skills to take down multiple attackers. And without a hint of character development, the action at least partially justified my time to watch a film that finally premiered after extensive budgeting nightmares; a decade in the making, supposedly.
Teamwork Imprinted Sportswear
Tampa’s favorite for screen printing and embroidery
(813)258-0331
2403 S Dale Mabry Hwy Tampa, FL 33629
September 2015
13 • Arts and Entertainment
The Weeknd takes musical risks with new album Emilia Difabrizio Copy Editor
weeknd49/MCT Campus
Abel Tesfaye, better known by his stage name, The Weeknd, has recently released his new album, Beauty Behind The Madness. The follow-up to his 2013 record Kissland takes many risks as Tesfaye experiments with the incorporation of different genres, most notably on the tracks “Shameless” and “Dark Times”, which features singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran. The track “Prisoner” features singer/songwriter Lana Del Rey, which is a match made in heaven. The different approaches he takes stylistically are hit or miss on this album. The song “Can’t Feel My Face”, which has already shot to the top of the charts, has a dance-able, groovy beat along with catchy lyrics that allude to his cocaine addiction. The energy on “Can’t Feel My Face” is new for the Canadian singer, known for his drudging, moaning instrumentals. The song, “The Hills”, however, sounds similar to his past work, with its glacial bass and lyrics
about sex, drugs, and flimsy relationships, yet perfectly demonstrates his artistic style, also heard on the songs “Real Life”, “Acquainted”, and “Often”. Some instrumentals, for instance on “As You Are”, are too muddy for their own good and sound vaguely 80s (not in a good way). “As You Are” and “Angel” fail to translate well and end up as droning and tedious for the listener. Tracks such as the Kanye West produced “Tell Your Friends”, he sings about the grandeur and excess of his current day life, but returns to his rough past with lines like, “Driving by the streets I used to walk through”, a reference to his past homelessness. Tesfaye’s major flaw is the two dimensional world he creates leaves little room for sympathy or empathy with him. It is difficult to find much substance beneath the excess and self-pity. His persona tends to come across as arrogant and cocky for example with the way he speaks of women. However, this album leaves the future wide open for The Weeknd to mature into other sounds and evolve as an artist.
September 2015
14 • Arts and Entertainment
Fall entertainment features many must-sees Joseph Rosenberger News Editor Unparalleled excitement exists in all the fans living in eager anticipation of the long awaited movies to be released this holiday season, including “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2” and several others. But, it doesn’t end there; the captivating trailers for “Everest,” “The Martian” and “The Walk” prove that this fall will be a great season for movies and TV shows alike. Don’t, however, limit what you watch to the titles listed above. Dozens of films released in the next couple of months will be popular among both audiences and critics and could likely be contenders for Oscars. Modern television is witnessing a golden age. Sharing many characteristics with movies and literature, TV shows have displayed a mastery of the craft of storytelling. Popular, outstanding shows include “Breaking Bad,” “Game of Thrones,” “Lost,” “House of Cards” and many more, but this upcoming fall season will feature several new must-see shows.
Rarely will a show cultivate a large group of fans. Even more unlikely will that show be a historical drama set during the Dark Ages of Europe. “The Bastard Executioner,” set during the early 1300s, is brought by “Sons of Anarchy” creator Kurt Sutter. The show will center around an ex-knight in King Edward I’s army who, after trying to escape the traumas of war, takes up the violent role of executioner. Since most television shows out there are usually sci fi, crime, or drama thrillers, it will be nice to see a good show of a different genre for a change. Plus, it guest stars Ed Sheeran. The series will premiere on Sept. 15 on FX. Another groundbreaking, original show to be considered is the psychological thriller, “Mr. Robot.” This realistic depiction of the hacking world follows Eliot (Rami Malek), a young and confused cybersecurity programmer by day and a hacker by night. Suffering from antisocial disorder, he is forced to tolerate all the people he doesn’t understand and forced to bring down
Hilary Brownwyn Gayle/INS/MCT Campus
those who disgust him, which consists of the powerful individuals he believes run the world. Throughout Eliot’s constant narration it’s hard to not sympathize with his struggles and eventually understand him in a world where he can’t be understood. The season one finale will air Sept. 2 at 10 p.m. on USA Network and all the episodes will be available to watch for free on USA’s website until July of next year.
In the world of movies, one of the best this year will be “Bridge of Spies.” The political thriller will bring together four of the biggest names in Hollywood: Steven Spielberg in the director’s chair, Tom Hanks in the leading role and Ethan and Joel Coen as the writers. The true story tells of James Donovan (Tom Hanks), an American lawyer, who is recruited to negotiate the release of a U.S. pilot held prisoner by the
Soviet Union. “Bridge of Spies” will be released Oct. 16. While on the topic of biographical movies, “Steve Jobs,” “Snowden” and “Black Mass” will be smashing hits within that genre. “Snowden” will be the latest movie from Oliver Stone, the controversial director of “Platoon” and “JFK,” and it will follow the CIA whistleblower, Edward Snowden. In “Black Mass,” Johnny Depp puts on one of the best performances of his career as an Irish gangster who allies with the FBI to take down the Italian mob. Michael Fassbender will play the late CEO in “Steve Jobs” under the director Danny Boyle, who has created films in the past like “Slumdog Millionaire,” “Trainspotting” and “127 Hours.” “Black Mass,” “Steve Job,” and “Snowden” snd “Black Mass” will release on Sept. 18, Oct. 9, and Dec. 25 respectively. “Revenant” will all be good investments and worthy watches. The movie and TV world is vast and there are a lot of great titles this year that no one should miss out on.
September 2015
15 • Arts and Entertainment
Fall Concerts Date
Artists
Location
Sept 18
Luke Bryan
MidFlorida Credit Union Ampitheatre
Sept 21
Bad Suns
Jannus Live
Sept 24
Janet Jackson
Amailie Arena
Oct 2
Brad Paisley
MidFlorida Credit Union Ampitheatre
Oct 23
Jason Aldean
MidFlorida Credit Union Ampitheatre
Oct 31
Taylor Swift
Raymond James Stadium
Nov 7
Waka Flocka Flame
University of South Florida
Nov 13
Zac Brown Band
MidFlorida Credit Union Ampitheatre
Nov 25
Figure
The Amp Compiled by Savannah Lowry
16 • Advertisement
September 2015
September 2015
17 • Sports
Bottom line is... Judge makes right decision
Jacob Robinson Sports Editor If you have been keeping up with sports news recently, or even watched one minute of ESPN, you know about New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady and the whole “Deflategate” fiasco. From NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, to head official Walt Anderson, It is probably a lot to take in. And I don’t blame you. The date is January 18, 2015, on a cold night in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Indianapolis Colts are playing the Patriots for the chance to go to Super Bowl XLIX. After an interception, Colts ball boys find that the ball that was used was a bit under-inflated. Speculation starts, as well as the beginning of the 9-month investigation. Commissioner Roger Goodell takes over the investigation, hiring “independent” investigator Ted Wells to look at what occurred. After his month-long “investigation”, he had come
to the conclusion that, “It was more probable than not that Tom Brady was generally aware about the deflated footballs.” Goodell quickly issued a team fine of $1 million, stripped the team of a first round draft pick in 2016 and a fourth round pick in 2017, along with suspending Brady for four games, due to “conduct detrimental to hurting the integrity of the game”. Sounds like a lot for a “crime” that in the NFL rulebook, is a standard $25,000 fine. Without a doubt, Brady and his agent Don Yee, appealed. Goodell felt it was necessary for him to be the arbitrator of hearing the appeal process. He rejected the appeal and held it to four games. From there it was the court in Minnesota, under Judge Richard Berman, where the suspension was nullified, meaning Brady will play all four games, to the delight of fans everywhere. Here is why Berman got it right in handling the case. First, Ted Wells told Brady that they did not need his cellphone. The suspension was later upheld, with the commissioner saying it was due to Brady not handing over his cell phone and destroying it, where Brady told he regularly destroyed it. Second, the investigation was based entirely on the Wells Report, which ignored atmospherics and simple science. Cold weather
takes something that is normal, like a football and decreases its air pressure. Third, the Wells Report has been widely dismissed as biased
‘‘
Bottom line is, the deflategate ruling was the right call. The Patriots did nothing wrong. They never cheated in the first place. It never affected the outcome of the game. and flawed by truly “independent” observers, not someone hired by Goodell to cover up mistakes that date back to the Ray Rice case. The commissioner wanted to appear hard on players, after ini-
tially giving Ray Rice a two game suspension for knocking his wife unconscious. And fourth is where it gets a bit confusing. The NFL and why it corrupted the case. The widely reported “fact” tweeted by ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, which was later proven false, stated that 11 of the 12 footballs used in the game were under-inflated by two pounds. The false tweet, which single-handedly brought down Brady, was linked to a single source: NFL Vice President of Operations Mike Kensil. This means the NFL fed Mortensen the lie itself, to help back up its future decision to suspend Brady. Despite knowing that Mortensen’s report was false, the NFL never corrected it during the four months between the AFC Championship game and when the Wells Report came out. Also, The NFL itself has refused to investigate allegations of ball tampering in the past. In 2009, the NFL declined to investigate the New York Jets kicker for the same charges that Brady endured. In 2014, The Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers were caught on live TV tampering with footballs, but were only given a warning. So for Brady there is no evidence, but a four game suspension. With Minnesota and Carolina, there was actual evi-
dence, but only a warning. Why? Is it because the Vikings and Panthers aren’t as good as the Patriots? Is it because it’s Tom Brady we’re talking about, the greatest NFL Quarterback to play the game? The answer is, yes. See, Goodell wanted to win back confidence among the public eye by shattering a legacy in Tom Brady when his own credibility was shattered in the Ray Rice case. He wanted to show he was still a powerful commissioner, by suspending someone based upon “more probable than not”. The owners agreed with the ruling, and that is what Goodell wanted. The two main owners vocalizing their opinion about Deflategate were Colts owner Jim Irsay and Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, which coincidentally are the owners of the teams the Patriots beat by a combined score of 8038. Bottom line is, the deflategate ruling was the right call. The Patriots never cheated in the first place. It never affected any outcome of the game. Tom Brady is still going to play every game for the rest of the season. The NFL tried to hurt the reputation of one of the greatest and respected athletes in the history of the game, but Judge Berman made sure that the league’s top player was going to play all of the 2015-16 NFL season.
Follow us on Instagram @pepoplant
18 • Sports
Crew team rows into upcoming fall season Sam Werner Circulation Manager
With the beginning of the new 2015-2016 school year, the Plant High School varsity crew team has hit the ground running and begun practice for the fall rowing season. This summer rowing practices and camps were optional for team members. Most athletes are just starting to get into the swing of things and build up their strength for the new season. Athletes are preparing themselves for upcoming races, or regattas (ranging in distance from five kilometers to six kilometers) in hopes of placing well at the first race in Sarasota. “I think that practice prepares us for any challenge we may face at regattas.” Julien Cuevas, sophomore said. “If everyone pushes each other to the best of their abilities, which I believe they will, then this season should be one of the best.” Crew practices Monday through Saturday, beginning right after school during weekdays and Saturday mornings. Each practice is about three hours, which means that this rigorous schedule requires dedication from each and every team member. “Sometimes we go out on the
water in boats.” Lauren Spinka, coach and teacher said. “You’ll have eight people in the boat with you, [sometimes] four, all the way to one.” As well as being an opportunity for athletes to work on individual strength and endurance, practice is also an opportunity for team members to bond. With boat sizes varying from one to eight rowers, team members need to work together and communicate in order to increase speeds, which will ultimately help them place better at competitions. “Some days we’ll go on the water and row for a few hours and other days we’ll stay on land and basically work out with weights.” Cuevas said. Crew practice doesn’t just take place completely on the water. Like most other sports, rowers do high intensity land workouts. During land days rowers do anything from erging (a land based machine that simulates rowing), running, weight lifting, core and strength training. “We have shrunk this year, but we are still going to be competitive against other bigger teams. Allie Hendry, senior and team captain said. “We are really working on recruiting to replace everyone that graduated.”
Having graduated 38 seniors the previous year, the team has a smaller amount of athletes than in the past, which makes the team train harder. With a tough practice routine and a competitive spirit, the team stays motivated and works hard at every practice. “The energy at practice is great.” Spinka said. “Everyone has a really positive attitude. It’s awesome.” Crew teams members are eager and excited for the upcoming thrilling season.
‘‘
September 2015
The energy at practice is great. Everyone has a really positive attitude.
Crew practice gets underway at Palm River
PO’P Ysabella Canto
September 2015
19 • Sports
Coaches embrace new roles Jacob Robinson Sports Editor Coleman: Q: Can you tell me a little about yourself (Where you are from)? A: Before I got the Varsity Coaching Job, I was the J.V. coach here at Plant with Michael Slonaker. I then was the varsity head coach at Blake High School. At Blake I took over for Winston Davis, who attended this school. Overall, Blake was a decent team. Q: Do you have a certain style of coaching? A: I base it on the talent I have. This year I’ll be looking to slowing it down with zone, and moving without the ball. What’s different from this year than last year is that I don’t have a lot of height down low. I’m also laid back except when I’m coach-
ing. If something goes wrong, I can get a little loud. My style of coaching compared to former Coach Slonaker’s style is what made us a good coaching duo. Sinabaldi: Q: Can you tell me a little about yourself (Where you are from)? A: Prior to last year, I was the head volleyball coach at UNC-Charlotte, where we made the conference tournament for the first time in school history. Before that, I was also the Bloomingdale head coach for 4 years. Between the two I like the High School Atmosphere better. Q: What do you think you will end up loving about coaching here at Plant? A: The kids are awesome. With Plant, there’s a tradition of excellence Coach Lamm left as well as Mrs. Hellenberg. I had to rebuild the volleyball program at
‘‘
Q: Do you have a certain style of coaching? A: I base it on the the talent I have. This year I’ll be looking to slowing it down with zone and moving without the ball.
Follow us on Twitter @plantpop
Bloomingdale, whereas Plant is keeping it up. Kenny:
Q: Can you tell me a little about yourself (Where you are from)? A: I’m from Chicago and attended Illinois State University. I’ve been coaching wrestling for about 8 years now. I was also the Head Coach in North Dallas for the last 3 years. We qualified for state duels and placed 7th and 8th in State. Q: Are there any opponents you’re looking forward to coaching against this year? A: Of course Robinson because they’re close nearby. I’m also interested to play Brandon. To be the best you have to beat the best. We have to see where we are in relation to them, and to see where we need to be.
Basketball Coach Cameron Coleman
Wrestling Coach Brian Keeny
PO’P Blair Eustace
Volleyball Players with Coach Margeraux Sinabaldi
Upcoming Volleyball Matches: Sept 16 vs. Wharton Sept 21 at. Newsome Sept 24 at. Steinbrenner Sept 28 vs. Wiregrass Ranch
Upcoming Basketball Matches: Nov 16 vs. Newsome Nov 18 at. Gaither Nov 20 vs. Wharton Nov. 21 at. Berkley Prep
September 2015
11 • Promotion
1989 Tour Tickets! Step One: Make a
T Swift Dubsmash
Step Two: Tweet it at us!
@plantpop
Use #POPTStix with your video
Our favorites go online October 1st at
Pepopoplant.com
Go to pepoplant. com and vote!