theroar
February 2016
ivy league dreaming INSIDE • Call for trigger warnings • Taking advantage of grade forgiveness West Shore Jr./Sr. High 250 Wildcat Alley . Melbourne, Fl 32935
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ROAR VOL. 18 NO. 3
Soccer Star Advising the girls’ varsity soccer team, West Shore alumnus and professional soccer player Toni Pressley comes back to visit for Senior Night.
News 7
Opinion 14
National consideration for the possibility of moving the voting age down to 16.
Students discuss candidates running in the 2016 presidential race.
Feature 19
Sports 21
Middle-schooler dedicates free time to learning the craft of musical theatre.
Tennis team struggles to get practice site repaired.
Sweet 16
Broadway Bound
2016 Election
Tennis Troubles
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The Roar recognizes itself as a public forum and encourages letters from West Shore students and members of the community. The Roar cannot print ads promoting activity illegal by Florida law, ads opposing any religious beliefs, ads written in poor taste, ads with racial or sexist comments, ads considered inappropriate by the staff, advocacy advertising or ads containing libel. The Roar is not responsible for web sites viewed through links found on pages mentioned in the publication. The Roar values letters from our readers: maximum length for letters is 200 words. No more than one letter a semester will be published from a writer. Letters and columns are edited for length, content and clarity. The Roar maintains the right to edit all submissions for poor taste, length, grammar and libel. Views expressed in the “Opinions” section do not necessarily represent the views of the Brevard County School Board, the West Shore administrators, faculty, student body or The Roar staff.
Staff:
Editors in Chief: Ana Rosal, Hannah Brusca Managing Editor: Daphna Krause Entertainment Editor: Jonah Hinebaugh Sports Editor: David Thompson Opinions Editor: Sergio Carlos Business Manager: Ashlyn Kellner Staff Writers: Brittany Bailer, Evan Cooper, Julia Kuehnast, Helen McSorley, Jett Morgan, Rohan Patel, Briana Sandoval, Leena Quader, Ben Lack
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FEBRUARY 2016 3
NEWS
their High stakes admission to Ivys increasingly exclusive
F
or the past two years, West Shore has been ranked among the Top 5 public schools in the state of Florida by U.S. News and World Report, yet during that time only three graduates were accepted to Ivy League or similar elite colleges. So then, what does it take to get in? “The big triumvirate are your grades and coursework, your standardized test scores and your extracurricular activities,” Guidance Director Mike Drake said. “Those are the big three. And colleges tend to look at it like Triton’s three pronged spear. They try to look at all three and not let one totally dominate.” Special accredited programs such as Advanced Placement, Cambridge and International Baccalaureate add to applicant desirability. “The IB program at Cocoa Beach is a merit-based
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application,” Drake said. “ Let’s say they’re going to let in the hundred seventh-graders into their IB program, and they get four hundred applications. They’re going to cull through those applications and take the one hundred best students. At West Shore, it’s strictly a lottery, so all you have to be is on grade level and not have any major academic red flags. “Some of the students in the lottery that are top students may be unlucky and not get in here. They end up going to a choice program like the IB program because they can get in there based on merit, not based on luck. In some ways the process of the lottery hurts the school as far as Ivy League admissions are concerned.” In response,West Shore recently initiated AP Capstone in order to keep pace with programs recognized by colleges for their rigor. “A lot of [admission offices] have matrices that they use,”
NEWS Drake said. “Say you are a student who has a 3.8 unweighted [grade point average]. At West Shore, that makes you number 37 in your class. There may be another student that has a 3.8 unweighted that’s tied for number 37 with you, but you’ve taken nine AP classes and they’ve taken one AP class. You know they’re going to give you a higher ranking in their admission matrix because you’ve challenged yourself more with your coursework. That’s one of the big things about West Shore. Where we do have an advantage is you have access to a lot of AP courses that students at other schools don’t.” School recognition also plays a major role in building credibility. “[Colleges] have noticed how successful West Shore students are. It is almost like we are on their radar,” Drake said. “They know the background students have had, the work ethic and the things that they’ve done, [which] gives them a higher probability of being successful [and] gives them an advantage.” Even with admission requirements fulfilled, the possibility of acceptance remains stringent. “Seniors probably feel a little bit intimidated,” AP Literature and Capstone Research teacher Mary Nelson said. “Of course there are so many people applying to Ivy League schools now that I think that’s why it’s more competitive to get in. A lot of people with the same credentials are applying for very few positions and so it makes it harder to get that seat. Even if they are top notch and have all of the requirements for doing so, I think that it’s a little frustrating when it doesn’t happen [even] when you work so hard.” According to John Krehbiel, AP Physics teacher and graduate from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and California Institute of Technology, getting into Ivy League schools is a “crapshoot.” “It is so hard to tell who’s going to get in. You get one person who’s got all the capabilities you’d think they’d want and they said no, and then they pick somebody else,” Krehbiel said. “I would tell students that even if you think you know
you’re doing a great job and have everything they would want, you have no greater chance than somebody who’s doing most of the stuff they’re looking for. I think they just get so many applicants, it doesn’t matter whether you got six AP classes or 13. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been the head of this program or that club.” Those who do get accepted have high standards to live up to. “Be prepared to work really hard because a part of how they become elite schools is that they push their students,” Krehbiel said. “I usually tell students to go for the top school they can get into. The reason I say that is not only because the professors have to teach to the average capability of the class, but also due to the fact that you’re in a top school where their average SAT scores and that kind of stuff are higher. It also means the professors can teach you more.” Because of the competitive nature of Ivy League schools, state schools are seen as a viable alternative. “Undoubtedly schools like Florida State University, University of Florida, and University of South Florida have become popular,” Drake said. “A big portion of our graduating classes end up attending those [schools] because of the Bright Futures options that they have available as Florida residents.” Senior Srimayi Tenali has been accepted into MIT and applied to Columbia, Cornell and Yale out of the Ivy Leagues. “An Ivy League education can only come from schools that are Ivy League, but I believe that a top education can come from anywhere,” Tenali said. “It’s more what you make of it than what it does. There are so many schools nowadays like the University of Michigan and University of Washington that are not names you typically hear when you think of top schools. They’re what’s leading the world with their medicine programs and their science programs, so even though the name takes you a long way, there are so many schools that are so great that you shouldn’t limit yourself to Ivy League — that’s an athletic division.”
Daphna Krause
Illustration: Ian Kennedy
FEBRUARY 2016 5
NEWS
Online classes benefit students
With the federal budget quickly going down the drain, instead of sending failing students to summer school, the Florida Department of Education has introduced the idea of re-taking courses online. And so starts the ongoing phenomenon known as grade forgiveness. Junior Alyssa Feliciano said that she decided to re-take Algebra II online after earning a “C” in the class, and was able to bring her grade back up to an “A”. “Because I retook Algebra II over the summer, I went into this year feeling really confident in my math skills,” Feliciano said. “[Retaking the class] helped because most of the time the first semester of math classes is a review of last year’s material.” Feliciano also said that she struggled for the opportunity to retake the class. “The process to take the course online was difficult because the school wasn’t too excited with me trying to retake the class,” Feliciano said. “It took some fighting but they let me do it.” As required by the 2015 Florida State Statute, if students receives a “D” or an “F” in a class, they have the option to retake it during the summer online. If the student takes the course again online and they receive a “C” or higher, only the new grade will be used when calculating the student’s grade point average. This can be applied to both elective and required courses, but if a required high school course is taken in middle school and they receive a “C” or lower, students are also eligible for grade forgiveness. Guidance counselor Kimberly Strauch said remedial online courses have both pros and cons. “Overall I think it is a good thing for students to be able to make up a grade especially if something happened in their family or there were extenuating circumstances,” Strauch
Photo: Kristina Youngsten
Forgive and Forget Working in an online virtual lab classroom, several students fulfill their online requirement in order to graduate.
said. “Do I think it is necessarily something that students should be given the opportunity to do more than once? No. I don’t want grade forgiveness to be taken advantage of, especially at West Shore. Students need to keep their grades up to stay here anyway.” Strauch said she doesn’t have concerns about students who are required to make up the class over the summer after failing. “They should have acquired at least a good foundation in the classroom, so based on having the class twice they should be okay to be moving up to the next course,” Strauch said. On the other hand, math teacher Susan Orton said she thinks students who take online classes are not learning as much as they would in a classroom setting. “Students who take online classes are not as well prepared to enter the next level of a subject,” Orton said. “You can ask any math teacher. When a student takes any online course, whether it is for grade forgiveness or they took it in the place of a class, they will have gaps [in their education]. Online classes are taught so differently because you are learning independently and your exams and tests are not proctored.” Orton also said she doesn’t agree that students should be able to retake a year long course for grade forgiveness because the grade will be taken off the transcript. “A future school should be able to see if a student was failing a class. Honestly, I don’t think that there is anything wrong with a student retaking a class, but some students will do it just to get an A because it’s easier,” Orton said. “West Shore is a place for students to actually push themselves and try to accelerate as much as they can. Some students just have to put in that extra effort into their work and then they can get a good grade.”
Briana Sandoval and Helen McSorley
6 FEBRUARY 2016
NEWS
Don’t Tread On Me Rushing from school to work, many teenagers feel the hardship of holding a minimum wage job while trying to balance homework and extracurricular activities. Due to their contribution to programs such as Social Security and Medicare, sophomore Tena Gordon says that teenagers are directly affected by legislations made in all levels of government and therefore deserve to vote. “If you are socially aware and into politics, then this is a good opportunity for you to put out your voice because you are affected by policy decisions,” Gordon said. In July of 2015, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 20 million 16- to- 24-year-olds were employed in summer jobs across the country. “I think 16 year olds should have the opportunity to vote,” junior and Future Business Leaders of America President Joanna LaTorre said. “A lot of them probably would want to vote. The only thing is that they would have to be politically informed. Otherwise [they] might not know who [to] vote for and they would just vote for a cool name or who looks the coolest.” AP Psychology teacher James Pustay opposes lowering the voting age because he questions 16-year-olds’ mental development. “Developmentally, 16-year-olds are far from maturing, in terms of their executive decision making, their frontal lobe and their prefrontal cortex,” Pustay said. “From what I’ve witnessed at school, mentally and physically their brain[s] [aren’t] developed enough. I wouldn’t leave the country’s decision in the hands of immaturity. That’s not to say that there are some 16-year-olds that are better than 40-yearolds. But they’re still growing.”
Photo: Kirk Murphy
New movement urges lowering voting age to 16 Participating in Brevard County’s annual Model Student Senate, students debate on bills and pass legislation as though in the U.S. Senate.
Freshman Chase Beard, who would turn 16 on election day in 2016, takes issue with extending suffrage to him and his peers. “I feel like there are a lot of 16-year-olds with good opinions, but I don’t think [they] should vote because there are many 16-year-olds who don’t know about politics, and I don’t want the country in their hands,” Beard said. According to the national voting rights organization FairVote, “research shows that 16- and 17-year-olds are as informed and engaged in political issues as older voters. [Sixteen-year-olds should be] empowered and make voting a habit in their formative years.” When emailed about the status of 16-year-old suffrage legislation in the Florida legislature, State Rep. of Palm Bay John Tobia said the issue is “out of his purview” and a “federal matter.” (State Rep. Ritch Workman, State Sen. Thad Altman and U.S. Rep. Bill Posey did not immediately respond for comment.) However, local city governments in the country, such as Maryland’s Tacoma Park City Council, have lowered the voting age in local elections in previous years. While currently there are no pending bills in the Florida Legislature or local city councils regarding lowering the voting age, LaTorre maintains the idea that “every person voting should be politically informed.”
Sergio Carlos
FEBRUARY 2016 7
NEWS
TEXT RATED
Sexting trend endangers students Between raging hormones and feelings of peer pressure, teenagers will often find themselves in a situation that has the potential to result in negative consequences. Last November in the Kings Park Central School District on Long Island, a sexting scandal involving dozens of students resulted in their suspension. The scandal entailed a video of a sexually explicit off-campus encounter between two students. The school started suspending students not only for being suspected of forwarding or showing the video, but also if they received the video and failed to report it to school officials. School Resource Officer Charles Landmesser discussed the circumstances and legal implications tied to sexting. “Sexting often occurs after a bad breakup between teens, and then one of them sends out pictures being vindictive,” Landmesser said. “If parents feel their child has been a victim and wants to pursue charges, then they have the right to do so.” According to a study done by researchers at the University of Southern California, 20 percent of students who have the ability to text on their cell phones have at some point received a sext. A sext is an explicit message or photo containing sexual content. In addition, students who texted more than 100 times a day were four-and-a-half times more likely to have sent sexts, and sexting recipients were six times more likely to have reported having sex. But how often does this goes on in most high school settings? According to research published in the “Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine” in July 2012, one-fourth of teens admitted to having sent a sext. Another incident occurred last winter in Colorado involving high school and middle school students. Hundreds of naked photos were exchanged, resulting in the suspension of some
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Photo Illustration: Srimayi Tenali
students. The incident went even further, to the point where students were potentially facing criminal charges. Although they were never formally charged, the judge warned that they would face severe consequences if it were to happen again. West Shore is no exception to this rising trend. A student who wishes to remain anonymous spoke on his past experience with sexting. “I’ve never sent but have received texts containing sexual images before,” he said. “It was exhilarating because I used to do it for sport [to see how many I could collect]. I think that girls start to feel good about themselves that guys want to see them this way. I feel if two people are underage it doesn’t matter but it should be kept to yourself because it’s a privilege.” Sexting laws vary from state to state. Some choose to prosecute minors to the full extent of the law, which may result in severe consequences including being labeled as a sex offender. Other states have programs which attempt to discourage this behavior and are more lenient about prosecuting. This is because judges usually feel less inclined to allocate such severe punishment to ill-advised teens. Once convicted as a sex offender, the label could tarnish
NEWS one’s reputation and image forever. Sex offenders must make others aware of their crime, whether putting it on an job application or being required by law to tell neighbors. In Florida, teens caught sexting face a type of discipline ladder. “It’s not a felony the first time offense, but a misdemeanor,” Landmesser said. “Each time something is inappropriately distributed it goes from a misdemeanor to a felony. If the sender is under age, it can constitute a civil penalty, and if the person receiving it distributes it out, it can become a misdemeanor or felony depending on the number of times they did. ” Even when an image is taken down from the internet, it is never completely erased. “A lot of kids think when they go on social media and take something down that it’s gone, but that’s not the case,” Landmesser said. “All social media sites are required to keep anything that goes across their site for 90 days or longer. If law enforcement gets involved they can get a subpoena and the site has to disseminate that information to them.” According to a Business Insider article “Snapchat has long been heralded as a sexting app.” The main purpose of snapchat is that someone sends a photo which lasts a certain number of seconds, and after that time the photo is gone forever. If the photo is screenshotted by the receiver then the sender is given a notification that they have done so. This might make it more appealing to people who sext, as they feel the text will be gone forever after being sent. “I think that [sexting] is what [Snapchat] was made for,”
senior Austin Smithe said. “It’s kind of shady but I’m sure that’s what people use it for. I don’t really think rules against it are enforced at all. I know people that do it but I don’t think it’s something you should be telling everybody about.” Senior Lizzy Luker looks down on the trend of sexting, and said that apps such as Snapchat should not be used for that purpose. “I think [sexting] is disgusting,” Luker said. “I feel that some girls love gross attention from guys. I like snapchat but I don’t use it for sexting. I guess some people would (send a snap) like that for just a second, but I think that’s dumb.” Today there are apps such as Casper or Snapsave which allows people to view and screenshot snaps without the sender knowing. There are also photo vault apps which may hide images by appearing to be a calculator or media player while needing a password to access it. “They have what they call a privacy between two people,” Landmesser said. “If one person sends it to another but they send it out, there was an expectation that has been broken. If it is brought to a legal process, people may become aware of it, but it sends a message that it isn’t right and they shouldn’t do that.” The exchange of sexually explicit messages can lead to a domino effect of issues in a teenagers’ life. Sending pictures or messages may seem fun and harmless in the moment but open up a world of trouble and heartache if not handled correctly.
Jett Morgan
Illustration: Ian Kennedy
FEBRUARY 2016 9
NEWS
Triggernometry
Warnings get added into the equation of education As U.S. History teacher Jim Pustay shows a video about slavery to his 10th grade class, sophmore Tena Gordon suggests that a trigger warning be issued prior to its presentation. “We were going over slavery and the chapter was specifically graphic in terms of the pictures and the hardships,” Gordon said. “I suggested, ‘Hey, nothing wrong with teaching it, but say beforehand, this is graphic.’ So say someone has past instances with being battered because they’re black or other reasons, they can maybe step outside because some people will go into panic attacks and such. The importance of a trigger warning is to alert someone who may go into severe emotional distress as a result of viewing offensive material,” Gordon said. The widespread discussion of the issue has created a divide among professionals in higher education institutions. Opponents of trigger warnings claim that they only serve to coddle a hypersensitive generation from anything that may oppose their own opinions. Greg Lukianoff and John Haidt of “The Atlantic” magazine claim students’ only purpose in advocating for trigger warnings is “to scrub campuses clean of words, ideas and subjects that might cause discomfort or give offense.” They argue students are being shielded from encountering different opinions and from receiving a proper education. Despite the popular idea that issuing trigger warnings is detrimental to the educational process, others choose to acknowledge the positive benefits. “It’s a matter of conditioning,” U.S. history teacher Jim Pustay said. “Teachers and professors are taught to be sensitive to a very diverse group. As we know, the biases [and] prejudices are conditioned from childhood. That is sometimes hard to break, but it takes a conscious effort. So we basically have to re-learn the triggers and because of the sensitivity I think it’s a good thing. I find myself, for example, like [when I am talking about] Native Americans, I want to say Indian, but the trigger is insensitive in that term and so, I have to catch myself. It’s a matter of wanting to and conditioning yourself, but I think in a land of diversity you just got to do it and you have to really put up the effort.” When discussing sensitive topics such as rape or racism,
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students who have had traumatic experiences might suffer significant emotional or mental anguish, preventing them from effectively completing an assignment. According to Augustus Johnston, a professor of history at Hostos Community College of the City University of New York, trigger warnings are meant to prevent these sort of situations, not to coddle hypersensitive youth. While some professionals believe students will take advantage of these warnings by seeking unnecessary exemptions, Kate Manne, an assistant professor of philosophy at Cornell University, refutes this idea with the fact that, in her experience, only two students have asked for exemptions, and only after the trauma was so bad that it prevented them from effectively completing the assignment. “I think trigger warnings should be on everything. That way we are taking into account everyone’s sensitivities,” Gordon said. Issuing trigger warnings has become extremely controversial, yet senior Elianna Cooper says the conversation surrounding the issue is being blown out of proportion. “I think they definitely have their place,” Cooper said. “I feel like a lot of the controversy over them is outsized because if the trigger warning isn’t directed at you, there’s no reason for you to get particularly offended or upset. A lot of people take it to mean professors are being censored on college campuses because they can’t do anything that has something that could be triggering, but I feel like that’s not what trigger warnings are about.” Although various students and teachers agree with this practice, senior Jordan Stowers questions its validity, saying that it is highly unnecessary and only serves to prevent young adults from having to deal with the real world. “They’re good to have but only to an extent,” Stowers said. “There are going to be things that are going to freak you out no matter what.” A vital part of education is debate and exposure to situations that may make one feel uncomfortable. But given the current social climate, educators are figuring out how to balance educational content with social sensitivity.
Brittany Bailer
Snack machines on campus a possibility Once the clock hits 3:30 p.m., students such as junior Emme Thomas still have to wait around for their ride to come pick them up, some usually waiting for one or two hours. Despite the number of students who usually stay back for a while, the campus is lacking any sort of vendor that can provide after-school snacks. “For people who stay after school [snack vending machines] would probably be very helpful,” Thomas said. “There’s a lot of people who end up staying longer here than expected.” Due to new health standards set by the Florida Legislature, the district is responsible for which food products are sold on campus, as well as when other food items will be available for purchase in order to avoid competition with the cafeteria. “There is a state statute called the competitive foods bid. It basically means [that] our cafeterias in the school district are self-funded. They don’t make a whole lot of money because they have to keep meal prices down by federal law,” Principal Rick Fleming said. “So they can’t have foods competing
Photo:Ana Rosal
Vending the Rules
NEWS
Waiting for her ride home after school, junior Briana Sandoval purchases a gatorade from the water vending machine.
against the cafeteria during the school day.” Both administrators and teachers say snack vending machines could be effective as long as regulations are followed. “I don’t see a problem with it,” math teacher Jill Whitacre said. “I would say turn them on after school or before school just because I really would like to see people eat the free breakfast that the federal government is paying for because I think that’s being wasted.” Although many schools in the district have had snack vending machines for years, the idea of having one on campus has never been brought up. “Nobody has ever approached me about having a snack machine on campus,” Fleming said. “ I would love to see a couple snack machines on campus to sell candy bars or chips so someone can grab a quick snack after school before practice or something. If the sales from that product in the vending machines go to the cafeteria, I think that would be great.”
Ana Rosal
FEBRUARY 2016 11
OPINION
Inbox Letters to the Editor
OK, ladies, now let’s get in formation Feminism is important in society because it stands on the side of equal rights for women, African Americans and the LGBT community. The problem with the wave of “Radical Liberal Intersectional Feminists” sweeping the internet is that this small group of so-called “feminists” aren’t feminists at all. Exclaiming they don’t care about white boys and saying they drink “white boy tears” is not representative of feminism. Feminism is about respecting, loving, caring for, fighting for, and working with all genders, colors, creeds and nationalities. They need to stop making up terms just to support their ridiculous views. For example, the term “cultural appropriation” is thrown around way too liberally. Some of these crazies are saying that the use of the words “slay,” “queen,” “fleek,” and “turn up” are all owned by African Americans, and anyone else who says them is appropriating
black culture. All of these terms were created via the internet and posted to some form of social media for everyone to see or hear. I don’t feel as though seeing something on Tumblr and repeating it to your friend or sharing it on Twitter is culturally appropriating anything. The same applies to music. If Beyoncé made up the term “Texas-Bama” in her new song “Formation,” am I allowed to use that term even though I am white? Yes, of course I am, because I am not adopting an element of another culture and using it to negatively mock or make fun of it. I’m just using what Beyoncé taught me. These people who abuse the title “human rights activist” need to know that if they want to be called that, or a “feminist,” they need to stop being hypocritical by hating white men because of the color of their skin and physical anatomy and allow everyone to fight for equality. — Gianni Valenti, 10
Raise Your Voice
Lowered voting age could give teenagers a bigger role in legislation As young adults who might have jobs, our income is taxed without us even having a say in what those taxes are used for, bringing us back to the very thing that motivated those before us to fight for the right to be heard: taxation without representation. While Florida has no state income tax, money is still deducted from our paychecks as a result of Social Security and Medicare taxes. These deductions range from seven to 10 percent of each paycheck. This goes against our constitutional rights and degrades us to simply a personnel number instead of being seen as a tax-paying citizen. It demonstrates how we can provide our labor, but not even be given the same constitutional rights as our older peers. Legislative decisions, which we are not allowed to voice our opinions toward, involve us as much as it involves those who vote. We are left affected, yet unable to participate in changes, similar to how women were treated before woman’s suffrage movement. Some of the “reasons” that caused women to be ineligible to vote apply to young adults today. One reason being that we are “not suitable” or not qualified to vote. As tax paying
citizens who are in fact affected by the decisions made within elections, we should be considered qualified to vote. We go to schools that they decide the funding of, and pay the debt to colleges they over-inflate the prices of. Another excuse which prevented women from voting was that they were already being “represented by their husbands”. Some may disagree with young adults voting because they recognize parents as representatives of their children. This causes an inaccurate representation. A number of young adults disagree with the political or social viewpoints of their parents. Not being able to vote limits our voice within our society. 16-year-olds should be able to have a voice.
Should 16-year-olds be allowed to vote? Yes No
Julia Kuehnast
12 FEBRUARY 2016
OPINION
Hannah Brusca
A deeper look into the candidates for the 2016 presidential election
Election Inspection
On March 15, Florida voters will head to the polls in what has been the most unusual presidential primary season in recent memory. Florida is an important, delegate-rich state, meaning that the votes of our students, faculty and parents could decide the fate of the election. We have a responsibility to be informed and choose the right candidates for our future. Hillary Clinton is the most deeply qualified candidate running for president in recent memory. She has been a universally admired senator, a politically active first lady, and a successful secretary of state. While she has been a dedicated and trusted public servant since her husband was elected, so much time in the public eye has become, undeservedly, a liability for Clinton. Her comprehensive policy knowledge is unrivaled by any other candidate, Republican or Democrat, but she has been exposed to phony scandals stretching from Whitewater in the 1990s to the stupid e-mail fiasco now. The “vast right-wing conspiracy” is alive and well, itching for her to stumble on the campaign trail, and that has left her vulnerable to Bernie Sanders, a self-described “democratic socialist” from Vermont. Sanders is unelectable in a general election, but he is dangerous in the
primary. For Democrats who want to continue Obama’s legacy, your champion lies in the future first woman president. If Republicans continue to seek out a three-way race between Donald Trump, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, Hillary Clinton will be the next president of the United States. It is the sweetest irony that after complaining for years that President Obama did not have the right experience to become president, two of the frontrunners are freshmen senators that have yet to accomplish anything in Congress. Cruz is a hypocrite, hated by everybody in Washington, and Rubio is a slimy, robotic, less-intelligent version of Barack Obama. Both would not hesitate to involve us in yet another conflict in the Middle East. Trump would be a better president than either of those two men. Instead, Republicans should look to Ohio Gov. John Kasich. His optimism and hope for America’s future, along with his record of successful conservative governance, served him well in New Hampshire and will make him a strong opponent against Hillary Clinton. If you want a real choice for America’s future, vote Clinton or Kasich on March 15.
Sergio Carlos
FEBRUARY 2016 13
OPINION
Presidential Kick-Off
Students share their views on 2016 candidates With President Obama’s term coming to a close at the end of the year, the race for his replacement is heating up. Front runners for the Democratic Party are Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, while Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, and John Kasich are leading for the Republicans. “The Roar” surveyed upperclassmen on which candidates they support.
Evan Cooper
Clara Castor, 11
“I haven’t completely researched all of the candidates, but I support Bernie Sanders the most. I think I will benefit the most from him if he wins. His policies such as two free years of tuition at state colleges and student loan reform would be great for me.” “I don’t know. All of the candidates are basically the same so it is like voting for a national scapegoat for the next four years.”
Austin Smithe, 12
Marc Spurlock, 12
“Honestly, I despise all of the candidates. Sanders is an idiot, Trump is an idiot, Clinton is an idiot, and the rest are completely irrelevant. It’s going to boil down to who I hate the least.”
Source: www.westshoreroar.com, Illustration: Ian Kennedy
“I do not know if I can choose a candidate because there are so many choices. I am not going to vote because I already know that Trump is going to win.’’ Eric DiGioia, 12 “I am for Bernie Sanders because he is the most liberal on social issues. Sanders has super consistent voting record. He wants to universalize education, which is very important to me as a senior. He is also for pay equity for men and Ellie Cooper, women, and has always been pro choice, which I support.” 12 “I definitely do not want Hillary, I like Trump. This is because he wants to lower taxes, give back to veterans, and prevent immigrants from crossing the border.” Greg Darnell, 12
“I’m not going to vote because I do not care about the election and all of the candidates are terrible.” Nick Pekmezian, 11
Killian Thrush, 12
14 FEBRUARY 2016
“I like Ted Cruz because he has an aggressive foreign policy but is not as radical as Trump. He’s the most educated and will provide national funding to services relevant to the population today. He plans to cut unnecessary [services], allowing him to work towards a balanced budget.”
EDITORIAL
Edgewood on the Edge
Indian mascot perpetuates negative stereotypes
Photo: Hannah Brusca
In the original French, the word “mascotte” usually refers But Edgewood apparently has made no effort to discuss and to an animal meant to be a good luck charm or companion consider the psychological and social consequences its mascot for human beings. A team mascot is meant to be an animal has on Native American students and the community at large. chosen for its unique strength. When a school picks a Native Instead, Edgewood turns the American Indian population into American name as a mascot, whether it be the Redskins, “winners” and “losers” every time its teams take the field. Braves, or Indians, it dehumanizes a group of people whose Edgewood perpetuates the stereotype that Native Americans traditions and history are as rich as the land we share with are an inherently violent and warlike people, which justifies them. Native Americans are not mascots. They are not animals centuries of discriminatory and racist government policies. to be paraded before a game. They are human beings. Human Using data reported to the federal government, the most beings who do not deserve to be stereotyped with an offensive recent “U.S. News & World Report” on Edgewood showed high-school mascot. In Brevard County, that 77 percent of its student body is white. one school has a Native American mascot. How many are Native American or Alaskan If Edgewood Jr./Sr. High has any common Native? Zero. In one Edgewood student’s decency, any respect for the great people instagram post, two white female students who suffered countless atrocities at the are seen wearing Native American costumes hands of our government and forefathers, in front of a wall on the Edgewood campus it should consider changing its offensive that says “BOW.” Did these two white mascot name. students realize how racist their “funny” Edgewood’s insensitive school logo picture came out to be? Edgewood’s SGA A mural in Edgewood’s staff parking lot of their Indian mascot. Replicas of the features an insidious, brooding Native instagram, @tribaltimes, is littered with image appear in the window above each offensive hashtags like #IndianAttack and American who looks as if he is ready to classroom door. go on the warpath. His face is awash in pictures of students in Native American a blood-red background that only reminds us of the blood headdresses. For a short time, Edgewood pep rallies were spilled and the lives lost in the genocide perpetrated against called “pow-wows.” Its homerooms are called “tribes.” Native Americans. The National Congress of American These insensitive displays of cultural appropriation are Indians, a national Native American advocacy group that indicative of a culture at Edgewood that commercializes represents thousands of tribes in Washington D.C., argues that Native American traditions and makes it “cool” for its white Native American mascots “perpetuate negative stereotypes of student body. America’s first peoples, and contribute to a disregard for the From now on, “The Roar” will refer to Edgewood sports personhood of Native peoples.” Edgewood’s mascot creates a teams without mentioning its mascot until it changes its name. caricature of Florida’s Native Americans that draws attention We urge Edgewood students, West Shore students and all away from the myriad problems they face. Between 38 and students in Brevard County to take to social media and begin 68 percent of Native Americans living on reservations live a respectful campaign to change the mascot to something below the federal poverty line. American Indians have a life Edgewood can be proud of. Edgewood’s student body and expectancy five years shorter than the national average, and a Brevard Public Schools have the opportunity to stand on the staggering 90,000 American Indians are homeless. right side of history. Do they have enough integrity to do it?
FEBRUARY 2016 15
ENTERTAINMENT
Reviews Film
“The Revenant” Rating: 4 Paws
It’s a bone-chilling story about the resilience of the human spirit, one that you shouldn’t miss.
Music
“Not to Disappear” by Daughter Rating: 4.5 Paws
Sophomore album that is sure to impress and excite fans of indie rock.
After filming Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “The Revenant,” several actors and crew members described Iñárritu’s project as a “living hell.” Filmed on-location in Canada and Argentina, “The Revenant”’s breathtaking setting serves as a stark contrast to the horrific acts of violence perpetrated in the constant warfare between Native Americans and
American frontiersmen. Leonardo DiCaprio is favored to win his first Oscar after his haunting performance as Hugh Glass, an American fur trapper who barely escapes with his life after a bear maules his body. Left for dead, Glass drags his rotten corpse through the wilderness to carry out one final act of revenge against the man who betrayed him.
In its sophomore release, Daughter has created an ethereal and cathartic album. Tackling topics such as depression and loneliness, the dark palette of the album is heavy and can leave you feeling like a vagabond wandering the streets at night. The lead single “Doing The Right Thing” dips into the subject of dementia and losing a loved one to disease. The drums drive
Elena Tonra’s wistful voice forward, coupled with a guitar that lingers pulling the listener in multiple directions. The album also shifts with “Alone/ With You” creating more of a techno sound with low synths that make it bounce. Overall, the album is dark but addicting with a good blend sonically and vocally. Recommended for late-night drives where you have no real destination.
Sergio Carlos
Jonah Hinebaugh
Television “Making a Murderer” Season 1 Rating: 3.5 Paws
The show may be amazing to others if they are into crime shows, but for me it did not amaze.
The new series, “Making a Murderer,” has become the latest treat for any Netflix binge-watching junkie. It gives an inside look to the true story of a man named Steve Avery, who spent time in prison for a crime he did not commit. Netflix dedicated 10 episodes to the show creators, Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos, in hopes that the show
will skyrocket. Perhaps what draws viewers in is the documentary-style the show tells the story in, as well as the heartbreaking story of a wrongly accused man. I watched the entire season over the course of just five days and it was pretty interesting. However, the show just did not cut it for me. It had some intense parts but I was bored watching most of it.
Gabby McKessey
Tech
Sennheiser Orpheus Headphones Rating: 1 Paw
The foam on the earcups is made of nothing less than the tears of angels.
The Sennheiser Orpheus headphones are potentially the greatest piece of technology ever created. The $55K headphones are so advanced that they manipulate the fabric of time and space itself to deliver the greatest audio experience that is possible within our confines of reality. And of course nothing here is true. The fact is
this is one of the many products unvelied at CES (Consumer Electronic Show) to get nothing but press from ‘tech reporters’ who haven’t the vaguest idea what they are talking about. These headphones highlight the alarming trend of manufacturers’ overpricing their products to fool the consumer into assuming their product is better. Do your wallet a favor.
Mamoon Syed
16 FEBRUARY 2016
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ENTERTAINMENT Readers weigh in on popular tech, TV shows and music.
LOVE/HATE
Love it!
What is it?
“I got one for Christmas and I thought it was really cool.” Cameron Burros, 9 “I’ve been watching it since the first season. I like it because you never know what’s going to Jenna happen.” Bratman, 11 “The song is really good and catchy and it’s by Justin Bieber so that makes me like it even Daniah more.” Jarrah, 8
Leena Quader
Tech “Hoverboards”
TV
“Pretty Little Liars”
Hate it!
The new gadgets are as close as technology has gotten to a board that actually hovers over air. The user simply leans forward or backwards to control the board.
Brittany Barreiros, 10
The newest season returns fast-forwarding five years into the future. Now that the girls seemingly put their troubles behind them, they struggle to carry on as “normal” young adults.
Currently occupying the No. 1 spot on the iTunes chart is Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself.” The song, as well as the whole album “Purpose”, was Music “Love Yourself” released November.
“I think they can be dangerous in the hands of the wrong people. They’re kind of overrated.” “The show is boring and it’s the same plot line every season.”
Jordyn Sosa, 12
Andrew Catti, 7
“I think Justin Bieber’s an idiot. He had a good career going but then he went downhill. I don’t like his songs.”
What In the World? Convict selfies, finger biters, and dank mixtapes
The power of social media is one that can bring together old friends, spark a romantic relationship, and even help the cops catch a convict. Donald “Chip” Pugh, 45, had been wanted by Lima, Ohio police on a warrant for failure to appear in court when the cops released his mugshot calling for people with information on his whereabouts to come forward. Pugh apparently thought the picture didn’t look good, texting police a selfie saying “Here is a better photo; that one is terrible.”
Walmart shopper Carolynn Elizabeth Wright in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, began fighting with two employees after they accused her of shoplifting. According to Myrtle Beach Police one of the employees lost a part of her finger after Wright bit down on it. A customer who witnessed it tried to call 911 but dropped her phone and Wright picked it up, refusing to give it back. Wright then ran into the parking lot where a male driver was waiting for her and they took off. Wright was later arrested for multiple counts of assault and battery.
18 FEBRUARY 2016
Eighteen-year-old Volvique Louis Jean Jr. was pulled over near Atlantic Community High School in Palm Beach County for suspicion of reckless driving. The 18-year-old, along with two other cars sped into the school’s bus loop, nearly hitting students being released from the school. The drivers were chased by officers on golf carts who then blocked the road and approached Jean Jr’s car. When asked for identification Jean Jr. simply handed the officer his mixtape. The cars then fled the scene, nearly hitting students again.
Leena Quader
ENTERTAINMENT
Photo: Dana Niemeier
Performing as Shprintze in the 2014 fall musical Fiddler On The Roof, Sabrina Torres [far left] sings “Matchmaker” along with cast members Emily Browne, Kara Marin, Erin Sheridan, and Natasha Mozdzen.
Girl Meets World
Middle-schooler excels in theater Sitting in class, the only thing running through Sabrina Torres’s mind are lines she has to memorize by the afternoon for rehearsal. She’s spent countless hours rehearsing songs, scripts and choreography for “Beauty and the Beast.” Torres started performing in elementary school, and is currently involved in school productions and summer productions at Downtown Melbourne’s Henegar Center. She also participates in voice lessons and tap classes. “It’s so much fun to take on a role,” Torres said. “I like to be the center of attention.” Her mother Patricia Torres thinks it’s beneficial that Sabrina is participating in the arts. “We are very happy and proud to see Sabrina involved in the arts,” she said. “She has always been very outgoing and creative, and theater is a great outlet to show that. I think doing theater has made her mature a little bit because she takes it very seriously.” This year Sabrina got Best in Show for her solo and runnerup for Best of Show in her duet musical at the Middle School
District Thespian Festival in December. At the state level both of her events received superior ratings. “For my solo I did ‘Naughty’ from ‘Matilda,’ and Madi Anderson and I did ‘Step-Sisters Lament’ from ‘Cinderella,’” she said. “I [prepared by] singing all around my house twentyfour seven and I video myself to see if I’m pacing too much or flapping my arms. I [also] performed in front of anyone who could watch.” Even though she is far off from college, Sabrina dreams of performing. “If I could do anything, Broadway would be one of the big things,” Torres said. “But it’s more of a dream.” Patricia does all she can to keep Sabrina active in the arts. “Since Sabrina doesn’t drive, I am the one who takes her to and from practice and any volunteer work she does for theater, like the work they are doing at Gemini Elementary,” she said. Sabrina will be Babette in the upcoming middle school musical Beauty and the Beast Jr. on Feb 20 at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets can be bought through showtix4u.com or at the door.
Jonah Hinebaugh
FEBRUARY 2016 19
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Expense of the Fence
SPORTS “The courts are in bad shape, and the nets were falling over until the tennis team bought new ones,” boys’ team captain Joel Boyson said.
Tennis team struggles with the conditions of practice court Photo: Ana Rosal
With frequent practices at Hoover Middle School courts, the tennis team has been gearing up for the season. Yet one thing holding them back seems to be the state of their practice site. “There are many problems with the tennis courts currently,” senior and boys’ co-captain Evan Cooper said. “Two of the biggest issues right now are the fences, which are getting fixed thanks to our coach, and the court itself. It has cracked and causes the ball to go in random directions. It’s not too fun to play on either.” Another obstacle continues to be the lack of money. “Getting no funding has been frustrating,” senior and boys’ co-captain Joel Boysen said. “We have had to mostly buy and repair the court ourselves with the exception of a few things.”
Final Farewell
Boys’ soccer seniors say goodbye The boys’ soccer season came to an end at the hands of Bishop Moore 2-1 in the regional semifinal Feb. 2. Finishing at 16-2, the boys did not concede a single goal in any district game. Senior Robert Madden led the team with 13 goals followed by junior Sam Leighton with nine tallies. In addition, the Wildcats beat Edgewood 1-0 to win the District 2A-8 championship. The season presented multiple obstacles. Senior John Hogan pulled his hamstring during tryouts, while junior Amugo Chuckwunenye needed knee surgery after four games. “John and Amugo were a major loss for the team,” junior
Also, the team has lost numerous hours of practice due to lack of suitable lighting. “We used to have court lights but they became a hazard so now the boys and girls can’t play against each other,” senior and girls’ co-captain Srimayi Tenali said. “We have to get checked out early from school if we want to practice together.” Due to much urging by Coach Rick Boysen, the district has decided to repair the fences after months of waiting. “I talked to Athletic Director Tony Riopelle and Principal Rick Fleming about getting repairs done to the court,” Boyson said. “We have been waiting for new fences for a few months now. I am really glad that they finally got around to fixing them.”
Rohan Patel
Matthew Moscrip said. “As a team we had to step-up because they contributed to the team a lot and their absence was noticed.” Madden, as well as seniors John Hogan, Brandon Sepulveda and Allan Joyner will graduate in May. “The season was fun,” Madden said. “I spent five years with the varsity team. Every year we become more of a family, and it’s harder to let go of the team, knowing that I will never be able to play with most of the players ever again. The future for West Shore soccer is looking really bright. The program has definitely developed a lot. JV is pretty good and our varsity is already phenomenal. All they need is a new keeper, and they’ll be set.” Sophomore Brandon Benitez hopes the team will prevail and be able to step up despite the departure of four players. “I’m hoping next year some of the underclassmen step into the vacant spots left by the seniors,” Benitez said. “We all really want to beat Bishop Moore and win [state] next year.”
Ben Lack
FEBRUARY 2016 21
SPORTS
Alumna inspires soccer team Feelings of nostalgia rushed through West Shore alumna and professional athlete Toni Pressley, as she walked through the hallways she had gotten to know so well throughout her six years at the school. “All the times we made it to districts, regionals, beating MCC and being the district champ for the first time,” said Pressley, who graduated in 2008. “Those were great memories for me.” Although soccer played a huge role in Pressley’s high school career, many of her recollections stretch beyond the goalline. “When I was in eighth grade, I pulled the emergency shower in the science lab and I got suspended,” Pressley said. “I made a lot of connections with teachers and staff, and I made really good friends here. Some of my favorite teachers were [Kirk] Murphy and [Tony] Riopelle.” Since her high school graduation, Pressley has bounced around professionally from team to team after she attended Florida State University. She has just returned to Florida after playing as far away as Russia. Now a member of her eighth professional team, the Orlando Pride (the female counterpart to the Orlando City Lions) Pressley said she is excited to be back. “I am very happy [to play for the Orlando Pride] and to be back home and be close to my family,” Pressley said. “I think I have a few years left in me and I think hopefully I might go 1.) Bonding with the team, Toni Pressley celebrates the girls’s soccer Senior night on Jan. 7. 2.) Pressley spends five years on the girls’ varsity soccer team.
Photo: Roar Files
West Shore’s ‘Pride’
Signing with Florida State University, Pressley (right) kicks off her professional soccer career with the support of her mother (middle) and Principal Rick Fleming (left).
back overseas one day.” Pressley visited the school as an honorary captain for the girls’ soccer senior night Jan. 7, and took time to speak with the varsity team. Seniors Erica Lobmeyer and Hannah Jefferson said it was an exciting opportunity to meet her. “It was really cool to meet her and talk to her about her soccer career and her time at West Shore,” Lobmeyer said. “She is going to play at Orlando Pride with Alex Morgan, who is one of the most influential women’s soccer players right now. It is just really cool to think that someone from a small school can make it big athletically.” Jefferson said the fact she was an alumna was motivational. “It’s inspiring to see that she went to this tiny school, like I am, and now she’s in the professional league,” Jefferson said. “This doesn’t happen often and it just shows that dedication and passion can overcome anything.” Pressley has represented the United States on various youth national youth teams including the under-17, under-18, under20, and under-23 teams. Even with her bachelor’s degree in criminology from Florida State University, Pressley’s future after soccer is still not clear. “As of now I don’t really have any plans after soccer,” she said. “But hopefully I’ll figure that out soon.” Freshman Avery Kloeppel said Pressley’s visit was a memorable experience. “She shows us that it’s not impossible to be a professional soccer player as long as you go out and work you hardest for it,” Kloeppel said. “It was very motivational.”
David Thompson
22 FEBRUARY 2016
THE ROAR LIST
Unusual Vending Machines from Around the World Ana Rosal 1. Crabs
Location: China Dispenses live crabs for $1.50-$7.00, kept at a temperature of five degrees Celsius.
5. Toilet Paper
Location: Japan Toilet paper can be commonly found in public restrooms around Japan, especially in tourist areas.
2. Milk
6. Pizza
3. Lettuce
7. French Fries
Location: France Milk vending machines provide fresh milk at $1.30 per liter. Location: Japan A company called Dentsu created vending machines that grow 60 heads of lettuce with 40-watt light bulbs.
4. Eggs
Location: Japan Egg cartons are available for shoppers who are allowed to choose which eggs they want.
Recognizing awardwinning Wildcats and their achievements.
Location: Italy Vending machines across Italy offer personal pizzas made with fresh ingredients in under two minutes. Location: Canada Oil-free fries are produced from vending machines in under 47 seconds.
8. Mashed Potatoes
Location: Singapore Mashed potato vending machines are available at 7/Eleven stores.
Source: www.complex.com
Honor Roll
Brevard Digital Art Show, 2nd
2015 Outstanding Senior in French Award
“I was just very surprised because I didn’t do anything to get the award. I was just like ‘Oh Eric DiGioia, wow, I wonder what I did to win the award.’” 12
Lucas Issitt, 12
Abby Mechachonis, 9
Travis Hoibraten, 12
“I was really surprised and happy when I won because I wasn’t even studying for this award and somehow I was one of the higher scoring Adam Blackwell, 10 people.”
Florida Mu Alpha Theta Competition, 7th Place
Space Coast Art Festival, 3rd “Winning was a huge shock to me because that was the very first art show that I have ever entered. To be honest, I didn’t think I was going to win anything but I’m glad I did. “
“I thought there was much better artwork in the show than mine that could have placed higher, which is what surprised me the most when I did win. It was pretty awesome winning.”
Regional Latin Forum, 1st Place
Holiday Art Festival, 1st Place “Winning made me happy because my artwork was chosen out of hundreds of others. It made me feel more confident in my work.”
Rohan Patel
Viorel Silaghi, 9
“I am just glad I didn’t lose. I didn’t feel as prepared as I should have been, I had known what I was going to compete for I may have done a lot better.”
FEBRUARY 2016 23
Good luck track, tennis and lacrosse.