2014 Issue 2 - The Legend by SHS The Legend

The Legend Volume 18 Issue 2

November 2014

Burning Words We have all heard â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.â&#x20AC;? We excuse ourselves by saying we are just joking, but words have consequences. Pg. 12

Table of Contents News College Fair 3 New Tests 3 Vending Machines 4 Ebola 5

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Suncoast High School 1717 Avenue S Riviera Beach, Fl 33404

Contact Information Phone: 561-882-3485 Fax: 561-494-2626 Any opinions that are printed in “The Legend” are not necessarily the opinions of the adviser, administration, or the school district. Unsigned editorials reflect the opinions of the editorial board.

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Editors

Staff Writers

Hannah Ramil Daniel Rojas Isabelle Shafer Kayla Jin Claudia Laukien Sabrina Cedeno Sabrina Rubis Jonathan Elwell Kristen Unico Kaylee Clemens Traci Lowe

Co-Editor in Chief Co-Editor in Chief Managing Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Features Editor News and Opinions Lifestyle Editor Photo Editor Business Manager Advisor

Stefanie Macedonio Natalia Arjona Christian Coury Jordan Young Jessica Steen

Yana Rankine Alexsis August Charlie Burgess Lillian Hassanein Ameenah Rashid

News

Its that time of the year again:

College Fair’s back! The College Fair took place on Thursday, October 16, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This annual event created by Suncoast’s principal Dr. Linda Cartlidge entered its fourth consecutive year. Not only did Suncoast students attend, but students in the surrounding Palm Beach high schools were able experience this great event. This event made it possible for many high school students to learn about different college programs and find out which college was the right fit for them. Almost 75 schools attended this event; among them were the very prestigious Columbia, Cornell, Harvard and Yale University. Students were given the opportunity to speak to the admissions directors to learn what it takes to get accepted into their school. “They were very good about explaining the requirements for getting into each specific college such as GPA, SAT and ACT scores as well as information about handling finances Photo By: Sabrina Rubis which was very helpful,” Junior Brooke Winder said. The College Fair once again proved to be an eye opening Prepared. The college fair has a lot of information experience for many high school students around the county on colleges so students as they were able to take a look at over 70 different schools feel comfortable with the from around the country. There is no doubt that this annual College process. event has allowed students to find the college of their dreams. “I was focusing mainly on Florida colleges, but I got to take a look at the College of Charleston which is a smaller school in South Carolina that was great academically as well as in sports and now I have an interest in that school which I never knew about before,” Winder said.

Suncoast hosts the annual college fair. Jessica Steen Staff Writer

Photo By: Sabrina Rubis

Does a new term for Rick Scott mean new tests for students?

photo courtesy of fineartamerica.com

What will the impact on the Florida education system be if Rick Scott is elected for a second term? Lately, our TVs have been bombarded with political ads that come complete with dramatic voice overs and incriminating facts. That is because November 4, 2014 is the day that citizens of Florida will vote for the new governor, who will be in office until 2018. In preparation for that date, governor candidates Rick Scott and Charlie Crist have made multiple appearances on our television screens. The amount of money Rick Scott has spent on education has already been under speculation during his first term. If he is reelected, his education spending will be scrutinized even further. Scott’s first term had issues when he gave the test-writing responsibilities over to a firm that does not extensively field test in Florida before students take the

Ameenah Rashid Staff Writer

exam. This made the start of his first term rocky, and made the administering of standardized testing problematic for the state Department of Education. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “Scott rashly abandoned the state’s investment in a multistate, nonprofit testing concern that was writing Common Core assessments to replace the FCAT.” Governor Scott implemented Common Core Standards, which has sparked anger in many Floridian citizens, especially those involved in the education system. According to an article by floridatoday. com, “In total, state tests are given during 80 of the school year’s 180 days, if you count the “testing window” in which schools administer exams. It’s overwhelming for teachers and it’s overwhelming for students. And every year, it feels like it gets worse for everyone.”

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News4

Combatting Child Obesity Vending Machine changes are limiting our choices of foods Charlie Burgess Staff Writer

The vending machines have had some changes this year, such as rising prices and food changes. The purpose of vending machines is to supply snacks if you forget your lunch or packed a light lunch. However, students now rely on the vending machines too much for lunch. One way to address the health problem of child obesity is to take away the vending machines all together. An alternative strategy to this is to restrict times of access, raise prices on unhealthy foods, and ban low-nutrition, high-calorie foods. These possibilities should make people question where school should stand on these issues. Should they have full domain over what the students eat? Or is it up to the school to provide all options and let the students decide what they eat? Senior Julian Kim was asked what

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should replace the current foods in vending machines. “I want sandwiches and better chips options for a more reasonable price,” Kim said. It seems that schools are starting to raise prices on foods that are seen to have no nutritional value. Their argument is that you still have a choice between what you eat, but, soon, the choice will be between apples or carrots, instead of chips or candy. For many students, it is confusing, because school promotes students to think independently. Arguably, the children are then forced to make a decision based on the provided choices in the vending machine, instead of having several options. “I eat what I want to eat. I’m not overweight, but if I want to have something tasty and unhealthy, I want that option,” Senior David Leconte said.

These are the foods we want, but shouldn’t eat a lot.

The Culture of

FE A R

News5

Ebola is now one of the most feared diseases and is causing distress to the public. Abdominal

pain,

Lillian Hassanein u n e x p l a i n a b l e Staff Writer bleeding, and intense vomiting are just some of the symptoms of Ebola. Ebola, currently one of the world’s deadliest viruses, is spreading rapidly. In West Africa, the number of Ebola cases have been doubling each week. Researchers predict that unless this problem is contained, Ebola will become a global deadly disaster similar to HIV. The virus originated in West Africa and has already touched the United States. The first patient diagnosed with Ebola in the U.S. was Thomas Duncan, who died on October 8th. He had been given the experimental drug Brincidofovir that researchers had hoped would be the cure and stop the disease from spreading further. Now that Duncan has died, the panic has been causing people to search for ways to avoid getting Ebola. The idea of having a ban on all people coming from West Africa has been brought up by

numerous political figures, such as Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. This idea was quickly shut down by the Center of Disease Control (CDC). The CDC said having a ban would be disastrous because those from West Africa would go to other countries then fly to the United States, with the U.S not being able to track them. The disease would then become rampant and authorities would then have a hard time tracking who started the outbreaks in order to prevent the disease from spreading further. While Ebola is causing many to question their current safety, the transmission of Ebola can only happen in very close proximity to those infected. Ebola can only be spread through blood, secretions, or other bodily fluids. It can also be transmitted through direct contact through broken skin or mucuous membranes. Ebola cannot be transmitted through the air or food. Once someone recovers from Ebola, they cannot transmit the disease.

How students at Suncoast feel about the outbreak The 2015 Europe trip will be taking place in Britain and Germany. With the controversy around traveling constantly being argued, Senior Bisma Masudi was asked whether she had second thoughts attending the Europe trip during spring break of 2015. “Europe is a great opportunity, and I’d rather not restrain myself due to a potential outbreak,” Masudi said. Senior Ali Younis has family living in the Sudan, which is located in East Africa. Ali was asked whether his family was worried about the potential spread of the disease to east Africa. “My family is not really worried about it. The Sudan has a better sanitation system than those other highly underdeveloped countries where the disease is currently concentrated.”

THE MEASURE OF

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channeled my passion to help others into my life’s work...”

Hear Veronica’s Story and more at: PalmBeachState.edu/Stories YOUR PATHWAY TO SUCCESS

Apply Now! Call 561.967.7222 or visit palmbeachstate.edu

Professor Judy McCauley Dental Hygiene

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Features

Killin’ the Game

The Girls’ Volleyball team is starting off strong and can not be stopped for this 2014 Volleyball Season. Stefanie Macedonio The Lady Chargers volleyball team is off to a better start than ever before. Staff Writer With a current record of 13 and 6, the Lady Chargers are excited for big things, to come this season, such as a possible district title. Senior captains Arielle Erillo, Kirsten Nowak, and Kayla Hess are all determined to make this season a memorable one. “We finally feel like a family and all get along really well. I feel like in the previous years the varsity volleyball team was really cliquey, but this season it feels like we are united,” Senior Nowak said. Arielle, Kirsten, and Kayla have all been on the Varisty Volleyball team for the past 3 years and agree that this

Campus

is the year they make history, on and off the court, in both their teamwork and their friendships. The volleyball team won districts last year and are planning to win yet another victory this year. Regionals will be against a tough opponent, Pompano Beach High School, but with more than ten hours worth of practice per week, they have a solid chance of defeating them. The Lady Chargers practice day in and day out, dedicating blood, sweat, and tears each practice. “It is definitely well worth it based on the results we have been seeing on the court,” Senior Hess said. The season is almost halfway over, so do not miss your opportunity to come see the Lady Chargers dominate.

Diversity

The extensive diversity on Yana Rankine campus represents students from Staff Writer

across the globe, just look at the 57 flags around the media center. This year, many new clubs advertised during club recruitment week. Among the novice clubs, two cultural clubs were added, further supporting our wide spectrum of nationalities at school. Suncoast Asian Student Society is a club that aspires to spread Asian culture through food, media and festival celebration. Members can gain community service hours and the club teams up with local Asian organizations to aid them in their events. “We plan for different events we are going to do, and, if we have time, we bring different Asian food and play games. For right now, we’re planning

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what we are going to do. During our festival, we can have parties with food and watch Asian movies to celebrate,” Junior Nitai Patel, the president said. Caribbean Cultural Club strives to keep West Indian culture alive through music, food and games. In their meetings, their goal is to help students recognize the distinct cultural aspects of each Caribbean Island. “Every culture in the Caribbean Island is different. Some speak dialects of English; some speak dialects of French and Spanish. In our club, we distinguish those countries through games and food,” Sophomore Aleeya Soodeen said. Although cultural clubs highlight certain races and cultures, anyone is welcomed with open arms to join the spread of heritages that encompass our school.

photo by Yana Rankine

Suncoast Asian Student Society and Caribbean Cultural Club contribute to campus diversity.

Spreading cultures. Caribbean Cultural Club was spotlighted during club recruitment week. They highlighted all the flags represented in their club.

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Features7

The Noises Off! cast overcame several setbacks during the few weeks prior to the show’s debut Jordan Young The grand arena that is Staff Writer the theatre often tests its

inhabitants with challengessometimes unimaginablein order to ensure their loyalty to the art of performance. Seasoned veterans have grown accustomed to the endlessly twisting rollercoaster, but new recruits must learn to expect the difficulties that they will inevitably face. Under the direction of Stephanie Nixdorf, a seasoned veteran herself, the Noises Off! cast worked tirelessly for weeks in order to perfect every second of the farcical play by Michael Frayn. The play itself is designed to give a glimpse into the true lives of actors and their obstacles on and off the stage. Little known to the actors and techies producing it, the play would almost become an ironic reality. Naturally, challenges are bound to arise during theatre rehearsals, but they usually never hit so close to home. “Two days before we opened, one of our leads, [Senior] Katie Mechlin, tripped and fell during rehearsal and broke her foot. We had to ask a student from G-Star to help us out and take on the role for the weekend shows,” Senior Kyle Cortes said.

If the loss of a major role was not enough for the cast, another lead member, Senior Joe Gonzalez, sprained his ankle the night before the play’s debut, and the rehearsal ran with him sitting in a chair. With this production, the pressure not only weighed down on the backs of the nine performers, but also on the several technical workers who are responsible for keeping the general order backstage. For Noises Off!, however, they had an added responsibility: to turn a set that weighs over a ton within a few minute time frame. This task was quite literally a heavy undertaking. “I feel like we did a great job with what we had; our adjustment was surprising. Of course everyone was stressed and frustrated, but we got through it together,” Cortes said. In the end, all of the trials and tribulations became worth it, and it was clear that the benefits very much outweighed the costs. “I think that theater is like any other sport. If you’re passionate enough, you go on, you endure, you do the best you can to perform the best you can. In the end, that’s all that it’s about, the final product. It’s about entertaining the people out there in the seats,” Cortes said.

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Features8

All photos by: Kristen Unico

memorable moments From the spirited lunch days to the final minutes of the Homecoming game, what were your favorite moments? 1 Representing the Senior class during Battle of the Bands on Monday, Aniya Smith and Tatyana Siddeq sing One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful.”

1 2

2 Seniors Shemar Crawford and Ethan Curling

pretend to hunt a wild animal during lunch on Wild Wednesday. 3 Seniors Jamari Bozeman and Kirsten Nowak lead the school in a High School Musical singalong. 4 The Chargersonic Band and the Chargerettes prepare for the half time show during the Homecoming game. 5 With the whole school watching, the Seniors play and win against the Juniors in the final Powderpuff game of the day.

3 4

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Features9

we’ve got spirit A shortened Homecoming week did not stop the student body from being spirited and involved. From Kristen Unico prepping Photo Editor

the early for class themes, to the last minutes of the school dance, spirit week was full of unforgettable events. For a whole week, or in this case only four days, creativity and commitment from the student body was showcased amongst the different classes. Heads were turned as the school hallways filled with costumes that consisted of homemade giraffe costumes, onesie jumpsuits of animals, and superheroes and villains, all ultimately leading to Friday’s final class theme and dress up day: festivals. “I think since I’m a senior, everyone gets more creative. [Seniors] go all out on the dress up days, and I think we want everyone to know that we’re seniors based on how we dress,” Senior Homecoming Queen Amanda Lusignan said. School spirit continued throughout lunch with activities that included karaoke, a wild fashion show, and a classic good versus evil game of tug-ofwar. “The fashion show at lunch was my

favorite. When Shemar [Crawford] and Ethan [Curling] pretended to hunt a wild animal, everyone was laughing. It was just so hilarious,” Lusignan said. Once Friday came, the real fun began. With Powderpuff games in the morning and the parade and pep rally in the afternoon, the student body did not fail to be loud and proud about their classmates’ participation and involvement. Led by Dr. Cartlidge and the famous school mascot, the hard work and commitment from the student body was shown in the festive parade floats that included the Triple Crown Surf City Festival, Independence Day, Day of the Dead, and Chinese New Year. Lusignan experienced a different perspective on school spirit since she was in the parade instead of watching it. “Even though I wasn’t part of the crowd, I still especially loved the senior floats, of course. Everyone who was a part of making it really did do a good job building the two floats, and they represented the senior class really well.” The spirit continued during the second peprally of the school year with the

performances of the always amazing Charger Sonic Band and the Chargerettes, the teachers versus students volleyball game, and a nostalgic High School Musical “Breaking Free” sing-along. Spirit week was unforgettable to say the least, and with the student body’s contribution to everlasting memories, how could you not have enjoyed it all?

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Features10

Coming Out In the words of Diana Ross, “I’m coming out! I want the world to know. I’ve got to let it show.” Coming out is a serious issue that some homosexual adolescents have to face, especially when they might not have the support of family and friends. “I knew that I was gay when I was in the 9th grade. I knew I was only attracted to guys. With telling my friends, I wasn’t worried; I was more worried about what my dad would say. Although he had gay friends when he was younger, I wasn’t sure if he was okay with having a gay child. I knew somebody who came out to their mom-who had gay friends-but couldn’t accept the fact Junior that her daughter was gay. Anonymous I told my mom earlier than I told my dad. When I told him, I started crying, but it was weird, because he was so accepting. He told me that since I am still young, I might still be going through a phase, but if I’m gay, he’d love me anyway. They don’t treat me differently. I’d be on my phone, and when my phone would go off, she’d ask me if it was a boy. And when I go out to meet up with my friends, she’d ask me if I was meeting a boy. Sometimes, she’d want to talk about it, but I don’t really want to. I appreciate that she’s so open about it, but I’m not. I came out, but you know. My dad doesn’t ask me about it. But I’m glad that he doesn’t.” “I came out to my mom, pretty much the summer [after] eighth grade year. She was open to the idea of me coming out, but she did not agree to telling my dad. To this day, my mom is the only one that knows, and she accepts me to the fullest extent. But, it sets a barrier between my father and I. Senior When I started high school, I was afraid to be myself around people. I Anonymous always seemed to carry a facade, and I was very tentative on creating friendships, because I didn’t like to let anyone in. Currently, all of my friends know about my sexuality, however, I try to keep it private. Although my sexuality does determine who I love, it doesn’t determine who I am, or the friends I create.”

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Hannah Ramil Co-Editor-in-Chief

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DATA TAKEN FROM: WILLIAMS INSTITUTE AT THE UCLA SCHOOL. OF LAW Infographic made on: Infogr.am by Hannah Ramil

Features11

Welcome to DC

Journalism students spend four days in our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital to attend a national convention. Walking through Kristen Unico Photo Editor the unfamiliar feeling of 50 degree weather, seeing the leaves change color, and riding the metro during rush hour was just a fraction of what the journalism students experienced for four days in Washington D.C. Along with the 5000 high school students from all over the country who were part of the National Scholastic Press Association, or NSPA, convention, 14 of our own students from newspaper, yearbook, and TV production classes, as well as teachers Traci Lowe and Stephanie Russo, had the opportunity to listen to experienced journalists during sessions to learn more about journalism. The hour-long sessions included:

advice for leadership roles for editors, how to take great photographs, tips and tricks for being a news broadcaster,

inspiration for designing spreads, the proper ways for interviewing students, and writing stories or articles. Despite the structured schedule to

follow for the sessions, the group of 16 were also able to visit museums, such as the Smithsonian and the Newseum, and see the Washington Monument and the White House, while also making a college visit to Georgetown University. The students also managed to learn more about our countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history in a moonlight tour around the city, making the trip not only journalism-driven, but historically beneficial as well. The journalism students went to Washington D.C. with hopes of learning a few tips on becoming better journalists, and came back with the motivation and skills to better our journalism classes and publications. Family photo With 14 students and two teachers, the journalism trip to Washington DC was a fun bonding experience alongside the trip being full of learning. photo by: Kristen Unico

2401 PGA Blvd Suite 160, Palm Beach Gardens 33410 FL

(561) 472-7900

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Features12

BURN BOOK “Let it out, honey. Put it in the book.” The Burn Book from “Mean Girls” is one of media’s representation of bullying and demonstrates the impact that a seemingly harmless rumor can have. Gossip can be fun to discuss with friends, but it can quickly turn into serious bullying that can leave the victim feeling emotionally distressed and scared.

From the bull

y...

“Yeah, I feel bad about bad person it. Everybo all your life ,” Senior Eva dy changes. You’re n For many st ot going to n Carter* sa u d ents, sch be a id and wanted . For some, ool can be a safe place . where peop however, sc most insecu le hool can be re the one pla feel accepted Evan Carte . There is never an ac ceptable re ce r, bullying w they feel th as as his own “My friend way of fittin on for bullying. For Sen e g in with his ior in, but I felt s were doing it, so I w frien as d the Carter says need to. Peer pressure oing it. They didn’t fo ds. rce me to fi made me k need to be a that after leaving his group of fr eep going,” Carter said t bully. iends, he n . “It was an o longer fe lt the having that immediate change, on ce ty life got so m pe of attitude. My per I left that kind of gr o spective ch uch anged on b up. I stopped Bullying ta better,” Carter said. ullying, and k es o n m any forms. my is directly sa Oft id to the vi ctim or beh en, the attacks are ve could range rbal, wheth ind their bac from somet er hing as mil abuse. d as exclud k. Other forms of bull it ing to as ex ying “Nothing w treme as ph ysical didn’t think as going on in my hea d when I w about it. I k as saying th new it was Carter him ose things. bad,” Carte I just r sa had a signifi self was a victim of bu llying and sa id. cant effect on his actio ys that his o “children w ns. Accordin wn experie h nce pass it on.” o experience social re g jection them to bullyingstatistics.o rg selves are “I was a vict more likely , friends just im of bullying, too. It to w st felt like I w opped inviting me to asn’t too serious. I was asn’t wante places, and ex cluded. M d,” Carter sa I felt sad ab Carter, look id. out it becau y se I because he ing back at his experie le n genuinely ap arned to be a better per ce, says that it was a go od son through olo it. He also sa experience “It didn’t fe getic for his past actio ns. el good to b ys that he is ully people . I feel horr ible about it ,” Carter sa *Names wer id. e changed to protect all persons

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Features13

...

To the victim

between s thrown d into rd o w ss rne armle quickly tu r, a few h sual rumo of her classmates ca a , e k line. asing as a jo year It started ver, the playful te safe at school or on or her freshman e m lt ting. w ru a o fe d a H r n e f e g s. o friend e no lon e had be impact e sh sh s y th a o d b e se e u mental ab nnifer Smith* learn e had cheated on th l. at sh ima ds at the Senior Je rialized th is rumor were min re my close frien h said. te a m ip when goss percussions of th who I thought we walked by,” Smit as a e re ings as I friends, e that I w At first th all of his er mean th s telling m “Him and nore me or whisp k and text message ld ig boo me home time, wou a lot of mean Face ified to co nd was rr o h s a d w “I receive nd Smith ad been invaded a erson.” h ot worse a horrible p ing progressively g d that her privacy had ges that I The bully ay of school to fin nal messa nversations t. d o e g rs e n rn p lo te d a In n from te co nd fou on the ld not f my priva adcasted acebook a being bro e hacked into my F w it, screenshots o ’s profiles so I cou e le n n p o k o e e I p m o r re “S the Befo er book on o se friend. reatened h with a clo posted all over Face e abuse th th s g a in d e e b ifi . were said s petr ying Smith wa m,” Smith umbers sa delete the nsafe and exposed, nymous n told me that o u n g a n li m e o e F hey es fr g messag essages. T threatenin of my personal m scary for me.” safety. g in tt e g re very d that the “I started going to post mo id. “It was for her as she feare sa h re it e w m S y that the nd me,” bearable at school. going to fi ecame un h said. they were as a joke. School b g to approach her t to expect,” Smit a in d h o e w g rt It sta er were ot know at atening h se I did n dministrator.” red of wh people thre ayed home becau a n a h was sca ll it te m S to st d d n a n e a h “I oft em. ecision, w that I hen I kne as a big d told on th . I did not have “This is w a school official w d out that she had do to t ha ed,” Involving if the bullies foun ut I did not know w s before it happen d n B n e . p ie would hap want to be a snitch ad been my only fr d. Smith “I did not to because they h se stoppe u b a e lk ta th anyone to inistrator, . f the adm I thought Smith said y, with the help o . ways that nsitive in le p n ll o o a e Eventu ce as a less , I did bully some p t now I am more se ” it r experien said. “Bu like that. the recalls he , and I hate to say rt people er,” Smith “Honestly when I was young I do not want to hu g, Smith stresses less and llyin were harm it really hurt me, roblems with bu tor. . a p se tr u g is n ca e in ci Smith said b m fa it d a to suffering,” . It is not that are rent, teacher, or e th se o h th rt o lt r Fo not w r fau g a pa eone. It is is not you ce of tellin importan e afraid to tell som wrong to you, it ing “Do not b g someth is never ok.” ne is doin it “If someo lt but theirs. And u fa ’s e n anyo persons protect all to d e g n a ere ch *Names w

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Opinions Let it grow Why are women ridiculed for having body hair? During the month Alexis August of November, people Staff Writer across America will participate in No Shave November to raise awareness not just for prostate cancer, but all cancers. Since cancer patients lose their hair while undergoing chemotherapy, the American Cancer Society encourages people to embrace their hair and donate the money they normally spend to groom themselves towards finding a cure. Notice I said people, not men. Usually everyone associates this event with men; even the creators whose website for the campaign only depicts men growing out their beards. By now, many have heard the story of Vine sensation Nash Grier who was under scrutiny for his controversial comments about how he prefers girls that shave - specifically mentioning arm hair. However, Grier is not the only person in the world that associates a stigma with women and body hair. The Psychology

Stranger Danger? We have all been told not to talk to strangers online, but that rule is slowly fading as social media platforms give more opportunities to meet strangers. Hannah Ramil Co-Editor-in-Chief

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of Women Quarterly conducted a study to show how women prefer to be hairless not because of hygiene, but their “internalized patriarchal ideals of femininity.” The study found an overwhelming negative response when asking Arizona State University female students not to shave their armpits or legs for two and a half months. One participant even said, “I think women who don’t shave are a little gross.” In a survey of 50 upperclassmen, only two girls said they are going to participate in No Shave November, a whopping four percent. While passing out the survey I heard girls making comments like, “ew, I can’t go a month without shaving my legs,” and “what girl would do that?” Our society does not find it socially acceptable for girls or women to have any body hair not on their heads, which includes mustaches, unibrows, arm

Make wax appointm

ent

Shave legs Shave armpits Shave arms Shape yourself in to society’s mold hair, and especially leg and armpit hair. From a young age, girls are taught that being as hairless as a naked mole rat is beautiful, with commercials for shaving creams and Nair glorifying smooth arms and legs. Even in the locker room girls compare their smooth and stubbily legs. Shaving has been ingrained into our daily routine. Wake up, take a shower, shave your legs, shave your armpits, shape yourself into society’s mold. No one wants to be some “dirty feminist.”

I was an internet explorer (hah!) at a very early age. I played online games, like Virtual Magic Kingdom, I used AIM to chat with my friends, and I even had a Myspace account. I had rules to live by on the internet, but one of the most important ones was to not talk to strangers online. I suppose all the hours watching Chris Hansen’s To Catch a Predator really freaked my mom out. I disobeyed, of course. I mean, how am I supposed to play a multi-player game without chat? Needless to say, I was not kidnapped. It makes a lot of sense for parents to be overprotective when it comes to their children being on the internet. But at the same time, they should also be able to trust that their children can make

smart choices and not meet up with some stranger in a dark alley. The truth of the matter is that meeting strangers online is the norm nowadays. That does not mean that people should not take precaution, but people should not be so afraid to talk to other people. Afterall, everybody is a stranger until you get to know them. For example, I have made two friends online through tumblr, and we regularly send texts to each other now. Both of them are older males that live in Los Angeles. (No, I am not being Catfished. No, we are just friends). The point is that with the expansion of technology and social media, we are finally able to meet other people who might offer better conversations than the locals. My word of advice: give people a chance. If they come off as a major creep, block immediately, and under all circumstances, do not send anything you would not want the world to see.

Opinions15

BREAKING BARRIERS

Breaking Amish is a hit TLC television series that follows five Amish young adults in New York City.

These are the carriages and horses that the Amish people of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, use for transportation (top). This is at an auction being held in an Amish community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania Photos courtesy of Vanessa

Sabrina Cedeno-Tobon Features Editor

got out a bowl of Kettlecorn, sat down on my couch, and began watching the first episode of the newest season of Breaking Amish. Not being a regular viewer of the hit show on TLC, I devoted an entire day to watching episodes, and it was an eye-opener to say the least. The Amish community is extremely strict, so they usually keep to themselves with very limited interaction with people from the outside world. Outsiders know very little about the Amish and so, when the show premiered, people saw a new side of the Amish community that they had not seen before. This season follows five Amish young adults: Barbie, Miriam, Bates, Matthias, and Vonda. They are all struggling between staying in the Amish country and leaving. They have been debating on leaving for some time now and think that going to New York for a while will help them make their decision. They all claim that they are not happy being Amish, but one of the things that is holding them back from leaving is the fact that once they leave they can never come back. It is likely that they will not be able to see their friends and family again. The show makes

us think that Amish people are strict and paints an unfriendly or even unwelcoming picture of the Amish community. During the summer, Senior Vanessa Palacio went to visit an Amish community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for two days during a mission trip. “They sing before meals and only rode carriages. They also do not like pictures or videos taken of them. They were very simplistic, humble, and hospitable,” Palacio said. Vanessa enjoyed her stay in Lancaster with the Amish and when asked about her opinion of Breaking Amish, her reply does not exactly support what

we see on the show. “This show does not accurately portray what I witnessed in the Amish Country. The only thing that the show gets right is that at the age of 16, Amish youth can choose to either leave the community or join the church officially,” Palacio said. Many people believe that the show is just a hoax, and everything is planned in order to get viewers to watch. What do you think?

November2014

Opinions16

Sheis with him?

Of all the societal stigmas people rally up against everyday, the one that happens to be most overlooked, as well as the one that is most harmless, is age differences in relationships. So many of Kaylee Clemens Business Manager us often heed to the call of those discriminated against. Whether it has to do with supporting women’s choice or even the subject of gay rights, many Americans have shown accepting attitudes towards a variety of different subjects and stigmas. Although, between all the different awareness campaigns we support, the one love that receives no love seems to be relationships with dramatic age differences. When a couple with a visually obvious age difference walks into a room, quite often the first question that pops into our mind is about the real reason for them being together. There are plenty of us who have those judgemental thoughts. There is an overabundance of commonly used nicknames that imply the “real” motives between two people in relationships like this, such as “Sugar Daddies,” “Cougars,” “Gold Diggers,” “Cradle Robbers,” and many more.

These nicknames have been contorted into terms that are celebrated by stars and media in current pop culture. An example of this would be famous Kanye West song, “Gold Digger.” Yet, the reality is, it is not for us to label a relationship by looking at it from the outside. Unless you are involved in a relationship between two consenting individuals, it is really none of your business. This may seem irrelevant since there are no “cougars” prowling down the halls of our school, but there is still judgment of relationships between students of different grades. Junior Tiffany Canate, who is dating Senior Chris Costa, stated, “No matter what, people are always going to have their own opinions about everything, but at the end of the day, a relationship is between two individuals, and as long as they’re happy, that’s all that should matter.” The reality is, whether someone is 16 or 75, their personal relationships are private and not for us to judge.

Photo by Kaylee Clemens

November2014

STOP and think Throughout

the

Isabelle Shafer day, I hear a variety of Managing Editor problems that my peers

face and their excuses for the problems. I hear students complain that the reason for their last Biology test score is that their teacher does not like them, but they ignore the fact that they stayed up the night before the test watching reruns of Gossip Girl instead of learning molecular structure. Students grumble about being grounded by their parents because their parents are unreasonable and ruining their life, when in reality, they were out three hours past their curfew. Even I constantly find myself blaming the traffic for my lateness when I actually left five minutes later than I should have because I had to check Twitter first. We all make excuses for ourselves all the time because it is easier than admitting fault. It makes us feel better about ourselves to say that our teacher is at fault for our bad grade instead of admitting that it is our fault for not studying. The problem with these excuses is that they become a habit, and we become comfortable with lowered motivation. If we blame our parents when we were out past curfew, it is unlikely that we will realize a change in our actions is needed and will not attempt to change this behavior. When we direct our distaste for the situation towards people and other factors, we are focusing our energy on making excuses instead of fixing the problem. There are ways to fix the bad habits that making excuses creates. The most important thing is to be confident in yourself. Set specific goals and do not allow yourself to give up for any reason. Do not make excuses for your failures because they hinder your future success and hinder your future attempts at avoiding these failures. Claim full responsibility for your failures so that you can claim full responsibility for your success. I am sorry for sounding like a preachy life coach, but I think this is important. High school is a time for us to transition into responsible adults, and it is vital that we begin to learn good habits early on. We will be able to live successful lives when we realize that we will be able to do anything when we stop making excuses and stop justifying reasons why we can not. Instead of wasting time and making excuses for why we can not, we need to focus on proving that we can.

Opinions17

Is the Technology Game too Strong?

In today’s day and age, technology seems to be advancing at a pace with which we are struggling to keep up. Imagine sitting Sabrina Rubis at a table for dinner News Editor

with some of your closest friends, waiting for your meal to be served. As you stare across the table, the faces of your friends are lit, but not in the way that you may think. Rather than talking and enjoying each other’s company, their faces are faced downwards, eyes fixed on a small screen and thumbs moving at a fast pace. Whether it is updating their Twitter status or checking Facebook notifications, their attentions are fixed on that one screen that has the power to distract anyone’s focus. What seems to be an enjoyable night out with friends turns into an occurrence where technology has, yet again, proven to interfere with our social lives. Now, when people hang out with one another, all you see is them on their phones rather than interacting with each other. This is one example out of many that demonstrates our growing dependence on technology. We are glued to our cell

phones; we cannot follow directions without Google Maps; and we expect instant notifications of news and occurrences on sites like Twitter. Technology has also proven to infringe on our private lives. It decreases our privacy in more ways than one. Take our phones - they all have a location tracker in which people can find out exactly where you are at any given time. “My parents caught me lying to them about where I was going. They checked iCloud, which told them of my exact location, hundreds of miles away from where I was supposed to be. They grounded me right after,” Senior Ashni Thakor said. Private information, such as your social security number and address, can be accessed by unauthorized individuals, like hackers, who use this information in a way that can negatively affect any individual that had this information stolen.

I guess the real question is: Is technology advancing too fast? In a sense, yes. Science has enabled technology to be used in ways that are unethical. Take cloning - a method that uses an organism to create a genetically identical replica of that organism. Although some might say that this is an incredible advancement, it does have its disadvantages. Some people believe that cloning, in no way, shape, or form, should be allowed because it limits uniqueness and individuality and goes against what some religions believe. Another example of science using technology for its own advances is artificial intelligence. Recently, a computerized machine was able to beat the world’s smartest chess player. The fact that computers have become smarter and smarter and are now expressing humanlike qualities is somewhat threatening. If a computer is able to think independently and even beat a human at something, what is next? Technology is becoming too powerful , and this power can be detrimental to society, especially if we are unable to control it. The advancement of technology is, of course, inevitable. You cannot slow down

the progress of it, but at the same time, you cannot let these advances go unchecked. The government should be able to interfere on certain issues, such as cloning humans. Even though technology allows us to do such things, it is not considered ethical by many for religious and aesthetic reasons. The fact that any person can just search on Google how to make nuclear technology is unacceptable, and technology has allowed us to obtain such information with just the click of a button. The government should be allowed to take down this information and regulate what goes on the Internet. Things like this cannot be left unaddressed and must be prevented from occurring. Technology has contributed much to mankind, and its advances are great, especially when it comes to medicine and engineering. Most advances are valuable, but some can be used for bad purposes and has proven to be very harmful. Therefore, these technological advances must be monitored for the sake of humanity.

November2014

Opinions18

2014: The Donkey versus The Elephant As the November elections rapidly approached, eligible voters had to decide which of the two candidates would make a better leader for the Sunshine State. Christian Coury “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him Staff Writer

power,” Abraham Lincoln said. As the season of governor elections rapidly approached, both Rick Scott (R) and Charlie Crist (D) continued to air political advertisements in the hopes of gaining that little edge they each needed to become elected governor. Up until now, three distinct debates have taken place. When election time rapidly approaches, it is vital that an eligible voter only participates in the voting process if informed. Just because a voter is registered with the Democratic or Republican Party does not mean that he or she should vote for a candidate with the same political faction. Voting just because a candidate has a ‘(D)’ or ‘(R)’ after his or her name would be uninformed voting. During this time of the year, high school seniors were gaining the right to vote, and it was necessary for every student to know that a voter should not vote for a candidate based on just one issue. Voting etiquette aside, Rick Scott and Charlie Crist furiously challenged each other’s ability to lead Florida forward. In the first debate between the two candidates, Scott and Crist disagreed on almost every topic except for the protection of Florida from Ebola. The rivalry between the two candidates was especially evident in the second debate. There was a delay in the face-off due to a dispute over the debate rules. Crist had been running a fan in the debate room, which was already a cool 66 degrees. Scott answered the presence of the fan with his refusal to take the stage for the debate. Interestingly enough, the debate rules, according to Fox News, specifically state that if either candidate is not comfortable with the room temperature, then it

is his or her responsibility to notify the debate hosts to change the temperature of the room. But the biggest oddity is the fact that Charlie Crist had the fan running in a room with such a low temperature. One possible explanation would be that he was simply nervous and wanted to have the fan on to keep him from looking disheveled. Another possible explanation is that his political strategists told him to bring the fan to purposely upset Rick Scott. On another note, the third debate was headlined by CBS as “Final Florida Debate For Gov. Heated and Personal.” This final debate soon turned intense when Scott called Crist a “divider” and “mudslinger.” When the topic of socioeconomic status came up, Crist told Scott, “God bless you for that wealth, Rick, but the way you got it was pretty unsavory.” Scott immediately fired back and talked about Crist’s life, saying, “First off Charlie, you grew up with money. I grew up with families that struggled. I don’t know my natural father. I lived in public housing.” The third debate continued to focus on which candidate is more in touch with the average American. With all of the mudslinging, accusations, and argument, most individuals jokingly declared Jake Tapper, the moderator, the winner of the debate. In reference to Abraham Lincoln’s ideals, the only way to select an individual to lead is by seeing what he or she will do when given power. Both main candidates have had the power of governor, and now it is time for voters to evaluate both of their characters to choose the better man to run the Sunshine State.* *Governor Rick Scott won re-election.

chart courtesy of: Christian Coury data courtesy of: CNN,FOX, MSNBC

November2014

Lifestyle You start your homework at five o’clock and finish at midnight… and you have a test the next day. Finding time to successfully complete college applications can be difficult, let alone have time to write any essay at all. DO NOT FORGET TO CHECK YOUR GRAMMAR

Do not press that send button just yet

DO GET A PARENT OR TEACHER TO PROOFREAD THE ENTIRE APPLICATION

DO NOT TURN YOUR APPLICATION ESSAY INTO A RÉSUMÉ AND JUST LIST YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

DO REFLECT YOUR ACTUAL PERSONALITY AND CHARACTER – LET YOUR VOICE COME THROUGH

DO NOT PROCRASTINATE DO NOT BOAST ABOUT YOURSELF – GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE!

DO PLAN AHEAD AND SET A COMPLETION GOAL FOR EACH WEEK DO REMAIN HUMBLE IN YOUR WRITING BUT EXPLAIN YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

DO NOT LIST YOUR WEAKNESSES – COLLEGES WANT DO TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO! EXPLAIN HOW YOU CONQUERED YOUR WEAKNESS RATHER THAN JUST EXPLAIN IT

Christian Coury

Staff Writer

5 Signs You are Dating a Tool Advice on how to know if the girl or guy you are into is unworthy of your time. Natalia Arjona Staff Writer

Long hair WHO CARES If they care too much about their appearance, it is a sign that they are either too self-consumed or too selfconscious. Either way, they need to focus on themselves before they can focus on a relationship.

Manners Matter

Communication If most of your conversations take place over text message, it is not a healthy sign. Go see a love doctor, or maybe just go get something to eat and have a normal conversation like in the good old days.

Peopla only have one thing on their mind. The one thing they constantly crave, that they cannot get enough of. FOOD! Therefore, basic table manners are important in determining whether they are worth your time.

Honesty Honesty Are they honest? If you are constantly catching them in their lies, and worse, if they do not admit their lies when you confront them, you need to drop them from your life.

You, Yourself, and You! One way to know if you have reached the end-of-the-line is if you are finding yourself doing all the work, all the romancing, and all the chasing, so that it feels like you might as well be having a relationship with yourself!

November2014

at the

Vegetarians

Lifestyle20

Table Thanksgiving dinner can be dull for vegetarians who sit down at a table prepared for omnivores. For the lone vegetarian sitting at a table covered with meat dishes, the much anticipated Thanksgiving feast can be, well, frustrating to say the least. While other guests enjoy the traditional turkey, you will have to turn to the mashed potatoes and rolls. Oh… scratch that. The mashed potatoes are mixed with bacon bits. But this year, fellow vegetarian, go into Thanksgiving prepared! After all, meat dishes should not be the only delicious items on the menu. Contrary to what many omnivores believe, vegetarian dishes are bountiful and just as delectable, or even more so, as meat dishes. Let whoever is cooking know in advance of your dietary needs. Make suggestions and offer to prepare some vegetarian dishes for everyone to try.

Claudia Laukien Copy Editor

If you are already at the Thanksgiving table and did not plan for what you will eat, here are a few tips: 1. If you want to ask if a dish contains meat without sparking a discussion about your vegetarianism, casually ask, “Oh that looks delicious [enter cooks name here]. What is in it?” 2. Pounce on the meat-free dishes before anyone else can take it! 3. Enjoy the desserts! They tend to be vegetarian. We hope.

There you go, simple as that. Just remember, next Thanksgiving, plan for it.

You should be able to enjoy your Thanksgiving meal just as much as everyone else.

November2014 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia

Below are a few recipes for vegetarian dishes. Remember though: the dish is only as good as the ingredients. Make sure your veggies are fresh! 1. Onion Gravy Regular gravy has chicken stock (ugh), but this delicious alternative is made of butter, vegetable broth, flour, and onions. To see the recipe, visit http://www.kitchentreaty.com/vegetarianonion-gravy/ 2. Vegetarian Stuffing with Cranberries Before becoming a vegetarian, I loved stuffing. Luckily, it can be easily modified to be vegetarianfriendly, as explained on http://vegetarian.about.com/od/ stuffingdressingrecipes/r/beanstuffing.htm 3. Stuffed Tofu-Turkey Yes, yes, I know. “Tofu! Eww!” But give this recipe a chance. See http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/ stuffed-tofu-turkey/ 4. Mashed Potato Fritters For anyone who thought mashed potatoes could not get any better... They just did. See this meat free, delicious recipe at http://www.spicytreats.net/2012/10/mashedpotato-fritters-vegan-n-gluten.html And if you are not vegetarian but are eating Thanksgiving dinner with one, please do not ask the following questions. Vegetarians get them all the time. You would think that the answers would be obvious… 1. So if I put a piece of juicy steak in front of you, you would not eat it? 2. Plants are living things too though. Why do you still eat plants if you do not eat meat? 3. I could not live without meat! How do you survive?

Lifestyle21

[ fabulosophy ] Kayla Jin Copy Editor

he month of November is often underappreciated, caught in the middle between pumpkin season in October and holiday festivities in December. In addition to finally being able to order your pumpkin spice latte at Starbuck’s, you can also look forward to the top fall fashion trends for 2014. Here is the fall 2014 trend report set for this season, as seen from New York Fashion Week.

From runway to racks, you can find these items on the shelves of your local retail stores. H&M is a go-to for all your fall finds, and with the Alexander Wang x H&M line now available in stores, you can bring designer labels into your everyday wardrobe. For a flashback to the past, you can find old-school styles like vinyl mini skirts and tube tops at American Apparel.

[ Knits ]

[ The Sixties ]

[ Furs and Shearlings ]

Photo by: Remy Marasa

Furs and shearlings have made definite comebacks, bringing us back to the 80’s. The reemergence of fur coats and vests were seen on the runway during the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week with designers like Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, DKNY, Diane von Furstenberg, and J. Mendel incorporating many fur pieces into their collections. “Material-blocking,” which includes the fusion and patch working of furs and other textiles, has also been a popular technique lately. Shearlings were also a hit, making comfy look chic, and were seen in the lineups from Rag and Bone, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang, Marc Jacobs, and BCBG. Fur coats are a great addon to a fall wardrobe and pairs well with turtlenecks and ankle boots. Opt for faux fur coats to achieve the same look without the expense of your wallet and furry friends.

Photo by: Remy Marasa

Time warping back to the psychedelic sixties has been another inspiration for the runway. Knee high boots, capes, and mini skirts have been the craze lately with designers like Valentino, Miu Miu, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci playing on short hemlines, statement belts, and different geometric patterns. While the sixties look might not be a practical outlet for everyday casual wear, you can still opt for boots, whether it be knee-high or ankle boots. Dress it up by pairing knee-high boots with a little black dress or dress it down by pairing ankle boots with leggings or riding boots with jeans.

No matter which trend you gravitate towards, knits are an absolute staple and are here to stay. Oversized knits, as seen from Stella McCartney and The Row, offer a different approach to the standard sweater, while tight knits from Derek Lam, Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Calvin Klein, and Celine take “sweater weather” to a whole new level. Oversized turtleneck, fisherman, or cable-knit sweaters are a must-have that would go great with a peter pan collared top and jeans for a polished look or a circle skirt for a more feminine look.

November2014

Lifestyle22

Photo courtesy of wikimedia.org

Photo courtesy of flickr.com

THE SHOWS OF THE FALL SEASON American Horror Story and The Walking Dead were some of the hottest shows of the fall season, but do they follow the conventions of the horror genre. On any Daniel Rojas g i v e n Co-Editor-in-Chief Wednesday or Sunday night during the Fall TV season, it is inevitable that I will find at least 25% of my Twitter feed filled with references to two shows that define the TV horror genre at this moment: The Walking Dead and American Horror Story two shows with very different premises. The Walking Dead occupies the horror genre in a different way, it is not in your face horror but rather inherently horrific. The idea of the zombie apocalypse is an event that is unthinkable. American Horror Story follows a similar pattern, except for the fact that it focuses on the surreal and darkest components of the human mind. The Walking Dead is definitely a more gritty show focused on a small group of survivors, based in the South, who are attempting to fight and thrive in the uncivilized world. One common theme of the series is the threat of constant conflict and how this affects the relationship of ther characters. This theme has kept The Walking Dead at the top of the ratings, but unfortunately, its appeal is starting to wear off on me. I still enjoy watching the antics

November2014

of the enemies the group takes on, but the only thing keeping me linked to enjoying the show is the premise of the zombie apocalypse. One thing that is missing from the show is a plot; it seems that the group has been on a constant slog to the next haven that will be filled with either cannibals or murderous communities. The show is simply static. There is no change except for the relationships, but even that development is relatively shallow. In addition, American Horror Story is a show with its own faults. Each season, the basis of the show changes with the setting, scenario, and time period, but with a common goal to push the viewer to the edge of their comfort zone. New concepts are explored in intriguing ways, such as the murder house, and the story always leaves loose ends; a feat worthy of every good piece of film or television, but the new season is not turning out as well. In the first season there was a haunted house with a special power that could kill. In the second season, the time was the mid-20th century and a mass murderer was threatening all in an asylum. In the third season, we are brought back to modern New Orleans to see what greed can do to the remaining witches in North

America. This season is set on home turf taking place in Jupiter, Florida in the early 1950s and more specifically within a traveling freak show. The villains have begun to reveal themselves and there was no real person to root for, or against, yet the ambiguity of the heroes was supposed to create this sense that everyone has a bit of evil in them. However, these are negative traits of the series. One of the many positives that exist is the continuously returning cast of characters. Audiences form an emotional attachment and a bias based on their previous roles. The intricate detail of the scene and the time periods are other attractive qualities in that they almost provide an escape from the mundanity of our stories. I will never quit watching The Walking Dead or American Horror Story - they are both extremely well done shows. I just hope for a new quality, some new idea or concept that can revamp the static nature of the shows. These shows may be somewhat different, but they draw on the same strengths and weaknesses of the others. Hopefully, these two shows can continue to define the horror genre and our Sunday and Wednesday nights.

Interactive Interactive Thanksgiving Crossword

Happy Thanksgiving! November2014