2014 Issue 3 - The Legend by SHS The Legend

The Legend Volume 18 Issue 3

December 2014

Tis the Season The holiday season brings forth differentiatiing celebrations for the holidays. However, each family has their own tradition that they bring into the holiday season. Pg. 8

News

Table of Contents Fe

Blurbs 3 NASA Trip 4 Changes in Tests 5

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4 12 13 y 1 ng nk re ivi Thi of G 15 sg ke nd es ay Fa op a had ip D 15 St fty S r Sk ay Fi nio Frid Se ack Bl

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T pp rav er el s E on ss th ent G e ia i f 19 ts R l S 89 fo la ise s 16 Re r B ng 17 vi ae 17 ew 2 22 1

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 Alexis August Charlie Burgess Lillian Hassanein Ameenah Rashid

News In other news... Samsung v. Apple Durability tests were done on Samsung Galaxy Tablets and Apple iPads. The winner was the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 with the Apple iPad Mini 3 in fourth place. They found that the smaller the tablet, the more breakable the device. The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 came in ninth place with the TMAX 9 HD in last place. Source: Yahoo News photo courtesy of Yahoo News

Teenage Suicide Bomber A 17-year old bombed a Kabul high school auditorium in Afghanistan on December 11th killing one and wounding 16. This attack was part of Islamist Tablian violence and was in response to the play being shown entitled “Heartbeat: Silence After the Explosion” and is a play against suicide bombings. Source: Yahoo News

photo courtesy of Yahoo News

Ancient Lake Found on Mars

Woman Dies From Weight Loss Supplements

NASA’s Curiosity rover found evidence that a lake existed on Mars. This is important because it shows that life may have previously existed. Though Mars is too warm for liquid water to exist today, the fact that life may have existed is a huge discovery because it shows that Mars may have previously been warm enough. Source: Yahoo News

A 24-year old woman died last February due to taking Forza raspberry ketone supplements in an effort to lose weight. Raspberry ketones are popular in the media and promoted by Dr. Oz and Kim Kardashian, however the risks are not known to the public. The supplements caused Cara Reynolds to have severe heart palpitations and death. Source: Yahoo News

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Car Crashes Into Store

American Nurse Exposed to Ebola

A car crashed into a Forever 21 in Manhattan’s Herald Square in New York on Wednesday December 10th at night. Seven people were injured, six had severe injuries and had to be sent to the hospital. The Ford Mustang ran into other cars and pedestrians before hitting the Manhattan store. Source: Yahoo News

An American nurse became exposed to Ebola while volunteering in Sierrra Leone and will be admitted to The National Institute of Health’s Clinical Center in Maryland for treatment. The nurse will be admitted into a highly isolated area. It has not been released how or when the disease was contracted. Source: Yahoo News

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

photo courtesy of Wikimedia

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News4

Students travel to infinity and beyond Physics teachers took students on the annual Kennedy Space Center.

Christian Coury Prior to Thanksgiving break in November, physics students were Staff Writer given the opportunity to attend a field trip to the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral. There, students were given the opportunity to meet Kenneth Cameron, an astronaut that has been to space, not once, but three times! Later on in the day, field trip attendees went to a classroom, in which an interactive lab took place. Astronaut Ken Cameron was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and pursued the field of aeronautics and astronautics, graduating with several degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). After serving with the Marine Corps, he was selected by NASA to become an astronaut in June of 1985. His three missions consisted of flights into space on the Atlantis and Discovery. “Talking to the astronaut was cool, [and hearing] him talk about being in space,” Junior Faith Hofmann, said. Kennedy Space Center is also home to a realistic launch simulator, with which

right: Spaceshuttle Atlantis prepped on launchpad at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida

people can really get a feel for what it is like to be an astronaut. “For me, the best part of the Kennedy Space Center trip was getting to experience the NASA simulator again, because it really showcases what it is like to go up into space,” Junior Elise Howard explained. Students also attended an interactive class, during which they were given the opportunity to participate in several hands-on activities. Activities included experimenting with shuttle fuel components, attempting to simulate a disruption in inner-ear balance, and creating a scaled perspective of different planetary bodies. The focus of both CS and MSE in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) was perfect for students to attend a field trip to the Kennedy Space Center. In fact, many students left the space center wishing that they could have participated in more of the site’s activities. “I thought the trip was overall really fun, though I would prefer if we had more time,” Junior Amanda Eller said. photo courtesy of: commons.wikimedia.org

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News5 The upcoming new year brings new tests that will be taken by students across Palm Beach County. photo courtesy of Christian Coury

Christian Coury Starting in 2015 of this school Staff Writer

year, freshmen, sophomors, and juniors will be the first to take part in the new testing programs. Changes and updates to testing include a reformatted Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. History Exam, the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA), and the Palm Beach Performance Assessment (PBPA). According to Edward Kilgus, College Board “changed the format considerably… there is now fifty-five multiple choice questions, there are four short answer questions, one DBQ and long essay.” Past exams of the course featured multiple choice questions, one Document-Based Question (DBQ), and two extended essays. In addition to the new format of the test, the content and material will also be different; students will sit down to take the test that it is extensively focused on only five presidents, whereas the previous exams were more broad and dealt with almost all presidents. While the AP U.S. History Exam

will only affect the juniors, the Florida Standards Assessment and Palm Beach Performance Assessment will affect all students in grades nine through eleven. The high school versions of the test will be centered around reading and writing concepts. Unfortunately for students, the future of FCAT is unknown, and will still have to be taken at this time, in addition to the new testing. The purpose of these new assessments is to provide parents, teachers, policy makers, and even the general public with data on how well students are learning according to the Florida standards. According to some teachers, as more and more testing is implemented, students may find themselves under greater pressure, and instructors will have less time to actually teach their classes. About Education explains that parents and teachers “have begun to realize that their children are being stripped of an authentic educational experience that instead hinges on how they perform on a series of test over a period of a few days.”

More testing to take place in 2015?

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Features

Suncoast Spotlight

Lillian Hassanein Staff Writer

What is the probability of knowing about Mrs. Pearson? Math teacher Elizabeth Pearson is known for her awkward jokes and lovable character; however, not many people know about her life outside of the classroom. Pearson has a lot to share about her experiences as a teacher and her passions.

How It all Began “When I was in 9th grade, I had a great math teacher. She was the type of person that everyone just wanted to please and do well for. She seemed like she actually cared when most other teachers didn’t,” Pearson said. She said that when she teaches she feels like she is doing something meaningful and making a positive impact on students’ lives.

Strangest Occurence in the Classroom Pearson was asked to recall the strangest thing to occur to her in the classroom. “When I was pregnant with my second child I was teaching a class and we had a projector screen that would randomly roll up by itself. One time, it ended up shaking the projector, which fell and hit my head. I was knocked unconscious and the school nurse had to hurry to the room and check me. No one would stop bringing it up to me in the hallway for a year,” Pearson said.

10 Facts You Didn’t Know About Pearson

Photo by: Olan Mills

1. She was born in Syracuse, New York. 2. She loves college basketball and football. 3. The song “A Kiss to Build a Dream” was played at her wedding. 4. She comes from a big family-she has four brothers and one sister.

In the past Pearson’s senior photo at Riverview High School in Sarasota, Florida in 1996.

5. Her birthday is on April Fools Day. 6. She knew she wanted to be a math teacher since the 9th grade.

Photo by: Sarah Jerauld

7. She went to the University of Florida. 8. She clumsy.

really

What Do Students Think About Pearson?

9. She played the alto-saxophone in high school.

Pearson is known to have good relationships with her students. “She’s obviously very nice and cares a lot about students understanding the material. I like her way of presenting notes. She was an awesome EE supervisor,” Senior Cameron Cooper said. Everyone has different answers on what they love best about Pearson. “My favorite thing about Mrs. Pearson is that I can feel her passion when she teaches,” Senior Jonathon Elwell said.

10. She was in the sorority AOII in college.

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In the present Pearson with her three kids Sarah (4), Danny (6), and Mikey (9) and husband Mike.

Features7

Johnny Forde: The Renaissance Man A Suncoast student aims high in both academics and athletics. Photo by: Jessica Steen

Just when a l l the IB students thought they had it bad and the MSE students were crumbling under the pressure, there were some kids who had it even worse than the rest of us. One of the few is Johnny Forde. He is a dual enrollment student, taking part in both the MSE and IB program. Not only is he a successful academic student but also a natural athlete since he is a main contributor to the boys’ varsity soccer team. The love for soccer was embedded in Johnny at a young age. With a legacy riding on his back as his father was a goalkeeper for the Republic of Ireland, he was thrown into the world of soccer. “I’ve been playing since I could walk pretty much” Senior Johnny Forde said. Along with his father, Johnny is inspired by many national teams that took part in the recent World Cup. Amongst those teams that he looks up to are Ireland and Germany, who went on to win the world cup this past year. “I root for my home country Ireland in the world cup as well as the European qualifiers

Jessica Steen Staff Writer

along with Germany who recently won the world cup and I feel is one of the best teams in the world,” Forde said. The talent of players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney provide inspiration for him during his varsity soccer games. The varsity boys’ soccer team has some work to do in order to make it into the district finals. With committed players like Johnny Forde this team has a lot of potential to pick it up and become district champions. “We have come off to a bit of a shaky start but I think we are getting our form. Last year a lot of good seniors left us and we are trying to uphold their legacy. I think we have some good leadership and good skilled players we just need to refine them going into district finals,” Forde said. Johnny hopes to be a major contributor going into districts in his role as central midfielder. Going from captain of JV to a starter on the varsity team, Johnny has been committed to the soccer program at Suncoast for many years. “I hope that we can take it farther than we ever have in my last year here

as a senior,” Forde said. Not only is he an athlete but he is a stellar student as well. Even with the major commitment of being a part of the varsity high school team he is able to balance the requirements for the MSE program and the IB program. “Being in MSE/IB, it is very difficult to manage my workload and play soccer, but luckily soccer is actually an outlet for my stress and helps me to concentrate on my work because it inspires me to get it all done on time,” Forde said. With the background of both the MSE and IB programs along with the ability to be a part of a team, the future is looking bright for Johnny. He plans on using the skills from the two programs in his future where he hopes to become a successful businessman. “MSE provides more of a rigorous curriculum as mathematics and physics require a lot of studying while IB helps me refine my writing, reading and speaking skills which are indispensable assets in my becoming a businessman in the future hopefully,” Forde said.

Balanced. Johnny Forde is a student athlete balancing both the MSE/IB program with the varsity soccer team. He has always had a love for soccer and strived to be the best student he can be.

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Features8

The Holiday Differences The American holiday season may be dominated with the Christian holiday of Christmas, but what about those people who follow different religions, or simply do not celebrate Christmas in the typical, conventional way. Daniel Rojas Co-Editor-in-Chief

Michael Groves

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Michael Groves and his family do not validate the stereotypical Jewish practice of eating Chinese food on Christmas. “Instead of celebrating the physical birth of Christ, I celebrate a time when my family can get together,” Groves said. According to Groves, this stereotype grew out of Jewish New Yorkers and many Jewish people, “contrary to popular belief,” do not go out and get Chinese food. Groves’ father is Catholic while his mother is Jewish and this melding of families has provided for a interesting celebration, which transcends his immediate family. Most of Groves’ family decides to get together for a celebration but not necesarily of Christmas; it is more of a holiday gift exchange accompanied with a family meal and party. This tradition has evolved from Groves’ mother’s side of the family who although Jewish still began this unique celebration during the holidays. Not necesarrily devout, Groves and his family get together to simply celebrate a parallel to Christmas. He and his family are close and the tradition will continue.

Features9

Sophie Price

Nicolle Gil

When many of us think about the holidays we think about enjoying time with family and just staying home and not much else. Junior Sophie Price and her family though spend the twelve days before Christmas deilvering a gift, for each day, at the house of a random family. The families that Price and her family choose are those which they hear about in their community who are going through a financial crisis or a tragedy. This tradition grew out of a personal experience where the Price family was facing a hard time and one day on their doorstep right around Christmas a random gift was placed, and from that day on they decided to pay it forward. Their anonymity is due to them wanting to preserve the idea of “Christmas angels” delivering the gifts and they feel better doing it that way. This tradition is a close-kept secret within their family, and not even some of their closest family friends know about it. The most remarkable fact about their tradition is the anonymity. To keep the spirit alive they sacrifice the thanks and gratitude they have earned.

Similar to Michael Groves, senior Nicolle Gil’s family does not necesarily celebrate Christmas as well. “My mom is a Jehovah’s Witness so [is] my Grandma and Grandpa and they tried to raise me in that,” Gil said. Her stepdad and her dad are both not Jehovah’s Witness and they continue to give Gil gifts for Christmas. Gil stated With most Jehovah Witnesses’ Christmas is not celebrated because the Bible never gave a specific date and nothing Christmas-like should be celebrated on that day. Although there was a party in December, ‘they said it wasn’t anything Christmas,” Gil said. According to Gil, there is never a party on Christmas though, it’s simply just a family gathering because they would hang out anyway. Gil says that her mom is the main party planner in her family and, therefore, there is some type of party like the one previously mentioned. Since Gil’s family are relatively new converts to the religion they do not celebrate Christmas but she does still receive gifts and enjoy the holiday season with her family.

Nabil Chowdhury

Freshman Nabil Chowdhury and his fmaily are followers of Islam a religion that is left out by the holiday season here in America. Chowdhury’s family hails from Bangladesh a majority Muslim country east of India. He and his family practice the Sunni faith, which includes the two holidays of Eid. Chowdhury states that he and his family, obviously do not recognize the holiday of Christmas, and there are no special gatherings within his family that coincide with the Christmas holiday. Throughout the holidays the family events that consume Chowdhury’s time are mainly focused upon relatives that go to college, leaving school for break, coming back home for winter break and visiting them.

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Features10

The Superior

Seven

Alexis August Whether it is at a Staff Writer football game or a pep

rally, the Chargerettes’ performance is always heavily anticipated. The student body has come to know and love - and even envy these fierce dancers. They have come to associate the Chargerettes with sparkly outfits and sassy struts, but there is much more to the squad than people realize. These seven girls work their butts off (pun intended) to deliver at every single one of their performances. When interviewing them, the dancers all professed a passion for dancing as their reason for joining the Chargerettes, but they also said how dedicated, determined, and hard-working you have to be to cut it as a Chargerette. Like any student athlete, the girls have to be able to balance their homework with

Photo by: Alec Deker

An inside look at the hard work behind Suncoast’s elite dance squad; the Chargerettes.

And Pose! From left to right: Jamiea Lawton, Kimberly Germinal, Valentina Garcia, Winter Walker, Dameneka Afrika, Taylor Reichel, Ashley Sanders

their rigorous practice schedule, but the Chargerettes are unlike any other team. This dance troupe has formed an unbreakable bond, which enables them to set aside drama and focus on their dancing. “We commit to

photo courtesy of wikimedia and wikipedia

Rugby HITS

sisterhood, and commit to being a family. So if someone has a problem they come to us and we work it out together,” captain Winter Walker said. Although nearly all the Chargerettes have dance or marching band backgrounds, it can still be hard for the girls to learn new routines. For freshman dancer Jamiea Lawton and junior dancer Kimberly Germinal, it is their first year on the team. Even veteran member Junior Taylor Reichel asserts, “it takes longer than three hours to learn a 10 minute routine.” Therefore, for Lawton and Germinal it can take three to four days to learn a routine. There is still hope for those of you hoping to become the next new member. “You actually do not have to be that great of a dancer, despite what people think,” Germinal assures.

Suncoast

Suncoast has a new sports team joining the athletic scene, Rugby will start in early January. Charlie Burgess Our school may be known for its Staff Writer

rigorous academics and several awards in mathematics and physics, yet there are other aspects of this school than might be expected. In a worldly and innovative environment such as Suncoast, it is no surprise that we have our fair share of students who excel not only between 7:30 and 2:40, but after school as well. Charger athletics are on the rise, and with them, a new team has arrived: the rugby team, our newest set of athletes and it is their time to shine. This year is the start of something completely

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unique, an era that could prove to be, a wonderful successful. Apart from the fact rugby has never been seen at our school, it might be helpful to learn a little bit more about the sport. For all of you new to rugby, the sport is incredibly aggressive and very team oriented. Led by Mr. Brett Stubbs, a veteran rugby player himself, the team expects an exciting and groundbreaking season. He is helping the members of the team learn the ropes of the sport if they are new to it, and he is helping the experienced players to become better than they have ever been before.

Do Suncoast students know what Rugby is?

Do not know how it works Knows how it works

Out of 20 randomly selected students

Features11

Late Bloomers

How have you changed from middle school? “I used to wear Sketchers and jorts. It was a bad time, but now I think I dress a little better,” Senior Erickson Gallardo said.

“I was one of those guys that would read a lot. I was a mixture. I would read a lot, but I was also trying to be ghetto. I would try to change my lingo around different people. Basically, I spoke differently to different people in order to try and fit in. I was a wannabe,” Senior Ralph Pierre said.

“I guess that I’ve matured through the experiences that high school has given me. I was more shy in middle school, and with the people that I’ve met at Suncoast, I’ve become more confident,” Senior Jay R Habijan said.

“I got skinnier and got more A’s,” Senior Julian Kim said.

“In middle school, I rocked the side bangs, like most people. And my braces were the only bright thing about my smile. I wasn’t very popular, until I got my braces off. I think I made really good friends before my transformation. They were true friends. Now, I’m a lot more confident, in general,” Senior Claire Collins said.

Hannah Ramil Co-Editor-in-Chief

The period of time after elementary school and before high school was the moment in our personal histories that most of us are not at all proud of. Why? Because that was our period of experimentation, the very slow rise to our prime. Here is an ode to those who figured it all out and found themselves, despite the social barriers they faced in middle school.

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Opinions

Fakesgiving A personal look into this year’s Fakesgiving tradition. Festive foods, spending time with friends, and dressing up are all part of the well-known Suncoast Fakesgiving tradition. Fakesgiving is a social gathering where the senior girls attend a formal dinner at a hostess’s house, who is also a senior girl. At this event, what typically happens is: they take pictures, talk to only their friends, and enjoy a variety of Thanksgiving-type meals with the girls in their grade. Fakesgiving has been a tradition for several years now, which the Suncoast senior girls have put much time and dedication into continuing. During this time, junior girls would be invited by a senior girl to attend Fakesgiving as their date. The tradition continues the next year in that the senior girls who attended as juniors are then able to select their own junior to bring to the next Fakesgiving event. The hostess is selected by the previous hostess to take charge for the following year. “The idea of Fakesgiving is to gather the juniors and seniors together for a nice dinner so everyone can get to know each other. All you do is sit there, eat, and spend time with your friends. This event allows you to bond with the girls in your grade, and get to know the underclassmen at the same time,” senior Jessie Herrera said. After a fabulous and festive dinner, around 9 PM, the junior girls are sent home. The post festivities then begin in which only seniors girls are able to stay, and senior boys are allowed to come and enjoy the rest of the night. “Fakesgiving was so much fun and I really enjoyed spending time with my friends and getting to know the uperclassmen,” said junior Emma Williams. If you are a girl, you will have to wait to experience Fakesgiving for yourself; if you get invited, that is. Sabrina Rubis News Editor

attention grabber. Kirsten Nowak, Shannon Clark, Haley Wharton, Stefanie Macedonio, Ana Valdes, Ashni Thakor, Sabrina Rubis, Marianne Cortes, and Valentina Vaca enjoy their time together. photo courtesy of Kirsten Nowak attention grabber. Samantha Krasker, Shannon Clark, Brooke Schule, and Lucy Krasker smile the camera at Fakesgiving. photo courtesy of Shannon Clark Photo courtesy of Jessie Stormes; Jessie Stormes, Van Spina, and Andrea Hoctor pose for a picture.

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Opinions13

unplug, por favor Technology has irrevocably changed the way we live. But maybe that change isn’t as positive as we may hope... Spanish Jonathan Elwell Suncoast Lifestyle Editor

at has been frustrating. I came in having loved my time in middle school Spanish with Sra. De Miranda. I learned a lot and had fun doing it. But then ninth grade Spanish hit me like a tren de carga (freight train). I’ve suffered ever since. But if one thing will stay with me from my time with Sra. Rosello and Sra Guilnet, it’s that la tecnologia has a massive effect on our lives. It may be easy to dismiss this topic as a dull, esoteric subject, but it is actually quite profound. The emergence of la tecnologia in just about all aspects of our lives really does change how we view the world and how we spend our free time. And in my opinion, it’s a worrying trend that must be stopped. We as a society, and especially us teenagers, are spending more and more time trapped in the virtual world and less and less engaged in the real one. We never have any blank spaces (thanks Taylor). Technology fills in all the gaps. We never have time to sit and reflect. After all, why spend a car ride looking out the window when you could be looking at your phone? Why spend time in quiet reflection about the real world when you could be actively engaging the virtual one? Technology has filled in all the blank spaces (T-Swift reference), blank spaces that are critical to our mental health (but not really). Without them we have no room to explore and expand. Technology has trapped us, not only by ensconcing us in the virtual world, but also by reducing our imagination in

the real one. We’ve become too used to the instant gratification of instagram and twitter that we can’t be patient enough to sit and work our way through a good book or sit and ponder the miracles of life (or anything more mundane than that). According to Caitlin Dewey of the Washington Post, “Researchers and tech-watchers have long understood that the chirping, insatiable temptations of our little screens change the way we interact with other people “IRL.” In the past couple years, a mountain of studies have demonstrated that cellphone use makes us more selfish, more easily distracted and more stressed. A survey last March suggested that nearly 9 in 10 people feel that their loved ones neglect them in favor of technology on a weekly basis. A smaller-scale observational study suggested that, when parents and young children dine together, parents frequently pay the most attention to their phones.” This evidence takes the issue from a disheartening trend to an alarming reality. We feel the need to fill every blank space with fake space and it’s hurting us. So what can we do about it? There are many blogs that talk about the value of unplugging, but the kind of retreats and social experiments they advocate aren’t practical enough for most people. But spending weeks in the mountains or selling your phone for book money isn’t the only way to make a positive change in your life. If we all make an effort to become a little less dependent on la tecnologia and make sure our blank space stays blank, we’ll all be better for it. Gracias, Senora.

STOP and think I was up until three

Isabelle Shafer in the morning last Managing Editor night because I had not

finished a project that I had to present today. I could say that it is because of the teacher’s harsh workload, but that would be lying. To be completely honest, I did not start my homework as soon as I got home. First, I got a snack. Then, I got my nails done. Since I was already downtown at my nail salon, I had to stop by my favorite shoe store to see what was on sale. On the way home I became hungry again so I stopped at Chipotle. At 8 PM I had to watch “Vampire Diaries” with my mom. Pretty soon it was 11 PM and I realized my procrastination needed to stop. Then, I checked Twitter. It is a daily cycle. My urge to nap and my responsibility to do homework battle every day. I tell myself “I will start in ten minutes” at least twenty times a day. I end up waiting until midnight to begin my work and somehow stay awake during school with three hours of sleep and a large iced coffee. Many students face this problem and the solution is obvious. We need to stop procrastinating. We should start our homework as soon as we get home so that we can avoid stress and get a good night’s sleep. I am almost a second semester senior and I have struggled with this since middle school with little success. It is extremely difficult for many of us to avoid procrastination. I think the problem is motivation. We often grumble about how useless our assignment is and therefore do not feel motivated enough to do it. I hear students complain that none of what we learn in high school will help us in real life. While this is debatable, it does not change the fact that we have to complete high school in order to succeed in the real world. The stress we feel because of our homework every night is only temporary, while the grades we receive for that homework will be on our report cards forever. The work we do will be worth it in the end. When we receive our high school diploma we will be grateful for the hard work we spent four years on. If I regret anything it will be that I procrastinated too much. Procrastination just adds so much unnecessary stress to our lives when we could start our work earlier and be done by the time “Vampire Diaries” comes on.

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photo courtesy of miniature-gardens.com

Opinions14

Same smut, different decade Photos courtesy of fiftyshadesmovie.com and 3guys1movie.com

With the new trailer for a “Fifty Shades of Grey” movie circulating, we start to question the role that our generation plays in the sexuality and pop culture scadals of our society, only to find, we didn’t start the fire. The recent movie the generations before us, it probably rings a bell. Kaylee Clemens In 1986, the erotic romance film, “9 ½ Weeks,” Business Manager adaptation of the erotic romance novel, Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James, set to be released on Valentine’s Day of this year, has made some big waves. Many people, including some of our own students, are shocked this R-rated film will be making it into theaters. Sophomore London Camel stated, “You wouldn’t expect a sex book to become a movie.” She even questioned whether or not the movie would be considered pornography. Camel made it clear that, “They can’t allow that to be played in a movie theater.” Many share that opinion with her, although what few see is that the soon-to-come Fifty Shades of Grey movie is not the first of its kind! “Fifty Shades of Grey” is about entrepreneur Christian Grey and his controlling sexual relationship with literature student, Anastasia Steele. To many students who were born in the late 90s, this seems like a bold and bawdy plot, or perhaps, a rather risque lack of plot. Although, to

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starring Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke, debuted on February 20th. The movie is about Wall Street arbitrage John Gray, who gets involved in a controlling and violent sexual affair with Elizabeth McGraw, an art gallery employee. This may seem insignificant for anything other than accusing E. L. James of using other people’s creative property as source of ideas (once again), but this is relevant to our generation. So often we are blamed for being crude and out there, from Miley Cyrus’s VMA twerking to our millions of selfies taken in our bathroom mirrors. Although, this is proof that we did not start the fire. The youth of every generation have always pushed the boundaries, before Miley Cyrus or Lady Gaga, there was Madonna. And it was just as controversial in that time, as our scandalous pop culture is now. The reality is, no matter what new fads or crazy styles are in, it did not start with us. And as far as “50 Shades of Grey” is concerned, smut is nothing new.

Why

should stick to photo courtesy of greatimages.org

As Black Friday becomes more and more important, stores are opening earlier and earlier. Ameenah Rashid The first things that come to Staff Writer mind when you

hear the word Thanksgiving are most likely food related: turkeys, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. But it is not just the food that you think of; it is also the fond memories that are made at the dinner table, the time you take out of your busy schedule to spend with your family and the cousins and the extended cousins who might get on your nerves but are actually kind of adorable. Except now, these memories have been replaced. Instead of lingering at the dinner table and savoring the conversation, families now eat dinner quickly, dash to the car, and join a merciless mob on the hunt for low prices. If anything, stores accelerate this Thanksgiving transformation, by opening their stores earlier and earlier each year. Macy’s pushed their usual 8 p.m. opening time to 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving, while

Kmart, which opened at 6 a.m. on Friday last year, will be opening at the same time--on Thanksgiving. Blackfriday.com excitedly informs the public, “Many online retailers have pre-Black Friday or special Thanksgiving sales, so you may not even have to wait until the big day to save!” Even the New York Post joins in, and refers to Thanksgiving as Grey Thursday. Waiting in line can obviously be a bore, but Black Friday is as much of a tradition as Thanksgiving. Whether or not you are American, you participate in some sort of tradition; whether it is watching the game, watching the parade, or waking up early the next day and heading out to your favorite store. Thanksgiving is a holiday to spend time with family; however, Black Friday creates such havoc and frenzy among people, that it goes against what Thanksgiving stands for. So Thursday can be Turkey Day, and Black Friday can stick to Friday.

Photo courtesy of pinterest.com

Opinions15

Last year, stores such as Macy’s opened at 8PM. This year, Macy’s opened at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday and closed at 1:00 p.m. on the next day- “Black Friday,” encouraging shoppers to come on Thursday.

So Basic

As social media has washed over our generation, so have posts on a mixture of restaurants, from coffee shops to ethnic based restaurants. Most, however, do not deserve the credit they receive. Pop culture Alexis August is hyping up Staff Writer

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A restaurant should not gain notoriety, or hype, simply for promising the freshness of their ingredients, it should be a requirement not an add-on. To state that one restaurant’s ingredients are better than others also causes a problem because there is no way to prove it, it’s subjective, and each restaurant has reached a baseline of quality and that should be all that matters. I am not saying these places are not good, I just think they are getting more attention than necessary. Every time you get an iced coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts or a burrito from Chipotle you should not feel the need to post it on every social media outlet.

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restaurant chains that are not necessarily that revolutionary. Here is an unpopular opinion: Chipotle is overrated. These days the fate of chains like Chipotle, Starbucks, Panera Bread, Chickfil-a, Dunkin’ Donuts or any other “basic teenage girl” places, highly rely on the finicky opinions of high schoolers. Pictures of Starbucks’ cups, Chipotle’s burrito bowls, and Panera Bread mac & cheese can be found all over social media. This idea of food you can get fast, without losing the quality of the ingredients is on the rise. I have noticed how places have begun changing their menus to imitate the places that are popular

right now. For example, Pollo Tropical now has a “Create your own Tropichop” bowl where you start with meat, rice, and beans, and then add any other toppings you want; like lettuce, sauteed onions and peppers, and even corn, sound familiar? Some places like Wendy’s and McDonald’s who have been in the game for a while, have begun remodelling many of their locations to compete with the sleeker, more modern look of the new places. Fast food restaurants have begun marketing themselves as healthier trying to compete with Chipotle’s whole “Food with Integrity” theme. Pollo Tropical now advertises themselves as “freshness fanatics on a never ending-quest to make sure life tastes better under the palm.”

December2014

Lifestyle

rappers RISE o n the

Yana Rankine Spotlighting up and coming musicians towards their rise into the mainstream music scene. Staff Writer photo courtesy of hoodieallen.com

chance the rapper

Genre: Hip-Hop Although Chance the Rapper is passionate towards the productivity of his music, he has mutual dedication towards the well-being of his hometown. Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, Chance spends his time working towards depleting the deadly violence in the area, and this past May he did just that. On May 27, 2014, Chance was the activist mostly credited towards Chicago’s 42 hours of no gun violence with his #SaveChicago Campaign. He is currently collaborating with a “musical creative” called The Social Experiement.

Genre: Pop-Rap Hoodie Allen first got his hoodie allen start at rapping while in a fraternity at UPenn. Graduating with a degree in marketing and finances in 2010, he worked as an associate for Google in their AdWords program, and spent his nights booking himself late-night gigs. On April 10, 2012, he released his first debut album All American, with his hit single “No Interruption” and hit No.1 album on iTunes. Recently, on October 14 he released the album People Keep Talking that includes collaborations with artists such as Ed Sheeran and MAX.

Recommended songs: I Am Very Lonely Lost Cocoa Butter Kisses

Recommended Songs: Won’t mind (feat. MAX) Long Night (feat. Chance the Rapper) Eighteen Cool photo courtesy of fishytunes.net

slang words

THE EVOLUTION OF LANGUAGE

Sabrina Cedeno Features Editor

Everyday colloquial vocabulary is always changing; here are a few slang words in use now. On fleek: Used to describe something that looks good. Has a positive connotation. It is typically used to describe eyebrows. “Bae, your eyebrows are on fleek.”

SUS: Short way of saying suspicious. It is used to describe a sketchy person or scenario. “How is that SUS? You don’t know my life stop being salty.”

Salty: Used to describe someone that is mean for no reason. “Girl, swerve, you’re just being salty.”

December2014

Bae: Before Anyone Else. It is used towards a person’s significant other. It is basically the same thing as babe, but a lot cooler. “Thanks bae! I got them done about a week ago.”

About a week ago: A lyric in the Schmoney Dance song by Rowdy Rebbel and Bobby Shmurda. “About a week ago *shmoney dance* YAAAAAS boo.”

Came in clutch: When someone is in a desperate situation and another person helps them out. “Ew he’s so SUS, I would have come in clutch for you just ask me next time .”

YAS: A really excited yes. It is usually accompanied with one arm going up into the air and a snap. Hold the “YA” for about 3 mississippi’s to emphasize your excitement. The longer you say it for, the more excited you are. “YAAAAS girl! Daddy J came in clutch and picked me up from school today.”

Swerve: A sassy way of telling someone to stop talking. “Quit telling me to swerve. Bye Felicia.”

Bye Felicia: A saying from the movie Friday, now very popular in the app Vine. Saying bye to someone who you consider irrelevant. “My name isn’t Felicia.”

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If you are tired of lugging around heavy suitcases, take a look at these packing essentials for light travel this holiday -- without worrying that you have forgotten something. Claudia Laukien Just a few weeks ago, I went on a schoolsponsored trip to Washington D.C. It was Copy Editor

only three nights, so I took my smallest suitcase (which is small enough to pass as a carry-on). Still, I had plenty of clothes to last me the trip. In fact, I thought I had over packed – until I saw the size of my classmates’ suitcases.

Whoa! I would take that size suitcase for a trip that is multiple weeks, not multiple days. One of the benefits of having a family spread across the globe is that I travel a lot. So, if you are traveling this holiday, take a look at my packing essentials and hacks. I have tried them all, and they all work. Give them a try!

Carry-On

Luggage

Any entertainment you need. Any electronics. Any toiletries that you can’t live without for a single day. This includes any medications, contacts, contact fluid, glasses, toothbrushes, etc. I would also pack an extra outfit. In the case that your luggage is lost, you will at least have the essentials until your luggage arrives or you go shopping. For international travel, you MUST HAVE a passport. For national travel, you MUST HAVE some sort of other identification (or passport). Do NOT forget your wallet, phone, car keys, etc.

Take one top for every day you are staying, plus two extra in the case of an accident. If you will have access to a washing machine, take tops for half the amount of days you are staying. Take two or three pairs of pants that will match with just about any top. If you are planning on going out to somewhere dressier, take one complete outfit (including shoes) for that event. Take underwear for everyday, and, like the shirts, a couple extra.

Make a checklist! Like this one. Heh.

If you wear a bra, I would take four for a long trip. Shoes: Take one comfortable, casual pair and one nice pair. Again, take shoes that will match with everything. If you need socks for your shoes, take one pair for every day you’re there.

Pesky bobby pins keep getting lost? Put them into an empty tic-tac box.

Toiletries: You know what you need, I won’t go into detail.

Tricks Put any shoes into plastic bags so they do not get your clothes dirty. If you need a different outfit for every day and will not have a washer, put one full outfit into a plastic bag for each day. This includes underwear, socks, pants, shirt, etc. This way you won’t have too little or too many clothes. Take one large plastic bag for dirty clothes. Wear your largest articles of clothing during travel. Do not try to stuff those boots and that coat into your luggage. Wear it!

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Roll your clothes instead of folding them. It saves a lot of space in your suitcase. Put fragile perfume bottles, souvenirs, and such in socks. It’ll pad them and prevent possible damage.

December2014

Lifestyle18

THANKS GIVING me life for

What are students most grateful for on this national holiday that has been in existence for decades? photo courtesy of Wikimedia

Stefanie Macedonio Thanksgiving is the holiday when families come together, and act like Staff Writer they are not the dysfunctional group of

psychos that they truly are. It is the holiday in which people decide to finally clear off the dining room table to use it for its intended purpose, and the day in which we get to use the ‘fancy’ silverware rather than the normal forks and knives. Contrary to popular belief, Thanksgiving has a deeper meaning aside from the turkey carving, delicious food, and food coma that is inflicted by millions of Americans, but what exactly is the meaning behind it? This national holiday first began in 1621 when the Pilgrims gave thanks to their first harvest in the New World. The Pilgrims’ feast lasted for three days and 90 Native Americans attended. From this point on, New England colonists got accustomed to giving thanks to God for his blessings and celebrating “thanksgivings.” President Abraham Lincoln declared this tradition a national holiday in 1863 to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November. Today, we take this holiday as an opportunity to take a step and reflect upon the things that we are grateful for, aside from the materialistic things that provide happiness.

Thanksgiving at the White House. Every year the President takes part in the annual tradition of the “Pardoning” of the Turkey. This tradition dates back to 1947.

Senior Ana Valdes said, “I'm most grateful for my mom and for my friends along with the good relationships that come with them. It’s hard to maintain stable friendships in high school, which is why I'm most grateful for the ones I have maintained.”

Senior Erickson Gallardo, “I am most grateful for my friends who are always there for me, you know who you are. I am also thankful for Chick-fil- A and rice. Both foods that never fail to make me feel full and content.”

Senior Brooke Schuhle said, “I’m thankful for my family the most. Without the support they have provided for me during my high school career I would not have been able to make it through Suncoast.”

Junior Lucy Krasker said, “I’m thankful to have my sister, someone who’s there no matter what and keeps me laughing… constantly. Plus she pays for my Starbucks.”

December2014

Senior Haley Wharton said, “I'm grateful for my cat, George. He is the light at the end of my tunnel, and better than most humans.”

Lifestyle19 Hard Workers

3 A Good Conversation

The custodians who clean after our mess, the lunch ladies who happily greet us and serve us our food, the teachers that stay after hours to tutor us, and everyone in between, deserve our thanks. Their determination and commitment helps everyone, and our appreciation should be shown this holiday season.

Education

Yes, school does get stressful, and yes, you could have hung out with your friends last weekend if it was not for that upcoming math test, but having the opportunity to learn and attend such a highly ranked school is a gift we all take for granted, and it is a gift that should be appreciated every day.

Do you ever have those conversations with people you consider to be extremely important to you and later on make you think, “wow, I’m so thankful that I can talk to you about this?” Whether it be a best friend, your parents, your siblings, or even your teachers, do not ever forget to thank the people who are always there for you.

Things

We Forget

4 Mondays It is rare to get excited about the beginning of the work and school week, but consider the possibilities of a new day and a new week. Be open to change and be open to a fresh start and new beginnings.

It is the little things that make a big difference this holiday season that we should be thankful for.

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Your Struggles 5 Yes, they do become very real, but believe it or not, without difficult paths, you would not be able to grow and learn. After all, nothing worth having comes easily.

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8 Yourself It is a little different to be thanking yourself, but you have made it through another year, and that calls for celebrating. Appreciate and treat yourself this holiday season and ready yourself for the New Year. You deserve it.

Kristen Unico Photo Editor

7 Transportation The Food on Your Plate 6 As well as the snacks in your pantry, and the left overs in your refrigerator. Be thankful for not running on an empty stomach. Before you post the picture of the meal you are about to eat onto your Instagram, along with a witty hashtag, thank the cook, and of course, be thankful that you have a meal to eat in the first place.

Do you thank the school bus driver after you get off of the bus? How about the people that you carpool with? Getting from place to place is a simple task that is completed in multiple ways, but it is a task that is often taken for granted. If you are one of the lucky few that have a car to drive in the first place, that is just one more thing to thankful for.

December2014

Lifestyle20

[ fabulosophy ]

Kayla Jin Copy Editor

As winter approaches, we welcome the season of giving with hot chocolate, fur coats, festivities, and most importantly, holiday gifts. However, thinking about what gifts to get your loved ones during the happiest time of the year does not necessarily mean countless hours at home crafting gifts, or making your wallet suffer. There are tons of fast and easy DIY gift ideas, as well as, holiday treat recipes to make at home that will not only make you stand out with creativity, but also make your gift unique, sentimental, and, of course, fabulous. One of the best features to have is a clear complexion, making DIY beauty gifts the perfect fit for giving away. DIY sugar scrubs or bath oils can be made within seconds, and are composed of natural ingredients, without the added chemicals, that can be generally found around the house. When it comes to holiday treats -- snickerdoodles, gingerbread cookies, and candy canes are way overdone. Try something new for the holidays, like these recipes for hazelnut hot chocolate, maple chai latte, vegan and double chocolate peppermint cookies. Whether you decide to make these gifts individually or mix-and-match them for a gift basket, you can count on these recipes to be a quick fix for putting together a fun and festive holiday gift.

DIY

HOLIDAY TREATS

Homemade Lemon Sugar Scrub Ingredients: 2 ½ cups granulated sugar, divided ¼ cup coconut oil (or almond oil) 1 lemon or natural oils Mason jar

Ingredients: Milk Nutella

Directions: 1. Put sugar in a large bowl. Set aside. Measure out 1/4 cup of coconut oil and place it in a microwave safe bowl. Heat coconut oil in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or until the oil is melted. Pour oil over sugar and mix to combine. 2. Using a zester or small grater, zest the rind of 1 lemon. Then, cut zested lemon in half and, using a juicer, juice the lemon. Remove any seeds from lemon juice. Add lemon juice and zest to the sugar mixture and stir to combine. 3. If sugar scrub is still too “wet”, add up to 1/2 cup more sugar until desired consistency is reached. 4. Just take about 1 teaspoon in your hand and scrub away! When you are done scrubbing, rinse thoroughly. The lemon gives off a wonderfully clean scent, the coconut oil helps to moisturize your skin, and the sugar helps to exfoliate! (Source: iheartnaptime)

Photo courtesy of varyhelp.com

Homemade Rose Bath Oil Ingredients: Coconut oil Rose water Rose petals Glass bottle Directions: 1. Heat a cup of coconut oil in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until it loses its buttery texture. 2. Slowly stir in rose water (available at most health food stores) until the blend is softly scented. 3. Add fresh rose petals 4. Place blend into a glass/corked bottle. (Source: youbeauty)

Photo courtesy of freestockphotos.biz

December2014

Hazelnut Hot Chocolate

Directions: 1. Heat ¼ cup milk and 3 tablespoons of Nutella in a saucepan, and whisk. 2. Add 1 cup milk and whisk until frothy. 3. Top with whipped cream and hazelnuts. (Source: foodnetwork) Photo courtesy of simple.wikipedia.org

Peppermint White Chocolate Cookies Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter (only real butter, not low fat), room temperature 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup white sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour, sifted 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup white chocolate chips 1/2 cup peppermint candy cane, crushed Directions: 1. Mix the butter and sugars in a bowl. 2. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. 3. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in another bowl. 4. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until they are just incorporated. 5. Mix in the chocolate and the peppermint candy cane. 6. Chill the dough in the fridge for 30-60 minutes before placing it onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet one table spoon at a time rolled up into balls. 7. Bake in a 350F preheated oven until just lightly golden brown around the edges, about 8-10 minutes. (Source: closetcooking) Photo courtesy of closetcooking.com Ingredients: Milk Chai tea bags Maple syrup

Maple Chai Latte

Directions: 1. Bring 2 cups of milk to a boil. 2. Add 2 chai tea bags (steep for 10 min) 3. Stir in ¼ cup maple syrup. Photo courtesy of en.wikipedia.org (Source: foodnetwork)

Jordan Young Staff Writer

Holiday Gift Ideas 4 Bae They haven’t dropped the L-bomb, but that’s okay. You guys are still verrry official.

They have dropped the L-bomb. And you said it back. This is serious.

They enjoy spending time with you on lowkey dates like a coffeeshop music night or picnic.

They always take you out for pre-planned romantic dates like to a fancy restaurant or performance.

about one another. Try to find something that you know your SO will cherish. Ideas: Scrapbook, Memory box, Favorite anything, 52 Things I love about you (on a deck of playing cards)

NO YES

They always surprise you with adventureous dates like a festival or a trip to an amusement park.

YES

You’ve been together for six months? Hey, that’s quite a while. Keep up the good work.

Oh gosh...You’ve been dating for over a year. That’s, like, a long time.

sentimental You two know everything

YES

Your romance is still sort of new. You guys are just going to take it slow and see where the chips fall.

YES

Lifestyle21

Once again...your chips haven’t had time to fall yet. Let’s just say you’ve been dating for one month.

YES

high-end

D.I.Y.

Both of you have an appreciation for all things silver and gold. Give them the gift of style this holiday season. Ideas: Fossil watch, Tiffany jewelry, Ugg boots, Burberry coat

Even though your relationship is still quite new, there are several small gifts for your SO that will help them see how much they mean to you. Ideas: Homemade desserts, A framed picture of your first date, Artsy things

December2014

Lifestyle22

reasons

A review of one of the top albums of not only the year, but the decade. photo courtesy of: There is no way you can deny that either Blank Space or Shake it Off has been stuck in your head at least a couple of times after you hear someone singing it in class, in the car, on the bus, etc. Taylor has taken over every crevice of your life (or maybe just mine) with her new album, pleasing both new fans and diehard, been-there-since-Speak Now-devoted fans. The album introduces a different side of Taylor that she tries to show. Although there are some classic love ballads, such as This Love, How You Get the Girl, most of her songs talk about a new independent side to Taylor. Welcome to New York shows her new beginnings in a new city as she leaves the country scene and enters the pop scene. It is no coincidence that it is the first song on the album, as it serves as an introduction to a new and revolutionary change to her music career. 1989 sold 1.287 million copies in its first week of US release, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and making Swift the first and only singer to have three albums sell more than one million copies in a week. The last time that number of albums was sold within its first week was Eminem’s The Eminem Show

Natalia Arjona Staff Writer

in 2002. “This album has changed my life. Fully revolutionized my thoughts on love and romance. Just when I thought I hit rock bottom, T-Swizzle’s lyrics were there to pick me back up. Her lyrics are like magical enchantments of Aphrodite,” said Senior Casey Goldenberg. “It’s almost like she just left the Disney Channel.” He bought the album the day it came out and it has been on repeat ever since. It reflects the decline in romance in our nation’s younger generations, and how this youth has forgotten, or even worse, hasn’t ever learned how to love in the first place. As a result, this has led to the deterioration of true emotional relationships and self-standards people have for themselves. Taylor’s last album, Red, had the last final reminiscent twang of country that she owes her claim to fame. Now, the fact that she can make the switch to pop so swiftly (all the bad pun intended) in this album makes her talent so prominent in the music world. Taylor already has three Grammy nominations for Shake It Off, the first single off the album.

THE MEASURE OF

EXCELLENCE At Palm Beach State College, there are many measures of excellence. And they’re inspiring our students every day.

“Professor McCauley

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

December2014

Professor Judy McCauley Dental Hygiene

Interactive

Holiday Crossword

Across: 5. Hung on the Christmas tree 6. Four-sided spinning top 10. New Year’s ball drops her in New York Down: 1. Frosty the ________ 2. The red nosed reindeer 3. The color of Santa’s suit 4. The flavor of candy canes 7. Holiday that lasts for eight days 8. Celebrated on December 25 9. Holds eight candles

py Hap ! days Holi December2014