The Legend Volume 18 Issue 5
March 2015
Faded In today’s society, the party lifestyle is constantly glorified in media entertainment. But when is being “throwed” a problem? Pg.12-13
News
Table of Contents Fe
Blurbs 3 UFailed to Accept Me 4 Firearms in Florida 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 Alexis August Charlie Burgess Lillian Hassanein Ameenah Rashid
News In other news... NFL Player charged for murder Former New England Patriot’s football player, Aaron Hernandez, was found guilty of first degree murder. His punishment would be life improsonment without parole. In addition, he was also found guilty of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Source: CNN News
photo courtesy of Yahoo News
Twin toddlers drown in Arizona Two 18-month-old twin boys drowned in a canal in western Arizona after their mother stopped to swat a bee and their stroller fell into the fast-moving waters, police said on Tuesday. The boys were strapped into the stroller as Alexis Keslar pushed it along the canal bank on Friday and paused briefly to “fend off a bee.”
Source: Yahoo News
photo courtesy of New York Daily News
Arizona police run over suspect Arizona police released a video showing an officer using his cruiser to intentionally run over a suspect, triggering new questions about what critics call excessive use of force by officers in the US. A police car driven by officer Michael Rapiejko is caught on the dashcam slamming into suspect Mario Valencia from the back before plowing into a cinderblock wall.
Source: Yahoo News photo courtesy of Yahoo News
Saudi Arabia beheads drug trafficker Saudi Arabia on Wednesday beheaded one of its citizens, Khalid al-Rowaili, for drug trafficking, adding to what Amnesty International calls a “macabre spike” in the kingdom’s executions this year. Rowaili was convicted of smuggling amphetamine pills and was executed in the northwestern region of Jawf.
Source: Yahoo News
photo courtesy of Yahoo News
Nestlé Has Illegally Pumped Calif. Water Since the Last Major Drought It was reported last Wednesday that Nestlé has been pumping water out of an underground spring and transferring it by pipeline out of a national forest on an expired permit for nearly 30 years. More than 135,000 people have signed a petition calling on Nestlé to stop bottling and selling California’s increasingly scarce water.
Source : Yahoo News photo courtesy of Yahoo News
Man Tears Tendon from Playing ‘Candy Crush’ A California man tore a tendon in his thumb after playing Candy Crush on his smartphone too much. The case is interesting because such injuries are usually quite painful, but the man appeared to not notice any pain while he played, according to the doctors who treated him. The case shows that video games may numb people’s pain and contribute to video game addiction.
Source: Yahoo News photo courtesy of Yahoo News
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News4
UF
ailed to accept me
Now that the UF decisions have been revealed, we reflect on acceptances, rejections and other counter options The University of Florida has to offer. Stefanie Macedonio Friday the 13th is either Staff Writer
the luckiest or unluckiest day in ones life. This superstition held true for February, Friday the 13th which was the day the University of Florida released their acceptance or rejection letters to 30,000 of their applicants. This year the University of Florida’s acceptance rate was 43% whereas the acceptance rate last year was was a bit higher at 46.5 %. In 2014, the University admitted 12,923 applicants which is about a 750 increase in comparison to this year. The suburban-like, 2,000 acre campus attracted many applicants, in state and out of state to apply for the 2015 school year. The number of applicants and the acceptance rate was not the only thing that differed with UF admissions this year. Fall 2015 is the first year in which UF will start their new Pathway to Campus Enrollment, or the PaCe program. This alternative was offered to 3,118 of the University’s applicants to give students the opportunity to become an on-campus student once completing 60 credits through the UF Online program. The PaCe program strives to combine, “online and residential learning
to accommodate the overflow of applicants for Fall 2015.” It feels as though there is no rhyme or reason to the UF admission process as many were surprised about the decision they received on Friday, February 13th. Senior Haley Wharton said, “I’m frustrated because I know that I am over qualified, and not only that, but I also have two siblings that went to UF. There really isn’t any good reason behind my rejection, and I feel that there are far more people that didn’t deserve, nor did they care about their acceptance that got in.” If there is one thing that we can take from this admission process is that legacy and test scores do not play as large as a role as we all thought. On the other hand, Senior Obayed Nasiri said, “It is such an honor to be accepted to the University of Florida, although I am not sure as to whether or not I will be attending in the fall, it is still an achievement to be proud of.” While 13,667 students will remember February 13th, 2015 as one of the best, most memorable days in their lives. Many will forever resent this day as their dream of becoming a Gator was chomped in a second.
GatorFacts
“UF is the home of the largest student-run newspaper in the country.”
“UF has 12 organizations in its Multicultural Greek Council; this is more than FSU or UCF, which each have 9.” “You get to go to school in weather that everyone else only sees while on vacation.” “Not only is UF ranked the 14th best public university in the country……it’s also ranked the 6th in “party schoolitude.”
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Photo By: Wikipedia
“Do you need a caffeine fix? Because there are four Starbucks locations on campus that you can easily buy one coffee at and finish drinking while walking to the next.” “Between UF’s Relay for Life and Dance Marathon teams, the university raised well over $1,000,000 in 2013 for charity!” “And since it’s considered a “public ivy” school, that makes us both classy and available.”
Source:Buzzfeed
News5
College life:
firearms in Florida?
Florida legislation reconsidered its firearm ban on college campuses and has submitted a new bill. Christian Coury Last year’s shooting at Florida State University resulted in two wounded students Staff Writer
and a library employee. This event has reignited the debate over whether or not guns should be allowed on Florida college campuses. The National Conference of State Legislatures has firearm statistics that are broken down by state; Prior to this bill, Florida was one of twenty states that currently bans firearms on college campuses; seven states allowed them under their laws. All other states left the decision up to the specific college. In January 2015, a Florida House panel voted to advance a new law that would allow those that have concealed-weapon permits to carry firearms on college campuses. This bill eventually passed the Senate panel in mid-February, with the votes breaking along the party lines; as Republicans voted for the bill, and Democrats against it. Concealed-weapon permits carriers must be of at least 21 years of age, meaning that not only faculty can carry firearms, but some students as well. According to politifact.com, there are about 1.3 million people in the state of Florida that have
with a chance of
concealed-weapon permits, with 250,000 of those being between the ages of 21 and 35. Both college professors and students showed up to the Senate hearing to argue both sides of the bill. Marjorie Sanfilippo, an Eckerd College psychology professor, stated that she is concerned that allowing firearms is problematic, since some students have mental health issues. Others argued that some people need firearms to defend themselves from attackers. “An important aspect of firearms to understand is that once you pull out a gun, you’re committed… there is no turning back,” former police officer Jacqueline Tabet said. Officer Tabet explained that once someone pulls out a firearm during a conflict, the whole situation elevates to a new level. “I think firearms should be allowed on campuses, but those who carry them should be required to take additional firearm classes and have further background checks,” Tabet said. This bill is expected to be one of the centers of attention of Florida Legislature this year, as some legislatures are already trying to get the law abolished.
Suspension
With the rising popularity of the electronic cigarette, the Palm Beach County School District has now given penalties for the tobacco-less device. Clouds of smoke hung in air as he Hannah Ramil exhaled the sweet taste of gummy bears. Co-Editor-in-Chief Suddenly, he heard a knock on the door. He waved his hands to make the smoke dissipate, and then flushed the toilet. Back to class. In recent years, the use of tobacco products, namely cigarettes, has taken the back seat as a new form of smoking has become more popular. Schools are now facing the problem of students smoking electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, on campus. Although e-cigs are not used with any tobacco, they are still banned from all Palm Beach County schools. “With e-cigarettes, it falls under the same catagory as tobacco. It’s a district decision, not a school one,” Assistant Principal Michael Rieckenberg said. Students who are caught with e-cigs, or caught using e-cigs on campus receive the same punishments as those who are caught with tobacco paraphernalia. “We have different levels [of punishments], depending on how serious an infraction is. Tobacco product possession is a Level Two offense,” Rieckenberg said. “Students could face Saturdays, out of school suspensions, so on and so forth.” Once students are caught with tobacco or e-cigs, the administration also encourages students to enroll in drug and
alcohol prevention programs, which could also help cut down the amount of days they have to serve. “I sold my pen, because I could tell that it was hurting my lungs. I can’t really do a lot of strenuous activity, because I’d be out of breath really quickly,” Senior Julian Kim said. “I would tell people that it’s not a good habit to start.”
Did you know?
* * *
“Nicotine raises the heart rate and respiration (breathing) rate, and causes more glucose, or blood sugar, to be released into the blood. This might be why smokers feel more alert after smoking a cigarette.” “In 40 minutes, half the effects of nicotine are gone. So smokers get the urge to light up for another dose of the drug. After repeated doses of nicotine, the brain changes. To adjust to too much dopamine, the brain cuts production of the neurotransmitter and reduces the number of some receptors. Now, the smoker needs nicotine just to create normal levels of dopamine in his or her brain.” Source: http://www.ehd.org/health_tobacco_17.php
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Features ...on Fridayz. Usually, you do not need any excuse to “I started going way before everyone else did with just a couple go to Chick-Fil-A, but it is more fun and of friends,” says Ahmed. “Then it just eventually blew up and more exciting to look forward to Chick- now a lot of my friends go.” Fil-A Fridays. This pseudo tradition started One of the good things about the fact that people go to Chickaround the beginning of the school Fil-A is that it is a good alternative year with a group of seniors, and to any other junk food place that is then evolved and grew like a as convenient. Chick-Fil-A is known newborn baby, only this baby is “I started going way before everyone for its fresh and organic chicken and nurtured by waffle fries and Chickdefinitely a better alternative to else did with just a couple of friends,” is Fil-A sauce. McDonalds or Panera, both places Now, a lot of people look forward where their food is frozen until it Farhan Ahmed to not only the weekend, but Chickis prepared. Chick-Fil-A offers low Fil-A Fridays to spend time with carb, low fat, and low calorie meals to their friends after a long, stressful support a healthy lifestyle. week of school. This tradition has “In a way I look forward to all of become so prominent, that some of the workers there have you Suncoast kids coming in on Fridays. Although it’s a big become familiar with several Suncoast kids. rush it’s fun having regulars and interacting with them because Senior Farhan Ahmed claims he started Chick-Fil-A Friday. they’re really friendly.” says Chick-Fil- A worker George S.
Natalia Arjona Staff Writer
We All Love the Money Two Senior boys, Casey Goldenberg and Jon Langlois, wore an eye-catching pair of tuxedos to this year’s prom. You could say people loved it, and they looked like a million bucks. Hannah Rami Co-Editor-in-Chief
What made you decide to get your suits? C: It’s half the price of a real tux, it’s not a rental...you get to keep it. And, look at it! It’s beautiful. It was pretty good quality. J: Basically, Casey wanted me to come with him to get his red heart suit. I saw the money suit there, and I said, “I’ll get the money suit.”
Did you tell your date about it? C: No, I didn’t tell her about it. Her parents liked it. I just told her to wear red, so we wore the same color. J: No, hahaha. She was very excited. She found out when she saw some guy walking out of the house [in a money suit], and said “Oh God, I hope it’s Jon.”
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How did your family react? C: My dad called me a narcissist. He was pretty angry. J: They thought it was awesome. My sister said I was stupid. Everybody had a good time, though.
What was the best reaction you got?
C: The kids from other schools told me how much they liked it, and people I’ve never met before were telling me how much they liked it. Thanks to @van_spinaa, I got 13 follower requests on the IG (Instagram). J: Two huge guys took a video of me and Casey, they said that we were legit and awesome.
How did everybody react when they saw you? C: People liked it. They were laughing. Mine was more legitimate than Jon Bob’s. J: Everybody loved it. Some lady told me that I had to have [guts] to wear a suit like that.
Features7
Altmann takes
Angola
Dr. Altman plans to move to Angola this summer to teach at an international school. Alexis August Having been to over 30 countries, Staff Writer with an obvious passion for travelling,
MYP and IB chemistry teacher, Dr. Altmann has decided to move to Luanda, the capital of Angola, to work at an international school. “Experiencing different cultures first hand really opens your eyes to the world around you,” Dr. Altmann said of the opportunity. The school Dr. Altmann plans to work at is an IB school where he plans to teach the same courses he teaches here at Suncoast. “The students would be children whose families have moved to the capital for work and kids
from all across the world,” Dr. Altmann said. Since the students will from all over, the classes will be taught in English. However, the official language of Angola is Portuguese. When asked about this slight detail, Dr. Altmann laughed and said, ‘I suppose I will have to learn some Portuguese to be able to communicate outside of the classroom.” Not only will the kids be from all over, the classes will be considerably smaller with only 15-20 students which will be an easier class size to manage. Dr. Altmann has signed a two-year contract to teach at the school and said “once the contract is up depending on how I like it, it is a definite possibility that I could stay.”
Luanda, Angola. The international school Dr. Altmann plans to teach at is located in the capital city, Luanda Angola.
Courtesy of: Dr. Altmann
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Features8
BIG Changes Lillian Hassanein Staff Writer
Ryan McKeand
enjoys imitating and listening to animated films and shows in his spare time. He is an avid learner and also loves to study the backgrounds of characters in these animated shows. He is a junior and is in the IBCC program.
How it all began Junior Ryan McKeand became interested in anime at the age of 6. He was introduced to many different anime sitcoms by his friends and always imagined who the people were behind the screen; the people producing the voice-overs for the popular animated characters in films and video games. As a child, he used to analyze with fascination how the voices of the animated characters would change depending on their moods.
Acting Experience Ryan McKeand had only ten months of legitimate voice acting. Knowing about his love for anime and interest in producing voice-overs, one of his friends found the audition information online and sent it to him. McKeand has never taken any acting classes and has only watched t.v. shows, anime, and animated films. “I learned how the acting works in that area, and I used my own personal experiences to power my acting,” McKeand said.
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Where is he now? So, what is McKeand producing voice-overs for? He is the voice of a character named Bu Viet An in the Vietnamese videogame, “Change!” which was produced by the company Meowl. The player of the game gets to choose the path that the main character, a high school female, goes through and sees the consequences of that path. The video game is romancebased and is targeted for adolescent females.
Academics Ryan is a junior in the IBCC program and says that balancing his voiceacting career with academics is very challenging and rewarding. He stated that he now more aware of different cultures, and different personalities ever since coming to high school.
Future Career Being the voice of Bu Viet An is a big step for Mckeand, because he ultimately wants to become a serious voice-over actor in Hollywood. With his first paid work underway, there are no limits to what Mckeand will do in the future.
Features9
photo by Traci Lowe
photo by Lillian Hassein
photo by Channing Gaspard
photo by Lillian Hassein
Location: : Munich, Germany “The Hofbräuhaus house is a place known for their beer. Every year they have a little celebration where people from all over the place come drink beer and have a tour of the historic sites that are near it. Also, Hitler had his first socialist meeting in this place,” Senior Channing Gaspard said
Location: Barcelona, Spain Senior Lillian Hassanein and Alumni Youssif Hassanein are seen in the streets of Barcelona.
Location: Rome, Italy English Teacher Kristy Strickland’s group took a trip to the Colosseum.
spring breakers From the Royal Palace in Madrid, the Colosseum in Rome and the Hofbräuhaus House in Munich, students take on a one-in-a-lifetime trip filled with breathtaking views and ancient cultural monuments. Yana Rankine Staff Writer
photo by Vanessa Nocent
Location: Granada, Spain “She [Anna, the bus driver] happened to have to go to Portugal [that night after dinner], so we ran out of the dinner room and took a picture with her, because she was the first woman in Spain to drive a bus,” Sophomore Vanessa Nocent said.
photo by Amanda Zoghindy
photo by Vanessa Nocent
Location: London, United Kingdom “The Awesome Team” getting ready to go shopping.
Location: Seville, Spain Group picture taken at the Plaza de España
Location: T o l e d o , Spain Everything was beautiful. We went into a jewlery place where we got some handmade jewlery. I spent about 130 euros on the jewlery. It’s made of real silver and gold,” Sophomore A m a n d a Zoghindy said.
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Features10
Teacher Spotlight Ms. Alison Rogers Claudia Laukien Copy Editor
Ms. Rogers, or rather Mrs. George since marrying her highschool sweetheart, answers some questions about herself and her time at Suncoast.
When did you decide that you wanted to become a teacher, and why did you decide you want to become a teacher? “I decided I wanted to become a teacher in my mid-twenties, and it was because I wanted a job that would benefit me as well as a job that was giving back and helping others. I wanted something I would enjoy. I like working with kids and I like English, so that’s why I thought I would like teaching.” What interests do you pursue outside of the classroom? “Interests that I would pursue outside of the classroom, basically, achieving my masters someday and teaching at college level.” What do you like the most about teaching? “What I like most about teaching are the students. Not only am I teaching, but I am helping others, and it’s fun. I like to make learning fun and I like to … lighten up the classroom a little bit. I like the fun of it really – all the different personalities and everything.” What has been your personal biggest challenge in your teaching career so far? “Probably always trying to be better. [It is] challenging, because, you know, you always want to be better for the students.”
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What is it like to be a young teacher? Do you think the students treat you differently from older teachers? “I don’t think there is a big difference, but I think students maybe feel a little more on the same level… So probably, I’d say socially, that’s the only thing that’s different being younger than everyone else around here. Socially, you kind of understand each other a little more.” In what ways were your expect met (or not met) teaching at Suncoast? “I would say all my expectations have been met. So far I really like it here. I like the students, everyone is really eager to learn, and everyone is … happy to be at Suncoast from what it seems. I know kids have a pile of homework which they’re not too happy about, so I … try to make learning a little more fun … I try to keep up all expectations.” If there is one thing your students learn from your class, what would you hope it to be? “I would like students to be more organized and try to focus a little more.” What do you like the least about teaching? The thing I like the least about teaching is the germs. Not to sound like a crazy person, but when you work at a school, you come in contact with a lot of different germs. That’s really my only complaint… I walk around with my hand sanitizer like a crazy person.”
Features11
A Closer Look At Binge Drinking We went behind the lines to investigate a student’s experience with binge drinking and see how it has affected both their life and the lives of those close to them He never thought it
Jonathan Elwell would turn into this. Lifestyle Editor He had his first drink
the summer before his freshman year, thinking that it would be harmless fun. For him, it’s still fun, but, in the eyes of his friends, it might not be so harmless. “I love him, he’s a great guy- he just has a problem,” said his friend, describing how binge drinking has affected his life. “It almost seems like when he’s not drunk he’s sad, he doesn’t seem that happy, and he just wants to be drunk again,” his friend continued. Drinking has become a huge part of his life, perhaps even the focal point. He now drinks about five times a week. “I’ll usually get a twelve pack or an eighteen, depending on whether it’s a school night or whether I worked out that day,” he said. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 grams percent or above. This typically happens when men consume 5 or more drinks. His average
consumption stands at about two and a half to almost four times that figure. When it’s during the week and he’s just hanging out with friends, he drinks mainly beers. When it’s the weekend and he’s at a party, it’s typically a mix of beers and hard alcohol. His friends told me several stories about recent events that occured while he
“I think I can stop, but it’s fun so I don’t see why I should.” Anonymous Binge Drinker was under the influence of alcohol. At a recent party he became extremely drunk after consuming a combination of hard alcohol and beers. By the wee hours of the morning he had consumed vastly too much alcohol and became queasy. He ended up vomiting, both on himself and his friend’s floor. But he was not done. To the amazement of everyone in the room, he dipped his drunken fingers in his own vomit and proceeded to finger paint on
the walls of his friend’s innocent home. “It was so disgusting. It was so gross. He has a problem,” said a friend who witnessed the event. “He tries to drive, too, it is scary.” After a party during spring break he told several friends about his personal philosophy regarding drinking and nutrition. “I don’t like to eat before I drink. Then I have to drink a lot more. Like yesterday, I had breakfast and then nothing else and I haven’t eaten yet today (Saturday around 1 p.m. following a party on Friday night). Like whiskey is the appetizer and then beer is my dinner,” the source said. “Like I love him but his drinking has been out of control lately,” another friend chimed in. He believes that he can stop, but that’s unlikely to happen in the near future. “I think I can stop, but it’s fun so I don’t see why I should.”
For the poll, each pack of Bud Light represents five suncoast students
How other students feel about binge drinking Have you ever had alcohol?
YES
NO
If yes, do you consider yourself a binge drinker?
YES
NO
Do you typically have more than five drinks per sitting?
YES
NO
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Features12
Occupied with the
HIGH As more and more students across the country have turned to drugs for recreational use, we can also see those students who turn to drugs as a vehicle to lose control, or as a cathartic release to the stressors of life. People excuse themselves saying it is only because they are bored, or that it is just a one-time thing, but when does it cross the line? Photos by Daniel Rojas
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Features13 If you feel that someone you know may have drug abuse issues please contact the counseling services department. Comments from Counselor Stephan Kaplan: “Illegal substances, or prescription substances used without doctor supervision have a high likelihood of creating dependence. Many people seek out illegal drugs to affect a change in their mood, but over time, they require more to acheive the same effect, or develop withdrawal symptoms. The person is now dealing with an addiction, in addition
vera rosen* (12) Drugs Used: acid, prescription pills, alcohol, molly, marijuana
john anders* (12) Drugs Used: acid, molly, alcohol, marijuana
They were bored, they wanted Daniel Rojas Co-Editor-in-Chief an adventure, it was just going
to be a one-time thing. This is a refrain uttered by plenty of teenagers to excuse their drug use, in particular, with harder drugs such as cocaine or psychedelics. The problem with this logic is the science behind drugs. The same drug may have several different effects depending on the person, and when factoring the personalities of people, the chance of addiction is also different. Teenage drug use is more volatile than adult drug use, due to the vulnerable time that teenagers are now in. The stress placed on this generation can be described as a greater load than that of past generations. They enter a world that demands advanced education, even to the level of a masters degree, compared to when teenagers could receive their high school diploma and make a comfortable living. The danger of drugs has less to do with the high experienced, rather than the risk of addiction and how it can follow someone throughout their life. Drugs are a mood-altering substance. Their purpose is to make someone feel something that they believe cannot be felt in their day to day life, and a large number of teens have indulged in them at one time or another. In a 2014 study conducted by the University of Michigan on drug use by 8th, 10th, and 12th graders nationwide, there has been a general decline in the use of many drugs. However, the rate of marijuana use has been relatively stable over the years, since the survey has been conducted. There is evidence to support the claim that teenagers use drugs. Hopefully, by exploring this topic further, evidence about what can happen when a teen takes drugs- not because they were bored, but because they wanted to escape something- can be found. Teenage drug use is varied and Seniors Vera Rosen*,
National Helpline for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) to the underlying mood problems. That’s why it’s very important to seek out help, if your moods are feeling overwhelming, and overall, to maintain healthy behaviors that include exercising, plenty of rest, staying connected to friends and loved ones, and taking time for enjoyment activities, rather than trying to address them through substances.”
talia heralt* (12) Drugs Used: prescription pills, alcohol, marijuana
jeremy ellis* (12) Drugs Used: alcohol, marijuana, mushrooms, and prescription pills
John Anders*, Talia Heralt*, and Jeremy Ellis* have admitted to the use of drugs, ranging from prescription pills, molly, ecstasy, marijuana, mushrooms, acid, and others. Although they have used drugs in times of emotional stress and as a coping mechanism, they do not make a habit of it, and in the words of Talia Heralt, that is when “it is not healthy.” Heralt did elaborate to say that the stress of school and the college admissions process gave her an amount of stress that did not call for drug use, per se, but it did help in coping with the stress. John Anders, another senior, recently punished by his parents for his drug use, claimed that he used drugs not for an emotional purpose, but as a “stress reliever.” He claimed that his use of marijuana was not only for that primary purpose, but as a performance enhancer and something to enhance other experiences. Jeremy Ellis elaborated on this subject, as well. “I like getting stoned, because I feel like it brings me closer to my true self. It eliminates the distractions of the outside world, and if you stay at home and do nothing while you’re high, that’s a problem. I get high and go do something, like go [places].” Contrasting with the former students, Rosen stated that her drug use is more to pass the time. “I do it to pass the time when I’m not doing anything else, or to enhance experiences,” Rosen said. With the people who were interviewed, there seemed to be no type of emotional dependency. The consensus pointed towards drug use as a way to relieve stress and enhance experiences. Drug use by anyone, especially teenagers, is dangerous. Although the students interviewed claim that their drug use is harmless and not a habit, there is a fine line between recreational, and habitual use that the youth must be careful not to cross.
*Names were kept anonymous to protect the identity of the subjects **Students stories do not represent Suncoast students as a whole ***Models are not actually under the influence and were not interviewed for this article
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Opinions
W h a t happened last night
?
Underage drinking remains a staple of teen culture and a dangerous determinant of social acceptance
Everything is blurry and dark. You can hardly Jordan Young remember your own name much less hear yourself think Staff Writer over the ferocious pounding of last night’s memories
begging to enter today’s reality. What did you say? What did you do? Judging from the barrage of text messages on your phone, you must have done something pretty shocking. Surely when you see the videos on Snapchat, it will all come back to you along with that all-too-familiar wave of regret. But you are invincible. The embarrassment that you feel now could never stop you from going to the next party this Saturday, right? Well, what will stop you? It is not a big deal until it is. Sure the first few times, the first couple of parties seem like a one time thing, but alcohol has a funny way of sticking around even when it is unwanted. On the surface, the beer in the red plastic cup looks like a one-way ticket to popularity, camaraderie, but at the bottom of the cup, there is nothing except liquid disappointment. Alcohol does not determine self-worth. In the past month, one in four underage teens consumed alcohol, and at the end of this year, that monthly 25% will be responsible for 4,700 deaths. Underage drinking can lead to the stunting of adolescent brain development and impaired cognition as well. Aside from the fact that it is illegal, underage drinking is extremely destructive. Countless teens become more and more likely to experiment with drugs, binge drink, and develop alcoholism in the future. But you have heard all of this before. Since the sixth grade, you have endured lecture after lecture during which you hardly listened to people present their cases. Moms crying over their lost children and twenty-something year olds whose friends are in rehab. You always knew in the back of your head that you would drink and go to parties and live life by your own rules. But you live by alcohol’s rules. Do you not? Alcohol whispers in your ear that taking a sip is a good idea and that people are going to like you more. Alcohol convinces you that the party and the music and the stories will be more exciting the next day if you blur them now. However, this is not the case. Alcohol is good for pushing aside problems that weigh heavily on your shoulders and avoiding the present. Alcohol is good for lowering inhibitions so that you can do all of the things your brain tells you not to. Alcohol does not make you a better person, nor does it make you cooler. Eventually, all of its “benefits” come crashing down, taking you and everything with it. So, remind me, what is so special about drinking?
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STOP and think You
know
those
Isabelle Shafer freshmen that you Managing Editor see barreling through
the hallways between the bell? It feels like yesterday when I did that. Actually, it was Monday. There I was, a second semester senior, running through the hallways trying to get to my class before the 7:30 bell rang. Running (aka panting and stumbling) through the school made me nostalgic for the time I was 14 and looked at the seniors like they were adults. Now that I am a senior, the idea that I used to be an embarrassing freshman makes me cringe. As upperclassmen, we love to point and laugh at the new students who are, admittedly, a lot shorter than we are. What I realized during what I can only describe as a really awkward race with myself and the tardy bell is that there is a freshman inside of all of us. Even seniors experience embarassing moments that make us appear to be new here. The only difference between seniors and freshmen is that seniors have spent four years here and have mastered the art of appearing to know what they are doing, but this is not always the case. Once I made it to the atrium, I recalled the many memories I have there. I can still remember my amazement at the Empire State Building that the seniors built when I was a freshman, and the excitement of picking up my senior shirts in that same place this year. As I began to lose breath after my first flight of stairs, I looked back on all of the memories I have of these same stairs. Memories of tripping or calling out the wrong name to someone I thought I knew disappear behind the great memories that I have with my friends. It is so hard to believe that I could have such a large amount of memories in just one flight of stairs. When I finally made it to my class on the third floor, I was happy thinking of the time I spent at this school. This was interrupted when, four feet from my class’s door, the tardy bell rang and I was sent back downstairs to get a late pass even though it still said the time was 7:29 on my cell phone. Despite the unfairness of this, which I could write a whole other article ranting about, my flashback to freshman year made me feel content with my four years and, even though I am so glad it is over, made me realize how much I am going to miss it.
Opinions15
Caution: Falling Caps May Injure Eyes Keep your hats on because Palm Beach County does not allow students to throw their caps at graduation in case of injury. Is this a safety precaution or an unecessary loss of tradition? We have all seen the movies. We have Isabelle Shafer seen the gowns, the hugs, the tears, the Managing Editor
walk up to the stage, and the final moment of excitement when the entire graduating class throws their graduation cap in overwhelming joy. We look forward to this throughout our four years in high school, anticipating the day that we will be able to share this joyous moment with our peers to celebrate all of our hard work. Despite the clear innocuous nature of this tradition, Palm Beach County forbids students to throw their caps at graduation. A a handout from the Student Success Assembly in November urges students to: “behave with dignity and consideration for your fellow graduates at all times before, during, and after the graduation ceremony. (ie: no throwing of your cap or program).” Personally I see no infraction of “dignity” or “consideration” for anyone at the graduation ceremony for doing something so benign as throwing a cap. When asked about the prohibition of the tradition, Assistant Principal Jana Hartley said, “It has been like that for years and years and years for multiple reasons.” “The primary reason [that students may not throw their caps] is because it is a great health risk,” Hartley said. “The points on
[the cap] can get someone in the eye in a heartbeat.” Whether or not this can be a cause for concern is unknown. It is hard to predict the likelihood that a seemingly harmless, 20 gram square of cloth would fall directly into a student’s eye socket. But we will leave that up to the statisticians. All that we know is that students at prestigious universities such as Harvard or Yale are able to avoid danger from these freefalling caps. But hey, they are smarter than we are. We are only the seventh best school in the nation. “Another reason is that you do not carry an ID with you so it acts as your ID to get your diploma,” Hartley said. Since we must write our names on the inside of our caps, these act as a form of identification. It is unclear why a name written on the inside of a hat is required when students may also be able to show their namecard from their seat or something legitimate such as a government- or school-issued photo ID. The handout continues to state the repurcussions of this celebration of our achievements: “Understand that any infraction of the above will result in your removal from, or failure to be given the privilege of participating in the graduation ceremony and/or receiving a diploma.” Does the punishment fit the crime?
nudes are a no Alexis August Staff Writer
Have you ever seen those movies when a girl sends a guy nudes and he shows all his friends? That actually happens. Word of advice, never send anyone, no matter how much they claim you can trust them, naked pictures. You might think “oh, of course I would never send anyone pictures of me naked,” but you would be surprised on how persuasive people can be. If you are considering being a little flirty and sending a couple pictures you may consider using Snapchat since it automatically deletes and you can control the amount of time they can see it. You may think “and they would not dare screenshot it because I would see that, right?” Wrong. The receiver does not even need to take a screenshot. Those sneaky app developers have got a surprise for you. There is this awesome app called Snapsave where you can save every snap someone has sent
you. A warning girls, I would say 99% of guys in high school have this app. Snapchat has recently been freezing accounts that use this app, but this does not mean your receiver didn’t have it at one point. Let’s say you are just sending ‘innocent’ pictures to your boyfriend of six months, all it takes is one argument for your nudes to be sent to all his friends. You guys would not even necessarily have to get in an argument for your private pictures to be shared. Boys are very prideful creatures. They like to brag. Most girls would be ashamed of being labelled a slut or THOT, so it’s very unlikely for them to tell anyone ‘they send nudes’. On the other hand, society expects guys to boast about all the girls they get and what they do with them. Moral of the story, do not send nudes. After all it is distribution of child pornography.
March2015
Opinons16
Fake Abortion Clinics
Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) are fake abortion clinics in the United States that prevent pregnant women from obtaining an abortion, thus impeding on their human rights. An ongoing crisis that has been Sabrina Rubis taking place across America is the News & Opinions Editor
spread of “fake” abortion clinics. These abortion clinics are talking women out of carrying out their abortions, and even worse, they are being funded by the government for being abortion clinics,when in fact, they do not even carry out the abortions in the first place. They claim they are abortion clinics when they do not even offer these services. Even worse, our tax money is funding these religious based organizations that center their services on preventing women from having an abortion. According to txpregnancy.org, the state of Texas, in particular, has spent “… millions of taxpayers’ dollars funding CPCs.” The National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws (NARAL) Pro-Choice America reveals that “...34 states currently have policies that funnel money towards CPCs. Essentially, it is solely up to a woman for deciding whether or not she wants to have an abortion. It is up to her and no one else whether she feels fit to raise a child, and if she does not, it should be up to her to decide whether to have the baby or not. One undercover investigator for NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, a reproductive rights organization, called a “fake” abortion clinic and claimed she was pregnant and she was exploring the option of abortion. They told her to come in, get a pregnancy test (which they never ended up doing for her), and a missionary talked to her, gave her a brochure that revealed facts about abortion.
murder. People protesting against one of the hundreds of fake abortion clinics spreading across the United States.
March2015
Afterwards, the woman missionary proceeded to talk her out of her abortion, claiming that it was against the Bible and God’s will. They prayed together and she was sent home with a Bible. The danger of crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) are now widespread, especially in Texas, and are religiously affiliated, offering “medically inaccurate services.” They are talking these women out of performing abortions, which is completely unethical, since the only person affected with this decision is the woman bearing the child. In my opinion, I think it is ludicrous that these CPCs are trying to prevent a woman from having an abortion. The fact that these “fake” abortion clinics believe that they have the right to talk these women out of having an abortion completely impedes on their natural rights. Once these women are convinced, they end up having the baby, but then what? Many times, these women are emotionally and financially unfit to raise a child, and these children are raised in a very bad environment and suffer the consequences. Not only is it detrimental for these women, tax payers are suffering as well, because their taxes are funding these fraud clinics. These clinics should be shut down immediately and those running it should be reprimanded for what they are doing. A woman has every right to control her own body, and it is completely ludicrous that a fake abortion clinic believes they can control a woman’s decision to abort or not, especially since they will not be dealing with the aftermath of this decision.
Photo by: Policy.mic
Opinions17 BRIAN WILLIAMS
IF WE CANNOT TRUST HIM THEN WHO CAN WE TRUST? THE DOWNFALL OF NBC’S BELOVED NEWSANCHOR
Sabrina Cedeno-Tobon L i f e has been Features editor
crash landing. Prior to his suspension, Williams was anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News and has been working for NBC News since 1993.
r o u g h for Brian Williams these past few months. Near the end of January he admitted to having lied to the world about being on a helicopter that was shot down while he was reporting from Iraq in 2003. He had spoken about the incident on talk shows and other media platforms since it occurred, and recent speculation and investigation uncovered that he had lied about what really took place that day. I feel as though sources that people use to get information in this day and age can be unreliable, especially magazines, but we always feel comfortable turning on our televisions and watching the news. People have always trusted that news channels feed them reliable information, and because of this incident involving Brian Williams, people are beginning to doubt the
news television industry.This is a good wake up call for people. “If it’s just one time, he’ll get by. But if there’s a pattern of this, it’s going to be hard for him to come back and be the main anchor on NBC,” Fox News host Bill O’Reilly said. People should not trust everything that they hear and should be able to think for themselves. Williams’s actions resulted in him having a six week suspension without pay. Punishment was necessary but a six month suspension without pay is a little excessive considering he already made an on air apology. Something around three months would be more suitable. Due to of his expensive lifestyle, six months without getting pay can be very difficult on him and his family. Williams has been a commited and hard worker throughout the years, and deserves a second chance.
Photo courtesy of Google
D.(esignated) U.(gly) (at) F. F. (riend)
(WARNING: This article contains spoilers) The phenomenon that swept across America last week has sparked a movement as well as a new slang word: the Duff.
Charlie Burgess Duff is the new word no one Staff Writer
wants to be called, well at least in the movie “DUFF”, which stands for Designated Ugly Fat Friend, but in the movie this is not always literal. Such as being the friend that is the most approachable. Also, is approached by others to obtain relationship information on their friends to see are singlely and ready to mingle. Bianca the main Duff of the movie is first made aware of her Duff status by her life-long neighbor Wesley that she is the Duff of her more attractive friends Casey and Jess. In response to this, she asks Wesley to de-Duff her and in exchange she will help him pass Chemistry. But, as the movie progresses she becomes more and more comfortable being herselfthough she does change her style, she still constantly made fun of her Duff
status and is known as the Duff of the school, after a video is released from the school’s #1 mean girl Madison, that portrays Bianca as a big fat loser. But, she finally overcomes the fear she has of Madison, and tells her that everyone is a Duff to someone else, because there will always be someone who you think is “prettier,” “richer”, or “smarter” than you. But, is “DUFF” something we encounter in real life? There are both sides to this arguments. For example, in a friend group, everyone has their strengths and weakness, such as you might be naturally smart but you lack artistic talent, while your friend has to study a lot to get good grades, but they are naturally artistic. Everyone has things that they excel in and things that they don’t, and it’s ok to be comfortable with this.
March2015
Opinions18
How much Bush is too much Bush?
The 2016 Presidential race might result in yet another President Bush in the White House seems unreasonable, and dynasty-like. “I’m my own man,” he stated. However, name divides Republicans,” claiming you’re not a “Bush Republican” is a hard thing to do when you’re a mainstream according to The National Review. Bush was President Republican- like Jeb. It doesn’t help that Jeb has H.W. George the same advisors as his brother. of the United According to CNN, “Stephen from States Hadley, then-President George W. 1989 to 1993. Bush’s deputy national security His son, George adviser, was listed as a member of W. Bush, was Jeb’s national security team.” This President seems hypocritical, as Jeb clearly from 2001 to made sure to distinguish himself 2009. And now from his brother and the “mistakes Jeb, son of made in Iraq.” H.W. George By definition, this puts him a brother and “stone’s throw” from his brother’s to George W. administration,. is a possible Bush, whose performance in the to candidate presidential race has already been the become “lackluster” and “weak,” Jeb Bush became the 43rd governer of Florida in 1999 called President of the doesn’t even seem to be very popular with the United States in 2016. But do we need another Bush in the White GOP. A recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News House? America is supposed to be a monarchy- poll found that 42 percent of Republicans free country, and the concept of having three “couldn’t see” themselves supporting Bush, and members of the same family leading the country based on the facts, this is not surprising.
Ameenah Rashid “The Clinton name unifies Democrats while the Bush Staff Writer
photo courtesy of wikipedia.org
puff puff I’ll PASS
Are you aware of the health risks of smoking hookah? Hookah, Kristen Unico a water pipe Photo Editor with a smoke chamber that allows for inhaling flavored tobacco, such as apple mint and apricot known as shisha, has started to gain its popularity as a smoking alternative. Often times, hookah is smoked with groups of people for long smoking sessions, or individually with accessible hookah pens, which are handheld hookah smoking devices. Don’t let the flavored tobacco and water chamber fool you for a safer smoking alternative, the tobacco for hookah smoking is no less toxic in a hookah pipe than it is in a cigarette. In
March2015
fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control, hookah smoking has the same, if not more, health risks compared to cigarette smoking. Hookah smoke contains high levels of toxic compounds, such as tar, cancer-causing chemicals, and carbon monoxide. Hookah is addictive due to its nicotine content, and first timers, or even those who already smoke hookah, might be unaware of what they are getting into. Before they know it, their body becomes reliant on the nicotine, and that “last” puff of hookah turns into an extra 20. I personally favor finding a better, safer past time and
avoiding the health r i s k s a l l together, but you’re your own p e r s o n who is capable of making your own decisions, and just like any decision, its important to consider and be aware of what you might be putting yourself through, whether that be short term or long term.
photo courtesy of hookahpro.com
Lifestyle
Avoiding
Drama
Can drama be avoided in the Twitter world or will the subtweets continue to prevail? The world a lifestyle one chooses,” Senior is changing as Vanessa Palacio says. technology and Although some tweets are not social media are specifically directed towards another taking over as the main form of person, others can use inductive communication between human reasoning to figure out who it is beings. Even though you cannot about. It is a sneaky method of physically see the other person pointing someone out without that you are communicating with, directly stating their name. This fights still occur. Years ago, fights is called subtweeting. It gives one were done the ability to with physical deny that they beatings, such were speaking as punching about a or kicking, specific person but today the although it fighting is may be very done digitally obvious who with harsh and they were sassy language. talking about. Twitter has It is become an recommended atmosphere that you do not for online go down the fights and path of drama. The subtweeting if fight can take you are trying place with no to avoid drama Photo By: memegenerator.net physical exertion of energy and no or conflict with face-to-face contact, thus making an other people. Important things to easier way to evoke drama as you can ask yourself before tweeting: Is this simply express your feelings of hate. about another person? Will the Why is it that people choose words I have just written be to pick fights with others online? interpreted as a cruel/sassy remark Why not just live in a world where towards another human being? Do I everyone gets along and there is no want to be seen as a mean person? If hate or drama. The answer seems you answered yes to the last question, to be because drama makes things then carry on in your ways, but if you interesting and entertaining. want to avoid the drama, I “Drama on social media ends up recommend passing up the act of finding people who are outspoken subtweeting. and highly opinionated. It is not
Jessica Steen Staff Writer
Twitter can be a fun place to enjoy the funny, cute and random moments of life. The social media world does not have to be filled with drama to make it interesting. Instead of tweeting mean things about others, just tweet a picture of a rabbit and brighten someone’s day. Life is too short for drama, so let’s avoid it as much as possible. The disease of subtweeting can be cured, if you let the adorableness of rabbits sink into your soul and warm your heart.
nugget pancake. Nugget is a very photogenic rabbit that deserves the fame of being tweeted on twitter. These are the type of things people should tweet about in order to stay away from drama.
Photos By: Jessica Steen
March2015
Lifestyle20
[ fabulosophy ] A recap of the 2015 Gatsby-themed prom at the Harriet Himmel Theater. Kayla Jin Copy Editor
planning The end of the school year is when all motivation dwindles and the simplest of tasks are impossible to complete, especially for seniors. But with important upcoming events like prom, which fell on March 28th of this year, the stress of finding a prom dress, planning where to take pictures, and figuring out transportation, were just a few of the necessary tasks. Pictured above from left to right: Chris Vertucci, Emma Williams, Jacqueline Lippman.
getting ready A lot of preparation goes into ensuring that everything works out on a timely manner the day of prom. Scheduling makeup and hair appointments ahead of time, at least a couple weeks prior to prom day, is necessary to avoid your favorite salons and makeup counters being booked. Not sure what you want your makeup or hair to look like? Pinterest is a great source for finding inspiration and providing options for your makeup artist or hair stylist.
Senior Raeven Mills pictured on right.
crowning the queen This year’s prom queen, Aniya Smith, shares her thoughts for the special day. What was your day like on prom day? “It was honestly really stressful because I didn’t really prepare but my sister flew down from New York and actually helped me do my hair and makeup so all in all it was a day to remember.” How’d it feel to win prom queen? “Honestly, it was one of the best feelings in the world because I actually wanted to win and to know that a lot of my classmates supported me was awesome.”
March2015
Photo courtesy of openclipart.org
Testing Our
Lifestyle21
Limits
For the next three weeks our lives will be dominated by IB/AP testing and being able to plan our time will probably let us succeed better in this testing period. Monday May 4th AP
Chemistry Environmental Science Psychology
IB
Tuesday May 5th AP
Calculus AB/BC Seminar
IB
Wednesday May 6th AP
English Literature Physics 1
IB
Thursday May 7th AP
Computer Science A Spanish Language Physics 2
IB
Friday May 8th AP
U.S. History European History
IB
HL English P.1 HL/SL Economics P.1
HL Economics P.2/3 SL Economics P.2 HL English P.2
HL/SL Biology P.1/2 HL Psychology P.1
HL Psychology P.2/3 HL/SL Biology P.3
HL/SL Physics P.2/3
Monday May 11th AP
Tuesday May 12th AP
Wednesday May 13th AP
Thursday May 14th AP
Friday May 15th AP
Biology Music Theory Physics C
IB
U.S. Government French Language Spanish Language
IB
English Language Statistics
IB
Comp. Government Macroeconomics World History
IB
Human Geography Microeconomics
IB
HL/SL Physics Paper 3
HL/SL Maths P.1 SL Math Studies P.1 HL/SL Spanish P.1
Hl/SL Spanish P.2 HL/SL Maths P.2 SL Math Studies P.2
HL/SL History P.1 HL/SL Chemistry P.1/2
HL/SL Chemistry P.3 HL/SL History P.2
Monday May 18th AP
Tuesday May 19th AP
Wednesday May 20th AP
Thursday May 21st AP
Friday May 22nd AP
Make-ups
IB
HL History P.3 HL/SL French P.1
Make-ups
IB
HL/Sl French P.2 HL/SL Comp. Sci. P.1
Make-ups
IB
HL Comp. Sci. P.2/3 SL Comp. Sci P.2
Make-ups
IB
HL Maths P.3 SL Environmental P.1
Make-ups
IB
SL Environmental P.2
March2015
Lifestyle22
That Moment When @Celebrity Tweets Are More Interesting Than @Yours When it comes to social Ameenah Rashid media, each one has a Staff Writer
different purpose: Snapchat is for 5 second updates, Instagram makes others aware of how great your life is, and Vine is for 6 second-long entertainment. And then there’s Twitter. With over 288 million users as of 2014, the possibilities are endless. Some use it to convince themselves that people care about their lives, while others use it for business purposes.
“in honor of kim and kanye’s baby ‘North West,’ I will be naming my first baby ‘Taco.’ “ -@drakebell
Others use it to stay updated, and some use it to for entertainment. But no matter what your reason for being on Twitter is, there’s one thing no one is immune to: Celebrity tweets. From Jaden Smith to Kanye West, Twitter is seen to be used as a form of expression- or as a tool for venting. Massive feuds or “Twitter fights” have been started over a statement that is 140 characters or less. Twitter has made people famous- and infamous. Here are some of the greats:
“That Moment When Peeing Feels So Good You Start Crying.” -@officialjaden
“i will NEVER apologize for my booty,” -@mileycyrus
"JIMMY KIMMEL PUT YOURSELF IN MY SHOES … ... #NODISRESPECTTOBENAFFLECK#ALLDISRESPECTTOJIMMYKIMMEL!!!!" -@kanyewest
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
March2015
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