The Legend Volume 20 Issue 5
March 2017
EQUALITY
Each day, women are working towards breaking the barriers between men and women. As Seniors Tatiana Ingram and Sophia Andel will be entering male-dominated institutions next year, they share their aspirations and drive in eliminating sexists stereotypes. Pg. 12
Adviser Traci Lowe Editor-in-Chief Yana Rankine Managing Editor Ameenah Rashid Design Editor Austin Lent News Editor Marisa Hart Opinion Editor Alexis August Features Editor Dayalis Zamora Lifestyle Editor Monica Kramer Sports Editor Alex Levine Copy Editors Eda Kutsal Jacob Magnuson Business Editors Asyjah Dudley Maria Fahmy Website Editor Simrun Waghray Cartoonists Katrina Bonevento Christopher Legon Jolene Loreno Taneria Tysinger Staff Writers Patrick Brannen Charlie Burgess Kaiden Buscemi Mindjina Courage Conner Dickman Nick Diggs Anthony Inza Genesis Griffin Keelie Hanley Zanne Hanna Tianyang Ji Janetta Lam Jahnaezha McFadden Meghan McGlone Megan Mendoza Kenjela Mullings Samantha Powers Sarah Ruderman Sara Samadi Jimmie Smith RJ Smith Jack Swank Farzana Talukder Daniel Torrez-Ortiz Victoria Vera-Zafra Jamie Vergara Ariana Villanueva
News On March 2nd, students gathered in the school courtyard to watch their favorite teachers get dunked by their peers. From having the joy of dunking teachers, the students were helping support Syrian refugee families in America. pg 4 Opinions Fourth quarter is here and senioritis has reached its all-time high. Seniors are tired of seeing the same faces for four years and are ready to be out in the real world. pg 8 Features Sophomore Claire King does what most cower at the very thought of: she paints. Her tool, however, is not the classic paint brush, but rather, a knife. A painting knife to be exact. pg 11 Lifestyle As the school year is slowly coming to an end, most students are thinking of summer plans and the activities that summer will bring. pg 18 Sports The Chargers basketball team record for the season is 21-6 Winning the district championships for the fifth in a row year has shown this, and according to Coach Powell, they are not done yet. pg 21 Check out The Legend’s website shsthelegend.com and follow us on Instagram and Snapchat @shsTheLegend!
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pg 15
Suncoast High School 1717 Avenue S Riviera Beach, FL 33404 Contact Information Phone: 561-494-2651 Fax: 561-882-3443 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.
pg 12, 13 ON THE COVER Senior Alexandra Jones, Senior Laura Elkin, and Junior Zahra Saba (Left to right)
pg 21
TABLE OF CONTENTS
March 2017 Issue 5
DANCING FOR THE KIDS
NEWS
National Honor Society’s Dance Marathon brought students together for a night of dancing and raised over $10,000. On March 3, National Honor Society (NHS) Austin Lent Design Editor held its second annual Dance Marathon
to support Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. From 4 to 10 p.m. attendees were required to stay standing in honor of the kids who cannot. “I think Dance Marathon was very successful. By the end of the night, we had over $10,000 raised, so we more than doubled our money [from last year],” NHS president Dylan Hansel said. Starting in the ‘60s with music from the Beatles and the Monkees, each hour’s theme was a different decade of music, leading up to the hits of the 2010s. There were a variety of games and activities to keep students entertained the entire time. “You basically get to choose your own event at Dance Marathon with the sports and games. It was overall a pretty fun event,” Hansel said. Everyone present had the opportunity to FaceTime Nate, a boy with Mitochondrial Disease who has received treatment at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital since he was born, and his family. In addition, students heard the stories of other kids who have received support from Children’s Miracle Network. “These kids are really inspiring. It’s interesting to talk to them and hear how the support of this program has helped. [Dance Marathon] really does make an impact on their lives. It gives them the services and everything they need to keep going each day. To be able to talk to the kids was really interesting because it really put into perspective what exactly these funds are going to,” Hansel said. Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals provide kids with lifesaving treatments and medications. Last year, Dance Marathons across the country raised over $26 million for kids in need. “We’re the lucky ones,” Suncoast alumnus Paras Mehta said in a speech. “Close your eyes and think of your childhood. Imagine the toys, the playdates, and the surprise trips to Disney you had growing growing up. Now swap those toys for needles, the playdates for surgeries, and the surprise trips to Disney with trips to the hospital. We’re not just fighting for [these kids’] lives, we’re fighting for their childhoods.” Because this was only the second annual Dance Marathon, NHS is looking forward to more improvement in the upcoming years with more experience. Hansel said, “It’d be awesome if every year we can double our money raised. This is just the second year that we’re doing it, and we’re really trying to build so we can raise a lot more money in the future.” photos by Austin Lent
for the kids. At the end of the night, members reveal the total raised.
in it to win it. Senior Abigail Colvin and junior Gemma Shoupp celebrate winning the partner activity.
head in the game (middle. NHS sponsor Mary Rawson teaches junior Ava Erulker how to throw a football.
News 4
DUNK TANK FUNDRAISER
Suncoast High School
Students raised money to dunk their favorite teachers in addition to helping relocate Syrian refugee families in Florida. On March 2nd, students gathered Megan Mendoza in the school courtyard to watch their Staff Writer
favorite teachers get dunked by their peers. While having the joy of dunking teachers, the students were helping support Syrian refugee families in America. The fundraiser was organized by Two Feet, a philanthropic club that works to help support a variety of causes and raise awareness about issues that are prominent around the world. President and founder of Two Feet Club, Junior Claudia Cabral, has a predilection for helping people in need. “So far we have covered domestic violence, foster care children, and mental health, and we plan to do a lot more,” Cabral said. Before the fundraiser, the club collected the consent from several teachers that were willing to be dunked. Throughout the month of February, Two Feet set up a station in the courtyard in which students and faculty could donate money to the cause. The students were able to choose to donate their money to a specific teacher who they wanted to see get dunked. After the fundraising, the top five teachers who have raised the most money were placed in a dunk tank in front of all of their students. All students have the opportunity to dunk their favorite teachers by donating more money to the club. “Last year we raised $800 for a foster care center and this year our goal was to raise $1000,” said vice president of Two Feet, Junior Zahra Saba. The club was able to raise $1133.16 to donate to the Florida Refugee Assistance Committee, or FRAC. Saba and Junior Iman Hossain made a presentation about Syrian refugees in their AP Seminar class, so they educated themselves on the issue and decided to have Two Feet Club help support the refugees. Many other Two Feet Club members have also heard about the recent refugee issues in America, so they agreed that the club should use their dunk tank fundraiser to raise money for the FRAC. “My mom works with the Florida Refugee Assistance Committee. Over the summer, I got to not only work with, but I also got to meet Syrian refugees,” said Hossain. Since the refugee issue is so relevant in today’s society, Hossain proposed the idea of raising money for the Florida
Refugee Assistance Committe through Two Feet’s annual dunk tank fundraiser. Teachers Liesel Deluera, Brian Hanson, Jan Kozlow, Dennis Spencer, and Kara Macsuga raised the most money through the event. On March 2nd, they were dunked. The club was also able to recruit Principal Karen Whetsell to be dunked. On the day of the fundraiser, students were able to pay to have the chance to dunk their teachers. With the additional money raised, the club raised $1,214.16. Every penny from the fundraiser went straight to the Florida Refugee Assistance Committee. The members of the Two Feet club were outrageously proud of all the funds that they were able to raise for Syrian refugees. The club hopes to continue the fundraiser throughout the years and to recruit more members to help support the club. Two Feet Club meetings are held on Thursdays during lunch in Ms. Macsuga’s room.
DUNK TANK FUNDS
Deluera Hanson Kozlow Spencer Macsuga Dunking for Funds Dennis Spencer (above) sits in the tank ready to be dunked. Members of the Two Feet Club (right) pose and represent their club on the day of the fundraiser. photos courtesy of Claire Patterson
TOTAL
$217.63 $163.92 $147.48 $142.16 $127.25
$1133.16
News 5
Suncoast High School
TERRORISM ON THE RISE
Religious prejudice against Muslims is at its highest since 9/11. Daniel Torrez Multiple news articles Staff Writer have been discussing
Donald Trump’s alleged xenophobic and controversial comments . His strong claims and very specific way of addressing problems dealing with certain ethnic groups have caused dispute among people of the United States. Religion and race were hot topics during the recent presidential race and the people of the United States heard every bit of racial and ethnic divide. What does this mean for the American citizens who are in terrorist groups against minorities? According to the New York Times, hate crimes against Muslims have increased 78 percent over the course of 2015 and 2016. Areas of worship for Muslims or people perceived as Arabic with traditional clothing were the targets. Communities of Muslims all over the country could be targets of this hate, even students from our own school. Junior Ariba Rizwan, is a frequent attendee of her mosque, Alamin. Then on a tragic November night, this mosque was vandalized. “It is awful how many steps backward this country is taking during such a modern time. This country was built on the foundation of religious freedom. The horrible actions of someone in this community should not give the right for people to generalize everyone as something like a “terrorist” or any other derogatory term.” she heartfeltly said. News sources say that a video captured from that night shows a car pulling up to the mosque at about 12:40 a.m. and an unidentified person exited a
car and approached the entrance sign and wrote “(expletive) Islam” in spray paint. Evening prayers were cancelled the next day and since then this Palm Beach County mosque has covered up the obscenity. “Our community continues to suffer from an increase in hate crimes and hate incidents. We still have fresh in our memories the recent hate crime committed at the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce that was attacked by an arsonist,” Muslim attorney Wilfredo Amr Ruiz said to Local 10 News. “The hate speech and rhetoric that has come along with this presidential campaign is fueling these type of crimes that endanger not only the Muslim community, but the Florida community in general.” This Fort Pierce mosque also faced another attack when one of it attenders was struck in the face in the parking lot. Many of the locals believe that this type of hate and violence has been brought up by the recent presidential campaign, as well. Hundreds of attacks, which include but are not limited to arsons at mosques, assaults, shootings and threats, have been geared towards the Muslim community since the beginning of 2015. “We’re seeing these stereotypes and derogative statements become part of the political discourse,” said Brian Levin, the director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at the San Bernardino campus. “The bottom line is we’re talking about a significant increase in these types of hate crimes.” The continuing occurrences of antiMuslim violence appear to increase
after the recent presidential race. Even in countries across Europe, Muslims are negatively being perceived. More than half the people of highly developed countries like Spain and Italy do not accept positive views of these people of a different religion. New studies from the University of California, San Bernardino based on official police reports in 20 states have estimated that there were about 260 hate crimes against Muslims nationwide in 2015. This is the most crimes against Middle Easterners, Muslims, and perceived Arabs since the 481 documented hate crimes against them in 2001, when the attack of September 11th set waves of crime against this denomination of people.
Negative Views on Muslims in Europe
Ariba Rezwan says it will take a while until she feels completley safe attending her mosque due to these recent events. photo source: http://www.pewglobal.org
OPINIONS
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS LOOKING UP But not at aviation in the sky due to many restrictions on flight
practice, which the Lantana Airport claims is hurting their businesses. pilots, they’re very loyal to their schools, and especially their instructors,” said Coakley. The New York Times recently interviewed Coakley as well, and they were only able to bring up one instance of a student moving because of the flight restrictions. Therefore, because of Florida’s normally nice weather and many unwilling to move students, most of the money losses that the Lantana Airport claims to have taken can easily be pegged as rescheduling problems. The Lantana Airport will most likely instead get their money at a later date. William Coakley is also the Vice President of the Lake Osborne Estates Civic Association, which is the neighborhood association of Lake Osborne Estates, a neighborhood directly across from the Lantana Airport. Residents of Lake Osborne constantly deal with the sounds of the flight school, and worse, helicopters that fly over the neighborhood that were originally unauthorized to do so. Trump’s visits to Mar-ALago have “highlighted the noncompliant helicopter training that goes on here on a daily basis… The county established, about 20 years ago, a set of flight rules when the helicopters schools came in,”Coakley said. These rules consist mostly of agreeing not to disturb the private residencies nearby, however, that is all that they do. When President Trump is in town, there are no bothersome noises of the helicopters flying over houses, and no longer are homeowners “driven from their porches and forced to shut their windows to block out noise,” Coakley said. Other residents agree, including Suncoast Junior Aiden Talavera, who agreed that the helicopters were disturbing, and that the neighborhood “has been more quiet,” while Trump was at Mar-a-Lago.
-Air Force One can fly over 600 miles per hour - nearly supersonic -Membership fees for Mar-a-Lago are $100,000 -An estimated $60000 is spent per day that Trump stays for police overtime
Helicopter photo courtesy of Ron Haines.
Meghan McGlone Florida has been home to many presidents, such as Harry S. Staff Writer Truman, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and now our new president Donald Trump, who frequently stays in his Mar-a-Lago estate right in Palm Beach, which is only a little over 10 miles away from Suncoast High. Trump’s frequent visits have been causing complaints from many in Florida due to traffic changes and the inability of private flights to land within 10 miles of Mar-a-Lago (unless they are screened by the TSA). In addition, all flight practice is banned at the Lantana airport because of its close proximity, which many small businesses at the airport claim is hurting them tremendously. The major argument on the table for the small businesses of Lantana Airport and the United States Government is reimbursement for the money lost when President Trump stays in Florida. Jonathan Miller, the contractor who operates Lantana Airport, claimed in an interview with the Palm Beach Post that they have already lost one flight school due to President Trump’s numerous visits and the restrictions surrounding visits. Former pilot William Coakley who is involved with the Lantana Airport said, “Yes, it has a negative effect on business, but I think that effect has been grossly exaggerated.” Coakley refuted the supposed loss of the flight school, saying, “those restrictions were announced weeks after I received a letter from the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] ... Saying that this company planned on leaving at the end of February. So, in other words, that loss, that he alleges that he is going to take because of the less of the helicopter school, is bogus.” Compared to other airports, those in Florida have more flight practice days because of the tropical weather. They do not have to deal with shutting down for major weather conditions, like snow or ice. Therefore, airports in Florida have more sunny days for flight practice compared to places such as New York or Chicago. The loss of flight practice days due to Trump’s restrictions can easily be rescheduled, because the weather is commonly nice. Coakley, being a former pilot, also pointed out that many pilots do not wish to switch schools, move to a new area, or get a new instructor solely because of a few missed practices. “In general from knowing a lot of
Opinions 7
Suncoast High School
RESTRICTIONS JUST PLANE WRONG Irony fills the air in place of small aircraft as hobbyists and small businesses bear the weight of President Trump’s travel whims. To most Palm Beach County Jacob Magnuson residents, serpentine detours Staff Writer and dense rush-hour traffic surrounding the airport are the worst parts of President Trump’s weekend visits to Mar-a-Lago. However, for many small business owners and hobbyists, the damage is far worse than what meets the eye. “In general aviation, there are some places that you straight up can not go,” senior Malcolm Owens explains. Normally, he says, these sorts of restrictions only apply to places like “The White House or Area 51 - they’re prohibited airspaces. But, in cases of certain situations like the President going somewhere, they set up TFR’s, or Temporary Flight Restrictions.” These Temporary Flight Restrictions, whose intentions and presentation seem innocuous enough, affect every sky-bound person or craft within the thirty mile bubble that surrounds Trump at any given moment. The policy is intended to keep maligned individuals with aircraft at their disposal from wreaking havoc or destruction on the President’s goings-on - but this protection does not occur without consequences. Although regularly scheduled commercial flights - that is, jetliners working for major airlines whose schedules are laid out months or years in advance - are not affected, smaller airports and businesses whose livelihood is sending aircraft up have been completely blindsided by the requisite restrictions President Trump’s excursions to the Winter White House bring. “Palm Beach Lantana Airport has been shut down completely because they have so little traffic, and it’s right next to [Mar-a-Lago]. Like, I’m pretty sure two of the flight instructing schools there are shut down
permanently because they can’t handle it; there’s no money going in,” Malcolm said. The cost of renting a hangar and paying flight instructors is one only delicately held in balance by proper customer interest, and when small aircraft are grounded for weekends at a time, that balance is lost. It’s not just private pilots and flight instructors that are hurting from these restrictions. Aviation is an industry with many veins - if recreational and career pilots aren’t putting their planes in the air, the fuel stations that normally service those planes suffer from a loss of business. Palm Beach Post journalists met with several different kinds of businesses after Trump’s third consecutive visit, and their findings were less than exciting: sightseeing companies are out of commission, and spring is typically their busiest season due to snowbird visits. Banner advertising ventures, skydiving outfitters, you name it - all are experiencing financial hurt each time Trump pays a visit to West Palm Beach. The flight restrictions aren’t the only thing impacting establishments in the area. Protections surrounding President Trump apply not only to the sky, but to the roadways as well. NPR reported in February that “some restaurants are feeling the “Trump effect” as well. Recently, 75 no-shows at the Costa Palm Beach cost the restaurant about $5,000 because of the traffic. Street closures make getting around tough.” Snowbirds unfamiliar with the area aren’t familiar with the detours set up by the Secret Service’s roadway security, and many locals aren’t willing to brave the single-lane side roads either. Each visit makes travel needlessly inconvenient, complicated, and sluggish. To many of these small businesses, this strain - and the federal government’s seeming disregard for their outcry - is a slap in the face. Trump’s campaign rhetoric took careful steps to foster the courtship of small businesses. Many of his voters took comfort in the fact that his presidency would bring change to the way that federal regulations impact personal enterprises. The cries of one of Trump’s largest audiences are falling on deaf ears - an unfortunate truth which does not reflect well on his administration.
Sources: ABC News and The New York Times
Trump spent ten days in Florida in FebruaryTrump paid between $10 and $15 million for Mar-a-LagoAbout 250 flights are grounded per day Trump is in Florida-
. . .
Opinions 8
Suncoast High School
THE “COLLEGE EXPERIENCE” Going to community college is cheaper for students trying to save, but the cost is sacrificing the “college experience.”
Fourth quarter is here and Ariana Villanueva senioritis has reached its allStaff Writer
time high. Seniors are tired of seeing the same faces for four years and are ready to be out in the real world. For them, every frustrating end to a school day is shrugged off with, “I can’t wait to be in college.” College away from home is a fresh start, where one can bury their old identity and make a new one. The college experience is glamorized by the frat parties, no parental control, and meeting long lost sisters, well sorority sisters. Before diving into it, one might think, “it seems like a fun, new experience! What harm could it do?” Rob your bank, that is what. Being part of a sorority or a fraternity can cost hundreds of dollars every month, which not to mention does not account for all the money you need for tuition and textbooks! Aside from greek life, there are still major pluses to attending a university away from home. These include free tickets to football games and free access to a vast amount of campus resources such as the university library and the gym. However, at a community college you can take the same courses at a cheaper tuition cost. Better yet,
if you are attending the community college in your hometown, living at home with your parents will save you rent money. The beauty in taking classes at home is that you can do it on your own time, without any rush. Another big problem to take into consideration is student loans. Yes, a renowned university may look better on a resume for becoming a doctor, however, it can leave you in thousands of dollars of loans, which will land you in debt even before you break into the real world of working. So ultimately, you pick your poison. The decision depends on the type of person you are. If you want to endure the hazing rituals and attend the social events of greek life or if you are simply a die hard college football fan, the cost of the university experience may be worthwhile. If you do not feel like you are missing out on the “college experience” by not partying and are just trying to get the best money saving education, community college may be your best suit. Personally, I believe the university experience is overrated. But do I want to miss out on the socializing? Not at all. Follow what you think would benefit your lifestyle in the long run.
Opinions 9
Suncoast High School
LOOK FOR LESS
Buying the perfect dress for prom is just as stressful as school. Jamie Vergara Staff Writer
You have the ideas of a perfect dress. You either check online to look for your “dream” dress or maybe you actually have enough motivation to get off the couch and go to the mall. Nothing could ever stop you from finding that perfect dress and buying it... until you look inside your wallet. Girls find it so difficult to pick out a dress that they can actually afford. However, even if it is too overpriced, three hundred dollars will not stop a girl from asking her mother for the money. Remember, it is useless to worry about your attire, and to go over your budget for your dress spending money for the perfect dress when you know there are other options is unnecessary. You are most likely going to wear the dress once, and maybe another time when your mother forces you go to a formal. Another option if your ideal dress is not photo source: pinterest.com in your budget is to wear an old dress from your closet. Wearing the same dress is frowned upon, but at least you have something to wear. Teenage girls say “You can not wear a dress twice, because there are too many pictures and to many people would have seen it by then!” Do not worry about the opinions of others,
because prom will be fun regardless if you wear the same look twice. Besides, more pictures create more memories. You will have stories to share about both times you wore the dress. Girls make it so difficult for themselves, because they are worried the dress is too “ugly” or makes them look “fat” but do not make something so that is supposed to be fun a stressful task. If you pick out the dress that is your type and appeals to you, then you no longer have the problem of finding a dress. Suncoast’s SGA has also been active on Instagram reaching out to all girls attending prom to send in a picture of their dress. This way, no one shows up with the same dress. So sure, you are afraid others may judge and look at you like you are lame for wearing the same dress twice, but why not get your money’s worth? Your dress will not determine how much fun you will have at prom. Prom is once in a lifetime, so find that perfect dress and enjoy. Whatever you wear to prom, the odds are you will still look beautiful when you take pictures with your friends and it will be a night to remember.
DANGERS OF FREE SPEECH
Publications from the mainstream media are making people question the context of opinions expressed in them. Jimmie Smith When the Founding Fatheres were writing Staff Writer their revised Constitution for American
citizens, they implemented within the document the First Amendment. Freedom of Speech was the first right given that amendment. With that amendment put in place, historical protests like the Civil Rights Movement and the Women’s Suffrage Movement became possible. The First Amendment allows people to speak freely on certain topics despite the criticism they receive from the differing side. As long as the speech is not libel or slander, and does not incite violence towards certain demographics, every citizen can exercise the right; however, recently it seems that differing opinions are manipulated to support their political agendas. Recently, YouTube personality PewDiePie, or Felix Kjellberg, was accused of putting out propaganda towards his audience, with imagery of Adolf Hitler and other anti-Semitic messages, by multiple mainstream media outlets like the Wall Street Journal, Wired, and BuzzFeed. After the Wall Street Journal reported their article to Disney and YouTube, he was disconnected from the Disney subsidiary Maker Studios, his second season of Scare PewDiePie was cancelled, and he was pulled from the Google preferred pool of YouTube. With the orchestration of these events here, the average individual would see this as reasonable
consequences for Kjellberg to face. However, many see this as a hit piece to damage Kjellberg’s reputation and career. From a business perspective, it makes sense to distance yourself from the controversy. However, it seems that the mainstream media is trying its hardest to stay relevant, so it does not care if it needs to destroy a person’s career as long as they get the clicks. I understand that the media often embellished their stories to get people to read them, but now it seems that the media drops the context of certain situations to keep their dying relevancy alive since now people can get their news without the infamous filter: the Internet. In the end, it seems that most of us are still blind at seeing the truth of this dangerous world. A dangerous tactic that both sides are using is to call individuals fascists or communists despite the majority of the national population having moderate views on most topics. It seems as if they are trying to manipulate the boundaries of “Hate Speech”. Both sides fabricate lies to make one side look sinister to the public, but they are the ones trying to separate us and change us without choice. Many of us are still assuming information rather than validating it. Instead of relying on a source to tell you what is fake or not, do it yourself. It is good to have diversity in our population, but let us not forget the cornerstone of this nation: the diversity of thought.
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KING OF THE CANVAS
FEATURES
Claire King stole the show at the Artigras Fine Arts Festival. Sophomore Claire Eda Kutsal Copy Editor King does what most
cower at the very thought of: she paints. Her tool, however, is not the classic paint brush, but rather, a knife. A painting knife to be exact. Plenty of people cringe at the thought of their own artistic abilities, let alone with a painting knife, but despite what it may look like, King once had little faith in her very own painting skills. She recently proved to us with a second place win at the Artigras Fine Arts Festival that, with a bit of passion and a whole lot of hard work, anyone can paint. Rather than discussing how art fell into the lap of King in her prime elementary school days, it would be easier to say that it simply runs in her blood. Of course by no means does lineage account for anyone’s ability to paint, but it certainly paved way for the passion of art that resides deeply within King’s heart. “My reason for starting art was because both my mother and grandmother are artists, and they had constantly shown me as a child how to express my creativity,” King said. King paints in a striking style she likes to call “thick paint,” but it is better known as Impasto. “[Thick paint] means that you use regular acrylic paint and add gel medium which thickens it. That way, you spread it with a knife and it gives the painting texture. Because of the interesting shadows it makes, the style complements the landscape and nature paintings I like to do,” King explained. Curious as to how well she could do, King opted to participate in this years Artigras Youth Art Competition for the first time. Every year, the Artigras Fine Arts Festival holds a youth art
competition in which children from grades K-12 are able to submit art pieces inspired by the festival’s annual theme. This year the theme was “Circus.” “I chose to do a lion in a cage to reflect the countless animals you see perform. I wanted to do something that stood out, so I used my thick painting technique and bright colors on the lion to draw attention to the piece,” King said. Previously filled with doubt, King was pleasantly surprised to discover her painting earned second place in the tenth grade division of the competition and had more to be happy about than her second place ribbon. “It felt really rewarding and special to win because I had been going to the festival since I was three,” King said. Alongside her second place win, King has also accomplished a number of other things including thirty digital commissions for businesses and a mural for the Uptown Art studio in Jupiter, Florida. She has also attended several youth artist tours at renowned places like Louvre, MOMA, and the Smithsonian; however, despite King’s great success, she is no stranger to self doubt and insecurity in her own art. “In elementary school, when I began art classes, I didn’t really enjoy it. I constantly felt that my art wasn’t as good as everyone else’s. As I advanced in middle school, I began to see that my different style and technique was what made me different,” King revealed. As her passion for art grows with each passing day, King is prepared to expand her own painting skills and continue painting for the rest of her life. “I feel as though I have finally found my true love for art, and I hope to reflect that even as I continue in the work force.”
lion tamer. King’s painting of a lion in a cage won second place at the Artigras Fine Arts Festival. It is currently displayed in the media center for everyone to come and see. photos by: Claire King
uptown girl. Pictured above is King with the mural she painted for the Uptown Art Studio in Jupiter.
seas the day. King worked every second of every day to complete this beautiful painting for her art class.
cruisin’. King’s “thick paint” style can be clearly seen in this painting she has prepared for her IB portfolio.
We Can Do Did It!
Seniors Tatiana Ingram and Sophia Andel are breaking gender stereotypes and joining service academies next year.
TATIANA INGRAM: Air Force Academy Tatiana Ingram was raised by Ameenah Rashid Managing Editor parents who met in the Navy. But for
the majority of her life, she intended to attend college, become a surgeon, and eventually join Doctors Without Borders. However, this plan completely changed last Thanksgiving, when she was reunited with her elder sister after her own basic training with the Air Force. “Even though my parents were in the military and my sister’s in the military, I never thought of being in the military as an option. My parents persuaded my sister to go into the Air Force or some kind of military service so she could stay on track and actually get a job and education in the best way. Once I saw her come back from boot camp basic training in Texas, I saw that she kind of changed and I liked the way she changed. She was more structured, mature, and respectable and I wanted to be like that,” Ingram said. This decision prompted a year-long process that began in January of 2016 and included physical training for a Physical Fitness Test, an interview process for a congressional nomination that only goes to ten people per congressperson, several letters of recommendation, and a medical exam that recorded the locations and number of her tattoos. This lengthy process was even more lengthy because of a complication that occurred due to an injury Ingram received from running. “I had a stress fracture last year and I had to get a whole waiver because they said I was medically disqualified on my application portal. The only way you can get a waiver is if your application seems competitive enough. So they checked to see if it was competitive enough and when they saw that I was, they gave me a waiver. It was a long process, but I understand
why there are so many steps and it’s definitely worth it in the end,” Ingram said. Similar to most universities, Air Force Academy decisions typically are released around March. However, Ingram received her long-awaited acceptance in January. After this lengthy process, she is now excited about the opportunities that this acceptance letter presents her with and the ability to pursue her goal of attending medical school and becoming an emergency/trauma surgeon. “I think I want to stick with the Air Force for the rest of my life. It’s the best option for me because my education is free, I’m serving my country, they’ll pay for medical school, and when I get out of medical school, there’s already a job waiting for me. Also, I think the form of leadership and the skills that I learn inside the academy are things that I can use even if I do get out of the academy/military. Being an emergency surgeon, I also want to do humanitarian work at some point in my life and travel with the Air Force,” Ingram said. A common reaction Ingram receives when she tells people that she will be joining the Air Force Academy is the expectation that she will be “heading straight to war” right after high school. Because of this, she stresses the importance of understanding what exactly the Air Force Academy is. “When I tell people that I’m going to the Air Force, nobody actually knows what the Air Force Academy is. When you’re looking at the military and you’re looking at service academies, it’s not all just violence. I want to be a doctor. You have to look at it more as you’re serving your country and you know that you’re gonna learn a lot. I’m learning to be a leader and I’m learning to be selfless. Its pretty great,” Ingram said.
SOPHIA ANDEL: West Point Sophia Andel had no idea what her future plans exactly would be, but she had dreamed of attending Princeton, her mother’s alma mater, her whole life. Last year, this dream shifted in a completely different direction after one conversation that took place over dinner. “Last spring break, we were talking about how I had no idea what to do with my life and my mom brought up the idea of joining a service academy. It’s definitely not something I’ve been wanting to do my whole life and it was something I never thought I would do. But I looked into it and I really liked the discipline and the structure of it. I went to a Catholic School for ten years, and I’ve done Tae Kwon Do since I was seven so my life has been really structured and it really appealed to me,” Andel said. After this conversation, Andel knew that whatever she wanted to do next year, she wanted to try something different; whether it be attending West Point, applying for ROTC, or attending a university in Germany, where her grandfather lives. Her final decision to apply to West Point and the Air Force Academy was a monumental moment for her and her parents, one that resulted in her parents’ immense pride, but also their wariness. “My parents are both very proud of me, but my dad is kind of worried. After we visited the campus last summer, we toured the cemetery and saw the grave of a graduate who died in Iraq a year after her West Point graduation so he is worried, but he is also supportive,” Andel said. After completing more research, Andel knew that West Point was her new dream. So when she received her acceptance
letter on January 25, she was thrilled. “I applied to other safety schools and also the Air Force Academy, but West Point was definitely my first choice. I looked into all the tradition that they have, and obviously all the academies have a lot of traditions, but West Point really appealed to me because West Point is a known leadership institution. It’s all I’ve wanted for the past year,” Andel said. It is no secret that the armed forces- especially the militaryare primarily composed of males. But although Andel is aware of the situation, she is not apprehensive. “I’ve realized that it’s about 80% male and about 20% female, but I’m not really worried about it. I think that I’ll be able to handle it,” Andel said. In the future, Andel hopes to create a career within the Army, after climbing up the ranks, either through flying attack helicopters or joining the intelligence field. “My dad’s a pilot and he always jokes about it because he flies jets and he thinks that helicopters aren’t as cool because they’re slow. There’s a five year active service requirement, and three years in the reserves. I want to make it my career because in Tae Kwon Do, you climb up the ranks and in the military you climb up the ranks too,” Andel said. Despite the challenges she knows she will face in her first year, or “plebe year,” at West Point, Andel is excited about her future opportunities. “Although basic training will be tough, I’ll have the opportunity to serve a purpose greater than myself. It hasn’t sunk in yet though. I don’t think it’ll sink in until July third,” Andel said.
Suncoast High School
Features 14
CHARGERS FLYING HIGH Flight club members are now becoming students of flight class. Conner Dickman Now that flight club is flight class, students who are interested in flight can Staff Writer
learn all of this information to be prepared to fly a plane and to earn their pilot’s license. In addition, this class counts as a learn and dual enrollment class. Therefore, earn college credit for their work. students also earn college credit, There are few differences and this credit can affect their GPA. between flight club and flight Flight club was established class. One reason this move was in 2014, making the program made was to help students manage three years old. Members learn their time. Previously, students everything there is to know about met Tuesdays through Thursdays planes and have fun doing it. during lunch. Solanki described the class as fun Tanuj Solanki, a member of flight and relaxing. He also told a story club, felt that this was a hassle. of how his entire club had the “When flight club was during opportunity to view the inside of a lunch, many people couldn’t attend Sea Stallion, which is a helicopter because of other clubs. Most of the that belongs to the marines. time, we didn’t have enough time to The instructor, Joseph DeBoskey, finish our lesson anyway,” Solanki is a pilot with American Airlines explained. With the class currently and was a member of the United being held after school, Tuesdays States Air Force. He founded the through Thursdays, students have club to help fight the current pilot the time to go further in depth with Flight Club touring a Sea Stallion helicopter. Photo courtesy of Tanuj Solanki shortage and to teach students how whatever topic they are currently to fly. Mr. Deboskey explained, studying or reading about. “There are two reasons why I’m doing this. I really like teaching In this class, members learn everything there is to know about about flying. Another thing, there’s a lot of opportunity in planes, from the parts to the buttons in the cockpit. Students today’s world for people interested in aviation.”
HUMANS OF SUNCOAST
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I joined the Chargerettes this year, because I wanted to try something new. Being a Chargerette is harder than it looks, because it is difficult and demanding. People don’t realize how much work it is and how it conflicts with school. I like being on a team like this because I get to build relationships with other students. In college I would definitely like to do either dance or cheer.”
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My family travels a lot. I haven’t been anywhere out of the country, but my favorite cities in the country are Chicago and Washington D.C. My family does road trips every year and I actually really like road trips even though other people don’t like being in the car for a long time. When you’re driving you get to see more and stop at random places you think are cool.”
Jalynn Lowry (11)
Elizabeth Fortini (12)
Marvin Leville (12)
James Aurilio (12)
I remember when my brother and I were younger he used to give me his hand-me-downs, and at first I used to think hand me downs? That’s weird but he used to give me the coolest hand-me-downs ever and I remember going to school and showing it off to everyone and thinking I was the coolest person alive. I always thought of being just like my brother because he was cool obviously and I looked cool to everyone else.”
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Not many people make it to meme-hood. I’m part of the minority in the U.S. that will eventually gain representation. It’s a double edged sword. I feel like I’m dehumanized, but at the same time, also ascended. But a meme’s an icon, so I’m iconic. Memes are essentially not human, but they’re an expression of the human condition, which brings me to a state above humanity but also apart from it. I basically talk way more than I need to.”
Suncoast High School
Feature 15
TO BE A CHAMPION
Competing in dog agility shows is harder than one thinks. Dayalis Zamora In April of 2012, Junior Haley Kvarnberg Feature Editor competed at her first dog agility show with
Kvarnberg has fallen in love with this pastime to such an extent that dog shows will remain a part of her life plans, and her first Shetland sheepdog, Duncan. Five more closely, college. “My college plans revolve around not only years later, Kvarnberg has gone on to win multiple awards and the best schools, but where the closest dog show arenas and participated in dozens of shows. training sites are. Once I age out for Her biggest accomplishment, the European Open Junior, I hope however, is perhaps the fact to make it on to the European Open, that, for the second year in a which is composed of just adults.” row, Kvarnberg has been chosen Kvarnberg said that what most to compete on an international keeps her going is the excitement level, representing the United and the adrenaline rush that States of America. surfaces from competing on both The dog agility shows are a national and international level. courses in which an astute, Dog agility shows, although are not trained dog and their handlers as widely recognized as other wellmust work together in order established sports, remains a fixture to complete the course with no of her life that will always grant her faults. As with most sports, this her drive, her passion, and the will kind of training requires time, to keep pushing forward. effort, and most of all, arduous Junior Haley Kvarnbergand her dog participating at one of the obstacles. Haley Kvarnberg shared the practices to prepare for future events. unexpectedness of dog agility shows and the liberating feel of When asked about the chemistry that must exist between the it when she concluded, “I enjoy the people that support me at dog and its handler, Kvarnberg replied, “I believe it definitely shows, regardless if whether we are competitors or not, and the strengthens the bond with my dog as running clean (meaning rush of energy and adrenaline I feel when I step to the line every with no faults) is a team effort. Starting from puppyhood (eight time with my dog, Rider. At competitions, he is much faster and weeks) up until it is time to retire (11-12 years), agility dogs and excited than he is at practice so it is definitely exhilarating to their handlers must work, not only to practice the obstacles, but try and keep up with him and handle to the best of my ability.” to also try new skills that might appear in courses.”
RIDING HIS WAY OUT
All he needed was a rainy New Years Eve and a best friend to get it started. Yana Rankine While some are out Editor in Chief celebrating, and drinking
apple cider the night before New Years Eve, Sophomore Jack Bauman took the gloomy weather as inspiration to make skateboards. “We sat up all night in my garage cutting out boards and making design ideas and everything and we stayed up all night long and made our first skateboard. Since then we started to make even more and both of us got pretty good at it, and even to this day we make skateboards,” Bauman said. After that night, Bauman continued to pursue his newfound hobby. Currently, he makes longboard designs since he has since shied away from trick skating, or boards that are lighter than skateboards that are made to do tricks on. “Me and my friend started out free forming it, and eventually developed our own style. Most of the time its completely from scratch. We’ll buy our supplies and our wood and we’ll draw our own outlines and make our own dimensions and go from there.” According to Bauman, making skateboards are not as intimidating as it might seem. He
approximated around fifty dollars are spent to buy parts from the skate shop to the wood at the hardware shop. “A lot of time I’ll make a longboard design, cause I don’t really do too much trick skating anymore. I’ve given some away and sold some in the past,” Bauman said. Bauman usually spends a day to make a board, like he did on that rainy New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately, the story does not end there. In his case, first time is not always a charm when it came to making his first board. “The first skateboard we made was good, except the first time I used it, it snapped in half and scraped up all my arms and all my legs, so we had to go back to my garage to fix the board,” Bauman said. He looks back at his mistakes as means of improvement. The demands of his classes and other extracurriculars hinders him from making boards as frequently as he used to. “I don’t know if I’ll ever start a business building skateboards, but it’s definitely will be something that I’ll keep doing, especially because it costs a lot less to make your own instead of buying a $400 board from the shop.”
GET STOKED. Sophomore Jack Bauman shows off his moves on one of the boards he made. photo by Yana Rankine
LIFESTYLE
To DIY for
Instead of wasting time going to the store, and buying expensive fun-filled eggs, why not do it yourself? Simrun Waghray As Easter comes around, it is hard to pick a new and innovative activity to enjoy with friends and family. While we enjoy cracking smelly eggs over the heads of our loved ones, they might not Website Editor enjoy it as much as we do. With this DIY, you can break eggs in a way that is fun for everyone. This DIY is from http://ohhappyday.com.
Easter Edition: Confetti Eggs Supplies: - Raw eggs
- Glue
- Egg dye
- Pin/Needle
- Confetti/gold glitter
- Scissors
- Tissue paper
- Bleach
Directions: 1. Using your sewing pin, poke a single, small hole at the top an egg. 2. Open up a larger hole at the bottom of the larger part of an egg. 3. Let the egg drain out of the larger hole into a bowl, blowing the residue out through the small pin hole in the top of the egg. 4. Rinse the egg shell, add a little bleach to get rid of the egg smell, and allow it to dry. 5. Use dye to color the eggshell, and allow it to dry thoroughly. 6. Fill the egg about halfway with confetti, or whatever you decide to put inside (use a funnel if needed). 7. Cut a piece of tissue paper slightly larger in size than the egg’s hole. 8. Glue the paper to the edges of the hole.
photo source: www.ohhappyday.com
Now go and break these eggs on your friends’ heads!
Suncoast High School
Lifestyle 17
PREPARING FOR THE AP EXAM
AP exams are coming up fast, so it is important for you to be prepared and ready with tips and advice to take that W. As the school year is slowly coming to an Sam Powers end, most students are thinking of summer Staff Writer
plans and the activities that summer will bring. There is one thing that students always want to forget about when it comes to the end of the school year, and that is AP exams. Every student at Suncoast does not take an AP exam during their first year of high school, and that is okay. For those who have never taken an AP exam before, there are tips to help prepare for the exam, and college board has even posted what to bring and what not to bring to the testing room that day. For those individuals who have a hard time with traditional or basic study habits there are non-traditional study patterns that may work for them and help them pass their exams. Students who are more advanced or cannot concentrate easily have their own study tips or habits that they do to help them focus on the material more. Some study tips include going over the material at night, and repeating it out loud to yourself, studying in groups or even one-on-one with someone who has the same course and is preparing for the same test as you, also playing classical music while the individual studies, being in a clean environment, having something to snack on while they are studying to keep them moving and alert, and also making up acronyms and having little study breaks every 15 to 20 minutes. It is said that the way an individual approaches a study session, it will affect the individual during their time that they spent studying. So, if a student goes into a study session, wanting to pass their exam, the time they spent studying will pay off because they are putting effort into their grades. Each person has different study habits and when it comes to AP exams and tests in general, it is important to find which study habit suits them and their attention spans.
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During the exam and general test taking tips:
-Preview test content -Answer all of the multiple choice questions -Think of possible answers before blindly guessing -Answer what you know first
For preparing for the exam: -Take multiple practice tests (to get accustomed to the question types) -Make a practice run (to get accustomed to the time that the exam is running for) -Do memory work (i.e refreshers) -Have backup batteries prepared and ready to go (for any calculators that are needed) -Be involved in study groups, sometimes going over the same material can offer new tweaks in the way you study for a test The AP study guides are very helpful to use as far as preparing for the exam goes
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Lifestyle 18
Suncoast High School
WHEN YOU SEE YOUR MEME... Everyone has a zodiac, along with a meme best fit for them. Kaiden Buscemi Staff Writer
Most teenagers are connected to the rest of the world through the internet. Any teen who is active on social media has probably come into contact with both memes and zodiac signs. Both are used for teens across the world to relate their problems and laugh about them. Memes help to make light of issues in and outside of school. In some way, the two can be easily connected in a humourous manner. For each zodiac sign, a common meme from 2016 and 2017 can be assigned based on the characteristics, as well as flaws, that best describe that sign. Aries: Represented by a ram’s head, they are usually very outgoing, bold, complex, and adventurous. Aries can often let their pride and strength get to their head, so the Harambe meme best represents their fierce qualities and seriousness. Much like Harambe, Aries have every quality to be the king of the jungle.
Scorpio: The scorpion represents Scorpios, which are very powerful signs, with wise, passionate, and rebellious characteristics. This meme shows how moody they can be. They are upset easily, and a bit stern when it comes to forgiveness. Scorpios, however, are great friends to have, despite their strong personality type.
Taurus: Taurus is represented by the bull, and they are typically calm and reserved. The Sponge Bob meme shows how they can also be very emotionally conflicted, and often seek out reassurance. They can be confused easily, and often prefer to act lazy, but like Sponge Bob, have great persistence when seeking what they want.
Sagittarius: Sagittarius’s symbol is the archer. They are thrill seekers, idealistic, and wise. The Cash Me Outside meme shows how tough and free they are. Although they are very funny, and sometimes make mistakes, they know what they want in life and they are not afraid to do what is best to take care of themselves.
Gemini: Gemini’s are represented by twins. They are very explorative, knowledgeable, and talkative. This meme easily brings out their thinking skills. Gemini’s are very intelligent, and they are not afraid to voice their opinions or often creative ideas. They know what is up, and they often see the surface of situations. Leo: The lion represents Leos, who are good at leading others and are very charismatic. This meme shows off how salty they can be and how they always feel the need to know everything, despite when they know they are mistaken. Leos have great personalities, but may come off as strong and bossy. Virgo: Virgos, represented by the virgin, are usually very caring, successful, creative, and typically follow good ethics. The math meme shows how well they are at making good choices and following what they believe in, after thinking it through as if it were a complicated math equation of course. Libra: Represented by scales, Libras are typically easy-going, can relate to others, and are peaceful, though they are extremely indecisive. The Gavin meme accurately shows how bad they are at making concrete decisions, since typically, they are extremely conflicted and unbiased.
Capricorn: Capricorns are represented by the goat, and are very adventurous and hardworking. The Kermit the Frog meme shows their inner pride and strength, as well as their great thinking skills. They, contrary to other signs, are good at making decisions, and usually know what is going on when others do not. Aquarius: The symbol for Aquarius is the water bearer. They are usually innovative, creative, and unique. Arthur’s meme demomstrates their strength and leadership, and shows how they can get frustrated when caught up in their creativity and ideas. Like this meme, Aquarius’s can grow both very stubborn and opinionated. Cancer: Cancers are represented by the crab, and are usually very emotional, compassionate, and insecure. The Crying Jordan meme represents their moody and deeply sensitive side. It shows best how they can feel unwanted, and always seek to be loved by and considerate towards others. Pisces: Pisces are represented by two fish, amd are very talented. The Mr. Krabs meme shows how sensitive and confused they can be at times, and how much energy they have, often spent day dreaming and seeking security among others. Like Mr. Krabs, they enjoy their security.
Suncoast High School
Lifestyle 19
THE EPITOME OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR The true hate for double negatives is unbecoming. Genesis Griffin Staff Writer
W
e all have that one kid that chews their gum way too loud in class, making you just go ballistic. Pet peeves sometimes causes us to become emotionally unstable and makes us lose our marbles. Many people have a plethora of pet peeves including when people are late, people who say “ew” to the food on you are eating, people who eat food off your plate, hearing people bite their nails, line cutters and even double negatives. Alexandra Jones explained that double negatives makes her cringe as well as grammatical errors such as their, there, and they’re. Baihley Grandison, staff writer of the Writer’s D i g e s t wrote in h e r
article “If You Use Double Negatives in Your Writing, You’re Not Incorrect” stated, “Double negatives get a bad rap in the writing world— as generally, they should. We’ve all been taught to avoid phrases like “She didn’t like no one,” or “He never said nothing,” because they are unwieldy and confusing and in fact mean the opposite (“She likes everyone,” “He said something”) of what they appear to.” Sophomore Antonio Ramsey explained that he cannot stand people that eat with their mouth open. “It’s disgusting when people chew their mouth open. It’s not only unattractive but it’s not good,” Ramsey stated. Ramsey is not the only person that cannot stand loud chewing. Senior Jones also has major hate for loud “smacking” of food. Liat Kornowski, staff writer of The Huffingtion Post said that loud chewing is the most annoying pet peeve known to mankind. What causes the annoyance is the sound that is created when the mouth is left agape
during the muscle
m o v e m e n t of the jaw. Another pet peeve that both Jones and Ramsey share is the displeasure they feel when hit with bad breath. Ramsey refuses to surround himself with those who have bad breath. “On the list of things I cannot stand, bad breath is the worst of them all. I can’t seem to concentrate when someone with bad breath is near me,” Jones joked. Bad breath expert Dr. Harold Katz stated that it is statistically proven that the U.S. that 50 percent of citizens have bad breath and 90 percent of United States citizens suffer from halitosis. Even though
Ramsey “tries” to separate himself, he cannot seem to get away… Jones included. There are other major pet peeves that drive people nuts such as coughing without covering the mouth, but there are also some pet peeves that are just silly. “I hate when people walk with their shoes untied,” Ramsey stated. Another ridiculous pet peeve is the sound of too much spit in someone’s mouth when they talk. Pet peeves alters the way we perceive situations that causes people to become irate and want to blow.
photo source: weathlylifestylehq
SPORTS Kristaps Porzingis 7’ 3”
THE ‘IT’ DEPARTMENT Isaiah Thomas, at 5’ 9”, has become a force to reckon with this season in the NBA. Players in the NBA are tall. That should not come as a surprise to anyone who has seen one. In fact, the average height in the NBA is 6’ 7”. Of the 411 All-Stars that have played in the league since its start in 1946, 29 have been taller than seven feet tall. Going down that list, though, past Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley all the way to the bottom, there is someone interesting. At the very bottom of the list, standing at 5’ 9” is Isaiah Thomas. For those who do not follow the NBA, Isaiah Thomas might not be a household name. For anyone who has seen a Boston Celtics game over the past two years, the situation could not be any different. Isaiah Thomas is averaging almost 30 points a game, coming on the heels of a streak of 41 20-point games that saw him cement his name in Celtic history, edging out eight time NBA champion and 13 time All-Star John Havlicek’s record and earning him his second All-Star call-up. Yet standing at just 5’ 9”, Isaiah Thomas is tied as the NBA’s shortest current player. Drafted as the last pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, Isaiah Thomas was picked behind six players who were immediately sent to the D-League and have never played a minute in the NBA. Thomas made an impact in his first year with the Kings, though, averaging over 11 points a game. After only three seasons in Sacramento, Thomas was traded to the Phoenix Suns, who traded him to Boston the next season. As a Celtic, Isaiah Thomas finally became explosive. After helping take the Celtics to the playoffs in his first season in Boston, Thomas earned an All-Star call-up in his second season with the team, as he guided
Alex Levine Sports Editor
Kevin Durante 6’ 9”
Steph Curry 6’ 3”
Isaiah Thomas
it to yet another playoff appearance. Credited with the Celtics resurgence as an increasingly championship viable team, Thomas’s record this breaking performances this year have put him at the forefront of an NBA headlined by massively tall players, including 6’ 10” Anthony Davis and 7’ 3” Kristaps Porzingis. Isaiah Thomas is by no means the only short player to succeed in the NBA, though. Nate Robinson, at 5’ 9”, won a record three NBA Slam Dunk Contest titles, putting him ahead of some of the game’s greatest players, including Michael Jordan and KobeBryant. Yet, Nate Robinson and Isaiah Thomas would have towered over the game’s shortest ever player, Muggsy Bogues, who stood a stout 5’ 3”. Bogues, who played for 14 seasons in the NBA from 1987 to 2001, was often comically portrayed with
teammate Manute Bol, the NBA’s tallest ever player, standing at 7’ 7”. On the court, though, Bogues was anything but comical. Averaging 7.6 assists per game, Bogues intense athleticism, matched with his reportedly 44inch vertical leap, meant t h a t despite h i s height
disparity, he still managed to block 39 shots over his carreer, including one from the 7’ 0” and 11 time AllStar Patrick Ewing. Plenty of athletes give the inspirational message to work hard, keep pushing, and the reward will eventually come. Isaiah Thomas stands as the true example of that. Years of hard work and practice have made him the face of a franchise with one of the brightest futures in the NBA. Thomas stands as proof that if you work hard enough, size does not always matter.
Isaiah Thomas “I don’t see height. I just, I figure out a way. I’ve been doing it my whole life. But I don’t feel small. I feel as big as everybody else.”
Suncoast High School
ABOVE THE RIM
Sports 21
For the fifth consecutive year, the Suncoast basketball team led by Coach Powell has won the district championship. The Chargers basketball Jahnaezha McFadden team record for the season Staff Writer
is 21-6. Winning the district championships for the fifth year in a row has shown this, and according to Coach Powell, they are not done yet: “It feels good, but the boat does not dock there. We are looking to go further.” Going into the season, Coach Powell’s main strategy was to teach the younger players how to play as a team, which was also one of the biggest challenges of the season. “It was more about individuals over the team,” Sophomore Torrian Andrews said. However, over time they developed a strong relationship. This was achieved through practice, hard work, and coming up with different ways for the team to bond. They went to different out of town tournaments and began to move on from just being a team to building a friendship. Time commitment was also a big part in their journey to the championship. It took long hours and dedication, which sometimes even took up their weekends. The team would practice Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from three to five o’clock and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from five thirty to seven o’clock. Although the sport is very time consuming, the players did not allow it to affect their school work. “It was kind of hard in the beginning, but with time management and cutting down on social media and other activities I managed to do it,” Sophomore Maximus Fulton said. The road to district champs was not an easy one. A lot of work and sweat went into it. The boys practiced constantly and continuously and made up new plays to try and switch it up. A few players were even hurt in the process. Players Sophomore
photo courtesy twicopy.org
photo courtesy of www.wilson.com
Jakobe Cox and Sophomore Torrian Andrews were both injured with a sprained ankle and sprained knee cap, but they did not let it stop them from supporting their team members and wanting to do better next season.“I want to stay more focused and involved on the court, become a better leader, communicate with my teammates better, and overall work hard,” Andrews said of his plans for next season. They continued to attend every practice and game even though they could not play so they would not fall behind. For many of the players, this was not the first time winning or being on a basketball team. Some played for ten or more years, while others played for four. A couple of the team members are even on both school and traveling teams, but they all agreed that basketball was more than a sport to them: it was a passion. “Basketball is my passion. I always wanted to play it and I always wanted to play for Suncoast,” Cox said. In addition to both Andrews and Cox getting back on the court, seniors Marvin Levielle and Jake Knorr have played their last game for the Suncoast basketball team. Co-captains Knorr and Levielle’s hard work and dedication motivated the younger players to do better and and work better as a team.“They brought leadership and a sense of hard work and urgency, so it will be kind of hard to fill that void,” Andrews said. Looking for players to replace them next season will be a difficult task for Coach Powell, but he plans to try his best. When searching for new players, Powell is looking for boys that play hard, and work well as a team. This permits for team to be cooperative and successful.
Suncoast varsity players and coaches after their win for distict championship for the fifth time in a row.
Suncoast High School
Sports 22
SALVO TO STATES Boys’ Volleyball players share thoughts on the new season. March signals the peak of the boys’ Tian Yang Ji volleyball season. All of its members, J.V. and Staff Writer
their greatest strengths. Yet, the two players have surprisingly different answers as to what they are great at. varsity alike, have been trying their hardest to “Our coach is mainly focusing on our defense since our make this year the best it has ever been; players, like senior hitting isn’t as strong this year, so we do a lot of defensive Christopher Rice, have nothing but a shower of praise for the drills,” Rice said. Unlike varsity, Phan stresses that the team this year. teamwork of J.V. is their greatest asset. Going off on Rice, a veteran of varsity, expressed high hopes for this their friendship and sense of unified communication lets season. “I am pretty confident in the team,” he said. Asserting everyone play and work together. Of course, while each team confidence is an important factor for a successful team. has their own strengths, it is important to recognize aspects to Equally as confident is sophomore Justin Phan, a improve on as well. The J.V. may work well as a unit, veteran on the J.V. team. Namely, he has noticed an but according to Phan, their shot calling could use some improvement in the technique of J.V. this year. Clear more practice. On the varsity team, Rice supposed that to him are the individual gains of its players. “I while defense may be strong this year, hitting could feel like this year we have really good hitters, our use some improvement. setters are really good, we’re starting to practice a Players come and go every year for every sport, and lot,” he said. boys’ volleyball is no exception. Reeling from the loss Naturally, a determined team comes with big of star player Austin Reinhart last year, varsity has been goals. “Our ultimate goal is to definitely go to states trying to reclaim his glory. “Oh, he could play all the way like we did last year and see how well we do there,” Rice around the court and he was our strongest hitter,” Rice said. said. Shooting for a seat on the state bracket is no easy Making his mark last year by being a member of the 2016 task, however. Although varsity was able to beat Boca Spring All-Conference Team, Reinhart now goes to UCF. High in states last year with a close match, they fell With the headliner of last year out of the picture, a new to Miami Killian High School. With those memories one must come to take the pedestal. “I think the star player in mind, analyzing the competition has become more this year is Ethan Fogt,” Rice proclaimed. The senior is also important than ever. a veteran of the varsity team. “He has the most experience “I would say Boca and Cardinal Gibbon look like so he knows how to play against tougher opponents.” the strongest teams this year,” Rice figured. Likewise, Measuring up to the current roster will be no easy feat Phan said that Park Vista will be their fiercest rival for aspiring players, and Coach Louis, instructor of varsity, this year. has a few choice words for them. “Expectations are high, so photo courtesy of Lending to their confidence is their recognition of Duane Long come out, be ready to hustle hard, play hard,” he said.
ON THE RUN The Suncoast Track Team is off to a great start. Patrick Brannen In the spring during track Staff Writer
season, you wonder who will return and what new talent will rise to the occasion. As this season began, major contributing members for the boy’s and girl’s team have graduated.With a relatively young team, how will they fare throughout this season? The track team is off to a great start to the 2017 season. The first track meet was on Friday at 4pm on February 17, 2017 at Suncoast. As the meet went on, Suncoast Chargers dominated the whole day in every event, especially the boy’s and girl’s running team. The girl’s running team achieved first place, thus establishing their dominance throughout the meet. In addition, the boy’s running team also achieved first place in multiple running events. In the Boy’s and Girl’s Shot-put, the Girl’s Suncoast throwing team did very well and the Boy’s Suncoast throwing team got second place, showing all schools in the area that the Suncoast throwing team is not to be taken lightly.
“The objective of this meet is to get a feel for a track meet and help our new members get more accustomed to the track meet environment,” Coach Henry and Scott said. After the meet it was clear that the running teams are off to a great start to the season, establishing dominance early. In addition, the throwing team is starting off at a high level, and the new members in the Track and Field team are already making an impact. “I definitely want to qualify in the 1600m and with the 4x800 team for states.I also want to break the school record with my girls 4x800m relay team. And qualifying for the 800m for states would be like the icing on the cake for me. Along this process I want to enjoy every moment since it is my last high school season, and I want to make the best of it with my teammates and coaches,” track captain Senior Annie Allmark said. With everything established at the track meet, the Suncoast Track and Field team is showing that they are a key threat in the road to regionals and beyond to other teams, with bigger goals soon approaching.
photo courtesy of Duane Long
Leadership in full form. Senior Annie Allmark sprinted across the finish line at a track meet.
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