2018 Issue 3 - The Legend

Suncoast Community High School

Volume 22 Issue 3|December 2018

pages 12-13

The Staff

Adviser Traci Lowe Editor-in-Chief Jahnaezha McFadden Managing Editor Meghan McGlone Business Manager Meghan McGlone News Editor Zarin Ismail Lifestyle Editor Kaiden Buscemi Features Editor Anika McGetchin Opinion Editor Jahnaezha McFadden Sports Editor Shivani Shah Design Editor Kenjela Mullings Copy Editor Yashna Chowdhury Website Managers Zarin Ismail, Shivani Shah Social Media Manager Samantha Powers, Adrianna Estrada Staff Writers Diana Devine, Samirah Abellard, Jack Swank, Keelie Hanley, Bryanie Daza, Jessy Aramouni

About Us

“The Legend” is a newsmagazine produced entirely by Suncoast students from all grade levels.

We publish six issues per year, 3 each semester. 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.

Do You Have A Business?

Advertise with us! Stop by room 3-117 or check out our website for more information.

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Follow Us On Instagram: @shsthelegend Add Us On Snapchat: @shsthelegend Check Out Our Website: shsthelegend.com

CONT

News

HONOR FLIGHT 5 CHAOS IN CAL 6

Features

CHANGE 12 THE NEXT BIG THING 15

Opinion POP-LITICS 9

THEY COME IN FLOCKS 10

Lifestyle

YEAR OF REFLECTION 19 SEASONAL CINEMA 20

Sports LAX TO THE MAX 21 HIGH EXPECTATIONS 23

TENTS

4 News

Suncoast’s Annual Heritage Assembly Several students are preparing for their performances in the Heritage Assembly.

Maya Calderon Staff Writer

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he Heritage Assembly is a performance put on by fellow Suncoast students; its goal is to appreciate and celebrate the different heritages many students share. A few countries involved in the show are India, Indonesia, America, Korea and the region of Latin America. The assembly takes place on Feb. 1 in the auditorium during school, as well as that night. Students perform traditional dances from specific countries or regions in order to demonstrate the culture and entertain the audience.

Normally while these dances are being presented, slideshows presenting various pictures of that place along with various celebrities are displayed.

Christian Cabeza, a sophomore participating in Latin America’s performance said, “I’m very excited because I get to see how far I’ve come from learning those basic dance moves… to more complicated ones that involve more complex moves.”

Not only do students that watch these performances get to learn more about the different cultures from all around the world, but the performers

themselves get to experience the heritage they are presenting in a new way and learn more about it. Numerous genres of dance are incorporated throughout the show as well as different styles of music and scenery.

Archi Patel, a senior who has been doing the Heritage Assembly since her freshman year said, “As a participant it’s given me the opportunity to learn about different cultures and how they express art, dance and music.”

There is mandatory practice for every participant to make sure all the routines are organized and complete.

Some students will even make their own music for the show by mixing numerous popular songs that coincide with their heritage. Along with the show itself, during lunch in the courtyard different festivities take place.

“Each day is dedicated to a world region… during lunch we have activities pertaining to that region have musical chairs with ethnic music.” In addition to the fact students are able to learnmore about different cultures, they are also given opportunity to help out countries in need

photo of Dayalis Zamora in last year’s assembly, courtesty of Caitlyn Walker

Patel said. “This year we’re fundraising for the Philippines to support youth education and impoverished areas,”continued Patel.

The assembly also focused on countries and cultures that are not as popular throughout school.

Eduardo Carrascal, a senior, said, “What I’m really most excited about is to just show people our culture basically… of Peru. We’re kinda like a small minority like of photo of Geneisis Griffin (left), Rebecca Imru (middle) and Vani Nair (right), courtesy of Caitlynall the Hispanics, but hopefully Walker people see how people really are [in Peru] and how festive we are.”

By presenting a traditional dance of Peru, Carrascal and the other performers are able to express their culture and get more students to be aware of their heritage. The Heritage Assembly is a good way for students to be exposed to the different cultures and heritages that their fellow classmates share.

5 News

VIRTUAL HONOR FLIGHT

Virtual Flight Takes Place in the VA Hospital Jan. 26

Keelie Hanley Staff Writer

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onor Flight is a donation and volunteer based organization that makes it their mission to honor the veterans who fought for this country by taking them to Washington D.C. to see and explore the memorials dedicated to the wars in which they served.

However, there are veterans who are forced to miss out on this opportunity due to physical limitations and declining health, making it so that they cannot physically go on a flight. Thus, Suncoast will be hosting a virtual honor flight at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital on Jan. 26. It is Suncoast’s mission to be able to honor these veterans by giving them a day that they will never forget.

“Earlier in the year, students went on an honor flight and filmed the experience. We are going to show the veterans this experience, a real flight. We are hoping to make this day as special as possible for them.

The band, chorus, as well as the cheerleaders are going to perform at the flight as well,” Honor Flight Club Vice President Rileigh Hanley said.

In order to make this flight a successful one, student volunteers are needed. To make this flight a reality with the quality that these veterans deserve, a lot of preparations need to be taken care of, such as decoration creation, set up and student guardians. Becoming a student guardian is an important

job, as the students are tasked with looking after their veterans by taking care of any needs that they may have and speaking with them.

“Student volunteers are an important part of what we are trying to do because these veterans sacrificed and have had friends die so that we could have the freedoms we have here, and they feel that their sacrifices have been wasted because students don’t learn about the wars anymore. Student volunteers have the ability to shatter this perspective,” Honor Flight Sponsor and IB history teacher David Traill said.

Speaking with them may not seem like an important job, but it makes them feel special. Many of the veterans in the VA hospital do not receive visitors, so having someone to talk to is a very much needed change of pace for them.

Listening to their stories of their experiences would be beneficial to students as well as therapeutic to these veterans, as many believe that the younger generations has little appreciation for their sacrifices.

The ability to rid the veterans of these fears and give them the honor and appreciation that they deserve is necessary and much needed. To pick up a volunteer form, contact Mr. Traill in room 3-117. photo courtesy of the VA hospital

photo by Keelie Hanley

This is the welcome that greeted veterans when they arrived at Suncoast’s first virtual flight last year.

This is Korean war Veteran Harold Schien who was on the October Honor Flight many Suncoast p e r s o n n e l attended.

He is in front of the Air Force memorial, which is one of the memorials that they veternas who attend the virtual flight will see as well.

This is the West Palm Beach VA hospital, which is where the virtual flight will take place.

6 News

CHAOS IN CAL

The story of California’s most recent wildfires.

Joe Bonevento Staff Writer

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amp Fire, the deadly wildfire which has wreaked havoc in the northern counties of California over the last month was finally contained on November 25, 2018, according to officials. Due to the amount of damage, lives lost, and total land covered, Camp Fire is now considered to be the deadliest and most destructive fire in California’s history. ABC stated that, “The Camp Fire has destroyed 13,972 residences and 528 commercial buildings as it burned 153,336 acres, according to the latest Cal Fire incident report. At least 296 people remain unaccounted for, according to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.”

The Washington Post reports that Camp Fire’s origins laid in the Sierra Nevada foothills with high temperatures, strong winds, and parched vegetation which all contributed to the fire’s spread. The cause of the fire is still unknown. The fire soon made its way to Butte county

in California on November 8, 2018. The fire attacked Butte county over the next two weeks with three firefighters injured.

The bravery of the firefighters was helped by a surplus of rain, which fell on the sixteenth and seventeenth. In southern California, the Woolsey fire wreaked havoc in a nearly identical time frame to Camp Fire. According to ABC News the Woolsey fire started on the same day as Camp Fire and spent the better part of the month tearing through the wealthy communities Los Angeles and Malibu. The Woolsey fire was contained by firefighters just days before Camp Fire ended.

Many generous people have donated to the cause of helping the people who have been displaced out, including the relatives of Junior, Ian Collomb.

“My uncle and aunt actually live (in California).” He added, “They decided to go south and help out with the

lack of food during these hard times.”

Very few people who live in Florida know how it feels to experience a wildfire. Junior Paul Czerniak said that in the event of a wildfire he would: “...follow the procedures laid out by the government.”He also added that he would “...try to protect his family.” Collomb would try to follow in the footsteps of his relatives if he were to be in a wildfire, stating that he would give aid to those stranded and those who have lost their home and that he would “help out any way I can.”

The Washington Post reports that President Donald Trump believes that the state of California is ultimately responsible for the fire, as he thinks they inadequately managed their forrest and possibly could yank federal funding from the state. However, California officials refute this, contending that the fire occurred due to record-high temperatures

EGYPTIAN WOMEN AT WORK Three Egyptian women are making huge advancements in science.

Shivani Shah Website Manager/Sports Editor

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hree Egyptian scientists: Marwa Balaha, Dr. Noha Mostafa and Dr. Amira El-Yazbi were awarded at the 2018 L’Oréal-UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) For Women in Science Awards Ceremony for their immense research and contributions to science.

The three women joined other scientists all over the world to celebrate achievements in various scientific fields made by women .

Attendees of the ceremony include Sahar Nasr, the Egyptian Minister of Investment and International Cooperation; Benoit Julia, the Managing Director of L’Oréal Egypt; the Academy of Science; the National Council of Women and top government officials.

Sophomore Basem Ghobrial, who was born in Egypt himself, described how “the work of these three scientists is such a big deal for Egypt. They are representing Egypt in a positive light to the rest of the world.”

Balaha, one of the winners, is a pharmacist and a chemist. She used new compound cells to combat cancer.

It acts as a poison to specifically treat

lung cancer. She also created a specimen linking the shape of normal cells to the shape of cancerous cells in the lungs.

A teaching assistant and researcher, Mostafa, examined the components of various medicines and their properties.

She hopes to one day create easier ways to observe these components.

El-Yazbi, an analytical pharmaceutical chemistry researcher and an assistant

DNA is quite difficult and expensive, but it is extremely important to find these irregularities beforehand to prevent complications and death.

While women in Egypt do have the right to work, they usually do not hold a job willingly. They only work if they need to better provide for their families. For these three scientists to win such prestigious awards is quite a big deal. The work of Balaha, Mustafa and El-Yazbi goes out to show other Egyptian women, and even women all over the world, that science is not a closed field; it is open to everyone.

Ghobrial hopes that “their achievements could be used as a way to improve and promote education in Egypt. A better education could prompt more young Egyptian girls to study hard and work in fields of their choice rather than at factories.”

FLAG OF EGYPT The Eagle of Saladin in the center of the The L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women flag represents power and strength. photo source: Wikimedia Commons in Science began 19 years ago in hopes of bringing more attention female scientists and help professor at Alexandria University, to accomplish their goals. researched easier and more affordable them ways to detect irregularities in the DNA. Currently, detecting irregularities in the

7 Opinions

PROTECTING FREE FREE SPEECH SPEECH PROTECTING Free speech and press is needed to induce change.

Meghan McGlone & Zarin Ismail Managing Editor & News Editor

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ournalists act as the intermediary between the public and the institution. School newspapers generally aim to report what happens in school, but also communicate students and faculties’ sentiments toward the school’s system, which is why censoring or discouraging either of these voices can inhibit change, education and the freedom of speech.

Journalists seek the opinions of the public and the opinions of professionals, which is why student journalists value the words of teachers and faculty; however, student journalists have noticed that these professionals often become apprehensive when asked about sensitive issues, especially regarding budgets, violence and sex education.

Teachers and faculty may be wary of giving input for the school newspaper because of the weight of their words on students and how they may potentially influence students. The adults in the school system are a source of guidance for every student, and they do not want to abuse their responsibilities and give their opinion on matters that can skew the student body’s opinion; however, their input is necessary to inspire change in schools.

“Any change that we actually have does come from the students,” Math Department Head Randall Oddi said.

Another major factor holding teachers and administrators back may be the potential disciplinary actions if they speak out against the school board.

“Between entitlement of parents and students and the current educational witch-hunt, it needs to be understood that our careers could be put in jeopardy just from hearsay...” IB and AP teacher Tara-Marie Baruch commented.

This instance occurred last October to teachers in Richmond, Virginia, who rallied together for the right to speak freely regarding classroom and school issues such as funding, violence and classroom materials. This was because their school board, Richmond City Public Schools, was trying to “quiet” them, according to 8News in Richmond. The school district stated that the teachers and administrators should not feel this way and that they support “all employees right to free speech,” but this has not made employees any more comfortable with speaking freely.

Student journalists can become equally discouraged by the wariness of teachers and faculty, as they cannot go further with sensitive discussion in the newspaper without the permission and acceptance of educators. Permission is exceptionally important here as well, as schools can hold back and censor newspapers, as decided by the Supreme Court case Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier in 1988.

This decision has caused almost all school newspapers to be subject to prior review and even censorship by administrators if they have “educational justification” with a neutral viewpoint.

Due to this, school newspapers often have to carefully pick and choose what has to be said, and many edits are made along the way to ensure that all of the legalities are properly handled.

Although there are aspects of the student body and school environment that may need change, adjustments cannot be made without the participation of the teachers and faculty. When teachers opt out of giving input on something they do agree with but are too cautious to speak out, social progress in school is stunted. The sole purpose of a school newspaper is to convey

the emotion and thought of the student body. The student journalists’ efforts go unrecognized when their work is constantly regulated and delayed by the apprehensiveness of teachers.

“Much of it has to deal with the fact that you are publishing to minors in high school...” Baruch added.

When administrators show leniency towards the actions of student journalists, these students can become powerful tools for change. For instance, one of Suncoast’s own articles regarding school taxes elicited changes for certain classes. The article mentioned a lack of optional textbooks that the students used frequently, which brought attention towards the issue.

Student staff writers want to entertain and educate their fellow peers. There are many student grievances that deserve to be heard and one of the few ways they can be acknowledged is through the school newspaper. With the help of the school administration, change in the school can be imminent. art by: Claire King

“Any change that we actually have does come from the students.”

- Randall Oddi

8 Opinions

POP-LITICS POP-LITICS Pop artists make a statement about the world’s politics.

Zarin Ismail News Editor/Website Manager

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ocial media has dominated the twenty-first century, initially consisting of online messengers and social networking sites. It has expanded into making profit off these services on platforms such as Youtube, Instagram and Snapchat. Artists have even gained recognition after posting song covers on the Internet.

The idea that celebrities gain recogniztion through mass media is known as “pop culture” and it is targeted towards audiences aged 18 and under. Now, these audiences have access to elections and determine the future of society.

Pop culture influencers, such as Korean supergroup BTS and American rapper Kanye West, are using their impact and integrating politics into their messages to convince their following to participate in the global mission to harmonize and unite for peace.

On Sep. 24, 2018, BTS attended the United Nations General Assembly, and leader RM gave a speech about self-love, a theme to their album series “Love Yourself” and how it can drive one into devotion for participation in global change.

“We have learned to love ourselves, so now I urge you to speak yourself.” RM said. “Tell me your story.

I want to hear your voice, and I want to hear your conviction.” The group initiated a campaign under UNICEF called “Love Myself” and earned over $1 million since the launch. All proceeds will go towards the protection of child and teen victims from violence. “[BTS is] one of the biggest groups in the world right now

ISDeciding UF THE WAY TO GO? which option is best for your future.

Shruti Jadala Staff Writer

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and taking advantage of their influence,” Kuasha Chowdhury said. “They are asking their fans to not only tune into their music, but other worldly issues such as violence and mental illnesses, and now they’re integrating fan culture into philanthropy.”

Kanye West moved past his solely musical persona and shared his political views with his fans. West is an avid Donald Trump supporter, posting photos of him donning the famous “Make America Great Again” hat and promoting President Trump’s agenda. West also gave an off-script rant on Saturday Night Live to show his support towards Trump and his resistance to hatred.

“Follow your heart and stop following your mind,” West said. “If you want the world to move forward, try love.” West continued his speech, stressing that people should not be so quick to hate, and should respect the opinions of others.

He felt “free” and voiced his concerns and desires to the American government on Twitter.

“Kanye is known for putting himself out there,” freshman Brandee Jones said. “With his energy and stubbornness, he will leave a lasting impression on his fans, the public, the news and everyone is bound to hear his perspective.”

These artists hope that their message of love can push the current generations to participate in political reform. With the world in the hands of young adults, the figures of pop culture may be one of the outlets to stirring up societal progress.

ith the forthcoming of college decision season, seniors are nervously anticipating what the next four years of their lives are going to look like.

For many high school students, especially students at Suncoast, the prospect of getting into college has been engraved into our minds since freshman year.

Many students see the University of Florida as a viable option for college.

In fact, UF is the school that a majority of Suncoast seniors end up going to.

With UF being rated one of the top public universities in the nation, it is no wonder there is such a strong rise in interested applicants each year.

Along with the implementation of Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success application, the total number of applicants has risen 18 percent from last year. UF has become more selective over the years, with its current acceptance rate of 36 percent in 2018.

Senior Robin Greenstein said “UF has really good academics and its reputation is improving greatly.”

Just as most other selective colleges, UF judges applicants based on a holistic approach, and not by focusing on a single aspect of the application In previous years, UF was seen as a college that was almost guaranteed to Suncoast students.

However, with the college administration become more “rigid” on their admissions, Suncoast students are now worried if they will be accepted.

Senior Tiffany Nong said, “It’s been my goal [to get into UF] since I’ve been here at Suncoast and I’m pretty nervous about hearing back.” Also, Senior Daniel Torres said, “Even though it seems like a long shot for me, I’m still trying to keep hope.”

As IB students receive Bright Futures through the Diploma Programme and some students have Florida Prepaid

to cover tuition and other specialized fees, the University of Florida seems like a financially responsible choice.

Since UF is a public university, the financial aid available is efficient in covering need-based expenses.

Overall, the University of Florida has numerous factors to consider just as many other colleges. Deciding which college and where you will spend the next four years of your life is unique for everyone. However, whatever decision or whichever school is chosen, the approach you make is crucial.

Century Tower at the University of Florida.

Photo source: commons.wikimedia.org

OUT WITH THE OLD IN WITH THE NEW Samirah Abellard

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lassic shows such as “Charmed” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” will always be remembered because their audiences could relate to the stories they told. “Charmed” ran for eight seasons, and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” ran for seven seasons, but it was a sad time for audience members when they learned that these beloved shows would be coming to an end. What made these shows popular was that it showed that a household could be run entirely by powerful women. They also conveyed the idea that women did not have to be afraid to speak up for what they believed to be right, and despite the magical qualities in the shows, they showed normal women who had the same desires and wants as any other mortal being.

The first episode of the original Charmed series aired on Oct.7, 1998 and lasted until May 21, 2006. The series focused on three sisters who lived their daily lives all while battling demons.

Piper Halliwell possessed the power to freeze time by slowing down molecules and she also had the power of combustion, which allowed her to speed up molecules in different objects.

Prudence Halliwell, the oldest of the bunch, had the power of astral projection and telekinesis while Phoebe, the youngest of the three, had the power of premonition, levitation and empathy. Together these three contained the greatest power of all-the power of three, and what made the show so popular was that it focused on family over the supernatural.

The first episode of the 2018 “Charmed” aired on the CW on Oct. 14 , and it has already received much criticism from critics and fans of the original series. The original series and this new reboot have some similarities, but they also have some minor differences. For instance, in this new 2018 reboot, the show began with two sisters-Mel and Maggie Vera, but the third sister is only revealed much later in the episode, after the death of their mother. The third sister Macy Vaughn, it turns out, is their half sister, and it seems a little strange that they accepted her so quickly into their home. Producers of this new series kept the same idea of the power of three, and the sisters all have similar powers to the original cast members.

The new show seems to be following the same plot as the original, but it contains more modern factors, such as an openly gay lead, but these are just minor details, and they fail to add to the originality of the show. Secondly, the new reboot has more diversity among the cast because the lead characters have Latin and black heritages, whereas the original show had a predominantly white cast. Yes, this new show may have more diversity, but it fails as a reboot because it has not brought anything new to the table and it resembles too closely to the original to create any lasting effects in viewers.

Unlike the reboot of “Charmed,” “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” sat well with most critics and viewers because it completely steps away from the original series. In the original “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” series, which starred Melissa Joan Hart, the show was focused on the lives of Sabrina Spellman and her two aunts who possessed the power of witchcraft. However, In Netflix’s spinoff, “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” the show continues to follow the lives of Sabrina and her family, but it takes a completely different turn with its dark theme and humor.

The new show may have strayed a little from the original, but it still has the same characters and the Sabrina that many grew to love. In both series, Sabrina has to deal with the fact that she is a witch, but in the original series, Sabrina learned of her powers at the age of 16, and in this new series, Sabrina has known from a young age that she possessed the powers of witchcraft.

In the Netflix series, producers took a darker turn with the show by following the plot in “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” comics, and this new plot makes the show all the more appealing. What makes the show dark is that the characters belong to the coven of the Dark Church and they all follow the orders of the Dark Lord who is also known as Satan.

Viewers also see Sabrina as she has to decide on her 16 birthday whether or not she will choose the path of darkness by fully accepting her witch powers, or to follow the path of light, by fully accepting her mortal form. “I like the original [series] better, because it was funny and the new one has too many demonic aspects,” senior Rachel Jean-Denis stated.

Although this new show has introduced more demonic themes to it,it also has a more diverse cast with Sabrina’s black cousin Ambrose and her black friend Ros. Altogether, the new spinoff focuses on her life and her battle over which fate she will choose.

It also showcases Sabrina’s adventures with her boyfriend Harvey, her cat Salem and her two best friends Susie and Ros. Charmed” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” will always remain true classics because they showed strong women who were not afraid of anything. The new “Charmed” series was created because so many fans of the original missed seeing the power of three on their TV screens, but it lacks in many areas so the original series will always reign superior. However, this is not the case for Netflix’s new “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” because it has abandoned the old plot and brought something new to the table with its new plot and more diverse characters.

Photo source for each picture: imdb.com

10 Opinions

THEY COME IN FLOCKS Positive and negative aspects of tourism.

Kaiden Buscemi Lifestyle Editor

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oing to the beach is a common pastime for most teenagers growing up in Florida, and as winter break approaches, many kids are excited to relax with friends and enjoy the water while the sun continues to shine, but it might not always be as easy.

Much of Florida’s economy during the winter months is derived from the income brought in through tourism, and many of these tourists happen to be fairly wealthy.

Unfortunately for locals, these tourists tend to take up all of the parking spaces at the beach, supermarket and malls. As if the holiday season was not busy enough, Floridians must deal with the dreaded visitation of all the nation’s snowbirds.

As beneficial as tourism is to the economy, there are prices to be paid for being one of the nation’s top tourist destinations. Florida has many attractions. With the most popular being its beautiful beaches lined with luxurious mansions. It is common to find the majority of these homes vacant for the better part of a year, and it makes one wonder why people build massives homes, only to rarely live in the house itself. Many of the homes along the coastlines in areas like Palm Beach seem to never have their owners present.

Even the elderly snowbirds that visit who do not own extensive property in South Florida have their annoyances, though the income that they provide outweighs the frustrating aspects that go along with tourism.

According to State of Florida, the economy experinced an impact of 67 billion from the tourism industry alone.

It becomes nearly impossible to find good parking spaces at all the popular beaches. Locals are often forced to spend way more time than what should be necessary to find parking, and if there are any spaces left, they are often located farthest from the destination.

Aside from the struggles of parking, there are also increases in prices. Many shops along the beaches or in other popular attractions raise their prices in attempt to make more profit off of visitors willing to pay for souvenirs and items unique to Florida’s personality. For Floridians, this can become aggravating, since prices are often made universal and there are no local reductions.

Shopping conditions worsen, since the families who stay down south to enjoy the holidays often do a lot of their Christmas shopping here as well. When it comes time to buy gifts for friends and families, shopping centers become chaotic nightmares. Similar to the terrifying ordeal of finding parking, the stores become their own trap in which shoppers fight for space and bargains.

The presence of snowbirds is not entirely bad, however, seeing as they are a crucial source of income for Florida’s economy. Even though room for more residents is disappearing fast, and space for both tourists and locals residing in South Florida is diminishing, the tourist time of year is still important and a part of Florida’s charm.

YES TO THE SPEAKERS

Native speakers should take Spanish Speakers class.

Ana Estrada Staff Writer

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have been speaking Spanish since I learned how to talk.

Spanish was my first language and having grown up part of my life in a Latin country, I have had a lot of experience with the language. Speaking Spanish came easily to me and so did reading it, but writing was where I had the most trouble. I could still write well, but I did not know how to use accents over syllables. Coming into high school, I wanted to take Spanish at school and I decided to take the placement test, which put me in the Spanish Speakers level, but I did not think I would get better at speaking or writing since I could already do that.

Looking back now, I definitely feel that I have gotten a lot better at the language, not only in writing, but I have also developed a more extensive vocabulary and I speak and read with more fluency. Many people think that Spanish speakers should not be able to take Spanish classes at school because it is a waste of time and they do not need it. However, they should be able to take these classes as long as it is the correct level for them. Whether it is learning a new language or just getting better at it, nobody should be criticized for extending their knowledge on any language.

Andrew Montana, a sophomore in AP Spanish, and a native Spanish speaker said,” They can learn more about other cultures and histories of other countries

in addition to maybe learning more about their own.”

In Spanish classes, students do not just learn about the language, they also learn about the different cultures in Hispanic countries. This is something that many native Spanish speakers do not know about and with these Spanish classes, they gain a lot of knowledge of the world around them and their neighboring Hispanic communities.

However, Spanish speakers will not learn anything if they are in a Spanish level that is too low for them. Alex Sauceda, also a tenth grader taking AP Spanish said, “I believe that they [native Spanish speakers] shouldn’t be able to take lower level Spanish, instead take a higher level Spanish -- anything above Spanish three because they already have background in Spanish.”

Since they are not allowed to speak English in class and instead are encouraged to speak only Spanish, these students gain practice with the language and are able to speak it more fluently and with more confidence. In addition to the constant conversation, students are given different activities, which allow them to get better at reading comprehension and writing, which is something many Spanish speakers have trouble with. It’s a good that native Spanish speakers should be given the choice of taking a placement test to see if they qualify to be in advanced Spanish classes at school.

11 Opinions

RACE IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

A federal case has implications for students nationwide.

Sophie Karbstein Staff Writer

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arvard University’s admissions practices went on trial this October in a civil suit that could have immense consequences on college admittance in the future. The lawsuit accused Harvard of discriminating against Asian-American applicants; however, the case was widely seen as another struggle over affirmative action.

The accuser was the organization Students for Fair Admissions, who claimed that Harvard set a limit for the number of Asian-Americans accepted, and held them to a higher standard than applicants of other races. According to SFFA, the university did so by influencing the admissions process in non-academic categories. These included “personal ratings,” which were a measure of character qualities that could be hard to quantify and had the possibility of bringing up unconscious bias. The controversy of these personal ratings brought public debate over whether they should be used. Senior Annanya Agarwal said that personal evaluations are important in college admissions because they let the college see the “actual person,” as opposed to “just a bunch of numbers” of test scores and GPA. Others, including those who spoke at the federal trial, agreed with Agarwal.

“I think that there was no way in which flat numbers and a resume could have gotten across how much of a whole person that I am,” current Harvard senior Sally Chen said.

Data evidence from admissions records came up in the trial, with words like “one dimensional,” only “booksmart,” and “not personable” used to describe Asian applicants. SFFA said this showed that Harvard was actively stereotyping Asians as hard working but boring and identical. In fact, while AsianAmerican applicants had higher average grades and test scores than any other race, they got lower average scores in personal rating categories. This greatly lowered their chances of getting in.

Harvard countered that it did not discriminate against Asian-American applicants. The university asserted

that they used race as a factor in their admissions process and aimed to have a diverse incoming class, but did not use restrictive quotas to do so. However, it did not challenge the evidence that Asian-Americans received lower personal scores, and instead said it was partially due to the fact that high school counselors and teachers tended to write weaker recommendations for them. Students felt that this response was not the best.

“I have a worse view of Harvard now,” freshman Sierra Weinstein said.

Although SFFA sued Harvard University for alleged race-based discrimination, the case is often perceived as a trial over affirmative action. Affirmative Action refers to policies that take gender, race, or ethnicity into account in order to promote equal opportunity. The founder of SFFA, Edward Blum, is a conservative political activist with a history of trying to end Affirmative Action. According to the mission statement of the organization, “a student’s race and ethnicity should not be factors that either harm or help that student to gain admission to a competitive university.” The end of Affirmative Action would mean that colleges could not use race as a factor at all in admissions practices. Junior Madelyn Dupuis agreed with the organization when she said that merit comes before race.

“There shouldn’t be any race that’s favored over another,” Dupuis said.

Harvard said that getting rid of

Affirmative Action would diminish the valued and important diversity of its community. In addition, an end to Affirmative Action would be going against a legal precedent established in former cases, including a Supreme Court ruling that said a University of Texas Affirmative Action program was constitutional.

Agarwal said that she supported the use of Affirmative Action because it helped minority groups who do not get as many opportunities as others.

Asian-Americans generally supported Affirmative Action. A 2018 Demographic Data and Policy Research on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders survey showed that four fifths of Asian Americans who were polled sided with Affirmative Action. Many endorsed the side of Harvard during the lawsuit, and maintained that SFFA has pitted them against other minorities. Agarwal herself is an Asian-American, and has a perspective on how the information uncovered in the trial impacted her.

“It hits you, that being an AsianAmerican minority actually gives you a disadvantage,” Agarwal said.

The trial is expected to have a decision by early in 2019. If the losing side appeals, the case could conceivably make it to the Supreme Court and could become a landmark case. The students who would be most affected are the ones currently in high school, most definitely including the Suncoast student body.

12 Features

THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS change All I want for Christmas is... gun control.

Jahnaezha McFadden Editor-in-Chief “He didn’t come home last night, and I don’t want prayers. I don’t want thoughts.

I want gun control, and I hope to God nobody sends me any more prayers. I want gun control. No more guns,” Susan Orfanos, mother of one of the 12 victims of the Thousand Oaks shooting said.

“We need to step out of it and take a look back and realize that there’s something seriously wrong here. And some of our policymakers…need to look in the mirror and take some action, because ideas are great, but without action, ideas stay ideas and children die,” David Hogg, survivor of the Parkland shooting said.

As of Dec. 8 there have been 326 mass shootings in the 341 days of 2018.

According to The Washington Post over 1,000 people have died as a result of these shootings. With the continuous rise in the number of mass shootings, young people have began to get more

“Too often polarization in the government paints gun control as taking away people’s freedom, but it is simply just controlling a commodity,” Robin Greenstein

Suncoast students Leani Fernandez (10), Kayleen Pezaris (12), Mia Wormus (10), Talia Singer (10), Aura Garduno (12), Rebecca Davis (12), Bobby Price(11) stand up for change.

involved in politics. Many students at Suncoast have started political action clubs, organized marches, and voted in order to promote change.

“I think it is so important for our generation to become more politically active, especially during these crucial times of gun violence, as well as many other issues. There will only be change if people speak up,” senior Megan Creamer said.

“Thoughts and prayers forThousandOaks” Earlier this year, Suncoast hosted their own walk-out a month after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting in support for change in gun policy.

Students were able to sign up for voting, listen to speeches, and write letters to their representatives. It gave students the opportunity to become actively involved in politics and see that they have a voice to make a difference.

“I think young people underestimate their power in politics just because they can’t vote yet or because they assume they’re not informed enough to weigh in.

When students go to marches it’s almost like an alternate world where they forget any excuse they gave themselves to ignore politics and are forced to look at all their peers in the face and understand the value they have in the political spectrum,” senior Mae Baltz said.

While the march was successful and impactful to most students, some students believe more can be done to begin the conversation of changing gun policy. Many believe the march is only the first step of many to make actual change.

“I didn’t think the march at school was helpful as there was still restrictive boundaries of how the march was held. We were all on school grounds basically protesting to each other and not the public so it wasn’t beneficial to spread the word and awareness of gun control,” senior Janet Singh said.

After the march and the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the school district began to work on changes to make students safer. Most recently the shooting at the Palm Beach Central High football game caused the Palm Beach School District to implement NFL game

regulations and policies within the school.

Some policies include continuing to keep classroom doors locked at all times, and keeping the classroom windows covered.

“I like that they are taking actions in order to protect us and feel more safe in our environment, but I feel as though we should focus more on gun laws and gun safety,” senior Rebecca Imru said.

In response to the shootings nationally, multiple students and adults participated in the March for Our Lives this past March in order to promote policy change. The march was organized by the members of the Never Again MSD to demonstrate unity among the nation against a problem that has largely impacted the entire nation.

REASONS

for

CHANGE 13,601 Killed by Gun Violence

by Gun 26,292 Injured Violence

53,117

“Although the March for Our Lives inspired many to register to vote, the overall message of the movement was to activate more gun control. We still need to focus on this aspect in the future,” senior Claire King said.

With the overwhelming number of mass shootings this year, students are beginning to become emotionally affected by them. For some students, it is beginning to feel like everyday news; as though mass shootings are just apart of the world.

“Sadly I have become desensitized over the amount of mass shootings that has happened this year. Now when I hear about another mass shooting on the news or seen thoughts and prayers on instagram, it slowly began to not impact me as much,” senior Ricardo Rankine said.

To many students, the purpose of gun control and policy change is not to take away anyone’s Second Amendment right, rather to protect the lives of the innocent.

“Too often polarization in the government paints gun control as taking away people’s freedom, but it is simply just controlling a commodity,” senior Robin Greenstein said.

Some policies changes some students want to see include stricter background checks, restricting those who are mentally unstable from being able to legally acquire guns, and implementing the ban on bump stocks. Each of these policies have the potential the lessen the amount of mass shootings.

“In today’s political climate, whenever anyone hears gun control they assume we want to take away guns from everyone, but that’s not true. I am all for people wanting to protect themselves; I simply just want stricter gun laws, where the mentally unstable can’t acquire weapons legally and stricter background checks are set into place,” senior Yanique Spencer said.

“Thoughts and prayers for Parkland”

Total Number of Incidents relating to gun violence

“I think young people underestimate their power in politics just because they can’t vote yet or because they assume they’re not informed enough to weigh in.

When students go to marches it’s almost like an alternate world where they forget any excuse they gave themselves to ignore politics and are forced to look at all their peers in the face and understand the value they have in the political spectrum,” Mae Baltz

CONNECTING OUR STUDENTS WeConnecT club helps students become well-rounded.

Meghan McGlone Managing/Business Editor

S

h en i ka L a ma nd e is a s enior a t S unc oa st and the fo un di n g co- pr es ident of t h e c lub “ WeConnecT”, w h i ch a i ms to h e lp s t ud ent s in a ll t y pes of situations.

Th e cl ub m a inly foc us es on s t res s , p er sonal an d o r ga n i z a t iona l ma na gement , a nd includes op p or t un i t y to r ec eive a dvic e f rom ot h er s and voice per s on a l op i n i ons a nd c onc er ns . T h e c lub itself is op en mi n d ed a n d welc oming to a ll s t udents, and it wa s i n s p i red by La ma nde’s per s ona l ex p eriences. “ W h a t i n s p i red me wa s my t roub les with my econ o m i cs cl a s s . I d id n’t get t h e c oncep t and I wa s men t a l l y f r us t r a ted ,” La ma nd e recalled.

Sh e rem em b ered feeling out c a s ted a nd alone, un t i l on e day her ec onomic s tea c h er, M r s. Tazeen R a s h i d, rea ch ed out to h er. “I let ever ything out a n d s h e told me w h a t I need ed to work on,” La ma n d e s a i d . From t h a t day for wa rd , t h ey worked tog et h er on La ma nde’s needs a nd strug g les.

T h e a ccep t i ng s uppor t t h a t La ma nd e received wa s d i f fer en t t h a n a ny ot h er s it uation that s h e h a d exp er ienc ed in a c la s s room setting , w h i ch wa s wh a t ma d e it s o s pec ia l. She now wa n t s to t a ke t h e s uppor t t h a t s h e rec eived and m a ke i t ava i l a b le to ever y s t udent a t Suncoast.

“M y g oa l fo r my c lub is to h elp people w h o are g oing

throug h the same situation I went throug h even if it’ s not based on education,” Shenika said. This is why the club has the dif ferent seg ments to deal w ith str ess, p er sonal and org anizational issues, wh ich a r e a l l imp or tant thing s to manag e for success at S un coa st.

She made sure to include a stress a sp ect wa s included in the club because of S un coa st’ s rig orous work and hig h exp ectations, w h ich ca n of ten leave students feeling stressed. Accord in g to the American Psycholog y Association , str ess is common among teenag er s today and it ca n ca use issues such as lack of sleep , more p rocra stin a tion , anxiety and neg ative thoug hts. If lef t a l on e, it can develop into chronic and even wor se issues like hig h blood p ressure, dep ression a n d even a weakened immune system. This is w hy it is extremely imp or tant to stay org anized, b oth w ith school and one’s self, to manag e the work p rop er l y.

“School can be p ar t of the reason why stud en ts have mental health issues, but it is all beca use th ey need to work more at balancing their time, b ein g op en minded and being inquirer s,” L amande com m en ted .

Her club focuses on streng thening these sk il l s w h ich can be a step in the rig ht direction to allevia te str ess.

15 Features

THE NEXT BIG THING?

The student who is chasing his dream of hip hop fame.

Diana Devine Staff Writer

I

t all started with an aspiration and a mic. While sitting in his bedroom, he began coming up with rhymes and verses that were creative and catchy. Then it was on to recording a track and making the final touches. Finally, he did it. He uploaded his first song onto SoundCloud.

Since then, junior Deondre Perkins, better known as “Dre God,” has gained a following from his music and posts on Instagram and SoundCloud. Racking up over three thousand followers on Instagram and over 200 followers on his SoundCloud account, Dre God has become a well-known name among students.

Some of his most famous songs are ones that are dedicated to special ladies in his life. This included “For V,” with over 2000 plays and, “For Isabel,” with over 1000 plays on SoundCloud. “I take a lot of time writing my music. My lyrics come from the heart and help me express my feelings through music,” Perkins said.

This time and dedication is shown through his well thought out verses and rhymes.

This fame did not come easy, though. Taking on the IB program and a n online personality was challenging for him.

“Suncoast also takes up a large amount of my time, therefore, I had to think of ways of managing my time,” Perkins said. “As soon as I get home, I spend three hours on all of my homework and two on my music,” he explained.

When Perkins started gaining recognition for his SoundCloud music, he started gaining following on his Instagram account, “@dre_g0d,” as well. Over the course of two years, his follower count has greatly increased.

DRE

In response to this, Perkins began creating funny videos to post on his account, hoping to be recognized by more popular accounts, such as WorldStar Hip Hop and Rap Radar. His most popular videos on his Instagram account have over 17,000 views.

“It took a lot of hard work to gain so many followers, but this growth is gradual and hard to maintain,” Perkins said, “I must try to make up-to-date content and think of a vast amount of ideas that will get me the most followers.”

He takes his SoundCloud music seriously, but gets to show off his comedic side on his Instagram. In his Instagram biography, it reads, “I’m a rapper who is also trying to make you smile.”

Along the path of his rising music career, Perkins has always been thankful for the wide range of supports that he receives from his friends, teachers, and administration. “I love Suncoast and all the teachers and students,” he said.

The school allows him to express his creativity while also being academically challenged, making him a wellrounded and talented young man. Perkins also participates in debate at school, which explains why he is not afraid to be outspoken through his lyrics.

Whether it is through his music or his Instagram videos, Perkins has found ways to motivate himself and others to express creativity throughout the school. The name “Dre God” will stick in our minds as his popularity continues to rise.

GOD

over 3k

OVER

followers on

2k PLAYS

instagram

on soundcloud

16 Features

SUNCOAST’S FALL MUSICAL

A celebration of the Harlem Renaissance and student talent.

Grace Sergent Staff Writer

T

he curtain parts, revealing a lone portrait on the backdrop. Classy ladies and men sit picture-still on velvet benches and plush chairs, glasses of champagne and mugs of coffee half-drawn to their lips.

A jazz band starts playing somewhere, saxophones, cellos and guitars setting the mood. Then a piano, cloaked by men in black jackets and girls in shiny red dresses, floats across the stage, a man in a bowler cap playing a lively tune on its keys. The man at the piano looks up, speaks, and the show has begun.

That was the scene set by Suncoast’s production of “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” which ran from Nov. 9 to 11. The show was met with a small, but happy, audience during its run, and featured a cast of 23 students, along with a student tech crew and orchestra. Compared to other popular Suncoast productions, like “Fiddler on the Roof” and “The Drowsy Chaperone,” the cast was small in size, but that did not stop “Ain’t Misbehavin’” from being full of heart.

“The fall show is a lot smaller [than the spring show], so it feels much more tight knit...like a little family,”senior Joel Hein, an actor in the production said.

Another senior, Brenda Robinson, who starred as a singer in the show, found herself comfortable with her castmates, even the new faces. “I met a lot of new people with this show, people who did not do theatre in the past, and I made more friends,” Robinson stated about the subject.

“Ain’t Misbehavin’,” despite having a majority student cast and crew, also had adult dance coaches, carpenters and volunteers assisting the students.

The orchestra for the show, referred to as the pit due to their performance area being under the stage, had professional musicians and stu dent band members playing sideby-side for the big performance.

Junior River Garcia, a clarinetist who has been part of the pit since sophomore year, said that, rather than being condescending or rude to him and his fellow band members, the adult musicians were kind and helpful. “Even though, me being just from band, having all these professionals [around us], I felt like I could learn a lot from them. They were good people, and they taught me a lot.”

Photo courtesy of Sailfish Photography, featuring Yvi Stimphill (L) and Max Fronrose (R).

“Ain’t Misbehavin’,” originally compiled in the 1970s, is a revue of the works of Fats Waller, an influential African-American musician from the Harlem Renaissance. The show was a celebration of African-American culture and heritage and the unique musical variety showcased in the musical touched both students and audiences.

“My grandmother, who came to see [the show], knew many of the songs and was singing along in the audience,” Robinson fondly recalled, also stating that the musical introduced her to many songs and styles she would have not been interested in otherwise.

“The music is fun, playing it is fun,” Garcia stated, “being in the overall environment is really fun.”

For most of the cast, it was difficult balancing school and the musical in the months leading up to the performance.

Many of the students involved in the production, along with their programs and homework, had after school

jobs or various family obligations.

Hein admitted that “time management is an issue” when performing in the play, but he continued because theatre “is something I’m really passionate about.”

Overall, “Ain’t Misbehavin’” was a critical success for the Suncoast Theatre Department, and now they are looking ahead to their spring musical, which is set to be “Ragtime.”

“Ragtime” will have a much larger cast than “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” and students new to theatre are encouraged to come to the auditions, which will be held in January, or join the crew.

“If you stick with it, and get your time management in, it’ll be one of the funnest things you’ll do,” Garcia said to those looking to audition.

Robinson also advised freshmen and sophomores to try out the theatre program, stating, “When you’re younger, you meet people in your grade level who will continue doing theatre. You’ll have those friends for the rest of your highschool life.”

17 Features

THE ROAD TO RECOVERY One student’s fight with high school and his diseases.

Jacki Eckstein Staff Writer

M

issing even one day of high school can equate to days of homework and notes. In Collin Carr’s case, it was not just one day but weeks of being absent. He was going in and out the hospital fighting with both Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. The combination of two diseases is called: Crohn’s colitis. He was diagnosed in the sixth grade, and since then, it only worsened.

Crohn’s is a rare chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract. Colitis is a common chronic, inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation in the digestive tract. Although both are similar, ulcerative colitis is only in the colon while Crohn’s disease can occur anywhere between the mouth and the anus. Since he has both, when one half begins to act up, the other half is not too far behind.

“When both begin to flare, I lose my appetite and weight loss happens very rapidly. Accompanying fatigue is abdominal pain and cramps, which feels like I’m being hit in the gut repeatedly,” Carr said.

Carr was formerly a student at Suncoast High School and made it one fourth of the way through his sophomore year before the diseases became too much for him.

With every day missed, he fell further behind and his GPA dropped. However, being on bed rest and with a strict medicine schedule, there was nothing he could do. Carr and his family began to talk about his options.

In early November of 2018, Carr officially decided to withdraw from Suncoast and enroll in FLVS. The decision was not easy and was rather abrupt. He would be leaving friends and the thing he loved most about Suncoast, the debate team. His withdrawal came as a shock to many.

Luz Frias, Carr’s former spanish teacher, said ,“He was a very good student and very motivated.

I think him leaving was the best for his health.”

Inside of school, Carr was loved by his friends and leaving has affected them all.

Sophomore Anna Lackovic, who was good friends with Carr, stated, “He was really caring and supportive. [Carr withdrawing] was upsetting at first and I still miss him.”

Carr was in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program and despite his classes being rigorous, he would still take the time out of his day to help fellow classmates with their school work. Not many knew of his disease because Carr did not want to complain.

Carr’s mother, Abby Carr, said,“He has always been quiet about his disease because he never wanted someone else to feel pity for him. He wants to be a normal teenager.”

Junior year is when all students at Suncoast are sectioned off into their individual programs and the program specific courses begin. At this point, no students are accepted into Suncoast. However, administration decided to hold Carr’s seat open if he would like to return to the school. With next years classes being more rigorous, coming back could be risky.

“I feel like with how unpredictable my health is, IB isn’t worth the stress. I would consider coming back into the ITT program, but I’m not sure,” Carr said. With health being the deciding factor for just about everything, nothing is certain.

Collin Carr, former IB student at Suncoast.

18 Lifestyle

THANK U, NEXT Ariana has had a tough year and it is not her fault.

Anika McGetchin Features Editor

F

or most twenty-five year olds, life’s biggest concern is where next month’s rent is coming from, but for Florida born singer Ariana Grande bigger problems loomed.

It seems impossible that the Manchester terrorist bombing was over a year ago. This tragedy, which occurred at an Ariana Grande concert on May 22, 2017, killed 22 and injured 500 of her fans.

In addition to the many families hurt, Grande’s own mental state was severely impacted by the traumatic concert.

Although the “Dangerous Woman” singer has admitted she struggled with anxiety for years, the Manchester attack brought it to a new, more intense level.

Just a year after this trauma, Grande was also grappling with a fresh break up with her boyfriend of two years, rapper Mac Miller. While the two young, twenty somethings shared what they both claimed to be a loving, happy relationship, Grande explained that it was not her job to keep Miller sober and alive. This resulted in their split in May of 2018, almost exactly a year from her concert in Manchester.

After the break up, Grande moved on fairly quickly to her former fiancé Pete Davidson, a comedian on Saturday Night Live. The two shared a whirlwind romance which left many of her fans

with questions and several people accusing of her of cheating on Miller.

“Sometimes people just grow apart,” junior Maya Mills commented, “but it was really sudden. No one moves on that quickly.”

The harsh opinions of Grande only got worse when Miller died of an accidental drug overdose on Sept. 7, 2018. Many cited the break up with Grande as being the source of Miller’s own difficult year, claiming that she was the one who brought him over the edge.

Some blatantly accused her of being a killer. All of these claims are completely wrong. Miller’s death was a tragedy that resulted from a disease which he spent a great portion of his adult life trying to overcome. To say that it is the fault of any human being is ridiculous.

“I think it’s one of the most tragic deaths in hip hop because he was a person that was actively speaking against drug use and his struggle with addiction, and yet he still passed despite his efforts,” junior Skyler Johnson emphasized. “It really upset me because he was an artist that came from where my family’s from so it really showed me how addiction doesn’t care where you’re from or how hard you’re trying to combat it.”

His death brought heartbreak to millions of fans across the world and

it hit Grande especially hard. Though they had broken up, it was clear that the former couple shared a deep love and appreciation for each other as friends. After receiving the news of his passing, Grande’s anxiety and sadness only got worse, resulting in her second break up of the year with Davidson.

Despite all of this tragedy, Grande appears to be doing better as the year comes to a close. On Nov. 3, 2018, Grande released her latest single, “Thank U, Next”. The song expresses her gratitude towards all of her ex boyfriends, bad and good, for the things they taught her and radiates a positive energy. In the song, Grande also proudly declared that she is in a devoted relationship with herself.

A f t e r everything she has been through, Grande has proven that she is a strong, independent woman who can easily tackle everything 2019 has to bring.

2 0 1 8

: A YEAR OF REFLECTION

As 2018 approaches an end students offer their opinions on what.

Kenjela Mullings Staff Writer

T

T“

he world has been faced with a plethora of changes. Whether social or political, these changes have affected everyone in numerous ways. As the New Year approaches, students reflect on certain events that occurred throughout 2018 and offer input on what should be altered in society for the upcoming year.

One major event that impacted my perspective of the world this year is the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. More than 17 people, including students and teachers, lost their lives to a former student.

The shooter was a white male and President Trump thought the best solution was mental help. (This showed me how many people nowadays think.) If it was anyone else of color or different race, there would be many things being done at this very moment.”

What I believe should be changed in America alone is gun laws.

I do not believe they should be banned because self-defense is important, however many people misuse the use of a gun. There should be stricter laws to regulate their use more efficiently.”

“

“

“ O

Something that had a major impact on my perspective of the world this year was the increase in police brutality. The number of people who have perished will never go down. ne thing that needs to be changed is the ignorance that people have about major topics that causes us not to be able to help make changes because all we do is sit and watch the news and bask in the violence due to our persistent ignorance.”

“

I think humanity wise each and every person should make it a point to really try to understand other people before they make judgement on who that person is. Assessing a person’s circumstances and situations, then deciding on how to move forward with them. (Ties into Empathy so piece that together somehow) Regarding race, I would like for different cultures to try and understand one another, thus bringing upon a more unified world and diminishing the injustices and unnecessary divisions.”

This year, taking Black/AfricanAmerican studies has been something that’s impacted my life immensely. The class has not only taught me a lot about my history, but also about myself in this society. Taking this class put me into contact with many different people and their views that I don’t think would’ve been met otherwise. Although I don’t hold the same beliefs with some of the people in the class, these discussions helped me learn what it really means to help and educate others. I used to think spitting out more information than the last person, or embarrassing them intellectually was what made you smart and frankly better than others. But it doesn’t help anyone. I realized doing that creates spaces where people don’t feel like learning nor are they receptive to what you’re saying because they feel attacked. Now I try to listen with an open mind. Instead of going with the intention to change someone’s mind, I try to understand and hear what they are saying.”

I am more so about power dynamics and the system changing rather than humanity changing. No one changes unless they want to. All we can do is give information and our views; it is completely up to them, whether they want to listen and understand what’s going on. We have to create spaces for ourselves and start building our own communities or get active and get people out of positions of power who can not or will not speak for all people especially concerning marginalized groups.

We have go to fight, people have to stop being afraid to call out people when they are in the wrong. We also have to obtain a “bigger person” mindset when people are being racist, queerphobic, sexist, and prejudiced. Justice and respect are not earned, they’re taken, and I am taking them by any means necessary.”

“

“The event that impacted my perspective of the world this year is Donald Trump’s comments regarding the caravan transporting Mexicans. It is unbelievable how the president reacts to people trying to escape their negative atmosphere. What I think should be changed in the upcoming year is the amount of hate our country possesses.”

20 Lifestyle

SEASONAL CINEMATICS

The holiday movies that should definitely be on your nice list this season.

Diana Devine Staff Writer

D

uring this holiday season, one of the best ways to get in the spirit is watching the ever-so classic holiday movies. The best times spent with family and friends could be watching movies together by a warm fireplace. If you need help getting into the holiday spirit with some classic movies, sit back, grab a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy this list that will for sure jingle your bells this season.

“Yule Crack Up” at these Comedies

Some of the best memories are shared with smiles and laughs.

These holiday comedies are a must-watch for this year.

“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”

As the sequel to the classic comedy “Vacation,” “Christmas Vacation” follows the Griswold family through the holiday season.

Clark Griswold, the reluctant leader of this dysfunctional family, hilariously faces all of the struggles of the holidays including decorations, in-laws and holiday bonuses.

“Elf”

Starring the hilarious comedian, Will Ferrell, “Elf” tells the tale of Buddy, a boy raised by elves who ventures out of the North Pole to New York City to meet his real father. His adventures in the Big Apple are sure to give you a laugh.

“How The Grinch Stole Christmas”

This live action take on the classic story book by Dr. Seuss stars Jim Carrey as the Grinch. Follow him on his journey to steal Christmas from Whoville. Carrey’s comedic take on the character is not only funny but riveting for all audiences.

Fa La La La Family Movies

Sometimes, surrounding yourself with the people you love is the best way to get into the holiday spirit. These movies are great to watch with your friends and family during the holiday season this year.

“The Santa Clause”

This movie tells the story of a divorced father, played by Tim Allen, who has to take on the role of Santa Claus. Over the next year, he begins to look and act more like Santa Claus, while also preparing for the next Christmas. His family and coworkers start to believe he’s gone crazy, but soon learn the magic of Christmas and accepting their inner child.

“Home Alone”

“Home Alone” tells the story of a young boy named Kevin McCallister who is accidentally left behind from the huge family trip for the holidays. All is well until McCallister realizes that two men are trying to rob his house. This film shows McCallister’s exciting creativity in protecting his house and outsmarting the burglars.

“The Polar Express”

The true spirit of Christmas comes alive in this animated film.

Based on the children’s book, “Polar Express” tells the tale of a young boy who embarks on a journey on a mystical train going to the North Pole to witness Santa Claus give the first gift of Christmas. The movie teaches family values and strengthens the spirit of believing in viewers of all ages.

LAX TO THE MAX

21 Sports

The lacrosse careers of Austin Armbruster and Lucas Giacopelli.

Liam Farrell Staff Writer

T

he salty, stubborn smell of sweat is in in the air. Boys run back and forth over a field of grass. The sun is beating down, athletes are gasping for air and practice has only just begun.

This is an image of the boys lacrosse conditioning at Suncoast Community High School. Although practice is grueling, the team does it in order to have a chance to do well this season.

Two of the many boys that show up at lacrosse conditioning are Austin Armbruster and Lucas Giacopelli.

Both junior Armbruster and freshman Giacopelli have been playing lacrosse for most of their lives. Armbruster started in the second grade, and Giacopelli began playing while he was in fifth grade. When Armbruster started playing, he had just finished t-ball, which he did not enjoy. This lead him to begin playing lacrosse. On the other hand, Giacopelli was “introduced to the sport by a friend” after he had stopped practicing baseball. Both boys plan to play for the school this year.

Armbruster, who played for Suncoast during both his freshman and

sophomore years, plans to play again this coming school lacrosse season.

“Freshman year, our team was really good . . . last year wasn’t the best season,”Armbruster said. “It’s going to change this year.” He also plays for a travel lacrosse team. The travel team is “more serious [and we] try to win tournaments [but] with the school team it [is] more laid back and more fun.” With everyone on the team getting along with each other, they have lots of fun. Armbruster enjoys playing lacrosse over other sports because of the immense excitement during the games.

Giacopelli, on the other hand, is a freshman planning to play with the school team for the first time this lacrosse season. At practices and conditioning, he feels that he is being treated well along with all the other freshmen. He also met new people just from participating in the workouts and conditioning. Conditioning for the boys lacrosse team is held on the football field. They “meet at the track at 3:00” and practice until 4:30. “Everyone who shows up for conditioning get

along pretty well and they all have fun together.” Giacopelli said. Giacopelli loves the action that comes with playing lacrosse compared to other sports.

The lacrosse season does not start until late January, and in between now and then are conditioning workouts, tryouts and practices. Armbruster’s goal this season is to “improve as a team, win games [and] have fun.”

Giacopelli wants “the team to be in the playoffs” this season and to make new friends this season.

Either way, both boys intend to have a great time while playing lacrosse.

Austin Armbruster sprinting down the field. photo courtesy of Austin Armbruster

Suncoast’s boy’s lacrosse team in a group huddle last season. photo courtesy of Austion Armbruster

Austin Armbruster playing lacrosse for Suncoast. photo courtesy of Austin Armbruster

22 Sports

DO YOU EVEN LIFT, SIS?

The team switches it up with after school practice.

Yashna Chowdhury Copy Editor

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he girls’ weightlifting team at Suncoast has star ted their season with four meets and have two more meets left in the season before districts. At the meets, they are given three attempts to lift whatever weight they decide based on the lift, points are given.

These points eventually are tallied up and decide whether or not the lifter will go to districts and then to regionals. Although they are a weightlifting team, the competition is more focused on the individual and the other team members usually cheer on their teammates during their lifts. Junior Isabelle Jones loves clapping and cheering “YEAH” for her team members.

The weightlifting team this year has more members than the previous year with majority of them being seniors and juniors. Unlike last year, they star ted having their practices after school instead of during lunch to have more time to practice. Along with their practices, they also go to Crossfit gyms and other gyms to work on their form for the clean and jerk. They also received help from a weightlifter during a practice Photo by: Molly McCann

During practice, a weightlifting comes in to help the teamwith their clean and jerk.

to improve the team’s clean and jerk. Weightlifting coach Molly McCann said, “by going to the Crossfit gyms and having practice after school, the girls are able to work on their movements for the meets.”

A clean and jerk is two weightlifting movements together involving the clean and the jerk. The lifter uses a barbell and star ts at the floor and lifts the bar to their shoulders while going into a squat, then the lifter raises the bar above their head, which is the jerk.

The team meets every odd day after school, and practice clean and jerking and bench pressing.

The team members are separated by weight class and welcomes everyone regardless of their size.

After having two girls make it to regionals for the first time, there are high hopes that it can happen again this year. There are about 16 girls on the weightlifting team, along with other girls in the weightlifting club, who are able to join the team and par ticipate during practices at school and at Crossfit gyms.

Photo by: Molly McCann

Click click! The weightlifting team smiles for the camera after a meet at Jupiter High.

23 Sports

SWIMMING INTO STATES

Suncoast’s swim teams have made it to states once again

Alex Skolnick Staff Writer

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his school year has been great for sports, but there is one sport at Suncoast that does not get as much recognition as football or soccer: swimming.

This year, the boys swim team made it to states once again. Junior Gavin Smith, a member of the boys swim team described how he “trained about two hours a day, six days a week.”

Suncoast’s dedicated swimmers went to compete in Stuart on Saturday, Nov. 17 and did well. Smith made it to the finals in both of his races, the 100-meter butterfly and the 100-meter backstroke. He placed sixteenth in the butterfly and fifth in the backstroke.

Smith, along with his teammates, made record times in their races, coming close to the gold, but falling just short.

It was not just the boys that performed well. The girls swim team did exceptionally well. They came in first in the 400-meter

for themselves in Suncoast swim team history. “I felt really good, and felt that overall, during this season, I did well,” Smith said, “and I feel that the team did really well overall.”

As winter rolls in and the waters cool, the swim season comes to an end, but swimming never dies. Most of our swimmers will be returning for yet another year of swimming, and will be ready to defend their title. “State champs,” Brisco said, “Reigning.”

according to Kiara Fernando, who is on the junior varsity team. They do a lot of running to be conditioned for the games, where there is constant movement up and down the court. There is also a lot of skill training for specific points, like dribbling, shooting and blocking.

The basketball teams show that you need athleticism, good sportsmanship, and the will to play. You can find these traits on almost any basketball court.

“School [basketball] is similar to travel [basketball,]” said junior varsity basketball player, Jacob Gale, who has been playing basketball since he was six. The talent on the teams range from athletes who have just started basketball to long-time basketball players, which is a great mix to create a solid season.

In past seasons, both teams tended to do well with few losses. In the last five years, the boys varsity team won more games than they have lost. Last year, their stats were seventeen to eight and zero. The girls varsity stats were about the same and have won

majority of their games. Last season, they were ten to fourteen and zero.

The boys basketball team has a freshmen, junior varsity, and varsity team this season. These teams work on drills and plays for their games and they hope to do well this season.“The team chemistry is great. I expect the season to go well because we look good in practice.

This will lead to a good season,” Nick Norman, a freshman team player said.

The girls basketball team is composed of the junior varsity and varsity teams.

They worked hard to prepare for their upcoming games. “We make a lot of jokes. We have been practicing hard,” said Fernando. She is confident that her team will do well this year.

Basketball started out with a peach basket and a soccer style ball in the 1800s. It has come a long way since then. Today, it is played with two hoops and a basketball by both men and women. It is recognized as a sport in the Olympics and definitely is an important sport at our school.

Photo of Gavin Smith, courtesy of Gavin Smith

HIGH EXPECTATIONS The basketball teams are ready for a great season.

Kate Hannah Staff Writer

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freestyle and second in the 200-meter freestyle relay. Juniors Dakota Brisco and Dani Salcedo did very well in their own individual races as well. Brisco made it to finals for the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle, and Salcedo placed eleventh in the 200-meter freestyle and ninth in the 100-meter butterfly.

The two of them, along with the rest of their incredible team, went home with victory in their hands and a celebration in the near future, setting high standards for future Suncoast swimmers.

All three juniors have been on the Suncoast swim team since their freshman year, and they made it to states all three years. Brisco and Salcedo hope that next year at states, the girls’ team will make it into the top four, with even higher hopes for success in their own individual races.

Both the boys and girls swim teams have been extremely successful the past few years, and are making names

he ball bounces up and down on the shiny gym floor. Sweat drips down the players’ faces. The buzzer on the wall counts down, time ticking away.

Two teams face off, and on one side you can find the Charger basketball team. Similar to our other sports teams, the athletes on the basketball team are hardworking and talented.

While the professional players in the NBA can make basketball seem like a fast-paced, difficult, rough sport, that is unplayable by student athletes; Suncoast’s basketball team proves otherwise. You can find them practicing in the gym after school.They prove that playing basketball is not always easy, but they make it look fun while working hard Some students participating this season hope to be successful and improve their skills. In order for both the girls and boys basketball teams to be successful, they have to practice rigorously. The team “first practices with layups and then do dribbling drills, different drills for games, like learning tactics,”

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october 2017