April/May Issue 2014

LightningStrike Taking Miami-Dade by Storm

Dr. Michael M. Krop Sr. High • 1410 Countyline Road • Miami, Florida 33179

May 19, 2014 • Issue 6 • Volume 16

:

Update on later school start times proposal Dan Sicorsky editor-in-chief

Clarissa Buch outgoing managing editor On April 7, testing rolled out in full force, with FCAT leading the standardized testing season, end of course exams (EOCs), Advanced Placement (AP) tests and a slew of make ups quickly trailed behind.

The state of Florida mandates a yearly testing schedule with specific protocol to ensure exams run as directed within all high schools. As a result, schools have two months to fit in multiple exams for students ranging from ninth to twelfth grade, while teachers attempt to continue instruction in the midst of this organized chaos.

Krop has only 12 computer labs on site and because tests are administered solely online with the exception of AP exams, teachers and counselors must act as proctors and administration faces an unwieldy situation.

“Everything has to be computer based,” MDCPS Administrative Director of Assessment,

Research and Data Analysis Gisela Feild said. “Unfortunately, schools may not have a lot of options due to lack of proctors and computers.”

According to Feild, the county’s goal is to provide more tools to schools in need. One solution would be equipment carts and moveable technology, alleviating the constant shuffle of students and teachers and reduce school disruption. However, reaching that goal depends on available funding for schools and technology initiatives.

While every test, besides AP exams, is computer based, proctors are still needed during each exam.

The number of students at a testing site determines the amount of proctors.

Administration carefully chooses teachers to proctor based on subject area. Nonetheless, according to Principal Dawn Baglos, “every teacher proctors and typically more than once.”

Arranging proctors in testing rooms is a little like moving chess pieces and just as complicated.

For example, AP teachers will not proctor until their exam has oc-

stage where we can start doing something about it.”

Karp regularly speaks with students and teachers and will continue to advocate for improvements and changes in the system.

The standardized testing situation worries State Legislator Mark Pafford (D).

“It’s really gotten worse,” Pafford said. “The lack of attention on public education really hurts students and it is very unfortunate. I don’t know how fast this will all change.”

As testing season comes to a close and teachers return back to their respective classrooms, plans are in the works of additional EOCs and standardized tests for the following year.

“It really is a lot of testing,” Feild said. “It’s only going to get worse.”

Unfortunately, for students like junior Addison Weinreb, testing season brings troubling feelings.

“If only testing didn’t drive the curriculum, and the curriculum drove testing,” Weinreb said.

curred, so their students receive full instruction up until the last moment. Teachers whose classes have an EOC or FCAT proctor on those test days. Administration tries to not pull a teacher who has no relation to the subject area being tested, meaning a history teacher will not proctor a math EOC. Teachers in computer labs are relocated to classrooms to continue instruction. Teachers who proctor are required to leave detailed lesson plans for substitutes so their students are not left idle.

“Let’s say in a school of 3,000 students, four out of six must test,” Administrative Director Field said.

“That is 12,000 exams in a two month period.”

With that being said, substitutes, relocations and man-power are needed to make those 12,000 exams possible.

School Board Member Martin Karp believes that there is no question testing can be handled more efficiently.

“This is the beginning [of computer-based testing], and anytime it is the beginning there will be problems.” Karp said. “We are now at a

In January, the Lightning Strike published an article titled “Later School Start Times: Community leaders lobby for change in school hours.” The article reported on school board member Dr. Martin Karp’s proposal for later school start times and the community’s backing of the proposal.

In March, representatives from six Miami-Dade County schools formed the Later School Start Times for High Schools Committee. Principal Dawn Baglos and Assistant Principal Francisco Garnica form part of the committee, which has convened three times since March.

The committee distributed surveys to teachers and students across the county, asking about their preferences for start times.

The majority of those surveyed prefer a school day starting at 7:20 a.m. and ending at 2:20 p.m.

Many feel that a later school day would interfere with sports, activities and jobs.

The final decision over the official start times rests in the hands of the school board, which will announce its decision in the next few months.

Fishbein: From English teacher to college counselor Dan Sicorsky editor-in-chief

“You guys know where to find me,” she reassured her Honors English students. “I will always be with you guys one way or another.”

With this promise to her students, English teacher Jessica Fishbein announced she would not return next school year.

In March, Fishbein received an email from International College Counselors (ICC) offering her a counselor position effective this summer.

“It was a huge honor for me,” Fishbein said. “I find that if you keep on doing the same thing for so long, you start to stagnate. I saw this job as an opportunity to grow professionally and personally.”

Regardless of her excitement for her new job, Fishbein remembers her time at Krop affectionately.

“I’ll definitely miss my daily interaction with students and the academic discussions they bring forth,” Fishbein said. “I’m not sure I could say the same about all the paperwork and testing insanity.”

Before coming to Krop, Fishbein spent 12 years working for private schools in Toronto, New York City and Miami. In her transition to public schooling in Miami, she looked for a job that would offer the academic freedom she had at private schools.

“What I love about this school is that teachers are not limited to a textbook,” Fishbein said. “Instead, we are free to select our curriculum from the greatest literature

Follow The Strike Online!

MOVING ON: English teacher Jessica Fishbein (center) speaks with her AP English Language students on May 16. Fishbein has announced she will not return next school year. “I need to find focus on growing professionally and personally,” Fishbein said.

ABIGAIL DUFFY

in existence.”

In the four years as an Advanced Placement (AP) English Language teacher at Krop, Fishbein maintained a pass rate between 93 and 99 percent, with over 60 per-

cent of students earning scores of 4 or 5. Last year, her pass rate was the highest in the county.

When Miami Dade was recognized as the College Board Large District of the Year, and Krop was

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ranked highest in the district for AP student performance, Fishbein was delighted that her and the students’ achievements had been recognized.

However, in Fishbein’s eyes, these and other acknowledgements are not the ultimate kind of recognition.

“No teacher goes into education for money or awards,” Fishbein said. “We do what we do to help students grow as people and learners that will eventually become informed citizens who will better society in remarkable ways.”

As for talks of finding a new AP English Language teacher for next year, no plans have been announced. Fishbein has offered to provide materials and assistance to whomever her replacement will be.

More Inside: • Slut-shaming is totally not “fetch” - page 4 • Welcome to AP Airlines - page 16 • Softball team has perfect season - page 17

News Page 2

tops KROP’S

Brett Curtis, Kaila Fives, Marc Ojalvo, Lucas Cerzosimo and Veronica Bondarenko qualified in their individual events to compete at the National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) Heartland Pride National Tournament, hosted in Overland Park, Kansas.

Alec Eidelstein, Abigail Duffy and Javier Storch won national writing awards in the Quill and Scroll International Writing and Photo Contest.

According to US News and Report, Krop is now ranked 783 out of 19,400 schools in the country.

Krop music students earned Straight Superior in district and state music performance assessments. In addition, many Krop students received superior ratings at the District and State Solo / Ensemble individual music assessments.

Patricia Payton & Yenaida Diaz both received a two year fully paid scholarship to Broward Community College for the Nursing Program as well as immediately employment with the Broward Health System upon completion, and passing the required state nursing exam.

Nyshundai Jean also received a scholarship to attend cosmetology school.

TheStrike Lightning• September Strike • April/May2008 2014 The Lightning

From local to global:

What’s going on around the world?

HOTORO, NIGERIA: May 14 marked a month since an estimated 300 Nigerian school girls were kidnapped by Boko Haram, a militant organization. The Nigerian government has been accused of not properly dealing with the insurgents.

MIAMI SPRINGS, FLORIDA: Miami Springs High School was placed on lockdown for four hours on May 13 as police engaged in a standoff with an armed man who barricaded himself in his home across the street from the school.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA: CBS announced on May 14 that Season 12 of Two and a Half Men will be the show’s last season. The show launched its first season in 2003, making it the longest-running comedy on broadcast TV.

HAITI: Barry Clifford, a renowned underwater explorer, has presented evidence suggesting that the Santa Maria, the largest of the Columbus’s three ships, is resting in waters off of Haiti’s coast.

MILFORD, CONNECTICUT: A male teenager killed a female classmate on Apr. 25 after she reportedly refused to be his prom date.

SOMA, TURKEY: A blast and fire at a coal mine on May 13 left at least 282 dead and more than 150 missing as of May 15. The mining disaster is Turkey’s worst since a 1992 explosion left 263 dead. sources: New York Times, USA Today, and Miami Herald

Compiled by Dan Sicorsky

ENROLLMENT

AP Literature class short on sign-ups Arie Hariton outgoing opinion editor An underwhelming number of the junior class elected to take AP English Literature and Composition during subject selection. Reportedly only eight juniors chose to take the class, as opposed to over 40 for the Class of 2014. Krop administrators along with the class teacher, Michael Kelly, began a campaign to increase enrollment for Kelly’s class.

“When I saw the schedule, I looked at who was in AP English Language to see who was not going to AP English Literature,” Principal Dawn Baglos said. “I wanted to have the conversation and ask ‘why aren’t you following the natural course?’ ” Students in AP English Language and Composition, including junior Erick Cohen, were pulled from their first period classes in an attempt to reassure

them about the class.

“Basically, Garnica took us out of class and asked us why only six people in our class were taking AP Lit,” said Cohen. “We said we weren’t too confident, it’s an essay every day and that it’s a lot of work for senior year.”

Meanwhile, teacher Michael Kelly went to speak to the AP English Language classes with similar hopes of reassuring students to take his class.

“If a student is pulling a B in [Jessica] Fishbein’s AP Language class, knowing her standards and competence, they should do well in AP Lit,” Kelly explained. “If they’re in gifted and they have a 620 verbal on the SAT, and they’re pulling A’s, they should have no problem.”

Additionally, Kelly reinforced the positive aspects of his Advanced Placement class.

“Kids will benefit from a taste of college curricula and colleges look favorably on kids who take

AP classes and get at least B’s,” Kelly said.

Responses to this push were varied.

Junior Corinne Sharabi chose to take the class after the administration’s efforts.

“I heard that it was really hard to get a good grade and you have to read your essay out loud, but I think it’s stupid not to take it,” Sharabi said. “You become a better writer. It’s a good experience.”

Meanwhile, junior Erick Cohen was not convinced.

“I feel like [the administration] isn’t doing it for our best interests,” said Cohen. “It’s more like ‘if we don’t get the amount of students to take this class then there can’t be an AP Lit class, which obviously wouldn’t be good for the school.”

Principal Dawn Baglos believes that AP classes are good for students.

“Studies show that kids who

take AP classes are more likely to succeed, when it comes to college success and college completion,” Baglos said.

Right now, only two AP English courses are offered.

Because school grades and funding are tied to the amount of students who take and pass AP classes, the school has a significant interest in ensuring active enrollment in AP classes.

Kelly admits that inevitably some students will be placed into the class unprepared. Two students left his class this year.

“Ethically speaking, the greatest concern would be whether or not a student was misplaced or wasn’t qualified for an AP Class, whether or not that would negatively affect his college admissions,” Kelly said.

Nonetheless, he is committed to helping his students succeed.

“I will do my upmost to help that kid realize his potential,” Kelly said.

PHOTO BRIEFS

Krop earned the Youth Crime Watch of MiamiDade “Exemplary Award” as Senior High School of the Year. In addition, Krop won Advisor of the Year and Student of the Year.

The Lightning Strike staff placed 2nd in the On the Spot contest at the Florida Scholastic Press Association.

Compiled by Alec Eidelstein

DAN SICORSKY

TAKE YOUR CHILD TO WORK DAY: (From left to right) Alejandro Ortega and Veronica Ortega (Spanish Teacher Jorge Ortega’s children), and Jose Gutierrez and Mia Gutierrez (Assistant Treasurer Mayra Flores’s grandchildren) sell Jamaican patties around the school as part of their job during Take Your Child to Work Day on May 15. According to Mia, “this is definitely better than elementary school.”

CREDIT

DAY OF SILENCE: (From left to right) Liane Romero and Betsy Colon participate in the Day of Silence. Day of Silence took place on Friday, April 11, where students took a vow of silence, often by taping their mouths, to honor those who have lost their voices due to discrimination. Day of Silence is held annually by the Gay Straight Alliance organization.

News Page 3

The Lightning Strike • April/May September2014 2012

ACTIVITIES

Peace Jam project receives praise Daniela Michanie opinion editor They say that people can’t change overnight, but after one day at the Peacejam convention they are mistaken.

After a year of dedication, students involved in SGA’s Peacejam committee attended the annual Peace Jam convention at Florida State University.

The organization works with different Global Calls to Action (GCA), ten different service projects that include battling world hunger or halting the spread of global disease. Every school that participates chooses a GCA, implements it in their school communities, then returns to the yearly convention to present their work.

“The committee was founded after a few SGA members travelled to the convention last year, not knowing what to expect,” junior Danelle Amsellem said. “We came back with the desire to eventually return to the convention and present an amazing project like the ones we had seen.”

When people heard about Peace Jam’s new mission to “end racism and hate,” it sounded like a naive goal to have. However, Peace

Jam’s slogan, “change starts here,” is what motivated the committee to start here at Krop.

The goal became to alleviate and eventually end racism at Krop by facilitating the interaction between students who didn’t know one another. This is how the Mix-ItUp days came to be.

The Wall of Hate was inspired by a similar project at the University of Florida, where students took hateful words that they were called and painted them on bricks. The bricks were stacked to form a Wall of Hate similar to the one that was built and torn down at Krop.

The Mix-It-Up days and the Wall of Hate are the two most important projects that the Peace Jam Committee implemented and presented at the Peace Jam convention.

“Early in April, we took pictures and stories from the activities we had done throughout the year and compiled a presentation. We presented it to Leymah Gbowee, this year’s Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and you could tell everyone loved it,” sophomore Julien Saka said.

The convention, which is held in mid-April and hosted by Nobel Peace Prize laureates provided members of the committee with a

weekend of exploring the GCA’s, and bonding with complete strangers.

“We learned the true meaning of the phrase ‘everyone has a story,’” junior Kimberly Foreiter said.

“On the second day of the convention, we had what was called an Inspiration Ceremony where people shared incredible stories about their lives, and some people shared horrible stories of their past, and you couldn’t help but be in awe of their fortitude, like one girl who was a rape survivor and was working to encourage victims to end their silence.”

At the closing ceremony of the convention, three awards were given to the top school service projects. The award given to Krop was The Leymah Gbowee Mighty Be Our Powers award, in honor of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Leymah Gbowee is a peace activist who is responsible for leading a peace movement comprised only of women to end the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. Today, she continues to work for women’s rights in Africa as the President of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa and as the Executive Director of Women, Peace and Security Network Africa.

News Briefs Krop student arrested for changing grades Senior Jose Bautista was arrested for hacking into a school computer to change grades for five students, including himself.

After confessing to Principal Dawn Baglos on May 1, Bautista was handed over to police and charged with eight felony counts.

Outside Krop’s gates, television reporters have interviewed students and parents asking their opinions of the incident. In interviews with Good Morning America, seniors Susan Bean and Brett Curtis made clear that Bautista’s actions should not represent Krop as a whole.

Bautista is being held under house arrest with a GPS monitor after his family posted his $20,000 bail.

-Dan Sicorsky

Seniors recognized at award ceremony

TUITION

The struggle to pay for out-of-state college Mackenzie Duffy feature editor With university decisions being released by April, followed by student confirmation on May 1, students must choose a school based on desired major, location and price of tuition.

However, the average price of tuition increased at an average of 4 percent between 2013 and 2014. Private, nonprofit universities now have an average cost of $30,094.

“In the past year, I’ve noticed that final decisions have been mostly financial in nature,” CAP Robert Roddy said.

For example, senior Amanda Bastos was accepted into both University of Maryland and Florida State University (FSU). Her parents had created a Florida Prepaid Plan if she decided to go to a state university.

“I didn’t want to put my parents in a tough situation,” Bastos said. “I ended up deciding on FSU to save us money.”

Programs like Florida Prepaid are designed to save money for a child’s college education. However, it can only be used for an instate school.

Even with scholarship programs offered by universities and the federal government, the aid

does not cover enough of the annual cost for some families. Sometimes, students do not even qualify based on the total income of their household. Bastos, like many students who were accepted to outof-state universities, was given merit-based financial aid but only covered one year of tuition.

“I’m grateful that I can graduate from FSU with no debt when Maryland would cost me about 36,000 dollars a year,” Bastos said.

“I’m unsure of what else has this kind of impact on decisions,” Roddy said. “Students need to decide if going out-of-state is worth going into some debt.”

JAVIER STORCH

AWARD CEREMONY: Activities director, Michelle Russell calls out awards for seniors who excelled in academics, athletics, community service or extra curricular activities. The award ceremony took place in the auditorium on May 15.

New developments come to Aventura

ALEC EIDELSTEIN

Stein Mart: The space previously occupied by Loehmann’s will become home to a Stein Mart store. The nationwide retailer sells brand name clothing, accessories, and décor at 60 percent off brand name prices. The store opened at 19915 Biscayne Blvd on May 14.

Library: Aventura will welcome a new Miami-Dade County library this summer at the same location where Hurricane Wilma destroyed the previous library in 2005.

The library will be located at Aventura Boulevard and 29th Court.

Mall Expansion: The Aventura Mall will expand with three levels of stores and seven levels of a parking garage at the current site of its food court. The mall is already the 16th largest and 3rd highest grossing in the country.

Construction is scheduled to begin by the end of 2014, but plans for the expansion have not yet been finalized.

-Dan Sicorsky

Editorial Page 4

The Lightning Strike • April/May 2014

SOCIAL ISSUES

Slut-shaming is totally not “fetch” IN MY OPINION daniela michanie micaha

opinion editor

Its been 10 years since the

release of the movie Mean Girls, a coming-of-age story that taught us about the vicious girl world. But even though the “burn-book” is gone and most of us know that sex won’t (might) result in pregnancy and death, high school girls are still each other’s worst enemies.

From a young age, girls are taught the art of comparison.

That is, we are compared to princesses and barbies as we grow up, and hollywood celebrities and Victoria’s Secret models as we reach adolescence. And so, society instills in us unattainable standards of beauty that we can never live up to.

By the time we get to the competitive environment of high

school that draws distinct lines between popularity and cliques, girls are trained to look at one another and judge.

We think that because a girl is a size zero, she’s anorexic.

We think that because a girl hangs out around guys, she’s an attention-whore.

We create misconceptions about another, when we can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like to be that individual. Everyone has a struggle, everyone is living with something that we aren’t, and we all have flaws and imperfections we are not proud of.

Instead of dealing with these imperfections, or seeing through them, we find it easier to put one another down, by calling the other fatter or uglier or prettier or sluttier.

It’s got to stop.

Like Cady, played by a once sober Lindsay Lohan said, “Calling somebody else fat

THE LIGHTNING STRIKE An NSPA All-American publication Winner of George H. Gallup Award NSPA Pacemaker Finalist An FSPA All-Florida publication Follow us on Twitter @kropstrike Like us on Facebook

DAN SICORSKY, Editor-in-Chief LINA ZULUAGA, Managing Editor

ALEC EIDELSTEIN News Editor DANIELA MICHANIE Opinion Editor NICHOLAS ALEMAN Sports Editor JOSHUA SWERDLOW Entertainment Editor

MACKENZIE DUFFY Feature Editor MAYAN DERHY Lifestyle Editor MARYKAY SULLIVAN Adviser SUN COAST PRINTER Printer

staff writers STEPHANIA SALAVERRIA AND DINA BENDAYAN AD POLICY The Lightning Strike solicits advertising but reserves the right to reject any material deemed libelous, disruptive, obscene or otherwise inappropriate.

editorial policy The Lightning Strike is the student newspaper of Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School: 1410 Countyline Road, Miami, FL 33179; (305) 652-6808 Ext. 238. Opinions expressed in the editorial section do not reflect the viewpoints or official policies of the school. The Lightning Strike welcomes readers’ opinions on all topics. However, we will NOT print anonymous letters. Please keep letters under 150 words and saved to disk if possible. The editors reserve the right to reject, edit and condense letters. All letters should be turned in to room 2-233.

STORY POLICY Questions or comments about the fairness or accuracy of stories should be directed to Dan Sicorsky, Editor in Chief, at dansicorsky@gmail.com.

won’t make you any skinnier.

Calling someone stupid doesn’t make you any smarter.”

“If we call each

other sluts and whores based on the way that we act or dress, we give males the opportunity to do the same.

Another thing we don't realize is that if we want men to respect us for who we are and treat us as equals, we have to respect other females first.

We’re all guilty of slut-shaming, or labeling a woman as a slut because of the amount of sex that she has or the clothes that she wears. Yet we complain when men call

us sluts?

No ladies, we can’t blame it on them, or on society. It’s us.

If we call each other sluts and whores based on the way that we act or dress, we give males the opportunity to do the same.

If a girl wants to wear a short skirt, let her be. It’s her body. If a girl looks like she’s not a size two and shes enjoying a cupcake that doesn’t fit into your diet, let her be. It’s her choice.

I am not naive. Long after we graduate, high school will continue to be the main stage of Girl World, and the lines between cliques and social levels will never disappear completely.

I am not asking for us to bake cakes with rainbows and smiles and eat and be best friends forever. Simply give the respect that each of us deserves, not because we are pretty or smart or skinny or cool, but because we are fellow women.

LETTERS

are not “public domain.” The exams only enter the public sector when a “bank” gets misplaced, stolen, or goes up for sale on Ebay. If you In last issue’s Topic of the are downloading an exam, Month, students gave their opinyou have either hacked into a ions on the ethics of using past private website or are viewing exams to study. This is a teacha test that some individual did er’s response to their comments not have the authority to put that can be found on page five online. of last issue: I use the test bank from Opinions can be wrong when Campbell’s Biology because based on wrong facts, and the by testing my students with statement, “...it’s ethical bethese questions, they are cause teachers are using somereceiving the best practice for thing that is publicly available, the AP exam. so it’s them being lazy…” is

Gary Feilich ludicrous.

Science Teacher Test banks are ILLEGALLY publicly available. When textbooks are adopted by a school or a district, teachers are provided with various ancillary materials which include test banks. The Bible of AP Biology and Campbell’s Biology has a It’s the end of the school year. test bank that mirrors the very Students are tensed with finishing nature of the multiple choice their classes with great grades. questions that appear on the AP Everyone should be allowed to be exam. By giving my students in a sound state of mind. But what these questions, they were not do we get instead? Lockouts. only tested by a neutral party, I fear being swept in a lockout but they also gained experience because I had to finish a test in in answering AP style questions. my last class. I have consecutive These questions have taken classes on opposite sides of the years to develop, and were school, and I sometimes need the written by some of the best full five minutes to get to where instructors in the country. For I need to go. A small one minute a classroom teacher to develop delay can mean the difference even one test of this caliber, between learning or getting stuck would take months to prepare. If in CSI. I wrote an exam, it would prejThe administration needs to udice my students’ experience get rid of the lockouts. They place as they would be getting used to too much pressure on students my style of writing. and can disrupt their school day So let’s make one thing incredibly. clear, most teachers are FAR Patrice Lizaire from lazy, and these test banks 11th grade

Teacher answers to student allegations

Lockouts are unnecessary and disruptive

UNIFORM

Seniors should be allowed to wear their college shirts

IN MY OPINION danielle mackson outgoing entertainment editor micaha

Nothing is more thrilling for a senior than that long-awaited acceptance letter welcoming him or her to college.

After four years of high school studies and months spent poring over college applications, those letters make all the hard work worthwhile.

Many of us have dreamed of college since freshman year.

We are proud of our accomplishments and want to share it with others.

One of the best ways to show our pride is to wear college shirts or sweatshirts.

Krop's dress code, however, does not allow for any shirts other than the official uniform shirts. The administration should consider granting a dress code exception to allow seniors to wear college shirts on the day after they are accepted.

This should be a privilege granted to seniors for all of their efforts over the past four years. This privilege can be one that underclassmen look forward to when they reach 12th grade.

Although the administration does allow school affiliated shirts on Fridays, this does not give seniors the particular privilege that they have earned to wear the shirt of the college they have been accepted to any day of the week or for that matter, on a Friday. If a senior is allowed to wear a volleyball shirt from freshman year, why can’t he or she show off what they have been working towards for the past four years as a sign of accomplishment?

Before the dress code was instituted for the first time this year, students could wear college shirts whenever they liked. The dress code has worked well for the most part this year, but an exception for college shirts for seniors would make it even more acceptable to students and provide a way to celebrate their accomplishments.

Not only would the college shirts benefit the seniors, but they would be a way to acknowledge the successes of Krop teachers and administrators who play an enormous role in the success of their students.

The college pennants placed in the front of the school this year are a great new tradition that should continue. However, students should be given the right to display their own college logos as well.

Opinion Page 5

The Lightning Strike • April/May 2014 SEXUALITY

The “B” in LGBTQ should be taken seriously IN MY OPINION talya gebara micaha

outgoing staff writer

"'Bisexual' is a term that gay guys in high school use when they want to hold hands with girls and feel like a normal person for a change," Glee’s Kurt Hummel said, arguably the most popular gay character in recent years.

The popular mantra, “Bi now.

Gay later” can be heard in almost every social realm, including the LGBT community. The validity of bisexual identifying people has not only been questioned, but in

many cases, the orientation itself is denied to even exist. Although according to several studies, bisexuals make up the largest population of the LGBT community.

Bi erasure is the process of systematically minimizing and dismissing bisexuality. One example is when Olympic diver Tom Daley revealed through a YouTube video that he was in a relationship with a man. The nxt day, headlines read “Tom Daley comes out as gay” despite Daley also stating he still felt attraction to women.

On computers in school “bisexual” isn’t even an acceptable

search, where “homosexual” and “heterosexual” will produce results, because the word is more linked to porn than valid orientation.

“It’s just a phase” is heard by many people within the community, especially towards young women who come out as bisexual. The assumption is that bisexual women will fall into heterosexual relationships. Other stigmas include bisexual people are untrustworthy and will never be satisfied in a monogamous relationship with just one gender.

The common drive to erase bisexuality is the idea that sex-

uality exists as a binary, where people are either gay or straight and anyone else is lying. Poly and pansexual orientations recognize people who are intersex or otherwise fall out of the gender binary and faces harsh stigma as well, as they are relatively new terms.

The sharp line between hetero and homosexual serves little purpose to those trying to better understand themselves and their orientations. People who experience attraction to both genders are one of the least visible and dismissed sexuality both within the LGBT community and the outside world.

MENTAL HEALTH

Leave the diagnosis to the doctor IN MY OPINION abigail duffy micaha

outgoing photo editor

“The first time I saw her everything in my head went quiet.

All the tics, all the constantly refreshing images just disappeared.

When you have obsessive-compulsive disorder you don’t really get quiet moments...”

When Neil Hilborn performed ‘OCD’ at the Rustbelt Regional Poetry Slam in June 2013, the moving account of life with obsessive-compulsive disorder went viral and he became a face of the condition. People understood the severity of what Hilborn suffered from and he inspired thousands of others to talk about their psychological disorders.

So why do people mention obsessive-compulsive disorder in casual context despite knowing how serious it is?

Hilborn is one of the 1.6 percent of adult Americans who

suffer from OCD. OCD is an anxiety disorder characterized by constant thoughts and fears, called obsessions, that must be acted upon through repeated actions, called compulsions. The sufferer’s obsessions and overwhelming compulsions to fulfill them can become so severe that normal life is almost impossible.

In Hilborn’s case, he’d kiss his girlfriend dozens of times before he finally felt he had kissed her perfectly. His obsessions and compulsions ultimately drove the woman away. Unfortunately, this is the reality for sufferers of severe OCD. When I was young and unaware, I told people who commented on my font-like handwriting that it was a result of OCD. I have stopped explaining it that way.

Trivializing OCD by claiming you have it because of your fixation on the neatness of your notes or the color-coordination of your closet is an insult to the people who wake up with the disorder

every day.

Also a victim of a newfound casual connotation is bipolar disorder. I frequently see my peers’ Twitter tirades against “bipolar” parents who refused

“ Trivializing OCD by

claiming you have it because of your fixation on the neatness of your notes or the color-coordination of your closet is an insult to the people who wake up with the disorder every day. to buy them concert tickets or ground them for staying out too late.

In America alone, 5.7 million adults suffer from bipolar disorder and it is the sixth most prevalent cause of disability in the world.

ity.

That’s right. It’s a disabil-

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterized by swings between depression and manic episodes that make normal life without medication almost impossible. In fact, 1-in-5 bipolar patients commit suicide.

The disorder can be unpredictable without medication and makes normal life difficult. It strains relationships and exacerbates stress.

To those whose lives are affected, bipolar disorder is nothing to laugh at.

If given the choice, people who suffer from OCD or bipolar disorder would likely choose to live life without their conditions. But they can’t make the choice.

However, you can make the choice to eliminate these words as adjectives from your vocabulary. By doing so, the disorders will maintain their importance and shed the connotation that they have earned through casual implication.

HEALTH

E-Cigarettes: Healthy alternative or harmful habit?

IN MY OPINION juan lozano micaha

outgoing staff writer

Electronic cigarettes are marketed as a viable and healthy replacement to normal cigarettes.

They are cheaper if measured by grams of nicotine per unit, especially if the replaceable cartridges are bought and re-filled manually; they are somewhat cleaner, as the exhaled gas leaves little to no scent and does not contribute to indoor pollution; however, they should not be seen as a healthy replacement to cigarettes.

According to no-smoke.org, Manufacturers are not required to disclose the ingredients, and

e-cigarettes have never been submitted to the FDA for evaluation Electronic cigarettes were invented in 2007 by a Chinese company called Ruyan. In the seven years since they were first patented, the e-cig industry has spread to more than 50 countries. In 2013, Lorillard, owners of Newport cigarettes, purchased Blu, now the biggest electronic cigarette company in America.

The e-cig industry is currently a young giant worth more than a billion dollars and its growth is predicted to continue. The slender smoking devices are expected to surpass traditional cigarettes in sales by 2047 according to Bloomberg Industries.

That said, the problem with e-cigs is not their ability to sell,

but the fact that unlike tobacco cigarettes, they are almost wholly unregulated.

Electronic cigarettes are smoked by more than 9 million people in the United States according to Cancer.org, yet despite widespread use, the public is not yet empowered to do something as basic as type “e-cigarette ingredients” into Google and find out exactly what automatronic phalli smokers are putting in their lungs.

Electronic cigarettes contain no tobacco and emit no smoke.

E-cigs work by heating up cartridges of liquid nicotine with a battery powered heating chamber; the smoker can then inhale the “pure” vaporized nicotine.

Because it is not technically

“smoke” but rather vapor that is produced by e-cigarettes, regulations that were made for tobacco products often do not apply to electronic smoking devices. In Florida, only Clay County explicitly prohibits the smoking of e-cigs in non-hospitality workplaces and restaurants.

The fact of the matter is, e-cigs have almost no studies conducted on them compared to traditional cigarettes/tobacco products.

The most problematic issue with e-cigs is not the fact that smokers can “light up” wherever; it is the lack of public knowledge and pharmaceutical regulation limiting them. Anything could be in the cartridges that are labeled: “pure liquid nicotine”, even potentially life-threatening material.

What’s the

Matter?

Topic of the Month Is it possible to have a healthy online relationship?

“No, it’s not possible because even if you know them, long distance is too hard.”

Isaiah Webster, 9

“I think it’s possible.

As long as it’s not a permanent thing and the two people eventually meet.”

Kimberly Foreiter, 11

“No. Not unless you know the person, because it could be a waste of time. You can be friends online, but not date.”

Leron Taoz, 10

“You absolutely can. The most important part of a relationship isn’t physical. It’s emotional and mental.”

Renee Bastian, 12 Compiled by Daniela Michanie

JOIN YOUR

2013-2014 PTSA CONTRIBUTIONS TO KROP: • Kicked off uniform sales for the Inaugural year, raising the PTSA $5000 • Launched the “Dine for Krop” fundraiser events at Chipotle, Burger Fi, Cuban Guys and the Counter • Sponsored Stanley Kaplan Practice ACT and SAT tests • Hosted Annual Silent Auction at Club Fate, raising $16,000 • Purchased new sound equipment for the auditorium • Awarded more than $5000 in teacher/department grants AND MANY MORE ACTIVITIES AIMED TO IMPROVE THE SCHOOL.

Membership applications available in the Attendance Office

The Lightning Strike • April/May 2014

Entertainment Page 7

RECREATION

What to do for under $20: 5 events that k Stephania Salaverria staff writer Laser Light Shows: On the first Friday of every month, the planetarium host laser light shows. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. with a free star show and then move onto musicfilled laser light shows. Featuring popular bands and singers such as Pink Floyd, Radiohead and Bob Marley, the light shows go on until midnight. Separate tickets are required for every show, adults $8 and children $4. It is a small price for some late night Friday entertainment.

Tip: Arrive 20-30 minutes before the show you’re watching to get good seats, or bring a blanket and enjoy the show laying down.

Viscaya Tour:

Moonlit

give the biggest bang for your buck

garden by moonlight. With live music in the courtyard and refreshments for purchase, you have the perfect romantic evening for only $18 each.

Tip: If you bring your student ID, the price lowers to $12.

Full Moon Drum Circle: Held on the sands of Miami Beach, around Collins Ave, drummers of all skill level create a drum circle to celebrate the full moon.

The location slightly changes every time and once you find it you enter an ambiance filled with music, dancing and sometimes fire performances with flame twirlers. The event is free and starts before sunset and usually ends before midnight.

Tip: The location is usually between 85th and 79th street. Arrive early to give you time to track down the exact location.

Round Up Family Night: Every Sunday night starting at 5 p.m., Round Up Country Western Night Club hosts a family night. The perfect opportunity to put on your favorite jeans, flannel shirts and boots to join other country music enthusiasts. The club offers free line dancing classes, a petting zoo and live entertainment. As the Round Up website says “It is a break from the bustle of electronic and booty music” and a place to dance the night away. The entrance is free if you’re under 16 and $5 for those over.

Classic Movies to watch this weekend:

Tip: On family night, Round Up offers dinner specials, so check those out before hitting the dance floor.

Yoga in the Park: Three times a week, Bayfront Park offers free yoga classes by the bay. Classes start at 6 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday and at 9 a.m. on Saturday. Taught by certified yoga instructors these classes last an hour and fifteen minutes.

Registration is first come, first serve and instructors decide when the class is full. Bayfront provides a beautiful view that encourages relaxation and de-stressing.

Tip: Bring your own yoga mat, water and towel.

If you’re struggling with (grade level)itis, kick back and relax with this post-graduation classic.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off:

Garden

Viscaya Museum and Gardens, a beautiful estate originally created as a winter home for James Dearing, has an Italian-Renaissance gardens and a woodland landscape. Twice a month during a full moon, Viscaya opens after hours to allow the public to experience (for a small price) the

Whether you escape through daydreams, headphones or large gaps in the fence, this film is hilarious and relatable.

VIZCAYA.ORG

ENJOYMENT: Onlookers take in the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens on a night tour with calming music, a full moon and the peaceful setting. Although usually drawing an elder crowd, Vizcaya is looking forward for more younger children to observe the gardens.

The Truman Show:

DRAMA

Microtheater: a Spanish spin on modern acting Stephania Salaverria staff writer It’s a hole in the wall. To be more precise it’s a patio stuck between a parking garage and the Centro Cultural Español de Miami (CCEMiami), right across the street of the Adrienne Arsht Center.

Micro Theater Miami is an innovative project brought from Spain that is transforming our local theater.

Open Thursday through Sunday nights, Micro Theater Miami offers a lively ambiance to all those looking for live entertainment in the heart of Miami. The open area is draped in lights that make the night sky look to be accented with stars. Multiple art pieces decorate the patio, my favorite being a statue that looks like a giant red gummy bear. Then at the corner by the ticket stand, the theaters bar, Downtown Estrella de Galicia Lounge, sits. Aside from drinks, the bar serves tapas, a wide variety of appetizers part of Spanish cuisine, from the popular restaurant, Dolores But You Can Call Me Lolita.

The performance itself takes

What would happen if Krop’s security cameras were broadcast on national television? How about your entire life? Watch this Jim Carrey classic and find out!

Jaws:

WIRN.ORG

GATHERING: Microtheater managers get together before the opening act of the evening to discuss any last minute procedures. The urban spanish design includes birght colors and draped lights that give the illusuion of nightime stars in the sky.

place in large cargo containers that have been spray painted to look like pieces of art. As artistic as the outside looks, the inside is where the real art is witnessed. The cargo containers are transformed into a stage and can seat 15 people at a time.

And at five dollars for 15 minute shows, multiple performances can be enjoyed in one night. They run a total of 54 shows every evening.

Micro theater offers a show to fit everyones taste. It has a wide variety of genres ranging from drama to comedy, and each with their own creative, original plots.

Confined to such a small space to perform in, the actors have to work with little to no props to translate their scenes. This lack of setting and props allows the audience to focus more on the sto-

ryline and phenomenal acting.

Check ahead of time online to see which shows are being performed and at what time. Plus, don’t be afraid to dress up. The urban, slightly hipster scene Micro Theater provides is perfect for that new dress or skinny tie. This “not to miss” event is a unique experience that brings you a little piece of spanish culture in Miami.

“Tun- tun. Tun-tun. Tuntun-tun-tun.” If you are like most kids, the odds are that you have heard this tune but have no idea where it comes from: watch this shark thriller and be enlightened.

Compiled by Javier Storch outgoing editor-in-chief POSTERS FROM IMDB

Entertainment Page 8

The Lightning Strike • April/May 2014 FESTIVAL

O, Miami event shines new light on poetry Lina Zuluaga managing editor

Three years ago Miami garnered international attention as a city where poems were parachuted to unsuspecting people on the ground. Days later, the curiosity of a massive online audience was sparked by a video of a man speeding around Ocean Drive in a Ferrari, reciting Robert Frost via megaphone to onlookers.

With quirky, unconventional tactics, the coordinators of the month-long O, Miami Poetry Festival had successfully implemented their goal of bringing poetry to the citizens of Miami, while redefining how poetry is presented.

O, Miami challenges the typical experience of reading poetry. Rather than a late night open-mic, O, Miami held a large-scale poetry reading at the famed Soundscape park in Lincoln Road. The event called “Poetry in the Park” was the first poetry Wallcast that allowed hundreds of locals to bring out folding chairs, blankets, and picnic meals as they watched nationally renowned

OMIAMI.ORG

INVOLVEMENT: Festival volunteers sit as they sell shirts and other merchandise for O, Miami. Thousands were attracted to the event to enjoy poetry and take in the lost art of writing.

poets recite their works on a giant projection screen.

“Typically when people think of poetry it’s associated with lofty intellectuals. O, Miami wants to reach the atypical audience and normalize reading poetry for everyone,” Ashley Jones, an FIU graduate

student that volunteers for O, Miami, said.

At the event, Bookleggers, a mobile library gave locals the opportunity to take a book for free, pay $2 for any other book they wanted or trade a book.

Kimberly Foreiter, a junior, frequents the Soundscape Park

MOVIES

RELATIONSHIPS

Alec Eidelstein news editor

lifestyle editor

Spiderman ‘swings’ back into Dating theaters Mayan Derhy Inspired by the Marvel Comics of Stan Lee, The Amazing SpiderMan 2 directed by Marc Webb hit the box office May 2nd.

Peter Parker, played by Andrew Garfield swings back into action, as new villains emerge in the city of New York. He is back with his girlfriend Gwen Stacey, hinted at end of the prequel, even though he promised Captain Stacey (Gwen’s father) to stay away in order to protect her.

Peter is brought to question whether he should stay with Gwen or not after having flashbacks of witnessing the death of her father.

Longtime friend of Parker, Harry Osborne (Dale Dehaan), returns to take over the family business, Oscorp Industries, after his father passes away with a hereditary disease called Retroviral Hypodisplasia. Throughout the movie he’s dying and is in desperate need of Spider-Man’s blood, not knowing that Peter is Spider-Man. Max Dillon, played by Jamie Foxx, is an electrician for Oscorp, who feels invisible to others and develops obsession with SpiderMan after being saved by him before getting hit by a car. On his birthday he’s forced to stay at work after hours to fix an electrical circuit, but after plugging it in he gets shocked by electricity and falls

in the #ModernAge

My boyfriend and were madly in love.

I remember everything about our relationship from that beautiful Monday when he added me on Facebook to the first time he snapchatted me.

From then on our love continued to grow. He boldly requested to follow me on Instagram, so I accepted and posted the prettiest selfie I could find. I refreshed the page non-stop waiting for his like, and finally, it came. My eyes were glued to my phone; he liked it, he actually liked my picture, therefore it was obvious he liked ME. It was at that moment that I realized he must be my soul mate.

Everyone knows the most pivotal part of a growing relationship is when he starts favoriting your old tweets, and it only took a week for him to start. I responded I

IMDB.COM

into a pool of genetically modified electrical eels. Following the accident he becomes known as Electro, due to his body being made up of pure electricity.

“After reading the comics throughout my childhood, Electro was always my favorite villain and I was super excited after seeing him in the movie,” Marc Faren said. “I went to the midnight premiere and saw the movie in 3-D.” Electro and Harry Osborne, who takes the role as the infamous Green Goblin, team up in order to cause problems for Spider-Man. As Peter’s Great Uncle Ben always used to say before he passed, “with great power comes great responsibility.” The next time the producers want to make a SpiderMan movie, they should use the great story more responsibly.

for their regular Wallcasts of the New World Symphony. She sat on a flannel picnic blanket with a score of books in her lap as she waited for the readings to begin.

“The symphony is beautiful, but it definitely doesn’t attract the same crowd this fes-

tival does. Rather than mostly adults, the audience is very diversified,” Foreiter said.

Karena Halvorssen, a junior and former Krop student was a newbie to the Soundscape park and was attracted to the festival by a newspaper article her friend shared which recalled the antics of O, Miami.

“When I heard about their ‘Tags for Poetry’ project where they sewed poems into clothes at thrift shops I thought- wow, that’s so cool. Now that I spoke with workers and met individuals that treat poetry so playfull, I get the point- poetry is something we can all celebrate” Halvorssen said.

While the Poetry in the Park event attracted the largest crowd, it is only one of several events O, Miami hosted for the month-long celebration of poetry.

Other events included poetry infused yoga, a poetry ice cream social and poetry karaoke. But for all of those who weren’t able to enjoy the festival this year, you can look forward to O, Miami in April of 2015.

Upcoming O

Album Releases

BILLBOARD.COM

to his love by re-tweeting his latest post. I swear I got butterflies.

I’ll never forget the first time he texted me: “slide through.” I knew

“I

remember everything about our relationship from that beautiful Monday when he added me on Facebook to the first time he snapchatted me. things were getting serious. I was so excited that I accidentally texted back a winkey face. A winkey face. I was beyond embarrassed; he definitely thought I was easy.

We continued our endless flirting over the next couple of weeks; he liked my new profile picture so I liked his new photo

May 2014: Coldplay: Ghost Stories Joakim: Tropics of Love Austin Mahone: The Secret 7 Seconds: Leave a Light On

album. Our love was vibrant, thrilling and obviously an official relationship according to his Instagram post of the two of us.

We were on our way to becoming the next Chuck and Blair… that is, until it all went wrong.

I remember it like it was yesterday; the first time I realized the end was near. What he claimed to be one “innocent” comment on my best friend’s profile picture led to non-stop likes and retweets. I did the only sane thing a girl could do: tweet about it.

My phone vibrated and I knew it was him. To let him know that I was mad, I dryly texted back “Hi.” and even threw in a period to make sure he understood the gravity of the situation. We argued for a while, and when I finally told him that I saw his likes, our relationship took its final turn straight to the pits.

He read the message at 5:46 p.m. and didn’t reply.

June 2014: 50 Cent: Animal Ambition Matisyahu: Akeda Deadmau5: While (1<2) Lana Del Ray: Ultraviolence

BILLBOARD.COM

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The Lightning Strike • April / May 2014

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A final spread by Michael Behfar & Javier Storch

* $80,000

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* 20

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iPad scholarships awarded to seniors

Feature Page 13

The Lightning Strike • April/ May 2014

MIAMI

LGBT community celebrates Pride

Talya Gebara outgoing staff writer Thousands of people dressed in bright rainbow colors lined Ocean Drive for Miami’s 6th annual Gay Pride Parade on Sunday, April 13th.

The two day event celebrates South Florida’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community and organizations that have been active in shaping South Florida’s history into one inclusive to all gender identities and sexual orientations.

More than 80,000 spectators cheered on messages of diversity and acceptance.

“There were so many people.” senior Summer Pizura said, “It just shows how many people support equality” Although there were protesters with bullhorns and signs claiming, “Love compels us to tell you you’re on your way to hell,” they were quickly drowned out by cheers for the loving embraces of same sex and queer identifying couples.

Senior Angelic Cox recalls, “It was a futile effort on their part, they were outnumbered by people celebrating themselves. Their hatred was just a catalyst for people to celebrate harder.”

Hundreds of LGBT-friendly companies and organizations were represented in the parade,

WHAT ARE YOU PROUD OF? What does the word mean to you?

Proud of: His culture “I’m proud of being Bahamaian because it’s a great country and an interesting cutlure to be a part of.”

-Partick Brown, freshman COURTESY OF LISA LAMONICA

MARCH ON: From left to right, senior Angelic Cox, guidance couselour Lisa LaMonica and Gerbara walk with other students from Miami- Dade county in support of LGBTQ rights. They walk in representation of the school and the GSA Spectrum.

from the Chipotle float featuring a mechanical wrapped burrito to Miami Beach’s motorcycle police unit as well as Grand Marshals of the parade, Gloria Estefan and Kenny Ortega.

“Passing by the people while marching and getting high fives and cheers, everyone there had so much support,” senior Matt Isenberg said.

The parade didn’t just showcase the vibrant spirit of LGBT community, as there were also different focus groups that drew light to causes such as marriage

equality, raising awareness for HIV and STD testing and eliminating anti-LGBT bullying on school campuses.

Safe Schools South Florida who have been an active organization in creating safer schools for LGBTQ identifying or perceived students for more than twenty years, represented GSA’s throughout South Florida as participating students carried an impressive rainbow flag that could be seen in a crowd of hundreds.

After the parade, the cel-

ebration carried on well into the night. Hundreds of vendors set up along for food, drinks and Pride themed memorabilia.

There were stages for live music and crowds of dancing people along the beach all before the special after party had even started.

The celebration of love, freedom and equality is one of the biggest South Florida has ever seen, as its history has only grown in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals.

Proud of: Academics “I’m proud that I was able to improve my grades through hard work and commitment to my studies.”

-Brianni Castillo, junior

SERVICE

Children learn through animal therapy Madeline Garfinkle outgoing lifestyle editor Sophomore Jessica Brunstein always shared a love for animals and a passion for service.

At age five, Brunstein rescued her black and white poodle from a kill shelter and since decided to give back to her community by using dogs as a form

“ The

benefits to having kids interact with dogs are incredible. I really hope I can share this program with other schools.”

-Jessica Brunstein of therapy.

Brunstein’s program, 4 Paws Therapy, provides therapeutic benefits for special needs students such as improving social behavior, promoting self-confidence, providing motivation and

improving communication skills.

4 Paws Therapy is currently implemented at Treasure Island Elementary in Miami Beach and Brunstein hopes to expand the program into other schools around Miami-Dade County.

The group meets monthly using one dog and a small group of ten children which helps with their mental and social development.

“Dogs are fun to be with and comforting to hold,” Brunstein said. “It was rewarding to witness the positive impact that the dogs had on the children.”

Brunstein’s motive in creating this program was ignited by her love for animals and her desire to provide a unique way to help children. Brunstein explained that dogs and kids are a good combination, so the program comes naturally.

“The kids look forward to seeing their “furry therapist” and react with excitement and enthusiasm,” Brunstein said. “The benefits to having kids interact with dogs are incredible. I really hope I can share this program with other schools.”

Proud of: His team “I’m proud to be a Krop football player because we all have bright futures and being a part of a team is great.”

- Neil Blanc, freshman

Proud of: Her life changes “I’m proud of my change from middle to high school because my grades improved and so did my attitude.”

-Katriona Matador, freshman COURTESY OF JESSICA BRUNSTEIN

LESSONS LEARNED: Brunstein and a hired service dog visit the elementary school where her mother works. Her program, 4 Paws Therapy was designed to help children with disabilties relax when learning new material.

Compiled by Mackenzie Duffy

Feature

The Lightning Strike • April/May 2014

Page 14

INTERNET

Singers use social media to showcase talent Dan Sicorsky editor-in-chief There’s more to Instagram, Vine and YouTube than picking up the latest gossip on the Kardashians or laughing at funny memes.

With a jump in cases of breakthrough stars originating online, aspiring singers have taken to social media to put their abilities out there hoping for talent scouts to see.

Chorus and Vocal Magnet Director Gary Keating is very aware of this trend. One year, he assigned his students the task of posting a video of their performances to YouTube.

“I realized the potential that many of the kids had, and I didn’t want to see it go to

waste because they weren’t making use of the opportunity to let others see their work,” Keating said. “People looking for singers find it a lot easier to go online and see who has posted their material.”

Junior Benjamin Fortson, one of Keating’s chorus students, made it a priority to

“

Everybody sings, but you have to push yourself to prove that you are great at what you do.

-Jarid Goodridge

share his work on Instagram and YouTube. Fortson posts both covers and original songs in hopes that others will see them.

VINE.COM

VOCAL POWER: Goodridge (right), featured with guitarist Ben Bouganim (left), sings a cover of Justin Bieber’s song “All That Matters.”

“I sometimes have daydreams of performing live and going crazy backstage,” Fortson said. “But I know I’ll never reach that level if I don’t put myself out there.”

Sophomore Jarid Goodridge

MACKENZIE DUFFY

YOUNG COMPOSER: Fortson, a magnet student, practices writing music in addition to performing covers of popular songs.

posts covers onto a Vine account that he made in April. When he tried out for the X Factor three years ago, Goodridge made it the last round of try-outs before the televised auditions.

The reason he didn’t

advance? He didn’t make the age cut.

“This is me getting out there, which is what I need to do to make it big,” Goodridge said.

Like others, Fortson and Goodridge have watched singers like Justin Bieber and Christina Grimmie gaining national fame from their online followings.

“Everybody sings, but you have to push yourself to prove that you are great at what you do,” Goodridge said.

To follow Benjamin on Instagram, visit his profile at @ william_scott97.

To follow Jarid on Vine, visit his profile at Jarid G. Links to other accounts can be found on each of their Instagram and Vine accounts, respectively.

Top 10:things you didn’t know about Ms.Rosenfield 1. Teaching History: With a 52 year education career, Rosenfield has taught at Miami Beach and Killian High Schools and John F. Kennedy Middle School. Currently the Silver Knight coordinator, she has taught AP United States and European History, AP Government and Economics, psychology, sociology and English in the past. She was also a drama coach.

2. Double Life: In addition to working as the coordinator, Rosenfield is also a two-term mayor of Bal Harbor.

3. Sibling Rivalry: Rosenfield has a twin brother named Jerry, who currently lives in her home state of Ohio. Both 81-yearsold, the two have a long-standing competition to determine which sibling works the longest.

4. Childhood Dream: With many of her sorority sisters not completing college to get married, Rosenfield’s life dream was to have her own career.

5. Motto: In a high school where many students have already chosen their career path, Rosenfield’s advice to students is, “If you want to do something, just try it.”

6. Law Breaker: Although she is the mayor of a city, Rosenfield once receieved a ticket from the local police force.

7. Family Matters: Rosenfield has one daughter named Annette and two grandsons who live in Southern California.

8. Cherished Moments: Out of all her years of teaching, the best moments are when her students are rewarded for their hard work and express their happiness.

9. Fashion statements: Throughout her travels, Rosenfield has collected extravagant walking sticks and using them as accessories and decorations in her home.

10. World Traveler: Rosenfield has vacationed around the globe, with destinations including China, Argentina and countries all across Eurpoe.

MACKENZIE DUFFY

Compiled by Mackenzie Duffy

The Lightning Strike • April/May 2014

Page15

POST-HIGH SCHOOL

Alternative options for grads Elias Rosenfeld staff writer

If you are not feeling college bound, these are some alternatives after your high school graduation.

Join the military Many high school students decide to attend the military instead of college.

The military teaches discipline, independence, teamwork, and leadership skills that will allow an individual to succeed in life. Additionally, graduates will have the benefit of serving their nation while gaining career opportunities in the military and the chance to earn and save money to advance educational goals.

Volunteer

Volunteering is a great way to learn more about yourself and the direction you wish to take in life. If you do not go to college, you can volunteer locally or get involved in a national program that gives you the chance to travel the country and abroad. City Year, a good example for those seeking to volunteer as the organization’s goal is to bridge the gap in highpoverty communities between the support the students in the communities actually need, and what their schools are designed to provide. City Year is constantly looking for high school graduates who are not sure what they wish to pursue in the future.

Volunteering can help you learn new skills, make connections,help others in need, and perhaps work on what you want to do later on.

Become an intern

MICHAEL BEHFAR

Being an intern gives you the chance to test a career before making a commitment.

While many internships are unpaid, they give you valuable experience in the work force which may help you to excel in your preferred area of interest. Also, internships help introduce skill sets needed

for occupations in a certain field, making this a good option for those who do not enjoy a general studies life such as high school and want to test the waters in their field of interest. If being an intern interests you, check websites such as internship.com and intermatch.com that will help you find an internship in your area of interest.

Travel abroad If you are a travel bug, taking a year off to travel to another country can open your eyes to the wonders of new cultures and experiences. If money is an issue, you may want to look into international community service, or employment opportunities such as working on a cruise ship.

Earn a vocational degree Not all careers require a four year degree from a university; many professionals place more significance in certification and experience. Positions such as information technology experts, dental hygienists, radiology technicians, and medical transcriptionists require a certification that takes less time to earn than a bachelor’s degree.

Research areas that interest you and find out if there is a certificate program locally for you.

REVIEW

Town Center Aventura becomes a local hot spot Danielle Mackson outgoing entertainment editor

Town Center Aventura is quickly becoming a hot new dining destination. Joining the existing restaurants of Pei Wei, Chipotle, Pita Plus, Novocento and Subway, three more food spots have recently opened their doors that will no doubt appeal to teen diners.

Buffalo Wild Wings, a restaurant and sports bar, claims its chicken wings are the “greatest invention of all time.”

The wing sauces are the highlight here, with 16 different varieties ranging from Jammin’ Jalapeno to Thai Curry to classic buffalo sauce. Wings come in both boneless and traditional styles, but they are only a small portion of the food choices. Popcorn shrimp, savory salads, sandwiches, wraps and burgers round out the menu.

The Aventura location is the fourth in Miami. Founded in 1982 with a single restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, the company now has restaurants in virtually every state in the country. The

Aventura restaurant is a large facility with both indoor and outdoor seating.

Known for their sports as much as their wings, Buffalo Wild Wings is stocked with large television screens that constantly display a variety of sporting events.

Those looking for a boisterous location to meet up with friends and have a casual meal will not be disappointed with Buffalo Wild Wings. The restaurant is open Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

A second newcomer to Town Center Aventura is The Counter, a gourmet hamburger spot. Also a chain, The Counter restaurants can be found primarily in California, but even in such faraway destinations as Kuwait and Ireland.

Based on a “customized burger” concept, guests receive a clipboard and a detailed list of fresh ingredients from their server that allow them to create a unique burger creation.

Estimating that there are more than 300,000 burger combinations, the restaurant claims that they rarely make the same ham-

Lifestyle Student Innovators

burger twice in a day. Choices for the customized burger include protein, cheese, topping, sauce and bun.

For those customers who want to simplify their ordering, several standard burger choices already appear on the menu. In addition, burgers in a bowl appeal to those watching their carbs. These burgers arrive on top of varying salad combinations.

A large selection of appetizers, including homemade chili and crispy onion strings, and a host of sandwiches, salads, shakes and desserts are available.

Bison, chicken breast, ahi tuna, and turkey are also on the menu for non-beef fans. The Counter is open every day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

For those seeking an alternative to Starbucks, Cafe Cita at Town Center Aventura is a coffee shop that specializes in light bites and miniature open-faced sandwiches. Wanting to enhance the coffee culture experience, the owners select prime coffee from Africa, Asia and Latin America to serve to the patrons of Aventura.

Cafe Cita is open every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Researching alternative treatments for diabetes Maya Levy I love research, I always have, and I always will.

Growing up thinking like an engineer, always trying to find the solution to problems, math and science were doomed to be my favorite subjects, and eventually I fell in love with research.

My first year at public school, I made a science fair project about banana glue. I never imagined that I would win first place and be a state finalist that year. When I got to States, I realized two things: I wasn’t as smart as I thought I was, and that research is the future.

My fellow competitors were a surprise. I expected tall seniors with PhD-level projects, the computer nerds that programmed all day, and the few kids (like me) that weren’t rocket scientists. Instead, they’re the coolest people I’ve ever met!

At States, I saw students with work done in university labs, with expensive microscopes, live rabbits, tissue cells; you name it, they used it!

After States, I ran home to start my next project.

This year I tested the durability of adhesives for the Insulin Pump, a device that works like an artificial pancreas. My procedure began in my garage, with punk music playing and my 2002 Dell. Researching methods of healthy and accurate diabetes management makes me feel like I might really help someone who needs it.

However, States wasn’t always perfect. During my three years at States, I’ve had to deal with biased judges, deceitful competitors, and an almostdisqualified board, but the experience taught me a lot.

All of the research I have conducted made me not only a better researcher, but also a better student.

Having to micro-manage my time for science fair projects makes it easier for me to juggle work and extracurriculars. Spending hours practicing my presentation gave me confidence and made me who I am.

I’ve always loved the medical field and helping others. I have many Diabetic relatives, and so it’s almost fate that I get to work on a project that could help them. Diabetes is painful, uncomfortable and expensive. There is a non-invasive method of diabetes management out there waiting to be discovered and improved, and hopefully I can be a part of it.

Through hard work not only will I be able to achieve my goal of becoming a doctor, I’ll have fun doing it! In the upcoming years, I plan to continue researching methods of better diabetes management.

My work has helped me realize just how important science is for our future, and I’m so proud to be a part of it.

Lifestyle Page 16

The Lightning Strike • April/May 2014

HEALTH

F d can alter your m d Dina Bendayan staff writer Everyone knows that anything toxic is bad for you, so “detoxing” must be good.

We see celebrities do it all the time so it must work, right?

These “detox” diets encourage us to eat natural foods and make us drink lots of water and eat mostly fruits and vegetables, all the stuff we know is good for us.

The basic idea behind detox diets are to temporarily give up certain kinds of foods that are thought to contain toxins. The idea is to purify and cleanse the body of all the “bad” stuff. But the truth is, the human body is designed to purify itself.

A toxin is a chemical that has harmful effects on the body.

Toxins can come from food or water, from chemicals used to grow or prepare food, and even from the air that we breathe.

Our bodies process those toxins through organs like the liver and kidneys and eliminate them through excretion.

Recently I decided to try a detox diet. There are many different kinds of detoxes but I decided to go with the simplest one which is basically just fruits, vegetables and fish.

After eating my meals I felt less “inflated” than I usually do after I eat normal food. As the first three or so days went by, I realized that I was happier, less tired and more energetic.

EDUCATION

Welcome aboard to AP Airlines Michael Behfar outgoing spread editor Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to your Dr. Michael Krop AP testing session- I will be your AP flight attendant. Please turn your attention to the proctor nearest to you for our safety demonstration. Please follow along with the instructions printed on the back page of your exam.

Do not be afraid of the standard-issue pat-downs. They ensure your safety and honesty.

If you have an issue with direct contact, x-ray machines are present.

Now fill in your information.

This step does not apply to those who have taken prior AP exams, but there are three sophomores in the testing space without information in the system. We ask that you wait patiently while they bubble in their name, student ID and life story.

Please make sure your test seal is securely

MICHAEL BEHFAR

fastened at this time. Do not unfasten your booklet before the allotted time has begun or with too much enthusiasm. Both will invalidate your test. The list of all things that will invalidate your test can be found on pages 2 - 32 of your 2013 - 2014 College Board® handbook.

The room is kept at a cool 48 degrees Fahrenheit and the walls are painted blinding white to ensure attentiveness. There are no emergency exits in this testing space. If the need to use the restroom arises, secret service agents will be available to escort you to the restroom. Only one person in the room of 200 students may leave at a time.

In case there is a loss in testing pressure, a glaring red countdown of your ever-dwindling time limit is located above you. For students who are taking back to back exams, 45 seconds in between exams will be provided to eat your lunch. Exposure to sunlight is not permitted.

In the event of premature completion, all tests function as comfortable sleeping apparatuses.

To construct, simply place your test and answer sheet together and flat on the desk. Move your head from the up-right position downward onto the booklet. You may now sleep. Snoring is not permitted and will invalidate your test.

Thank you for your attention, and we wish you success on your College Board® AP tests! Animal crackers and water bottles will be distributed shortly.

The diet didn’t infringe on my daily routine, as I was able to continue my standard dayto-day activities such as going

“

Changing your mindset from pushing yourself to the limit and eating nothing to being healthy and positive is the best way to lose those extra pounds. running and hanging out with my friends.

My meals consisted mainly of light foods such as white fish and cut up fruit as snacks.

Sugar-free smoothies that consisted of anything from strawberries to kale were my best friends.

However, after the fourth day I felt myself getting tired and even after I ate my “meals” I was still hungry. I wasn’t able to run as fast and long as usual do because I would get very tired and dizzy. For the last three days of the diet, I simply stayed in my house and slept because honestly, I had no energy to do anything else.

Detox diets can be slightly extreme, pushing girls to their limits and causing them to feel empty and constantly hungry,

and though I did lose weight, I gained it back the week I began eating regularly again.

I realized that there are no secrets to losing weight, just eating healthy will do the trick.

Eating smaller meals regularly throughout the day and making sure you never feel empty will ease the diet process. Changing your mindset from pushing yourself to the limit and eating nothing to being healthy and positive is the best way to lose those extra pounds.

Yes, eating fruits and vegetables is healthy and beneficial, but completely cutting out other foods that give me nutrients that fruits and vegetables might not is counterproductive.

Common Exercise Myths

1.

Stretching will prevent injuries Studies concluded that stretching provides no benefit when comparing injures in those who stretched before working out and those who didn’t. Don’t let your trainer fool you, and next time you go to the gym don’t think you have to stretch out.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Yoga is a big calorie burner While doing yoga does improve flexibility and strength, it does not burn many calories. According to ACE, a 50- minute power yoga session only burns 237 calories in comparison to the 500 and 600 calories burned from activities such as spinning for the same time.

Weight loss is the end all be all of exersice While at the gym, those working out might wonder why they are not losing weight, and if they are benefiting from their workout. Trainers agree that proper weight loss takes time to accomplish because the body is adapting itself to newer health standards such as better blood sugar levels. Just because you do not lose weight does not mean you are not gaining health benefits.

Running is bad for the knees In a Stanford University study, older runners’ knees were no less healthy than those of people who do not run. Professionals are realizing that running does not damage the knees but if exercised properly, can benefit the knees and make the entire body healthier.

Protein shakes post-workout are good for the body Many athletes have this notion that drinking a protein shake after a workout will make their body healthier or stronger, but the reality is far from that. According to health nutritionist, a protein shake has the same body gain as a normal meal, but the quality of the protein industry is considered very poor; therefore, nutritionist recommend to eat a regular meal after working.

Sports The Lightning Strike • April/May 2014

ACHIEVEMENT

Softball caps perfect regular season Joshua Swerdlow entertainment editor The Lightning girls’ softball team finished stronger than ever before. A 15-0 record landed the girls first in the district with the runner up over seven games behind. Led by freshman pitcher Katherine Delarosa and junior shortstop Bailey Miller, the Lightning took the lead in four games by ten runs or more, which resulted in the umpires ending the game early by mercy rule.

Confidence surrounds the locker room with the team motto, “Who do we play? It doesn’t matter.”

The girls beat Miami Beach in districts 8-0 and hosted Palmetto for regionals.

Palmetto took control of the game from the start and defeated the Lightning 15-3, ending their season and bid for perfection.

With the only senior on the team being Brianna Upshur, the young team is mature for their experience and looking forward to more success. Many of the girls attribute the success to a new family aura.

“We really bonded a lot better as a team and started hanging out more on and off the field,” junior shortstop Bailey Miller said. “I think that helped our communication when it came down to working together to win games.”

The past two seasons ended

KROP’S SPORTS

Senior captain of the boys’ basketball team Terry McFadden commited to Lee University in Baytown, Texas. Lee has sent 27 junior college athletes to division one schools in the last four years.

COURTESY OF KROP ATHLETICS

CELEBRATION: The softball team poses for a picture after winning its first district title against Miami Beach, 8-0. The team had special shirts designed to celebrate the record accomplishment.

in disappointment with losing records in each.

Most did not give the Lightning a chance to go through much improvement this year. “[The perfect season] is an amazing feeling after how unsuccessful our last season was,” said Miller. “No one expected much out of the softball team, so it feels great to prove them wrong.”

Freshman pitcher Karina DeLarosa led the squad. The transition into high school sports is a difficult task, yet DeLarosa

did not falter.

“I felt like I had a lot of pressure on me with my team counting on me all the time,” DeLarosa. “I knew I had to put my heart out on the field every game for my team.” This season has showed the young team the highs and lows of softball.

The Lightning can grow on their experiences and after a whole summer of training, the team should make another district run and a lot of noise next season.

“This year we’ve grown

as a team,” head coach Krista Latessa said. “From the start of the season, they showed constant improvement with their all-around game and it showed.”

Teamwork in sports is a must, which is exactly what the Lightning girls showed this year.

“When someone makes a mistake, the team shoots them back up with cheering and positive thoughts,” DeLarosa said. “[This] gives the team, as a whole, motivation to defeat whatever team we face.”

RECAP

Tennis falls in regional championship Nicholas Aleman sports editor For the first time since 2000, the Lightning will not be attending the state tournament after losing to Cypress Bay on April 10 in the regional finals, which ends the team’s record for most consecutive team appearances in the state tournament.

With the win, Cypress Bay advances to states and Krop will send first team all dade county tennis selections, number one and two hitters sophomore Naiya Oden and senior Danna Gandelman as a doubles pair since they won at districts. Oden lost 6-0; 6-0 to Pierina Imparato, a semifinalist at last year’s state tournament, and Gandelman dropped the first set 6-4 after trailing 5-1, and then lost 7-5 in the second set to Shene Disbergen.

Disbergen ended Gandelman’s two-year reign as individual state champion last year by upsetting her in the first round on her way to capturing

tops Page 17

Courtesy of Krop Athletics

WIN: The tennis team takes a group picture after winning another district championship. They lost in regionals to Cypress Bay on April 10.

the 4A division two championship. Number four hitter, senior Naomi Maechama, ended her high school career after losing 6-0; 6-0. Junior Sophia Sultan and freshman Julie Schillenger lost their matches 6-0; 6-3 and 6-0; 6-0, respectfully.

The boys’ team didn’t fare

as well either.

The Lightning, who are in semi-rebuilding mode after the loss of All-American Alex Knight to Michigan forcing everyone to jump a spot higher than projected at the start of the season, faced a tough match up with undefeated, back to back

state champions Cypress Bay. Number one hitter senior Alex Rothman and three hitter sophomore Fabrice Villasanthe fell 6-1;6-0 to seniors Gianlucca Massa and Andrew Heller after tough first sets. Alex Rothman ends his high school career with a 13-3 record and an invite to play for the all Miami tennis team Number four hitter sophomore Leeland Bien and five hitter sophomore David Miculizki lost in straight sets 6-0;60. Miculizki fought through a back injury that sidelined him for a couple weeks. Sophomore and number two hitter Ariel Hollander was trailing 6-1;21 when Christopher Morin tweaked his back resulting in his withdrawal from the match with his team already clinching the regional championship.

With four returning sophomores next season for the boys and number one, Oden and three, Sultan returning for the girls, the Lightning are looking to rebound and returning to their usual dominating ways.

Senior Brett Curtis and freshman Lauren Ruiz finished second in the Badminton GMAC Singles Division Tournament. Ruiz lost her first match and then battled back to win the next five before losing in the championship round.

Senior Daniel Egozi, a swim team district finalist and water polo captain, was named a finalist for the Miami-Dade County Scholar Athlete Award.

He is in the top 2% of his class and will be attending the University of Pennsylvania.

Tennis team captain senior Dana Gandelman won the Scholar-Athlete Award for the month of January from South Florida High School Sports. The award granted the tennis program a $1000 donation.

Seniors Alex Rothman and Dana Gandelman, the tennis team captains, were invited to join Team Miami. They both won the Florida High School Coaches Tennis Association Championship.

Their win qualified them for the National Championship in San Diego, California.

Compiled by Nicholas Aleman

Sports The Lightning Strike • April/May 2014

Page 18

WORLD CUP

Countdown to FIFA World Cup begins

Alec Eidelstein news editor The 2014 FIFA World cup hosted by five-time champion Brazil kicks underway June 12, where 32 countries assemble after months of preparation to capture the world’s attention as they hope to be crowned champion.

Excitement is in the air as the tournament falls below the one month start mark. A World Cup record 909.6 million peo-

ple watched at least a minute of the 2010 final according to FIFA, making it the second most watched live sports event of all time behind the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

That mark is expected to brake as the excitement has been brewing for the past couple months.

“The World Cup is when everyone can put aside their differences and have fun rooting for their teams,” senior Fernando Perez said. “People come together

to support their home countries.”

Four teams will compete in each group and the top placed teams will advance to the elimination round of the tournament.

The United States was matched into the “Group of Death” with Portugal, Germany and Ghana. Host country Brazil, has an easier path facing Croatia, Cameroon and Mexico.

“I’ve been waiting four years for the world cup to finally arrive,” sophomore Sebastian Kuzak said.

RECAP

Polo teams capture district titles

“Hopefully my hometown team

“inExcitement is the air as the tournament falls below the one month start mark.

Argentina can pull away with the championship this year.”

12 stadiums are being used by different host cities for this presMANAGEMENT

New coaches, new era

Nicholas Aleman sports editor

COURTESY OF KROP ATHLETICS

VICTORY: The girls team poses for a picture after defeating ATM for the district title, 6-2.

Nicholas Aleman sports editor Both Lightning water polo teams won the District Championship after defeating crosstown rival Alonzo Tracy Mourning High School on April 17th in the district finals.

Both teams started the eigth annual district tournament with high hopes. ATM entered as the two time defending champions for the boys side and defending champion for the girls, while Krop entered the tournament riding an undefeated streak for the girls (16-0) and a perfect record in district play for the boys (15-4).

The girls took to the water first as they took control of the game early and cruised to a 13-7 victory over Hialeah Gardens high school.

The boys were up next, starting their second unit as they easily defeated Gladiators, 17-6.

After an ATM win over Barbra Goleman High School for both girls and boys team, a rematch of the past two district championship was in play.

The girls played first, start-

ing the game strong on the defensive end giving up zero goals through the first three quarters as senior captain Jade Lubie scored the game’s only goal up to that point. Lubie broke the scoring drought in the fourth, scoring three consecutive goals to pull away and secure the Lighting victory, 6-2.

“It was a big disappointment to lose to ATM in districts last years,” Lubie said.

“So coming back so strong this year and winning both GMAC’s and districts was a great way to end my career.”

The boys started their match strong on both ends of the water, making smart passes to find open shots and playing cohesively on defense.

The match went back and forth until ATM took the lead 6-5 halfway through the second quarter.

Senior captain Dean Kaire, who finished the season as the schools’ second alltime leading single season scorer at 89, and junior Mohammad Alsabbaghe combined for eight of the next ten goals as the Lightning went on a 10-0 run

to take the lead and control of the game.

The boys’ team had lost the previous two district championship games by forfeiting the lead late, but this year was different.

ATM stopped the run and made a comeback of their own scoring three straight goals to pull within six, but the veteran Lightning squad came together and closed the game, winning 20-11.

“This win means so much to us,” junior Anthony Leon said. “Beating a rival like ATM is a hugh win for the program.”

This is the boys’ first district championship since 2009-10 and the girls’ third in four years.

The boys’ team will return juniors Alsabbaghe and Leon along with others as they are posed to make another district run.

The girls will try to defend their title, even with the losses Lubie and Mariana Olave due to graduation, as junior Sydney Vigille and sophomore Amber Lubie lead the way next season.

tigious event and a reported $3.47 billion dollars was spent just on stadium projects.

Spain looks to defend their championship as they took home the crown over Netherlands in a 1-0 showdown four years ago in South Africa.

The United States, who won their qualifing matches going 6-1 with wins against the likes of Mexico and Panama, begin their quest for their first world cup championship on June 16.

Baseball coach Joe Milbury and boys’ basketball coach Steven Groothius will not be returning to their coaching positions next season.

The move was made final by the administration in May due to the lack of progress for both teams.

Milbury took over baseball in January after an extensive coaching search to replace long time head coach Jason Sullivan.

The team suffered key losses at the start of the season with the departure of several graduating seniors and team captain Jake Norman.

Even though not having offseason practice with the team, Milbury scheduled tough opponents to challenge the younger, more inexperienced players on the team.

They started off the season 0-12 before the coaching change was made. Assistant coach Scott Olsen took over the reins as head coach and led them to 6-4 record over their last ten games.

“We played more relaxed,” senior captain Dave Gil, on the mid-season coaching change said. “We were able to pull out wins we didn’t expect as the season went along.”

Groothius, who took over the boys’ varsity basketball team following the scandal plagued 2011-12 season that resulted in the revoking of all the wins that season, led them to a winless record in his first year and to a 5-17 record in his second.

The Lightning has not reached the district playoffs

since the departure of former head coach Marcos “Shakey” Rodriguez four years ago.

JV football coach Christopher Garcia took over the coaching position just in time for the spring tournaments.

The Lightning has already made an impression on the district going 3-1, scoring wins against Flanagan, Hialeah-Miami Lakes and Slam Charter High School.

The Lightning still have two more spring tournaments to play in before the start of next year.

Garcia is an experienced coach with 25 years of coaching experience who has an extensive resume in the Miami-Dade area.

He was an assistant football coach at Norland and Monsignor Edward Pace High School for thirteen years until becoming coaches’ assistant for the mens basketball team at Florida Memorial University while also coaching the JV football team.

With the change of focus shifting from offense to defense, the Lightning should be able to suprise a few teams next season.

Both teams look to harp on the new changes to their respected teams.

For baseball, the Lightning are hoping to build on their late season success that raised a lot of eyebrows around the district.

Basketball, on the other hand, is going to be locked and loaded next season as they bring back the sophomore duo Abraham Aracena and Felipe Souza.

“He brings a lot of energy to the court,” Souza said. “I can’t wait to see what we can do next year with him as coach after a full offseason of workouts.”

Comics

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The Lightning Strike â&#x20AC;˘ April/ May2014

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Calendar Page 20

MONDAY

19

MAY/JUNE

TUESDAY

20

WEDNESDAY

21

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The Lightning Strike • April/May 2014

THURSDAY

Silver Knights Award Ceremony

26

Girls’ Cross Country

Memorial Day: NO SCHOOL

June 2

27

28

Senior Graduation Rehearsal- Gym

Senior Graduation Rehearsal- Gym

3

4 Best Buddies Prom

Students participated in Mix It Up Day

23

FRIDAY

Senior Graduation Meeting

PromDiplomat Resort @ 8p.m.

29Class of 2014 30

24

Graduation: UM Bank United Center @ 7p.m.

5

Last Day of School!

Peace Jam Conference