January Issue 2015

LightningStrike Taking Miami-Dade by Storm

CUBA, now 90 miles closer

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

off the coast of Cuba to continue her schooling.

Leal, who moved to the United States in 2005, likened the situation in Cuba to George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm.’ “Do as we say, not as we do,” Leal said, is a belief shared by the pigs running the farm in Orwell’s novel and politicians in charge of the Cuban government.

Leal saw government officials living in mansions and talking on cell phones in the street – a rarity in those days. Meanwhile, “the [common] people in Cuba weren’t living,” Leal said. “They were surviving.”

While Leal had a lot of negative sentiment toward Cuba, some

Jacob Singer sports editor

For decades, they were only 90 miles away from each other, yet so far apart. After more than 50 years of separation, Cuba and the United States are finally working on making their philosophical gap as small as their geographical one.

Fifty years later, on Dec. 17, 2014, President Barack Obama reached an agreement to normalize relations with Cuban President Raul Castro, opening a new chapter in United States-Cuba relations.

Fidel Castro (Raul Castro’s brother) overthrew the Cuban government in 1959. Two years later, the United States, opposed to their new communist neighbor, closed the United States embassy in Cuba, implemented the trade embargo, which severed nearly all trading ties between the two countries, and attempted to assassinate Castro.

There was tension, to say the least.

In his State of the Union address, Obama proclaimed his desire to end the embargo, which he believes will be beneficial to both parties. In addition to ending the embargo, Obama also hopes to reestablish a United States em-

January 31, 2015 • Issue 4 • Volume 17

Do you agree or disagree with President Obama’s announcement to begin normalizing relations with Cuba?

Living in 35% 56% 9% Florida Living in the rest 7% 61% 32% of U.S. Agree DAN SICORSKY

‘IT’S TIME TO TRY SOMETHING NEW’: Cuban and American flags are sold at a tourism store in Little Havana on Jan. 27, less than six weeks after American officials announced a shift in U.S.-Cuba relations. “When what you’re doing doesn’t work for 50 years, it’s time to try something new,” President Obama said at his State of the Union address on Jan. 11.

bassy in Cuba.

Spanish teacher Irma Leal was born in Cuba in 1963, one year after the trade embargo between Cuba

and the United States was finalized.

When she was 11, Leal was forced by the Cuban government to leave her family and move to an island

Disagree

people, like Sophomore Melissa Ramirez, have other opinions.

“People make it seem like Cuba is a jail,” Ramirez said, “But it’s not like that.” Ramirez has observed that the Cuban people have a positive outlook on life and make the best of

Marriage rights granted to same-sex couples Florida joined the ranks of 34 other states that provide the right of marriage to same-sex couples on Jan. 5.

The laws are confusing: In the U.S., states can decide their marriage policies. This means that a same-sex couple in Delaware can get married legally, but if this couple were to have moved to Florida before Jan. 5, their marriage would not have been legally recognized.

Let’s look at this scenario closer: A straight couple in Delaware can marry and have

their marriage recognized anywhere in the country, yet the same-sex couple is denied this right. The inevitable result is discrimination against samesex couples.

If this hypothetical scenario doesn’t convince you, let’s use a real one. Jason Simpson married the love of his life, Frank Bangor, in Delaware.

When Bangor died in the couple’s Palm Beach home, Simpson wished to be recognized as Bangor’s husband. Legally, that was the only way Simpson could manage the estate. On Aug. 5, 2014, a county circuit judge granted this recognition.

It was the first time this was done in Florida.

More inside: •Charlie Hebdo: The press lives on - page 4 •Confessions of an Uber passenger - page 7 •Senior recruited for Marines - page 13 •Inside the Wynwood Walls - page 15 •Spot the differences - page 20

Straight married couples don’t have to file lawsuits in order to receive marriage benefits, which include the right to share health benefits, receive tax exemptions and visit their spouse when they’re in the hospital.

For same-sex couples hoping to have their marriages legally recognized, this is only a bit of what is at stake.

Another basic denial is the dignity of having the freedom to decide who you want to marry.

This is a personal decision, but an important right that all should be entitled to.

vance protections for the LGBTQ community, in large part, because of organizations such as Safeguarding American Values for Everyone (SAVE) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

Both organizations advocate for equality, and teamed up to file a lawsuit to legalize samesex marriage, arguing that a ban on the practice discriminates against same sex-couples. Then on Aug. 21, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle favored SAVE/ ACLU giving same-sex couples the right to marry.

The freedom to marry in Florida: Florida has worked to ad-

► see “MARRIAGE,” page 2

Standing on the shoulders of giants

pages 10 -11

The new faces of African-American leadership

Don’t know/No answer

This poll was conducted on Dec. 17-18 by Bendixen & Amandi International for the Miami Herald, El Nuevo Herald and the Tampa Bay Times. The survey polled 400 Cuban Americans, more than half in Florida, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.

FLORIDA LEGISLATION

Lina Zuluaga managing editor

what they have.

Sophomore Eli Salk, whose family is from Cuba, sees another benefit in the improved United States-Cuba relations – an ease in travel restrictions.

Salk remembered how difficult it was to travel to Cuba in 2013.

“We weren’t even allowed to go unless we said that we were giving humanitarian aid,” Salk said. His family had to charter a plane to fly to Cuba, a costly expense.

Although recreational tourism is still banned, there are now a wide variety of reasons, such as journalistic, religious or educational purposes, that one is able to travel to Cuba for, and there is

now no need for a special traveling license like the one Salk needed to have in order to travel.

According to Leal, the new United States-Cuba relations are a

► see “CUBA,” page 2

BY THE NUMBERS

A look at marriage equality

35

States allow same-sex marriage

17

Countries allow same-sex marriage

42,000

Same-sex couples reside in the same household in the U.S.

06/2015

The estimated month when the Supreme Court will rule on same-sex marriage SOURCES

cnn.com, freedomtomarry.org, nobullying.com Compiled by Lina Zuluaga

News

tops Page 2

KROP’S

Seniors Kimberly Foreiter, Daniela Michanie and Dan Sicorsky were named Coca-Cola Scholars Program Regional Finalists.

Casandre Jean-Ceide, Ernest Louis, Kaila Fives, Lucas Cerzosimo, Ileana Martinez, Jared Ratner, Dylan Hopen and Nathaniel Manor all placed in their respective categories at the 2015 Sunvitational Speech & Debate Tournament hosted by the University School of Nova Southeastern University.

The following JROTC students have been selected to greet the Wounded Warriors as the war veterans bike to Key West: Kevin Acks, Elizabeth Chang, Destiny Corbo, Jorge German, Michelle Londono, Vanessa Martinez, Pawin Wittayanukorn, Valentina Rave, Hugh Rusk, Carlos Solis, Allan Stern, Rafael Yu and Michael Groden.

Compiled by Alec Eidelstein

‘CUBA’ from front page solution to another big problem – a lack of knowledge. “[The Cuban people] think that the United States is responsible for their problems,” she said. Leal wants to communicate to the Cuban people the fact that the corrupt government is the only true problem.

While neither Leal nor Ramirez is planning to move back to Cuba, the ease on travel restrictions means that they and others will be able to visit friends and family that they have in Cuba.

Both Leal and Ramirez are excited for these new relations, which they think will provide an economic boost. However, Leal believes they are long overdue. “This should’ve happened 30 years ago,” she said.

While both Leal and Ramirez believe that the new relationship between the United States and Cuba will be positive, some Cuban Americans have a different opinion.

An FIU poll showed that a little more than half of Cuban Americans in the Miami area favored new relations between Cuba and the United States.

The Lightning • September TheStrike Lightning Strike • January 2008 2015

From local to global:

What’s going on around the world?

CALLAWAY, FLORIDA – On Jan. 24, a woman here was charged with perjury and false report of a crime after lying about being abducted. She claimed that three men forcefully entered her car and held her at gunpoint, but an investigation indicated her report was false.

ASPEN, COLORADO: The Winter X Games have concluded in Aspen Colorado starting Jan. 22 and ending Jan. 25. This year’s competition included a 14-year-old girl winning the gold medal in Women’s SuperPipe final making her the youngest person ever to win any X Games event.

BRAZIL: Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, Brazil’s three most populous cities, have experienced their worst drought since the 1930s which started on Nov. 7. The Environment Minister, Izabella Teixeira, believes the situation with the drought is delicate and is worried about the people’s health.

INDONESIA: The Indonesian military on Jan. 3 suspended the recovery operation for AirAsia Flight 8501, which crashed into the Java Sea on Dec. 28.

They stopped the search due to the various counts of bad weather. Search teams failed to retrieve the fuselage after days of attempts using a lifting bag.

TRIPOLI, LIBYA: Militants attacked on Jan. 27 a hotel here popular with foreigners in Libya’s capital, killing at least three people and injuring 12 others. Several gunmen stormed the Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli and opened fire in the reception area. The gunmen escaped before the hotel went into lockdown.

POLAND: Seventy years after their liberation from Auschwitz, 300 survivors returned to the Nazi death camp to mark the anniversary of their freedom.

sources: CNN Miami Herald

Compiled by Ethan Curtis

‘MARRIAGE’ from front page How SAVE works:

SAVE’s strategy is simple and logical: educate voters.

Through canvassing (going door to door) and phone banks (calling locals to recruit as volunteers), SAVE is actively seeking to build an army of people that wish to defend equality.

Senior Laura Katz is a trainer at the phone banks and worked for SAVE as an intern since this summer.

“It’s great that we have marriage equality but it can not stop there. It has to include protections for the entire LGBTQ community” Katz said.

“For starters, transgender people have been marginalized even within the movement and it was only until a month ago that Mi-

ami-Dade County, one of the most diverse counties in Florida, passed protections for the transgender community,” she said.

Katz is hopeful about her work and maintains that the most effective skill to combat the opposition is education.

“Protections are reached through voter education,” Katz said. “A lot of transphobia is centered on people fearing what they don’t understand.”

A seasoned canvasser and phone banker, Katz spends a great deal of her time working with SAVE to educate voters by calling them and having honest conversations about what it really means to have TransEquality.

“Equality is the goal because injustice anywhere is injustice to all of us. I always think of it that way because as a Jewish woman, the Holocaust is a horrific example of what

LINA ZULUAGA

CALLING FOR A CAUSE: Senior Laura Katz (left) and former Krop student Kassandra Leach (right) make calls at the SAVE phone banks to recruit volunteers.

happens when you stand idly by as rights are taken away” Katz said.

SAVE welcomes any and all who wish to volunteer as canvassers or phone bankers. An added

bonus is they feed volunteers pizza, drinks and the occasional donut.

To volunteer contact: charo@savedade.org or visit savedade.org for more information.

REST IN POWER

Transgender teen’s suicide reverberates worldwide Mayan Derhy lifestyle editor According to a 2013 survey, 41 percent of transgender Americans have attempted suicide. That’s nearly nine times more than the overall U.S. population, which is 4.6 percent.

Leelah Alcorn, a recent victim of transgender oppression, intentionally walked four miles from her home at 2:30 in the morning to Interstate 71, stood in the middle of the street and was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer on Dec. 28. The 17-year-old Ohio teen left a note on her Tumblr page detailing an account of her life leading up to what she revealed was her long planned suicide, which she scheduled to post a day after her death.

In her suicide note, Alcorn, who was born with the name Joshua, described her parents’ refusal to accept her identification as a transgender female due to their conservative Christian views. They took away her laptop and phone,

THE ONLY WAY I WILL

REST IN PEACE IS IF ONE DAY TRANSGENDER PEOPLE AREN’T TREATED THE WAY I WAS.

–LEELAH ALCORN

removed her from public school and put her in Christian therapy for five months, which only filled her head with claims such as “God doesn’t make mistakes” and that she was “selfish and wrong.”

Alcorn’s note ended with a call to action, saying, “My death needs to be counted in the number of transgender people who commit suicide this year. I want someone to look at that number and say ‘that’s f***ed up’ and fix it. Fix society. Please.”

Alcorn’s plea was answered by the LGBTQ community. They created a Facebook page in her honor

that anonymously posts stories of transgender teens who have not yet come out to their parents. The creators of the page ignited a petition for a new law to ban a practice known as “transgender conversion therapy,” which they named “Leelah’s Law” in Alcorn’s honor.

Since then, an official petition on change.org was made and received almost 330,000 supporters as of late January. Supporters have also made an official website for advocates, Leelahslaw.com, which tells Alcorn’s story, the stories of other transgender teens and informs supporters of local vigils

being held in Alcorn’s honor.

Junior Camilla Cano and senior Luc-Piere Louis, who were moved by Alcorn’s story, organized a candlelight vigil for Alcorn on Jan. 30 in Fort Lauderdale in collaboration with SunServe, a LGBTQ nonprofit organization in South Florida.

The vigil featured performances by Krop’s GSA Spectrum’s “Living Rainbow” and guest speakers such as Jazz Jennings, a famous 14-year-old LGBTQ activist, and Tori Bertran, who is a mentor and empowering LGBTQ advocate.

“I think it’s really important for someone to be remembered after such a tragedy,” said Cano. “This isn’t meant to simply be a vigil; it’s an empowerment rally, dedicated to those who are in need of a strong and supportive community – something Leelah didn’t have.”

Alcorn’s undeniable spark that ignited the recent petition and movement will hopefully lead to true change for the LGBTQ community, and only then will her call to action have truly been answered.

News Page 3

The Lightning Strike • January September 2015 2012 GUEST SPEAKER

Filmmaker presents to students Ethan Curtis staff writer

You’re sitting in the auditorium watching a movie, except the sound isn’t coming from the speakers. It is coming from a water-life activist and scientist, Richard Kern.

Kern shows pictures, films and research he collected on a projector, while narrating his films by memory.

His father used to narrate films for about 30 years and has showed films to our school for about 8 years.

In an arrangement with Miami-Dade County, Kern has stepped into his father’s shoes and narrated his films to over 100 schools in the county for the past three years. Krop is lucky to be

one of those schools.

As a child, Kern’s passion was to do something in the world of art along with nature, and now he does both.

“My passion as a kid was to pick up a paint brush and draw,” Kern said. “My dad used to do what I am doing now, so he passed the torch on to me, and I get the best of both worlds in the sense of art and nature.”

While narrating, if Kern were to miss or forget a line, the whole scene could potentially be ruined, but that doesn’t happen. Kern is able to memorize the entire film and doesn’t miss a beat.

Kern does extensive research on his movies as he has photos and videos in underwater research facilities on the FIU campus. He also conducts research with col-

leges such as the University of Miami’s marine team. He feels at home with the natural life, trudging through alligator-infested waters and swimming with jellyfish while getting video of their every motion under the sea.

After each film he takes questions from students who ask about how he created the film. Many are shocked to understand that he and his father do everything, including promoting films.

In his most recent visit to Krop, he showed students “You, Me and the Sea,” which took about six months to create. This is shorter than usual because his films require more time to create.

“I create films such as these in hope to inspire the future generation,” Kern said.

POLICY CHANGE

Donut party? Administration encourages attendance Erick Cohen business manager

Excessive tardies and absences lead to more than just detentions and Saturday school.

The issue of attendance is more serious than it sounds. Once a student has 15 or more absences in a 90-day period, the district files a truancy packet. Parents are contacted to discover the reason for the absences. If further action is needed, the courts and government agencies can get involved.

Parents of students under 17 could be sent to prison without acceptable excuses. According to Florida law, anyone 16 years old or younger is required to attend school.

On Jan. 20, assistant principal Beatriz Jorva announced a new incentive program to increase school attendance and reduce tardiness.

While the regular punishments for being tardy or absent remain, Jorva hopes this will motivate students more than punishments.

The three homerooms with the highest attendance rates will receive breakfast on March 19. Students

NEWS BRIEFS NHS volunteers at Miami Marathon

COURTESY OF THE MIAMI HERALD

Krop’s National Honor Society volunteered at the Miami Marathon on Sunday morning, Jan 25. Students arrived at Miami Beach at 6 a.m. and were immediately given gloves and instructions to fill up over 600 cups with water and Gatorade.

There were over 20,000 people registered for the Miami Marathon and Half-Marathon. Guatemala’s Luis Carlos Rivero Gonzalez won the marathon for the second time, finishing the 26.2 mile race in two hours and 20 minutes.

-Erick Cohen

Krop remains an ‘A’ school Krop has once again received an “A” as its school grade.

Principal Dawn Baglos had previously informed parents, students and teachers that new district policy changes could negatively affect the school’s grade. There is skepticism as to what changes are needed in performance in order to keep our current grade.

-Erick Cohen GOVERNMENT

Key points from the State of the Union Mila Sicorsky staff writer MACKENZIE DUFFY

SLEEPING IN: Students wait in line outside the CSI room to be issued tardy passes for class. Concerned with students’ excessive tardies and absences, the administration launched an attendance initiative plan that includes parties for the homerooms with the highest attendance rates.

will have a choice of a bagel, pastry or donut with orange juice. The student with the highest attendance percentage in each of the three classrooms will win a seven-inch tablet; the student with the second highest will receive a ten dollar prize.

The prizes have been donated by the PTSA in order to help the new program. “Although knowl-

edge should be the real motivation for coming to school,” Jorva said, “we want to have this fun program to give kids another reason.”

“The prizes for next quarter are going to be even better,” Jorva said.

Having too many absences can prevent students from continuing to the next grade level or graduating from high school.

Instead of starting off this year’s State of the Union address with a laundrylist of offers and objectives, President Barack Obama focused on what lies ahead in the upcoming year and the decisions the nation must make to ensure a progressive year. As the president himself said, “Tonight, we turn the page.”

Raising the minimum wage

“And to everyone in this Congress who still refuses to raise the minimum wage, I say this: If you truly believe you could work full-time and support a family on less than $15,000 a year, go try it. If not, vote to give millions of the hardest-working people in America a raise.”

Urging Congress to permit armed fight against ISIL

“In Iraq and Syria, American leadership – including our military power – is stopping ISIL’s advance. Instead of getting dragged into another ground war in the Middle East, we are leading a broad coalition, including Arab nations, to degrade and ultimately destroy

this terrorist group… And tonight, I call on this Congress to show the world that we are united in this mission by passing a resolution to authorize the use of force against ISIL.”

Increase border protection and opportunities for undocumented immigrants

“Yes, passions still fly on immigration, but surely we can all see something of ourselves in the striving young student, and agree that no one benefits when a hardworking mom is taken from her child, and that it’s possible to shape a law that upholds our tradition as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.”

Ending the Cuban embargo

“Our shift in Cuba policy has the potential to end a legacy of mistrust in our hemisphere; removes a phony excuse for restrictions in Cuba; stands up for democratic values; and extends the hand of friendship to the Cuban people. And this year, Congress should begin the work of ending the embargo.”

Expanding eco-friendliness

“…China committed, for the first time, to limiting their emissions. And because the world’s two largest economies came together, other nations are now stepping up, and offering hope that, this year, the world will finally reach an agreement to protect the one planet we’ve got.”

Editorial Page 4

The Lightning Strike • January 2015

STAFF EDITORIAL

After Charlie Hebdo attack, the press lives on In the last five years, 1,124 journalists were jailed worldwide, 404 were forced into exile, and 370 were killed as they worked to unearth the truth in places where it had been most deeply buried.

On Jan. 7, when two armed, al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorists stormed the offices of the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris, ten journalists were murdered.

The weekly paper is (is, as in they are still in print) known for its controversial, deliberately offensive cartoons about religions, politics and cultures. Just hours before the attack, Charlie Hebdo tweeted a cartoon of the leader of ISIS – the terrorist organization that has murdered thousands of civilians in the Middle East in recent months – wishing everyone “health” in the new year.

Four days after the attack, followed by the killing of a female police officer and a hostage crisis at a kosher market that left four dead, 3.7 million people took to France’s streets to honor the victims of the attacks. The heads of Britain, Germany, Israel, Russia, Spain, the Palestinian Authority and dozens of other governments

MACKENZIE DUFFY

(excluding the U.S., which only sent a minor official) locked arms in Paris in a show of solidarity toward the French people. The Associated Press recognized the rally as the largest in French history.

Worldwide, journalists are united in the belief that, even when other journalists are killed, their dedication to the freedom of expression must stay alive.

Even then, most major U.S. publications chose not to reprint Charlie Hebdo’s controversial cartoons, citing that their publication’s

THE LIGHTNING STRIKE An NSPA All-American publication Winner of George H. Gallup Award NSPA Pacemaker Finalist An FSPA All-Florida publication Like us on Facebook Visit us online at www.lightningstrikenews.com

DAN SICORSKY, Editor-in-Chief LINA ZULUAGA, Managing Editor ALEC EIDELSTEIN News Editor DANIELA MICHANIE Opinion Editor JACOB SINGER Sports Editor SHOSHANA SOMMER Entertainment Editor MIKAELA MENDEZ Spread Editor MACKENZIE DUFFY Feature Editor

MAYAN DERHY Lifestyle Editor SOPHIE MUCHNICK Copy Editor STEPHANIA SALAVERRIA Photo Editor ERICK COHEN Business Manager MARYKAY SULLIVAN Adviser SUN COAST PRINTER Printer

STAFF WRITERS CORBIN BOLIES, JUAN BORQUEZ, FRANCESA BOZZA, ETHAN CURTIS, MICHAEL KATZ, DEVIN LEE, CHELSEA LEWIS, SAIGE RAYMOND, MILA SICORSKY 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 a computer if possible. The editor reserves 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 dsicorskythestrike@gmail.com.

guidelines prohibit the publishing of intentionally offensive content.

To proclaim “Je suis Charlie” [French for “I am Charlie,” a message that has appeared on signs and gone viral on social media] does not mean to defend or agree with the publication’s often racist, attacking content. To proclaim “I am Charlie” is to recognize that journalists are entitled to their freedoms of speech and expression without fear of retribution.

In an interview with CNN in 2012 following a firebombing of

Charlie Hebdo’s offices, Laurent Léger, a Hebdo journalist said: “If some people are not happy… they can sue us, and we can defend ourselves. That’s democracy. You don’t throw bombs, you discuss, you debate. But you don’t act violently.” (Léger was one of the survivors of the Jan. 7 attack.)

The staffers and editors of the Strike believe that journalists must hold true to their promise of always delivering the best known version of the truth, even when governments, business moguls and terrorist organizations go to extremes to prevent this from happening.

Most publications, including the Strike, expect and welcome criticisms of the material they publish. Charlie Hebdo invited discussion too, but it didn’t invite the assassination of members of its editorial board.

As we mourn the lives of those lost in the string of attacks in France, we must recall that the freedom of expression is one of the most precious freedoms of all, and when anyone – with or without semiautomatic rifles – tries to disrupt this freedom, we must stand up and say: “Je suis Charlie.”

LETTERS Waiting game in the P.E. locker rooms Patience is taken to another level when it comes to physical education at Krop – first, when we wait outside of the girls’ locker room and as we change into our uniforms as fast as we can.

This is a problem for females and males who have P.E. Freshman Leon Luna said that boys have only two to three minutes to change back into their Krop uniform.

It makes sense for the students to be angry, since we have to run as a part of the class and then speed to our next class. As soon as the bell rings the doors are still locked and we are still in P.E. clothes.

We girls have to knock violently so that the door finally opens. We should not have to tolerate this for an entire year.

The school allots five minutes to travel from class to class. P.E. students have to use three minutes of this travel time to change their clothes because no one ever opens the locker room on time.

Coaches need to consider the time needed to change in advance of the next period. A solution would be to allow P.E. students to be dismissed earlier.

It isn’t fair for coaches to cut time from our other classes.

Freshman Yassmin Shabaan said that she has to bring a late pass if she is late to her class— which she usually is. P.E. students shouldn’t be penalized for the delay, especially for those who had to put effort into trying to get to class on time.

Although we understand that the doors have to be locked for the safety of our personal belongings, it should not take five whole minutes to open the door, especially when we have to make it on time to the next class.

Put a stop to the waiting game at the door.

Ysabella Alacaraz Grade 9

Bring in your letters to the editor: room 2-233

MEDIA

This story is #important

IN MY OPINION mila sicorsky

staff writer

Today’s trending topics on Twitter include #TomBrady and #TriviaCrack.

But not one of the ten most popular hashtags mentions the thousands being massacred in Nigeria or the brutal religious hate crime happening in Argentina.

Sensationalized or unimportant stories don’t only appear on Twitter, but in the news as a whole.

News stories should be focused on serious issues or findings that affect humans and/or their environment, such as climate changes and growing terrorist groups. However, people find themselves staring at their television screens watching an hour-long talk about the size of Kim Kardashian’s butt.

As readers are not informed of the important events occurring around the world, future generations will learn from this and continue on with a cycle of ignorance.

The sensationalizing of news stories, known as “yellow journalism,” is found in two ways.

First, serious issues on the news can be sugarcoated. When reporters lack knowledge of the topic discussed or attempt to make it more appealing to their viewers, they transform it into a type of soap opera.

One popular example of this type of sensationalism was witnessed in the Casey Anthony scandal, where a local homicide was transformed into a worldwide phenomenon, to the point of the creation of a movie centered around the murder.

International problems can also be blocked out as a whole. The blockage and neglect of important issues is partially a result of 24hour news channels. As they run out of topics to discuss, they leave the serious information out and prioritize the entertainment of their viewers.

While it is true that these overly emotional news stories entertain and rivet viewers, news channels must realize that the public needs to be educated on what is actually occurring, and not what is sugarcoated or completely ignored by the media.

You can’t control what news stations show, but you can control what you watch. Perhaps a viable solution is for students to download serious news apps and avoid getting all current events knowledge from sources like “E! News” and “Entertainment Weekly.” While these stories may sound “more fun,” they should not be first on your priorities for knowledge of the world.

So, the next time you open a news site and see the main story “Photos of Prince George Released,” remember that there are more important issues you need to know about.

Opinion

The Lightning Strike • January 2015

Page 5

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL

Too big to forget IN MY OPINION

daniela michanie micaha

opinion editor

My great-grandmother was a survivor of the Holocaust. She had nine brothers and sisters, all of whom were slaughtered – all of whom should have had children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren my age. I mourn their unlived lives when I promise to never forget.

On Jan. 27, 1945, 7,000 prisoners were liberated from Auschwitz-Birkenau, a death camp used by the Nazi regime to carry out the systematic murder of millions, mainly European Jews.

On Jan. 27, 2015, 70 years later, people worldwide observed Holocaust Remembrance Day to honor the victims, survivors and heroes of one of history’s most troubled times.

Most of all, Holocaust ReCHEATING

tory repeating itself, I fear what the future holds for the Jewish people – my people, and any other victims of unfounded hate.

For a world that promised to never forget, it seems as if people’s memories are fading quick.

I wonder what my ancestors would say if they saw how desensitized the world has become to the murder of millions of innocent people. I wonder what my grandmother would think if she knew that I have peers who have never heard of people like Anne Frank, that clothing stores such as Urban Outfitters and Zara market symbols of the Nazi Regime, or that people question the very existence of the historical event itself.

If I am taught how to derive functions I will never use and chemical formulas that I will quickly forget, why is an important historical event given

EASTERN EUROPE WESTERN EUROPE 94%

82%

24%

11%

ASIA 44%

MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA

THE AMERICAS 77%

21%

38%

41%

63%

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA 24%

44%

OCEANIA 93%

Percentage of people who have heard about the Holocaust

8%

Percentage of people who have heard about the Holocaust but believe it to be myth or to be exaggerated Design and information from the Anti-Defamation League’s website

such little contemporary significance? If not to honor the deaths of innocent men, women and children, the world at the very least has a responsibility to remember the events that took place so that they never occur again.

We, as the generation of the future, have the responsibility to remember not only the historical significance of the Holocaust, but also the specific stories of

those who survived. We are perhaps the last generation to have living survivors; their accounts are precious records of the past.

With similar genocides taking place at the hands of organizations like Boko Haram and ISIS, it is time that we become less forgetful. It’s hard to remember the atrocities of the past – but even harder to deal with the consequences of forgetting.

CAUTION: This story might be plagiarized

IN MY OPINION michael katz

membrance Day should serve as a reminder of the treachery that was the Holocaust, a scar in the history of humanity that must never fade.

The Holocaust is recorded as the sixth worst genocide in human history. Yet despite the fact that anti-Semitism continues to be on the rise worldwide, the Holocaust never occupies more than a paragraph in our history books or a classroom discussion. Despite the fact that a curriculum is prepared to teach the Holocaust, teachers rarely set aside time to use it.

According to The Guardian, anti-Semitism is reaching its highest levels since the Nazi reign. Within just one week in France in July 2014, eight synagogues were attacked, and in Germany, anti-Semitic marchers yelled “Jews to the gas” down the streets of several cities. If this isn’t enough warning of his-

HOLOCAUST AWARENESS AND DENIAL

staff writer

It’s stickier than flash tattoo’s, older than our uniforms and deadlier than Ebola.

Yup, it’s cheating – again.

Don’t worry, though. I’m not here to tell you that you’re just cheating yourself, or that you’re going to fail the EOC or AP exam.

We’ve all heard it a million times. But here’s what you don’t know.

Careercast.com has rated lum-

berjacking as the worst job in the world. Lumberjacks make an average of $33,630 per year and work from 12 to 13 hours every day, starting at six in the morning.

Number one on my worst job list, however, is teaching. Teachers start at $35,236 a year. Most teachers wake up before 6:00 a.m. on weekdays and are stuck grading papers or writing tests on weekends.

Some stay after school to help the kids that need it. But more than that is the fact that they’re handed the task of teaching us: lazy teenagers who will do ANYTHING to get out of studying for a test.

Exhibit A: Students in both AP European History and AP

Biology were caught cheating on their classroom examinations the Thursday before winter break.

Social studies department chair Mary Lee’s tests had been posted last year on Quizlet, a test prep site that her current students used to study for her tests. Science department chair Gary Feilich’s tests were also released on Quizlet, and he also caught one of his students cheating off of it.

“It’s made me look twice at my students. I can’t take anything for granted anymore,” Feilich said.

“Cheating has become so easy that it takes a strong will to resist, and it’s a shame because it destroys the relationship that the student and

teacher had. It’s like being married – the further into the relationship you cheat, the more it hurts.”

Coping with the cheating hasn’t been any easier for Lee. For those who don’t know her, Lee is tough – very tough. Her name carries with it urban legends of the students she’s ‘tortured’ in her dungeon, room 2146.

What people don’t hear about, however, are all the times she’s stayed after school to help her struggling students write a 5-worthy essay, or the countless hours spent making tests that would ensure her students’ success. Tests they cheated on.

“I’ve lost confidence in some of

my students’ abilities to make the right decisions, yet I was shocked by how some reacted,” Lee said. “I was surprised by the lack of ethics; taking an AP class is your choice.

It means you’re willing to put in the work. The worst part, however, was finding out that my students didn’t have enough faith in their abilities to feel that they could rise to the occasion.”

We obviously don’t care enough about the repercussions cheating has on ourselves, but when our teachers sacrifice their lives to guarantee the validity and success of our education, cheating becomes unacceptable no matter how you look at it.

A PERSONAL ESSAY IN SPANISH

My account of the situation in Venezuela: Mi historia EN MI OPINIÓN maria blanco

guest writer

En el año 2011, me mudé para los Estados Unidos, por ser víctima de la inseguridad que hoy por hoy afecta mi país Venezuela. Este cambio fue drástico y realmente cambió mi vida por completo. Tuve que aprender nuevos idiomas, culturas, leyes y formas de vida, pero eso no fue lo más duro – el dejar a mi familia en aquel país al que aún extraño y a la vez le tengo temor ha sido lo más fuerte. No fue fácil pero tampoco imposible porque fue el comienzo de lo que hoy mis padres, mis hermanos y yo, vemos como un reto positivo, el cual nos brindó muchas oportunidades que en mi país no íbamos a encontrar.

El fallecimiento del ex presidente de Venezuela, Hugo Rafael Chavez Frías, nos causó mucha angustia y desesperación.

Ya que nuestros familiares permanecían en Venezuela, como todos sabemos la muerte del ex

etapa de la historia, y en ella se ven afectados los estudiantes, por defender lo que conocemos como democracia y los derechos que tienen para expresarse y defenderse ante tanta corrupción.

Es doloroso e indignante ver

EL DEJAR A MI FAMILIA EN AQUEL PAÍS AL QUE AÚN EXTRAÑO Y A LA VEZ LE TENGO TEMOR HA SIDO LO MÁS FUERTE.” presidente trajo muchas consecuencias para el país, y el día de su fallecimiento los medios de comunicación colapsaron.

Fue muy desesperante no poder comunicarse con ellos sabiendo que habían muchos disturbios en las calles.

Venezuela atraviesa la peor

como personas tan jóvenes como yo, en busca y lucha de su futuro y sus sueños, no pueden encontrarlos debido a la mala política del gobierno que hoy preside mi país. A pesar de todo, aún guardo las esperanzas de que la voz de estos estudiantes y del pueblo venezolano, sea escuchada y se

haga justicia para todos.

Translation:

In 2011, I moved to the United States as a victim of the insecurity that affects my country, Venezuela, every single day.

This change was drastic and truly changed my life completely.

I had to learn new languages, cultures, laws and lifestyles, but that wasn’t the hardest part – leaving my family behind in the country I miss but simultaneously fear has been the toughest part of all. The immigration experience wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t impossible either, since it was the start of what my parents, siblings and I now see as a positive challenge that has provided us with many opportunities that we would have never found in my country.

The news of the passing of Venezuela’s ex-President, Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias, brought us

anguish and despair. Chavez’s death brought many consequences to the country, including the collapse of all means of communication. It was very frustrating to not be able to phone our family members in Venezuela, since we knew of the civil unrest on the streets.

Venezuela is undergoing the worst stage in its history, and many students have been persecuted for defending their democratic rights to express and defend themselves in the face of so much corruption. It is painful and outrageous to see people my age searching and fighting for their futures and dreams, but being deterred by the criminal policies of the government that presides over my country. Regardless, I still keep hope that the voices of these students and the Venezuelan people will be heard, and justice will be done for all.

Lifestyle Page 7

The Lightning Strike • January 2015 STUDENT LIFE

Uber cab ride confessions

More than meets the eye

Ready, aim, fire!

by Mayan Derhy EN ROUTE: Uber is a quick and easy to use application that allows users to order a taxi ride, no matter where they are, and pay with a credit card. Because Uber drivers are not professional taxi drivers, some rides can take a funny and unique turn.

Francesca Bozza staff writer Uber is a popular smart phone application that gets costumers a private taxi in a matter of seconds and enables them to pay ahead of time with their credit card.

People use Uber as a quick and safe way out of situations, such as parties, but ironically end up in crazier situations.

Here are a few of the funny “Uber moments.”

Katherine Escalante, senior “The Uber guy picked me and my friend up in his new KIA and we go on our way to the party. The minute we got into the car, he started to compliment

us. We laughed and cracked jokes and he began to tell us his life story. Eventually, we make it to the house party and when he is about to tell us the price, he realized he never started the Uber. He was so distracted talking to us, that we ended up taking an free Uber to the party. He got extremely embarrassed.”

“There was a time when I took an Uber five minutes away from my house and the Uber guy that barely knew how to work the Uber forgot to stop the timing and charged me $44.96 on my card. Worst thing ever, but I still love Uber.”

Kelly Amar, junior “I was leaving a friend’s house, and I waited in the

lobby for the Uber. All of a sudden, I saw one pull up and thought it was mine. While he was driving away, I saw he was going the completely wrong way, and he got a phone call from the person he was actually supposed to pick up.

He had to drop me off back at my friend’s house and I had to get another Uber. It was a very awkward moment.”

Clarisa Bigott, senior “My friend, Salome and I took an Uber to get to a party and since the driver was new, we got lost in Ives Dairy in our search for the destination.

We must have been driving around for a good 20 minutes before we turned back around.

It was an uncomfortable situation, but made for a memorable moment.”

It is rare to find a passion while watching TV, but after seeing the hit TV series “Arrow,” freshman Amram Ben Palas discovered his love for shooting fireworks.

Palas isn’t your average shooter. Five years ago, before he learned how to shoot, his friend, Aaron Fisherman, taught him how to make fireworks from everyday materials such as a matchbox and some razor blades. They started to experiment together and now make a wide variety of fireworks and even some cherry bombs.

Then, a year ago, Palas started watching the show “Arrow” and was inspired by the lead character Oliver Queen, otherwise known as the “Green Arrow.”

“My friend David Gavira showed me some of his bows and how to use them,” Palas said, “and I guess I just really got into it.”

Palas and Gavira practice their aim in parks and backyards by setting up soda cans and trash barrels and shooting at them from a distance. They have a collection of 30 weapons, ranging from flare-guns to compound bows, including a 90 pound crossbow.

Eventually, Palas realized that there is a cylindrical slot in the crossbow that can fit many of his home-made fireworks.

“I realized I could just take the two things I love the most, put them together, and make something even better,” Palas said.

MONEY MANAGEMENT

A healthy diet does not have to be an expensive one Chelsea Lewis staff writer If you’re the kind of person that can’t help but be lured to junk food because of its cheap prices, there’s hope. There are affordable healthy food choices.

Here are some suggestions.

Become A Wiser Shopper: First, consider where you can buy healthy meals that will last and are good for your budget. Why not try some local discount stores?

Places like Costco and BJ’s offer affordable bargains. For example, seasonal produce, items like boneless or skinless chicken breast and reduced fat cheese is often cheaper.

Just make sure to spend only on what you need not what you want. Remember to shop

wisely.

Another place to consider is a Farmer’s Market where they typically sell fresh produce for less than you would pay at a grocery store.

Buy Cheaper Protein Options: Our body relies on protein and it’s an essential part of a healthy diet. By making changes to our diets people can save money and still have sufficient portions of protein.

Try purchasing less expensive cuts of meat, but also use portion control.

For instance, most Americans consume more than the minimum of 50-60 grams of protein per day. Purchase meats in affordable amounts, a three ounce serving of lean meat contains 165 calories and 21 grams of protein. It cuts back on protein cost when

your portions are small and can yield a few more servings per package.

Doing this will allow you to stretch your meats and use them for delicious meals like enchiladas, soups, and casseroles.

Also consider trying veggie sources of proteins like beans and lentils which are relatively inexpensive and easy to prepare. Canned tuna and chicken are also good to consider.

Learn To Stretch Your Money When You Cook: Once you have found less expensive supplies, start thinking of at home strategies.

Prepare a week’s worth of food for a meal, it will save time and energy when your able to just use it for multiple meals throughout the week.

Also consider using leftovers

from your family meals and making them into new meals, such as simple tasty burritos or rice bowls. Practicing these habits at home will help cut spending and work around an affordable budget.

Eating Well On Cheap Desserts: Yes, too much junk food is bad for you, but excluding all desserts doesn’t have to be an option. There are healthy affordable choices you can try out. Instead of processed sugary food items like cakes and cookies, make your own desserts. Some suggestions would be at home frozen treats such as fruit, yogurt, and smoothies. Another option is home baked oatmeal cookies using whole grains of course with less sugar advised. You can even try freezing 100% fruit juice popsicles. Get

Courtesy of Health.com

HEALTHY

LIVING: Choosing a healthy diet can seem expensive at times.

Try going to your local market for cheaper fresh fruit that are generally cheaper than the ones at most supermarkets.

creative and enjoy your cheap delights.

Use these strategies see where it can takes Without a doubt, you’ll to see how healthy expenses will no longer problem.

and you. start food be a

Lifestyle

The Lightning Strike • January 2015

Page 8

HEALTH

COLLEGE

Unconventional scholarship opportunities Sophie Muchnick copy editor

Got Milk? What kind?

Francesca Bozza staff writer

Soy Milk

Got milk? Soy, rice, organic or almond?

The milk aisle confuses.

Which milk to choose? There is a variety of milks that seem similar just different colored labels. There actually is a difference.

Cow Milk

Cow milk is the most common milk in America. It is high in calcium and a good source of protein. Nutrients such as potassium, riboflavin, phosphorus, vitamins D, A and B-12 are all included in this beverage. On the negative side, cow milk is produced from cows that are injected with hormones, antibiotics and genetically modified substances. It is better to try to avoid cow milk and go for other types of milk. If not, one should make sure to buy the modified, range fed, organic raw type.

Organic Milk

Organic milk is from cows that are fed organic food and are not given synthetic growth hormones nor antibiotics. It has a higher concentration of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. This type of milk is pricey because of how the cows are maintained. According to Fox News, organic milk is beneficial for the environment since it is not used with toxic and synthetic pesticides which can remain in the air, water, or soil for many years and contaminate the crops. Also, it stays fresh longer than cow milk.

Soy Milk is made with dry soybeans soaked in water for at least three hours that are later boiled for clarity and rich flavor. After a cool down, the beans are drinkable. Soy milk is high in protein, contains isoflavones, and is low in saturated fat, and is beneficial for one who is lactose intolerant. On the other hand, it contains soy crops which are most contaminated with pesticides and GMO.

Almond milk is produced by toasted and grinded almonds that are blended with filtered water. Neither artificial colors nor flavors are added.

The almonds produced in the milk contain vitamins and minerals.

Almond milk is not high in protein, but is diary and has vitamin E. It is low in fat and has less sugar than soy and cow milk. It is known to have calcium and vitamin D like soy and rice milk.

Expires 3/15/15

Can’t play basketball? Well, there are still benefits for being tall. The Tall Clubs International Scholarship grants $1,000 to any male 6’2” or above, and females 5’10” or taller.

To qualify, you must be the required height or above and write an essay titled “What Being Tall Means to Me”.

Enjoy making your creating your own dishes in the kitchen?

The Jif “Most Creative Sandwich contest” is exactly what it sounds like. Come up with a creative sandwich using Jif products. The contest is meant to be fun and it awards finalists $25,000, along with a $50 Jif Peanut Butter Basket. Some

Rice Milk

Rice milk is the most hypoallergenic milk product. It has the least amount of fat, is filled with all kinds of vitamin B which are good for your nerves, metabolism, and circulation function, and is cholesterol free. Rice milk is a good source of magnesium and helps control ones high blood pressure. On the other hand, rice is high on starch and low on protein and calcium. Despite this, it has more manganese and selenium than any other milk which protects you from all kinds of dangerous infections or cancers and boosts one immune system.

Tall Clubs International Scholarship

Jif Most Creative Sandwich Scholarship Contest

Almond Milk

ADVERTISEMENTS

Expires 3/15/15

College is expensive, there’s no doubt about that; Tuition, dorms, books, and supplies start to pile up and become more than one can handle.

Most students look for scholarships or financial aid to defray the cost of education, but just because someone applies does not mean they will be granted the funds.

However, there are scholarships for students with weird talents or hobbies. With these scholarships, students have better opportunities do get help to pay for college.

examples of past winners have been a Banana Split Quesadilla, Peanutty French Toast Roll-Up, and a Peanut butter S’mores Puff Sandwich.

Duck Brand Duct Tape Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest The Duck Brand Duct Tape Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest can get its contenders in a “sticky situation”. This contest awards its winners $10,000 in scholarship money and $5,000 to their school.

Applicants must create their own prom outfits, but here’s the catch, the outfits must be made entirely of duct tape.

Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship All those long hours playing video games or watching “The Walking Dead” may just pay off. The Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship awards $2,000 to the last man or woman standing.

Applicants must devise a plan on where to hide and which five items they would use to survive if zombies invaded and took over their school campus.

College is expensive, there’s no doubt about that, but there are thousands of ways to help decrease the cost.

MACKENZIE DUFFY

DEBTS

The surfing of the future Ethan Curtis staff writer If someone told you there was a way to be like Marty McFly from “Back to the Future” you might think that person is crazy. That’s until flysurfing became one of the newest trends.

Flysurfing is a water sport where you put your feet into skitype boots that are attached to a skateboard type hovercraft. Water shoots under you from a tube sending water through a pipe. The water shooting from under causes you to rise up into the air. You then have the ability to float freely as if you’re surfing in the air while doing tricks such as flips, twists, and turns in the air.

This extreme water activity started off in Cozumel, Mexico and the trend has grown with flysurfing areas opening up in Key West.

Freshman Dylan Hopen tried out this new water activity but admitted he had trouble at first.

“The first time is really hard because you’re not sure what to expect,” Hopen said. “[But] when you realize how to keep your balance in the air, it gets easier.”

Flysurfing is also a great way to get a workout because you are

forced to use your stomach muscles 360s, flips, and turns. Guenoun in the air in order to keep your thinks he is more experienced balance and attempt not to fall. because he has the ability to stay on “It gives you a good ab workout longer than others. because it’s hard to balance when “The longest I’ve stayed on at one you’re in the air,” Hopen said. time is three minutes but I have fallen This new water sport is difficult doing tricks,” Guenoun said. “While to participate in for some because of on the board, I feel pure adrenaline.” the balance and athleticism needed Guenoun gives advice to those although it feels as exhilarating as who are interested in trying this new flying. adrenaline rushing, exhilarating, “Don’t think about anything mind blowing water sport. once you’re in the air,” Hopen said.

“Keep your feet under you, “Don’t fight anything, don’t look don’t panic in the air, and enjoy,” down, don’t get scared, just stand Guenoun said. there and fly.”

Junior Jack Guenoun has been flysurfing twice and believes he was born ready for the experience.

“Flysurfing is a new category in the world of water sports,” Guenoun said.

“I’ve always wanted to do it, and I was ready COURTESY OF DYLAN HOPEN for it when I got KOWABANGA: Freshman Dylan Hopen tries out the new on the board.” sport of flysurfing. He claims that he had trouble at first, but Guenoun has eventually felt the rush and simply learned to let loose, “just done tricks such stand there, and fly.”

Lifestyle

The Lightning Strike • January 2015

Page 9

SATIRE

TRENDS

Coffee craze spreads among students Sock trend on the rise 2,800 all-nighters attributed to mass caffeine addiction

Michael Katz staff writer Can I have a Double Ristretto Venti Half-Soy Nonfat Decaf Organic Chocolate Brownie Iced Vanilla Double-Shot Gingerbread Frappuccino Extra Hot with Foam Whipped Cream Upside Down Double Blended, One Sweet’N Low and One NutraSweet, and ice?

Behold, the longest order in the history of Starbucks. It is rumored to have destroyed Colombia’s economy and sparked revolutions worldwide as caffeine-less workers, students, and dogs suffered from withdrawal while dumbfounded Starbucks employees struggled to prepare the unprecedented cup.

At approximately 7:12 a.m.. on Friday, Dec. 21, 2007, a student from Dr. Michael Krop casually strolled into a Starbucks and ordered the drink that would start the Great Recession of the 21st century. She had spent all night studying for a unit test in her AP Euro class, and was in desperate need of caffeine.

Sadly, she never received her coffee. Schools were closed because of the riots that followed, and Mrs. Lee’s unit

test was cancelled.

Since then, countless highschoolers have followed her example, crowding Starbucks franchises nationwide and ordering drinks taller than Mr. Butler, attempting to knock a few days off their 180 designated days of torture.

Their efforts have been

Designed by Mayan Derhy

ADVERTISEMENT

fruitless, however, as Starbucks has mastered the preparation of the Double Ristretto Venti Half-Soy Nonfat Decaf Organic Chocolate Brownie Iced Vanilla Double-Shot Gingerbread Frappuccino, by all accounts their most popular cup of coffee to this day.

Their plans have had unexpected results, though.

Coffee has snuck into the pharmaceutical industry; doctors recommend 16 ounces per hour of sleep missed.

Side effects include premature loss of teeth, intense migraines, and an intense desire to bite the person in front of you. There have also been 42 reported cases where coffee addicts have grown a third nipple.

The coffee craze has also crammed Orange Juice into the darkest corners of your local grocery store.

Tropicana was sued for breaking into Starbucks’ secret lair in an attempt to steal their secret recipe.

Minute Maid has announced the launch of a new line of caffeinated orange juice, and Nesquik filed for bankruptcy last Tuesday.

How far this coffee craze will go we cannot tell. We can only hope that Columbia runs out of coffee before extra nipples become a fad.

Saige Raymond staff writer

Some students feel suffocated by uniform, but to let their fashion sense breathe, they wear something special on their feet.

“We have to wear uniforms every day,” senior Erwin Yol said, “so I usually wear a pair of dope socks to make my wardrobe a little unique.”

“Sock game,” is the new wacky sock trend popularized among students.

Nike and Stance are some of the popular sock brands seen around school. This sock trend comes from students’ interest in comfort and style, two things that these popular sock brands have.

Students now wear more than the average white or black Hanes and Fruit of the Loom sock brands.

“Sock game” is as important as the rest of the outfit, meaning that socks matter and must match.

There are socks for virtually every personality.

Nike Elite socks are for sports players. They come equipped with moisture-wicking technology to absorb sweat to keep feet cool and dry.

Stance socks are for the fashion forward sock lover who wants an uncommon pair to match a bold personality.

Happy Socks are for those who want to add a little flavor to their wardrobe, usually with colorful polka dots or vibrant stripes.

Some of the most popular designs such as native tribal patterns can be seen at school everyday. Also look for tropical

floral prints and photographs of legendary NBA players like Michael Jordan and Larry Bird.

It may be all fun and sock games to students but socks are a billion dollar industry. According to Erik Siemers of the Portland Business Journal, Nike Inc. is the leader of this successful sock trend.

Nike earned one billion dollars in athletic sock revenue in the last fiscal year. Overall, socks reached three billion dollars in sales last year, as the sock interest increases do to creative designs and comfort more people feed this flourishing market.

Trends among students come and go, once it was silly bandz (animal shaped rubber bands) then it was flappy bird (an addictive cell phone game). This “sock game” trend is one that has remained a prominent part of students’ lives and helps students confined to wearing uniform express their style.

It’s not necessary to be a “sneaker head” or a fashionista to embrace this sock culture. There’s a pair to match every outfit and personality.

Page 10

The Lightning Strike •January 2015

Page 11

The Lightning Strike • January 2015

1. Ursula M. Burns

7. Van Jones

Burns joined Xerox in 1980 as a summer intern. Now she’s the Chief Executive Officer, earning her a spot on Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women in 2014 and making her the first African-American woman to run a Fortune 500 company.

But Burns is equipped with more than her identity. She maintained Xerox’s relevance in a progressively digital world, increasing the price of shares in the five years since her advancement.

Van Jones brings green to communities where green is scarce in color and profit. Green For All, one of the four nonprofit organizations that Jones founded, gives people in poverty access to environmental jobs. Not only has his organization helped to launch clean energy programs across the country, but Jones himself joined the green recovery spending mission as a green jobs advisor in the White House.

2. Colin Powell

8. Barack Obama

Powell’s roles as commander, Brigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General, National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of State portrayed his commitment to national defense. Powell was the first black American to serve in every office that he held since being appointed to National Security Advisor.

After a difficult childhood spent around the world, Barack Obama has become a prime example of being able to overcome hardships. After a stint at the U. S. Senate, Obama became the first African-American to be elected to the Presidential office.

Since his election (and re-election), Obama has managed to stabilize the economy, introduce health care reform (Obamacare), and has helped middle-class Americans attain millions of new jobs. “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

3. Mark Dean

9. Kathy Ann Joseph

Mark Dean, University of Tennessee, Florida Atlantic University, and Stanford alumni, created new advances in computer engineering. He is responsible for a third of IBM’s original patents, and his innovation earned him an IBM fellowship and an appointment to the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

As a surgeon, Kathy-Ann Joseph examines people and society. After realizing that medical disparities among black women contribute to a higher rate of breast cancer mortality, she founded a program at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center that provides free mammograms for women without health insurance and offers medical services including chemotherapy and surgery.

4. Ruby Bridges Hall

Ruby Bridges Hall was a six year old girl with an incredible mission. Despite community backlash, she became the first African-American student to integrate an elementary school.

10. Bryan Stevenson

5. Beyoncé Knowles

Beyoncé Knowles is one of the most powerful female artists of today.

Starting from her lead role in the Destiny’s Child group, Beyoncé not only survived the music industry but also cares deeply for people. With both inspiring messages through her music and support of over 20 charities, she is a co-founder of CHIME FOR CHANGE, a platform designed to empower women and girls through education, health, and justice.

The organization focuses on using innovative approaches to raise funds and awareness for projects promoting Education, Health and Justice for girls and women. To date, they have funded 300 projects in nearly 80 countries.

6. Mae Jeminson

Mae Jemison came into the world on October 17, 1956 and thirty six years later she explored the universe, becoming the first African-American woman in space.

After graduating from Stanford University with a B.S. in chemical engineering and Cornell University with a M.D. in medicine, Dr. Jemison tapped into sciences ranging from computer programming to reproductive biology. Although Jemison ultimately had to choose between professional dancing and science, she never lost her passion for either. In a 2002 TED Talk on teaching the arts and sciences together, Jemison said that science provides an understanding of a universal experience; the arts provides a universal understanding of a personal experience.

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One in three black men between the ages of 18 and 30 are caught up in the prison system, and Brian Stevenson is determined to do something about it. Stevenson has advocated for legal reform for more than 20 years. Knowing the disadvantages that minorities and poor people face in the judicial system, Stevenson represents inmates facing capital punishment in the South, which has a history of severe discrimination. Stevenson’s nonprofit law firm, Equal Justice Initiative, reversed the death penalty of at least 75 inmates in Alabama. But he knows that there is still a long way to go.

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11. Lupita Nyong’o

Lupita Nyong’o is a woman who is proud of her “night-shaded skin.” She advoctes for black women to feel proud in their skin, regardless of its shade. Growing up, Lupita felt burdened with her blackness, but now that she’s older, Lupita realizes it isn’t a burden, it’s a blessing. “No matter where you are from... your dreams are valid.”

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Introduction and eight biographies written by: Kaila Jones Designed and one biography written by: Mikaela Mendez One biography written by: Chelsea Lewis One biography written by: Corbin Bolies

A look into the past...

A step toward the future

Isaac Newton once said, “If I have seen further, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” In the aftermath of severe racial discrimination and social struggles, black Americans in contemporary society stand on the shoulders of Frederick Douglass, Dr. Martin Luther King, Ruby Bridges, Malcom X, and countless others who risked their lives building a legacy. As a result, they have reached new pinnacles of social and academic achievements.Throughout history, noteworthy figures have redefined social norms and inspired new paths for future giants, many of whom are featured here.

Feature Page 12

The Lightning Strike • January 2015

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

The Knights in shining armor Meet the nominees: Part 2 Mila Sicorsky, staff writer

A brand new year means a brand new set of Silver Knight nominees representing Krop. With projects ranging from distributing food to those in need to running youth leadership programs, these students excel both academically and in their respective fields. Here’s a 2nd installment in a series featuring the Silver Knight nominees:

“I love the reward I get from seeing people learn and grow from something I developed.”

“We have our own daily struggles, but [the Buddies] have more because of their disabilities.”

- Joseph Levy

- Yekaterina Kaydash

Editor’s note: Until Silver Knights and Honorable Mentions are announced at an awards ceremony in May 2015, the Strike will feature each of the Krop nominees and their selfless community service projects.

Science

Mathematics

Art

While many place their interests and concerns in separate spheres, Yaketerina or as her friends call her, “Katy,” Kaydash chose to do the opposite. Inspired by both art and special education, Kaydash found the ideal solution: combining them.

“These kids greatly inspire me,” Kaydash said. “We have our own daily struggles, but they have more because of their disabilities.”

Kaydash has spent countless hours painting portraits of Krop special education students. After she completes the paintings, she hands them over to SPED teacher Manuel Quiroga and plans to distribute them to the featured students’ families.

Katy chose to focus on these students as she has no personal connection with them and wants to have one. “I come from a priviledged family with no experience in this,” Kaydash said. “It is

Nicole Newman

Joseph Levy

Yaketerina “Katy” Kaydash

It’s difficult to describe what exactly occurs on a regular day in the local Hebraica Youth Movement chapter.

However, after every day at his job as youth coordinator at the local Jewish Community Center, Joseph Levy, along with the other members, go home ready to attend the next week’s activity.

“I, along with my coworkers, encourage minors o f all ages to be present i n their communities and give back through leadership,” Levy said.

T h e Hebraica Youth Movement trains children from kindergarten through tenth grade to be leaders, so later on in life they can run the movement. After being inspired by the former leaders of the program two years ago, Levy fell in love with the idea and knew from the start that he wanted to be in charge of the movement.

“I love the reward I get from seeing people learn and grow from something I developed,” Levy said. “It is much more rewarding than any monetary value.”

“I became passionate about my project because of my love of research for major problems in America, like nutrition.”

- Nicole Newman

As her friends were traveling the U.S. to vacation, six yearold Nicole Newman was wandering for a different reason: she was on a search to find a cure for her brother’s autism.

After countless time searching, she and her family found a doctor who explained to them the importance of a healthy diet. Almost immediately after her brother began to follow an organic diet, his health improved, allowing him to go as far as to join honorslevel courses at his school.

“He has been made a better person overall,” Newman said.

However, Nicole’s brother was not the only one who changed from following this doctor’s advice.

Ever since his improvement, Nicole became a strong supporter of a nutritious lifestyle. This passion is evident in her project Peanuts for Florida, where Newman supplies a nutritiously-rich peanut butter to local backpack programs for teenagers in need of a weekend food supply.

“I became passionate about my project because of my love of research for major problems in America, like nutrition,” Newman said.

GENETICS

The world through the eyes of the colorblind Sophie Muchnick staff writer Getting dressed and finding matching clothes may be easy for some people, but for those who are colorblind, it is a daily challenge.

Sophomore Agustin Pillado, first found out he was colorblind when he went to the eye doctor and could not differentiate between different colors.

The test consists of a circle with many dots in different colors. The doctor asks if you can see the number that all these dots form, and if you can’t, then that means you’re colorblind.

Colorblindess: By the numbers • 8 percent of men and 0.5 percent of women are colorblind • About 595 million people worldwide are colorblind • Most people who claim to be colorbind are actually color deficient • Dec. 11 is National Colorblindness Awareness Day • 99 percent of people suffering from color blindness are unable to see the colors red and green

colormax.org Compiled by Sophie Muchnick

“Being colorblind has a big impact on my life because I don’t see the world the same way as others.” Pillado said.

Junior is another Kuzak first colorblind

Sebastian Kuzak colorblind student. found out he was when he played

Eye Spy with his colorblind grandfather. His grandfather said “Eye Spy something brown” and Kuzak pointed at something orange. That’s when they knew something was wrong.

Colorblindness affects 8 percent of men and 0.5 percent of women. Red-green colorblindness is the most common with 99 percent of all colorblind people being diagnosed with this. As of now, there is no known cure or treatment for colorblindness.

Kuzak and Pillado join the likes of successful people who suffer from the same condition of colorblindness, like Mark

Zuckerberg and former president Bill Clinton. When creating Facebook, Zuckerberg made most of the page blue because he is red-green colorblind.

Clinton’s form of the condition requires him to use a special light to determine the color of objects and has difficulty when it comes to signals with colored lights.

Although there is a stigma with being color blind, the condition does not hamper one’s ability to be successful in life.

“Being colorblind has a big impact on my life because I don’t see the world the same way as others.” Pillado said.

Feature Page 13

The Lightning Strike • January 2015 FUTURE

Senior chooses different path to defend nation Saige Raymond staff writer According to CNN, 14.5 percent of soldiers in U.S. Armed Forces are women.

Senior Destiny Corbo will join this 14.5 percent when she goes off to the U.S. Marines following graduation.

Corbo is being recruited to join Marine Intelligence where she will use the same talents taught in Naval Science: thoroughly researching each mission to gain intelligence before a trip to send troops to the correct and safe location.

In class, Corbo is Executive Commander which is second in command, her job, along with Battalion Commander, senior Alan Stern, is to coordinate all the cadet’s events like field trips and make sure every trip is successful.

When completing tasks she maintains a serious focus that accompanies the dedication she has for her role in NJROTC. Corbo started at Krop as a freshman free-floating through different social groups trying to find where she belonged.

She landed in the Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC).

“As an incoming freshman

I just picked the Naval Science class” Corbo said. “I expected to meet new people but instead I found a family.”

From freshman year students have strenuous workout training experiences that build integrity and respect for the military.

“NJROTC gives you the responsibilities and core values needed when you join the military,” Corbo said.

Corbo has an appreciation for the honor that soldiers have. She is a proud Cuban American and she wanted to join the Marines because of the exclusive Marine title as well as to end prejudice of Hispanics and women. This

fuels her drive to join the Marines.

“I like the Marines. They’re known as the finest, but being a minority within a minority amazes me,” Corbo said.

She attributes her pride to NJROTC Captain Webb for implementing disciplinary values as well as opening opportunities to help Corbo access to the military world.

In five months Corbo will be sent out to Paris Island, South Carolina where she will begin training to serve for her country.

She will join the 14.5 percent of women in the U.S. Military, specifically “The few. The Proud. The Marines.”

COURTESY OF DESTINY CORBO

INSTRUCTION: Destiny Corbo walks through the ranks of JROTC students on inspection day. Students dress out in full uniform every Thursday.

MAGNET

Artists use concentrations to express themselves Mackenzie Duffy feature editor

To students in the art magnet program, concentration means much more than staying focused.

To them, concentrations are themes that their pieces are to be centered around throughout the year. Then, at the end of the year, their concentration pieces are submitted as a portion of the AP exam.

With each concentration containing 12 pieces, art teacher Ernesto Montes allows his AP students time to think of and execute their concentrations without placing rules on their creativity.

“We have tons of freedom in that class,” said junior Tania Weiss. “We don’t have

assignments so we get to do whatever we want and be as creative as we can.”

Weiss chose to make her concentration about teenagers’ struggle with self-confidence out of a belief that society places too many expectations on them.

One of her pieces features a girl removing her shirt, exposing her fragile inner self.

“In our society, everyone judges you if you’re not that perfect girl expectation.” she said.

The decision to execute her concentration stemmed from an earlier piece Weiss completed of a girl grabbing rolls of fat from her stomach.

Inspiration for concentration comes from trends in society, personal experience or interest.

Senior Valeria Fernandez decided to base her concentration

MACKENZIE DUFFY

MACKENZIE DUFFY

PERFECTION: Valeria Fernandez adds finishing touches on her concentration. Fernandez chose to execute feminism in all her work.

HELPING HAND: Ernesto Montes helps his students with technique in their art. The students completed an assignment on figure drawing.

on feminism and women breaking the typical “housewife traditions.”

“I got inspired by the theme of feminism becoming such a popular topic and I want to show people what feminism means to me,” she said.

Fernandez would also hear comments from friends about

her inability to perform all the tasks a man could, like get a high-stress job or lifting heavy objects. “Accidentally they would be like, what do you know you’re a girl or let the men take care of this because women are weak,” she said.

With her concentration, Fernandez uses doilies as her

canvas and draws women completing common housewife chores, like vacuuming and taking care of their children.

Then she covers it with a scene of women breaking the gender role norms, like job empowerment and growing body hair.

“I want people to understand that feminism is about gaining equality between both genders whether it’s over pay or appearances,” Fernandez said.

At the end of each class, the students stop working as Montes comes around and places edits on each piece, telling the students to adjust techniques or helping fill gaps in inspiration.

“Montes really pushes people in AP art to reach for the understanding that art is all about concept and help tell a story in all of our concentrations,” Fernandez said.

Top 10 things you didn’t know about Ms. Higgins

1. Hidden hobbies

In class, Law teacher Connie Higgins acts like any professional teacher. However, she isn’t afraid to bust a move when she can!

“I love dancing alone, as it helps me relieve stress,” she said.

2. First job

6. Education background

Despite teaching law for decades, Higgins After helping a friend sue two officers who got him wrongfully holds a major in psychology – not law. convicted for murder, Higgins has taken an active role in the Innocence Project, which aims to help exonerate people Currently, she is taking classes in the field. through DNA testing and reform the criminal justice system.

8. Perseverance for her future

While not having serious religious views, Higgins spent her first two years teaching fourth-graders at a Catholic school.

“Who would ever expect me to teach fourth grade,” she said with a laugh.

Describing herself as a “lover of youth sports”, Higgins worked for years as the president of the Southwest Broward Athletic Association to help better the athletic programs in Miramar.

3. In the family

9. Supporting athletes

Having taught at Krop since the beginning, Higgins’ three kids have also graduated from Krop: in ’01, ’03 and ’08.

Higgins grew up during a time where her family believed women weren’t meant to go to college, yet she defied the odds.

Working up to three jobs at a time, she was able to put herself through school, graduating from Stetson University.

4. Breaking ground

When she was younger, Higgins beat out all her male competitors to become the first female lifeguard in Surfside.

5. Music fan

7. Human rights activist

Though she doesn’t generally share her personal interests, a smile erupted over her face as she talked about her love of music. “I love country music. That’s what I usually listen to,” she said.

10. Friends and Colleagues

STEPHANIA SALAVERRIA

EDUCATING: Connie Higgins quizzes her law students. In the class, Higgins adds her own touch to learning about law in order to help students understand the material.

Meeting through school, Ms. Higgins’ oldest son was appointed godparent of social studies teacher Mary Lee’s oldest son. Even better, Ms. Higgins’ daughter went with that same son to prom, wearing a dress designed by colleague Aileen Dannwolf.

Compiled by Corbin Boiles

Entertainment Page 14

The Lightning Strike • January 2015

CELEBRITY

Swift’s career is ‘Fearless’ Mackenzie Duffy feature editor In 2014, a new pop artist came into the spotlight, but is no stranger to the fame that comes with being a musician. Grammy-award winning country artist Taylor Swift rose to the charts with her first pop album, 1989.

Swift’s new album was the only record released in 2014 to reach platinum by selling 1.2 million copies within the first week, and her music videos have received millions of views. Unlike her previous albums, like 22 and Fearless, which were all country music, her 1989 album was written as a pop album with a change in Swift’s creative vision. Swift transitioned into a whole new category, adding new fans while retaining veteran supporters.

“I think that on my last album, when the song ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ came out and spent seven weeks at number one on the pop charts, that was kind of a warning flare,” Swift said in an interview with CBS. Swift’s popularity and dominance in the music industry is baffling to many, and the center spread of Time magazine’s November issue was dedicated to her power and individuality amongst other artists

in the pop genre. By the time she turned 25 on Dec. 13, she has sold 24.2 million albums, the most in the pop genre group.

This is due to the relatability that comes from h e r songs, which target teenage girls.

First loves, breakups and best friends are the main topics covered in her music, allowing fans to get a glimpse into Swift’s life. Even though she has co-writers like OneRepublic’s Ry a n Te d der and M a x Martin, a large portion of her lyrics come from personal experiences.

N o t only does Ta y l o r use her

songs as a way to connect with fans, but she gives back to them through charity. Maintaining the title of most charitable celebrity since 2012, she gives money and time to fans and those in need.

To promote 1989, Swift recorded and released the song “Welcome to New York City,” and donated all the proceeds to New York City public schools. Also, she has given to disaster relief funds and visited sick fans in hospitals suffering from cancer.

As a way to thank her fans for their support, Swift created an event during the holiday season called “Swiftmas,” even giving a fan 1,989 dollars, in representation of her album, to pay for student loans.

“No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind,” she said.

It’s safe to say that Swift has become a front-runner of the music industry through her catchy tunes with a personal touch to them plus her ability to connect with fans by being herself. Even when faced with challenges, Swift is able to tell anyone to “Shake It Off.” “Anytime someone tells me I can’t do something, I want to do it more,” Swift said.

TWICSY.COM

4 Valentine’s Day gifts under $20 1. For those who will be spending the night in No Valentine, no problem. I’ve got a plan for you. For the small price of $5 dollars, I guarantee you a happy night with my good pals Ben &Jerry. And as you indulge in them, indulge in yourself. A Netflix membership can be purchased online for the monthly price of $8. Cuddle up with Ben &Jerry in your arms, dim the lights and watch a romantic comedy.

2. For those amazing friends with a sweet tooth These friends deserve only the very best and you just happen to know that’s a batch of your homemade chocolate chip cookies. Your secret recipe?

An extra tablespoon of love. For the occasion use heart-shaped cookie cutters.

Assorted types of cookie cutters including the heart-shaped ones are sold together at Target for $10. Search online for recipes if you decide to make the cookies from scratch and if not, Publix sells cookie mix and dough for 3-6 dollars.

3. For those hopeless romantics who idolize The Notebook Gift that special someone a poem. Not any poem though, an original. One that is straight from the heart. Sometimes written words can convey a message as complicated and beautiful as love much better than vocalized ones. Plus this one’s free! Although, if you get writers block there’s no harm with going with a copy of Pablo Neruda’s ‘Love poems’ for $12 at Anthropologie.

4. For those who are slightly cliché but have good intentions Flowers are a loved classic. Don’t feel obligated to go for the cliché dozen red roses, go crazy and get long-stem sunflowers, purple tulips, or a miniature cactus. But if you do opt for the red roses, mix it up and include a plastic one amongst the real ones with a note that reads “I’ll love you until the last rose dies.” That’ll get them to swoon. Depending on which type of flowers and the venue, the price can vary from $5 and up. Try street vendors or Publix/ Whole Foods.

-Stephania Salaverria

REVIEW

March to your local theater to see ‘Selma’

COURTESY OF SHOWBIZ411

VOTING RIGHTS: Selma tells the story of the trip African Americans made to gain equal voting rights. The movie not only tells the story of the past but will open your eyes to present inequalities.

Jacob Singer sports editor

It’s been 50 years since Dr. Martin Luther King took to Selma, Alabama in his quest to achieve racial equality. But the shootings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner show us that this country hasn’t made as much progress as many of us would like.

In “Selma,” director Ava DuVernay takes us to 1965, where King, played by David Oleyowo, is prepared to do whatever it takes to make sure that African Americans have the same voting privileges as everyone else.Oleyowo does a masterful job at portraying one of history’s greatest men. We see the sacrifices King makes, the determination he possesses and the traits he has that make him above all, human.

The supporting roles of James Bevel played by Common, President Lyndon B. Johnson played by Tom Wilkinson, Governor George Wallace played by Tim Roth, Annie Cooper played by Oprah Winfrey, Coretta Scott King played by Carmen Ejogo and others are even more important to the film than King himself. Without them, the meaning and purpose in King’s life does not exist The main antagonist in the movie is Wallace, a stubborn racist, who is more willing to be despised by everyone in America than to give African Americans their rights.

King’s two most compelling adversaries are his wife and the President Johnson. At times, King butts

heads with both, but needs them both in order to accomplish his goal.

After watching “Selma,” I was able to gain much more of an understanding of the African American hardships during the 60s.

DuVernay’s most masterful effort is showing the audience the horrors of the 60s, which comes in “Selma’s” depiction of “Bloody Sunday.” For those who don’t know, “Bloody Sunday” occurred on Mar. 7, 1965 when hundreds attempted to march from Selma to Montgomery in order to protest the lack of voting rights for African Americans.

As the movie shows us, Alabama State troopers gruesomely attack the protesters by spraying tear gas and beating them with clubs. It was difficult to watch.

The end of “Selma,” which culminates in the signing of the Voting Rights of 1965, serves as a reminder that while the United States has come far from the time of segregation and the Jim Crow Laws, we still have a long way to go before everyone is truly equal.

In “Selma,” DuVernay does not attempt to teach us a history lesson.

Rather, she successfully opens our eyes, plays with our emotions and makes us think about what we have accomplished and what we need to accomplish.

If you are looking for an action-filled blockbuster with advanced special effects or a laugh out loud comedy, then this movie is not for you. But if you want to walk out of the theater in bone-chilling awe, then go see “Selma.”

Snapchat leaves users best friend-less but informed 1. News Channels Invade Snapchat: Content from 11 companies are now available to the right of your contact list. Among them are publications like CNN and channels like Comedy Central. Each snap story teases a full length story, with text and videos available by swiping up.

2. Add Your Friends Using Contact Cards: Each user is now provided with a unique contact card, much like a QR code*, that other users can use to add you as a contact.

3. Stories: The contact page is now called “Stories,” and only shows contacts that presently have a story posted.

4. No More Best Friends: No longer can you stalk your crush or see who your significant other has been snapping – the Best Friend feature is now a thing of the past. *QR code: a square-shaped code consisting of a unique pattern of black and white dots, typically used to store information for reading by the camera on a smartphone -Michael Katz

The Lightning Strike • January 2015

Entertainment Page 15

TRENDS

Who is

Paul Vinyl records make a comeback McCartney?

Stephania Salaverria photo editor

Although Grandma’s fashion trends might be outdated, her music knowledge definitely is not.

Vinyl records, the preferred music players of the 60’s and 70’s are making a comeback.

You know, vinyls, those big, black, saucer-looking discs? It wouldn’t be surprising if you didn’t have a clue about what they are, but this part of the past is becoming part of 21st century culture. Cassettes are no longer sold, CDs are hanging on a thin thread, against iTunes, Pandora, etc, and records are coming back into style. History repeating itself.

“Listening to vinyls keeps

music from the time alive,” senior Marcela Vargas said.

The 60’s and 70’s were defined by the music the time period produced. Timeless bands and singers came out of the decades like The Beatles, Led Zepplin and Michael Jackson.

Teen store Urban Outfitters sells both the vinyls and players.

Sold new, the albums found are classics, as well as new releases. For example, you could find a brand new Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon album next to Justin Timberlake’s 20/20 album. Electronic store Best Buy also sells vinyls but less of a variety. As a store that doesn’t have to keep up an urban appeal, Best Buy sells mostly

mainstream and popular records, like Taylor Swifts 1989 album and other new releases.

However new equipment doesn’t come cheap. New record players cost around $150 and every vinyl record cost around $20.

Unlike CDs that can be played on computers, cars, music players or iTunes purchases that can be played at your own convenience anywhere, Vinyls and their players are big and would have to be carried around.

“Before records became so popular, it wasn’t so expensive to go out and buy them new,” junior Dylan Freeman said. “Now I’ve started to go thrifting for them.”

Some popular places to go vi-

Michael Jackson Thriller (1982) 51-65 million albums sold

AC/DC Back in Black (1980) 50 million albums sold

nyl hunting are your local Goodwill, as well as stores dedicated to purely selling old records like Sweat Records. For as low as $2 a record, thrifting is the cheapest way to begin a collection, besides sorting through older relatives basement for treasure. It’s hard work, but ultimately rewarding.

“Sometimes I’ll buy a random album and listen to it,” Vargas said.

“That’s how you discover new music.”

Even though most of our generation’s hobbies and activities die down eventually, for those who truly appreciate holding a piece of history in their hands, it won’t.

“Vinyls might die down,” Vargas said. “But music never will.”

Most popular vinyl records of all time

Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) 50 million albums sold Compiled by Stephania Salaverria

HOTSPOT

Then and now: Looking through Wynwood’s walls

Shoshana Sommer entertainment editor In the late 1970s, the Wynwood neighborhood was considered lower middle class. Unemployment was 55 percent and drug trafficking was rampant.

Wynwood was considered a place where immigrants improved their economic standing so they could leave the neighborhood as quickly as possible.

In October of 2009, Tony Goldman, the man behind the revival of Soho and South beach, dreamt up an open air gallery of murals called Wynwood Walls.

The gallery opened a couple months later to coincide with Art Basel. Goldman’s vision was that the entire Wynwood neighborhood would become a canvas for urban street art. It is a neighborhood that provides a monthly art showing called the Wynwood Art Walk, which takes place on the second Saturday of every month.

This monthly happening features openings at Art Galleries, Art Institutions, and Retail Businesses.

Just around the block from the Wynwood walls, backstreets are filled with what were once ordinary garment warehouses, now

by Dan Sicorsky On Dec. 31, American recording artist Kanye West released “Only One,” a song PA featuring English McCartney musician Paul McCartney.

For those who don’t know, McCartney is an 18-time Grammy award-winning artist who was a member of the Beatles, the best-selling band in history that tops the Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.

Apparently though, not everyone knows who McCartney is. In the days following the release of “Only One,” Kanye fans took to Twitter – some joking and some not – wondering who ‘this McCartney’ guy is and praising Kanye for shining light on ‘unknown’ artists.

One tweet read: “Who is this Paul McCartney?? He boutta blow up thanks to Kanye!!!”

Curious to see if Krop’s Kanye fans shared the Twitter users’ unawareness, this reporter asked several students on the patios if they had heard of McCartney before his collaboration with Kanye. These were the results:

• What do you think of Paul McCartney?

Student 1: “What… Is he like new or something?”

Student 2: “Paul McCartney is not new! He’s been making music since 2000-something!”

• What do you think of Kanye featuring McCartney in his new song?

“Kanye’s showing him to the world and to his fan base. He’s going to be like the new Sam Smith, or like that other guy, Ed Sheeran.”

• What do you think will happen to McCartney’s career after “Only One?”

MICHAEL KATZ

ART WALK: This mural painted by Shepard Fairey is shown at Wynwood Walls. Art Walk takes place every second Saturday of the month where murals like this will be featured.

transformed into a hipster’s paradise through art.

One of the warehouses on northwest 25th St has a mural of Marilyn Monroe. A casual stroll through the back streets of Wynwood reveals other artsy buildings such as the Wynwood boutique which is covered with black and white diagonal lines. This trendy location was where Beyoncé took her wedding pictures.

Murals are not the only art

prominent in Wynwood; the art of food is around every corner.

At the center of Wynwood is the Wynwood Kitchen and Bar featuring global-Latino cuisine made with fresh ingredients such as Mahi-Mahi from Floridian waters.

For a lighter bite, “Mmmm”, a Miami bistro, offers salads and tatines (gourmet open-faced Sandwiches using a “Poilane” Sourdough Loaf that is toasted.) The restaurant is simple and fresh just like the menu.

If you are at Art Walk and want a cheaper bite on-the-go, the food trucks are an option. Mr.Cheezious serves grilled cheese, and Latin Burger serves American classics with a Latin twist. The food trucks are located on the corner of NW 23rd Street & northwest 2nd Avenue, and start serving around 6 p.m.

Wynwood has come a long way from being a dark web of streets to a place to see and be seen.

“It’s going to jump, going to take a big leap.”

• He’s probably going to

become more famous now, right?

“Yeah, cause Kanye is really big.”

It’s true – Kanye is big. But that doesn’t mean that McCartney isn’t. Sure, he isn’t as popular as Kanye with the youngest generation, but he is still one of the greatest artists who have ever lived. It’s O.K to not know who McCartney is, but please, don’t compare him to Ed Sheeran.

Sports

The Lightning Strike • January 2015

Page 16

RECAP

Successful boys’ soccer season ends in heartbreak

COURTESY OF FEDERICO PSEVOZNIK

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: The Lightning soccer team celebrates after winning the district championship against Flanagan High School. Although the team lost in the regional quarterfinals against St. Thomas Aquinas, they believe that their district championship win is nothing to laugh about. Coach Tomas Gonzalez was proud of his team and is optimistic about future success. While several of the team’s best players are seniors and will not be returning next season, the team has promising underclassmen that will assist in maintaining the team’s success.

resort.

A defeat during this shoot-out sent the Raiders to the regional semifinals, but left the Lightning to reflect on their season.

Coach Tomas Gonzalez was choked up after his team’s crushing loss, but praised his players

HEALTH

for their performance throughout the season.

“I love those guys,” Gonzalez said. “They are warriors.”

Senior captain Joseph Grobman would likely affirm Gonzalez’s moniker for the team.

In Grobman’s emotional

postgame speech to the team, he reiterated the fact that the team had an undying fight in them and, like Gonzalez, shared how much he cared about his teammates.

The team’s bond is special.

Anyone at school could see that.

SERVICE

Don’t go with the flow: Athletes help Best Buddies’ members play ball alternative exercises Shoshana Sommer entertainment editor

Classroom: orange flower cup on far left, green construction paper on far desk, folders on near desk, paper on center ceiling, broomstick on far corner, paper on black bulletin board, hand sanitizer dispenser on far right

Answers to SPOT THE DIFFERENCES from page 20: COURTESY OF VERONIKA BONDARENKO

FLEXIBLE FUN: Veronika Bondarenko poses in a yoga stance on the beach. Bondarenko likes to stay in shape and has found a way to do so while enjoying herself at the same time. Alternative exercises like these enable people to maintain their health and have fun.

center, acupuncture and massage.

If you have ever left the gym unsatisfied, you should give Cross Fit a shot. Unlike conventional gyms, Cross Fit has a “workout of the day” which trainers guide you through. The classes have you flipping tires and doing handstand push-ups. The workouts are the same for everyone, but can be scaled according to fitness level, making Cross Fit great even for gym newbies.

If running on a treadmill feels like its leading you nowhere, try these alternative exercises.

COURTESY OF KROP ATHLETICS

HOME RUN HELPERS: On Jan. 10, members of the baseball and softball teams coordinated a Miracle League game with Best Buddies. The Miracle League is a program that offers children with mental and/or physical disabilities the opportunity to play baseball. Best Buddies members assisted buddies like Miguel Garces (pictured above batting) in playing baseball with the help of baseball and softball players. According to the Miracle League website, the organization’s mission is “to create positive life experiences for children with special needs and their families through baseball.” Those involved in the Miracle League believe that baseball is a great way to include those who have been alienated in the past and -Jacob Singer simultaneously offers fun to all participants.

Answers to CIVIL RIGHT MOVEMENT CROSSWORD Puzzle from page 19:

Couch potato no more. If a traditional gym is not for you there are other ways to be healthy and get fit.

Cold wooden floors and long mirrors are not the most calming environment, but beach yoga is a great alternative. Every Sunday at 8 a.m., a beach yoga class is offered on Hallandale Beach for those wishing to escape their everyday stress. “The beach setting is serine and relaxing,” junior Veronika Bondarenko said.

Hot yoga is not as relaxing but will get your adrenaline rushing. The half hour class is in a 105 degree room that you can’t leave because of the drastic temperature changes between hot and cold. The heat allows toxins to escape from your body. “Every time I go to the class I feel like I lose three pounds,” Bondarenko said.

“Om’echaye is a place to be happy- a mecca for those invested in a healthy lifestyle.”

Om’echaye is an alternative gym or “wellness and fitness center” that created a 360 experience by bring out youth physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual self.

Om’echaye offers yoga, pilates, power plate, Om’echaye kitchen, nail salon, integrative medicine

FUN & GAMES

1. Emancipation 2. JimCrow 3. Boycott 4. MLK 5. MalcomX 6. RosaParks 7. CorettaScottKing 8. Brownvboard 9. Alabama 10. LittleRockNine 11. ThurgoodMarshall 12. GreensboroFour 13. EmettTill 14. JackieRobinson 15. FreedomRiders 16. Washington 17. KKK 18. VotingRightsAct 19. CivilRightsAct 20.

Selma

After the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders handed the Lightning boys’ soccer team a heartbreaking loss in a penalty kick shootout, a procession of teary-eyed Krop faithful left Traz Powell Stadium in an uncomfortable silence.

During the first half of the game, the Lightning let up one goal, but failed to score any.

The Lightning were the first to score in the second half off of a Dylan Fernandez goal, but the Raiders regained the lead shortly after.

With only a few minutes left in regulation, the Lightning were still trailing by one goal when a header by Felipe Salazar sent an airborne corner-kick into the goal for the equalizer.

Because the game was tied at the end of the two halves, it was sent to extra-time, in which the Lightning saw a myriad of empty chances wind up haunting them shortly thereafter. When neither team managed to score a goal during the extra-time, a penalty kick shoot-out became the last

The value they placed on team unity was apparent when they exposed themselves to endless humiliation by dying their hair bleach blonde.

The seniors have finished their last game for Krop, but Grobman hopes that he imparted wisdom on the underclassmen in his final year playing for the school.

And although a close loss and a season’s end are painful, less than a week earlier, the team had experienced the joys of winning the district championship.

The Lightning entered the district playoffs as the third seed and upset the first seed, Flanagan High School in the Championship game 3-1. After Flanagan scored first, the Lightning scored three unanswered goals in the second half to secure the victory.

Few expected the team to achieve as much as they did, ending the season 11-6-4, and while it may seem premature, Athletic Director Elizabeth Morgan is already looking toward the future. “[The soccer team] had a great season,” Morgan said.

“There was a lot of player development and I’m excited for next year.”

North Patio: black schoolbag on far left, speaker on left wall, paper on left bushes, brown bag on center cement, girl on far tables, lamplight on right wall, speaker on right wall, paper cup on right table, trash can on right cement

Jacob Singer sports editor

Sports

The Lightning Strike • January 2015

Page 17

OBITUARY

Stuart Scott 1965-2015

COURTESY OF ABC NEWS

Although gone, Scott will not be forgotten Alec Eidelstein news editor “Boo-Yah” and “As cool as the other side of the pillow” are just some of longtime ESPN analyst, Stuart Scott’s signature quotes.

On Sunday, January 4th, after a long battle of appendiceal cancer, Scott passed away at the age of 49.

Scott attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he took part in a student run radio station called WXYC. After graduating, he worked around the country at

WHEN YOU DIE, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT

YOU LOSE TO CANCER. YOU BEAT CANCER

BY HOW YOU LIVE, WHY YOU LIVE AND IN THE MANNER IN WHICH YOU LIVE. -STUART SCOTT

different news stations covering what he loved the most, sports.

It was then when Al Jaffe, ESPN’s vice president for talent took Scott in to the studio, looking for sportscasters who appealed to a younger audience. His distinct style and funk is what made him

one of the greatest sports coverers of all time.

In 2007, after feeling pains in his stomach, Scott was sent to the hospital in need of an emergency appendectomy. Following the surgery he received his diagnosis, apendiceal cancer. After a couple

years in remission, the cancer came back in 2011 and then again in 2013.

President Obama, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods are just some of the big names Scott has interviewed in his short, but well lived life. He also covered the Super Bowl, World Series and the NBA finals.

“When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer.

You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live,” said Scott during his speech at the ESPYS after receiving the Jimmy V award for perseverance.

Sports Updates AN ACE FOR KYPRISS: When tennis coach Michael Kypriss isn’t winning state championships, he is winning awards for winning state championships. The National High School Athletic Coaches Association selected Kypriss as a finalist for the national tennis coach of the year. There are eight finalists for each of the nineteen recognized sports. At a banquet in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Jun. 20, one winner from each sport will be selected. Kypriss was carefully chosen based on his “longevity, service to high school athletics, honors, championship years and winning percentage.” Look for a full profile of Kypriss in next month’s issue.

DRINK UP: While water is the basis of all life, some faculty members took its importance to an extreme. During the week of Jan. 2630, Healthier Generation/Shape Up with Schiffy sponsored the “Water Logged Challenge,” in which participants recorded the amount of water they drank during the day.

Coach Krista Latessa was the most avid participant, consuming over 200 ounces of water per day. During February, Healthier generation will focus on heart health.

-Jacob Singer

ATHLETE’S JOURNAL

A softball player’s struggle to balance schoolwork and athletics Mikaela Mendez spread editor

As if heading home from school to study for four AP tests wasn’t enough work, junior softball player Kassidy Klein spends her days after school at rigorous softball practices. Last year, the team had an undefeated season, and Softball Coach Krista Latessa is training the girls to have the same results this year. Klein documented her practices for the first week, and explained how practice has had a physical and mental toll on her life.

Wednesday At 2:45 p.m. practice started, it started with a normal warm-up that consists of arm movements, squats and calf stretches for 10 minutes.

After that, they ran a lap, and practiced their throwing techniques by throwing the ball to one another. For 30-45 minutes, Latessa threw the ball ADVERTISEMENTS

to the batter to improve their pitching accuracy. To make practice seem like a real game, the players ran the bases when a hit was made. When Klein got back home at 5:30 p.m., she was exhausted. She wanted to go to sleep, but she had two tests to study for: pre-calculus and AP English. She went to sleep at midnight and woke up the next morning at five to continue studying.

Thursday Practice started at 2:50 p.m. with warm-ups. Then, they pitched and batted the ball to each other, to see where improvements needed to be made; a hitting coach came and helped them strengthen their hits as well. At the end of practice, they lined up on the bleachers and did push-ups, sit-ups and planks. Klein’s legs were sore, and she could barely move her body.

Monday Practice began at nine in

the morning with warm-ups.

The first hour, the team ran, did squats, planks, push-ups and suicides (running from one side of the field to the other).

The second hour, they put their defensive skills to the test when they found out they had to play against their own teammates.

They ended practice at 11:15 a.m. with more running and sliding on bases feet first or head first. When Klein got home, she noticed there were scars and bruises on her knees.

Tuesday At school, Klein could barely walk up the stairs; her thighs and calves were sore.

They had the most intense practice during the week. It began with the usual warm-up and they incorporated plays into their runs to condition their bodies to improve their stamina.

Wednesday Practice began at 2:45 p.m. with the usual warm-up,

COURTESY OF FOXMAR

SWINGING AND STUDYING: Kassidy Klein (pictured above) prepares to hit during the softball team’s perfect season last year.

but instead of throwing and catching, the team ran six laps around the field. Afterwards they did push-ups and sit-ups along 15 poles for 25 minutes.

Practice ended at 5:15 p.m.

Klein went home to study for AP U.S. History, and did her pre-calculus homework during lunch the following day.

Advertisements The Lightning Strike • January 2015

Page 18

Fun & Games

The Lightning Strike • January 2015

Page 19

Crossword Puzzle: Civil Rights Movement Name:

Civil Rights Movement

Down

1. A fourteen-year-old boy who was brutally murdered making the barbaric racism in the South difficult to ignore 2. Court case that called for desegregation in public schools 3. Marches for voting rights, police beat marchers and used tear gas against them; violence was shown on TV in ____, Alabama 6. Lawyer who won the Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board, which made segregation in public schools illegal 7. Laws named after this character were used to legally discriminate against black Americans 8. The movement took place 100 years after this proclamation 9. The first black American to break Major League Baseball’s unwritten rule against hiring black players 11. Outlawed segregation in public places; banned discrimination in employment 12. Finish the sentence: The Montgomery Bus ____ 13. Group of students that started sit-ins in Woolworth stores that refused to serve lunch to blacks 15. Refused to move to the back of the bus 20. Abbreviated name of organization that infamously terrorized black citizens claiming ‘White

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Across

4. These students rode on buses throughout the south in order to integrate interstate transportation 5. ended literacy tests and poll taxes; allowed officers to register voters 10. Violent leader of the movement 14. Continued the movement to include women and LGBTQ community after her husband was assassinated 16. The ‘I Have a Dream’ speech was delivered during the March on ______ 17. The movement began in this state 18. Non-violent leader of the movement 19. A group of students famous for challenging school segregation in the Deep South

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Created on TheTeachersCorner.net Crossword Maker

*Answers to crossword puzzle can be found on bottom of page 16 in the Sports section CARTOONS

STEPHANIA SALAVERRIA

STEPHANIA SALAVERRIA

Through the Lens Page 20

The Lightning Strike • January 2015

KROP YEARBOOK

(Clockwise from far left): VICTORY AT LAST: Right-back Juan Cotton (senior) embraces his coach, Spanish teacher Tomas Gonzalez, after the boys’ soccer team beat Flanagan and earned the title of district champions on Jan. 23. The boys lost in the regional quarterfinals against St. Thomas Aquinas on Jan. 29.

BLACK, SILVER: The cheerleading squad performs their trademark cheer at the Winter Sports Pep Rally on Jan. 29 STRUTTING: Senior Allan Stern models at the Macroeconomics Fashion Show on Dec. 12. Teacher Ellen Elias hosts this event every year to help students review for her final exam.

FEDERICO PSEVOZNIK

KROP YEARBOOK

SPOT THE DIFFERENCES: The pictures of the classroom (top) are on the “Intermediate” level and have a total of 7 differences. The pictures of the North Patio (bottom) are on the “Easy” level and have a total of 9 differences.

(Answers can be found on the bottom of page 16.)