March/April 2016

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LightningStrike Taking Miami-Dade by Storm

www.lightningstrikenews.com March/April 2016 • Issue 5 • Volume 18

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

FEATURE

Battle of the Platoons Sam’s story Kevin Bauernfeind video editor Blasting music and sweat filled the air of the Ives Estates Park while the NJROTC cadets fought for victory in their annual Battle of the Platoons. The Battle of Platoons is one of the 15 events NJROTC hosts each year and is held to see which class, or platoon, is the best. Throughout the day, cadets compete in events ranging from the 100-meter relay to the egg toss, and the platoon who wins the most events at the end of the school day is awarded the Captain’s Cup. The event is a favorite of cadets, who are freed from their strict uniform policy and allowed to mingle with other platoons--something they rarely get to do. “It’s definitely the most fun and exciting event of the year,” freshman Joshua Senat said. The event is run and managed by NJROTC seniors who planned the events (along with

a few practical jokes) weeks in advance. It’s one of the biggest honors for the seniors, who describe it as “a fitting send-off.” The day began with the Color Guard, where cadets marched in with flags and presented the national anthem. When the ceremony ended, a roar of pride erupted from the cadets. After the ceremony, all 131 cadets marched a mile from the school parking lot to Ives Estates Park to begin the competition. “The sun was blazing, and I couldn’t wait to get to the water cooler,” sophomore Pawin Wittayanukorn said. “But that didn’t even matter because we were having too much fun to notice.” The most exciting event of the day was the 100-meter relay. Ten cadets from each platoon raced through the field as the cheers of their peers drowned out the thundering music, finishing the relay with no breath to spare. After a few more events and a quick bite of Little Caesars pizza, the cadets prepared

for their senior skits--one of their most beloved traditions. Cadets each played the role of a senior and poked fun at their personalities and attitudes. But seniors had planned for revenge, too. While cadets took a group picture after the skits, the seniors attacked cadets with an arsenal of water balloons. “The water balloon fight was definitely the best part of the day,” senior Sebastian Esguerra said. “It was great to get back at the cadets, and it was a memory I’ll never forget.” After the long day of competition, the cadets returned exhausted, yet united. “We felt more like a battalion,” junior Michael Williams said. “After seeing each other’s strengths and weaknesses, there was more synergy and unity.” The cadets will not know the results of the Battle of the Platoons until Apr. 16 during the NJROTC Ball. Make sure to check back at http://www.lightningstrikenews.com for the results.

MAYAN DERHY / THE LIGHTNING STRIKE

COMPETITION: (clockwise) Freshman Andre Rodriguez participates in the egg toss with a fellow platoon member. Senior Nicholas Pryor races through the field for the 100-meter dash. Freshman Sabrina Barasnevicius wheelbarrows freshman Alexander Reyes during a race.

Student returns to school after recovering from cancer Michael Katz incoming editor-in-chief

When Samuel Clarke began his sophomore year last August, most of his friends didn’t even recognize him. “By the end of summer, my face had started to swell up,” Clarke said. “I knew something was wrong. At first I thought it was allergies, and so did the doctors. They gave me some steroids, but those didn’t work for long. One Sunday, I was doing homework and my arm started to hurt like crazy - I didn’t sleep that night. It felt like someone was stabbing me in the shoulder over and over, all night long.” The next day, Clarke went to the hospital with his family to get some tests done. A few days later, Samuel’s mom got a call saying that he needed to be rushed to the hospital - what doctors had thought to be a case of severe allergies was actually a mass growing in Samuel’s chest. He had just been diagnosed with Lymphoma - a type of cancer in which tumors, or clusters of cancer cells, accumulate in the areas surrounding small veins. “When I first found out, I was like ‘Dang, I can’t go to school - and I won’t be able to play soccer this year’” Clarke said. “We discovered it pretty early, though, so it was still curable,” Clarke said. “I could’ve been in the hospital for years.” Instead, Clarke left school last September and was able to return, fully cured, after six months of treatment. He underwent six sessions of chemotherapy, which required a nurse puncturing his arm and guiding a tube through a vein into his chest, where the mass was, all while maintaining straight A’s in almost all of his classes. But he couldn’t have done it alone - even though he did find himself alone at times. “Everybody from church was coming to see me, friends were com-

MILA SICORSKY/ THE LIGHTNING STRIKE

BACK TO SCHOOL: Sophomore Samuel Clarke waits in front of his teacher’s desk. Clarke returned to school after a six month Lymphoma treatment.

ing to see me. My mom had just closed her restaurant to open up a food truck when this happened, but she put it off so she could be with me in the hospital. We weren’t making money. It was definitely a struggle period,” Clarke said. “There were times when I told my mom to leave me alone in the hospital so she could go work.” Even when he was alone, Clarke never lost his courage nor his hope. His positive outlook, he says, shocked the nurses and helped him get through it as fast as he did. “I wasn’t done yet. There was a lot of stuff I wanted to do, a lot of stuff I wanted to accomplish,” Clarke said. “This experience showed me that anything can happen - but it’s how you react that counts. Sometimes you just have to believe.” Today, Samuel is back and happier than ever - catching up with friends and enjoying the small things in life. “It’s good to be back. While you’re here, it’s kind of hard to appreciate school, but after six months of being home, you start to wish you were here instead,” Clarke said. “I’ve caught up with almost all of my friends, and my teachers have been really supportive. I’m starting to train so I can get my stamina back for soccer next year. I can’t wait to finally play.”

PAGES 10-11

More inside: • UF academies mislead students - page 5

• Ivy Leagues aren’t everything- page 5

• Levy, Plotnik compete in science fair- page 7

• Yossi--the freshmen entrepreneur- page 8

• TV guide to senioritis- page 12

• 10 things on Dr. Keating- page 13

• How to save money in college- page 15

• 5 things to learn from Donald Trump- page 15

• Thompson starts girls flag football team- page 18 • Last season for softball seniors- page 19


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