The Lion's Tale - Volume 59 Issue 6 - Oviedo High School

WROR TV wins big at FSPA convention PAGE 2

FEATURES

SPORTS

PAGE 9

PAGE 20

The evolution of childhood friendships

Greatest sports moments from this school year

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LION’S 6 TALE

OVIEDO HIGH SCHOOL • 601 KING STREET • OVIEDO, FL • 32765 APRIL 26, 2019 • VOLUME 59 • OVIEDOJOURNALISM.COM

Congrats

EDITION

NEWS

Graduates

2 | NEWS | THE LION’S TALE | APRIL 26, 2019

the Scoop

Mock DUI warns of danger before prom PHOTO BY ASHTON COKER STORY BY CHRISTINA YORK Ambulances, fire trucks and a helicopter converged on the field at Hagerty High School, showing what emergency responders do to protect people in unfortunate situations, like an accident caused by driving under the influence (DUI).

The April 4 mock DUI is a program to warn and students about the dangers of drinking and driving, especially right before prom.

“The information from the mock DUI was very important and critical for us students to be aware of,” said senior Gabby Crespo.

“It made me think about all of the lives that the drunk drivers affect and how not only the families of the victims are impacted.”

“I think that going to listen to what the people had to say about driving under the influence and how to be safe was very beneficial for me and everyone there, because without that we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to hear about what they said,” said senior Riley Giffin.

The mock DUI may have had an effect on students at prom. According to administration, there was a record low of drug-related offenses at the event this year, which occurred just two days after the mock DUI.

SGA hosts dodgeball game STORY BY GILLIAN LANDWEHR Oviedo’s Student Government Association (SGA) blasted popular songs from 2009 as rubber balls flew through the air. The first annual dodgeball tournament kicked off senior week.

“It was the same day as 10 years back, and we thought it would be fun to channel our old PE days,” said SGA member senior Katie Pierce.

SGA adviser Heather DeLong said that the tournament has been in the works for a few years.

“We knew we had to take a few steps to keep it as safe and as school-appropriate as possible,” DeLong said.

“Finally, we had all the steps right and it was approved by administration.”

It was the school’s first-ever dodgeball tournament.

“We had seven teams of seven and then we had another 30 spectators show up,” DeLong said. “So for our first event, we thought the turnout was pretty good.”

WROR-TV wins first-ever Sunshine Standout Award

STORY BY SAADHANA SRIDHARAN The students stared up at the screen, ignoring the pecan cake on their plates. Only when WROR-TV’s name popped up on the screen did their faces break into grins.

“That moment--when we got the Sunshine Standout Award--was surreal,” said TV Production adviser Kevin Patterson.

The Sunshine States Award is presented to the top student publications within the Florida Scholastic Press Association (FSPA) at the annual conference and banquet.

This is the first year it has ever been given.

Senior Blair Brown, student director at WROR-TV, was enthusiastic about this news.

“I think that’s what makes it more special, that this was the first year of them presenting this award, and that we were the first people to get it,” Brown said. “It just helps us keep growing and get better every year.”

the Month in Photos

PHOTO BY SAADHANA SRIDHARAN

BALLOONS. Seniors Angelica Torres and Jose Figueroa from the Roaring Lion Empire sell balloons during both lunches to students in the commons.

PHOTO BY SAADHANA SRIDHARAN

SENIOR BREAKFAST. Seniors Veronica DiPrimo and Marwin Wongjarupun eat their breakfast during the senior breakfast on May 3rd.

PHOTO BY SAADHANA SRIDHARAN

WAITING FOR PROM COURT. Seniors Katie Pierce, Madison Cook, Michael Gotay and Caleb German await the announcement about prom king and queen at prom.

PHOTO BY CHRISTINA YORK

SENIOR PROJECT SHOWCASE. Senior Cassidy Gillis shares her career project about victim services through “Green Dot” at showcase.

FRONT PAGE DESIGN BY GILLIAN LANDWEHR

DESIGN BY CHRISTINA YORK

APRIL 26, 2019 | THE LION’S TALE | NEWS | 3

Mass shooting raises concern in local Muslim community STORY BY EMMA YOST *NAME WITHHELD UPON REQUEST

Around lunchtime in the usually peaceful Christchurch, New Zealand, people gathered to worship at two local mosques. Moments later, a fatal mass shooting occurred, resulting in 50 fatalities and over 20 injuries.

Though they are half a world away, Muslim students at Oviedo have experienced the effects of these March 15 shootings in their own lives.

Freshman Amina Hasan and her family regularly attend Friday services at their local mosque. Since the shooting, there have been some changes regarding safety.

“Whenever we have Friday prayers we have more police and stuff for safety,” Hasan said. “They have a police car there to make sure.”

Safety is a serious concern for Muslim students and their families even outside the mosque, according to senior Bryan Salmon.* “You have to be careful when you go outside and what you say, partly about representing yourself but also so you don’t get that bad reputation of what people think of you,” Salmon said. “It’s sad.”

Not only has the shooting affected the mosque’s security, but it has impacted the Islamic community as a whole. Salmon says that he isn’t personally very religious, but his family is.

“My parents are deeply affected by this,” Salmon said. “They have heartaches and they know some of the people.”

AP Macroeconomics teacher Liam Mason teaches his students to understand and respect religious beliefs.

“Religious violence has been occurring for thousands of years,” Mason said. “I think, to curb all types of violence over religion, we need to educate and understand others’ beliefs among everyone at earlier ages.”

According to Mason, learning about different religions is the first step to becoming aware of others’ beliefs.

“I think fear and ignorance causes all types of discrimination,” Mason said. “I think people fear things that are different and things they do not understand.”

Those who are victims of religious intolerance are devastated after such an incident.

“It’s like a jab in the heart, a loss of humanity that’s been growing in me now because of all these incidents,” Salmon said.

Suicides of shooting survivors highlight mental health distress STORY BY PATRICK COSTELLO According to authorities, two survivors of the Feb. 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School have committed suicide. This tragedy has drawn attention to the mental health struggles students can face as a result of the traumas and stresses of today’s world.

“I do think that the stressors [teenagers today] face are more extreme: families are more taxed and have more difficulties dealing with these stressors, and there is still quite a lot of stigma about asking for help with mental health issues,” said Dr. Kimberly Renk, a licensed psychologist and associate professor of psychology at UCF. “These things, coupled with poor coping, have resulted in an increase in teen suicides over time.”

Students and teachers agree that mental-health-related problems have recently become more prevalent.

“I would say depression and anxiety has increased over the years for teens,” said sophomore Davis Kruse.

“I think that the stress level of students today is much higher than what society thinks it is, and we’re doing absolutely nothing to help students deal with that stress,” said AP Language teacher Shayna Hron.

However, Renk believes that, on the large scale, mental health is not necessarily more of an issue for this generation of teenagers than previous ones.

“I actually do not think that mental health struggles have become more common for teens in recent years,” Renk DESIGN BY EMMA YOST

said. “If you look at the rates of occurrence of different issues, like depression, rates have been about the same for a time.”

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 13.3 percent of people aged 12 to 17 had at least one “major depressive episode” in 2017.

In 2012, the same study found that 9.1 percent of people in this age range had such an episode.

CDC data indicates that the rate of suicide per 100,000 for this age cohort was 4.55 in 2012 and 6.86 in 2017.

Regardless of how much more of a problem mental health challenges are for today’s youths, there is a consensus that it is a issue that needs to be addressed.

“Schools need to be much more trauma-informed, meaning that schools need to understand more about the difficult things that happen to teens,” Renk said. “It also would be beneficial to have mental health services more readily available by licensed counselors on high school campuses, and for schools to more readily partner with parents.”

Teachers and students agree that counseling and other professional help could be beneficial.

“I think it should be mandatory for all students to have some sort of mental health [support], whether it be a class or one-on-one counseling,” Hron said.

Kruse said the option should be available, but not mandatory.

“I believe that students with extra stress should get extra help if needed,” Kruse said.

4 | OPINION | THE LION’S TALE | APRIL 26, 2019

Senior privilege reduced due to safety concerns The privileges of high school seniors have decreased in the last couple of years. In the past, the seniors were able to leave class five minutes early for lunch and for the end of the day. They also used to be able to take extended lunches pretty frequently.

Sadly, these freedoms were taken away from the students as the years went on, leaving the current seniors with nearly no privileges. These changes are all due to safety measures and precautions.

We at The Lion’s Tale understand that safety measures needed to be taken, but it must be frustrating for the seniors not to have the same privileges that the classes before them had.

If the safety precautions are because of fights, it truly isn’t fair to the seniors because most of the fights that happen are between the underclassmen.

The seniors don’t want to fight, they just want to graduate. It isn’t fair to punish a class for the acts of another class, whether that other class has already graduated or has just started high school.

The school has had to limit freedoms all around because of the possibility of an attack on campus, mainly a school shooter. The fear of an incident like that has created administrative rules that are stricter, and rightfully so. No teacher,

administrator, dean or principal wants to put any of their students at the risk of harm, and these limitations are for students’ protection, even the seniors.’

Yet, maybe there is an in-between that can give seniors some privileges while still maintaining safety initiatives.

This year, there haven’t been as many senior extended lunches as in past years. What’s so bad about an extended lunch? It gives the seniors the ability and permission to get food other than from the school cafeteria or home.

It allows them to get the food they want without skipping.

By not allowing seniors to have the extended lunch, more seniors are actually missing class because they want to go out to lunch rather than attend class, which leads to more issues and decreases safety, especially when seniors drive fast to get back from a restaurant. This could easily be prevented.

The lessening of the senior privileges takes away from the perks of being a senior and the experience of the final year of high school. But at the same time, these seniors never had privileges to begin with, so the privileges almost seem mythological.

Perhaps seniors and administrators can find a compromise for 2020.

OUR WORD

IN YOUR FACE

How does the loss of senior privileges affect your senior year?

Senior Adelle Mitchell

“It hasn’t negatively affected me because I haven’t experienced it, we’re allowed off campus so there’s no difference.”

Junior Lexy Wolfe

“I really enjoy getting to go out to lunch with my friends and it would be nice to get senior lunch privileges back so I can have my senior year remembering all the fun times I had.”

Senior Michael Gotay

“I feel like it doesn’t affect me because people do it anyways, if you don’t do anything stupid then it doesn’t affect you.”

Junior Mia Dahm

“It’s tough to loose senior privileges next year, but I know that students will still leave for lunch despite the unfair changes.”

PHOTOS BY EMMA YOST

“The decision was made due to safety and security reasons. Seniors have approval to leave for lunch on Tuesday and Thursday.”

- Principal Joe Trybus ILLUSTRATION BY K. PENUEL

Editors-in-Chief Bryn Garick Gillian Landwehr News Editor Saadhana Sridharan

Opinion Editor Joyce Ng

Business Manager Julian Rios

Faculty Adviser Elise T. Carlson

Features Editors Tessa Kowalski Vani Thupili

Artist Sophia Bloom

Admin Adviser Drew Morgan

Reporters Entertainment Editor Penelope Banks Abbie Wydra Patrick Costello Conor Duncan Sports Editor Owen Francis Nevada Cullen Brendan Graves Justina Nielsen Online Editors Christina York K. Penuel Kathleen York Emma Yost

Principal Joseph Trybus

Oviedo High School 601 King Street Oviedo, FL 32765 P: 407-320-4199 F: 407-320-4213 Population: 2480 students 19 newspaper staff members

Mission Statement The Lion’s Tale is the student newspaper of Oviedo High School, located in Oviedo, Florida.

Our mission is to provide news, feature stories, editorials and opinions relevant to our readers while upholding the highest professional and ethical standards. The Lion’s Tale follows copy standards outlined in the Associated Press Stylebook, 42nd Edition, published in 2007 by the Associated Press,

and is a member of the CSPA, NSPA and FSPA. Distribution 1400 copies of The Lion’s Tale are distributed free to all students and staff at Oviedo High School. Subscriber information is available on OviedoJournalism.com.

Reader Contributions Letters to the Editor are accepted and may be sent by post, e-mail or

OVIEDO HIGH SCHOOL • 601 KING STREET • OVIEDO, FL • MARCH 26, 2019 • VOLUME 59 • EDITION 5

dropped off in Room 5-020.

The Lion’s Tale does not accept guest columns and reserves the right to edit Letters to the Editor.

Full policy is available on OviedoJournalism.com.

Advertising Policy The Lion’s Tale reserves the right to refuse advertisements. The full advertising policy of The Lion’s Tale is available on OviedoJournalism.com.

OVIEDOJOURNALISM.COM

DESIGN BY EMMA YOST

APRIL 26, 2019 | THE LION’S TALE | OPINION | 5

Struggles with inner self-confidence issues

Team atmosphere propels future success

GIILLIAN LANDWEHR

CONOR DUNCAN

reporter

editor-in-chief

I have never been a super confident person.

I have always struggled with how I view myself, both mentally and physically.

Throughout elementary and middle school, I tried to assimilate myself with everybody else to boost my own selfconfidence. I thought that if I acted and looked like everybody else, then I would feel better about myself.

I was wrong.

I would come off as a confident person to others, but to myself, I would come off as a copycat wannabe.

In high school, I realized I didn’t want to be a copycat wannabe. I tried to become myself; however, my lack of selfconfidence hindered this growth.

I have never been very happy with my body image. I have always compared myself to everybody else. In my mind, everybody else is better than I am, whether mentally or physically.

The whole college application process has made me feel even less confident mentally. I applied to two colleges: Flagler College and UCF. I got accepted at Flagler and waitlisted at UCF. I decided I would rather attend UCF because I fear that I would feel even less confident in a new city with new people.

As more and more of my peers announced their college acceptances, I became even less confident. Many of my peers are going to great schools, whether they are out of state, Ivy League, or just well-renowned.

I’m so proud of them. But knowing my own fate, it makes me upset knowing that I can’t even get accepted to UCF. I have never viewed myself as smart and I blame a lot of that as to why I didn’t get accepted. All my academic career, I have taken honors and AP classes. No matter what class or level, I have always felt stupid compared to my peers.

I’ve always scored lower on tests than my peers, regardless of the intense amounts of studying I had completed.

It would always make me feel so bad about myself whenever my friends and I would talk about an assignment or a test we had completed in class and they would say “It was so easy” or “I didn’t even study.”

I have always tried so hard, whether it be studying or practicing, etc to do as best as I possibly can, but it seems to never turn out that way.

I’m still waiting to hear back from UCF, so all hope isn’t quite lost yet. If I end up not getting in, I will just attend Valencia College for two years and transfer to UCF. DESIGN BY BRYN GARICK

ILLUSTRATION BY S. BLOOM

Effective stress management improves life

business manager JULIAN RIOS

Throughout high school, I have experienced many ups and downs: breakups, loss of friendships, fluctuating grades and basic high school drama.

The thing that has changed most since freshman year is my method of dealing with these stresses.

Everyone finds different ways to relax because everyone is different. To all the underclassmen: figure out what works for you and do it. It took me some time to figure out what helps me best, but I am glad I did.

The only way I found that I could deal with stress was through channeling it into something else. The most effective activities for me include boxing and going to the theme parks. As for preventing stress, it’s important to choose good friends and finish homework early.

It is actually a proven fact that working out relieves stress and makes a person happier. Early in freshman year, I started boxing, which helped me lose weight and helped me deal with some major anger issues at the time.

With boxing, I found myself loving to work out and, whenever something stressful or bad happened, I could just take my anger out on the heavy bag in a series of punches, kicks and elbows.

Now, not to condone violence, but it really worked. Also, it gave me skills that I could

use if I ever end up in a fight.

I also found my “happy place.” I thoroughly enjoy going to Disney and the other theme parks around Central Florida and I always feel better after just spending the day there. When I go, it’s like all the stress from school and work and life in general is temporarily blocked out by the atmosphere of the parks.

I found that a key way to prevent stress is to surround myself with people that I genuinely like.

Throughout most of my first few years of high school, I decided to surround myself with people I really didn’t relate to, which resulted in me pretending to be a person that I wasn’t--constantly. This led to way more unnecessary stress.

The friends I have now will last, and I value that much more than my old relationships.

One last piece of stress-reducing advice I can give is to do your homework in advance. Never leave things for the last minute.

I’ve found that it’s a lot more useful to do my homework on time. It means I’m not rushing, which helps me learn how to actually do the concepts and, inevitably, helps me on the tests as well.

What has helped me is to study in the way that works for me. I wake up at 5:00 every morning and do my homework before school every day. This allows me to learn in silence and limits distractions because all my friends are still sleeping or I am simply not in the mood to make conversation for them.

In the afternoon, I am always burnt out from the day and am texting my friends and looking through Instagram and watching Netflix. The morning is simply more peaceful.

My advice to any high schooler is to find something, or multiple somethings, to help manage stress. A hobby, a happy place, a sport--there are many options to choose from, and yours will be all your own.

High school is a strange place. It’s a time in everybody’s life in which we begin our search for identity and refine the academic and social skills that we will need for the rest of our lives.

While it is an exciting time in everyone’s life, it is also mysterious and confusing. We all are in search of direction, meaning and purpose.

Some kids play sports, some kids join TV production and newspaper, and some take advantage of other of the various programs the school and community has to offer.

No matter what we are involved in, the main constant among the majority of students is that they are involved in something. This is because the best way to find to find direction in high school is to be part of something greater than yourself.

Whether it be athletics or school choir, being part of something is crucial to the social and developmental progress of the adolescent mind. Beyond the instruction of the normal teachers and faculty, being under the helm of a director or coach teaches us how to be led and prepares us for when we face the real world and are subordinate to a boss.

Clubs and teams also promote the social skills that will help us flourish later in life. They teach us how to communicate with our peers and form relationships that strive toward a common goal, much like professional relationships that we will form in our lives and careers.

For me, I was part of swim and water polo. I have been swimming from the time I turned nine years old and, even though I’ve always disliked it, it kept me busy and introduced me to some of the people that I now call my best friends. Somewhere along the way I realized that my friends weren’t a valid reason for me to involved with the sport. My friend Nico, along with a few other people, convinced me to go out for the water polo team and, honestly, it was the best decision I ever made.

It was the first time I was on a team that truly made me feel like I was part of something. I loved my teammates--who taught me the sport that would come to be a large part of my high school identity--and my coach, who was never afraid to knock me down a peg whenever I was getting a hot head. I learned valuable life skills, such as synergy and teamwork, and it lit a flame inside me that motivated me to contact college coaches and pursue my career at the next level of play.

If I had to do it over again, I honestly wouldn’t change any of my experience.

6 | OPINION | THE LION’S TALE | APRIL 26,2019

sports editor

editor-in-chief

Journalism classes amount to full meal

New experiences worth embracing

BRYN GARICK

NEVADA CULLEN

Despite my nutritious diet, I have an intense obsession with food. My appetite is so enormous that I once finished my coach’s meal and two of my teammates’ meals at a team dinner at Beef ‘O’ Brady’s.

When I’m not eating food, I’m watching Food Network, talking about food or, in some cases, writing about food.

Throughout my years on The Lion’s Tale staff, I have written about donuts, hot sauce and steak in my opinion columns. In those writings, I found similarities between human qualities and real-world situations and the foods that represent them. My comparisons between food and humans have become natural because I feel that the food I eat is a perfect representation of who I am. I even used part of my donut column in my college essay.

That same college essay helped me to get into the University of Florida, where I have decided to pursue a career in sports journalism. I’ve wanted to work in the sports world my whole life, and I believe that sports journalism has opened a door for me to make it there. I am thankful that I wound up taking journalism classes in high school. My high school journalism career was like a three-course meal.

I took the Journalism 1 course my freshman year, and like New England clam chowder (in my opinion), it turned out to be the perfect appetizer. It was just a taste of what journalism had to offer, but it was enough to get me hooked and wanting more.

Joining the newspaper staff my sophomore year was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It was the juicy (medium rare) burger that I had been waiting for, and I wolfed it down. I absorbed lots of information and my love for journalism grew as a result. My love for journalism can only be rivaled by my love for burgers. And no burger is complete without its side of fries, and for me that was TV production.

TV production completed my main course. I joined junior year and was able to produce segments, primarily about sports, that helped me to improve my journalism skills. I was producing videos and articles to the best of my ability, but I was still hungry. I was craving dessert.

Senior year was the chocolate chip cookie dough donut that I had been longing for. I was able to expand by covering topics other than sports. Instead of making me full, my senior year of journalism fueled my fire and has me hungry for even more.

But that’s just me, always hungry.

ILLUSTRATION BY S. BLOOM

Fantasy game leads to real-life growth

illustrator

SOPHIA BLOOM When I joined the school’s Dungeons & Dragons club, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

The game has been around for decades, and through the years, a stereotype of the average D&D game has emerged: a band of acne-inflamed, basement-dwelling, costume-wearing nerds rolling die and going weeks without seeing the light of day.

D&D fans have gained a reputation of being antisocial and obsessive, and although the game has gained popularity in recent years, I wasn’t quite sure if I wanted to join. After all, I’d been extremely self-conscious about my reputation in the middle of the year, and was desperate to shake the image I believed people had of me as an obnoxious know-it-all.

Despite this, D&D had its appeal for me--as a longtime fan of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, the idea of going on a fantasy adventure seemed rather fun.

The thought of being able to play as any character I wanted was exciting, since I had been enjoying theatre classes all year. Most importantly, the game gave people an opportunity to be someone else, and after always telling myself how to act and what not to do, being someone else definitely had its appeal.

When I first sat down at the table with the other players, all my negative

expectations immediately shattered. All sorts of people filled the room, laughing and making excited gestures. I heard them talking in hilarious character voices and coming up with creative backstories. This, I decided, was a crowd I wouldn’t mind being a part of.

I took a folder out of my backpack and placed a sheet of paper on the desk, which held all the details for the character I would be playing--a charismatic, sharp-tongued half-elf who played the violin.

As each player introduced their characters, I saw aspects of my classmates’ personalities that I never saw in school. While some people played characters that acted just like they did, others were completely different, as the players wanted a degree of escapism.

As the game went on, I noticed that everyone--including myself--let their guard down. People who I’d previously known as shy and quiet were boasting about how they’d brought down goblin kings or shouting loud battle cries as they fired arrows at dragons. I quickly found out that I could get along with anyone, some of whom I never would have thought of talking to in class.

The idea of the antisocial D&D fan quickly evaporated in my mind; these imaginative geniuses were some of the most social people I’d ever met.

As the year went on, I looked forward to meeting every Wednesday with my friends and going on adventures. Outside of D&D, I noticed that I’d stopped caring about my reputation as much as I used to. Before, I would reprimand myself for answering questions all the time in class, or for talking too much with my friends.

But after I learned that I could save an entire group of people from an ogre just by mocking it, it wasn’t so hard to deal with my personal anxieties--or others’ expectations. I’d heard the words “be yourself” a lot, but I never quite believed that I became another self in D&D.

Every summer from the time I was eight, I flew to New Jersey with my sisters to visit my grandparents. As my sisters grew older, they got busy and stopped being able to go.

So, I went alone.

My grandparents scared me, though; they were the old people that liked good manners and being put together. I saw them once a year and I never had to interact with them outside the company of my sisters or my parents.

But then, I was forced to, forced to spend a week talking with them, hearing their stories about my dad as a kid, and taking their dog to the park.

I grew to love those summers, though.

Now, I wish I had spent more summers alone up there.

For the past several years, my grandparents had been trying to move out of their house because it had become too big for the two of them. It was difficult to find a house up north, so the moment they got the opportunity, they decided to move to Florida.

That was a year ago.

Since then, we’ve gotten closer to each other. My family has tried to have weekly dinners with my grandparents. We also stopped by their house randomly just to check in.

They came to my dance recitals and met my boyfriend and my goldfish. We joked and told stories and got to know each other. I now look back and laugh at my scared self. I also wince because my grandparents are not scary, they are my family.

I promised my grandma that she would be the first person to know where I was going to college, and the morning I committed to Temple, I wrote her an email updating her. After I was sure that she had received it, I felt ready enough to commit to the school.

Going to school far-away in Philadelphia is, today, just as scary as, years ago, visiting my grandparents in New Jersey. On top of the distance, knowing that I won’t be able to see my grandparents every week makes me sad.

My entire life I’ve been scared of the things that I don’t know: scared of trying the new dance studio, going to work, or spending time alone with my grandparents.

I hope that from now on, I can at least look more at the moment I’m in and the things that I don’t know, and learn to appreciate them more before it’s too late.

Time passes by, even if we aren’t paying attention--so I will pay more attention.

DESIGN BY BRYN GARICK

APRIL 26, 2019 | THE LION’S TALE | OPINION | 7

Taking chances creates possibilities

Interaction broadens mental horizons

CHRISTINA YORK

SAADHANA SRIDHARAN

news editor

reporter

Starting high school usually sounds a bit scary to most people, and that was definitely the case for me. I was worrying about the big campus, seeing two times the amount of people I saw in middle school, and being at the bottom of the chain, basically.

But I am glad that I had a good handful of friends, which made me feel a little bit better about going to school. We stuck together throughout freshman year, which made it better than I had originally thought.

Not only was I a very shy, quiet person, but I also had social anxiety, so that was a really hard first year for me.

After freshmen year was over, I had felt a lot more comfortable being in high school.

Sophomore year was a decent year for me. I got all of the classes that I wanted, but was still kind of going through problems similar to freshman year. Yet, it was better because I knew how the school worked and didn’t have to worry about where to go or what to do.

Then came junior year, which was by far my favorite out of the four. This was the year that I really started opening up, coming out of my shell and showing my true colors. I had two years’ experience of going to school; I was fine with it at this point.

Towards the end of the first semester, my sister and I decided to shave our heads. We didn’t do it for any particular reason. It was just something we thought about doing for a while and finally got the guts to do. Once I did this, I felt like I was finally myself.

Obviously, the only thing on my mind was going back to school and everyone judging me, and I’m sure that there were plenty of people that did.

My first day back at school was very nerve-racking, but I got through it. I got a lot of looks and comments, but that only made me feel stronger. My anxieties had gone away and life was going well for me.

By senior year, my sister and I started growing out our hair. Going through the awkward hair stages was fun yet annoying. It was an amazing thing to see because I got to see day by day how I have changed for the better. Really, it was more so an opening for me to be my true self and feel comfortable in my own skin-for once.

All in all, I do not regret what I did because if I had never done it, I probably wouldn’t have had the chance to show my true self and not have any of those experiences that I had. We all change as we age--for the better, for the worse--but it’s all just a part of life and growing up.

DESIGN BY JOYCE NG

ILLUSTRATION BY K. PENUEL

Youngest child reflects on growth

opinion editor JOYCE NG

I am the youngest child in my family, and being the youngest child has its benefits. Some advantages include getting away with more laidback parents andbeing able to learn from mistakes your siblings have made--and getting in touch with my inner child.

Watching and observing what my two older sisters did and hoped to pursue both inspired me and challenged me to find my own path. Despite their failures and successes, I’ve learned to be true to myself through my own failures and successes, knowing to not give up on the things I love doing.

When my oldest sister went to college, I was 13 years old. I thought it was weird that she was becoming an adult and supposed to start doing “adult things.”

I hoped she would show me what going to college would be like and what it would actually mean for an individual to pursue a higher education.

Then, when my second-oldest sister went to college. I was 16 years old and for the first time in my life, I was finally alone.

Lonely, even.

I realized how much I actually relied on my sisters and how they are such a big part of my life. I finally felt the consequences and responsibilities of what it meant to be the youngest of the family. This includes keeping up holiday

traditions, family jokes and having a sense of childish behavior. I feel obligated to remember the times when we were all just kids with no care in the world, having fun and enjoying every exciting day.

During this time of newfound loneliness and responsibility, I found independence and freedom in exploring my inner kid.

Sophomore year was the year I felt as if I finally began to take full responsibility of my life. I knew I couldn’t just sit back and watch my life go on while my sisters were off pursuing whatever they set out to do.

I became more self-disciplined in my schedules as well as more progressive in preparing to apply to the colleges I really dreamed of attending. I pushed myself to become involved in new experiences outside of my comfort zone and actively sought growth in my discomfort.

I quickly realized my passions and moments of discomfort were where I felt most like a kid--excited, happy and carefree.

Now, it is my turn to graduate.

I’ve honestly enjoyed the start of my journey in finding myself and discovering who I am. Within the jumbled mess and endless challenges of academics and extracurriculars, I’ve made it!

After all the hard work and dedication I’ve put into my life, I am extremely grateful to say that I have been accepted into the colleges I aimed for and have been given the opportunity to study something I am truly passionate about.

Even though I may never be sure of my future, I can rely on my inner kid to enjoy life while I’m living it--and have the reassurance that my older sisters have made it through their own uncertainties.

No matter how many detours and obstacles you encounter on the way, things will turn out just fine in the end.

Don’t let your fears, doubts, and comforts get in the way.

Pablo Picasso once said, “Don’t waste your youth growing up.” He’s right, live-and don’t forget your inner kid.

Reflection is a powerful tool. Quiet-almost meditative--reflection has enabled me to notice subtle shifts in myself over the years. These shifts aren’t tangible (although I have grown two inches in the past four years!), but they have changed my personality and perspective for the better.

One of the biggest shifts for me was when I moved to Oviedo. Something about Oviedo has changed me. I’m not entirely sure what it is; maybe it’s the weather, maybe it’s the small-town feel, maybe it’s the chickens. Maybe it’s a combination of all these little things.

Maybe it’s the experiences I’ve had here.The classes. The clubs. The events.

AP Capstone led to me creating my own opinions and gaining the courage to speak openly about them.

Experimental Science led to me taking those opinions and interests and creating a work of value.

Bioscience has exposed me to a new field that I have fallen in love with over the past four years, a field that will be the focus of my college years.

And throughout high school, being part of the school newspaper has allowed me to express all of this in creative ways, gaining valuable internal and external insight into the world.

But as I’ve reflected more, I’ve also realized that it’s the connections I’ve made.

From close friends to the people I’ve randomly interviewed at lunch (sorry!), each one of the people I’ve met have influenced me.

The acquaintance who opened up to me about her unorthodox political views in an interview? I am open-minded because of her.

The girl who was never afraid to voice her opinions in every situation? I am outspoken because of her.

The students in the JET program who told me about their hopes and hobbies? I am optimistic because of them.

The friend who stayed calm and offered advice during every struggle? I am wiser because of her.

The teachers who spent time teaching me much of what I know today? I am smarter because of them.

The students holding up signs in the school courtyard after a shooting ravaged a school like ours? I am inspired by them.

I am better because of these people and experiences. And reflecting on these qualities and how they came about has allowed me to appreciate them. They are part of me, now, and I carry them into my future happily.

8 | FEATURES | THE LION’S TALE | APRIL 26, 2019

Seniors reflect on reduction of past privileges “A lot of us can drive, so we’re able to leave,” Mayorga said. “I personally don’t.”

Senior year is the year most teens look Mayorga also said that privileges may forward to. The thought of finally being able have changed because of former students’ to leave for lunch, painting parking spots behavior, like fighting. and even prom excites many students. On “I think in the past when there were a lot the other hand, some of these privileges of fights, some people in the senior class have been taken away throughout the don’t know their limits,” Mayorga said. years. Reasons for this have varied, and Dean Jason Maitland says students some believe it’s because of previous have to earn their privileges throughout the years’ classes. year.

Senior Lewis Shaw said that previous “I have worked at five or six high seniors may be the reason as to why his schools,” Maitland said. “This is the only class doesn’t have as many privileges. one I’ve been at that has senior privileges.

“As I have been here I guess on the surface for three years, I’ve I’m fine with it. I think noticed that seniors in that seniors don’t If we act the way we the past have had more necessarily start the should be acting, we have privileges,” Shaw said. year with those, and senior lunch and have more “Now, being a senior, have to work and earn responsibility.

I think we get to have them.”

Senior Alyssa Simpson things such as senior Senior Connor week and stuff like that, Mah doesn’t believe but not much else.” seniors have more Senior Alyssa Simpson said this may be privileges than lower classmen and happening because of people’s maturity. believes there’s almost no privileges at all.

“Sometimes, if we act the way we “Compared to all the underclassmen, I should be acting, we have senior lunch and think the only privilege we have is the senior have more responsibility because we are lot because it is easier to get out of,” Mah older and are wiser,” Simpson said. “We said. “It would be really nice if they could have some things such as senior lunch.” bring back leaving five minutes earlier for Senior lunch seems to be one of the senior lunch.” most popular privileges seniors have.

The senior believes that, after four However, some don’t leave, like senior years, seniors should at least be able to get Alexander Mayorga. first spots in the Commons.

STORY BY PENELOPE BANKS

’’

’’

“I think there’s reasons behind it,” Mah said. “I understand their rules and consequences, but there should be a different way of enforcing it.”

Senior Sydney Cunningham said she doesn’t feel as if her class got many privileges.

“They do take certain activites and stuff quite often, but that was more caused by people not understanding the proper way to act,” Cunningham said.

Many seniors feel like they get more freedom, but not more privileges.

Senior Sophie Von-Kong, on the other hand, said that seniors do have special privileges.

“Some that we have now are like less classes on campus here and more dualenrollment,” Von-Kong said. “I feel like we can be approved more for dual enrollment because junior year it was hard to be accepted compared to now.”

Senior Kelvin Simmons agrees with Von-Kong.

“The only privileges I can think of is I don’t have to take all seven classes, but I have all my credits,” Simmons said.

Like his classmates, Simmons said that previous graduates have had an impact on the privileges.

“Back when I was in sophomore year, we got into the whole fight week, so they had a huge impact on those privileges,” Simmons said. “I do think the lowerclassmen have had an impact, but it’s very minimal.”

SENIOR PRIVILEGES of Years Past

Leaving class five minutes early for lunch Extended time for senior lunch Leaving class five minutes early for end-of-day dismissal

Memorable events mark four years of life STORY BY SOPHIA BLOOM For seniors at Oviedo High School, the past four years have left them with a multitude of experiences. While some of these experiences provided fond memories for students to look back on, there were also some tragedies that struck Oviedo students. Looking back at the highs and lows of these years, the class of 2019 reflects on their time as Lions before graduation.

In 2016, two new AP classes were added to the curriculum: Seminar and Research. In Seminar and Research, students had the opportunity to expand their knowledge about a variety of topics in order to prepare them for a future college education, or possibly a career.

Each student picked a topic to research and spent the year planning a project relating to the topic, and would give a presentation to the class at the end of the year.

“I took AP seminar with Mr. Harrison,” said senior Rachael Fargo. “The skills of public speaking and speech writing I learned in that class are some I can use for the rest of my life.”

Students also view the annual prom and homecoming dances as some of the highlights of their time in high school. Themes such as Alice in Wonderland, Las Vegas, Hollywood and Deep Sea Dreams provided juniors and seniors with memorable experiences with their friends and significant others as they danced to blaring music under flashing lights.

“I really connected to a lot of people that I’ll remember forever [at Homecoming],” Fargo said.

Seniors also showed off their school spirit in the week leading up to the Homecoming dance. They had another chance to show off their school spirit once again in the newly-introduced Spring Week, which started in the 20182019 school year.

Unfortunately, tragedy had also rocked Oviedo when,

on Feb. 14, 2018, a fatal shooting occurred at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. With such a devastating event so close to home, many Oviedo students were rife with grief.

“When I first heard about Parkland, I was stunned,” Fargo said. “My friend Cara went there; she was one of the victims who was shot and killed. I was just really shocked.”

In the weeks that followed, students held walk-outs on campus to promote awareness of gun violence and to pay respect to the Parkland victims. By showing their support, Oviedo students joined together to spread a message of peace and positivity.

While the thespian society was dissolved during the 2018-2019 school year, the drama department still continues to show student productions. Plays such as

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,The Giver and The Great Gatsby entertained Oviedo’s literary fanatics, while Grease, Rock of Ages and Into the Woods delighted fans of musical theatre. Around Halloween, the drama department made sure to thrill audiences with Dracula and the Woman in Black.

As seniors leave the Oviedo campus for the final time, they will be taking with them their memories of their time in high school. They’re no strangers to dedication and challenging circumstances, but they also will look fondly on aspects of Oviedo’s role on their lives as they move towards their future paths.

“Senior year was by far the best,” Fargo said. “My friends that I met are some of the nicest people and I could never forget them.”

Events Over Seniors’ Time in High School 2016

Nov. 2018

AP classes added to OHS curriculum

Production of The Uninvited

Feb. and Mar. 2018

Apr. 2019

MSD shooting and student walkouts

Inaugural Spring Week

DESIGN BY PATRICK COSTELLO

APRIL 26, 2019 | THE LION’S TALE | FEATURES | 9

Friendships change over time As time goes on, people grow and personalities change, which causes friendships to either grow or to part from each other.

Some students, like senior Amelia Vasquez, still talk to their old friends from grade school.

“We use to go to elementary school together, and middle school, but we still try really hard to communicate with each other,” Vasquez said. “When I talk to her even after a little bit, it seems like there was no break. We just go into the conversation, which is really nice.”

Some things that cause friends to grow apart are personality differences or going to different schools. Seniors have learned how to be themselves around people, according to senior Priscilla Chun, and that trying to impress them isn’t important.

“I think when you are first making friends, you put out a different personality, just to impress the other, but I feel some friendships do evolve to where you are yourself,” Chun said. “Even if it’s kind of embarrassing, be open with each other.”

Chun said that to make friends, people need to start with being themselves from the star, which is the only way to see if you are truly meant to be friends.

“It’s interesting to watch students mature over their four year high school experience,” said principal Joe Trybus.

“I see some students begin ninth or tenth grade that are very mature for their age.”

Trybus said other students come in with middle-school habits.

“They remain immature their whole ninth or tenth grade year,” Trybus said. “It comes

down to the development of an individual’s self-confidence and self-esteem.”

Friendships can fall apart over time, and they can end in a bad way or a good way, depending on how students grow.

“I had some friendships, but they didn’t last long and it was bad,” said senior Lauren Puig.

Trybus said that this, too, varies from student to student.

“I have seen some students jump from friend groups to other friend groups, but for the most part they stick with their friends throughout high school,” Trybus said.

“Some students start playing a sport or join a club, and they develop new friendships LONG TIME FRIENDS. within that sport or club. Students--and Sophomores Izabella Ryan & people in genera--align their friendships Christina McGraw and their personality with their interests.” have been friends since People grow into who they want to kindergarten. become as a person they make decisions in life that change friends.

“Some friends in your life come and go depending on your interests and what phase of life you are in,” Trybus said. “My friendships really have depended on my phase of life. Elementary, middle and high school year friends, college friends, married in a neighborhood friends, church friends, start a family and your kids grow and play sports friends, etc.”

Trybus sees all the changes as signs of growth for students.

“It’s really about maturity and growing towards adulthood,” Trybus said. “It’s rewarding to watch students begin as freshmen, and as they become seniors, how many realizations have occurred BEST FRIENDS FOREVER. within them as they mature and become Seniors Elizabeth Foote & Taylor healthy young adults that are focused on Rosen have been friends since their future.”

Chicken Alfredo

Senior Emma Miksa

Wait, what??

STORY BY JUSTINA NIELSEN

What’s YOUR Favorite Food?

Mac & Cheese with Hot Dogs Sophomore Emily Mars

Cheese

Sophomore Annabelle Olay

elementary school.

How many friends do you still have from elementary school?

Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese

Freshman Shayla Jones

16% 20%

24%

19%

21%

OUT OF 100 STUDENTS

DESIGN BY JUSTINA NIELSEN

Teacher Megan McDonough

ILLUSTRATION BY SOFIA BLOOM

Now Go Study

Sushi

10 | FEATURES | THE LION’S TALE | APRIL 26, 2019

Teachers retire, leave, reminisce about school STORY BY OWEN FRANCIS Many teachers leave for many reasons. Some are leaving because of retirement or movement, and they range from assistant principles to staff.

Assistant principal Regina Klaers has worked for Seminole County Public Schools for 46 years.

“I have absolutely loved it at Oviedo,” Klaers said. “I could not think of a better place to retire.”

TV production teacher Kevin Patterson said that Klaers has been a great administrator.

“She has helped me grow and improve to become better in my career,” Patterson said. “She is a great administrator to look up to, she is very organized, and I just think the whole school will miss her.”

Band director Dennis Line is also retiring.

“I am going to try to pursue some other interests of mine that I’ve had for a very long time,” Line said. “And I think it would also be a good time for a fresh start for band.”

Over his 18 years at OHS, Line has put in hundreds of hours each month for the band.

“There have been many challenges I have had to overcome day after day,” Line said. “But the band still keeps me going without giving up.”

Line hopes the students have enjoyed working with him as much as he has enjoyed working with them.

“I will miss the students and the performances,” Line said. “There have been so many great experiences this year, and I just have loved working here at Oviedo.”

Sign language teacher Megan McDonough will move to Colorado this summer for a job as an interpreter, but will miss OHS. “This school is great because of how the students are commited to their work, especially in my classes,” McDonough said.

Senior Rebecca Lawler will miss having McDonough’s support in class.

“I will miss how much she understands us,” Lawler said.

“I liked how she was always trying to help me by showing me the language.”

Senior Nathaly Pajaro has had McDonough’s class for three years now and has loved every minute.

“I will miss how inspiring she is and she is the reason that I’m now pursuing a degree in ASL,” Pajaro said.

“She has impacted me and made me realize a lot of the difficulties of people, mostly the deaf. I’ve always cared about helping those people out and she has just helped me pursue that through ASL.” Support facilitator Garrett Turner is also leaving at the end of the year. He will be joining his family’s business to pursue a new passion after teaching.

Newspaper and English teacher Elise Carlson is moving to be closer to family. Carlson sees the school community’s commitment to excellence as an important factor.

“There are always challenges here, but the best thing is overcoming them together,” Carlson said.

Senior Saadhana Sridharan said that she will miss Carlson because she has had her for four years, first as an academic teacher and then as an elective teacher.

“Through those years I have gotten to know Carslon better and could go to her for any of my problems,” Sridharan said.

Sridharan said that whenever she would go into Carlson’s room, she would forget about any of her problems, and that was due to the vibe of the string lights and the memes.

“Carlson has impacted me because of when I came, I was new, and she encouraged me to write after she read my first paper,” Sridharan said. “And now I love writing and being a part of the newspaper staff.”

Teacher Retirement Statistics

75000

teachers

retire

each year nationwide

most teachers

retire at 55 years old

teachers

on average

spend

14 years teaching

INFOCOURTESYTEACHERPENSION.COM

DESIGN BY BRYN GARICK

APRIL 26, 2019 | THE LION’S TALE | FEATURES | 11

FAST five 10 Years Back - Senior Mariana Cartagena “It was more on how to see I dressed differently back then and how different it is from now. I don’t wear as much colors as I did when I was younger.”

10 Years Forward - Senior Beeta Daryadel “I dressed as a pediatrician, because that’s what I want to be when I grow up, and I guess dressing like it makes it feel more real.”

DESIGN BY JUSTINA NIELSEN

The five days of Senior Week College Day - Senior Pierce McCorquodale “I’m going to DePaul University. I am going into a film program and it’s a film school, and they have the best program and offered me the most money.”

Senior Citizens - Seniors Katie Pierce & Caroline Evatt “Who doesn’t love dressing up as an old lady or old man and having an excuse to wear a wig and a comfy robe?”

Spirit Day - Senior Dehlylah Stedham “I just wanted to wear it because it was our last spirit day, and I just wanted to be able to show school spirit and have that feeling for the last time.“

PHOTOS BY JUSTINA NIELSEN

Y NN DE EN

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

PURSUIT: UNDECIDED, SCIENCES FAVORITE QUOTE? “‘THEN TELL WIND AND

PURSUIT: PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGIST GREATEST MOTIVATION? MY PARENTS

FIRE WHERE TO STOP,’ RETURNED MADAME; ‘BUT DON’T TELL ME.’”

SPECIAL TALENT: HANDSTAND WALKING

SUPERPOWER I WANT: TAKE NAPS WITHOUT PASSING TIME

TEACHER SHOUT-OUTS: SHOUT-OUT TO MRS. SAVAGE FOR BEING LIKE A COOL AUNT & MRS. HRON FOR BEING MY UNDERPAID THERAPIST WHAT DO YOU DO ALONE IN THE CAR? BLAST THE MAMMA MIA SOUNDTRACK. CRAZY GOAL YOU HAVE? JOIN THE CIRCUS FOR A SUMMER, OR A YEAR, TOPS

UNDERCLASSMEN ADVICE: AS MUCH

AS IT SUCKS, KEEP PUSHING BECAUSE, EVENTUALLY, YOU’LL GRADUATE

SUPERPOWER I WANT: ABILITY TO READ MINDS. FAVORITE FOOD? SUSHI DREAMED OF DOING? SKYDIVING MY PERFECT DAY: NO SCHOOL, RELAXING AND HANGING OUT WITH FRIENDS, EATING A NICE STEAK AT THE END OF THE DAY

GREATEST SOURCE OF HAPPINESS? HELPING PEOPLE

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

PURSUIT: URBAN PLANNING AND GEOGRAPHY FAVORITE KIND OF COOKIE: WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP MACADAMIA MY DREAM DINNER INVITE? JANE JACOBS (INFLUENTIAL IN URBAN PLANNING) THE BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS: OVER-MEDIUM FRIED EGGS AND TOAST WITH HOT SAUCE LONG-TERM LIFE GOAL? TO BE HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL WHAT IS YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE? HAVING ALONE TIME MOST PROUD OF? MY ACADEMIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FL

PURSUIT: BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES

ADVICE FOR UNDERCLASSMEN: WHATEVER IT IS, IT’S DEFINITELY NOT WORTH THE STRESS

WHAT DO YOU DO ALONE IN THE CAR? TRICK QUESTION. I DON’T DRIVE.

MOST VALUED POSSESSION: APPLESAUCE

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? THE

ABILITY TO STAND UP FOR MYSELF/OTHERS

FAVORITE SWEET? LEMON BASIL ITALIAN ICE AT JEREMIAH’S MY LONG TERM GOALS: PARTICIPATE

IN AT LEAST ONE SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY AND VISIT BANFF, CANADA CRAZY GOAL YOU HAVE? GET A PHOTO PUBLISHED BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

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12 | FEATURES | THE LION’S TALE | APRIL 26, 2019

DUKE UNIVE

PURSUIT: BIOMEDICAL ROLE MODEL: MICHAE MY FAVORITE QUOTE:

“IF YOU’RE THE SMARTES ROOM, YOU’RE IN THE W

WHAT IS YOUR SIDE HU TRAINING TO BECOME FAVORITE ICE CREAM TIED BETWEEN COOK COTTON CANDY MY PERFECT DAY: NO TO THE BEACH, GET IC SCUBA DIVE, LOOK AT MOST VALUED POSSE VERY MATERIALISTIC, B

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APRIL 26, 2019 | THE LION’S TALE | FEATURES | 13

TEMPLE UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FL

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

PURSUIT: JOURNALISM BEST HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE?

PURSUIT: BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES HOBBIES: I LOVE TO DO ALL KINDS OF ART WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST FEAR?

PURSUIT: ENVIRONMENTAL & CHEMICAL ENGINEERING FAVORITE QUOTE? “IMAGINE ALL YOU WOULD DO IF YOU COULDN’T FAIL.” MY GREATEST MOTIVATION: MY MOM BECAUSE SHE EMBODIES THE AMERICAN DREAM

BEING NAMED EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF THE NEWSPAPER BECAUSE I WORKED 3 YEARS FOR IT

YOUR DREAM DINNER INVITE? LOU REED GO-TO JOKE? WHY DID THE SCARECROW

SOCIAL INTERACTIONS

ADVICE FOR UNDERCLASSMEN: DON’T

WIN THE AWARD? BECAUSE HE WAS OUTSTANDING IN HIS FIELD. CRAZY GOAL YOU HAVE? TRAVELING TO ANOTHER STATE FOR A CONCERT

LET SCHOOL OVERWHELM YOU. IT CAN BE FUN IF YOU RELAX AND TRY YOUR BEST. SUPERPOWER I WANT: THE ABILITY TO MANIPULATE ENERGY

GOOD SINCE I WAS THIRD, BUT THEN I UPPED MYSELF LAST SEMESTER

THINK. I AM ALWAYS PROBLEM-SOLVING. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE TOP 10?

I FEEL LIKE ALL MY HARD WORK HAS FINALLY PAID OFF

ST PERSON IN THE WRONG ROOM.”

USTLE? E A PILOT FLAVOR: KIE DOUGH AND

O SCHOOL, GO CE CREAM, SURF, T WILDLIFE ESSION? I’M NOT BUT MY PHONE.

MY PERSONAL GROWTH

WHAT IS YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE? FORTNITE

DANCING

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE TOP 10?

IT FEELS GREAT TO KNOW THAT MY NAME WILL ALWAYS BE IN THE OFFICE, 50FT AWAY FROM THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND: MR. TRYBUS.

BEST HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE?

VICTOR UM

PSAT/SAT JOKES AND MEMES

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FL

PURSUIT: ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING MY DREAM DINNER INVITE? STEVE

PURSUIT: PHYSICIAN BEST HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE? MEETING PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD AND DISCUSSING OUR IDEAS MY DREAM DINNER INVITE? JESUS; BECAUSE I’M A CHRISTIAN I’D LIKE TO ASK HIM ABOUT MY LIFE. FAVORITE FOOD? BARBECUE CHICKEN INTESTINES ROLE MODEL: MY DAD FAVORITE QUOTE? “YESTERDAY IS

ERSITY

L SCIENCES EL JACKSON :

WHAT DO YOU DO IN THE CAR ALONE?

NICHOLAS STRAWSER

FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? CHOCOLATE TRINITY HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE TIED? IT FEELS

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?

IRWIN: I LOVED WATCHING HIM AS A CHILD

HOBBIES: WATER POLO & COMPUTER BUILDING MY FAVORITE QUOTE: “DANCE LIKE NOBODY’S WATCHING.”

WHAT

IS

YOUR

GUILTY

PLEASURE?

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES WITH MILK

THE BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS:

A BOWL OF APPLE CINNAMON CHEERIOS, A GLASS OF CHOCOLATE MILK, A BAGEL WITH CREAM CHEESE, AND SOME PINEAPPLE

WHAT DO YOU DO ALONE IN THE CAR?

SING ALONG TO MUSIC AS LOUD AS I CAN

MY LONG-TERM LIFE GOAL: WORK AT A MAJOR COMPANY LIKE GOOGLE, ETC.

HISTORY, TOMORROW IS A MYSTERY, BUT TODAY IS A GIFT.” KUNG FU PANDA

GOAL I WISH TO ACCOMPLISH: GO TO COLLEGE RESEARCH FACILITIES DESIGN BY JOYCE NG

10 YEARS

In ten years, senior Kenzie

Klaus envisions herself becoming either a veterinarian technician or doctor, since she has always wanted to be one.

“I’ve wanted to be a veterinarian since I was five, I’ve always had dogs in my house, always had animals,” Klaus said.

“And I just want to see them happy and healthy.”

Klaus is going to attend Colorado State University in the fall, where she will be attending veterinary school.

“Then I will probably work as a vet tech in veterinary clinics until I get up to a spot where I want to be, which is either a doctor or a surgeon,” Klaus said.

Santiago De Stefano

PHOTO BY SANTIAGO DE STEFANO

ENGINEER

In ten years, senior Maya Patel sees herself becoming a pediatric audiologist--after she finishes her eight years of schooling.

“I’ve always wanted to do something in the medical field, and I also really liked signed language,” Patel said. “So I thought that working with kids and helping them decide if cochlear implants, or hearing aids, or just growing up in the deaf culture was what they wanted.”

Patel is going to the University of Austin Texas since they have a good audiology program.

“They have an audiology program where, within my first year, I’d start

Zach Bartkus

PHOTO ZACH BARTKUS

SPORTS JOURNALIST

Even though Klaus has known what she has wanted to do since she was five years old, she has been influenced by the senior project.

“I was forced to stop being lazy and actually go to a vet clinic and volunteer and actually see what it was like,” Klaus said. “So now I have a lot of veterinary experience. I can do a lot of stuff that the vet technicians can do.”

To Klaus, the pay is just a benefit to being a veterinarian, because the real reward for Klaus is working with and helping animals that are in need.

“Recently, one of my dogs died of cancer, and then one of my other dogs

died of spinal cancer,” Klaus said. “If I’m a veterinarian and I can do something to help, that would be great, because I know the pain that I felt when I lost my dogs, which was devastating. I want to make sure that feeling does not happen to anyone else.”

Klaus states that her mom has been the biggest support and influencer throughout her life. Her mom makes her strive for the best in every way.

“She has helped me apply to college and scholarships,” Klaus said. “She is a doctor and is able to help people survive and live a healthy life, and that’s what I want to do with my life, but with animals.”

In ten years, senior Santiago De Stefano envisions himself becoming either a mechanical engineer or chemical engineer.

“I see myself out of college with a good job and starting my own business on the side,” De Stefano said. “I’ve always wanted my own business, and I’ve heard my dad and others tell me that it’s better to work for yourself and not others.”

De Stefano is committed to Wesleyan College for swimming, where he plans on getting his undergraduate and masters degree.

“I will be attending West Virginia Wesleyan College, and while I’m there I will

be majoring in engineering,” De Stefano said. “I plan to get my bachelors degree and my masters, maybe even getting a Ph.D.” De stefano has learned the basics of engineering from his physics classes.

“Engineering is the future, so I would choose mechanical engineering because I think I’d be able to build machines like cars or even prosthetics,” De Stefano said. “I would do chemical engineering because I could create a better, safer plastic.”

De stefano states that his biggest supporters throughout his life have been his family, especially his parents “My mom and dad have always been supportive, letting me choose whatever

research, and they have a joint clinic attached at the school,” Patel said. “By my third year I would be seeing clients and helping the doctors or the audiologists there.”

Patel said her plans are specific, but that they could change based on what she wants to focus on.

“It depends on if I want to be an ENT or actually just be an audiologist,” Patel said. “I would get a lot of experience in my undergrad and then I’d probably want to go to graduate school.”

Patel’s parents have been her biggest supporters.

“My parents have always helped me,

giving me lots of opportunities to try out new things,” Patel said. “I even went on a mission trip with my dad.”

The mission trips that Patel went on has been a great opportunity for her.

“I went to Haiti before freshman year and I went to Yontella, Peru, this past summer,” Patel said.

The classes that she has taken in her high school career have influenced her in her future career.

“I know what courses I really hate or dislike, and what I’ve enjoyed learning at school,” Patel said. “The classes that I’ve enjoyed taking have really guided me on the path that I will take.”

In ten years,

senior Zach Bartkus envisions himself becoming a sports journalist, sports writer or sports marketer. Bartkus isn’t sure where he wants to work, but it will be sports-related.

“I’ve always loved sports, and playing soccer in college didn’t work out,” Bartkus said. “So I figured that I should get involved in sports in any way, and I have done so by writing. I’ve enjoyed it and I’m going to continue with it.”

Bartkus’ writing has given him an edge up on the competition in the sports journalism world. And by writing for the school’s video production program, WRORTV, Bartkus has gained experience.

“I’m going to go to Fullsail University to either study sports marketing or sports broadcasting,” Bartkus said. “I work at a company called theskyboat.com and have written articles about UCF football and basketball. So I have that experience, which I will use to my advantage to get to where I want to be.”

Many people have played a key role in influencing Bartkus in his decision to pursue sports journalism in college and after college.

“Honestly, my parents and the skyboat. com creator and founder have helped me the most in my decision,” Bartkus said.

“The skyboat founder, who I’ve known

VETERINARY TECHNICIAN

Kenzie Klaus

I want to do,” De Stefano said. “They want me to be happy and to succeed in whatever I do. They want me to enjoy my job.”

De Stefano’s biggest interests in school have been science and math, but specifically, the math-related sciences.

“I enjoy science, especially physics and chemistry, and I like math, which made me decide that the best fit for me would be to go into that field,” De Stefano said.

AP classes have helped him decide.

“Taking AP Chemistry and AP Physics one and two, it has helped me narrow down my decision on either becoming a mechanical or chemical engineer, since I

PHOTO BY NEVADA CULLEN

STORY BY TESSA KOWALSKI

PHOTO BY TESSA KOWALSKI

FLASH FORWARD 14 | FEATURES | THE LION’S TALE | APRIL 26, 2019

PEDIATRIC AUDIOLOGIST

Maya Patel

since I was 13, has been giving me these opportunities and chances to do what I love.”

Specific people in sports have influenced Bartkus decision to something sports related, especially with soccer.

“A certain guy named Taylor Twellman, who played soccer for the US National team and played for the MLS, has influenced me,” Bartkus said. “He’s on TV all the time and he’s an all-around sports guy. He’s all about soccer, which is what I am interested in.”

Bartkus has a favorite sports celebrity.

“Tim Tebow has influenced me because, well, he’s Tim Tebow,” Bartkus said.

DESIGN BY TESSA KOWALSKI

APRIL 26, 2019 | THE LION’S TALE | FEATURES | 15

Student athletes struggle to balance athletic, work commitments STORY BY ABBIE WYDRA Many students know how hard it is to be a student athlete and balance the hectic lifestyle. However, there are some student athletes who push the boundaries: they get a job along with balancing school and their sport.

There are many reasons why student athletes decide to get a job. One of the more common reasons is that the student athlete wants to be more self-reliant.

“I wanted to be more independent and wanted to not have to rely on my parents as much because I am 18, and I want to do my own thing,” said senior Adriana Barahona, who plays basketball.

Along the lines of earning money and relying less on their parents, students, mostly seniors, get a job to help them save up money to help pay for college and the expenses that go along with it.

“I am attending college in the fall and I want to work towards and save for that, and also to be able to buy my own stuff,” said senior Acelyn McKernan, a member of the lacrosse team.

Along with saving for the future, some students’ parents want them to get a job to earn some experience for the future.

“I wanted a job for money for personal use and for college,” said water polo player senior Shane O’Connor.

“Also, my parents wanted me to get a job.”

Along with parents wanting their child to get a job, many parents’ support their child’s decision even if it means they have to give up their sport.

“My parents supported me because it is money that they don’t have to pay for stuff anymore,” said senior Nicholas Borrazzo.

An essential element for a student athlete finding a fitting job is the flexibility the company provides for their employees. Flexibility gives the student the ability to

manage their hectic lifestyles, which makes the balance easier and less stressful overall.

“Prioritize,” Barahona said. “You have to make sure you do your homework before anything else. Talk to your employers a lot make sure they know you’re still in high school and you’re also an athlete. You have to make sure that they know that you have a busy schedule.”

Other players stated that keeping coaches informed is just as important as keeping the employer informed.

“Publix is very flexible with my schedule, so I am able to work on weekends, and also my boss and my coach are very flexible with me,” said senior Cooper Omans, who plays baseball.

Junior Vanessa Martian, who is a lacrosse athlete, works only on weekends to keep everything balanced.

“I normally work six-hour shifts on Saturdays and Sundays, so mostly the weekends,” Martian said.

Martian is not the only one who works weekends to make her schedule easier. O’Connor also works the weekends to make time for school and his sport.

“I only work during the weekends during water polo season and it is not that time consuming of a sport so i focus on my sport first then do my homework after practice.” O’Connor states.

However, in some cases, students have had to switch sports, or find to a less time-consuming sport, or drop their sport completely because of how hectic their lifestyle had become.

“I was doing weightlifting instead of swimming,” said Borrazzo. “It was more of a trade-off than stopping.”

As any student at Oviedo knows getting hired for a job is not easy. Since student athletes have to make it work around their schedule it makes it harder for them to get hired.

“I applied to like fifty places and McDonald’s was the only one that accepted me so I took the opportunity.”

O’Connor states.

There are students who are on the other end of the spectrum and can balance everything--except, instead of having one job, they have two.

“I work at De la Vega, which is a restaurant in Oviedo on the Park, and I also work at a call center,” Barahona said.

McKernan has also figured out a balancing act that works for her.

“I have to focus more on my sport during the week and on my work on the weekends,” McKernan said.

In some rare cases there are student athletes that have known what it is like the be in a time consuming sport and balanced their school schedule. However, they had to switch their sport to create time for a job. The comparison is quite the same depending on what the sport is and how much commitment the sport requires.

“I would say it is about the same, they both require the same amount of workload,” Borrazzo said. “It is also about the same time commitment.”

Some students who had to give up their sports in order to get a job plan to pick up the sport again later in life for fun, without being as serious or competitive as when they used participate in the sport.

“I do plan on using swimming as another form of exercise, but not right now I want a little bit of rest from it,” Borrazzo said.

The one piece of advice each of these student athletes agree on is that any student athlete must make sure to learn how to manage time.

“Going to school, playing a sport and having a job, you definitely have to have good time management,” Martian said. “I try to do as much homework as I can on the weekdays and try to work ahead. Then I go to practice, and the weekends are just for work and for homework I didn’t have time to complete.”

Senior Class ‘19 DESIGN BY ABBIE WYDRA

16 | FEATURES | THE LION’S TALE | APRIL 26, 2019

Pranks no longer high school tradition STORY BY CONOR DUNCAN High school is a strange place full of strange precedents and traditions. There’s Powder Puff, the Lundy’s, pep rallies and, sometimes, even more outlandish acts like the old “kiss the pig” fundraiser Oviedo used to hold in the third nine weeks every year.

Perhaps the strangest custom of all among the student body was that of the senior prank.

“When I was a freshman, a bunch of seniors who claimed to go to Hagerty snuck in and spray painted explicates and other poorly executed art work,” said senior David Carrisquillo. “Nobody really believed that any of them were really Hagerty students, and I think a couple of them got into a considerable amount of trouble.’

Carasquillo said it was a little funny, but not enough to outweigh the consequences.

“It probably wasn’t worth all of the trouble they could’ve gotten in,” Carasquillo said.

Oviedo is not the only high school that has participated in senior pranks.

Senior Santiago Destafanos recalls a prank played on his old school.

“My freshman year, I went to school in McAllen, Texas,” Destafanos said. “A bunch of kids synced up a bunch of speakers and locked them in their lockers across campus. They began blasting horrible music throughout the hallways.”

Destafanos said the prank got old after a while.

“It was bad, I mean seven straight hours of Ice JJ Fish and Rick Roll,” Destafanos said. “It was pretty funny but it also was incredibly annoying.”

Senior pranks, if they don’t cause a severe disruption or destruction of property, can create a lasting memory, according to junior Cameron Cate.

“I think people to do it to leave their mark on the school,” Cate said. “You go to this place for four years and see the same people and do the same things over and over, day in and day out, and when the time starts winding down, people come to a realization that maybe it wouldn’t hurt to have some fun with the school.”

Senior Cassidy Gillis also thinks pranks are tied to memories more than anything.

“It’s nice to think that some people will tell their kids about the time that such-and-such let the greased pigs into the hallway, or hear the legendary whispers about the joke they pulled at the 20 year reunion,” Gillis said.

However, the number of senior pranks has decreased over time.

“I don’t think I’ve witnessed a senior prank in my time here,” said junior Bobby Cotrill.

Cotrill doesn’t see senior pranks as good or bad.

“They are funny and creative and are a better disruption than fights or anything like that,” Cotrill said. “But I think that nobody really cares about it like that anymore.”

Freshman Colin Duncan has only heard rumors about pranks.

“I remember hearing a lot of stories about senior pranks through the years,” Duncan said. “I don’t know if I would ever participate, but as long as it doesn’t cause any damage I think they are pretty funny.”

One prank Duncan has heard of involved a slip-n-slide.

“The seniors put a slip-n-slide in the courtyard and spent lunch sliding down it,” Duncan said.

The slip-n-slide, however, was pre-approved before it was executed and allowed for a little fun before the end of the year.

“I think senior pranks are a healthy send off and a fun way to say goodbye to an institution that we spent so much time in,” said senior Nick Borrazzo.

Teachers remember pranks from their own senior years “The seniors snuck in and filled the courtyard with sand and decorated it like a beach.”

Teacher Liam Mason.

“At graduation they gave paper to the principal so he couldn’t shake their hands.”

Para Pro Michele Tibbetts

“There wasn’t a senior prank at our school, but I heard that one time someone let a flock of chickens loose.”

Teacher Tim Carter

DESIGN BY BRYN GARICK

Reviewed

18 | ENTERTAINMENT | THE LION’S TALE | APRIL 26, 2019

Bohemian Rhapsody

Song

‘The 80s Are Gonna Get You’ thrills audience Chorus Show

STORY BY ABBIE WYDRA

Fuller House TV Show

PHOTO BY DENNIS LINE

Panic! at the Disco recently covered a classic song, known by almost everyone, by one of the most popular bands of the ‘70s and ‘80s, Queen.

Panic! at the Disco covered the song spot-on, yet still captured the rock/ alternative vibe that they are known for.

The song is not just a typical song to cover. Bohemian Rhapsody is a whopping six minutes long, with varying vocal ranges that are hard to capture.

Panic! at the Disco covered the song for the movie Suicide Squad, which was released in 2016.

SING SING SING. The Bel Cantos chorus group sings “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” during their “The 80s Are Gonna Get You” performance on Friday, April 12, in the theater.

The chorus performed their “The ‘80s Are Gonna Get You” showcase concert on April 11 and 12. The three choirs, Horizons, Bel Cantos and Bravo, teamed up to sing 30 different classic songs from the 80s.

After purchasing my ticket Friday night, I found my seat and waited for the show to start. When the lights went out, the singers were suddenly in the aisles and on stage.

I knew I was in for a fun night.

For every song, each singer was wearing a different 80s-inspired outfit and hairstyle, which made each song unique.

It added so much more to the experience rather than everyone in the ensemble wearing the same thing. Sticking with the 80’s theme, the program cover had a fun

arcade-style PacMan design.

The show itself ran quite smoothly.

Transitions from song to song were barely noticeable and I didn’t catch any messups.

The show was a mix of ensembles and soloists, which kept it interesting. The second solo, an acoustic version Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” was fun and energetic. Some audience members even sang along.

Another solo that I particularly enjoyed was a piano version of Guns n Roses’ “Sweet Child of Mine.” Despite the group’s hard rock style, the song went nicely with the piano.

Bel Cantos, the all-girls choir, performed Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know” while dressed in sleepover attire, including a few pillows and stuffed

animals. Their choreography perfectly captured the stereotypical girly sleepover.

I expected most of the soloists to appear nervous, as I would be, but the majority of the singers were very comfortable on stage. Some of the singers even took it a step further by interacting with the audience, asking them to sing along.

Toto’s “Africa” was sung acapella by a group of boys from the Horizons choir.

The acapella was done well, and the song choice helped because of the different sounds you hear during the song.

Next time, I would like to see more of all three choirs performing together, rather than each one individually.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this concert and I felt that the choir did a wonderful job putting together this show.

inseminated by mistake. As it turns out, the man who is the father is Jane’s old crush, Rafael.

She then has to choose between him and her current boyfriend, Michael.

To fast forward a bit, Jane eventually marries Michael, baby Mateo is born, and they lived happily ever after...or so one would think.

Michael gets shot and survives, but then later dies from heart attack. In season 4, Jane’s mom gets cancer and Jane starts falling in love with Rafael again. They eventually

are about to get engaged and… plot twist!

Michael is actually alive, three years after he “died.”

This is where season 5 picks up. It actually turns out Michael has amnesia and goes

by Jason. So far, season 5 has mostly been about Jane and Rafael’s relationship crumbling, Jane’s mother’s fight with cancer and Michael trying to regain his memory.

Already, the past four episodes have had many twists and turns that cause audiences to laugh, cry and gasp in surprise. The writing and execution

is phenomenal and the set designs are perfect.

One of the absolute best parts of the show is the narrator, a deep-voiced, disembodied presence. He constantly acknowledges telanovelas and compares to them to Jane’s life.

Characters are becoming more complex as well. Petra, a supporting character in the show, now has more depth and makes her feel much more human.

There is honestly no way to predict what will happen, but that’s what makes the show so good. All fans know is that Jane’s story, as crazy as it has been, is coming to an end.

STORY BY EMMA YOST STORY BY KATHLEEN YORK “Full House” began in 1987 and ended in 1995. In 2016, Netflix created a spin-off called “Fuller House”.

“Fuller House” is just about the same plot as the original. D.J., mother of three and a widow, ends up back in her childhood home. D.J.’s sister Stephanie and her childhood best friend, Kimmy, move in alongside D.J. Most of the cast from “Full House” returns in fuller house. Sadly, Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen, the actresses of Michelle Tanner, were unable to be a part of the show due to their busy life.

It’s a fun show to watch if you want to reminisce.

Jane The Virgin

TV Show

STORY BY JULIAN RIOS After four absolutely fantastic seasons of the heart wrenching, gut punching, hilarious American telanovela, “Jane the Virgin” has finally started its last season. The CW’s hit show has made its way across the United States and was received much support and praise. Season 5 will finally close the plot on the main storyline and characters.

To recap (spoilers ahead), a young Jane Gloriana Villanueva was artificially

DESIGN BY ABBIE WYDRA

One-Page Low-Down

APRIL 26, 2019 | THE LION’S TALE | ENTERTAINMENT | 19

App Review: Polytopia STORY BY PATRICK COSTELLO The Battle of Polytopia, or Polytopia for short, is a turn-based strategy game. Polytopia follows the basic structure of the classic strategy game while maintaining the right level of simplicity for mobile play.

The goal of Polytopia is to conquer the square-shaped world by capturing cities and defeating competing tribes. To do this, players pick from one of 14 unique tribes to begin the game. Most of the tribes appear to be roughly based on real-world ancient civilizations, and each has specific strengths, weaknesses and terrains.

Captured cities provide resources, which allow you to unlock abilities, train soldiers and do everything else necessary to win the game.

Although the app was released in 2016, the

developers have made multiple updates to it since, including the addition of new tribes and abilities and a revamped multiplayer mode. These improvements have further elevated an already stellar playing experience.

Polytopia checks all the boxes I’m looking for when I download a game on my phone: it’s free, easy to pick up on, quick to play and, most of all, fun.

Whether you’re a long-time fan of strategy games (such as myself), or just looking for a good way to kill time on the bus ride home, I would highly recommend checking this one out.

Album Review: Jonas Brothers STORY BY GILLIAN LANDWEHR After six long-awaited years, the Jonas Brothers announced they would be making a comeback composed of new music and a tour.

The comeback has been a very popular topic all over the internet due to the fact that their former young fanbase has grown up.

The Jonas Brothers were first famous from their Disney Channel careers. With Disney Channel, they released multiple albums, they premiered in the Camp Rock movies and they even had their own television show, titled “Jonas LA.” The first comeback song, “Sucker,” was released on Mar. 1. This song sounds pretty similar to their former pop style, with very upbeat and catchy lyrics. It switches between two beats throughout the song.

There is one part of the song

where it sounds like a build-up to a beat drop. This transitions to the second beat, which is a bit more elevated, but it leaves me wanting more. The lyrics are super catchy, and I think that is what holds this song together.

Another song is called “Cool.” This song starts off with a simple acoustic guitar and then transitions to a simple beat that reminds me of clapping. I’m not a very big fan of this song. The lyrics and beat aren’t as catchy as I want them to be.

I have always been a huge

Local Review: Cafe Rio STORY BY BRYN GARICK

DESIGN BY ABBIE WYDRA

amazing.

The only annoying things about the restaurant are the facts that there is always a line, due to its recent opening and its tastiness, and that the restaurant can get pretty expensive pretty quickly.

But calling ahead with your order and just picking it up helps to cut down on the time spent waiting in line. Also, Cafe Rio puts out quite a few ways to save money on their food.

Overall, it looks fresh and tastes great. I’ll keep getting my tacos each Tuesday.

INTERVIEWED BY SOPHIA BLOOM

Artist

Senior Sidoni Pfaeffle

Q: Do you have any artists you look up to as role models?

Sidoni: I really like Guillermo del Toro, I like Francis Bacon and I really like Tim Burton’s work.

Q: Do plan to continue to draw in the future?

Sidoni: Yes, I am actually going to an art school in New York, so hopefully I can get my bachelors’ in fine arts and go into art directing and movies.

Q: When did you first start getting into art?

Sidoni: Ever since I could hold a pencil I have always liked to draw.

Q: Are their any particular subjects you enjoy drawing?

Sidoni: Not necessarily. I have a lot of different places for influence, so it kind of shifts a lot.

Q: Have you seen an improvement in your art throughout the years? How so?

Sidoni: Yes, I went to an art school for middle school, so when I first started drawing I had very rough drawings, but they helped me clean everything up and they helped me to have the artwork that I have now.

Being here at Oviedo for the four years and continuously practicing definitely helped, realistically speaking, and even in techniques and different styles I have picked up.

Q: What is your favorite art utensil?

Sidoni: I like pen, ballpoint pen on white paper.

Q: How do you feel when you finish a project?

Sidoni: It is usually very satisfying. It is nice to see the final product in front of you.

PHOTO BY S. BLOOM

Up and Coming Event PHOTO BY BRYN GARICK

My family has recently started eating at Cafe Rio every Tuesday for their deal of $2 tacos. I have very few regrets about this decision.

The food at Cafe Rio always tastes fresh and full of flavor. They have a wide variety of proteins as well as toppings, plus salsas and sauces you can add on top to make your meal even better.

I like to order two chicken tacos with just cheese and sour cream, then coat my entire taco in Tomatillo sauce. It tastes amazing.

The couple times that I haven’t had tacos, I have had either burritos or enchiladas, and they have tasted equally

Jonas Brothers fan, so I am super excited to hear more of their new releases. So far, their sound has kind of remained the same, but I can still tell that they wanted to change things up.

My all-time favorite Jonas Brothers song is called “Lovebug.” This song sounds different to their other songs because it’s a slow, acoustic song while their other songs are more upbeat. This song features a simple acoustic guitar chord with the soft singing of Nick and Joe. Towards the end of the song, there is a slight pause and a more intense guitar chord plays as well as more intense beat. This song is such a great song to dance to.

A classic Jonas Brothers song is “Burnin’ Up.” Right off the bat, it starts with a catchy beat and an intense guitar. The lyrics are super catchy and it’s so hard to not sing along, especially during the chorus.

SOUL OF AN ARTIST

Battle of the Food Trucks When May 25, 2019 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm Where 299 Center Lake Lane, Oviedo, FL 32765 Price Varies depending on food prices

20 | SPORTS | THE LION’S TALE | APRIL 26, 2019

Greatest

STORY BY VANI THUPILI

Boys’ Bowling State Champs

PHOTO BY OVIEDO ATHLETICS After an impressive undefeated season by both the boys’ and girls’ teams, the Oviedo boys’ bowling team defeated Jupiter to earn the school’s first ever boys’ bowling state championship. In doing so, the program continued its state title run, reaching three in a row.

Girls’ Volleyball State Champs

PHOTO BY JENNIFER DARTY The Oviedo girls’ volleyball team swept Palm Beach Gardens to win their first-

Evolution of Jerseys PHOTO BY NEVADA CULLEN

STORY BY VANI THUPILI

Old jersey sets get passed to JV & Freshman

New jersey

3

set every years

ever 9A state volleyball title. After a state championship loss in 2016, the team persevered and was able to secure the title this time around. Junior Mikaela Schultz’s kill won the championship for the Lady Lions.

Football District Champs

PHOTO BY ASHTON COKER The varsity football team had an outstanding season, winning more games than last year at a season record of 8-4-0. They capped it off with a district championship in an improbable, come-from-behind win against Lake Brantley on senior night.

Moments

Junior Powderpuff Victory

PHOTO BY ABBIE KAUTZMAN The powderpuff football game is a friendly competition that occurs each year. This tradition is an entertaining event, attended by students, family and staff, who watch the junior and senior girls’ teams play football.

Male cheerleaders lead the entertainment, and the halftime show is a routine performed by each squad, which earns rounds and rounds of applause. This year marked a memorable win for the junior team, a rare occurrence in this tradition.

Track Relay State Record

PHOTO BY DAVE TIBBETTS The 4x800 relay team beat the state record.

APRIL 26, 2019 | THE LION’S TALE | SPORTS | 21

The team is made up of junior Mamush Galloway, sophomore Sam Austin, junior Kayamo Galloway, and senior Angel Vicioso. Ranking second in the nation, the team had phenomenal runs, with the total time at 7 minutes and 46.56 seconds. Sam Austin is pictured.

Water Polo Legend PHOTO BY MELISSA GILLIS Senior Conor Duncan is second in the nation for most goals scored during a water polo season. Duncan has scored 102 goals during his senior season, averaging around 4.3 goals per game. He broke the school record of most goals scored in a game at a impressive 13 goals against Winter Springs.

From

left to 2003, right: 2009, 2012, 2015 Coach Information provided by: DESIGN BY VANI THUPILI

Matthew

Dixon

22 | SPORTS | THE LION’S TALE | APRIL 26, 2019

2019 SPORTS AWARDS The Lion’s Tale staff recognizes outstanding athletes, teams and coaches for their accomplishments throughout their careers

FEMALE MALE COACH TEAM Savannah Vach

Carlos Cartagena-Diaz

Pat Costello

Football

PHOTO BY SAVANNAH VACH

PHOTO BY C. CARTAGENA-DIAZ

GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL

BOYS’ SWIM AND DIVE

BOWLING

FOOTBALL

Future Plans: Vach is continuing her academic and volleyball career at the University of Miami.

Future Plans: Cartagena-Diaz will continue his academic and swimming career at Indian River State College.

Future Plans: Costello has retired from coaching, and the Oviedo bowling program will look for another championship next year to continue her legacy.

Future Plans: The team will look to return to the playoffs next season and continue their recent success with running back Keonte Coffie entering his final year.

Reason for Nomination: Vach has acquired many awards for her individual effort this year. Vach’s awards include: Gatorade’s Florida High School Volleyball Player of the Year, Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Volleyball Award, Prep Volleyball National Player of the Year Award and Under Armour All-American. Vach helped lead her team to a state title.

Reason for Nomination: CartagenaDiaz had a masterful Class 4A FHSAA swimming state final performance. He finished second in the 200 IM and third in the 100 backstroke. He was also a part of the 200 free and 400 free, and the team placed in both. His success was crucial to Oviedo’s first state swimming and diving title.

PHOTO BY PAT COSTELLO Reason for Nomination: Costello helped establish the Oviedo bowling program.

The girls’ team won back-to-back state titles under Costello. This year, the boys’ bowling team swept Jupiter 3-0 in the FHSAA boys’ bowling team championship.

It was the school’s first ever bowling title for the boys’ team.

PHOTO BY ABBIE KAUTZMAN Reason for Nomination: The Oviedo football team enjoyed an unpredictable and successful season in which they won the Class 8A, District 2 championship and hosted a playoff game for the first time in four years. The team rallied behind Britton Daniel and the community to exceed expectations.

DESIGN BY NEVADA CULLEN

ROARBOARD

APRIL 26, 2019| THE LION’S TALE | SPORTS | 23

For more, head to

OviedoJournalism.com

Beach volleyball all about pairs PHOTO BY RACHEL MIRACOLO STORY BY BRYN GARICK

BUMP SET SPIKE. Juniors Abigail Mason and Amanda Lee defeated Hagerty in a match of beach volleyball. The match was held at Hagerty High School on March 24.

SPORTS IN REVIEW: A PHOTO FINISH

Most people see beach volleyball as a relaxing activity that they play while feeling an ocean breeze and hearing the sound of waves crashing on the shore.

For the competitive beach volleyball team, however, it’s different. It’s a pairs effort, and it counts.

“Beach is very different than indoor volleyball in the format of play,” said athletic director Jennifer Darty. “Instead of having six on the court, it is just you and your partner–you have to control the ball more and will be a part of [it] every play.”

According to senior Madison Cook, playing in pairs changes how she communicates with her teammate.

“There is a lot more communication between you and your partner,” Cook said.

“You have to use your eyes a lot to see the other side of the court.”

Freshman Caroline Przystup agrees that playing with only one other person changes a lot of how she thinks about the game.

“There is definitely something about the concentration of playing two-on-two that is different then playing six-on-six,” Przystup said. “There are more variables when there are more people playing, but two-on-two helps you pay attention to more people at a time.”

Darty does think that there are quite a few differences between indoor volleyball and beach volleyball.

“Beach season is more laid back, and there is a lot of value put on building a connection with your partner so that they know how to play next to each other,” Darty said.

Overall, each pair she believes focuses less on winning because the team can still win.

“Each pair focuses on doing their best for the team, but even if a pair loses, we still have the ability to win the overall team dual, as long as we win three out of the five pairs playing,” Darty said.

According to Darty, the overall team atmosphere is essentially the same.

“The team dynamic is similar in a lot of ways because we all support each other in every team dual,” Darty said.

Star Athlete: Blake Loubier

INTERVIEWED BY OWEN FRANCIS Senior Blake Loubier has been playing baseball for OHS for four years and has loved every minute of it. Now, he has joined a more professional league of baseball.

HUDDLE UP GALS. The girls’ volleyball team gets ready for a big game at the RWL gym.

STEP IT UP. The Mane Attraction Dance team performs at a pep rally at the RWL gym.

DRIBBLE THE BALL. Sophomore Brijae Trevino dribbles the ball to score in a game at the RWL gym.

PHOTOS BY OWEN FRANCIS DESIGN BY OWEN FRANCIS

Q: How long have you been playing baseball?

A: I have been playing baseball for 14 years.

Q: What is your favorite part about being on the OHS baseball team?

A: Getting to play with all these kids that are like my best friends.

Q: How did your coaches help inspire you?

A: They’ve taught me how to dedicate my life to something I enjoy while also contributing to my team.

Q: How does it feel to be honored as Spectrum Sports’ player of the week and being selected to the FACA All-Star Classic?

A: It’s an incredible honor because there’s some incredible baseball players around this area, and to be chosen from that great group of guys is a blessing to both me and my family.

Q: What are plans for the future?

A: I plan to go to Wake Forest for baseball and then, hopefully, after that I will go into the minor leagues and then, eventually, one day, the big leagues.

24 | FEATURES | THE LION’S TALE | APRIL 26, 2019

The Money Problem annual tuition

annual housing costs

k

$5,000

annual food costs

s

$10,905

an

$22,340

$1 nu ,2 co al b 90 st oo

Seniors react to the financial implications of college

$39,535 Admissions scandal causes controversy STORY BY SAADHANA SRIDHARAN College has gotten increasingly expensive for students over the past decade. From tuition to housing to extra fees, college students today are paying more, on average, than any other generation.

“College is super expensive,” said senior Kenzie Klaus. “I didn’t really realize how in debt I was going to be until I looked into it this year.”

Over the past month, a plethora of colleges have been exposed for admitting unqualified students based on bribery and fraud. These colleges-ranging from the University of Southern California to Stanford-have accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars to admit students into schools.

This has caused controversy among students, specifically seniors.

“It just really unfair,” said senior Amelia Vasquez. “It feels like there’s not a level playing field when it comes to college admissions.”

According to bestplaces.net, the average household income in Oviedo is $84,910, above the national average of $56,516, but below the top 1% average of $421,926. Students who are part of this elite group often receive privileges when it comes to college admissions.

“We already knew they were being given advantages with legacy admissions,” said senior Emma Miksa.

“This scandal just makes it worse, because merit doesn’t seem to play a role at all in the admission of some of these students.”

average cost of college

$1.52 trillion annual student debt

INFOCOURTESY COLLEGEBOARD.ORG, FORBES, CNBC

Cost of college raises concerns STORY BY SAADHANA SRIDHARAN Merit is the traditional marker for admission into selective colleges. It is also a significant marker for scholarships, which often drastically reduce the financial burden of college.

“I’ll be going to Toulane University this fall, and it’s a private university,” Vasquez said. “If they hadn’t offered me a lot of scholarships and financial aid, I would not be going.”

The middle-class status of many Oviedo students makes Vasquez’s situation a common one. It can affect the type of college students choose to go to.

“I’ll be going to Colorado State University, and that means I would have to pay out-of-state tuition, which is way more expensive than in-state,” Klaus said. “I think that whole concept is weird though.

Why should I have to pay more just because I live in a different state?”

These questions and controversies have caused a sense of confusion and outrage, according to Miksa.

“The system seems like it’s designed to work against normal people like us.”

Less than

20%

of people believe college admissions are a fair process

67%

of people think the process favors the rich

DESIGN BY SAADHANA SRIDHARAN