The Lion's Tale - Volume 58 Issue 6 - Oviedo High School

PAGE 4

FEATURES

SPORTS

PAGE 13

PAGE 19

Undecided majors spark debate

Color guard places at world competition

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LION’S 6 TALE EDITION

NEWS

Principal reflects on first four years

OVIEDO HIGH SCHOOL • 601 KING STREET • OVIEDO, FL • 32765 MAY 3, 2018 • VOLUME 58 • OVIEDOJOURNALISM.COM

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED

OBTAIN DIPLOMA

Diploma Class of 2018 Oviedo Hi gh School

Seniors unlock adulthood STORY BY BRYN GARICK

With graduation right around the corner on May 24, seniors at Oviedo High School (OHS) anticipate the changes that come with adulthood.

Senior Michael Johnson is looking forward to getting out of Oviedo.

“I love this place, but I want to get out,” Johnson said. “I also want to get a job I’m passionate about.”

Senior Andrew Perez is looking forward to making his first paycheck.

“I’m excited to make my own money,” Perez said.

Some students are generally looking forward to being on their own.

“It’ll be cool to get away from my parents, figure things out and learn how life is going to be after that,” said senior Meghan Kenny.

According to Johnson, the most exciting part of being on his own is being taken seriously as an adult.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 12

2 | NEWS | THE LION’S TALE | MAY 3, 2018

the Scoop

Drug-prevention assembly provokes emotions PHOTO BY FERN SILVA STORY BY SAADHANA SRIDHARAN Juniors and seniors walked--giggling and chattering among themselves-into the auditorium. They walked out two hours later--almost dead silent and contemplative--into the bright sunlight that clashed with the darkness they had seen during the Narcotics Overdose Prevention and Education (NOPE) program.

“I started bawling,” said senior Caitlyn Decilio. “I didn’t realize how lethal some of the drugs were.”

Principal Joe Trybus spoke before the program, which took place on April 20.

“This program is not one that is meant to make you happy, it’s designed to show you reality and upsetting facts,” Trybus said.

Police officers and parents spoke about the consequences of drug abuse, specifically of combination and prescription drug abuse. An array of portraits adorned the stage, spilling onto the floor. Names and ages stood by them.

“I’ve been to assemblies like this before, but they didn’t get the same emotional response that this one had,” Decilio said.

“Afterwards, there were people talking to the police officers, talking to the parents, and just listening to and opening up about their experiences and what’s going on in their lives.”

A PAUSE FOR REMEMBRANCE. Speaker Dean Peeper pauses to gaze at his son’s portrait as he begins to speak at the Narcotics Overdose Prevention and Education assembly on April 20.

Grad Bash offers memories, senior fun STORY BY MYLENA FERMAN Seniors enjoyed a night of rides, music and time with friends at Universal Islands of Adventure (IOA) for Grad Bash to celebrate their graduation.

According to senior Gabe Rios, students relished the time as they explored the festivities at IOA on April 20th.

“I managed to find a group of five random strangers, including myself, and for some reason we all managed to stick together,” Rios said.

Along with spending time with friends, seniors also rode the roller coasters, creating memories.

“We were in line for the King Kong ride and usually they have a scare actor in line,” said senior Meghan Kenny. “So my friends and I were freaking out--the two of us that knew about it. The other two did not know about it. When it came to be where [the scare actor] would be, we sort of clung to them for dear life, but nothing ever actually popped out, so we were just hanging on for no reason whatsoever.”

Senior KC Kanistras’s favorite ride was the Rip Ride Rockit.

“It was a pain to wait for, but it was so worth it because neither of my friends had written it before,” Kanistras said.

“And so they got to have an amazing time on it, and I knew I would love it because it’s my favorite. And so we just got to experience it together for the first time that was a lot of fun.”

Rios wanted more excitement out of the roller coasters, despite his first roller coaster being The Mummy.

“It was a tad bit boring,” Rios said. “The Hulk is a little bit more exciting, but after a while, it just got melancholic.”

Kanistras however, said the event was fun.

“If I could do it again, I definitely would, because they had a lot of exclusives and such,” Kanistras said.

The event ran smoothly for everyone, including teacher Kati Hansen, the organizer of Grad Bash.

“Everyone was super respectful, and everyone showed up on time,” Hansen said. “I didn’t get any reports from Universal staff that we had any issues, so I was very pleased with how everything went.”

the Month in Photos

PHOTO BY FERN SILVA

CARNIVAL FUN. Students, families, friends, and residents enjoy going on the plethora of rides at the Oviedo High School Athletic Booster Carnival April 12-14.

PHOTO BY FERN SILVA

CAR-HITTING SENIORS. Senior Johann Rojas wields a mallet as he prepares to battle the old car, as per annual senior tradition, during Senior Week, April 23-27.

PHOTO BY FERN SILVA

A REVOLT OF REMEMBRANCE. Students walk out of class on April 20, the anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting.

PHOTO BY FERN SILVA

FULFILLING CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY. As the 2018 and 2020 primaries and general elections approach, school board member Abby Sanchez registers students to vote on May 2.

FRONT PAGE DESIGN BY DECLAN MCCOY

DESIGN BY SAADHANA SRIDHARAN

MAY 3, 2018 | THE LION’S TALE | NEWS | 3

Graduation gifts not for everyone STORY BY JOYCE NG At the end of their high school careers, students plan to celebrate. Whether it be with an expensive gift, dream trip or a larger savings account, gifts can complement all a student’s hard work and achievements.

“I’ve always wanted to go, since I was younger, to Europe: England, France, and Germany,” said senior Abigayle Fose.

According to MyFamilyFinances.net, over 57 percent of families plan on shelling out cash over other potential gifts.

Graduating high school is a big deal to many individuals and families, so bringing a dream to a reality is often well worth it.

“I’m the first to graduate in my family,” Fose said, who hopes to go on her big trip.

According to Fose, going to her dream destinations represents a sense of wish fulfillment.

But for many students, senior gifts are not a priority.

Some students are getting ready to go to college and start their summer semester.

“I’ll be in college for the summer, so I won’t really be able to do anything that special after graduation,” said senior Nicholas Smith.

Many hope to save and earn money in the summer of their senior year, instead of spending it on gifts.

“I’m currently focused on working and getting scholarships because I can’t get Bright Futures or financial aid,” said senior Victoria Orindas.

Orindas faces these challenges on her own, working on her own path to further her education. Although she has important plans in mind, she will still find time to enjoy her summer.

“I’ll still explore the local parts of Florida with friends,” Orindas said.

DESIGN BY KATHLEEN YORK

How many seniors go on trips over summer?

12% of seniors don’t go on trips for summer

12%

88%

INFOCOURTESYHUFFINGTONPOST.COM

88% of seniors go on trips for summer

4 | NEWS | THE LION’S TALE | MAY 3, 2018

FIRST Four

Years

SHOWING SCHOOL PRIDE. Principal Joe Trybus pumps a fist into the air as he takes a selfie with the senior class during the first pep rally on Sept. 1, 2017.

The football team beat Winter Park 42-6 later that night.

FIRST YEAR HOCO. Principal Joe Trybus waves to Homecoming Parade attendees on Oct. 24, 2014.

PULLING GREASER PRANKS. Principal Joe Trybus stands aside assistant principal Matt Ackley after being he was duct-taped to a pole outside the Commons during Homecoming week in 2016.

Trybus reflects on goals as seniors graduate PHOTOS BY FERN SILVA & OHS FACEBOOK STORY BY FERN SILVA As the year ends, principal Joe Trybus is saying goodbye to his first four-year senior class. Trybus recalls his first day interacting with the class of 2018.

“It’s emotional for me,” Trybus said. “I still remember the first assembly in the auditorium for them. Their eyes were so big, and they seemed so nervous.”

Trybus said that over the last four years, his attitude towards the student body hasn’t changed much, especially in regards to how he communicates with them.

“I think I engage about the same,” Trybus said. “I like to smile, be positive, have fun and laugh, if I’ve known you for four years or if I just met you.”

Trybus carries one distinct truth with him that he wishes to instill into future classes.

“I had a tremendous desire--and still do--to deliver an amazing and fun four-year high school experience,” Trybus said. “To create lifelong memories: that’s a big responsibility that I hold the utmost respect for.”

Senior Danny Sanchez said he has seen Trybus’ impact.

“He’s a big advocate of the arts,” Sanchez said.

“He’s versatile with academics and athletics and the arts.

He’s well-rounded.”

According to Sanchez, Trybus has HAND-OFF TIME. Former a relationship with principal Robert W. everyone.

Lundquist shakes hands “Trybus is just with current principal Joe an icon around the school,” Sanchez said.

Trybus in 2014.

DESIGN BY DANIELLE GRIFFITHS

Learn more to choose correct college major 6 | OPINION | THE LION’S TALE | MAY 3, 2018

It’s okay if you haven’t decided what you want to major in--neither have a lot of other students.

According to dus.psu.edu, an estimated 20-50% of students enter college as “undecided.”

Don’t fret about being undecided. After all, how will you be able to decide what you should major in without having any experience?

For those who are unsure, don’t fret.

We have some advice to help you get a better understanding of your options.

Think about classes you enjoyed most in high school.

Most colleges offer classes about a certain subject, but focusing on a different perspective. By taking classes you enjoyed or had success in, you may find more interest in these courses.

Try out classes in different subjects.

By doing this, you are broadening your horizons to new topics.

You never know what you like or dislike if you don’t try something new. Colleges offer many different classes than high schools offer. Try something new.

Get involved.

Volunteering in your community, joining clubs, working as an intern, etc. provide experience and helps determine what you

IN YOUR FACE

Do you think it’s important to choose a major right away?

Senior Aleena Voorhees

“As long as you understand that it’s okay to change your major, and you’re not a failure to do so, it’s okay to go in with one in mind.”

are interested in. By gaining experience, you discover what your interests are and what you enjoy doing.

Talk to administration or fellow peers.

If you are interested in a major but still have uncertainty, talking to others about it may provide you with more insight. Talking to a student who majored in something you are interested in may really be able to help you determine if this is the correct decision for you.

People who have it figured out may judge you, but who cares?

Just because they have their major figured out doesn’t mean that you need to have your major decided. Ignore them, this is your future and your decision.

Ignore what they have to say.

They may have it figured out now, but they may be one of the few individuals that change their major multiple times.

If you think you’ve got a major figured out but you aren’t certain, don’t worry.

According to dus.psu.edu, an estimated 75% of students change their major at least once before graduation.

All in all, if you are feeling left out because you still haven’t decided what you want to major in, don’t worry. You are not alone.

Sophomore Cody Jackson

“No, because you have to get certain classes out of the way first so you have a little bit of time to decide.”

Sophomore Joella Pitts

“Yes, you should always know your major even if you change it 31-and-ahalf times.”

OUR WORD

Senior Christina Adams “No, I think you should have the freedom to explore diffierent career paths, at least during high school and your beginning college years so you can figure it out.”

PHOTOS BY EMMIE STOKES

20% to 50% of students enter college as “undecided”

So Many Majors!

ILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIA BLOOM

INFOCOURTESYPSU.EDU News Editor Saadhana Sridharan

Business Manager Julian Rios

Opinion Editor Joyce Ng

Photographers Isabel Fain Emma Stokes Sravani Thupili

Features Editor Danielle Griffiths Editors-in-Chief Paige Simpson Gillian Landwehr Online Editors Trey Hargis Bryn Garick

Artists Entertainment Editor Sophia Bloom Fern Silva Alexis Desena Josh Cordonero Kimberly Penuel Sports Editor Nevada Cullen

Designers Declan McCoy Chris Keefer Conner Quinlan

Reporters Connor Compton Mylena Ferman Tessa Kowalski Dylan Sachs Emily Vernikos Abigail Wydra Christina York Kathleen York Faculty Adviser Elise T Carlson Admin Adviser Drew Morgan

Principal Joseph Trybus Oviedo High School 601 King Street Oviedo, FL 32765 P: 407-320-4199 F: 407-320-4213 Population: 2530 students 28 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 1500 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 • MAY 3, 2018 • VOLUME 58 • EDITION 6

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.

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DESIGN BY EMMIE STOKES

MAY 3, 2018 | THE LION’S TALE | OPINION | 7

Volunteer work expands viewpoint

entertainment editor JOSH CORDONERO

Making changes for self leads to improvements

We all strive for acceptance. It’s undeniable that high school students especially struggle with the fear of isolation and experiencing ostracism. However, choosing to do things for ourselves is more powerful than when we do them for others.

The first half of my freshman year, I learned that ignoring required schoolwork leads to failure. Moving down from an honors English class to a standard class would made it very apparent.

I stopped caring, yet, there were some assignments I would do really well on, especially one assignment that showcased my abilities as a graphic designer. That assignment might have changed my life.

Ms. Carlson, my English teacher, was to take over the student newspaper my sophomore year, and she was looking for people to join the staff, including designers. When schedules were due, I approached Ms. Carlson about joining the newspaper staff.

However, she denied my request because my poor work ethic had continued.

I felt crushed. The praise I once got from an adult was gone. But she gave me the option to take Journalism 1 my sophomore year, to prove to her I’d be an asset to the actual newspaper staff.

I continued to think about how cool it would be to be part of something big--yet I still didn’t do any better sophomore year.

I messed around in Journalism and never turned in any work.

My junior year, however, I decided to make a change. A huge help, I found, was doing things I wanted for myself--not to please others--making changes so I could be the best I could be.

I thought that newspaper was out of my league, even after my work ethic improved and my feelings of accomplishment increased. Ms. Carlson didn’t forget, though, and she asked my teachers how I was doing. They let her know that I became more diligent, that I had more passion. And so, after I had changed for myself, I finally signed up for newspaper.

Even though it was my last year in high school, I felt like it was a fresh start.

Newspaper gave me a chance to grow, to become better. A teacher who prevents you from breezing through life is a good teacher, and you shouldn’t mistake “hard teaching” with “bad teaching,” ever.

I found trying my hardest with a good support system was ultimately the best way to progress. I still feel discouraged and worthless from time to time. But that change I decided to make for myself, rather than for other people, was ultimately what broke me away from negativity.

DESIGN BY CONNOR COMPTON

designer

DECLAN MCCOY Through my volunteer experiences I have met people and gained experiences I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

As a lifelong reader and general bibliophile, the library was a natural choice. I began my volunteering after the first training session, which was at the beginning of the month, but before the next training session, which was at the end of the month.

That meant I was tasked with the Herculean effort of completely organizing the children’s book section. It was a largely silent, occasionally lonesome duty where I learned how to cultivate my inner zen.

Once I attended the second training session and learned how to do all the

tasks necessary to keep a library running day in and day out, such as shelving books, grabbing books from the shelves for the holds list, or keeping my assigned section of the library organized, I also got participate in some of the fun activities the library puts on, such as helping with the chess club and putting on puppet shows.

As a generally reserved person, going out on that limb and putting on a kids’ puppet show was a personal challenge. I overcame that challenge with the help of the other wonderful teen volunteers, and I definitely came out the better for it.

I also volunteered at a barbershop to learn more about it as a profession.

I ended up meeting people that I hope never to forget.

While I helped clean up the shop, I got to experience firsthand the hardestworking and kindest people I will ever encounter. The owner came up from extremely humble beginnings, and he taught me the value of hard work, that whatever your hustle is, to go at it with 110% effort.

The volunteer work I performed gave me skills and contacts that will see use in college, and well beyond, into my professional life. I am grateful to the people that helped me, and I hope I gave back to my community in equal measure.

Early life lessons shape expectations

staff reporter

CONNOR COMPTON When a human starts his journey into life, he is guarded and shielded by his parents. Then, he turns 18 and is thrown into the real world to figure out to how to function and be responsible.

I, on the other hand, started learning these lessons early--some of them within the first few years of my life. Throughout my time here on this earth, I have already learned three valuable lessons that shaped me into who I am today.

One: Don’t take things for granted.

I learned this lesson around the age of 13, when I came out as gay. But I didn’t do it in the traditional fashion. Instead, I announced it through Facebook. While I expected the compassion of my friends and family, it instead turned many of my friends and family against each other.

From this I realized that I should not always expect people to be nice or act the way I think they will act. Instead, I need to have the mindset that I cannot assume the compassion or friendship of a person will always be there.

Two: Be careful what you wish for, lest it come true.

I experienced this in the form of something I always wanted: a relationship.

But, as quickly as the two of us fell in love with each other and our bonds grew, the web of lies which he wove grew thicker and thicker, until he was caught in his lies and had also gotten me stuck in this web.

At first, he lied about his age, saying he was 19 when really he was 21. Then it was where he lived: first it was Winter Springs and then it was Oviedo, and then it was at Full Sail University. Eventually, it seemed as thought he lived in every town in Florida.

Blinded by love, I continued to fall for his lies, falling farther and farther into his web, until one day he was at work and I was at “his apartment.” Someone called, asking for him, and I asked who it was. The caller said he was the HIV doctor.

I had not known that he had such disease. I immediately called everything off, but this taught me that I can’t truly trust anyone.

Three: Don’t judge a book by its cover.

I learned this lesson time and time again. I thought that, because a person acted a certain way or behaved as such, that it revealed their ideals and how they thought. However, nine times out of 10, I was wrong.

For example, when I first started high school, I got caught up in a friend group that I thought was great and was going to last. Little did I know that these people were talking about me behind my back, and the confrontation about it led to me getting pushed down the stairs.

All in all, if I did not learn these life lessons, I would not be the person I am today. Transformation is a part of life, and high school is a big catalyst of it.

designer

CONNER QUINLAN

High school ends one chapter in book of life As seniors, we can see the horizon of the end of childhood. We are about to embark on a grander journey of life after completing our first chapter, high school.

Some seniors, such as myself, went all-out to boost our GPAs and make our college applications look better, even at the cost of losing free time.

Now, the time we have grows as our classes conclude and our work fades, giving us the ability to reflect on our high school careers. Finally, we can stop and look back at our childhood, even as we venture into adulthood. Looking back, we can only ask ourselves how things changed from then to now.

How did anyone grow from sitting in fourth-grade science lessons, hardly listening to the concepts of kinetic energy, to understanding the significance of subatomic particle interactions and their effect on large cell structures? What did our fifth-grade selves think they could achieve in the future?

Even since those early days, I have liked to overachieve. I flaunt that too much, but this is a time when every senior should recognize their successes. Even our “failures” can be seen as achievements: second place is still above third, and third above fourth. We must take this time, like most seniors, to look back and see how much we’ve learned and experienced.

While looking back, we must also recognize our faults as people. The misspellings and grammar errors one might find in an essay are our personal faults. We may remember a bad test, wasting time on something unimportant that later came back to bite us (though, like Bob Ross says, we need the dark to emphasize the light).

Even though we got those bad grades, it taught us that we can’t goof off before a test. Even if we didn’t do that homework, it taught us every grade counts. Even if we feel that we’ve made mistakes, we should look at them as lessons.

And yet, we do have to reflect on some of the difficult parts of high school.

In particular, many of us have lost friends, family and neighbors.

Our memories, our experiences are unique, irreplaceable. They are leading us to our futures.

We’ve only just finished this chapter, and a new one is on the horizon. This chapter built character, showed us options, and set up everything for the next chapter.

Like a book, our lives can be different lengths and have different tones. As high school ends, and life continues, we must ensure our stories are worth remembering.

8 | OPINION | THE LION’S TALE | MAY 3, 2018

online editor

staff reporter

Search for real smile took many years

How to put ‘pro’ in procrastination

TREY HARGIS

All my life I have had a hard time fitting in, a hard time being myself around others, a hard time making friends and, all in all, a hard time smiling a real smile. The only place I was ever able to feel like myself was inside video games.

The digital fantasylands allowed me to be whomever I wanted to be. I was able to do whatever I wanted to do and I was able to be myself.

Video games gave me the real smile I was never able to find in the real world.

In these fantasy worlds I never felt alone, I never felt scared or stressed; nothing in the real world mattered, because these games made it all go away.

The real world was scary: I was alone everywhere I went. At school I had no friends, nobody to talk to. I was the kid who sat in the back of the class and never said a word. If I went to my past schools, nobody would remember who I was.

At home, I was alone too, because my parents worked from dawn to dusk. If I ever saw them, it was before I went to bed, or before they went to work.

So, after school, I went straight to the place I didn’t have to deal with any of my real problems. I went to video games, where I could fix everything with a click of a button.

When high school began, I decided a social life was important, so I actually started trying to make some friends. But I wasn’t happy: I was hiding behind a fake smile and fake personality. I was still waiting to hear the final bell so I could go home, pick up my headset and play.

Junior year of high school hit. My grades slipped and I didn’t care. I was still alone. I gave up; I came to the conclusion I would never find the real-world happiness I saw on every other person’s face.

But I was wrong.

I finally found the smile I’d been longing for, and it only took one person to bring it out of me. She took a chance on me, became my friend and helped me find myself. All it took was for her to talk to me, even though it was just for a few minutes every day.

She gave me the confidence to be myself, to find more friends--friends who liked me for me, not the fake smile I put on. She brought me back into reality and made me feel as though I no longer needed to hide behind video games.

There are still times I need a break from reality to play video games, but I’m no longer waiting for the final bell.

I’m no longer hiding who I am from others. I have friends who accept me.

It took 18 years, but I have never felt happier--and I finally found my real smile.

CHRIS KEEFER

ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXIS DESENA

Building self like building bear

features editor

DANIELLE GRIFFITHS Starting high school was like walking into Build-a-Bear as a child: there were so many choices, from a blue bear to a koala, yet all of them lay there with no substance—just the skins of not-yetstuffed animals.

Freshman year, choosing an elective was like choosing which animal to make.

There were so many options—pottery, computer design, volleyball—yet the only one that involved writing was journalism, so that’s what I chose.

Deciding on journalism was like getting a purple-polka-dotted dog at Build-a-Bear when I walked in only expecting a purple bear. I got the writing, but nothing else that I expected. For one, no one really walked me through anything that first year on staff.

It was like getting thrown in a swiming pool with no idea how to swim. I got little help from anyone on staff, and I was expected to know what to do, which was terrifying.

Yet I somehow managed to stay afloat.

The next year was like moving onto the next station, which involved choosing between the hearts—polka dot, checkered or a plain red one. Each heart beats to its own rhythm, and that was when I let my heart decide to go into the newspaper

room to be on staff.

My passion to further my journalism knowledge drew me to try the next level of journalism. I learned the ways of the newsroom and how to design my own pages. From there I found my love for designing.

The most important step of all at Builda-Bear is stuffing the skin of the animal, and that’s just what my junior year was-the most shaping year of my high school career.

The stuffing was finding myself a spot in the chaos of high school. That place was in the newspaper room, but it was more through the social aspect of things than in the work that I really started to fill in my personality.

I even found another bear whose heart desired mine, which helped me become more aware of my own value. I also made many other fuzzy friends, who were able to round out my personality because they filled me to the brim with love and laughing.

Senior year was like choosing an outfit and getting accessories. This aspect was achieved as I furthered my skills in design and became increasingly more social. I figured out who I wanted to be around and what exactly I wanted for myself and my future. These moments rounded me out as a person, adding more definite personality.

Yet now, graduation is right around the corner. I’m going to head home after the ceremony to face many new expectations.

I’ll be expected to pay rent, go to college and, eventually, get married and have more little bears.

I expect various things for the future: I am hoping for many cuddles, but I know that there will be angry dogs, tears and times when I need to get restitched. But like a bear, I will continue to smile.

High school is filled with countless due dates and deadlines that constantly demand a student’s time. Many high school students fall into the bad habit of procrastination, especially me. I even procrastinated writing this column.

We are always told that procrastination is bad and that it’s harmful to our grades. This is not true: I was the worst procrastinator I know, and I am here to teach you what you need to do to procrastinate successfully.

Step 1: The most important step to successful procrastination is knowing how to play the game. Always know the precise deadline and the last possible day you can turn in the assignment. Procrastinating until the night before is preferable.

However, finishing an assignment the day of is acceptable as long as it does not interfere with other work. This is a slippery slope and can lead to perpetually having to catch up on school work. To put it simply: procrastinate according to schedule.

Step 2: Know the bare minimum that is required of you to earn an A. Take assignment directions very literally and do exactly what they say, nothing more. By not doing more than is necessary, you can save time for other homework or activities.

Step 3: Plan carefully. Make sure you have nothing else to do immediately before you have to turn in the assignment.

For example, if an assignment is due at midnight, start with a comfortable amount of time. This counteracts unforeseen issues that would otherwise compromise your assignment and cause you to turn it in late. Planning time to procrastinate on an assignment is one of the big differences between healthy and unhealthy procrastination.

Step 4: Know your strengths. Save subjects that you know you’re good at for last. For example, if you’re better at math than you are reading, do the math assignment last and devote more time to the reading homework. This way there will be slightly more time to procrastinate on more difficult assignments. Who knows, you may actually learn something!

Step 5: Know when not to procrastinate. Situations for which you are strongly advised not to procrastinate include, but are not limited to: applying for colleges, completing community service hours for Bright Futures and working on senior project.

Procrastination is quite effective when done carefully, but with this great power comes great responsibility to use it correctly. You can make it all work—even at the last minute.

DESIGN BY MYLENA FERMAN

MAY 3, 2018 | THE LION’S TALE | OPINION | 9

entertainment editor

staff reporter

Hardship builds strength for others

Constant moving motivates self-discovery

MYLENA FERMAN

FERN SILVA

Divorce has a huge impact on the mind of a growing boy in the middle of freshman year. It’s something that has the potential to stunt emotional growth for years, to shackle the child behind a barrier of raw emotion with no easy escape.

It leaves the child without any adult figure to confess to, as both parents were off handling the technical aspects of their separation. With no parental figure to hold onto for support, and an emotional barrier that made me feel isolated from the world, I’m sure I have been permanently affected and changed for the rest of my life.

It’s easy to become toxic towards everyone and become a walking cloud of depression. It’s harder to stand up from the ashes of your parents’ marriage and say that you came out stronger than before.

To say that I simply grew stronger for myself is one thing; to show strength through helping those around me, to be someone for others to lean on, is another altogether.

I grew stronger for my younger sister, to show her it is possible to grow up even with a divided household. I grew stronger for my mother, to show her that she had someone to help her with the everyday tasks and the overarching issues we faced.

I grew stronger for my father, to show him that no matter how much we fought, his son would be able to continue on throughout the days.

I grew stronger for my friends, to show them that a split household would not change the friend they knew.

I grew stronger for my teachers, to show them they didn’t have to worry about me. I grew stronger for strangers, to be a ray of sunshine if they needed it.

I may have grown stronger throughout the years out of necessity for my own mental well-being, but I did it primarily--and even solely, at times--for the betterment of others.

There are times where I still struggle with the idea of my household eternalty being split apart.

Sometimes the arguments and bickering are too much. Sometimes, I know deep within myself that I might have been raised better had the divorce not had happened, but in the end, I think I wouldn’t change anything about my life.

I am who I am because of these events. I was shaped and molded through everything that happened to me.

I became a stronger and better person through an ever-growing effort to make sure that I became the rock in people’s lives--the rock that I know I need to be.

DESIGN BY PAIGE SIMPSON

ILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIA BLOOM

Writer finds power in words

editor-in-chief

PAIGE SIMPSON

When I was eight, I longed to be an oceanographer--to take sail in hand and glide across the ocean’s crisp, blue surface to chart its grandeur. I longed to take magnifying glass in hand and study the vastness of aquatic animal and plant species; I longed to take survey in hand and systematize the art of the tide patterns. I longed to be the first to discover what lies deep in its dark depths.

Ten years later, this longing is nothing but a dream, as I no longer hold the same aspirations that my eight-year-old self did; much has changed since then.

I no longer wear bows in my hair, count with my fingers or eat soup with letters floating in it.

I no longer know what it’s like to have free time or what life is like without stress. I no longer have two grandmothers.

But I do still have one, miniscule thing: my words.

All my life I had been searching for a purpose. I sought it in sports and in education; I sought it in helping others.

I’ve discovered that, all those times, I was looking in the wrong places, that the one thing I had been searching for all my life was the one thing that was always by

my side: writing.

Writing was there for me when I wanted to trace the echoes of the trees and when I fantasized plot sequences for the novel I’d never finish. Writing was there for me when I couldn’t sleep or when my brain could no longer withstand all the information being thrown at me in class.

Writing is my passion--my purpose.

I’ve realized that no matter where I go or what I do, I will never close on my writing.

But, as my eight-year-old self realized, I’m rather frightened that I’m selling myself short--that I’m meant for much more than just writing.

I’m not one to fear death. Rather, I live by the words of Natalie Babbitt: “Don’t be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life.

You don’t have to live forever, you just have to live.” I’m fearful of not being able to accomplish enough, and that my writing will be at fault.

But I’ve realized that my words are my strength, that my pen can be just as powerful as a sword.

I no longer wish to chart the ocean and all its endeavors. I wish to save it. I wish to fight to save aquatic ecosystems--the whole environment at that.

I no longer wish to suit up for stuffy court rooms. I wish to take that argumentative tendency and use my words as a means of persuasion.

I no longer wish to educate children in a classroom about frivolous subject matters that won’t amount to two pennies in the real world. I wish to liberate them. I wish to fight for their rights.

My tongue is a weapon, and I plan to use it.

PAIGE RECEIVED FSPA’S 2018 WRITER OF THE YEAR

Seven, five, three: random numbers to anyone but me. These numbers revolve around my head and make me reflect on the instability in my life, and its effect on me.

Seven: the number of homes (or rather, houses) I have lived in. Only a few I consider homes, and fewer still I have lived in for over a year.

Five: the number of years it has been since my parents divorced. That divorce left me dazed and confused about how I was supposed to react.

Three: the number of high schools I’ve attended. Each has a different atmosphere, setting and even personality.

Unlike my classmates, I have yet to learn the area. I don’t share stories with them about elementary years, and most friends live over an hour away from me.

These events have caused loneliness to impede on my life and heighten my depression and anxiety. I did things to please others, to make people happy -I have always put the happiness of other people over my own.

It wasn’t until recently I have finally done things for myself, in an attempt to grow and to improve my mental health.

Events led me to move into my grandmother’s house, my first “home” in many years. She gave me the courage and support to leave behind a toxic house, even when it hurt her.

No one knows how difficult it is to leave behind familiarity until they actually do, even when the environment is poisonous and corrodes your mind. It hurts, then hurts more when you admit to yourself how much you miss it, how much you wish it were different.

But, that’s simply the road to recovery.

I had to reassure myself, after being accused of being selfish, that it’s okay.

It’s okay to be selfish from time to time, especially when you’ve been through trauma.

I began going to therapy and slowly learned ways of coping, many of which I found I was already doing: journaling, listening to or playing music, drawing and (as amusing as it may sound) sleeping.

These coping methods helped me gain my sense of self.

In the end, I know my adolescence wasn’t the most stable. However, because of my constantly changing environment, I know that I am able to adapt to any situation. I can soldier through, even when all I want to do is run away. I know I will continue to place others ahead of myself, and I know without a doubt that I will persevere. After all, this too will end.

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12 | FEATURES | THE LION’S TALE | MAY 3, 2018

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“There have been a lot of times where I’d voice my opinion on something and it’d be disregarded because I’m in high school,” Johnson said.

Fear of the unknown

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Johnson said the idea of being alone can also be frightening.

“The only thing that really scares me is the thought of being in a situation where I don’t know what to do or how to do something and don’t have anyone, like my parents, readily available to help me with whatever that may be,” Johnson said.

Senior Chase Payton also said that having to provide for himself is worrisome.

“I have to obviously pay all of the bills and then having a period of time between graduation and when I join the military where I will have to provide for myself,” Payton said.

Senior Sarah Ragland worries about general life issues.

“The unknown of not knowing how things will work, paying taxes, trying to fend for yourself, being alone and not having anyone to talk to 24/7,” Ragland said.

Payton also thinks that it will be difficult for some students to be on their own.

“I don’t have most kids have to worry about paying the bills, but now they will have to take care of themselves and do their own laundry, get gas, and be selfsufficient,” Payton said. “You won’t be able to rely on other people.”

For senior Brooke Astacio, her family will seem very far away.

“I’m moving to Tennessee and I don’t have any family there, so not having any people around me that I know and love is a big fear of mine,” Astacio said.

Perez thinks that the lack of family guidance will cause him to make bad decisions.

“I’ll probably be a lot less responsible, like I probably won’t go to class a lot more, and won’t get a job,” Perez said.

Johnson, however, thinks being on his own will force him to be more responsible.

“I think me being responsible for myself is going to elicit a lot more cautious behavior in general and probably cause me to think about situations differently than I would have before,” Johnson said.

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Recognizing reality

OHS class of 2017 alumnus Kadi Tao anticipated being on her own.

“I looked forward to the freedom to hang out with other people and not having to ask if I could buy junk food,” Tao said.

Similarly, class of 2017 alumnus Sara Costello was excited to live on her own.

“Before graduating, I think I anticipated college to be this big, huge crazy new life, living hundreds of miles away and with nobody I knew,” Costello said.

Though, according to Costello, things in college have not been all she was expecting.

“Friendships are a lot different because you’re spending literally all your time with those people, and either actually or practically living with them and making decisions with them, and it brings you a lot closer,” Costello said.

Tao also said that friendships since going to college have changed.

“My friends in college have a different dynamic than in high school,” Tao said. “It’s kind of harder to make friends and find new people since the classroom environment is, more of a: ‘get to class, sit down, and leave’ kind of thing versus in high school, where it is quite social.”

Costello said that getting involved can help with friends being less readily available.

“Join some sort of club or sport or something early on, it’s a great way to make automatic friends fast,” Costello said.

Tao also said that getting involved in clubs helps to make college seem a little less lonely.

“On college campuses, you will always find an organization for something you are into and if not, you can easily start a group and connect with people just like you,” Tao said. “Even if you just go to one club meeting, it is so important to meet new people and make connections.”

Costello also suggested getting close to people you live with.

“I don’t think you should room with someone you’re already super close with,” Costello said. “Don’t be afraid to just keep your door open, or talk to people in random places. I’ve honestly made some good friends just in the waffle line in the dining hall.”

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MAY 3, 2018 | THE LION’S TALE | FEATURES | 13

Views about undecided majors under debate years. So my first two years, I’ll do general education; they’ll fit into any of the majors that I want to do, and then if I decide to do graduate school, then I’ll of course take a longer time.”

Piper Garick, a sophomore at Florida Southern College and an alumna of Oviedo High School’s class of 2016, entered college as an undecided major.

“I planned on taking some classes that seemed interesting and then when I found ones that I liked, I would take more classes related to those until I found a major that connected the things I was interested in,” Garick said.

Garick had both fears and reliefs when she entered college.

“My fear was that I just never figured out what I wanted to major in,” Garick said.

“And my relief was that I didn’t have to know right away, I could just take my time figure it out.”

Best to plan

Counselor Lauren Vosburg helps students prepare themselves for college.

“I think that it is best to have some sort of plan in place to start, and be willing and able to change that when you really find what interests you,” Vosburg said. “If you don’t start somewhere, how are you going

Students who declared a major during their first semester in college and stuck with it were 4% less likely to graduate than students with an undecided major

to know what you do or don’t enjoy? To me, it’s like choosing immobility as a means of transportation.”

Vosburg personally relates to students with an undecided major.

“Before I applied to college, I had no idea what I wanted to do, but I had psychology in high school, so I chose that as a starting point,” Vosburg said. “But for a brief moment, I was ‘undecided.’”

Vosburg said that colleges will review stated majors when considering admittance.

“It could impact whether you get into your college of choice if you don’t have a set starting path,” Vosburg said. “Many students change their major along the way, so it may be best to start with something than with nothing.”

Vosburg also said that some colleges will limit students’ options if they do not choose a major.

“I actually don’t see a lot of positives,” said Vosburg. ”You may not be able keep taking classes and will have a hold put on your account until you choose a major, so in college time, it will take you four years. If you don’t pick a major, it could take longer for you to finish, but colleges usually won’t let you take more than four years.”

NBA Star

Senior Kody Benetiz

Wait, what??

STORY BY ISABEL FAIN As the school year comes to an end, many seniors ponder their next step: college. That will define their next four years, but some are hesitant to choose what to study. A few students select an undecided major, like senior Genesis Martinez.

“The school I am going to is fine arts, and I’m undecided as far as what I’m want to do,” Martinez said. “I wanted to just kind of experiment to find out what I really want to do with my life, and usually in college is when you mostly want to find yourself as a person.”

Martinez has minimal fears about going into college with no major.

“I know either way, I’ll find something in fine arts,” Martinez said. “And I’ve been doing journalism and TV broadcasting since middle school, so I know I’ll find something eventually.”

Martinez believes she is actually ahead of her peers by choosing an undecided major.

“People go in with a decided major, they change it like five times just to go into something completely opposite,” Martinez said. “I have a plan as far as having my decided major by the end of my first two

What’s YOUR Dream Job?

Make money but not have to work

Senior Brenna Martin

Open up a shop for JDM cars

Senior Julio Estrada

83% of students finalized their major during their second semester or later

Travel the world for National Geographic Teacher Kim Finnegan

Paramedic

Senior Sam Picard

INFOCOURTESYINSIDERHIGHERED.COM&PSU.EDU

Do nothing

Relax

DESIGN BY ISABEL FAIN

I’m not gonna make it...I was so close.

Sleep I can’t wait until school is over! I have so much planned for summer!

All right! I only have two weeks left of school!

Oh...I forgot.

ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXIS DESENA

LeeKomics

Call Out My Name Song

R

STORY BY DYLAN SACHS “Call Out My Name” is a track on The Weeknd’s first EP My Dear Melancholy, which was unexpectedly released on March 30. Quickly gaining popularity, the song streamed six million times its first day on Apple Music and debuted fourth on the U.S Billboard Hot 100.

The song’s slow, catchy lyrics describe the process of falling out of love, with continued heartbreak as a former significant other moves on to someone else.

Widespread support for the song shows that, sometimes, heartbreak can inspire unintended musical benefits.

Don’t Let Me Down Song

STORY BY CHRISTINA YORK “Don’t Let Me Down” is one of the top hits right now by Sabrina Claudio, who is known for her beautiful style of music, featuring Khalid, another well-known, young artist. This song came out on April 4, but before that, there were teaser pictures on Instagram.

The song is about two lovers who want to open up and have a real relationship. I personally like this song because I like Sabrina Claudio, and I like the chill beats it has in the background. If you enjoy music to chill you out and relax to, she is the artist to go to. All of her songs are quite similar in tone, but this one has a more pop tune.

Ready Player One

By Ernest Cline STORY BY SAADHANA SRIDHARAN Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One--a science fiction novel in which people from around the world compete to find a hidden easter egg in a game which would make them privy to trillions of dollars--serves as a predictor of our grim reality: a reality in which we’ll be waging war on each other in a virtual world because we’ll have already wrecked the real world.

Yet you can’t help but marvel at the technology being used by main characters, such as Wade Watts, throughout the DESIGN BY ALEXIS DESENA

MAY 3, 2018 | THE LION’S TALE | ENTERTAINMENT | 15

eviewed

Avengers: Infinity War Movie

‘Infinity War’ leaves loyal fans in shock by ending STORY BY A. DESENA AND I. FAIN Ever since Marvel began writing Infinity War, people theorized what would happen in the finale. Some early expectations included unique film locations, large threats, a more serious tone and a massive cast.

Infinity War, in all the hype, did everything they could to keep the secrecy.

Even some of the actors, such as Tom Holland and Mark Ruffalo, were restricted from knowing the full plot while filming.

There were over 60 character appearances in the movie, including favored villains, side characters and the original members. The movie is different than past movies because the main cast of heroes actually trusts their friends and weapons in combat. But the cinematic universe progression left a good majority of them unarmed, severely damaged and lacking other elements by the time of

Infinity War. With the high number of Marvel character interactions, fans were unsure how the characters would blend, or if they would get enough screen time. Marvel ended up doing an excellent job with the contrast between personalities and how they work together to take on the conflict.

It also adds an extra entertainment value.

Infinity War is fast-paced and thrilling, with little room for breaks between epic scenes.

Although there is a lot to keep track of, it is still fun to experience all the introductions of characters.

The movie itself was very different than past Marvel films because of its intense action through the entire movie. The main theme of Infinity War is the presence of an unstoppable force that, no matter how many superheroes are present, the conflict still appears bigger than them. The film also has a surprising Biblical aspect, which make the message of the movie bigger than what viewers imagined.

Don’t see the movie unless you are

caught up on all of the previous Marvel movies and are passionate about the franchise. It is kind of a transition movie to lead up to the second part of Infinity War. It ends on a cliffhanger: it seems like nothing can resolve the conflict, which results in eager fans for the following movie in 2019.

The ending scene also alludes to an introduction to new Marvel characters from the comics; in an attempt to make up for the lack of cast by the end of the movie.

“No resurrections this time,” said Thanos, the antagonist of Infinity War. Many fans left the theater in tears and emotionally numb after the long film. “This is D-Day, man. People don’t understand what they’re walking into with this movie,” said Chris Pratt, who plays Star-Lord (Peter Quill) in Infinity War, in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.

This movie is an emotional roller coaster to those who have watched all of the other movies and have grown to love the characters in it.

novel. The most glaring example is virtual reality; in 2044, everyone has access to the OASIS, a virtual universe where players can cultivate new personalities, new characters, vehicles, games and planets to while away their days.

It provides people a fantastical refuge away from the reality: a world that has been ravaged by overpopulation, climate change and a global recession.

This might be a lot to take in, but it somehow works. Cline merely skims over

a plethora of issues the real world faces so you won’t be too overwhelmed with all that mess.

The OASIS, however, Cline explains in painstaking detail.

He goes on long tangents-which seem to span entire chapters--elaborating on how the virtual world works, how an array of technologies collaborate in order to create it, how the keeper of the OASIS (James Halliday) was obsessed with the pop culture of the 1980s.

That’s another thing. For people who grew up in the 1980s, the era of the Atari

2600, this book is a nostalgic treat. For us students who grew up in the era of the Wii, it’s not.

The book is littered with references to rudimentary video games (think Pac-man and Adventure), grainy color films (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) and upbeat disco music (KC and the Sunshine Band).

It’s slightly disconcerting to face futuristic technological advances in a society that is still obsessed with Pong.

Yet, Cline makes it all work by incorporating omnipresent suspense and action. The mystery of finding the easter egg, the threat of corporate control and the virtual violence are themes familiar to all of us living in this decade, making this novel a worthwhile read.

PHOTO BY FORBES

One-Page Low-Down

16 | ENTERTAINMENT | THE LION’S TALE | MAY 3, 2018

App Review: HelloTalk STORY BY EMILY VERNIKOS HelloTalk is a free language learning app that serves one purpose: it connects you directly with native speakers and provides an interface from which to text and call, all from your smartphone.

You can choose from 100 different languages, including Korean, Italian, Japanese, Greek and more.

Once you create your profile, you are able to go on a tab in the app that allows you to see many other users’ posts, users that speak the language you’re interested in.

Messaging other users is very helpful while learning a new language. App features include voice chat, text chat, camera share, translation, tips and voice recognition, which all help you improve your reading and writing in your desired language.

I am currently learning Korean because I’ve always been interested and might study in South Korea when I’m older. When I found HelloTalk, it was a huge help! Having someone who is Korean and lives in Korea makes it a better learning experience.

Like any social media app, be careful with who you talk to--some people are spams, not who they potray themsevles as. But I have made two really close pen pals on HelloTalk. I help them with English while they help me with Korean.

I defintely recommend this app to anyone learning a language!

Song Review: OKRA STORY BY KATHLEEN YORK Tyler, the Creator himself describes “OKRA” as a twoand-a-half minute “throwaway song.” It was released on March 30. In this hip-hop/rap song, Tyler threw random phrases, such as “watered down, I’m big mac” and “I’m quarter pound, you chicken nugget.”

Tyler’s music often fluctuates from rap/hip-hop to chill R&B and a few other styles, which I personally love because he is one of my favorite artists. Since he has so many people featuring in his songs, it makes them more exciting.

I enjoy the song because it stays at the same tone the whole time, so it’s not intense, and I can listen to it whenever.

Sometimes when I’m in a bad mood, I can listen to this song and it makes me happy because it’s so random and

thrown togetehr without a care, and that’s what I love most about the artist and his music.

Tyler himself is an outgoing and creative person, and that makes me more intrigued to listen to his music. That is also where he got his stage name from, which is clever and catchy. All of his songs are different styles and I can

listen to every single one when I’m feeling whatever mood, when I’m sad, happy, angry or excited.

He has a way with his music that really gets to me and makes me want to see him live.

I am planning on seeing him in concert one day, and it will be one of the best days of my life.

Tyler is an outstanding artist and deserevs more recognition.

Tyler’s first taste of fame was when his song was featured when the Los Angeles Times ran an article.

When I tell my friends about him, they tell me that he’s “terrible” and “makes no sense,” but that’s just who he is, and I think he has a big future ahead of him.

Overall the song keeps a good balance of being selfaware and brutally honest. It’s with that, the audience is able to really connect to this great single.

SOUL OF AN ARTIST INTERVIEWED BY SOPHIA BLOOM

Voice Impressionist

Senior Gabriel Hubbard PHOTO BY SOPHIA BLOOM Q: What made you start wanting to do impressions?

A: I started by impersonating my sister when I was younger to get into her voice-coded diary, and that led to sounding like Obama, and that made me want to do more and more voices.

Q: What is your favorite impression to do?

A: My favorite is Gollum from Lord of the Rings, because he was the one I struggled to get right the most, but now he is one of the easiest for me to impersonate.

Q: Can you remember a time your impressions led to an interesting moment in your life?

A: Once, I was online with some voice actors, and I was impersonating them.

Q: What is the hardest impression to do?

A: Probably Owen Wilson, because sometimes I can get the voice right, but other times, I can’t.

Q: What voice do you think you sound the most like in real life?

A: I sound the most like Matthew McConaughey, I think.

Q: Which impression do people ask you to do the most?

A: For some reason, people ask me to do the only ones I can’t do, like Captain America or Peter Griffin.

Q: If given the chance, would you implement voice impressions into a future career? Which one?

A: Yes, I would implement it into voice acting and writing.

Local Review: Simple Greek STORY BY DANIELLE GRIFFITHS

PHOTO BY THESIMPLEGREEK.COM

Walking into The Simple Greek, a whiff of meat searing hits the nose, and it is a punch to a hungry stomach. The line was incredibly long, as there was a special for BOGO gyros or bowls that day; yet, surprisingly, the wait did not take long.

The staff was incredibly friendly as they helped walk each customer through the different options they available, from grilled steak to traditional gyro.

I decided to go for grilled chicken, topped with cream garlic sauce and finished with feta cheese, olive oil and cucumbers. For the higher price, the size of the gyro was hefty--I was able to eat half for lunch and then the rest for dinner.

Having never had a gyro before, I was delighted to find out that I enjoyed such a meal.

The Simple Greek was the perfect place to get my

first starter gyro, and I would love to expand my range of toppings or base meats from their extensive selection the next time I walk through their doors.

DESIGN BY CHRISTINA YORK

To the amazing seniors of the 2018 Oviedian:

Aleena, Brittany, Megan, Olivia, Phoenix, Angela, Kaitlynn, Josh, Skylar, Samson, Hannah, Matt, Genesis, Brandon, Sage, Jazlynn, Molly, Justin, Kaelle, Daniel, Samiyah

Congratulations on this auspicious achievement!

Graduation! It’s time to get wild and celebrate this milestone.

Yes, you will be missed. But you are ready to get curious, to explore, and to have new adventures. You have demonstrated dedication and determination to a goal that is bigger than yourself. You have also proven that you possess the skills and positive traits to achieve and lead a diverse group to greatness.

Stand Proud!! You are leaving a legacy for all Lions to treasure.

As you head out in the world to find your Happy, remember that you will always have a home here. Please come back and share your new experiences. You carry our hearts wherever you go.

-Blessings and Love forever, Ms. Pope and the Oviedian staff

DESIGN BY JULIAN RIOS

18 | SPORTS | THE LION’S TALE | MAY 3, 2018

2018 SPORTS AWARDS

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

TRACK AND CROSS COUNTRY

REASON FOR NOMINATION: Harper is a three-time first team all-conference performer in the Seminole Athletic Conference. He also helped lead the Oviedo boys’ cross country team to a state championship.

FUTURE PLANS: Harper will be run track and cross country for Stetson University.

SCOTT WAISANEN

coach

PHOTO BY NORTHLAND CHURCH OF OVIEDO

MADISON ALLEN

female athlete

male athlete

TYSON HARPER

PHOTO BY NEVADA CULLEN

PHOTO BY OVIEDO SOCCER

GIRLS’ SOCCER

REASON FOR NOMINATION: Allen was named the girls’ soccer player of the year by the Orlando Sentinel. She scored both goals in Oviedo’s semifinal win over Palm Harbor University.

FUTURE PLANS: Allen will play soccer for Vanderbilt University.

GIRLS’ SOCCER

REASON FOR NOMINATION: Waisanen led the Lady Lions soccer team to the state championship for the fourth year in a row. He was named Class 5A girls soccer coach of the year by the Florida Dairy Farmers.

FUTURE PLANS: Waisanen will look to coach the girls to their fifth straight state final game next year.

PHOTO BY MOTHER OF JEREMY ROCKAWAY

SWIMMING

REASON FOR NOMINATION: Rockaway has sustained an incredibly high GPA his entire academic career and has managed to be a state-level swimmer for Oviedo’s swim team. Rockaway has a GPA of 4.55, ranking him number nine in the senior class.

FUTURE PLANS: Rockaway will swim for Swarthmore College.

PHOTO BY OVIEDO SOCCER

GIRLS’ SOCCER

REASON FOR NOMINATION: Blanford suffered an ACL injury in both her right and left knees during her freshman and sophomore years. After sitting out junior year, she came to play her senior year and did not allow a goal in the team’s first 21 games.

FUTURE PLANS: Blanford will play soccer for Valdosta State University.

team

student athlete

comeback player

JEREMY ROCKAWAY SAMANTHA BLANFORD GIRLS’ BOWLING

PHOTO BY OVIEDO BOWLING

GIRLS’ BOWLING

REASON FOR NOMINATION: The Oviedo girls’ bowling team captured their second straight state championship.

FUTURE PLANS: The girls will be competing in nationals this summer for a national championship. With plenty of young talent returning next year and two championships under their belt, the team will aim for their third straight state championship next school year.

DESIGN BY TESSA KOWALSKI & NEVADA CULLEN

ROARBOARD

MAY 3, 2018 | THE LION’S TALE | SPORTS | 19

For more, head to OviedoJournalism.com

Color guard places eighth in worlds PHOTO BY OVIEDO COLOR GUARD STORY BY VANI THUPILI

CATCHING THE WIN. The varsity color guard team performs at the WGI Championships and places 8th out of 65 teams from Apr. 12-15.

SPORTS IN REVIEW: A PHOTO FINISH

READY TO BATTLE. Senior Jonathan Rucker lines up along the line of scrimmage to start a play against home town rival Hagerty on Sept. 7.

DOMINATING THE COURT. Sophomore Kayamo Galloway dribbles past a defender in a home game against Lake Mary on Jan. 24.

LOOKING TO SCORE. Senior Caroline Coleman looks to shoot the ball past a defender in a home game against University High School on Mar. 2.

PHOTOS BY FERN SILVA DESIGN BY VANI THUPILI

The varsity color guard team stepped on to the stage. Blinding lights hit their eyes as they faced an audience of over 10,000 spectators.

“The season has been the best one this color guard has ever been involved in,” said director Dennis Line. “That accomplishment in itself speaks volumes of the progress and success of this program.”

The team competed at the world level for the first time in Oviedo color guard history by attending the WGI World Championships at Dayton, Ohio.

“We performed our show called ‘Gone Too Soon,’ which is a sequel to last year’s show, which was loosely based on the Pulse shooting,” said senior Aleena Voorhees.

These performances aimed to touch the hearts of people in the audience who had lost a loved family member or friend.

“Our show signifies all of the senseless, violent events that have recently occurred,” said junior Rylee Faherty.

The group faced over 80 teams from all around the world in three levels: the preliminaries, semi-finals and finals.

“All of our performances were strong, in my opinion,” said sophomore Sasha Cavallaro. “We all fought hard to put our best performances on because it was our last three shows.”

The team placed 8th out of 65 teams competing at the open class level.

“We practiced at least 10 hours a week to prepare,” Voorhees said.

The large amount of time put into this production by the team, coaches and parents played a huge role in what they achieved, according to Line.

“The experience actually impacted me,” Line said. “I ended up leaving with a greater respect for the athleticism and creativity of what is happening in this activity throughout the world, not to mention the quality of performances that we witnessed throughout the week.”

Team members also felt the significance of the event.

“We’re a very close-knit group, so it was great to spend our last week of the season together,” said junior Ava Ingle.

Star Athlete: Jackson Wydra INTERVIEWED BY VANI THUPILI Q: How long have you done weightlifting?

A: I started weightlifting the summer before freshman year and have been on the OHS team all four years.

Q: What have you accomplished while weightlifting for OHS? A: My bench press increased from 115 lbs. to 207 lbs. My clean and jerk has improved from 95 lbs. to 250 lbs.

Q: How do you support your team?

A: I try to help some of the newer guys out with basic form and give advice on how to get stronger.

Q: How do you lead your team?

A: I cheer on people at competitions and try to set a good example by always working my hardest.

Q: How have you helped raise the standard of your team?

A: A few of the other guys and I started to take the sport more seriously in the past couple of years and it has led us to have more people at regionals and got me to states.

Q: How do you push yourself to be better?

A: Every time I go into the gym I strive to get better with my form and hit my goals set out in my program.

Q: Who drives you to be better?

A: It is never enough for me just to do something at an average level. I am very competitive and that drives me to be the best person and athlete I can be.

20 | FEATURES | THE LION’S TALE | MAY 3, 2018

SENIOR YEAR: TEACHERS VS. STUDENTS

Teacher

Student

Drama teacher, Tim Carter Class of 1986 Almost Paradise

What was YOUR senior prom theme?

AP Human Geography teacher, Kimberley McKernan Class of 1992 The music

What was the best thing about prom?

Assistant Principal, Dr. Jason McDonald Class of 2000 My CD player and my Jeep

Two things you couldn’t live without YOUR senior year?

Assistant Principal, Matt Ackley Class of 1998 AP Statistics

What was YOUR favorite class of senior year?

Support Staff for Virtual School Rhonda Thomas Class of 1991 Favorite: Project Graduation Least: Waking up at 6 AM

What was YOUR favorite and least favorite thing of senior year?

Seth Pisano Class of 2018 Old Hollywood

Trevor Castiaux Class of 2018 Hanging out with my friends

Grace Waag Class of 2018 My car and the Skyward app

Andrew Beckert Class of 2018 AP Lang

Phillip Spurlock Class of 2018 Favorite: Senior lunches Least Favorite: College prep

DESIGN BY DANIELLE GRIFFITHS & JOSH CORDONERO