Issue 8

PANTHER

the

V 59 N 8

Miami Palmetto Senior High School

7460 SW 118 Street, Miami, FL 33156

Friday June 2, 2017

GROWING BOLDER

THE PANTHER STAFF

7

5

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MARLOWE STARLING

PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OLYMPIA RODRIGUEZ

ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF THOMAS MARTINEZ

MANAGING EDITOR BLAKE RUBENSTEIN JACK CRUZ-ALVAREZ

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SENIOR COPY MORGAN ELMSLIE

BUSINESS MANAGER KATHARINE HSIAO

FEATURE EDITOR ROBERTA NICASTRO

NEWS EDITOR kalia richardson

LIFE EDITOR sydney sancho

INSIGHT EDITOR camila myers

SPORTS EDITOR

benjamin spiegelman

VIDEO EDITOR maxwelL landy

20

21

COPY TEAM

natalie askowitz CARMELLA JIMENEZ susan aghedo allessandra inzinna

DESIGN TEAM

CHRYSTAL PETERSON jenna bondy mia zaldivar REMY FARKAS

PHOTOGRAPHER sofIA BRAND brianne guanaga

STAFF WRITER

alexandra pedroso attila dos santos annette gonzalez INEZ LABORN ALEC LANZAS

ADVISER

LAURA AVILES

CONTENTS JUNE 2017

NEWS LIFE

5 7

MEDICAL MARIJUANA

FEATURE

9

GROWING BOLDER

SPORTS

20

INSIGHT

21 ARE WE TOO SENSITIVE?

WEMOGEE TALK

SECRET LIFE OF ROWERS

IS TAKING A GAP YEAR BEFORE COLLEGE EFFECTIVE?

ROUND-UP

84%

SAY TAKING A GAP YEAR HELPED THEM ACQUIRE SKILLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN FUTURE CAREERS.

VS

“

MARIA GARCIA (11)

“

IT THROWS YOU OFF YOUR TRACK. PEOPLE SEE ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY COULD DO AND DECIDE THAT COLLEGE IS NOT WORTH IT.

“

“

PEOPLE TELL ME IT’S THE BEST DECISION THEY’VE EVER MADE. BUT IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU’RE PLANNING TO STUDY AFTERWARDS.

SOFIA O’LEARY (11)

$

$12,000 IS THE AVERAGE AMOUNT A STUDENT EARNS OVER THE COURSE OF ONE GAP YEAR.

INFORMATION COURTESY OF FORBES.COM AND HUFFINGTONPOST.COM

BRIEFING MOSQUITO SEASON

BIG BALLER DRAFT

21ST CENTURY POPE

Mosquito season is back. A year after the deadly Zika infiltrated parts of South Florida, local government has prepared for the worst. While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says last year’s four local transmission zones were cleared from suspicion of further harm, preventative measures will still be taken by the CDC and the Florida Department of Health, through the use of pesticides on adult mosquitoes.

Miami-Dade County’s mosquito-fighting division grew significantly since the virus first affected the area. State funding for combating mosquito-borne diseases has now reached $25 million as a yearround program. Whether the county can or cannot end all cases this year, their actions say that they do not want to fall behind in this fight.

The upcoming June 22 NBA Draft will be met with an unusual storyline. The meteoric rise of Lavar Ball, the outspoken father of highly touted and potential first overall pick, Lonzo, has shaken up the basketball world. His brash personality led him to say he could beat Michael Jordan one-on-one. His son, who is projected to be picked by his hometown Los Angeles Lakers, will not work out for any other teams and his father’s involvement in his basketball life has caused severe backlash among fans and commentators.

Lonzo, who became the first NBA rookie to come out with his own family shoe brand, Big Baller Brand, led the UCLA Bruins to the Sweet 16 in his one and only year of college basketball. His brothers have also committed to the school.

After meeting with President Trump earlier this year and over a month after he delivered a riveting TED Talk geared toward promoting a platform of global unity and charity, it has become abundantly clear that Pope Francis has made generational inroads. An already active member of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, the first Latin-American born Pope plans to join Snapchat.

His fourth year in the papacy showcased his willingness to adjust to an increasingly controversial global political climate, engaging in a Twitter battle earlier this year with Trump, in which he criticized the President for wanting to build a wall along the Mexico-U.S. border. Pope Francis has provided an optimistic message for young Catholics through his personable and evolving approach.

NEWS/4

THE SANCTUARY CITY OF MIAMI

A

ccording to the Miami Herald, half of all Miami’s citizens are foreign born. It served as a haven for legal and illegal immigration.

Sanctuary cities such as San Francisco, Chicago and formerly Miami aim to protect unauthorized immigrants by not complying with federal laws enacted to identify and deport them.

“All cities have to adhere to federal law,” senior Blake Benson said. “[Sanctuary cities] create significant problems for the legal populations within those cities.”

As of Feb. 17, the Miami-Dade County Commission voted 9-3 to rescind Miami’s sanctuary status, the first major city to agree to President Trump’s demands, which decreed that any and all cities with the same sanctuary status would lose federal funding. The new law, pushed by Mayor Carlos Gimenez, states illegal immigrants under arrest will be detained; according to CBS, however, deportation can begin without being found guilty of a crime.

“When I heard a few months back, my uncle told me they’ve deported something like 10,000 people so far and they do

not care if you have kids anymore,” sophomore Alexandra Avelar said.

“That’s wrong. You should not separate families.”

About 55,000 undocumented immigrants live in Miami alone, and make up 7.3 percent of the population in South Florida, according to the Miami Herald. The impact of undocumented immigrants in the economy is immense, not to mention the impact of immigrants as a whole.

“I don’t know where you would get a lot of the workers [without immigrants],” Advanced Placement Human Geography teacher Leonel Ruiz said. “The people who work in the factories, in the hotels, the restaurants, the nightclubs, the stores, much of their staff comes from immigrants.”

Deportation rates across the country spiked in Trump’s first weeks in office.

New data from the Washington Post shows that 21,362 immigrants were arrested through March 1 3 ,

including almost 5,500 without criminal records. Trump’s record compares to 2014 records, a year seen as the most aggressive in terms of immigration enforcement.

“More crimes in this country are committed by citizens than illegal immigrants. As for stealing jobs, the vast majority of jobs that they take--I’m not even sure take is the right word for it--most people won’t do,” Ruiz said. “ It’s a big fallacy of this idea that illegal immigrants are stealing people’s jobs.”

Many Americans wish to slam the door on all illegal immigrants, mainly over fears of crime and a lack of jobs; however, data according to the American Immigration Council shows immigrants less likely to commit crimes than a native-born American. Undocumented immigrants committing crimes against Americans also tends to be less likely. The study suggested that harsh immigration laws do not reduce rates or crime.

“Get [your documentation] done as soon as possible, because then you won’t have to worry about it later, because later you’re gonna have kids, later you’re going to have a life here,” Avelar said. “It’s just not right to say, ‘you gotta go’ when you have everything here already.”

Allesandra Inzinna

Copy Editor

11.3

13.5 percent

a.inzinna.thepanther@gmail.com

million illegal immigrants in the US.

of the US population consisted of immigrants in 2015.

INFOGRAPHIC AND PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY REMY FARKAS INFORMATION COURTESY OF PEW RESEARCH CENTER

1.5

18

million illegal immigrants in South Florida. percent of Miami’s population consists of illegal immigrants.

5

South Florida ranking in illegal immigrant population.

NEWS/5

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS

An amendment to legalize the use of medical marijuana appeared on Florida’s ballot in 2016 for the second time and received the needed support to become part of the Florida Constitution. Yet, the legislation necessary to implement the amendment and its policy has yet to pass, meaning there are currently no concrete guidelines for its usage. Florida legislatures have six months, a leeway ending July 3, to pass proposed rules and regulations for it.

The amendment, however, does outline the eligibility and circumstances to qualify for a prescription, though its usage guidelines are still enroute, and may MARIJUANA IS A LEVEL yield room for individuals to take advantage of the system.

“We should push on that research because we may discover that there is in fact a real utility to using derivatives of marijuana to address pain,” former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said. “But what we have to be careful about is jumping the gun and assuming that marijuana-related products can be helpful, and we don’t have enough evidence yet.”

APPROVED MEDICAL The guidelines of Amendment 2 pertain to those suffering from diseases such MARIJUANA as cancer, HIV and AIDS, epilepsy and PTSD. But the technical wording of the amendment has allegedly catalysed the use of medical marijuana by suspected phony patients. Phrases such as “other debilitating medical conditions” allude that individuals suffering from anxiety, nausea, suppressed appetite or digestive discomforts may qualify for a prescription.

OF VOTES WERE Other medical conditions may be the underlying cause for anxiety disorders, IN FAVOR OF but anxiety is often a psychological diagnosis. And, while psychology has advanced and evolved throughout history, the science does not yield results as clear as blood tests do; the gray area of exaggerated symptoms is nothing new: every day, to coerce mom into letting them stay home from school, students fake a cough and sneeze with begging puppy dog eyes. Only now, individuals claim debilitating anxiety and disorders, in hopes of qualifying for a prescription, though it’s suspected some exaggerate their symptoms.

While the Florida procedural guidelines are not solidified as of now, the loopholes in qualifications yield potential for these exaggerators to obtain the prescription.

“It’s premature to start prescribing marijuana itself or to prescribe smoking marijuana to alleviate medical conditions,” Murthy said.

The most popular anti-anxiety medication, Xanax, has already dealt with the issue of patients claiming unmanageable stresses in hopes of receiving a prescription. The highly addictive and demanded medication surfaces as a solution for problems faced by almost every person in today’s fast paced and uber stressful society. And, not to illegitimize any medical condition, but drawing the line between the inescapable pressure of the 21st century and life hindering disorders is, well, hard to do with certain psychological tests.

Medical marijuana, unlike Xanax and many pilllike medicines, has far fewer drastic and dangerous side effects, which, to some, makes the alternative a more favorable one.“If somebody we know uses marijuana and it actually helps them with the symptoms, that does not necessarily constitute enough evidence to prescribe that for everyone,” Murthy said.

However, the lack of concrete testing and finite evidence leaves a world of unanswered questions waiting for the future to fill the holes.

STATES

29

ONE

SUBSTANCE

71.32 % MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Morgan Elmslie INFORMATION COURTESY OF MIAMIHERALD.COM INFOGRAPHIC AND PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JENNA BONDY

Senior Copy Editor

m.elmslie.thepanther@gmail.com

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LIFE/7

WEMOGEE: GIVING A VOICE TO THE VOICELeSS In early April 2017, Samsung Electronics Italia created a new application based specifically for those with aphasia and other language disabilities called Wemogee. The new emojibased application makes it easier for those with different language disorders to effectively communicate. Wemogee provides a way to chat with peers without the struggle of not being able to either read, write or express themselves.

Around 3 million Americans suffer from aphasia according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD): a neurological disorder including the loss of the ability to understand and communicate due to traumatic brain damage or even Parkinson’s Disease. As language represents a paramount tool in day-to-day life, emojis help those with aphasia express themselves, since many with the disorder suffer from not being able to get their words or thoughts across.

“I think emojis help provide those with language disorders with the ability to communicate their emotions through a medium that everyone is able to understand, allowing them to form connections easily,” junior Colin Hayes said.

According to the American Stroke Association, people with these specific disorders may struggle in any subjects related to language: including reading, writing and speech. Symptoms such as the inability to speak, can lead to social isolation and behavioral problems, such as anger issues.

“Persons with communication disorders or difficulties often demonstrate frustration, anger and depression because of the feeling of isolation,” speech therapist Maria Sancho said. “We often take for granted the ability to express ourselves verbally.”

Because of the detrimental effects that aphasia has on the 3 million Americans, not including those outside of the U.S., the creators of Wemogee combined the iconic emoticons and regular text to function as a personal translator.

The creators chose to organize the new application in folders that contain six different categories with 140 different

phrases based on emotional needs and basic expressions. These include: eating and drinking, recreational activities, everyday life and celebratory events. The text will be translated for those on the receiving end of the text to the regular English language but the purpose of this provides a way for those to express themselves effectively without any language barriers.

“Picture depictions and daily activities have long been used by Speech Language Pathologists to aid those who have communication disorders,” Sancho said. “The new app seems to be a modern take on this concept by using simple emoji pictures as a communication tool.”

The new Wemogee app seems to be a modern take on this concept by using simple emoji pictures as a communication tool.

Brianne Guanaga

Speech Therpist

MARIA SANCHO

Photographer

b.guanaga.thepanther@gmail.com

Hi, how are you?

I’m fine, how are you?

I feel bad/sad.

Where are you?

I’m at

home.

We need to get groceries.

LIFE/8

FRESHMAN 15 In the midst of college stress, eating ramen and laying around may sound like a good idea, however not conducive if you want to avoid the freshman 15. There are plenty of ways to stay FIT in the comfort of your dorm room.

1

2 3

Despite not having equipment to workout in your dorm you can still stay fit. One type of workout called the Tabata workout easily keeps you fit. In this type of workout you do one exercise for twenty seconds and then take a ten second break before going on to your next twenty second workout. In your dorm you could do planks, push-ups, leg push-ups, comandos, scissor kicks and cross crunches.

Without going to a gym, everyday items found in your dorm room can help you workout. For example, bicep chair curls. For this exercise you only need to grab both sides of a chair and bend your elbows to lift the chair up without having it drop on the floor.

Another easy workout called “30 30 30’s,” helps work your core in the comfort of your dorm room. This workout simply consists of thirty pushups, thirty sit ups and thirty supermans. When completing this workout, separate the increments into ten reps of each three times, instead of doing all thirty of each workout at once. Doing this every day will keep you fit and strong.

In college, homework and studying for tests will make you want to grab a bag of chips and get your snack on, but will only put you right on the track to the freshman 15. To avoid snacking too often, try grabbing a water bottle instead of a bag of chips. So when you’re about to study and you feel the need to grab a snack, just grab a bottle of water! In comparison to potato chips, drinking water is a whole lot better for you. Drinking water keeps you both hydrated and healthy since you’re not eating a million snacks a day out of boredom or stress.

Easy snacks to make include nuts, greek yogurt and vegetables with hummus. So if you are going to snack keep it healthy and to a minimum. When you exclude the heavily buttered type of popcorn it could be considered a healthy snack. Getting rid of foods with high amounts of sugar and bad carbs such as white rice and white bread helps you live a healthier lifestyle in college as well. Bad carbs digest as sugar which can lead to obesity and heart diseases.

With such little time and money, a healthy meal may sound impossible but in reality, it can be very easy. For example, a rice bowl makes for a quick and easy meal. The most work you need to put into a rice bowl is cooking the rice, then all you have to do is put your rice into a bowl and add avocado, hummus, sesame seeds and vegetables.

In between classes on the go you could make yourself a salad in a mason jar. Making a simple and quick recipe. The first just put what you want in your salad in a mason jar and you’re done.

In college the best types of meals are not too complicated and quick, so the best way to do this is to make your food in bulk and leave everything else in your fridge. Replace unhealthy take-out leftovers in your fridge with something that’s good for you. Overnight oats, one example, will make your breakfasts easy and quick. Simply mix together 3-4 cups of rolled oats, 1-2 cups of milk, 3 tablespoons of chia seeds and a teaspoon of vanilla for a little flavor. After mixing these ingredients together just leave it in your fridge overnight and in the morning top it with bananas and some shredded coconut.

Alexandra Pedroso Staff Writer

a.pedroso.thepanther@gmail.com

305-662-3888

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FOULS OFF THE FIELD

Over the course of sports, we have seen many athletes be charged with domestic violence and abuse. This led to controversy among many who believe that the punishments for this crime are too relaxed. This has caused athletes to form the opinion that it is okay to abuse wives and family members.

The University of Indiana set a precedent by not allowing athletes with a history of domestic abuse into their programs. Domestic violence in the past was not seen as a deal breaker, but just as a hurdle for universities to hop over. Headed by Athletic Director Fred Glass, this policy came into effect on April 12.

Domestic abuse has also been a huge problem in the NFL with athletes like former Baltimore Ravens runningback Ray Rice and former Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy.

Rice was accused of beating his wife and trying to cover it up and was later released by the Ravens, and his NFL career has never fully recovered.

Greg Hardy was put on an 18 month probation and received a 60 day jail sentence for beating his wife, cursing at her and threatening to kill her. His NFL career has also never recovered due to these

events.

“In most cases, professional sports players who are convicted of domestic violence (and found guilty) do not receive proper punishment,” freshman Adonis Borges said. “You have players like Ray Rice who somehow are able to avoid the full force of the legal system and Floyd Mayweather for example has not received punishment for his repeated abuse of former girlfriends.”

Many people believe that these famous athletes do not receive the proper punishment because of the athletic profile. Even the legal system can be corrupt at times and judges may feel the persuasion from others to not give players fair punishments for their actions.

Shown by the views of individuals, the legal system is overall flawed and the popularity of different figures should have no effect on the punishment for athletes.

Benjamin Spiegelman Sports Editor

b.spiegelman.thepanther@gmail.com

EVERY

A WOMAN IS DOMESTICALLY ABUSED IN THE SECONDSUNITED STATES

9

34%

ONLY

SPORTS/20

of people who are injured by partners receive medical care

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINES RECIEVE

20,800 CALLS PER DAY

INFORMATION COURTESY OF NATURAL COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (NCADV)

THE SECRET LIFE OF ROWERS When one thinks of a sport, rowing typically does not come to mind first. Though rowing may not be the most popular, those who row competitively not only remain passionate about the sport, but gain important health benefits.

According to Health Fitness Revolution, rowing improves the cardio respiratory system and helps the heart of the athlete involved.

Sophomore Ana Orriols started rowing when she was a freshman last year.

“It’s not a sport you can start when you’re young because of the

mental strength it takes to row,” Orriols said.

“Most successful rowers start in eighth to ninth grade.”

Orriols found her passion in rowing after growing up in a family full of rowers. This family tradition led Orriols to her future success in the sport.

“My sister and I both row and I wanted to do it because I wanted to follow in her footsteps,” Orriols said.

Before starting rowing, she participated in multiple sports including basketball, volleyball and cross country. She plans on rowing during her time at college.

“I consider rowing to be my favorite; I truly have a passion for rowing and I hope I get the opportunity to row in college,” Orriols said.

Archive Us Rowing explains how the most successful Division I programs select their rowers from the top junior rowers as long as their academics meet the standards.

The sport requires endless hours of practicing, making it a necessity for rowers to

remain passionate about the sport.

“We spend at times four or more hours training a day that losing wouldn’t be worth the amount of time it takes out of our studies and daily lives,” Orriols said.

Orriols balances her school work and this time consuming sport by doing as much homework as she can in the one hour before she attends rowing and continues after returning home after practice at 7:30, following dinner.

To get ahead, she tends to do her homework during lunch.

“The rowing community is very passionate,” Orriols said. “It’s not very popular because it is probably the most mentally and physically straining sport there is.”

Natalie Askowitz Copy Editor

n.askowitz.thepanther@gmail.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANA ORRIOLS

INSIGHT/21

FACE OFF NOT AT ALL

IS OUR GENERATION OVERLY SENSITIVE?

The world seems to be spinning faster and faster everyday; society is opening up and our voices are being heard. Yet, the misconception surrounding activism equating sensitivity still lingers as a permanent label on our generation.

People fail to realize we are not “overly sensitive.” We have simply taken the opportunity of a changing time with an accepting atmosphere to share our thoughts, ideas and opinions loud and clear. This is not sensitivity; it’s our right.

In 2013, students from Duquesne University in Pennsylvania challenged the opening of a Chick-fil-A on their campus because the CEO of the restaurant chain was homophobic. The students were criticized and labeled as overly sensitive; but what is the problem with not wanting to live around a company whose CEO bashes your identity?

Though there are times in which people exaggerate certain issues, this

does not reflect the entirety of the population. Some people seek out ways to get offended, and the impersonal forms of communication nowadays makes absorbing the intended message a more biased task. Jokes typed instead of recited sometimes don’t convey a light hearted message as they were intended to.

Not to mention, arguments often occur across age gaps as a result of the changes in recent years. Reading articles that appear personally offensive and starting arguments with people about their political memes are counterproductive activities that result in unnecessary conflict. Making someone feel like they are overreacting and are overly sensitive for voicing their personal beliefs will not to make them change.

Camila Myers Insight Editor

c.myers.thepanther@gmail.com

PHOTOS BY BRIANNE GUANAGA AND OLYMPIA RODRIGUEZ

The current generation of social justice warriors has received harsh criticism on their oversensitivity. The freedom of expression through social media available at any time has led to a group of people constantly voicing their opinion on everything that happens.

Back in 2013, CEO of Chick-fil-A Dan Cathy, a devout Southern Baptist, made critical comments on gay-marriage legislation leading to an organized protest against Chick-fil-A from those offended by his beliefs.

Students from Duquesne University in Pennsylvania challenged the building of a new Chick-fil-A on campus, claiming to fear their peers’ safety, regarding the CEO’s comments. Duquesne University’s gay-straight alliance president said that he believed since Cathy does not agree with same-sex marriage, the students’ safety would be at risk and the community would feel marginalized if the Chickfil-A were to open on campus.

If the students were to get upset if

Chick-fil-A as a whole company was to deny customers based on sexual orientation, the reaction that occurred would be appropriate; but Cathy made it very clear that those were his personal opinions. The owner simply voiced his personal belief, and the the students backlashed from their sensitivity.

Everyone has the right to voice their beliefs; however, our generation has taken it too far in the sense that we seem to not be able to handle other’s opinions.

People feel the need to jump down each other’s throats before they even know whole story. Sometimes it seems like this generation takes miniscule issues to the next level. So the next time you scroll through Twitter and come across someone’s personal rant, keep in mind that your feelings don’t always need to overpower your judgement.

Mia Zaldivar Design Editor

m.zaldivar.thepanther@gmail.com

DEFINITELY

A DAY IN THE

LIFE of...

THE UNDERPRIVILEGED There are all kinds of people in this world: people with staunch religions, people with glowing skin tones of different shades, people with deep-rooted traditions and firmly-held beliefs. But among us are the privileged and the underprivileged, and I’ll say what I mean to say outright: the underprivileged are not the equivalent of the undeserving.

The underprivileged, much to the ignorance of a large portion of the world’s more aloof and highly privileged society, surround us; they make up the masses. It is therefore not the fault of the mumbling man dressed in tattered clothing, holding up an illegible cardboard sign, for his shattered mental state and reliance on drugs to mask reality. Nor is it the fault of the gay man who has turned to alcoholism after a long life of emotional turmoil. Nor, for that matter, is it the fault of the woman who holds a pack of food stamps for holding up a checkout line.

All people, as cognisant human beings, have choices, but it is the underprivileged who the world so often views as the lazy degenerates of society. There are other circumstances surrounding their decisions, and for everyone to realize this gut-wrenching truth, we all need to start looking at each other through the lens of humanity versus the lens of judgment.

Over the course of the year, I hope that you, my readers, have picked up on the theme and intended purpose of this column to begin with. I hope that these methods serve as the tools to turn life on its axis so that others may see it from a different angle. I hope they have exposed the voices of the underprivileged when they have no voice otherwise.

I hope that you have read these words in earnest, absorbed them, allowed them to marinate in your head for a while and taken it with you as piece of mind. I hope these stories have enlightened you.

Marlowe Starling Feature Editor

m.starling.thepanther@gmail.com

STAFF EDITORIAL Concerts create a place to revel in the thud of the bass that permeates in one’s chest, soak up the ecstatic screams that fill an arena and bask in the presence of a musical celebrity. Ariana Grande’s fans flocked to Manchester, England to do just this, but instead they were greeted by hatred and murderous intent.

Terror attacks are nothing new. From 9/11 to the Boston bombings, America has felt the burn of terrorism, as have a multitude of European countries. The stark and painful difference in this case is that the target was predominantly the youth, not just random everyday citizens. The event attracted mostly children and young adults and the victims included kids as young as eight. Many parents were left waiting outside the arena for their children to come out, some of which never did -- and never will.

A terrorist’s main goal resides in the name, to instill terror. Today, the places that seem safe and inviting can easily be warped into something truly horrifying.

It’s no radical notion that concerts should not lead to a body count and marathons should not be prime targets for dirty bombs. And yet, that’s the way it is. According to research by the Business Insider, the actual likelihood of an American killed by a foreign-born terrorist shows a very low number, one in 45,808. The risk of being killed by a refugee terrorist drops significantly more, one in 46,192,893, and even more again by an illegal immigrant terrorist, one in 138,324,873. But terrorists do not want the public to know that.

The objective of a terrorist includes not only the attack itself, but the aftershocks.

The loss, anger and fear from these kind of attacks paint the places we once felt comfortable in with blood until there exists no area safe enough. When people allow these violent cowards to influence where they go or how they treat others, terrorism has won. Until we can honestly believe that fear is not the answer, we will stay on the losing side.

LETTERS TO the EDITOR

*Letters submitted may be edited for length, grammar and clarity. Letters can be submitted to Room 911B or thepanthermpsh@gmail.com

dear editor,

dear editor,

The article ‘Beaches Bite Back’ is very important and relevant at the time it was printed. Hearing about people disrespecting and hurting our local beaches hurts.

The design is a nice mashup of symbolism, tweets, and visuals that make the story feel more real. All-in-all, this is one of my favorite articles this year.

I found “The Grind Never Stops” an extremely funny article. It’s a hilarious pHrase that every athlete says and everyone loves to laugh at. Even while poking fun at the stereotype, the article still goes over and gives credit to the hard work the players go through. That’s a balanced story.

SINCERELY

SINCERELY

DAVID PATTERSON (9)

JAYden woodfall (10)

MISSION STATEMENT

The Panther staff aims to inform fellow students and parents about school-wide, local, national, and international news. The Panther’s content aims to represent the student body. Editorials feature the opinions of staffers. Features of other students, teachers and clubs further promote the spirit, culture and personality of Miami Palmetto Senior High School.

EDITORIAL POLICY

The Panther is a monthly publication of Miami Palmetto Senior High located at 7460 S.W. 118th Street Miami, FL 33156, (305) 235-1360 ext. 2337. The views expressed are solely those of The Panther staff.

Students who wish to respond to an article in this publication or discuss another issue may write letters to the editor and submit them to room 911B or e-mail us at thepanthermpsh@gmail.com. The Panther has professional membership in NSPA and CSPA. The Panther prints 3,000 copies per issue for distribution. The Panther is distributed for free to all students in school. Subscriptions (for cost) are also available. Please visit our paper online at thepalmettopanther.com.

Byline Policy: All creative work (such as illustrations, graphics, photos and writing) excluding staff editorials and staff member pictures will include byline credits.

CORRECTION Policy: Any errors in print will be acknowledged in the next print issue in a correction box. Any errors online will be acknowledged immediately. Errors include facts, figures, misquoting and name misspellings.

ADVERTISING Policy: Ads will be designed by the advertiser and include all information the advertiser wants included. If the advertiser asks the staff to design the ad, the individual who sold the ad will design the ad or the Ads Manager will. Ads will be approved by EICs, the Advisor and the Ads Manager. If an ad produced is illegible, contains false information, or the advertiser does not like it, they will receive a free ad in the next issue. If you would like to advertise, please contact us.

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION POLICY The School Board shall comply with all Federal Laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination and all requirements and regulations of the U.S. Department of Education. The Board will enforce its prohibition against discrimination/ harassment based on sex, race, color, ethnic, or national origin, religion, marital status, disability, age, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender, gender identification, social and family background, linguistic preference, pregnancy and any other basis prohibited by law. The Board shall maintain an educational and work environment free from all forms of discrimination/harassment, which includes Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX prohibits sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct such as unwelcome touching, graphic verbal comments, sexual jokes, slurs, gestures or pictures. All students, administrators, teachers, staff, and all other school personnel share responsibility for avoiding, discouraging, and reporting any form of prohibited discrimination or harassment against students by employees, other students and their parents or guardians, or third parties. This policy prohibits discrimination and harassment at all School District operations, programs, and activities on school property, or at another location if it occurs during an activity sponsored by the Board.

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THE PANTHER 20 APRIL 2015