The Panther 2015-2016 Issue 2: November 2015 by The Panther

PANTHER

the

V 58 N 2

Miami Palmetto Senior High School

7460 SW 118 Street, Miami, FL 33156

Monday 16 November 2015

THE PROBLEM WITH UNDERAGE DRINKING

CONTENTS 2

IT IS ALL IN THE GENES

Homosexuality may be caused by DNA changes

11 15 SNAPPING YOUR FUTURE Snapchat may help you find your dream school.

TEENAGERS’ ILLEGAL INDULGENCE

Alcohol and hook ups push teens closer towards the realms of adulthood.

23 26

THE ULTIMATE PASS OR FAIL Random drug testing makes its way into athletics.

MORE THAN A LETTER

Do GPA’s dictate one’s approach to school?

THE W

COVER

hat’s a high school party without the presence of the ubiquitous red solo cup? It’s as much of a staple as our friends, appearing in photos as the only sly indication that alcohol was present. Since prohibition in the 1920s, alcohol has remained prominent in American culture and has become a rite of passage for high school students. It’s the first agent of peer pressure and is a key component in the lives of many high school students.

Our cover is meant to portray one’s vision while intoxicated. The red solo cups are arranged for beer pong, indicating that the subject will continue drinking.

The Panther staff tallies the results of a schoolwide survey determining the effects of partying on Palmetto’s students.

COVER AND CONTENTS PHOTOS BY ANNABEL SANZ

W E I ReV THE

ROUND-UP

THE NUMBER OF CHIPOTLES CLOSED IN THE U.S DUE TO AN E.COLI OUTBREAK. INFORMATION COURTESY OF TIME.COM

REVIEW3

BRIEFING TURKEY EU NEGOTIATIONS Since the Syrian refugee crisis, German Chancellor Angela Merkel turned to Turkey for aid. Turkey planned to join the European Union (EU) for many years. Chancellor Merkel attempted to speed up the process for Turkey to join the EU, if the country agrees to control the large influx of refugees entering Germany. Turkey received $3.5 billion, an amount reportedly capable of supporting up to about 2.2 million refugees. Through the money, Turkey hopes to decrease the numbers of illegal immigrants and ultimately join the European union. Turkey’s Prime Minister and Chancellor Merkel have met in conference, hoping to find a solution for both countries.

HISTORY

FIRST PHOTOS OF HARRY POTTER PREQUEL RELEASED

“

I would watch that. I’ve seen every Harry Potter film and always wondered where they [the beasts] come from.”

LUCAS GALLO (10)

FACE-OFF

in the making

st Time

RETAIL BUYERS

USE DEBIT CARDS

MORE THAN CREDIT CARDS. INFORMATION COURTESY OF NLTIMES

ARE THE NEW STARBUCKS HOLIDAY CUPS OFFENSIVE?

AMAZON LAWSUIT After conducting an in-depth investigation, Amazon filed a lawsuit against more than 1,000 people for writing false reviews regarding products on their website. Amazon traced the steps back to reviewers attempting to avoid detection and found that some paid reviewers use several different accounts with strange IP addresses. These “false reviewers” sold their reviews for around $5 each to companies that sell products on Amazon. Amazon says the false five-star reviews create a bad reputation for their company and business. People selling items on the website buy reviews through websites such as fiverr.com. Fiverr now works with Amazon to resolve the issue.

REDRAWING THE SENATE MAP

“

I don’t think it’s offensive, they are trying to relate to more people than just Christians.” SYDNEY MILLER (10)

INFORMATION COMPILED BY KATHARINE HSIAO GRAPHICS BY ANNABEL SANZ

“

I think Starbucks is trying not to offend people by keeping it simple.” CHARLES NOGUERA (11)

Florida lawmakers met again after numerous attempts to rearrange the state senate map did not pan out. Disagreements delayed the process, one that has already taken three years of revision and planning. After the Supreme Court’s numerous rejections, many argue that lawmakers drew the boundaries to favor certain political parties, an illegal process referred to as gerrymandering. The estimated amount of taxpayers’ money expected to be used to resolve the issue for the multiple litigation and sessions held is $11 million. The result of the court’s decision will remain unknown until next year.

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REPORT 5

HOMOSEXUALITY: It’s All in the Genes

The debate over homosexuality as “nature or nurture” has been a popular topic of discussion in the United States since its removal from the official list of mental illnesses in 1973. For instance, presidential candidate Benjamin Carson and many members of the Republican party argue that people choose to live a homosexual lifestyle; however, a recent study has shown chemical changes in our Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) may affect one’s sexuality. A preliminary study analyzed 37 sets of twins with each pair having one heterosexual and one homosexual sibling, as well as ten sets of twins, both homosexual. It revealed that five parts of the genome may impact sexual orientation. When dividing the 37 sets of twins into two groups and analyzing their genomes, researchers could predict a person’s sexual orientation with 70% accuracy. The study finds that the cause of homosexuality does not lend itself to a mutation in the DNA, but rather the work of epigenetics, the study of how external factors influence the interpretation of the human genome. In simpler terms, aspects of DNA act as a switch and by flipping specific parts of the genome on and off through chemical change, sexual orientation can also be altered. The difference between a change to DNA and flipping the proverbial switch is that turning these switches on and off will affect how the DNA is processed, or “read,” instead of causing fundamental changes to it. However, since researchers did not reach 100% accuracy with such a small sample size, its unreliable results will most likely need further testing. Moreover, the size of the experiment may prove too small to properly reflect the entire human population, further invalidating the results. “Personally, I don’t think it’s a DNA thing and I don’t think that the LGBT community thinks it is either,” sophomore Lauren Chisholm said. “I think it’s more of a different balance of hormones situation.” While these findings delve further than any other study of its kind, other studies conducted in 1993 found that a genetic marker in the X chromosome, now known as Xq28, may impact sexual orientation. The conclusion implied that genetics caused these changes, which flawed the entire study. This means that the researchers believed the changes to be an essential alteration of the DNA. The unreliability of these results is more prevalent, given that additional studies never reached similar conclusions. In contrast, this new study looks at it from an epigenetic perspective and therefore has a less rigid conclusion. This does not mean the results are completely accurate though because they face further experimentation as preliminary results. Researchers also claim that they have no interest in trying to find a “cure” for homosexuality, nor do they plan to use these findings to manipulate one’s sexual orientation. These findings will most likely find their way onto the political stage. As of July 2015, 40 percent of Americans still oppose gay marriage, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll and 42 percentww of Americans believe it is a choice, according to a Pew Research Center poll. This study, even with its flaws, may change the way people view homosexuality. Although it needs further testing with a larger sample size, it does show to some degree that homosexuality is not a choice. More information will come with more testing. “When I was struggling with my sexuality I didn’t know why I was this way,” junior Dylan Barallobre said. “Maybe this could give us an answer.”

Keith Richards Report Editor

k.richards.thepanther@gmail.com

INFOGRAPHIC BY ANNABEL SANZ

REPORT6

PHOTO BY EMILY DIEZ

If one were to go diving beside a Florida reef, the coral’s vibrant colors would stand out sharply against the backdrop of pearly sand and crystalline water. Now, rampant coral bleaching threatens these fragile reefs. Despite many people’s mistaken belief, corals are not rocks or plants. They are marine invertebrates that typically live in closepacked colonies of thousands of identical, independent polyps, sac-like animals usually a few centimeters in length and a few millimeters in diameter. Many scientists regard bleaching as a misunderstood type of “stress,” brought on by various triggers. These include rising temperatures and intolerable ocean acidity, a repercussion of rising CO2 levels. “I think it’s a very concerning situation because of the important role coral reefs play in the ocean habitat,” marine biology teacher Amy Leonard said. “People need to do as much as they can to reduce carbon dioxide emissions that they are responsible for.” Zooxanthellae gives coral its color.

The stress causes corals to eject their zooxanthellae, which advances to a lighter or completely white appearance, giving meaning to the word “bleaching”. A few other stressors include increased or reduced water temperatures (most common), lack of oxygen caused by an increase in zooplankton levels (due to overfishing) and increased solar irradiance (photosynthetically active radiation and ultraviolet light). Rainfall can dilute ocean water and runoff can carry pollutants that bleach near-shore corals. Even sunscreen has gained recognition as a cause for the bleaching. Oxybenzone is a common ingredient found in 3,500 brands of sunscreen. This ingredient alters coral DNA, with its UV killing baby coral around tourist resorts in the Caribbean and Hawaii. With this in mind, it appears that tourism affects coral bleaching and now feels the effects. “[This will affect] a lot of people, especially tourism. People with jobs in tourism will be affected,” marine biology teacher Amy Leonard said.

$1.6

ECOTOURISM IN THE FLORIDA KEYS GENERATES BILLION ANNUALLY. MORE THAN

25%

OF MARINE FISH LIVE IN CORAL REEFS.

INFOGRAPHIC BY KATHARINE HSIAO AND EMILY DIEZ

Bleached corals can survive but face limited growth until the algae-like unicellular flagellate that lives in their tissues (protozoa) return. As corals weaken with continued exposure, they could die. Even mass bleaching survivors cannot reproduce years after. By the end of 2015, approximately 95 percent of corals in the U.S. waters will be exposed to hazardous bleaching conditions. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there has been a 44 percent decline of reefs in the last 20 years in the Florida Keys, and up to 80 percent in the Caribbean exclusively. After exterminating coral for over a year, coral bleaching could continue well into 2016. “We need more programs to preserve [the reefs],” sophomore Dushka La-Rosa said. “They’re a very beautiful environment for our community.”

Annabella Ruozzi Staff Writer

a.ruozzi.thepanther@gmail.com

58%

OF THE WORLD’S CORAL REEFS ARE POTENTIALLY THREATENED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY.

OF CORAL REEFS ARE EXPECTED

60%

TO VANISH BY 2045.

INFORMATION COURTESY OF NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION

REPORT 7

LICENSE TO PHOTOGRAPH PHOTO BY AGNES BARTHA

Due to multiple complaints concerning home and automobile burglaries, the Village of Pinecrest — a relatively safe neighborhood —decided to take action by proposing the use of red light cameras. Pinecrest has also introduced a new set of cameras on US1 and in the neighborhoods of the community to reduce crime around homes. The village of Pinecrest plans to install a license plate reader that identifies every car that enters the area and sends the plate’s information to an extensive database. This will allow authorities to pinpoint which vehicles entered a specific area at the time of a crime in question. The newly implemented system has lead many citizens to become skeptical, questioning the fact that police officers gain access to information that may be considered private. Residents began to complain about the red light cameras on the corners of US1 shortly after they went into effect, claiming they unfairly issued tickets to drivers who did not run the red light. “The red light cameras are useless, and in my opinion they’re rigged,” junior Charles Noguera said. “I’ve heard of so many people getting tickets for no reason when they clearly didn’t run the red light.” While the hope was that these cameras would lower the number of red light runners, authorities created controversy within communities and increased crimes. In many states that have already installed the red light

“

THEY SERVE THEIR PURPOSE AND ARE EFFICIENT AND PROMOTE DRIVING SAFETY HOWEVER THEY CAN BE QUITE ANNOYING AT TIMES.

“

Carlos Damian (11)

cameras, citizens tampered with the cameras after receiving a ticket, causing increased frustration for police. Although the cameras caused tampering crimes and complaints, they prove to decrease the numbers of accidents and increase safety for drivers. “It decreases the chance of getting into a car accident and it prevents car accidents from happening in the first place because people are worried they will get a ticket,” junior Isabel Jarmel said.

“

THE REASON FOR THE [LICENSE PLATE] READERS IS TO ALERT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF WHAT’S CALLED A “HOT LIST,” WHICH MEANS ANY CAR THAT HAS BEEN SUSPECTED WILL BE ENTERED IN OUR DATABASE AND WILL ALERT EVERY OFFICER IN THE AREA.

“

Major Jason Cohen, Pinecrest Police Department

With the newest ‘crime watch’ cameras coming to Pinecrest, tampering with cameras and complaints will add to the complaints concerning the red light cameras. “I feel that I am better protected by my community’s decision to install the new cameras because it ensures a safer place to live by documenting any suspicious vehicle,” sophomore Lily Weinbach said. Although the license plate readers solve burglary cases, in some cases they may violate people’s right to privacy. The cameras allow the police to view information about your car and collect important information such

as insurance, social security and identity in their system. The database could also enable hackers to retrieve such information by accessing the database alone and collecting it for themselves and therefore: the reason why many locals to the Pinecrest area have already complained. “I’m pro red light cameras but I feel like the new [license plate] cameras are a violation to my privacy,” junior Sebastian Fernandez said. “It doesn’t make any sense, there’s no way the police could track down a single car after a crime.” In addition to the red light cameras and the license plate readers, police began a new system in secrecy. Ghost Cops, the undercover group of police who drive cars that have no resemblance to police cars, hide in street-corners and crack down on drivers who violate traffic laws. Although undercover police cars have been around for years, new and advanced undercover cops will begin to roam through Pinecrest soon. Similar to the undercover cops, Ghost Cops do not display police markings on sides, sirens, nor a yellow license plate. Typically a yellow license plate is displayed on a regular undercover police cruiser, while a ghost cop car only displays a small police badge on the license plate of the vehicle.

Chrystal Peterson Design Editor

c.peterson.thepanther@gmail.com

“

I STRONGLY BELIEVE IN THE RED LIGHTS ON US1 BECAUSE THEY REINFORCE THE LAW AND I THINK THEY MAKE DRIVERS MORE

“

Jorge Obeso-Arrocha (12)

PHOTO BY MARLOWE STARLING

ADS 8

11/30/15

LIFE 9

With thousands of pounds of paper recycled weekly and a thriving e-waste program, Palmetto takes steps to reduce its carbon footprint every day. As these programs work to minimize Palmetto’s carbon footprint, our facility still remains extremely inefﬁcient. Ineffective air conditioners as well as original construction from 1958 waste a great deal of electricity and leave lots of room for improvement. “I think we do a lot of things well in pockets,” Advanced Placement environmental science teacher Ms. Pamela Schlachtman said. “If more people were to buy in we’d have a greater impact. Little things add up to big things, it’s not a political thing, it’s about doing the right thing.”

“

IF MORE PEOPLE WERE TO BUY IT WE’D HAVE A GREATER IMPACT. LITTLE THINGS ADD UP TO BIG THINGS. IT’S NOT A POLITICAL THING, IT’S ABOUT DOING THE RIGHT THING.

“

Pamela Shlachtman

The problem stems from a general sense of apathy; the ‘not my home, not my problem’ mentality. The amount of time one spends at school rivals the amount of time one spends at home and its students should treat their school as they would their own home. With 60,000 pounds of paper used annually, this could be greatly reduced through the implementation of more online resources such as Edmodo and

,000 lbs of paper used per year.

200INK

CARTRIDGES USED ANNUALY.

30,000 SHEETS OF PAPER USED every day.

Google Drive to eliminate the use of paper altogether. “Being at Palmetto for 2 years now, there’s not nearly as much paper that I received in the past [at Palmer Trinity],” senior Tony Borhani said. “However I still think we use way too much paper, maybe we could use more online resources to get rid of the a lot of wasted paper.” Nonetheless, many viable solutions have been put into place. With a thriving recycling program, Ms. Shlachtman’s solar energy class recycles upwards of one ton of paper per week. By placing bins in every classroom and using a dedicated group of students to facilitate collection, a great quantity of paper is recycled. “Every Tuesday we collect and empty the recycling bins, and we mainly collect paper,” junior Samantha Mormile said. “We do this to prevent it from being dumped in the trash, because once it is, it will just end up in a landﬁll and is wasted.” A growing e-waste recycling program not only provides safe disposal of old electronics, but also gives the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) a valuable source of extra income. While a great deal of progress has been made in reducing Palmetto’s carbon footprint, there remain many facets of this complex issue to ﬁx.

Brian Morrison Copy Editor

b.morrison.thepanther@gmail.com INFOGRAPHIC BY ROBERTA NICASTRO PHOTOS BY AGNES BARTHA, BRIAN MORRISON AND ROBERTA NICASTRO

FOR EVERY 57 books

504.45 lbs of

co2 are saved.

,000 lbs of paper

per year.

FOR EVERY 2,000 phones

188,200 lbs of co2 ARE ELIMINATED.

LIFE10

COLORS OF THE MIND

COLORS THAT RESONATE WITH VIEWERS PROVE BENEFICIAL TO ADVERTISING COMPANIES Tappan relies on two approaches to design: the psychological approach, and the physiological approach. “The psychological approach [to design] revolves around cultural responses to color,” Tappan said. “For example, my culture has shaped me into associating white with weddings.” On the other hand, the physiological approach to design categorizes autonomic responses to visuals as universal. “There are studies that have shown horses responding with increased heart rates when they see pictures of green barns in comparison to another color barn,” Tappan said. “Responses [to stimuli] like these are explained by the physiological approach.”

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOR You know the feeling. You are on your way home from school, and you pass Chipotle. As if out of no where, hunger strikes and convinces you to pull into the Chipotle and drop 10 dollars on a burrito. Your realization was not spontaneous. At the time of the restaurant’s establishment, Chipotle’s marketing team took consumers like you into consideration and used two deep shades of red in the logo. Why red, and how exactly does color have to do with what you want to eat after school? Color’s inﬂuence on consumers, otherwise known as color psychology plays a huge role on the decisions marketing companies make. Studies show that people tend to make instant judgments solely based on the color of a product. You associated the shades of red in Chipotle’s logo with hunger because you have been conditioned to do so by your culture and your upbringing. Most fast food chains utilize red in their logos to stimulate a sense of urgency and passion, both of which contribute to the consumer’s need to purchase the company’s food. Kay Tappan, a professor at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications, teaches a course named “Sight, Sound and Motion,” which teaches the fundamentals of visual communication.

OPTIMISM FRIENDLY EXCITEMENT CREATIVE TRUST PEACE BALANCE DIVERSITY

CLARITY

WARMTH CHEERFUL CONFIDENCE YOUTHFUL BOLD

IMAGINATIVE WISE

DEPENDABLE STRENGTH

GROWTH HEALTH

CNN, ESPN and E! all deliberately use red in their logos. Through vibrant, warm colors like red, these networks convey a sense of immediacy, something vital to reliable news sources. Warm colors include red, orange, yellow or a combination of them all, and are named as such because they are associated with heat and sunlight. In terms of color psychology and marketing, warm colors tend to convey optimism, clarity and passion. In terms of utilizing other warm colors, yellow and black are put together to create

WEL L S F A R GO B B C

the most alarming color combination to the human eye. The two colors are so opposite on the spectrum that when combined, they create the most contrast. With this knowledge, safety visuals, like street signs and school buses, use yellow and black. After warm colors have been factored out, the three remaining colors on the basic color wheel are categorized as the opposite: cool colors. Blue, purple and green find their spot in the “cool” category because of their tendency to soothe and calm. Senior Luis Millares has a rare form of color blindness in which he cannot differentiate between cool colors. “I confuse brown with green, and blue with purple,” Millares said. “Being an artist, [and having color blindness] has definitely been difficult. Luckily, the colors are written on the bottles.” Although Millares is not as subject to color psychology in marketing as others, he says that the company’s intended message usually gets across through the use of other types of graphics. Companies using cool color psychology are closer than you think. Strictly Panther Business (SPB), Palmetto’s very own fullyfunctioning enterprise, strategically chooses the colors of their products and their advertisements. Senior and Vice President of SPB Public Relations Justin Rodriguez explains that SPB intentionally uses the same color palette as the school to reach their overall goal: promoting school spirit. “SPB is for Panthers, so of course we have to use Palmetto’s color scheme. I don’t think that many students would be buying our products if they were Coral Reef’s teal,” Rodriguez said. “When students buy PantherStrong products, we want them to feel like they are taking part in representing Palmetto wherever they go, not just in school.”

Victoria Arguelles

NEUTRAL CALM NBC

Online Managing Editor

v.arguelles.thepanther@gmail.com HARLEY-DAVIDSON

INFOGRAPHIC BY ROBERTA NICASTRO AND THE PANTHER STAFF

LIFE 11

SN PS IN SCHOOLS

When Snapchat surfaced as a social media platform, it proved to be revolutionary. The brief time allotted to view pictures and videos on the application— referred to as Snaps— drew the attention of teenagers and young adults, who led Snapchat to become a major social media outlet. Snapchat underwent several updates, giving users the ability to send instant messages, post daily compilations, rewatch videos and have photos and videos called Stories, accessible to friends on the app. Most importantly, many colleges and businesses began using the application, gaining the ability to geofilter Snaps. According to Snapchat’s website, geofilters are specific overlays placed on Snaps when users are in a certain location. Users create and submit geofilters to Snapchat for approval. They must meet certain guidelines, such as originality, not taking up too much space on the screen and not using any logos. The only instance in which logos are allowed is if the overlay includes the logo of a college or university and was submitted by an employee. Used between friends or posted generally to a Story, geofiltering serves to show what the user does at a certain location. For businesses and colleges, such as Express and the University of Miami, Snaps provide free advertisement. These

establishments, among other associations, use geofilters to build their brand on a larger scale. College students using geofilters on their Snaps present a candid look into their lives on campus, attracting prospective students who follow the accounts of attendees of the school, or the school itself. Snapchat offers an honest view into the events that occur on campus, whether it is a student walking to class or a sports event. When college students add geofilters to their Snaps, it turns into a commercial or recruitment method for the school. Students attending the school have enough pride to broadcast to their friends and the rest of the Internet the enjoyment of their college experience. Senior Awzean Farshadi is not an avid Snapchat user. She says she “just barely looks at people’s Snaps”, but she still feels that looking at the Snapchat accounts of those who attend colleges she is interested in is a good idea. “I’ll see how the school is and the students there,” she said. Farshadi also agrees that Snapchat could be utilized as a recruiting tool, as it allows prospective students to see the classes and environment. “Use [Snapchat] wisely. Don’t post stupid stuff,” Farshadi said— advice that can be taken for any form of social media.

Fellow senior Jonathan Schleien does not believe Snapchat can aid those researching colleges. “You’ll probably see things that are not representative of the school you are interested in,” he said. Geofilters are available not only on college campuses, but at high schools. Anyone who takes a Snap at Palmetto will see several overlay options relating to the school, including paw prints. These overlays allow students to show school spirit without altering their Snaps. Senior Sarah Siclait, current Managing Editor for the Palm Echo, created the Snapchat geofilters for Palmetto last year. “I was nervous that people would think my geofilter was stupid, but I get excited whenever I see people use it and I think it’s great when they do,” Siclait said.“ I felt a little obligated [when it came to making Palmetto’s geofilters]. Other schools, such as Killian, already had a geofilter and I had already made a bunch for other places over the summer, so I thought that if I didn’t at least try and submit one, it would let people down.”

Susan Aghedo Staff Writer s.aghedo.thepanther@gmail.com

PHOTO BY VICTORIA ARGUELLES

LIFE 12

BRIGHTEST MINDS SHARE THE LIGHT other students has really given “meTutoring the opportunity to give back by using what I’ve learned to similarly help others. Jeffrey Li (12) VP of Tutoring for SNHS

“

BACK FOR MORE: Jose Iglesias (9) brushes up

PHOTO BY ROBERTA NICASTRO

SCIENCE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY In Room 1005 every Thursday, Science National Honor Society (SNHS) offers all levels of science tutoring to any student, free of charge. Utilizing students with experience and specific knowledge of coursework, science students can receive extra help. “The ultimate goal of SNHS tutoring is really about connecting those who can do science with those who struggle with it in a service program that benefits everyone involved,” senior vice president of tutoring Jeffrey Li said. SNHS is most helpful for students in Chemistry and rigorous science Advanced Placement (AP) classes like Environmental Science and Physics, among others. “[SNHS] helped me clarify the math portion of [Environmental Science] and they helped me with some concept questions,” sophomore Kalia Richardson said.

Social science HONOR SOCIETY

Social Science Honors Society (SSHS) offers tutoring to social science students in Room 2006 on Fridays. SSHS fosters students’ interest in social science by improving their understanding of course material. “[SSHS] gets [students] through that first transitive year in AP World History and

AP Human Geography,” junior SNHS tutor Angelo Sciabarassi said. Like other tutoring services, by receiving extra help in the subject matter, students gain interest in the content they study. “AP World History has become more interesting and the subject appeals to me because tutoring gives me the extra boost of knowledge that I need,” freshman Zoe Woodbury said.

MU ALPHA THETA

A convenience for struggling math students, Mu Alpha Theta uses MPSH’s brightest minds to assist students in need of help. The honor society works one on one with students in every level of math afterschool in Room 607 on Tuesdays. “By helping others with math, they seem to dislike it less, so they continue to come back,” senior and Vice President of Tutoring Rosalie Luo said. Many students that received help through Mu Alpha Theta confirmed that they enjoyed learning math more than they would at home and have seen improvement in their grades. “I have learned to appreciate the beauty when a problem works out,” senior Olivia Schuitema said. “Mu Alpha Theta has helped me be more confident in math. My grade is

on his math skills with Rosalie Luo (12) during a Mu Alpha Theta tutoring session. While other seniors raced out of school, Luo gladly spent the hour helping students like Iglesias. “The best way is seeing them continue to come back for more sessions, and recognizing during those sessions they seem to have a better understanding of the foundation of whichever level of math they are involved in,” Luo said.

getting even higher.” Mu Alpha Theta tutoring builds positive relationships between tutors and struggling student who receive help and encouragement to improve in their math courses. “When I see them in the halls, they usually thank me and tell me they’ll be back soon,” Luo said.

TUTORING FOR TOMORROW

Three years ago, alumnus Joseph Shomar started Tutoring for Tomorrow (T4T). A student-run operation, T4T uses its profits as a tutoring company to fund clubs and honor societies at Palmetto. Lead by senior Logan Kraus, T4T has roughly twenty tutors, comprised entirely of fellow Palmetto students. “We contribute small donations when clubs ask for them to cover individual competition costs,” Kraus said. At $30 an hour, T4T charges about half the average cost of standard private tutoring. Since Shomar’s graduation, business has doubled. “The difference isn’t in the quality of tutoring, but the volume of it,” Kraus said. For more information, call 305-764-5618 or email logankraus@aol.com.

Carmella Jimenez Copy Editor

c.jimenez.thepanther@gmail.com

LIFE 13

NEW TEST NEW PROBLEMS CURRENT SAT READING

IMPROVING SENTENCES IDENTIFYING SENTENCE ERRORS IMPROVING PARAGRAPHS

MATH

ARITHMETIC GEOMETRY ALGEBRA 1 AND 2

ESSAY

25 MINUTES

INCORPORATED WITH READING SCORE NOT OPTIONAL RANDOM PROMPT

NEW SAT READING

FINDING MISTAKES IN WRITING EXAMPLES UNDERSTANDING INFORMATION AND CONTEXT CORRECTING SENTENCES

MATH REAL WORLD SITUATIONS APPLY TO COLLEGE, MATH AND SCIENCE QUESTIONS APPLIED TO A VARIETY OF COLLEGE MAJORS AND CAREERS.

ESSAY

50 MINUTES OPTIONAL, SEPERATE SCORE NOT ALL COLLEGES REQUIRE IT SIMILAR PROMPT FOR ALL TESTS

INFOGRAPHICS BY ROBERTA NICASTRO INFORMATION COURTESY OF COLLEGEBOARD, CNN AND BLOG.PREP.SCHOLAR.COM

With the new SAT coming in March of 2016, students question whether they should take the reconﬁgured exam rather than the traditional one. The new SAT features questions appropriate to future careers, centering on skills that relate to knowledge at the “heart of education.” This is intended to make a student study questions that he or she may encounter in future life situations. The exam focuses on choosing and then justifying answers to measure what one has learned in high school and what one needs to succeed in college. One of the main changes made to the current SAT focuses on skills related to college readiness and career success, applying more what students learn in school. Rather than prepare students for college and future professions, the current exam only presented tricky and random questions, irrelevant outside of the test. The new exam will take a total of three hours, not including the optional writing part of the test that takes 50 minutes. The current SAT, introduced in 2005, changed for the ﬁrst time in 10 years. The traditional exam did not use fact-check to validate the information in essays. So, the longer and more information a test taker would write, the higher he or she would score. Another main concern with the old SAT test is that many people would stress about it because they did not know what to expect. Some of the questions had nothing to do with students and what they are actually learning in school.

Blake Rubenstein Staff Writer

b.rubenstein.thepanther@gmail.com

SENIOR HELP:

APP HELP: Helps you study for both the SAT and ACT.

Practice TIME MANAGEMENT. - Ross Rosen

Trains you daily. Allows you to take tests on individual sections.

Learn how to apply

GRAMMATICAL RULES.

- Nathan Wasserman

Remain calm during the test and remember to PACE YOURSELF. - Kayla Bu afuoco

I’m taking the old SAT because I know more about it. I would rather take the test that I’m more informed about than the one I know less about.”

- Jonathan Roth (11)

D a i ly Prac t ic e

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FEATURE 15

ILLEGAL

INDULGENCE PHOTO BY REMY FARKAS

The red solo cup – once a simple means of drinking, this piece of plastic has transformed into a cultural icon that now represents an entire generation of partiers. From hook ups to hangovers, the elements of adulthood have seeped into the lifestyle of the 21st century teenager. Parties have evolved from purely social gatherings to become a hub of underage drinking and casual sexual encounters. As today’s teenagers dive deeper and deeper into mature indulgences, their youthful innocence ﬁnds itself left in the dust.

FEATURE 16

FEATURE 17

TODAY’S PARTY CULTURE

n a warm November night, as their parents lie down ready to fall asleep, a Palmetto teen’s night is only beginning. Within seconds of walking through the door, they are offered a drink, not so discreetly disguised inside of a red solo cup. At 2:30 A.M., they could not tell if the room is spinning or if they’ve simply had one too many drinks. Again and again, they watch as classmates throw back shots of vodka with the ease and confidence of a seasoned drinker, shedding the prim and proper personalities they maintain from 7:20 A.M. to 2:20 P.M., Monday through Friday. The following morning, the only memories remaining of the night are the blurry photos on a cracked iPhone screen and the dull headache stemming from the traces of alcohol that remain in their blood. This teenager’s experience is not an uncommon one. It is the archetypal high school teenager. Underage drinking and wild parties have been a fixture of the high school landscape for decades. While it may be illegal, 11% of alcohol consumed in the U.S. is consumed by persons aged 12 to 20, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), irrevocably proving that underage drinking is engrained in American culture and shows no signs of slowing down. “People our age like to feel older and by drinking, a lot of people feel like they are adults,” sophomore Maria Garcia said. While tales of wild weekends and alcohol-fueled hookups fill classrooms each Monday, most students continue to turn a blind eye to the very real consequences of underage drinking. Because of its prominence in high school party culture, it is easy to forget that teen drinking is illegal, and if caught, a teen could face a misdemeanor charge at the very least. Nonetheless, getting busted is

PHOTO BY ANNABEL SANZ

usually regarded as an afterthought. “First of all, it is against the law to drink under the age of 21,” Major Jason Cohen of the Pinecrest Police Department said. “The consequences could range from getting their license taken away if driving and is also a civil violation.” Despite its place on a teen’s permanent record, a misdemeanor charge is the least severe consequence teenagers face for underage drinking. According to the CDC, alcohol is responsible for more than 4,300 annual deaths among underage youth and in 2010, there were 189,00 emergency room alcohol-related visits from people under 21 for injuries and other conditions. Binge drinking, a growing problem among young drinkers, permeates 15 percent of teenagers. Perhaps the most valuable consequences though are those with long-term effects. Drunk driving has killed thousands in America and with six percent of Palmetto students confessing to having done it, it is difficult to pretend that it does not affect our community. “The solution starts at home,” Cohen said. “It comes with parents making sure their kids are educated on underage drinking and consqequences.” America can collectively agree that teenage drinking is a problem that requires attention. Combating that problem though, is a daunting challenge. “When we have our kids, we are going to think it’s normal to drink at a party,” junior Roxanna Montoya said. “It’s just a part of our culture.” Sexual relations in high school evolve constantly, from the courtship of the sixties to the loose sexual ﬂings of today. Hooking up varies in meaning from kissing to making out to having sexual intercourse. While the term differs in perception based on the individual, the new interpretation of hooking up has arisen.

Today’s society puts relationships on the back burner and hooking up foremost. Traditionally, relationships began with a person seeking out another individual and asking them on a date. If they’ve enjoyed each other’s company they would continue going on dates and ultimately, begin a relationship. Making out and having sex comes somewhere later in the equation, based on a couple’s preferences. On the other hand, relationships in the hookup culture are flipped. Hooking up initiates the relationship and depending on the couple’s intentions, they decide where this pursuit may lead: a relationship, a one-time fling or a strictly physical alliance. With the glorification of alcohol in teenagers’ minds, hooking up follows in its path. According to the McKinley Health Center, men and women are both more likely to engage in sexual activity while under the influence of alcohol. Additionally, the Health Center reported that alcohol increases perceptions of attractiveness for both men and women, further promoting sexual behavior. Sophomore Ernesto Arill discloses that he would not go past making out with a girl if he had recently met her, in fear of who she has been with prior. However, he does agree with statistics that present alcohol’s substantial influence in hooking up. “Alcohol makes a huge difference in the way people hook up so frequently because it makes you lose control of your actions,” Arill said.

Isabelle Carbajales

Editor-in-Chief of The Panther

i.carbajales.thepanther@gmail.com

Annabel Sanz

Print Editor-in-Chief

a.sanz.thepanther@gmail.com

FEATURE 18

PANTHER

PARTYING STATISTICS

14 40

DEFINITON OF A HOOK UP

PERCENT OF TEENS HAVE DRIVEN

SEX

UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL.

19% 20% 51%

PERCENT OF TEENS HAVE HOOKED UP WITH SOMEONE AT A PARTY.

AVERAGE NUMBER OF PARTIES TEENS HAVE GONE TO SINCE THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

MAKING OUT

PERCENT OF PARENTS KNOW THEIR TEENAGE CHILDREN DRINK ALCOHOL.

OTHER

PERCENT OF TEENS HAVE HAD SEX UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL.

55%

70%

75%

88%

PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE CONSUMED ALCOHOL BY GRADE.

AVERAGE AGE TEENS FIRST CONSUMED AN ALCOHOL BEVERAGE. SURVEY OUT OF 1053 MIAMI PALMETTO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS INFOGRAPHIC BY REMY FARKAS

PERCENT OF TEENS HAVE BEEN TO A PARTY IN WHICH ALCOHOL WAS SERVED.

THE RIGHT BALANCE

FEATURE 19

Partying is an integral part of Briland Hays’ social life. A “In college you have the opportunity to party heavy every Palmetto alumnus and freshman at the Florida State University night,” he said. “I keep my partying to the weekend so that I can (FSU) College of Engineering, Hays found a way to balance an focus during the week.” increased workload in the classroom with his desire to have fun This strategy makes a difference. Limiting partying to Fridays during his time at Palmetto. and Saturdays not only helps Hays focus on his school work during This wild lifestyle started in 7th grade for Hays, the first time the week, but also allows Sunday to become a safety-net in case he consumed alcohol at a party. Going to parties quickly became a the partying gets out of control. That allows Sunday to serve as a fixture in his life; however a consistent intake of alcohol seemed buffer day, to recover from drinking and sleep deprivation and to to have no effect on school at the time. focus on any homework or studying that hasn’t been attended to. “I threw a bunch of parties but usually I went to one,” A solid B student in college, Briland Hays’ ability to Hays said. “It didn’t matter because it wasn’t hard to focus on school and still party keep partying balanced with school back then because consistently on the weekends there [weren’t] really any parties during the week.” creates an attainable goal for Nonetheless, this proved to be false for Hays, as students who want to experience increased partying at a young age began to interfere all aspects of academic and social with his school work causing his progression in the life and have trouble balancing out classroom to come to a standstill. the two. “It got to the point where I went out too Hays’ story reveals that everything is much and being too hung-over to go to class better in moderation. Excessive partying of Americans caused me to get behind,” Hays said. can get in the way of schoolwork, proving that consume alcohol The moment when Briland reassessed detrimental to academic success. On the other his partying habits came on the eve of his hand, total focus on school seems ideal, yet it are between 12-20 freshman year, after attending a party is not. years old. that got out of control at his friend By devoting life to the classroom solely, Juan Garcia’s house before the start of social skills necessary to lead a successful freshman year. of “At his party a bunch of kids Being social and going to parties alcohol consumed showed up, like 300,” Hays said. allows you to connect with “People were throwing up in the by teens was people, meet new friends and grass and ambulances had to take end up learning a thing or two in the form of some people because they had about yourself. binge drinks. alcohol poisoning.” Briland Hays This extreme experience had an immediate impact on 14 year old and well-rounded life are hindered. Although of people Hays. He vowed to make a change partying and school seem like polar-opposite with high school approaching. activities, they both teach life lessons one way ages 12 to 20 “I knew what was right and or the other. drink alcohol. what was wrong and I have my “Partying has its ups and downs and you priorities,” Hays said. “School learn from your mistakes when things go bad,” comes first.” Hays said. “Being social and going to parties At Palmetto, Hays learned allows you to connect with people, meet new to use experiences like this friends and end up learning a thing or two one as a foundation for a about yourself.” more organized lifestyle. The mentality carries over to FSU, as he’s found a way to adjust to more partying opportunities. Hays has establishing Thomas Martinez personal limitations that prevent chaos and ensure that Copy Editor his education comes first.

11%

90%

24%

t.martinez.thepanther@gmail.com

INFOGRAPHIC BY REMY FARKAS INFORMATION COURTESY OF THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL

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SPORTS 22

REPLAYING THE

GAME R

eferees and umpires in the world of professional sports have enforced the rules of their respective sports for decades. But, as technology keeps advancing, the need for these officials diminishes. The goal of implementing more technology into the world of officiating is not merely because officials are bad at their jobs; it is because they are humans. Sports leagues across the United States have looked to eliminate human error in officiating in order to create

“

REPLAY HAS DEFINITELY CHANGED THE OUTCOME OF A LOT OF GAMES. I THINK THAT HELPS MAKE A MORE ACCURATE DECISION AND IT BENEFITS THE NFL BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE TRUST THE DECISIONS THEIR REFEREES MAKE.

“

CHRISTINA VINCENT(12)

more fairness and a more level playing field. Since 1986, the National Football League (NFL) has used replay systems as a means of ensuring correct calls on the field, making it one of the first leagues to utilize the feature. Replay holds an important role in determining critical calls in regular season games, playoff games as well as Super Bowls that may have been called incorrectly had replay not existed. This was crucial in the ending the 2007 New England Patriots bid to become the first team in NFL History to go 19-0 and break the 1972 Dolphins record of 14-0 for an undefeated season. During the game, Giants receiver, David Tyree, caught a pass on his helmet that would change the fate of the Patriots and their perfect season. After a review of the play, the officials determined that Tyree caught the pass. A couple of plays later, the Giants scored and won the Super Bowl.

“With the way sports are evolving because of technology I think there will always still be room for referees and umpires,” senior Christian Desoto said. “The replay analysis is only used for confirming calls. Referees will always be in sports even with technology growing each day.” Since the beginning of the 2002-2003 season, the National Basketball Association (NBA) used replays to review out of bounds calls, three point shots, shot clock violations, flagrant fouls and last second fouls. Although technology helps in officiating NBA games, many still believe that especially in playoff games officials may be biased. For example, in a playoff game some people believe that officials will favor the home team in their home arena on calls like offensive charges, blocking fouls as well as illegal screens. Major League Baseball (MLB) installed instant

replay technology during the 2008 season to determine close home run calls. At the beginning of the 2014 season, MLB extended replay to all officiating calls in baseball excluding balls and strikes. Some national baseball writers called for the implementation of an electronic strike zone from a monitor up in a booth because of the problems associated with umpires calling balls and strikes at the plate. Many believe that strikeout rates have increased over the past ten years due to umpires making the strike zone “bigger” to counteract inaccurate calls. “Replay has definitely changed the outcome of a lot of games,” senior Christina Vincent said. “I think that helps make a more accurate decision and it benefits the NFL because more people trust the decisions their referees make.”

Shane McCrink Sports Editor

s.mccrink.thepanther@gmail.com

PHOTO BY SOFIA BRAND

SPORTS 23

The Truth

hind The

Te 52

sts

try and eliminate the use of these drugs at the high school level. In 2013, a Biogenesis of America clinic and Coral Gables was caught distributing steroids to teenagers in the Miami area, sparking controversy locally and making skeptics out of many Miami-Dade ofﬁcials. “I think they should test [student athletes] because steroids make you a better player so it’s technically cheating,” sophomore Clayton Spinelli said. “It’d give them a huge advantage.” Miami-Dade County Public Schools plans to spend large amounts of money on tests that can be cheated with only one minor change to a chemical formula. Controversy arises due to the large amount of individuals who question the reliability of the tests. “There’s no point in drug testing athletes,” sophomore Bryan Berlioz said. “Drug users will always ﬁnd a way around the system. There are more important things to spend money on.” Despite the controversy, however, drug testing student athletes is said to be in Miami-Dade’s future. Now, it is a matter of when the tests will be enforced locally.

Morgan Elmslie Design Editor

m.elmslie.thepanther@gmail.com PHOTOS BY MORGAN ELMSLIE, CHRYSTAL PETERSON AND BLAKE RUBENSTEIN

In August of 2014, Miami-Dade County Public Schools superintendent Alberto Carvalho announced his district wide plan to drug test student athletes for steroids and other performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). After the announcement, controversy rose among both student athletes and parents. “For the health of the person, I think it’s important to be drug free,” senior Anique JeanJoseph said. Steroid use outside of the medical ﬁeld has unstudied consequences. In a controlled setting, the patient would be carefully observed while taking steroids. However, athletes who abuse steroids typically take increased dosages. Doctors have never studied doses in these amounts out of fear of what the outcome would be on a patient and ethical conﬂicts. Therefore, many potential dangers within the substance have gone without documentation. Teenagers are especially at high risk of developing later health consequences as a result of steroid use in adolescence. Athletes who illegally take advantage of steroids use them to build muscle and shorten “recovery time.” Under non-regulated use, people who take steroids could face serious health consequences. Steroids are intended to help those with anemia, breast cancer and low muscle mass due to AIDs or HIV. Due to their illegality, PEDs are either smuggled into the United States or made secretly in labs, where they could easily be tampered with and mislabeled. Another issue at hand is the cost. Drug tests for steroids and PEDs, such as human growth hormones, are out of the budget for MiamiDade County. Not only do the tests cost around 150 dollars, sometimes more; but they also take a lengthy time to run and evaluate, and sometimes do not provide clear results. Carvalho set aside 73,000 dollars to spend on drug testing Miami-Dade athletes. However, it actually costs over $2 million to issue PED tests to all athletes in the district, according to the Miami Herald. “It’s too much money,” junior Justin Brownstein said. “No one in high school does steroids anyways.” Although PEDS have become an increasing issue at the college and professional levels, they’re also beginning to pop up at the high school level. Parents and the school board teamed up to

YES

“For one, steroids are illegal and they’re bad for you. It’s high school. No one needs to be on steroids for this level of sports. It’s really not that competitive.”

“Drug testing for steroids is a waste of money. Most athletes in high school don’t use them. It’s pointless to spend time and money looking for things that are not out there.”

Should the district drug test student athletes?

- Keely Ellington (11)

- Jose Isaza (10)

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INSIGHT25

TECH TALK BEFORE SEX TALK The dreaded sex talk between parent and child exists as the pinnacle in a child’s leap transition to maturity and the peak of awkwardness in the relationship. Many parents wonder when they should discuss the birds and the bees with their children. In the past, parents tried to talk to their children before they learned incorrect information from their best friend’s older sibling. However, in today’s world, parents contend with modern technology. As social media envelops the lives of teens, adults question whether or not they should give their kids a “tech talk”. As soon as a person can tap a screen, click a mouse or type on a keyboard, he or she has access to the largest information source in the world. A tech talk teaches young adults to make responsible and educated decisions about mature topics that

appear on the internet. This encourages teens to make responsible comments, view approved proﬁles and avoid watching inappropriate content on the web. In addition, children are taught to avoid sexual predators, cyberbullying and sexting. The harsh environment exposed to minors is not only emotionally scarring, but also morally debilitating. These lessons allow kids to maintain their innocence and approach harsh material in the future with maturity. While this may seem like an easy ﬁx, adults must learn the in’s and out’s of the web. According to CNN, two of the most popular words seven year old children search on Google are “sex” and “porn”. This revelation causes the awkward sex talk to occur at a much younger age than in the past. The research should inspire adults to take the initiative and teach their kids about necessary

responsibilities while surﬁng the web earlier than anticipated. Adults do not understand the level of explicit material exposed to children through social media. Parents in their forties, ﬁfties and sixties now begin to comprehend the complexity of social media and the toll it places on their youth. As adults uncover the Internet’s harsh content, they discover vast amounts of uncensored material easily accessible to theirchildren. The growing method to preventing this issue is the tech talk. Unfortunately for this generation, adults often don’t have a proper warning to keep children from exposing themselves to malicious knowledge, just one click away.

Maxwell Landy Video Editor

m.landy.thepanther@gmail.com

INTERNET SAFETY

are some subjects that I wouldn’t feel “ There comfortable talking to my parents about that I could just look up online.“ Justin Ouaknine (12)

percent of teens hide their online behavior from parents.

$3,075.64 is being spent on pornography every second.

Every 39 minutes, a new pornographic video is made in the United States.

372 Internet users 5th grade I overheard kids talking about “ Around things online, so I went home and searched up what the words meant instead of asking my parents.

“

PHOTOS BY CHRYSTAL PETERSON

Zeeshan Ahmed (10)

are typing adult search 28,258 Internet viewers are terms into search watching pornography engines every second. every second.

INFORMATION COURTESY OF CNN

INFOGRAPHIC BY REMY FARKAS

INSIGHT 26

LOOKING PAST GR DES Take a look at your courses. Think about it collapses, does he or she get partial credit why you chose them. The answer usually because it remained stable for nearly 40 years goes one of two ways: “I could use the GPA prior? In cases such as the I-35W highway boost” or “I thought it would be interesting.” bridge in Minneapolis that collapsed in Colleges find grade point averages so August of 2007, 13 people died and 145 were imperative that the temptation to take a injured, but that has to earn the engineer at class worth nothing on an interest level least a B for the project and an A for effort. becomes overwhelming. In the real world, the way you complete a Filling a class with students who only job affects those depending on you to do it seek a GPA boost deprives the environment right, and there is no point scale to determine of the passion of learning, especially when exactly how well the job was completed or a students genuinely interested in the subject at boss’s satisfaction. In school, an incomplete hand find it unfair to have a class dominated assignment only really lets down the teacher. by uninterested students. These uninterested Instances like the bridge literally let down students often discourage the teacher, hundreds of people. The GPA scale fails depriving students in the class and the to teach students this crucial aspect of life teacher from reaching their full potential. -- which, ironically, means the system itself To learn what you want to learn, take classes cheats its own proponents. you want to take. You have heard it a thousand times in Grade point averages skew such a hundred ways; cheating is bad, the only priorities. While filling out subject selection person you cheat is yourself, honesty is the forms, one encounters a tough decision; best policy-- but you never really think about take a class to boost GPA and look better the long term “why”. Short term: higher or take a class to boost knowledge and be GPA, proud parents. Long term: confusing better. The GPA boost usually wins. Students and terrifying career. want to maintain their “image” in the hopes The question is this: what do you do of getting admitted into a better university when your college professor expects an A in or even for something as simple as owning Physics but you bought your grade in high bragging rights at the lunch table. school with extra credit or borrowed it from In reality, most students value grades the student adjacent to you during testing? more than knowledge, because of society. GPA ruins how students look at their Teenagers now live in a time when their future careers, sets unrealistic standards reputation matters more than the true and fails to allow students to recognize quality of their work and work ethic. the consequences of their actions. If you Worry arises when a resume exceeds the find yourself making decisions for a “GPA real qualifications. boost,” it may stop you from pursuing Agnes Bartha Lack of qualification not only inclines Photo Editor your interests-- interests which would help people to conceal knowledge they do not a.bartha.hepanther@gmail.com support a happy and financially stable future. possess, but if frequent enough, it destructs society too. If an under-qualified engineer Agnes Bartha relying on his or her inflated GPA to carry Photo Editor them through schooling builds a bridge and a.bartha.thepanther@gmail.com

PHOTO BY CHRYSTAL PETERSON

INSIGHT 27

BLEED YOUR COLORS PHOTO BY ANNABELLA RUOZZI

PHOTO BY CHRYSTAL PETERSON

Remy Farkas

Feature Editor

r.farkas.thepanther@gmail.com South D

emy cad yA

Palme tto B

ig h

Coral Reef

THE PANTHER FOOD web

do not even have their parents there to cheer them on, so having fellow students there makes a difference, even when the team does not win. However, our school spirit must go beyond the football field; clubs, activities and academic competitions also need support. Getting involved in these activities is another way to show school spirit, which allows many students to find their place in high school and expand their horizons. Through these opportunities, students should find support from each other and find comfort from like-minded students within their own school. Students may feel that they do not have time to express school spirit or consider school spirit uncool. But the simplest acts can make a difference in the morale of the school, like wearing a spirit shirt on the day of a club meeting or getting dressed up for sporting events. Spirit is not an individual activity. It is a group effort that impacts the entire student body and the surrounding community. So next time there is a competition involving Palmetto, get together with a group of friends, get dressed up, make a big poster and head out to show your white and blue.

PHOTO BY CHRYSTAL PETERSON

Nothing is more encouraging than seeing everyone decked out in white and blue and cheering for our Panthers as one walks into a pep rally. Spirit has no age limit. In fact, school spirit should grow with age. A senior should be just as spirited, if not more spirited, than a freshman. However, some feel they are too old to express their school spirit. School spirit consists of one’s emotional devotion to a school itself, as well as its students. In short, school spirit makes school fun. School spirit effectively encourages enthusiasm in an unenjoyable setting. Students actively enjoy school through unity, passion and devotion to learning, sports and extracurricular activities. Homecoming seems to be the only week of the year in which students show their love for Palmetto, through Tacky Tourist Day or Blue and White Day. Yet still, only some students get decked out for the occasion. Attendance at the Homecoming game is exponentially greater than any other football game of the season. Students should be showing spirit all year long. Many students fail to realize it, but athletes tend to perform better when they feel supported by their fellow students. It gets them excited to play and makes their sport more enjoyable and the players more competitive. Nothing feels better than having your entire school cheering you on. Some sports teams

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INFOGRAPHIC BY MARLOWE STARLING

INSIGHT 28

Is Texting Changing The Way We Talk?

PHOTO BY CHRYSTAL PETERSON

The days of mailing letters to someone are long gone. Advertisements, bank statements, utility bills and college pamphlets made their way through the 21st century as lone survivors. When communicating with someone, texters rely on a small assembly of metals and two thumbs to get the job done. For a technology-driven society, innovative thinkers refined brick-shaped phones with long antennas into credit-cardthin, pocket-sized computers in thirty short years. Smartphone users enjoy the luxury of checking emails, surfing the web, watching videos and playing games in addition to making calls and sending texts. The owner and the phone are inseparable, together 24/7 for roughly two years until the latest model is released. This connection redefines the way consumers live and how they communicate. With an increasing availability of smartphones, users shy away from talking in real time and making phone calls. When phone-owners text, they minimize the effort of having to meet up with someone in an efficient manner. Texting also eliminates the awkward silence that occurs when someone runs out of things to say. This new form of communication has given way to a new language of acronyms and awkwardly misspelled words. As a result of this, improper English surfaces outside of the phone. Teachers find students guilty of sentences with

INFOGRAPHIC BY MARLOWE STARLING AND CHRYSTAL PETERSON

incorrect punctuations and abbreviations instead of spelling out the words. With text messaging reigning over other forms of communications through its effectiveness and efﬁciency, the traditional English language regresses slowly back to the caveman era. The words lost their essence. Text messagers send “I love you” effortlessly. Words once used so sparingly made it into the list of most frequently used words. “Bye” is now used by many, as a way to say “I don’t want to talk to you right now.” Because the recipient cannot use physical expressions as context clues, words became easier to misinterpret from the multiple meanings they carry. This doesn’t only affect teens; it affects everyone who uses their phones daily. Many have trouble recalling the last time someone texted “thank you” instead of “ty,” “thnx” or “thx.” Although texting causes more harm than good, it has given us the opportunity to think before speaking unlike verbal communication. It also allows us to feel secure and express our thoughts without facing dire consequences. Teachers now encourage students to use texting language when taking notes. No one can deny the fact that it is the most convenient way to converse.

Sungho Son

Design Editor

s.son.thepanther@gmail.com

EMOJI REVOLUTION Original The Original Laughing Face

“When my boyfriend asks if he can go to a party.” Serena Jones (12)

The Original Heart Eyes

“When I see bae.” Sarah Mora (9)

The Original “Flying Money” “When you post a fresh pic on Insta.” Roberto Pages (11)

The Original:

“That’s none of my business.” Carlos Damian (11)

New The New Robot

“For stuff that doesn’t make sense. Just out of nowhere.” Marcello Peschiera (12)

The New “Money Face” “To describe a big money baller.” Isha Lopez (10)

The New Unicorn

“When I’m talking about my spirit animal.” Melanie Ramirez (10)

The New Burrito

“I send this to hint my craving for Chipotle.” Jack Tobin (11)

INSIGHT29 DOES REALITY TV PROMOTE AN UNREALISTIC, IDEALIZED VIEW OF LIFE? People prefer to be documented as the cleanest, most presentable form of themselves and the producers of reality television want the same for their shows. By documenting an altered form of reality, shows such as “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”, “Rich Kids of Beverly Hills” and “The Bachelor” portray an idealistic and unrealistic form of life, sending the wrong message to viewers by encouraging them to value appearance and wealth over moral virtues. To begin a television series, producers must search for a person, family or group of people that hold unorthodox characteristics. They do this to increase the entertainment value of the show because few people would watch a reality series about the typical American family. In order to establish a high viewership and ratings, producers must fabricate a plot that would spark the interest of their viewers, because at the end of the day reality television is a money-making industry like any other business. If a television series does not hold a large audience, it could potentially face cancellation, thus decreasing the producer’s business. Not only do these television series focus on people with extraordinary lives, but producers must create unconventional situations for each episode to revolve around that rarely happen outside of reality TV. Fabricating reality comes with false messages. In dating shows such as “The Bachelor”, women compete for the affection of one man. To “earn” his affections, they strive to be the most beautiful, seductive and attention-grabbing woman in the competition. This sends the wrong message to viewers, especially young men and women, implying that people must contend for the best looks in order to attract a mate. In addition to dating shows, series focusing on wealth such as “Rich Kids of Beverly Hills” can do just as much damage. Series which feature these absurd elements promote the idea that one can only be happy if they own mansions and drive luxurious cars. Their episodes document the cast’s exotic vacations, wild parties, luxurious wardrobes and extravagant homes. Instead of focusing on normal and realistic lives, reality television show producers feel obligated to document unrealistic circumstances in an effort to maximize visibility at the expense of alienating their viewers.

Some may regard reality TV as a fantasy version of the real world. Money seems to grow on trees and with every minute of conversation comes five more minutes of drama. While many people draw unrealistic conclusions about their own life based on what they watch, shows often reveal deeper messages that viewers can relate to. Although some of the most well known reality shows center around the lives of the extremely privileged and wealthy, just as many shows focus on the universal struggles that people face in their daily lives. Behind the wealth and glamour on “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” lies a family facing marriage problems, fertility issues and sibling rivalry. On “The Biggest Loser”, the documentation of the struggle to lose weight parallels the battle that obese people constantly try to overcome. Different genres of reality tv provide different targeted audiences with insight to a subject they might have had no prior knowledge of, also offering an educational component. The messages that these shows provide are conveyed by the exaggerated and dramatized events that sometimes occur. Even though producers have the power to edit footage they capture, everything that is shown on camera had to have actually taken place. The constant danger faced on “Deadliest Catch” and the difficulty of raising eight children on “Jon and Kate Plus 8” do not make life seem like the most recent Hollywood blockbuster. Instead, they serve to remind viewers that everyone, no matter their position in life, has something to overcome. On the show “Cops,” concealed cameras follow police officers on duty as they hunt down criminals. The footage that ends up on TV screens mirrors exactly what the police officers experience as they make their arrests. In a life or death situation, the police officers do not think about how to make themselves look better on camera or how to appeal to the American eye; instead, they focus on getting their job done, resulting in a realistic portrayal about the duties of a police officer. However, not every aspect of reality TV parallels the real world. Staged events provide contestants with material to react to and provoking questions from producers result in comments that may have remained unsaid. Despite the flair that accompanies shows on television, reality TV does not promote an unrealistic view of life.

Megan Martinez

Emma Seckinger

m.martinez.thepanther@gmail.com

e.seckinger.thepanther@gmail.com

Business Manager

PHOTOS BY MARLOWE STARLING

Print Managing Editor

EDITORIAL 30

STAFF

FAST FORWARD EDITORIAL ON NOVEMBER 5, 1968 On November 5th 1968, Richard Nixon was reelected for his second term as President of the United States of America. Aside from the Watergate Scandal, President Richard Nixon helped bring the Space Race to a close. The infamous competition between the United States and Soviet Russia ended in 1975 after both countries achieved their goal of sending men to space. Although the United States reached their target ﬁrst, the Soviets closely followed behind. Buzz Aldrin’s and Neil Armstrong’s landing on the moon set a precedent for the future of space exploration. A task that once seemed impossible no longer seemed as daunting, thus inspiring the scientiﬁc minds to continue expanding their knowledge of outer space.

47 YEARS LATER...

Samantha Ganter & Emma Seckinger

Senior Copy Editor & Print Managing Editor s.ganter.thepanther@gmail.com & e.seckinger.thepanther@ gmail.com

n October 30, screenshots of a conversation between select members of the Palmetto Boys’ Lacrosse team containing racial slurs flooded Twitter and Facebook. As Tweets were retweeted and posts were shared, a ripple of confusion, shock and outrage washed over the student body. Within the span of 48 hours, administration swept into action, sending a mass voicemail to every Panther household. By Monday morning, punishments developed, questions swarmed around and fingers were pointed. Despite the chaos, administration worked diligently to address any concerns and develop appropriate punishments for the participants. While the individuals involved were sent to Pathway and Success Centers, the main issue resonated within the halls of the school – racism. As the effects of the racially-charged comments settled into the student body, many felt violated, fearful and disgusted at the thought that fellow peers held this internalized ignorance. The school now faces a deep wound; however, administration is working towards providing resources to allow the affected students to speak up - to give them a platform where their voice could be heard. Principal Victoria Dobbs invited any students who felt concerned attacked by the comments to stop by her conference room and discuss their reactions. These interactions, paired with meetings involving Student Council, allowed administration to develop a series of programs that aim towards increasing students’ awareness on the presence of racism, and the ways to diminish its power. The Panther supports these programs – including No Place For Hate and Student Voices – with the hope that they heal the harm inflicted by this incident. The words that appeared within the text bubbles of the groupchat may have been spoken by a minute fraction of the school’s population; however, as a student body, it remains imperative to recognize that this is not an isolated incident. In retrospect, the sentiments expressed within the chat stem from a root of racism that has remained dormant for quite some time. The simple justification of “It was just a joke!” is no longer valid. In fact, the prevalence of this bigotry can be found within offhanded comments brushed under the rug with a simple “Just kidding!” or “No offense!” attached at the end. School grounds – in general – have manifested themselves into commonplace for racism to spread, hiding behind poor-tasted humor and consequently desensitizing students to its presence. While the screenshots’ content shed a harsh light on the realities of ignorant ideologies and the lack of privacy in technology, they catalyzed a far greater impact. They opened up racism as a topic for discussion – a conversation that, quite frankly, has been neglected for far too long.

LETTERS TO THE

EDITOR

On November 5th 2015, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) held a press conference to share their ﬁndings regarding Mars’ atmosphere and the recent discovery of clean water on the Red Planet. Findings show that the atmosphere has grown thinner over time due to solar winds from the sun that strip away layers, leading scientists to look more in depth about the role oxygen and carbon play in its composition. NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft started to orbit Mars last year solely to examine the atmosphere with detail never seen before. The details NASA observed can help them to determine if Mars once held life and any remnants of life still exists today. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) brought researchers the signs of hydrated minerals which come and go during Mars’ warm and cold seasons. Traveling to the moon is now a less impressive feat as the expanse of the galaxy grows alongside our scientiﬁc knowledge. Missions to space take astronauts and satellites further and further away from the earth, discovering new galaxies, planets, and space debris. 21st century technology allows astronauts to obtain new information with every update of ever evolving instruments of exploration. These new discoveries about Mars provide a larger insight to the planet’s history.

THE REALITY BEHIND RACISM

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

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.

the

MISSION STATEMENT

PANTHER STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF THE PANTHER

Isabelle Carbajales PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Annabel Sanz ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Claudia Vera

PRINT MANAGING EDITOR

Emma Seckinger ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR

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.

Victoria Arguelles SENIOR COPY EDITOR

Samantha Ganter DESIGN EDITOR

Sophia Carrillo COPY TEAM

Brian Morrison Thomas Martinez Carmella Jimenez DESIGN TEAM

Morgan Elmslie Katherine Hsiao Roberta Nicastro Chrystal Peterson Sungho Son REPORT EDITORS

Emily Diez Keith Richards LIFE EDITOR

Correction Policy: Any errors in print will be acknowledged in an online correction box. Any errors online will be acknowledged immediately. Errors include facts, ﬁgures, misquoting and name misspellings

Olympia Rodriguez FEATURE EDITOR

Remy Farkas SPORTS EDITORS

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 Adviser 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.

Alec Lanzas Shane McCrink

INSIGHT EDITOR

Marlowe Starling PHOTO EDITOR

Agnes Bartha

VIDEO EDITOR

Maxwell Landy

BUSINESS/PR MANAGER

Megan Martinez

ONLINE TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

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STAFF WRITERS

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ADS 32

THE PANTHER 20 APRIL 2015