The Viper Vibe - Vol. 12, Issue 2

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The british are Coming bizarre sports ‘Perks’ hits theaters A look at springboard

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Viewpoin t s F r o m t h e E d i t o r s

Varela at fspa districts The Communications Academy participated in Florida Scholastic Press Association District 6’s 40th annual journalism day held at Florida International University this October.

The convention focused on convergence, with a Beatles-inspired ‘Come Together’ theme.

NBC 6 anchor Adam Kuperstein gave the keynote address. He spoke to the benefits of journalistic convergence with a focus on social media as well as the necessity for passion.

Middle and high schools from all over Miami-Dade and Monroe counties attended.

Claudia Morales (The viper Vibe) 1st in on-the-spot newswriting

The Viper Vibe 2nd in newspaper Design

Vox Vipera 2nd in litmag Design

Crotalus 2nd in yearbook Design

volume 12 November ‘12 Editorial Board EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Claudia Morales MANAGING EDITOR/ PHOTO EDITOR Janelle Malagon LIFESTYLE EDITOR Giovanna Navas SPORTS EDITOR Suzanne Pontillo COPY EDITOR

Staffers

the editor says: we are a family We did not expect much.

Not because we didn’t work hard and not because we don’t believe in ourselves, but because FSPA is teeming with talented, passionate kids.

And FSPA isn’t so much about prizes as it is about the experience, anyway.

So when we sat for that ceremony-which marked the end of the last district convention for us seniors-- we were emotional and we were happy, but we were not expecting munch.

And then, one by one, they called our names.

There were tears. There were nearfatal hugs. There were smiles.

But most of all, there was disbelief and astonishment, and pride. So, so much

pride. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to be part of this family.

DFTBA, Claudia Morales Editor-in-Chief @ravenclawdia

Talk to us: thevipervibe@gmail.com

Katie Ewald Shiloh Hayes Raquel Palacios Kristian Quincosa Ciro Salcedo

Adviser

Elizabeth Cardenas

Editorial Policy The Viper Vibe is the student newspaper of Felix Varela Senior High (15255 SW 96 St. Miami, FL, 33196). It is an open forum for student expression. The opinions expressed in the publication do not reflect the official opinions or policies of the school. The Viper Vibe welcomes letters to the editor, but requires that they be signed and reserves the right to reject, edit and condense letters.

The staff and davisor can be contacted at 305-752-7900 or thevipervibe@gmail.com

Ads Your thoughts may be featured in the next issue of the Viper Vibe!

The Viper Vibe solicits advertising but reserves the right to reject any material deemed obscene as to minors, defamatory or materially and substantially disruptive of school activities.

theviper v i b e . t u m b l r . c o m

3

Vi e w p o i n t s F r o m t h e Editors

We Say:

viper spirit is diverse, strong

Hits and misses

For one week every October, Varela is divided into the obnoxiously dressed and those they deem unspirited. Grumbles of “this school has no spirit” fill the halls, intense enough to define the year.

To be a spirited Viper, you must dress up as a cowboy on Monday, a superhero on Tuesday and a perpetuation of class division on Friday. You must attend the Homecoming game-- sports rule the world, after all-- and shell out a couple hundred dollars for the corresponding dance.

If you put in this one week of time, you can count yourself among the spirited elite of the school.

Right? Yeah, no. It doesn’t work that way, despite what some in our community will have you believe.

School spirit is not how outgoing you are. It is not how elaborate your costume is. It is not the level of your interest in sports.

Being a Viper is a four-year thing. It is also a varied one. There are innumerable ways to be a Viper. You don’t have to be either A) the athlete who is encouraged before a big game and lauded afterwards or B) the person fawning over them.

There are so many students who call this school home in more than one way without ever stepping foot on the

4

t h e v i p e r v i b e . t u m b lr.com

field. Many never see them because they spend the majority of their time in their respective abodes. Maybe it’s in the little theater, or in the kennel, or in the band room. Maybe it’s in the yearbook room, or the studio, or-- for us-- in the newsroom.

They settle into their niches and they grow there. They go from timid freshmen to outstanding seniors. They

“School spirit is not how outgoing you are. It is not how elaborate your costume is. It is not the level of your interest in sports.

Being a Viper is a four-year commitment.”

put in dozens of hours a week, every week, and often in the summer. They become families, and the school would be worse off without them.

Maybe not all of these students will dress up during spirit week. Maybe only a small minority will. But does that mean they’re not spirited?

Are we to disregard the talents they hone? The time and effort they invest?

The services they provide to our school?

Varela finally winning their Homecoming game.

It had to happen eventually.

Spooky Shadows being cancelled thanks to a hurricane that didn’t even hit us. Sorry, New England.

The Homecoming Dance finally being cancelled. In the gym or not at all.

Should their victories be acknowledged only by an inconsequential e-mail or a two-second mention on the morning announcements while the athletes receive almost constant attention?

These students’ spirit lies in how much they love their craft. They practice and compete just as athletes do, and they put our school’s name out there with their achievements. When these students attend events, they introduce themselves as Vipers and are met with awe-- “Isn’t your drama program, like, really good?” or “You guys won all those awards at FSPA, right?”

Still, it is the athletes who receive an augmented degree of attention, even when their seasons are lackluster.

We do not ask that athletes be scorned.

But we resent the fact that spirit weeks, dances and rallies are centered around athletics.

We’re a bit tired of the year-long pressure to “support our athletics department.”

And we’d apologize for not dressing up or attending the games, but the truth is we’re too busy reporting, performing, photographing, rehearsing and growing. We’ll do so until 5pm on a good day, 9pm on an insane one. And we’ll love our school in doing so.

The Great Internet Meltdown of 2012. The timing could not have been worse.

The school being overrun by superheroes, zombies and... Loki?

The lack of spellcheck when it came to Homecoming banners. (We’re culprits, too. Oops.)

Viewpoints Opinions

springboard is not an improvement by janelle malagon managing editor @janbydesign Newer isn’t always better. Varela’s latest implementation does little to refute this.

SpringBoard is a workbook program that has been floating about the country for the last ten years or so.

It provides a pre-Advanced Placement curriculum created and distributed by the College Board.

According to SpringBoard and its supporters, its purpose is to help students take and excel in AP classes, thus preparing them for college.

It is also standardized, meaning that a student in Wyoming taking the equivalent to Varela’s English I Honors course will have the same freshman English SpringBoard text book.

One of the fundamental issues with this plan is lies in the source. To grant

Scan this with your smart phone to see more of our stories

the College Board further power in our classrooms is to relinquish further curricular liberty.

Aside from the very disturbing fact that the College Board may or may not be achieving world domination in a fashion comparable to that of a certain mouse, the application of a strict program such as SpringBoard detracts from the creativity and uniqueness gathered from teachers and classrooms.

The beauty of a varied education lies in the experiences, lessons and memories accumulated from the different classes and teachers one studies with and under throughout a span of four years.

With a uniform curriculum in place, this form of education is becoming more a rarity than the commodity it should

be. It’s scientifically proven that humans are more likely to retain information when the learning process is paired with an anecdote or memory, or, even more so, something they are likely to relate to.

This should be where a teaching style comes in-- though the teacher’s copy of SpringBoard is a script, a fact that results in more questions than answers.

If this national push for uniformity - no doubt partially in an effort to cover all bases - continues, will we even require teachers anymore?

Will teacher rankings matter when they are being allowed to do little more than spice up an already packed curriculum based on a mass produced copy of a single book?

In the future, will they even require the three-day SpringBoard training seminar that Varela teachers were sent to this past summer?

It is inevitable that things will change and new systems will be established.

Change is not necessarily a bad thing, so long as that change is productive and proactive.

So long as it serves its purpose, providing, of course, that its purpose is clear from the start.

Perhaps I am an oddity, but I do not see how discontinuing the need for the best teachers by way of supplying “one-size-fits-all” textbooks is a form of progress.

theviper v i b e . t u m b l r . c o m

5

Lifes t y l e E n t e r t a i n m e n t

‘Perks’ film impresses Review

By Giovanna Navas Lifestyle Editor @gioomaria With the languid and exhausting concept of outcast teenagers just trying to make their way through high school, first-time screenwriter and director Stephen Chbosky somehow managed to create a coming-of-age film that was so genuine it almost seemed effortless.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, derived from Chbosky’s best-selling novel, tackled serious teen issues without actually making it seem like they were trying to tackle serious teen issues.

Laden with an 80s rock soundtrack, this modern classic was reminiscent of old indie films of the 90s. And while that may not always work in this decade, the rawness of the footage worked in favor of this film. It gave it a certain realism as a movie not trying to be anything other than what it is.

Perks follows Charlie (Logan Lerman), a naive, vaguely troubled kid who narrates the film through his letters to an anonymous recipient.

Lerman brought Chbosky’s hopelessly awkward character to life in a way that was astonishingly different than anything he’s ever done. He pulled it off so Tilt, the com-

well that it was difficult to wrap your mind around the fact that this was the same guy who played the obscene and hot-headed D’Artagnan in The Three Musketeers.

Reserved and awkward, Charlie starts high school pessimistic and alone until he later makes the reluctant decision to sit next to the charismatic and strangely comforting senior from his woodshop class, Patrick (Ezra Miller) and his ambiguous, free-spirited step sister Sam (Emma Watson).

Watson’s first major post-Potter role definitely came with much reluctance from audiences. But despite having some difficulty mastering an American accent, she proved that she can perform outside of the Harry Potter franchise and do so remarkably well.

Almost immediately after Charlie is immersed into this sincere and envyworthy friendship, he finds himself exposed to a whole other world, introducing him to the effects of drugs, sexual temptations and the tangled web that is love.

The story explored very dark themes like sexual abuse and suicide and did so with stunning realism. However, the honesty of this film granted

me any more inclined to feel sym-

that genuine, lighthearted humor that had audiences laughing through their tears - and yes, there were a lot of tears.

With that, the standout actor of the evening was undoubtedly Miller. His tasteful comic relief was quick-witted without overshadowing the depth of his character.

Though Patrick is an openly gay character, it’s not something that defined him. Often, when films have characters like this, they are written for the sole purpose of being gay. But Patrick is remembered primarily for being the confident and loyal friend. Out of every performance, his portrayal was by far the most natural and effortless.

Between the phenomenal oldies rock soundtrack to the plunging depth of these characters to his careful but impeccable approach to very dark issues, Perks was easily one of the most wonderfully made films of the year.

He brought a new meaning to coming-of-age and did so with a fresh and honest perspective. Everyone involved in this film really put together something not only special but thought-provoking and unforgettable.

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thevipervibe.tumblr.com 7

another

British Invasion

by Claudia Morales (Editor-in-Chief)

This time around, the British haven’t just invaded-- they’ve conquered.

The first British invasion hit America in the 1960s, a phenomenon led by the Beatles and running mostly on music. In the 1980s, the second British invasion brought us synthpop and new wave, with heavy-hitters like Queen and David Bowie rising to fame.

In the wake of the Harry Potter craze, a third British invasion has taken the country by storm. Music remains a staple of the invasion, with boyband One Direction and solo act Ed Sheeran leading the charts that Adele ruled for months.

But there are other aspects influencing our culture and impacting individuals-- television shows, in particular, have garnered strong followings.

From cult classic sci-fi series Doctor Who to a riveting, modern take on Sherlock Holmes, BBC’s lineup is leading the invasion.

What’s more, the third British invasion has come to Varela.

DOCTOR WHO

When teenagers lock their friends in rooms with nothing but a television set and a stack of DVDs, it may be a cult initiation.

In junior Michael Perez’s case, his confinement was at the hands of best friend and fellow junior Kevin Sanchez; it involved entry not into a cult, but rather into the Doctor Who fan base.

Situations like these lead viewers the world over to enter a

fan community fifty years strong.

That community revolves around a madman alien-- the Doctor. His blue police box, the TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space), is bigger on the inside and can travel through all of time and space.

The series first premiered on BBC in 1963 as a family-oriented educational show. It ran for 26 seasons before going dormant in 1989.

Those seasons took the series through eight Doctors; as a Time Lord, the character regenerates into a new body and new personality when the need arises.

By the time the eighth Doctor ended his run, Doctor Who had already amassed a dedicated fanbase. Those fans waited for the show’s return-- a wait that would only end 24 years later.

The series in 2005 returned to old fans as well as a new audience-- a new generation met with a new regeneration. Christopher Eccleston kicked off the revival as the ninth Doctor, staying for the first season before David Tennant took over as tenth.

Sanchez started with the ninth Doctor. He watched through the tenth and into the eleventh’s (Matt Smith) present run before going back and watching from the very beginning.

He was hooked.

Somewhere along the way, Sanchez saw fit to begin bringing friends onboard.

“It’s like a wildfire, you need to talk to people about it,” Sanchez said. “If they don’t know [about it], then you have them watch an episode and they get hooked.”

Senior Yaidyt Hernandez believs anyone can fall in love with Doctor Who. “You connect with the characters and the situations and it’s simply brilliant,” Hernandez said.

It may just be this viral relatability that has made Doctor Who the hit it is today.

The show now airs in fifty countries-- a long way from its UK origins.

Wherever they may reside, fans find an escape of sorts in the series.

“The show takes you out of that everyday stress into this TARDIS and on an incredible adventure with the Doctor,” Perez said. “It makes you forget about your troubles, even if it’s just for forty-five minutes.”

For many fans, Doctor Who has become more than just a television program. It facilitates new friendships and strengthens existing ones.

“All of my friends were talking about [Doctor Who], making references to it,” Hernandez said. “They persuaded me to start.”

Fans also seem to have a deep connection with the Doctor himself. From the Doctor’s assertions that books are “the best weapons in the world” to his bonds with his travelling companions, Doctor Who provides lessons aplenty.

“As corny as it sounds, [Doctor Who] taught me that there is not one person that is not important,” Hernandez said. “It also taught me to face my fears, no matter how impossible it may seem.”

Aspiring Whovians can still jump on the TARDIS. Doctor Who is currently in a mid-season hiatus and will return for a Christmas special this December.

“Get a tissue box,” Hernandez recommends. “It is the most emotional show I have ever seen.”

For a series that has been around for nearly fifty years and has explored countless corners of the universe, there doesn’t seem to be an ending in sight.

And in a universe of uncertainties, one thing is certain: the impact will linger.

“It’s taught me many lessons on life, Sanchez said. “Love lasts forever. Mind over matter. Never grow up. Never give up. Anything is possible.”

One direction

Their hair is immaculate, their smiles are stunning and their fans are beyond dedicated. But those fans promise this is “not just another boyband;” they’re genuine, they’re unique and they’re British.

One Direction was formed on televised British singing competition The X Factor. The five members auditioned individually but were put together as a band a few weeks in.

They went on to place third in the competition and would soon take over the world.

Now two years on from their X Factor run, the band has risen to international acclaim with a fanbase to rival Justin Bieber’s.

From schoolgirls to soccer moms to the hesitant alpha male fan, their catchy but quality music takes no prisoners.

“At first I told myself I wasn’t going to be like every other teenage fangirl,” senior Julianne Fernandez said. “but it’s just something about them that makes you love them more and more each time you listen to their songs.”

Their personalities are an even bigger draw.

“Most of all, I like their dorkiness and awkwardness and how they’re always goofing around,” said senior Christine Rodriguez. “I love how fun they are and how they don’t take each other seriously.”

As a dancer, Fernandez finds inspiration in their journey.

“They weren’t handed their careers,” Fernandez said. “So it’s good to know that people have to work for their dreams and not everyone is handed everything on a silver platter. I am pursuing a career in dance. There is not a stable salary. You have to love what you do and crave the ability to get better no matter what.

At the end of the day, One Direction is a band composed of five boys pursuing their dreams by any means necessary.

“We must accept rejection and move on,” Fernandez said. “Because of that, One Direction is a constant inspiration to me.”

Ed Sheeran Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has integrated his unique style of music into American radio.

His recent album ‘+’ became the most successful US debut by a UK male solo artist.

Sheeran’s dedicated American fanbase has greatly facilitated his success—his US shows are notorious for selling out within minutes.

wHOVIAn (n): devoted Doctor Who fan; can be found declaring bowties and fezzes as “cool;” may exhibit severe statue-related anxiety.

Sherlockian (n):

Who’s your doctor?

“My favorite is David Tennant.

I had a connection with him. He was kind and witty, not to mention brilliant.”

Yaidyt Hernandez (12)

“Matt Smith definitely left an impression but David Tennant is great too.

Tom Baker is an excellent doctor, too.”

Michael Perez (11)

devoted Sherlock fan; excells in waiting between seasons; will burst into tears should the Bee Gees’ ‘Staying Alive’ start playing; resents tall buildings.

Directioner (n): devoted

One Direction fan; biased towards multiples of five; may laugh hysterically at mention of spoons, carrots or tattoos. contributing writers: Giovanna Navas and Janelle Malagon; photos taken by Janelle Malagon; album art courtesy of Syco Records and Atlantic Records.

Li f e s t y l e E n t e r t a i n m ent

Marlane Pedraza, English Teacher

Q: What’s your take on BBC’s Sherlock? “This crazy student brought it up with me one time when I was covering her English class.

She asked me if I had seen the show, and when I said I had not but that I was a big fan of the stories, she insisted I watch it. A year later, she’s asking me to partake in this interview. It is all [Claudia Morales’s] fault.

I find myself very particular about most stories that are turned into film format. There are some that are done correctly, honoring the original literature while having to adapt to the different format that visual media requires (Lord of the Rings, for example).

But in regards to Sherlock Holmes, I have yet to see the Robert Downey Jr. movies because I feel they turned him into an action figure, which he was never intended to be.

Having read all the original stories and books, I suppose I am a Holmeselitist. Thus, I went into this program with very little hope.

One of the earliest non-childhood books I remember reading was a children’s version of The Hound of the Baskervilles where the story was condensed and even had pictures alongside the narrative.

It was the foundation of a long fascination with Sherlock Holmes. To me, Sherlock Holmes is clearly vastly intelligent, but the “deductions� and observations he makes are largely those that anyone can accomplish. Being more observant is something all of us can improve.

As to the BBC series specifically, it is a reinvention of something I did not even consider capable of being reinvented.

The show turned out to be the most brilliant bit of writing I have experienced in quite some time, making it easy for the non-Sherlockian to get into the show, yet throwing quite a few mentions of the stories, all the while honoring the overall gist of the plot it is based

upon.

In the meantime, I bring other people into the hopeless, and oftentimes painful, addiction that is Sherlock.

The quality of the writing and the acting (seriously, how does Benedict Cumberbatch not have an award already?) leave you craving more.

Thus, I find myself getting into other BBC shows, like Doctor Who or Luther to name a couple. It’s as if the dearth of creativity in American dramas is allowing for a resurgence in England.

The wonderful thing is that in this day and age, distance is not a factor.

Americans can watch the BBC as easily as they can (although with some delay at times). Is this a British invasion once more? I think to those that have seen the shows, it certainly can be viewed as one, but none of the shows are mainstream enough for the general public yet.

The quality certainly demands that it should be.�

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News Around Varela

varela standardizes math, english classes

By Janelle Malagon Managing editor @janbydesign

Since Varela opened, teachers have operated under a fairly self-governed curriculum. Due to Varela’s status as a College Board school, however, this has changed. English and math classes have received bright blue, College Board-issued workbooks to go with the SpringBoard curriculum.

SpringBoard is meant to apply to students who aren’t in Advanced Placement (AP) or intensive math and English classes.

In 2011, Varela was selected as a College Board School. The organization responsible for standardized educational staples like the SAT and AP courses and exams, then, has become an even bigger part of our classrooms.

The College Board defines SpringBoard as a “pre-AP program.” The courses become standardized, with teachers following the lessons the book outlines.

One notable change is the lack of book-centered lessons.

“In past curriculums we used books, not textbooks or workbooks,” senior Samantha Myers said. “Now with SpringBoard [we use] excerpts from stories instead of reading the whole book.”

Some students, such as senior Rashaud Lee, find that SpringBoard is more beneficial than harmful.

“As a student, it’s not like we look forward to using the books but I think anything that’s going to help me when I go to college, I like,” Lee said early in the year. “You may not respect it as much now but when you look back, you can say ‘wow, I’m really glad I got that practice and that work.”

Two months later, his opinion hasn’t changed.

“I still think that any form of skill practice that will help later on is a good thing,” Lee said.

The reaction is not uniformly positive, however.

“I think it’s okay but not amazing,” Myers said. “I feel as if the teachers are stuck doing the SpringBoard curriculum. It’s nice that we can write in the SpringBoard books but I wish we were reading a real book in English.”

“Teachers don’t seem to be any more in agreement. Most teachers declined to comment on the topic at all.”

Teachers don’t seem to be any more in agreement. Many teachers declined to comment on the topic at all.

English department chair Marina Rogers--who partially wrote the SpringBoard curriculum-- not only spoke on it but is in full support of the program.

“The way that this is designed is that it’s a blueprint,” Rogers said.

According to student accounts, each teacher applies the “blueprint” differently.

“We don’t use it every class, but we do when our teacher sees fit,” Lee said.

The curriculum itself offers a variety of exercises and themes in a way similar to a curriculum devised by College Board just over a decade ago called Pace Setter. Pace Setter was an experiment of sorts that College Board introduced to freshman English classes.

It was taught at Varela in 2001 and was promptly removed by principal at the time, Milagros Fornell.

Fornell is now “spearheading” the SpringBoard program as a Miami-Dade County Public Schools official, according to Galardi.

“These aren’t benchmarks,” Galardi said. “SpringBoard isn’t teaching towards a test. It’s unifying a curriculum.

There are some benefits to that. There is some uniformity there. The primary purpose is to raise the level of rigor in the classroom which that alone will prepare you for AP or SAT. If you use SpringBoard and never sit for an AP class, it still should better prepare you than a teacher created curriculum.”

With seniors unable to take any more AP classes, the question of applicability comes to mind.

“AP classes aside, the skills it teaches can also apply to the SAT, ACT, PERT and etc. So it is still very useful,” Lee said. “I feel that a younger demographic could take more from it, but I do feel that it could help anyone.”

With SpringBoard being a national curriculum, the program allows for a student in Wyoming to be studying the same concepts and information as a student in Florida taking the same course.

Essentially, every freshman, sophomore, junior and senior in an English or Math class will be using some version of SpringBoard.

What do you think?

Let us know! thevipervibe@gmail.com #thevipervibe thevip ervibe.tumblr.com

11

N e w s Ar o u n d V a r e l a

Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson History with a Twist: Troupe 6162 prepared for their

district competition by putting on a free performance of emo-punk musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.

The play took a modern, edgy look at Andrew Jackson’s life and starred junior Rodolfo De La Rosa as Jackson himself. Despite many aspects being put together last minute-- and even throughout the show- BBAJ was beyond enjoyable, with stellar acting and infectuous music. Our grade: B

lyndsi felder

When senior Lyndsi Felder began to consider being a Homecoming princess, the iconic Homecoming game walk raised some questions. Traditionally, the princesses walk out arm-in-arm with a father figure. Some walk out with their brothers. Felder, however, walked out with her drama teachers of four years-Rey Bode and Ozzie Quintana.

FELDER: “First I thought, ‘Who’s going to walk me?’ And then I thought, ‘Who’s a big father-figure in my life’ and I immediately thought of Rey and Ozzie. They talk to me when I’m down and when my I look upset they always ask what’s wrong. They care. They’re heartfelt. And they’re genuine.They’re people I’ll never ever forget.”

QUINTANA: “I was honored. It was very nice and I was proud to be a surrogate father to her. She’s always a ball of sunshine. She’s always bringing so much happiness to us every day and it’s the least I can do.”

photos by Janelle Malagon

12 thevipervibe.tumblr.com

BODE: “It was cool. she asked me and I make a joke about everything but honestly it was an honour that she asked me. Everyone’s situation is different and she looked at me and Ozzie as father figures. I’m always giving advice, With all the rehearsals and everything, we go further than just the classroom here. We’re always giving advice on everything else because everything transposes from theatre to real life.

photos by FoxMar and Janelle Malagon

News Around Varela

Election Day at Varela On Nov. 6, Varela served as one of the many polling places in the area. The line filled up quickly and early, and would soon stretch well into the parking lot.

6:30 AM

5:30 AM

7:30 AM

what do you think?

“I wasn’t surprised, [but] I was a Romney supporter.

My father is a marine and Obama was going to lower marines and I was afraid that that was going to be my dad.

I liked what Romney wanted to do because he had business experience but since Obama won I hope he can fix that too.”

Samuel Grossman (10)

“When you’re buying or selling a home, you want everything in one place – answers, guidance services.

That’s exactly what I’m offering”

Betty Valdes, Realtor Associate (305) 301-3611 Weichert Realtors – NuStar Associates

“I kind of knew from the beginning that Obama was going to get reelected.

I just had a feeling. I just feel very irrelevant about all of it. I think Romney is too focused on business instead of the people and Obama supports gay rights.

If I had to vote for someone it would be Obama.”

Veronica Ensley (10)

thevipervibe.tumblr.com

13

Sports | Beyond Varela

Athletes set poor examples

by Suzanne Pontillo sports Editor @smariepont column The moment athletes sign the contract that legally binds them to a professional sports team, they are put on a pedestal.

These athletes become a part of something much bigger than anyone can imagine.

Their lifestyle doesn’t allow for mistakes — the media is always watching and impressionable fans are always watching the media.

Despite this, many major athletes still become involved with drugs, violence and infidelity.

Lance Armstrong was widely considered one of the greatest cyclists of all time. After being caught in a doping scandal, Armstrong has been stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from the sport for life.

These measures may seem almost drastic because with all the pressures and expectations, athletes should be allowed to make mistakes, right? Wrong.

Yes, it’s unfair — athletes are human and humans are prone to error — but remember that there are fans, especially children, who see these athletes as role models. What examples are they setting?

Current Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was caught using steroids in 2003 during a drug survey that promised anonymity to the athletes.

Because of this, Rodriguez was not penalized and went on to join the Yankees.

Kobe Bryant was charged with sexual assault in 2003 that ended with a “mea culpa,” and a divorce. The same could be seen with professional American golfer Tiger Woods and former wide receiver for the Dolphins, Chad Johnson.

Woods was caught being unfaithful

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to his wife with several women in 2010.

Before the start of the 2012-2013 NFL season, Johnson was charged with domestic violence against his wife – crushing the hopes of many Dolphins fans when he was kicked off the team.

Besides losing a couple of sponsors, the careers of these four did not suffer much. It might look bad for Johnson now but I am positive that by the 2013-2014 season, his scandal will be long forgotten and forgiven.

He will most likely be both on another team and in another marriage.

On top of that, it’s entirely likely that he will have gained back the few fans he’s lost if he’s still playing well.

It might sound a bit absurd, but with fame comes many things - the most prevalent being forgiveness.

Often, these scandals cause the respect people have for these professional athletes to falter but their career remains untouched and so, after a while, the scandals begin to fade in the brightness of the limelight.

But the amount of fame shouldn’t determine how quickly these athletes are forgiven - it shouldn’t give them special privileges.

Already high school athletes are taking advantage of this.

In 2011, both basketball coach and team in Dr. Michael M. Krop High School kept quiet about a guard’s grades that did not qualify him to participate in the sport.

This ended with The Florida High School Athletic Association fining the school more than $300, 000.

High school or not, athletes are role models and role models are expected to act professionally. In the end, this is what separates the “dumb jock” type of athletes and the role models.

SPORTS SCHEDULE Girls’ Soccer:

11/13: vs. Miami Springs @ Kendall Soccer Park 5:30 p.m.

11/15: @ Miami Southridge 3:30 p.m.

11/19: @ South Dade 3:30 p.m.

11/26: vs. Coral Reef @ Kendall Soccer Park 5:30 p.m.

11/29: @ Miami Sunset 3:30 p.m.

Boys’ Soccer:

11/13: @ Miami Palmetto 3:30 p.m.

11/19: @ South Dade 3:30 p.m.

11/20: @ Miami Southridge 3:30 p.m.

11/27: vs. South Dade @ Kendall Soccer Park 3:30 p.m.

11/30: vs. Coral Reef @ Kendall Soccer Park 3:30 p.m.

Girls’ Basketball:

11/16: @ Alonzo and Tracy Mourning 5 p.m.

11/19 JV: @ Southwest Miami 6 p.m.

11/19: @ Southwest Miami 7:30 p.m.

11/28 JV: vs. Miami Palmetto @ McKinney Court 6 p.m.

11/28: vs. Miami Palmetto @ McKinney Court 7:30 p.m.

11/30: vs. South Dade @ Varela Gym 6 p.m.

Boys’ Basketball:

11/13 Viper Classic: vs. Miami Springs @ Varela Gym 6 p.m.

11/13: vs. Belen Jesuit @ Varela Gym 7:30 p.m.

11/15 Viper Classic: vs. Belen Jesuit @ Varela Gym 6 p.m.

11/15 Viper Classic: vs. Miami Springs @ Varela Gym 7:30 p.m.

11/20 JV: @ Sunset 6 p.m.

11/20: @ Sunset 7:15 p.m 11/26 JV: vs. Broaddock @ Varela Gym 6 p.m.

11/26: vs. Braddock @ Varela Gym 7:30 p.m.

For more sports and schedules: http://47289.digitalsports.com

Sp o r t s | B e y o n d V a r e l a

Column

bizarre sports

I am not the biggest sports fan.

Personally, I prefer games that require controllers.

But if push came to shove, I would rather play something traditional like soccer than something like, say, ferret legging.

However, these are not your average team jersey sports. They have no cheerleaders - or at least not the ones you want to see at half time.

Yes, these sports really exist and yes, these sports are played around the world.

Okay, so Varela won’t be featuring any ferret legging or chess boxing but these would make for some very interesting video games.

5. Underwater Hockey

Underwater hockey (or octopus hockey) is a non-contact underwater sport that has two teams.

Underwater Hockey was started in 1954 in the United Kingdom by Alan Blake, where it was originally called “Octopush,” and many people call it by that name today.

The original rules called for two teams, each with four players, a bat reminiscent of a tiny shuffleboard stick, which was called a “pusher,” an uncoated lead puck called a “squid” and a goal known at first as a “cuttle” but soon thereafter a “gully.”

4. Adult Kickball

Although it’s not the weirdest sport, the fact that kickball exists for adults is kind of cool. The popular playground

game has now become a competitive sport with the creation of the World Adult Kickball Association, founded in 1998. Every October for the past 15 years, the World Kickball Championship Weekend occurs - an event that brings in over 2,500 players every year to participate in a tournament, and they go

stands before the judges enduring the pain dealt by The Ferrets’ razor-sharp claws and Teeth.”

1. Chess Boxing

to Las Vegas for three days and compete.

Equestrian show jumping is a sport in which horses are guided around a series of obstacles and barricades. Kaninhop (or as I like to call it, “Professional hip-hop”) is the same thing, except with bunnies and was invented in the late 1970s in Sweden. The US Rabbit Agility Association now recognizes over 50 rabbit show jumping clubs in Scandinavia.

In fact, an episode of the reality show, The Amazing Race featured Kaninhop.

The world record for the highest bunny jump is 99.5 cm achieved by Mimrelunds Tösen.

2. Ferret Legging

Also known as “ferret-down-trousers and put ‘em down”, the competitors have two ferrets in their pants which

Eleven-time Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte gained a large following during the London Olympics due to his good looks and talent.

However, on the internet, Lochte was gaining popularity because of his incoherent tweets that left everyone from fans to teammates utterly confused. Here are our favorites.

Viewpoints Editor @CJ_Fett_salcedo

are tied to the ankles and belted up at the waist, eliminating any opportunity of escaping for the furry creatures. The competitor stands before the judges enduring the misery of the razor-sharp claws and the teeth of the ferrets. Annual competitions are held at the Richmond Highland Games in Richmond, Virginia. There is no real origin to this sport, although it has been criticized heavily for being reckless and just plain dangerous. Most people see it as man’s quest to truly see who is the strongest.

“The competitor

3. Kaninhop

by Ciro Salcedo

Finally, a sport that my fellow nerds and I can really get into, minus the boxing. It involves a two minute boxing round with a four minute chess competition. Most tournaments are either in Berlin or London.

There is even a governing body, it’s called the World Chess Boxing Association and their motto is, “Fighting is done in the ring, but war is waged on the board.”

The idea of combining these two sports was first envisioned in 1992 by Enki Bilal. He was a cartoonist and in chess boxing was featured in his graphic novel Froid Équateur. Iepe Rubingh, a Dutch performance artist, brought the sport to life. Unlike the novel, which had boxing after a chess match, he decided to alternate between both games.

So next time you feel that traditional sports are just not for you, remember that somewhere in Virginia, a man has two ferrets in his pants.

5. “Scribble” 4. “You can’t always walk a straight line, especially if the line is crooked.”

3. “Rocks, Paper, Siccor…”

2. “Ball til u fall” 1. “I nee some energy for tomorrow race.

All I need is an ice cold Mountain Dew. With some gatorade dink that noenthat will kre p u up and ready”

thevipervibe.tumblr.com

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