the
ROAR Voice of the students
March 2017
STATE
CHAMPS
• Cafe Chachet • Marvel vs. DC: 8 remaining, who will advance? • The New Lingo West Shore Jr./Sr. High School 250 Wildcat Alley . Melbourne, Fla. 32935
$100
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For all West Shore Students
MELBOURNE 6300 N. Wickham Road 321-757-0379
Table of Contents March 2017
pg 6
Editorial
pg 7
Pained by the Paint
pg 9
The New Lingo
pg 10
Give Us A Break
pg 12
Cafe Cachet
pg 14
AmuGoal!!!
pg 17
Deserve Victory
pg 18
Marvel vs. DC
pg 20
Love it/Hate it
pg 21
Wacky Stories
The “Roar” shares its views on school censorship
A fresh coat of paint applies only to some
Arabic class could be taught next year
Photo credit: Helen McSorley
Late Spring Break raises concerns
Cafeteria renovations set for summer
Boys’ soccer team wins it all
Boys’ basketball sets record
Elite 8 voting opens
Student IDs, “Rings,” “Culture”
The craziest news stories of the month
pg 22
Reviews
pg 23
7 Things
“Dear Evan Hansen,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” Lucky’s Market
Movies the Oscars missed
Photo credit: Melissa Saunderson
Publications Policies:
The Roar recognizes itself as a public forum and encourages letters from West Shore students and members of the community. The Roar cannot print ads promoting activity illegal by Florida law, ads opposing any religious beliefs, ads written in poor taste, ads with racial or sexist comments, ads considered inappropriate by the staff, advocacy advertising or ads containing libel. The Roar is not responsible for web sites viewed through links found on pages mentioned in the publication. The Roar values letters from our readers: maximum length for letters is 200 words. No more than one letter a semester will be published from a writer. Letters and columns are edited for length, content and clarity. The Roar maintains the right to edit all submissions for poor taste, length, grammar and libel. Views expressed in the “Opinions” section do not necessarily represent the views of the Brevard County School Board, the West Shore administrators, faculty, student body or The Roar staff.
Staff:
Editor in Chief: Helen McSorley Managing Editor: David Thompson Copy Editor: Briana Sandoval Sports Editor: Ben Lack Designers: Gianni Valenti, Sarah Petrone Staff Writers: Alexa Carlos Tamez, Hope Dougherty, Ahjaney Friar, Kishan Ghayal, Matt Jones, Billy Macom, Elizabeth Marrin, Rachel Montgomery, Taylor Smith Adviser: Mark Schledorn
Submit:
Send in your opinions to wstheroar@gmail.com
March
3
Speak Your Mind
Florida makes big strides in the gun control debate Helen McSorley Editor in Chief A big step for Florida gun control was taken last week. Florida Owners Privacy Act, a law that prohibited Florida doctors to ask their patients if they own gun, was struck down by a federal appeals court. You might ask why on earth doctors would need to know if their patients own a gun, and many see that question as an invasion of privacy. But on second look, asking this question makes a lot of sense. Doctors usually ask soon-to-be parents questions on the safety of their households, such as where they store chemicals, do they have covers for their outlets and — you guessed it — if they own guns. Psychiatrists also should be able to ask their patients if they own any weapons if they fear their patients could be becoming aggressive. In more Florida gun control news, a new bill for Florida Legislature is due to be voted on this month. If passed, the bill would allow the open carry of guns in public places. It describes some rules for open carry, such as owners must have valid IDs and licenses on them at all times. But if a person doesn’t carry these things and gets stopped, he faces a $25 fine and a noncriminal penalty. Does that mean that someone without a license who is openly carrying a gun around could potentially be fined only $25 if caught? This bill needs to be reevaluated. Haven’t the crazy Florida crime stories gone far enough? Apparently not. Apparently we need a law that allows people to carry guns around like it’s the wild west. Now, some may ask why open carry is a big deal, especially because concealed carry is already legal. But that’s not all the new bill is proposing. It also is aiming to expand the places where guns are allowed. Currently, the possession of guns is prohibited in airport terminals, legislative and local government meetings, elementary, middle and high schools, district board meetings, career centers and public colleges and universities. Thankfully, you must be 21 to purchase a handgun in Florida, so no students in high schools can openly carry a gun, but one can only imagine having faculty members openly carrying around guns on campus. Picture teachers lecturing with guns in their holsters. How would anyone be able to focus? Another reason that this is a terrible idea is that it would make police officers’ jobs so much harder. They would have to waste time stopping people to check their licenses. If they arrive on the scene of a crime, and someone — or potentially multiple people — are carrying guns openly, the police officers’ focus now has to shift from the crime to the people waving around guns. 4 March/Opinion
Photo courtesy: Creative Commons
Wild West Florida to vote on bill that would allow open carry in places where guns where previously forbidden.
Gun laws are controversial right now, especially with all of the deadly shootings that have taken place in recent years. But some people think that the best way to combat these deadly shooters is to let more people carry guns. How in the world does that make sense? You don’t fight fire with fire. You make it harder for fire to burn. You restrict gun laws and make it harder for people to acquire them. We need to conduct more extensive background checks on people applying for gun licenses and make sure that people can only buy guns legally. We also need to stop the open carry bill. OK, now let’s do some math. According to PolitiFact, Florida has 1,384,756 million concealed weapon permit holders as of March 2015. According to the United States Census Bureau, Florida’s population is roughly 19.89 million as of 2014. That means that if all of those people with concealed weapon permits now had open carry permits, about 5 percent of Florida’s population would be walking around with their weapons in plain sight. So if you passed roughly 200 people a day, you theoretically would see 10 of them carrying a gun in plain sight. That’s a pretty scary thought. Basically, I am fine with people owning guns. It is their constitutional right and I respect that. But we must construct carefully thought-out rules to regulate guns, instead of allowing people to carry them willy-nilly. If you have a strong opinion about this bill, you should contact your local state Rep. Thad Altman at altman.thad. web@flsenate.gov and let him know what you think.
Letters to the Editor Twin Wins
In my seventh grade year, the boys’ soccer team rose above the expectations and made it and won the state championship. As a young student, I had the opportunity to see the immense amount of school spirit that West Shore has. I remember watching the segments on the news leading up to the game with Mr. Krehbiel saying “What is West Shore? This is something that can only be answered with the feet.” At the game, the crowd cheered and sang the song “Wavin’ Flag” by K’naan at the top of its lungs. The game got me pumped for my future at West Shore. That day made me happy to be a Wildcat. Though a lot has changed since
that time, the boys soccer made it again in my senior year. It felt like the perfect send off. As the only grade to be at West Shore at the time of the first state championship win, the spirit was renewed in all the students and right when I was about to leave. It left me with a positive memory as I went to the game and looked around at all the screaming fans when we took the win. It reminded me of my six years spent at West Shore and all the friends I’ve made. So thank you boys’ soccer team for the memories and congratulations on the win. By Danielle Ferretti, 12
Sitting outside during lunch, I often glance over at the two large lumps of machinery that do literally nothing. These are the so-called vending machines that have been sitting there for as long as I have been at West Shore. However, for quite some time neither of them has been operational. It has actually been so long that the caps of the Gatorade behind the glass are literally fading from just sitting there for so long. The vending machines now just taunt me with the
many different types of Gatorade that are not all available in the lunch line. Also, for those who bring their own lunches, such as myself, going through the line to get only a single bottle of Gatorade or water is a lot of work and I often find myself thinking that it would be so nice and convenient if those vending machines that are only 10 feet in front of me worked. Please fix the vending machines. By Grace Bryant, 12
All right, let’s get one thing clear, we all have about two hands right? Great. Now tell me, how many things can you hold with those hands? Not that many right? Now I don’t know about you, but I have a lot of stuff to bring to school every day, not just a backpack and my lunch, but other random things, such as projects, extra bags or cameras. I can’t hold all of these things! If only I had a convenient place to store them throughout the day and could grab them when I need them. Lockers? Please, this is West Shore. We don’t have the funding for that. No, I’m talking about our cars, which contain a
Vending Vexation
Auto Access Agony
seemingly infinite space for storage of random stuff. So what’s the deal? Why can’t we go to our cars during the day? I don’t understand why people caught going to their cars to grab their humanities project are hit with the detention stick. It seems like the administration just needs a reason to be strict. So come on, until I can mutate and grow more limbs, let’s just make it A-OK to go to our cars during the day. I believe that there is hope for us yet, that one day all students will be able to make use of the large, wheeled locker just steps away from the auditorium. By Nic Stelter, 12
Opinion/March
5
In Our Words
World Hijab Day opens dialogue for free speech issues
Teachers’ speech is limited when they are on a public school campus. As agents of the state, they are not permitted to make any political statements because they might affect the opinions of their students. And that’s as it should be. But it is important to make the distinction between teaching politics, teaching about different cultures and promoting their own beliefs. Teachers should not be allowed to impose their political opinions on their students while they are teaching. The same thing goes for religion. But the answer to this complicated idea that political and religious ideals should not be promoted is not the same thing as the idea that they should be taboo. Religion and politics are two major factors that shape our world, and the idea that those two things cannot be talked about and learned in a classroom setting should scare you. Recently, science teacher Angela Feldbush and a handful of other teachers agreed to participate in World Hijab Day after a request came from a student who wanted to spread awareness of what it feels like to wear a hijab and to raise awareness of the discrimination that women face when wearing them. But when some parents heard that teachers were wearing hijabs, they complained to the school that the teachers were trying to make a political statement. Parent complaints about this statement most likely came from the recent travel ban that President Donald Trump ordered, prohibiting any immigrants or refugees from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen from coming into the United States for 90 days. The legality of this ban is debatable. Many see it as an unconstitutional ban on Muslims and discrimination based on religion while other view saying the ban as a way to combat terror and keep our country safe. But no matter what your stance is on Trump’s immigration ban, free speech in public schools must be protected. The limits that exist are reasonable, but speech, especially concerning issues that are promoting understanding and tolerance, should not be over monitored. When contacted by “The Roar staff,” Frank LoMonte,
6
March/Editorial
executive director of the Student Press Law Center, said that as long as the hijabs were not a distraction, the teacher’s speech is constitutionally protected. “I don’t think that just the silent act of wearing a hijab could be punishable any more than wearing a crucifix necklace or a yarmulke could be punishable,” LoMonte said. “If they made statements taking sides on a disputed political issue to students during class, then that’s speech the school can regulate.” But that’s not what happened. Wearing hijabs was not intended to be a political statement but instead was about trying to promote understanding and tolerance. And that should not be punished. We are lucky to have a supportive administration at West Shore. Principal Rick Fleming spoke to Feldbush and the other teachers about the issue when the parents complained, but when Feldbush explained that they had no political motive, he decided to not reprimand the teachers. We hope that teachers, parents and students can continue to work together to promote understanding and tolerance and that important issues can be discussed for the purpose of learning at all school campuses.
Diversity Dilemma
Cartoon credit: Regan Willner
Illustration: Regan Willner
Pained by the Paint Campus facilities fail to meet expectations
Fresh coat A district employee adds a new layer of paint to the auditorium wall on Feb. 17.
Photo credit: Alexa Carlos Tamez
Exposed wall Paint chips off the wall in the journalism room.
By Alexa Carlos Tamez Staff Writer Throughout the school, it is visible that in many places the paint on both the exterior and interior of the walls are in less-than-perfect condition. The last time the interior of the school was painted was in its first year as West Shore, in 1998. Since then, the interiors of many classrooms are chipping and the paint looks faded from not being painted for almost two decades. “At our AP facilities meeting, the district at this time is not supporting cosmetic painting,” assistant principal of facilities Catherine Halbeur said. “They are doing painting for issues. They are going around and they do an assessment and things are rated one, two, or three and according to the issue that’s when they go around and paint.” One such issue that the district found suitable for repair was the condition of the paint of language arts teacher Carrie Glass’ room. “The part that was actual brick was peeling,” Glass said. “I wanted to come in and paint it myself over the
summer, but because there’s rules with the district, I wasn’t allowed to do that, so I couldn’t pick my color. Once [the paint] peeled a lot they decided that they were going to paint it.” Other classrooms have been experiencing the same issue of peeling paint, but unlike Glass’ room, have not been slated for repaint. Instead of waiting around, some teachers, such as graphic design teacher Jim Finch, decided they would repaint on their own. The journalism department decided that it would paint the front wall of its main classroom because of how much the paint was peeling. The “Roar” also conducted its own test for lead in the journalism room, using an EPA recognized lead test kit purchased from Ace Hardware. because the paint used in the classroom is as old as the school, but found no traces of the harmful substance. “Before we painted the wall it was pretty gross,” senior Alyssa Feliciano said. “Paint was constantly chipping off of it and it wasn’t even white yet, it was more of a gray color. It drove [teacher Mark] Schledorn insane, which is the main reason why we painted it.” Some parts of the school, such as the locker rooms and the interior of the cafeteria are slated to be repaired this summer, but in order for other parts of the school to get repainted, other issues must first be fixed. “I do know one of the areas of concern is in the stairway of building four,” Halbeur said. “But first they have to address the water intrusion because what’s causing the paint to chip or peel is the water that’s coming down from the break room leaving the brick moist and that’s what’s taking the paint off. They have to address the water problem first, which is in a different department, and after that the painting.” However, some progress is taking place to revamp the paint job in certain parts of school, such as the auditorium. On Feb. 2., as part of annual facility needs assessment, the project to repaint building 16 started and was completed on Feb. 20. This created some vexation for students parking in the auditorium parking lot because several spots were blocked off. “Not being able to park in my spot that I paid for was rather irritating,” senior Nic Stelter said. “The auditorium did really need a paint job because it was starting to look black and blue rather than our school colors. It does make the school look a lot nicer, and maybe now people will stop mistaking it for the gym.” News/March
7
Mist-ified Popular vaping trend raises health concerns By Rachel Montgomery Staff Writer Whether heard as a serious question or used as a meme, “do you even vape” is a common question among teens. Vaping, the act of smoking an electronic cigarette, is on the rise in teens. The pen that holds the vapor can contain flavored juice, a mix of juice with nicotine, or ingredients containing THC, the major active ingredient in marijuana. Although e-cigarettess became popular for those trying to stop smoking, health officials claim they are a way for teens to start smoking. “Vaping is known as a gateway drug,” Viera Pediatrician Aryanna Lee said. “It could easily lead teens into trying marijuana and also cocaine.” Most e-cigarettes contain juices that are benign and have scents. The actual act of vaping does not have health consequences that have been found yet, and a 2015 expert review from Public Health England estimated e-cigarettes are 95 percent less harmful than the real thing. However, most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which causes addiction and for teens may harm brain development and could affect memory and attention. “I vape because I like the flavor,” a senior said. “And most major studies have shown that it has little to no effects on the health of the user. The big question mark currently is on the long-term effect, like after 10 or 20 years, and those don’t really worry me.” Besides the harm of nicotine that can be in e-cigarettes, some contain the chemical formaldehyde, which can cause cancer. Flavors for “vape juice” often use the chemical diacetyl, which has a buttery taste and used to be added
to foods like popcorn until it was linked to factory workers’ deaths and hundreds of cases of bronchiolitis obliterans, a serious and irreversible lung disease. Researchers at Harvard found that 39 of 51 e-cigarette brands contain diacetyl. “The flavors, such as cotton candy, cherry and bubble gum attract many teens,” Lee said. Photo credit: Rachel Montgomery Blowing Off Steam A student vapes after “Vaping has dangerous outside his house after school. effects for teens because they believe that it is safe and do not know the actual harmful effects that it can have on their health.” For school campuses, e-cigarettes lay in gray territory when it comes to the rules and safety around them and the consequences for students having possession of them. “We haven’t heard of it being an issue in the schools in Melbourne, and I really haven’t heard any other schools having issues with it in other counties,” School Resource Officer Chuck Landmesser said. “It [possessing an e-cigarette] would face the same consequences as possessing contraband or bringing tobacco product on campus. If that were to happen here, we would see if the student has a disciplinary file, if there is any type of issue, and it would be up to the principal to make the ultimate call on what would occur.”
Congratulations boys’ soccer on your State Championship Victory!
New Lingo Arabic language class could be offered next year By Lizzie Marrin Staff Writer Next fall will bear witness to a new development in school academics: the introduction of Arabic I. The new course — meant to offer students the opportunity to build a more competitive college admissions portfolio — will take the form of Photo credit: Lizzie Marrin one class period and its Arabic Excellence Fatima Jarrah success will based upon demonstrates her profiency of the Arabic language to fellow classmates. the reaction of the student body. “We may have one section of it next year or we may not have any sections,” Principal Rick Fleming said. “If there aren’t enough students signed up for it, then obviously we can’t have the class. If enough students sign up, we will have one section, and if the kids like the language and they like the teacher and [the class] gets a good review, then perhaps it will grow into another sequence. While it’s difficult to predict how students will respond, I have already heard some discussion about it on campus, and several of our students who are of Middle Eastern descent are very excited about the opportunity to learn Arabic.” Because Arabic I will be the only Arabic class offered next year, the new teacher — Diana Masri — will be shared with Edgewood.Masri will teach one period of Arabic at Edgewood and another at West Shore, using one period for travel time in between classes. “When you start a language, you have to start it with one section,” Fleming said. “You can’t start it with all four sections of Arabic or four sections of Mandarin, so what happens is you can’t offer a teacher a full-time job, and a lot of our teachers need to be full-time employees. They can’t just teach one period and get paid $10,000 a year for that one period, so that’s the problem.”
However, Masri said the outcome will be worth the commute. “I know of the travel and it will not be an inconvenience,” Masri said. “As a matter of fact, it is a welcomed challenge. Reaching a large number of students at the best two schools in Brevard County is certainly well worth it.” Masri, who obtained a graduate diploma in children’s education in 1991, has experience with both classroom teaching and private tutoring and said she is excited to impart her love of language to students who are equally excited to learn. “I am a child educator by trade,” Masri said. “Education is my choice profession, and teaching the Arabic language is task that requires understanding not only the mechanics of the language, but also the culture it was created in. I want to educate young adults that are serious about learning and that is the reputation of the students at West Shore.” Being an American of Lebanese origin, Masri mastered Arabic before learning English, and later on, French. Fluent in these three languages, Masri believes language is a powerful tool and thus intends to give students the chance to learn a new one. “I have spoken Arabic as long as I lived,” Masri said. “In my opinion languages are bridges between cultures. Understanding a second or even a third language opens the horizon for students to experience those cultures and provide them with a tool to use during their travels as well as understanding the current events that surrounds them.” Like Masri, Fleming believes the addition of the Arabic language will be benefit students by providing them with new skills. “I’m excited about this opportunity,” Fleming said. “When I did my research about what the most needed world language was in terms of society and in terms of job opportunities, it wasn’t Spanish — it was Arabic, believe it or not. Adding Arabic gives immediate credibility to all kinds of military scholarships because we are immersed in Middle Eastern culture over there as Americans, and our ability to speak that language is going to be very lucrative in terms of job opportunities.”
News/March 9
Give Me a Break
Late spring vacation alters standard semester flow
By Briana Sandoval Copy Editor Students of Brevard County Public Schools will have to wait until mid-April for Spring Break. Traditionally, Spring Break has taken place every March. Many attempts were made to come in contact with adistrict official who could give a reason as to why spring break is in mid-April. However, after being transferred multiple times on the phone, a conclusive reason was not found. This decision to push back Spring Break has raised eyebrows for both good and bad reasons. Millie Rosasco, who graduated in 2013, had addressed the school board with concerns that the deciding date for Spring Break is to fall during Easter and Good Friday. This however, seemed unjust to Rosasco because she is Jewish. “ Every year for the holiest days in the Jewish religion, I would have to miss school,” Rosasco said. “While luckily this was considered an excused absence, I would still be missing class material and exams. Then looking through the school calendar I noticed that Good Friday was a day that we had off school — in fact — it was a ‘holiday for all’.” Rosasco also mentioned that she has always been passionate about religious equality and standing up for what she believes in. “This issue was something I cared so much about that I wrote my senior paper about religious equality in schools,” Rosasco said. “Before I went to the school board, I wrote two letters to the editor that were published in ‘Florida Today’.” Principal Rick Fleming said that despite Spring Break being later this year, students are pretty
resilient in terms of handling the changes. “Naturally I think [the students] are going to be a little agitated about having Spring Break so late because they are used to having it during the third or fourth week of March,” Fleming said. “But our students are pretty academically focused, so it should not be too impactful. But I agree to have that drastic of a change is pretty aggravating.” Fleming also mentioned that the late break might be beneficial for upperclassmen. “It may help them in their preparations for their upcoming AP exams,” Fleming said. But like I said, I’ve always seen Spring Break as a way for students to unwind before the final grind of the school year. So, to not have that and then to start prepping for exams kind of robs them of a little bit of time that they normally would just be letting their hair down in the spring of their senior year.” Senior Danielle Ferretti said having Spring Break in April will affect her plans to spend time with her sister, who attends Florida State University, and whose Spring Break will take place in March 13-17. “Usually Spring Break is right around the time of my sister’s birthday and so we get to celebrate it with her, but since it’s later this year, we won’t really get to see her,” Ferretti said. “ It makes me really sad because she is about to go to a different college out of state and it’s probably going to be the last year that we [my family] would even be near her during her birthday.” Ferretti also mentioned that because Spring Break is closer to the time of graduation than before, the amount of time during school after spring break will be really crammed together in terms of testing and work.
Spring Break Through The Years In the 2012-2013 year, Spring Break lasted from March 25-28
In the 2014-2015 year, Spring Break lasted from March 23-27
In the 2013-2014 year, Spring Break lasted from March 24-28 10 March/News
In the 2016-2017 year, Spring Break will take place from April 10-14
In the 2015-2016 year, Spring Break lasted from March 21-25
Happy
Happy
CAFE CACHET Facility to take on food-court feel while students are away this summer By Hope Dougherty Staff Writer High top tables, booths, round tables, charging stations; all of these things will be coming to campus this summer. The cafeteria, which has had the same set-up and traditional cafeteria-type tables since the school was built as Central Middle School, was selected for a complete reconstruction and remodel; with the goal of making the lunch room more modern, more comfortable, and more appealing to students. Recently named “The West Wing” in reference to the presidential elections that happened this past year, the new cafeteria will be “The West Wing” of West Shore in the hopes that it will attract more students and in turn bring more revenue. “As you probably are aware, our cafeteria does not make a whole lot of money,” principal Rick Fleming said. “All the cafeterias in Brevard County are self-supporting, meaning that whatever food items they sell simply go to cover their labor costs. That’s why lunches are relatively cheap, in compared to the food court at the Melbourne Square Mall where you’re going to pay a minimum of eight or nine dollars for a lunch. In our cafeteria you’re paying three bucks for a lunch so they can keep the prices down to cover their labor costs.” A committee of various students, juniors Jared Hayes and Shelby McKeever, sophomores Lydia Howald and Sky Morgan, and freshman Abdullah Shahzad, was formed to voice their opinions on the proposed remodel. “Four other students, the district nutritionist, architect, and I discussed how the cafeteria could encourage students to buy food,” junior Jared Hayes said. “So far we determined that the cafeteria needs to be a more inviting place that is both efficient and cost effective.” Learning-environment specialist Cindy Wessel took their suggestions into consideration and came back to the next meeting with blueprints, pictures, color swatches and plans for both the administrators and students to approve. A more modern and collegiate style cafeteria was decided on, with multiple sections of different seating options. There will be booths, high tops, round tables and even a printing section so that those who go to the media center during power hour to print homework assignments will have equal opportunity right in 12 March/News
A New Look Plans for the cafeteria renovation include tech charging stations and high-top seating.
Image courtesy: Brevard Public Schools
the lunchroom. There will still be three lunch lines but will be designed like those of a food court. Even though the layout of the cafeteria is changing, the food selection will remain the same. Instead, widescreen TVs will be placed in each lunch line to showcase present and future lunch options. “It’s kind of disappointing that I’m a senior and they are redesigning the cafeteria right after I leave West Shore,” senior Alicia Handley said. “But I think it’s a waste to spend copious amounts of money on modernizing it in hopes of making more money when the only problem is with the food they serve.” In addition to the layout of the cafeteria changing, a new policy is being considered in which cell phones will be allowed during power hour starting next year, accommodated by charging stations lining both the north and south walls in the cafeteria; a place where students can charge their phones, laptops, iPads, or any other form of technology while being able to eat lunch simultaneously. “I feel like if we had an allowed time to use our phones we are less likely to want to sneak a text during class,” freshman Lindsey Hoffower said. “Personally this would change my cell phone habits in class. I would just wait until Power Hour to use my phone rather than in class. I would use my phone mostly for schoolwork and sometimes for other purposes.” If the goal of the new cafeteria does not succeed and not enough money is made to support labor costs, those employed will not be at risk. “No [jobs won’t be lost]. Even if they were, it would be in Brevard County cafeterias as a whole,” Fleming said. “For example, at Bayside where there are nine employees, they might lose one because we didn’t make a profit. So they just shift the burden of profit to another school, which is sad for us. I mean I wish more students would buy lunch but we have a lot of helicopter moms who would rather make their kids lunch instead of eat in the cafeteria.” Sophomore Lauren Novak is hopeful for what the new renovations will bring to the school community. “I am super excited about the new renovations. I hope it will bring more people to the cafeteria, and in turn, bring more revenue to the cafeteria,” Novak said. “I usually buy my lunch anyway, but I will probably be a little more encouraged to go in and buy a snack every once in a while. Either way I enjoy talking to the cafeteria staff and trying to brighten their day.” News/March 13
Amugoal!!!
‘Cats claim second title in five years By David Thompson and Matthew Jones Managing Editor and Staff Writer Streaking down the field, junior midfielder Abe Murphy nutmegged a defender with a heel chop and passed across the box to senior forward Amugo Chukwunenye who finished it off with his left foot. The goal occurred in the 20th minute of the second half and ended up making the difference in the 1-0 Wildcat victory in the Class 2A State Soccer Championship game on Feb. 16. After having a stretch during the season where he scored 10 goals in four games, Chukwunenye’s goal marked his first since the team’s opening district match. “It meant a lot to me to score, and it was really good that I scored because the last few games I had been in a drought,” Chukwunenye said. “It felt awesome. I was so excited. I was just happy we scored because in a lot of these games when, we score the first goal, it’s good because we could control the pace of the game. That was a really good feeling putting it in the back of the net.” At that point, the approximately 260 West Shore students who checked out from school and traveled to Deland, erupted in euphroia in Stetson University’s Spec Martin Stadium. “When Amugo scored we all tried to run up to him to celebrate,” senior defender Matthew Moscrip said. “But he ran like lightning over to the fans. I’ve never seen him so hyped up before. It was chaos.” The ‘Cats had previously defeated Berkeley Prep for the state championship during the 2011-2012 season and neither team had been back to the title game since then. When Berkeley senior Max Learner 14
March/Sports
just missed a goal six minutes in, he squandered his team’s best scoring opportunity because the West Shore defense shut down his team the rest of the way, not allowing a single shot on goal. “It was an awesome effort from the guys,” sophomore midfielder Chase Hester said. “Berkeley had a lot of pressure in the first half but our defense held strong and we were able to counter in the second half and get the goal we needed.” The team’s unbeaten postseason run began with an 8-0 victory over district rival Cocoa Beach in the District 2 Semifinal on Jan. 25, causing sports fans on campus to take notice and school spirit to gain momentum. Senior dancer Hope Dougherty said the team’s success had a greater impact on the school than the players may have realized. “I think this is a really big deal for our school,” Dougherty said. “Our school spirit seems to have skyrocketed in the past couple weeks due to their success. Judging by the guys’ reaction after the games, they seem to really appreciate the support and even play better with more fans in the stands.” The Wildcats went on to defeat Melbourne Central Catholic 2-0 in the District 2 final. Senior midfielder and co-captain Sam Leighton scored one of the goals, and also saw his brother, sophomore defender Ian, ejected and suspended for the next four games for unsportsmanlike behavior. The elder Leighton said the team used his brother’s absence as fuel for motivation. “The entire postseason everyone had
the mindset where we had to get to the state final so Ian could play one more game in the season, and we made that happen,” he said. “When Ian subbed on in the first half [of the state final], it gave everyone a big boost, which was a big weapon for us.” Junior defender Brandon Benitez filled in for Ian during his suspension and the team allowed only one goal with the adjusted lineup. “[Senior defender Matthew Moscrip] slid out to right back, and Brandon stepped into the middle [of the defense], and he’s a beast,” Ian Leighton said. The team next faced Lake Highland Prep in the Region 8 Quarterfinal where it won 4-1, propelled by two freekick goals from senior defender and co-captain Nicholas Burgess. Freshman goalkeeper Cooper Stein allowed his only goal of the postseason and the only goal in the last 10 games. “The team did a good job of keeping a lot of pressure off of me,” said Stein, who had missed the two days of school leading up to the state final, with the flu. “Coach Bob [Robidoux] has been pushing me really hard in practice and it has helped me improve a lot throughout the season.” In the Region 8 Semifinal, the Wildcats squared off against Bishop Moore, a team that had knocked them out of regional competition three out of the last four years. Sam Leighton described the feeling he felt when the team overcame the obstacle that had stopped them in the past. “It was definitely a big win for me,” he said. “I have traveled up to their field and lost three times, so knowing they are going through what I went through
2.
Photos: Beth Saunderson
1. Raise it Up Senior Nick Burgess raises the champiuonship trophy among his teammates 2. Standing Strong Junior Dylan O’Brien shields off a defender. 3. Coming in Clutch Junior Abe Murphy charges up to strike the ball for the gamewinning assist. 4. Overwhelmed Senior Amugo is comforted by teammates as he breaks down to tears. following the victory.
feels pretty good. When we left in defeat the first few times, I just kept thinking of what I could have done throughout the game to make a difference, now they’re feeling the same thing.” In the Region 8 Final, the team defeated The Villages Charter 1-0 on a goal from Murphy. This goal along with two scored by Murphy in the previous game, were all assisted by sophomore midfielder Cameron Yeutter. “Cameron’s really good at finding attackers,’ Murphy said. “He is one of 1. the only center midfielders who is always looking to attack, when he gets in those positions he almost always gets the pass to me.” Moscrip suffered an ankle sprain during the second half of the the state semifinal game against Bishop Kenny, which West Shore won 1-0. “My foot had already been fractured but I rolled it again and it got worse and 3. really bruised,” Moscrip said. Through the pain, Moscrip still started against the Buccaneers and played all 80 minutes. Burgess said Moscrip was the best defender in the game. “Matthew played amazing,” Burgess said. “He was always there making the big plays, even on a fractured ankle.” Next year when junior midfielder Kishan Ghayal walks into the West Shore gym he will see his own championship poster next to the one commemorating the 2012 team, which his brother Darshan was a part of. “I just now realized what winning [the championship] really means and all the glory it comes with,” Ghayal said. “I feel really blessed to have been a part of such 4. a talented team that will go down in the history books. Seeing our banner will 4. back all of the memories of the bring unimaginable run we went on to win the state title for our school. Sports/March 15
Short End of the Stick Boys’ Lacrosse loses its junior varsity team By David Thompson Managing Editor Junior varsity is no more for the boys’ lacrosse team this season because only 29 players tried out for the team and that is not enough to fill a varsity and JV team. The solution that Coach Chuck Landmesser came to was to create a team made up of the remaining players that will compete through the Brevard Lacrosse Alliance beginning in March. “We’re going to have a developmental team,” Landmesser said. “So anybody in seventh and eighth grade and some even in ninth will be able to play on this team. These players will be used as a practice squad, so they will still practice with varsity. We are hoping that this will give them an opportunity to still play, still be associated with the West Shore team and then hopefully get the [try-out] numbers back up again so we can have a JV team in the future.” Freshman Cheyne Johnson was one of several players who was put on the developmental team. “I was disappointed there wasn’t a JV team this year,” Johnson said. “I’m pretty excited to play in March because I
feel like I’ll be able to play for long times during games.” Even senior Kyle Fitzgerald, entering his fourth year on varsity, said there’s a noticeable difference this year. “It’s extremely odd not having a JV team where we can teach some of the younger kids fundamental skills,” Fitzgerald said. This challenge comes in Landmesser’s first season as head coach after Coach Dan O’Halloran held the title of head coach for the past three years. With Landmesser becoming head coach, it may take some adjusting from returning players. “Landmesser taking over has been a huge change especially for me,” Fitzgerald said. “He makes us run a lot more and the drills are more physical rather than stick-skill intensive.” Middle schoolers and freshmen are still welcome to join lacrosse up until March when the developmental team begins playing. “In years past we’ve had seventh and eighth graders going against seniors,” Landmesser said. “This year in the development league they will be competing against students more likely to be in there age group.”
On The Dotted Line
Two senior athletes sign to college teams By Ben Lack and Kishan Ghayal Staff Writers
Making it to the collegiate level of a sport is the dream of many high school athletes. On Feb. 1, that dream became a reality for two Wildcats: seniors Nick Burgess and Austin Camps. Burgess committed to the University of North Florida soccer team while Camps signed with the University of South Florida’s cross-country team. “I had a bunch of other offers,” Burgess said. “I chose UNF because they have a top 25 program in the country; they were ranked 22nd in the nation. They just built a brand new $30 million biology building and my major is bio. They’re losing three of their defenders, so the coach has already told me that I will be in contention for spots right off the bat as a freshman, and obviously they gave me a big chunk of change which helps going to college.” Burgess offers an anecdote of advice for any aspiring high school athletes: “There’s kind of a misconception, a lot of people think that if you go to games, you’re not going to get scouted. I’ve heard a lot of parents say ‘oh it’s useless, you’re
16 March/Sports
not going to get scouted from that,’ but the truth is you can get scouted from anywhere. I never once emailed a single coach, all I did was go out there and focus on playing the game.” Camps had a similar experience with collegiate scouts, noting that he was contacted by the USF cross-country coach, thanks to exceptional times to begin the season. “I came in contact with them after the beginning of crosscountry season,” Camps said. “Their coach, Coach Reef, said she was interested in meeting me and watching me throughout the season, and I had some pretty good times at the beginning of the season, so she paid for me to come over and visit USF and meet the team.” Both Burgess and Camps attracted a lot of attention from Division 1 colleges, however they finalized their decisions on Feb. 1. “I was deciding between USF and UF,” Camps said. “I chose USF because the members of their team are more positive, and I will get to run more often there. There are fewer members on their team, which is one of the reasons I chose them over UF.”
‘Deserve Victory’ Boys’ basketball sets school record for most wins By Taylor Smith and Ahjaney Friar Staff Writer After completing a long season, the boys’ varsity basketball team managed to finish up with 17 victories, setting a school record for most victories during a season and living up to its “Deserve Victory” mantra. In addition to breaking the record, the team also recorded its first victory in the district tournament since 2009. “Our record was 17-11 this year,” Coach Tony Riopelle said. “Our winning percentage was 60.3 percent, which is the highest winning percentage we’ve ever had and also the most wins we’ve ever had in a season. As a team we set 10 school records as a whole for boys’ basketball and those are just two of the 10.” Senior and co-captain Ayden Lew broke his pinky finger early during the second preaseason game of the year, causing him to miss about four weeks of a season. Lew said he didn’t take a second for granted. “I’m really proud of what we did,” Lew said. “I mean it’s not everyone’s privilege to say that they were a part of one of the best teams to ever play for West Shore. I think this experience was just so great because it showed everyone’s dedication and passion for the game and just that we were able to do something no team has ever done before. I don’t really think that it’s sunk in yet that we’re one of the best, but it’s just such a great accomplishment and we’re all very proud of each other.” Sophomore Auston Gonzalez made his presence felt this season, especially early on. Gonzalez made seven 3-pointers against Covenant Christian on Dec. 6. “I’m proud to be a part of what the team was able to accomplish this year,” Gonzalez said. “I had no doubt in my mind that this would be the best basketball team West Shore has ever had because we all played for each other rather than ourselves, and I’ve never seen an entire squad of players do that for a whole season. We played well on the court, but the fact that we were a family off the court made setting the record that more special.” Despite the boys’ record-breaking season, senior and co-captain Juan Rodriguez is left unsatisfied with the way his part of the season ended due to suffering a severe
ankle sprain during the Jr./Sr. Pride Tournament.
Photo credit: DSP
Off the Dribble Senior Juan Rodriguez drives past a denfender against Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High School on Dec 2.
“It [stinks] because I wasn’t out there to play our last game,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t know if it would have made a difference in the win/loss column whether I played or not, but it would’ve been a different style of play. It honestly just [stinks] to sit on the bench and watch your team lose knowing you can’t do anything about it.” Although nine out of the 13 players will soon be leaving for college, senior and co-captain David Thompson is confident that next year’s team won’t disappoint. “They’re going to have a really tough time because they’re going to be in the Cape Coast Conference next season,” Thompson said. “But I feel that if the four returning players can show the JV kids moving up how to win and how to play, then they’ll be successful.” Sports/March 17
1. Spider-Man 4. Captain America
2. Batman 5. Flash 5. Venom 6. Thanos 5.Doomsday 6. Deathstroke
Elite 8 Heroes vs
DC
Deathstroke and Venom both took out fan favorites in the Sweet 16. With Joker and Loki now gone, it’s up in the air which villain will now come out on top. SpiderMan will come to blows with fellow Avenger, Captain America. With Captain America coming off a huge victory against Iron Man, will he keep up this momentum going in to the Final Four or will Spider-Man continue his dominance? It’s all up to you, so go VOTE!
Villains
Visit www.westshoreroar.com to cast your vote.
And The Goes
Award To
Students voice their opinions on the 88th annual Academy Awards.
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Love it Hate it By Ahjaney Friar Staff Writer
New Student ID’s "I really like them because it makes me feel like I’m at a normal school.” —Ashlyn Smith, 7th
“I don’t like my photo and they’re too easy to lose. ” —Andres Carlos-Tamez, 8th
“Rings” “I loved the huge plot twist at the end. It was just a really good movie.” —Scarlet Heuett, 9th
“The ending seemed thrown together last minute and it wasn’t even that scary. ” —Travis McClendon, 10th
Migos Album: Culture “Although I’m more of a country/ pop fan, I listened to this album and absolutely loved it. ” —Kayla Garoust, 11th
“I was never really a fan of Migos. Wearing the same color T-shirt doesn’t really change that. ” —Juan Rodriguez, 12th
Survey Says Tweet
Tweet West Shore Yearbook
West Shore Yearbook
New Student ID’s?
Love it Hate it
Culture, a new album by Migos?
47%
Love it Hate it
53%
38 votes Final Results 3:44PM Feb 1, 2017
24 votes Final Results 3:42 PM Feb 1, 2017
Tweet West Shore Yearbook The Movie Rings?
20 March/Entertainment
Love it
13%
Hate it
87%
15 votes Final Results 2:51 PM Feb 20, 2017
67% 33%
Bus Bandit
According to WJHG news, a Florida teen was caught stealing a school bus Feb. 4 and taking it for a joyride in Panama City. The bus belonged to the school the teen was attending, Bay Haven Charter Academy. After swerving on and off the road and into oncoming traffic, the police eventually made the bus stop. When the police pulled the bus over, they found the teen hiding under one of the seats in the back of the bus.
Lying in a Ditch
According to the “Independent Florida Alligator,” Cheryl Ann Morris, a 52-year-old Alachua woman, drunkenly drove her car into a ditch. When police arrived on the scene and asked if she was injured, she replied that she was dead.
Clean Getaway
A man in St. Pete allegedly stole around $400 worth of body wash and deodorant from a local CVS Pharmacy, according to “Sun Sentinel.” The man made his getaway after stuffing the merchandise into a duffel bag and the police are still looking for him.
Wacky
Stories Compiled by Helen McSorley Editor in Chief
Thou Shalt Not Steal
Lakeland man John Michael Haskew was accused of stealing $7 million via phony wire transfers, according to “Sun Sentinel.” His defense? Jesus Christ created wealth for everyone, and Haskew said he was just taking what Jesus Christ had created for him.
Spongebob Stalker After waking up, St. Pete woman spotted a man in a Spongebob costume standing over her couch where she was sleeping, according to 10 News. Steven Charles Kirkland fled the scene, but was arrested after he was found attempting to hide in a trash can.
Entertainment/March 21
Reviews
‘Roar’ critics share their thoughts on the latest music, TV shows and local businesses. For musical theater fans, “Dear Evan Hansen” was long awaited. Reviews for the show have been promising, especially for the performer filling the title role, Ben Platt. Known for playing Benji in Pitch Perfect, Platt brings an awkward energy to Evan Hansen that is perfection. Evan is a high school student who writes letters to classmates to overcome his social anxiety. But when his classmate Connor (Mike Faist) commits suicide and one of Evan’s letter to him is found, Evan pretends to have been best friends with Connor in order to console Connor’s family. On top of that, Evan has a crush on Connor’s sister, Zoe (Laura Dreyfuss). The music is moving, flowing swiftly between heartrending moments of doubt to awkwardly funny one-liners. The musical is an exploration of self-doubt, the expectation of love, and dysfunctional family and the album successfully fulfills the high expectations of hopeful fans. By Helen McSorley
The fact that the screenwriter of “Grey’s Anatomy,” Shonda Rhimes, can still keep her audience invested in its 13th season proves that it is an exceptional show. It’s success is due to the combination of talented acting and an enthralling plot. It became clear that audiences can expect to see jam-packed drama and a continuation of character development when the nail-biting episode kicking off season 13B aired. What is also impressive about the show is that despite the exit of several characters over the years, the show continues to successfully progress. By Briana Sandoval
Lucky’s Market: the higher-end supermarket that you’ll have to be lucky to get a parking spot at. Since its opening, the store has been hyped up, and for good reasons: it offers fresh, organic, local foods that are at affordable prices; and in a shabby chic setting. Inside the store is a juice bar for fresh smoothies and juices, and a selection of “never ever” meats (meats that haven’t been treated with antibiotics or growth hormones) from the in-house butcher. Comparable with Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, Lucky’s Market makes grocery shopping fun and a way to support local farmers. By Rachel Montgomery
22 March/Reviews
7 Movies The Oscars missed
4 5 6 7
By Helen McSorley, Briana Sandoval and Alexa Carlos Tamez
1 2
“The Edge of Seventeen”
3
“Deadpool”
Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) is a junior at her peak level of awkwardness, feels more alone than before when her best friend starts to date her older brother. The audience both laughs along with and pities Nadine on her journey to find forgiveness in both herself and those around her.
“The Girl on the Train”
Adapted from the book by author Paula Hawkins, “The Girl On The Train” brings a new meaning to psychological thriller. The story, focusing on the broken life of recently divorced woman Rachel Watson (Emily Blunt), quickly unravels into a psychological murder mystery that will leave the audience shocked at the end. Bringing a new twist to the marvel franchise, “Deadpool” pleasantly surprised fans with its correlation of crude humor and traditional Marvel action. Ryan Reynolds’ performance of Wade Wilson/Deadpool redefines hero.
“The Little Prince”
A beautifully crafted movie based on the famous novella by Antoine de SaintExupéry, this classic tale is told with beautiful animation and is interwoven with great life lessons. This is a gem that the Oscars truly missed.
“Finding Dory”
A surprisingly moving sequel to “Finding Nemo,” “Finding Dory” leaves fans laughing and crying. In a desperate attempt to find her parents, Dory and company travel through the sea and into the Marine Life Institute. Although a bit predictable at times, “Finding Dory” is a movie that is easy to laugh (and cry) along with.
“The Jungle Book”
Another live action remake of a Disney classic, “The Jungle Book” uses CGI to recreate incredibily realistic looking animals. Packed with famous actors lending their voices to make the animals of the jungle come alive, this movie is a hit.
“The Fundamentals of Caring”
A charming yet thoughtful take on the “road trip of misfits” trope, this story follows the story of a teenager with muscular dystrophy (Craig Roberts) who never leaves the house and his newly appointed rookie caregiver and recent divorcee (Paul Rudd) as they travel across the country on a journey to the world’s largest pit. Witty and dark-humored, this movie was a surprising success.
Enterainment/March 23
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