ROAR West Shore
March 2018018
AT 2:21 P.M. ON FEB. 14
EVERYTHING CHANGED Our schools will never be the same after a gunman opened fire on students and faculty members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Our community responds and seeks a way forward.
INSIDE: Never Again School community plans for student walkout, 12 New French teacher takes on many classes, 6 Students use dual-purpose track, 17 Fornite: Battle Royal review, 23
westshoreroar.com - 250 Wildcat Alley - Melbourne, FL 32935
“West Shore Roar”: March 2018 EDITORS Editor In Chief Alexa Carlos Tamez Managing Editor Rachel Montgomery Sports Editor Ben Lack ADVISER Mark Schledorn GRAPHICS Emma Remonsellez-Conde Catherine Ho Photo: Fallon Klenotich
WHAT’S INSIDE
Signing Strength Seventh-grader Jack Johnson signs a poster designed by school resource officer Valerie Butler and guidance counselor Kimberly Strauch for Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
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Staff Editorial
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Mural Madness
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Time to Teach
pg 10 pg 12 pg 17 pg 18 pg 21
Hope Scholarships cause more harm than good
Eau Gallie wall art creates controversy
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ahjaney Friar, Auston Gonzalez, Justin Ho, Shawn Humphrey, Valery Linkenhoker, Michael Lucente, Madhav Pamidimukkala, Sanjay Ramchandani, Marissa Scalise, Jessica Travis, Walter Wilinsky, Gianni Valenti PUBLICATIONS POLICIES
“West Shore Roar” recognizes itself as a public forum and encourages letters from West Shore students and members of the community. “West Shore Roar” cannot print ads promoting New French teacher takes on many classes 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 Senior trains for ‘Ninja Warrior’ Course or ads containing libel. “West Shoer Roar” is not responsible for web sites viewed through links found on pages mentioned in the School community reflects on Parkland shooting publication. “West Shore 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 Boys’ soccer season ends after semifinal loss columns are edited for length, content and clarity. “West Shore Roar” maintains the right to edit all submissions for poor taste, length, grammar and libel. Views expressed in the A preview of who to watch this season “Opinions” section do not necessarily represent the views of the Brevard County School Board, the West Shore administrators, faculty, student Valentine’s Day candy, Snapchat update, body or “West Shore Roar” staff.
Parkour Project Never Again Final Four
Athletes to Watch Love it Hate it Winter Olympics
pg 23
Reviews
Fornite: Battle Royal, ‘Culture II’, ‘Scary Hours’
SUBMIT Send your opinions to wstheroar@gmail.com VISIT Go to westshoreroar.com for more content
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Staff Editorial
from the editor Hope Scholarships cause more harm than good
Cartoon: Catherine Ho
As kids go through their adolescence, it is more than likely that they will encounter some form of bullying, whether they are the victim, the perpetrator or a mere bystander. This problem is evident in school’s across the world, and there hasn’t been a real solution to stop bullying, but the Florida Legislature thinks it has found one. House Bill 1 would to provide a voucher for public school victims of violence or bullying. The funds given by this voucher could be used for either private school tuition or transportation to another public school. This bill completely misses the point. The idea is noble, because the Legislature wants to get the victim out of a bad situation through these Hope Scholarships, but the bill isn’t focusing on fixing the predicament at the root of the problem: the bully. The Hope Scholarship really does
nothing but allow the bullies to get exactly what they want. It allows them to drive victims away from their schools, places in which they should feel safe while getting their education. When the solution to someone being bullied is for them to leave, while leaving the culprit to repeat the cycle over and over again, something is wrong. House Bill 1 takes away responsibility from public schools to address bullying, which can become dangerous very quickly. If a student who is being bullied is awarded a voucher, the school doesn’t have to face the consequences of what happened; instead, the problem “fixes” itself. The school can pretend that nothing ever happened because the victim is no longer there. And worse yet, victims could very well be left feeling exactly the way the bully wants them to: like they don’t belong, they’re not wanted and nobody cares about
them. The intention of the Hope Scholarship is understandable, and there probably would be success stories. Some victims may be greatly helped by changing schools and could potentially thrive in a new environment. But what about those who don’t? What about those who leave a school because they can’t take the pain anymore, just to encounter the same exact thing at their new one? This scholarship doesn’t do these kids the justice they deserve. It doesn’t give them the type of protection that they deserve either. It’s not enough to just throw money at what is probably the biggest issue regarding school-aged kids. It’s not enough to just give kids an escape route and not help them confront their problems. Instead, we have an obligation to create a safe and inclusive learning environment for everyone.
March 2018
to the editor
Cold Cafe I think the cafeteria is way too chilly. It is completely ridiculous that I have to bring a jacket just to eat my lunch. It is preposterous that there aren’t enough seats outside, because the younger wildcats take them and I don’t want to be a bully and force them to sit in the frigid conditions. Only on Wednesdays am I blessed enough to sit outside when the younger students are in homeroom and there is space available to eat comfortably. I’ve sat in the cafeteria all six years and now in my final year the temperature is unbearable. I don’t understand how in the morning the temperature is acceptable but at lunch it is like dining in the arctic. I want to plea for change. Shelby McKeever. 12th
opinion
Here We Go Again In 2018 we have experienced yet another abhorrent shooting, this time stealing the lives of 17 innocent souls. However, this time [the FBI] saw it coming. They knew that this could happen. They knew it could get worse. Yet, every single level in the system failed. Parents, students, teachers, administration, the police, the FBI, the House, the Senate, even the executive branch; failed. And with each failure, the true problem became clear: We have a gun problem in America. To be clear, I do not, in any way believe that the constitutional right of Americans citizens to bear arms in order to protect themselves or their families should be hindered, however, with that carries a certain level of responsibility. More specifically, we need more comprehensive background checks
College Complications By Rachel Montgomery Copy Editor As college acceptances come out, the dreaded question “Where do you want to go?” is being asked. At the lunch table. In the hallway. By your homeroom teacher. While having a family game night. The idea of venturing off into a new place, and getting out of high school is exciting, but for some college brings something else— financial troubles. Seriously, college is expensive. The average cost for state residents at public colleges was $9,970 for 20172018 according to the College Board. To put that in perspective, if you made $9 an hour, you’d have to work 1,108 hours to make that much for one year of college. And that’s just tuition and fees, not living expenses. Yup. The truth is, not everyone can
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and eliminate gun show loopholes. Additionally, no civilian should be able to carry a semi automatic weapon of any sort. Such firearms are made with the intent to wound or kill as many people as possible within a short period of time. This is unnecessary for any American. I believe that as a country we are able to develop a comprehensive system for gun laws. In order to do so everyone must admit to the issue, acknowledge it and take a look at it with tactful consideration. The rights of an individual to bear arms does not outweigh the rights of majority to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Despite the principle nature of gun rights, children do not deserve to die, parents don’t deserve to live in fear and families do not deserve to be torn apart. Emily Ortiz, 11th
College decisions include more than knowledge
afford to go out-of-state. Or to a big state school. Sometimes, people can only go where they get scholarships. Sometimes, people don’t want to take out thousands in student loans. Or they stay in Brevard because they want to be close to family. Whatever the reason, it’s perfectly valid. The average ACT score at our school is a 27. The state average is 19. Because our school is college preparatory, our students naturally have higher acceptance rates than others. At an elitist school such as ours, college acceptances seem to come easy. Our curriculum is built so that each student is a solid candidate on applications, a blessing truly, so it’s easy to get wrapped up in the idea that college acceptances are “easy.” In reality, at other high schools not
everyone gets accepted. Not everyone even goes to college. Some people take gap years. Here, everyone goes to college. We view 40 percent and 50 percent acceptance rates as easy, because most students at our school get in, which isn’t typical. It’s common for people to want to go to UCF. Or UNF. Or smaller schools, like FGCU, or FAU. These aren’t “dumb” or “lesser” schools. The perfect school is different for each person, and that’s O.K.. What’s not O.K., is to make it seem like these schools aren’t O.K.. Instead of judging others for going to a “lesser” school, support them for continuing their education and taking opportunities. Be proud of your peers and congratulate them on all their acceptances. Going to college is the next big step in our lives, and it’s exciting, so don’t be a hater.
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campus connect
Helping Humanity
Student volunteer makes a difference in the community
Story By Ahjaney Friar Staff Writer For some students, completing their volunteer hours is just another box to check on their long list of requirements. Sophomore Ishaan Jathal, on the other hand, wants to make sure he left a mark in his community. “I started off volunteering just for hours at this place called the ReStore where Habitat sells furniture for low prices,” Jathal said. “I saw kids my very own age working with their families found out they were volunteering to get enough hours so that they can help their family apply for a low-income house for Habitat, and that really stuck with me. I was really moved by how much effort they were putting in.” The chapter will be holding its first fund-raising event on March 17 and
hopes to get the student body involved. “We want everybody to just get involved with the community more and not just want to volunteer for the sake of doing it but to actually do it because they believe in the cause,” Jathal said. “We are having a Walk-a-Thon on March 17 at Wickham Park and we want everyone who can come to go and walk for the community and have fun. We’ll have food, live music and stuff. It’ll be a lot of fun.” Jathal aimed to find a way he could make a difference and also get others involved in the process. “I just brought it up to Dr. Spero [Tshontikidis] and was like ‘Hey I want to start this chapter for Habitat for Humanity’ and he was fine with it,” Jathal said. “But Habitat made me do a lot of paperwork to get registered
because they are an international organization, so there was a lot of stuff they had to process. I had to fill out a lot of forms that said we were an official chapter and they had to make sure we had a faculty adviser [Spero] did most of the paperwork.” Vice President of Developing and Marketing for Habitat for Humanity of Brevard, Pam Davis said Jathal’s drive is commendable. “We are always thrilled when we have interest in starting a campus chapter,” Davis said. “Campus chapters help Habitat for humanity advocate, educate, build and fund raise to eliminate poverty housing. What impressed me the most about Ishaan and his team was their passion and dedication to making an impact in their community.”
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March 2018
campus connect
Maddening Mural Story by Jessica Travis Staff Writer Homer Simpson punches the eyes out of a brain while Spongebob and Hello Kitty melt away to cracking bone. Los Angeles artist Matt Gondek painted this mural on the side of the CrossFit Rise Above gym for the AntiGravity project to beautify the Eau Gallie Art District. But some shop owners, such as Lisa Jaskulski from the furniture store directly in front of the mural, filed complaints against the graphic image. Eau Gallie Art District Executive Director Lisa Packard said the complaints claimed the mural was inappropriate for all ages. “We don’t think they are worried about children. They don’t like the imagery themselves,” Packard said.
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Eau Gallie wall art creates controversy “We have learned that most people are not artists and, therefore, want paintings of familiar things, such as dolphins and manatees.” Packard said the Melbourne Historic and Architectural Review Board approved the mural despite controversy. “We use murals to draw attention to our community, to bring art to the outside for people who may never step inside an art gallery,” Packard said. Digital Art teacher James Finch said the mural looks fun and goofy. “I wonder why it had to be so violent; I question that,” Finch said. “I mean what do you expect from an art district? If not there, then where can we do it?” Senior artist Ashley Rivera said the mural is not as inappropriate as people say.
“[People disliking the violence] is ironic because that’s all that’s in American media,” Rivera said. “It depends on the interpretation.” Another student artist, senior Gillian Weaver, said she loves the madness. “It’s just as violent as something you’d see on a regular ‘Spongebob’ episode,” Weaver said. “It’s a statement on the violence in children’s cartoons and society, so parents are all up in arms because they’re finally being forced to acknowledge it.” In 2015, residents were concerned with the Shark mural on Dr. Joe’s Intracoastal Lounge, but it turned into a popular attraction. “If [the owners are] losing money then I would [remove it],” Rivera said. “But otherwise it gives them press: all press is good press.”
Interning Insights Trevor Smith, Emory Carr gain experience in future careers Story by Auston Gonzalez Staff Writer As the number of aspiring teachers continues to decline, the purpose and motivation of joining a high school teaching staff may become questionable. However, new math intern Trevor Smith has no questions regarding his career aspirations. As an assistant to geometry teacher Donald Gornto, he hopes to obtain a future teaching job after graduating from the Florida Institute of Technology. “This helps me learn how to be an effective teacher,” Smith said. “My mentor teacher, Mr. Gornto, seems very experienced and very passionate about what he’s doing. I see that in his eyes and I see that in his relationship with his students, and that’s what makes it special for me and also helps me learn what students enjoy and expect from a teacher.”
Smith said he hopes to change the lives of a multitude of students in the future. “I want to help students prepare to become adults right out of high school,” Smith said. “From what I’ve experienced in high school, we get pushed to go to college and that’s it. I want to teach students adult skills. I really want to teach them how to do taxes, I want to teach them how to open up a checkbook, and stuff like that. So I want to give them some tips, some skills that they can use right out of high school because too often they may expect to go to college, but they don’t. They may go to the military or they may sit at home and they may not know the options they have available to them once they graduate.” Gornto said such internships are beneficial in helping people make important decisions regarding their future careers.
“When you’re a student, you see one aspect of teaching,” Gornto said. “By [Smith] seeing how a teacher does the planning, it gives him a different perspective of teaching and so it lets him know ‘Is this something I really want to do?’” In addition to the new intern in the math department, the guidance department has provided Emory Carr an opportunity to assist in the office. “I meet with students and parents to discuss their schedules and any academic questions,” Carr said. “I provide individual counseling to students as needed, collaborate with teachers and staff, teach classroom and guidance lessons, and facilitate small group counseling to students. This internship is the last requirement of my master’s program. It is beneficial because it provides me with practical experience that I will use in my career.”
March 2018
campus connect
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By the Numbers
23 Years teaching Time to Teach Madame Alaoui explains to her students the instructions for a poster project that they are making in class.
Photo: Ahjaney Friar
Teacher on Top
French teacher Madame Alaoui takes on seven classes, college night courses and online schooling Story by Valery Linkenhoker Staff Writer Devoted to her job, newly arrived French teacher Malika Alaoui, who replaced Jennifer Walker in January, takes on seven classes a day at West Shore as well as night classes at Eastern Florida State College and two online classes. With all that is on her plate, Alaoui struggles to find time for herself. “It’s hard, I can’t say it’s not, because I don’t have time,” Alaoui said. “There are days where I don’t find time for myself. I think I’m doing fine, but sometimes it seems [like] a lot.” Comparing university classes to high school classes, Alaoui is getting use to the constant movement and energy from her students. “I’m not use to teaching younger kids. They always have more energy and you have to have the energy with them,” Alaoui said. “It’s not the same as teaching at a university. You don’t have to have so much energy [and] you don’t have to go in between [the aisles] and make them happy and
participate.” Alaoui’s father was a teacher who created a school for girls in Morocco, which inspired her to continue with the teaching pattern. “All my family [members] are teachers,” she said. “I have this history of teaching around me. I was always inspired by [my father]. Most of my brothers are professors in universities in Morocco. When I came [to the United States from Morocco] I thought the best thing to teach was French.” Alaoui also grew up speaking French and Arabic. When she attended school in Morocco, teachers and students spoke both languages throughout the course of the day. “The first language I learned was French,” Alaoui said. “I [am] bilingual so I would spend half of my day only [speaking] French and half my day only [speaking] Arabic, and at home I would speak Moroccan, which is a dialect of Arabic. Moroccans have words in French they mix up with Arabic and with other languages from Africa.”
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Languages spoken
8 Schools taught at
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College degrees
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Parkour Project
campus connect Senior Tessa Smith trains for ‘Ninja Warrior’ Course
Photos: Tessa Smith
Ninja Moves Senior Tessa Smith trains for her project through executing an obstacle course and jumping on a trampoline at Sky Zone.
Story by Marissa Scalise Staff Writer Swinging through the Tarzan ropes, senior Tessa Smith feels a rush of adrenaline. Smith has established her Senior Project as a goal to complete and improve her time for an “American Ninja Warrior” course, training both in school and at local gyms with ninja courses. “The way the course works is there are timers set up so you press a button at the beginning and there is a motion sensor at the end of the course, so it will stop timing as soon as you hit the sensor,” Smith said. “My overall goal now is just to see if I can improve my time.” “American Ninja Warrior” is an athletic competition TV show in which competitors attempt to complete a course of obstacles in the fastest time possible. The ninja competitions require both upper body, lower body and core strength as well as muscular endurance. “I always wanted to learn how to do Parkour,” Smith said. “After a lot of deliberation with my consultant, we determined it would be more beneficial for me to work on training like a Ninja
Warrior.” In order to increase her strength and endurance, Smith works with her consultant and trainer to make a structured training plan that will optimize her speed on the courses. “I train based on a workout schedule where I work different muscle groups each day. Each workout takes around 40-45 minutes,” Smith said. “On Mondays and Thursdays, I do an upper body workout that includes a small amount of core work. Tuesdays and Fridays are lower body, also with small amounts of core. Wednesday is my favorite day, a 30-minute full-on core workout.” Smith’s interest in Parkour, the sport of maneuvering obstacles in different landscapes by running, jumping or climbing, ultimately led her to her goal of minimizing the time it takes to complete a course mimicking the “American Ninja Warrior” show. “I was out eating dinner with my parents one night and the restaurant was playing ‘American Ninja Warrior’,” Smith said. “That’s when I decided, I’m definitely doing this.” Smith has made the most of her time on and off campus to proceed
with her project and advance her time improvements when testing her speed on the ninja courses. “I go at least once a month to either of two fitness centers around Melbourne that have the course set up,” Smith said. “I go to try and check on my time and see how I’m doing.” By being in weight-training class, Smith also has used school hours to increase her strength. “I chose weight-training to help with my project, and it has actually become the class that I look forward to most every day,” Smith said. “I’ve just found something in it that I really like.” Each type of Senior Project provides some sort of long-term benefit for students. “It teaches seniors perseverance, patience and how to overcome adversity, which is a dwindling skill these days because often students receive instant gratification,” Senior Seminar teacher Jessica Thomas said. “They always encounter some type of difficulty. It’s never easy, so they have to learn how to overcome that difficulty. In the short term it frustrates them, but in the end they feel good about it.”
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BY THE NUMBERS
17 450
Killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Million dollars proposed by Gov. Rick Scott to keep students safe
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Number of school shootings in the U.S. as of Feb. 20 this year
40 291
Number of letters written by AP World students for students at MSD
Number of school shootings in the U.S. since 2013 Sources: USA Today, ABC News, Everytown, FBI, Kirk Murphy
Never Again School community reflects on Parkland shooting Story by Rachel Montgomery Copy Editor 10 a.m. A time typically thought of as during second or third period. However, on March 14., it will be time for change. Across the country, students will be walking out of class in remembrance of the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, and to demand action. Junior Anna Wilder is helping organize the walkout. “Everyone was feeling for what had happened, but I kept thinking ‘I wish there was something we could do at West Shore,’” Wilder said. “I know that a lot of people think this is politically skewed, but this isn’t about one choice. This is about making change no matter what, and I think everyone can agree that needs to happen.” Brevard Public Schools superintendent Desmond Blackburn said he supports the political engagement by students, and hopes that protests are done in collaboration with school administrators. “I think that the best opportunity we have for longstanding, significant change is the voice of the students,” Blackburn said. “I’m encouraged that so many youngsters are engaged in this topic and are willing to advocate for their peers and for themselves. I love the student leadership and the social and political engagement by our students.” Administration cannot endorse the walkout because it must remain politically neutral, however
teachers are assisting in planning. “Whatever [students] are planning I fully support and will assist them with whatever they want to do,” social studies teacher Robert Sarver said. “I’m a real non-emotional person, but all of the students that have died makes me want to cry. I hope this event will give at least one person the idea of trying to make a difference in society. There are certainly people here that have the ability to, so I hope it energizes people to try to make a difference.”
“The best opportunity we have for long-standing, significant change is the voice of the students.”
The shooting influenced freshman Elizabeth Beattie on a personal level. Her family friend Ben Wikander was shot three times in the back, and is currently in recovery. “I was kind of in denial,” Beattie said. “I feel like it was so awful, and once I realized this was the reality it was just awful to think about. He went into surgery that night and the next day after being shot. But now he’s stable and in recovery.”
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March 2018
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What is Gov. Rick Scott’s action plan?
Source: www.flgov.com
• Require crisis intervention training for all school personnel • Establish funding to require access to mental health counselors to students at every school • Require mandatory active shooter training as outlined by the Department of Homeland Security History teacher Kirk Murphy gave his students an extra-credit opportunity to write handwritten letters to students at Stoneman Douglas, as requested by MSD AP World teacher Diane Wolk-Rogers. Murphy said he received 40 letters from his 60 students. “I like the idea that teenagers are talking, that they are becoming more active,” Murphy said. If you go back to the 60s what led to civil rights was young people taking a stand and making a change. It has to start at some level. I’m not saying the same level as civil rights but things could change because of [student protests]. That’s a nice thought.” Latin teacher Tim O’Flaherty expressed concern regarding the recent rallies and protests for gun reform. “The problem with these positions is that they’re emotionally laden,” O’Flaherty said. “The endorphins
Proposal for Mental Health Initiatives Expand mental health service teams Require every sheriffs’ office to have a DCF case manager embedded in their Department Provide law enforcement and mental health coordination matching grants
Source: www.flgov.com
• Mandatory School Resource Officers in every public school • Increase funding in the Safe Schools Allocation • Establish a new, anonymous K-12 “See Something, Say Something” • Require each school to have a threat assessment team
and dopamine that come from that position are so strong that people are irrational about it. You in fact are in an environment that can’t talk rationally about public policy. And it’s making people stupid.” Administration and school resource officer Valerie Butler have been meeting to improve the safety and security of the campus. Already, the gate by the cafeteria is being locked at all times, and students must buzz in or call the front office to have it unlocked. “My main job here is to keep you guys safe,” Butler said. “From a police standpoint and a safety standpoint, I would be very devastated and feel like I failed you guys if something like [Parkland] were to happen here.” O’Flaherty agreed that increased security and attention to students would benefit the safety of the school. “In order to mitigate against a person doing something you need to have armed security on your campus,” O’Flaherty said. “You also need to have what they call in the military a sanitized environment, a condition where the entrance and exit are only allowed to people with access. And underneath that, using guides and counsel, you have to pay attention to the signs of being mentally ill or deeply troubled.” Butler and guidance counselor Kimberly Strauch designed and printed a banner for students to sign during Power Hour to encourage those at Stoneman Douglas.
“I thought to myself that if something like that were to happen here at West Shore what would we want?” Butler said. “Obviously showing support is one of the things that you can do. Everybody signing and being able to write whatever they want to write and express themselves was the easiest thing I could think of.
“When it comes to protecting our schools and our kids, we need to be swift and decisive.”
During a press conference on Feb. 23, Gov. Rick Scott unveiled a 500 million dollar plan to address safety in schools, which includes expanding mental health initiatives and requiring faculty and students to participate in active shooter drills each semester. “Florida will never be the same,” Scott said. “Let me be clear – there is nothing more important than the safety of our children. When it comes to protecting our schools and our kids, we need to be swift and decisive. Change is coming… and it will come fast. There is nothing more important than to do all we can to make sure a horrific and evil act like the Parkland shooting never happens again.”
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Texting and Turmoil New phone driving law to be considered in Florida’s Congress Story by Madhav Pamidimukkala Staff Writer Plaguing the nation’s roads for decades, texting and driving killed 3,477 Americans in 2016 alone. State legislatures are now cracking down on this lethal practice, as 45 states have made texting and driving a primary offense in the last decade, and as of Jan. 9, when Senate Bill 90 was introduced in the state legislative session, Florida is on track to become the 46th state to do so. Police officers would be able to pull over drivers strictly for texting and driving, rather than adding it to an existing primary offense such as speeding or driving under the influence, as it “bans operation of a motor vehicle either while manually typing or entering multiple characters into a wireless communications device.” Brevard’s state Sen. Debbie Mayfield was among the eight senators who introduced this bill, and says she passionately believes it will save countless lives. “Research shows that states with legislation similar to SB-90 have a lower car-crash hospitalization rate than states that don’t, and while it won’t prevent all crashes related to texting while driving, I believe that it will make significant improvements and help protect Florida’s drivers,” Mayfield said. “In 2009, the Florida Legislature passed a law requiring Floridians to wear their seatbelts. Imagine how many lives have been saved because of that law and how those who opposed it must feel now. In 2027, I hope we are able to look back and think of how many lives we saved because of SB-90.” According to school resource officer Valerie Butler, motor-vehicle-related deaths are the primary cause of death among teenagers, and a significant number of those are from distracted
driving. “Having [texting and driving] changed to a primary reason to conduct a traffic stop will make it easier to enforce,” Butler said. “This will greatly reduce accident rates among teenagers, as statistics are already showing that distracted driving accident rates are now above those of DUI and impaired driving, and teenagers and young
Graphic: Catherine Ho
adults are the primary age groups that text and drive.” Butler also said officers would receive specific training to properly enforce the proposed law and not infringe on the rights of Floridians. “Those that are pulled over will not be subject to search [of the contents] of their electronic devices because of what appears to be looking at or being on it,” Butler said. “We would receive training on the new law and be told legally what we can and can’t do, such as when we could get a warrant to look through
people’s phones.” SB 90 would have the potential to alleviate a major issue at school: parents on their phones in the car loop. According to Assistant Principal Catherine Halbuer, parents not paying attention to those who guide the traffic flow is a key contributor to the loop’s inefficiency. “We have been struggling with distracted parents in the car loop for a while and have been trying to combat it since last year when Officer [Chuck] Landmesser put up the ‘hang up before you pick up’ signs,” Halbuer said. “It upsets me to think that a kid could get injured due to their recklessness. No student has been injured in the car loop during my tenure, but it has happened before at West Shore, and could potentially happen again unless parents consider the impact of texting and driving, which I believe this bill could do.” Junior Lauren Novak said the thought of the consequences of using a device when driving will discourage her from doing it. “Honestly I do like the fact that they have more authority over it,” Novak said. “I often struggle with keeping my focus on the road when I get distracted by my cell phone.” Like Novak, senior Sebastian Rivera supports the bill, but has an ill sentiment towards the mindset of the drivers. “I can’t say I’m against it,” Rivera said. “At the same time, it’s existence is just so saddening to me that we have collectively lost our common sense so much so that we have forgotten that a car is a weapon and can easily kill or injure somebody.” If the bill successfully passes through the state legislature and is signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott, it will be effective starting Oct. 10.
March 2018
news New Bills in the Legislature
House Bill 1
House Bill 827
A voucher for public school victims of violence or bullying. The funds can be used for private school tuition or
Deletes provisions related to caps on amounts of bonuses awarded to teachers based on student performance on certain examinations.
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public school.
House Bill 132
Senate Bill 4
Proposal 93
Completion of courses or programs that meet financial literacy standards would become a graduation requirement beginning with students entering ninth grade in 2020-2021.
It would restore Bright Futures to its original award levels permanently and add $300 for the fall and spring semesters to cover materials and other costs.
Grants high-performing district schools the ability to become "charter districts," and better compete with charter schools, which have less state regulation and more autonomy.
Graphic: Emma Remonsellez-Conde
Changing Calendars 2018-2019 school year to undergo scheduling modifications Story by Justin Ho Staff Writer School Board members decided on the official calendar for the 2018-2019 school year during a meeting that took place Jan. 23. Students will have three extra days off for Winter Break, a ful week off for Spring Break and an extra day off for President’s Day. The district considered many changes, including extending Thanksgiving break to a full week, having students take their exams after Winter Break, moving Spring Break to March, and moving the last day of the school year from May 29 to May 22. Along with the possibility of moving exams to after Winter Break, the School Board also looked into some other controversial changes to the
calendar, such as starting the first day of school off on a Friday. However, most of these proposals never made it past the decision-making stage. While the district didn’t fulfill all of the changes proposed to them by parents in their survey, they did consider extending the length of Spring Break and moving the beginning of the break earlier to March. Junior Lauren Seifert wanted the district to consider the idea of having a full week off for Thanksgiving. “Many families travel during this time and it involves many students missing school days,” Seifert said. “In my opinion, there doesn’t seem to be a good reason for having a two-day week instead of rearranging the schedule to
give us those two days.” Junior Alexandre Beregi said he hopes the district decides to strategically space out the breaks, rather than keeping them close together. “I feel like the most important aspect would be being smart about spacing out the days,” Beregi said. “I would personally rather have an extra half week or so for Spring Break rather than have a full week for Thanksgiving when a longer Christmas break is already right around the corner.” The 2019-2020 school year calender will look similar to 2018-2019 in terms of holidays length and teacher work days, but will start later and end earlier, barring any unforeseen weather circumstances.
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westshoreroar.com
SCOREBOARDS Compiled by Alexa Carlos Tamez
Boys Soccer 2-1 Edgewood 7-2 Space Coast 0-1 MCC 1-0 at Lake Highland Prep
1-0 Bishop Moore 3-0 at Crescent City 1-2 at Bolles School
Girls Basketball 44-18 Edgewood
17-60 at MCC
Boys Basketball 73-23 Odyssey Charter School 51-46 Edgewood 45-29 Edgewood
42-50 Cocoa Beach 62-45 Cocoa 26-70 MCC
Boys Tennis 0-7 at Viera 7-0 Palm Bay 2-5 at Eau Gallie
2-5 at Melbourne 5-2 at Edgewood
Girls Tennis 7-0 Cocoa Beach 2-4 Viera 7-0 at Palm Bay
7-0 Eau Gallie 6-1 at Edgewood 3/1 at Satellite
Boys Lacrosse 10-7 Melbourne 0-20 Viera 3/2 at Holy Trinity
3/5 John Carroll 3/7 at Sebastian River
Girls Lacrosse 6-18 Melbourne 1-21 Viera 3/2 at Holy Trinity
3/9 Edgewood 3/12 Merritt Island 3/15 at CBHS
Track and Field 2/12 at Palm Bay 2/23 at MIHS 3/2 at Satellite
3/6 at MIHS 3/15 at Heritage 3/28 at Satellite
*West Shore score listed first As of Feb. 27; for more updated scores, visit www.westshoreroar.com
sports center
Continuing Careers Four seniors sign college letters of intent Story by Shawn Humphrey Staff Writer On national signing day, seniors Elena Barr, Giao Huynh, Shelby McKeever and Sydney Zamorano took pictures flanked by close friends as they sported the shirts of the colleges they would be attending. All four received scholarships to play their respective sports in college. Senior volleyball player Giao Huynh will attend Jacksonville University to continue her playing career. “It was awesome to see the support from our family and friends, and the faculty members,” Huynh said. “I was really happy that my friends were there with me.” In addition to being joined by the other signees, Huynh was joined by her close friends, including teammate Kara Dubec-Hunter. “It’s a big moment,” Dubec-Hunter said. “I was proud. I know that sounds dumb because it’s not like we’re her parents, but Hannah (Alba) and I were joking around, we were like, ‘Oh, they grow up so fast, look at her up there being all special.’” Soccer forward Elena Barr, who will
attend the University of Tampa, was surprised by the magnitude of the celebration. “It was a lot more than I expected, which was really nice,” Barr said. “Administration went all out, which was pretty exciting because I was not expecting that much appreciation for us.” Her teammate, Sydney Zamorano, signed to continue her playing career at Huntingdon University, in Montgomery, Alabama. The two signed alongside one another after a long history playing with and against each other. “It was nice having Elena next to me, because we’ve always competed against each other on our club teams,” Zamorano said. “We got to play together in high school, so it was a nice moment knowing that we both got to accomplish what we wanted to do.” McKeever, who will swim for Lynn University, is eager to see what the future has in store. “I’m excited to go down to Boca,” she said. “I’m excited for the opportunity, and the team down there, along with their atmosphere is just great.”
Fourth Final Four in Four Years Boys’ soccer season ends after semifinal loss Story by Alexa Carlos Tamez Editor in chief After a 2-1 loss against the Bolles School, the boys’ varsity soccer team ended the season that to some, seemed would end with another state ring. “[Going to the final four] was our goal from the start of the year,” senior Liam Wiles said. “After playing well against [Melbourne High] and [Montverde Academy], we all thought we could actually win again.” One setback that the team suffered
throughout the season was losing the district championship to Melbourne Central Catholic. “Losing to MCC refocused us and showed us that we [weren’t] as good as we thought,” Wiles said. “We knew after that we would have to work harder.” By making its fourth final four appearance in six years, the boys’ team has established itself as a powerhouse. “The younger kids have a lot of potential,” senior Brandon Benitez said. “I think they’ll continue winning a lot.”
March 2018
sports center
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On the Right Track? Students make use of dual-purpose training area
Running Wild Middle school athletes run two laps as a warm up before they begin to practice on Feb. 27 for their next meet at Stone Middle School on March 1.
Story by Shawn Humphrey Staff Writer The bell rings to signify the end of the school day, and students make their way to their vehicles and begin to file out. Meanwhile, the runners of the track team are patiently waiting to begin their practice, watching as the crowd of cars parked on the track gradually dissipates. “One of the biggest disadvantages is that the track’s a parking lot,” senior runner Jared Hayes said. “After school when we’re all practicing, we have cars that are still picking their children up, so when we’re running around the track it makes things kind of dangerous.” On top of the woes for runners caused by the track serving as a parking lot, the condition of it in poor weather conditions has caused issues for both track and cross-country runners during their
respective seasons. “When it rains, it gets flooded, which can make it pretty slick,” senior cross-country runner Kayla Garoust said. “People can sprain their ankles or fall, and then you have to avoid certain areas because the puddles get so deep that you have to cut around them, and with people running in the other direction it can be kind of hazardous.” Though the dual-usage of the track prevents it from being used for competition, in 2007, the millions of dollars that would’ve gone toward the necessary renovations to bring it up to competition standards were instead put toward educational improvements to the campus. “Our population was in need of science labs, and we were in need of an all purpose auditorium for our performing arts company and for our students who were working on
Photo: Ryan Flickinger
STEM, and trying to get into the college of their choice,” Principal Rick Fleming said. “So it was my job to redirect that $13 million into what this school community needed, not what they were going to assign us. As part of that agreement, [the district] said ‘you have a track out there that cannot be converted to a competition track, because it would cost several million dollars to do that.’” The track, however, has been used to host other events. This year, for the first time since 2014, the school will host Relay For Life, a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society. “Over the past few years, they’ve been hosting the event at different facilities, and it hasn’t been as successful,” Assistant Principal Catherine Halbuer said. “This year, they came out and looked at our track, and they thought everything would be great.”
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sports center
Erin O’Brien, 11
Maci Pekmezian , 10
Line 1 District runner-up 2017 4-1 in season as of Feb. 21
122 points scored 23 blocks 26/43 free throws made
Athletes to Watch Designed by Emma Remonsellez-Conde and compiled by Alexa Carlos Tamez
Nathan Foo, 9
0
Line 1 District champion 2016 2-3 in season as of Feb. 27
Jonelle Plahuta, 10
PR’s 800 meter - 2:28 1600m - 5:41 3200m - 11:51
March 2018
sports center
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Kicking it Under the Cross(Barr)
Senior becomes girls’ varsity soccer all-time leading scorer Story by Michael Lucente Feature Writer Going in to the home game against Space Coast on Dec. 11, senior soccer player Elena Barr was on the verge of making school history. She was one goal away from breaking the all-time career scoring record for the varsity girls’ soccer team, which was previously held by 2014 graduate Jenna Forry. “Before the game I knew I was close to breaking the record but I didn’t know it would happen during this game,” Barr said. “After I scored the goal that broke the record, they made an announcement over the speakers and it was a really special moment I just remember being surprised and very excited.”
Teammate Fallon Klenotich recalled the scene. “After she broke the all-time scoring record, we were excited for about 5-10 seconds then we all were like, ‘all right Elena now score some more.’” Klenotich said. “Of course it was exciting to all of us that we got to play with her, and make that record happen, but we also know there’s more to the game than breaking records so we thought ‘Why stop there? Just keep scoring Elena.’” Elena’s father and statistics keeper for the girls’ varsity team Rick Barr has watched Elena’s game blossom since she was young. “She has improved her awareness of the flow of play and sensing where all the players are. She loves to score,
but she also gets a lot of satisfaction from making crossing passes that result in goals by her teammates,” he said. “When Jenna Forry was a senior and Elena was an eighth grader she predicted that Elena would break her record. I thought that was a very nice thing for her to say, but I never dreamed it would actually happen. I’ve always tried to keep my expectations realistic, but she exceeds them. And when she beat the record I was thrilled and proud of her.” Barr has committed to the University of Tampa where she will play Division II soccer. “I’ve always known that I wanted to play soccer in college,” she said. “I know that doing well in school was important in achieving that goal.”
1165 N Highway A1A Indialantic, FL 32903
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The staff of West Shore stands by the students and faculty of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. #WeStandWithMSD
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Blue Jay
March 2018
entertainment
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Hate it
Love it
Compiled by Ahjaney Friar
"I like it, most people don’t like the candy like Sweethearts but I like the powderyness of it.” —Thomas Brownlie, 7th
“Most of the candy left is gross anyway, it’s just nasty.” —Sarah Metzler, 8th
After Valentine’s Day Candy
“The new update isn’t that bad. It’s being overrated on how bad it is.” —Sam Tsark, 9th
“It’s ugly and annoying, I wish they’d change it back to the way it was before.” —Scott Maggio, 10th New Snapchat Update “I just don’t think its as exciting as its made out to be.” —Mariah Jones, 12th
“It’s a great tradition that everyone loves. ” —Gannon Avery, 11th
Winter Olympics
Wildcat Winners Story by Madhav Pamidinukkala Staff Writer At the Science Fair held Feb. 9 -10, West Shore won 22 first-place awards, $1.2 million in FIT scholarships and thousands of dollars in cash prizes.
Best of Shows: Anna Feldbush, Best of Show Senior Physical Muhammad Abdulla, Runner-up Best of Show Senior Physical Nathan Foo, Best of Show Senior Biological Madeline Huberman, Best of Show Junior Biological Kaylee Krininger, Runner-up Best of Show Junior Biological Faith Collins, Best of Show Junior Physical
Students excel at local science fair
Sydney Feldbush, Runner-up Best of Show Junior Physical 1st Place Awards: Junior Animal Sciences, Tehya Bahsoun Senior Animal Sciences, Nathan Foo Senior Behavioral & Social Sciences, Ami Asar Junior Biomedical & Health Sciences, Madeline Huberman Senior Biomedical & Health Sciences, Julien Wakim Junior Cellular/Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, Kaylee Krininger Junior Chemistry, Tiara Quach Senior Chemistry, Calista Foo Junior Earth & Environmental Science, Ava Auter Senior Earth & Environmental Sciences, Minaal Murshid
Junior Engineering, Ariel Wundke Senior Engineering, Anna Feldbush Junior Environmental Engineering, Sydney Feldbush Senior Intelligent Machines, Robotics and Systems Software, Rohan Saini Junior Mathematics & Computational Sciences, Faith Collins Senior Mathematics & Computational Sciences, Muhammad Abdullah Junior Microbiology, Lucas Goldfarb Senior Microbiology, Taqwa Naas Junior Physics & Astronomy, Matthew Senior Physics & Astronom, Mahmood Syed Junior Plant Sciences, Liam Schutte Senior Plant Sciences, Sophia Nguyen For a full list of the 110 placing students, visit www.westshoreroar.com
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westshoreroar.com
reviews
‘Culture II’ Migos Album
Photo: Creative Commons
Review by Madhav Pamidimukkala Staff Writer “Culture II” feels repetitive with many tracks sounding like copies of songs from “Culture I,” such as “Open it Up” and “Deadz.” The album isn’t a complete bust, as featured artists including 21 Savage and Travis Scott are pleasing to listen to and blend well with the Migos’ unique, melodic vibe.
‘Scary Hours’ Drake EP
Photo: Creative Commons
Review by Madhav Pamidimukkala Staff Writer “Diplomatic Immunity” features impactful rhetoric which strikes a chord with listeners towards the obstacles Drake faces as he climbs to the top of the rap game. “God’s Plan” showcases beats and vocals which are both pleasant and energizing for the listener.
‘Black Panther’ Marvel Movie
Photo: Creative Commons
Review by Gianni Valenti Featured Writer “Black Panther” is less a cinematic masterpiece than it is a thought-provoking piece of art. Underneath the action seen in most superhero films, the message of power and strength in culture, women and family emphasizes social injustices seen around the country everyday.
Photo: Star Wars Photo: Creative Commons
Fortnite: Battle Royale Review by Auston Gonzalez Staff Writer Since the new year has begun, Epic Games’ “Fortnite” has taken both the gaming and social media worlds by storm. In its most basic terms, “Fortnite” is a survival video game that features a battle royale mode where 100 players, individuals or up to four-man squads, parachute onto a map with numerous houses and areas and collect a variety of weapons and supplies, trying to remain the last man or team standing while avoiding a storm as it continuously grows. By gathering materials and supplies, players can build defense fortresses and create structures to obtain other weapons and loot. The implementation of a storm, causing the map to shrink every few minutes, creates the challenge of working in a small space and forces players to become more strategic in their approach to the game. It’s relatively unlikely to win the game strictly by luck, in turn making strategy and much more significant. Although there have been issues with the online server and slight bugs, it’s a very enjoyable game with a well-planned story line. Because the battle royale mode is free to
download, it allows friends to team up, making the experience lively and entertaining.
“The updates show that the developers are making an effort to improve what is already a well-rounded game.“
There have been constant updates, with the addition of new weapons and supplies. There are also holiday themes, such as for Christmas and Valentine’s Day, and new locations recently were added to the map. The updates show that the developers are making an effort to improve what is already a well-rounded game. These fresh ideas result in players continuing to be intrigued and ultimately keep playing. On top of its literal purpose, the game has dominated social media in the last month. “Fortnite” has become the center of a multitude of jokes as players share their personal experiences online and relate to the millions of others who have been a part of the craze. Overall, downloading it is sure to bring a fun experience and will help relieve everyday stress.
March 2018
reviews
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT:
3
70 17 105.3
Thousand streaming equivalent albums
Thousand traditional album sales
Million streams in the first week
Photo: Creative Commons
Review by Auston Gonzalez Staff Writer After the announcement of the Travis Scott and Quavo collaborative project in 2016, “Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho” was released on Dec. 22, 2017. Despite these two being among today’s top hip-hop artists, the expectations surrounding the album might have been too high to meet. Multiple hits were produced, including “Modern Slavery” and “Eye 2 Eye,” and the album saw features from the other two members of Migos. Quavo seemed to gravitate toward Travis Scott’s sound and created much of the chorus, which was surprising because Quavo has produced solid verses as opposed to hooks in the past, with 2016 hit “Bad and Boujee” being the most notable example. The album might have been better if more songs were like “Motorcycle Patches” and “Saint,” with Travis providing most of the chorus and Quavo adding in more verses. However, the project is still successful and serves as a great jump-start into 2018 for hiphop, as the two will release more music later this year.
COMING UP
WANT TO GO TO A CONCERT BUT DON’T KNOW WHO TO SEE? DON’T WORRY. WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED.
Quavo and Travis Scott
Debut rank on Billboard Top 200 Albums
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Demi Lovato, DJ Khaled and Kehlani Saturday, March 31 Tampa
Lorde Saturday, March 31 Tampa
Big Sean, Playboi Carti, Shy Glizzy and GASHI Thursday, April 12 Orlando
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