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Student Life
April 2012
2
PPCHS soars into spring pep rally with action
Angelique Berkowitz and Nicolette Sponer
ENTERTAINMENT and NEWS EDITORS
Up in the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane?
No! It’s PPCHS! They’ve come to save
the day--or at least 2012’s spring pep rally! The pep rally was a superhero theme
and the Student Government Association
(SGA) decorated the gym as if the students
were dropped into the scene of a superhero
comic book. Action bubbles like “BAM!”
and “POW!” covered the gym walls along
with superhero symbols.
The spring pep rally took place on Thursday March 29th. Students of PPCHS piled
into the gym waiting to show their school
spirit as their favorite dance team performed and the sports teams exhibited their
talent. The SGA students were dressed in
full superhero garb looking like they were
ready to save the day as they stood on the
sidelines keeping order.
Junior Karina Cortes says, “I thought the
theme of pep rally was so creative and
the gym was decorated perfectly to fit the
theme.”
The pep rally was in full swing once the
spirited MCs- seniors Anjali Talwar, Amari Bryant, James Pitters and sophomore
Sierra Gude - sparked the pep in pep rally.
“I really enjoyed being
one of the MCs for the
spring pep rally. In doing
so, I had the chance to
bring energy to the crowd
and get them excited for
the last quarter of school
year,” stated senior Amari
Bryant.
The MCs introduced the
sports teams and dance
performance along with
the book club and drum
line performance while
the DJ for pep rally- eighth
grader from West Campus,
Mattias De la Flor- spun
some tunes to announce
their
presence.
The book club was
first of the performances followed
by an introduction of the sports
teams including
softball, lacrosse,
boys’ volleyball,
boys’ and girls’
soccer, boys’ and
girls’ tennis, boys’
and girls’ track,
boys’ and girls’
water polo, and
the baseball team.
Later on in the pep
rally, dance team Spring Flings for Charter: PPCHS band and school mascot pump up the crowds
school spirtit by dancing and performing spectacularly. Photos by: Adrian Tabraue
performed and got
The last pep rally for seniors was defithe crowd on their feet dancing to the latest
songs blaring on the radio. Mr. Jag contest- nitely one to remember. Several seniors
ants performed their choreographed dance showed their spirit as they chanted in the
which had the crowd roaring with laugh- stands and after third pep rally, represented
ter and applause. The winner of Mr. Jag, their class by chanting “Twelve! Twelve!
senior Timothy Eliacin, took center court Twelve!”
Senior Angelica Jiminez says, “I’m so
in the show-stopping performance. The
winning team from Snow Bowl also made glad I got to be a part of my last pep rally,
an appearance, playing a match of dodge not only for soccer, but with SGA. School
ball against volunteering teachers. The pep spirit has played a major role in my high
rally neared its finale with a performance school career so being able to show my pep
by the outstanding PPCHS Drum line. The at the spring rally was especially crucial.”
drummers outdid themselves with new
beats and award winning tricks.
A smashing night for Grad Bash
Anjali Talwar
CLUBS EDITOR
Since the first day of freshman year,
every student eagerly anticipates their
prom, graduation, and Grad Night. However since the recent changes, Grad Night
ceases to exist. The school and students
both believed that the seniors should not
be punished for Disney’s actions and followed the rest of the schools to Grad Bash.
Grad Bash essentially serves the same purpose as Grad Night, that one special night
to enjoy as you celebrate your graduation.
However, Grad Bash has much more to offer than Grad Night does, especially since it
is now one of the only public events available for graduating seniors. Grad Bash has
both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure open to students. They can travel
back and forth between parks throughout
the night. Our school has had the delight of
choosing the best one day package available.
After the seven buses leave at noon
sharp, seniors will be reaching the venue at
around 4 p.m. Jags will now have access to
a mardi gras themed pre- party between five
and seven that will have live entertainment
and a dinner buffet. Also Charter students,
during the pre-party, will be among the first
people to ride Revenge of the Mummy. After the pre-party everyone will be free to
roam both the parks as they desire-all rides
will be open. This includes the Incredible
Hulk, Harry Potter World, Toon
Lagoon, and all of the other student favorites. Besides the rides,
clubs, and food, the best thing to
look out for is the two headliners
for the evening: Miami’s one and
only Pit-bull and accompanying
him, the very popular DJ Khaled.
The night will be filled with excitement, and adrenaline rushing
through the veins of every student, as they enjoy their final days
of being a senior.
Senior Ashley Juan is super excited for this event and looks forward to it.
“I’m excited to go to Universal
and Islands of Adventures, since I
love those parks. I think it will be
so much more exciting and there
will be a lot for us to do. It is going to be a night to remember,”
Juan said.
With so much to offer, the school as well
as the park has some expectations. Girls
and boys have a looser attire guideline this
year with the addition of jeans. However
the normal Broward County dress code
still applies. As representatives of Charter, it is recommended that students dress
semi-casual yet comfortable. You want
to look your best in case you bump into
Pit-bull on your way to the clubs. As for
handbags, they must be 8.5x5.5 inches, no
larger than a half-sheet of paper. Cameras
Angelique Berkowitz
Entertainment Editor
Erin Jones-Content
Nicholas D’Agostino -Layout
Managing Editors
David Nabors
Sports Editor
Adrian Tabraue
Photo Editor
Jordana Cutajar
Features Editor
Eddie Baffa
Troy Bottom (content)
Gabriela Cabeza (photo)
Web Editors
Nicolette Sponer
News Editor
Brianna Cha-Kim
Student Life Editor
Alexandra Mangano
Technology Editor
Anjali Talwar
Clubs Editor
Julian Graves
Graphics Editor
Victoria Alvarez
Environmental Editor
Mr. Fagen - Content
Mr. Simon - Layout
Advisers
Alexandra Castillo
Fact Checker
Mr. Bayer
Principal
Valeria Perez
Cartoonist
and cellphones will be allowed, however
anything disruptive, obscene and gang
like will be strictly prohibited. Among the
many other things that students have been
curious about include the fact that if the
buses leave without you from school, you
will not be allowed to attend Grad bash,
they will not wait for you. Coming back,
if you miss the bus, make sure your cell
phone is charged because you will have to
call your parents to pick you up from Orlando.
The C. H. A. T. Staff
Eliza Barrocas
Editor-in-Chief
Alexandra Mangano
Business Manager
Cartoon By Valeria Perez
Content Staff:
Paul Austria, Julia Baca, Troy Bottom,
Cassidy-Rae Brantley, Matthew Coolidge,
Gabriela Garcia, Anyssa Gonzalez,
Isabella Jones, Anthony Kelleher, Selena
Newell, Melissa Sullivan, Chelsie Ramos
Layout Staff:
Joshua Alleman, Edward Baffa, Sarah
Deluca, Scott Gil, Andres Gonzalez,
Alexandra Mangano, William McKinley,
Lauren Olster, Ian D’meza
Photography Staff:
Troy Bottom, Gabriela Cabeza, Erica
Etchechury, Lisette Rivera, Carli Stander
Senior Ryan Faulkner does not want to
be left behind and will be keeping a close
look out for when everyone starts to leave.
“I am excited to go to these parks, but I
need to step up the focus that night as well
so I am not among those kids to senselessly
get left behind!,” Faulkner said.
As the days pass by and seniors begin collecting their memories for their final days,
be sure to remember every moment of joy
that you celebrate and the one and only
Grad Bash.
The C.H.A.T. is an official publication of
the Pembroke Pines Charter High School
(PPCHS). The content of our newspaper is
not necessarily the opinions of our advisers and administration. The C.H.A.T.
staff welcomes any comments to the editors and/or staff.
Pembroke Pines Charter High School
17189 Sheridan Street
Pembroke Pines, FL 33331
Phone: 954-538-3700
Email: [email protected]
Student Life
April 2012
3
Paying your way through summer break
Angelique Berkowitz
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
As the school year is quickly approaching its finale and summer is just around
the corner, students are pondering at the
thought of how to spend their allotted two
months of vacation. The first and most important option for students is to apply for
a summer job. The thought of working for
some spare cash in their pockets is compelling to many, and having the opportunity to
gain independence and exude responsibility is an added bonus. While looking for a
job in the upcoming months, it is important
to always remember to present yourself in
a respectable manner and always display
your best.
The most important thing to be wary about
when applying for a job is to check at what
age it is that the facility you want to apply
at will hire. Most department stores hire at
the age of 18 while most restaurants will
hire teenagers who are 15 years of age or
older. It is very imperative that you must
do your research first before automatically
being denied the job based upon your age.
“I was so excited to get my first job
working at Aeropostale,” says junior Lucas
D’Agostino. “When I first began to look
for jobs, I made sure of the age requirements for each location I wanted to apply
at.”
When applying for a job it is also very
important to create a valid resume. When
speaking to a possible future employer,
providing a resume with all of your goals
and achievements stands out to the employer and provides them with a sense of
success on your part. Even if you are without prior job experience, you can create a
resume filled with your goals and achievements that are school related.
“When I applied for my first job I knew
it was very important to present myself
well,” says sophomore Davin Miret. “I
wrote out a resume listing all of my goals
and achievements throughout my schooling and sure enough I got the job.”
Aside from creating an impressive resume and doing research before applying
for a job, it is very important that you always present yourself well. Most businesses require that you fill out an application
that could be located on their website or at
the location of the business. Once an application is completely filled out with all the
necessary information, the company will
often call you in for a personal interview. It
is always important that your dress appropriately and present yourself in a professional manner. In doing so, you are sure to
nail your interview and possibly obtain the
job you sought to receive.
Applying for a job is easy if it is done cor-
Summer cash: Students like Lucas and Davin find it
important to make extra money and took the initiative
to find a job for the summer. Photos By Gaby Cabeza
rectly. The first step is to fill out an application, then go in for an interview, and then
finally get the job. With the right amount
of time and the proper attitude you will
soon be asking the much desired question,
“When do I start?”
Senior year: empty wallets here
class. While the excitement of completing
high school is never ending, the fun comes
After four years of homework and study- with a price. Graduation, grad bash, homeing the end is finally near. It is time to en- coming, college application fees, prom,
joy the fleeting months left in high school, senior pictures, senior yearbook party, and
which is why they are jam packed with so even the cap and gown are all the costly
many memorable activities for the senior privileges that add up.
Senior Nicole
Cocuy said, “I have
friends who aren’t
going to prom and
stuff like that because it is too much
money,
especially
for families with
multiples siblings.
Everything
really
adds up.”
•
Set a price
range: One of the
key things to budget for senior year is
to plan ahead. Figure out how much
Senior spending: Seniors found themselves visiting Mr. Simon, the senior class
you want to spend
sponsor, this year to pay for all the events. Photo By Carli Stander
and then determine
Jordana Cutajar
FEATURES EDITOR
what activities you really want to partake
in. For example you might have skipped
homecoming to save up for prom, which
is the more expensive event especially if
you want to go all out. The ticket alone was
$100 not to mention the cost of a dress or
tux, shoes, corsage, tie, makeup and hair!
But once you have a price range in mind
you will be able to compare prices and
focus on what you really want or need to
spend your money on.
Get a part time job: At 18 there
•
are many more jobs available to you. If
you have time in your schedule why not
consider waitressing, becoming a bag boy,
or working in a clothing store at the mall?
Working for your own money makes you
appreciate it all the more and hopefully become more frugal with what you spend it
on.
Cut costs: There are many things
•
students buy senior year that have nothing
to do with the annual festivities. If you are
aware of your spending then you should
be able to limit yourself, that way you can
save the left over and put it towards your
own grad bash fund. For example, maybe
you and your friends like to go out to dinner every weekend. Why not get a smaller
meal or simply eat at home. Remember a
dollar saved is a dollar earned.
•
Ask for some help: With college looming on the horizon, parents have
their own expenses to fret about. However,
some parents are willing to pay for certain
things if it is doable.
Senior Nick Leekey said, “Thankfully
my parents pay for most of the school stuff
otherwise I probably wouldn’t be able to
go.”
If not see if you can work out some
sort of deal with them. Some students work
hard to get good grades in exchange for
compensation. Or even ask your parents to
pay for half the price, and whatever money
they put in you will offer to match.
Everyone wants to end their last year
of high school on a high note, but no one
wants to walk away broke. Be wise with
your money that way you can experience
all the highlights of the year and have some
money left over.
Prep for the possibilities of dorm living
Selena Newell
STAFF WRITER
Facing all scopes of reality is a major part
of being a mature adult. And technically,
in college, that’s what one should strive to
be…if college doesn’t force you to sooner
than you expect. The first taste of freedom
(and responsibility) would be dorm living.
A venue for compromise, and an avenue
for promise, dorm life could prove to be the
greatest way to express yourself and ignite
friendships, or it could be like waking up
to a nightmare day in and day out. But, like
everything else in life that we can control,
there is a way to prepare and stare down
all possible problems and topics before you
encounter them. There are no guarantees in
life, especially when you live it on your
own for the first time; but, there are how-to
guides. And luckily we have those for you!
Before you even begin to think about
your roommate, think about your space.
Know how big your dorm is by checking
your school’s website. They often post layouts, which include measurements. You
won’t have to lug whole beds and dressers
to your dorm in 99.9 percent of universities, so thankfully shopping at Wal-Mart
and Target instead of Ikea is a more likely
scenario. You’re going to want to have
loads of space. It may seem impossible in a
dorm. However, the things you buy to make
your dorm room feel like home should not
drown out your roommate’s side and seep
into the hallway. This isn’t your room at
home, and your space is not only your
own. You’re going to want to leave space
for your roommate and you to dwell in domestic bliss, and while you’re sticking to
your side of the pint-sized room, you don’t
want to feel crowded by your guitar-hero
and your huge stuffed panda bear. When
you shop for decorations, keep these things
into account, and you won’t spend extra
money on items that require extra space
that you’re just not going to find.
Speaking of roommates, whether you
meet them beforehand or not, make sure
that on the first day of dorm life together,
you set ground rules. This is essential because you will base the entire manner in
which you live on these rules. So to avoid
any disrespect or misunderstandings in the
future that may escalate beyond repair,
demonstrate initiative and establish the do’s
and don’ts, as well as personal boundaries.
You’re not five anymore, which means that
you don’t have to have bedtime, yes. But
that also means that you shouldn’t spend
your college time bickering with your
roommate about how they drank your orange juice, kept too many friends over too
long, and played their music just too loud
for your liking. Establish this from the beginning, and if they break the rules, they’ll
know they’re in the wrong and might be
willing to make the change sooner than a
heated argument would persuade them to.
If you are in a community style dorm,
you will most likely be meeting people.
Community style dorms are great venues
for social gatherings, but they also may be
a lot more active than
you want. At the same
rate, suit styled dorms
may prove to help you
befriend the neighbors
next door, but not your
entire floor. Know what
type of person you are,
and what type of social
person you anticipate
being in college, just
so you’re not socially
uncomfortable for your
college stay.
As far as food is concerned, if you love it,
stock up on it. If hot
plates are prohibited,
have one so you can
warm up and cook any
foods you may feel like
having when cereal and
ramen noodles get your taste buds bored.
Don’t get used to eating junk food though!
If you know you aren’t disciplined with
sweets, don’t keep it in the room! Hours
of studying may keep you gorging on junk
that will leave you sluggish and add truth
to the phrase “freshman fifteen”.
Senior Kenya Neal anticipates the ups
and downs of dorm life. “I know sometimes it’s hard to adapt to other people and
being away from home, but it’s something
you have to make enjoyable for you. If you
don’t you’re going to be miserable every
day and no one will care.”
Cartoon By Valeria Perez
Senior Neil Morrison remembers what an
alumni told him during college week about
dorm living. “She said that there will be
times when you feel sick, and you have no
one there to help and no medicine; all you
have is like Tylenol and a cranky roommate. But it’s something you adapt to. It’s
a part of being on your own.”
So as you embark on the next journey of
your life, be sure to demonstrate adulthood
and be confident and calculating. Before
you know it, dorm life will be one of the
many things you conquer on the college
campus.
News
April 2012
4
Four years later, seniors ready to vote
Erin Jones
MANAGING EDITOR
The last time a president was elected students in Pines Charter High’s class of 2012
were lowly freshmen still adjusting to the
ins and outs of high school; four years later
those freshmen are now seniors about to
graduate. Now instead of simply watching
the elections play out on the news, most of
them will be voting for the next president.
In 2008, the air was electric with the hope
many had for the future. With President
George W. Bush leaving office after two
terms and an all-time low approval rating
of just 22 percent, according to cbsnews.
com, the majority of Americans were hungry for a new leader that would be able to
revitalize the state of the country. Those
hopes rested with democratic candidate
Barrack Obama and republican candidate
Senator John McCain. Obama was a novelty who inspired hope amongst young
people. “Voters in the 18 to 24 age group
broke 68 percent for Obama to 30 percent
for John McCain,” according to cnn.com.
Four years later Obama is the president,
the recession is technically over, and slight
hope is still on the horizon. Many people
are still facing daily hardships in the nation.
“I think the 2008 election inspired many
young people to really get involved in the
election for the first time in modern day
history,” said senior Chastity Pascoe. “I
think the same sentiment is occurring in
today’s young people. The nation is at a
crossroads right now so every vote counts
in helping to change things.”
Pembroke Pines Charter High School is
doing a lot to ensure that when seniors
do come of the voting age, they will have
the tools they need to place their vote on
Nov. 4, 2012. On Jan 31st, fifty upperclassmen had the opportunity to work as poll
workers at the 2012 Republican Primaries.
Most students held the title of Electronic
Voter Identification operators (EViD) who
utilized electronic machines to check voters in and direct them to their polling areas. Other students acted as greeters who
answered any questions voters had. The 12
hour work day gave students the opportunity to see the entire process of voting from
check in to submitting a finished ballot.
The pay they would have received went to
a scholarship fund that will be awarded to
two seniors in the graduating class.
“The entire day gave me a new appreciation
for voting,” said senior and EVid operator
William Albino of his poll working experience. “With every person I helped checked
in, I saw such a variety of people. Realizing
that all of them had a chance to voice their
opinion through their vote inspired me to
want to vote.”
PPCHS has the highest number of registered voters of any other school in Broward
County. This is because the school brings
the opportunity for students to pre-register
and register to vote in the classroom. On
March 21 all students age 16 and older were
given the chance to register. Those younger
than 18 would have their voter’s registration cards mailed to them after their 18th
birthday.
“Having the chance to register to vote in
school is great,” said senior Julie Jarema.
“I honestly think registering would have
slipped my mind if I had to do it all on my
own”.
Seniors are also receiving the education
they need to conjure a political opinion. Seniors are taking government for one semester and are doing activities to teach them
about America’s government system.
“The other day, we had to research the candidates who are running for president and
make a political commercial about their
views,” said senior Vanessa Grieves. “When
we first got the project, I had no idea who
half the candidates were, but by the end I
had learned so much that I now know who
I want to vote for.”
With all these tools, student have developed various differing opinions about what
candidate they would vote for; yet, they all
agree that their next President needs to fo-
cus on fixing issues that are and will plague
them as they enter adulthood.
“The most important issue for me is the
economy. You know it would be nice if
school didn’t cost so much. If people could
afford to go to college, they could get better
jobs and help fuel the economy,” said senior
Chastity Pascoe. “I also think that we need
to invest in green jobs to help better both
the environment and the economy.”
“I think the next president should legalize
gay marriage,” said senior Alyssa Opisso. “I
have friends who are gay and knowing that
they can’t get married just because some
people oppose it is ridiculous.”
“I think the next president needs to focus
on increasing taxes for the 1 percent and
reducing the nation’s debt,” said senior Julian Carrero.
When it comes down to it, when seniors
do cast their ballots on Election Day, many
just want to see a change for the better in
the nation.
Pascoe voiced what many seniors will hope
their next leader will be able to accomplish.
“We need to focus on fixing things in
America before we worry about anything
else,” she said. “Everyone says that we are
the leaders of tomorrow. Well, tomorrow is
here so we need to ensure that all the issues
we have will be resolved. Voting can help
do this.”
Kony 2012: the truth about IC
Trayvon Martin:
The crime heard ‘round the nation
Anyssa Gonzalez
STAFF WRITER
Anthony Kelleher
STAFF WRITER
When the latest Invisible Children campaign
crept its way onto the
internet, social networking sites were
flooded with statuses
and posts about the
horror of a man that
is Joseph Kony. The
Kony 2012 campaign
was fueled by a heartwrenching half hour
video exposing the man
that has been assembling child armies for
years. Though people
have been aware of his presence, this video
opened the eyes of many doe-eyed Americans that had no idea what was really going
on in Uganda. As of March 18, there have
been over 100 million views for that video.
Those people now have a general idea of
what’s going on, but in reality, they don’t
have all the information.
“Seeing the Kony video made me want to
take action,” said freshman Nicole Scort.
“It’s horrible to see that people are going
through such horrible suffering.”
Invisible Children was launched in 2004
as an effort to raise awareness about the
Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and its
leader, the man that millions of people
now understand to be a horribly cruel man.
Kony’s armies of children were forced to
kill their parents and were often used as sex
slaves. In actuality, however, the threat of
the LRA has decreased significantly, and
when the Invisible Children video was
shown to village members of the area most
harshly affected by the LRA, there was a
negative response.
Junior Marcus Thompson has been aware
of Invisible Children and their good intentions and after seeing the Kony 2012 video,
he stands firm in his beliefs that there is a
On Feb. 26, 17 year-old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed in Sanford, Florida. The gunman was George
Zimmerman, age 28, who was the neighborhood crime watch leader at the gated
community. According to Zimmerman,
he shot Martin in self-defense but there is
much speculation as to why the action was
necessary. Zimmerman called the police
and reported a suspicious person walking
around the community, acting strangely. A
911 dispatcher told Zimmerman that the
police were on their way and not to follow
the suspect. When the police arrived they
found Martin face down on the ground,
with a bullet to his chest. Zimmerman was
bleeding from the nose, with a swollen lip,
and bloody lacerations to the back of his
head. What really happened in those couple of minutes between Zimmerman’s call
to the police and the time the police arrived
at the crime scene? Several witnesses
heard cries for help but there is a dispute as
to whether the cry was from Zimmerman
or Martin.
Martin was unarmed; he had a bag
of skittles and an ice tea with him. He was
visiting family and was on his way back
from 7-Eleven. Zimmerman told police
that Martin punched him and he fell down
and Martin then got on him and began
slamming his head on the ground. Zimmerman also states that he cried out for
help and shot Martin in the chest to defend himself. Zimmerman has yet to be
charged for the murder and that is what has
most protesters angry.
“I feel mad that they still haven’t charged
Zimmerman for the murder. I feel that they
are trying to cover up for Zimmerman saying that Trayvon is a bad kid because he
was suspended,” says Samantha Bruno Lerouge, a senior at PPCHS.
Charging and convicting Zimmerman
of murder or of any crime is not going to
be an easy task due to Florida’s Stand-your
-Ground Law. This law states that a per-
Graphic By Nick D’Agostino
problem. However, Thompson thinks that
we’re not hearing the entire story. Videos
such as that of the Kony 2012 campaign always ask for a donation to the cause. Even
at the time of the Haitian earthquake, donations were sketchy, but the real question is:
where is our money truly going?
“Apparently, Kony hasn’t been very active
for a while, and the problem has moved out
of Uganda,” says Thompson. “I just want
to know that my money’s not going into the
hands of people at Invisible Children and
the production films like that.”
Organizations such as Invisible Children tend to give only a small percentage
of your actual donation to the people of
Uganda. Instead, the money finds its way
into the pockets of people associated with
the “non-profit organizations.” A lot of
money tends to go towards the propaganda
that get people to donate to the charity.
If you are wary or unsure about whether
or not you should donate to a charity, charitynavigator.org is a trustworthy source that
can tell you what you need to know about
where your money is going. The most important thing is to stay informed, the right
way, and if possible, do something to make
a difference.
son may use a deadly force in self-defense
when there is a reasonable belief of threat.
Under this law, a person is justified in using deadly force in certain situations and
“the-standing-ground” law would be a defense or immunity to criminal charges and
civil suits.
While there is so much controversy
surrounding this case, one fact remains and
that is that a teenage boy has lost his life.
Was this tragic incident truly self-defense
or was this teenage boy unjustly targeted
because of his race? Sadly, no one may
ever know the real truth. The case has been
referred to the state’s attorney and the National Association of the Advancement of
Colored People (NAACP) has asked the
Justice Department to also intervene. This
case has gotten national recognition and
civil rights activists Reverend Al Sharpton
and Reverend Jesse Jackson have taken a
stand on Martin’s family’s behalf. Supporters have held rallies all over the state
calling the case a tragic miscarriage of justice.
Over 50 schools in the state of Florida
have organized walkouts during classes,
including local schools in Dade and Broward counties. The walkouts were to support the change.org petition to seek justice
for Trayvon Martin. This petition has over
2 million signatures and counting. Petitions to seek justice for Trayvon Martin
have been spreading like wildfire, on the
internet and social networking sites such
as Twitter. According to ABC News, the
petitions are arising because of allegations
of racism, and for “more scrutiny into how
the local police handled the situation”.
Senior Samantha St. Armand feels that
“Zimmerman should be charged with murder. A murder is a murder and he shouldn’t
be the exception.”
Only time will tell whether Martin’s
family and supporters will receive the justice that they believe they deserve for the
murder of a young man whose life was cut
short before it even really began.
News
April 2012
5
Celeb’s record sales rise in the wake of their demise
Selena Newell
STAFF WRITER
Over the past decade, legendary stars have
fallen prey to an inevitable fate: death. But
unlike the majority of us, their untimely
deaths aid in the long-lasting memory of
their lives. The impact of all they have
done, all of the lives they have touched,
and the spirit they have shown have given
Graphic By
Julian Graves
Punk’d Returns
with Guest Hosts
Julia Baca
COLUMNIST
A staple MTV show for this generation
that disappeared years ago is coming back:
Punk’d. Although the basis of the show is
the same -- pranking celebrities with hidden cameras nearby to catch it all on tape
-- this new season will be a little bit different than we remember.
The first thing most of us think
of when we think of Punk’d is Ashton
Kutcher, the hilarious prankster and brains
behind the show. Kutcher created Punk’d
and served as the executive producer and
host for all of the show’s previous eight
seasons, but will not return as a host for the
revival season coming up, although he will
old fans and new reasons to seek their projects whole-heartedly. But what happens
when past projects turn into present profit?
Can death really result in desire from fans
to draw closer to their idols?
With Whitney Houston’s recent death, the
soulful songstress’ record sales increased
tremendously. Rae Alexandra, a writer for
SF Weekly, shared “In the two and a half
weeks following her death, Whitney sold
2.7 million songs and 668,000 albums -- a
massive increase”. In her prime, Houston
was the first female artist to have ten out
of the two-hundred albums charted at once.
In her death, this amount rose. “Whitney
would have always sold records,” said
Alexandra, “But like this? It’s extremely
doubtful.”
When Michael Jackson, legendary
“King of Pop” passed on, his record sales
increased as well, at least quadrupling; but
it is argued that the reasons why differ for
each celebrity. During her brief lifetime,
Amy Winehouse developed a reputation as
a troubled talent. The media aided in portraying her as an abuser of substances and
alcohol who struggled constantly with it. It
eventually overshadowed her career. And
despite Winehouse’s true talent, not many
rushed out to buy her songs and albums.
However in her death, her records arguably
sold more than in her life. Why?
Alexandra states bluntly, “Well, when
a celebrity is still alive and in a mess, it’s
okay to make jokes. After they’ve died
from the very problems everyone’s been
laughing at, the public is more likely to
step back, wonder what was wrong, and
take the issues more seriously. Some people perhaps buy the music out of guilt for
all those inappropriate jokes, but most,
truth be told, are probably just looky-loos,
eager to find out what really happened to
the star in question.”
And unfortunately it is the same with
all the others, like Kurt Cobain and Davy
Jones. As far as Jackson is concerned, it
was as if people wanted to erase all of what
he became known for, and immerse themselves in the legacy, the musical revolutionary, THE Michael Jackson. Sometimes
fans (or nosy bystanders) purchase these
records of fallen stars to either gain knowledge of their plight, or genuinely dismiss
their problems.
“I think it’s unfortunate,” says
freshman Brandon Peckett. “But maybe,
if you focus only on the business side of
things, the [stars] who died in infamy will
be reimbursed both financially and in regards to their reputation once people remember who they were, and maybe even
who they have always been without the
negative media.”
Sophomore Marie Wiersma believes that record sales are bound to increase once a star passes. “It’s all they
have once they leave. The last words they
can say that can evoke emotion,” Wiersma
said. “It’s a piece of them that can never
die. It’s appropriate to remember them and
the fact that people do is helpful and says
a lot about how great they were in their
lives.”
When these stars are out of the limelight
for so long, the spike in sales makes perfect sense. Either way, the actions of their
fans and onlookers proves this saying by
an anonymous prophet to be true, “Once
you have greatly lit up the sky, no matter
if you eventually pass on or move on, your
star will eternally light the paths of those
you have touched in your lifetime; you will
never, ever burn out.”
‘Project X’ is not ‘the motto’
Anjali Talwar
STAFF WRITER
Flamethrowers, a gnome filled with ecstasy, a Mercedes in the pool, and a bounce
house for “bouncing”-- what more could
be anticipated from a movie described as
the teenage version of The Hangover. Project X is a 2012 comedy film directed by
Nima Nourizadeh in his feature film debut.
This notorious movie has struck great controversy on whether it is appropriate for
young kids to be watching it, even though
it is rated R. Kids from the ages of ten and
up are viewing the audacious and vulgar
acts taking place in this movie. The influence parents claim it is having on their
children is inconceivable. Is this what is
expected from our generation?
The after affect this movie has had on the
overall teen population has been destructive to not only the teens themselves, but
has caused parents to throw negative comments towards the movie. Parents have
been very strict about letting their kids go
and see this movie. In recent light of these
events a local teen, Christopher Dade, took
the movie to heart and attempted to reenact it. Dade is a Miramar resident and attends Everglades High School. Recently
he attempted to throw a Project X like
party in local community Silver Shores.
Dade and an accomplice shot a video previewing what the party would be like. The
video also showed him spray painting the
foreclosed house that would be the venue.
According to invites, news feeds and how
many views the video received, the police
suspected almost 2,000 people would have
attended. Fortunately the police were able
to arrest Dade and shutdown the event before it even started. Although Dade is in
high school, he is 18 years old and therefore will be charged under normal circumstances of criminal law. The accomplice is
still not found, but the investigation will
continue.
Are things like Project X and the Hangover
affecting the way teens these days are acting? Senior Kevie Rivero was invited to
Dade’s part through a large Facebook invitation page.
“I was invited to the party, but I am defi-
nitely sure that something would go wrong
there. I was not about to go there and get in
trouble for something someone else did,”
Rivero said.
Senior Garrett Julian saw Project X and
was really excited about it. He thought it
was pretty intense what the teens in the
movies were doing, but believes no one
would ever be able to do it the way they
portrayed it.
“I think it was an extreme type of movie
so it won’t really happen the same way,”
Julian said “But I also don’t encourage students to be going out and risking a lot like
Dade did to throw such a party.”
The kids, who acted in the movie, for the
most part were newcomers and had been
chosen from an open national audition. The
director’s goal was to have untrained, inexperienced teens to act in his film as if they
were throwing this party in real life. The
“X team” wanted the movie to be as realistic as possible. Due to the intense reality of
the film and common instances where parents do leave their children alone for periods of time, is it no longer safe to do so?
May the odds be ever in your favor
Graphic by Julian Graves
keep his position as executive producer.
The lack of Kutcher as a host has created
some disappointment for viewers that used
to watch the show and will miss seeing
Kutcher’s face every time another unsuspecting celebrity starts freaking out when
his prank scares them.
Senior William Serrano echoes what
many original Punk’d lovers feel by saying, “Honestly Ashton Kutcher was the
best part of the show. No one can host the
way he does, so I’m not sure how good the
upcoming season is going to be without
him.”
While some people are still upset
about Kutcher’s absence as the host, many
have been glad to hear that there will be a
different celebrity guest host each episode.
For example, the first episode of this new
season will feature Justin Bieber as the
guest host as he pranks Taylor Swift which
has excited many fans.
Senior Angelica Jimenez says, “I think
this season is going to be just as good as
the previous ones because Ashton Kutcher
will still be behind the scenes and they have
chosen some exciting guest hosts anyways
like Justin Bieber and Bam Margera.”
You never know when your favorite celebrity may just be the next guest host of
Punk’d.
Nicolette Sponer
NEWS EDITOR
The Hunger Games has taken the world
by storm in a matter of a few years. Fans
of the series around the world have caught
Katniss-fever, forming “Team Peeta” and
“Team Gale.” Thursday, March 22 marked
the midnight premiere of the first Hunger
Games movie, which numerous PPCHS
students attended. Some even went to the
7:30 preview hosted by English teacher
Ms. Ellis and the freshman class. Reviews
on the movie are mixed-- some hold it to
Harry Potter standards while others found
it less than satisfactory.
Junior Marcus Fletcher says, “It was
amazing, I loved how the movie followed
so closely with the book.”
For those who read the series before seeing the movie, you will find that the movie
did indeed stay close to the written plot.
Minor changes were made, but that’s Hollywood for you. Perhaps the best argument
for those who found the movie spectacular
was that it literally brought the book to life.
The Hunger Games’ setting is in a post-war
country called Panem. There are thirteen
districts and one capitol which controls the
districts. Though the book unfolds entirely
through the perspective of bow-wielding
heroine Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger
Games film is free of that point of view and
allowed to explore other characters operating much further away from our lead.
If you were wondering how Haymitch
wrangled sponsors
in favor of Katniss
during the games,
wonder no more for
the movie has the
answer. What’s Gale
up to while Katniss is
busy fighting for her
life? You’ll see. Cutting free from Katniss’s point of view
allows for a freer
story, opening the already huge world of
Hunger Games in an
even huger way. The
Capitol. The Cornucopia. Rue’s song.
The cave scene. All
of these things, written about vividly in
the books, come to
startling life in the movie. You get all the
familiar beats and scenes and interactions
from Collins’ fantastic tale, faithfully rendered to the letter. Reading about action
and seeing action are also two very different things. While reading, it’s hard to follow who punched who or who is fighting
who. However, in the movie, it’s obviously
easy to see Cato fighting off Katniss in the
final scene.
Cartoon By Valeria Perez
Senior Marianna Rodriguez says, “The
filming was amazing. It was so up close,
in the actor’s face and in the middle of all
the action so you felt that you were there
with them.”
Of course, no movie will ever be better than its book, but The Hunger Games
comes very close. This new phenomenon
will continue to fulfill its fans desires,
whether book or movie.
Sports
April 2012
6
Spring sports in full bloom
Troy Bottom
staff writer
Your Jaguars have been mostly all around hot of late. Spring sports are in full bloom as PPCHS has been tearing up the county:
The Jags baseball team is currently 13-6 with a 3-1 district record. The Jaguars had
many exciting wins this year including a close 8-7 win against Belen high school and a
17-0 win over Stranahan high school. Sophomore Alejandro Kan has been the stand out
pitcher of late with 3 wins and one loss. He currently has a 1.53 ERA. On the attack, shortstop senior Kevin Daly, outfielder and second baseman senior David Monge-Rodriguez,
and first baseman senior
Carlos Lopez Jr. have
been delivering. Daly
and Monge- Rodriguez
have over a 400 batting
average and Lopez Jr.
has three long balls and
17 RBI’s this season.
PPCHS had big games
March 29th against Archbishop McCarthy and
April 10th against Flanagan high school which
they sadly lost. But the
Jags bounced back with
a 7-5 win over a tough
Western team.
Graphic by: William McKinley
The Flag football team finished there 2012 year just recently with a tough lost to Archibishop McCarthy. The Jags put up a (5-6) record with some big wins against Flanagan and
Northeast high school. Standouts for the season with excellent performances have been
Gianna Vetter and Kiesha Pitts. Despite their tough year there were many good things that
came out of this
year: a more unified team, experience, and determination. “I saw
are team really
sticking together
and having each
others backs. We
all learned a lot
and I know that
for the players
coming
back,
we will be more
expeirenced and
ready to win,”
Sophomore
Kelsey Menard
They gave it their all: The girls flag football team had a sturdy 2011-2012 season
added.
this year, and ended it with pride. Photo by: Gabriela Cabeza
Your Ladies softball team has been
on a tear and has gained the title as
a county powerhouse. They are currently 13-4 with only one loss to
Palm Beach Gardens high school.
They’ve had big wins over Flanagan high school and Archbishop
McCarthy. April 12th they play
Cooper City in a highly anticipated
match where they won 7-6 over
the cowboys. Standouts have been
senior Cristina Sacramento pitching. The entire team has outscored
their opponents 107-26 in their past
games. They are definitely a force to
be reckoned with.
The Boys volleyball teams are
currently 6-5. Their two big
+wins came against Flanagan and Hollywood Hills high
school. First year Coach Carlos Pita has done well, with the
teams only two losses coming to
the top two teams in the district.
Standouts have been outside hitter senior Mason McConchie.
In April the Jags got a chance
at revenge as they faced South
Broward once again along with
Chaminade-Madonna
high
school, where both times they
came out on top.
Cartoon By:Valeria Perez
Just one hit closer: The boys varsity
volleyball team hope to come out with a
strong season and make PPCHS students
proud. Photo by: Carli Stander
Sick of games at Flanagan?
On-campus stadium in works
Paul Austria
staff writer
For years, the PPCHS football and soccer teams have relied on Flanagan High’s
stadium for their home games. This has
caused both athletes and staff to wonder
when the school will have its own stadium,
on-campus, with the PPCHS logo in the
center of it. But with the help of Coach Bell
and varsity football Coach Steve Bruns,
that may soon be possible. They have outlined a plan for the stadium and have sent
it to the city for approval. According to
Sun Sentinel, it would cost about $3.3 million to construct with some of the money
coming from a special fund by the school.
That would fund all of the state-of-the-art
amenities, including a new scoreboard and
new field turf. Coach Bruns attributes the
design of the stadium to that of American
Heritage, whom the Jaguars played in last
season’s pre-season spring game. It would
be built where the current field is on the
Broward College side of campus. Currently, this area has a concrete track and
no scoreboard, an inconvenience for the
lacrosse and soccer teams.
“We are extremely excited about it,” Bruns
said. “It’s going to have everything from a
ticket booth to stands on both sides of the
stadium when fans come in and it’s going
to feel like a real and unique stadium.”
The city was originally expected to vote
on the stadium on Feb. 15, but the discussion of the issue has since been pushed
back twice, and there is currently no word
on the next possible vote. If approved, the
football, soccer, flag football, and lacrosse
teams will all be playing their respective
home games at the stadium, which is expected to hold a capacity of about 5,000
fans.
The secret stadium: With PPCHS not having a standard football stadium for school sports, the near future
looks bright with lights of our possible new school stadium. Photo by: Carli Stander
“From what I’ve heard about the stadium,
I’m not too happy about being a senior this
year,” senior football player Gabriel Rodriguez joked. “This is going to be great
for all the future Charter football teams
because they can finally have real home
games.”
If approved within the near future, construction is expected to be completed by
September of 2013.
Sports
April 2012
7
Controversial bill could change high school sports in Florida
David Nabors
sPORTS EDITOR
On our state governor’s desk sits a piece
of legislation that, once signed, will change
the dynamic of high school sports in Florida. The somewhat controversial House Bill
1704 approved by the Florida House of
Representatives in the first week of March
grants transfer student-athletes more lenient eligibility requirements. Athletic recruiting is still prohibited for schools governed by the Florida High School Athletic
Association (FHSAA), but under the new
law, if found guilty of recruitment coaches
and school officials will bear the burden of
the penalties, not the student-athletes.
The bill will undoubtedly have an effect
on PPCHS as well. Pines Charter has enjoyed much success in athletics this year,
and much of it is due to student-athletes
who transferred in. With the passage of the
bill, the transfer process can potentially be
carried out in less haste, as there will be no
penalty for student-athletes who transfer
during the school year.
“It won’t affect our school in a big way,”
said Charter head football coach and athletic director Steve Bruns of the bill. “But
any student-athletes who are late in getting
accepted or enrolled to the school would
not be deterred by eligibility restrictions.
They would be able to play right away,
whether they transfer a few days after summer or after the first semester in February.”
Another reason the legislation will not
immensely affect Pines Charter is the lottery system that student transfers have to
go through. Even though the process of
switching schools and competing in athletics will be more relaxed, prospective students and their families still have to plan
ahead and put their name in the system.
Though the list is significantly smaller for
juniors and seniors, the student’s name will
still have to be picked in order for them to
enroll in the school.
“Being a transfer student here at Charter,
the rule would have helped me a lot this
year,” said senior basketball player Bryant Willis, who transferred to Charter from
Deerfield Beach before the school year. “I
came to the school late in the summer and
I had to rush to turn
the paperwork in.”
The legislation
states that, “A student may not be
declared ineligible
based on violation
of recruiting rules
unless the student
or parent has falsified any enrollment
or eligibility document or accepted
any benefit or any
promise of benefit.”
The bill has been
amended
several Controversial bill: Coach Bruns is not worried about the new bill as it will not
times since its intro- affect Charter as much due to multiple things. Photo By Carli Stander
duction. At first, one
of the provisions was to establish a sepa- state generally had no desire for a separate
rate, optional governing body for private association.
The bill, as controversial as it is, will be in
and charter schools in the state, but it was
taken out of the bill after opponents said effect starting this summer, and it will distudent-athletes would find private and rectly influence our school and all transfer
charter schools a more attractive option. student-athletes across the state of Florida.
Also, the FHSAA and coaches across the
Tebow to the Jets: A good move
Jake Dreilinger
special to the c.h.a.t
Tim Tebow, the Florida Gators alumnus
and the 25th player drafted in the 2010
NFL draft, was the starting quarterback
of the Denver Broncos last year. Before
that, he was the University of Florida’s QB
who played in two BCS National Championship games and won a Heisman out
of the two times he was nominated. This
year, though, all that changed when elite
quarterback Peyton Manning became a
Bronco. With Manning as the new starting
quarterback, Tebow needs to switch teams,
and the New York Jets was the team he was
traded to.
Last year, Jets starting quarterback Mark
Sanchez had a completion percentage of
Graphic By Julian Graves
56.7 percent and threw 18 interceptions,
while Tebow had a completion percentage of 46.5 percent and threw only 6 interceptions. By bringing in Tebow, the Jets
franchise sent a clear message to Sanchez:
play better or get replaced. When the Jets
played the Broncos last year, Tim Tebow
helped his team beat the Jets with a come
from behind victory to win. Tebow could
either get the starting position if Sanchez
plays horrible, or challenge Sanchez to get
better.
Tebow inspires his teammates to play better. By pulling off a few miracle plays, he
gained the respect and trust of all of his
Broncos teammates. If he can inspire the
Broncos, why can’t he inspire the Jets?
Last year, there was fighting between the
Jets players, and they did not look like a
team. Tebow will be able to minimize the
damage done to this team. Tebow can inspire his team and benefit his team with his
skills on the field.
Now with Tony Sparano on the team as
the new offensive coordinator, there will
be times where the Jets need to run a wildcat play. Tim Tebow will be the person who
can execute the play efficiently. Tebow ran
for 660 yards and scored 6 running touchdowns, and he played quarterback. He can
power through the opponent’s defense. He
has proven it over and over again. He will
be able to do the wildcat more often, since
he is now a Jet.
With the Broncos receiving Peyton Manning, the Jets ended up getting Tim Tebow.
It was finalized on late March 21. The Jets
got the better end of the trade, only giving
up their 4th and 6th round draft pick while
they got Tebow and a 7th round pick. The
Jets made the right choice getting Tebow.
All we need to do now is sit back and
watch what will happen with Tebow and
his new team, the New York Jets.
Pines Charter alumnus a huge hit at FIU
Matthew Coolidge
staff writer
From playing at the new Marlins Stadium to hitting homeruns against conference rivals, one Pines Charter alumnus has
been making major waves on the collegiate baseball scene. He was drafted in the
20th round by the St. Louis Cardinals in
last year’s Major League Baseball (MLB)
draft, named Jags baseball team MVP last
year, and is known for his superior defense
behind the plate. Yes you guessed it-- it’s
Aramis “Moose” Garcia, starting catcher at
Florida International University (FIU) and
Pines Charter class of 2011 graduate.
After tearing up the diamond in his four
years as a PPCHS varsity player, hitting
.414 with 15 homeruns and 85 RBIS, Garcia was honored with many awards during
his years at Charter. Some of these awards
including team Rookie of the Year, two
coaches’ awards, team MVP, and a first
team All-Broward selection by local newspapers. Aside from all the honors bestowed
on him, Garcia is also the holder of numerous records here at PPCHS including best
single season batting average (.508), best
slugging percentage (1.031) and on base
percentage (.588) in a season, and also
holds career records in most hits (106),
doubles (34), homeruns (15), runs scored
(79) , and on base percentage (.541).
Senior Kevin Daly, Garcia’s teammate of
three years, remembers Garcia on the high
school diamond.
“He was a great hitter, from singles to
home runs, but more importantly he was a
tremendous catcher
and leader behind
the plate,” Daly
said.
His demolishing of
high school pitching led Garcia to
earn a scholarship
at FIU, where he is
currently the starting catcher and one
of the best hitters on
the team.
Garcia describes
playing at the college level as “an
awesome experience. It is a great
opportunity
for
me to better myself while playing against some
tough competition.
I’m can’t wait to Making Charter proud: Charter alumni Aramis Garcia (‘11) has been doing great
see what the future work for the FIU baseball team. Photo Donated By Eliza Barrocas
holds.”
Currently the Golden Panthers have homer (his 1st in college game), and 3 RBI
struggled to an 8-10 record this season, performance against North Florida. This
with Garcia providing a bulk of the team’s season, Garcia has travel all around the
offense with a .327 batting average, 2 country including Houston for a 3-game
homers, and 13 RBIS all among the team series against Rice, a 3-game series in Talleaders. Notable moments for Garcia this lahassee against FSU, and upcoming road
season include hitting a 9th inning home- trips to Jonesboro, Arkansas and Bowling
run against arch-rival Florida Atlantic Green, Kentucky.
University (FAU) in a recent game, throwSenior pitcher and FIU commit Carlos Loing out 3 runners in the Florida State Uni- pez says, “I can’t wait to play with Aramis
versity (FSU) series and a 2-4 with one in college, he’s a great catcher and calls an
excellent game, which will help me improve as a pitcher and hopefully move on
to the next level.”
Another huge achievement by Garcia occurred in a recent exhibition game against
the Miami Marlins; that’s right the MLB
Miami Marlins, at their new stadium, the
one that cost $515 million, the one with
a retractable roof, and climate controlled
stands. Although he didn’t start the game,
a 5-1 loss for the Panthers, he received
two innings of playing time and an atbat. Garcia showed off his stellar defense
behind the plate, blocking pitches in the
dirt and framing pitches, but it was his
at-bat against Marlins pitcher Evan Reed,
who throws 95 MPH, that was remarkable. Garcia stepped up to the plate in
the bottom of the 9th inning, with two
outs and hit a hard groundball or “carpet
burner” (as baseball people like to say) to
the short stop, who made a Gold Glove
caliber play to throw him out at first by
a few steps.
According to former teammate and junior Danny Kalter, “It was awesome to see
Aramis out there against the Marlins. He
hit that 95 MPH fastball right back up the
middle and would’ve had a hit if wasn’t for
the diving play.”
It would seem that Garcia’s stellar performance this year is a sign of great things to
come. Hopefully a few Sun Belt Conference Championships, trips to Omaha, and
maybe even a pro career await the former
Jaguar.
Features
April 2012
Siblings Around Charter
8
What does your ranking in
birth say about you?
Isabella Jones
STAFF WRITER
oldest brother Brandon.
Last Born: The babies of the bunch are typically the most sociable and outgoing. If they
want the lime light, they’ll certainly get it.
This last born sibling can also be termed “the
comedians.” In fact, many famous jokesters
are the last born in their family, including
Jim Carrey, Steve Martin, and Drew Carey.
While their humor may charm, those born
last may have a trait others should watch out
for—manipulation. Since they’re viewed as
the “innocent baby”, they have a tendency
to get away with their mischief easily. That’s
why many older siblings may find themselves saying “I couldn’t do that when I was
his age!” and “Why didn’t he get in trouble
for that?”
“Yeah Bradley is babied the most. He can get
away with things that me and Brandon never
could. I feel like our mom does everything
for him still,” complains middle brother
Bryan.
While these characteristics are seemingly
true in many families, there may be exceptions. These can be noted if there are several
years between the first and second child, allowing the second child to possess certain
“firstborn” traits. Also, death amongst the
siblings, adoptions and families with children from different spouses may alter the
typical personalities. So do these beliefs apply to your family? Or does it fall in the “exceptions” category?
Sometimes it can be a trouble living with
them, but the situation worsens when you’re
defined by them. Born first? You must be a
leader. Somewhere in the middle? You must
be secretive. Born last? You must be spoiled.
Many seem to find no harm in attributing
characteristics to each sibling depending on
their birth order, but do they hold any sense
of truth? According to CBS News, “Psychologists say that birth order affects all aspects
of a child’s personality.” And after speaking
with three brothers, senior Brandon Villa,
junior Bryan Villa, and sophomore Bradley
Villa, this theory appears to occur.
First Born: They appear to be natural leaders, and possess responsibility, assertiveness,
and reliability. With this leadership comes a
quality of aggressiveness. This is certainly
fitting to the fact that over half of the U.S
presidents were first born. Many also tend to
be conscientious and perfectionists who do
not handle their mistakes well. Overall, these
self-proclaimed “role models” will always
set goals, work endlessly to achieve them,
and seek approval from those who are of utmost importance.
“I would say Brandon is the one we look up
to,” says youngest brother Bradley. “He always takes the big steps first, then me and
Bryan follow.”
Middle Child: These neither first nor last
siblings seem to be the most complex. It’s
almost certain that they are the complete opposites from their older brother or sister. They develop beliefs that the oldest
child receives most of the recognition
whole the youngest child can act freely
without discipline. So where do they
fall on the “parent treatment” spectrum. Middle children can sometimes
feel a bit of neglect, and therefore acts
quite secretively, afraid to share their
emotions or opinions. They can also
grow closer with friends, who allow
them to feel of more importance.
“Bryan is the most quiet when it comes
to what he’s feeling. I’ve never known
him to have a problem with someone. I
guess he can just handle it by himself Birth Ranking: Bradley Villa (‘14) and Brandon Villa (‘12) get
or with the help of his friends,” claims together the best in their family. Photo By: Lissette Rivera
Have a sibling rivalry? You’re not alone
Anthony Kelleher
STAFF WRITER
Most families with more than one child
experience sibling rivalry at one point or
another. Sibling rivalry is the jealousy,
competition, and fighting between brothers and sisters as stated by the University of
Michigan. There are many upsides to having siblings, but sibling rivalry is not one
of them. No matter how many siblings you
have, there are many different things that can
cause conflicts and fights between you and
your sibling(s).
Sisters junior Melissa Duran and freshman Amanda Duran both agree that they do
fight. They both agree: “We do fight, maybe
more than other siblings, but we love each
other no matter what comes between us.”
You will be happy to know that most brothers and sisters experience some degree of
jealousy or competition that turn into squabbles and bickering. Sibling rivalry is an age
old problem that has existed throughout
time. Sibling arguments exists in nature and
is common among various animal species in
According to child psychologist Sylvia
the form of competition for parental atten- Rimm, sibling rivalry is more intense when
tion and for food. There are extreme cases the siblings are close in age and are the same
in the animal kingdom
gender, or when one
where a sibling will eat
child is gifted.
or kill its brother or sisSophomore Beeloochter. In literature, some
ee Louis, who has one
of Shakespeare’s plays
younger brother and one
depict incidences of
younger sister says, “Me
sibling rivalry. In the
and my siblings fight, but
play King Lear, King
we usually make up withLear provokes rivalry
in a few minutes and it
among his three daughis usually silly stuff like
ters by comparing their
toughing each other’s
love for him. Also in
stuff.”
media, sibling rivalry is
Sibling fights don’t just
a common theme when
happen with blood-relatportraying child chared siblings; it can also
acters. In “The Simphappen with step-sibson’s,” Bart and Lisa
lings. Unfortunately, siband in “Malcolm in the Make or break: Sisters, Melissa and Amanda ling rivalry can continue
Middle,” both brothers Duran have sibling battles but always make up into adulthood in some
exemplify sibling ri- after. Photo By: Aidrian Tabraue
cases, but usually sibling
valry.
rivalry lessens over time.
The Only Child: Myths Revealed
Myth #1:
Angelique Berkowitz and Nicolette Sponer
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR and NEWS EDITOR
Only children are always lonesome
because they have no siblings to keep them
company.
Fact:
Because they lack the company of siblings, only children
usually revert to other family members, like cousins, and
close friends. Only children are not solitary aliens- they
are like anyone else and will find the company that suits
them best.
Junior Alexa Moore says, “I don’t mind [being
an only child]. The truth is that I am always
with my friends so I am never alone.”
Most
believe that being an only
child constitutes being alone all the time
and getting everything they ask for. Only children are pegged as being bossy and antisocial, when
most of the time this is not the case. There are numerous other myths about only children, most of which
are incredulously false. The C.H.A.T is here to
shed light on the truths about being an
only child.
Myth
Myth #2:
Fact:
Many children with siblings relate and talk to their siblings
rather than their parents, while the only child’s main role models are parents. The result is that only children copy adult behavior as well as adult speech patterns and develop good
reasoning skills early on, allowing them to judge for
themselves right from wrong as they grow
older.
You may disagree on almost everything,
steal each other’s things, get on each other’s
nerves, and fight almost every day, but you
can’t hide the fact that your sibling plays an
important role in your life. Whether you are
four years apart, one year apart or only a few
minutes apart in age, the bonds that you create with your brother or sister are incomparable. As family members, your siblings know
you better than anyone else. They know how
to make you laugh and help you through
your toughest times, because families don’t
walk out on each other. They’re there from
the beginning, and will be there until the end.
Whether or not your sibling is older or
younger than you, there’s always a way for
them to make a difference and leave quite
the dent in your lifetime. With them by your
side, you can be yourself, laugh, cry, search
for advice and find solace in their presence.
The bond that you create with each other is
stronger than any friendship in high school.
Yes, you share secret crushes and inside
jokes with your friends that may seem like
the world to you at the moment, but the link
that is shared between you and a sibling goes
way deeper than that. Here at PPCHS, we can
find this sacred tie in our very own hallways.
These women share more than just a similar job and a common last name. They share
what we call an unbreakable sisterhood.
A couple of years ago, Mrs. Sunshine
Phelps joined Mrs. Sarah Phelps on the Jaguar Faculty team and began teaching the
same course. To this day now, the siblings
have gone down slightly different routes and
now teach varying English courses here at
Charter. They have both gained prestigious
titles and recognitions for their amazing
teaching abilities. Now, both women and
their sophisticated teachings are something
that PPCHS boasts about. The Phelps sisters
have brought countless positive things to our
learning environment, including the priceless
lessons of friendship and family dedication.
“When she got the job here and took over
for the teacher who was across the hall from
me, my days felt a little surreal: they were
too good to be true,” said AP English Literature teacher Mrs. Sarah Phelps when speaking about her sister, Mrs. Sunshine Phelps,
AP English Language teacher. “We planned
for classes together, ate lunch together and
bounced around different ideas after work.
It was a blast. Even though we don’t teach
the same course anymore and have much less
time to spare and share because of our new
roles as mothers, I still rely on her a lot.”
Both sisters share this special bond with
one another. With classrooms just a few feet
away from each other, these women have
more than a strong friendship. Growing up
with each other, they both play an important
and valuable role in each other’s lives.
“My sister Sunshine and I are closest in
age, but we didn’t become really close until
after high-school,” said Mrs. Sarah Phelps.
“Although Sunshine and I used to think of
ourselves as opposites, after we ‘grew up,’
and left home, we realized how much we
actually had in common. We share similar
worldviews and have similar ethical, professional, and aesthetic standards. We also have
a similar sense of humor and taste for books
and films and we even share clothes, though I
am the shrimpy one between us two.”
Incredibly, Mrs. Sunshine Phelps says
something very similar in words about her
best friend: “My sister and I have multiple
siblings, so our experience hasn’t been defined by just the two of us together. However,
my sister has always played a valuable role
in my life. Most of the responsible choices I
have made in my life I made because I was
emulating my sister.”
Mrs. Sunshine Phelps is certainly right in
that aspect. Whether we notice it or not, your
sibling is one of the most influential people
you will have in your lifetime. You may pick
up on their habits, they can keep you open
minded, cause you to see a whole different
perspective, teach you vital characteristics,
and can even present you with feelings like
no other.
Mrs. Sarah Phelps makes sure to show her
love for her sister. “I don’t have to explain
myself to my sister because she already gets
it, whatever ‘it’ is, and there’s great comfort
in that. In short, we understand one another
because of our ‘sameness;’ but we also recognize our individual differences in a very
supportive way, too.”
There may come a time when your little
five-year-old brother cracks the screen to
your iPhone and you want to throw something at him, but everything changes when
he lights up the room with his irresistible
smile. Sure, your older sister may have ratted
you out for sneaking out last weekend, but no
one else understands you like she does when
you’re crying your eyes out to her. A lot of
us need to sit down and take the time to appreciate the presence of our siblings. Most of
the time, the sacrifices made and love shown
goes unappreciated and unrecognized and
it’s a shame to put such a gift to waste. We
can be sure that the Phelps sisters couldn’t
agree more.
“My sister helps me with my deficiencies and praises me for my unique strengths.
Around her I feel stronger, braver, more accepted, more understood.” says Mrs. Sarah
Phelps.
Mrs. Sunshine Phelps commends her sister
as well.
“My sister has been the best mentor I could
have asked for. She is more than just a resource for lesson plans and classroom ideas,
she is someone I can go to for advice about
anything,” says Sunshine. “Most of the reason I don’t look for work closer to home (I
live in Miami) is because that would mean
not working with my sister. I’m not sure I
will ever want to give that up.”
Features
April 2012
Multiple Multiples Myths
Julia Baca
COLUMNIST
Here at PPCHS we have an abundance of students who are either twins or multiples. While
this can be an intriguing part of our school, there are many misconceptions when it comes to
these womb-mates. Here are some common myths that need some clearing up:
Myth: “Twins are opposites.”
Fact: Although Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen taught us that twins are
always complete opposites -- one is a girly girl and one is a tom boythis could not be further from the truth. There is no evidence supporting the observation that twins’ personalities counter each other; they
develop unique personalities the same way everyone else does.
Myth: “Twins and multiples have ESP.”
Fact: Time and time again if there is a coincidence which occurs where one multiple knows what the other is thinking, someone in a close proximity is likely to yell
“Twin telepathy!” However, this could not be further from the truth. Multiples that
are extremely close can tend to be able to anticipate each other’s actions sometimes
due to their shared experiences, but that is as far as the supernatural goes for them.
Myth #4:
Only children are selfish.
Fact:
Every child at one time or another believes the world
revolves around him. Selfish means you are thinking of
yourself as opposed to others. In the absence of siblings,
parents promote the tools of sharing and feeling for others
and are the best early teachers because of trust and faith
children have in their parents. Everyone can expect toddlers and teens to act selfishly at times; it’s part of growing up! There are currently 20 million single-child
families in the U.S., according to FamilyEducation.com. With the growing number of only
children, it’s better to know the facts
than to assume the myths.
Myth #3:
Only children are spoiled.
Only children mature too quickly.
“Friends come and go, but family is forever.” –Anonymous
Victoria Alvarez and Gabriela Garcia
ENVIRONMENTAL/HEALTH EDITOR and STAFF WRITER
The cause of sibling rivalry is not the same
in every situation, it can stem from jealousy,
competition, personality, and many other
triggers.
Sophomore Natalia Cevallos stated, “I really don’t fight with my sister now because
she is much older than me, but when she was
younger we would fight about some of the
silliest things.”
According to a study done by the University of Michigan, parents can also cause
fighting between siblings through favoritism
and family arguments. Children who lack
their parents’ attention can fight for to gain
the attention they crave which can also cause
rivalry between them and their sibling(s).
No matter what the reason, sibling rivalry
has existed for centuries and is still plaguing
families everywhere today. Instead of engaging in this rivalry, just be happy that you
have a brother or sister to argue and grow old
with, because one day this sibling could just
end up being your best friend!
9
Myth: “Twins and multiples share everything.”
Fact: Although multiples start their development sharing a womb, that is
often as far as their sharing goes. As children, multiples learn to share with
others the same way others do, and they often do not like it, the same ways
others do. It’s actually important for multiples to not share everything so that
they have a sense of individuality and ownership separate from their siblings.
Myth: “You can tell whether twins are fraternal or identical just by looking at them.”
Fact: The common thought about twins is that the fraternal ones are the ones that look different and the identical ones are the ones that look exactly the same. However, while identical twins typically look a lot alike and fraternal twins are usually easier to tell apart, this does
not always ring true. Growth, development, personal style and other factors can make identical twins look completely different and make fraternal twins look completely identical.
Fact:
Since only children have no other competition for parental attention or
monetary needs, they usually acquire most of what they ask for. There’s more
money to spend when there’s only one child as opposed to two or three. Of
course, whether or not a child is spoiled is strictly due to the way they are
raised by their parents and not the fact that they are an only child.
Junior Pedro Delgado says, “I don’t think I’m spoiled because
I’m an only child. My parents are actually quite strict
when it comes to buying me things.”
Alexandra Mangano
TECHNOLOGY EDITOR
Myth: “Twins and multiples are always best friends.”
Fact: While twins and multiples do have a special bond that is unique from
the start of their development, this does not always mean they will always get
along. Some multiples are best friends, some are enemies, and some only like
each other on occasion. It all just depends on the siblings, because every person is different, no matter how much they may seem the same or look the same.
Charter’s Many Multiples
Each set of multiples have their own quirks, but have their own personalities. Having an identical sibling or siblings has is pluses and minuses. It gives them someone to experience life with
and a friend 24/7, but can also get on their last nerve. Twins or triplets can be there to help each other with their homework and also be there for each other on the most stressful days. PPCHS
is filled with numerous twins and triplets. Each has their unique perspective on what it’s like to be part of a set of multiples:
Brittany, Blake, & Zachary Stillwell
Grade: 11th
Anna & Carolyn Cesarotti
Grade: 12th
Blake: “It’s fun it be a triplet, but sometimes
they can be really obnoxious. My brother and
I play baseball together and have the same
group of friends so we are really close.”
Brittany: “For me being a triplet isn’t really
that different from having brothers and sisters.
Because I’m a girl, my brothers tend to be
closer but we are all still pretty close.”
Carolyn: “It’s fun to have a twin sister to
experience new things together. Anna and I
don’t exactly have ‘twin telepathy,’ but we
often think the same things. Just the other
day we were watching a movie and it reminded me of one of our friends and she said
it just as I was thinking it!”
Ana: “It’s always good to always have someone to bounce ideas off of, especially when
we are working on papers and projects.”
Triple the Fun: The Stillwell triplets appreciate the
time they get to spend together as multiples. Photo By:
Adrian Tabraue
Seeing Double: Twins, Anna and Carolyn, enjoy each others company. Photo By: Carli Stander
Lucas, Andre, & Nicole Batista
Grade: 10th
Lauren & Michael Ellenbogen
Grade: 9th
Inseperable: The Ellenbogen twins have seperate lives
but always share the same views of many things. Photo
By: Carli Stander
Michael: “Lauren and I are just like normal
siblings. Lauren has her friends and I have
mine. We don’t agree on everything, however because we are twins we have the same
perspective on things.”
Triplets Revealed: The Batista triplets don’t look like
each other or do the same thing but they are always
connected. Photo By: Adrian Tabraue
Lucas: “Being triplets is like having best
friends that live with you 24/7. My brother
and I share clothes so it’s like having two
wardrobes which is pretty cool.”
Andre: “What makes us different from most
twins is that we are fraternal, so people don’t
get us confused. We are also really involved
in school so we get to do our own thing and
have our own personalities.”
Technology
April 2012
10
Android anticipates silencing Siri
Selena Newell
STAFF WRITER
The race between technologies is
continuously a tight one. With new devices
changing constantly and revolutionizing
the way we interact and live, the spot for
the most innovative is given to the most deserving competitor. However, the tightest
race has been between Android and Apple
over the past few years. Though both have
been great adversaries for one another, Android has stooped to a new low; or a new
high. Well, they do say imitation is the best
form of flattery.
There are tons of apps that claim
to do for anti-Apple users, what Apple
customers already get with their iOS. But
Android has decided to do what any company who wants to head the geniuses at
Apple would do: take matters into their
own hands. Expanding on the brilliance
that Apple has come up with, Android has
flipped Siri to work for their benefit…
and sales. No, literally. They flipped the
famous “Siri” and named their built in
savvy secretary-like system the antithesis
“Iris”. Android has mastered voice control,
however failed to beat Apple to the punch
when it came to an electronic secretary and
ace pocket aid searching for anything and
everything and recording important dates,
memos, and anniversaries. Iris allows you
to search anything and everything, no matter the subject and no matter the topic. This
app has spawned the Google team to expand its wings. They have been managing
to work on their own version of Siri, codenamed Majel. MoorMobile SmartPhone
Resources wrote an article on the possibility of Android’s version of Siri making a
splash in 2012.
The online reviewer stated, “…There is
more a digital feel than Siri. Mejal is anticipated to operate better inside of apps than
Siri. This will be a great plus for android
users. There is a high chance the apps Mejal will operate are probably Google specific such as Gmail, Google plus, Google
voice, Google maps, etc. It should also
control features on twitter, Facebook, and
other social networks. Google has a large
amount of resources pull a great deal of
information to make their virtual assistant dominate to apple’s Siri. I can ask Siri
‘how do you say hello in Portuguese?’ The
response will be a web search. Google’s
should have the basic capacity to tell you
‘olá’ in the language with ease. Hopefully Google doesn’t limit queries only to
Google.”
Freshman Andres Montserrat thinks
that this feature in particular is the coolest
one he looks forward to. “Not to promote
laziness or anything, but it’s a lot less time
consuming then typing and searching. I
feel like some might look at it like technology is doing everything for us, but I see
it as people expanding their knowledge
quicker and easier. That’s what technology
is supposed to do.”
Google’s efforts may prove to be
a great threat to Apple, but then again in
the battle of technology, one never knows.
“I think that if Google and Android get
this feature on their phones, it would be
amazing! I would be completely jealous
because it would be like having a pocket
genius, instead of having to search things
that Siri can’t find out for you,” says sophomore Stefano Karagiaouris.
Junior Amber King, who is an iPhone
owner, believes that nothing Android does
will sway the Apple fanboys.
“Apple is great. Android fails to compare.
So unless they completely revamp who
they are, I don’t think that they will ever really be a threat to Apple’s fan base,” King
said. “Apple is more reliable, and no program [Android] gets will bring customers
to an unreliable droid.”
Apple and Google are two of the largest
companies ever seen, and when the two
duke it out, only the consumers’ backing
will reveal the technological champ.
Iris vs. Siri: Android releases “Iris” trying to keep up
with Apple’s “Siri” app. Photo By: Gabriela Cabeza
What’s your favorite app?
Anthony Kelleher
STAFF WRITER
According to Apple’s website,
there are over 500,000 apps to choose
from. App categories can range from professional business to playful arcade games.
There is an app for everything and everyone. There are practical apps, there are fun,
addictive apps, and there are useless apps.
No matter what your favorite app, students
at PPCHS can’t seem to take their paws off
their iPhones because of them. Three of
the most popular apps at PPCHS are the
Instagram, Draw Something, and Where’s
My Water?
If you like taking photos and sharing them with your friends, Instagram is
the app for you. This app is exclusive for
the iPhone and it allows you to take photos
and upload them to your profile. Just like
Twitter and Facebook, you can have your
friends follow you and you can follow your
friends, like their pictures and comment on
them.
“I like Instagram because I like to share
my experiences that I have in my life with
my friends,” says sophomore Fizza Nagi.
“It is a great way to interact with people
and share your experiences through pictures.”
Draw Something is an app that
falls into the game category. It allows
you to create a drawing that you send to
your friends and they have to guess what
it is, based on what you drew. Once you
accurately guess what the drawing is, you
start to accumulate coins. These coins
can be used to unlock new colors and get
“bombs”, which can be used to eliminate
unnecessary letters that you have previously earned when you have incorrectly
guessed what a drawing is. To play this
game, you don’t really need to be a draw-
Apple dominates yet again
Brianna Cha-KIM
STUDENT LIFE EDITOR
Among the plethora of new and
improved technology released worldwide,
Apple always strikes gold. This year proves
to be no different with the $499 valued iPad
3. The Retina Display on the iPad 3 varies
from the first two in its crisper and more
lifelike display. More vibrant colors are included and the picture is incredibly sharp.
All these photogenic enhancements are
due to the installation of 3.1 million pixels
which are powered by the new A5X chip.
The new iPad’s additions also include a
5-megapixel iSight camera with advanced
optics, a backside illumination sensor, auto
white balance, and face detection for even
still images. Also the to-be released iPad is
Always On Top: Apple’s latest device the iPad 3
surpasses expectations with their new improvements.
Photo By: Carli Stander
equipped with ultrafast 4G.
Allowing faster connection for downloading, browsing, and streaming, it is all
in one convenience. Now for the first time,
you can share the high-speed data connection on your iPad. If your carrier supports
it, iPad can act as a personal hotspot for
connecting up to five devices — such as
a MacBook Air, an iPod touch, or another
iPad — over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB.
A significant inclusion added on is the ability to write an email, send a text, search the
web, or record notes through a simple tap
of the microphone icon on the keyboard.
The iPad will type out all your spoken
words!
The new iPad features a Retina display with four times the pixels of iPad 2
and quad-core graphics but the battery life
is unaffected. You still get up to ten hours
of power to use the iPad.
When you purchase an iPad from the Apple Store free engraving is included; if you
are one of technology’s worshippers don’t
forget this tidbit of info to get free personalization!
Junior Jacob Isenberg said, “It’s a little
crazy how many new things Apple releases; but for sure, this iPad has some incredible improvements. I can’t wait to use it.”
“The new iPad looks to be a more refined
version of the previous iPads,” said senior
Janelle Gourzong. “I think it would be really fun to have.”
ing expert or an artist.
“I find Draw Something fun and very addictive” says senior Anna Cesarotti
This entertaining app is just another way
to have fun with your phone. This app is
available for both Android and iPhone.
Where’s My Water? Is an app created by
Disney to show kids how to preserve water.
This app is so entertaining and addictive
that it has become a huge hit with students
at PPCHS. With over 200 levels, Swampy
the Alligator needs help to move water into
the pipe that he is at. So you basically solve
the puzzle of where the water should go, so
that it could be taken to Swampy. Simple
enough right? Wrong, as the levels progress there are more traps and obstacles in
your way and ooze tries to contaminate the
water. Overall, the game is pretty enticing
and quite entertaining.
The majority of students at
PPCHS agree that the iPhone is the most
popular phone amongst teens. The iPhone
has always been much more than just a
phone; it’s a mini camera, video, computer,
data, and gaming technical gadget. With
all of its available apps this phone seems
to be increasingly on the cutting edge and
becoming
more amazing by the
minute.
Choosing
an app from
this
vast
selection
provides its
users with
a very difficult task and
endless possibilities.
Most Popular Gaming App:
Everyone is downloading the new
and addictive draw something.
Photo By: Troy Bottom
Are active video games “fit” or “unfit” for exercise?
Alexandra Castillo
RESEARCH EDITOR
The use of interactive games is a relatively new form of technology that is used
as an alternative to exercise. They are built
with the intention that people can have fun
while exercising. They are also used as
an exercise outlet for children who live in
unsafe neighborhoods. However, in recent
studies there has been great controversy
over whether or not these games are truly
effective. Some say yes. Some say no.
There are many that absolutely love active video games for their convenience and
entertainment. The exercise begins with a
push of a button in the convenience of their
living room and allows them to move to a
motivating beat.
“My friend had the Just Dance: Michael
Jackson Edition and it is so much fun! I got
to learn all of the smooth moves while losing weight at the same time. I didn’t even
realize that I was exercising,” explains
freshman Caroline Castillo.
In fact, a study performed at the University of Nebraska showed that interactive gaming requires twice the amount of
energy of non-active video games. As a
result, children who participated in the activity became more active and met health
guidelines for moderately intense activity.
There are some scientists, however, who
are skeptical of whether or not the results
from these games are the true substitution to good, old-fashioned exercise. Re-
Staying Active And Playing Video Games: Students enjoy themselves at the techfair playing active
video games. Photo By: Carli Stander
searchers at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas performed a study
comparing children who exercise the traditional way versus children who substitute
the exercise with interactive gaming. The
result proved that these games were not
cutting it. In fact, children would have to
exercise much longer using the games in
order to keep up with traditional exercise.
“I would much rather go to the gym and
work out in an hour than use the Wii for an
hour and a half and not get the same exercise,” explains senior Nicholas Eyrich.
It is clear that both types of exercises
present their own benefits. Maybe the solution is to instead combine the two. Have
children and parents use these video games
to promote a healthy, active life style, while
also participating in traditional exercise to
keep in shape. At the end of the day, technology is working with America’s obesity
crisis and providing a convenient aid.
Environment-Health
April 2012
11
Alert: The floating garbage island in the Pacific
Chelsie Ramos
STAFF WRITER
After doing the weekly chore of throwing out the trash and taking the garbage
can outside to be picked up in the morning,
have you ever asked yourself the question,
“where is our world’s waste ending up?”
Many people all around have asked this
question before. Does it dissolve into thin
air? No. Is it all buried underground? Probably not. Now we can finally have a look
at the true answer. Waste that has ended
up in our oceans has been circulating
and all meeting in one spot in the Pacific
Ocean: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
This place has become known as the floating garbage island, due to the fact that the
ocean currents have pushed discarded trash
toward the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre.
However, now much of the Earth’s waste
of plastic products, including bottles of
water or soda, and other non-biodegradable products have ended up at this spot.
PPCHS’s AP Environmental students
have actually been given the chance to
learn about this horrible occurrence that
is continuing to happen today. By learning about the garbage island, the environmental class was given the chance to study
about what is happening because it is incorporated into their everyday curriculum.
It also gave them the chance to understand
that humans all need to put a stop to this.
In Ms. Rago’s AP Environmental Science
class the students’ learned about how some
of the chemical pollutants in the water are
being caused by the tons of plastic that is
being found in the ocean. These pollutants
have actually broken down and ended up
in the water that we ingest into our bodies.
These pollutants may be causing endocrine
disruptions leading to the weakening of our
immune systems and affecting our health.
Ms. Rago, suggests “you make sure you
recycle your plastics to the right place,
since some materials aren’t meant to be
sent to the same recycling center as others.
But still even with recycling, some of the
plastics may end up in the ocean, even if it
went to a recycling center or the landfill.”
Making sure you are aware of how you
go about recycling these plastic objects is
an important thing and a large contributor
Cartoon By Valeria Perez
to possibly helping the reduction. The effect on our health is bad enough already
with the chemical pollutants entering into
our water system and possibly going into
our blood stream. However, this location
in the Pacific is also hurting the animals
in that water too. Plastic is a major cause
of death for many fish, since they might
choke on it, thinking it was food, or becoming entangled in it. A great way of protecting these animals is to take proper care
of plastics when you dispose of them.
“After hearing about this in class it made
me think about all the plastic containers
and bottles I throw out. It made me realize that if I don’t begin cutting some plastic
products in half before disposing of them,
then all I am doing is just adding to the
problem,” said junior Jonathon Colon, an
AP Environmental student.
The Pacific Ocean, its creatures, and humans shouldn’t have to suffer from the
mishaps that lead to plastic ending up in
the ocean. Instead, becoming aware of the
plastic and garbage piling up in the Pacific
and then doing something about it is the
best choice for all of us to do. We can’t just
sit around and let the garbage pile up, we
have to clean our planet and make it safe
for everyone and everything that lives here.
Our favorite soft drink: As innocent as it may seem?
Gabriela Garcia
STAFF WRITER
Our country never ceases to complain
about how unhealthy we have become.
Sugar intake rates have skyrocketed, while
toxic substances gain popularity dangerously. In this situation we’re in, it’s weird
to think that a casual daily household item
can be just as bad as, or possibly worse,
than an explicit and illegal (for us at least)
drink. With that said we come to the debate
between soda and alcohol-- one that our
society never thought it would see.
Picture a red and white can, with cold
droplets of water sliding down the side after you have just taken it out of the fridge
on a hot summer day-- the Coca Cola can.
Most of us don’t think twice when we crack
open the can, but have you ever thought
about what you might be putting into your
body along with that drink? Natural Bias
claims that some health effects from soda
are a lot worse than beer. Their article
titled “Beer vs Soda: Which is Worse?”
stated that a Bud Light contains 110 calories per serving and a Coca Cola Classic
gives you a hefty 140 calories. Both beverages also highly contribute to weight gain
due to their unattractive ingredients. Don’t
fret too much though, because even though
soda’s sugar levels are heart stopping, the
effects of alcohol are definitely worse.
You can’t ignore the fact that a Bud Light
is considered a type of alcohol- beer. Obviously, alcohol comes with much graver
and serious consequences when you drink
it. So much that some people don’t even
believe that health effects of Coca Cola
and Bud Light should even be compared.
However, some countries think otherwise.
Some countries, like ours, think so lowly
of soda that they are even considering
implementing a drinking age for the drink.
According to The Week, America believes
that a drinking age on soda will somehow
slow and stop the unhealthy population.
“Here we go again,” says Thomas Lifson
at The American Thinker. “The champions of the nanny state have now decided
that we’re all ‘too stupid’ to make our own
choices about what to eat, so they’re going
to make our decisions for us.”
“I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that
there might be a drinking age for soda,”
says sophomore Stephan Montes. “Yes, I
believe that some people need to lay off
soda, but we should also be able to make
our own choices.”
“I think that maybe putting a limit on soda
will be better for everyone,” said senior
Andrew Welcher. “I think that it may help
in decreasing obesity in the country but at
the same time, I think people should have
the right to make their own choice about
how they treat their body.”
tious while still having a great time and
getting that perfect tan. To help you and
your friends be safe, you should take into
consideration these simple tips:
∙ The buddy system- It’s always smart to
have a friend close by while in or near the
water. Something can easily go wrong in a
crowded environment like a pool or beach.
With a friend nearby, you are reassuring
your safety and avoiding the possibility of
danger. You won’t be stuck alone trying to
figure out what to do and how to better the
situation. Having a friend with you takes
your mind away from worrying and leaves
room for more fun and excitement as well.
∙ Look for signs- When at the beach, be
aware of your surroundings. Look out for
warnings and know where the closest lifeguard’s station is located. Signs will tell
you and warn you if there are rip currents,
low or high tides and other dangers such
as jellyfish or sharks in the water. You can
easily avoid these dangers by reading the
provided signs, watching the news, speaking to a lifeguard, and always swimming
with caution.
“I think water safety is important, especially because we live in Florida. Many
houses now have pools and there are several beaches all around us. A lot of people
can get hurt if they’re not careful,” said senior Ariel Metts.
∙ Take a swimming class- Although we’re
all in high school and this sounds silly, taking a swimming class can be extremely
Graphic by Julian Graves
Spring into summer with water safety
Melissa Sullivan
STAFF WRITER
With spring already here and summer
right around the corner, most students will
be enjoying the comfort of their backyard
pools and the natural beauty that Florida
beaches have to offer. It is important for
everyone to be safe while around bodies
of water. It’s possible to be safe and cau-
Water Safety: Remember to stay safe over summer, have a buddy system, look for signs, and take swimming
classes to have an enjoyable break. Photo by Erica Etchechury
The health detriments of soda and alcohol are impossible to ignore and are shockingly horrendous. In the end though, soda
and alcohol are two very different drinks
that cause a lot of debate. Remember that
what you drink and what you intake is your
choice, and you have to suffer the consequences in the end.
beneficial. Not only will it help you improve your swimming, it will reduce your
chances of being hurt while in the water.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, taking swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88
percent among children aged 1 to 4 years.
Drowning has also been found to be the
sixth leading cause of death for people of
all ages. This can be easily avoided and
changed if people enrolled in a swimming
class.
“It’s important for students to be careful
[while swimming], being that we live in
Florida. There are more chances of drowning and harm from water because of our location and a lot of people don’t know how
to swim. We have to be careful and safe
when around water, plain and simple,” said
sophomore Shaun Hudson.
There are thousands of cases of people
drowning and being harmed when in or
near water each year. You can easily avoid
risks of danger by taking into consideration
these three tips and making smart choices.
Swim safely Jags!
Environmental-Health
April 2012
12
Going green for more than just one day
Chelsie Ramos
STAFF WRITER
For years phrases such as “Go Green!,”
“Save Mother Earth,” and “Save our home
because this is the only one we have,” have
been said by people all over the planet. But
the day that is the mother of all these phrases is Earth Day-- April 22. Earth Day is the
day where millions of people all around the
world take part in multiple activities and
events to protect and promote awareness
about our environment.
The first Earth Day was on April 22, 1970
and was founded by Gaylord Nelson, who
was a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin at the
time. According to the Earth Day Network, Senator Nelson began this movement for our environment after seeing the
effects of the Santa Barbara, California oil
spill in 1969. The spill resulted in 100,000
barrels, about 3.36 to 4.2 million gallons,
of oil spilled in the waters of the Santa Barbara channel and was caused by the Union
Oil company platform Alpha blowing. The
spill continued for eight days resulting in
roughly 100 miles of the coastline being
affected. An estimated 3,600 birds died because of the disaster. Since many students
at the time were having anti-war movements, Nelson thought that if he were able
to infuse the energy of all the movements
he might be able to make a change about
the environment. Senator Nelson was then
able to push the environment protection
topics onto the national political agendas.
For years after the first Earth Day, where
20 million Americans participated in rallies coast-to-coast, the momentum grew
and even dwindled down at times. However, because of the first Earth Day, the
United States Environmental Protection
St. Wynwood Miami, FL
33127.
This event will
raise environmental awareness through art and design.
• At Miami Metro Zoo,
everyone will get the chance
to experience Party for the
Planet, which will happen April 21 and April 22,
2012 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
There, the Tropical Flowering Society will host the
world’s largest annual flowering and tree plant show
and sale; “green” activities
will also be going on as
well. Guests that would like
to donate a cell phone to the
Earth Day: There are a plethora of Earth Day activities that you can per- Zoo, will get into the event
free of charge. The phones
form every day, like recycling. Photo By Erica Etchechury
will be donated to the ECOAgency was created and the Clean Air,
Clean Water, Endangered Species Acts CELL phone recycling program, where dowere all passed. Senator Nelson didn’t nating a cell phone will help save gorillas.
know if all of this would work to push the Lowland Gorillas live in the Congo, which
environmental issues but he said in the end has now become the land area where a
“it was a gamble, but it worked,” according coltan mining boom has occurred. Coltan
is a mineral that is used in the making of
to the Earth Day Network.
The years following the creation of Earth cell phones. Since the cell phone boom
Day led to a continuing growth with the has happened more mining for coltan in
movement of preserving our planet. But the Congo has begun, leading to the reductoday with the rise of temperatures (global tion of animal habitat. The Zoo hopes to
warming), and many other environmental help protect the gorillas and their home by
issues, the need to protect our planet is getting used cell phones to help reduce the
even more important. So if you care to join need for more mining for coltan.
Miami Children’s Museum is
the millions of others that are going to help •
our home, here are some events going on hosting an event on April 22 from 12 p.m.
to 4 p.m. Guests will be able to learn what
around South Florida.
•
Earth Day Miami: one day - one it means to be green by taking part in concommunity - one mission, is one choice. servation games, or by creating their own
Taking place on April 21, 2012 8:00 recycled art piece.
Earth Day here at Charter is also an imp.m. to 11:30 p.m. at LMNT, 55 NW 36
portant thing.
Last year, according to AP Environmental Science teacher Ms. Rago, “We mainly
focused on the outdoor restoration, with
the herb garden as well as a planting day.”
Another activity that took place was
the recyclable door-decorating contest.
The students for the contest were asked to
decorate their 3rd period classroom doors
with only recyclable objects. Former charter teacher Mr. Rushing’s 3rd period class
ended up winning the contest for using the
best recyclable objects for promoting the
environment. Also this year the garden
will receive a facelift. However, Charter
has had a long history when it comes to
helping the planet. All around the school
you will be able to find recycling bins in
the classrooms, and students have been encouraged to use the bins to help our home
planet.
No matter what the activities are, our
teachers do still believe that it is a very
important day and that all students should
care about it.
“You, as the students, are the future generation. So teaching Chemistry and all subjects are just as important as understanding
that you all are the stewards of the future
generation; and that we need to show and
teach you how to protect our planet. Having Earth Day provides us all with a day to
teach us how to conserve energy and how
to protect our planet,” said AP Biology and
Chemistry teacher, Mrs. Hernandez-Davis.
No matter how you perceive Earth Day,
one thing that sticks out for certain is that
no matter who you are you can make a difference. Becoming more environmentally
aware and helping our planet is something
that we should all be focusing on.
Garden restoration for PPCHS nation
Troy Bottom
WEB EDITOR
On the north side of the Science building, there lies the outdoor classroom and
garden. Beautiful flowers and trees used to
sway in the crisp breeze and allowed students to learn in an outside environment
around nature and tranquility. Also seen in
the garden was a variety of chirping birds
and elegant butterflies that stopped occasionally on the bright flowers.
In the past months, this place of nature
and of outdoor education has slipped a bit.
Weeds have sprouted from the ground,
next to piles of broken twigs and sticks
that have nestled together into clumps. The
entire garden now looks rundown and has
fallen from its previous peak.
“I just remember walking there after school
and seeing it with so much life and different bright lively colors. It’s kind of lacked
all of that lately and looks like it’s been
neglected,” sophomore Flavio Hernandez
commented.
To change the existing problems in the
garden, the Advanced Placement (AP) Environmental Science (APES) classes have
made plans to address the problems. Along
with the APES class stepping in, the Environmental club is already involved. They
have already begun uprooting dead plants
in order to make way for fresh foliage.
“It really needs to be restored to the
beautiful garden it once was,” President of
the Environmental Club junior Lauren Suarez said. “It’s been there for a while now
and after years of being neglected and of
weather wearing it down, it looks horrible.
So every high school study day and early
release day we’re out there. We just planted
new plants and decided to shift from a butterfly garden to just a garden. The outdoor
classroom looks good but we just have to
keep working on the garden.”
PPCHS will soon have their peaceful
garden restored for all to enjoy. Students
will soon be able to sit in a place full of
scenery and Mother Nature.
Garden Reborn: The Environmental Club plans to restore the wilting beauty of our school’s garden.
Photo By Erica Etchechury
Crouching Jaguar: Charter stretches into a healthy lifestyle
Jordana Cutajar
FEATURES EDITOR
Charter is known for its competitive
sports like soccer, football, and basketball.
Although sports are a great form of exercise, it has been found that yoga reaps
major benefits for those who practice the
form. Becoming increasingly popular over
the years, yoga has become much more
than just a fad. It offers vast benefits from
health to emotional, disease prevention,
symptom reduction, and body chemistry.
With so many different positions and poses, yoga is a very diverse way to exercises
your body. Here are some great common
poses that you can try at home!
Try the lotus pose! Sit cross
•
legged with the soles of your feet facing
upward. Keep your back straight and rest
your hands on your thighs.
At some point in our lives we were able
to stand straighter, along with a better balance; most of us could even touch our toes
without a problem. But as we’ve grown,
we have all experienced our awkward moments of tripping and falling. Many of the
poses in yoga, such as the lotus pose, can
help improve your posture and save yourself the embarrassment. By consistently
practicing yoga stances like the lotus pose
you can improve your posture since you
are concentrating on keeping your body in
that particular position. Not only that, but
yoga can help you relax. With six classes,
friends, family, and extracurricular activities it’s no surprise that we are all stressed!
Yoga calms your body and helps prepare
it to encounter your daily struggles. While
practicing yoga you have to focus on your
breathing pattern so that you can regulate
and calm it. This allows you to clear your
mind and forget all your worries.
To strengthen your arms, abs, and
•
legs try the warrior pose! Stand with your
feet at least four feet apart. Keep your arms
up and parallel. Make sure your left foot is
positioned 90 degrees to the left and your
knee is bent.
Yoga isn’t just a relaxer, there are certain
classes that range in intensity and can increase stamina, and even muscle buildup.
In a lot of the poses you are already using
your own weight against you while maintaining the position. After a while the practice may not seem as rigorous and you are
bound to see some results.
•
The boat pose: Start off by sitting down. Move your legs so that they
are pointing up in a 45 degree angle. Keep
your arms straight ahead of you as you
slightly lean back. Slightly! Your body
should appear to be in the shape of a V.
This pose specifically strengthens your
core as you hold the position. This will prevent future back pain. The pose also benefits kidneys, intestines, thyroid gland and
even digestion!
If sports aren’t your thing and you are
looking for a way to improve your lifestyle, why not try yoga and enjoy all the
benefits?
For more information on different poses
you can visit www.stress-relief-tools.com
or www.nursingdegree.net!
Yoga pose: Two students try the lotus pose
to improve their posture and relieve stress.
Photo by Carli Stander
Clubs
April 2012
13
Club spotlight: T.R.O.O.P
Erin Jones
MANAGING EDITOR
T.R.O.O.P—the club’s name says it all.
Like stealth, uniformed troops of soldiers
on a mission, the members of PPCHS’s
Teens Reaching Out to Other People
(T.R.O.O.P) sweep into the community
completing community service projects
while leaving a trail of good behind. This
group of do-gooders ultimate goal is simply to participate in activities that help
those in need.
“We do a lot of community service and
just anything that needs to be done in order
to benefit others,” said PPCHS’s T.R.O.O.P
founder and president senior Taylor Orsini.
Orsini founded the club during the 20092010 school year when she was a sophomore. She had joined the club in middle
school. She thought that creating a version
for the high school would be beneficial in
connecting students to volunteer opportunities that not only would help them fulfill their graduation requirements, but that
would inspire them to want to be active in
their community. The club started with less
than a dozen members but today has grown
close to 150 members strong.
“I think because a lot of teenagers are
blessed in many ways, they need to give
back to those less fortunate than themselves. I don’t think a lot of teens realize
just how fortunate they are and should develop compassion for others,” said Orsini.
“Besides most teens have a ton of free time
and can put it good use by giving back.”
T.R.O.O.P club members are encouraged
to volunteer at least twice during the school
year but Orsini hopes that the club motivates students to go above and beyond on
their own to find volunteer opportunities.
“T.R.O.O.P definitely made finding places
to volunteer much easier,” said senior and
club member Sabrina Perello. “It really did
help me develop a new appreciation for
giving back to others.”
Activities T.R.O.O.P regularly participates in include volunteering for the Broward Beach Cleanup, the Broward County
Fair, and the Miramar Cultural Center.
One popular community effort the club
regularly participates in is the Cooperative
Feeding Program (CFP) of Broward County. CPF is devoted to ending poverty in the
county be providing low income families
and the homeless with food. When troop
goes to CPF they go to the food pantry and
help pack up boxes of food to go out into
iClub: Business people and
power minds welcome
the community.
“A big group of us can pack up about
500 boxes in just a couple hours,” said Orsini.
Another popular activity the club
does is send care packages and letters to
troops overseas as part of the We Still Care
Foundation.
“We’ve gotten letters back from the soldiers and started a sort of pen pal program,”
said Orsini. “Seeing that your efforts are
greatly appreciated is such a great feeling.”
T.R.O.O.P also does anything it can to
benefit the students at PPCHS. Just last
month, the club organized the College
and Career Fair which contained about 40
booths. The fair helped guide underclassmen into thinking about what they want to
do in the future.
“The College and Career Fair was great
in helping me to explore my options for
college,” said junior Shelby Burdett.
“T.R.O.O.P always does an amazing job
ensuring that students have a chance to
connect with people in the community.”
This is Orsini’s last year being a part of
the club she founded. She hopes that as the
club goes on without her, grows and inspires more students to volunteer.
Photo By: Adrian Tabraue
NHS Honors Philippines with
shoe drive
Gabriela Garcia
STAFF WRITER
Anyssa Gonzalez
STAFF WRITER
Many at PPCHS have been searching for
that one club to really open their minds;
something that satisfies their strive for success and their thirst for entrepreneurship.
We have found quite the fix for you, and
with great zeal PPCHS presents to you
iClub, the new and shiny club available
here at our school.
When juniors Pablo Casilimas and Joey
Levy, the iClub president and vice president respectively, put their thoughts on
entrepreneurship, moneymaking, and
business together, they made an instant
click. Sharing such a passion for all of the
above, the powerful minds came together
and sparked this new organization at the
school. Common friends with common
interests like Tommy Power (’13), Aditya
Iyer (’14) and Sai Balusu (’14) believed in
the idea also, and now ended up as members of the iClub administration.
Meeting every Thursday after school- except for Early Release and High School
Study Days- members get the opportunity
to discuss ideas, potential fundraisers for
the school, and business strategies with
your peers.
The National Honor Society (NHS) at
PPCHS is busy preparing for their end of
the year activities. Inductions were held
at the end of March, where new sophomores, juniors, and seniors walked across
the stage and officially become members
of the prestigious club.
Sophomore Anthony London was inducted on the 27th, and has expressed his
excitement to finally become a part of the
National Honor Society. He is proud to say
that he had his mom walk him across the
stage the night of inductions.
“It’s a really good club and it looks good
for future applications,” says London. “I
can not wait to get as involved as I can.”
The most prominent events that will be
coming up, however, are the shoe drive for
A Day without Shoes: Students at PPCHS and members of Key Club, NHS, and Tom’s Club participated
in the worldwide event of A Day without shoes to raise
awareness about children that live without shoes in the
Phillipines. Photo By: Gabriela Cabeza
Joey Levy Vice Presidnet of IClub: Pablo and Joey
come together to form the new Entrepeuner club at
PPCHS. Photo By Lissette Rivera
“Our club is relatively new, so we haven’t
done much yet,” says Balusu, iClub’s Public Relations Coordinator. “But we’re very
excited for what we have planned for this
year and our future.”
Among those plans includes a Ping Pong
tournament on April 12th at our school.
The club members are currently brainstorming many fundraisers to not only benefit them, but also the school. Sophomore
Treasurer Aditya Iyer says this is part of
the club description, “Moneymaking ideas
are our motives, especially when it comes
to it going back to our school.”
So whether you’re looking for something
to do after school on Thursdays or really
do want to get in the business, iClub is the
place for you. Besides, according to President Pablo Casilimas, we all share one
basic goal and want one thing: “To make
money!”
Pablo Casilimas President of IClub: Pablo and Joey
come together to form the new Entrepeuner club at
PPCHS. Photo By Lissette Rivera
“I hope students feel a sense of accomplishment when they volunteer just to
know that they are giving back to the
world. I hope they feel that they have done
good. I just hope the club grows even more
and inspires even more people to go out
there and do something positive.”
children that live in the Philippines and the
annual Day Without Shoes. On the Day
Without Shoes, volunteers from NHS, the
Student Government Association (SGA),
and TOMS club walk around from 4th to
6th period in the shoes (or lack thereof) of
the kids that will be receiving PPCHS students’ shoes donations.
"I think this is such a great cause. A single pair of shoes can be so overlooked in
our society, but it makes such a warm gift
precisely through its simplicity--an unadorned, yet fundamental thing through
which to show compassion,” says senior
and NHS secretary Natalie Maria. “A Day
without Shoes is great because it raises
awareness about the little feet that walk
our Earth without soles to cover them and
thinking that not a soul thinks about them."
A Day without Shoes: Students at PPCHS and members of Key Club, NHS, and Tom’s Club participated
in the worldwide event of A Day without shoes to raise
awareness about children that live without shoes in the
Phillipines. Photo By: Gabriela Cabeza
Columns
April 2012
14
Modify your views on modified foods
Julia
Baca
Columnist
Genetically modified (GM) foods are
everywhere we look these days. It’s easier
to pick up an overgrown, DNA injected,
unnaturally produced tomato at the super
market than one that is three times smaller,
grown organically, and not a risk to your
health. The worst part about genetically
modified food is not that they are everywhere (which is still pretty terrible); but
that you probably do not even know when
you eat food that has had its DNA manipulated.
There is a good chance that you do not
even know what genetically modified even
means. This is because there is a severe
lack of knowledge about exactly what is
going into our bodies and how it got to
be the way it is at the point of consumption. To clear up any confusion, GM foods
are foods that have been genetically engineered in order to change their DNA. Genetically engineering is the manipulation
of an organism's genome. In other words,
genetic engineering allows humans to
transfer the DNA of any organism to another one. This means that plants and animals can be manipulated by each other’s
genetic material. For example, according
to disabled-words.com, a gene from a fish
that lives in extremely cold water has been
injected into some strawberries, because it
makes the fruit frost-tolerant.
According to the Grocery Manufacturers
of America, 75 percent of all processed
foods in the United States contain a GM
ingredient. Americans eat 31 percent more
processed food than fresh food, and consume more processed foods per person
than anywhere else in the world. In the disabled-words.com article, it is stated that in
2006, 89 percent of the planted area of soybeans, 83 percent of cotton, and 61 percent
maize were genetically modified varieties
in the US. So why is there a lack of knowledge about this terrifying, DNA changing
catastrophe when it is so common in our
lives? GM foods in the super markets have
absolutely no special labeling, which could
be part of it.
In other parts of the world, consumers
have demanded special labeling on GM
foods as they should, so that they can make
a choice about whether they want to consume these gene altered foods or purchase
something grown organically. People have
the right to be warned before consuming
these unnatural and risky foods, yet here in
the United States there is no labeling whatsoever for us to be able to make a healthier
choice. In fact, very few products that are
not genetically modified actually have
special labels allowing people to know
actually having less nutritional value after being
engineered.”
I look at genetic engineering as a completely
unnatural risk to our
health and the earth’s
health alike. Genetically
modified organisms pose
a risk to biodiversity and
the technology used in the
modification process can
be a risk for farmed and
wild ecosystems. Many
genetically
engineered
crops prove to be out of
human control and can accidentally cross-pollinate
Modified food: Most of today’s produces are be modified inorder to be
with other crops, causing
made faster but end up causing harm. Cartoon by:Valeria Perez
non-GM crops to be contaminated with GM genes.
that they are safer to eat than the probably
cheaper manipulated product right next to The changes that a genetically engineered
species can make on the environment are
them on the shelf in the super market.
Genetic engineering is looked at by some unpredictable. It could cause an imbalance
as a great scientific advancement that will in the ecology of an environment, among
help with world hunger because it makes other things. Certain changes in a plant or
it easier and cheaper to develop a larger animal could cause unpredictable allergic
amount of more sustainable foods. Through reactions in some people which, in its origigenetic engineering, human beings have nal form, would not happen. Other changes
also been able to breed disease resistant could make an organism toxic to humans
crops and herbicide tolerant crops. All of or other organisms. Besides, the reason
this may sound very positive, but it really there is a hunger problem in this world is
isn’t when it poses more significant nega- a completely political issue and should not
tive risks for our planet and people. PPCHS be falsely ‘solved’ by creating something
Physics and Forensic Science teacher Mr. that poses risks to those who eat it.
Foods should not be produced by genetic
Dean has a similar view, stating “Throughout human history man has always tried engineering just because it is most conveto play God and tried to look for an easier nient for humans and major companies.
way to do things- sometimes for profit and The Earth’s well-being and our well-being
sometimes for altruistic means. However, should be held much higher on humanity’s
no matter the reason, in more cases than list of priorities, convenience and money
not with respect to genetic engineering, should not be on top.
there are negative repercussions, like foods
Monthly Club Wrap Up: Musicals, Showcase, Contests
Melissa Sullivan
STAFF WRITER
∙Drama and chorus-
Being that it is now spring, the bulk of the year’s club activities is now taking place.
Several clubs around school are organizing and hosting several different events for students, teachers and administration to partake in and enjoy. It will certainly be an exciting
time, and all Jags should show school spirit by coming out and supporting the PPCHS
clubs! Clubs are always accepting and welcoming new members throughout the year.
The Drama and Chorus students have joined together to produce
this years’ musical, Once upon a Mattress. The musical took place on the 19th and 20th of April
and was opened to all students and administration. It took place in The River of Grass auditorium
with a packed crowd both nights. “Every event that Drama hosts is always very unique and exciting, the play earlier this year was really great and I can’t wait to see what they’ve come up with
this time,” said freshman Kayla Clements.
Excitment for Drama and Chorus Play: Freshman Kayla Clements supports the up and comming play Once upon a Mattress.
Photo By Gabriela Cabeza
∙Nerdy and I know it- This event, which has been moved to April 20th , will be
a large showcase. The competition is similar to the annual Mr. Jag Contest but is for the
most nerdy of PPCHS students. Contestants will be required to come dressed as nerdy as
possible and will compete in five rounds that are completely random and unknown. Tickets are being sold for $5; all proceeds will be donated to an anti-bullying agency. At the
end of the competition there will be two winners, one male and one female.
Debate Showcase Flyer: The Final Round of the Debate Showcase on March 29th at 6:30pm.
Photo By: Erica Etchechury
Nerdy and I Know it Flyer: The Nerdy and I know it
contest was held on March 20th. Photo By: Carli Stander
∙Debate showcase- The final round of the Debate showcase took place on March 29th at the
River of Grass Theatre. The best debaters fought for the title of first place and competed in areas of
Public Forum, Congress, and Original Oratory. It was a heated debate as students went neck and neck
for the title of best debater.
“The debates are always something to remember, I always come out learning something new. The
competition is always very stiff and it’s always hard to tell just who will win overall,” said sophomore
Lori Johnson.
PPCHS clubs are always organizing new and exciting events for students to come out and support the
school. There is several ways for all students and administrators to give back to the school and feel part
of the Jaguar family. Come out and support PPCHS clubs today!