The Red & Black, December 2011 by HHS Today

THE

RED & BLACK

Florida’s first high school newspaper

Hillsborough High School • 5000 N. Central Ave. • Tampa, Fla. 33603 • Volume 112, No. 3 • December 2011

Wi-Fi track down Use our map to find the best Wi-Fi connections on campus -pages 12-13

Click on our website to check out the new Big Red Podcast -www.hhsredblack.com

Several entered, but only one student won our holiday dessert contest -pages 8-9

News

December 2011

Carrollwood book fair raises money for HHS By Kellen Yent Sports Editor

The HHS Media Center hosted a book fair at Barnes & Noble in Carrollwood. Students, teachers, alumni and families were invited to help raise money for the school by purchasing online or from any of the stores around the country. The tally for the money raised has not been calculated yet, but the proceeds will be divided among the Media Center, the art department and the music department, who all participated on the first two days of the fair. “It was definitely a positive fundraiser. We received a lot of press, but most of all, people commented on our talented students,” said Media Specialist Barbara Magee. Juniors Jimmy Lee, Simon Cabalan, Chris Li, and sophomores, Alexis Boback, Nate Horvat , and The Chamber Orchestra was at the openJong-Min Kim play at the Carrollwood Barnes and Noble. Photo by Rachel Mowat. ing of the fair and played for the shoppers for

two hours. “There was lots of cheers and claps,” Magee said. “They were really well received.” Nate Horvat, member of the orchestra and sophomore, said, “[We] went through all our songs, and the second time, [we] played a lot faster which was a lot of fun.” He also said that everyone seemed to have a lot of fun. The art show that was put on by Peggy Watts had 25 student submissions. Each were voted on by the customers at the bookstore, resulting in first prize winner, junior Emma Mercadante and second place winner freshman Chau-vy Vu. “The art show was incredible,” Magee said. “People said it was hard to vote.” Watts wants the book fair to become a tradition at HHS so that more people will come every year and help raise money.

Alumni historian writes school history book By Chrissy Geshel News Editor

Historian and Hillsborough alumnus Lewis Rex Gordon has recently published a book recounting the history of our prestigious school. Gordon, who graduated in the Class of 1984, titled his book History of Hillsborough High School. Gordon discussed the work and research that went into publishing his book. RB: How long did it take you to write the book? G: It took me about two years to write the book. I did a lot of it on my days off and even some on my vacations. Most of the research came from The Red & Black newspapers and Hilsboreans. Hillsborough High School has strong primary sources. RB: What surprises did you encounter while researching Hillsborough’s history? G: There were a lot of surprises I found when I was writing the book. One was that there used to be Commencement Issues [that] eventually evolved into the Hillsborean yearbook. Another was that there was a Cadet Corps at Hillsborough High School during World War I.

In the early 20th century the clearly defined role of boys and girls also surprised me some. The way that the students overall dealt maturely with integration in the early 1970s was also refreshing. However one thing that surprised me was how different Hillsborough High School today is in many ways. Security, technology and the many different venues for education from IB to traditional to vocational. RB: Which misconceptions about Hillsborough were resolved? G: The big misconception is “Hillsborough High School began in a livery stable on Franklin Street in 1885.” That is so ingrained in our history that it is hard to debunk. The 1885 date is based on an 1886 diploma which would push the beginning of that senior year back to the fall of 1885. Right away you can see the problem. Where did the Class of 1886 go in their junior, sophomore and freshmen year? The part about Franklin Street is right but it wasn’t in a livery stable, it was in a schoolhouse that contained grades 1-12. The livery stable shows up in 1897 and is actually on Florida Avenue just down the street from the old school building. Over time the many facets of the story got

mutated together. It wasn’t intentional; it was like playing the children’s game of telephone over the course of a century. The original story was just retold and retold and somewhat lost over time. RB: What was your goal in writing your book? G: My goal in writing this book was to have a primary source fact-based history for the greatest high school ever! I won an auction on eBay for the 1913 yearbook from Hillsborough High School called Coloco. It still had flowers pressed into it! The young lady that had owned it clearly loved her time at the Big Red! The class was so different and yet so similar to all others. They dreamed and joked and loved sports and faced challenging exams. What really struck home is that if it was important enough for these students to put it in writing, it was important enough for it to be retold accurately. RB: Where is the History of Hillsborough High School available? G: The book is $20 and all proceeds benefit the Hillsborough High School Alumni Association, which is dedicated to supporting

The book written by Lewis Rex Gordon is available at the Big Red Tent at the Sunday Market, which is held in front of the school every second Sunday of each month. It can also be purchased online. (Photo by Jimmy Herd-Bond.

Hillsborough High School. It can be purchased from their website at hhsalumiassoc.com or you can email public relations specialist Darlene Fabelo at dfabelo@aol.com. Shipping is $6.

December 2011

News

3 Baker is educator of the year Bertha Baker, the Assistant Principal for Administration, was awarded with the Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year award. “When I found out that I got the award, I was surprised and shocked, because it usually goes to a teacher, not an administrator. It was a good feeling to know that somebody out there appreciates the little things that I try to do.” Bertha Baker has been in her role Baker always has to as assistant principal since 2004. be on her toes. “My job is (Photo by Jimmy Herd-Bond) not the same every day, it’s always different. It keeps it interesting, and it keeps it challenging as well.” After years of experience in education, she is proud to have gotten the award. “Evidently I’ve done something right here that people recognize and thought that I should get this honor.”

“My goal as a teacher is to help my students make gains in mathematics and to add at least one building block to help build their confidence in their ability to learn anything,” Yolanda Whitehead Driskell said. (Photo by Holly Schroeder)

-Kimberly Rampersad

Driskell named top teacher By Kimberly Rampersad Staff Writer

Yolanda Whitehead Driskell always is ready to check ninth grade algebra homework when her class begins. She then goes through each problem step by step, to make sure students understand each problem individually. Driskell calls on students with or without their hand up. She also makes sure they are sitting up, focusing, and paying attention. According to Driskell, one of her methods to check her students’ understanding is for them to give her a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down.” One of her students said, “I feel really smart during Driskell’s lesson.” Replying back to her student, “You are smart,” Driskell continued her lesson. This is a typical day in her class, and all of Driskell’s efforts to teach have earned her the honor of Teacher of the Year. “I was overwhelmed and honored when I found out! It totally caught me by surprise,” Driskell’s said. January will mark Driskell’s 11th year at the school.

Driskell started a career in business, but then switched to teaching. “I wasn’t happy with corporate America and wanted to make a change. So in the pursuit of happiness, I decided to follow my passion, which was educating others and coaching,” she said. Driskell said that she likes her job because she can be a positive role model for students. “My favorite thing about teaching is seeing growth in my students, academically and socially.” Driskell adds, “I feel that my sense of humor, my ability to ‘break it down,’ and my genuine concern for the success of students makes me unique as a teacher,” she said. Driskell said that she loves all of her students, the “good and the challenging ones.” Driskell is also involved in other ways at HHS. She is the volleyball coach, an AVID site team member, a SLC team leader and an FCAT Saturday school teacher. She is now waiting to find out if she will be one of the top five finalists for Hillsborough County Teacher of the Year. She said, “Other than that, I am here continuing my role as a math teacher inspiring my students.”

Hunt awarded instructional support employee of the year Media Center secretary Susan Hunt has been awarded the Instructional Support Employee of the Year. “[This] makes me feel like I’ve done a good job and people appreciate it. So it is very rewarding.” Hunt said she loves her job her at HHS. “I help students in many ways, I like to think. I go from assisting them on the computer to checking out books and finding materials. I also have stumbled into the role of be- Susan Hunt has been working ing counselor and confidant, at HHS for 10 years. (Photo by Jimmy Herd-Bond) which to me, is very special.” She also says that she always does her best. “I like to think that I do my job 110 percent.” -Kimberly Rampersad

News

December 2011

Homeless encounter challenges of new law

Banned from the streets By Elizabeth Gwilt News Editor

Shellie Beeson sells Epoch newspapers to make a living. (Photo by Jimmy Herd-Bond)

Shellie Beeson doesn’t know where she will sleep tonight. She is hardly the only one with this problem, though. According to the Hillsborough Homeless Coalition, 17,755 people are homeless in the county on any given night. Now that a panhandling ban passed on Nov. 1 has been in effect for over a month, the homeless are having an even tougher time. Beeson is no exception. The 47-year-old has been on the streets for two years, after her long-time husband demanded a divorce and left her with nothing. Now, she sells whatever she can to make money. “I make about $28 a day,” she said. “If I’m able to eat, then it’s a good day.” With a seventh-grade education and some mental disabilities that never received attention, Beeson has had a hard time finding a job. “Just this morning I was propositioned for $5. Although I’m ashamed to admit it, sometimes I have to do these types of things if I want to eat,” Beeson said during an interview at the corner of Nebraska and Hillsborough avenues. But now, she has found a safer alternative to make money. The Tampa Epoch, a newspaper intended to be sold by the homeless so they don’t break the panhandling law, has given Beeson some security. “I’ve been selling papers for two weeks,” she said as she proudly holds up her name badge and vest. “The first 25 papers are given to us for free, and after that they’re 25 cents each.” The newspapers are sold for $1 each, giving the sellers 75 cents profit. For now though, Beeson is trying to focus on getting doctor’s appointments to address her health problems. “It’s not easy saving up for those visits. I don’t sleep in a shelter to save

money, and it’s so dangerous out here at night.” “I always sleep with one eye open. People come up to me and hit me across the face, throw food and bottles at me, and scream at me to get a job,” she said. “I wish they would realize it’s not that simple.” The difficulty of finding a job is something that Brent Page knows all too well. “I’m not a bum. I’m just a guy who made a few wrong choices,” Page said. The 32-year-old represents the new face of homelessness; he said he holds a criminology degree from the University of Florida, pays rent at a friend’s house and can’t seem to find a job. Page was on the streets for a month before finding a place to stay. “I’ve never seen anyone like me panhandle before. I used to think that people chose this life. I know better now. Nobody would ever want to choose this, it’s humiliating. My mother doesn’t even know I’m out here, I couldn’t bear to tell her.” He averages about $40 a day by flying a sign. Besides the necessities, he has to pay for rent and his daily treatment at a methadone clinic to break his drug addiction. Page is trying to save up, but he isn’t sure for what. “Right now I’m just trying to survive,” he said. “I don’t think I’ll ever put my major to use, now that I’ve seen the other side of the law. Of course, I would take any job right about now.” Although Page was interviewed before the ban took effect, he still opposed it. “I know there are a lot of scumbags who get aggressive and knock on car windows, but the city is taking away our only means because of a few wrongdoers.” He asserts that he is doing nothing wrong by

See Panhandling, page 13

Life

December 2011

‘It’s Freezing in Here’ delivers snow many laughs By Roksana Borzouei Life Editor

“It’s Freezing in Here” is the first winter show of On the Brink, a comedy group of high school students. This show marked the departure from the raunchy, risqué routine of OTB, traditionally held at Transitions Art Gallery. There was worry that loyal OTB fans would shrug off the new wholesome material. There was only one racy skit in the set list, two sexual innuendos and none of the puking and sexual explicitness of OTB’s March show, “It Was All a Dream.” Worries dissipated as junior Alex Gonzalez explained, “Once they knew it would be a lot more witty and funnier, they knew they’d enjoy it more.” In fact, senior Fareeha Rehan said, “My face kind of hurts from laughing so much. This was as funny as it was last year.” The show was cleaned up due to a want for stylistic change, but also due to the venue. The Cultural Center boasts that “Every month, families will be able to come in and enjoy an age-appropriate production together, and kids will learn something too,” Haerther wrote. Nevertheless, the Cultural Center and OTB compromised to be able to stay true to OTB. Cast member Becca Javier said, “The Center has not been advertising for families, so they’re working with us to get our regular audience.” Still, the writers of OTB had a rough time keeping it “PG” per request. Gonzalez said, “There was a lot of editing going through. We couldn’t use cuss words as punch lines, we had to be cleverer.” OTB’s venue since 2004, Transitions Art Gallery, enforces no censorship, so the requisites were new to the cast. They have had

Cast members: Michael Fly Alex Gonzalez Becca Javier Matt Kennedy Alec Martin

Noemi Reyes Conor Rigsby Luke Votzke Zack Wright

Above: Alex Gonzalez in character as an overprotective Coal Miner for the skit, “Devil’s Peak.” Right: Zack Wright bashes in Gonzalez’s head in “Radio Dead,” in which all of the characters go into a frenzy listening to LMFAO’s Party Rock Anthem as they hide from zombies. (Photos by Jimmy Herd-Bond)

the artistic freedom of writing and performing without the restrictions campus-based groups would encounter due to school affiliations. OTB cast rarely had to run anything by the Cultural Center. The one imperative that the cast had to adhere to was that there would be no cursing or foul words, in the script. “Hell’” was even substituted for “down below” in the fifth sketch, titled Roomies Pt. 1. Still, two things were run by Haerther: an advertisement poster and one sketch. The group took precaution with a poster that might have been viewed as too offensive, but Haerther’s response was that, “It was flat our funny and that’s what we’re looking for.” As for the questionable sketch, the infamous PB Inc., which involved heavy use of phallic innuendo, Haerther had no issue with. “The response was, ‘do it.’ It was not for a cheap laugh, they worked hard to use an innuendo in a light adult manner as opposed

to early Eddie Murphy,” Haerther said. It’s Freezing in Here achieved what it set out to do, “Be more clever,” Gonzalez said. In contrast to It Was All a Dream, the show had minimal recurrent of curse words or slapstick humor. The show included numerous erudite and cultural references that had not been so apparent in traditional OTB shows. One skit, Grassy Knoll Automotive, involved the driver of John F. Kennedy’s cruiser the day he was shot. Another, Oedipus Therapist, played off of Sigmon Freud’s concept, the Oedipus Complex. Nothing was lost on the audience, and no laughs sacrificed. Throughout the 31 skits, the audience hooted, snickered and doubled over in the sold out main theater, seating 200. Yet, much of the applause might have been due to Gonzalez’s jest that “Every time [the audience] claps, a dream comes true.”

Currently, OTB is in talks with the Carrollwood Cultural Center for future partnerships. Haerther is open to another winter show next year and there are rumors of collaboration for a one acts show in March, which includes Gonzalez and Wright as two of the writers. Speaking of the March OTB show at Transitions Art Gallery, Gonzalez said, “The March show will be raunchy, but more creative ... it’ll be the best of both worlds.”

Opinion Our View

6 Volume 112 No. 3 Editor in Chief Samantha Matras News Editors Jacob Gagne Chrissy Geshel Elizabeth Gwilt Life Editors Nick Bennett Roksana Borzouei Brittany Valencic Sports Editors Katie Lutton Luke Votzke Kellen Yent Opinion Editor Nico Tavella Photo Editor Jimmy Herd-Bond Staff Writers Nicholas Quinby Fabio DeSousa Alex Rosendo Nadiya Fakhar Holly Schroeder Nikki Ferrera Jenn Travis Amanda Glenz Destiny Wong Adam Godbey Zachary Wright Kristine Lee Kimberly Rampersad Adviser Joe Humphrey, MJE Principal Dr. William T. Orr Jr. The Red & Black belongs to the Florida Scholastic (All-Florida, 2011) and the National Scholastic (All-American, 2011) press associations. The newspaper considers itself an open forum for student expression and decisions about content are made by student editors. However, the paper is subject to prior review by the school’s administrative staff. The staff editorial reflects the view of student editors and columns represent the viewpoints of their authors. The R&B welcomes letters from students, teachers and members of the Hillsborough community. Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity, and should be submitted to Room 506 or to The Red & Black, 5000 N. Central Ave., Tampa FL 33603. Advertising content is subject to approval of the editorial board. The Red & Black is printed in partnership with The Tampa Tribune. This newspaper includes content from the MCT Campus wire service. Phone: (813) 276-5620 • Fax: (813) 276-5629 e-mail: joseph. humphrey@sdhc.k12.fl.us

www.hhsredblack.com

December 2011

First Amendment trumps governor Kansas teen Emma Sullivan is in the national spotlight after posting a critical tweet about the state’s governor, Sam Brownback. Sullivan says that she will not send an apology letter to the governor, and we agree with her decision. Although the tweet in question, which said, “Just made mean comments at gov Brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot,” is found by some people to be disrespectful, the First Amendment states that every U.S. citizen has the freedom of speech. We believe that Gov. Brownback’s “camp” blew things out of proportion, which is echoed by the fact that Sullivan had 65 followers on Twitter before the incident and later saw that total top 4,000 followers, many of whom support her decision to not make an apology. Sullivan is not the first person to criticize a governor and certainly won’t be the last. When officials search any name on Twitter, they should expect to see critical tweets; not everyone agrees with everything politicians do, and to believe otherwise is foolishness

on their part. We as Americans are legally allowed to express our thoughts, regardless of whether or not it may make politicians feel happy. Could this have been done more professionally? Absolutely. However, in no part of the First Amendment is formality stated and therefore there’s no reason to expect any. We believe that the school should have never been notified, simply because it just seems so counterproductive. Had Brownback actually cared about the substance of the tweet, he would have contacted Sullivan’s parents and worked out the issue with her face to face. By making this disagreement national, the governor has more people disagreeing with him, and a decent amount of the reason why is because of how poorly his staff handled the situation. After criticism in the media and the press, the office of Gov. Brownback finally did issue an apology. Still, Brownback and his staff should know the Bill of Rights like the back of their hands

and, therefore, should have thought twice before publicly denouncing Sullivan’s tweet. In any case, Brownback should be doing something more productive with his time. Kansas is not in any way above the economic struggles the rest of the country is facing; more than 9 percent of families in Kansas currently live below the poverty level, only 2 percent of jobs are currently available; and many have little or no healthcare. These problems are far more important than one comment that came from an 18-yearold high school student intended for only 65 people to view. Sullivan has no reason to apologize to the governor because she has the freedom of speech, plain and simple. The second we start to carve away at the freedom of speech, we as a nation risk plunging into the darkness of totalitarianism. As Americans, it’s our right to speak our mind regardless of how a single governor might feel. Brownback should have intially let this issue go and instead focus on real issues.

Tweet on the street: student opinion Both are entitled to opinions, this just isn’t the place for it. Still, she shouldn’t be forced to apologize. #freedomofspeech

Lindsey Reeder 12th grade

“Just made mean comments at gov. brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot.” This was the tweet posted by high school student Emma Sullivan moments after she met with Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback last month. In the following days, Brownback and his staff fought to make Sullivan apologize for her tweet. Several students were chosen at random and asked their opinion on the situation.

She shouldn’t have to apologize. We have the right to speak uncensored. Period. #whocareswhosees

Jasmine Seales 11th grade

-Nico Tavella & Zachary Wright

If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Just say “wasn’t what I was hoping for” and move on. #ohwell

Juanita Buitrago 12th grade

She should apologize because the opportunity to meet the governor should include maturity. #keepittoyourself

Mark Leslie 11th grade

She should be able to say whatever she wants, it’s HER opinion. I don’t understand why he’s making such a big deal. #suckstosuck

Erin Davenport 10th grade

Opinion

December 2011

Angry words for Angry Birds Zachary Wright & Luke Votzke Commentary

Birds, pigs, sticks and stones. Add a slingshot and you have an uninspired game, that provides the same dilemma countless times. On top of that, every version of the game is the same, with a different paintjob. This simple game, with no purpose greater

than to keep you occupied on the john, has turned into a phenomenon, with merchandise sales exceeding those of the game itself. This is where the problem really exists. Everyday we see kids with Angry Birds merchandise, including: beanies, socks, slippers, shirts, hoodies, bracelets, temporary tattoos, ties, sleep pants, boxers, pillows, watches and basically anything ly you can fathom. We actually cts typed in random objects

into Google, and almost everything had an Angry Birds variant, the exception being a living cat (yes, there are dogs). We’re not angry at the game, but at what it has become: a powerful franchise. We wouldn’t care if merchandise was kept to a minimum, but we reached the boiling point when visiting the Mall of America. Every window had us staring at green pigs or anatomically a incorrect birds. Store after af store, Angry Birds mercha merchandise filled the shelv shelves. We saw familie lies dressed head to toe in Angry Birds apparel, which provoked unforgivable thoughts and extreme hatred.

Angry Birds is not original, and it provides no in-depth or satisfying gaming experience. We’re ashamed of ourselves for even calling Angry Birds a game. It’s an app. We could name countless apps that are a better use of your time and a more enjoyable experience.

rovio.com

Kardashian disconnected from reality A single mother of two walks home from her third job, worrying about how she will pay rent Jake Gagne & Nick Bennett Commentary and provide enough food to calm her children’s hunger. She knows little about politics, but feels that someone, somewhere, is doing her disservice. This is the harsh reality of middle and lower class America. It’s not broadcasted to millions, no paparazzi follow their every move, and superficiality is absent from their lives. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, Kim Kardashian’s $10 million “fairy tale wedding” has come to an end. Reportedly split over “irreconcilable differences,” Kardashian made $7.9 million on the two-day E! special about the event. The money squandered on a frivolous and now nullified wedding could have helped thousands of Americans escape lives of distress, and reflects the increasing inequality gap that is corrupting the country. According to jezebel.com, the total cost of the wedding was $10 million. Consequentially, the site came up with an appropriate unit of measurement: the Kardashian (worth $10 million). The US median national income in 2009, $49,777, comes out to 0.005 Kardashians. The U.S. national debt, $14.9 trillion, measures as 1.5 million Kardashians.

The cost of Kardashian’s earrings alone was $5 million. According to usda.org, this could have fed an average family of four for 118 years. The $7.9 million she got could fuel a car enough to travel across the country 24 times (bts.gov). Although these stats are highly impractical, they demonstrate that something actually helpful could be done with this money: closing the inequality gap that is plaguing this nation. The fact that the top 1 percent of the country controls 40 percent of the nation’s total wealth is preposterous, and America’s long cherished tradition of democracy is in serious danger of being replaced with oligarchy. These economic titans seem to have exploited the spirit of free enterprise in their quest for material wealth. Despite their lack of organization, the Occupy Wall Street protesters are making a worthwhile contribution to society. In drawing attention to the 99 percent, they’ve put the responsibility on Washington to either get something done or face the fury of an entire nation. The movement reflects a change in American Actress Kim Kardashian (Photo by Christopher Pasatieri/Newsday/MCT) popular opinion. For years, the mentality has been that if you work hard in high school and do well in colAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, 16 percent of lege, you have just as good of a chance as the next person to Americans live below the poverty line, putting the number of succeed in life. But with college tuition skyrocketing and many poor at 49 million. graduates saddled with debt and unable to find employment, a Far more are struggling, living out lower-middle class lives discontent is growing among the common man. with little hope of upward mobility.

Special Report

Tampa’s tastiest holiday drinks

Hand spun peppermint chocolate chip milkshake

Fruity Christmas Tree This towering and colorful creation was only mildly tasty but showed true Christmas cheer made of Fruity Pebbles, frosting and decorative Skittles. It became a judge favorite, ranking in fourth place, even if the taste left something to be desired.

The Chick-Fil-A holiday special took festive to a new level. With actual peppermint and chocolate chunks, the shake gave off an unexpected gourmet feel that ignited the senses. It was the perfect blend of peppermint and vanilla without any one flavor overpowering the other.

During the past week, we hosted a holiday baking contest. Eight daring students submitted their family’s holiday treats with their recipes attached to be judged by a panel of more than a dozen students. The panel, which went through the great, the good and the not so good of these holiday entries tasted every treat and picked a winner that displayed not only holiday spirit but had a delightful taste.

4.5/5 stars

Decorative ec eco corative co t e

de d dess desserts esserts e ssert s s ts s

Eggnog shake Gingerbread latte Starbucks proved to be worthy with a latte that screamed Christmas. The hint of gingerbread blended well with the coffee. Although a little pricy costing $3.75 for a tall, the combination of holiday flavor and holiday appearance pushed the gingerbread latte up to 2nd place.

McDonald’s eggnog shake is nothing other than festive its flavor staying true to its name. The shake had not only a great taste but a great presentation with whipped cream and a cherry on top. Although the flavor was appealing, the consistency was not, said to be too thick making it difficult to drink.

3.25/5 stars

4.25/5 stars

Peppermint chocolate chip milkshake Compared to Chick-Fil-A’s take on the peppermint milkshake, Steak n’ Shake’s version was a bit of a disapointment. The overpowering chocolate and vanilla flavors and thin consistency pushed this shake to last place. Although it lacked in the flavor department, the stunning appearance made up for it.

3/5 stars

Butterscotch Cake Although it didn’t look like much at first, once tasted, this treat from freshman Hayley McAleese rocketed to the top. The scrumptious cake, though it wasn’t very holiday related, tickled the panels’ taste buds and placed third. “I honestly don’t like butterscotch but this bread was really good,” said one of the judges

White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies These yummy

cookies, decorated with fun holiday sprinkles, sure did taste fantastic and were loved by the entire panel, placing second. “Although they didn’t look the best, they definitely tasted the best.” said one judge. “It’s a really easy recipe and because the name says oatmeal it makes them feel healthy, even if they aren’t,” cookie creator Emma Silbert said. “They just taste really good.”

Reindeer Cupcakes These adorable cupcakes really get you into the holiday spirit and were and early judge favorite with their cute reindeer faces. However, the cupcakes fell flat and unfortunately became a Donner dud. Triple Chocolate cookies made with milk, white and semi-sweet chocolate, these cookies were tasty but unfortunately somewhat unoriginal and lacked holiday spirit. Peppermint coconut cookies These fun peppermint goodies had seasonal spirit but had mixed reviews along the judges. While others loved the peppermint coconut combination, others did not which led it to falling short of placing in the top three. Sugared Snowballs While these holiday treats looked fun and festive on the outside, it lacked taste and good consistency on the inside. Composed of small biscuits, sugar and frying oil, this red and green dessert unfortunately was not a judge favorite.

Russian Tea Cookie

Santa sure would be proud of these fantastic treats! Looking like a freshly made snowball, the entire panel of judges fell in love and deemed this dessert the first prize. “It has a subtle sweetness that is a relief to the persisting amounts of sweeter choices,” said one judge of the winning entry by sophomore Annemarie Whiterhurst.

Life

December 2011

No fear New Year

Take our New Year’s Eve Activity Quiz to find out how you should be starting the New Year off right.

-Brittany Valencic

START You’re going to a party: a) You’re the one throwing it b) With your best friend c) Bail and stay home

At a typical get-together, you can be found:

New Year’s Eve is the perfect holiday for:

a) Mingling and meeting new people

a) Partying

b)Talking to the friends you came with

b) Romance

Your best friend give you a gift. You prefer: a) The newest shirt from your favorite store b) A personal homemade present

When a holiday hit plays on the radio you: a) Turn it up and jam out

Your favorite thing about the holidays is:

b) Change the station in agony

a) Spending time at home with the family b) All the traditions that come with the season

Dream Vacation?

You can’t stand when:

What do you do to relax?

a) Visiting family, wherever they may be

a) When you’re not on the invite list for a party

a) Chat with your friends on the phone

b) Scuba Diving! Bungee jumping! Something wild and crazy

b) When people are too busy to visit

b) Listen to music

You’re a Party Animal In your mind, there’s no such thing as having too much fun. You’re a total social butterfly and you enjoy a big night out as much as anyone else. For you, it isn’t a party until something unforgettable happens. Your perfect New Year’s evening consists of going out and partying the night away. You want to party in style. Dress up and make it a night to remember with your friends. This night only happens once a year, and you’re willing to go all out to make it special. If you’re going to do it, you’re going to do it right!

Friends Are Your Forte You’re pretty laid-back when it comes to celebrating. For you, a get-together is more about seeing your friends than meeting new ones. The holidays mean being around by those who care about you and those who you care about most. Your perfect New Year’s plan consists of your favorite friends, closest family and even neighbors together for laughs and fun. Whether you’re throwing a block party, going out for dinner or ice-skating, you’ll be sure to have a good time because what’s most important to you is being surrounded by the people you love.

Home is Where Your Heart Is Kickin’ it at home with your two or three best friends or your significant other is the relaxing and simplistic plan that fits your easy-going personality perfectly. You’ll definitely be toasting the new year in your own low-key way. Roasting marshmellows, popping in a movie and then curling up on the couch to watch the ball drop in Times Square sounds like an enjoyable way to spend your last moments of 2011. And when the clock turns over at midnight, you’ll be cheering along with those who are MOST important to you.

Life

December 2011

That’s what’s up [December + January] Compiled by Roksana Borzouei and Alex Rosendo Life Editor & Staff Writer

Monday 19

Tuesday

Irish Tenors Christmas @ Ruth Eckerd Hall

26 

Moscows Ballet @ Mahafrey Theater

Wednesday Thursday 21 22

Friday 23

28 

Winter Wonderland @ Downtown Clearwater

Nutcracker @ Ruth Eckerd Hall

Holiday Inc. Broadway Show @ Jaeb Theater

Cee Lo Green @ Mahaffey Theater

12 

Halcyon - Toubab Krewe@ Skippper‘s Smokehouse

Rock the Park @ Hixon Park

Blue Jackets vs Lightning @ St. Pete Times Forum



Rebelution @ Ritz Ybor

The Freakshow Blast Off Mix @ Wild 98.7

Boys Basketball vs Brandon @ HHS

Mat Kearney @ Ritz Ybor

New Year’s Eve, Matisyahu @ Morsani 

Gala Parilla Pirate Parade @ Cuban Club

Christmas Day

New Year’s Day

B.B King @ Ruth Eckerd Hall

14 Festival of Choco-

15 Love, Loss and

22 August Burns Red

late@MOSI, Black Heritage Festival @ Hixon Park

The Fabulous Fakers Show @ Jaeb Theater

Red Hot Chili Peppers @ The Forum

Marsha Ambrosius @ Ferguson Hall

23 

Enchanted Tree Lighting Ceremony @ Hyde Park

Sunday 25

JJ Grey & Mofro @ The Ritz Ybor

Howie Mandel @ Ruth Eckerd Hall

Straight No Chaser @ Morsani Hall

Saturday 24

Monster Jam @ Raymond James

What I Wore Show @ Jaeb Theater

@The Ritz Ybor



Zac Brown Band @ 1-800 Ask Gary Amphitheatre

PHOTO CREDITS: www.ceelogreen.com, www.redhotchilipeppers.com, www.marshaambrosiusmusic.com, www.zacbrownband.com, www.matisyahuworld.com, www.rebelutionmusic.com, www.nutcracker.com

Life

W Fi If you’ve ever wondered where the best spots to find Wi-Fi are on campus, look no farther than this map for a guide to area hotspots and dead zones. Wi-Fi use was determined by recording a Sprint smarphone’s reading of the Wi-Fi signal strength in various locations around school.Hillsborough paid for Wi-Fi to be installed throughout the school’s campus, with the exception

December 2011

Around Campus

of Chelo Huerta Field. The 300 Hall was the very last zone to be completed. The school purchased an Aerohive Wi-Fi system, which is better than other network systems because it validates computers that log into it, thereby offering school administrators more security. As the first school in the county to have Wi-Fi installed, HHS is a test case for the district.

Graphic and research by Fabio Desousa

1st Floor key guest network

mysdhc network dead zone

Life

December 2011

13 Journalism students win at nationals

2nd Floor

Five journalism students placed in a national competition held last month in Minneapolis, Minn. The staff members of The Red & Black newspaper and Hilsborean yearbook were honored by the Journalism Education Association at the fall write-off competition. Sophomore Liz Tsourakis earned a superior – the highest distinction – in yearbook copy/ caption writing. Senior Luke Votzke scored an excellent in editorial cartooning. Three other students won honorable mention in their respective categories: Freshman Ellie Rodriguez (news writing), junior Elizabeth Gwilt (feature writing) and Kevin Stephens (Photoshop illustration). “I’m proud that our students continue to excel at the national level,” said journalism teacher Joe Humphrey. “I’m especially excited to see a sophomore earn a superior and a freshman place in her first national write-off.”

Panhandling, from page 4

3rd Floor

panhandling. “I don’t drink, so I’m not stealing people’s money for booze. I’m not hurting or robbing anyone—so what’s the problem here?” Page’s future remains unclear. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I just know I can’t do this forever.” The Red & Black stopped by Page’s usual corner -- Interstate 275 and Hillsborough Avenue -- but he wasn’t there. Right across the street from Page’s spot was Ronald Goedert, 33, bouncing along the sidewalk hawking Epoch newspapers. He took offense to the term “panhandler.” Pointing to his sign, he said “It’s a hand up, not a hand out.” “I have pride. I do this because I have to, but it makes me feel uncomfortable,” Goedert said. With his only family being his “pill-popping brothers,” he opts to pay $10 a night for a room at the Salvation Army. “I’m too close to falling in between the cracks to risk living there. I don’t want to mess my life up again.” Goedert doesn’t know why people are so wary of giving their money to somebody. “If you were really that worried, why not just talk to the person for a few minutes? Make a judgment not just based on what you see. You might be surprised and you’ll definitely make that person’s day. All we want is a chance to tell our story and have someone care.”

Sports

December 2011

An inside look: On the mat

Wrestling is one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted sports in America. However, recent statistics have shown that it is growing rapidly and programs are sprouting up and developing all over the country. Some attribute this to Mixed Martial Arts’

Scoring System If nobody gets pinned, a scoring system determines the winner. There are five ways to score points: 1) Takedown - (2 points) You score two points for taking your opponent down to the mat and controlling him. 2) Escape - (1 point) You score one point for getting away or getting to a neutral position when your opponent has you down on the mat. 3) Reversal - (2 points) You score two points when your opponent has you down on the mat and you come from underneath and gain control of your opponent. 4) Near Fall (Back Points) - (2 or 3 points) You get near fall points when you almost but not quite get your opponent pinned. 5) Penalty Points - (1 or 2 points) Your opponent is awarded points if you commit the following infractions: illegal holds, technical violations, unnecessary roughness, unsportsmanlike conduct,flagrant misconduct, stalling, incorrect starting position or false start.

The area outside the boundary line is for protection, and is called the protection area.

increase in popularity, while other more purist wrestlers contend that people are just realizing the sport’s worth. The sport has actually been around since the ancient Olympic Games in Greece and was included in the first modern Olympic Games in The outer circle is called the boundary line and the match restarts when one wrestler is fully out of the circle.

1896. Still, many people don’t know much about this competition or its intricate evolution over a couple of millennia. Here’s a quick overview of the basics, a summary of all you need to know to start wrestling.

Gear: Singlet, headgear for ear protection, and special wrestling shoes that grip the mat.

The two wrestlers line up at the starting line at the start of the match and restarts.

The object of a wrestling match is to pin your opponent, or when both of his shoulders touch the ground for two seconds. When you pin your opponent, the match is over and you win.

Senior Martin Tidoe and junior Demetrius Hill demonstrate the sport of wrestling. (Photo by Jimmy Herd-Bond)

Sports

December 2011

Win against Armwood proves elusive By Katie Lutton Sports Editor

Jimmy Herd-Bond Commentary

College football needs a playoff 0.0086 points. That is the margin by which the second- and thirdranked teams in college football are separated, according to the BCS. College football, unlike other sports, relies on the Bowl Championship Series, or BCS to determine the teams Think you can to compete in guess the outcome of all 35 the national bowl games? championship Head to www. game, as well hhsredblack. the pool of elicom to comgible teams to plete our poll. play the other Whoever BCS bowl correctly predicts the most games. This games wins! year, two polls and six computer rankings determined that LSU and Alabama would play for the national championship. Alabama, which didn’t even win its division, is ranked second over Oklahoma State, which beat out a former No. 1 ranked team to win its conference, by the slimmest margin ever. The current BCS system does not give every team a fair chance at playing for the national championship title. A playoff system with a starting pool of 32 would give every team with talent a fair opportunity to play for the national championship. Such a playoff would take only five weeks to fairly determine a national champion.

Got game?

Armwood routed Hillsborough in the second-round playoff game on Nov. 25 to end the Terriers’ season -- again. Hillsborough never scored in the 23-0 defeat that dashed any hopes for a state berth. Junior Jaykwon Hosey attributes the loss mostly to lack of offense. “We couldn’t really move the ball much on offense to put points on the board” said the linebacker. Losing to Armwood like this in the playoffs is certainly a depressing experience, but it is by no means a new one. Hillsborough has faced Armwood 14 times since 1991, and Armwood has won 11 of these matchups. In these 14 games, Armwood has outscored Hillsborough by nearly 200 points.

The Hillsborough defense struggles to contain Armwood’s offense. Hillsborough has not beaten the Hawks since 2005. (Photo by Jimmy Herd-Bond)

Why can’t Hillsborough beat Armwood? “They are very disciplined and well coached,” said senior Anthony Brown. Head coach Earl Garcia pointed out that Armwood has beaten many other big-name football schools, and the team has gone on to win state championships after beating Hillsborough. Garcia, however, sees a disGar

tinction between Armwood and Hillsborough football. “They’ve had better teams, but we have the best program overall, including the offseason” Garcia said. “The best program in terms of academics and grades, and in terms of life after high school.” So is a defeat of Armwood in Hillsborough football’s foreseeable future? Members of the team certainly think so.

Hillsborough 286.2 74.6

“[Armwood is] not ‘unbeatable!’” Hosey said. “Everyone can be beat.” Garcia echoed that sentiment. When explaining his attitude towards beating Armwood, he referred to another case of a winning streak being broken. “We beat Plant 11 games in a row before they beat us” Garcia said. Armwood? “We’re gonna get ’em. It’s just a matter of time.”

Armwood Total yards of offense per game (2011) Total tackles per game (2011)

332.5 73.9

Games won (out of 14 meetings)

186

Total points scored in 14 meetings

385

104

Years of football program’s existence

Number of appearances in state playoff series (since 1963)

17 Earl Garcia 203 19 Senior Anthony Brown runs the ball in the game against Armwood. Brown averaged 77 yards per game. (Photo by Jimmy Herd-Bond)

Head coach Head coach total wins (career) Current coach’s total number of seasons at school

Sean Callahan 196 21

Sources: Big County Preps, MaxPreps, www.lakelandfootballcom, www.preps.gainesville.com. (Compliled by Katie Lutton)

Sports

December 2011

Success starts off the court for basketball team By Adam Godbey Staff Writer

On the men’s basketball roster there is no perceived deficit of talent: the Terriers believe that their team is quicker, faster and stronger than a sizable portion of their competition. The season up to date, however, has not reflected that athletic prowess, for the Terriers have begun the season with six straight losses. According to head coach Stephanie Crawford, her young players demonstrate an exceptional raw talent but lack true chemistry on the court. The Terriers have been overwhelmed and out of sync through stretches of competitive games, losing to both Robinson 18-10 and to East Bay 31-12 in the second quarter. According to senior captain Melique Hill, “Everyone is rushing on the court.” The Terriers lost key seniors to graduation and are now working with an inexperienced roster of seven juniors and 3 sophomores out of 18 varsity players. Instead of a conventional approach to coaching, Crawford strives to create men out of athletes that play with pride and live with integrity. Crawford recognizes the abilities of her players, and instead has focused her efforts on developing a team. Crawford’s goals for the season? A 3.0 team GPA, an instillation of life skills in her young athletes and to “destroy the myth” that basketball athletes cannot be gentlemen first, students second and players third. As Crawford believes, “If there is no

integrity off the court, there is no pride on the court.” To her, the key to success is to develop a family of men that play as a unit, not a group of athletes. Hill also said patience and unity are key to Terrier success. As he argues, if the game is slowed down and there is more team unity, then “everyone will be on the same page.” According to Hill, in order to teach patience Crawford freezes drills in attempt to slow down the game and allow her players “to see things.” Senior guard Gabriel Daniels recognizes Crawford’s emphasis on unity. According to Daniels, Crawford stresses team chemistry by requiring fellow teammates “to hang out together, inside and outside of practice” and “to never talk down to a fellow teammate.” Crawford frequently interchanges players during practice scrimmages in order to ensure that a cohesive unit is not limited to a first team and a second team, but instead extends to an entire team. Senior captain Melique Hill shoots against senior Evan Jennings during practice. Most importantly, Daniels says that Craw- (Photo by Claire Kalhoefer) ford requires her student-athletes to “know how your teammates play, and know who your a rare combination of someone who teaches ceived youth and inexperience, the Terriers teammates are.” A group of athletes is already Xs and Os and someone who teaches of believe that unity, paired with their athletic there: Crawford says it is her job to transform responsibility, integrity, pride and distinction, prowess, will equate to a successful sports them into a family of men. and she said both sets of values translate to season. “Coaches sometimes have to be a mom, the basketball court. Crawford argues that when her team bea dad, a sister or an uncle” Crawford said. Although Crawford is concerned for the comes a proud unit, “they will be untouchable, She views herself as more than a coach, as challenges her team faces due to their per- on and off the court.”

Dancerettes star in Macy’s Thanksgiving parade By Nadiya Fakhar Staff Writer

Senior Dancerette captains Tatiana Gutierrez and Leah Bush took part in an event not many of their peers can admit to experiencing. Gutierrez and Bush had the opportunity to travel to New York City and be a part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. During the parade, Bush and Gutierrez were a part of a dance team called varsity spirit that is exclusive to captains from summer dance camps, including Universal Dance Association. Both Bush and Gutierrez have attended

this camp since their freshman year. They said that they have always known about the parade and thought it would be a really neat thing to do, but never had the opportunity to participate until this year. During their six-day trip, they saw the Rockettes, the Statue of Liberty, a Broadway show and the Rockefeller tree lighting. Throughout the course of this trip they also saw celebrities like Justin Bieber and Tony Bennett. Bush says that being in the parade was overwhelming. “Everywhere you looked people were waving,” she says. “And the balloons

were awesome. I mean, I always knew they were big, but seriously: they are huge.” The event wasn’t all fun and games though. Gutierrez explains that the dancers had practice and rehearsal every day for about 4-8 hours a day beginning the Saturday they arrived in the city. To Gutierrez, this opportunity was another experience to broaden her dance horizons. She plans to audition for the Golden Girls dance team at FSU next year. Bush said, “Best week of my life. I met a ton of people that I know I’m going to know forever. Seniors Tatiana Gutierrez and Leah Bush pose The people I met there truly made it amazing.” for a picture while in New York. (Photo courtesy of Tatiana Guttierez)