Tornado Times, October 2021

Pompano Beach High School For the students, by the students

Seniors Christian Diaz (top) and Nate Kappes (bottom) celebrate after beating Spanish River 21-13 on Sept. 17 PHOTO BY KEANU SILVA

October 2021 @TornadoTimes

Vol. 13, No. 1 thetornadotimes.org

What's in the news?

October 2021 Volume 13, Number 1

4 Accommodations don’t cut it for disabled student Vogel is fed up after years of fighting

5 Florida’s disastrous response to virus State continues under the threat of pandemic

6 From “Oh, no!” to Hoco Behind the scenes

10 Shoeing in kindness Friedman helps her community

13 ‘Venom’ sequel pushes rating to edge Stay for that post-credits scene

15 Opposite poles: Sibling rivalry takes to sea

Sophomore Jessica Russo sings the national anthem at the football game against Spanish River.

PHOTO BY KEANU SILVA

Twins tackle fishing competitions

Our Staff Emma Parker, Editor-in-Chief Keanu Silva, Managing Editor Chloe Powell, News Editor Brian Tang, Opinion Editor Alisha Durosier, Student Life Editor Shanyeri Mills, Sports Editor Brody Berrios, Photo and Design Editor Tanner Block, Web Editor and Business Manager Sophie Lichtenstein, Thomas Iregui, Contributing Editor Mila DeRose, Olivia Rapp, Elise Rothenburg, Reagan Van Buskirk, Staff Interns Dr. Andrew Shipe, Adviser

2 | Table of Contents < October 2021 > @TornadoTimes

October

Calendar

4. Girls volleyball vs Douglas (5:30) 6. Swim vs Everglades, Cypress Bay (4:30) 7. Girls golf vs Gibbons (3:30) 8. Football vs Ransom Everglades (7:00) 11. SAC & PTSA Meeting 12. Girls volleyball vs Taravella (5:30) 13. PSAT 20. Employee Planning 23. Football vs Berean Christian (7:00) 29. Football vs Palm Glades Prep (7:00) 31. Halloween

November 8. SAC & PTSA Meeting 11. Veterans Day (School closed) 12. Report cards issued 19. Interm reports 22-26. Thanksgiving (School closed)

December 2. Professional Study Day 13-16. Midterms 20-31. Winter Break

Tornado Times is produced by students at: Pompano Beach High School 600 NE 13 Ave. Pompano Beach, FL 33060 Phone: (754) 322-2000

Print issues in the 2021-22 school year are planned for October, December, February and April.

For the students, parents and faculty of Pompano Beach High School, who need information about the school, its students and events, along with a perspective and analysis on today's issues that students face, Tornado Times is a quarterly newsmagazine and regularly updated website that will provide a public forum, report the news and provide thoughtful interpretation and analysis.

Unlike social media, our product provides reliable information and true student perspective. By giving readers a place to express themselves on issues and concerns, examining the impact of news of students' lives and reporting the events and activities over the entire year, we will promote truth, growth and equality.

Student perspective, student voice

Tornado Times is a public forum for student expression. The newspaper staff is responsible for determining what subjects are to be covered and warrant placement in the newspaper.

As a public forum, Tornado Times welcomes letters to the editor.

Letters must be signed and sent to pbhsnewspaper@gmail.com.

The staff reserves the right to edit letters for poor taste, libel and space.

Advertising rates are available at estore.browardschools.com.

Please contact us by email or by phone if you have any questions.

Advertising which promotes illegal products under Florida law, includes false statements or is written in bad taste will not be accepted.

The opinions in this publication are not necessarily those of advertisers, Pompano Beach High School or Broward County Public Schools.

Tornado Times is a member of the Florida Scholastic Press Association, which awarded the newspaper a silver rating for its 2020-21 issues.

thetornadotimes.org < October 2021 > Calendar | 3

Vogel: Accommodations don't cut it for disabled students

By Sophie Lichtenstein, Contributing Editor After almost three years of battling with administration to get the disability accommodations he needs, senior Samuel Vogel is fed up.

Vogel uses a wheelchair to transport himself around school, making the elevator an integral part of his education.

Until this year, Vogel was not able to carry around his own elevator key, and he still has to turn in the key at the end of each day and pick it up again the next morning.

The elevator, however, is long overdue for maintenance, and according to a sign posted inside of the elevator, its certificate of operation is overdue by two years.

The elevator has also broken down on multiple occasions, including on Sept. 23.

On that day, after his second block class on the third floor, Vogel went to the elevator to ride down to the second floor for his next class. After multiple attempts to open the elevator, Vogel had to walk down the stairs to arrive late to his next class, a security guard carrying his wheelchair.

“It is just insane that this happens all the time,” Vogel said.

In January, an inspector was at school to look at the elevator, and Interim Principal Lisa Spencer promised Vogel an update.

Vogel has not received additional information since then, and the elevator certificate of operation has not been renewed.

Spencer declined requests for an interview.

In addition to a wheelchair, Vogel’s condition makes his need to use the bathroom much more urgent.

“Since the bathroom doors are not made accessible, I have to interrupt class to open the elevator, then go to the first floor and use the clinic restroom,” Vogel said. “This takes ten to fifteen minutes out of my day and my learning time.”

Vogel is used to the ease of being able to go to the bathroom without the hassle of riding the elevator up and down after two years of online school.

“I loved online because I could use the restroom whenever I wanted to and I didn't have to make a whole show of it,” he said.

To reduce time out of the classroom, he gave suggestions to administration to make the doors more accessible.

To hold the doors open, magnets were installed, but they did not solve the problem, as the doors would also often be shut by students, and Vogel still had to “open the door while pushing my wheelchair up the big bump between the doorway.”

Now, the doors are held open with a door stopper, which is “a short-term solution, not a long-term solution,” Vogel said.

The second floor doors to each wing of classrooms are inaccessible to Vogel as well.

He has been promised the installation of buttons to open doors automatically, but no one knows when, and he is skeptical that they will ever be installed.

Vogel claims that the school is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and is

4 | News < October 2021 > @TornadoTimes

now starting to bring in lawyers to speed up the accommodations process.

Vogel said he wanted to handle the situation in a “civil manner,” but as a senior, he is “not taking this anymore.”

“My goal is to be able to have future disabled people be able to come to PBHS feeling welcomed and included here, and (they) should not have to have the frustrations that I have experienced,” Vogel said.

Senior Samuel Vogel smiles in his AP English Literature class. Vogel hopes that disabled accommodations will improve to make his school experience easier.

PHOTO BY SOPHIE LICHTENSTEIN

Masks divide students by beliefs

By Keanu Silva, Managing Editor The School Board of Broward County and Gov. Ron DeSantis have gone to court over whether students and staff should be required to wear masks. The argument is also taking place at school.

Supporters of the mandate believe it’s a small sacrifice to quell the spread of the virus.

“They provide a layer of protection and are not that big of an adjustment,” freshman Eva

Spina said.

Some students are tired of the mask mandate. Junior Thomas Ternus said the government has blown the pandemic out of proportion from the beginning.

“I hated (the pandemic). It sucked,” Ternus said.

Ternus said he didn’t think the masks do much, and he doesn’t know a friend or family member who was affected by the disease.

Juniors Chloe Oldbury and Chloe Bethel show thumbs down when asked their opinion on masks.

PHOTO BY CHLOE POWELL

Senior Allison Garcia said masks are uncomfortable but needed because COVID-19 has taken so many lives. Junior Collin Josey also doesn’t enjoy masks but supports the mandate because his mother is a nurse, and she “saw it coming.”

“COVID is definitely not as dangerous as before because people are getting vaccinated,” Josey said.

He added that vaccinated people have a better chance

of not contracting COVID-19 even if they don't wear masks.

Freshman Spencer Sadeya, whose friend got COVID, supported Josey’s claims but added how there are still not that many people who have opted for the vaccination, leaving many vulnerable.

“Masks have been needed since the beginning,” Sadeya said. “Without the vaccine it’s dangerous so masks are needed.”

Sophomores wear their masks as they listen to mentors during Sophomore Invasion on Aug. 10.

PHOTO BY EMMA PARKER

Seniors Kyle Aroma, Ryan Melara and junior Frankie Wolfe wear their masks while talking with friends during lunch.

PHOTO BY CHLOE POWELL

GRAPHIC BY EMMA PARKER

thetornadotimes.org < October 2021 > News | 5

Teens on TV: Who is portrayal really for?

By

Alisha Durosier, Student Life Editor The period between childhood and adulthood has served as one of the biggest markets in the TV industry. Shows centering around adolescents have become a staple in the media we consume, comparing the experiences portrayed to our own.

Eagerly indulging in the teen television of the 21st century, I witnessed first hand the transition from family-friendly TeenNick shows to vulgar Netflix and HBO shows.Teen television is now without censorship and includes topics such as sex, alchohol and drug use, along with other questionable teen activities that are no longer implied but explicitly shown.

Many aspects of current teen television are not recommended for viewers under 18, which forces us to ask: Who are these shows, which are portraying teens, really for?

Teenagers on television have often been portrayed by adults in the past. From the main cast of “Grease” to “Glee,” all the actors were significantly older than their teenage roles. 17 year old Sandy Olssen of “Grease” was played by 29 year old Olivia Newton-John, and 16 year old Rachel Berry of “Glee” was played by 22 year old Lea Michelle.

One reason casting directors may go this route is to evade labor laws that limit the hours a minor can work on set.

That’s fine: Child actors are often subject to exploitation on film and television sets.

Stars such as Amanda Bynes, Jeanette McCurdy and Britany Spears, who were prominent in the entertainment industry as teenagers, are all examples that the industry is something children should be protected from.

But there certainly is a consequence in the use of adults to play teenagers: It allows the roles to be hypersexualized.

The adults playing these teenagers are at least 5-6 years older than the characters

6 | Opinion < October 2021 > @TornadoTimes

they play, allowing producers to incorporate extremely sexual scenarios without legal repercussions.

Ellen Wartella, a professor of communication studies at Northwestern University, studies how sex and sexuality are depicted in media.

“This is not the most beneficial portrayal for adolescents who are coming to terms with their own sexuality,” Wartella said in a Deseret News article, “How sexualization of girls creates long-term problems that harm all children. ” Yes, sex and sexuality are common exploration grounds for teenagers, so it is a topic that these teen shows should explore as well. But they should do so responsibly.

Teenagers watched 16 year old Betty Cooper of “Riverdale” dance suggestively on a stage in front of adults. They watched Katherine “Kat” Hernandez of “Euphoria” seemingly take control of her sexuality by engaging in sexual situations with older men and participating in sex work.

Both of these characters in these scenarios should have been viewed as victims, but instead their situations were heavily glamourized with pretty, cinematic shots and corresponding music.

Most of the time the sexual scenes incorporated into these television shows are not essential to any plot line and are used so actors can showcase their bodies in suggestive ways.

It is harmful to teenagers when they see such unsafe depictions of sex, especially when sex education goes untaught. But as alarming, though too rarely mentioned, is the fact that developed adult bodies do not serve as a good representation of the growing teenage body.

In a Huffington post article titled, “Are Graphic TV Shows Influencing Teens As Much As We Think?” Dr. Amy Bleakley, a professor in the department of communications at the University of Delaware, said, “When adolescents don’t really have experiences of their own to draw on, what they see in the media becomes what they think is supposed to happen, what things are actually like.” Why can these television shows depict teenagers in such a vulgar way? Because shows concentrating on teen experiences are often catered to adults.

Two shows in particular are the “Gossip Girl” reboot and “Euphoria.” Both premiered on HBO, a network known for TEENS continued on page 7

In "Riverdale," Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper, Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge, Madelaine Patsch as Cheryl Blossom, Vanessa Morgan as Toni Topaz and Jordan Connor as Sweet Pea appear in the "Graduation" episode. They all play teenagers; however, none of them are actually teenagers.

COURTESY OF THE CW NETWORK

Florida’s disastrous response to virus Florida’s response to the coronavirus and the Delta virus has been abysmal at best and life-threatening at worst. The lack of mandates and proper following of guidelines has led to Florida being one of the most affected states by the pandemic, with cases at the peak of all states and having some of the most infected across all states.

Centered around this were the actions of Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in Florida, the governor has always been slow to respond. That is, of course, until public outcry forced him to order and extend more mandates for quarantine.

In addition, during the first rise of cases on June 1, DeSantis ordered most of Florida to begin “Phase 2” of reopening on June 3. This meant that businesses with crowded spaces, like bars and cinemas, could open at half capacity. This opening was ordered only one week after the second surge of COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths began.

Also, nearly one year ago, DeSantis prohibited local governments from imposing fines and shutting down businesses for violations of mask mandates and allowed

restaurants to open at full capacity as well. This effectively meant more crowded spaces with fewer masks, creating spikes in Florida coronavirus cases and deaths.

Despite a considerable increase in infections and deaths, DeSantis chose to extend this order. This choice caused hundreds if not thousands of unnecessary deaths, something that hangs on the Florida government.

This year, DeSantis has signed multiple executive orders that prohibited methods that would have prevented COVID-19 spread in April. An example is fining businesses that required vaccination cards $5,000. All these orders only increased the infection and death rates as people could move around with much less of a definitive protection against the coronavirus.

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These orders are creating more cases and deaths, which could have been avoided if Florida’s government hadn’t taken away most of the protection against the virus.

This is why the accumulation of mandates and orders from DeSantis is life threatening.

A more recent example of why Florida’s response to the coronavirus is life threatening is DeSantis’ ban on mask mandates at schools, opening after nearly 18 months of remote learning. Any school board that went against this mandate have had funds withheld.

This mandate still persisted as over thousands of students and staff were infected or under quarantine since school started, calculated from reports of Hillsborough and Broward counties. Twelve schools closed down due to the virus, yet DeSantis made no move to limit the spread of coronavirus.

In addition, Florida has the highest if not second highest number of cases per day of all states as shown on UsaFacts.org.

If this is not life-threatening action of the Florida government in consideration of coronavirus, then what is?

TEENS from page 6 mature content, and both were rated TVMA, for mature audiences and not suitable for ages 17 and under.

These shows are among those that often sexualize their teenage characters and dramatize their experiences to attract adult viewers. But shows about teenagers should not be tailored to adults. They should be tailored to the demographic they are trying to represent.

There are teen shows that get it right.

The Canadian drama “Degrassi’ did an amazing job of portraying the exploration of sexuality without excessively sexualizing the characters. The lead characters also looked like teenagers because the actors that played them were only one to two years older than the characters they played.

Although there were moments where "Degrassi" portrayed teenage experiences in the most unrealistic of ways, the dialogue throughout mirrored conversations teens have.

thetornadotimes.org < October 2021> Opinion | 7

From 'Oh, no!' to Hoco

SGA manages first big event in 2 years

By Alisha Durosier, Student Life Editor Just two weeks before Homecoming, students line the hallway outside of student government adviser Lisa Gould's room during second and third block and on occasion, after school. They have a lot of work to catch up on. A week before, all of their handmade banners were thrown in the garbage.

It was an honest mistake.

Students rolled up their posters at the end of the day and stored them in the only container that could hold them: a large blue recycling can. Because the can was not labeled, a facilities serviceperson assumed it was trash and brought the contents to the dumpster.

So once again, hands glued to art materials, students, some not even in SGA, work on new hand-painted banners. Senior Yolisabel Perez stands at the center of the room directing.

After two years of no big events on campus, she wants everything perfect.

As SGA president, Perez is in charge of everything “hoco”: from decorations to meeting

COVID regulations and anything else in between.

“So far, I've just been getting everything approved and working with administration and Ms. Gould, trying to meet the regulations for COVID and other county regulations dealing with social distancing and capacity limits,” Perez said.

To meet COVID guidelines, food was arranged in the courtyard, allowing more students to fit in the gym and maintain a safe distance from one another.

Also, attendees were restricted from inviting students from other schools.

“It's really hard for people to go, especially if they don't have their friends going,” Perez said.

However, because of COVID-19, the number of tickets available was reduced from 500 to 300, and so tickets sold out days before the event.

Returning after more than a year of remote schooling, expectations for this year’s homecoming were high, so Perez felt a sense of pressure looming over the heads of the officers.

Junior Alexandra Saclayan and senior Jeyra Sanchez create the blueprint for one of the decorative pieces for the Homecoming dance.

PHOTO BY EMMA PARKER

8 | Feature< October 2021 > @TornadoTimes

“Especially after not having a lot of experience in person, it was really hard knowing what to do,” Perez said. To manage such pressure, Perez contacted previous officers for guidance.

“As officers, we want to make it enjoyable for everyone,” Perez said. “So we're kind of just working with what we got.”

Like Perez, the other officers have specific aspects of homecoming that they oversee. The first and third vice president, seniors Victoria Franco and Fernanda Andino, organized and hosted the pep rally the night before the game and coordinated with outside organizations who wanted to participate.

Homecoming court was announced by second vice president Nicole Torres, who was responsible for everything pertaining to it, from the vote to the events during the dance.

In charge of obtaining sponsors and food was internal secretary junior Victoria Campbell.

Responsible for tickets was

the treasurer, senior Olivia Casey. Every ticket purchase went through her, and she checked each ticket upon entry.

“I think we're extremely lucky to have a homecoming this year,” Perez said. “Last year's Spirit Night was really cool, but this is like real high school, real Homecoming.”

Sophomore Natalia Lopez and Senior second vice president Nicole Torres make sashes for homecoming court runners. "I hope the homecoming court is happy with what they get," Torres said.

PHOTO BY ALISHA DUROSIER

Alongside seniors Victoria Franco and Fernanda Andino, SGA's first and third vice presidents, advisor Lisa Gould adresses the third period class about the upcoming homecoming scehdule PHOTO BY EMMA PARKER

Sophmore Ayla Friedman works on decorative centerpiece for Homecoming.

PHOTO BY EMMA PARKER

"I'm excited for Homecoming. I'm going with a group of friends, and I think it'll be fun, and everyone is going to have an amazing time." - Connor Neaseo, junior "I think the theme is great. I’m excited to see what the school does with it. I’m gonna go with my friends, and it's gonna be great." - Amalia Phend, senior "Getting dressed up and seeing my friends all dressed up is mainly what I'm excited for. I just hope it's really fun." - Sakari Wilson, freshman "I’m excited because it's the year after quaratine, so it will be like a party where everyone is gonna get together and have a good time." - Christian Osornio, sophomore

Junior Thailand Lamar paints a banner for one of the many businesses sponsoring Homecoming.

PHOTO BY ALISHA DUROSIER

"It’s good to be back at the school, and I'm excited to hang out with my friends." - Gale Guest, freshman

thetornadotimes.org < October 2021 > Feature | 9

Shoeing in kindness Sophomore aims to make a difference

By Tanner Block, Web Editor To sophomore Ayla Friedman, the phrase “Keep your chin up, princess, or the crown slips” doesn’t apply only to her success in pageants. It also connects to the name of the company she founded to raise money for underprivileged kids.

Having won the International United Miss Florida Jr. Teen 2021 title in February, Friedman also runs a business, Chin Up Charms, which sells bracelets and keychains to fund her charity Ayla’s Future Friends.

Her charity provides funds to underprivileged communities and charities.

“The kids are truly the ones that inspire me,” Friedman said, “It’s my mission to make sure that these kids can grow up to lead successful and happy lives.”

Most recently, Friedman used money from her business to buy 13 pairs of new shoes for SOS Children’s Village, an organization that houses 65 children in foster care. Her charity has also donated clothes, candy and school supplies to organizations that request them.

While her philanthropic efforts may be very time consuming, she tries her hardest and has a ton of fun while at it.

“One of my favorite parts of fundraising is making bracelets and keychains to sell,” Friedman said. “So throughout August, as donations came in, I had a blast getting creative and crafty making bracelets.”

Friedman said she will continue to help needy children to help them be happier throughout high school and beyond.

“I hope that everyone can give back in one way or another,” Friedman said.

Sophomore Ayla Friedman shows a box of shoes that were bought to be donated to SOS Children’s Village.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AYLA FRIEDMAN

Sophomore Ayla Friedman poses in a shopping cart with all the shoes she purchased through Ayla’s Future Friends. All shoes were donated to SOS Children’s Village.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AYLA FRIEDMAN

10 | Student Life < October 2021 > @TornadoTimes

Parker takes over student media

By Keanu Silva, Managing Editor

Senior Emma Parker is looking forward to leading student journalism, anchoring the school news and graduating.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF EMMA PARKER

Senior Emma Parker, editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, president and webmaster of the Film and Tech Club, and vice president of Brain Bowl, has worked her way up the challenge ladder to be where she is today, with awards and recognitions from the Florida Scholastic Press Association and the Culpepper Journalism Foundation.

“I like to be involved in school, and I enjoy the clubs and organizations that I am participating in,” Parker said. “I am an overachiever, which can be both a strength and a weakness.”

Thanks to classes like journalism and digital video production, Parker has been able to incorporate her passion into her school life.

“I also love photography and film and hope to work as a multimedia director,” Parker said.

Although last year was her hardest yet, Parker participated in the Culpepper Journalism Foundation’s Fellowship award, winning $900 towards a summer program where she stunned the executive board of the foundation. Parker decided to join American University’s Discover the World of Communication online

summer program.

“Emma showcased her excellent writing ability in the application and included excellent samples of her work,” Alyce Culpepper, executive director of the Culpepper Journalism Foundation said.

After attending the summer program, she left with new perspectives of the journalism world and found new ways of helping out not only her career but the school’s associations and their attendees to help everyone succeed.

“She continues to be a leader in the Digital Media program at Pompano so she can be a mentor to her classmates. A job well done!” Culpepper said.

As editor-in-chief of the newspaper, Parker has received awards from FSPA for animal and themed photography.

Parker is now leading two of the biggest media associations in the school. She hopes to continue her work in media in college and afterwards travel around the world and meet new people who share her same hobbies and interests surrounding the world of media and journalistic production.

thetornadotimes.org <October 2021 > Student Life | 11

Broadway should stay off screen

By Emma Parker, Editor in Chief “Dear Evan Hansen” was one of the most popular and best reviewed musicals on Broadway when it premiered in 2016. But for the movie version, reviews have been mixed, and it’s clear why.

The casting was the first thing that annoyed me. Ben Platt, who returned to the role he originated on Broadway, is now 28 years old and looks even older on screen.

Producers should have given up the opportunity to choose a new and more relatable person to take on this powerful role. But Platt’s dad was the executive producer, so the casting might have been more than biased.

It was so awkward to watch this grown man play a high schooler and take part in a romance with Zoey Murphy, played by Katelyn Dever, who actually looks more like a high schooler. It didn’t help that the two had no on-screen chemistry. The best part of the entire movie was the message and music.

Though director Stephen Chbosky and writer Steven Levenson cut a few of the original songs, they made up for it with two new songs: “The Anonymous Ones” and “A Little Closer.” Both songs reflected the messages of the songs very well and made me understand the side characters on an emotional level.

Some of the singing scenes were a little awkward and uncomfortable to watch.

While song and dance may be acceptable on the stage, it doesn’t play well in movies, where the setting appears realistic. I mean when was the last time you saw everyone break out in song in the media center.

The acting was beautiful and powerful, especially Dever with her performance in “Requiem.”

The overall message of the movie was amazing and very touching, especially for our generation. The discussion of mental health and the impact it has on individuals should make us think about how we see and understand others around the halls.

That’s why, even with all its shortcomings, I would still encourage everyone to go and watch this beautiful message in the movie theaters, especially since seeing it live on stage isn’t an option yet.

12 | Entertainment < October 2021 > @TornadoTimes

Evan Hansen (Ben Platt) goes up to make a speech before starting to sing in a scene from "Dear Evan Hansen."

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES Evan (Ben Platt) and Zoey (Kaitlyn Dever) share a laugh.

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES

'Venom' sequel pushes rating to edge

By Keanu Silva, Managing Editor Director Andy Serkis’ “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” has finally arrived, and this one is for the books.

Serkis gives us a sequel with entertaining action sequences, a more personal approach, a lot of humor and a thrilling final showdown between Eddie/Venom (Tom Hardy) and the long awaited villain, Cletus Kasady/Carnage (Woody Harrelson) where the PG-13 rating is pushed to its very limits.

Picking up from “Venom” after enough time for Kasady to get a sleek new haircut, “Let There Be Carnage” has an unhinged villain whose motives are vengeful and driven by pain.

As Eddie Brock and his police detective partner, Mulligan (Stephen Graham), put together the pieces of his killing spree, we see a dramatic pivot from the sci-fi conspiracy of the first movie to something that plays more like a comic-book movie hybrid of serial killer thrillers like “Seven” or “Zodiac.”

Of course, those movies are brilliant, so it is a fine template to work off when handling a villain similar to so many of the United States’ real-life monsters, had they been granted some really terrifying superpowers.

Where this movie shines is the typical buddy-cop relationship between Eddie and Venom, the alien symbiote that has bonded with him. When Eddie receives the news that his ex, Anne (Michelle Williams), is going to get married, he and Venom have a “breakup.” But once Kasady becomes Carnage after the serial killer on death row receives a taste from Eddie’s blood, giving him the symbiote Carnage, who then helps him with a prison killing spree, how long could Eddie and Venom stay apart?

This is a bizarre hybrid of monster and murder movie, but Serkis somehow efficiently balances various tones, visual spectacles and humorous performances to make it work. Much like Eddie does, the sequel lets its weirder side out, and the symbiote is given time to shine, a problem that worried audiences as the movie’s official time is 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Venom’s one-liners cut through tense moments as comedic relief, resembling a combination of Clayface from the HBO Max show “Harley Quinn” and the MCU’s Drax or, as Eddie describes him, a “pig-dog horse-duck.”

Serkis’ experience as a motion-capture artist can be seen as he directs more active and physical scenes. His trust in practical and computer-generated visual effects hammers home Venom’s physical presence and destruction in impressive and tangible ways, like when Venom tears up Eddie’s kitchen in a scene that seems straight from “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.”

The active camera movement matches the cold-blooded, chaotic energy brought on by Carnage and Kasady, a battle packed with feral, creative limb-slinging between the two symbiotes as Carnage jabs with grotesque spiked arms and Venom defends with an instinctive survival mentality. The explosion of CGI monsters and pyrotechnics is gripping to watch, a kind of action that could only be seen in comics and animated TV shows.

The main relationship that’s tested through this rampage of mayhem is between Eddie and Venom. While “Let There Be Carnage” has fun implying a romance between the two, their relationship is still more like a beleaguered pet owner and untrained puppy, with exasperation painted on Hardy’s face. Now that neither have to worry about a whole alien race trying to take over the planet, Venom can act more like the impulsive goofball that he really is, which is the opposite of Eddie’s own urges.

The movie’s strongest assets are its villains: Kasady, Carnage and Shriek (Naomie Harris). They are antagonists with style and showmanship, something lacking in many of Marvel’s movies, reveling in the disaster they leave in their wake. As Kasa-

Eddie and Venom have a tough conversation.

PHOTO COURTESY SONY PICTURES dy, Harrelson channels his “Natural Born Killers” character, Mickey Knox, fighting against the abusive systems of his past.

You can tell that they’re having fun pushing the PG-13 rating with the bodies they lay waste to. Compared to how quickly Kasady and Carnage teamed up, it seems like Eddie and Venom will never see eye to eye (*Venom voice* “since he will always be the bigger person”). While they both eventually realize that they need each other and compromise to stop a bad guy, neither really learns what makes the other important – not truly. But they’re building a symbiotic relationship meant to be sustainable, so we’re rooting for those two crazy kids to make it work!

There is no arguing that this movie doesn’t have stellar villains who followed through on their threats of bringing utter chaos and carnage to those who have wronged them. With its otherwise safe decisions, it was reassuring to see the incredible ending and post-credits scene lay out a new direction for the Venom series, and it’s exciting to think about what happens to our duo next.

“Venom: Let There Be Carnage” finally pairs Venom and Eddie with a worthy villain in a story that embraces its weirder side. Venom as a series is working through its growing pains, but with that post credits scene, it looks like it’s uphill from here.

thetornadotimes.org < October 2021 > Entertainment | 13

Team goes into uncharted waters

By Tanner Block, Web Editor The football team finds itself in unexpected but not surprising territory after winning two football games, raising its winning percentage after four games to .500 record, the highest since 2015.

The victories came against Spanish River (21-13) and Northeast (26-8), The win against Northeast was the first win against a public school in Broward since 2011.

While winning twice in a row may have come to a shock to the school’s cynics, players knew this season could be special.

“I know we can (win more games),” senior linebacker Nate Kappes said. "We have the athletes to do it. We all drive and push each other to do better and to be a better man than they were the day before, and now that we got that feeling of winning we don’t want to let that go.”

One of of the biggest differences this year is the team's leadership.

“I go out every day and try to help the team with becoming better players,” senior Neile Thomas said. “I knew that I used to be like most players on the team, lacking purpose and drive to be out there.

“I see now in my senior season what my full potential is, and I wish I could’ve seen it sooner.

“I’m trying to spread that message with every player on the team. I want everyone to start caring and really want to work sooner because when that happens not only do we become a better football team but we become better people as well.”

The offensive line blocks the Spanish River defense at the start of a second down play. The football team defeated Spanish River 21-13 for its first victory in two years.

PICTURE BY KEANU SILVA

Eric Campbell attempts to fight through two tacklers.

PHOTO BY BRIAN TANG Currently, the football team is not only looking for its third win, but but also wants to finish with a winning record by the end of the year.

14 | Sports < October 2021 > @TornadoTimes

Wide receivers Jaleel Walters and Emmanuel Jackson line up for the start of a play as quarterback Nico Diaz waits for the snap.

PHOTO BY BRIAN TANG

Opposite poles

Sibling rivalry takes to the sea

By Brody Berrios, Photo Editor Junior Lorelei Bennett is a swimmer, a vice president and a member of the student government, but most of all she just wants to beat her twin brother in fishing tournaments.

Bennett has been fishing since she was in the first grade and competes in six to seven tournaments a year. She competes on a team, Fin-sanity, with her twin brother, Jonah Bennett. They try to go fishing at least three times a month.

“The female fishing community is so much smaller than the male fishing community,”

Bennett said. “So, when two groups of fisherwomen connect there's an instant bond. But it's an ever-growing sport that will have more of a female population for the future generations of fishing.”

As with many siblings, especially twins, there's always a rivalry in anything they do.

Whether it’s getting better grades, swimming a faster time or fishing, they’re always competing.

“Even though we love each other very much we’re always competing to see who can do better,” Bennett said. “We both

Now that's a fish. Junior Lorelei Bennett snags a big wahoo. Bennett was fishing with some friends.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LORELEI BENNETT

have the same personality, but at the same time we have very different personalities, so we’re both very competitive in different ways.”

As the female fishing community continues to grow, so does the controversy that comes with it.

“Being a female in the fishing community is really hard to get recognition because there is a negative stigma surrounding females who fish because most of them are known for showboating,” Bennet said.

Junior Ryley Bunn fishes with Bennet in tournaments during summer time.

“Female fishermen might get viewed differently because there is a more male majority in the fishing industry,” Bunn said. “But there has been an uprising of females, so I think we should enjoy what we have

and embrace the fact that females are a big part of this community and contribute a lot to the sport.”

Twin brother Jonah is glad his sister contradicts the stereotype that female fishermen go along for the ride just to take pictures with the big fish or to show off.

“Most people look at fishing as a father-son type of activity but it's also the lady anglers who get hooked onto the sport and just never want to stop,” he said.

As the sport continues to grow, an influx of young kids are joining in on the fun of fishing, just like Bennet's younger sister. She looks up to her brother because she believes she can become a better fisherwomen because she has a great one by her side.

Lorelei Bennett and her teammates pose for a photo after winning third place in a tournament. In that same tournament, Bennett won first place for being the best junior angler.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LORELEI BENNETT

thetornadotimes.org < October 2021 > Sports | 15

The boys cross country team finished first of seven teams at the Sept. 28 meet at Tradewinds Park.

Juniors Jonah Bennett and Evan Werth finished first and second out of 62 runners with times of 18:29 and 19:01. Rounding out the top five were sophomore Daniel Collier, junior Ethan Del Campo and senior Darshan Radadia.

Sophomore Anna Rowe was the girls cross country team’s top finisher in its race.

The girls volleyball team was 8-10 going into its Oct. 4 match against Stoneman Douglas.

According to sophomore setter Isabella Strachan, the best players on the team are senior outside hitter Amanda Maresenison, junior middle Hailey Mull, senior outside hitter Brooke Miller and herself.

She said that one goal she has for the team by the end of the year is “we want to leave it all on the court and to have no regrets with the season.”

The JV girls volleyball team was 3-1 going into its Sept. 29 match against Nova, according to Maxpreps. Freshman middle Aolani Bassa said that the best player on

The swim team poses in front of the pool before going against Piper.

PHOTO BY THOMAS IREGUI

the team has been freshman outside hitter Riley Connors.

The football team is 2-3 going into the Homecoming game on Oct. 8 vs. Ransom Everglades.

It beat the Spanish River (21-13) and Northeast (26-8) and lost close games to Marathon (10-9), Hollywood Hills (7-0) and Coral Springs Charter (27-18).

According to head coach Johnathan Firth, the team’s goals are “to win the most amount of games possible” and to “make the most amount of improvements possible.”

According to reports, the best players on the varsity team include junior wide receiver Eric Campbell, junior wide receiver Lorenzo Beggs, senior linebacker Nate Kappes, senior quarterback Nico Diaz and junior wide receiver Dwain Walters.

Reports are the best players for the junior varsity football team include freshman wide receiver Jaleel Walters, freshman wide receiver Ryan Knote, junior wide receiver William Strachan, freshman running back Etson Saintfort and sophomore defense attacker Luigi Netser.

Junior Lorelei Bennett led the swimming and diving team to a 4-0 start.

“The overall goal of the season is to have as many swimmers as possible make it to states and other championship meets,” Bennett said.

The golf teams’ coach is Richard Campbell. According to sophomore Brody Berrios, the boys’ record is 2-2. According to freshman Gale Guest, the girls’ record is 3-2; they’ve beaten Deerfield, Nova and Coral Springs.

The cheerleading team has been at games supporting the football team and seeking to get the crowd excited.

“I am really thankful that the team is nice and sharp with their motions,” senior Nyjaia Backus said.

The team also has great chemistry.

“I love how we all joke around and can play with each other,” sophomore Keniya Moton said.

The cheer team will continue to cheer the football team on through the rest of the season and then move on to competitions.

Reports by Shanyeri Mills