Tornado Times, March 2017

Tornado Times

March 2017 Pompano Beach High School 600 NE 13 Ave. thetornadotimes.org @TornadoTimes

Vol. 8, No. 3 Pompano Beach, FL 33060 pbhsnewspaper@gmail.com

GRAPHIC BY NICOLAS GALLARDO

2

March 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

Tornado Alley purpose more ‘study friendly’ news

out. It’s not a hangout place. It’s there for people to use for educational purposes.”

Tornado Alley, previously Students who come during called the media center, was relunch, like Chalco, cannot eat in modeled this past summer and Tornado Alley. became a place where students “You cannot go and get lunch could spend time educationally. from the cafeteria and bring it According to Principal Thomin,” Principal Thomas said. “So as, the media center was redone we have the cafeteria and lunch is to increase foot-traffic by stunot allowed, but you can bring a dents for educational purposes. snack or something, that’s fine.” “(The purpose was) so that Ms. Estrella has specific foods we could have kids, first of all that she allows in the media go to the media center, second, center. really enjoy reading,” Principal “Students can have snacks, Thomas said. “This was the core finger foods, and covered drinks bottom line is that kids weren’t except when using the media reading in the media center, you center’s electronics, like computknow, they don’t use books, like ers, laptops, and iPads, then no you don’t have to read from a eating or drinking is allowed,” book, you can read from your Ms. Estrella wrote. phone, your iPad, and yet no One improvement from last one was making use of that.” year is that more students are Now that Tornado Alley has using the laptops and desktops to been in use for over six months, get their work done during lunch Principal Thomas believes that and free periods, according to the purpose is being fulfilled.

Vishka and Chalco.

“So with the new media center, However, students are not Senior Kayla Walker works on a Spanish assignment, while seniors Israella Elam and Eri Vishka anytime I go in there, there are allowed in the media center when kids and some of them are read- discuss their economics class. The renovated media center provides students with a place to they are supposed to be off camstudy and work. ing,” Principal Thomas said. “So, I pus.

PHOTO BY NICOLAS GALLARDO think it’s fulfilling its purpose.”

“Technically, students who have Media secretary Ms. Estrella bedual enrollment shouldn’t be on “To me, the central purpose of which was something that we lieves that the media center serves campus,” Principal Thomas said. the media center is to bring togethdidn’t have last year.” the purpose of inspiring students.

“So, because you shouldn’t be here, While Tornado Alley is open from you can see how you couldn’t be in “The purpose of the media center er students who have a scholarly 6:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., students is to provide an inviting, contempo- mindset and have them interact the media center. Part of the whole with the center’s resources to progcan’t just come in without a reason. dual enrollment piece is that you’re rary environment where students ress their studies,” Vishka said.

“Everybody is allowed, as long are inspired to learn using all the taking a class off campus, so you Junior Nataly Chalco finds that as they have a pass or as part of a resources it offers,” Ms. Estrella shouldn’t be on campus during a the media center is much improved class,” Ms. Estrella wrote. wrote in an email. “This environtime when you should be off camsince last year.

Principal Thomas agrees that ment also fosters collaborative pus.”

“I think that this year the media the media center is for students to study and promotes engagement The renovation of the media center is more ‘study friendly,’” work on educational pursuits. among students.” center into Tornado Alley cost the Chalco said. “The open environ“It does make sense that you Senior Eri Vishka, a daily visitor school “about $150,000,” accordment in there really allows you to need to come to the media center to the media center, believes that ing to Mr. Thomas, who also said for a purpose,” Principal Thomas the purpose is more about promot- sit down and get organized with that “most of the money was probayour textbooks and homework, said. “It’s not like coming to hang ing a community of scholars. bly from our budget.”

By Sabrina Conza, Editor in Chief, and Nicolas Gallardo, Graphic Design Editor

March 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

Rotary Exchange lets students experience culture flock

By Charlotte Hood, Staff Assistant

Most students travel only back to their classroom from the bathroom, trying to delay the time until they have to go back to class. However, a few are taking their travels many steps further.

For 10 years the school has participated in the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, sending students abroad to various countries to attend school and experience the culture of the country assigned to them.

Two students are visiting our school. Shu-shi “Daniel” Guo has traveled from Taiwan to spend his junior year here while learning about the unique culture, places and people of the state.

“We went on a trip to the Everglades,” Guo said. “It was really cool since China and Florida are the only places in the world that have alligators.”

Sonia Gur, another participant in the Rotary program, has made the journey from her home country of Poland. Like Guo, she will also spend her junior year in our school, which she has grown quite fond of.

“I love having Fridays off and being able to adjust my schedule around it,” Gur said. “I like how schools in America have guidance

news

3

The main purpose of the program people in it. By experiencing the is for students to gain a greater un- culture of a different country, they derstanding of their world and the learn things they couldn’t dream of in their home country.

“Most students come back speaking a different language,” Mr.

By Charlotte Hood, Staff Assistant Williams said.

Sophomore Camille Stanbury Junior Sonia Gur has also made the transition from attending school plans to participate in the exchange in her native country of Poland to attending school in Florida. next year. She hopes to spend her “My older sister was in the Student Exchange program and she influjunior year in Italy, though she has enced me to join it,” Gur said. five other possibilities for the counShe explained that school in Poland consists of the usual Monday to tries she will travel to.

Friday week, and it is possible to have up to eight classes in one day.

“I want to go to Italy because of However, each class is only forty-five minutes long, and many short the culture, and the food, and it breaks throughout the day are included. just looks so pretty in pictures,” Her main goal by the time she leaves the States is to speak fluent Stanbury said. “I’d also like to go English. to Austria, since my family’s from there, to connect to my roots.”

counselors, and I wish we had them in Poland.”

The program ensures that stu-

Exchange student shares about Poland

dents who participate will be well taken care of through all stages of the trip. With a reasonably priced initial payment, the students’ needs during the year abroad are paid for.

Students are also assigned a host family that they will stay with during their stay in the country.

By living with a host family of the native country, the program hopes that it will give the students a better understanding of what it’s like to live in a different country, according to magnet coordinator Mr. Williams.

4

March 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

opinion

Time to put education before politics

GRAPHIC BY NICOLAS GALLARDO AND SIMON HO

The world is going in a direction that few understand. Many are finding themselves more and more surprised by what is happening every day, but one thing that should never be surprising or unpredictable is the education system. However, in recent times it is easy to be caught off guard by the changing state of the education system and the way we learn as a result of the political atmosphere in the United States.

The new Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, is not only extremely under-qualified, but she also does not understand the changes that she has proposed. Before coming into office, DeVos had no experience with public schools as she and all her children had attended private school. These are her only experiences with the education system.

“She’s very unfit for the job because I feel like since she has no experience in an educational job and she only knows about private schools,” junior Ketia Blanc said.

One of her first proposals after her nomination was to increase funding towards private schools, money which would have to be taken away from public schools.

It is difficult to understand the significance that government funding has in a public school until you can experience it firsthand.

In a school like ours, government funding is everything. It is what allows the school to do anything and everything. Imagine if our school suddenly began to receive less funding.

Just to name a few of the effects, we may lose equipment, sports and computer programs like the ones we use to put this newspaper together. Now let’s take a moment to imagine what would happen to a private school if it did not receive state funding: absolutely nothing, because it is already self-sufficient.

We will lose momentum in trying to advance our education system.

All that has changed for the better in the education system recently could be reversed or slowed by DeVos’ plans.

So if she lacks such a major understanding of the education system and has little to no qualifications in the field of education, why was she nominated as Secretary of Education by President Trump and confirmed by 50 of 52 Republican senators? The answer is simple, DeVos’ family has donated

up to $200 million to the Republican Party.

Since DeVos gained her position less because of merit and more because of her bank account, millennials and members of Generation Z are likely to not receive the best education this nation can offer.

Putting education before politics would be a win-win situation for everyone: it would improve President Trump’s reputation, and all students would be able to receive the education they deserve.

Effects that politics have on education do not stop with Betsy DeVos. This year’s election has started controversy and debate within school, affecting students’ learning.

In order to allow students to learn more about politics and express their own political opinions, the Young Republican Club and Young Democrat Club were created.

“A lot of people I know are not necessarily Republican, but they’re not necessarily Democratic,” Young Republicans president Andrew Putney said. “They don’t have a set political party yet, so I wanted to make the club to help people learn the Republican side of views and

not only hear one way.”

The clubs have been receiving opposition.

“I don’t think those clubs are a good idea,” sophomore Brianna Philome said. “(Students) are too immature and biased to handle politics. I think they would divide the school.”

However, we believe the Young Republicans and Young Democrats clubs are beneficial to the school because they allow students to express their political opinions in an environment that is controlled (to avoid any conflict) and separate from the classroom.

The Young Republicans Club meets Wednesdays in Ms. Hammond’s Room 208 and the Young Democrats Club meets Mondays in Ms. Pellegrino’s Room 336.

Students’ voices should and need to be heard, but we should not allow personal opinions or politics to get in the way of our learning as they certainly have in the government. No matter where a person is in life, learning should always be prioritized because everyone deserves the opportunity to be provided with the knowledge to move forward rather than left behind.

Millennial is not a bad word

March 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

By

Sabrina Conza,

Editor in Chief

“Millennial” -- describing a person coming of age in the 21st century -- to some is a bad word.

“I absolutely do not consider myself a millennial,” senior Alexis Hadlock said.

“I’ve never really preferred this time period in societal terms, and I especially do not feel like I fit the cultural perspective of what society defines as ‘millennial’.”

Millenials are stereotyped as job-hopping, lazy and narcissistic. But, the worst millennial stereotype of them all is that we feel entitled.

“I hear a lot about how millennials are supposedly the ‘participation trophy’ generation, where they

GRAPHIC BY NICOLAS GALLARDO

expect to be rewarded no matter what the outcome or effort put in,” senior Brianna Donnelly said. “I feel this is about as accurate as any stereotype: While applicable to some, there’s no one phrase or characteristic that can sum up an entire group’s experiences.”

The idea that our generation expects to be handed things is not entirely inaccurate, as many millennials are huge supporters of social programs, such as free college education and subsidized health care;

however, in terms of “participation trophies,” our parents, the Gen X and Baby Boomers, provided us with the trophies and then complained about their existence.

The fact that those in the generations that raised us feel the need to complain about how we act and what we expect is appalling, as they were the ones who taught us to act this way.

Even if you believe that nature is more important than nurture, the likelihood that all babies were born

screaming for a participation trophy is not large. In reality, those in the generations before us birthed children and gave them a lot of things and then when we turned out “entitled” and “lazy,” they blamed us.

I wouldn’t call myself, or many millennials that I know, a millennial if these stereotypes are seen as true.

So, if it refers to the group of people born between 1982 and 2002, then I would encourage us all to stop using “millennial” as a bad word.

Wake up: Nazi salute at assembly not joke By

presenting famous historical figures of Polish descent, and the audience had to guess who they were. When one of the students stepped Business Manager up, his fake mustache looked similar to Hitler’s, After the cultural showbut the picture behind him case assembly on Jan. clearly wasn’t Hitler, it was 25, I was left utterly disLech Wałęsa. appointed. It wasn’t the Wałęsa helped Poland performances that left me end a communist governthis way; instead, it was ment, and the student from our school’s students that Poland expressed that. Yet disappointed me.

Jan. 23-26, of all weeks, some of our students still it would be expected that all had the audacity to shout students would behave well that he was Hitler and throw up the Nazi salute, to show the students and teachers of the Internation- not only disrespecting the Polish students who were al Summit the best of our presenting their culture, but school, but instead there also Jewish students here. were students calling out Junior Kenya Fletcher Hitler and doing the Nazi witnessed the events that salute. occurred at the assembly, Polish students were

Jamie Black,

calling them “disrespectful and embarrassing.” Fletcher added that “nothing was done by administrators or staff that was in the surrounding areas.”

One student, who has asked to remain anonymous, also saw the disrespectful actions.

“The two girls sitting in front of me stuck their arm out in the (Nazi) salute and kept ‘guessing’ (shouting) Hitler,” the student said.

Another witness saw one of the students who did the Nazi salute at the cultural showcase repeat his action at the Step Afrika assembly, yet again disrespecting the Jewish students, but now the performers and black students too.

Go ahead and call what

happened just a joke and a little bit of fun, but the Holocaust is not something to turn into a joke.

Our generation has this ability to turn things into jokes so easily. Yes, I’ll admit it is good to get a laugh every once in awhile, but not at the expense of others, not when 11 million people died. 11 million.

We can NOT normalize behavior like this; we can NOT let Nazism become a joke. What we can do is stop these behaviors, we can watch what we say and think a little about how our words and actions.

This isn’t a call to attack a specific person who saluted during the assemblies, this a call to better our school.

opinion

5

Times Sabrina Conza, Editor in Chief Alexandra Griffin, Managing Editor Jessica Buchanan, News Editor Nadieda Dazile, Opinion Editor Milan McKie, Opinion Editor Maria Suarez, Centerspread Editor Madison Steinkamp, Student Life Editor Samuel Rosser, Sports Editor Nicolas Gallardo, Graphic Design Editor Simon Ho, Asst. Graphic Design Editor Christina Matiuk, Back Page Editor Jamie Black, Business Manager Jessica Moschette, Staff Assistant Nassim Davila, Staff Assistant Charlotte Hood, Staff Assistant Dr. Andrew Shipe, Adviser Tornado Times is produced by: Pompano Beach High School 600 NE 13 Ave. Pompano Beach, FL 33060 Phone: (754) 322-2000 Email: pbhsnewspaper@gmail.com Website: thetornadotimes.org Snapchat: thetornadotimes Instagram: and Twitter: @tornadotimes

Issues in the 2016-17 school year are planned for October, December, March and May. Tornado Times’ mission is to inform and entertain by reporting on relevant events. With hard work and improved communication with readers via web and print, we will create a well-made newspaper and a better website.

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. 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 certificate for its 2015-16 issues.

6 centerspread

March 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

Through the eyes of the world:

Global visitors enjoy differences

By Alexandra Griffin, Managing Editor

Classes that last 108 minutes.

25 students per class, more if the class is not “core.” Five minutes to switch classrooms for different teachers and different subjects.

A cafeteria that serves two lunches, 35 minutes each, when 250 students can sit inside and everyone else can relax under the shade in the courtyard or elsewhere.

A principal who smiles at you and greets you in that courtyard when you come to school.

These are aspects of Pompano Beach High School that we take for granted. But in the eyes of 62 students and 21 teachers from Ireland, France, Haiti, China, Israel, Switzerland, Poland and Brazil, who visited for the International Summit from Jan. 21 to Jan. 27, these everyday routines were new, exciting and, sometimes, shocking.

“It’s really different from China,” Sophomore Jason Nguyen took a selfie with the Irish visitors. The students visited from Jan. 21 to Jan. 27. said He Qi, a student from Fudan PHOTO COURTESY OF JASON NGUYEN Secondary School in Chongqing.

“Like the principals in China, they The level of diversity and Krzeminska-Kaczynska also said students and teachers by the don’t really talk to you, but your student involvement was anoththat she prefers the class schedule large variety of extracurricular your principal, he is a really kind er common difference between activities. in Poland, with 45-minute classperson.” schools. Many teachers thought “The teachers are like menrooms with breaks in between, as According to many of the visithat having so many clubs alshe found that students focused tors,” said Barbara Fernandes, a tors, one of the major differences lowed students to take more better. teacher from Escola Estadual Pebetween schools here and in their interest in learning because they Overall, both guests and hosts dro II in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. countries was in class schedule. can find what they really like. were able to not only learn and ex“Students are more independent While some countries, like Poland, “The cooperation between and inquisitive. The focus isn’t on perience many different cultures, have school from 8 am to 3:20 different groups is very importbut they were also able to make the teacher but on school work.” pm with 45 minute classes, China ant, the school provides so many While many of the teachers friends and international connecFudan has a schedule where they different clubs, so every single tions. plan to implement what they attend school from 10 am to 2:30 person, every single student can learned about our school in their “While we’ve been here, we have pm, but then return to school from find something interesting for met so many people, and everyone schools, they did find an array of 7:30 pm until 10 pm. him or herself, and that helps is so nice,” said Claire Murphy, a practices they do prefer in their Most visitors were surprised them grow as a person,” said student from St. Raphaela’s Sechome country. with our large class size and large Anna Krzeminska-Kaczynska, ondary School in Ireland. “I hope Michael Hediger from MPS school population. Many of the a geography teacher from VIII Brunnen in Brunnen says he that we are able to stay in contact schools that the visitors attend Prywatne Akademickie Liceum even once we leave.” prefers the smaller class size in have populations in the low to Ogólnoksztalcace in Krakow, Switzerland because he saw U. S. mid hundreds, while we have over Poland. students talking over the teacher 1,200 students, despite our school PHOTOS AND DESIGN Many guests were impressed by and using their cell phones when being considered small for U. S.

BY MARIA SUAREZ the relationships made between they are supposed to be learning. public school standards.

March 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

centerspread

7

Liu Zhenming from Chongqing Nankai Secondary School in Chongqing, China smiled through the computers in accounting class.

Teacher Barbara Fernandes and principal Cristiane Justi from Escola Estadual Pedro II in Belo Horizonte, Brazil smile together for a picture.

Visiting students gathered in Tornado Alley to discuss plans for the day.

8

March 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

student life

Drop it! Students switch out of APs

By Sabrina Conza, Editor in Chief

switch out of her class and that the counseling department backed her up “in some cases.”

When the new semester began, three students dropped out of the class, according to Ms. Zambrano.

“That’s about average in my class,” she said. “It’s normal; very normal.”

AP Psychology teacher Mr. Strachan also had students who needed to leave his class.

In order to accommodate the number of students who were not doing well in the class, Mr. Strachan and the guidance department worked together to create another option.

“Students aren’t switching out of the class,” Mr. Strachan said.

“They’re still in the class, but they switched their course from AP to honors.”

This new class within a class allows those who are not fit to take an AP in the subject to still learn the material that they may be interested in.

“It used to be that if you didn’t switch out, then you were stuck,” Mr. Strachan said. “Now students can stay for the material, knowledge and lecture parts, but you don’t have the rigor of the AP class.”

Some students are interested in

the material, making this option ideal.

“I do like the fact that honors and AP are together because I love to learn psychology from the teacher, so I got to take an AP level class without having to worry about the pitfalls of a bad test score,” senior Nikolai Bueno said. “I chose AP Psych in the first place because I love learning about the human mind and how it works.”

Although an AP class may look good on a transcript, Mr. Strachan is more worried about what the GPA looks like.

“It’s more about looking at the better picture,” Mr. Strachan said.

“If you have an F in an AP class, what do you value more: the AP or getting an A? I’m worried about their GPA. I speak to them about their GPA and how both will affect their GPA.” When making the decision to switch to Psychology Honors, Bueno was worried about his GPA too.

“I was worried about my GPA, and decided that taking the class in honors would be the best decision,” Bueno said. “I didn’t want to risk my test scores bringing my GPA down.”

Students who are leaving the class halfway through the year are usually doing so because of the drop in their GPAs. “I didn’t try to switch out at the beginning of the year,” Morel said.

“I should have because my GPA tanked.”

Mrs. Fish thinks that there are a variety of reasons why students are taking these classes and then switching out much later.

“Students really want to challenge themselves and sometimes they’re not challenging themselves appropriately,” Mrs. Fish said.

“Also, they don’t want to disappoint a teacher when the teacher recommends them. They’re like Senior Nikolai Bueno does his work with the help of senior Griffin Hoo in his ‘Oh, I really appreciate the vote of Psychology Honors class. Bueno was originally in AP Psychology, but switched to confidence and I really don’t want honors in order to maintain his GPA. to let them down’ or ‘Obviously, PHOTO BY NICOLAS GALLARDO since they have that confidence in

As the new semester began and students looked at their grades from the previous semester, those who didn’t see the grade they wanted ran straight to their counselor’s office.

Switching out of AP classes and into honors halfway through the year may seem like a good idea if you’re not doing well, but it’s not as easy as some may think.

“A vast majority of (students trying to switch out of AP’s) have been denied,” school counselor Ms. Fish said.

Although it may be difficult, some students were able to get out of their hardest classes.

“I switched out of AP Chemistry,” senior Conner Stuart said. “Teachers wanted students to do 90 percent of work at home, and as a student athlete, I couldn’t keep up.”

The reason that Stuart was able to switch out may be due to his commitment to athletics, but this is not the only reason students were able to leave AP Chemistry.

“I had too many other AP classes and didn’t have enough time to do the work,” senior Gianni Morel said.

Ms. Zambrano, the AP Chemistry teacher, said that she recommended for some of the students to

me, I definitely can do it.’ And for AP classes, they’re called ‘Advanced Placement’ for a reason and one of the things that we really do try to work with students and with parents when it comes to this is appropriately challenging themselves.”

With that being said, Mrs. Fish doesn’t believe that these students are incapable of taking the classes that they’re switching out of.

“A very small number of the students are inappropriately placed,” she said. “I think that a good portion of it is an underestimation of really what an Advanced Placement class means. The amount of work, the amount of time, the amount of effort is definitely a challenging level and, you know, even the super smartest of students find that they have to put in extra time and that’s not something that a lot of our kids are used to. Our kids are very bright, so when you all of a sudden say, ‘You need to put in extra-extra time,’ it kind of throws them off.”

Not all AP classes are being vacated. No students left AP Government, AP English Literature and Composition or AP Environmental Science when the new semester began.

Although no one has left those classes, all of the teachers for these subjects did say that there are students who shouldn’t be in the class but are anyway.

However, AP Environmental Science teacher Ms. Dupre is happy that no one switched out of her class.

“I think that anyone can benefit from learning and this is a class that the subject matter I think is important to everybody,” Ms. Dupre said. “It would be wonderful if they made great grades and if they passed the AP exam, but because the subject matter is important, I think that everybody would benefit, which is why I don’t encourage (students) to drop out.”

Meet your (probable) class valedictorian

March 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

student life

Vanegas discusses past, present, future

By Nassim Davila, Staff Assistant

Matthew Vanegas—the prospective valedictorian of the Class of 2017—is planning for his future as his high school career draws to an accomplished close.

“High school has certainly been quite the experience,” he said.

Over the last 40 months, Vanegas has amassed an academic record with approximately 18 dual enrollment and AP classes under his belt. His friends and teachers say his exemplary work ethic, dedication and cognitive curiosity have gotten him to this point—a remarkable GPA of 5.3065. And he isn’t stopping there.

But despite his propensity for academic perfection, Vanegas didn’t strive to be valedictorian.

“The love of learning and just obtaining knowledge about the world that we exist in… That’s just what I want to do,” Vanegas said. “I want to learn about everything.”

The events in one’s childhood are typically crucial in determining the developmental path that an individual takes. And for Vanegas, it was no different.

“Mom really stressed the whole intellectual creativity thing, and I guess that’s really helpful in the sense that it’s really how I’ve gotten here today,” Vanegas said.

“I wasn’t given all the luxuries in life; my family had a low economic income and what not… As a result, I had a relatively simple upbring-

9

ing.”

However, because of his academic merit, Vanegas is finding he has opportunities well beyond those he imagined.

“It’s really nice (to have opportunities), you know?” Vanegas said, grinning. “It allows me to have more ways to fulfill my passions.”

But there is such thing as too many options. With Vanegas’ extensive repertoire, “selecting” a future can potentially be overwhelming. Nonetheless, the process doesn’t disconcert him much.

“I don’t feel any apprehension about my future,” Vanegas said.

“It’s more, like, indifference. Focus on the now. Work on the now. Do what you can now. That way, any Senior Matthew Vanegas reflects on his childhood and high school years that have apprehension or future uncertainty gotten him to this point.Vanegas is the prospective the valedictorian of the Class of can be minimized.”

2017.

In college, Vanegas intends PHOTO BY NASSIM DAVILA to major in either international relations, international business/ law, a type of engineering (either mechanical or aeronautical) or computer science.

“I’m a STEM guy,” he said. “I like math. It’s what I’m interested in.”

Mr. Holley, Vanegas’ computer science teacher of two years, vouches for Vanegas’ academic excellence and enthusiasm.

To read more about Vanegas and his academic success visit thetornadotimes.org/student-life.

10 sports

Pace plays sports, plans future

March 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

By Sabrina Conza, Editor in Chief

Bradley Pace spikes the ball in a practice game in the gym. Pace has played volleyball here for two years.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GIOVANY SUAREZ

Senior Bradley Pace has been one of the school’s most active athletes, having played four sports.

“Throughout all of high school, I did volleyball, my freshman and sophomore year,” Pace said. “I did football my sophomore, junior, and senior year. I did soccer my senior year. I did track my junior year. I tried out for water polo and I would have played, but my schedule just got too busy so I had to drop it.”

This may seem like a lot of work with little benefit, but Pace plays each sport for enjoyment.

“I was originally just going to do football and track, but I decided to have fun my senior year,” Pace said. “So, they asked me to join soccer and I tried out and I got the goalie position. I found that it was really fun, and I played it like a football player, and I helped out the team a whole bunch. For volleyball; I just played volleyball my freshman and sophomore year and I was really good and I enjoyed it.”

Although Pace plays each sport for a particular reason, his favorite is football.

“I picked football because I love football, and I’ve been playing it for about two or three years now, and I enjoy it and I’m probably going to get a scholarship off it and play probably D3 or D2 football,” Pace said.

Although there are many benefits to playing sports for Pace, there is one major drawback: time.

“Per week, I would say that I spend 10 to 12 hours playing and practicing sports,” he said.

This schedule is not easy to maintain and sacrifices had to be made, according to Pace.

“The reason I dropped water polo was because I would end volleyball at 5:30 and go to water polo at 6:00 and that would end at around 7:30,” Pace said. “I just had no time for homework and since my little brother goes here, I had to pick him up and my responsibilities just evolved and changed to a bigger spectrum.”

However, there is one major advantage to playing these sports.

“I’ve had a recruitment camp from soccer,” he said. “I’ve had many, many colleges contact me about football, mostly D3 and D2 schools. For volleyball, yet to be heard.”

According to Pace, some schools that have been recruiting him for football are Hanover College, Cornell College, Lawrence University, Lawrence Technological University and Ohio University.

Pace wants to play sports in college just as much as the schools want him to play for them.

“I primarily want to play football in college, but if I could play volleyball, I wouldn’t mind that either,” he said.

Although playing sports is a primary goal for his college career, Pace isn’t sure if it will contribute to his future after college.

“I don’t know if these sports will contribute to my future because I want to be an engineer when I grow up,” Pace said. “If I have the chance to play football for a living, I’ll definitely take it, but primarily, I’m just focusing on engineering.”

Boys volleyball upcoming games

Coral Square 9541 W Atlantic Blvd.

Coral Springs, FL 33071

TILLYS.COM

March 16: Volleyball HOME vs S. Plantation (4:30 pm - 5:30 pm) March 21: Volleyball HOME vs Coral Glades (4:30 pm - 6:30 pm) March 22: Volleyball HOME vs Nova (4:30 pm - 6:30 pm) March 28: Volleyball @ Monarch

(4:30 pm - 6:30 pm) March 29: Volleyball @ Hollywood Hills (4:30 pm - 6:30 pm) April 4: Volleyball HOME vs Coral Springs (4:30 pm - 6:30 pm) April 19: Volleyball @ Pines Charter (4:30 pm - 6:30 pm)

Quick Hits

The girls soccer team finished ceremony was March 13. Senior its season 12-8-1, with a third-place D’andre Nicholson, a captain of the track team, recently won a silver 6-4 district record. and bronze metal at a recent track meet.

Boys soccer ended its season on Jan. 24 with an overall record of The varsity softball team has 4-15-1 and a district record of 3-6-1. a record of 6-2.

The boys varsity basketball The first girls flag football didn’t win a single game this seagame was cancelled on March 13. It son. has yet to be rescheduled .

The girls tennis team defeated Coral Glades High School 4-3 on The boys water polo team has a record of 7-3. The girls water polo Feb. 27. They were led by sophoteam has a record of 5-5. more Megan Tirrell and freshman Luci Saavedra. Tirrell won her The boys’ varsity baseball singles match 8-3, while Saavedra team has a record of 5-1. Trevor won hers 8-0.

Kniskern committed to Pepperdine The boys tennis team suffered University, the only junior to commit to a Division 1 school. a defeat of 5-2 also against Coral Glades High School.

The school’s track was recently resurfaced and the ribbon cutting

All records are as of March 13.

March 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

sports

11

Junior Trevor Kniskern pitches against Coral Springs Charter on March 10. The final score of this game was 3-1.

PHOTO BY SAM ROSSER

12 last look

March 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

Where to go to escape the madness

Daylee Mancilla Torres, junior: “We go to Cold Stone in Pompano Mall to enjoy the abundance of ice cream flavors available at Cold Stone.”

London Hamilton, freshman: “The Foundry since my dad owns The Foundry and I get free food.”

Riley Skeen, freshman: “I like to hang out with my friends at Pompano Beach. It’s fun because we go surfing.”

Alina Brito, senior: “Panera’s broccoli cheddar is my religion. For after school, it’s a quiet place for studying in groups.”

Patricia Aguirre, junior: “The beach is peaceful, and it’s a nice place to hang out.”

Darwin Phillips, sophomore: “I like to go to Muvico 18 to pick up some chicks and to have fun with my buds and watch movies.

It’s close to all our houses.”

Dionna Johnson, sophomore: “We go to Skyzone because it’s fairly inexpensive, and it’s fun for the whole group.”

Rachel Raybuck, sophomore: “I like to go to Zona Fresca because it’s PHOTOS AND GRAPHIC BY NICOLAS close to school, GALLARDO and after tennis, I like to go Kevin Connors, freshman: with some of “McDonald’s, when I my friends.” don’t have baseball.

We’re usually hungry after.”

Daniel Harrigan, senior: “Tijuana Flats has good food. Their queso is flame.

Taco Tuesday is the hookup because you get two tacos for the price of one.

And it’s a great place for bible study.”

DESIGN BY CHRISTINA MATIUK AND NADIEDA DAZILE