Tornado Times, December 2017

Vol. 9, No. 3 Pompano Beach, FL 33060 pbhsnewspaper@gmail.com

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Design by Andra Danu and Julia Latchana

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December 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

news

Time flies when you’re having fun Dr. Melillo discusses education changes

By Alexis Schatten, Asst. Sect. Editor

Think high school lasts a long time? English teacher Dr. Melillo has been a teacher for 44 years, the last 10 at this school.

Over the years, Melillo has witnessed many changes, most of which she believes were caused by the technological advancements of today.

“I think technology (has caused the greatest changes to education),” Melillo said. “For example, Canvas now… we can kind of have what they call blended classrooms, where you have part technology, part live teaching.”

With these advancements Melillo believes the ways students learn have changed to adjust to their more demanding classes.

Although, in her opinion, students have for the most part stayed the same, she says that their work ethics have improved greatly to meet the expectations that they’re presented with.

“I don’t know that the students have changed that much. I think the demands of the county and the testing and just even the new technology has changed, and so the way we convey materials and the way kids react to it, that’s been the biggest change,” Melillo said.

Melillo said that today’s technology has allowed teachers to cover more than they would have been able to in the past. With easy access to different resources online, she says it’s much easier today for students to further their under-

Dr. Melillo poses for her staff picture in 2016. Melillo has been a teacher at this school for 10 years.

Photo Courtesy of Dr. melillo

Dr. Melillo poses for her senior yearbook picture. Melillo graduated from high school in 1969.

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Melillo

standing than it was when she first started teaching.

“The kids can take part in their own learning by going to a site and reviewing and reviewing instead of wasting class time going over and over and over something,” Melillo said.

Melillo believes she has also changed in her time as a teacher in her efforts to better present the new forms of teaching that these advancements have brought about.

With training and access to technology made available, she says that teachers today have become “digital natives” and have a much better understanding of the educational opportunities made possible with these advancements.

“I have never worked harder in my life ... learning all the technology, applying it,” Melillo said. “The more you learn, the more there is to learn and you find out all these wonderful ways that you can engage in the teaching and learning process.”

Though much has changed since Melillo started teaching all those years ago, she says that her love for her job has remained a constant.

“For the most part, I laugh everyday. The kids are entertaining,” Melillo said. I still enjoy every day and look forward to it, and so that’s why I’ve been teaching so long and I’ll keep doing it so long as it’s fun and it’s still a lot of fun.”

December 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

Harvesting community

225 families receive donations

By Jamie Black, Section Editor

The school hosted the annual Harvest Drive the week of Nov. 14, collections beginning in early October. Fifteen Broward schools contributed to help out those in the community before Thanksgiving.

The Harvest Drive is a nonprofit organization that collects goods to give to lower-income families throughout Florida. SGA and JROTC sorted the goods and organized the pick-up to ensure

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each family received an adequate amount of groceries.

Ms. Gould, SGA adviser, said “a lot of schools did really well with collecting items.”

Each family received eight bags of groceries and a $35 gift card to Publix.

“A lot of people in the school participated to make (the Harvest Drive) successful,” Gould said.

Students from Ms. Gould’s fifth period help load groceries into cars while 1st Sgt. McGruder directs other students where to put the groceries. The groceries from the Harvest Drive were given out on Nov. 16.

Coffey remembered, honored

Photo by Jamie Black

By Alexandra Griffin, Editor in Chief Sophomore Hunter Kalman, 1st Sgt. McGruder and a Harvest Drive volunteer help load bags of groceries into the car of a recipient. SGA and ROTC sorted the goods and organized the pick-up to ensure each family received an adequate amount of groceries.

Photo by Jamie Black

Alumnus Andrew Coffey passed away after a fraternity party at Florida State University the night of Nov. 2. Coffey was a junior civil engineering major.

A member of the Class of 2015 involved in a variety of activities from swimming to JROTC, Coffey is survived by his parents and older sister Alison.

Coffey is remembered by many in the school community as someone who could always be depended on and who people always wanted to be around.

“He was always athletic and smart and friendly and kind and respected,” tech teacher David Holley said. “He would come here everyday and be excited and happy and respectful and would work hard and try his best. I always ap-

preciated that about him.”

As a cadet in JROTC, Coffey was a student of Lt. Col. Gregory Johnson for four years. Johnson describes Coffey as “a character… in a positive and fun way.”

Johnson recalled a day when Coffey was off task in class and was doodling a “pentacorn” (a unicorn with five different horns) that he then showed to the whole class.

“I was kinda like ‘I wasn’t talking anything about that,’” Johnson said.

In response to Coffey being off task, Johnson decided Coffey should do a penta-push up which was later dubbed the “Coffey” push up. The Coffey push up is still used in the class today.

“It’s quite a legacy he has that will continue to live on,” said Johnson.

December 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

opinion

Frat, sorority reform imperative By

Alexandra Griffin, Editor in Chief

After the death of PBHS Alumnus Andrew Coffey, Florida State University suspended all Greek life activities and alcohol for student-organized activities indefinitely, taking a major step towards reform of Greek life across the country. This reform is essential not only to change with the times, but to save lives.

The basis of a frat or sorority is to be a social organization for students at a college or university that works with its brothers/sisters towards a common interest of improvement and friendship.

This mission is a strict contrast to events associated with Greek life that have resulted in the death of four young people across the country since the start of the 2017 fall semester.

President of Florida State University John Thrasher released a statement detailing the suspension of Greek life and alcohol at

the university following the death of Coffey, a Pi Kappa Phi pledge, and the arrest of a Phi Delta Theta member, Garrett Marcy, for cocaine trafficking and sale.

Then, following the football victory over rival University of Florida, FSU kicker Ricky Aguayo and tight end Ryan Izzo became suspects in the burglary of the Pi Kappa Phi house and the killing of the fraternity turtle dubbed “Turntle.” This incident seemed to be in response to Aguayo getting jumped

by Pi Kappa Phi members in 2016 after the 2016 UF-FSU game. A video of the brawl was released on TMZ on Nov. 28.

Although in both incidents no one pressed charges, multiple police reports for both assault and burglary came up in the current investigation into Pi Kappa Phi. While the majority of the press is focused on crimes committed at FSU Greek life organizations, there are currently no similar investigations into other fraternities and sororities across the country. For all we know, similar behavior is exhibited at fraternities and sororities nationally.

Greek life does have a direct and meaningful purpose; however, it

has lost the grasp of that purpose by not only allowing, but encouraging these illegal and destructive activities.

Being involved in Greek life is a way to create friendships and experiences that will last for the rest of members’ lives, but if their frat brothers are dying or going to prison, how are members supposed to continue those friendships productively?

While all of the deaths so far this school year have been from fraternity members or pledges, there is also a clear problem with sororities. In addition to being plain

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petty or mean, many sororities at Florida State allegedly circulate drugs like cocaine and Adderall regularly according to multiple students affiliated with FSU. The press has kept the Greek life at Florida State accountable, resulting in a solution to the issue — it may be temporary but it is better than every other school in the country that continues to have similar problems.

Similar investigations need to be made into the Greek life at every school that has received a complaint, and as a country we need to encourage this.

FSU sorority Sigma Delta Tau’s house is decorated for the holidays. While all organized greek life activities are currently suspended, members of the fraternities and sororities are still permitted to live in the houses. photo courtesy of Miki Vazquez

Hit the brakes: Students need to slow down By

Madison Steinkamp, Asst. Section Editor

I take the same way to school every day. I turn at the same light, go around the same roundabout and pass the same blinking school zone sign, and every day I slow down to 15 miles per hour and drive on the road.

But for some reason other students apparently can’t do the same

thing. I don’t know if it’s because they can’t read or they are just too ignorant to slow down. I really don’t care why they don’t slow down: the only thing that bothers me is that they don’t slow down.

High schoolers are big, not in the sense that we all weigh 300 pounds and are six feet tall, but in the sense that we are generally tall, compared to a small child, and can withstand more force or impact against our bodies and bones.

According to Hormone.org, “people reach their peak bone mass … by their late teens.” This means that most students who go to school here have the strongest

bones they will have throughout their lives. But on the other hand, an elementary student’s bones are still growing and developing.

So if a high school student were to be hit by a car going 25 mph, the risk of serious injury (long-term disability or death) would be 25 percent, and at 35 mph that risk is raised to 75 percent. Even for a full grown adult there is a high chance of serious injury; this risk is raised higher when a small child between the ages of 5-10 is hit by a vehicle.

Right next door to our school is an elementary school, with small children ages 5-10. I’m not advocating for students to follow the

school zones so that I feel safer.

I am advocating for students to follow the school zone so that the elementary students are safer.

On Nov. 7, I drove to school and followed the school zones like always, but apparently the student behind me couldn’t do the same thing. It was around 6:35 a.m., and I got passed in the school zone.

Not only could they not follow the school zone speed limit, they also had to pass me because I was following the speed limit.

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December 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

opinion

Time is ticking, use it wisely

Graphic by Kristina Latchana

Letter to the Editor

We all waste time. Whether it be by binge-watching a whole season of “Stranger Things” on Netflix or taking a class for less credit that is too easy, the best of us waste time.

Throughout childhood, when we want to grow up as fast as possible, it seems time doesn’t go by fast enough. That all changes in high school when time begins to fly by faster than you can fathom. Days are often too short, so you have to manage your time appropriately to achieve your goals and organize your priorities.

This not only applies to high school students but anyone that wants to achieve something in their lives.

The first step to proper time management is making goals.

Ask yourself what are your most important goals (and if you don’t have any, it’s time to make some).

This can be anything from losing weight to maintaining a 4.0 GPA. The next step is prioritizing.

Rank your goals from most important to least important based on what motivation you have

behind each goal.

Step three is to put your list into action. Find a feasible way to reach each goal in the time frame you want to achieve it. If your method for reaching the goal is not realistic, you are wasting your time.

For example, if you decide to go to a spin class three times a week to lose weight but can’t afford it, you will be less likely to achieve that goal and will probably end up wasting your time. Make a plan that works for you, so instead of paying for classes go on a run every day around your neighborhood.

Although our country’s leaders are setting an example of time-wasting, we are not a generation that has to follow that example. If we can learn how to properly manage our time now, our generation will make better leaders.

Avery: Newspaper overreacts to bathroom policy

Dear Editor: I would like to respond to the opinion piece your paper published entitled “It’s Ovary-Acting.”

While I am certainly one who appreciates a good pun, I cannot agree with the logic of the piece.

Firstly, Ms. Black asserts that offering extra credit for unused bathroom passes is somehow deterring students from using the restroom. How can offering students something extra be a deterrent?

Unlike most teachers, I actually GIVE my students two bathroom passes a quarter which can be used at any time without question.

This offers ALL students more freedom, teaching them to be independent thinkers and make their own choices without having

to suffer the indignity of having to ask permission to address what is, after all, a basic human need.

I am not offering students extra credit for not using the restroom; I am offering students extra credit for being in class.

Secondly, Ms. Black argues that this policy shows a bias against female students. While I grant that female students may have a greater need to use the restroom, so does anyone who wishes to stay well hydrated, including teachers.

As for Ms. Black’s elaborate explanation concerning the difference between older and younger women, let me just point out that to be older, one was, by necessity, younger first. And at that point I, for one, did not leave my class-

room to use the restroom. Ever.

And I did not receive extra credit for not leaving. Been there, done that, did my job.

Finally, Ms. Black seems to believe that teachers who offer extra credit passes should not offer them because some students might use the passes and not receive extra credit. If I rescind the policy, then students will be even less free to use the restroom, I will be subjected to more frequent interruptions from students asking to use the restroom, and no one will receive extra credit. Would that be better?

Before I end, I would also like to respond to Mr. Marchand’s assertion that somehow missing a science or math class matters

more than missing an English class. To the contrary, science and math deal with objective knowledge that can be easily gleaned from a book, that is if one can read well… which is learned in English.

English curriculum is also highly dependent on discussion which cannot be “made up” when missed, so attendance is even more important in English classes.

Since I implemented this new policy, both my students and I not have not had to endure countless interruptions, AND students have an easy way to earn extra credit.

That’s what I call a WIN-WIN! Sincerely, Marjorie Avery Proud PBHS Educator

December 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

Alexandra Griffin, Editor in Chief Jessica Buchanan, Managing Editor Jamie Black, Gray Page Editor Samuel Rosser, Asst. Gray Page Editor Alexis Schatten, Asst. Gray Page Editor Madison Steinkamp, Asst. Gray Page Editor Charlotte Hood, Asst. Gray Page Editor Maria Suarez, Color Page Editor Julia Latchana, Asst. Color Page Editor Jordan Brown, Asst. Color Page Editor Andra Danu, Asst. Color Page Editor Emily Powell, Business and Web Editor Kristina Latchana, Asst. Business and Web Editor 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 Twitter: @TornadoTimes Print issues in the 2017-18 school year are planned for October, December, March and May. Online issues are planned for November, February and April.

For students, parents and teachers who need to be informed about what’s happening in and out of the school that affects them, Tornado Times is a print and web publication that provides timely multimedia and interactive coverage. Unlike social media, our product is focused around school events from the perspective of the bigger picture.

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 certificate for its 2016-17 issues.

Grab ’em by their power

opinion

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Sexual predators must be held accountable By

Jamie Black, Section Editor

Let’s get one thing straight, sexual assault and harassment aren’t okay and never will be.

In the past two months, a stream of women seem to be coming forward and accusing powerful men of sexual assault and/or harassment. The first powerful man to fall was Hollywood film executive Harvey Weinstein.

Weinstein has been accused of sexual harassment and/or assault by 80 women, at least six of who accused him of rape, according to USA Today.

Following these accusations, various other men in the media industry (Matt Lauer) have been accused of sexual harassment/ assault. Even women have been accused of harassment (Mariah Carey). It is not just Hollywood, it’s everywhere.

More recently, men in politics have been caught in the wave of allegations: former President Bill Clinton, judge (and possible senator) Roy Moore, Sen. Al Franken, Rep. John Conyers and, of course, President Donald Trump.

Weinstein and everyone else who has been accused are sadly not the last round. Sexual assault/harassment is nothing new to our society.

This “wave” of victims coming forward is simply a result of our culture shifting.

Sexual harassment and even sexual assault have been “normalized” in our culture for decades, and we have only just managed to reach a culture that questions these behav-

Hands off our assets!

Graphic by Kristina Latchana

iors as “boys being boys.”

We excuse boys of inappropriate behavior because “boys don’t mature as quickly” and “it’s just a phase.”

Teaching boys that telling a girl that her behind or breasts look good isn’t okay. We should instead be teaching boys that bodies aren’t meant to be objectified.

I myself thought it was normal in ninth grade to be told “Your boobs look good today” on an almost daily basis because it was just a boy being a boy, but again that isn’t the case.

If we and the rest of society can become more aware of things like sexual assault and harassment by learning how to report it, what to do if it does happen, or even firmly establishing sets of rules and procedures if there is a case of sexual assault/harassment, we can prevent events like this from continuing.

The biggest way to prevent more sexual assault/harassment cases is to punish those proven to be sexual predators. Roy Moore, who is accused of sexual assault and harassment of girls as young as

14 and currently running for U. S. Senate from Alabama, has large amounts of evidence against him and credibility to the accusations of sexual assault. Even in light of this, Trump has not withdrawn his support, even tweeting, “Can’t let Schumer/Pelosi (Democrats) win this race!”

Roy Moore needs to be held accountable by everyone if these allegations are true. This applies to anyone who is proven to have sexually harassed/assaulted someone. Take their jobs, their power, and everything from them. Sexual predators must be held accountable for their actions.

According the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, every 98 seconds an American is sexually assaulted. This number is still horrifying, but the rate of sexual assault and rape has fallen 63 percent since 1993.

Clearly times are changing and we can be a part of that change if we hold those accountable for their actions. We can’t live in a world where things are brushed under the rug in order to make everything look better than it really is.

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~G e ~ G t good o ~G to Ms. e ~Pa t Mr. Th s ~G s my m o e ~S t homew id t ~Pl udy for ork an M A r. K P B ing ’s

Goals Were W

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centerspread

TO grad -DO L IST e : Pell s egri n oma s’ su o’s Clas s it dter ms dry cl eane k do d ne Bio te s ret st irem ent part y

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School Related Goals

Met, Now New Ones Will Be Made

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Personal Related Goals

Three Future Related Goals

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Friendship Related Goals

DESIGN AND PHOTO BY MARIA SUAREZ AND JORDAN BROWN

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December 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

Don we now our gay apparel

GSA hosts winter summit

By Charlotte Hood, Asst. Section Editor Top Right: Kristian Santiago dances in the courtyard on Dec. 1 during the GSA Winter Summit’s pizza lunch. The summit hosted schools from all over the county. “(The summit) was a place I could be myself,” Kristian said. “I thought it was a good experience.”

Top Left: Kayla Laurent writes their name and preferred pronouns on a tag before the GSA Winter Summit begins. All participants were required to do this in order to create an accepting and uplifting environment for all attendees.

Bottom Left: GSA co-president Mads Young (left) and secretary Sierra Harding (right) enjoy the first part of the event. Attendees wrote their social media handles and what the summit means to them on large sheets of paper at the beginning of the event. “(Writing down our social media) helped us stay connected with (students from other schools).” Sierra Harding said.

Photos by Charlotte Hood

Gay Straight Alliance hosted the annual GSA Winter Summit on Dec. 1, which organizations from across the county attended to discuss the issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community, learn about sexual health, join informational and motivational seminars for LGBTQ+ youth, as well as celebrate the identities of attendees.

The event featured multiple guest speakers, including a panel that focused on topics involving diversity and representation in the media for 2LGBTQ people of color.

(The “2” refers to “two-spirit” individuals, a term used by indigenous peoples to describe those who fall out of the gender binary.) “(The summit) is important because we got to reach out to the community, show other kids that there are people like them out here that are LGBT, (and) that are LGBT and

not white,” senior GSA co-president Mads Young said.

Representatives from Equality Florida, an organization that advocated for the civil and union rights of LGBTQ+ individuals across the state of Florida, also attended the

event, giving a speech and handing out informational pamphlets.

“Equality Florida launched the Safe and Healthy Schools Project 15 months ago, and my role... is to help ensure that upper level

leadership understands the needs of LGBTQ+ youth and instills best practices, so that they institutionalize those best practices,” Equality Florida director De Palazzo said.

Multiple therapists were onhand during the event, offering emotional support and advice to those in difficult situations or who felt overwhelmed by the large crowds of people.

The event concluded with a small fair where attendees could pick up brochures, informational packets, bracelets and merchandise.

Towards the end of the summit, a pizza lunch was provided for attendees, along with accompanying music, to which many danced and socialized, enjoying the company of their peers.

“We have to create the community that we want,” Young said.

“It’s important to create a sense of belonging.”

watch

entertainment 11

December 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

‘Ragnarok’ hits home run for Marvel Cinematic Universe

By Jordan Brown, Asst. Section Editor

“Thor: Ragnarok” debuted last week in theaters, and it might be one of the best movies in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe’s history.

“Ragnarok,” directed by the hilarious Takia Waititi, is the third installment of the Thor series and tells the story of how Thor is propelled to another realm where he is imprisoned and must escape to save his home from being destroyed by the goddess of death, Hela.

The already jam-packed cast is expanded even further with many new additions (Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum and Karl Urban for example) that immensely help the plot. Thompson’s character Valkyrie is a woman of color, sassy, complicated and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, something that’s rarely seen in theaters lately.

Goldblum’s character adds a sense of humor to the normally serious scenes and even gets a comedic second post-credits scene. Urban’s character, the main antagonist’s henchman, starts out self-centered but eventually realizes he has to make the ultimate sacrifice to help the Revengers.

Unlike the first two Thor install-

Photo courtesy of imdb

ments, Ragnarok doesn’t have a love story in the center that somehow ties to the other plotlines in the movie. This two-hour-and10-minute film is purely about character development, friendship and sacrifice, which is a refreshing change of pace.

Going in, I thought that the introduction of several new characters and the subplot of Thor having to escape a whole new realm to get back home would make for a messy and subpar addition to the universe (like “Thor: The Dark World”), but I was thankfully proved wrong.

The level of acting from the

front-and-center stars like Hemsworth, Hiddleston and Blanchett puts the movie on an entirely different level than the two previous ones.

Hemsworth portrays the God of Thunder as a constantly changing person perfectly; from the first movie as an aggravating, arrogant brute to this one as the humble King (and savior) of Asgard and part of two world saving teams.

Hiddleston completely nails the portrayal of the predictably backstabbing God of Mischief, simultaneously helping and hurting the other characters in the movie.

Blanchett portrays the main an-

tagonist Hela almost too perfectly, bringing a dark, murderous and even psychotic force to the Marvel Cinematic Universe that keeps you on the edge of your seat through the whole movie, a reaction that hasn’t been felt since movies like “X-Men Apocalypse” or “Spider-Man 3.”

Ragnarok makes bold choices in its casting, directing and dialogue that previous movies were too afraid to confront and succeeds on astronomical levels. It somehow balances comic relief, world domination and lost love perfectly, making it one of the best films in the universe’s history.

‘Justice’ served by diverse cast, not finances

By Jamie Black, Section Editor

“Justice League” from start to finish was full of action and occasionally witty jokes. It wasn’t a perfect movie and it surely didn’t leaving me with a strong empowering feeling as “Wonder Woman” did.

Although it lacked empowerment, the movie had an overarching

message of unity and how unity can solve the world’s problems.

It too managed to show real life events such as Islamophobia and homelessness, showing us that just because aliens and cyborgs exist in the DC Universe, it doesn’t mean that their world doesn’t reflect ours.

What was perfect was Ezra

Miller’s portrayal of Barry Allen.

Disclaimer: I haven’t read the DC comics, but I surely can sense a well-played character and comic relief.

Miller, aka the Flash (most importantly the canonically Jewish Flash), provided laughs that the audience needed. Every word said

by Miller was light-hearted; even his facial expressions brought humor to the scenes. Let’s just say, when I was in the theater, there wasn’t a cricket to be heard anytime Miller was on the screen.

See JUSTICE, page 12

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December 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

Representation soars in ‘Justice League’ Along with humor came the representation that Miller brought to the film. As mentioned before, Miller and the Flash are Jewish.

Additionally Miller identifies himself as “queer,” making him the first LGBT+ actor to have a standalone superhero film when “Flashpoint” is released in 2020.

Additional representation includes Aquaman (Jason Momoa, Native Hawaiian), Cyborg (Ray Fisher, black) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot, Israeli Jew).

“Justice League” also delivered character redemption for Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) when *spoilers* Superman (Henry Cavill) was brought back to life.

Despite everything that “Justice League” brought to the table, it lacked several things, most importantly, revenue.

“Justice League” domestically

grossed $96 million according to the Hollywood Reporter, which isn’t terrible, but in comparison to Marvel’s “Thor: Ragnarok,”which grossed $122.7 million in its opening weekend, it flopped. Even inside the DC Universe the movie isn’t a huge success. In its opening weekend, “Batman v Superman” grossed $133 million, according to Slash Film.

The low gross suffers even more when compared to the film’s $300 million budget. In order for the film to truly profit, the film’s revenue would have to had at least tripled.

“Justice League” leaves the question are major superhero team movies the most profitable movies around? The answer is no, and the success of single hero movies or origin stories show that, but superhero team movies do provide for some heroic entertainment.

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December 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

Senior Skirvin leads, succeeds

By Alexandra Griffin, Editor-in-Chief

Senior Alex Skirvin keeps himself busy to say the least. A scholar with a class rank in the top 10 percent, co-founder of Car Club, vice president of National Honor Society and a baseball player, Skirvin is known around the school as a good leader, smart and dependable.

“He is a great guy,” junior Davis Major said. “He is very good (at baseball) also. You can go up to him during the game and ask him questions about what to do and he always answers.”

Skirvin began his baseball career when he was four years old and decided to continue playing throughout high school to stay in shape and get to know people. While he doesn’t plan to continue playing baseball in college, he notes that the friends he made through baseball are ones that have stuck with him throughout high school.

The boys soccer team has an overall season record of 5-5-2 and a district record of 3-2. The team tied Deerfield Beach 2-2 on Dec. 4, beat Hallandale 6-0 on Dec. 5, then beat Stranahan 4-0 on Dec. 7. The next home game is on Dec. 14 against Pembroke Pines Charter. “I think (the soccer team is) doing great this year, we are slowly perfecting our formation,” Nicolas Gil said. “The highlight would be our 6-0 victory against Hallandale.”

The girls basketball team lost to Ft.Lauderdale High School 6719. In the game, Francesca Reyes scored nine points. The team’s record as of Dec. 7 is 0-5. The next home game is Jan. 9 against Archbishop McCarthy High.

Skirvin plans on going to college to follow a pre-med major to become an anesthesiologist or neurologist.

“The medical field still has a lot of discoveries to be made.” Skirvin said.

Few students have the time to be involved in club activities, much less lead them, but Skirvin makes it work well.

“He is a strong leader in terms of being able to delegate work so he isn’t stuck doing everything by himself,” English teacher and NHS adviser Sandy Melillo said. “He has the kind of personality that people just want to follow him.”

Major service projects Skirvin has helped to conduct include the Lincoln driving event, drunk driving presentations, Ronald McDonald Foundation events and the faculty show through Car Club and NHS.

The cheerleading team competed against McArthur, Douglas, Western, South Broward and Deerfield on Nov. 27 and is expecting to place well at its first big competition at Dillard on Dec. 16.

The girls soccer team won 8-0 against Hallandale on Dec. 5.

The team holds an overall record of 7-5 and a district record of 3-2.

The next home game is on Dec. 14 against Pembroke Pines Charter.

The boys basketball team lost 69-64 to West Broward on Dec. 8. The team has a record of 0-6 and its next home game is Jan. 9 against Archbishop McCarthy High.

All records are as of Dec. 11

Senior Alex Skirvin waits at the plate for a pitch. Skirvin has been playing baseball since he was four years old. photo courtesy of miguel puerto

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December 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

Basketball hopes for turnover year

By Jamie Black, Section Editor

After a season of losses, the basketball team looks forward to a season of winning and more promising results.

On Nov. 27 the team took on South Plantation, losing only 5046. Compared to last year’s game that ended 69-27, the team is statistically doing better.

The team’s new coach, Mr. Stone, said, “I’m excited (about

this season), you can see the turn around from last year to this year.”

Junior Brandon Peets was the team’s highest scorer in the game against South Plantation and was happy with the results, explaining “we should have won, we lost the intensity at the end.”

Despite the team’s hope for more victories, the team lost 78-57 on Nov. 29 against Fort Lauderdale High School.

Senior Jake Jordan grapples with a member of the American Heritage Patriots for the ball on Nov. 30. The boys varsity team lost 5-2.

Photo by charlotte Hood

Sophomore Lorraine Angelakos chases the ball. Angelakos played against Pembroke Pines Charter on Nov. 28.

Senior Kayla Cunneen steals the ball from the opponent. The girls soccer team lost to Pembroke Pines Charter 4-1 on Nov. 28.

photos by samuel rosser

16 last look

December 2017 • thetornadotimes.org

My biggest accomplishment was receiving the Data Modeling Honors Award. I did not know I was any good with Rhinoceros, so the award from Mr. Holley was a surprise.

-Haley Blatt, senior

My biggest accomplishment of 2017 was making the varsity volleyball team as a freshman. The reason I’m most proud of this accomplishment is I’ve been playing volleyball since fourth grade and I’ve worked hard for my goals.

-Bianca Justamante, freshman

b a g c n k i t c

Re

My biggest accomplishment was getting the chance to audition for multiple out-of-state music festivals to study with the world’s greatest musicians due to playing the violin, piano and organ.

-Gabriel Esperon, sophomore

n o

fl e

In the most recent debate competition, I ranked fourth out of 13 in a varsity Big Question debate.

The reason this was huge for me is this event is meant for varsity debaters (those who had years of experience), and not only am I a novice, but it was also my second time competing in that category.

-Jason Nguyen, junior

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ILLUSTRATION BY julia LATCHANA and Andra Danu photos by Andra Danu