The chat newspaper may 2014 senior issue year 14 issue #11

A Tale of Two Beginnings...

Beginnings

New edition: Middle school joins Charter High

Jake Dreilinger Alexys Nowak Kyle Moss-Soloman Managing Editors Chatter Daily News Maria Bozo Web Managing Editor Business Manager Mr. R. Simon - Layout Mr. F. Fagen - Content Mr. R. Simon - Video Advisers

Mr. P Bayer Principal Looghermine Claude News Editor Melissa Pierce Student Life Editor David Cha-Kim Technology Editor

Contents

The C.H.C. Staff

Pag 4-

Pro

Chelsi Chang Entertainment Editor Brett Alayon Sports Editor Aaliyah Pasols Features Editor Jake Drelinger Lifestyle Editor Shakayla Lee Clubs Editor

Rebecca Gonzalez Photo Editor Matthew Perez Graphics Editor Carmen Pettersen Cartoonist CONTENT STAFF: Joshua Alleman, Victoria Alvarez, Andrea Bellorin, Troy Bottom, Matthew Deno, Tyra Green, Hayley Hartwell, Anthony Kelleher, Maribel Maignan, Aaliyah Pasols, Chelsie Ramos, Lauren Ramirez, Nicholas Rivera, Melissa Sullivan, LAYOUT STAFF: Joshua Alleman, Victoria Alvarez, Troy Bottom, Emily Deese, Jacob Morgenstern, Fernando Plata, Melissa Sullivan PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF: Peter Dourvetakis, Jonathan Harris, Alexis Monge-Rodriguez, Sydney Silverberg, Carli Stander, Juan Tellez GRAPHIC STAFF: Armando Urena, Daniel Vidal CHAT VIDEO NEWS STAFF: Christopher Fernandez, Matthew Fernandez, Andres Gonzalez, Genesis Vesco The C.H.A.T. is an official publication of the Pembroke Pines Charter High School (PPCHS). The content of our newspaper is not necessarily the opinions of our advisers and administration.

The C.H.A.T. staff welcomes any comments to the editors and/or staff.

The C.H.A.T is a publication of C.H.C (Charter High Communications) sponsored by the Communications & Technology Department of PPCHS. Pembroke Pines Charter High School 17189 Sheridan Street Pembroke Pines, FL 33331 Phone: 954-538-3700 Email: chc.ppchs@gmail.com Twitter: @_theCHATter Instagram: @thechatnews The CHAT welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be signed. The staff reserves the right to edit letters for poor taste, libel, and space.

Drop off letters in room C113 or send an email to chc.ppchs@gmail.com

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Student Life: Charter’s Secret Garden: Prom 2014 A commencement fit for the stars: Charter Class of 2014 Graduation

44-45

Lifestyle: Pilar Sanchez: Finally out of the wood: PPCHS’ own Survivor The CHAT Editorial: 2014 and racism still exists

42-43

Technology: Now everyone can enjoy T.V.: Netflix for the blind Staying alive: Tips to make your phone battery last

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Most succesful sports: Pages 22-23

Feature on selfies: Pages 10-15

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22-37

Sports:

20-28

Features:

Charter leaves its mark: Most succesful season in Charter history

Senior Send-Offs: CHAT Seniors say goodbye

Senior All - Stars: The best of the best for every sport

How to selfie: Tips on taking the perfect photo

46-47

News:

38-42

Entertainment:

Malaysian flight: What’s your theory?

The evolution of Disney: Disney World then and now

Boston strong: One year later and still running

Coachella: The experience through a Jag’s eye

20-21

Clubs & Electives:

50

Columns:

Laughter is the Best Medicine: Charter Comedy Night

The bedroom as the doormroom: Staying at home for college

Behind the scenes of SGA: Induction Ceremony

The one way ticket to growing up: Leaving your home for college

Charter’s secret ga

Lauren R

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Staff W

rom: a night of fun, dancing, and laughter. The night that creates long lasting memories that will be spoken of for years. Prom is the night when there are no longer jocks, nerds, cheerleaders, and class clowns. Instead there is one class, one family, one group of people that even after spending years together in school are only just beginning to reveal themselves. This is the one night in which high school popularity finally fades into oblivion. The sense of newfound adulthood that is typically weighing on the minds of high school seniors is temporarily replaced with the carefree joy of being a teenager, if only for the night.

These seniors spent weeks, some even months in advance, preparing for this one night. Every student looked their absolute best. Hours of preperation that day finally came together in one. Glitzy gowns of all styles and well-fit tuxes filled the room, hair and make up looked flawless, and manicures finalized the look. Relief was one of the things on every seniors mind: they had finally made it, and they all looked perfect.

"After spending all this time picking out the perfect dress and shoes, getting hair and makeup done to perfection, and all the other necessary preparations prom entails, it was great to see how perfect the night turned out," says senior Nicole Cordoba.

The Westin Beach Resort and Spa, an upscale hotel on Fort Lauderdale beach, was where the event was held. The well-located formal hotel was the ideal location. The grand ballroom gave Prom a magnificent and fairytale-like appearance. Swept away with imagery depicting Prom’s theme, secret garden, the night exceeded the high expectations of every senior by far. The floral centerpieces and nature-like atmosphere gave the dance an enchanted aura. The theme, decided by the senior class’ student council, was an unconventional theme for a Prom. Unlike the typical starry night or midnight in Paris, secret garden provided a lighter, more carefree theme centered on floral and outdoorsy details. Instead of the sparkle, glitz, and glam, the calm and natural color scheme with splashes of vibrant hues gave the average high school Prom a fun twist.

The first hour of Prom, beginning at 6:30 pm, was held in the hotel lobby. Waitresses walked around with trays of brightly colored Shirley Temples, and students socialized at tables or took photos in the photo booth.

Students walked in, secret garden themed floral invitations clutched tightly in their hands, and were provided a gift bag containing a small Prom themed souvenir and two tickets upon their entrance. The students were asked to place these tickets into the bowl labeled with the name of the student they would like to vote as Prom King and Queen.

“I’m glad they gave us a chance to socialize in the lobby before we went into the actual Prom. While we were all anxious to get the night started, it was a great opportunity to talk, take pictures, and kick off the night in a fun and relaxed way. It also made the election of Prom King and Queen go much more smoothly,” said senior

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arden: Prom 2014

Ramirez

Writer

Melissa Rueda. Sun Sentinel newspaper photographers were also in attendance at the event, waiting at the entrance to take pictures of the students as they walked into the ballroom. PPCHS is now featured in the Sun Sentinel.

Suddenly, music began playing from behind a closed set of doors. The heads of every person in the lobby turned to see the doors open to reveal the one place, one moment, and one night nobody would forget. The first sight to greet expecting eyes upon walking through the door were white columns with beautiful green vines, ornamented by twinkling yellow lights, and led to a trail towards a bouquet of white roses upon the top. Beyond this, white table cloths rested on round tables adorned with white rose centerpieces garlanded by green vines.

“I can honestly say Prom was one of the best nights of my life, the whole senior class got the chance to gather together one last time before we go our separate ways and begin the rest of our lives independently,” said senior Dymin Richardson.

Before the night of dancing began, the students ate dinner. The catering, provided by the hotel, consisted of sushi, egg rolls, pasta, breadsticks, and an assortment of desserts. Cotton candy was handed out on twinkling glow sticks that students later took on to the dance floor, illuminating the night in the most literal sense.

"Nobody was really dancing at first", says senior Christian Prieto, "but once the DJ played the cha-cha slide everyone went out on the dance floor. It was so much fun!"

After all the dancing, eating, talking, and laughing, the most anticipated moment of the night was the crowning of the 2014 prom king and queen. Although the race was close, the night’s royalty were Katlyn Vasallo as Queen and Nicholas Bastidas as King.

"I was so surprised when I was nominated, but when Nico and I actually won prom king and queen I couldn't believe it. I'm so honored that my fellow students chose me, it was something that truly made the night even more amazing than it already was" says Vasallo. The newfound royalty danced together during the king and queens dance, and were later joined by others on the dance floor.

“It feels great to know that my classmates were thinking of me on the night that was special to all of them. It really means a lot to me and it was such an honor,” says Bastidas.

The night was nothing short of magical, and was something every student there will remember forever. For the rest of their lives, the stories of their senior prom will be told time and time again; to family members, to children, to loved ones. The memories recalled in these stories by the students of PPCHS’ Class of 2014 will be ones to remember forever.

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Student Life

A commencement fit for the stars: t

Looghermine Claud

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Lifesty Student L

s the setting sun poked its rays through the spaces in the trees outside of the Broward Theatre for the Performing Arts, graduates adorned in satin gowns posed for endless amounts of family photos. Parents, grandparents, and siblings alike came in their best attire for this iconic event. Before they knew it, it was 6 p.m. and time for the graduates to be ushered backstage. As they waited to be ushered into the theatre, the seniors stood backstage taking selfies, talking with old teachers, and hugging some of their friends for the last time.

“My high school career has been filled with a lot of assignments and procrastination. It feels good to hang out with my friends one last time before we all disperse and go our separate ways. Graduation however is just the beginning; it is the start of my adult life. I am turning eighteen, going to college, getting a job, and becoming an independent man,” says Pablo Grijalva.

Before the graduates came out to their seats at the foot of the stage, the PPCHS Band, under the direction of Mr. Daugherty, began playing Activity March while the friends and family members took their seats.

Graduate conductors, fully dressed in their caps, gowns, and cords, took their place in front of their fellow band members for the very last time. Diamond Cunningham, Hannah Rector, Lauren Olster, Hope McNally, Gabby Jesserun, and Tony London each picked up the baton and led the band through beautiful compositions. Suddenly, a loud roar of applause and chanting replaced any side conversations as the PPCHS Class of 2014 graduates strutted down the side aisles in their caps and gowns. Coming from both ends of the theatre, the graduates crisscrossed through the rows as their friends and family waved, cheered, and took pictures.

Once everyone took their seats, the ceremony began.

After an introduction from Ms. Peacock, Mrs. Tabie welcomed the distinguished guests sitting on the stage including Mayor Ortis, Vice Mayor Schwartz, Commissioners Siple, Castillo, and Schechter, City Manager Charles F. Dodge, and members of the PPCHS Administration. Mrs. Tabie then called graduate Melissa Rueda to the stage, who led the theatre in the recitation of the National Anthem.

As everyone sat down, Principal Bayer took to the podium. Before Bayer began his speech, like the popular song, he quoted, “But first, let me take a selfie”. He then proceeded to pull out his iPad and take a selfie wherein he was the focus and the graduating class was behind him. Mr. Bayer then assigned a final, somewhat unusual homework assignment, to the Class of 2014. He asked everyone to take out their phones and take a graduation selfie, and then post their selfie using the hashtag #ppchsworldrecordselfie. He promised that if everyone did this, he would call the Guinness Book of World Records and see if they could make it as most simultaneous selfies taken in one location. But Mr. Bayer wasn’t done yet; he took on the persona of this year’s Oscar hostess, Ellen DeGeneres. Bayer began to call out members of the Class of 2014 as if they were at an award show. Among other students called, he said that this was the first event that Andrew Iglesias and Alden Diaz were not hosting and expressed his astonishment at how voluminous Victoria Alvarez’s hair was. In all seriousness, Mr. Bayer ended his speech with warm and healthy wishes to all of his graduates and left the stage open to the PPCHS Chorus comprised solely of graduates.

The Choir performed their Graduation Medley with solos describing each of the four years of high school.

Seniors Tatiana Bustamante and Hannah Rector remained on stage as their peers took their seats; the duet sang a harmonic version of the song For Good from the Broadway play Wicked.

Bustamante said, “When I was eight years old, I saw my first play at the Broward Theatre for Performing Arts, which was Wicked. This was a turning point for me because this was when I decided that I wanted to study musical theatre. I was so inspired and being able to sing a song from Wicked on that same stage made everything come full circle on graduation day.”

When they returned back to their seats, Mayor Frank C. Ortis took to the podium and spoke to the students.

He recognized his granddaughter, who was graduating that night and spoke to the students about the real world they would be heading into. Before the three student speakers made their way to the podium, Mr. Bayer took the time out to recognized those students who graduated with honors. He first had those ten students who graduated with perfect attendance for all four years stand up. Then, he called those graduates who earned the silver cord, a recognition for those who earned at least 250 hours, to stand. After them, came the seniors who received Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum, Laude, and Cum Laude honors. As all the Cum Laude graduates stood in front of their friends and family, Bayer invited all the students who received the gold cord, a recognition for those who maintained at least a 3.6 GPA, to stand with them. By the time every party was asked to stand up, most of the Class of 2014 was on its feet.

As everyone sat back down, Bayer took to the podium once again to start off the student speakers. He announced that each student picked their most memorable teacher to introduce them. Nicole Batista, class president and the first speaker, choose Mrs. Diaz to introduce her. As class sponsor, Diaz got the chance to know Batista for four years. Throughout her intro, Diaz emphasized Batista’s leadership skills in both SGA and as a class officer saying “...she became instrumental in Mr. Velasquez’s leadership team and also began her role as Sophomore, Junior, and Senior Class President”. She commended Batista for her high GPA, a 5.14 weighted, and dedication to raising money for her class. “Nicole gathered the troops and helped raise over $15000 for the senior class,” Diaz said. Then, with a wide smile, Mrs. Diaz congratulated Batista on her success and welcomed her to the podium.

When Nicole Batista took the mic, she began to talk about her grandmother. She described how her grandmother was an expert puzzle maker, spending her time creating masterpieces from 500 or more separate little pieces. Batista decided to take some key advice she learned from her grandmother’s puzzling and share them with the graduating class. With tips like “move through the puzzle section by section” and “find the corner

the Class of 2014 celebrates in style

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Student Life

Melissa Pierce

Editor Life Editor

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pieces first”, Batista was able to tie in the school and the students into her puzzle. The corner pieces became sports captains who held their teams together like soccer captain, Mya Goodman. Obvious and standout pieces of the puzzle became outspoken students like Andy Iglesias who were easy to find and connect together. Batista even connected herself as a triplet into the speech, calling her and her two brothers “...pieces in the box that came connected together.” As Batista finished off her speech on the Pembroke Pines Charter section of the puzzle, the other graduates gave her a standing ovation for her speech.

Batista took her seat on the stage, and after her Mrs.Vivolo came to introduce the first Jaguar Pride speaker, Francesca Levy. Vivolo gushed about Levy throughout her entire speech. Vivolo portrayed Levy’s amazing determination through her reaction to challenges and her outlook on life. She also highlighted Levy’s record-setting AP Calculus score. With every word, Vivolo beamed at Levy and seemed proud to be the one to introduce her to speak. After a heartfelt hug between the two, Levy began to speak.

Francesca Levy decided to speak about change. She emphasized that although everyone would be going their separate ways, the Class of 2014 was still one big, happy Charter family. Levy personalized her speech by quoting her fellow classmates on their fears, goals, and Charter favorites. Francesca concluded by stating that she was confident that the Class of 2014 would move on to accomplish great things. As she left the podium open for the next speaker, Levy received a standing ovation from her peers for her speech.

Debate teacher Mrs. Schwab introduced the last Jaguar Pride Speaker, Aya Eltantawy. In her introduction, Schwab described Eltantawy as an unconventional leader. She depicted Eltantawy as someone who was quiet and reserved in class, but who stood-out and beamed when she was debating. “Aya Eltantawy is the type of leader that is definitely quieter than most are used to, but the proof is in the results and success is one common denominator that all great leaders share,” said Schwab. She also gave anecdotes on how Eltantawy’s eloquent speeches caused fear in some of the most seasoned debaters, and drove them to search for her speeches in order to get a leg up on her, but even that didn’t work. After introducing Eltantawy as an incredible speaker, the two hugged, and Eltantawy took the mic.

Aya Eltantawy began her speech with an anecdote about herself. She told the story about when she decided to start wearing a hijab in 6th grade. When she started experiencing hatred and exclusion because of her headgear, Eltantawy said that she made the veil an excuse for her actions and a way to hide and stay hidden.

Eltantawy believed that every action she made shaped the world’s view of Muslims, and as such, she choose her words and her actions carefully. As she entered high school, Eltantawy said she realized that she couldn’t hide behind the hijab or use it as an excuse for her actions. She began to speak up and voice her opinions, no matter how unpopular they were. With this, Eltantawy urged her class to stop hiding behind their figurative hijabs. She demanded that whatever they may be whether race, gender, or sexuality, they stand up and take control over their actions. As Eltantawy finished her speech, the class stood up once more and cheered for their speaker. But then, there was more excitement in the air as the presentation of the diplomas was about to begin.

The graduates rose from their seats in an orderly fashion and made their way on stage as their name was called. Each student’s’ personality shone through as they proudly and confidently walked across the stage.

Philippe Constant took a selfie with Mr. Bayer, Alden Diaz pulled Mr. Bayer into a giant bear hug, Jeremy Bermudez did the worm, Laura Smith did the popular “Nae-Nae” dance as she walked on stage, Catalina Villegas was greeted by a horn to cheer for her, and Daniel Zapata strolled across the stage with an impenetrable spirit as the last senior to walk across the stage for the Class of 2014. As Zapata shook hands with the city officials, all the senior rose from their chairs and began to clap. In all the chaos, a beach ball was thrown into the air and a fit of screaming and cheering shook the theatre walls.

“The road to graduation was tough,” says graduate Philippe Constant. “You lose track of your goals sometimes, but there are good teachers here who will get you back on track. Being here is, to me, a basic accomplishment. It’s the first real thing in your life that you really accomplish. It’s a stepping stone to something larger, and I’m excited about what’s to come.”

Mayor Ortis took the stage to announce what every person in that auditorium had been waiting for--the certification that every student in that room earned their diploma and is recognized as a graduate by the City of Pembroke Pines. The now official PPCHS graduating Class of 2014 moved their tassels to the left side of their caps; their caps and the beach ball were airborne. Graduates turned to face their friends and family who were frantically snapping pictures and crying out to them. Wide smiles were plastered on each of the graduates faces as they left the theatre.

LaShae Palmer said, “The road to any goal in life will always be tough. In a Pines Charter school, you’re going to graduate; if you do what you need to do and take the help from everyone working by your side, it is almost impossible not to graduate. No matter how much I loved junior year for all the parties, it is time to leave behind our old lives and start something new.”

The pride and joy was eminent on every graduate’s face; their sleepless nights and incessant exams had finally paid off. Every graduate glided across the stage with the utmost confidence, for it was about time they walked with their diploma in hand. But as every rising adult in the graduating Class of 2014 is aware, this is only the beginning. They have yet to support a household, pay for schooling, or manage their own bank account. The road to graduation was one with rough patches, preparing students for the life that was yet to come. There will only be more speed bumps that slow one down or obstruct one’s view of the goal ahead; however, the Class of 2014 is all suited up and ready to dive into a larger sea.

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Student Life Middle school moving to new village Looghermine Claude and Nicholas Rivera

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Lifestyle Editor Staff Wrtiter

ext year, one of the biggest changes coming to the high school is in the U building. At the moment, FIU’s ten-year lease with the Charter school has ended. As the University leaves it’s classrooms behind, the charter system has new ideas for the building. Instead of adding more classes to the high school, Pines Charter has decided to transform the rooms into a new middle school. The official name of the school will be the Pembroke Pines Charter Middle School Academic Village Campus. At its introduction the school will select 300 students--100 in each grade--from its own separate lottery to fill up the school. In the years following, 100 students will be chosen from the lottery to enter the 6th grade. Heading the school will be Mr. Bayer and Mrs. Diaz as principal and vice-principal, respectively, and sixteen teachers will be instructing the students.

“I’m just looking forward to opening the school. We’ve been working on it since January and the first day is the day that we are all counting down towards. The school is going to expand our campuses and make them more appealing for parents to have their child go to the school and it’s going to enhance the quality of the students. I’m excited to see it all come together since we’ve been working so hard to make it happen,” says Mrs. Diaz.

With the addition of the Academic Village, the campus will be considered at 6-12 grade school rather than at 9-12 grade school. This means that the middle school and high school will be connected in the eyes of the city. For example, when the school gets its annual grade, the letter will reflect the performance of both the middle and high school. Nevertheless, despite being so close to each other, there will be little interaction between the middle school and the high school. The middle school will keep the same middle school uniform, with tucked in shirts, navy shorts and student IDs on a lanyard around their neck. The middle school students will also have a different lunch than the high school students. The high school students will go to both A and B lunch at regular times; however, after B lunch, the cafeteria will be cleaned and prepped for the middle school students to eat. Given the small amount of students in the middle school, unlike the West and Central campuses, all of the middle school students will eat lunch together. Another separation from the high school is the bell schedule. The Academic Village Campus will run on the same bell schedule as the other two middle school campuses. This means that they will begin classes at 8:45 am, roughly halfway through the high school second period, and end at 3:15 pm, over an hour after the high school’s final bell rings.

A huge modification to the middle school system will be the introduction of Pre-AICE classes to prepare students for the new A and AS level AICE classes that will begin at the high school next year. Along with the Academic Village, both the West campus and Central campus middle schools will be receiving the Pre-AICE classes. Although the Academic Village campus will be offering these classes, it will differ from the other two campuses because the school will also have an academic focus. This is, in part, to make up for a lack of space to include everything that the other campuses have. With case study rooms and the River of Grass Auditorium next door, the middle school is the perfect place to focus on debate and drama programs for students.

The middle school will tap into their resources and use the rooms to provide specialized classes and programs for debate and drama. These programs implemented in the middle school will teach kids skills and concepts that will transfer over if the students come to the high school and participate in the same programs.

“When we were in middle school we didn’t really get to have a high school experience and now they are getting a taste of high school before their time. I feel like my sister has an advantage with the Cambridge courses, especially since we only have a few years to get all of our Cambridge classes in before senior year. They not only get all of high school, but they have middle school for practice,” says sophomore Kaitlyn Chang.

Since the middle school classes will only be housed in downstairs FIU, students and teachers only have a relatively small space to work with. One of the disadvantages of the small space comes with the amount of available classes. While the case study rooms and River of Grass will provide the opportunity to focus on debate and drama, the lack of other classrooms may cause a downfall in other elective classes such as art or band. This means that students who attend middle school at the Academic Village campus won’t be participating in the large band programs that the other two middle schools provide.

“There are a couple of reasons why it will be beneficial to the high school. Obviously the FIU moving out and we have the extra space and we want to be innovative and keep turning things up and we felt like adding kids to the high school for. You get a little bit of a financial benefit because you have more students. That part is just to patch up and make money, but we also wanted to do something that would be more innovative and make our system stronger educationally,” says Mr. Bayer.

Opening the middle school comes with many benefits. Currently, the high school doesn’t receive all of its students from the middle schools. Every year, the school fills in its empty spots with fifty or sixty students from the lottery. By introducing the Academic Village Campus, the school will receive all of its students from the middle schools. This gives the students an advantage because when they enter the high school, they’ll already be accustomed to the way the Charter system works. It allows for a smooth transition from middle school to high school.

“I feel like having that middle school there finishes out what we need at the middle school level currently since we don’t get enough middle school students. This way we get a perfect feed and we have more of a balance and we get to do something for our community. If you look at the middle school waiting list there are almost a thousand kids on every grade level, so there is a group of parents in this community that really want to be a part of Pines Charter campus, especially at the middle school level,” says Mr. Bayer.

With the FIU’s 10 year lease over, the Charter school system has taken the opportunity to better the campuses by integrating a new middle school. Although it has some disadvantages, it is sure to improve the middle school system. With the implementation of Pre-AICE courses at the middle schools to help students who have a desire to take the Cambridge route in high school, they are not only getting a superior education, but are also being challenged in high school for the problems they will face in college.

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Student Life Photos by: Peter Dourvetakis

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The #SELFIE and its exp

Aaliyah

Staff W

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013 was a year to be remembered with the government shutdown, the antics of Miley C besides Miley Cyrus’ twerking, the year will also be remembered as the year of the selfie. O rise in the trend since 2011, and now the word is seen almost everywhere: from songs, to T millions of selfies that are being uploaded on the Web by the minute?

Turns out, the idea of taking a picture of oneself was thought of a very long time ago, b Cornelius snapped a photo of himself by removing the lens cap off of his camera, and then ru of it: “The first light picture ever taken. ly, he wasn’t posing with a duckface Cornelius’ light photo, many others folthe first use of the popular word was Australian chat room, a college student injury from a drunken night out: "Um, landed lip first (with front teeth coming had a hole about 1cm long right through focus, it was a selfie" (CNN). He wrote of his lips that had been bruised in the bit blurry, but nonetheless was deemed However, despite the word being used didn’t start to pick up until around 2011 ance. Instagram and its ability to allow 4’s front camera in 2011 may have through society’s roof. “I think selfies ogy got popular such as the front camsites like Twitter, Vine and Instagram. entertaining and fun, and it’s a way to self,” junior Piedad Pizarro-Tolsa exinventions, three years later and there #selfie on Instagram (CNN), and the Selfies seem to be everywhere you wards pants” trend of the 90’s or the in middle school. Not only are they they are in songs too. This year, the fareceived widespread popularity over was apparently necessary. They got so a spot on the Mainstage at Ultra Music the song to the joy of many selfie-takentertaining aspects of the trend are Kardashians, Justin Bieber, and Ariana Grande. The most retweeted selfie ever was Ellen’s as Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence and Brad Pitt.

As it turns out, one of the hottest spots for selfie-taking is right here in our very own hom Magazine. Miami ranked third on the list of the city with the most selfie-takers, right behin Miami, it makes sense that a lot of selfie-takers would be found here too. Particularly in Ch lunch, Jags seem to be into the selfie madness as well. One example of the selfie influence i Freshman Analeza Newman tweaked the song #SELFIE to put herself out there for her ree president of class of 2017...then I’ll take a selfie” alongside a picture of herself taking a selfie to do: “I chose the #SELFIE song as the theme for my campaign because it’s easy to get stu helped me to think of the theme and I went for it,” freshman Analeza Newman shared.

So after all of this talk over the famous trend, the real question is will it stay? Or is it jus there were high-waisted shorts and leather jackets, so will the selfie fade as these fads once d wisely between XXPro and Valencia. Don’t you want to look tan?

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xpansion over the years

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Pasols

Writer

Cyrus, a bright future for gay rights, and the deaths of figures like Nelson Mandela. However, Oxford Dictionary declared “selfie” the word of the year for 2013. There has been a sudden TV shows, and even movies! But how did this trend begin? What led to the explosion of the

before the word selfie was even deemed word of the year! In 1839, amateur chemist Robert running into the frame to make the shot. After the photo was printed, he scribbled on the back 1839” (DigitalTrends.com). Fortunateor throwing up the peace sign. After lowed suit, but it wasn’t until 2002 that spotted. On September 13, 2002 in an used the word while ranting about his drunk at a mates 21st, I tripped ofer and a very close second) on a set of steps. I my bottom lip. And sorry about the this little snippet along with a picture described accident. The picture was a a “selfie” by the young Australian man. so long ago, popularity over the word when Instagram first made its appearusers to share photos, and the iPhone been what made this trend skyrocket got really popular when new technoleras on smartphones and social media They’re so widespread because they’re show that you’re confident about yourplains. Following the creation of these are 57 million photos with the hashtag numbers just keep growing. turn. It’s almost as bad as the “backmany silly bandz seen on kids’ wrists plastered all over social media, but mous EDM DJs: The Chainsmokers their song: #SELFIE. Yes, the hashtag popular from the song that they earned Graphic by: Danny Vidal Festival in Miami, where they played ers and ravers alike. One of the more the celebrity selfies-takers such as the s selfie at the Grammy’s with some of the most famous, talented people in the industry such

me: Miami! Miami was declared the third most self-obsessed city in the world by the Time ind Manhattan, and Makati in the Philippines. With Pembroke Pines being not too far from harter among our Jags! All over campus selfies are being taken and whether it’s in class or at in Charter can be seen in the campaigns for office that went on earlier in the month of April. eelection as president. Her campaign posters read: “But first, vote Analeza Newman for the fie. This humorous twist on the song added pizazz to her campaign, and that’s what she aimed uck in your head and I hoped it would catch people’s attention. My sister [Juliana Newman]

st something that will die down over time? After all, in the 80’s there was disco, in the 50’s did? Only time will tell...But for now, keep uploading your #selfies! And make sure to choose

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Features Technology changing through one selfie at a time Aaliyah Pasols Staff Writer

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ow that its 2014, the days of flip phones and Facebook seem to be long behind us. With the invention of glamorous iPhones and more entertaining social networking sites like Instagram and Twitter, more than just technology has evolved. The evolution of pictures has come a long way too since the days of pictures displayed on tiny pixelated screens. Now, instead of having to turn around your Motorola Razr to take a picture of you and your friend, you can flip the camera on your iPhone or Android and use the convenient front camera. Due to this front camera, the word “selfie” was coined, and now we’re reminded of the popular trend everyday by clicking on our feeds or TLs. But not only has the word creeped its way into social networks, but technology as well!

Technology has always changed over the years: Technology in the name of science, technology in the name of health, technology in the name of economics... but technology in the name of selfies?

Between 2013 and present day many new tweaks have been made to phones and apps, and whole new devices have even been created to accustom themselves to the selfie craze. One of these inventions is the Go Pro. Usually it is used during sports or physical activity to allow the photographer to take pictures while doing something like longboarding, surfing or biking.

However, now people are using Go Pros and their tripods to take long distance selfies of themselves. This kind of selfie-taking is most present at music festivals such as Ultra Music Festival. In March, when UMF was held in Downtown Miami, hundreds of people could be seen with their Go Pros high in the air, well above the crowd, capturing all of the action.

Selfie-takers would attach their camG raphic by : D anny V idal era to the end of the long tripod, then hold it up in the air to take a picture of themselves and the crowd behind them. Another invention that has improved selfie-taking is Shutterball. Shutterball is a bluetooth powered, selfie camera remote. It’s created specifically for taking selfies and works through the connection of Bluetooth between your phone and the device. All the photographer has to do is press the Shutterball, and it activates the shutter button on the phone, taking the selfie without the photographer having to touch the screen (Amazon). While these inventions may be exciting to some teens, it’s also kind of surprising. “So many new devices are being created that are revolved around selfies. I think selfies are generally harmless because it shows a person’s confidence in themselves, but the countless apps and devices being made for selfies is kind of ridiculous. Too much of anything is bad so if more and more inventions are created around one thing then obviously the outcome won’t be good,” said junior Ruth Carrion. With the rest of 2014 ahead of us, who knows what to expect. Should selfies and their popularity stay in 2013 or should more selfie gadgets be uncovered?

Another way electronics are being altered in the name of selfies is in that little icon on your screen: the App Store.

Type in “Selfie” in the search box on the Apple App store and how many results pop up? A variety of apps have been created for the famous pictures since the popularity of selfies skyrocketed in 2013. Apps like Snapchat, Shots, Perfect 365, and the Selfie Cam app have all made their contributions to the popular trend. Snapchat added a front camera due to the demand for the option in the app, and due to a recent update now even contains filters and a front camera flash to help the self-portraits look even better. Perfect 365 is an app that has unlimited editing possibilities that help a picture to look ultimately “perfect” by the end of the editing process. And perhaps the one getting the most attention right now: Shots is an app that was created by Justin Bieber. It’s pretty simple, you just take a picture of yourself, and share it with the people that follow you. It’s not as popular as Instagram but still serves as a fun app to the many people who are obsessed with selfies. “Shots seems like an entertaining app but I don’t use it. I mostly use Snapchat to send pictures to my friends and keep in touch with them. But occasionally, I’ll use the front camera on Snapchat to take selfies and then upload them onto my Instagram,” Samantha Czerwonko (’15) informs.

2013 was deemed the year of the selfie as it exploded on social networks, TV, and even songs. Technology was modified for the popular little pictures, and it continues to make further advancements. Who knows what other gadgets will be uncovered in the year of 2014 towards the selfie take-over? One thing is for sure: First, before inventors take the next step toward future advancements…they should take a selfie.

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Features One Selfie Away From Too Much Tyra Green Staff Writer

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ou’re guilty of it. Grabbing your phone, flipping to the front camera and tapping the shutter button twenty times until you realize enough is enough. A selfie is defined as “a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website” (oxforddictionary.com). In 2013 the word selfie was named Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year. Fast forward to one year later and the picture craze is still going on. Instagram, Twitter and Facebook are overwhelmed with thousands of selfies and now songs on the radio are even dedicated to it. So when does the simple act of taking your own picture become just too much?

The media can always be held accountable for blowing things out of proportion and “selfies” have made it to the top of that list. Everywhere you look self-portraits are posted announcing the selfie-taker as “#selfieking” or “#selfiequeen.” Selfies are getting completely out of hand. A picture of an astronaut in space with planet Earth behind it was posted onto NASA’s Instagram account and it appears to be the very first space selfie. At first taking selfies was harmless fun but when every picture uploaded becomes a self-portrait it turns ridiculous.

Even the White House is tired of the game of selfies. According to nydailynews.

Taylor Alfonso com, the White House is considering a ban on presidential selfies in the future after a televised picture took place with the President. During a telecast at the White House, Boston Red Sox hitter, David Ortiz lifted up his Samsung Galaxy Phone and proceeded to take a selfie of him and President Obama. At the time, it seemed like a joke but the realization of it is that the world is consumed with this new trend. When a televised program has to be interrupted by taking a selfie, it’s a bit too much.

Taking a picture of oneself earned its own word and now has become its own competition. From hanging off of doors to bringing canoes into the bathroom, “selfies” turned into a 20th century trend that should be hopefully forgotten. Twitter welcomed the 2014 year with the “#SelfieOlympics,” where ridiculous photos of people were posted. Each picture that was uploaded had to work harder to be more extreme than the last. “Selfies are getting pretty annoying now. I hate taking pictures of myself, I feel like you don’t need 100 self-absorbed pictures on your phone when you can just look in the mirror,” said freshman Gioneal Morgan. At the 86th Academy Awards, host Ellen Degeneres ran into the audience of dazzling stars dressed in nice gowns and suited tuxedos and held up her phone. What only meant to be a picture with Meryl Streep became a star-studded event after celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper ran into the picture. This one selfie set the record for most retweeted tweets of all time, surpassing 1,300,000 retweets in less than an hour (nydailynews.com).

Selfies may have been meant to be fun but the hype of social media has turned it into a full-fledged problem.

Scientists are linking selfies to narcissism, addiction and even mental illness (collective-evolution.com). Body Dysmorphic Disorder is one of the mental illnesses that are associated with constant selfie-taking. It’s a mental illness where the individual is heavily concerned with their body image and constantly checks their physical appearance.

BDD is being labeled one of the side affects of repeatedly taking selfies and posting them on networking sites. “I can confess to taking a lot of pictures. I wouldn’t say I’m obsessed with selfies but I definitely take like 30 pictures of myself a day. I think Instagram and how many likes you receive on a picture play a big role in how obsessed people are with selfies,” says junior Alyssa Rogers.

It’s come to a time where front cameras should be turned off and put away for a long time. The trend of taking selfies has definitely outstayed its welcome and should be put to an end.

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Features

Some Selfie Satire: How to

Gabriela

Features

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hey say a picture’s worth a thousand words, but in today’s society, it’s worth that and what determines your coolness factor. Here are a couple of tips to help you reach your selfi

Love for Lighting: Sometimes it’s best to leave your followers guessing. The essence of mystery in a selfie will leave your followers wanting more as well as leaving them excited for your next Instagram update. To accomplish this, lighting must be ideal. A fresh look is always nice, equipped with plenty of light and white space. However, a secretive shadow across the face or a dim setting has proved to be the newest craze on social media. Preferably a light that focuses on your eyes or only half of your face will be what leaves your followers guessing and more prone to double tap that post.

Mrs. battle

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Capture with a caption: That handful of words under your picture? Yeah, that’s your caption. You’ve made it this far in the game so it’s time to permanently seal the deal. Google a couple of life inspiring quotes that have nothing to do with your photo, or add in a couple of song lyrics from the latest pop hit. Better yet, include a handful of color coordinated emoji’s that match your color scheme of your picture. But remember, don’t include too many or else you may seem like you’re too excited and trying too hard. If you’ve hit a dead end, put your SAT words to use and try and sound sophisticated and artsy in your word choice. This is your one chance to talk to your followers; tell them a worthy story.

All About the Angle: In order to b geometry will be needed. Nowad It has been proven that the classic iPhone camera is the most succes cut off of your face or body has b accomplishing not only sufficient

Sofia Lalinde

Taking a selfie may be hard work, and keeping u what better do you have to do with your life? May th

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o Take a Successful Selfie

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d so much more. Your Instagram account and the number of likes and followers is ultimately fie potential, as well as ultimate coolness.

Body Language: Duck face. Candid. Peace sign. And who could forget about the timeless bathroom mirror feature? The way you position yourself in the classic square frame is something you cannot mess up. Whether it be a pretty purse of the lips, or the reflection of yourself in a dirty bathroom mirror, the more basic you get, the better. If you somehow manage to combine more than one of these positions, that’s double the points for you. And remember, the proximity of the peace sign and your face will be parallel to the amount of likes you receive.

Samantha Espinal and Sabrina Causing

Leila Hathaway and Jennifer Montes De Oca

A Fine Filter for the Finish: You may have cracked your shutters to reveal a sliver of light, may have held your phone 20 degrees higher than the norm, and somehow managed to make the duck face look effortlessly candid, but you’re not finished just yet. This final step may be the most important on your quest to becoming Instagram royalty. After taking that fabulous picture on the Instagram app, you may notice a stream of “filters” at the bottom of your page. These filters are your friends. Valencia and X Pro II, Lo-Fi and 1977, the possibilities are endless. Finding a filter that compliments your skin tone, the whiteness of your teeth, your selective lighting and your backdrop might be hard and a lot of work, but in the end it will be worth it.

become a true Instagram pro, some days, camera angles are essential. ic 45 degree tilt of the head and/or ssful gateway to plenty of likes. A become the most common way of likes but also the artsy look.

Omar Alattar

up with Instagram royalty may be double that, but the amount of likes be ever in your favor. Good luck.

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Senior Sendoff Chelsi Chang Entertainment Editor

Troy Bottom Sports Editor

Best high school memory: I think my best high school experience would definitely be going to London and Paris in my junior year. I think that what made it as memorable as it was, was the fact that I was there with every one of my best friends. That trip was an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I can’t and won’t forget the memories, friendships and experiences I made on that trip.

Advice: Try new things, don’t worry about what people think of you, and love yourself. As cliché as it sounds, it took me four years of high school to grasp how important these ideas are. Once I achieved these things, I felt free and most importantly, happy.

College/Major: Florida State University, Undecided Future Hopes: I love planning out my life but as the saying goes, “man plans. God laughs.” So, all I want is to be happy.

Where ever I am, whoever I’m with, and whatever I’m doing, as long as I’m happy I’ll make it.

Quote: “I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.” - F. Scott Fitzgerald

High school memory: Walking out for our first game on our new field, clasping hands with my brothers and fellow captains is probably my most significant memory. That was the largest crowd I’ve ever played for and after months of preparation, that moment was humbling and a true testament of my 4 year career at Charter.

Advice: When you have a lot of weight on your shoulders, squat it and keep on going.

Life can hit hard in many ways and many directions but never lose sight of your morals and character.

College/ Major: Valparaiso University/ Business Administration Future Hopes: Work with a professional sports team in the financial aspect of day to day operations and potentially move into a general manager position.

Quote: “The thing about football – the important thing about football – is that it is not just about football” – Terry Pratchett

Joshua Alleman Editor-in-Chief

High School Memory: ‘One of my favorite memories is going on Mr. V’s trip to Japan with my best friends and experiencing everything over there. I’d really like to go back one day.”

Advice: “Challenge yourself, try new things, and tell the people that you love that you love them.”

College: Florida State University (Computer Engineering) Quote: “When I was five years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘Happy’. They told me I didn't understand the assignment and I told them they didn't understand life.” - John Lennon

CHC 2014 S

Victoria Alvarez Assistant Editor-in-Chief

Gaby Garcia Features Editor

High school memory: In my junior year I was able to go on the College Tour with all of my friends. I had such a good time traveling Florida and getting a good idea of which colleges I wanted to apply to. Plus, the late nights in the hotel rooms and long bus rides with my friends were definitely fun.

Advice: My advice to any high school student would be to surround yourself with the people that push you to do better. High school is the best time of your life and it’s important to not only have fun but also to succeed as best you can.

College/ Major: Lynn University/Multimedia Journalism Future hopes: My future hopes are that I’m able to get both my Bachelors and Masters Degrees in the next few years while making wonderful new memories at Lynn. After that, I hope to work for either ESPN or the Washington Post.

Quote: “It does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

High school memory: From every second I spent on the volleyball court with my team mates to every class election, to every Friday night football game and every deadline week in Newspaper, I think the best memories turned out to be all of the little moments that we all took for granted at some point.

Advice: Keep going. Work your hardest. I can guarantee that there is no greater feeling than when all of it pays off. Whether it’s receiving that long-awaited acceptance letter, coming in first place, or seeing someone smile, your reward is always waiting for you at the end of the run. Hard work does not go unnoticed.

College/ Major: The University of Florida Future hopes: I hope to find a major I’m truly passionate about and continue to pursue it into graduate school. I want to find a career I love so much that I won’t have to work a day in my life. As long as I’m happy, healthy, and surrounded by my loved ones, I really couldn’t ask for anything more.

Quote: “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” –Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban

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Melissa Sullivan Editor-in-Chief

High School Memory: “My favorite high school memory were all of the days I spent in Mr. Simon’s fourth period rushing to publish the newspaper on time. I’ve made so many great friends in the class that have helped increase my passion and love for journalism.”

Advice: “My advice to any high school student would be to never give up and always believe in yourself. No matter how hard things get, stay grounded and work hard to achieve your goals. Learn as much as you can, join clubs and make new friends. Enjoy every second of it.”

College: Broward (Associates) Quote: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go. - Dr. Seuss

Senior Staff

Senior Sendoff Anthony Kelleher Technology Editor

Andrea Bellorin Clubs Editor

High School Memory: My favorite high school memory was the senior trip. I was able to ride all my favorite rides at both Universal and Islands of Adventure. I was able to make some lasting memories with my friends and bond as a senior class when we ate at the Hard Rock.

Advice: My best advice is to make the most out of your high school experience.

Get involved, join a club, obtain a leadership position, and make new friends. Your high school experience may seem like forever but it will be over in the blink of an eye.

College/ Major: I will be attending Florida State University majoring in Advertising/ Public Relations.

Future Hopes: I hope to be working in an advertising firm after I graduate college.

I hope to be leading a happy and healthy life.

Quote: “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them,” Walt Disney.

High school memory: Junior year homecoming year was unforgettable. Between body paintings for the homecoming football game to the homecoming after party, many memories were made to be cherished for a lifetime. My school spirit was unlike any other year. My friends and I enjoyed spirit week to the fullest and always got a good laugh. This showed me how close we all were and how much fun high school could be.

Advice: My advice to any student is to never doubt yourself or limit yourself. The whole world is at your hands and it’s your choice to take advantage of it. The way you make your decisions will form your future and eventually result in your destiny. Don’t doubt yourself. Make everything worth wild. Time is a priceless treasure.

College/Major: American University in Washington, D.C. / Biology major Future hopes: Go onto Georgetown Medical School and become a Trauma Physician Quote: “We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.” - Buddha.

Carli Stander Photography Editor

Chelsie Ramos Student Life Editor

High school memory: My most memorable High school memory was the first day of freshman year. I can remember it like it was yesterday; my mom dropping my sister and me off in the student parking lot, stepping out of the car with butterflies in my stomach and not knowing what to expect.

Advice: Enjoy every moment you have in high school. Take it in and don’t watch time pass by. Become active with clubs and sports in school. Also, overall enjoy the time you have with your family and friends. When realizing you’re moving away from home you really learn to appreciate the time you have left with them before you’re on your own.

Time goes by way quicker than expected. Especially senior year, it flies by.

College/ Major: Valencia / Associates – Johnson and Wales / Baking, Pastry and food service management Future Goals: To get a baking internship/job with Disney or Charm City cakes. And to eventually open up my own successful bakery.

Quotes: “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” – Walt Disney

High School Memory- Going on the senior trip with all of my friends has had to be my best high school memory. I had an amazing time exploring both Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure. They convinced me to ride, rides that I would never have gone on had I not have been with my friends.

Advice- My biggest piece of advice would be to get more involved in school, join clubs and such. Make sure you focus on your academics, but make the most of high school because at the end of the day you and your friends will go separate ways and all you will have left is the memories.

College/Major- Florida International University & my major is Mechanical Engineering Future Hopes- My hopes for the future are to graduate from college with a job offer in an engineering firm. I also hope to one day open my own firm too.

Quote- “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.

Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”- Mark Twain.

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Senior Sendoff

CHC 2014 Senior Staff Armando Urena Graphics Editor

Chris Fernandez Video Editor

High School Memory: The moment from high school I will remember forever is the last day of exams when all the seniors gathered at the fountain and threw our shirts into the tree. You could feel the excitement, the moment was a testament to all the effort myself and all the other seniors put into school for the last four years.

High school Memory: Being able to bring together the CHAT VIDEO NEWS for charter and getting a shout out from Mr. Bayer during Graduation.

Advice: No matter how bad it may get, know that i always gets better. Being a high school student in the United States is a gift. Many people around the world get a poor education or have to risk their lives to go to school. Don't let this opportunity pass you by because of a couple bad moments.

College: University of North Texas (Radio, Television, and Film; Finance) Future Hopes: To write and direct movies and television shows.

Quote: “I mean, they say you die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time.” - Banksy

Advice: Don’t let anyone tell you what your future is and to believe in your dreams because you don’t want to build someone else's dream.

College / Major: Full Sail University (Masters in Entertainment Business) Future Hopes: to be able to work with famous venues and events doing show production and film, which I am currently a Lighting Director working my way into the industry Quote: “As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” -Nelson Mandela

Andres Gonzalez Video Staff

High School Memory: Graduating high school with my friends and having a great time Advice: Get involved in school whether its clubs or sports and find something that will help you meet new people and entertain yourself.

College/Major: University of Tampa/ Communications Future Hopes: Graduate from college, get a job, and live a happy successful life.

Quote: “Seize the day”

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SGA induction ceremony Lauren Ramirez Staff Writer

O n Friday, April 25th 2013, the lights of the River of Grass auditorium dimmed as the annual Student Government Association (SGA) induction ceremony began.

Student Government members filed into the auditorium looking their very best and made their way into the reserved seats in the front row of the auditorium. The first person to take the stage for the night was junior Nina Abrishami, next school year’s Student Government Vice President. She spoke fondly of memories from this past school year and hopeful ambitions for the year to come. After Abrishami’s speech, two term Student Government President Sofia Lalinde (’15) took over and spoke highly of both the SGA class and their advisor, Mr. Velasquez.

“It may sound cheesy, but this year’s Student Government class is truly my family.

I don’t know what I would do without these incredible students in my life, and our amazing advisor Mr. Velasquez helping us every step of the way” said Lalinde.

The next event of the night followed shortly after, with Student Government historian, Nicole Scort (’15) showing a video she made showcasing pictures of different SGA events and memories from throughout the school year. At this point, the students in SGA that are seniors were in for a surprise. Each senior had a speech written about them by an underclassman. The speeches detailed memories, funny moment and smiles that induced tears from members. By the end of the speech portion, the love each and every SGA member holds for each other and the orga-

nization was clear.

This was the point in the night when the official induction began; the current students holding the positions of President, Vice President, Historian, Parliamentarian, Treasurer, Secretary, and class senators each lit a candle representing their position in the organization. Then, the students who would be taking their place in these positions for the next school year came on stage and lit their own candles. The students then blew out the candles of their predecessors to represent their taking over of the club’s executive board.

At the end of the night, the SGA students gave their teacher, mentor, and club advisor, Mr. Velasquez, a present as a token of their gratitude towards him for all he puts into the organization. The students were then each awarded a superlative showing something they excelled at or something that represented them that school year.

“The initiation was a great experience, I’m so glad I had the opportunity to attend it after all Student Government has meant to me. I’m so grateful for this experience”, says sophomore Saman Govaria. Each and every SGA member was overjoyed by how well the night turned out. It was a great opportunity for the students to reminisce in the memories this past school year has brought them through SGA and to look forward to making new memories in the club’s future.

Laughter is the best medicine

Comedian: Senior Andy Iglesias makes the crowd laugh by sharing his comedic talent.

Photo by: Rebecca Gonzalez

Stand-Up Comedy at Charter: Juniors Nick Berardino and Ethan Coe played a part in ensuring Jag.DOT’s success in their comedy night. Photo by: Rebecca Gonzalez

The best of NHS take on a new role

Melissa Sullivan

Applications were submitted, new members were inducted, and meetings began to take place. It was official; NHS was set for another great year with the leaders of PPCHS. There was only one thing missing: officers. Who would be the members to lead these

Staff Writer

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leaders? On Wednesday, April 23rd, members of NHS, new and old stood in front of their new club members hoping to make an impact with their speeches. Positions to be voted for were President, Vice President, Secretary, Traveling Secretary and Historian.

The current President, Melissa Gianello, ran the meeting along with Mrs. Rudd. The hopeful contenders stood at the front of the River of Grass Auditorium while Melissa announced their names.

The students had about a minute to tell their peers why they were the best choices. They spoke of their achievements in and out of the classroom, told about their leadership positions and more. One speaker that stood out was junior Noah Levy. Rather than speaking of his achievements, he made a point that all of the students there are qualified, and it is not what they have done but what they will do for the future of the club. Even though Noah was the only one running for the Traveling Secretary position, his speech influenced what the other contenders would say after him, making the competition tighter across the board.

The Historian position was being ran for by two very creative individuals who made a point that they were going to be at every event, camera in hand ready to snap a shot of every member. At the end of the day, junior Deepthi Gangaram came out on top for the position. Her creative abilities proved to impress the NHS members; she made a point that the scrap book at the end of the year would be one like no other. The Secretary position was run for by three members, but junior Rianna Haniff’s speech put her over the

other candidates as she talked about h single meeting.

The only positions left to be spoken f shoes to fill after being elected. When ed about her volunteering efforts and t the end of the day, this along with her year. Finally, the Presidential candidat told the members all about her leaders effort and dedication would go into N Mrs. Rudd, the sponsor for NHS was elections. It was my first election as a great to work with. I know whoever w high expectations for next year,” she s With the final touch being made for N previous leaders, this new board will b

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New SGA Members: Juniors Nina Abrishami, Sofia Vargas, Annette Rotunno, Sofia Lalinde, Nikki Scort, Camille Haynes, Emily Rangel, and Sophomre Alejandra Garcia are excited to take up their new positions in SGA. Photo donated by: Sofia Lalinde

Photo donated by: SGA

Nicholas Rivera Staff Writer

O n May 5th, the Jag Doctors of Tomorrow hosted a PPCHS first. They held a Charter comedy night at the River of Grass Theater, with tickets sold for three dollars pre-sale and five dollars at the door in order to raise money for Rebati Sante Mentale, a non-profit organization located in Haiti that focuses on establishing a healthy mental health in Haiti.

For a club that began only at the end of last year, they have made a bang at PPCHS. From the start, Jag DOT wanted to get their name out and help those who had dreams of entering the medical field. The idea began towards the beginning of the 4th quarter when Mollie Bayer pitched the idea to the club. From there, the club’s heads began working to prepare something that Pines Charter has never seen. Students and teachers showed their anticipation for the event since the first announcement.

“I was really excited for the Jag DOT comedy night. I’ve always loved laughter and humor and I think it’s great that a club decided to fundraise in a different way.

While I like some of the other events of the school, I had high hopes for this particular event. In my opinion it was a success and I am looking forward to attending the comedy night throughout all of high school,” said freshman Nicolas Raimont.

Hosted by senior Alden Diaz, the night was filled with laughter and joy as students and special guests performed. Among the performers were Andrew Iglesias, Sabrina Causing and special guest Ray Dass, who also helped to sponsor the show. All

different forms of comedy were performed including skits and stand-up, and shirts were available for sale as well. At the end of the show, Mr. Bayer welcomed Stanley Rigaud - a representative from the organization - to the stage. He showed his thanks by rewarding the school with a plaque and a microphone trophy for the students who performed. Upon leaving the auditorium, those who attended were urged to tip their favorite performers, who anxiously waited outside the double doors. All of the money collected would be donated.

“We were excited to see how much money we could raise. Being that this is one of our main events that we’ve done as a club, it helped to show where we’ve come over the last year. I was really happy with the turnout. We raised over two thousand dollars for the organizations, half of which was made just with tips. This means that we were able to reach our goal of two thousand. With the success of the show this year, we would like to hold another comedy night next year, hopefully earlier in the year. I’m really looking forward to donating the money to Rebati Sante Mentale,” says Deepthi Gangaram, co-president of Jag DOT. All of the money raised at the show, both in ticket sales and tips, will be going to Haiti as a donation to the Rebati Sante Mentale organization. The Jag DOT members would like to thank everyone who supported the show and the organization.

Look out next year for the announcement because the members want even more people to come out and have a good laugh.

her ability to note crucial information and discussed that she was dedicated to being at every

for were Vice President and President; it was time to bring in the big dogs. They would have big Samantha Espinal stood at the front of the auditorium, she was confident but humble. She talktold the students she would be able to bring more opportunities with volunteering to the club. At r words of devotion to NHS got her named as Vice President of the club for the 2014-15 school tes shared their speeches with the members. When it was junor Christna Yeh’s turn to speak, she ship position in clubs at PPCHS, volunteer work outside of school, and promised that her best NHS this upcoming year. She came out on top of the race and was named the President of NHS. s excited to say the least about the way the elections turned out. “I was really excited about the sponsor of the club and I was excited because every single candidate was strong and would be won will do a good job. The officers that were voted for are a great bunch and I have extremely said.

NHS this year, the club is set for success in the 2014-15 school year. By filling the shoes of the bring fresh ideas to the table for NHS as well as the school as a whole.

The NHS Team: Juniors Noah Levy, Yasir Nagi, Christina Yeh, Samantha Espinal, and Deepthi Gangaram hope to use their ideas to make NHS better and better. Photo by: Juan Tellez

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The most succesful ye Alexys

Managin

H ard work. Dedication. Heart. All of these components went any other. Yes, over the years different teams have accomplish

teams- girls’ volleyball, boys’ water polo, baseball and boys’ ba made it to the Regional Quarter finals, and baseball and basketb both made it to States for the doubles and team, and the girls a it to the State Quarter Final game. The girls’ soccer team made the softball team, who has made it to the final game for the pas ccross - country team left their mark as well. Even though not year that they ever have. If they keep on this track, they will mak expectations once again.

Photo by: Peter Dourvetakis

Photo by: Peter Dourvetakis Photo by: Jonathan Harris

Photo by: Alex Monge

Photo by: Alex Monge

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Photo by: Alex Monge

Photo by: Rebecca Gonzalez

ear in Charter history Nowak

ng

Editor

into the sports teams at PPCHS this year, making it a year unlike hed feats, but this year, history was made across the board. Four asketball all made it to Regionals this year. The volleyball team ball went to the Regional Finals. The boys’ and girls’ tennis teams also had players go for singles. The girls’ water polo team made e it to the State semi-final game. The one team to win states was st three years. Track had three runners make it to states, and the everyone one, the Charter teams accomplished the most in one ke it to the same spot next year, and hopefully exceed everyone’s

Photo by: Alex Monge

Photo by: Alex Monge

Photo by: Rebecca Gonzalez

Photo by: Alex Monge

Photo by: Alex Monge

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sports

Demi Iglesias

Top Eight Track R Camille Nugnet

Sophomore Camille Nugent has always been a fan of individual sports, but the one she B eing an athlete in a sport like track and field requires many different skill sets. A person has to be agile, fast, have stamina, and the drive to be the best. All of these attributes personally excels in is track. Nugent has been running track since she was seven years are just the start when it comes to describing a Pines Charter athlete for track and field, freshman Demi Iglesias. Wanting to try another sport other than the one she loved as a child, softball, Iglesias decided to take her talents to the track. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of her young life; she has found a passion for the sport and true satisfaction every time she crosses the finish line.

“It was a big leap for me to try out track and field. I wasn’t really familiar with the sport, but it seemed to appeal to me for some odd reason. I’m just glad that I made the right choice,” says Iglesias.

One of the top five runners in the District, Iglesias competed in the 800 meter and 800 meter relay at this year’s District tournament. She turned in a personal best 2 minutes 36 seconds in the 800 meter, which was good enough to put her in 3rd place and qualify for Regionals. In the 800 meter relay, Iglesias and her team also qualified for Regionals by placing 2nd. However, Iglesias feels that there is room for improvement. One area that needs to be worked on, according to her, is her form. As the post-season is underway, Iglesias believes that with her improvements, she can advance to States next year with no problem. The limit for this freshman is sky high.

old and takes after her father who also ran track in high school. This is Nugent’s first year being a member of the PPCHS track team despite starting at such a young age.

“I was never going to stop track, I just decided to take a break for a year,” says Nugent.

“Now that I’m starting again, a lot of training will be necessary for me to reach the level I was at before.” However, despite her temporary break from track during her freshmen year, Nugent has already had astounding success with PPCHS. Nugent ran a meet on Wednesday, April 9th and came in first place in both the 100m and 200m races, taking only 27.06 seconds to finish the 200 meter. Her success put her through to regionals where she competed with many of the top runners in Broward County. At regionals, Nugent made it to the finals in both events and came fifth in the 100 meter and sixth in the 200 meter. Nugent’s main role model growing up into the brilliant athlete she is today was Sanya Richards, a three time Olympic gold medalist for the United States Olympic Track and Field Team. Richards, who attended the same church as Nugent for several years inspired her to never give up and taught her that the four most important aspects of being a successful athlete are “hard work, dedication, commitment and sacrifice.”

Justin Ortiz

Daniel Penaranda

Jtheunior Justin Ortiz is one of the best runners on the PPCHS track team. He ran a 4:40 on mile and a 2:06 on the 800 meter. He joined the team last school year, and has put in

W hen junior Daniel Penaranda wakes up every day, he looks forward to what is awaiting him; not the school day, but doing what he loves after. He looks forward to his after-

the time and energy to improve his technique and running abilities. Ortiz wasn’t always a runner; in fact, he used to play basketball at PPCHS. Both Justin Ortiz and his brother, Brandon Ortiz, played junior varsity basketball. As a way to get in shape for basketball, they both started running track last year. As the track season continued, Ortiz began to improve until he achieved the status as one of the team’s top runners. Eventually, Ortiz made the decision to focus on running instead of basketball because it would give him a better chance to get into college. In order for that to happen, Ortiz believes he needs to practice even harder.

“I need to train harder and put more hours into my running,” said Ortiz. “I need to be well rested, and keep working at my running. Just keep pushing.”

Ortiz is the first person in his family to run competitively. As the first, he is trying to set an example for all those who come after him this season. This track season, Ortiz wishes to do better in each event he participates in.

“I want to break some of my personal records,” said Ortiz. “I want to go in the low 4:30s in the mile and break 2 minutes in the 800 meter.”

At Districts, Ortiz was one spot away from qualifying for regionals in the mile.

He ran a time of 4:46, which earned him a fifth place spot. Ortiz lost to three of his teammates: junior Carlos Penaranda, junior Danny Penaranda, and senior Andy Iglesias. Ortiz hopes to use this as motivation to go all the way next year.

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school sport for Pines Charter, track and field. A seasoned veteran for the team, Penaranda has been running track for three years now. Along with his experience, consistency has been a major factor for him each season, placing towards the top in many meets. Being supported by his family and driven to beat his teammate and brother, Carlos, is what has motivated Penaranda to be the best that he can possibly be.

“I just have a passion for running and I always try to get the fastest time possible. Whenever I am on the track, I feel at peace and think happy thoughts. When I’m in that state of mind, nothing can phase me,” says Penaranda.

Primarily competing in the distance running portion, Penaranda runs in the 800 meter and 800 meter relay. He is exceptional when it comes to closing out the race; he does not slow down until he reaches the finish line. As the regular season came to a close, Penaranda is hoped that he and the team will perform well in the postseason, and that’s exactly what they did. If he continues his incredible work ethic, he will exceed his expectations and hopefully impress colleges across the nation.

Photos by: Al

Runners at PPCHS Kali Hazera

sports

Leysha Caraballo

K ali “kiwi” Hazera picked up her running shoes at the age of 7 and hasn’t taken them Making her big debut last track season, junior Leysha Caraballo prominently expressoff since. “My dad has been running since he was 8 and my mom used to run when I was es that she is a swimmer at heart. She has been swimming laps around her competitors a young girl so I started with them,” she exclaimed. Hazera began competitively running track and cross country in the seventh grade.

The PPCHS track team has a close meaning to her because Coach Joseph Hazera, her father, inspired her to run. “We put our relationship of father and dad off until we’re off the track. He treats me as if I’m one of the other runners.” She spent many days with the team when she was little and now as a sophomore has earned an official jersey of her own.

She calls the team her family and credits the sport of running to relieving stress but also a challenge.

Fierce and competitive, she steps to the line in her favorite event: the 800 m dash. “I like the fact that in order to be fast you have to try as hard as you can, not just start winning races since day one, and I like that I’m never satisfied because I’m always striving for better times in races. Because it’s middle distance, there’s speed needed and also endurance which are both very hard to get evenly and run a fast time,” says Hazera. Although young, Kali accomplished a lot at the 2014 Track Districts; she came in fifth place in the mile race and qualified for regional finals in the two-mile as the top four girls. Kali plans to take her talents to college and continue the legacy of running in her family.

Carlos Penaranda

for seven years, which played a big part in her decision to run. Caraballo embraced the challenge of conditioning and used its demanding nature to her benefit. Every other day at swim practice, she found herself running over two miles. After realizing she can endure that, the decision to join the team seemed all too easy.

The intensity gives Caraballo the stamina to keep pushing on the track. To keep at the top of her game, she looks at the top girls in south Florida and works to get on their level, and hopefully surpass them. Her races are the 800 meter, the 2 mile, and the mile, but her favorite is the mile. Her best time is an astonishing 5:57.

“My favorite memory of the season is killing a hard workout by going under all the set times. I feel so accomplished after, and knowing that I’m improving myself for swimming and track makes it all worth it,” she exclaimed. “I hope to one day make be accepted into the University of Florida not only for sports but for my academics. I would love to run cross country for them.”

At the 2014 District Competition, Caraballo went above and beyond by coming in 4th place in the mile and was able to qualify for Regionals at Miami Dade North College.

Eight girls marked their place in regionals; Leysha is happy to be making PPCHS history.

Andy Iglesias

A fter wanting to get involved with the school, Junior Carlos Penaranda is one of the The heart and soul of PPCHS may just in fact lie in this one student: Andy Iglesias. many members of the PPCHS track team that headed to states. In addition, his twin brothThis senior has brought laughs to so many students throughout his years at PPCHS and er Danny Penaranda is heading to states with him. He has huge goals ahead for himself for the state competition. He hopes to break his record time of 4:20 in the mile and his record time of 1:55 in the 800 meter. Penaranda also hopes to be in the top four in the state in his main events which include the 1600 meter and 800 meter races. Recently, Penaranda went to districts for the 1600 meter race and got a time of 4:30.9.

“Going to states shows that I am the fastest and that I am unstoppable. It was great for college recruiters to see all the accomplishments that I have made on the track team and in the classroom,” says Penaranda.

All along, Penaranda has expected the team to go to states because they have a strong team with members that are the best in the state and the team is there to support each other even though track is an individual sport. His mentor for track is his teammate, senior Andrew Iglesias, who helps him strive to be the best he can be both in and out of the track field.

For the future, Penaranda hopes to attend the University of Florida and run track there.

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his endless efforts out on the track make him that much more of an outstanding person.

In Iglesias’ fourth and final season as a Jaguar, he looked forward to winning a state title in the 1600 meter (mile) and getting his time down to a 4:10 compared to a 4:17, which he used to have. With the 1600 and 3200 meter as his two events, Iglesias looked to outrun his opponents. He did indeed outrun his opponents as Iglesias ran a 4:30 on the mile and a 10:20 in the two-mile.

Iglesias believes that the track team has in fact exceeded expectations considering they swept the mile and 2-mile at the County Championship.

“I’ll never forget competing and bonding with such a great group of guys. I’ve been blessed with a great support crew these past four years and I don’t think I would have done it any other way. I’ve had way too much fun in school and having an audience for my shenanigans and ridiculousness has been awesome,” said Iglesias.

As for college, the University of Florida was very interested in what Iglesias had to offer and he has decided to commit there. Iglesias’ unique personality both on and off the track has caught many eyes across the county and even the state. All PPCHS has to say for this athlete is: thank you, just simply thank you.

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Coming out of the water on top Matthew Deno Staff Writer

T uesday, April 15th, marked an amazing day for both the Pines Charter boys’ and girls’ Water Polo teams. It was the day of the District tournament, with

many teams in Broward County looking to come out with the championship.

As the players entered the water, they set their minds to focus on one single goal: to get the title of District champions. Both the boys and girls were going to be in store for a long day of intense work as they fought their way to being crowned champs. In the end, it paid off for both teams as they grinded their way to achieving their goal of being at the top.

First, the boys matched up against the South Broward Bulldogs in the semi-finals, but the game proved to be no match for the Jags. From the start, the Jags pounced on every scoring opportunity in what eventually led to a 16-3 blowout win. After their lopsided victory, they would face a much tougher opponent in Cooper City for the District crown. Cooper City beat out Flanagan 17-9 in their semi-final game. In this winner take all game, the Jags come out slow and were down 7-5 at the half. However, the Jags weren’t ready to give up just yet. With senior Blake Kelley and sophomore Alexander Viloria, who scored four goals each, leading the way, the Jags managed to start a comeback and entered the final frame with a slim 10-8 lead. Looking to put away Cooper City for good, junior Noah Hernandez stepped up with two huge goals late in the game and the Jags ended up with a 13-9 victory.

“This game definitely was the best of my high school career. I remember playing here last year when we lost, and this just shows that all of our teams’ efforts have paid off,” says Hernandez.

As for the girls, they started their District run against the Flanagan Falcons in the semi-final. It also proved to be a cakewalk as they cruised to an easy 12-2 win. All that game did was give them the confidence they needed heading into the difficult District final game. Their opponents were the South Broward Bulldogs, who beat Cooper City 4-2 in their semi-final matchup. In the opening minutes of the contest, the Jags jumped out to an early lead, scoring goals at a rapid pace. This pace continued throughout the first half and into the third quarter, as they led 9-1 heading into the fourth. Junior goalkeeper Rebecca Gonzalez wasn’t letting anyone score on her, as she recorded a remarkable total of 11 saves. The Bulldogs started to rally late, scoring two quick goals, but it was shut down just as quick, as the game ended with the Jags winning 9-3. Senior captain Marcela Gallardo led the team with five goals while Junior Victoria Hill and sophomore Jessica Cordero pitched in two goals each.

“The whole team is very excited about our win in the District final. We weren’t sure if we were even going to play the game because we were worried about not having enough players. Thankfully, we ended up having enough and played an awesome game that really showed our improvement and dedication,” says Gallardo.

Both teams geared up for regionals which took place on Tuesday, April 22nd.

The tournament was held at Lake Lydel High School in West Palm Beach. For the boys’ team, they were able to breeze through the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, setting up a huge Regionals final match-up with Suncoast High School.

In what turned out to be the toughest game for Charter this season, the team came up just short at the last second, losing 13-12 in nail-biting fashion.

As for the girls’ squad, they were able to get past Regionals after facing a tough test in the final match. It was the first Regional championship victory in the history of Charter water polo. This win propelled the girls’ into a State quarterfinal match with defending State champion Miami Gulliver Prep. Knowing that they were the reigning champs, the Jags knew that they had to bring their ‘A’ game if they wanted to advance. Held at Ransom Everglades in Miami, the game turned for the worst in the beginning, as Gulliver got out to a 9-0 lead. Heading into halftime, the girls’ needed to change their plans for making a comeback. In the second half, the Jags showed some fight by scoring some early goals. However, their comeback fell short as they lost the contest 145. Senior Marcela Gallardo and sophomore Leila Hathaway scored two goals each for the team. This loss, though, does not take away from what the team was able to accomplish.

“Making it here in itself was a great honor and for me it’s about having fun with my teammates. We played our game and we did what we could and we had a good time,” says Hathaway.

Looking back, this year proved to be one to be proud of, as both the boys’ and girls’ water polo teams won Districts for the first time in a few years. They were also able to perform extremely well at Regionals; the boys’ were runners-up and the girls’ were able to take home the Regional crown. Hopefully, this year’s success is a sign of things to come in the future, but what we know for sure, though, is that the trophy case in the administration building just got a little more crowded.

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Photo by: Rebecca Gonzalez

Photo by: Rebecca Gonzalez

Photo by: Rebecca Gonzalez

sports

Jags baseball makes history Brett Alayon Sports Editor

W hen a team has one goal, it’s amazing beyond anyone’s imagination how close they become over the course of a season. For PPCHS’ very own varsity

baseball team, their goal was to make it to states and quiet the critics. Although they were just a few outs from completing their goal, the mark these Jaguars made on and off the field will always be remembered.

With last year’s disappointing finish of 11-12 and an early loss in the regional quarterfinal round to Mater Academy, the Jaguars made sure an early exit was out of the question for the 2014 season. After losing several seniors and a handful of transfers, the Jags baseball team appeared to be on track for yet another average season; however their 19-5 record proved otherwise.

“When we lost last year to Mater Academy, one of our coaches gathered us together and told us to remember this feeling and make sure it doesn’t happen again. He also mentioned that he believed we would go really far in the playoffs,” said junior Anthony Gomez.

The Jags started off with a statement win on the road as they demolished the Western Wildcats in their first game with a score of 13-3; Bethune-Cookman

Photo by: Peter Dourvetakis

recruit Danny Melgarejo had one of his best performances of the season. The following day the Jags fell to the Cooper City Cowboys in their home-opener with a score of 5-0. This was the only time the Jags were shutout all season long, but this minor bump in road proved to motivate the players; they followed this loss with a five-game winning streak defeating two tough teams in Belen Jesuit and Cypress Bay. Success was the one aspect this team yearned for day in and day out. Head coach Carlos Iglesias emphasized the importance of practicing as hard as you possibly can every day in order to receive the results you’re looking for. Collectively, the Jags produced an outstanding .305 batting average which proved to be one of the best in South Florida. Led by senior Jake Jacobs (.414 batting average) and junior Danny Rodriguez-Velez (9 homeruns and 34 RBI), the Jags opened many eyes as a postseason competitor.

With a total of 14 juniors on the baseball team, the underclassmen took it upon themselves to lead the Jags along with the five seniors to success. Shortstop Anthony Gomez hit for .300; he was one of the team’s most clutch hitters. Outfielder Anthony Nogueiras used his speed to track down fly balls and steal bases as his on-base percentage was an impressive .346. Catcher Trent Herzog was an absolute vacuum behind the plate and at the plate; he hit 2 homeruns with an impressive batting average of .327. Leadoff hitter and second baseman Alex Monge-Rodriguez did his job as he had an on-base percentage of .348 and scored a total of 23 runs to get the Jags going every game.

On the mound, seniors Derick Garcia and Danny Melgarejo and junior Brett Alayon were the core of the baseball team’s pitching staff and led the team to an unreal 1.53 ERA. Derick Garcia was an all-around beast for the Jags; he batted .319 at the plate and had an ERA of 1.02 on the hill. Danny Melgarejo proved why he is playing college baseball at a Division I school as he pitched 37.2 innings and struck out 51 batters. Brett Alayon pitched a total of 28 innings, had an

ERA of 0.75 and struck out 22 hitters. He and the rest of the pitching staff seek to carry the Jags next season.

Any baseball fan will tell you that there is nothing like playoff baseball ranging from high school all the way to the pros. When the postseason rolls around, every team is back to a record of 0-0 and all the statistics from the regular season are put in the books. The mindset of each player and coach of the PPCHS baseball team heading into the playoffs was to simply “survive and advance.”

In the District Championship game, the Jags took on the Boynton Beach Tigers seeking their first ever District Championship title. Senior Derick Garcia pitched six solid innings allowing no runs and fellow senior Danny Melgarejo pitched the 7th inning to seal the deal. With a 3-0 victory, the baseball team dog piled at the pitcher’s mound for their 6A District 14 Title. Despite this accomplishment, the Jags were hungry for more.

Home field advantage is huge in the postseason and the Jags earned that right in their regional quarterfinal game against South Fork. The score was tied late in the game until senior Micah Baxter-Miller delivered a double to the left field

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fence, giving the Jags a 4-2 lead. Miller was one of the Jags best base stealers all year long and his leadership was one of the several reasons for the Jags success.

Senior Derick Garcia pitched a complete game to lead his team to a 4-3 win and clinch a spot in the regional semi-finals.

On Tuesday, May 6, the Jaguars traveled up to Okeechobee High School to battle for a spot in the regional final game. Late-game magic appeared once again for the Jags; junior Anthony Gomez had a single to left field to give the Jags a 3-0 lead. Junior Trent Herzog hit a huge homerun to give the Jags a 4-0 advantage.

That was all the run support Derick Garcia would need as he pitched a complete game shutout, his second of the season.

One more game. Just one more game and the Jaguars are going off to states. It was a revenge game against Mater Academy in the regional final game on Tuesday, May 13th. The stars had aligned for the Jags as they jumped out to a 4-0 lead thanks to an RBI single by Anthony Gomez, a sac fly by Jake Jacobs, and a couple past balls. Senior Derick Garcia pitched 5.2 innings allowing 3 runs before Danny Melgarejo and Brett Alayon came out of the bullpen to help close out the final 1.1 innings. Unfortunately, Mater Academy mounted a huge comeback in the 6th inning to give their team a 6-4 lead. This would be the final score of the game as the Jags lost in heart-breaking fashion.

“The loss surely was disappointing, but I couldn’t be more proud for how everyone played this season. I will never forget this team, never,” said senior Derick Garcia.

The Jaguars goal wasn’t entirely reached; however, much history was still made for PPCHS. For the seniors, their time is done and the baseball team cannot thank them enough for all that they have done for the program. As for next year, the feeling of just barely missing out on states will definitely stick with the returning players. They’ll do anything they can to assure their goal will be achieved next time around.

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sports

PPCHS Winter Sports honored by media Alexys Nowak Proof-Reader

O n every team, there are two different mindsets: go far in the season with the team, and make a name for yourself. The athletes at PPCHS who play soccer or basketball in the winter certainly did both of the above. Both teams created Charter history this year. PCB made it all the way to the Regional finals, a game they had never made it to before, and the Lady Jags soccer team made it all the way to the State Semi-finals. The boys’ soccer team made many adjustments after the majority of their team graduated and the team needed a new coach. Despite the changes, they managed to work as a team to be as successful as they could throughout the year. They made it to the district semi-finals, and went down with a fight after losing in penalty kicks. However, besides the success that the teams had this season, some of the athletes were honored by the Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald, being selected for either first team all-county, second team all-county or receiving an honorable mention. The first and second teams for both papers were the same, but the honorable mentions varied.

With the success of all three teams this year, it is no wonder the name Pines Charter was all over the papers. The athletes not only made a mark in the eyes of their teammates, parents or coach, but to other coaches that they went up against. Next year, there is sure to be even more success from the PPCHS winter sports teams.

Girls’ Soccer The girls this year made history multiple times as they went through their season. From the beginning of the year, Coach Carlos Velasquez, who received Broward County coach of the year for the 4A District, had extremely high expectations for the young team.

PPCHS had the most girls selected for first- team all-county out of all the other schools. Senior captain Mya Goodman, who led the team with 29 goals and 31 assists, and scored the running goal in overtime in the regional finals, was selected for the first team. She is also committed to Brandeis University.

“I was and still am so excited because this is something I’ve worked for since I started high school soccer, and being selected this year was just amazing!,” said Goodman.

Senior Amy Etchechury, a versatile player who helped the Jaguars in every position, was also selected. Junior Rachelle Smith was the final Jaguar to be selected; she is also committed to the University of Florida.

The one player who was selected for second team all-county was junior Courtney Zaher, who played midfield and forward for the Jags. She was a key factor when games came down to the line. Receiving honorable mentions were sophomores Sawyer Hall, Rachel Lorenzo, Alexys Nowak and Emely Sosa, junior Patricia

Yordan and senior captain Victoria Pineda.

Basketball

Boys’ Soccer

PCB created Charter history this year when they made it to the Regional finals.The whole year, they had a full gym to watch their games. It’s no question that the PPCHS family looked forward to the basketball season all year. Despite losing the final game, they are still one of the most successful teams Charter has ever had. Since basketball only selects five people for the all county team, it was an honor for junior Haanif Cheatham to be selected.

As a guard, Cheatham averaged 26.2 points per game. He was also honored with player of the year, and has ample amounts of colleges looking to recruit him. With so many options, Cheatham is sure to have a succesful career as a basketball player.

As a new addition to the team this year, Peter “Big Buck” Buckley was given an honorable mention. He was known around the school for his alley-oops, which impressed fans almost every game. His signature skill did not go unnoticed, and his future looks bright as an athlete. Buckley will be attending FSU next year, and will play basketball for them.

“It was really cool to be recognized so much by my school let alone by the whole county, so I’m really excited that I got to play on such a great team and also benefit myself,” said Buckley.

After rebuilding their team this year, they boiys battled every single game. They all worked together as a team, and even though they did not get the exact outcome that they wanted, they still have much to be proud of. The boys had only one player selected for first team all-county, senior Andre Blackman, who is committed to FGCU. He is a defender who also works his way up the field on the attack. As a very quick player on the field, Blackman was able to lead the team offensively and defensively through the season.

“It felt amazing to be selected because it shows that my hard work and leadership the past four years didn’t go unnoticed,” said Blackman. “I also couldn’t have done it without the support of my teammates, family and fans who drove me and kept me calm throughout the season.”

Three seniors, goal keeper Kenny “K.C.” Felix, defender Bryan Wallace and midfielder Lucas Batista all received honorable mentions this year. These four seniors were all essential assets to the team, so the underclassman must really step up their game in order to fill their shoes next year.

“I’m really proud of myself and my team mates because I feel as if we put in a lot of effort this year as a whole. There were ups and downs but at the end of the day we pulled through,” said K.C.

Photos by: Rebecca Gonzalez and Alex Monge

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Gators: fast in the water, but faster on land Troy Bottom Staff Writer

A ndrew Iglesias. If you ask the 1700 students here at Pines Charter who Andy Iglesias is, more than half would know him by his voice that echoes all through the halls every morning at 9:35.

Some would recognize him as the jokester that wore the funky costumes during spirit week or maybe the guy that put a yarmulke on his head and asked his girlfriend to prom in front of the whole school with a massive sign written in Hebrew. Now if you were to ask the same question to the runners at let’s say West Broward or St. Thomas Aquinas, you may get different responses.

Off of school grounds, Andy is not known for putting smiles on people’s faces; instead, he is known for doing just the opposite. For a total of four years this humble star has dominated the county with his legs. Runners year after year have lined up side by side with him only to watch the back of his jersey the entire race. He is a prodigy at Pines Charter for Track and Cross Country, but he wouldn’t be the one to tell you that. Iglesias is a dying breed of athletes that run more than their mouth.

As early as his freshman and sophomore year, Iglesias began his streak of dominance. Iglesias just had a way of separating himself from the much older and experienced competition with dedication and his pure power and endurance which stems from his physical stature. His calves and quads alone are massive and resemble that of a senior college football running back. His core is solid and his form has been perfected with time and years of practice. Besides the evident physical intangibles, Iglesias possess the drive that makes him an ultimate competitor. When there is no coach looking, when people go out to parties, and when the rest of the world sleeps, Andy does the opposite of what his competition does. He gives it all he has; he hydrates for a track meet, and he trains at sunrise. It requires the mindset of a beast, the mindset of a Florida Gator.

With every great athlete comes great universities seeking their talents to fill a spot on their roster. With Iglesias earning recognition so early in his high school career, universities took note and paid close attention to the speedster as he went into his junior year. But with every great athlete there comes that bump in the road that requires them to hurdle and keep on going. For Iglesias, this came in the form of a stress reaction in his femur which sidelined him for most of the Cross Country season. It took months and a lot of rehab to finally get back to the form he was previously in. Some schools lost some interest, but Iglesias knew if he had a future in running that it would have to be in track season. With every meet, Iglesias improved and eventually got to districts, then regionals, and finally states. It was a long journey, and a season that was more than a chance to win states, but a chance to earn a paid education for the next four years. With the 2nd best mile time in the Sunshine State, colleges were calling 24/7. It came down to the University of Tulane and the University of Florida.

After a lot of thinking, Iglesias decided to join the 2013 National Champion Track and field team and the Gator nation.

“I was motivated to keep running because I knew that eventually I would overcome the injury and be able to compete at the collegiate level,” commented Iglesias.

On May 3rd, Iglesias headed up the road to Jacksonville to finish his season out with a bang. Pre-race, Iglesias sat there composed drinking his favorite pregame drink, a nice crisp glass of Coke Zero. Iglesias approached the line and prepped for the final sound of the gun he would hear in his glorious high school career. Bang. In that millisecond, the jokester turned serious, the laughs turned to focus, and “Andy” became a blur. Iglesias ran a speedy 4:20.19 in his farewell race, good enough to earn 8th place. It may not have been his ideal finish, but for Charter, Iglesias accomplished something PPCHS has yet to see.

After a glorious career in maroon and white, Iglesias will trade in his colors for a new orange and blue uniform. He will leave with some of the best times ever ran in a Charter jersey including a 4:17 mile, 9:34 two mile, and a 15:39 5k.

Iglesias truly left a legacy here for the Track and Cross Country programs and is arguably the best runner to walk these halls, and that is no joke.

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sports

Softball Sta

Grasy Gomez

Vanessa Huapaya

5’5 Freshman 10 years of experience (1 high school) “I have a love-hate relationship with softball, it’s physically draining and definitely pushes my physical and emotional limits. I continue playing purely for the love of the game. I honestly couldn’t imagine my life without it, I have made most of my close friends through it.”

5’2 Sophomore 9 years of experience (2 high school) “Softball is a game built off of errors and mistakes, whether the mistake is drastic or very minuet it is a mistake and you can never perfect the game of softball. It’s that sort of thing that you can always get better at, and I love that about softball.”

5’4 Junior 8 years of experience (3 high school) “Softball is great because it shows you what hard work and determination can lead to. I love playing for PPCHS because of my teammates, we’re a family and it’s the best feeling in the world to experience things like a state championship with people you’re so close too, who also want the same thing.”

Courtney Dart

Amy Etchechury

Demi Iglesias

5’4 Senior 13 years of experience (4 high school) “Softball is one of those sports that are unpredictable; you can be losing at one moment and then come out with a win the next. I love it because it’s a rush to not know what the outcome is going to be.”

5’5 Senior 2 years of experience (2 high school) “I love softball for the friends it brought me and the focus and dedication everyone around you has. I’m proud to be a part of the softball team.”

5’4 Freshman 10 years of experience (1 high school) “I like softball because it’s an extremely fun sport to play and it truly teaches you how to work with a team.”

Claire Blount

Julia Ramos

Kristen Grau

5’7 Freshman 7 years of experience (1 high school) “Softball means a lot to me because it’s something that all of my sisters play. My older sister got a softball scholarship to Miami Dade College and she really inspired me to want to play in college.”

4’11 Sophomore 5 years of experience (2 high school) “I love softball because it’s just everything. It means more to me than words can even describe. My whole life revolves around it and I have so much respect for the game. It’s the greatest game in the world.”

5’7

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Sophomore 11 years of experience (2 high school) “I love softball because any day a team can step it up. It’s a mind game and you can always improve. This sport means so much to me because I’ve been playing since I was a young kid.”

Kayla Borges

ate Champs

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Bridget Blount

Samantha Feinstein

Michelle Alongi

5’10 Senior 13 years of experience (4 high school) “I love softball because it’s a team sport, but it’s also very competitive. I love that you have to make quick decisions and be quick on your feet. I love that it’s a place where you can go and don’t have to think and instead just react. Softball is something that will always challenge me and the thing I love most of all is the friendships I create with my teammates.”

5’5 Freshman 7 years of experience (1 high school) “I love softball because of the thrill of the game, because of the feeling you get from a walk-off hit, and because of the friendships you make along the way. To me, softball means a way for me to relax and not have to worry about school or other things.”

5’1 Junior 12 years of experience (3 high school) “The best part about softball is the team aspect, how we’re like a family on and off the field and how we work hard for not only ourselves, but for each other. Softball means a lot to me although it requires a lot of dedication, but it’s always worth it in the end.”

Sophia DeVesa

Jessica Ibarra

Lindsey Fishbach

5’9 Junior 13 years of experience (3 high school) “I love softball because it’s fun and I just love playing it. It’s literally my life and I never get a break from it.”

5’1 Freshman 4 years of experience (1 high school) “I love softball because it’s a sport I find interest in and it’s always fun to be on teams and have people who got your back.”

5’7 Sophomore 5 years of experience (2 high school) “I love the relationship between everyone and I love the dedication it takes. When we won states, it showed all the hard work we put in really paid off. Softball is more than a sport, it’s a lifestyle.”

Jamie Gonzalez

Jalynn Ealey

Alyssa Pena

5’7 Senior 10 years of experience (4 high school) “I love softball because no matter what there’s always a challenge to overcome. Whether it’s doing something different at-bat or on the field defensively, there’s always a chance in the game. The team who adjusts faster will come out on top.”

5’2 Freshman 6 years of experience (1 high school) “I love softball because it’s an active sport and I love traveling to play other teams. Softball is my life and it’s a side of me I don’t ever want to let go.”

5’3 Freshman 9 years of experience (1 high school) “I love softball because it’s my life and I love the feeling of being out there. My team becomes a family out there and softball teaches us to work as hard as we possibly can.”

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2014 NFL Sche

Brett A Sports

W ell, here we go again; another hig in early September this year. By then,

another “heart-warming” or “heart-brea is review the potential best games for th

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Week 1: Green Bay Packers @ Seattle Seahawks: Quarterback Russell Wilson will be entering his third season in the NFL with a Super Bowl title already under his belt. His opponent, quarterback Aaron Rodgers of Green Bay, will be looking to stun Seattle on the road in the very first game of the 2014 NFL season.

Week 2: Detroit Lions @ Carolina Panthers: Calvin Johnson, better known as Megatron, and the Lions will battle Cam Newton and the Panthers who lost to the 49ers in the NFC playoffs last season. Matthew Stafford is ready to make a postseason run, but will the Lions defense hold their weight?

Week 3: San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals finished with an unexpected record of 10-6 last season, yet missed the playoffs. The 49ers are considered one of the elite teams in all of the NFL. In Week 3, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and his team will look to get an early boost with a win at home against their divisional rivals.

Week 7: San Francisco 49ers @ Denver Broncos: At this point in the season, I wouldn’t be shocked if one of these teams were undefeated. Both of these powerhouses were eliminated by Seattle last year and are hungry for the Lombardi trophy. MVP Peyton Manning of the Broncos and Colin Kaepernick of the 49ers will battle in the freezing cold on a Sunday night. It will be a good one, trust me.

Week 8: Chicago Bears @ New England Patriots: Gillette Stadium isn’t a stadium. It’s Tom Brady’s house. For the past ten years, Brady and his Patriots have defended his house in a dominant way. And just days before Halloween, Jay Cutler, Matt Forte and the Bears are primed for a huge road win at the halfway point of the 2014 season.

Week 9: Denver Broncos @ New England Patriots: How could this not be the game of the week? It’s two of the all-time greats going at it once again.

Who will win this fight? It’s always a close one, and this game may decide who grabs the number one seed in the AFC. Thank you Mr. Manning and Mr. Brady, for giving us all the pleasure of watching you two go at it year in and year out.

Week 13: Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers: There is a boatload of outstanding games in Week 13, but what beats this primetime Thanksgiving matchup? The 49ers will host their arch rivals in a brand-new stadium, but the bitter memories from Candlestick still remain in both teams’ hearts.

Week 14: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals: I wish I knew where the Bengals and Steelers will be at the time of the year. Will they be at the bottom of the AFC North division, top, or in the middle? The Steelers were just a missed field goal away from the playoffs last year and the Bengals were disappointingly knocked out at home in the first round. Week 14 won’t be a battle between these two teams, it will be a war.

Week 15: Washington Redskins @ New York Giants: Robert Griffin III was definitely not himself last year. It seemed as if they were out of the playoff hunt by the 5th game of the season. In their Week 15 matchup against the Giants, both teams may be battling for playoff spot. Boy, this will be an ugly one.

edule Released

sports

Alayon Editor

ghly-anticipated NFL season will begin all fans will be mentally prepared for aking” season. For now, all we can do he upcoming season. So let’s get to it:

Week 4: New Orleans Saints @ Dallas Cowboys: “America’s team” has all the tools they need to finally make a run in the postseason, but is Tony Romo ready to bare down in the final two minutes of the game? Drew Brees and the Saints are great in domes, so it will be a tough task for the Cowboys in Week 4.

Week 5: Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck has been phenomenal in regular season play in his first two seasons; however, he is 0-2 in his only two playoff games. The Ravens are ready to put last year’s 8-8 season in the books as Week 5’s best matchup will be a barn burner at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Week 6: New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles appeared to be the only NFC East team last year that had a clue of what they were doing.

This primetime matchup will be a huge opportunity for the G-men to steal one on the road. Only way that can happen is if last year’s leader in turnovers, Eli Manning, doesn’t in fact commit turnovers.

Week 10: Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers: The most historic rivalry in all of sports is renewed once again in early November as the Bears travel to the “Frozen Tundra”. The NFC North may be decided by this game as these two teams will battle on Sunday night football.

Week 11: Seattle Seahawks @ Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs started 9-0 last season. It is highly doubtful they will be at this mark by the time the Super Bowl champs come to town, but with a great head coach in Andy Reid and a great defense, they may very well be in the playoff mix. Quarterback Alex Smith is referred to as a “game manager” and it sure won’t be easy to “manage” a win against

Week 12: Baltimore Ravens @ New Orleans Saints: Monday Night Football. Last time the Ravens played in the Superdome was when they beat the 49ers in the 2013 Super Bowl. In week 12, it will be a lot different this time around as the Saints’ offense and loud crowd will not be easy to overcome for Baltimore.

Week 16: Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals: The Champs have showed up a lot on this timeline, but why shouldn’t they? When they travel to Arizona in Week 16 to take on a tough Cardinals team, head coach Pete Carol will be seeking the number one seed in the playoffs once again. For Arizona, they’re hoping their defense will carry them to their first playoff berth in five seasons.

Week 17: New York Jets @ Miami Dolphins: What a shocker. The New York Jets will come down to Miami to go head-to-head with the Dolphins for the last game of the season (third time in the past four years). This will more than likely decide the final playoff spot in the AFC. This rivalry will get heated once again. And fans for both teams couldn’t love this late-season action more.

It really does seem like the NFL gets more and more competitive every season. I mean who could have predicted that the Seahawks would embarrass the Broncos in the Super Bowl? San Francisco always finds a way to be in the mix and in head coach Jim Harbaugh I trust. With the 49ers coming out of the NFC, I can see the Patriots finally getting over the hump to reach the Super Bowl as well. “Offense wins games and defense wins championships.” I have the defensive 49ers sneaking by the offensive Patriots in the 49th Super Bowl. What a wild season it will be NFL fans; you’re in for yet another treat.

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sports Astrid Rigau: Girls’ Swimming

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thletic and passionate are two words that describe the drive exhibited by senior Astrid Rigau. Recruited by St. Leo University, Rigau will take her talents to the NCAA Division II College in Tampa Bay Florida in the fall, where she will continue to rip and race through the pool.

For all four years of high school, Astrid has been able to say that she was a proud Jaguar swimmer. Not only does she compete for school but she also swims for a club team. Going on her eighth year of club swimming, Rigau can credit her success to her experience of training in the pool by an elite Olympiad. “Swimming for club is the real thing, I love swimming for school but Club is different. Every day I go to the pool and train with an Olympiad and travel around Florida to compete,” said Rigau. The simple thought of swimming immediately lights her face up and her determination shines through her smile.

“Swimming is completely different then all the other sports; yes it’s a team sport but it’s also individual. You have to prepare mentally for races and I love that.”

Excelling in all events in the water, the 50 meter freestyle is her liberator. “In the freestyle I don’t have to think, I let it all go because I only have one shot,” said Rigau. For senior Astrid Rigau swimming is not just a sport but the water is her second home.

Andre Blackman: Boys’ Soccer

Troy Bottom: Football

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or Andre Blackman, soccer has been the only sport for him. His love of soccer has carried him throughout his years and has earned him a spot to play in college. Blackman will be taking his talents to Florida Gulf Coast University this fall with a scholarship to play for the Eagles.

One of Blackman’s favorite memories in his high school soccer career was beating Cypress Bay in the pouring rain. “I was super nervous for this game because I knew this matchup was going to be one of the toughest of the season. After Bryan Wallace scored, the Lightning had a breakaway and had beaten our goalie, so I sprinted my hardest and I stopped the ball right on the goal line before they could score. Lucas Batista then scored on a corner kick but the Lightning came back with two goals to tie the game. Roberto Coltrarro then tapped it in in the last couple minutes of the game for us to win 3-2,” Blackman explained.

Andre Blackman will continue to play defense whether it be center back collegiately or right back when he plays internationally for Barbados U21. Blackman will miss his friends and the bragging rights that came with the Jags successful season. Blackman will continue to grow and become a better player. His position will be hard to fill and his fellow Jags will miss him greatly.

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aving played on the PPCHS Football team since his freshman year, senior Troy Bottom has sure left his footprint on the school. Bottom began his freshman year on JV and moved up to Varsity during his junior year. Bottom was the only student from PPCHS to be nominated for the Brian Piccolo Student Athlete Award, an award which focuses on grades as well as athletic ability. Along with his achievements on the football field, Bottom has also excelled in journalism. He became a part of the CHAT Newspaper half way through his freshman year where he held three editor positions, the most recent one being Sports Editor. Bottom foung a way to combine his love for sports and writing when he took on this task. Even though football was not what Bottom thought he would play, he doesn’t regret a thing/ “I thought that playing football was a really good experience. I didn’t think I would play football when I came to high school but I decided to because of my size. I also gained lifelong friends. It was the best decision I have ever made,” says Bottom.

Bottom had many offers throughout the country, but fell in love with one school. He will be attending Valparaiso University as a Crusader in the fall to play the sport he loves.

Senior A Nikki Brito: Girls’ Volleyball

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he lifestyle of a volleyball player involved a lot of dedication, and I’ll miss being able to dedicate myself to it.” Senior Nikki Brito has been paying volleyball since middle school. She joined the high school team her freshman year, and made an impact every season she played. As a senior, Brito mainly played as middle and as a setter. All throughout her high school career, one memory stood out the most to Brito.

“Traveling to Jacksonville for a tournament was definitely my favorite memory. That was my first far tournament my on the school team and it was just an all-around fun experience,” said Brito. “We played tough teams that we wouldn’t have played otherwise, and our team bonded really well at that tournament.”

Brito decided not to try to play on a college team, but plans to play intramurals at FIU and will also be involved in sand volleyball tournaments at the beach. Even though she will be embarking on new experiences, Brito will definitely miss the team aspect at PPCHS. “Being on a team was something I valued because I got to have friends who understood how difficult balancing school and sports could be.

It was also cool to be able to work with them to be better players and a better team.”

As Nikki moves onto her new college life, volleyball will forever be a part of her. Whether she’s on a team or not, her heart will always be on the court.

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Bradley Villa: Boys’ Volleyball

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ollowing in his brother’s footsteps, Bradley Villa decided to take on the sport of volleyball in middle school. After finding a passion for the sport, he decided to continue on throughout his four years of high school and as a senior, made a name for himself as an outside hitter and led PCV through a year they would never forget. With the boys’ volleyball team being successful this year, Bradley was able to enjoy his senior year with his teammates who also became friends off the court.

“I loved practicing and playing games with my teammates. I got to play with people I liked being around and I also made new friends along the way,” Villa said.

Villa will be attending Florida State University after he graduates.

Even though there is not a boys’ volleyball team there, he will be playing on intermural teams as a Seminole. This is the one thing that Villa will miss the most about high school volleyball: the fact that playing was always competitive.

“I am excited that I will still be able to play volleyball at college, but I will really miss playing competitively for my school and having a place to represent,” he said.

With both of the Villa boys’ graduated, Charter will be looking for a new name to take the legacy. However, the shoes of Bradley Villa will not be easy to fill.

Karina Torres: Girls’ Track

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s PPCHS student Karina Torres approached the final weeks of her senior year, she was reluctant to leave Charter and her position on the track team behind. Although this is Torres’s first year as a member on the track team, she has formed a true connection and bond with her team members.

Torres was inspired to take up track due to her family’s involvement in the sport as both her mother and brother have run track for years. The main reason Torres decided to partake in Charter’s track team was to stay in shape in an enjoyable, school-spirited way alongside a few good friends and her boyfriend who are also members of the team.

The track team’s conditioning is no joke: it consists of running about 4 miles a day, intense workouts, and strict discipline and commitment.

“I like track because it’s a type of mental sport. It’s more about endurance than anything else,” said Torres. Although track involves a lot of running, your mentality is your most important asset. After graduation, Torres will be attending Broward College for her first two years before deciding which university to transfer to for her remaining years. She is hoping and aiming to achieve a track scholarship, but for now, she’ll be looking back on the fun she had as a PPCHS student and track member.

sports Sarah Duque: Girls’ Tennis

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s a senior, Sarah Duque looks back at her high school tennis career and cannot believe that the game she enjoyed for half of her life is over. As a child, after watching the intensity of each match and the fun the players had as they fought for the win, Duque was inspired to pick up a ball and racket to experience the game for herself.

In her eyes, tennis goes beyond the physically demanding elements; it also truly exemplifies a mental drive and discipline between players.

“Tennis is truly a mental game and it’s taught me the importance of controlling my thoughts when I’m out there playing,” she said.

Duque has been a PPCHS tennis player for all four years of high school and putting down her racket is harder than it seems. She hopes to join a club team at her dream college to carry on the love she has for her sport. It goes without question that Duque truly cherishes the friendships that she has had the opportunity to make over the years. “My favorite memory was when I won districts last year; it was the best feeling ever. I’m sad that it’s done because I’m going to miss my amazing teammates,” said Duque. Duque will fulfill her dreams and attend the University of Miami this fall where she will hopefully be able to find herself on the court, racket in hand, once again.

Peter Buckley: Boys’ Basketball

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s a high school athlete, it is extremely difficult to make a lasting impact on a team in only four years. Well, for senior Peter Buckley, he was able to accomplish that while playing on the PCB team for just one year. Having such a short amount of time to make a splash after transferring from Pine Crest last summer, the 6’7 center has worked his tail off since the start of the season to bring this team to its’ highest peak. This dedication was put on display during the season; Buckley was almost a lock to get a double-double every game. Along with the double digit points and rebounds, Buckley was able to show his versatility by averaging a few assists and blocks per game.

“Since I came over to Charter, I feel that my game has improved drastically, and that really showed on the court. Being in such a great environment with great teammates and coaches definitely helped make the transition between schools much easier,” Buckley said.

Ever since he was in middle school, Buckley had set a goal of being able to excel at basketball in high school and to eventually make the roster of a college team, all the while concentrating on his studies. He will be living out his dream on the court at FSU as a true Seminole.

Mya Goodman: Girls’ Soccer

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eing a soccer player was not always the intentions of all-star Mya Goodman. She started out her sports career prancing into dance classes, but discovered that was not her calling. At the age of six, Goodman started playing soccer, with her dad helping her along as her coach.

Everything took off when Goodman started playing with West Pines United at the age of eight. High school soccer created new bonds and memories, her favorite memories being winning districts, regionals and then continuing on to state semifinals. Playing center midfield has given her the opportunity to be discovered by Brandeis University in Massachusetts where she will attend school and continue playing soccer. “The thing I’ll miss the most about high school soccer is having something to look forward to everyday of the week.I could always count on practice and games to relax me and get in a good mood,” stated Goodman. “All of my teammates are so incredible, especially co-captain, Victoria Pinaeda, who is an amazing defender and one of my best friends.”Goodman had a very close relationship throughout her whole high school career with Coach Velasquez and her teammates which made her senior year unforgettable. Mya Goodman has contributed so much to Charter history and will be greatly missed by her fellow Jags.

All-Stars Sebastian Jimenez: Boys’ Tennis

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ebastian Jimenez is no stranger to the game of tennis. He has dedicated 10 years of his life to the game he loves, and today at the age of 17 he finds himself at the end of a long road. Coming from a family of tennis players, he explains that not only do they act as his support system, but they are also his inspiration to give all of his effort in every game.

Jimenez has proudly been a PPCHS tennis player for two years, and feels that time has flown by. He explained, “It’s very sad to me that the season is over. I had a lot of fun, but I’m especially going to miss my teammates.”

It goes without question that the season was filled with many good times, however Jimenez went on to explain one aspect to the game that he will forever hold on to. “My favorite memory is finally being close to everyone and realizing that we are a team and a family.”

He admits that his mental outlook has been forever altered to a permanent sense of drive and determination as a result of tennis. Looking toward the future, Jimenez unfortunately will not be playing tennis in his college choice of either FIU or TCC. PPCHS wishes him the best of luck in all of his endeavors.

Adrian Cortez: Boys’ Swimming

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enior Adrian Cortez is the epitome of a swimming All-Star and his success in the water did not go unnoticed this year. His favorite race, the breaststroke, was in fact the race he succeeded the most in for his career.

His sports career actually began in eight grade where he began swimming with a local team called the Comets. “When I was a freshman the seniors on the water polo team that year were also swimmers so they urged me to join. They told me that they saw potential in me.”

Cortez surely strived for greatness day in and day out as he undeniably stood out every year as a PPCHS swimmer. He never wanted to leave practice, which is something a coach dreams for.

“As captain, I was able to lead the workouts and nothing felt better than working out and getting in shape with the boys’ teams,” mentioned Cortez.

He’s won several races in his four years as a Jaguar is looking forward to take the family feeling he has with his teammates to Florida International University.

Andy Iglesias: Boys’ Track

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harter has always been a huge part of Andy Iglesias’s life and he has much to look back on and be proud of during his four years of high school. He has brought smiles to his class mates over the years and left a mark on PPCHS in and out of the classroom. Iglesias’s hard work and determination during his years at Charter has established him as the icon of the PPCHS track and cross country teams. He’s been with the PPCHS track and cross country teams ever since the start of freshmen year and since then he has completely outdone himself, attracting attention from schools and universities from all over the country.

“I love track because it’s very individual,” says Iglesias. “Everything depends on you.” In his sophomore year, Iglesias won runner of year, deeming him the best runner in all of Broward County. He has also worked his way to the state meet competition a total of four times and won county champion for both the one-mile and two-mile competitions.

“My coach is definitely the biggest role model I have,” says Iglesias.

“He’s been great to me over the years and I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish what I have if it weren’t for him.” Iglesias’s astounding success during his years of running has earned him a scholarship to the University of Florida in Gainesville. Although his years of running with Charter are put in the past as he graduates, he looks forward to a new future of running with the Gators.

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Marcela Gallardo: Girls’ Water Polo

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enior water polo player Marcella Gallardo has been playing water polo for four years at PPCHS. Overall, this season has been great for Gallardo. This season, she was able to show her skills as both a leader and a player.

“At the start of this year, all we did was build fundamentals,” said Gallardo. “We were improving and making it to States shows how much effort we put into our fundamentals. I’m proud that we got results.”

Gallardo received an incredible honor when she was able to play in the water polo All-Star game. She ended up scoring the first goal of the game.

“I had a good time in the all-star game,” said Gallardo. “We ended up losing, but that didn’t matter. I made new friends.”

Gallardo will be attending the University of Florida this fall. As a gator, Gallardo is looking to play recreational, but does not think that she will play for the University of Florida’s water polo team. Gallardo’s outstanding contributions to PPCHS will always be appreciated.

Michelle Jammal: Girls’ Basketball

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Senior A Jamie Gonzalez: Softball

or senior Michelle Jammal, finding something that she was truly passionate about was difficult for her. That is, until she picked up a basketball and realized that she could be onto something. It was a match made in heaven, and from that point on, she has been turning heads with her spectacular talent. Every game, she awed people with her style of play on the court. There is no doubt that these displays of outstanding talent and ability will be missed. Jammal is starting a new chapter in her life and heading off to college.

“Playing basketball here at Charter has really helped me grow as a player, and more importantly, as a person. I’ve learned so many valuable lessons from my teammates and coaches. That’s one of te many things that I will miss a lot,” she said.

Looking into the futurem Jammal hopes to be abloe to make a college team while continuing to achieve new heights academically. Shr definitely feels that playing at Charter has prepared her for her goals. If she keeps up the hard work and dedication, she’ll be reaching those goals in no time.

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ot many athletes have the opportunity to play a sport as a Jaguar at PPCHS. Very few go to states. Even fewer go three times. Senior Jamie Gonzalez on the PPCHS softball team has achieved this mark and as a catcher, Gonzalez is the commander-in-chief out on the field day in and day out.

Gonzalez received a scholarship from St. Thomas University and she plans on finishing her softball career there while studying business management. Anyone that has ever played with Gonzalez will tell you how much of a great teammate she was while a Jaguar.

“I really have enjoyed high school softball because although you have the same coaches every year, the girls always change. It gives you a chance to learn new things and teach the newcomers as well. No matter what team you’re on, you instantly become a family on and off the field,” Gonzalez said.

PPCHS and all affected by Gonzalez will always remember the lasting impact she had as a Jaguar. Her determination and dedication to the sport have brought success to the team for three years, and she will sure bring this along with her in the future.

Tennis serves one heck of a year Brett Alayon & Matthew Deno Sports Editor & Staff Writer

Photo Donated By: Yearbook

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Photo Donated By: Yearbook

his year has been a year for the sport’s team at PPCHS Records have been broken and teams have made it to places they have never bee. Adding onto the success is the PPCHS tennis team. The team faced Ft. Lauderdale high school in the Regional Finals in April.

Even though the team had beat Ft. Lauderdale two times prior to Regionals, the score was always close. They knew that they needed to perform well in their events to make it to States individually and as a team.

The girls’ team – junior Karli Cash, freshman Karla Mendez, sophomore Michelle Vaca, junior Julie Ascunce and freshman Samantha Barea- was extremely successful, with efforts bringing them to the top and leading them to States. Only the number ones can make it to States, so the girls knew they had to come out on top in everything. Individually, Cash will go to states for her single match since she was first. Julie and Samantha also received a point for winning their singles, and Mendez and Cash won their double match. This brought them above the other team with an overall score of 4-1. Even though Vaca did not win her match, she still gets to go to States with the team and play there, based on the fact that they came in first overall. At States, the girls’ left their hearts on the court as they fought hard in every match. Vaca played against Lakeland High School, but lost by a score of 3-6 and 4-6. Mendez went up against Jensen High School in singles and lost 3-6 and 2-6

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Photo Donated By: Yearbook

“Our coach got us really pumped up before the matches and we all knew that we needed to go out and play our best. Even though I did not win my match, I am really proud of my team as a whole,” said Vaca.

This year the boy’s tennis team started this season like any other. The team conditioned, did some lifts, and practiced their racket motions. But something changed from last season to this one. Not the work ethic, not the training, but the mindset; a mindset that 6 guys couldn’t shake until they achieved their goals.

“As a collective group we all were set on doing something for the Tennis team that hadn’t been done before,” said senior Ralph Beriro. “We didn’t take this season as just another season but instead one that we wanted to make history.”

The team did just that. Over the season the boys achieved a dominant 8-2 record and defeated top contenders. Throughout the season the team relied heavily on its experience of their seniors. Ralph Beriro and Sebastian Jimenez led the charge with their high tennis IQ and athletic ability. Both seniors went off to states for the first time in school history and went 1-1 in doubles against some of the best competition in the state.

“It was an amazing experience that really capped off the 4 years of hard work and dedication of my high school career,” commented Jimenez. “It was unfortunate not to win it all but the whole experience is something I will always remember.”

All-Stars Danny Melgarejo: Baseball

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he dream of playing college baseball is a dream for many. However, it becomes a reality for those that work harder than anyone else.

Senior pitcher Danny Melgarejo on the PPCHS baseball team made his dream a reality not too long ago when he committed to Bethune-Cookman University.

Melgarejo’s most memorable moment was just weeks ago when his team won Pines Charter’s first ever baseball District Championship and dog piled right on the mound in front of a huge supporting crowd.

“Overall, high school has been of the best experiences of my life. I’ve met a lot of new friends. I’ve had the absolute time of my life, especially during this baseball season,” Melgarejo said.

In his four years as a starting pitcher, Melgarejo has posted an unreal stat line, picking up countless wins and almost breaking the school record for strikeouts. Melgarejo mentions that he will miss his pitching coach the most as well as his teammates. The memories the pitcher has had as a Jaguar will always be with him, and PPCHS is fortunate to have had Melgarejo as a student-athlete.

S

sports

Blake Kelly: Boys’ Water Polo

enior Blake Kelly has been a key factor to the success of the water polo team for several years. Ever since his freshman year, Kelly has been playing water polo for PPCHS. His leadership, determination, and drive is unmatched, and he plays with the same intensity every game.

“I love water polo,” said Kelly. “I feel it is a sport that really shows team work and is for anyone.”

This season, Kelly led his team in scoring with 121 goals in both the regular season and the postseason. Kelly also led his team to the Regional Championship.

“We got further than last year, and we put up a very good fight for States,” said Kelly. “We just came up short, but I am proud of this team.”

For college, Kelly is planning on attending Florida State University.

His time spent playing at PPCHS, though, has positively affected him, both as a person and as a player.

“Water polo really helped me get the leadership skills I feel I’ll need later in life,” said Kelly. “It also gave me good work ethic at practice.”

Kelsey Menard: Girls’ Flag Football

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edication. This is the one aspect of playing sports that one must understand. Senior Kelsey Menard knows all about dedication as she just completed her third full season as one of the stars on the girls’ flag football team at PPCHS. “I gained a lot of knowledge over the years as an athlete. Being on a team taught me how hard I truly had to work. Being dedicated to playing and practicing was key too,” said Menard.

Menard’s older sister played when she was a freshman and ever since then, Menard has always had the drive to play. Menard was taught to always keep her head up even in the worst situations and support all of her teammates during the highs and lows. Menard’s greatest accomplishment, as she describes, was definitely when she earned the honor being on the Broward County All-Star team.

Menard will be going off to Gainesville to the University of Florida and she will play intermural flag football and soccer. Although Menard will be a Gator in just a few months, she will always be a Jaguar deep down.

Top four flag football players Cristine Alayon

A quarterback is a leader, has the spotlight on them, is a winner. In her first year on the PPCHS flag football team, freshman Cristine Alayon has been one of their most outstanding players. Alayon has one of the strongest arms in all of Broward County and a deceptive quickness which allows her to make key plays. If anyone knows Alayon, they know she is a great teammate and is always willing to help others perform to the best of their ability. “I love being around my team. I know they will always have my back so I do whatever I can to have theirs. We have a lot of talent on the team this year and although at times it has been rough, most importantly, we are all having a great time,” Alayon said. Alayon is also a cornerback on the defensive side of the football team; she uses her knowledge of the game to the best of her advantage when she’s on the field. There is no doubt Alayon is a young and rising star here at PPCHS as her teammates and coaches know she will eventually be something special, something really special.

F or sophomore Lauren Martinez, flag football at PPCHS is a new challenge that she is determined to excel at. She exhibits that determination, that drive, that allows her to perform her best at her positions: wide receiver and cornerback.

Lauren Martinez

“This is my first year playing flag football,” said Martinez. “I played pick-up games before with some friends, but I never played flag football.”

Martinez joined the PPCHS team when her friend, who she used to play pick-up games with, joined the team this year, as well.

There is a lot of time left in Martinez’s high school career for her to develop the skills necessary to lead her team to successful seasons. As for next season, Martinez does plan on returning to the team. As a sophomore, she gains experience from the veterans of the teams so that when they gaduate, Martinez can soak in all the information and skills the veterans hope to pass on. But for now, Martinez is looking to contribute to the success of team by playing her position as best as she can.

Myah Williams

F or senior Myah Williams, football runs in the family. She is on the PPCHS flag football team, her sister, sophomore Nylah Williams, is also on the team, and her father played a variety of sports, including football. From a young age, Williams has been playing flag football, whether it be with friends or in an

organized recreational league.

Williams is a wide receiver and a cornerback and loves what she does. She enjoys playing cornerback because she loves the feeling of pulling the flag of the opposing team and stopping the play.

It takes skill and experience to excel at anything. The experience gained from putting the time into learning flag football has helped Williams tremendously when she is asked to be a leader on the team and a good teammate.

“It’s the friends you make that make flag football fun,” said Williams. “You can have fun with teammates and the coach. Flag football is a sport where you make long connections with your teammates.”

A s the ball spirals through the air from the hands of the quarterback, it lands in Nylah Williams hands. She jukes around opposing players and heads for the end zone. Williams has taken on the role as center and wide receiver as an essential member of the PPCHS Jags flag football team. “When I pull a flag

from around the waist of the opposite team it gives me such a rush because I know I stopped them from proceeding into our end zone,” Williams stated.

Her sister, Myah, said it was a great team to join. The girls were so nice and they had all bonded in previous years, plus it was a great exercise. Her dad had been part of the football team during his time in high school and stated that it was good to be part of team because you get to make lifelong friends that share the same passion as you.

“Even though flag football is only my second favorite sport here at Charter I really enjoy the game and team. In my opinion, next year is going to be an even better season because we are going to have all of our problems worked out by then,” said Williams.

With experience under her belt this year, Nylah is sure to continue to be a key player for the Lady Jags.

Nylah Williams

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Coachella riles up music-lover

Aaliyah

Picture a place that perfectly captures peace, love, good vibes, and amazing music. People skip throughout the fields, singing along at the top of their lungs to their favorite songs.

Girls sit on their friends’ shoulders, holding up posters and waving their hands back and forth to the music. This isn’t just any music festival, this is the one and only Coachella Valley

Staff W

Music and Arts Festival. This original indie-hippie music festival has been allowing crowds to enjoy music and have a good time since it first began in 1999, and the music and people haven’t stopped flowing through its gates since. Located in Indio, California is where one of the most popular annually-held music festivals is held. Coachella first began as a very indie-based music festival but over the past years it has become a festival for all music groups and genres, including the sometimes dreaded pop. Although you won’t see a major pop performer like Katy Perry or Pitbull at Coachella, there are some pop acts that made it on the lineup this year. Stars such as Lorde and Pharrell Williams performed as well as Justin Bieber during a surprise performance alongside Chance the Rapper. But besides pop, another genre that made its way onto the Coachella lineup this year was EDM. Due to the quickly rising popularity of EDM/Dubstep, several DJs were also present at the huge two weekend festival. DJs such as Calvin Harris, Zedd, Skrillex, and Carnage all rocked their stages as crowds screamed and fist pumped along to the catchy sets.

All hail ‘Queen Bey’?

Shakayla Lee

Clubs/ Electives Editor

Graphic by: Matthew Perez

I

Graphic by: Matthew Perez

n this day and age when someone quizzically shouts “Who runs the world?!” some may respond “Girls!” while others may take a religious approach to the question, and most will give the logical, and obvious, answer- “Beyoncé?!” Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, also known as ‘Queen Bey,’ has been loved by the world ever since she stepped on the scene at the age of fifteen, and “rose to fame as the central member of pop-R&B group Destiny’s Child before embarking on a multi-platinum, record-breaking solo career in 2001”(MTV. com). With 7 million followers on Twitter.com, Beyoncé fans are known to be the most die-hard fans on the internet, and similar to Lady Gaga’s ‘Little Monsters’, they have been crowned with their own official name- the ‘Beyhive.’ In my experience, a Beyoncé fan can be easily spotted by singing one of her lyrics and hearing “YAAAAAAS!” as they sing along or even “SLAY BEY, SLAY!” at the sight of her pictures surfacing on social media. ‘The Hive’ clearly takes the affairs of their “queen” seriously as those who fall victim to uttering anything negative about Beyoncé can be subject to their wrath. However, because of the “pressure” to love the ever popular actress, singer and songwriter has led to the controversial question: “Has liking Beyoncé become a social norm?” In my opinion, the question shouldn’t be whether you like Beyoncé or not, rather, one should really ask themselves: What’s not to like? Unlike most socialites in the entertainment industry, Beyoncé’s popularity does not rest on scandals headlined in tabloids or even off of her husband, rapper Shawn Carter or ‘Jay –Z.’ According to MTV.com, Beyoncé is looked at as “one of the most recognizable figures in contemporary music,” and over the years has become a staple in the households of billions worldwide.“I love Beyoncé, and in my eyes she is most definitely a role model. She is the definition of started from the bottom, but it’s not the fact that she made it to the

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Graphic by: Matthew Perez

Graphic by: Matthew Perez

top, it’s how she made it there. She didn’t do anything crazy to make it, it was just hard work,” senior Erica Camacho stated. Sharing the same opinion as most, she went on to say “I don’t think liking her is a norm, I just think she is likable. She hasn’t done anything for people to not like her. I literally don’t know anyone that hates her though!”Apart from breaking records, starring in movies, and appearing on tour, Beyoncé has become a role model for girls nationwide. Her empowering views on feminism and acts of kindness have led her to not only be considered one of the best female artists in the world, but also a kind-hearted woman. To return the favor for singing at President Obama’s inauguration, he stated at a campaign event for his reelection, “Beyoncé could not be a better role model for my girls because she carries herself with such class and poise and has so much talent” (huffingtonpost.com). Clearly, if the President of the free world only has good things to say about you, you must be doing something right. While most stars fall victim to the limelight when acquiring a taste of fame, Beyoncé seemed to move further into it through the positive messages she spreads using her talent. Personified by her song ‘Pretty Hurts’ in her latest unreleased album Yonce, “she takes on themes of self-acceptance, and owning one’s own personality traits” (guardianlv.com). Although Beyoncé is definitely likable there is no denying that loving her has become social custom. Junior Isabella Bobadilla stated, “Liking Beyoncé is a bit of a social norm because everyone seems to love her and if people don’t they just seem crazy to people. I wouldn’t think negatively of someone if they didn’t like her that’s their opinion but Beyoncé is queen.”Through all the controversy, Beyoncé is still at the top of her game and shedding light on pressing issues in society through her music. When it comes to the authenticity of this talented artist, what one could possibly find unappealing is still up for question.

rs, thrill-seekers, and Jags alike

h

Graphic by: Daniel Vidal

Pasols

Writer

“I would have loved to be able to make it to Coachella. I definitely would have made it my goal to see Lorde and of course Zedd, since I missed him at Ultra [Music Festival],” junior Elizabeth Leal shared. While many people would love to experience this festival, it is all the way in Indio, California. And even if you manage to catch a plane over to the Golden State, the tickets are at crazy high prices due to the festival being six days long on two separate weekends. The three day pass for one of the weekends is $375, and if you wish to attend both weekends it adds up to a whopping $750! However, despite the high prices and long distance, one of Charter’s seniors was lucky enough to attend this festival back in April for Weekend 1. “I’ve been going to Coachella [Music Festival] for three years now. I love it because it’s just an amazing experience and the music and camping makes it all so much fun.

Anyone who goes should definitely camp instead of staying in a hotel,” said senior and Coachella-lover Gabriela Duarte. Even though Coachella is far away, for some, it’ll always be in their hearts: “If I could be at Coachella every day, I would,” Duarte said with a smile. Coachella Music Festival is a festival that keeps shocking attendees every year, and certainly won’t disappoint next year as more music-lovers flock onto the scene.

Rihanna and Drake: ‘Take Care’ of each other?

Shakayla Lee

Clubs/ Electives Editor

Graphic by: Daniel Vidal

I

Graphic by: Daniel Vidal

f Rihanna wants to be treated like the only girl in the world, one could argue what better person to take her up on that offer than rapper and singer Drake himself? After a recent split with ex-boyfriend and rapper Chris Brown, Rihanna seems to in fact be the only girl in, her reported new beau, Drake’s world. Dating back five years, in 2009 there were several reports of a steamy relationship between “RiRi,” 24, and Drake, 27, which were quickly brushed off when Rihanna rekindled her relationship with Brown. It was no secret that Drake and Chris Brown were not the best of friends- which was allegedly caused by a rivalry over Rihanna -and several lyrics -and bottles- were thrown back and forth between the two to prove it. As a result of this said fact, whether Rihanna was just entertaining Drake to get back at Brown, was up for question. However, fast forward to 2014 and the couple cannot stay out of the tabloids and it seems they have come full circle with their on and off again relationship. They are back on and in action. Although the duo seems to be getting very serious very fast, one can’t help but question if the lyrics in their single ‘Take Care’ are true: is Hollywood’s newest power couple built to last?

True Drake and Rihanna fans nationwide are rejoicing over the rekindling of their relationship. The thought of her giving another rapper a try may be risky, but it seems that most are willing to see where it goes. Senior Anesia Saunders explained, “I really like them together. But to be honest, I just feel like she’s just not that into him. To me, I think Rihanna is still secretly into Chris. I love Rihanna don’t get me wrong but I feel that Drake is more into her than she is into him.”

Long distance relationships can be tough to work out, and with the hectic schedules of these stars, finding time to fit each other in can pose as a challenge. However, it is apparent that these two make it a point to pencil each other in as often as they can. With the

Graphic by: Daniel Vidal

Graphic by: Daniel Vidal

paparazzi spotting them out together several times within weeks, inevitably millions are raising their brow worldwide as to how serious Rihanna and Drake, or as their fans call them: ‘AubRih,’ have become. According to a source from enstarz.com, “When they both have breaks, they spend it together nonstop and are literally in each other’s arms the whole time because they know that when it’s time to get back on the grind, it could be a while before they have that alone time to themselves again.”

Taking a break from the previous under the radar relationship, the two have been flaunting each other in various public places. On April 10th, they were spotted at an LA Clippers game, who just so happened to be going up against the Toronto Raptors in the 2014 playoffs. At the game, Drake was spotted hugging and giving Rihanna an ever so sweet kiss on the check. The PDA between the two was radiating at the game, although they sat apart. This by far was not the only time they shared the same space as they were also seen together throughout Drake’s Europe tour. From Drake blowing kisses to Rihanna in the audience to hours spent at dinner dates, AubRih seems to be back in action.

Although most fans are gushing over the blooming romance, there are still those who are skeptical of its authenticity. Sharing a similar opinion to most, junior Laren Fernandez stated, “I think they’re cute, but they are still a really weird couple to me. I was really waiting for her and Chris to get back together, because I think they are meant to be. From Drake’s music he seems like a nice guy, but I don’t know if they’ll last.”

The truth about the love shared between Rihanna and Drake is that whether you love them or you’d rather them apart, like the rest of the world, all that can be done is monitoring what the paparazzi catches next and seeing where things go.

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Entertainment

The world as we know it—

Barbie and Ken: Not such a match after all?

Melissa

Student L

Hayley Hartwell

N

Staff Writer

o matter what background they come from or what history they have, every little girl and boy can admit to having played with dolls as they were growing up. Whether the child was a girl playing with Barbie’s and Bratz or a boy playing with little army figures, Barbie and Ken were always known as the perfect couple. Girls wanted their future relationships to be like Barbie and Ken’s when they grew up, but some people have seemed to take that fantasy to another level. Valeria Lukyanova and Justin Jedlica are being deemed by the media as the “real life Barbie and Ken doll.” They have both undergone numerous plastic surgeries to become the real life look-a-likes.

Valeria Lakyanova is a 28 year old Ukranian model who society knows as the “living Barbie” for her long blonde hair, skinny waist, and long legs. According to Eonline.com, she states that she only got breast implants and everything else is all-natural with the correct diet and exercise. She does, however, wear extensions, a ton of makeup, and blue contacts over her already green eyes when she gets into her character. Since February 28, 2014 she has declared herself breatharianism, which is someone who doesn’t not consume food or water but survives off of light and air.

Her real life Ken, Justin Jedlica, is from New York but now resides in Chicago; he began procedures when he was only 18 years old. Since becoming legal he has gotten over 140 plastic surgery procedures done to imitate and become a real life Ken doll. He has gotten almost every kind of procedure you can think of: shoulder, calf, thigh and triceps implants among many more. All of these surgeries have combined to cost over $150,000, with his shoulders being his favorite new body part. He is working with a silicone-fabrication company so that all of his custom pieces that he has to buy now will be available to plastic surgeons.

Lukyanova and Jedlica have only met once at a photoshoot together, but Ken doesn’t seem to like Barbie very much. According to eonline.com, Jedlica stated, “Valeria presents herself as a real-life Barbie doll, but she is nothing more than an illusion who dresses like a drag queen. Unlike me, who has spent nearly $150,000 permanently transforming myself into a human Ken doll, Valeria just plays dress up. But as soon as you wipe away all that makeup, she’s just a plain Jane and there’s absolutely nothing special about her.” Lukyanova has also been very controversial with statements she has made about having kids in general and having kids with someone of a different culture. She thinks both ideas are repulsive; children are definitely out of the question for her. She believes that you should stay within your culture when finding someone to start a family with.

Real life Ken and Barbie are causing waves throughout the media with new looks and attitudes. People across the nation have different opinions of Barbie and Ken, liking them or hating them. These wannabe dolls will go above and beyond to compete with the toys children play with, but will they ever really be competition, or just bring a laugh?

Photo by: Carli Stander

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rom the debut of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in 1927 to the release of the modern phenomenon Frozen, the Walt Disney Company has created a name for itself. Considering that the first Disney project was a series called the Alice Comedies which came from the seemingly nonexistent year of 1923, it’s incredible that the Walt Disney Company has managed to create a cruise line, a chain of theme parks, a television network, a living in movie-making, and more.

Almost every Disney fanatic can recall a time when Cinderella, Snow White, and Beauty and the Beast were the only things Disney they were aware of. As a young child, one would idolize these movies thinking that they were the latest films made specifically for their generation. Little did they know, these movies were classics that dated all the way back from the 1900’s; Snow White and the seven Dwarves in 1937; Cinderella in 1950; Beauty and the Beast in 1991 (thewaltdisneycompany.com). It’s surprising that these movies even made the popularity cut in our current generation; just like the rest of the Walt Disney Company, they have come a long way.

Senior Catalina Villegas says, “Some Disney movies nowadays have the tendency to seem very manufactured; they are not very real. However, professional Disney films that are in theatres and such have stayed in a fairly good caliber; the integrity and quality in these films have improved.”

As for the social media era, Disney films have evolved in such a way that they accommodate a more modern, technologically demanding audience. The original Disney movie Lemonade Mouth did exactly this. It showcased average high school students and their passion for music along with the theme--perseverance can get you anywhere. Fresh, current movies such as Frozen also have a more substantial message. Unlike the frivolous, unrealistic love-at-first-sight scenario with Cinderella and Prince Charming, the theme of Frozen enlightened the audience with a moral, worth-while lesson: you can’t marry a partner in which you have just met; true love is that of family.

Despite Walt Disney movies having come a long way, it is painful to say that Disney Channel hasn’t changed for the better. The debut of Phineas and Ferb in 2007 featured two boys with larger-than-life ambitions; however, this show taught more than most Disney shows around today. It taught that any and every aspiration was plausible, while shows such as Shake it Up and Jessie feature kids with no parental guidance, academic objectives, or long-term goals in life.

Freshman Camille Acevedo says, “Shows on Disney Channel used to be more entertaining,

The world is plagued

Photo by: Carli Stander

Maria Bozo and

Managing E Student L

A

Graphic by: Daniel Vidal

Photo by: Carli Stander

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lthough the fashion world is full of influential trend setters ranging from Kim Kardashian to Mary Kate and Ashely Olsen, an unlikely woman has influenced the entire world with the clothes she wears. Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, has taken the fashion world by storm in a short amount of time.

It all began when Princess Kate and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, got married on April 29th, 2011. Since then, Princess Kate has been in the public eye. Ever since Princess Diana, Prince William’s mother, changed the way the Royal Family is perceived, the Royal Family has been looked at as if they were celebrities. Everywhere Prince William and Princess Kate go, they are followed by paparazzi and are frequently featured on American gossip sites and tabloids. The public’s interest does not end with the places they go or the food they eat. The public has an interest in Princess Kate’s clothes. Their interest is so strong, whenever Princess Kate is seen in an outfit, it instantaneously sells out both online and in stores.

“I love the Royal family. Kate Middleton is so beautiful and she always dresses nice.

I don’t really understand why people are so obsessed with them considering that they’re technically not celebrities,” said sophomore Saman Govaria.

Princess Kate’s clothes range in price and quality. She wears elegant clothes from high

Photo by: Carli Stander

Graphic by: Matthew Perez

—the evolution of Disney

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Entertainment

The Fault In Our Stars: Book Review

Pierce

Life Editor

Jerika de Armas Book Club member

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is a very riveting novel about a teenage girl named Hazel that has been diagnosed with a stage three thyroid cancer in her lungs since

but now they are extremely childish. Before, any age group could enjoy any given show on Disney Channel, but now the network caters to younger kids. The plot and the basis of many shows are very watered-down now.”

On a positive note, one thing Disney that will only continue to grow is their chain of theme parks. As the Walt Disney Company evolves in terms of the material they put out into the media, they continue to add onto their theme parks, which in turn sparks a massive evolution in yet another part of Disney. They got their start in 1955 with the grand opening of Disneyland in Anaheim, California (disneyparks.disney.go.com). Following this, Disney World opened up in Orlando, Florida in 1971 with the reveal of Disney’s Magic Kingdom. From then on, success just seemed to fall into place as several parks were added such as EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios in Disney World and Bear Country, Mickey’s Toontown, and Submarine Voyage in Disneyland (disneyparks. disney.go.com). Water and Amusement parks were also thrown into the mix such as that of Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon.

Behavioral specialist Mrs. Diaz says, “Disney has just recently had the largest expansion in the history of Walt Disney World, which is the addition of Fantasyland. The Downtown Disney and resort areas of Disney never existed when I was younger. Even though Disney keeps expanding, the culture never changes. Their goal is to make people happy and they have never swayed from that vision.”

As one may view the evolution of the Walt Disney Company as a trip through his or her own childhood, Disney is not what it used to be. Just like a child maturing with time, Disney movies have come to preach a significant message. Their movies are not only more mature, but also more realistic. On the opposite side of things, Disney Channel has worked its way into irrelevance and “modern” shows are mistaken for meaningless ones.

All the while, Disney theme parks have hit a gold mine; expanding at record speed.

All of these things are aspects of Disney that are seen on a day-to-day basis, but make sure not to forget about the true size of the Disney Empire. The Walt Disney Company owns many other companies such as ABC Family, Marvel Entertainment, and international locations in Paris, Hong Kong, and Tokyo (thewaltdisneycompany.com). As the empire expands, change will be sure to continue to follow. Only one thing is certain-- Disney will continue to use their imagination and go out of the box as they evolve their brand for future generations.

the age of three and her difficult experiences in life that alienate her from society. Being fed up with parents treating her like a kid who needs “help” by making her be involved in a cancer support group and close friends who abandon you, Hazel was close to shutting herself away from others until she meet Augustus, a teenage boy in her support group who had osteosarcoma. Through Augustus, Hazel finally had something to look forward to besides feeling sorry for herself.

Before reading the book, I had heard comments from other people in regards to this novel. Most people negatively expressed their opinions by stating that the book was too depressing with the whole cancer issue and that Hazel was a very poor excuse of a character due to her I don’t care attitude. As I started reading The Fault In Our Stars, I would agree with others that Hazel was too down in the dumps instead of trying to live life to the fullest like most cancer patients would but her character development improved drastically when she meets Augustus. Even though this novel talks about cancer, the whole story does not necessarily focus mainly on the whole cancer issue and about people dying; it actually has humorous parts that help keep the mood lively.

My favorite part out of the whole book was when Hazel and Augustus, along with Hazel’s mother, traveled to Amsterdam together. There, Hazel and Augustus experience the beautiful scenery and variety of restaurants while enjoying the last moments they have of each other. The worst part of the book was when Augustus died from his reoccurring cancer that migrated throughout his entire body—I literally balled my eyes out for a good ten minutes. I hated the fact that Augustus couldn’t completely recover from his cancer; I wanted him and Hazel to have a joyous life as they grow old together.

Overall, I would honestly say that this novel greatly sparked my interests; it was nothing like I ever expected it to be. I would rate it 4.5 out of 5 stars. If anyone enjoys reading a comical book and believes in miracles that life has to offer, then I would highly recommend reading this book.

Photo by: Alex Monge

d with the Kate Effect

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Melissa Pierce

Editor - Web Life Editor

end designers like Alexander McQueen and Jenny Packham, but also wears clothes your average day to day woman can afford from brands including TopShop and Harrods.

She recently went on a tour around Europe and her wardrobe reportedly was valued at $65,000. Every piece she wore sold out everywhere in an instant.

In terms of non-materialistic endeavors, nine-month old Prince George has become Kate’s newest and most prized accessory. From a spiral toy in his hand to his mother’s hair in his mouth, the crawling prince has become the apple of every Royal Family fanatic’s eye.

“Prince George is so cute! His cheeks are so chubby and he’s such an adorable baby. He’s always dressed in the cutest clothes too; his parents are doing a good job with him,” says sophomore Brianna Beach.

Whether you are the super-fan who is quick to buy anything seen on the Duchess’ back, or the admirer who adores every part of the Royal Family, Kate Middleton has revolutionized the fashion world. May it be mainstream or high-end, she has added some spice to Buckingham Palace; not to mention the Prince of gold hanging on to her side. Princess Kate has stepped into the limelight and is taking the fashion world by storm.

Graphic by: Matthew Perez

Photo by: Alex Monge

Photo by: Alex Monge

Graphic by: Matthew Perez Graphic by: Matthew Perez

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Section Name

I can’t believe it’s dead already!

Matthew Deno Staff Writer

W hat is the one item that most Americans absolutely cannot live without? Of course, it’s their beloved smartphones. However, one problem with these high powered devices is that the average person would be lucky to get through the whole day without draining his or her battery. Given the range of capabilities and multi-functionality

running on a mobile platform, it is no wonder that battery life has always been a concern for developers, manufacturers, and the users themselves. Though some phones live a little longer than others on a single charge, all smartphones suffer from the same simple problem: they do too much.

According to PCWorld, most smartphone batteries today are rated at around 5 watt-hours, meaning that they can distribute a constant charge of 1 watt to the phone over a period of 5 hours. For example, if your phone actually uses 1 watt per hour, and you pull it off the charger at 7:00 a.m., you can expect it to be dead by lunchtime. This means that the key to increasing your phone’s battery life is to reduce the amount of power the handset uses per hour.

Without a battery charger or a spare battery with you everywhere you go, you’ll need to effectively utilize and manage the battery in order to improve its life. Fortunately, with the right apps and a little insight, you can double your smartphone’s battery life, work (and play) longer than ever before. Here are some important tips on how you can conserve your smartphone’s battery: Dim the Brightness- More than any other part of your phone, the display consumes battery life at an overwhelming pace. Most phones include an auto-brightness feature that automatically adjusts the screen’s brightness to fit certain lighting levels. This mode uses less power than constantly running your screen at full brightness would, but you’ll get even better results by turning your screen’s brightness down to the lowest setting that you can tolerate and leaving it there.

Keep the Screen Timeout Short- Under your phone’s display settings menu, there should an option labeled ‘Screen Timeout’ or something similar. This setting controls how long your phone’s screen stays lit after using it. Every second counts here, so set your timeout to the shortest available time. On most smartphones, the minimum is 15 seconds.

Turn off Bluetooth- What Bluetooth does is constantly listen for signals from the outside world. When you aren’t in your car, or when you aren’t expecting a call that you’ll want to take via a headset, turn off the Bluetooth radio. By turning off Bluetooth when you’re not using it, you can add an hour or more to your phone’s battery life.

Turn off Wi-Fi When Not in Use- As with Bluetooth, your phone’s Wi-Fi radio is a serious battery drainer. There’s no point in leaving the Wi-Fi radio on when you’re out and about. Turn it off when you go out the door, and turn it back on only when you plan to use data services within range of your Wi-Fi network.

Go Easy on the GPS- Another big battery sucker is your phone’s GPS unit, which is a little radio that sends and receives signals to and from satellites to find your phone’s location on Earth. Various apps access your phone’s GPS to provide services stretching from finding nearby restaurants to checking you in on social networks. As a user, you can take away these apps’ access to your phone’s GPS. When you install them, many apps will ask you for permission to use your location. When in doubt, just tap no.

Kill Unnecessary Apps- The ability to run more than one app at a time is a powerful smartphone feature. It also burns a lot of energy, because every app you run uses a share of your phone’s processor cycles. By killing apps that you aren’t actually using, you can drastically reduce your phone’s workload and cut down on its power intake.

Don’t Use Vibrate- Vibrating uses much more power than playing a ringtone does. After all, a ringtone only has to make a tiny membrane in your phone’s speaker vibrate enough to produce sound. In contrast, the vibration motor swings a small weight around to make your whole phone shake, and that process takes a lot more power.

Switch off When Inactive- Although it is true that turning on your phone consumes more power than unlocking your phone, switching it off for a couple of hours can save more battery than leaving it on sleep or inactive mode. If you know that you’re not going to touch your phone for an extended period of time, you can actually cut down a significant amount of energy consumption if you simply switch it off.

Maintain Cool Temperature- Some of us might have observed that our battery runs out faster when our smartphones are warm. Simply put, don’t leave your smartphones under direct sunlight or in any place that is hot. The battery will function better in cooler environments, so make sure to look out for, and try to avoid, scenarios where your phone is exposed to unnecessary and excessive heat.

Hopefully, these tips will help to significantly improve your smartphone’s battery life. Although there are many other useful ways to Graphic By: Daniel Vidal increase its life, the tips listed above are ones that can save the most power overall. If you follow these tips, who knows, you may be able to go a whole day without having to even touch your phone charger.

Charter alumnus takes on the world Lauren Ramirez

Iformer t is well-known that Pines Charter alumni go far and reach great successes in their lives, but one particular PPCHS student is proving himself to be one who goes above and beyond. Kyle Morrand, class of Staff Writer

2011, is starting a company in Orlando, Florida called 302 studios. It is focused on developing, producing, and helping distribute independently-made digital media content such as video games, animated films, and digital comics to the main stream.

Morrand has been working for the past year in order to develop an independent game that will be the company’s first product. The game is called Penance, the company plans to use a crowd funding website called Kickstarter in order to raise funds, as well as gain public attention, to support the costs of producing the game. In order for the Kickstarter campaign to be successful and raise the funds necessary to help their company, Morrand needs the help of PPCHS. The way Kickstarter works is that the company raising funds is required to reach their goal amount within a month of “kickstarting” the campaign, if they do not reach this amount they do not receive any of the donated funds. The Kickstarter campaign begins on June 23rd, and 302 studios has 30 days to receive the necessary funding. Before June 23rd, anyone interested in helping the company can go to http://www.302studios.com/pc to find out more information on how our family here at PPCHS can help.

“I think it’s really great that former PPCHS students still feel that they can come to charter for support. I look forward to seeing his new game and I hope his company does well” says sophomore Franco Graubard.

Morrand has prepared a short video explaining his company and goals to PPCHS friends, families, students, and faculty. The video can be accessed at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waCZNVX roMw&feature=player_detailpage. Here at PPCHS we wish Morrand and his company the best of luck in the future and hope for 302 studios’ success.

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Donated By: Kyle Morrand

Section Name

How the Blind are able to watch T.V.

Things Androids can do that iPhones cannot

Jake Dreilinger

Nicholas Rivera

Managing Editor - Layout News Editor

Staff Writer

Iis magine not being able to see anything. Eyes wide open, but all that can be seen darkness. The ability to see a beautiful sunset on a Floridian summer morning, watch as children play on the playground at a park, or catch up on the latest episode of Walking Dead on Netflix no longer exists. This occurs every day to someone that is blind. An entrepreneur is about to change all of this by giving the blind the ability to watch television shows on a streaming site similar to Netflix.

“Netflix for the blind,” as referred to by starbusinessclub.ca, was created by 35-year-old Kevin Shaw of Canada, who is blind himself due to a rare disease he received at age 19. His business, Zagga Entertainment, creates a described video menu navigation and presents users with described video narration. Described video narration, according to starbusinessclub.ca, is the narration of on screen action in between dialogues, similar to how closed captioning helps those who are hearing impaired. Described video narration will not allow the blind to see the film, but rather imagine what the film is like through key words and described action stated by a voice narrator.

“I think it’s a really great idea. I love Netflix. Making a great thing accessible to the handicapped is a really great thing,” said junior Jonathon Zigler.

Shaw created a prototype in 2012 and showed the world that his idea is possible.

Unfortunately, Shaw cannot implement a completed version of his idea due to lack of funding. According to starbusinessca.com, the lack of sufficient content and capital to properly launch the service is lacking. His prototype only shows a glimpse of how the user interface will work; in order to make it real, he needs funding from investors. Shaw will need about $2 million to launch Zagga Entertainment in Canada, and he will need about $10 million to launch it globally. The telecommunications commission in Canada only requires four hours of described programing a week, which Shaw believes isn’t enough for the blind to enjoy regular programing.

This limits Zagga Entertainment, which will only be allowed to show four hours of descriptive narration videos a week.

One fear Shaw has about the success of his program is the competition. Nothing stops Netflix or other streaming devices from adding their own described video narration. Netflix has gained fame and popularity because it has been around longer. Adding described video narration to their arsenal of movies and TV shows will put Zagga Entertainment out of business before they could even launch their streaming system. Fortunately, according to netflixproject.wordpress.com, Netflix continues to refuse accessibility and audio description for those with disabilities for the time being. This will give Zagga Entertainment the time it needs to grow and develop.

“This idea is pretty cool,” said junior Ethan Coe. “The blind now have a general idea as to what is going on in the background of the movie or show. The blind will be able to know what the people are doing, where the events are taking place, and imagine the movie inside their heads.”

The idea that Netflix can be created for the blind shows just how technologically advanced science is in society. This will change the lives of those who can’t enjoy the luxuries that those who aren’t handicapped can enjoy. In order for this dream to become a reality, Zagga Entertainment needs the proper funding. Without the funds required to launch this project, the blind will not be able to enjoy the action, comedy, and drama that results from watching some of the best movies and T.V. shows ever.

Graphic By: Daniel Vidal

I

n the age of advanced technology, smart phones come out on top as one of the most advanced products available to the public. For years, we have seen the evolution of the iPhone and the Android paralleled with each other. From about the start of the Samsung Galaxy phones, Android and iPhones have been in close competition for the top of the market. According to techradar.com, currently the top two spots on their “Top Ten Best Smartphones in the U.S.” belong to Android phones the HTC One and the Galaxy S5, with the third spot belonging to the iPhone 5s. When compared side by side, it’s no question that Android phones have features that the iPhone does not which may account for its lower ranking. iPhones are known for their nice slim finish; however, with this comes the sacrifice of not having a removable body. On Android phones, the removable back provides access the both the battery and external storage. In the event of a battery failure or if you would just like to replace the battery with a larger one, it is made easy with the removable back. The external storage also allows for easy sharing as well as extra storage. With it comes the ability to simply buy another external storage card without having to delete important pictures and apps.

Moving to the front of Graphic By: Matthew Perez the phones, the iPhone has always had a single home button on the bottom of the front side of the device. However, most of the newer models of Androids have the advantage of three buttons, a home button, a menu button, and a back button. The three Buttons allows for a smoother experience while using your phone. With the lack of a back and menu button on iPhones, it means that these buttons will have to be included on the screen’s display on certain apps. Combined with the smaller screen size of the iPhone, this would take up more space, making the usable screen size smaller. The extra buttons on Android phones conveniently are always available without taking up any extra space. As far as screen size, nearly all of the new Android phones have a larger screen size than the newest iPhone. Larger screen sizes provide a better experience with gaming apps, with reading e-books, and with the incorporation of sketching and drawing apps.

Since some of the first Android phones, widgets have been available. Widgets are apps that are used for customization of the home screen that provide the most important informations of apps without having to open them. Many of them can be resized to create a larger or smaller space for them. Some widgets would include the Gmail widget and text message widget, in which messages will show up on the home screen without the need to open up the actual app. This is something that has yet to be included on iPhones. Also, it can be extremely inconvenient to constantly be switching apps on your phone. Luckily, android phones offer multitasking, which allows you to use two apps at the same time using a split screen. Rather than opening up the text message app when you are surfing the web, multitasking will allow you to easily view the message and the web page at the same time.

One of the biggest advantages on Android phones is the sheer amount of them. While everyone wants the newest iPhone, which comes out roughly once a year, Android phones are constantly being release from companies like Samsung, HTC, and LG, each with different unique features. The array of choices for an Android phone allow for users to choose the phone that truly fits them.

While iPhones are still wildly popular, Android phone are beginning to rule the smartphone market, and it is easy to see why. With all of the advantages that Androids have over iPhones, users can have a better experience while on their phones. Until iPhones come up with the next big thing that tops all of the Android phones, they could see a slow decline in their popularity in the upcoming years.

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The CHAT Editorials: 2014 and undoubtedly, racism still ex Maribel Maignan Staff Writer

R

acism, hatred of another race or other races, has impacted our great nation immensely over the years. Racism is like a bad cold; when a person think it’s over, it comes back to haun and over again. Everyday someone is personally victimized by racism for the color of their skin, religion, or their ethnic groups. Racism may not be as strong and exposed as it used to b plays a huge part in the American society today.

As much as Americans do not want to admit it, America was essentially founded on racism. It doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. As minorities go to work, there is racism, and even sho mall, there is racism. African American and Mexican people still aren’t on the same economic, political or social levels as their Caucasian counterparts, and the reason for the long-term rac different races is because people see it go on and don’t do anything to stop it.

“There is racism and prejudice people everywhere you go. You wish there wasn’t but there is, especially in America. People like to use the excuse, ‘I was raised this way.’ Just because you someway doesn’t make you who you are. You decide that and being a racist even knowing better is your choice, and sometimes people pick the negative one,” said sophomore Jordan Quijano.

Throughout history, blacks in America suffered from slavery, racism, stereotypes, Jim Crow laws, segregation, and now the more subtle sort of racism where people hide behind excuses or private to semipublic places.

“Rodney King, an African American construction worker, was beaten ruthlessly by Los Angeles police officers following a high speed car chase on March 3, 1991. Mr. King began pleading with the five officers, but they wouldn’t stop the attack. A witness to the brutal attack took a video of what was going on from his balcony and aired it to the world, sending outrage in all cities in America. The attack on Mr. King is considered to be the cause that triggered the 1992 Los Angeles riots in which 58 people were killed and two thousand injured,” according to Time.com. Racism is still as strong today as it was twenty-three years ago and something that horrifying shouldn’t be forgotten, but it does. These incidents are still occurring today but same as Mr. King’s Assault they are only looked upon and never thought about again, allowing many more racism acts to occur.

Recently, another incident with racism has occurred in America with the Clippers owner Donald Sterling. “Donald who was speaking on a voice recording with girlfriend Vanessa Stiviano made some very racist remarks about minorities and his true feelings of them. Donald commented on how he doesn’t want African Americans to be at his games, or to be in pictures with Ms. Stiviano. Stiviano who is half Mexican half Black remarked how she can’t change her skin color and what’s wrong with black people such as in this case a man she admired, Magic Johnson,” according to CNN.com. Racism also comes along with ignorance, hiding behind secrets and lies. The Clippers team which Sterling runs is filled entirely with African Americans besides two Caucasian players. Sterling is also having an intimate relationship with a half African American female. A man who is prejudice would not participate in such acts, but ignorance plays a key role in this case and in many others in America too.

“Racism has a big impact in an individual life, it is a hindrance on a person’s self-goal. It may not be so much at charter, but for other schools such as Dade or Everglades where the majority hang out with the people of their same race because their custom or their belief that they can relate more to one another is just not right,” said junior Naasirah Williams.

Another form of racism is stereotypes. There is an endless amount of stereotypes that not only subject human beings, but also are completely wrong and unprovable because everyone is different no matter what race a person is. Stereotypes cause a division between Caucasians and minorities, but also between all races entirely. Some examples: Cubans are loud, Blacks are ghetto, Asians are smart, whites can’t dance are all forms of racism that hurt just as much as a verbal slur or an act of violence.

The color of a person’s skin shouldn’t matter; it’s just a color. It doesn’t make anyone better, stronger, or more powerful than anyone else because there is only one race, the human race. All human beings get hurt, bleed, and cry. Nobody is more different from one another and yet people’s ignorance will never seize to amaze the world with their hate because of skin color.

Graphic By: Ma Racism will always play a major role in America’s culture and it could take centuries to get racism out of this society for good.

Pilar Sanchez: Finally out of the woods Maria Bozo

U

44

Sanchez Cancer-Free: Pilar Sanchez has fought a tough battle against cancer and she can finally say that she has beaten the worst and is cancer-free. Donated By: Pilar Sanchez

Managing Editor - Web

ndoubtedly, sophomore Pilar Sanchez has had to overcome obstacles no one should face. She was diagnosed with leukemia, a type of blood cancer, at the tender age of six and age of ten. Fast forward five years and Sanchez is a healthy, typical sixteen year old girl. W to her, you would never think that such a happy and friendly person has overcome a life illness.

Most of Sanchez’s early days were spent in a hotel room provided by St. Jude’s Childre and Research Center in Memphis, Tennessee, a nonprofit organization for cancer patie conveniently located near the hospital. Here, she underwent three years of chemotherapy t she was diagnosed. When she relapsed, the doctors wiped out her immune system and ga of radiation. She was only able to do radiation the second time because of her brother’s ge marrow donation. Because the hospital was located in Tennessee, the only years of eleme she completed were kindergarten and fourth grade. She was homeschooled for all of the o “When I go to the hospital I don’t really get nervous. I try to stay positive and not think abo bad happening. My mom was really nervous though. They see it more seriously; I try not t seriously,” says Sanchez.

Sanchez was officially cancer-free on December 12th, but traveled back to the hospital i have some procedures and tests done to make sure she was still in remission. An individ been diagnosed with cancer is declared cured after five years of being in remission. Dec 2013 was Sanchez’s five years into remission. “Because I’m five years out, I won’t be go and I won’t be having bone marrow aspirations as often just because the doctors don’t fee it, so that was really good news for me. A bone marrow aspiration is a procedure where needle into my back until they get to the bone marrow and they suck some of it out and te cancer cells. They put me to sleep and I’m used to it so it doesn’t bother me too much,” sa After years of chemotherapy and treatments, Sanchez is glad to say that she has finally She will no longer have to spend months at a time away from friends. She will no longer n most of her days in the hospital. She will no longer need to be homeschooled. She will no to fight for her life. She is a survivor.

xists

Shakayla Lee Clubs & Electives Editor

nt them over be, but it still

opping at the cism between

u were taught

atthew

Take a break N

o matter what grade someone may be in or what you may be studying, stressful times call for hyper studying measures. With the stress of constantly having to learn something new, it is easy for one to fall victim to powering through a study session for hours on ends. As your eyes begin to stray from the words on the page to the scenery around you, forget it, your mind has checked out and your body is asking for the one thing you really need -- a break. Fighting the urge to stop may seem like the responsible decision; however, it isn’t the practical solution. Putting down the books periodically to give your brain a breather will allow you to retain more information, which is the goal, after all. While cramming for those AP Exams or that huge EOC, don’t forget to pencil in some time to take a much needed break.

“I don’t take breaks because I have to, I take them because I need to. I usually go to the gym in-between my study sessions and I think it clears my mind. I know if I take some time to myself, I actually do better. When I don’t take breaks I find that I’m way more stressed than I need to be,” exclaimed junior Melissa Rodriguez.

Putting all your time and effort into one sit down study session is not only less efficient, but can prove to be less effective. According to recallplus.com, “…If you simply learn continuously your retention of the information you are trying to learn drops steadily. If you take short breaks, at something like 30 to 60 minute intervals, you will find you will remember more. So, if you take time out while studying the amount you will actually learn more.”

Giving in to that much needed break not only increases learning and memory of the information, but scientists have also proven that “it can dramatically improve one’s ability to focus on that task for prolonged periods” (psychcenteral.com). Focusing is an essential part to studying and attaining the end result the student strives for – a good grade.

“I definitely take breaks when I study because my head usually starts to hurt, and when I study I get especially hungry. Most people don’t, but I think it’s important in general just to stay sane,” said junior Annette Rotunno.

Learning more, and retaining the information you painstakingly take the time out to try and remember is the purpose of the entire operation, so stopping a few times periodically seems like a small price to pay to Stress Over Studying: Studying can bring stressful times, so it is important to always take time out for a break. Photo By: Peter Dourvetakis achieve an ‘A.’

Free Runs not so free Alexys Nowak Managing Editor

Perez

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ever have to d again at the When talking e threatening

en’s Hospital ents that was the first time ave her loads enerous bone entary school other years. out anything to take it too

in January to dual who has cember 12th, oing as often el a need for they press a est it for any ays Sanchez. beat cancer. need to spend o longer need

“Heidi’s got new high tops!” The infamous commercial for the children’s brand shoes had kids everywhere begging their parents for the latest sparkly high top sneakers.

What these kids didn’t know is that no matter how fashionable the latest trend looked, they were actually creating damage to the foot itself. The idea of fashion in footwear has taken away support that the foot needs in order to properly function and refrain from pain. The shoes that are seen around schools, such as Converse, Vans and ballerina flats, offer little to no support to the arch of the foot which then results in pain up the shin, into the knee and up to the hips. A simple choice in shoes for daily life can affect the way someone can perform forever.

The popular brand of shoes, Nike Free Runs, are seen all across the world in people both young and old in all shades of colors. However, the reality is that a lot of people prefer the look of Free Runs to the actual act of running in them. The shoes do not have the support in the heel or for the arch of certain people’s feet to provide comfort for a long walk or run. In fact, the reviews on Nike.com speak for themselves when the customers complain about the lack of comfort and support that the Free Run 3.0s have.

One customer even mentioned that it felts the same as wearing bedroom slippers for a run. Complaints also stated that the shoes wore down easily and needed to be thrown away. At a cost of $99, the little support that the shoes do have should not be wearing away so quickly.

“I love to wear my free runs when I am on my way to a game or practice, but I rarely find myself working out in them. I usually go for a run in shoes that have a more supportive heel so that I do not twist my already weak ankle and that have more cushion so I don’t put pressure on my knees,” said sophomore Sawyer Hall. “Wearing more supportive shoes like Asics or Brooks that my doctor recommended me give me a lot of support and always feel comfortable.”

As an athlete, Hall and other students are aware of the fact that stylish shoes may be doing more damage than there good looks make up for. Prevention. com found that there is a perfect type of show for different areas of exercise, depending on what type of foot you have. Their first of three picks for the most supportive shoes was the New Balance 860’s, which have extra support around the ankle that keep the heel in place no matter how fast the runner or walker is going, and also have cushion around the toes. Second on the list was the Brooks Trance 10, which provide flexibility so that at any speed, there is both enough mobility as well as comfort. As for a daily shoe that can be worn for errands or a school day, the testers rated the Saucany Bullet highly comfortable. The shoe is light, but also provides necessary support for the arch. Since everybody has a different shaped foot, there is a shoe out there to support everyone’s needs. Unfortunately, Converse and ballet flats do not offer the support to put them even close to the top ten.

While young kids are mostly worried about the latest trends in fashion, it is time to take a look at reality. Wearing shoes that look great but don’t feel great will only take a toll in the long run. Every once in a while a person’s feet will need a break from the constant hardships that they go through pounding up and down stairs, and their knees deserve a break from suffering from the damage coming from the pressure. Podiatrists, who specialize in feet and ankles, will always recommend that people step away from their sandals or Free Runs and step into a pair of shoes that are supportive and fit the needs of their foot.

Maybe one day, people will see that their bodies are not made to put fashionCostly Free-Runs: As students worry about if they are up to date with the latest trend, many are wonable articles on, but to perform thoroughly every day. With the right shoes for dering if the cost of the trending Free Runs are really worth the expense. Photo By: Rebecca Gonzalez daily life and exercise, kids and adults alike will be making less visits to the doctor for foot pain.

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News

16

What do YOU think happene Daga Nyang (’15)

Annette Rutonno (’15)

Caroline Cabeza (’15)

Gabriela Eyrich (’15)

“Maybe there was a serious prob“I t had to be hijacked. Pilots know their “E veryone in my family thinks that the “I think that it had to be a technologiplane so it couldn’t have just been an acciplane went into another dimension. I don't cal error. It had to be a mechanical mistake lem with the inside of the plane and that dent. Maybe someone was targeted.”

Anna Wheatley (’15)

know if that could really happen.”

Breanna Jomsky (’16)

because I don’t think it was intentional.”

couldn’t keep them going on track.”

Boston Strong: One year later an Hayley Hartwell

T

“I feel like the government knows a lot “I think that the Malaysian plane fell more than what they are telling us about into the ocean, but really near an island so the missing plane.”

Shania Quallo (’16)

that the people could swim to it and live on it.”

Dayna Lawrence (’16)

“I think the plane was stolen for drugs. “I find it funny that the world can’t find The people hijacked the plane until it ran this plane and they seem to be able to find out of fuel and plummeted to the ocean.”

46

other things. It is a mystery where it is.”

Staff Writer

here are many dates in history where people can remember where they were when the ev and our parents can remember when the Challenger space shuttle exploded over the Atlanti 28, 1986. Last year on April 15, 2013 another tragic event was added to become a day to re The 117th annual Boston Marathon was in full swing with the start line in Hopkinton and elite runners had completed their race hours before the others. At 2:50 p.m. two bomb blasts o line. The bombs were six-liter pressure cookers filled with nails and ball bearings; they were line. The bombs were on a set electronic timer, part of which was found on the street near th When asking Dzhokhar Tsarnaev why him and his brother executed the bombings he exp the United States were killing and Iraq they were very anpeople in the stands were only to show how there are innocent also.

The twin bombs took the over 260 other spectators and one MIT police officer when to escape the police after being that have fallen to this tragedy William Ricahrd, Lingzi Lu Boston and the nation will The 118th marathon was the signed up to run with 35,755 participating to celebrate the town, the citizens didn’t want cause they showed the nation Graphic by: Danie tragedy and remain stronger was stepped up at all checking to cnn.com, no backpacks, costumes that cover the face, containers with more than one l mitted along the races course. All the officials including Kurt Schwartz who is the director of Agency was making sure the race was as safe as possible for the sake of pedestrians and run With the roars of the crowd carrying along all the runners throughout the whole race the w named Meb Keflezighi, who became the first American to win since 1983. The defending came back and placed in first for the women’s course.

Some victims of the bombing came back for a second try at finishing the race. Since the bom didn’t get to finish their run and got stopped miles before the finish line. According to CNN, ray on it that her father gave her before he passed away from cancer to the 2013 race and s the bombing she decided she would train again to complete her marathon goals. Although for five and a half weeks she pushed through, started training again and also completed the C Yanni told CNN, “"I'm running for those who can't. I don't run very pretty ... but at the finish All the citizens of the Boston area have adapted the term “Boston Strong” and have manag

News 16

ed to flight MH370?

Maria Abreu (’15)

Alden Diaz (’14)

William Gibbons (’15)

The Weekend Review Melissa Pierce Staff Writer

S tate workers fret over pension changes: T eachers, unions, and some state senators don’t want retirement benefits to

change for employees of the State of Florida. The state wants them to change from a traditional pension to a plan that resembles a 401(k); however, this guarantees no payout in the end. So, they would change from a plan where they are basically paid after retiring to a plan where they have to invest while employed in order to benefit after retiring.

“I t was hijacked because the pilot erased “I think that the plane fell into the Indian “T here is no way possible for them to his simulator. It also crashed into the ocean.

Ocean. I feel like that would be the most still all be alive above land because it has If not, it would have been found already.”

nd still running

vent happened including September 11, 2001 ic Ocean 73 seconds after takeoff on January emember, the Boston Marathon bombing. the finish line 26.2 miles away in Boston the only 12 seconds apart went off near the finish concealed in black nylon bags near the finish he explosion. plained that it was a type of revenge because many Muslims in Afghanistan gry about that. The runners and collateral damage for their plan Muslim people getting killed

lives of three people and injured runners. Tsarneaev also killed him and his brother were trying named a suspect. The victims are Krystle Campbell, Martin and Sean Collier. The people of forever remember them. second highest amount of people participating. Most runners were “Boston Strong” motive of the to make it a gloomy event bethat they can pull through this iel Vidal than ever. This year the security points and subway exits. Accordliter of liquid and bulky clothes were not perf the Massachusetts Emergency Management nners. winner of the men’s course was an American g champion, Kenyan Rita Jeptoo, from 2013

mbs went off at 2:50 p.m. some of the runners Lee Ann Yanni wore a necklace with a stingsince it was undamaged and made it through after the bombings it left her unable to walk Chicago Marathon in 5 hours and 44 minutes. h line, everybody is going to be represented." ged to raise funds.

been so much time since the crash.”

logical prediction as to where it is.”

Borys Morales (’16)

Ryan Corona (’16)

P embroke Pines students enjoy blimp ride: D ue to a pilot partnership with the company, about 30 students from Pines Middle

School were able to ride in a Goodyear Blimp. This new partnership is intended to increase awareness and interest in subjects that will lead into higher paying jobs.

Sophomore Stefany Sandoval says, “It is good that students are now being offered the opportunity to explore jobs and subjects that are not typical; not every student can become a doctor or a lawyer.”

Russian bombers intercepted: A pair of Russian military jets entered a Dutch airspace on Wednesday, April 23rd.

The Dutch responded by quickly trying to intercept the two military aircraft, but this event only made tensions in Russia and around the world rise. It seems as if Russia can’t sit still.

“I think terrorists took it to Iraq where Pines won’t rehire retired firefighters “I believe the plane is just lost at sea bethey're filling it with bombs. After that, anymore: cause a plane can’t remain that long in the they're going to attack the White House.” air, eventually it would need fuel.”

T he City of Pembroke Pines has promised not to rehire retired firefighters. This Jeremiah Soliman (’17)

Camilo Grijalva (’17)

is called double dipping since these workers are already getting pension. When this happens, younger firefighters are robbed of job opportunities. Senior Lucas Aguirra says, “Being that I work at Best Buy, I know how they would feel. If I lost my job or never got the job for someone who was already retired, I would be very upset.”

Russia remains in Ukraine: R ussian military forces will not budge on the eastern border of Ukraine despite “I read an article that said phones of the “B ad weather might have been the passengers were still ringing so the plane cause of the crash so they crashed in the might not have crashed.”

sea.”

them creating an international crisis.

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) leaders and other powers from around the world have called for Russia to withdraw but they refuse to. The Russians are showing how tenacious they can really be; they are just as set in their ways as other national powers are and they refuse to give in.

47

Choosing your bedroom as your dorm room

Chelsi Chang

Staff Writer

Entertainment Editor

O nce all of the diplomas have been handed out and the graduation tassels have been moved from right to left, the graduates are ready to embark on their next ad-

venture: college. However, before they begin their next challenge there is one more tradition that all students must do, which brings all the students and audience members to their feet- the traditional throwing of the graduation caps. In this moment, where hundreds of caps float into the air, student’s childhoods flash before their eyes and in that instant their childhood is gone and adulthood sets in. It is at this time that students realize their life is now changing forever and the biggest question they have had to ask themselves thus far is if they want to live at home or go away for college.

For me the answer came easily, staying at home or near home is where I belong for the next four years of my life.

No matter the school, state, or country, all high school students have had to deal with the internal struggle between choosing staying at home for college or going far away from home. It is these questions that many seniors and their families face around this time of year as many high school seniors cannot wait till college to get out of their parents’ home and live on their own. But in reality, spending four more years in your parents’ house isn’t as bad as most believe it truly has to be, instead there are major benefits to being able to stay at home for college.

One of the biggest benefits to staying at home comes in the form of saving money.

While living on campus, one must pay for a dorm, food plans, and all the other college life necessities. But when your old bedroom in your parents’ house is your new dorm room, then all of these extra fees are not needed any longer. This gives students a chance to save money for their future, and even gives them a bit more spending money for those long four years in college. Being able to save money and not have to take out loans is a major perk. It is not even the major things to pay for that are lifted off your shoulder, it also is the little things like the groceries, washing your clothes, and paying for insurance too. These are all responsibilities that people have to take on when they move out of their family’s home and into a dorm. It is these small things that add up and make you question where all your money went.

However, for those who will not be paying for their college tuition and room-andboard, but rather their parents will be, saving money is still a big factor that the students must be thinking about. No matter the financial circumstances of the family, spending thousands upon thousands of dollars on colleges is a difficult thing to do.

Staying at home can actually help a family financially and for that reason many more students have been deciding to stay at home for college, instead of going away. According to a study by Sallie Mae, “about half of college students lived at home during the last academic year, up 9% from the previous year… one of the reasons families spent 5% less on college in 2012 (now an average of $20,902) is due to students staying home,” (usatodayeducate.com).

But it’s not all about money that makes living at home or even near home the best option; it is also the sense of still being around your family and having them there for you. If you are anything like me, I come from a very close knit family, where my cousins and I have grown up together. The idea of embarking on a new chapter of my life, on my own and far away is an intriguing thought; however, once I truly think about moving away, it seems too difficult to leave my family behind just yet. For this reason many people stay at home. They do not feel ready to say goodbye to the life that they have known for the past 18 years, and let go of the security blanket that is home. Being able to know that no matter what happens at school one day I will be able to go into the comfort and encouragement of my family makes starting new things easier. These are the sort of things that freshmen in college need. They need the support of their family to encourage them to try new things. To have their family behind them no matter what happens. It is the cheerleaders that your family symbolizes that allow you to push forward and experience new things, all while coping with the change.

The choice between local universities or far away universities is one that all students far and wide must come to before they graduate high school.

While the choice might be easy and quick for some, for others it could be a hard process that may takes weeks and months of deciding. However, if you fall on the side of welcoming your old bedroom as your new dorm, understand that college is college, no matter where you live or where you go. The experiences and learning lessons you gain will still help you for your future no matter what.

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College: The one way ticket to growing up

Chelsie Ramos

A fter maroon colored caps are festively tossed in the air and gowns are returned, after prom dresses are put away and the summer we all wanted to make last is over,

it all comes down to one question: where are you going to college? While many of us have opted to get as far away from Pembroke Pines as humanly possible, others have chosen to remain relatively local. Maybe it’s just me but when I think of college I think of packing up my car and driving a few hours away to a new location to feel out. If you can, why not fly the co-op and establish yourself somewhere else?

College is about growing up, and in some ways, getting out for maybe the first time.

College to me is the transitional period between being a plucky 18 year old who thinks they have to world figured out to a mature adult who is a little more ready for reality. What better way to do that than to get away from our parents, find our own city and make our own experience out of it all? For many of us, our parents can be our crutch. Think about it; some moms find the joy in doing their kids’ laundry, cleaning their room or simply being on top of them to do certain chores. Just like the professors at most universities, people in college are not there to hold your hand through every step of the way, so why should our parents? College is the time to discover who you are going to be without your parents. With mommy or daddy a mere fifteen to twenty minutes away, not only will they be doing your laundry and cleaning your dorm room, they’ll be reprimanding you for not finishing that literature paper two weeks before or coming home at 2 AM when you have class the next day. Now to me, that sounds like what I have been living with for the past 18 years of my life. Don’t skew what I’m saying here; I love my parents but I (actually we, as seniors) need to realize that one day our parents won’t be there for us and now is the time to get ready for that.

Another part about getting away, and possibly my favorite, is making somewhere new your own. Something about having finding the best grocery store in the area or happening upon a hole in the wall boutique that sells the best clothes, sounds— well-- pretty thrilling. For the first time in your life, you always get to pick where you live, what you eat and how you shop. You get to explore a whole new city and meet a whole slew of people from all over going through probably the same ‘culture shock’ you are. It’s like a new adventure; imagine walking around New York City, Tallahassee, Gainesville, or Orlando finding all the popular hangout spots, restaurants and beaches. For the first time, your life can finally feel like your own because you are finding yourself in your new college town.

As boring as it may sound, being away from home teaches us how to be responsible. Throughout our thirteen years of schooling, someone has always been there to make sure we were on task, ready to graduate, and simply ready for life. We have been carried and babied through the delicate and gentle hands from VPK to elementary to middle to high school. Now that we are on our way to college, these hands have hastily dropped us and can only stand idle by to watch if we sink or swim. It’s like the ultimate life test; can you make it without calling mom or dad every twenty minutes? If our schooling is treating us as adults, we owe it to ourselves to act like it too. Learning to take initiative and doing things without being told is a skill you will have to learn eventually and being a few hundred miles away only makes the lesson significant.

It’s almost a rite of passage to go away. There has to be a reason why college isn’t just like high school. There’s a reason you have to apply, live in a dorm, and take only a few classes a day rather than the same six classes every day. So why would you counteract that huge change by living within walking distance of everything you once knew? College is supposed to be a new occurrence for you, so why dull the newness by staying in the same place you have been for the past (at least) 4 years of your life? College’s major job is to prepare you for the real world and if you plan on moving out of state after getting your Masters, Bachelors, PhD or Doctorates going far away for college is the best practice.

If you have the opportunity to, leave. At least give yourself the chance to see if you can make it out there in the real world. At the very least, you will learn some sort of independence. No one wants to sit and watch their friends go off miles and miles away as they stay Pembroke Pines for another four years. If you can, allow yourself to enjoy new people, fresh places, and a change of pace. In my opinion, life is about experiences and I think the best experiences are found just outside your comfort zone.