Devil's Advocate (Volume 30, Issue 4 | 2013 2014)

devil’s advocate stanton college preparatory school

your stories. your school. your voice.

no. 4 | may 2014 devilsadvocatepaper.com

F I H AT ST NT N

By SPENCER NACHMAN, Features Reporter

How students at Stanton rely on their religion to guide them through school.

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june 2014 number 4

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: The

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Sports

Distribution of the Funds

By EMILY ISELEY, Sports Reporter

photo by Kathryn McMullen

-

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money each school in the county receives. The main determi-

computers.

- the team is inputed into a separate account that they use -

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athlete, the academian, the artist, the thespian, etc. Students

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distributed to other teams. sponsorships.

Butts.

- coaches are paid directly.

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the principal, the book keeper, the athletic director and sevthey can spend the money.

4 | devilsadvocatepaper.com

may 2014

The Brains Behind the Brawn

Managers play an important role behind the scenes for most of Stanton’s athletic teams. Their work is usually viewed as easy due keeping up with statistics.

By VANESSA HAN, Sports Reporter

photo by Devon Leasure

Football players Joey Dioso, Ricardo Robles, Alex Story, Andrew Berlin, and manager Journey Glennon.

Most high school athletics teams have sports managers.

Although they gain little attention, they play a key role on the team. Managers are required to do the tasks that the coach or athletes are not able to perform. They assist coaches and athletes by maintaining equipment, helping athletes, and even doing laundry. Although the role is not glamorous, managers are an asset to the team and are indispensable.

The role of a manager requires constant work to help the team. Their job includes taking care of activities for games like or practices. They take care of the athletes by getting water and feeding them, helping if they get injured, and maintaining paperwork and statistics. managers. When there are no managers, the work is put onto coaches and athletes. This ends up taking away time from other things that must be done by coaches and athletes and takes much longer than it would with the help of a manager.

“The managers take a lot of responsibility for the coaches serve the hours they earn. For soccer they will be out on the managers will be sitting in 90 degree heat taking stats while the players are in the water. It’s a lot of work and it isn’t easy,” said Coach Bob Fleming who coaches boy’s soccer and girl’s swimming.

Without the managers all the work that they usually do would be put onto the athletes and coaches. With all the work that needs to be done, Coach Fleming mentioned that teams may even have to ask parents to help with the coaches and athletes if there were not managers to help out the team.

may 2014

Managers work behind the scenes in order to make sure the team is in order. At every game, they watch from the sidelines, support the team, and do what is necessary to ensure that the team will perform at their best. Because many people do not recognize the managers as important, they are often called the “water boys” and their jobs are overlooked.

“Yes, (I do feel under appreciated sometimes) but that’s part of doing things for the boys. They aren’t thinking about saying thank you. You just have to brush it off and deal with it,” said sophomore Logan Mullins, one of the varsity football managers.

Although the managers feel as if they are being neglected, many of the athletes appreciate all the work they do. Athletes know that their work can be hard and deserves more credit whether they show their appreciation all the time or not.

“The managers’ jobs are important, they should get more credit for their work. Without them the team would be totally different, there would be no water, no food, dirty jerseys, and broken equipment,” said sophomore varsity football and lacrosse player, Noah Hall.

Some managers play sports as well, so they understand all the work and hardships that other managers have to go through. Because they are performing similar tasks, they can empathize and appreciate them more for their work. “(I appreciate them more) because I know that they work hard and help out the team and are an asset to the their success,” said junior Brie Burnett, a boy’s varsity soccer manager and track and cross country athlete.

Although they know how hard the job is and understand that it is a great deal of work some still have high expectations for other managers because they know what is required.

same time I have a level of expectation because I know what is expected of managers,” said sophomore Heather Carpenter, a Stanton athlete and varsity football manager.

The job is a lot of work and in return managers are able to gain more community service hours to help when it comes to applying for colleges or scholarships. For some, the hours are just a plus rather than the main reason for becoming a manager.

Madison Combs, a junior and boy’s varsity soccer manager, said she applied to be a manager for the rewarding feeling of when the team wins and she knows that she made it happen. Combs even said that it was her favorite part of being a manager.

While some students take on the job of being the athletic manager to get hours and help themselves for college applications, others use the job to gain experience for careers they may want to pursue later on in life.

“Football is my favorite sport and I see this as something I want to do in college and possibly as a career. I thought if I couldn’t play I could at least be involved,” said Mullins.

Carpenter also applied to this position so she could learn the position helped her prepare for this season.

While people claim that the job is a joke, it is clearly not.

Managing a sports team is something that requires dedication and hard work. Being a manager helps students reach their goals for future life plans, whether it is helping them get more hours or giving them experience for careers they may pursue after high school.

devil’s advocate | 5

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Student Life The teachers and staff members at Stanton play a large role in the lives of students. This year’s Golden Apple and Silver Star award recipients are Mr. Aaron Herbig and Ms. May

GOLDEN APPLE

them succeed.

By ZOE REYES, Student Life Reporter

photos by Ashley Hagins

Mr. Aaron Herbig has been teaching Advanced Placement and Honors Chemistry teacher at Stanton for two years. In a short time he has brought to the school his enthusiasm and dedication to helping students learn which have earned him recognition, for these reasons he has been awarded the 2014 Golden Apple award.

Mr. Herbig received a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

He channeled his love for chemistry into running a teen years. However, he left that job because he was searching for something more rewarding to do with his life; he found what he was looking for in teaching.

“The business paid the bills, but that wasn’t enough for me, I wanted to make a bigger impact in the world and teaching has allowed me to do that,” said Mr. Herbig.

Leaving behind his own business, Mr. Herbig left Chicago and moved to Jacksonville to become a teacher.

He described the move as challenging, but rewarding in the end.

“The move was a big change, but it was something I

Through her dedication, encouragement, and cheerful attitude, Ms. May Ibasco has become a positive indedication to help her students succeed is why she has been awarded the 2014 Silver Star Award.

“I thought I wanted to do something with clinical counseling, but after I worked at a crisis call center I realized it was too draining-emotionally and physically.

It just wasn’t for me,” said Ms. Ibasco.

With a looming graduation date, she switched her major to sociology with a focus in school counseling. After attending graduate school at the University of North Florida, Ms. Ibasco found herself at Stanton as an intern, however she had no intention of actually working at the school.

“I went into the internship at Stanton just wanting to learn, but after my internship, and after I had been rejected from two schools, Mr. Bob Turba called me for an interview.”

After being hired at Stanton, Ms. Ibasco discovered her true love for counseling.

“Working here really made counseling a reality, and I realized I loved doing this,” she said. Her enthusiasm about her job is just one indicator of how much she cares about helping students.

Her goal is to break the stigma that in order to be successful you have to attend a highly ranked school, something that she sees frequently at Stanton.

“It just breaks my heart when I see students apply to these Ivy League or highly ranked schools because of parent pressure or cultural standards, and they don’t get in... and then they base their whole high school experience off of that one rejection letter,” said Ms. Ibasco. Her passion for helping students discover their right path is one that deserves recognition. ever they want to do, I want to get away from rankings,” said Ms. Ibasco.

may 2014

at Yulee High School before coming to Stanton. He is grateful to be able to teach at Stanton, where he notices the drive in the students.

“The kids at Stanton want to be here, they’re just good kids. I see the effort they put forth and I see them wanting to learn,” said Herbig.

The staff and administration at Stanton is also something that stands out to Mr. Herbig, “The faculty is great. There is an atmosphere of family that comes

She instead tries to instill in students that they need “I want them to put aside what their parents want and what their friends are doing. I want students to go to the school they’re supposed to be at, because that is what matters most in the end. I just want them to be happy,” said Ms. Ibasco. Her dedication to her job can be seen

with working here, I feel the support from everyone,” said Mr. Herbig.

His goal goes beyond teaching students about chemistry, he wants them to actually enjoy the process of learning. “It is a rare joy to actually like learning. I want my students to experience that. Many of these kids have never had to study and they’ve never really had to work for an A, then they come to this class and realize it’s not as easy as they thought it would be, ” said Mr. Herbig.

Sophomore Lyndsey Clark appreciates the effort Mr. Herbig puts into his teaching.

“He’s a really great teacher. He wants everyone to fully understand everything and he tries his best to explain things. You can tell he really cares about his job,” said Clark.

Students feel that Mr.Herbig also tries to guide them in their high school journey and is always there to offer support.

“Mr. Herbig isn’t just a teacher – he’s a role model to also gives advice on life to students for their futures to come,” said junior Elizabeth Comberg. “He helped me when I needed someone to talk to at school and has the amazing ability to tutor in just about any subject possible.”

Mr. Herbig channels his passion for chemistry and his desire to make an impact in students lives into a diverse teaching style. He focuses on explaining content in a way that relates to the students themselves. His the lives of his students.

SILVER STAR

“I love this job because you can’t ever predict what’s going to happen. You can make to-do lists and goals, but all that has to be put aside when a student needs

Her openness and sincerity helps her form strong bonds with the students that improve their school experience as a whole.

Junior Jedd Marrero feels Ms.Ibasco deserves the award because of her unwavering commitment to the kids at Stanton.

“She has one of the biggest hearts here at Stanton. She’s always supportive and understanding of our needs and troubles. Without her, high school would be “My favorite thing about this job is the relationships I can build with the students. They inspire me,” said Ms.Ibasco.

Her ability to engage with her students is one of her greatest strengths.

“Kids come in here because they want to eat lunch with me. Who wants to eat with their guidance counselor? That just blows me away. I think it’s great,” said Ms. Ibasco.

Her job often goes far beyond academic counselin and someone to vent to. She is a source of constant support. Ms. Ibasco handles the responsibility of helping students decide what to do with the rest of their lives with respect and excitement- something that makes her an enormous asset to Stanton.

devil’s advocate | 9

F A I T H

Stanton is home to students with different religious backgrounds and values which dictate their identity as individuals. Those who have an acceptance of others’ religious practices highlight the diversity of a cross cultural community. Here are some of the dominant religions practiced by many of Stanton’s students.

christianity

Green is the traditional color of Islam.

Blue symbolizes equilibrium and the Divine for Judaists.

Red is a symbol of sensuality and purity within Hinduism.

Purple represents faith, patience, fasting and trust in Christianity.

Deemed as the oldest organized belief system worldwide, Hinduism is a polytheistic religion that has no single founder. A Hindu is to embrace the belief that there are four purposes of life: Dharma, Kama, Artha, and Moksha, each which embodies differing concepts.

AMONGST STANTON

Did You Know? Bindi is the name given for the dot that married women are to wear on the forehead.

represents the 3 worlds (earth, atmoDid You Know? Christianity is the world’s largest religion with Islam second and Hinduism following behind.

STUDENTS

Did You Know? The elephant-headed Ganesh is a symbol of wealth and success while the monkey god Hanuman is a symbol of heroism and loyalty.

Values Judaism is a monotheistc religion founded in Palestine 1300 B.C. in which Jews believe their is only one God . Although very similar to Christianity, Jews do not believe in Jesus Christ nor His resurrection.

Did You Know? What Christians call the Old Testament in the Bible is what the Jews call the Torah.

Hinduism

Family

Judaism

Currently the world’s largest religion, Christinaity was found in 33 A.D. by Jesus Christ . When He died for the sins of all Christians, he was resurrected and granting salvation to those who will receive Him in faith by mending a close relationship through good deeds and faith.

Did You Know? The Bible has been translated into approximately 1,200 different languages.

Did You Know? Consuming bread and wine otherwise known as taking Communion durDid You Know? Aprproximately ing Church service is common to Christians 50 Bibles are sold every minute. because as part of their worship, That is how Jesus must be remembered.

10 | may 2014

Why The Colors?

Faith

Did You Know? Sukkot , the longest Jewish holiday, is a Harvest festival during Yom Kippur that is similar to the American Thanksgiving.

Did You Know? 42% of the Jewish population resides in North America.

Did You Know? The Torah is read from right to left?

Did You Know? Jews are to cover their heads with a Yarmulke during prayer to show respect for God. Did You Know? It is Jewish tradition during the 10 Days of Awe, that God decides on each person’s fate for tthe following year.

Did You Know? Alcohol along with pork are forbidden in the Islamic faith.

Did You Know? Allah, the name of the one God Muslims worship, has 99 names.

Did You Know? Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are sometimes reffered to as “Abrahamic religions” because they trace their history to Abraham in the Hebrew Bible.

Did You Know? During Ramadan, Muslims have to fast from dusk to dawn for a whole month.

islam

Islam is a monotheistic religion found

by Prophet Muhammad in 622 C.E. in Saudi Arabia . Islam today is the second largest religion in the world where its mainly centered in the Middle East. Muslims are to abide by the Five Pillars of Islam which are faith, prayer, pilgrimage, fasting, and alms.

Did You Know? There are at least 25 countries where Muslims account for more than 95% of the population.

11 | devilsadvocatepaper.com

F A I T H

Stanton is home to students with different religious backgrounds and values which dictate their identity as individuals. Those who have an acceptance of others’ religious practices highlight the diversity of a cross cultural community. Here are some of the dominant religions practiced by many of Stanton’s students.

christianity

Green is the traditional color of Islam.

Blue symbolizes equilibrium and the Divine for Judaists.

Red is a symbol of sensuality and purity within Hinduism.

Purple represents faith, patience, fasting and trust in Christianity.

Deemed as the oldest organized belief system worldwide, Hinduism is a polytheistic religion that has no single founder. A Hindu is to embrace the belief that there are four purposes of life: Dharma, Kama, Artha, and Moksha, each which embodies differing concepts.

AMONGST STANTON

Did You Know? Bindi is the name given for the dot that married women are to wear on the forehead.

represents the 3 worlds (earth, atmoDid You Know? Christianity is the world’s largest religion with Islam second and Hinduism following behind.

STUDENTS

Did You Know? The elephant-headed Ganesh is a symbol of wealth and success while the monkey god Hanuman is a symbol of heroism and loyalty.

Values Judaism is a monotheistc religion founded in Palestine 1300 B.C. in which Jews believe their is only one God . Although very similar to Christianity, Jews do not believe in Jesus Christ nor His resurrection.

Did You Know? What Christians call the Old Testament in the Bible is what the Jews call the Torah.

Hinduism

Family

Judaism

Currently the world’s largest religion, Christinaity was found in 33 A.D. by Jesus Christ . When He died for the sins of all Christians, he was resurrected and granting salvation to those who will receive Him in faith by mending a close relationship through good deeds and faith.

Did You Know? The Bible has been translated into approximately 1,200 different languages.

Did You Know? Consuming bread and wine otherwise known as taking Communion durDid You Know? Aprproximately ing Church service is common to Christians 50 Bibles are sold every minute. because as part of their worship, That is how Jesus must be remembered.

10 | may 2014

Why The Colors?

Faith

Did You Know? Sukkot , the longest Jewish holiday, is a Harvest festival during Yom Kippur that is similar to the American Thanksgiving.

Did You Know? 42% of the Jewish population resides in North America.

Did You Know? The Torah is read from right to left?

Did You Know? Jews are to cover their heads with a Yarmulke during prayer to show respect for God. Did You Know? It is Jewish tradition during the 10 Days of Awe, that God decides on each person’s fate for tthe following year.

Did You Know? Alcohol along with pork are forbidden in the Islamic faith.

Did You Know? Allah, the name of the one God Muslims worship, has 99 names.

Did You Know? Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are sometimes reffered to as “Abrahamic religions” because they trace their history to Abraham in the Hebrew Bible.

Did You Know? During Ramadan, Muslims have to fast from dusk to dawn for a whole month.

islam

Islam is a monotheistic religion found

by Prophet Muhammad in 622 C.E. in Saudi Arabia . Islam today is the second largest religion in the world where its mainly centered in the Middle East. Muslims are to abide by the Five Pillars of Islam which are faith, prayer, pilgrimage, fasting, and alms.

Did You Know? There are at least 25 countries where Muslims account for more than 95% of the population.

11 | devilsadvocatepaper.com

Faith AT Stanton: A real-world Microcosm

By SPENCER NACHMAN, Features Reporter

T

he life of a high school student is tough and complicated at times. At Stanton especially, this is a universal truth.

High school is a time where one makes lifelong friends, gets their driver’s license, and deals with a seemingly endless dump of knowledge with the work and tests to go along with are. Whether this revelation comes in the form of a future career interest or a strictly self-imposed image of one’s future self, it is up to the student alone to discover. However, there are many students at Stanton who look to something other than themselves when they live out the vital days of high school. They look to their respective faiths and the values they instill, seeing them as a part of who they are. Stanton is a culturally diverse community, where many of the world’s major religions are represented by the student body in some form or another. In this real-world microcosm of a school, many students look to their own religious background

Students enjoy learning about the world through each other and usually end up discovering a few things about themselves as well.

One of these students is Jenna Levine, a Junior at Stanton. She is also Conservative Jew, which is a more moderate sect of Judaism between the Reform and Orthodox branches. The religion worships a single God and ancestors play a large role.

school has to offer. However, due to the wealth of culture learn about students with differing faiths.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF FAITH IN SCHOOLS American public schools were not always the nonreligious institutions we know and attend today. They used gion or sect which, in America’s case, was usually Prot-

UNDERSTANDING THE FAITHS AT STANTON One of the many calling cards of Stanton besides its academic rigor and success is its diversity and openness to world culture. The popularity of clubs such as the Multicultural Club stands as a testament to how the Stanton community embraces a variety of cultural backgrounds.

12 | devil’s advocate

ROLE OF FAITH AT STANTON

photo by Sanaa Belkaich

came with the reforms of Massachusetts Representative Horace Mann, often referred to as “the father of American public education.” While his new schools still adhered to the Bible and Christian values, the establishments strove to include all sects of Christianity, rather than just one, in their instruction.

In the 1848 annual report of the Massachusetts Board of Education, Mann wrote, “It [his school system] welcomes the religion of the Bible’ and in receiving the Bible, it allows it to do what it is allowed to do in no other system, to speak for itself.”

This was an enormous step in the creation of the nonsectarian public schools we know today, such as Stanton, which are open to students of every religious practice with instruction, for the most part, catered to all faiths. Controversy still exists though as to how far schools can push secularism and what schools can get away with. For example, in 2001 schools in a New York school district got in trouble in for having their students make an Earth Day prayer altar using images of a Hindu god. On the other hand, many have complained that public schools can be hostile or neglectful towards religion. Stanton tries to keep the balance by offering clubs focused on religious study as an outlet for students who wish to meet with others of their faith. Senior Jacob Sletten helped found the Stanton Bible Club at the beginning of this for that very reason.

“It’s encouraging to surround yourself with other people that you know share the same beliefs,” said Sletten. “These are people you can come to when you’re having a bad day, have a theological question, or if you just want to be around others you can have a good time with.”

It is small organizations like these that prove just how

diverse range of culture at Stanton through his own understanding of his faith.

“One word to describe Hinduism is probably diversity,” said Murali. “Diversity in gods, diversity in people. In India itself, each city has its own religious practices but we all call ourselves Hindu.”

The differences between the religions are most often seen in their depictions in the media, however, for the students, the similarities between them were quite revealing. They noted common traditions, such as dietary laws, and they even found similarities on some of their core beliefs. “[In the Islam religion] We believe that the Christians and the Jews are brothers in faith,” noted Muizz. “Even though we have different practices, we are still bound by our belief in one God.” Despite the countless differences, many of the world’s faiths follow the same underlying philosophy. Understanding and acknowledging these similarities is one of the many steps on the path of coexistence at Stanton and in the rest of the world.As the Dalai Lama wrote in the introduction to Jeffrey Moses’ book, Oneness: Great Principals Shared By All Religions, “A comparison of the different religious traditions will certainly engender a deeper awareness of the qualities they have in common.

This in turn will contribute to a greater sense of harmony and respect between them.”

Senior Daniya Sayed in worship at the mosque.

“It’s very community centered,” said Levine. “We’re all about helping the needy or tzedakah as it’s called.”

Abdul Muizz-Naeem, a Junior as well, is a Sunni Muslim creating an all-around sense of well being is important to his religion and his life.

“Islam comes from the Arabic root word, salaam, which means peace,” said Muizz. “A Muslim is one who submits to it’s all about peace.”

Bailey Bird is an IB Senior at Stanton and a non-denominational Christian which means he believes what is in the Christian Bible to be accurate and factual. After being a part of Southpoint Community Church for 14 years, Bird feels more intimately connected with his faith and its meaning in high school than he ever has before.

“The main focus of is about the relationship between man and God,” said Bird.

IB Senior Alaap Murali’s Hindu religion focuses on an important relationship as well, the one between man and nature. He describes himself as a “conservative modern” Hindu and is of the Brahmin caste, which is the highest on the religious caste system. Murali is able to connect with the

To these students, the name of the faith itself is not the full story. To them, their faith is a moral compass, something that helps them along the path they wish to go on. They spoke of how they use their faiths to survive the often turbulent life at one of the most rigorous schools in the nation, an environment known to render even the strongest wills hopeless beneath the piles of work and stress. They learned from each other just how big an impact their faiths have on their high school lives as they deal with the many hardships along the way.

“Religion plays a big role in my life and the lives of all Muslims,” said Muizz. “There’s a saying in the Hadith that says ‘For every problem that you have, there is a verse in the Koran that can solve it.’ Whenever I’m fac-

and to God. Prayer is the solution.”

Levine, on the other hand, has a slightly different approach when she needs to weave some religion into her densely packed high school life.

“Personally, I’m not too big on praying, I just don’t really have the time,” said Levine. “But similarly, I go to services and I look to our past as a people to help me. I can also turn to my youth group to keep me leveled.”

Although part of a youth group himself, Bird is usually an independent person when it comes to work, getting transportation, and making money. Despite this aspect of his personality, he said he is able to trust God to provide for him and come through for him, even though high school has sometimes pushed him to the limit. trusting in God to take care of everything,” said Bird. “There have been rough times where I needed to get money or when I got a bad grade on a test or when I’ve had problems with relationships and friendships. There have been times where I felt alone or insecure and that I didn’t have anyone.

God has always showed me that He was there for me and, even better than that, He put great people in my life that I now have so that I’m not alone.”

As a member of the IB program, Murali also faces many hardships at Stanton, though he does not let that faze him. provider of some of the values he lives by today. The story

may 2014

tells of someone in the Warrior caste who is required seeing that you are not a child anymore,” said Muizz.

knees where God recites the Gita to him. Murali sees the values inspired by this passage as well as his parents’ experiences as motivators.

“The way to get through a hard situation for any Hindu is to remember duty or dharma,”said Murali.

“Whenever I think about why I joined Stanton IB, I think about the hardships my parents went through.

They literally grew up in grass huts but they got well educated and got the job and now are doing well for themselves. Whenever I’m down I just remember my purpose because everything I do has a purpose.”

COMING OF AGE Each of these students had their beliefs instilled in them at a young age. For example, Levine attended a Jewish school until high school and currently stays involved through her youth group. For the majority however, despite their faithfulness today, it took a selves within their faith.

Bird was raised a Christian from a young age but it really began to affect him when his family joined his current church after hearing about it on the radio. He describes the moment as a “blessing” and recalled a single event that truly connected him with his faith.

“I knew of God, but I didn’t necessarily know him,” said Bird. “In eighth grade, we went to an event called Big Stuff which was a church conference in Daytona and I just got hit. From then, with the help from my church and youth group, I had a much stronger relationship with Him.” Like Bird, Murali recalled being raised from birth in his religion and remembers being told folktales by his parents and grandparents but not necessarily connecting spiritually with his faith until ninth grade when he read the Gita. The event offered him a new perspective and viewpoint on his faith that impacts his life in and out of Stanton. “[The Gita] talks about the right relationship between man and God and that your goal in life is to serve Him,” said Murali. “It helped me academically as well as spiritually because I realized that its not all about academics or even family, even though those are big parts of life. I think it helped me become a correct Hindu by helping me realize the underlying principals of it.”

Muizz understands and sees his religion as a sometimes take quite a while. He hails from Pakistan, which is a predominantly Muslim country. When he came to the United States at the age of seven, he ing to do that, he felt he lost a bit of his faith along the way.

“I didn’t really realize I was just being an image of society, not being who I really am,” said Muizz. “I was just Muslim by name. I went to the mosque during Ramadan and the Imam gave speech about being true to one’s self. I found Islam again and I was lead back.”

Indeed, many students go through their own religious revelations around this time in their lives. It seems to be, like all of high school’s transformations, a matter of maturity above all else. “[At this age] You are becoming mature and

OVERCOMING MISCONCEPTIONS A problem with the real world, however, is that it is not always open to differences. Stereotypes place labels on almost every kind of group imaginable and religious groups are no exception. By opening themselves up to their faiths, these four students have also opened themselves up to these kind of attacks by society. Though they are affected by stereotypes, they do not let them label who they are or what they believe.

“I don’t really get too offended by stereotypes as I know that many are not true but I do notice them,” said Levine. “For example, there’s the stereotype that all Jews are greedy. A lot of times I’m like ‘I guess you can believe that but, I know that’s not true.’”

Despite having moved past them now, Bird cites stereotypes as the reason why he, during the younger years of his life, just “went through the motions” when it came to his faith.

“I was really insecure in middle school and I just or ‘uncool’. Now that I have that relationship with God, I can get past that but I do feel that stereotypes hinder both the view on Christianity and Christians in general because they start to believe them themselves.”

Although the presence of stereotypes in our society may be ubiquitous, many students such as Muizz feel Stanton is a safe haven due to its diversity and “positive welcoming vibe”.

“To be honest, I have not experienced prejudice or negative stereotypes at Stanton,” said Muizz. “Everyone here is very welcoming, opening, and understanding.”

BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL

“

YOUR

VOICE

Has attending Stanton made you more tolerant and respectful to the faiths practiced by other students?

“My faith is the cornerstone upon which I build my personality. My dad has heped me develop an everlasting bond with my lord and saviour Jesus Christ.”

—Mac Hudson, 12th

“Stanton showed me how different religions and cultures are all equal and should be respected equally.”

—Anmol Shah, 10th

“The different views of all of the cultures at Stanton have made me respect them more.

My tolerance level has increased because of mine.”

These students clearly are not letting society mute their relationships with their respective faiths. They have also made it clear that they will continue to live by their faiths after they leave Stanton and move on the college and the real world. Bird, a senior, is even considering a career as a minister.

“As far as college goes, I think that Christianity has instilled a lot of good values in me,” said Bird.

“Not just moral values but discipline. To me, Christianity is very applicable outside of the spiritual aspect and I think it has set me up very well for life.”

As far as careers go, Murali wishes to go into medicine but he intends to keep the sense of duty instilled into him by his Hindu faith in every aspect of his life.

“I just want to keep moving forward by remembering God and what I stand for,” said Murali. “Everything I want to do in the future, such as getting a job and raising a family is out of a sense of duty.”

Faith is one of those basic ingredients humanknow is that when we feel it, we know it. At the bare minimum, faith is a belief in something. Whether its a religion, whether its logic, whether it is in someone else, or whether itis in yourself, faith is believing. In an environment such as Stanton, it is nearly impossible to get by without faith in something and, as Murali and Bird have demonstrated, it is something to take with you when you leave.

—Cody Ragland , 12th

“Stanton’s diverse population has introduced me to people from all backgrounds.

It has given me the chance to interact and work together with people from different cultures which has made me more accepting of all types of people.”

—Rasheed AKbari, 10th

“I’ve been exposed to so many different cultures and people with different religious backgrounds than ever before. It’s allowed me to learn about all of the different cultures and learn to respect them even more.”

—Bhavik Desai , 10th

“For most of my life I’ve been raised in an environment widely exposed to different cultures so it was more of a commonality to tolerate others.”

— Dahlia Sarmiento, 9th

“Stanton has opened my eyes to the beauty of the diversity in front of me.”

photo by Google

—Angela Udongwo, 12th

may 2014

13 | devilsadvocatepaper.com

Student Life

Military Life There is no doubt that the men and women serving our country But these individuals are fathers and mothers, husbands and wives. The military experience is not limited to those serving but to those left at home as well.

By GABI PRIOLEAU, Student Life Reporter

photo by Savannah Mika

14 | devilsadvocatepaper.com

may 2014

photo by Kathryn McMullen

In the United States, there is a family dynamic that few people experience: the military family. Since only a few people experience it, it isn’t widely understood. This lifestyle requires dedication and resilience from both parents and children. Parents can be deployed to different areas for extended periods of time, which means they miss birthdays and holidays with their loved ones.

Military personnel are often regarded as the group of try. But what about the families behind the scenes? Families sharing their family member with the rest of the country, and giving up precious time that they could be spending with them.

According to a Livestrong study conducted in 2012, military families are 2.4 times more likely to relocate than civil-

Junior Marissa Bennett feels a bit differently. Bennett has and says that it is hard to maintain friendships, especially when you are 10,000 miles away.

“The only friendship that I have managed to maintain is with my best friend, who lives here, whom I’ve known since when you move around frequently. Because of it, the friendBut what if you were uprooted and had to move to an unfamiliar place right before the start of your senior year and your

ily were living in Japan when the earthquake Tohoku hit off the coast in 2011, causing her family to evacuate and move back to Jacksonville. However, they had to leave Bennett’s mother, a Navy midwife, behind.

“It was really tough leaving my mother behind in Ja-

When they heard from Bennett’s mother that she was safe and would be joining them in Jacksonville soon, joy and relief swept over the family.

-

to do just that. Moving from Norfolk, Virginia to Jacksonville this past summer was a huge transition.

Being that they had never lived anywhere else besides Norfolk, moving to Jacksonville in such crucial stages of their academic careers was monumental. Both Jack and Claudia

views. Her father, who has served in the Navy for 16 years, is currently stationed in Maryland. Because he is gone so frequently and is stationed in another state, her relation-

Children in military families are affected just as much as the were moving. notice and relocate, which can lead to disrupted relation-

G.I. Bill are a couple. It’s a hard life that not everyone is cut out for, but one thing these military kids are, is proud of their parents that serve their country.

Frequent moving is one of the many aspects to being a part of a military family. Junior Kerri Parker, who’s lived in Jacksonville for three years, knows a thing or two about number of places up and down the east coast, even as far uprooted and relocated to a new and foreign place, and how hard it was to make friends.

“Just as you are starting to make friends in one place and But, she said, after moving around a few more times, she got used to it and making friends became easier. Because of her experiences with moving around frequently, she has opened up as a person and has become more social.

“When you move around a lot, you have to make new

Moving to a new city, especially from a city that you have lived all your life, can be tough. New city, new school, new “When I was in Virginia, I went to a small private school ton is a lot bigger than my old school and I don’t know as

mother.

“I have gotten to the point to where I love him better

Payne describes how when her father is home, he can’t

“He’s used to barking orders and having people doing

As far as living in Jacksonville, both Claudia and Jack say that it is a nice change from Virginia.

Though moving around frequently and trying to maintain

people here are so nice and you can see the southern hos-

new and different cultural experiences.

Bennett, who has lived in Japan a sum total of six and a half years, has gained a sense of global awareness while living overseas.

“Because I have lived in Japan, I feel that I am more

When part of a military family, relationships become very important. Not being able to see loved ones often can be reunions are that much more appreciated and can cause relationships and bonds to grow stronger.

Parker, whose father has been in the Navy for the past 17 years, has only been to four out of her 17 birthdays. said Parker. “But that just makes me more appreciative of

that, but living in Japan and moving around frequently has Being part of a military family has many aspects and as good or as bad as some people make it out to be. Being

do it [move around] enough, making friends and meeting Bennett shares the same belief. Bennett and her fam-

may 2014

being a part of a military family takes backbone and heart.

devil’s advocate | 15

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Opinions

Teacher X

The Teenage Dialect Contributing Artist

An anonymous teacher shares some insight on our modern age...

Teenagers today were born in a decade of high hopes that the new “worldwide web” would provide “connectivity” through “search engines” and “instant messaging” to improve the lives of all people in – jargon from an earlier decade – the “global village.”

This 20-year-old “www.information superhighway” has hit some speed bumps.

Students with near instant access to facts and friends and food trucks quickly discover in an admissions or internship interview that their personal knowledge and analytical ability outweigh iOS or Android. Professors and employers choose students who not only are conversant with current technology but who can also think and analyze thoughtfully. cess of “startups” and “app” developers since the 1990s and the stagnant economy slowing the rebound of most companies following the 2009 recession. But another ness earn much more than the majority of workers. Most people are not entrepreneurs. High income and low income are widening. This gap is an ethical problem to some, a free market fact to others, but a development for all citizens and future voters to ponder. touted as a great instrument of peace; then there was the Great War of 1914. The “hot line” was a 1963 teletype device to keep America and Russia from another nuclear missile crisis. The current President won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize after his speech in Cairo calling for talk. But a year later cell phones helped incite “Arab Spring” leading to both the removal and revival of authoritarian regimes across the Sahara and Near remains a dilemma. Peace is more than communication. share pictures quickly with current friends. Yet surveys indicate some “social media” users are less successful in real – not “virtual” – relationships. Every person’s unique personality can be easily masked on a cluttered screen or in 140 spaces. Any person can write anything to attract the interest of the billion member audience. Slow down and consider the information carefully. ions of both popular columnists and local citizens, and comics. Today, each second, millions of people can reach millions of other people on free websites featuring ads, news, opinions, and comics in the millions, and even much more information from brilnecessary to buy “loss of identity” insurance.

Small cell phones – “smart” or not – as we think of them were born in 1991. Radiolinja, in Helsinki, advertised its new idea with “so that Finns could talk more.” Their process than substance.

The Downfall of our Language hard to not hear the words “turn up,” and multiple variations, multiple times. The older generation believes we aren’t as smart as we actually are because we use slang terms so much in our conversations, it has come to identify our generation. We use so many different slang terms on a regular basis that most of the time, the older generation has no idea what we are saying. We should want to sound better for ourselves because often, some of the things we say make us sound ignorant and illiterate.

The grammar we teenagers use is ruling our lives in the sense that we no longer use

devil’s advocate

ample, when talking to teachers, adults in a professional setting, or when presenting a

2013-2014 Editorial Staff

many adults not only correct students but ask them to repeat what they said because they didn’t understand them.

Not everyone in our generation speaks like this. There are a handful of teenagers who do speak properly and use correct grammar at all times. Even some teenagers get confused when other teens use slang when talking to them, so much to the point that

Taylor Galloway Auvion Bradshaw Manya Goldstein Samantha Foss Kathryn McMullen Savannah Mika The Devil’s Advocate

to, then we don’t. We have become so accustomed to speaking this way that it is ruling

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Features Editor Opinions Editor Student Life Editor Senior Photography Editor Sports Editor

has to be quite embarassing for those teens that don’t use slang to look around and see fellow teenagers speaking the way they do.

Some may think it is an cultural problem when it really is not. People from every cultural group use slang terms. The only difference is that each group may have different slang than others. The problem is no longer cultural; it has become a generational -

editors reserve the right to edit any material submitted to the paper for content, grammar, length, and accuracy.

The Devil’s Advocate newspaper are not necessarily those of the newspaper adviser, school administration, or the Duval County Public School Board.

The Devil’s Advocate accepts advertisements from all businesses in the Stanton community. The ad format can be given to the staff or the adviser, Mr. Larry Knight.

Students, faculty, and parents may contact the staff and adviser at (904) 630-6760

may 2014

word “ratchet” which means “to increase or decrease,” according to dictionary.com. Our society has molded the word to have a completely different meaning. Urban Dictionary believe she is every man’s eye candy.” This has nothing to do with what the word actually means, and most of our generation probably does not know this.

The more we continue to speak in this mannner, the more we prove to others that we don’t kow how to speak or use proper grammar. The sad truth is that we know how to speak properly, we just don’t unless we have to. Our slang and our bad grammar is ruling our lives, or at the least ruling the way we talk. We need to better ourselves, not only for us but for future generations and to prove to older generations we are smarter than they think.

devil’s advocate | 17

Opinions Eliminating “Fat” People

Reaction to Issue 3 On the Music Industry

By DESIRAE LEE, Opinions Reporter

The Error of Our Ways

In a culture that focuses so much on visual communication, appearance is everything.

Hafsa Quraishi created a

photo by Ashley Hagins

of art, should not be limited

derived from the conscious ness of the masses. ism, others might actually

Several of the groups represented are costumed to perfection, but even more are far beyond dress code. because most students rec ognize that it is futile to learn since no one is learning from masses feel happy by lis

foundation for progress and reminding individuals of the

lectually superior to someone because of differing tastes lition to learn is accompanied about one’s preference for bornness creates a mental

What is even more disturbing about this logic is that it is publicized and currently trending on social media sites

In regards to the state of sition and application of use

promote conformity.

for people to recognize the er something out there for ev

saturated in our culture than What’s most important is being healthy physically and mentally.

ing out the undesirable noise is as simple as putting on and variety of today’s mu sic means that more people

sic industry, artists, and mu

Being Politically Correct describing a person. tise on the evils of political

What Faith Means to Me agree.

By SHANICE SKYERS, Opinions Reporter Faith is not an aspect of my life; it is the common thread that binds every aspect of my life together. Without faith, most of my habits and routines that have become part of my person

more seriously if not plagued The Visible Impact

diverse student population but also a diverse group of

basic premise of the article— that, since political correct ness cannot be applied in ev ery situation, it should never

ton a functional, sustainable at all—is a logical fallacy in itself. integral part of the Stanton family. Whenever I forget my tion of another’s beliefs can

Whether it is opening doors

false conclusion. At its core, the goal of being politically correct is an attempt to re spect variances in culture

on them to help out. Custo dians truly are the invisible

er—something that should

running smoothly. Without human being—or else do dystopian novel rather than the education center it is to day.

and everything happens for a reason.

result in a dulling of our opin

18 | devilsadvocatepaper.com

future.

Nature vs. Nurture Is our behavior determined by our genetic makeup or the environment that surrounds us? Two psychology students take sides and debate the underlying factors that Nature: We are the Product of the Genes Within Us

Nurture: We are the Product of the World Around Us

By ERIN BURROWS, Contributing Writer

By MATT MCKETTY, Contributing Writer

with all that we do. While many argue that our surroundings are what cause us to behave in the ways we do, nature, or our biological composition, provides us with the personality and charac-

A large factor in determining the functioning of our minds is the genes of our parents. Returning to the Punnet Square from ninth grade biology, the same idea is applicable to the brain. Series of studies have been done to show the similarities between the brains of offspring and their parents, as well as siblings from

of parents on their children was demonstrated in a study that found that between ages 4 and 6, there was a 40 percent similarity between the IQ of a parent and his or her offspring. However, by the time the child reached adulthood, there was an 80% similarity. Such an increase shows that the children in the study were greatly affected by their gene pool. Aside from the statistical similarities, people everyday realize the similarities they hold with their parents. It is expected that as children age, they will come to resemble their parents physically. Mentally, the same is true. Although the nurture side of the argument reasons that human behavior is molded by its environment, certain behaviors would not be present if it weren’t for their genetic encoding.

The environment elicits certain traits, but those traits would not be present if they were not biologically based.

The environment elicits certain traits but those traits would not be present if they were not biologically based. controlled by the mind, so one must assume the mind has somehow been changed.

Evolution doesn’t have to occur over long periods of time either. The human mind is constantly changing and growing, learning and adapting to new information and situations. From the time we were infants to now, we are not the same people, we don’t like the same things, and we don’t think the same way. Our minds grow like our bodies and are stimulated by the world we encounter, constantly changing so that we are better able to handle our surroundings. how people think and react to the events in their lives. Every part of the brain contributes in some way to a person’s functioning. For example, the amygdala controls emotions such as fear and anger, the hippocampus is a memory center, and the corpus callosum helps the different lobes of the brain communicate. Each of these parts plays an important role in the functioning of the brain and damage to any of them can cause hindrances to the necessary processes required by human interaction. This means that when any part of the brain is impaired, so is the behavior that is required by it. structure, is the driving force behind human behavior. The factors that determine its environment.

may 2014

As human beings, we like to believe that we have the power to determine what direction we take in our lives. Any idea that the way we are is predetermined is one we utterly reject. This is the central part of the Nature vs. Nurture debate. Are we the products of our genes and heritage, or is it our environment that plays the greatest role in our development?

Obviously our genes play some role in determining who we become. This explains why you may have the same behaviors as a parent or relative or why twins raised apart from one another have the same interests. However, I believe that rather than our genes, it is the environment in which we live, the people we interact with, and the experiences we have that shape us most.

In 1961, Albert Bandura pioneered the Social Learning Theory with his Bobo Doll photo by Sanaa Belkaich

photo by Sanaa Belkaich

The basis of human life is its biological composition. Our bodies function through natural processes and automatically work to maintain homeostasis. The same can be said about the human mind. The brain is a complex organ composed of thou-

with a Bobo Doll in a video. One group saw the adult play nicely with the toy while the other group saw the adult beat and abuse the doll. When given the opportunity to play with the doll themselves, the children largely acted the same way the adult had.

Although limited to a lab, the implications of the Social Learning Theory go far beyond psychology.

I believe that rather than our genes, it is the environment in which we live, the people we interact with, and the experiences we have that shape us most. their roots in this debate. Does one student perform better at school because he or she works harder or do their genes predispose them to academic success?

To point to genetic factors is too simple however, and does not do justice to the variety of factors that play a role in the way we develop. There is a reason why students who come from a low socioeconomic level have a high school dropout rate of 16.7 percent versus 3.2 percent for students from more privileged backgrounds, according to the American Psychological Association. Perhaps lack of success in higher education is because poorer students are far more likely to attend failing and poorly funded schools 32 percent of parents of underprivileged kids read to them, compared to the 66 percent of privileged parents.

While genetics may provide someone with the preferential traits of a successful athlete, it requires hard work and practice for that person to attain this. This drive to work hard does not originate in your genes, but rather from those around you. Whether it be the push of your parents, coach, or fellow team mates, your belief in your need to succeed comes from the people around you. To bring this issue a little closer to home, we can talk about Stanton. than brains to do well at this school. Success requires organization, hard work, and more than a few late nights. Our willingness to do that, to succeed, is not predisposed in us but rather comes from the environment around us and our desire, shared by many of our peers, to be the best we possibly can.

There is no doubt that our genes shape us in a variety of ways. However, the factors that truly decide who we are, and who we become, originate from the world around us and the ways we interact with it.

devil’s advocate | 19

Attention Class of 2015 Uprising Seniors!

Senior Picture Deadlines: Appointments must be scheduled by august 8, 2014 Pictures must be taken by september 1, 2014 To schedule your appointment: Call: 904.398.1050 or go to http://www.prestigeportraits.com we will not be moving the deadlines back. if you miss out you will not be featured in the senior section of the 2014-2015 yearbook! please don’t miss out! call now and schedule your appointment! *First 100 students who get their pictures taken will receive a free personalized nameplate for their 2015 yearbook*