Devil's Advocate Issue 5 (Senior Issue) (2011-2012)

devil’s advocate stanton college preparatory school

5

your stories. your school. your voice.

The Stanton

The five Stanton seniors who go above and beyond their school and community.

no. 5 | june 2012

devilsadvocatepaper.blogspot.com

Profiles Written By ISHMAIL DOWRIDGE KATHRYN MCMULLEN KATIE RAYMOND SARAH ROBERSON JOC’LENE SCARLETT

Born For Success

photos by Kathryn McMullen

By LAURA GERBEC, Features Editor

History On Aug. 11, 2008, the freshmen class of 2012 seniors took their first steps in their high school career, never even imagining that four years later, they would be leaving behind this school with fond memories and a history that will never be forgotten.

One of the students that has made a mark on Stanton is Kevin Chang, who helped to organize the Ecomagination Line Dance, the paper crane drive to raise awareness about bullying, and the Teen for Jeans drive.

As one of the leaders of the class, Chang says that the seniors are “the sharks in the fish tank,” keeping the underclassmen in line and creating a path for them to follow once this senior class has graduated. But Chang is not alone, the class of 2012 has many students who have excelled in various fields of endeavor.

Such organizations as these should be taken under-wing of the students remaining at Stanton, not only to keep them running, but hopefully to make improvements and to further their purpose. The leadership presented in one class can lead to years of making a difference in our school and community.

2 / devil’s advocate / campus affairs

On a different level, the staff views the class as broken up into smaller groups, who each have made a difference to teachers, administrators, and guidance.

“This graduating class has one of the most ambitious pockets,” said Bob Turba, a guidance counselor for a total of 42 years. According to Turba, each class has “pockets,” or groups of students that have their own distinctions and legacies.

“We are leaving behind the idea of class unity.”

-Richie Clark He said that this graduating class has one of the most memorable groups of students that work hard to make a difference and that is something that is hard to forget about, and it sets a new standard for all classes to follow and live up to.

Another example of the ways to follow in their

footsteps is their school spirit. “While other classes spar animosity with each other, we find a way to rise about it,” said Jerron Wheeler, the senior class president.

Marigene O’Connor, the Student Activities director at Stanton who works closely with the senior class, has a similar opinion to that of Wheeler’s. “I think as a whole, they are a very positive class,” she said.

Legacy Four years, 720 days, and over 62 million seconds of being enrolled at Stanton, and every single one of those seconds counts towards making a lasting impression on the school. The legacy of a class is one that will forever define how they are remembered, and as the 2011-2012 school year comes to an end, the graduating class is putting the final touches on the impression they will be leaving behind.

The students as a whole may be hard to describe in one phrase or word, but to each student, there is a sense of family. “We are leaving behind the idea of class unity,” said senior Richard

Washington Clarke Jr. “We have definitely had one of the closest classes of Stanton.”

As the senior class prepares to leave, they are reflecting on their four years of relationships they have built.

“We are a prime example of teamwork, companionship, and mutual cooperation. We have redefined concord through brotherhood, resulting in peaceful coexistence,” said Clarke.

A fellow senior Kendia Thomas also commented along with Clarke, both saying that “as [they] leave Stanton and depart this place we once called our second home, we will never forget the family that we made here.”

School spirit and the essence of family inside of the class go hand in hand, and over the four years, the class itself has found a way to break down the barriers they had and join together.

According to Wheeler, during their freshman and sophomore years the class was segregated into their own “bubbles,” yet as junior and senior year came around, it was “obvious they appreciated Stanton and their class.”

While the bond that they have created may be being split, the class “finds a way to stay connected,” said Wheeler.

He claims that as the end of the school year comes, seniors often begin to drift away from their high school life in order to begin their college ones, becoming detached, but this class is difference.

They are going to make every last day of their senior year count and end it as the family they took four years to create.

This family bond may be broken in a physical sense, but the relationships and -Mr. Bob Turba talents they created together will not only help them in college, but can be beneficially for them throughout their life time.

High school, a time when someone grows from a child to adult, can be the mold for their personality and social skills. The environment of Stanton has always been very compassionate and resembles a tight-knit family that breeds trust and affection.

“This graduating class has one of the most ambitious pockets.”

Seniors Speak: Was Stanton Worth It?

V

V

“ I think college will be easier because of Stanton.

- Nilab Azim “ Definitely. Stanton gave me a vast amount of experiences to be a better student; the stress of APs IB tests, the and the internal assessments. I think it provided the foundation to succeed in college and im grateful for that.

- Eleana Lozano “ It did what it said it would do... prepared me for college.”

- Micah Barker “When I look back as an athlete I should not have gone here. As a student I was average, but i could have been excelling somewhere else.

- Dalla Glenn “Yes, because it prepared me for college very well.”

-Elizabeth McGee “No. I would have much rather went to Fletcher. My GPA is a 2.6 weighted. I would have easily got close to 4.0 at Fletcher.”

-Simon Woodfork “Yes, it was worth it!”

-Angel Selva-Rodriguez

The 2012 seniors join together at a pep rally, which they later won, showing their class unity.

campus affairs / devil’s advocate / 3

ANIL GEORGE, MD PA Board Certified in Family Practice Satya Davuluri, MD Paige L. Bates, MD Board Certified in Internal Medicine Gina Mele, ARNP 915 W. Monroe Street, Suite #301 Lavilla Bldg. 2 Jacksonville, Florida 32204 Phone: (904) 353-8562 Fax: ( 904) 353-8607 “WE ARE HERE FOR YOU FOR ALL YOUR HEALTHCARE NEEDS!” “IF YOU NEED A SCHOOL PHYSICAL, FLU SHOT, OR A CHECK-UP.”

ONLY 5 MINUTES AWAY FROM STANTON!!

Dillon 3 Shircliff Way Suite 400 Jacksonville, FL 32204

Congratulations seniors! Go forth and be proud!

NSaw You

12 The -2B0yes Good

The student body at Stanton is familiar with the I Saw You’s conveying the secret attractions of the opposite sex; however, in this installment the Devil’s Advocate has decided to introduce a Senior Good-Byes I Saw You’s column to give the class of 2012 a last chance to say good-bye to their secret crushes. Enjoy!

More Than Just a Pretty Face

Someday My Prince Will Come

You: The green eyed girl with a beautiful smile you insist that you need makeup, a short skirt, and a low cut tank-top to be noticed but, over the years I’ve noticed more than just your assets

You: The most popular guy in our class, your dark hair and adorable brown eyes has made girls swoon all four years of high school.

Conversation Hearts You: The adorable blonde girl with a sweet smile to match her sun-kissed tan, I love to see you pull into the mudlot every morning in your black VW Jetta.

Me: The boy who parks near you everyday just so I can start my morning with your smile, one day I’ll tell you my true feelings in a creative way, does candy sound okay?

Me: The girl who has had a crush on you since elementary school, we sort of stopped talking but I never stopped noticing you hopefully now that high school is over it doesn’t matter that I’m not cool enough for you.

Me: The boy who wishes that you could see that you are more than just long legs and lip-gloss. After graduation I WILL talk to you.

Unworthy

Blue Devils 4Eva

Baby Come Back

You: The pretty girl with the beautiful blue eyes, you have smarts and looks. Those smarts were the reason why we always copied your homework

You: The kids who accidentally lost their IDs throughout our years of suffering at Stanton but, was it really an accident?

Me: The kid who always admired you but only had an excuse to talk to you whenever I copied your homework, I suppose I never deserved you or, my “A” in Biology.

Me: Sorry to tell you this but I’m the kid with the large collection of stolen IDs in my closest, SUCKS2BU:)

You: The kids who no longer walk my hallways, you guys will soon move on to bigger and better things.

Me: The school that you may want to forget, but that will never forget you.

If you are interested in suggesting an I Saw You please deliver them to Room 204 or email them to stantondevilsadvocate@gmail.com

²THE Playlist Name

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

Lollipop What You Got (Main) Love In This Club (feat...

Sweetest Girl Viva la Vida Stop and Stare My Life (feat...

Closer Paris, Tokyo With You Handlebars Love Story Say Wake Up Paper Planes Green Light Let It Rock No Air Down the Road (With...

22

I’m Breaking Down War of My Life

Song Class of the

6 / devil’s advocate / student life

Time

#5 / When We Were Freshman Playlist Artist

Album

4:59 4:04 4:19 3:47 4:01 3:43 5:20 3:54 4:30 4:12 3:26 3:55 3:50 3:46 3:23

Lil Wayne & S...

Colby O’Donis...

Usher Wyclef Jean Coldplay OneRepublic Game Ne-Yo Lupe Fiasco Chris Brown Flobots Taylor Swift John Mayer Wiz Khalifa M.I.A.

Tha Carter III Serena Williams’ Po...

Here I Stand

4:24 3:47

Jordin Sparks Kenny Chesney

Jordin Sparks

4:44 John Legend 3:01 Kevin Rudolf

Just in the Mixtape...

Viva la Vida or Deat...

Dreaming Out Lou...

LAX (Deluxe Edition) Year of the Gentle...

Lupe Fiasco’s the...

Exclusive (The Fore...

Fight With Trols Fearless Continuum (Special...

Rolling Papers Slumdog Millionair...

Evolver In the City (Bonus T...

Lucky Old Sun (Del...

Genre

Hip Hop/Rap R&B Soul R&B Soul Hip Hop/Rap Alternative Rock Hip Hop/Rap R&B Soul Hip Hop/Rap R&B Soul Hip Hop/Rap Country Rock Hip Hop/Rap Alternative R&B Soul Pop Pop Country

Student

Mitch Mitchell(12th grade) Nicursia Williams (12th grade) Camelia Thompson(12th grade) Myasha Thomas(12th grade) Brad Scull (12th grade) James Crawford (12th grade) A.J. DeMeza (12th grade) Nnenna Onwudiwe (12th grade) Reginald Drake (12th grade) Kendia Thomas (12th grade) Tatum Jordan-Madden (12th grade) Kayla Cayasso (12th grade) Rachel Kamm (12th grade) Kyani Sanders (12th grade) Demetrius Harvey (12th grade) David Jones (12th grade) Jasmine Mason (12th grade) Ashlee Holloway (12th grade) Troy Robertson (12th grade)

Up

“We Are Young” by Fun.

ïW

To listen to this song visit our blogsite: www.devilsadvocatepaper.blogspot.com

Senior Quotes 2012

thin. i w k o o l “On yes, “If the e “Ther r u e ly a o h o y t n n h e t t i i s a w n d t o e wasn’ minimum “Ope i est Stan p i f n s l i e t h a a a s ure cu mor ton a t good ving n us o y ” e ? r g rve r e n A o do; th thing vi i l s o impo e cur e it wou enough, r ’ e u t o f n o ve un is r –M l life y havin rs. a wom tant t s y e l M l the m dn’t be o r K a han t s to do an. ia W rie g ob M inimu ” B g a e h nd iteh r not do tt –Mart e m.” l r a ead c i S n e in Doh g it.”

- Mar n e l ’ c o J “The be yW ert y

some, n i w “You e.” m o s e you los bernathy ine A r e h t a C

–

“Hold fast to d reams, for if dreams d ie, life is a broken win ged bird that cann ot fly.”

–Langston Hu ghes.

Alexandra Pow ers “I’m m

arrying a Canadian.”

–Kyani Sa nders

st four y ears of my lif e; I never thought I would actually miss thes e awkward people.”

–Kentan a Kn eisha ight “Cowards ma Moore y die many tim e s “We all ma before their d ke choices, eaths, but the but in the valiant taste o our choices end f death but on ce.” m a k e -Shakespeare u s …

A man cho (Ceasar) oses; A sla Kayla Cayas v so –Andrew R e obeys.” yan “Remem Reno Varg hese ber God “Unde w ilson

Corne Little l urney, o i j u a s s i Agan ss “Succe stination.” on “ L e d ife’s d not a n a l too ful weet shor uccess –Ben S s a n e be w y l u h r t s ile y t, smile ha e.” t i m s r d o t n f ill h A ou journey ave – D s a teeth ’nne Thom ka .”

Kendia

rc do anyt lassmen: don’t hing st senior upid year. Y ou don your mess u ’t wan p yo speakin ur future. (I’m t to g from not e –Tiffan xperience).” y Cook

e shots h t f o % ss 100 i m u o ke.” a “Y t r e v e you n etsky r G e n –Way Todaro ” a d a n a Greg “C it be

ill n away fro m you wi ever take someth thout the ing replacing i n tent it with so mething ion of better.”

–Anony mou Alexis P s the n i e v era e li who be

“He has those o s t o u s s.” n g d m n e a o d l e e k f r o b d n r i th the t that sha uture uty of their velt f n’t th o e ” d . h r l o T y l u d “ e m never so pet “Th bea oose but it R , s r i u o n t n i d a retreat.

– Julai like –Ele ami amble en h G S r ” a a r W c d ard How – Os lexan Madd A n a e d r Gregory Jo Tatum Blum ey in n g, o n m i r t u o s y t a w nves I y “ nd o a j p n u e t i k “There will alw ries.” u o o m e y “Suc ” m l e . u f ” i d . m t a ys be a “Ti beau aste e a man w k i l t t i o e n k enn fish in the pond ta P s n a a n c d w y n o o u l n D L .”

– Len n –Alyssa h o –Katie Raym J njuru – a c W i e j c i ond n a u E G Nemo

Against All Odds EUNICE WANJIRU

By SARAH ROBERSON, senior phopo

The Top 5 Seniors Over their four years at Stanton, these five seniors have made an impression that not only reflects on their individual personalities, but will leave a mark at Stanton.

Beauty Queen Making a Difference RACHEL HART

photo by Hart family

By JOC’LENE SCARLETT Reporter

8 / devil’s advocate / features

There is an emphatic perception that contestants in pageants are learning to be valued for their physical qualities. However, behind all of the make-up and hairspray there is one beauty queen here at Stanton who is so much more than the crown she wears on her head: Rachel Hart.

Since age nine, Hart has maintained a passion for reaching out to the less fortunate, winning Miss Stanton back in October 2011 and eventually Miss Northeast Florida, gave her a bigger platform to support and bring awareness to causes that matter. Her attentiveness to world hunger and homelessness, two growing issues, highlights the compassion she continues to have for the injustices of the real world. Her title of Miss Northeast Florida allowed her to mature and gain poise, grace, and confidence in herself and her values.

Hart’s love for other people is a very large part of why she keeps in mind her personal belief of “If you have the ability, you have the responsibility.” Her line of headbands, inspired by the designer Tarina Tarantino’s hair accessories, was a project started to raise money for charity. Now that she is going to the University of Florida, she will not have the same amount of time she does now to devote to her headbands. However, she will not stop making them completely and her plan to join a sorority will give her ample opportunity to not only spread school spirit but also sell her headbands to a broader audience and hopefully bring to Gainesville Helping the Homeless, which she started with senior Jennifer Ritter.

Going forward, Rachel plans to “take the lessons I have learned about perseverance and apply them to all of my goals that come along with time,” which will help in her desired career path in advertising. As an IB art student, creating an exhibit is a part of the final exam. The creation of the exhibit, coincidentally, prompted Hart to reach out to the National Art Honor Society (NAHS) and American Institute for Graphic Artists (AIGA). It is there that she met influential people that fueled her enthusiasm to go into Graphic Design and Advertising at the University of Florida.

Support from friends and family are what helps Hart to pursue the things that she chooses to set her mind to and accomplish. Both Mrs. Marigene O’Connor, the Student Activities Director at Stanton, and Principal Nongongoma Majova-Seane have inspired Hart to be okay in her own skin and “remain strong in the person that I am.”

“She’s the whole package,” says Mrs. O’Connor. “She’s smart, she’s caring, she’s giving, she has her own nonprofit business, and she’s gorgeous. I mean, what more could you say?” Mrs. Majova-Seane seconds Mrs. O’Connor’s statement and agrees that Hart is a beautiful person inside and out. Their words have helped her to remember the real reason of why she does something and she admits to feeling honored to know them.

They, of course, are not the only ones that are close to Hart. “She’s a really good role model because of her work ethic, the type of person that she is and the way she gives her all in everything that she does,” said freshman Emily Hart, her younger sister. Hart’s drive is unwavering, even if things do not

Human nature is something that will never be fully understood. A species that is so far developed in intellect and technology, yet still struggles greatly with simple concepts like love and trust? Baffling.

There are, however, individuals who stand out in the crowd - those proving themselves to be stronger than the rest, or with an inspiring knack for generosity, or a supernatural ability to create beauty out of nothing.

Senior Eunice Wanjiru is one of those individuals, an exemplary young woman with beauty and strength that stems from within, and the ability to inspire others with her life story.

She was born in Kenya, Africa. Her mom left for America when she was four for a job opportunity, and for the next year and a half she stayed in Africa with her grandparents.

When she was fives, she moved to join her parents in America.

While in Africa, she could speak Swahili and Kikuyu – but in America, her mom hired an English tutor and only allowed her to speak English in their home to allow her to adjust to the culture more easily. Now, although she can understand both of her native languages, she can speak neither.

“This disappoints me because it means when I go back to Kenya, I won’t be able to communicate fully with any of my family members,” Wanjiru reluctantly explained.

She attended elementary school at Dinsmore Elementary, where she became very involved by her fifth grade year. She remembers it being an amazing experience for her; however, her middle school years were quite the opposite. Her mom had her enrolled in an after-school program called The Bridge, so that she could continue to meet new people and establish friendships with those outside of Darnell-Cookman Middle School.

The children in The Bridge all seemed to come from similar family backgrounds, and her culture was shockingly different to them.

She explained, “My last name was made fun of because it was unlike any other they had heard. They made animal noises, told me that my mom must have AIDS, and made jokes about my small stature, relating it to Feed the Children commercials.”

The prejudice comments eventually started to get to her.

The strong façade she had maintained was slowly but surely falling away. Eventually, she was not able to bear the burden of the constant bullying.

“I wouldn’t answer when my name was called, told

remembered. There are many things that she hopes to help people realize. In particular she hopes to help girls realize that they can be themselves and know that they are beautiful both on the inside and on the outside. She wants to help people see the importance of achieving goals and remaining steadfast in their integrity. And lastly, she wants to help people take risks, something that she did with competing in Miss Stanton, an opportunity that changed her life.

Hart feels that if people were to remember her for anything she hopes it is because, “I continued to pursue my dreams and they had a positive impact on some portion of the world.”

people not to refer to me using my last name, and even stopped writing my full name on my papers. I was embarrassed – of my culture, my background, the fact that I was different. I felt as though if I were like everyone else they wouldn’t pick on me,” she confessed.

Looking back, this has helped her to decide what she wants to do with the rest of her life. Surprisingly enough, she went back and earned over 300 volunteer hours with The Bridge.

When they saw how hard she was working, they decided to hire her.

Her boss, Mrs. Natalie Holsey-Sheppard, has no regrets about the decision to employ Wanjiru, either. She describes her as “a valuable asset to the team” and having “a wonderful rapport with her students.”

Serving as a tutor/mentor to youth who are in the bottom 25 percent in their school, Wanjiru has currently been employed by them for two years. These youth also struggle with family issues and deal with low self-esteem. She describes her job there as helping them “recognize their greatness” and to realize that they “shouldn’t be afraid to be true to themselves.”

She also started an anti-bullying program at Andrew Robinson Elementary School with their team-up program, which meets everyday after school, with the goal of building the children up so that they would not let other put them down.

“I was inspired to ensure that other children did not have to go through the same struggles that I went through before fully accepting themselves,” said Wanjiru.

After high school, she plans to attend the University of Central Florida and major in sociology and non-profit management. This will help her to achieve her dream of establishing her own organization that will help students “become the greatest that she can be.”

“I want the future generations of children to be satisfied with their emotional state, striving in their academic life, and with the ability to form great relationships and a name for themselves,” she further explains.

There is much to learn from such an eventful life story.

Wanjiru had the choice to allow the bullying to wear her down.

She very easily could have become an introvert for the rest of her life, with a low self-esteem and struggles with depression.

Sleeping at night could be difficult for her, because each time she closed her eyes her mind would be haunted with painful images and hurtful words from her childhood. She could have allowed life to knock her down, and chosen to remain a victim.

Instead, she overcame it. She got back up from her tribulations stronger than even before. She showed maturity as a young age by not responding with revenge and evil intentions, but rather made the choice to be teachable and learn from life’s lessons.

Eunice Wanjiru did not only triumph over her trials, but continued upward as she rose far above them. She returned to the source of the some of her worst, most painful childhood memories and became a better, stronger person. She is now a

Facts on Rachel Hart Miss Stanton 2011 and current Miss Northeast Florida Attending University of Florida Graphic for Design and Advertising

Has her own headband business, From the Hart A National Art Honor Society member Advocate against world hunger and homelessness

beautiful, confident young woman, and proves herself everyday as she continues to help children develop in a way that they can follow in her footsteps, mirroring her strength and individuality when obstacles appear.

photo by Sarah Roberson

turn out the way that she wants them to turn out.

Outside of pageants and charity, Hart has frequently participated with the National Art, Spanish, Math, and English Honor Societies, as well as the National Honor Society. She has been playing the piano for the past seven years, works as a model at Abercrombie & Fitch, along with modeling for local businesses. She also does hair and make-up for photo shoots at Sessions, a summer camp for models in Jacksonville and she teaches modeling camps.

Hart is also heavily involved with her church as a leader in her youth group and at retreats.

Everything Hart does, she does not do it with the intention of standing out to other people and being

Facts on Eunice Wanjiru Born in Kenya, Africa Understands Swahili and Kikuyu, but cannot speak them Volunteered 300 hours at The Bridge

Currently employed at The Bridge Started an anti-bullying program at Andrew Robinson Elementary School

features / june 2012 / 9

Against All Odds EUNICE WANJIRU

By SARAH ROBERSON, senior phopo

The Top 5 Seniors Over their four years at Stanton, these five seniors have made an impression that not only reflects on their individual personalities, but will leave a mark at Stanton.

Beauty Queen Making a Difference RACHEL HART

photo by Hart family

By JOC’LENE SCARLETT Reporter

8 / devil’s advocate / features

There is an emphatic perception that contestants in pageants are learning to be valued for their physical qualities. However, behind all of the make-up and hairspray there is one beauty queen here at Stanton who is so much more than the crown she wears on her head: Rachel Hart.

Since age nine, Hart has maintained a passion for reaching out to the less fortunate, winning Miss Stanton back in October 2011 and eventually Miss Northeast Florida, gave her a bigger platform to support and bring awareness to causes that matter. Her attentiveness to world hunger and homelessness, two growing issues, highlights the compassion she continues to have for the injustices of the real world. Her title of Miss Northeast Florida allowed her to mature and gain poise, grace, and confidence in herself and her values.

Hart’s love for other people is a very large part of why she keeps in mind her personal belief of “If you have the ability, you have the responsibility.” Her line of headbands, inspired by the designer Tarina Tarantino’s hair accessories, was a project started to raise money for charity. Now that she is going to the University of Florida, she will not have the same amount of time she does now to devote to her headbands. However, she will not stop making them completely and her plan to join a sorority will give her ample opportunity to not only spread school spirit but also sell her headbands to a broader audience and hopefully bring to Gainesville Helping the Homeless, which she started with senior Jennifer Ritter.

Going forward, Rachel plans to “take the lessons I have learned about perseverance and apply them to all of my goals that come along with time,” which will help in her desired career path in advertising. As an IB art student, creating an exhibit is a part of the final exam. The creation of the exhibit, coincidentally, prompted Hart to reach out to the National Art Honor Society (NAHS) and American Institute for Graphic Artists (AIGA). It is there that she met influential people that fueled her enthusiasm to go into Graphic Design and Advertising at the University of Florida.

Support from friends and family are what helps Hart to pursue the things that she chooses to set her mind to and accomplish. Both Mrs. Marigene O’Connor, the Student Activities Director at Stanton, and Principal Nongongoma Majova-Seane have inspired Hart to be okay in her own skin and “remain strong in the person that I am.”

“She’s the whole package,” says Mrs. O’Connor. “She’s smart, she’s caring, she’s giving, she has her own nonprofit business, and she’s gorgeous. I mean, what more could you say?” Mrs. Majova-Seane seconds Mrs. O’Connor’s statement and agrees that Hart is a beautiful person inside and out. Their words have helped her to remember the real reason of why she does something and she admits to feeling honored to know them.

They, of course, are not the only ones that are close to Hart. “She’s a really good role model because of her work ethic, the type of person that she is and the way she gives her all in everything that she does,” said freshman Emily Hart, her younger sister. Hart’s drive is unwavering, even if things do not

Human nature is something that will never be fully understood. A species that is so far developed in intellect and technology, yet still struggles greatly with simple concepts like love and trust? Baffling.

There are, however, individuals who stand out in the crowd - those proving themselves to be stronger than the rest, or with an inspiring knack for generosity, or a supernatural ability to create beauty out of nothing.

Senior Eunice Wanjiru is one of those individuals, an exemplary young woman with beauty and strength that stems from within, and the ability to inspire others with her life story.

She was born in Kenya, Africa. Her mom left for America when she was four for a job opportunity, and for the next year and a half she stayed in Africa with her grandparents.

When she was fives, she moved to join her parents in America.

While in Africa, she could speak Swahili and Kikuyu – but in America, her mom hired an English tutor and only allowed her to speak English in their home to allow her to adjust to the culture more easily. Now, although she can understand both of her native languages, she can speak neither.

“This disappoints me because it means when I go back to Kenya, I won’t be able to communicate fully with any of my family members,” Wanjiru reluctantly explained.

She attended elementary school at Dinsmore Elementary, where she became very involved by her fifth grade year. She remembers it being an amazing experience for her; however, her middle school years were quite the opposite. Her mom had her enrolled in an after-school program called The Bridge, so that she could continue to meet new people and establish friendships with those outside of Darnell-Cookman Middle School.

The children in The Bridge all seemed to come from similar family backgrounds, and her culture was shockingly different to them.

She explained, “My last name was made fun of because it was unlike any other they had heard. They made animal noises, told me that my mom must have AIDS, and made jokes about my small stature, relating it to Feed the Children commercials.”

The prejudice comments eventually started to get to her.

The strong façade she had maintained was slowly but surely falling away. Eventually, she was not able to bear the burden of the constant bullying.

“I wouldn’t answer when my name was called, told

remembered. There are many things that she hopes to help people realize. In particular she hopes to help girls realize that they can be themselves and know that they are beautiful both on the inside and on the outside. She wants to help people see the importance of achieving goals and remaining steadfast in their integrity. And lastly, she wants to help people take risks, something that she did with competing in Miss Stanton, an opportunity that changed her life.

Hart feels that if people were to remember her for anything she hopes it is because, “I continued to pursue my dreams and they had a positive impact on some portion of the world.”

people not to refer to me using my last name, and even stopped writing my full name on my papers. I was embarrassed – of my culture, my background, the fact that I was different. I felt as though if I were like everyone else they wouldn’t pick on me,” she confessed.

Looking back, this has helped her to decide what she wants to do with the rest of her life. Surprisingly enough, she went back and earned over 300 volunteer hours with The Bridge.

When they saw how hard she was working, they decided to hire her.

Her boss, Mrs. Natalie Holsey-Sheppard, has no regrets about the decision to employ Wanjiru, either. She describes her as “a valuable asset to the team” and having “a wonderful rapport with her students.”

Serving as a tutor/mentor to youth who are in the bottom 25 percent in their school, Wanjiru has currently been employed by them for two years. These youth also struggle with family issues and deal with low self-esteem. She describes her job there as helping them “recognize their greatness” and to realize that they “shouldn’t be afraid to be true to themselves.”

She also started an anti-bullying program at Andrew Robinson Elementary School with their team-up program, which meets everyday after school, with the goal of building the children up so that they would not let other put them down.

“I was inspired to ensure that other children did not have to go through the same struggles that I went through before fully accepting themselves,” said Wanjiru.

After high school, she plans to attend the University of Central Florida and major in sociology and non-profit management. This will help her to achieve her dream of establishing her own organization that will help students “become the greatest that she can be.”

“I want the future generations of children to be satisfied with their emotional state, striving in their academic life, and with the ability to form great relationships and a name for themselves,” she further explains.

There is much to learn from such an eventful life story.

Wanjiru had the choice to allow the bullying to wear her down.

She very easily could have become an introvert for the rest of her life, with a low self-esteem and struggles with depression.

Sleeping at night could be difficult for her, because each time she closed her eyes her mind would be haunted with painful images and hurtful words from her childhood. She could have allowed life to knock her down, and chosen to remain a victim.

Instead, she overcame it. She got back up from her tribulations stronger than even before. She showed maturity as a young age by not responding with revenge and evil intentions, but rather made the choice to be teachable and learn from life’s lessons.

Eunice Wanjiru did not only triumph over her trials, but continued upward as she rose far above them. She returned to the source of the some of her worst, most painful childhood memories and became a better, stronger person. She is now a

Facts on Rachel Hart Miss Stanton 2011 and current Miss Northeast Florida Attending University of Florida Graphic for Design and Advertising

Has her own headband business, From the Hart A National Art Honor Society member Advocate against world hunger and homelessness

beautiful, confident young woman, and proves herself everyday as she continues to help children develop in a way that they can follow in her footsteps, mirroring her strength and individuality when obstacles appear.

photo by Sarah Roberson

turn out the way that she wants them to turn out.

Outside of pageants and charity, Hart has frequently participated with the National Art, Spanish, Math, and English Honor Societies, as well as the National Honor Society. She has been playing the piano for the past seven years, works as a model at Abercrombie & Fitch, along with modeling for local businesses. She also does hair and make-up for photo shoots at Sessions, a summer camp for models in Jacksonville and she teaches modeling camps.

Hart is also heavily involved with her church as a leader in her youth group and at retreats.

Everything Hart does, she does not do it with the intention of standing out to other people and being

Facts on Eunice Wanjiru Born in Kenya, Africa Understands Swahili and Kikuyu, but cannot speak them Volunteered 300 hours at The Bridge

Currently employed at The Bridge Started an anti-bullying program at Andrew Robinson Elementary School

features / june 2012 / 9

Helpful Hand AARON BADIDA

photo by Badida

By KATHRYN MCMULLEN Reporter

Facts on Aaron Badida Founded F.A.C.E.S. with his mother Lost his father to spinal cancer in 2011

President of Stanton’s National English Honor Society, Member of HandsOn Jacksonville Youth Council

The Unbeaten Path KATHERINE INGE

By KATIE RAYMOND, Editor-In-Chief As seniors are heading off to college obtaining freedom is on the top of most students’ priority lists.Yet for one senior signing up for a daily routine as a “second class citizen” during freshman her year was an invitation she could not pass up. For IB senior Katherine Inge the basic college experience was not enough so after graduation she will be shipping off to Annapolis, Maryland to join the United States Naval Academy. Being accepted to USNA and officially becoming a “plebe” is an honor and her many accomplishments do not stop here.

Being admitted to USNA is a complicated and time consuming advent. The application process is more than the average universities’ essay and informational questions. Not only is there an application for school but students who wish to attend the academy must obtain recommendations from a senator, congressman, or the Vice President of the United States. To obtain these letters students must send individual transcripts, test

10 / devil’s advocate / features

Aaron Badida seems like a regular Stanton student; he makes extremely good grades in the International Baccalaureate Program and is surrounded by loving friends, family, and fellow churchgoers at Celebration Church. No one would ever suspect that he lost his father, Nicholas Paul Badida, to spinal cancer in January 2011.

Since this tragedy, Badida and his mother have been able to use their faith as a support system. Hoping to be able to share her experience with others who are going through the same thing, his mother founded a program at the beginning of 2012 called F.A.C.E.S.: Fighting Against Cancer with Extraordinary Strength.

“F.A.C.E.S. will highlight inspirational stories of men and woman who have cancer, have fought cancer, or have lost someone to cancer,” Tammy Badida wrote on her family’s blog. “I want their stories to portray the beauty, fight, and determination of learning to live through their struggles and put a face with their story.”

Since they started publishing to their blog in May 2010, the Badidas have been given a way of telling their story of losing a loved one to cancer and how God has helped them though their difficult time. Badida posts to it frequently.

“I struggled with doubts, insecurities, and opinions.

I think the classroom had been the only place I had ever really felt fully confident,” said Badida in an April 12, 2012 post. “My grades and my success academically drove me. In fact, success became nearly all-consuming.”

It is clear that Badida surrounds himself with academics; he currently holds a 4.5 weighted GPA and received a full ride scholarship to Princeton University.

However, he is choosing to stay in Jacksonville to go to University of North Florida.

“I have received a very generous scholarship offer from UNF that would provide me with the funds necessary to participate in an internship/leadership college program through Celebration Church,” Badida wrote in the same blog post. “It would also allow me to save up money, and attend seminary debt-free if I choose to after finishing my undergraduate education and internship.”

scores, and nominations by teachers or guidance counselor to their choice of council. Inge applied for nominations from Sen. Marco Rubio, Sen. Bill Nelson, and Rep. Ander Crenshaw. Ultimately she received her recommendation from Sen. Crenshaw and from there interviewed before a panel of former USNA parents, graduates, and Naval Officers. Following USNA admission policies a senator or congressman may have a maximum of five “Midshipman” or nominees enrolled in the academy per year so just getting as far as the nomination and interview process is a real accomplishment.

“I feel so incredibly honored to have been admitted.

When I found out that I got in it was such a surreal moment,” said Inge. “I could not believe I had been given this unbelievable opportunity to serve my country.”

The Naval Academy also works into Inge’s academic love of math and science. As a freshmen all students are required to take classes including physics and chemistry so no matter the students intended career they all graduate with a Bachelors of Science degree. Graduates enter into the US Navy with the rank of Ensign, or into the United States Marine Corps. or with the Rank of 2nd Lieutenant. “Being in the military is something that I am definitely looking forward to. In my opinion it is

Aside from being president of Stanton’s National English Honor Society, Badida volunteers extremely often. He has been on the HandsOn Jacksonville Youth Council for two years now and has participated in some of their events including Best Buddies’ Walk and HandsOn For Hope Family Fun Fest. Badida hopes that he will be able to spark hope in someone’s life.

“In a world where we are constantly aware of so many problems, serving faithfully out of love can be the catalyst in making a change,” Badida said in an article on HandsOn Jacksonville’s blog.

Badida is also responsible for starting Stanton Revival this school year, a club that meets every morning at 8 A.M. to pray.

“A girl at Terry Parker, Corina Schlegel, who also attends Celebration, felt led to start this movement county-wide back in January,” said Badida. “I was actually approached by my friend Zach Perry about it. God put it in his heart to start something like that at Stanton.”

Being enrolled at Stanton has changed Badida for the better.

“I definitely saw my priorities change from purely chasing success to being determined to do meaningful stuff,” he said.

The best thing he will remember about Stanton when he leaves for UNF this fall is all of the wonderful people he met.

“We had a spirit of commiseration and camaraderie among us in IB, and no matter what, we found a way to laugh about it all even on the most stressful days,” Badida said. “It’s so great to be in a place where you’re challenged to improve yourself, just by seeing the qualities in other people that you admire.”

In the past seven years, Badida has changed for the better.

“He’s really always had that work ethic and that integrity and that honesty, I think I’ve probably seen him center his life more and more around Christ as we’ve gotten older,” says longtime girlfriend Haley Pritchard. “I’ve seen him sort of shift focus, so that his main goal is now to use his gifts and talents to honor God and fulfill what God is calling him to do, instead of using them to pursue personal ambitions.”

something that I am definitely looking forward to. In my opinion it is one of the most honorable career paths.”

The programs that Inge will be involved in are built to create the military leaders of tomorrow and as a former Freshman Class President leadership is important to Inge.

Attendance of the Naval Academy is free to those who are admitted. In order to pay back this debt to the academy after graduation students must be active in five years of military service. During her duty in the Navy she plans to work on submarines as an engineer.

A Stanton Inge’s academic talents play a role in her list of extra curricular activities. Inge participated in various seminars hosted by the Joe Berg Society at the University of North Florida. Beginning in the middle of sophomore year students in this program in this program are offered twelve lecture based and interactive seminars per year. Students from all around North Florida meet to hear information on various science and humanities based topics. Along with the Joe Berg society Inge is also a member of Stanton’s National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society.

As an IB student at Stanton finding time outside of academics to volunteer and participate in extra curricula’s can

Keyed In

MICHAEL ROMAINE

photo by the Romaine family

By ISMAIL DOWRAGE, Reporter

Facts on Michael Romaine Plans to study Computer Science at the University of Central Florida

Member of Ignite, Mu Alpha Theta and National Spanish Honor Society.

His career choice is an actuary.

Transferred into the IB program sophomore year

be a daunting task. Within Inge’s packed schedule she manages to work in sports, several non-academic clubs, and volunteering. She has been an active member of Stanton’s girl’s swim team and Stanton’s track team for all four years of attendance. Although, personally, Inge may not hold any sports records she still participates on the teams in order to maintain her athletic stature and to build camaraderie. For a change of pace during junior and senior year Inge danced in the multi-cultural club in acts including Chinese Dance.

“My best multi-cultural experience was during the finale dance. While on stage with the entire cast it really represented the purpose of multi which is to celebrate all of our differences,” said Inge.

Outside of her academic success story at Stanton, Inge’s general kindness and dedication to friends brightens many lives at our school. In general she has a fun, bubbly, and outgoing personality that on many occasions has heightened the moods of other. Always wearing a smile, Inge is often described by her peers as one of the nicest people they know.

Her close friend senior Rachel Solomon said, “She is very down to earth and friendly. She is a well-rounded person who shows great self-discipline when it comes to any challenge.

At a prestigious school like Stanton, graduates are known to go on and become the future journalists, doctors, lawyers, scientists, and business leaders of tomorrow. Aside from the knowledge needed to obtain these positions, initiative, drive, and a passion for that area of study is also required. This remains true with senior Michael Romaine.

It would not be surprising to learn that a student who has been immersed in technology since a young age, learned how to develop and execute computer programs, and is able to troubleshoot to fix electronic devices would want to major in the technology field.

Romaine wants to graduate with a master’s degree in Computer Science at the University of Central Florida; afterwards he plans to enter the workforce as an actuary.

“The job requires me to manage any risk involved in financial investments,” said Romaine.

With his degree in Computer Science, he plans to work with companies that introduce new software and technology into the world market.

Even though he will be leaving at the end of this school year to start his journey to become an actuary, his presence at Stanton will not easily be forgotten.

Romaine will graduate with an International Baccalaureate diploma but he did not come to Stanton with “IB” on his mind freshman year. Originally an honors student, he sought to challenge himself and felt that honors did not fit so he transferred over to IB at the beginning of his sophomore year.

“I needed a challenge, if I wasn’t being challenged in honors, I might as well have been at an ‘easy’ school,” said Romaine.

GPA and academics aside he chose to further his interaction with the students at Stanton by involving himself with three clubs that appealed most to his interests: Ignite, Mu Alpha Theta, and National Spanish Honor Society.

As advanced mathematical skills are needed to be a successful actuary, Romaine took the initiative of joining Mu Alpha Theta to enhance his skills. Some mornings he can be found tutoring Algebra II and Pre-Calculus students in Mr. Robert Copeland’s classroom. Even after his required tutoring for Mu Alpha Theta was completed he still tutored.

Although not required he also finds pleasure in partaking in math competitions on behalf of Mu Alpha Theta. These math competitions helped with his understanding and execution of mathematics aside from his AP Calculus and AP Statistics classes.

Romaine believes at this school seniors should be able to interact with the other classes. He joined the Ignite

She truly cares about her education and future.” All of these qualities how why Inge is a great leader, student, and peer.

Solomon went on to say “She is a great friend who is always there for you, trustworthy, and never judgmental. She is one of my favorite people ever.”

When looking back at her high school career it is easy to see where Inge has gone above and beyond and how she does not plan on stopping now. After graduating from USNA Inge is looking forward to serving her country and continuing her streak of excellence Inge said, “It’s not that I am necessarily looking forward to 5:30 a.m. workout, long days, and having people yell at me, but I’m unbelievably excited to be part of something so much greater than myself, and to serve the nation with so many other dedicated individuals.”

Facts on Katherine Inge

Attending the United States Naval Academy

Participated in Multi-cultural Club (Chinese Dance)

Member of Spanish Honor Society and Joe Berg Society

mentoring club at the start of his junior to connect with the other classes and was paired with his IB siblings, juniors Rachel Payne and Anthony Bauer. Aside from being their mentor, he has been generous as well.

“He offered to give me a computer,” Payne said recalling a time when she and Romaine were having a conversation about technology.

Romaine spends additional time in Ignite working with fellow senior Kevin Chang and the operation as a whole.

“Michael aids Ignite through advertising and helping out in meetings,” said Chang. “He’s an active helper in major ignite decisions.”

The last club that Romaine joined was the National Spanish Honor Society to immerse himself in the Spanish language and culture.

Transitioning into IB his sophomore year meant that he would be one level of Spanish lower than he should be.

According to Mrs. Norma Crespo-Lowery, although he is one level of Spanish lower than he should be she sees the extra effort he puts in order to better himself.

Learning a new language has its difficulty to begin with, but it’s even harder to manage when someone already knows two languages. Aside from English and the Spanish he acquired here at Stanton, Romaine learned Japanese before entering high school.

When Romaine was eleven he had a fascination with anime. He found that he could not wait for the new subtitled episodes so he learned Japanese to watch them as they originally aired. Although his interest in anime is what sparked his learning of Japanese, he is not a fan of it anymore.

Since he is familiar with two languages Romaine did not find it too troubling to learning Spanish.

“I realized it’s nothing like Japanese. When you take a class like Chinese or any other Asian language it would have been a little more difficult,” said Romaine who wants to further his cultural experiences with these language in the future. Just learning the language is not satisfactory for him.

“I plan to visit Japan, and I will definitely visit a Spanishspeaking country in the future.”

Romaine not only has high hopes for his own future but the entire class of 2012.

“I am looking forward to interacting with the doctors, lawyers, scientists, and politicians at our 2012 class reunion,” said Romaine. “We will return having reached milestones along our journey.”

features / june 2012 / 11

The Devil’s Advocate serves as the official newspaper of Stanton College Preparatory School. It is produced monthly by members of the Journalism class. The editors reserve the right to edit any material submitted to the paper for content, grammar, length, and accuracy.

The Devil’s Advocate is a public forum for student expression, which encourages free exchanges of opinions concerning controversial and non-controversial community and school related issues. The ideas and advertisements expressed within the 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 ext. 143 or at knightl1@duvalschools.org.

The Growing Pains of 2012 For many high school freshmen the end goal will be graduating as seniors and starting life’s next chapter. The ritual of walking across a stage to receive a diploma represents the symbolic end of one life and the new beginnings that await us on the other side.

Aside from all of the pomp and circumstance following the graduation ceremony is looking ahead to to the future, whether or not college is the next step. The sheltered years spent under the watchful eyes of our parents and in the protective walls of Stanton have prepared us for the pressures of thinking critically about life’s many decisions and indecisions. But once we step out of the auditorium, diplomas in hand, the friends that we have met will no longer be around to help us find our way. Every triumph and misstep that we as individuals have endured included our dearest friends and family, which leads to the inevitable: Where is my life going from this point on?

The response to that question remains unanswered for most because a set path in life has not yet been decided on. To some, on the other hand, a clearly defined course has been carefully outlined. Countless hours of working towards achieving what we want only continues to bring us closer to our goal as the days pass. No matter where you find yourself, every choice requires sacrifice and no one way is necessarily the right way.

The Federal Department of Education conducted a survey in 2004 tracking 32 years of patterns for post-secondary aspirations. The data were published in May 2008 and suggested that 95 percent of high school seniors reported that they do in fact plan to attend college. The problem with this number is the reality of just how many of those same students do not aspire to college with the kind of zeal required to get the full payoff that college could provide in the long run.

Opting instead to take part in society and entering the first phase of adulthood goes beyond simply gaining the right to vote and making independent choices. The duties of daily life, like seeking employment in a poor economy, joining the military or even marriage are all serious considerations.

The relatively carefree times spent in high school are over; any and every decision that is made will fall squarely on our shoulders, whether it results in a failure or a success. The responsibilities that come with the transition will test us mentally, physically, and psychologically.

The journey to get to where we want to be, or deserve to be, is paved with many obstacles but the one thing that should always be remembered is that we are not alone. Every story has a beginning and the part of that story involving high school, the friendships that have been forged and the memories that will be laughed at years from now, no matter how wonderful or painful, has taken place at Stanton.

Everything that we have loved, despised or felt indifferent about is unique to our graduating class. All 331 of us are in the same place at this moment and despite how we may feel about individuals we have crossed paths with in the hallowed halls of Stanton, as a unit we stand among some of the greatest to leave here and find our own way.

Senior Column

Four years. I’ve been at Stanton for four long years. It’s getting closer and closer to the day I get to bear my cap and gown and walk across the stage with my fellow seniors. It seems the closer you are to the end of something, the more you think about the journey, and how it all got started. Mine got started in 2008 when I received my acceptance letter from Stanton.

Even though I had an older brother attending Stanton, when my freshman year came around, I didn’t know what to expect.

I had heard about the large work loads and tales of endless allnighters. Needless to say, I was terrified.

What really got me freshman year was the fact that I needed to start working; I had coasted through James Weldon Johnson middle school, and I expected that to continue despite warnings from my middle school teachers. However, the class that really caught my attention was Journalism I. I showed up ready for a fun class, a place to learn about the journalistic process and make an “easy A” in the process. Imagine my surprise when I found myself under the instruction of Mr. Larry Knight, who at the time seemed like the most strait-laced and unsparing teacher in the history of public education. His whole professional air was so intimidating to me, I tried to transfer out of Journalism I, but a last minute change of heart (aka I didn’t want to take weight training) prevented my departure, and I got ready for what I thought was the toughest class ever.

This was one of the first things I learned about being a Stanton student other than don’t walk into the Senior Courtyard when you’re not a senior: there’s always another challenge.

Even when you think you’re done, something else will come along until, four years later, you graduate tired but so much wiser. This lesson also applies outside of Stanton. In the Fall of this year I’ll be starting another four years of education, and even after that I’ll go and get a job and try to make a good living and reach my goals.

The farther along we got into the year, Journalism began to grow on me. Mr. Knight became less intimidating, the workload seemed more interesting, and I was looking forward to my trips to room 204. At the end of the year, I knew I wanted to keep going. So, going into my sophomore year, I became a reporter for the Devil’s Advocate.

One year later, as the new Campus Affairs Editor, I knew that I wanted to become a journalist. I felt that I had found something that I enjoyed doing and that I was good at.

Now, as Editor-in-chief, I look back at the last four years of my life and realize how far I’ve come. I often think of what would have happened if I had left Journalism I freshman year, and I know I would have missed out on a defining moment in my life.

The experience of being a staff member of the Devil’s Advocate has been the main cause of my goal of becoming a journalist. I enjoyed these four years so much that I’ve decided working in the news is what I want to do for the rest of my life.

Stanton is a school where people like me come to find what we’re passionate about.

People fall in love with Drama, or Physics, or Biology, and Stanton gives them the chance to become what they want in life. For me, it was Journalism. Without the opportunities I had here, I don’t know how I could have accomplished as much as I did. It’s important that you find something that you can look forward to and that helps define who you are. Make the most out your time here; your future is closer than you think.

By Greg Todaro, Editor-in-Chief

cartoon drawn by Keandra Brinson

Katie Raymond, Editor-in-Chief Greg Todaro, Editor-in-Chief Leah Quisenberry, Student Life Editor Alexandra Morgante, Opinions Editor Kia’ Cooper, Campus Affairs Editor Laura Gerbec, Features Editor Jonathan Kemp, Sports Editor

photo compliments of Prestige Portraits

Editorial Staff 2011-2012

opinions / june 2012 / 13

Teachers and Role Models photos compliments of Prestige Portraits

Fellow seniors, we’ve made it. The four long years of hard work that each of us has endured was more than the workload of almost any other senior in the state, and after all of this, we have been rewarded with the very real possibility to succeed out in the “real world.”

But let’s be honest, none of us got here on our own. We’ve all had someone to give us direction somewhere along the road, or at least a good shove to get us into gear. With this in mind, Mr. Ben Mackay and Mrs. Mary Krieger are two wonderful teachers that have helped me again and again to achieve and progress as a student as well as a person.

The distinguished Mr. Ben Mackay currently teaches AP U.S. History as well as Comparative Government, which is taught to junior and senior classes. He always keeps a great supply of Dr. Pepper nearby, and has been known to consistently wear blue button-down shirts, yellow ties, and khakis, a wardrobe that he claims to have gained from his father upon his retirement.

I asked Mr. Mackay about his most memorable event at Stanton, and after some wild stories about Mao Zedong and fake work memos, he told me about how he got his own Kid Cudi t-shirt. As it turns out, Mr. Mackay had a student that wore the shirt on the day of grad bash a couple of years ago but guys are required to wear a polo. After a quick trade, Mr. Mackay ended up with a new look much to the surprise of students.

On the other side of the spectrum, Mrs. Krieger is a teacher of Psychology, and is a sponsor of the psychology club at Stanton. Her own hobbies include stick figures, little miss sunshine, and of course, chocolate. Her students are always aware of her tin of chocolates that rests on her desk, because they know that Mrs. Krieger likes to give out the treats for correct answers to review questions. Her eloquent reasoning is that the positive reinforcement for her students assists them in achieving at higher standards by providing a central figure for extrinsic motivation. The real reason is to help us out on those horrid Monday mornings.

As a teacher, Mrs. Krieger always has a smile on her face and is constantly helping her students. I specifically remember one story that she told my class about how she caught a group of students passing notes one day in class. She told us “it was a diabolical conditioning experimental plan” that intended to allow the students to work on homework for another class.

If I remember correctly, Mrs. Krieger not only applauded the initiative of the student, but also advised the student on how to improve the results of their experiment. Leave it to the psychology teacher to encourage the devious minds of young Stanton students. This shows how compassionate she is as a teacher, which has greatly benefited me personally. Because of Mrs. Krieger, I am looking forward to a future in the field of psychology, and I feel confident that she has prepared me well for life after Stanton.

After this short examination of these wonderful teachers, it can easily be seen why both Mr. Mackay and Mrs. Krieger have been so highly regarded by the faculty and students of Stanton.

As this year’s graduating class goes forth, we should not only remember these inspiring teachers, but also the numerous others who have helped us get where we are right now, and where we will be five or ten years from now. So seniors, take what little time you have left to truly thank everyone that has supported you along your journey, and use what you have gained to create a bright future.

By Andrew renfro, Contributing Writer

The views of columnists do not reflect the views of the Devil’s Advocate staff or the Stanton administration.

14 / devil’s advocate / opinions

From Great Books to Graduation To sum up my Stanton experience in just a few hundred words is a daunting and humbling task, because it was here, in these very hallways and classrooms that I discovered where I formed my ideologies, and where I formed relationships that I will remember for the rest of my existence.

I am not ashamed to admit that on my first day at Stanton, I, a wide-eyed, wet-behindthe-ears sophomore cried. I’d come from a school where the graduating class of 2009 had one student and where I’d been the only speck of diversity in the school. So when I walked through the front doors of Stanton College Preparatory I was nowhere near prepared for the culture shock that hit me like a bullet train. But I gritted my teeth and pushed forward.

It may occasionally seem like trying to swim through a pool of tar but that is the beauty of the journey. The fight through Stanton, from receiving your freshman schedule to the moment you walk up the steps to receive your diploma is designed to help students find themselves. Stanton prepares you for life in every way possible; it introduces new ideas, psyches, and paradigms. Through the classes I take daily and the teachers I have had the pleasure of meeting I am presented with new perspectives. While it might be hard to see the purpose of learning about iambic pentameter or how to find the slope and intercept of an equation, the teachers at Stanton are, by far, the most intelligent, caring, and occasionally hilarious mentors you will ever have.

They are one of the only things to keep me motivated, focused, and sane. They have driven me put pride into my work and have even helped me uncover my passions; It is because of my social studies teacher that I decided to major in political science.

Through the years I’ve spent as a part of the Stanton family I have never met more accepting, exciting, and sometimes even trying people. The friends I have made through Stanton are, absolutely, the best of me. In just a few short months I’ll be leaving some of them, while some go backpacking across Bali, move to Canada, and some even stay here to carry on the torch as seniors next year, but they are relationships that do not end at graduation. Stanton gave me these cherished friendships, what I consider a conciliation prize for the madness-inducing workload.

You see, there is more to Stanton College Prep than stressing over your AP and IB exams. We’ve all heard the rumor that Stanton students have no lives, but when graduation rolls around and sweeps your feet right from under you you’ll realize how much you truly lived here.You will remember your first pep rally and every Stanton-Paxon competition.You will remember the teachers that made you love school and the teachers that made you hate it. And with each step across that stage on the day of graduation you will, hopefully, look back on your life at Stanton and realize the imprint that the experience has made on you. Once a Blue Devil, always a Blue Devil.

By Kayla Cayasso, Contributing Writer

Was it Worth It? Stanton has a reputation for being absurdly difficult. It’s a reputation that we’re certainly glad to perpetuate, especially given our collective lack of sleep and excess of stress. The question of whether or not this reputation reflects reality is probably easier than any single question on the five tests we’re likely to have any given week: this reputation is absolutely valid. It’s been four long years, filled with sweat, with blood and with tears (but mostly blood). It’s almost over now, and even as I write this I can feel this tremendous weight slowly lifting off my shoulders. It’s liberating, and with the end in sight the temptation to rush forward and reach the finish as fast as I can is a strong one. Soon we’ll be completely free of it all, and we can put it all behind us.

But was it all worth it?

It’s a difficult question. During the last two years, I’ve seriously questioned whether anything could be worth what we’ve been through. But when I look back on these four years, I don’t remember the all-nighters I spent writing my extended essay or finishing design labs. I don’t remember the nights after IB pinnings and National Honor Society inductions, only to return home and sluggishly slog through an essay (or two). I don’t remember my hopes being dashed as I realized how weak my applications looked and how I wouldn’t be able to afford my dream schools in almost every case. These things certainly happened, but I don’t remember them. What I remember when I look back on these four years is playing cards while waiting for milkshakes at Steak ‘n’ Shake. I remember meeting my fellow film students and Dr. Adams at Mellow Mushroom before seeing the seventh Harry Potter movie (and I remember the movie being better than my admittedly low expectations). I remember always coming in fourth place at trivia nights. I remember rushing to edit down a 10 minute film that was shot overnight in order to get it turned in within the 48-hour deadline.

That’s what I remember, because for me, that’s been what Stanton has been about since day one. I can’t deny that I’ve learned a lot and had a lot of great teachers - but the best moments of my time here has been with my fellow students.

The class of 2012 is one of the greatest groups of people I’ve been lucky to know - in all we do, be it the myriad charities that we’ve supported over the years, the service within the Stanton community through clubs such as Ignite, supporting each other through good news and bad news during admissions decisions season, or even things as superficial as winning pep rallies, there’s a sense of unity and support that is infectious. The Stanton Class of 2012 is something that couldn’t have happened anywhere else, and I’m thrilled to have been a part of it.

When I look back and ask, “Was it all worth it?”, I’m not going to remember the sleepless nights or weeks of exams and their lack of payoff. I’m going to remember you, my classmates. And my answer will be an emphatic “yes.”

By Brandon cox, Contributing Writer

My Side of the Story

By EMILY TILLO, Contributing Writer

Athlete of the Class: Emily Tillo

By TAYLOR GALLOWAY, Reporter When kids join a sport at a young age they don’t usually think about going to college for that particular sport, or being a professional. They just want to focus on excelling within the level they are on at the time. However, there are a few people that have known what they wanted to do with their life from a young age and have stuck with it.

Senior Emily Tillo fell in love with golf the moment she started playing at 12-years-old and knew she wanted to eventually compete at higher levels. She was able to accomplish this goal with a tremendous amount of dedication and perseverance and now has a full ride scholarship to Boston University, a Division-1 school. This means they offer 14 sports, an even amount for both boys and girls, and there are many requirements in order to get a scholarship to that particular school.

“I started talking to Boston University’s golf coach in the fall of last year,” said Tillo. “I went to visit the campus this past December and I was so impressed with the city, the campus, and their academic and athletic facilities, as well as how well I was received by my future teammates and coach.”

With an achievement like this one, most people would think she has focused solely on golf her entire life, when in fact she is a swimmer as well, and has even competed at the state level. Tillo started swimming competitively when she was four-years-old in the River City Swim League and has been a part of the Stanton swim team all four years of her high school career.

Despite her early start to swimming, her love for golf started when she was much older. She joined the North Florida Golf Foundation, a team here in Jacksonville, at age 12 and shortly after started taking swing lessons from Lynne Kirkpatrick who has helped Tillo within golf.

“She is the best! She always motivates me to do my best and have confidence in myself,” said Tillo.

With the aid of these two sports, she has accomplished numerous things throughout her high school career. She says that as far as golf is concerned her biggest achievement outside of getting a scholarship to Boston University is being a four-time Gateway Conference Champion as well as qualifying for the

photo from Emily Tillo

Emily Tillo is an athlete through and through, and her achievements in golf, as well as swimming and diving have been exceptional throughout her high school career. This is why she is the athlete of the 2012 senior class.

Florida High School Athletic Association State Championships when she was a sophomore. Her successes within swimming are very close to golf, being that she qualified for FHSAA States Championship in 50 meter freestyle during her junior year. Tillo feels that it was an honor to be able to compete at the state level for both swimming and golf.

Without these two sports Tillo would not be half the person she is today. They have helped her grow into a more mature student and individual as well as teaching her many life lessons.

“I’ve learned how to get over bad shots or bad holes and move on, how to deal with the pressure of each shot or moment, how to properly control my emotions, and most of all how to enjoy myself while playing,” said Tillo. “Golf has helped me realize how important it is to accept the responsibilities of my actions and to take pride in my work.

Tillo’s love for both of these sports is one thing that has helped her to excel within them.

“They are both great sports because they involve both physical and mental strength,” said Tillo. “They test your ability to conquer adversity and persevere. What I love about both sports is that I represent not only myself but my team as a whole. It is fun to challenge myself in these various competitive environments.”

Even though Tillo has had an extraordinary amount of accomplishments within both of these sports, she has experienced many hardships along the way.

“I did not play very well in my first round of the state golf tournament during my sophomore year,” said Tillo. “However, I was able to stay positive and came back on the second round and shoot a much better score.”

In the future Tillo would like to play professional golf and work within the golf industry so that she is always involved with the sport. She plans to major in business in Boston University’s School of Management which she hopes will prepare her for this forthcoming future in golf.

Golf and swimming require both physical and mental strength according to Tillo. She has learned that she not only represents herself but her team as a whole, these qualities that she has presented is what qualifies her as an extraordinary athlete.

I can still remember my first nine hole tournament. My playing partner topped her tee shot so the ball only advanced several feet from where I was standing.

Unaware of the specific rules of golf and in an effort to help my playing partner, I started to pick up her ball and hand it back to her so she could re-tee it. Of course, the rules official quickly told me to put the ball back where it was, and needless to say, I learned my lesson that day. That was only five years ago—I was 13-years-old. Whenever I think of that moment, I realize how far I’ve come in such a short amount of time.

When I didn’t make the middle school volleyball team in the sixth grade, I thought I would give golf a try. My dad’s family had always been avid golfers, so I had grown up with some exposure to the game. I also lived near a golf course, so it only seemed fitting that I should start playing golf. I have always been a natural athlete, playing basketball, soccer, and swimming from an early age, and golf seemed like a fun challenge for me. I began taking lessons, and as my interest in golf continued to grow, I became more serious about pursuing golf not only as a hobby but also as a competitive sport.

My first endeavors into the world of competitive golf were great learning experiences. I started playing competitively when I was 13-years-old and became a member of the North Florida Junior Golf Foundation. By the time I entered Stanton, I was ready to compete at a higher level. I led my golf team to the conference, district, and regional championships all four years, and I have won the Gateway Conference golf tournament since I was a freshman. I was fortunate to have participated on both the golf and swimming teams during the same fall season, thanks to Coach Fleming’s and Coach Feierstein’s encouragement and support. I am also proud to have been the Gateway Conference swimming champion in the 50-Freestyle during my sophomore and senior years. Golfing and swimming at Stanton have helped me learn how to deal with pressure-filled situations and grow as a competitor and an athlete. It is a great accomplishment to have participated in both of these sports at the state level, and I am thrilled to be able to fulfill my dream of playing collegiate golf for the next four years.

As I make the transition from high school to college, I look forward to studying business at Boston University’s School of Management, which was recently ranked 18th in the nation according to Business Week’s 2012 report. I am a very analytical, organized person, so I feel that studying business in college will allow me to further enhance my skills and prepare me for entering the business world post-graduation. My goal is to work hard and excel in Boston University’s undergraduate business program so that I can one day pursue a career in the golf industry. I will always have a passion for golf, and I want it to permanently remain a part of my life.

sports / june 2012 / 15