Eagle Talon (Fall 2024)

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF PAXON

PAXON SCHOOL FOR ADVANCED STUDIES

EAGLE TALON OCTOBER 2024

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The Golden Eagles welcome Brandon Cribbs, new math teacher for AP Statistics and Algebra II. Cribbs transferred from Southside Middle School.

“The Annenberg Institute at Brown and has two siblings, aged 13 & 18. His University found in a recent study there motto is “A dead snake is a good snake were an estimated 55,000 vacant full#truth.” time teaching positions in the U.S,” Janet His tests are based on AP-style quesLoehrke said in USA Today. “Florida has tions because he fully believes that givthe highest demand for teachers, while ing these types of questions will prepare Utah has the lowest.” students for the exam in May. His lesFlorida has 5,294 vacancies for teachers sons are note-based and the homework that schools are trying to fill for stufollows the same protocol. dents. Sometimes schools request teachAs a teacher, he has made his mark on ers to transfer to fill their vacancies, students and is getting used to teaching which is how Mr. Brandon Cribbs arhigh school. There is no doubt that he rived at Paxon. will learn the ropes of Paxon soon.

Cribbs was asked to transfer in April of “From the classes I’ve attended from 2024. He accepted and did not mind the him so far, he seems like a well, puttransfer. together teacher and he is adjusting to the school transition well,” senior “I’m here due to the county surplus, Malerie Lehman said. though Paxon is a very good school, so I’m honored to be here,” Cribbs said.

Cribbs has a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and a minor degree in History.

This is Cribb’s tenth year of teaching. He taught in England for a few months, while visiting family and then returned to Florida, where he is from.

Cribbs was born in St. Augustine, Florida. He graduated from the University of North Florida but does not like the swoop. Cribbs fears snakes and spiders

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EAGLE TALON

COVER STORY NEWS

Anticipation buzzes through the air. You can feel the pulsing energy from the crowd in the stands. It’s the first game on the new turf field and you can’t let your school down. Transitioning from grass to turf over the summer wasn’t a big deal, or was it?

Earlier this year, Paxon became the third school in DCPS to receive an artificial turf field.

Construction began in February, making them relocate athletics still using the field, and it finished just in time for football season with a ribbon cutting for the field on the first game. The new field has generated a lot of excitement for both players and staff.

The installation process was lengthy, though many believe that the outcome will be worth the time taken.

“The first thing they had to do is dig up all the old field and they dug down seven inches and removed everything that was from the top of the field down seven inches,” athletic director Maltbie Brown said. “Then they came in and flattened it, put in two inches of sand or an inch of sand, rocks, and then five inches across from the ground.”

The team and coaches have experienced many benefits from this transition to artificial turf.

The field cost the school approximately $1.6 million, but it is expected to save the school money and time in the long run.

“I save about four hours a week between cutting, lining,

OCTOBER 2024

and the only maintenance we lacrosse player Evan Harding truly have on the turf field right said. "This is a great upgrade now is just dragging it once a from the old field." month,” Brown said.

Many football players have The field has been extremely different opinions on the field well received by coaches, admin- change. Players who like the turf istrators, and especially studescribed how it helped them dents. During the first football during the game and in practice, game of the season, there was a seeing an influence on how they great fan turnout with a ribbon- played the sport. cutting ceremony to celebrate “Turf is just really comfortathe new field. ble,” senior quarterback Jayden "This new field will bring more Simpo said. “You know, it’s softpeople to watch us play," defen- er on the ground. Falling and sive tackle Antonio Blair said. stuff like that, hitting the "Under Friday night lights, this ground, you really can't feel it turf field is something to witness that much unless you just fall in and be proud of. It was a long the wrong way.” time coming."

Other athletes spoke about the The new field has the school's injuries that come with the turf signature golden eagle in the field, and how weather condimiddle with bright green turf tions can change the field comand crisply painted white lines, pletely. both end zones are painted a “One thing I don't like about it deep, continuous navy blue is the turf burn,” sophomore throughout. linebacker Alfred Jiokeng said.

"Students and families have “It's insane. Once you fall, all of generally been impressed with your skin is gone. Sometimes the appearance of the turf," when it's wet, you just slip and Principal Dr. Royce Turner said. slide and when you go to tackle "Many comments on the clean somebody, you’re sliding look of the field." around.”

The turf field has a hard Despite the new challenges, "sleek" feeling, with less give, the new field not only generates and some athletes say turf fields excitement for just athletes, but feel easier to grip with cleats, also gives the school, as a whole, allowing them to accelerate fast- something to be proud of. er. Many athletes prefer artificial "This new field gives a new turf over their natural grass sense of Paxon pride to its athcounterparts. letes and students alike," la"Turf fields are a lot nicer to crosse player Santiago Rodriplay on, I look forward to being guez said. "This was a muchable to use it every home game," needed upgrade.”

(Michael Belcher / Eagle Talon)

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FEATURES

Love it or hate it, testing season is here and there’s no avoiding it. This winter, maximize performance with advice from experienced Eagles.

“I wish my students all knew that preparation is the key to success,” reading instructor Mrs. Porubski said. “They forget to bring small snacks, wear layers to account for the room temperature, and read their test tickets in advance. Preparation is the key to the SAT.” Be ready! There is nothing worse than performing poorly due to a lack of preparation.

By studying in increments, being dressed well, and eating the right foods, students can set themselves up for success.

spring of his junior year.

“What surprised me was vocabularyheavy questions without context as well as the difficulty of the math section towards the “Don’t leave any questions blank,” testing co- end,” Schnorbus said. ordinator Mrs. Swiercek mentioned. “When Since the change from paper to digital forstuck on a question, go with your gut.” mat, the test is unfamiliar to students and It is important to attempt every item on the teachers alike. Students must be aware that test! On the multiple-choice section, there is some of the same study methods that may a 25% chance of getting a question correct have worked previously may not have the from just guessing. Don’t be daunted by not same effect now. knowing the answer to every question, no“There are helpful tools such as the built-in body does. Eagles try their best! calculator & an annotation tool to highlight Senior Treyton Schnorbus scored a 1550 on part of the text and leave a note to yourself to the paper SAT in December of his junior year. help you answer the question,” Swiercek said.

He then scored a 1480 on his SAT during the comes to abortions. He has said that he doesn't support Florida's six-week limit and that there should be more time.

Sophomore Anilah Jones weighed in on the amendment.

"No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider,” the amendment said. “This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion."

"So many situations happen that cause a female to "I am going to be voting that we need more want an abortion," Jones said. "And to those who than six weeks," former President Trump said think that it should be illegal and that it's 'murder' in the same interview. This discrepancy, in shouldn't get one. Why put every other woman at view, has confused some voters about his true risk." opinion on the matter.

Sophomore Derrington Harris commented about Governor Ron DeSantis has urged his fellow possible effects of the amendment if passed.

Republicans to publicly oppose the amend"A positive effect of the amendment will be that ment and contribute to the opposition of it. we'll have fewer irresponsible and neglectful parents "Every one of our elected representatives needs to in our state due to the amount of people who are say where they stand on this. And obviously, it would forced to give birth,” Harris said. be a ‘no’, "Governor DeSantis said at the Republican President Joe Biden is a supporter of the amendParty of Florida’s 2024 Victory Dinner on Saturday, ment and has stated his support for the right to aborSeptember 7. "And so now you have an amendment tion multiple times. that is the most extreme in the other direction you "Donald Trump stripped away the rights and freecan go, and some are not saying anything or not doms of women in America,” President Biden said offering to help us to defeat this.” during a speech in Tampa, Florida. “This November, At this same dinner, DeSantis explicitly stated his you can add Florida to that list. Are you ready to do concerns about the amendment. that? You’ve gotta show up to vote.”

"Here’s what’s going on: This is an amendment that will effectively green-light abortion all the way to the moment of birth," Govenor DeSantis said. "They do it indirectly, they use loopholes, and that’s obviously very bad."

This amendment has notable opponents including former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

While there are notable opponents to the amendment, there are also some supporters. These people include Paxon students and President Joe Biden.

"I'll be voting no," the former President said to a Fox News reporter when asked about Amendment 4.

Trump has been slightly vague on his view when it

The topic of abortion is something that teenagers have been talking about across the country. On campus, multiple students have expressed their opinions on the matter.

The overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022 allowed states to become in control of abortion limits. Following this decision, Florida instated a 15-week limit which has now changed into a six-week limit that went into effect on May 1st of this year. Many Floridians have contested this ban and on November 5, 2024, Floridians can vote on Amendment 4. This amendment will allow Floridians to access abortions until fetal viability, which is around 23 to 24 weeks (about 5 and a half months) of pregnancy.

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Fibonacci Blue, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

EAGLE TALON

OPINION

The majority of the world actually believes social media does more good than bad when it comes to information, a vast contrast to the beliefs of Americans. 64% of Americans believe social media is a bad thing for democracy, while 34% believe it is a good Ayan.all, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons thing. This trend is not seen much voters. elsewhere as a median of 19 major democratic countries has 35% of peo78% of people aged 18-29 in the U.S Here are a few ways to stay informed ple believing social media is bad for deuse Instagram, a stark difference from and spot misinformation: check the mocracy and 57% saying it is a good the 15% that use it aged 65+, according source, research the person behind the thing, according to studies done by to pewreaserch.org. With this staggerpost, and decide for yourself if the per- pewresearch.com. ing amount of people checking their son is credible based on previous social media apps every day, a new posts/places of employment. Check the Social media allows the public to rise threat emerges, media manipulation. date, often videos are spread from a up against decisions by the U.S. govlong time ago to fearmonger in events ernment that may spark controversy.

“Social media manipulation has besuch as international conflict. What The abortion ban, for example, has dicome increasingly prevalent in recent are the experts saying, make sure to vided the country but social media inyears, with organized campaigns found check what well-credited researchers forms the public of the specifics of the in 81 countries, up 15% in just one are saying on the matter and confirm bill as well as motivates people to vote year,” according to Simone Bonnett, whether the information is true or in state polls that may change the writer for LinkedIn. Media manipulafalse. state’s decision on the legality of abortion can consist of spreading disinfortion. mation about a politician’s goals, imAlthough social media’s spread of personation of an influential figure, misinformation is unpreventable, the Social media will continue to do both spreading misleading statistics with no mere existence of social media is a ma- good and bad for world politics, withcontext, etc. out it, society would be vulnerable to jor positive in the effort to stay informed. Social media is a powerful tool being fed misinformation by the govWith the upcoming 2024 election, ernment, with it the public can make that allows critical information to be misinformation will continue to spread strides to accurately stay informed and spread to the public, without it people to sway votes away from candidates. stop falling victim to disinformation. could only get their information from This was seen in 2016 when Russia was biased news companies or the governfound to be using operatives on social ment. media to disseminate false information and sow discord among American With technological innovations, and a generation growing up with smartphones becoming one of the biggest inventions ever, a higher dependency on social media comes with it. As social media keeps increasing in numbers, it will have more of an impact on politics.

OCTOBER 2024

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SPORTS

Eagle football is off to a hot start as the new season of football has started. In previous years, they’ve won no more than three games with last season being the highest at four. Last season, they reached the championship in their division but only came out with a silver trophy because they lost by one point.

In 2022, they went to the championship as well but (Michael Belcher / Eagle Talon) lost and got another silver trophy. the opposing quarterback.”

“I feel the team is missing communication to get to perfection,” he continued.

“We would be undefeated if we communicated better. I can’t really project what the result of the season is, but I see us winning our first state title in Eagle football history because everybody on the team is dedicated to getting better.”

Most players play both sides of the ball to ensure the “The team is holding up re- team’s success, but not all of ally well while I’m injured,” them play on all three levels This season is different for Holloway has had high them because they hope to praise for the team so far and Belcher said, “It makes me of the game. win more than four games believes they can finish the happy to see them winning Running back Charles and competing on a weekly and reach the championship season with eight wins and Johnson is one of the few basis in practice and at game again, but this time only two losses. players who play on offense, games.” come out with the win and Another player, half-back defense, and special teams. the gold trophy.

Although Belcher sees fuMichael Belcher, has been “Taking one play at a time, ture success for the team Defensive and offensive battling an injury throughdeep breaths, full effort, rewithout him being there, tackle Jonathan Holloway, out the season but is eying a membrance, and there are still some things one of the main elements of return to the field of play knowledge,” Johnson said on that he wants to improve. how he manages to play each the team, rated the team so soon. level without slowing or getfar. ting tired. “I believe this “I would rate the success team this year has the talent of the team so far a seven to achieve all things if we folout of ten,” Holloway said. low our coaches’ orders and give it our all. In the end, I “I believe my performance want a state championship. aids the team in that sucBump the other side. Eagles cess rating because I’m a gon’ ride!” part of the offensive line, so I have to protect the quarterback and on the defensive line I have to get after (Michael Belcher / Eagle Talon)

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EAGLE TALON

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Marvel’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” made over a billion dollars at the box offices.

James Yates Over the last few years, the MCU has pushed Wolverine" was very well-received, with some with no real plot since the movie ends where out some disappointing movies and shows. suggesting that it helped to course-correct the it began. If you want fanboy worthy entertainMovies like "The Marvels", "Eternals", "AntMCU. ment, then it works.”

Man and the Wasp Quantumania", and "Black “Reynolds is at his impish best and has the Other critics agree the movie lacks plot, and Widow" were all losses for Marvel. For the perfect foil in Jackman, who provides gravitas some say it means little to the future of the MCU losses like this were unheard of and among all the mirth and bloody mayhem,” Ra- MCU. Although some may have their issues were proof of a downward trend in the quality dio Times critic Jeremy Aspinall said. with the movie, overall, it was very wellof their movies. received and critically acclaimed worldwide.

Most of the audience and critics largely enOn July 22, 2024, "Deadpool & Wolverine" joyed the movie for its comedy, cameos, and “Because it has so many surprises, “Deadpool premiered at the David H. Koch Theater in combat. Other critics, however, had critiques and Wolverine” deserves a second look – even New York City. The movie was released across if you were hesitant to take a first,” Sioux City for the movie. the United States on July 26 as part of Phase Journal Critic Bruce R. Miller said. “It has Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). “The movie is overall a great time, and I had laughs for everyone and plenty of profanity to fun, but it's a big bag of nothing that doesn't It surpassed a billion dollars in global box make sure the wrong crowd does not embrace office revenue on August 11, 2024. "Deadpool & mean much,” critic from the For All Nerds it.”

Podcast DJ BenHaMeen said. “It's a cameo-fest

OCTOBER 2024

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EAGLE TALON