Issue 5, Vol. 62

highlights April 2022

The Science Denied IN THIS ISSUE SPOTIFY VS APPLE MUSIC Page 14

DYNAMIC DUOS IN SPORTS Page 20

Issue 5, Volume 62 | Coral Gables SHS | 450 Bird Road, Coral Gables, FL 33146

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highlights

Issue 5 Vol. 62 April 2022

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editorial board

Contents

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Copy Editor Business Manager Social Media Manager Adviser Features News Opinion Sports The Scene Insight Online

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news

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staff writers

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opinion

14 publication policy highlights

sports

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highlights highlights

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the scene

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contributors

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insight

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Marta highlights CarolinaRodriguez/ Castro / highlights

3 pictures

From business to charity Striving to emphasize the importance of mental health, senior Ana Maestre started her own candle business, Aurora Eclipse

BY ANDREA DELGADO, STAFF WRITER

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T WAS AN EVERYDAY entrepreneurial class at MiamiDade College that unexpectedly sparked senior Ana Maestre’s passion to start her own aromatherapy candle business. Being prompted with the task of creating a company that would help her local community, Maestre started Aurora Eclipse with the intention of promoting relaxation often does not prioritize it. After researching the best essence combinations to achieve her goal of relaxation in her customers, she settled upon four different aromas, each with their own calming intention.

By combining her organic soy wax with various essential oils, Maestre is able to create her signature scents known as “CONNECT with your surroundings,” “REST your mind,” “don’t forget to BREATHE,” and “feed your soul and LET GO.” Each candle have their

Maestre’s soy wax candles burn slower and produce less soot, which is environmentally toxic. Moreover, with a wick made of cotton and essential oils being natural, what is left on the candle can easily be washed off the jars for reuse.

Originally selling them at the Underline in Brickell to those who would pass by, now due to a rigorous school schedule, she is selling them to whoever is interested to purchase $10 candles in clear jars and $15 for those in decorated jars, which she designs herself.

However, the money made from these candles dramatically changed from personal when Maestre partnered with the Chapman Partnership, helping those suffering from homeslessness. This partnership arose from Maestre needing to start a Silver Knight project that would demonstrate her supporting the community.

and bergamot to help with insomnia as well as peppermint and vanilla to destress and lower anxiety. Even though her scents are unlike any other, she still personalizes them by branding the packaging with the initials of her company, AE and the logo she designed herself.

It was after discovering candles’ natural

“Thanks to the Aurora Eclipse, I created Finding my Aura,” Maestre said. “[This] service project educates high school students on how to make their own aromatherapy candles to aid themselves or their loved ones’ mental health.”

As Interact’s vice president, Maestre collaborates with the club to coordinate and organize meetings surrounding her Silver Knight project as it aligns with the club’s motto, “Service above self.” Outside of school, Maestre is currently partnered with the Chapman Partnership, with the purpose to remind the families of their to the organization’s motto, “Empowering the Homeless,” Maestre desires to create a safe space and raise awareness for the importance of self-care. The selling of the candles does Partnership to lift up those families who depend on them as well as seeing the calming

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effects of her candles on customers.

“I love connecting with my customers,” Maestre said. “I love watching customers come back telling me that the candles helped them relax and rest.”

With her sights set on starting her own Etsy shop to continue seeing that customer Co u delight, Maestre plans to expand to incorporate jewelry and incense products, with a continued focus on relaxation and mental health A of sy

and soon after, her Silver Knight project would involve these environmentally friendly products. Unlike candles being

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HALL TALK

The highlights staff records what students are talking about during class sessions.

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“No, she is incarcerated ... well you know, IB jail.”

“I only ever take baths because I’m scared of drowning in the shower.”

“Rihanna being pregnant is just Twilight: New Moon in real life.”

“When I have the assignment due but I haven’t watched the ‘Euphoria’ episode.”

“The only heirloom in my family is diabetes.”

“What do you call an alligator that’s a bad driver? A tailgator! A-a-a-a!”

A personal palette Senior Eduardo Rojas uses his hair to showcase a new,unique way of artistic expression

BY ALEXA OROZCO, STAFF WRITER

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Eduard s o Roja

the process — so much so, he admits that plastic wrap which makes a good tool to insulate his hair during the bleaching process. After washing his hair out, with a thin paintbrush and permanent hair dye, his friends carefully help him draw on his desired design. Rojas waits around three to four weeks until his hair grows out a bit to dye it again.

“I actually bring the hair clips [with the rest of the supplies] to school and go to my friends house’ to start the process,” Rojas said.

With the help of his friends, the first time he dyed his hair started with a simple yet bold design. Rojas’ first look consisted of a blonde haired background and large multi-colored flowers. Suitable for the summer, the colors of the design included magenta pink and teal blue colored petals.

Around four weeks later, Rojas’ next design was animal print themed. His head was covered in leopard prints with his signature bleached blonde background. In the spirit of Halloween, the next design he did were drawings of black spiderwebs covering his entire hair.

Finally, his current design is inspired

by Japanese cherry blossom trees. He has this type of tree painted largely on the back of his head. The tree’s branches with rosey pink flowers extend to the sides and front of his head.

Now having done four different designs, Rojas feels confident with where his journey has brought him.

He notes that his favorite design would have to be the first one he had ever done, the one with colorful flowers.

Despite loving to change his appearance, Rojas also misses his natural hair and plans on letting it grow.

After a successful six months of hair dyeing, Rojas has decided that he wants to pursue other passions that still allow for his creativity to flow. h

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ashion, music, writing or art are different ways of expressing oneself. For senior Eduardo Rojas, it is through the use of hair dye. Though the student body of Gables consists of over 3,500 students, Rojas has a goal of making sure to stand out from the crowd by using his hair as his personal palette. With each colorful design he comes up with, he hopes to turn heads in the halls and inspire others to do so as well.

Rojas has been thinking of ways to express his inner creativity and artistic side tby experimenting with hair dye.

Rojas aimed to make a bold change in his appearance, thus hair dye seemed like the most fitting way to do this.

The idea of drawing designs on his hair originated from a trip he took to Ohio with his friends. It was because of Rojas’ bleached hair that his friends got a spark to draw on a design.

His focus is centered around uniqueness, unconventional looks and constant change.

Having dyed it for the first time in August, he feels content with his progress. Rojas goes about the designs based on what he is feeling at the moment, he does not change it according to complexity or color schemes.

“I wanted to change and do something different to entertain myself, I wanted to make something different,” Rojas said.

Rojas confessed that the source of inspiration behind these artistic designs are from singers and skateboarders around his age group that he has seen on social media.

One inspiration would be skateboarder Evan Mock, who he saw on Pinterest. Another source of inspiration came from singer and songwriter Tyler, the Creator. Other sources where Rojas has gotten ideas for new designs were from influencers he has seen on Instagram. Among these influencers, each have boldly styled hair with intricate designs– a look Rojas models his hair after.

The masterpiece that lives on Rojas’ scalp requires a multistep process that takes him up to three hours to complete. The process starts off with Rojas buzz-cutting his hair, so it is short enough to draw the designs on. Once he has a clean canvas, Rojas then proceeds to bleach his natural light brown hair, so he is able to use whichever color he desires.

Rojas has learned to get creative with

features 5

Montero / highlights

DeeAnn e

Cookies and orange juice? This is a popular weird food combination alongside many others our student body enjoys

BY OLIVIA REBULL, CO-ONLINE EDITOR

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ocial media is a platform where creative minds run free; anywhere from new dances, funny videos, pranks, challenges to weird food combinations. Weird food combinations became a trend circulating on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Some weird food combinations can be linked back to traditions or curiosity.

These can range anywhere from milkshakes and fries, popcorn and chocolate, orange slices in ranch and hot sauce on brownies. Many of these combinations have been formulated by trial and error, in relation to a pregnancy craving, a dare, plain curiosity or even a passed down family recipe. highlights surveyed several Gables

students where sophomores Kayla Castro, Keliss Hope-Moody and Laura Ridoux had the most interesting combinations: hot chocolate and cheese, peanut butter and pickles, and even hot cheetos and apples.

With the newly introduced and intriguing weird food combinations mentioned above, the highlights staff vot es on the ir fa vorite food c o m b i n a t i o n .

What is your favorite food combination? Poll Answers:

Oli via

R eb ull / hi ghlights

HOT CHOCOLATE AND CHEESE Hot chocolate and cheese are two deliciously warm foods usually enjoyed by themselves, but a tradition in Colombian culture put these two together. Hot chocolate and cheese is a traditional delicacy at the top of breakfast menus in Colombia and many other countries spread across South America. This combination can also be seen with coffee and cheese, along with a piece of warm bread for dipping.

It is prepared by heating a cup of fresh cacao chocolate and milk and adding in slices of traditional Queso Compasigna or, in the United States, a classic mozzarella. “...it’s something I have always eaten my whole life and I will continue eating it because of the delicious gooeyness and melting of the cheese in the hot chocolate is so good,” sophomore Kayla Castro said.

highlights staff poll:

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Oliv ia

Rebull / highlights

HOT CHEETOS AND APPLES Another peculiar combination is between the classic, crisp green apple and the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. This may sound like a spine-chilling combination to those who fear the heat from spicy chips but this combo was actually come about by someone with the same emotions. When asked how this weird food combination came about, sophomore Laura Ridoux

said “This mixture with the apple really helps relieve the spicy taste that I despise.”

This combination could also be found in a variety of ways such as different types of apples or even different kinds of spicy chips like Takis or Spicy Nacho Doritos. This combination can even assist in conquering a spicy food fear.

highlights staff poll:

13/29

Peanut butter, a classic spread usually used in peanut butter-andjelly sandwiches can also be used with a crunchy, pickled snack.

Peanut butter and pickles is a weird food combination that was popularized on the social media platforms TikTok and Instagram.

Some may enjoy this snack like chips and salsa or even in between two pieces of bread. The peanut butter and pickle sandwich can be Elvis Presley PBBB (peanut butter,

banana and bacon sandwich). Funky foods as a replacement for jelly in the classic PB and J seems to be making an uprise recently. Chips and salsa may be taking a backseat because the crunchy, fresh pickle and smooth peanut butter may be taking over.

“I enjoy this snack usually late at night, because of the crunchy, saltiness from the pickle, and the sweetness from the peanut butter,” sophomore Keliss Hope-Moody said. h

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News Review In Brief

BY MARCOS SNYDER, STAFF WRITER

Florida seeks plans to redistrict

Marcos Snyder / highlights

Real Estate Development and Rising Prices Students mask up around campus during lunchtime to protect against COVID-19 and variants such as Omicron.

Omicron-Specific Vaccine EXTRA CONTENT AT @highlightscghs After it was cancelled last year, seniors enjoyed their Grace Rodriguez / highlights

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Fla. School board salaries to be cut

A new bill from the Florida’s Senate Education Committee threatens to reduce school board member salaries

BY AUSTIN YAGODA, STAFF WRITER

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N TUESDAY, JAN. 26, Florida’s Senate Education Committee approved Senate Bill 1300 to reduce the pay of school board members to the same amount as Florida state legislators.

Currently, Florida state legislators are paid $29,697 a year, a job that entails devoting 74% of a full-time job to their legislative duties. This percentage changes throughout the country, as some states require those in the position to devote more time than others. Moreover, Miami-Dade County board members make $70,028 on average, while teachers average $43,087 yearly.

“I don’t think we should cut their salaries. What they make now isn’t a lot, especially with today’s cost of living. This will only cause more problems down the line for educators across Florida,” Sergio Perez, environmental science teacher said.

Florida Rep. Sam Garrison explained that the purpose of the bill is to “make sure that when members decide to run for the position, they know up front what the situation is with salaries,” Garrison said in an interview with the Miami Herald. Simply put, it is an insurance that board members consciously earn rather than receive for holding a position. It has also been speculated that the bill may have been politically motivated, as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has already been cutting back on salaries of board members in districts that mandate masks and facial coverings to protect against COVID-19, which he is known to strongly oppose.

Reactions to the bill have been mixed, with Republicans viewing it as a fair measure to counter corruption, whereas Democrats

AN EDUCATOR’S JOB MARKET Grace Rodriguez / highlights

see this as hurtful to board members with less individual wealth. While Garrison’s intentions for passing the bill are to remove politics from the school board and increase parental involvement, Democrats such as former Hillsborough County school board member Susan Valdéz sees it as a move that prevents those from diverse and low income backgrounds from participating.

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I DON’T THINK WE SHOULD CUT THEIR SALARIES. WHAT THEY MAKE NOW ISN’T A LOT, ESPECIALLY WITH TODAY’S COSTS OF LIVING. THIS WILL ONLY CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS DOWN THE LINE FOR EDUCATORS ACROSS FLORIDA. SERGIO PEREZ, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE TEACHER “Diversity within our electoral process is extremely important, and by suggesting that we do this… We’re going to have white males on these boards that never, ever would be able to say they walked a day in my shoes,” Valdéz said during a house panel meeting.

Despite this, several teachers are hopeful that the saved money can be put to good

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER Florida Public Schools

Full Time $29,697 per year

use elsewhere. Despite the aims Senate Bill 1300 has to reduce school board member salaries, a salary boost for those in the especially in Florida, as the state is ranked 46th out of all 50 in regards to teacher pay.

The three trailing states are New Mexico, West Virginia and Mississippi, respectively.

Long-time members in the education been misdirecting his attention from the reduction of school board member salaries towards introducing new teachers to classrooms by increasing starting salaries to $47,000 a year, instead of raising salaries for the existing workforce.

“I hope that the money left over from the potential salary reduction circles back to the schools where it belongs,” math teacher and tutor Rebeca Reinoso said.

While it may initially seem that the salary cut would harm board members, it is worth noting that many districts across the country such as those in the state of New York and cities such as Chicago and Houston do not pay school board members since they are hired as volunteers. This approach changes the system in a way that only people who hold a keen interest in education reform can have an impact on schools, weeding out board members who may choose to join for monetary or social reasons.

Since the bill was passed on Jan. 25 by a 6-3 vote, the new excess of funds would grant schools the opportunities to have an increased budget for improving teacher pay, as well as strengthening infrastructures and providing more activities for students across the state. h

LEGISLATOR

State of Florida

Full Time $29,697 per year news 9

Student Government Election Winners

As the election cycle comes to an end, new representatives have been chosen for the upcoming year

BY TIFFANY BEH AND EMILY KARDJIAN, STAFF WRITERS

Sophomore Board

Junior Board

President

President

Tiffany Beh aims to represent her class well and make her sophomore year as fun and successful as possible while planning treat days and other fun events.

Beh’s goals include reintroducing annual fundraisers,

Olivia Rebull ran to communicate the concerns of the student body and be a role model for the Class of 2024.

As next year’s Junior Class President, Rebull will strive to create a stronger bond between the student council and student body, allowing them to be involved in the council’s decisions.

“I cannot explain how excited I am to support my class and help spearhead events which is something I’ve always enjoyed doing,” Beh said.

“I am very excited and grateful to hold such an important role at Gables. I look forward to working towards events with the help of the student body and the board,” Rebull said.

Vice-President

Vice-President

Allison D’Alincourt seeks to achieve the wants and needs of those she represents and make a difference within the school. As Vice-President, D’Alincourt hopes to organize events for students and work to serve the students of her class.

Alexandra Roa ran because she knew her experience

“I want to take part in making this wonderful school better, and I want to help students get their voices out there and heard,” D’Alincourt said.

“I aim to create a conducive learning environment where students enjoy going to school and look forward to the exciting events we plan to offer,” Roa said.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Allison D’Alincourt and Tiffany Beh.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Olivia Rebull and Alexandra Roa.

Class of 2025 Tiffany Beh

Allison D’Alincourt

10 news

Class of 2024 Olivia Rebull

Alexandra Roa

Roa aims to provide transparency between the student council and student bodies, ensuring that the class’ concerns are heard.

VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!: Student campaigns Grace Rodriguez / highlights

came in many varieties as posters were hung along school walls during election week.

Senior Board

Student Council

President

President

As the former President of the Junior Class, Lucia Chico wants to do the best job for the Class of 2023 and make an impact not only on her class, but on the school itself.

Of her many goals, her priority is social media engagement.

She hopes to get more non-IB students involved in class activities to make all seniors feel special and appreciated.

Being Student Council President has been Carla Nuñez’s goal since her freshman year, and she looks forward to a new year holding her new position.

Nuñez plans to use her presidential position to communicate with the school administration and convey the issues that the student body faces.

“After my experience on the junior board, I’ve had an awesome time getting involved and planning many activities,” Chico said. “I’m so excited for what senior year has to bring.”

“I’m excited to act as a voice for the student body and work on class gear relevant to our class,” Nuñez said. “I can’t wait to be president next year.”

Vice-President

Vice-President

skills and is excited to work towards making the class of 2023’s senior year at Gables one to remember.

Rodriguez plans to advocate for the class of 2023 and ensure that the student body’s voice is heard.

Audrey Simon is thankful to have earned her position as Student Council Vice-President.

She wants to collaborate with the PTSA to ensure that students are well-informed about school events and improve student engagement around the school.

“I hope to plan numerous treat days and an amazing GradBash with the help of my classmates.” Rodriguez said.

“I hope to get more students involved and volunteering at big events such as the Junior Ring Ceremony,” Simon said.

Class of 2023 Lucia Chico

LEFT TO RIGHT:

Carla Nuñez

Audrey Simon

LEFT TO RIGHT: news 11

STAFF-ED: Not-so superintendent

The new Miami-Dade County Public Schools superintendent took the position after a controversial hiring process AVING LEFT AFTER BEING offered a larger position in Los

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opposable thumbs Your mom jokes “Your mom.”

-Marcela Rondon, Copy Editor

12 opinion

Ball pits

Driving

COVID-19 started.”

-Ava Volman, Staff Writer

“I-95? More like I’ll never be there on time.”

-Santiago Giraldo, Staff Writer

The opression of LGBTQ+ identities

Two Florida anti-LGBTQ+ bills would seriously harm both the perception and safety of the LGBTQ+ community COMMENTARY BY AVA VOLMAN, STAFF WRITER

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N A DECADE of progress for members of the LGBTQ+ community, bigotry continues to make a stand. If passed, two current Florida legislations will remove LGBTQ+ discussions from all school classrooms, creating an unhealthy, ineffective learning environment for Florida’s students.

Instead of teaching youth to feel shame in regards to their sexual orientation and gender, education about the acceptance and celebration of identity is crucial to create a safe academic setting for all.

The two highly prejudiced bills making their way through Florida’s congress are HB 1557 and SB 1834.

These legislations promote the limitation of discussions regarding LGBTQ+ topics to an extreme extent, which could destroy the education of students and even put them at risk. not be able to reference homosexuality, even in the context of health classes, where LGBTQ+ education and safety is an imperative discussion. Sexuality and gender are personal matters that impact everyone; they should be a commonplace topic that students can talk about freely. These bills treat these topics as if they are taboo, furthering a hateful stigma towards those whose what is “normal.”

This not only harms the mentalities of youth but also damages the education they receive. A study by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) found that LGBTQ+ students are over three times more likely to miss school if they experience LGBTQ+ discrimination.

The passing of these legislations would only increase these numbers, as they would ensure such discrimination could occur frequently and go unpunished. Furthermore,

treating sexuality and gender identity as topics that cannot be referred to publicly teaches young people that their personal identities are something to be ashamed of or concealed, which can easily create instances of prejudice and discrimination against those who choose to openly celebrate who they are.

“If passed, I feel that I will have to deliberately disobey these laws which leaves me open to lawsuits professionally and personally. However, I will continue to support my students,” sponsor of Gables’ Gender-Sexuality

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Alliance (GSA) club Tracey Barrow said.

Those perpetuating these hateful legislations believe that parents should be in charge of teaching about these topics at home. Although some are fortunate enough to have parents or guardians who openly embrace them, this is not the case for everyone. HB 1557 repeatedly uses the word “control” in regards to why parents should take on the responsibility of teaching their children about sexuality and gender identity. This implies that children are to be subjected to the complete authority of their parents without being allowed to develop any ideals of their own; allowing parents with extreme ideals to impair their children’s education.

“School is supposed to promote being yourself and talking about your experience with others to facilitate an environment perfect for developing an open-mind. How am I supposed to do this if I can’t talk about my gender and sexuality?” sophomore and GSA Historian Moon Anderson said.

Part of the HB 1557 legislation dissolves the prohibition of school district personnel from notifying a student’s formation,” implicitly referring to knowledge on a student’s sexuality or gender identity. This infringes on a student’s right to privacy, declared in the UN Declaration of Human Rights and could possibly put that student in severe danger depending on the circumstances of their home and family. In the case of 14-year-old Giovanni Melton, this danger manifested itself as a reality when shortly after coming out as homosexual, he was shot and killed by his own father in 2017, according to Newsweek. These instances would only become more widespread throughout Florida with the passing of these bills.

Schools should be a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth. Preventing the passing of these vile legislations is imperative to creating a safe and loving future for all students. h

opinion 13

TWO-VIEWS: Spotify vs. Apple Music

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ODAY, IN A world full of inconsequential choices, picking the right music streaming platform is probably comparable to how -

needed is a quick click on the right Pink Floyd album, the Crossfade setting at the max and a pair of headphones at a volume no otolaryn“I think Spotify is very convenient,” Theoretically, this is possible on Apple

out, music fans and general good-timers have made it clear that there is no power higher than Due to noble but unfortunately futile pubtinued contracts with podcasts that explicitly

less cool about listening to songs about the decadence and alienation of humans inside consumer society on the platform of the most sharing and recommendation system ever, lis-

it is impossible to mention Spotify without hearing some headline hustler give a shockingly lukewarm take about the tragedy of Joe And although Spotify boycott participants, such as Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” album, are worth a dozen hundred-day wars, it is disingenuous to discredit Spotify for glorifying and platforming a somewhat deranged white guy and then proposing Apple’s platform as an Prior to Spotify, getting lost in music,

ple; listening to their recommendations may Thus, when the queue clears, Spotify recommendations are certain to keep the party going until it reaches a natural conclusion, leaving only the three girls sleeping over and the guy who is fresh out of Uber h

the beginning of a party where the mood is set by some pop classics, to Rihanna featuring Shakira peak and the noise complaint after the Allowing blends and daily mixes to mellow the party out into Shoegaze or even a little Mazzy Star, the Spotify algorithm takes a user’s listening habits and synthesizes them into unique, eerily captivating playlists to colspite being frankly dystopian, it is undeniably awesome that a lifeless program named BaRT gives better recommendations than the once culturally relevant writers of Rolling Stone

world-bending state of transcendental musical needed to pay some annoying fee per song on iTunes, acquire a half-gallon of liquid glitter

“I really like the ‘enhance’ button Spotify added to each playlist because it gives me a bunch of new songs that are similar to the ones This job could never be entrusted to Ap-

”

Amalia Garrido, Sophomore

Juan Fajardo/highlights

14 opinion

“

Jos e C ester o/hig hlights

HONESTLY, NOT ONLY D O E S SPOTIFY MAKE ME LOOK LIKE I LISTEN TO COOL MUSIC, IT REALLY DOES IT ALL. IT COMES DOWN TO THE DAILY MIXES THE APP PUTS TO- GETHER.

Mari a

students speak up

M A R I A’ S MISCHIEF Screen time

heated debate surrounding which one is better, many begin to question which service truly provides the optimum Spotify may have some perks, Apple Music is and always will be The platforms began competing in 2009 with the arrival of Spotify on Apple devices, threatening launched three years prior, but Apple, showcasing its true power, did not allow them on iPhones until that year — Spotify cannot say it has the power to stop Apple from putting their music on any devices, just sayApple Music did not ofuntil 2015 and was still powerful enough to That same year, Apple had Taylor Swift on their side, following her Spotify hiatus

terrible even for listeners who got to enjoy the “perks” that come with using the free version Pop artist Joni Mitchell recently took her music off of Spotify following the Joe Rogan scandal, in which the podcast creator spread an average company would immediately condemn Rogan, Spotify decided to support er, still have the luxury of playing the brilliant original “The Last Time I Saw Richard” “I haven’t used Spotify in a while, but overall I just think the quality’s better with Apple Music — everything’s smoother and, from what I’m aware, Apple Music has a wider variety of songs than Spotify,” sophoSpotify does have some good features, lowing users to see their friend’s activity is clever but, then again, if you really care what friends are listening to, it might be easier to need to worry about friends monitoring the The useful features that come with Apalso never lost Taylor Swift and they deserve h

Recently, as I was scrolling through the bottomless blackhole of self-vanity and capitalist promotion that calls itself InstaPicture this: I am laying in my bed, all the lights in my bedroom turned off, an alarming empty bag of family-sized potato chips pants, when my phone suddenly alerts me that my screen time was up 20% from the I spent upwards of ten daily hours just starwhy? Why do we spend so much time absorbed in other people’s lives or trying to It is no surprise the main culprit of wasting my time is one other than Instatwo hours and 21 minutes, I am honestly surprised I have yet to receive any offers teresting on it? Most of my liked posts can be placed into three categories: cat memes, dog memes and an overwhelming amout of recipe videos that I know I am never gous to check on our friends, but as a person that can count the amout of friends she has on one hand, I would just rather spam-call their phones until they feel pity and pick The other time waster on my phone was the single greatest application ever

”

B

platforms for years, Spotify and Apple Music have dominated the

COMMENTARY BY MARÍA JoSÉ CESTERO, OPINION EDITOR

due to her disappointment with the free service they

I LOVE HOW APPLE MUSIC SHOWS THE LYRICS THAT GO WITH EACH SONG

Andrea Mase, Sophomore Carolina Castro/highlights

“

admit to myself or anyone else that I am addicted to this app, so let’s just say I spend a little too much time picking the sofa that most highlights my virtual wallpaper for or understand why this game has me so enthrough my veins when anyone dares to I will probably do very little to change h

opinion opinion 15 15

The faults of the modern feminist moveme Though Mistakes

well-intentioned, modern feminism has in recent years have dim

COMMENTARY BY GEORGIA RAU, STAFF WRITER

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HE FEMINIST movment has been instrumental in pushing for a woman’s equal status, whether it be reproductive, economic or voting rights. However, it is extremely important that everyone, regardless of gender, recognizes the mistakes of the movement, especially in the new wave of feminism.

A pillar of modern-day feminism is body positivity, which is a relatively new development. Many modern feminists will push movements like “free the nipple” or body hair neutrality, which encourage societal acceptance of women’s choices, such as not wearing bras or shaving their body hair. According to TIME Magazine, the Instagram hashtag #FreeTheNipple has 54,000 posts, putting in to perspective the magnitude of the movement and just how many people are involved in that school of thought. However, this aspect of feminism is simply not comparable to real social change.

While, yes, these concepts should be acceptable in society, these new social movements have seemed to outshine the overarching and more complicated issues that women face daily. There are several systemic injusuity. Movements like free the nipple are trivial in comparison.

“I feel as if feminism has become more common, but the term itself has gotten a negative connotation,” junior Genesis Mercado said.

Feminism began as a movement that disregared the many races, ethinicities and sexu-

alities that make up the women of the world.

However, in recent years, people have become more aware of this discrimination and are beginning to speak up.

Recognized as intersectionality, many feminists argue that the movement does not seem to acknowledge the interconnectedness of social categories such as race, class, gender or sexuality. For example, while women are paid less than men, race also plays a role

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THE PROGRESS WE MAY SEE THE MOST STRIDES IN IS THE EDUCATION OF WOMEN. CLEARLY, THERE CAN BE MORE EQUALITY, PARTICULARLY IN THE WORKFORCE. STEPHANIE COSGROVE, SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT CHAIR in wages. Pew Research published a study stating that while white women earned a median wage of $17 an hour — $4 below a white man’s, black women earned $13 and Hispanic women earned $12. Clearly, oppression towards women is bad enough, but is worse for

by the numbers

61%

of U.S. women identify as feminists.

Source: Pew Research Center

Compiled by Maria Jose Cestero/highlights

16 opinion

women in other demographic minorities.

The BBC reports that, in a poll conducted by YouGov, while 75% of the women agreed that feminism has done either “a lot” or “some” to give white women a better life, only 60% said it had done the same for women of other ethnicities — a belief shared by 46% of African-American women. This is bound to decrease the number of women of color who identify as feminists and diminish the movement’s reputation, as black women must feel that they are misrepresented.

The true objective of feminism is to reach equality; yet, in practice, the movement tends to ignore women of color, hurting society’s outlook on feminism. When examining female oppression, racial bias and discrimination must be taken into account, or else the public will only get half of the story.

“White women in the feminist movement often control the conversation and take account for the female experience. There are countless acts of discrimination and mistreatment that aren’t getting talked about as much because they simply don’t affect white, cis-gendered women,” sophomore Sadie Arce said.

Race is not the only social category that is ignored by mainstream modern-day feminism.

Transgender women have higher kidnapping and murder rates than other women. According to Spectrum News, the

2/3 of the world’s illiterate people are women.

Source: UN Women

Maria Jose Cestero/highlights

ent

made grave mistakes in executing its minished public perception even the average life expectancy for a black transgender woman is just 35-years-old.

To make the issue even worse, a new type of “feminist” has been recognized — Trans-Exclusionary Radical feminists, or TERFs. Essentially, TERFs believe that transgender women are not real women and that they only hurt the feminist movement.

This genre of feminism promotes the notion that transphobia is a feminist belief.

Another type of feminism that has recently surfaced is known colloquially as girlboss feminism. This type of feminism emphasizes breaking the glass ceiling, a limits the patriarchy has placed on women gaining power.

That said, its goal is to put women in the same positions of power that men are in. A perfect representation of the problem is the

“Fearless Girl” statue on Wall Street in New York, which features a small girl standing up straight, chin high, with her hands on her hips. On International Women’s day, the statue was altered to display shards of glass around her.

However, the glass ceiling metaphor has blurred many of the goals feminism aims to achieve. For example, when one is considering the richest person in the world, one should not be questioning why that person is not a woman, but instead why that person’s net worth is over $175 billion. Girlboss feminism includes the principles of the patriarchy with the addition of lipstick and high heels.

Additionally, the outlook on feminism has changed with the increased popularity of phrases like “kill all men,” which have since characterized the movement as radical and man-hating. While such mantras may have begun as harmless jokes, the negative effects of the remarks are indisputable.

“I feel as if feminism has become more common, but the term itself has gotten a negative connotation,” junior Genesis Mercado said.

The Bottom Line, published by the University of California Santa Barbara, states that the phrase started as a way to express many women’s criticisms of casual misogyny. Moreover, the phrase itself did not acface. This form of feminism is not only performative but is counterintuitive to the goals of the movement, creating further resentment towards feminism.

Missteps such as the new agenda, the lack of intersectionality and phrases like

60%

of chronically hungry people are women and girls.

Source: World Food Programme

goals. further

“kill all men” have shaped the new outlook on the feminist movement, deeming it radical. If feminism continues this way, it will drive people into hysterics and discourage people from joining the ideology.

According to The Society Pages, a mere 26% of people say that the term “feminist” is a positive one. A plethora of harmful stereotypes have plagued feminism, some examples being that they are bad mothers, perpetually angry and domineering.

Ultimately, women who associate themselves with feminism are deemed man-haters. The Washington Post documented that, in 2015, 46% of people agree that feminism unfairly placed the blame on men for women’s issues, with 52% of men polled agreeing and 41% of women. Some women’s radical choices made in the name of feminism have dictated criticism towards the movement in its entirety.

Despite the clear mistakes in feminism, the movement has still given women various important rights and holds some integrity to the original movement. Issues such as the pay gap, abortion, education, economic and political rights have remained at the core of the movement and made valuable changes.

“The progress we may see the most strides in is the education of women. We ly, there can be more equality, particularly in the workforce,” social studies department chair Stephanie Cosgrove said.

No matter how many injustices feminism has helped, it is always important to recognize its faults. All people, regardless of gender, should consider themselves advocates for women’s rights. h

< 20%

of the world’s landholders are women.

Source: UN Women

opinion 17

Åthlëtïç TråïñËrs

The Gables athletic training team works hard day-in and day-out to insure the health of all of the school’s athletes

BY CRISTEL CANTARERO, SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

I

N THE ATHLETIC WORLD, star players are recognized more than those who take care of their

going unappreciated, athletic trainers put in the hard work like guiding athletes through physical therapy and procedures to help them regain their strength and physical Alexia Clark, works with and teaches groups of student athletic trainers to make sure Clark discovered her passion for athletic training through an injury to her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) she sustained during started at Barry University, where she earned a bachelor’s in the science of athletic training University gave her the opportunity to intern for Michele Benz, the athletic trainer at Palmetto High School and led her to realize how much

gives them different approaches on the Working as a team is a critical aspect for the trainers because they often have to work together when taking care of multiple players at a time

“

THEY’RE ONE OF MY BIGGEST ASSETS IN THE SETTING AND IT GOES UNAPRECIATED WHEN YOU DISCUSS HOW MUCH EFFORT THEY GIVE IN WITH NO REWARD. ALEXIA CLARK, ATHLETIC TRAINER

Managing around 600 athletes overall, with

there are a lot of steps you have to do but once you get it becomes like second The athlete-trainer relationship is also from the very beginning that the athlete has Accountability is maintained by discussing the progress of their therapies and keeping an favored aspects of the high school setting is the little consistency on a daily basis, meaning aspects of my injury by not letting me over react and think that it’s something worse than what questions when I am curious about something and always tells me stuff straight up without Clark has a strict “no nonsense” policy, where excuses to get out of physical therapy athletes like young adults, therefore when they do not act responsibly, she denies their

but Clark is able to treat them with help from a sport that they are in charge of preparing the that the trainers are friends outside of the

Clark’s favorite aspect of the job is experiencing the important days like district

“My favorite thing to learn so far “They’re one of my biggest assets in the setting and I think that it goes unappreciated when you discuss how much effort they give in

ts ighligh Cristel Cantar ero/ h

they get community service hours and my athletes are very good in that they thank them, but that’s not all the

commitment to their therapy routine and how it improves their overall skills where it can bring them from having no playing time to playing full games and taking hits they

Clark’s approach to teaching her athletic training students is with hands-

guides them through the process of learning about different injuries like sprains and overuse strains by showing them these injuries

18 sports

IN LINE: The Gables atheltic training group is lined up (Clark pictured on the far right of the top row)

“I am blessed that I have kids that know the work I put into them so when we do make it to a playoff situation or we do win a certain game, like my athletes come to me and thank me and I think that is what I h

Cavs make a splash

The girls waterpolo team unfortunately lost a resiliant game against the Krop High School Lightnings 15-2

BY SOFIA RODRIGUEZ, STAFF WRITER

O

N FEB.22, THE CORAL GABLES Lady Cavaliers played their second game of the season versus the Krop Lightnings. As they prepared to enter the water, the girls discussed their game strategies, reviewed the positions they were playing and

During halftime, Coach Gerardo Couzo and Coach Maxwell Wood spoke to the Cavs about

“

EVEN THOUGH WE WERE LOSING BY THE END OF THE SECOND QUARTER, AS A CAPTAIN, IT FELT GREAT KNOWING THAT I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR SCORING THE GOAL THAT MOTIVATED MY TEAMMATES TO KEEP PUSHING UNTIL THE VERY END ANA SILVA, SENIOR

When the clock marked 2:30 p.m, the scorching sun made the Lady Cavs who were lined up on their side of the pool anxious for the referee to blow the whistle and dive under the water.

The moment the ball was dropped into the

guarded the ball continuously and scanned the pool for any goal-scoring opportunity when they gained possession of the ball. not let the score affect their mentality towards the game. As the buzzer went off, both teams swam and plan their strategies for the rest of the match. for the Cavs as Krop continued to score and Gables tried to combat this struggle with more aggressive defense up and down the pool. With a successful drive in and shot, goal for Gables, making the score 1-8.

So a Rodriguez/ highlights

repeating mistakes that were costing them goals and keeping them from driving the ball down the pool. With more motivation and new strategies in mind, the Cavaliers put their game caps back

on and swam to make the start of the second half.

During the second half of the game, the Lady Cavs were exhausted, but attempted to stay positive and gain possession of the ball, hoping to score a second goal. The combination of splashing caused by both teams and yelling from the crowd forced the players to yell continuosly to maintain solid communication with each other.

“Even though we were losing by the end to know that I was responsible for scoring the goal that motivated my teammates to keep pushing till the very end,” senior Ana Silva said. and were able to get exclusions and fouls on the Lightnings, which was smart defense as it kept them from scoring. The Gables goalie, sophomore Elle Kardatzke, blocked many shots, encouraging the other players to match her performance and follow these After the timer went off for the last huddled up and yelled “Good game Krop” showing good sportsmanship. Unfortunately, the Cavs swam away with the second loss “It is good to see the girls water polo team improving with each game, by gaining more skills and growing as a group,” sophomore and boys team member Ty Tyson said. h

STAYING AFLOAT: Pictured above in

white swimming caps, the Cavs maintain possession of the ball while trying to score.

sports 19

Dynamic Duos

Playing at their best together, three dynamic duos at Gables prove why two heads are always better than one

BY RAFAEL SANS, JR., BUSINESS MANAGER AND NATHALIE SCHWART, STAFF WRITER

T

that may be a statement overused by coaches throughout the sports

ed seeking out talented duos who can turn -

that winning a championship requires more

an enduring legacy and a lasting impact on

ly professional sports as dynamic duos can be seen throughout the sports teams here at Gazalez and Marcus Antoine-Taffe football

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Junior softball players Christy Concepcion and Julia Kay have played softball together since freshman year and their long-time bond has allowed them to persevere while -

Christy Concepcion & Julia Kay -

both of them believe it is unlikely that they will -

-

Although the pair already make a tre-

Kay began playing softball when she was -

Although the game is stressful andby keep-

Their

friendship

began

long

“Julia really inspires me to do and be bet-

before -

to grow together as people and learn the

They always have each other’s backs on and The pair share a pregame ritual of chanting “It’s really comforting to know that I

we always work together to push each othConcepcion might feel down after losing and we have

and

Kay

really

inspire

huddle in the middle and have a quick talk to “I truly do not think we could be as good

because of the friendships they have developed

along with the memories they have shared and the friendships that they have developed cion and Kay are constantly pushing each other to be the best players they can

to Concepcion and Kay because they are always cracking jokes with each other and hangout evNot only are they individuals that combine their athletic abilities and transform their team

20 sports

“Christy and Julia are always determined pliment each other while playing and are a dynamic duo because they take initiative to

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Reynaldo Gimenez & Lucas Paez

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Juniors Lucas Paez and Reynaldo Gimenez also share a bond, but in football. Both playing defense, Paez and Gimenez have shared lots of time out planning plays and training together to prepare for games, making them a special dynamic duo. Football is a very aggressive sport requiring resolve and endurance, so having someone to lean on and train with gives these Both Paez and Gimenez are on the varsity team. With Paez currently as a linebacker on defense and a running back on offense and Gimenez a defensive tackle on defense and left guard on offense, the two have forged a strong bond that has allowed them to work and percommunicating, the two are always sharing advice and giving each other suggestions. For example, Paez used to play defensive tackle and

with him now as a linebacker, he gives Gimenez advice from his former experiences to ensure Gimenez heightens his performance on the “We’ve always had that synergy,” Gimenez said. “We’ve always been friendly with each other, and we’ve always been brothers.”

Practicing Monday through Friday, Paez and Gimenez are constantly training the weight room. At around three hours, on-season practice involves conditionwork

for

the

team;

the

major-

When practicing, Gimenez and Paez take on defensive team practice where together they perfect their skills, with Paez practicing as linebacker and Gimenez as defensive

tackle. Many times, they will go against each other giving tips on things like blocking technique for offense or swim moves, a technique to pass the offense-line to sack the quarterback, for defense. During the off-season, they can be found in the weight room together, testing their endurance and building their strength. somebody,” Paez said. “You’re willing to do almost anything for that guy on that And that is the key, especially with team sports, to always have your fellow teammate’s back. This is what Paez and Gimenez exhibit on a day-to-day basis, having open communication, whether it be during a game to prepare to execute a certain play or during practice, giving each other advice and molding one another into better players.

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BASKETBALL Courtesy of

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Seniors Romulo “Rome” Delgado-Gonzalez, who plays guard and Marcus Antoine-Taffe, who plays forward, are one of the athletic dynamic duos Gables has roaming its halls. Both players are on the boys’ varsity basketball team and have forged a bond on the court together that will last for years to come. Whether it be during practice or a game, hanging out or training hard, while becoming this dynamic basketball duo.

Delgado-Gonzalez is a senior at Gables who has played basketball since sixth grade.

Antoine-Taffe, also a senior at Gables, betwo have known each other since kindergarten and from then on have shared a life-long bond as friends. However, they did not begin their time on the basketball court together until the

Romulo Delgado-Gonzalez & Marcus Antoine-Taffe sixth grade on the traveling team EYB Flight.

“So, I actually met Rome in kindergarten,” Antoine-Taffe said. “We just have been best friends ever since. Me, Rome, we just have been glued to the hip always playing at the youth center.”

Unfortunately, the two parted ways at the end of middle school as Delgado-Gonzaily, they reunited at the beginning of senior year when Antoine-Taffe transferred to Gables and joined the basketball team. This reunion was a major morale-boost for the two, as it has strengthened who they are as players.

“Just sharing the court with Marcus is probably my favorite experience,” Delgado-Gonzalez said. “Being able to play on the same court as him, being able to just play with him and be around him every day, it’s

just a dream come true and it’s a blessing.”

These two have had a bond that has lasted all their lives and it has been one that has extended into their athletic career. Each of them never hesitates to set the margin for the other to improve.

Especially during practice, Delgado-Gonzalez and Antoine-Taffe majorly focus on their defensive techniques, a keystone aspect of their success on the court, never hesitating to communicate and help each other progress in their skills.

The success of one generates the success of another and that is one of the foundational elements of the relationship between these two.

“There was a certain practice where me and Rome were just going at it and it was like a competition,” Antoine-Taffe said. “Like whenever I see Rome trying to do good, I’m always trying to catch up. If Rome turns and sees me doing good, he’s always going to try to catch up.” h

sports 21

Columbus strikes Gables out

A

FTER LAST YEAR’S SEASON -

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-

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-

BALL ROMAN REYES, JUNIOR

-

-

high Manuel Espinoza/

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-

IN MOTION:

22 sports

Cristel Cantarero/ highlights

Cafe Bistro Miami

Large portions and heavenly recipes make for enjoyable brunching at Cafe Bistro, a Latin fusion cafe in Bayside

BY ALANA GONZALEZ, STAFF WRITER

F

LOOR CEILING WINDOWS loor toTO ceiling windows engulf engulf Café with a as warm the room withBistro a warm glow the glow as the wafting scentonof the eggspan on wafting scent of eggs the hitsnose. one’sWith nose.Spanish With Spanhits pan one’s spoish fromevery nearlytable, every theofculken spoken from nearly thetable, culture the ture of Rican the Puerto Rican Caféimminent is made Puerto Bistro CafeBistro is made known upon arrival. upon arrival.

Bistro Cafe in Downtown Miami is loThe original Bistro Cafe was opened in cated 1352inNE 1st Ave., and on is home to PuertoatRico 2011, focusing bringing many specialty recipes, like an their assortment individuals, mainly tourists, upscale meal, of omelets and scrambled onebe being the either breakfast or lunch, eggs, that can picked “Mónaco Omelet.” up throughout the day. The Bistro became noMónaco Omelet scrambled eggs tableThe for it’s delicious, wellisrounded breakfast with steak, shrimp sauteed a sweet menu,skirt driving in customers from allinover to try guava sauce,style peppers and onions their unique of brunching.

The with menufeta ofand mozzarella cheese $25.

Anothfers items one may havepriced never at seen anywhere er menu item is the and “Papa’s Griegas elsepopular like stuffed avocados greek style con Greek Potatoes with skirt eggs,Churrasco” all for an or affordable price considering steak.

Thisthe popular menu how large portions are. item serves a large portion potatoes with creamy had tzatziki sauce Theof expansion to Miami a similar and a juicy skirt steak priced at providing $18. Another mission statement and has been clipopular menu item isbrunch the “Aguacate entele with decadent since it’sRelleno” opening which means avocados.

Thereit are vain 2020.

Givenstuffed it’s opening in 2020, wasasigriety of choices in regards to what the avocado can be stuffed withof from chicken the initial building the crunchy Art Plaza Towerfor in $23, shrimpCafe for $25, lamb $23ofand downtown, Bistro is for a part themore. initiaa huge fan apartments of breakfastwithin foods,walklike tive “I’m to create luxury coffee andofscrambled so Ineed, realing range everythingeggs, one may ly enjoyeda good the food including meal.as well as the “Yes, large the portions.

The pandemic ingredients hit us hard…tasted the very selack offresh,” in person nior meals Sabrina creatB ita edo naa v big said. problem for us since our

The original Bistropopular, Cafe was in opening wasn’t very butopened we had Puerto in 2011.

Café’s enough Rico support to getThe through andmain we goal now was focuspatrons on bringing havetomany comingindividuals, everyday,” mainly waiter tourists, an upscalesaid. meal of either breakfast Manuel Rodriguez or lunch caninbeDowntown picked upMiami throughout the Bistrothat Cafe is locatday. timeNE passed, theand word of the to Bistro’s ed atAs 1352 1st Ave is home many delicious food spread, allowing the caféoftoombespecialty recipes, like their assortment come highly regarded forone it’sbeing delicious, well elets and scrambled eggs, the Mónarounded breakfast menu. The unique menu co Omelet. drove in Mónaco customersOmelet from all the territoThe is over scrambled eggs ry to try a Latin of brunching. menu with skirt steak,style shrimp sauteed inThe a sweet offers Café Bistro suchand as guava items sauce,exclusive peppers, toonions, and feta stuffed avocados andpriced Greek at style eggs, all for mozzarella cheese $25.

Another an affordable how large the popular menuprice itemconsidering is the “Papa’s Griegas portions are. con Churrasco” or Greek Potatoes with skirt to Miami had a similar steak.The Thisexpansion popular menu item serves a large mission statement been providing cliportion of potatoesand withhas creamy tzatziki sauce entele with decadent brunch it’s Another opening and a juicy skirt steak pricedsince at $18. in 2020.menu Givenitem it’sisopening in 2020, it was popular the “Aguacate Relleno” which means stuffed avocados. There are a alongside initialinbuilding of what the Artthe Plaza variety of the choices regards to avTower in downtown, is achicken part of ocado can be stuffedCafé with:Bistro crunchy the initiative to create luxury for $23, shrimp for $25, skirtapartments steak $23, withlamb in range of everything one may need, $23walking and more. including “I’m aa good huge meal. fan of breakfast foods, like “Yes, thescrambled pandemic hit us hard… the lackenof coffee and eggs, so I really i n per-

son created big as problem for portions. us since joyedmeals the food as awell the large our wasn’t very popular, we had The opening ingredients tasted very fresh,”but senior Saenough supportsaid. to get through and we now brina Bonavita haveSavory many patrons coming beverages are aeveryday,” signature waiter menu Manuel said. item of Rodriguez Bistro Cafe as the restaurant offers Savory are aThe signature menu drinks for thebeverages whole family.

“Hot Smores item of Bistro as the restaurant Mocha” coffee Café is a decadent chocolateoffers iced drinks whole family.

The “Hot Smores coffee for basethe with a rim full of whipped cream Mocha” coffee is a chocolate coffee basea and graham cracker coating,iced topped with with a rim full of whipped cream and graham The “Glitter Mocha” is a mocha beverage with with chocolate, at $10. a variety of colorspriced of edible glitterThe in it“Glitter priced Mocha” at $8. is a mocha beverage with a variety of colors of edible glitter, priced $8. “[We do breakfast all day]at because there “[We do breakfast because are so many places thatalldoday] dinner… andthere we are sobe many places thatordowedinner… we could just like them, could beand differcould just or weand could be people different andbedo alllike daythem, breakfast serve ent and do eggs all day and serve people scrambled at 3breakfast in the afternoon,” Rodriscrambled guez said. eggs at three in the afternoon,” Rodriguez The said. industrial feel of the exposed concrete The industrial feel of the exposed concrete the imitation grass decor on the accent walls, the grass decorsign on that the accent walls, one imitation of which has a neon reads “jibaro one of city”. which This has apays neonhomage sign thattoreads in the the “jibaro restauin thepuertorican city” to payorigins homage to jibaro the restaurants rants since means a Puerto Ricanrican origins, since jibaro means small puerto farmer.

There are fake treesa small Rican Thereerupting are fake from trees made Puerto of crystal andfarmer. shiny stone made of crystal and glistening stone imbeded feel of the restaurant. upscale feelRican of the or restaurant.

Puerto not, there is Puerto Rican not, there something on theor menu for is something on the at menu everyone to enjoy the for everyone Bistro Cafe. to enjoy at the Bistro Café. h . .

OUTSTANDING OMELET: Mixed greens, tortillas and avocado acompany a loaded omelet that is guaranteed to reach the customer warm.

23 the scene Alana Gonzalez/highlights.

Merrick market

The Shops at Merrick Park hosts a farmers’ market every Sunday, selling unique food items and goods to customers

BY FRANCESCA RICO, STAFF WRITER

A

LAZY SUNDAY CAN BE turned productive upon strolling through the Shops at Merrick Park farmers’ market. A variety of As Merrick Park is an indoor-outdoor

more. products to the mall in hopes of selling their

and homemade style food each time one pur-

stand that is dedicated to selling products such

Most of the food sold at the market is rick Park has a vast assortment of food and If a customer is full or not craving anyimported from Palestine.

Some of the food sold at the Merrick Park product.

“I go to the farmers’ market at Shops at

spend a Sunday afternoon as one has the opportunity to meet different people from the sions. h

Francesca Rico/highlights.

PERFECT PAIR: The blend of spices in za’atar combined with olive oil placed on top of a pita chip can be an appetizer or snack.

24 the scene

DRIED DELIGHTS: The market offers a vast array of homemade dried fruits including orange peels, papaya and spicy mango.

Decadent desserts

SugarDaddy’s dessert shop lies tucked away in Downtown Miami, specializing in cakes and ice cream milkshakes

BY CHIARA ABAD-SANCHEZ, STAFF WRITER

W

ITH TRENDY MUSIC PLAYing at SugarDaddy Miami, this decadent dessert shop brings customers to awe when it comes to creativity and colors. SugarDaddy caters toward the sweet tooth audience and has been able to make its name due to its wide From ice cream to brownies, milkshakes and ice cream sandwiches, SugarDaddy has it all.

Married couple Susanne and Andrew owned an ice cream parlor up-state prior to moving to Miami. They opened up their shop in October of 2020. Since then, the pair never thought they would be managing multiple ice cream shops in South Florida as they were comfortable in their former lifestyle.

Compared to Midtown Creamery, another shop the couple own, SugarDaddy is a lot bigger, space wise. They offer more seating and have a full kitchen.

The couple has all kinds of sweet treats made in house. Not only is the ice cream made from scratch daily, it is also shipped to Midtown Creamery since the kitchen in SugarDaddy is bigger. This long standing passion project has enabled the two to share their one of a kind sweet recipes with the Miami community.

SugarDaddy has over 10 hand-crafted ice

Brown Sugar” and “Midnight Vanilla” options are offered in addition to a plain traditionenough to satisfy a sweet tooth, there is a solution. SugarDaddy sells a pint of whichever ice each.

The most commonly ordered option is sprinkles and a slice of whichever cake the customer desires, priced at $8.

SugarDaddy is also praised for their exfamous

A m e rican

peanut butter chocolate goodness known as “Reese’s Cup” with Reece’s Pieces and the original graham cracker, milk chocolate and marshmallow combination that everyone enjoys, S’mores.

Another American favorite, cake, is served with creamy frosting for $6.25 a slice, with Rainbow Vanilla Cake. The brownies are just as highly regarded as the other desserts on the menu. The brownies range from traditional fudge, Nutella, S’Mores and Caramel.

“We try to be unique because if you want simple ice cream customers would go to a regular store and get whatever type of basic ice else,” employee Pedro Callender said.

SugarDaddy’s vibrant Victorian decor matches the description of a gourmet ice cream parlor. The environment is very dark, yet the illumination given off by the numerous neon signs brightens up the space on top of the disco balls hanging from the ceiling throughout the shop. Behind the counter, the toppings.

This delicious dessert proves to be good for a night out with friends and family.

“The ambience of this small shop is chill and vibey,” freshman Hannah Berumen said.

Staff members are eager to serve quality desserts to customers. Despite the extravagant appearance, the prices of the extensive menu remain reasonable for the quantity and quality of dessert. Customers are welcomed to take home a cup and straw as a memento to remember the experience.

The most popular time to satisfy any sweet cravings is at night. SugarDaddy is open from 6-10 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday and 6-11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. All age groups enjoy SugarDaddy for the food, ambiance and service. Everything on the menu is photo-worthy as the beauty of each sweet

“Coco-Tella,” which is a smooth, delicious blend of nutella and coconut. “Coffee Toffee” toffee chunks. Each ice cream scoop is priced at $5.

Fruity Pebbles, Passionfruit and Dulce de Leche. Although SugarDaddy likes to make popular desserts everyone enjoys, they also enjoy making things unique. “Cookies in the Pink” is cookies and cream, but with a twist; is “Rainbows and Unicorns,” which is a that comes with a rich vanilla cake and rainbow sprinkles.

An ice cream cone is suggested as a ventional in comparison to those offered at other ice cream parlors, such as Lavender, Dark Chocolate, Pink Vanilla, “Cinnamon

Nutella Oreo to Cinnamon Toast Crunch, the classic crunchy, square-shaped cinnamon spiced cereal. Each divine piece of edible art

Chiara Abad-Sanchez/highlights.

taste.

h

25 the scene

Marta Rodriguez/highlights.

Psychics: fact or fiction?

highlights creates a guide for believers and non-believers alike on how to approach the world of spiritual guidance

A

MASS PARADIGM SHIFT IS occurring among younger generations, manifesting as a move to embrace spirituality rather than a claim to a particular religion. With this shift, many teens now turn to unique forms of divination to seek clarity, including a heavily disputed form of divination — fortune-telling.

While there are several forms of fortune-telling, including palmistry, tea leaf readings and astrology, tarot divination is con-

26 the scene

quering the attention and gaining popularity of younger generations for its ease to understand.

Tarot readings have become increasingly accessible on social media platforms, especially TikTok and Instagram Reels, where readers are able to provide channeled general messages for their viewers and followers.

Since there has been an increase in the belief of fortune-telling, there has also been an increase in the skepticism behind it.

Skeptics and non-believers argue that for-

tune readings such as tarot are too vague and general to be accurate, while enthusiasts and believers alike claim tarot is an insightful tool that can be used to provide clarity and divine answers.

In order to put these two claims to test, highlights copy editor Marcela Rondon and staff writer Micaela Montero visited a professional tarot reader to provide divine insight into the past, present and future of these two individuals.

BELIEVER

BY MARCELA RONDON, COPY EDITOR Hidden upon rows and rows of stands selling food items, organic produce, handcrafted clothing and jewelry, lies Haladhara Hendrik Labi’s tarot reading stand at the Grand Avenue Farmer’s Market, located on 3300 Grand Ave. Sitting underneath the shade of a tall mahogany tree lies Labi’s meticulously decorated table, adorned with an ornate red map, tarot cards and crystals. While Labi’s stand is easy to miss, the experience of receiving a reading from him is unforgettable.

Labi welcomes customers into his stand by offering a seat at a comfortable, vintage arm chair under the cooling shade of the mahogany amid the bustle of the market. Then, Labi inspects his customer’s hands to gain insight into the characteristics and traits of the customer, which is also a form of fortune telling itself called palmistry.

Once having analyzed the palms of his ornate black and white tarot deck and spreads the cards on the table, prompting the customer to choose one. Labi then divides the deck them once more and lays the cards out in a precise order where he can peer into one’s past, present and future.

By interpreting the cards, Labi provides insight into formative events his customer’s may have experienced along with current conriencing.

With this insight into a customer’s past and present, Labi is able to provide guidance a s t o w h a t will come to his customers and how to handle situations that one may encounter.

After his reading, Labi allows time for his customers to ask as many questions desired regarding their what was revealed during the reading.

Labi’s divination services, priced at $25 for a reading, can be seeked every Saturday at the Grand Avenue Farmer’s Market, operating from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. He situates his stand around the Coconut Grove area throughout

the week leading up to Saturday, where he receives the majority of his clientele.

“I’ve been teaching, guiding and doing the readings for about 15 years,” owner Haladhara Karl Labi said.

My experience seeking divine guidance made my experience peaceful. Having been a believer in tarot and other forms of divide guidance, I went into my reading with open arms hoping to receive clarity on certain issues haunting my mind. Labi provided me with the answers I needed, leaving me with a sense of closure that I have long been seeking.

For those hoping to be a spiritual guide for others, Labi recommends beginning with learning to read tarot rather than palmistry, as it is the simplest way to foresee the future and analyze the past.

“Get tarot cards and read the past. Read what happened yesterday, because you already know what happened yesterday. If you take one, two, three cards, you can see how the cards describe the events,” Labi said.

Once one sees the detail in Labi’s reading along with the care he takes to answer any pending questions, any skeptic can turn into a believer.

NON-BELIEVER

BY MICAELA MONTERO, STAFF WRITER Personally, I have never been one to buy into the idea of future reading, psychic, tarot nonsense. I have always thought it was a conjunction of lies to make gullible people spend money. I wouldn’t say I was eager to give it a try, but I was willing to see what the New York Psychic had to say about my future.

In search of information about my future and hopefully divine guidance, I made my way through the crowded Coconut Grove Market, unimpressed by the spiritual scene. The concept of Haladhara Labi’s tent came across as an attempt to get people to spend money based on their insecurities and problems.

Then I saw him! The psychic, Haladhara Karl Labi. The man who knew everything about my life; or more likely the man who would reveal my future in exchange for some cash.. Labi was a very kind and interesting man, despite the fact that he left the impression that the words he spoke were being invented as he reassured himself that was he was saying was convincing.

Labi had an interesting set up going, meeting the expectations I had for a proper psychic setting. Seated on a foldable chair in the mid-

dle of the way, with a slightly nicer chair for me to sit in, Labi’s table was full of crystals

probably trying to make some assumptions based on my age and clothing. Labi began

told me the price I could not believe it, there was no way that it took $25 to pull out a few cards from a pile to make a general assumption about my life based off of my appearance.

Despite my skepticism, the feeling of nervousness began to creep up; what if this reading was going to determine the path that my life was headed and it was not one I wanted to hear? My mind began to wonder, what if this man sitting on a foldable chair was about to tell me I was going to die next week, or that my life would somehow go horribly wrong.

Still I kept up a nonchalant front as I sat down for my reading.

Labi began to pull out a vaping device in the middle of looking at my palms; I hoped that that was where his clairvoyant powers came from rather than a lack of professional-

in my life and that I needed to move and get out of some sort of location at some point in time. These general assumptions did not phase me one bit, and time has tested these guesses and I have yet to move out of my home,

invested. He asked me to pick a card from the pile, and then proceeded to lay out the cards in a meticulous fashion.

He seemed a bit shocked at the reading;

As I began to ask questions, it was clear that Labi was grasping at straws; any slight information I gave about my life he began to mold Based on his wise words, Labi had to be at least somewhat credible in his line of work. It could have also been another way to fool me, but Labi seemed pretty passionate about it.

The whole experience was nothing like what I have been through before and allowed me to view the perspective of someone who is involved in the spiritual world. I was able to see how he believed in this spiritual world, and he seemed like he was well informed in a lot of the background about the readings. Hearing his passion and the way he thought made me view his perspective. h

27 the scene

SCIENCE UNDER SUSPICION WRITTEN BY LENOX BALZEBRE, STAFF WRITER

LADDER TO MISINFORMATION

28 insight

Between the problematic past of science and the current corruption of the media, the denial of science by the public is growing at an exponential rate

S

CIENCE CONSISTS OF examining theories and observations at a microscopic level to gain new information. The objective of science is to identify the truth However, in recent years especially, the United States has hit a wave of a growing mistrust in science, which challenges the The standard practice of science is to examine several possible outcomes to get critique made allows for science to come closer to the moving target of truth.

“Science, in and of itself, is trustworthy because it is based on empirical evidence and observations, its gathering data,” Advanced Placement statistics teacher Juan Pasteris said. “But, it becomes distrusted as it is often used politically, when the facts are withheld from the public.”

Since new evidence is disclosed and new discoveries are introduced every day, science is constantly corrected, reformed and questioned. Theories are always developing, which can be problematic when new information is revealed while the public stays focused on the initial theory.

Depending on a person’s ability in formed.

If one was to alter a fact by including additional information when it is presented, it can create confusion. The fact then becomes tainted with this new bias, but at that point many have disregarded the new information and have already been infected by this misinformation. For example, in several news broadcasts leading toward one political party, the facts shown to their

DID YOU KNOW? 48% of Americans reported encountering false COVID-19 news, with 66% reporting seeing it on a daily basis Source: Pew Research Center

54% of Americans rely on general news outlets for science news, demonstrated by an analysis of Pew Research in 2017. This large portion of Americans gaining facts views opposed to what the truth is.

Regardless of new facts presented regularly, people have exposure to this constantly mentioning conspiracies. Social

media contains immense amounts of conspiracy theories, and such information is often presented by an anonymous user, which really holds no truth to what is posted. Unfortunately, algorithms are not in favor of truth as they continue to push similar content to the viewer, which only deepens the rabbit hole.

Falsely supporting opinions with disproved ideas allow for the constant distrust of science. In a report by the BBC, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) claims that the removal of harmful content is especially widespread.

The removal of widespread information remove information, those who believe the false ideas then claim that the information is corrupt because information is manipulated by the social media outlet.

“Sometimes people don’t think they should believe something if they don’t see it with their own eyes,” senior Daniel Puerta said. “Science isn’t always spoken in the most easy to understand words either, so people get confused.” objectivity are key elements in society’s mistrust of science. Whether distrust arises from the political aspect of bias or selfsuch mistrust without accepting the broken system of presenting information.

students speak up hlig hig

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Lenox Bal

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Freshman

Phoenix Berlin, Sophomore

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Some people are just Science is a large ignorant and not willing to subject, which can make it hard learn. It is important to look to follow. But it’s all proved, from every perspective, and as it’s all there, its just a matter a human race we should not allow ignorance to get in the believe it. way of saving lives.

Avah Cortez,

Many people don’t trust science because most people are biased about it. Instead of doing research, people make a conclusion and they start to look for information that supports that conclusion.

Jesus Gentil, Senior insight 29

“

Spurred Beginnings In 1616, Galileo Galilei was imprisoned for stating a fact. He supported the heliocentric theory that the Earth orbits around the Sun, which was contrary to the Catholic church’s original geocentric theory.

Society did not know who to believe and who to trust anymore. Thus, the beginnings In today’s society, political views have Depending on the political position of the group presenting the facts, the interpretation changes.

In Galilei’s case, his argument was proposed went against the teachings in the Holy Bible, which was the primary source of information at the time. Therefore, when his argument was soon proven to be true, society was torn, as their trust was instilled in the Catholic Church.

“Science often shows the truth and often [people’s] beliefs are not the truth, so [they] dismiss science because it contradicts their own beliefs, and people don’t like it when they get told that they are wrong,” junior Japheth Oyedepo said.

When trusted sources begin to reject relevant evidence, their followers begin to question the evidence as well. Surveying evidence becomes a necessity, yet sources are still hesitant to take this step, knowing

30 insight

that once their position on a subject changes, side to believe.

For instance, the common misconception of how vaccines cause autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a question vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) had to consistently put out information to disprove this conspiracy, such as an added study in 2013. They even do not lead to ASD” in order to reinforce and make sure that the false belief does not spread again.

Oftentimes, mistrusting science arises from a growing concern about validity over the years. Despite the development of society’s morals through years, such as aiming to correct systemic racism, such morality has been ignored during clinical trials of experiments. In past trials, unethical and racist medical testing occurred against minorities, causing current mistrust of science in minority communities.

Currently, the Association of American Medical Colleges states that about 5% of clinical trial participants are people of color.

The underrepresentation of this community in clinical trials is part of the previous unethical treatment of Black Americans. For example, in the Tuskegee study, hundreds

of African-Americans were studied by the U.S. Public Health Service and CDC for 40 years without any records of consent from participants. Such unethical clinical trials have deterred many minority communities from receiving treatment.

Meaning that although the results of the may not accept it because of the process of getting to the conclusions.

“We have to learn to live with uncertainty; to act without a reliable foundation in knowledge; and perhaps most importantly, to not allow our legitimate illiterate public and their spokespeeople -be they represented in the twitter of our Faucihating-aunt, or Joe Rogan’s latest interviewbecome the ‘cause’ of our own betrayal of elevates fallibility to a logical principal,” Gables alum and Cornell University professor Alexander Gordon said.

Communities distrust science as a result of long term hesitancy instilling the fear of science. Since this distrust in science correct this fear. By evaluating how society has improved, whether through morals or through science itself, solidifying trust in these tentative communities can once again be seen.

Misleading Media

h

by the numbers

80% 69% 90% of students agree there has been more mistrust in science in recent years

of students think that scientists have the public’s best interests at heart

of students believe that the media affects sciences’ credibility by any means

49% 92% of students have doubts in science

of students think that the Earth is round

highlights surveyed 326 students in Feb. 2022 regarding the growing mistrust in science

insight 31

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Questions? Email us at highlightscghs@gmail.com

lightbox Senior Stephanie Andrade runs happily through the tunnel that leads to Senior Picnic activities. Earlier that day, she was awarded Most Likely To Be Social Media Famous, for the superlative ceremony that took place in the auditorium.

Cristel Cantarero / highlights