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PHOTO COURTESY OF SUZANNE DELANEY
PHOTO COURTESY OF SUZANNE DELANEYW
DECEMBER 2O21
THE GALLEON Spanish River High School ISSUE III - VOLUME XXXVIII
WINTER SPIRIT WEEK HIGHLIGHTS
PHOTO S COURTESY SUZANNE DELANEY & CALI RIEVER
HOT OFF THE PRESS: PHOTO COURTSEY OF IStock Photos.com
PHOTO COURTSEY OF Hallmark.com
PHOTO COURTSEY OF Indiewire.com
Found on Pages 8 & 9
CELEBRATING THE DIFFERENT HOLIDAYS
Found on Page 6
“DUNE” MOVIE REVIEW
KEEPING UP WITH THE KOALAS Found on Page 12
2
THE GALLEON DECEMBER 2021
NEWS
Computer Science Honor Society Codes for Success Amelie La-Branche News Editor
The Computer Science Honor Society has brought an illuminating opportunity to Spanish River: Hour of Code. Hour of Code is a global initiative to introduce the basics of computer science and coding to students. As the name suggests, it began as an hour-long introduction to computer science. Now, however, it can involve more than an hour-long coding session, but other community efforts. Hour of Code is held every year during Computer Science Education Week, from December 6th through December 10th, though tutorials can be accessed year-round. Here at Spanish River, Hour of Code entails after-school sessions from 3 to 4 PM in Room 7103, which is located next to the Shark Shop. Each session will provide a different student-led lesson, introducing participants to a variety of programming topics. In addition, Spanish River alums will host a panel discussion to share their experiences as they pursue a computer science degree and career. “I attended Hour of Code last year, and my favorite part was learning new coding concepts through engaging activities,” says senior and Computer Science Honor Society member Kate Doherty. The Hour of Code website also provides coding tutorials, meant to ease students into the basics of coding before introducing more difficult concepts. These tutorials commonly use aspects of popular culture to attract students to certain aspects of coding, like Star Wars or Minecraft tutorials. For students who have little or no experience, Hour of Code provides beginner coding tutorials, like Color
by Pixel by CodeHS and Hack a Game by Google. Students with moderate experience in programming can take advantage of Hour of Code’s “comfortable” tutorials, like Intro to App Lab by Code. org and Explore Blockchain Technology by CodeHS. For students who would like a challenge -- or are interested in pursuing computer
subject a student is interested in. “I most likely will not be pursuing a career in computer science, but learning how to code has helped me become a better problem solver, which can help me in any field I go into,” adds Doherty. Whether or not students choose to enter c o m p u t e r science as a field of study, Hour of Code provides students with
Hour of Code Activities
science in higher education -- Hour of Code presents university-level tutorials, such as Flocking Autonomous Agents and Basic Image Manipulation by Tech.io. Learning to code also helps students develop critical thinking, as students must use JavaScript and other programming languages or tools to achieve an objective. “It’s no longer vocational - it’s foundational,” says Computer Science teacher and Computer Honors Society sponsor Michael Vargas. “Learning to program helps nurture problemsolving skills, logic, and creativity. Just like we learn about the core subjects in school to help us adapt, survive, and succeed in our world, today’s students must have an appreciation for how software works, since they are fully engaged with it in almost every aspect of their lives.” Programming skills act as a basis for future knowledge, not just in the computer science field, but in any other
free reign to explore their possible interests. “Hour of Code is important for the general student population because their lives are all about making decisions right now, and knowing what you want to do is equally important as knowing what you don’t want to do,” adds Vargas. “Hour of Code can narrow it down or, better yet, open a brand new door of possibility and promise.” In fact, computer science is showing great promise as an evolving field and a career path of growing interest and relevance. According to the Bureau of
Labor Statistics, the computer science field is expected to grow 22% from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the national average. In addition, Spanish River provides computer science courses, like Computer Fundamentals, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science A (JavaScript), as well as Digital Design courses for students who are interested in studying this expanding field. In addition, the Computer Science Honor Society welcomes members for whom computer science is a specialty, and would like to utilize their knowledge of computer science in community efforts. To be eligible for membership, students must have completed an AP Computer Science course. Nevertheless, the primary mission of Hour of Code is not to create computer science prodigies or develop expertlevel coding skills. Rather, it is to spread the message that computer science is a venture for everyone, no matter the gender or background. “Hour of Code provides a chance for everyone to try out programming in a risk-free, gradefree, friendly, and supportive e nv i ro n m e nt ,” says Vargas. The main mission of Hour of Code is, and always will be, to inspire students to pursue new interests and reach new heights. PHOTOS COURTESY OF hourofcode.com AND csteachers.org
National English Honors Society On Monday, November 15, the National English Honor Society inducted new members and welcomed returning seniors. “It feels great to be a part of the English Honor Society because I am excited to meet and learn more about English this year. My favorite story is The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. I hope to learn more about English, while being able to advance my writing and reading skills throughout the year,” says junior Paul Passarelli
NEHS inductees proudly pose with certificates
“I’m so excited to be a part of the National English Honor Society. It’s not something I ever thought I could do, but I am honored. My favorite book is The Color Purple. I love it because it’s about female empowerment, and in the novel, Southern women are able to do so many things,” says junior Alessandra Bowen “It’s my first year in the National English Honor Society, and it seems like it will be a good opportunity to be involved in the school and meet new people. I am excited to learn more about English and writing. I am currently reading A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. I think it is a good book to explore the different types of relationships people can have with each other,” says junior Lilliana Roy.
NEWS
THE GALLEON DECEMBER 2021
3
Midterm Stress Arise for Sharks can lessen students’ workload. Students are encouraged to start News Editor studying weeks ahead for the exams since there will be multiple The week that every student is exams they are expected to dreading is slowly approaching … study for. Students with multiple Midterm week - a week extracurricular activities and jobs filled with stress, anxiety, and are encouraged to sleepless nights. Exams can be manage their time really stressful for all students, wisely and study especially those that suffer from each day in order anxiety. The purpose of this midto be successful. year testing is to measure the Having students’ understanding of the effective skills course material and identify areas throughout in which they need to improve. midterms week Studying can also be dreadful, such as meditating, considering one has to retain keeping active, and information from the beginning of doing breathing the year to now. Students who have exercises can multiple AP and AICE courses in decrease stress their schedule can be overwhelmed. levels and increase Therefore, it is important to be able passing rates. to cope with these pressures during According these important times. to The National Institute of Being able to manage time Health, “89 percent (of schools) during the week and study also claimed their students were effectively for all classes is crucial. regulating their emotions more Being prepared from weeks ahead effectively, while three quarters
Duru Boronalp
claimed that their students were behaving with greater compassion.” Students can also visit their school’s mental health counselors and ask for assistance in managing stress levels. Doing simple
exercises, or even going on a walk can decrease students’ anxiety greatly. Practicing easy breathing exercises are reported to increase calmness and encourage better
rational thinking. Going to a mental health counselor on campus can assist students in better dealing with a week full of exams. Here at Spanish River, our mental health counselors, Drs. Vassell and Chaze, are located in the Student Services Suites. Having a good night’s rest is also very important in being productive during exams week. Although students usually study at night it is highly recommended that students sleep at least seven hours to be fully rested and functioning for their exams. Being restored is also helpful in being able to pass exams and think rationally. Although Midterm Week can be highly difficult, students can decrease their stress levels with simple mindfulness exercises and improve their pass rate.
ART COURTESY OF GALLEON ART ARCHIEVE
5 Mindfulness Acts from Dr. Vassell
1- Approach everyday things with curiosity and savor them 2- Forgive mistakes big or small 3- Show gratitude for good moments and grace for bad ones 4- Practice compassion and nurture connections 5- Make peace with imperfections inside and out
River Selects 2022 Employees of the Year but in her class you don’t feel always been propper and nice in order. Sophomore Grace like that. She makes everything a whenever I get lunch. She always Freeman says, “ He’s not only News Editor positive moment and is also funny gives me exactly a good AP, but an too. She is an overall amazing what I want and amazing person. Teacher of the year- Mrs. teacher and I love her..” Freshman the line moves My bus is always Weston Saeed Power also states “She’s so fast whenever crowded so it is Mrs. Weston has won the 2022 a really helpful teacher outside she’s running pretty difficult to Teacher of the Year. She teaches of school. She can also help you it. ”. Assistant get on with all the Algebra 1. Freshman Zayed with your personal life, she makes Principal Mr. students pushing MR. SOLLOD PICTURED WITH MRS.CASTELLANO Melendez says “ I think she you feel comfortable and she is Wade also states and shoving. is a great math teacher. She like a second mom when it comes “ Mrs. Corbett Although when he really helps me understand to personal stuff. pays much attention to steps in, he lets the ladies go algebra..” Another one of Mrs. She has a really what her students like, first and then the boys. He keeps Weston’s students, freshman great persona and orders exactly everything proper.” Sophomore Chloe Apgar, states “I think which leads to what they like. Also Hunter Krenzer says “ Mr. Mrs. Weston becoming Spanish trusting her. for one of the years, Sollod is always there at lunch. River’s Teacher of the Year was She makes me Mrs. Corbett had He keeps everyone under control an amazing choice. She is the want to learn a student that was even when other kids try to cut sweetest teacher I’ve ever had and math way more MRS. CORBETT PICTURED WITH MRS.CASTELLANO vegan. So she went the lunch lines. In my opinion she is so and gets me out of her way to he really did deserve the AP of caring excited to enter the class and research and order vegan food for the year”. Sophomore Hannah to each learn about algebra.’ that student.” Epstein also adds “ Mr. Sollod and was one of the first APs I talked every Employee of the Year- Mrs. Assistant Principal of the Yearto on the first day of high school. student. Corbett Mr. Sollod If it wasn’t for him I would have She also Mrs. Corbett has been Mr. Sollod has been announced had a very difficult time finding MRS. WESTON PICTURED WITH MRS.CASTELLANO gets awarded the 2022 Employee as the 2022 Assistant Principal my classes.” things of the Year. She works in the of the Year. He has been doing done and doesn’t procrastinate. Cafeteria. Sophomore Francesca an amazing job at being an AP, PHOTO COURTESY OF PRINCIWe learn a lot in that class and Nohra says “ Mrs. Corbett has and keeping our school neat and PAL CASTELLANOS TWITTER many students are discouraged,
Daria Borisova
4
THE GALLEON DECEMBER 2021
OP/ED
Ending the Stigma Lyndsey Roth Editor in Chief
Depression feels infinite. Anxiety feels chronic. It seems as if it will never go away, and that there is no treatment for these kinds of illnesses. Mental illness is an unspoken disease amongst millions of people throughout the world.. Both men and women of all age groups seem to be suffering, and only recently, has there been more acceptance towards it. Throughout the generations, mental health was never necessarily a big deal, or at least it could not be an excuse to stay home from school or work. However, due to the influence of social media, awareness of mental illnesses among young adults has increased. Now, I have not necessarily heard of any substantial evidence that shows this direct correlation, but I do however see peers and mutuals suffering silently, even if it is not directly the topic of conversation. As someone who has personally experienced feeling like these emotions would never end, I detect
the body language and personality of someone who has dealt with these sorts of problems. In high school, some people simply feel alone, and do not think there is anything to do that will fix it. I am not going to say it is easy, or that I honestly know how to
All the pressures life brings can create stress for the average person, especially those in high school or younger. This is mainly because many kids and teens stress
overcome it myself, but I believe that it is healthy to at least express your emotions, and speak openly about how you feel.
over achieving a good education. They also stress over having an overall good life, whether that means having materialistic items,
or genuinely enjoying the people as well as the things around you, without the need to wish for more. The greatest discovery of this whole epidemic is that men can be just as emotional as women. However, they always seem to desensitize themselves from certain situations to avoid looking “feminine”. Due to the pressures they feel to keep their “manly” status intact, it leads to repressing or concealing their emotions. Conversely, women have sheltered themselves into believing being sad is being “over dramatic” or “sensitive”. It seems that mental illness has been normalized over the years, and many should not feel uncomfortable discussing their emotions. Having resources, like friends and family can create a huge impact on individuals that believe they have no outlet to express their emotions. It is unfair to continue to allow those who struggle, to do it feeling like they have no support.
ART COURTESY OF LYNDSEY ROTH
The Daylight Savings Debacle Brooke Styka Editor in Chief
The concept of Daylight Savings Time originated from entomologist George Hudson, an individual that studies insects, after suggesting a “two-hour time shift so he’d have more after-work hours of sunshine to go bug hunting in the summer,” according to Chief Meteorologist Gary Stephenson with Spectrum News. However, the idea of a time change initially became widely effective during World War I, in which it was enacted for the purpose of conserving energy and fuel that was needed in the war. The United States didn’t hop onto the time change trend until around the end of World War I, in 1918, with a bill that called for a seasonal time shift. Today, daylight savings begins the first weekend of April until the last weekend of October. Although this concept was advertised as a means of saving energy, its true purpose was to enable people to make better use of the daylight and grant farmers extra working hours. But, with recent developments relative to energy conservation and the drastic shift from an agricultural to an industrial society, is daylight savings still necessary?
Personally, the time change significantly impacts my sleep schedule and mindset throughout the day. As a student that values my “beauty rest” and prefers to get to sleep at a reasonable hour, it’s irritable that I’m unable to fall asleep or struggle with waking up
creeps up earlier than usual. It not only impacts my ability to function throughout the day, but takes a toll on my morning routine as well. Dr. Shalini Paruthi, co-director of the Sleep Medicine and Research Center at St. Luke’s Hospital in St. Louis and spokesperson at the American
at a normal time due to the time change. I no longer wake up for school feeling stuck in the “morning mood,” but in a panic as if I’m late for school. I no longer feel as if I have the leisure of time when I get home from school due to the fact that night
Academy of Sleep Medicine, explained in an interview with Healthline.com that “‘The loss of sleep has also been associated with a decline in vigilance and cognitive function, which raises safety concerns for teen drivers.’” Although
many students may not respond similarly to the time change, it’s detriment to our bodily routines is alarming. On a larger scale, research studies have found that Daylight Savings has been linked to grave consequences in health. For instance, the early darkness following the Daylight Savings period has been associated with spikes in depression, along with an increase in the risk of having a heart attack during the beginning of daylight savings time. Moreover, the time change has also been linked to increased cases of irregular heartbeats. In this day in age, I find Daylight Savings Time to be unnecessary and a waste of our time. No pun intended. Considering that the time change had originally been enforced to save energy, which statistically it hasn’t, and for farmers that needed a longer day of sunlight, it is no longer imperative to society due to the technology and machinery that now ease the farming process anyway. The only remarkable changes influenced by Daylight Savings Time are detriments to our mind and bodies.
FACE-OFF
THE GALLEON DECEMBER 2021
5
DC Legends of Tomorrow vs. The Flash
DC Legends of Tomorrow Are Out Of This World The Flash Zooms Past Legends of Tomorrow Ana Perez Associate Editor Most superhero shows are very cut and dry. The very good looking average good-doing person accidentally gets powers and they must use these powers they’ve gotten for good to help the world. This troupe is boring and egregiously overdone which is why DC Legends of Tomorrow is an all around amazing show. The show starts out with Rip Hunter collecting a group of misfits to help defeat an immortal psycho named Vandal Savage. This group includes Sara Lance or White Canary, a former assassin, Mick Rory or Heat Wave, Leonard Snart or Captain Cold both criminals who are in this for the thieving, Ray Palmer or the atom an all around physics geek, Professor Martin Stein and Jefferson “Jax” Jackson two complete opposites who fuse to form FireStorm, as well as Kendra and Carter who are two ancient egyptian Hawk Gods who can reincarnate themselves. They don’t get along and they clash horribly and instead of saving the day they end up screwing up the entire timeline at the end of season 1. The story is quite entertaining but I love the show for its characters. Sara Lance eventually takes over as captain of their ship from Rip and she is the most amazing leader but also my favorite sarcastic bisexual hero. She has a nonchalant way of going through missions where she is literally about to die. As she is a bisexual character she adds much absolutely wonderful representation. She has both female and male love interests on the show and is incredibly open about her identity. Good bisexual representation is hard to find and when you do find it many times it is based off of harmful stereotypes such as bisexual people are more likely to cheat. But in DC Legends Sara is bisexual but she is also a great many other things and not to mention an amazing character who just happens to carry voluminous amounts of knives at all times. Another one of my favorites is Leonard Snart. “Captain Cold is so funny.” said sophomore Alyssa Outlaw. “He’s kinda like the anti-hero who doesn’t change who he is.” He has a very dry humour that makes me cackle. “Is there anything you think about besides yourself?” said Jax to Leonard Snart in Season 1 Episode
3.
“Yes. Money,” replied Snart. He is the brains of the operations he and Mick Rory carry out. He is strategic in a way I can appreciate but he also has a big heart which shows itself in little ways. Such as when Martin Stein asked Snart to watch Jax on the time ship and Snart decided to go have some fun in the 70s. Jax wanted to come along but as he was only 20 years old Snart refused. It is just the most ridiculous thing the wanted felon has no issue with stealing thousands of dollars worth in jewels but letting the 20 year old drink is crossing the line. His partner in crime is Mick Rory or Heat Wave. “Heat Wave is my favorite character because he is literally a criminal who killed his family but now he’s a superhero who is just in it for the money.” said freshman Sofia Posada. “He’s a bad guy I love it” Rory has simple wants: use his fire gun and steal things. Honestly he is an incredibly likeable character who is just absolutely hilarious. My point at hand is DC Legends is just plain better than the Flash. “DC Legends isn’t cheap and
it’s not as repetitive. The Flash is the same thing over and over,” said Posada. “The Flash’s CGI just got progressively worse and worse.” said sophomore Jeric Lubag. “The time travel in the Flash was tacky and forced but in DC Legends it flowed and made sense,” said Outlaw. DC Legends is clearly the superior show, on all fronts characters, plots, and even CGI.
Aiden Rubinstein Face-off editor The Flash, produced by The CW, is an extremely popular and entertaining series, it is arguably one of the best superhero shows out now. Starring Grant Gustin as Barry Allen, The Flash is about a young forensic scientist stationed in Central City. The story begins when Star Labs, owned by Harrison We l l s , builds a Particle Accelerator in order to power Central City with clean and reusable energy. However, the accelerator exploded, which sent a shockwave throughout the city, creating metahumans, or humans with special abilities, such as The Flash who acquired super-speed. D.C Legends of Tomorrow, another CW show, features a team of heroes who work in order to save and repair the timeline. Although the show has its moments, it is hardly ever comparable to The Flash. The Flash, although significant in its own universe, also helps to improve other CW superhero shows. For example, Arrow, which focuses on billionaire boy Oliver
Queen during the day, but Green Arrow at night.The show features The Flash in it multiple times. The two often come together to fight crime, which always seems to bring chills to CW fans. Although D.C Legends of Tomorrow has similar collaborations, its characters always seem to be side characters and subpar to characters like The Flash and his crew. Being a viewer of both shows, I personally never feel a true connection between a majority of
the legends and other significant CW characters. “The Flash, by the CW, is a very well put together show,” said Sophomore Gavin Blythe. “Its plot is super interesting and beyond attention-grabbing.” “Its collaborations with other CW shows really adds to their plots and causes a better experience for viewers.” While The Flash primarily focuses on its heroes, it also has some amazing villains. For example, one of the show’s first villains is Reverse-Flash. ReverseFlash is a villain in which Barry, unknowingly, grew extremely close to. The villain really helped shape The Flash into who he is in the show today. The reveal of Reverse Flash’s identity also helps fans unravel one of the show’s very first mysteries, that being what happened to Barry Allen’s parents. One of The Flash’s best features in terms of villains is its originality. D.C Legends of Tomorrow’s villains tend to be unoriginal or repetitive. For example, Damien Darhk was originally a villain on Arrow, although was used again in the early seasons of Legends of Tomorrow. Although she is not a villain, Legends of Tomorrow also casts Sara Lance as the leader of the group. Lance, similar to Darhk, was originally in Arrow and in my opinion, is much more well known for her role there. As a CW fan, when I first think of Damien Darhk and Sara Lance I immediately think about them in the Arrow plot, not in the Legends of Tomorrow plot. In terms of being repetitive, Legends of Tomorrow tends to have villains which are almost always related to magic and monsters. Conversely, The Flash shows villains who are animals, people with a wide variety of powers, and people from different dimensions, universes, and times. Although the heroes are often the ones in the spotlight, the villains are equally as important, and The Flash definitely has some of the best villains. “The Flash in whole is an amazing show,” said Sophomore Joseph Santone. “Its heroes and its villains come together to create such a mindblowing show.” “The show is one of my favorites, and I’m so excited for all the upcoming ideas the CW has to present.” Overall, The Flash is a very well put together show. With amazing heroes, villains, and collaborations, the show is five steps ahead of D.C Legends of Tomorrow. With season eight on its way, lovers of The Flash have much to look forward to.
ART COURTESY OF ALLY GREENBERG AND DYLAN LEBENSFELD
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THE GALLEON DECEMBER 2021
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
DIVe Into dune As the plot goes on, it is seen that House Harkonnen launches an attack Arts and Entertainment Editor upon House Atreides, which the *Spoilers Ahead* people were unprepared for. Troops Dune is one of the best movies put from House Atreides defend their out in years. The new film is by far one ground, but the Harkonnen manage of Denis Villeneuve’s best works. The to defeat them, destroying the fortress cast, costume design, plot and execution of this movie was nothing short of incredible and entertaining. Released in 2021, Dune is a remaster of David Lynch’s film Dune (1984). Dune takes place in a futuristic scifi province on the desert planet Arrakis, where two opposing houses are in an Paul Atreides and Duncan Idaho in the film Dune (2021). ongoing feud to collect more spice than the other. Spice and killing thousands in the process. is a compelling element found in the Meanwhile, Lady Jessica and her son sands of the desert. Although there Paul get captured and loaded into a are tons of the substance available on ship to be dropped into the desert and the planet, spice is incredibly valuable die on their own. During their travel, due to its ability to enhance travel and the duo are able to escape from the intelligence, as well as providing desired Harkennon on the ship using the skills visions and hallucinations to whoever of Bene Gesserit and have to figure out uses it. As a result, these two houses -- what their next step is. Shortly after, known as House Harkonnen and House they encounter a group of Fremen, Atreides -- are in constant competition where the movie ends with Paul and to have a greater supply than the other. Lady Jessica beginning their new House Atreides notices the threat excursion with the group of Fremen. posed to them, and forms an alliance Dune was scheduled to release in with another faction: the Fremen. late 2020, however was pushed back Timothée Chalamet stars in Dune to 2021 because of the Coronavirus as main character Paul Atreides, the pandemic -- leaving potential viewers son of Lady Jessica and Leto Atreides. to excitedly wait for director Denis Leto is the Duke of House Atreides, Villeneuve to announce a new release making Paul the heir to the house. date. Flash-forward nearly a year later, Growing up, Paul has been trained Dune was released in theatres and on how to participate in blade fighting HBO Max on October 21, 2021. Within by an acquaintance, Duncan Idaho. a week of its release, Dune had been In his free time, Lady Jessica trains deemed one of the most successful Paul in the ways of Bene Gesserit -- a films of 2021, earning $40 million in series of mental and physical abilities. just its opening weekend in theatres.
London Bedell
Students at Spanish River have provided input on the film: “I thought Dune was a good movie,” sophomore Mason Le Vine says. “It was filled with several action-packed scenes, and there wasn’t a moment where I could take my eyes off the screen.” Dune received c o u n t l e s s praises from its audience and critics, acquiring an 82% on rotten tomatoes. The audience consisted of both fans from the novel “Dune” (1965), along with newcomers who were interested in the remake of the original film Dune (1984). On the other side of the spectrum, some audience members had trouble keeping up with the plot of Dune: “The movie was overall really good, but may confuse some viewers,” freshman Sofia Olivares says. “My two favorite actors Timothée and Zendaya were in it, which made me really want to watch it -- after it finished though, it left me confused.” Dune (2021) includes lots of references to the original film and novel; however, it lacks some background information to these terms. Consequently, numerous new viewers were not able to comprehend the storyline. After watching the film, I can concur that Dune struggled to elucidate on varying notions from the previous film, such as spice, sandworms and the Bene Gesserit. Therefore, it is encouraged to research the basics of Dune if you are not aware of the backstory of the film. Only a week after its premiere in theatres, Dune: Part Two has already been declared to release in late 2023.
Top Holiday
Movies
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GOOGLR IMAGES
Galleon Arts & Entertainment Announcements Come see the spring play Mamma Mia! March 4th - 12th
Read No Time To Die movie review on the Galleon website PHOTOS COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
THE GALLEON DECEMBER 2021
7
Safety Precautions at Concerts Elle Borstelmann
Arts and Entertainment Editor With the recent tragic events that occurred at Astroworld, it is crucial to ensure safety at events like this. Concerts are meant to be fun and exciting, but a lively crowd can turn dangerous at any time and it is important to have a contingency plan. During concerts, crowds can become packed and difficult to maneuver through, so it is important to learn how to escape crowd surges. In this situation, crowds can be fatal especially if bodies are closely packed together to the point where they are touching. Keeping your arms in front of your chest puts some distance between you and whoever is around you while also protecting your ribs and lungs, allowing you to breathe. In a surge, yelling and screaming will only hurt you and can deplete oxygen. Conserving your oxygen and energy will help prevent you from suffocating or becoming unconscious. Lastly, it
is crucial to move with the crowd, not against it. Trying to escape a surge will be extremely difficult therefore wasting energy on trying to leave will likely backfire. Suffocating from a packed crowd is not the only consequence of a crowd surge. A sense of panic can turn a harmless crowd into an incredibly dangerous one in a split second. It is important to remember that crowds move people as one and if you are not moving with the crowd there is a higher chance of you ending up beneath it. If any personal belongings fall to the ground in this state, it is best to leave them behind because the last place you want to be is anywhere near the ground. If you do find yourself on the ground in a crowd surge, protect your head at all costs from injury as well as cover your lungs, heart, and vital organs on your front side by getting into a fetal position. Knowing the artist’s target audience
beforehand will help give you a feel of what the crowd will be like. Artists like Playboi Carti and Travis Scott are likely to have younger, rougher audiences with mosh pits occurring at most concerts, while artists like Harry Styles or Billie Eilish have calmer audiences. It is suggested to avoid concerts with a more rowdy crowd if you are uncomfortable with large crowds and instead take up a seated concert. Staying hydrated is a top priority because dehydration can cause dizziness and your body to be unable to function properly, so bringing water bottles is essential. Many outdoor concerts have water stations and can supply you with water for free or with purchase. Water can also prevent a heat stroke from occurring as well as dressing according to the temperature will be of help. It is important to note any underlying medical issues and be
aware that being in a crowded environment can trigger sickness. Before the concert begins, those with underlying medical issues should locate a medical station and enjoy the concert from a space that allows them to have easy access to medical attention if needed. Locating exits and staying close to them will allow you to leave quickly if you feel it is urgent. “I would want to have as much fun at a concert as I can, but protecting myself and the people around me comes first, “ said freshman Israel Brooks. Going to an event or festival is a memorable experience for many but also can be a dangerous one as well. Knowing the signs of dangerous activity and knowing what to do in these situations can save your life as well as many people around you in the crowd. The point of a concert is to have fun, but safety should always be a top priority.
Steps to Take to Remain Safe at Concerts Bring lots of water
Write phone numbers down on your arm
Wear sneakers
Keep IDs, phones, and money in a secure bag (preferably clear)
8
THE GALLEON DECEMBER 2021
FEATURE
Celebrating Joy Brooke Styka Editor-in-Chief
s a m
t Christmas, celebrated annually on December 25th, marks both a religiously sacred s i r
Ch
holiday and global cultural phenomenon. Although Christmas is widely recognized as the day in which Jesus Christ was born, the holiday originated from traditional Pagan celebrations of the winter solstice that entailed large feasts. Today, Christmas is primarily a Christian holiday that encompasses both religious and secular practices, the most popular customs being exchanging gifts, decorating a Christmas tree, and sharing a large feast with loved ones. The patron of Christmas, Santa Claus, is widely associated with the holiday as someone who travels across the world to provide gifts for well-behaved children. Santa Claus not only serves as an incentive for children to act accordingly, but boosts the spirit of Christmas and the charismatic feeling of awaiting Christmas day. In Latin America, Christmas, or Navidad, is one of their largest annual celebrations, considering the region is vastly Christian. However, their festivities typically take place on Christmas eve, where they gather with family to “Understanding drink, dance, and enjoy an epic helps children to “Celebrating both Hanukkah Latin feast with traditional and Christmas doesn’t mean cluding, American foods inthat there's more splitting the fun, it’s more like Mashed Alfajores de Navidad, than gift giving an Yuca, and Tamales de Navidad. doubling it.” - Junior Alec
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Newman
build respect for o traditions. Holida learn the founda embrace cultural h valu
Hanukkah, an eight day observation with its dates being dependent on the lunar cycle, commemorates the consecration of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Although Hanukkah is not mentioned in the Torah due to the fact that the events that instituted the holiday occurred after it had been written, it is referenced in the New Testament as a “Feast of Dedication.” Hanukkah involves the lighting of candles on a Menorah, a token of the Israeli nation, on each of the eight nights to symbolize an eternal flame. In many Jewish families today, Hanukkah consists of exchanging gifts and having a feast with traditional fried foods, including the potato pancake. Specifically in Israel, the nation sticks to lighting the Menorah and consuming fried goods as they stride away from gift giving, unless it involves a dreidel, a four-sided spinning top typically played with during Hanukkah, or gelt, chocolate coins. Popular Hanukkah dishes are Latkes, Kugel, Brisket, and Matzo Ball Soup.
FOCUS
THE GALLEON DECEMBER 2021
Around the World a
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Kwanzaa, first celebrated in Los Angeles in 1966, was created by professor Maulana Karenga of California State University as a means of sparking unity amongst African Americans in the U.S. and recognizing African heritage. Kwanzaa is a secular celebration that is observed annually from December 26th to January 1st. This celebration was initially a ritual of welcoming the first harvests home, the sacred crop being maize. Kwanzaa festivities typically entail dancing, singing, gift giving, and grand feasts, as well candle-lighting and pouring of libations as an offering to deities or to commemorate the dead. The celebration of Kwanzaa is founded upon principles of “unity, self-determination, collective responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.” Beyond a reason for commemoration and enjoying the success in hard work, Kwanzaa teaches the values of self-determination and devotion to creother holidays ating a better life for your family and community.
o acknowledge e to the holidays nd helps them to other beliefs and ays teach us to ations of society, history, and build ues”
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Originated as an ancient Hindu celebration in India, Diwali is a five day festival of lights that honors new beginnings “and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.” “The tradition of Diwali views To participate in the obserwealth and riches provide us an vance of Diwali, many in India opportunity to do good towards finest clothing, dress in their illuminate their the betterment of society.” homes with diyas, or oil lamps, decorate with rangolis, exchange gifts, and gather with friends or family for feasts. Moreover, people also tend to light fireworks in worship of the Goddess Lakshmi, who represents wealth, fortune, and beauty, as well as color sand and ignite special candles. The Ganesha, Bindi, Aum, and Lotus flower all serve as symbols of this celebration. Dishes typically prepared for Diwali include Mithai, a common dessert, Chivda, a traditional Indian snack of dried items, and Lapsi Halwa.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES AND INFORMATION COURTESY OF BBC.CO.UK, SCHOLASTIC.COM, AND SILVERLINEMONTESSORI.COM
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THE GALLEON DECEMBER 2021
FEATURES
How Fashion trends are inclusive Jacqueline Levine Features Editor
There are so many fashion trends these days. From the color of your shoes to the texture of your dress, fashion is constantly changing and creating new trends. In our school, there are many different types of styles that students dress in. There is not one category of fashion, as fashion is worldwide. Fashion is not only for one specific group of people, it is for everyone to participate in. It helps us express ourselves and makes us feel confident in who we are based on what we are wearing, our looks, and styles. Everything is adaptable in the fashion industry. The purpose of fashion is to showcase who you are and make you feel good. Races, sizes, and ethnicities don’t make a difference. What we wear is truly one of a kind and looks different on everyone, making everyone look unique and feel special. If you take a look around school, you will see that not one person looks the same as everyone else. We all have a right
to dress how we want and feel the best in. What someone feels comfortable in can be the opposite for someone else. It depends on your personality and how you want to be perceived by others. Fashion is subject to change, just how we grow as individuals. No one dresses the same as they dressed when they were younger due to the fact that our preferences usually change as we get older. Also, we adapt based on how the majority of people want to dress and what they want to stay and grow as fashion trends. If no one likes bandanas, we are not going to keep them as a growing trend. People are free to wear whatever they want, even if it isnt considered ‘’trendy’’. Everyone feels a different way about this. “Well, new fashion trends are being made everyday as well as old ones being forgotten. Fashion trends can range from a whole aesthetic to one piece of clothing”, informed freshman Jenna Lui. “What’s great about them is that everybody can always find one fashion trend or any aesthetic that fits them and can express themselves freely through fashion.” Some fashion trends in style at
the moment are wearing denim, cardigans, mini dresses, sweatpants, tennis skirts, crewnecks, flannels and layering clothing. “I love how people layer basic clothing into something unique”, exclaimed Alyssia Perez. There are about a million more and the cool thing is: we can make these trends. There are so many fashion trends set in place therefore there is room to come up with new ones and dump out the old ones. In the beginning of the fashion, everyone representing and modeling for industries all had one specific body type. Making viewers and fans, feel that they have to change themself to look like the models, or that they are not good enough to ever pursue fashion. Thankfully, this is not the case anymore. Body types are represented, showed, and loved in fashion. Diversity is encouraged and wanted in fashion shoots and magazines. “I feel like fashion trends have really grown over time when it comes to our bodies, explained ninth grader Jari Cardona. “A lot of clothing websites and stores have
put out clothes that appeal to plus sized people and makes them feel comfortable in their own skin.” We have to make sure to make a difference in society to include everyone in fashion, no matter what body size. There used to be many toxic fashion industries that isolated specific groups of people based on their size and race. At Spanish River High School, we make sure not to leave anyone out and we see many fashion trends that everyone is a part of. Everyone dresses freely and has their own sort of style. A very popular place where fashion trends are discovered is on social media. These platforms include Tiktok, Instagram, and countless more. They inspire people to dress uniquely and freely, creating these new fashion trends day by day. So, what fashion trends are you going to be wearing at Spanish River?
Galleon Reflects on Thanksgiving Sophie DiFusco Features Editor
Thanksgiving: the holiday we are all thankful for - the holiday of giving thanks, eating until you just cannot eat anymore and then some, and of course permission to decorate for Christmas and other holidays. Though I would happily keep a Christmas tree up year round, guests may find a gigantic pine tree in my living room in May a bit strange. There is this feeling Thanksgiving brings that no one can ever fully pinpoint - your soul feels warm and an unintentional smile grazes your face. Until… the duty falls on you to clean up Thanksgiving dinner. But we must take the bad with the good. Sometimes, Thanksgiving restores the humanity in our society even for just a day. Individuals volunteer at soup kitchens, go around the dinner table saying what
they are thankful for, and teenagers withstand an entire day surrounded by family. Yes, even the teenager species enjoys Thanksgiving. Have you ever met someone who despises Thanksgiving? Despite the grocery shopping, cleaning, chopping, cooking, and chatter we always sit down, ready to eat with a smile on our faces. However, I stand by my statement, green beans do not make a casserole. For the people in the back, GREEN BEANS DO NOT MAKE A CASSEROLE. I grew up in the midwest where crockpots and casserole dominated the food industry and when I tell you “we know how to do Thanksgiving”, we KNOW how to do Thanksgiving. The grocery stores turn into a game of survival - only the bravest dare to go near the turkey display. Jewel, the midwest Publix, always gave out a cookie to each child as long as we told them at least one thing
we were thankful for. I took it upon myself to go around our school and asked fellow students to define the upcoming holiday. Senior Alexandra Lis, defines Thanksgiving as “familiar”. Ironically, this Thanksgiving is all but familiar to us. We will be able to hug our loved ones, see our grandparents without a glass partition, and venture into the hectic malls for a battle we call, Black Friday. You should always be prepared, to wear your body gear, to wear your best walking shoes, pack some snacks - no battle will ever prepare you for the fate of Black Friday. “I’m thankful for the love I reserve for my boyfriend and family, as well as being healthy and alive and furthermore to do what I love and being able to prosper from it.” said Junior Marianna Pou. Not only is she thankful for others, but she is thankful for herself. She is thankful
for the person she is so she can love her loved ones to her full potential. I am thankful for my family. They surround me in times of need- my family who loves me so much. More times than not, we get so focused on the cooking, shopping, football, that we forget why we gather. Thanksgiving is the holiday of thanks - so I challenge myself and others to stop and look around. Set a timer for even just one minute and list the many things you are thankful for. Appreciate the simplistic details naked to the busy human glance. Appreciate your loved ones. Appreciate how lucky you are to have loved ones, food on the table. Appreciate being able to appreciate and of course, happy Thanksgiving.
THE GALLEON STAFF WISHES YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAYS
FEATURES
Giving Back this Holiday Season Lyndsey Roth Editor in Chief
The holidays are meant for spending time with family and friends, as well as others. This season: many are in need. Whether it is food, clothes, or basic necessities, countless underprivileged people are seeking assistance. Beyond giving back for the purpose of contributing to the community, community service hours are greatly encouraged at Spanish River. In correspondence with this, Spanish River requires at least 20 hours per student to graduate. Helping others allows students to feel that they have done what is expected of them in their communities. Not only does it allow students to achieve their community service goals, it also can create a sense of pride or confidence in knowing that they do more than just take care of themselves. Luckily, many places are in need of help. For instance, Boca Helping
Hands has many opportunities to participate in giving back to the community. Whether it is hosting food drives, volunteering, fundraising, and more, they are equipped to do as much as possible to contribute to bettering the community this holiday season, or any season for that matter. To find out specific events to volunteer or donate to this organization, visit @https://www. bocahelpinghands.org “Giving back to the community, especially during the holiday season makes me feel like I’m doing my part in the community.” said junior Ethan Schweiger. Four-legged friends are also
experiencing a demand for supplies. Some shelters have seen people take on a pet during quarantine, and now that they have gone back to their daily lives, families tend to take these pets
back as they now cannot take care of these animals. As shelters are overpacked and undersupplied, there are many things students can do to help. “Since I was a little girl I always wanted a dog, but since my dad is allergic, we donate pet supplies
THE GALLEON DECEMBER 2021
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to local animal shelters in need during the holidays.” said junior Samantha Budner. Donate paper towels, toys, leashes, and more, or even adopt or foster if you are able to. An example of somewhere you can specifically go to, is Tri County Animal Rescue. Students can also receive community service hours for donating these items with this organization, as long as you allow them to sign off on your designated volunteer hour sheet (posted on Spanish River’s Website). Individuals can either volunteer, donate, sponsor an animal, or even adopt. If interested in this, here is the link to their site: https://tricountyanimalrescue.com. The opportunities are endless, it is recommended that students simply search: “Where can I volunteer?” or “Where can I donate?” and a multitude of places in need will appear. To make this an enjoyable experience, bring family or friends to join, and they will too make our atmosphere a more giving place. ART COURTESY OF LYNDSEY ROTH
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THE GALLEON DECEMBER 2021
CURRENTS
Koalas Are Getting Vaccinated Ana Perez Associate Editor Koalas are getting chlamydia. You read that correctly. The furry little beasts that live in Australia and are known for their cuteness are suffering from an outbreak of one of the most common STDs. What most people don’t know is that this disease is common in other animals besides humans. Chlamydia is a bacterial infection transmitted through sexual contact. It can affect many different species of animals such as cats, horses, frogs, fish, parakeets and most notably koalas. Koalas get more or less the same symptoms as humans would when they contract the disease: infertility, pain when urinating, pain in the lower abdomen, etc. Which causes many koalas, as well as humans, much pain and discomfort. “Oh koalas! Like the funny gray bear dudes. I love those guys, it sucks that they have chlamydia,” said senior Ty Podolak. “Koalas have a special place in
my family history,” said senior Adam Davis. “Australia was where my parents had their honeymoon, and I was even given a stuffed koala when I was born. ” While it may seem strange that animals like koalas are getting a disease that humans are typically known to have, humans sharing diseases with animals is not all that uncommon, take the s w i n e flu or H1N1 for example. T h e infamous COVID-19 is also said to come from an animal while the WHO hasn’t confirmed and needs to do further research, some such as the head of the microbiology department at Monash University in Melbourne Peter Timms speculates that COVID came from bats. There
have been headlines that say “Dogs Test Positive for COVID-19” which has been confirmed to be true by the CDC. Chlamydia is a highly transmissible disease since many people that contact it can go years without showing symptoms and it can be spread wide and far. This is in part due to the nature of the disease since it doesn’t kill its host quickly but slowly deteriorates it. But there is a bright side to this horribly dark story, the koalas are getting vaccinated. According to USA Today hundreds of koalas are planning to receive the vaccine, which would be given by scientists testing the chlamydia vaccine. “I’m happy for the koalas,” said senior Ana Alves de Souza Silva.
Facebook Rebrands to Meta Dominic D’arelli Co Editor in Chief “Metaverse” is taking over as Facebook officially announced its company name will be changing to “Meta”. The word “meta” comes from the Greek word, meaning “beyond”; Zuckerberg states that “the new name reflects that over time, users will not need to use Facebook to use our other services”. The services Zuckerberg is referring to is the new VR (virtual reality) that Facebook has begun incorporating into their ‘new-andimproved’ brand. The “Metaverse” is an online world where people can communicate with each other, work as a team and most importantly game, all in a completely virtual environment. BBC stated that in an interview about the rebranding, the company stated that the new name would better “encompass” what the company wishes to do in the future. Many people compare the name change to what Google did back in 2015; Google decided to change the name of their company to “Alphabet” but it never caught on and many people are not even aware that this change even occurred. Denise Lee Yohn, writer
for the Harvard Business Review states her opinion on the new change, claiming that it is a “foolish attempt to distract from criticism the company has recently faced”. The criticism Yohn is talking about is the recent slew of leaked documents a “whistle blower” recently released. Frames Haugen, former data scientist for Facebook, testified against the company in a recent case that is argued to be “the most threatening scandal in the company’s history”, says NPR. While working at Facebook, Haugen noticed how the social network’s algorithm played a role in amplifying the misinformation being spread on the site. “During my time at Facebook, I came to realize a devastating truth: Almost no one outside of Facebook knows what happens inside Facebook,” Haugen told Congress. “The company intentionally hides vital information from the public, from the U.S. government, and from governments around the world.” The timing of the rebrand and Haugen’s recent testimonies have made many people believe the two events are directly related. “This is a strange decision that
really is not necessary,” says senior Keaton Simon. Zuckerberg recently gave his opinion on the whistleblower situation, he explained that the “coordinated effort to selectively use leaked documents to paint a false picture of our company as a whole.” The recent name change has also led people to wonder what is next; in a recent interview Zuckerberg assured the public that this name change does not apply to Facebook’s individual platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and What’s App. The change was sudden and many Instagram users noticed right away that when opening the app, what used to say “from Facebook” now says “from Meta.” “The first time I opened Instagram and saw that it changed to Meta I was really confused, I had to look up what Meta even was,” says senior, Rose Rodriguez. Overall, Facebook has spoken out about the backlash regarding the leaked documents, whether or not they address the misinformation on the site that Haugen released is yet to be determined.
“I hope that everything gets better since they’re already on their way to being an endangered species and I’d hate to see them wiped out.” said Davis. Smithsonian Magazine reported that the vaccine not only helps to prevent symptoms it also can help already infected koalas lessen their symptom’s severity. In order to track data over the course of a year in the koalas the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital is inserting microchips into the furry participants. Unfortunately, koalas are on their way to becoming endangered due to loss of habitat and chlamydia infections are a big part of it since it inhibits koalas from reproducing and sustaining their population. While the vaccine’s long term effects on the koala population have yet to be seen, scientists are hopeful it can help boost their population!
PHOTO COURTSEY OF DYLAN LEBENSFELD
Pathfinder Nominees Academic Excellence Zachary Sarmoen
Art
Zahira Ballistreri
Business
Max Reichstein
Communications Carly Fox
Community Involvement Kira Lichtenfeld
Computer Science Lindsay Esterman
Science
Talya Givoni
Foreign Language Matthew Prutzman
Reach for Excellence Sophia Russo
Literature Dana Sapir
Music/Instructmental Channing Cook
Music/Vocal
Katelyn Pavich
Sports
Andrew Davis
Math
Dylan Zhuang
History/Political Science Theodore Jaffe
Forensics/Speech Melissa Babinecz
Drama
Adam Davis
Technical/Vocational Agricultural Jason Vassari
CURRENTS 13 Astroworld concert ends in tragedy THE GALLEON DECEMBER 2021
Aiden Rebinstein Face-off editor On November 5, 2021, Jacques Bermon Webster II, more commonly known as American rapper, Travis Scott, began what is now one of the most tragic concerts in history. The event took place in Houston, Texas, and was planned to be a massive success. The concert featured Travis’s most well-known album, Astroworld, which today has over 5 billion streams on Spotify alone. That being said, fans from around the world had tickets sold out within the hour. Danger could have been expected before the event, being that over 50,000 people were in a relatively small venue. That, along with a few other factors, resulted in multiple deaths as well as hundreds of injuries. One factor that led up to the Astroworld tragedy was the space at the venue. Although NRG Park, the venue where the event was held, is
big, it definitely was not big enough to hold all the fans. That being said, many people were stampeded, crushed together, and had a lack of air. Also, since the area was so crowded, it all made it difficult for those inside the crowd to leave. “It was like hell...” said Nick Johnson in a New York Times interview. “Everybody was just in the back, trying to rush to the front.” This was the main reason why many were injured, and unfortunately, passed. The close-packed venue also resulted in first-responders being unable to get to many of those in trouble. Also, in relation to COVID-19, the compact venue probably was not the best location, and probably resulted in many new cases. The aftermath of the tragic event has affected everyone, victims, bystanders, or even Travis Scott fans and concert lovers. For starters, concerts in the near future are planned to be much more limited. Greg Abbott, governor of Texas, has
already begun implementing more safety measures in regards to public gatherings, specifically concerts. The event has also seemed to harm Travis Scott’s reputation, as fans and citizens around the world blame him and his team for the event. For example, Travis, his management, other performers at the event, as well as the venue all have millions of dollars in lawsuits on their hands. Thomas J. Henry, a lawyer representing 68 victims at the concert, has sued Travis Scott, Drake, and the NRG Stadium for $2 billion. The event has also resulted in fans losing respect and love for Travis Scott. “Recent events regarding Travis Scott have really changed my view of him,” said sophomore Xavier Pelish. “Having such events occur was very irresponsible of both him and his venue, and should never have taken place.” “Although I enjoy his music, my respect for him and his management plummeted.” Pelish, similar to many other fans, has completely lost respect for
Travis Scott. In response to peoples’ outrage at the event, Travis Scott also released an apology video, which according to fans and critics was very poorly put together and very forced and insincere. However, insincere or not, Travis and his management are at least attempting to aid victims as well as their families. The event has also resulted in Travis merch being delayed.For example, Travis had planned to release exclusive sneakers in December, however Nike, in response to the event, has delayed and possibly canceled the release. These, as well as a few more factors, have really affected Travis and his team. Although Astroworld was truly tragic, hopefully, venues and management will use this as a learning opportunity and properly host large events so that nothing like this could ever happen again.
NEW BILL TO RESTRUCTURE THE INFRASTRUCTURE Madeeha Naqvi Currents Editor
The United States is a country often perceived to be infallible, but it is just like any other country that has certain needs which are to be fulfilled. Renovating the infrastructure is, indeed, one among them. The infrastructure of a country consists of its roads, bridges, buildings, and other fundamental structures. The House of Representatives, in order to satisfy the much needed repair of the infrastructure, voted for the ‘Infrastructure and Jobs Act’ on November 5, 2021. This act was passed by a vote of 228 to 206 by the House of Representatives, and followed by the approval of President Joe Biden on November 15. The purpose of this bill, however, is not just for the infrastructure. The ‘Infrastructure and Jobs Bill’ focuses on upgrading numerous aspects of the country, including transpor-
tation networks, broadband, and public works projects. “I don’t believe we can go wrong by investing in our nation’s infrastructure,” said Business teacher Scott Dollinger. “ It’s my belief that when you invest in infrastructure it’s like investing in yourself, your future. Just like with a business, you’re investing in the foundation of the organization to ensure that all the necessary resources, processes and materials are in place operating at a peak performance level to realize manageable growth.” Many like Scott Dollinger have firm faith in this bill and believe in its success. It will start improving the country’s condition by reconstructing the roads and bridges since the United States’ built environment was rated to C-mius by the American Society of Civil engineers. The United States, being a country always striving for enhancements, decided to change that by passing this bill. Furthermore, water is a
vital element that is utilized in every walk of life through consumption, hygiene purposes, and more. Therefore, this bill aims to revamp the life of a common man by replacing pipes for better water facilities and lesser pollution. “If properly implemented, this bill has the potential to not only repair and improve current systems but install and implement new infrastructure systems needed to support 21st century technology,” says Constitutional Law teacher Alicia Laufer. Indeed, the question of whether or not this bill will be properly implemented is a mystery for now. This ten- year project has an intended investment plan of $1.2 trillion. An amount of $550 billion has been allocated for the first five years of this project, which is further divided into two programs. The first program has a calculated investment plan of $284 billion and focuses on surface- transportation
networks, whereas the second one focuses on the core infrastructure with a budget of $266 billion. Although this bill focuses on all the states equally, Texas and California have been given a relatively higher priority since they have the most number of highway bridges. Moreover, this bill emphasizes technological excellence by funding another $7.5 billion to build a nationwide network of plug-in electric vehicle chargers. Laufer brought up another point by mentioning that 45 percent of Americans don’t have access to public transportation systems, and the government is trying to fix that by allocating $39 billion to modernizing transit systems through this bill. “It is a wise bill for the betterment of American lives in the long run, even more so because this bill addresses water- related issues and there is a growing scarcity of water,” says freshman Sabina. The inPHOTO COURTESY OF THE GALLEON ART BINDER ART BINDER
MIDTERM EXAM SCHEDULE Period 6 - Friday, December 17 Periods 3 and 4 - Tuesday, December 21 12:51-2:50 7:30-11:50 Periods 1 and 2- Monday, Decmber 20 Periods 5 and 7- Wednesday, December 22 7:30-11:50 7:30- 11:50
14 SPORTS Spanish River’s Football Season Ends With a Bang! THE GALLEON DECEMBER 2021
Matthew Portmess Editor
Spanish River’s football season has had tons of ups and downs, but with their final game Spanish River pulled out a win over Suncoast 6-0 in the shark pit on senior night. Spanish River ended their season with a 2-7 record on the year. Shark’s Sophomore Running back/ Linebacker Marlon Huff scored the only touchdown of the game (Marlon’s third touchdown on the year,) a 42 yard run, one of the teams longest rushing attempts on the year. “ I was motivated and I had to do what I had yo yo score a touchdown, and help lead my team to a win”- said Huff. River’s Cornerback and Quarterback junior Renzo-ReidRenaud, seals the game with under two minutes with his clutch interception. This turnover for the defense solitfied the win. “ I woke that day with an intention..TO MAKE A STATEMENT. I knew I was going to stop at nothing to send my
seniors off with a win and I did that with my final interception,” says Reid-Renaud. Despite their win to loss ratio and their state rank ( #496 out of 592), statistics fail to prove how great and determined our football team was this season. River moved up a total of 88 spots this season, from being ranked last in the state of Florida in the start of the season, to moving up at out of the
the game off versus Suncoast, with consistent 10 to 15 yards passes to his receivers. Rivers’ defense gave up zero total points, while forcing multiple fumbles and a gamesealing interception. Throughout the game both offenses struggled to consistently put up points, while the total was only six. For football this is a severely low amount, while River’s Hialeah game was a 22-0 win.
SPANISH RIVER 2021 FOOTBALL TEAM
500 rankings. One of the highest rankings changed out of the teams in Florida. River’s starting Quarterback Freshman Grant Tidwell started
It was the final football game for anyone who’s a senior here, so it meant a lot for the seniors to bring home a win. Senior All-star Cornerback
Dylan Enno, “ From an emotional standpoint it was very mixed as I wanted to just have fun playing for the last time with my new found brothers, and at the same time I was overwhelmed since the realization hit that I step back out there in a high school game, all in all I’m glad got to experience one of wins to especially it being in my last game.” Senior All-star offensive/ defensive linemen Isaiah Johnson says, “It was a memorable experience. My teammates sent me off with a win and I was grateful to play my final season with them.” As River’s last football game has come to an end, they will be training until the next season starts, seeking many more wins next year while they improve while the year progresses, as the search for the new coaching staff continues!
PHOTO CREDITS: TIBURON YEARBOOK
SPORTS
THE GALLEON DECEMBER 2021
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Winter Sports Heat Up Their Seasons Allyson Greenberg Sports Editor
The Girls Soccer Team just wrapped up their preseason and had their season opener on Monday, November 8th, where they tied 3-3 against Atlantic. This year’s team is led by Coach Turner and senior captain Maya Salas who is standing alongside her other seniors Brett Huberman, Zoe Pustilnik, and Aliana Saia. “I think we are a really strong team this year with great talent,” says junior Zoey Wood. Wood believes that the girls have a real shot of beating their biggest competitor: Boca High. It’s the start of a new season and with the addition of many new players, the girls are working hard to come together and gel as one. The girls are still working on communication and spatial awareness but through the hard work that they are already putting in and by maintaining their good intensity they are projected to have an amazing season ahead of them. “It’s always a good time just hanging out and working hard at practice,” said junior Olivia Robbins. “We are always having fun, making jokes, and having laughs.” Spanish River is excited to see what the team has in store for this year and can’t wait to see how far they go.
ART COURTESY OF THE GALLEON ART ARCHIEVES
The Boys Soccer Team is coming off “last year’s incredibly great season,” says junior Ethan Schwegier, as they roll into what looks to be another great season. Last year the boys made it all the way to State Semifinals and are hoping to get even farther this year. Twhey are being led by new head coach Matt Westin and senior captains Taylor Osborne and Javier Vazquez. There are 6 other seniors on this 21-22 team including Sebastian Rodriquez, Diego Zogbi, Daniel Stefanov, Mateo Castillo, Noah Schiller, and Jared Gross. This year’s team is brand new and a bit younger, but the returning seniors and juniors are doing a great job of guiding the way. They all have already become close and are working well together as one whole unit. Hopefully, River will see them back again at semis and advance on to states.
The Boys Varsity Basketball Team had their season opener on Monday, November 15th on our home court, it was the Max-Brown Tip Off Classic. This year they are being led by Coach Jones who recently just celebrated his 35 years in education and captain senior Ketan Inamdar. This year’s other seniors are Jacob Neuman, Spencer Rhode, Luke Johnson, and Michael Barone. These boys will be commemorating their season and their years with Spanish River Basketball during their Senior Night, which will be during their last game of the regular season. They are expected to play well and make it far this season. “I believe we have great potential to have a really good season this year,” said senior Jacob Neuman. “We all just need to keep working hard and playing together.” Celebrate Senior Night at the last game on February 4th, 2022.
The Girls are coming off last year’s incredible season, they won the District Championship, which was our first in the school’s history. That District win was also the first time that we ever beat Boca High. This year’s team still has some of those girls that were there that night but this new team is being led by a new group of Seniors. The team captains for this season are Sophie Levine and Aly Avrach who are leading alongside Coach Mckay and Coach Moran. The other Seniors on the team are Mya Quinn, Juliana Encisco, Sydney Blue, Morgan Sternlieb, and Nwat Dominguez. “This year we are trying to make a run for States and I think we are going to be successful at it,” said senior Sydney Blue. The girls next home game is against West Boca on December 1st and it should be a good one. You also should come out and support the girls, celebrate their season and celebrate the seniors final season at their Senior Night on January 1st. ART COURTESY OF THE GALLEON ART ARCHIEVES
Braves Win the World Series for the First Time in 26 Years The Atlanta Braves were proud to have brought the “World Series Champions” title back home with them. This year was the first time the Braves had won since 1995. One member of the team, Jorge Soler, was massively praised this year. Soler hit a three run home run against the Astros in the third inning, which helped lead the team to ultimate victory.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF The Augusta Chronicles & Sportscasting
GALLEON SPORTS
Swim Team Swam Into Success Allyson Greenberg Sports Editor
The Spanish River Swimming season is coming to a close, so let’s dive down deep and take a look at the season. This year’s team was led by Coach Riedel, and senior captains, Samantha Wall, Kathlee Rossi, Kylan Costa, and Jaques Simon. The team won 3 dual meets this season and sent 24 of its 57 swimmers to Districts in Wellington. At Districts, the sharks swam well sending 18 of the 24 to Regionals. Junior Joshua Guzman was the only one who advanced on to States from Regionals in the 100-meter Breaststroke event. He placed 17th overall in the state in the event. This year’s team as a whole consisted of some returners and some new faces. Coach Riedel noted some honorable returners for their great seasons including Jacques Sonnier, Kylan Costa, Christopher Anderson, Leo Lee, John Huggins, and Michael Valverde. “We are sad to see our seniors leave as they have had such a positive impact on the team through their camaraderie and leadership,” said Coach Riedel. “I am really sad it’s my last year but I made some amazing memories in my time being on the swim team,” said captain Samantha Wall. “We all got super close as a team and are always there to support each other in school and at swim.” Wall also wishes the best of luck to the future Spanish River’s swimmers in their upcoming years. It was a great season for the Spanish River Swim Team, our fast-swimming Sharks accomplished a lot, and we are excited to see what they have in store for next year.
PHOTO COURTESY OF Tiburon Yearbook