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PRIDE ticket distribution on decline Prize matrix
2 tickets Cookie Voucher
3 tickets Candy
8 tickets Hagerty car decal 10 tickets Entry into drawing for 2 Prom tickets TBA: March l Questions? see Nellie Motecalvo in 7-100
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Emily Cosio News Editor
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ince the start of the school year, PRIDE ticket activity has drastically declined. Secretary Nellie Montecalvo, who is in charge of PRIDE tickets, has noticed. “This year the kids are not really into the PRIDE tickets,” Montecalvo said. “I hope if we do more coverage more announcements and things, it’ll be something they do.” Montecalvo stated that “nothing has changed” in regards to the system, the decline in tickets is due to the lack of students’ interest. People are familiar with the acronym PRIDE: Punctuality, Respect, Integrity, Dependability, and Excellence. Although to some, the posters may just be there or PRIDE may be just another school acronym, to others it means something. Some teachers, like Christina Slick, are aware of the importance of this system to
by Jessica Maldonado
you need to know APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR NATIONAL ENGLISH HONOR SOCIETY National English Honor Society is currently accepting applications from rising juniors and seniors. Students who have an A in English and an overall unweighted GPA of a 3.5 are allowed to apply. Students who want to apply must have all forms filled out, with an essay and a current English teacher recommendation, turned in to Krista Darling or to Lisa Gendreau no later than Feb. 27. Forms can be found with any English teacher. In addition to NEHS, other honor societies like Rho Kappa, Spanish Honor Society and National Honor Society, are also accepting applications. All information is provided on the Hagerty website. RHO KAPPA SPONSORS SCAVENGER HUNT FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH Rho Kappa, the Social Studies Honor Society, is sponsoring a scavenger hunt contest for Black History Month. Forty-three figures featuring famous Black American fliers are posted outside teachers’ doors, and a link has been posted on the Hagerty website for a student to enter and complete the questions by Feb. 28 to get a chance to win. In order to win, all questions must be answered correctly and name and grade must also be provided. Prizes will be awarded to a boy and a girl in each grade. COUNSELORS FINALIZE STUDENT COURSE REQUESTS; CHANGE DEADLINE APRIL 2 Almost three-quarters through the year and most students have picked out schedules for next school year. For the next couple of weeks, students will be meeting with their counselors to make sure they are taking appropriate classes for their level and to plug in their course requests. Rising sophomores will go to the media center in their English class and rising juniors and seniors will go in their History class. Through the next two months, counselors will be finalizing all student schedules with a deadline for any changes by April 2. If any student wants to make a last minute change to their schedules, they must talk to their guidance counselor before the deadline. HEARTS WALK RAISES OVER $4000 FOR AUTISM The eighth Hearts for the Autism Walk was held on Saturday, Feb 17 at the Sam Momary Stadium. Youth PALS held the event to raise money for local students with autism. The walk raised over $4000, which will go to purchasing equipment such as iPads, manipulatives and computer software for students on the autism spectrum. The money was collected through a combination of donations, raffle tickets, walkers and even teachers getting pied in the face. The event lasted until noon, and over 150 walkers registered for the event. “The walk is our biggest event of the year and it’s rewarding to host something that will benefit the autistic community,” president Leah Harper said.
promote PRIDE around school. Slick encourages her students, especially juniors, to choose PRIDE tickets rather than candy, because of the rewards that are available, like parking passes. “I encourage juniors not to just take candy because they can get good stuff for PRIDE tickets,” Slick said. PRIDE is also closely linked to another school acronym, PBS, Positive Behavior Support, a program that rewards the students who demonstrate credible behavior. “That’s our motto: We want to support your positive behavior,” Montecalvo said. “We want to make our school more safe, and friendly to one another.” Another factor causing the decline might be a lack of awareness of the prizes. Montecalvo noted that students who do bring in their tickets tend to just buy candy bars, which cost three tickets. Although this is a sweet prize, there are also larger prizes. For only a few tickets, students can
purchase a raffle ticket for a chance to win sport passes, parking passes, homecoming tickets and grad bash tickets. However, for those students who have trouble saving up, cookie vouchers are available for only two PRIDE tickets. Because tickets depend on teachers and administrators, Montecalvo says it is up to those students who want tickets to remind their teachers. Examples of appropriate times to hand out tickets would be for winning Kahoots, being an active participant in class discussion, or just simply holding the door for someone. Slick gave some of her students PRIDE tickets when they had their papers out before she prompted them to do so. One time a student took a phone that she found in the bathroom to the office, which was rewarded with PRIDE tickets. “Something has happened this year,” Montecalvo said. “We still want our jars filled up with tickets.”
Local authors give writing talk Katarina Harrison
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Opinions Editor
n Wednesday, Feb. 21, bestselling authors Leanna Renee Hieber and Alethea Kontis appeared at Barnes and Noble in Waterford Lakes to speak to high school students about the writing process they take when writing their books. Before and after the event, the authors also signed copies of the books. “I learned a lot about how you can express yourself with writing,” junior Nicole Goodrow said. “With each individual detail you can make it your own.” As part of the same event, three Seminole County schools took part in a book fair. At the register of Barnes and Noble, students could mention their affiliation with their school and part of the profit from their purchase would be donated to their school. Hieber and Kontis, who are best friends outside of the event, began by reading excerpts from some of their recent books. Hieber is the author of the Strangely Beautiful series and the Eterna Files series. Hieber gave the audience the option of whether to hear about her villain or hero while Kontis chose the excerpt she planned to read before the event. Following the reading, the two authors spoke about their writing processes and how they balanced a life of writing, acting and other interests. Hieber discussed other seminars she had been a part of as well as how her other passions affected her career as an author while Kontis chimed in with personal stories and tips. “I wish I had known that [writing] was a valid life choice,” Kontis said. “I like being the person I wish that I had met when I was in middle school.” They then allowed students to ask them about writing, their lives, and their books. Several students asked for personal tips to improve their skills, including Goodrow. Among the questions
ENCHANTED EVENT Author Alethea Kontis signs a copy of Enchanted, the first book of The Woodcutter Sisters series. photo by Katarina Harrison
asked were how the authors combated writers block, and how to improve dialog in their scenes. “It’s important to come to events like this because you can broaden your horizons and see and learn the different ways of authors,” Goodrow said. After answering questions, the two authors signed copies of their books. This signing included both personal signatures for attendees and a mass signing of several copies of their books to be sold at the location. If a student did not own a copy and wished to, copies of the books were available for purchase. “Talking to people in person is just basically reminding me why I do this in the first place,” Goodrow said.