Red & Black, December 2014

Dribble. Shoot. Donate.

Boys basketball players flaunt donated stuffed animals collected at the team’s annual Teddy Bear Toss. More holiday coverage, pgs 14-17

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Florida’s first high school newspaper Hillsborough High School 5000 N. Central Ave. Tampa, FL 33603 December 2014 hhstoday.com @hhstodayonline Volume 115, No. 4

Why are people protesting pgs. 2-3 How winter athletes keep warm pg. 20 EDITORIAL: Recognize athletic achievements pg. 8 The team collected 248 stuffed animals this week and donated them to Metropolitan Ministries and Toys for Tots.(Photo by Ahava Jernigan)

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hhstoday.com | December 2014

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Editor-in-Chief

Ellie Rodriguez

Associate Editor

Samantha Votzke

News Editors

Ivy Bennett-Ford Maria Roberts Kathy Xie

Sports Editors

Dana Dinh Daniel Hamilton Matt Lutton

Opinion Editors

Annie Aguiar Bianca Cegatte Monisha Pillai

Entertainment Editors

Vijata Patel Shelby Shoup

Life Editor

Sarvika Bommakanti Alyssa Ierna

Graphics Editor

John Veliz

Photo Editors

Katie Frost Aleesha Mundra

Online Editor

Amber Shemesh

Staff Writers

Alexus Beacham Aliece Brown Kacey Johnson Suparna Narayan Denzel Pierre Toni Skraastad Tegan Smith Anthony Suarez

Adviser Principal

Joe Humphrey, MJE Johan von Ancken

Red & Black belongs to the Florida and National Scholastic press associations. The paper is subject to prior review by school administration. The staff editiorial reflects the view of student editors and the columns represent the viewpoints of their authors. The R&B welcomes letters from students, teachers and members of the Hillsborough community. Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity, and should be submitted via email or delivered to Room 506 or by mail to Red & Black, 5000 N. Central Ave., Tampa, Fla. 33603.

Advertising content is subject to approval of the editorial board. Red & Black is printed in partnership with The Tampa Tribune. This newspaper includes content from the MCT Campus wire service.

Phone (813) 276-5620; Fax (813) 276-5629; e-mail hhstoday@gmail.com Red & Black: All-Florida, FSPA; First Class, NSPA

www.HHSToday.com

Occupying the world People stand in cold streets to protest violations of their rights; activists camp in city streets for democracy and students are sentenced to death by their government.

Here’s what has happened around the world.

#hongkong Katie Frost Photo Editor For the first time since the violent democratic demonstrations at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square 25 years ago, the common people have challenged the authority of the Chinese government, though this time around the protests were more peaceful and less bloody than those from the spring of 1989.

The “Umbrella Movement,” coined after protestors began shielding themselves from

#YaMeCanse

the spray of pepper gas by police with yellow umbrellas, took to the streets to protest electoral reforms.

The Hong Kong Federation of Students and Scholarism congregated in the streets and set up what they referred to as “democracy villages,” or tent cities completely surrounding government headquarters. Protesting began winding down in November and the main site of the protests have since been cleared.

“I think it’s a horrible thing. I was scared “Honestly, the Mexico police are very because I had to keep reading in order to corrupt. Trust me, I’ve been there before. find out what happened and why.”

I’m sad, but not surprised.”

-Megan Cabana, 11 -Christian Alfano, 9

John Veliz Graphics Editor Forty-three teacher trainees were ordered to be transferred to a small Mexican village by police after attending a protest in Iguala, Mexico. They had been peacefully protesting legislature that would potentially prove discriminatory towards rural education.

At some point on the route, the students were relinquished by the authorities to the criminal organization known as the Guerreros Unidos, or the United Warriors.

After weeks of speculation, eight plastic bags containing

their charred remains were found on the banks of the San Juan River, ending the ambiguity of their fates.

As inquiries to the mass kidnapping have discovered connections between the students’ disappearances and the mayor of Iguala, Mexican citizens have taken to the streets in protest of the corruption rampant in their nation’s structure.

The activists have united under the banner of “Ya me canse”, or ‘I am tired,’ the end of a speech delivered by Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam.

He claims that the outburst was a personal response to the violence throughout the country.

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#Ferguson Anthony Suarez Staff Writer 162,000 indictment cases were sent to US grand juries in 2010. Only 11 of them did not result in an indictment, according to the FBI Bureau of Justice Statistics. That means that only 1 in 15,000 cases are not sent to trial.

On August 9, 2014, Michael Brown was fatally shot by Police Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri. Brown’s death caused a wave of protests throughout Ferguson as well as other areas of Missouri and the United States.

“Just because you’re an officer doesn’t justify the reason for you to shoot someone.”

The announcement that police officer Darren Wilson would not be indicted for the shooting of Michael Brown was credited as the cause of a far more widespread series of demonstrations.

Although many protestors participated in peaceful displays, there were many who took this announcement as an excuse to continue, and intensify, the lootings and property destruction that had been prevalent in the days immediately following the death of Brown.

The federal government is investigating constitutional violations around the decision.

“I feel bad because that could have been me.”

-Lawrence Dawsey, 11

-Dez Roman, 10

Ivy Bennett-Ford News Editor A Staten Island man was suffocated to death by a police officer for allegedly selling illegal cigarettes on July 17 of this year. His name was Eric Garner; his last words were, “I can’t breathe.”

The phrase, captured on amateur video along with the entirety of the fatal confrontation, has sparked debate across the nation. Americans are questioning their safety as more and more reports of policemen acting violent without just cause come to light.

New York citizens responded in outrage when

“OK, first of all when you’re a police officer you can’t just shoot someone inside your car.”

-Darrien Arline, 11

#Icantbreathe the officer, Daniel Pantaleo, was not indicted. They felt that there was sufficient evidence to take him to trial.

Students in New York have taken direct action to protest what they consider a failure of justice. East Side Community High School students in Brooklyn marched to the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan to protest the decision to not indict Garner’s assailant.

As they marched on their way, they chanted, “Black lives matter! All lives matter! No justice, no peace! No racist police!”

New immigration policy lends hope to families Vijata Patel and Sarvika Bomakanti Entertainment Editor and Life Editor Men and women live in fear: of deportation, separation – removal. President Barack Obama hopes to take action to reform what has been deemed an ineffectual immigration system.

Obama is taking action to reform the nation’s immigration system. According to authorities within the White House, the current system is slow and outdated. The 4 million or more undocumented immigrants currently living in the US are hoping for better lives and undivided families. The president also hopes that the reform will benefit the still-recovering economy.

The system originally only protected children through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, but has been expanded to include parents whose children have U.S. citizenship or permanent residency.

The new program, called Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) requires parents to have resided in the U.S. for five or more years, pass a background check and pay taxes.

DACA and DAPA allow undocumented citizens to stay for three years in the U.S. contrary to popular be-

lief that Obama is permanently granting citizenship to the 4 million or more immigrants.

Along with trying to keep immigrant families together, Obama’s also focuses on deporting felons. Another objective of the reform is to secure the border between The United States and Mexico and to deport those who have recently crossed it illegally.

The U.S. House of Representatives is postponing the vote and has proposed a new bill opposing the President’s.

Not only is the House costing the country millions, but 18 states, led by Texas, have come together to sue the Obama administration over this reform.

Republican officials say Obama is overstepping his boundaries and taking over Congress’s duties.

Among those 18 states lies Florida. Florida’s Attorney General Pam Bondi said Obama does not have the right to change immigration laws and that only Congress holds that power.

However, Obama has stated that he is only starting the reform and needs Congress to finish it.

The passage of this reform bill could mean that thousands of families could be reunited and live without fear.

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Other faculty/staff recognitions

hhstoday.com | December 2014

Ida S. Baker award: Ana Lejido The Ida S. Baker award was given to Spanish teacher Ana Lejido for showing a commitment to meeting the needs of minority students.

How would you describe your teaching style?

Student favorite named Teacher of the Year Liz Linton and Kathy Xie Correspondent and News Editor The classroom is silent. All that can be heard is scratching of pencils on paper as sophomores take their unit test and clicking of keys as AP European History teacher Mike Mikulec types briskly on his computer.

Behind the desk where he is sitting is a coffee machine, emitting a sonorous rumble as it makes his third cup of coffee for the day.

Take one look at Mikulec’s email outbox and you will find an archive of class updates and reassuring messages to students, anxious about their achievement. A glance at his whiteboard will yield the sight of clearly delineated objectives for the school year. His computer’s screensaver boasts a slideshow of photographs, every image depicting Mikulec and his students sporting excited grins or silly faces.

Take a look at any of these things, and it will become evident that Mikulec is a teacher who loves his job and cares for his students.

Mikulec recently earned the Teacher of the Year award. This is his eighth year at Hillsborough, and until now, he has never

“Motivate the student first. I also want to [teach curriculum] that is seen in the real world, because sometimes, there are things [in textbooks] that have no connection to what is actually used [in Spanish-speaking countries].”

What, in your opinion, is an ideal teacherstudent relationship?

Mike Mikulec teaches his Block 24 class about post-revolutionary France. (Photo by Alyssa Ierna)

received a teaching award at this school.

When Mikulec found out about his award, he was surprised and “speechless for once in [his] life.” It made me feel good because I work my butt off !” he said, laughing.

As Teacher of the Year, he received a special assigned parking spot, recognition from others around campus and “lots of cards” from students and faculty.

Along with these, he had to write three essays about his teaching techniques, ways he goes “above and beyond” in the classroom and how he creates a positive environment between himself, his students and their families.

These essays are part of the application process for the next stage of the Teacher of the Year competition – recipients of the school-wide award are eligible to be chosen as Teacher of the Year for the entire school district.

Mikulec thinks his increasing pass rates year after year helped in achieving his award.

His most recent pass rate, the 91 percent his 2014 sophomore class earned, was the highest he had earned thus far. He hopes his cur-

rent sophomores keep up the trend.

Previous Teacher of the Year winner, Cecilia Boyce, “absolutely” thinks Mikulec deserved his award. “[My daughter], Gillian Boyce, says he’s the best teacher ever,” she said.

Students currently taking Mikulec’s class, such as sophomore Olivia Lane, were happy for their history teacher. “His teaching is very efficient” said Lane, “and he is very empathetic towards our grasp on the material.”

Assuring his students have a sufficient knowledge of the course in order to pass the Advanced Placement exam is a demanding effort, according to Mikulec. “Most people know I spend hours and hours to get these kids to pass the exam,” he said.

But regardless of how tiring it is, he believes the process is always worth it. “I think doing things like organizing after-school review sessions and meeting with students at Barnes & Noble on weekends [to help with the material] let my kids know that whatever they need me to do, I will always be there for them,” Mikulec said. “The kids know that I honestly care about them.”

“Respect first, always. But, the environment still needs to be healthy. Sometimes, when I have problems with students, I think about [how I felt] when I was his or her age. There’s a lot of change students go through [during high school], and sometimes teachers forget this.”

-Kathy Xie

Non-Instructional Support Person of the Year: Francisco Morrero

Francisco Morrero, the night-crew leader of the custodial staff, won the NonInstructional Support Person of the Year award for his dedication and awareness of the needs of the school, students and faculty.

“I believe that I won the award for my dedication to this job and for the gratitude of the employees and students of the school. We have a good relationship and they see that I do a good job and that I get along with everyone. I’m grateful to much of the school’s personnel. [They have all], in one way or another, taught me and given me the trust to work alongside them. For me, it’s an honor to work at this school.”

-John Veliz

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Orchestra wows at annual fundraiser concert Monisha Pillai Opinion Editor The HHS orchestra recently held its yearly fundraiser at Barnes & Noble.

The orchestra has performed at Barnes & Noble annually in order to raise money for the school’s media center, music and art programs.

Media specialist Barbara Magee coordinates the event through the community relations guest director at Barnes & Noble, who has worked with the school for a number of years.

This year, the orchestra performed from 4-6 p.m. and played its usual series of Christmas music, including Deck the Halls, A Charlie Brown Christmas and other festive songs.

“I think this is the most successful year we’ve had so far,” Magee said. “This year, a lot more parents showed up.”

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fastfacts

Every year, the orchestra elects a concertmaster who conducts the performance. This year, senior Vinny Ruia was in charge of conducting.

“I think we did really well and the environment was nice,” freshman Jeena Patel said. “[Vinny] did a really good job keeping the orchestra in order.”

Magee also shared her feelings about the quality of the performance. “They were amazing! They had all their music ready to go, everything in order. All the patrons of the store came over [to watch],” she said.

“We don’t usually raise a lot of money, but this year we did well. Every little bit counts,” Magee said.

Senior Eric Barker and Junior Sameer Puri play Deck the Halls, part of the music selection for the annual Barnes & Noble fundraiser. (Photo by Ellie Rodriguez)

Get your zen on with Sahaja meditation

What: Free Sahaja meditation classes are being offered at HHS Where: Room 101 (Lejido) When: Fridays, directly after school Sahaja meditation is a type of meditation that seeks to reach a state of being called “Thoughtless Awareness,” where one’s mind is emptied of all distractions. This mental state offers stability, clarity and focus.

For more information, visit SahajaMeditation.com

6 Forgiveness 5 Collectivity 4 Compassion 3 Generosity

Presenter Manisha Patel introduces and explains Sahaja meditation during the after-school class on Dec. 5. (Photo by Alyssa Ierna)

2 Creativity 1 Wisdom

Information compiled

by Alyssa Ierna Graphic by Kathy Xie

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hhstoday.com | December 2014

Tutoring mandatory toring mandatory.

Maria Roberts Freshman Drew Fonda said he believes News Editor Roughly 50 IB freshmen are required to he has to attend tutoring because he did attend math tutoring once a week to sup- poorly on a test. “[Most of the class] did really badly,” plement their in-class instruction.

The tutoring is led by Marilyn Connors, Fonda said. He and some classmates coma retired IB math teacher, on Mondays after plained about confusing teaching teaching methods and lack of class control. school.

Budny declined to Most of the students are from Katelynn Budny’s “We want to make sure comment, but Driscoll freshman Algebra II class. students get the extra focused on positive efof the tutoring proTheir participation is based support they need.” fects gram. It is in place “to on poor grades in the first -Trisha Fitzgerald, ensure the students get quarter or low scores on a assistant principal everything they need,” recent test.

Driscoll said.

According to IB guidFitzgerald said only four students did ance counselor Daniel Driscoll, the tutoring is the result of concern for the students’ not attend tutoring, and after she spoke with them, they began attending. understanding of the curriculum.

This isn’t the first time tutoring has been “We want to ensure there are no gaps in the students’ understanding of Algebra II. offered in the IB program, Fitzgerald said.

We would rather err on the side of caution Additional help has been available for scibecause Algebra II is essential in all subse- ence students to help them prepare for IB exams. quent math courses,” he said.

Some student organizations and teach“I want to make sure they fully understand concepts they didn’t do well on,” said ers also offer various tutoring programs.

Budny, a first-year teacher, also teaches Assistant Principal Trisha Fitzgerald. “We want to make sure students get the extra IB Higher Level Math. One of her students, senior Devin Adhia, said he would support support they need.”

Students, who learned about the tutor- math tutoring for upperclassmen.

“I would greatly appreciate additional ing in mid-November, have mixed views on the administrative decision to make tu- help being offered,” he said.

Top left: Paying close attention to the lesson on functions, Illana Segal, Tiffany Nguyen, Michelle Quevedo and Alexandra Thrower listen and take notes.

Bottom left: Listening to the lecture, Nandini Patel, Anagha Doddamane and Jeena Patel write down a problem on the board.

Right: Marilyn Connors takes students step-by-step through an example test problem. (Photos by Katie Frost)

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Sarrett retiring: IB English teacher Sylvia Sarrett is retiring after the end of the first semester. Go to hhstoday.com to read more about her career and future plans.

December 2014 | hhstoday.com

student poets speak from the

Clockwise from top: Sophomore Jalen Chambers reads his piece. After the Jamends, participants huddle together for a group photo. Students concentrate during the poetry workshop and let their emotions flow. (Photos by Kacey Johnson)

Anthony Suarez Staff Writer The annual Poetry Jam stimulated the creativity of all students involved and taught them new ways to write and understand poetry.

Despite the diverse crowd of participants and audience members, the atmosphere of unity in the room was astonishing.

Many of the pieces were about topics close to the presenters’ hearts, expressing ideas with a depth of emotion not typical to high school students. Audience members were able to sympathize with the performers, whose pieces often pertained to their various struggles on life and their points of view.

The program’s guest speaker was Giddy Perez, who explained that it is possible to sustain an interest in poetry throughout one’s adult life. She is a professional hairstylist, but still finds time to

HEART write and perform her poetry.

Perez also spoke about how clothes are a major factor in adolescent society. She recalled her experiences with individuals who criticized her for her lack of varied clothing, and used this lesson to help students write a poem about handling judgmental peers.

Perez explained that “poetry is a way of life” and that off-stage influences are instrumental to the poems that are brought on stage. She hopes to be a guest at next year’s Poetry Jam, but understands that it depends on the decision of the HHS media specialists.

The winners of the Poetry Jam were senior Julianna Minor in third place, senior Christina Wilson in second place and junior Alisha Miller in first place.

The three students were awarded with gift cards to Barnes & Noble.

National Art Honor Society knits to keep Ferguson warm Bianca Cegatte Opinion Editor After endlessly scrolling through pictures of scarves, hats and gloves on her Tumblr feed, senior Kerry Murphy decided she needed to discover what these pictures were really about.

What she encountered was an online project called “Keep Ferguson Warm,” created to help those protesting in Ferguson, Mo. “Basically, they have a P.O. Box set up and they have it so you can send things [to the protestors] that you’ve knitted or crocheted, or you can send care packages,” said Murphy.

There are both rioters and peaceful protestors in Ferguson, and when asked which of the two she planned on sending the packages to, Murphy responded, “I don’t think it really matters. Whether they’re peaceful or violent,

everyone gets cold.”

What Murphy was sure of, however, was that she wanted to help the citizens of Ferguson.

As a senior in the National Art Honor Society, Murphy was able to bring the project to the attention of her art teacher, Caitlin Clay.

Clay agreed to sponsor Murphy in bringing the project to HHS. “I thought I would be able to reach more people by getting National Art Honor Society and the school involved,” Murphy said.

As head of the project, Murphy took the responsibility of doing all the shipping and handling the submitted items personally.

Those who send in items will receive volunteer hours – one service hour per care package and a varied amount of creative or service hours per item created, depending on the

amount of time taken to create the producr.

Murphy, along with NAHS, is now accepting items and will continue to take them in for shipping until early February. To send something in, students can either knit or crotchet necessary items such as mittens, scarves and hats or prepare a boxed care package containing items such as non-perishables or water bottles. All items can be turned in to either

Murphy in homeroom 347 or to Clay in room 224.

Illustration by John Veliz

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hhstoday.com | December 2014

editorial

Blood, sweat and blank banners Erupting after the winning goal. Impenetrable silence after a tough loss. The laughs, memories and hours of hard work formed by teammates. All of these are the heart and soul of any sports team.

In every game and practice, athletes grow closer as they learn how to work together, and improve their skills. The winners of championships and playoffs should be recognized for the obstacles they had to overcome, whether they are in districts, regionals or states.

The gym has empty banners for almost every sport; blank canvases that suggest Hillsborough has no athletic accomplishments.

The banners were hung before the current athletic director came to HHS. “[The banners] were bought in bulk and put up, but there were no recordings of districts on them, with no procedure for how to actually apply district champions,” said Melvin Williams, Assistant Principal for Administration.

The boys’ and girls’ basketball teams don’t even have banners in the gym, and those two teams use the area more than any other sport.

Last year, the boys’ soccer team won the district championship for the second consecutive year and still was not recognized on its respective gym banner.

“I’d like more credit for what we have accomplished.”

-Nikhil Saligame, 10 This year, the varsity volleyball team went further than it has ever gone in the playoffs and there is nothing to memorialize their success.

“I think teams should receive recognition for their hard work,” said junior and defensive specialist Meghan Tindel.

There is no point to the commemorative banners if they are not going to be utilized.

Is it an issue of money? Is it an issue of apathy? With the involvement of The Ambassadors, Alumni Association and Athletic Booster Club, we could raise money to work towards labeling the banners.

The money for the labels and their placement could also be raised by the team individually. Some teams sell shirts or coupon books to help fund their program, so they can raise money to put the years of their accomplishments up as well.

Alumni could also be involved, because the people who won those championships may be interested in the advertisement of their success. Giving credit for the championships shows school pride in the things we have accomplished.

Having empty, pride-less banners serves no purpose. The efforts of a team should not be forgotten. Having a team’s achievements displayed for all to see leaves a legacy to motivate future athletes.

The music outside is frightful Denzel Pierre Commentary On Dec. 2, instead of Nick Jonas and Ariana Grande, I heard something that made me roll my eyes.

Christmas music had come to annoy me again.

Another year of repetitive tunes was about to hit the sound waves. Another year of the songs that we all love becoming annoying and another year where I will no longer listen to the radio in the morning.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy listening to Frosty the Snowman and will jam out to any rendition of Jingle Bell Rock. In fact, if played at the right time, the perfect Christmas song can put a smile on my face faster than getting a brand new present on Christmas morning.

During the month of December we are oversaturated with Christmas content. Movies such as Elf and A Christmas Story are played over and over again on the TV; Christmas shirts can be seen on everyone who celebrates the holiday and even an introvert could not hide from the overwhelming amount of parties, candy and cards.

We’re already assaulted with Christmas propaganda wherever we turn, and the radio is the most common source. As the Christmas season comes around, the radio plays Christmas song after Christmas song, trying to hype up the season but only taking away seasonal excitement.

What is the reason for the season? I was heartbroken when, on Thanksgiving morning, I had to listen to a Christmas song. That’s just taking the Christmas spirit we all know and love and using it to manipulate people into buying presents faster.

The reason why we are infatuated with Christmas is because it’s a once a year occasion of joy and happiness, emphasis on once a year. The rarity and special nature of Christmas are ruined when we try to take the songs we enjoy so much during this time and bludgeon them by playing them a thousand times.

Maybe this problem can be resolved by radios agreeing not play too much Christmas music until Dec. 15. It would be great if radio hosts could come together and designate a specific radio station as the Christmas music station, while the others continue with their normal broadcasting. Or better yet, they could do the impossible and just use the songs

tastefully and place in some variety.

Sadly, this will probably never happen. Christmas is a time of excess and obsessiveness, and those lesser qualities of the holiday are going to always prevail as long as there are scrooges in the world.

However, I will no longer let this ruin my season anymore. From now on, I will smile when I hear “Let It Snow” for the third time that day, and even laugh when I hear “Jingle Bell Rock.” There’s always Pandora.

Graphic by Monisha Pillai

Kids will be kids

Samantha Votzke Commentary There is nothing quite like a stronglyworded open letter posted to Facebook by a thirty-something to inspire second-hand embarrassment and involuntary cringing.

A GOP staffer, Elizabeth Lauten, resigned and publicly apologized after criticizing the actions of Sasha and Malia Obama during a turkey-pardoning ceremony. Or, more accurately, she was criticizing their reactions to their father’s speech as he was sparing the lives of two turkeys, Mac and Cheese.

This entire event is a reminder that the First Children have an important role to play in American politics. They shape, and are shaped by, the current perceptions of their parent. President Obama is one of the youngest men ever to hold the office (he is currently 53 years old) and arguably one of the most “hip” presidents. No doubt his teenage daughters have an influence on his youthful image and cultural relevance, as well as his policy. He recently appeared on the political satire show The Colbert Report, is friends with Beyoncé and Jay-Z, and cracks jokes at press events and White House Dinners. Obama has credited his daughters in influencing his decision to publicly support gay marriage. The annoyed

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December 2014 | hhstoday.com

and embarrassed faces that the Obama girls were making at the turkey-pardoning ceremony would be appropriate for any teenager listening to their dad make jokes.

It is an unwritten code that all teenagers do not laugh at their parents’ jokes, even if they are funny.

The current political environment is a hostile one: not only is the Republican super-majority in the House and the entire GOP stubbornly against any actions the president tries to Sasha and Malia Obama were criticized for not laughing at their father’s jokes and repeatedly making take, but Democrats faces during the Thanksgiving turkey pardoning ceremony. The White House chose to release a more positive too have distanced picture of the event. (Photo courtesy of Pete Souza/The White House) themselves from the they live in White House. Malia and Sasha is saying outright mean things about them.

Obama administrashould try to be a bit more judicious with The staffer commented on the way the girls tion. their eye-rolls during public events, but were dressed in addition to the expressions In her open letter, Lauten heavily critithe public should not take such harmless they wore. cized the president as well. The entire attack expressions (it was a turkey-pardoning cerThe backlash against people who aton Malia and Sasha was certainly influenced emony, after all, not the State of the Union tack the children of the president is usuby the staffer’s sentiments towards the presaddress) to heart. ally heavy, however. Children are undeservident, as well as the First Lady. Criticizing ing targets no matter the situation, even if First Children is nothing new, and neither

No progress in Congress: The problem of political parties Anthony Suarez Commentary Congress, when it was first created, was intended to be a vehicle of change and progress. Instead it’s become nothing more than a collection of petty and spiteful individuals.

For several past terms, particularly under the administration of President Barack Obama, Congress has become a group of immature people having immature disagreements and making immature decisions.

This is due to political parties. Don’t get me wrong, political parties are important ways for like-minded people to agree on both policy and representatives. Regardless of their

original purpose, they slow down and sometimes even shut down (I’m looking at you, Republicans) the law-making processes that are essential to a smoothly-run government.

The Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell, is a Republican who perfectly showcases these issues. According to political writer Alec MacGillis in his book The Cynic: The Political Education of Mitch McConnell, McConnell has been known to conduct Congress leader meetings with the president in which he simply sits there and says little to nothing.

According to Obama, “The Republican leader of the Senate [McConnell] said his main goal after this election is simply to win the next one.”

That sounds like the thought process of a 7-year old, try-

ing to win a game of kickball at all costs. It’s obvious that McConnell isn’t focusing on effective policy making so much as he is on staying in power.

What worries me is the fact that, due to the recent party majority switch in the Senate, McConnell is soon to become the Senate majority leader. This means that he will have exponentially more power and influence when it comes to law making, especially considering that both of the houses of Congress have Republican majorities.

Congress needs to remind themselves that they are in office to create effective policy that reflects the interests of the American people, not to bicker endlessly and divide the country.

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Unexplained pain

December 2014 | hhstoday.com

Junior Hannah MacDonald stays positive despite 16 months of chronic pain Dana Dinh Sports Editor Junior Hannah MacDonald knows the exact day it started.

It was Sept. 26, the day she and her parents moved into their new house in Tampa. They’d spent the entire day hauling boxes and unpacking, but now it was time for the swim meet.

MacDonald felt uneasy. She’d never driven to a swim meet without the rest of the team before, but she’d skipped the spaghetti dinner to help unpack.

As she and her mom neared Jesuit, she felt a piercing pain in both of her feet, like needles in her flesh. She told her mom, who assured her that it was just soreness from moving. Surely, her feet would feel better once she dipped them in the cold pool water.

They parked far away from the pool. MacDonald saw the gate in the distance and groaned. She didn’t think she was physically capable of walking that far. When she reached the pool deck – with much difficulty – she looked down at her feet. They were both blue.

Three weeks later, she fell off a treadmill and dislocated both of her knees.

After that, she got into a car accident. “Everything hurt” and the pain in her feet went unnoticed. To her peers, she was “bad luck Hannah,” always injured and always in pain.

When the last of her injuries from the car accident faded, she noticed that the pain in her feet remained and every time she sat still for a prolonged period of time, they turned blue again.

No luck yet

In March, MacDonald went to an orthopedic doctor because the pain persisted.

“We thought it was stress fractures or something simple like that, but [the orthopedist] didn’t find anything. [The orthopedist] sent us to spinal intervention, and [spinal intervention] sent us to rheumatology, and it gets all confusing,” MacDonald said. “Now, I’ve seen so many doctors and nobody knows what’s wrong.”

The scenario is the same each time. MacDonald goes to a new doctor’s office, lets her feet dangle off of the examination table and waits for them to turn blue (the doctors never believe her until she shows them).

After just a few minutes, they start changing color, each and every capillary standing out against her pale skin in a stark shade of violet, almost like both of her feet are bruised. The change is startling. You can’t help feeling worried when MacDonald just laughs at your reaction, seemingly unaffected by the fact that her feet are now shades of blue and purple. You’d certainly be able to empathize with the wide-eyed doctor who asks, “Do your feet always look like that?”

She’s gotten used to their reactions. At this point, she even anticipates it.

She’s been to countless doctors and heard countless diagnoses: CRPS, small fiber neuropathy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, the list goes on and on. Not one diagnosis has been right.

MacDonald has had chronic pain for 16 months now, and doctors aren’t any closer to figuring out the cause of the pain.

Since the initial occurrence, MacDonald has also developed a hypersensitive spot on her shoulder, in addition to the four on her feet.

Seeing Hannah deal with the pain is “horrible, terrible, gut-wrenching, any bad word you can think of,” MacDonald’s mother Barbara said. “It’s been very frustrating. We’re still going through it and we still don’t know what’s going on.”

Laughing through the pain

MacDonald experiences constant pain, she’s been forced give up swimming long events (her favorite), she babysits less and she’s had to give up a trip to Europe, but she tries her best to stay positive.

She jokes about her condition often, referring to it as her “chronic disease.” If you ask her what it’s like dealing with chronic pain, she’ll tell you it’s annoying.

“It’s a real pain,” she’ll say, unable to contain her laughter, amused by her own pun. Her laughter is contagious, and you’ll find yourself smiling but unable to fathom the fact that both of you are amused by such an unfortunate situation.

“It was stressing me out a lot over the summer that this isn’t an injury, it’s a sickness,” MacDonald said. “At first, I would get really discouraged when we would leave and a doctor would just say, ‘I’m sorry but there’s nothing I can do for you at this

point,’ and send me to somebody else who would say the same thing. I’m used to it now. One day they’ll figure it out.”

Though she strives to stay optimistic on her own, MacDonald also has the support of her friends and family.

“She has a really positive attitude. She copes with it as well as someone who experiences pain 24 hours a day can,” MacDonald’s mother said. “I’m very very proud of her.”

Not alone

In addition to her parents, she’s grateful for the help of her best friend, junior Megan Cabana.

“I walk around the room with her until her feet [return to their normal color]. I carry stuff for her. I open doors for her. I feel sympathetic for her and listen to doctors’ phone calls with her,” Cabana said. “I make her laugh because it takes her pain away temporarily.”

Sometimes laughing doesn’t always work, so MacDonald comes up with different ways to distract herself. There are days at swim practice when the pain is unbearable, when it feels as if knives are stuck in her heels and shoulder, but she keeps swimming. She does math problems or tries to remember what she wore to school last week.

Trying to calculate the number of seconds in a year “takes up all of [her] thought” and she stops thinking of the pain. The alternative option is getting out of the pool, but she loves swimming and she doesn’t want to get kicked off the team.

Hopeful for relief

Distraction doesn’t always work either. Despite her efforts, every once in a while she feels upset and utterly hopeless. It usually happens when she’s really tired and upset about things unrelated to her chronic pain, like school.

In the beginning, it would happen every time she came back from yet another unsuccessful doctor’s appointment. She was in pain, and it seemed like no one was helping her.

During winter break, MacDonald and her mother will fly to Boston to see the doctors at Boston Children’s Hospital.

“They have the top children’s hospital in the country and the top diagnostic team for pediatric chronic pain, so they’re going to try to diagnose me there,” MacDonald said.

It’s been a long 16 months full of doctors and incorrect diagnoses for Macdonald and her family, but they’re “cautiously optimistic” about the chance of being correctly diagnosed in Boston.

Top: Juniors Hannah MacDonald and Magan Cabana laugh while playing a game during Elizabeth Funk’s math class. Cabana frequently tries to make MacDonald laugh, to distract her from her chronic pain.

Bottom left: After fourth block, Cabana helps carry MacDonald’s backpack as they walk to the parking lot. MacDonald often can’t carry things on her shoulder because of her hypersensitivity.

Bottom right: MacDonald takes off her shoes to show how they turn blue when she stays still for more than a couple of minutes. (Photos by Dana Dinh)

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12opinion hhstoday.com | December 2014

Behind the hijab Bianca Cegatte Commentary I had to watch a YouTube video in order to properly pin my hijab. I needed to make sure my arms were covered completely and that nothing was too tight. I was actually so hot and stuffy that peculiarly clear Sunday morning that I had only found comfort in the familiarity of wearing makeup.

At least that I knew how to do.

It wasn’t until I actually walked into the mall, to meet up with a friend, that the air thickened and I felt the long awkward gazes coming from just about every inch of the building. This was an experiment, and with every long look given, I was reminded of that fact.

I’m not a Muhajaba like my friend, and I don’t practice any Middle Eastern religions that call for any sort of head coverings. Yet, this particular morning I was wearing a hijab alongside my friend and feeling the difference in tension as we peacefully browsed some of our favorite stores.

Nobody yelled at us and no one said anything rude and overall, it was clear that almost everyone was trying to be polite and respectful. I don’t really think anyone thought any less of me wearing a hijab than they do in my normal attire, but I did feel the pity and awkwardness that came with the headpiece However, there were people who looked away. Those people didn’t seem to know how to interact with me and honestly, I think they assumed I would be offended no matter what they did.

It seemed to me, as if every person in the mall was either watching me carefully or not at all in fear that I would break at any moment.

Discrimination against Muslims is everywhere.

People who haven’t been thoroughly educated on the more intricate and specific details of the religion and related events that occurred here in the U.S. fear the wrong thing due to their ignorance.

An ignorant unfamiliarity To those people, who come home and see jihadists on TV surrounded by chaos and explosions, quoting the scripture followed and worshipped by Muslims everywhere, the two are connected. And why wouldn’t they be?

The problem is interpretation.

The trick with the Quran is that it is believed to have been revealed in parts to the prophet; each verse having its own situation, time period, and group of people to specify. In order to really understand the meaning of the verse, the reader needs to be aware of the language and context of the time revealed.

Misinterpretation breeds ignorance, from extremists who use the word of the Quran as justification for violence to people who view these extremists as a representation of the entire Muslim population.

The differences in what each Muslim believes end up leading to a lot of confusion and misinterpretations, especially to those who haven’t

taken time to really learn about the religion. In fact, a very common misunderstanding is the assumption that Muslim women are oppressed.

Just like the Quran has a lot of gray parts, it also has clear black and white verses, like why women wear the hijab. Women cover up because it’s clearly stated in their scripture to “guard their private parts, and not display their adornment except what is apparent of it.”

Whether they find “what is apparent” to be eyes or the entire face or their hands, is up to interpretation once again.

However, the reason behind it? Not so much.

It’s a personal choice Muslim women cover up for no one but themselves and their God. Although most people think they’re being forced by their husbands or fathers, the truth is that the choice belongs to solely the Muslim woman herself.

Those who cover up do so out of pure faith and obedience to their religion. In fact, when asked, my friend simply said she doesn’t want to be the one that has to explain to God why she didn’t listen to what he clearly had asked her to do.

Feminists and media often portray the hijab as a symbol of oppression of women. But truthfully, Muslim women aren’t the least bit controlled in their religious choices, and this sexist view of the hijab is just another big misunderstanding. Covering up frees Muslim women from being influenced by the media or the sensuality expected in today’s society.

Wearing the hijab, I realized, allowed me to greet people with confidence that it was my personality making the impression and nothing else. With just my face shown, it became quite hard to judge me and a lot easier to accept me.

After that experiment, my mind and eyes are open to the true definition of a Muslim woman. These women are strong and brave for going against the popular and the mainstream. They’re faithful to their God, they’re peaceful, and they deserve respect. The next time I see a Muslim woman covered up, I won’t see her hijab as a symbol of oppression.

It will simply portray her as the warrior she is.

Graphic by John Veliz

December 2014 | hhstoday.com

disgust.

Maria Roberts and Ellie Rodriguez Commentary

One in five women is raped in college, according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

That means in a senior American Government class of 25 college-bound students with 15 girls, there is a likelihood that three of those girls will be raped in the next four years.

Recently, Rolling Stone published an article scrutinizing the University of Virginia for its handling of a particularly graphic and vile case of gang rape. In the wake of its publishing, the article and its author have faced great backlash – the validity of sources and quotations has been severely questioned.

Regardless of quality and journalistic integrity, the attention-grabbing article sheds light on a disturbing reality, underscored by startling and perturbing statistics. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, rape is the most common violent crime on college campuses.

Rape culture pervades our society; many are guilty of initiating a rape joke or cracking a rib at a skit taking advantage of rape humor.

Still, seniors leave high school ignorant of the dangers that exist on the campuses.

Change before college We have an opportunity here in high school to educate all students about the dangers of sexual assault and impaired decision making in college. We can’t afford to send yet another class to college unarmed; our greatest defense against rape is education.

This senior class leaves in seven months without a formal prevention education. No one has told us to always keep our keys in hand, to avoid walking alone at night or to hide our dorm information carefully.

It’s an assumption.

We think our parents and teachers have implied taking certain precautions and treating our peers with respect, but upon greater inspection we realize it’s taboo to talk about.

No one has explicitly warned us, shared terrifying statistics, or even more striking -- personal stories. It seems a reality too distant and unfathomable to consider.

Most seniors probably think, “this can’t happen to me; I would never be raped or assaulted, I would never allow myself to be raped or assaulted, I would never rape or assault.”

We shouldn’t be so naive. We should be outraged enough to act. We need to ensure college-bound students feel safe enough to approach future administrators if faced with a potentially unsafe situation. They must be confident in their ability to raise their voices, regardless of the college they attend or the surrounding circumstances.

Most rapes in college occur during the first few weeks of school when students are most vulnerable as they acclimate to their new environment. Educated incoming freshmen should be less likely fall prey to the naivete that it will “not happen to them.”

A community conversation We need to drive home the understanding that using alcohol to take advantage of another person is a punishable form of sexual assault.

Alcohol, not roofies, is the drug most commonly used to facilitate sexual assault according to Only with Consent, an organization dedicated to consent education.

We can’t know what college communities or environments our fellow students will enter in the next couple of years, but we can ensure they are armed with an understanding of the perils of sexual assault.

This means not only being cautious and preventative, but carrying pepper spray or vigilantly watching drinks; it means knowing the definition of rape (which is much wider than many perceive) and standing up for ourselves and our peers. It means defending those who have been attacked and those who are coming forward.

Rape culture -- from sexual assault to slut shaming -- has no place on campuses. More must be done to educate men and women.

Organizations like It’s on Us, a White House campaign focused on mobilizing men to join in the fight against college rape, and Only with Consent are helping to change the rape-accepting mentality.

Male and female students are equally responsible for creating a safe environment where those who have been assaulted can come forward and seek the help they need.

The repercussions of rape don’t begin or end with the act of sexual assault. The rapist is not the one monster attacking the victim, possible slut-shaming by peers and the inaction of a silent administration are just as destructive.

This is a community conversation.

A new culture It’s more than teaching one gender how to protect themselves and the other how to be respectful; it’s critical we reinforce that this disgusting crisis is unacceptable under any circumstance.

We cannot attempt to destroy a rape culture if we are unwilling to build and develop a culture of respect and education strong enough to obliterate the former. This is about changing a mentality; it goes beyond handing out rape-whistles and telling women to use them when threatened. It means scorning the variety of cultural microaggressions that are the foundation of the college rape crisis -- including but not limited to the assumptions that underlie the consequences of heavy drinking and poor decision making.

We need more legislative action like the “Yes Means Yes” law in California, which requires affirmative consent for sexual activity on college campuses.

We shouldn’t be surprised that our nonchalance has created an unkempt culture growing within our universities.

A change of mind is necessary, one that can be instilled before we leave home and head off to meet our dormates.

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14 life

hhstoday.com | December 2014

Christmas or grinchmas?

Shreya Patel, 10 (left) and Anita Tippin, 11 have completely different views on the holiday season Alyssa Ierna Life Editor When do you think it’s an appropriate time to start decorating for Christmas?

Patel: Any time after Nov. 1 is good so that you can have the maximum Christmas joy for 54 days - but anything before then is kind of pushing it. You should enjoy Halloween until it’s over.

Tippin: Like, as soon as we go on Christmas break, no time before that.

Do you celebrate Christmas religiously?

Patel: We celebrate it in terms of Christmas trees and cookie baking and frantic gift shopping stuff but not any of the religious parts.

Tippin: My family celebrates it, but I just kinda go for the food.

How do you feel about carols being played so early?

Patel: I feel like that’s great because I love

Christmas questionnaire “[It’s] OK I guess. I like it, buying new stuff and clothes and shoes. ” -Jacques Gowins, 10

Christmas carols. They make everything feel really festive and wintery. And if they don’t make you want to take a sleigh ride you’re lying to yourself.

Tippin: I hate Christmas music, it’s the worst! If I could punch it, I would. They don’t really make me angry they’re just so annoying.

Have you decorated yet?

Patel: If it was up to me, we would never have to start decorating because we would never take the decorations down … But oh well.

Tippin: God, no, none of that.

Do you think Thanksgiving is hidden behind Chirstmas?

Patel: I mean, not really. I appreciate the sentiment of giving thanks and everything if people’s families still do that. Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, [Thanksgiving] is still a time to be thankful and help other people.

Plus, we spent the first Thanksgiving killing Native Americans and that kind of puts a damper on things.

Tippin: I mean yeah probably, they should share.

Do you think other religious holidays celebrated around the time of Christmas don’t get enough air time?

Patel: I guess so? I’m pretty much biased since I don’t celebrate any holidays that take place during winter break. It would be nice if I didn’t have to go to school on holidays like Diwali and things so I could spend time with my family and actually celebrate it.

Tippin: We could, like, mix other things into it [ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas] and have like equal air time for everything.

We asked students their views on Christmas being more about commercialism than religion

“Christmas is a holy day, not a holiday.”

-Nick Hardesty, 11

“I’m just ready for the break, [and] I like the spirit. ” -Ronnia Evans, 10

-Alyssa Ierna

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life15

December 2014 | hhstoday.com

the gift guide that keeps on giving Aliece Brown Staff Writer

writers

Aqua Notes waterproof notepad 40-sheet mountable pad Price: $7.54 Where to get it: www.amazon.com

Coffee Explorer Set Price: $13 Where to get it: www.uncommongoods.com

coffee aficionados

music lovers

Desktop drum set Price: $9.84 Where to get it: www.hawkin.com

Finger food plate set Price: $9.96 Where to get it: www.gaggifts.com

foodies Illustrations by John Veliz and Amber Shemesh

Christmas couture

As the holidays approach, students show their festivity by wearing winter-themed clothing

“I LOVE Frozen...

This [Frozen shirt] was in my closet, and it said, ‘Wear me!’”

-Marisel Madera, 12

“My mom bought [this hat] for me...I wish I had a sweater to go with [the hat].”

-Doug Joseph, 11

“My friend Madison [Schmidt] gave [the sweater] to me this morning to wear ‘cause it started getting cold.”

-Kara Rodriguez, 10 -Amber Shemesh

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16 entertainment hhstoday.com | December 2014

Ain’t nothin but a Thing

Next Big Thing’s lured massive crowds to Vinoy Park on Dec. 13 with rocking artists and jamming tunes

Jingle Bell ROCK

If you’re itching for more alternative rock, check out our

ALT. HOLIDAY PLAYLIST New Politics: Christmas Time Fall Out Boy: Yule Shoot Your Eye Out Blink-182: I Won’t be Home for Christmas The White Stripes: Candy Cane Children Best Coast & Wavves: Got Something for You The Killers: Don’t Shoot Me Santa From left: Fans surf crowds and crush shoulders in an attempt to delve into the full concert experience; Purple and orange lights illuminate the stage as Fall Out Boy roars out hits from their latest album “Save Rock and Roll”; David Boyd of New Politics strikes a confident pose as he surveys his audience; Andy Tongren of Young Rising Sons croons to the crowd. (Photos courtesy of Vinny Ruia and Sierra Brave/St. Petersburg High)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs: All I Want for Christmas Weezer: We Wish You a Merry Christmas Playlist by Shelby Shoup

Taylor misses the sweet SPOT with SPOTIFY

Daniel Hamilton Commentary Taylor Swift’s list of exes just got longer, as she demanded the removal of all of her albums from the online music streaming service, Spotify. This “break-up” resulted from differing views on how Spotify pays artists.

“Everybody’s complaining about how music sales are shrinking, but nobody’s changing the way they’re doing things,” Swift told Time magazine. “They keep running towards streaming, which is, for the most part, what has been shrinking the numbers of paid album sales.”

In the reality that is planet Earth, her statement is incorrect. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, the amount

of revenue by artists since 2010 has steadied at around $7 billion per year. This was prefaced by around a $1.8 billion drop in revenue between 2008 and 2010.

Spotify, however, was launched in the United States in July 2011, meaning the drop in

which is one user playing one song one time.

If you were to listen to one song 10 times, that would count as 10 streams.

Overall, if you do the math, that’s about 85 streams to one song purchase.

Also, before Spotify, one of the major ways

revenue from 2008 to 2010 cannot be attributed to the introduction of Spotify.

Spotify’s method of payment, albeit confusing, is ultimately profitable. Ultimately, it comes out to .006 to .0084 cents per stream,

to listen to the song you wanted to right at that moment was to go to a place like YouTube and search for the song, and YouTube gives even less to the right’s holders than Spotify does.

This also doesn’t include radio, where most

stations do not pay a royalty to artists according to a story by USA Today, under the pretext that their services are free advertisement for the artists.

Overall, the arguments posed by people who are taking their songs off of services a like Spotify are the acts of greedy musicians who are looking to frisk every penny they can to pay for designer clothes and luxury mansions. Their economics are flawed, as at least some of the people who use Spotify are doing so instead of pirating the music altogether.

Artists need to realize also that while people listen to music on Spotify, they also do buy music from places like iTunes to listen to when they aren’t in reach of the streaming service.

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entertainment17

What’s on your Christmas list this year?

December 2014 | hhstoday.com

Graphic by John Veliz

Vijata Patel and Sam Votzke Entertainment Editor and Associate Editor

The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies

PENGUINS

OF MADAGASCAR

In The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies, Bilbo and company’s adventure comes to a close, building to a bloody climax with the titular battle. A tip from someone who’s read the book: bring plenty of tissues.

“Out of all of the albums that dropped this year, his is definitely the best.”

- Alexandra Hayes, 12

J. Cole 2014 Forest Hills Drive

The Interview Dave Skylark and his producer Aaron Rapoport of the popular talk show “Skylark Tonight” obtain an interview with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. However, they are soon recruited by the CIA to assassinate Kim Jong-un, despite their obvious lack of experience.

Graphic by Vijata Patel

“She’s 30-something years old, of course she doesnt want to go to school.”

-Meghan Tindel, 11

Charlie XCX Sucker

Katie Frost Movie Review Unlike the silver screen adaption featuring our four favorite penguins, the film version of “Penguins of Madagascar,” fails to follow in the footsteps of other Dreamworks hits like “The Lego Movie.”

Instead of laughing at the poorly-executed jokes from a droll voice cast, I was left bored and checking my phone to see how much time the movie had left.

Jam-packed with humorless jokes about immature bodily functions and back to back action sequences bordering on cliché, it fails to capitalize on the undeniable appeal that Skipper, Kowalski, Private and Rico bring day in and day out.

The quirky chemistry between the four buddies is infectious on their Nickelodeon television series, which was an integral part of my childhood TV lineup, but the interactions between them were downright uninteresting and tedious in the film.

Few gems shone through, but Benedict Cumberbatch (Agent Classified) and John Malkovich (Dr. Octavius Brine) were spot on and the best part of this lackluster feature. Wishing I could see more of Agent Classified and Dr. Octavius Brine, I elicited the most laughs when they executed some of the memorable one liners.

Scattered throughout were sappy, heartfelt moments that had good intentions, but were limited because of the bleak personalities of the quartet of heroes.

Many of these problems could have been solved with casting a more energetic and upbeat voice cast, who are actual actors, rather than directors (Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Conrad Vernon) or editors (Christopher Knights). They had the potential to be a hilarious ensemble, but didn’t pull through.

“Penguins” may have been a commercial and comedic success two years ago with kids. But blockbuster hits these days make the film seem inferior in the funny department.

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18 sports

Football: The District of Death is dead. FHSAA released its district classifications for the next four seasons this week. Hillsborough remains in a district with Armwood, along with Blake, Chamberlain and King. Brandon moved down a class to join HHS in Class 6A, District 7. Formal district opponents Robinhhstoday.com | December 2014 son and Jefferson moved down to Class 5A while and Lennard and Leto moved up to Class 7A.

new country,

NEW SPORT Rays nearing deal to leave Trop

Tonje Skraastad Commentary Learning to walk is hard. It takes time and practice, and you cannot expect it to come over night. You might fall, fail and cry, but in the end, it gets you where you need to go.

That is what learning basketball feels like. For 10 years, I have played handball, one of the most popular sports that girls play in my native Norway. I have sacrificed hours and hours of my time to master the sport, and now I have left it all behind.

To me, handball is like walking. Now, not only do I have to learn to walk again, but this time in a very different way.

When I arrived in the United States, I had no basketball knowledge. We had played makeshift basketball during PE in Norway, but I didn’t know what the actual game was like. Doing something so new and foreign scared me more than I thought it would. Stepping onto the court without the security of experience took lots of courage.

Thankfully, I didn’t have anything to fear. Although I am no natural, I am athletic to a certain degree and I know how to be a supportive teammate. Combine that with a great team and a wonderful coach and you can hardly go wrong.

Basketball has been nothing but a positive experience for me. The team and I are still undefeated near the halfway point of the season.

Even though I might not be the person who gets the most time on the court, I still feel like a part of the team.

It is not about how much I play, or how many points I score, it is about the lessons I learn and the ability to explore something new and unknown. I have been taught so much I didn’t know before and I really appreciate it, even if the lesson is learned by running.

One of the things I appreciate the most about joining basketball is the teammates I have. Not only are they my fellow basketball players, they are my friends.

My team is my family and I am very thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this particular group. Differences apart, we are all united by a game I have grown to love. Although I make mistakes, and let me tell you, there are a lot of them, I know that they are there to support me-- on and off the court.

Daniel Hamilton Commentary The Tampa Bay Rays’ “season” at Tropicana Field may be entering its ninth and final inning.

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and the Rays have agreed to a deal that will allow the Rays to officially look at new stadium locations outside St. Petersburg city limits, something forbidden under their current contract. Now, the vote goes onto the St. Petersburg City Council which has, in the past, harshly disagreed with any amendment to the Rays contract to stay at Tropicana Field until 2027. The city council vote is planned to take place on Dec. 18.

This is the Holy Grail that Rays fans have been looking for. Finally, the mayor of St. Petersburg and the Rays are getting along, something that seemed impossible under the mayorship of former mayor Bill Foster. This is the first step to keeping the Rays in the Tampa Bay area long term.

In 2008, the Rays had plans to create

a waterfront ballpark in St. Petersburg.

However, it was met with harsh criticism by politicians in the city of St. Petersburg, as well as Pinellas County officials. The Rays abandoned the plan shortly thereafter, and in 2009 the team cancelled all plans for a new ballpark along the waterfront in St. Petersburg.

Ultimately, if the team doesn’t get a new stadium at a new site farther inland than it is now, the Rays will likely leave the region and go to a place more accepting, a place such as Montreal.

A tweet from Marc Topkin quoted principal Rays owner Stu Sternberg as saying, “I’m not leaving. I’m not moving this team. I’m not taking the team out of this area. But that’s me. Somebody else will take it and move it. It’s not a threat, just the reality. I won’t be sitting here 10 years from now waiting out to move the team.”

He’s right; it is the reality. The Rays will move out of the Tampa Bay area in 2027 if a deal is not reached in the next four to

You Said It: Where should tthe Rays play?

five years.

Possible sites the Rays will probably explore are the Channel District, the Fairgrounds, the old Tampa Greyhound track, the area around Raymond James Stadium or West Shore.

The best location for the team in Hillsborough County would be the Fairgrounds, as it is rather equidistant from the fans from Tampa, Orlando, St. Petersburg and Lakeland. It is also already set up for large groups of people going in and out at one time.

The new stadium could replace the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, and all the events that would’ve happened at the Amphitheatre could instead happen inside the stadium.

This hope could be reinvigorating to the idea of keeping the Rays in the Tampa Bay Area for generations to come, and make Tampa Bay a permanent baseball region, instead of the temporary grounds it seems to be now.

Near Raymond James Stadium

I guess maybe it’ll replace SSteinbrenner Field or they’ll build anothe another stadium if ther there’s room.

Florida State Fairgrounds

-Josh Felder, 12

Somewhere around Hillsborough [High School].

-Jessica Bahena, 10

West Shore

Stay at Tropicana Field

Replace Tampa Greyhound Track Channelside / The Channel District

Somewhere else in St. Petersburg Poll of 151 students. Graphic by John Veliz. Photos and quotes compiled by Amber Shemesh.

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December 2014 | hhstoday.com

Inexperienced wrestlers take the mat Annie Aguiar Opinion Editor A chorus of shallow breaths from tired athlete lungs fills the room. The endless smack of teenager-to-mat is the only other thing anyone can hear while Hillsborough’s wrestling team practices.

But it’s what’s missing that is remarkable -- experience.

After last year’s seniors graduated, the current team was left feeling the loss in “leadership and wins in general,” said assistant coach David Bravo with a laugh. “We were just 30-2 last year and this weekend we were 2-8, I think.”

Bravo, who has been an assistant coach for Hillsborough for the last 10 years and graduated from here in 2004, says that this isn’t an unusual occurrence. Head coach Michael Patrick disagrees, calling this a rebuilding year.

“It’s the first year in a while that we’ve had that.”

Today, they’re practicing takedowns. They pair up and two seconds later, one of them is pinned to the ground. But about an hour into practice, the majority of the wrestlers leave for a JV match at Steinbrenner, leaving only nine in the room practicing.

Philip Linn, one of the only freshmen left behind, says this is his first time wrestling in a school.

He just started this month after years of wrestling with his brother.

Junior Connor Knauer and senior Ira Morris teach freshman Jhett McCarthy a wrestling move called head hunting. (Photo by Annie Aguiar)

Friendship follows onto the field Matt Lutton Sports Editor It was a friendship born in the classroom and strengthened on the soccer field.

Blake Rehl and Brian Spivak have known each other and played on the same soccer team every year since the sixth grade.

“It was something we had in common and something to talk about,” Spivak said.

After meeting in sixth grade, the two grew closer in seventh and eighth grade. “We would go to the park and play soccer even without other people there. Just the two of us,” Spivak said. The two pushed each other to get better constantly.

Even through high school their friendship strengthened.

“High school is so much different than middle school,” Rehl said.

“He used to put me in headlocks and teach me stuff,” Linn said.

But now the teachers are his upperclassmen; the more experienced wrestlers on the team take the time to show the newer members how to do certain moves or show proper technique.

Senior Ira Morris stops Linn while he is wrestling fellow freshman and first-year wrestler Jhett McCarthy.

“You can’t cross your feet,” Morris says.

Linn responds: “What?”

“Your feet are crossed,” Morris said. “You can’t cross your feet.”

Junior Connor Knauer cuts in: “Uncross your feet!”

Knauer, who has been on the wrestling team for three years, has taken on a teaching role; he answers newer members’ questions and shows them any moves they would want to know. He demonstrates the moves in front of a crowd of inexperienced wrestlers as he tells them how to do it.

“Now that there’s so many more inexperienced kids, experienced kids have to step up and help Coach out,” Knauer said. “It’s a challenge. I’ve never been here with so many new wrestlers before.”

Days later, Hillsborough had its first varsity six-way match. Hillsborough beat Plant, Jefferson, Blake and Spoto while only losing to Alonso.

“After a match, we tell each other what we could’ve done better,” says sophomore Michael Sullivan, who wrestled in the six-way. “I think inexperience leaves you with room to do better.”

Soccer players Brian Spivak and Blake Rehl share a bond on and off the soccer field

“We basically grew up together in high school,” as they faced different challenges and situations that only added another level to the friendship.

After two consecutive district championships, the two friends are down to their final season, and their soccer skills are only getting better. Rehl and Spivak have combined for 30 goals, 13 more than everyone else on the entire team combined. Rehl has 19 in 7 games- almost a hat trick a game. Spivak is second on the team in goals with 11 and first in assists with 10. Needless to say, they make a good combination. “Since I know Brian really well I know I can trust him with the ball,” Rehl said. “I know how he’s going to play, and I can predict what he’s going to do.” Seven years of experience playing together helps the two work more effectively together. “I’m more comfortable passing to him than

to anyone else on the field,” said Spivak.

Both Rehl and Spivak agree that their statistics reflect their different playing styles. Rehl, who has 19 goals and two assists, likes to get out in the open and run with the ball. He beats defenders and charges the goal, usually looking to attack. Spivak on the other hand, who has 11 goals and 10 assists, normally looks for the open pass and shoots second. “I try to find [Rehl] for a through ball so he can get one on one, beat a defender and get to the goal,” Spivak said.

In addition to increased playing responsibilities this year, Rehl and Spivak are captains this year. Their close friendship helps in this aspect as well. “We can always discuss what we want to talk about with the team or discuss what we want to do at practice to help the team get better,” Rehl said.

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20 sports

hhstoday.com | December 2014

Girls’ basketball: The girls’ basketball team has won its first 12 games, and is the only undefeated team left in Class 6A, District 9. This has been the team’s best start in the last 10 years. Last year, it finished 17-9 and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

Keeping warm during winter sports Sam Votzke Associate Editor The temperature at 6 o’clock in the evening had already dropped to a chilly 55 degrees. The girls soccer team ran drills on the field, half head-to-toe in sweats and layers of undershirts and gloves, half trying to work up a sweat in just their uniforms.

Most of the boys in the stands were wearing sweatpants and sweatshirts, and girls on the bench had pulled out large fleecy blankets to cover themselves as they watched their teammates on the field play against East Bay. Most of the players were sweating, but creating clouds each time they exhaled. Sophomore Dylan McAleese said, “It’s weird, when you come off the field you’re all hot and sweaty, and then

five minutes later you’re cold again.”

“We just warm up the bench,” said freshman Ismael Casas.

Teammate Savvas Ferekides, also a freshman, pointed out that the boys team-issued sweatpants didn’t have any pockets for keeping hands warm. “You have to shove your hands down your pants, but obviously, uh, keep them firmly at your sides,” he said.

“And if that doesn’t work, we put our hands in other people’s pants,” joked junior Jake Kennard.

Winter sports are guaranteed to have a fair number of bonechilling games, but most players on the team cringed when recalling the coldest game of the season so far, a home game against Tampa Bay Tech.

That night, the temperatures dropped into the 30s. “You

couldn’t feel anything,” said junior midfielder Marcelino Alvarado. “I was pretty sure my toes were frostbitten,” said junior Breanna Sacco.

Parents in the stand were the most bundled, most in hats and with several layers of blankets. Parents of junior goalie Kayla Childs, Morene and Dirk Childs, said that at least four layers of clothing, plus blankets were essential to keeping warm in the stands.

Once, when the wind started to bite, Mary van Osdol raised her pointer finger in the air and guessed at the temperature aloud. “Hmmm … seems to be about negative 10 degrees,” she said.

Coxswain’s guide to cold weather Coxswains are a big part of a crew team. While the rest of the team is rowing a 5K we steer the boat, encourage the rowers and try to avoid hypothermia. We often have tricks to keep ourselves warm during the fall season where races can be in 30° degree weather. Here are just a few of them: -Hand warmers don’t have to just warm your hands. The little packets of summer can be shoved into shoes, under jackets and into hats.

-Hats, hats everywhere. Coxswains are being blasted in the face with winds created by nature and the rowers and a hat can protect your ears as well as keep you warm. Don’t be afraid to have six inches of hat between your ears and the freezing air.

-Sweat pants are a coxswains’ best friend. Don’t forget about Left: Soccer players Mary van Osdol, 10, and Keegan Melendi, 9, huddle under blankets and jackets to stay warm. Right: Maria your legs, jackets and hats are important, but cold legs are just Roberts, 12, Cassidy Bull, 10, and Josh Nelson,10, keep warm while waiting for their boat assignments at a particularly cold crew as unpleasant. practice. (Photos by Katie Frost) -Maria Roberts and Cassidy Bull

Scoop Team’s drive gives kids chance to play Annie Aguiar Opinion Editor Scoop Team wants your balls.

The athletic movement is running a holiday charity drive in the weeks before winter break.

They’re asking for donations of footballs, basketballs and soccer balls to give to children during the break.

“We decided that since we’re athletes or whatever we’ll get balls,” said sophomore Zachary Carter. “We’ll ask people to donate balls so we can give them to children that don’t have opportunities.”

Scoop Team started as the basketball team but expanded beyond that into something that

can’t quite be defined, even by its members.

“It’s a movement. A group of young scholars who would … a group of young scholars who … I don’t know. We play sports,” said sophomore Bryce Moragne.

Scoop Team members Carter, Moragne and Dexter Stallworth, also a sophomore, decided to start the drive to show that “Scoop Team CARES”. The three ask that the donations be turned in to them by Dec. 19.

Donations will be gathered and given to Metropolitan Ministries in time for Christmas.

“I felt that it was needed to help kids who can’t help themselves,” Carter says. “Growing up as a kid, my parents always told me to be grateful

for what I have. Seeing other kids in different situations, kids with nothing to eat, nothing to play with. I realize how blessed I was to be in the situation I was in.”

The charity drive, officially called the Scoop Team Holiday Sports Drive, is a big change for the group. Moragne says that he didn’t want people to think of Scoop Team “as kids who just make shirts and sell jackets”, but instead as something that betters the community.

For the most part, Scoop Team members are doing this on their own. Moragne says that their parents are involved to a very small extent, primarily in assuring that the charity drive is done correctly.

The three don’t see it as being about age.

“I think, regardless of age, if you realize that you can help the community and try to take on the task it’s just a good idea to try and give back,” Stallworth said.