March 2016 Red & Black

BRING THIS PHOTO TO LIFE

1. Download “Aurasma” from the app store 2. Create an account 3. Follow “hhstoday” 4. Hover camera over photo and see what happens 5. You’ll be doing this a lot more soon. See pg. 4.

& black

Florida’s first high school newspaper Hillsborough High School 5000 N. Central Ave. Tampa, FL 33603 March 2016 hhstoday.com @HHSTodayOnline Volume 117, No. 5

FLORIDA PRIMARY BY THE NUMBERS | pg. 5 SUPERIOR STORY

Band gets straight superiors at MPA for first time in years | pg. 11

ADULTOLOGY

How to get a job, write a resume, do your taxes and more | pg. 12 Photo by Laurie Rodriguez | Illustration by Dana Dinh

2 March 2016

news

Red & Black

Teachers take to painting National Art Honor Society holds monthly art classes, allowing staff, students opportunity to develop artistic abilities John Veliz @TheJohnVeliz Within the walls of Room 223, teachers are trading in their red ink for red paint.

National Art Honor Society has been hosting monthly art classes directed specifically towards faculty. Unlike during school hours, art teacher Caitlyn Clay relinquishes control of the classes to her students. Teachers learn to shape clay and handle a paintbrush in lessons led by NAHS members.

“

Making art an active part of Hillsborough and fun for students again [is one of our goals]. Right now, a lot of kids struggle through the elective courses and don’t care. I think National Art Honor Society is working to change that with the classes.”

–Aida Vasquez-Soto, 12

Prior to each class, the society members select an art form they’re interested in teaching and develop a lesson plan. They give lessons to teachers who range from experienced artists to complete beginners.

“I try to come up with something simple that is teachable,” said senior NAHS member Aida Vasquez-Soto. “Those are guidelines

Elizabeth Ferris, left, and Susan Nieto examine potential art projects to work on during the class. Under the eyes of National Art Honor Society they work their clay into household objects. | Photo by John Veliz though. If somebody comes in and wants to do something on their own or different, it’s fine.”

The most recent teacher course was held March 23 and focused on working with clay. Vasquez-Soto and sophomore Sydney Cabana sat down with bookkeeper Susan Nieto and assistant teacher Elizabeth Ferris.

After giving them a selection of possible clay figurines, students sat alongside the staff members and offered advice on technique.

Soon, the mounds of clay were being fashioned into candy bowls and jewelry organizers.

“We’ll leave this class and open up a pottery shop,” Ferris joked.

Beyond teachers and staff, NAHS also extends the service to students, allowing access to art supplies usually only open to those taking the class.

Vasquez-Soto notes that making art available to the entire school community is one major of the goals of the society.

“Making art an active part of Hillsborough and fun for students again [is one of our goals],” she said. “Right now, a lot of kids struggle through the elective courses and don’t care. I think National Art Honor Society is working to change that with the classes.”

Hillsborough receives ‘incomplete’ as school grade In mid-February, the state released its 2015 school grades to each Florida public school.

Instead of receiving a rating like most other schools in the district, Hillsborough received a glaring “I.” This “I,” which stands for “incomplete,” occurs when the school in question tests less than 95 percent of its eligible student population.

School grades are mostly based on student performance on the Florida Standards Assessments (FSA), and it was determined that Hillsborough only tested 93 percent of applicable students last year. Two other schools in the district also received a rating of “I”: Hillsborough Virtual School and Florida Virtual Academy.

“Many students were repeatedly absent or

did not show up for testing even after multiple attempts to locate and test them,” Superintendent Jeff Eakins wrote in an appeal to the state.

Eakins also stated that the amount of points earned with students who completed testing was enough to earn Hillsborough a “B” rating, which is consistent with the school’s achievement in years prior.

To prevent this issue from arising in the future, the administration told state officials it is monitoring testing participation during staff meetings throughout the spring.

The school board has not yet received a response to its appeal to the state.

-Kathy Xie

news

hhstoday.com

March 2016

Two schools, one campus

Things to know: dual enrollment What is dual enrollment?

Program will bring college courses to HHS, making dual enrollment easier for students Daniel Garrison @HHSTodayOnline Dual enrollment courses offer students the opportunity to experience a college level course, start their college career early and speed up the process of their education. Some students even graduate high school with up to two years of college credit.

But currently, there are many reasons interested students aren’t able to take the classes. Lack of transportation, interference with the regular school day and the overwhelming size of college campuses are just a few.

These reasons were some of the mo-

tivations for offering dual enrollment on campus in partnership with Hillsborough Community College, according to guidance department head Shawn Ree Miller.

A program scheduled to begin next school year will offer dual enrollment classes on the HHS campus. According to Miller, the courses will be “counted like an eighth period” of the school day.

They will be available for all students who meet GPA and testing requirements.

Though they are not all confirmed, the college classes that will hopefully be offered are a freshman English course, College Success, Western Civilization

1 and 2 and possibly another history course.

Senior Meghan Tindel, a current dual enrollment student, wanted to take advantage of opportunity to take college classes and receive credit for free. “Dual enrollment classes are only one semester,” she said, “so I can do twice as many classes in the time it takes to finish an AP class at Hillsborough.”

To sign up for an on-campus dual enrollment course, students should talk to their guidance counselor to make sure they meet the criteria.

To keep frozen cups, students need to chill Theontae Walton @HHSTodayOnline Problems like littering, tardiness and class disruptions caused by a fundraiser from the autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) class has its creators considering closing down.

The ASD class created the “Terrier Kiosk Store” five years ago and started selling frozen cups for $1 to raise money for the class to buy supplies and attend field trips to restaurants, movie theaters and other locations. “[ASD teaching aide Jasmine Richardson] and I came up with the idea, to help our class,” teaching aide Genela King said. “The store also helps with community work and gets our kids involved.”

Even though the program positively affects the ASD class, it’s seen by some as problematic.

King and Richardson are considering closing down the kiosk.

“We make pens, too, students can come by and buy a pen,” ASD

”

Dual enrollment is a program that lets high school students take classes in order to gain a postsecondary diploma, certificate or degree at a public college and a high school diploma.

What are the criteria for dual enrollment?

- Have at least a 3.0 unweighted GPA - Apply to HCC - Meet these test score requirements: SAT ACT Reading: 440 English: 17 Math: 440 Reading: 19 Math: 19

PERT Reading: 106 Writing: 103 Math: 114

Littering, tardiness and disruptions caused by the treats receive cold reception from students, teachers

teacher Johana Wright said. “We also make cakes monthly, and sell those too.”

Some students that purchase the frozen cups don’t throw them away properly, leaving litter around the school. “We want to put out that when you make a purchase, you dispense of your trash properly,” King said. “We find the lids, spoons and cups all over the school. You guys aren’t keeping the school in good shape.”

When the ASD class sells a cup, they remove the lid and recycle it onto another cup to prevent littering. “We only use the lids to prevent the frozen cups from spilling over in the freezer,” Wright said. But the ASD program needs the help of the students to help keep the school clean.

In addition to trash, the fundraiser is potentially causing tardies to pile up. Some students are late to their classes after going out of their way to buy frozen cups. “That’s their decision to be

tardy,” AP Henry Burns said. “Kids have enough time in between classes to go to the bathroom and their lockers and still get to class on time.”

When students do get to class, they cause disruptions, according to some. As people dig into the frozen cups, the sound created by spoon-to-ice annoys teachers and students alike. “The noise of the spoon drives me crazy,” said English and history teacher Sandi Ancona.

“That annoying noise just stresses me out,” sophomore Alicia Maurice said. “I can’t hear the teacher and it’s preventing me from learning.”

Despite the issues they present, students continue to buy frozen cups. “I like them because they’re one of the best things here at Hillsborough,” said sophomore Morgan Morris.

yousaid it Despite potential littering, tardiness and class disruptions, will you still buy the frozen cups ?

“Yes, because my “Of course I’ll keep buying “I buy four or five a week. Why would I stop for a little tardy?”

-Michael Stockford, 10

3

them. They’re good and I’m donating to the program.”

-Jazmin Bevel, 12

money’s going toward a good cause.”

-Jordan Peterson, 12

4 March 2016

news

Red & Black

Relay for Life switches locations The change in venue from campus to Ybor City sparks controversy among students Laurie Rodriguez @LaurieSayWut The annual Seminole Heights Relay for Life is slowly approaching, but not without some changes first.

The Relay for Life committee has decided to implement new changes due to the lack of money raised last year. The biggest difference is that Relay for Life isn’t going to be held at Hillsborough this year.

“Seminole Heights didn’t meet its goal last year, so the committee thought that they should go to a different venue and reach the goal,” Linda Wilson said, NHS and Relay for Life sponsor.

The 2016 Relay for Life will be held at the Cuban Club in Ybor City in an attempt to raise more money and bring out more supporters.

However, some students aren’t so happy about the change.

“Having it off campus will deter a lot of kids who potentially would have raised a lot of money,” said senior Gia Jadick, captain of the Big Red

Band Relay team. “Fewer people will be involved this year. I’m hoping with decent advertising, we’ll still be able to raise money.”

In addition to the change in location, staying the night won’t be an option this year. “I don’t like how they changed the location or how we can’t stay overnight. It is less convenient and there are more safety risks in Ybor,” junior Doan-Vy Vu said. “I probably will still attend though.”

“There’s no way we’re going to spend the night at Ybor, so we’re just going to go out there and raise the money so we can turn it in to the American Cancer Society,” Wilson said. “Normally, we make around $4,000-$5,000 but that was when Relay was at Hillsborough. If we can raise around $1,000 this year, I’ll be glad.”

Despite the shift in location, Wilson still expects students to come out and have fun. “I still want to be a part of Relay because I didn’t go last year,” sophomore ErrDaisha Floyd said.

So far, six teams have signed up and $1,955 has been raised. Students can sign up for a team

on Relay for Life’s website.

National Honor Society members can still get their hours at Relay by helping raise money and by attending.

Relay for Life will be held on Sunday, April 17, from 12:30 to 8 p.m.

Briefly Not your average yearbook

It’s more than just a yearbook; it’s a collection of memories, a documentation of relationships and a tribute to the past 100 years of Hillsborough High School.

The Hilsborean staff, in honor of the publication’s 100th edition, has been tasked with encapsulating a century of history within 232 pages.

“For the last 100 years, this school has been the unifying force in this community. You can go out anywhere wearing a Hillsborough shirt and someone will stop you and say, ‘I went there too,’” said social media editor Cade McCurdy.

As always, the yearbook will feature glimpses into students’ lives and photographs of landmark campus events. However, the yearbook’s celebratory theme, “More Than,” will be incorporated throughout the pages.

“I don’t know how much I’m supposed to reveal, but when you get to the 100th page… there’s a really cool feature,” hinted co-editorin-chief Gillian Boyce.

-Shelby Shoup Yearbooks are available for sale for $75 at hhstoday.com or in Room 506

STOP! Try this app out “I don’t really see any benefits in moving Relay for Life to Ybor. Less people are going to show up, which means less money raised. It defeats the purpose.”

“Just because Relay for Life isn’t going to be at Hillsborough, we’ll still be able to have fun which is what matters”

–Angel Guaba, 10

–Hussain Jhaveri, 10

Alumni Association celebrates decades of greatness Sarvika Bommakanti @HHSTodayOnline From starting out in a building on Franklin Street to graduating the Gerber baby, Hillsborough High School has had various renovations, memories and milestones. On April 9, the Hillsborough High School Alumni Association is sponsoring an event to celebrate these changes: “Decades of Greatness.”

The main celebrations of “Decades of Greatness” will focus on

celebrating Hillsborough’s 130 years, the three decades of the alumni association, the 100 years of the yearbook and the eight decades of JROTC. Alumni member Charles Harkness said the alumni association “[is] hoping on 500 attendees” and he is excited to “see and greet alumni who have not been back to Hillsborough in a while.”

The event will run on campus from 11 a.m to 4 p.m. and programs

include guest speakers Mayor Bob Buckhorn, Tampa Police Chief See pgs. 8-9 for more Eric Ward (an HHS graduate) and historical information and an honoring of military veterans. fun facts Other events include a time capsule burial in Positive Park and campus tours.

To attend, tickets must be purchased online by April 2.

Lunch is included with To purchase a ticket the ticket.

for this event, visit hhs.ticketbud.com/events

STEP 1: Download free Aurasma app from App Store or Google Play Store STEP 2: Create an account STEP 3: Follow “hhstoday” STEP 4: Hover camera over specially tagged photos to trigger additional content WHY’S THIS IMPORTANT? The 100th Hilsborean will feature more than 100 triggers.

An honorable centennial

A hundred years worth of honor – this is the legacy of American JROTC programs. In 1916, the JROTC program was signed into existence by contemporary President Woodrow Wilson.

For the past century, this initiative has encouraged discipline and courage for high school students nation-wide. Hillsborough’s JROTC program honored the 100 year anniversary at their annual military ball on March 25. “[We want to] bring in aspects of [our] history,” said senior Kendall Baerwalde.

-Shelby Shoup

politics

hhstoday.com

March 2016

5

Did you ote?

Although many seniors were eligible to vote in the Florida primary, few made it to the polls

8/10

seniors did not know the primary date (fun fact: it was March 15)

7/10 22% Republicans seniors are registered to

?

VOTE

48% Democrats

30%

Seniors’ party division

Other

expectation-who seniors chose 46%

79%

of liberal seniors supported Bernie Sanders

47%

of Florida Republican voters supported Donald Trump

PRIMARY

of registed voters planned on voting

38%

did not

plan on voting

65% of seniors are of voting age

50/50

66%

of Florida Democrat voters supported Hillary Clinton

of conservative seniors supported Marco Rubio

62%

reality-who Florida chose

SPLIT

of seniors did /did not know their polling location

Based on survey of 92 seniors conducted by Michael Strobl and Shelby Shoup | Infograpic by Shelby Shoup

Obama visits Cuba Air Force One landed in Havana, Cuba March 20, marking the first time a sitting president has visited the country in 88 years.

This trip is another step that President Obama is taking in efforts to repair relations with Cuba. The American embassy in Cuba, after 54 years, was opened back up last August. And travel to the communist island has increased in the past year.

While in Cuba, Obama also attended the baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cuban National Team. President Obama sat next to President Raúl Castro to watch the game, with American and Cuban

flags flying side by side overhead.

Despite these promising efforts on both sides to patch relations, tensions between the two countries haven’t dissipated.

Just before the president arrived, protesters were being dragged off by Cuban authorities. The Cuban government has also stated that it won’t be changing its policies.

Although this trip is a step forward in diplomacy, whether or not this new policy is continued will be determined by the next president.

-Madison Forbis

”

yousaid it

What do you think about Obama’s diplomacy attempts with Cuba?

We shouldn’t be supporting Castro, since he’s done so many awful things.

-Angie Edwards, 10

I’m glad Obama’s improving relations because it’s been so tense.

-Jennifer Chacon, 11

6 March 2016

opinion

The immigration issue

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ABOUT Content decisions are made by student editors.

Member of Florida and National Scholastic press associations.

2015-16 FSPA All-Florida 2014-15 NSPA All-American 2015-16 NSPA Best of Show recipient Printed by the Tampa Bay Times.

EDITORIAL The staff editorial reflects the view of student editors and can be found in each issue’s opinion section.

COLUMNS The bylined columns located throughout each issue represent the viewpoints of their authors.

LETTERS Red & Black 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, FL 33603.

ADS Advertising content is subject to approval of the editorial board.

ONLINE Each issue of Red & Black is available online at HHSToday.com.

CONTACT Phone (813) 276-5620; Fax (813) 2765629; email hhstoday@gmail.com

With immigration reform becoming increasingly prominent, it’s time to evaluate and find real solutions On the road to the 2016 general election, few topics have been as hotly debated as U.S. immigration reform. The issue is dominating the media and as discussion has transpired in these past months, has even threatened to drive a wedge through the Republican Party.

editorial

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 5 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Dana Dinh, Kathy Xie DESIGN EDITOR John Veliz WEB EDITOR Daniel Hamilton PAGE EDITORS Annie Aguiar, Sarvika Bommakanti, Bianca Cegatte, Madison Forbis, Jorge Garcia, Alyssa Ierna, Matt Lutton, Denzel Pierre, Monisha Pillai, Amber Shemesh, Shelby Shoup, Tegan Smith, Atiya Simmons, Theontae Walton, Michael Strobl STAFF WRITERS Katie Delk, Daniel Garrison, Jeremy Leong, Julissa Machado, Cade McCurdy, Alex Morrison, Shreya Patel, Laurie Rodriguez, Vishwa Shah, Yesha Shukla ADVISER Joe Humphrey, MJE PRINCIPAL Gary Brady

Red & Black

Candidates and immigration

Most notably, presidential candidate Donald Trump proposed a plan to build a wall along the Mexico-U.S. border. With a nearly poetic level of irony, he’s built his entire campaign around the idea of building this wall. The endeavor has received both fervent support and intense opposition (and is estimated by National Journal to cost about $6.4 billion).

It’s not the first time this kind of immigration policy has been brought up. George W. Bush passed legislation authorizing a 700-mile long border fence that cost billions and hard-

ly stemmed the flow of immigrants during his presidency. In 2011, the Obama administration shut down efforts to build a “virtual fence” after $1 billion had already been spent.

Reviewing Trump’s plan National security is an issue of importance to any country, but Trump’s plan is not only infeasible, but completely obsolete. According to the Pew Research Center, the amount of Mexican immigrants to the United States has been steadily decreasing for the last decade. In fact, Pew also states that there are currently more Mexicans leaving the United States than coming in (with a net outflow of 140,000 between 2009 and 2014).

If government officials are seeking a way to regulate illegal immigration, the first step is to crack down on the policies that are already in place.

Currently, individuals who overstay their

work visas constitute a significant portion of illegal immigrants, largely due to a lack of enforcement throughout the country. To spend the nation’s money on building a border wall would only drain more resources away from the law enforcement agencies responsible for this regulation.

Xenophobia Moving away from the policies themselves, this kind of discourse is extremely detrimental to the country’s political atmosphere itself. It promotes intense xenophobia (what better way to foster an “us versus them” mentality than building a literal wall?) and has inevitably racist undertones.

Ultimately, the immigration debate has been exhausted and candidates need to move on; there simply exist too many other pressing issues presidential hopefuls need to address.

Graphic by John Veliz

Like this?

Alex Morrison @Magadon433

It’s always an interesting time when a social media giant gets nervous.

In recent years, there has been a sharp decline in the membership among young people using Facebook. In fact, Forbes rated Facebook as having a smaller youth following than LinkedIn, a career promotion site. This is a surprising finding, especially considering that many teenag-

Like

Comment

Facebook’s new feature for liking posts reflects a desire to draw young users, but fails as emojis don’t make up for mundanity ers have not yet entered the workforce.

The easy reaction to this would be for Facebook to give up on the world’s youngest tech users and focus on the elders who still ravenously use the social network. But instead, Facebook tried the business equivalent of stealing answers from a classmate’s test. Upon taking a sidelong glance at what their competitors were, they discovered a pretty basic concept: people tend to gravitate towards visual stimulus. Whether it’s Vine’s six-second videos or Tumblr’s once revolutionary GIFs, they all draw the eye through visual imagery.

So how does Facebook’s new strategy hold up in the face of their competitor’s youth-focused strategies? Unfortunately, not too well.

Though it may look nicer, the new like options are doing nothing radical for the site. All they’ve really done is add a few more ways to “like” someone’s picture. It’s a neat concept and a definite upgrade, but it still seems like more of the same.

If Facebook really wants to reinvent itself as a site young people flock too, they’re going to need something new to get attention.

Graphic by Alex Morrison

hhstoday.com

opinion

March 2016

7

COUNTER

point

point

In light of the San Bernardino shooting, should the FBI force Apple to unlock the shooter’s phone?

Shreya Patel and Tegan Smith @shreyapatel98 and @HHSTodayOnline Cell phones tend to be places where people keep their innermost thoughts, as well as information that needs to be heavily guarded, such as credit card numbers and other personal records. The government really has no place in accessing these very private affairs, regardless of what security measures they intend to take.

Companies like Apple work to provide the best protection possible for all of the devices they produce, as hacking poses global threats.

Allowing the FBI to create a weak spot in the security of iPhone users would create a legal precedent that would allow

You might have noticed... ... that this paper is a bit wider than our

previous issues. This is because we have a new printer.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank The Tampa Tribune for printing Red & Black for 11 years, and extend gratitude to the Tampa Bay Times for agreeing to print us, starting with this issue.

the government to be unbounded in their surveillance. This is dangerous and could put millions of people at risk. It would also increase the chances of hackers gaining access to people’s lives and profiting from them. Once the FBI has the ability to monitor people’s devices, they will be able to do so whether the person poses a serious threat or not.

The Bill of Rights guarantees the right to privacy for all Americans, and it is the responsibility of the government to allow corporations such as Apple to continue to provide it to their customers. Apple should not be forced to risk the safety of their consumers, nor should any other business. Companies like Google and Microsoft have also stepped forward, supporting the privacy of their consumers and recognizing their duty to protect their clients’ information.

While the safety of the American people is an extremely pressing concern, risking the privacy of millions should be a last resort to discovering new information about the case.

no

Monisha Pillai @monishakyungsoo Apple must stop prioritizing its reputation over domestic security. The company claims to be afraid of setting a legal precedent of breaching user security for the sake of the government. Many citizens have joined in on the paranoia, voicing fears that the government could abuse their powers and monitor phone use.

Although the privacy of citizens should not be taken lightly, domestic security is just as (if not more) important. In extreme cases like the San Bernardino shooting, Apple’s refusal to assist the FBI in overriding iPhone security is simply foolish.

Our cell phones are home to an immeasurable amount of personal data; emails, notes, texts and thoughts are located on a single hard drive. The cell phone of a terrorist would contain important contact information, locations, violent search history and other crucial information. Having access to this personal data could help the FBI figure out the motives of an attack, plans for future attacks and further help ensure domestic security.

yes

Many demand domestic safeguarding but are unwilling to recognize its implications, and are unaware of the leg work the government must do to ensure this protection.

It is completely hypocritical of citizens to expect the government to guarantee their safety but throw a fit when faced with the possibility of a breach of privacy. In any case, an innocent citizen would not have incriminating information on his or her cell phone, and therefore should not be worried.

If we want to end domestic terrorism and violent shootings, we must start having a little faith in our government.

You said it: What’s your opinion on YouTube Red?

YouTube Red is a monthly subscription of $9.99/month for one account. A subscription includes an ad-free YouTube experience, access to exclusive content like full-length shows and movies, ability to save videos for offline playback, background playback on mobile devices and a subscription to Google Play Music.

“It just feels stupid, because I watch Youtube anyway.”

-Melissa Leslie, 12

“ I wouldn’t pay to watch just the exclusive shows.”

-Ivan Morales, 10

“I’d lower [the price] if I wanted more people to use it.”

-Carolin Hearne, 9

8 March 2015

focus

Hidden in the halls

Red & Black

9

Founded in 1885, Hillsborough has experienced over a century of history – changing times, shifting paradigms and groundbreaking events. Even though students spend eight hours a day, five days a week in these halls, there’s still much that goes unnoticed. Red & Black consulted HHS Ambassadors sponsor Zaan Gast for more information.

What do you think the “H” on the H Patio stands for?

“Hillsborough.”

–Nakyia Butler, 9

Left: From the tower’s main room, a 30-foot ladder leads up to the chamber where the clock is operated. | Photo by Cade McCurdy

“It stands for the establishment of the school and its traditions.”

–Melissa Flores, 12

An iconic face

Although the clock tower is from the original 1928 construction, its clock face is not. It was added in 1949 as a commemoration for alumni who served and died in World War II. The tower’s main room, along with the attic beside it, features graffiti and signatures dating back to the 1940s.

According to Gast, the cage in the third floor stairwell barricading access to the tower didn’t always exist; it had to be implemented after students began regularly venturing up to the tower without authorization.

Actually...

Despite assumptions among students that the patio’s “H” stands for Hillsborough, the square is a tribute to former assistant principal Wayne Hamilton. The student body in 1963-64 dedicated it to him for “loyal and distinguished service.”

What’s your favorite location on campus?

Basketball game, tennis match... public hanging?

When the school was first founded, it was a downtown establishment housing 19 students and one teacher, who was also the principal. Incidentally, said building was right beside the city jail.

Capital criminals were still hanged for their crimes in the 1880s, and according to Gast, this posed a serious distraction to the students’ education.

“If a hanging took place, the kids couldn’t go to

“The H Patio, because this is where I have a good time.”

–Joseph Hernandez, 10

“The auditorium, because it’s really pretty and because of the stained glass windows.”

–Chloe Cauley, 10 Right: This panorama was taken from the roof of the main building, which offers a view of the courtyard, H Patio and top of the cafeteria. | Photo by Kathy Xie

“I think it’s unique and one of a kind, but I don’t like the inside.”

–Antonio Jenkins, 11

school,” he said. “Big-time entertainment – watch a public hanging!”

The location of Hillsborough’s edifice bounced around for a few decades until Seminole Heights was selected, partially because of its unusually high elevation. At 68 feet above sea level, school officials no longer had to worry about flooding because there was natural drainage.

How do you feel about our school’s architecture?

“Could do a little better.”

–Deandre Lopez, 11 Information compiled by Kathy Xie Quotes compiled by Cade McCurdy

10 March 2016

life

Red & Black

Veering off script Theater program prepares to debut ‘A Waitress in Yellowstone’ Alex Morrison @magadon433 An air of focus has fallen over Jeff Pittard’s theater members. As the group’s rendition of “A Waitress in Yellowstone” looms in the notso-distant future, many of these actors and actresses have realized that now is the time to buckle down and really perfect their roles.

As the importance of each rehearsal rises, the members have begun trying to use written scripts less and less, and Pittard has instituted a cell phone “jail” to limit the use of technology during practices.

They have begun a cycle of constant corrections and reworks during rehearsals, and a number of them have acknowledged that they need to improve personally.

A lot of this growing pressure is being placed on junior Chey Worthington’s shoulders. Though this is Worthington’s first year in theater, she has managed to score the lead role in “Yellowstone” as a kind-hearted waitress named Winnie.

Worthington took a leap of faith auditioning for the part with her friend Maria.

“Mr. Pittard was letting us know about auditions and I’m like ‘You know what? I want to audition for this,’” she said.

Worthington says she has things to work on, most specifically facing the audience

A Waitress in Yellowstone

more frequently and improving her audibility. Worthington says she needs to “look more at the audience instead of facing my butt towards the audience. It’s kind of weird.”

Claudia Berroa, a junior and first-year drama student, loves being on stage and performing in theater, but realizes that she needs to be louder during performances.

“I know that I’m really quiet.” she said, and her critiques also extend to the theater program as a whole. She says they should stop “being on our cell phones” and “putting more feeling” into their roles.

Berroa is not alone in these sentiments, and even theater veterans seem to think that things need to change in order to put on a successful musical. According to senior Rayne Mejia, many of the cast members are not putting enough effort into the production. “There are kids that want to try, and kids that don’t want to try,” Mejia said, “It’s because no one’s passionate about acting and singing and theater. That’s ok, not everyone’s cut out for that. The ones who are, you can tell who they are.”

The cast of “A Waitress in Yellowstone” acknowledges that they have a lot of work to do before their April 19 debut, and the following shows until the 21.

When: April 19-21 Where: HHS Auditorium Tickets: $5

Where can I buy tickets?

Jeff Pittard’s room, Room 129

3

1 Anthony Cabana, Claudia Berroa, Jacob Nieto and Jasmine Dokes sing in unison to a melody from “A Waitress in Yellowstone.”

2

Students take their turn in the spotlight while practicing a song for the upcoming play.

3

Jacob Harwell holds a steering wheel and Chey Worthington practices her lines under the watchful eye of director Jeff Pittard. | Photos by Alex Morrison

Hands-on performance Jorge Garcia @HHSTodayOnline They have traveled all over Florida, they dance and perform at various locations, and there is one thing that sets them apart from other dance groups: all the performers are either deaf or blind.

They come from the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, and their next stop is Hillsborough.

American Sign Language teacher Rhonda Leslie has been working with the school for about three years. This year Hillsborough will host its show. Leslie is in charge of preparing three places where they can dance and inviting people to

2

1

come and watch. Leslie has invited special needs units and other schools across the district with ASL programs. “It’s going to be a great social interaction,” Leslie said.

Leslie hopes everyone who decides to attend the performance leaves with an “appreciation for people who feel and see things differently.”

Leslie also wants her students to form friendships with the deaf and blind performers, and encourages them to talk with the students and even take pictures.

At the end of the performance, there will be a question and answer segment, allowing hearing

students to ask intriguing questions to the deaf performers.

“It’s not every day that kids are face to face with someone like that,” Leslie said.

Junior Peyton Johnson is also excited for the performance. “I think it’s so cool because it presents this whole different culture to a new group of people,” she said. “We saw them dance once. It was really neat”.

The performance was scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on March 29.

Also playing: OTB

On The Brink, the teen sketch comedy group featuring HHS students, is next week.

On the Brink’s Performance When: April 7-9, starts at 7 p.m.

Where: Tampa Heights Junior Civic Association 2005 N. Lamar Ave., Tampa Tickets: $5 in advance, 7 at the door

Symphonic band earns highest rating at a music performance Bianca Cegatte @BeaLovesYou2 If someone had scanned the sea of tuxedos and black dresses before the performance, they would’ve have seen a professional group of bandmates. But if their eyes lingered for a second more, the humorous energy that dominated each member of the Symphonic Band would emerge. The teasing and inside jokes created a light-hearted environment. It was almost as if the students weren’t nervous at all.

Almost.

When it came time to perform, the huge smiles that plastered their faces just seconds before became grimaces, eyebrows furrowing together. As they clutched their instruments with stern faces, director Michael Lebrias led the way onto the stage. Here, they faced a crowd of parents and other bands, but their focus was on three individual desks, where the judges sat.

Noticing the tension among his students, Lebrias kept a relaxed composure, jokingly reminding them that they had been preparing for months.

Then, they began.

The District 7 High School Concert Music Performance Assessment consisted of two parts: a performance of three songs they had been studying for three months and a sight-reading portion with two songs they had never been exposed to.

“Warming up before the performance, we were alright,” junior Ezequiel Villagomez said.

“But after, under all the pressure of those factors of MPA – being judged by professional judges – I’d say that really made us get our heads in the game. That’s what made us really focus and tighten up and really do well.”

Without any breaks, the students completed their onstage performance and were directed to a separate room where they began the sight-reading evaluation.

In the sight-reading, the students received a march, a faster and more upbeat piece, and an overture, a more varied and lyrical piece. Lebrias

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March 2016

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1

With his eyes focused on his director, junior Nick Gonzalez plays his euphonium. | Photos by Bianca Cegatte

2

Senior Trevor Casey tunes his flute section, consisting of Atiya Simmons and Caroline Moreno.

3

Lebrias and his band practice on stage prior to their superior performance.

3

Symphonic strikes superior was given a few minutes to run through the music with the band. His students could finger the instruments and hum and whistle the tunes, but playing was not allowed.

Shortly after their examination, the band went back into the buses, anticipating the results Lebrias would eventually announce. Although their faces were awash with relief, the students were still on-edge and they spent much of their time reviewing their performances.

“We were out of tune the whole time,” junior Juan Cortes said.

“Just, oh my God,” sophomore Alex Lankford said. “This was so bad. I screwed up so much.”

“We weren’t really listening to other instru-

ments,” Villagomez said.

Suddenly, someone yelled.

“Lebrias is coming!”

The bus fell silent.

Once the news was announced — that the band had received straight superiors for the first time in years — the students lept from their seats.

There was hooting, hollering and whistling.

Some students simply sat, cradling their heads in their hands. Lebrias beamed with pride.

When asked why they thought they received such a high rating, the band seemed to unanimously agree. Shouts of “Lebrias!” rang throughout the bus.

“Without Lebrias,” junior Warden Jimenez said, “we would’ve been sitting with ones. Twos and ones across the board.”

The effervescence didn’t falter, not even for a second, on the ride back to Hillsborough. Packing up their instruments in the band room that night, the students excitedly discussed their results and seniors posed for one last MPA picture with satisfied smiles.

“I’m really happy,” senior Jordan Peterson said. “This is my last year and we eventually got this. Go Lebrias, you rock. Love you, Pops.”

Snap-Swap

Students as well as teachers have fun with the new snapchat face swap filter.

From left: Trevor Casey and teacher Mike Mikulec, Krista Tavera and Albert Perez, Diego Suazo and Daniel Posada, Courtney Boback and Ezequiel Villagomez, Pearl Obioha and Jordan Meeks.

12 March 2016

life

Red & Black

Adultology: Employment Edition

Last month, [r&b] magazine brought you a how-to guide about the responsibilities associated with adulthood. This month, we bring you a guide to getting employed.

Find a job

Ask people you know. Friends, family members, teachers and other people you know are the best resources for finding a job.

Attend professional events. Professional events can include charities and events hosted by professional organizations. Make sure to speak with many people and to take note of their contact information for a follow-up.

Use LinkedIn. After making a profile, you will be able to search the market based on interests, university and qualifications.

Be sure to connect with various managers.

Find a recruiter. Many companies have

recruiters that will search job networks such as LinkedIn and job boards. These recruiters are paid to find employees so make sure to contact them as you may be able to fill their slot.

Check a job board. Job boards are an online resource where you can put your qualifications, skills, interests,and past jobs so that employers will be able to contact you. However, most employers receive overwhelming responses to their job ads so make sure you have a standout application by using a eye-catching headline.

Your Name

1st

Position at Institution/Brief Description Location | Field of Work

Current

Name of Institution

Previous

Name of Institutions

Education

Degree at Institution

100+

Send a message

Email Phone

matureusername@gmail.com yourname@institution.com 813.276.5620

Website

connections

Portfolio/Personal Website Blog Company website

Write a resume

Choose a resume format. There are three main resume formats which can be used depending on the type of job: chronological, functional and combination. A chronological resume is the preferred format for most employers. Your resume should be one page.

Write your contact information. This is the most important part of the resume so employers know how to get in contact with you if they are interested in hiring you. Make sure to include your name, cell number, email and address.

Write a job objective statement. Before you start the other components of a resume, be sure to write a job objective statement which states what position you are looking for and the level of responsibility you want. This should be ten words or less.

Include your summary of qualifications.

This section should show what skills you have to offer this employer.

Include work experience. Include previous jobs that you think are relevant to the job you are applying for. If the resume is a general resume, include the jobs you spent the most time at or had the most valuable experiences at.

Include achievement statements. These statements should tell the employer why you should either receive an interview or the job.

Include your education. List your education and include the college degrees that you have earned.

Include community service and skills. If there is space, include various community service projects and activities that pertain to the job you’re looking for as well as skills that make you unique for the position.

Rock the interview

“Put what you’re capable of and why you want the job but try to expand your vocabulary. Also, try to put recommendations that you can actually count on.”

-Shantelle Mills, 12

Quick resume tips If you don’t know where to start, try making a resume using one of the many available templates online.

Microsoft Word and Google Drive both have free built-in templates.

If you want to diverge from these, searching for “free resume templates” also results in some great templates ready for you to fill in.

Remember, strive for simple and elegant. You don’t want to make your possible employer’s eyes hurt.

Use fonts that are easy to read and keep the colors minimal. If you choose to manipulate font size or color, it should bew to organize the content.

Be prepared. A day before the interview, be sure to research the company, its values and its mission statement. Prepare questions to ask the interviewer after the interview is over.

Arrive early. Arrive 10-15 minutes early to your interview location so that you can find the designated building or room that your interview will be held in.

Greet the interviewer. Be sure to thank the interviewer for meeting with you.

Introduce yourself and give the interviewer a firm handshake.

Maintain eye contact. When answering every question, be sure to maintain eye contact to convey confidence and respect to the interviewer.

Be polite. Always use titles (Mr., Mrs., etc.) when referring to your interviewer unless asked otherwise.

Ask your questions. Ask the questions you prepared in advance but do not repeat questions that were already answered during the interview.

Thank the interviewer. Thank the interviewer again for taking time to interview you.

Write a thank-you letter. Write a thankyou letter or email to your interviewer immediately after your interview. This step will make you stand out to the company as many forget to do this.

“Give your best first appearance. Use good wording and say what they want to hear.”

-Danny Rasbot, 11

“Seem confident and don’t be shaky. Don’t talk like you’re talking to your friend.”

-Udochi Alozie, 12

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March 2016

Do your taxes

What to wear to an interview Go to the company towards the end of their business hours and make note of the attire that the employees are wearing.

Dress more formally than dress code. For example, if the company’s employees dress casually, wear a suit or business casual attire.

Be neat. Make sure that you are wearing clean and ironed clothes. The clothing should fit properly and not be extra loose or extra tight.

Also be sure to have clean hair, fingernails and breath. Do not use excessive perfume, makeup or aftershave.

Make sure you have all of your tax documents. This includes student loans and transacted receipts. Anything containing financial information should be saved, preferably in an organized compact folder. You might also consider digital management. Once you fill out the W-2 forms showing the money you made and the employers you were taxed on, you’re ready to go.

Acquire the forms. Download the forms you need to file straight from the IRS website, and read the instructions of the form that caters to your needs. 1040EZ is the simplest form, and each of the forms instructions are located on the website.

Set aside a period of time to sit down and fill out those forms. You’ll need a calculator. Pass the time through the tedious math by listening to music or a rerun of a TV show.

Lastly, if filing your taxes aren’t easy to do by hand, online programs for taxing do exist, and can be found just by using google. One of the more popular services is TurboTax. As your financial situation complicates (if you make investments, for example) your tax filing procedures will also complicate.

Source: geeksonfinance.com

“Make sure you get your W-2 form and submit it. But, Turbo Tax saves money. If you want it professionally done, CPA is good.”

-Maggie Sharmah, 12

“Whatever you do, don’t wait until last minute. I didn’t file my taxes that last two years so I missed out on money. I regret putting it off.”

-Willy Cannon, 12

Read a pay stub COMPANY NAME name of the company paying you EMPLOYEE NAME

EMPLOYEE NO.

corporate equivalent of social security number

EMPLOYEE NO.

SOCIAL SECURITY NO.

PERIOD BEG.

HOURS

RATE

CURRENT AMOUNT

WITHOLDINGS DEDUCTIONS

number of billed hours

dollars per hour

earnings from specified time

taxes applied

PERIOD END

CURRENT AMOUNT

CHECK DATE

YEAR TO DATE

REGULAR OVERTIME

RET 40K

deductions from taxes on the left

total deductions since Jan. 1

AL FEDERAL SOCIAL SEC MEDICARE

your earnings from this pay cycle total amount witheld current amount minus total earnings since from this pay cycle current deductions Jan. 1

total deductions since Jan. 1

current amount minus curent deductions since Jan. 1

by Sarvika Bommakanti, Denzel Pierre and Vishwa Shah

14 March 2016

entertainment

Red & Black

‘Daredevil’: A show without fear Graphic by John Veliz

TV REVIEW

Michael Strobl @BoxDropperMike The second season of Marvel’s “Daredevil” tells two stories. One involves a new, violent vigilante called the Punisher, while the other centers around Daredevil’s (real name Matt Murdock) college girlfriend/assassin Elektra re-entering his life and bringing a deadly ninja cult known as the Hand with her.

The titular hero finds himself trying to end the Punisher’s violence and put a stop to the insanity Elektra brings into his life, while also balancing his heroic responsibilities with the responsibilities he owes to his law firm and friends.

The Punisher sections (which fully occupy the first four episodes, but continue throughout the remaining nine) are better, but the Elektra story is far from boring.

The plot of this season is not as strong as the first. The twists and surprise deaths are much more predictable.

The Elektra story also takes up the majority of season two, despite its weaknesses. The smartest decision the show makes, in terms of plot, is its careful, methodical recycling of season one villains. They are not given the same spotlight that they were previously given, but they have more cameos than they once did. This allows newer characters to receive the audience’s attention while still forcing the viewers to keep older, non-series-regular characters in mind.

The way this season is written feels like the second chapter in a trilogy and will leave audiences wanting more. It also engages the audience, forcing them to question their beliefs on what makes a

hero. Although resolving its primary conflicts, it does end on a cliffhanger.

While this tends to be frustrating, “Daredevil” delivers such a gripping story overall that its usage of the cliffhanger trope is forgivable.

“Daredevil” features some of the best acting a Marvel production has ever offered. Charlie Cox absolutely nails Matt Murdock’s charm and Daredevil’s brutality. Elden Henson makes Matt’s legal partner Foggy Nelson sarcastic but never annoying, and Deborah Ann Woll creates a Karen Page that is courageous without seeming inhuman. Elodie Young plays Elektra perfectly and captures her carefree yet tortured attitude, which plays off of Cox’s stoic Daredevil wonderfully.

The real standout is Jon Bernthal’s Punisher.

Bernthal plays a Punisher who is ruled by his own tragedy and rage, a methodical killer with good intentions. As the Punisher, Bernthal is forced to cover an entire spectrum of emotions and does so without ever seeming fake.

The music in “Daredevil” is also powerful and greatly enhances the show’s intensity. Its incorporation of heartbeats and other sounds help place the viewer in Daredevil’s shoes and accentuate the characters’ emotions and actions, as well as the setting.

The best thing about the Elektra plot is the fight scenes. “Daredevil” is a must-watch for martial arts fans because it features some of the best fight choreography I’ve ever seen. Each character has a distinct fighting style that matches his/her personality; these contrasting styles make group fight scenes particularly interesting.

Although it fails to reach the heights of season one, “Daredevil’s” second season proves that it’s still the best superhero show around. Brutal, thought-provoking and entertaining, “Daredevil’s” second season confirms that it is a show without fear.

Diverge from seeing ‘Allegiant’ MOVIE REVIEW Amber Shemesh @HHSTodayOnline While I was indeed conscious while watching “Allegiant,” I’m still not entirely sure what happened in the film.

The movie is all over the place. While the film’s usage of technology is slightly impressive, there are simply too many things going on at once.

The overwhelming amount of action occurring in every scene

masked many of the film’s crucial messages. The underlying messages of the film are very relevant to modern society and make you reconsider your stance on certain moral issues; however, while the film poses and addresses major moral questions, the one major question still remains: what kind of sadistic film director ends a film mid-scene?

I genuinely think that, in the middle of the film’s production, the director got tired of filming. The movie doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, it legitimately ends in the middle of a scene.

No further explanations or even statements regarding a fol-

low-up film were made months prior to “Allegiant’s” release.

Despite my complaints, there are a few enjoyable aspects to “Allegiant.”

For one thing, the leading actors’ onscreen chemistry and character development greatly contribute to the plot’s progression and ultimately left me rooting for these fictional characters.

More often than not, book series are better than their corresponding movie series. As a fan of the (first book of the) “Divergent” series, I knew beforehand that the “Allegiant” movie would probably be disappointing. And it was.

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March 2016

Showcasing their talent

Dancerettes host showcase to practice for future performances, raise funds to support themselves and bond together as a team

Katie Delk @HHSTodayOnline From solo performances to group ensembles, the Dancerette Showcase displayed student talent in singing, dancing, acting and spoken word poetry.

Magdalie Mexile and Odessa Churchill showcased their hiphop talent and Bollywood members Shreya Dundigalla, Mexile, Eduuy McCook and Churchill also performed a routine.

“

[The showcase] gives us a confidence boost doing the routines in front of parents and friends and is just fun and helps us to grow.

—Olivia Lane, 11

In addition to this, Maria Cisneros sang and Denzel Pierre performed an original poetry piece. Speech and Debate siblings Hugh and Tiffany Nguyen performed their duo interpretation, enabling the Dancerette Showcase to display a wide variety of talent at Hillsborough that inspired audience members.

According to sophomore Kat Bowers, the performance was “lit” and “[her] expectations were pretty high and they met it.”

The Dancerette Showcase enables the team to convey their love for dance. Team captain Summer Huey said “it’s great to be in front of encouraging people, just doing what I love.”

The team’s passion was evident in their performance; junior Diego Suazo said that as an audience member, he was “entertained the whole time.”

With several upcoming competitions and performances, this showcase prepared the girls for the challenges ahead. According to Huey, the competition season is “a whole different ball game.” “[They] are serious and we are criticized by judges,” she said.

The showcase allows them to practice for future competitions. “[The showcase] gives us a confidence boost doing the routines in

From left to right, Dancerettes Julia Slater, Alexandra Thrower, Nicole Hernandez, Mahogany Coy, Claire Hamilton and Summer Huey perform “Beating Heart” at the Dancerette Showcase. | Photo by Katie Delk front of parents and friends and is just fun and helps us to grow,” said junior Olivia Lane.

And growth is key -- Huey said that as captain, she wants “to see these girls grow as dancers, friends and people.”

But joining the team can, at first, be a frightening experience.

When Khloe Dang joined the team as a freshman, she said the experience was “a little scary because I wasn’t used to the fast pace of the team, and how to balance dance with school.”

However, the dancers soon embraced Dang as they all became a family. “I was able to meet so many hardworking and sweet girls,” she said. “It definitely taught me to develop teamwork and cooperation skills.”

The camaraderie extends past practice time. Junior Nicole

Hernandez, laughing, explained that the girls make funny faces at each other in the halls. With a grin, Lane added, “Being part of the dance team has changed my high school experience. It has helped me gain confidence and create a diverse group of friends I never would have met otherwise.”

For Huey especially, being a Dancerette has altered her high school experience. She has been on the team for four years and describes it as a “family.”

“It has made every minute of high school fun. Sometimes momma bear comes out, but I love being the captain to support and encourage the team I love as sisters.”

New coach nudges softball team to wins Alyssa Ierna @alyssaierna The Lady Terriers softball team is on its second new softball coach this season. ”It was kind of surprising because he never talked to us about it. Then one day after school, we had a meeting and were introduced to our new coach,” freshman Delaney Holloway said.

The new coach is Stan Moody, who brings three decades of experience.

“Mr. Boddie called and said ‘Hey I need you to come and give me a hand,” Moody said.

Now, Moody has the position, and is enjoying it.“I’ve been here for three weeks now and I love it,” Moody said.

“The girls are great [with a] great attitude. They work hard and I’m glad to be here.”

A regular practice with Moody starts off with the girls running around the field five to 10 times every practice. According to junior Raquel Morales, Moody has the girls do this not just to improve their softball skills, but also to better their overall health.

Towards the end of practice, they play a scrimmage game, which Morales said was to “correct little mistakes here and there and all learn together.”

The team currently has four wins and 10 losses this season, a result that Moody attributes as “getting a little nudge in the right direction.”

Next softball game: March 31, 7 p.m. vs. Tampa Bay Tech

16 March 2016

sports

Red & Black

Full sprint ahead

Faithful flag football Taking a moment before taking the field, the girls flag football team holds hands and prays. This year, every player is on the varsity team due to a lack of interested underclassmen. Players say that the smaller team makes the group dynamic stronger. | Photo by Annie Aguiar Annie Aguiar @annieinfinitely The girls flag football team held each other’s hands before they took to the field. Minutes before they began their game against Blake, they collected in a small hallway, forming a circle. Senior Shauntavia Hosey stepped into the middle and squatted down, touching the floor.

Then, as a team, they began to pray.

This year, a shortage of players prevented the team to have separate varsity and JV teams; every player plays varsity due to the shortage, including freshman linebacker Mirracle Moses.

“Everyone’s welcoming, and they teach me a lot that I have to know,” Moses said. “[Being surrounded by juniors and seniors] just makes me want to be as good as them.”

In previous years, the team was more divided. “We all got along, but we had cliques back then,” senior center Shannon Tucker said. “Only this girl and this girl would hang out, and only these girls would hang out.”

This problem was a result of a lack of interested underclassmen. “This year, we literally had two freshmen try out,” junior corner Shelicia Green said. “Our coach decided to put us all on one team like a family, and I feel like that was the perfect choice.”

Former head coach Raymond Daniels, dimissed early in the season, said that even though the team has less players than before, they’re more focused. “We used to have more girls that came out just to say that they’re out there,” he said. ”Now I have girls out there that want to play, want to learn, want to have fun.”

Tucker says that now that the team is together, they can do more than when they were separate. “Doing more defense and offense work instead of having two different teams. Trying to like switch plays and have the JV go up against the varsity and stuff like that,” she said. Tucker is the only player on the team with four years of experience.

“Over the years the girls who play together and stay together, we kind of just bring the other ones in and we’re just one big group.”

Hours before their game against Blake, the team ate dinner together in the cafeteria.

But before digging into chicken alfredo, they held each other’s hands, forming a circle.

Then, as a team, they began to pray.

Freshman Aristotle Brookins competes at the March 8 meet at King High School. | Photo by Jacob Kirchheimer Yesha Shukla @yeshaa42 Competing against nine teams, the boys and girls track team received first and second place respectively at the Western Conference meet held on March 22.

A number of qualifiers will go on to the Vernon Korhn national conference, but those who didn’t qualify at this meet still have to opportunity to go to states. All team members will be preparing for districts in April, where the state meet runners will be determined.

The team plans on taking full advantage of the roughly four weeks until the district meet. “There’s still quite a bit of time for people to improve from now till then,” senior Sarah Allen said.

Though many runners experimented with different events earlier in the season by practicing hurdles, distance and mid distance, most now know what their events will be moving forward. Some, however, are still perfecting their district lineups.

“There’s still room for some to move around,” Allen said.

To encourage student involvement, the track team offered volunteer hours for students at the Manuel Griffin track meet on Saturday, March 26. Although there won’t be future volunteer opportunities at meets, students are still encouraged to attend.

“We would like to have more people come out,” coach Sipp said. “[We] just want to encourage everyone to find interest in our sport.”

Although the dates are subject to change, “Districts is usually from April 18-22 and then regionals is usually the last week in April,” Coach Weiser said, “states always the first week in May.”

Lightning pursues playoffs Daniel Hamilton @dhamo13 The Tampa Bay Lightning are looking to repeat last year’s playoff run, a run that ended two games away from winning Lord Stanley’s Cup. As of March 27, the Lightning have 91 points and are in second place in the Atlantic Division, behind the rival Florida Panthers.

The Boston Bruins hold the third playoff spot for the Atlantic Division, with 88 points.

At this point in the season, the Lighting control its own desti-

ny, meaning that it can clinch any playoff spot solely by winning the games it has remaining. Out of the remaining seven games, the Lightning need to win at least four in order to clinch its spot in the playoffs.

“I think that we’re going to end up in second place,” senior Jeff Friedman said. “We can’t catch up to the Panthers if we keep going back and forth between losing and winning.”

The Lightning season this year has been highly inconsistent, having gone on long losing streaks in key time periods. It has also been plagued by injuries to key players, with Tyler Johnson, On-

drej Palat and Jason Garrison. “We’ve been great at times and other times not so much but all the injuries are really killing us. I think we can get into the playoffs but not a Stanley cup,” junior Andre Pyatt said.

Johnson and Palat were also a part of the “Triplets” line from last season that combined for 200 points over the course of the season. This year, they have only been able to manage 132.

However, despite these inconsistencies, the Lighting is only slightly behind last year’s pace. Right now, it’s projected to have 99 points come season’s end; last year, it finished with 108.