Red & Black, May 2014

& black

Florida’s first high school newspaper Hillsborough High School 5000 N. Central Ave. Tampa, FL 33603 May 2014 hhstoday.com @hhstodayonline Volume 114, No. 7

Viva Venezuela

A senior’s personal connection to the crisis in South America pg. 5

Talented Terriers take the stage pgs. 8-9

Pitchers left in line of fire pg. 16 (Photo by Hannah Baade)

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2news

hhstoday.com | May 2014

& black Editors-in-Chief Nikki Ferrera Ellie Rodriguez

News Editors

Entertainment Editors

Ivy Bennett-Ford Maria Roberts Kathy Xie

Vijata Patel Shelby Shoup

Opinion Editors

Life Editors

Dana Dinh Cade McCurdy

Holly Schroeder Kimberly Rampersad

Sports Editors

Photo Editors

Samantha Votzke Daniel Hamilton

Katie Frost Aleesha Mundra

dimming

41,107 seniors received Bright Futures in 2013

bright futures

21,340 seniors are expected to receive Bright Futures in 2014

Jacob Nieto, Alyssa Ierna, Jasmine Caya Correspondents After changes in Bright Futures requirements, the number of students who qualify for the Florida scholarship will be nearly cut in half.

According the the Sun-Sentinel newspaper, this year it’s expected that 21,340 seniors will recieve Bright Futures. Last year, 41,107 students recieved the merit-based scholarship.

Furthermore, in 2010, SAT and ACT requirements were raised because legislators felt the former requirements were not rigorous enough for a merit scholarship.

Graphics Editor John Veliz

Staff Writers Vincent Bencomo Sarvika Bommakanti Clayton Callison Josie Chappell Sophia Diaz-Carraway Daniel Dolford Valean Hawkins Kenni Holland Jose Leon Kourtney Melendi Monisha Pillai Vishwa Shah

In 2008, 1/3 students qualified for Bright Futures

According to the Florida College Access Network, an advocacy group affiliated with the University of South Florida, currently, only 1/8 students quality.

Adviser Joe Humphrey, MJE

Principal

26 22

1170

1020

Johan von Ancken

www.hhstoday.com

ACT

briefly

The 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 to Room 506 or to the Red & Black, 5000 N. Central Ave., Tampa, Fla. 33603.

Advertising content is subject to approval of the editorial board. The 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 HHSToday.com, All-Florida, 2013-14

SAT

In order to qualify for the Medallion scholarship for $2,300 a year, seniors must score at least 26 on the ACT or an 1170 on the SAT. Former requirements were at least a 22 on the ACT or a 1020 on the SAT.

“I think Its unfortunate but it weeds out the people that don’t try as hard.”

- Ferriss Thomsen, 11

“I’m not surprised because it’s lockstep with all other policies regarding educational funding.”

- Daniel Driscoll, guidance counselor

“I think that it’s awful. It could mean bad things for our future graduating students. More people should be in college.”

- Tierica Green, 11

Canned food drive aims to raise awareness For Girl Scouts in high school, the Gold Award is the highest honor they can receive.

Junior Amanda Bachmann is currently trying to get her Gold Award; she started a canned food drive that ran during March throughout the school.

“I’ve always been interested in trying to solve hunger in Tampa

Bay,” Bachmann said.

Bachmann also hopes to inspire other people to do more than just donate. “There’s so much more people can do, from volunteering their time, to writing to our Congressman, to donating more on their own.”

- Samantha Votzke

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May 2014 | hhstoday.com

Unequal pay for equal work Maria Roberts News Editor Fifty-one years after President John F. Kennedy saw the passing of the Equal Pay Act in 1963, women are receiving unequal pay in 2014.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2012 for every dollar earned by an employed man, an employed woman earned 81 cents.

In comparison to 1979 when women earned 61 cents for every man’s dollar, this is an improvement, but the ratio is still unequal

Serving the community

across the board.

The distribution of women to possible occupations is unequal as well as reported by the National Pay Task Force in 2013.

According to the Task Force in 1960 the leading occupation for women was being a private household worker with secretarial positions as a close second. 20 years later secretarial positions took the lead. In 2010, secretarial and administrative assistant positions were once again the leading occupation for women.

Maven Chase, a junior, said, “Women should be able to get paid equally.” That sentiment is shared by the president, as evident by his recent executive action.

President Barack Obama has stated that he will back a woman’s right to equal pay and use his power to enforce it. He made remarks on April 8 saying that “Equal pay for equal work. It’s not that complicated.”

That same day President Obama released the executive order “Non-Retaliation for Disclosure of Compensation Information” which would protect women’s right to discuss their payment with their employers. “I’m going to do my small part right now by signing this executive order and presidential memoranda,”

Kathy Xie News Editor

Camp Jenny Makeover Paint your heart how Volunteers Mondays out, Tampa! provide underprivileged children with howStudents clean up and refurbish how Volunteers paint the opportunity to attend a sleepaway camp at URJ Camp Coleman in Cleveland, Georgia.

neglected areas of campus. Mondays they meet in Room 532.

houses and clean yards of low-income, elderly citizens. The 2014 “Paint Day” was April 26.

why “It’s a good

why “We should

why “We get the oppor-

experience; we provide [the kids] food and clothing and also fun activities.”

–Samuel Khmarin, 11

have pride in our school.

We shouldn’t want it to look disgusting.”

–Ruby Martin, 12

ASL Idol Silent students sign songs

tunity to help people who can’t help themselves. [The senior citizens] always appreciate it.”

–Erik Ekendiz, 11

Win + Win = Nationals Mu Alpha Theta members pose triumphantly after placing in the top 10 and winning a trip to nationals.

(Submitted photo)

he said. The Executive Order is one of many devices being employed to allow women to negotiate with their employers about their pay and to find out if their pay is equal to their male colleagues.

In addition, the White House released that President Obama would instruct the Labor Department to enforce stricter regulations that would force employers to include gender and age in their reports.

The Department of Labor will no longer put pressure on employers following the regulations and only focus on the businesses with inconsistencies in their data.

The same week, Congress voted on the proposed Paycheck Fairness Act. It will not be passed. The only stride towards greater equality in pay is the executive order Obama issued.

Senior Dasia Darms said, “I don’t think it’s a problem,” regarding equal pay for women. “I don’t understand why women can’t be treated equally still.”

The fight for equal pay has been going on for over half a century, but the statistics show that women still earn less then men.

Mu Alpha Theta placed in the top 10 overall in the state in April, advancing to nationals for the first time since 1998.

“Our overall results show how hard our students worked this year. Every single participant did something to help the team overall,” co-sponsor Elizabeth Funk said.

Sophomore Mauricio Rivera-Condori tied for first in Alpha pre-calculus individuals and was awarded $250.

“I was honestly lucky that I got an easy test, so I could get

Clockwise from top left: Signing in unison, junior Christina Loomis and sophomore Brianna Hall perform “Reflection” from the Disney movie “Mulan.”

Juniors Amari Jones and Briana Johnson dance during the instrumental portion of a Chris Brown song.

Telling the crowd to “put their hair down,” sophomore Hillary Gonzalez makes the sign for “relax” while performing “Put Your Records On” by Corrine Bailey Rae.

Photos by Dana Dinh a perfect score [and] hardly put any work in,” Rivera-Condori said. “I’m hopefully going to place top five at nationals along with Benny [Lin] and Jacob [Leuthhold].” The Alpha team, consisting of Kamil Taneja, Rivera-Condori, Lin and Leuthhold, placed fourth.

Senior Samuel Russell tied for first in speed math and placed third in calculus sequences and series.

-Dana Dinh

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4news

hhstoday.com | May 2014

UCF fraternity discrimination

Rays endangered

l a c lo

Twenty-seven games into the season, the Tampa Bay Rays are stuck in a three-game losing streak. The team’s season is in jeopardy, with three-fifths of their starting rotation on the disabled list.

“[The Rays] just need to try to win as much as they can until their starting pitchers come back, because that’s what they rely on.”

–Anthony Azpeitia, 9

George Dumont, a sophomore at the University of Central Florida, stated that a fraternity kept him from joining because of his sexual orientation. Dumont, who is openly gay, is using social media to plead his case. He recently posted a YouTube video discussing how he was kicked out of the pledging process before he was initiated into the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.

“I think this is amazing. I can’t believe [an American hasn’t won] in such a long time. It’s a great accomplishment for us as Americans.”

n o i t na

–Shemar Lester, 12

e

“That’s not cool. They shouldn’t discriminate based on something like sexual orientation.”

–Taylor Anderson, 12

Boston runners triumphant after tragedy

Boston, Mass.

One year after the bombing of the Boston Marathon, runners returned to the race on April 21. For most of the runners, the marathon had nothing to do with competition, but rather to unite to overcome the tragedy that marred the previous year’s race. Meb Keflezighi won the race, the first American to do so since the 1970s.

stat

South Korean ferry capsizes Disaster struck on April 16 when a ferry carrying high school students going on a field trip sank off the coast of South Korea. The death toll currently rests at 210, with 92 passengers still missing. The incident is the worst maritime disaster in the country since 1993.

Jeju, South Korea

“It’s sad, because a lot of the victims were students. A lot of families are either missing their sons or daughters or know they are dead.”

–Ethan Kim, 11

wor

ld -Kathy Xie

JROTC awards ceremony recognizes students The JROTC program held its spring awards ceremony on April 15.

The school administration, along with sergeants from across the state of Florida attended the ceremony in the auditorium. The event occurs twice a year, every time the cadets receive

promotions.

Students were given awards in categories such as academic achievement, outstanding contributions to the team and exceptional leadership skills.

-Kathy Xie

“I enjoyed [the ceremony]; it was nice. It motivated people to achieve things they normally wouldn’t think of.”

–Matthew Pancoast, 11

Venezuela’s Voice

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May 2014 | hhstoday.com

SGA runs supply drive for victims of the crisis to support students such as Paola Silva-Perdomo country to come to America. Yet things have changed, beIvy Bennett-Ford come more violent under Maduro.

News Editor “I still consider it my home,” Silva-Perdomo said of VeneCanned food, medical supplies, reams of copy paper.

That’s what Anna Paz asked for of Hillsborough’s students zuela. “It has all of my memories, my family and friends in it.”

As a result of the cultural shock at the age of 7, she has every morning for two weeks. Why? To aid Venezuelans absorbed in a violent military conflict with Nicolas Maduro’s difficulty identifying with any one place: America or a Venezuela “that doesn’t exist.” government.

If you do go to visit, Silva-Perdomo says, it is imperative The drive was conducted by SGA’s president, Paz. She admits that she was a little worried for a while. After a week and that one does not speak English, or wear American clothes, a half, it seemed as though no one had donated anything, so jewelry, or even take out a cell phone. If she were to, on the SGA pitched in supplies. And that was only as much as 22 few occasions that she’s visited her homeland, Silva-Perdomo would run the risk of kidnap and people could bring in. By the end of the drive, Silva-Perdomo speaks at a Venezuela Suncoast “It’s difficult to try to voice subsequent ransom. According Paola the only supplies donated were from SGA Association rally in support of the Venezuelan people. members; the connection to Hillsborough stuyour opinion when you know to Silva-Perdomo, the people of (Photos by Hannah Baade) Venezuela live disparate, povertydents seemed to be absent. the consequence is more stricken lives that the government Her voice for those who cannot speak Student, activist, Venezuelan has not been able to relieve.

In addition to poverty, Venezuelans suffer in silence. Acviolent than can be cording to Silva-Perdomo, the recent violence between MadThe drive was inspired by another student. expressed in words.” uro’s administration and citizens has forced the people into When Paola Silva-Perdomo left her home a kind of global “isolation.” They’re prohibited from having in Venezuela in -Paola Silva-Perdomo, 12 2003, she and her Hugo Chavez, the late former access to the media, and therefore the world. That’s why SGA family did not experience the president of Venezuela, came to power in 1999 in order to collected stationary and copy paper: so the protestors could American Dream. It was not reallocate the wealth gleaned through oil production. Ven- write about what they are experiencing.

“It is difficult to try to voice your opinion when you know an adventure, either. Silva- ezuela is responsible for a huge portion of South America’s Perdomo’s mother’s name oil production; the recent political turmoil has prevented that the consequence is more violent than can be expressed in was published on a list of other wealth from being disseminated. Consequently, Venezuelans words,” said Silva-Perdomo.

Silva-Perdomo says that the most difficult part is to go to a outspoken anti-Chavez citizens live in poverty. To further aggravate the situation, Nicolas after participating in a general Maduro, Chavez’s successor, has responded to any call for school where such things as revolution are nearly inconceivstrike; fearing the change with violence. As of March 2014, 28 people had died able.

Yet there are those, like Paz, who can comprehend a little worst, the small in street warfare, according to the BBC. family The US has not been able to alleviate the situation. Rela- bit. Paz reasons that “her family experienced the same thing f l e d tions between it and Venezuela have been volatile at best since with Castro in Cuba,” and “Paola is a good friend,” so support t h e the death of Chavez. Venezuela blames the US for the persis- for Venezuelans as her service project seemed only natural.

On the verge of tears, Silva-Perdomo admits that she feels tence of the opposition within the South American country, which to some extent is true; the US funded the opposition as the situation in Venezuela has reached “rock bottom” and that the “only place to go is up.” it embarked on this latest coup de etat.

Why Venezuela is the way it is

AP to ‘rock out’ new position downtown Assistant Principal Jeremy Klein is headed downtown.

On Tuesday, Klein was appointed supervisor of charter schools. His new position, which he is “very excited” for, entails overseeing 48 charter schools and more than 18,000 students in the district.

Klein originally applied for the position

in December, but then pulled his application.

By the spring however, the spot had still not been filled so Klein re-entered his submission. His last day is May 9, and his position will be advertised starting May 1. He explained, “I’ve always wanted to be downtown it’s just a little earlier than planned.”

-Ellie Rodriguez

Take the HELM, sail away HELM (Hillsborough Esthetic Literary Magazine) will be going on sale in May. The magazine, which is composed entirely of student-submitted art, poetry, and prose, will be available for pre-sale prices of $8.

When the print copies arrive the magazine will be available for $10. HELM has

been a part of Hillsborough’s history for about 56 years, publishing and giving a voice to the school’s artists and writers.

Editor-in-chief Aaren Zhu said “I’m really proud of how the magazine turned out this year.”

-Samantha Votzke

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6 opinion hhstoday.com | May 2014

Cheaters do prosper

editorials

You know when it’s happening. You see the eyes flit, whether it’s across the chasm between your desk and theirs or to the phone hidden in an easily accessible location.

You recognize it when someone returns from a bathroom trip and suddenly seems to know exactly how to solve the bonus equation. You recognize the cheater, you realize what’s happening.

You see this other person artificially boosting their score well above what it should be — and what do you do? Like so many others – you do nothing.

You remain silent, the cheaters escape. Revealing their secret is equivalent to social suicide, and you as the informant have been labeled a snitch, a whistleblower, society’s hated “tattle-tale.”

Cheating occurs on a daily basis, is witnessed by many, but somehow still goes completely under the radar because people don’t report it.

From a young age, it’s drilled into students’ heads that cheating is wrong. It’s even a part of the Hillsborough County Student Handbook. Despite its ubiquity, many cases of cheating go unreported, even when witnessed by people who would never cheat on a test in a million years. The people who cheat on tests are then rewarded for their rule breaking and often score higher than those who work hard to earn their grades.

The social stigma around “snitching” and “tattletelling” keep the observers from saying anything. This

negative connotation of telling on people is Why doesn’t anybody developed from birth, say something? even by our parents.

Most parents have told their children not to tattle at some point, and from then on, children are afraid to “snitch” on other students.

Students shouldn’t have to worry about the social stigma of turning in a cheater. Turning in an offending student isn’t committing a crime; cheating is.

In baseball, a pitcher can’t have foreign subIllustration by John Veliz stances on him without being suspended. Soccer players can’t illegally get the with their academic misconduct. You shouldn’t allow ball in the goal without being penalized. As a society, we someone to use your hard work for their advantage. You don’t excuse cheating in sports, especially professional shouldn’t let cheaters cheat off of your peers either.

Regardless of who they are cheating off of, the outones. Why is it condoned in academics, especially with come is unfair to the entire class. The tables need to the cutthroat competition for college admission?

People are always going to cheat. As high school stu- turn in favor of students who actually study for tests. dents, this is something that we cannot control. How- In order to do this, we, as students, need to turn in ever, we can control whether or not cheaters get away cheaters.

SGA is underappreciated

SGA poses for a picture in sponsor Samantha Caldwell’s classroom. Throughout the year, members have planned many school activities, including Homecoming, pep rallies, freshman orientation and Makeover Monday. (Photo by Sarvika Bommakanti)

Few members of our school are as underappreciated as our Student Government Association. Every year, Hillsborough has a Homecoming. We have pep rallies, an open house, freshman orientation, a welcome back brunch for the teachers and school sponsored charity events — all because SGA plans them.

After an event, students often point out everything they thought was poorly planned. When Homecoming is hot and a bit crowded, it’s easy to point fingers and blame SGA. The staff of Red & Black is just as guilty of this as any other student, but our criticisms are published.

We have ignored the success of an event and criticized the smaller details. So what if it’s hot at Homecoming? We live in Florida.

The amount of time and energy it takes to plan these events is often forgotten in a whiny haze of complaints. The Homecoming Dance for next year is already in its final stages of organization. SGA still planned it after the inundation of ridicule after the most recent

Read more about SGA’s activities on page 3 dance. Students may complain because they don’t want to actually thank SGA for their hard work.

We are all guilty of sitting in a pep rally and pointing out what’s wrong with it. Many students are guilty of skipping them as well.

Pep rallies are organized to inspire a sense of pride in attending Hillsborough High School. A reason to say “Go Big Red” whenever we can. Without those pep rallies, we might not be able to show our teams that we are rooting for them; that we take pride in their victories as a school.

SGA members are the protectors of our school spirit. They never stop cheering us all on.

It is time for the members of SGA to be recognized by the students for their hard work. It is time we cheered for them.

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COUNTER

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opinion7 May 2014 | hhstoday.com

Are teachers or students at fault for the lack of student motivation?

You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink.

Many argue that teachers do not do enough to motivate their students. At first glance, this seems plausible. With the number of students that do not end up graduating from high school, there are only so many conclusions one can draw. However, society must come to terms with the realization that the only person that can motivate you is yourself.

Teachers stand as the pinnacle of assistance and encouragement. It is the job of a teacher to motivate their students and provide them with the help they need. But there is a certain point where a line must be drawn. As students grow up and enter higher grades, it becomes their responsibility to take charge of their own lives.

In the working world, there will be no matronly figure to hand out treats to those who performed better than others. Success is the best reward, and it is a student’s job to take matters into their own hands and do the best they can with what they are given.

It is true that not every student lives in the ideal, nurturing household. Some may have been brought up in environments where education is not emphasized. Yet, everyone has a mountain to climb and it is up to the individual to rise above obstacles and meet the mark.

Schools provide students with a plethora of resources. Libraries, review sessions, student tutoring and teacher assistance are all made available. The real problem is not that teachers aren’t doing enough, but that unmotivated students lack initiative.

It is easy to play the blame-game where failure is concerned, but it’s time to stop questioning our teachers and instead question our students.

-Monisha Pillai

STUDENTS

At a first glance, it may seem that schools are providing extensive opportunities for those who lack motivation. But when the question is truly considered, the answer is absolutely not.

School defines the early years of your life. It should shape and motivate you. Many may argue that people create their own destiny and that schools shouldn’t help unmotivated students.

The best place for them to receive encouragement and help them become motivated is school.

School is the place to shake unmotivated students of that their apathetic attitudes.

Back in kindergarten, teachers encouraged us to do our best. As we get older, the encouragement becomes apathy, until teachers only care enough to make students pass an exam.

Another problem with the education system is that teachers gravitate towards those who do not need assistance. Instead, they should focus on the students who chew on their pencils with blank stares on their faces.

There needs to be more opportunities for unmotivated students that aren’t purely educational and can help them understand all of the benefits of an education. Seminars, one-on-one meetings, anything can help these students as long as they are held consistently.

There is such a huge gap in education that ha separates the motivated from the unmotivated. Instead of widening that gap, school should push uninterested students to the other side of the spectrum.

The most important part of the teacher’s job is to provide encouragement and motivation to those who desperately need it. If teachers continue to not fulfill this part of their job, unmotivated students will continue to be left behind.

-Sarvika Bommakanti

TEACHERS

Taco Bell brings breakfast ads to the table Vijata Patel Commentary Taco Bell’s new breakfast advertisements display an entirely different way to promote their new additions to the menu. They have created an ad campaign that blatantly bashes McDonald’s with the intention of becoming the leader in fast-food breakfast.

The first advertisements include a montage of men named Ronald McDonald from around the country eating the new items and proclaiming their love for it.

Another advertisement, my personal favorite and appropriately named “Get with the Times,” shows a man singing to the tune of “Old McDonald Had a Farm.” He revamps his entire life to become modern after quitting his signature Egg McMuffin breakfast. The song is quite comical and catchy: people will definitely remember it.

Taco Bell itself has been growing in popularity since the birth of the “Doritos Locos Taco,” specifically among teenagers using social media. Taco Bell frequently responds to tweets it is

tagged in with clever replies. As someone who follows Taco Bell on Twitter, I always enjoy seeing this type of interaction from companies. For example @mattvogelphoto tweeted, “So it’s true what they say, if you love someone you should buy them taco bell,” to which Taco Bell replied, “That’s how you know it’s real.”

They have also used the recent YouTube craze to promote their restaurant. YouTube sensations such as Tyler Oakley have conversations with Taco Bell’s Twitter account and also slide in nonchalant comments during their videos. Fans of these famous YouTubers tend to follow the leader and enjoy what their favorite celebrities do.

Besides the anti-McDonalds ad campaign and the usage of social media, Taco Bell also created a clothing line in collaboration with The Hundreds. One of my favorites is the pair of socks with tacos on it. This kind of clothing is, for some strange reason, extremely popular. Wearing clothing that is unusual and expressive is a huge trend.

Due to these creative ways ads for their new breakfast line,

Taco Bell has been successful. The actual food, however, receives mixed reviews. Many say it isn’t as promising as the advertisements say, yet others would eat it every day if possible. It’s safe to say that Taco Bell’s breakfast line would undoubtedly flop and fail without its advertisement team.

“Buenos días Taco Bell”

Illustration by John Veliz

Got Talent

hhstoday.com | April 2014

Featured from left

LUCY GUTIERREZ, 11

Singing and playing the piano “I’ve been doing it my entire life and I really love doing it.”

MITCHELL WATSON, 12 REPRESENTING DRUM LINE

Drumming “Our set is a mix between what everyone is used to seeing, but with a twist.”

BRANDI MARTIN, 9

Singing “I love to sing and it’s a great opportunity.”

DIELISA VILLATORO AND JORDAN MEEKS, 12 AND 10

Singing “We’re singing “All of Me” as a duet.”

MARCOS CORONADO AND CARLA MARCHI, 11

Singing and playing the piano “We wanted to have fun and sing a song that defines us as a couple.”

ALEX LEE-QUACH, 11

Gloving “I’m doing it because I couldn’t do it last year.”

KHIA WILSON AND JERMEKA HAMILTON, 11

Singing Hamilton: “I felt like I just wanted to be a part of something for school and to raise money for our senior class.”

MADISON STUART AND KALEY BARBARA, 10

Singing and playing the piano

DESMOND JOHNSON, 10

Singing “I wanted to do something original instead of singing somebody’s song I already know. I wanted to go down my own route.”

GINA PAMPLONA, 11

Singing “I always sing and I actually want to make a career out of it so I want to get as much experience as I can.”

focus9

CADE MCCURDY, 10

Contortionist “That’s my only talent and someone convinced me to join the show.”

SARAH LUCKER, 11

Singing “I sang [“Rolling in the Deep”] at karaoke with a friend and my mom told me if I sing it for the talent show she would buy me Frozen, so I said okay.”

SHIVANI RAMESH, 9

Clarinet “I really like the song “Let it Go” and wanted to perform at the talent show.”

EMILEE SMITH, 12

Dancing “Everyone here knows I’m a dancer but no one has really seen me dance, so I asked for help from Mr. Matt on a solo.”

April 2014 | hhstoday.com

MARKESIA CLERKLEY, 10

SAMANTHA PAZ, 11

VINNY RUIA AND VALERIA RIGOBON, 11

Not pictured: Tanoka Hicks, Kera Berrien, Lizbeth Villanueva

Singing “I really like Demi Lovato and I really like how the video and the lyrics go along about myself.”

Singing and playing the guitar “We’ve been doing this since freshman year.”

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8 focus

Hillsborough’s

Playing the ukulele and singing “[“Sweet Pea”] it’s not a song that a lot of people know, but you can put many twists to it put a ‘50s twist to it so it sounds really cool.”

Talent show need-to-know When: Where: Time: Cost:

Friday, May 2 Auditorium 7 p.m. $5

JACQUELINA MARTINEZ, 9

Singing “I love to perform in front of big audiences.”

ALEXIS BOBACK AND JORDAN DYER, 12

Singing and playing guitar Boback: “We’ve done duos in the past and as our last talent show as seniors we should perform once more.”

Dyer: “We’ve done it together before and we thought it’ll be fun to do again.”

KJK AND THE BOYS, 11

Dancing Kassandra Rogers: “We’re dancing to a few different songs like “Nay Nay” and “It Won’t Stop.””

NIKKI ONEAL, 10

Singing “I did the talent show last year but I was a group. I want to do it by myself to get over my stage fright.”

-Compiled by Kourtney Melendi, Vijata Patel, Clay Callison, John Veliz, Shelby Shoup and Aleesha Mundra, Ellie Rodriguez , Nikki Ferrera and Ben Muschol.

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10 entertainment hhstoday.com | May 2014

Two Swords

deal a sharp blow

The Lannister House: rich, powerful and running the kingdom from behind the scenes

House Stark has lost more than any other house in the events of Game of Thrones yet still shows no sign of being held back from its goals

The Baratheon House: a broken house with only one true remaining heir, harbors a deadly force to be reckoned with guard, now with only his left hand.

Jose Leon Prince Oberyn enters the capital and TV Review Game of Thrones returned on April 6 admits his intent for revenge. Perhaps most with its Season 4 premiere “Two Swords.” intriguing new element, however, is the deBy far the most popular premiere in recent teriorating relationship between Daenerys memory, the episode raked in 6.6 million and her dragons as they grow older.

George R.R. Martin, creator of the viewers in its initial airing alone. The follow-up episode “The Lion and the Rose” books, has written full episodes for promanaged to bring back almost as many ducers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. “I don’t read the books but I think it’d be betwith 6.3 million tuning in on April 13.

Let’s look at this hit series from a more ter if the creators didn’t change too much,” subjective point of view. “Two Swords” was commented Jephte Blanchard, a sophonearly perfect in tying up all the loose ends more. While the show has held closely to its source material, it of Season 3. We found “All the extra stuff got has also shied away out what happened to Theon after being shaved off, and I can’t say I’m in some prominent instances. So, until tortured for days on upset with that,” we get deeper into the end by Ramsay Snow; - Humberto Payero-Hilario, 9 season, nobody but we learned that Arya continued travelling with the Hound af- the writers can know for sure.

The new season shows the same promter witnessing The Red Wedding. Pretty much every small storyline that needed to ise and rate of growth as its predecessors. be wrapped up was given an ending. “All With the new and interesting dynamic set the extra stuff got shaved off, and I can’t say in place by Daenerys’s constant struggles I’m upset with that,” mentioned freshmen plus the increasingly malleable state of the throne, fans can expect a rollercoastHumberto Payero-Hilario.

Of course, “Two Swords” didn’t only er of action and drama while they watch focus on plot resolution though. Plenty of their favorite characters play the game of new elements were brought into the mix in thrones. order to create the plot for this new season.

Jaime resumes his position in the Kings-

TTRANCENDENCE RANCENDENC

Vince Bencomo Movie Review What does it mean to be human? Do we have the moral authority to create intelligence, even if it isn’t alive? Transcendence provides imaginative answers to these questions and delivers a disturbingly possible outcome of a worldwide takeover of an artificial intelligence, while moving away from the traditional story of the “hostile takeover” of the machines.

The story is centered on Dr. William Caster (Johnny Depp), a brilliant researcher in the field of artificial intelligence who dreams of creating a program capable of sentient and independent thought. He and his fellow researcher and wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) host a conference outlining

this dream, when a member of the terrorist organization known as RIFT, who are opposed to all forms of artificial intelligence, shoots and critically wounds Caster with a poisoned bullet. A time crunch of the following weeks show Caster slowly dying of the poison and this leads him and his colleagues to decide to splice his conscious with an existing AI. The outcome was an all knowing, sentient, computer program.

Transcendence was a great movie that outranks anything I’ve seen for a while. I won’t spoil the ending but his decision shocked myself and everyone in the theater (I could hear the gasps), and It left me questioning whether or not our dependence and love of technology is safe in terms of the survival of our species.

Mad about

Mad Men

Daniel Dolford TV Review From Sinatra to the Beatles, “classy” to “groovy,” Sterling Cooper to SC&P, and a gripping premiere to a tragic ending; Mad Men has shown us each of these gradual transformations, and has executed them flawlessly.

However, it seems that the golden age of advertising will conclude in the show’s current 7th season.

The premiere of our final venture on Madison Avenue aired on April 13, and I must say, it was the farthest thing from disappointing.

“Seriously, I love this show. If the rest of the season is gonna be like this, it might be the best one,” said sophomore Yaniel Velez.

Without revealing too much about the season itself, let’s just take a look at what’s in store for the main cast of characters to witness this year: Nixon taking office, Neil Armstrong treading on the moon, Woodstock, the Stonewall Riots and the Manson family murders.

Quite a lot to take in for anyone living in that

time period.

By ending our experience of such a memorable era now, we avoid the potential woes of a great show running past it’s time.

Whether it’s the little things, the unforgettable cast, the deep connection you feel that only specific shows can produce, or just observing the progression from the glamour of the early-1960s to the ever-present taboo behavior and trends of the early-1970s, one thing is certain: this show in its entirety is a modern work of art, set in a period of modern art’s origins and its sudden rise to prominence in American culture, which creates much more than just something to watch on TV. At this point, all I have left to say is that I highly encourage all fans to treasure each episode in this season, as masterpieces (especially regarding television) are very rare.

Cherish each final moment of Don Draper’s world; there might not be another show like this for quite some time.

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entertainment11 May 2014 | hhstoday.com

Every year, USF manages to snag some upcoming artists to perform for the finale of their USF Week. But on April 11, this year’s festivities ended with a bang with killer performances from pop-duo Karmin, emo-core veterans Panic! at the Disco, and the brooding rap-rock group The Neighborhood. The trio pleased fans and concert-goers alike with their diversity from one another. It’s not often that you precede dark ballads with dance anthems of the century.

“It was pretty crazy; there were crowd surfers.

I got kicked in the head.”

-Madison Stuart, 10

Move over, Ellen Degeneres Vishwa Shah Staff Writer If your Facebook news feed wasn’t flooded with snaps of the green carpet and selfies with Hrithik Roshan last weekend, you probably aren’t friends with many Indians.

Known to some as the Bollywood equivalent of the Oscars, The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards was held at the Raymond James Stadium on April 26.

For the first time ever, the Indian-American community had the opportunity to host the IIFA awards in the United States; namely Tampa.

Big Guava Fest

Bullstock

Shelby Shoup and John Veliz Entertainment Editor and Graphic Editor

Several bands and artists have made Tampa their concert hotspot for the months of April and May

soon

Three days, four stages and 41 bands.

The first annual Big Guava Fest is making a splash at the Florida State Fairgrounds and the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre from May 3-5. It is projected to draw in massive throngs, with an abundance of Outkast, Vampire Weekend and Foster the People fans.

Offering an array of rides, food trucks and every sub-genre of indie under the sun, Big Guava is sure to attract the attention of any self-proclaimed eccentric.

“[Vampire Weekend] is a pretty good band. They’re in it for the music, not the money.”

-Hank Hilton, 10

With the excitement of the Oscars come and gone, Tampa braced itself for the task of hosting the IIFA Awards.

Many people were surprised by the choice for the hosting city.

“I didn’t think it was that weird, but I did think it was kind of strange,” said freshman Meghana Bhimreddy. “[Tampa] is not a big city you would expect something like IIFA would come to.”

There are some commonalities between the Oscars and IIFA: tons of celebrities, acceptance speeches and fans. Between awards, the co-hosts crack jokes and stars give full performances to a mix of songs from their movies.

Guests of honor who do not hail from India included Kevin Spacey and John Travolta. The latter was presented an award for Outstanding Achievement in International Cinema.

Fiesta Maxima

Let’s rock and roll now then

On May 17, the USF Sun Dome will be host to Fiesta Maxima, a concert bringing together two of the biggest names in Latin music- Don Omar and Prince Royce. The “reggaetonero” Don Omar has taken enraptured millions with his with his multinational hit “Danza Kuduro” while the Dominican Prince Royce has long been considered the “Prince of Bachata” with five consecutive chart topping singles. If you love the sounds of the tropics, then you cannot miss this event.

“Don Omar is a good rapper, a good singer and represents the Hispanic community as a whole.”

-Oscar Sandoval, 9

Derulo gets dirty Kimberly Rampersad Album Review “Talk Dirty,” Jason DeRulo’s new LP, does exactly what it says … talks dirty. With sexual lyrics and upbeat rhythms, the album lives up to its title.

Opening with his latest single, the titular “Talk Dirty,” the album surges with energy. The song title“Bubblegum” is misleading; the album is anything but bubblegum pop. There are some hints at DeRulo’s attempt to be original.

I hoped for more refreshing and catchy sounds similar to those in “Talk Dirty.” I mean, how often do you hear a saxophone in a pop song?

While the album is comprised of mostly party jams, his personal songs did get my attention. “Vertigo” and “Marry Me” were clear tributes to DeRulo’s fiancée, Jordin Sparks, who is even featured on “Vertigo.”

While the album did not wow me, I was not completely disappointed, either.

The album in two words? Sensual and spunky.

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12 life

hhstoday.com | May 2014

Sophomore swap day Find out what happens when an IB and traditional student switch places for a day

Cade McCurdy Opinion Editor The plan was in place. The barrier was going to be shattered. My goal was to disprove the sterotypes about IB and traditional -- to unite two parts into one whole by switching places with a traditional student.

Day in the life of a traditional I realized what I was getting into when the bell rang, which, unlike in IB, didn’t signify the disappearance of cellphones.

After the teacher, James Gabriel, finally laid down the law, we played a Jeopardy game, then had 15 minutes once the lesson was over.

I completely forgot the traditional program’s 50-minute class length. Class ended almost as quickly as it started.

Next was chemistry, with Elizabeth Smith, and then I moved into Building Four, for my third period, AP World. Building 4 was a horrible experience. It hurt to look at, smelled awful and was as crowded as Walmart on Black Friday. Class began with lessons about WWI

by Dr. John Jackson. Things heated up when Dr. Jackson said, “America increased its wheat production during the war.”

Suddenly, one girl shot up. “Wait, Dr. Jackson, you said they was growing kush during WWI?” Dr. Jackson explained America wasn’t growing any illegal drugs during WWI. Although he finished his lecture, it was riddled with a disruption in the hall and stairwell.

After Spanish class with Susan Boerner, I walked to lunch. Traditional lunch was loud and overcrowded. I strained to hear individual conversations only a few feet away over the

overwhelming roar of people.

The lunch line took forever, taking me 10 minutes to get lunch.

I went to my normal yearbook class, then to English, where students worked on a Springboard exercise for the book “Things Fall Apart.”

I also shared IB curriculum when I showed them an excerpt from “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” a book written almost an entirely in Ebonics. Upon seeing the text, sophomore Allen Simmons shouted, “Man, that’s my language!”

After English, I continued to Algebra 2. But even though I had already taken it, the class was far from easy. They were graphing equations with vertical and horizontal asymptotes. I quickly became a valued commodity. People called my name all over the place to help.

Adrian Fernandez Staff Writer I knew what I was getting into when Cade asked me if I would be him for a day— stuck-up kids who think they know everything.

Day in the life of a IB student When the bell rang to go to Block 21 I went to Yamile Gonzalez’s class to find the teacher absent.

Rather than a substitute, there was an assignment and we were dispersed into different study halls.

In traditional, no one brings their laptops to school but as I sat in study hall there were at least five kids typing away on their laptops.

When the bell rang, I was reminded IB students don’t go by bells. Later, people just stood up when I hadn’t heard a bell.

In Trig/Math Analysis, I felt like I was in Algebra 2. They were going over exponential values, exactly what we

Not all that different The eight hours I spent as a traditional kid was totally different from my days in IB. While some IB assumptions of the traditional program are true, such as listening to music during class, or the minimal amount of homework assigned, some stereotypes, such being stupid or incapable of speaking English, are completely false. IB and traditional kids are not all that different.

did a few weeks back in my math class.

I’m used to a class that’s the equivalent to a zoo, so a calm class was a nice change.

I was kind of alarmed when the class got off topic and it wasn’t about something related to pop culture, but instead Fibonacci numbers.

Next was lunch which seemed to be empty. Lines were short and I only had to wait just around a minute or two.

I sat with a quiet group of people and I had no trouble hearing anyone. It was nice to not have ear piercing screeches surrounding my table.

After lunch I went up to the third floor to Judy Charlton’s room until yearbook class. I have yearbook on a normal day.

AP European History was my final class. We were taking a quiz, and it was exactly the definition of what I expected an IB class to be like: stressful. After the quiz on the Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution they were lectured on the Cold War and focused mostly on the Berlin Wall and the division of the country.

Newfound appreciation My day in IB made me appreciate my normal schedule and classes, but it also made me realize that all IB students are not stuck-up or super smart, they’re just normal everyday kids who work harder.

McCurdy and Fernandez stand back to back after swapping classes (Photo by Francesca Althaus)

Trades of the Terriers: Jose Chavez and Joseph Crews A closer look at two students’ job under the sea

Nikki Ferrera Editor-in-Chief Snorkels, wetsuits and fins.

These aren’t unusual apparatuses for people who live in a state surrounded by water, but Jose Chavez and Joseph Crews, are more famil-

iar with them than most.

The two seniors work for EZ Scuba Diving, a “mom and pop shop” on Hillsborough Ave. For Christmas one year, Crews received an open-water certification for diving. Later on, when he went to get his tank filled, he happened to be looking for a job, and decided to

apply for a position at the shop.

According the Chavez, for the past two years, he and Crews have “pretty much run the place.” They do everything from servicing to selling equipment, and Chavez said that they are both working on certification to become diving instructors.

“It will be really cool to get to take people out,” he said. “This job is very laid back and fun. I’m glad I’m not stuck at McDonald’s, ringing people up.”

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life13

May 2014 | hhstoday.com

Teachers take it to the top

trials of

Trimble

Monisha Pillai and Sophia Diaz-Carraway Staff Writers Twenty-two houses. Nine schools. Endless moving. This used to be the life of Brittany Trimble.

Trimble has faced more difficulties by the age of 16 than many have in their entire lives.

After her parents divorced when she was 4, Trimble was shuffled between her mom and dad.

“Eventually, my dad just left us.

I moved in with my aunt, and then back with my mom,” Trimble said.

Trimble faced housing difficulties for a while, as her mother could not find a job. She transferred to six different schools between third and fourth grade.

After 22 houses she was forced to reside in a homeless shelter.

“I became sort of a poster child for Metropolitan Ministries,” Trimble explained. “My face is everywhere around there.”

Living in a homeless shelter had its ups and downs. Trimble said, “It was actually one of the most fun times of my life. It was nice to be part of a community.”

Trimble added that although

“Everyone has something they have to deal with.” it was easy as a child in the shelter, she knew her mom was going through a lot of stress.

In eighth grade, Trimble was accepted into the IB program. Her aunt offered her a place to stay so she could attend.

“My mom didn’t want me to go because it’s easier to get into home-

less shelters when you have a child,” Trimble said. “But I went anyway.”

The thought of a stable future has been a driving force in Trimble’s life. “My main goal in life is to have stability. I don’t want kids to worry about material issues,” Trimble said.

Trimble is thankful for her newfound opportunities. Many are surprised when they find out about her struggles, due to her positive outlook on life.

Trimble said she sees no reason to mope around. “It’s in the past; I’m a new person. It’s helped shape who I am.”

Trimble’s experiences have also given her a broader outlook on life.

“Just because you grew up in a nice house doesn’t mean you don’t have your own problems. Everyone has something they have to deal with.”

The recipients (Jazmine Clarke, William Baker and Vivian Hernandez) pose together at the Excellence in Education ceremony. (Photo by Annie Aguiar) Annie Aguiar Correspondent Hillsborough staff members Vivian Hernandez, Jazmine Clark and William Baker received various awards at the Excellence in Education ceremony on April 28.

Tearing up while she spoke of the support her friends at Hillsborough gave, peers of Hernandez, the IB secretary, shared their thoughts about her.

“I don’t know what I would do without this lady. She makes my world go round,” said IB Assistant Principal Trisha Fitzgerald as she turned to address Hernandez directly. “You deserve this.”

As AVID teacher Clarke received her Ida S. Baker Award, a voice from the crowd of teachers yelled out, “You

go, girl!” before she had a chance to speak.

“Hillsborough gave me a chance to branch out,” said Clarke in her acceptance speech. “I do teaching the most because I love it the best.”

English teacher Baker received the honor of Teacher of the Year at the ceremony.

“I look forward to the next 10 years at Hillsborough, because I honestly can’t imagine being anywhere else now,” he said.

Principal Johan von Ancken complimented the award-winners following the ceremony. He said, “They are remarkable individuals that truly represent the quality of instruction and support that we have here at Hillsborough High School.”

TAKE 5 WITH A TERRIER

Freshman Nick Gonzalez was chosen based on his lunch seat to answer five questions about himself

Kenni Holland Staff Writer

1

What was your most memorable moment at HHS? “When I first transferred over from Blake, I actually felt like I belonged.”

2

How has HHS changed you in your high school career?

“It has made me more driven.”

3 What is your favorite article of clothing?

“My blue jacket that I wear at least once a week.”

4

If you could describe yourself in three words what would they be?

“Crazy, outgoing, energetic.”

5 How would you describe your friends?

“Crazy, just like me!”

14 life

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up all night

hhstoday.com |May 2014

With finals approaching, pulling an all-nighter becomes a very sleepless reality for students. Here are some tips and tricks for late night study sessions.

Prepare healthy snacks for energy early on, no junk food which can cause sluggishness.

Work on a desk, never on a bed where it’s too easy to fall asleep.

Do any reading portions first.

Play motivational music, no lullaby-esque tunes.

Take 18-minute naps if you feel utterly listless, but do so somewhere uncomfortable so you don’t sleep longer than that.

Drink water or tea.

Give yourself 2-5 minute breaks and space out study blocks so as not to overwhelm yourself.

If there is an hour or so left until sunrise, slip in some shut eye.

Make sure you eat before leaving the house, and drink coffee.

No energy drinks, which can leave a more devastating effect when you crash a couple hours later.

Shower in the morning to help wake up, not at night.

Keep cold water and minty gum with you during the day.

Avoid people who complain about lack of sleep.

All nighter advice

While it would be great to have nine hours of sleep and wake up feeling refreshed, all nighters are often a last option for test preparation or homework you’ve procrastinated on. These students share their best advice for staying up until sunrise.

Isaiah Pack, 11 “Stay busy. Don’t stay in the same spot; it’ll put you asleep. Drink coffee.”

Bryce Malone, 10 “Drink lots of RedBull and Monster.

Slap yourself.”

Lydell Kerbo, 10 “Watch ‘Friends’.

Consume caffeine, have a few friends over over to keep you awake.”

Compiled by Vijata Patel and Ellie Rodriguez. Graphic by Ellie Rodriguez

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sports15

May 2014 | hhstoday.com

Waiting for the hit

ball hits your head and your life is changed forever.

It’s a risk every pitcher knows and takes into consideration when they play. They risk their life every time they step out onto the field, which raises the question: Are we doing enough to protect the athletes from that danger?

Recently, Major League Baseball approved the production and distribution of new padded hats to all teams for pitchers to use. The padding, designed by isoBlox, is rated for an 86 mph line-drive to the part of the head covered by the hat. The average speed of a line-drive off a wooden bat is 105 mph. Most of the time, the ball doesn’t even hit the part of the head covered by the hat, meaning the pitcher is still vulnerable to line-drives.

In comparison, nothing noteworthy is being done for high school students. While the ball travels around 100 mph off wooden bats, it travels at least 105 mph off metal bats, which are used in high school varsity baseball.

Given this information, and according to a study done by a researcher at Pennsylvania State University, the force of the ball after getting hit is around 18,436 N, or 4,134 pounds of force.

That’s equivalent to having the weight of a car, specifically the Ford Explorer, sitting on an area of your head of less than seven square inches. The fracturing point of human skulls occurs at around 786 pounds. Add that in with the time the hit takes to get to the mound, which is around .42-.47 seconds, and the average human reaction time, which is .3 seconds, and 9 times out of 10 you have an injured pitcher.

With all this in mind, some pitchers continue to seem unaff ected by the impending danger. Varsity pitcher RJ Murphree Alex Cobb pitches during the game between the Baltimore doesn’t seem at all concerned.

Orioles vs. Tampa Bay Rays in Port Charlotte. (Photo by Skip Milos/Tampa Bay Rays, used with permission) “When you’re up there [on the mound], you’re not really thinking about what’s going to happen after you throw the ball.” Murphree said. “When you throw, the only thing

Daniel Hamilton Commentary Walking out onto the mound, you have no idea what awaits you in a few short minutes. You go about your warm-up pitches as usual, rotating through your repertoire, going from a fastball to a change-up to a slider then back to a fastball.

You finish the warm-up like you always do, and then you wait.

Wait for the first batter of the inning to step into the box. Wait for the impending doom that will come after he hits the ball.

Nothing – at the time – seems out of the ordinary. But you throw the first pitch, and everything goes wrong. The batter makes solid contact, sending the ball straight back toward where i t “I hope everyone is came f r o m . paying more attenYou don’t tion to [the issue] at even have every level.” time to think -Alex Cobb, pitcher b efore t h e

“If I got hit in the head [while pitching], it’s my fault. I’d know that it could happen.”

-Varsity pitcher RJ Murphree, junior

RJ Murphree pitches in a game against Lennard High School. The Terriers defeated Lennard 8-6. (Photo by Morgan Floyd)

that you are in control of is what you do with the ball. After that it doesn’t matter. You’re focusing all of your attention on what you’re going to do because you can’t control the batter.”

Overall, more things should be done to try to protect pitchers. The effort shouldn’t be a drastic, try-to-do-everything now effort, but it should be noticeable.

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Alex Cobb agrees.

Not enough is being done at any level, he said in an email interview, “but as far as the major league game, a movement has started. And there are some really good prototypes out there. I wish it was moving at a faster pace. I don’t want it to turn into something where every pitcher on that mound is mandated to wear something – that’s everybody’s personal choice. I hope everyone is paying more attention to [the issue], at every level.”

Hamilton is a pitcher on the JV baseball team and Sports Editor of Red & Black. He was struck by a hit in Little League play.

Not bowing under pressure

Track team members advance to states Samantha Votzke Sports Editor Eight runners from will be representing Hillsborough at the state track meet this weekend at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

After many weeks of training, these runners, jumpers and shot-putters will be competing for state titles against the best of Florida’s athletes.

Of the girls team, senior Aejona Chambers and sophomore Chloe Jones will be competing

in the shot-put event, while junior sprinter Jada Roberson will complete in the 100-meter dash as well as the long jump.

Jones is already ranked fourth in state and Roberson is third in state for long jump.

The boys 4x800 relay team (juniors Joshua Thomas and Bruce Nowell and seniors Roberto Sanchez and Jeanrony Jeanbaptiste), placed third at regionals.

Junior Dwayne Lawson is currently ranked first in state for high jump and triple jump.

Sophomores Paige Hill, Emma Sargent, Gillian Boyce and Simi Himatsingani along with junior Christina Christie advanced to the national championships after a second-place scholastic finish in the state championship regatta. Now, they will travel to the national regatta in May. (Photo courtesy of Aaron Hothem)

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16 sports

Gym Junkies

hhstoday.com | May 2014

Putting bench presses and squats over video games and napping, several students have chosen to get fit by going to the gym. These students dedicate hours each week to staying active and healthier living.

Arms:

Use the bench press. While lying on your back on the bench, make sure your feet stay grounded to maximize work done by your arms and chest. Also, try to touch the bar to your chest instead of only going half way.

Abs:

Use the dip bar to do leg lifts. Without swinging your legs, lift them to a 90 degree angle, trying not to bend your knees.

Legs:

Harrison Ezell Shown here using a free weight, junior Harrison Ezell frequents the gym six days a week. Weight training is an extremely effective form of exercise that increases size and strength of muscles, especially muscles in the back, arms and chest.

(Photo by Kourtney Melendi) Junior Harrison Ezell works on “getting bigger and looking good” by working out. An avid local YMCA gym member, Ezell hits the gym for two or three hours, six days a week with senior and good friend, Luis Clough. Ezell works

out different body parts on a rotational bases. “I have different days for six days a week. One day I work out my arms, then the next day my back and shoulders, followed by chest day and the other days I work out my legs.”

Visit hhstoday.com to see how staff writer and fitness extraordinaire Kourtney Melendi demonstrates the best exercises for getting the most out of your next workout.

Profiles by Holly Schroder, Life Editor

Use the bar with a small amount of weight for squats. Make sure not to bend with your knee over your toes, try to push your bottom back and go as low as you can.

Cardio: Use the stair climber. It gets your heart rate up in a short period of time.

It will also build muscles in your legs and increase endurance.

Workout tips from the pros Tips by Kourtney Melendi Staff Writer Graphic by Ben Muschol

Gustavo Marino

Brady Ochse

Senior Gustavo Marino goes to the local YCMA for exercise with friends Alejandro Tovar and Matias Marchi. Marino started working out in the eighth grade in the hopes of getting fit and losing weight before high school. As he got in better shape, Marino started working out on a rotational day schedule.

“Typically, I work out six days a week for two hours each day. I have a different day for my arms, abs, chest and legs,” Marino said.

Being a gym goer isn’t his only form of exercise, however. Marino is also an active member of both the school soccer and cross country team. In the off season, Marino has taken to playing volleyball several times a week for exercise.

Marino said “more people should work out” because it is a great way to look “fabulous” and “feel great.”

Showing off a simple martial arts move, sophomore Brady Ochse demonstrates part of his exercise routine. (Photo by Aleesha Mundra)

For senior Gustavo Marino, working out started out as a way to get in shape before high school and slowly grew into an everyday routine. In addition to going to the gym, Marino also plays soccer and volleyball, and runs cross country.

(Photo by Kourtney Melendi)

Brady Ochse, a sophomore, is another gym junkie. Ochse not only goes to the gym near his house a few times a week but also likes works out in a less traditional way.

Starting both actives around the same time, Ochse attends martial arts class twice a week.

Ochse said, “My parents encouraged me to start working out.”

Going to the gym and martial arts are his exercise methods of choice.