Red & Black, September 2016

Don’t worry, we got you. head over to pages 8 and 9 for our

guide to college apps, FAFSA, college visits and more

This should just about cover everything: we tackle DRESS CODE in our editorial | p. 6

The day is approaching fast: Kanye West is coming to Tampa. But will he be good? | p. 12 “When we see the ball, we run to it”: Read about the football team’s linebackers, who have stopped every offense this season.| p. 14

ILLUSTRATION BY SAMI MAJCHRZAK

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campus

September 2016

Red & Black

NEW CLUBS TACKLE SOCIAL ISSUES Throughout the nation, the movement Black Lives Matter has grown in popularity advocating “for dignity, justice and respect,” according to the movement’s official website.

This year the movement is coming to campus: Flexin’ My Complexion and Black American Movement (BAM) are two new clubs founded to spread awareness and unite the school.

The artist-archivist Kameelah Janan Rasheed founded Flexin’ My Complexion (FMC) nationally and motivated sophomore Chepelle Johnson to initiate the club at Hillsborough.

“She started this whole movement and I was really inspired by her to make the club,” Johnson said.

She and her cousin, Kimora Lee-George, observed the experiences of young black women at the school and wanted to make a change.

Kaylie Simon, founder of BAM, believes it is essential to display the cultures of individuals within the school and to educate the student body about racial issues faced today.

“I really wanted [a club] that was more focused towards the black community because I feel like it’s important,” Simon said.

“The black community is a big population of the school, so I felt like it was important that we have something for ourselves. I want people to become involved and more socially

aware.”

And while both clubs have similar goals, they plan to focus on different ideals.

“They are more focused on social issues in the community,” Johnson said regarding BAM. “I am more so specifically into young black women who I feel more familiar with and I can help change.”

“I really appreciate what they are doing too,” said Simon about FMC, “but I feel like mine has more of a political aspect. We’ll be talking about politics, history as well as culture.”

The vice president of BAM, Magalys Oro-Fernandez, said having both clubs is an asset to the school by reaching more people and providing more opportunities to talk about race as well as adversity in one’s life, which people are accustomed to avoiding.

“I feel like it’s something that is not spoken about because people are afraid to offend or afraid to talk about touchy subjects,” Oro-Fernandez said. “I feel [as if] another club is a good sign because it means people want to talk about it and learn about these things.”

As IB students, both Simon and Oro-Fernandez aim to break the social divide between IB and traditional as well as races and ethnicities in the school.

They also plan to talk about issues through videos and discussions and plan

on doing creative, as well as service projects such as visiting elementary schools and talking about the significance of diversity in all people’s lives.

Johnson plans on taking input on the topics for discussions from the members and, through this, hopes people will become mindful and conscious of social issues faced by various cultures. Through Flexin’ My Complexion, Johnson says that she seeks to inspire young women to take pride in who they are and to grow as people.

“I’m trying to empower young black women to be better leaders in the community,” she said. “It’s not limited to black women, now that I’ve seen a lot more people with diverse backgrounds. I’ve been trying to incorporate everyone’s culture in the club.”

Although both clubs are geared towards black culture, they impact and welcome all students.

It is necessary, according to the founders, to guide the student body to become better and more educated people.

“I really wanted it to be more focused on getting people to be involved in prevalent issues that are going on in our society today and how we can all be better citizens, better people,” Simon said. “I think that it’s important for people who are not black to become better allies and become educated.”

STORY BY KATIE DELK

SO, WHAT OTHER NEW CLUBS ARE THERE? Yoga Club An opportunity for students to try out yoga and get exercise, no experience required. More info in Room 248.

Engineering Club A club to allow students with an interest in engineering to meet and discuss the subject. More info in Room 134.

B A C

For the Children A club intended to help underprivileged children through donations and service projects. More info in Room 236.

How could two black empowerment clubs affect the school?

We can learn more about our history, our race, become more inspired and have more conversations.

GENESIS MITTS, 10 It’s going to be a good thing to draw people together because it’s not just one race, it’s all different races.

CHARLIE SPRAGGINS, 12 I think that it’s a good group in order to learn about society’s setbacks for people of color.

DIAMONDE MCCOLLUM, 11

JSA PLANS TO LEAD Combine a little bit of Speech and Debate, FBLA, Young Republicans and Young Democrats, and you have the Junior State of America, a new club oriented towards leadership and politics.

Senior Anthony Suarez started the club after the Southeast Lieutenant Governor for JSA suggested it to him. After filling out the paperwork to start a club and registering with the national JSA organization, Suarez was able to create Hillsborough’s own JSA chapter.

Suarez describes the club as a way for students to develop key skills. “The main goal is to promote political discussion and improve public speaking and leadership skills,” he says.

Another important feature is that the school chapter is maintained as a student run organization, so club members have to actively organize and decide how to run the club.

On a larger scale, the National JSA

holds leadership conferences with a debate element. Suarez says that the conferences have a “Lincoln-Douglass” style debate in which either side gives 6 minute speeches representing their viewpoint. The topics are centered around national, political, legal and educational issues that directly impact students.

The organization also holds national conventions centered around a political or social theme for students to discuss and feature guest speakers from around the country. .

Suarez says the club is “for people who want to improve their public speaking and leadership skills and like discussing political issues.”

For more information on the club and how to sign up, see Anthony Suarez in Heather Richardson’s homeroom, Room 313 or Ashlee Palmer in Room 315.

STORY BY VARUN PURI

hhstoday.com

campus

September 2016

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SNAPSHOT: FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON

LEFT Students crowd the front of the student section at the game against East Bay. | PHOTO BY DELORES BATTLE TOP RIGHT The HYDRA Robotics team aims a cannon full of candy bags at the crowd. | STAFF PHOTO BOTTOM RIGHT A sign supporting the team hangs in the stands. | PHOTO BY MORYAH WELLS

SERVING NEW LUNCH LINES Big changes have been made to the lunch procedure this year, but they aren’t universally received well. The changes are irritating some students.

Assistant Principal Mick Boddie’s main alterations include the addition of two lunch lines as well as restructuring the way people go to the lines.

This restructured process is intended to make lines flow more smoothly and prevent people from skipping in front of others.

In order to achieve this, many entrances to the cafeteria have been strategically closed off, so everybody has to get in the back of the line.

This effort is being assisted by recruiting student athletes to stand at certain spots in the lines so that everyone will funnel in through one way and monitor the areas that administrators cannot.

The changes were made in order to feed more students, per mandates from the district, who want schools to be feeding more people.

“The county says we should be hitting between 51 and 53 percent,” Boddie said. “We were consistently, for the whole year I was here, hitting around 48, 49 percent.”

Statistically, the changes have been successful, with the school serving around 54 percent this year.

“We have never done that. We’re feeding over 1000 kids,” Boddie said. “That’s unheard of.”

However, some students are opposing Boddie’s approach to new lunch procedures.

“I really don’t like the way they switched it up,” senior Alan Paquette said. “Before, it made sense.

People got into a line, people got their food. Now everyone is being forced into one and they can’t go to the lines they want.”

Despite the changes being made to feed more students, people like junior Leah Johnson feels the opposite is happening. “You wait in line for the entire lunch period,” she said.

On the other hand, some students do feel that the changes have been a success. “I think it goes by quicker, all the kids aren’t skipping in line since they monitor everyone and all the lines are open now,” junior India Green said.

Boddie plans to implement even more changes soon. “The thing we’re working on is our salad and our sandwich line, and we’re already working on a system with that.”

A new plan is expected to include a sign up sheet and numbering system. These tactics are intended to create a fair system for students to gain access to salads and sandwiches.

Although not pleasing everyone, these new lunch procedures lead to more students being fed on a daily basis.

STORY BY JULIANA LECHNER

A/C BRIEFLY

BROKEN

Summer is over, but temperatures were rising last week at school. From the view of the H Patio, windows were open as teachers attempted to get a small breeze in the classroom.

The air conditioning unit for the 140 and 500 halls was blown, and wasn’t repaired fully despite someone coming to fix it two weeks ago. “[The county] was able to generate some air,” said Assistant Principal Mick Boddie. But problems like this go beyond the administration. Once it is reported, it is in the hands of the county to come and repair the air conditioning unit.

A temporary portable air conditioning system was coming from Jacksonville on U.S. 301, headed toward Tampa early in the week.

It would have arrived sooner, according to Boddie, if not for Hurricane Hermine.

Some classrooms relocated due to it being “too hot to think,” according to freshman Jeremiah Colon. The H Patio was a cooler alternative to an 85.7 degree classroom in the 500 hall. On Sept. 6, six teachers moved their classes in first period alone.

“Inside, some people might get frustrated because it’s so hot,” said junior Zachary Bozarth. “But outside with the breeze, it’s easier.”

Teachers in the 140 and 500 halls were irritated with the situation as well. English and reading teacher Marline Garcia said it was “disappointing that kids are being taught in such conditions, especially in Florida weather.”

Fortunately, a temporary A/C unit, installed the day after the original broke, is operational and temperatures are closer to 75 degrees.

STAFF REPORT

English teacher Eleanor Dorta brought her class to the courtyard to escape the heat. | PHOTO BY CHARLIE SUOR

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campus

September 2016

Red & Black

DISTRICTLY SPEAKING...

Hillsborough County School Board elections in late August gave seats to two incumbents members, Susan Valdes of District 1 and Cindy Stuart of District 3, but sent the District 5 and 7 races to runoff elections as candidates continue to campaign until November. Here’s your guide to who’s who.

The races in Districts 1 and 3 both went to the incumbent candidates, Susan L. Valdes and Cindy Stuart, who will be resuming their roles on the school board. The races in Districts 5 and 7 are headed to runoff elections November 8. In District 5, where Dorothea Edgecomb is stepping down, Tamara Shamburger and Joe Jordan-Robinson will compete.

In county-wide District 7, where Carol Kurdell is stepping down, Cathy James and Lynn Gray will appear on the November ballot. Neither candidate received over 50 percent of the vote.

DISTRICT 1 WINNER SUSAN L. VALDES

DISTRICT 3 WINNER CINDY STUART

District 1 incumbent Susan L. Valdes defeated first-time-challenger Bill Person, a retired English teacher and administrator, by only 258 votes. Valdes has been on the Hillsborough County School Board since 2004 and has served as its Chair twice (including during the firing of former superintendent MaryEllen Elia, a move supported by Valdes).

She is also known for her 2015 establishment of Hispanic Educators for Change, a group emphasizing the increasing Hispanic school population in Hillsborough County.

DISTRICT 5 CANDIDATES

District 3 incumbent Cindy Stuart won against her opponent, Alicia Toler (wife of District 7 candidate Randy Toler), taking more than two-thirds of the vote. Stuart has served on the School Board since 2012. Stuart was raised in Tampa and is known for the community service she performs in her spare time. Her daughter just graduated from HHS in June.

Before joining the School Board, Stuart worked as a member of the Lake Magdalene PTA for seven years, ultimately becoming its president. She also operated as treasurer for Buchanan.

DISTRICT 7 CANDIDATES

TAMARA SHAMBURGER

District 5 competitor and longtime Tampa resident Tamara Shamburger has worked in the insurance industry for the past 19 years as a mortgage broker before deciding to launch her candidacy for the School Board.

Shamburger spends her free time volunteering in the “Big Brothers and Sisters of Tampa Bay” and aims to provide an unbiased views on issues if elected.

“Shamburger offers solutions, which sets her apart from her opponents,” the Tampa Bay Times wrote in its endorsement of her. “And she seems the most inclined to reach out and build coalitions, which is vital in this divided political climate.”

JOE JORDON-ROBINSON

Joe Jordon-Robinson, a runoff candidate for the District 5 seat, hopes to increase graduation rates and encourage STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) studies.

Jordon-Robinson has an engineering background himself, serving as the president and CEO of RHC and Associates, Inc., a consulting engineer business.

He is a frequent speaker during the school board’s public comment period on a wide variety of topics.

CATHY JAMES District 7 runoff candidate Cathy James served as the Vice Chair of the Hillsborough School Board Citizen Advisory Committee last year. James has lived in Hillsborough County for the past 31 years and has participated in the Great American Teach-In for the past five.

“James brings an attention to detail the board and the administration sorely need,” the Times wrote in their endorsement of her.

“She is well versed in education policy, knows the state of both urban and suburban schools in the district and has creative ideas for getting parents, civic groups and private businesses more involved in the system.”

LYNN GRAY Lynn Gray, a District 7 runoff competitor, has spent over 26 years as an educator and has been named Teacher of the Year twice.

Gray’s goals include an emphasis on student health, reading, and support groups. She also plans to implement civics classes in middle and high schools, including a “How to Vote” class for high schoolers.

COMPILED BY MICHAEL STROBL, PHOTOS COURTESY CAMPAIGN WEBSITES

NINE STUDENTS NAMED NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALISTS Nine Hillsborough seniors qualified as semifinalists for the prestigious National Merit Scholarship.

Of about 1.5 million students who take the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test in their junior year around 16,000 are named semifinalists, representing the top one percent of scorers nationwide.

Annie Aguiar, Meghana Bhimreddy, Joshua Nelson, Jakob Nicolosora, Alex Pillai, Marlee Linnell, Matt Lutton, Gaurav Rao and Nikil Saligame scored a 217 or higher on the PSAT in their junior year.

The cut-off score for the Florida class of 2017 was three points higher than last year’s of 214.

Hillsborough had the second-highest amount of qualifiers in the county, beaten only by Strawberry Crest with 11 students.

“I believe it to be a way for me to thank everyone who has supported my academic endeavors. My family has always allowed me to pursue the activities that I want to and have always supported me in all of them,” Pillai said.

“For me, this is my way of showing them what they have helped me achieve.”

In order to become a finalist, semifinalists have to maintain exceptional academic performance and submit an SAT score confirming their performance on the PSAT, among other requirements.

This year’s nine semifinalists have until mid-October to submit their application to be finalists; last year, Hillsborough had 11 semifinalists named; of those 11, 10 qualified as finalists.

STAFF REPORT

Gaurav Rao, Alex Pillai, Matt Lutton, Marlee Linnell, Nikhil Saligame, Jakob Nicolosora, Meghana Bhimreddy and Annie Aguiar are eight of the school’s nine National Merit Semifinalists. Not pictured: Josh Nelson. | PHOTO COURTESY HHS ADMINISTRATION

world

hhstoday.com

September 2016

OUTBREAKS OF ZIKA IN FLORIDA That bug spray is going to come in handy very soon.

Florida is now home to Zika, a disease spreading across the state, moving up from Miami more and more each day.

The Zika virus has been transmitted to the Florida area and health officials are concerned for the public’s safety. CDC statistics show over 600 cases of the virus have been observed, with most of them being travel-related, according to the Miami Herald.

But there have been multiple Florida cases where the virus is spread locally, mostly in Miami-Dade County.

One was in St. Petersburg, which is only miles away from Tampa. A Pinellas county fireman was infected with Zika recently.

While the fireman works in Pinellas, he lives in Hillsborough county, so officials are unsure of where he received the disease-carrying bite.

Zika is a virus that is spread by the Aedes aegypti and the Aedes albopictus species of mosquitos that transmit the virus with a bite. The latter is less likely to spread the virus, while the former is more likely to because it tends to occupy areas with more people.

“The Zika virus is horrifying in my opinion,” junior Cristofer Centeno said. “I feel like people should know more about it to help spread awareness. I’ve seen and heard about it all over the news a lot. Apparently people wouldn’t know they have it or not unless they get themselves checked out.”

Symptoms rarely become apparent in those that are infected, if at all. A carrier can have no idea they are carrying Zika inside their body and go days or weeks infected.

Those infected by it tend to develop a fever, rashes, fatigue, headache, loss of appetite, sweating, vomiting etc. The disease is non-fatal and symptoms usually last less than a week. However, this can lead those who are infected to believe that they only have the common cold.

The real concern of this disease is that it primarily affects pregnant women. More specifically, their babies. Babies that are born to a Zika-infected woman tend to have complicated birth defects, including deformed heads after birth.

“I feel that the Zika virus is a very dangerous thing,” senior Rosana Brito said. “It’s crazy how when any regular person gets sick they only get sick for a short amount of time

and then become immune to the illness but when a pregnant woman gets it, it creates devastating physical harm to the fetus with no cure.” Brito is 20 weeks pregnant.

Men aren’t safe from it either. Although men don’t have a specific danger from the virus, men can get other people infected by it, according to the CDC. Little is still known about Zika, discovered in 1947 and still researched by scientists today. The virus didn’t start spreading until recently to South America and then to the Carribean. Now, it’s in Florida.

Mosquito repellent and bug sprays are recommended to prevent mosquitos from biting and passing the disease.

Since Zika can also be passed by sexual intercourse, condoms and other forms of protection can lower the chance of the virus from being spread to the other partner.

“I feel like I should wear mosquito repellent,” senior Lizeth Rosales said. “We should all come together as friends and family to try and fight against this disease.”

STORY BY FERNANDO ROSAS

3 5

LOUISIANA FLOODS In what the Red Cross has called the worst disaster since Hurricane Sandy, widespread flooding in Louisiana has displaced thousands of people. Since August 11, heavy rainfall has caused extensive damage to property. According to CNN, over 60,000 homes have been damaged by the floods at an estimated cost of $30 million, reminiscent of the destruction of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama was criticized by many Louisiana residents and Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump for his late response to the situation. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is currently responding to the situation with disaster relief resources.

STORY BY VARUN PURI

EARTHQUAKE HITS ITALY A 6.2 Richter scale-magnitude earthquake in Italy hit Rome and small towns such as Norcia, Cascia, Maltignano, Amatrice and Arquata del Tronto on August 24, resulting in 247 deaths and hundreds of injuries.

According to the United States Geological Survey, the earthquake was shallow, taking place only six miles below the earth’s surface. This allowed for more ground-shaking than deeper earthquakes, resulting in devastation .

STORY BY YESHA SHUKLA

Now that Zika is spreading in Florida, what do you think about the virus?

“I’ve heard that some people have done things like used special mosquito repellents and poisons to fight it.”

KAYLA GRATT, 12

“The state needs to provide funds for a vaccine and have like a Zika-awareness Day or something.”

HUMBERTO SALAZAR, 12

“I feel like the government should do something to help people and get a cure for the virus.”

JOHN WILLIAMS, 9

SO, WHERE IS ZIKA? RANGE OF ZIKA-CARRYING MOSQUITOES IN THE U.S. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY has 16 travel-related cases... ...but the state of Florida has

ZIKA CASES BY COUNTY

Note: the Aedes aegypti mosquito is more likely to spread Zika and other diseases than the Aedes albopictus.

SOURCE: CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL, GRAPHICS BY ANNIE AGUIAR

PHILIPPINES LEAVING UN? Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to leave the United Nations after allegations of human rights abuses. Since Duterte took office in June, over 700 people have been killed by police without trial as part of the government’s anti-drug campaign. Duterte accused the United Nations of ignoring drug-related problems. Despite the fact that many families of victims have spoken out against the killings, Duterte maintains a 91% approval rating with the Filipino people.

Duterte recently made international news by insulting President Barack Obama prior to a scheduled meeting between the two; Duterte called his American counterpart a “son of a b----” in a speech, but later said that it was directed towards a journalist instead.

STORY BY VARUN PURI

PRESIDENT OUT IN BRAZIL

Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff was impeached in late August after being suspended from her position since last May. Rousseff was charged with illegal manipulation of the federal budget, and 61 out of 81 senators voted to impeach her. Vice president Michael Temer has taken over as president in what the ousted Rousseff has called a “coup.”

STORY BY ANNIE AGUIAR

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September 2016

RED&BLACK VOLUME 118, ISSUE 2

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Annie Aguiar, Bianca Cegatte WEB EDITOR Amber Shemesh DEPUTY WEB EDITORS Alyssa Ierna, Maddie Dhondt WRITING COACH Denzel Pierre SPREAD EDITORS Madison Forbis, Jorge Garcia, Matt Lutton, Yesha Shukla, Tegan Smith, Michael Strobl, Anthony Suarez ASSISTANT EDITORS Katie Delk, Juliana Lechner STAFF WRITERS Julianna Althaus, Makayla Brown, Marcia-Lillian Curry, Jubilee Gonzalez, Carolin Hearne, Lauren Komar, Naelly Lebron, McKenzie McIntyre, Varun Puri, Fernando Rosas, Atiya Simmons, Bre’Asjia Thornton, Mercy Tsay ADVISERS Joe Humphrey, MJE Jill Burns, MJE PRINCIPAL Gary Brady ABOUT Content decisions are made by student editors Red & Black belongs to the Florida, National, and Columbia Scholastic press associations AWARDS 2015-2016 FSPA All-Florida 2015-2016 NSPA All-American 2015-2016 4x NSPA Best of Show awards The EDITORIAL reflects the view of student editors and can be found in the opinion section.

Bylined COLUMNS represent the viewpoints of their authors.

We welcome your LETTERS, which may be edited for brevity and clarity.

Submit via email, deliver to Room 506 or mail to Red & Black, 5000 N. Central Ave, Tampa, Fl 33603.

ADVERTISING content is subject to approval of the editorial board.

Visit us online at HHSTODAY.COM CONTACT Phone: (813) 276-5620 Fax: (813) 276-5629 Email: hhstoday@gmail.com Twitter: @HHSTodayOnline Snapchat: @HHSToday

opinion

Red & Black

DRESS CODE TRIALS This year, dress code has become quite the hot topic — almost hotter than the weather itself.

Administration has taken more extensive measures in enforcing it and students aren’t taking it.

We should be paying less attention to what It’s extremely difficult to learn in a classroom where the girls in front of me have such visible, kids are wearing because, in the end, the most important things in a student’s career are atten“distracting” shoulders. dance and academic diligence.

Give us a break.

Saying that shorts should be “fingertip length” On our campus, girls have claimed to be dress coded under a “sexist” and “unfair” system. This is ambiguous because fingertip length on someyear, as teachers and administration have been one who’s taller means something very different cracking down on dress code more than usual - from fingertip length on a shorter person. In a students have taken to social media sites, primar- sense, an outfit may violate dress code when it’s ily Twitter, to express their discontent for being worn by someone of one body type, while it goes punished over minor offenses, such as wearing unnoticed on someone of another.

Society has recently taken huge steps in acNike running shorts and athletic leggings. Even students from other schools and graduates have cepting all body types after being subjected to unrealistic standards for years. By enforcing a weighed in on the issue.

Letters of complaints were written, student dress code that doesn’t adhere to multiple body government meetings were held, exasperated types, we are bringing back outdated ideals and hindering social progress. tweets were sent.

For people of all genders, shoulders should Overall, the school was upset with administration’s attempt at enforcing the dress code more not be considered indecent or distracting. Restricting shirt sleeves to a minimum of four or strictly. five fingers in thickness contribute to the obWith good reason.

The dress code system is unfair. Boys are sel- jectification of females, but also pose a problem dom the target of the new dress code initiative, for anybody trying to dress according to the hot even when they wear shirts with cut-outs on the Florida weather.

There is also the question of whether insides or depicting explicit images and words. The dress code has disproportionately affected tradi- fringers should change or go home. Being sent tional students, namely traditional girls, above IB home should not be an option considering that attendance is a priority in terms of getting kids students.

This is not to say that the dress code should be enforced even more harshly across all social groups, but instead that it promotes and furthers the inequity that’s already prevalent in our school. It creates divisions between groups of students that need to be brought together, and makes some people feel as though they are being discriminated against when one of the promises that Hillsborough makes to its students is to promote a healthy learning environment where everyone is equal.

Though the dress code is an important standard for maintaining the integrity of our school, regulations are now outdated. It’s been said that ACCORDING TO DRESS CODE, violations of the dress code are what is detracting from learning when, in reality, these arbitrary standards are what students are focusing on more than schoolwork.

SHE IS A

graduation-ready. Missing school doesn’t teach students anything and missing school because of a simple dress code issue — that can be easily resolved with a change of garment — seems extensive.

Furthermore, the air conditioning on campus is always changing. On a good day, students can wear jeans; but, when the A/C is down, most people find it hard to focus if they aren’t wearing shorts or a tank top.

The excessive reinforcement of the dress code supports the idea that it’s OK to sexualize a girl in situations where she is simply trying to dress according to the broken A/C or the Florida weather. If someone’s clothing isn’t blatantly disruptive, it shouldn’t even be an issue.

Clothes are a form of self-expression. The standardized tests and courses that kids are subjected to every day in school leave little room for them to display their personalities and individual styles; teenagers need a creative outlet that can’t usually be found in academics.

Obviously, there are some outfits that are clearly inappropriate for an academic setting and those outfits should, indeed be met with consequences and disciplinary measures. However, this doesn’t mean that the dress code should be causing problems for people who aren’t wearing anything obscene; which it often does. Students and administrators have spent countless hours this year discussing this issue and facing repercussions for a problem that isn’t directly related to their academic success.

Administrators have been placing too much of an emphasis on what students are wearing instead of whether or not they’re learning. We ask that they, instead, focus on enforcing rules with its students in mind first.

There are priorities to take into account when striving for more academic success and an exaggerated enforcement of dress code is nowhere near the top of that list. If anything, the dress code debacle being discussed in every classroom, hallway and social media platform right now is distracting us from what truly matters: our education.

DISTRACTION.

GRAPHIC BY ANNIE AGUIAR

SHE ISN’T.

opinion

hhstoday.com

September 2016

7

Should the Harambe meme die?

Although the Harambe meme was originally used by Animal Rights Activists to call attention to the endangered silverback gorilla, it has become something solely used to harass Cincinnati Zoo Staff and/or to make fun of the situation.

This is disrespectful to Harambe, and it’s inconsiderate to assume that Harambe’s gorilla family is comfortable with his likeness being used all over the Internet.

They’re still in mourning, just like the rest of us, and therefore it is highly disrespectful to remind them of their fallen comrade.

We should be providing Harambe’s family with space and

privacy while they recover.

Harambe was, to put it simply, the purest being who had ever lived. He had done no wrong in his life. He only picked up the little boy who fell into his enclosure so that he could say “I love you” and give him a piece of candy.

Just in case you have trouble empathizing with those mourning Harambe, think about when you discovered that Santa Claus wasn’t real. Yeah, it’s that sad for some of us.

One could have called Harambe an icon, inspiration or saint. Personally, I call him the reason I get out of bed every morning. I wake up every day and say, “How can I properly honor Harambe’s memory today?”

Whenever I encounter a difficult situation, I ask myself WWHD, which stands for What Would Harambe Do? Then, I simply follow the near-divine guidance that Harambe delivers.

For all we know, Harambe’s ghost is circulating the earth right now, visiting the enclosures of his fellow silverback gorillas.

Do you want Harambe to scroll through his ghostly Twitter feed and see memes which solely exploit his tragic death for the sake of “humor”?

Do you want him to cry ghost tears?

Harambe should be immortalized in our hearts, not in our tweets. He deserves better than this.

Rest in peace, sweet prince.

STORY BY ANTHONY SUAREZ

GRAPHICS BY JACOB KIRCHHEIMER, ALYSSA IERNA AND YESHA SHUKLA

There’s no question that since Harambe was killed in May, the internet has been flooded with memes immortalizing the event. So many, in fact, that they can at first seem overdone — that couldn’t be further from the truth.

First, more than any other type of meme, Harambe has inspired such a wide variety of jokes that, although they share the same topic, are completely different stylistically. Every Harambe meme is a little bit different from the one before it and they have adapted to every level of social media.

The Cincinnati Zoo (where Harambe was “murdered”) recently had to delete its Twitter account because so many people were responding to its tweets, mentioning Harambe. However, people generally did not respond to each tweet with the same joke.

Whatever the zoo posted, commenters would find a way to twist into a mention of Harambe.

This meant that for every Cincinnati Zoo post, a new set of jokes developed. The same is true of Change.org.

There are currently petitions to make Harambe a Pokemon Go character, put him on the dollar bill and even canonize him. The presidential campaign has brought about a poll that discovered that five percent of voters would elect Harambe. More recently, petitions have developed to rename Hurricane Hermine after Harambe.

These memes all involve Harambe, but ensure differentiation by tying him to a wide array of subjects.

Harambe memes also serve a much larger purpose than simply entertaining. These memes and jokes mock those who genuinely wish that

Harambe — a gorilla — had been allowed to live despite the threat he posed to a three-year-old boy’s life. By feigning outrage, Harambe meme creators have managed to highlight the absurdity of the genuine outrage surrounding Harambe’s death. While it is a shame that Harambe was killed, the potential alternative (a child’s death) would have been far worse. While animal rights activism is not bad, humanity should fix its own problems before moving on to those of other species. We need Harambe memes and their faux-outrage to remind us that there are much greater problems in the world than the death of a gorilla.

Harambe memes are wonderfully versatile and hilarious, but they also encourage common sense and must continue for that reason.

After all, it’s what Harambe would have wanted.

STORY BY MICHAEL STROBL

YES, AMY SCHUMER, WE CAN READ. THANKS FOR THE CONCERN, THOUGH Amy Schumer recently sparked outrage in Tampa a result of the harsh comments in her new book The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo. The popular comedian made generalizations regarding the intelligence of Tampa residents.

“I was on the road doing a tour and traveling between two horrendous cities: Fayetteville, North Carolina and Tampa, Florida,” Schumer wrote. Local residents were enraged to find out that their beloved city had been insulted; but Schumer doesn’t stop there.

“I’m not scared about writing that, because I know for a fact that no one who lives there has ever read a book,” Schumer continued,

causing even more indignation among Tampa citizens. But our question: so what?

The amount of unprecedented anger toward the opinion of one person, clearly written in a humorous context, is too much. The habits of all Tampa residents can’t possibly be reflected in the statement of one individual. Something so inconsequential is a waste of energy to be angry about. We don’t have to waste time worrying about comments that are only relevant because they’re published in a book.

Schumer implies that Tampa as a city is illiterate, but this means

practically nothing. Those who have reacted strongly have put too much thought into the intent of Schumer’s words. There is not actually an intellectual deficit in Tampa.

All Tampa residents are aware of this fact, so there is no debate to be had.In fact, because this whole situation stemmed from reading the perceived insults in a book, there is a sense of irony to it.

This, “controversy,” can be reduced to an ironic joke, so should it be a cause of so much resentment? Obviously, the answer is a resounding no.

COLUMN BY MARIN FEHL AND REEMA PATEL

8

focus

September 2016

COLLEGE EXPRESS NOT-SO-COMMON KNOWLEDGE Apply to numerous universities with one application What is the Common Application?

Although it may seem overwhelming at first, hitting big deadlines such as the Common Application and FAFSA applications are a lot simpler once you know how to navigate the world of Senior Year — Let us help you out:

FOR FAFSA’S SAKE

Last year, President Barack Obama announced some changes to the process that starts with this application cycle. Here’s what changed and what you need to know to apply: What is the FAFSA?

“

It’s important to be in contact with the College and Career Counselor [Debra] Wanner because she does have monthly scholarship bulletins ... you never know which ones you might qualify for.

A nonprofit organization that provides applications online that can be sent The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be to more than 500 colleges, saving you hours of work filling out an individused to attend any eligible college or career school. It provides Federal Pell ual application for every school you want to apply to.

GUIDANCE COUNSELOR DOMINIQUE WOODS

UPCOMING COLLEGE VISITS* TS

Grants, federal student loans and work-study opportunities. Many states,

Sept. 19

University of Alabama

private organizations, colleges, and career schools also use FAFSA to

Sept. 27

Wake Forest University

determine eligibility for other types of aid.

Sept. 28

Furman University, John Hopkins University

What’s changed?

Sept. 30

Swarthmore College

Apply earlier: Students can now submit an application as early as

Oct. 3

Vanderbilt University

Oct.1 (due dates fluctuate by college and state. Federal deadline is June 30).

Oct. 4

Fordham University

Use older information: Income information from an earlier tax year

Oct. 5

Georgia Tech, University of California - Berkeley

Oct. 18

Dartmouth University

Oct. 20

Brown University

What do I need to do?

After making an account, it will ask you to complete a profile — this profile covers everything the colleges need to know from family background to SAT scores. You will then choose the schools you plan on applying to and complete a few questions (and tasks, such as essays) unique to the university chosen.

When is it due? is now required, instead of the most recent year. SpecifiEach school is different and the due date depends on whether you’re apcally for 2017–18 submissions, students and parents will plying Early Action or Regular Action (there are more options!). But, don’t be required to send in their 2015 income information. fret: The Common Application will let you know when your due dates are.

* To attend the visits, go to room the College and Career Lab, Room 111.

Students may only apply for three visits.

many students aim to go off to college after high school, some are doing it even before graduating; COLLEGE BEFORE GRADUATION? While dual enrollment students at Hillsborough and HCC work towards a degree and a diploma at the same time.

She wakes up an hour before her classes start. It takes her a half hour to leave the house: she gets dressed, puts on her makeup, but there isn’t time to eat breakfast or anything like that. Her bag is always ready ahead of time; she grabs it and walks out to her car.

Once she’s ready, high school senior Nicole Moradiellos goes to college.

Moradiellos is a dual enrollment student, meaning that she attends classes that contribute both towards her college degree and her high school diploma. On Mondays and Wednesdays, she goes to the Dale Mabry Hillsborough Community College campus to take Economics, and she goes to the one in Ybor on Fridays to take English composition.

With dual enrollment, public school students in dual enrollment have access to free textbooks in addition to the free tuition offered for all dually enrolled students. Students can take up to nine credits a semester.

“I love [dual enrollment], it makes me really excited for college. It’s not as crowded as it is in high school,” she said. “No one really bothers you, everyone keeps to themselves, at least in my classes.”

This is Moradiellos’ first semester doing dual enrollment; she wants to go to the University of Florida or Florida State University after high school to study psychiatry, but she’s not sure which one. But now, going to college after high school doesn’t necessarily mean ‘going off to college’: you can go to college without leaving Hillsborough’s campus.

In order to be eligible for dual enrollment, Hillsborough students have to have at least a 3.0 unweighted GPA and have the appropriate scores on the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (PERT), SAT or ACT. If interested in the program, students have to speak to their guidance counselor to obtain approval and a transcript, both of which need to be submitted to HCC before the first day of the term.

Students can also take dual enrollment classes at USF provided they meet the higher criteria and the course they want to take isn’t

available at HCC. This year, some dual enrollment classes are taught after school as an eighth period, removing the need to physically go to an HCC branch. According to Guidance Department Leader Shawn Ree Miller, this year’s option to attend dual enrollment classes on campus has increased the amount of students in the program as a whole.

“Up until this year, probably 10 or 15 students did dual enrollment.

But now that we’re offering it on campus, there’s a lot more,” she said.

“We’re closer to some 30-some students, 35.”

Junior Wendon Carey-Jones is one of the students who takes dual enrollment classes on campus after school. He’s currently enrolled in a freshman English taught by Monica Sleeter after school along with 15 other students in his class.

“It’s convenient [to do dual enrollment on campus] rather than going to the campus in Ybor,” he said.

Seniors can also apply for Early Admission at HCC, where they

register as a full-time student and intend to attend HCC after high school. Eligibility is almost the same as for regular dual enrollment students, but early admissions students must have a 3.5 unweighted GPA instead of a 3.0.

The application fee and tuition while the student is in high school is waived, but tuition after high school isn’t.

Breanna Ciccione is a senior currently enrolled in three different dual enrollment classes, the maximum amount that students can take per semester. She wants to stay in Tampa for college, either going to USF right after graduating or going to HCC for two years.

“I like dual enrollment more than high school,” Ciccione said. “I wish I had done it my junior year, too.”

Registration for the spring 2017 term begins Nov. 21, but HCC encourages registration a month in advance to ensure course availability and textbook access. Classes begin Jan. 9.

STORY BY ANNIE AGUILAR

Red & Black

9

CERTIFICATION MANDATORY Some students enrolled in customer service class were shocked to learn they wouldn’t just be running passes and paperwork for teachers.

It turns out this year, the business education class caters more towards earning industry certifications.

“If students earn an industry certification,” said business education teacher Letha Maxey, “they get a seal on their diploma indicating they completed at least three college hours and one college credit.”

Earning certification also helps the school improve its state-issued grade (a C for 2015-16). On the most recent state report card, 53 percent of seniors qualified for an acceleration point, based on passing certification, getting at least a 3 on an AP exam or earning credit in a dual enrollment course.

Students in customer service who have not achieved any of those three distinctions are currently using that class time now to earn the certification.

These programs do more than benefit the student.

Passing scores earn the school as much as $1,200 to use for new textbooks, school supplies and other expenses related to certification.

The real motivation, though, according to Maxey, is to give students a competitive edge with colleges and potential employers. They also earn a special distinction on their diploma.

“I learned things I thought I would never learn,” said senior Ozoamaka Obiona. “At work, if someone asks me to make a spreadsheet, I can do it with no problem.”

These skills impress employers, and make the applicant in question more appealing for the job for which they are being considered.

Most students entering this program hope to use the skills they learn to get the job of their dreams, like senior José Estrada, who aspires to become a video game designer.

He said the skills he’s learning while preparing for his industry certification exam will be beneficial in working towards this goal.

He has the opportunity to familiarize himself with Microsoft Word and its security features during school, and he believes this opportunity will help him when he’s learning how to code the software necessary to design and develop video games.

For Estrada, this class isn’t a chore, he truly wants to be there.

“It’s something I like to do. I like working with computers, it’ll help me get a job and help me get into college,” he said. Estrada felt that earning his Microsoft certification was something anyone could do, and encouraged others to join the class. It was his belief that the experience he gained using this software was well worth the time spent memorizing the material.

However, not all students are convinced this class is as great as it may seem. Senior Cyona Rahming was disappointed when she found out this wasn’t just an easy class.

“Not really, because it’s a lot of work,” said Rahming.

Students like Rahming joined this class because they simply had nothing else to do, and were surprised at the amount of work and time gaining an industry certification required.

STORY BY MARIN FEHL AND BRANDI MARTIN

We asked last year’s seniors for college readiness tips and counseling and here’s what they said: In your essays, write about societal issues that make you sound global minded.

Exaggerate as much as you can without lying, work a lot on your essay and resume and send in your applications early.

Get a 15-minute planner and have a Sunday ‘planning power hour’ to plan your daily, weekly and monthly goals.

BRYCE MALONE

RIKIANNE O’BYRNE O’BYRN

HUGH NGUYEN NGUY

10 September 2016

life

Red & Black

DRESTACKZZ ENTERS THE RAP GAME Senior Andre Tavarez began his rap career selling CDs on the street.

“I used to go to Ybor and just pass out CDs and just work,” Tavarez said. Now, he not only raps for clubs — he gets paid for it.

“We have a show coming on Sunday at the Bounce Boy Warehouse, they’ve been passing out flyers. We’re getting paid like $200 at the show and we have a show coming up at Club Skye.”

Tavarez, also known as Drestackzz in the rap community, only pursued rap as a hobby at first until a friend, known as Young Peso, urged him to pursue it more seriously.

“He kinda, like, pushed me to keep going,” Tavarez said. “I used to follow the statement that that there is only so many people who make it in this rap industry, so what does it look like [if I] try to make it.”

Eventually, with support from his friends and his peers, Tavarez decided to record his first song. His recording made it to the airwaves and his songs played on both 93.3 and 95.7 FM. “That’s when this Drestackzz name just started expanding and expanding more.”

Since then, Tavarez has worked to improve his rapping skills and reputation.

“It’s just like building a business, you know McDonald’s didn’t come out of the blue. You got to build your business and hone your craft.”

LEFT Tavarez performs at a club’s local teen night in the Tampa-Bay Area. He performs a few of his singles, like Straight Flame and Weekdays.

TOP Tavarez sits down for an interview with local YouTuber Teo. He describes his process of becoming a rapper from handing out CDs in Ybor City to getting on the radio.

More than just a game Rapping and promoting does come at a price, however. “You gotta go home, you gotta go to the studio, you gotta come back home at nine o clock, study an hour and sleep,” he said. Despite the challenges, Tavarez says that school is necessary, since the rap game can be unpredictable at times.

“Everything could go downhill from here. I could lose my voice.

I could walk out of here and not know how to rap anymore. This is not promised — an education is promised,” he said.

Fortunately, he already has a foot in the door with his Plan A;

but if his rap career doesn’t work out, he plans to pursue computer engineering.

“If everything goes well, I already have distribution... once I’m 18, I’m already signed with people.”

He wants rapping to be something he can rely on because, to him, it has become more than a hobby.

BOTTOM Tavarez prepares to shoot a video for his single “Straight Flame” to post on his YouTube channel with 637 subscribers. | PHOTOS COURTESY ANDRE TAVAREZ “I’m trying to go home and feed my family with this,” he said.

“This is actually a business, it’s not really a game.”

For Tavarez, rapping could very well define his future for years to come.

STORY BY DENZEL PIERRE

YEARBOOKS ON SALE NOW buy now for only

prices increases to $70 THIS FRIDAY Sept. 16 and to $80 on Jan. 1

HHSTODAY.COM OR ROOM 506

life

hhstoday.com

SAPP’S SERENGETI

Five minutes passed since the morning bell rang, indicating the beginning of a new school day and the start of first period.

In IB French class, students were getting situated and ready for the day’s lesson while the teacher called attendance.

Mostly everybody was present, the only absent person was Nicole Shaffer.

Ten minutes later an apparently angry Shaffer stormed into the classroom, “I was dress coded!” she blurts out in front of the whole class to explain her tardiness, “for wearing running shorts!”

A wave of angry and disapproving remarks was heard coming from the students.

“Who did it?” they asked.

“Coach Sapp.”

Increased dress code enforcement has been a hot topic on campus this year, and Sapp, hired to assist in the Office of Student Affairs, has been catching much of the heat.

Students speak up Some students have spoken out and said their main issue with the dress code is the way it is being enforced. They claim he specifically targets girls creating a sense of gender inequality at school.

Sapp has also been criticized by students for dress coding female students for wearing Nike athletic shorts, as they are too short for dress code. Students have argued that their shorts are weather-appropriate, as they attend a school in Florida where the air conditioning doesn’t always work.

“I think it’s ridiculous, I’ve been dress coded three times for running shorts” Shaffer said “ I think he should focus on his job more instead of dress coding girls over athletic wear.”

Angered students took this discussion to Twitter. Junior ErrDaisha Floyd posted a survey on twitter to gather other people’s opinion on the matter and see if they felt the same way she did.

“A lot of people said they understood that a dress code is needed,” the junior said, “but the way it is being enforced, isn’t really going towards the goal of Hillsborough.”

Floyd said she has nothing personal against Sapp: “The way things were being done is just all wrong and he was just the person there which is why they attacked him.”

11

Assistant football coach Jimmy Sapp’s methods lead to conversation about the dress code policy on campus

Many students tweeted directly to Coach Sapp, tagging him in many of their posts.

Senior Pedro Herbst on Twitter said, “Coach Sapp I think we are in a worse place and I think half of the student population agrees with me, administration is objectifying girls”

He’s just doing his job On the other hand, Sapp has gained support from multiple students and administration.

Students who defend Sapp concur that he is only doing his job, and the dress code is not really up to him.

Junior Deborah Birra came to Sapp’s defense on twitter, saying, he “doesn’t make the rules, he just enforces them.”

Jimmy Sapp checks up on a student during lunch. He has been hired to be administration’s extra While administration is set of eyes and ears around campus, which includes enforcing dress code. | STAFF PHOTO aware of the uneasiness revolving It is unclear how administration will address the complaints to around Sapp, they are thankful he is enforcing dress code the way he is. Despite some speculations, Sapp is under the same instruc- dress code policy and Sapp, but for the meantime Sapp seems to be meeting their expectations. tions as all other staff members.

“He’s doing a great job,” Brady said of Sapp. “We meet every “[The staff ] just had a meeting and everyone’s been instructed to do the same thing,” said Principal Gary Brady. “There have been week and certainly we’ll debrief but for now he’s a great extra pair some things that haven’t been enforced fully. I think it’s better to of eyes.”

Sapp joined the Twitter discussion before making his account be really on top of it at the beginning, so kids will know what we’re private a few weeks ago. “It’s simple. I don’t understand it,” he looking for.”

Students agree that having a set dress code is necessary in a tweeted. “I don’t care what your background is. Follow the rules.”

Last week, he didn’t want to directly discuss his performance, place such as school, because in a professional workplace there are other than one comment he didn’t explain: “When you enter the also rules and regulations on how one should dress.

“I feel most times administration does this for the good of the Serengeti, you never know what you’re going to get.”

STORY BY JORGE GARCIA school or because they think it’s to install a certain level of respect ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY MADISON FORBIS and professionalism,” freshman Rita Benkirane said.

PROJECT HOMECOMING Homecoming is the first dance of the year, and despite the excitement it brings some students, it can be an insecure time for those who cannot afford the fancy dresses, the stylish hairdos or even a ticket to attend.

Alumnus Tyler Mills is working with his partner Jasmine Johnson and AVID teacher Jazmine Clarke to change that for two girls.

“As alumni of Hillsborough High School, I knew that homecoming was a stressful time for most families but, being a student, I knew there was nothing i could do to help at the moment,” Mills said.

Johnson is a host and coordinator of many events throughout the Tampa Bay area as well as

September 2016

a professional model.

Mills and Johnson participate in a program that helps generate revenue that will be used to fund the Celebrity Citizens project as well as “other projects regarding the empowerment of young adults.”

Celebrity Citizens Homecoming Glam Squad is an opportunity for students to get their hair styled by a professional and get a free manicure and pedicure as well as a $50 Visa gift card in preparation for Homecoming.

“This will be the first year of us launching the project and of course I wanted to begin at the roots of HHS which made me into the man I am today,” Mills said.

Alumni give back with help at homecoming and other support To be awarded this opportunity, students must qualify for free and reduced lunch, and submit a one-page essay explaining the following question: “What are your aspirations in life, and how do you plan to achieve your goals?”

Essays must be double spaced, typed in Times New Roman 12, with one inch margins all around.

Students must submit their essay to Clarke in Room 401 by Friday, Sept. 16. Winners will be picked and notified the following week.

STORY BY ATIYA SIMMONS

GRAPHIC BY JORGE GARCIA

entertainment

12 September 2016

Red & Black

SWIMMING IN FRANK OCEAN’S BLOND

Despite record label controversy and irritated fans, Ocean managed to release not one but two albums as well as a magazine. The much-anticipated album finally dropped, reaching critical acclaim in a matter of days: but for fans, was it worth all the wait?

Ever since Frank Ocean’s critically-acclaimed debut album Channel Orange, the anticipation for a follow-up project has been huge, especially considering the fact that Ocean dropped little to no music during the four-year period.

It was difficult to use social media without encountering a mention of Ocean’s musical and social silence. False release dates only served to whip Ocean’s fans into even greater music-craving frenzies.

When Ocean finally released his album, however, he delivered tenfold, not only in quality but quantity.

He released three projects almost simultaneously: a visual album entitled Endless on Aug. 18, Blond on Aug. 20, and a magazine called “Boys Don’t Cry.” Blond begins with Ocean’s smooth falsetto, modified by a “chipmunk” effect which serves to envelop the listener in a soft bed of vocals that continues throughout the album. Instead of in-

corporating major high and low points of energy within the album’s tracks, Ocean chooses to adopt a soulful, somber tone that serves to define the album.

The “chipmunk” effect on the intro track, “Nikes,” isn’t the only voice-modification used on the album.

Voice modification is used several other times on this project to highlight the emotions each song is attempting to express.

This is most notably seen on the track “Ivy,” whose outro serves as a culmination of sadness and regret of past actions as highlighted by the high-pitched, almost frantic distortion of Ocean’s voice as he sings, “I could dream all night, dream all night, I could drive all night, drive all night.”

Track by track “Self Control,” a stand-out track on the album, expresses Ocean’s disheartened lamentation at his intense desire to make love to someone he sees in passing.

By the end of the track, Ocean seems to have lost all confidence in himself due to his apparent rejection by that person, leading into an ending that conveys pure dejection in the line, “I, I, I,

know you gotta leave, leave, leave…” This outro is one of the most sonically pleasing parts of the album, and inspires an intense degree of empathy.

“Self Control” truly evokes something resembling an out-of-body experience because of its ability to make the listener identify with Ocean’s emotional turmoil.

Although this album possesses a number of notable contributors (including a chorus sung by Austin Feinstein and Yung Lean on “Self Control”) the most surprising and significant is a verse rapped by Andre 3000 on “Solo (Reprise).”

3000, who had all but disappeared after the conclusion of the 2014 Outkast reunion tour, made his long-awaited return on this long-awaited album with a rapidly delivered verse that criticizes the current state of hip-hop with lines like “After 20 years in, I’m so naïve/ I was under the impression/ That everyone wrote they own verses.”

This album ends with the thoughtful “Futura Free”, which serves as Ocean’s self-reflection on his success, his sexuality, and his relationships, romantic and otherwise.

He marvels at how he used to work long hard days making less than minimum wage, and is now making hundreds of thousands of dollars

for his music. He notes the kinship he feels with artists who died at a young age, such as Selena and Tupac. Finally, an interview with Ocean’s younger brother Ryan plays. Then, a single question is asked twice, “How far is a light year?” leaving the listener to reflect on the album, the emotions that it impresses on those who consume it, and its overall message?”

Label controversy The seemingly endless wait and numerous delays of this album is not the only discussion surrounding it. There is also the issue of Ocean’s contract with Def Jam Records, which was fulfilled by the release of “Endless” and allowed Ocean to release Blond independently through his own label, Boys Don’t Cry. Although Ocean upped his profit percentage significantly by doing so (and has made over a million dollars from album sales as a result), it may prove to be a bad decision for the singer because of the rumors circulating that Universal Music Group (Def Jam’s parent company) has grounds to sue Ocean for releasing Blond independently and plans to move forward with a lawsuit.

REVIEW BY ANTHONY SUAREZ

KANYE TO THE AMALIE ARENA

Kanye West’s most recent album, “The Life of Pablo,” which debuted on Feb. 14, was a hit because the music was new and original to the rap world, which is expected from West.

On Aug. 25, West began his Saint Pablo tour, which will have 39 different stops all over the United States. One tour stop is even right here in Tampa; Kanye will be at the Amalie Arena on Sept. 14.

Sophomore Morgan Morris, said, “I don’t know [what to expect]! Something outrageous, something crazy, someone dying, maybe, because you know [Kanye West] is on that level.”

Senior Kadin Bruce also says that he expects “absolute hype, people just losing their minds in the best way possible.”

So far on the tour, West has been up

to something pretty original. During each concert, West is performing on a platform hanging above the crowd.

Guests with floor tickets to West’s shows have had the opportunity to stand below the stage and look up at West as he does his set.

Kanye’s set list in the first few stops of the tour has contained such hits like, “Jesus Walks,” “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” and “Mercy” as well as newer additions to his discography, including “Father Stretch My Hands Pt.1 and Pt.2” and “Famous.”

Concertgoers should be sure to bring along their wallets, as West’s tour merchandise has apparently been selling in ridiculous quantities.

In fact, it was reported that West sold over $750,000 worth of merchandise in

a single night while playing at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Some people, however, are not excited for the concert. This group includes senior Zachary Carter, who said, “I miss the old Kanye.”

This refers to a famous lyric from The Life of Pablo album, proving that some fans and even West himself realize that his music has definitely changed over the years.

The overall consensus seem to be that, whether you hate Kanye or love Kanye as much as Kanye loves Kanye, nobody can deny that the Saint Pablo tour stop in Tampa will be unpredictable.

STORY BY LAUREN KOMAR AND ANTHONY SUAREZ

PHOTO COURTESY CREATIVE COMMONS

entertainment

hhstoday.com

September 2016

13

NETFLIX’S NARCOS IS ADDICTING “Narcos” is a show that demands the viewer’s attention. In part, that’s because they need to read the subtitles if they want to understand the 70 percent of the dialogue in Spanish, but also because the story it’s telling and the masterful ways that the series goes about showing it are so fascinating that it’s impossible to look away.

Compelling characters Across the board, the acting in the show is brilliant, but the stand-out is Escobar himself, played

by Brazilian actor Wagner Moura. Moura is intimidating and powerfully engaging for the viewer, but the show never lets you forget what is at his character’s core: a villain. What makes “Narcos” different from popular series in recent memory like “Breaking Bad” and “Mad Men” is that while the latter showcased interesting anti-heroes, the former makes no attempt to portray Escobar as virtuous.

Sure, he loved his family dearly, but he was also responsible for the deaths of thousands of people.

There are no clear good guys or bad guys in “Narcos.”

While the show’s de facto protagonists, DEA agents Steve Murphy and Javier

Pena, often become a kind-of moral center, they’re nowhere near pure; they work with agents and officers as ready to kill as the drug lords they’re fighting.

Room to breathe Season 1 had to cover 15 years in 10 episodes, while Season 2 has the same runtime to cover one year. The show is now able to spend more time with the little things that made up the drug war. This by no means says that the show moves at a slower pace; what it loses in breadth, it makes up for in depth.

That’s one of the things that the show accomplishes brilliantly in season two; this story isn’t just about the big shots running the drug trade, it’s about the children acting as informants, the families of killed policemen, the people painting murals to a murderer. These moments are what truly make the show shine this time around.

Beautiful brutality

REVIEW BY ANNIE AGUIAR

LOVE NARCOS? TRY THESE NEXT House of Cards: Exchange cocaine for political power, and you’ve got basically the same package in an equally aesthetically pleasing wrapping. Both shows are about ruthless people and the lives they affect and sometimes ruin.

Visually, the show is beautiful, as is to be expectBreaking Bad: Anti-hero chemised from a Netflix original series. The colors are vitry teacher turned meth manubrant, the composition of every shot is compelling facturer Walter White is at the and keeps the viewer rooted firmly in the action and center of this story of crime, drama. The sound design is on point, with fast paced family and blurry morality that music leading up to action scenes that make your you’ve probably already seen. heart beat faster or no music at all when it’s better But it’s always good to re-watch. to just let the spectacle of the violence dominate the Weeds: A dark comedy drama screen. about a recently widowed subur“Narcos” is not for the faint of heart, as is to be ban mother, Nancy Bowtin, who expected for a series about the life of one of history’s begins supporting her family most notorious drug kingpins. Drugs, sex, violence by selling marijuana. The series and more make up a large part of season two’s near follows Bowtin’s rise through the 10-hour run time, but what the show does brilliantly drug trade. is in the juxtaposition.

Shots of people being shot coldly and cruelly are PHOTOS COURTESY NETFLIX, AMC, AND SHOWTIME spliced with tender scenes of a man and wife danc-

PHOTO COURTESY NETFLIX

Check out hhstoday.com to see: • The evolution of controversial musician Miley Cyrus, culminating in her becoming a judge on The Voice • Student opinions on Miley’s transition from child star to raunchy performer

BASTILLE’S WILD WORLD IS TAME Three years after their last hit, British alternative pop band Bastille recently released their newest album, titled Wild World.

The band’s sophomore album blends rock lyrics and instruments with EDM beats to create an upbeat tone. But the album is more than the sound, and seems to contrast the upbeat music with heart-wrenching, emotional lyrics like those seen in the songs “Shame” and “Blame.”

Songs such as “Campus” and “The Currents” feature up-tempo beats, as well as the band’s signature vocal patterns, similar to their 2013 hit “Pompeii.”

ing, of the beautiful Colombian landscape and more.

It’s even in the opening to the show, which showcases the pure mass of cocaine, the violence and more alongside the crooning of a slow-paced love song.

This, over everything, is what “Narcos” does best; it brings two sides that seem to be opposing into one cohesive, compelling whole.

Both seasons of “Narcos” are streaming on Netflix now.

Debatably, the best parts of the album are when lead singer Dan Smith slows it down to focus on powerful vocals and haunting lyrics. Out of 19 tracks, only 3 of them are slow, but songs like “Oil and Water” make the album more genuine and hard-hitting.

The album features varying musical styles, ranging from the heavy rock beats of “Blame” to the upbeat, synthesized sound of “Good Grief ”.

But despite this, most of the songs seem to blend together. Many tracks are hard to tell apart, especially since there are so many of them.

One major difference between this album and Bastille’s last, Bad Blood, was that this album sampled dialogue from vintage movies at the beginning and ending of certain songs. Although confusing at some points, this added to the overall sound of the album.

Although I wouldn’t recommend all 19 songs, several of the tracks on Wild World, such as “The Anchor” and “Shame” are well worth a listen.

REVIEW BY MADISON FORBIS

PHOTO COURTESY CREATIVE COMMONS

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14 September 2016

Red & Black

LEFT The cheerleaders motivate the football players during their game against Durant. This was their first game of the season, which they won 17-7. | PHOTO BY MORYAH WELLS RIGHT Cheer Captain Dara Alligood points to the bell tower during the Alma Mater, “The Red and Black.” | PHOTO BY MORYAH WELLS

CHIP IN TO CHEER

Pom poms and tumbling mats do not come cheap. The fee for each of the 13 varsity cheerleaders is $844. The price also covers the cost of uniforms, practice clothes, shoes and camp. The main reason for this year’s steep fee was the five-day cheer camp at the University of Central Florida. The camp alone cost $386.

Despite the cost, junior Lia Harris thought the experience was worth the sizable price tag.

“We learned new stunts, worked on our jumps, did dances and cheers and learned new skills,” Harris said. In order to cover the cost Harris had to take a job at Publix. Since Harris pays for cheer by herself she has to work three days a week.

Some of Harris’ teammates are accustomed to the expensive price. Captain Dara Alligood, a senior, was a Level 10 gymnast be-

Students face a more than $800 fee if they want to cheer. Cost has dissuaded several potential members, but the team is trying to solve the issue.

fore started cheer. Since the gymnastics team was run privately it was even more expensive because the team did not receive school funding.

The cheer team receives funding from the school for competitions and traveling, but there are still students who are not able to afford the costs. “I’ve had people personally tell me they won’t tryout when they find out the estimated price of [cheer]”, Alligood said.

Not only has the cost deterred new people from trying out, it is also a burden on the returning cheerleaders. “The high cost of cheer has almost stopped me from cheering this year,” senior Pearl Obioha said. However, Obioha was not willing to let the cost stop her from competing. She started a GoFundMe and worked over the

NO FEAR FOR NEW TEAMMATE Junior Dioscar Montesino believes that he isn’t afraid of the challenge.

In the past four years there have only been two other males on the cheer team.

For two full years they competed without a male cheerleader. Montesino broke the dry spell when he decided to try out for the team.

The team was ecstatic to find a man who was willing to compete and added him to the roster. “Some boys don’t join because they are afraid of the challenge and they just let girls take over,” Montesino said.

Montesino is the newest member of the team but is by no means new to com-

petition.

Before cheer he competed in gymnastics for eight years. However, he was forced to stop due to a serious skin condition.

He was very ill and had to stop competing. It took several months for him to heal, but he did not let his illness deter him from sports forever. After taking time off from gymnastics, Montesino decided to find a new passion. “I wanted to start something new: cheerleading,” Montesino said.

His family was very supportive of his decision.

However, his friends were doubtful

that he made the right decision. This changed when they saw Montesino with the rest of the team at open house.

They transitioned from skeptical to excited as soon as they saw him. Junior Ilexius Fiorillo said, “He shows that anybody can show team spirit and how awesome being a cheerleader can be.”

Cheer captain Savannah Puleo loves having a boy on cheer. “We are able to try new things that we weren’t able to do before,” she said. With Montesino on the team they can perform more advanced stunts and go against more skilled competitors to help them grow and become a better team.

summer so she would be able to join the team.

In an attempt to make the price more manageable they conduct fundraisers throughout the year. They do car washes, sell shirts, keychains and Krispy Kreme donuts. Each cheerleader also goes to different businesses to try and get sponsors. They are currently sponsored by several restaurants and Beck.

The coaches have also decided to keep the same practice apparel and uniforms for next year. This means that the returning players will only have to pay for camp instead of an entirely new wardrobe.

For the past several seasons the players had to pay for new clothes each year. Assistant coach Loren Nieves thinks the change will help alleviate the costs and satisfy the returning members.

STORY BY TEGAN SMITH

Cheer is divided into sections: all females, small co-ed and large co-ed.

Since they now have a male teammate they will be in small co-ed instead of all females.

“We are small co-ed. Most of the best cheer squads are small co-ed or large coed so we have to bring it on,” Montesino said.

STORY BY JUBILEE GONZALEZ

sports

hhstoday.com

September 2016

15

DEFENSE NOT BACKING DOWN After two regular season games and a preseason game — 144 minutes of football —Hillsborough’s defense has given up just two touchdowns.

After the first two regular season games last year, opponents had scored seven. And the difference has stemmed largely from the linebackers.

“Our defense has been playing magnificently all season,” head coach Earl Garcia said. “Our defense has pulled us out of the fire every Friday night.”

Now 2-0 after a 14-7 victory over Gaither last Friday, the Terriers have stopped every offense they’ve faced.

“The defense is filled with not only talent but men who get to the ball,” junior linebacker Robert Sherman III said.

“Our defensive linemen are hungry for sacks, our linebackers are vicious on tackles and our defensive backs are ball hawks when the ball is thrown.”

This year, the linebackers have gone from being overlooked to being some of the best in the county by utilizing their experience and versatility.

“Each one of us knows outside linebacker

TOP Senior linebacker Pedro Bostick wraps up a Gaither ball carriert | PHOTO BY MORYAH WELLS LEFT Junior linebacker Robert Sherman III chases down a Gaither running back. | PHOTO BY MCKENZIE MCINTYRE RIGHT Bostick and senior Armand Chalk fight through blockers. | PHOTO BY MORYAH WELLS

and inside linebacker,” senior linebacker and a team captain Armand Chalk explained. “So we understand each other and our placement on the field.”

The line backing unit is also a relatively deep one, according to the coaching staff.

“I’ve never had a group that was so deep,” defensive coordinator Earl Garcia III said.

“We’ve got eight guys to make four. So when one goes down or one needs a blow or one plays offense the next guy comes in and we don’t really drop the ball.”

Another factor contributing to the linebackers’ dominance: aggressive play style.

“Our linebackers have the mentality where if you have the ball in your hand, we’re coming to rip your head off,” Chalk said. “Pursuit drills are what makes us so good at this. We are put on a specific angle that we have to run and we are supposed to get there before the ball does. This is repetition everyday on every snap.”

“When we see the ball, we run to it,” Sherman added. “That’s all we know. Getting to the ball.”

But perhaps the most significant explanation for the success of Hillsborough’s line-

backers is their relationship beyond the ‘x’s and ‘o’s. Each one considers the others family members rather than mere teammates.

“We grew a bond between each other,” Chalk said. “I think it’s very important. We pick each other up and hold each other accountable for our actions. We help each other throughout the game.”

“We’re like brothers,” said senior linebacker Pedro Bostick. “We come together before every game and tell each other ‘give it your all on the field and it will pay off.’”

In this family, the two seniors, Bostick and Chalk, act as the older brothers, guiding, helping and even teasing the juniors, Sherman and Jahaad Malphus, as only siblings can.

“We’re like brothers, with me being the littlest and Armand being the oldest,” Sherman said. “[Malphus and I] have talked about when they leave and me and him will have to be the big brothers of the next two line backers.”

And this season they’ve become one family no one offensive coordinator wants to face.

STORY BY MATT LUTTON

New cross country coach Jehri Buss works with runners in the weight room. Buss is the first female coach in the sport at Hillsborough in years. | PHOTO BY KATIE DELK

NEW XC COACH IN THE RUNNING As the first female cross country coach in recent memory, Jehri Buss really wants “for everyone on the team, wherever they start and wherever they are going, to be a better version of themselves.”

Previously, Daniel Close was the only cross country coach for both boys and girls. Now Buss has accepted the position and is working to help the cross country team in achieving their cross country goals.

“Whether that is finishing a race or if their goal is to increase it by a few seconds, whatever their goals are, I just want them to reach them,” Buss said. “I want to see us all moving at our own direction but own pace.”

In high school Buss never ran competitively, but was active in sports like tennis and volleyball.

When offered the job of cross country coach, she saw it as an opportunity to further involve herself in Hillsborough High School.

“I was talking to a few of the team members and decided to get involved in a sport and to get involved in the school,” she said. “There was an opening and it just fit perfectly.”

Although she feels like she needs to improve, Close’s help has proven invaluable. “Coach Close has been a great mentor and has happily taken the lead,” Buss said.

Shadowing Close has given Buss the confidence to start leading practices. Her presence gives Close assistance in motivating the student athletes. “It’s not just a job to her, she takes pride in it,” Close said.

“From day one, the kids have taken a liking to her where she runs with them, she tries to coach them and gives them encouragement,” Close said. “I feel that you would never know that it is her first year as a cross country coach.”

Senior Cordell Isom said he is glad that Buss is a part of the team. “I’m not used to having a new coach, but I think she can make the cut for the second position,” Isom said. Isom said he is glad to be a part of a team he described as “family like” with everyone sticking together.

Buss wants her runners to learn how to persevere in not just cross country but everything they attempt.

“I’d love for them to see this experience as something that is empowering to them,” she said. “Some of our members come out and say well I can’t, I don’t feel good, but it doesn’t matter, we all start somewhere.”

STORY BY KATIE DELK

16

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Go to HHSToday.com for sports coverage and scores, campus, multimedia and world news updates and more!

The football team storms in on the field at the start of the preseason game against Durant on Aug. 27; Hillsborough won the game 17-7.

Check HHSToday.com for photo, video and stories about Terrier sports. | PHOTO BY HARMONY TARPEIN

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Apple’s latest release of the iPhone 7 as well as the Apple Watch Series 2 has H been on everyone’s mind. It has many new features, the most popular being water resistance.

But some believe it comes at an expense. There will no longer be a headphone jack on the iPhone to make it splash and water resistant.

Continue reading this story by Carolin Hearne at HHSToday.com.

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REMEMBERING 9/11

Fifteen years after the attack on the World Trade Center that changed America forever, HHSToday.com takes a look at the memories the Hillsborough community have of that day.

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SITTING DOWN San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has caused recent controversy by choosing to sit down during the National Anthem, doing so to protest the mistreatment of people of color. He began this protest at a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers.

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