Red & Black, September 2018

HOCO NEED TO KNOW Answers to your questions about Homecoming 2018 | p. 8-9

Florida’s First High School Newspaper Hillsborough High School | hhstoday.com 5000 N. Central Avenue | Tampa, Florida 33603 September 2018 | Volume 120, Issue 2

New clubs are in: Find out what extracurriculars might be right for you. | p. 2

Find out why dress code enforcement is a top priority this year | p. 5

Earl Garcia is set to become the county’s winningest high school football coach. | p. 16

Senior Joshua Owens poses for a picture while dressed at Spider-Man during lunch on the first day of Spirit Week, Meme Monday. PHOTO BY MAKAYLA BROWN

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September 2018

Red & Black

CLUBS START THE YEAR

NEW CLUBS MAKE THEIR DEBUT

Students sign up during club rush

Journalism Matters

HHS Photography Club

Thick Thighs Matter

Latino Success Club

Naturally Aware Proud and Strong

HHS Financial Club

Lend a Paw

Students Demand Action

College 101

Purpose: To celebrate the importance of journalism in our society.

Sponsor: Joe Humphrey Meetings: Third period in Room 506

Purpose: To assist with Hispanic Heritage month, with presentations from speakers from the Latino community discussing their successes.

Sponsor: Monica Sleeter Meetings: Sixth period in Room 528

Purpose: To promote animal safety and rescue. The members plan to work with or volunteer for different organizations to raise awareness, help care for animals and conduct fundraisers for animal toys or food.

Sponsor: Ashley Payne Meetings: Third period in Room 531

Rainbow Alliance

Purpose: For straight and LGBTQ+ members to come together and socialize and to help to create more acceptance.

Sponsor: Katty Francis Meetings: Second period in Room 334

Purpose: To improve photography techniques and skills by working with others and learning from more experienced students.

Sponsor: Ashley Payne Meetings: First period on the H Patio

Purpose: To help build self-confidence and self-esteem by creating exercises and working with each other.

Sponsors: Faith McPherson and Lauren Gonzalez Meetings: Seventh period in Room 421

Purpose: Supports gun legislation and other non-partisan issues, helps pre-register teens to vote and works with Tampa March For Our Lives to organize local events.

Sponsor: Laura Wells Meetings: First period in the cafeteria.

Joker’s Wild

Purpose: To participate in off campus workout sessions, ultimately leading up 2K and 4K races.

Sponsor: Ana Munoz Meetings: Third period in Room 155

PREPARING FOR COLLEGE As application and testing seasons approach, here’s some dates to remember

College

Visits

Sept. 28 - Florida Polytechnic University, Lakeland at 9 a.m.

Sept. 28 - Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN at 10 a.m.

Oct. 17 - University of California - Berkeley, CA at 9 a.m.

Nov. 2 - Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire at 9:45 a.m.

Nov. 14 - University of Tampa - 9:30 a.m.

The following list consists of the dates that college admission representatives will be attending Hillsborough High School and presenting information about applying to their respective schools. Students should see Mrs. Wanner in the College and Career Center to sign up.

For scholarship info, see the September Scholarship Bulletin from Debbie Wanner found on HHSToday.com, as well as the Hillsborough High School official website COMPILED BY MERCY TSAY

Purpose: To teach students how to stay fit and lead a healthy lifestyle.

Sponsors: Yolanda Driskell and Jehri Buss Meetings: Seventh period in Room 149

Purpose: To discuss financial topics with guest speakers and amongst themselves.

Requirements: Must be a senior with at least a 2.5 GPA. Sponsor: Andres Florez Meetings: Second period in Room 219

Purpose: To prepare juniors and seniors submitting college applications.

Requirements: Must be a junior or senior and fill out a form, which can be given to you

by Cummings.

Sponsor: Carol Cummings Meetings: First period in Room 351

Start with Hello

Purpose: To hold events that promote safety, inclusion and more.

Sponsor: Stefanie Zimmerman Meetings: Seventh period in Room 533 COMPILED BY SARAH ELLIS

Test Dates SAT

Cost: $47.50 With essay: $64.50 Late registration: $29 Bring: photo ID, admission ticket, and calculator Nov. 3, Registration Deadline Oct. 5 Dec.1, Registration Deadline Nov. 2 March 9, Registration Deadline Feb. 8 May 4, Registration Deadline April 5 June 1. Registration Deadline May 3

At the end of August there was a time to sign up for clubs Aug. 30 and 31. Club sign ups took place near the cafeteria during lunch. With the old clubs and the addition of some new clubs such as Thick Thighs Matter and Journalism Matters, there were many options to choose from.

“I thought that each club was very different and amusing from one another,” sophomore John Nguyen said. “It was organized and colorful and got your attention.

STORY BY CEEJAY LIBERATORE

Senior William Andrews discusses HHS Film Club with junior Sebastian Cuadrao at club rush PHOTO BY DELORES BATTLE

First club day takes place The first club day was Sept. 17.

Club day is the first Monday every month, where the entire day is reserved to going to different clubs. Each club is during a single traditional period.

With the start of the new school year, clubs such as Mu Alpha Theta, Veggie Nation and Model United Nations (MUN) are returning this year.

This year there are a total of twelve new clubs including College: 101, Latino Success Club, HHS Financial and Students Demand Action.

However, some clubs will not be returning this year. For example, Crochet Club is no longer at the school, with the leave of sponsor Elizabeth Funk.

Club rush was Aug 30-31, but club sign-ups are ongoing. Students can visit the sponsor toget information on how to join a club.

STORY BY SARAH ELLIS

ACT

Cost: $50.50 With writing: $67.00 Late Registration: $30.00 Bring: photo ID, admission ticket, and calculator Oct. 27, Registration Deadline Sept. 28 Dec. 8, Registration Deadline Nov. 2 Feb. 9. Registration Deadline Jan. 11 John Adam April 13, Registration Deadline March 8 Photo ID June 8, Registration Deadline May 3 July 13, Registration Deadline June 14 Free or reduced lunch students are eligible for fee waivers. Visit guidance department for more information.

Sophomores Noah Waggoner and Conrad Hunter play Cards Against Humanity during Table Top Club. PHOTO BY TATUM WATSON

hhstoday.com

news

September 2018

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BANDS AND BALLOTS REGISTERS VOTERS

TOP James Cole, one of the many artists at Tampa’s Bands and Ballots, performs Sept.

15.

RIGHT Emma Gonzalez and David Hogg, recent graduates of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, attend Tampa’s Bands and Ballots. PHOTOS

BY SARAH ELLIS

In eighth grade Asher Montgomery led a walkout at Roland Park Middle School and protested in the March for Our Lives demonstration in Washington D.C. She persisted in political involvement by attending the non-partisan voter registration concert, Bands & Ballots, as a freshman representative of the Students Demand Action club.

“I feel like every student needs to be involved in this because it definitely concerns our safety at school and I feel like t’s our right to feel safe in our school environment,” Montgomery said.

Students and individuals from the community attended Bands & Ballots, hosted by March for Our Lives Tampa Bay, to expand the dialogue on gun violence in Curtis Hixon Park.

The event had food stands, tents with voter registration forms and performers including 76 Cut Short, the John Clark Band, Eden Shireen, James Cole and Nathalie Hernandez.

Since February, students have led marches and protests. Senior and leader of Students Demand Action, Alex Barrow said that the movement initiated after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting is different.

“I think it’s important to keep having events like this because we need to keep the conversation going and unlike all the other, past shootings and school shootings, there was a moment sparked and there were movements but they didn’t last long. But now, this one is different. We’re going to keep

going until we get common sense gun laws,” Barrow said.

Other Students Demand Action club members also attended the event to promote common-sense gun laws and voter registration.

“This one, its main focus is to register voters,” Barrow said. “All the other marches and events are really good because [they were] social activism, spreading the word about it, but this not only does that, but it registers voters which is what needs to happen because while spreading the word about it is good, the main stuff happens in Congress, so we need to put our people there.”

The club plans to set up voter registration booths at Hillsborough, attend March for Our Lives rallies around Tampa and support other non-partisan issues.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas students Sofie Whitney, Emma González, David Hogg, Lauren Hogg, John Barnitt and Brendan Duff also spoke to participants at the event and offered their support.

Bands & Ballots attendee Nancy Hughes held a sign that said “Stop fascism vote Democrat.” According to Hughes, much of the youth and citizens stayed home during elections and she wants to see change in that. “[The Parkland students] are so exciting and getting people interested and going around the country getting them to vote and register to vote,” she said. “But that’s not enough, just registering isn’t enough. You have to actually vote.”

STORY BY KATIE DELK

you know what goes great with the perfect spirit day outfit? A 2019 Yearbook.

Order now at hhstoday.com before the price increases next month!

C

Room 506 Publications

2019 Hilsborean

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news

September 2018

VALDES AND HART ADVANCE IN FLORIDA HOUSE RACES

Susan Valdes, the Democratic candidate for the District 62 election for the Florida House of Representatives, won the Democratic primary and will face only a write-in candidate in November. She won 46.4 percent of the vote, defeating Mike Alvarez and Cristopher Cano in the Democratic primary election.

Valdes is the District 1 representative for Hillsborough County Public School’s School Board. She is in her third term.

Valdes announced in August that she would resign from the board in order to run for the Florida House Of Representatives.

As a School Board member, Valdes said she advocated for under-served students at Alonso, Leto and Jefferson so they chould take multiple competency tests to ensure they could get their diploma.

Dianne Hart is the current candidate for the District 62 seat in the Florida House of Representatives. Hart, a Democratic candidate, won 43.3 percent of the vote in the primary election, defeating Karen Skyers, Sharon Carter and Norman Harris. She will be running against a write-in candidate only.

After running for the same seat in 2016, she was defeated by Sean Shaw, who ran unopposed. Some of Hart’s main priorities as a candidate for state representative are vocational training, affordable housing and childhood education.

“Public education is critically important to me,” Hart said “I will continue to fight for funding for our schools and teachers.”

STORY BY REEMA PATEL

Red & Black

PROPOSING A NEW TAX Hillsborough County Public Schools will ask voters to approve a halfcent local sales tax in November, The sales tax is intended for mostly maintenance projects like cleaning up schools and replacing heating and cooling systems along with improving the technology available to students and teachers.

Another group is also seeking a full 1 cent sales tax for transportation improvements. If both pass, Hillsborough County’s sales tax would increase to the highest rate in the state, 8.5 percent.

School District communications director Grayson Kamm said he hopes voters will see the merit of the increase when they head to the polls in November.

“Our job is to make sure that the voters who do go out to vote are educated on the issues and the only way for them to know about this is to hear about our school’s needs and how we would spend their tax dollars if they were to choose to invest in students,” he said.

School district officials requested a state audit back in June to prepare for a March referendum, with both proposals on the table. Following contentious debate, they were officially added to the state’s budget.

Despite the incremental increase, the proposal hasn’t been without critics. Members of a Facebook group called Hillsborough County School Board Whistleblower has been vocal in concerns of the payment increase, questioning the merit of the proposed lists of projects for the schools that would potentially benefit from the tax.

“The money raised by a sales tax can only be used for certain projects, and those are air conditioning, maintenance, building and renovating schools, security and technology,” Kamm said. “Because of that, it already begins to show you where our focus is going to be.”

The tax, although a slight increase in payment, is ultimately intended to be used to benefit students and faculty in the school system.

And some students support this motion. “I think that it could be good, because that way we’re paying the price to better the school and transportation because right now it sucks,” junior Cassandra Truong said.

Although supported by some students, senior Nicole Arajo still thinks that caution is necessary. “Considering there hasn’t been much improvement in the past, one can only hope such an increase will prevent the community from cutting extracurricular funding from its programs in order to save money,” she said.

Regardless, the motion will be on the ballots in time for the November election. HCPS released detailed plans for improvement with the tax last week. See proposed improvements to HHS at right.

STORY BY MARIN FEHL

HERE’S A LOOK AT WHAT THE SALES TAX MIGHT DO FOR HHS

Years 1 to 5: • Fire evacuation improvements • Replace aging roof • Replace intercom system • Replace public address system • Replace telephone system • Upgrade classroom infrastructure Years 6-10: • Air conditioning replacement or overhaul • Elevator modernization project • Repave athletic tracks • Sand and recondition Gym floor • School interior repainting project SOURCE: HCPS

POLITICAL COVERAGE AT HHSTODAY.COM Republican nominee Ron DeSantis (mid left) and Democratic nominee Andrew Gillum (far left) will be running for governor. Republican nominee Rick Scott (far right) and Democratic nominee Bill Nelson (mid right) will be running for U.S. Senate. For more information, visit HHSToday.com Photos courtesy of Creative Commons.

news

hhstoday.com

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September 2018

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4

IS MAKING A COMEBACK After being absent from student’s schedules for four years, ASL 4 will be offered as a foreign language option again American Sign Language (ASL) is one of the three foreign language courses offered at Hillsborough.

The course is taught by teacher Kathleen Tallent. “It’s a fun and visual way to learn [a new language] that offers a third choice from Spanish and French,� Tallent said.

ASL is a common language used in the U.S., with over 18 percent of the population being functionally deaf, according to the Gallaudet University website.

Students who take ASL are not only given the opportunity to learn a new language, but to learn about an entirely different culture as well.

Tallent tries to take her students on a field trip each year to the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind (FSDB). “FSDB is the center of deaf culture in Florida, and is the lead in the public school system for developing deaf culture in public schools,� Tallent said.

By going to FSDB, students are put in a situation that

LEAD TESTING RESULTS ARE IN After taking water samples from every sink, water fountain and fixture on Hillsborough’s campus throughout the month of August, testers found four fixtures that exceeded levels considered safe by the district. In Room 324A, the sink measured at 118 parts per billion, over seven times the limit.

Other fixtures, including sinks in rooms 408D and 236A, measured at 20.8 and 25.7 ppb respectively.

The art sink in Room 223 reported levels reaching 46.6 ppb.

The district follows federal EPA guidelines for lead levels in drinking water by replacing the fixtures with levels of lead over 15 ppb.

Those sinks were closed with plans to replace the fixtures.

STORY BY REEMA PATEL

lets them realistically use sign language and to get a better understanding of deaf culture.

In the past, ASL 4 was part of the curriculum but, due to a lack of demand and students wanting to take the course, it was removed.

Now, with more demand for the addition of the course, ASL 4 will be available next year for students to take.

In addition to being available to students again, ASL will be the second foreign language course at Hillsborough that allows for students to graduate with a seal of biliteracy.

The seal of biliteracy is given to students who take four years of a foreign language course, TOP Chelsey Naranjor-Nouel and Gill Sanitago practice their fingerspelling skills to and it is indicated with a seal on students’ diploma when see how many word segments they can spell in one minute. BOTTOM LEFT Mekenzi Johnson and Victoria Walton fingerspelling and comparing results to graph they graduate. their progress in ASL. BOTTOM RIGHT Zhane Wilds practices fingerspelling to be STORY AND GRAPHICS BY JOHN DOAN faster at it. PHOTOS BY JOHN DOAN

DRESSING UP SCHOOL POLICIES Tougher enforcement of the dress code has frustrated some students. “These policies are not new, they’ve always been here,� said new Assistant Principal Mia Dellanini.

This year, some students say, dress code rules are different. Tops only had to be three fingers before but are now expected to cover the entire shoulder.

Another policy being enforced is neon shirts that students have to wear if their shirt is “exposing the torso or midriff, either front, back or sides [or the mid-chest area].� “The shirts are not new, they’ve always been here also,� Dellanini said. “Enforcing dress code so heavily has definitely had an affect on forming my relationships with students,� Dellanini said. “When the first thing I’m saying to [students] is ‘Hey you can’t wear that to school it’s against distict school board policy’ that doesn’t build relationships.�

The “Terrier Pride Student Contract� was passed out to traditional students on Sept. 7 and

IB students on Sept. 10. The same rules apply to all students. “You can’t expect students to follow the rules if they don’t know what they are,� Dellanini said.

At the end of the student dress code agreement is a place for a student signature as well as a parent

signature. While there is an incentive for the home room that returns 100 percent of their forms, there

is no penalty if a student doesn’t return it. “[If a stu�

dent doesn’t turn in their form] they are still held

 to the same code as everyone else,� Dellanini said.

Sophomore Terrance Maura doesn’t have an issue with the code. “Dress code is important because it prevents � �

 students from wearing inappropriate clothing,â€? Â

Terrance Maura said. “I don’t really care about [dress code], it really doesn’t affect me,� said sophomore Pablo Morales. “We’re in a professional area, we should dress �   � professionally,� senior Sebastian Wooding said.

 STORY BY KYLIE SMITH GRAPHIC BY MARIN FEHL AND MERCY TSAY

TAKING A LOOK AT THE POLICIES

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life

September 2018

Red & Black

NIKE COLIN KAEPERNICK AD SPARKS CONTROVERSY With the start of Nike’s controversial new advertising campaign, featuring Colin Kaepernick, there’s been an onslaught of criticism for the company.

With the initial release of the ad, Nike’s stocks dropped as previously loyal customers vowed to never purchase another Nike product again while social media posts of individuals burning their Nike’s went viral. Since this initial reaction, Nike has received a surge of support for the message in the ad, which read: “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”

A successful start Despite condemnation by President Trump and others who believed that Kaepernick’s choice to kneel during the National Anthem was obscene and unpatriotic, the campaign continues to be a glowing success. Supporters of Kaepernick’s and the company’s message raced to buy Nike products and the market value of the company increased, earning Kaepernick the title of Nike’s $6 billion man.

Although harshly criticized for the provoca-

tive advertising decision, many students firmly support both the message and Nike’s decision.

“I don’t think Nike was trying to harm anyone,” senior Navya Bandharam said. “I just think they are trying to promote positive change and bring about social equality in society.”

Gathering support Some students, such as senior Jonias McCrimmon, even went as far as to condemn the negative response to the ad. “I think it’s underhandedly racist in certain aspects depending on certain people involved in the act because the man is not only the ambassador, but he’s standing up for something right and that can help the world, and reacting to that by hate is really just ignorant to men,” he said.

“They’re burning things that they already bought, so they’re basically burning their own money,” Bandharam added. “I find that pretty dumb, and I mean Nike may have lost some of its customers that are against Kaepernick, but they sure have made a lot more by making him an ambassador.”

Immediately following the release of the ad, President Trump tweeted his response: “What was Nike thinking?” But according to a recent Quinnipiac University poll, they knew exactly what they were doing with this marketing. People ages 18-34, the company’s largest source of revenue and main audience, approved Nike’s decision with an overwhelming 67-21 margin.

And this pattern isn’t uncommon. CNN also found that among those aged 18-34, 44 percent approved of the campaign.

Clapping back Following angry responses to the ad, Kaepernick addressed the issues in a Tweet, questioning if Nike knew the response would be so divided.

However, Nike hasn’t rolled back the campaign and some students are still fired up. “I think they aren’t gaining anything by opposing, they’re just giving Nike more publicity and that benefits Nike, which makes them lose,” Bandharam said.

But not everyone feels the same amount of passion over the issue. “I just don’t really care about it much because it doesn’t affect me at all,”

freshman Deontay Brown said. “It’s not even my favorite brand either.”

Not a big deal And these sentiments are echoed by more than just Brown. Many took to social media to question why people were making such a big deal over the advertising rollout, while fellow freshman Darrion Black argued that it wasn’t really s big deal.

“I mean it doesn’t really matter, because both sides are going to end up paying for it anyways, so it doesn’t matter,” Brown said. “It was kind of controversial, but I mean, you gotta say what you gotta say.”

While most responses to this new marketing rollout skewed one way or another, Nike will be feeling the lasting impacts of its decision for the foreseeable future. With an increase in market value and a publicity stunt that brought a record amount of attention to the running shoes, Nike is set to have a profitable return on their investment.

STORY BY MARIN FEHL

NIKE STATISTICS

tt

$36.4 in billion worldwide revenue

rise in stocks since Kaepernick campaign started

$9.32 billion

North America revenue

COMPILED BY MARIN FEHL GRAPHICS BY MERCY TSAY

life

hhstoday.com

September 2018

FANNY PACKS ARE BACK

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Once a fashion no-no and a tourist’s favorite accessory, the fanny pack has made a comeback. Whether going for a stylish twist on your outfit or just casually rocking your fanny pack, it’s become a go-to for any occasion.

“It had flowers on it, I bought it off of somebody. I keep my pencils, my charger, my keys in it. It’s better than a backpack because I don’t have to carry this heavy thing on my back all day. It’s useful for certain things, like you can’t fit a notebook in it but that’s why I always carry my book bag. It’s coming back.”

IZAIAH VALENTIN, 10

“I’ve had this since I was a kid, honestly, and I have had other ones over time. I’ve always had it and have always used it.

I just keep my money and whatever I need for the day. I just wear it to wear it, I saw other people wearing and was like oh snap this is a thing again – cool.”

ELIJAH WEAVER, 11

r fanny u o y e r a h S us on packs with Instagram y! @hhstoda “I thought it was cute, I got it from Forever 21. I don’t know, it’s just cute to put around your waist and to put little stuff in. I think it’s from like the 90’s. It’s easier than a purse too because it’s not like on your shoulders, it’s on your waist.”

MICHEALA SMALL, 12 COMPILED BY ALEX CROFT GRAPHICS BY MERCY TSAY

HALLOWEEN HORRORS COME TO TOWN

Zoo Tampa’s Creatures of the Night

Zoo Tampa’s (Formerly known as Lowry Park Zoo) Creatures of the Night returns this year every Friday and Saturday night during October. Less focused on scares and more on Halloween traditions such as pumpkin patches and spooky treats, Creatures of the Night mixes Halloween tradition with animal shows. This year focuses on Medusa, the mythical creature who has stepped out of the pages of mythology and is lurking in the darkest shadows. This year includes a ‘Medusssa’ scare zone. A family-oriented, no gore experience, the adventure has little horror or gore, but shouldn’t be overwhelming for any newcomer. Tickets start at around $25.

Busch Garden’s Howl-O-Scream

Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights

Widely considered the most popular Halloween attraction in Tampa, Howl-O-Scream is perfect for a group of friends looking to have some fun, snacks, and screams. A step up from the zoo’s festivities, Howl-O-Scream runs from Sept. 21 to Oct. 28 on select nights. A little more intense and blood-filled than the zoo, HowlO-Scream is not geared for younger audiences, however, kids under 18 are allowed in.

People in costumes are set out to scare you, however, it’s less effective than at Universal. Average thrill-seekers will find Busch Garden appealing with the excitement of large roller coasters at night and an accessible location that isn’t as far as Universal. The price of ticket varies depending on annual or multiple passes, but start at approximately $40.

The ultimate adventure for those truly into the spirit of Halloween, Halloween Horror Nights has added a few more days this year, running until Nov. 3 on select nights. As a more expensive option, Horror Nights is targeted towards the most dedicated of daredevils. With a lineup of 10 haunted houses, based on movies and TV shows such as “Stranger Things,” you’re sure to get your fix of heart-stopping scares. Experience the park come alive at night as you explore the boardwalk and different roller coasters, all the while getting jump-scared by Michael Meyers look-a-likes.

If you’re willing to drive to Orlando for a night filled with extreme scares, Halloween Horror Nights is a must. Tickets start at around $60 depending on annual pass deals.

STORY BY JADEN SHEMESH

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September2018

Red & Black

HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HOMECOMING who said it?

What do you think about the Homecoming theme, Wild Nights?

“I don’t really know what it is, I think it’s wild nights and that sounds cool I guess.”

-EMILIO CORRALES, 10

“It’s trash. What does Wild Nights even mean?”

- JASMINE BLACK-EWING, 10

HOCO EXPECTATIONS VS. REALITY

It’s Homecoming, a time filled with events for students to participate in. With dress shopping, proposals and spirit week it’s easy to get whisked away in such traditional and festive activities.

Many find homecoming equally as tiring as it is fun.

“I expect a lot of songs by Drake. I also expect people to show out and dress all nice,” freshman Jamal Gaston said.

Before arriving to the event, a lot of friends enjoy getting ready together. This involves hair, makeup and much more regarding one’s physical appearance. Afterwards people choose to either dine out and take social media worthy pictures.

“People come in with their own clique, but then everyone forms a dance circle in the middle,” senior Reyna Hernandez said.

Dining out is usually a popular choice due to the fact that once you arrive there aren’t always many food options avail-

able. You might not also have time to fit in a quick food break For girls it’s common to have to part with their shoes while getting on the floor to dance.

Once you have stored your shoes and belongings in an appropriate area, this would be underneath the tables, it’s time to join your peers on the dance floor.

Although fun at first you will find yourself becoming increasingly sweaty and tired.

“Previous Homecomings were hot. The food was limited, and the drinks were warm. At the end everyone came together, and I danced with people I didn’t even know,” junior John Williams said.

“Every time I go to homecoming I start out looking very presentable and then the night ends with mascara running down my face and I look like a mess,” senior Katrina Das said.

STORY BY RIA DEY

DRESSING UP FOR MEME DAY

“I think it’s different, I don’t think we’ve ever had a tropical theme. It’s something people don’t really do.”

- JOANNA HERNANDEZ, 11

“I honestly think it’s interesting. I’m really curious to see what that entails. It’s really different this year.”

- SAVION FORDHAM, 12

NOT GOING TO HOCO? WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED

Seniors share their stories of homecoming experiences with freshman who expect the best

SURVIVING HOCO Homecoming is the time to demonstrate your school pride and worry about your haircut, your makeup and your outfit. This is one of the biggest events during students’ high school years and you’ll probably regret missing out on it- especially if you’re a senior. Here’s your guide on what to expect and how to prepare.

First, and foremost, we’ll start with the basics: hygiene. If you know anything about Homecoming, you know you’ll sweat a lot.

Make sure to take a shower beforehand and don’t forget your deodorant. If you have a long hair-do, you should keep a hair tie on your wrist to put your hair up if it gets too hot.

You might even want to bring in a bag with essentials like perfume, a hairbrush, hairspray, and anything else you might feel you need.

In the previous Homecomings, the venues gave out snacks rather than

more filling meals, therefore it’s recommended that you eat a light meal before the event; something that you know won’t keep you from dancing.

If you’re wearing heels, remember to bring extra, comfortable shoes or dance barefoot.

Another big one is to remember Homecoming is nothing like what you see in movies. It’s way more fun than that.

With all the singing and dancing you won’t have time to not have fun.

And if you don’t have a date, don’t even stress it.

Just go with a group of friends, or dance with strangers and you could still have an amazing night. Having fun is the most important thing you can do, so go with an open mind and some dance moves and you’ll have great night.

1) Have a self-care night. Get some face masks, snacks, and check out the staff playlist recommendations from last month for some tunes to blast.

2) See a movie. In theaters, see the latest hits like Crazy Rich Asians and, for those looking for something with more action, The Meg. Alternatively, have a night in watching the latest Netflix originals.

3) Get dressed up. Go out to eat at a fast food place in the nicest clothes you have and enjoy a fancy night out with your friends minus the hassle.

4) Have a photoshoot. Gather up some friends and a phone or camera and take turns posing for pictures that are social media worthy.

5) Go on a shopping spree. Not going to Homecoming can also mean saving some serious cash. Spend it on something nice that will last even after the night is over.

STORY BY REEMA PATEL GRAPHICS BY JOHN DOAN AND REEMA PATEL

STORY BY DIADELYS MENA

PREVIEWING THE LOCATION TOP LEFT Students pose for a selfie together during lunch on Meme Monday, the kickoff to Spirit Week. TOP RIGHT Posing for the camera, a dressed as DoodleBob starts off the week with a homemade costume. BOTTOM A group of friends pose for a picture while they’re all dressed up for Spirit Week Day One. PHOTOS BY MAKAYLA BROWN

On Saturday, Sept. 29, the 2018 Homecoming dance with the theme Wild Nights will be held at the Embassy Suites by Hilton on the University of South Florida campus. Tickets started at $35 but now cost $40 and will only be on sale (in Room 533) until the dance capacity is reached. Don’t forget to bring your student ID to get in. Homecoming will include free parking for staff and students and will begin at 7 p.m. and end at 11 p.m. in the ballroom.

STORY BY RACINE SEIDE

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opinion

September 2018

RED&BLACK VOLUME 120, ISSUE 2

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Marin Fehl WEB EDITOR Mercy Tsay DEPUTY WEB EDITOR Jaden Shemesh COPY EDITOR Katie Delk PAGE EDITORS Makayla Brown, Johnathan Doan-Truong, Sarah Ellis, Shawn Gist, Lauren Komar, Joshua Morrison, Reema Patel, Kylie Smith STAFF WRITERS Abigail Conger, Charles Diaz, Ria Dey, Ceejay Liberatore, Diadelys Mena, Racine Seide ADVISER Joe Humphrey, MJE PRINCIPAL Gary Brady ABOUT Content decisions are made by student editors MEMBERSHIP Red & Black belongs to the Florida, National and Columbia Scholastic press associations AWARDS 2017-2018 FSPA All-Florida 2016-2017 NSPA Online Pacemaker 2016-2017 NSPA All-American 2016-2017 CSPA Hybrid Silver Crown 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, Florida 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

Red & Black

VOTING IS YOUR VOICE Voting in the U.S. is both a time-honored tradition that represents the people and should be defended at all costs, and one of the most ignored freedoms we have. According to the Census Bureau, turnout has dropped to lows not seen since the 1970s, just over 50 percent for presidential elections and even less for midterm and local elections.

Don’t make excuses While everyone has their own reasons for declining to vote, the majority of non-voters seem to fall into one of three categories: busy, unmotivated, or resistant.

Despite voting locations being widely available, people have jobs and responsibilities that can keep them from driving over to their local voting booth, waiting in line and casting their ballot.

The fate of democracy seems less important when you get off a ten-hour shift and still need to make dinner or babysit and having Election Day on a Tuesday doesn’t make it any easier.

ever they want because most of us don’t know who’s making the decisions we complain about every day. You want things in your school and city to get better? Find out who makes the decisions and make them feel accountable with your voice and your vote.

Don’t be silenced What kills many people’s motivation during national elections is when we are given a couple flawed candidates to choose from, each one more worried about slandering their opponent than explaining how they’re right for the job.

There is a strong chance that neither candidate

Not the only way Yet voting in person isn’t the only option anymore. Early voting and absentee voting, mailing in your vote, allows you to still take part in the democratic process without taking any extra time out of your day.

Some years it’s a local election where you might see a sign on the street with a big name advertising someone for something like School Board that you have zero interest in. With a climate like that it’s easy to become a disillusioned, unmotivated citizen who just wishes the election would be over.

But that school board candidate you ignored decides whether hiring more APs is worth more than spending more to provide better food, or if the SAT will be free this year. The truth is the people in those positions feel safe doing what-

will share all of your interests, and may even hit a point where you hate all your options and decide none of them deserve your support. Despite having the means and interest, you protest the election itself and stay home, feeling proud that you fought the system.

You’re accountable The only problem with this mentality is not only does it hurt you, but it also hurts everyone else. By willingly refusing to exercise your right to vote, it makes it easier for people who work against your interests to get elected. Silencing your voice doesn’t help your cause any more

than breaking your legs helps you win a sprint.

Don’t vote for a perfect candidate, because there will never be one, or a specific political party that takes your vote granted, vote by issue.

Candidate A might support improving public school funding, but Candidate B supports clean energy and a women’s right to choose; pick the one who shares your priorities. You’re voting for the one who will ultimately make decisions on your future, so do the research and voice your opinion.

It just takes one Every. Vote. Counts. George Bush won Florida during the 2000 presidential election by less than 600 votes, and narrow margins happen all the time.

Every person who makes an excuse for why they can’t vote is another vital opinion lost and unheard in a system reliant on participation.

Local elections are just as important. Ignoring them is twice as dangerous because they directly affect you. Keep informed, make the right choice for you and your issues, and you’ll see the change.

The system is designed to make it as easy as possible to register and cast your vote, even people too young to vote can still pre-register with a driver’s license, permit or student ID. Remember with voting we have everything to lose, from something as simple as paving roads to handling the national debt, every election has weight. Making your voice heard, no matter who you vote for, has a positive impact and could not be more important.

Our country is a republic open to all opinions and views, but only opinions that are heard are the ones that matter. Don’t silence yourself; register early, keep informed and let yourself be heard.

ILLUSTRATION BY SEBASTIAN SALTARES

opinion

hhstoday.com

September 2018

11

SHOULD VACC NES BE MANDATORY? Yes, give it a shot

No, side effects may include...

With the discovery of a measles outbreak in what USA Today reports to be 21 states, including Florida, the ever-controversial question is once again brought to light — to vaccinate or not to vac-

cinate?

With vaccinations still being a relatively new proponent in the world of medicine (vaccines were revolutionized in the 20th century), they are seen as safe and a great health development.

“Illnesses, including rubella, diphtheria, smallpox, polio, and whooping cough, are now prevented by vaccination and millions of children’s’ lives are saved,” according to vaccines.procon.org.

“The majority of people who got measles were unvaccinated,” says the CDC. Without vaccinations, these victims were far more susceptible to contracting the disease.

Oftentimes, the measles vaccine is effective and prevents being afflicted by it. “One dosage of the vaccine prevents measles 93 percent of the time,” health officials say.

To follow this, two doses, which are recommended to both be received by the age of 6, are even more beneficial. “Two doses are 97 percent effective,” says CNN. The MMR, or measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, is extremely safe. Some of the common side effects of the vaccine listed by the CDC are a sore arm from the shot, fever, mild rash and temporary pain and stiffness in the joints.

The CDC is constantly retesting vaccines to make sure they are still safe, and the MMR vac-

cine has been consistently approved.

“In 1998, a study published in The Lancet linked the vaccine to serious health risks in children, including autism and inflammatory bowel disease. But in 2010, the journal retracted that study. Since then, many research studies have looked for a connection between the MMR vaccine and these conditions. No connection has been found,” says healthline.com.

Extensive research has been done on many vaccines, not solely the MMR vaccine, to see if there is any correlation between getting vaccinated and developing autism. After much research, scientists and doctors have come to the results that there isn’t a correlation.

To elaborate on what measles really is, the virus can cause symptoms including fever, cough, runny nose, and red watery eyes, usually followed by a rash that covers the entire body. Measles eventually can lead to ear infections, diarrhea, and pneumonia. In rare cases, measles can even lead to brain damage or death.

Measles is also extremely contagious. “Measles doesn’t even require personal contact. You can get measles by entering a room that a person with measles left up to 2 hours before,” says the CDC. So, next time you’re wondering whether you should go and get that shot, think of the negative aspects. Of how you could become very ill (like catching measles!), and how you could infect many others. On top of that, think about how harmless the MMR vaccine is! For more information on the MMR vaccine, I encourage you to visit www.cdc.gov.

COLUMN BY SARAH ELLIS

5 Ways to keep our campus clean FLOORMATS Florida rains all the time and it’s a swamp. Mats are a simple and cheap way to keep our shoes and classrooms clean. We already have some on campus, but a few more wouldn’t hurt.

H

WELCOME

LEND A HAND TO OUR CUSTODIANS Our faculty and staff work hard to make us successful. One of the most overlooked part of our staff is our custodians, they clean up after us when we trash the cafeteria, they clean the restrooms that we destroy, the list goes on. We’d be making their job easier if we just cleaned up after ourselves too.

Each year the CDC, alongside of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics releases an immunization schedule. These schedules are broken down by age and include recommendations for routine vaccinations. Vaccines can start from as young as 6 months and continue on into elderly life.

If you are a parent who does not believe in vaccinating your child, there are medical and religious exemptions for most states. If a person doesn’t want to get injected with a compound of unnatural ingredients and or small amounts of the antigen trying to be prevented is a choice that should be made by a person and that person alone. Getting vaccinated should not be a requirement for students to attend school.

While centers such as the CDC and The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) attempt to minimize the danger of vaccinations, both state that “all vaccines carry a risk of a life-threatening allergic reaction.” There are quite a few other side effects that can come with getting different vaccinations.

After receiving the chickenpox shot you could be at risk of getting shingles. Other side effects are fevers, soreness or tenderness where the shot was given, fussiness, and chance of loss in appetite these symptoms can last anywhere from two days to two weeks after your shot.

The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act was created in 1996, in response to a large number of lawsuits that were filed claiming vaccines

One of Principal Gary Brady’s main goals this year is cleanliness. Here are some tips to get us to our goal.

Column on HHSToday.com IT’S OUR RESPONSIBILITY

RECYCLING

Hillsborough High School is the home of the Terriers.

We are the ones who spend most of our days on our campus, so it is our responsibility to take care of it because nobody else will do it for us.

Most of the trash that we throw away is old assignments or papers that we don’t need. If we recycle them properly then we get rid of most of our waste in trash cans.

were causing adverse reactions such as brain damage and even death.

Vaccines are known to contain harmful ingredients such as mercury, formaldehyde, aluminum and many others. According to VaxTruth.org, formaldehyde, which is a carcinogen, “can cause side effects such as cardiac impairment, central nervous system depression, changes in higher cognitive functions, coma, convulsions and death”. Formaldehyde is also one of the main points made against cigarette smokers yet is injected into children along with harmful preservatives.

Excess aluminum in human bodies can cause neurological harm. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the US Public Health Service (PHS) recommended that thimerosal be removed from vaccines.

The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) was created under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act in 1988. You have to ask yourself, why the need for a “National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program” if vaccines are so safe. According to hrsa.gov, from 2006 to 2016 there were 5,531 petitions adjudicated by the Court, of those 3,749 were compensated. A total compensation of $3.9 billion has been paid out to over the life of the program. And these are just the petitions that were filed, there is no way to determine how many people have been adversely affected and either do not know how to report their injuries or do not know that there is availability to compensate for damages.

COLUMN BY KYLIE SMITH

WIPE OFF DESKS Whether or not you like being at school, you need to be here. It wouldn’t be great if you sat in a desk that someone else was just sleeping and drooling in, would it? Before class starts, just grab a paper towel and wipe your desk off to get rid of those germs.

STORY AND GRAPHICS BY JOHN DOAN

Visit HHSToday.com for a look at the state of our current penitentiary system and information about recent prison strikes

12

ATYPICAL

entertainment

September 2018

TO WATCH OR NOT TO WATCH? Following the comedic yet heartfelt example set by its previous season, ‘Atypical’ recently returned to Netflix.

1. You feel a part of the show.

4. The cast is incredible.

The cinematography is unusually ordinary, but that’s what makes it amazing. Every camera pan and zoom-in immerses the viewer into this relatable world. The dynamics between family members, friends, and significant others (other than adultery, perhaps) ignite thoughts of self-reflection in the viewer’s mind, helping them reflect on their own relationships.

Every character is entertaining this season.

Both receiving more development and screen time, the supporting cast feels less like minor characters and more like main characters as the viewer takes an interest to every person that appears on screen. That is a testament to the amazing writing and acting involved in the show. This season expands upon the relationships introduced in season one, even successfully introducing new ones simultaneously. Many different personalities and aspects of life are explored in this season, and it’s truly beautiful to see them all

2. Your heart will explode.

This season does an even more astonishing job of destroying the viewer’s (my) emotional stability.

Every episode wonderfully wrecks your emotions, guiding you to sob, then laugh, sometimes both at the same time.

5

REASONS TO WATCH “ATYPICAL” SEASON TWO

3. The plot is simple yet exciting.

The plot of this season is just as excellent as its predecessor’s, never failing to combine Sam’s science monologues with the events characters are experiencing. Every episode is equally important and refreshing, leaving the viewer tapping the “next episode” button as quickly as he or she can manage to.

intertwine.

5. It’s relatable.

Diving into topics such as infidelity and sexuality, the newest season explores the many roles we find ourselves a part of in life: brother/sister, mother/father, boyfriend/girlfriend, friend/bully, etc.

STORY AND GRAPHIC BY JADEN SHEMESH

Red & Black

THE NUN DISAPOINTS For this highly anticipated horror, “The Nun” was a letdown.

In the same universe as “The Conjuring” and “The Conjuring 2,” fans of this series were really looking forward to “The Nun.” If you’re familiar with “The Conjuring,” you’ll recognize the names Ed and Lorraine Warren, the paranormal investigators in the series. At the beginning and end of the movie, the duo is shown giving a seminar, relating the occurrences in “The Nun” to one of their personal paranormal cases.

The central plot revolves around the death of a nun in an abbey outside of Romania, where Sister Irine (Taissa Farmiga) and Father Burke (Demian Bichir) seek the aide of townsman Maurice “Frenchy” Theriault (Jonas Bloquet) to investigate what turns out to be a suicide. They have to determine whether or not the abbey is still considered holy, or if they must condemn the grounds.

Initially, the concept is frightening as it is all very illusive and mysterious, but as the movie goes on, the scares and so-called surprises become very predictable. You can even foresee some of the lines that are delivered. The movie becomes less and less scary as the jump scares become more and more repetitive.

The logistics of this movie are a bit off, as the storyline is slow to develop and somewhat inconsistent. When watching, I at times had to ask myself how the scene contributed to the overall message that the producer was trying to

get across. The movie overall felt very drawn out.

Another issue with the movie I found was the special effects. In current times with better technology, I believed that the CGI could’ve been much better. The nun’s appearance was at times laughable because it looked so unrealistic.

The central concepts of the movie are very commonly used in other horror films, with the occurrence of an unexpected and unexplainable death, followed by a small group of people attempting to solve the issue at hand. The same phenomena happen to each character at different parts of the movie, making the film feel worn out and tired by the time you’re halfway through it.

This is not to say, however, that the movie is unenjoyable. It certainly provides a good amount of jump scares, and the suspense at times can also be applauded. Overall, while the film “The Nun” was indeed a letdown, it’s still worth the watch for horror enthusiasts and “The Conjuring” fans.

REVIEW BY SARAH ELLIS GRAPHICS BY JADEN SHEMESH

SEASON TWO OF ‘IRON FIST’ IS PAINFUL TO WATCH Following its disappointing first season, the return of “Iron Fist” brings plenty of new, positive changes, but still contains many of the same flaws.

Season 2 improves upon the poor character development in its predecessor by focusing on the supporting cast. The show shines when the camera is away from the ever annoying, almost whitesavior-like Danny Rand (Finn Jones), and focuses on Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick) or Davos (Sacha Dawan).

However, some of the minor characters’ story arcs don’t seem to fit in well with the overall plot, except to set up future seasons.

For instance, Ward Meachum’s path to finding himself feels distant from most characters, and Wing’s personal arc has the same effect.

Flashbacks easily allow for viewers to sympathize with antagonist Davos, and otherwise extremely predictable and irritating

villain.

Misty Knight (Simone Missick) and Wing’s on-screen dynamic is one of the only enjoyable pairings of this entire season. Thankfully, the show recognizes that the audience can’t bear to watch Finn Jones’ painful acting for 10 hours, and so our main character takes a backseat.

His performance makes me wonder if he has ever truly felt any emotions toward another human being. It is a bit disappointing, however, as it is difficult to engage in a show where the main character has great potential but is unbearable to watch.

On a positive note, the action sequences are immensely better than first season and the well-executed fights are what keep the viewer engaged through long scenes. The storyline of this season is a bit jagged with a mix of dull and fast paced episodes but is overall engaging for viewers.

Camera usage is a major annoyance throughout the season, and it is baffling that in 2018, slow fade outs from scene to scene through a black screen is still a feature in high-budget shows. This leads to some of the most abnormal transitions in television. Seriously, five minutes into the show and a very awkward, half PG-13 sex scene slowly fades into a black screen where the viewer (if he/ she is anything like me) can see a reflection of themselves and wonder, “Why am I still watching this?”

While Season 2 is a major improvement upon the disastrous season one, the show is still not up to par with the other Marvel/ Netflix shows. Don’t waste any time watching this one and read a spoilers-included summary; you’re not missing out.

REVIEW BY JADEN SHEMESH

entertainment

hhstoday.com

EMINEM’S DISS TRACK

who said it?

Eminem just dropped a new album and it has received immediate feedback because of its argumentative nature Eminem dropped a surprise album called “Kamikaze” recently. Eminem’s last album “Revival” had mostly negative and mixed reviews.

Eminem brought major artists on the album like Joyner Lucas and Jessie Reyez which gave some dark songs and also some lyrical songs.

“Lucky You Feat Joyner Lucas” is a very fast paced song with Eminem dissing some artist and talking about how is last album was a flop.

A theme in the song was how they don’t take back things they said before.

The song “Not Alike Feat Royce da 5’9” mimics so called mumble rappers who rap without very much lyrical flow and Eminem also talks about how rappers just do drugs and make terrible music Besides a normal album with just typical, catchy songs, Eminem also made songs in which he dissed a lot of other big names like Machine Gun Kelly, Lil Xan, Lil Pump, Donald Trump and Tyler the Creator.

This caused social media to blow up talking about the disses and when the other artists will respond to

REVIEW BY SHAWN GIST

the track listing has been made available. There are eight songs on the album, but only two have been released so far: “17 days (Piano & a Microphone 1983 Version)” and “Mary Don’t You Weep (Piano & a Microphone 1983 Version).”

Both have the piano as the main instrument of the song, which suits the name of the album.

You can easily tell how much dedication he put into his music by the quality of the lyrics and production. The two songs had great vocals, hitting notes that you wouldn’t expect.

Prince had an amazing voice, and the way he connected with the music is really something different. Even though the album hasn’t been released yet, it is still a great listen so far.

13

What do you think of Eminem’s newest album?

them.

Kelly responded with his own diss track called “Rap Devil,” and MGK racked in almost 58 million views on YouTube.

Eminem still hasn’t come back with his own track in response but most people think he will.

Besides dissing rappers, Eminem actually shouted out s ome artists for their work. Kendrick Lamar and Logic are two of the artists he applauded because he approves of how they rap as opposed to typical “mumble rappers.”

Eminem’s new album has good reviews so far and is number one on the billboard one-hundred.

The whole project itself is very well done it really is the Eminem people have been looking for lately since his last projects haven’t done so well.

Eminem really did a good job and this is one of his better albums in the past years giving it a listen would be worth it.

MUSIC: PRINCE RELEASES ALBUM AFTER DEATH When Prince Rogers Nelson died in April 2016, I’d had never heard a song by him in my life. I was lost when I heard people talking about losing a legend, but after listening to his music and realizing the amount he contributed to both the music and acting industry, I understood.

Because Prince dropped more than a dozen albums and there are hours of his music to listen to, picking a place to start was a hard choice.

Going onto his music profile on Spotify showing is latest releases and his greatest hits Prince has made it clear how long he has been in the music scene with number one hits left and right.

Although Prince died in 2016, he was in the process of making a new album and after two years of waiting for the album, entitled “Piano & a Microphone 1983,” its release was announced.

Although the full album has not been released,

September 2018

“I thought it was good but he roasted too many rappers, the beats were nice though.”

-OSVALDO TORRES, 9

“I thought it was good. I’ve always liked him because of my mom. He’s the best white rapper.”

-TOMMY ROQUE, 9

COMPILED BY MAKAYLA BROWN

MOVIES: PEPPERMINT OFFERS AN EXPERIENCE

“Peppermint” tells the story of Riley North (Jennifer Garner) after her husband and daughter are brutally murdered by a drug cartel. North becomes a deadly assassin and attempts to serve justice on her own terms to the cartel members. Although it follows many patterns of traditional revenge-action films, it is a surprisingly enjoyable change of pace.

Garner does an impressive job drawing the audience in to her character considering she had only a handful lines as her punches were the main focus throughout the film. Her character and story are naturally heart-breaking, but the flashbacks to her previous life with her family build upon that empathy.

The logical aspects of how Riley became a master in fighting in five years are baffling, and the movie acknowledges it but never gives an explanation. As REVIEW BY SHAWN GIST a result of North being the focus of the film, viewers don’t feel any reason to care for minor characters.

The antagonists in the film are predictable and one-dimensional, but the film redeems itself in a minor twist on a typical character trope regarding police in action films. The film relies on the viewer’s experience with other action movies and plays on his/her predictable ideas. That isn’t to say, however, that the film is entirely unpredictable; for the most part, audiences will be able to guess the overall ending within 20 minutes.

The action sequences are poorly executed and very short. It’s nearly unacceptable for “action” scenes in 2018 to be entirely over in less than a minute. For one who doesn’t tend to enjoy simple revenge films, the film was well-worth it. “Peppermint” builds upon the simple, one-dimensional aspects of typical action movies and creates an engaging, tear-jerking adventure for the audience.

REVIEW BY JADEN SHEMESH

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September 2018

snapshot

PICTURE PERFECT

Red & Black

Students, faculty and staff line up in the Gym on Sept. 12 for Picture Day

LEFT Smiling for the camera, Sakiye McFadden stands waiting for the photographer to take her photo that will be used in the teacher section of the yearbook. ABOVE The photographer from Prestige Portraits by Lifetouch checks the lighting and prepares to take a photo of Jemaria Williams.

PHOTOS BY MAKAYLA BROWN ABOVE Class by class students line up and wait to have their photo taken. Each class stood in alphabetical order to help the Yearbook staff properly sort names. PHOTO BY CERESON EDMOND

ABOVE Posing for her photo, Assistant Principal Mia Dellanini talks to the photographer as she starts to smile for the camera. RIGHT In a shark onesie, sophomore Logan Dorcas poses for his school picture during A Lunch.

PHOTOS BY MAKAYLA BROWN FAR RIGHT Alexis Bass prepares to take her photo during seventh period.

PHOTO BY CERESON EDMOND

sports

hhstoday.com

September 2018

15

TEAMS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LATER START TIME Cross country and JROTC Raiders now practice in the mornings before school starts

ABOVE JROTC cadets do stretches to warm up. RIGHT Cross country breaks into two lines to begin their practice.

PHOTOS BY KATIE DELK

As the sun rose on the track, Senior Cadet Lt. Col. Reyna Hernandez shouted encouragement to the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) members.

Hernandez and junior Captain Giovanni Madera coordinated the JROTC morning practices.

“We decided that it was too hot to do a lot of physical activity after school,” Hernandez said. “We have more time to practice the events before school than after.”

The Raiders complete their training in group structures beginning with stretches, strength training, a run, tire flips and other exercises.

Junior Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Charles Diaz, Hernandez and Madero lead the workouts.

“When you’re the one leading it you don’t want to be the one that stops and struggles to do it because that looks bad,” Diaz said. To remain in shape, Diaz does 100 pushups, sit-ups and squats every day.

Although the practices are student led, Lt. Col. Demetrius Green comes to observe and provide instruction when

necessary.

“The motivation is definitely there, the ability to keep their fellow cadets motivated is a big factor in the success we are having so far,” he said.

The Raiders expressed their appreciation for the earlier times. “The morning practices give me energy and help me get through the day,” sophomore Precious Oliver said. “I’m not as tired.”

The cross country team also began morning practices on the track.

Junior boys captain Sebastian Saltares wakes up at 6:30 for practice, runs from his house to school, runs warmup laps, stretches, does a long distance run with the team, runs an extra lap around the school and goes home to shower.

“I thought at first it would be inconvenient for a lot of people, but it gets a lot of stuff done, we run the most we can in the morning and we go home right after school,” he said. “Some people can’t make it but they still try to run and they do afternoon practices.”

New coach Michelle Johnson-Love arranged the morning practices to create

stronger workouts.

“I said you might not like me for the first day but you’ll love me after that by moving it to morning practices and the first day they loved it so much,” Love said.

“I bring mints for them, I bring had towels, so they can run longer and then we do showers, they get their breakfast coffee and get ready for school. It’s a whole runner’s lifestyle in terms of getting all of that done before a work day. There are no other times to protect besides the morning time.”

After practice, juniors Sebastian Cuadrao, Jaden Shemesh and Vedu Ruia occasionally get coffee.

“It starts the day good,” Cuadrao said.

Ultimately the goal of the leaders is to stimulate military and adult schedules.

“Our mission in JROTC is to motivate young people to be better citizens: so, showing up on time, committing yourself to something, abiding by a contract, its everything working up to the real world and they will be required of in their higher level positions,” Hernandez said.

STORY BY KATIE DELK

VOLLEYBALL SCORES A NEW COACH Former assistant Julia Salo is the new varsity volleyball coach, while former cross country coach Jheri Buss is now leading the JV volleyball team.

Buss, a volleyball player herself in high school, set some goals for her and the team early.

“You know, I want them to become more secure of themselves as a player and as a human being and lift each other up and hopefully win some games as well,” she said. To do this, she starts her practices with stretching and warming up followed by volleyball-specific drills.

As the new head coach, Salo has been working with Buss to train her in bring more proficient in the lineups for games and getting her back in the swing of things from her high school volleyball years.

Before games, Coach Salo runs drills with the players to get them warmed up and motivated to play their best. In addition to this, Coach Salo also coordinates with the score table for the games in running music during warm-ups, announcements of player’s name and numbers and the national anthem.

Practices also contain conditioning exercises run by assistant Andres Flores as well as consistent skirmishes to prepare for games run by Salo.

“I think the goals Coach Buss has set for us are

built in a certain way so we can play in the most productive way and we can build as a team and improve ourselves,” said ninth grade JV player Lauren Norvorska.

Like most other teachers and coaches, Coach Salo has the best interest of her team and her students in mind.

“She’s really really sweet, she helps us a lot with conditioning and keeping us on track and motivated during games,” tenth grade Varsity player Sophia Ousley said.

Being a traditional teacher at Hillsborough teaching a subject like English 1 and 2 has helped Buss build love for her school.

“The students, I love them all. Everybody comes from different places right, we all have different stories and I love that we can be in an environment where were all different but also all the same at the same time.”

In addition, being an IB teacher switched from traditional certainly impacted Salo as it was an unexpected change. She is now teaching freshman biology.

“I didn’t even know I was changing,” she Salo said, “but I do think it was a good change.”

The volleyball team is back in action Thursday, Sept. 27 against Chamberlain and Oct. 1 at King.

TOP Terriers celebrate after a winning a set by gathering up in a huddle while parents and students cheer for the players. BOTTOM RIGHT Two teammates high-five each other before the ball was served to get ready to play against the opposing team. BOTTOM LEFT Terrier gathering to other teammates after a break from the game to get ready to get back to the action. PHOTOS BY DAVID RODRIGUEZ

16

sports

September 2018

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

With six games left in the season, head coach Earl Garcia is two wins from becoming the new king of Hillsborough County coaches.

Currently, the record is held by Billy Turner, who retired from Chamberlain in 2009, with 255 wins under his belt in his 39-year career as a coach. Turner hired Garcia at Hillsborough in 1977, and trained him for five years until he went to Chamberlain.

Garcia is currently one win away from tying Turner’s record and two wins away from surpassing it. According to Garcia, winning this title will be extremely rewarding because Turner is one of his mentors.

How it all began Garcia has been a football coach for 45 years, but has spent 25 at HHS. He has previously been a head coach at Boca Ciega and Gaither.

“Garcia is a good manager of people,” said his son Earl Garcia III, who has been a coach since 2008 and a coordinator for the team since 2012.

With many accomplishments in his coaching career so far, Garcia’s proudest moment is rooted in family.

“I had a chance to coach my son for three years, and now he is coaching here with us,” Garcia said.

Garcia also has seven other assistant coaches

on staff that he previously coached as well.

“It has been a profitable experience to have them come back and give back to our kids now, it is probably my biggest accomplishment,” he said.

With Garcia’s training on and off the field, Garcia III finds himself having a very similar coaching style to his father, but the key way Garcia III was made out to be a good coach was being allowed to do his own thing.

Keys to success A key way for Garcia to be successful as a coach revolves heavily around the administration, his wife and the athletes.

“The administration is No. 1 in being able to sustain my excellence here, and No. 2 is I have the greatest coach’s wife in the world, she realizes the importance of athletics and the total picture because there is a lot of lessons to be learned on the football field, along with in the classrooms,” he said. “We also have some great athletes, some even in the NFL as we speak, that combination has made it hard to fail because it is not me, it is us.”

Along with this title soon to be held by Garcia, he also has been placed in two other schools’ halls of fames, both Gaither and Plant.

“It has been a great honor because I went to Plant, I played there and even had a chance to

Red & Black

coach there,” Garcia said.

However, he didn’t end up coaching for Plant because he fell in love with Hillsborough.

He was also placed in Gaither’s Hall of Fame for his time as a head coach there. He doesn’t look at this as just a personal honor, but also a team honor and achievement.

The critics Even with his success and achievements, Garcia has had his fair share of critics who question his coaching methods or recent issues surrounding players not getting as many college offers that they think they should be receiving.

“There is so many parts to the scholarship puzzle, but it all starts in the classroom. If a student athlete hasn’t taken care of themselves in the classroom, then there is absolutely nothing that any coach can do about it,” Garcia said. “What you don’t hear is the 250-plus that we helped get into college, but I could absolutely care less about the criticism.”

When dealing with the criticism, Garcia’s main goal is just to be able to please three people: His wife, his principal and his athletic director.

The Terriers (1-3) host Brandon for Homecoming on Friday, Sept. 28 before heading to Jefferson on Oct. 5.

STORY BY LAUREN KOMAR

TOP Garcia crouches on the sideline of the Tampa Bay Tech field calling plays and watching the team. BOTTOM Garcia coaches the players during practice.

PHOTOS BY LAUREN KOMAR AND MAKAYLA BOWN

FRESHMAN SWIMMMERS MAKE WAVES ROBBY BURTON

Robby Burton is a freshman on the team who has been swimming for around three years at a club level. Burton swims a 200 IM which is a race that includes all four strokes: the front crawl, backstroke, breast stroke and butterfly and also competes in the distance race, the 500.

“In the back stroke my times aren’t very good,” Burton said, “but in other strokes and with distance events I am the best at.”

He started swim because it seemed to be one of the few sports in Florida where he could stay

cool while still being outside for most of the time.

Similar to Solak, he likes the community value of the team.

“It feels more like a team than a bunch of swimmers on their own,” Burton said.

Seniors on the team help him with his technique, although some of the upperclassmen on the team feel that he doesn’t need it.

“He came prepared, and he already knew everything about swimming so he didn’t really need our help,” senior Ashley Crisafulli said.

JORJA SOLAK

Jorja Solak is another freshman who has been swimming since she was 5. This is her first year on a school swim team, but she has been swimming for clubs previously.

“There is a good team dynamic,” Solak said. “It’s a very positive atmosphere.”

On the team, Solak gets help from a few of the seniors, like Madelyn Rawls and Ethan Pham.

“She has progressed because she has been working so hard” Rawls said.

Solak even manages to bal-

ance being on the school team and club team by sometimes going to her club practice in the morning before school starts, then going to school practice after school.

Even with her high skill set in swimming, Solak still goes to the seniors for guidance.

“She has been my training partner throughout the season this year,” Pham said, “and she is a really good long distance swimmer so I try to push her on sprint sets.”

STORIES BY LAUREN KOMAR

TOP Swimmers and senior captains Annberlee Hothem, Madelyn Rawls and Ethan Pham sit side by side on the pool while waiting at a swim meet. BOTTOM Senior Annberlee Hothem gets patted on the head by her teammates, which is a tradition on the team. PHOTOS BY MAKAYLA BROWN