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Miami Palmetto Senior High School

7460 SW 118 Street, Miami, FL 33156

Friday, 22 October 2021

far from HOME

CONTENTS

LOCAL

news briefs

Guido Inguanzo, the Village Clerk of the Village of Pinecrest, passed away suddenly from an aggressive battle with cancer in October. As the very first employee of Pinecrest, Inguanzo worked with the village for 25 years after serving as the first Village Clerk of the Village of Key Biscayne from 1992-1996. A funeral mass will be held at St. John Neumann Catholic Church at 12:15 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 23.

NATIONAL

16 07 | LIFE

Hocoween Spirit Week

18 | OPINION

Are we too old to trick or treat?

On Oct. 18, Colin Powell died from complications from COVID-19 in the midst of a cancer battle. Powell served as both a soldier and an advisor under U.S. presidents. During President Reagan’s time in office, Powell served as the first Black National Security Adviser. He also served as the first Black Joint Chiefs of Staff during President George H.W. Bush’s presidency. After that, he served as the first Black Secretary of State during President George W. Bush’s presidency. Powell had received his second COVID-19 vaccine and was due to receive his booster shot this past week but felt unwell. Powell had been battling Parkinson’s as well as multiple myeloma, which suppresses the body’s immune response.

BEHIND THE cover

Gianna Hutton (12) takes a picture of Isak Wold (12) from Oslo, Norway, Hoang Nguyen (12) from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Collien Hirsch (10) from Neubrandenburg, Germany.

04 | NEWS

Miami March For Reproductive Rights

11 | FEATURE

Palmetto Welcomes Exchange Students

16 | SPORTS

Hanna Adams: Palmetto’s Star Kicker

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WEBSITE www.thepalmettopanther.com

LETTER TO THE

Dear Editor,

editor

I loved reading “Spooky Season Streams: The Top 15 Halloween Movies to Watch” on The Panther’s app! I was searching for a movie to watch with my family and found the perfect suggestion of “Girl vs. Monster” that brought back so much nostalgia- I had totally forgotten about that movie!

Carlos Perez-Guzman (12)

internATIONAL

**Submit letters to b.martin.thepanther@gmail.com. Letters may be edited for length, clarity, or spelling.

On Oct. 17, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge held the inaugural Earthshot Price Awards Ceremony. An environmental-based program, the prize intends to assist in finding new means to fight issues like climate change. In alignment with the Ceremony’s environmentally-conscious focus, attendees were asked to “consider the environment when choosing their outfit.” For example, actress Emma Watson wore a Harris Reed dress made of recycled wedding dresses while the Duchess wore an Alexander McQueen dress from 2011.

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04| NEWS

MIAMI’S MARCH FOR JUSTICE

a fight for reproductive rights

In response to the most restrictive anti-abortion bill going into effect in Texas and a copycat bill being introduced in Florida, the Miami Chapter of Women’s March Florida and hundreds of demonstrators protested at Miami’s March for Reproductive Justice on Oct. 2. The event, hosted by a coalition of organizations throughout South Florida including Planned Parenthood, Miami’s Worker Center and Florida Rising, featured representatives and resources from each group. “All over the country women decided we are going to march and take a stance to say we need to protect access to abortion,” event organizer and Council Board Member Kelli Ann Thomas said. “We decided to do our march in Miami, me being from South Dade, I pushed heavily for it to be in South Dade. I knew that there was activism and people here that are very active, but we always get ignored.” Initially, the coordinators planned to host the event at Coral Reef Park; however, 24 hours prior to the event, the location was changed to Colonial Drive Park due to complications. Before the physical march portion of the event, key speakers and organizers, including Diamond Delancy, the Black constituency organizer for Planned Parenthood in Southeast Florida, deliv-

ered a speech about her experience in the field. Delancy’s advocacy through Planned Parenthood targets the black community, more specifically through closing the gaps in representation. “Justice was founded on a black framework to include marginalized folks. When we are talking about pro-choice and a woman’s right to choose, it is not only about abortion. There are also many different intersections of oppression that may prevent poor women from getting the same reproductive health care as other people, so when we focus on the most marginalized, that makes freedoms for everybody,” Delancy said. On Sept. 1, 2021, Texas’ six-week abortion ban went into effect, restricting abortions after a fetal heart beat is detected without exceptions. Less than a month later, on Sept. 24, Florida’s HB 167 (Heartbeat Bill) was introduced. The SB8 bill in Texas makes it illegal for medical professionals to perform abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. The bill also creates a new vigilante system allowing citizens to sue one another for $10,000 in cases where abortion is suspected. However, unlike Texas, Florida’s bill allows few exceptions in the case of rape or incest. Various elected officials joined civilians during the march, including Florida State Senator Annette Taddeo, who attended the march to show her opposition to the bill. For Taddeo, the fight against bills like HB 167 started before her position as senator.

here after all these years that I’ve been in this fight...We still have mostly men making decisions about reproductive rights and women’s very private decisions,and that is just absolutely unacceptable,” Taddeo said. Many students at Miami Palmetto Senior High School attended the march in solidarity and as a way of sharing their opinions and protecting their rights. Sophomore Cassandra Pita grew up around political advocacy and now focuses on fighting for the community and future generations. “I attended my first Women’s March when I was 10, and I have always been involved in this world. Ever since I was little, my parents would take me campaigning. It is never too soon to start advocating for yourself and advocating for your community,” Pita said. Beyond the March, women across the world have stood up against injustices and proven they are not afraid to use their voices. “No matter what position you have in life, no matter how young you are, no matter if you are white, black, rich, poor, oppressed class, LGBTQ, I hope that, even beyond this event, if you are passionate about something and you see injustice in the world speak up,” Thomas said.

Amy-Grace Shapiro Feature Editor

a.shapiro.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY DENISE VAQUE AND GIANNA HUTTON PHOTO BY AMY-GRACE SHAPIRO

“It’s sad that here we are again,

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bers 250+ local attendees 650+ national actions

INFOGRAPHIC INFORMATION COURTESY OF WOMENS MARCH AND PRO CHOICE WASHINGTON

NEWS |05

MEATLESS MONDAYS BEGIN AT MDCPS Starting in the 2021-2022 school year, Miami Dade County Public Schools began their partnership with the Miami Palmetto Senior High School student group, Agents of Change, to bring Meatless Monday to its 392 schools. The global Meatless Monday movement encourages people to abstain from meat consumption for just one day a week to not only better their health, but the health of the planet. Over 100 scientists agreed, as suggested in a 2019 UN report, that industrialized nations, like the United States, should incorporate more plantbased meal options to ensure that everyone eats in an environmentally friendly way. The idea of bringing Meatless Monday to MDCPS began on a much smaller scale. The eight members of the Agents of Change team brainstormed ways to bring the initiative to Palmetto and the surrounding community when attending the forum for the Aspen Challenge, an annual competition inviting 20 teams from MDCPS to showcase their inventive solutions to combat critical issues within their communities. “We titled the project we submitted and won the competition with “Let’s Speak Green.” It included a bunch of initiatives to help combat climate change and increase youth climate literacy,” Palmetto senior and Agents of Change team member Analysse Humaran said. “The part of our project that relates to reducing meat consumption began with creating a cookbook featuring 30 vegetarian recipes.” Students can find the cookbook on the team’s Instagram (@letsspeakgreen) under their Linktree. The team also created a TikTok account (@letsspeakgreen) and posted informational videos to accompany some of the recipes. According to Humaran, the recipe videos have amounted to 15,000 views in total.

THE IMPACT

“Our intention was to create a duality project where anything we implement in schools can also be done at home,” Humaran said. “Our cookbook made the second half possible and was a huge success, which allowed us to put more time into working with school administrators to have Meatless Monday at Palmetto. Once that got approved, we thought why not try to get Meatless Monday in all of MDCPS?” This past summer, Agents of Change met with the MDCPS Department of Food and Nutrition to discuss and eventually approve the initiative. “After meeting with Agents of Change, we were able to put Meatless Mondays into practice almost immediately,” MDCPS Director of Food & Menu Programs Helena Pernas said. “We’ve had a Lean & Green Line, which is our vegetarian option, for years so it was just a matter of replacing our meat options with solely vegetarian options every Monday on our menu.” Before schools opened this year, all food service managers and staff attended a professional development day to prepare them for serving meatless options every Monday. “With the pandemic, we’ve had a lot of food shortages so we have had to make some substitutions in our menu,” Pernas said. “At the PD, we explained our set Meatless Monday option, but we gave them a list of other vegetarian options to serve in case they ran out of what was posted on the district menu.” Some of the Meatless Monday menu options include Veggie Chik’n nuggets, nacho bites, 3-bean chili with tortilla chips, baked potato with broccoli and alfredo vegetarian pasta. The MDCPS Department of Food and Nutrition also sent a briefing

INFOGRAPHIC INFORMATION COURTESY OF MDCPS

334,000 STUDENTS

392 SCHOOLS

to school principals across the district, which offered various ways students can involve themselves in the initiative such as participating in essay contests or sharing environmental trivia. “Meatless Mondays ties directly into the sustainability push that is happening all over the country right now in response to climate change,” MDCPS Nutrition Program Specialist Audra Wright said. “We are now able to serve our more sustainable Meatless Monday meal on our biodegradable plate, which really shows to our students and community that we value what they think and are planning for them to have a more sustainable future.” MDCPS began using biodegradable plates instead of the traditional rectangular polystyrene lunch tray in 2016. Combining this effort with Meatless Mondays will significantly decrease the carbon footprint of MDCPS in the future. “When something is student-driven, their peers have more buy-in and we wanted to showcase that to help gain more support for the initiative,” Wright said. “MDCPS has laid a great footprint for others to follow when it comes to sustainability. We hope that we’re laying the foundation for Meatless Mondays to become a lifestyle that can be implemented even beyond the school environment.”

Kate Stuzin

Managing Editor

k.stuzin.thepanther@gmail.com

PHOTO BY RYAN MCKEAN DESIGN BY DENISE VAQUE AND GIANNA HUTTON

06| NEWS

REPERCUSSIONS of the return of students

After Miami-Dade County Public Schools resumed in-person learning for the 20212022 school year, Miami Palmetto Senior High School experienced drastic changes because of the influx of students who returned this fall compared to those who returned last fall. Last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, schools allowed students to choose their preferred mode of learning: physical or online. When school began this August, students who participated in school virtually during the 2020-2021 school year no longer had the option to remain enrolled at Palmetto if they chose to continue online school full time. With the school now at 100% capacity, it has faced new challenges as well as positive changes. “I am glad to see all of the students back,” Miami Palmetto Senior High Assistant Principal Jesus Tellechea said. “I do not think that we’ve had an increase in the number of students [enrolled] at the school. I think we have generally had the same amount of students. Percentage is at 100% because last year, we were at 30% that were physical and 70% were at home.”

Traffic Buildup

The increased number of physical students this year has also affected the school’s morning and afternoon traffic. The packed streets surrounding Palmetto have resulted in stand-still traffic, thus slowing the process of entering or leaving school. Now, students often have to leave their homes earlier in the morning to make it to school by the first bell. “In the mornings and in the afternoons, traffic is unbearable. We understand that,” Palmetto Head Security Guard Donnie Martin said. “I believe [that] it is just that everybody is just happy to get here, so the traffic just has been very bad.”

CLASS SIZES

Schedules have also been affected due to the massive influx of returning students. Oversized classrooms have triggered an increase of schedule changes in order to level class sizes. The numerous schedule changes have led to many students’ uncertainty regarding their classroom numbers, teachers, and lunch blocks. Upperclassmen and underclassmen alike have felt this confusion once receiving a schedule change after getting accustomed to their school-day routine. “It was kind of confusing when I got a schedule change,” Palmetto junior Hunter Jordan said. “I’m lucky enough that I know my way around the school since I am an upperclassman, but if it were my freshman or sophomore year I would have been extremely lost.” However, class leveling has been a great opportunity for some students to return to smaller class sizes. Students may not be able to focus well or receive much attention from their teachers with more students in a room. With class sizes steadily decreasing, students now have more opportunities for success in the classroom.

STUDENTS THRIVING

When Palmetto resumed in-person learning, many students benefited academically and socially. Instead of learning in the confinement of their room, students are now able to engage in a collaborative, in-person environment that was absent last year. Furthermore, due to the return of the entire Palmetto student body and the new county-wide COVID-19 guidelines, Palmetto has been able to have sports fans back at school games, restart traditions like Panther Prowl, and celebrate with Hocoween. As a whole, students have done well adapting to the new circumstances they face this year; Despite the large school population, Palmetto students continue to thrive academically,socially and athletically.

Valentina Arias

Multimedia Editor

v.arias.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY GIANNA HUTTON PHOTOS BY RYAN MCKEAN

LIFE |07

Palmetto’s Hocoween The time of the year has come where decorated posters cover the hallways at Miami Palmetto Senior High School, and students show up to school dressed up to represent their school spirit. Hocoween, Palmetto’s Halloween-themed homecoming spirit week and dance, took place Oct. 11 through 15. The week included five different dress up days, the homecoming football game on Friday night and the homecoming dance on Saturday night. With the first homecoming since the COVID-19 pandemic in two years, students were especially excited to show off their Panther pride. “I’m most excited for the dress up days because in previous years, I didn’t go as hard as I’d like to, so I’m going to dress up for every single day,” Palmetto junior Amber Garcia said, The week started off with Decades Day, taking Panthers back in time as students flaunted outfits inspired from the 1700s to the 2000s. Students wore tie dye for the 60s, bell bottoms for the 70s, neon for the 80s and more outfits that embodied the theme. Following the Halloween theme, Tuesday was Costume Day, providing the Palmetto community with the opportunity to dress in their most creative and outlandish attire. On Wednesday, Throwback Day, high school students transformed into their past selves and came to school dressed as if they were back in elementary school. The school was filled with people sporting gear from their younger years and wearing similar hairstyles to what they would show up to during their kindergarten school year. Palmetto’s halls were filled with red, orange, yellow and purple on Class Color Day as students decked out in their best gear to support their class. Class Color Day coincided with Panther Prowl — the Homecoming pep rally — allowing students to show off their class pride during the notorious lip sync and dance battle. Juniors and Seniors won the class rivalry after performing their practiced and perfected routines. The week ended on a high on Friday, Panther Pride Day, as students wore their Palmetto colors — blue and white — to demonstrate their support for the Palmetto varsity football team. The team beat Southridge later that day at Tropical Park, 41-0, as fans filled the bleachers and cheered for the school.

Last school year, COVID-19 took away the homecoming week experience, meaning that both sophomores and freshmen had not previously experienced the overwhelming spirit that consumes Palmetto. To some students, homecoming and spirit week are a key part of their high school experience. “I feel like I missed out on part of my high school experience because experiencing things like homecoming, prom, spirit weeks, and pep rallies are part of the high school experience in general,” Palmetto sophomore Catherine Green said. “I feel great about finally being able to participate because it’s a good sense of school spirit for o u r school, and it really brings people together to make costumes, dress up and have more fun during the week.” A lot of thought goes behind selecting the days of the week, decorating the halls, and rehearsing for the pep rally. “[Special events] thought strategically on how not to repeat days we’ve already had and to stick with the theme that we are doing,” Palmetto Senior and Student Council Chief of Staff Catherine Bales said. “Panther Pride and Class Color are ones we’ve always had, but when it came to costume day, kindergarten, and decades, those were new for us.” Countless hours were put into Hocoween this year, resulting in a week filled with school pride, class competition, dress up and a winning football game. “It [was] time to bring back the energy Palmetto has always had, and what it’s known for,” Bales said.

Ella Pedroso Design Editor

e.pedroso.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY ELLA PEDROSO PHOTOS BY ISABELLA HEWITT

08| LIFE

TVP GOES Television Production officially switched back to live streaming Miami Palmetto Senior High School’s morning announcements for the first time since 2011. TVP broadcasts go live on B-days, excluding Mondays, at 9:30 a.m. to inform the school about anything news-related. Announcements range from those about school and club events to those about administrative news. Within the plans to construct new buildings at Palmetto, the bond referendum included a new TVP studio and new equipment, meaning that TVP no longer had to fund the replacement of damaged equipment themselves, opening a window that allowed them to resume live streaming. The new equipment includes three teleprompter cameras, MacBooks, cameras, switchers, a soundboard and a light board with LED lighting. The switchers are a key component for live streams because they allow one camera to go live but can simultaneously switch the signal to another camera in order to continue the broadcast from a different angle. “Since it is our first few live streams and we have never done this before, we are using the class to prepare for it and practicing setting up the lighting. Each person has their own lighting that works on them…and once we have all that it should go faster, we should be able to do more video assignments,” Palmetto TVP President and senior Jordyn Lazar said.

. LIVE Professional audio video integrators from Midtown Video taught TVP students the steps necessary to make a live broadcast happen. Students learned how to use their new equipment, including the teleprompter, graphics machine and the switcher. “We are very excited because none of us have ever [broadcasted live] and we get to use all our brand new equipment that we are very thankful for. It is very hands-on and exciting,” Palmetto junior and TVP member Lucas Hudson said. An important aspect of going live is ensuring that teachers turn it on for their classroom to view daily. TVP continues to work towards making sure that teachers show the announcements and can easily access them. “We have been sending announcements every day and are trying to make the location of the broadcast easier to access. If you go to the Panther TVP YouTube page, you can go to the channel and the live stream is the first thing that you can see,” Palmetto Activities Director and TVP Sponsor ElizabethValero said. With the new equipment and training, TVP students anticipate a busy year filled with live broadcasts.

Samantha Elkins News Editor

s.elkins.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY ELLA PEDROSO PHOTO COURTESY OF ELIZABETH VALERO

LIFE |09

Drawing outside the lines

How the Save Art Space Project Benefits Artists and Viewers in Miami Starting in November, the non-profit organization SaveArtSpace plans to open their upcoming chapter in Miami. The project’s unique exhibition benefits artists and viewers alike, inspiring a new generation of creative minds. Founded in 2015 in New York City, SaveArtSpace was founded with the intention of creating an urban gallery experience throughout the city. Instead of placing artwork inside museums or galleries, SaveArtSpace posted the works publicly through billboards, a tradition that continues today. SaveArtSpace’s newest exhibition will open in Miami throughout Miami Art Week 2021 — Dec. 2 to Dec. 5 — and Art Basel — Sept. 24 to Sept. 26. The theme for the exhibition is “Neo.Rev,” signifying a new age of self-reflection and reinvention as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Miami has always been a hotspot and a global convention for the arts,” curator of SaveArtSpace in Miami and local artist Haiiileen said. “I decided to create two different conversations with SaveArtSpace, one more focused on the billboards and one more focused on the bus stops, with the same foundation aspects.” Both bus stops and billboards will display artworks from 19 artists across Miami, particularly in Wynwood, Little Havana and Miami Beach. Artists must apply to participate through a $10 process per image; Haiiileen then chooses the artists based on the message of their artwork. Following this, Haiiileen will announce the selected artists on Oct. 25 and exhibit their work a few weeks later. “I love production, and I love being able to provide some unknown artists the availability to showcase their work,” Haiiileen said.

The winner of the contest — chosen by Haiiileen — earns a $500 honorarium and the potential opportunity for Haiiileen to display the artist’s work in a gallery or art fair. For many artists, including local Miami photographer and mixed media artist Maxine Helfman, SaveArtSpace serves a larger purpose than just to earn money. “The point of entering SaveArtSpace is not to win,” Helfman said. “The point is that it is how you get your work in front of some people that you would never have gotten it in front of [otherwise].” Helfman’s photography revolves around mostly social issues due to Helfman growing up during the 1960s — a turbulent time socially and politically — and recent protests such as the Black Lives Matter movement sparking social issues. Other than giving artists such as Helfman a well-deserved audience, the Miami display and its unique artwork has the potential to inspire viewers. Regardless, SaveArtSpace ties the Miami community together through a display that highlights citizens’ collective experiences with COVID-19. www“I don’t go into anything with a preconceived idea. I just kept following this instinct, which I still do,” Helfman said. “I never really know where I am headed. But I trust enough that it is going to take me where I am supposed to be.”

Ana Martinez Online Editor-in-Chief a.martinez.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY ELLA PEDROSO

the

PANTHER

october snapshot

OUR FAVORITES

STAFFER OF THE MONTH

Homecoming Spirit Day

COSTUME DAY

Song of the Month

“EASY ON ME” BY ADELE

Show of the Month

SQUID GAMES

Halloween Candy

REESE’S CUPS

Favorite Halloween Movie

JENNIFER’S BODY

Michael Angee Sports Editor

HOW GENZ’s it:

HALLOWEEN IN A PANDEMIC (AGAIN)

Gen-Z is a generation made up of individual thinkers who grew up in a society that taught them to speak their minds and stand up for what they believe in. They possess many different views and opinions on pressing topics going on around the world. Celebrating Halloween during the COVID-19 pandemic can be a very controversial topic within Gen-Z, as some may feel differently about celebrating a holiday as COVID-19 still lingers. Many teens feel torn on whether to go out or stay home during the holiday that usually focuses on hanging out with friends and knocking on strangers’ doors. Some may feel that if vaccinated, they can enjoy the holiday like any other year, while others may feel that they should still stay home for their health and safety. Others may believe that this year should be treated like any other, regardless of vaccination status. Celebrating Halloween with fun costumes is something most teens would prefer. However, during the pandemic, some parents or teens choose to stay home or have small get-togethers with friends in order to limit potential exposure to COVID-19. Halloween movie marathons serve as another way for teens to celebrate Halloween. While trying to stay safe but also remain in the spirit, Halloween movies allow for one to enjoy the night while also being in the comfort of their own home. With all the ideas that come with celebrating Halloween, Gen-Z will always have different opinions on the best way to do so. One thing is for sure: all of Gen-Z looks forward to a day where there is a Halloween without COVID-19 risks and masks. Isabella Hewitt Multimedia Editor

i.hewitt.thepanther@gmail.com

welcome to the pride

The foreign exchange program in Miami-Dade County Public Schools allows students from all around the world to receive an American education for up to a full school year. With the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, the program ended as international students were sent back to their home countries. However, with the resumption of in-person, Miami-Dade County Public Schools have welcomed back international students. Eight of the 30 foreign exchange students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools have the opportunity to engage in education and school extracurriculars at Miami Palmetto Senior High School, embracing the Panther Pride.

Collien H

12| FEATURE

neubrandenbu

Isak Wold oslo, norway from worldwide to the 305 With the return to in-person learning, Miami Palmetto Senior High School has been able to resume its foreign exchange program and extend the Palmetto experience to the rest of the world. Offering novel international perspectives, students from around the world have the opportunity to enroll in the foreign exchange program for a multitude of reasons: culture, specialized programs, opportunities and future education in the United States. To become a foreign exchange student in the United States, potential candidates must endure a tedious, multistep process. Students must demonstrate academic rigor and success through their transcript in their home country to apply for the different programs. Prior to applying for any program in the U.S., students must gather all of the documents necessary to study abroad, including a passport, visa, identification and academic transcripts from their home country. Once these documents are in order, the student has the opportunity to go forth with the process, choosing and applying for a foreign exchange program in a country of their choice. Once accepted, the foreign exchange programs place students with a host family that will coordinate their living experiences in the United States for the duration of the program. The host families must undergo an application

process, ensuring that the students will be taken care of in a safe and welcoming environment. In Miami Dade County Public Schools, foreign exchange students attending secondary schools are limited to 12 month attendance. In previous years, Palmetto had a flourishing population of foreign exchange students, but due to COVID-19, the program ended early, and most of the foreign exchange students residing in the United States were sent back to their home countries. However, with easing international travel restrictions, increasing vaccination rates and schools returning to 100% capacity, MDCPS has restarted the program. According to the MDCPS Federal and State Compliance Office, the district currently has 30 foreign exchange students, and Palmetto has eight. Senior Isak Wold from Oslo, Norway, senior Hoang Nguyen from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and sophomore Collien Hirsch from Neubrandenburg, Germany are a few of Palmetto’s first-time foreign exchange students. The appeal of the warm weather, Miami’s diverse population and access to higher education motivated them to apply to reside in Miami-Dade. “I wanted to get into a good university with a major in technology. The United States is the best country for

technology. I wanted to get to know people, make connections and get into a university,” Nguyen said. When partaking in the foreign exchange program, each international student must shift from their country’s typical learning regimen to the learning tactics taught in the United States and, more specifically, those at Palmetto. For example, in some European countries, students are required to take more classes than the typical American student because they have more mandatory subjects. “School is so much easier [here] than in Germany. For example, the things we do in class. You only have six classes here. In Germany, we have 15. The assignments we do here in 10th grade, I did in seventh grade,” Hirsch said. Moreover, with a greater number of mandatory subjects in international countries, independent learning is a vital component of their education. Students often have more time in their classes to finish their assignments, making homework less common. In the same way, with shorter class periods in other countries, the transition to a school with three, two-hour blocks was a significant deviation from their average schedule. “We don’t have long classes. Two hours is a really long time for one sub-

n Hirsch

FEATURE |13

nburg, germany

hoang Nguyen

ho chi minh city, vietnam

ject. In Norway, the classes can be one and a half hours. I also need my mandatory subjects in school, so we have more class periods,” Wold said. In addition to the educational experiences gained from a foreign exchange program, exchange students may also indulge themselves in the typical American high school experience. At Palmetto, the student body — made up of individuals from different cultural, ethnic and racial backgrounds— all come together to support the school from athletics to clubs to mundane school days. “In Norway, a good example of people is like you are having a buffet with only chicken. When you come to Ameri-

ca, there are a lot of different things. You got some meat, dressing and produce,” Wold said. With Palmetto Homecoming commencing the start of school spirit for the rest of the school year, foreign exchange students had the ability to experience the stereotypical American high school experience: going to the Friday Night Lights football game, dancing in the gym for Hocoween and dressing up for spirit week. Though this lasted for one week of the school year, foreign exchange students can continue to involve themselves around the school community through clubs and extracurriculars. “We have joined like seven or eight

clubs at the school already. We joined Debate, French Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Asian Culture Club, Key Club and Philosophy Club,” Nguyen said. With the friendships and connections made through involving themselves in the Palmetto community, these students have opened themselves to new perspectives and personalities that would have otherwise remained a distant reality.

Allison Gould

Print Editor-in-Chief

a.gould.thepanther@gmail.com

Bella Martin

Editor-in-Chief

b.martin.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN AND PHOTOS BY GIANNA HUTTON

panthers from around the world

15| SPORTS

HOLE IN NE A look into Palmetto’s varsity golf team

Miami Palmetto Senior High School’s golf team has been part of the Palmetto athletics community since the school’s inception in 1958. Although the team may not be as widely recognized as others at Palmetto, their smaller athletic community continues to perform well amongst the other sports teams at school, having won many district titles in the past. Currently, they are on their way to the qualifying rounds. The golf program — with Palmetto English Language Arts teacher Michael Klekotka as head coach — consists of both a girls and a boys team. This year, both teams are made up of four golfers. They practice twice a week at Palmetto Bay Golf Course and compete in matches around Miami-Dade County. Since Klekotka started as head coach, the golf team has had a long, successful run. The team has advanced to both individual and team qualifying rounds in years past, often for many consecutive years. “I’ve been here since 2004, and the girls team went to state every year for 11 years. The boys went to states consecutively until 2017,” Klekotka said. “We won 15 consecutive district championships. And then [we were] either regional runner up or regional champion multiple times.” Palmetto has also seen past golfers graduate with impressive honors and scholarships,

setting the bar high for current and future golfers. “We have always had a golf team, and we’ve had some very useful golfers here; we have even had several golfers get Division I scholarships in the past,” Palmetto Assistant Athletics Director John Hayduk said. Golf is an extremely technical sport that takes responsibility and commitment. The sport teaches Palmetto golfers these important life skills and helps reinforce their technique while playing. Shining a light on the team and recognizing their achievements helps acknowledge the hard work and commitment playing golf takes and displays the dedication that each team member puts forth. “It has made me realize that some people are more committed to some things than others. It has also taught me a lot about responsibility because you have to find time to go out to the golf course and practice; it’s not just something that you can practice in your backyard. It’s something that you have to go and take time to work on,” Palmetto junior and golfer Valentina Nicolini said. While most of the popular sports around Palmetto are team sports, golf is an individual activity. That being said, the sport requires patience, persistence and good sportsmanship. The game’s objective is to hole the ball in the fewest strokes, which can be frustrating for the player. “Golf isn’t much of a team sport. It’s usually an individual thing, and it’s mostly about the mental battle with yourself. If you hit a really bad shot, you can’t think about it too much. You just

have to move on,” Palmetto freshman and golfer Aiden Barreras said. Another important aspect of playing golf is the support of one’s teammates. People who play individual sports are sometimes harder on themselves, making the support of teammates even more important. “Golf can also be a team sport in the sense that your friends are with you; they’re cheering you on; they’re helping you with your game, helping you with which clubs to use, [or] things like that,” Barreras said. Because of teammates’ support and encouragement, those same golfers make great friends. The team has provided Palmetto’s golfers with an outlet for new social opportunities, helping players extend their networks. “The golf team definitely helps me make new friends. I haven’t met many kids my age that play golf, and I’ve met a lot of people from around the district and on the team that play and now we all hang out,” Barreras said. “[The team] allowed me to make really good friends this year and it also allowed me to improve my golf game and understand the game better,” Nicolini said.

Sara Paredes Copy Editor

s.paredes.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY JASMINE JUDGE PHOTO BY VALENTINA ARIAS

Hanna Adams

an inspiration to all

Miami Palmetto Senior High School senior Hanna Adams made history as the first female kicker to ever step on the field for Palmetto’s football team. Hanna gained her football skills through years of soccer, both through Palmetto’s varsity team and an after-school league. Hanna has participated in athletics throughout her life. She is the captain of Palmetto’s varsity soccer team, which gives her an advantage playing football. “Growing up I was always sports oriented; I played on several sports teams and have played club soccer my whole life,” Hanna said. Throughout her

time on the team, Palmetto football coaches have enjoyed watching her recent growth as a kicker, leading to not only her own success, but also the team’s success at games and practices. “Hanna really chose us. She’s awesome and overall a really good player. She is going to keep kicking for us; she’s got a bright future ahead of her, and hopefully, we will keep winning because of her,” Palmetto Head Football Coach Michael Manasco said. Defying the odds by becoming the only female on a male-dominated team at Palmetto, Hanna has opened the door for many girls within the school’s community who hope to make the same impact. Now, as she continues to break the traditional gendered roles that come in a male-dominated sport, Hanna is paving the way for the future

achievements for high school women and is an inspiration for many. “I feel like I have impacted a lot of young girls and people in general to step out of their comfort zone,” Hanna Adams said.

STEPPING OUT ONTO THE FIELD WAS VERY NERVE-RACKING AT FIRST BUT AFTER I KICKED FOR THE FIRST TIME ALL MY NERVES WENT AWAY

HANNA ADAMS (12) Recently, women have defied society’s standards regarding football specifically. As a female athlete, Hanna looks up to those who came before her and who took the initiative to begin destigmatizing the role of women in male-dominated sports. Women have not received equal opportunities as men, and the past has proved that; however, females like Hanna demonstrate how the world is currently progressing past traditional beliefs. “As a female athlete, I look up to Sarah Fuller who was also recently a kicker for Vanderbilt,” Hanna Adams said. Last year,

SPORTS |17 Sarah Fuller became the first woman to ever play in a Power Five football game. Vanderbilt University gave Fuller the chance to kick for the team in several games. Similarly to Hanna, the two made history at their schools and rejected the traditionalist mindset. Fuller tried out for the football team surrounded by men and her talent was recognized, gaining her a spot on the roster. Both Fuller and Hanna overcame the standards set for female athletes, challenging the idea that women do not just belong cheering on the sidelines of a football field. Additionally, women have recently received the opportunity to take on more prominent roles in coaching professional teams in the National Football League and National Basketball Association. Callie Brownson, the Chief of Staff for the Cleveland Brown, has set an example for young female athletes who can make their way to professional positions. Women continue to break the sports barrier by becoming referees of professional leagues. Sarah Thomas, the first female to be hired as an NFL referee, has remained in the league for seven seasons. While some stay loyal to traditional beliefs regarding women’s participation in sports, Hanna continues to persevere with the support of her family and friends.The realization hit Hanna that she had the ability to play football because of her uncle, as he was one of Hanna’s motivations to try out for the football team. “My uncle is a football coach, and one day, he saw me playing and he thought I should pursue football,” Hanna Adams said. At first, Hanna lacked the confidence to try out for the team. However, she decided to take this year as the opportunity to do so. “Until this year, I thought because it was my senior year I should live it to the fullest,” Hanna Adams said. Hanna’s best friend since middle school, Palmetto senior Angelina Gonsalves, has watched her grow both on and off the soccer and football fields. “I think [playing football] is something that a normal 17 year old [girl] would

not grow up to do. We are really proud of her and think it is unique of her to play football,” Gonsalves said. Hanna’s parents have the opportunity to see their daughter play football and experience a feeling of pride regarding the impact she is making on Palmetto’s athletic history, a sentiment that many parents do not have. They try to attend every football game possible. If her parents cannot attend a game in person, they tune in through FaceTime. Her mother, Meredith Adams, is an occupational therapist, so she helps Hanna any injuries that she might receive. She is her number one fan and always has her back. “Hanna has dedicated herself to the sport and could not be where she is without the coaches and the players,” Meredith Adams said. Seeing their daughter as the only female on a male-dominated team makes them feel more than proud. “It is very exciting, surreal, and I absolutely love seeing her out there. For Hanna, it is not just a fun and exciting time for her, but I think she really made a bold statement,” Meredith Adams said. Hanna has personally enjoyed this experience and would not change it for the world. “Stepping out onto the field was very nerve-racking at first, but after I kicked for the first time all my nerves went away.” Hanna Adams said. While men have set the precedent on the football field for years, Hanna

has proved that may not be the case for the future. In pursuing her dream, Hanna has not let anything, including the opinions of others, stop her. As the first female kicker on the football team, Hanna has accomplished something novel, leaving a long-lasting mark on the Palmetto community.

Ryan McKean

Multimedia Editor

r.mckean.thepanther@gmail.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF MATTHEW LEWIS

DESIGN BY JASMINE JUDGE AND GIANNA HUTTON

18| PERSONAL ESSAY

Viva

From a young age, my parents have taught me to honor my Latin American heritage. Despite being a first-generation American, I proudly bear the title “Latina.” I find comfort in my identity as a Latina; it amounts to much more than just a box I check on all of my paperwork —it recognizes the history and battles my people had to fight. Today, the Latin American community is interchangeably labeled “Hispanic,” “Latinx” or “Latino/Latina.” However, certain labels used throughout history discriminated against my people and invalidated their efforts in the U.S. The term “Hispanic” refers to those who speak Spanish or descend from a Spanish-speaking country. While many label Latin Americans as Hispanic, the term does not bear the struggle, loss and passion of a “Latino” or “Latina.” The term “Latino” describes a person from or descended from Latin America. Originally, the U.S. Census Bureau popularized these terms to facilitate the identification and quantification of a growing community in the U.S. Prior to the late twentieth century, Americans mislabeled immigrants from Central and South America as “Mexican,” regardless of their familial background. In the 1970s, the U.S. Census Bureau added Latino subgroups to the identification question, including “Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American.” The 1970 Census

La Raza!

resulted in an extreme undercount of the minority because of the large divide of multiple subgroups. As a result, the Census Bureau’s Spanish Origin Advisory Committee decided to choose between “Brown,’’ “Latin American,” “Latino’’ or “Hispanic” in labeling one of the most racially and culturally diverse groups in the United States. The term “Hispanic” completely erases the centuries of pre-Columbian history and the existence of vast and rich civilizations prior to the arrival of Europeans. A single pan-ethnic term disregards all remnants of indigenous culture that are at the root of my entire community. In addition, the term “Hispanic” does not acknowledge the struggles of the Afro-Latino communities whose resistance is deeply tied to the Spanish. A single quote by former President Lyndon B. Johnson perfectly captures the limited quality of the term “Hispanic”: “The people of Hispanic descent are the heirs of missionaries, captains, soldiers and farmers, driven by a young spirit of adventure, and a desire to settle freely in a free land.” As someone who identifies as a “Latina,” I honor my descendants who built the breathtaking temples and pyramids over water, the descendants who learned to grow crops on the side of a mountain, the descendants who thrived before the arrival of those missionar-

ies, captains and soldiers. The politicization of my identity stripped everything that made my people’s stories unique. Multiple attempts to fit centuries of history, social justice leaders and rich culture into a single box at times seemed extremely limited. My identity as a Latina is more than just a statistic on a demographic report. When I think of my fellow Latinos, I remember not only all of my friends and family back home, but the small communities of Latinos I have been able to find and cherish. That warm sense of home fills me when I hear someone speaking Spanish in an unexpected setting or when someone with Latin American parents completely understands my perspective on a certain topic. Latin Americans make up the backbone of this country, and their heritage must be recognized properly. My community flourishes in a rich and ancient history as I will forever be Latina. Viva la raza!

Cayetana Jaramillo Opinion Editor

c.jaramillo.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY PAUL YAN

HISPANIC MEXICAN LATINO BROWN LATINA LATINX SOUTH AMERICAN

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Columbus Day

In elementary school, we were told: “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” We also learned the stories of how Christopher Columbus “discovered” America, how he made peace with the Native Americans and how everyone became friends. This painted a pretty picture in our young, impressionable minds, but unfortunately, that picture was not reality. By telling the younger generations these same false stories, we actively erase history by dishonoring indigenous peoples of the past. Forgetting what Columbus Day represents means forgetting what it means to indigenous people: a history of mass genocide. Celebrated on Oct. 11, Columbus Day became a national holiday to honor Columbus’s achievements and discovery of America during the Age of Exploration. However, this accidental “discovery” of already-inhabited land came at the price of thousands of innocent indigenous lives. The arrival of Columbus in the Americas marked the beginning of colonization and a vicious cycle of violence and enslavement. When Columbus arrived, he referred to the natives on the land as “Indians” and intended to convert them to Christianity. As a result, this would completely erase remnants of the natives’ original faith. When these natives would not convert, Columbus and his fellow colonizers enacted forced labor practices and committed various brutal and torturous acts. According to History.com editors, when Columbus first stepped foot on the New World, he and his men seized six Native Americans because he thought they would make for useful servants; this was just the beginning. It was Columbus’s actions that paved the way for the transatlantic slave trade, which shipped slaves from their homeland to both Spain and the Americas to be sold for profits. Many died on the way due to exhaustion and starvation. According to a 1502 account by Bartolomé de las Casas — a Dominican historian, friar and priest — he witnessed the Spaniards’ ethnic cleansing of the Taino

tribe. In a graphic scene, he describes how Columbus and his explorers invaded Native settlements, massacring all those inside. There were no moral standards or limits to the people they killed. No one, including elders, pregnant women and postpartum women, was spared from their evil wrath and were killed in an instant. These horrific acts continued well into the Age of Exploration, as Columbus and his men gave natives multiple life-threatening diseases. Illnesses like smallpox and influenza, which spread rapidly, eliminated more than half of the remainder of the Taino natives. By the end of Columbus’s reign of terror, only 200 of the original 250,000 Taino natives had survived. Columbus’s ruthlessness cannot be overlooked, and glorifying his feats as an explorer dismisses the pain he inflicted on numerous civilizations. We need to teach generations — especially those of the future — about the real history behind some of the most notable figures in history.We cannot ignore history, but we can learn from it. That is why many have begun working to replace Columbus Day with “Indigenous People’s Day.” Indigenous People’s Day celebrates the original native inhabitants of the Americas before Columbus’s reign. Instead of focusing on Columbus, the holiday commemorates indigenous people and their culture and helps bring awareness to issues within their community. By replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day, indigenous children no longer have to hear about the fabricated stories of Columbus, which do not include the true nature of his crimes against their own ancestors. Instead, people can learn more about the indigenous people’s heritage and how to embrace it.

OPINION|19

It is important to note that we, as Miamians, live on land that indigenous ancestors previously inhabited. The Tequesta and Miccosukee tribes built the foundations of our societies. Recognizing the tribes that sustained our land for generations, despite facing mass discrimination throughout history, demonstrates the major role they played in the development of major societies in the Western hemisphere. Several states have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day, including Vermont and New Mexico. Still, real change must begin in our schools and the way we approach history.

Nicole Martin Copy Editor

n.martin.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY PAUL YAN

20| OPINION

face off: Are we too old to trick or treat? YES

Halloween revives happy childhood memories for many people. It is a time for pumpkin carving, watching scary movies and most importantly, kids dressing up to go trick-or-treating. While there is no official age limit on trick-or-treating, it should end once you are in high school. This is a special time for younger children, and teens should respect this and not interrupt their moment. On Halloween, most teenagers tend to ruin the special evening for kids by stealing candy and joy from little ones. Teenagers have already experienced this event during their childhood and do not need to hog all the fun. By trickor-treating, they take away the possibility of children making memories that they will cherish forever. Instead, teens can attend Halloween costume parties. As a teen, it is only acceptable to go trick-or-treating if you have a younger sibling to go with. Children look forward to Halloween every year and if, as a high schooler, you partake in the trick-or-treating festivities as a chaperone, you must know how important the event is to them. You need to remember how Halloween was during your childhood and let them experience it. Let them create those festive memories that you experienced. As Halloween approaches, teenagers must give up trick-or-treating. We are too old and it is just too childish. It may be difficult, but we will move on.

Halloween: the one night of the year where teenagers can go back in time and feel like a kid again. It is a holiday where stress can be set aside, making room for fun. There is no better feeling than walking around the neighborhood with friends and snacking on loads of free candy. While many believe that Halloween is primarily a children’s holiday, this October day continues to be celebrated by people of all ages. While teenagers may have more responsibilities, deep down they are still children and want to relive fond memories before they graduate from high school. Although going to late night parties may seem fun, nothing beats the experience of counting candy after trick-or-treating at the end of the night. Trick-or-treating as a teenager does not take the fun away from younger kids. As long as teenagers do not annoy the other children or steal their candy, there is no reason as to why we should be told not to trick or treat. As a teen, trick-or-treating is acceptable, no matter who one does it with. Halloween can be enjoyable for everyone. .

Ava Stuzin

Multimedia Editor

a.stuzin.thepanther@gmail.com

Eitan Greenberg

DESIGN AND PHOTOS BY GIANNA HUTTON

e.greenberg.thepanther@gmail.com

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STAFF

Editor-In-Chief Bella Martin

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staff editorial

Vandalism or just mindless fun? Through recent trends — mainly on TikTok and Instagram — many students have taken part in “devious licks.” The trend features students stealing and vandalising a range of different items found in schools. From parking cones to sinks, toilets to bathroom mirrors, the trend seems to have no boundaries. A trend such as this will eventually die off, but what will the repercussions of it be? Will students receive harsher rules surrounding discipline and punishment? Recently at Palmetto, the mirror in the boys bathroom closest to the gym was damaged which many assume was an attempt to follow the trend. Although the trend seems harmless to the students, stealing resources such as soap dispensers will damage the overall necessities needed to keep the school in top shape. The student body resides within the walls of the school for the hours that we attend classes. If we disregard the property of school as something that is insignificant, then the consequences will be dire and soon those resources will be less available. In this situation, it seems as though the actions of few affect the many. The acts of some students that vandalize and cause destruction can affect the overall aura of the school as well. With diminished resources, the values of the school become compromised. As students, we should be asking ourselves if the destruction is working against us and what the consequences for not respecting our environment will be. Micheal Angee Sports Editor

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MISSION STATEMENT The Panther staff aims to inform fellow students and parents about school-wide, local, national, and international news. The Panther’s content aims to represent the student body. Editorials feature the opinions of staffers. Features of other students, teachers and clubs further promote the spirit, culture and personality of Miami Palmetto Senior High School.

EDITORIAL POLICY The Panther is a monthly publication of Miami Palmetto Senior High located at 7431 SW 120th Street Miami, FL 33156, (305) 235-1360 ext. 1124. The views expressed are solely those of The Panther staff. Students who wish to respond to an article in this publication or discuss another issue may write letters to the editor and submit them to room 1237 or e-mail us at n.markus.thepanther@gmail. com. The Panther has professional membership in NSPA and CSPA. The Panther prints 1,400 copies per issue for distribution. The Panther is distributed for free to all students in school. Please visit our paper online at thepalmettopanther.com.

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ANTI-DISCRIMINATION POLICY The School Board shall comply with all Federal Laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination and all requirements and regulations of the U.S. Department of Education. The Board will enforce its prohibition against discrimination/harassment based on sex, race, color, ethnic, or national origin, religion, marital status, disability, age, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender, gender identification, social and family background, linguistic preference, pregnancy and any other basis prohibited by law. The Board shall maintain an educational and work environment free from all forms of discrimination/harassment, which includes Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX prohibits sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct such as unwelcome touching, graphic verbal comments, sexual jokes, slurs, gestures or pictures. All students, administrators, teachers, staff, and all other school personnel share responsibility for avoiding, discouraging, and reporting any form of prohibited discrimination or harassment against students by employees, other students and their parents or guardians, or third parties. This policy prohibits discrimination and harassment at all School District operations, programs, and activities on school property, or at another location if it occurs during an activity sponsored by the Board.