The Panther 2018-2019 Issue 3: Faces of Palmetto

FACES of PALMETTO A SPECIAL EDITION OF

the

PANTHER

JANUARY 2019

this is us.

The goal of this special edition, Faces of Palmetto, is to shine a light on those students with empowering and unique stories that deserve recognition. Based on names recommended by both students and teachers, The Panther staff chose the 10 people that we feel most embody the spirit of our endeavor: uncovering the hidden stories of the people who walk our halls.

Our hope for this issue, in the fashion of Brandon Stanton’s “Humans of New York” is to reinforce our staff’s belief that everyone here at Palmetto has a widely different story but a reassuringly similar, human aspect to their experience. We hope this issue and the stories told in it encourage everyone at Palmetto to uncover the stories of the people that surround them.

Go to our website www.thepalmettopanther.com for a video starring the people in this special edition ALL PICTURES IN THIS ISSUE TAKEN BY MIA ZALDIVAR

This is Palmetto.

These are our stories.

In loving memory of: Alan An

03

delaney dvorsky prodigy in progress

Most 12-year-olds have not taken their first algebra class; meanwhile, freshman Delaney Dvorsky will take Advanced Placement Calculus AB in less than a year.

As a child, Dvorsky’s elementary school teachers saw potential in her. In second and fifth grade, her teachers said that she should take placement tests, which allowed her to skip grade levels. In order to advance into a new grade level, Dvorsky needed to achieve almost perfect scores on these assessments, which she did. Skipping multiple grade levels came with challenges.

“My parents were a bit reluctant at first. They were afraid that I would be too immature, but that hasn’t turned out to be a problem,” Dvorsky said.

The biggest change for her came in middle school because she was only nine years old and entering the sixth grade.

“I looked really young so you could tell, and like at first it was a joke, people would call me a fetus; eventually, people just forget about it and you are just friends,” Dvorsky said.

During her transition, Dvorsky went through many challenges because of her age difference in comparison to other students. People naturally judge her for her age, assuming she must act immaturely; however, Dvorsky never fails to prove them wrong.

“Sometimes the teachers think that you might be a bit less mature and be less punctual with the work, but I am pretty punctual so they usually don’t worry once they see that I will turn it in,” Dvorsky said.

One may think entering high school as a 12-year-old can pose many obstacles such as making friends, especially in a school filled with over 2,000 students between the ages of 14 and

18. However, Dvorsky transitioned from middle to high school smoothly.

“I have never really had any problems. The kids are actually really nice,” Dvorsky said. “It’s really strange because you would expect to be teased a bit, but nothing really happened.”

Despite her significant natural talent, her parents motivate her in her academic career.

Throughout her childhood, her parents drove her to participate in many math and science competitions to help cultivate her gift. Dvorsky ranked in the top 10 percent in the National Science Bowl competition and placed on the leaderboard for the Mathcounts state competition.

Once again, Dvorsky defies the stereotypes of typical 12-year-olds in her plans for her future.

Dvorsky aspires to become a financial statistician or a biostatistician when she grows older.

“They basically help people who conduct chemical or biological experiments and these people help gather and check their statistics,” Dvorsky said. “I really enjoy math and science and I don’t want to enter a field of just math or just science, so this is a nice balance.”

Dvorsky has adjusted almost seamlessly and recommends the transition to anyone who feels comfortable with thei.

“If a teacher recommends you, take that opportunity because it has been great so far,” Dvorsky said.

Mia Zaldivar

Print Managing Editor

m.zaldivar.thepanther@gmail.com

04

ETHANRouSSO

Before acting, Ethan Rousso loved to play the piano. Behind the actor, there is a young, spirited soul who loves Pixar films, and on stage, there is a star. A student at Miami Palmetto Senior High, Rousso not only takes part in numerous drama productions, but he has received a nomination for a prestigious drama award known as a Jimmy.

Rousso’s nomination for Best Actor consists of one out of nine nominations Palmetto received for their fall musical, “The Drowsy Chaperone.”

The National High School Musical Theatre Awards, also known as the Jimmy Awards, are sponsored by the Broadway League Foundation, a charitable organization that brings more awareness to the theatrical arts. The Jimmys, the High School equivalent to a Broadway Tony Award, serves the purpose of increasing the importance of theatre arts education and rewards outstanding performances by high school students.

According to the Jimmy Awards, this prestigious award is named after James M. Nederlander, a legendary Broadway theatre owner and producer. The competition takes place in New York City where 40 girls and 40 boys who win the Best Actress and Best Actor award in their local competitions will compete for the overall title of Best Actress and Best Actor. The winner is decided according to a panel of industry experts such as Tara Rubin, Alecia Parker and Marc Platt, to name a few Broadway stars and producers. Winners of the program receive merit scholarships to New York University, as well as professional advancements in their acting careers and other lucrative prizes.

“Just to know that throughout all these years, inside and outside of school, I have been doing theater and to know that what I have been doing is worth something like this… I don’t have words about how much this means to me,” Rousso said.

To receive a nomination for this award not only takes a tremendous amount of talent but also requires hard work, determination and sacrifice: three words that truly represent Rousso, who first started acting in sixth grade. He started off as a shy boy who kept to himself, but acting brought out another side of his personality.

“In middle school, I felt like one of those people that weren’t really out of their shells,” Rousso said.

Drama has allowed Rousso to find himself and become a person he is truly proud of. During

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never out of character

Rousso’s middle school years, David Nardone, a former Drama teacher at Palmetto Middle School, played a huge role in introducing Rousso to acting; Nardone saw something special in him when Rousso did not feel anything within himself.

“Mr. Nardone pulled me aside and told me ‘you have good potential, I think this is something you can do,’” Rousso said.

Today, Rousso shares the stage with other students who also attended Palmetto Middle School. All of their years together have brought them closer to one another, and they feel they have Nardone to thank for that.

“It was hard for us when he [Nardone] passed away because he kind of brought us all together,” Rousso said.

Acting has opened many doors for Rousso, such as being a part of productions outside of school in companies like the Miami Children’s Theatre and French Wood Festival for the Performing Arts summer camp, where he spent six weeks being a part of multiple shows. His two favorite shows were

“How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” Although acting as a whole has helped shape Rousso into the person he is today, the summer camp he went to allowed him to view drama in a whole different perspective.

“When I first went to the camp, of course I wanted to be casted a lead, but I wasn’t. I got casted as a gypsy in the ensemble,” Rousso said.

Rousso explained how he surprisingly enjoyed being an ensemble cast member because he got the opportunity to make the character his own.

“Most ensemble characters are not in the script, so you get to create your own story with these characters and have fun with it,” Rousso said.

Although drama takes up the majority of Ethan’s time inside and outside of school, he also enjoys singing and playing the piano.

“I played piano for about five years.

I stopped afterward and can’t play as well as I used to,” Rousso said. “But it’s helped me a lot in understanding musicianship, reading music sheets and

recognizing specific notes.”

Throughout Rousso’s life, various people have influenced him and help shape who he is but one person who has truly helped Rousso is Robin Barson, MPSH’s drama teacher.

“She’s really done so much,not only for me but for all of us every year, especially this year, and she’s been so influential in my life and taught me so much about what acting is,” Rousso said.

As most students patiently await for their SAT scores, Rousso will patiently wait to hear back from NHSMTA in the spring of 2019 to see if he is a finalist for the Best Actor Jimmy award. Rousso hopes to make an impact with each of his performances.

“Drama, to me, is telling a story while being able to do what I love,” Rousso said.

Sophia DeAlejo Life Editor

s.dealejo.thepanther@gmail.com

Lindsey Solomon Copy Editor

l.solomon.thepanther@gmail.com

06

Cornelius Nunn Jr. from panthers to the orange

It is third down. The Palmetto Panthers and South Dade Buccaneers have gone into overtime and the Buccaneers are looking to score a touchdown. When the ball snapped, their five star wide receiver cut to the left and prepared to make the catch and pick up the first down.

However, he was no match for a Panther defender who met him at the ball, poked it away and forced South Dade into a failed fourth down conversion, setting up the Panthers for a game winning field goal. This defender was star safety Cornelius Nunn Jr. Plays like these have shown his excellence, which has been noticed by fans and colleges alike, on the football field. One of these colleges is the Syracuse University Orange, who successfully recruited Nunn to commit to their 2019 class. After he graduates from Palmetto, Nunn plans to play football at the Carrier Dome up in New York.

Nunn had offers from 25 schools, including the two teams that played in the 2018 national championship: the University of Alabama Crimson Tide and the University of Georgia Bulldogs.

Nunn also received offers from the Auburn University Tigers, the University of Oklahoma Sooners and University of Kentucky Wildcats. He initially committed to Syracuse University, only to later commit to the University of Miami Hurricanes, before changing his mind again and recommitting to the Orange for good.

Nunn had several reasons for joining the Orange.

“I want to focus on getting good grades and see the field in my freshman year,” Nunn said.

In regards to his decommitment from the Hurricanes, he noted that he wants to branch out of South Florida.

“I want to get away and see other things,” Nunn said.

At the end of the day, Syracuse

University became the most appealing option for Nunn to attend in regards to playing time and continuing his football career. Nunn credits hard work for getting him to where he stands now with the team.

“You have to work hard,” Nunn said.

“Last year, I had no scholarship [offers], but this year I have 25 scholarships.

That’s something to keep in mind.”

Nunn has been a key contributor to Palmetto’s strong defense this year, helping hold opponents to 15.3 points per game, including two shutouts.

Nunn’s stock has rose recently. He earned a three star rating and received ranking as one of the best safeties in the state of Florida. Nunn has a lot of strengths when it comes to football, but he lists his ability to run with the ball as one of the strongest aspects of his game.

“If I got the ball in my hands, it’s scary,” Nunn said.

According to 247 Sports, Nunn has a 40 yard dash time of 4.54 seconds and a vertical jump of 33.2 inches.

The Panthers had an excellent season, going 9-1 in the regular season and beating Belen in the playoffs before falling to the Columbus Explorers, who would go on to play in the Florida Class 8A championship. But regardless of how you look back on this season, there is no denying Nunn’s impact on the Palmetto Panthers football program. Even when Nunn steps onto the field as a member of the Orange for the first time, he will forever hold the pride of being a Panther in his heart.

“Palmetto is best school in the world,” Nunn said.

Jack Meyer

Sports Editor

j.meyer.thepanther@gmail.com

Daniel Solomon

07

diversABILITY

Through the eyes of Daniel Solomon, no disability can hold him back from his passions. For a majority of freshman Solomon’s life, his deteriorating eyesight has fallen into the category of legal blindness.

Solomon was born with a condition called ocular albinism, a rare genetic condition that reduces the pigmentation in both the iris and the retina. Ocular albinism makes it difficult to see when a lot of sun is present. In addition, he has poor visual acuity and nystagmus, involuntary eye movements.

“I learned early in life that I did not have very good hand eye coordination, especially outside in the sun so I wasn’t really able to do many ball games like basketball of baseball,” Solomon said.

Instead of letting his eyesight hold him back from finding a passion, Solomon went on to channel his energy into doing what he loves: orchestra.

His journey began in second grade when he decided to join the Pinecrest Elementary orchestra.

At Palmetto Middle School, he started as last chair, last violin and ended as concertmaster, conductor and first chair.

“I feel like being a part of orchestra has given me a sense of community and it’s also made me do things I never would have done,” Solomon said. “I can’t really imagine my life without it.”

Solomon joined the Greater Miami Youth Symphony as a member and started the organization’s first youth leadership committee.

“We are a group of musicians in the organization that care about the growth and the expansion of the program and the wellbeing of its musicians,” Solomon said.

Three years ago, Solomon started a fundraising concert series called Music at the Gardens at Pinecrest Gardens after one day realizing that his music room at school lacked necessary music equipment and supplies.

“I remember thinking ‘this is horrible and I have to do something to help,’” Solomon said.

In its first year, Music at the Gardens raised $1,000. In its second year the fundraiser raised over $4,000. The concert included orchestra, band, dance and drama performances as well as some art pieces. In addition, the event had two vendors.

“Now in high school I am trying to take it to another level and I am starting a music mentorship program through the Pinecrest feeder pattern schools,” Solomon said.

He combines elementary and middle school students in a program that mentors kids in music. At the end of the year, the students will have a side by side performance making up the Music at the Gardens this year.

Although Solomon is considered legally blind, he refuses to let that hold him back.

“I’ve had to see what I cannot do, but more importantly I have to see what I can do,” Solomon said.

Solomon uses 11-by 17-inch paper, double the size of a normal sheet of paper. He requests larger textbooks, uses an iPad for music and had to photocopy each of his textbooks to 200 percent magnified at Kinkos. Solomon takes out a camera and zooms in to see the board in classes, even while sitting in the front.

He has even come up with hand signals to request things such as making text larger

on the smartboard, asking a teacher to print something out and requesting a teacher to say what they put on the board.

“I think I help redefine the word disability because when you hear ‘disability,’ a lot of people use this word with a shortcoming,” Solomon said.

“But in reality, It’s really saying ‘yes I have a disability,’ and I get to do that in a different way… for example, I would never know how to use a large-print Xerox machine.”

Solomon takes his condition into his own hands and prepares for the obstacles he will face in the future. For instance, before entering Palmetto, he already arranged for his PSAT, SAT and Advanced Placement exams sending in all of his accommodations to College Board.

“There are a lot of things you have to think about in advance,” Solomon said.

“I have to think about what we can do to make it happen so I don’t have to be left out, so I can take the test at the same time as everyone else.”

Ocular albinism affects at least one in 60,000 males, according to Genetics Home Reference. Solomon took these odds and turned his shortcomings into a way to give back to others.

“For me, there are two categories in life, what I have to adjust or what needs to be adjusted for me,” Solomon said.

“The biggest thing is that you have to learn your strengths and you have to learn your weaknesses, and change your dis-ability into a divers-ability.”

Natalie Askowitz

Print Editor In Cheif

n.askowitz.thepanther@gmail.com

08

kelly Culhane

For National Gold Award winner and Palmetto senior Kelly Culhane, Girl Scouts seemed like something she was destined to become involved in.

Spending over a decade of her life in the Girl Scout community, Culhane evolved into a model member and received a National Gold Award for her work.

“I joined in, I think, kindergarten...so 12 years.

Girl Scouts is a tradition in my family, so I’m actually the sixth person in my family to get the Gold Award. Both my mom’s side and my dad’s side had Eagle Scouts and Girl Scouts,” Culhane said.

Culhane is the first Girl Scout from South Florida to win the National Gold Award. To put it into context, a total of five percent of Girl Scouts earn their Gold Award each year, but just ten girls receive the National Gold Award Girl Scout distinction each year. Culhane won first place out of the ten.

“I didn’t believe they chose me, I was like ‘Is this a joke?’” Culhane said.

Unlike many young girls who leave the Girl Scouts organization before entering high school, Culhane continued to pursue it even when she remained the sole member of her troop, #116.

“Everyone else either moved away or it just wasn’t for them anymore, and to me, I just really wanted to do my Gold Award and have that be that,” Culhane said. “Once I started, it kept going, and going, and going, and then, here I am.”

Culhane’s desire to accomplish her Gold Award project, spreading awareness on the dangers of hearing loss, led her to partnering with Ear Peace Foundation, an organization dedicated to preventing hearing loss in young people.

“I heard an interview on NPR, and it was the founder of the foundation--her name’s Adele Sandberg--and she was talking about kids losing their hearing. This is my third year in Jazz Band, and I’m the lead vocalist,” Culhane said. “Being in music, I was like ‘I don’t want to lose my hearing’ so I learned more about it, and I just became very interested because young people are really at risk for this type of hearing loss.”

According to Ear Peace Foundation, one out of five teenagers in the United States today suffer from noise-induced hearing loss, known as NIHL, by the age of nineteen. Teens can take preventative measures to ensure their own safety and avoid the permanent condition. The heightened risk for dangers resulting in hearing loss can be attributed to the accessibility of various headphones and the latest Apple Airpods. Due to the accessibility of various headphones and the latest Apple Airpods

more than just cookie sales

today, teens remain at a heightened risk for the dangers of hearing loss.

This discovery prompted Culhane to focus her Gold Award project on informing teens on how to protect themselves. She created a twelve minute informational video, five additional educational videos, a brochure, a poster and she presented her findings at a teaching convention.

“Basically, I sat down and I figured out exactly ‘what do I want to include for someone not knowing anything about this issue, how can I get them to come away from it knowing more about how to protect their hearing, how to be safe, how to get more involved,’” Culhane said.

The informational video, entitled “Band Together to Protect Your Hearing,” featured Miami Palmetto Senior High’s band as well as multiple clips of loud atmospheres that can heavily impact one’s hearing abilities, such as concerts or sports games.

“Two years ago, Mr. Torgerson was the band director here, and that was the year I brought the foundation’s Protect-A-Band program to Palmetto. He was inspired to make a presentation. I assisted with it,” Culhane said.

The next step, presenting to teachers at an educators convention, posed a new challenge to Culhane.

Her knowledge on the subject and her sufficient preparation time guided her through the presentation, despite the nerves associated with speaking in front of a large, professional audience.

“I was one of the presenters, so personally I trained 125 teachers,” Culhane said. “I was 16. I never stood up there alone with a room full of teachers--professionals. I had to remember that I knew what I was talking about, and I was there talking about something I really cared about.”

Culhane persisted through the process to ensure her project would make an impact on those affected around her and her own habits as well.

“On my keys, I have a little chain that has earplugs in it, and I bring

them everywhere--if I’m in a movie, I pop them in. I also have an app called Niosh Sound Level Meter, and it tells me [the decibels]. 85 is the number that, above that you have to watch out and be careful, but below that you are perfectly safe,” Culhane said.

The earplugs do not mean that Culhane loses the ability to hear all sound. They solely ensure the health of the users.

“What the earplugs do is they filter out high frequency sounds, so it reduces the decibel level. Mine is 15, so if it’s like 95, for example, then it brings it down to 80.”

Culhane’s impactful work involving her Gold Award project remains something she hopes to continue far into the future.

“I will always be an ambassador for Ear Peace, always working with them,” Culhane said. “We’re trying to get a badge [for Ear Peace in Girl Scouts] completed and circulated, so if that were accomplished that would go out nationally, so that would be really amazing.”

The influence of the “Band Together to Protect Your Hearing” project reached as far as national health institutions.

“Recently, the World Health Organization and Center for Disease Control recognized my project,” Culhane said. “We have a conference call next Tuesday.”

In terms of her future in the Girl Scouts, Culhane currently holds an Ambassador position, which applies to girls in eleventh and twelfth grade.

Despite her imminent departure from the organization, she plans to maintain close ties with Girl Scouts.

“I will always be a Girl Scout.

For this year, as a National Gold Award Girl Scout, I’m doing a lot of media stuff now and will continue to until they pick next year’s National Gold Award Girl Scout. They call [the winners] back, ‘Could you come speak here, could you come speak there,’” Culhane said.

Girl Scouts have made an impact

on Culhane’s life forever. The 10 NGAGS finalists will receive $100,000 in college scholarships from various foundations, including the Susan Bulkeley Butler Institute for the Development of Women Leaders.

They will receive another $50,000 from the Kappa Delta Foundation and $50,000 from Arconic Foundation.

“I go through the day working towards, ‘I want to go to college, I want to go to medical school,’” Culhane said.

The Girl Scouts Organization often finds itself branded by the stereotype envisioning young girls rolling their carts of Thin Mints and Samoas cookies door-to-door. On the contrary, Culhane stresses the importance of the organization and their encouragement of young girls to achieve far more than just high cookie sales.

“Juliet Lowe, who started Girl Scouts, wanted to form a group that girls could go to to learn leadership, how to step out of their comfort zone, take action on an issue, and people have forgotten that it’s not just cookies. They did that in order to raise money to do things, like learn outdoor skills…,” Culhane said. “The new CEO of Girl Scouts, Sylvia Acevedo, had [the organization] roll out 30 new badges all related to S.T.E.M. because she wants them to get people back on track.”

National Gold Award winners will continue to follow Culhane’s example, and she offers them a piece of advice: “You have to plan a lot,” Culhane said. “My main thing is don’t work to complete a project, work to take action on something you really care about.”

Joanna Salvat Life Editor

j.salvat.thepanther@gmail.com

Allison Strasius Feature Editor

a.strasius.thepanther@gmail.com

09

10

Justo

Gregorio a 2,100 mile journey

Palmetto sophomore Justo Gregorio traveled alone for almost 2,100 miles from Guatemala at age 13. His harrowing journey represents not only his strength but his character.

“I was born in Guatemala and my life was working all the time. I went to elementary school, and I would leave school and go straight to work. I came to America because in Guatemala my family is poor, so my dad agreed to send me and I came by train,” Gregorio said.

Gregorio made the decision to move to the U.S. to try and build a better life for himself.

“I came by bus, and it took me 15 days to get through Mexico on it. I had to walk around 10 or 15 days through the desert in Arizona when I got here, but I only walked three days because immigration got me,” Gregorio said. “They took me to a detention center with other immigrants, and I spent one day incarcerated and then was taken to a program where I was kept for seven months.”

While in the program, Gregorio spent his time taking classes in both Spanish and English. During the time he spent there, he made connections with some of the people he met.

“I had a nice friendship with some of the teachers and after I left, it made me sad because being with them for such a long time, it was hard to leave them,” Gregorio said.

After seven months in the program passed, Gregorio was finally able to leave.

He was released in South Carolina before coming to Miami. Despite his optimistic mindset, Gregorio’s troubles were far from over.

“I got out and a friend of my dad’s received me, and we spent some time in South Carolina. He told me he was going to take care of me and send me to school, but in the end, he didn’t do that. He put me to work and was stealing all the money I was making while working here in the states,” Gregorio said. “He was telling me that I had to pay the rent, which was like $600, $700,

11

and the electricity, which was like $100 and $800 for a trip from Arizona to South Carolina. I already had to live a life like an adult.”

Gregorio pushed through everything he endured for the sake of making his travel to the states pay off. He never let his negative experiences distract him from his goals. It all seemed to come together when he met a woman at a barbershop in Homestead, who heard his story and offered to take him in and foster him.

“She told me she could take care of me, but she had three conditions. One, I wasn’t going to be working, I was going to go to school, and the third, I would be going to Church. I accepted, and I went to live with her. She told me she was going to take care of me for as long as I wanted,” Gregorio said.

Being raised as an Evangelist in Guatemala, Gregorio’s faith continues to play a huge role in his journey. One day he had a dream that the woman who fostered him would kick him out. When he originally confronted her about the dream, she denied any plans to do so.

“Then, two days later, she told me she couldn’t take care of me anymore and she called one of her workers to come pick me up, and they took me to a different foster home,” Gregorio said.

Gregorio grew up speaking Mam, a Mayan language in Guatemala. He came to the U.S. not knowing Spanish or English, but luckily, he was able to quickly pick up Spanish and was enrolled in the English as a Second Language program at Palmetto. Regardless of the seemingless endless troubles Gregorio faced, his story is not one of defeat or surrender. He remained a symbol of strength and courage throughout his whole journey, and still manages to be grateful for his life in the States.

“The States are different because here you can study, and in Guatemala, you work, so it’s very different and I feel very blessed,” Gregorio said. “When I got here I didn’t speak Spanish. I learned just by hearing it, and now I’m learning English. I’m currently studying as much as I

can, and I plan on continuing to study and having a good career. I want to have a better life.”

Gregorio has finally settled into a routine, stable life with another foster family. He pours himself into his studies and also has time to dedicate to his passion, soccer. After years of a strenuous life, he only now found time to take up his own hobbies, and discover his own strengths and weaknesses.

“My passion is soccer and I really do like to play a lot.

This year, since I’m 17, before I turn 18, I joined a team in Kendall called the Sunblazers. I decided that if I played well with the team, I’d keep playing and if I didn’t play well and we were playing bad, I’d leave the team and keep focusing on studying and having other things in my life,” Gregorio said.

Gregorio is still the same positive, inspiring person he was when he first made the journey over to America.

His perspective on life never changed and despite all he experienced, he would not let his tedious and life changing journey go to waste.

“Sometimes I would get a little scared, but I couldn’t go back, so I just kept moving forward. Even when Immigration got me, I felt okay because at the very least they left me here,” Gregorio said. “And even when they took me to the program I had everything I wanted-clothes, food--but at the same time I was thinking of my family who had nothing. I’m not sure how I kept being so positive, but I felt abandoned and I just wanted to keep going forward.”

Camila Myers

Online Managing Editor

c.myers.thepanther@gmail.com

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Priya

mahabir

relieving a home away from home

For many, home is defined by where their feet are. Not for sophomore Priya Mahabir. Her familial ties are what make Trinidad and Tobago her second home. When dangerous weather conditions threatened the quality of life for her relatives, she sprang into action and created a flood relief project for her home.

Two months ago, Trinidad and Tobago experienced heavy rainfall, which resulted in devastating floods and landslides that caused many people to lose their cars, homes and other personal items. Due to these adverse conditions and a lack of funding, Trinidadian Prime Minister Rowley shared that many Trinidadians were unable to access food and clean water, according to CARICOM Today.

“The natural disaster was devastating because it wiped away almost everything that people have worked and built.

Things like doors and walls got destroyed…,” Mahabir said.

“My family told me that they were thankful that they built their houses a little high so that the flood water didn’t go any higher, but they were... petrified by the idea that they built their houses up and the water still managed to seek in drastically.”

The effects of the natural disasters in Trinidad inspired Mahabir to collect necessities for those in need. As a member of Palmetto’s debate team, she used the club as a platform to collect goods for Trinidadians. When her birthday came around in November, she saw it as an opportunity to continue collecting, and asked her family to donate money and supplies instead of gifts.

“I’ve been collecting things like soap, pillow sheets, comforters, sheets, hand sanitizers, blankets, Lysol, towels, tooth brushes, toothpaste, perishable food...Then I’m going to Trinidad in about January or February and I’m going to personally deliver everything out,” Mahabir said.

Even though Mahabir is American born, her connection to Trinidad has deep roots.

When Mahabir was five years old, she and her mother ended up staying six months longer than their planned two-week vacation in Trinidad and Tobago, due to her mother’s passport

expiring. The time spent living in Trinidad made Mahabir realize how privileged she was as an American and later inspired her to help Trinidadians.

“When I was living in Trinidad, there was no A/C [and] there was holes in the floor. It was a completely wood house. You have to go outside to shower and use the bathroom,” Mahabir said. “Living there was an amazing experience and scary for me at the same time because my dad wasn’t with us, only my mom, sister, grandma, and my grandma’s mom who was very sickly.”

Although her living conditions may not have been ideal, Mahabir still made the most of that situation. The close living conditions allowed for her tight-knit family to bond even more.

“There were only two rooms in this wooden house so my mom and my sister and my mom’s mother who has always lived in Trinidad [and I were all] in one small room sleeping wherever we could find a space…,” Mahabir said. “But living there was also amazing because of the environment where everyone is friends with everyone and the vibe was just so relaxed and happy.”

The closeness of the Mahabir family has allowed for the preservation of Trinidadian traditions. Her parents passing down recipes and religious celebrations have allowed Mahabir to stay connected to her heritage while living in Miami.

“Some things that we take part in here are two major holidays/festivals, which are called Diwali and Holi, which are the festival of light and the festival of color. We also make things like roti and doubles and persad so that my family can feels a little closer to home,” Mahabir said.

Mahabir’s selfless love for helping others inspires her to become a judge one day, as she would like to continue to make a difference in people’s lives. Her role as treasurer of the debate club at Palmetto reflects her future interest in the judicial profession. The importance of the role of a judge in America’s judicial system and the influence they hold encourages her to follow her dreams.

“My passion is law, but then also I was thinking, in a way, if

13

you’re a judge you can help give the justice to the people that need it,” Mahabir said.

The strides Mahabir has made with her flood relief project have inspired her to take on another project as well.

As someone who values education, Mahabir understands how integral the public school system is in children’s lives, and she also hopes to help the Trinidadian school system in the future.

“One thing I really want to do is [bring supplies] to schools [since] they don’t really have technology. I have to buy stuff for my cousins like computers, phones, chargers... so kids have some source of Wifi-Internet connection,” Mahabir said.

Passionate about helping others, Mahabir hopes to eventually not only help people in Trinidad and Tobago, but worldwide.

“One of my goals is to go to Africa or India and start a water pump, like what a lot of people are doing to get clean water, but it’s expensive so I have to find some way

to get funds for that. But seeing I have the power…I’m like if they can do this, I can do it too, so why not?”

Mahabir said.

Within Mahabir, there is a sense of determination and hope. She truly wants to make a difference in the world and recognizes that she holds the power to do so.

“Because if I don’t, who will?” Mahabir said.

Jayden Woodfall Staffer

j.woodfall.thepanther@gmail.com

Isabel Wilder Copy Editor

i.wilder.thepanther@gmail.com

14

harry silberberg Senior Harry Silberberg likes to brag about his 40/40 vision.

“It’s 20/20 vision but I see two of everything,” Silberberg said. “As a side effect from the tumor, I see two of everything.”

A sticker on the inside of Silberberg’s glasses fixes his vision, which remains the last remnant of the now-demolished cancer that once threatened his life.

“He has double vision,” Silberberg’s mother, Caroline Silberberg, said. “He’s still trying to cope with that leftover.”

In July of 2017, Silberberg spent two weeks walking around his house like a ghost.

Fatigue plagued him. He slept far more often than normal and when he awoke, he still felt drained. Along with that, Silberberg became unable to hold down any meal or drink. Any food he consumed, he threw back up.

“He had lost over 30 pounds,” Caroline Silberberg, said. “What I thought was something very minor as far as his stomach, turned out to be something very major.”

A standard MRI scan revealed the cause of Silberberg’s sickness. Sitting in his sterile hospital room, Silberberg’s friends walked around the halls of the hospital, waiting for his doctor to share the devastating news.

“All my friends that were there just left because they knew something was going on,” Silberberg said. “[The doctor] told me I had cancer. I straight up cried.”

The tumor sat in the pineal gland of Silberberg’s brain and blocked much-needed fluid from traveling to the rest of his body, causing continuous vomiting and fatigue.

“After that, they did a biopsy which then found out it was cancerous,” Silberberg said.

“Since it was so close to my optic nerve,

15

surviving and thriving they could not remove it surgically, so they put me through chemotherapy and radiationww.”

Through these treatments, Silberberg lost his once-full head of hair, even more weight and spent many days feeling queasy and ill. He spent many days in the hospital fighting a neutropenic fever, a reoccuring ailment after every round of chemotherapy.

When his white blood cell count fell dangerously low and his temperature rose critically high, Silberberg ended up in the hospital for extended amounts of time.

He could not attend his junior year of highschool.

“I was able to do one online class to be able to become a senior, but even while doing the online class, it was kinda hard to do with everything, with the treatments and all that,” Silberberg said. “It got very boring not able to see my friends and be in a social environment, just being stuck in a hospital bed for a while.”

Around four of Silberberg’s friends visited him once a week during the time he was admitted. Those visits granted him much-needed peer interaction with others besides his one Florida Virtual School teacher, and a break from the hospital TV’s constant stream of “Friends” and “Seinfeld” episodes played on repeat.

“They played a lot of the same episodes over and over,” Silberberg said. “I enjoyed ‘Friends’ and ‘Seinfeld’ -- not so much ‘Seinfeld’ anymore.”

Many organizations aided Silberberg in finding good moments among the troubles he faced daily.

“A lot of organizations pitched in to the

cancer institute I went to, they gave a bunch of stuff to the cancer patients,” Silberberg said. “I got to go see a Miami Heat game, got to see a Dolphins game also. I got a bunch of free stuff.”

Through the hard times, Silberberg’s nuclear family, along with his distant family, showed their immense support.

“My family came from all over to help and support me,” Silberberg said. “I had my uncles come up from Trinidad and Tobago, my grandparents came down from Ocala and I had presents sent down to me from my family up north.”

Silberberg has two younger siblings, ages 11 and 14. Although they were crushed by their older brother’s diagnosis, their routines remained as normal as possible.

“I don’t think they quite understood the severity of it, but while we were in the hospital, Harry’s grandmother came and stayed with us and she kind of looked after them,” Caroline Silberberg said. “We sheltered them a little bit from it, but we tried to make sure that their lives were not as affected so that their routine was more normal.”

Six months into his treatment, Silberberg was cured.

“It was complete absolute relief and joy,” Caroline Silberberg said. “The chemo actually shrank the tumor so much so that it wasn’t even visible anymore -- it wasn’t even there. So then the radiation therapy was meant to target any microscopic cells that might not be visible on the MRIs, and it was a relief.”

A clean bill of health meant that Silberberg could return to school the next

year with his friends, on a clear path to graduating high school and his awaiting future. His teachers, especially iPrep and Advanced Placement Human Geography teacher John Hayduk who has taught Silberberg since freshman year, missed his presence in their classroom.

“I think he’s a role model to [his classmates] because for the people who know some of the things he has gone through, to see how Harry hasn’t changed, is a tribute to Harry and his character and his upbringing that he’s willing to take something that is very difficult and does not let it define him. He defines it,” iPrep and AP Human Geography teacher John Hayduk said. “His absence was dearly missed last year.”

Silberberg has no idea what he wants as a career. His map for the future holds very vague, but solid, checkpoints.

“Whatever college will take me, I’ll be happy with,” Silberberg said.

Although his classmates and teachers do not notice a change in Silberberg’s classic kindness and intelligence, he has felt a shift in his philosophies from the beginning of this journey, to the end of it.

“I think because I beat cancer I think I can beat anything that comes my way,” Silberberg said. “I’ve done this, I can do anything else I try.”

Allessandra Inzinna Senior Copy Editor

a.inzinna.thepanther@gmail.com

16

lynn evans

the bright side of life

After being hired over the phone in 1985, Palmetto anatomy teacher and former athletic trainer Lynn Evans continues to instill positivity in the lives of everyone she comes across. Evans, racking up 34 years working with students, is the longest serving teacher at Palmetto.

The New England Striders recruited Evans, born in Nashua, New Hampshire, to play in the semi-pro women’s softball league. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Exercise Science, which prepared her to be the new athletic trainer at Miami Palmetto Senior High.

Originally, when Evans played semi-pro softball, she experienced a lot of shoulder pains. Her athletic trainer informed her that the shoulder pain resulted from stomach problems. However, since she never suffered from any abdominal pain up to that point, she believed there must have been a mistake.

It was not until years later, while working at Palmetto, that she realized something was wrong with her stomach.

“One day, I vomited what looks like dried coffee grounds, and it’s blood. Dried blood.

So, I had emergency surgery the first time.

That was 1988, and that type of surgery they don’t do anymore because it has such a high failure rate,” Evans said.

Evans received a diagnosis of a dangerous, chronic stomach condition that affects less

than 200,000 people in the United States per year, according to the Mayo Clinic.

“I have what’s called gastroparesis,” Evans said. “I had stomach surgery twice, and the end result is my stomach is paralyzed.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, this health condition is characterized by the lack or loss of stomach motility, affecting the digestive tract and causing the stomach to empty itself incorrectly. Gastroparesis can cause a host of side effects such as nausea, blood sugar problems, pain,which explains her shoulder problems during her softball years, vomiting and weight loss.

There is no cure for gastroparesis, but a careful diet, certain medicines and preventative surgery can significantly improve quality of life for those diagnosed.

After her first surgery, Evans began working on a Palmetto subcommittee where she met her now-husband, Palmetto math teacher Peter Migli.

“We didn’t really know each other well until about five years later, six years later [we started working at Palmetto],” Migli said.

“So she had already had the first stomach surgery, it did not go well. She was having to take an experimental drug just to be able to eat, and that was her life when we really started our relationship together.”

Working together on the subcommittee ultimately pushed Evans and Migli closer.

17 Evans would take minutes at meetings and then Migli came to collect the minutes from her and distributed them.

“We were married within eight months of when we started dating,” Migli said.

Six years after they got married, Evans had her second surgery. This one went much better and significantly improved her quality of life.

“It went as well as it possibly could have gone,” Migli said. “She has since had to learn what she can eat and when, and what she can’t eat.

There are many things she cannot eat because her digestive system just can’t handle it.”

The effects of her gastroparesis inhibited her from becoming athletic trainer at Palmetto. At that point, she began teaching anatomy.

Evans currently teaches Anatomy & Physiology, and has continued to educate students on the human body for 29 years now.

Throughout her extensive teaching career, she dealt with other health issues, and both her students and husband realized the things she experienced and how her positive mindset kept her going.

When asked about her 2012 breast cancer diagnosis, Evans said, “It’s true. I am a survivor, six years. But that’s the least of my problems.”

One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their life, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. There are over 3.3 million breast cancer survivors currently in the United States, and Evans is one of them.

She was first diagnosed with a noninvasive form of breast cancer, known as DCIS, or ductal carcinoma in situ.

According to BreastCancer.org, DCIS

is not life-threatening, and accounts for one out of every five breast cancer diagnoses. However, Evans actually had invasive breast cancer.

“I was very fortunate that it was caught early because that could have been pretty dangerous,” Evans said.

Evans underwent surgery and radiation for eight weeks during the school year and received lots of support from her students during this time. She would leave early every sixth period because of her scheduled radiation.

“Her issues with her stomach are so unusual that we’d often have experts in the field shrugging their shoulders because they had done all that they could do and still didn’t know what to do,” Migli said. “So, when she told me that she had the diagnosis of breast cancer, what I said to her was this is different for us because they know what’s wrong with you and they know what to do about it.”

Evans’ doctors served as an immense support system throughout the process.

“It’s cute too, they have a little ceremony [when finishing treatment] and you get a little certificate,” Evans said.

To anyone going through a similar experience, Evans says to remain positive and look for the joy in life.

Her job, her husband, friends and the kids she teaches all helped her to get through it.

“You focus on the positive, and you get through it. And then you look back and you go, wow, that was kind of amazing,” Evans said.

The chronic health condition, gastroparesis, leaves those diagnosed with a lifetime of effects. But Evans does not want her life to be defined by her condition.

“I struggle with migraines, and the nausea, and just trying to find the happy medium that people take for granted,” Evans said. “I don’t share that information because I want people to feel sad for me.I share that information because I want people to understand that I make a choice in life.

And my choice is that I could wallow in self-pity that I have a chronic health problem, or I could choose to get up everyday and do the best I can with what I’ve got.”

Evans enjoys doing anything outside with her husband, including going camping, hiking and taking cross country road trips during the summer. Her favorite places to visit include the lighthouse in York Beach, Maine,Colorado or Nova Scotia.

“She’s been through more than anyone else that I know,” Migli said.

“How she does all that, and manages to be married to me, is a miracle.”

Evans says she does it by focusing on the happy and joyous aspects of life.

“I choose everyday to focus on the joy,” Evans said. “I have a sign in my house that I look at, every morning, and it says, ‘Today I choose joy’. And so I do. Life is better on this side.”

Nicole Markus Copy Editor

n.markus.thepanther@gmail.com

Jane Heise Copy Editor

n.markus.thepanther@gmail.com

18

steve batten

an athletic mastermind A career full of unexpected coaching jobs and intense real-world experiences have shaped the manner of which Steve Batten goes about each day. As a former Panther and graduate of the Class of 1982, Batten feels a connection with Miami Palmetto Senior High despite it not being his first teaching location.

“I started teaching and coaching at Homestead Senior High in 1988 and worked there for 12 years,” Batten said. “While at Homestead Senior High, I was an assistant coach for the football teams, and I was the girls’ soccer and softball head coach.”

After beginning his career in education at Homestead Senior High, Batten was tasked with opening Felix Varela Senior High and kick-starting their Physical Education program -- specifically their football and softball teams. While at Varela, he helped establish the foundation for the athletic department from the very beginning.

“I helped start their football program and began the softball program,” Batten said.

Once the athletic department started to grow at Varela, Batten was brought into Palmetto to take over the CSI program and become the head coach of the softball team.

However, there were other driving forces in his desire to become a part of the Palmetto Panther family.

“Palmetto seemed like a strong fit because it has the best public education available,” Batten said. “All three of my daughters graduated from here, and they played four years of soccer and volleyball.”

Once Batten took over as head coach for the girls softball team, they joined the group of elite softball teams in the state. Under the supervision of Batten, the team placed

second in the state in 2007 and came back to win the State Championship in 2008.

As a result of this performance at the state level, Batten was named the Miami-Dade County Coach of the Year in 2008.

After a successful season, Batten anticipated going to another softball banquet. However, that anticipation made a turn for the worse after an unexpected incident on his way to the banquet.

“On my way to the banquet, I got a flat tire and while changing that tire, two guys came up to me and offered their help,” Batten said. “When I declined the help, they asked me for me money and when I refused, they pulled out a gun. As I was reaching for my wallet, I grabbed the gun and got shot in the hand.”

While Batten may not have made it to the banquet, it did not take away from the success of his softball team. He made a full recovery from the incident.

“The incident occurred on a Sunday night and I came to school the next morning,” Batten said.

Once Batten moved on from softball, he faced one of his greatest career obstacles, stepping in as the girls’ lacrosse coach to teach a sport he knew nothing about.

“I was once rehabbing my knee and became aware that the girls lacrosse team did not have a full-time coach, so I stepped up and joined them on the field,” Batten said. “I learned all of the rules by going online and talking to other coaches.”

Batten’s time as a coach ended in 2015 when he was promoted to fill the big shoes of former athletic director Yvette McKinney, the athletic director whom the gym is named after. Even though he

no longer coaches, Batten is still able to witness the great things that take place on every court and field.

“Watching the kids excitement after winning a big game is the most rewarding part of the job,” Batten said.

As a former coach himself, Batten now prides himself on the coaches that he hires and looks for the best in their fields to represent Palmetto to the highest degree.

“I look for coaches with selfless dedication and someone who is willing to do 10 times the work for 10 times less pay,” Batten said.

When he is not attending Palmetto athletic events, Batten finds time to pursue his unique passions for alligator hunting.

Since he was a kid, Batten has made trips to the Everglades to take part in one of his favorite weekend activities.

“On the weekends, I go out on the airboat and go alligator hunting,” Batten said. “I am a licensed alligator hunter and have done it for years.”

While the job of athletic director may be a difficult one, his expertise in the sports and coaching fields have given Batten the background knowledge he needs to be a leader. Batten’s life-changing experiences on and off the field make it seem as though there is nothing he has not seen.

Benjamin Spiegelman Online Editor-In-Chief

b.spiegelman.thepanther@gmail.com

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 7460 S.W. 118th Street Miami, FL 33156, (305) 235-1360 ext. 2337. 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 911B or e-mail us at thepanthermpsh@gmail.com. The Panther has professional membership in NSPA and CSPA. The Panther prints 3,000 copies per issue for distribution. The Panther is distributed for free to all students in school. Subscriptions (for cost) are also available. 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.

STAFF Print Editor-In-Chief Natalie Askowitz

Online Editor-In-Chief Benjamin Spiegelman

Print Managing Editor Mia Zaldivar

Online Managing Editor Camila Myers

Senior Copy Editor

Allessandra Inzinna

Senior Design Editor Alexandra Pedroso

Business Manager Olivia Solomon

Feature Editor

Allison Strasius

News Editor Gemma Torras

Life Editors

Sophia DeAlejo Joanna Salvat

Sports Editor Jack Meyer

Opinion Editor Samuel Stone

Multimedia Team

Garrett Livingston Annette Gonzalez

Copy Team

Jane Heise Nicole Markus Lindsey Solomon Isabel Wilder

Design Team

Jenna Bondy Sydney Campbell Chloe Gallivan Gemma Torras

Staff Writers

Camila Bondy Jayden Woodfall

Adviser

Laura Aviles

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