The Panther 2022-23 Issue 6: From the Hallways to the Hall of Fame

FROM THE HALLWAYS TO THE HALL OF FAME

FEATURE: PANTHER HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY SHE’S PRESENT

On March 6, Miami Palmetto Senior High school honored 16 alumni and past administrators during its third Hall of Fame ceremony. Many students dressed in suits and blazers as they prepared to listen to the nominees’ speeches in an event that took the approval of countless people, students and the United States Grand Marshal to commence.

news briefs

NEWS

Following long-time MPSH Attendance Clerk Linda Lane’s retirement in February, the school hired Kristina Mesquita to take on the task of holding students accountable for their attendance at MPSH.

Following a shooting on Jan. 5 in Miami Gardens, Carlos Wilkerson, one of the 10 victims, filed a lawsuit against rapper French Montana and restaurant Miami Finga Licking after suffering permanent paralysis. The shooting occurred while filming a music video for Montana’s new song “Igloo”, where Wilkerson got caught in the crossfire. Police claimed French Montana failed to obtain the proper permits and protocols for police protection.

LIFE 16 20

NATIONAL CROCHET MONTH

March represents National Crochet Month, where the country celebrates and promotes the art form that emerged in 1829.

NaTIONaL

SPORTS

LETS GO TO PARADISE

Paradise Gym allows gym-goers a unique experience. Located in Kendall, the gym offers a large space filled with various types of equipment, combining traditional crossfit, boxing, spinning and bodybuilding into one space.

OPINON

WOMEN IN PRISON

Women in prison face the repercussions for their unlawful actions, but that should not include repercussions at the cost of their menstrual and physical health.

INTERNaTIONaL

In a Virginia mental hospital, footage of a group of deputies showed them forcibly pinning patient Irvo Otieno to the ground. His death on March 6 has led to second-degree murder charges on 10 people. The video shows a shackled Otieno pushed down by as many as 10 people at once. The workers attempted to resuscitate him, but their efforts failed. Allegedly, Otieno faced further brutality before his death, but the videos have not been publicized.

On March 21, Uganda lawmakers approved a bill making it illegal to identify as LGBTQ+ and enforced a punishment of up to ten years in prison. This law bans promoting and abetting homosexuality, as well as conspiracy to engage in homosexuality. Lawmaker, Asuman Basaliraw, introduced the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 with the goal of protecting “church culture.” The bill is going up for approval from the president but is expected to pass.

She’s Present:

Palmetto Welcomes New Attendance Clerk Kristina Mesquita She’s Present:

Three times every school day, at the beginning of class, each teacher follows their legal obligation of accounting for all the students present on an attendance sheet. However, once each teacher takes count of the students in their class, where does this document go?

Following long-time Miami Palmetto Senior High Attendance Clerk Linda Lane’s retirement in February, the school hired MPSH parent and former Attendance Clerk at Ronald W. Reagan Senior High School Kristina Mesquita to take on the task of holding students accountable for their attendance at MPSH.

For Mesquita, the decision to shift from Ronald W. Reagan Senior High to MPSH came as a coincidence of timing and connection to her daughter, Sienna Mesquita’s school.

“It’s kind of funny. Me and Mr. T[ellechea] were talking about her and her job and she was doing attendance at another school at the time. When he heard, he mentioned that [Ms.] Lane was retiring and was like, ‘does she want to work here haha.’ After a few weeks of convincing, she finally went for an interview and they hired her that day,” MPSH junior Sienna said.

The decision to transition from her position at her previous school to MPSH resulted in a calmer, more welcoming work atmosphere for Kristina. However, she encountered a difference in the demand of her routine upon changing schools.

“I come in in the morning. Usually, students are waiting for me to fix their absences. I think it’s been a little bit more hectic transition only because I’m coming in in the middle of the year and there was somebody else here and then now I’m here. But pretty much day-to-day, just finding little ways to make the attendance better, make it more efficient. I try to work smarter, not harder.”

With Kristina working at the desk

next to Student Services Secretary Olga Gonzalez, sitting alongside each other allows the coworkers to work and assist each other in any way possible.

“In general, we try to help each other. If there’s something that I can do when [Kristina is] not here and I can answer

to MPSH.

“My mom and I are super close. We do absolutely everything together. Her and I love traveling so much. My best friend lives in LA so we go to California a lot together, just us two. Also, I am obsessed with Harry Styles, so we travel a lot to see him in concert, mostly New York. Back in September, we camped out for over 12 hours so we could be barricade for one of his concerts and it was so much fun.

It’s really nice having her there because if I ever have free time during a class, I can always go hang out with her. Also, she always has snacks for me if I’m ever hungry or anything,” Sienna said.

Outside of work, Kristina and her daughter enjoy spending time together, traveling and following Harry Styles around the country.

“My daughter and I are huge Harry Styles fans, so we do that a lot. We did New York, mostly traveled to New York. And we did a turn around, we did Harryween and then I was like, ‘Okay, we’re here already let’s do another concert,’ so we just did that. That’s a big thing, her and I are huge fans. I’m from New York so I love going back there, and we travel to LA a lot because we have friends there,” Kristina said. “[At school] I’m the snack drawer and the lunch lady.”

some questions. I cannot change things, but I’ll answer, I will write it down and give her the information… We work together; she knows that counselors can’t see anybody, only during lunch and even the parents and volunteers, when [the kids] have a parent, they have to come see me for the first. So we help each other,” Gonzalez said.

For Sienna, her close relationship with her mom creates a comfortable and familiar atmosphere within the school grounds, bringing a piece of home with her

As Attendance Clerk, mother and Harry Styles fan, Kristina’s introduction to the MPSH community has provided her with opportunities to bond with her daughter and create new connections around the school.

Sara Paredes Feature Editor

s.paredes.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY MIA

SHIELDS

PHOTOS BY VALENTINA

ARIAS

Artifcial Intelligence

The Effect on Education

ChatGPT: the artificial intelligence(AI) software that has polarized the academic community. If one asks the AI software a simple question such as “Tell me about your day,” it can create a full explanation in less than a minute.

The AI software launched in late 2022 and took the world by storm. The software has a question box where a user can type any question they have, and the software will create a well-written and human-like response. ChatGPT retains previous information shared in the conversation, yet people remain unsure if there is a limit to how much information the AI software can retain. Many students use the software to write essays and complete homework assignments for them.

“I think it’s absolutely the most fascinating thing I’ve ever seen in my life. It is something where you just can’t look away,” Miami Palmetto Senior High AP World History teacher Julianne Farkas said.

This free software tool has been creating mixed emotions in educational systems throughout the world. New York has already started restricting access to ChatGPT due to worries about negative impacts on a student’s learning.

“There is a lot of uproar in the education community, and it’s almost polarizing. There’s us that believe that ‘okay, this is the future we need to learn how to use it,’ and there’s others who believe that students are just taking the easy way out. Generally, the consensus is this is the new calculator. This is not going anywhere. This is a part of life,” Farkas said.

Educational sources like Turnitin and the College Board have spoken out against the use of AI. In February, Turnitin announced that they created an AI writing detector that can identify up to 97% of ChatGPT and GPT3 written work.

For the College Board, they have presented guidance for AI use in their courses, saying that students are prohibited from using any form of AI “to guide, brainstorm, draft or create student work related to AP assessment.” If a student does this in an AP course it could result in a cancellation of the test score.

“With the College Board, what they should do is obviously penalize [the use of AI] or [they could] want to use heavily. [I think] they should welcome it to an extent. Yes, [there should be] ground rules as to how they actually are used within their classes, but not just completely get rid of it because you can’t reasonably… they should be definitely corporated, especially in a society that’s advancing as fast as we are with technology we should definitely be incorporated one way or another,” MPSH sophomore and Honor Council Member Jean Blandon said.

While incorporating ChatGPT and other AI software could seem taboo to teachers, many view it as a teaching tool that can enhance students’ writing.

“I think it’s a way for it to provide a base for students to begin to write an essay, and then they have to go in there and edit. I think it’s going to teach us to be editors, we’re going to have to know our facts a little bit,” Farkas said

In the educational system, the use of ChatGPT continues to grow due to the constant advancements and exposure to students becoming aware of the “perks” that come with the software. While many reject ChaptGPT, others view it as an opportunity to add it to the academic curriculum along with teaching students how to ethically use the software.

“I think teachers should definitely incorporate it into the classroom since it is inevitable…Because how do you avoid technology that is so powerful? I think it’s best that a teacher explained it to the class and set some ground rules as to how to use it within the classroom,” Blandon said.

The AI software keeps growing and evolving through time and ChatGPT creators OpenAI, already came out with an updated version of the software called GPT-4 which allows for someone to upload photos and ask the software about the photo. OpenAI also announced that the updated software, GPT-4, had taken the bar exam and passed in the ninth percentile compared to when ChatGPT took it and scored in the tenth percentile.

“It’s gonna be interesting, but I think fighting it, is fighting a calculator or the internet for that matter,” Farkas said.

Madeline Volpe Multimedia Editor

m.volpe.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY MIA SHIELDS

PHOTO BY VALENTINA ARIAS

Let Creativity Flow:

National Crochet Month

Intertwining an imaginative mind and craft, crochet serves as a vision of artistic technique. March represents National Crochet Month, where the country celebrates and promotes the art form that emerged in 1829. Originating during the Irish Potato Famine, crochet provided income for farmers through the selling of hand-made items.

Crochet’s forerunner, known as “shepherd knitting” later became today’s slip stitch technique, previously used to fabricate rugs, vests, leggings and other accommodations in the 19th century.

Making a comeback in the 1940s, crochet then served as the catalyst for home craft and acted as a medium during the post-war period.

Following the 40s, crochet evolved, holding the power of creativity and allowing artisans to express their individuality and creativity through the craft.

“Crochet is definitely a very creative outlet. I’ve been doing it since I was 10 and it allows me to just take things that are in my mind, and just make whatever I want,” Miami Palmetto Senior High senior and crocheter Emma Kramer said.

Crochet further serves to ease the mind, especially for teens struggling with underlying responsibilities.

Based on a survey by the University of Wollongong in Australia, out of 8,000 crocheting respondents, 90% answered that it increases calmness, 82% answered it increased serotonin and

over 70% responded that it improved memory.

“I feel like when I crochet, it’s really calming and soothing, so all of my stress just goes away and I just focus on crocheting in general. It really helps me to concentrate and just not always think about negative thoughts because my mind is like, somewhere else,” MPSH freshman and crocheter Katie Wu said.

Created in the 21st century, Crochet Therapy soon became a coined term for the strategy of working with elderly struggling with onset Dementia issues. Crochet therapy helps improve memory, give purpose and increase productivity.

Not only does one benefit from creating a new piece, whether an article of clothing or a plushy, but the act of crocheting itself leads to mindfulness, repetition and focus; in turn leading to greater positive effects: increased serotonin, positive social interactions and relief of depression.

Within the MPSH community, crochet has provided opportunities for students to grow and push themselves beyond their limits.

“The most impactful part of it is that it kind of pushed me to make an Etsy store over the pandemic, which definitely grew my confidence because I was able to sell something. So it was kind of like, ‘oh well, people are actually interested in the things that I make.’ So I ended up making more and more things and learning a lot of new techniques,” Kramer said.

MPSH Early Childhood Education teacher Michelle Uhle also uses crochet as an outlet for both creativity and service, where she found that it also benefited her students and their strengths.

“It’s just been something that’s therapeutic for me and when I started doing early childhood, I realized that like the week before Christmas break and the week before spring break there was a lot of absence happening and it’s hard to try and start a new subject when you’re going to have two weeks off for a whole week off, and so I don’t like starting something new.

So I decided that we would do a class service project and because it’s early childhood, we would make [Neonatal Intensive Care Unit] hats,” Uhle said.

Uhle now holds crochet classes every Wednesday, where students learn skills and even participate in aiding the early childhood project.

“It gives them something to do with their hands and so now even still I have a bunch of students come back and they’re like, ‘Do you have any yarn? I’m done with my work and I need

to do something’ and so they’ll just sit there and make stuff,” Uhle said.

Uhle prides herself in the fact that crochet not only allows for a way to benefit the community but also helps to expand one’s selection of style, design and overall artistic realm.

“You can do [anything], from clothing, to stuffed animals, to blankets and you can have the creativity of colors, patterns and you can mix things up [and] can see different stitches. So it’s just like quilting or painting that you have and it’s a form of art,” Uhle said.

Crochet has cultivated a community and inspired innovation both locally and around the world.

Seen on the popular social media platform TikTok, crochet has become a sensation. Known as #Crochettok, the popularized hashtag with over 3 billion views serves as a network for the community, where artisans post their work, tutorials, promote their small businesses and more.

Over the summer of 2022, crochet clothing spiked in popularity where individuals would hand make their own beachy and summery clothing to match their own style. Crochet clothing has now continued to be a top style in 2023.

“I know a few people who crochet and one of the girls in my class actually found out that I crochet, and she asked me to teach her at the end of the year. So, I’m hoping maybe I can start my own community and at least teach other people because it’s definitely getting a lot more popular, but I feel like I would like to make crochet more popular than it already is,” Kramer said.

Those who crochet not only see the beauty it provides, but the opportunity that sprouts from looping yarn into a meaningful item.

“I would definitely recommend people to crochet. I feel like it can help lots of different people who struggle with mental health issues or can’t really concentrate on certain things. I feel like it’s a very good, relaxing thing to do,” Wu said.

Isabella Hewitt

Contents Editor

i.hewitt.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY IVY LAGARTO

PHOTOS BY MADELINE VOLPE

thePANTHER MARCH COLUMN

of

Daniel Perodin | Staff Writer

Dear Spring Breakers, Please Go Home

Annually, around mid-March, Miami citizens face an influx of of thousands of spring breakers, who pour in looking for a “tropical escape.” To many out-of-towners, our city seems like the perfect getaway from the harsh winter-spring transition occurring in the northern states. However, they fail to recognize the challenges that their presence brings locals.

To many, spring break serves as a time to let loose and relax; for Miamians, spring breakers make relaxation an impossibility. We cannot enjoy our own beaches because they are overrun by tomato-colored, sunburnt families who invade not only our roads and oceans, but our grocery stores, restaurants, shops and more. Despite setting numerous guidelines to prevent misbehavior and conflict, for that one week, spring breakers use Miami as their own personal playground.

Coming from a native Miamian who has spent several spring breaks at home, I am tired of seeing out-of-state license plates on our traffic-filled roads. I am tired of fighting for parking everywhere I go. I am tired of prices rising for locals every time out-of-towners pour in. I am tired of having to share my vacation with thousands of intruders in my city. Dear spring breakers, please, I beg you, go home.

Jasmine Judge Business Manager j.judge.thepanther@gmail.com

PALMETTO’S HALL OF FAME

CEREMONY

Miami Palmetto Senior High honored 16 alumni and past administrators at its third annual Hall of Fame Ceremony. These accomplished inductees were nominated by members in the community for encompassing what it means to be a Panther and for their tremendous impact on their communities.

“THESE HALLS, THESE CLASSROOMS, AND ON THIS STAGE..”

PANTHERS RETURN FOR HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY

ceremony. Many students dressed in suits and blazers as they prepared to listen to the nominees’ speeches in an event that took the approval of countless people, students and the United States Grand Marshal to commence.

The Alumni Association organizes all aspects regarding the Hall of Fame, and did not declare a date earlier as they waited for all inductees availability. Once the date was announced, MPSH’s Activities Director Elizabeth Valero quickly took charge to ensure the day went smoothly.

“It was a lot of work, it was very stressful, there were a lot of moving pieces. A lot of things had to be approved, a lot of things had to be constantly updated, changed, shifted, pivoted and it was constant movement for three weeks straight. Because we didn’t have a lot of time to plan it once we were given the date due to availability, it was kind of go time because we had to make it happen for this day no matter what. We were in the middle of the regular stuff going on: grad bash sales, drama show. So it was just kind of making this event that needed one hundred percent of our attention happen in the middle of a lot of other things too,” Valero said.

Since MPSH class of 1988 alumni and Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson attended as the Alumni Association’s “Committees Choice,” Valero and other faculty members

“The U.S. Marshals were obviously on site due to the fact that Justice Jackson was going to be in attendance. They handle security for the Supreme Court Justices so there was that. There was also Miami Dade school police who had to handle a lot of stuff. They’re normally on campus events but they also were in larger attendance because we had a lot of school board members on campus as well… And then, of course we also had our local jurisdiction of Pinecrest Police were here because we were in Pinecrest,” Valero said.

With increased security presence adding pressure to the event, Valero and Student Council teamed up to delegate tasks to groups such as greeters, hospitality and ushers.

“The planning and preparation was stressful and fun at the same time. It consisted of many early morning meetings and lunches spent working but it was all worth it in the end. Essentially, special events was in charge of overseeing the entire event and working one-on-one with Mrs.Valero to make sure everything was going according to her plans. Student Council as a whole took over many jobs that day from waiters to ushers. Without their hard work and dedication this event would not have been possible,” MPSH junior and Student Council Special Events Chair Estefani Cerna said. “Even if a student’s job was to hold a door, that day they were the best door holders anyone had ever seen.”

MPSH Orchestra preforms during the ceremony conducted by Ms. Lin

Supreme Court Justice

The day of festivities began with a luncheon service in the Media Center, where honorees enjoyed bagels and juice before taking the auditorium stage to accept their inductions. Each inductee could bring a few guests, and past Hall of Fame inductees were also present. MPSH’s Television Production team organized and hosted the event, presented by Student Council President Abigail Lambert and Vice President Devica Shah.

To introduce each individual nominee and highlight their accomplishments, brief videos played in the background highlighting key points of each nominee’s achievements before each inductee took the stage and presented their two-minute speech. Lambert and Shah practiced their script beforehand and coordinated with people backstage to alternated awarding each inductee with a “Hall of Fame” plaque to commemorate their achievements.

“Right before I kind of freaked out because I practiced my speech a million times…with the microphone without the microphone, projecting and not projecting, with emotion and without it. But it’s so different when you’re actually up there speaking because it’s easy to think about people being there to watch you, but then when hundreds of people are actually sitting in the room, it’s very intimidating. So it was definitely shaky while I was speaking, but… then after the first 30 seconds of speaking I got very comfortable and when the crowd interacted with what I said, like they’d laugh, or I could feel people engaged with what I was saying, it was definitely more comforting to speak in front of such a large group of people. And then throughout the ceremony, I’d say there are opportunities for me to kind of express my own personality that weren’t really planned. So that definitely created a more comfortable relationship between me and the crowd,” Lambert said.

Throughout the ceremony, MPSH’s jazz band played music while inductees walked on and off the stage. Inductees ranged from alumni to past teachers and administrators. No matter the profession, every speech and anecdote instilled inspiration among students, so they, too, can strive to attain what the inductees all have — success.

“I’m here to talk about investment and not the financial kind. Around the years, I’ve been blessed with a collected investment of time, energy and resources in me and my future by my family and friends as well as my teachers and administrators. But ultimately it was and remains the additional investment of faith in myself that has allowed me the privilege of being able to stand here before you today,” Class of 1993 and host of “The Katie Phang Show,” Katie Phang said. “Success is not an accident. There is so much hard work and sacrifice. There’s long hours and there’s sometimes little to no recognition for the hard work that you are putting in, but when you believe in yourself and you have faith in yourself, your dreams can be a reality. There’s a saying that’s become something of a mantra for me over the years: always be a first-rate version of yourself than a second-rate version of someone else. Listen to who you are and set your gaze on who you want to be and then do it.”

Inductees shared valuable life experiences and offered meaningful advice to the students in the audience. As Class of 1985 Lee Levin approached the stage, he gave a fist bump to the MPSH jazz band drummer before giving the audience his insight as a Grammy award-winning musician.

Abigail Lambert (12) and Devica Shah (12) host the event.

Ketanji Brown Jackson delivering a speech.

“If I had to give one piece of advice that truly helped me to become successful, I would say that my whole career has never been about me; it’s been about helping and supporting others. As a drummer for hire, I help the artists find their vision and create the art that expresses the way they hear the music. I help songwriters express their deepest feelings by supporting the melody and the lyrics so the listener understands the beauty and the meaning of their song. I work with the producer to take the artistic vision they have in their head and help develop music that will fulfill that vision for themselves. But in doing all those things for those around me I became successful in myself doing exactly what I love to do which is play drums. I didn’t want a spotlight nor do I care about the fame; I’ve seen how fame can be an endless struggle to remain relevant in a rapidly changing world. Instead, I’m known as an individual who can support others and by helping to fulfill their dreams, I’ve been able to live my own,” Levin said.

Halfway through the ceremony, MPSH’s drama Troupe 1298 took the stage to perform an excerpt from their recent play, “Legally Blonde.” MPSH’s Variations dance team performed a lyrical dance near the end of the ceremony, highlighting MPSH’s arts department to students, teachers, nominees and guests before inductees continued with their speeches.

Students, teachers, nominees and guests highly anticipated the final inductee’s video and acceptance speech. Everyone rose to their feet as Class of 1988 Ketanji Brown Jackson, United States Supreme Court Justice walked to receive her plaque and speak to the audience. Throughout her speech, she recognized MPSH as a stepping stone for her career in government.

“Attending Miami Palmetto High School, in particular being part of the Speech and Debate team, was the experience that best prepared me for success in law and in life. An extraordinary teacher here, a wonderful woman named Fran Berger was my coach and my mentor and she had an enormous influence on me… she taught me how to reason and to write and through forensics I gained the self-confidence that can sometimes be quite difficult for women and minorities to develop at an early age,” Jackson said. “I have no doubt that all the things that I’ve done, it was my high school experience as a competitive speaker that taught me to lean in despite the obstacles, to stand firm in the face of challenges, to work hard, be resilient, strive for excellence and believe that anything is possible.”

-BRETT PARKS 97’

BRETT BEVERIDGE ‘89

KARYN CUNNINGHAM ‘81

LYNN EVANS

TOM FOLEY ‘77

JANET HUPP

KETANJI BROWN

JACKSON ‘88

TIM HARDAWAY JR. ‘10

RICK HIRSCH ‘75

KATIE PHANG ‘93

DAVID SODERHOLM

IMOGENE JOHNSON

LEE LEVIN ‘85

HAROLD NERENBERG

BRETT PARKS ‘97

KERMIT WEEKS ‘71

DON WESTBROOK ‘64

Lambert awarded Justice Jackson her plaque onstage while coincidentally wearing similar light blue pantsuits. Lambert — not the only starstruck person in attendance — felt great pride in awarding a fellow panther and accomplished woman her award.

“That was the most exciting part of the whole thing for me. And when I went up to her, I said, ‘thank you so much, it’s truly an honor.’ She says, ‘No, it’s my honor.’ And I was like, there’s no way this woman just told me that it’s her honor to accept this award from me as an 18 year-old-senior. It’s not only because she’s like a Supreme Court justice, but because she’s a Supreme Court justice who respects me as a woman and is one of the only people working to protect my rights as a woman in this country right now. And the fact that I got to see her face so close to mine and shake her hand…like, I peaked in high school. There’s no going up from that, it was just amazing, the whole thing,” Lambert said.

In a closing statement, after all the inductees had been granted their awards and given their speeches, Shah spoke directly to the student audience, urging them to believe in their futures and proceed to strive for greatness.

“I want you to take a moment to realize something. Sitting amongst you today is a Major League Baseball player, former Senior Editor for the Miami Herald, an American Aviation Wizard and a Supreme Court Justice of the United States of America. You may be thinking ‘wow that is where I want to be, what I want to do.’ You may be thinking ‘wow that’s my dream

job, my dream path,’ but why should it be a dream? Most of the inductees attended Palmetto and started their dreams right here in these halls, these classrooms and on this stage,” Shah said.

Following the ceremony, inductees returned to the Media Center to enjoy a spread of fruit, cheeses, drinks and more. Security measures prevented Justice Jackson from mingling with all the other guests, yet all the inductees met each other and mingled in a separate room to celebrate their induction. Following the ceremony, Justice Jackson also met and spoke with members of the MPSH Debate Team as it was her stepping stool to her passion for law. Laughter and joy filled the room as guests created an embracing environment and reminisced on their classes and memories together.

“I was just glad it was successful, that people were happy, that they enjoyed themselves, that the inductees all had a very memorable and special day to be celebrated. On top of that, it was really gratifying to know we all came together as a school to make this happen as a unit so that was really gratifying,” Valero said.

Samantha Elkins

Print Co-Editor-In-Chief

s.elkins.thepanther@gmail.com

Amy-Grace Shapiro

Online Editor-in-Chief

a.shapiro.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY ELLA PEDROSO

PHOTOS BY RYAN MCKEAN

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FOXMAR

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LORENZO CASTILLO-RIOS

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MATTHEW LEWIS

Teri

Geoffrey

Jason S. James, M.D.

Jila Senemar, M.D.

Karen Salazar Valdes, M.D.

Ingrid Paredes, M.D.

Number The Story Behind the

For many athletes, the number embellished on the back of their jersey represents more than just an identifying symbol, it has a story behind it. The number could have an association with luck, or maybe their father or mother wore the number in their days of athletics.

Choosing a jersey serves as one of the first steps of beginning a new season. Athletes claim which number they want early on in the year and it illustrates part of their identity for the next couple of months.

Some athletes have played their sport for years and have stuck with their number through it all. For Miami Palmetto Senior High sophomore and varsity lacrosse player Orli Clarin, five has been an important number to her since a young age, and has used it as her jersey number since third grade.

“Five has always been like a sign for me and a lucky number. I have always seen it as whenever you see the number five, something positive happens. So I thought that choosing the number five for my jersey would create a better outcome for me,” Clarin said.

The importance of the number five started even before sports, as her grandma sees it as her lucky number, so it was originally chosen in honor of her.

The number does not always need to have a story behind it to be special. For MPSH junior and varsity lacrosse player Lukas Goldenberg, he selected five simply because the number looked cool.

“I picked it because I thought it looked the coolest. In basketball, in middle school, I started wearing [five]. I stuck with it,” Goldenberg said.

Now that he has proudly

worn the number for multiple years, it has become special to him. The number has become one he uses in his daily life including his social media usernames.

Mia Rodriguez, MPSH senior and varsity volleyball player has used the number 71 since eighth grade, bringing this number along with her all four years of playing.

“My dad was a really active football player in high school and his number was 71. His career ended earlier than he wanted it to, so I [play with his number] for him,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez has continued the legacy her father began back in high school, making 71 a multi-generational number.

“I think he was happy about it when I told him that I chose it for him. I think he knows that its for him and in honor of him,” Rodriguez said.

These numbers do not always have a background in some long-standing tradition or have been used since middle school to hold specialty. Lucas Pozzo, MPSH sophomore and varsity basketball player, found his special number, four, this year.

“I picked this number to represent my immediate family. Four represents the four closest people to me. I play for them,” Pozzo said. The four on his jersey not only represents his mother, father and sister but also himself. The number gives him motivation to step out on the court and try his hardest. Pozzo plans to keep this number with him throughout his basketball career to remind himself why he plays his sport.

Brooke Wilensky Copy Editor b.wilensky.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY PAULA ORTIZ

LETS GOTO PARADISE

Paradise Gym allows gym-goers a unique experience. Located in Kendall, the gym offers a large space filled with various types of equipment, combining traditional crossfit, boxing, spinning and bodybuilding into one space.

“We’re about 25,000 square feet, which is a very big space for an independently owned gym. You know, we’re not LA Fitness or anything like that. So we’re not a corporate gym. So we’re just in a huge space and we divided it up into two very, deliberate halves. One-half is functional fitness: powerlifting, CrossFit and Olympic lifting. And the other half of the gym is the free weights, machines, and the more traditional bodybuilding type [equipment],” Paradise Gym Owner Chuck Arslan said.

Arslan worked at a gym called Paradise Gym while he was a student at the University of Miami, and later decided to rebrand his own gym to reestablish and reopen the new Paradise Gym.

A big aspect of Paradise is its style and design, which has allowed it to become a social media hot page where many influencers and athletes regularly stop by.

“We just wanted to create the right vibe in terms of everything from the style, the paint and the design. We’ve made it very, very Instagram and social-media friendly. We have a lot of influencers and athletes that come through, and most of our members are defi-

nitely into working out and are actively working out,” Arslan said. Unlike other gyms, Paradise does not specialize in workout classes. Classes are mainly directed toward people interested in training.

“We only have maybe six or seven classes a week. We’re geared and built for people who are really into training, you know, we have our powerlifting equipment that is very specific. It’s top-of-the-line stuff – our Olympic lifting equipment is on top of the line and everything for each type of training is the specific equipment that that athlete would want to use. It’s not a one size fits all; we wanted to make something that would fit each person based on the type of training they do,” Arslan said.

One of the most well-known and photo-friendly parts of Paradise is the mirror room, which is a black and white room full of mirrors that contains one of the best lighting and photo areas for gym-goers to check out their progress and take pictures. While younger gym-goers typically make up the crowd, the gym continues to reach adults as well.

“We definitely have a younger crowd. We have a little bit of everything you know, in the mornings, a lot of adults go to the gym then it definitely turns into more of an ultra-high school crowd later in the afternoon,” Arslan said.

At Miami Palmetto Senior High School, many students frequently visit the gym as a daily after-school activity where they not only get to work out, but they get to socialize with fellow students from school and mentors who help them progress in their gym journey.

“You can just go to the gym and you don’t have to think about anything, and you can just get a break from school, and it’s nice to see people who actually go to your school there too,” MPSH senior and gym-goer Julia Beiley said.

Many MPSH students prefer to go work out at Paradise Gym rather than a corporate, ordinary gym because of the environment and positive energy.

“Paradise honestly just has a great environment. Other gyms are [less energetic] and quiet and they don’t have good energy whereas Paradise is just very energetic and the people are pretty nice,” MPSH junior and gym enthusiast Josh Siegal said.

Countless students who attend the gym heard about Paradise from their fellow peers and siblings and spread the news about it, making it a hotspot for MPSH students to work out.

SPORTS |17

“I first heard about it from my brother, who was a senior last year. He found out about it from one of his friends, and he brought me there. And then I found out about it and told all my friends, and we all started going there,” Siegal said. As music and sweat fill the gym, gym-goers feel motivated and supported at Paradise as it acts as a hub for social interaction and where one can reach their gym goals.

“I really like Paradise because of the surroundings and the environment they have; the music is very nice, and it’s a good area to work out. The atmosphere is also really positive and everyone there is trying to help you out,” Beiley said.

Paula Ortiz Design Editor p.ortiz.thepanther@gmail.com

PHOTOS BY MADELINE VOLPE

Ava Stuzin News Editor a.stuzin.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY PAULA ORTIZ

Paula Ortiz Design Editor p.ortiz.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY PAULA ORTIZ

PANTHER JOIN !

The Problems WOmen Face in Prison

Women in prison face the repercussions for their unlawful actions, but that should not include repercussions at the cost of their menstrual and physical health. Women’s prisons tend to have the reputation of having “better” conditions than men’s prisons, but this concept continues to get proven wrong each year when their human rights get taken away. In 2018, the US Congress passed the First Step Act, which was a general justice reform effort that required prisons to provide women with free pads and tampons that meet required industry standards. Despite this step in the right direction, many women in state and local prisons still do not have this right. Feminine products are a part of women’s necessities in everyday life and should not be seen in any other way. Menstrual health is a human rights issue, and women’s rights should not be stolen when getting a period is out of women’s control.

Unfortunately, poor menstrual product supply is just a fraction of women’s problems in prison. According to Human Rights Watch, male correctional employees have sexually assaulted, abused and raped female prisoners. The Bureau of Prisons opened 5,415 cases regarding alleged sexual abuse by federal employees from 2012 to 2022. According to NPR, a bipartisan Senate investigation found that male prison employees have assaulted women in at least two-thirds of the nation’s federal prisons. Women have also been coerced into sexual favors in exchange for menstrual products and even to avoid punishment. Although there is a Prison Rape Elimination Act, this does not stop guards and other prisoners from taking advantage of these women, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The overall rate of sexual assault allegations reported increased by 14%, from 24,514 in 2015 to 27,826 in 2018. The rate of reported rapes by jail administrations also rose by 48% during that period. Many may think speaking up can make all the difference, but sadly speaking up can cause even worse situations for incarcerated women.

Dehumanization is the perfect word to describe thewse women’s environment in prison. The shame surrounding menstrual cycles remains a prominent issue with all women

and is even more prevalent in the women’s prison system. The lack of menstrual products in prisons increases the susceptibility of female prisoners to develop or contract a life-threatening illness. Women are recommended to change their pads every four hours to lower the risk of infection. Since the prison system supplies only about 10 or fewer pads a month when a period lasts up to seven days, changing pads often would not be possible. Due to this lack of care, many prisoners have needed to receive an emergency hysterectomy due to toxic shock syndrome from the use of makeshift tampons. Toxic shock syndrome can lead to death and if prison systems do not begin to change their way these ongoing issues will only continuously heighten.

Periods need to be recognized and normalized if we want to see any changes in the prison system. Menstrual products need to be seen as a necessity for women rather than a luxury item they may receive when they behave. With our generation growing and our views changing, society needs to realize the importance of pads and tampons for women in the prison system. There is a huge imbalance of power when prisoners are forced to ask correctional officers for items that are necessary, and when denied are forced to remain humiliated. Women in prison should not have to live in blood-stained clothes because of the lack of products they receive. With our generation growing and our views changing, society needs to realize the importance of pads and tampons for women in the prison system. With the increase of women in prison each day, legislators need to step up and quickly address this issue. Women’s menstrual products are a number one priority in the outside world and should fall under the same importance in the women’s prison system.

Ava Garcia Managing Editor a.garcia.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY LUNA GARCIA

PHOTO BY EMILIA HAUS

FACEOFF:

YES:

When faced with the question “is luck real?,” I was conflicted. I am somewhat of a superstitious person, but it was hard to believe that a force so out of control could influence lives so much. However, after much thought, I believe the answer is yes.

As University of Texas psychology professor Jacqueline Woolley told The Washington Post, luck can be viewed three ways: a random chance, a supernatural force to be harnessed or a characteristic someone is born with.

So, how does it affect life? That comes down to whether a person believes in it. Luck is a “self-fulfilling prophecy,” so if one considers themselves lucky, their optimistic mindset allows them to interpret even predictable occurrences (i.e., wearing “lucky” socks and doing well on a test) as good luck. Thus, if someone wakes up and determines it is a lucky day, they will typically have a good day.

To that end, not washing a lucky sweatshirt or dribbling a basketball three times before your free throw may work, but some things in life result from pure luck. One personal example of mine was when some out-of-town friends visited Miami and we decided to go to a small, random beach in Boca. We later learned that our other good friend from Connecticut was staying at a hotel on that very beach, and we all got to spend the day together. Could a coincidence so fortunate be anything but luck?

In my point of view, whether we make our own luck or it comes to us by chance, it is all the same — and I for one am always happy for a stroke of luck.

Luck is not real, it simply serves as an excuse for positive occurrences. There is no such thing as “good” or “bad” luck. “Good luck” tends to come to those who value organization, work harder and possess more drive. Those people will say “I have such good luck” when truly, it is not luck, but rather achievements. People who repeatedly put less effort into their work, are unorganized and simply have no care, tend to have “bad luck.” It is not because they are “cursed” and have a bad life. The work and effort put in, reflects on what people commonly call “luck.” It does not signify that good things cannot happen to people that do not put in the utmost effort, but that life just works that way. For good or bad things to happen to someone consistently, it matters how they live their life and what they do to get the results they receive. Luck defines itself as more of a positive feeling than a state. Richard Wiseman, author of “The Luck Factor” and professor of the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, does not believe anything magical or superstitious relates to luck — it will neither help you out or hurt you.

People tend to credit their luck on good things that happen to them. One can define luck as a chance considered a force that causes good or bad things to happen. So if an unforeseen good thing happens to someone, it does not mean that they hold luck, and even if something good happens to someone consistently, the same goes. Being “lucky” is not a real thing. Some things result from the work put in, or often pure coincidences. Either way, when good things happen to people, several reasons and explanations outweigh its consideration as “lucky.”

Edie Carneiro Copy Editor e.carneiro.thepanther@gmail.com

Paulina Handal Staff wriwter p.handal.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY LUNA GARCIA

PHOTO BY ISABELLA HEWITT

PANTHER the

Print Co-Editor-In-Chief

Samantha Elkins

Online Co-Editor-In-Chief

Amy-Grace Shapiro

Managing Editor

Ava Garcia

Senior Copy Editor

Nicole Martin

Senior Multimedia Editor

Ryan Mckean

Senior Design Editor

Ella Pedroso

Business Manager

Jasmine Judge

Feature Editor

Sara Paredes

Contents Editor

Isabella Hewitt

News Editor

Ava Stuzin

Life Editor

Michael Angee

Sports Editor

Eitan Greenberg

Opinion Editor

Sofia Taddeo-Goldstein

Multimedia team

Valentina Arias

Maddie Volpe

Emilia Haus

Design team

Ivy Lagarto

Luna Garcia

Mia Shields

Paula Ortiz

Copy team

Edie Carneiro

Gabriella Alvarez

Brooke Wilensky

Sofia Strohmeier

Staff writers

Alexis James

Jake Hawkins

Paulina Handal

Daniel Perodin Adviser

Laura Aviles

STAFF EDITORIAL

BECOMING NATIVE NEW YORKERS: THE PANTHER’S REVIEW OF THE CSPA TRIP

After its hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual journalism department trip to New York City’s Columbia Scholastic Press Association conference made a return. From March 14-17, The Panther took on the Big Apple to take journalism classes, sightsee and strengthen our friendships on staff.

Columbia University hosted its 99th annual CSPA event, offering classes covering topics such as copy skills, staff motivation, caption curating, photography, design and more. Everyday, we attended two to three lectures that gave us useful tools and advanced our skills in our corresponding area on staff or that introduced us to a new interest. On top of learning from professionals in the field of journalistic writing, we met other school publications from around the country, where we discussed our differences and expressed our shared love for reporting.

When in New York, one must always view the incredible monuments, streets and stunning skyline. On the trip, we visited the Edge, which gave us a panoramic view of the entire city, and the Museum of Modern Art, where we saw works by Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Claude Monet and the world renowned “Starry Night” by Vincent Van Gogh. We also saw Central Park, which had a perfect photo opportunity on a mass of rocks overlooking the city, among other iconic locations. Of course, no visit to the city can end without viewing a Broadway show; “& Juliet” received a remarkable 10 out of 10 from every staffer and served as one of the main highlights of the entire trip.

The closeness we feel as a staff reflects on our ability to produce a quality publication. On this trip, our bond strengthened like no other. From inside jokes, singing on the subway, having a dance battle with another school’s newspaper staff in the subway station, giving daily recaps to the trip’s vlog (currently under production) to having group photoshoots around the city with our multimedia photographer, visiting the city together made us feel an extreme admiration for our staff, which truly made The Panther feel like a family.

This trip could not have been possible without the dedication and care of our wonderful chaperones: Laura Aviles, Arlene Huffman and Ernesto Ferris. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to experience this unforgettable trip, and thank you to the students in the journalism department who provided memories we will all forever cherish.

MISSON 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 s.elkins. thepanther@gmail.com and/or a.shapiro.thepanther@gmail.comThe 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.

BYLINE POLICY:

All creative work (such as illustrations, graphics, photos and writing) excluding staff editorials and staff member pictures will include byline credits.

CORRECTION POLICY:

Any errors in print will be acknowledged in the next print issue in a correction box. Any errors online will be acknowledged immediately. Errors include facts, figures, misquoting and name misspellings.

ADVERTISING POLICY:

Ads will be designed by the advertiser and include all information the advertiser wants included. If the advertiser asks the staff to design the ad, the individual who sold the ad will design the ad or the Ads Manager will. Ads will be approved by EICs, the Advisor and the Ads Manager. If an ad produced is illegible, contains false information, or the advertiser does not like it, they will receive a free ad in the next issue. If you would like to advertise, please contact us.

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.