MAY MADNESS Jumping the gun?
Three-peat: Girls track team conquers district competition
the ORACLE
Culinary students go head-to-head to test their cooking chops p5
May 2013 — Vol. IV, Issue 4
On the benefits of graduating early
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Steinbrenner High School
5575 W Lutz Lake Fern Rd
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Interview by Jake Bittle & Brandon Mauriello p3
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Open
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May 2013
SIPA’s 2012—13 Best in Florida Newspaper Kyle Dunn
Editor in Chief
Sam Bequer News Editor
Brandon Mauriello News Editor
Natalie Barman Opinion Editor
Rachael Landes
Centerspread Editor
Jake Bittle A&E Editor
Emily Goldbach Sports Editor
Zealand Shannon Sports Editor
Gaby Morillo Photo Editor
Evyn Moon
Business Manager
Kiran Shila Web Editor
Evan Abramson Staff Writer
Anthony Armenia Staff Writer
Nataly Capote Staff Writer
Hannah Crosby Staff Writer
Angela Sexton Staff Writer
Alex Troutt Staff Writer
Tiffany Napoli Graphics Dept.
Mariangely Miyares Graphics Dept.
James Flaskamp Adviser
Ask Debby Meet Debby, the most useless member of The Oracle staff. She came aboard to answer questions no one bothers to ask. Visit us online and ask away...though we know you won’t!
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Letter from the Editor Ice Cube is someone who gets me. He’s made two seminal pieces of work that have heavily influenced my outlook on life and this senior year. When I have feelings of eagerness and anxiety to finish this year like a runner with cement feet inching toward a seemingly distant finish line, the only thought reeling through my mind is, “Are we there yet?” When I get home from school every day of these last few weeks, kick my shoes off, plop on the couch and proceed to eat everything in sight in my kitchen before passing out, I dream of driving around in a Cadillac singing, “Today was a good day!” See, I have this theory that, though he was writing about the trials and tribulations of living in the hood, Ice Cube was actually doing something deeper. That is, he was really rapping about future generations of high school students. What else could he possibly be talking about? I’ve analyzed this hypothesis with a team of disgruntled English teachers, and even though they all asked me why I’d gathered them into Room 215 to listen to “the hip-hop music,” I’m pretty sure they were all just jealously confirming that I was right.
Something else is abundantly clear, though. This issue has a lot to do with conclusions and endings. The school’s founding principal, Brenda Grasso, is closing the curtain on the first four years at Steinbrenner High School with a bittersweet farewell and a future further up in the food chain of administrators in Hillsborough County. (Page 3) Grasso has left a remarkable and lasting legacy with new and graduating Warriors alike. In turn, a number of Warriors are steadfastly working to leave impressions of their own here at the school. Junior Blair Feldhaus is working on a project to inspire students to achieve in the arts. (Page 4) Senior Marlena Gunpher is taking her talents out side the school in enterprising fashion with her own online clothing store. (Page 13) Members of the girls track team are setting records and taking their third district title. (Page 16) And as a senior myself, I’ve just found out that I’ve been nominated for Most Likely to Rob a Target Retail Store and Least Responsive Mammal. And as seniors leave every year, the Oracle staff loses leaders and opens up roles for new ambitious staffers (and advisers) to fill. (Pages 18-20) So here’s to a new year, y’all. —Kyle Dunn, Editor in Chief
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May 2013
oraclenewspaper.com
Grasso accepts promotion, bids farewell Jake Bittle & Brandon Mauriello A&E Editor / News Editor
“It’s been a wonderful experience for me to be able to open this school and be the principal for the last four years, and I’ll always treasure the memory of this.”
Having recently been appointed to Area Leadership Directior (ALD) for Area 3 of the school district, Principal Brenda Grasso focuses on the future of her career in education and reflects upon her experiences as Steinbrenner High School’s first principal. The full interview with Grasso will be available on our website, oraclenewspaper.com.
New Job
Oracle: When exactly did you find out about the position and its opportunity? Brenda Grasso: I first learned of the position back in early March that it would be open when Mr. Gaffney, who was at that time the Area 3 ALD, or Area Leadership Director, was promoted to Assistant Superintendent and then the job became available online in late March. I was encouraged by some colleagues to apply and I thought, you know, I’ve been a high school principal for ten years and I believe I could make a difference at that level and so I filed my application. O: So that was a fairly quick process? BG: It was. I filed my application and completed it the day before the deadline and didn’t hear anything for quite some time, and was then called for an interview maybe two weeks ago. I went for that interview and was then called back for a second round of interviews and heard nothing until Monday evening, the night before I would be appointed. O: What exactly can you tell us about what this position does? BG: It’s a position that assists principals and just the management of schools. For instance, there are 35 schools in this particular area that I’ll be working with, or 35 sites a month. The major public schools are the feeder patterns for King High School, Gaither High School, Wharton, and Freedom. O: When you realized you were going to be appointed, when did it really sink in? BG: After the call on Monday, I really just sat there and sort of reflected on the change for a bit and started to internalize what that change would involve. I just recently sat on a panel at USF College of Education with a group of other women administrators in Hillsborough County and Hernando County, and one of the individuals there commented that the biggest transition she has made in her career was the one from a school to this position of ALD. It’s that loss of daily connection with students that she spoke about, and I’ve been at this for a very long time so I’ve had that connection day after day for years for most of my adult life and so that’ll be a big transition.
Mariangely Miyares / Oracle
Looking Back O: What was it like starting a new school and how do you feel Steinbrenner has grown and how has it changed most in the past four years? BG: It definitely was a very big task of work. We literally created everything from the ground up. Ms. King, Mr. Henderson, Ms. Frank, who is our data processor, Ms. Thomas, my secretary, and our bookkeeper at that time, Ms. Hoffman, were the first employees on site. This building, the admin building, was the only building that was completed. Watching them build buildings and put things into place physically at the same time that we were putting things into place as far as the philosophy of the school, the plans for the curriculum, the plans for routines and procedures was very exciting, but came with long hours as well. As far as the progress that we’ve made, the thing I see in my mind that seems the most significant to me is the sense of community that has developed over the four years. As far as the progress that we’ve made, the thing I see in my mind that seems the most significant to me is the sense of community that has developed over the four years. Certainly now I feel that there is a real sense of pride among students
and a sense of accomplishment on part of the staff. O: Okay, so on a different note, what kind of things will you focus on in your leadership position? BG: Well, I mentioned the importance of listening to others, being open minded, being a collaborative leader. You can force people to do something, but you don’t want to do that. You want them to feel like they’re part of the decision making process and part of the team. I think that the most important message across the board to any principal is that it is all about the students. They just have to have that at the center of any decision. O: What will you miss the most about Steinbrenner? BG: It’s what I know. For 16 years, I’ve been a high school administrator, and far longer than that, an educator on a school campus. All my life, I tell people I have a calendar that begins in August and ends early June and the rest is just preparation for that calendar, and I live my day in segments of 50 minutes. I don’t need a clock, a bell rings and I know what I need to do when the next bell has rung. I’m going to have to start wearing a watch, and think about a calendar that runs differently. I know that sounds like sort of a silly answer, but this will be a big change from that interaction on the campus, with all that activity and all that student involvement.
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oraclenewspaper.com
May 2013
Scouting for an impact on the community Students strive to change school districts through outside projects Natalie Barman & Sam Bequer Opinion Editor / News Editor Junior Blair Feldhaus is going to change this school
forever. The school-changing idea combines two of her hobbies—art and Girl Scouts—to create something that this school has never seen before. Feldhaus, with the help of art teacher Don Sizemore, plans on building a clay fountain in front of the guidance department that students can place their artwork on. It will hopefully “inspire other students to get involved in art.” Feldhaus came up with the project to earn her Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award that one can earn in Girl Scouts. Girl Scouts who work towards this award are expected to solve a community problem for years to come. The fountain idea was born when Feldhaus discovered a new interest in pottery. She took a pottery class two years ago without any background in that form of art and was surprised by how much she enjoyed it. “I figured that maybe other people could find out that they really like it too,” said Feldhaus, discussing what she hopes the fountain will provide for other students. Feldhaus and Sizemore have already begun working on the project. Neither have created a fountain before but they plan on completing by September 30, the date that Girl Scout Gold Award projects must be completed by. Once completed, the principal will select student artwork to be placed around the fountain. “The name Steinbrenner encompasses sports and stuff. Art’s kind of on the back corner but the fountain is going to inspire others to do art.” **** In an emergency situation when cell towers and phone lines go down, the only global form of communication is amateur radio. Junior Kiran Shila decided to prepare schools for these disasters and create his Eagle Scout project, the highest award one can achieve in Boy Scouts, around this idea. “For my Eagle Scout project I’m going to construct these portable ham radio stations called ‘go-boxes.’ It has everything that one would need to set up a temporary base station to get in communication with anyone they need to be,” said Shila. The “go-boxes” would be set up at Steinbrenner, Wharton, and Brandon High School. These high schools form a triangle with the Red Cross communication tower being in the middle. The “go-boxes” don’t stop there. They would be avaliable to science classes to be used for experiements and to help aid the learning process. The purpose of an Eagle Scout project is to make a positive impact on a community and show planning and leadership within the scout. Shila plans to start constructing and finish this project by the end of May.
Sam Bequer/Oracle
Graphic by Mariangely Miyares
Graphic by Kiran Shila
Top Left: Junior Blair Feldhaus plans to create and mold her fountain in Mr. Sizemore’s pottery class; the blueprint for the project is to the right. She hopes to complete this project by September 30. Bottom: Junior Kiran Shila is basing his project map off the one above. Three emergency ham radio stations will be placed at Steinbrenner, Wharton High School, and Brandon High School.
News
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MADNESS! oraclenewspaper.com
May 2013
In March, senior Austin Andrews approached fellow senior Charlie Tkacik with an idea: mimic the popular March Madness college basketball tournament with culinary. While the basketball tournament focuses on finding the best basketball team, the culinary competition would serve to find the “top chef ” at the school, having the competitors make their creation with a secret ingredient that was disclosed just seconds before it began. Complete with favorites (Chefs Philip Meola and David Walesheck), surprises (Coach Gregory Puskas) and a few underdogs, the tournament was designed to contain the same amount of excitement as its inspiration. Senior Devonta Henry prepares stuffed peppers. At the last minute, Henry scrapped the peppers in favor of a canoli dessert before losing to sophomore Karson Merrill.
Chef David Walesheck stirs his pasta sauce in his first competition. With crab as the special ingredient, Walesheck won the round with a Above: Senior Justin Wehle prepares chicken unanimous decision. for his tacos. The secret ingredient for his competition was tortillas. Sophomore Karson Merrill prepares her Ricotta Cheese pancake. Merrill was a wild card Below: Chef Philip Meola informs Wehle and coming into the tournament, but defeated se- senior Michael Ward that Ward’s tacos came nior (and potential favorite) Devonta Henry to out on top. continue to the next round
Senior Michael Ward prepares sauce on competition day. Ward defeated senior Justin Wehle with his Bacon and Chicken tacos in the first round.
“It’s just a fun way to prove who’s the best chef in the culinary department.” —senior Charlie Tkacik
For a full gallery of pictures from this competition, check out oraclenewsaper.com Photos taken and compiled by Brandon Mauriello/News Editor
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May 2013
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A special
THANK YOU for a fantastic year!
This year we’ve been busy with ... ... hosting the back-to-school faculty breakfast ... organizing the Warrior Bash ... selling Spirit Wear and datebooks ... launching the Student Ambassadors program ... helping out with parent volunteers ... and giving back with Teacher Appreciation Week! Steinbrenner’s Hardworking PTSA Board President — Jeanette Scarboro 1st VP (Membership) — Cindy Nott 2nd VP (Programs) — Monique Dailey 3rd VP (Ways & Means) — Dr. Debbie Berkiw 4th VP (Volunteers) — Deborah Sickmon Recording Secretary — Amy Prue Corresponding Secretary — Chris Langsam Treasurer — Melinda Sheer Committee Chairs — Karen Cuervo & Debra Blossom
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Opinion
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May 2013
oraclenewspaper.com
Column
Mass defect?
Adults across the globe claim that video games increase violence but this is not true for the majority of teens.
Alex Troutt Staff Writer
Over the years, video games have evolved incredibly. They are now way past moving blocks on a screen and bouncing a white ball between two figures. Today, games depict gruesome scenes of gore, strong language and sexual themes. The fact is that a large number of the people in possession of these games technically aren’t even allowed to purchase them; the nation wonders if this should be allowed. What exactly is the effect of all this adult content shown to minors? Interestingly, a spike in violent video game popularity has been brought to attention all across the nation. The video game market grossed 65 billion dollars in 2011 and one billion of that was contributed by the single highest selling video game of all time, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. The game shrugs off civilian deaths and the fall of easily recognizable landmarks are witnessed by young children. Further, according to a study conducted in 2008 by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 97% of all teenagers aged 12 to 17 play video games. Among all students surveyed, popular alien shoot-em-up Halo 3 was ranked number two in popularity. Violent video games have even recently come to the attention of legislators. Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley noted that violent video games were used as an opportunity to allow Norway shooter Anders Breivik to hone his skills before he went on his murder rampage that took 77 lives in 2011. Specifically, he pointed out the popular video game franchise Call Of Duty. Out of personal experience, I have been playing video games since I was six and I have never noticed an anger spike or violent phase as a result of my playing. This is the most common case; only the few off-beat cases stagger statistics. Usually, the worst result is a bit more attitude from an already angsty teenager or a small schoolyard
Graphic by Mariangely Miyares
fight according to the Academic Press in 2004. I believe video games can be a very productive and constructive way to express oneself and escape from reality. There is not another industry that can create companies like Rooster Teeth and Machinima, who were born from a couple of kids creating full length TV shows by putting voices over player-controlled video game characters. People may look at the games I play and see just a bunch of 15-year-olds running around and shooting at each other, but I see much more. Some of these games took me on adventures and strung narratives through my head that I will never forget. I have explored an underwater city discovering it’s secrets, I have prevented countless numbers
of world wars, and overall I have achieved a better outlook on myself. For the two hours that I play these games I feel invincible and my worries release. Sadly, most of these games are not rated for teens, and if it wasn’t for my parents confidence that I can control myself, I would have never picked up a controller. The video game industry is one essential to the world economy and removing a large chunk of customers by restricting the sale to minors wouldn’t accomplish anything. Violence is accessible to children by many mediums including movies and TV. Video games should be viewed less as a means of spreading violence and more as a interactive, creative way for kids to relieve stress and have fun.
Are video games too violent? Video games make kids more violent because a lot of games have guns and shooting. They teach kids different ways to fight. Freshman Lourdes Hohmann
Video games don’t make kids violent. It’s all about how you control yourself around them. Junior Kinsey Black
Video games don’t create violent children. Violent minds create violent children. Senior Alexander Leon Compiled by Alex Troutt
Opinion
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May 2013
oraclenewspaper.com
Staff Editorial
Five strikes, you’re out Current policy dictates that seniors may only miss five days second semester in order to exempt out of exams, which poses a challenge for students who miss school for legitimate reasons. According to the Hillsborough County school district student handbook, high school seniors who adhere to several policies, including missing no more than five days of school during second semester, are exempt from taking final exams. However, this policy disregards serious illnesses, college business and other situations that would interfere with school attendance. Exemptions would be fairer if the attendance policy was tweaked. The student handbook dictates that students must earn at least three quality points (or a 3.0 in the class) in their final semester, at least one quality point (or a 2.0 in the class) in the fourth quarter, have satisfactory conduct record and miss no more than five days of school. The first three rules reasonably exist with few complaints. It is the final policy, which is intended to stop students from skipping in their final days of high school, that has created controversy among students. Many students are forced to miss school for circumstances out of their control, such as a death in the family, long-term sickness, college visits and various other circumstances that cause students to miss more than five days in their second semester. Given, some students (many plagued with senioritis) are prone to skip school. But that assumption disregards the students who miss for legitimate reasons. Another issue that has resulted from the current policy is that students have taken to calling the five absences “senior days” and skipping on those five days just for the sake
of skipping school. Without “senior days”, these students likely would not have missed school on those days. Other students who miss five days for serious reasons no longer feel the need to attend school everyday, since they have already lost their exam exemptions. In addition to this, attendance does not always indicate that a student is doing work. A student may have perfect attendance but he or she may be barely applying him or herself in class. A more suitable alternative to the absence policy would be to base the exam exemptions on either a more balanced mixed of absences and grades or on grades alone.
Currently, students are required to earn a total of three points, or a C average, in their classes second semester to exempt of exams. Further, they are only required to earn one quality point, or a D grade, in their classes during the fourth quarter. If the county were to raise the grade requirement to exempt exams by implementing a higher minimum required second semester GPA, students would be more motivated to work hard in their final semester without the pressure of coming to school sick. The county could either bump the minimum number of absences or get rid of the policy altogether. Another suitable policy would be to remove the five day absence maximum from excused absences. If, instead, students were unable to exempt their exams if they had an unexcused absence, students with legitimate absences would be able to miss school as their parent or legal guardian saw fit. Of course, the policy has definitely boosted senior attendance, as any school district official knows. But there are fairer incentives to boost attendance that don’t involve exam exemptions. Other counties boast of success in rewarding students with incentives such as laptops, giftcards, cars and other prizes. This school has even experimented with some of these rewards. If adminstrators were to implement this specifically for seniors, it may prove to be a suitable alternative to the senior exam policy. Although these changes might seem drastic, other counties have already created policies like this. Hopefully Hillsborough will make some needed changes in the future. Like the exam exemption policy as it is? Check us out www.oraclenewspaper. com/category/opinion to comment with your opinion.
Opinion
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May 2013
oraclenewspaper.com
Column
Early graduation offers a head start Nataly Capote Chief Copy Editor
High school students are required to have four English, three science and two consecutive foreign language courses in order to graduate. It seems nearly impossible that someone could manage to get all of these credits over within the span of three years. And for what reason? Missing out on one’s senior year—which is arguably the most exciting year in high school—means missing out on that last year of freedom and receiving your diploma alongside the people you’ve been in school with for years. Diving right into college, though scary at 17, can definitely be beneficial in the long run. Especially for those with huge goals, the prospect of ruling the school as a 12th grader shouldn’t hinder them in achieving their dreams. Graduating early can give students the opportunity to be done with high school faster and help them explore other interests, such as foreign exchange programs or mission trips. Since 8th grade, junior Marie Shepherdson knew she wanted to graduate early, despite the things she knew she would miss out on. “I felt like I was really ahead in math, so I took online classes,” said Shepherdson. “I ended up taking all online classes since it was really easy for me, and then I decided I was ready and I talked to my guidance
counselor.” Shepherdson has taken four classes online: two courses in language and two in math. With support from her friends and family, Shepherdson plans to attend Birmingham Young University in Utah, where she’s already been accepted. It’s been worth it, says Shepherdson, to get a head start in college, even if it means leaving the “fun” things behind. “I don’t feel like I’m wasting so much time taking nothing classes senior year,” she said. “I’m just jumping right
What do you think? Share your opinion. Comment on our site: www.oraclenewspaper.com
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into the real world.” Guidance department head Susanne Powell says several academically strong students have approached her this year about graduating early. “For some students it’s a way of getting away from home and growing up: experiencing things that they wouldn’t ordinarily as a high school student,” said Powell. “[They can] certainly get a jump on getting done with college and getting into some things that can be relevant to [their] career goals, like getting a masters or a PhD.” Early graduation isn’t recommended for every student; they should be mentally and academically prepared and have good time management skills. Some students need their senior year to prepare themselves to face the real world, while others prefer the quicker route towards their educational goals. It’s a huge choice to make and any student considering the 3 year program should think heavily and discuss it in great depth with their parents and guidance counselors.
Oracle inbox I’ve never really read a feature story like this one before. Amber is courageous for how she dressed up just to see the mixed reactions she would receive from her peers. Her quotes really made me think about how I might judge people. Sophmore Kelsy Holbert Most people did not realize that this article was a satire. I had three different people come up to me and say “Did you hear about that girl that got a scholarship for twerking?” I would definitely agree that they give out scholarships for some pretty ridiculous things. I’ve heard of people winning scholarships just for being left handed or having blue eyes. I believe these are unfair. You shouldn’t be awarded for doing nothing at all. There are plenty of hardworking students out there who deserve scholarships more. Sophmore Morgan Slater I have been a hardcore Justin Timberlake fan since NSYNC, watching him go from boy band performer to what I like to call the “original Bieber phase” with Justified. When his latest album was released, the Oracle’s review helped me come to my final verdict. I love the idea that it is “essentially an hour-long confession of Justin’s desires”. Most people haven’t even attempted to pull apart the album or think about how it compares to his past work. I greatly appreciate the consideration that went into the review. I’m sure Timberlake, who is playing through my iPod at this moment, would appreciate it too. Sophomore Emily Pedone
The Oracle Editorial Policy The Oracle is published by the newspaper staff at Steinbrenner High School: 5575 Lutz Lake Fern Road, Lutz, Florida, 33558 The Oracle works under the SPJ Code of Ethics, Which has been set down as our journalistic standard. The staff believes in freedom of the press, honesty, accuracy, impartiality, decency and equality: We will be observing these at all times. Alll the editorials will be backed up with facts and research. Staff editorials will never be by-lined, because they represent the opinion of the staff as a whole. Money for the publication of the Oracle will come from advertising sales. Any advertising rates are available upon request by calling the Steinbrenner newspaper staff at (813) 792-5131, ext. 258. Advertising which promotes illegal products under Florida law, opposes any religion or is of any sensitive nature will not be accepted. The Oracle is established as an open forum for student expression as outlined in the Student Press Law Center’s model guidelines for student publications. Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the faculty and administration of Steinbrenner High School, but rather of the author or of the newspaper staff and its editors. As student journalists, the staff occasionally commits errors,; however, we will always correct the errors in an honest and timely manner. The Oracle welcomes letters to the editor on topics of interest to Steinbrenner High School and its surrounding community. We also welcome contributions from writers not associated with the newspaper staff. All letters submitted to the editor will require the signature of those who submitted them. All contributions need to be turned into Mr. Flaskamp in room 215.
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Centerspread
May 2013 Review: Restaurants
oraclenewspaper.com Review: Beaches
Compiled by: Rachael Landes
Miss Vickies on the River
Hella’s
Baillies Bluff Rd. Holiday, FL 34691
Yoshi cafe
785 Dodecanese Boulevard Tarpon Springs, FL 34689
7895 Gunn Hwy Tampa, FL 33626
Just a quick drive from Tarpon Springs, this tiny waterfront restaurant is snuggled beside a boat marina and is home to bikers and beach goers alike. The outdoor dining, Key West décor and live band really submerge you in the Floridian lifestyle. The food takes it to a whole other level. While the menu is relatively small, everything on it is masterfully done and freshly made. If you’re looking for fresh fish, a Florida feel and a slice of key lime pie to die for, this is the place for you.
Located in the heart of the sponge docks, Hellas is an authentic Greek restaurant complete with the cheesy overthe-top Greece ornamentation. In a town where everything is Greek -related, their food stands out. Their mouth- watering gyros, beautifully crafted Greek salads (potato salad obviously included) and crisp flaky baklava takes you back to the homeland. If you’re looking for Greek food and a restaurant located within walking distance of fun thrifty shopping then take a trip there; it’s honestly worth it.
Located across the street from Sickles High School, this reasonably priced restaurant is home to all types of Asian cuisine, but its specialty is sushi. While the atmosphere may be lacking, the food is to die for and of all the sushi bars in Tampa this place is a stand out. The handmade rolls and fresh fish combined with their unique recipes make for a mouth- watering meal. If you’re looking for a fast inexpensive and tasty dinner I would recommend you try yoshi.
7 Causeway Blvd. Clearwater Beach, FL 33767
Summer guide Timeline: Concerts
Summer break is right around the corner. If you want to make this summer the hottest yet, apply a few of these suggestions. The best restaurants, beaches and a list of upcoming concerts are sure to help you fill your time with fun and sun. The Oracle wishes you a great summer.
Aaron Carter, May 16 The Ritz Ybor
One Direction, June 3 BB&T Center Courtesy of Wikimedia
Compiled by: Rachael Landes Graphics by: Tiffany Napoli
Justin Bieber, August 8 Tampa Bay Times Forum
Courtesy of Wikimedia
Courtesy of Rascal Flatts-DSC
If the sun is shining, packs of people from all over Tampa Bay are headed here. It is a beautiful beach, and the crowd makes for a fun atmosphere to people-watch and socialize with many other high school and college students. For entertainment, you can go Banana Boating or claim a net to play some volleyball. This area is extremely commercialized so you’ll find an abundance of surf shops filled with cheap souvenirs and popular chain restaurants like Hooters and Frenchy’s. If you’re looking to feel like a tourist, Clearwater is for you.
St. Pete
St Pete Beach, FL 33706 Hands down my favorite beach. Unlike Clearwater, this is mostly an area for beach houses, which creates a cute and quaint environment. It’s extremely peaceful but also includes beachside bars, grilles and ice cream shops. You never have to fight large crowds, and it is very family friendly. If you make your way out there on Saturdays, they have a small art fair that surrounds one of the concession stands on the beach. Often times, you’ll even get to enjoy live music. If you’re looking for an easygoing, laid-back atmosphere, Pass-A-grille is the place to go.
Cocoa
Cocoa Beach, FL
Rascal Flatts, June 7 Live Nation Amphitheatre
Courtesy of TV Week Logie Awards
Clearwater
Lil Wayne, July 13 Live Nation Amphitheatre
Anthony Armenia / Oracle
Compiled by: Gaby Morillo
Cocoa beach is a great place to spend a day and maybe even a mini-vacation. It’s large enough that a few days would be well spent in the different spots, restaurants and stores that make this town unique. The shops here aren’t filled with the same typical tacky souvenirs. The beach is accesible from just about anywere in the town, so you always feel close to the water no matter how much shopping you do. There is also an auditorium, something that would help make a longer stay more interesting. So if you want to find a cute summer wardrobe or a salt-aired mini-vacation, I recommend Cocoa.
Compiled by: Evyn Moon
A&E
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May 2013 Music
KidCudi YeahYeahYeahs Phoenix
oraclenewspaper.com
[Tracks]
FallOutBoy Paramore Iron&Wine
Fall Out Boy:
April was a busy month for the music world. M.I.A. punk rockers Paramore and Fall Out Boy both returned, while the indie sphere saw a bevy of quality new releases from artists like Iron & Wine and Out of all the bands that have broken up over the years, Phoenix. Below scores and reviews for the biggest reI was most affected by Fall Out Boy. However, that was 4 leases of the past few weeks. Jake Bittle, Alex Troutt, years ago, and now the boys are back with their laughably and Mariangely Miyares contributed to this page.
8.0
Save Rock and Roll
Kid Cudi: Indicud
On “Girls”, a track on his new album Indicud, Kid Cudi moans, “Tell me something that moves me.” I couldn’t help but feel disappointed when I finished Indicud and wanted to yell that line right back at him. Cudi sounds nothing but bored on most of Indicud’s songs, but he’s also boring. The melodies that made classics of earlier songs are nowhere to be found on Indicud. Instead, we get an 18-song mess of sloppy production. Kid Cudi generated a lot of hype for Indicud by saying he was handling the production for the entire album, but that is the album’s crippling flaw. The sound that previous producers created is gone from Indicud, replaced by what sounds like a half-baked impression of Cudi’s old songs. Another thing that must be noted is that the album is very dependent on features from other artists. In hip-hop, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but on Indicud it is. When the best rapping on the album is being done by rappers who aren’t the author of the album and the best hooks on the album (Father John Misty in “Young Lady” and Haim in “Red Eye”) are also from other artists, that’s not good. Kid Cudi isn’t even in “Red Eye”. Sometimes Cudi raps decently, and the hooks on singles “King Wizard” and “Just What I Am” (the album’s best song) are definitely infectious, but the rest of Indicud is sub-par. The first and last songs (bad instrumental stuff) and the interlude “New York City Rage Fest” (???) suggest some kind of concept-album ambition, but on most of the songs he sounds like he was just dragged out of bed. Indicud tells us nothing that moves us. —Jake Bittle
4.5
titled album Save Rock and Roll, which they very directly do not do. The album gives listeners overly emotional lyrics, overused tunes, and Big Sean. The album also suffers from complete absence of any kind of transition between verses. Songs sound repetitive and the formula begins to get stale 25 minutes into the album. Don’t get me wrong, you can tell that there was a lot of thought put into each of the album’s 11 tracks. Every song has beautifully placed lyrics that will be passionately screamed from rooftops by angsty teenagers around the world. On “Death Va l l e y ” , Stump’s vocals are more the most prominent, and it works. He belts out lyrics with impressive precision and vibrato, though the drum track repeats behind him with the exact same beat throughout. A major problem is that the songs don’t really flow. Collaboration with popular rapper Big Sean in “The Mighty Fall” just doesn’t work; they slow down their tempo to a near crawl and give Big Sean a whole verse to sling out his lyrics while Joe attempts to play along with his guitar. The song is immediately followed by “Miss Missing You”, a slow ballad that creates a drastic and awkward transition between the tracks. “Rat a Tat”, the second to last track on the album, features singer-songwriter Courtney Love, who serves absolutely no purpose. It’s obvious that Fall Out Boy’s overall sound has changed drastically, but I don’t think the band necessarily cares; you can tell they are proud of what they made. This music isn’t for diehard fans, but for the band members themselves. —Alex Troutt
7.0
Paramore: Paramore
2.5 Snoop Lion: Reincarnated
8.0 Iron & Wine: Ghost on Ghost
7.5 Phoenix: Bankrupt!
7.0 Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Mosquito
A&E
May 2013
13
Dressed to the
Hannah Crosby Senior Staff Writer
Camo jacket, skeleton bra, and American high-waisted shorts, created and photographed by Marlena Gumper. Graphics by Mariangely Miyares.
Who says you have to be an adult to start a business? For senior Marlena Gumpher, beginning an online clothing store earlier this year proved to be both a successful and challenging choice to top off her high school career. Gumpher’s store is a hit, with 25 customers receiving custom clothing within the first month from her online store, RadialWave. Gumpher has always had a passion for art and uses her artistic abilities towards creating stylish apparel for women. “It’s a hobby now. I got bored with other clothes so I decided to just have fun with it, and when people wanted them, I started to sell them,” said Gumpher. Her website, located on social commerce website Etsy, gives members the opportunity to sell their handmade or vintage items. Upon viewing RadialWave’s products for the first time, it seemed that the store really had potential to be successful. With her tastefully made high-waisted shorts and intricately designed floral headbands, it’s no wonder Gumpher has already made 25 sales.
Drama presents ‘Arabian Nights’
Anthony Armenia / Oracle
Junior McCoy Johnston and senior Beatriz Antunez rehearse for The Arabian Nights.Johnston described the show “different from all the other shows because you will get to see us set up the set on stage before everybody right before the show starts.” The show concerns an Arabian princess who deceives an evil king by telling him stories. Drama performed the show on April 25, 26, and 27. Scanning the QR code on the right will take you to a review of the show on oraclenewspaper.com.
oraclenewspaper.com
$.99’s “I just go to thrift stores and get the fabric, then I alter them and make them look pretty,” said Gumpher. The items available on the website are usually one of a kind. “I do custom orders, but I also grab some [clothes] that are more of the common sizes. If you’re a bigger or smaller size then I’ll still go and find them,” said Gumpher. From the edgy high-waisted shorts to the attractive bracelet’s and crop tops, Gumpher hopes RadialWave will leave customers wanting more. For the small range of products it offers, RadialWave appears to have a steadily decent starting set of merchandise.
RadialWave Visit Marlena Gumpher’s online store on your cell phone by scanning this QR Code with an appropriate app. You can also reach the website by finding the story on oraclenewspaper.com.
A&E
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oraclenewspaper.com
Film
Stylish ‘Oblivion’ an admirable sci-fi effort Kyle Dunn Editor in Chief The coming of the summer movie season brings with it a slew of CGI-laden, boring blockbusters. Be it a big-budget revival of a bygone franchise, a rip-off of a Hasbro toy or, God forbid, another Squeakquel, the common denominator is this: they’re all the same and they all disappoint. Oblivion enjoys the supreme advantage of being enjoyably unexpected. Especially since it too is a big-budget summer blockbuster, the fact that this unconventional sci-fi actioner about the last remaining humans on Earth even exists is a miracle. Following a war with an invading alien species that sapped Earth of all its resources and left mayhem in its wake, Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) and Victoria Olsen (Andrea Riseborough) are left as a “mopup crew.” He maintains and repairs a fleet of flying drones that hunt down derelict aliens called “Scavs.” She is his eye in the sky, watching his every move from a tower while communicating with their home base known as the Tet.
Jack and Victoria are two weeks away from completing their mission of securing generators that produce drinkable water from the oceans and jettisoning off-world to join the rest of the human survivors living on Saturn’s moon, Titan. Harper and Olsen’s plans, though, are disrupted when he is abducted by the Scavs while trying to rescue Julia Rusakova (Olga Kurylenko)—a woman familiar to him in his occasional visions of a misremembered past—who is encased in a crashed space shuttle’s sleeping chamber. In their captivity, Harper meets Malcolm Beech (Morgan Freeman) and begins to learn the truth about his masters, his partner, his visions of the past, the woman he’s rescued and, most shockingly, himself. While Oblivion is not the usual summer tent-pole, it also doesn’t live up to the 70s sci-fi flicks it references and attempts to emulate. Its story is thinly written, skimping on plot in favor of style and visual panache. Not for nothing, though, for Oblivion’s cool, sterile visual style is satisfying to the eye and showcases writer and director Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy) at
6.5 Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Scav leader Malcolm Beech (Morgan Freeman) interrogates Jack Harper (Tom Cruise). Oblivion was directed by the director of Tron: Legacy. his best. Having worked in visual effects, video games and CGI long before entering the movie biz as a director, Kosinski also creates a unique post-apocalyptic view of Earth. He utilizes a neat production design
that conjures a vision of the future reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Oblivion is, above all, an admirable attempt and a reprieve from the usual gluttonous stupidity of summer movies.
The Next Level
Remember the Vans Custom Culture contest four students entered back in late March? Out of the 1500 schools that entered the contest, Steinbrenner was chosen to be one of the top 50 schools. Now online voting will determine which schools advance to the top five and have a chance to win thousands of dollars in grant money for the school’s art department. Here’s how to cast your vote:
1. Log on to www.vans.com/customculture BEFORE MAY 13. 2. Click on ‘VOTE NOW!” 3. Click on “Southeast” on the far right. 4. Find Steinbrenner’s shoes and click the radio button for “Vote”. 5. Scroll down, type in the CAPTCHA code, and submit your vote! 6. Be sure to vote for the other four regions as well so your vote is counted. From top to bottom, shoes by: Rebecca Pizano, Taylor Graham, and Christian Antonini. Compiled by Jake Bittle.
Sports
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Finally the team they wanted to be Evan Abramson Staff Writer Baseball is now considered one of the elite programs here at Steinbrenner, after a record breaking year that ended 20-2. They entered the playoffs as one of the most highly regarded teams in Florida according to MaxPreps Power Rankings, and we can all expect to see great things from them in the future with the youth of the team. “It’s all a team effort,” said senior catcher Jesse Haney. “We have all come together as a team and we are playing really well. The team needs to want it and go out and work together as a team and learn to pick each other up. They need to keep doing what we are doing now (to be successful in the future).” With the vast amount of new talent that the team possesses, it was surprising to many at first that they would be this successful. Even when competing with a rotation absent of junior pitcher Cole Gordon due to shoulder problems and catcher Jesse Haney with a hand injury, they still
have managed to succeed throughout the season and play as if nothing happened. Several players from all grade levels have had to step up to the plate and take some of the pressure off of the starters through the grind of the season. The Warriors went into the playoffs with 207 runs scored, 109 strikeouts, 82 hits allowed, 37 runs allowed and 58 walks allowed. The offense posted a .381 batting average, a .468 on base percentage, 227 hits, 18 home runs, 94 walks and 54 steals. “We have the four-year players and we all follow that philosophy and it allows us to do the things that make us successful, and they understand that,” said head coach John Crumbley, who’s been at the helm since the inception of the program.
Evan Abramson / Oracle
The Warriors look onto George M. Steinbrenner field for their last home game of the 2012-2013 season as the Jefferson Dragons prepare for the game. The Warriors ended their best season yet with a 20-2 record.
Long roads to victories
SENIOR QUOTES
Sam Bequer News Editor
“I want to see the remaining players win the district championship; they should be able to win next year.” -Jon Marc Carrier, Football
“We’ve all grown together over the years and we became more experienced together.” -Baylee Hooker, Basketball
“[Being on a team] makes high school worth it. It’s fun to come to school and see your teammates.” -Zach Lima, XC/Track
“I hope [the remaining players] go on to win their district and maybe even win states again.” -Marley Opila, Soccer Compiled by Sam Bequer
On June 6th, the class of 2013 will walk across the stage and leave their high school years behind. Although this class is different, they set the foundation for every program. The graduating seniors helped lay down the traditions in place for underclassman to follow. Senior Zach Lima explains how the Boss Cross wouldn’t have existed unless the team decided to come together and set up the tradition. “I would like to come back in ten years and see the same things happening, to have the Boss Cross still there and continuing,” said Lima. The Boss Cross isn’t the only tradition left by a group of seniors. Senior Justice Thigpen, who has been a part the girls’ basketball team for four years, discusses how she would like to see the team continue farther than their 21-7 record established this year. “I would definitely love to see the team go farther next year. I hope they make it fur-
ther in Regionals and maybe even States. I just want to see the team do as well, or even better than we have this year,” said Thigpen. Football especially is a program that has grown. They’ve come from starting off in 2009 with a 3-6-1 record and finished this year 5-5-0. This is not only a huge improvement as records go, but a demonstration as their growth as a team over the past four years. “[In] the beginning we were just kind of out there. But we just grew together as a team and we became more familiar with each other. For the remaining players though, I want to see a district championship. That’s the main goal,” said Kendall Pearcy, a contributing player of the football team since his freshman year. The seniors leave with them their records they’ve helped accomplished over the past seasons (p.16) and hope for the remaining players to accomplish even more. It’ll be sad to see the seniors leave, but their legacy will not be forgotten and the remaining underclassman will be sure to lead powerful seasons.
Sports
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On the Sidelines Girls Host Basketball Summer Camp
Emily Goldbach / Oracle
The Lady Warriors girls’ basketball team will be hosting its third annual basketball camp this summer. It runs for two weeks, first from June 17-20, and next from July 29-August 1, both from 9AM to 3PM each day. You must be from eight to 16 years old to participate. Camp Includes: • Rules of the Game • Shooting and Ball handling • Defensive Stance and Concepts • Fundamental Footwork Drills • Competitive Drills • 3 on 3, 4 on 4, 5 on 5 The basketball camp is Co-ed, despite it being run by the girls’ basketball program. Admission is $80 for one person, $140 for two siblings and $200 for three siblings.
TEAM RECORDS Varsity Football: 5-5 Varsity Volleyball: 19-9 Boys Swimming: 1st in Western Conf. Girls Swimming: 3rd in Western Conf. Varsity Boys Basketball: 13-11 Varsity Girls Basketball: 21-7 Boys Soccer: 19-3-3 Girls Soccer: 14-6 Boys XC: 2nd in Region Girls XC: 4th in District Wrestling: 40-10 Baseball: 20-2 Softball: 13-12 Flag Football: 9-2 Boys Track & Field: 1st in County Girls Track & Field: 1st in Regionals Boys Tennis: 8-5 Girls Tennis: 10-3 Compiled by Emily Goldbach and Zealand Shannon
Just another track meet
Courtesy of Pamela Sikoryak and Kyle LoJacono
Girls take home district win for third time Nataly Capote Chief Copy Editor
Girls’ track has come away with the district championship for the third consecutive year, beating 8 other high schools in the area and matching Steinbrenner records in several categories. Head coach Ladd Baldwin had to work on training the entire team in 17 different events, all while focusing on each individual’s strengths and weaknesses. “My goal as a coach is to try and cover every event,” said Baldwin, who coaches both track and cross country. “[I try] to incorporate workouts to build strength in the juniors and seniors that have experience, but the freshmen need to learn also. Sometimes it’s like a big circus with different things going on, but at the end of the year what we want is every girl prepared in her event to do well.” The girls have practice nearly every weekday in preparation for districts, training in everything from distance running to sprinting. The team excelled in pole vaulting, distance running, long jump, and discus, with seniors Jessica Brewer, Jessica Weather-
man, and freshman Taylor Hotchkiss coming away as runners-up in their categories. Junior Jazmin Sobotker won 1st place in the pole vault, with junior Loren Scherschel in 2nd place, both tying the school record. Junior Rebecca Tabor also tied the school record in the 200 meter. This being the last season for many who have been on the team since freshman year, it was important, said Baldwin, for the girls to know how they wanted to be remembered. Senior Lauren Garris underwent surgery during her cross country season, yet still managed to get second in the mile and third in the two mile events. “[The surgery] affected her mentally as far as what she could do,” said Baldwin. “But she just pulled it all together at the district championships.” The team strives for their fourth consecutive championship next year, with several promising underclassman to continue the warriors’ championship streak. Among them are Hotchkiss and freshman Tiyera Joseph, who, according to Baldwin, both had a great first year. Regionals took place April 24th at Leto. Several competetors have excelled in their events and are headed to state.
Key Performers
Jessica Weatherman
Discus runner-up, 105-8 [pictured above]
Lauren Garris (statebound)
1,600 runner-up (5:36.16), 3,200 3rd place (13:00.02); [pictured above]
Jazmin Sobotker
Pole vault 1st place, 9-0 (tying the school record) [pictured above]
Loren Scherschel (statebound)
Pole vault runner-up, 9-0 (tying the school record); 100 hurdles 4th place (17.58)
Caroline Murray (statebound)
(Senior) 800 4th place (2:29.31); [pictured above]
Taylor Hotchkiss (statebound)
Long jump 3rd place, 16-6; 100 hurdles runner-up, 17.06; 300 hurdles 3rd place (50.16)
For coverage post season sport coverage, wwvisit oraclenewspaper.com Stats compiled from the Tampa Bay Times
Sports
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Cole Gordon hits the big time Zealand Shannon Sports Editor Junior Cole Gordon is a big boy. As we sit down for the interview, he towers over me (6’5”), and is thick enough (230 lbs.) that I would have a better chance of walking through a brick wall. He melts into the wallpaper, quiet and unassuming. When spoken to he is intelligent, he answers simple questions with the candid, mechanical nature of a public relations director, weaving an undertone of confidence behind every answer, why not? Gordon is left handed. He pitches. He plays first base. He can hit the cover off the ball, with a natural power that gives the ball wings. As a baseball person, there is nothing not to love about him. The first time Gordon touched a baseball he was two years old, playing with his older brothers and carrying on the Gordon family tradition. “My dad, my grandparents, my whole family all played baseball through high school,” said Gordon. Starting at six, Gordon played in the Forest Hills Little League, then picked up travel ball in his early teens. Gordon was zoned to go to Chamberlain like his two older brothers, but he choiced into Steinbrenner for the sports marketing program, and came under the wing of famed coach John Crumbley, who had recently left Jesuit. As a freshman, Gordon played on the JV team; in his sophomore year he started to steal the stage. A 0.95 ERA, 6-1 record, 36.2 innings pitched, 53 strike outs, .150 batting average against him. All while batting .273 with four home runs and 21 runs batted in. Going into his junior year, Gordon gained two inches and 40 pounds, and now fits the spitting image of a big time ballplayer. The batting average is up to .418, and if Gordon steps to the plate, his .575 on base percentage means chances are we’ll see him on first, or second, or rounding all four bags, rather then heading to the dugout. An inflamed elbow has limited him to only 4.1 innings on the mound this season, he has six strikeouts. Gordon’s talents have drawn offers from numerous SEC schools to play collegiate baseball, (something one of his older brothers is currently doing at UCF) but the professional ranks might come calling. As the interview winds down I shoot one more question Gordon’s way, trying to catch him off guard and find a true bit of emotion. “Are you going to go pro?” I ask, and a wry smile creeps across his face. “If there is an opportunity to (go pro) I might, if I get real consideration,” said Gordon. That smile, he knows something the rest of us don’t, how good he can become, how high he can rise, and it’s enough to make his smile uncontainable.
Evan Abramson / Oracle
Evan Abramson / Oracle
Gordon hits the ball during the one of the Warriors’ home games. From a young age, he has played ball learning and growing as a player and person each year.
Defense wins games for flag Emily Goldbach Sports Editor With a standing record of 9-2, the school’s flag football team gets its drive from its defensive line. Under strong senior leadership, the team works to get to the district tournament and come out as champions. “Having so many people come in from different sports that they are really good at can be hard to bring together,” said head coach Greg Puskas. “However, they [the girls] really blended together as one unit.” Among their biggest opponents was Alonso HS, who has won the district championship the past three years. However, the team as a whole has gotten 29 interceptions in the past 10 games alone; Puskas said that he hopes the momentum from the past few straight wins will guide them to victory at districts. Head football coach Andres PerezReinaldo volunteered some of his time to work with senior quarterbacks Alexa Fernandez and Alyssa Dawson. Puskas said that Perez is “an all around great coach”.
Emily Goldbach / Oracle
The offense gets ready to hike the ball during a practice where they went up against the Junior Varisty team. Senior Justice Thigpen holds the school record for the most interceptions (13) and defensive touchdowns (4).
Reflections
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Oracle seniors look back 2013—another year, another volume of the Oracle and another crop of veteran senior staff members make their ways beyond the news room and into colleges where their younger, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed peers hope them the best. They’ve spent countless hours running around during 5th period—the domain of the newspaper—and clicking their fingers to the bone during the dreaded “Layout Week”. Here those seniors say Jake Bittle A&E Editor Some things are so big that they escape our words. Despite the fact that I’ve been hailed my entire life as having a gift for writing, I am, as the cliche goes, at a loss for words when I reflect about my four years on the newspaper staff. I guess cliches are cliches for a reason, though. Those who know me well, however, know that rarely am I ever at a loss for words. I always have something to say, some story to tell, or some sarcastic comment to make. In fact it was this very inability to shut up that nearly got me kicked off the newspaper staff at the end of ninth grade. I think the day when Mr. Flaskamp took me into the back room and explained
Angela Sexton Staff Writer I remember being a freshman looking at the Oracle newspaper for the first time and thinking, “I want to be on the staff!” I learned a lot on the staff about journalism. Being on the staff has shown me the importance of communication and collaboration. One of the things I’m going to miss most about the staff is the sense of family. They are like my other dysfunctional family. I’m going to miss everyone involved in the creation of this amazing newspaper and the “rougher patches” we have had. Each person on the staff has taught me
that I needed to start showing some maturity or skedaddle was one of the first moments when I really sat back and decided to grow up. For me, it was never about struggling to write like a journalist or learn InDesign. Where I did struggle was with maturity, respect, kindness, and with fulfilling my role as a leader and builder of the staff. Starting something literally from nothing as a freshman and watching the dingy first issue grow into the best student newspaper in Florida has been one of the most instructive and awe-inspiring experiences of my life. Without realizing it, I’ve become a leader of this newspaper, someone who can give orders (wee!) and to whom people come for advice. I still think I’m the irritating ninth grader who can’t stop laughing,
something new. I am going to miss our experiences at SIPA, and I appreciate how much they made my experience of being on the staff such a fun and exciting one. Mr. James Flaskamp, the adviser of the the Oracle has also left a lasting impression on me. He was the first person to get me involved with journalism. From the time in his Journalism I class, I developed an appreciation for both the amateur and professional journalists who are dedicated to their craft. I’m going to miss everyone on the staff, and I wish each member the best of luck in all of their future endeavors. Goodbye!
their good-byes in fine print and reflect on their experiences at the school and the Oracle. They’ve fought, laughed, and made incredibly stupid errors in their time, but we love them. They all wish the future leaders of the Oracle, including next year’s editor in chief, Sam Bequer, and next year’s adviser, Kristen Crosby, the best of luck in keeping alive the tradition they began as the first generation of newspaper staffers. but everyone else, including Mr. Flaskamp, thinks otherwise. I guess it is that way with all change: we never notice until it’s happened. My experience on the Oracle has been instrumental in developing friendships not just with students but with teachers, administrators, and the school itself, a place very dear to my heart. Newspaper is the extracurricular activity to which I gave the most of my time. Without the Oracle I would not have half the people skills I do today (interviewing teaches you that). My writing, too, has been much improved by four years spent under the copy editor’s eye. I am forever indebted to Natalie Barman, Kyle Dunn, and Brandon Mauriello, my three closest friends on staff. I
Anthony Armenia Staff Writer Joining the Oracle staff this year was one of the best decisions I have made in my high school career. Being a newcomer to the staff, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I quickly learned that everyone was so helpful and welcomed me with open arms. I got to cover some awesome events as an Oracle staffer as well. From Disney FSPA day where I got to shoot photos around Walt Disney World to Busch Gardens journalism day where I got to conduct interviews and snap photos of some of the parks events, there has never been a dull moment on the staff. With all the ups and downs, the Oracle staff always pulls together and creates an ohana that can never be broken. I am looking forward to pursing my journalism career when I attend UCF this summer.
have the utmost faith in the underclassmen to keep the Oracle’s traditions of excellence and wackiness alive after the seniors — and Mr. Flaskamp (see page 20) — leave. To Mr. Flaskamp I offer my sincerest thanks. I will not remember him as a teacher who pleased everyone, and nor should I; a man who pleases everyone frequently compromises his principles, and that is something Mr. Flaskamp has never done. To my innumerable other friends, rivals, teachers, and lovers, I kneel and offer my deepest bow of gratitude. These years have been gutsy, screaming, formative, and magical, but the best thing high school taught me is that our future holds even more. Keep your eyes, mind, and heart open. I love you.
Up, up, and away! Below are the universities the Oracle’s graduating seniors have chosen for next year. We wish them the best of luck in their future endavors. Anthony Armenia: University of Central Florida Natalie Barman: Tulane University Jake Bittle: University of Chicago Kyle Dunn: Florida State University Rachael Landes: University of South Florida Brandon Mauriello: Florida State University Angela Sexton: University of Florida
Reflections
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More Oracle seniors reflect Kyle Dunn Editor in Chief If I were to purloin a paltry snicker-doodle cookie from a troop of elementary girl scouts at the age of five, do you think it would be a just pursuit for me to be imprisoned for five years? Is it an unspoken honor to be the auteur of a banned book? Is it the smell of freshly cut grass that has the crowds cheering with anxiety, or is it the 22 combatants lined up across from each other preparing to do battle? The field of education is an ever-changing, transformative creature. Somewhere in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, a man that we’ll call Joe Lipschitz is sifting through a database. Among the many cliques and groups akin to
high school, there is usually a handful of dudes with a knack for music. The scene is Mar. 4, 2010. Close-up on rows of empty desks and abandoned hallways. “Where are all the nice boys and girls?” they’ll ask. Perhaps they’re a part of that shouting group of hoodlums holding signs that read “NO MORE PENCILS, NO MORE BOOKS. NO MORE TEACHERS’ DIRTY LOOKS”. “Poli” meaning many; “tics” meaning blood-sucking insects. English is the study of our complex, native language as well as the various media it inhabits--think literature, poetry, drama and the like. For some outrageous reason, it seems as though English teachers only entrust knowledge of
Natalie Barman Opinion Editor I started high school with few expectations. I figured it was just another step towards college and then “real” life. What I didn’t realize in August 2009 was that accepting high school as just something to get through was a mistake; actually living and enjoying every moment of my life, including high school, was the mindset to have. There have been innumerable experiences throughout the last four years that I value more and more as high school comes to a close. There have been a few quality teachers who have influenced my education and ideas in a way that only teachers can. My friends- especially those who I have grown close with this year- have taught me equally important lessons, though: they’ve shown me how to live and be happy. So, thank you to each of the individuals who have taught me something throughout high school- you guys know who you are. The newspaper staff has more than evolved over the last few years. I started newspaper as a determined little freshman who got sucked into the back room cul-
worldly topics to long-dead ancients of Greece and ruffle-collared playwrights whose only real talent is to produce a run-on sentence so long, its circumlocutive nature would drive the masses of bona fide ruffians to the bowels of Mother Nature’s earth. Buzz. Buzz. Hit snooze. Lifelessly take shower. Eat breakfast of tasteless cereal bar. Walk out door. Oh, wait! I forgot my parka. I wager if I stepped into any classroom on this campus and said the words written above, someone would be able to name the TV show where it came from. One of the last movies I have seen at will was a 1993 summer movie titled Dazed and Confused (directed by Richard Linklater). In this movie, set
ture that Oracle staffers circa 2010 know so well. As I got older, though, I began to develop both as a staffer and a leader. I discovered new interests and new talents along the way. Now, I am proud to be an editor of the best newspaper in Florida. The newspaper still has great things to achieve, of course. I look forward to hearing about the accomplishments that next year’s new adviser will lead our staff towards. It has been an honor serving on this staff and, although I am sad to leave, I know that I am leaving it in more than capable hands.
in 1970s Texas, high school seniors have a tradition of driving around with wooden paddles and spanking the incoming freshmen. Aside from the ability to smell the ‘fresh meat’ on underclassmen, this movie’s most notable oddity is its depiction of secondary school mammals in an environment of tension and defined hierarchy. Hey y’all, game over!
as adviser was ending was Brandon Mauriello News Editor disappointing. Don’t get “Hello, everyone, my name is Mr. Flaskamp, and I will be your adviser this year.” I didn’t know that when Mr. Flaskamp greeted us on the first day of school this year, it was going to be the last time. I don’t think he did either. The man that instructed me in the field of Journalism for almost four years was ceasing his tenure as newspaper adviser. Plenty of people asked me why I cared. They figured I would be four hours away next year, how would it affect me that a different person would be running the newspaper staff? I truthfully don’t know. It’s hard to explain, but the thought that the legacy that is Mr. Flaskamp’s reign
me wrong, I was happy for him, but at the same time, it was strange to imagine an Oracle newspaper without Mr. Flaskamp’s touch. I’ve been blessed to be the news editor on the staff for three years, and I’ve cherished every moment that I have spent with them. Each person has affected me in some way. I’ve made bonds with people, some of which were much stronger than any other bonds I’ve made in high school. And that’s what makes the Oracle staff so special to me. Often times, before the year begins, most people have never even spoken to each other. Regardless, 18 different people from different backgrounds came together and created one family. This is something
that I will always be proud to have been a part of. I will always cherish the times I’ve spent with this staff: at SIPA, during layouts, on bus rides and more. Going to FSU, I won’t be joining the newspaper staff, and that’s okay. I believe that I will continue to reminisce on my experience on this staff both in college and further on in life.
Close
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oraclenewspaper.com
TURNING A NEW PAGE “All things must end.”
“I am resigning from my position as newspaper adviser” were words no Oracle staffer would ever expect to hear from newspaper adviser James Flaskamp. “I thought it was a prank,” said sports editor Emily Goldbach. “He is always joking around with us.” Flaskamp has been a newspaper adviser since March 2006 at Gaither High School. He then took the position as Steinbrenner High School’s newspaper adviser when the school opened in 2009. Flaskamp has taught the staff not only journalism lessons but life lessons as well.
—Newspaper adviser James Flaskamp
Right: Senior staffers (left to right) Brandon Mauriello, Jake Bittle, Natalie Barman and Kyle Dunn are congratulated by Flaskamp after becoming SIPA Quiz Bowl champions in March. Last year, The Oracle Quiz Bowl team got second place behind Oxford HS in Mississippi.
Graphic by: Frances Miyares
Above: The Oracle staff poses for a group photo after distributing the last issue of the 2011-2012 school year. Flaskamp dedicated three to four days of his own time after school until 8 p.m. each layout cycle to stay and help staffers design and publish The Oracle. Below (Left): Junior Gaby Morillo (right), senior Rachael Landes (left) and Flaskamp dress up for Spirit Week 2012. Flaskamp and english teacher Calvin Dillon are rock star twins every year. Below (Right): Senior Jake Bittle and Flaskamp discuss final Quiz Bowl 2012 results at The Southern Interscholastic Press Association (SIPA) convention. Win or lose, Flaskamp always gave The Oracle staff positive vibes.
Above: The Oracle staff stands outside of the bus to take them back home from SIPA 2011 in Columbia, SC. Senior Jake Bittle (pictured as a sophomore far left) won first place in the review writing competition.
Photos by: The Oracle staff | Compiled by: Gaby Morillo/Photo Editor