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’cats staY on top INSIDE • Power Hour Energizes •‘Trail of Terror’ Haunts Zoo
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OCT ’15
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ROAR VOL. 18 NO. 1
Power Play
Power Hour has drastically changed the schedule, introducing a 53-minute-long break to replace two separate 30-minute lunch periods. The result has been more time for tutoring, an increase in club participation and structural changes within the campus. Photo: Ashlyn Kellner
News 6
Opinion 12
Elementary school in need of parent and student volunteers is adopted as “sister school.”
Opinions Editor Sergio Carlos weighs in on gay rights and religious freedom.
Feature 8
Sports 21
West Shore grades out as the top public school in Florida.
Student Athlete Leadership Team focuses on becoming well-rounded.
Harbor City
Wildcat Nation #1
Page 4:
LGBT Respect
SALT Leadership
Publications Policies:
The Roar recognizes itself as a public forum and encourages letters from West Shore students and members of the community. The Roar cannot print ads promoting activity illegal by Florida law, ads opposing any religious beliefs, ads written in poor taste, ads with racial or sexist comments, ads considered inappropriate by the staff, advocacy advertising or ads containing libel. The Roar is not responsible for web sites viewed through links found on pages mentioned in the publication. The Roar values letters from our readers: maximum length for letters is 200 words. No more than one letter a semester will be published from a writer. Letters and columns are edited for length, content and clarity. The Roar maintains the right to edit all submissions for poor taste, length, grammar and libel. Views expressed in the “Opinions” section do not necessarily represent the views of the Brevard County School Board, the West Shore administrators, faculty, student body or The Roar staff.
Staff:
Editors in Chief: Ana Rosal, Hannah Brusca Managing Editor: Daphna Krause Entertainment Editor: Jonah Hinebaugh Sports Editor: David Thompson Opinions Editor: Sergio Carlos Business Manager: Ashlyn Kellner Staff Writers: Brittany Bailer, Evan Cooper, Julia Kuehnast, Helen McSorley, Jett Morgan, Rohan Patel, Briana Sandoval
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Send in your opinions to westshorehsroar@gmail.com
OCTOBER 2015 3
NEWS
TIME TO POWER UP New midday break re-energizes campus
W
ith an earlier 8:30 a.m. start time, as well as a more-crowded lunch period, it is impossible to be unaffected by Power Hour. The new mid-day break provides students with 53 minutes to eat, talk to friends, get help from teachers, do homework and just relax. Power Hour has been used for many activities such as club meetings and tutoring which, in previous years, had taken place exclusively before and after school. Junior Joanna LaTorre, founder and president of Future Business Leaders of America and an active participant in numerous campus organizations, has been able to leverage Power Hour for club meetings. “I think it is very convenient because I know a lot of students like myself who are busy before and after school,” LaTorre said. “It’s nice to be able attend meetings in the middle of the day and know that you don’t have to worry about missing
4 OCTOBER 2015
important information.” Junior Nick Pekmezian favors Power Hour as well. “I like it because it lets me get my homework done,” Pekmezian said, “Power Hour also gives me more time to talk to my friends and go to clubs.” Because of a growth in number of clubs, Principal Rick Fleming wants to stagger club days to make it easier for students to participate. “We need to formalize the club days,” Fleming said. “We want students to be able to be part of multiple clubs to minimize conflict with office hours and different club days.” Fleming said he also wants to see improvements with accommodations, including installing additional seating around the school. “I think some additional seating under the solar panels will help us a little bit,” Fleming said. “We also added more seating under the pavilion.”
NEWS around the school. “I think some additional seating under the solar panels will help us a little bit,” Fleming said. “We also added more seating under the pavilion.” Due to a shortage of tables at which students eat, some have resorted to sitting on the ground. Middle-schoolers especially have had to deal with the inconvenience. “We would like to sit and eat at the pavilion if there was enough space,” eighth-grader Diego Vento said. “I still do like Power Hour even though I don’t get to sit where I want, but I prefer it over two separate lunches.” Another change with Power Hour is that the whole student body may now sit outside, a tradition only juniors and seniors enjoyed in the past. “I don’t mind underclassmen and middle schoolers sitting outside,” senior Greg Darnell said. “It’s just there’s so many of them. They take up a lot of space.” The extended lunch period also has led to an increase in media- center traffic. To follow fire safety codes, Media Specialist Amy Franco has been tasked with regulating the number of students who can visit the media center during Power Hour. “We have more students coming in this year,” Franco said. “They can leave when they want, unlike last year when they had to stay for the whole lunch period.” Another complication is that the media center has become a more popular destination. “We’ve had to close the media center when it reaches the limit of 100 students,” Franco said. “We can’t let everyone who wants to come in.” In addition, School Resource Officer Chuck Landmesser now
has to patrol the school to ensure that students stay on campus and don’t leave to go eat food elsewhere or order out from area restaurants. “Basically, I have more duties during lunch, especially patrolling the school, making sure people don’t enter the parking lot or go down to the gas station,” Landmesser said The cafeteria also has changed for both the students and staff because all students now have lunch at the same time. “It has been much more difficult for my workers,” Cafeteria Manager Alyce Higginbotham said. “Instead of cooking food in batches, we now have to make the food all at once.” Even though her staff faces increased adversity because of the change, Higginbotham sees the benefits. “I like Power Hour,” she said. “It’s a big hit all at once, but after that it is much easier and more relaxed.” From the start, attempts have been made to create alternatives to the long lunch lines. “At the beginning of the year we started with food carts under the pavilion,” Higginbotham said. “We had to get rid of them because they were not bringing in enough profit.” In order to carve out a time for Power Hour, school now starts 15 minutes earlier than last year, generating some complaints. “I hate Power Hour,” Darnell said. “I hate having to come to school 15 minutes earlier. It’s a waste of time.” Despite complications, Fleming said he views Power Hour as an opportunity to grow the Wildcat Nation. “If you’re satisfied with being good, you will never be great,” Fleming said. “That’s why we’re always looking to improve the school, including Power Hour.”
Evan Cooper, Jett Morgan, Rohan Patel Chowing down during Power Hour, seventh-graders Ella McMullin, Paige Conrad, Courtnee Reidel, Kathee Schrader and Kaliyah Hody take cover under the pavilion during a recent storm.
Photo: Ashlyn Kellner
OCTOBER 2015 5
NEWS
Sister Act
Elementary school finds refuge under Wildcat wing
Harbor City Elementary located on Sarno Road. Photo: Kristina Youngson
Just two miles from West Shore sits an elementary school in need of dire assistance. A school where 78 percent of students are dependent on free or reduced lunches. A school where parents are so busy working multiple minimum-wage jobs that they have no time to volunteer. To lend a hand, the Wildcat Nation recently adopted Harbor City Elementary as its sister school. “Most parents can’t take time off to come in and volunteer, [so] we wanted to try and tap into helping them with some upcoming projects, so we formed a partnership,” Principal Rick Fleming said. “The PTA really liked the idea, [and] so far we have almost 12 or 13 parent volunteers.” Campus organizations, including Key Club, National Junior Honor Society and Beta Club also have asked join the effort. “I’m excited about the opportunity for those clubs to get in and volunteer,” Fleming said. “It’s not just about the parents getting involved, it’s also about the students helping out and enriching the lives of some of those kids.” Daphna Krause, Key Club President and student liaison for Harbor City Elementary, has begun to organize events. “After meeting with Mrs. Salomone, the principal of Harbor City, we made a plan to help their school,” Krause said. “As of now, Key Club is planning to volunteer at their fall festival on Nov.14, as well as at a school supply drive in November. Key Club members also are [planning] to volunteer their time one Saturday to help upkeep the gardens in front of and around the school.” Krause said she is looking forward to helping. “Key Club decided to help Harbor City, because for one, it’s a great school. But also because they had specific things that needed to be done. They were just lacking volunteers.
As a community-service club, Key Club was the perfect match.” Volunteers will need to get busy in a hurry. “One of the biggest events they have is their annual Fall Festival, which is kind of like our Festivus,” Fleming said. “They need not only volunteers to help organize booths, but they need people and also donations in the form of gift baskets at a nominal price. The money that they receive from the raffle for the donations goes directly to them. Hopefully they will raise some money to buy some technology and some additional reading materials to help the kids.” Salamone said she’s looking forward to the help the partnership could bring. “What we have is a large number of parents who are on minimum wage, which makes it very hard to support your family without working long hours,” she said. “The parents of our families work all during the work day, and they don’t get off until, oh, seven or eight at night, some of them. They can’t come help when they would like to help their students ... now [our] kids will be able to get some of the help were not able to give them because there aren’t enough of us.” Fleming added that he has high hopes for the support towards the recently adopted school. “What I want to accomplish is to better the lives of students who are most in need over there,” Fleming said. “I feel that they can benefit tremendously just from the interaction of our students. With our parents as well as the students support, I like to think that we will be able to bring a good moral, ethical compass in the civic responsibility of modeling good behavior for those kids and hoping that it helps the schools community.”
Briana Sandoval
6 OCTOBER 2015
NEWS
2
3
1) After graduating from the Class of 2007,Klaasen attended the University of Florida. 2) While a student, Klaasen excelled as a member of the varsity swim team. 3) Pre-Homecoming pictures, showcases Klassens unique style.
Back to the Future
Klaasen returns to teach chemistry In the graduating Class of 2007, one alumnus took a circuitous route that led him back to his high school home. Eight years later, he has returned to the Wildcat Nation, only this time as a teacher. Rob Klaasen, recently hired to instruct chemistry and science research students, has settled into familiar surroundings. After graduating from West Shore, Klaasen went on to bleed orange and blue at the University of Florida. “I majored in biology,” he said. “I had a teaching minor through a special program for math and science majors who thought they might want to teach. So it was a cool program.” Klaasen was teaching at Winter Springs High School in Seminole County last spring when he received a call from his former high-school chemistry teacher Gabrielle Powers. “Once she knew she wasn’t going to be coming back, she let me know, so I could think about whether or not I would want to apply,” Klaasen said. “I dropped off my resume with [Principal Rick] Fleming pretty close [to] when she turned in her resignation.” Returning to his alma mater has been a bittersweet
experience. “It’s been pretty cool to see a whole bunch of teachers that I had, but it’s kind of sad to see the ones who aren’t here anymore or [are] missing. But it’s still very exciting.” While in high school, Klaasen participated in band, and Advanced Placement classes.His extracurriculars included swim team.When asked his best memory, swimming was the first thing to come to mind. “Oh, best memories that won’t get me in trouble, let’s see. … Every year, swim team was just a blast. It got better and better as I went through,” Klaasen said. “Going to the state swim meet with the team my senior year was pretty exciting. We had a relay team that made it. It was one of the really quick relays. I think it was the four by fifty freestyle. It was already my favorite event.” Klaasen’s passion for science was one of the many things Klaasen took away from West Shore. “I love chemistry, I took AP Chem with [Delilah] Narvaez. I took chemistry with Gabby. Chemistry was probably my favorite science. I took physics and biology, [but they] did not appeal as much.”
Daphna Krause
OCTOBER 2015 7
Photos: courtesy Robert Klaasen
1
NEWS
Back On Top Newsweek ranks school No.1 — again
West Shore is back on top not only in terms of Florida academic achievement, but also nationwide academic achievement. Recently, Newsweek released its annual “America’s Top High Schools List” and ranked West Shore the 65th best high school in the country. In addition, the magazine named it the No. 1 public high school in Florida for a second consecutive year. “This is indeed a very prestigious and distinct honor for our school, and it is an effort that our entire school community can be proud of,” Principal Rick Fleming said. In addition, while Florida’s average ACT score rose slightly from 19.6 to 19.9, West Shore’s ACT average reached an alltime high of 27.4, up from the 2014 average of 27. Language arts teacher Jeannie Griffin said she’s proud of the school’s scholastic achievement. “This recognition provides validation that we have a strong academic program and that we are preparing our students for the future,” the AP English Language teacher said. Newsweek bases its rankings on two analytical methods: short list analysis and ranking analysis. The short list analysis evaluates schools based on their proficiency rates on standardized state-level tests in order to create a high school achievement index for each school. The index is then used to identify schools whose students score at or above the 70th percentile. The ranking analysis evaluates schools based on six indicators: college-enrollment and graduation rates — for which West Shore scored 100 percent — along with average Advanced Placement scores, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Dual Enrollment participation, average ACT/SAT scores, student retention and counselor-to-student ratio.
8 OCTOBER 2015
Sophomore Muhammad Abdulla conducts a friction experiment in Cinsy Krehbiel’s physics class.
The school’s national ranking at No. 65 marks a triumphant return from last year’s drop in ranking, when it fell from No. 45 on the list in 2013 to No. 81 due to a slight drop in its graduation rate coupled with a small decrease in the number of college-bound students. Despite this momentary step down the ladder, West Shore has managed to not only redeem itself academically, but also go beyond its “Excellence Achieved” motto and reach record-breaking levels of academic achievement. Junior Brianna Youhana said she feels both pride and passion for her school. “Being at a school that is recognized as one of the best in the country makes me feel very confident that I will have a secure future and be successful in college,” she said. West Shore also received a “gold star” on Newsweek’s list. The award is based on an additional equity analysis that identifies schools in which economically disadvantaged student performed at or above the state average on standardized assessments. While this analysis doesn’t affect the official ranking of the school, it adds extra prestige. Throughout its 17-year existence, West Shore has drawn recognition as one of the top schools in the country. The first time the school was named one of the nation’s best high
NEWS schools was in U.S. News & World Report’s 2008 issue and it has been included on similar lists every year since. Additionally, West Shore was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School for both the 2004-05 and 2012-13 school years. The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a federal government program created in 1982 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or made significant improvements in closing the achievement gap in schools where at least 40 percent of the student population is classified as disadvantaged. According to Fleming, the attainment of these achievements has not been easy. “Needless to say, it takes a tremendous effort from our students, teachers, staff and parents to build the sustained success that West Shore is well-known for,” he said. “It has taken years to figure out just the right formula for superior achievement, as the school was established in 1998 as an experimental high school.” The purpose for creating West Shore was to improve the academic standing of students in Brevard County by constructing an environment strictly focused on academic excellence without all of the extracurricular distractions present at other high schools in the district. Although, the school has dramatically expanded the number of extracurricular activities offered when it opened, Fleming said its focus has remained on academic achievement and it has facilitated exceptional individual academic achievement among its students. The ever-expanding accolades have further motivated students, according to Youhana. “Being recognized for something always makes you want to work harder, even if it’s not an individual accomplishment,” she said. So what makes West Shore different? When compared to comprehensive public high schools, it more academically centered and the parents are extremely
involved in their students’ academic careers. Even though sports and the arts are well respected and encouraged, academic achievement is the primary focus. While other schools focus on football teams and other extracurricular activities, West Shore emphasizes college readiness in an environment that cultivates a college centered mentality in its students. Seventh-graders are required to do an I-Search Project on any topic that is of interest to them. The project serves as a simulation of the Senior Project they will complete five years later, giving the middle-schoolers an idea of what they can expect when they become seniors. Another way the school prepares its students for college while further propelling its magazine rankings is through the College Board’s Advanced Placement Capstone Program. West Shore introduced this two-year research program last year to expand students’ research skills. Senior Jordan Stowers, a second-year Capstone student said the program will give her an edge in college. “The amount of research you have to do, I feel, really correlates with the amount of research you’ll have to do in college,”she said. Griffin said Capstone allows students to develop the writing and research skills that will be essential to their success in college. Colleges throughout the country are beginning to recognize the program as beneficial to their students, and taking it in high school often gives potential students an edge over other applicants. In addition, she said being one of the few schools in the county that offers AP Capstone gives West Shore and its students additional academic prestige and security in their academic futures. “I think capstone is a very beneficial course to take because I have only been it for three months now,” Junior Jenna Bratman said. “And have already learned vital skills in writing and research, that I know will not only help me later in life, but has helped propel west shore to a top school.”
Brittany Bailer 1)
2)
Photo:Danielle Ferretti
Photo: Sterling Anderson
1) In order to complete his 3D art project, senior Allan Joyner places his sculpture in a kiln, guided by art teacher Matthew Henderson. 2) Dressed in her aloha day outfit, junior Melinda Silaghi conducts a chemistry experiment with junior Alyssa Schafer.
OCTOBER 2015 9
OPINION
Inbox Letters to the Editor
Shirt-Wrecked
A West Shore Salute
So, I walk into the gym for my daily workout and I see this idiot guy with the armpits of his shirt cut all the way down to his waist. I mean, it doesn’t bother me if he doesn’t want to wear a shirt, but it was obvious he used scissors to cut the holes in it. There are children in Africa with no shirts at all and he is just walking around with this useless piece of cloth on his chest. If you’re going to attempt to wear some kind of shirt, stick with a muscle tee. What’s the point if it covers nothing? It won’t do any good for absorbing sweat, and the idiot complains if there’s a breeze or when it gets too cold in the gym. Hmmm, I wonder why. You demolished your shirt. -Victoria Hahn, Grade 9
With college application season in full swing, I would like to wish all of my fellow seniors the best. Considering that we still go to West Shore, I know that we have all worked hard to get to where we are now; therefore, we would be assets to just about any college in the country. We have gone through a lot. West Shore has been a great experience for me. It has been a pleasure to attend school with you all; let’s make the last few months great. Thank you and good luck. -Michael Thomas, Grade 12
Image focused
Boy’s photo sparks controversy A picture is worth a thousand words, and in the case of the photos of the dead 3-year-old Syrian refugee Alyan Kurdi, it may be worth even more. Since the photo was published in September, an enormous response from the world’s population has exploded. Whether it be from the retweeting of the picture or its display alongside mainstream media stories, the controversial image is moving millions. With this enormous response, an important question has been posed: Should the media publish these pictures because of their moral
10 OCTOBER 2015
obligations and the consequences they may start? The answer is a resounding yes. Though the pictures can be seen as a way for the media to make money, the photos need to be published because the people have a right to know what is going on. Photos can produce an emotional response that will in turn help these people, and can help spark an honest and much-needed discussion. By giving the Syrian refugee crisis a face and a name, it becomes easier for people to react to it because they begin to understand just how bad the effects of this crisis are. It is the job of the media to inform the public and then let them make their own decisions. Before this picture, not many knew, nor cared, about the Syrian refugee crisis. With the publication of this photo came rising support for those fleeing Syria and its terrible conditions. With the information the media has provided, the people have deemed this topic important enough to speak out against. Thus, the media has a right to publish these photos to inform the public. People look at the picture and care about this little kid, but the media also has an obligation to connect the photo with a larger story, not just the story of Alyan’s family, but also the story of the the Syrian civil war and all those fleeing from it. People will then connect the story of the boy with the Syrian crisis and begin to speak out if they feel it is necessary. However, the social media universe can quickly take something as tragic as Alyan’s story and subtly turn it around to make a different message. People use this photo to boost their own image on social media, making the photo about themselves. If people are not careful, their emotional responses on social media may hinder honest discussion of the actual crisis. It is not only right for the media to publish these photos of Aylan Kurdi, but necessary.
Helen McSorley
EDITORIAL
Hannah Brusca
Seek root causes for increase in shootings
Control issues
The nation has recently mourned as it lost nine Americans to yet another senseless mass shooting at the Umpqua Community College near Roseburg, OR. Since 2001, more than 11,000 people have died in gun-related incidents per year, and in President Obama’s second term alone, there have been 45 shootings at schools, most prominently Sandy Hook Elementary. Just last year, a man was shot on the Eastern Florida State College Palm Bay campus after a fight broke out between the shooter and two other men, and in February, we were shocked when a man shot his wife and the owner of Scotto’s Pizza in the Melbourne Square Mall. We keep promising to do something about gun violence every time we hear of another shooting on TV, but we forget, and we move on. In the words of President Obama: “Somehow this has become routine.” We need to talk about mental health. The depraved individuals who committed the atrocities at UCC, at the Emmanuel African Church and at the Chattanooga military base were revealed to have histories of delusions, mental disorders and substance abuse. When paired with a ready access to guns, something was bound to happen. Gun control
alone cannot be our only solution-criminals will still find ways to purchase firearms-but we need to make a serious effort to treat individuals with mental disorders and ensure that they do not fall into the isolation and misery that served as a precursor to these shootings. In addition, the media cannot give these monsters the attention they crave. The UCC shooter had a flash drive filled with his analysis of the 2014 Isla Vista shooting, suggesting he was inspired by previous acts of violence. Every time the media reports murderers’ names and broadcasts their trial on network television, these savages receive the martyrdom they desperately wanted, and they encourage others to do the same. The United States has 89 guns for every 100 people. We have more retail gun stores than Subway, McDonald’s and Starbucks combined. Guns are everywhere, and in Florida, mental illness will not show up on a background check unless a person has been “adjudicated mentally defective” by a judge. As long as our commitment to solving the mental health crisis and introducing gun reform remains non-existent, we are only waiting for the next Sandy Hook to happen. When are we going to say enough is enough?
OCTOBER 2015 11
OPINION
A Little Respect Sergio Carlos
“There is a false narrative that the LGBT community is hostile to religion...”
Brown v. Board of Education. Roe v. Wade. And now Obergfell v. Hodges. The landmark 5-4 decision that legalized same-sex marriage this summer will go down in the history books as a triumph of civil rights comparable to the end of segregation. It is a testament to how far we have come as a nation to see that in 2015, in what appears to be the most reactionary Republican presidential field in recent memory, major candidates including John Kasich and Jeb Bush responded to the Obergfell decision by clamoring for “respect and tolerance” for those on both sides on the marriage divide. Now, the new frontier in LGBT rights is being fought in the form of religious freedom. When Kim Davis, a Kentucky county clerk refused to offer marriage licenses to gay couples, claiming that doing so would violate her deeply-held religious beliefs, conservatives were in uproar. Mike Huckabee, the Republican presidential candidate who organized a rally in support of Davis, warned Christians around the nation that “five unelected judges” on the Supreme Court were slowly taking away their religious liberties. It is a an irrational claim, but just two weeks ago, our Florida legislature began deliberating on the “Pastor Protection Act,” which would ensure that clergy would not be forced to officiate a gay wedding. There is a false narrative that the LGBT community is hostile to religion, and that deception is being peddled by the proliferation of similar “religious freedom” bills proposed in several conservative states. Hysterics aside, I sympathize with the scores of Christian bakers and wedding planners who have faced lawsuits when they have refused to violate their conscience. The free exercise of religion is a founding principle of this nation enshrined in the Constitution, and we should hesitate before infringing on that sacred right. But just 60 years ago, in the Jim Crow South, perversions of the Christian religion were used to justify discrimination against African-Americans. It took federal legislation to protect this minority group, and that same non-discrimination protection Photo: Sergio Carlos should extend to members of the LGBT community. Parade-goers rally with government But perhaps the most effective solution to this issue of religious liberty and LGBT flags as they march in Space and LGBT rights should be to use common sense. The law must protect gay couples Coast Pride’s first ever Gay Pride Parade in the Eau Gallie Art District on from discrimination, but those couples should do their utmost to not force a Christian Sept. 26. entrepreneur to violate their conscience. There are other bakeries and other florists that will be more than willing to serve a gay couple, so why try to prove a point by making a strict Christian business participate in a wedding that violates their deeplyheld beliefs? The times may be a-changin’, but invariably, some will be left behind. It is the duty of those on both sides to give a little respect.
12 OCTOBER 2015
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ENTERTAINMENT
Terror Trail
Trail of Terror actors get ready to scare. Photo: Brevard Zoo
Photo: Brevard Zoo
1
2 Photo: Brevard Zoo
3 Photo: Brevard Zoo
1) A Zombie ,gets into character. 2) A character on the trail adds to the spooky atmosphere with eerie lighting. 3) A “Trail of Terror” actor strikes a pose.
It’s not your average walk in the park
Watch out Universal, the Brevard Zoo has created some competition for your annual Halloween Horror Nights. In an effort to attract a crowd that might have outgrown its “Boo at the Zoo,” the Brevard attraction has created “Trail of Terror” with the help of Encore Creations, an event planning and production company. Separate from the zoo itself, “Trail of Terror” will be open to the public through Oct. 31. “Its really scary, and it’s that time of year where teens like to be scared and when they want to immerse yourself into something that is out of the ordinary,” communications manager Elliot Zirulnik said. “It’s an attraction unlike anything ever seen before in Brevard County. It’s a great story and has great special effects.” Junior Erin Ryan attended “Trail of Terror” expecting a lackluster haunted trail. “I didn’t really expect it to be that scary because it was at the zoo, but it was terrifying,” Ryan said. “The whole theme was a cannibal family and there was people catching you off guard and jumping out at you. I just wasn’t mentally prepared.” Organizers hope to attract 16- to 25-yearolds. “Trail of Terror” is about the Woods family. The Woods are a local Brevard County family,” Zirulnik said “They have a farm and livestock. They’re really known
for their quality meat, so once a year they have a harvest festival and they invite people to sample their [product]. The story is that we are inviting guest to the Woods’ family ranch. It’s really quite scary. There’s nothing like being in true wild Florida at night.” The main scare-factor on the trail involves actors who jump out at participants. “It’s not for little kids like everyone thought,” Ryan said. “The most scary-crazy spot is when you’re walking through this hallway and you think someone is going to jump out and scare you but nobody shows up and that was the scariest part because you think someone is coming, but nobody is and you get out and you think everything is OK and then a bunch of people jump out and get in your in face.” Tickets to “Trail of Terror” cost $20 and are separate from Brevard Zoo’s general admission. “It is our first year doing “Trail of Terror” in its current incarnation. In past years we have been doing a haunted trail as part of Boo at the Zoo, which is a familyfriendly event, so it really was a way to have a family-oriented trail,” Zirulnik said. “But this year, “Trail of Terror” is new and it’s our first year marketing it to adults.”
Jonah Hinebaugh, Daphna Krause
OCTOBER 2015 15
ENTERTAINMENT
Reviews Film “Sicario” Rating:4 Paws
Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro star in what is easily the best movie of the year.
Music “1989” by Ryan Adams Rating: 4 Paws
Interesting twist on the popular Taylor Swift album by the same name .
Television Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Rating: 5 Paws
A Netflix original comedy that is fun loving, fresh, and one of the entertaining TV shows to date.
Tech
Microsoft HoloLens Rating: 5 Paws
The Microsoft HoloLens could be the coolest virtual reality headset you have ever heard of.
In one of the few bright spots of an otherwise dull year in movies, Denis Villeneuve’s “Sicario,” starring Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin, is a crime thriller that might even be worthy of a dark-horse Academy Award nomination. It’s a little tough to watch — its opening scene alone justifies its R-rating — but FBI agent
Kate Mercer (Blunt) is fantastic as the female lead, and her partner Alejandro (del Toro), a mysterious and unscrupulous mercenary, is hauntingly convincing as he exacts his revenge on a top Mexican cartel leader. “Sicario,” while not for the faint-of-heart, is an excellent film with stunning cinematography. Go out and watch it. Sergio Carlos
Remove the radio-ready gloss of Taylor Swift’s popular album “1989” and you get what Ryan Adams has made. All the songs every teenage girl loves have been transformed into soft, wistful tracks that refashion the album into a soulful rendition of what was. What Ryan does different is that he has a pessimistic outlook, whereas every unfortunate choice
a song focuses on is irrevocable and Adam’s is responding accordingly, this is compared to Swift’s upbeat optimistic view. Adams has successfully twisted a radio paragon into an ardent album about bad breakups, irresistibly bad decisions and romantic regrets. Recommended for those melancholy nights where you need something to relate too.
Jonah Hinebaugh “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, is absolutely amazing, I binge watched it on Netflix one day. The different humour and outlandish ideas that are thrown at you from the second the show starts only makes the show more likeable and successful. “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” is different from the rest of the prime time comedies in the fact that yes, it makes fun
of all the idiotic things that go on in our world, but it also has no problem playing around with cheesiness or the uncanny eccentricity that Fey and Carlock utilize to their best abilities. They play around with the idea of “If you don’t like it, then don’t watch it” and this ideal has only made their viewer count expand even more.
Microsoft has joined the virtual reality game with HoloLens, a headset that emphasizes augmented reality, incorporating the users’ actual environment into the experience. Tailored for those who like to create or repair things, HoloLens allows its users to view threedimensional holograms on their tabletop. And with its planned Skype integration, HoloLens could enable users to solicit
assistance from anyone online to see possible solutions to problems. While HoloLens is not yet available for purchase, it should be released early next year, likely with a price tag that will keep it out of the hands of most. But if it takes off like Microsoft hopes, we might have a revolution on our hands.
16 OCTOBER 2015
Gabby McKessey
Mamoon Syed
Indialantic Tutoring
Private 1-to-1 tutoring
Kyle Creedon Director
321-536-3686 Indiatutor | @aol.com Helping West Shore stay #1
ENTERTAINMENT 1) Snapping a picture of the Richard Rogers Theatre, junior Lauren McMillan passes the “Hamilton the Musical” marquee. 2) After waiting outside the theatre for two hours, senior Ana Rosal Ro diandit inctus, totatur aut gets her playbill signed by the cast. 3) officimus a doloreri ut ut et After curtain call, cast members of the ilicilis mi, il illam eaquam ea ad que odigeni molorru pta-musical met fans at the stage door where eper ibeatiis ulparci debitiusenior Ana Rosal took a quick selfie with the show’s creator and frontman LinPhoto: Ana Rosal Manuel Miranda. 2
3
Photo: Ana Rosal
Photo: Lauren McMillan
1
Revolutionary ‘Hamilton’ dominates stage
Capturing the life of Alexander Hamilton through his rise in politics to his fall by Aaron Burr, “Hamilton the Musical” opened at the Richard Rogers theatre. What makes this musical popular is the music that drives it, Hip-hop and R&B, which has become to many people a way to remark or lament their lack of privilege making it a perfect genre to tell a story about the poor immigrant founding father. It has also taken over radio waves as the norm, making it no surprise the show had more than $1 million in ticket sales before it even opened on Broadway and was sold out for months. According to The New York Times, Hamilton opened with the highest box office numbers only behind “The Lion King” “I’m not a big fan of ‘The Lion King’, but I did listen to Hamilton and Lin-manuel Miranda is a very creative guy,” junior Kayelee Embry said. “I think he did a really good job of turning a boring, historical person into something exciting and intriguing for young adults.” Miranda is able to make a story about one of the founding
18 OCTOBER 2015
fathers interesting by changing the dynamic of events. Instead of debates about how to run the country, Miranda uses rap battles that are judged by the acclamation of the other cabinet members of the time. In contrast, the actor playing King George uses British pop and a more reserved, conventional style. Miranda uses this to diverge the two opposing ideologies, both socially and politically. Like the young nation and Alexander Hamilton, rap music is raw and rough around the edges, it isn’t smoothed over like King George and the nobles of Britain. This successfully shows the division of the two parties. “[King George] has a lot more of a typical, sort of classical theatrical style sound. His music is full of piano and chords and that could represent how Britain is this classical, proper place as opposed to America’s hip-hop sound,” freshman Evan Courtney said. Hamilton proves to sweep not only Broadway, but the world with this captivating musical about loving, losing and not throwing away your shot.
Jonah Hinebaugh
ENTERTAINMENT Readers weigh in on popular artists, shows, movies.
LOVE/HATE
Love it! “His songs are fun and easy to listen to. I like how I can listen to them while doing homework and Isabella studying.” Serrano, 9
Hate it!
What is it? Canadian R&B/Soul artist whose song “The Hills” currently occupies the No. 2 song on iTunes Charts. His radio hit “Can’t Feel Music My Face” occupies the “The Weekend” No. 3 spot on iTunes.
“I love how you never know what’s going to happen next. The show’s very unpredictable and Haley full of suspense. Radliff, 12 “It was a really cool concept. The main actor is very witty and clever which made the movie all that Noah more enjoyable.” Majeed, 12
TV Show “Walking Dead”
AMC’s long-running hit show that tells the stories of an apocalyptic world full of zombies. Survivors struggle to stay alive and keep their morals. Its new season airs in October.
Marvel’s newest superhero movie starring Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas about an everyday guy who can Movie shrink to the size of the “Ant Man” ants he controls.
Congratulations on making West Shore the #1 ranked high school in Florida!
Julia Kuehnast
Riley Afflerback, 7
Lena Hatter, 8
Clara Castor, 11
“I don’t listen to any of his music. I prefer listening to rock. I haven’t really listened to any of his songs.” “The show is way too gory for me, and there’s just too much blood to enjoy the show. “I wanted to see it and I like super hero movies but it didn’t look good enough to make time to see it.”
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SPORTS
The middleschool boys’ basketball team huddles up to discuss strategy during the Sept. 21 Cocoa game.
Let’s Call It Even Middle-schoolers finish seasons at .500 The middle school basketball season ended with both boys’ and girls’ teams finishing at 4-4 and placing third in their respective divisions. One of the highlights of the boys’ team was its final game at rival Edgewood on Sept. 28. The game was broadcast by Friday Night Locker Room. “I was surprised they picked our game with Edgewood,” Coach Tony Riopelle said. “I’ve never heard of a middle school game being broadcast before.” The Wildcats took advantage of the big stage, defeating the Indians by six and avenging a one-point loss on Sept. 17. “The whole team pitched in and we got the victory. We played really well,” eighth-grader Dwight Bygrave said. The girls’ team saw similar results throughout the season. According to Coach Derrick Hamilton, the defining moment
Photo: Dean Stewart
for the girls was in their penultimate game against Cocoa Jr./Sr. High School when they fell behind in the half, but rallied back to tie the game in the second. “The girls were down big at the half but they fought back,” Hamilton said. “Usually when the girls get down, it just goes south from there, but they showed a lot of determination and tied the game. We had a chance to win.” Hamilton said the girls’ team looks promising for next season because he expects most players to return. “I am looking forward to next year because of the seventhgrade girls who played this year,” he said. “We had a lot of girls who had never played basketball before and they showed a lot of improvement.”
Matthew Jones
Brevard It’s 90% physical. The other half is Mental.
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SPORTS
Step Up
Spiking a ball over the net, senior and member of SALT Kaley Schaefer warms up before a game against Holy Trinity.
SALT shifts focus to leadership Photo: Dean Stewart
Going straight into reboot mode, the Student Athletic Leadership Team hopes to create a stronger relationship among the various sports teams. Club sponsor and school Athletic Director Tony Riopelle said he hopes to foster better attitudes among athletes. “Our main goal is to further our athletic program and create well-rounded leaders within each sport,” Riopelle said. “Our lack of leadership within each sport is hurting us because I believe that we have the talent necessary to win games. It’s just the lack of real and capable leaders.” The creation of the club stems from the county-wide formation of a Student Leadership Summit that took place last February. The summit incorporated every public high school in Brevard County. From each school, four student athletes were nominated by a teacher or coach and then picked individually by the athletic director after submitting a short essay explaining why he or she should be chosen. The result was a pool of 64
students that traveled to Florida Institute of Technology to hear guest speakers and then venture to a ropes course where they participated in challenges while being grouped with students from other schools. Juniors Juan Rodriguez and Luisa De La Hoz, along with seniors John Hogan and Kaley Schaefer, represented West Shore. “I’m excited for this school year,” Riopelle said. “I really think that this club is going to be beneficial to our athletic department. I even plan to have the students who attended the summit to lead our next meeting.” Club members are hopeful that this will bring a newfound sense of school spirit. “It’s a great opportunity to really get involved with all of our athletic programs,” junior Sam Leighton said. “I hope that we can be able to coordinate different events that we could attend as a team, like getting the whole soccer team to go to a home volleyball game.”
Luisa De La Hoz
SPORTS
Giao Power
Sophomore leads team to regionals
Three hundred fifty kills. Six hundred fifty one assists. Through the first 19 games this volleyball season, sophomore Giao Huynh and junior Luisa De La Hoz have left their teammates and fans in awe. Huynh is ranked number one in kills for all sophomores in the state of Florida and De La Hoz is ranked number eight in assists for all juniors in the state of Florida. “I’m able to get so many assists because our defense is so disciplined and they are able to give me a lot of good opportunities to put up a good set to help out my hitters put the ball down.” De La Hoz said. Huynh has 350 of the teams 717 kills and De La Hoz has 651 of the teams 749 assists leading the team to the district championship game where they fell to Holy Trinity in four sets on Oct. 22. “The majority [of the kills] are definitely to Giao because she is the most consistent, accurate and well rounded hitter.” De La Hoz said. “I can always rely on her to put the ball away. Again I’m able to get so many opportunities because of the players in the back row giving me such good passes. The reason I have so many more assists [than my teammates] is because the rotation we run I’m the only setter on the court so the passes are coming to me and I’m able to set up a play.” The Lady Wildcats won in straight sets against Brevard Heat on our Senior Night. They have yet to lose a regular season game, but they did fall to MCC, Newsome High School, and Lakeland High School during a tournament in Orlando the weekend of Sep. 11-12. A big part of that success is due to the chemistry between De La Hoz, Huynh and the team as a whole. “I love everyone.” Huynh said. “We are all happy for each other when we get points. I think we are all very supportive of each other and want the best for each other. The team chemistry is really good. With me and Kaley, it’s really fun having us on the front row. We’re all trying to have fun on the court while
22 OCTOBER 2015
Photo: Dean Stewart Photography
Giao Huynh leaps up to spike the ball over the net for the kill.
we’re playing, and that really helps. It’s a great relationship between a hitter and a setter. You always want to talk to them and you always want to give them 50\50. Sometimes I have to adjust and sometimes the setter has to adjust, and we do that really well. We’re not afraid to talk to each other.” De La Hoz weighed in on the chemistry between her and Hunyh and the rest of her teammates. “Giao and I work really well together, she’s really communicative and is able to tell me exactly where she prefers the ball to be set and she’s not afraid to give me any sort of constructive criticism like some of the other girls are.” De La Hoz said. “Our team in general meshes really well and we get along really well. There’s no drama and we are basically one big family.” Senior Gracie Parish acknowledges how well Huynh and De La Hoz have been playing and the success of their team overall. “Both of them have an enormous amount of skill individually, they are probably the most experienced volleyball players on the team, but in order for them to have the crazy stats that they have, they need chemistry with one another on the court.” Parish said. “They know exactly how to adjust to each other’s strengths and weaknesses during a game in order to score the most points. But it’s not just them, our defense makes it possible with great passes. The whole team contributes to their stats, but Luisa and Giao are just amazing players.” Even though Huynh is already looking ahead to her future. “I’m trying to [play in college].” Huynh said. “I play for a club team and I’m really trying to get into colleges. I do not have any offers yet but I have some letters saying that they’ve noticed me.” The Lady ‘Cats play Lake Placid High School on Oct. 28 in the regional quarterfinal.
David Thompson, Ben Lack
THE ROAR LIST
No. 1 Picks from the No. 1 School
Ana Rosal
1. Disney Movies #1: The Lion King, #2: The Little Mermaid, #3: Inside Out, #4: Aladdin, #5: Beauty and the Beast
2. Tex-Mex Restaurants #1: Chipotle, #2: Moe’s, #3: Da Kine Diego’s, #4 Tijuana Flats, #5: Taco City
3. Beaches #1: Paradise Beach, #2: Ocean Ave., #3: Pelican Beach Park, #4: Boardwalk, #5: Canova Beach Park
4. Netflix Series #1: Orange is the New Black, #2: Daredevil, #3: House of Cards, #4: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, #5: Bojack Horseman
5. Athletes
#1: John Cena, #2: Cristiano Ronaldo, #3: Lebron James, #4: Serena Williams, #5: Tom Brady
Students voted Chipotle for the top Tex-Mex resturant in a survey conducted among several midde school and high school homeroom classes. Photo: Ana Rosal
11. Fall TV Shows
#1: Fear the Walking Dead, #2: Criminal Minds, #3: Grey’s Anatomy, #4: American Horror Story, #5: The Vampire Diaries
6. Local Restaurants
12. Summer Movies
#1: The Burger Place, #2: Backwater, #3: The Sun Shoppe, #4: Island Pasta Co., #5: The 905 Café
#1: Straight Outta Compton, #2: Ant-Man, #3: Paper Towns, #4: Minions, #5: Southpaw
7. Clothing Stores
13. Musicals
#1: Hollister, #2: H&M, #3: Tilly’s, #4: Pac-Sun, #5: Forever 21
#1: The Lion King, #2: Wicked, #3: Les Misérables, #4: Phantom of the Opera, #5: Hamilton the Musical
8. Books
14. Coffeehouses
#1: “The Outsiders,” #2: “The Great Gatsby,” #3: “Lord of the Flies,” #4: “Julius Caesar,” #5: “Things Fall Apart”
#1: Starbucks, #2: Dunkin’ Donuts, #3: Krispy Kreme, #4: Panera Bread, #5: Indian River Coffeehouse
9. Fast Food
15. Rappers
#1: Chick-Fil-A, #2: McDonalds, #3: Wendy’s, #4: Sonic, #5: Burger King
#1: Drake, #2: Kanye West, #3: Kendrick Lamar, #4: Jay-Z, #5: J. Cole
10. Social Apps
#1: Instagram, #2: Snapchat, #3: Twitter, #4: Vine, #5: Phhhoto
16. Pop Stars #1: Beyoncé, #2: Taylor Swift, #3: Ariana Grande, #4: Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato
OCTOBER 2015 23
Congratulations to the cast of “Mary Poppins.”