November 2014

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NOVEMBER 2014 ROAR VOL. 17 NO. 2

OPINION

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YOUR TURN

,WRITE TO US

INBOX Cafeteria food deserves coverage I have been reading The Roar since the seventh-grade and I have always enjoyed them. There have been many topics that I have enjoyed reading over the years. There are some topics that I’d love for The Roar to cover because I think it is something that is very important to not only us but the rest of the Wildcat Nation. It would be great if you guys ran a article about school lunches. Over the years I have seen how much has been done to our food at school to make it “healthy,� but with all honesty the lunch at school isn’t any better than McDonald’s. You should get the inside story on why the Brevard County Schools can’t get a better food system. For me eating healthy is the most important thing when you’re a student. I bring a lunch box to school every day, but I occasionally buy lunch, I am just mortified by what is prepared and how it is prepared. I am also a little concerned on how clean the kitchen is as well. So this is just a small idea for The Roar and the editors. I think it would be great to let the students and staff know what, when, where, why and how the school lunches are getting away with everything. But I hope you enjoyed my opinion and will take the recommendation into consideration.

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6RXSҋV RQ ,Q %UHYDUG VFKRROV DERXW EUHDNIDVWV DQG OXQFKHV DUH VHUYHG HDFK GD\ Senior year exciting, stressful I never thought something could be so exciting and scary at the same time. On one side, the final year brings so much relief: six years of West Shore and I’m finally at the end of high school. On the flip side, the weight of college applications, maintaining a good GPA and completing the Senior Project is so stressful, it’s almost unbearable. How will we manage? I guess we’d better stick together, because we’re all going to need help getting through, and enjoying, this year. I want to move on and be independent as quick as I can. I want to move on from my small hometown to a bigger and better campus, but the idea of leaving my family and friends and my home is daunting. I hope I’m ready.

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POLLS Bob Sarver’s AP Government class conducted a random survey last week asking teachers and administrators “Who represents you in the U.S. House.� After the survey, the class discussed variables including age, gender and the implication that teachers at a prestigious school should be better informed than the general population. For the record, 67 teachers participated and 37 (55 percent) responded correctly — Bill Posey. One teacher refused to comment and one responded with “don’t care.�

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Who is your U.S. Representative?

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OUR TURN

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STAFF EDITORIAL

Two personalities, one school board seat On Aug. 24, voters in Brevard County School Board District Five went to the polls to elect a representative for Brevard County’s School Board. Between Dale Davis, Dean Paterakis, Denise Coyle and incumbent Andy Ziegler, no candidate received a majority, leaving the two with the most votes, Coyle and Ziegler, to face each other in a runoff. While Coyle and Ziegler share conservative values, they differ in their approach to governing. Coyle is an idealist; Ziegler, a realist. Coyle clearly has a passion for helping children, and works as a volunteer child advocate for the 18th Judicial Circuit’s Guardian Ad Litem program. When she talked to The Roar in September, her stories of working with disadvantaged children nearly brought tears to her eyes. She doesn’t leave any issue untouched by her intensity: Her approach to Common Core is not a practical, fiscal approach, but rather one that maintains that it hurts Brevard County children. With Ziegler, you get the exact opposite. He’s an account manager for a technology company, and his approach to the

school board over the past six years has been practical. His experience as a businessman has helped him generate revenue for the county. At the same time, however, the excitement is missing. We asked both Ziegler and Coyle who they would choose for governor, and both said Rick Scott, but for two different reasons. Ziegler gave a practical political opinion: when it comes to lobbying for Brevard County, a Republican, like other Brevard County representatives, would make the political process more cooperative and efficient. Coyle? Her response was that she didn’t want a flip-flopper because, in her words, “I’m Denise 24/7.” There are merits to both candidates, and there are downsides. Coyle may be exciting, but she’s a newcomer, and experience may be what Brevard County needs in order to get education back on track. Ziegler’s boring realism is generating revenue, but he’s the incumbent who was in office as Brevard County went into debt and violated the Class Size Amendment. Ultimately, either would be a good decision, but it all depends on what you like in your politicians and how you want them to act. ,

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OPINION

1RYHPEHU

Fanning the flames

6FRWW VKDG\ &ULVW WKH EHWWHU FKRLFH IRU )ORULGD %\ (YHOLR 6RWRORQJR A fan. Of all the things to bring down the incumbent governor of the state of Florida, it was a small electric fan. Dubbed “fangate� by many of the media’s more humorous commentators, in the second of three gubernatorial debates, Gov. Rick Scott faced heat, pun intended, after he refused to come on stage because Charlie Crist had decided to place a small electric fan under his podium. After several minutes, Scott submitted to Crist’s formidable fan and reluctantly came on stage to begin the debate. Crist had previously agreed to rules which prohibited the use of electronics, but it’s Scott who came out looking like a politician obsessed with pettiness rather than the pressing issues facing Florida. It turns out that Gov. Scott has a long history of avoiding the important matters when push comes to shove. Before he began his career as a politician, Scott was the Chief Executive Officer of Columbia/ Hospital Corporation of America (Columbia/ HCA), currently the largest for-profit operator of healthcare facilities 5RXQG 7ZR *RY 5LFN 6FRWW DQG IRUPHU *RY in the world. In 1997, the corporation came &KDUOLH &ULVW SDUWLFLSDWHG LQ WKH VHFRQG RI WKUHH under criminal charges for fraudulently GHEDWHV RQ 2FW overcharging Medicare and using the profits to offer kickbacks to its highbusinessman should disqualify him from ranking employees. occupying any public office, let alone the After five years of investigations, the case governorship. His current term as governor was settled at an estimated cost of $2 billion offers no redemption for his character, as to the corporation, making it the largest fraud Scott has introduced a variety of ineffective, settlement in U.S. history. Despite being the and largely unethical, bills into Florida law. man in charge, Scott was never convicted of One such bill involved mandated drug a crime. In fact, he was personally issued a screenings for any individual seeking settlement of nearly $10 million, and 10 million government aid. This bill is not only shares of stock amounting to approximately unethical, as it presumes that all welfare $350 million in worth. Yet, in a deposition. recipients have drug addictions, but it Scott pleaded the Fifth 75 times in order to also creates a monetary liability for the avoid speaking. And while that is certainly government, as the state would be forced to no grounds for incrimination, it does illicit reimburse the cost of the drug test to any speculation over the morality of a politician individual who passes. who is supposed to exhibit full disclosure to In 2011, despite all of the problems the public. With a history like this, why should associated with this legislation, Scott signed Floridians be surprised to see Scott avoiding the bill into law. However, while Scott hoped tough questions? Furthermore, why should this bill would help reduce Florida’s deficit Floridians endorse a governor who obviously by cutting down on welfare handouts, only has no qualms about avoiding the truth? 2.6 percent of applicants failed the drug Scott’s past as a cutthroat, corrupt screening. This meant that the state was

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forced to reimburse all applicants who did pass the test in a cumulative payment that amounted to approximately $45,000. And despite Scott’s administration spending nearly $400,000 on appeal efforts, the bill was ruled unconstitutional by the Florida Supreme Court in 2014. It would appear that Scott’s disdain for Florida’s poor is not only deplorable, but extremely expensive. But Scott is no stranger to wasting taxpayer dollars. In Feb., 2011, Scott rejected a federal grant of $2.4 billion which would’ve created a statewide high speed rail transportation system at no cost to Floridians. Yet, only five months later, Scott approved the $1.28 billion SunRail project, a venture which would take close to $500 million directly from the pockets of Florida taxpayers. Not only is Scott putting this burden on the shoulders of ordinary Floridians, but he is forcing us to pay for a service most of us may never have access to as SunRail extends only 61 miles within the Orlando area. How can Scott claim to be “conservative,� much less a competent governor, when he is engaging in such wasteful spending? Scott’s rap sheet is virtually endless: from his ill-advised plan to privatize prisons, to his cutting $1.4 billion from Florida schools. In fact, Scott’s current governorship might as well be gift wrapped and sent to Crist’s campaign office as an early Christmas present. But what does Scott have to say about his opponent? Evidently not much, as Scott’s campaign continues to harp on the fact that Crist is an inconsistent “flip-flopper.� And while it’s true that Crist has shifted from Republican, to Independent and finally to Democrat, Crist acknowledges his shifting ideology, and even wrote a book about it, in which he explains that he left the Republican party as a result of its shifts to extremely conservative ideals. But in a nation where politicians are criticized for being too staunchly left or right or too radical in their views, shouldn’t the American people find it refreshing for a candidate’s viewpoints to evolve? It’s quite evident that Florida is in need of a change and the time has come for Scott to vacate the governor’s mansion. Because while Crist may not be a perfect candidate, he is certainly more worthy of the governorship than a man who blames his inability to answer questions on the presence of a fan. ,

1RYHPEHU

OPINION

Cat Fight

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Following the legalization of medical marijuana in Washington and Colorado, a vote this November could legalize medical marijuana in Florida. Charlie Crist supports the amendment, Gov. Rick Scott opposes it.

Not everybody follows the same religion as other people do, so it’s not fair for them to not be allowed to be married because of someone else’s beliefs, especially because there’s a separation of church and state.

I know that there are a lot of severe cases of people with depression or mental disorders like schizophrenia and I know some people where medical marijuana does help them lower down the symptoms of their mental illness. I think marijuana should be legal recreationally for people when they’re older. I think the legal age should be 21 like the drinking age.

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I support medical marijuana because I think that there could be a really great potential in cures in it, but I do think we need to do more research to find the long term effects of medical marijuana.

I think not everyone’s going to be able to pass some of the standards, and some have an advantage over others, considering mental abilities. The school is limited on how it can help people with their education, and sometimes teachers stick to one way of teaching things and not everybody may learn the best through that.

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Under the leadership of Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, same-sex marriage is illegal in Florida. Scott opposes legalizing same-sex marriage, while Crist supports it.

1DWLRQDO (GXFDWLRQ 6WDQGDUGV The implementation of Common Core has sparked a debate on national education standards. Crist supports Common Core, while Scott opted Florida out of national assessments in 2013.

I support same-sex marriage because I believe people should be able to pursue their own happiness and if that’s what they want to be happy, they should be allowed to do that.

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I think national education standards need to be raised because there are a lot of students who don’t really try and blow off school like it’s no big deal.

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1RYHPEHU

NEWS

Making sense

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By Katie Garwood and Molly Minta 6RXUFH &UHDWLYH &RPPRQV

It all started in 2005. Brevard Public Schools borrowed more than $600 million to improve facilities, and now the school board needs to find a way to pay it back. The board in 2012 introduced the half-cent sales tax referendum to cover costs for facilities, which would generate $35 million a year, close to the annual debt payment BPS has on its loan, which was $38 million in 2012. The tax failed to pass voters in 2012, and now in 2014, it’s back. ,

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Brevard Public Schools launches its seven-year facility improvement plan to build and upgrade facilities in schools. This project included the construction of West Shore’s auditorium. The district borrowed, in total, $643 million to pay for this plan and in 2012 owed $38.4 million in debt.

From the 2008-2009 school year to the 20092010 school year, Brevard Public Schools had a 41 percent increase in overall spending.

5

The Great Recession begins. From 2008 to 2010, Florida was among the states with the worst economic losses.

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Rick Scott (R) defeats Alex Sink (D), 48 percent to 47 percent, respectively. As Republicans often do, Scott won in Brevard County.

Capital revenue, which pays for facilities, is at $117 million. Associate District Superintendent Brenda Blackburn said “Nothing is sacred now,� in reference to thenSuperintendent Dr. Richard DiPatri’s 16 to 18 percent cuts to the budget.

The Class Size Amendment, which mandates 25 students to a classroom in grades 9-12, is enacted.

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NEWS 3KRWR &UHGLW .KD 'XRQJ

Rick Scott takes office as governor of Florida, with Jennifer Carroll as his lieutenant governor.

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Half-cent sales tax fails to pass: 48 percent vote “yes” to 51 percent vote “no.” The referendum was written with heavy legal jargon: “One-half cent sales surtax for facilities and technology; eliminate one-quarter mill property tax.”

Final space shuttle, Atlantis, launches from Kennedy Space Center.

Brevard Public Schools said they would name schools that could be closed if the tax doesn’t pass. Board member Michael Krupp said “If we’re going to cut programs, we name the programs. I don’t want anyone to come back and say ‘I didn’t know’.”

Capital revenue that was once at more than $100 million fell to just $43 million in 2012.

School board backs off naming specific schools for closure, but instead names clusters that include Gemini Elementary, Sea Park Elementary, Roosevelt Elementary, and Capeview Elementary, among others. Board member Andy Ziegler said he and the board had “change of heart.”

July 2014: Surfing champion Kelly Slater endorses the half-cent sales tax: ““I think it’s super important to have a surtax,” Slater said. “Please get the info about the surtax, I think it’s a really good thing.”

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Nov. 4, 2014: Halfcent sales tax is decided by Brevard County voters. The referendum is written for easier understanding by voters as “one-half cent sales surtax for critical school facilities renewal, school security and technology upgrades.”

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1RYHPEHU

NEWS

Too close to call

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By Katie Garwood election, said the additional testing, among other things, needs to be changed. “I want the next governor to end the war on drugs, reduce 0HQ ZKR ZRXOG EH JRYHUQRU ([ *RY standardized &KDUOLH &ULVW DQG FXUUHQW *RY 5LFN 6FRWW testing and VTXDUH RII 7XHVGD\ abolish the EOC,� Demuri said. “I also want him to create equal pay for work and put laws in place to treat sexual-assault cases more seriously, especially on college campuses and in the military.� Seventh-grader Kyle Townsend backs Scott. “I watched the debate with my parents and he sounded like he was better than Charlie Crist,� he said. But Davda disagrees. “I think Charlie Crist is the best candidate, only because there really needs to be a change,� Davda said. “ A new governor would do that for us. We just have to do our best, and make these politicians realize some things they are doing are wrong.� ,

Boaring lab

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The anatomy students recently learned how to suture on pigs’ feet They were taught by Dr. Ursula Olazabal, a West Shore parent. “It’s hands-on practice working with skin and it hopefully makes real that skin is our first line of defense and that the number one thing we have to do is patch it up: close it up so that so that bacteria doesn’t have easy access,� anatomy teacher Sherie Jenkins said. “The [students] are always respectful and appreciative because they know it’s a unique opportunity.� Senior Cheney Hess said the lab was a unique and beneficial experience. “I learned a lot about skin both from suturing and examining the incision I made,� Hess said. “It was very interesting to see how deep and tough all the different layers of skin really were. Normally when we think of skin, we just think of the epidermis and not of all the deeper layers of fat and connective tissue that are underneath it.� According to Jenkins, one of the main goals of the lab was to introduce students to the medical field. “The biggest goal is to have kids appreciate what goes in to becoming a doctor or nurse, the kind of education that they get, the

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kind of practice that’s required.â€? Jenkins said. “[Suturing] is about spacing, how deep to go in the wound, how shallow and the spacing of the stitches to make it look good and to make it hold right and you can’t do that without practice so doctors do spend hours suturing pillows to practice.â€? Hess agrees that the lab was helpful for prospective medical students. “It was a great experience for me because I am interested in the medical field so it was really cool to see someone suture,â€? Hess said. “Mrs. Jenkins really went above and beyond for this lab and I think it was a good experience for any student thinking of going into medicine.â€? Senior Nicole Topp agrees. “We learned how to suture, which is good because I want to be a surgical oncologist,â€? Topp said. “Knowing how to suture is going to be beneficial to me in the future so I really enjoyed this lab.â€? Jenkins said there will be more labs to look forward to in the future. “We’ll be looking at sheep’s brains, Dr. Olazabal is going to come in and show us a cat brain because I’ve never done that, cat hearts and then all the body systems in the cat,â€? she said. ,

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Just days before the Nov. 4 Election Day, most polls show the race for Florida’s governor could go either way, with 42 percent supporting the incumbent Gov. Rick Scott and 42 percent for past Gov. Charlie Crist. According to a recent Quinnipiac Poll, voters aren’t crazy about their choices, with Scott’s unfavorable rating at 48 percent and Crist’s at 47 percent. Crist, currently a Democrat, ran for Senate in 2010 as an independent after his one-term stint as a Republican governor, but lost to Republican Marco Rubio. Since his defeat, Crist has worked at Morgan & Morgan as an attorney. Scott, a Republican, rose to political power through law, but more significantly through business. He was the founder and CEO of Columbia Hospital Corporation from 1987 to 1997. Scott’s only experience in politics is his one term as governor. During his term, Scott brought numerous tests for students to take, including the Florida Standards Assessment, a Common Core- based test. In addition, end-of-course exams have been introduced for several subjects. Junior Nikita Davda said the increased testing is too much. “I think the tests and Common Core we are put through as students are especially bizarre, and I feel like we’re being treated like lab rats,� Davda said. “We don’t have any effective way of testing our knowledge and I feel there needs to be a change.� Senior Sophie Demuri, who is eligible to vote in the upcoming

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TESTING

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EXAM CRAM

Hang on for a whole new era of standardized testing A state legislator walks up to a group of students and says “I’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is you’ll never have to take another FCAT test. The bad news? It’s been replaced — with more than 100 end-of-course exams.” %\ $XWXPQ 6FKHHU

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1RYHPEHU

TESTING

EXAM CRAM

Hang on for a whole new era of standardized testing

It’s no joke. In the spring of 2011, Gov. Rick Scott signed Senate Bill 736 into law, requiring school districts to administer the end of course tests for every class offered, including electives.

While the state has developed the exams for core classes, districts will be in charge of creating the tests for all electives, which will be sent to the state to make sure they meet the standards. Teachers will not get the specific information for what will be on their tests until just weeks before they are given due to how long the process will take. This concerns Principal Rick Fleming. “It’s very difficult. That’s the very frustrating part because our school and our entire program here is grounded in traditions of being proactive, and we can’t be proactive because we just don’t know,” Fleming said. The District-EOCs will account for 20 percent of a student’s second semestergrade, while the State-EOCs will account for 30 percent of the final grade. This year, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test has been replaced by what is expected to be a more challenging and demanding set of tests called the Florida Standards Assessment. Based on standards similar to those found in Common Core, which Florida initially adopted before reversing course due to political pressure, the FSA tests are almost identical to the Common Core exams being administered to students across the United States. The amplified amount of assessments has kept testing coordinator Mike Drake busy. “In the spring, there will be a big shift from FCAT to the FSA, and that’s going to

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“This stems from what the Legislature has done with trying to tie teacher pay to the performance of their students.” — Mike Drake, testing coordinator include a seventh through eleventh-grade English/Language Arts test,” Drake said. “There will be seventh-grade math for FSA, but then the end of course exams will be for Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra 2.” According to Drake, every class — including electives — will have end of course exams this year. “There are two different sets of end of course exams,” he said. “There are what I call the state-sanctioned official ones, which are going to be Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Biology, U.S. History and then the seventhgrade civics. Those are all created by the company that the state has contracted and they’re going to be administered over the computer. The other courses are all going to have an end of course exam, but they’re going to be generated by the school district and they’ll be a traditional paper and pencil that you’ll take when you would take your final exam.” Included in Senate Bill 736 is a provision for teachers to be paid based on the performance of their students. “This all stems from what the Legislature has done with trying to tie teacher pay to the performance of their students,” Drake said. “That’s why they’re requiring all these end of course exams.” In past years, teacher performance

evaluations have been partially based on FCAT scores. Salaries for non core-class teachers depend on student test scores in FCAT reading and math. “What I understand is that they were taking [world language] students, and taking their reading scores to determine my salary as a French teacher,” Jennifer Walker said. “I think that is outrageous and very unfair, and honestly, I think it should be illegal. I think if you want to evaluate me as a French teacher, come look at my own students, look at their scores. I take them to the French competition every year and we blow them away at state. We come in first place in the state, but none of that is counted in any of my evaluation, and I think that’s very unfair.” Junior Fletcher Coard said the increased testing is a mistake. “I think that by the school district administering [tests] this to each individual class, they’re taking the focus off of the teachers,” he said. “Teachers are worried about trying to adhere to the standards that they’ve been provided. The testing took three days in my math class. There’s no data to support that what the district is doing is for the benefit of the students. It’s not right. I do not believe that what they’re doing is in the best interest of the students.” Next year District-EOCs will allow each class to be compared to schools across Brevard on the same course material. “That’s the purpose of having these District-EOC’s. We can then say we have a background of how Mr. Schledorn’s kids, [for example], did on that district assessment, we can compare that to other schools now because they’re all taking the same assessment,” said Lisa Kratz, assistant principal of curriculum. “So now the goal for next year is his pay can be based off of that District-EOC [score] rather than a reading score or a math.” This year also brings several tweaks to the

TESTING

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According to State Speaker of the House, Steve Crisafulli of Merritt Island, refusing to abide by the federal government’s requirement to give statewide standardized tests yearly isn’t really an option. “If we simply refuse these requirements, we would certainly lose billions of dollars for our schools,” he wrote. “Especially hard hit would be funding for high-poverty schools and students with disabilities.” Crisafulli defends the new testing mandates, saying they benefit students. “Florida law has required testing in every class in every grade since 1999,” he wrote in a guest column for Florida Today. “We did so because our education system was failing our kids and we needed to know why. Since then, our graduation rate has risen from 60.2 percent [including GEDs] to 75.6 percent [excluding GEDs].” The state requires students to take the six State-EOC exams prior to graduation. Crisafulli doesn’t see the increase in testing as a problem. “The fact of the matter is that life is a series of tests,” he wrote. “If you want a driver’s license, you need to pass a test. When you apply to college, you need to pass a test. If you want to become a doctor, lawyer, teacher, nurse, electrician, architect, plumber or engineer, you must pass a test.” In addition to state mandates, the district requires a few mock writing assessments for the FSA so administrators can get a visual on where students need to improve. Drake said he believes students are being over-tested. “This is my opinion, I’m not speaking for the school or the school district,” he said. “I just think that the Legislature doesn’t trust teachers enough. Teachers for years have created their own final exams. They know the standards and their students perform at those standards.” ,

myriad tests across Florida. “Some of the differences this year include a writing portion that’s part of the English/ Language Arts score, but it’s not going to be separate, like it has in the past,” Drake said. “Another big difference is that the eleventhgraders will get tested for the English/ Language Arts, which in the past, it stopped at tenth grade with the FCAT reading. There

will still be eighth-grade FCAT science.” Recently in Lee County, an opt-out movement led by parents caused the school board to vote 3-2 in favor of not complying with the EOC and Common Core tests. The decision was soon overturned when the Florida School Boards Association asserted that this tactic would cause all diplomas from that school district to be invalidated.

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SPOTLIGHT

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Her chemistry romance

5HWLUHG WHDFKHU ORYHV KHU VXEMHFW ² EXW QRW DV PXFK DV VKH ORYHV KHU VWXGHQWV By Evy Guerra

14/ ROAR

*UDSKLF 5RDU VWDII

For a woman who was in the military for five years, raised a child and taught chemistry in both Japan and Florida for the past 16 years, one of the hardest things Delilah Narvaez ever had to do happened in August when she retired from teaching due to health problems. “I have injuries to my back to the point where I just can’t function very well for very long,” Narvaez said. “Standing and doing things, that was the main thing. There were other things that played into it.” Narvaez has been in pain for years. Her love of teaching motivated her to stay as long as she could, often choosing to teach rather than sit out a day. “I probably gave more of myself than I should have to the job, but that’s just how I am. I just love teaching,” Narvaez said. “So I kind of sacrificed my health sometimes for what I wanted to do with the kids.” Chemistry teacher Gabi Powers worked next door to Narvaez for 10 years. “She was definitely a role model for me as far as how much she knows and activities she did. She was a resource that I would go to on a regular basis, but she was really here for the kids,” Powers said. “That is why it was such a hard decision for her to leave because she was always here doing it for the kids.” Powers looked on as Narvaez made adjustments to the classroom for her health. “Her back would always be hurting, so she finally had her husband come in and take away her chair totally and build up her computer so she could stand at her desk and do whatever she could at her computer because sitting was too much,” Powers said. The computer was placed on a platform of wood that was roughly eight inches high so that Narvaez would not have to sit and add to the discomfort of her back. Her husband, Benjamin, said she tried hard to teach through the pain. “I saw it all the time, especially when I was working at the school when I was a custodian (in 2013) there,” Benjamin said. “I would see her leave and she could barely get to the car walking. She would struggle.” Still, Narvaez put in long hours. “She would work, sometimes here before I am at 7:15 in the morning and here after I

6FLHQFH VWDU Chemistry teacher Delilah Narvaez taught at West Shore for 11 years. leave at maybe 6 at night,” Powers said. Charles Gimble, the man Narvaez was hired to replace 2003, was something of a teaching legend in Brevard County and certainly a tough act to follow. But Narvaez knew she was up for the challenge. “I actually had the feeling that some of my science co-workers didn’t think that I could do it, so I liked it that I got to prove them wrong,” Narvaez said. Narvaez has won numerous awards, including the 2008 District Teacher of the Year, but she down-plays them. “I guess those are successes, but my biggest ones are how well my kids do once they leave my classroom and go to college. It’s all those wonderful e-mails I get back that chemistry is very easy for them,” Narvaez said. “This year I got several of them back where not only did they say chemistry was easy for them, but that they were already teaching the other kids how to do things. Those are some positive things that aren’t true awards but for me they mean more than anything else, because it means that Ms. Powers and I have done our jobs well in getting them ready for their next step in their chemistry career.” Narvaez did not set out to become a chemistry teacher, but she discovered her passion for the subject while working toward her bachelor’s degree.

“I had already started my degree in Panama, my two-year degree in biology, but I really fell in love with chemistry down there,” Narvaez said. “That’s what happens when you get a professor or teacher who loves their subject and the kids fall in love. That’s how you make little chemists.” After getting her biology degree, she began taking chemistry classes at the Florida Institute of Technology when her husband was reassigned to Patrick Air Force Base. It was during that time that she developed an interest in teaching. “I just enjoyed helping the other kids who were in class with me. They were all much younger, so I started thinking that might be a way to go for me to teach,” she said. Her husband Benjamin believes the thing that separates her from other teachers is how she feels about her students — and how they in turn feel about her. “She started teaching in the early 90s and from that point on all of her students, even now after all those years, remember her. She cares about each one of them,” he said. So much in fact that in 2012 Narvaez made a nearly 600-mile drive to see a former student graduate from Clemson University. “One of my first few years teaching there, I had a kid by the name of Adam Klett. He took my class as an eleventh-grader and just fell in love with chemistry. Back then we were allowed to have lab assistants, which were when someone had a broken schedule and could not fill it all up so he would come every day and do things for me,” Narvaez said. “He would make all different kinds of compounds and try new experiments out for me, so he just fell in love with chemistry even more.” Klett holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering is working towards a P.h.D. “As a student, one of the biggest things you look forward to is your graduation, and having someone there like Mrs. Narvaez, who had such a large impact on my academic career, was a great honor,” Klett said. “When people ask me how I became interested in chemistry, I tell them it was Mrs. Narvaez, and so you can imagine how much it meant for me for her to be there.” ,

NEWS

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Feast on this

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Q. What’s involved in bringing Power Hour to West Shore? A. The process took Eau Gallie a few months. First they sent a committee of parents, teachers and an administrator to

Q. Are students required to attend club meetings? A. If the student is doing well academically, then the idea is it is just a break in the day for them to eat, and do homework. There is no punishment for not attending club

meetings at Eau Gallie. Q. Do clubs meet every day? A. Various clubs meet on various days. The idea is to only have a few club meetings every couple of weeks. That way the students can still have their time to focus on academics and relaxation.

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Every day at 12:02 p.m., students at Eau Gallie High School are released for one hour to eat lunch, tutor, make up tests or hang out with friends. Eau Gallie and Bayside are the two pioneer high schools in the district piloting the Power Hour concept — a 60-minute break in the middle of the school day allowing students to have the time to work on what they would like, eat lunch or go to club meetings. West Shore recently put together an exploratory committee to look into adapting the idea for the Wildcat Nation. The panel consists of chairman and Assistant Principal Robert Farrell and eight teachers. Recently, two Roar staff members (DW DQG UXQ Eau Gallie students multitask visited Eau Gallie to observe Power Hour and ask questions. Assistant Principal Chris during their Power Hour on Oct. 21. Hinkle gave those staffers a full tour. West Port High School in Ocala on a factQ. How does Power Hour impact the finding and observation mission. Once the length of the school day? committee members were sold on the idea, A. Not by much. Eau Gallie now starts its they briefed the faculty and staff. After day at 8:35 a.m. instead of at 8:45 a.m. as it receiving approval for those stakeholders, has in previous years. Each class has been administrators met with all of the students shortened by no more than one minute. by grade, including incoming freshman to go over expectations. Finally, Eau Gallie had Q. Who supervises Eau Gallie’s students? to get approval from the school board. A. Guidance counselors and administrators. Q. What about logistics? A. The committee had to change times Q. Why would West Shore want to start a for the buses because of the earlier start Power Hour? time. There was also a lot to work out with A. While other schools have started the cafeteria because all students eat lunch Power Hour to help bring down their failing at the same time, rather than in multiple rates, this is not a problem for West Shore. sessions. However, because West Shore eliminated its twice-a-month dedicated club meeting time Q. What are students allowed to do during last year when teachers lost one of their two Power Hour that they can’t do during the planning periods, club participation has rest of the school day? fallen dramatically. In addition, Power Hour A. Pretty much anything they’re allowed could be used for teachers to set office hours to on campus before and after school, when they would meet with individual including using their cell phones and other students for tutoring and makeup work. electronic devices.

Q. What about the morning announcements? A. Eau Gallie airs daily announcements during first period. Q. How would Power Hour benefit students? A. Having an hour-long break in the day really adds up. Half an hour every day is supposed to be used for lunch, leaving two and a half hours a week for students to pursue their academic and personal needs. Q. What parts of Eau Gallie’s campus are off limits during Power Hour? A. The gym, sports fields and parking lots are off limits. This time is not meant to be used for sports or theater practices. It’s set aside for academics and clubs. Q. What are the benefits for teachers who teach six of seven periods? A. According to Eau Gallie faculty members, Power Hour benefits students more than teachers. It does give the teachers more opportunities to help the students, and they can require a student to come in during office hours. It also helps teachers enable students make up tests and assignments during that time period rather than having them come in before or after school. Q. How does Eau Gallie ensure that all students can make it through the lunch lines in just an hour? A. The school converted classroom space into additional lunch lines, moving from five lines to eight or nine. The school has a student body of 1,700 and Hinkle said the first couple weeks were a little rough organizationally, but there was never a time when a student did not get lunch. ,

15/ ROAR

SPORTS

1RYHPEHU

Gone clubbing

$WKOHWHV VWD\ VKDUS E\ SOD\LQJ RQ PXOWLSOH WHDPV By Tia Brunner

16/ ROAR

holding school athletics in higher regard. “I feel I benefit more from school soccer,� he said. “I get the chance to play with and against older, stronger and faster players than I am which helps me become a better player.� Other key distinctions also justify player preferences. “The main difference is the overall atmosphere,� Ghayal said. “At highschool games there are more people there cheering you on than at a club game, and there is nothing like winning a Friday night home game in front of your whole school.� Freshman dance team member Rachel Montgomery said the differences between performing with the school team and her dance studio squad are distinct. “At studio we focus more on cleanliness because of the various competitions we go to, and on the school dance team we focus more on technique,� Montgomery said. Freshman dance teammate Jasmine Greathouse also points out the stylistic differences regarding cost and events. “The style of dance we do is different between the two,� Greathouse said. “At studio it’s more ballet and jazz while at school we focus more on pom and kick. At a studio you also have to pay monthly fees, competition fees, and costume fees, while on the school team we do fund-raisers to raise the money we need for competitions, camps, and new uniforms.� Overall, playing on a club team does not affect an athlete’s chances of making the school team. “We never favor a child who plays for both,� girls’ junior varsity volleyball coach Shane Cassell said. “Whoever steps on the court at the time and performs are the ones who will play.� Coaches Brantley and Williamson agree, saying that at the end of the day the best players will make the team no matter if and where they play club. ,

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Many athletes participate in both club and school sports, and playing the two can be a benefit or a detriment. While these athletes must often stretch their schedules thin, rushing from one practice to another to fulfill their obligations, the additional training can help improve overall skill. “I participate in both school and club soccer,� freshman Fallon Klenotich said. “Playing for both teams means on some days I have to play two to three hours, if not more, which makes it hard with getting homework done.� But coaches often urge students to play on both teams. “I highly encourage my players to put their priority in club soccer,� girls’ junior varsity coach Aubri Williamson said. “Club soccer is ultimately where they will grow the most as a player and benefit from higher competition.� Girls varsity soccer coach Teresa Brantley agrees about the added benefit of playing club soccer. “I fully encourage every girl to play club at a high level,� Brantley said. “It’s year-round and is excellent for their environment and exposure.� Coaches try to be understanding if a player must put in less effort at practice or even miss altogether due to club obligations. “My first concern is my players’ health and well-being,� Williamson said. “If they need to take it easy at one of my practices so they can go all out at a club practice that night, I completely understand.� However, some such as girls’ varsity volleyball coach Bonnie Priester, suggest high school athletics should be the priority. “Not all coaches feel the same way I do,� Priester said. “I believe high school sports come first. As a club director, we do not hold it against a kid that misses practice because they are playing a high school sport.� Although club sports are generally

.LFNLQJ LW )UHVKPDQ )DOORQ .OHQRWLFK NHHSV D EXV\ VFKHGXOH E\ SDUWLFLSDWLQJ RQ ERWK KHU FOXE VRFFHU WHDP %UHYDUG 6RFFHU $OOLDQFH DQG VFKRRO VRFFHU WHDP encouraged, there are drawbacks to playing on multiple teams. “The downfalls are players being over worked, which can lead to injury, or becoming burnt out of the sport,� Williamson said. “Also, most of the time players play on a club team that is a higher level than the high school team and that could sometimes lead to bad habits being formed.� Despite the potential for injury or a loss of motivation, Klenotich said playing on the club team is more valuable. “I benefit more because it’s all year round,� Klenotich said. “It helps with staying fit and I get more out of it than school soccer.� But freshman Kishan Ghayal disagrees,

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SPORTS

State swing

7HDP DGYDQFHV WR UHJLRQDOV %HOLQFKDN KHDGV WR VWDWH By Jack Nevins There was a significant change in difficulty from the regular season courses to the postseason courses. “Districts was an easier course than most of our regular season courses, because it was so flat, which helped contribute to our overall team success,� senior Katie Garwood said. The Lady Wildcats’ performance at districts allowed them to participate in regional competition at the more challenging MetroWest Country Club in Orlando. 3XWW 3XWW 6HQLRU 7D\ORU %HOLQFKDN “The regional course SUDFWLFHV SXWWLQJ SULRU WR D PDWFK DW was more difficult be%D\WUHH 1DWLRQDO *ROI &OXE cause of the terrain. The rolling hills take a physical toll on your body, and by the end of the match it really distracts your mind from the game,� senior Ashleigh Rabel said. The state tournament culminates the most successful West Shore girls’ golf season in recent years. ,

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After reaching the state tournament through a playoff, senior Taylor Belinchak shot rounds of 82 and 79 for a 30th-place finish Wednesday. There were 94 players in the field. Closely rivaled by fellow senior Marisa Boccabella from MCC, the two were tied for the second place individual spot to advance to state. To settle the tie the girls participated in a one-on-one suddendeath playoff. “I was nervous going into the playoff, but I believe all the junior tournaments I’ve entered with the Treasure Coast Junior Golf Tour and Indian River Golf Foundation over the years better prepared me for the playoff against the District champion, Marisa Boccabella. It was also great to have my father, coach, teammates, and friends surrounding me with their support,� Belinchak said. Belinchak won the playoff by one stroke on the first hole, allowing her to compete in the Class 1A State Tournament on Oct. 28. and 29. “I feel honored and blessed to make it to state. I’m excited for this opportunity and am hopeful that it will open the door for a college scholarship,� said Belinchak about qualifying for the state tournament. Belinchak is the first girls’ golfer to make it to the state tournament from West Shore in the last six years. “To be honest, I do not have any expectations for state since I have never been before. All I do know is that I am going to play my best and have fun. Ultimately, this experience I gain by going to state is going to be something I will cherish forever,� Belinchak said. West Shore placed 2nd in district competition as the only public school whose entire girls’ golf team advanced to regionals.

17/ ROAR

1RYHPEHU

SPORTS

Winter Sports Q&A

:LQWHU DWKOHWHV ZRUN WRZDUG ELJJHU EHWWHU VHDVRQV By Stryker Sinclair

Lydia Kline, 12th

Nick Burgess, 10th

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Q: What are your goals for the season? A: To win state championships. If we work hard enough in practice, we’re capable of winning. Q: How is this year’s team different from last year’s? A: We lost a lot of our key players, like Ryan Robidoux, but I think we have players who can fill his role on the team.

Q: What do you expect from this season? A: To have fun and do my best and to work well with my team. I want to win districts. Q: How is this year’s team different from last year’s? A: We have a few new players, so hopefully we’ll do better.

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Erica Lobmeyer, 11th

Keegan Schauman, 10th

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18/ ROAR

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Q: What is this year’s team different from last year’s? A: We lost nine players, so our team will have to grow more quickly. Q: What are your goals for the season? A: I want to get better as a team and win districts this year and not to lose to Cocoa Beach in overtime.

Q: How is this year’s team different from last year’s? A: Our team this year is more mature and a little bit older. Q: What does your training consist of? A: I hurt my back, so I’m resting so I can play by the start of the season. Normally, it consists of weight lifting and running.

SPORTS

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Counting chickens

3UHPDWXUH SUHGLFWLRQV FDQ HQG LQ D EUHDNRXW ² RU D EUHDNGRZQ By Ben Mechachonis

19/ ROAR

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Ah, fall sports are over. What a shame. West Shore found itself with some intriguing story lines, including the play of the entire varsity girls’ golf team, with senior Taylor Belinchak qualifying and attending her first-ever state competition. On the boys side, junior golfer Greg Darnell played his way to a district championship and a chance at regional play for his individual efforts. Both Darnell and Belinchak surpassed nearly everyone’s expectations but their own of what the season had in store. Going hand-in-hand with the season’s pleasant surprises came the disappointments, the most glaring being the varsity girls’ volleyball team. After starting off the season at 13-1, it seemed this team was poised to do something never before done in school history. Parents, students and even players on the team were predicting the Lady Wildcats would finally win the district, advance to regionals and maybe even find a state championship within their grasp. Alas, these predictions, like most sports predictions that are made prematurely, were all for nothing and ultimately foolish. The team finished out the regular season with a 5-5 run, including a second- 'LIIHUHQW GLUHFWLRQV 6HQLRU 7D\ORU .HOOH\ VSLNHV D YROOH\EDOO GXULQJ D GLVWULFW PDWFK DJDLQVW (GJHZRRG -XQLRU *UHJ 'DUQHOO KLWV D WHH VKRW DW %D\WUHH JROI FRXUVH round loss to eventual district runner-up Astronaut High School. decisions and line-ups that were seen which coaching would plague the volleyball team? The volleyball team secured the No. abandoned the strategy that helped the As students prepare themselves for the 1 seed in the district heading into the wildcats breakout to such a tremendous upcoming basketball and soccer seasons playoffs, securing a first-round bye. It start were implemented, coincidentally, here at West Shore, it is important to wasn’t enough, however, even with the around the exact same time the Lady remember that just because you think you team besting the opposing Lady War Wildcat’s record began to dip to mediocre, know how well a team is going to perform, Eagles in their Oct. 21 match in three sets. imagine that. The point that we can gather you actually do not. Nobody knows, so stop Disappointing as it may seem, anyone from all this is that predicting how a sports with all the “how will boys soccer be?” or who paid attention to the season can team is going to do at the high school level “are the girls going to be as good this year give possible reasons for the late-season is equivalent, accuracy wise, to predicting in basketball?” because the answers to these collapse. whether it is going to rain based on how questions can’t be given until the season A mix of injuries, including a broken many clouds are in the sky. How could any is over. Not in the middle of the season, or finger for Taylor Kelley and a concussion person have predicted that stars would after the first game, so why ask? Just come for Kasi West, both seniors and starters, emerge from the boys and girls golf teams to the games and find out for yourselves. were viewed as major setbacks. or that injuries and poor late-season That is why they play the game. , In addition, questionable coaching

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20/ ROAR

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Going, going, gone

Âľ*RQH *LUOÂś DFWLQJ FUHDWHV FRPSHOOLQJ VWRU\ By Joey Crown

Leave it to David Fincher to reignite my passion for film. When I first got into movies, Fincher was my absolute favorite director, and I attribute my initial interest in film to watching “Fight Club� a few years ago. His new film, “Gone Girl,� is a reminder that he still is one of the best directors in the business, providing one of the most interesting thrillers of the year. It kept me entranced throughout with a fantastic narrative and great pacing that made a two and a half hour movie feel like a breeze. Our protagonist, Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), is a simple man of simple tastes. As the film begins, it’s the anniversary of his failing marriage to his wife Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike), who is a complex woman of complex tastes. Nick is at the bar he owns early in the morning to meet his sister and have a “drink� and “celebrate.� When he returns home he finds his wife missing and a broken table with little explanation, so he files a missing persons report. While the two detectives on the case have their suspicions regarding Nick, they have no evidence. What follows is an exhilarating experience, exploring all the sides to a complicated situation, with every character missing crucial information that keeps the answers from becoming clear. There is also a narrative of Nick and Amy’s history as a couple interwoven between scenes, told from the words of Amy’s diary. The audience gets to see from Amy’s perspective how their relationship started beautifully and slowly declined. The narrative begins to unravel about halfway through, with the second half serving to amplify the disappearance of Amy Dunne. There’s this sort of underlying narrative about the media’s reaction to the case as it gains national attention. Nick is accused by tabloids and talk shows of being a wife-killer, and the media is constantly set up outside his house looking for developments. The story offers an interesting criticism on the media reporting on a case about which they really know nothing. One of the most impressive aspects of the film is the way the technical aspects work together to create the perfect mood. The editing paces the film brilliantly, ending all the scenes with a fade-out effect that makes them flow together. When a film is as long as “Gone Girl,� it’s tough to have enough content to keep the story interesting, but the way it developed had me totally immersed in the lives of the characters. The soundtrack, by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, who have prior experience working with Fincher, eerily creates tension where it is needed, and contributes to building an atmosphere that suited the tone of the film. The screenplay is an absolute delight; I have not read the book, but the film is incredibly well-written and makes me eager to pick up a copy soon. All the performances are great, with actors tackling intricate characters with convoluted motivations. As the plot develops, the audience learns more about the characters. The narrative becomes more compelling when things aren’t so black and white, because it forces viewers to evaluate the situation so that by the time the credits roll, they feel like they were enriched by the experience. “Gone Girl� is a fascinating thriller, one that draws the viewer in early and refuses to let go until the very end. The tense atmosphere at times brought me to a cold sweat. I recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a great thriller or mystery. This a brilliant film crafted by one of the best directors working today. ,

21/ ROAR

ENTERTAINMENT

1RYHPEHU

‘All the Truth That’s in Me’

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By Roba Sabawi Shocking and disturbing, yet deeply provoking, Julie Berry’s “All the Truth That’s In Me,� does not let the reader’s attention waver for a single word from beginning to end. What I admire about this twisted story is not only the intriguing, unpredictable plot, but the true strength of character that the narrator learns to find, a form of unexpected feminism in the face of tremendous, unimaginable adversity in a small, conservative town in colonial America. Sinister secrets are constantly unraveled, and virtually every character is multi-layered and dynamic to an extent, all with some significant role that is entirely unforeseen. The story faces the very true reality of a world that is not black and white, good and evil, but that everyone can have both, or seem like they are one way but are truly the other. The more the story advances with action and drama, the more Judith, the narrator, discovers about herself, her family, and the handful of townspeople she has known all her life in tiny Roswell Station. The book begins with Judith living a desolate, lonely life as a mutilated mute and outcast, having mysteriously returned two years after being kidnapped. Her inner thoughts echo around and are speaking to Lucas, her love and childhood friend. Not only does the reader not fully understand what has happened to Judith in those few years, as she switches between present and flashback, but neither does Judith, until the pieces of the

puzzle slowly begin to fall into place toward the end of the book. Judith must cope with returning to an ironic shadow of her old life and her aloof, dry, widowed mother, brother and the townspeople. Judith’s inner dialogue reflects how she changes from a timid, confused, lovesick girl, to a confident, young woman when she begins to understand what is really important. The story has a refreshing outlook on young love, asking the reader deeply relevant and important questions, evoking contemplation about this unforgettable story long after it is finished. Through a war of weapons and emotions, mystery and scandal, the characters’ layers are slowly revealed to Judith. What she goes through and how she conquers both her physical and emotional limitations is truly inspiring, and shows just how little both the reader and Judith understand of what she is capable. Readers are left questioning their own strength alongside Judith. Her tone evolves with her personality, turning from self-pitying and dreamy through harsh reality and gutwrenching abuse, to ironically humorous and wise through the molding that gives her the strength necessary in the end to be happy. Ultimately, she conquers both physical and emotional handicaps to earn justice through courage, speak the truth and learn it in return; a grueling struggle for something most of us take for granted. Pride and the triumph of the peace that comes with confrontation and understanding through a difficult journey are left warmly stirring within the reader. This valuable, new perspective in such an utterly human, captivating form is a rare and powerful message too precious to skip. ,

CAT TALES (LJKWK JUDGHU /DXUHQ 6HLIHUW IRFXVHV RQ WKH SK\VLFDO Q: What are some of your biggest influences? A: My biggest influence in life would be my dad. In the past, he has had health problems but he still gets up every morning and faces them by working out. I admire his strength and I hope to be as strong as he is mentally and physically one day. Q: How do you de-stress? A: My biggest stress outlet would be running for the school’s cross-country team. Q: What is your dream for the future? A: University of Florida has always been my dream school. I want to become a physical therapist when I grow up.

Q: Who are your role models? A: I look up to Coach Hayes, who is the boys’ cross-

country coach. He helps coach everyone on both the boys’ and girl’s team by motivating them and giving advice to improve.

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Who they want to be

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By Ana Rosal Melbourne’s very own local band Monday’s Mona Lisa has come out with its debut EP “Who I Want To Be,� putting a twist on modern rock. The group, consisting of Austin Forcier (guitar/lead vocals), Dustin Forcier (keyboard/vocals), Mark DeMao (bass) and Wyatt Kassin (drums) performs a mixture of covers and original songs in the frequent gigs they play around Brevard County. The band has inspirations that include Matchbox Twenty and 5 Seconds of Summer. The songs showcase the group’s sense of identity with laudable harmonies and enjoyable tunes. The opener “What’s He Got On Me?� has a catchy beat and fun lyrics easily making it a personal favorite. The next song “Start� talks about getting over a breakup and features a fun rhythm and

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buoyant keyboard notes. The record then shifts to a somber mood with “Demon,� which contained the solemn lyrics “I hope that you can understand the demon in me.� The vibe intensifies with the gloominess of “Hurt,� a song about one of the band member’s past relationships. The record comes to a bold finish with “Want To Be,� containing confident lyrics that say “I finally am who I want to be,� offering a fresh, energetic feel. Monday’s Mona Lisa demonstrate potential as a grassroots modern group, successfully conveying the contrasting tones of upbeat jams and slower melodies, living up to the EP’s title. The five-song EP is available for free download on the band’s official website and is also on Spotify. ,

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BBN Vol. 31 No. 24

June 17, 2013

Brevard

Business

News

$1.00 A Weekly Space Coast Business Magazine printed in Brevard County, Florida since 1984

The Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse establishes a foundation

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COCOA VILLAGE — The Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse, a cultural pillar of the community for more than two decades, has established a fund–raising vehicle for the organization as it prepares to position itself for the future. The facility was recently renovated increasing seating capacity to 595 people, and those seats were all filled for the world–premier performances of Tony Macaulay’s “Build Me Up Buttercup — The Musical.� Now, the Cocoa Village Playhouse is looking to build on its successes and is reaching out to the business community and to individuals in support of its mission. The new “Broadway on Brevard Legacy Foundation� has been set up to provide long–term funding for operating expenses and special programs that the Cocoa Village Playhouse hosts and runs on a yearly basis. With grants being sliced and other arts resources dwindling, a group of community leaders decided it was the perfect time to rally around the Cocoa Village Playhouse and create a foundation that would help ensure its longevity in the community. “The launch of the Broadway on Brevard Legacy Foundation I think is one of the most exciting things to happen for the Cocoa Village Playhouse,� said area businesswoman Susie Wasdin, the founder and chairperson of the Legacy Foundation and a longtime supporter of the Cocoa Village Playhouse. “We’ve had a successful year. We’ve completed the renovation of the facility and we’ve made the ownership transition from Brevard Community College to the City of Cocoa. Now, through this foundation, we are focusing on keeping the funds flowing long–term for the Cocoa Village Playhouse. We have come together as a group and stepped up to the plate to create this foundation.� Wasdin singled out the City of Cocoa for its leadership during the transition phase and for its ongoing support of the Cocoa Village Playhouse. The Legacy Foundation hosted a kick–off party on May 19 at the Merritt Island home of Mike and Rashmi Shah, local entrepreneurs. “We had this unbelievable recognition event and introduction to the foundation at the Shahs,� said Wasdin, who sits on the Cocoa Village Playhouse board. The host committee for “An Evening in Paradise� included Guy and Delores Spearman, Tom and Susie Wasdin, Barbara Halgren, Jerry and Dixie Sansom, Harry and Dee Dee Sheffield, and Charlotte Houser. Rashmi Shah said she attended a fund–raising event last year at Rockledge Gardens and was invited to become a member of the Cocoa Village Playhouse board. “Our family has always enjoyed the performances at the Cocoa Village Playhouse,� said Rashmi Shah. “It’s an outstanding organization. I told Staci (Hawkins–Smith, the Cocoa

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BBN photo — Adrienne B. Roth

The Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse has established the ‘Broadway on Brevard Legacy Foundation’ to help ensure the long–term future of the organization that presents a range of arts and cultural entertainment for the community. The Legacy Foundation is seeking pledges from businesses and individuals. From left: Staci Hawkins–Smith, executive director, Cocoa Village Playhouse; Susie Wasdin, founder, Legacy Foundation; Delores Spearman, founding member; Dee Dee Sheffield, founding member; Rashmi Shah, founding member; and Charlotte Houser, founding member.

Please see The Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse, page 19

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