The Crusader--January 2009

Crusader Miami Sunset Senior High School

the Volume XXVII

13125 SW 72 Street, Miami, FL 33183 January/ February2008

Mr. Sunset 2009: Derek Tormes Mr. Sunset 2010: Roberto Canales By: Adriana Arcos Staff Writer

Byron Bermudez, Danny Cruz, Derek Tormes, William Schmidt, Alex Pacheco, Greg Gutierrez, Robert Price, George Machado, and Roberto Canales were all participants in the Mr.Sunset pageant held on January 14th. The pageant was presented by SGA and Ms. Coto-Gonzalez. The event was graciously hosted by Stephanie Jacquemin and Claudia Torres

The pageant commenced with an introduction of the judges, who consisted of Ms. Martinez, Ms.Hevia, Ms.Ciccarone, Ms.Coleman, Ms. Hernandez and Ms. Parrilla. A welcoming dance performed by the contestants was followed by a parade, where each contestant demonstrated An Inside Look...

FEATURES

American Idol Presents New Judge Page 3

Sunset Presents Academy Fairs to Incoming Freshmen By: Aura Altamiranda Editor-In-Chief

Over the past few months, counselors and administrators have occupied themselves with promoting Sunset’s newest additions to its feeder-pattern middle schools. Dubbed “the best-kept secret in Kendall,” Sunset has aroused plenty of attention from eighth grade students and parents.

Throughout November, the middle schools paid a visit to Sunset that consisted of brief Q&A sessions followed by short, yet thorough explanations from the academy leaders and students. The eight original academies were accompanied by a series of clips compiled Ms. Martinez and her film students that described its strands. After the informational sessions, students were treated to mini-pep rallies with performances from such performing groups as the cheerleaders and the band, in addition to many others.

December and January also brought their own waves of Academy Fair days.

Flyers were mailed to feeder-pattern students notifying them of a January 10th gathering from 10 A.M. to noon. They were asked to choose and mail back three academy preferences to learn more about.

That Saturday morning, for the first hour, once again faculty and administration explained the academy goals and answered the questions that resulted. The second hour was split in three with five minutes in between each mini-period for parents and students to visit the rooms of the academy leaders they had

The winners of the pageant, Derek Tormes, senior, and Roberto Canales, junior smile after their victory. Tormes will be the reigning Mr. Sunset this year; Canales will reign his senior year.

Byron Bermudez—Italian Club Roberto Canales— Badminton Danny Cruz—Water Polo Greg Gutierrez— SEGA George Machado— Cross Country Alex Pacheco— Class of 2009 Robert Price— WTKS William Schmidt— Cyber Knights Derek Tormes— Golf Club

Issue 5

continued on page 2

pride for the clubs they represented.

The pageant continued with the beachwear and casual-wear segments where each contestant modeled their unique styles. The talent showcase followed with everything from comedy pieces to break dancing. Bermudez, Schmidt, and Gutierrez each did a comedy piece while Tormes free-styled. Cruz showed off his skills with a ribbon.

Price showcased his musical talent ability by singing “Afternoon Delight”

by Starland Vocal Band. Machado presented himself onstage dressed in a hula skirt and with a ukulele and sang “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz. Pacheco performed a guitar solo. Finally, after a bit of a technical interruption, Canales performed a rap, using his own material.

The formal-wear segment followed.

Each contestant was interviewed with no previous knowledge of the questions asked. Performances from the Golden Girls and a signing solo by Kevin Mendoza were done throughout the competition.

Contrary to popular belief, this was not the first pageant of its kind Sunset has seen. Coto-Gonzalez announced that the original Mr.Sunset was counselor Mr.Phelan. Phelan announced the awards, handing the first one to Machado, who won Mr. Congeniality.

Tormes and Canales were the winners of the Mr.Sunset award. Tormes will remain Mr. Sunset for the rest of the school year, until next year, when Canales will have the title as a senior.

Future pageants will only be open to juniors, who will hold the titles during their senior years.

“I had fun hanging out with the guys. It was a cool experience.”

ACADEMY SPECIAL

--Derek Tormes, senior EDITORIALS Materialism Taken to New Heights Page 9

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SPORTS Extreme Sports: An Inside Look on the Madness Page 10

entine’s D Val ay S pecial

News

Theater Geeks Compete

previously chosen. This time, the Hospitality and Tourism academy was introduced. This academy, which is still in its year of planning, was promoted by means of flyers and Ms. Perez’s detailed explanation of its objectives.

This procedure was once again repeated for the January 28th academy presentations, this time only an hour long minus the individual academy visits. The leaders presented their academy and reported their accomplishments. As Colonel Lozano took the floor, Dr. Covert revealed that two students from the Law and Public Service academy had been invited as interns to the state attorney’s office, much to the colonel’s surprise.

Clearly, plenty of careful planning and scheduling was put into each and every presentation. During the final week of January and the first week of February, counselors followed up their visits with subject selection assemblies, choosing their core classes, electives, academies, strands.

These future Knights will surely be pleased.

For more academy information, please see the center spread, pages six and Dr. Covert, Colonel Lozana, Ms. Fries- Furton, and Ms. Caesar listen to questions intently. seven.

By: Aliana Zamorano Staff Writer

On Saturday January 24th, Troupe 3207 of Sunset attended the District 8 Individual Events competition at Hialeah High.

Taking nine performances, the troupe performed monologues, ensembles, duets and musical duets.

“We did better than expected, considering our lack of time to prepare. That was our biggest enemy,” Mr. Garcia, troupe sponsor and drama teacher, said.

Still, this year’s outcome was a bit shy of the usual scores. In previous years, the numbers of Superior and Excellent performances were a ratio of 50/50 or more Superiors.

The troupe came back with four Superiors and five Excellent awards.

“Every group achieved something anyway, and I was extremely pleased and impressed,” Garcia continued.

A scene that stood out among the rest was an ensemble called “Tarentino Variations,” played by Javier Figuerado, Steve Ozuna and Dario Bordon. It was a comedic masterpiece that had the judges bawling.

“I was shocked,” Garcia said. “One of the judges they had is extremely hard to please, but he was just red with laughter.”

However, when asked about the overall feel of the performance, the trio had mixed emotions.

“I felt really good; I still feel good about it. I’m like a kid waking up on Christmas morning, super excited,” said Bordon.

Figuerado on the other hand wasn’t as optimistic. “I feel honored, privileged, and most of all, I don’t really care. We didn’t even get to perform in front of a new audience, so I’m just a bit bitter.”

Yet the troupe is content with their scores, no one got Critics’ Choice. They still did a great job, though. At the end of the day out of all the schools that attended, such as Varela, Ferguson, Belen, Gulliver, Coral Reef and more, Miami Northwestern Senior High received the most Critics’ Choice awards.

All district eight thespians were rounded up to watch the winning performances in the auditorium.

“I saw friends from Varela that I hadn’t seen in a while, and it was fun to talk to them about what they were performing,” says Katlin Svadbik, freshman, who achieved an Excellent on her monologue. “It was cool to see students from other schools, watch their techniques and compare them to ours.”

Garcia declared that the trick to any amazing performance is to make it as real as possible, not to pretend with any props, to actually use them as the character would.

On Februar 13, 2009, the drama department will be having a Valentine’s Show Case for the school, followed by the final senior spring showcase.

Photo by: Aliana Zamorano

Obama Inauguration Makes History By: Gensis Alvear Staff Writer

What people once considered unfathomable has successfully become our reality; what once started as an idea has now changed history, and our generation was here to witness it.

On Tuesday, January, 20th Barack Hussein Obama took the oath of office and became the 44th president of the United States. Millions of people from across the country traveled to Washington to be present for the momentous occasion. Although the ceremony was behind schedule, and President Obama had yet to take the oath at noon, he promptly made the transition accordingly.

According to the Constitution, whether or not a president-elect has taken the oath, he is to assume the presidency at noon. Shortly after 12:00 P.M., he took the oath from Chief Justice John Roberts.

Following the inauguration, the event was celebrated with parades, balls, concerts, prayer services, and meditations. This inauguration marked the end of George W. Bush’s eight-year term and welcomed Obama to a term expected to instill change throughout the nation.

Within Obama’s inaugural address, he thanked former President Bush for his generosity and cooperation. The crowd didn’t react quite as kindly when Bush took the stage, however—the booing and negative energy was quite apparent.

Obama continued, addressing the crisis of our economy and how much of that was due to certain decisions

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Photo By: Roselyn Anglade

that were made. He spoke of our nation at war, the terrible condition of our schools our schools, costly healthcare, and our environmental neglect. He also acknowledged the fact that many people doubted his ability to move our nation in a new direction. Obama enticed America with his speech, which many expect him to follow up on.

This year’s inaugural theme was “A New Birth of Freedom,” and commemorated the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. The words came from the Gettysburg address and described Lincoln’s hope that the death of soldiers will be honored by leading our nation to “a new birth of freedom.”

After the speech, President Obama escorted Mr. Bush to the East Front of the Capitol, where a helicopter was waiting to take him and his wife to the Andrew Air Force Base outside Washington for a return trip to Texas. After watching Mr. Bush take off, he went back inside the Capitol to sign nomination papers for his cabinet choice. Obama then attended the traditional luncheon in Statuary Hall. It was after 3:30 P.M. before President Obama made his way down Pennsylvania Avenue. There he saw the parade and the sidewalks that were still full of admirers who had been standing there for hours. It was the largest inaugural crowd in decades.

The inauguration clearly became a part of our nation’s history by closing the racial gap to celebrate a change for the better in America.

Who will be the next superstar?

American Idol launched its eighth season on January 12th. In the previous season, David Cook was victorious in winning the competition. What’s in store for this season, and will it surpass the last one?

American Idol usually runs from January to Mayfive months of intense struggling and performance.

This season kicked off with the addition of the fourth judge: Kara DioGuardi. The singer/ songwriter and record producer will join sides with the mellow, yet cool, Randy Jackson, the vivacious Paula Abdul, and the skeptical Simon Cowell. Once again, tens of thousands of contestants gave their best shot for the chance to be the next Idol.

“We are turning the heat up on Idol this year and we are thrilled to welcome Kara to the judges’ table,” said creator and executive producer Simon Fuller.

“She’s smart, sassy, and one of America’s most successful songwriters. DioGuardi will bring a new level of energy

By: Angelica Quezada Staff Writer

and excitement for the show.

For the past seven years, there have only been three judges who decided whether or not the performers would be eliminated. Ever since the addition of the fourth judge; competition is heating up.

Mike Darnell, president of alternative programming on FOX, added, “For the past

“We are turning the heat up on Idol this year and we are thrilled...”

--Simon Fuller, Producer

seven seasons, Paula has been the only woman at the judges’ table. She’s been in the middle between Randy and Simon, offering her invaluable expertise as a performer and number one artist to the thousands who have competed on American Idol. With Kara by her side, Paula finally has some back-up and now there is going to be a lot more

Knight Line February 2009 2.13.09

2.16.09 2.18.09 2.19.09 2.20.09 2.21.09 2.23.09-2.27.09

-Senior Lunch -“Love Shorts” Drama Show 7 P.M. -Holiday -Progress Reports -Award Apps Due -Early Dismissal -FCAT Pep Rally -AGS Garage Sale -Water Balloon Volleyball Week

ATTENTION: New Digital Age Begins 2.18.09:

To set your televisions up to date, purchase a converter box for $50-$70; without one, your television is subject to blacking out and becoming unusable if it was purchased prior to a certain date.

For more information, visit www.

DTV.gov.

FEATURES

American Idol Welcomes New Judge

“girl power” on the show.

It’s true that Abdul was the only female judge, but with DioGuardi being included, the genders are even. The songs that DioGuardi wrote have sold for more than 100 million records. Her songs have been recorded by Grammy award- winning artists like Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Celine Dion, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, etc.

Over the past four years, she has been awarded 10 BMI Pop Awards for having written the greatest number of songs performed on the radio. From her catalog of several hundred, over 264 have been released on major labels worldwide; and over 165 have appeared on multiplatinum selling albums.

DioGuardi co-owns Art House Entertainment; where she develops and mentors hit writers, producers, and artists. Everyone will be excited to see the upcoming installment of American Idol—a new season, a new rivalry, and a new judge.

The Misfits Take Music by Storm By: Cynthia Lopez and Esmeralda Zuniga Staff Writers

Can you honestly say that you know a band with thirteen former members on their list? I don’t think so, but for the Misfits, it’s definitely possible. The infamous Misfits’ logo is a skull that first appeared on the “Horror Business” single, based on a poster for The Crimson Ghost, which is now used very frequently on their merchandise and is very commonly known. The New Jersey-based horror, punk band has been rocking out fans and terrifying the media for over thirty years. Even with a totally new line-up (except lead vocals and bassist Jerry Only), they are still able to put on a good show. Their current members include Only, the band’s lead vocals/bassist, Robo, the drummer, and Dez Cadena, the rhythm guitarist.

Ever since the band first started, they’ve used horror and science fiction inspired themes with makeup, clothing, artwork, and lyrics.

Ashley Ameniero, sophomore, said, “I really like the skeletal patterns and dark makeup around their eyes, and I think that only real men can perform on stage while having makeup on.” The Misfits have reached legendary punk rock status with songs like “Horror Business,” “Night of the Living Dead,” and of course, “Halloween.”

Even though the Misfits haven’t produced an album for a little over five years, that has not stopped them from touring. The Misfits are a huge influence in Roll-n-Roll culture. They have inspired many rock bands and icons with visuals such as AFI, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Avenged Sevenfold, and Wednesday 13.

The band is currently touring for a thirty year anniversary celebration. With their stop in Ft. Lauderdale in Culture Room on the December 7th, they left fans in Miami on their toes. Their concert consisted of vigorous music selections, and certainly involved crowd participation.

Not to mention the massive mosh-pit.

Jerry Only stated, “Go have kids, and come back!” at the end of this concert to encourage fans to come back in the future. Photo By: Esmeralda Zuniga

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FEATURES

FCAT Pressures Target Students and Teachers

FCAT worries

By: Kiara Eijo Staff Writer

plague

freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and faculty as the date quickly approaches.

Why do the majority students fail the Florida Comprehension Assessment Test (FCAT)? Why do students opt to call this exam the Florida Child Abuse Test? Many students dislike the FCAT because it’s simply a tedious test, which takes an excessive amount of time and concentration to complete. Three years ago Florida required that all 10th grade students pass the FCAT in order to graduate and receive a high school diploma.

It was decided that they would be given multiple opportunities to pass the exam both junior and senior year, if they were unable to pass the first time around.

If students are unable to pass the FCAT their senior year, they must complete 20 hours of FCAT tutoring to receive a high school diploma. In addition, for the 20082009 academic year, students in fifth, eighth, and eleventh grade are required to pass the science portion of the FCAT in order to proceed to the next grade level.

As the days for FCAT become numbered, students’ and teachers’ stress levels reach maximum highs due to the

ridiculous amount of pressure they are put under. Some students tend to rush because they want to “get it over with,” a tactic administrators highly advise against; in doing so, many students are prone to ending up in intensive reading and mathematics classes.

Every week students learn a new benchmark and develop a new reading comprehension or critical thinking skill, but are such skills actually valuable to the students come test time? This curriculum hardly guarantees higher scores for the students.

For students, the FCAT first surfaces in third grade and ends in eleventh grade. Upon becoming seniors, they are freed of the requirement, unless they have yet to pass the test. Without a passing score, a diploma cannot be issued.

“The FCAT stresses kids out too much. I’ve seen plenty of kids cry when they fail it. Puts too much pressure on them.”

--Mr. Hernandez, English Teacher

Celebrities: The Objects of Our Obsession By: Amanda Hernandez Staff Writer

Many teens and adults waste their time watching shows on television like Extra and Rock of Love. Why is there such an obsession over Paris Hilton’s latest arrest or Angelina Jolie’s growing family? Is it that society today has absolutely nothing better to worry about and feels the need to concern itself with the lives of the rich and famous?

Way back when Hollywood was all about class and sophistication, actresses such as Kim Novak and Grace Kelly were beautiful and glamorous ladies famous for their skill and flawlessness. Today, celebrities are often found acting recklessly in public by getting drunk party after party, or filing for divorce the first chance they get post-marriage.

Tabloid magazines, along with television stations like E!, keep viewers up to date on these ludicrous subjects. In magazines like J14, young teen girls are given role-models like the careless Lindsay Lohan and self-centered Paris Hilton. Why should these obscene women be idolized by young girls for their faulty incidents and unruly behavior?

Nowadays television networks are desperate for higher ratings and resort to creating ridiculous shows to attract viewers. Reality T.V. dominates most networks including FOX, MTV, and CBS. MTV, which

was once all about the music, is even covering these petty scandals and airing such pathetic attempts for ratings like The Hills. Even Disney has turned to rubbish.

Over the last three years, the network has lost its shine making non-animated shows. Hannah Montana has become the biggest hit among viewers almost overnight.

Many people turn to these celebrities for fashion sense among other things. They seek to to idolize them. As a result of all the reality T.V. shows, many people have lost interest in real television networks. The behavior of certain celebrities is seen by the younger generation, giving the impression that corrupt values make them better or cooler people.

“Nowadays television networks... resort to creating ridiculous shows to attract viewers.”

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Photo by: Amanda Hernandez

Room

Day 264

Monday 327 Wednesday 327

Thursday

Subject Science Math Reading

& SATURDAYS 9 A.M.-12:00P.M.

FEATURES

FCAT TUTORING DAYS

Viewers Anticipate Academy Awards Show By: Cynthia Lopez Staff Writer

If you’re an actor or actress, reaching the peak of your career would mean receive an Oscar. For 81 years, the Academy Awards have honored people with awards such as Best Director, Best Actor and Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Actress, and Best Film. This year it will be held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California. Oscar-nominated actor Hugh Jackman, who starred in Australia and upcoming film Wolverine, will be this year’s host.

On Thursday, January 22nd, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Sid Ganis and Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker announced the nominees for this year’s Academy Awards in Beverly Hills.

There are a total of 24 awards that will be given out along with two special awards.

Well, there may be one slight difference. Academy Awards nominees traditionally come from films that usually have great performances but have done poorly in the box office.

This year, that isn’t the case.

Although praised films as Wall-E, The Dark Knight, Revolutionary Road, Doubt, and The Wrestler were not nominated for the top awards, the Oscars have nominated other top films for the different categories. For instance, Angelina Jolie has been nominated as Best Actress for her role in Changeling; Mickey Rourke has been nominated for Best Actor for The Wrestler; and Wall-E has been nominated for Best Animated Film; For Best Director, Ron Howard has been nominated for Frost/Nixon.

Slumdog Millionaire has been nominated for Best Film. Other awards that will be presented will be for Best Cinematography, Best Original Song, Best Live Action Short, Best Documentary, Best Foreign

Language Film, and Best Animated Film. Wall-E has been nominated for six different awards, Slumdog Millionaire has been nominated for ten awards but The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has taken the crown for most nomination for a total of 13 including Best Film.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button holds the record for the most nominees this decade tying with The Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring; and Wall-E ties the most nominees for an animation film with The Beauty and the Beast.

The Dark Knight broke record for the most nominated superhero film in Academy Award history.

One out of two special award will be given out the evening of the Academy Awards and one of them will be The Academy Honorary Award. The Academy Honorary Award is an award that recognizes talents of years of accomplishments such as 1932 winner Walt Disney for creating Mickey Mouse. The other award is the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is awarded every other year for outstanding contributions to humanitarian causes. It is named after screen actor Jean Hersholt who served as the president of the Motion Picture Relief Fund for 18 years. This year’s honorary will go to Jerry Lewis.

To find out who the winners will be at this year’s Academy Awards, tune in to ABC on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

“This year it will be held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California.”

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S U D O K U

Focus On:Academies

Information Technology

Advanced Global Studies

Academy Leader: Ms. Garcia The AGS mission is to create an individualized learning environment where students can listen, question, read and make decisions based on sound principles. In order to thrive as world citizens who actively contribute to the global community, this curriculum serves to aid students. It is a college preparatory course. This is for students who have college-set mind throughout high school. This academy has two strands— Advanced Academics and World Languages.

Finance

Academy Leader: Mr. Yanowitz Another NAF certified academy is Finance. This is for all those that show an interest in accounting and other financial operations. The academy’s two strands are Finance and Human Resources. It helps students develop thinking and problem-solving skills.

The Finance strand is currently working on a project sponsored by the South Florida Educational Federal Credit Union (SFEFCU), Dade County Public Schools, and State Farm entitled Financially Free with the intent of teaching upperclassmen the basics of financial literacy*.

*Financially Free Initiative Financially Free ambassadors will be conducting in-class lessons through seniors’ government and economic classes.

They was also be advertising throughout the school to promote their cause.

Pretests and post-tests will be administered to students to track progress. The ultimate goal is to raise financial literacy among seniors headed off to college primarily in the areas of credit and student loans.

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Academy Leader: Ms. Fries- Furton The Information Technology Academy offers wide variety of information and media technology programs. This is also one of the few academies certified by NAF. The academy includes five different strands: Business Computer Programming, Digital Media/Journalism, Video/TV Production, Networking (CISCO), and Web Design. This academy is for all students who are interested in applications in communication and media fields.

Miami Sunset 2008

ACADEMIES Law and Public Service

Academy Leader: Colonel Lozano Do criminal justice, public service and homeland sec u r i t y professions sound interesting to you? Then this is the academy for you. It offers various opportunities to learn about the judicial system, government agencies such a the FBI and CIA, EMY, fire and rescue services, crime scene investigation, as well as the Armed Forces, including the Army, Navy, Air force, Marines, and Coast Guard. The three strands in this academy are Criminal Justice, Legal Studies, and JROTC and Leadership.

Academy Leader: Mr. Morera The Biomedical academy is for students who want to pursue careers in the medicinal field such as doctors, nurses, vets, etc. This academy offers internships and other hands-on experiences.

Sports Medicine, PreMed, and Science are the three exclusive strands in this academy.

t Senior High 8-2009

DEMIES

Visual and Performing Arts

Academy Leader: Mr. Smith The goal of the Visual and Performing Arts Academy is to increase academic rigor, enhance the school climate, improve overall student achievement and create a learning environment based on creativity. Those interested in Dance, Drama, Drawing and Painting, Music, Graphic Design, and Photography would thrive in this academy.

Engineering

Academy Leader: Ms. Pamajala Engineering is one of the three Sunset academies certified by the National Academy Foundation (NAF). It offers complete career technical concentration with both mathematics and science. The academy works with Project Lead the Way—which helps students apply their knowledge to various projects resulting in hands on experiences for the volunteers. It also has A Pre-College Engineering Curriculum. The projects help students understand how the skills they are learning in the classroom can be used practically.

Education Academy Leader: Ms. Caesar Early Childhood Education and Teacher Assisting are two strands of the Education Academy. It consists of a four-year program in which students work in the Little Knights daycare. Students must acquire CDA credentials, DCF 40-hour certification when completed, and 9 college credits at any junior college in Florida. In the fourth year, a student can intern at an elementary school. The teacher assisting strand also offers a four year program. Both programs offer the gold seal scholarship.

Focus On:Academies

Biomedical

Preview 2009-2010: Hospitality and Tourism

The Hospitality academy is Sunset’s newest academy. During the past few months, counselors put it to a vote. Freshmen voted based on their how strong their interest was in it. This academy is made for those who want to pursue a professional career in the Hospitality and Tourism. It also consists of the Culinary Operations for all those interested in a cooking career. Though this academy is still in the making, it is rousing plenty of interest from the student body.

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EDITORIALS

Obama Picks Up the Pieces of a Disastrous Presidency

Illustration By: Carlos Espinal

Obama Promises: Will He Come Through?

By: Carlos Espinal Artist

When I was little I remember always wishing that superheroes were real. If you’re a comic book fan, maybe you can empathize with me.

I was amazed by the idea that there were men and women out there that could single handedly save people’s lives. The heroes of my childhood were so powerful that they could even save the entire world without even breaking a sweat. It took until my tenth or so birthday to realize that I wasn’t going to wake up one morning and see someone flying through the sky or lifting a car off of innocent people. But on January 20th, in the eyes of manyAmericans, Barack Hussein Obama was elevated to super herostatus.

Obama’s Inauguration speech did every thing that an inauguration speech should do. It inspired the masses, made the chests of thousands swell with pride, and brought a much needed sense of security to America. After hearing his half hour masterpiece, every Obama fan’s opinion of the new president was confirmed. Obama’s in office, we’re good. Through presidential propaganda, an amazing control over the English language, and promises that were favored by Americans, President Obama adopted an almost superhuman cloak of perfection and invincibility.

The promises he made consisted of cutting taxes for 95% of working families, ending our dependency on Middle East oil in 10 years, ending insurance companies’ discrimination against those who need the most medical care, and (here’s the big one) ending the ongoing war in Iraq. He’s made many more promises and declarations in his speeches and campaigns, all of which were accepted without a doubt by the majority of the American people. What the people don’t understand is that, even though Obama is young, head strong, wise, and will do everything and anything he can to achieve all the things that he has promised the people, some of those promises can

“President Obama adopted an almost superhuman cloak of perfection and invincibility.”

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Illustration By: John Hernandez

simply not be done, at least not in one presidency.

Obama’s tax cut promises are estimated to cost him $60 million per year. His plans to “fix” health care will cost us $1.2 trillion over ten years. He plans to give businesses a premium for every new job position they fill; that’s another $40 billion. Obama claims that he will be supplementing these funds by using various saving plans. He expects to save money by halting health care premiums and bringing the troops home. His plans to lower the health care premiums could earn $30 billion in a perfect world and his estimation of cutting premiums by $2,500 is optimistic guess work at best. Leaving Iraq will earn the government $90 billion, an amount Obama has spent several times over with his other plans.

Many Americans may ignore these blatant paradoxes in light of rewards that would arise from Obama’s plans. The president has already set into motion several seemingly heroic plans to jumpstart our economy. He is already trying to pass some of the tax cuts that he has promised. Collaborating with our country’s Native Americans, Obama is planning on using their reservations to buttress the American energy crisis. Native American reservations are key locations for solar energy. Alone, the reservations can produce up to four times the energy that the whole country does.

Although his speech was, quite frankly, riveting, Although he is earnestly trying to better our country, Although he is charismatic and knowledgeable, Barrack Obama is no super hero. He will not be able to do everything he has promised. He will not be able to single handedly save the world. He will try his best, but his best does not mean we’re in the clear. He had my vote but I’m quite aware of his shortcomings, as the rest of America should be.

By: Aura Altamiranda Editor-In-Chief

ADVISOR: Juliana Carreira Editorial Board: EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & CENTER SPREAD: Aura Altamiranda NEWS & FEATURES: Katerina Sardi EDITORIALS: Roselyn Anglade SPORTS: Amberli Prieto ARTS: Karla Barrios ARTISTS: Carlos Espinal John Hernandez STAFF: Genesis Alvear Kevin Amador Adriana Arcos Karina Aswani Christian Calzadilla Gabriellle Cruz Garret Culp Branden Duasso Kiara Eijo Amanda Escasena Amanda Hernandez Matthew Jordan Cynthia Lopez Juan Ortiz Angie Quezada Alexandra Salas Enrique Senger Stephen Singh Maricielo Solis William Valdes Jacqueline Vienes Aliana Zamorano Esmeralda Zuniga Please visit the Student Press Online link on the Sunset website.

The Crusader is a monthly publication of Miami Sunset Senior High School.

13125 SW 72 ST Miami, FL, 33183.

(305) 385-4255 The views expressed are solely those of The Crusader staff. The Crusader welcomes signed letters to the editor which may be edited for content.

Please bring to room 227.

Illustration by: Carlos Espinal

With Americans enduring such hardships as soaring costs and declining employment rates during the current economic crisis, this is easily the worst recession since the Great Depression in the 1930s. That fact alone gives one all the more reason to assume that consumerism should be on the decline as well. Wrong. On the contrary, the decline of American values is becoming dangerously more frequent. Many blame the materialistic craving on conditioned habits and an inexplicable want for that which one can’t have but perhaps it’s more than that.

Americans may have always been frivolous, wastefully spending

EDITORIALS

The Crusader Shallow Materialistic Values are Taken to New Heights Staff

Americans have come to spend more than they earn lies in the yearning to prove to themselves that they aren’t economically handicapped by the depression—an underlying irrational sense of pride may be what boosts the already extensive frivolity. It’s almost like people are putting the idea of self-fulfilling prophecy to the test; the idea that if they act as though they are above the current crisis and can get by on their preferred standard of living, maybe they will. Then maybe they won’t have to deal with what’s really happening.

Whether or not this is the case, the acts prompted by Americans’ mentality spawns an unhealthy dependency because their happiness is determined entirely on what new things are available on the market. A line needs to be drawn between occasional spending and ridiculous splurging.

The same way people don’t spend money for the sake of spending it, I don’t believe they buy things for the sake of having them. Every act can be readily

“...this inversely proportional relationship of rising consumerism and a declining economy is more than just a correlation.” their much needed cash on material possessions, but the level of frivolity has been taken to a new level. My guess is that this inversely proportional relationship of rising consumerism and a declining economy is more than just a correlation. Never before have Americans jeopardized their financial stability for a set of shiny new toys—a brand new iTouch, a flashy car, or a pile of glamorous clothes.

Statistics prove that rather than spending salaries on the basics of food, water, and shelter, many well-paid individuals claim to come up short on money to cover necessities. Lesser paid individuals have reason to be in such a situation, but this statement is not one expected of the upper class who, one would think, would have a firm financial stance given their standing in society.

Perhaps the sole reason

attributed to a psychological rationale.

On Black Friday, a man was trampled to death by a crowd of remorseless shoppers eager to get a jump on the day’s sales. This, of course, traces back to mob psychology and the idea that we do not retain our individuality when placed in groups. Likewise, we may be able to pin Americans’ increased spending on their unwillingness to accept the present issue of our failing economy—this denial of reality which rears its ugly head in the shape of useless material possessions.

If so, this boost in consumerism may be just a phase, one that will be restored to its original ludicrous nature in time.

Certainly, once Americans take a step back to closely examine the situation, if ever, they may find that they have bitten off more than they can chew.

Meanwhile, all we can do is sit back and hope this phase will wear out on its own.

Sunset Urged to Host “Battle of the Bands” By: Esmeralda Zuniga Staff Writer

Sunset, are you ready to rock? Well, maybe not, considering we might be one of the only high schools that are not hosting a Battle of the Bands. “Battle of the bands” is a term for a series of performances by musical groups.

Usually these are different styles of rock bands that play their music at the events, and compete for the title of the “best band.” Local schools such as John A. Ferguson and Felix Varela High School annually host their own. I con-

sider it a must during one’s high school years; even Marilyn Manson was once in part of the event when he was in high school, before becoming making it big.

So, why exactly has Sunset never had a battle of the bands? Is it lack of space? Not enough money? Or did no one ever come up with the idea? For starters, Mrs. Coto mentioned it wouldn’t be a spacing problem and could just be held outside.

To host a battle of the bands, not much money is required to begin with, just cables and am-

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plifiers which the bands usually provide themselves. Therefore, the problem seems to be that no one ever had the idea.

“There has never really been an interest here, and even when it was talked about or initiated, the idea never went fully through,” says Mrs. Coto. This just leaves everyone hanging on doesn’t it? It is all up to the music department to organize and sponsor it, but without their consent or support, we will never be able to pull through.

Even though we don’t host

one, about 54% of the student body believes Sunset definitely should, while 31% say they shouldn’t. 15% remain indifferent. Flip Vieira, who has been to battle of the bands at Ferguson, said, “Yeah! There are a lot of bands here, but I’m not sure anyone would come.” With the right kind of promotion, however, a battle of the bands could happen at Sunset very soon.

Overall, this would be a very fun experience. Sunset should definitely host a battle of the bands in 2009.

SPORTS

Extreme Sports: An Inside Look on the Madness

Coach’s Corner

When one hears the tag, “extreme sports,” what usually comes to mind are sports like skate boarding, surfing, skydiving, and BMX biking. While it’s true that all of these are considered “extreme sports,” we’ve grown accustomed to them. They’re very popular, many of them adopting official organizations (BMX, Motocross, and Skate Boarding worlds are now legitimate sports and businesses) and have become common in the public eye. And just like the end of any dynasty, a new machine arises from the woodworks, bringing a fresh, new, and very odd outlook to the term “extreme sports.”

Popular in New Zealand is a sport called Zorbing. Basically as a humansized hamster, a person is placed into a Zorb Ball, a giant sphere made of perplex (the same material Plexiglas is made of), and sent rolling around down a gentle slope. Though it sounds as pleasant as a ride through the park on a bike, some adrenaline junkies out there have turned the sport to fit their taste, just as the BMX’s did with bikes.

Starting off at the top of a steep hill or mountain, these extreme Zorbers launch themselves down it, looking for the same rush a hamster looks for when it rolls its ball down an exit ramp.

The down-hill movement brings another so called “extreme sport” to mind: Cheese Rolling. Originating from England, one starts at the top of an incredibly steep hill. A roll of cheese is rolled down the hill and any number of people race after the cheese. The first one to make it to the bottom gets to keep the already dirty cheese.

Most of the “athletes” that participate in Cheese Rolling leave with broken arms and legs, compliment of the steepness of the hill.

Now surely many people would like to take mundane activities and make them fun, but the inventers of Extreme Ironing have pushed the limit. More popular than you would believe, the main goal of an Extreme Ironer is to out-do everyone that comes before him. Whether or not the article of clothing actually leaves the scene ironed seems to come second to the ridiculous (and dangerous) places these people take their clothes. Some of the craziest locations include underwater, while parachuting 3000 feet in the air, in a canoe,

Four and nine, that is the record for Sunset’s Wrestling team this year. However the only number that Coach Rivera cares about is the very large number opposite of his four wins. All of Sunset had high hopes for this year’s wrestling team going into the season and so did Coach Rivera. “No, this is not where I expected this team to be at this point in time,” said Rivera. While Coach Rivera is not satisfied with his team’s record, there have been some key factors to their slump this year. “We have a very young team, unfortunately we have

By: Carlos Espinal Artist

and suspended on a tight rope extended over a canyon!

There seems to be no limit to what a man will do for an adrenaline rush. Some other extreme sports include: Free Diving, “one of the most dangerous sports in the world,” is the sport of divers plunging up to 400 feet underwater on a single breath.

Shrovetide Football, a game of football that includes 300 players on the field at the same time, pushing, kicking, and screaming their way to the goal. Rock Jumping is the “art” of jumping from one rock to another. Don’t take Rock Jumpers lightly, though. The jumps can have much as 100 feet between take off and landing.

While most of these sports seem a little bit ridiculous, if

“There seems to be no limit to what a man will do for an adrenaline rush.” not downright stupid, some of the new sports that have come to fruition are actually pretty cool. Base Jumping, a combination of Sky Diving and Para-gliding, places one at the top of a fixed object (usually a mountain or a building) where they jump off at heights of over 2000 feet. Base Jumpers either use a parachute to survive or, for a much more thrilling experience, a wing suit (which is the flying squirrel’s retort to the hamster’s Zorb Ball).

Free Running is an exhilarating sport that puts one man against a city full of obstacles, armed with nothing but his bare hands and a pair of running shoes. No problem.

Free runners have been given the moniker of “Urban Ninjas” because of their ability to clear 20 feet long jumps between rooftops, climb up 10 feet tall sheer walls, perform complex flips, and dive off four story buildings with relative ease.

While all these sports are already popular in some parts of the world it seems unlikely that most will reach the level of legitimacy that the first generation of extreme sports has found. But some will surely make the cut. Base Jumping and Free running have already been featured in the movies Lara Croft Tomb Raider: the Cradle of Life and The Punisher: War Zone, respectively. Keep an eye out for these and more new generation extreme sports. For all we know, someone will invent a Human-Bunny Rabbit sport next.

By: Garrett Culp Staff Writer

had a lot of injuries this year and some of the guys have not been able to pass the hydration test,” said Rivera. Most of this year’s team is made up of sophomores and countless players have gone down with wrist, finger and hand injuries.

That is a lot to overcome for any team but it’s also part of the game and Rivera will not let his players use it as an excuse.

While four and nine doesn’t look great there have been bright spots to the season. The team placed second in the Boca Raton tournament and only came up 1 point short of winning the championship. Rivera’s three

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best wrestlers have a great individual record this year and the young guys on the team are getting better and better every week, which will pay off in the future for Sunset Wrestling.

Stillm this season is far from over. There’s a big tournament coming up called the GMAC and every team in Dade County will be participating.

“Columbus is even going to be there, this is our chance to show we are better than our record says we are,” said Rivera.

Even more important than the GMAC Tournament is when they go up against their districts. The top four

from there will go to regionals, and the top four from regionals will end up at states.

“That’s been our ultimate goal: to make states,” said Rivera.

All the wrestlers know they have an outstanding coach in Rivera and think the highest of him. There is no other coach any of them enjoy suiting for week in and week out.

This season is far from lost, and if there’s any coach who can help turn this season around and into a Cinderella story it’s the tough and gritty nineteen year experienced head coach, Rivera.

Illustration By: Angie Quesada

Illustration By: Gina Thompson

Illustration By: Karla Barrios

Illustration By: Matthew Jordan

L’AMOUR DE MA VIE 11

Tribute to the Arts

ASH

Valentine’s Day 2009 A Paradox: Simple in Theory, Complex in Practice By: Katerina Sardi News & Features Editor

A very wise person once said, “Love—a widely misunderstood, highly desirable malfunction of the heart which weakens the brain, causes eyes to sparkle, cheeks to glow, and lips to pucker.”

Valentine’s Day is the most complicated, yet most celebrated holiday notable in America. It is a combination of love and hate, affection and anger, and devotion and annoyance, which generally captures the meaning of a true connection between a man and a woman. For those of you who have experienced this sort of link, I commend you for surviving the rollercoaster of a journey. To those who have not, consider yourself lucky—yet still unfortunate.

I’m not here to rant on a holiday, but rather to tell you that you aren’t alone in the confusion of its true meaning. The origin of Valentine’s Day is still hazy as there are many legends regarding St. Valentine, the hero and utter romantic. Still, it is defined as “a day for the exchange of valentines and other tokens of affection,” and that is precisely what it is. It is to express to “that special someone” your true feelings through messaged candies and bouquets of roses. Although this holiday doesn’t extend for longer than a day, these feelings should not be limited to being revealed only on February 14th, but every day that they are felt. This day is to help emphasize that connection.

And still many people stand to question if this holiday is legitimate. Seeing as how this holiday seems to only benefit those who are in love, what do those who aren’t gain from this day? Many can argue that big-time card companies and jewelry stores are the ones making monetary profits off of this holiday, that it is solely a way of giving love a cost. Especially in days like these, with technology expanding at its quickest pace and materialism enlarging, Valentine’s Day has become a great asset for these companies. And if that indeed is the case, isn’t that what “month-aversaries” are for?

But Valentine’s Day isn’t only for those embodied in love. It can be embraced in all different forms to show people just how much you appreciate them. In South America, a similar holiday is celebrated, more like the one just described. El Dia de la Amistad is celebrated between friends, parents, siblings, and of course, lovers. A day like this leaves everyone feeling loved and valued, not just those confined in a relationship. So take this day and view it in an alternate form, not one defined by society that will put you down.

Singles’ Awarness Day or Warm and Fuzzy?

By: Alexandra Salas Staff Writer

Valentine’s Day is a day when couples show their love and affection for each other. To them, it’s a great day to buy gifts and spend some alone time together, but for singles out there, it’s a day to sit on the couch watching The Notebook, eating chocolates and crying about how much you hate this holiday. Many believe that Valentine’s Day is a holiday created by greeting card companies to make profit. Truthful or not, this holiday has the power to make singles feel miserable.

Then again, it also strengthens bonds and renews relationships for those blessed with their other half.

“My boyfriend and I are really looking forward to it this year,” said junior Amanda Salas.

“We’re planning on going to the beach to celebrate.”

Loving someone is a beautiful thing, and some believe Valentine’s Day is the day Pictured: Julian Velasquez, senior, & Natalie Pacheco, sophomore

to express one’s passion for the other.

“Oh my god! My boyfriend and I, we love each other and I don’t care whether someone feels lonely. It’s been a while, and who cares? I just want flowers!” said a sophomore who chose to remain anonymous.

On the other hand, some people spend this holiday with their friends showing each other that their friendship is greatly appreciated.

“This year my best friend is my valentine,” said Karen Reyes. “I think it’s a nice idea so in the end you aren’t alone.”

Valentine’s Day is a nice holiday to spend with a loved one, but when you are depressed and lonesome, it is probably a date that shouldn’t be marked on one’s calendar.

Pictured: Jonathan Martinez & Lellany Fajardo, sophomores

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