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VARELA TURNS 20 Felix Varela Sr. High School * 15255 S.W. 96 St., Miami, FL 33196
Hits and misses
n i t e l l bu rd a o b
It's the beginning of the end with seniors with Sr. Crowns and Red Carpet!
Netflix is losing most of its Disney content.
Hurrican Dorian destroys major portions of the Bahamas.
Disney+ is coming and it's cheaper than Netflix.
South Florida comes together to help neighboring Bahamas with donations and aide.
A bomb cyclone hits New England states. From a state with hurricanes...we're with you!
table of contents
Ta b le of Contents | View p oints
ViEWPOINTS
Editorial.............................................................. 4
News
volume 19 nov‘19
Viper News....................................... 5 EVHAT............................................6 Staff Lounge............................. 7 Wish Tree.............................. 8
Editors
Varela creates its own Wish Tree with students, faculty and parents.
Jonathan Bigio-Vargas Jose Donate Karolyn Legra Maria Pacheco Kiana Paulino Isabella Vallejo
Gun control.................... 9 Brazil's Rainforest... 10
lifestyle
Sony/Marvel............11
Reporters
Will Disney's new deal with Sony keep Spiderman in the MCU?
l Isabella
Cerioni l Alexander Dominguez l Joshua Escobedo l Letisleidi Martinez
Hobbs & Shaw.......... 12 It: Chapter 2............ 13 Aladdin.....................14 Austn........................ 15 raising dion...............16 video games............... 17
Adviser
Editorial Policy
Varela Sports..................18
The Viper Vibe is the student newspaper of Felix Varela Senior High (15255 SW 96 St. Miami, FL, 33196). It is an open forum for student expression. The opinions expressed in the publication do not reflect the official opinions or policies of the school. The Viper Vibe welcomes letters to the editor, but requires that they be signed and reserves the right to reject, edit and condense letters. The staff and adviser can be contacted at 305-752-7900 or thevipervibe@gmail. com
Check out the latest in Fall Sports.
On the cover: Varela's Wish Tree stands at the front of the school near the breezeway. Student, faculty and parents wrote down wishes that were attached to the branches as part of the Wish Tree exhibition started by Yoko Ono. photo by Isabella Cerioni.
Talk to us: thevipervibe@gmail.com
Murillo l Mia Rivera l Joshua Velez
Elizabeth Cardenas
sports
Above: Twenty years ago, the covered patio was completed giving students a place to eat lunch out of the hot sun. photo by Crotalus; Students hang their wishes on the Wish Tree at the August ceremony. photo by Isabella Cerioni; Tom Holland at the Spiderman: Far From Home Los Angeles Premiere held at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood, CA on Wednesday, June 26. photo with permission Sipa USA/ TNS; Football season is under way and the Vipers started out with a win. photo by Fox-Mar
l Andres
Sponsorships
Your thoughts may be featured in the next issue of the Viper Vibe!
The Viper Vibe welcomes sponsorships from individuals and businesses, but reserves the right to reject any material deemed inappropriate for a high school publication.
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Viewpoi nt s | E d it or ial
20 years of life 20 years of change Editorial
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his year is Varela’s 20th anniversary. A lot has changed over the last 20 years and around the world, too. When Varela first opened in the fall of 2000, we had no uniforms. We only had freshman and sophomores. This newsmagazine didn’t even exist. As the school grew (over 5,000 students and three lunch waves at one point), so did the world around us. In September 2001, we were introduced to the world of terrorism. All of the students at Varela this year were born into the world of 9/11. We have grown up having to pass through increasingly stringent security measures at airports. The Patriot Act allows the government to listen to our phone conversations and read our texts. As Varela navigated this new world, we were confronted with increasingly disturbing stories of mass shootings, including several schools, one about an hour away from us. Uniforms became a permanent addition to the school rules, as did visible ID badges. Making jokes online in the hopes of being anonymous has disappeared in the wake of Homeland Security. In education, Florida got rid of FCAT in favor of the FSA/ELA and EOC’s. But even more so, it
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is shifting its focus to career themed classes and industry certifications. Varela has decreased its number of foreign languages taught (six at its height), yet increased its number of technical classes. This shift is reminiscent of a time when people learned a skill or apprenticed under a master to get better at a job. The Viper Vibe is one such class. Not only do we learn to read, write and research, but we learn how to design. We get certified in Adobe InDesign, which is one of the industry certifications. Think of all the jobs out there that don’t require college degrees, but do require a certain level of skill obtained through certifications. Varela’s move in this direction is good; we are changing with the times. It’s sad that we have to worry every day that something bad might happen here or in Miami. It’s sad that we mistrust our neighbors and have to be hyper aware wherever we go. It’s sad that we still don’t treat each other like family, with respect and love. But we are the new generation. We can make the world better. We can make our school better. We can get involved. We can make the next 20 years even better than the first.
Celebrating 20 years of Felix Varela Senior High School
Aro u n d Varela | N ew s
HEADLINES AND HAPPENINGS
News
September 28
August 30 Sr. Red Carpet It was the beginning of the end for the class of 2020 as they got to walk the red carpet and show off their own personalized crowns on Friday, Aug. 30. Props were provided for students to take pictures. The main attraction was a big Viper throne. Towards the end of the day, there was an event where students got to leave their last period early to participate in Football Frenzy which started at 2p.m. for the home game against Barbara Goleman Sr. High.
Left: Seniors Thomas Austin, Isabella Cerioni, Melissa Uran and Igiannet Fernandez show off their crowns. photo by E. Cardenas; Above: Students dance at Viper Vice, Varela's Homecoming. This year there were live performers. photos by Fox-Mar
October 3
Homecoming Queen Briana Hernandez and King Manuel Espinosa. photo by Fox-Mar
October 10
Blood Drive The first of three Varela Blood Drives was on Thursday, Oct. 3. The company One Blood collected a total of 90 units of blood donated by staff and students. Of those, 21 were platelets that were for cancer patients. HOSA adviser and Nursing teacher, Ms. Barbara Paulsen, believes that it is important for students to donate blood. "They are saving lives," she said. "One unit of blood saves a total of four lives." The second and thirds collections will be in January and April. To donate, students must be at least 17 years old with parental consent. They also need to weigh at least 110 lbs.
Homecoming It was time to dance the night away at this year’s homecoming dance on September 28. The theme this year was Viper Vice and, like last year, was hosted in the school gym. The activities department sold about 400 tickets which was less than last year. This year’s ticket cost $50 which included admission to the Homecoming game the night before against the Sunset Knights. The king and queen, Manuel Espinosa and Briana Hernandez, were crowned during halftime at the game.
Journalism Forum
Above: Aislin Pena (12) registers students for blood donating. photo by Crotalus; Left: Ms. Barbara Paulsen helps Maria Pacheco (12) get ready to donate blood. photo by Crotalus; Right: Journalism students from M-DCPS attend the superintendent's Student Journalism Forum. photo by Isabella Cerioni information gathered by Isabella Cerioni, Alexander Dominguez, Joshua Escobedo and Isabella Vallejo
Journalism students from all over Miami-Dade County were invited to attend a Student Journalism Forum on Oct. 10. The forum, which took place at the Miami-Dade County School Board Building downtown, focused on the importance of journalism and how to get into the field. Speakers included Jim DeFede (CBS4), David Lawrence, Jr. (Miami Herald), Nancy Ancrum (Miami Herald), Sofia Alonso (WSVN7)and Amanda Plasencia (NBC6). Even the Superintendent Alberto Carvalho made an appearance and spoke about Journalism’s importance in a free democracy.
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News | A ro u n d V arel a
Inside the Staff Lounge What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
“Your family is over there.�
Mr. Lazaro Leal
Mr. Leal has been a part of M-DCPS for about 25 years. He comes to Varela from South Dade High as a first time Assistant Principal. He is currently in charge of Freshmen, attendance and the ICE/ CTE classes.
What sound or noise do you love?
My son practicing music 6
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Pro-Golfer
What sound or noise do you hate?
What is our favorite memory from teaching?
People chewing ice
Mock Trials
What did you teach before becoming an Assistant Principal?
What is your least favorite word?
Social Studies What is your favorite word?
Enjoy What inspires you?
My kids
What is your favorite book?
Negativity What profession other than yours would you not like to participate in?
Genghis: Birth of an Empire by Conn Iggulden Construction (and John Grisham novels) Worker These questions are based on the French television series Bouillon de Culture hosted by Bernard Pivot. Information gathered by Joshua Velez and photo by Isabella Cerioni
Aro u n d Varela | N ew s
Every Viper Has a Tale: Martin Archila One man's game is another man's hobby. This junior has a special skill at cards.
Left: Martin Archila (11) performs a ribbon spread in which he moves the cards from front to back in a row; Above: Archila spins a card in the air and catches it with one hand. Archila performs these card flourishes for his family and friends. photos by Kiana Paulino
When thinking of students’ hobbies Editor it’s easy to picture sports or video IG: KiANAARAAE games or even working out. But never would we think of a performance art called cardistry, also known as card flourishing. Martin Archila Ferreyros Swift is a junior Viper who has a talent in this art. “There’s card flourishes and card tricks. Card tricks are like the ones magicians use, and you can think of card flourishes as almost the connector or warm up shows,” Swift said. He usually does these tricks at home tries to impress his family and friends. He also enjoys writing poetry and short stories and is able to impersonate a monkey’s noises. Undoubtedly with a mother who is a realtor and abstract artist his creative and artistic side is brought out. Swift is originally from Colombia where conditions in the country were unsafe. He moved to the United States when he was eight years old and found a home in Texas for seven years. He recently relocated to Miami which was determined by his parents who had found better occupational opportunities.
By Kiana Paulino
One of the perks of his move here was the proximity to his older brother and his biological father who moved to Miami prior to him. Since he hasn’t seen his father since he was eight he sees it as a chance to discover where he gets his other traits from. He also emphasized the importance of being more involved with his own culture. “It definitely helps feel like you’re not alone. In Texas there aren’t as many Colombians, so you feel isolated as well as homesick because down there, there’s mostly just Mexican or Texan culture,” he said. So far Swift has taken a liking to Varela and everything it has to offer such as AP classes and the people he has surrounded himself with. “I’ve met a lot of amazing people here, and the education AP-wise is outstanding, and I’m looking forward to the future,” he said. Swift is very intent on becoming a reconstructive plastic surgeon. He hopes to further his education in college and focus on making people who have had horrible deformation due to fires or natural causes feel comfortable in their skin.
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News | A ro u n d V arel a
Varela hangs wishes to promote unity and positivity
Top: Varela's Wish Tree stands at the front of the school near the breezeway. Left: Students hang their wishes at a ceremony in August. Bottom Left: School police officer, Officer Mormon, hangs her wish on the Wish Tree. Bottom: Daniella Alzate (12), representing the athletic department, helps to hang student wishes on the Wish Tree. photos by Isabella Cerioni
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“All my works are a form of wishing.” Soon after the death of her husband, John Lennon, Yoko Ono started a project called The Wish Tree. People write their wishes on small cards which are then tied to tree branches. Her project has expanded all over the planet to cities and countries that want to spread messages of wisdom, healing, and joy. With this being the 20th anniversary of Varela opening, Principal Nery Fins decided she wanted to do something different. Something positive, something special. She found the website for Ono’s Wish Tree. “Well, believe it or not, I grew up in the 60s so The Beatles were apart of my life, and then one of the teachers here told me about Yoko Ono’s foundation,” she said. “I did some research and thought, in high school we don’t do things for the entire school including the parents and the teachers so I figured it would be a really nice event and a nice start to the school year.” In the front of the school, near the breezeway, was the perfect tree. Before school started, she asked all the teachers to fill out their cards. Then she had the English teachers distribute cards to all of their students in the first week of school. Parents were also given cards at orientations and parent nights. The tree
has Isabella Cerioni startStaff Reporter ed to isabellacerioni@icloud.com fill up. “I think it’s a really positive way to bring our community together and it showcases Mrs. Fins effort to try to integrate the school into becoming more active in a positive manner,” Brianna Basdeo (12) said. “My wish was to bring my inner peace to the outer world.” “I think that this is a great idea that Mrs. Fins came up with. I think it motivates us and gives us something to look forward to because at the end of the year we’ll see if our wish came true or not,” Ms. Zoila Garcia, yearbook teacher, said. “I wished for health, happiness, and a prosperous, exciting year filled with fun.” In August, Fins had a ceremony to introduce the Wish Tree to students and faculty and the wishes started to be hung on the special tree at the front of the school. While filling up a tree with wishes is nice, it’s not the ultimate goal. “In May, we are going to bring them all down, put them in a box and mail it to Reykjavik in Iceland where Yoko Ono is going to put them in her tower of peace and make them a part of her art,” said Fins. Ono’s art installation in Iceland is called the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER. Over a million wishes have been collected from all over the world and preserved in the tower’s Wishing Well.
Steven Roy wears his holstered pistol outside the Roy and Sons New and Used Guns in Atlanta, Mich. Roy is a fervent supporter of the NRA and the 2nd Amendment. Located in Montmorency County, east of Gaylord in the northern Lower Peninsula, the Atlanta area is one of Michigan's concealed handgun hotbeds. photo with permission TNS
The Rev. Monte Stevens (left) and Brien Dyer, both of Dayton, were among about 150 people calling for legislative action to reduce gun violence at the Statehouse on Friday September 13. photo with permission Dispatch/TNS
Gun control issues continue to heat up By Jonathan Bigio-vargas Gun control is
Editor a main topic of bigioj5291@gmail.com conversation again with shootings in August in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. While the motivation for the shootings was different, the fact remains that many lives were lost in a matter of seconds. The Second Amendment holds that "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." In layman’s terms, that means that citizens of American have the right to carry a gun. But supporters of stricter gun control laws say that the Founding Fathers never expected regular citizens to carry military grade weapons and certainly never envisioned people walking into crowded places to commit domestic terrorism. “Gun control is being really lazy with the laws we have right now and we should have stricter gun laws because right now it's terrible and almost everyone has a gun," Andres Perez (12) said. "[We need] more background checks to put more attention to people who legally own a gun because they could do anything with it.” Mass shootings like Columbine, Parkland, Las Vegas and El Paso have many
pleading for better gun control laws and for those laws to be better enforced. But Second Amendment supporters feel that their individual rights are being violated. According to the National Rifle Association (NRA), guns are used for self-defense 2.5 million times a year. In a Pew Research study, 61% of men and 56% of women surveyed said that stricter gun laws would "make it more difficult for people to protect their homes and families." “I think the Second Amendment is right and everyone should have a right to guns because it’s a version of protection and also since I’m a hunter, it’s a way to get food,” Alexander Abreu (10) said. “I think there should be stricter laws. No one should have an AR15 for protection, or an automatic weapon, because we don’t use that in hunting.” Here in Florida, there are several rules in place about owning a gun. According to gunstocarry.com, while it is legal to carry a concealed weapon on your person or car, it must be “securely encased” and “not readily accessible for immediate use.” Open carry is illegal in Florida. Guns also cannot be taken into bars where they serve alcohol. There is no requirement to inform law enforcement that you have a gun when you are approached, however, you must carry a concealed handgun permit at all
times. Weapons or firearms of any kind are prohibited in places like schools, hospitals, courthouses and airports. To purchase a gun, a person must be 21 years old and complete a training class. They also cannot have two or more DUI convictions or a conviction for a violent crime in the last three years. Purchasing a gun from a licensed dealer requires a background check. While all these rules sound good, unfortunately Florida is rated a Cwith lawcentergiffords.org. Background checks are not required when purchasing a gun through a private citizen, including gun shows. Florida also does not regulate assault weapons and large ammunition magazines, nor does it limit the number of firearms purchased at one time. Gun control activists, including a group called Ban Assault Weapons Now (BAWN), are seeking to place a constitutional amendment on the Florida ballot in November 2020. The amendment would ban assault weapons that can shoot more than 10 rounds and would not apply to regular handguns. The group has received over 100,000 signatures so far to get the amendment on the ballot next year. Attorney General Ashely Moody recently argued to the court against BAWN’s proposed ballot language, saying that it is misleading and would allow too much restriction to the country’s Second Amendment. Left: Ban Assault Weapons Now Chairwoman Gail Schwartz, aunt of Parkland shooting victim Alex Schachter, signs paperwork as she submits 200 petitions to the Broward County Supervisor of Elections office for review as part of a ballot initiative to put on the 2020 election ballot a ban on the sale of military-grade weapons at the Broward County Government Center in Fort Lauderdale on Monday, Feb. 11. photo with permission South Florida Sun Sentinel/TNS; Right: Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is fighting to keep a proposed assault weapons ban amendment off the 2020 Florida ballot. photo with permission palmbeachpost.com/TNS
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August 21, 2019, Amazon Rainforest: From 22,300 miles in space, NOAA's GOES16 captured this image of fires burning in the Amazon Rainforest today, August 21, 2019. Fires are raging at a record rate in Brazil's Amazon rainforest, and scientists warn that it could strike a devastating blow to the fight against climate change. There have been 72,843 fires in Brazil this year, with more than half in the Amazon region, INPE said. That's more than an 80 percent increase compared with the same period last year. photo with permission NOAA/Zuma Press/TNS
In this aerial image, a fire burns in a section of the Amazon rain forest on August 25, in the Candeias do Jamari region near Porto Velho, Brazil. photo with permission Getty Images/TNS
Brazil fires damage climate, ecosystem While climate change
Mia Rivera and changes in our ecoStaff Reporter
system are natural and inevitable, these changes are coming faster and stronger, and much of it is due to how humans have been treating the planet. Our burning of fossil fuels alone has created a greater greenhouse effect where emitted gases trap energy in our atmosphere and result in increasing temperatures. More than 20 percent of the worlds oxygen is produced by the Amazon rainforest. It’s expected that this oxygen supply was greatly weakened as 2,500 active fires burned in the rainforest in the past month. According to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research Center (INPE), the fires are burning at the highest rate since they began tracking them in 2013. According to WSVN 7 News, “There have been a total of 72,843 fires in Brazil this IG: imiiav
Q&A Ms. Terri Reyes Environmtal Science Teacher
Q: Why are these fires so detrimental and harmful to us? A: Loss of biodiversity is one of the major concerns because we know that the rainforests are home to so many different types of species and it’s important to protect that biodiversity. Also if we think of a human perspective, we have benefitted by the diversity of the species we have and when we think of where many of our medicines come
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year, with more than half in the Amazon region.” July and August are the Amazon’s driest months. We humans often clear out the land for farming. The majority of these fires are initiated by us. For this fire, the exact cause is unclear and they are still active. On August 24, Jair Bolsonaro, the President of Brazil, moved 44,000 military troops to help battle the fires. It was reported that there are warplanes dumping water on the blazing fires. Although we’re nowhere near Brazil, their fires still affect us. Everyone on the planet benefits from the rainforest’s condition. With the Amazon’s enormous size, it’s trees contribute a lot to the greenhouse gases and all the oxygen released contributes to our well-being. Without it, the Amazon won’t be able to provide its rich oxygen supply and our Earth will suffer. There are several ways that we can
from, there is the thought that there could be species that we don’t even know about yet and keeping those available within the ecosystem. The other issue is of course when we’re talking about global climate change. [For] deforestation, I always talk about the fact that it’s a two-fold problem when we lose forests. Anytime that you burn something made of carbon, it’s going to release carbon dioxide. So, the burning of the forest is going to accelerate the enhancement of the Greenhouse Effect, which we believe is obviously linked to global temperature increases
help protect the Amazon rainforest. One of the most generous ways to help is to donate money. The Rainforest Action Network uses donations to protect an acre of the Amazon rainforest. The Rainforest Trust helps buy land in the rainforest. Don’t have any extra money to spend? Students can make sure they keep a green thumb by reducing paper use and wood consumption. Rainforest Alliance certifies products that are rainforest-safe. We can also purchase rainforest-safe products from the alliance’s site. Or we can reduce our beef intake. Beef found in processed products and fast-food burgers is often linked to deforestation. Anyone can sign Greenpeace's petition telling the Brazilian government to save the Amazon and its rainforest. To make a direct and immediate change, we can contact our elected officials and make our voices heard.
and global climate change. Additionally, the forests themselves normally are helping to mitigate some of that climate change because trees normally store a lot of the carbon dioxide that we are seeing building up in the atmosphere. Q: What’s your opinion on these fires relating to, for example, society and politically? A: I think what is kind of shameful about most of these fires, is that although there is a dry season and fires can start naturally, most of the evidence supports that these fires are being deliberately started by farmers and ranchers wanting to either clear
land for cash crops taking a very biodiverse ecosystem and instead planting palm oil, etc. I think the big push now is looking at the companies that are kind of the hidden cause of this and possibly trying to use our purchasing power to avoid supporting companies that are supporting this type of devastation of our natural resources. We normally don’t get rainforests back. Something will grow back in that area, but it will not be the same type of ecosystem that we had before the destruction. So, the loss essentially is permanent.
Mov ies | L if estyle
lifestyle
Marvel and Sony come to a new deal
The Sony vs.
Jose Donate Disney story has Editor
josedonate24@gmail.com taken another turn this summer involving the much loved Tom Holland’s Spiderman. With the release of Avengers: Endgame in April, Marvel set a whole new story for Spiderman’s journey. A month after Endgame, Spiderman: Far From Home came out and audiences got a glimpse of what the MCU has in store for its next chapter. The web-slinging superhero has been around in theaters for a long time already. Toby Maguire started the Spiderman expedition and did an excellent job. However, movie sales declined as the studio changed actors to Andrew Garfield. But when Disney bought Marvel and proposed a partnership with Sony, bringing Spiderman officially into the MCU, Sony jumped at the chance to reshape its image. Holland took the reigns and the last two movies were wildly popular. According to IMDB, Spiderman: Homecoming made about $880 million worldwide and Far From Home made $1.1 billion, which is a big improvement
Kevin Feige at the Thor: Ragnarok film premiere on Oct. 10, 2017 in Los Angeles, Calif. photo with permission Zuma Press/TNS
over the Maguire and Garfield Spiderman movies. Because of Sony’s pre-existing contract with Marvel, Sony has access to the Spiderman universe. Disney, who must honor the Marvel contract, proposed the partnership with Sony in order to bring Spiderman into the hugely popular MCU. Under the Tom Holland partnership,
Sony pid to make the movies, allowed Disney to use Spiderman in its Avengers series and gave Disney about a 5% profit of the movies. However, Disney wanted more. The problem: Disney wanted to change the deal. They wanted 50% of Spiderman’s profits even though they weren’t spending the money to make the movies. Sony declined, which effectively booted Spiderman out of the MCU. In September, amid huge outcries from fans all over the world, Sony and Disney finally struck a deal. This time, Disney’s profits would go up to about 25%, but they would also have to pay 25% of the costs of producing the movies. The deal is only good for the next two movies, which is also the number of movies left on Holland’s contract. Rumor has it that the two movies will include the third in the current Spiderman trilogy and an unnamed Marvel crossover. Whether or not Sony and Marvel continue their relationship is yet to be seen, but with Disney’s acquisition of Fox, there’s no end to the Marvel movies that can be produced from X-Men to Deadpool to Fantastic Four.
Kevin Feige, the president of Disney-owned Marvel Studios, would no longer produce the Spider-Man movies released by rival studio Sony Pictures after the two companies failed to come to a new agreement. This changed in September when Sony and Disney struck a new deal. photo with permission Sony Pictures/TNS
Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson, left) and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) in Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, directed by David Leitch. photo with permission TNS
Hobbs and Shaw are furious in new film The Fast and the Furious
the cast started to have some tension and drama about how the film broke up ed eight great movies the Fast and Furious family. ig: mmffppmm over the last 16 years During the casting of the movie, that have grossed $5 billion worldwide. Johnson was really trying to get Jason In August, Dwayne Johnson (Hobbs) Momoa (Aquaman) to play Hobbs’ brothand Jason Statham (Shaw) teamed up er, but due to schedule problems they to create the spinoff Hobbs and Shaw. were not able to work it out. Although he Although many people had high hopes, was not able to get Momoa on this movit did not seem to have met the expecta- ie, Johnson did mention that he would tions of fans and critics, scoring a 6.8 out for sure have him on the next Hobbs and of 10 on IMDb. And while it is registered Shaw movie. as “fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes, it did Overall, most fans liked the movie seem to have lost some of its Fast and saying that it was funny, action-packed, Furious shine. and “the perfect spin-off of the F&F The characters of Hobbs and Shaw franchise.” Most of the negative talk was are seen as enemies in the franchise, but about how it was a very lengthy movie in this movie, Shaw's sister, a rogue MI6 and the jokes were not that good. agent, gets bested by a cyber-genetically Personally, I really engineered rebel, named Brixton (played enjoyed the movie and by Idris Elba), who also has a bio-threat thought the action and that could change humanity forever. This jokes were good. I do think leads to Hobbs and Shaw coming togeth- that it was well worth er to defeat Brixton. going to the movie theatre The idea of this spinoff first came in order to get the full about during the filming of The Fate of experience. the Furious where the executives and It’s an action-packed producers noticed the comedic chemismovie from beginning to try between Hobbs and Shaw. They beend with some amazing gan to start planning the movie in more and thrilling scenes that detail towards the end of filming which will leave viewers on the led many people to believe that this was edge of their seats. It really the reason why Johnson and the rest of stays true to the original
Maria Pacheco franchise has includEditor
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Fast and Furious style with a combination of amazing action scenes from the opening scene to the very end, a sense of family, which you can see with the relationship between Hobbs and his mom, and jokes that will have audiences laughing throughout the entire movie. It also features many popular songs such as “100 Miles and Running” by Logic and "Time in A Bottle" by YUNGBLUD which made many of the actions scenes that much more enjoyable to watch and added to the suspense. For those that want to see it on a big screen, it’s still playing in theaters. But don’t worry, I’m sure Red Box will have it soon. It’s definitely worth it.
Idris Elba is the villainous Brixton in Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. photo with pe rmission Universal Pictures/TNS
Mov ies | L if estyle
"You'll float, too." Left: From left, Isaiah Mustafa as Mike Hanlon, Bill Hader as Richie Tozier, James McAvoy as Bill Denbrough, Jessica Chastain as Beverly Marsh and Jay Ryan as Ben Hascomb in a scene from It Chapter Two. Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise the clown. Below: Clowns in the traditional whiteface makeup, such as Pennywise played by Tim Curry in the Steven King miniseries It, are on the way out. The thick white grease paint has a scary connotation from movies and television and kids open up more quickly to clowns with the more human faces. photos with permission Warner Bros./TNS
Skaarsgård still terrifies with It: Chapter Two It’s been two years since audiences were scared out of their minds by Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise, the murderous clown in Stephen King’s classic It. In a continuation of the story, the main characters of Ben, Beverly, Richie, Bill, Mike, Eddie and Stanley come back as adults to fight Pennywise who terrorized them as children. The story takes place in a town called Derry. Kids start to disappear, including Bill’s brother Georgie. When Bill and his friends start to investigate the disappearances, they find Pennywise, a shapeshifting monster who appears to them as a scary clown. In an epic fight at the end of the first movie, the kids battle Pennywise, injuring him so that they think they have killed him. The new chapter takes place 27 years later when the kids
return as adults because more kids start disappearing. Originally, King’s book was made into a TV miniseries in 1990 starring Tim Curry as Pennywise, so many people feared that the new movies wouldn’t do justice to Curry’s character. They were wrong. Skarsgård’s portrayal of the clown was the stuff of nightmares. The movie budget was $79 million, double the amount of the first movie, but also about half an hour longer. Some of the actors are also more well-known like Jessica Chastain (Interstellar) and James McAvoy (X-Men). Actors like Bill Hader, best known for his time on Saturday Night Live, brought just enough funny to the movie to break some of the creepy tension. Fans that liked the first It movie will most likely like
the second By Andres Murillo Staff Reporter one. andresm12145@gmail.com While their 63% on Rotten Tomatoes is considered fresh, it’s also not that great. My honest opinion about the movie is that it wasn’t that good. There wasn’t enough action with the clown so it was kind of boring throughout the movie. In the first movie, the main characters were played by kids which just makes a movie more scary. In It2, the characters are grown ups which made it less scary. The soundtrack of the movie was very good; it gave it a more horror feel. Frankly, I don’t think the movie is worth the $12 plus concessions to watch on the big screen. It could be just as scary at home in a dark living room.
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L i f est y le | M ovies
Mena Massoud plays Aladdin and Will Smith is the Genie in the live-action Aladdin. photos with permission TNS
Take a ride on a magical reality Disney’s newest creations aren’t really new. While it seems like everything Disney touches turns to gold, that isn’t exactly true about their new live-action movies. Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast seemed to do well at the box office, but others like Dumbo and The Lion King did not. Audiences are curious about what a cartoon character would look like in real life, but this doesn’t always translate well. Fortunately for Aladdin, the formula worked. There was a lot of controversy surrounding the movie because of Robin Williams’ death a few years ago. He
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played the Genie, and it was iconic. How could any actor take his place? Well apparently, Will Smith could. It was an enormous risk for the actor who has starred in such comedies as Fresh Prince and Men In Black. But it was a risk that paid off. Smith didn't really try to copy Williams; he did his own thing and put his own spin on the character. Like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin was kept a musical just like its cartoon counterpart. But, Jazmine
got a new song “Speechless” which is sung by Naomi Scott (Power Rangers). The story line changed enough to make the movie more original, but still maintained its connection to the animated film. Other than the new song, all the other songs were true to the original movie. I felt the actors did a really good job staying true to the 1992 Aladdin while still making it fresh. The producers took nearly a year to find the perfect people for the perfect roles without trying to outdo Williams' performance over 25 years ago. The movie’s budget was $183 million and in the U.S. alone, it doubled its money
at the box Letisleidi martinez office. Staff Reporter Worldig: xo.letisleidis wide, it took in around $1 billion making it a success in Hollywood. Review scores on sites like Rotten Tomatoes show that while critics didn’t really like the new version, audiences loved it. It was definitely worth the price of a theater ticket and it will be a welcome addition to the Disney library. Aladdin is already out on Redbox, and according to cheatsheet.com, there’s a good chance it will follow Avengers: Endgame onto the Disney+ streaming service within a couple of months.
Music | L if estyle
AUSTN starts new chapter in his life Isabella Vallejo
Editor @omgisa1095
Pop culture's new sensation Austin Brown or “AUSTN” is a 16 year-old singer born in Oregon and raised in L.A. with a sky high range that makes jaws drop. Music has been a part of his life since he was very young. He went from singing in stairwells in a basement, to picnic tables at parks, to a simple garage, every place he thought of as a stage. Uploading his performances onto his Instagram, the views started to accumulate. Eventually millions of views rolled in and now he is a social media sensation As a young child, he came across certain obstacles, suffering a hearing problem at a very young age. He started singing when he was two, but because he had no sense of being able to hear any music, he based his music on beats, rhythms, and vibrations. Teachers noticed there was something off with his behavior and eventually came to the conclusion that he had a hearing problem. They saw that he wasn’t actually hearing them, but more like reading their lips. The issue was addressed to his parents
and they took action. Eventually he got that issue resolved and was able to maintain a more normal life. Growing up he was always musically inclined, learning how to play the ukulele and incorporating it into his passion while performing or recording. At the moment, he has one album out which is on many streaming sites like Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music. He is also verified on social media with a total of 435k followers. His style of music is similar to the old Justin Timberlake. With catchy and easy to remember melodies, the lyrics are kind of stereotypical and repetitive. The lyrics sound just like any regular teenage boy’s love/breakup song which is not necessarily a bad thing, but its common and won’t necessarily stand out as much as it should based on his potential. It’s important to create music that will appeal to multiple groups of people. The more broad and extended his music style is, the more recognized and idolized he will become which will help him grow and evolve drastically in the music industry. His new album called Chapter 1 has about seven songs. One song in particular that stands out is his song “In Betweenin’.” I’d personally wait till his music style matures a bit more. Right now he’s still very Kid’s Bop-ish and that will change with time and age. New artist AUSTN is Austin Brown from Oregon and L.A. His music is available on many streaming sites. IG: AUSTN @austnofficial
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L i f est y le | T V
Ja'Siah Young plays a second-grader with superpowers in the Netflix series Raising Dion. photo with permissionNetflix/TNS
Netflix introduces new superhero What if magic
Jose Donate & Kiana Paulino is really having
Editors superpowers in josedonate24@gmail.com disguise? IG: kianaaraae Based on the comic by the same name, Netflix’s new series Raising Dion is the story of a young boy who thinks he can do magic. But as his mother discovers, his magic is really a bunch of powers that enable him to teleport, telekinesis, invisibility, pyrokinesis and levitate. Dion’s mother Nicole has no idea that her second grade son possesses these powers.
Q&A
Alisha Wainright (AW) and Jason Ritter (JR) with Isabella Cerioni
Q: Do you feel that you can relate to Nicole Warren? AW: Absolutely, you know in most of the characters that I play, they have elements of humanity that I think anyone can identify with. I don’t have any children of my own but Nicole is a widow and she’s experienced grief, and I think everyone can relate to that. Nicole also cares so deeply for her son and there’s people
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Even though the show is all about super powers, it has very little in common with Netflix’s other superhero shows like Daredevil and Luke Cage. Rather than come across as a comic book series, the show feels more like a sci-fi thriller. This first season has nine episodes which makes it easily bingable in a weekend. Raising Dion stars Ja’Saiah Young as Dion, Alisha Wainwright as Dion’s mother Nicole and Jason Ritter as Pat, Dion’s father’s best friend. Considering this is a Netflix series, the acting was actually really good. The
in my life that are so important to me so I can use that as inspiration and channel it towards Ja’Siah, who plays Dion. Q: Your characters go through extraordinary circumstances in this show, if you were in the same situation your characters were in, would you handle it in the same way? JR: I know I would do almost about 90% of the same things.I think it’d be so exciting to meet someone who had superpowers, especially in the beginning of their discovery of the powers while
chemistry between Young and Wainwright actually felt like a mother and son. The special effects were also very good for a small screen production. It felt more real than the effects in shows like Flash and Supergirl. Even the soundtrack was good for the show. The series was entertaining and definitely worth watching. While Netflix has not ordered season two yet, there is enough buzz in the industry and season one ended on a cliffhanger suggesting that the order will come through.
they still don’t know how to control them. AW: I think if he was just a little bit older because the thing is that Dion is seven and you don’t even have your whole mind yet so if it were someone our age that had super powers, I think I’d be more excited. Q: This isn’t the typical superhero TV show, who do you think is the real superhero in the series? Would you consider your character one of them? AW: Yes. I like to think that Nicole is just as much a su-
perhero as Dion but she has real life qualities that we all strive toward, whereas Dion has the fantastical qualities that we all secretly want. JR: I would say the list probably stops there in terms of superhero, I think Pat, you know, he tries. But I also think that there’s a sort of moral clarity to Nicole and Pat is a little bit more of a “if you don’t get caught then it’s fine” type of person which is just a little bit strange to teach a kid but I think for sure the show sheds light on motherly figures.
Gam es | L if estyle
New characters, new obstacles, more mayhem for vault hunters first person wildlife and bandit clans, as well as, the By Alex Dominguez As shooter games have various mega-corporations who want Editor
gained in popularity, more and more companies have been releasing special themed games. One such game is Gearbox’s space western Borderlands. Released in 2009, the game became a hit, and eventually in 2012, Borderlands 2 was released which exploded the franchise in popularity. Two more games and an absurd amount of downloadable content was released for the first and second game shortly after their release. The first game starts off on the planet of Pandora and four adventurers, or vault hunters, come to the planet to hunt down an alien vault rumored to hold riches and advanced alien technology. They must battle various dangerous chungoliah@gmail.com
Then on April 3, we were given a trailer of what was to come. to use the alien vault to overcome their New playable characters, new story, competitors. new movement system, and almost After opening the vault, the vault quadruple the loot. Players could travel hunters are greeted with a universe-de- between planets and fight the new anstroying god-like tentacle monster. tagonists Tyreen and Troy Calipso. This triggers a massive surge in Borderlands 3 differs greatly from a rare and powerful mineral called its predecessors, from introducing new eridium, which grabs the attention of characters to finally being able to slide Hyperion CEO, Handsome Jack. The vault and climb obstacles. hunters defeat Jack, defeat the warrior, The graphics and gameplay are pheand save Pandora from utter destrucnomenal, the music is amazing and there tion. are new and different weapons to fight The pre-sequel showed what the bandit horde. happens after the first game and before Fans can buy Borderlands 3 for $60 the second game The Rise of Handsome at any mega market that sells games, as Jack and how he came into power at the well as the store in any console such as Hyperion corporation. For five years, Xbox and Playstation. PC users will have Borderlands went dark: no more downto wait six months before its release in loadable content, no more mayhem. the Epic Games store.
WNBA joins NBA2K for new version For 20 years, Visual Concepts in has released a series of sports games. Just like Madden is for football and FIFA is for soccer, NBA2K
has become the premiere game for basketball fans. The current version, NBA2K20 hasn’t changed much from its predecessors, except that they have now added the WNBA. However, the two organizations don’t cross in gameplay. Players can’t play a WNBA member against an NBA member. The game has added a newer My Career playing mode and they have updated the current rosters of the teams. Newer players as well have been added such as new rookies that got added to the teams. Control movement has been standard and nothing has changed. It is available on the following platforms: Xbox one, Playstation 4, Nintendo photos courtesy of 2K Games and 2K Sports
Switch, IOS, and Microsoft Windows with two versions of the game. One of them is the Standard Edition which costs about $60. The other version of the game is the Legends Edition which costs about $100. The benefits of the legendary edition is that people get free VC (Virtual Currency) to start off in the game. My Career allows players to create a player and choose their favorite position and team and advance with their own experience. Another game mode called Blacktop is one in which friends can play each other and allows players to choose either to play a game that is one-on-one all the way to five-on-five. The most
common By Joshua Escobedo favorite that many Staff Reporter joshuae298@gmail.com people choose is the one-on-one because players get to control one player which looks more like streetball. In addition, a mode called Play Now allows gamers to play a normal five-on-five and select their team to play against each other or against the computer. The process to get better in the game takes a lot of hard work by practicing and learning different skill moves in the game. Overall, the game is worth it to play and buy because there are so many ways it can be played either with friends or family or alone for personal enjoyment.
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S por t s | V arel a
sports
Concerns rise over head injuries In the past few years, much attention has
By Joshua Velez been brought to sports injuries, especially
Staff Reporter chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is IG: soledopejosh a brain injury caused by multiple hits and concussions in football. The NFL franchise has made safety a major concern for its members. New equipment is always being researched to protect players. In April, the Players Association posted their list of “approved” and “prohibited” helmets based on test results. The helmets were run through labs and medical directors from the league and new helmets were issued. Last year, former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown had a dispute with the NFL about wearing the new helmets. According to USA Today, the NFL’s new helmets have a wider range of vision of the field, reduced weight, and reduces impact forces more effectively while keeping the same design. Brown felt that he played better with his old helmet due to comfortability, since he had been playing with it since 2009. According to Sb Nation, the NFL was against him using his old helmet due to its age and enforced safety protocol. Varela follows the protocols put forth by the State of Florida for athletes that may have received a concussion. Athletes are removed from play, evaluated by appropriate health-care professionals, and kept out of play until the health-care professional says the athlete is symptom-free and approves him/ her for play. Daniel Cardenas, senior football player, has gotten two concussions this year. When he got his first concussion he missed one game, but was able to play again. Now with his second concussion, his symptoms are lingering and he won’t be able to play anymore. “Well I’m out for the season; I can’t play no more . I’m getting headaches, so yeah, it sucks,” he said. The helmets for football that we use here at Varela are made by the company Riddell which also makes NFL helmets. According to head coach Patrick Ledan, the helmets are guaranteed to last for 10 years, however Miami-Dade County Public Schools have made the rule that they have to be discarded every five years with inspections every year in between. “The football helmets work pretty well and you have to really try to get a concussion in order to get one,” Karlos Aleman (12) said. Helmets worn by the football players are inspected every year and discarded after five years. photo by Fox Mar
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Football The Viper football team is currently 2-7, which is an improvement over last year. Head Coach Patrick Ledan believes that their strengths and weaknesses are interchangeable. The current football culture at Varela is one of apathy. The boys are working hard to change that culture, but it’s hard for them and they are “going through growing pains.” They played their final District game against Ferguson Sr. High on Thursday, Oct. 24. As the team slowly starts to improve, junior Captain Dominic Medina expects better experience, better coaches and to grow as a whole team. While he feels that the team could have done better, he thinks that they are taking a step in the right direction. "We're on the right path," he said. "We're a lot more oriented and Coach Pat and the other coaches, their philosophies are better.
The offensive line prepares to protect the quarterback in a game against Ronald Reagan Sr. High. photo by Fox -Mar
Girls Volleyball This year’s Lady Vipers made it to Districts but lost against Ferguson Sr. High. They ended their season 7-7. According to senior Captain Ashley Martin, there wasn’t any team that was the hardest to play, they were all challenging. Next year they’re hoping to do better as their freshmen and sophomores get stronger. “There’s like four seniors, we’re a young team,” she said. They have the passion, the heart, the talent, and the spirit but according to the Martin the team has to improve on calming their nerves. Their major weakness is letting their nerves get the best of them. “If we step out there and play aggressive and not be scared, this team will be unstoppable and I truly mean that,” she said. Their strength is their chemistry and love for the game. They all know how bad they wanted to work so they work very well together to reach their goal. “This has been one of the best seasons in all my four years here in Varela. I love these girls and coach so much,” she said.
additional information gathered by Alexander Dominguez, Jose Donate, Karolyn Legra, Andres Murillo, Maria Pacheco
Varela | S p or ts
Swimming This year’s Viper Swim team is made up of 21 athletes, many of which are young and new to the sport. All the athletes have qualified for Districts, however only a few will probably move on to Regionals. Swimmers to look out for would be seniors Jason Lauzurique with the 100M Backstroke, Andres Perez with the 500M Free, and Devin Dragoni with the 100M Butterfly. Most of the meets take place at Miami-Dade College with Districts taking place at Belen Jesuit. “Coral Reef has a lot of swimmers that have been swimming most of their lives,” Ryan Calvo (12) said. “But it’s not really the team you swim against, it’s swimming against yourself to try to beat your personal best.” “It’s been really fun and I'm having a great time,” Perez said. Cross Country has won three trophies so far this year. Boys JV took home 1st and 2nd place as a team for the whole meet and Boys Varsity took home 2nd place at the Jr. Orange Bowl meet. According to runner Joshua Gonzalez (12) rankings are different than regular team sports. While athletes can advance individually and medal in a category, the team as a whole must come together to win a trophy. More athletes that come in with lower times improves the team's ranking. Therefore, having one strong runner in the bunch can't really carry the team.
Top: Angelina Perez (10) swims in the Freestyle competition. Below: Devin Dragoni (12) competes in the 100M Butterfly. photos by Best Photo Creations
Both Boys and Girls went to Districts in October with top runners advancing to Regionals. Individually, the athletes have been bringing home medals for their achievements. The Girl's fastest runner is Emily Holzer who ran a 5K in 22:24 gaining her 5th place out 129 runners at the GMAC Championsip. Ethan Vega (9) and Kevin Pacheco (9) are both showing promise running for Varsity instead of JV. Our Varsity team is ranked in the top 10 out of 33 schools and both the the Girls and Boys qualified for Regional Championships.
Cross Country
Emily Holzer (12) won 5th place at the GMAC Championship in October. photo by Fox-Mar
Ethan Vega (9), Arturo Cuervo (11) and Damien Clarington (11) compete in the Jr. Orange Bowl meet in October. photo by Fox-Mar
Fall Sports Girls Volleyball plays a game against Reagan/Doral Sr. High. photo by Best Photo Creations
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