Feb 2026

THE

February 2O26 Volume 28 Issue 4 Trinity Preparatory School 57OO Trinity Prep Lane Winter Park, FL 32792

TRINITY VOICE

INTRODUCTION TO INTERIM

For two weeks, upper-school students participated in experiental learning courses across campus. Students in this photo are engaged in a challenge for the Survivor course.

Pages 2-3

NEWS

School returns to testing in the DAC and RAC for semester exams Page 5

LIFESTYLES

Season five of “Stranger Things” leaves fans questioning for more Page 1O

FOCUS

The art of handwriting and cursive is slowly fading away Page 14

OPINIONS

Students choose careers based on money instead of passion Page 16

SPORTS

Alumni return to participate in the Alumni Affinity Games Page 2O

STEM

Biological factors dictate our attraction to romantic partners Page 24

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

February 2O26

Trinity’s first annual Interim Term was held from Jan. 6-16. Courses ranging from calligraphy to botany allowed students to explore their passions beyond the classroom.

The two weeks culminated in a symposium, where students presented their final products from the courses.

Photos by Julia Hoskins

6/ 7

Crypto Evolution

13

Blockchain innovations drive cryptocurrency growth, attracting students’ attention.

Stuck on Screens

Trinity teachers tackle technology usage in the classrooms.

19

Torn Between Teams

Multi-sport athletes work to find a balance between overlapping seasons.

22/ 23

Symbols of Love

Science explains the psychological impact of romantic gifts.

February 2O26

Broadcast and Social Media

STAFF Editors-in-Chief: Lucy Chong, Fay Zhao

Broadcast & Social Media

Non-Print Editors-in-Chief: Jack Aaron, Nikhil Daniel Managing Editors: Ashwin Anand, Emily Lopez, Sammy Lou, Gustavo Membreno Layout Editors: Aarav Gupta, Sofia Haddadin Copy Editors: Sami Haddadin, Taylor Griffith Broadcast & Podcast Department: Olivia Agnew (Editor), Brayden Kells, Britt Voll Social Media and Online Department: Olivia Agnew (Editor), Gabbie Williams News Department: Mia Prince (Editor), Krish Gupta, Sami Haddadin, Janav Ramprakash, Victoria Suarez Opinions Department: Karl Loiseau (Editor), Gabbie Williams Focus Department: Lila Choudry (Editor), Taylor Griffith, Skyler Campbell Lifestyles Department: Mila Taylor (Editor), Julia Wu, Jena Mhamdi

A highlight video on the inaugural Interim Term, created by Julia H. ‘26, features the wide range of classes offered. In the photo above, students in the Business Etiquette course balance books on their heads to practice proper posture.

Sports Department: Ben Kleiman (Editor), Thomas Bonos, Neve Judelson STEM Department: Ashwin Anand (Editor), Sarah Zobel, Omi Tikalal Graphics Department: Maxi de la Fuente (Editor), Natalie Baron, Aylin Garibay Photo Department: Julia Hoskins (Editor), Eden Kiger, James Ellzey, Lola Brown, Ally Williams Business Manager: Krish Gupta Advisers: Erin Miller & Brian Kells

Editorial Policy The Trinity Voice is a member of the Florida Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association.

The Trinity Voice is produced by the newspaper/journalism class at Trinity Preparatory School of Florida. Editorials represent the opinion of The Trinity Voice writer and are not necessarily the views of the administration, faculty, or Board of Trustees of Trinity. The Voice welcomes letters to the editor and free-lance articles or photography. All submissions become the property of The Voice. Please send all correspondence to 5700 Trinity Prep Lane, FL 32792. The Voice may also be contacted via phone at 407-671-4140 and via e-mail at voice@ trinityprep.org. For information regarding the purchase of advertising within The Voice, contact us by one of the methods mentioned above. The Voice is a monthly publication during the school year (with the exceptions of November and January).

VOICE@TRINITYPREP.ORG THETRINITYVOICE.COM @TRINITY_VOICE @THETRINITYVOICE “THE TRINITY VOICE”

Tune into this week’s edition of the weekly recap show to cover the highlights of the week and provide information about what’s going around campus.

Podcasts What it means to be American is a question that grows ever more relevant day by day. In this podcast, Karl Loiseau ‘26, Fay Zhao ‘26, Julia Hoskins ‘26 and Ashwin Anand ‘27 offer their perspectives on the question, commenting on ideas of power, assimilation and immigration.

News

February 2O26

HARMONY AND RHYTHM 𝄞

Nine students participate in FMEA’s All-State ensembles Article by Victoria Suarez Photo courstesy of Ona Nwobi

The audition results were released on Nov. 1. Even students who had previously been accepted were anxious.

“I was worried because I felt like since I’ve gotten in so many times, if I didn’t get in, it would be kind of embarrassing,” Tseng said.

This year was also special because two middle school students were accepted into the orchestra: seventh grader Ian Tran and eighth grader Arianna Jaffer.

ory exam and sight reading in the first phase, and excerpts and the pre-audition material in This January, nine students from Trinity’s the second phase. orchestra and chorus participated in All-State “One excerpt is announced ahead of time, ensembles hosted by the Florida Music Edand two are announced on the day of the auucation Association (FMEA). All-State is a dition,” choir student and sophomore Nichprestigious event that brings together young olas Reeve said. “Then you have to go in and musicians from around the state to perform in sing a part of a song on your part, and your one of 24 All-State ensembles for the purpose part is muted to everyone else.” of recognizing top-performing students. The The selected students arrived in Tampa on event took place at FMEA’s anJan. 14. Once there, they met nual professional learning conwith accomplished musicians ference, from Jan. 14 to 17 at and received comprehensive inthe Tampa Convention Center. struction and feedback, learning Students worked with talented skills that they will bring to fuprofessionals, culminating in ture performances. great performances.

“I would like to bring back the ability to sight-read pieces,” Orchestra Reeve said. “I would also like to Before summer break, stubring back a lot of the concepts dents in the orchestra program the director discussed, includwere given the audition maing sound placement, the idea terial. Once back in school, of tonus (being constantly in Orchestra Director Mauricio motion), emotion and more.”

Cespedes gave students who After two long days full of committed to auditioning class instruction, they attended two time to rehearse. He also prostudent performances on Frivided guidance through the (Pictured left to right) Julian Foley ’26, Zoey Wallington ’26, Nicholas day evening, including a few challenging material.

Reeve ’28, Isabella Ding ’26 and Choral Director Charles Carroll ride on Trinity students. While the “The material includes scales a trolly in Tampa during FMEA All-State.

All-State experience was stress(notes arranged in ascendful at times, the students ening or descending order), arpeggios (a chord Students then had to work the next couple joyed themselves regardless. played in sequence rather than simultaneous- of months on preparing their assigned concert “When you’re not in rehearsals, you get to ly), some excerpts and sight reading, which music, as rehearsal time during the conference be in Tampa with all the other people who is reading on the spot, so it gets to be really is limited. This music is separate from their are there, and I really enjoy that time I get to competitive,” Cespedes said. audition materials and is distributed either to spend with them,” Reeve said.

The preliminary auditions took place in directors or to students directly after audition On Saturday morning, there were two September at Freedom High School. Students results are finalized in November. more performances from other ensembles, were recorded by a committee, and then the “They give you the music about two months including the Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Baritone and tapes were sent for evaluation. beforehand, and they expect you to practice Bass (TTBB) choir. By the afternoon, the stu“We first had to go to the school, and there it,” Tseng said. “And then the day of All-State, dents were headed back home, carrying with was a classroom with two people sitting re- you get a seating audition for violins. If you them invaluable memories. cording you,” orchestra student and junior do well, you can place higher in your seating.”

“Overall, it was an amazing experience,” Alli Tseng said. “It’s a blind audition, so they Reeve said. “I loved being able to spend time Choir only sound record you, and they will tell you with friends and be in a room with a sound the excerpt you play, the etude, the scale and The audition process for choir was slightly you cannot achieve anywhere else. The perforthe sight reading, and you play it on the spot.” different and included two parts: a music the- mances were spectacular.”

February 2O26

News

CLASSROOMS TO C URTS

Semester exams relocate from classrooms to the DAC and RAC Article by Krish Gupta Photo by Eden Kiger Since COVID-19, Trinity students have been completing their semester exams in individual classrooms. This year, however, they instead found rows of tables filling the DAC and RAC with hundreds of individuals packed into one space, marking a seemingly permanent return to centralized testing.

Administrators say the change was driven by wellness and grading logistics.

When exams were held in individual classrooms, teachers were often required to proctor tests outside of their subject areas across multiple days, making it difficult to complete grading on time.

“This was a strategic initiative aligned with some of the wellness objectives, that having grades be finalized by the end of (exam) week was important, so that students were not overly anxious during the holidays and had to wait until after the first of the year,” Head of Upper School Tracy Bonday said.

“We also wanted teachers not to feel that they were leaving and having to continue to grade through their breaks.”

The centralized testing format, however, was intended to address both concerns.

“The thought was, if we moved back to exams in the DAC and RAC … it means that the teachers are only proctoring their content area tests, so then they have the other days to be able to spend closing out grades for the semester,” Bonday said.

The new, centralized testing locations also facilitated both teacher assistance and support for students.

“When we didn’t do this, all faculty members would have to run between rooms to answer student questions, which was a lot of physical wear and tear on teachers,” Science Department Chair Romina Jannotti said.

“Now, we’re just in one place. … I think it’s

nice that I can still be with my own students and assist them with questions.”

With all students in one place, the gym setting also allowed for further supervision during exams.

“Moreover, I think it also helps with test security because now you have multiple adults in the room monitoring things,” Jannotti said. “I like being able to monitor my own exams because I think there are things that I can look for that maybe a teacher of another subject doesn’t look for.”

Centralized testing also allowed teachers more precise control over how their exams were administered.

“I no longer have to write a note for someone in terms of how to administer my test, which is difficult to do because sometimes, things that come second nature to me, I might not be able to articulate well on paper,” Jannotti said.

Some students, like eighth grader Jacob Scheinberg, also shared the benefits of the new testing environment, including how a

centralized location reduces the stress of finding the correct classroom.

While navigating the test site became easier, some found the locations themselves more distracting due to the sheer volume of people and noise in larger spaces.

“I prefer a smaller space because I feel there’s less people who could distract me,” sophomore Tyler Tongson said. “If it’s like a larger space, then there’s more chances that people might do something by accident and be just a little disruptive.”

Teachers also noted that the format comes with trade-offs, such as tailoring exam logistics to specific tests. This is especially important for teachers who want to mirror their semester exams to their classroom tests, with nuances like specific time allocations for different sections.

“If I were in my own classroom, I’d be able to tell my students that it’s been 45 minutes,” Jannotti said. “You don’t want to do that in a large setting because you don’t want to disrupt everybody.”

Despite these challenges, administrators said the overall response to the change has been positive, especially from teachers.

“From what I understand, everybody was very happy to see the change back to the testing in the gym and the ability to be able to have more time to grade during (testing) week,” Bonday said.

Looking ahead, Bonday emphasized how reduced stress during Christmas break remains a priority for the administration.

“I’m hoping that, whatever the trade-offs are, being able to move on and potentially enjoy the rest of their break is enough of an upside that whatever little nuances may be involved … will not be so problematic,” Bonday said.

Liann Kurlansik ‘26 works quietly at a desk while completing her exam in the DAC, simulating the open testing environment.

News

February 2O26

ALL

ETS ON BLOCKCHAIN

Article by Sami Haddadin Graphics by Maxima de la Fuenta, Photo by Ally Williams When senior Connor Brady first invested in Ethereum, the cryptocurrency was valued at about $700. Five years later, a single coin is worth nearly four times that amount. Since its creation in 2008, the cryptocurrency market has expanded rapidly, driven largely by advances in blockchain technology. These developments have captured the attention of Trinity students across a range of grade levels, raising questions about how cryptocurrencies operate and what differentiates them from traditional financial systems.

Cryptocurrencies are unique in that they are decentralized, operating without government oversight or a central bank, yet they can still be traded and used in daily commerce.

Blockchain works by recording transactions in verified “blocks” that are added to a shared public chain and validated by a decentralized network, making the information extremely difficult to alter and creating a secure, transparent record that has enabled widespread trust and adoption of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Class of 2021 alumnus Jake Raffa served as Head of Partnerships for Vanderbilt University’s blockchain organization and now works as a financial technology consultant.

“One of the most exciting things about cryptocurriencies and blockchain is just how new the space is,” Raffa said. “We really don’t know the limits that we can push blockchain technology to. There’s really a lot of room for exponential growth … and a big opportunity to make a huge impact on people.”

This excitement resonated with Brady and his friends as early as seventh grade, prompting them to explore and research the market.

Exposure to higher-level courses only intensified Brady’s interest as he progressed through high school.

“I really started picking (crypto) up again when I got a lot into applied math and computer science,” Brady said. “(Although cryptocurrencies) are more about public sentiment than anything, just trying to predict where something is going to go interests me

a lot, and I got into it as I took more math classes and tried new things.”

The role public sentiment plays in dictating cryptocurrency market value distinguishes it from fiat currencies, where value is derived from trust in the issuing government’s economic stability, like the U.S. dollar.

“The (crypto) market is a lot more interesting than it’s ever been, with how many ways it can be manipulated and what it’s driven by,” Brady said. “The recent volatility, with artificial intelligence, along with how easily a tweet from someone of political power can throw the market off so much, has definitely piqued a lot of interest.”

This distinction has become a magnet for investors like Brady and, coupled with blockchain innovations, has opened new avenues for investing in traditional stocks. This is through tokenized stocks, which use crypto technology and the benefits of blockchain to invest in 1-to-1-backed real-world assets like Apple or Nvidia.

“I’ve been using crypto to invest in stocks nowadays,” Brady said. “There’s been a lot of hype around blockchains recently. I think both definitely have been trending upwards.

Kids don’t talk as much about crypto, but it’s definitely been on people’s minds a lot more now because of new technology and how much easier it’s been to access it and understand it.”

Crucially, promises from President Trump, such as making the United States “the crypto capital of the world,” signal a positive outlook for the space’s direction and leave the door open to major growth. This vision has already been realized by the signing of executive orders to strengthen digital asset leadership, the creation of the Strategic

Bitcoin Reserve and the repeal of restrictive banking regulations.

“We’re going to continue to see (crypto) expand, especially as we see how U.S. legislation works out,” Raffa said. “I do think that has the potential to change the space … but assuming it follows the path it’s been following, we’ll only see adoption of crypto and blockchain technology continue to increase.”

As a result, cryptocurrency and blockchain will become increasingly integrated into dayto-day transactions, making it all the more important to grasp the basic concepts of these digital assets. “(You) don’t need to understand it from a technical perspective,” Raffa said. “(But at least (acknowledging) that Bitcoin and Ethe-

Senior Connor Brady holds an Ethereum coin, reflecting his involvement in and curiosity about cryptocurrency.

News

February 2O26

Cryptocurrency evolves alongside new blockchain technology reum are these legit things … (with) major It’s just all about how much time you can put financial companies … building out their into validating and finding concrete reasons infrastructure with blockchain technology. why you believe (certain cryptocurrencies) arLiteracy is important, but it’s also important en’t a complete scam.” to recognize that this is something that’s here While the Trinity workload is demandto stay, (so) at least strive to make an effort to ing, signing up for daily crypto newsletters understand it.” or exploring beginThis is espe- “We really don’t know the limits that ner-friendly procially true in gramming courses a fast-moving we can push blockchain technology to. like CryptoZombies market, where There’s really a lot of room for exponen- can allow students the door is al- tial growth ... and a big opportunity to to stay ahead and ways open to alleviate pressure. risks such as make a huge impact on people.”

In addition, utirug pulling. lizing Trinity’s vast - Jake Raffa, financial consultant array of applied sciCommon in trend-based memecoins ence and engineerlike the Squid Game Token, rug pulls occur ing courses can also help students develop the when developers hype a new project to attract technical skills needed to navigate and cominvestment, only to suddenly abandon it and pete in an increasingly automated industry. steal the funds.

“When you think about big industries trad“A lot of newer cryptocurrencies aren’t ing cryptocurrency … it’s all done by pre-probased on anything, just hype and excitement, grammed strategies and algorithms,” Brady which can be a really cool thing if you want said. “So (in) talking about tools for the futo try to move fast and make a lot of mon- ture that I think will be instrumental, it will ey quickly, but it can also be the opposite,” be computer science, and then trying to make Brady said. things that are automatically going to beat the While the prospect of a government-inde- market instead of by hand.” pendent currency may seem attractive, the Using social media discussion forums like lack of regulation leaves investors’ fates in the Reddit, X or Discord can be a great way to hands of the founder, who may have ulterior make more informed investment decisions motives. that align closer with public opinion.

“There’s no governmental basis that is fo“Getting a large majority of people’s senticused on trying to improve the economy and ment … can hold a lot more weight than just regulate it,” Brady said. “So it is completely asking Google or AI because of how much dependent on what the creator wants to do people’s belief in a cryptocurrency is going to with this coin, if (the creator) just wants to affect its price,” Brady said. make money or (if they) actually want to Still, the threat of rug pulls and unpredictmake it a sustainable cryptocurrency.” able collapses always looms, underscoring Managing the Trinity work-life balance the importance of conducting thorough does not make it any easier to verify the credi- research or prioritizing safety by investing bility of cryptocurrencies or stay on top of the in well-known currencies. latest market movements.

“Look at the founders and transact us“It’s about how much time you can put into ing big-name tokens for the most part,” it,” Brady said. “I’m a student, so I have a lot said junior Thomas Hoskins, who has of work and don’t have a lot of time to put been involved in crypto for almost four into constantly monitoring the market. … years. “You can always try to transact with

some of the riskier tokens, but of course, there’s the risk involved with that. There’s no real way to know, because a project can still look really valid, and then they can rug pull.”

The illegal misuse of billions of dollars of customer funds in the Sam Bankman-Fried FTX cryptocurrency scandal serves as a stark reminder that distinguishing between good and bad actors is both necessary but tricky.

Despite the risks, the cryptocurrency sector is likely to continue to grow and evolve, driven by ongoing innovation from developers and continued interest from investors.

“The people who stay and continue … to learn and be present past big spikes and during market downturns … are really building unique projects that will actually impact the space,” Raffa said. “That quick cash grab aspect is a lot of reasons why some of the space isn’t seen as legitimate by some, but I think there are a lot of incredibly important projects being built that are genuinely making an impact.”

In the face of unprecedented innovation in blockchain technology, favorable legislative policies and an increasingly integrated crypto sector, now is a critical time to analyze the market, break it down and embrace the future of finance.

“Just consume as much information as you can, watch as many videos as you can and then dive right into it,” Brady said. “There’s no experience that you’re going to get without actually buying and trading it. … Even just using 10 or 15 dollars and trading 10 cents at a time, you’re still going to get the experience of trading cryptocurrency. … Just jump right in, start experiencing it and learn as you go.”

8

February 2O26

News

MARTINEZ’S MARVELOUS MATCH New teaching fellow Ariana Martinez serves up a love for learning Article by Janav Ramprakash Photo by Eden Kiger

Martinez later continued playing tennis at also exposed her to the challenges that come Moving from Ecuador to the United States Lake Highland Prep, where she was named with managing both school and sports, a perat age 7, Ariana Martinez grew up bilingual, Student of the Year and helped the team se- spective she hopes to apply when coaching with English as her second language. What cure a state championship in 2014. However, the middle school developmental tennis team began as an academic challenge, though, this year. soon became something more. Martinez “You have all this academic stress and developed a deep appreciation for the are trying to be the best athlete that language and made it a defining part of you can,” Martinez said. “I understand her identity. Now, Martinez is joining when every single kid is coming up to Trinity Prep as a teaching and coaching you being stressed about all this coursefellow in the middle school faculty. work and being this athlete. So that’s “English for me has always been my something that I definitely am going to favorite subject,” Martinez said. “When I take into my coaching.” was learning how to speak English, literaMartinez also sees a clear connection ture and grammar became such a big part between tennis and academics, particuof me. I’ve always been interested in it.” larly when it comes to setting goals.

As a fellow, a role focused on class“Tennis is a personal sport,” Martiroom observation and professional denez said. “It’s about setting these goals velopment, Martinez has been observing for yourself and making sure you meet different English classes across the midthem, which is the same thing with acdle school. While she does not yet know ademics.” for certain when she will begin teaching That focus on student support carries her own students, Martinez plans to into Martinez’s role as a co-advisor for bring her personal teaching philosophy mathematics teacher Stefani Wood’s adinto the classroom. visory, where she works with students “I’ve described it as keeping an open on a personal level. mind, especially now in this environ“She just always has a smile on her ment,” Martinez said. “I think it’s about face, and she always starts conversations meeting students where they’re at and with us,” seventh grader Chelsea Cropunderstanding that everybody learns at a per said. “It’s like we all have the same different pace.” thoughts, and I can always rant to her.

In addition to her work in the classIt just makes me feel so comfortable room, Martinez will coach the middle talking to her.”

New teaching fellow Ariana Martinez talks to seventh school developmental tennis team this Whether she is exploring teaching grader Amalia Murphy during advisory, where she serves year, a role that connects directly to her as a co-advisor to math teacher Stefani Wood.

English, supporting students in advilifelong involvement in the sport. Tennis sory or coaching on the tennis court, has long been a central part of Martinez’s life. an injury at the end of her sophomore year everything Martinez does comes back to the She began playing at age 4 and started com- ultimately prevented her from playing col- same lesson she learned early on as an athlete. peting seriously around age 7, continuing her lege tennis. This experience became a turning “Tennis is a solo sport,” Martinez said. development in Miami while at her parents’ point in her life.

“There’s nobody else to blame on that court tennis academy.

“Being injured like that took an incredi- except me. So that’s something that I’ve tak“Every single person in my family plays ble mental toll,” Martinez said. “I definitely en into account in my everyday life. I have to tennis,” Martinez said. “It’s pretty much a re- learned to take it easy, to not be too hard on take accountability for everything I do. And quirement for us to play tennis. Since we’re all yourself. It’s definitely something that each any successes that I have are because of me, Ecuadorian, it’s so important for us to keep student athlete should know.” and any downs that I have are also because that tradition going in our family.”

Martinez’s experience as a student-athlete of me.”

February 2O26

Lifestyles

FIT FOR FEBRUARY

“Winter arc” trend gains traction among students Article by Julia Wu Photos by Lola Brown February marks the point where many quietly abandon their New Year’s goals after just making them a month earlier. Traditional goal-setting methods, such as bucket lists and vision boards, lose their meaning. However, Gen Z has invented a new approach: the “a winter arc,” a popular social media trend where people focus on self-improvement during the winter time.

Exercise Arc Junior Thomas Hoskins approaches the gym with intention. Although winter arcs are only temporary, he aims in building long term strength.

“My main goal is to be really strong long term and just be the healthiest version of myself,” Hoskins said. “I think of it as more of a 365 day arc.”

Hoskins keeps himself accountable by tracking his progress in and out of the gym.

“At the gym, I can measure my progress by my weight increasing on the bench, squat and all the exercises,” Hoskins said. “Also, (I can

Mental Health Arc

Sophomore Cassidy Driscoll said she struggled with her mental health in the past and wasn’t able to open up to people about it.

Now, in her winter arc, she recognizes that her silence was something holding her back.

“I need to start talking openly about my mental health now because it will help me in the future,” Driscoll said. “It brought me out Academic Arc of the dark place I was in. It helped me have “A winter arc is a period where you can sit more confidence within myself, be willing to down and kind of just improve yourself in any learn about myself, grow and just become a aspects,” senior Victor Fang said. better person.”

For Fang, this means spending hours at the Driscoll is also focusing on what she calls Rollins library on the weekends, her “pushup journey.” phone notifications on silent, She starts by doing five working on his college applicapushups and increases tions and his homework. the number each week “I’d rather be working on until she reaches 100. homework or college applicaDoing pushups has tions than going out on a Friday helped Driscoll boost or doing too much when I don’t her self-confidence. have the time, and I think that’s “If we actually want going to pay off in the future,” to follow through with Fang said. “Even if it doesn’t pay our goals, we need to get off immediately or I don’t get the a headstart on things,” results that I want, I think long Driscoll said. “Before, I term, these habits are gonna was not be able to do a build and I’m gonna have better single push up, but now opportunities in the future bethat I’m on that grind, I cause of the habits I built.” can do a lot more than Especially in the depressing (the) average person.”

Sophomore Cassidy Driscoll does pushups every day for her “pushup jourseason of winter, goals often feel Although it is already ney,” which is a part of her winter arc improvement plan. unachievable. Not because they February, Driscoll beare too hard to accomplish, but lieves that it is never too because people aren’t consistent. Fang empha- measure my progress) by tracking my calories. late to start a winter arc. It is more about the sizes the importance of small, consistent ef- If I get enough calories every day, that’s a suc- decision to begin. forts when beginning a winter arc. cess.”

“Starting is the hardest part, but it only gets “Do 1% extra every day,” Fang said. “For For Hoskins, motivation goes deeper than easier from there,” Driscoll said. “I’m a person example, doing five more minutes of home- just physical results. who used to love excuses. I would say that I work or doing an extra problem on your “Find a purpose that you’re doing it for,” will start in a week. Those excuses won’t help homework set, I think it definitely pays off a Hoskins said. “I think if you are very superfi- you in having good discipline. It is what sets lot because every time you add that 1%, even- cial about it, like if you just want to become you up for the future, and it’s what helps you tually it’s going to become 100%, and you’re stronger, you probably won’t stay consistent. become a better person with this discipline going to thank yourself for those tiny steps But if you have a deeper why, then you’ll stick because it teaches you life skills that you need that don’t seem like a lot.” with it. for years beyond.”

1O

Lifestyles

February 2O26

STRANGE FINAL SEASON Fans are left questioning “Stranger Things” Season 5 Article by Mila Taylor Photo by Maxima de La Fuente Within the first five days of being released, 59.6 million fans tuned into “Stranger Things” Season 5, according to Variety. With the show developing over the span of nine years, the ending of “Stranger Things” is met with only one feeling: bittersweet.

After Season 4 ended on multiple cliffhangers, fans sought highly anticipated answers. People were left questioning after Max’s near-death experience, Eddie Munsen meeting his end and the Upside Down bleeding into Hawkins.

There is now a darker tinge that fills the air of Hawkins, a shift away from innocent Dungeons and Dragons playdates, to a town under the control of the military, and an active portal into the Upside Down. Characters who were once the underdogs have grown up and changed for the better. Most notably, Will Byers.

“I think the first half of the season was so well developed,” senior Hannah Wang said. “The way that Will’s powers were introduced was a prominent scene.”

Yet, after part one, fan opinions of the new season got increasingly negative.

Though critics largely kept ratings high for Season 5, it has the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score of any season, with a 85% rating for writing. Science teacher and avid “Stranger Things” fan, Bryan Moretz describes the disappointment from the lack of quality writing during the final season.

“The overall quality and pace were very fast,” Moretz said. “It felt like there were multiple writers all doing their own thing and then throwing it all together.”

The Duffer Brothers released “One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5” for those seeking deeper insight into the development of Season 5.

“In the documentary, they did not have an ending written for Episode 8 while they

were filming,” Wang said. “I think that everything was so predictable for the finale.”

Many were also confused that no main characters died after the defeat of the Mind Flayer and Vecna. This is out of the ordinary, considering that in every season leading up to Season 5, there has been at least one major character death. Though actually watching the fight scene with the mind flayer, it is no surprise that no character died, as the duration only lasted 5-10 minutes (almost the same duration as Will’s coming out scene). It was disappointing how weak the mindflayer and Vecna seemed, as the show had been building up to this final battle for so long.

“It was very superficial, and felt more like a fun adventure movie rather than seeing the final ending of a season that had a lot of emotional value,” Wang said.

The fact that Season 5 was supposed to have the most dangerous final battle of all seasons, and the only emotional value seemed to be Eleven’s sacrifice, is shocking.

Even then, Eleven’s death is heavily disputed, with writers hinting at her possible survival through Mike’s theory.

“I think she’s still alive,” Sixth grader Vaishnavi Ganti said. “Because you can’t see her tattoo. Her wrist is glitching, and she doesn’t have a nosebleed after pulling Mike into the void.”

Eleven’s fate in the last episode was left up to viewer’s interpretation. Because of this, and the strangely easy resolution

to what the show had been building up for the last nine years, many “Stranger Things” fans theorized that there would be a surprise ninth episode.

Fans on various social media platforms developed the Conformity Gate Theory, dissecting the final episode and pointing out oddities and plot holes. According to the theory, Vecna had created a fake reality in which he is still alive, and the characters

are under his mind control. Fans had their hopes that Netflix would drop the surprise episode on Jan. 7, but to no avail.

“I thought at first it would be cool to have an alternate ending,” Moretz said.

“But at the same time, I could just tell it was over.”

Lifestyles

February 2O26

Article by Gabrielle Williams Photo by James Ellzey, Graphics by Aylin Garibay Holding up four fingers instead of a smile.

A head nod instead of a “yes.” A shrug instead of an answer. All symptoms of the current, most common disease in high school — the nonchalance epidemic. It has hit schools all across the world, one of its targets including Trinity Prep, silently infiltrating the minds and bodies of their preferred host.

“It’s been going on since the start of high school or the end of middle school, when guys figured out they have some kind of status or persona they need to upkeep,” senior Marisela Morel said.

While this virus could affect anyone, it is commonly found in high school boys. “(There is) a standard as a guy that if you’re not a certain way, it’s weird,” sophomore Sina Gooshvar said. “The basis of not being weird is being nonchalant.”

Nonchalance, at its core, is a performance of detachment. Caring too much shows vulnerability, effort and real excitement, all embarrassing things in high school.

“I think it protects them from rejection,” Morel said. “They (act) barely interested, so it protects them from seeming sad if they were to get rejected.”

There has been speculation as to why Gen Z is the most susceptible to the nonchalance epidemic: a completely different (and 100% more fatal) epidemic that hit in 2019.

“COVID-19 has changed this generation, compared to older Gen Z,” Gooshvar said.

When COVID-19 hit, most of the current teenage population were still in late elementary school or early middle school, ages when they were still trying to discover who they are as people. Quarantine came swiftly and did not allow for real connection with peers, unless it was through a Zoom call with your entire sixth grade class. During this period meant for social development, kids were locked behind screens, cameras off and microphones muted.

Over time, conversations became optional or even unnecessary.

“If you’re quieter, you don’t have to say as much,” sophomore Henry Greenlee said.

“You just let other people do the talking. It’s a little easier to do. Less thinking.”

The habits picked up over quarantine did not dissipate when classrooms reopened.

In fact, they lingered, leaving students with long-term side effects: short attention spans, emotional withdrawal and detachment from society. Nonchalance flourished in this environment, offering an easy way to mask dis-

comfort instead of confronting it head-on.

It took over quickly, infiltrating the way students speak and connect, until emotional distance felt more normal than sincerity.

It is not rare for people to be afraid of being persecuted in social settings, but it is not rational to diminish or change components of yourself to fit a false persona. Social media allowed nonchalance to appear as an attractive character trait for people to have.

“With social media, everyone always sees the most perfect versions of a person, and they aspire to be like them, even though that may not be achievable,” Gooshvar said.

On online platforms, perfection is rarely seen as being emotional. Being your true, unashamed self on the internet can often be received with hate and controversy, so most choose to avoid it. For example, phrases such as “aura-farming” became a synonym of nonchalance, and doing or being anything else was seen as inferior. While most trends go away with time, this one never truly left; it simply faded until the resurgence in 2025.

“I see stuff on TikTok (where people) all talk about how being nonchalant is cool,” Greenlee said. “Nowadays people kind of see stuff on TikTok and immediately treat it like fact. It’s really easy to influence people through social media.”

Many people try to conform to the internet’s image of an ideal life, failing to realize that it is simply not attainable — especially if the image is one of constant indifference.

“You should always be your true self,” junior Nabiha Shakil said. “If you don’t show your (true) personality, how are people going to want to be friends with you?”

Allowing false perceptions of perfect, emotionally detached people to influence your own behavior will lead to a life of misunderstanding who you are as a person. If nonchalance is the disease, authenticity is the cure.

Recovery does not require dramatic emotional reveals or constant enthusiasm, but it does require honesty.

February 2O26

Focus

February 2O26

STUCK ON SCREENS Article by Skyler Campbell Graphics by Aylin Garibay As the lights dim in the classroom, and the movie credits roll out, the only screen that matters is the one in students hands. Movie day used to be one of the most highly anticipated times in school, but now there is little enjoyment in the activity due to students’ lack of attention span. Constant digital engagement with technology and social media causes an excessive need for stimulation, making it difficult to focus on anything for too long. Whether it be in the classroom or at home, tasks that require patience now take longer to complete and are often interrupted by devices.

In Trinity classrooms, frequent use of technology has caused noticeable shifts in focus regarding class material. Eighth grader Chrysoula Rooth has observed firsthand the impacts on devices have on learning.

“Technology has a large impact academically,” Rooth said. “You’re often drawn to games and texting on your computer, then your attention span lowers, and it’s just a mix of negatives.”

According to a Halmstad University thesis by Francis Phan, instant gratification and the need for new information from technology at a frequent rate has a high correlation to hindering effective prioritization, due to a lack of patience and an increased rate of task-switching. This lack of focus often leads to difficulty in completing tasks that require critical thinking skills.

Because of this, psychology teacher Michael Brown chooses to set aside technology almost entirely during his class, only bringing it out to help keep students engaged with the content by playing educational games.

“The only time we interact with technology in an educational setting is when we do a Blooket, Quizlet or Kahoot at the beginning of class,” Brown said. “Other than that, I just avoid it.”

Technology not only impacts students’ focus in an educational setting, but in a social one as well. When allowed to be on a device, more often than not, the ability to hold a conversation without constantly checking it becomes difficult.

“I can tell that if somebody gets a message, they’re drawn straight to their phone, even if we’re mid-conversation,” Rooth said. “And sometimes that may happen to me too, and you don’t even realize it usually.”

With near-endless expanses of information readily available in seconds, a person can easily lose their patience when handling setbacks.

According to a study from Technical University Psychology Professor Bilian Marinov, having a constant stream of positive digital reinforcement challenges a person’s ability to have delayed gratification when confronted with a task.

Modern technology and social media form a system where restraint is difficult to manage.

“Having everything at the ready constantly affects people’s ability to be resilient,”

science teacher Emily Massey-Burmeister said. “To have something that doesn’t quite go perfectly or doesn’t go the way they think it should.”

When the ability to have an answer within seconds is taken away, students often don’t have the desire or willingness to put in the effort to find an answer themselves, which can lead to the formation of bad habits and emotional patterns.

Through direct personalization and algorithms, the Technical University study explains that AI can shape the user’s cognitive processes and alter their ability to come to proper conclusions without external help.

Although the effects of technology and social media are concerning, they aren’t permanent. The ability to focus is a habit that is easily trainable.

“With enough diligent work, you can train your way out of just about anything,” Brown said. “But if we’ve established those habits at such a young age, it becomes that much harder to overcome them.”

Being able to look at the role of technology and consider the extent to which it is used in daily life is the first step to regaining the ability to focus without the need for excessive amounts of stimulation.

“We’ve tricked ourselves into thinking we need it more than we do,” Brown said. “Humans survived for millennia without social media, and I think we can do it again.”

Focus

February 2O26

LOST LINES AND LOOPS Use of cursive declines in the classroom Article by Lila Choudry Photo by Julia Hoskins A close-up of sophomore Derek Heyworth-Davis’ handwriting looks almost cinematic. The pen barely lifts, and the letters lean into one another with a smooth and somewhat medieval confidence. In most classrooms now, writing is fractured into taps, clicks and the frantic swivel of a cursor. The flowing lines of cursive that were once required in classrooms have now dwindled into a few, like Heyworth-Davis’.

Heyworth Davis was taught cursive in first grade, but when he entered middle school, cursive stopped being mandatory. Yet, Heyworth-Davis still preferred writing in cursive.

“By that point, I had simply forgotten how to effectively write in manuscript,” Heyworth-Davis said. “So it became better to write in cursive entirely.”

At the elementary and middle school Park Maitland, cursive is still taught to all students.

“There are many reasons why using cursive is so important,” Park Maitland language arts teacher Becky Austin said. “Cursive writing is good for students who have learning disabilities such as dyslexia or dysgraphia.”

According to a 2014 PBS NewsHour report, language specialist Marilyn Zecher said cursive helps students with dyslexia by integrating hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and memory. Zecher said functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies show that involving the hand creates stronger associations for learning and recall, allowing students to decode letters and sounds.

For students who continue writing by hand into middle and high school, speed and flow of writing matter.

“Every time you have to pick up your pencil, it’s like you have to restart,” Austin said.

“If you learn how to write in cursive, you will actually be able to take notes quicker when you go into high school and into college.”

Not all students experience cursive with

the same ease. Sixth grader Vaishnavi Ghanti learned cursive in the third grade but said it never fully stuck. She prefers to type out of pure convenience.

“I kind of got the hang of reading (cursive), but never really got a chance to actually get good at writing it,” Ghanti said.

Ghanti’s preference for typing reflects a growing divide in how students approach writing — between efficiency on one hand, and the tactile experience of using the pen on the other.

“Print feels much slower for me,” Heyworth-Davis said. “It feels almost mechanical and brutish, whereas cursive is much more elegant to write because it’s all swooping and flowy gestures.”

Spanish teacher Rita Daugherty chose to teach calligraphy after years of using it for certificates, invitations and cards.

“People have always been kind of astonished,” Daugherty said. “They’re like, ‘Oh wow, you know how to do that?’”

The astonishment, Daugherty said, reflects how unusual handwriting has become.

“A lot of kids don’t know cursive, and ... when they’re taking notes, it’s so tedious for them,” Daugherty said. “Writing doesn’t have to be such a chore.”

Austin said she has observed impatience in the classroom.

“Students with technology want instant grati f i c a t i o n ,” Austin said.

“Sometimes they need to learn to slow down because writing is kind of an art.”

Despite its decline after being taken out of Florida public school curricula in 2010, cursive still serves everyday purposes. Heyworth-Davis said being able to read it has proven unexpectedly useful, when encountering handwritten notes or older documents.

“It’s not the kind of thing that they will die regretting,” Heyworth-Davis said. “But it’s a good skill to try to obtain.”

Daugherty believes handwriting carries a personal charm that typing just can’t replicate.

“Your handwriting is unique,” Daugherty said. “It’s part of your personality.”

For now, cursive exists in pieces — licenses earned in third grade, swooping signatures, points marked off on an essay. It appears wherever effort is visible, where handwriting becomes proof that someone stayed with a thought long enough to shape it.

“When somebody makes something by hand, it’s their time, it’s their talent,” Daugherty said. “I think people appreciate it more.”

Sophomore Derek Heyworth-Davis shows off his practiced cursive.

Focus

February 2O26

PAST AND PASSED

Students leave Witmer and Stuart behind for Nochur Sankar Article by Taylor Griffith Photo by Allison Williams In October, science and math classes tranA new building comes with new rules such “The door being locked all the time is a sitioned into the Nochur Sankar Science as locked doors. In the older buildings, all struggle,” Herron said. “It was really hard at Center, leaving Witmer void of any students classroom doors were unlocked; students had first, and we can’t prop it open because the and Stuart at a reduced capacity. Classes went access anytime throughout the day. In San- doors are locked for a reason. It’s a safety feafrom fully decorated and lived-in classrooms kar, students have to wait for someone on the ture.” to the new building with a minimalist inside to open the door for them.

In order to preserve the cleanliness vibe and modern aesthetic. of the building and the safety of the “It’s a bit of an adjustment, belaboratory spaces, food and drinks are cause you have to figure out where also banned. to go, and then your teachers move “I miss the old (building) because I around after class,” senior Annalyce liked being able to eat a snack during Campbell said. “You cannot find class,” Tekin said. them in the same place.”

After all of these changes, some Part of the move to the new students love the new building, while building entails teachers no longer others reminisce about the buildings having their own classrooms, inthey used to be in every day. stead rotating between classes and “I like the old buildings better,” sharing with other teachers. While Campbell said. “(They are) a little bit this can be hard for students, it is cozier (and) more lived in than the an emerging approach adopted by new building.” many schools.

Leaving behind the old buildings “We have moved into a noncan be difficult because of how long home base, not having your own they have been around, with most classroom,” Associate Head of of the student body having at least School Dennis Herron said. “We one class in one of them. But there built the faculty lounge to have a is a new sense of fondness that comes place where teachers could store from the new building. their valuables, lockers, space, desk “There is a certain level of spirit or space (and) working space. There’s a pride that you take, if you’re a student shared kind of planning space that is walking into that building,” Herron different than before, which means said. “That’s a lot different than when you cannot decorate a classroom you walk into Witmer.” like it’s your own home.”

Plans have circulated that these The shift toward the shared classbuildings will turn into something rooms and away from individual After the opening of the Nochur Sankar Science Center, greater. A board committee is focusing “home bases” is to create a more Witmer (pictured) was left empty with doors locked and on the next steps for Witmer and Stufocused environment without the lights off. art. While there are possible ideas of a distraction of classroom decoraGrille expansion, new classrooms or an tions, a goal backed by research. According “It’s hard when the doors (are) locked all addition of athletic space, nothing has been to the website Science and Education, kids the time because the teacher could be teach- confirmed yet. spend more time looking at decorations on ing, and then someone’s at the door and they “Dining space, some athletic space, pothe walls than at the teacher lecturing. One keep having to stop to let people in,” sopho- tentially,” Herron said. “There is going to study found that students in classrooms with more Noyan Tekin said. be space that is renovated, built new or torn no decorations scored higher than those in While the locking doors were implement- down, likely in this area.” classrooms with decorations. ed for safety, they have become a slight issue.

16

Opinions

February 2O26

PLAY IT $AFE

Students choose careers based on money instead of passion

At a school where ambition is assumed and adulthood feels like a deadline, students evaluate career paths less by passion and more so by the paycheck they promise.

That logic explains the steady pull toward financially safe careers: STEM, law, finance and economics. These fields are framed as rational choices rather than personal ones, valued primarily for their earning potential and perceived stability.

“Recently, there’s been a pre-professional culture in my grade towards finance and finance-adjacent fields,” senior Victor Fang said. “It’s a lucrative job, and it’s very easy to see the career trajectory. You do one thing, then you get promoted. It’s very linear, and it feels safe.”

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reinforces this mindset, reporting in 2025 that median annual wages for high-paying professional occupations, like STEM, finance and law, exceed $100,000, while other fields hover at merely half that, closer to $50,000.

When students encounter such impressive numbers — especially at Trinity, where many grow up economically insulated — salaries become less about meeting basic needs and more about achieving a skewed definition of financial security.

“I think kids who might originally only want to do humanities or are very interested in a very niche field get kind of pushed out of that into STEM just because all their friends are doing it or they hear online that engineers make more money,” Fang said.

As a result, humanities are dismissed as unstable. Research from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce shows an approximate $18,000 median annual earnings gap between STEM and humanities graduates.

“I would consider myself as one of the people who believe that

money is a huge factor in it,” senior Benjamin Demetriades said. “I want to be comfortable.

I don’t want to be having to pinch pennies super frequently. And so I think if I’m able to make enough money to the point where I don’t have to worry about financial strain at that point, I’ll be successful enough.”

Parental expectations intensify the pressure, steering students toward “safe” fields. These preferences surface in advisor conversations, course planning and the metrics schools highlight: college placement, starting salaries and competitive programs.

“At least by my parents, STEM was much, much more valued just because they preferred careers that they believed had good backing for careers and finances down the line, which of course makes sense,” Class of 2023 alum Austin Yuan said.

Over time, this phenomenon produces measurable consequences. According to the Johns Hopkins News-Letter, the number of humanities degrees awarded in the United States fell by nearly 25% between 2012 and 2020. Students are not simply losing interest; they are opting out under pressure.

“I think Trinity is a really good STEM school in Central Florida,” Fang said. “But also I think because of that culture, kids who might not have originally wanted to do STEM get swept up in that culture.”

Majority: 5

Even within traditionally high-paying fields, fear now shapes decision-making. Artificial intelligence has complicated ideas of stability to students.

“I (thought) job security meant more in terms of salary, like a job that can provide you a stable living,” Yuan said. “But I think now it’s just because it’s a vastly changing tech world and AI is coming through, and it’s replacing different jobs all across the board. …

I think job security now also means how future-proof (it) is.”

Despite this uncertainty, students continue to treat certain paths as inherently safer than others. Law school debt, medical training pipelines and volatile tech markets are accepted risks when attached to prestige and high-earning ceilings.

“STEM, I would say, gets more praise,” Fang said. “I think if I were to say I want to become an engineer or if I want to go into college for nuclear physics versus history or gender studies, I think I would get two very different reactions from the person I was talking to.”

For some students, choosing their major is no longer about building a life they want. It is about avoiding a life they fear.

“If I didn’t have this environment around me, who knows what I would have done?”

Yuan said.

The lead editorial represents the view of The Trinity Voice’s editorial staff. Please send comments to voice@trinityprep.org.

Dissent: 1

February 2O26

BEEN THE

MUST’VE

Opinions

17

SCHWIND:

TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STARBUCKS

The fateful December afternoon on which Mr. Commentaaron notified me of his early retirement, I was shook.

There was only one place fit to ponder such a crisis: the same spot my peers often spend the early afternoon huddled together, nose tucked into a copy of “There There” or fingers glued to their keyboard, typing away at an analysis of the Ottoman Empire’s fall.

As much as I would like to ascribe the utopian education scene above to the Sankar Science Center’s state-of-the-art “learning stairs,” our little corner of comfort is actually situated a mile off campus.

Follow the scent of unfinished calculus homework, and you’ll find nine out of 10 supposed midday medical appointees at the Starbucks on Aloma Avenue, sitting shamelessly atop an ocher armchair of lies. Evidently, Orange County doctors’ offices are so overwhelmed that they now leave kids in the waiting room just long enough to write a seven-page AP Lit paper.

I’m surprised our school hasn’t demanded a cut of the coffee shop’s daily revenue, given that we provide at least a third of their weekday customer base.

Just 15% would probably be enough to fund our own coffee bar in the Grille before the next time B Clubs meet.

Still, it wouldn’t be the same. There’s just something about the Starbucks ambience — the soft Mariah Carey playing overhead, the sublime umber palette of all the furniture — uniquely capable of launching a teenage procrastinator into flow state. Or so I’ve heard.

Of course, I could never endorse such an unsaintly move. Cutting class to squeeze in an extra hour of shuteye is one thing. But skipping school to do … more school?

The result is a perpetual cycle. You skip biology to finish the history reading due next period. Now you’re behind on biology. So tomorrow, you skip English. Wait! What about that essay you missed while brushing up on Punnett squares? Oh, I know: Starbucks during history.

They say caffeine is addictive, but perhaps the real peril of Starbucks lies not in the cups

of coffee but in the constancy of class-cutting.

Eight midday skips, plus a couple of inopportune red lights on your way back to campus (see: the new 15 minutes late equals absent policy), and you’re sitting for a final exam in Micro while your peers are ridin’ waves in New Smyrna.

Consider the long-term consequences of your actions. Sure, you might be slightly more prepared for the 20-minute quiz worth 3% of your final grade tomorrow. Is that worth being subject to an additional 90-minute exam worth 20% of your final grade two months down the line?

I’d love to harp more on the evils of choosing caffeine over class, but my cinnamon dolce latte’s getting cold.

Stay in school, kids — at least until 3 p.m.

Cartoon by Aylin Garibay

18

Sports

February 2O26

Senior Lorenzo Cavalieri competes at Trinity, continuing to stick with swimming at the highest level despite multiple coaching changes over the past five years.

COACH CAROUSEL

Turnover in leadership reshapes athlete development and culture

Article by Thomas Bonos Photo courtesy of Lorenzo Cavalieri Senior Lorenzo Cavalieri has worked under nearly four prospective coaches during his five years with Trinity Prep Aquatics (TPA).

Through the 2000s-2010s, TPA built a reputation for state titles, consistent podium finishes, and dominance across Central Florida.

Yet in recent years, that success has proven difficult to sustain as the program has struggled to maintain a permanent coaching staff.

“When we had the coaching changes here, it was really hard for a lot of us because you’re going from one coaching style to another really fast, and that’s really detrimental to younger athletes,” Cavalieri said. “Swimming is a pretty unforgiving sport. For every day you don’t swim, it’s like five days you have to regain that speed. So when you have a month or even two months where you don’t have a coach, it’s pretty hard to get back.”

Cavalieri’s experience reflects a broader trend across NCAA athletics. At the collegiate level, coaching instability has accelerated with the rise of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) opportunities, the transfer portal and growing financial incentives tied to immediate success.

Programs are often built and dismantled, faster than ever before.

“I feel like the biggest thing was the development of a player,” Cavalieri said. “When you have a transfer portal that’s that open, as well as NIL deals and money offered to coaches and atheletes, you’re going from vastly different programs. It kind of ruins the developmental aspect of the sport.”

One of the most visible examples came this past year in college football. Former University of Mississippi head football coach Lane

Kiffin transformed the program from a struggling SEC program into a national contender over six seasons. Yet before the postseason, Kiffin accepted an offer from Louisiana State University, a program with deeper championship history and greater financial resources.

His departure left Ole Miss without leadership during the most critical stretch in program history and sparked a wave of players and struggle when coaching lacked stability.

Former five-star recruit who played under football coach Brian Kells and Division I running back Lorenzo Lingard has lived through that instability firsthand. Recruited amid national attention and elite programs, Lingard said coaching turnover repeatedly reshaped his collegiate career.

“As a young 16-17 year old kid in the process of choosing a college, you’re vulnerable,” Lingard said. “You don’t know much, and what really makes the decision feel right is the coach. When the coach leaves and goes into another program, everything changes.”

Lingard first faced instability at the University of Miami, where internal coaching changes made it difficult to establish a consistent role. That uncertainty intensified when head coach Mark Richt was fired at the end of the season, forcing Lingard to adjust to a new system before fully developing in the old one.

After transferring to the University of Florida, Lingard encountered a similar situation when head coach Dan Mullen was dismissed and replaced by Billy Napier. Once again, a new staff brought different schemes, incoming recruits and increased NIL-driven competition, ultimately leading Lingard to transfer

to the University of Akron in search of a consistent and an impactful role.

“With the coaching changes, the word (among NFL scouts) was I didn’t have enough development,” Lingard said. “I had talent and natural skill, but ball knowledge and strategy were things they didn’t see because I had so many different coaches.”

With the ever evolving transfer portal and NIL landscape, it is ultimately up to the coach to really build the culture in the program for the short time they are there or their players are there for.

“The transfer portal makes the game more competitive, but it kills the brotherhood of staying in one program and growing together,” said Chaz Williams, Trinity assistant football coach and ex-DI player for Georgia Southern. “It takes a special coach to get everyone on the same page now. A lot of that development gets lost.”

Coaches are at the center of development and team culture for most athletes at both the high school and collegiate levels. Trinity coaches look to extend the values of the school to the players and the culture of excellence bred through camaraderie — the same is true at any program. Cavalieri has seen this parallel in his time under coaching changes.

“The biggest thing for a coach is the development of a player,” Cavalieri said. “If you go to an academy overseas, you’re there for up to five years, training with the same people, the same coaches. You’re building culture and developing from that. When you’re constantly moving between programs, that developmental aspect gets lost.”

Feburary 2O26

Sports

TORN BETWEEN TEAMS

Multiple sport student-athletes balance overlapping seasons Article by Neve Judelson Photo by Julia Hoskins Senior Sarah Cantwell starts her day attending morning weightlifting practice, goes to school and quickly wraps up her schoolwork to make afternoon lacrosse practice. At the end of her senior season, she will become a four-sport athlete.

The Florida High School Atheletic Association (FHSAA), which manages all sports at Trinity, sets the start and end dates of sport seasons. While most of the time sports are scheduled a few weeks apart, sometimes seasons overlap as teams advance into districts, creating problems for multi-sport athletes like Cantwell.

“Last year, I missed the first two weeks of lacrosse practice … because I was still doing weightlifting, and I went to regionals for weightlifting, so my season was basically two weeks longer than it should have been,” Cantwell said.

The overlap of seasons creates stress and overuse, which risks injury. Coming straight out of football season, senior Finn Davidescu was injured in the preseason of basketball due to the stress of football season.

“I decided (to play) because it was the first day of basketball tryouts, and I just wanted to play basketball,” Davidescu said. “I was tired of football, and I showed up (and rolled my ankle).”

The physical strain due to multiple sport practices between different seasons can cause burnout. This makes the overlap period demanding both physically and mentally.

The American Academy of Pediatrics states that “Overuse injuries, for example, can result from repetitive stress without sufficient recovery that leads to accumulated musculoskeletal damage. Burnout represents one of the primary reasons for attrition in youth sports.” The

constant state of burnout and injury then reinjury threatens one’s state of wellbeing and overall health.

“You’re used to doing one certain type of practice and one certain type of sport,” Davidescu said. “(It) demands your body so much, (and then) you just convert to a different one.”

Coaches’ cooperation around this transition period is crucial in order to maintain the sports the athletic program offers. Boys lacrosse coach and Assistant Athletic Director Travis Sanders works around this problem with his multi-sport players.

“We just want to make it work for what’s best for you guys as athletes,” Sanders said.

“The only thing coaches want to (do is to) make sure that you guys are prepared and healthy and taken care of and managing your workload at school.”

Overlapping seasons create complications among coaches, with some allowing their players to start late and some wanting their sport to be the players’ top priority. This time can cause student athletes to have stress and minimal time for other activities.

“It does get stressful because there’s just no break (while balancing two seasons of

sports),” Cantwell said.“ I’m always doing a sport. I’m always going to practice, and so I never have time to rest, which I think is hard, but also the preseason (of my spring sport) is important to be better.”

Along with the switch between sport seasons, athletes also have to deal with academic stress. When it comes to school and sports, students have to work to find a balance between the two with such small free time. “(I) get (such) lack of time to do schoolwork because if you’re always doing a sport or you’re always having to choose to do one or the other, it feels like you’re putting half your energy into both things, so that’s kind of hard,” Cantwell said.

While being a multi-sport athlete is sometimes difficult, when it comes to fitness, they have an advantage above everyone else.

“I never worry that my basketball kids aren’t going to be in good shape,” Sanders said.

“The nice thing is it’s already conditioned. So players that are playing this winter sport, it’s never a problem for my team because I know the minute they step on our field, they’re already in good shape (and) they’re ready to go.”

Different teams also mean more connections and different skills. Because of this, students opt to play sports all year long, sacrificing their free time for the unique experience of being a multi-sport athlete.

“We love having multisport athletes,” Sanders said. “I encourage it. … I work in the athletic department, and so we always encourage (it) if you want to” play multiple sports.”

Senior Sarah Cantwell participates in (left to right) lacrosse, soccer, weightlifting and volleyball.

Sports

February 2O26

BACK IN THE GAME

Alumni return to partcipate in the Alumni Affinity Games Article by Mia Prince Photos courtesy of Elizabeth McIntosh It’s been really fun to listen to stories, even alumni that graduated a long time ago come back and talk about their memories.”

Alumni meet different groups of people from differing graduating classes and reunite with teammates they crossed paths with.

“My husband went (to the baseball alumni game), and his senior big brother was there,” alumni coordinator Hannah Schuttler, who is also an alum, said. “These were guys that he knew because he was in sixth grade when they were seniors, and they were so cool when we were little, and then he got to go and hang out with them, and I think that was really fun.”

Alumni also get the opportunity to reconnect with a sport that influenced their high school lives so heavily and brings back the nostalgia of their childhood. Alumna Taylor LaPeters is now an assistant weightlifting coach after being asked to come back by alumna and current English teacher Erin Miller and being a former weightlifting athlete.

“Weightlifting was just so important to me at that time,” LaPeters said. “It helped me learn that I loved lifting throughout the past decade, being away from high school and everything.

I would pretty much do anything for Erin Miller. People like that just make such an impact on your life that you’re like, yeah, of course, I’ll do anything to help out.”

Alumni games also give students an opportunity to continue their legacy with new athletes.

“It’s fun for current coaches and athletes to meet their alumni that they’ve heard stories about in our boys lacrosse program,” Sanders said. “We have guys who graduated a while ago and come back.”

On Dec. 22, alumni played in the basketball alumni affinity

In recent months, more and more alumni games have taken place. Soccer, lacrosse, baseball and basketball games have happened with alumni from state championships returning to play one more time with their fellow teammates. Athletes are able to come back and play on the same field that they started their athletic career on and are introduced to alumni of various graduating classes.

In the past, few alumni games have taken place, but this year, there has been an initiative to integrate alumni into school events more and more.

“We’re still trying to find out the right time frame,” Assistant Athletic Director Travis Sanders said. “Is it during a holiday break?

I think we’re going to take some time, give it a run this year and then we’ll evaluate and see what teams we want to add next year and what times work best.”

Bringing alumni back to campus allows them to see the growth of the school, the athletic program and help to mentor athletes.

“We just have such pride in our school, and I think a lot of our alumni feel that way,” Sanders said. “A lot of our alumni enjoy coming back and hanging out and telling stories.

game with former coach and alumnus Eric Schneider.

On Nov. 21, members from the 2007 state runner-up team returned to play in the alumni game.

Alumni can also pass on advice that only comes with time, experience and reflection of the sport they love.

“I hope that the girls can take away, especially the seniors, that they are lifters,” LaPeters said. “As women, they are allowed to take up space in a gym. I want to instill that confidence because that’s what was instilled in me.”

These new alumni events are an initiative that reshapes community and outreach, extending beyond social media posts highlighting old classmates to truly bridging the connection with the past and present.

“I think it’s really awesome to be able to come back and see your teachers and see the places that shaped you,” Schuttler said. “And we know that athletics, being on a team, is such an integral part of growing and becoming a good professional and a good person as you grow up. And so having those relationships and continuing those relationships I think are really important, but also getting to see people that you don’t normally see.”

Sports

February 2O26

PURE WILL, NO FILL

Student athletes juggle training and fasting during Ramadan Article by Jena Mhamdi Photo by Lola Brown Every year for one month, student athlete Sam Makki wakes up before the crack of dawn to consume all the food and water he needs for the day. He attends school and track-andfield practice five times a week, but he eats and drinks nothing. Makki is one of many students and people worldwide who celebrate Ramadan, a month-long fasting holiday for Muslims. This year, Ramadan starts on Feb. 18, and is is based on a lunar calendar, shifting forward 10 days every year.

Those who practice Ramadan abstain from food from sunrise to sunset, with the hours getting longer and the task tougher each day.

Along with fasting for around 12 hours for 30 days straight, Makki runs in the blazing Florida sun for two hours after school on an empty stomach.

“Usually, I’ll wake up early and try to get a lot of water in,” Makki said. “Sometimes I take liquid IV or drink Gatorade … then I’ll still train normally, but I’ll remind my coach that I’m fasting, so if I don’t seem as fast as I usually do, it’s because I don’t have any food or energy in me.”

Many pro athletes, like Dallas Mavericks athlete Kyrie Irving and Saudi Arabian soccer player Karim Benzema, have to work around this as well, and each person has their own way of training while fasting.

According to Men’s Health, some people, including Makki, train before they break their fast but may have to scale down their workouts due to their lack of proper nutrition. When it’s time to eat again, they drink protein shakes or take supplements instead of a traditional dinner to help their stomachs adapt to the lack of food. In the morning, they drink water with electrolytes to counteract the mineral loss.

Others prefer to train very early in the morning, right before they start fasting, so they can consume the necessary nutrients to survive the day and not pass out halfway through. Amanda Dean, assistant boys and girls varsity track-and-

field coach, has worked with runners fasting during Ramadan to find the best strategy to maintain their performance during meets and physical needs.

“If it’s a day where we’re doing a hard workout and (the athlete is) not feeling good, they might have to decide not to go to practice that day if it’s going to be dangerous for them,” Dean said. “I have had some kids who choose not to fast during their seasons, even though I know that they normally would otherwise.”

Although it is extremely challenging to train in the heat while fasting, it’s an important part of Islam, so Makki always tries his best. He acknowledges that it’s not easy to do, but fasting during Ramadan is important to him, so he tries to adjust his training schedule rather than his fasting schedule.

“My religion really motivates me (to keep training),” Makki said. “I like to think of myself as a religious person, so I remind myself that there are professional athletes who still train during Ramadan, so if they can do it, I should try, for my religion.”

Not only is fasting during a sports season mentally challenging, but it is also hard on the body. According to Nature, an international science magazine, while fasting allows the body to adapt and conserve as many carbohydrates as possible, it may also mark a significant loss of lean body mass.

With his final track-and-field season coming up, Makki offers a piece of advice for other fasting athletes.

“Try your best,” Makki said. “If we feel like we’re able to fast while we’re doing our sports, we should try at least. But if (you) don’t think you can fast, put your health first.”

Student athlete Sam Makki runs on the track during practice, while still fasting during Ramadan.

STEM

February 2O26

SYMBOLS OF LOVE Article by Omi Tikalal Photo by Eden Kiger

On Valentine’s Day, roses appear in arms between classes, chocolate is exchanged in quiet handoffs and handwritten notes circulate more carefully than homework. Valentine’s Day persists because the symbols that dominate the holiday activate predictable emotional and physiological responses, shaping how people feel long before they think about romance. While the science behind Valentine’s Day is not the direct causation for who people love, they create the conditions for warmth, comfort and emotional openness, which is why they return every February, unchanged.

Red Roses Roses remain the most visible symbol of Valentine’s Day on campus, largely due to Key Club’s annual Rose Sale, which delivers them directly into students’ hands. But, roses are not popular just because they look nice, their impact is rooted in biology.

The color red is processed by the brain as a signal of intensity. Studies conducted and published by the National Institute o f Health (NIH) ad-

dress how attentional capture by red color images and the role of the emotional valence.

Color psychology shows that red increases alertness and emotional response, making it difficult to ignore. The vivid red of a rose ignites a sense of alertness, creating an instant, intimate bond.

“I feel like (roses) stay alive longer, so they mean more and they’ll be with you longer,” senior Chloe Nieves-Ramos said.

Roses also carry sensory weight. According to The Institute for Art and Olfactory, their scent is processed by the limbic system, the part of the brain responsible for emotion and memory. This makes floral smells especially effective at creating long-lasting associations.

Even thorns play a role. From an evolutionary standpoint, plants with protective features like thorns are perceived as rarer and more valuable. The effort required to handle and preserve roses contributes to their symbolic weight.

“I feel like (roses) stay alive longer, so they mean more and they’ll be with you longer.”

- Chloe Nieves-Ramos, senior

Chocolate Chocolate is one of the most consistent Valentine’s Day exchanges, often paired with minimal explanation.

“Chocolate is (one of ) the finer things in life,” Nieves-Ramos said.

Its reputation as a romantic gift, however, is chemically reinforced. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine, a compound associated with pleasure and reward pathways in the brain. According to NIH, chocolate triggers the release of dopamine and serotonin, neurotransmitters linked to happiness and re-

STEM

February 2O26

Science proves that romantic gifts shape our perspective of love laxation. Chocolate, combined with its high sugar and fat content, produces a comfort quickly and reliably.

“I really enjoy the sweetness of it,” junior Holly Kimley said. “(Chocolate) makes me feel happy.”

Chocolate melts just below body temperature, creating a smooth sensory experience that enhances its appeal. The result is not romance but a feeling of warmth and ease that aligns naturally with the tone of the holiday.

Chocolate-covered strawberries combine two of Valentine’s Day’s most effective symbols into one ritualized exchange. Their appeal is sensory and symbolic. Strawberries are bright red, visually reinforcing the holiday’s dominant color. Their natural sweetness signals rewards, while their seeds historically symbolized fertility and abundance in agricultural societies, according to the Old Barrel Tea Company. Paired with chocolate, the contrast in textures — soft fruit and smooth coating — increases sensory engagement. This pairing is not subtle. It is designed to feel indulgent, special and slightly excessive, aligning with the cultural permission Valentine’s Day gives to overdo emotion.

Stuffed Animals

Stuffed animals may seem juvenile, but their popularity persists because they serve a biological function. Soft textures activate the body’s comfort response, lowering cortisol levels associated with stress. According to the RSIS International, objects like stuffed animals are a source of comfort and anxiety and provide emotional support as they trigger hormones in the human body like oxytocin, which releases the feeling of safety and comfort.

“(Stuffed animals) make me feel safe and chocolate contributes to an atmosphere decalm and protected,” Kimley said. signed to make emotion easier to access. On The NIH reports how tactile stimulation school campuses, Valentine’s Day brings up is particularly effective in environments as it the topic of love, and science explains why. offers physical reassurance, a counterbalance to intensity elsewhere.

“I think stuffed animals are very “Stuffed animals are very comfortcomforting, and (they’re) something ing, and (they’re) something that that people like to hold onto and like to collect, so it makes them think of people like to hold onto and like to you when you have (the stuffed ani- collect, so it makes them think of mal),” Nieves-Ramos said. you when you have (it),” Valentine’s Day traditions are often dismissed as commercial or performative, but their longevity suggests - Chloe Nieves-Ramos, senior something deeper. These symbols endure because they reliably produce emotional outcomes. They soften moods, heighten awareness and create moments that feel meaningful, even to skeptics.

Love itself cannot be measured. But the rituals surrounding it can be tested, repeated and optimized.

Every rose, stuffed animal and piece of

STEM

February 2O26

LOVE ON THE BRAIN

Crushes are the result of complex brain chemistry Article by Sarah Zobel Graphics by Natalie Baron It’s the season of love, or at least racing hearts, obsessive thoughts and indigestible butterflies. Through that lens, Valentine’s Day seems much more complex than Cupid would have you believe. In reality, human feelings are not the result of a lucky shot from a winged cherub, but rather a complicated mix of hormonal messages.

The brain is home to dozens of hormones that control how the human body functions.

A smaller portion of these hormones is responsible for the infamous phenomenon of a “crush,” namely norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, cortisol and oxytocin.

When a crush develops, all of these hormones increase, except serotonin. Counterintuitively, this “happy hormone” responsible for mood regulation significantly drops during this process. According to a 2023 article by Psychology Today, this decrease is similar to that found in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), leading to persistent, preoccupying ideas.

“You start developing obsessive thoughts,” biology teacher Emily Massey-Burmeister said. “I think anybody who’s … (had) a crush … would say that they get a little obsessive about that person.”

While serotonin is dropping, activity in the frontal cortex of the brain also decreases, further impacting critical thinking and judgment, therefore increasing the tendency to overlook flaws. This is also what makes it difficult to talk to someone you are attracted to.

“I tend to stutter a lot when I’m talking to (my crush),” freshman Neel Bhonde said.

“Sometimes I have a joke in my mind that I made up (in the) morning and I try to tell her, and it just comes out super wrong.”

Through the release and suppression of these hormones, the chemical composition of the human brain is changed. The ventral tegmental area, or the reward system of the

brain, is activated and begins to produce these high levels of dopamine, making the person more impulsive.

“You kind of feel on edge a tiny bit because you’re with somebody that you like,” Bhonde said. “You’re more self-conscious. You want to impress them.”

The strong responses guaranteed by the hormonal reaction of the brain make it rewarding to pursue a connection with another person. A 2015 article by Harvard Medical School explains that this rush of dopamine in the brain has been found to parallel the use

of substances such as alcohol in its euphoric effects. “(This reaction) literally rewires your brain,” Massey-Burmeister said. “When people are like, ‘You need time to heal a broken heart,’ that’s actually kind of true, because you have rewired your brain (due to) these increases in these hormones and these neurotransmitters.”

The human body’s response may seem impractical, but it has intentionally evolved to be this way in an effort to motivate humans to seek connection.

“I would say that evolutionarily speaking ... it’s easier to exist as a group than it is to exist as a standalone person,” Massey-Burmeister said. “(It’s) a safety in numbers type of situation … so there’s this need for you to have

closeness with other individuals and kind of build a community.”

While the brain’s chemical reaction to attraction is innate, the question of who the brain may find attractive is a complicated combination of both nature and nurture.

“There (are some) hormone-induced responses, but also it’s a little bit of just learned experience that shapes who you pick as a partner,” Massey-Burmeister said. “There are some reasons why people tend to pick the partners that they tend to pick.”

These reasons naturally vary by person, but one commonality lies in pheromones, or chemical signals that trigger certain reactions from other animals in the same species.

These are often released by sweat and have evolved to facilitate the survival and diversity of a species.

“When (the scent) comes from somebody of a close familial connection, you do not like that smell,” Massey-Burmeister said.

“But, if it’s coming from somebody that you don’t share a close familial kind of relationship to, you do tend to like the smell of that person a little bit more.”

Outside of these chemical messages, humans tend to gravitate towards other people who share common interests or values, much of which is based on preference.

“I think a big thing for me is how they treat you in conflict,” freshman Lena Chan said. “I think it’s really attractive if they’re gentle and nice during conflict.”

Whatever the reason for that initial attraction, the result is the same: drastic fluctuations in the brain hormones, impelling us to invest in heart-shaped chocolates and candies. “(Having a crush) is definitely a good feeling,” Bhonde said. “It’s a universal feeling, too. Everyone has it.”

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February 2O26

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February 2O26

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February 2O26

Puzzle

Puzzles by Mila Taylor

DOWN

1. A month-long fasting holiday for Muslims, starting February 18. (Page 12) 2. Alumni ______ Games. (Page 24) 3. The hormone that drops in the case of a crush. (Page 28)

ACROSS

Answers

4. New teaching fellow, observing middle school English classes. (Page 10) 5. Prestigious competition attended by 9 of Trinity’s orchestra and chorus students. (Page 4)

Students display their artwork in the middle school office for their History 8 class. Students were assigned to remake Renaissance artifacts, like the flying machine pictured in the top right, the Mona Lisa in the bottom left and the knight’s castle in the bottom right.

Photos by James Ellzey