February 2025

THE

TRINITY VOICE

February 2O25 Volume 27 Issue 4 Trinity Preparatory School 57OO Trinity Prep Lane Winter Park, FL 32792

Lunar New Year Celebration On Jan. 29, students perform traditional Chinese dance in celebration for the year of the snake.

NEWS

Author Fest celebrates its 1Oth year of connecting students with books.

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OPINIONS

National trend of grade inflation harms student learning.

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STEM

IPhone uprades lead to increased use of unrecyclable rare Earth metals.

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LIFESTYLES

Becoming an overnight sensation has pyschological impacts.

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SPORTS

Fantasy football and its punishments have gained popularity.

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Table of Contents

February 2O25

TABLE OF CONTENTS News

News Bites O4 Cancerous Alcohol O5 Author’s Fest O6 Chatbot Dangers O7

Solutions

Threat Assessment O8-O9

Opinions

Nutrition Oppression 1O Grade Inflation 11 Hustle Culture 12

STEM

Earth Metal Overuse 19

Lifestyles

Viral Psychology 2O Arcane Review 21 Author Feature 22-23 Asian Cultural Imports 24-25 Commentary 26

Sports

Fantasy Football 27 JUCO Opportunities 28

Focus

Cover Page 13 Pop Culture Moments 14-15 Movie Rankings 16 Album Rankings 17 TikTok Trends 18

Aksel Williams

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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 freelance 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”

Natalie Baron

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Julia Hoskins

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Staff/Podcast

February 2O25

STAFF

Saint Talk

Non-Print Editor-in-Chief: David Steinberg

Blurbs by Jack Aaron and Gustavo Membreno Graphics by Caden Liu

Managing Editors: David Hull, Zach Kleiman, Amanda Rose DeStefano, Lucy Chong

Pardon the Interruption

Editors-in-Chief: Peyton Alch, Carol Marques

Copy Editors: Aarav Gupta, Jack Aaron, Layout Editors: Laziza Talipova, Fay Zhao Social Media Department & Broadcast: Ana Herrera [Editor], Olivia Agnew, Sarah Currie News Department: Sofia Haddadin (Editor), Krish Gupta, Janav Ramprakash, Sami Haddadin

Opinions Department: Nikhil Daniel (Editor), Ashwin Anand, Karl Loiseau Focus Department: Mila Taylor (Editor), Mia Prince, Taylor Griffith Lifestyles Department Sammy Lou (Editor), Bowen Dong, Aarav Gupta, Jack Aaron, Lila Choudry Sports Department: Emily Lopez (Editor), Ben Kleiman, Thomas Bonos Podcast Department: Gustavo Membreno Graphics Department: Caden Liu (Editor), Maxi de la Fuente, Natalie Baron Photo Department: Jackson Napier (Editor), Aksel Williams, Ally Williams, Julia Hoskins, Eden Kiger Fact Checking Editors: Taylor Griffith, Mia Prince Business Manager: Jack Aaron Adviser: Erin Miller

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This Month’s Podcasts:

Tune into this month’s edition of Pardon the Interruption with David Steinberg, David Hull, Nikhil Daniel, Jack Aaron, and Thomas Bonos as they discuss topics varying from Trinity’s alumni updates to Super Bowl predictions.

Ep. 4 - The Power of Humanities Nikhil Daniel and Gustavo Membreno sit down with Kent Kersten and Stephanie Dryden to discuss the transformative power of humanities education in shaping minds and broadening horizons. Explore its impact both on and beyond Trinity’s campus.

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News

February 2O25

NEWS BITES

Spread by Krish Gupta and Sofia Haddadin Graphics by Caden Liu

Nochur Sankar Science Center: The Monthly Update “We have a roof now. Windows should be installed by the end of February.”

- Mr. Lawson, Head of Trinity Prep

This Month: By The Numbers

12

The number of hours that video platform TikTok was banned before President Trump delayed it for 75 days.

23,4OO

$1 Trillion

The number of acres burned from the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, California.

The combined net worth of the billionaires present at President Trump’s inauguration.

Sources: hoodline.com, latimes.com, and theintercept.com

Did You Know? Valentine’s Day Edition

Valentine’s Day spending in 2O24 hit a record high of $14.2 billion.

Approximately 59% of consumers celebrate Valentine’s Day worldwide.

44% of Valentine’s Day shoppers spend money on candy.

Sources: Drive Research

February 2O25

Newss

PARTY DRINK TO CANCER LINK

Surgeon General advisory sounds alarm on alcohol and cancer link Article by Sofia Haddadin Graphic by Natalie Baron At first glance, a few drinks at a party or a casual hangout might not seem like a big deal. But alcohol, often seen as harmless, has emerged as a silent killer, linked to nearly 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 deaths each year — putting even young people at risk for serious long-term health consequences.

On Jan. 3, the now former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy published an advisory warning people about the little-known linkage between alcohol and cancer risk. The advisory aims to increase awareness to help minimize alcohol-related cancer cases and deaths, laying out a series of health recommendations and serving as a wake-up call to realize the severe risks associated with alcohol.

According to the advisory, consuming alcohol increases the risk of developing at least seven different types of cancer: mouth, throat, voice box, esophageal, breast and liver cancer.

The alcohol damages cellular DNA, causing uncontrollable cell growth.

“What we know with a high degree of confidence is that there is a causal link between alcohol and cancer risk,” Murthy said in a Time Magazine interview. “The data has been building for some time and getting stronger and stronger.”

Drinking culture and a person’s environment have a major impact on their risk of developing cancer. The more a person is surrounded by alcohol, the more likely they are to develop drinking habits early on.

“The percentage of people smoking and drinking in California is much less than in Florida,” ENT surgeon Dr. Fawaz Makki said.

“So your population plays a major factor.”

Regardless of where a person lives, they should always be mindful and vigilant about watching their alcohol intake. The earlier a person is made aware of the risks, the healthier they will be in the long term.

“There is this big longitudinal study across the U.S. that looked at young people that started using alcohol or other drugs at freshman year of high school versus their fresh-

man year of college,” Prevention Specialist at PreventionEd Luna Gayeski said. “And they found that those young people that waited those additional four years had a 48% lower chance of developing a substance use disorder.”

Early awareness and prevention are crucial, and developing healthy habits begins at a young age. At Trinity, there is an outlet for doing just that: Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) Club. The club’s focus is preventing students from making potentially destructive decisions for themselves and others.

“SADD Club can do a really good job of kind of reaching out to those kids, making sure that they are aware, raising awareness, highlighting some of the ways that teens can be affected by alcohol use and potentially increasing the risks of cancer,” SADD Club sponsor and biology teacher Brian Moretz said.

Alcohol is a clear and preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., yet many people still remain unaware.

“I don’t think a lot has been done about alcohol usage and how it causes cancers,” Moretz said.

“Overall, students don’t really understand that alcohol can cause cancer.

I think they understand the dangers of tobacco use, but not the dangers of alcohol use.”

The knowledge gap can be easily filled through proper marketing and awareness,

helping to mitigate long-term effects. After all, alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity. By making the public aware of the cancer risk associated with alcohol, similar to the marketing done with warning of the dangers associated with nicotine, people can begin to make informed health decisions.

“I think it’s important that students realize that their decisions have consequences and to raise awareness about things we can do to protect ourselves and others from those dangerous decisions,” Moretz said.

Prevention organizations, like PreventionEd, have a mission to give teenagers accurate assessments of the risk of any given choice. From guest speakers to workshops, the organization partners with schools around the world, including Trinity, to educate students. However, staying informed about the dangerous realities alcohol presents can be as simple as a conversation with family and friends.

“My primary message would be to continue the conversation,” Gayeski said. “Continue having conversations about risks and the place alcohol holds in our society.”

By continuing to have discussions that promote education and wellness, teenagers can ensure that they do not make decisions that they will live to regret in the future.

“There are a lot of things that you can expose your body to that increase your chances of developing cancer,” Moretz said. “So if we can minimize those external factors that can increase our risk, we’ll have lower chances of cancer overall and live healthier, happier lives.”

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News

February 2O25

AUTHORS AMPLIFY ASPIRATIONS Trinity celebrates 1Oth annual Author Fest with exciting changes

Article by Janav Ramprakash Photo by Aksel Williams

deepening of that pursuit through the advice to become better versions of themselves and For the past decade, Trinity’s annual Author of experienced authors. gain valuable life lessons.

Fest has been one of the many highlights of “Students who are very passionate about “It’s how the game teaches us how to be the school year. It gives students the opportu- English will gain insightful help with whatev- successful,” McCardle said. “So how we better nity to interact with authors from across Flor- er they need,” Naidu said. “Maybe they don’t manage our time, how we become better leadida and learn about the creative process that have the help they need right now, and I think ers, how we become better doers, better broththese authors go through. However, this year, this is just what these students need.” ers and sisters, better spouses, better parents, Author Fest will be going through some major In addition to these workshops, Trinity will better everything.” changes as it celebrate its 10th anniversary. offer events that appeal to students with interIn previous years, students with after-school “For the first time, the aucommitments were not able to thors are going to work with experience Author Fest. This 13 middle school and upper year, however, Trinity has enschool English classes and one sured that all students on cammusical theatre class during pus will be able to participate. the school day,” Director of Li“Because we are having prebrary and Information Services sentations during middle block, Lee De Groft said. “They’re every student on campus will going to be doing workshops get to hear and experience a very with these students.” well-known published author,” These workshops, termed De Groft said. “And then some Author Invasion, will have students will be able to really authors show students how to work one-on-one with them in construct narratives and bring classes, and then of course aftheir ideas to life through writterschool. There will be really ing, storytelling and even actsomething for everybody.” ing in musical theater. Each This year, with many more workshop will be tailored to opportunities for authors to the focus of the class and the Author Ginny Myers Sain showcases her new fantasy book “When the interact with students, authors expertise of the author. will have a chance to showcase Bones Sing” to students during middle block.

“It is going to vary,” De their creative processes while enGroft said. “The author who’s working with ests not just based on literature. For example, gaging directly with their audience.

Intro to Musical Theatre is going to be doing one of these events will be based around sports “It will be really nice for the authors to condrama games and [showing] how dialogue and utilizing them for the many different as- nect with people who’ve read their work,” De from books can translate to the stage. [Author] pects of life.

Groft said. “They can talk to [students] who Amar Shah is going to be working with chan“I’m giving a keynote speech to student are interested in the arts, whether that’s being neling your passion for sports into writing. athletes on the ideas within the book,” said on the stage or in the movies or writing books [These authors] all have their specialties.”

Ciaran McCardle, author of “The Soccer of and know that it is possible.”

The hope with the new workshop design is Success: How the Beautiful Game Can Help Through Author Fest, students will discover to allow for a more immersive experience.

You Achieve Goals in Business and Life.” “It the possibilities that are available to them in “I am most excited to see the authors ac- will relate to the ideas around sports and will the future. Authors will also be able to comtually go into the classrooms [and] talk about be fun because they live and breathe sports.” municate this with them on a much more pertheir stories,” freshman Akkaash Naidu said.

McCardle is the founder and CEO of XL sonal level than ever before.

“I really think that’s going to be really helpful Sports World company and will be making his “These authors were your age at one point towards students who want to maybe become debut as an author with the publication of his and didn’t know what they were going to do or writers in their future.” book on Jan. 28. He will also be one of the first maybe thought becoming a writer was never For students with a strong interest in fiction authors to be a parent of a Trinity student. The going to be a possibility,” De Groft said. “And writing, Author Invasion will allow for the message of his book is how sports teach people now they’ve made that happen.”

February 2O25

News

A VIRTUAL CRISIS

Character.ai influenced an Orlando teen to end his life Article by Sami Haddadin Graphic by Caden Liu It started with a few harmless texts. 14-yearold Sewell Setzer III felt bored and wanted someone to talk to. Slowly over weeks and months, he started to talk more with his friend, finding solace in each conversation.

As his online relationship deepened, his life in the real world grew more distant. He became noticeably withdrawn from his real friends, his mental health suffered and his addiction deteriorated. The constant conversations turned darker, and his apparent dependency only got worse. His final message was not to friends or family, but to something else. An AI chatbot.

Founded in 2021, Character.ai is an AI chatbot where users can talk to anyone, ranging from famous NBA players to prominent movie actors, or they can make their own virtual friend. In order to do this, the AI operates on a large language model, or L.L.M. Character.ai is considered to be a generative AI. However, it differs from others, like ChatGPT, because it is more interactive. Character.ai is meant to give a unique experience with more customization and versatility to educate and entertain users with the creation of their own character.

Amassing 1.7 million downloads in its first week of release in Sept. 2022, many were not surprised at Character.ai’s strong uptick. Due to its highly innovative nature, many had high hopes for its future.

“Character.ai is rapidly and dramatically advancing generative AI, with the potential to transform how humans connect not just with AI, but more broadly reinvent how we interact with technology as a whole in our everyday lives,” said Sara Wang, a partner at Andreessen Horowitz in a CNBC article from 2023.

However, while its user base and revenue have climbed, the only legal direction it is heading for is south. Individuals are using it as a means for guidance and therapy, which strays away from its original purpose of creativity and entertainment. Using it for self-help holds the potential to leave users susceptible to pos-

sibly dangerous consequences, affecting them in the present and future.

“Anytime you’re messing with the human mind and you know an individual, especially someone who’s in crisis, it makes me nervous when you don’t have another individual addressing this, especially one who’s been trained in appropriate strategies and techniques to use,” guidance counselor Rylan Smith said.

These impacts are materializing in real-time, ranging from minor mental health concerns to actions as far as self-inflicted harm. Indirect or not, Character.ai is at the helm of it.

According to a 2023 meta-analysis of 15 studies conducted by researchers from the National University

of Singapore, Carnegie Mellon and Northwestern, “Negative experiences predominantly revolved around communication breakdowns–when the conversational agents failed to effectively understand, process and respond to user input … Their unpredictable nature may generate flawed, potentially harmful outcomes leading to unexpected negative consequences.”

This was seen in the case of 14-year-old Sewel Setzer III, when after only a few months of using it, his mental health and addiction worsened to the point of self-harm. The mother of the teen filed a lawsuit against Character.ai. It specifizes how the company’s addictive nature and failure to warn users of the potential dan-

gers resulted in Setzer’s tragic death. Character. ai can be particularly harmful given the current mental health crisis.

According to an article published from AP News in 2024, “Youth mental health has reached crisis levels in recent years, according to U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who has warned of the serious health risks of social disconnection and isolation — trends he says are made worse by young people’s near universal use of social media.”

The need to stay secure in the digital world has never been more prevalent. The impacts of AI, specifically Character.ai have taken various forms and have affected local communities in Orlando, so it is crucial to understand the online safety, and to seek help when necessary.

“Technology could be great, but we need to be informed consumers, so making sure that we’re informed about the benefits and the possible consequences of our actions when engaging with those different pieces of technology is really important,” Smith said.

Character.ai has the potential to do great things and has shown to have a positive effect on people. However, the dangers are still very real and apparent. Making informed decisions can help prevent people from falling down the path towards harmful AI usage.

“The more we rely on artificial intelligence of large language models to do our thinking for us, the more potential danger we get in,” Chief Technology Officer Alex Podchaski said.

“Relying on it as a trusted source of information, or necessarily as a guiding force can get us into trouble because it has no context for what it’s generating other than statistics.”

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Opinions

February 2O25

AN ACTIVE PROBLEM December’s shooting at a small, private, Christian high school in Wisconsin mirrors countless other stories published over the past few years, each one begging the same question: “What can we do to stop this?”

While there is no concrete formula on how to prevent a school shooting, there is clear research on what is and what is not working.

The next step for Trinity and the rest of America should be to take in this information and make a plan.

IMPLEMENT SMART EMERGENCY MEASURES

there are still areas for improvement.

For example, nearly all of the emergency drills conducted occur in the morning, during the same period. Since students are in the same classroom for drills, they don’t necessarily know what to do if they are in a different room or outside during lunch in the case of an emergency. While the plan to run and hide remains the same in theory, it is a lot harder to remember on the spot if you haven’t practiced it before. Obviously, it’s not realistic to run drills during every class period, but by changing up when drills are conducted every now and then, students can practice adapting to the plan based on where they are located.

Another measure worth considering are covers for classroom door windowpanes. While many classrooms have blinds for their standard windows, most don’t have any sort of cover for the windowpanes in their doors. Reports frequently highlight windows as a safety concern for classrooms during lockdowns. By adding window covers to all areas of the classroom, teachers can quickly cover up their classroom and give students added peace of mind.

where they are on campus, knowing when they should fight, or any other procedures we don’t currently practice during drills. While administration covers the essentials once a year in an assembly, the message is often short and leaves little room for questions. By opening the topic up for broader discussion, students can grow more educated and confident in our lockdown policies.

BETTER SUPPORT THE EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF STUDENTS

The saying “hurt people hurt people” is entirely true. According to the U.S. Secret When it comes to planning for a school Service National Threat Risk Assessment, the shooting, there is a fine line to walk between majority of school shooters had experienced being safe and being scary. consistent bullying for weeks, months and/or Recently schools in Florida and North Caryears leading up to the actual shooting. olina have taken “safety” to a new level with In an NPR episode from last year, several extreme and unprompted lockdown drills that teens who had experienced bullying firsthand have instilled terror in kids. One school had explained that even if they don’t condone it, kids sending what they believed were their they could understand how someone could be final messages to loved ones during a drill as so angry at the world that they’d resort to viothey were not notified it was a drill in adlence. When there is no one helpvance. Another school covered students ing these students, they internalin makeup resembling gunshot wounds “‘No one will help me’ — the desperation of ize all of their emotions, creating as people disguised as school shooters a sense of powerlessness. In turn, that becomes the thing that makes it okay ran through the building. These are great students may feel that they are out examples of what not to do. in the person’s mind to resort to violence,” of options and must resort to viDrills still have immense value. A olence.

2022 study from the Journal of School “‘No one will help me’ — the desDr. Beverley Baligad, Chair of Threat Assesment Violence reported a 59% decrease in caperation of that becomes the thing at the University of Hawaii sualties among schools that followed safe that makes it okay in the person’s lockdown policies. mind to resort to violence,” said Dr. Drills should include locking classroom and Another easy way to improve our safety Beverley Baligad, Chair of the University of building doors, hiding students out of sight could just be communicating more with stu- Hawaii West O’ahu Campus Threat Assessand requiring kids to stay silent, according to dents. Almost all of the communication on ment Team. guidelines published by the National Associa- safety policy for students comes from advisors For schools to better support their students, tion of School Psychologists, National Associ- or teachers, which can be difficult because they need to make them feel safe, and a lot ation of School Resource Officers and Safe and none of the information is streamlined. Trin- of that starts with not only investing in more Sound Schools. ity’s security team could lead a few meetings mental health infrastructure like additional Currently, Trinity practices emergency drills throughout the year dedicated to educating counselors but advertising that those counselin accordance with the these standards, but students about where to run depending on ors are available as a resource for students.

February 2O25

Opinions

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How to actively prepare against the threat of school shootings

In many regards Trinity is ahead of the game compared to both other public and private schools. We have advisories to make sure every student has an on-campus advocate, faculty undergo training on mental health issues and the guidance department is working on a parent education series. However, there is still significant room for improvement.

The American School Counselor Association’s recommended student-to-counselor ratio is 250-to-1, while Trinity’s is 450-to-1.

When there are over 850 students on campus and only two counselors, it becomes difficult to meaningfully connect with everyone.

In addition to handling counseling, Trinity’s guidance counselors are also responsible for field trips, the advisory program and accommodations. By hiring an additional counselor or two, Trinity could better enable its guidance department to be more available for the student body.

Furthermore, by simply marketing our counselors more to students, Trinity could make a significant difference. While we have counselors available, many students are unfamiliar with where the counseling offices are located or how to reach out for help. This year, due to construction, the guidance department has been temporarily moved to the back of the MAC building, an area which has very little student traffic. Additionally, in order to enter the offices, you have to bypass a plethora of other administrative areas, which adds another barrier for students seeking help.

FIGHT FOR INCREASED GUN-CONTROL LEGISLATION Despite the recent normalization of school shootings, they aren’t normal. School shootings seem to be a uniquely American problem.

A statistical analysis by CNN found that since 2009 the U.S. has had 57 more school shootings than all the other G7 countries combined, meaning that at some level the issue is

in U.S. legislation.

“When states mandated through their legislaWhile the United States has increased tive process that schools put a [threat assesrestrictions on arms ment] team together … but no money follows in the past few de… Well, that’s setting schools up for failure cades, we have nowhere near the lev[because] one, they’re in danger of non-comel of regulation of pliance with the law now, and two, they literally other industrialized nations. For examhave no capability with which to create what ple, in Florida, no would have ideally helped them stay safe.” permit is required to carry a concealed firearm, nor is there - Dr. Beverley Baligad, Chair of Threat Assesment at the a permit required to University of Hawaii purchase said firearms. On the other hand Japan — the nation with the lowest gun homicide rate in the world — requires “When states mandated through their legisits citizens to pass written, mental and drug tests as well as a background check in order to lative process that schools put a [threat assesment] team together … but no money follows purchase a firearm.

Increased regulation on guns has been di- … Well, that’s setting schools up for failure rectly linked to a reduction in mass shootings. [because] one, they’re in danger of non-comFollowing the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, pliance with the law now, and two, they litAustralia immediately began implementing erally have no capability with which to create fundamental changes to its gun laws. They what would have ideally helped them stay cracked down on ownership of automatic and safe,” Baligad said.

Moving forward the United States can use semiautomatic assault rifles and implemented a buyback program that took about 650,000 other nations as a precedent for how to tackassault weapons out of public circulation. le the issue of gun violence. In doing so, our These measures contributed to declining gun government can ensure America’s students feel safer attending school. deaths and mass shootings.

These measures may feel out of reach in The lead editorial expressed the opinion of America’s political state, but they are possible.

Hawaii offers a fascinating historical precedent the Trinity Voice editorial staff. Please send because they have a high gun ownership rate, comments to voice@trinityprep.org. but one of the lowest homicide rates due to their stricter regulations on gun ownership.

Along with gun regulations, legislators should also work on funding new policies so schools can implement them successfully without taking away from other necessary procedures.

February 2O25

Opinions

OPPRESSION ON EVERY PLATE

Fast food has denied communities access to proper nutrition Article by Karl Loiseau Graphic by Natalie Baron

At Wendy’s, you can get the Four for Four for $4. McDonald’s rivals them with the $1 McChicken. Burger King offers an entire Whopper meal for just $5. Of course, like most good things, it is too good to be true.

Fast food is just that — fast and cheap, at the expense of quality, taste and health. It has fundamentally changed the health of millions for the worse.

While society often blames the overweight, fast-food-eating person for their poor choice of eating high-calorie, low-quality food through a window, the issue goes well beyond choice.

For many, often minorities, cheap food is the only option. Following the rise of fast food, cheap is almost synonymous with unhealthy, but that was not always the case.

A 1939 U.S. Department of Agriculture survey found that during the summer, Black Americans’ diets contained more vitamins, minerals and proteins than white households that spent the same money on food.

Twenty-six years later the trend remained the same: In 1965, Black Americans were still consuming the recommended quantities of fat, fiber, fruits and vegetables at twice the rate of white people.

However, according to the National Restaurant Association, by 1966, annual restaurant volume, driven higher by lower-priced chain restaurants, had grown to $20 billion, an increase that has disproportionately impacted impoverished communities.

Food was cheap, and communities of color could only afford cheap food.

A similar trend can be observed in Indigenous communities. Following years of displacement and being forced into reservations, traditional foodways were rendered more and more inaccessible. The U.S. government began offering rations to impoverished communities that consisted of culturally unfamiliar foods. By the 1960s, more than half of people living on reservations lived on foods including canned and packaged items high in fat, sugar and sodium. Then, there was the increasing presence of fast food across the nation.

The impact of such expansion introduced a silent killer in both communities: diabetes. In 2018 Black Americans were 60% more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than their white peers. According to the Indian Health Service from 2019, Indigenous peoples are three times more likely to die from Type 2 diabetes than non-Indigenous peoples.

On a national scale, chronic diseases are the leading causes of death for all Americans. Furthermore, diabetes, heart issues and cancers can all be attributed to the overconsumption of fast food.

Accompanying the physical impacts, shame has fed into the cycle of nutritional oppression.

“Feeling guilty and ashamed and feeling bad about yourself is not going to promote health either,” said Katherine Burt, professor of nutrition at Lehman University. “You’re just going to add to your stress. You’re gonna feel like you can’t feed your kids the way you want to.”

With that being said, solutions are closer than one might think. There are 13 local, community-run gardens in the Orlando area alone.

They are free to grow crops in and even offer

courses on how to begin to grow sustainably in your community. There are multiple volunteering opportunities at each of them accessible to all students.

Our local government has a role as well.

Tax breaks can be offered to encourage the construction of grocery stores in food deserts.

Farm initiatives are needed to subsidize the cost of growing organic.

“There’s an incentive system that doesn’t work to transition to more organic growing styles, so you need something else to encourage these transitions,” said Julie Guthman, professor of social studies at UC Santa Cruz who has written five books on the topic. Investing in public transportation, especially in a state like Florida, would go a long way in expanding access to produce and grocery stores.

Without a robust or accessible public transportation system, people have no choice but to turn to convenient, albeit unhealthy, food.

Making our government aware of what they need to do begins with something as simple as a petition or letter to a representative.

Finally, the simplest solution is to just be in communities and listen to what people have to say.

“I’m trying to learn about how somebody else lives, and so they deserve my time, my attention and they are an expert in their own lives,” Burt said. “So if I’m really going to understand the issues, then I need to be open and humble to all of the things that I do not know.”

None of this is to shame or chastise those who enjoy fast food. For many of us, fast food is a guilty pleasure, not a source of nutrition.

As a result, we should see the health problems in poorer communities for what they are — a lack of access to healthier options, not the sign of a consumer who chooses to eat nutritionally inadequate food through a convenient window.

February 2O25

Opinions

GRADE A PROBLEM

National trend of grade inflation does not spare Trinity Article by Ashwin Anand Graphic by Ashwin Anand

COUNTRYWIDE CONCERN

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A 2023 Harvard faculty report revealed that 79% of the grades given out at Harvard in the 2020-21 school year were in the A range, an almost 20% increase from a decade earlier. Yale’s rate was even higher that year, at 82%. It seems that at some of the most elite institutions in America, A now stands for “average.”

Grade inflation, the artificial increase of grades over time, is not exclusive to premier universities. A study by testing company ACT found that America’s average high school GPA rose from 3.17 in 2010 to 3.36 in 2021, while standardized test scores indicated a decline in actual learning. Essentially, lower standards have led to higher grades.

“Grades are to … see where you are in your learning journey,” mathematics teacher Beth Wehr said. “It’s not a club to get into. It’s a number [for] how you have shown your proficiency.”

Grades that do not accurately reflect a student’s performance cannot serve this basic purpose of assessing mastery. Many families will be perfectly content with an A on their child’s report card, regardless of how — or if — it was earned. A sympathetic grade bump could cover up a significant lapse in understanding that will now go unaddressed.

“If you got a 70, that’s not bad,” social science teacher Sebastiaan Blickman said. “Your 70 is indicative of how much you understand … I’m not going to give you something that you haven’t earned through the acquisition of whatever the material might be.”

COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

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The educational purpose of grades is too often forgotten with our one-track college mindset.

Students constantly hear about the importance of good grades in the college application process and so believe boosting their GPA in any way will help their chances.

However, it is no longer clear what a “good” grade is. Grades cannot be used to distinguish between students when everyone is at the top. Thus, universities have increasingly relied on other, less objective metrics, such as letters of recommendation, extracurriculars or personality. A high GPA is still necessary, but it is no longer sufficient, adding an extra layer of stress for everyone.

“You have to reach these levels that are almost impossible to achieve in order to even be considered,” senior Zara Kalmanson said. “The more you dumb it down and try to make more people pass, it just makes it harder in the long run because now everybody’s on a level playing field.”

IMPACT AT TRINITY

HOW TO ADDRESS

A

We are here to learn. Grades are an important part of assessing that learning, but they are not the true goal. You should be proud of a high grade because it means you have mastered your coursework, not because you can put it up on your fridge.

If we refocus on the meaning behind the number, families would be able to reflect on low grades without anger. Parents might sit down with their kids to figure out where they need help instead of rattling off an email about an “unfair” quiz.

“It can be hard at times when you know that doors may open and shut depending on [grades],” Wehr said. “But the doors aren’t necessarily shut for good … [If ] you didn’t do as well as you’d like, let’s figure out how we can better it so that you’re feeling more competent.”

By lumping students into a few broad boxes separated by arbitrary decimals, our current grading system inhibits this reflection. Abolishing letter grades and the 4.0 scale in favor of raw numerical scores would convey students’ actual performance without the compulsion to reach a certain threshold. Students could then view a 70 not as a loathsome C but as a good milestone on their path to mastery.

We must return to that path. A system where A is average builds students who thrive not in the pursuit of excellence, but mediocrity.

B

Unfortunately, Trinity has not escaped this national trend. Since the school’s switch from a pure numerical system to letter grades a few decades ago, our scale has slowly shifted to allow students more leeway. An A-plus went from a 97 in a regular class to a 94 in honors to a 92 in AP. The addition of a weighted GPA offered a 0.33 bump for honors courses and 0.5 extra for AP on top of the already softer grading scale.

Our scale combines with ample curves and extra credit to produce impressively high averages. For example, the Class of 2023 boasted an average unweighted GPA of 3.72, firmly in the A range. To Director of Learning and Instruction Stephanie Dryden, this is proof of our school’s caliber.

“You already have to apply to get into our school, and our kids are really smart and capable students, so it’s kind of appropriate that they should be getting good grades,” Dryden said.

If our students are truly the brightest, lowering the grading bar is a disservice. It is Trinity’s job as “one of the most highly-ranked private schools in the United States” to push them to their full potential. Instead, we hand out test scores over 100, allowing grades to drift ever further from a realistic measure of proficiency: Mastering more than 100% of a concept is not possible.

“A 102 has become the new 99,” sophomore Sarah Zobel said. “It creates [stress] to achieve a grade that shouldn’t even exist … A lot of kids will look at [a B] and go, ‘That’s not OK,’ but a B used to be good.”

At Trinity, like most schools, a B hovers around 80%. Grasping 80% of any material is nothing to scoff at. But in a culture where inflating away students’ knowledge gaps is preferred to tackling them, an 80 does not mean what it should.

Lifestyles

February 2O25

BEYOND HUSTLE CULTURE Article by Laziza Talipova Photo by Aksel Williams If you’ve spent any time on social media, you’ve probably seen people talking about “hustling” or “grinding” to achieve success. It might sound inspiring, but for many people, this mindset — known as hustle culture — can actually do more harm than good. Hustle culture encourages people to work nonstop and glorifies being busy as a badge of honor.

While hard work is important, the obsession with hustling has some serious downsides, especially for students and young entrepreneurs.

Hustle culture tells people they should always be working, whether it’s on school, a job or a side project. It pushes the idea that you have to sacrifice everything — like sleep, rest and fun — to be successful. You’ve probably heard of sayings like “no days off” or “sleep is for the weak.” But the truth is hustle culture isn’t realistic.

“If you’re always grinding, you’ll eventually burn out or lose sight of why you started,” said senior Diego Amador, one of the students and entrepreneurs behind DND, a business focused on vintage items. “I’ve heard the quote ‘Success is a marathon, not a sprint,’ and that really relates to what we are doing.”

Burnout happens when you push yourself too hard for too long, and it’s not just something adults face. Students can feel it too.

Many teens try to juggle perfect grades, lots of extracurriculars and sometimes even running their own businesses. This can make them feel like they need to keep going, even when they’re tired or stressed.

Platforms like TikTok and Instagram can make this worse. People post about their “grind,” showing off their packed schedules and achievements. It’s easy to feel like you’re falling behind when you compare yourself to others. But what you don’t see are the struggles behind those posts. The co-partner behind DND, senior Dani Chacko, has his own beliefs about the impact of social media.

“Social media can make it feel like you’re always falling behind,” Chacko said. “I’ve learned not to compare my journey to anyone else’s.”

For young entrepreneurs like Amador and

Chacko, the pressure is even greater. Balancing school with running a business is no small task. They have to manage social media, respond to customers and grow their brand, all while keeping up with their studies.

Amador admits it can be tough: “It’s all about priorities … sometimes school takes the lead, and other times it’s the business.”

One of the biggest dangers of hustle culture is burnout. Chacko shares his experience.

“Burnout does happen, and I’ve felt it a lot,” Chacko said. “When it happens, I remind myself it’s okay to take a break.”

Instead of trying to do more, it’s better to focus on doing things well.

“Don’t let the grind culture scare you,” Amador advises. “Start small, and focus on your passion instead of trying to compete with others. What I’m trying to say is your journey is your own, and it’s okay to grow at your own pace.”

It’s also important to set boundaries between work and life. Amador has learned this is key to staying healthy.

“I’ve made myself take a step back at certain times or dedicate specific days to friends and family,” Amador said. “It helps me stay grounded and well-rested.”

So, the next time you hear someone say, “rise and grind,” remember that success isn’t about working nonstop. It’s about balance, self-care and doing your best without losing sight of what matters most.

Tips to stay grounded!

1. Set boundaries 2. Prioritize your health 3. Take regular breaks 4. Be realistic 5. Limit Comparisons

Senior Diego Amador sells his vintage clothes to potential customers at the Florida Vintage Market in Ivanhoe Park Brewery.

February 2O25

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February 2O25

2O24 POP CULTURE HIGHLIGHTS Article by Lila Choudry Graphic by Caden Liu

In a year that blurred the boundaries Between the absurd and the brilliant, pop culture once again proved its unparalleled ability to unite, surprise and spark conversation.

From viral animal sensations to trends that defined the zeitgeist, 2024 offered a kaleidoscope of moments that kept us entertained and glued to our screens. These weren’t just fleeting distractions but threads that wove together a shared cultural narrative, bringing laughter, debate and even a touch of nostalgia to our daily lives.

#1 Brat Summer

Brat Summer wasn’t just a trend — it was a movement. Born from Charli XCX’s Brat album, it captured everything wild, messy and loud 2024 needed. If there’s one thing Brat Summer proved, it’s this: Perfection is overrated, and the world is finally ready to embrace it.

During Brat Summer, “everything is romantic” with the unpredictable chaos it brought.

The usual filtered and kempt culture did a complete 180, turning into a season where perfection was stripped away and every small, untamed moment became something worth celebrating. In 2024, Brat Summer was a reminder that there is beauty in noise, rebellion and rejection of everything too perfect. It wasn’t about having a curated feed — it was about living authentically, loudly and a little out of control.

#2 Baby Animals

2024 saw the rise of a viral trio of baby animals that captivated the internet with their unique personalities. Moo Deng, the sassy, unpredictable pygmy hippo, quickly became a symbol of pure chaos. Her loud, dramatic outbursts were strangely captivating, leaving viewers both laughing and shaking their heads.

Pesto, a giant baby penguin, was the opposite. Towering over his enclosure mates but never in a hurry. His sheer size only made his calm demeanor more amusing—while other penguins scrambled around, he simply stood unbothered. Clips of him staring into the distance or waddling with absolute indifference became the internet’s favorite reaction images, perfect for every moment of exhausted acceptance.

Then there was Haggis, another pygmy hippo whose personality seemed larger than life. Small yet undeniably charismatic, Haggis stood out for his charm and playfulness.

Together, these three became internet sensations, each embodying a different facet of life’s absurdity. In their silliness and relatability, they offered the perfect mix of humor and heart, capturing our attention in a way only the simplest things can.

#3 Celebrity Lookalikes

In 2024, celebrity look-alike contests became an unexpected sensation. These events, held worldwide, weren’t about dressing up like a star but finding someone who naturally resembled one. Fans gathered to celebrate their idols by hunting for people who looked just like them, creating an atmosphere of excitement and humor in cities everywhere.

Among the most memorable was the Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest, where things took an unexpected turn after a contestant, Matt Mannix, was arrested with two charges of failing to comply with directions from park staff and police officers, disorderly conduct and trespassing. And, to everyone’s surprise, the real Timothée showed up.

There were also contests featuring Jeremy Allen White, Jacob Elordi and Zendaya, sparking a frenzy of fans

searching for the best doppelgängers.

“My favorite contest was definitely the Jacob Elordi contest in Melbourne,” freshman and Jacob Elordi stan Anoushka Desai said. “It was so entertaining seeing all the videos about it online.”

These events weren’t just about competition; they were a fun, communal experience where fans bonded over their admiration for the stars while finding humor in the uncanny

February 2O25

Focus

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These moments have redefined chaos and creativity online resemblances that often felt too real to be coincidental. It was a celebration of fandom — one doppelgänger at a time.

#4 Olympics

When we think of the Olympics, we often think of the intense competition, the gold medals and the world records. But in 2024, the Olympics quickly became about

something else: memes. It wasn’t just the athletic feats that captured our attention but the viral moments. Pommel Horse Guy (Stephen Nedoroscik), RayGun’s dance moves, Norwegian swimmer and chocolate muffin enthusiast Henrik Christiansen weren’t just athletes; they were the internet’s latest obsession. They became symbols of how quickly moments could turn into memes and how athletes were no longer just celebrated for their skills — they were celebrated for the humanity they brought to the table.

One of the most touching moments came from Tara Woodhall, whose victory wasn’t just about the medal, but about what happened afterward. When she ran from the track to embrace her fiancé, Paralympian Hunter Woodhall, it was a moment of pure emotion that went far beyond

sports. It wasn’t just a celebration of her success but of their shared journey and love. When Hunter later triumphed at the Paralympics, the couple’s story became a symbol of resilience, humility, and support—reminding us all that the heart of the Olympics is more than just gold; it’s about the powerful connections between people.

“The Olympics got a whole new life with memes,” freshman and pommel horse enthusiast Tyler Tongson said. “It was like every moment was a chance for something to go viral.”

In 2024, these athletes transcended the sport — they became part of the meme ecosystem, celebrated not for their gold medals but for their authentic, human moments. This shift showed how technology and social media have reshaped how we view global events. No longer was it enough to win a medal — you had to have a moment that resonated with people on a personal level. The Olympics became a reflection of our need for connection, for shared experiences that went beyond the screen.

#5 Brainrot

Lastly, 2024 saw the rise of a strange new language: brain rot terminology. These weren’t just random words — they were part of a cultural phenomenon. Terms like “rizzler” and “skibidi” became a language all their own, a way for internet dwellers to connect and communicate in ways that didn’t need to make sense but somehow did. Brainrot wasn’t just a trend — it changed our language, a chaotic, delightful break from the seriousness that defined our feeds.

“Brainrot is just part of the internet culture now,” junior and avid brainrot user Michael Salinas said. “It’s always been like memes just going around, and it’s all just a way for people to communicate and joke around without taking things too seriously.”

The rise of brain rot wasn’t about getting the words right — it was about leaning into randomness. In a world that often feels too structured, these strange terms were a way of rejecting the usual norms. They were a reminder that we could communicate however we wanted, and in that mess, it somehow clicked.

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Febuary 2O25

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MIA’S MEMORABLE MOVIES Article by Mia Prince Photo by IMDb

Family Friendly “I think the kid’s movies in 2024 [were] what really banked, and I think it was the year of the kid’s films,” social science teacher Brandon Burmeister said.

According to Forbes, “Inside Out” made $859 million in 2015 while “Inside Out 2” made $1.699 billion in 2024. “Inside Out 2” is the heartwarming and family-friendly sequel to “Inside Out”. “Inside Out 2” continues to follow the story of Riley and her life as a teenager and all the internal emotions she experiences. The new emotions — Anxiety, Embarrassment, Ennui and Envy — were incredibly relatable for the first movie’s original audience who are now teenagers. The film accurately portrays the daily experiences of Gen Z, with characters like Anxiety who is bright orange and has a huge smile, big eyes and crazy hair. Anxiety’s chaos and energy was displayed perfectly and describes many teenagers’ brains, especially when balancing school, sports and social lives. While the new charcters were relatable the original charcters brought a sense of nostalgia to the movie.

“My favorite character [of the second movie] was Joy because even though the times were worse she’s still happy,” sixth grader Noor Barakat Mèndez said. Barakat Mèndez was not yet in kindergarten when the first movie came out.

Horror The exciting sequel of “Smile,” “Smile 2” is a movie about Skye Riley, a musician who is about to begin her journey returning to the stage when she gets cursed by the disease and has to re-experience the traumas from her past. With intense plot twists, it is a movie that never fails to shock you; never knowing whether the disease is what she is imagining or reality makes the story exciting at all times. Also, the gruesome way each death happens is surprising, and knowing the death is coming leaves each character full of suspense. With a stomach-turning ending, it leaves an insane cliffhanger, which increases the anticipation for “Smile 3”.

Musical

“Wicked” is the movie adaptation of the wellknown and celebrated Broadway musical, with striking musicality, strong actors and whimsical themes. Elphaba is a girl who has always been ostracized for her green skin color. While attending Shiz University she meets Glinda, who is the total opposite of her, and they become best friends until an unexpected letter from the Wizard of Oz changes it all. “Wicked” opens up a deeper discussion about the mistreatment people experience. While the songs are catchy and modern they still stayed true to the original Broadway soundtrack and become popular.

This movie paves the way for more musicals to continue to be turned into movies.

“I think two to three hours is the perfect time frame to encapsulate the story,” Burmeister said. “A very special quality [of movies is] when you can engage the senses in a different way, and film gives you that visual stimuli.”

While the 3-hour movie was interesting and intriguing it should not have been made into two parts, especially coming from a two-hour Broadway musical.

Historical “Six Triple Eight” is a movie based on the assignment of the African American Women Corps during World War II. The mission they were given was to sort 17 million pieces of mail in six months and successively mail it.

The mission was thought to be impossible in such a short amount of time and proved to be even harder when the pieces of mail were damaged. This movie was a historical masterpiece that spread awareness about a branch of the Army Corps that was previously unknown. They were fighting in World War II, but they were also fighting signifigant levels of racism and gender stereotypes. This movie shed light on the hardships that these women experienced. The movie is based on true events and The Six Triple Eight’s leader, Major Charity Adams, became the first Black leader in the United States Army to have a fort renamed after her. Without this movie, this branch and what these women fought for would have never been known by the average person. The movie vividly captured the emotions of the soldiers.

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Feburary 2O25

17

ALBUMS DEFINING 2O24 Article by Mila Taylor Graphic by Caden Liu

1.

BRAT

If you asked anyone in Gen Z what defined the summer of 2024, they would say “Brat.” What started as an album devoted to a niche community that embraced dance and electronic music suddenly became a cultural phenomenon bigger than “Brat Summer.” The album, seemingly inconspicuous with the color now coined “Brat Green” and Arial font, became the forefront of Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, reaching the younger demographic nationwide. Yet, despite how big the album became in the summer of 2024, it is important to note its impact inside and outside its fanbase.

Her music in general means so much to the LGBTQ community,” freshman Sam Sickler said. “And she’s such an icon within that community. It means a lot. It’s impactful because it displays personal experiences in a fun way.”

Sickler said one of his favorite songs from the album is “Everything Is Romantic,” which uses electronic beats to back vocals about love, longing and finding romance in different aspects of life.

Charli XCX

2.

“This ain’t a Country album. This is a Beyoncé album,” Beyoncé wrote on her COWBOY CARTER Instagram, as she released the cover for her eighth studio album. “Cowboy Carter”

BEYONCE

became her most acclaimed album to date.

“I think her expanding into further genres like country music really shows not only her versatility but the ability for an artist to bring something that isn’t as popular to a fanbase that wouldn’t have previously been as interested in the genre before,” junior Misha Choudry said.

Dropping the album “Cowboy Carter” not only showed Beyoncé’s versatility as an artist, but it is also a reminder of the roots of country music, tracing back to the hymns of southern enslaved people. “[‘Cowboy Carter’] was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed … and it was very clear that I wasn’t,” Beyonce said, nodding to the gatekeeping of the country genre. Despite the challenges she had to overcome to release such a contrasting album from her rest, unsurprisingly, Beyoncé came out on the other side with 11 Grammy nominations for “Cowboy Carter” and an even more massive fanbase appreciating country music.

3.

4.

“Espresso” is a song that has been playing on repeat everywhere you go. The meaning behind “That’s that me, Espresso” is slightly unclear, yet whatever it means, Sabrina Carpenter has it.

Senior Sallee Rosen says Carpenter’s “Short and Sweet” has attracted many young fans, who appreciate her “girls supporting girls” message in many of her songs. This has become especially apparent with her tour, where fans dress up like the artist and have fun with people who share similar music tastes.

While every single Swiftie out there was analyzing when Taylor Swift would drop her rerelease of the “Reputation” album, Swift was creating a 16-song album with a 31-song “anthology.” It was overwhelming, to say the least, yet Swift did what she does best: make hard-hitting breakup songs. But along with that, “The Tortured Poets Department” had songs that meant so much more than singing about her ex.

Junior Kelly Wentz’s favorite song from the album is, “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart.”

“It represents anxiety,” Wenz said, “It represents the fact that you have to push through ... that’s so relatable in this current moment.”

Focus

Feburary 2O25

TAYLOR’S TIKTOK TRENDS Article by Taylor Griffith Graphics by Natalie Baron

TikTok has been the biggest feeder of trends and memes since COVID, and after the temporary ban, viewers have a new appreciation for the app. Let us look at this year’s most notable moments.

Coquette (Most Aesthetic):

If an object represented 2024, that object would be small pink bows. These cute accessories were on the back of cars, tied in braids and laced onto shoes. The aesthetic became a part of everyday life and was plastered on any item you can think of.

“The coquette trend is very cute, and I love wearing them in my hair,” eighth grader Asya Alisbah said.

In revisiting old photos many teenage girls adorn these delicate bows as a way of remembering their nostalgic past. When this trend came back, many were reminded of the bows they wore when they were young.

“Wearing bows reminds me of my childhood, and I used to always love wearing them as a kid,” senior Sylvia Stark said.

The trend takes normal actions and turns them into something thoughtful. Despite the populatiry of the trend, students have mixed emotions about this interesting way that actions are described. Some are very accepting, while others hate the way actions are defined by this phrase.

“Mindful and demure is the most cringe TikTok trend,” Stark said. “The phrase is not the best either.”

Rainbow Dolphins: (Best Coping Mechanism)

Mindful and Demure (Most Mindful):

When someone struts into a room calmly and coolly, they can be described as “very mindful and very demure.” This phrase began when Jools Lebron, who has 2.3 million followers on TikTok, posted a video with the catchphrase explaining how to be mindful and demure. She describes in the caption how to properly capture the demure essence.

“Avoid looking like a clown, and embrace modesty with style,” Lebron said.

You cannot hear the song lyrics “I just want to be part of your symphony” without seeing vibrant pixelated dolphins leaping from the water into a rainbow-coded sky. Often paired with text describing something traumatic, people used it as a meme to make fun of the sometimes tragic events. The pixelated rainbow background coupled with the catchy tune makes the meme very humorous, as you catch yourself singing “Symphony” by Clean Bandit and Zara Larsson while reading sad messages like “My dog died today.”

“I love hearing this song and seeing the stories that people pair with it,” Alisbah said. “It is so funny.”

The catchy part of the song entices users to continue watching and making more videos with this trend. Larrason’s song, although it came out in 2017, became a big hit for the second time in August.

We Bring the Boom: (Most Overrated Family)

People used to associate Costco with groceries and shopping, but now the viral father-son duo most commonly comes to mind. Andrew and Eric Befumo, most known by their nicknames AJ and Big Justice, started their TikTok career by rating foods in Costco with “booms,” which indicated their satisfaction with the product. They then continued to grow their questionable fame by putting out the song “We Bring The Boom,” with popular lyric “we bring the boom to you,” a catchy tune quickly consumed by their 2.5 million followers on TikTok. Some say they are quality entertainment, others say that they go too far for likes and views. Recently the family has been in a scandal for a short video they made, where they responded to a comment saying they were sorry for the fan’s brother passing and they gave him five big booms.

“When you think of it, that is not funny,” eighth grader Damien Layus said.

They received harsh backlash after this video and have yet to apologize.

“The family does not deserve the fame,” Layus said. “They do not even do anything.”

February 2O25

STEM

THE RARE SCARE

Lack of rare earth metals leads to high demand for technology Article by Aarav Gupta Graphic by Natalie Baron and Caden Liu Upgrading to the latest iPhone annually is an essential part of upholding the Apple lifestyle. The device is enabled by the fastest chip, 48 MP fusion camera with second generation quad pixel sensor, cutting edge AI capabilities and the launch of multiple vibrant bold colors — everything an Apple user could possibly want.

While Apple engineers are constantly developing the latest technology for many of their users, they depend on essential rare earth metals that have a detrimental effect on much of our planet. A standard iPhone contains numerous rare earth metals — yttrium, cerium, praseodymium and more. These metals are often unrecyclable and wasted on a single device.

Rare earth metals are a set of seventeen metallic elements that play an essential role in many everyday devices. Rare earth metals are actually abundant throughout the world, yet are incredibly challenging to retrieve in high concentrations.

Metals are extracted from earth’s mantle and incorporated into many electronics, magnets, lasers and phones. The importance of rare earth metals is understated as they are essential for the connectivity of devices.

“Your circuits need to be able to quickly talk to each other,” computer science teacher Susan Frederick said. “The better the connectivity, the more quickly you’re going to get an answer.”

While metals are crucial for electronics, the process of mining poses a severe threat to human lives. In fact, industrial mining within the Democratic Republic of Congo has led to the infringement of several human rights.

“We must make sure to fully estimate and understand the impact that it has on the … people that have to work in the mines themselves,” biology teacher Bryan Moretz said.

“We just have to be mindful that we’re being smart about how we mine it from an environmental and ecological standpoint, but also a human standpoint.”

The accessibility of each metal changes fre-

quently depending on human consumption.

“A lot of metals and materials go up and down a little bit like the stock market in terms of their value,” University of Georgia geology professor Paul A. Schroeder said. “For example, lithium is in high demand right now. But there are barriers, both environmentally and economically and from an engineering point

of view to have supply meet demand. Some are more easily extractable and some are more difficult.”

Due to the metals’ prevalence in everyday items, countries feel pressure to maintain diplomatic ties. Otherwise, foreign countries could completely cut off their supply chain and escalate existing conflicts.

“In the United States, most of the supply chain for rare earth elements comes from China,” Schroeder said. “There’s potential conse-

quences to national security and the supplies we need to maintain our products.”

It is common for consumers to continually replace their older technology with more modern ones. Through the iPhone Upgrade Program, Apple customers such as Moretz are eligible to upgrade to a new iPhone annually.

These phones are then either resold or recycled entirely.

Large corporations have the ability to preserve and recycle these essential components.

“I think it’s a company’s responsibility to be more mindful of the sources of materials that they’re using and how they’re creating those devices,” Moretz said.

“As a consumer, I’m not the one designing

the phone to have certain rare metals in them. I think there are other substances that could probably be used more effectively, but it’s up to the company … to develop a plan to handle those rare earth metals.”

Because the supplies of rare earth metals are depleting, the process companies utilize to replace harder-to-find components will continue to evolve over time.

“There’s always going to be that technology driving force,” Schroeder said. “There will always be a demand for natural resources … the use of these materials and that’s really what’s going to change.”

Sooner or later, the extraction of these metals will be incredibly difficult for human development. Large corporations must work together to limit their impact on the environment and find a way to go green.

2O

Lifestyles

February 2O25

VIRTUAL VALIDATION

The psychological impact of seeking fame through social media Article by Ben Kleiman Graphic by Maxi De La Fuente In the digital age, a single post can transform an ordinary person into an overnight sensation. The chase for viral fame is becoming a common hunt, but beyond the quick bursts of likes, shares and views, there is a deeper effect on the brain that often goes unnoticed.

Dr. Savira Sidhu, a psychiatrist currently working at the Orlando Veterns Association Medical Center, has identified a pattern in going viral, in which users chase viral moments to reach a dopamine hit once more.

“Going viral can be addictive because everybody likes it,” Sidhu said. “That’s how addiction sets in.”

Dopamine, a chemical in the brain associated with pleasure, surges when people receive likes, shares and comments on their posts.

However, seeking dopamine too often can have consequences.

“Long-term effects [of repeatedly seeking dopamine hits] could be dopamine depletion,” Sidhu said. “You can have so much depletion that you are exhausted, anxious, depressed, nervous, not able to concentrate and not able to sleep. That’s not good for anyone.”

Sophomore Victoria Moore, who has gone viral multiple times with 6.2 million views and 1.2 million likes on her top video, felt tempted to continue posting in hopes of going viral once more.

“After I gained a lot of followers, I started thinking that I should post more,” Moore said.

“I did it to see if I would continue to go viral.”

In the midst of the football season last fall, sophomore James Ellzey posted a relatable video about football that blew up on TikTok, accumulating 100,000 views and 20,000 likes.

Ellzey said the sudden burst of popularity definitely impacted his mood and his overall approach to social media afterwards.

“It made a random day feel like a great day,” Ellzey said. “[Going viral] makes you want to post more videos … to gain attention.”

However, this pressure to post more after gaining popularity doesn’t reach all social media users. Despite her viral success, Moore has

maintained her usual posting habits.

“I still post what I would usually post despite having more followers,” Moore said. “I really have not been pressured to post more by other people.”

Although some may remain unphased, social media platforms are designed to reward attention-grabbing content. Algorithms on platforms like TikTok and Instagram favor posts with high engagement, encouraging users to create more appealing content to stay relevant.

Andrew and Eric Befumo, known by their pseudonyms AJ and Big Justice, have hooked the social media world with their reviews of Costco products. Following their rapid success, they created the viral song “We Bring the Boom,” garnering national attention, including an appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”

The ordinary father-son duo became social media stars in less than a year. Since the duo posted their first video in January of 2023, they have accumulated over 77.8 million likes and 2.5 million followers on Instagram alone.

The surge of likes and views on their content served as powerful positive reinforcement, pushing AJ and Big Justice to create more videos. Success drew in others around the duo as well. Seeing their success, AJ’s wife, Mama Justice, and daughter, Ashley, joined the social media scene with TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat accounts, hoping to share in the family’s recent fame.

“People going viral get positive reinforcement from the likes and views,” Sidhu said.

“That certainly drives them [to post more].”

The constant validation through likes and views feeds into a deeper desire for recognition. It pushes social media users to keep post-

ing in hopes of obtaining or maintaining their fame. This drive is not solely about temporary success; it reaches a fundamental human need for a legacy. “[People seek fame] because it is an innate desire in every human being to be remembered forever,” Sidhu said.

Lifestyles 21

February 2O25

THE LEGENDARY ARCANE Article by Bowen Dong Poster courtesy of IMDb From the “Sonic the Hedgehog” movie trilogy to the “Fallout” TV show, several popular video games have recently been adapted to the big screen. The team-based strategy game League of Legends (LoL) is no different. Developed as an animated series by French studio Fortiche and based on LoL, “Arcane” debuted in 2021 with a TV-14 rating starring actors Ella Purnell, Hailee Steinfeld, Katie Leung and many more.

Season 2 of “Arcane” was released last November. Supported by a nine-figure budget, the second season has been nominated for seven Annie Awards, which honor excellence in animation, and has yet again received a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score.

Set in the utopian, Victorian-esque city of Piltover and its darker, oppressed, steampunk-esque counterpart of Zaun, Season 2 of “Arcane” deepens the conflict between the two cities as tensions escalate over power, political corruption and oppression of the weak. Compelling characters like Jinx, Vi, Caitlyn and Victor grapple with their struggles as unlikely alliances are formed, trusted friendships are broken, and their actions lead to explosive confrontations and tragic consequences.

Throughout the two seasons of “Arcane,” viewers are introduced to some of the most compelling characters in animation. Through each character’s backstory, we get to see them cultivate their ethics and morals and observe as they develop into complex, gripping, morally grey characters, one standout character is Jinx. When she was younger, she was Powder, a nice and timid girl. When her father figure Vander gets kidnapped by crime boss Silco, Powder sets out to save him.

To do so, she detonates a bomb with the intent of freeing him, but it ended up killing her

father as well. This painful experience causes Powder to develop into Jinx, a complex, heartbroken character. Through her tragic backstory and Silco’s manipulation, we watch her two personas develop. Jinx’s mental health is portrayed with such emotion and pain that

it makes you feel for her as a character. Her dissociative identity disorder is handled masterfully as we get to constantly see her cycle between the nice and timid Powder, and the destructive and chaotic Jinx. Her complicated relationship with Vi, her older sister, is also well-crafted. Vi starts off as a caring older sister, but after the detonation, she abandoned Jinx at her most vulnerable moment.

Not only does “Arcane” introduce audiences to fascinating three-dimensional characters, but, it also has a beautiful animation that is distnctive and vibrant. It is a blend of 2D and 3D animation that feels refreshing and unique from other animated movies and TV shows.

Arcane’s music features artists worldwide, including some from China, France and the U.S. The result is a memorable and dynamic original soundtrack. One notable song is “Ma Meilleure Ennemie” by French artist Stromae, which captures the tone and essence of an impossible romantic scene between two characters.

Despite all these praise-worthy elements, “Arcane” did struggle with its pacing. In Season 1, the breakneck pacing benefited the story as it kept the audience on its toes. The fast pacing in Season 2 caused some subplots to lack the time to develop fully, thus making them feel rushed. Season 2 also felt more episodic. The episodes in Season 2 have higher highs in terms of tension and stakes. However, unlike Season 1, where the episodes were tightly connected to the overarching plot, Season 2 episodes felt more loosely attached to the plot, thus creating a slightly more confusing experience.

Overall, “Arcane” is a masterpiece. It blends stunning visuals with compelling characters and a unique soundtrack to create a riveting experience. While the pacing of the second season also leaves a lot to be desired, the pros far outweigh the cons of “Arcane.” If you like an action-packed, colorful, visually stunning series, then “Arcane” is the show for you.

Lifestyles

February 2O25

“SHOTS” UNRAVELED Article by Fay Zhao Photo by Maxi De La Fuente Author Kristin Durfee comes home at night after a long day at work, sits down at her desk — an organized chaos of handwritten notes — and opens her laptop. She is quickly immersed in a world of mystery, surrounded by the shadowy alleys of New York City, where bodies lay hidden along the streets.

Durfee’s latest book, “Shots,” unfolds in 1930 New York City. The story follows Johanna Kelly, a determined detective racing to solve a high-profile homicide before her department discovers her pregnancy and dismisses her. Balancing the fight for justice with the struggle to maintain her position as a female detective in a male-dominated field, Kelly’s battle is as personal as it is professional.

Durfee, a yearly participant in Trinity’s Author Fest, is no stranger to crafting compelling stories. However, her latest book “Shots” holds special significance — it is the first time she merged two defining aspects of her life: her expertise as a firearms forensics analyst and her lifelong love of writing.

“I had so much fun getting to write in that time period,” Durfee said.

“Through my training as a firearms

examiner, I knew that was a really pivotal time microscope’s pioneer, as Detective Kelly’s colin the history of firearms identification … it laborator, using the techniques still employed was cool being able to interject a little bit of today to connect the murders. my day job into a story.”

Originally, the protagonist was Joseph KelDurfee has been fascinated by forensics ever ly, a conventional Sherlock Holmes archetype. since she was 12 years old watching Morgan But after feedback, Durfee reimagined Joseph Freeman play a forensic psychologist in “Kiss as Johanna, which allowed her to explore the the Girls.” However, it was in college where challenges women faced in the 1930s and Durfee decided on the specific direction. draw parallels between Ruth and Johanna, “Originally I thought I wanted to get more into I wanted to give a level of empathy to a reader pathology,” Durfee said. “[But] I had seen an au- of how a woman could be the victim of her cirtopsy and they touched cumstances. I want you to walk away and have the people’s eyeballs. I a little bit more sympathy for historical female was like ‘Nope, I’m out.’

I was fine with everything figures that we may brush off as being silly.” else, but eyeballs were the - Kristin Durfee, Author line of my squeamishness.”

After choosing firearms forensics as her specialty, Durfee trained under completely different in life but connected in Susan Komar, the first female firearms exam- their shared struggles as women. iner. Under Komar’s guidance, she mastered “[Johanna] just works so much more natutechniques like analyzing microscopic mark- rally,” Durfee said. “I think as a woman you ings on cartridge cases ejected during the firing access these things [such as] getting to see the of a weapon — key evidence used to connect sexism within her department … [Both are] firearms to crimes. in similar positions of being women who are “They can say, ‘Yes, this is the gun that fired trying to work and make it in the world, just the cartridge cases from the scene. This is the on opposite ends of that coin.” gun that fired the bullet from the victim’s In sharing perspectives, Durfee hopes to body,’” Durfee said. “We can place everything shed light on women’s experiences with sextogether and then hopefully tie it to an indi- ism in the past as well as modern times. Her vidual.” portrayal of sexism in the 1930s resonates with Drawing on her forensic expertise and a her own experiences in the modern workplace, real-life 1894 murder case of Catherine M. where people interrupted her presentation to Ging, Durfee wrote “Shots” in 2018. The sto- speak over her or to lawyers undermining her ry follows Detective Kelly as she uncovers each abilities because she was a woman. murder and finds suspicion in a wealthy man “I had attorneys be very aggressive to me,” who manipulates an innocent woman (Ruth) Durfee said. “‘Oh, you’re just a woman. How into naming him as the beneficiary of her life could you know anything about firearms?’ It’s insurance. just knowledge. It’s not inherently feminine or Set in the 1930s, the novel highlights the masculine to know how something works.” comparison microscope, a revolutionary foThe audience sees the injustice through Kelrensic tool used to analyze bullets and car- ly’s perspective as people constantly question tridge cases. Blending historical context with her abilities and as she fears failing before the fiction, Durfee features Calvin Goddard, the repercussions of her hidden pregnancy catch

February 2O25

Lifestyles

Author Kristin Durfee goes behind-the-scene of her new book

up to her. While Kelly manages to debunk social norms, others like Ruth, who were just as capable, lose their rationality and confidence as they fall under societal pressures.

“I wanted to give a level of empathy to a reader of how a woman could be the victim of her circumstances,” Durfee said. “I want you to walk away and have a little bit more sympathy for historical female figures that we may brush off as being silly or whatever.”

Empathy is not exclusive to women. Durfee emphasizes the importance of humanizing all perspectives. Often, people only consume impersonal headlines of tragedy circulating in the news without taking a moment to realize that behind the headlines are real people. Because Durfee receives the vessels that deliver these headlines everyday, she hopes to inspire readers to develop greater compassion not only for the victims portrayed in stories but also for real-life victims of crime.

“Especially with true crime, because it is so fascinating, people do just love the whole peering through the window part of it,” Durfee said. “But sometimes that removes us in such a way that we forget that there’s still people and that this was their entire life. They still had a whole family. They still had hopes and dreams. They’re more than the headline of what happened to them.”

Durfee’s ultimate goal in “Shots” is to create a new perspective for her readers — whether that is understanding the struggles of historical figures, appreciating the intricacies of forensic science or simply feeling the thrill of a gripping mystery.

“As humans you are drawn to stories that make you feel something you haven’t felt before whether it’s love, tension, adventure or adrenaline,” Durfee said. “[Books make] you think of something in a way that you haven’t thought before like when you read a line and go, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve seen 100 sunsets but I’ve never seen them written in just that way where it makes you feel something.’”

“As humans, you are drawn to stories that make you feel something you haven’t felt before whether it’s love, tension, adventure or adrenaline. Books make you think of something in a way that you haven’t thought before like when you read a line and go, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve seen 1OO sunsets but I’ve never seen them written in just that way where it makes you feel something.’”

- Kristin Durfee, Author

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Lifestyles

February 2O25

ASIAN POP CULTURE IMPORTS: Article by Sammy Lou Graphic by Natalie Baron

Pop culture in the U.S. is evolving with the rising popularity of Asian pop culture trends, especially among the Gen Z crowd. It’s not just Spongebob and Big Macs anymore. Driving around Orlando, you’ll see a ramen or boba store in every other shopping plaza. Scroll through Netflix and you’re sure to stumble upon one of the 160+ anime shows that Netflix has in its library. It’s rare to find a Walmart or Target that doesn’t have entire shelves stocked with Pokemon merchandise. It’s also impossible to overlook the fact that in the first half of 2024, K-pop artists swept six of the 10 spots in the U.S. list of best-selling CDs. As Asian cultural imports gain increasing hype in the U.S., you might be wondering what you have been missing out on. Below is a basic guide that explains the fascinating world of Asian cultural imports and maybe convinces you to dive in.

K-pop

The Basics

So are K-pop songs basically just pop songs sung in Korean? Not exactly. While it’s true that K-pop songs will often have Korean lyrics, K-pop’s most unique feature is the idol culture attached to it. The K-pop genre is famous for its many boy bands and girl groups, such as BTS and BLACKPINK, something not as common in current western pop. Fans commit themselves to their favorite idol groups.

“There’s more of a stan culture in K-pop, and I feel like it’s more of a following,” junior Chloe Ramos said. “People are really dedicated to their one group. [The groups] sell photo cards, and people collect those photo cards and they trade them.”

K-pop groups are also known for being multi-talented. The dance and performance aspect can be one of the most exciting parts of K-pop.

“There’s a lot of dancing and performance,” Ramos said. “I really think the performance is the different aspect from Western pop.”

K-pop’s Rise in the States

Clearly, for its many fans, K-pop is more than just music.

“For a lot of people, it’s a form of escapism,” Ramos said. “It’s a way for people to see themselves in idols, and also it’s just a really fun way to distract yourself. All the dancing and all the singing, it’s just really fun.”

According to Ramos, the K-pop community in the U.S. is very friendly and welcoming, especially at concerts. Ramos went to 17 concerts last year, including K-Con, which is a convention of K-Pop artists. “[The atmosphere] is so different from Western artists’ concerts,” Ramos said. “When someone goes to their first K-pop concert, everybody is so nice, and everyone’s always talking to each other and complimenting each other. It’s just so fun.”

Western cartoons. It’s a style specific to Japan.”

A great example of this hand-drawn style is the anime by Studio Ghibli, one of the more well-known Japanese animation studios with its Academy Award–winning titles like “Spirited Away” and “The Boy and the Heron,” its newest release. Tongson said the high quality animation is a significant draw of anime movies.

K-pop Artists to Try Out

If you are looking to start your K-pop journey, you can check out some of Spotify’s most streamed K-pop artists in 2024: BTS, Stray Kids, BlackPink and NewJeans.

“Everybody starts with Stray Kids; everyone likes them,” Ramos said. “And then for the girl groups, everybody likes TWICE. My favorite is Cravity. Check them out.”

Anime The Basics

Anime is animated storytelling with a unique twist. While the general concept is similar to American cartoons like “Family Guy” or “The Simpsons,” the main difference is the vivid art style and imaginative storylines that Japanese animation studios typically employ. The colorful, detailed visuals, exaggerated character expressions, and fantastical worlds found in anime all make it distinctive.

Anime used to have more of a niche following in the U.S., but it has been finding a strong fan base among Gen Z. According to IMDb, 42% of Gen Z watches anime on a weekly basis including freshman Tyler Tongson.

“There’s a whole variety of genres, so you could probably find an anime about anything,” Tongson said. “There’s sports—I know there’s one about tennis—and then there’s fantasy and adventure. The scenes are mainly handdrawn, and the art style is way different from

“Studio Ghibli has been known to only make hand-drawn scenes and use no CGI, so you can really see the animators’ hard work put into each scene,” Tongson said.

Popular Anime Among Gen Z

The current “big three” anime action titles are “One Piece,” “Naruto” and “Bleach.”

Other noteworthy titles are “Your Name” (romance), “Spy x Family” (comedy), “Death

February 2O25

Lifestyles

25

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE Note” (thriller), “Jujutsu Kaisen” (action) and “Demon Slayer” (action). “Jujutsu Kaisen” has become particularly popular among Gen Z, including junior Ben Demetriades.

“Anime like JJK is really cool because you get these super powerful and cool characters who are multi-dimensional,” Demetriades said. “Take Gojo for example: he’s insanely powerful but he’s

streaming services, such as Crunchyroll. There is a wide variety available, and since anime covers a vast expanse of genres, there’s bound to be something you will enjoy.

Food and Drink Boba

Boba tea is one of the most well-known drinks originating in Asia. While it was introduced in the U.S. in the 1990s, its popularity has taken off in recent years. According to research website Ibis World, there currently are a whopping 6,635 boba shops in the United States. Also called “bubble tea” or “pearl milk tea,” boba tea refers to the refreshing blend of sweet milk or fruit tea with chewy tapioca balls at the bottom.

Senior Zayden Buford loves drinking boba and notes the differences between boba and regular tea.

“The difference is that most teas are just tea, milk and sugar,” Buford said. “Boba has the tapioca pearls in it. There’s also different tastes you can put in it. My personal favorite is brown sugar.”

If you are looking for boba shop recommendations, refer to “Brewing up the Competition” by Jack Ververis and Reese Taylor on thetrinityvoice.com.

Bakeries

also one of the most childish people in the show, which makes him so much more likeable. Anime like JJK also has amazing animation.

It’s one of the main reasons to watch it. They choreograph these super intricate fight scenes, and paired with phenomenal animation, it’s pretty tough to beat.”

A good place to start would be to check out the anime shows available on Netflix or other

Asian bakeries, Korean ones in particular, are also gaining momentum in the U.S. The most popular products at these bakeries include items like red bean pastries, sausage buns and cream cakes. Many of the breads and pastries sold at these bakeries include a mix of sweet and savory and have Asian-inspired flavors, such as matcha, ube, taro and black sesame. The unique flavors and wide variety of offerings are clearly gaining a following, as more of these bakeries open up in the Orlando area. Buford and his friends enjoy trying out the various Asian bakeries nearby.

“My friends like to go to this one bakery called Light on the Sugar,” Buford said. “It’s good. I really like their cakes and pastries. In Lotte Plaza, there’s [Tous Les Jours] in the back, and they have really good cake. A lot of

bakeries are really expensive, but those two I found to be pretty affordable.”

Tous Les Jours, Paris Baguette, Bakery 1908 and Light on the Sugar are all popular Asian bakeries in Orlando. While the names often sound French, these bakeries are actually often Korean in origin. If you’re in the mood for a light and fluffy chocolate cream bun or a savory curry bread, stop by one of these delicious Asian bakeries.

Pokemon The Basics

Pokemon started as a Game Boy game created in Japan but quickly grew into a mega-franchise consisting of a TV series, trading cards, toys and more. The franchise entered the U.S. in 1998 and immediately became a hit with its characters who battle with their fictional creature companions stored in “poke balls.” The creatures each have their own unique battling abilities and are often based off of real-life animals or objects. For example, Pikachu resembles a mouse.

Senior RJ Pini is a long-time Pokemon fan who loves playing Pokemon video games.

“I like [the video game] because it’s a fun strategy game with cute creatures,” Pini said.

“I hear a lot of people say it’s like chess, since it’s a lot of thinking ahead.”

How to Get into Pokemon

Pokemon isn’t just about video game battling. Many Pokemon enthusiasts started their journey trading Pokemon cards or playing the Pokemon Go mobile game. Although it was released back in 2016, Pokemon Go made a comeback in recent years and is maintaining its popularity thanks to the introduction of new Pokemon character “generations.”

Pini offers his recommendations for anyone wanting to explore the world of Pokemon beyond the video games.

“There’s also the Pokemon anime, and there’s movies you can find on Netflix,” Pini said. “There’s also free games, like Pokemon Go. If you want to try the trading card game, you can download TCG Live or TCG Pocket.”

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Commentary

IN EXCHANGE

Americans are football fanatic fangirls Article by Yizhao Chen Photo by Eden Kiger

Yizhao is an exchange student spending a year at Trinity through the ASSIST program. In this column, she documents her unique experiences and observations on American Culture.

With the arrival of the spring sports season, the athletic spirit is more alive than ever. The drop-off line is a sea of lacrosse and baseball players awkwardly maneuvering their oversized bags of equipment. Meanwhile, hundreds of college sports and navy-and-gold Trinity sweaters — each adorned with a different team logo — fill the halls. It feels like everyone is involved in a sport, whether as an athlete or simply supporting teams from the sidelines.

In Austria, sports are important, but they don’t define your identity in the same way. It may seem unimaginable, but we don’t even have school sports teams. Instead, sports exist in their own external sphere, and athletes pursue their sports entirely in their free time. A person might be a skilled gymnast or an accomplished swimmer, but these athletic achievements rarely define their social identity at school.

Here, the situation couldn’t be more different. Sports are an integral part of school life. With teachers referring to themselves as “coach” in the classroom, and student athletes spending every afternoon at practices and meets, it is clear that sports go beyond the physical activity itself. Sports are more than just hobbies; they represent the students’ sense of community and school spirit.

The energy on big, important game days is electrifying. The entire school community — from parents and siblings to teachers and classmates — rallies behind the team. These events are all about belonging to something bigger than yourself.

Back at home, it is almost unheard of for students to attend sporting events unless they are personally close to the athletes. But in America, it’s not only the friends that cheer on the teams; it’s the entire school. I’ve seen students and teachers show up to a sports game simply because of their shared connection to the school, even if they have no personal tie to the team. Whether or not you’re friends with the players, there’s a shared enthusiasm for the team and a collective sense of pride when the team succeeds. This sense of pride is a major part of what makes the school feel like a true community.

The connection between school sports and school spirit is clear. Meets and games give students a reason to show their pride in their school. It’s no surprise that pep rallies and big game days are some of the most exciting and anticipated days of the school year.

No matter how much Trinity students may grumble about their football team’s national ranking, when the big games come, everyone shows up to support the players and everyone shares in their triumph when they win.

In my school in Austria, there is very limited school spirit, and that can certainly partly be explained by the fact that we don’t have these school sports games and don’t have the same opportunity to come together in support of one another. So while it’s easy for Trinity students to take these moments for granted and complain about the more taxing aspects of school sports like early morning practices and the significant time commitment, we should appreciate how special this school spirit truly is. In the end, these are the moments that we will remember, the ones that unite us as a school community.

“Sports are more than just hobbies; they represent the students’ sense of community and school spirit.”

COMMENTAAR N A Lost Cause

I am a fan of all things cocoa: from the heart-attack-inducing Hershey’s bar to … well … Coco, the movie. In this fantastical story, the audience comes to understand that in the afterlife, people continue to live on so long as they are remembered by the living.

If that logic holds true, then our school’s lostand-found is just as alive as the library’s loaner computers: not at all. It seems like, in classic Men in Black neuralyzer fashion, every student who loses something at school gets their memory wiped.

As a sharp man with even sharper bow ties (Mr. McGimsey) once said: “Our lost-andfound has become a lost-and-forgotten.” Even the guidelines for a functional and harmonious society aren’t enough to save Trinity students from procrastination and short-term memory loss.

Water bottles: stacked up in columns greater than the average teenage girl’s Stanley Cup collection. Phone chargers: in such numbers they could collectively power every senior’s will to get out of bed in the morning. And rows of t-shirts and shorts: raising a lot of comments, questions and concerns for how those students leave campus forlorn of such essentials.

While the lost-and-found’s goodies are donated at the end of every semester, I’m sure there are plenty of other places we can toss people’s stuff. For example, how great would it be if we took all of the Trinity hoodies and shirts and whatnots and give them to our lovely new on-campus merch store. If we just slap a “made out of recycled materials” sticker on them we can call it environmentally friendly and watch all of us tree-huggers purchase our own clothes.

Oh, the irony.

Word count permitting, I would also humbly like to offer a solution directed towards my target audience: you!

Here’s a thought: try an AirTag. Slap that baby on any of your valuables, and you’re set!

While I may or may not be paid by Apple for my previous statement (I’m not), one piece of advice that is 100% authentic Commentaaron is simply to not bring unnecessary items to school. More likely than not, what you’re probably going to forget is that one blanket you bring to 4th period because it’s too cold and teachers aren’t granted the elite and prestigious authority to touch the AC. This lost cause of a lost-and-found makes “me loco, un poquititito loco.” But I believe in you all, put your minds to it, and we can all be found, not lost!

February 2O25

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27

SHAME IN THE GAME

Trend of fantasy football punishments attracts teens to leagues Article by Emily Lopez Photo by Julia Hoskins Graphic by Maxi de la Fuente

“I didn’t really take it to heart because the whole point was that we agreed to it beforehand, and I would have been laughing if it was someone else in that cage,” Myers said.

Fantasy football fanatics can be found far beyond the Trinity Prep campus. Its popularity is commonly attributed to players’ desire for amusement and pride, but some see it as a way to form better connections with friends and engage with those around them.

“I’ve been around random people, and they’ll just see us talking about fantasy football

ing the loser to serve some serious time at the end of the season heavily raises the stakes.

While the penalties have become so trendy beFantasy football — and most notably the cause they are entertaining, Myers notes that punishments that its losers must endure — has they also force the players to be held accountgrown exceedingly popular across the country able for their loss. in recent years. To participate in the game, “I feel like if I tried to work my way out of players draft and manage a team of NFL playit, it would kind of compromise the integrity ers, earning points for the players’ real efforts of [the league],” Myers said. in each game throughout the football season.

In some cases, these lighthearted punishAccording to Statista Research, fantasy footments can become instances of actual sadism, ball has gained over 29 million players in the exemplifying people’s desires to put others U.S. alone since its creation down in an attempt to mainin 1962. While this game tain their own pride. Brown has gained popularity over compares them to fraternity the years, many leagues have hazing rituals. evolved from simply award“Participating in [the puning a prize to the winner to ishments] is like a way to prove forcing the loser to endure a how you will do anything brutal penalty at the end of to be a part of [the league],” the season.

Brown said. “As gross as it is, According to The Fantasy we all have that animalistic Sports and Gaming Associaneed to feel powerful and to tion, 68% of fantasy football feel in control even if it might leagues enforce punishments mean it demeans others.” for the player who racks up As last-place punishments the worst record throughout have gotten progressively the season. Some examples of more absurd over the years, viral punishments are forcing they have outgrown their the loser to shave their head, apparent purpose of keeppost cringey videos or run a ing leagues competitive and mile after chugging a gallon turned into a social media of milk. sensation that’s sole objective While Trinity Prep itself is in Sophomore Thomas Hoskins sang at Park Avenue as a fantasy football punishis entertainment. Videos reno way affiliated with fantasy ment for placing last in his league. The league winner chose his attire and songs garding fantasy league punishfootball or the punishments, he sang, including “Let It Go” and “Just the Two of Us.” ments have blown up across this cultural phenomenon is platforms like TikTok and now infecting Trinity students, and the punishments and join the conversa- Instagram, likely assisting the emergence of as several across grade levels have endured tion,” sophomore Thomas Hoskins said. the phenomenon. While being forced to wear humiliating punishments to pay the price of AP Psychology teacher Michael Brown said a ridiculous costume or spend an entire day placing last in their league. For sophomore that another reason students may feel com- at IHOP may seem like a nightmare to some, David Myers, the consequence of his unlucky pelled to join these leagues is due to a potential these punishments are what make the game season was to be locked in a dog cage and fear of missing out. memorable for players like Hoskins. ambushed with dirt, raw eggs, sardines and “We want to survive socially, and if our so“I would probably feel a little left out if I all kinds of other repulsive substances by the cial networks are all engaging in something, didn’t [participate in the league],” Hoskins rest of the league members. Fortunately, My- we’re at risk of being ostracized if we don’t par- said. “It’s all my friends talk about when [the ers was ready to face the punishment head on ticipate,” Brown said. season] is going on.” when the time came.

As if the game isn’t appealing enough, forc-

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February 2O25

OVERTIME RULES

The impact of increased years of eligibility for JUCO athletes Article by Thomas Bonos Graphic by Maxi De La Fuente Aaron Rodgers. Jimmy Butler. Josh Allen.

While they are now superstars in their respective sports, each of them had a nonconventional journey to the top: JUCO. Otherwise known as Junior College, JUCO is a route for talented athletes who weren’t able or were limited in playing NCAA sports. This route can provide athletes ample time to develop athletically, academically, and socially.

Trinity Prep graduate Josh Cooper was a dominating presence on the basketball court, but injuries halted his ability to be recruited. Despite the setback, Cooper still had aspirations to continue playing basketball, and he now plays at JUCO Georgia Highlands College.

“My senior year at high school I had an injury, which really affected my playing and recruitment during that time,” Cooper said. “The prospect of getting healthier and playing at JUCO to go on to play at a [Division I or Division II school], drove me towards that decision.”

According to an NCAA study for basketball in 2018, 14.8% of JUCO players were able to successfully transfer to an NCAA DI program as compared to 1% of high school players.

Recent, more and more athletes have been looking to attend JUCOs and have only been granted two years of eligibility as they look to transfer to NCAA schools, giving them a combined 4 years of eligibility across the NCAA and JUCO. This cap often diminishes athletes’ chances to play professionally or gain traction in the college world.

Current Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia previously played at JUCO and challenged the NCAA to extend JUCO players’ years of eligibility. As a result of Pavia v. the NCAA, JUCO transfers now have an additional year of eligibility on top.

Trinity Prep Athletic Director Colin Sullivan, who previously served as Deputy Athletic

Director at Brown University, said this recent case can open up new possibilities and opportunities for JUCO players.

“The case ... set a precedent for additional cases to grant up to four years of eligibility for active JUCO players in the NCAA,” Sullivan said. “[This potential increase in eligibility] would allow more coaches to look at JUCO players because [they’re] getting somebody that’s… battle-tested, proven and already having two years of maturity.”

Rodgers and Pavia received little to no scholarship offers from DI schools and committed to JUCOs, looking to develop and gain attention from NCAA schools. They were then both able to transfer into prestigious universities for football — Rodgers to UC Berkeley and Pavia to Vanderbilt. By providing more years of eligibility, the recent ruling will allow more athletes to have the opportunity to pursue higher education and work towards earning an undergraduate or postgraduate degree.

“In JUCO you are developing academically just as much as you are athletically; you are learning the necessities of what it means to be a student-athlete,” Sullivan said. “I think ju-

nior colleges are a great opportunity because not everybody is prepared to step right into that [traditional] four-year experience and even pursue additional years of education.”

The NCAA’s decision with this case, as well as others creates a trend toward expanding players’ rights. Opening new windows for rule changes that could see JUCO players gaining up to four years of additional elibility in the NCAA , allowing them to play in JUCO without the concerns of losing years in the NCAA, which could almost serve as a gap year.

Also, the talent at top-ranked JUCOs allows for players to develop at a similar level to that of NCAA DI teams.

“Most of the players [at JUCOs] are either the best where they came from or top players on their team,” Cooper said. “Being able to bounce off and create a bond with all these great players helps a lot in developing.”

Additional years of eligibility would allow JUCO players to benefit from increased NIL opportunities, helping them build their athletic and personal brands while also profiting economically.

“The [potential] of getting four years of eligibility at DI or DII could benefit me, being able to still pursue education, doing what I love every day, and being able to make money from NIL,” Cooper said.

JUCO athletes having the same eligibility as students coming from high school in the NCAA could lead to a system where older, more physically developed athletes entering their first years of eligibility dominate traditional 4-year athlete. This trend could to increased competition at DI schools, which would have a trickle-down effect into lower NCAA levels.

“Roster opportunities are going to be limited,” Sullivan said. “If JUCO athletes are going to be in school longer they would be taking away opportunities from students that are looking to go directly from high school to a four-year program.”

3O

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Financial Planning for all of Life’s Stages.

February 2O25 LYNETTE ANCONA, CFP®, CWS®, MBA Senior Vice President, Wealth Management

Let’s Go Saints!

Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC

ANCONA WEALTH MANAGEMENT OF RAYMOND JAMES 631 W MORSE BLVD, STE 125, WINTER PARK, FL 32789 407.644.2581 | ANCONAWEALTH.COM

February 2O25

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Photos

February 2O25

PHOTOGRAPHY EXPOSITION Life Throughout Campus

On Jan. 22, during the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. chapel, Pastor Hill from the Faith Temple Church of God shared a message about God, forgiveness, and peace with students. Guest singers also joined the Saints in song.

Ally Williams Through Jan. 23-24, seniors traveled to Camp Kulaqua in High Springs, Fla. Pictured left to right, seniors, Sasha Miller, Adriana Barbieri and Ariana Desai enjoyed each others company during lunch. Seniors participated in various games and bonding activites.

Jackson Napier

Aksel Williams The varsity basketball team faced off against Lake Highland on Jan. 17. Center Aiden Stillman prepares for a layup against a Highland defender. After a hard fought battle, the Saints ended up losing 54-37.

During the Lunar New Year Celebration on Jan. 29, students learned about the celebration and started the year of the snake with song and dance. After the performances, students received red envelopes filled with Chinese candy and good luck charms.

Julia Hoskins