times newspaper issue 2.indd

Miami Senior HIgh School
86th year, No. 2
Decemberber 2008
mhs.dadeschools.net
Trying to Improve Reading at MHS
Reading Rock Slide Root of the Week
By Richard Bazails
Editor in Chief
By Cindy Bobadillla
Here at Miami Senior
High students know
what goes on for the
first 10 minutes of
a class. It’s Reading
Rocks, a time for
students to read what
they want. Yet has
Reading Rocks been
transformed from
a freedom to read
whatever students want
to a forced reading
environment?
Reading Rocks was
introduced here at
Miami High in 2001
Students in Ms. Seale’s classes still do Reading Rocks the old fashioned way
with hopes of getting
students’ interest in reading up. It started after
a group of teachers attended the University
of Florida Alliance Summer Institute and
Continue to page 2
Have you ever wondered why we have a root of
the week? Who would come up with it? How is it
supposed to help?
The idea was introduced by new reading coach
Ms. McKinley who says the roots are the key to a
student’s vocabulary. By researching, she found
out more students internalize new vocabulary by
studying fewer words for a longer period than by
studying a lot of words for short time periods.
Some teachers make the root a habit in their
classroom. English teacher Mr.Waugaman said,
“The root of the week is used so students can
look at words in a different perspective. I write
words with the root of the week on the board
and encourage my students to use them in their
journal writing.”
Sophomore Michelle Calderon said, “I use the
root of the week in my business class with Ms.
Branch. In our reading rap, we write a rap about
our reading summary including the root of the
Reading Coach Ms. McKinley came up with the
idea for the Root of the Week
week.”
Other students use the roots in their classes as
well. Junior Connie Maravilla said the root of
Continue to page 2
Obama:False promise or a breath of hope?
By Melida Ortega
“It’s been a long time coming, but tonight,
because of what we did on this day, in this
election, at this defining moment, change has
come to America.” These were the words of
Barack Obama as he gave his victory speech in
Chicago’s Grant Park on November 4, 2008.
Democrat Barack Obama beat Republican
John McCain by a landslide, earning 365
electoral votes to McCain’s 173. All a presidential
candidate needs to win is 270 electoral votes. For
the first time since 1976, a Democrat received
more than 50 % of the popular vote. According
to the independent political website Real Clear
Politics
(http://www.realclearpolitics.com/
epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_
mccain_vs_obama-225.html), Obama won 52%
of the popular vote compared to McCain’s 46%.
According to the article Obama spending more
on ads than all but AT&T and Verizon posted on
October 24, 2008 on CNN (http://politicalticker.
blogs.cnn.
com/2008/10/24/
o b a m a spending-moreon-ads-thanall-but-attand-verizon/),
Obama spent 745
million dollars
on his primary
and
general
campaigns.
Barack Obama,
together
with
John McCain,
spent
more
than one billion
dollars on their
campaigns.
President- elect Barack Obama and his vice president Joe Biden
Obama’s
on election night.
campaign slogan Picture provided by TIME in partnership with CNN (http://www.time.
was “Vote for
com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1856580_1793448,00.html)
change.” This is
desperately needed
considering that we
are living in a time
when the economy
is at its lowest and
we are fighting
a war that has
many Americans
c o n f u s e d .
According to the
website
CNN
Politics
(http://
edition.cnn.com/
ELECTION/2008/
issues/index.
html), America’s
top three concerns
regarding
the
nation are the
economy,
Iraq,
and
healthcare.
This election has many wondering, is Obama
really going to bring the change we need, or did
he just make promises he can’t keep?
According to Barack Obama’s website
(http://www.barackobama.com/issues/)
under
the Obama and Biden plan, a tax cut would be
provided to working families earning $250,000
or less a year. This means that 95% of families
will receive tax relief. They will also provide tax
cuts to small businesses and start ups.
Obama’s website also said that immediately
after taking office, Obama will give his
secretary of defense and military commanders
a new mission in Iraq: Successfully ending
the war. When it comes to healthcare, says the
website, president elect Obama will make
health insurance affordable and accessible to
all Americans by using existing providers and
doctors to implement his plan. He also plans to
Continue to page 7
2
Miami Senior HIgh School The Miami High Times December 2008 86th Year, No.2
Reading Rock Slide
Continued from page 1
were impressed with the Reading Rocks
concept introduced by UF professor Dr.
Hollingsworth. Ms. Seale, the social
studies department head, said, “We
were trying to improve the reading
curriculum at Miami High.”
At the time that MHS introduced
Reading Rocks, said Ms. Seale, there
was a district mandate that a student
needed to read for 30 minutes per day.
However, such a mandate from the
district no longer exists.
As a result, there is much confusion
currently over Reading Rocks at MHS.
Principal Dr. Tosado said, “Though
teachers are encouraged to do Reading
Rocks, I believe that this isn’t essential.
It’s basically the teacher’s choice, but
personally I do not think that Reading
Rocks worked and there were no
advantages to be gained from it.”
Ms. Seale, on the other hand, believes
that Reading Rocks has brought many
benefits to MHS, such as a cutback
on tardies, a reduction of traffic in the
halls, and an improved reading ability
from students.
According to Ms Seale, the original
Reading Rocks program required MHS
students to read for 30 minutes each
day in certain periods each week. Then
when the next week came, the periods
when students would read would
change. This became very confusing,
and some teachers did not follow the
schedule or simply forgot.
“Then modifications were made to
the program,” said Ms. Seale. “The
new concept was for students to select
their own reading material and read for
10 minutes at the beginning of each
period. The idea behind this was that if
Reading Rocks Quiz
1. When was Reading Rocks introduced in MHS?
a) In 2001
b) In 1995
c)
In 2005
the week is a good hint to find out
definitions for many words. Senior
Elias Garcia adds, “Now I can find
definitions of words I would have never
known.”
Students use the root of the week to
get prizes from Dr.Tosado. Sophomore
Martell Raymond said, “He asked me
Club sponsor Ms. Branch reports that F.E.A. is gearing up for the Coconut
Grove Arts Festival in February. F.E.A. members will receive community
service points for volunteering to assist vendors at the festival. Members will
receive a free T-shirt, visor, water, and snacks. The F.E.A. shift is Sunday Feb.
14, 2009 from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. (By Jattie Branch)
Career Specialist
2. At first, for how long were students required to read?
a) 50 minutes per class
b) 1 hour per class
c) 30 minutes per class
If you are a student in need of a job, the Adult Mankind Organization works
with Miami High and can help you find the job you need. They are located
at 4343 W. Flager Street, and you can call them at (305)445-8655. For more
information, pay a visit to the career specialist Ms. Burt in room 004. (by Ralph
3. Who introduced the Reading Rocks concept to MHS?
a) Dr. Tosado b) Dr. Hollingsworth c) Ms. Seale
SECME
students read what they are interested in,
then they will enjoy reading. Because
MHS students attend 4 classes per day,
the modified Reading Rocks program
allowed students to read for 40 minutes
each day. The only restriction was that
students were not allowed to read were
textbooks, magazines, or newspapers,
because the pictures would distract
students from actually reading.”
Currently Miami High teachers
handle Reading Rocks anyway that they
choose. Mrs. Turner, the health science
teacher, believes that Reading Rocks is
very helpful and that students should
be allowed to read whatever they want.
She, as well as all the other teachers in
her department, allow students to bring
their own books to read and later she
assigns them to write a summary of that
book.
Mr. Morales, the astronomy teacher,
said that for his classes he has students
read from the science FCAT book or
do transparency sheets, which helps
students in refreshing what they already
know and gets them to learn something
new. Yet he would prefer if Reading
Rocks were dismissed since he thinks
that it isn’t useful and most students
don’t bring a book to read.
Students have their own ideas about
Reading Rocks. Jason Jackson, a senior,
said, “Reading gives me a chance to get
lost in my own world. I only get to read
for two of my classes. If it were up to
me, I would place someone in charge
of making sure that Reading Rocks is
carried out properly.”
Junior Yenyvic Cejas said, “I get
to read in all my classes. I think that
reading in class is beneficial since most
students don’t read at home. Yet it isn’t
the teachers’ fault for not implementing
Reading Rocks; it’s the students’ for not
reading when told to.”
Elizabeth Beltran, a senior, said, “I
don’t get to read for most of my classes.
In some rare chances, I get to, but either
way, I don’t think that reading for 10
minutes is good enough. They should
extend it.”
Junior Andrea Hueck said, “In most
of my classes I don’t read. It’s just a
chance I get to relax before class starts.
I would prefer though if I got to read my
own book for my classes.”
Root of the Week
Continued from page 1
Future Educators of America
for the root of the week, to use it in
a sentence, and give the antonym.
Then he said my name over the
radio, sent me to the office, and I
received a Snickers bar.”
Sophomore Lisbeth Montalvo
said, “The root of the week gives
students a chance to get prizes and
make them want to remember the
root.” Sophomore Amber Couzo
said, “The first week of school I
went up to Dr.Tosado and said, ‘Yo,
Ttosado, benefit’, and he gave me a
Snickers bar.”
Senior Aroldo Zuriraran said, “I
always tell Dr. Tosado the root, but
I never get his attention so I haven’t
been able to receive a prize.”
Rodriguez)
Youlike science. You’re interested in engineering. You also love communication, and don’t forget mathematics and life enrichment. SECME sounds like the
club for you. SECME members are waiting for the Olympiad practices which
will begin soon. The Olympiad is an annual competition for SECME clubs. Last
year Miami High SECME didn’t attend, but this year they will compete in math
bowl, science bowl, rocket building, and other events. If you’re interested in
participating, then you should get in the club. They meet twice a month every
Thursday, and in the meetings they talk about variety of things, but the topic
most talked about now is the Olympiad. See club sponsor Ms Gutierrez-Carrasco in room 183 for more information. (By Tanyi Garcia)
5000 Role Models
Miami High 5000 Role Models site director Mr. Ballard wants to give congratulations to the seniors that applied for a scholarship: Maxwell Cartwright,
Ismael Chevalier, Rafael De La Torre, David Donaldson, Brandon Eckford,
Mackenly Etienne, Fritz Fenelon, Justin Griffin, Douglas Guerrero, Jean Hyppolite, Matthew Jean-Juste, Andreu Joseph, Julio Mendoza, Kristian Mendoza,
Joel Moya, Rony Remilien, Sony Remilien, Wandy Saintilien, Maen Shehadeh,
Tedy Soler, Nelson Tejeda , Jonathan Tsidol, Jiuseph Urrea, Julian Vasquez,
Larry Williams and Cesar Hechavarria.
On Monday December 15, 2008, electors to the U.S Presidential Electoral
College from across the Sunshine State will meet to cast Florida‘s vote for
change. Senator Frederica Wilson, founder of the 5000 Role Models of Excellence project, is honored and humbled to be part of this group casting our votes
for President – elect Barack Obama and Vice President –elect Joe Biden.100
students from the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project are invited to accompany Senator Wilson on this historic journey. (by Narrilla Fraga)
TAP Program
TAP, also known as the Teenage Pregnancy program, is a special club that
provides help to teenage parents. Sponsor Ms. Diaz de Villegas says that TAP
provides free day care and free transportation for teenage parents who need
it. For more information please contact Ms. Diaz de Villegas in the guidance
counselor’s office, Room 128.
(by Nelson Tejeda)
MECA CLUB
The MECA (Middle Eastern Culture Awareness) club is having a fantastic year.
The new president senior, Maeh Shehadeh, has the club running smoothly. The
club just received some new members this year, making 30, and is expecting
many more next semester. They had a social at a Greek restaurant, and they
had their club pictures on December 4th. Club advisor Mr. Gary Yoham says,
“If you are interested in Middle Eastern culture, this is the club for you!” (By
Cynthia Shogreen)
Miami Senior HIgh School
The Miami High Times
3
December 2008
Thirsty Want a Soda? Not at MHS
86th Year, No.2
Brown Bagging it
for lunch!
What is healthier?
Coca-Cola
(240ml)
Gatorade
(240ml)
Tropicana
Apple
Juice(240ml)
Calories Sugars Sodium Caffeine Photo from www.fotosearch.com
97
27g
33mg
23mg
50
14g
110mg
0mg
110
25g
10mg
0mg
Have you ever imagined having
a nice cold soda during a hot day at
lunch? Keep dreaming, because no
sodas can be sold in Miami Senior
High School.
Why not? Ms. Quintero, the
activities director, said, “We are
not allowed to sell sodas in school
because the school board does not
allow it.”
Some students would like sodas to
be sold here. Erika Saldivar, a senior,
said, “Then I could go to school to buy
sodas instead of going to BP in the
morning. And I could drink my soda
with pizza in lunch, just like it was
my freshman year.” Jorge Lorenzo, a
senior, said, “Why not? Someone may
feel
like
drinking
soda and
sodas get
you refreshed in lunch. Selling
sodas can also benefit the school’s
funding.” Jessie Cardoza, a
senior, said, “I honestly don’t
think sodas can harm anyone.”
Others disagree. Armando
Salinas, a senior, said, “I don’t
think the school should sell sodas
because sodas get you hyper and
they are bad for you.” Arthur
Vazquez, a junior, said, “No.
Coke is like a drug to students.
It’s addicting, and it is unhealthy
causing acne and unnecessary
calories to the body.” David
Narvaez, a junior, said, “I don’t
care because I don’t drink Coke
and Cokes can get people fat.”
According to the website
f o r Coca Cola (http://www.
thecoca-colacompany.
com/ mail/goodanswer/soft_
drink_nutrition.pdf),in a 8
ounce serving (240 ml) of
Coca Cola, there are 97
calories, 27g sugars and
23mg caffeine. Most soda
cans, however, contain 12
ounces of the drink.
Miami High School does
s e l l Gatorade, Tropicana Apple
Juice, lemonade and iced
tea. Gatorade has 50 calories and
14g of sugars in a 240 ml serving
according to the Gatorade website
( h t t p : / / w w w. g a t o r a d e . c o m /
formula_and_nutrition_info/).
According to the Tropicana
Apple Juice website(http://www.
tropicana.com/#ourproducts),
there are 110 calories and 25g
of sugars in a 240 ml serving of
Tropicana Apple Juice. Both of
these drinks do not have caffeine
in them.
By Karina Bermudez
Sports Editor
Senior year, a time to have fun and
enjoy your last year of high school,
but also a time to find the money to
pay for senior pictures, homecoming,
prom, Grad Bash, etc.
According to activities director Ms.
Quintero, here at Miami High prices
are not as at bad as other schools.
Here at Miami Senior High the prices
are: $30 for Homecoming dance,
$45-$55 for prom, $80 for Grad
Bash, and our senior picnic is free.
Coral Gables Senior High, on the
other hand, charges students $60 for
homecoming, $60 for prom, $300
for Grad Bash and $25 for senior
picnic. Coral Park charges $65 for
homecoming, $65 for prom, $167
for Grad Bash and $35 for senior
picnic. Jackson charges $40 for
homecoming and $300 for Grad
Bash. Their senior picnic is free,
but they still haven’t decided for
prom.
Some students at Miami High
unfortunately do not have jobs,
which makes them depend on
their parents’ income to pay off
senior expenses. For example,
Elizabeth Beltran, a senior, has
her mom paying for her senior
expenses. Elizabeth thinks she
will pay $1,000 overall for her
senior year. She said that she
does not mind paying everything
because it is her senior year, and
she wants to have fun.
Zayuri Webb’s mom also pays
for her senior expenses, because
she also does not work.
Zayuri thinks she will pay more
than $1000 for her senior year.
She also said that she does not
mind paying everything for her
senior year because she wants to
have fun and enjoy her last year
in high school.
Mariorly Leon, a senior, also
thinks that she will pay about
$1000 for her senior year. She
has to beg her mom to pull the
money out of her money tree.
She said, “I mind paying for my
homecoming and Grad Bash, but
I don’t mind paying for prom.”
Yovani Larreynaga, a senior,
thinks that he will pay over
$1000 for his senior year. He
said, “I mind paying for club fees,
but I don’t mind paying for prom,
Grad Bash, yearbook, and senior
pictures.” Yovani’s mom pays for
his senior expenses.
Marie Petion, a senior, estimates
her senior year expenses at
$500-$900. “I have to beg my
parents, siblings, or anyone I
know who loves me enough to
give me money. I mind paying
for everything because I’m very
frugal and money is money at the
end of the day.”
Jason Jackson, a senior thinks
that he will end up paying $100
to $250 for his senior year. His
parents and relatives give him
money. “I don’t like paying the
fees for college”
By ManYi Chiang
Internet sources:
http://www.gatorade.com/formula_and_nutrition_info/
http://www.tropicana.com/#ourproducts
http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/mail/goodanswer/soft_
Going Broke with Senior Expenses!
By Margarita Meshini
Copy Editor
“Hey, get in line with me so we can
get lunch.”
“Nah, I brought my own!”
“Your own?”
You’ve probably noticed that students
with the brown paper lunch bags avoid
school lunch lines. But why avoid the
lunch that the majority eats?
“For me, it’s all about home-cooked
meals!” says senior Victoria Santana.
“My mom packs it for me and I love
my ham sandwiches.”
The famous long line issue at Miami
High seems to be the biggest reason
why most students end up bringing
lunch. “Often, people make remarks
about me bringing my own lunch,”
said sophomore Gabriel Diaz de Salas.
“But I don’t worry about it too much,
after all I’m the one eating and not
begging for a skip in the lines.”
Junior Michael Rodriguez agrees.
“It’s a hassle getting school lunch,” he
said. “You spend more time in the line
than actually eating.”
But if it’s such a hassle, then why
are most students still resorting to the
school cafeteria? “I get in the lines
because I’m too lazy to pack my own
lunch so it’s more convenient for me,”
says junior Adianez Jimenez.
Some students don’t even bother to
get in line or pack their own lunch,
so they skip eating lunch instead. “I
have no time to pack my lunch,” says
freshman Anthony Rodriguez, “And
there’s no way I’m waiting in those
lines, so most of the time I just eat
when I get home.”
In addition to the lengthy lines at
Miami High, the other criticism the
school lunch receives is that it fails
to give variety for the entire student
body. “The school offers almost no
vegetarian-friendly meals,” says
junior Christopher Horruitiner
who does not eat lunch at Miami
High. “Every tray holds some sort
of meat and the salads look like
they’ve been sitting there for days.
It’s not fair that the school board
is only thinking about what the
majority wants.”
4
Miami Senior HIgh School The Miami High Times
December 2008
86th Year, No. 2
Get the most out of your senior year
By Tanyi Garcia
Senior Prom, Grad Bash, and
senior field trips!! So many things
pop up when you think about senior
year. As you work your way up
from a freshman to an enthusiastic
senior, the first thought that comes
up is, “What should I do to enjoy
my senior year?” Seniors have
some ways and advice to help you
enjoy it.
Senior Heidegger Ady says, “An
ideal senior year for me is having
power and stability.” He also says
participating in sporting events
such as basketball, football and
baseball games is a great start.
Carlos Linares, a proud 12th
grader, has narrowed it down to
ten top ways to enjoy your senior
year. 1) STAY away from all the
DRAMA! 2) Take a lot of pictures.
3) Make as many friends as you
can. 4) Represent your class all
the way. 5) Go to every dance
offered, from Homecoming to
PROM! 6) Take care of all your
responsibilities early, like signing
up for college & stuff. 7) Hang
loose and let it slide. 8) Join clubs
choices.”
Senior year
should be the best,
- Prom
Signature Gardens
May 30, 2009
Ranging $45-55 right? You had to
get accustomed to
your high school
-Grad Bash
Universal Studios
April 25th, 2009
TBA
as a freshman, pass
in Orlando
the FCAT in your
sophomore
year,
get
a
good
score
on
-Senior Field Trips
Busch Gardens
TBA
TBA
your SAT or ACT in
like BETA! 9) Don’t get yourself about your academics. He says,
your junior year, and now in your
stuck in bad situations. 10) Most “Truthfully, in order not to affect
senior year, you can just pause and
importantly, “Know your class your grades, it literally all comes
enjoy it.
down to managing time, because
president!”
This year senior class sponsor
Another senior Stephanie Casas if we want to do something, then
Ms. Quintero announced that
feels that skipping out of class and we have to sacrifice our studies or
seniors are going to have Grad
getting OJT will make you miss vice-versa. But like I said before,
Bash so seniors are going to
out on all the fun in your senior it’s all up to the person managing
Universal Studios in Orlando on
year. She says, “Community these decisions. At the end of the
April 25th, 2009. Seniors aren’t
service, FCAT, and all other day we will realize if our decisions
having a senior picnic this year,
graduation requirements should were right ones or not.”
but they are having a field trip to
Seniors have spoken! But how
be done by senior year to make
Busch Gardens for seniors only!
your last year more long lasting does principal Dr. Tosado feel about
The date is to be determined, and
and less pressured. I guarantee the subject? “Senior year is by far
so are the prices. But the most
yoursenior year would be an easy the best year ever in high school.
important event of them all has
ride and you’ll enjoy it much more It’s because you’re older and there
to be Prom to be held on May 30,
more things to do as a senior,” he
if you’re prepared.”
2009, at Signature Gardens, with
said. Asked how to enjoy senior
Jose Salvedo, another 12th grader,
the ticket prices ranging from $45feels that it’s difficult to enjoy your year, Dr. Tosado replied with $55.
senior year while you’re worrying just 3 short words: “Make smart
Senior Events
Where at?
When?
How Much?
10 WAYS TO ENJOY
yOUR SENIOR YEAR
1)STAY away from all the DRAMA!
2)Take a lot of pictures.
3)Make as many friends as you
can.
4)Represent your class all the way. b
5)Go to every dance offered, from
Homecoming to PROM!
Many senior students are stressed about
college and graduation. Do you have all your
credits? Have you applied to college before
the deadline? Have you passed all your
tests? Well, not to worry, seniors, you are
not alone. Very few seniors have everything
lined up and ready to go. Even though time
is short, you still have time.
Each senior has a different prime worry.
Clark Polo said, “ I had no idea what I
wanted to do after high school. That’s what
was bothering me the most, but I guess I
still have time to figure that out.” Marice
Lopez said, “My biggest issue is choosing a
college; I can’t decide whether to stay near
home or to leave and spread my wings.”
No matter what your biggest worry is,
there is usually a solid solution. As senior
Ninoshka Chang says, “I had a big problem
with going to college. I didn’t think it was
really for me, but I had a talk with someone
It’s important to know that
if you fail any class, you will
not receive the corresponding
credit. If you fail a class you
can always make it up in
night school.
and this person convinced me that I had no
bright road to follow if I didn’t have a good
education.” Plus, no senior is alone in their
college quest. CAP advisor Ms. Halley
is happy to help all her seniors with their
college questions.
Another key issue with senior students is
college application deadlines. Some senior
English teachers have even assigned due
dates for their students to turn in college
applications. English teacher Mr. Waugaman,
for one, assigned his students the due date of
November 20 and 21 to turn in their college
applications. Harlle Duarte, a senior, said,
“I was having a hard time getting myself
to apply to colleges, but since my teacher
made it a grade, I had to do it.”
Yet, not all students waited for the last
minute. As senior Christopher Rodriguez
said, “Even though I got the homework for
applying to college, I had done it already so
it was no big deal for me.”
With today’s technology, applying to
college is no big hassle. A basic college
application consists of a resume and/or an
explanatory essay of yourself and what
makes you qualified for that particular
college, accompanied by a few pages of
your basic information such as your full
name, address, college goals, sports of your
preference, and other things which might
help them know you as best as possible on
paper. They may also ask for your SAT or
ACT scores. The deadlines can be found
on each college’s website. Even though
these applications are a bit long, no need to
worry. Most college websites allow you to
p
N
6)Take care of all your respoinsibilities early, like signing up for college p
p
& stuff.
7)Hang loose and let it slide.
8)Joini clubs like BETA!
9)Don’t get yourself stuck in bad
situations.
10)Most importanatly, “know your
class president!”
Source: Miami Senior High Student
Carlos Linares
Stop Stressing :Graduation is no Problem
By Cynthia Shogreen
B
start your application and stop and save to
continue later.
Apart from the 2.0 GPA requirement
and passing the FCAT, one very importantB
graduation requirement senior students seem
to be very forgetful about is the 24 credits
requirement. The first 4 credits are for
English, the next 3 are for math, 3 more for
science, 3 credits for social studies, 1 credit
for physical education, 1 credit for any art,
½ a credit for life skills, and 8 ½ credits for
any electives you choose. It’s important to
know that if you fail any class, you will not
receive the corresponding credit. If you fail
a class you can always make it up in night
school.
Another graduation requirement is a
community service project. The project
forms are given by social studies teachersb
and should be done as soon as possible.
There is no hour minimum, but it must be
a well developed project that somehow
benefits the community.
Miami Senior HIgh School The Miami High Times December 2008
The Anime Stingarees
By Emily Quintero
For some, we are smart and talented.
For others, we are losers living in a little
kid’s fantasy. Here at Miami High, we
have a diverse number of clubs that keep
Stingarees involved in many activities.
One, however, has some Stingarees
stereotyping its members and others
crticizing the club. On the other hand,
club members and some other students
believe that the club is great, and they
encourage more Stings to become
part of it. We are talking about Anime
Nation, one of Miami High’s most
cultural and animated clubs.
Anime Nation has around 40 members
this year, all looking for the same
purpose of uniting and getting to know
people with those similar interests the
club has: anime and Japanese culture.
Anime, according to dictionary.com,
is a Japanese style of motion-picture
animation that is characterized by
highly stylized and colorful art.
One big question that many students
ask themselves is what do students find
so interesting about this club? Senior
Jason Jackson, the president of the club,
says that the club recognizes the variety
of people in the school and that anyone
who likes anime is unique. “Some find
the club interesting due to the fact that
in Anime Nation, you can be yourself.
A lot of people categorize others that
watch anime as being weird,” he said.
Daniel Duque, a sophomore member,
said, “I think it’s amazing because I am
in an environment in which I can laugh
and talk freely with other people who
share my interest.” Recording secretary
of the club Dora Gil, a senior, states that
Anime Nation is an awesome place to
get together with everyone with that
same passion and treat each other like
a family.
Most non-members, however, believe
the club is a loserfest that has no
particular
meaning.
Gladys Diaz,
a sophomore,
says, “I don’t
like anime. I
don’t know
much about
it, and I don’t
understand
it.” Fernando
Olano,
a
senior, adds,
“I
believe
the members
that
are
heavily
influenced
by
anime
need
to
realize that
life is not a
cartoon. It’s
alright for
high school,
but it really needs to cease later on
because it’s time to wake up.” Alex
Varela, another 12th grader, says that
anime is boring and that it consumes
too much time.
Ninoshka Chang, a 12th grader
member of Anime Nation, reacts to
these statements and explains why some
students at school shouldn’t judge. “To
me, they can’t have an opinion since
most of them don’t even know what
86th Year, No.2
anime is. And by the way, Chinese and
Japanese cultures are not the same,
people!” she said. Jorge Farina, a 10th
grade non-member, said, “I think people
critizise anime people because people
think we are too childish and some of
them just don’t like it.”
Many students at MHS assume Anime
Nation has no achievements or school
spirit since the club barely gets any
attention. What many didn’t expect was
the excellent job that was done by the
officers and some of the members of
the club on the homecoming parade.
Anime Nation scored 3rd place in the
homecoming parade, 1st place on banner,
and 3rd place on creativity.
“I felt a special pride in how well
Anime did in homecoming,” said club
advisor Mr. Hernandez. “For such a
small group to win so many awards says
a lot about the kids in the club.”
Rosaguille Hay, the 12th grade
historian and one of the great helpers
for Anime Nation during homecoming
week, said she was amazed when she
heard the parade results. Rosaguille
choreographed the Japanese dance at
the parade, made the banner, designed
the costumes, and helped construct the
float. “At first you feel overwhelmed by
so much stress, but at the end of the day,
you feel accomplished because of your
friends,” she said.
Anime Nation isn’t taking a break
just because things went well in
homecoming. Just like the rest of
5
Some Japanese words and
their meanings:
Japanese
English
Konnichi wa
Hello
Arigato
gozaimasu
Dô itashimashite
Thank you
Samurai
Don’t mention it
Sayonara
traditional
Japanese
warrior
Goodbye
aishiteru
I love you
Daisuki da yo
I really like you
Source: Asia for Educators
website (http://afe.easia.columbia.
edu/japan/japanworkbook/language/lsp.htm)
the clubs at Miami High, Anime is
planning a series of events to keep the
club members active. “We are having a
Secret Santa before winter break,” said
Kerwing Rivas, Anime Nation’s 2nd vice
president, “a Morikami museum social
based on Japanese culture, a spring
break social, a year end social, and other
get-togethers that we will announce to
the members at further notice.”
The club welcomes anyone who not
only enjoys anime or Japanese culture,
but also those that want to learn more
about it. Meetings take place on Fridays
afterschool in room 255.
Follow the Leader: 5000 Role Models
By Carine Lecomte
When you see them walking down the
hall wearing a white long sleeve shirt,
red tie and black pants, you can call
them a member of the 5000 Role Model
Club, a club unlike many other clubs at
Miami High.
According to The 5000 Role Model of
Excellence manual book, the club is a
crime-prevention intervention program
for minority boys at risk of dropping
out of school and of choosing a life of
crime. However, Mr. Ballard, sponsor
of the 5000 Role Models here at Miami
High, adds that the club is also for these
boys to succeed in life and become
leaders.
According to Mr. Ballard, because
of the Role Models club, the amount
of boys dropping out of school has
decreased, and a majority of
these boys is now graduating.
This club can be found at 68
other schools in Miami Dade
County, including elementary,
middle, and high schools.
But what do they actually do in
this club besides dress up? One
unforgettable activity is going
to a prison and talking to the
inmates about their experience
in jail. They also have youth
summits in which mostly the
seniors attend, and they have
meetings about scholarships.
They visited Channel 10 and
toured different universities.
There are approximately 95
current members, and each
member pays $5 dues for the
whole year. With that money,
lunch is paid for on every
field trip. Because of budget
cuts, the club has been
limited this year, so not
many boys can get in this
club. Mr. Ballard said, “First
come, and first served.”
Members join for different
reasons. President of the
5000 Role Models Maxwell
Cartwright, a senior, said, “I
joined this club to prevent
students from going to
jail and to make the right
choices.” According to Mr.
Ballard, young boys should
join this club because it will
help them to learn about the
value of life and to become
successful. Jeffrey Mercado,
a junior, said, “I wanted an
opportunity to experience the real world
and get a taste of the real situations out
there.” Jeangorky Ady, a freshman, said,
“I joined the club to meet new people
and be involved in school activities.”
Even though it’s not a service club, you
still benefit in other ways. For example,
if you join the club as a freshman and
stay active, then you are most likely to
earn a scholarship starting from $1,000
to $4,000.
Don’t you wonder why there are
so many boys in this club? Why not
girls? According to Mr. Ballard, “The
person, who started the 5000 Role
Model program believed that boys and
young men should be able to make
good choices, be good husbands,
and help guide others.” Though
there are no girls in this club, The
Women of Tomorrow is a similar
club at Miami High that is open only
for young ladies.
Do these boys actually learn from
their club experiences? “Of course,”
said Mr. Ballard. “They stay out of
trouble, dress for success, get great
values, and talk properly.”
6
Miami Senior HIgh School The Miami High Times December 2008 86th Year, No.2
yuck that stinks!
By Joanna “Puffin” Ruffin
Copy Editor
“Ew, what the heck is that smell?”
As you walk outside near the
cafeteria loading dock and dumpster
area, you might see students covering
their noses or making sour faces.
When you observe this area, you will
notice a distinct, brown –but often
gray- liquid that many students avoid
by jumping over or walking around.
“I always have to hold my breath
when I walk inside the building. The
smell is overwhelming at times,” says
junior Wences Chaves.
“Ugh, I remember that smell even
when I was a freshman,” says alumnus
Rolando Luzcano, who graduated
over 8 years ago. “I always avoided
that area. There were days when it
would smell really bad.”
But has anyone really investigated
what that liquid really is? Assistant
principal Ms. Mendez she says that it
only smells when the dumpster trucks
come and empty out the garbage. The
liquid that appears on the ground, she
says, is just dumpster water that seeps
out when extracting the garbage from
sidewalk cracks
have never really
been a problem
before and that
no one actually
complained
about it. He
also mentioned
that
bigger
construction
issues
come
first before they
might ever fill
they might ever
fill the cracks in
with cement.
Is the garbage
Fluid from the dumpster leaks onto the MHS sidewalk
water even safe?
the dumpster onto the garbage truck. According to AP environmental
When the liquid appears on the ground, teacher Ms. Gutierrez- Carrasco,
Ms. Mendez says, the custodians garbage water isn’t a huge threat
immediately spray and clean the area to the student body, but it is
with water.
devastating to the environment.
Students often complain that the According to Mr. Rubi some days
liquid spreads inside the cracks of the the smell is more intensified than
school sidewalk. “It’s irritating,” says other days because the company
senior Valerie Perret. “You have to responsible to pick up the garbage
jump over it. If not, your shoes or jeans is sometimes unreliable. There are
get all wet, and it stinks.”
times the school has to call them to
Zone Mechanic and a Miami High remind them to pick up the trash.
alumnus Mr. Sam Rubi says that the
Academic Quitters
By Richmar Flores
Have you ever thought of dropping
out of school? Is it skipping? Bad
influences? Or are you lazy and
you don’t want to come to school?
COME ON LET IT OUT!!!
According to the website for the
Florida Department of Education
& Accountability Services (http://
www.fldoe.org/eias/eiaspubs/pdf/
dropdemo.pdf),a drop out is defined
as a student who withdraws from
school, for any of several reasons
cited in
tute without transferring to another
school, home education program, or
adult education program.
Students drop out for different
reasons. According to Ms. Rembert,
an assistant principal, “Most
students drop out because of family
problems.” Angel Rivera, someone
who dropped out of MHS during his
junior year, said, “I decided to drop
out because of lack of motivation
and bad influences.” Jeffrey Viera,
a drop out from MHS’s 9th grade,
said, “I found a job in the morning,
and I was unable to come to school
so I decided to drop out.”
Vandalism at the High?
By Miguel Reyes
Vandalism is a teen activity
whose traces can be found all over
the world including in public libraries, bathrooms, and sadly even
here… at Miami Senior High.
According to Miami High assistant principal Ms.Rembert, the
students who vandalize school
property don’t appreciate what
they have. They don’t know that
the custodians are the ones who
have to use their time to clean up
the mess.
Security guard Eduardo “Eddie”
Rodriguez said the most common
vandalism in the school is graffiti
in the bathrooms, stairs and in the
science wing floor.
Vandalism can lead to punishment. “How do they get caught?”
you may wonder. “Luckily there
are some students who will help us
capture those who those vandalize
the school,”
arrested, and/or cleaning up or
replacing things they have broken.
Why would someone want to
commit vandalism in our school?
Freshman Tyler Molina said
students vandalize because “they
are trying to mark their territories
for respect.”
Catherine Guerrero, a senior,
said that she doesn’t know why
kids vandalize. “They have no
life,” she said. “Why vandalize?
You don’t want people to do that
in your house.”
A sophomore who wanted to be
Photo from www.grafitti.org
anonymous said, “I personally
think it’s just a way to express
said Ms. Rembert. Assistant
themselves, but there are some
principal Ms. Mendez adds, “We
people who do vandalism with
use the school cameras, security
way too much profanity, some
monitors, and we check students
even representing gangs like Latin
for hall passes.”
Kings and a lot of Riverside.”
The punishment for vandalism,
Mr. Ballard, SCSI administrator,
says Ms.Rembert, varies according
agrees
that some students do try
to the student code of conduct and
can include paying for the property to popularize gang signs through
damage, outdoor suspension, being vandalism.
How you can
prevent vandalism:
+ Use good lighting in and around your
business. This ensures that potential vandals
are more visible and increases their chances
of getting caught.
+ Use unbreakable fixtures or glass when
possible. This reduces a person’s opportuni
ties to vandalize.
+ Lock any gates, garages and external doors
around your business to prevent unauthorized
access. Also lock up any equipment or tools
that may be easy targets for vandals.
+ Clean up any signs of vandalism as soon as
they appear. This may involve repairing
broken or damaged signs or equipment.
+ If you see someone committing an act of
vandalism, report it to the police.
Source: Website for School of Criminal Justice at
Rutgers University Crime Prevention Service for
Business (http://crimeprevention.rutgers.edu/crime/
vandalism/vandalism.htm)
Wondering About
the Dropout Rate?
* In 2006-07, the drop out rate
in Florida was 3.3%
*Of the dropouts reported from
grades 9-12 in 2006-07, 35.4%
were white, 35.3% were black,
and 26.5% were Hispanic
+ Drop outs also vary by gender
group, with males having a higher
percentage of drop outs than
females: 3.7% for males and 2.9%
for females
S o u r c e : Florida
Department
of Education
& Accountability Services (http://
www.fldoe.org/eias/eiaspubs/pdf/
dropdemo.pdf )
Dropping out may seem like an easy
solution. However, it would likely make
life harder in the long run. There are many
disadvantages to dropping out. According
to the article “Consequences of dropping
out of school”, posted on the Indiana
Department of Education website (http://
www.doe.in.gov/sservices/pdf/sao_dropout_consequences.pdf), drop outs have
a higher chance of: being unemployed,
earning less money, receiving public
help, having kids at a younger age, being
single parents, and having limited career
options.
Kenny Barrera, a senior, said, “I don’t
see the point of dropping out of school
because some of them they either get
night school, they become food service
workers, or nothing.”
When asked about the drop out rate
here at MHS, Mr. Valdes, an assistant
principal, said, “There’s not an accurate
number of drop outs here in MHS, but
the percent is very small.”
In 2006-07, the drop out rate in Florida
was 3.3%, according to the website for
the Florida Department of Education. Of
the dropouts reported from grades 9-12
in 2006-07, 35.4% were white, 35.3%
were black and 26.5% were Hispanic.
Drop out also vary by gender group,
with males having a higher percentage of
drop outs than females. 3.7% for males to
2.9% for females. In addition to this, Ms.
Rembert said, the most common grade
when students drop out is between 10th
and 11th grade when they are between
ages 16 and 17.
Miami Senior HIgh School The Miami High Times December 2008
86th Year, No.2
7
The Voting Youth
By Kelly Chavez
On November 4, 2008, Barack Obama
won the United States presidency with
362 electoral votes, 200 more than John
McCain. All the Democrats
were filled with glee while
the Republicans were left
devastated.
Voters went to the polls
voting for the president
that touched the issue they
were most concerned about.
According to the webpage for
The Center for Information and
Research on Civic Learning
and Engagement (civicyouth.
org), an organization that
conducts research on the civic
and political engagement of
Americans between the ages
of 15 and 25, “An estimated
23 million young Americans
under the age of 30 voted in
the 2008 presidential election,
3.4 million more voters as compared to
2004.”
But why did most people, especially 18
year old students, vote for their presidential
/
Significant Jump in Youth Voter Turnout In Presidential Election
Primary Source: CIRCLE (www.civicyouth.org)
candidate?
Jimmy Santander, a senior and voter,
voted for Obama because Jimmy leans more
toward the Democratic Party and he feels
that they are honestly for the people.
Christy-Ann Durandisse, a 12th grader and
voter, also voted for Obama because she
said, “America can’t afford McCain and his
plans.”
Derexs Sanders, another voter, said, “I
voted for Obama because he understands
black people. We’ve been middle class since
forever. We want to live long,
we want to live life, not be in
war like McCain.”
Senior Cynthia Benitez
said she voted for McCain
because of his experience and
she really didn’t see Obama’s
“Change” plan and slogan as
something realistic.
Although the economy was
the most important issue on
this election, there were other
issues that concerned some
of the 18 year old voting
students in Miami High.
Christy-Ann said she likes
Obama’s plans for education
and health care. Meanwhile
Jimmy Santander said he
is most concerned about
the health insurance. Vilian
Perez, a senior, is most concerned about
stem cell research because her family has a
history of diabetes.
Obama: False promise or a breath of hope?
Continued from page 1
lower healthcare costs by $2,500 for a typical
family. Under the Obama and Biden plan,
coverage for preventive services including cancer
tscreening will be required.
All this sounds good in theory, but will Obama
tbe able to do what he promised the American
people? Or did he just tell the American people
what they wanted to hear?
His plans will cost a lot of money. According
to
t the website for the U.S. National Debt
Clock
(http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/),
twhich gets its calculations from the U.S.
Department of the Treasury, the United States is
$10,593,321,024,617.11 in debt as of November
17, 2008 at 06:24 pm. Barack Obama will be
walking into a nation that is drowning in trillions
of dollars of debt. Will his leadership and political
team be able to rescue us?
Manny Sanchez, a senior, voted for Barack
Obama. “I feel like Obama has all the right
fqualities to lead this country. He’s extremely
intelligent and his policies are well thought out.
He’s out to help the average American, not just
corporate America,” he said.
Senior Angelica Garcia says that she voted
for Obama because he will end the war and she
feels he will make a great leader. She said, “He
has the judgment and character that we need in
the White House.” She added that a person who
is endorsed by Colin Powell and Warren Buffet is
no socialist and that people shouldn’t be afraid of
that because it would never happen in the United
States.
Andres Perez, a senior, said that he voted for
Obama because he feels Barack will be able to
reunite this divided nation. And he can relate to
common Americans because he was raised in a
middle class family. “He’s the ultimate success
story,” Andres said.
Not everyone, however, believes that Obama
has the experience or the judgment to make an
effective leader. Ana Gonzalez, a senior, said that
she voted for McCain and felt very disappointed
when Obama won. She added, “McCain’s policies
were realistic. He has the experience and didn’t
just tell people what they wanted to hear.”
Jaime Pinto, a senior, said, “McCain would
have made a better president because of his
experience.” She added that she didn’t want to
vote for Obama because he’s a socialist.
On January 20, 2009, Barack Obama will
become the first African-American to enter
the White House. Joe Biden will be his vice
president and Rahm Emanuel will be his chief of
staff. According to the article Obama’s Cabinet
Picks Heavy on Washington Experience posted
on Nov 20, 2008 on FOXNews.com (http://
www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/11/20/obamascabinet-picks-heavy-washington-experience/
)Tom Daschle will be his secretary of health and
human services, Eric Holder his attorney general,
and Janet Napolitano will lead the Department
of Homeland Security. According to More White
House Staff Named by Obama Transition Team
posted on November 19, 2008 on FOXNews.com,
Former first lady and current New York Senator
Hillary Clinton will be Obama’s secretary of
state, Timothy Geithner as his Treasury secretary,
Bill Richardson for commerce secretary, David
Axelrod will serve as Senior Advisor to the
President, Greg Craig is being tapped for White
House Counsel, Lisa Brown will be Obama’s
staff secretary, and Chris Lu will be Cabinet
Secretary as of November 25, 2008.
This election was one that will never be
forgotten. It was one of the most historical
elections of modern time. Many thought America
wasn’t ready; many thought it would never
happen, but they were wrong. It did happen,
and, yes, our president is African American.
Fifty years ago Barack Obama’s story would not
have been possible. America should feel proud
and honored to live in a place where the color of
In his Own Words
“There is not a liberal America and a
conservative America. There is not a
black America and a white America
and Latino America and Asian America
- there’s the United States of America.”
- Keynote speech to Democratic National
Convention, July 2004
your skin is no obstacle, and Obama is the living
proof.
“As Lincoln said to a nation far more
divided than ours, ‘We are not enemies, but
friends…though passion may have strained, it
must not break our bonds of affection. And to
those Americans whose support I have yet to
earn – I may not have won your vote, but I hear
your voices, I need your help, and I will be your
President too,” Obama said during his victory
speech.
We are part of history, and we are living
in a time that many in the future will be looking
back on. We should be proud of our president
and embrace him whether you voted for him or
not. We are a nation that stands together and falls
together.
8
Miami Senior HIgh School The Miami High Times Times December 2008 86th Year, No.2 M
Uniforms: Do we really have a choice? Economy going
By Gary Porto
“What to wear? What to wear?” Miami
High students don’t have the choice to
wear what they want. We, like many other
schools, have to wear uniforms. Are they
really that bad?
The MHS school uniform consists of
navy blue or khaki pants as well as jeans.
The shirts are navy blue, white, or gold
polo’s. On special days students are also
allowed club shirts or school-approved Tshirts.
According to Miami-Dade County’s Public
School System website, www.dadeschools.
net, out of 47 high schools, 25 of them don’t
require uniforms, and the other 22 schools
do. Some schools that don’t require uniforms
make students wear school colors.
According to some students, they are
a good solution to the “What to wear?”
question. “I don’t even think about what to
wear. It’s already picked out for me,” said
sophomore Rafael de la Torre, “and I sure
do save a lot of money.”
Generally, students question why we have
to wear uniforms. It is primarily done as
a matter of safety. If a student enters the
building without a uniform, that person does
not belong in the building and will stand
out.
When walking around the halls and the
topic of uniforms is brought up, many
students oppose them. Freshmen Jose Diaz
says, “Uniforms are wack. We should be
able to express ourselves the way we like. I
hate being told what to wear!”
Whether students like uniforms or not,
they are a great, safe idea that saves a lot
of time and money. Certainly, there are also
a few downsides about uniforms. They are
boring, and you are always going to see the
same thing every day. Uniforms also don’t
let students be diverse and show the way
they are and the way they dress.
English teacher Ms.Sierra, says, “I wish
my kids had uniforms when they went to
school. I would have saved a lot of money.
Editor-in-chief:
Richard Bazails
Times
Times is the official publication
of Miami Senior high school.
Opinions expressed on the
editorial page do not necessarily
reflect the viewpoints of the
school.
Times welcomes readers’
opinions on all topics. All letters
must be signed. The editors and
the editorial board reserve the
right to reject, edit, or shorten
letters. All letters should be
turned in to Dr. DeNight in room
328.
Editorial Board
2450 SW 1st Street
Miami, FL 33135
(305)-649-9800, ext. 2262
When I worked at an elementary school,
even I wore uniforms.”
Many teachers agree with uniforms and
how they are used amongst students. A lot
of teachers like how wearing uniforms stops
students from wearing vulgar and offensive
clothing.
MHS School Uniform
TOPS:
Navy Blue, Gold or White Polo’s
Block (Combination of Navy & Gold)
Team or School Approved T-Shirts
BOTTOMS:
Navy Blue, Khaki or Jeans
Skirts/Skorts-No Shorter than 4” above
the knees
Bermuda Shorts (To Knees)
School Approved Bottoms
Capri’s
Source: Miami High School Flyer
Staff Writers
Katrina Aloma
Graphics Editors:
Danelia Barboza Yessica Ardila
Gina Denis
Maverick Assan
Gerardo Barrios
Layout Editors:
Kelly Chavez
Jean Bartolome
Carolina Navarro
Cindy Bobadilla
Sports Editor:
Jattie Branch
Karina Bermudez
Nikelle Chavarria
News Editor:
Manyi Chiang
Daniela Barboza
Ilsean Corea
Copy Editors:
Anthony DeMalas
Angelia Garcia
Jo-Lyn Dixon
Maribel Lucero
Mel Mejia
Yessenia Downs
Margarita Meshini
Mackenly Etienne
Melida Ortega
Joanna Ruffin
Jorge Euceda
Camila Venero
Yessenia Falla
Faculty Advisor Richmar Flores
Shawn DeNight
Narilla Fraga
Tanyi Garcia
Daxel Gonzalez
Glenda Gonzalez
Jennifer Gonzalez
Franklin Hernandez
William Hernandez
Alexandra Jaime
Kenneth Jimenez
John Lara
Carine Lecomte
Carlos Mantilla
Robert Martinez
Ernesto Milia
Daniel Molina
Jeffrey Molina
Yara Morales
Orlando Padron
Gary Porto
Stephanie Perez
Uriel Perez
Emily Quintero
Miguel Reyes
Gabriela Rodriguez
Ralph Rodriguez
Jorge Rovirosa
Elizabeth Saavedra
Frank Sangineto
Cynthia Shogreen
Stephanie Tamayo
Nelson Tejeda
John Torres
Joel Vila
Ibrain Zirini
DOW the tube!
By Gerardo Barrios
B
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for these
h
past months, you know that the global economy
m
has been fluctuating at an alarming rate. A pieces
of advice for those who have been living under ae
rock: Sell! It’s only a matter of time before rocksw
will be practically worthless.
s
Now, rather than coming together to solve this
economic crisis, Republicans and Democratsa
have just been sitting around in Washingtona
pointing fingers at each other. The Democrats
say it’s the Republicans fault for dragging ther
United States into the Iraq War. The Republicanst
say it’s because the Democrats love trees and Alt
Gore. With all of this back and forth pointlessd
bickering, it’s obvious nothing’s getting done.a
l
This is where I step in.
w
So the Democrats and Republicans can’t solve
b
a problem, big surprise. To put everyone at ease,m
I’ll fix this entire mess. This entire crisis, as we
know, comes from the news media, so could thed
solution simply be to bomb news stations? What’sw
the last positive story they’ve covered? No, let’ss
not do that. It might seem inhumane to some,a
especially in the news stations with endangeredM
a
pandas inside of them.
I’ve got it. We still have a fun president inr
office. He declared a war against terrorism, anda
we haven’t been attacked. Well, we have been
terrorized, but that’s just because homelessd
people are scary. So since the economy is ap
c
bunch of random numbers that appear from
nowhere, we can make the president declare
a war on numbers! Wait, but that means that
anyone associated with numbers in any way willB
be put on a suspect list. That’ll also mean that
thousands of math teachers will be out of a job
and on the street, forcing them to become scarys
s
homeless people. What have I done?
Let us delve into plan C. Perhaps, the U.S.w
government can annex Canada and Mexicos
to save the billions of dollars it would take toc
build the border fence to keep these Canadians
and Mexicans out. That way, we can possess the“
magical traits that make both Canada and Mexicor
unique and great in their own way. We’ll getw
universal healthcare from Canada and universalr
w
explosive diarrhea from Mexico.
d
Wait a minute! That plan might actually work.
I don’t know how it would help the economy in
i
any way, but it must fix something, right? Well, I
l
honestly don’t know what’s best for the economy,j
but this country was founded by a group ofs
intelligent, rich wig-wearers who knew exactlyh
how to keep their money, so I’m sure that we cany
all just sit back and…Oh, there goes the DOW. J
Miami Senior HIgh School
The Miami High Times
December 2008
HOW TO BE A 21ST CENTURY
GENTLEMAN
By Mackenly Etienne
What is a G…………Entleman? Is it his swagger “walking with
high confidence”? The way he dresses? Or is it the way he acts that
makes him a true G? Now, I ask you, what is a modern day G? It
seems like he has been broken-down, kicked in the dirt, or maybe
even destroyed. Can you blame it on young ladies of today’s
world, television, or maybe even the parents? Whoever’s fault it is,
something’s going wrong and we need to fix it.
Some people may say that the modern day G is dead, but I guarantee
after reading this article, you can find the inner gentleman in you,
and then you can join me in saying, “Long live the gentleman!!!”
Different people may have different opinions on what a gentleman
really is. According to Mr. Perez, business and entrepreneurship
teacher, a gentleman is someone who respects women for
the essence that they are and what they represent as mothers,
daughters, and partners. Ms. Garcia, assistant principal, stated that
a gentleman is someone that opens doors, sends flowers, and treats
ladies with respect, and someone who is not chauvinistic towards
women. She also believes that a gentleman’s body language is a
big deal because people can read it; it sends a good or even a bad
message.
Mr. Valdes, assistant principal, agrees with gentlemen opening
doors, behaving well, and supporting their significant other with
whatever needs she has. Ms. Baumgarten, the yearbook teacher,
states a gentleman is someone who is kind to children, is clean
and a well-kept person, and someone you can tell secrets too.
dMr. Ballard, the 5000 Role Model Sponsor, says a gentleman is
an individual who is well mannered, courteous and soft spoken,
respectful of others and himself, who knows how to treat females
dand is considerate of others’ feelings.
When it comes to dressing, Mr. Perez feels a gentleman should
dress like a professional. Mr. Valdes feels differently because
people have their own unique style, so he feels there is not just a
certain way to dress, but he feels that it should be presentable for
wherever you are going.
The way a gentleman should behave suggests that chivalry should
not be dead even if the parents of today’s kids are not teaching it.
Ms. Garcia states chivalry is not dead, but it’s just not as common
as it use to be. Mr. Ballard feels chivalry is not dead because he
still sees chairs being pulled out and gentlemen allowing young
ladies to walk in first. Mr. Perez feels a gentleman should be very
chivalrous with the ladies by opening their doors, pulling out their
seats and paying for the bill at a restaurant.
In my opinion, the first step to being a gentleman is to have
self-respect because if you can’t respect yourself, then you can’t
respect anyone else. Hygiene is another important factor. The
starting point itself is the cologne, which should give a positive
reaction. You should get samples, and use them for a day. The right
cologne will make people enjoy being around you, and you should
receive good comments about it. But remember the scent should
not be suffocating or undetectable.
“OMG!!!!! You really need to do something with that hair of
yours seriously it’s just ridiculous.” That statement leads to another
important part of being a true “G”: hygiene, which is not only
taking a bath, brushing your teeth, or having the right cologne; it is
also keeping yourself together by getting trimmed.
Jean Hyppolite, a senior states, “I go to Severe Barbershop, and
a lot of customers there keep their hair really short. They come in
once a week. You don’t even notice their hair is cut sometimes
because it always looks the same. I love that!!” This suggests that
the lazy guy waits too long and gets statements from everyone
around school such as “You finally cut your hair,” or “It’s about
time you cut that thing.” So you should go more frequently.
When it comes to dressing, a gentleman should know that the
clothes do not make the man, but he should know the power of
dressing for the occasion. No matter what your certain style may
be, you should just make sure that it is clean and appealing, because
everyone has his own style. As long as it fits your own particular
style, then it is OK. So always remember the way a gentleman
86th Year, No.2
9
Being a Gentleman of the 21st Century
•
Hygiene is not only taking a bath, brushing your
teeth, or having the right cologne. It also means
keeping yourself together by getting trimmed.
•
When it comes to dressing, a gentleman should
know that the clothes don’t make the man, but
he should know the power of dressing for the
occasion. The way a gentleman dresses allows
him to make a statement without saying a word.
•
The Art of Conversation is getting to know the
person. It’s purpose is to draw a person out so
that they feel comfortable with you and you are
able to know them as an individual.
dresses allows him to make a statement without saying a word.
Chivalry is important in being a gentleman. It doesn’t mean you
have to stand up every time your date goes to the bathroom, but it
does mean you should listen to her every time she has something
to say, and this, in my opinion, leads to the most important rule in
being a gentleman, The Art of Conversation.
Knowing how to hold a conversation is very important. It can
either make or break a gentleman. So always be able to hold a
conversation especially with a young lady and when you do, DO
NOT objectify. You should only be looking into her eyes and you
should be able to look into her eyes and be able to feel her and her
voice. By looking into her eyes, you give her the ability to draw
herself out so that she feels comfortable with you to know that you
care about her and what she has to say.
So now you should have a basic understanding of what a true “G”
really is. It’s YOU. You might have to change your perspective on
things in life. I myself am not a true “G”, but I am in training. I
am slowly learning, and so can you. You can use my article as a
starting guide.
THE TRUE 21ST CENTURY YOUNG LADY
t
By Jattie Branch
t
What is the definition of a true young lady? Does
she walk with her hands on her hips swaying from
side to side or does she hold her head up high and
walk with such grace that everybody stops and
stares? Both, in my opinion, are examples of a
classy 21st Century young lady.
First, according to R&B singer Mary J. Blige,
“You have to demand respect and you’ll get
respect, but be prepared to give respect.” Young
twomen, don’t you want to be respected? Having
respect for yourself means carrying yourself
with a good attitude and showing others that you
deserve respect.
Second, young ladies, the way you dress is very
important. Nowadays, ladies are either dressing
like boys or exposing themselves by wearing tight
jeans and shirts that reveal their cleavage. You
fsee, a classy 21st Century young lady shouldn’t
have to do all that. When you dress, make up
your own style. Don’t always follow the crowd.
Just do you. We are all built differently, yet we
all have something special about us that makes
us unique. Some people have a winning smile
or beautiful eyes; whatever you have make that
known to everyone.
Now let’s forget physical appearance for a
moment and instead of flaunting our bodies, let’s
flaunt our knowledge. When we are in public,
remember we must remember that we represent
not only ourselves but our elders.
Along those lines, what comes out of our
mouths reflects who we are. It seems that many
young women have developed potty mouths.
They curse out each other and call each other
“hoes”. Why would anyone want to be called a
whore? Young ladies, we are more valuable than
that. Let’s leave the potty language in the gutter
and elevate our speech. There is nothing wrong
with speaking properly and pronouncing each
word. There is also nothing wrong with using
an advanced vocabulary; it makes us sound full
of intelligence. When we speak, we should speak
as though our grandmas were sitting right next
to us, asking ourselves would they appreciate
that kind of language. However, intelligence and
diction are not enough. You also have to act like
a young lady by having poise and grace.
Socializing with the opposite sex may seem
like an impossible task for a true young lady,
but with the right attitude and confidence, you
can probably get any guy you want. Just make
sure to be yourself around a guy and not act like
someone you are not. Make sure that special
person is someone you are comfortable with and
someone who is going to respect you by investing
time and effort in getting to know you.
In closing, remember that being lady-like is not
dead. As I watch women such as the soon-to-be
First Lady Michelle Obama and actress Catherine
Zeta Jones and singer Gloria Estefan and the way
they move and talk and smile, I say to myself,
“Now those are classy 21st Century women.”
When they walk, everyone stops and stares. Not
because they show all their cleavage (which they
don’t) or because they use provocative or profane
language. They could say nothing and every eye
Instead of flaunting our bodies, let’s
flaunt our knowledge.
Don’t always follow the crowd. Just
do you.
Society might make us think that being
lady-like is dead. It is not dead; it is
alive and breathing
would still be on them. Why? Because they have
their own style and respect themselves. They
have a confidence about them that a lot of today’s
young women do not.
Society might make us think that being lady-like
is dead. It is not dead; it is alive and breathing,
and every young female developing into a
young woman should respect herself enough to
understand that because we are all beautiful.
10
Miami Senior HIgh School The Miami High Times
Ur bag, Ur style!
By Angelia Garcia
They’re
pink, and
blue, or green,
and purple.
They can be
packed with
books, folders,
pens, and
MAC makeup, Victoria
Secret body This photo is from www.
splashes and JanSport.com
your favorite
Bubbalicious
gum. They can hang tight and snug off
your back or off one arm loose and fitted.
Yes, girls, I’m talking about the backpacks
and handbags that we carry everyday to
school.
“OMG I’m so wearing my Abercrombie
tote tomorrow!” You’ve probably heard
this come out of many girls’ mouths loads
of times. When it comes to school and
styles, girls try any way to make something
look a little less “school-ish.” Kimberly
Acantara, a sophomore, said, “I prefer
handbags because they are prettier and
comfier.” Casey Levin, a freshman who
is new to this school, from Brazil, said
everything is so different, yet in school
over there styles are comparable. “I prefer
a cute handbag to go with my shoes and
accessories, she said.”
Styles in Miami High vary in many
ways whether you’re rockin’ a handbag
with fifty colors and a studded peace sign
imprinted on it, or carrying a plain WalMart backpack.
Nevertheless, not
all MHS students
like handbags!
Jessica Lorre, a
sophomore, thinks
that backpacks
are way cuter
especially since
they have
This photo is from
different styles
www.JanSport.com
besides the plain
Jansports. Look
at Billabongs as
an example. Jessy
Ruiz, a sophomore,
prefers a backpack,
because she believes
you can look cute
in school and still
be comfortable. She
has a pink and green
Roxy backpack with
a splash of turquoise
and leopard print.
She said she has
gotten thousands of
compliments on how
awesome it looks.
“Whatever type
of bag you want to
rock, make sure you
rock it right and with
style,” said senior
Jacqueline Cid. “It
doesn’t matter if it’s
too big or too small
for someone else.
All that matters is
that it looks great
on you. Have fun
with your style and
December 2008 86th Year, No.2
PROS
Handbags
CONS
Not enough pockets B
for anything, bag
usually becomes a
mess
2. Shoulder straps
are usually never
cushioned
3. Break faster
1.
1. In-style
2. Less heavier
3. Comfortable and
you can switch
straps when
your tired.
Bookbags
PROS
1. Shoulder straps, most
cushioned
CONS
1. too big
p
2. Waist belt to stabilize
pack and transfer weight
to the hips
2. not unique
3. ugly
3. Multiple pockets for cell
phones, keys, calculators
etc…
B
the Latest Fashion at MHS: animal print
By Anthony deMalas
you buy it at stores such as Urban Outfitters,
Pac Sun, and Up against the Wall, you can
If you observe the students of Miami High also buy it in local fabric stores or in thrift
carefully, you’ll notice something that many shops. Animal print comes in different
have in common, animal print. Students colors and it also can be placed on different
have it on their belts,
articles of clothing
sweaters, shoes, and even
such as belts, shoes,
in their hair!
and sweaters.
Animal print is a special
By now you think
design that is found on an
you can’t go wrong
animal’s coat. Some types
with animal print but
of animal print are zebra,
not everyone has the
giraffe, leopard, cheetah,
same mindset.
raccoon, and peacock.
MHS has its share
Why do students like it?
of animal print lovers
Freshman Genesis Duarte
as well as its haters.
This photo fromFindgift.com
said, “It’s affordable
“Animal print is
and it looks nice in
tacky and boring
moderation.” Senior Treniese Stubbs said, and it doesn’t make sense why someone
“I like animal print because I love animals would wear that,” said freshman Gabriela
and the fact that I’m not using real animal Salmeron. Freshman Valeria Torres said,
fur.”
“It’s not ugly, but it isn’t something I’d
Another reason why students like it is due wear”.
to its availability and variety. Not only can
Now before you go and buy your animal
print gear, let’s make sure it’s a worthy
investment. MHS fashion teacher Ms.Trelles
said, “Animal prints are a part of American
culture and are a part of all American
designers’ lines. Despite the fact that their
uber trendy amongst teens at the moment,
they’ve always been around and are here to
stay.”
However, Gabriela Salmeron said, “I don’t
think it’s here to stay because it’s tacky and
people are going to realize it sooner or
later.”
This photo is from www.findgift.com
Quiz Time!
1. Name 3 types of
animal print.
2. Where can you
buy animal print
clothing and
things?
3. Name one of the
reasons why students
don’t like animal print.
b
4. What is animal print
used in and what age
group finds it most trendy
according to the fashion
p
teacher?
Miami Senior HIgh School
The Miami High Times
December 2008
11
86th Year, No.2
Catching zzz’s:Nap Time at Miami High
By Maribel Lucero
Copy editor
“No sleeping in Miami High!” Every
student in Miami High has heard this
announcement, but how many of them have
actually listened to it?
It seems as if every week there are students
caught sleeping in class. The reason? Lack
of sleep seems to be an obvious answer, but
not the only possibility. Some students are
all too eager to blame it on school work and
their part-time jobs.
Social studies teacher Ms. Waters said,
“One of two things: either they’re bored,
or they don’t understand the material. They
zone out.”
Boredom is the reason one student, who
prefers to remain anonymous, falls asleep
in his classes. Even with six to ten hours of
sleep each night, staying awake is just too
hard for him in Algebra 2 and chemistry.
The surprising part is that he is actually
and get into trouble. When
he goes home, he takes a
nap and spends two hours
on homework everyday.
With three AP classes
(Calculus, Environmental,
and English), he needs all
the rest he can get.
Freshman Maria Rias
goes to bed at 12:30 a.m.
after two full hours of
homework and wakes up
at 5:00 a.m. She considers
photo from//www.fotosearch.com
her classes challenging
passing those classes with B’s.
and time-consuming, but she never falls
Business teacher Ms. Branch believes that asleep in class. To stay awake, she chews
the reasons students sleep in class can vary: gum and tries to focus.
working late, lack of sleep, boredom, or
Gary Porto, a sophomore, wakes up early,
even sickness.
goes to school tired, attends football practice
David Vargas, a junior, never sleeps in until late in the afternoon, arrives home, and
any of his classes although he does get sleeps for seven hours. Homework only
tempted. His secret is to sit in the front of the takes half an hour of his time each night, but
classroom so he won’t fall into temptation he states that football practice affects him.
The first two blocks of the school day are
where he gains his energy by taking a nap.
When their students are asleep in class,
most teachers wake them up with a warning
instead of sending them straight to CSI.
Social studies teacher Ms. Seale states that
she would just wake up the student without
lectures.
The principal’s thought on the subject?
“There is no excuse for falling asleep in
class,” states Dr. Tosado.
Students don’t seem to understand just
how important sleep is and how much it
impacts their daily lives. According to the
website for the U.S. Center for Disease
Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.
gov/features/sleep/), adolescents require at
least eight and a half hours of sleep each
night to be well rested while adults typically
need at least seven hours. The hours of sleep
vary from person to person and change as
they grow older.
MySpace, OurSpace, or YourSpace
By Gina Denis
Graphics Editor
“LOL WTF?! No way, I have to go check
that on MySpace!” Thousands of teenagers
say that every minute of every day. Gossip
has taken a turn and gone from word of
mouth to word of mouse.
Social networking sites such as MySpace
and Facebook have taken over teens’ social
lives. Before people used to call each other
on the phone, but now they are more likely
to go on a social network like MySpace to
get in contact with one another.
A junior who requested to remain
anonymous said that his girlfriend broke
up with him on MySpace before she told
him. “I was on her MySpace page and her
relationship status was ‘single’. The next day
she told me that we were over,” he said.
MySpace’s slogan is “A Place for Friends”,
but some people say that it is a place for
drama. According to senior Chris Candelario,
MySpace has caused drama between him
and his ex-girlfriend. “She used to look at
my comments and started to panic because
all these girls were commenting me on my
profile. So she was suspecting something
else,” he said.
My-Lingual (Source: www.urbandictionary.com)
MySpace Angle: When the camera is placed above your head at an angle to take a MySpace picture.
MySpace Celebrity: A person that is famous mostly or only because of being on MySpace. WARNING: DO NOT talk bad about these people because they have odd
little awestruck fans that will KILL YOU.
Tom: The man responsible for the monstrosity known as “MySpace”, owner and operator of said site, and consequently the man blamed every time MySpace is down.
Bulletin: ‘Announcements’ that you can send out and all your friends receive them. They sometimes contain quizzes with questions like “What is your ex’s dog doing
right now?” or “What do you think of butter knives?”
PC4PC: Casual way of asking for picture comments on social networking sites, with the understanding that you will return the favor, thus making both your profiles
- and yourselves - seem more popular.
MySpace has also caused problems with
sexual predators. Some consider that it is a
free for all for them to choose their pickings.
A senior who asked that she remain
anonymous stated that she was being stalked
by a 36 year old man and he knew just about
everything about her thanks to MySpace. “I
contacted MySpace and they banned him
from getting into my page at all,” she said.
Indeed, NewsCorp, the owners of MySpace,
spend a lot of time trying to protect their
members. According the article “Why
Parents Must Mind MySpace” posted April
5,2006 on the MSNBC website, writer Rob
Stafford reports that MySpace currently uses
1/3 of its workforce to take precautions on
people. They prohibit its users from posting
any content that is offensive, obscene or
displays nudity. Because of that, according
to the MySpace website, they delete about
25,000 profiles weekly that do not follow
the guidelines.
But MySpace isn’t all bad. Up and coming
bands can actually use it to promote and
start a fan base. Local band As the World
Weeps, formerly known as Ancient of
Days, (MySpace URL: myspace.com/
astheworldweeps) uses MySpace to promote
their music, advertise shows, and create a
steady fan base. Band member and Class
of 2007 alumnus David Briceno said, “It
has allowed us to reach a lot more people
than we could’ve ever imagined. If one guy
really likes us, he could tell his friend via a
bulletin, or if we want to promote a show, we
just post bulletins and ask fans of our band
to repost them. After that, it just spreads like
a wildfire.”
They sure have the right idea with
promoting on MySpace. According to the
website for ComScore Media Metrix (www.
comscore.com), a sales and marketing
company, an estimated 300 sites make up
the social network universe with MySpace
having 100 million users, growing 300,000
or so per day, while Facebook, which has
about 9.3 million users, is more popular
with college students.
12
Miami Senior HIgh School The Miami High Times
December 2008 86th Year, No.2
Twilight vs. Harry Potter
By Camila Venero
Harry Potter or Edward Cullen? Nine years
ago, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone hit
the book stores, and readers immediately fell
in love with the story about “The Boy Who
Lived.”
“I could hardly put it down when I first started
to read it,” said junior Danny Morales.
Seven books and five movies later, the series
has become a downright addiction. Emily Gonzalez, a junior, said, “The
series is intriguing because
author J.K. Rowling creates
a whole other world. Yet as
different as the characters
are from other people, they
still go through every day
teenage problems like love,
school, and friendships.”
In fact, according to the
website for Scholastic
Publishers (http://www.
scholastic.com/harrypotter/
books/author/), the Harry
Potter books have been distributed in over 200 countries and are translated into
67 languages. Furthermore,
according to the article
“Rowling Makes £5 Every Second” posted on
the British Broadcasting Corporation’s website
on June 2008, the book series has sold more
than 400 million copies.
However, rivalry has been lurking around the
corner for the past four years. The Twilight franchise was launched October 2005. In her article
“Twilight author’s teen fans have true love flowing through their veins,” posted on the Seattle
P.I. newspaper website on June 19, 2006 (http://
seattlepi.nwsource.com/books/275668_twilight29.html), Cecelia Goodnow reported, “The
first story captivated readers instantaneously and
earned a spot on the New York Times best seller
list in just two months time.” According to Advertising Age (http://www.advertisingage.com),
the book series has sold over 17 million copies,
a small amount compared to Harry Potter.
However, this doesn’t phase fans when
choosing favorites. Asked why Twilight was
a personal favorite over Harry Potter, senior
Dainny Ordoñez replied, “Besides the vampire
part, it’s more realistic. Bella (the main character) is more normal. She’s completely human,
someone I can easily relate to.” Karina Cabrera,
a junior, said, “It’s something new that catches
my attention because it relates more to teenage
reality.”
But which of the two will stand victorious
through the test of time? Harry Potter seems to
have more votes. Dainny Ordoñez said, “Harry
Potter is a more detailed story, and it’s a longer
series. And there are still a lot of people who
haven’t even finished reading the whole series
yet.”
Some MHS students, however,
believe that both will be legendary.
Edelma Zuniga, a junior, said, “I
think they will both be remembered
but by different readers.”
Others simply believe Twilight
doesn’t have what it takes to preserve its popularity. Karina Cabrera,
a junior, said, “Eventually something
better will come out and everyone
will forget Twilight.”
“People are only reading Twilight
now because everyone else is. It’s
kind of sad because people are only
reading it to be able to talk about
it. And they’re not appreciating the
literature,” said Emily Gonzalez.
Both book series will have films
released in less than a year. Harry
Potter and The Half-Blood Prince
(the 6th book) releases into theaters
ACROSS:
summer 2009. Twilight, the first
book of the series, hit the box office 2. Movie that was released November 21, 2008.
November 21, 2008.
“I was more excited about watch- 5. Author of the Twilight series.
ing the first movie from the Twilight 6. Author of the Harry Potter series.
series because I wanted to see how
they would bring the characters to
DOWN:
life. Besides, it was a whole new
experience since I had already seen 1. YEAR that Harry Potter’s next movie releases.
all the other Harry Potter films,” said 3. Main character in the Twilight series.
junior Amy Mayedo.
Whether or not Edward Cullen has 4. The Boy Who Lived.
overcome the popularity of the Harry
Potter phenomena is up to readers to Crossword puzzle created by Camila Venero using http://
decide. What we can be sure of now, www.puzzle-maker.com/CW
however, is that both have reached
sky high in literary history.
Life in school: Getting serious or getting distracted?
By Elizabeth Saavedra
Everyone complains about school nowadays:
“It’s so boring.” “It’s so whack.” “I hate school
so much.” “I want it to end already.” “I’m going
to skip.” “I don’t want to be here.” This is what
you hear throughout the halls. Other students,
however, actually see Miami Senior High as
their second home. For them, school is important and very significant, a wonderful experience. But even though most students attend
school every day, do they actually learn and take
school seriously?
Angel Reyes, a senior, said, “In Ms.G’s forensic science class, I learned to identify drugs.
Also I learned how to protect evidence and to
categorize drugs in schedule, from one to five,
one being the highest and five being the lowest.
This class interests me because Ms. G gives
lots of notes, but she keeps the class fun and
entertaining.”
Maria Archila, a freshman, said, in her
yearbook class, “I learned how to put pictures
in the yearbook.” Yearbook interests her most
“because it’s a place where I can freely express
myself,” she said.
“I’ve learned many things in JROTC like
marching how soldiers and military officials
do,” said sophomore Scarlett Caro. “I like
JROTC the most out of all my classes because
it’s cool and it interests me.”
Junior Carlos Mendoza said, “One thing I’ve
learned to do during my time in Miami High
this year is to make home pages and link them
together in my web design class.” However, the
class that he likes the most is marine science
with Mr. Upperco. “That class is never boring,
and it’s very interesting learning about the ocean
and its creatures. Plus Mr. Upperco is a great
teacher!” he said
Students also look forward to learning more
from school. “I would like to learn in my Spanish class how to write and spell in Spanish,” said
Angel Reyes.
“I would like to learn to become a better citizen,” said, Scarlet Caro.
“I would like to learn more about the French
culture,” said Maria Archila.
“I would like to learn how to take blood from
a patient in my EKG class before the year ends,”
stated Carlos Mendoza.
These students are serious about learning. “I
do take my classes seriously. I have been concentrating more in my classes and on homework
than last year,” said Angel Reyes. “I do take my
classes seriously by giving it my all, doing my
work, and taking notes,” said Carlos Mendoza.
For some students, being serious in class depends on the class. “If it’s an elective yes, and if
it’s a regular class no,” stated Maria Archila.
Learning isn’t always easy for students.
“When I find the class boring, because we don’t
do anything interesting, I slack off and start talking to my friend instead of paying attention,”
said Angel Reyes.
“Sometimes I don’t understand and don’t
want to ask questions because I’m going to look
like a dork, so my attention span gets short and
that’s what keeps me from learning,” said Maria
Archila.
“What keeps me from learning is when I get
distracted and get lost in my thoughts because
the class is so boring,” stated Carlos Mendoza.
Miami Senior HIgh School The Miami High Times
Cell Phone
December 2008 86th Year, No.2
Abuse
By Jennifer Gonzalez
“Hey, bob!”
“Hey, Billy!”
“How’s it going, Bob? I got a huge gossip to tell you! Like oh… “
Six hours later, Billy and Bob hang up. If you start talking in your cell phone and
six hours later you hang up, that is an example of cell phone abuse.
What is cell phone abuse? Cell phone abuse is when you use your phone 24/7 to
talk, to text, to use the internet, or to do anything else that you can think of when
using your phone.
You are in a class, and a second after the teacher turns around to write something
in the board, you take out your phone and start texting. This is another example of
cell phone abuse. If the teacher sees you and asks you to put your cell phone away,
would you put it on vibrate or turn it off? Sophomore Manuel Alviarez said that he
would turn it off because if the teacher is giving him a chance to correct his mistake,
he would take it.
Assistant principal Ms. Mendez said that when students get their cell phones
taken away, in order to get the cell phone back, parents need to come to the school,
and 24 hours after your parents come, is when you can get your cell phone back.
Ms. Mendez also said that the most cell phones that she has taken away in one day
have been 8, usually during lunch time, and in such places as the bathroom and
cafeteria.
One disadvantage of abusing the cell phone is that you lose focus. For example, if
you were in your car, then using your phone is a distraction while driving. Manuel
Alviarez states if the police see you talking in your phone and driving at the same
time, you will earn a fine. Dianny Inigo, a senior, agrees with that law because the
phone distracts you, and following the law will cause fewer accidents.
Asked how they feel when they leave their cell phones at home, senior Jose
Cardona says he feels like something is missing. Dianny Inigo added that when she
forgets her cell phone at home, it is like her whole life stays in her house.
You thought senior year would be a
breeze? You thought you were going
to be ‘chillin’ in the classrooms having
free time? Hate to break it to you, but
once you’re sitting in the auditorium
listening to all the administrators and
counselors talk about deadlines, you
instantly feel overwhelmed, and dare
-I say it…stressed.
Most seniors instantly begin the school
year completing college applications,
doing homework, raising up GPAs ,
bumping up class ranks, completing
community service projects, and
paying countless amounts of money,
all of which have specific deadlines.
Not every student stresses their senior
year, but many do. Valerie Perret says,
“It’s been stressful because of the
classes I chose to get for my senior
year such as three medical classes,
pre-calculus, and AP literature. Then
the application process for college
and the SAT and ACT tests have all
bundled up together. Add to that, that
I’m service VP for Interact, and I’m
also handling band. It has all been a
challenge for me.”
Senior Hassan De Jesus says, “I’ve
been stressing mostly because of all
the rush. They make it seem like we
have enough time, but we don’t. We
need time for recommendation letters,
and we need time to order transcripts
too.”
Paying for senior year can also
be stressful. Dainny Ordoñez says,
“Money has been stressing me out the
most right now. All this money better
be worth it because is a lot!” Valerie
Too
much
Texting!
By Ralph Rodriguez
www.fotosearch.com
Cell Phone Plans
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CINGULAR
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Senior Year: A time to rest or stress?
.By Yessica Ardila
13
Perret adds “I think it’s a lot of money
required all at once, especially during
our economic crisis. It’s hard to meet
all the expenses on time. We should
have a layaway plan.” Ms. Halley the
CAP counselor said, “I think in the
current financial situation that we’re
in, everyone is stressed about money.”
Senior Deyris Alvarez, on the
other hand, says “It’s not stressful
at all for me because I don’t have a
math or science class, and even if I
did, I probably wouldn’t stress that
either.” She recommends to enjoy
life, especially your senior year. “It’s
meant to be sweet; enjoy it.” Another
stress free senior, Ronal Urivazo, said,
“Honestly, if you don’t want to spend
money, then don’t join clubs, and if
you’re still wasting money, then check
your finances, save up, and do part
time jobs.”
Ms. Halley has her own advice to
deal with the stress: Start early, keep
focused, and break tasks down into
parts so that you can accomplish
something every day.
And for future seniors, Valerie Perret
advises, “Organize yourself; deadlines
may arrive sooner than expected.”
Seniors expense checklist:
College Application fees
Clubs and organizations
Homecoming dance
Prom
Grad Night
Senior Pictures
Class of 09 Big picture
(Beep) “Who’s cell phone was that?”
the teacher asks. Cell phones are a
big problem concerning high schools,
especially the constant texting. A text
message is any short, electronicallytransmitted written message, especially
those sent to a handheld device such as
a pager, PDA, or cell phone.
According to SCSI instructor Mr.
Ballard, about 25 cell phones are
confiscated weekly at Miami High.
“I think that’s a lot of phones, and the
best solution is having the students
leave their phones at home,” he said.
“Sometimes I even get the same
students’ phones more than once in the
same week.”
Senior Regla Cuan, a professional
texter, has been caught texting before.
“It’s horrible being the rest of a school
day without my phone, and then
having my mother come get it the
following day.”
How do students get away with this
kind of behavior during school time?
Starting Miami High quarterback Dalis
Ruane, a junior, says it’s all about
being sneaky. “My personal favorite
strategy is holding it behind the back
of the person sitting in front of me, and
there’s no way to get caught if you stay
sneaky,” he said.
Why is text messaging preferred
during school? “It is so much easier
texting during class than calling,” says
junior Luis Sanchez. “And the thing
with text is that I can say whatever I
feel like and not have to worry about
the reaction of the person.”
Too much texting might sometimes
result in negative consequences. “The
one negative effect of texting on
my school work would be the lack
of paying attention in class,” said
Chris Vindas, a senior who tends to
doze off in class to his own world of
“textology.”
American Government teacher Mr.
Owen says, “I don’t think texting has
an effect on student life, but it can
possibly affect the way students spell
on class work.”
14
Miami Senior HIgh School The Miami High Times December 2008
Best Friends VS. Backstabbers
Photo from dkbway.blogspot.com
By Yara Morales
Have you had a best friend? Maybe you did,
but do you really know what a best friend is?
According to the website Dictionary.com, a best
friend is the closest person you feel attached to by
feelings of affection or personal regard, someone
you trust like no other.
But did you know that a “best friend” could
someday turn into a backstabber, which,
according to Dictionary.com, is someone that
attempts to harm your reputation by underhanded
means, as insinuation, accusation, or the like.
In many friendships, friend can turn into a
backstabber when you least expect it. During
your teenage years is when it is known to occur
more often because you get attached to people
too often.
Don’t you wonder why some people don’t trust
others? People have trust issues because they
probably have gone through a situation when
someone they trusted very dearly turned their
backs on them.
Senior Ofelia Gonzalez says, “It’s hard to trust
people because there’s always another side to
them, and you never know what they are capable
of doing with the trust you offer to them.”
By Joel Vila
Junior Melody Pinto shared her story of how a
so called “best friend” backstabbed her. “There
was this girl, she was talking stuff behind my
back to her cousin,” Melody said, “because I was
talking to him. She thought I wouldn’t find out,
but I did, and I called her to see what was going
on and why she did that. To this point I still don’t
speak to her.”
Sophomore Yvette Mora said when she
was going out with her ex-boyfriend, his exgirlfriend started calling her names, but she
never did anything when she was face to face
with her, and now the ex is back with him, but
Yvette doesn’t care anymore, because now she
has a better boyfriend that has no drama and no
backstabbing.
Sophomore Maximo Negron said, “I had a close
friend and at the time I had a girlfriend which I
liked a lot, but we got into an argument and broke
up. I thought we were going to get back together,
but my supposed to be best friend went out with
1.
her two days after our break up. It really hurt my
feelings because they were both people I really
cared for.”
Backstabbers are everywhere. Someone that you
least expect might get into an argument with
you and out of nowhere, you notice other people
talking about you and saying things you never
wanted anyone to know.
Personally, I believe to consider someone a best
friend, you need to have known that person for a
long time, and you need to know as much about
them as they know about you. If you let anyone
into your personal life, you don’t know what they
might end up doing with all the things they know
about you. I’ve had personal experiences when
a friend told things about me to somebody else,
so that person wouldn’t be my friend anymore.
There are rumors always going around, but you
should never let them get to you because they
might be as fake as the person who said them.
What is a best friend?
A. The closest person you feel attached to by feelings of affection or personal
regard.
B. The friend you have known the longest
C. Someone who backstabbed you
2. What is a backstabber?
A. A good friend that’s always there for you
B. Someone that attempts to harm the reputation of a (person) by
underhanded means, as insinuation, accusation, or that like.
C. Your best friend
3. Is it hard to find a best friend?
A. Yes
B. No
C. It depends on who you get to know
Office Moocher’s Depot
“Hey man, what’s up?” asks Kattie.
“Not much... Hey, by any chance do
you have a sheet of paper and a pen I can
borrow?” replies Walter.
“Yeah, I do, hold on... *Sigh*”
Annoyed much? Maybe. Students at
MHS who have school supplies get bugged
a lot. Sophomore Walter Sotomayor said, “I
get asked 10 to 20 times a week for paper.
Honestly, it doesn’t bother me that my peers
need school supplies, but at times it gets
annoying.” Jose Pastor, a sophomore, said,
“It’s an everyday trend that I get asked for
school supplies. The bad thing is that it’s
like a no-return-the-favor policy.”
What happens when it goes overboard? “I
get asked a whole mess of times. I even run
out of paper by just being generous. Though
I get happy helping someone that’s willing
to learn, when they throw it on the ground, it
just really grinds my gears,” said freshman
Andy Rodriguez.
Some students don’t get annoyed, believe
it or not. “It doesn’t have an affect on me,”
says sophomore Annette Dominguez. “As I
long as I have for myself, I’m OK. I see it
as a favor and not an abuse.” She also said
that when she lends her pens or pencils out,
she expects them back, and she makes sure
she does.
Should there be a limit on giving out
school supplies? Junior Martha Lacayo
said no. As long as she has for herself, she
would give, she said.
Students may ask for school supplies, but
does it disrupt the teachers’ classes? Legal
magnet program teacher Ms. Ubiera said,
“Yes, it does. Students start going crazy
asking people for things. I’m disappointed
at those students that don’t come to school
prepared.” Math teacher Mr. BrBorich,
however, is not disturbed by it. “Teachers
just have to pick their battles,” he said.
86th Year, No.2
Dear
Dr.Sting
Need help!? Having troubles with your
boyfriend or girlfriend? Having issues with
your family? Any type of advice that you
need, Dr. Sting is here!
The Miami High Times is offering a new
way to give advice to Miami High students.
It’s like a Dear Abby column except it has
a new name: Dear Dr. Sting. Dr. Sting is
a professional counselor who has offered
to answer any questions or clear up any
doubts if a student needs help.
If you are interested in submitting a
problem, there will be a mailbox in the
Student Services Department (room
128). Any student who has any type of
troubles could write a letter and insert it
anonymously in the box. The letters will
be collected every week. Letter writers will
remain anonymous.
Starting next issue in February 2009, your
questions could be answered by Dr. Sting
and be published in the school newspaper.
If you have a serious issue and would
like help immediately, you can add your
ID number in the letter so that Dr. Sting
could call down for you and speak to you
privately.
You can start writing letters as soon as you
want, and depending how many letters we
get, we will try to respond to all of them.
No matter what the case is, Dr. Sting is
ready to help! (By Tanyi Garcia)
e
m
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baseball cards&comics
posters&photographs
figurines&dolls
entertainment memorabilia
classic music (LPs&45s)
277 Miracle Mile (upstairs)
Coral Gables, FL 33134
786-493-5399
www.emaginnation@gmail.com
Miami Senior HIgh School The Miami High Times December 2008
Girls
Basketball
Wrestling
Boys
Basketball
The Miami High’s boy basketball
team currently has a record of 1-1.
They won against Miami Springs, but
lost against Hialeah Miami Lakes.
According to Coach Carreno, top
performers have been senior Julian
Vasquez and freshman Willie Walker.
The basketball team will play two
tournaments during Christmas break:
one at Coral Springs and another
in Las Vegas where they will be
playing against two nationally ranked
teams.(by Orlando Padron)
The girls basketball team is looking
fresh this year, says Coach Boozer
Baumgarten. With many top players
such as senior Aliesh Roman and
juniors Keyondra Duncomb, Alexis
Arechigo and Tynes Bradshaw, Coach
Boozer is looking forward to a great
season. So far, they have a perfect
record. They beat Lasalle 61-20,
Miami Springs 48-27 and Hialeah
Miami Lakes 51-16. Boozer believes
that the team has a good chance of
making it to the state championships
this year. (By Daniela Barboza)
Boys
The boy’s soccer team has started
out well this season with a winning
record of 7-1. The team has a total of
33 goals, led by key players Carlos
Linares and Mario Almendarez, both
seniors. “I am sure we are going to
regionals again this year and I’m sure
we’re going to kick butt,” says Coach
Sabando. (by Ralph Rodriguez)
Baseball
Baseball coach Mr. Suarez reports that tryouts will be held in mid January, but
only students who have been contributing to the team will be eligible to try out.
By contributing, he means that the students meet the mark of a 2.4 GPA, have
been going out to condition with the team since day one, and have helped to
fundraise. (By Frank Sangineto)
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport in which players hit a birdie or shuttle back and
forth over the net. It features one player opposing another or competing pairs. The
object is to hit the birdie past the opponent so it lands on the court, or to get the
opposition to make a mistake and hit the birdie into the net or outside the court.
The first player or pair to score 15 points wins the game, and the first to win two
games wins the set. Are you interested in playing? Coach Hall will begin try-outs
in late February, and the season begins in early March. According to Hall, the
team should be looking good this year with a couple of seniors returning. If you
are interested, see Coach Hall in the gym after school. (By Daniela Barboza)
Swim team
Coach Tornillo reports that in November junior swimmers Catherine Leyton
and Eloise Nieto both advanced to regionals in the 500 meter and 100 meter
freestyle. Senior Karina Rico-Arango also advanced in the 1 meter diving
competition. (By Cindy Bobadilla)
MHS wrestler Victor Guerrero
goes for the pin againts his
teammate during practice.
Junior Alexis Arechigo goes
up for a jumpshot.
86th Year, No.2
15
The MHS wrestling team, coached
by science teacher Mr. Luis Gonzalez
and his brother Andy Gonzalez,
opened their season with a 4-2 record.
According to Coach Luis, some of
the top wresters on the team are
seniors Kevin “The Goose” Guzman,
Jonathan “J.K.” Kocijancic, Alexander
Lopez, Ronnie Thompson, and Larry
Williams. The “mat men” will be
attending various tournaments in the
month of December, including one
in Orlando from December 17th to the
21st. Their next big home match will
be January 7th against the Braddock
Bulldogs. (by Yessenia Downs)
Soccer
Water Polo
The water polo team has started their preseason conditioning. The season begins
on February 24th against Braddock. If you’re interested in being part of the water
polo team, visit Coach Tornillo in room 142. (By Cindy Bobadilla)
Softball
The softball team has been preparing themselves for their first game in February.
Returning players from last year are Danelia Barboza, Daniela Barboza, Danielle
Bonilla, Olivia Ruiz, Ashley Regalado, Vivian Chacon, and Dina Cajina. Softball
coach Ms. Garcia has already chosen dedicated girls to work with in order to
improve their game. Practices are right after school on the softball field. If you
are interested in joining the softball team, contact Ms.Garcia in room 221. (By
Danelia Barboza)
Senior Wandy Saintilien goes
for the layup during a game
here in the Asylum.
Girls
Mr.Waugaman is very proud of his
girl’s soccer team. A few injuries have
occurred to some of the star players
that have caused some difficulties for
the girls, but they continue to work
hard to stay on top. Their record so far
is 2-3-1. They lost to Miami Springs,
Hialeah and Hialeah Miami Lakes.
They beat Miami Central and Miami
Northwestern, They tied Miami Beach.
He said that all the practice is paying
off. (By Nikelle Chavarria)
Football
Coach Welsh, the head coach for varsity football team, reports that workouts
for the spring will begin on January 20th. The final record for the ’08 season was
4-6 and 2-3 in district play. The official practices for the ’09 season will begin
in May. Players that have not played any sports this year will need physicals in
order to practice with the team. The team will be working hard with the help of
two new coaches that will likely be added to the coaching staff. In the spring
jamboree game, the Stingarees will play an unfamiliar opponent, West Broward
Senior High. (By Kenneth Jimenez)
Boys Volleyball
According to athletic director Mr. Nguyen, the Miami High’s boy’s volleyball
team has no coach; however, the team is scheduled to start conditioning in
January and begin the season in February. See Mr. Nguyen in room 175 if you
are interested in joining the team. (By Uriel Perez)
Golf
Although the golf season is over, Mr. Upperco, the club advisor, is accepting
anyone willing to join, specifically freshmen and sophomores. Try outs are in
February. Although golf may look boring, Mr. Upperco states that once you
play, you’re hooked. “If you don’t know how to play golf, you miss out in the
business world.” ( by Maribel Lucero)
Miami Dade College
Spring Open House
January 2009
●
3EEBELOWFORDATESANDTIMES
All Miami Dade College Campuses
Each campus will award one scholarship for in-state tuition, fees and books for
the summer or fall term.2EFRESHMENTSWILLBESERVED
Who should attend?
s(IGHSCHOOLSTUDENTSPARENTSHIGHSCHOOLPERSONNELANDANYONEINTERESTEDINSTARTINGANEWCAREER
s#URRENTLYENROLLEDSTUDENTSINTERESTEDINA-EDICAL#ENTER#AMPUSPROGRAM
s3TUDENTSINTERESTEDINABACHELORSDEGREEIN%DUCATION0UBLIC3AFETY-ANAGEMENTOR.URSING
You will have the opportunity to:
s,EARNHOWYOUCANTRAINFORHUNDREDSOFINDEMANDCAREERS
INCLUDINGAVIATIONCOMPUTERSFILMANDVIDEOHEALTHCARE
ANDTOURISM
s-EETTHESTUDENTSFACULTYANDSTAFFOF-IAMI$ADE#OLLEGE
s#HATWITHFACULTYMEMBERSABOUTPROSPECTIVEMAJORS
s,EARNABOUTSTUDENTORGANIZATIONSANDACTIVITIES
s!TTENDSESSIONSONFINANCIALAIDSCHOLARSHIPSANDADMISSIONS
s4OURTHECAMPUS
Reserve your spot now!
4ORESERVEYOURSPOTORGETMOREINFORMATIONVISIT
www.mdc.edu/openhouse or call 305.237.8888
)FYOUHAVESPECIALNEEDSORQUESTIONSCONCERNINGACCESSIBILITYCALLTHECAMPUSYOUPLANTOVISITATLEASTTHREEDAYSPRIORTOTHEEVENT
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
at 6 p.m.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
at 6 p.m.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
at 10 a.m.
Medical Center Campus
.7TH3T
-IAMI&,
Homestead Campus
#OLLEGE4ERRACE
(OMESTEAD&,
Hialeah Campus
7TH3T
(IALEAH&,
InterAmerican Campus
37TH!VE
-IAMI&,
North Campus
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Kendall Campus
37TH3T
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Carrie P. Meek
Entrepreneural Education Ctr.
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West Campus
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