Prowler Staff - Pembroke Pines Charter Schools > Home

Prowler Staff
Layout/Design: Priscilla Cabus and Nicholas Rivera
Photography Team: Daniel Virguez, Julianna Rector, and Michelle Laverde
Features: Editor-Marianna Chinchilla Writers-Daniel Delgado, Maria Osorio and Pablo Ortiz
Student Life: Editor-Jennifer Montes de Oca Writers-Julianna Rector and Ashley Williams
Sports: Editor-Jacob Sackett Writers-Daniel Ordaz, Allen Altenor, and Christine Alyon
Clubs: Editor-Victoria Antelo Writer: Diego Burga
Technology: Editor-Looghermine Claude Writers-Priscilla Cabus, Daniel Virguez and Nick Rivera
Op-Ed: Editor-Michelle Laverde Writers-Natalie Laurent, Dylan Carter, and Dane Vasquez
Entertainment: Editor-Maribel Maignan Writers-Juliette Diaz and Brian Zapata
True Winners!
What is all the hype?
Beats vs. Skullcrushers
Page 1
Page 3
Page 9
What are you afraid of?
New Health section!
Kid Cudi album release
Page 2
Pages 5 & 6
Page 8
FEATURES
By: Diego Burga
Just recently, Pembroke Pines Charter Middle School made it to the cover page of The Sun Sentinel newspaper. According to the Florida
Department of Education (FDOE), the Pembroke Pines Charter Middle School is ranked first place in the county for outstanding performance on the FCAT
last year, and tied for fourteenth in the state. This recognition was no surprise to many since PPCMS
has outscored district schools year after year on all areas of the FCAT. When Principal Mrs. Flowers
was asked the secret to the school’s perpetual success, her answer was very simple: “When you
combine a group of the most dedicated teachers with a motivated student body, the sky is the limit.”
Assistant Principal Mr. Castellano,said, “Truly our objective is that every child reaches his or her own
maximum academic potential, and that is what we see happening here. Teachers are provided
training in the latest research based strategies, and students are responding. The numbers, don’t lie,”
added Mr. Castellano. Science Department Chairperson, Mrs. Brill, proudly boasts that PPCMS has
had the highest science scores in the district for several years. “It is great to be at the top, but the
pressure is tremendous to maintain that status.” Mrs. Raimont, Language Arts Chairperson, shares
her sentiments. For seven years in a row PPCMS has had the highest writing scores in the county.
Mrs. Raimont says, “I always ask myself, can we do it again?” And so far, PPCMS students have done
just that—outperforming the best of the best. Within a few days, students from all over the state will
Ms. Flowers and Mr. Castellano are feeling
be taking this year’s FCAT. Are PPCMS students ready? Eighth grader Daniel Ordaz thinks so. “Our
Jaguar pride that we are number one!
teachers don’t really mention the word FCAT. They teach us great strategies in all classes that just
happen to help us do well on tests such as FCAT, “ says Daniel. Seventh grader Pablo Ortiz is just as
confident. “They can just bring it, because we are ready,” boasts Pablo. PPCMS’s record of success, talented teachers, and confident students spells out
one thing: another year of record breaking scores.
Press Release
By: Victoria Antelo
PPCMS was extremely pleased to have so many winners at this year’s Broward
County Science Fair in February. Our students competed against a total of 597 students
from across the county and at the end of the fair, we had Ashley Westerfield and
Elizabeth Garrison place first in their categories of mathematics and physics,
respectively. Mincheska Felipe,
Brianna Adan, and Ahmad
Hamil also placed third.
Overall, all students completed
their science fair project to
increase their science
background. After Ashley’s
experience she said, “It was
amazing how both science and
math mix together in one.”
Brianna and Ahmad used their
project to learn a better way to
help the environment by
Congrats to our state winners, Ashley Westerfield
attempting to answer the
and El Garrison
problem, “What materials can
be used to prevent an oil spill?” One reason, Brianna told me, that she decided to do
her science fair project was because most of her friends thought it was geeky and
uncool. Brianna gives this advice to everyone, “You should do something you love,
even if it is science, no matter what anyone tells you.”
Since Ashley and El placed first in the Broward County Fair, they earned the chance
to compete in the State Science Fair last week. The State Science Fair is a four day
event that took place in Orlando. The students were greeted with the statistic that they
represent 1 out of 4,000 students just by being there. But just being there was not
enough for these young ladies. Of course, they have been working hard on their
projects since fall so both earned a second place finish. This means Pembroke Pines
Charter Middle School West houses two of the best students in entire state in the
categories of Mathematics and Physics!
On Friday, March 2nd, six 7th and 8th grade
students from the Pembroke Pines Charter Middle School West Campus participated in the Broward County History
Fair held at Pompano Beach High School. The 2012 theme
was "Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History.” Eighth
graders Navya Baranwal (left) and Ashley Westerfield
(middle) won 1st place
in the Junior Group
Website Category with a
website based on the
revolution of espionage
throughout history.
Seventh grader
Elizabeth Garrison
(right) won 4th place in
the Junior Individual
Website Category with a
website based on the Civil Rights Movement. Baranwal and
Westerfield will go on to Tallahassee to compete in the
Florida History Fair on May 1, 2012.
The students worked diligently for three months on
their projects. “Their extensive research on the topic of
their choice was evident and they aligned perfectly with the
theme, "Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History," said Mrs.
Shannon Torres., Pembroke Pines Charter Middle School West Campus 8th grade U.S. History Social Studies
Department Chair. “The competition was strong, all
students attending the Countywide Fair represented the top
projects at their school,” continued Torres “We are so
proud that six of our students participated at the county
level and brought home two awards!” And, the icing on the
cake for Torres….? “This is the second time our school will
be represented at the state level.”
Campus Life
By: Ashley Williams
By Maribel Maignan
For many, Valentines Day was just another day,
but for others, it was a day to spend with boyfriends,
girlfriends, friends, and family. Gifts are definitely a
given on this special day. Maria Osorio loves
Valentine’s Day. This year she went to her friend’s
baseball game to cheer him on and later that evening,
a group of friends met for dinner at Lime. They
exchanged special gifts—a beautiful bracelet, a teddy
bear, a Hollister shirt and cologne. “How wonderful it
would be if we felt that generous and loving everyday
of the year,” said Maria. At least on this special day,
love is in the air and candy is thrown around with
sweet greetings. Even the teachers get in the spirit!
Mr.Zurbono took his wife and kids out to eat and gave
her a beautiful card. And how about Mrs. Nowak, who
we all know is not a big cook, but made a spectacular
dinner for her family on this oh so great day.
As for the majority of students at PPCMS, the
day was about the value of friendship. Back in the
days of elementary, students often gave out the little
paper Valentine cards. There wasn’t so much of that
here at the middle school, but many shared real cards,
candy, flowers, and special treats. Even a couple of
the teachers were surprised by the special treats given
to them by students. When Mrs. Torres returned from
lunch, she found a giant cookie cake in the shape of a
heart with the words “We Love You Ms. Torres”
written in pink frosting. So the next time Valentines
Day comes around, remember it is a day of love and
sharing, and what a better way to spend such a day
that with your boyfriends and girlfriends.
Jennifer Montes de Oca and Diego Burga share a
“friendly” Valentine’s Day moment.
The fabulous artists of Ms. Tavera’s class recently entered a very
important contest. This assignment was titled the “Hunger Relief Project.”
The contest was created and sponsored by the Instanbul Center. The
students are required to sketch a drawing of people who are starving,
representing Hunger Relief. “The thirty projects that were selected to
represent our school displayed an extraordinary amount of artistic ability in
their selected medium. They visually communicated the theme while
simultaneously informing and demanding
an emotional response from the viewer,”
says Ms. Tavera. The winner from our
school was eighth grader, Jennifer
Moscivitch, who displayed a beautiful
masterpiece of an iPhone receiving an email stating: “Dear Jennifer, by sending
this e-mail you willingly donate $5 to 1
billion hungry children.” Once Jennifer’s
project is returned to the school, we will
A drawing by Lillian Perez and her
proudly
have it on
display.
thoughts on world hunger
The mystery
teacher
as a toddler!
By Jennifer Montes De Oca
Whether you’re scared of rollercoasters or scared of heights, nothing
compares to the weird phobias that people in
PPCMS have. The weird phobias that students
hide have finally been let out to the halls of our
beloved middle school. A Phobia is another way
of saying an extreme fear of something. Why do
we have weird phobias? Well it might just be
from bad experiences, or maybe we really hate
something. Can we get over our phobias? The
world will never know. Mrs. Kanter-Brill shared
that she has ornithophobia, the fear of birds,
A student with a camera
and also has a fear of parking garages. If you
phobia
know Sofia Rivero, she has coulrophobia, the
fear of clowns. Once she spots a clown, her only instinct is to run away. Marisa
Guralnik has haphephobia, the fear of being touched. She won’t let you lay a
hand on her. Another 8th grader, Alexandria Hale, has pteronarcophobia, the
fear of flies. Any fly that passes by Alexandria is destined to fly far away once
she belts out her high-pitched scream. And yes we have some men here at
PPCMS who have phobias. Mr. Cecic has arachnophobia. Mr. Jones has
atychiphobia. Mr. Kaldi has acrophobia. And Mr. Castellano has
arachibutyrophobia. To find out what these phobias mean, or the name of a
phobia you may have go to http://phobialist.com/.
Sports
By: Daniel Delgado
By: Pablo Ortiz
Last baseball season during the offseason huge deals were being
struck. It’s no doubt that Scott Boras is the best agent out there, by
signing big names like A-Rod and Stephen Strasburg, but is he good
enough to find a spot on this list of top ten deals? Here is a list of top
offseason deals.
1. Yu Darvish with a 6 year 60 million dollar deal Texas Rangers
2. Mark Buehlrle with a 4 year 58 million dollar deal Miami Marlins
3. Matt Kemp with a 8 year 160 million dollar deal Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Jose Reyes with a 6 year 106 million dollar deal Miami Marlins
5. Prince Fielder with a 9 year 214 million dollar deal Detroit Tigers
6. Tim Lincecum with a 2 year 21.5 million deal San Francisco Giants
Jaguar’s
Field.
7. C.J Wilson
with aTrack
5 year&77.5
deal million Anaheim Angeles
8. Albert Pujols with a 10 year 240 million deal Anaheim Angeles
9. Jonathan Papelbon with a 4 year 50 million deal Philadelphia Philles
10. CC Sabathia with a year 1 year 30 million New York Yankees
Jeremy Lin, a graduate from Harvard University, is now in
his second NBA season. He
has turned the sports world
upside down! Jeremy plays
for the New York Knicks and
was a bench player close to
being cut a few months ago.
Lin had a spree in February
that drove the sports world
insane. After that spree his
numbers have dropped, but
the point guard was still
doing good. Lin and his team
Linsanity is off the hook!
are fighting hard for a spot in
the playoffs. Unfortunately Lin’s sudden take over has come to a
screeching halt after recently picking up an injury in his left knee.
Lin’s return time is not known but many say that he won’t be
back until playoff time in the second round, If the Knicks are able
to make it that far. Jeremy Lin Is an excellent point guard that
means a lot to the sports world and the Knicks; lets wish him a
quick recovery. Linsanity lives on.
By: Brian Zapata
By: Allen Altenor
With the NFL season now
over, many players wait in
anticipation hoping to be part of
the final candidates of the NFL’s
annual award ceremony. On
February 9,2012, Aaron Rodgers
proved that he deserved to win.
On this day Aaron Rodgers and
Drew Brees battled it out for the
Most Valuable Player (MVP)
Aaron Rodgers winning award. With Rodgers dominating
Brees in the polls with 48 out of 50
MVP award for 2012.
votes going to Rodgers. As a
consolation prize, Drew won the Associated Press (AP) Offensive Player
of The Year Award although Brees and Rodgers didn’t make it pass the
NFC divisional round in the playoffs. Brees and the Saints lost to the
San Francisco 49ers, and Aaron and the Packers lost to the new Super
Bowl champs, the New York Giants. They’ve both shown tremendous
talent that made them the ideal choice for League MVP with Brees
breaking Dan Marino’s single-season passing yards record, and Rodgers
almost bringing the Packers to a perfect record going 15-1 at the end
of the season. No doubt about it Aaron Rodgers truly deserved to be
named the 2012 MVP for the NFL..
LeBron James vs. Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose vs. Chris Paul; wow
can it get any better?! This year’s All-Star weekend was held at the
Amway Center in Orlando, from
February 24th-26th. The allstar game was only the
beginning, the other events
also made this weekend
interesting. The excitement
started on Friday with the
Celebrity All-star game, and
NBA All-Star Game.
then the fun continued on
Saturday with a number of events, which included the Haier shooting
stars, Taco Bell ‘s skills challenge, a 3 point shooting contest, and the
Slam Dunk competition. Finally on Sunday, the all-star game kicked off
with an exhilarating win for the West when they went against the East.
The final score was 152 to 149, favoring the West. Overall this year’s
all-star weekend was extremely thrilling, and shall be remembered for
a very long time.
Sports
By: Allen Altenor & Cristine Alayon
On March 7, 2012, Colt’s
fans everywhere shed a tear as
they witnessed their Hall Of
Fame QB be released. Peyton
Manning was going to be a Free
Agent (FA) and was supposed to
be given an option of $28M on
Thursday. The Colt’s, thanks to
their dismissal season, now have
Peyton Manning
the #1 pick in the draft. Colt’s
is now a Bronco.
Owner Jim Irsay decided to
release Manning to utilize their pick to draft top
prospect Andrew Luck, a QB out of Stanford. Many
teams were on the market to sign Peyton Manning.
On March 15, Peyton Manning had a tough choice to
choose between the Titans and the Broncos. After
talking with the coaches, he is currently now the
Denver Broncos starting quarterback. That being said,
Tim Tebow has now joined the New York Jets.
By: Daniel Ordaz
At first Dolphin fans were excited about the off season, but now
excitement definitely is not in the air for Miami. The GM of the dolphins fired
head coach Tony Sparano and hired former Packers offensive coordinator Joe
Philbin. Dolphin fans are happy about this, but the happiness ends there.
Along with a new coach another addition
that will happen to the Dolphins is in
quarterback position. The Fins signed
QB David Garrard, who many question
about his ability to play the game. Other
moves by the dolphins include trading
away wide out Brandon Marshall.
Dolphins also released two starting
defensive line men, Paul Soliai and
Kendall Langford. The Dolphins also cut
Joe Philbin is officially the
elite strong safety Yermiah Bell which
Dolphins Coach.
was an upset to even Dolphin players
who tweeted their shock of the decision. The draft for the Dolphins is really
hard to predict, but common rumors are to pick up QB Ryan Tannehill and WR
Michael Floyd. Right now the Dolphins future is uncertain and the Dolphin fans
are worried about the direction of the franchise. The future of the Fins is
certainly UNCERTAIN!
By: Danny Ordaz
Dolphin fans are outraged with the decision making of GM Jeff Ireland and
they are letting the Dolphin Organization and the world know they are not happy.
On Tuesday March 20th, Dolphins fans took to the street and began protesting in
front of Sun Life Stadium. The protestors wore bags over their head to symbolize
that they were embarrassed to show their faces as Dolphin fans. Their were several
signs but the most common one read “Fireland” which means to fire the GM Jeff
Ireland. Dolphin fans have also gone viral and
made groups on social networking sites begging
for the owner Steven Ross to sell the team.
Radios all over Miami are buzzing about the
idea to make a petition to force Steven Ross to
sell the team. This uproar from the Fins fans
started when the Dolphins traded away star
receiver Brandon Marshall. Dolphin fans
continued to get angry when the Fins front
Fans protesting against the
office failed to sign a star receiver. The anger
Dolphin decision making.
only continued to boil when it was announced
Peyton would not be coming to South Beach. Then, failure to sign QB Matt Flynn
continued to push the fans’ patience. Suddenly, Dolphins abruptly released strong
safety Yermiah Bell causing Dolphin fans to snap. Fans are horrified in the direction
the franchise is going. “With the moves the Dolphins are making I worry that they
won’t make playoffs. Something has to be done.” said Dolphin fan Brian Zapata.
The mood in Miami is very uneasy with the fans discouraged by the decision
making of the Dolphins. To add to the panic even Dolphin players are tweeting that
they don't know what is going on with the team. The future for the Dolphins is
uncertain but one thing is clear: fans want a change in the front office. This coming
season is not looking good for the Dolphins.
By: Cristine Alayon
Track try
outs were held
earlier this year
and cuts were
made. If you
made the track
part, be well
prepared. As for
the field part,
make sure your arm are warmed up and build up
your strength to throw the heavy pound balls and
jump high over the hurdles. The following female
athletes have made the team: Brianna Monfries,
Sapphire Codner, Briana Patterson, Demi Iglesias,
L’Jai Brown, Auviance Lindo, Natalia Valderroma,
Ashlyn Correa, Kelley Heron, Kali Hazera,
Denishea Bernot, Chaniece Lindo, Camila Lopez,
Vanessa Huapaya, Kadia Chambers, Amanda
Charles, and Dasia Bohler. Congratulations to all
of the athletes who made the team! Make sure
you are well prepared for running, jumping, and
throwing. Watch out for victory, the Jags are
coming through!
HEALTH
By: Daniel Virgues
Imagine big, burly guys on hot pavement pumping iron with sweat
dripping down their faces. They are training hard, but they may just have a
little help: STEROIDS. Steroids can make your muscles and bones bigger
and stronger, but they also can make you more aggressive and destroy your
vital organs. They are a dangerous set of drugs with a number of dangerous
side effects including roid-rage and other long term side effects such as
heart disease and high blood
pressure. How does a steroid actually
work? It works by increasing
testosterone which increases a body’s
muscle building capacity but it also
causes alopecia or hair loss, a weak
immune system, high blood pressure,
and every teenager’s worst enemy-acne. Many middle school boys begin
working out during their seventh or
eighth grade years. And when they
Some of the new and very
dangerous prohormones on the
enter high school, they begin training
market .
more intensely. This is when the
pressure to take some sort of
enhancement comes into play. They may not be tempted to use injectable
steroids, but they are willing to give a prohormone a shot, which are similar
to steroids. These prohormones have been banned by the FDA, but stores
still manage to sell them and teenagers still manage to buy them. Research
suggests that these are even more harmful than injectable steroids. They
cause immediate damage to the kidneys, liver and heart. The teenage body
is at its healthiest state and there is no reason to take the many chances that
come along with steroids or prohormones. So the next time you see one of
those big burly guys pumping iron, just think that his body inside is
probably rotting. What is the use of big muscles when you are on the verge
of a heart attack?

Eat some healthy fats. Although it may seem like people
are trying to lose fat, it transfers vitamins in the body
and also protects some organs.

Fruits and vegetables are a vital part of living a healthy
life.

Start reading food labels. You’d be surprise at what you
see.

Get outside! You don’t have to be on sports teams to be
active.

Drink less soda. Try to limit drinking anything with that
high of a sugar content.

Avoid all tobacco products including all forms of dip
and chewing tobacco.

Have a variety. Some people think they have to give up
foods to be healthier, but the truth is that you don’t have
to give up foods completely, just balance out what you
eat. Indulge every once in a while.
By: Looghermine Claude
bod-ee im-ij
noun
an intellectual or idealized image of what one's body is or should be like that is sometimes misconceived in such mental disorders such as anorexia nervosa
The way people view themselves plays a huge role during the teenage years. Kids sometimes grow up thinking negative comments like they’re too fat,
skinny, short, tall, awkward, or that they just don’t fit in with other children. Walking down the hallways in school can sometimes feel like you’re looking at
clones. Everyone is trying to look like someone else in school or trying to be dressed and accessorized in the newest trends. “A study found that 53% of thirteenyear-old American girls are unhappy with their bodies. This number grows to 78% by the time girls reach seventeen.” says www.dosomething.org’s 11 Facts
About Body Image. The media has a big effect on a student’s perspective of themselves. Models today weigh about 23%
less than the average women. Why do we revere these women? Haven’t we learned that most of these photos are
digitally reimaged? We must have been brainwashed early on.
As young children, we had Barbie and GI Joe to look up to. They may have had the “perfect” bodies, but Barbie
is border line anorexic with enhanced body parts and GI Joe would need to be on steroids to build that type of physique.
This stereotypical view of beauty is one that needs to be revisited, revamped, readdressed. We are trying to obtain
perfection at the cost of what? The consequences of having an awful and twisted perception of your body are eating
disorders, feelings of depression, isolation, low self-esteem, and obsessions with weight loss. But you don’t have to look
at yourself badly. The change begins with you and how you see yourself. Don’t buy into the society’s ideal that says you
have to weigh 90 pounds to be pretty. You have to realize that you have so much more to offer than just your physical
appearance. Your body is just an oyster that houses a precious pearl. So next time you look into the mirror, look deeply
for that pearl and allow it to shine!
A distorted image of eighth grader
Ashley Williams
HEALTH
By Priscilla Cabus
By: Your Health Team

Monday mornings are crazy for most
middle school students-you are tired from
lack of sleep and just want to get ready to go
to school. With all the rush, you skip
breakfast assuming that it’s nonessential and
continue your rush to the car or bus stop.
Well, you just made a big mistake because
breakfast is the most important meal of the
day and is needed to continue the long day.
For the rest of the day your body is missing
out on the important nutrition’s that it needs
to function properly. Instead of burning down
Navya never skips breakfast. Maybe that is
the energy it should’ve received in the
her secret to her many successes.
morning, the body begins to burn stored fat.
Research and surveys show that breakfast helps learning and makes a student more interested in
the subject, reduces fatigue, and helps students make good food choices throughout the day.
“Sometimes I don’t eat breakfast because I’m in a hurry, but when I eat breakfast I perform
better and feel ready to take on the day,” said Navya Baranwal, eighth grade student. Not only
that, but breakfast restores the supply of glucose and other nutrients from the night spent
sleeping. Those of you who skip breakfast to lose weight are actually gaining weight. In the
morning, when we eat breakfast all the food is burned down throughout the day, unlike lunch
and dinner which have fewer hours to kill the calories. In other words, if you skip breakfast to
lose weight then you tend to be hungrier throughout the day and actually eat more. When you
eat moreyou gain extra calories because there is no time to burn them, so you’re gaining more
weight. Any way you look at it, skipping breakfast will take you nowhere, so eat up!
Whole-wheat or wholegrain
breakfast cereals such as
wheat biscuits, muesli or
bran cereals

Porridge – use quick oats

Fresh fruits

Whole meal or multigrain
bread to toast

Muffins

Toast toppings, such as
baked beans, eggs, cheese or
spreads

Fruit or plain yogurts

Fresh fruit juices

Low fat milk.
By Nick Rivera
Stepping into a cruise ship is usually the beginning of a relaxing vacation: soothing waters,
wonderful restaurants, amazing activities and more. However, some dream vacations have become
nightmares on the open seas. Recently, outbreaks of the norovirus have been haunting cruise ships.
Norovirus is a virus that primarily affects the stomachs and intestines. Whoever is infected with the virus
will likely notice symptoms which include vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. Samantha Mateesco,
who will soon take her next cruise, is keeping a positive attitude. “I am not worried about the norovirus.
Why bother worrying about something that lastd for only two days or so when I am going to be on a luxury
ship?" Although noroviruses have been found commonly on cruise ships in the past few months, they can
be found in any place with lots of people, as it is highly contagious. The virus can simply be passed by
Cruising the world is not so
sharing utensils or shaking hands. Nursing homes restaurants and even schools are among some places
fun when the norovirus
where the virus can be found. The reason why the virus has received such infamy on cruise ships is because
decides to join you.
the cruise lines are required to report such illnesses. It happens everywhere; we just don’t know about it.
Currently, vaccinations are being adapted, but have not gone to market and are not expected to for some
time. Other ways to help prevent the norovirus from spreading would include simply washing your hand often, avoiding contact with anyone
who is infected, and using hand sanitizer. And if any of you have been on a cruise lately, you can vouch for the fact that there is a bottle of hand
sanitizer every where you look on the ship. So keep the sanitizer flowing and enjoy that trip of a lifetime.
Entertainment
By: Juliette Diaz and Maribel Maignan
By: Mariana Chinchilla
Not since the Harry Potter or Twilight series has a book taken the public by
storm. Many of those who have read all three say Hunger Games wins the
battle of the books. It all starts out with Katniss Everdeen, who lives with her
mom and little sister Primrose in District Twelve. Everything was fine in Katniss’
world; she hunted, caught her own food, and had fun with her best friend Gale.
Everything was fine until the next Hunger Games Tributes were selected. Many
children were reluctantly chosen to participate. In her case, Katniss’ sister Prim
gets chosen as District Twelve’s girl tribute. Little did Prim know that her brave
older sister would come to her rescue. Katniss volunteered to take Prim’s place
in the Hunger Games—she was not going to let her sister die. She traveled to
the capital with the District Twelve male tribute Peeta Mellark. She and Peeta
are welcomed into the capital building to be trained for the Hunger Games. A
little while later, Katniss is lifted
into the arena and a familiar
voice says “Let the 74th Hunger
Games begin”, and everyone
immediately starts gathering
supplies and hiding in the forest
trying to survive. Each one has a
special talent and they must
demonstrate this talent if they
want to win. Suddenly only a
few are left in the arena:
“Foxface”, Peeta, Cato and
Katniss. Foxface steals the food
that Katniss and Peeta had
gathered. Foxface did not know that the food was poisonous and she
eventually died. Suddenly a cannon shot is heard, Peeta, Cato, and Katniss are
the only three left, and only one person can win. So who will it be? I certainly
don’t want to spoil the ending for you.
The international game Temple Run
has been voted number one among all the
students at PPCMS. It is wonderful and
incredibly fun. Temple run is one of the
most favored games in the app store and
play store and the best part—it’s free!
Whether
you’re
sliding
under
frames of
fire,
jumping
over tree
trunks,
tilting the
device left
and right
Guy Dangerous dodging the
demon monkeys while running
to collect
on the Temple!
coins, or
running
from the demon monkeys, you will be
thinking “please don’t let me lose, please
don’t let me lose”. Temple Run currently
has over 36 million downloads and is still
continuing to get downloaded more and
more each day. Whether or not you use
cheats or die trying, Temple Runners keep
playing in hopes to beat their high score.
The highest scored game was ranked at
almost 13 million by Wayne Rooney. Temple
Run is available both Apple products and
now on Androids as well.
By: Juliette Diaz and Maribel Maigen
Our mystery teacher grew up in the late 70’s in Honeydew, California and
attended San Francisco State College. She started working at PPCMS in 2007. Her favorite song
is from the artist Bob Marley which goes with her Bohemian clothing style . Quite often you
will see her wearing traditional clothing from a variety of cultures. Her most important rule in
the classroom is respect, which is interesting considering she was the obnoxious type in high
school. Outside of school she has the most relaxing job. Breathe , breathe, breath. This
mystery teacher is also a yoga instructor. Who do you have in mind? Take a guess. Last issue’s
mystery teacher was………. Mrs. Jensen! Congrats to those who guessed correctly.
Opinion
By: Michelle Laverde
Mr. Cudi walks off the stage after his last performance of the night,
leaving everyone wanting more of Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr.
Rager. One year later, besides a few singles, we’ve barely heard anything of
Cudi. As more time passes, we think the man is surely off the map; there
hasn’t been word of him or from him for two years! Little do many know the
artist is due slamming back February 28, 2012 with the release of his new
album, WZRD. The album was originally promised for a January 30th release
date (which coincides with Kid Cudi’s 28th birthday), but last week producer
Dot Da Genius took to Twitter to announce that the album's release would
be pushed back until February.
Dot Da Genius tweets: “With that being
said, we have decided to change the release
date. We are looking roughly at Feb 28th. Y'all
know how Cudi is and I'm the same way.
Everything has to be in place and now it is. I
know it's late notice, we were trying to keep
the date but got wrapped up making this
album perfect for y'all. However for making
you guys wait a little longer, we will release 'Brake' & 'Teleport 2 Me' on
iTunes on the previously said date. AS WELL AS 'DOSE OF DOPENESS.’
Hopefully that will hold you guys over until the album drops!” As said, Cudi
has only released two singles so far- “Teleport 2 Me” and “Brake” to keep
his fans from throwing a riot.
Cudi’s official album artwork
Here’s your track listing:
1. “The Arrival”
2. “High Off Life”
3. “The Dream Time Machine”
4. “Love Hard”
5. “Live & Learn”
6. “Brake”
7. “Teleport 2 Me, Jamie” feat. Desire
8. “Where Did You Sleep Last Night”
9. “Efflictim”
10. “The Upper Room”
11: “Dr. Pill”
If you and I have the same music taste, the ones
you will enjoy most are written in red.
By: Dylan Carter
Superbowl XLVI provided a very close game that took many twists and turns, and many
were entranced by the game. Some were so enraptured that they would only leave their
television sets during the commercials. News flash: YOU GUYS MISSED THE BEST PART OF THE
SUPERBOWL.
Out of all the commercials, I had a few favorites. The commercial that came in third in my
top three spots is the Chevy commercial with the college graduate. A yellow Chevy Camaro is
sitting in the driveway, and the graduate believes that it is his present. He is completely mistaken.
His real present is a mini fridge that his parents generously bought for him. The fridge is sitting
right next to the car with a pretty red bow wrapped around it. The boy’s parents enjoy seeing him
this excited and decide not to tell him. The car really belongs to a man visiting the parents at the
house. When the man decides to leave, the boy thinks his car is being stolen and he is completely horrified. This commercial provided me with a good
chuckle.
In second place was definitely the Pepsi King commercial. Set back in medieval times, the villagers are trying to impress the king with any and all
talents. All who fail the king are thrown down a trap door into a dungeon. The king is not impressed by anyone. He is only impressed by Melanie Amaro. He
decides to give her a Pepsi, but she does not accept just that. She wants to get a Pepsi for all. She sends the king down into the dungeon. The king goes down
into the dungeon with Flavor Flav. Flavor Flav tells the king, “Yeeeaaahhhh boooiiiiiiiii!" Everyone in the kingdom gets Pepsi to drink, and they all live happily
ever after.
The overall best commercial during the 2012 Superbowl was the 2012 Kia Optima commercial. The sandman is delivering his dream dust in the
night, and he accidentally trips. The powder goes flying, and it all lands on the man sleeping. The man enters the best dream ever. The man is driving a Kia
Optima on a NASCAR track with Adriana Lima waving the checkered flag. The stands are filled with beautiful girls cheering him on. Eventually he breaks
through the wall on the track, and he is in a meadow with his wife, in the passenger seat. This was by far the best commercial that played during the
Superbowl.
So whether you are a football fan or not, make sure you tune into next year’s Superbowl, and make sure not to get up during the commercial breaks.
Opinion
By: Dylan Carter
Earbuds used to be the speakers of choice to listen to music, but now the tables have turned. Over and on the ear
headphones are now taking the spotlight. Two major companies are battling it out to have the top headphones- Beats and
Skullcandy.
Skullcandy is a company that is based on quality. They try and give you the best product that they can make for
the cheapest price possible. Skullcandy has over 24 different types of headphones on the market today. That is excluding all
the different colors and older headphones that they have produced, and they are creating designs for teams in the NBA. To
give their customers what they want, all of their headphones are priced at or below $100
except for the $299.95 Mix Master headphones. Every purchase made from Skullcandy has a
lifetime warranty. Overall, Skullcandy makes great quality headphones that will not certainly
not disappoint.
Skullcandys competition, Beats, wants their headphones to be the top dog. They will do
anything to be the best. Beats by Dre costs a ridiculous amount of money for a pair of
headphones. Many of their products are also over the ear or on the ear headphones. Though there are only 16 versions of
Beats, they are one of the most popular brands of headphones. The company’s consumers seem to pay any amount of
money for these headphones. That amount is a high number considering the cheapest headphones cost $150. The $150
pair does not go over the head and is in ear. The most expensive pair costs $299.99. In my opinion I would never spend that
amount of money on a pair of headphones just for the brand name. The brand does make headphones that have crystal
clear sound and they can reach the highs and lows of the bass, and they are made to be very comfortable and sound good.
Undoubtedly Beats by Dre is a great product, but they are way overpriced. Is the product
worth the pricetag?
I would say no. I am truly a Skullcandy fan, and I love every product they make. My
favorite happens to be the Skullycandy Skullcrushers which have two built-in subwoofers
that make the headphones vibrate your whole head. If you have the extra bucks to spend
on Beats, I suggest you spend it on something else—perhaps a pair designer shades to
complete the look!
By: Dane Vasquez
Mindcraft is a unique game like no other. It may seem like it is a simple building block game, but it is much more than that. It is actually a
highly addicting open world survival game. Basically you are in a randomly generated world all your own for you to explore. You can craft and
forage for sources in order to build a house and survive the silent and
deadly night. At night, many creatures come out ready to destroy.
Skeletons, zombies, exploding green creatures called creepers and
huge endermen all want to end your life. Luckily the resources you
gather during the day can be forged and crafted into armor and
weapons to help you fight off the horde of enemies at night. Those
resources can also be made into countless other things like chests,
furnaces, pickaxes, axes and more. The recurring urge to advance your
wooden pickaxes all the way to diamond pickaxes is one that is very
enjoyable and full of adventure. Another aspect of Mindcraft is
exploration. The world is completely random and yours, and you are
One of the many biomes of Mindcraft
the first one to see it. It is different than all the others. So explore it to
find deep forests, valleys, mines, rivers, lakes oceans, islands, hills and mountains. This and the nights filled with enemies make these excursions
into exhilarating adventures. All of the crafting, exploration, and adventures blend together to make Mindcraft one of the best games I have
ever played. No wonder it has one of the highest replay values too.
Sports
Clubs
NJHS members sold
shamrocks to send children
with Muscular Dystrophy to
camp. It takes $800 dollars
to send one kid to camp
and they did their best to
help raise money.
Shamrocks were being sold
Ms. Williams, club sponsor, says may the
from NJHS members and
luck of the Irish bless you as you purchase a
also at lunch . The NJHS
shamrock to support children with
members wore a tag that
muscular dystrophy.
said “Buy a Shamrock”.
Students donated money
until April 4, 2012. Ms. Williams became the club’s poster child by
adorning herself with as many shamrocks that she could pin to herself.
On behalf of Ms. Williams and club members, thanks for a tremendous
cause.
Builder’s Club was
at it again. Where there
is a need in the
community, Builders Club
will be there. Just
recently they raised
money to support people
with multiple sclerosis.
PPCMS’s Builder’s Club
participated in the MS
Builders Club members preparing for their
Walk on Sunday, March
walk in Aventura
25th. The walk’s purpose
was to raise awareness for people with Multiple Sclerosis, a disease
that prevents the brain from sending signals to the nerves which
ultimately leads to demobilization. To donate and help those with
MS, you can go to this link:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/
FLSWalkEvents/1753178505?
team_id=283759&pg=team&fr_id=18009
PPCMS Jags earned the 3rd place team trophy in the
Epicure Grand Prix #4 on Saturday, March 31st. Now they
are going to The Epicure Grand Prix #5 Tournament on April
21st. PPCMS is the only Broward public school that will be
competing. Congratulations to all members of the chess
team!
Reading Club
PPCMS Reading
Club read The
Hunger Games
together and
many students
attended the
advanced
showing of the
movie together on March 22nd, a
day before it previewed
nationwide.
NJHS proudly presents the
third annual Charter's Got
Talent show, which will
take place May 24th;
auditions will be held May
7th -9th in the
Multipurpose Room after
school.
TV Production and
Yearbook
Applications are now
available for students
who wish to be on
the JET News. Sixth
and seventh graders
must come to the
media center to get
their applications and
turn them in by May 18th. Students have a
better chance of being selected if they turn in
their application and come in for a short
interview before the deadline. Selective
applications will also be accepted for yearbook
at this time.
NJHS Project Update
Once again PPCMS NJHS members
are continuing their fundraising efforts for
the 100+Abandoned Dogs of Everglades.
Unfortunately, unwanted dogs are
constantly being dumped in the
Everglades and so the problem continues
to exist. The situation is so severe that
just this past week, a group of 60
volunteers from 100+ Abandoned Dogs of
Everglades saved 15 lives! Every dog they
save gets vetted and if needed, is spayed
and neutered. These dogs are then
fostered until 100+ finds them a forever
home. The items needed are listed
below. NJHS will be collecting items that are needed to improve this tragic situation from now
until their 3rd Annual Charter’s Got Talent show.
We urge you to help in any way that you can!
These are some of the items needed for the 100+
Abandoned Dogs in the Everglades:
Dog Food (wet & dry)
Frontline
Heart Guard
Flea & Tick Spray
Dog Treats
Toys
Kong Toys
Shampoo & Conditioner
Ear Cleanse
Lotrimin
Zymox Pet Cream w/ Hydrocortisone
Puppy Pads (wee wee pads)
Dog Beds
Towels or Blankets
Leashes & Collars
Carriers/Cages
Food Bowls
Cat Food & Treats
Litter/Boxes
Hand Sanitizer
All items can be dropped off in Ms. William’s
room or planning room 223.
What is Williams Syndrome?
Williams syndrome is a genetic condition that is present at birth and can
affect anyone. It is characterized by medical problems, including heart
disease, developmental delays, and learning disabilities. These occur side by
side with striking verbal abilities, highly social personalities
and an affinity for music. Williams syndrome affects 1 in
10,000 people worldwide – an estimated 20,000 to 30,000
people in the United States.
Many babies have life-threatening heart problems.
Children with WS need costly and ongoing medical care,
and early interventions (such as speech or occupational
therapy) that may not be covered by insurance or state
funding. As they grow, they struggle with things like spatial
relations, numbers and abstract reasoning, which can make daily tasks a
challenge.
As adults, most people with WS
need supportive housing to live to their
fullest potential. Just as important are
opportunities for social interaction.
Adults with Williams syndrome often
experience intense isolation which can
lead to depression. They are extremely
sociable and experience the normal
need to connect with others; however
people with Williams syndrome often
don’t process nuanced social cues and
this makes it difficult to form lasting relationships.
PPCMS West TROOP is organizing the Pines Walk for Williams to
support people with Williams Syndrome and raise awareness. Please
support us by walking with us or making a donation.
WALK FOR A CAUSE
Saturday, May 12th
Charter High School Track
To register or make a donation visit:
www.walk4williams.org
Register before April 20th and get a T-shirt
Registration: 9 AM
Walk: 10 AM