Mecha Makos - Miami-Dade County Public Schools

BEACON
THE
January 31, 2008
Volume XVII Issue IV
MAST Academy
3979 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami, Florida, 33149
(305) 365-MAST
19 trophies won at FBLA event
Emily Northrop
Editor-in-Chief
Future Business Leaders on the
fast track to Orlando
Business Calculations
Stephanie Villagra 1st
Ryan Pham 3rd
Maricel Paz 4th
Technology Concepts
Lexus Guerrero 2nd
Business
Communications
Emily Northrop 3rd
Impromptu Speaking
Shelbi Augustus 2nd
Word Processing
Melissa Castillo 1st
Ibis Alcala 3rd
Carolina Condarco-Quesada
4th
Business Financial Plan
Enrique Esclusa 2nd
Business Math
Ana Gil 4th
Tasha Yektayi 5th
FBLA Principles and
Procedures
Alexander Gonzalez 2nd
Marketing
Alexandra Orth 3rd
Desktop Publishing
Kathryn Schneider 2nd
Maria Pelegrin 2nd
Introduction to
Technology Concepts
Sumiya Tasnim 3rd
Public Speaking 2
Lauren Terpak 1st
Business Financial Plan
Colby Uva 2nd
Daniel Kirel 2nd
Mecha Makos
Cherie Rodriguez
Staff Writer
Nineteen members of the Future Business Leaders of America Club (FBLA) won trophies at the
region-wide awards ceremony on January 25. The
district 25 competition took place at Miami-Dade
College (MDC) and was hosted by the college’s
Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) chapter, FBLA’s sister organization. All of the winners are eligible to compete at the state convention in Orlando on April
27 to 30.
FBLA sponsors over 50 competitive events covering the areas of finance, management and public
speaking. The majority of events are written tests,
such as Business Calculations, a math test, and
Business Communications, a proofreading and
English competency assessment. However, there
are also performance events judged by an adult
panel. These include Client Services, a simulation in which the competitor must placate an angry customer, and Job Interview, in which students
meet with potential employers and review their
resumes.
The performance events took place on January
23 at Braddock Senior High while the written exams were administered on computers and scored
on the spot at MDC.
Other schools in district 25 include Coral Gables, South Miami, Coral Park, St. Brendan’s, Miami Beach, Braddock, Southwest, Columbus and
Ferguson Senior High as well as Shenandoah and
Nautilus middle schools.
Freshman Tasha Yektayi joined FBLA when she
was at Nautilus.
“It’s a very good club because it actually prepares
you for life,” she said. “I took a lot of practice
tests [to study], but you get to have some fun out
of the competition too.”
As the final list of winners was being compiled,
the schools began showing their spirit, simultane-
Our town
MAST shines at
regional Science and
Engineering Fair
pgs. 2-3
pgs. 7-10
our guide
Sophomore Sumiya Tasnim accepts the award that
qualified her for state competition April 27 to 30.
ously. The Coral Gables crowd cheered and shook
pom-poms while the Braddock Bulldogs growled
on the count of three. Miami Beach chanted their
address – “2-2-3-1 BEACH!” Senior Chis Hendrix, vice-president of the club, decided to lead his
group in a rousing rendition of the alma mater.
“This is my proudest day as President of FBLA,”
senior Ryan Pham said.
Algebra and Geometry teacher Victor Morgan
serves at the club’s advisor.
“I think we did extremely well. We put our
school in a position where [the competition] will
have to take a second look. We’re no longer just a
Photo by Melissa Fernandez
The Robotics team “Mecha Makos” won fourth place in the Florida First Tech Competition (FTC) at the University of South Florida in Tampa on January 18 and 19. This was
the first competition for the new team.
“We did really well for our first time competing,” junior Rishal Patel said.
“We were able to see other teams from around the state, their robots and what they could
do,” freshman Michale Perez Carrillo said.
FTC challenges high school students to use engineering and research skills to create
robots. The students had to keep engineering notebooks and use computer models to
construct a design of their robot.
“We did a lot of practice tests to prepare for the event,” senior Erika Tyburski said.
Teams are expected to pair up at the competition and work together to complete tasks.
The Mecha Makos teamed up with SyNERDgy. The tasks the robots were expected to
complete included putting rings in PVC poles and taking the other team’s poles into their
designated areas to gain points. They not only had to complete these tasks, but also were
expected to prevent opposing teams from taking their winnings, which were the poles
they had taken from other teams and their one poles.
“The robotics club is for promoting robotics and hands-on engineering,” team captain
junior Daniel Santiago said.
“I was happy to see their dedication at the competition. When we arrived, the design
was a quarter-inch over and they worked until four in the morning to solve the problem,”
club sponsor Melissa Fernandez said.
The Mecha Makos plan to compete in future competitions. They are currently working
on a robot to compete in MATE Robotic Competition,an underwater competitionr. Their
next competition will be in March at the Miami-Dade County Fair and Exposition.
Inside...
Photo by Emily Northrop
Freshmen Trevor Walker and junior Thomas Pendola of the Mecha Makos robotics team display their
robot at the Florida First Tech Competition in Tampa where they won fourth place on January 19.
The face behind the pg. 11
camera
Girls basketball makes
Mako history
pg. 15
2
News In Brief
What’s going on in your school?
The freshman and junior lock-ins will take place
from January 31 to February 1. The juniors will be staying
at Gameworks while the freshmen are at school. Do not
forget to bring a pillow and a blanket.
A College and Career Fair will be held on February
13 during activities period. Many Florida school representatives, as well as a variety of career professionals, will be
attending to assist students in planning for their futures.
Engineering Week is February 17 to 23. Some activities include film nights, engineering symposiums, edible
car competitions and more.
The Community Blood Centers of South Florida
will be sponsoring a blood drive on February 20. Students
must be at least 17 years old to participate.
Compiled by Brynn Katzen
Student scientists successful
Allison Goodman
Layout/Photo Editor
The 2008 Junior Science, Engineering and Humanities Symposium
will be held between February 3 and 5 at the University of Florida. Solar
Energy and Research teacher Wafa Khalil and her students have participated in this symposium for over ten years. Every year, she nominates
several students who are involved in in-depth research projects - students
usually participating in the school and county science fairs as well.
The convention is open to all Florida high school students. Juniors
and seniors, if accepted to present, are entered into the competition.
Freshmen and sophomores may attend the convention to present their
projects and learn about the process. The competition is judged by professors from the University of Miami.
Seniors Erin Jester and Lisa Van Houdt were among the six students
nominated this year. They
are studying regeneration
“It’s one big sustainable system.”
rates in brittle sea stars
by amputating their arms and measuring re-growth over time. In half of
the specimens, half of one arm was cut off, and in the other, half of two
were.
“There’s a huge amount of error associated with working with live
animals,” Jester said. Their sample size was originally ten stars, but decreased to nine when one of the sea stars died due to stress. Three of the
stars, including the deceased one, cast off arms on their own.
Sophomore Mitchell Rosenstein is submitting an engineering project
for the fair and has been chosen to present his project at UF. He has been
working to engineer a model hydrogen filling station, refinery and vehicle. His ultimate goal is to create a prototype for a hydrogen car.
Rosenstein’s general design works like this: water is desalinized and
gravity pulls the water down to an electrolizer. It is sent to a compressor
and then to a hydrogen storage tank (which is the equivalent of a gas
station), where it is siphoned through a hose to the vehicle, running the
motor.
Continued on News 3
http://artfiles.art.com/images/
news
The Beacon
1.31.2008
Minding the Gap
Romley would like to see the dialogue in the
clothing industry change from ‘I got this pair of
Students and young adults gathered in front of jeans on sale for nothing’ to ‘I know that whoever
the Gap store in Cocowalk Mall in Coconut Grove made this pair of jeans is not being exploited!’
on Saturday, December 16 to mark the beginning
Andres Donoso hopes that public displays of
of a protest of Gap, Inc., Banana Republic and Old frustration by consumers such as the ones that
Navy for their use of involuntary child labor.
took place on December 16, as well as a boycott,
The protestors presented the manager of the will force Gap to put an end to the use of factories
store with letters demanding that Gap “clean up.” that use child labor, pay little or no wages and
They carried with them all of the clothes that they maintain poor conditions.
had bought over the years from the Gap, now
Such establishments, known as “sweatshops,”
destined for charity.
have been condemned by Gap. In fact, the
company has announced
its intention of beginning
a line of “sweatshop
free” clothing that will be
produced without child
labor.
Gap officials have
promised to inspect
supposed
sweatshops
and claim that they were
unaware of the conditions
existing in factories run
by sub-contractors.
Gap’s
concessions
appear menial to Rowley,
a graduate student and
youth pastor at St.
Photo by Andres Donoso
James Anglican Church
Students gather in front of the Gap at Cocowalk on December 16 to protest child labor laws.
in
Newport
Beach,
California.
The demonstration coincided with similar
Rowley said, “This isn’t the first time Gap has
protests in California and New York that were been caught. And to keep the consumers happy
organized by Jarred Lawrence Romley, creator this time they donated $200 thousand ... to make
of www.sendgapclothesback.com, and Franicisco sure this won’t happen again.”
Donoso. Donoso’s brother, senior Andres Donoso,
Word of the protests spread through individuals
facilitated the Cocowalk event.
such as the Donosos and online sites such as
The protest was a response to recent media Facebook.
attention, which sprung from and article published
Senior Allison Wyatt, junior Jezabel
in the British newspaper The Observer.
Matamoros, sophomore Leah Putlek and freshman
In October, The Observer detailed harsh Sharon Matamoros attended the protest and helped
conditions facing workers in an Indian factory that distribute flyers to shoppers until a police officer
produces clothes for Gap.
requested that they stop.
The clothes made in this factory never reached
The shoppers addressed seemed uninterested,
stores, Gap said, because the order was cancelled according to Jezabel Matamoros. She has hopes,
after the report in The Observer.
however, that their actions will raise awareness.
Margaret MacLaren
Editor-in-Chief
Club propells students to college
Marcella May
News Editor
The Port of Miami chapter of the Propeller Club,
a national non-profit organization dedicated to the
well-being of all aspects of marine life, is offering
a $500 scholarship to students studying under the
Marine Related Industries (MRI) major.
The Port of Miami chapter has long supported
higher education, to date exceeding $100 thousand
in donations and scholarships to the University of
Miami Student Propeller Club.
In 2006, Peter Skipp, the president of the chapter, began to “look into marine related industries at
the high school level,” and was supported by the
Propeller Club, which suggested “creating a scholarship to encourage students to investigate a marine-related field of endeavor.”
“It’s kind of a logical progression to work with
a school that is already so marine related,” Skipp’s
daughter, junior Catie Skipp, said.
The scholarship requires a teacher’s nomination
as well as a one page essay on a select marine-related industry, explaining the knowledge gained from
coursework in high school and all outside experience.
Essays are due to an as of yet unnamed contact
person at school six weeks priot to the award ceremony, for which a date has not yet been set.
School faculty members will choose three semifinalists, from which the Propeller Club will pick
the finalist.
The scholarship, although well received by MRI
students, has some of those studying under the Marine Studies and Culture (MSC) major to request a
similar one be made available to them.
“I wish a scholarship this personalized was offered for the MSC major,” senior Crystal Anglin
said.
The Beacon
1.31.2008
news
3
Young scientists further their research
Continued from News 2
Allison Goodman
Layout/Photo Editor
“It’s one big sustainable system,” Rosenstein said. Both the electrolizer and the compressor are powered by 12-volt batteries that
have been previously charged by a photovoltaic array, using energy captured by the sun.
Rosenstein has been perfecting the system
for three years, this year testing several variables. He is testing the benefits of electrolytes
as opposed to hydrogen production and the use
of copper versus stainless steel.
“As just a student in high school, I think
it’s a pretty hard goal. I want to see how much
I can optimize this infrastructure. Everything
starts out small and gets bigger,” Rosenstein
said.
The South Florida Regional Science and
Engineering Fair was held January 8 in Southland Mall. Students who exceed here are selected to compete in the state competition.
Last year, three out of the six participating
MAST students went to state. Fifteen from the
entire county are selected annually. This year
twelve students attended, submitting a total of
seven projects, and one was accepted.
Possible submissions included a presentation board, a research paper or a bridge. Students may enter more than one of these categories. Many special interest groups, such as the
Sierra Club, also judge the projects and hand
out awards, monetary and otherwise.
Junior Alyssa Fowers’s project, “Sociodominance and Sexual Self-Schema as Moderators in Sexist Perceptions of Sexual Female
Subtypes,” was awarded 41 out of the 44 possible points. Fowers has been invited to the
Photo by Laurie Jester
state competition.
“It was a social psychology study focusing Erin Jester and Lisa Van Houdt pose in front of their project at the regional science fair on January 8.
Club Highlight
Future Educators of
America
Each month, The Beacon chooses a club to highlight.
We shed light on the club of the month’s purpose and its
activities for the year. This month’s club is Future Educators of America.
Thais Wilson-Soler
Truck Editor
The Future Educators of America Club (FEA) is
continuing its mission this year of bringing underprivileged
children the gift of knowledge. The club, sponsored by
physical fitness teacher Nancy Moreland, meets twice a
month during activities period and leaves the school twice
a semester for fieldtrips.
FEA fieldtrips involve driving the Weather on Wheels
and Land SHARC educational vehicles to different schools.
The vehicles function as classrooms in which oceanography
and meteorology can be taught.
“We get out and teach lessons to students and gain a
[teacher’s assistant’s] experience,” senior and club member
Kevin Sigler said. “We get to share our knowledge with the
kids.”
Additionally, club members fill shoeboxes with school
materials for needy children and deliver them to low income
schools during the holiday season. Club members gain
teaching experience while acquiring a sense of fulfillment
in bringing knowledge to the children they teach. on the affects of a belief in social hierarchy
and positivity towards one’s sexual self on
how one perceives chaste and promiscuous
female characters,” Fowers said.
Her project was entered into the Behavioral Sciences category, one of several other
specific subgroups. Based on the number of
points the project receives, it also receives one
of three recognitions, Honorable Mention, Excellent or Superior.
Fowers’s project was recognized as a Superior one. Jester and Van Houdt also received
this acknowledgment.
The MAST Academy Science Fair will be
held during the week of April 14. All freshmen and sophomores are required to complete
a research project; students enrolled in a physics class may build a structural engineering
product instead. This fair and competition is
not affiliated with the county science fair.
Judges are usually teachers, teacher assistants and Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration researchers.
Each project is judged at least twice, as in
the county fair. Winners will be awarded at
the end of the year. The top 15 projects are
tweaked and submitted for the county science
fair the next year.
“I am preparing young scientists,” Khalil
said. She encourages students to submit for
other competitions as well, including the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair
(Intel ISEF). Approximately 1,500 students
from about 40 countries compete in this competition yearly, which will be held the week of
May 11 in Atlanta, Georgia. Scholarships and
tuition grants are among the prizes students
can receive.
news
4
Community Service
Opportunities
Towel Drive
Used towels are needed for animals at the Miami Museum of
Science Wildlife Center. Give towels to Jehan Sinclair during
homeport in room 45G.
Support E.C.L.I.P.S.E.
E.C.L.I.P.S.E Club needs help emptying recycling bins after
school on Tuesdays from three-thirty p.m. to four-thirty p.m.
Meet in front of the Cafeteria.
Sprint for Darfur
February 24
Participate in a 5K run or one mile walk to raise awareness
and funds for the effort to end the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. Event will take place at eight a.m. in Coral
Gables. Sign up online at www.iospartners.com/darfur.
Sony Ericsson Open
March 26 - April 26
The 2008 Sony Ericsson Open needs volunteers. For more
information and to apply visit http://www.sonyericssonopen.
com/volunteer/volunt.html or call (305) 444-0533. The deadline is February 15. Hours completed during the school week
will not be counted towards graduation requirement.
Landmark Volunteers
June 1
Landmark Volunteers is accepting applications for one- or twoweek programs for high school students interested in working
with nonprofits across America. Applicants must be 14 and a
half by June 1 and submit a $100 deposit with their applications. For more information visit www.volunteers.com.
The Beacon
1.31.2008
Delegates shine in N.Y.C.
Christine Montero
Staff Writer
Group.
SSHS club members also took the time to take
in the beauty and grandeur of New York City itself.
They explored the Manhattan neighborhoods of Chinatown and SoHo, went to the Metropolitan Museum
Thirteen delegates from the Social Studies Honor
Society (SSHS) participated in Columbia University’s Model United Nations Conference (CMUNCE)
last week. CMUNCE, which took place
from January 17 through 20 was one of the
two national model UN conferences the
club will be attending this school year.
CMUNCE was comprised mostly of
crisis and historical committees, in which
delegates represented real people.
“While my committee was discussing
epidemics, organizers of the conference unexpectedly came into the room, proclaiming that 90 percent of the population of
Kenya was suddenly plagued with HIV. It
was really exciting because we had to figure
out what to do in order to solve this sudden
problem,” senior Leslie Shillington said.
Some committees even convened for
Photo by Glenda Romualdo
“midnight crises.”
“One night I was kidnapped from my Students draft resolution papers during a committee meeting at CMUNCE.
hotel room and had to take the subway with Members of the Social Studies Honor Society spent four days in New York
other hostages to an emergency meeting for working and sightseeing .
Vladimir Putin and his council of ministers.
We convened to resolve how to fix a Ukrainian oil of Art, the United Nations building, Rockefeller Cenpipeline that had just burst, cutting off all of Europe’s ter and even took on Broadway by watching the musupply of oil. The committee ended at four a.m. but sical Avenue Q.
it was an amazing experience,” senior Glenda RoThis year they competed at Gulliver Preparatory
mualdo said.
School’s United Nations conference and plan to parDespite the seemingly chaotic atmosphere, club ticipate in Global Classrooms, an organization which
members undoubtedly succeeded in their commit- facilitates additional conferences. Though the club
tees. Junior Margaret MacLaren was given the award usually only attends one national conference a year,
for Best Delegate in the Security Council committee. this year they decided to participate in two.
Seniors Christopher Hendrix and Gaurav Sen each
Twenty SSHS members will be going to Duke
won Honorable mentions in their respective commit- University’s conference, DUMUNC, February 21
tees, Experimental Security Council and Bilderberg through 24.
Photo by Margaret MacLaren
Photo by Glenda Romualdo
National Kidney Foundation
February 19
The National Kidney Foundation of Florida seeks volunteers
to assist with water stops, route coordinating, cheerleading,
giveaways and other tasks at the Miami Kidney Walk 2008.
The event will take place from seven o’clock a.m. to one
o’clock p.m. at Bayfront Park.
Athletic event for disabled depends on volunteers
www.specialolympics.org
Emily Cava Northrop
Editor-in-Chief
Athletes at the Special Olympics redefine the traditional jock.
They are all mentally or physically disabled and united in the credo,
“Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”
The Special Olympics, a non-profit organization, serves over 2.5
million people in 165 countries.
T h e
Miami
c h a p t e r,
w h i c h
serves over three thousand handicapped adults
and children, was established in 1991. Apart
from supporting noncompetitive athletes as they develop basic abilities, the organization
holds several annual meets.
The athletes are trained for eight weeks prior to their event by
volunteer coaches. Winners advance to state, national and even
world competitions.
On February 24, the North Beach Optimist Club, in honor of David L. Singer, will host the Miami-Dade Spring Games Track and
Field Competition.
Over 12 hundred mentally and physically disabled students from
the county compete in events such as the standing and running long
jump, softball throw, shot-put and special wheelchair events.
Special guests such as local sports team mascots, players and
cheerleaders will come to encourage the participants and volunteers.
The event is staffed by upwards of three thousand volunteers.
The Special Olympics refers to its helpers as “huggers.”
They are responsible for accompanying their contestant buddies
to their events, cheering them on and attending to any special needs
“Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”
The Special Olympics provides yearround sports training and athletic competition to more than 2.5 million people
with intellectual disabilities in more than
165 countries.
they may have.
Best Buddies Club members are planning to accompany six of
their “buddies” as they compete.
The event will take place at Florida International University’s
North Miami Athletics Stadium, located at NE 151 Street and Biscayne Boulevard, from eight in the morning to three in the afternoon.
Individuals over the age of 13 or groups who wish to volunteer
should call 305-935-4733 or 305-406-9467 to register.
Volunteers will receive a T-shirt, lunch and certificate of eight
community service hours.
The Beacon
1.31.2008
opinions
5
Ramblings... Are Americans capable of changing?
“This is where people go to forget that poor people exist,”
scoffed my cousin Kayleigh as we drove to Coronado Island, a
wealthy community in Southern California. The island seemed
like the perfect place to vacation from reality. The streets, clean
and well-paved, were lined with decorative, polished homes
and scrupulously manicured lawns. Family-owned shops and
restaurants occupied every other street corner, culminating in
a surreal, utopian sense of prosperity. There was no struggling
middle class, no “rough” areas of town and certainly no homeless people. It was the perfect beach town wonderland, comAmanda Labora
pletely, and depending on who you ask, thankfully, detached
Staff Writer
from the reality that most of the world know.
My cousin’s words resonated with me as we continued our
driving tour of Coronado Island. I wondered if we, too, who were en route to the famous
Hotel del Coronado to ice skate, were guilty of ignoring those less fortunate than us.
That trip, along with the discussions I had with my cousin, compelled me to reevaluate
my belief in the equality of opportunity in America and the virtue of American life.
Americans have always prided themselves on belonging to a land of opportunity.
We justify excessive wealth with the belief that those who achieve do so through hard
work. While there is something to be said for this belief, it rests on the incorrect assumption that everyone has the same opportunity to succeed. A poor person is subject
to different economic, family and social pressures than a wealthier person. That poor
person has to work twice as hard as the wealthier one to reap the same benefits.
This, in and of itself, contradicts the American belief of equality of opportunity that
is so ingrained in our society and frame of thought. The fact of the matter is that there
are people who will work hard for their entire lives, never once cutting corners, who
will never succeed because of the disadvantages they are born with. In addition, this
brings into question the definition of success and wealth. Would the American definition
of wealth equate with the African? While I would like to believe that equality of opportunity actually exists, I think that it is merely an unattainable, utopian ideal.
We are constantly bombarded with the idea of change. We hear it from Barack
Obama, who calls himself the candidate of change, and Al Gore, who promotes change
in order to ameliorate global warming. If you pay attention to polls, you would think
that most Americans agree that change is necessary. However, I believe that few would
inconvenience themselves and modify their lifestyle to achieve this change. The excessive lifestyles that Americans lead are not sustainable. They are detrimental to humanity
and the environment. How can anyone be convinced that their comfortable lifestyle is,
for lack of a better word, inhumane?
The unequal distribution of wealth and resources in this world is visible to anyone
who has traveled outside of the United States and other first world countries. While
almost everyone laments poverty, almost no one would willingly change the way they
live to help others. In the case of global warming, everyone can agree that we should
reduce the amount of fossil fuels used and search for alternative resources. However,
few Americans would support legislation that restricts their use of limited resources,
even if it is for the greater good.
It would be extremely hypocritical for me to say that I am any different from most
Americans. I have done little to promote change although I continuously demand it.
What I hope for humanity, including myself, is that we realize that in order to bring
about the change we so desire, we must make sacrifices and compromises. I hope that
we find ways to help others without merely writing a check. Whether we choose to ride
a bike instead of drive or live less lavishly in general, it is important that we all look for
ways to change the way we live and improve the world around us.
Slovenly students need to clean up their act
“Imagine: you’re taking a shower in the locker room, and you turn
around to get your shampoo. Right
there next to it is a dirty tampon.”
This is the account of sophomore
Keren Darius. Though it sounds like
an uncommon and repulsive story,
one that you cringe at and then
laugh about later, it is unfortunately
very familiar to female students.
Chelsea Westra
As soon as you step into the
Staff Writer
locker room, used tampons and
sanitary napkins are scattered on the floor. Go to turn a
shower handle and it is not hard to see that this issue is out
of control.
“[Tampons] are everywhere in the girls’ locker rooms:
in the showers, the bathrooms and even inside the lockers,” sophomore Jessica Irimia said. This issue has been
around for too long to go unnoticed.
“It’s disgusting and I can’t believe whoever does it is
that lazy. They’ve been doing it since at least my freshman
year,” junior Kayla Acosta said.
There are several reasons why girls tend to do this. The
first, and most obvious, is laziness. Another reason some
girls remove tampons while in the showers is because the
bathrooms are almost always full and they don’t want to be
late to class. Once they have them out they are too embarrassed to carry them to a nearby trashcan.
Swimming instructor Nancy Moreland, who has talked
to her classes about the issue, cleans up freshly used tampons every day because no one else will.
“I just think those individuals should have more respect
for the other people using the facilities. My main concern
is that it is a body fluid and therefore a main transmitter of
diseases. [The custodians] are there to wash the floors, not
look in showers. When it was brought to my attention, I
grabbed the gloves and started cleaning up.”
This is not her job, and no one but the owners of these
tampons and sanitary napkins should clean them up. It is
not only sickening beyond belief, but it is also a huge safety issue, since blood transmits a plethora of diseases.
If you think only girls are showing disrespect, think
Staff Edit
Great expectations falling short
Recently, the class of 2008 proposed a senior lock-in at the school. This
plan fell through because of the widespread belief that some students would
inevitably engage in unapproved or inappropriate behavior.
Some seniors were shocked and offended to hear that teachers are often
reluctant to supervise extracurricular events because of the students’ reputation. It must be said, though, that teachers do not intend to punish the students
who have stayed out of trouble. Who would want to deal with the kids who
show up at school events drunk?
Teachers are hesistant to take on the risk implied with the possibility of
students acting inappropriately or illegally. In the eyes of the school board, a
certain amount of responsibility always lies with the present adult. For many
teachers, and understandably so, chaperoning activites is not worth jeopardizing their careers.
We must recognize that the buck often does not stop with us. While many
students would never participate in forbidden activities, they would also never
stop their peers from doing so. In fact, students go to great lengths to protect
one another. It is ironic that the rule-abiding students will take care to cover
for their friends, while the kids they shield are not interested in how their actions affect others.
The same goes for students letting each other copy work, failing to realize that as GPAs are calculated, the effects of being a “loyal friend” are more
deleterious to those lending the answers than those doing the borrowing.
Students need to reevaluate their priorities or at least acknowledge that
their tacit approval of their peers’ actions may limit future priveleges.
Unless their image improves, seniors at this school may never have a
lock-in. The lesson for underclassmen who hope to have fun activities in the
future is that they would do well to consider the reputation they are developing now.
THE
again. A less disgusting but still degrading issue is the wrappers left in the vending machines. Empty ice cream wrappers are constantly left in the vending machines and whenever anyone puts their hand in, they have to sift through
sticky wrappers to find the ice cream they bought.
“It’s nasty and I don’t want my hand in people’s spit,”
freshman Tariq Darwish said.
Another downside is that insects are attracted by the
sugar left on the wrappers. Ants are all around the ice cream
machine and have even been seen inside the freezer.
“Preposterous. High school students should have a
better sense of propriety. I also think they should get Ice
Cream Snickers,” senior Daniel Kirel said.
The administration should consider placing disposable hygienic bags in each shower stall so girls can carry
removed tampons and sanitary napkins from the showers
instead of leaving them in the showers.
Also, a trashcan should be moved between the two
vending machines so students can conveniently throw
their wrappers away. Hopefully this will aid students in
showing respect to fellow students and our school.
BEACON
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Candy Gonzalez Beacon are those of the editors
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Staff Writers
sarily reflect the viewpoints or
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ics. Letters to the editor must
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opinions
6
Weapon of voice
The Beacon
1.31.2008
Racially charged words strike with a vengeance
Every time we open our mouths to speak, the words we use
give the world around us a glimpse of who we really are.
Almost everyone can agree that no matter how tough your
skin is, there are certain words or phrases that rub you the wrong
way. Everyone speaks without thinking sometimes, even reputable filmmakers, politicians, radio personalities and celebrities.
The use of the N-word has infiltrated the American media.
In April, news network MSNBC agreed to drop the “Imus in the
Morning” radio program hosted by Don Imus after he used racial
Toni Darwish
slurs when speaking about the Rutgers University women’s basStaff Writer
ketball team.
Doug Tracht, commonly called “The Greaseman,” found
himself in a similar position as Imus when he was fired from his spot as morning radio
personality at Classic Rock 94.7 in Rockville, Maryland after one racial remark went too
far. Reality TV star bounty hunter Duane “Dog” Chapman recently found himself in hot
water when he used the same racial epitaph to describe his son’s new girlfriend.
When so many big names think it is all right to use words that represent 200 years
of racial oppression and inequality, society tends to use them more liberally. Rap artists,
with a general audience of young people, are not the paradigm of appropriate language
when trying to show that the word is unacceptable in every context.
As students, it is important to realize that the use of derogatory terms, like the N-
word and similar racial slurs, are sometimes taken to heart by others. Nicknames such as
“chink,” “wetback,” “spic,” “beaner,” “gringo” and “kike” victimize an array of ethnic
groups and can make people feel inferior and socially disadvantaged.
If we allow others to use discriminatory words, it gives them the okay to repeat
the offense. Last year in Jena, Louisiana, several Caucasian students decided to make
a statement to the black students who sat under their tree by hanging nooses. A series
of racially-charged incidents soon followed, such as when a student at Columbia University hung a noose on the door of his African-American professor’s office because of
an insulting remark. Occurrences like these have caused a domino-effect from racial
mishaps around the country to disrespectful behavior in our school. Hanging nooses,
advocating the N-word and turning a blind eye to the situation contributes to racism, the
bigger picture.
What may be crude humor based on personal prejudices to some is really an attack
on diversity and race. Although words are just words, they are a greater allusion to
the ideas of racial and ethnic bigotry, ideas that threaten the groundwork on which the
United States of America was founded. Racial innuendos put a damper on those hopes
of finally being able to live or go to school in a place where we can still feel proud about
who we are and where we come from.
The freedom to express our opinions and beliefs is an opportunity we take advantage
of. While it is only human nature to have certain biases, we must also have enough consideration to decide what is appropriate and when some things are better left unsaid.
Breaking the stereotype Accents add both confusion and flavor
Hispanics more than they seem
Many of us take pride in being Hispanic, but feel like we
need to hide our emotions when
we hear the barbaric remarks that
come with standing out among the
crowd. Nowadays, society has a
generalized perception of Hispanics. Driving by tomato fields some
will see humble, hard working
Candy Gonzalez
men picking tomatoes. However,
Staff Writer
most will choose to see thieving
drug-addicts or poke fun at the humble work Hispanics
endure for minimum wage.
Being Mexican, I am sincerely outraged to hear people talk about “Mexican construction workers” every time
they point out a Hispanic.
Not all Mexicans are construction workers, even if
many Hispanics fill that role when they come to this country in search of a better life.
Many Hispanics at our school, including myself, have
a different outlook on how members of our culture are
viewed.
Venezuelan senior Marion Sanchez said, “[many think]
that we are all like Scarface…and that is not true.”
Junior Robert Arreaza said, “Hispanics are viewed
poorly… until you get to know them.”
On the other hand, Cuban senior Kevin Sigler said,
“It depends; Hispanics have [the] privilege to be incorporated into American culture. Sometimes it is difficult
for a culture to understand the traditions of other nations,
but I feel that other nations are doing an excellent job of
understanding the Hispanic sabor.”
I believe that it is dishonorable to judge a person based
on race or on what others from that same race have done.
We should focus instead on what positive qualities Hispanics could bring to our own culture.
¡Hola! is a very common greeting in Miami. With people from
all over the world settling here, we
learn to live in an environment in
which accents are as prevalent as
palm trees.
However, I think that having an
accent can sometimes open the door
for bad jokes. People just seem to
Laura Londoño
feel the need to laugh or make a
Staff Writer
rude comment every time an individual with even the slightest accent speaks. Junior Armando Herrera came here from Venezuela five years ago
and has retained his Spanish accent.
“Sometimes, when I talk and mispronounce something
in class, everyone laughs and makes fun of me all day. It
gets annoying sometimes but I guess I’ve learned to deal
with it,” Herrera said. Although many may not show that
the jokes insult them, they still hurt.
Because my first language is Spanish, I think in Spanish. In many cases, that is the reason why non-native English speakers tend to mispronounce or add words from the
language in which they are thinking.
Sophomore Zi Jun Liu said, “Sometimes I think in
Chinese and it’s hard to express my thoughts in English.”
Accents are often subject to misconceptions. It is absurd how some people think that because someone has an
accent, they cannot write correctly or they are not smart.
Junior Maria Camila Rodriguez said, “Sometimes I
have better grammar than a lot of people but kids get offended because they can’t figure out how a person with an
accent can have better grammar.”
Even though some people may not have perfect pronunciation, that does not mean they cannot spell. In fact,
because it is so hard for someone to learn a language, they
put their maximum efforts into mastering that new language.
Beginnings are always hard, especially when having
to learn a new language. Years can go by and perhaps the
accent never disappears. Grammar improves, vocabulary
expands, but the accent could always be there, reminding
us what our first language is.
Senior Marissa Salas said, “I’ve been living [in the
United States] for a while but I go to Venezuela every
summer. I’d have to say I’m still learning English.”
But as time passes, we learn that laughing at ourselves
is the only way to cope with having a strong accent.
Junior Thomas Pendola said, “I don’t care that people
make fun of the accent. I just laugh at it.”
It is ironic how people with accents laugh at others
with the same problem. I guess it is just a way of reminding ourselves how funny we can sometimes sound.
Senior Jean Lopez said, “I laugh sometimes but they
make fun of me back; it’s justice.”
Because an accent represents the place and culture
from which we come, it could be rather depressing to lose
it.
Sophomore Maria Ramirez said, “I wish I still had my
accent. I feel like I’ve lost a part of what I was. Even if
people make fun of the accent, I think accents are cool.”
Not only do accents represent the culture we come
from, but they also add spice to our personalities.
When first arriving in a new country, of course, everyone is embarrassed to talk because they know their speech
is not going to sound right, but after a while it seems not
to matter anymore. Actually, sometimes looking at others and learning from their mistakes makes us feel better
about ourselves.
Senior Ben Van Balen said, “I’m not embarrassed because my friends have worse accents than I do.”
Accents definitely become part of who we are; it’s just
a matter of learning to cope with them and finding a way
to laugh. The way we speak is like a trademark that immediately identifies us.
As Rhiannon Martinez said about her friend Jean Lopez, “it’s what makes Jean…Jean.”
Size inflation leads to ego inflation: Smaller sizes lead to bigger profits
Vanity sizing, also known as size inflation, is a propaganda tactic used by clothing companies in which clothing sizes gradually
become larger over time. Changing pants sizes does not mean you
have lost ten pounds in two weeks. It is just a way for businesses to
make money.
Of course it feels great to think we can fit into a smaller size,
especially with the overwhelming crave to be extra skinny, but
wouldn’t you rather know the truth? Where is the good in running
away from the facts?
Candice Allouch
Companies use vanity sizing to make consumers think they apStaff Writer
pear thin. Rather than going to a store where you can only fit into a
size six, you would prefer buying your clothes at a store that has your
size as a size two. Businesses can clear their conscience by repeating that they are just
making women more confident and allowing for heavier ladies to have more variety in
clothing. But, really, other than encouraging everyone to turn a blind eye towards obesity,
all they are doing is lying to their customers.
There is a line that can not be crossed when it comes to “vanity sizing.” Trying to sell
“generous” sizes is okay, but it gets to a point where selling a size 12 as a size four can
become dangerous. This risk is not only run for women but also for men.
As clothing companies are getting richer, people are getting sicker. Most of us only
know our waist size by our clothing, so being deceived this way may increase health
risks. When a man buys a size eight pant he is really buying a size 26 inch waist trouser.
In fact, a man with an actual waist size of 32 may be able to fit into those pants.
People are brainwashed and deceived into thinking that they are at a good weight level
and not at risk of diabetes, obesity or other health issues. On the other hand, a woman
that fits into a size zero is accused of being anorexic or bulimic when, in reality, she is at
a normal weight and not at risk of any eating disorders.
Clothing companies may argue that they “have” to make their sizes bigger because
the people are getting bigger. No they don’t! Clothing companies, especially the most
expensive which inflate their sizes more, can always make clothes for bigger people and
label them with the right sizes, but they won’t do that if it will lower their profits and they
will lose money. We are stuck.
If the clothing businesses won’t be truthful, people will keep being oblivious to how
sick they can become while the companies collect the money they’ve earned by lying to
their clients. Why must pay companies to flatter us, risking our health in the process? It’s
better to accept the truth, face the facts and stay healthy.
Mamma MIA!
The Beacon’s guide to the Magic City
8
The Beacon
1.31.2008
Beyond the beaches...
When tourists come to Miami they are usually interested in sunning on our beautiful beaches and visiting the “hot spots” they have read about or seen in movies and on TV. Miamians, like the natives in
any city, know a different side of their home town. Miami is a town of big personalities and even bigger
scandals. But for the more than three million people who live here, South Florida is simply home. From
entertainment to shopping to cuisine, Miami offers many lesser known but still enticing delights. Here is
an insider’s guide to the real Miami.
Miami in the
Candice Allouch
Staff Writer
Miami has been a feature setting for shows since the beginning of its time. Whether
it is about drug dealers, serial killers or even super spies, Miami has always been a top
priority setting. Recently more shows have come up with Miami based scenes.
Miami Ink is a very popular show about a tattoo shop located on South Beach. In
2005 Miami was chosen as the place to feature the MTV Awards. Several television
shows use Miami as their major headquarters. To name a few Dexter, CSI: Miami, Miami
Vice, Burn Notice, Nip/Tuck and South Beach. Miami has hit the big screen several times
as well, with shows such as Bad Boys II, the Fast and Furious I and II, There’s Something
about Mary, Scarface and James Bond: Goldfinger, Thunderball and Casino Royale.
Susan Montero, freshman, said that her favorite Miami-based movie is Red Eye because “it shows a lot of scenes that include the ocean and the city”.
Lauren Terpak, senior, says that her favorite Miami-based television series is CSI:
Miami because “it is so far-fetched”.
Soraya Membreno, senior, believes that Miami is often chosen to be the setting in all
of these television hits because “everyone has an idealistic preconceived notion of what
Miami ‘should be’. Television plays up to that”.
“I do think Miami deserves it because Miami isn’t the greatest city but when you
really think about it, it is a city full of history”, said Phoebe Yeung, sophomore, about
whether or not Miami deserves the fame it is credited for.
Trevor Walker, freshman, said “Miami deserves the fame it got to a point. However, I
do think that sometimes Miami’s image is exaggerated”.
Miami has been chosen for all of these movies and television shows. It may be because “of its great cultural mixture, the high violence and drug rates, and the fame that it
has come to accumulate over the years”, as Sandra Rivera, junior, states it.
From pioneers to paradise
tion founded by Richard Fitzpatrick.
Julia Tuttle, a wealthy widow from Cleveland moved to South Florida, in 1891 and
There is more to Miami than just the awe inspiring beaches, traffic, and local citizens purchased an immense citrus plantation. In northern Florida, where many suffered the derushing to get to work or pick up their children. Everyday we pass by streets and fail to struction of crops due to bad weather, Tuttle’s plantations was the only one standing. This
made her the only resource to citrus fruits that residents had in Florida. After the death of
know their background we roam the city without out knowing its true origins.
In 1513, Juan Ponce de Leon sailed to Biscayne Bay and first caught sight of what The “Mother of Miami,” her remains were buried in the City of Miami Cementary.
William Brickell and Julia Tuttle persuaded Henry Flagler to
would become Miami. As the first conqueror of
broaden his rail road line in order to expand Tuttle’s plantations.
Florida, named after the Pascua Florida, “The
Flagler agreed to this proposal after seeing the way that Tuttle’s
Feast of Flowers,” a celebration held during the
plantations persevered through bad weather. The extension of the
Easter Season.
railroad was announced to the world on June 21, 1895. Flagler
De Leon may never have expected to encounlater built a hotel resort. Meanwhile the “Father of Miami”, Wilter the Tequesta people, otherwise known as the
liam Brickell, was the owner of land fleshing out from Coconut
Miami Natives. The Tequesta Village on the MiGrove to the Miami River and became well known for providing
ami River is the home of the famous Miami Circle.
land in order to expand Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railways.
This shell midden is commonly known as an arJohn S Collins was the first to build what was at the time the
cheological trash pile. Its perfectly circular shape
longest wooden bridge in the world, which went from Miami to
is what makes the Miami Circle noteworthy.
Miami Beach, in 1913. Collins owner of a casino and a hotel beThe Cape Florida Lighthouse stands at 95 feet
came the founder of the island of Miami Beach. Collins also comand looks over Bill Baggs State Park on Key Bismenced development in Miami Beach, and died in Miami Beach
cayne. It was built in 1825 to aid ships that were
in 1928.
in danger as they passed by rigid, hidden, Florida
George E. Merrick for whom Merrick Park was named, is the
reefs. The lighthouse was damaged during a fire A quieter Miami Avenue in 1896. Today it runs through bustling downtown.
famous planner of the City of Coral Gables which lies in the heart
caused by the Second Seminole War. It was reconof Miami. Merrick made Coral Gables one of the first planned cities in history. The constructed in 1846.
Richard Fitzpatrick was a successful white settler who cultivated corn and tropical struction of “City Beautiful” began in 1922 and ended around 1926. Merrick’s House
fruits. In the 1830s Fitzpatrick bought land along the Miami River, and in 1842 his neph- remains as a museum today.
These famous names that contributed to the expansion of Miami are honored by streets
ew William English took over. English established what is now known as the “Village of
Miami” a few years before the Third Seminole War. The “Village of Miami” was a planta- and neighborhoods named after them.
Candy Gonzalez
Staff Artist
The Beacon
1.31.08
9
Trauma in transit
True tales of southbound scares and northbound nightmares
Photo by Candy Gonzalez
Photo by Candy Gonzalez
Photo courtesy of Obuasi Boulware
“One time I fell asleep on the metro
and when I woke up my shoelaces were
gone.”
-Senior Obuasi Boulware
“The one time I rode the metro, someone “There’s a guy who sells iPods on the
asked me what color my panties were.” metro. When you ask him if it plays
videos he says ‘Yeah, sure, anything you
- Senior Ashley Benitez
want.”
-Freshman Sharon Matamoros
Profiles
of
scandal
Miami: sunny place, shady people.
2007
2007
“Prince
of Darkness”
Randy Hilliard: Miami Beach
political consultant Randy
Hilliard was employed by
several candidates for Miami Beach mayor and city
Commissioner in November
2007. The consultant has
been called the “Prince of
Darkness” because of his
role in a Monroe County bribery plot and his “bad-boy”
reputation, according to the
Miami Herald. In 2002, the
Miami Herald reported, Hilliard was so afraid for his life
that he mailed incriminating
documents to Canada with
instructions to be followed
should he “disappear.”
Fitzroy Salesman.
The holidays lost some of its
cheer on November 21, the night
before Thanksgiving, when Miramar commissioner Fitzroy Salesman was arrested after pulling
out a gun in a local Winn-Dixie
and pointing it at a teenager. The
incident evolved out of a tiff stemming from a closed cash register,
witnesses said. Salesman will be
charged with aggravated assault
and faces a minimum sentence of
three years if convicted.
2001
Demetrio Perez was suspended in 2001 by then-governor Jeb
Bush from his position on the
Miami-Dade School Board after
he was charged with fraud and
perjury. Perez pleaded guilty
to defrauding a government
rent-subsidy program of $20
thousand. The former School
Board member and Miami City
Commissioner was accused of
demanding illegal payments
from two elderly tenants in the
apartment buildings he owned.
His reputation for scandalous
behavior caused the Miami New
Times to decry his “depravity”
months after he left office. He
also became known for getting
arrested when he attempted to
carry two handguns past security checkpoints in Miami International Airport.
1980
Former School Superintendent
Johnny Jones was convicted of using $9 thousand of school money
to install gold-plated plumbing fixtures in his bathroom at home.
Demetrio Perez.
10
The Beacon
1.31.2008
Hidden Landmarks
Car W
a
m
Kar
wap S
S
e
as h
The
Karma
Car
Wash and Cafe , located on 7010 Biscayne Blvd.,
transforms the traditional experience car wash. Customers can
sip coffee and munch on pastries and sandwiches while
waiting for their car
to be washed.
Th
p
ho
The
Swap
Shop, which consists
of a fourteen-screen drivein movie theatre, a flea market
and a circus, is the second largest South Florida attraction with
visitors from not only the United States and Canada but
many foreign countries as well.
o”Pa
i
n
m
r
Do
“
Photo courtesy of www. karmacarwash.com
k
Maximo
Gómez Park, or
“Domino” Park, is a local
gathering place for many of the
older Cuban residents of Little Havana. With the smell of Cuban coffee
in the air, the sound of dominoes being
slammed on tables and Spanish conversations about politics and baseball all around, one understands
this is a place like no other
in the United States.
www.swapshop.com
Photo by Thais Wilson-Soler
The Beacon
1.31.2008
features
11
Beaux Art Festival shines with tradition, inspiration
Even in Slade’s abstract sculptures, the beauty of the local ocean
comes through.
Few events in South Florida can match the Beaux Art
“There’s a natural fluidity to it that I try to capture in solid form.
Festival for friendliness, variety and quality of work. From
Sometimes I see a piece of glass that I made and it reminds me of
the first beautiful display to the last step off of the wide
where I’ve been [diving], and sometimes it needs fish.”
booth-lined avenue, it is impossible to ignore the sense of
Others, such as Maureen Shankey, also use natural elements in
community among the artists and festivalgoers.
their art. Shankey, who is a professor at Florida International UniMixed with that feeling of friendliness is a genuine love
versity, creates jewelry using organic materials such as mother-offor art, easily witnessed in the startling originality of the expearl. Her designs often resemble trees and other natural elements.
hibited work.
“I lived in North Florida when I was five years old and my mom
The Beaux Art Festival includes paintings, sculptures,
took me to the beach every day. Somehow it imprinted and I haven’t
jewelry, photography and mixed-media work. The two-day
grown up since,” Shankey said.
festival is hosted in January on the University of Miami
The festival isn’t all seriousness, though. Tongue-in-cheek art,
http://www.beauxartsmiami.org/events/festival.html
campus.
such as Barry Kite’s collages, help balance the show.
Many of the featured artists have been participating in
Kite’s collages mix classical art with sarcastic humor. In Kite’s
the festival for many years—indeed, for some it is a family
Artist With Abandoned Car, Vincent Van Gogh’s self-portrait walks
trade.
away from a black-and-white car crashed into Van Gogh’s Mulberry
“My dad’s been doing glass for a little over thirty years
Tree.
now,” Jon Slade, whose father Bill taught him the glassmaking trade, said. “I’ve been doFamous figures of art, such as the Mona Lisa, peer out from office cubicles in Cuing it part time for about five years… It keeps me out of trouble.” Father and son create bicle-ism, and American Gothic’s familiar farmers get a splash of today’s “gothic” with
sculptures using multiple layers of intricately patterned silver-veiled glass.
exaggerated makeup and straggling dark hair.
One of the most unifying elements of the festival is the influence of the Florida enviEdith Landowne, a ceramics student at UM, exemplifies the friendliness and open
ronment. Virginia Thompson’s stylized paintings of the Everglades exemplify this.
spirit of the festival. She happily explained her pottery techniques, including throwing,
“I’m Florida native, so the Everglades come easily to me,” Thompson, who has par- slab hand building, twisting, and extruding.
ticipated in Beaux Art for five years, said.
“It’s a passionate thing,” Landowne said about her art.
Alyssa Fowers
Staff Writer
Playing the cyber fame game
Stefan Ortega
Staff Writer
Technology can produce cultural phenomenon. With
such a wide range of communication available, news, information, pictures, videos and gossip can be sent to anyone around the world. The Internet, fast and widespread, is
an efficient provider of information.
“Accessibility,” teacher Melissa Fernandez said, “is
the main thing why Internet use is so widespread today;
the Internet reaches everybody.”
“Of course there are going to be negatives about the
Internet. There are also going to be some positives, but
you can’t have one without the other,” Fernandez said.
Although there are concerns about the Internet being
used for criticism and cyber bullying, that everyday people
use the Internet in positive ways. Through self-promotion
on the web, everyone has the opportunity to become famous or known world wide.
Instant communication allows people to post personal
profiles, blogs, groups, photos, music and videos internationally free of charge. Google, Facebook and MySpace
are sites that feature popular themes and catchphrases, viral videos and amateur celebrities that sometimes become
fads and sensations.
A huge site that has become a gateway to fame is YouTube. The website is a video-sharing site where people can
upload and share videos. One of the popular celebrities on
YouTube is Chris Crocker, who made a video of himself
emotionally supporting Britney Spears. Four million websurfers viewed the video within two days. It is one of the
most discussed videos on the website.
The “Evolution of Dance” video features comedian
Judson Laipply performing various dance moves throughout history. It is the most popular video on YouTube.
Myspace was co-founded by Tom Anderson, president
of the website. Anyone who has a personal profile on the
site probably knows him because he is automatically added to their friend list. A celebrity who became popular be-
cause of her personal profile on MySpace is Tila Tequila;
she has more MySpace friends than any other female on
the site. Her popularity on MySpace eventually gave her a
record label and a reality television show, “A Shot at Love
with Tila Tequila.”
Of course, not all Internet fame is positive. Quebec
teenager Ghyslian Raza was made a mockery of when a
private video he made of himself practicing his light saber
moves was uploaded to the net by his high school friends.
He was so ridiculed for the video that he dropped out of
school and is finishing his education in a children’s psychiatric ward. The Viral Factory, a company that promotes
products online, estimates that the video has been viewed
over 900 million times, making it the most popular viral
video on the internet.
Speed and communication are the reason these Internet celebrities flourish. Information can be transferred and
posted anywhere very quickly. Anyone can be famous
these days with a little time and creativity.
Two tales explore the power of stories
Alyssa Fowers
Staff Writer
John Connolly’s The Book of Lost Things is at times an intriguing, complex journey
into the power of stories and the impact of change in a child’s life. Unfortunately, it is
also at times a dull canvas of cardboard characters and overly simplified solutions to
problems.
At the heart of The Book of Lost Things is David, a twelve-year-old boy in England
during World War II. After his mother’s death, David takes refuge in stories and books.
He becomes so attuned to them that he hears them talking; they argue with one another
and tell other people what they are doing wrong. David comes to love fairy tales, especially when they are dark and strange. However, when his
father starts dating a new woman, he starts having fits that
he calls “attacks.”
Connolly’s portrayal of David’s anger at Rose, his father’s new girlfriend, is pitch-perfect, and the conversations
between books are always a joy to read. David’s attacks, his
nerves, and his “routines”—actions that he repeats over and
over in an attempt to stop bad things from happening—add
to the interest in this part of the book.
David does not remain in England for long. When a plane
crashes in his backyard, he dives for shelter and ends up
in another world. This other world holds a strange, twisted
mirror to the fairy tales that David loves. He finds himself
thrust into a series of adventures that culminate in saving
the kingdom.
The series of re-told fairy tales never fails to intrigue, and the appeal of this
darker, more frightening fairyland is undeniable. However, this part of the book tends
to edge toward preachy as each of David’s friends and counterparts impart a life lesson
to him. The idea that David can solve each of his problems with one conversation and
one adventure is completely at odds with the complexity of his character earlier in the
book. His obsessive-compulsive symptoms disappear within one day of entering the fairy
tale world, and once he reaches maturity (as the exposition pompously announces), he
becomes something of a cardboard character.
All in all, The Book of Lost Things is an entertaining read, sometimes hilarious and
sometimes heartbreaking. However, it is dragged down by wordiness and a puzzling simplicity of character. Still, the ingenuity displayed in the retold fairy tales alone is enough
to make The Book of Lost Things worth a read.
On the other hand, Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys is a playful, deliciously intriguing
jaunt through a world of magic, godhood and corporate fraud. The story dives in and
out of London, west Florida and the Caribbean island of St. Andrew while following the
antics of Anansi, an African spider god, and his sons Fat Charlie and Spider.
The story opens with Fat Charlie learning about his father’s death. Fat Charlie, who
has spent his whole life being embarrassed by his father, is further humiliated when he
finds out that his father died in a fall from a Florida karaoke stage, plunging his hand into the
shirt of a busty tourist on the way down. When
he travels to Florida for his father’s funeral, he
learns that his father was the spider god Anansi,
and that he has a brother that he never knew.
Where Fat Charlie is easily discomfited and
in every way normal, his brother Spider is a slick
customer, gifted with the powers of godhood.
When Fat Charlie invites him into his life, chaos
ensues. A confused tangle of magic, rivalry and
romance emerges, in which Fat Charlie and Spider manage to get on the bad side of both the law
and other gods.
Graphic by Anam Parpia
Written with a good-humored sense of zaniness, Anansi Boys is side-splittingly funny and always holds the interest of the reader. African mythology is laced throughout and the
magic of stories and storytelling is held close to the heart of this novel. The characters
are at once unique and instantly recognizable, from Fat Charlie’s old neighbor Mrs. Higgler to his corrupt, weasely boss Graham Coats. The novel is also a coming of age story.
Gaiman handles the maturation of both Fat Charlie and Spider with deft hands. Anansi
Boys contains both fun and depth and is an absolutely satisfying read.
features
12
The Beacon
1.31.2008
Gentle movie echoes actor’s religious heart
that teaches the stars of Televisa, an important and famous
Hispanic soap opera network. Once he graduated from the
center, he was awarded the principal role in five famous
telenovelas, Hispanic soap operas. However, he noticed
something after he moved to Miami.
“I realized that instead of using my talents to save and
to contribute to this world ... I was poisoning our society
how empty I was. [There were] so many voices, so many
temptations, so many offers… It’s important for us right
While many of the movies that come out in October
now to do something, do something positive. There’s nothare full of fright, violence and gore, one of the exceptions
ing more exciting than waking up in the morning and to
is Bella, a movie filled with hope, love and life-changing
fight for something that you can do,” Verastegui said. He
experiences. Bella, directed by Alejandro Monteverdi and
quoted Mother Theresa of Calcutta, a nun known throughstarring Eduardo Verastegui and Tammy Blanchard, is one
out the world for her kind ways and her missions in India,
of the must-see movies of the new year.
with what he believes is the message of life, “‘We
The central character in this PG-13 movie is Courtesy of http://amishamerica.typepad.com
are not called to be successful. We are called to be
Niña (Blanchard), a young unmarried woman who
faithful to God. That is our success.’”
gets fired from her job as a waitress in a Mexican
Verastegui finally realized that he was not
restaurant for being late because of morning sickmeant to be an actor or a singer, or any of the
ness. José (Verastegui), the restaurant’s chef and a
things he had aspired to when he was younger; he
friend of Niña’s, feels that something is extremely
was called to be a holy person, a person of God.
wrong with her. He leaves the restaurant on one of
“I was born to know, to love and to serve Jesus
their busiest days to follow her.
Christ.”
When José finds out that she is pregnant, he
During the interval between Verastegui’s acconvinces her to spend the day with him. They
ceptance of the role in Bella and the casting of Niwander New York City while he tries to help her
ña’s part, he decided to visit an American abortion
decide what to do about her pregnancy. José enclinic. He walked in timidly and was astounded
trusts Niña with various memories, thoughts, feelby what he saw.
ings and flashbacks that ultimately show his love
“When I saw those young ladies, 15-, 16-,
for Niña and her unborn child.
17-year-old girls going in, with their faces, their
Nothing is hidden in this production. It is a
tears, I was so frustrated because I wasn’t trained
simple story with a strong message. While it does
to do anything.”
send a strong pro-life appeal, the movie isn’t only
He noticed a small group outside that was
intendeded for people who are pro-life. In truth, I
trying to convince the young women who were
did not find this to be a religious movie, but rather
walking in to leave. Verastegui went up to them
a movie that appreciates love, life and laughter.
and told them that he was there to help. Verastegui
Mexican actor Eduardo Verastegui acts in the new movie Bella. Verastegui recently realized that
Winner of ten film festivals, from the Los Ange- he has ambitions beyond acting; he hopes to touch others with his strong faith in God and life. approached a couple from Mexico who could not
les and the Dallas film festivals to the New York
speak English. After about 45 minutes of talking
City and Toronto film festivals, it has captured the
to them about Mexico, memories, life and God,
hearts of many.
the couple turned around and left the clinic.
Verastegui, with his deep eyes and handsome appear- by the projects I was involved in,” he said during his tesMonths later, after Bella went into the post-production
ance, is vital to this movie. When Monteverdi decided that timony, which can be found on the official movie website, stage, Verastegui received a phone call from the man that
Verastegui’s looks would distract viewers from the mes- www.bellamoviesite.com.
had accompanied the pregnant woman. He asked Verasage of the movie, Verastegui was given a full beard to
When he went back to Mexico to visit his family he stegui for permission to name his newborn son after him.
divert the attention of the viewers.
Right now Verastegui is praying for guidance from God
tried looking for a deeper meaning in his profession as an
The actor’s story is uncommon and inspirational. actor.
so that he can see the way. He does not know whether to
Raised to be a famous movie star, Verastegui entered El
“Everything was really superficial… I was superficial go into priesthood or remain an actor and maybe later, and
Centro de Información Artística (CEA), a school for art too. [It] took me 12 years to open my eyes and to realize with the right woman, become a father and have a family.
Mar Trujillo
Features Editor
Filmmaker brings global perspective home
Courtesy of Richard Kern
Miami-based wildlife filmaker and lecturer Richard Kern records male elephant seals at Carcass Island in
the Faulklands. Kern narrates his films, such as August in Africa, during presentations at schools across
the nation. He hopes to foster a sense of environmental stewardship and responsibility in America’s youth.
Emily Cava Northrop
Editor-in-Chief
Richard “Rich” Kern is an unassuming and seemingly quiet man who brings adventure films to school auditoriums throughout all of Florida. He graduated from Colgate
College in 1966 before becoming a naval officer. After the Vietnam War, Kern moved
to Miami to live near his brother and took a position teaching Biology at Westminster
Christian High School. He made his first movie about the flora and fauna surrounding
Fish-Eating Creek in central Florida in his free time. Over the next 35 years, he produced
12 more films.
Kern told his story in an interview after presenting Out of Africa during activities
period on December 5.
Q: What nature experiences did you have growing up?
A: I grew up in New Jersey, pretty close to New York City. In my little town of Leonia,
I was rubbing elbows with up-and-coming scientists of the time. There was one ten-acre
second growth forest, and to a little guy it seemed pretty big and full of adventure.
Q: How did you fall into this profession?
A: I began filmmaking in my late 30s. I joined a group of friends to buy 400 acres surrounding Fisheating Creek in Central Florida. The owner of Channel Ten News, Charles
Tokmiller, bought the equipment and after nobody touched it for some time he gave it to
me. My first movie was about the wildlife on that land. In the 70s, I joined a nature film
series by the Audubon Society. A group of us lecturers would travel on a circuit and give
these nature/adventure presentations. I think television killed that. I hardly ever go out
on the road anymore so students are my audience.
Q: Could you walk us through the process of making one of your films?
A: First I come up with an idea – usually a habitat with diverse wildlife. I think about
what my audience would be interested in and what I would be able to film. I was really
interested in macro-biology when I started; I could have made a career with that, but live
audiences have more interest in the “big fuzzies.” I go with a basic idea of how the story
will go; it’s hard to be creative in the heat of the moment. Wildlife is always unpredictable so it’s great to see if unexpected footage can be integrated. Editing isn’t too difficult;
I know the amazing shots I need to use. Animals doing things versus just standing there
– those shots become the center of the story.
Q: What film are you planning next?
A: My wife and I are looking to buy about 500 acres of primary cloud forest and there
are amazing animals like the Quetzal bird there. Maybe Costa Rica will be next, but I am
under no pressure.
Q: What organizations support you?
A: All my early films were out of pocket. Then I realized that they are “educational” and
I could look for support. The last four or so have been supported, mostly by organizations
in Florida. Sometimes they are not so keen because filming is risky. I have a long track
record so now I can guarantee that at least 55,000 students will see it in the end.
Q: What opportunities are there for collaboration and have you ever taken students
into the field?
A: I have never collaborated in the field. I’ve thought about taking teachers for a workshop, maybe to Costa Rica, but Miami-Dade County Public Schools doesn’t support
fieldtrips out of the country.
Q: What local issues do we need to be concerned about?
A: You can see these articles in the [Miami] Herald from time to time… Our coral reefs
are dying; we’re pumping too much waste into the bay, exotic plants, pollution coming in
and out of Lake Okeechobee and over-enriching the water. And we really need to clean
up the mess that is the Everglades Restoration Plan.
Q: What are some of your most terrifying or memorable experiences?
A: Getting close to a Komodo dragon might look scary, but you have to remember that
I’m with a guide who is knowledgeable about their behavior. My eye is behind a camera
so I really need to rely on him. I’m always at a safe distance though.
My most awe-inspiring experiences are of nature in the raw, being in front of a silverback gorilla and one of two people in a colony of 100,000 Rockhopper penguins.
Q: Is there anything else you would like students to know?
A: My hope is to be able to inspire students to help save the planet. They need to persuade countries to save what they’ve got, especially habitats. In the big picture, saving
a rainforest is more important than saving a baby elephant. I think we are realizing how
pressed for resources we are. The United States, as the number one consumer, will have
to cut back. We will all need to be environmentalists to survive.
The Beacon
1.31.2008
science
13
Sci-Tech
Shorts
Haywire over hormones
University and adjunct associate professor of
physiology at the University of Texas Health
Yet another environmental issue looms Science Center, aside from reproductive abin the distance for animals and people alike. normalities, xenoestrogens are also linked
Though it may not be as well known as glob- to early puberty in girls, decreasing sperm
al warming, it poses just as much of a threat. counts in men and breast cancer. These pheXenoestrogens, also known as ecoestrogens, nomena were further explored in her article
environmental estrogens or estrogen mim- “The Hazards of Environmental Estrogens”
ics, are man-made compounds that mimic found at The World and I Online, which feaestrogen and are stored in fat tissue. They tures various articles written by scholars in
are found in a variety of products, from sun- the areas of their expertise.
screens to pesticides, and
While the claim
can create bizarre bodily
that xenoestrogens
complications.
cause breast canIn 1994 Louis Guillette,
cer is still disputed
a reproductive physiologist
among scientists, a
at the University of Florrecent study suggests
ida, discovered that the
that exposure to DDT
declining population of alearly in life may inligators at Lake Apopka,
crease breast cancer
Florida was due to reprorisk.
ductive failure. Pesticide
X e n o e s t ro g e n s
runoff from farms in the
present an impending
area contaminated the
threat in the United
site with dichlorodiphenStates
particularly,
Graphic by Ca
ndy Gonzalez
yltrichloroethane (DDT),
where they are a comwhich breaks down into dimonly used synthetic
chlorodiphenyl-dichloroethylene (DDE), a chemical. Plastic products such as soda and
xenoestrogen. It was observed that male al- water bottles, food wrap and styrofoam are
ligators experienced testicular abnormalities known to contain this chemical. Daily expoand eggs were biomagnified because of said sure to these products leads to bioaccumulacontaminants.
tion within the body. While it is extremely
“Synthetic estrogens can not be broken difficult to completely avoid xenoestrogens,
down the way normal estrogens are…They there are ways to cut down on exposure.
find their way into our water sources and Methods include not heating food or water
affect the fish…A lot of males become fe- in plastic containers when microwaving, usmales in the presence of estrogen pollution ing natural pest control instead of pesticides,
and when there are nothing but females you and eating hormone-free food products. Encan not maintain a stable population,” said vironmental science teacher, Claudia Ochatt
junior Milena Mihovilovic who is currently has been taking measures to protect herself
working on a marine research project along- and her family from xenoestrogens,
side junior Hollie Pickell observing the af“We all eat organic because of the esfects of xenoestrogens on fish.
trogens in many food additives…I think it’s
According to Michele L. Trankina, pro- a problem…companies should be held refessor of biological sciences at St. Mary’s sponsible for what they add in foods.”
Jehan Sinclair
Staff Writer
What’s new in the world of science
Researchers from MIT have found a way to induce cells to form parallel tube-like structures that could one day function as tiny engineered blood
vessels. The group adapted technology more commonly used in building micro-scale devices to create nano-scale patterns on silicon, which the cells then
adhered to. Engineered blood vessels could be transplanted into tissues that
require large amounts of fragile vascular tissue, which moves nutrients, gases
and wastes to and from cells.
Nanosolar has begun shipping its first solar panels, which retail
for one dollar per watt, making them cheaper than coal. The Silicon Valley
startup’s success is rooted in its approach to building solar panels, which uses
rare metals like indium and gallium, rather than silicon, to generate electricity. The company can use vacuum deposition technology to “print” solar
panels in large sheets. The first megawatt of Nanosolar’s panels will be used
in the construction of a solar energy plant in eastern Germany.
Toshiba introduced a new class of micro size nuclear reactors,
designed to power individual city blocks or apartment buildings. The 200
kilowatt reactor is designed with multiple fail-safe mechanisms and is completely automated. It differs from traditional nuclear reactors in that it uses
no control rods to initiate and control the nuclear reaction, using a liquid
isotope of lithium to absorb neutrons. The twenty by six foot reactors have
a projected lifespan of 40 years and produce energy for about five cents per
kilowatt hour, about half the current cost of grid energy.
University of California-Davis researchers have dated the earliest
steps in the formation of the solar system. Using data obtained by analyzing
carbonaceous chondrites, a type of meteor composed of the oldest materials
left over from the formation of the solar system, they’ve found that the solar
system began forming 4568 million years ago. The physics and timing of the
formation of the solar system are not particularly well understood. Knowing
the time at which it began forming could allow for more accurate models.
Compiled by Alan Reyes
The truth about
the ‘kissing disease’
Victoria Diez
Staff Writer
The virus mononucleosis comes with a variety of
agonizing symptoms, including fever, sore throat, fatigue and muscle soreness, and is most commonly contracted by teenagers. The effects of mononucleosis are
painful and long-lasting. Mono is deceptively known
as the “kissing disease,” although this is not the only
way this virus may be transferred. The most common
forms of transmission are the sharing of a drink or eating utensils.
“During an infection a person is likely able to transmit the virus for at least a few weeks. Therefore it is
Graphic by Jehan Sinclair
important to stay home when sick and make sure to
practice good personal hygiene,” athletic trainer Glenn
Coltrin said.
This infectious virus is caused by the Epstein-Barr
virus, which is also a type of herpes. It targets the body’s
lymph nodes, throat, salivary glands, spleen, liver and
blood. While the painful symptoms may disappear after
a few weeks, symptoms such as soreness and fatigue
can last for months.
“It is often mistaken for strep throat because the signs
and symptoms are relatively similar,” Coltrin said.
“Students are constantly being bombarded with
homework, daily quizzes, and tests and
cannot even afford to miss one day of
school,” math teacher Carlos Delgado
said.
School policy only allows students three days to make up any
missed assignments.
“I got mono and was forced to
miss two weeks of school. Just the
thought of having only three days to
make up all the work stressed me
out,” junior Natalie Camejo said.
“Fortunately some teachers
are benevolent enough to realize
that mono takes a tremendous
toll on the human body and
extend deadlines for a reasonable period,” junior
Melissa Oh said.
20% off
any manicure & pedicure
upon presentation
of this Ad
science
14
The Beacon
1.31.2008
Skin patch provides alternative for Parkinson’s patients
Cherie Rodriguez
Staff Writer
Graphic by Candy Gonzalez
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved
Neupro, a skin patch manufactured by Schwarz Bioscience of
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The patch was created
to treat patients in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease and is
the first of its kind.
According to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, www.pdf.
org, one million Americans suffer from Parkinson’s disease and
40,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease each
year.
Parkinson’s disease is caused by the impairment or damage
of nerve cells that transfer dopamine in the brain. Low amounts
of available dopamine cause muscle rigidity, slowness of movement and tremor of the hands, arms, legs, jaw and face. The cause
of this disease is still unknown.
According to the FDA, Neupro was tested in one fixed-dose
study and two flexible-dose studies. These studies involved 1,154
patients who were not taking other Parkinson’s disease medications. The types of studies conducted were randomized, doubleblinded and placebo-controlled.
This patch contains Rotigotine, a dopamine agonist that is transferred through the skin into the bloodstream. Although Rotigotine is
not an exact match to dopamine it acts as a substitute and carries out
the same function as dopamine would.
“Neupro is roughly equivalent to other dopamine agonists. However, in European studies it has been shown to be slightly weaker than
oral agonists,” Michael S. Okun M.D. from the University of Florida
said in an e-mail interview.
Neupro, like any other medicine on the market has its side effects.
Some test subjects exhibited skin reactions at the patch site, dizziness,
nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and insomnia.
Because the patch is a transdermal system rather than a pill, the
2, 4 or 6 milligram dosages are given slowly through out a period
of time. If side effects develop, they will stop after removal of the
patch.
“I feel much better with the patch than with Requip, the previous
medicine I was taking. I’m also less stiff,” Parkison’s disease patient
Giraldo Rodriguez said.
“A lot of research has gone into transdermal systems and it turns
out that it is very hard to develop effective transdermal delivery---it is
not clear what the future will be for this delivery system,” Okun said.
Good news for stem cell research
Erin Jester
Opinions Editor
Two teams of scientists shook the scientific world when they announced that
they had transformed human skin cells
into embryonic stem cells without actually
harvesting or harming any embryos. Until
now, the only way to obtain stem cells was
to extract them from a human embryo after
fertilization, destroying the embryo in the
process. The discovery of a method that
bypasses this controversial practice would
all but silence the long-debated question of
ethics in the field of medical research.
To transform the cells, the two teams
from Wisconsin and Japan added four
genes to a skin cell via genetic recombination and reprogrammed the “blank” cell to
function like a stem cell, a process which
might be familiar to Advanced Placement
Biology students.
“I think it’s a very promising development because. . .[scientists] don’t have to
deal with human embryos anymore. It’s
possible to get around the ethics of the
former method,” biology teacher Richard
Garcia said.
Other aspects of the project include the
insurance of genetic matching of the stem
cells to the donor and the ability to study
complex genetic diseases, like Alzheimer’s, with greater efficiency in the laboratory.
One factor that may inhibit the project’s viability is the mode by which the recombined genes are inserted into the cell’s
chromosomes. Scientists have been using
retroviruses to splice the genes, which can
sometimes cause mutations that may turn
normal cells cancerous.
Japanese scientists actually do use a
cancer gene in their process, bringing a
degree of skepticism to their success in
the scientific world. The resulting risk of
cancer would render this method of stem
cell production unsuitable for people with
diseases that cause their own cells to die,
such as diabetes.
The conflicts and possible drawbacks
of transforming normal cells into stem
cells are still overshadowed by the overwhelming discovery that the process is actually possible.
George Daley, associate director of the
stem cell research program at Children’s
Hospital Boston, said, “Dozens, if not hundreds of labs, have been attempting to do
this [for several years].”
Film Studies
Final Projects
Screening in May
Q: What vitamins are in cod liver oil?
Good Luck at the
NOSB Manatee Bowl!
Save
the D
ate
The Beacon
1.31.2008
sports
15
Basketball team perseveres
February events
2.4
Softball
vs. Ronald Reagan
(Away)
3:30 pm
2.5
Softball
vs. Gulliver
(Away)
4:00 pm
2.7
Softball
vs. Coral Shores
(Away)
4:00 pm
2.11
Boys and Girls Tennis
vs. Palmer Trinity
(Home)
4:00 pm
2.12
Girls Softball
vs. Carrollton
(Away)
4:00 pm
2.13
Girls Softball
vs. Ransom-Everglades
(Away)
4:00 pm
2.15
Boys and Girls Tennis
vs. Miami Beach
(Away)
2:00 pm
Photo by Katrina Avila
Senior Julio Triay takes a shot from the top of the key. Even at midseason, the boys and girls basketball teams are working hard to improve.
Catie Skipp
Staff Writer
The girls and boys basketball
teams have been holding their own,
considering that they cannot recruit
players. Even though the boys have
yet to win a game and the girls have
only won one game, they have not
given up and are trying even harder
in the second half of their season.
“Our team is okay, much better than last year. We really need to
work on team chemistry and getting
comfortable with each other,” junior
Ricardo Rendel said.
Coach Adam Maas hopes to
make the school independent next
year, which means that the school
will choose to play teams that are
suitable matches.
With this advantage, Maas hopes
that the school will become known
not only for intelligence, but also
athletics.
Although this is Maas’s first year
coaching, the boys believe he is the
best coach they have ever had.
Practice consists of a lot of free
play, scrimmage games and conditioning, as well as working on faults
found in previous games.
The team believes his openminded style makes the game fun
as well as helps them to improve on
their game.
Maas also believes the team will
improve in the next few years and
hopefully gain a reputation because
they will have the same coach and
many of the same players for more
than a year.
“We’re way better than last year,”
sophomore Kenechi Okany said,
“the players are good by themselves
but we have problems collaborating
our skills and working together.”
The girls won a game against
Carrolton in the second half of their
season and hope to win against Coral Shores as well. Their win against
Carrolton was the first game in eleven years that they have won.
Despite the many losses, the
players and coaches believe that
they are doing very well compared
to their expectations.
“We’re progressing and not getting as crushed as we were last year.
Our closest game was within seven
points,” senior Adlai Bradley said.
2.19
Boys and Girls Tennis
vs. Westminister Christian
(Home)
4:00 pm
Softball
vs. Archbishop F. Coleman Carroll
(Away)
4:00 pm
Preview: Water polo players gearing up
2.20
Boys Water Polo
Vs. G. Holmes Braddock
(Home)
4:00 pm
Boys Tennis
vs. Belen Jesuit Prep School
(Home)
4:00 pm
2.21
Softball
vs. Miami Country Day School
(Away)
4:00 pm
Photo by Candy Gonzalez
Ibrahim Artiles blocks a shot during club practice. With both morning and afternoon practices, water polo is predicted to have a great season.
Victoria Diez
Staff Writer
The girls and boys water polo team has already begun practicing for their upcoming season. Aside from
afternoon practices, the players have taken it upon themselves to hold morning practices from seven o’clock to
seven forty-five a.m. Afternoon practices usually last as
long as two and a half hours. Yuniel Usin, the boys’ new
water polo coach, believes all this extra practice is vital
for a successful season.
“I’m really excited for the season ahead. With all
the practice we have been getting I’m confident we will
make it to states,” junior Alison Ho said.
Although it is Usin’s first year coaching the team, he
has been playing the sport for eight years now and feels
he has a lot of insight to offer. This year, the boys have a
lot of new inexperienced players. Usin believes the extra
conditioning will better prepare the team’s rookie players for the coming season.
“We have a lot of new players this year, but with
the help of Coach Usin along with the guidance of the
teams’ more experienced players I’m sure we will do
fine this season,” Michael Ragheb.
Although Usin has been conditioning with both the
girls and boys water polo team, once the season starts he
will coach only the boys team. Kelly Hendrickson-Garcia will resume her role as head coach for the girls team
once the season starts in February.
Girls Tennis
vs. Carrollton
(Home)
4:00 pm
2.22
Girls Water Polo
vs. Carrollton
(Home)
3:30 pm
2.25
Girls Water Polo
Barbara Goleman
(Home)
4:00 pm
Compiled by Brynn Katzen
Spotlight
The Choice
By Matthew Ossorio
Life has an interesting quality
of presenting itself,
at the most inopportune time,
Taunting men with the raw truth
of their imperfect being,
Stripping the thread of existence bare,
In order men to return to their first love.
So it happened as I was sitting on a dock,
Contemplating my choices that passed like waves on the sea.
I stared around,
looked up and down,
and finally found the meaning of my life.
I saw that all of life could be spent
sitting on this dock or going away,
Remembering yesterday as a guide for tomorrow.
And so,I jumped.
Spotlight is a forum for the creative
expression of students and staff.
Please submit poetry, short literature, artwork and photographs to The
Beacon in room 9.
Photos by Jonathan Carr