Jordan’s Journal Summer 2012 Edition I, Volume I Santaluces Art Show Page 7 Celebrity Prisoners Bailed Out; Raise Money for Cherokee CTI By Jordan McPherson Cherokee High School rose over $600 to bail their favorite “celebrities” from prison. The prisoners included English teacher Mr. Ingham, Social Studies teacher and Coach Mr. Wingard, and the Mayor of Canton himself, Gene Hobgood, among others. Each prisoner was locked inside a prison cell in the main lobby of the school for one period while roaming students and faculty members contributed to bail them out. While he was here before school, a plethora of Warriors took the time to talk with Mayor Hobgood. Many were juniors, who expressed their desire for a light to be placed at the intersection of Marietta Highway and Boling Park. Students have been experiencing great difficulty turning in to the parking lot before school and leaving the parking lot once school ends Continued on Page 2 Photo by Aaron Cooler Mayor of Canton Gene Hobgood was one of many prisoners bailed out by Cherokee High School Students. Santaluces Rewards Hard-Working AP Students With Breakfast Photo by Kayelee Shimkoski By Jordan McPherson Students participating in the AP Program take a well deserved break by eating breakfast and spending time with friends. The 2nd annual AP breakfast filled the cafeteria with excitement. The room was jam-packed with proud AP students and equally proud AP teachers, as well as the sight of fresh food. The wall behind the food was loaded with stars that contained the names of students who received a passing grade on their AP exams a year ago. Many students enjoyed attending the AP breakfast. “I had fun at the AP breakfast,” said freshman Katie Ashley, who is currently taking AP Human Geography. “I got to eat breakfast and enjoy it with the friends I love.” While the majority of the students enjoyed the time out of class, there were some who did not feel the food options of bagels, muffins, and bananas sufficed. “I enjoyed the AP breakfast, but I wish they had better food,” said junior Troy Stark, who is currently taking AP English Language and US History. “We are working hard in AP classes and should at least get eggs or sausage.” The breakfast was capped off with an awards ceremony for all the current Santaluces students who passed an AP exam last year. If this was a student’s first year passing an AP exam, the student was awarded with an academic letter. For every AP exam passed after that, the student received a lamp pin, symbolizing academic excellence. The ceremony started with the recognition of Seniors Darrian Rice, who earned the recognition of AP Scholar with Distinction, and Janel Scholine, Santaluces’ lone National AP Scholar. In order to be recognized as an AP Scholar with Distinction, a student must pass a minimum of 5 AP exams and have an average AP score of 3.5 or higher. The requirements for a National AP scholar are to pass a minimum of eight AP exams with a score of four or higher and have an average AP score of at least 4. A small number of AP teachers were able to attend the AP breakfast and were glad to see the hard work of their students appreciated. “I thought it was nice to see the hard work and achievements of students being recognized,” said AP US History teacher Mrs. Sheridan. Senior Mary Matella Nominated for Pathfinder Award; Becomes a Student Leader By Jordan McPherson It’s not surprising that Mary Matella would accomplish a lot during her final year of high school. R a n k e d fourth in her graduating class of 2011, Matella was nominated as the school’s selection for the pathfinder award in the category of history/political science and she was recently recognized as a Bank of America “Student Leader.” Matella feels she has a strong case for winning the Pathfinder award. “I feel I deserve to win the Pathfinder Award because I have worked very hard in school,” said Matella. “I have a passion for history and I love learning.” Matella has always been involved in her education and has a strong academic record, as well as a long list of extracurricular activities to back it up. This year alone, she is the chapter President and a state officer of FCCLA, the co-captain of the Girls’ Varsity soccer team, and a member of National Honor Society, Key Club, and SGA. She feels that her position in FCCLA has given her advantage in the Pathfinder process, which includes being interviewed, writing an essay, and presenting a resume. “Through FCCLA, I have done a lot of public speaking and interviews, so I’m confident with interviews,” said Matella, who has been a member of the organization since she was in middle school. Still, as a Bank of America Student Leader, Matella will have yet another opportunity to broaden her horizons in the field of political science, which she will be majoring in at Florida State University. As a Student Leader, Matella will be an intern working with Communities in Schools, helping create networks for the future. Matella also hopes to be able to meet with local congressmen and women during the internship. Continued on Page 3 Photo courtesy of Mary Matella Signing Day Page 4 Page 8 University of Florida’s Summer Journalism Institute
Transcript
Jordan’s JournalSummer 2012 Edition I, Volume I
Santaluces Art Show
Page 7
Celebrity Prisoners Bailed Out; Raise Money for Cherokee CTI
By Jordan McPherson
Cherokee High School rose over $600 to bail their favorite “celebrities” from prison. The prisoners included English teacher Mr. Ingham, Social Studies teacher and Coach Mr. Wingard, and the Mayor of Canton himself, Gene Hobgood, among others. Each prisoner was locked inside a prison cell in the main lobby of the school for one period while roaming students and faculty members contributed to bail them out. While he was here before school, a plethora of Warriors took the time to talk with Mayor Hobgood. Many were juniors, who expressed their desire for a light to be placed at the intersection of Marietta Highway and Boling Park. Students have been experiencing great difficulty turning in to the parking lot before school and leaving the parking lot once school ends
Continued on Page 2
Photo by Aaron CoolerMayor of Canton Gene Hobgood was one of many prisoners bailed out by
Cherokee High School Students.
Santaluces Rewards Hard-Working AP Students With Breakfast
Photo by Kayelee Shimkoski
By Jordan McPherson
Students participating in the AP Program take a well deserved break by eating breakfast and spending
time with friends.
The 2nd annual AP breakfast filled the cafeteria with excitement. The room was jam-packed with proud AP students and equally proud AP teachers, as well as the sight of fresh food. The wall behind the food was loaded with stars that contained the names of students who received a passing grade on their AP exams a year ago. Many students enjoyed attending the AP breakfast. “I had fun at the AP breakfast,” said freshman Katie Ashley, who is currently taking AP Human Geography. “I got to eat breakfast and enjoy it with the friends I love.” While the majority of the students enjoyed the time out of class, there were some who did not feel the food options of bagels, muffins, and bananas sufficed. “I enjoyed the AP breakfast, but I wish they had better food,” said junior Troy Stark, who is currently taking AP English Language and US History. “We are working hard in AP classes and should at least get eggs or sausage.” The breakfast was capped off with an awards ceremony for all the current
Santaluces students who passed an AP exam last year. If this was a student’s first year passing an AP exam, the student was awarded with an academic letter. For every AP exam passed after that, the student received a lamp pin, symbolizing academic excellence. The ceremony started with the recognition of Seniors Darrian Rice, who earned the recognition of AP Scholar with Distinction, and Janel Scholine, Santaluces’ lone National AP Scholar. In order to be recognized as an AP Scholar with Distinction, a student must pass a minimum of 5 AP exams and have an average AP score of 3.5 or higher. The requirements for a National AP scholar are to pass a minimum of eight AP exams with a score of four or higher and have an average AP score of at least 4. A small number of AP teachers were able to attend the AP breakfast and were glad to see the hard work of their students appreciated. “I thought it was nice to see the hard work and achievements of students being recognized,” said AP US History teacher Mrs. Sheridan.
Senior Mary Matella Nominated for Pathfinder Award; Becomes a Student Leader
By Jordan McPherson
It’s not s u r p r i s i n g that Mary Matella would accomplish a lot during her final year of high school. R a n k e d fourth in her g r a d u a t i n g class of 2011, Matella was nominated as the school’s selection for the pathfinder award in the category of history/political science and she was recently recognized as a Bank of America “Student Leader.” Matella feels she has a strong case for winning the Pathfinder award. “I feel I deserve to win the Pathfinder Award because I have worked very hard in school,” said Matella. “I have a passion for history and I love learning.” Matella has always been involved in her education
and has a strong academic record, as well as a long list of extracurricular activities to back it up. This year alone, she is the chapter President and a state officer of FCCLA, the co-captain of the Girls’ Varsity soccer team, and a member of National Honor Society, Key Club, and SGA. She feels that her position in FCCLA has given her advantage in the Pathfinder process, which includes being interviewed,
writing an essay, and presenting a resume. “Through FCCLA, I have done a lot of public speaking and interviews, so I’m confident with interviews,” said Matella, who has been a member of the organization since she was in middle school. Still, as a Bank of America
Student Leader, Matella will have yet another opportunity to broaden her horizons in the field of political science, which she will be majoring in at Florida State University. As a Student Leader, Matella will be an intern working with Communities in Schools, helping create networks for the future. Matella also hopes to be able to meet with local congressmen and women during the internship.
Continued on Page 3
Photo courtesy of Mary Matella
Signing Day
Page 4 Page 8
University of Florida’s Summer Journalism Institute
NEWS
Cherokee CTI Raises Money
From Page 1due to the immense amount of traffic on the highway during those hours. The money was raised for CTI, Career and Technical Instruction, at Cherokee High School. Led by Career Tech Teacher Ms. Uboh, CTI is designed to support students with disabilities enrolled in Career, Technical and Agricultural Education classes. The goal of the services is to provide these
students with job-entry skills at the completion of the CTAE (Career, Technical and Agriculture Education) experience. Ms. Uboh provides resource assistance to students with disabilities, serves under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) in the CTAE program, and coordinates the services needed for the learner to acquire his/her goal of job placement.
English teacher Mr. Ingham goes to the bathroom in his cell, hoping wan-dering students will donate enough money to bail him out.
Photo by Jordan McPherson
AP Human Geography Students Pack for Europe
By Jordan McPherson
Mrs. Sunset’s European excursion is happening once again. This year, Mrs. Sunset and several of her past and current students will be embarking on a 10 day trip to Italy and Greece over Spring Break. “I love for kids to see other cultures and experience new things,” said Mrs. Sunset. This year, 46 students, parents, and teachers will be going on the trip this year, which is the largest group in the five year history of the trip at Santaluces. Many students choose to go on the trip for the opportunity to explore a new part of the world. “I’m going on the trip because I believe the exploration of Europe is far better than the beaches of Florida,” said sophomore Yosiah Bohannon. Each of the trips that Mrs. Sunset and her
students go on are provided by EF Tours. The company, which was founded in 1965, provides tours and trips to more than 50 countries around the world. Some of Mrs. Sunset’s current students are anticipating the trip so much that they are keeping a countdown to the trip on her whiteboard and updating it each day. “We wanted everyone to see how close the trip is and have them get excited,” said senior Mary Matella. While it is not definite, Mrs. Sunset hopes that the trip next year will be to Paris, France and Barcelona, Spain next year. Mrs. Sunset hopes to continue the trips for a long time because they help students better understand new cultures. “They love [the trips],” said Sunset. “The trips really open the students’ eyes.”
Students from all grade levels that are or were enrolled in AP Hu-man Geography have the opportunity to see first-hand the wonders
of Italy and Greece.
APES HuG Chiefs on Groovy Movie
MondaysMrs. Moretz and Mrs. Sunset’s plan to help their AP students
retain class knowledge.
By Jordan McPherson Students taking AP Human Geography and/or AP Environmental Science can attend Groovy Movie Mondays after school to learn more about the class they are taking by watching a movie related to the subject. Groovy Movie Mondays, which started on Monday, August 30, will be in the Little Theatre every other Monday from 2:45 P.M. until 4:00 P.M. Students who attend will earn extra credit if they fill out a question sheet while watching the movie. If you are enrolled in both classes, only one question sheet needs to be completed to receive extra credit for both classes. Led by Mrs. Moretz and Mrs. Sunset, who teach AP Environmental Science and AP Human Geography respectively, Groovy Movie Mondays started off strong. “Many students showed up so we felt it was a success,” says Mrs. Sunset. “Of course, we wish everyone was there. The movies are valuable and there is extra credit.” The first movie that was shown for Groovy Movie Mondays was part one of “Guns, Germs, and Steel.” The movie is a documentary about Jared Diamond and his quest to find out why some areas of the world, such as Europe and Asia, developed faster than a country like New Guinea. The movie explains that geographical luck and the stability of the environment that civilizations are living on can affect how the civilization advances. “Guns, Germs, & Steel provides some great background knowledge as to where people settled and why some countries are more powerful and richer than others,” says Mrs. Sunset. There are two more Groovy Movie Mondays this marking period. The next one will be on Monday, September 20th, 2010 and the final one will be on October 4th, 2010. The movies have yet to be decided.
By Jordan McPherson and Arya Singh
Most parents want their kids to graduate from high school and continue their education at college, but some students don’t have the same aspirations. Some students at Santaluces, such as senior Austin Ryba, would rather go into the military after high school than go to college. “College is expensive and does not interest me,” said Ryba, who plans to enlist in the Air Force. All branches of the military offer their recruit’s a free college education for their services. If students happen to be called up for service while they are in the midst of their studies, they will be pulled out in order to serve. The students then have the opportunity to continue their education once they return. According to military.com, 7 percent of high school graduates choose to enlist in the military instead of going
to college. Some choose to go to into the military because it is a tradition in their families. Others choose to go because they feel it is the best way to show support for their country; even a select few choose to go for a free college education. “I don’t want to be just another college kid,” said senior Michael Cappola, who is planning on going into
the Navy after high school. Senior Clarissa Bell feel that enrolling will allow her to receive a college education. “I want to go to college, but I don’t have the money for it,” said Bell. “I would rather enlist in a 3-year program and know that my education is paid for. Seniors aren’t the only students who are planning on going into the military after
high school. Sophomore Michael Francis has been planning on enlisting in the Air Force since he was 10-years-old, and he began to feel even more passionate about that dream when he turned 15. Francis feels that going into the military and serving his country is a tradition in his family that he wishes to continue. “Every guy in my family served,” said Francis. “It’s the best way in life.” Some teachers have served in the military
as well. Mr. Agresti, DCT teacher and Boys Wrestling Coach, served in the Marines and supports the decisions of some of his students to join the military. Agresti believes that college isn’t for all students and that the military might be the best route for some. “It’s not meant for everyone,” said Agresti about going to college, “but you have to make a choice.”
More Students Choosing the Military
Photo by Arya Singh
Page 2
From Page 1 “I’m excited to receive this internship,” said Matella. “I worked really hard these past four years and it’s great to receive this opportunity.” Also, Matella and all the other Student Leaders from around the country will be making a trip to Washington, D.C., for a leadership summit. All expenses for the summit are paid for by Bank of America. During the week, the interns will have meetings on Capitol Hill, participate in several volunteer activities, and take tours of a few of the District of Columbia’s culturally rich neighborhoods.
Profiles Page 3
Miriam Pierre Sprints, Spikes, and Shoots the CompetitionBy Jordan McPherson
Junior Miriam Pierre is dedicated to her school, athletically and academically. She is a member of the varsity Track and Field, Basketball, and Volleyball teams, while also being enrolled in many challenging classes. Pierre has been able to find a balance between the two. “Whenever I have downtime, I am doing schoolwork,” said Pierre. “It doesn’t matter if it’s at home, during lunch, or when I have free time in class. I am always hitting the books.” Pierre had outstanding statistics in all three sports this year. In basketball, she
scored 19.1 points per game, had 11.7 rebounds per game, and scored a double-double in each game as a small/strong forward. In Track & Field, Pierre competed in the shot-put, discus, and 4 by 100 meters events, and placed at 10 of her meets this year. Pierre also had 25 aces, 68 blocks, and 93 kills as a middle hitter and blocker in volleyball this year. “She [Pierre] is extremely dedicated,” said Coach Leonard, who coached the
Girls Basketball team this year. “She’s always trying to better herself and never gives up.” Pierre is considered a “natural leader” by her coaches. In fact, Mr. Brown and Ms. Padgett, who coach volleyball and track and field
respectively, described her as “powerful” and “amazing.” “She’s a great person to be around and to coach,” said Ms. Padgett. Because of her outstanding achievements this year, Pierre was recognized at the county level for basketball and at the
district, state, and regional level for Track and Field, specifically the shot put and discus. In addition to being a member of these three varsity teams, Pierre also has a rigorous academic
schedule. She is enrolled in 2 AP classes and maintains a 3.3 GPA. While she is content with her current GPA, she hopes to raise it before she graduates next year. “I know my GPA can be higher,” said Pierre. “It doesn‘t completely represent who I am right now.” After graduating from high school, Pierre is hoping to continue her sports and academic career at Florida State University. She hopes to major in medicine, while still participating in either basketball or track and field.
Senior Matella is a Pathfinder and Student Leader
By Jordan McPherson and Briana Goldson
AP Environmental Science is welcoming Mr. Craig Van Der Heiden, a PhD student at FAU, into the classroom on Mondays and Tuesdays to help students better understand the class and its effects outside of the classroom. He brings expertise, a great depth of knowledge, and interesting labs into the class. “It’s really great to have him here,” said Mrs. Moretz, AP Environmental Science Teacher. Van Der Heiden moved to the United States from Zimbabwe. He had no choice but to move since the economy of his country was collapsing. Van Der Heiden, who is majoring in Ecology, is able to be here thanks in part to the NSF GK-12 Project ChemBOND. The project gave a grant to Florida Atlantic
University that gives graduate students an opportunity to work with high school teachers in order to enhance their curriculums. Also, their studies are incorporated into the classrooms. AP Environmental students enjoy having Mr. Van Der Heiden at Santaluces and believe that he can help them better understand the class. “I like having him here,” said Sophomore,
Scientist Helps Out AP Environmental Science Class
Lissette Campos. “He has a lot of hands on experience and helps me understand the class better.” Van Der Heiden is currently studying the habitats of crayfish in the Florida Everglades and why they live where they do. “Crayfish are good animals to test experiments with,” said Van Der Heiden. “They are easy to observe and easy to manipulate.”
Photo by Briana Goldson
Photo by Jordan McPherson
Mr. Montoya: New Assistant Principal at Santaluces
Photo by Melissa Tyson
By Jordan McPherson
He directs traffic in the parent drop-off loop before school. He’s there in the cafeteria making sure the lines move smoothly. He’s the newest Assistant Principal here at Santaluces: Mr. Montoya. Originally a Biology major in college, Mr. Montoya switched to Secondary Education early on and hasn’t regretted it. However, he did keep to his Biology roots, teaching high school Biology for four years, three years at Royal Palm Beach High and one year at Park Vista.
“I enjoyed being a teacher,” said Mr. Montoya. “It’s why I stuck with education.” After his stint working at Park Vista, Montoya went on to become a member of the Department of Safe Schools, where he supervised Learning Team Meetings for five years and first became acquainted with Santaluces. “Santaluces was one of the schools that I worked with [at the Department of Safe Schools],” said Mr. Montoya. “It’s a nice school and I heard great things
about the students.” Prior to becoming the newest addition of the administration at Santaluces, Montoya was interviewed by a committee from the district, which included Principal Mrs. Orloff. He was considered the strongest of all the possible candidates. Mrs. Orloff believes he has been holding the job down well. “He‘s done a great job so far,” said Mrs. Orloff. “He has a strong curriculum background and is great with professional development.” Mr. Montoya does a myriad of different tasks
as an Assistant Principal. Other than his morning and lunch duties, Montoya assists teachers with their new evaluation system, as well as with preparation for the Reading FCAT and the Biology End-of-Course exam, due to his strong science background. On top of all of this, Montoya also manages student discipline, occasionally acting as a mediator between students in order to resolve issues. The diversity of the tasks that he can do on any given day is what he believes makes his job that much more
interesting. “It’s been a nice transition [from being a teacher],” said Mr. Montoya. “No two days are the same.” Mr. Montoya started his college career at Jacksonville University. He transferred to the University of North Florida shortly after, where he received his Teaching Degree in Secondary Education. He then earned his Masters Degree in Educational Leadership at Lynn University.
School SportsFive Chief Athletes Sign to Colleges
Photo by Rosetapha DeroseFrom left to right: Ryan Church, Palm Beach State College; Jordan St. Louis, University of Colorado-Pueblo; Terrance Floyd, University of Wisconsin; Ben Estica, University of Colorado-
Pueblo; Not Pictured: Kyle Smith, University of Florida
By Jordan McPherson
Five of Santaluces’ Senior athletes, three football players and two baseball players, signed to the colleges of their choice on February 2nd. Terrance Floyd, one of the Chiefs’ top varsity players, signed to Wisconsin University, a Division 1 school. While Floyd had a myriad of colleges to choose from, including Vanderbilt, Bowling Green, and the University of Massachusetts, he felt that Wisconsin was the best choice. “They [Wisconsin] are just a good fit for me,” said Floyd, who plays
the cornerback position. “Everyone was extremely nice and they made me feel like I was home while I was there.” Floyd has had an amazing high school football career, playing on both the offense and defense. This year, Floyd caught 13 catches for 204 yards and 2 touchdowns on offense, while also being a shutdown cornerback on defense. In fact, according to ESPN, Floyd is ranked 79th at the cornerback position in the country. Ben Estica and Jordan St. Louis, the other
two football players to sign, committed to the University of Colorado. Their friends, coaches, and family are incredibly proud of them. “We feel very proud,” said Mr. Estica, Ben’s father who was in the Conference room when his son signed. “It’s a great accomplishment.” Estica and St. Louis have also had great success at the high school level. Estica was a two-time all-conference selection and was named the team’s defensive MVP this past year. St. Louis was a first-team all-conference selection this
year. Coach Drinkwater is proud of all three of his star players. “They are great workers and deserve all the success,” said Coach Drinkwater. In addition to the signing of the three football players, Santaluces also had two baseball players sign to colleges. Pitcher Kyle Smith is committed to the University of Florida and Catcher Ryan Church is going to Palm Beach State College. Smith has had an excellent baseball career thus far. In his senior year alone,
Smith had a 6-2 record, threw 107 strikeouts, and had an ERA of just 0.34 according to the Sun Sentinel. Smith is capable of throwing a fastball at speeds of up to 90 miles per hour. Administration is also very proud of these prestigious Seniors. Mr. Krupa believes that this is a great opportunity for them to receive an education while playing the sports they love. “This is a chance of a lifetime for them,” said Krupa. “It’s in their hands now and they have to take advantage of it.”
Track Team Exceeds Coach Ingham’s Expectations; Future Looks Bright
Chief Baseball Team Finishes Season on a High Note
By Jordan McPherson
The Chiefs Varsity Baseball team finished the season off strong this year with a record of 18-8 and winning their last 7 games of the season. Coach Franco was extremely proud of his team this year. “We had a lot of returning Seniors, so I knew we would do well,” said Franco. The season for the Baseball Chiefs contained its highs and its lows. The team started the year off with a record of 11-4, but then went on a four game losing streak being defeated by Atlantic (7-3), Park Vista (4-3), Seminole Ridge (16-5), and William T. Dwyer (7-1). This caused their record to fall to 11-8. The team became in sync as they went down the final stretch of the regular season, winning their last seven games of the year, which included victories against Palm Beach Central, Palm Beach Gardens, Lake Worth, and Atlantic. “The team was in a bit of a slump in the middle of the season, but we were able to turn it around and finish the
season strong,” said Franco. The varsity team, which had a very strong roster this year, was led by Seniors Kyle Smith, Mikey Cohen, and Brandon Crawford. Kyle Smith, who is the teams top Pitcher and Designated Hitter, had a 8-1 record, 107 strikeouts in 62.1 innings pitched, and an ERA of 0.34, which was top in the district. Smith also had a batting average of .436, in addition to 23 RBIs and 4 home runs. Second Baseman Mikey Cohen had a batting average of .456 to cap off the season, in addition to 18 RBIs. Crawford, who plays Centerfield, had a batting average of .394, 3 home runs, and 20 RBIs. These Seniors, along with the rest of the team, are the reason for the team’s second place ranking in the district this year. “I think the season went well” said Crawford. “I think we could have gone farther, but that’s baseball.”
An astounding season finishes with two athletes making states and Coach Ingham believing one is more than
capable of breaking a school record next year.
By Jordan McPherson
With the Track and Field season reaching its conclusion, it is safe to say that the Warriors made a great impression this season. The varsity team had two individuals - Pole Vaulter Hannah Barr (Junior) and 110 Meter Hurdler Trey Harris (Senior) - represent Cherokee at the state level while the team as a whole finished second in the county and fourth in the region. Mr. Ingham, head coach of the team, was more than proud of the accomplishments of his team this year. “Considering how young our team is, Ingham said, “we did excellent.” Unfortunately, poor weather conditions caused
Barr to stumble slightly at States. While she did hit her average of eight feet on the pole vault, which was just enough for her to qualify for states, it wasn’t sufficient for her to place at the next level. Barr was disappointed with the results, but did see a silver lining in the situation. “Honestly, I feel I should have done better, but I am still very pleased with what I have done,” said Barr. “In addition, my running events have improved significantly since the beginning of the year, and I will only get better.” However, both Barr and Mr. Ingham believe that she will improve over the course of the senior year to the point that she will be
able to break the school pole vaulting record. “I have high hopes for next season,” said Barr. “I believe I can break the school record for pole vault; that is my goal.” While the Track and Field team will be losing a good number of athletes next year, Mr. Ingham has a hunch that the team will improve next season. “We will be deeper next season and I think we will have one of our better years in a long time,” said Ingham.
Page 4
NFL NewsSuperbowl XLVI: A Giant Repeat
By Jordan McPherson
It’s 2007 all over again. The underdog New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots late in the fourth quarter to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to the Big Apple, winning by a score of 21-17. Eli Manning was named MVP of the Superbowl, completing 30 of his 40 passes and throwing for 296 yards and a first quarter touchdown. The play of the game came on the first play of the Giants’ last possession. Manning, in the shotgun formation, launched a deep sideline pass to Mario
Manningham for a 38-yard completion. Despite the challenge from Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick, the called stood and eventually resulted in the game-winning score, giving Giants and Patriots fans alike a sense of déjà vu. The Giants started off the game strong. On the Patriots’ first offensive play, the Giants’ defense forced the first safety in a Superbowl in 21 years when they caused Tom Brady to intentionally ground the football in the end zone. Upon receiving the ball for their next possession,
the Giants drove down the field, ending with Manning throwing a 2-yard touchdown pass to Victor Cruz. However, the Patriots gained momentum after that drive, scoring 10 unanswered points to close the first half leading 10-9. The Giants played catch-up for the remainder of the game. Falling behind 17-9 early in the third quarter, the G-Men slowly but surely put points on the board, adding two field goals to their score before the third quarter ended, putting them down only by two points entering
the final fifteen minutes of the game. They took the lead and never let go of it when Ahmad Bradshaw scored accidentally on a 6-yards rush into the end zone with only 52 seconds remaining. According to the NFL, four new names are being written in the record book because of this game. Eli Manning set the record for starting out the game with nine consecutive completions. Tom Brady set the record for most overall consecutive completions in a Superbowl with 16. Brady is also the record holder for
the most attempts (197), completions (127), and yards thrown (1227) in a career during the Superbowl. Tom Coughlin, at age 65, is the oldest coach to ever win a Superbowl. Giants’ punter Steve Weatherford now owns the record for most punts inside the 10 yard line, with three. The Giants, who went 9-7 in the regular season, were not expected to even make the playoffs in November. Now, they are thrusting the Lombardi Trophy.
1st 2nd 3rd 4thNew York Giants 9 0 6 6 21New England Patriots 0 10 7 0 17
Brees’s Passing Record Should be Taken Lightly
With new rules benefitting the offense, it was inevitable that the Marino’s passing record would be broken.
By Jordan McPherson
Saints Quarterback Drew Brees surpassed Dan Marino’s record for most passing yards in a season, throwing for 5,476 yards in just sixteen regular season games. However, this accomplishment should be taken into serious perspective. Throughout the same amount of games, Drew Brees may have passed for 392 more yards than the Hall of Fame Dolphins Quarterback, but Brees also threw 657 passes during the year, which
e q u i v a l a t e s to 93 more attempts than Marino took during his 1984 season. If Marino attempted the same amount of throws that Brees did, he would have amassed 5,922 passing yards, far exceeding the yardage produced by
the Saints starter during the 2011 season. This conflict draws comparison to Tom Brady’s record for most passing touchdowns in a single season. Brady threw 50 touchdowns during the Patriots’ flawless 2007 regular season, which is one higher than the previous record of 49 touchdowns set by Peyton Manning in 2004. However, Brady tossed an 81 passes more than Manning did during his record-setting season. Manning would have thrown for close to 57 touchdowns if he made the
same number of attempts. Still, the new NFL rules that have evolved in the 27 years since Marino’s record breaking season have greatly benefited the offense, more specifically the passing game. With the return of instant replay (starting in 1999), the illegalization of the horse-collar tackle (2005), the additional concerns about concussions (starting in 2009), and the illegalization of hitting a quarterback below the knees (2009), the offensive side of the ball has prospered with their increased stat production, while defenses have to be weary about breaking any of these newly instilled rules. I will admit that Brees’s statline for the season (5476 passing yards, 46 touchdowns, 14 interceptions) was impressive and, unlike Marino, Brees can say he wears a Superbowl ring. Nevertheless, advantages to the offensive side of the ball that never existed during Marino’s era assisted Brees.
Peyton Manning to Denver; Tim Tebow to the Jets
By Jordan McPherson
All-star quarterback Peyton Manning has found a new home and a new team in Denver. Manning signed his five year, $96 million contract with the Denver Broncos on March 20, 2012. “I’m thrilled to be here,” Manning told reporters at his press conference. “I’m looking forward to meeting my new teammates, and doing whatever I can to help this franchise win another Super Bowl.” With Manning now controlling the helm of the Broncos’ offense, Tim Tebow is the odd man out. Tebow was traded to the New York Jets for fourth- and sixth-round draft picks. While Tebow hasn’t made as big of an impact on the NFL as Manning has, he still has room to grow. So far, in his two seasons in the NFL,
Tebow has an 8-6 record as a starter, has a 17-9 touchdown to interception ratio, and 12 rushing touchdowns. As a first round pick from the University of Florida, Tebow still has time to develop his quarterbacking skills. As the first overall pick out of the University of Tennessee in the 1988 draft, Manning has amassed a worthwhile career thus far. Up to the 2011 season, Manning had started all 208 games of his career for the Colts, which is tied for the 8th longest streak. Manning has totaled 54,828 yards, 399 touchdowns, and 141 wins in the 13 seasons that he took at least one snap. Manning was released from the Indianapolis Colts after a neck injury caused him to miss the entire 2011-2012 season, in which the Colts went 3-13.
One season removed from neck surgery, Manning pushes Tim Tebow out of the starting
spot in Denver.
19
1
0
Number of Super Bowl rings possessed by Peyton Manning.
Total postseason games played by Peyton Manning.
Number of snaps taken during the 2011-2012 season.
Page 5
EntertainmentSuperhero Movies
Are Taking Over the Theaters
From the comic book to the silver screen, superhero films are coming out faster than
ever.
By Jordan McPherson
Four new superhero movies are expected to hit theatres this year, and they’re projected to bring in some big money. The new movies include Dark Knight Rises, The Avengers, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, and The Amazing Spider-Man. This vast line-up of movies came from the success of last year’s superhero movies. The four superhero films from 2011 — Captain America, Green Lantern, X-Men: First Class, and Thor — brought in a total of $620,694,606 domestically, or 6.1 percent of the total box office revenues. Still, the biggest year for superhero movies, in terms of domestic revenue, came in 2008, with a total profit of $986,570,372, which constituted 10.24 percent of the movie theatre revenue for the year, according to boxofficemojo.com. The year
contained three smash hits in the superhero realm: The Dark Knight, The Incredible Hulk, and Iron Man. The Dark Knight is also the largest grossing superhero movie to date, bringing in $533,345,358 domestically. However, this was followed by a two year drop in superhero revenue, decreasing from the astronomical 10 percent to just shy of three percent each year before the resurgence in 2011. Superhero movies based on comic books started in 1978 with the original Superman starring Christopher Reeves. Other comic books that have been transformed onto the silver screen include Spiderman, the Incredible Hulk, Batman, and the Fantastic 4, among others.
Jermaine Paul Wins “The Voice”
By Jordan McPherson
Jermaine Paul is no longer seen as a back-up singer for Alicia Keys. The R&B singer from Orange County, New York, is now known as The Voice. after winning the hit NBC show’s second season. The two-hour season finale, which aired on May 8th, was live and full of non-stop singing and anticipation.
There were guest performances by Flo Rida, Lady Antebellum, and showed the live premiere of Justin Bieber’s song “Boyfriend.” Finally, as the show dwindled down to the final minutes, host Carson Daly revealed the order of the final four singers. He mentioned that the votes were as close
as they could possibly be, with first and second place being separated by only four percent of the votes, while third and fourth place were only one-quarter of a percent apart from each other. The Voice is a reality TV show where talented, unknown singers have the opportunity to make it big. The show consists of four teams led by four superstar coaches - Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine, country singer Blake Shelton, Pop diva Christina Aguilera, and former member of Gnarles Barkley Cee Lo Green. Each coach assembled a team of twelve singers during the blind auditions of the show and, over the course of the show, narrowed their teams down to one apiece. The final four contestants were as different as they could possibly be.
Bazinga: The Big Bang Theory is the Comedy to See
By Jordan McPherson
It’s simple math: Four nerdy scientists with minimal contact with women plus an attractive female next-door neighbor equals one of the best comedies on television today for nerds and regular people alike: The Big Bang Theory. The Big Bang Theory brings out the inner nerd in everyone. The hit show stars Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper, a Caltech theoretical physicist with an IQ of 187, who shares an apartment with best friend Leonard Hofstadter, portrayed by Johnny Galecki. Penny, a Nebraska native who works as a Cheesecake Factory waitress while she waits for
her acting career to take off, moves in to the apartment next door to Leonard and Sheldon in the pilot episode and takes no time befriending them, despite her lack of scientific knowledge. Other recurring characters in the film are Leonard and Sheldon’s friends Howard Wolowitz – a Jewish Aerospace Engineer who still lives with his mother – and Rajesh Koothrappali – an Indian astrophysicist who has an inability to talk to woman. The Big Bang Theory, which is currently in its fifth season, has multiple recurring features that make the show hilarious and keep
the stomachs aching and tears of laughter rolling down the viewers’ faces. The most obvious is Sheldon’s lack of understanding of sarcasm. This is seen in just about every episode and this flaw in him keeps viewers laughing from his literal, scientific responses. However, the few times he uses sarcasm, he finishes the sentence with the word “bazinga.” The hit show that originated on CBS has already won two Emmys and one Golden Globe in its short time on the small screen. All three awards were for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy and all three were won by Jim Parsons. However, the show has been nominated for multiple other awards. The Big Bang Theory is new on CBS every Thursday night at 8:00 and is on TBS every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, Tuesday from 8:00-11:00, Wednesday from 10:00-11:00, and Thursday from 9:00-11:00. The show is averaging 16.18 million views in its CBS timeslot.
Team Blake was represented by the winner Jermaine Paul; Team Christina was led by the classically trained opera singer Chris Mann; team Cee Lo’s final team member was punk rock singer Juliet Simms; and Team Adam finished with Tony Lucca, a rising pop/rock singer who was a former member of the Mickey Mouse Club. For winning the competition and proving that
he has the voice, Jermaine Paul joins the ranks of season one winner Javier Colon. Paul also won a record deal with Universal Republic.
EntertainmentSantaluces Art Show Exposes Shear Talent of Artists Across the School
By Jordan McPherson
The 2nd annual Art Show showcased the vast amount of talent possessed by the students at Santaluces. Hundreds of photos and drawings created by Visual Arts students were scattered across the 4000 building and the Tomahawk Café. The artwork at the show was as varied as the students who created them, ranging from a collage of a teddy bear’s life and close-ups of wild animals to a display about Pokemon and portraits of people. Every Santaluces student currently enrolled in any Visual Arts coursehad artwork on display at the show. The lower level students produced 2-3 pieces of artwork, while the upper level students were able to produce 10-12 pieces per class. Many students observing the artwork were amazed at how professional the artwork was at the show. “The Art Show was incredible,” said Sophomore Alexandra Carley. “It was great to see all of the work that was created by the students [at Santaluces].” Students currently enrolled in an AP art class had the concentration portion of their portfolios showcased in the Tomahawk Café. Each concentration consisted of up to twelve pieces of artwork that pertained to a theme special to each artist, including food, animals, and
music, to name a few. Some students, such as Senior Sahapoom Yamsakul, are enrolled in 2 AP Art classes and had the concentration portion for each class showcased. Yamsakul also created dresses out of Macy’s bags and had them on display, as well. All of the artwork created for the show came from some sort of inspiration from the artists. For many, including Sophomore Jonathan Bender, their artwork was based on childhood memories. “My cousin and I would draw monsters as kids,” said Bender, who is enrolled in Visual Technology 2 and Draw/Paint 1. “Those memories gave me the idea for me 360 rotation design [for Viz Tech 2].” The students were proud of all of the work they produced this year, but most were able to pick out the one true piece that they called their favorite. “My favorite piece was my self-portrait [that I created in Visual Technology 3],” said Junior Karina Ribatto. “It was my first true visual painting and I loved the way it came out.” The Visual Arts teachers are extremely proud of the success of the Art Show. Their student have been working hard for months to prepare their work. “It went really well,” said Ms. Ardner, who teaches Creative Photography. “All of their hard work this year finally paid off.”
Page 7
ReviewsThe University of Florida’s Summer Journalism Institute Offers Extraordinary Opportunities
By Jordan McPherson
From the moment I stepped onto the elegant campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville for their Summer Journalism Institute, I knew it was going to be the time of my life. The six-day program gave me, as well as 85 other aspiring journalists from around the country, the opportunity to learn about the incredible field of journalism, as well as a
taste of what the college experience is like. We lived in Beaty Towers, one of the many residencies at UF, walked nearly a mile to and from the dining hall each day for our meals, and participated in a myriad of lectures and classes at Weimer Hall, where the Journalism classes are taught. The lectures and classes offered insight on how to excel in journalism. The lecturers, who
have more than 75 years of experience in Journalism combined and have worked in every realm of the field, were more than willing to give many valuable tips about the field that they have learned throughout their careers. Each lecture was lively and never had a dull moment. The passion and charisma that each of them showed made me excited to walk into Gannet Auditorium twice a day for the lectures on various topics. UF Photojournalism Professor John Freeman taught us to “Fill the Frame” when taking pictures for our publications; People Magazine correspondent and novelist Kristin Harmel told us to “set a comfort level” when interviewing; and UF graduate Holly Gibbs gave basic design tips that will help make our publications more professional.
In addition to the incredible lectures, students chose one class to take for the entirety of the program. They had the choice of Photography, Newspaper Editing, Yearbook, Writing, and Multimedia. The classes met a total of 9 times throughout the six-day period, and each class contained brand new material each time you walked in. The Editing class, which I participated in, consisted of copy editing, editorial and opinion writing, basic newspaper layout tips, and learning how to better communicate with your staff. Taught by Mrs. Kerri McLean, English teacher and Newspaper adviser at Key West High School, the editing class was very informative, as well as interesting. She was always willing to answer students’ questions, which
ranged from students’ rights as journalists to life inside the profession. While the Journalism Institute was a learning experience, there was always some downtime at the end of the day. Despite the lack of internet inside the dorms and no television, participants found a way to entertain themselves, varying from playing a plethora of card games to mattress surfing down the halls of the 13th floor of Beaty Towers. The Summer Journalism Institute is open to any student currently enrolled in a Journalism course at his or her high school and will be a rising Sophomore, Junior, or Senior. The program may have come to an end on June 23rd, but the friendships that were made will never cease to exist.
Eighty plus high school journalists learn from the best.
Photo by Jordan McPherson
Quizlet.com: The Grade Lifesaver
By Jordan McPherson
While I am usually not one to forget to study for a test or a vocabulary quiz, studying does occasionally slip my mind. When that does occur, I am extremely thankful that I found quizlet.com. This incredible website contains online flashcards for just about every subject known-to-man. It is the best site for a quick refresher on a subject you already learned, as well as a complete review session for that semester exam that contains material you have forgotten from the first week of school.
You are able to sign on as a guest if you don’t want to use your e-mail account, but creating a quizlet account is free-of-charge. By creating an account, you are able to create your own flashcards for personalized studying, view the sets of flashcards that you have previously studied, and see your improvement on a subject over time. This website has saved my grade multiple times over my past three years in high school and it can help you too. Log on to quizlet.com, and see your grades soar.
A Trip Inside The World of Coca-Cola
By Jordan McPherson
There are numerous sites to see when visiting Atlanta, but one of them stands out among the rest – The World of Coca-Cola Museum. The museum enables people to better understand the soft-drink company that has taken over the world since it started in 1886. The activities to do at the museum seem endless. The trip starts with a 20-minute speech that explains how the Coca-Cola Empire originated, as well as many fun facts about the company, including that
Coca-Cola sells more than 500 different products, which include sodas, teas, and fruit drinks, in more than 200 countries. In fact, the museum allows you to taste 64 varieties of Coke products that are sold on 5 continents. Other activities that the museum offers include a tour of the history of the company, a walkthrough of the bottling process, and a 4-D movie that explains the reasoning for Coke’s great taste. In addition to the interesting and informative locations at the Coca-Cola Museum, it also has terrific
scenery. Positioned at different locations around the entire museum are enlarged artworks of Coke bottles that were submitted from different countries around the world. The museum attracts many people far and wide. On one trip alone, there were people from multiple countries, including Great Britain, Venezuela, and Italy. Coca-Cola is one of the most consumed soft-drinks in the world, with over 1 billion cans consumed every day.
An inside look at the history of one of the largest soft drink companies in the world.
The Coca-Cola Museum in Atlanta, Georgia, shows the evolution of the worldwide business.Left: A brief look at all of the products made under Coca-Cola
Right: A glimpse of the different Coca-Cola advertising techniques worldwide.
