the lion's tale - volume 51, issue 6
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The Lion's Tale - Oviedo High School's student run newspaper. If you have any questions please contact us at [email protected]TRANSCRIPT
TALELION’S
CRACKTIME TO
OPEN YOUR P IGGY B ANK
Scholarships may dwindle as state cuts back page 5
OVIEDO HIGH SCHOOL • 601 KING STREET • OVIEDO, FL • APRIL 15, 2011 • VOLUME 51 • ISSUE 6
// ////Senior Tessa France creates jewelry for senior project. 13
diversions sports3-D technology brought into games, television. 18
Students spend free time fishing in saltwater, freshwater lakes. 25
features
( sports )news 02 THE LION’S TALE | APRIL 15, 2011
TH
E SCO
OP
Luncheon celebrates scholarsThe Principal’s Luncheon was on
March 29. It honored 259 of the honor roll students. The top ten graduating students for 2011 gave speeches to the underclassmen during the luncheon. A 4.0 or above GPA was required to attend the luncheon.
The blood drive ended with 563 units collected in total for this school year. The goal was set to collect 600 units. The number of units collected will go towards saving 1, 689 lives. 143 more units were collected than during the previous school year. The Central Florida Blood Bank wrote a letter to Superintendent Bill Vogul, acknowledging OHS’s performance in this year’s blood drive.
“Cooking with the Lions Pride” cookbooks are on sale now. They include 405 recipes from the chefs at Oviedo High School.
The cost is $12. All order forms, cash, or checks need to be turned in to the administration office.
Principal OKs Quidditch team Principal Robert Lundquist approved
the application for the new Quidditch team. The date for the official meeting has not been set yet.
AP European History teacher Karlin Gasthoff will be the sponsor. The Quidditch team will consist of two teams with five players on each side. There will be three snitches, nerf balls, and brooms.
Newspaper wins awardThe Lion’s Tale earned a Silver Crown
given by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) on March 18 at Columbia University in New York.
According to http://cspa.columbia.edu, crowns are the highest award given to a student print or online media for overall excellence.
Drive falls short of goal
Lions cook by the book
photo/COURTESY OF CSPAVICTORY. Sophomore Jake Smith, junior Zoe Lyon-Goldman, sophomore Arianna Ray, senior Carson Bailey, juniors Amanda Ferguson, Stephanie O’Sullivan, and newspaper advisor Deborah Jepson all accepted the award from Bruce Watterson at CSPA’s 87th annual Spring Scholastic Convention.
HOMELESSHELP FOR THE
Organizations aim to provide aid for the homeless
by Stephanie O’Sullivan
Freshman Amy Wicken* stares into the food pantry in her kitchen, looking at the bountiful amount of food. Her minds drifts
and she remembers back to a time when she used to go to bed hungry, when she used to move around from foster home to foster home.
“My birth parents were addicted to 13 different drugs, including cocaine and tobacco, and I knew what they were doing was wrong. That’s why we were homeless,” Wicken said.
According to Beth Davalos, coordinator for the Families in Transition (FIT) program in Seminole County, 36 students at Oviedo High School are homeless.
“In our county, there are 223 homeless high school students. It’s really underidentified. Students don’t like to share that they are homeless and don’t like to talk about it,” Davalos said.
According to www.scps.k12.fl.us, students are homeless if they “lack a fixed, regular and adequate residence; or have a primary nighttime residence that is temporary in nature; or is a place not designed or used ordinarily as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.”
Wicken experienced this when she was younger.
“I was homeless for seven years, from when I was born to seven years old. It was kind of scary, because we were always moving to new places, new houses, and I was always enrolling in new schools. It was difficult,” Wicken said.
Davalos has noticed that moving around has lasting effects on children. Wicken has experienced this.
“It was kind of hard to adjust to a stable household. My birth parents used to leave me a lot, so I thought my adopted parents would leave me too. It took me a year or two to trust them,” Wicken said.
Wicken was adopted eight years ago.“It’s better now that I’ve been adopted. They
are the only ones that care about me. I don’t have to bounce around a lot anymore,” Wicken said.
Wicken’s friend, sophomore Laura Hart*, knows stories from Wicken’s past that Wicken does not remember.
“Her adopted mom told me a lot about her past. I think that she’s tried to block out what happened to her. I’m surprised by how far she’s come from being homeless to now. I’m amazed. Her parents now are very supportive. I’m always there to support her, too. I’m more like a sister. When she gets lonely, I go over and talk with her. We go for walks and talk a lot on weekends,” Hart said.
Father John Bluett of the St. Stephen Catholic Community founded Pathways to Home a year and a half ago.
“The program entails that a certified case manager is assigned to each family, who stays
with the family to a stable setting. They have to be working, saving money, and complete a financial counseling course. It’s not a handout,
it’s a hand -up,” Fr. Bluett said. Fr. Bluett relies on the local schools to
report cases of homelessness. “The most rewarding part is helping these
innocent children get off the streets, out of motels, out of the woods, and putting them in stable housing. A place to call home. To date, we have helped 70 families, and 184 children. Sixty of the adults have finished a financial education course. Forty-eight of the adults are working and generating an income, and 21 have a saving plan,” Fr. Bluett said.
Davalos is proud of her organization, but
“ In our county, there are 223 homeless high school students.”Beth Davalos
phot
o illu
strati
on/A
RIANNA R
AY
admits that there is still more work to be done. “I measure success in identifying students
and providing assistance. It’s a group effort; we strive to be better. As long as there is a homeless student out there, we need to keep working,” Davalos said.
*names withheld
APRIL 15, 2011 | news | THE LION’S TALE 03
The NJROTC room fills with sound as freshman Mackenzie Campbell laughs at one of her friends’ comments. She
soon returns to working diligently on the task assigned to her.
Programs such as these could be the first to be affected by budget cuts, according to Principal Robert Lundquist.
Next year, schools in Seminole County face an anticipated $33 million dollars in cuts.
In an article in the Orlando Sentinel, finance officer John Pavelchak told the board that the reduction in state funding, possibly 7 percent for Seminole schools, comes at the same time federal subsidies are being phased out.
Seminole Schools received $34 million this year, but that’s down to about $13 million next year, and the following year will be zero.
“Most of the governmental money starts from the district and then it distributes down to the schools. There’s no question that any time there’s a shortfall in budgetary monies that it’s going to impact the schools and the teachers.Certainly if you lose teachers there’s that possibility that you’re going to lose academic programs.” Lundquist said.
“When that starts to happen then you’re not going to be able to take some of the elective courses that make high school so wonderful. All those elective courses will be the programs that you will see go first when you have budget shortfalls because you still have to have the requirements for graduation. It’s the elective courses that all our students enjoy taking that will be the ones that first are affected by budget cuts.”
Campbell acknowledges the importance of the budget to the school and to her extracurricular activities such as NJROTC.
“I think that the school budget is really important. We need to use it to get more textbooks to study. Then everyone can get an education. The budget doesn’t really affect me. I don’t do much for extracurricular activities aside from ROTC,” Campbell said.
Lundquist explains the technicalities of the school budget.
“School budget is FTE. FTE doesn’t come to us until July. And then we establish our budget based upon how much money we receive in July. Then we get Advanced Placement monies in November. We budget for that money. When you say budget, budget comes from different areas. As far as the state and how much money they’re going to give the district, nobody knows. We don’t know yet. We don’t know how much the state is going to give our district so that we can staff our school,” Lundquist said.
Lundquist doesn’t anticipate any teacher cuts due to an increase in student population.
Seminole County is staffing the high school for 2210
by Arianna Ray
students next year. Last year, the school was staffed for 2080 students.
“As it stands right now, because we’re in a growing cycle, we’ll be able to fund our programs based on that. A little bit of attrition, which is when teachers leave or retire, will also help us because we do have some teachers that are retiring,” Lundquist said.
Freshman Julia Wolfe believes that the administration should encourage students to transfer.
“We should recruit more students for the school. We should show them the good parts
of the campus. We could compare the advantages of here versus other places. Show them what we have. It really helps
us,” Wolfe said.Lundquist affirms that transfers will be
continued for the next year.“We are going to continue to encourage
students to transfer here. I think diversity transfers are still in place from Seminole to here. Everybody but Winter Springs, the overpopulation transfers and diversity transfers, those transfers will still be allowed next year. The only school is Winter Springs that is not allowing that. Their population is now lower than ours,” Lundquist said.
Campbell believes that schools should be rewarded for doing well.
“I think schools should definitely be rewarded for getting a good school grade. But at the same time it’s hard to say that a school with a worse grade should get no money. You can’t force kids to learn. Sometimes you just can’t help what the test results are. It’s not the school’s fault,” Campbell said.
The half-cent tax proposed for Seminole C o u n t y failed to p a s s
Legislature proposes cuts to schools
during last November’s elections. It would have generated around $26 million in revenue for the county’s budget.
“The tax would have helped our district. The purpose was to provide the needs for our district in regards to construction that our district really and
truly needs to maintain our schools. I was quite perplexed by the vote. I thought that voters
would overwhelmingly support the tax. But they didn’t. I was very disappointed,”
Lundquist said.Spanish teacher Cyndy Miericke
was a supporter of the school tax law.
“There’s been an ebb and flow of the number of students
and worries about salaries in the schools. We’re always
going back and forth between worrying
about money and having enough.
We definitely should have
voted in t h a t school
t a x
DRAW IT OUT. Senior Frank Barrios sketches in art teacher Tonya Letzo’s Drawing I class. Although specific elective classes have not been targeted for cuts, some will grow larger due to the change in the definition of core classes by the Florida Legislature. Changes will take effect during the 2011-12 school year.
photo/LINSEY DUCA
“We should recruit more students for the school. ”Julia Wolfe, ‘14
law, though. The schools would have so much more money. We wouldn’t have these gigantic reductions,” Miericke said.
In addition to news about budget cuts, foreign language teachers such as Miericke have learned that foreign languages will no longer be considered a core class. The number of core classes has been reduced from 849 to 288 by the Florida Legislature.
“For language teachers, [foreign languages] aren’t really a lecture type of class. You don’t just read books and study text. It’s very interactive between the students and the teacher. Reading, writing, listening, and speaking are all important for a foreign language. There’s no time to cover all of it in a 50 minute class, let alone having more than 25 students. Foreign languages aren’t easy for everyone to learn. Everybody has different abilities and some students find it more difficult. We want students to succeed and we care about each one of them. It’s frustrating to not be able to help,” Miericke said.
Senior Daniel Robertson considers foreign languages to be important.
“Foreign languages should 100 percent be core classes. They are required by universities to gain admission. They are also especially helpful in English classes. It helps with grammar and the construction of sentences. It should be a requirement for high school. The point of high school is to seek further education. It is the same as in a university,” Robertson said.
Miericke hopes for the best.“I’m staying optimistic. But what can you do
with all the budget cuts? It’s really caused morale to sink. But we’ve gone through tough years
before. If we’ve learned anything it’s that nothing ever stays the same. We’ll just
have to hope the leaders of our state want the best for our students,” Miericke
said.
Budget
Capital Outlay $35,841
$65,537
$107,014
$639,710
$872,401
$9,906,295
School Improvement
School Supplies
Utilities
FTE Budget
OHS
info courtesy/WWW.SCPS.K12.FL.USStaffing
04 THE LION’S TALE | advertisements | APRIL 15, 2011
407.708.2050 | seminolestate.edu/apply
Your Choice. Your Future.
Complete YourApplication
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APRIL 15, 2011 | news | THE LION’S TALE 05
by Harry Traber
The Florida Senate is proposing cuts to the Bright Futures Scholarship that will total approximately $1,000 per
semester.Couple that with public colleges across the
state raising tuition and going to college begins to add up to real money.
“I was driving with my sister when I first found out Bright Futures will cover even less than it already does. When she told me, I felt a sense of dread,” junior Kaitlin Hardy said.
The cuts to Bright Futures will not be finalized until the legislative session ends in May and the Governor signs the bill. Currently, Bright Futures only covers, at most, $125 per credit hour at a four-year college.
Senior Gabriel Coppola is just one of many seniors who is at a loss as to how he will make up what Bright Futures used to cover.
“Every day [Coach Howell] tells us about some of the things in the news, and he told us about a new legislation on Bright Futures and about how it won’t cover as much as it used to. After hearing the news I felt shocked. I have no idea how I’m going to pay for college,” Coppola said.
University of Central Florida intends to raise tuition 15 percent next year. Additionally, the University of Florida would like to raise tuition by 30 percent in the next few years.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, Florida law allows public universities to raise tuition 15 percent per year until tuition reaches national average.
Seniors stand to be first affected by the rise in tuition this year and they are troubled by the cost.
“If Bright Futures was still covering 100 percent tuition, I probably would not have to pay anything, or very little, but with the cuts, I will have to go get scholarships and probably pay a little out of pocket. I did all my community service, did really well in school,
qualified for the Scholar’s Award, and now they’re telling me it will cover 60 percent. I was shocked,” senior Emily Myers said.
Guidance counselor Marcia Lightsey clarifies the issue with the proposed tuition hike for this year.
“I would guess that the gap [between what colleges will charge and Bright Futures covers] might increase as the state has difficulties with funding. There are basically four sources a student can look to for funding. One is FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) for a grant or loan depending on the need for
financial aid. “Second is the state, which is
primarily Bright Futures. It is a merit-based system as opposed to need-based. The third source is the actual college itself would award a scholarship, so the student may be awarded a scholarship from that college, but it would only be honored if the student went to that college. The fourth source for scholarships would be private foundations that
the student could find online or in the college room,“ Lightsey said.
Options like FAFSA are attractive to students whose families don’t have sufficient income to pay for one or more of their children to go to college.
“I’m not getting Bright Futures, so it doesn’t really affect me; we applied for FAFSA. The program is paying for almost the whole tuition for one year, I believe. It was really easy. We did it on the computer. I had to fill out a bunch of information about myself, date of birth, social security number, basic information, and then my parents had to fill the rest; it was about their taxes and whatnot. I found out about FAFSA through a meeting at school for FAFSA and some people from a few different places explained what it was. It was mostly for parents of seniors, and took place around the beginning of second semester,” senior Amy Welch said.
Students searching for scholarships should take into account the amount of applicants that apply for each scholarship. Students looking for other scholarships on the Internet will most likely be competing against other students around the country. Lightsey advises students to use the college room instead of looking for scholarships online.
“We encourage [students] to go to the college room because many of those [scholarships] are awarded to Oviedo or Seminole County students, so the pool of applicants is much smaller. The scholarships come from local civic sources and local people, so the chances are much higher to get the scholarship, I believe,” Lightsey said.
If students serve in the military, there are programs available to them, supported by the different branches of the military.
“I was listening to my stepdad talk about the raising tuition. He works at UCF. I was a little surprised to hear the news. But I am supposed to go into the Air Force, and there is a program at UCF that will pay for four years of college if you enlist,” senior Michelle Scarbraugh said.
The program is affiliated with the Air Force ROTC. This program is a scholarship-based program that rewards enlistment with scholarships that pay for tuition, an annual textbook allowance, most lab fees and a cash allowance for every academic month.
Nearly every branch of the military has a similar program, including the Army, Navy, Marines and the Coast Guard.
With decisions on just how much Bright Futures will be covering in the coming years not arriving until some time in the fall, many students have no other choice but to look elsewhere for money to make up on lost money.
“I already work now, so I will probably work through college, and apply for lots of scholarships. I’m going to SSC for two years, then I don’t know where I will be going,” Hardy said.
Florida
BrightFutures
Scholarship Program
Popular aid award slated for large cuts
EXCLUSIVEEndowments
Scholarships with living in Florida as a requirement.
Resident Access
info courtesy/WWW.SCHOLARSHIPS.COM
Florida Student
Requirements:
v Minimum of 12 credit hours per term at an eligible Florida collegev Meet Florida general eligibility requirements for receipt of state aidv Not in a program leading to a degree in theology or divinityv GPA: 2.0 minimum
Honors Scholarship
v Florida residentv Senior in high schoolv No repayments to any state or federal grant, loan, or scholarshipv Eligible to receive federal assistancev No previously earned baccalaureate degreev A nomination from a principal or superintendent
Assistance Grants
Amount: $200-$2,235
v Florida high school seniorv No debts to State of Floridav
v GPA: 2.0 minimum
Grants
Requirements:
Amount: $2,425
ProgramRequirements:
Amount: $1,500
Minimum of 12 credit hours per semester
Amy Welch ‘11
06 THE LION’S TALE | news | APRIL 15, 2011
The calendars mark the date as March 24, 2011. Through the office window the skies can be seen: occasional clouds
drift past, the sun glares intently down, and the air relaxes after a noontime drop in humidity.
Governor Rick Scott leans forward, pen in hand, prepared to make history in Florida’s education system. Scott slips the pen across the page in front of him, and rules the hotly contested Senate Bill 736 into law, the first signed by the new governor.
The law overhauls contracts of public education employees via a new merit pay system and changes to teacher tenure, and goes into effect in 2014, leaving 2012 and 2013 for data collection. Positive educator reactions to the bill remained a scarcity, even after its passing.
AP Human Geography teacher Jason McDonald remains skeptical of the law.
“It’s necessary for there to be due process when teachers aren’t doing their jobs right, but teachers can be lost to administration politics and personal bias without tenure. Merit pay, too, is in theory a good idea, and teachers who achieve should be rewarded, but it’s a flawed system, and I don’t want teachers to be the guinea pigs in testing it. The question is ‘How can it be made useful, but not harm teachers with families to support?’” McDonald said.
Bill 736 outlines merit pay as 50 percent of a teacher’s salary.
A merit pay system bases the salary of a teacher on students’ performance. The merit pay system established by Bill 736 leaves the decision-making on implementation and evaluation methods to district boards. The decisions made by the school boards proceed to be reviewed by the Florida Department of Education on a regular basis. The only definite evaluation criterion mandates inclusion of student scoring on standardized testing.
However, teachers on an existing payment plan can opt to continue on that schedule.
Teachers on the current pay schedule failed to receive a raise for the last four years due to reduced state funding.
McDonald doubts the system’s implementation will be effective.
“The real issue with the system is fairness. Maybe in 10 years, when a sustainable system’s been worked out, merit pay can be implemented, but not now. What if the test merit pay is based on is flawed? Studies done on merit pay showed 30 percent of teachers were wrongly underpaid because of a merit pay system. Now isn’t the time for a system with those kinds of flaws,” McDonald said.
Principal Robert Lundquist worries over other details.
“Merit pay, theory-wise, is valid provided you can produce a way to fairly justify achievement of a teacher, for all teachers. Not just core teachers, because teachers teach many subjects. English, history, science, and similar teachers can use AP or FCAT tests, but when you get into fine arts, physical education, or vocational classes, we have no test to determine performance,” Lundquist said.
The law never defines how to pay for these new performance tests, and lacks specific methods of application. While Race to the Top will contribute some of the funding, how to fill the gaps is another decision to make. That decision, and the decisions on implementation, will be left to the school districts.
Lundquist doubts the decision process will be smooth.
“How is merit pay going to be funded today? Five years? 10 years? That’s the big question. Legislators want to cut funding for schools, but in the same breath, they decide on merit pay. If they say they’re going to fund us,
they should fund us, by all means, but I don’t see things going so smoothly,” Lundquist said.
Tenure provided teachers with a guaranteed 10-year contract after three years of probationary time, but the bill institutes annual contracts in place of tenure.
AP Art History teacher Didi Gibbs perceives a few issues with changes to tenure.
“It really affects things at a college level more than at high schools. At universities, academic freedom must be preserved for professors. At high schools, though, it’s less applicable due to our influences on youth. We do need a way to get rid of bad teachers. But the combination of reduced tenure and merit pay isn’t the way to do it, as we can’t control the system. If we could fire students,
as in a business, then I could understand, but we can’t. Teachers are stuck with whoever signs up for their classes. It’s unfair, and I don’t know a single teacher, anyone in
education, who supports these laws,” Gibbs said.
However, junior Garrett Urban believes there’s a necessity for a reduction in tenure.
“Some teachers are just unable to teach their classes well. It’s possible to have a few years filled with really impressive students; even more so in courses where students may already know most of the material. Tenure is unnecessary so long as teachers are doing their jobs well, and there’s little reason besides the desires of unions to keep the system,” Urban said.
Lundquist ultimately holds the power to decide whether teachers receive tenure. He sees few flaws in the system.
“If a teacher in their first year isn’t doing a good job, it’s my job to say, ‘This is what you need to improve. Come back next year
and try doing that.’ If there’s improvement, they continue to improve in their third year, and if there’s no improvement, I have to ask if teaching is really the profession for them, if it’s something they’re deeply interested in. By the end of the third year, it’s my responsibility as an administrator to decide if they deserve tenure or not. I believe the system works in that way. So long as teachers are documented and worked with proactively in their first three years, there’s no need to worry about the system,” Lundquist said.
However, Lundquist keeps ambivalent about tenure’s disappearance.
“But without tenure there’s nothing to worry about either, so long as teachers do a good job. I’ve worked 31 out of my 38 years in the public education system on an annual contract. If one can’t self-evaluate their performance, it may be time to find a new profession,” Lundquist said. “I support teachers. I support teachers that do the right thing, and I support doing the right thing in teachers’ interest, for their good.”
Similarly, Governor Rick Scott announced in his budget that government employees – teachers included – should make a mandatory contribution of six percent of their salaries to government pensions.
McDonald counts himself opposed to the budget.
“I realize that others have pensions in the private sector, but every job has benefits, and this sort of loss of perks for teachers in multiple sectors removes the carrot dangling in front of teachers to increase performance. Teachers feel underpaid and morale is lowered for new teachers. They might stop teaching and move to other fields because of this sort of attack. We have bills to pay, and these policies risk harming real people with families. Politicians can’t just rush these by because the political winds have changed,” McDonald said.
by Brandon Koller
New law to implement performance pay into schools
CHANGE TO COME. Spanish teacher Cyndy Miericke helps her student, freshman Nicholas Labrecque, with an assignment.
photo/JESSI WHITACREphoto/HARRY TRABER
WHITE BOARD LESSONS. AP Human Geography teacher Jason McDonald lectures his students. He doubts the new teacher evaluation system will work.
“ Tenure is unnecessary so long as teachers are doing their jobs well. ”Garrett Urban, ‘12
Bright Futures ( sports )opinion “Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you, too, can become great.”
- Mark Twain
TALELION’SOVIEDO HIGH SCHOOL • 601 KING STREET • OVIEDO, FL - APRIL 15, 2011 - VOLUME 51• ISSUE 6
Funds for Bright Futures program should not be cut
OURWORD
Japan spills radioactive waste into oceanThe Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program is surely familiar to any student across Florida. Many students use the program to help pay for college and the many
costs that come along with it. According to www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org, Bright
Futures is designed to “reward students for their academic achievements during high school by providing funding to attend postsecondary education in Florida.” It is a merit-based program that helps many college attendees.
A Florida Academic Scholar -- the highest award -- grants $125 per credit hour for students attending a four-year university. While this does not generally cover the entire tuition of a university, it does contribute significantly.
Now Bright Futures is slated for budget cuts by the Florida Legislature. According to The Orlando Sentinel, they are trying to fill in a $4 billion hole in next year’s budget. Bright Futures scholarships will be cut by approximately $1,000 for next school year. Funding for Bright Futures has already fallen by 24 percent since the 2007-2008 school year.
These large budget cuts could potentially hurt thousands of students across the state. Many teenagers rely on this scholarship to help pay for college and will be unprepared to cope with the growing amount of money they will continually be expected to pay if they wish to continue their education.
In addition to the cut in these scholarships, tuition is also rising in several popular universities around the state. University students can be expected to pay at least 15 percent more for tuition for the next school year and for many years following.
Florida law allows universities to raise tuition at a rate of 15 percent until their tuition reaches the national average.
Many universities are embracing this tuition raise wholeheartedly and some would rather see larger increases.
University of Florida President Bernard Machen would like to see a one-time, 30 percent increase. University of Central Florida will be raising tuition by the maximum amount for the next school year. UCF officials have also publicly proclaimed
illustration/ WESLEY WYNNE
that they would like to increase more than that.The Bright Futures program should not be one of the
programs cut for funding by the Legislature. It is an important scholarship for college students around Florida. Rather than cut funding, one possible solution is to raise the standards slightly for obtaining a Bright Futures award.
As it stands, a 3.5 weighted GPA is required along with 75 hours of community service, and sixteen credits of college preparatory classes as well as a minimum of 1270 on the SAT is required to obtain the Florida Academic Scholars award.
For the Florida Medallion Award, a 3.0 weighted GPA, a 970 on the SAT, and 16 credits of high school courses are needed. The average SAT score hovers around 1000, allowing many people to qualify for the Medallion award.
The top award could be made more selective by raising the minimum GPA or SAT requirement while maintaining the standards for the lower award. This way, high-achieving students who need an award based on merit, rather than
financial need, would still be able to have access to the award. The Medallion Scholarship would still be available to those
students who would not be able to achieve the new standards while the Academic scholars would receive the same amount of money they have always been.
Another option open to the government to offset the loss in Bright Futures and help the students is to lower the percentage that tuition is allowed to increase. The two combined create a deadly combination for college students who have trouble paying for college and rely on scholarships like Bright Futures.
Lowering the percentage allowed per year would at least give more time for students to come up with a suitable course of action to cope with the loss of money.
All in all, cutting Bright Futures is only going to hurt the students in Florida especially when there are other solutions that the government could consider. Bright Futures is an integral part of the lives of Florida college students, and for some, a college degree would not be possible without it.
DARK FUTURE
Editors-In-ChiefCarson Bailey
Julia ThorncroftJunior Editor
Stephanie O’SullivanNews EditorArianna Ray
Opinion EditorNirvani Khan
Features EditorHallie Lavery
Diversions EditorsAngiee Carey
Kaitlyn LoughlinSports EditorJanie Williams
Advertising EditorAmanda Ferguson
Copy EditorsBrandon Koller
Jake SmithStaff ArtistsTaylor SchwarzWesley Wynne
PhotographerLinsey Duca
Staff ReportersConnor BaileyLeigha Bennett
Gloria ChoiMaria CokovskaDaniel Condly
Olivia Davila-Finch
Andrea DoboCarly Ford
Hafsa HussainZoe Lyon-Goldman
Eric MooneyHarry TraberJessi Whitacre
Faculty AdvisorDeborah JepsonAdmin AdvisorAnna McCarthy
Oviedo High School601 King Street
Oviedo, FL 32765Phone: 407-320-4050
Fax: 407-320-4213
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APRIL 15, 2011 | THE LION’S TALE 07
Corrections for March issue- Nirvani Khan was not given a byline for the story “Internet
Invasion” on technology’s effects on the brain on page 4.- Sophomore Kyle Bean was incorrectly identified as an
MMA state champion on page 27.- The Lion’s Tale inadvertently left out the following names
of the individuals pictured on page 32:Ethan RichardsLuka GormanBuck MussattoConley WhiteSarah Birkmire
becomes
“ Bright Futures is an integral part of the lives of Florida college students. ”
Class surprises teenCARSON BAILEY CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
NIRVANI KHAN OPINION EDITOR
Eighth grade was the year I learned the meaning of true friendship.
Chelsea Smith* and I had been really close friends for about two years during middle school. We understood each other very well and always encouraged each other. Not only was she a loyal, trustworthy friend, but also, some of the most memorable times in my life were spent with her. There was something strikingly unique about her personality that I particularly admired.
Out of all the positive qualities I found in Chelsea, the one I admired most was the way she made me smile, even without trying.
However, somehow, it felt as if the closer we became, the more difficult times were, not only for Chelsea, but also for me.
Some days, she would hardly talk to me at all, or to anyone else for that matter. She would sit alone at lunch and sometimes when she did talk, she would treat me coldly. The zeal I had always known in her diminished, and she always felt hopeless and, from the expression in her face, I knew she was extremely down in the dumps. She would sometimes look pale, though she was not physically ill.
Then other days, she was back to her normal self and it was as if the previous day didn’t even occur.
The “good, happy days” spent with Chelsea helped me forget the times she wasn’t completely herself, and I knew she was still a
great, special friend. I didn’t want her gloomy, irritable days to define her, and I didn’t want them to change how I looked at her. She just had personal challenges she was dealing with.
Nonetheless, I was greatly affected by her emotions. Her mantra, at times, was basically, “I cannot do this anymore. I give up. I hate my life.”
To be quite frank, spending time with Chelsea made me feel pessimistic in some ways about my own life, too, which was very much abnormal for me because I had always maintained positive outlooks on life.
When Chelsea finally told me she was suffering from depression, I cannot say I was surprised.
I never left her side, even when she was extremely hard to be around. I can’t say that I never thought about giving up on our friendship, but I knew that she needed my support and I cared about her. After all, she was always present when I needed her.
However, I was no stranger to disappointment. Chelsea was always exhausted and did not want to hang out outside of school as often. Honestly, I think she spent the majority of her weekends sleeping.
Though Chelsea suffered from depression, she was never selfish. She saw how hurt I was when she was hurt.
I will never forget the day she told me something like, “Nirvani, I am so sorry for the way I sometimes act around you. You don’t have to keep spending time with me. I know I’m not the easiest person to be around, but I do care about you a lot and I want you to be happy. I don’t want my feelings to rub off on
you.”As she spoke these words, tears rolled down
her apologetic face.I thought hard about what she said. And then realization set in. No one is perfect, and we all encounter
challenges that we are not able to control at times. My experience with Chelsea taught me that sometimes, even when it’s not the easiest decision to make, you should always support the ones you care about, and the ones that care about you. Chelsea needed my support; she didn’t need me to walk out on her.
Eventually, she started seeking therapy, and though she still had those “down” days, therapy helped control her emotions.
It helped save the friendship between us; the friendship that was not always easy or straightforward, but the friendship that was so precious to me.
Depression is infamous for destroying relationships between family and friends.
But with continual support, patience, and cooperation, in my opinion, you can ultimately save any relationship. At the peak of depression, one really doesn’t act like themselves, from prior experience. Look beyond that, and remember your friend for who they really are. But no matter what you do, don’t let the depressed feelings of a friend affect you in a negative way. Your friend wouldn’t want that for you.
True friendship isn’t about having the perfect friendship, and it isn’t always easy. There will be difficult times in many friendships we encounter. But Chelsea taught me that true friendship is unconditional.
Depressed friend teaches columnist true friendship
illustration/WESLEY WYNNE
“ It felt as if the closer we became, the more more difficult times were. ”
08 THE LION’S TALE | opinion | APRIL 15, 2011
illustration/ WESLEY WYNNE
*name withheld
Journalism started out as a scapegoat for me during my sophomore year. Half way into the first quarter I realized one of my classes
definitely wasn’t for me. My twin brother told me I should join the
newspaper staff because they were looking for a “technical” person, which I guess meant a computer geek, aka me.
Newspaper just so happened to be the same period as the class I wanted to get out of, so I quickly made the switch, not knowing what was in store for me.
I expected to be the technical guy who would give assistance in Photoshop or other programs - definitely not writing stories, maybe sometimes laying out a page.
I didn’t expect to be the leader, creator, or writer. I didn’t expect to be laying out color pages three issues in or writing lengthy controversial stories.
I never thought as a staff reporter I’d be proof-reading the entire paper the night before we went to press. Along with designing five layouts, writing a story, and a column.
Turns out what you expect doesn’t always play true.
From day one as a Lion’s Tale staff member I started working on layout. Poor kid didn’t understand how to use Indesign and refused to learn, so the editors stuck me on his volle yball page.
Mind you there were only two days before the paper was to be sent to the printer and my inherited page laid blank. For the next two days that layout became my baby.
I obsessed constantly over how I should place the pictures and if the layout met journalistic standards. From that point on, I was hooked. The pure creativity you are allowed when designing a page intrigued me to the point I couldn’t get enough.
As I proceeded into my second issue, I found myself with not only a layout, but a story as well. Never in my life had I written a story.
In fact, I was quite turned off by the notion of writing. Regardless, I was assigned a story and I knew I had a responsibility to deliver quality copy.
I remember reading story after story trying to soak up the writing style and then trying to imitate that same style as my own. After about three hours of rearranging words, my first story was written. And although I finished the story, I wasn’t confident in what I had written.
I thought the copy was garbage and most likely would have to be rewritten. To my surprise, that was not the case.
In fact, even the sports editor from the Orlando Sentinel, who helped sports writers on staff from time to time, commented on my story. He said it was great and not much needed to be changed. I felt on top of the world after hearing what he had to say.
And armed with confidence I did just that - Continued on page 09
JULIA THORNCROFT CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Columnist shares theories on world peace, resolutions
World peace is more than just an unrealistic fantasy created by beauty pageant contestants. Believe it or not, there are several articles and theories on the internet about how we
can create world peace. Honestly, world peace is a completely achievable goal. We only
have to do one thing: replace every gun in the world with a Nerf gun.Most of the articles on the internet that talk about world peace
preach tolerance, forgiveness, and love. But let’s be honest, this world is full of people incapable of those three things. Some people just want to shoot at each other. If people want to commit violent acts, it would be very difficult for them to actually harm anyone if all they had was a Nerf gun and Grand Theft Auto 4.
Which brings me to my first point: it all starts with the video games. That is where the combat training begins1. You can’t just have people running around, willy-nilly, with their Nerf guns. No, I take battle very serious. When in video game combat mode, there will be two sides: you’re either a PS3 or an XBOX 360. If you’re a Nintendo fan, this sucks for you2. Keep in mind that the only console I have is a Nintendo 64 from 1996, so combat mode pretty much sucks for me too3.
1Meaning in this new world, every thirteen year-old boy is a pro.
photo illustration/CARSON BAILEY
APRIL 15, 2011 | opinion | THE LION’S TALE 09
2The Wii is for wieners anyways. Or should I say Wii-eners? See what I did there? Great, now I just lost any future advertising possibilities with Nintendo.
3Yes, I am the biggest hypocrite you’ll ever meet. That statement probably puts a lot of smiles on the faces of juniors who still hate me over a seven-month-old article.
Typically anyone who plays video games has the proper instinct to take down any evildoer4. There are so many games that can help you train not physically, but mentally on how to fight in full combat. World at War, Black Ops, Modern Warfare and Gears of War5 are the best games for training. Really, they’re the only games people are buying other than Rock Band and Guitar Hero. Unless you do yoga or kickboxing on the Kinect, but I can’t imagine the combat boys doing downward dog.
4Even the much feared Charlie Sheen. That guy has tiger blood pumping through is veins. So if you can take him down, you are one skilled warlock.
5Pretty much any Call of Duty game is a win. Most gamers don’t play Gears of War because they think it’s awful, but that all depends on who you’re talking to. That’s really just my lame way of giving a shout out to all the real nerds out there, the only kind of boys I’m interested in.
Now my second point. Once properly trained, it’s time to put the controller down and pick up your Nerf gun. A war with Nerf guns seems like an abundance of fun. There might be a squabble whenever someone hogs all the foam bullets, but that’s about it.
Those who want to create an argument, I know what you’re going to say. “Nerf guns aren’t safe! What if someone wanted to bash your face in with one?” My rebuttal is this: if this is a peaceful world, there will still be laws. If someone can’t follow the proper rules of combat or
livelihood and they have to go around bashing people’s faces in then they will lose their right to bear arms6.
6Forget Sarah Palin. I say, “Julia Thorncroft for President.” I’d be the Joe Plummer of candidates.
Imagine how easy airport security would be in this world of peace. You wouldn’t have to take your shoes off7, go through metal detectors, or get violated by TSA employees. Plane rides would be so safe, just like it was back in the ‘70s. People could smoke on planes again8.
7I don’t understand why we have to take our shoes off now. It’s not like I have a shiv in my shoe.
8Except in this peaceful world I’m creating, we won’t let smokers smoke on planes again. That’s just plain disgusting. Or should I say, “plane disgusting.” Get it? Oh, never mind.
Airports won’t be the only safe places, though. Everyday crimes will be a thing of the past, or a thing of entertainment. Picture what the opening scene of Pulp Fiction would be like: a couple trying to rob a restaurant with Nerf guns? Now picture bank robberies in the real world with Nerf guns. Nothing bad would ever happen. If anything, it would be downright comical.
Not only the crimes, but the court cases would be much easier. A woman can’t get arrested for firing a Nerf gun at her husband’s face. Even if he cheated on her with that new secretary. But if the wife was enraged enough to strangle him with her bare hands, she’d need the defense attorneys O.J. Simpson used to get away with murder 9.
9I hate to admit it, but this world is the best scenario for guys. You get to play Call of Duty all day and run around with Nerf guns and hot female secretaries by night. It sounds like a man’s dream to me.
In short, I think I made my point very clear. We all need to put down our AK-47s and pick up our Nerf guns. That doesn’t just sound like peace, but also fun.
anything and everything. I slowly progressed from black and white pages to laying out color. Instead of writing small feature profiles, I started seeking the larger, more in-depth stories. I even started learning how to use a digital camera so I could be my own photographer.
Within that year I learned the ins and outs of Indesign, how to photograph with a digital camera, interviewing techniques, proper AP style, and so much more. My strong commitment to the paper and willingness to learn led me to be selected as an editor my second year on staff. During that second
year, I continued to grow as a journalist, still taking in-depth stories and laying out the center spread every edition, in addition to other black and white pages. But no longer could I focus on my work and myself: I was responsible for the entire paper. From front to back, I had to ensure staff members were working on task to meet our deadlines, and sometimes that proved to be a difficult task.
In addition to working on the newspaper that year, I made it my mission to revive the literary magazine. Sometimes I would go home after school and spend hours working on the development of Arts Unleashed and then have to switch to work on The
Lion’s Tale. It was a constant balancing act. Yet never once did I fall through with my commitments, all seven issues of The Lion’s Tale and 40 pages of Arts Unleashed got printed successfully on time.
I continue this year with the same drive and commitment as last year.
Now, as I journey into my final months as editor of The Lion’s Tale and Arts Unleashed I’ve come to realize what a substantial impact journalism has had on my life these past three years. The technical aspects of journalism and moral values that have been instilled in me through these journalistic experiences are indescribable. I will leave Oviedo High School’s
journalism room a changed person. No longer will I question my confidence or ability but prosper in my passion to be that writer, designer, and leader: a journalist.
Journalism is and will always be a part of my life. It’s made me who I am proud to be today and has given me the confidence I need to succeed. In the future I see myself staying with print publications, and becoming a major force in the mass media. From writing to design, photography to editing, you name it, I’ve done it. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Continued from page 08
CALL DUTYOF
NERF GUN WARFARE
HARRY TRABER STAFF REPORTER
//// THE GREAT DEBATE:
Should teachers have a performance-based
salary? JAKE SMITH COPY EDITOR
Performance pay potentially creates new teaching methods to help students
Bill on evaluation proves unfair, detrimental to teacher morale plus taxpayers’ dollars
[email protected] [email protected]
PRO
The issue of merit pay is thorny. On one hand, is it really fair to ask teachers to base their pay off of students, students who can be interested and passionate about a subject just as easily as
they can be uninterested and unwilling to learn?On the other hand, students are often left behind when a teacher’s
style is not compatible to their learning style. In the eleven years I have been enrolled in school, I have seen just
about every teaching style and student reaction there is. Before you shout out the obvious issues with students who just don’t want to learn, I have seen how those students get to be that way.
It starts in elementary school. For our purpose, let’s name an imaginary student John Doe. John is sitting in his first grade math class struggling to grasp the idea of addition and subtraction. John understands how the equations work on the board, but on his own he becomes confused and struggles to perform on his practice work.
John is a verbal learner and does not understand why the other students get the work and he does not.
This is the tipping point.While the others excel, John falls behind, and as
addition turns to multiplication, he is lost. He comes to his teacher for help at first and said teacher does not understand that John is a verbal learner. As John falls behind, he comes in for help less and less. One day John gives up and decides he is never going to be good at math. Now John is an uninterested student.
Teachers, don’t get me wrong. This is just one imaginary example and plenty of students get help and become better and don’t give up on school. But the simple truth is students will give up, and it’s your job as an educator to do everything in your power to keep students like John from giving up on school. That is why I support merit pay, and while I have been lucky enough to always have teachers who won’t give up no matter how the student performs, there are still teachers out there who give up on some students.
It is my opinion that by moving to a merit pay system, teachers will have an incentive to think outside the box to help students. I know that some teachers have a style that they have used and are just dedicated to, and they would not have this style if it did not work. But when students who have a different style of learning come into their class, the good old lesson plan just fails to help that student. If we had a merit system, it is my belief that teachers would be more willing to go out of their way to help those students by switching up the way they teach.
I am by no means saying that teachers are bull-headed and don’t change the way they teach their lessons come hell or high-water. But some teachers give up and keep trying the old plan; that is what creates students who don’t want to learn, and that makes bad test scores for individuals who just aren’t getting the material.
We need merit pay because we need teachers who are willing to take their plans and make sure they fit the students. I think it’s simple logic that if the plan fits the student then even the uninterested students will find an interest and the test scores will go up. Don’t think that just because we have a merit system that our standards will go down. Instead, innovation will go up and teaching will improve for all students.
A revolutionary new bill was passed by the Florida legislature on March 24, 2011. This new bill will change Florida teachers’ lives and make their salaries
exceedingly dependent on the achievements of their students. Although it seems plausible at first glance, if you truly dissect
the ramifications of this new law you will see a very flawed system.
First of all, it is unreasonable to base a teacher’s pay on student test scores. Teachers don’t get to pick what students go into their classes. There are many students who struggle
in school, and this is reflected in standardized test scores.Although it seems logical that how a student performs on a
test reflects their teacher’s teachings, this is not always the case. There are some students who, quite simply, just don’t grasp knowledge or who struggle with the material taught.
Teacher salaries cannot be at the mercy of students like these, who are beyond help.
Some students are familiar with the subject material of the class, and have an easy time learning. These students are
naturally intelligent and require little instruction. Is it right that a bad teacher gets an increase in pay because they had smart students who performed well?
On the other hand, other students have the capability to take in the knowledge, but just don’t care enough to apply themselves. Like all the others, the work ethic of this student will be reflected in the standardized test for the class, thus, affecting their teachers’ pay in a negative way.
Attendance is often a huge factor in whether a student excels in a class. With the loss of the exam exemptions, students are absent more frequently.
Teachers should not be held accountable for students when the students are not in
attendance every day. Speaking of the standardized tests,
where will all the funding come from to generate and maintain these tests? There will need to be a
test for every class in every school. The bill does not specifically say where the money will come from or the
method of application for the tests. At this moment, the state is trying to cut spending for schools
significantly. One example of this is the proposed shutting down of Longwood Elementary. According to Bright House News 13, superintendent Bill Vogel has recommended the shutting down of the school because, “it just makes sense financially”.
Boiling a class like debate down to a single test might sound good on paper. But how do you devise a test that will evaluate a student’s speaking ability?
Or what about Art 2D, a class that teaches a student how to draw? What possible multiple choice test can evaluate the skills taught in that class?
Currently, the bill for performance pay has been signed by the governor and will go into effect in 2014. The Florida Legislature will meet two more times before then.
The Legislature must ask itself, “Is this law fair?”The answer, of course, is no.We, as a state, cannot afford it. Teachers, with families to
provide for, cannot afford it. It must be repealed.
CON
66 out of 100 students
Poll taken on 4/14/2011
illustration/WESLEY WYNNE
10 THE LION’S TALE | opinion | APRIL 15, 2011
said NO
The notes all contained one word, except for the last, which had two words, from the sentence “Will you go to prom with me? – Druuv.”
Jones remained puzzled when she received the first note.
“I was like, ‘Who’s Will?’ I was just wondering who it was [that sent me the note]. Apparently everyone knew except me. Mr. Boggs even sent me out of his class to find out,” Jones said.
Jones was overjoyed at the end of the day after getting the seventh and final note.
“I got a huge smile and hugged him. The last flowers were orchid lilies, and they smelled really good,” Jones said.
Patel believes that everything went exactly as planned, and he couldn’t have asked for anything better.
“I wouldn’t change anything because it was perfect, even though I was nervous. I couldn’t sleep at all the night before,” Patel said.
Jones remains overjoyed about being asked by Patel to prom.
“The time, effort, and thought he put into it makes me feel really special. Out of all the people they could have asked, they asked you, and in such a memorable way,” Jones said.
Senior Karli Welhoelter’s boyfriend asked
( sports )featuresAPRIL 15, 2011 | THE LION’S TALE 11
Special invites include flowers, logs, shoes her to prom in a way that is relatively similar to an infamous movie.
“I went over to my boyfriend’s house and he was standing there holding a dozen roses. He sat me down and gave me a card. He had a shoebox next to him. In the shoebox was one shoe. I opened the card and it said, ‘Be my Cinderella. Go to prom with me,’” Welhoelter said.
Welhoelter felt as if she was in a Disney fairytale during that moment.
“After I read the card he put the shoe on me like Prince Charming and Cinderella. It was really cute.”
Senior Matt Tillman had a flowerless and very public plan to get a date for prom.
“During my lacrosse game at half time, about two weeks before prom, I had the game announcer say, ‘This is a message to Caitlyn Dilis. Will you go to prom with Matt Tillman?’ Everyone started cheering. I looked up at her and she was saying ‘yes.’ It was extravagant seeing her up there. I was a little embarrassed. It was cool, though.”
Although Tillman was thrilled about his plan’s success, he would change it if given a second chance.
“I’d do it at the end of the game so I could focus better. It threw me off a little bit. I got five penalties in a row. I was in the penalty box for most of the second half. I just wasn’t thinking. But, it was definitely worth it,” Tillman said.
by Jake Smith
GET DOWN. Seniors Ben Traback and Brittany Hudson join their friends on the dance floor at prom. (right) Seniors Amanda Lopez and Maximiliano Castrillon share a dance after being crowned prom king and queen.
PROMNIGHT
photo/LEONARD’S PHOTOGRAPHY
TalkingROYALTY
Prom king Maximiliano Castrillon and queen Amanda Lopez discuss...
photo/LEONARD’S PHOTOGRAPHY
AL: “Thank you guys so much for voting for me. It was really surprising and it was definitely a great end to my senior year. You are all awesome.”
MC: “It’s greatly appreciated. Thank you to all who voted for me. Representing this senior class as prom king is something I’ll never forget.”
It is the first Friday of spring break, early in the morning. The sun has not even risen yet. Junior Stephanie Kirk sleeps soundly.
Suddenly, she is awakened by the train horn in her boyfriend’s truck screeching loudly outside.
“It was so loud the whole neighborhood heard it. When I woke up I was like, ‘Why is he here?’ Then, I saw he sent a text that said, ‘Look out your window,’” Kirk said.
Kirk could not see anything outside, due to the early morning darkness. So, she went outside.
“He had flowers placed in my yard and they spelled “prom?” He made the question mark my favorite color- pink. There is a log on my sidewalk and a note was attached to it that said, ‘Bring the log if your answer is yes.’ The log weighed like 300 pounds, so I just took a chip of the log to him at McDonald’s. He was hanging out there with two of his friends,” Kirk said.
Kirk walked towards her boyfriend, log chip in hand, smiling.
“He asked, ‘So is this a yes?’ I said, ‘Yeah, it’s a yes. I’d love to go.’ We hugged and I hung out with him at McDonald’s for an hour with him and his friends.”
Senior Druuv Patel took a different approach in asking his date, senior Casey Jones, to prom.
“I got the idea from a friend to take seven different flowers and give one flower from a random person to her each period, with a note attached to them. The last one I gave her myself,” Patel said.
“ The time, effort, and thought he put into it makes me feel really special. Out of all the people they could of asked, they asked you, and in such a memorable way.
Casey Jones, ‘11 ”What advice do you have for underclassmen wishing to be crowned?
Why do you think you were crowned?
How was the experience for you when you were crowned?
AL: “I was really, really surprised because I was in Homecoming Court and I didn’t think I would get voted for twice. In general, the same person wouldn’t win twice but I guess it was because I helped plan prom a lot.”
MC: “I was sitting next to my sister and no matter what the result ended up to be, I knew I won because she was on the Court with me. Actually winning took it to a whole new level.”
AL: “Be involved in a lot of activities and be a leader in the class. Also, be nice to everybody.”
MC: “Get to know people. Show them that you are genuine and nice. Have an attitude that’s friendly.”
AL: “I honestly don’t know. I guess it’s because a lot of people know I helped plan prom and I always know what is going on around the school.”
MC: “People know me. I have a varied group of friends and I’m not one to make enemies.”
What would you like to say to the people who voted for you?
12 THE LION’S TALE | features | APRIL 15, 2011
by Carly FordWomen fight to break glass ceiling
illustration/WESLEY WYNNE
“ I learned about something called the Glass Ceiling, which means you won’t see women in many of the higher CEO positions due to stereotypes. ”Christian Owen, ‘12
Frowning in disappointment at the article in her hands, sophomore Maggie Forbes reads over the recent ruling in a class
action lawsuit against Walmart with dismay. The women bringing the suit lost the case,
which leads Forbes to wonder whether she may face inequalities in her job as well.
A class action lawsuit recently accused Walmart of paying women a lower salary than men and promoting them at a slower rate.
If the Supreme Court approved the lawsuit, it would have made history becoming the largest job discrimination class action lawsuit in the U.S. with over 1.5 million women participating.
On April 1, just two days after the women’s hearing, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Walmart. Judge Alito asserted that Walmart’s pay and promotion rate were in line with the rest of the U.S. workforce.
Students have opinions in regards to the class action lawsuit.
“I don’t agree with the Walmart lawsuit verdict at all. I don’t think it’s fair. They’re doing the same work and so they should get equal pay. Women have families to support, too,” Maggie Forbes said.
Forbes recently started a job working at a local preschool in Oviedo where she watches over the kids during their daily activities
Although she hasn’t personally experienced discrimination in her job, Forbes does have an opinion on women’s status in the workplace.
“It’s not fair that we’re paid less. It makes us feel less equal because we’re doing the same work for a fraction of the pay. I think we should receive the same salary as men because we work just as hard,” Forbes said.
Junior Christian Owens also believes that discrimination is prominent in today’s society.
“I think women definitely face discrimination when it comes to pay. It’s just one of those things of the past that still affects us today. I learned about something known as the Glass Ceiling, which means you won’t see women in many of the higher CEO positions due to stereotypes,” Owens said.
One statistic shows that in 2010 for every dollar a man makes a woman will only receive
82.7 cents. This is an increase from 76.1 cents in 2000.
Freshman Sarah Ross feels the same frustration as Forbes and Owens when it comes to women not receiving equal pay. She, too, believes that women are entitled to just as high of a salary as men.
“It’s unfair that we do not receive the same pay as men and I believe that something should be done to change the way women are treated in jobs,” Ross said.
The fact remains that women receive a significantly lower pay in many industries and also have less numbers employed in regard to men.
Students preparing to enter the workforce worry whether they, too, will face discrimination when they begin to apply for jobs.
“I think it’s really not fair. I’d be mad I didn’t get paid equally and I would definitely protest. I think it might happen,
but I really hope not. If the economy continues to get worse, though, then it’s probably going to,” sophomore Stacey Renick said.
Teachers remember previous jobs where they experienced harassment.
Chemistry teacher Kathy Savage faced harassment from her boss at another job where he asked her out repeatedly despite her insistent refusal.
Savage eventually reported the problem but instead of seeing justice served, she received no help.
“I know that I finally reported my problem and ended up ‘demoted’ while my boss never got reprimanded or anything. I was patronized and told I did the right thing, but obvious it didn’t seem that way to me. I would have handled it differently if it happened today,” Savage said.
Today Savage is optimistic about the way the current generation will deal with the discrimination issues in the workplace.
“I think they are already more open and verbal about it. Women aren’t afraid to stand up
and say what they think anymore,” Savage said.
APRIL 15, 2011 | features | THE LION’S TALE 13
Stringing it together for senior projectby Hafsa Hussain
Senior Tessa France sits down with beads, charms and string scattered messily around a table. She patiently
strings together materials she finds to create her bracelets not only for fun but also for her senior project.
“Since I was a little kid all I could remember was making things. I’ve been designing since middle school. I used to make a whole bunch of jewelry, mostly necklaces and bracelets out of beads. I used to follow a book but the more jewelry I made the more I started putting in my own style,” France said.
As France becomes accustomed to her designs, she begins to branch out and try numerous different methods for her creations.
“I used to put key chains, and charms on my earrings and bracelets that look pretty cool or add other random things that’ll look good on earrings. Usually things like little palm trees, cats, music notes and I get most of my supplies from Michaels or Bass Pro Shops which is where I get my stringing material,” France said.
Senior project is an assignment designed to help seniors figure out what career they would like to pursue when they get older. It also helps them get an idea of what it is like.
France chose jewelry making as the basis for her senior project.
“I’d like to sell my jewelry more in the future. Maybe one day I’ll work at a jewelry store and make jewelry. The reason I picked making jewelry for my senior project was because it’s always been something I’ve loved and want to continue,” France said.
Part of France’s project is trying to sell jewelry.
“I usually sell to people who ask me to make them something or my mom’s friends. When they see my mom wearing the jewelry I make they ask me if I could make something for them,” France said.
For France, making jewelry is also a fun way to keep busy.
“I always have to move my hands or be doing something with them. Making jewelry keeps me
busy and it’s fun,” France said. France learns more about the world of
jewelry making with the help of her senior project mentor.
“My senior project mentor Gena works at a bead store in Melbourne. She professionally makes jewelry and sells it online. She makes bracelets that she sells for $150 online. She has taught me a lot about both making jewelry and selling it. She always says to be patient
if I don’t like something I made; just take it apart and start over as many times as you want until you’re satisfied,” France said.
Gena’s price range varies depending on the amount of money it takes to make the product and also the time consumed.
“I charge depending on how much money I spent on making the products. I don’t charge for time consumption because at the rate I work people will have to pay way more than necessary. I like to take my time when I make jewelry. My bracelets are usually around $12,” France said.
For the more complicated pieces, France charges up to $25.
“One of my bracelets, called a Russian spiral is orange and I made it with beads. It took me three days to finish. I use a lot of tools to make different items like pliers, wires, and fishing line. I sell my Russian spiral for about $25,” France said.
Whether or not making jewelry will be a future career for her, her love for putting things together will always exist.
“Making jewelry has always been a really fun hobby for me. Now it’s part of my life, it’ s very important to me. I’ve always wanted to be a singer but if that doesn’t work out that’s my backup. No matter what I’ll always be doing it,” France said.
Illustration/WESLEY WYNNE
1.
step by stepTake a 15g wire and cut it so its length is wrist size plus two inches.
1.
4. Grip your wire in the middle part of the round nose pliers use your hands to bring the wire around the top prong. cut the excess wire. Bend the bangle into a round shape and leave some room for the clasp. Attach the clasp and you’re done.
3. Slide the beads on to your wire in the order you want. Leave about an inch and a half to make another loop.
2. Grip the end of the wire with your round nose pliers and make a loop.
To make a clasp go to: http://www.how-to-make-beaded-jewelry.com/s-clasp.html
1. 2.
3. 4.
Tessa France‘11
The late bell rings and students shuffle into class. The sound of clanking change rattles inside a small, decorated bucket and English teacher, Dr. Roy Starling, announces that donations
to help Japan would be greatly appreciated for the National Honor Society (NHS) charity drive.
“I had already started my own donation cup for students who wanted to help,” Starling said. “People like to give, and one of my students, Mackenzie Schweinberg, wanted to start a donation drive with NHS, so I was more then happy to be the drop off location.”
So far, the total amount of money raised is $425.20, with $134.20 coming from Starling’s classes and the other $291.00 from NHS members.
Schweinberg, the president of NHS, thought this would be a great way for the club to show their community involvement by donating their Japan efforts to The American Red Cross Foundation.
Dr. Starling, on the other hand, has his own personal ties to Japan. His daughter, who is currently studying abroad in Kyoto, Japan, has been there for a couple of years, along with his granddaughter.
“Even if my daughter wasn’t there, I’d still want to help; I love that place,” Starling said.
According to Starling, his daughter was far enough south and inland that she only felt the aftershocks. They Skype once or twice a week, and both stay updated and informed through Japanese news and the National Public Radio.
“She tells me that it’s difficult to find bottled water and some foods in the stores because of the abundance of collection centers on every block, but besides that, everyone in her neighborhood is going about their daily lives as usual,” Starling said.
According to an article from The New York Times, there are over 700,000 shelters in Japan, some housing over 500 people each.
Senior Rie Yamada from Seirinkan High School in Ichinomiya, Japan, explains her experience with life in the middle of a country hit with on-going natural catastrophes.
NHS, English teacher team up to raise funds for relief efforts
Levels of Radiation
EARTHQUAKE
100
10
1
0
Epicenter - the point on the Earth’s surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.
HELPJAPAN
0 - .25 None
.25 - 1 Some people feel nausea and loss of appetite, bone marrow, lymph nodes, spleen damaged.
1 - 3Mild to severe nausea, loss of appetite, infection, more severe bone marrow, lymph node, spleen damage; recovery probable, not assured.
3 - 6 Severe nausea, loss of appetite, hemorrhaging, infection, diarrhea, peeling of skin, sterility; death if untreated.
6 - 10 Above symptoms plus central nervous system impairment; death expected.
Above 10 Incapacitation and death.
Dose (Sv) Symptoms
Radiation 101Due to the exposure of Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant reactors, large amounts of radiation are now being emitted. Radiation doses are measured in Sieverts (Sv). A Micro Sievert (µSv) is 1 millionth of a Sievert.
Microsieverts (µSv) recieved each hour of exposure
7.1Aftershock
7.9Aftershock
7.7Aftershock
How are you helping Japan?
*Anyone found within 12 miles of the Fukushima plant will be fined $1,200 or detained for a maximum of 30 days.
by Hallie Lavery and Kaitlyn Loughlin
14 THE LION’S TALE | news | Apr i l 15, 2011
Malinda Bass ‘12
“ I donated money through NHS and I encouraged my friends to donate as well. ”
MackenzieSchweinberg ‘11
Dr. Roy Starling
Allison Tate-Cortese
‘11
“In my hometown, there are a lot of collection boxes and people who stand outside of the shelter stations, as well as other areas, collecting money to help reconstruct the damage and help provide food and shelter for the homeless,” Yamada said.
However, financial collections are not the only way that the citizens of Japan are reaching out a helping hand.
“Many institutions, stores, and individual home owners have also been saving electricity because of the shortage,” Yamada said. “We try to buy things that are made by the victims of the stricken areas to support their economy.”
Yamada also notes that big companies, such as Toyota, have donated temporary housing and other necessities for the public to use. Yet another extreme issue concerning the hardest hit areas of Japan that is still arising is the wide spread loss of power. Though, once again, local communities, and even other countries, come together to help.
“Our electric power company (Chubu Electric Power Company Inc.) is different from the one in the east part (The Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc.). So in the stricken areas or other places, such as Tokyo, there is a planned black out each day,” Yamada said. “In fact, even if we, the non-stricken area people, saved electricity, it wouldn’t really matter and we know it, but we all do, all because we cannot feel that it is no concern of ours.”
Starling’s daughter also confirms this conservation of electricity by individual neighborhoods to help the shelters on near by power grids.
However, radiation presents yet another danger to the country of Japan, and is virtually out of the hands of the general public.
According to The New York Times, explosions and leaks of radioactive gas took place in three reactors at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station that created partial meltdowns therefore releasing radioactive material directly into the atmosphere.
Junior Malinda Bass has friends and family that live in Tokyo,
“ As NHS president, I organized a donation drive to help the Red Cross Foundation.”
“ I started a donation cup for my classes and teamed up with the NHS drive.”
“ Lady GaGa was selling relief bracelets at her concert. They were $5 and allof the proceeds go to Japan. ”
NHS, English teacher team up to raise funds for relief efforts
MAGNITUDE
Chi
le
9
.5
Ala
ska
9
.2
Sum
atra
9.1
USS
R
9.0
Japa
n
9
.0
Recorded as fifth largest earthquake
Japan experienced over 900 after-shocks since the earthquake with about 60 being over 6.0.
TRAVELING SPEED
2.5One minute before the earthquake was felt in Tokyo, the Earthquake Early Warning system, sent out warnings of impending strong shaking to millions.
MILES/SEC
GEOGRAPHIC IMPACT
7.9 FEETParts of Japan were moved towards North America as much as
&
9.8 FEETESTIMATED HEIGHT
33 FEETACTUAL HEIGHT
Tsu
nam
i hei
ght
TSUNAMI
WAVE HEIGHTTRAVELING SPEED
500MPHMinutes after the earthquake, a Tsunamistruck traveling up to 6 miles inland.
DAMAGES & EFFECTS
14,063
4,916
DEATHS
INJURIED
14,175MISSING
AT LEAST 3 NUCLEAR POWER PLANTSsuffered explosions due to hydrogen build up.
1.8 MICROSECONDSThe speed of the Earth’s rotation has increased, shortening the day by
4.41.5
MILLION homes without electricity
MILLION homeswithout water
92%DIED FROM DROWNING
HELPJAPAN
for
APRIL 15, 2011 | news | THE LION’S TALE 15
“In my hometown, there are a lot of collection boxes and people who stand outside of the shelter stations, as well as other areas, collecting money to help reconstruct the damage and help provide food and shelter for the homeless,” Yamada said.
However, financial collections are not the only way that the citizens of Japan are reaching out a helping hand.
“Many institutions, stores, and individual home owners have also been saving electricity because of the shortage,” Yamada said. “We try to buy things that are made by the victims of the stricken areas to support their economy.”
Yamada also notes that big companies, such as Toyota, have donated temporary housing and other necessities for the public to use. Yet another extreme issue concerning the hardest hit areas of Japan that is still arising is the wide spread loss of power. Though, once again, local communities, and even other countries, come together to help.
“Our electric power company (Chubu Electric Power Company Inc.) is different from the one in the east part (The Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc.). So in the stricken areas or other places, such as Tokyo, there is a planned black out each day,” Yamada said. “In fact, even if we, the non-stricken area people, saved electricity, it wouldn’t really matter and we know it, but we all do, all because we cannot feel that it is no concern of ours.”
Starling’s daughter also confirms this conservation of electricity by individual neighborhoods to help the shelters on near by power grids.
However, radiation presents yet another danger to the country of Japan, and is virtually out of the hands of the general public.
According to The New York Times, explosions and leaks of radioactive gas took place in three reactors at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station that created partial meltdowns therefore releasing radioactive material directly into the atmosphere.
Junior Malinda Bass has friends and family that live in Tokyo,
Japan, a mere 230 miles northeast of the targeted city.“My family doesn’t really live close to the nuclear site, but there
are still rules they are recommended to follow: they are not supposed to hang laundry outside, and they are not supposed to go outside unless it’s necessary,” Bass said. “People who live closer to the radiation have to wear masks that cover their face.”
Bass has been visiting Japan every summer to see friends and family since a young age, but this summer may be different.
“I was planning on going to Japan, but now I’m not going,” Bass said. “It’s too dangerous; especially with the reoccurring aftershocks and the radiation.”
“My mom has been in Japan for the past two months to take care of my sick grandmother when the
earthquake happened. She was close enough to feel the quake, but wasn’t in any serious danger,” Bass said.
Yamada explains the recent disasters.“First, a big undersea earthquake occurred in the offing of Miyagi
prefecture. And then the tsunami struck most of the Pacific Ocean coastal cities. Especially the enormous tsunami surged more than 3 kilometers over the northeastern area, and a lot of people, cars, ships, and even buildings were swept away by the waves,” Yamada said. “The newspaper on April 17, 2011, stated that over 13,705 have been found dead, and 14,175 are reported to still be missing so far.”
Even still, everyone is reaching out to help Japan with the best of their abilities. Hope is still on the rise.
““The people of Japan are all very kind and honest people. They have such a sense of pride in their country,” Starling said. “The disasters happening there are just too big, but their government is doing everything they possibly can, and they’re doing it all right.”
compiled by Carson Bailey
“We try to buy things that are made by the victims of the stricken areas to support their economy. ”Rie Yamada, ‘11
[email protected]@thelionstale.com
16 THE LION’S TALE | advertisement | APRIL 15, 2011
Start here. Finish here.F O R M O RE I N F O R M AT I O N
( s
port
s
)D
IDY
OU
KNO
W?
//////////
/
Q: How many banks are robbed in a day?A: Every day 20 banks are robbed, the average take is $2,500.
Q: How many left handed people die each year from using products made for right handed people?A: 2,500 left handed people a year are killed from using products made for right handed people.
Q: What sentence uses every letter of the alphabet?A: The quick brown fox jumps over a lazy dog.
Q: What is the longest recorded flight of a chicken?A: 13 seconds is the longestrecorded flight of a chicken.
Q: How many eyelids does a camel have?A:Camels have three eyelids to protect themselves from blowingsand.
Q: How many birds a year die from smashing into a window?A: Over 100,000 birds die each year.
*If you have questions that you would like The Lion’s Tale to answer please submit them to:[email protected]
courtesy/www.strangefacts.com
Average person laughs 13 times in one day
Freshman Alissa Adam walks into a sea of unknown faces. She roams through the crowds of students walking to class,
speaking a different language. She doesn’t know what to expect in this brand new place, much different from her life at home in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
“I just remember going to lunch and I was trying to find my brother cause I didn’t know where to go. I just wanted to find him ‘cause he was the only one I could talk to,” Adam said.
Adam’s parents both speak fluent English and with her plan to attend college in the United States and later pursue something in medicine, she realized she would need to learn the language herself.
“I’ve learned English since I was little, but it wasn’t very good, so most of it I’m learning
now,” Adam said.Adam experiences times when she uses
sayings from Brazil that students who speak English don’t understand. When saying, “I’m tired, people in Brazil say, “I’m sleeping.” Along with that, she says students have inquired her about the stereotypes of Brazil.
“Everyone asks me if I’ve been to the Amazon River. It’s like asking them if they have ever been to the Mississippi River,” Adam said.
The hardest part for Adam transitioning to a new, American school was the absence of her friends. She often cried when talking to them on the phone.
“I think the hardest thing was not having my friends with me and having to make new ones, ‘cause in Brazil I was in the same school for years,” Adam said.
Adam feels her language barrier has held
by Zoe Lyon-GoldmanQ: How many times does the average person laugh a day?A: The average person laughs 13 times a day.
Q: How many times does a hedgehog’s heart beat per minute?A: A hedgehog’s heart beats 300 times a minute on average.
Editor’s NoteOne by One features a selected stu-dent, whose story is told in only 300 words.
Freshman finds transition challengingphoto/LINSEY DUCA
her back from being social. Expressing herself comes easy when speaking Portuguese with her friends from Brazil.
“I feel really comfortable ‘cause I don’t have to think or translate before I say something,” Adam said.
Adam spends time with students she met in her ESOL class [English for Speakers of Other Languages] and she says she has more in common with them than other students because of the similar culture and language.
“Some people say that Hispanic people are only friends with other Hispanic people and I don’t think that needs to be true,” Adam said.
Alissa AdamAmerican by birthBrazilian by culture
Apr i l 15, 2011 | features | THE LION’S TALE 17
Freshman Franny: by Taylor Schwarz
( sport s )diversions 18 THE LION’S TALE | APRIL 15, 2011
In 2003, 3-D films began to surface again with the release of Ghosts of the Abyss directed by
James Cameron. This was the first full-length film shot in 3-D using the Reality Camera System, developed by Vince Pace specifically for Cameron’s movie.
The development of the Reality Camera System allowed for more experimentation with camera effects and as a result, there are now more 3-D cameras and more films being shot in 3-D format then ever before.
While 2-D ticket sales are trickling down into an overall state of decline, revenue from 3-D movie sales have continued to grow.
Because of the soaring popularity of 3-D movies, and an increase in 3-D screens, the latter half of 2011 will have a large amount of 3-D film releases, with about three per month.
3-D INVASION
Starting in the 1950’s, 3-D technology began being developed for feature films. Although the technology was not widely used due to high costs, now, almost 60 years later, 3D
movies, television, and even games have started invading the entertainment world.
Do you prefer 2D or 3D movies?
Jordan Zarnowski ‘13 Tyler Brooks ‘13 Victoria Fairman ‘12 Kiefar Long ‘13
MOVIES GAMES TELEVISION
Recently, electronic giants like Sony, Nintendo, and Activision are investing heavily into 3-D
games. In late 2011, Nintendo plans to
launch a new handheld game system, the 3DS. This gaming system is very similar to their other handheld Nintendo systems with the addition of two 3-D screens.
Normally glasses are needed to view anything 3-D related, but the 3DS offers non-glasses 3-D viewing. This new system is based on “barrier screens” technology that simulates the depth of display.
Once released, the system will only support 18 3-D games, but you will have the option to switch into a 2-D mode. In addition, users will be able to take 3-D pictures with the built in camera.
This is only the beginning for 3-D videogames; in 2012 Sony is expected to release new updated 3-D software for the Playstation 3.
“ I prefer 3-D movies because a bunch of new ones are coming out now. It’s like looking through a window. ”
“ 2-D; I’ve been watching them forever. 3-D is too overrated and hyped up.”
“ It depends on which movie; some movies look stupid in 3-D. I prefer 2-D though.”
“ 3-D is too expensive; I can’t afford to see 3-D movies all the time.”
2011 3-D Movies
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2Released: July 15
The SmurfsReleased: July 29
Happy Feet 2Released: November 18
Puss in BootsReleased: November 4
No longer will you have to travel to the movie theater to get that 3-D experience; 3-D TV
sets are now being manufactured for commercial sale and use.
These TV screens allow users to watch several TV shows, channels, as well as movies, in 3-D.
There have been several notable examples of television where 3-D episodes have been produced, typically as one-hour specials or special events. Some include: 25 matches in the FIFA World Cup 2010 and the 2010 Grammy Award’s tribute to Michael Jackson.
Major television companies such as Phillips, Samsung, and Panasonic are in full force to create affordable 3-D TV sets.
LG also recently developed a demo version of their non-glasses 3-D TV, which is expected to be released in the near future. This will allow users the convenience of not wearing glasses.
by Carson Bailey
3-D makes come back after hiatus
Upcoming ConcertsBritney SpearsWednesday, July 20TBAAmway Center
all photos courtesy/PUBLICITY WEB SITES
OUTSTANDING VERY GOOD GOOD RUBBISH AWFULReviewed//// Music, movies, books & more
DOWNLOAD THIS >> Your Man
Plain White T’sFriday, May 136:00 p.m.The Beacham
by Taylor Schwarz
[email protected] THIS >> Top Floor
My Chemical RomanceWednesday, July 66:00 p.m.929 West Fairbanks Avenue
After guitarist/vocalist Alison Mosshart’s brief stint with Jack White in Dead Weather, she has returned
to her rightful place by Jamie Hince’s side to revive The Kills. The unwarranted passion and raw, unpolished skill that the dynamic duet pumped into Blood Pressures exceeds that of their previous work- distance may not make the heart grow fonder, but it sure made their musicianship stronger.
There’s a strange anxiety behind Mosshart’s vocals, and a fervor in her playing, as though she simply claws at her bluesy six string. But it is this primal tone and in-your-face attitude that pushes the album from an angsty bit of garage-band quality music to a quality piece of art, complete with blood, sweat, and tears.
Despite the generally pained, aggressive theme portrayed throughout the album, The Kills exposes a hint of vulnerability in pensive pieces such as “The Last Goodbye.” In this poignant number, they do not tear apart the fictional antagonist that lives within the lyrics, but, instead, they apologize for being unable to “survive on a half-hearted love that will never be whole.”
Blood Pressures delivers a collection of music that is able to satiate even the deepest appetite for superb music, leaving listeners wondering what Mosshart and Hince will come up with next.
Indeed, Mosshart and Hince are back together, rocking and rolling much harder than ever.
After all the Grammys and nailing stadium shows, how do the Foo Fighters keep it real without songs
growing stale? By going back to basics.Recorded in frontman Dave Grohl’s garage
on analog tape, Wasting Light delivers exactly the kind of catchy, pummeling anthems the Foos are known for.
The album proves to be one of the better of the Foos with songs like “White Limo,” with a brandish real heavy-metal muscle and “Arlandria,” one of the many songs off the album that are reminiscent of Grohl’s Nirvana days.
Grohl uses Wasting Light as a way to revisit his painful past and gain closure. He confronts the issue of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain’s suicide with old friend and bassist Krist Novoselic in “I Should Have Known.”
What serves as both a reunion for Grohl, Novoselic, and Nevermind producer Butch Vig turns into an indirect statement about the pain caused by Cobain’s death.
With a solitary guitar and guilt in his voice, Grohl sings, “No, I cannot forgive you yet, to leave my heart in debt.” While the song never mentions his name, it’s clear that Grohl directs these feelings of pain and resentment toward the loss of Cobain.
The whole album is a powerful piece of work. Recording on analog inside Grohl’s garage was clearly the smartest move the Foos made.
[email protected] THIS >> Arlandria
Avenged SevenfoldMonday, May 96:30 p.m.UCF Arena
Wasting LightFoo FightersAlternative
by Julia Thorncroft
[email protected] THIS >> Satellite
by Angiee Carey
Good news for all of the Josh Turner fans in Oviedo. Icons has hit shelves.
Icons, Tuner’s newest CD, features songs that bring fans together such as “Backwoods Boy,” “Why Don’t We Just Dance,” “Long Black Train,” and more.
The songs go back to 2003, Turner brings together all of his number one singles, featuring eleven chart toppers that brought Turner to the iconic country singer he is today.
Although most of the fans are familiar with the songs, the CD features the slow, smooth, spine-tingling “Your Man,“ while also tying in the upbeat love song “Firecracker.” Working with big-named country singers like Trisha Yearwood and Alan Jackson through out his career, Turner knows how to keep his fans happy.
Over the course of his career, Turner has stacked up multiple awards, winning Song of the Year from the Country Music Association Awards in 2004, 2006, and 2007, and Male Vocalist of the Year in 2007, along with multiple nominations still today.
Turner appears to be a very talented, humble, family oriented man, making his name heard across the country and enjoying every bit of his music career and private life. His songs prove that point.
Currently the South Carolinian country singer is embarked on a new tour, so keep your eyes out for stops in Florida on his website or Facebook.
Hardcore Taylor Gang fans may be leaping with joy when they hear this one. But if they are expecting to hear
what they heard on his mixtapes, they will be disappointed.
Pittsburgh-based rapper Wiz Khalifa, dropped his new album, Rolling Papers, on March 29 and is already on track for sales of 200,000 copies sold in the first week alone. Atlantic Records is known for promoting rap artists like Flo Rida, B.O.B and T.I. Wiz Kahlifa is just another brilliant addition.
Khalifa roared out of the gate with a killer single and the Super Bowl’s adopted anthem, “Black and Yellow.” This song is what most people know him by and how he will forever be remembered. Wiz has a habit of mixing in singing with his rapping, but it really does turn out for the best. Some of his other good songs such as “Roll Up” have already been blasting on playlists all over the web.
It seems like more and more people are getting onboard with Khalifa and the Taylor Gang. He puts such passion into his lyrics and songs; music is his love, his leisure and other artists are taking note of it.
When he raps the lyrics “I don’t wanna wake up from, don’t wanna wake up” in “Wake Up,” you can’t help but hope his dreams last an eternity. Rolling Papers ends on a strong and positive note of determination with “Cameras” when Wiz states “look at all your achievements; you work hard so it would be kinda hard not to believe that.”
by Leigha Bennett
Blood PressuresThe KillsIndie Rock
IconsJosh TurnerCountry
Rolling PapersWiz KhalifaHip hop
APRIL 15, 2011 | diversions | THE LION’S TALE 19
by Olivia Davila-Finch
You know that old chandelier hanging in your dining room? That old dragonfly-patterned stained glass lamp on your
parents’ desk? Have you ever thought twice about the
attention given to the individual glass cuts, or that little stamp on the base that reads, “Tiffany”?
Imagine all those decorations magnified. Entire windows, as large as doorways and painstakingly pieced together. Glass splaying brilliant colors and hues across everything in the room as the sunlight reaches it.
The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, better known as the Morse Museum, holds the world’s largest collection of work by Tiffany. Located in Winter Park, it has long been known for its historic and vast collection of art by Tiffany.
Recently, Morse Museum added a new exhibit to its already bountiful collection. The new Laurelton Hall, named after Tiffany’s old home on Long Island, was restored and rebuilt in the Morse Museum.
This new exhibit features 10 rooms, its main feature being the Daffodil Terrace, dining room, and living room. Bits and pieces of Tiffany’s original house make up these rooms, and they are modeled directly after the rooms in his home.
For students, the price to see these historical and intriguing exhibits is only $1, an amazing deal for such amazing works of art. Over the Easter weekend, April 22-24, the Morse Museum will be letting guests in for free to see the new exhibits.
The Daffodil Terrace was the first room I
saw. Built inside a glass-enclosed gallery in the museum’s garden, I thought it was masterfully redone. Staying true to its name, eight beautiful 11-foot pillars topped with glass and concrete bouquets of daffodils support the glass room.
Tiffany’s main works are centered on glasswork and glassmaking. He also created new types of vases and pottery, such as the favrille glass vases. Doing most work at churches and cathedrals, his work was focused on the aesthetic properties of nature.
Hundreds of stenciled wood designs make up the ceiling, and the room looks out to a well-tended garden, with benches and sitting areas to rest and enjoy the vibrant views. A skylight in the middle of the ceiling opens the room up, allowing sunlight to spill beautifully over the columns.
I then ventured into the restored dining room, which also features many pieces from the original 1,800 square feet room. The oriental dining table and several of the chairs resting around it were brought back to the museum from Tiffany’s dining hall.
The little chairs seated around it are delicately designed and painted, with velvet blue cushions catching the eye’s attention. A brilliant, 13.5 foot marble mantle takes up an entire wall, with three blue tile clocks build directly onto the fireplace.
Along one wall, a six-paneled window of grape vines and water wisteria catch the sun, shining light onto the royal blue, medallion patterned carpet. A round stained glass skylight of a floral pattern is built right above the dining table.
The focal point of the living room is without a doubt the large, T-shaped wooden table topped with bright flowers and thriving plants.
This room was my personal favorite, with dark green walls and a very natural feel. Five low-hanging green stained glass lamps hang above the table, adding a soothing green light to the room nicknamed, “The Forest Room”.
The Reception Hall, also called the Fountain Court, gained its name from the large, circular fountain that serves as the centerpiece to the room. A 4-foot tall glass vase sits in the middle of the fountain, with a color-changing light at the bottom.
While not dubbed a ‘major highlight’ by some, I found this room to be very relaxing, with sky blue paint and small paintings hung along the walls a good place to sit down.
This new exhibit of priceless works of art is a must see for any art-lover, especially those interested in stained glass. I highly recommend a trip down to Winter Park to see these breathtaking, historical works of art.
The captivating pieces can provide muse for an aspiring artist, or just good means of entertainment for any patron of the arts.
Stained glass lamps hung low over dark wood tables cast an eerie, colorful glow. And for all this, from the simple stained glass lamp on your bedside to the vivid windows in chapels, we thank the artist Louis Comfort Tiffany.
Morse MuseumStained glass museum opens new wing
photos courtesy of/THE CHARLES HOSMER MORSE MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
ARTS UNLEASHED
$10
Preordera literary
magazinetoday!
See Mrs.Jepson in
room 5-020
WINTER PARK TREASURE. Sunlight pours into the Daffodil Terrace through the windows, showing the bright garden outside.
GLASS WONDERLAND. Several large stained glass windows fill the walls of the living room, each depicting a different season.
GRAPE VINE GORGEOUS. The dining room opens up to show an original table and chairs, with a 6-panel stained glass window of grape vines and water wisteria.
A review of
During his lifetime, Tiffany dedicated himself to “the pursuit of beauty.” He lived from 1848 to 1933.
Price:Entertaining: Overall:
20 THE LION’S TALE | diversions | APRIL 15, 2011
FUN FACT
APRIL 15, 2011 | diversions | THE LION’S TALE 21
The story of Bethany Hamilton is something that sounds straight out of a movie-a talented young surfer with a
promising future as an athlete who lost her arm by a 14-foot tiger shark attack.
Despite losing 60 percent of her blood and the sheer trauma of the incident, Hamilton still was determined to keep surfing and less than a month after the attack she went back into the water. She is currently a top professional surfer.
As you can probably imagine, such a miraculous true story is the perfect framework for a Hollywood movie. Directed by Sean McNamara and coming in at around 105 minutes, Soul Surfer is the result Hollywood’s adaption of Hamilton’s life, for better or for worse.
For one thing, the acting is very solid. Annasophia Robb plays a convincing
optimistic teen (Hamilton) and delivers a pretty good
performance the whole way through, as do Dennis
Quaid and Helen Hunt, who play
SoulSuRFER
by Wesley Wynne
Get hooked on these
shark facts
Real life surfing tragedy leads to uplifting movie
Hamilton’s supportive parents, Tom and Cheri. I can’t quite say the same of Carrie Underwood, who plays Hamilton’s church group leader.
Although highly publicized as much as Quaid and Hunt, she doesn’t deliver as good a performance and doesn’t do as much despite how much a role religion plays in Hamilton’s life.
This leads into the subject of the portrayal of Christianity in the film. One of the difficulties of adapting Hamilton’s life story is that she and her family are devoted Christians and it can be very easy to turn characters’ religion in the film to a virtual sermon.
Fortunately, the film handles Christianity in a tasteful way. Although early on you get that religion encompasses a big part of Hamilton’s life, it neither takes over the movie or just disappears completely as the film goes on.
An odd thing about this movie is Hamilton’s psychological recovery from the attack. Bethany remains optimistic and positive throughout most of the film and barely suffers through any kind of depression. At first I was pretty relived not to have to go through annoying angst, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was kind of weird that she had relatively very few moments of depression.
If I were her, I would probably be horribly upset for a very, very long time, and I’m sure others would, too. Then again, maybe that’s just the kind of person she is.
In fact, this whole movie is pretty uplifting. For a movie about such a tragic incident happening to a girl, it’s nice and sweet, almost saccharine. Even the shark attack, something one would expect would be both frightening and suspenseful, is rather tame. It’s a film that truly deserves its PG rating.
And although the true story of Bethany Hamilton is spectacular and inspiring, the film’s tone doesn’t exactly show an amazing triumph of determination as well as it could have. Even with its good points (the actors, the gorgeous underwater cinematography, and portrayal of religion), it’s still too overshadowed by its cheesiness and wholesome handling that the final result isn’t that spectacular.
times more likely to drown in the sea than to
be bitten by a shark.
Before the invention of
shark skin was used to polish wood.
300,000,000
According to the International Shark Attack File,
is the shark attack capital of the world
In their lifetime, sharks can only give birth
The dwarf shark is about the size of your hand. The whale
shark can be as large as a
There are about
different known types of sharks.
Great White sharks can reach speeds of
in the water.
You’re
1000
2 times
While the chance of being killed by airplane parts falling from the
sky is 1 in 10 million
The chance of being killed by a shark is one in
43 mph
sandpaper
New Smyrna Beach
350
school bus.
SHARK BITE. In the film Soul Surfer, actress Annsophia Robb portrays surfer Bethany Hamilton who lost her arm in a shark attack.
photo courtesy/WWW.SOULSURFETHEMOVIE.,COM
Don’t judge a book by its cover. A cliche that I often cringe at when it comes my way. But gazing at the cover of
Tina Fey’s new book Bossypants, almost every person asks the same frustrating question: “Why does she have the body of a fat man?”
What? Is it unacceptable in our society for a woman to be famous, hairy and fat? Then I think it’s time for Whoopi and Rosie to leave fame for good.
If you haven’t seen the cover, you are completely lost. Tina Fey sports her head on top of a big, fat boss man’s body. Making the title of her book Bossypants, a memoir of her climb to success, all the more appropriate. Is it disturbing that she has a man’s body? Yes. Is it funny that she has a man’s body? Yes. Well, it depends on if you’re a fan or not. Needless to say, the cover
is simple a small sample of the content inside this wonderful waste of trees.
I grew up watching Fey perform along with Jimmy Fallon, and after him, Amy Poehler as a “Weekend Update” anchor on Saturday Night Live. I can quote nearly half of Mean Girls shamelessly. And I have my own Liz Lemon “TGS with Tracy Jordan” jacket which I wear at least four times a week. Yes, I would say that I’m a little biased.
That’s not to say my word is completely void. Fey’s book serves as an anthem to all the wide-hipped and sarcastic girls that Tina Fey can relate to, not just me. These are the same girls that wear men’s overalls and chow down two McDonald’s cheeseburgers and fries with a milkshake for desert!
These are just some of the humorous struggles that Fey endured through her young adulthood. Fashion faux pas, diet faux pas, relationship faux pas. Yes, Tina Fey endured her fair share of faux pas. She discusses when she first got her period, the expectations men have in the female appearance, and trying to raise her daughter with the mentality that blonds aren’t
better than brown-haired girls (Fey calls them “yellow-haired” to even things out).
She mentions sexism in the workplace, stating that women should have an “I don’t give a bleep,” attitude toward what men think of them. Amy Poehler inspired that mentality by shouting that in a read-through at SNL, but she didn’t say bleep.
Even the “praise” on the back cover proves how delightful her self-deprecating sense of humor is. She put a quote from her college boyfriend on the back cover: “you’d be really pretty if you lost weight.” An awful comment, yes, but one can’t help but laugh at the thought.
The book isn’t just an endless rant about how awfully men treated Fey. An easy read, the book is incredibly well-written, with more jokes bleeding through every torturous story of heartbreak and danger. Fey also shares experiences as a teenager: theater students surrounded by gays, moving to Chicago holding a bleak receptionist job at an inner-city YMCA until Second City saved her, and ultimately reaching her dream of writing for Saturday Night Live. A show which, by the way, she
became the first female head writer of. But that’s a milestone she typically plays down.
She talks about her initial nerves meeting the legendary SNL creator Lorne Michaels, the “Harvard Boys” who wrote sketches versus the “Improv People” who performed on the show, and Sarah Palin’s alleged influence on 30 Rock’s “low ratings.” It’s not like 30 Rock was an Emmy-winning show in it’s fifth season before Tina decided to put on a red pant suit and claim that she could see Russia from her house. Oh wait.
Bossypants is not some feminist tale of redemption and success. It’s really more of a tale about Fey’s miserable life experiences that would usually bring down the weak. With her book, Fey creates the perfect fantasy world for all the chubby, brown-haired girls. She inspires young women in the world to go for what they want in life. Most importantly, to not care what men think of them.
If only every book could be as laugh-out-loud hilarious as this one. Then again, not every book can be written by Tina Fey.
22 THE LION’S TALE | diversions | APRIL 15, 2011
Apps sweep the iPhone market
Bossypants
by Julia Thorncroft
Author: Tina Fey
by Angiee Carey
Check out the most talked about apps out on the iPhone and Android market.
Tiny Wings
Tiny Wings, being number two on the on the app list, happens to be a big hit for those Angry Birds fanatics. This game, is full of beautiful hills. Use the hills as jumps - slide down, flap your wings and fly. How to play this game is quite simple, but every part of this game is made to keep you engaged and not wanting to put the iPhone/iPod down for a single second. Android: No
Comedian shares humorous life stories in book
Tap Tap
If you know what Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution are, then you have a pretty good idea of how this game works. The purpose of this game is to rock out to the songs and tap on the beats that come down at the bottom of the screen. The more bubbles you tap, the higher is your score is. This app has more then 100 hit free songs and is one of the most popular free games on the iPod Touch and iPhone. Android: Yes
Dash
Looking for some fast-paced fun? Then Diner Dash, Wedding Dash, Hotel Dash and Cooking Dash are the busy and high-speed types of games you’re searching for. The objective of this game is to seat and serve people as quickly as possible. Taking too long to please the customers can cause them to leave and your score will go down. Android: Yes
Words with Friends
A big fan of Scrabble? Words With Friends is the carbon copy of it and you’ll love it. This app is a good way to pass time and it’s the coolest application for iPod, iPhone and Android. Not only was this app Voted the #1 Favorite App Award by Wired Magazine, Words With Friends is the perfect game that players can play at their own pace and with as many other players as they want. The objective of this game is to challenge other players to create words from your word. Android: Yes
Angry Birds
Just about everyone knows how to play the top selling app on both the Iphone and the Ipad. If not, it’s pretty simple: you swipe the bird back on a slingshot to pick the speed and direction for your shot. The original version of this app exceeded past 100 million downloads in early March and still has a very active player base. Android: Yes
( sports )sports
What do you do before a meet?For the SAC meet we had a team meal at one of the team member’s house. The day before, we did a light workout and ran 2 miles. Before every 4x800 we pray.
What’s the hardest part of
the 4 by 800?Being the anchor, I watch everyone else run, and I know I’m the last one to run. And I just try to keep my pace.
What are some team goals?We want to qualify for states. Last year we were one place away from placing, and the top eight go. So we hope to finish in the top eight at states.
What do you do to team
bond?We sometimes have group dress up days and we handed out spirit bags. And when we don’t dress up we wear our track
shirts.
WAY TO THE TOP. Junior Alex Tejada practices pole vaulting for the upcoming district championship meet.photo/CARSON BAILEY
by Andrea Dobo Tejada improved on his other events that weren’t up to par.
Working on his triple jump, he hopes to improve for districts, which will take place Wednesday, April 20.
“I need to make sure I eat healthy and I take ice baths so that my legs aren’t as sore when the meet comes,” Tejada said.
Beginning as a freshman, Tejada competes in jumping events including the triple jump, the long jump, the 110-meter hurdles and pole vault. In previous years, he has also taken part in a variety of different events. As a sprinter, he’s competed in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, the 4x100 meters, the 4x400 meters and the 300-meter hurdles. In the field events, he’s competed in the shot put and discus throwing.
“I was on the pole vaulting team last year with another guy, I kind of feel like I have to be the leader. I’m happy that I’m not doing it by myself. It’s good to have people by your side,” Tejada said.
Although Tejada pushes himself to keep improving, he focuses on the difficulties of each event he competes in.
“At the end of the season, I start feeling like a competitor,” Tejada said. “I just need to watch how I can not do things I shouldn’t have been doing in previous meets. I go over what I’ve learned and put it all to use.”
Although Tejada pushes himself to keep
improving, he focuses on the difficulties of each event he competes in.
The triple jump tests the athlete’s distance they can cover after hopping on alternating feet, described by Tejada as playing hopscotch.
“The hardest part of the triple jump is to get enough distance between each jump,” Tejada said. “My best is 40ft 7in, and I hope to improve to 41 1/2 in.”
Also competing in pole vaulting, Tejada works all season to achieve his goal height of 10ft 6in. So far, his best vault is a 9ft 6in height.
“The hardest part about pole vaulting is making your body go vertical and turn. You can’t get high without turning,” Tejada said.
Tejada improves himself by asking his coach to diagnose his skills and try to fix the problems he is having. He looks at the outcomes and figures out what to change.
“I call him Iron Man because he does so many different events and he does good,” head track and field coach Tom Hammontree said. “He is tenacious in what he does and succeeds.”
Tejada’s coach since freshman year, Hammontree, sees progression in Tejada.
“He’s gotten stronger, mentally and physically. He has a strong desire to try hard at anything he does,” Hammontree said.
APRIL 15, 2011 | THE LION’S TALE 23
Junior Alex Tejada positions himself on the starting runway and begins sprinting forward, lifting his knees up as he sprints
forward. He places his pole, and launches himself over the bar, twisting vertically and landing on the pad that cushions his fall.
Competing as a pole vaulter, Tejada placed first in the Seminole Athletic Conference (SAC) on April 14, and did well on his other three events.
At the SAC conference meet, Tejada broke a personal record for the 110-meter hurdles, with 16.1 seconds. He ended the meet finishing third.
While participating in SAC the athletes competed against schools in the whole county.
“I did awesome,” Tejada said. “Having a personal record shows that I’m getting better as the season goes on. I should be prepared for districts. I need to make sure to get a better start for the hurdles.”
Also, Tejada placed first in pole vaulting, with a height of 10 ft 6 in. In the 4x400, Tejada and his team placed fifth place. Running with Tejada were senior Brandon Fetter, junior Daniel Panton, and sophomore Tommy Anderson.
With a personal record for 110-meter hurdles and finishing first for pole vaulting,
JUMPINGinto action
Tejada places first in pole vaulting
Ryley McCallum ‘13
Danielle Turk ‘13
Dana Roberson ‘12
Rachel Roberson ‘12
The girls 4x800 contributed to the first win ever at a meet for the girl’s track and field team.
Girl’s 4x800Q&A
24 THE LION’S TALE | advertisements | APRIL 15, 2011
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Teens relish relaxing with fishing poles in hand Excitement buildsfor senior night
by Amanda Ferguson It’s game day and the girls softball team walks to the left side of the field and huddles into a circle.
The captains start the rally as they begin chanting “Oviedo” while the others join in or start screaming as loud as they can to try to get pumped up for the upcoming softball game against Lake Brantley High School.
“We had pretty big wins this year,” junior Sable Lee said.
Some notable wins include the recent game on Feb. 24 beating Lake Mary 9-1 and their recent game on April 8 against Lake Brantley, scoring 10-2.
They have prepared for the game by running and doing conditioning drills like pitching, hitting and throwing the ball to each other.
“The outfielders and infielders would practice catching ground balls and fly balls to keep our skills sharp,” Lee said.
As they started to grow as players, they began to look at what they needed to improve on and worked hard to improve by the next game.
“I don’t think we know how good we are and how the other teams are scared of us. I have a lot of friends on other teams because of club ball. They all said that we were the team they wanted to beat the most and that they see us as a threat,” Lee said.
While they look to improve the Lady Lions also strive to win.
“I hope we go far in districts because we have a lot of strong players this year,” senior Paige Mathews said.
With the team overall statistics being 10-11 so far, they are excited to show the other team how much they improved from the previous game.
“We have our ups and downs,” senior Chelsea Wildey said.
As their excitement starts to build, the senior players were especially looking forward to the senior night game against Lake Brantley on Friday, April 8.
“The seniors will start off the game, then the coach will do whatever she wants. The field will be decorated and the seniors will give speeches. It’s a big deal,” Wildey said.
For the team, the best games are home games because of all the resources that are close to them.
“I look forward to beating the opponent and have time to practice swings. Also the equipment is always nearby,” Wildey said.
Playing fast pitch softball helped Mathews earn a scholarship at the State College of Florida at Manatee.
“I got a full ride and I plan to continue playing softball,” Mathews said.
Jacksonville University awarded Lee a scholarship and Florida Golf Coast University awarded Wildey a scholarship as well.
“Bright Futures and the scholarship I got will get me a full ride,” Wildey said.
by Gloria Choi
HOOKED ON FISHING. Junior Will Cutler catches a large mouth bass on Little Lake Howell and works to get the fish off the hook.
FISH AND FRIENDS. Junior Ashley Miller, and her friends show off the products of their successful fishing trip.
Junior Will Cutler grabs his radio, fishing pole, tackle box, life jackets, fishing license and a couple of friends and heads out to one
of his favorite fishing spots in town.“I either fish on the St. John’s, the Indian
River, or Mosquito Lagoon,” Cutler said.Students share their fishing stories, and best
memories from their fishing hobby. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission claims that Florida is the “Fishing Capital of the World” because of Florida’s resources and responsible management.
Many students from around campus partake in fishing.
FreshwaterAccording to http://myfwc.com, Florida
offers 3 million acres of freshwater lakes, ponds and reservoirs, and 10,550 miles of rivers, streams and canals.
Cutler normally goes out fishing for four to five hours at a time, normally after school and on the weekends.
“My favorite thing about fishing is the fight, and then the catching and accomplishment and being able to say ‘I caught you,’ ” Cutler said.
Senior Will Goodman’s father introduced him to fishing at age seven. Although Goodman prefers saltwater fishing, he goes freshwater fishing more because it is more accessible to him.
“I like to go trolling across Buck Lake on the days we don’t have school,” Goodman said.
Senior Austin Lager prefers freshwater fishing because he gets to do it more than saltwater. His dad got him interested in fishing when he was in sixth grade.
“The best part about fishing is just being out there on the water,” Lager said.
Lager fishes on lakes all around Oviedo, including Buck Lake and Long Lake.
“I think the hardest part about fishing is reeling in the really big fish,” Lager said.
Junior Ashley Miller fishes from her dock on Seminole Woods Lake. She catches fish such as bluegill and large mouth bass.
“I like when I catch a fish and when it gets on the hook. Fighting the fish is the best part,” Miller said.
Saltwater Saltwater fishing is a common sport for the
state because Florida is a peninsula. Senior Meagan Borger goes saltwater fishing
with her dad when she does not have soccer games on the weekends.
“Freshwater fishing is just too easy, I like the challenge of saltwater,” Borger said.
Over the weekends they normally head out to Ponce Inlet. Borger does most of her fishing in the Florida Keys over the summer.
“The best place I’ve ever fished was Islandmorada, and on Marathon I caught a Mahi-Mahi,” Borger said.
Miller also goes saltwater fishing with her
dad, and catches a wide range of fish such as mahi-mahi, cobia, wahoo, and sharks.
“I like both kinds of fishing, [freshwater and saltwater] but I like saltwater better because it is more exhilarating,” Miller said.
Cutler enjoys saltwater fishing. He considers the canals of Miami to be the best place that he’s ever fished in. In the seventh grade, he caught a nine-pound peacock bass with his father while in the Miami canals.
“I prefer saltwater because you never know what you are going to catch,” Cutler said.
Junior Kayla Joyce goes fishing with her family at Cape Canaveral and in the Florida Keys whenever she gets the chance.
Joyce prefers saltwater fishing to freshwater because of the solitude the ocean offers and that there are bigger fish to catch in the ocean.
“I love not being able to see the land and being in the middle of the ocean and having no connection to reality or humans,” Joyce said.
Joyce is most proud of the wahoo she caught on Marathon Key two summers ago. She claims it is the best fish she has ever caught.
Junior Robert Sullivan fishes from the ocean and intercoastal shores, with friends and family.
“The best fish I ever caught was a 15-pound redfish at Sykes Creek about six months ago,” Sullivan said.
However, Sullivan considers the intercoastal the best place to fish.
“The best fishing ever was off some island in the intercoastal. I caught a stingray, two redfish and eight mangrove snappers,” Sullivan said.
Junior Steven Hartshorn does both fresh and saltwater fishing, but prefers to go in saltwater.
“There’s more variety of fish to catch and the
fish usually fight harder,” Hartshorn said. Hartshorn has been fishing since he was a
little kid, when his parents first got him into the sport.
Although Hartshorn fishes a lot in Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River, he really prefers the Florida Keys.
“I like fishing in the Keys, but I usually catch the most fish in the southern part of Mosquito Lagoon,” Hartshorn said.
Hartshorn enjoys fishing because he likes catching fish and relaxing on the boat.
Freshman Nicole Sokolowski fishes in Haul Over Canal with her cousins and friends.
They catch a variety of fish including sheepshead, catfish, redfish, and black drums.
“What I like about fishing is that you get to go out on the boat, and have a nice day of relaxing, and being outdoors and waiting to catch a decent sized fish,” Sokolowski said.
photo COURTESY OF /ASHLEY MILLER
Rods, reels, lots of fish
photo/JANIE WILLIAMS
APRIL 15, 2011 | sports | THE LION’S TALE 25
26 THE LION’S TALE | sports | APRIL 15, 2011
Team bonding results in wins
The varsity girl’s water polo team focuses their eyes on key games that will get them to the state championships on April 29-30. After losing in the state quarterfinals last year
to St.. Thomas Aquinas High School, the team focuses on a more organized warm up, specific plays and team bonding.
The team’s won every game except one against Lake Nona High School. With no losses in the district the team has their best chance at winning the state title this year.
“We are looking really good. We won every game but one and we are half way through our season. We beat Hagerty High School and Winter Springs High School by a lot and they were supposed to be close games. We destroyed them,” sophomore Madison Greco said.
Team chemistry has been a big factor in the girl’s winning record.
“The team has been working really well together. We are using everyone’s strengths to the team’s advantage,” junior Karen Thomas said.
Senior Brittany Skeels, in particular, has been affected by the team chemistry.
“The best part of this season would be, we all have been working so well together. It shows in our record. It is nice being able to go to practice and not worrying about fighting. We have great chemistry,” Skeels said.
Two important match-ups this season have been against Winter Park High School who came in second last year at the state championships and Dr. Phillips High School.
“We are first in the district but the game against Winter Park
will decide if we are first in the Super Six,” Thomas said.
The girl’s team trains hard with the district championship less than a month away but remains confident.
“We are confident about winning districts but we have to play strong against Dr. Phillips again so we can go to states. We beat Dr. Phillips 13-2,” Greco said.
With districts just around the corner on April 23 at Lake Brantley High School, the girls push to remain focused on winning a state title. Girl’s water polo has never won a state title but they are hopeful this year.
“We are working on various types of drives as well as the pick and roll for offensive drills, and the drop which we use for harder teams on defense,” Greco said.
Two to two and a half hours a day of practice everyday helps the team keep their record. Working on specific plays and skills helped the team produce a winning record.
“We are working on specific plays and when we have performed the plays in games we have scored almost every time. We just have to keep our heads in the game and stay motivated,” Skeels said.
Before every game, the team starts with a warm up and their coaches Charlie Rose and Ryan Donnell talk about game strategies.
“We do sprints to get ready to swim and listen to our coach talk
about certain plays for the game,” Thomas said.After high school seniors Shannon Bellamy and Brittany Skeels
hope to play water polo in college. Skeels is considering playing for Florida State University’s club team but it depends on the workload of college.
Bellamy plans to go to University of Central Florida and play water polo for her four years there.
by Janie Williams
photo/ CARSON BAILEYLOOKING FOR THE PASS. Senior Tori Kidd looks for an open teammate to pass to in hopes of scoring a goal.
STEVEN HITS. Senior Steven Vaughn works on his spike at practice in the Robert W. Lundquist Gymnasium in preparation for the district championships to be held May 2-7 at Oviedo. While Vaughn practices, coach Rafael Valle watches for proper techniques.
“We have been doing a lot of conditioning. Working on timing with setters has been a focus because we need to get kills during the game,” Vaughn said.
Second seat motivates players
The boy’s varsity vollyball team currently ranks second in the district and fifth in the Orlando Sentinel Super Six. Hoping to maintain their position for the district semi finals, coach
Rafael Valle expects his team’s hard work and rigorous practices to pull them through.
“There is no magic formula to our success,” coach Valle said. “Only the hard work and preparation from practices the players exhibit.”
Senior Zak Blue agrees. “We work very hard in practice, following important details in our drills to take our game to the next level,” Blue said.
The team’s success is partially due to the years of practice in summer tournaments. Being together for so long has created a great companionship among players.
“The team shows great respect for one another on and off the court,” Valle said.
Senior Connor Bailey agrees. “There is a strong bond between all of the players on the team.
We have been playing together for a few years so we know each other pretty well,” Bailey said.
Junior Andrew Vidot feels that the volleyball team is not egotistic, which leads to their success.
“Most of the teams out there are selfish and the players only think of themselves. Volleyball is a team sport and players need to act as one. Our volleyball team is family and that’s not something many of the teams out there can say. We do a lot of things together like team dinners and even watch movies just to get team bonding and be a stronger family,” Vidot said.
After losing to Lake Mary, with a final score of 0-3, the team
didn’t take the loss lightly. Knowing they needed to get better, the team analyzed the mistakes they made and moved forward.
“When we lost to Lake Mary we were set back but not crushed. It could have happened to a lot of teams because Lake Mary won the districts last year,” junior Cory Rogers said. “However knowing what we did wrong, we won’t lose to them again.”
With the team’s next game April 27 against Lyman High School, Coach Valle knows Oviedo can pull a victory against this tough contender.
“I expect my team to go in and play hard against Lyman. It’s not going to be an easy game but we should be able to beat them,” Valle said. “We try to keep our playing standards higher than that of our
opponents. As long as we play to our highest ability, we can beat anyone.”
Districts are two games away and Vidot is happy about the team achieving their second place rank.
“I’m very happy that we achieved second rank. It makes me feel proud of my team because in the past we never reached that level,” Vidot said.
May 2-7, at Robert Lundquist Gymnasium, is when Oviedo will play their first game for the district semi finals. Coach Valle knows the team will go in and play hard against their first contender, Winter Springs High School (ranked third overall).
“I think we’ll do very well in our first game. Winter Springs has always been a tough team, but we have beat them twice and look forward to beating them again,” coach Valle said. “I have an abundance of faith in all my players and I know their hard work will give them a win in the first round.”
by Daniel Condly
photo/ JANIE WILLIAMS
Rigorous workouts in practice prepare team for districts
“ I have an abundance of faith in all my players and I know their hard work will give them a win in the first round. ”Coach Rafael Valle
1.What is your favorite ice cream?Ben and Jerry’s fish food
2. What is your dream pet?Velocaraptor or spider monkey
3. What is your favorite old Nickelodeon?Spongebob
4. Describe your dream house?Penthouse apartment in New York City!
5. FSU or UF?Neither
On the sidelines...
Roar Board //////
With Sadie Yanckello
JANIE WILLIAMS SPORTS EDITOR
photo/CARSON BAILEY
APRIL 15, 2011 | sports | THE LION’S TALE 27
Which is the better choice? Should I miss school and have all this make up work or should I go to a
tournament and have a college scout be there to see me play?
Teachers tell you to reach for your dream, which usually means they want you to apply yourself in school. For some kids the dream they are reaching for involves reaching to save the ball in a volleyball game or reaching to make a final second takedown in a wrestling match.
I feel for all the girlfriends who do not go to prom because their boyfriends are out of town at club tournaments, and also for the female athletes who missed prom as well.
Junior Kayla Joyce and other female club volleyball players missed the prom because the girls were in Atlanta at the Big South Volleyball tournament. In high school, the thing to look forward to are prom and graduation. Girls dream about prom from when they are little.
“I was very mad I had to miss prom because my boyfriend is a senior and now everyone is talking about how awesome prom was,” Joyce said.
Athletes need to focus on their games but it’s hard to focus on an important match when you are missing prom and school and then you are being scouted by a college coach.
Turn on the pressure. Then when the girls arrive back home from
an out of town tournament, they have to hear all they have missed. Imagine how these girls felt when they got back from the tournament and they missed prom. They hear about how pretty the dresses were, how long it took everyone to get ready and how great the DJ was.
“It is really hard to manage. I am behind in almost all my classes and especially in math. I have four to five assignments to do,” junior Julie Brown said.
The amount of work overwhelms athletes. Teachers need to realize the importance of these tournaments even though they are not school functions.
Actors audition for production after production trying to find a show that will give them their big break. These tournaments are like an actor’s big production. They put a lot of practice in and have a few days to show their talent to a college scout.
These girls work hard everyday in practice and as soon as they get caught up with school work they leave for another trip. Some people would say, why don’t they just quit? These tournaments sometimes give more opportunities to students than making them sit in class and learn.
RUNNING THE BATON. Senior Sadie Yanckello practices her relay care hands offs at a training session.
Seniors lead baseball team
Lacrosse team faces off LBHS in district finals
May wins first at district finalsphoto/CARSONBAILEY
ON THE BALL. Junior Cole Hensley palms the ball as he prepares to head toward the goal in the game against Boone High School. Sophomore A.J. Persampiere swims along side his teammate in a defensive position.
“I’ve played water polo for six years starting when I was nine. I love the game because it is so physical with few rules,” Persampiere said.
Players work against a 30 second shot clock and must turn the ball over to the other team if the time is exceeded.
Two refs are stationed at each end of the pool where nets the size of a soccer goal await the ball. Both teams field a goalie.
Freshman Cameron Gray maintains that position for the Lions.
Boy’s fall to Winter Park
Weightlifters place at states
Teens miss prom for sports tournament
Lions down Hagerty HS
The boy’s water polo team traveled to Winter Park High on April 16 to take on the Wildcats. The Lions left with a loss, 29-3, but was led by senior Collin Perry with two goals.
“Our coach tells us ‘bleed in the dojo and you’ll laugh on the battlefield.’ He wants us to try harder to compete with the more elite teams in central Florida,” Perry said.
Currently ranked number 7 in the Orlando Sentinel Super Six, the Lions hold a record of 6-1in the district, with their only loss coming to Hagerty High in overtime. The district tournament begins this Saturday, April 23 where the Lions will go in as the second seed.
The boy’s lacrosse team defeated Trinity Prep School on Wednesday, April 13, 15-6. With a record of 11-3, the Lions now head into the district tournament seeded second. The Lions beat Hagerty Wednesday with a score of 15-5 and now face Lake Brantley in the final at 7 p.m.
The girl’s lacrosse team are 14-4 on the season, coming off two wins over Park Vista and Pine Crest High School this past weekend. The team beat Park Vista 15-10, with a strong performance from sophomore Kendyll Darley, who lead the team with four points. Junior Natalie Schneeberger lead the lions to a victory over Pine Crest High, 14-9, scoring six goals.
The Lions defeated Hagerty High,21-6, in the district semi-final on Wednesday, April 20. Winter Springs now awaits the Lions in the final. The Bears came away with a victory over the Lions in their last encounter 12-11, with the winning goal scored in the last two minutes.
“I think we’re a lot more prepared than we were in the regular season. We have been watching them play and adjusting our defense to stop their offense. Our offense has paid attention to the goalie’s weaknesses so they can exploit them,” Darley said.
Senior Tyler Chaudoin and Sean Mederos competed in the boy’s state wrestling competition. Medaros competed in the 219 pound category, plac-ing 10th overall. Chaudoin competed in the 238 pound category and placed sixth overall.
“I’m proud of the guys that went and hopefully next year the team can improve on this year’s preformance,” senior Jarrett Slater said.
Seniors Ryan Myers and Mac Metcalf have led the boy’s baseball team back from 0-5 start to the season, to a 13-10 record. The Lions beat Lyman High on Friday, April 15, 11-1. The Lions head into the district tournament on Monday April 25 at Lake Whales.
The boy’s and girl’s tennis teams finished their season strong at the district tournament this year. Junior Lisa May won the #1 district title along with the #1 doubles final. May advanced to states but eventually lost in the semi-finals to Naples High. Junior Brandon Mordecai and sophomore Tacory Williams both finished as district runners up and Williams paired with Kyle Kierstead in the #5 doubles, losing in the semi-finals. The girls ended the season with a 3-7 record and the boys with a 1-9 record.
28 THE LION’S TALE | features | APRIL 15,2011
all photos/CARSON BAILEY
Senior Lindsay Broadhurst taps her finger against her chin contemplatively as she stares at the beakers in front
of her. She gives a small nod of her head as picks her colors and raises a dropper filled with dye.
“I like tie-dyeing because it’s an easy, inexpensive way to transform plain clothes into something new,” Broadhurst said.
Broadhurst began tie-dyeing during her sophomore year in her chemistry class.
“Since the 10th grade, I have tie-dyed four t-shirts, a pair of boxers, shorts, a skirt, two tank tops and a pair of knee-high socks,” Broadhurst said.
Senior Morgan Casavant has also been tie -dyeing since sophomore year.
“I really wanted to do it again before I left. I like putting together different combinations of colors to see what it comes out like,” Casavant said.
Broadhurst stayed after school with members of the Science National Honor Society to help Bioscience teacher Kathy Savage tie-dye.
Senior Paige Giesler also enjoys tie- dyeing.
“I like to tie-dye because it’s a way to be creative. I love using new designs. My favorite colors to use are pink, blue, purple, and green, because they are dominant colors,” Giesler said.
Broadhurst likes the originality of tie-dye.
“I love tie-dyeing because no two finished products are the same. Anyone can transform a plain white t-shirt into a technicolor sensation,” Broadhurst said.
Tie-Dye Effect
Girls create tie-dye to die forby Stephanie O’Sullivan
WASH IT ALL AWAY. Seniors Alicia Tripp and Caitlin Loftus wash away the dye from their hands after dying their shirts on April 13 in Bioscience teacher Kathy Savage’s room.
DECIDING DESIGN. Seniors Gloria Lozano and Paige Giesler plan how they want their shirt to look before starting to dye.
SPIN THE COLORWHEEL. (Top) Senior Lindsay Broadhurst checks out what the colors will end up looking like after being washed before dying her shirt. (Left) Senior Morgan Casavant twists her shirt into the “spiral” formation. (Right) Senior Traci Hill applies dye to her shirt.