school year firsts

Summer best and worst

Miami Sports

vol. 15, issue 1 // Oct ‘15

The world openS upFelix Varela Sr. High School * 15255 S.W. 96 St., Miami, FL 33196

bulletin

boardhi

ts a

nd m

isse

s

Fall TV...Black is back! Empire, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder, Blackish.

Varela buildings falling apart at 15...typical teen-ager.

The Viper Vibe is back...with more than five stu-dents.

Star Wars is coming! The force is with us.

Another college campus shooting. Our thoughts and prayers are with Umpqua Community Col-lege.

Trump....sigh.

t h e v i p e r v i b e @ g m a i l . c o m 3

the editor says: break the silence

volume 15oct ‘15

editorial BoardEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Cj SalcedoSECTION EDITORSDevoun Cetoute

Laura ChirinoGiovanni Del FaDanielle MalkinKrystal Valdes

StaffersTaylor Daley

Michael EspinozaAlexia Ponce De Leon

Alicia GarciaChristine MongeAmparo MoraisJulian Vargas

Rehyny Vargas

AdviserElizabeth Cardenas

editorial policyThe Viper Vibe is the student news-paper of Felix Varela Senior High (15255 SW 96 St. Miami, FL, 33196). It is an open forum for student expression. The opinions expressed in the publication do not reflect the official opinions or policies of the school. The Viper Vibe welcomes letters to the editor, but requires that they be signed and reserves the right to reject, edit and con-dense letters. The staff and advisor can be contacted at 305-752-7900 or thevipervibe@gmail.com

AdsThe Viper Vibe solicits advertising but reserves the right to reject any material deemed obscene as to minors, defamatory or materi-ally and substantially disruptive of school activities.

Talk to us: thevipervibe@gmail.comYour thoughts may be featured in the next is-sue of the Viper Vibe!

The great philosopher Lao Tzu once said, “Silence is a source of great strength.” For the past two years, The Viper Vibe was semi-silenced. Forced to run after school and with limited staff members, most would think that student expression in Felix Varela Senior High School would surely cease to exist. Yet, in that period of silence, we become stronger. Through the dedication and love of preserving the voice of the student body, we have been able to keep our spirits up and break from our silence.

Now,inourfirstissuethisyear,welookatthose who have been silenced for so long: im-migrants. With a slew of news coming in from different countries (Cuba, Haiti, Syria, etc.), we at The Viper Vibe have decided to uphold our tradition of giving the silenced a voice. Withthatsaid,pleaseenjoyourveryfirstissue of The Viper Vibe. It’s good to be back.

Cj SalcedoEditor-In-Chief#SilenceIsntGolden

life, liberty and happiness are not optional

we Say: For decades, immigration, and the prob-lems it brings with it, has been a hot button issue for the United States. The rallies, speeches and tirades that are often in response to this issue, do not seem tofixanything.Ifanything,theyonlycausemore confusion and diversion among the citizens of the country. The U.S. isn’t the only country dealing with these problems; other countries are go-ing through the exact same thing. Similar to Cubansfleeingfromoppressionandtryingtofindfreedomhere,theSyriansareescapingfrom a tyrannical regime. Living in a war-torn coun-try, millions of Syrians have fledtoneighboringterritoriesto seek refuge. Countries such as Turkey are housing over two million refugees, thanks to their open-door policy for those in need. We at The Viper Vibe feel that more countries should follow in Turkey’s footsteps. Similar to how the United States has treated Cubans seeking political asylum for the past few decades, this is how neighboring coun-tries should handle the Syrian mass exodus. Unfortunately, ever since the trade em-bargo with Cuba has been lifted, questions concerning our policies have been rising. We have accepted Cuban refugees because they are escaping a communist regime. But if we

are now opening trade agreements with that regime, does that mean they no longer need our help or our protection? Also in the Caribbean, Haitian citizens of the Dominican Republic are being deported back to Haiti, no matter how long they have lived there. While the DR’s intention may be to tighten their regulations on immigration from Haiti, kicking them out of their homes even after living there for over 70 years seems wrong. Weunderstandthatitisdifficulttomain-tain immigrants in a country. Turkey has had

to deal with terrorist groups forming within their country among those refugees. Yet, we feel that people fleeingcountrieslivingundertyrannical rule should be given

the help they deserve. The solution? Depends on the part of the world in question. The United States needs to get involved withtherestoftheworld.Let’sfindawayto help those on the other side of the world and accept the ones in need of help. Live by the words found inside the Statue of Liberty: “Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” Those looking for a chance at a better life, do not deserve to be denied that chance.

give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses

F r o m t h e E d i t o r s V i e w p o i n t s

Cover photos: The Cuban flag flies in front of the country’s embassy after 54 years on Thursday, July 30, in Washington, DC. The embassy was closed in 1961 when U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower severed diplomatic ties with the island nation after Fidel Castro took power in a Communist revolution. Abaca Press/MCT; Syrians sit on a sidewalk where they have been sleeping in Izmir, Turkey, while they wait to attempt reaching Greece by boat on Sept. 3. This year, some 220,000 war refugees and economic migrants have arrived in Greece from Turkey and other Mediterranean jumping off points, according to U.N. figures. McClatchy/MCT

4 t h e v i p e r v i b e @ g m a i l . c o m photos by Fox Mar, Crotalus, and Krystal Valdes

1

2 3

4

5 6

7 8

vipers are welcomed back to new year

lots of firsts

►1 Flag Raising ►2 Welcome Vipers ►3 Parent Drop-off ►4 Senior Crowns

►5 Junior J’s

Students in NJROTC, raised the flagonthefirstdayofschool.

Varela’s SGA, Student Govern-ment Association, created banners to welcome students to Varela.

Parents drop their students off near the front of the school on96streetontheirfirstdayof school.

Seniors pose with their se-nior crowns to show off their seniority.

Juniors display their “J’s” to show their individual creativ-ity.

►6 Band of MysteryThe senior class waves their phones as the Band of Mystery plays “We are the Champions” by Queen during thefirstpeprally.

►7 CheerleadersThe Varela Cheerleaders per-formed nibs and extensions duringthefirstpeprally.

►8 AdministrationPrincipal Nery Fins and As-sistant Principal Mr. Adrian Sanchez danced to “Watch Me”bySilentoatthefirstpeprally of the year.

By devoun CetouteSection editor

devoun24@gmail.com

As Vipers bike, walk, skate, and drive to Felix Varela Senior High School with cups of coffee and tired eyes, they get ready for a new school year. Some of them are starting new stories while others are puttingthefinaltoucheson their novels. Most are already planning out how their school year will go, while others will go with theflow.Seniorsaremark-ing their calendars for all the senior events and juniors start stepping up their game. Teachers have spent the summer gearing up for new students and welcom-ing back upperclassmen for theirfinalgoaround. Students catch up on new policies like a new tardy system and more enforced dress code. Fall is a time of school year firsts:firstpeprally,SeniorCrown Day, and Junior J’s. Whether this is the begin-ning of high school, or the beginning of the end, students are ready for the adventure that is Varela.

N e w s A r o u n d V a r e l a

A Country

Looking for

To Call Home

Cuba In 1960, the United States imposed an embargo (or el bloqueo) on the communist country of Cuba. After Cuba nationalized American-owned Cuban oilrefinerieswithoutcompensation,theU.S.placedafinancialandcommercialembargo on the country. So, for over 55 years, Cuba has had to pay, in cash, for very limited trades to be made. This year, the U.S. lifted that embar-go, and is now free to trade with Cuba.

Reactions have been mixed. With the trade embargo being lifted, Cuban families have the chance to own their own property without being under the control of the Cuban government. “It’s a great idea,” government and economics teacher Raisa Garneff said. “It should’ve been lifted 40 years ago.”Someofthebenefitsthatshementionedincluded more business opportunities and increases in tourism to both Cuba and the U.S. There is now the possibil-

ity for economic increase, job opportunities and a life similar to the U.S. for Cuban citizens. Some students feel that the lifting of the embargo will add to the “melting pot” image that the U.S. has been trying to push. “America is a melting pot because we have all [different] nationalities in this country,” senior Gus-tavo Zambrano said. He supports the idea that this will bring the Cu-ban people and the United Sates closer. Though, there are some who believe differently. Edith Roger, a Varela par-ent, felt that the lifting would support the socialist ideals that Cuba enforces. “There are still many humanitarian issues that need to be addressed be-fore we allow Cuba to trade freely,” she said. “They are still a communist country.” The main argument concerns how the citizens of Cuba will be affected. For years, the U.S. has ac-cepted Cuban refugees if they are able to make it to dry land. “Does this mean the struggle of those escaping tyranny is lost?” Claudia Salcedo, Varela parent and step-daughter of a Cuban immigrant said. “Because if we are willing to do trade with a communist coun-

try, will we stop helping those trying to escape it?” With the prospect of living a better life in their home country, most people are concerned with whether or not there is a need to accept citizens. “I’m worried about those wanting the freedoms we have. My stepfather struggled to get here to achieve the free-dom I’m so lucky to have,” Salcedo said.

Dominican Republic and Haiti The island of Hispaniola is made up of two countries, Dominican Republic and Haiti. Much like the U.S. and Mexico, these two countries are separated by a river. Haitians are the largest population of immigrants in the DR. In the past, the DR has created settlements near the border with Haiti to house Haitian workers and provided transportation for those who were tem-porary workers. In 2013, in a court decision by the DR government, citizenship rights were taken from Haitian immigrants and their children. With this ruling, those born in the country will no longer be granted automatic citizenship. This means leav-ing tens of thousands of Dominican-born people of Haitian descent stateless. After an international outcry, the DR government passed a law last year that granted people who were born to undocumented foreign parents a chance to prove they were born and raised in the DR. Many Dominicans say that this isn’t thefirsttimetheyareseeingthis;thehistory between both countries has played a major role in the way they interact today. History is a little more complex than just removing illegal im-migrants. The U.S. is having its own problems dealing with children of undocumented immigrants and children that were brought here when they were so young, that they know of no other home than this. Here at Varela, Dominican feelings are mixed. “Dominicans are trying to get Hai-tians back into their country because of overpopulation and they don’t have the right to be there because they are illegal and don’t have papers,” junior Johana

The Cuban flag was added to the lobby of the State Department after relations with America were fully restored.

Source: Council on Foreign Relations, APGraphic: Tribune News Service

U.S.-Cuba timeline

1959

1980

19611962

Cuba’s economy suffers from a spike in oil prices

causing many to migrate.The Mariel boatlift is

established, helping as many as 125,000 Cubans

migrate to Florida

Mariel Boatlift / mass migration

199819992000

2008

20142015

2009

President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Fidel Castro sign an agreement to send oil to Cuba at a heavily discounted price in return for Cuban support and services in technical fields such as education, science, technology and health care

Venezuela and Cuba

Arrest of Alan Gross

President Barack Obama eases restrictions on

travel to Cuba

Lift on travel restrictions

Cuba raised its flag at the country’s embassy in Washington after full

diplomatic relations with the U.S. were restored

Cuba’s new embassy

Five Cuban counterintelli-gence officers are charged with conspiracy to commit

espionage in the U.S. They were found guilty in 2001

Arrest of the Cuban Five

Alan Gross is arrested in Cuba and sentenced to 15 years in prison after importing satellite phones, computers and modems to the country

Alan Gross is released from Cuban prison and 4 Cuban prisoners are released from the U.S.

Release of prisoners

1996

The U.S. tightens the embargo on Cuba and attempts to weaken Cuban ties with foreign investors. The act penalized foreign companies doing business with Cuba

Helms-Burton act passed

The Clinton administration decides to send back 6-year-old Gonzalez after an attempt to immigrate to the U.S. by boat

Elian Gonzalez incident

Cuban RevolutionFidel Castro overthrows President Fulgencio Batista, establishing a socialist state. Castro nationalizes all foreign assets and hikes taxes on American imports.

Obama declares embargo a failure and enacts a policy

to re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba

U.S. to end Cuban isolation

Full embargoThe U.S. imposes a complete economic

embargo on Cuba

U.S. Congress enacts a law allowing anyone who flees Cuba and reaches the U.S. the opportunity

to pursue citizenship

Cuban Adjustment Act

1966

Bay of Pigs invasionPresident Kennedy sends

CIA-sponsored Cuban exiles to overthrow Castro

Fidel Castro retires after a long illness, handing his

presidency over to his brother, Raul Castro

President Raul Castro

Cuban Missile CrisisCuba allows the Soviet Union to build a missile base on the island in secret, igniting a 13-day standoff. Negotiations between the U.S. and USSR led to the withdrawal of nuclear missiles from neighboring countries

Immigration is an international issue

6 t h e v i p e r v i b e @ g m a i l . c o m

From Cuba to Hispaniola to Syria, refugees are leaving their homes for a better way of life and meeting opposition at every border

N e w s A r o u n d t h e W o r l d

Liriano said. However, not everyone agrees. “They are family; I don’t agree with it at all,” junior Marines Rodriguez said. “They are the only ones that can help Haiti if something big happens. Yes, the U.S helps, but we are right there. Why wouldyoufightfamily?” Most importantly, what is the inter-national community doing to help this situation? “The most upsetting part is that nothing is happening,” sophomore Yiit-sodira Final said. “It’s on the news for a couple days and then that’s it. No one cares afterward.”

Syria Civil war has torn the country of Syria apart. Corruption and greed have driven millions of people to seek refuge elsewhere. Syria is at the center of the media right now. Images of kids drowning, riots breaking out and thousands of refugees running to safety invaded Facebook and Twitter feeds. Yet, a lot of Americans are probably unaware of the issues that plague the country and the struggle that its people are going through. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad hasmadeseveralhigh-profilefriendsand enemies throughout the years. According to Slate.com Russian President Vladimir Putin has been “giv-ing the Syrian government aid, diplo-matic backing, and more recently direct military support.” Aside from that help, Russia was also given an order to launch missiles at the country. President Barack Obama has re-

peated several times that Assad must step down from his position of power. Yet, the U.S. has tried not to involve itself inanyconflict. According to The Washington Post, there are no viable options for the U.S. to choose. “The military options are all bad. Shipping arms to rebels, even if it helps them topple Assad, would ultimately empower jihadists and worsen rebel in-fighting,probablyleadingtolotsofchaos and possibly a second civil war,” said Max Fisher, reporter for The Post. “An Iraq-style ground invasion would, in the very best outcome, accelerate the killing, cost a lot of U.S. lives, wildly ex-acerbate anti-Americanism in a boon to jihadists and nationalist dictators alike.”

One of the Syr-ian government’s most prominent enemies has been Turkey. They have been a strong oppo-nent to the policies enacted by Assad.In protest, the Turk-ish government has housed millions

of Syrian refugees. As of now, over one million refugees are in Turkey, and that number is growing. Critics of the civil war feel that other countries should open their borders. “Neighboring countries around Syria should allow refugees since the Syrians arefacingdifficultlivingsituations,”senior Stacy Santalis said. According to the BBC, most of the refugees are in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan. “Syrian refugees should be given more leniency towards settling into another country,” senior Kevin Lambert said. Several countries outside of the Middle East are not accepting more than a few hundred refugees. Some Eastern European countries, like Hungary, have closed their borders and are erecting barbed wire fences to keep the refugees out. Critics are also vocal about other countriesinvolvementswiththeconflict.“Russia was out of line when bombing a rebel village in Syria,” said Santalis, “this is slowly turning into a Cold War between Russia and the United States again.”

Contributing reporters:

Taylor daleyIG: captainjamaica24Alexia poncedeleonalexia0114@hotmail.comCj Salcedo@cj_fett_salcedorehyny Vargasrehynyvargas@gmail.com

t h e v i p e r v i b e @ g m a i l . c o m 7

photo by Amanda Boves American missionaries visit children in the village of Cabaret in Haiti. Due to the new Dominican law, Haitians are being forced to leave the DR by the thousands. With an influx of refugees, resources are dwindling and missionaries are bringing in care packages and helping to repair homes.

previous page:photo by Zuma Press/MCT Refugees wait next to the border fence in Roeszke, Hungary, on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015. Hungary closed its borders to Serbia for refugees.photo by El Nuevo Herald/MCT A group of Cuban migrants traveling on a boat with a makeshift sail made landfall on Miami Beach on Tuesday, Sept. 15.photo by Amanda Boves Missionaries with Mi-ami Vineyard Church visit Haiti to offer support and provisions for the children.

8 t h e v i p e r v i b e @ g m a i l . c o m

Inside the Staff Lounge

What inspiresyou?

What is yourfavorite word?

Why should students care aboutyour subject?

What profession other than yours would you

like to attempt?

What sound or noisedo you love?

What is your least favorite word?

What sound or noisedo you hate?

What profession other than yours would you not

like to participate in?

What is yourfavorite book?

What did you score onyour SAT’s?

If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the

pearly gates?

YesNo

Children

Runningwater

Scratching across the floor, squeaking

Photographer for National

Geographic

Accounting, anything that has to do with math

Pride and Prejudiceby Jane Austin

Around 1100

Welcome

N e w s A r o u n d V a r e l a

These questions are based on the French television series Bouillon de Culture hosted by Bernard Pivot.information gathered by Julian Vargas; photo by Devoun Cetoute

It will open their eyes to things they thought not

possible

Ms. Ilette Calzadilla

Ms. Calzadilla went to St. Thomas University for her Bachelor’s and Masters Degrees. She has been teaching for

14 years, two of which have been here at Va-rela. She teaches 11th and 12th grade Eng-

lish in room 214.

A day full of pop, rock and punk came to Florida over the Fourth of July weekend. Warped Tour brought their music, energy and passion to sunny West Palm Beach, despite the hot sun and rising tempera-tures. The sponsors of Warped Tour 2015 distrib-uted free water (among other things) to its patrons. But that wasn’t the only thing scorching. Warped Tour did have a very interesting line-up of over one hundred artists, including spoken word per-formers, rappers, YouTubers and bands. Some popular artists that attended are Black Veil Brides, Never Shout Never, and Pierce the Veil, which are prominent bands in the music genre of rock. “Never Shout Never is an awesome band; they are really talented and perform live very well,” junior An-drea Castro said. She has gone for the last three years.

“My favorite band was Pierce the Veil so when I saw them live, it was a really special experience for me.” Within the tour, there are several stages. As fans enter the venue, they view a set list which tells them what time and where their

favorite bands will per-form. Meet and greets are also held for Warped Tour patrons. The event offers entertainment, food, and merchandise for tour goers. Prior to arriving at the Coral Sky Amphitheatre, fans anxiously crowded around waiting to get into the music festival as soon as possible. Thousands of peo-ple came from all around the country and even the world to see this event. “I loved Warped Tour because of the amazing music and the people who share the same interests as me,” Castro said.

Warped Tour 2015 rocks Coral Sky Amphitheatre

By Krystal ValdesSection editor

IG: @krystalvaldes

t h e v i p e r v i b e @ g m a i l . c o m 9

Summer heats up with 5SOS The pop punk Australian boy band, 5 Seconds of Summer, made the last stop of their tour, “Rock Out With Your Socks Out,” on Sep-tember 13, in West Palm Beach. The boys from 5SOS are mainly known for being the opening act for One Direction in their two tours, Midnight Memories and Take Me Home. The band members include Calum Hood, Ashton Irwin, Luke Hemmings, and Michael Clifford. Tickets were sold on Ticketmaster, and reserved seats sold out quickly. After an hour of being sold to the public, only lawn seat were available. Many people resold tickets, exceedingthefacevalueoftheticketbydoubletofivetimes the original amount. Kicking off the concert, 5 Seconds of Summer sur-prised fans by appearing on the screens that were being displayed to the large crowd of more than 19,000 people, as the opening act, Hey Violet, performed. Appearing in ninja turtle costumes, the boys began dancing with their opening act, shortly returning back stage. Afterwards, the crowd impatiently waited seated in their seats for them to jump back on stage. At 8:35 precisely, 5 Seconds of Summer began their portion of the concert with their song “End up Here.” They performed very well live, and were full of energy, frequent-ly speaking to the crowd. They brought a fan up on stage and allowed her to play one of the many guitars they had on stage. “I traveled all the way from Miami here and I have to say it was well worth it. I haven’t had this much fun in a really long time,” the girl told the audience. Out of all three times I have seen 5SOS live, this has been, by far, the great-est concert I have attended. The seating was amazing and everything worked out perfectly. They gave an astonishing performance, leaving me amazed at how much fun I had.

By Amparo MoraisStaff reporteramparomorais13@yahoo.com

photos by Andrea Linaresphoto by Jannine Feliciano

1 0 t h e v i p e r v i b e @ g m a i l . c o m

L i f e s t y l e M u s i c

photos with permission Universal Records, War-ner Bros. Records, Inc., and Republic Records

By Christine MongeStaff reporter

IG: scarletmarked

By Krystal ValdesSection editorIG: krystalvaldes

By Alicia GarciaStaff reporter

aliciawonderland04@gmail.com

Born and raised in Owatonna, Minnesota, Adam Young began pro-ducing music as early as 2002. He began Owl City, a musical project, in 2007 and since then has received great recognition. Having struggled with insomnia, he spent most of his time in his basement, toying with computers and instruments. As a result of his time spent mixing music with computers, Young created songs and eventually uploaded them to his MySpace account. He is regarded widely for the popular song he released in 2009 “Fireflies.” For 2015’s “Verge,” Young joins forces with Aloe Blacc, an American hip-hop artist. The song begins with a smooth introduction from a guitar, and later transitions to vocals by Young and Blacc, along with catchy dance beats. Young’s new infectious and inspirational single delivers a message to keep on going despite the many hurdles in the way. The music video for “Verge” depicts students in traditional caps and gowns graduating. who are, as the song states, “Out on the verge to the rest of our lives.” The lyrics, “These are our hours, this is our time,” gives a dash of inspiration to all its listeners. All in all, Owl City’s “Verge” is an interestingandreflectivetuneeveryoneshould listen to.

Dylan Gardner, only nineteen, writes and records his own music in his bedroom. Not only did the Californian turn his closet into a vocal booth, but he self-taught himself to play guitar, drums, and piano. Dylan has been writing songs since he was ten years old, so it’s no surprisethathisfirstsingle“Let’s Get Started” has almost three million plays on Spotify. The song includes very upbeat and charming vibes, perfect for a young teen to listen to when thinking about love. In-spired by classic rock artists, one can see how the song has an old feel to it; Dylan did a wonderful job writing and per-forming the song. Although the song has a basic theme, the words and music give a beautiful message. “Let’s Get Started” is a catchy tune that I haven’t been able to get out of my head since I heard it.

After the musically talented Alessia Cara released her new single – at only eigh-teen – she gained over 500,000 totalstreamsinherfirstweekand even made the top of the

charts. Before all that, the newly born pop star was posting cover videos on her YouTube channel, struggling to gain the popularity and notoriety of a celebrity. Now, the soulful and original singer has begun to reach her goal with her new single titled “Here.” “Here” is an infectious song that portrays an unenthusiastic partygoer waiting to leave the scene. “It’s a party song, but really it’s the complete opposite of a party song,” Ales-sia said in her bio. The song has a unique and refresh-ing vibe to it, despite the meaning be-hind the lyrics. However, people appar-ently seem to love this new breed of pop, for it has taken over our radio stations.

MissionImpossible:

Rogue Nation

Mad Max:Fury Road

Top 5...

t h e v i p e r v i b e @ g m a i l . c o m 1 1

anticipated movies of summer 2015BeST

JurassicWorld

worST

FantasticFour

Pixels

Thisfilmhadeverythingthefanshavebeenwait-ing for in a Jurassic Park sequel. It had a budget of $150 million, and grossed over $204 million on its opening weekend. Jurassic Worlddefinitelydeservesthe #1 spot on this list. It offers entertainment to children, and doesn’t disappoint the adults.

Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the most visually astonishing movies I have ever seen. The practical effectswerenearperfectandthestorydefinitelykept everyone hooked on watching more. The movie’s budget was $150 million and while its opening weekend wasn’t stellar, it has eventually grossed over $373 million.

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation is considered to be the best movie in the entire franchise. It has every-thing fans want in it: action, comedy, and Tom Cruise hanging off the side of a plane! How can this movie not get any more awesome? The story is great and it really stuck to the Mission Impossible feel.

Aliens coming down to earth and attacking us with our own favorite classic video games? Awesome right? Well not in this case. Pixels is being considered the end of Adam Sandler’s career. Coming in at a 5.6/10 on IMDB, a 17% on Rotten Tomatoes, and an opening weekend of only $24 million (compared to its actual budget $88 million) there is no doubt those rumors might be true.

With a rocking 4/10 on IMDB and a 6% on rotten tomatoes, there is a reason why Fantastic 4 made it as the worst of this list. The movie itself cost $120 million dollars to make, and opening weekend only made $25 million. The movie was doomed from thebeginningwithconflictswithcastandcrew.This was a disaster that was waiting to happen.

M o v i e s L i f e s t y l e

Clockwise from top photos with permission MCT: A scene from Juras-sic World. Universal Pictures; Charlize Theron stars in the film Mad Max: Fury Road. Warner Bros. Pictures; Marvel and 20th Century Fox; Columbia Pictures; Still of Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation. Paramount Pictures

By Michael espinosaStaff reporterIG: _ITSMIKeSAAAn_

By cj salcedoeditor-in-chief@cj_fett_salcedo

L i f e s t y l e M o v i e s

By Cj Salcedoeditor-in-chief

@cj_fett_salcedo

There’s a certain pleasure that comes from traversing a mountain.

Whether it’s an actual, physi-cal mountain that can be trekked or a metaphorical challenge that needs to be undertaken, people may take great pride in climbing a certain mountain. That is why Mount Everest has caught the eye of brave climbers from all over the globe. It’s an unparalleled view of the world below any of those lucky to reach the top. Baltasar Kormákur’s IMAX adaption of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster gives audiences that view, among an experi-ence of death, the elements and man’s uncompromising quest to complete impossible feats. Obviously,makingadisasterfilmset on the famous mountain may seem like an easy task. A few avalanches here, some cheesy dialogue and a bankable action star to lead the helm are all any director would need. That’s not the case here. In what could have been a run of the mill climate film,Everest, proves to be an excellent mix of dazzling effects and emotional depth. All of that emotion comes from the starofthefilm.Notanyofthecharactersplayed by either Jason Clarke, Josh Bro-

lin, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sam Worthington and others (though the ensemble does a great job of add-ingtothefilm’snarra-tive heft). The actual star of thefilmisthefamedmountain. It’s a living, breath-ing character that instills a sense of fear into the hearts of those who climb it. It is brought to life beauti-fully with the best IMAX cinematography since the likes of Interstellar or The Dark Knight Rises. Allthroughoutthefilm,a sense of dread and wonder haunt both the viewers and characters. A sort of unstoppable enemy that lures its vic-tims with a promise of glory and pride, Mount Everest is up there with movie villains such as Darth Vader, Norman Bates or Hannibal Lecter. Everest is an experience that is unlike any terrain on this planet. Its cinematography rivals documentaries on the subject and delivers a memorable

story with a phenomenal cast (where no actor overpowers the other and all are represented equally) . It’safilmunlikeanythingelsethisyear, and quite possibly, the greatest story of man conquering the harshest elements that the planet can throw at them.

photo with permission Universal Pictures

Olivia DeJonge plays the role of Becca in The Visit. Photo courtesy Universal Pictures/MCT

Shymalan is back and visiting theaters It’s easy to attack a great director based off of a few ter-riblefilms. Steven Spielberg had Hook, James Cameron had Piranha II and Francis Ford Coppola had Jack. These men may have committed cin-ematic sins, but have more

than made up for them with theirfilmography. Our good friend, writer and director M. Night Shy-malan can fall into a different category. A man who had such potential with The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable only to squander all of that by in-

sulting the intelligence of his audience. Thankfully, those days seem distant now. The Visit,thelatestfilmby the punchline of Cinema Sins jokes, sees the direc-tor come back in a new and inventive way. A sort of Blair Witch Project meets characters ripped out of a Disney chan-nelfilm,Shaymalandeliversa funny and genuinely creepy thriller that can be seen as his rebirth. The idea of children being trapped in an awful situation isn’t a new idea in films.Yet,themovieusesitsmockumentary-styleoffilm-

making and humor to make the idea seem fresh. It manages to merge these two genres successfully, with laugh out loud scenes involving the main boy rap-ping about how great he is to a jump scare that comes truly out of nowhere. The Visit is something of a miracle. It is the rebirth of a director who was buried under water-hating aliens and terrible examples of nepotism. It’s truly something original that needs to be wit-nessed to be believed.

Everest reaches new heights with IMAX

Scorch Trials is WCKD

In 2014, audiences were in-troduced

to The Maze Runner,afilmadaptation of the best-selling YA novel of the same name. In the sequel, Maze Run-ner: The Scorch Trials, fans continue to follow Thomas and the rest of the Gladers as they leave the past behind. Compared to the original filmwhereitwasjustamaze,now the Gladers are placed in

the Scorch, a post-apocalyptic wasteland. This movie is less about solving puzzles and more of how to deal new kinds of is-sues. Thomas is forced to choose from what he truly is running, the dangers of the wasteland or trusting the ones he loved most. Thankfully excellent character development kept my attention. Dylan O’ Brien brings Thomas to life with an

astonishing performance. Thefilmispresentedthrough the eyes of Thomas and succeeded in having me connect to the struggles and emotions with which he is forced to deal. The movie is action packed, highly intense, emo-tional, and does an amazing job of keeping the audience on edge. However, the action is very spaced out which leads to down time that can lose the

audience. Scorch Trials has already grossed $108 million world-wide thanks to phenomenal writing, directing, and acting. Considering its budget wasonly$61million,thefilmis off to a good start. This second installment to The Maze Runner is an amazingfollowupanddefi-nitely exceeds the standards set set by the original. It is a definitemustseeandoneofthe best movies out this fall.

By Michael espinozastaff reporter

IG: _itsmikesaaan_

photo with permission Alexander Flores, Dylan O’Brien and Jacob Lo-fland in Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials Twentieth Century Fox/MCT

Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece Psycho turns 55-years-old this year, and it still managed to shock

this emotionless and cynical Editor-in-Chief. The classic story of the mysterious Bates Motel and the secrets that haunt it was back in theaters for the month of September, and is theperfectfilmfortheupcomingHalloweenseason.

The master of the thriller is in top form in this movie as he employs his usual bags of tricks; amazing camera angles, icy blonde leads and an uncomfortable feeling all throughout the movie. Hitchcock’s direction, Anthony Perkins’ chilling performance as Norman Bates, and Bernard Herrmann’s iconic score all make this classic something worth your time and terror.

By cj salcedoeditor-in-chief

@cj_fett_salcedo

photo with permission Universal Pictures

Classic Psycho still terrifies

M o v i e s L i f e s t y l e

t h e v i p e r v i b e @ g m a i l . c o m 1 3

This 2015-2016 season has the poten-tial to be one of the most successful for the Lady Vipers Volleyball team. Some of the stand-out players include Claudia Campero, Tiffany Bolanos and Fabiola Plaza.

“We did better than last season, our attitude is better,” junior Bolanos said. The ladies have worked to maintain a record of 15-4 and a district record of 8-4. It’s clear to say that with determination and teamwork they have gone far. The next couple of weeks will determine if they con-tinue on to Districts.

One of the most emotional games of the season was that against the

Coral Reef Barracudas. The game wentallthewaytofivesetsafter the Vipers had a two set

lead. This was also the senior game night. Four seniors, Briana

Brown, Destinee Valentin, Camp-ero, and Plaza, were recognized for

their accomplishments over the last four years.

“It was a very tough game but I felt we did a good job,” Plaza said. Feeling emotional through the tough loss, the ladies were happy to have received recognition on their senior night by their parents, coaches and the Athletic Director Lisa Spinosa. Last year, the girls didn’t make Districts; currently, they are

in 3rd place. Campero attributes this to a better atmosphere among the players and a new coach. “With this new coach, we have more of a bond and more ofafighttowin,”shesaid. Inthefinaltournamentoftheseason,theladyVipersplayed the TERRA Wolves and Braddock bulldogs. This tournament was for all of those ladies that have or are suffering from breast cancer. Flashes of pink

could be seen all over the courts and stands,

from headbands, to shoelaces, to jerseys. Inthefirstmatch,theVipersbeatTERRA with a score of 3-1, with the most stand-out players being Plaza and Campero. In the second match

the Ladies swept the Bull-dogs 3-0, making the

Vipers the clear winners of the Breast

Cancer Volleyball Tournament.

1 4 t h e v i p e r v i b e @ g m a i l . c o m

S p o r t s V a r e l a

The Varela Viper Football team welcomed the 2015 fall season with a few highs and lows. Following the reshaping of district 8A-15, the Vipers sit 3-4 overall

and 0-3 in the district. The Viper offense shows promise with junior running back Delano Morgan, who seven weeks into the season holds over 535 rushing yards. The defense is led by young men who see both sides of the ball, seniors Pedro Felix and Ricardo Matos, who have a combined 213 tackles this sea-son alone. With the ball in their hands, this dynamic duo has a combined four touchdowns. “I feel proud of myself. It all started with hard work and dedication,” Matos said. The linebacker and receiver credits his stamina to the Vipers’ vigorous condition schedule. “We work harder than everyone else. This is what we prepare for,” Morgan said. This season’s biggest standout is sophomore Shamar Munroe, who has racked up over 100 rushing yards and ap-proximately 10 tackles, not to mention, he has scored over three touchdowns alone. “It’s been amazing. We’re all working every day to become better athletes,” Munroe said. Viper football focuses on a spread offense, with a balanc-ing act of running and throwing game. The defense, a 30 stack, has three linemen to three linebackers. Munroe says the game ismorethanwhatthefansseeonthefield. “The game is a chess move. Everything they do, we’re trying to counter it. We really have to study the playbook,” he said. AstheViperspreparefortheirfinalfourgames,thefocushas moved to district contention. Despite the loss to Belen Jesuit, the Vipers must face powerhouse Coral Reef and John A. Ferguson. In order to add to the “W”column, the Vipers willaimtoremaincalmandconfidentintheirtraining,whilerememberingtohavefunonthefield.

Football looks for regional rebound

photo by Fox-Mar Seniors LG Kelvin Valdes and C Manuel Lopez block a Braddock Bulldog for junior RB Delano Morgan. Morgan ran the ball in for a 46-yard touchdown.

By danielle malkinmanaging editor

ig: _candidani

Girls Volleyball has new coach, new attitude

photo by Fox-Mar Junior Tiffany Bolanos and sophomore Sophia Renteria.

By laura Chirinostaff reporterIG: laurac_3

t h e v i p e r v i b e @ g m a i l . c o m 1 5

Coaching woes for

Miami

photo with permis-sion Miami Herald/MCT Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin during train-ing camp practice at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Fla., on Saturday, Aug. 1.

photo with permission El

Nuevo Herald/MCT Miami

Marlins man-ager Dan Jen-nings watches the game from the dugout on Monday, May 18, at Marlins

Stadium in Miami.

Miami head coach Al Golden leaves the field after a 36-33 win in overtime against Nebraska at Sun Life Stadium in Mi-ami Gardens, Fla., on Saturday, Sept. 19. photo with permission Miami Herald/MCT

photo with permission El Nuevo Herald/MCT Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez works in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Marlins Park in Miami on Saturday, Sept. 12.

P r o S p o r t s

Cuban born Marlins pitcher, Jose Fernandez, has worked hard to come

to America and play ball. Born on July 31, 1992, Fernandez had a very tough time trying to get to the “land of the free” and “home of the brave.” Even though he loves his native Cuba, he tried four times to defect from the communist state. Each time he got caught, he was charged with “being a traitor to Fidel Castro,” he said in a USA Sports interview. Duringthefinalattempt,Fernandezjumped courageously into the Gulf of Mexico waters to save his mother after rough and crashing waves threw her overboard. He was reunited with his family in Tampa, FL, and became a U.S. citizen on April 24 of this year. “I thank this amazing country for giving me the opportunity to go to school here and learn the language and pitch in the major leagues, it’s an honor to be a part of this country,” he said in the interview. At 23-years-old, Fernandez has shown how important it is to not only believe in your dreams, but also to

embrace your roots. He has inspired a whole new generation of kids, espe-cially athletes. “I like anybody who can pitch well, but mostly José Fernandez,” said senior Devan More Felix Varela baseball pitcher. This past 2015-2016 season has been a blur for Fernandez as he recent-ly made his debut back from Tommy John surgery (which is a torn UCL in the elbow). This surgery is fairly common for pitchers, and Fernandez made a good comeback in the July game versus the Giants, allowing only one run and striking out six over six innings for the win. During the 5th inning of the same game, he hit a homerun. It was a very special moment for Fernandez as he pleased his grandmother Olga, who had recently arrived from Cuba and had asked him to hit a home run. The road got bumpy as he got injured again versus the Atlanta Braves, straining his bicep muscle. But he was back on the mound by mid-September. This Cuban immigrant risked much for a better life here in America and the Marlinsarereapingthebenefits.

Marlins pitcher risks all for a place at the plateBy laura Chirino

staff reporterIG: laurac_3

Dolphins Head Coach Joe Philbin was released from his contract after a loss to the New York Jets in London. Dan Camp-bell has been chosen as the interim head coach.

Dan Jennings was released as Marlins manager, but retained as general man-ager. The ball club is currently inter-viewing potential new managers.

University of Miami Hurricanes head football coach Al Golden has an uncer-tain future. The result of the next few games will determine if he stays on as head coach.

Crotalus

Jr. Ring Ceremony$20

Video Yearbook$25

Graduation Video$35

Order your video today in room 200K

Take home memoriesof your year

Pre-order your yearbook now!

$70cash only room 208

for credit cardswww.yearbookforever.com

will include a $2 service fee

Senior pictures

due by Nov. 28Aurasma makes

yearbook come

alive