Volume 85, Issue 3

Volume 85, Issue 3 March 2022

THETOMAHAWK TALK
Florida State University Schools • 3000 School House Road • Tallahassee FL, 32311

Legal Adulthood Spider-Man Female Veterans March Madness

Page 3 Page 5 Page 7 Page 10

Figure A Figure B

Figure C

Figure c
Figure b

Figure A

Photos by Saumyaa Misra and Amelie Pelham

STEAM building finished construction; provides innovative future

Bryce Kelley · Co-Editor-In-Chief because of the opportunity for more program- use of. The auditorium will act as a meeting
specific rooms. New band, orchestra and chorus space for local organizations and conferences
The new STEAM building at Florida State rooms have been built in the STEAM building can be held there easily due to the large audi-
University Schools (FSUS) is bringing inno- to allow additional space for these programs torium that seats over 700 people, as well as
vations and an opportunity for growth in many to grow. Extra storage along with soundproof the small break-out learning areas around the
aspects of campus to students, faculty and par- practice rooms have been built for these three auditorium.
ents. Enhanced technology as well as additional programs so they can have multiple rehearsals
classroom space will allow for the improvement happening at once without interference. Larger “My dream for the building is not only to
of FSUS into the constantly evolving world classrooms also create the opportunity for more have innovative, flexible learning space but
of science, technology, engineering, arts and students to take music classes. also to have the building set up so that we can
mathematics. host conferences and the community can bring
“I believe that the new chorus room will not people together,” said Dr. Chambers.
One of the major factors that went into the only provide a brand new practice space, but
design of the STEAM building is the ability to also a sense of motivation for our program. It’s Despite the setbacks faced with supply
provide very advanced technology to students, really cool to see that as our chorus class grows, chain struggles, the STEAM building is moving
especially those in robotics and cybersecurity the space around us grows with it,” said Sophia fast towards opening. Currently the building is
courses. Artificial intelligence technology is be- Scarano, junior at FSUS. set to open shortly after spring break, which is
coming more popular across the globe and will Middle and high school students will from March 13 to 20. As soon as the building
now be available to FSUS students. not be the only students seeing the benefit of the opens the theater program will have access to
STEAM building. Elementary students will also the stage to rehearse.
“We have done demonstrations for Neu- benefit from the middle and high school music
roMaker’s artificial intelligence; it combines programs move. The old band, orchestra, and “As for the auditorium, I would say we are
coding and artificial intelligence to allow these chorus rooms will be used by elementary stu- all the most excited about that. We will finally
headsets to read people’s brain waves and con- dents for special area classes. Music class for get to practice and perform on a real stage that
trol a hand,” said Dr. Stacy Chambers, Execu- elementary can involve more than singing as can prepare students for their futures, if that is
tive Director and superintendent of FSUS. they will have more storage than previous for where their career leads them,” said Scarano.
instruments. Additionally the art program will
This, along with more technology in the now have a room better equipped for art. Administration, as well as the contractors,
media productions room will add to the curricu- have been constantly working to bring the
lum of current courses and allow for additional The goal of the STEAM building and its STEAM building to FSUS students as quickly
courses at FSUS. revolutionary technology does not stop at just as possible.
providing opportunities for the FSUS commu-
“It’s easy to go fast and to just buy what is nity. The STEAM building will also be a space “What drives me every day is that I know
normal; it is harder to take the risks and do the for the whole Tallahassee community to make I want experiences here that hopefully leave
innovative stuff,” said Dr. Chambers. students walking away going ‘man that’s what
I want to do’ and I hope the STEAM building
The arts programs will also be advancing helps to provide this,” said Dr. Chambers.

Page 2: News March 2022

Environmental Club works towards clean community

Anjali Jain · News Editor

Florida State University Schools’ (FSUS) Photo Courtesy of FSUS Environmental Club
Environmental Club is up and running for its
second year and members are doing many Senior Logan Behnke, member of the Environmental Club, helps clean the local community at Tom Brown Park.
things to help the community.
“Students should join the club to learn more the need to help clean the planet.
The Environmental Club, which started last about the earth and how to help the environ- “For anyone that wants to join or wants to
school year, was founded by senior and current ment,” said Olivia Talevich, freshman at FSUS
president, Aidan Stresing. The club hosts activ- and club secretary. help, we love all the ideas that our club mem-
ities like clean-ups at local parks and fields and bers give us and we can use all the help we can
guest speakers who talk about the environment. The Environmental Club is working to get,” said Stresing.
The club also works to continue recycling at improve the environment and bring attention to
FSUS and they have plans to sponsor a street in
the future.

“I started the club because I was very an-
noyed seeing trash all over the ground in my
community and I felt like I needed to do my
part. I also kept hearing about climate change
and I wanted to help stop it,” said Stresing.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the club
has not had as many opportunities to be active
in the community. However, next school year
the club plans to do more for the environment
and the FSUS community.

“COVID has been challenging and [it is] an
extremely hard time to start a club. My hope is
that our club will gain some momentum next
year,” said Kristin Wilson, high school science
teacher and Environmental Club sponsor.

While there was an influx of members at
the beginning of the year, the club still hopes
for more members to join in the future.

World Wildlife Day brings awareness to flora, fauna

Nix Wimberly · Staff Writer Ecosystem Restoration. The term “key,” or issues their chosen species are facing,” said
“keystone species,” refers to animals that have Carla Evans, secondary science teacher at
World Wildlife Day takes place on Thurs- a very large effect on their ecosystem. FSUS.
day, March 3, as decided by the United Nations
General Assembly on December 20, 2013. “If some of these organisms become extinct, Awareness of the struggles endangered wild-
it would be detrimental to numerous ecosys- life and keystone species face can bring many
The main goal of the event is to raise aware- tems,” said Nowak. people to contribute to conservation efforts,
ness for the world's wildlife, including both whether that be by donating money or volun-
plants and animals, in order to help conserve Raising awareness for these endangered teering with places working to recover endan-
habitats and species around the world. animals and plants is critical for their recovery. gered species.
Doing things like recycling and turning off
“It brings an important issue to light,” said lights when exiting a room may have a bigger “During my life, I have seen many species
Micha Nowak, secondary science teacher at impact than many people think. come off of the endangered list like the Amer-
Florida State University Schools (FSUS). ican Bald Eagle due to conservation efforts,”
“Students can choose a species that they are said Nowak.
Each year there is a new theme, and the interested in, and spread the word to friends,
theme this year is Recovering Key Species for family and through social media about the

THE TOMAHAWK TALK STAFF

News Staff Head Management Features Staff

Anjali Jain News Editor Holly Majszak Editor-in-Chief Alyssa Kruger Features Editor
Bryce Kelley
Megan Nguyen Jaleah Darrisaw Editor-in-Chief Kiersten Shaw Madalyn Friemoth
Megan Nguyen Assistant Editor
Ay’keelah Green Nix Wimberly Saumyaa Misra

Editorials Staff Amelie Pelham Managing Editor Sports Staff

Benjamin Kyvik Editorials Editor Bryce Kelley Sports Editor

Ayden Mohammed Lucy Rushing Chief Advisor Keegan Flury Sydney Moore

Hannah Hamilton Linea Henry Christine Russell [email protected] Isaiah Young Graham Senior

THE TOMAHAWK TALK EDITORIAL POLICY

This paper is dedicated to giving students a forum by which to express views as part of education and in preparation for life in a democratic society.
The Tomahawk Talk is an award-winning newspaper and member publication of the Florida Scholastic Press Association (FSPA), American Scholastic Press As-
sociation (ASPA), and Quill and Scroll Honor Society. Views expressed don’t necessarily reflect the views of the Florida State University Schools Administration,

faculty, staff or of Florida’s schools. The newspaper staff encourages letter to the editor as a means of expressing constructive opinions on articles, photographs
or editorials that have appeared in the newspaper. However, to be considered for publication, the letter must be signed and 300 words or less. It should also be
understood that due to the space limitations not all letters can be published. The editor also reserves the right to edit all letters for space in the paper so long as
the meaning of the letter remains unchanged. No material, opinion, or otherwise, will be printed which is libelous, irresponsible or which the staff considers to be

in poor taste. For advertisement information, and to submit letters, contact the advisor. Tomahawk Talk email: [email protected]

March 2022 Page 3: Editoral

18: Too young, too naive to take on adulthood

Amelie Pelham · Managing Editor

At 18 years old, a person is far too young to Courtesy Photo
be sent off to die.
When turning 18 many young adults are subjected to the new responsibilites given to them as they begin adult life.
When US citizens become legal adults at 18,
that is exactly what can happen to them; they full maturity around age 25, a far cry from the Axtell. “Basically, they don’t have a lot of trust
can be drafted into the armed forces and sent to current legal age of adulthood. However, the in 18-year-olds as adults unless they need them
war. This decision wasn’t based on the science
of the brain - it was instead determined during government is determined to hang on to old tra- to perform certain jobs.”
the Vietnam War when the United States simply
needed more troops, and expanded the drafting ditions and refuses to raise the age of adulthood It seems that the legal system is bent on
age brackets in response. to match science. keeping the age of majority at 18, at least for
now. However, with a recent bill in Florida
Countless lives were lost in this war, both “People are unable to buy tobacco or alco- outlawing smoking under the age of 21, things
young and old, and little ground was made, hol until 21 and unable to rent a car until 25,
bringing the government’s hasty age decision
into question. Therefore the entire concept of which means that the law says 18, but we don’t seem to be looking up in terms of change. May-
legal adulthood must be doubted. Is 18 years
old truly the right age for people to become trust our ‘adults’ with other responsibilities. On be the government will soon realize that at 18,
legal adults? After all, 18-year-olds are still the other hand, 18-year-olds join the military, no one is quite ready to become an adult.
teenagers. carry guns, and have the ability to go to war.
The whole system seems to silently say that our “As the world changes, so will people and
“I teach a unit on juvenile justice in one of laws,” said Axtell.
my classes to prep students for FSA and I do
find that 18, while the age of adulthood in our kids are only adults when they need to be,” said
country, might be a bit too low,” said Shannon
Axtell, Florida State University Schools (FSUS)
English teacher.

Legally, 18-year-olds are very limited in
what they can do. They can’t rent cars or lodg-
ing, drink, smoke or buy life insurance, among
many other things. This begs the question “if
you are an adult at 18, then why can’t you ac-
tually do adult things?” The answer is this: you
are not mature yet.

“[There are] studies and experiments where
younger adults are more likely to rent an Airb-
nb or car to have parties, race, etc. There is
obviously a case to be made that having such
rules involves age discrimination; however the
companies are able to defend the practices by
showing evidence of which age demographic
causes the most damage to various things. Same
with alcohol; I believe there are studies demon-
strating that brains don’t finish developing until
the early-mid-20s, meaning [younger people
are] more likely to make poor decisions,” said
Deborah Whetstone, FSUS Social Studies
teacher.

It is scientifically proven that humans reach

Elon Musk: brilliant genius or skilled fraud?

Courtesy Photo more popular, similar service to X.com: PayPal.
Rather than founding PayPal, as many people
Entrepreneur Elon Musk may not appear as the media paints him; some say his story does not start as poor as it seems. seem to believe, Elon Musk instead co-founded
a company which later merged with the compa-
Benjamin Kyvik · Editorial Editor life in a poor family in South Africa, and going ny that owned the PayPal service, causing him
on to create PayPal, invent the first commercial to briefly become the CEO.
With an estimated net worth of over 200 electric car and revolutionize space travel.
billion dollars, Elon Musk is quite possibly the Using the money from Paypal, Elon Musk
most successful man in the world. But Musk’s However, this is a combination of exaggera- founded the rocket-manufacturing company
most impressive accomplishment isn’t obtain- tions and lies. Though it is true that Musk grew SpaceX in 2002. In 2020, with the launch of
ing such an obscene amount of wealth, which up in South Africa, he was far from poor. His the Crew Dragon, SpaceX became the first
others have achieved many times before. The father, Errol Musk, was a wealthy entrepreneur private company to take people to the Interna-
difference between Musk and other billionaires who claims to have at one point co-owned an tional Space Station from America. However,
is his ability to convince people that he deserves emerald mine in Zambia. as demonstrated by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and
his billions of dollars. Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, founding
Musk’s career in business began in 1995 a successful rocket manufacturer isn’t rocket
Some billionaires like Bill Gates have tried when he and his brother Kimbal co-founded a science; it merely requires one to have sufficient
to defend their wealth through performative website called Zip2, which provided online city funding and to know the right people.
philanthropy and donating relatively small guides to newspapers. Musk claims that during
amounts of money to help poor people. Howev- this time, he was unable to afford an apartment, During the early years of Tesla, Musk had
er, Elon Musk has managed to convince people had to sleep in an office, shared a computer with little involvement in the creation of their first
that he is a genius who earned all of his wealth Kimbal and spent every night coding the web- car, the Tesla Roadster, focusing more on mar-
through his brilliance, thus needing to keep his site. This company was sold to Compaq Com- keting and funding. Under Musk’s leadership,
billions of dollars because it will benefit society. puter Corporation in 1999, earning Musk over the company went public in 2010, and Tesla
20 million dollars. Inc. is now said to be worth over one trillion
He’s done this by convincing his fans that dollars. But the main innovation—the cars’ bat-
he pulled himself out of poverty, starting his After this, Musk co-founded X.com, an teries—had already been invented, causing Tes-
online payment company that soon merged la Inc. to primarily focus on selling stocks, find-
with its competitor, Confinity, which owned a ing ways to efficiently manufacture affordable
cars and adding gimmicks. Musk’s involvement
in the day-to-day operations of Tesla only began
after the company had invented the technology
necessary for the company’s success.

Every one of the previously mentioned
accomplishments Musk has made most likely
could have been done by somebody else, and
possibly better. In the cases of SpaceX and
Tesla, Musk isn’t an innovator, but is instead
someone who provided funding to innovators,
and got the credit.
By persuading people that he actually
knows what he is talking about, Musk has be-
come the richest man in the world, and it’s time
that people realize most of his wealth would be
put to better use if in the hands of the people
rather than in the hands of a pseudo-intellectual
con artist like himself.

Page 4: Editorials March 2022

Cereal Wars:Madalyn Friemoth · Staff Writer

Meet The CerealsCereal has been around for centuries, and
the sweet, the crunchy, the boring

since its invention, many different types have

been made. From sugary, colorful cereal for

kids to healthy fiber cereals, people have very

strong opinions about what cereals are worth

the hype. Since National Cereal Day is March

7, it is a good time to open the debate between

which cereals are good and which are bad.

Favorite cereals vary depending on the

person, and there are so many different views

on which are delicious versus the ones that taste

reminiscent of cardboard.

“Lucky Charms is my favorite cereal be-

cause the marshmallows are good, and I prefer

sugary cereal over healthy ones like Special K,”

said Florida State University Schools (FSUS)

junior, Sydney Moore.

Lucky Charms has its perks, but other people Courtesy Photo Courtesy Photo
don’t share the same fondness for it. It can get
soggy quickly and the marshmallows often taste Cinnamon Toast Crunch consumers are a Those who consume Lucky-Charms are
stale and old. Most cereals are perfectly paired friendly, sweet and sassy combination of bwohthichinmteallikgeesntthaenmd mshisourtn-dteermstpoeorde.d
with milk, but Lucky Charms is better without. dreamer and do-it-yourself personalities.

“Sweeter cereal just tastes better. When Choosing Corn Flakes over Captain Crunch for namon Toast Crunch in the summertime and

eating low-sugar ones like Raisin Bran, it feels a midnight snack is a crime. Honey Bunches of Oats in the wintertime.

more like a chore eating it. It just isn’t enjoy- “My favorite cereal definitely depends on Cereal creates a controversy that no one will

able,” said FSUS freshman, Keenon Baker. seasons, my mood, where I’m at, and how I’m really agree fully on, because everyone has their

Most people prefer sweeter cereals over feeling,” said Moore. own preferences. However, people should be

healthier ones. Cereal is supposed to wake Some people’s favorite cereal changes able to recognize which cereals deserve the top

people up in the mornings or fill the cravings monthly or even by the day. It just depends on spots and which ones shouldn’t even be on the

of hungry teens after midnight study sessions. the person. Someone might prefer eating Cin- market anymore.

Crayola expands color, confidence, creativity

Courtesy Photo The Florida State University Schools (FSUS) grown up feeling more confident and more
Crayola’s Colors of the World release helps promote con- elementary art program uses crayons on a week- comfortable in their own skin.
fidence and improves self-esteem within children. ly basis. Additionally, students make self-por-
traits as a way to express themselves. They use “It’s impacted me by giving a crayon that fits
Holly Majszak · Co-Editor-In-Chief a variety of tools including pencils, paint and my skin color and being able to draw someone
mixed media to represent themselves either by that looks like me,” said sophomore Madeleine
Young kids should always see recognition of displaying their family or symbols they resonate Byrd.
their skin tones especially in art supplies such as with.
crayons. In 1992 Crayola launched their multi- The newfound open-mindedness within the
cultural line to do just that based on feedback “Art gives the space to express what words art world has only been the beginning as many
from both parents and teachers, and has since can’t and it becomes its own powerful language. feel it is becoming more important to learn
continued to release lines of products to help Art is all-inclusive. I think Crayola has done about different cultures.
improve the acceptance of all ethnicities. a very good job at creating materials that are
inclusive. The range of skin tones in crayons “It’s important to recognize more diversity in
are an example,” said elementary art teacher at art appliances to give kids the option of being
FSUS, Edga Claudio. able to choose the closest color to their skin. It
gives everyone an equal opportunity to draw
An increase in the range of skin tone offered what they look like. Having kids recognize va-
has led to multiple benefits within the grow- rieties of skin colors makes them more aware of
ing acceptance in our society including better all the types of people,” said Byrd.
self-esteem and encouragement of the next
generation. Here at FSUS, the elementary art program
is releasing their second coloring book called
“Knowing where you are from, understand- “Color A Better World: Heroes of My Com-
ing it, and being proud of it is very important munity.” This installment will be publishing 48
for self-esteem. If students are in a space where different works for K-5 students and showcases
they feel prejudice by being discriminated heroes with different backgrounds in the local
against, misunderstood, minimized or made fun community.
of, they will struggle with feelings of displace-
ment, affecting their self-esteem,” said Claudio. “Something as simple as creating a range of
skin colors so students can pick the one that
We can see these effects as kids who have matches their skin, is brilliantly inclusive,” said
experienced a wider range of crayon colors have Claudio.

What is your favorite crayon color?

Peyton Ednonston Keldrick Young Bryson Smith
Carnation Pink Wisteria Silver

March 2022 Page 5: Entertainment

Spider-Man couples evolve through new eras

With great power comes great responsibility

Kiersten Shaw · Staff Writer Then there is the third set of Spider-Man Tobey Maguire & Kirsten Dunst
movies (2017-2021) made with Tom Hol- Andrew Garfield & Emma Stone
Marvel has come out with many Spider-Man land as Peter Parker and Zendaya as Michelle
movies, and all of them have different love Jones-Watson, the second MJ. The newest set Tom Holland & Zendaya
interests and storylines. With there being differ- of Spider-Man movies includes “Spider-Man:
ent love stories in all three sets of Spider-Man Homecoming,” “Spider-Man: Far From Home”
movies, many people argue about who is the and “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” In my
best Spider-Verse couple. opinion, this Peter and MJ have the best Spi-
der-Verse relationship. This MJ plays a little bit
The first three Spider-Man movies (2002- harder to get, and the couple don’t even share
2007) star Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker and their feelings for each other until late into the
his love interest Mary Jane Watson, the first MJ, second movie, after becoming good friends
played by Kirsten Dunst. In the first set of Spi- first. What really sets this MJ apart from the
der-Man movies “Spider-Man,” “Spider-Man rest of the Spider-Verse love interests is that she
2” and “Spider-Man 3,” Peter and MJ had an was a very independent young woman and gave
iconic relationship. Peter Parker and Mary Jane Peter a run for his money. The two gradually
are sometimes seen as the best Spider-verse start a blooming romance, with long-last-
couple because they are the “Clark Kent and ing, attention-grabbing scenes that represent
Lois Lane” of the Marvel Universe. These friendship and devotion. Part of what makes
original Spider-Man movies also featured the their blossoming relationship so captivating is
infamous upside-down kiss, making Peter and the awkward chemistry between the two. Their
MJ the most “perfect” Spider-Verse couple. relationship more so correlates with the type of
relationships teens see today making them more
Another set of Spider-Man movies (2012- relatable and giving them the winning title of
2014)were made with Andrew Garfield as “best” Spider-Man couple.
Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy, played by Emma
Stone. In the second set of Spider-Man movies Many Marvel and Spider-Man fans were
“The Amazing Spider-Man” and “The Amazing very shocked to see all three Spider-Men in the
Spider-Man 2,” many would say that this ver- movie “Spider-Man: No Way Home” where
sion of Peter and his love interest Gwen are the they worked together to defeat The Green Gob-
best couple because of their chemistry. Gwen lin, Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Lizard and Elec-
made Peter a more caring person after his Uncle tro. This iconic movie had Marvel fans lining
Ben died, and many people loved them because up to see it and many viewers loved seeing Tom
of how real and raw their relationship seemed. Holland’s Spider-Man and Michelle showcase
Gwen’s tragic death was the most memorable their relationship more.
part of her character, and she really made an im-
pact on Peter and made him a better person. For It is clear that Tom Holland’s Peter Parker is
that, this Spider-Man couple is seen as the most superior. No questions asked.
genuine and heartbreaking.

Marvel Phase 4 viewers experience new connections

Courtesy Photo it again. I was traumatized,” said Amelia Wass of the most popular and perhaps most devastat-
de Czege, Florida State University Schools ing of the new movies, picking up right where
Marvel introduces new elements into the MCU. (FSUS) sophomore, who attended the FSUS “Spider Man: Far From Home” left off.
field trip to see “Avengers: Endgame” when it
Amelie Pelham · Managing Editor came out. “I just saw the new Spider-Man. I hated the
ending; it was just not okay. The night after I
Marvel fans are split on whether the new Then began Phase Four, which is the group saw it I woke up at 3 a.m. contemplating it like
phase, Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU): of Marvel films and shows that were set to ‘how could they do this,’” said Wass de Czege.
Phase 4, is a masterpiece or a catastrophe. release from 2021-2023. Phase Four began
with “WandaVision,” the MCU’s first television Marvel’s Phase 4 isn’t just about one film
When the Marvel company released its show. “WandaVision” explores the character or show, but instead the combination and
record-breaking, three-hour-long film “Aveng- Wanda Maximoff, also known as Scarlet Witch, correlation between them all. Fans are very
ers: Endgame” on April 6, 2019, fans departed and her grief after losing Vision in “Avengers: excited about the new phase’s additions, and
theaters shocked, and often in tears. Infinity War.” are happy with the MCU’s progression.

“I was heartbroken. I still actually have not “I think ‘WandaVision’ was done amazingly. “I think the new phase is being done very
rewatched the movie because I can’t go through [It] was so fun and I loved the throwbacks to well. It is good they are expanding the universe
older TV shows and Agatha as a villain,” said and adding new characters as well as giving
Molly Russell, FSUS junior. other characters a chance to shine too. I am
interested to see how the timeline aspect gets
Other television shows in Phase Four include brought into the universe along with the new
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” “Loki” multiverse aspects,” said Russell.
and “Hawkeye.”
While Marvel’s Phase 4 can be confusing
“I think they were all great,” said Wass de and convoluted at times, most would agree that
Czege. “I loved them all. It was necessary to be the films are still enjoyable and well done. The
able to develop those characters further. With MCU has played a big part in many people’s
the shows they were able to develop the char- lives, and watching it evolve and grow is all
acters quickly, and the shows set up for future part of the experience.
movies and more content.”
“I just hope that Marvel keeps producing
However, the most iconic aspect of Marvel content. I feel like it is a staple and was a big
is the films. So far Phase Four includes “Black part of my childhood. As I grow up Marvel
Widow,” “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten does too; it’s always been there,” said Wass de
Rings,” “Eternals” and “Spider Man: No Way Czege.
Home.” “Spider-Man: No Way Home” was one

Batman reboot, Twilight actor Pattinson to star

Megan Nguyen · Assistant Editor Courtesy Photo Batman is a hard character to play since the
actor must play two different personas (both
Batman has been around for decades and is Batman is an icon over many movies through the years. Batman and Bruce Wayne), but some actors
still a fan-favorite superhero for many. There’ve have been able to capture both sides of the char-
been many people assigned to play this rich, He’ll be perfect.” acter well.
narcissistic and intelligent character, and the Ben Affleck played Batman in the 2016
new Batman movie coming out in March 2022 “Christain Bale - he was as equal Bruce
will star Robert Pattinson as Batman, leaving “Batman vs. Superman” movie and some fans Wayne [as] Batman. All of the other Batmans
fans conflicted. showed dislike with this choice of actor. are clearly better at one or the other. Like Val
Kilmer was way better at Batman than he was
Pattinson is best known for his leading role “I don’t even count Ben Affleck,” said Rob- Bruce Wayne, Micheal Keaton was better as
in the Twilight series as Edward Cullen, but the erts. Bruce Wayne than he was Batman,” said Rob-
role he played in “Twilight” is much different erts.
from his new Batman role. Many speculate that
Pattinson has taken up this role for audiences Batman entices moviegoers all around the
to see him for more than his earlier roles; in world, whether for a quick laugh at who the
other words, he is trying to be more than just a next actor will be, or for die hard fans follow-
sparkly vampire. ing the franchise. Everyone watching “The
Batman” in 2022 will hopefully be constantly
Jacob Roberts, history teacher at Florida captivated by the plot or at least an extremely
State University Schools (FSUS) and fan of the hot actor who made an unfortunate reputa-
Batman franchise said, “I’m intrigued, because tion with a previous movie involving a card-
he’s going to be a whiny orphan man-child. board-like costar.

Page 6: Features March 2022

“I am a woman

Phenomenally

Phenomenal woman

That’s me.” Courtesy Photo
-Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou was an author who published many
works specifically concerning civil rights.

US Mint pays homage to influential female figures,
releases new limited series of quarters starting 2022

Alyssa Kruger · Features Editor The women on the quarters for the Courtesy Photo
From 2022 to 2025, The U.S Mint will first year are going to be Maya Angelou,
be releasing five quarters annually to honor Sally Ride, Wilma Mankiller, Nina Ote- Anna May Wong was considered to be the first Chi-
twenty inspiring women and their accom- ro-Warren and Anna Wong. nese-American Hollywood actress.
plishments.
“The Prominent American Women Quar- “I feel the women chosen show great be very interesting to know as to why she
ters are quarters that are going to be [rep- excellence and perseverance to the younger would be the first.
resentative] of diverse women,” said Susan generation,” said Sofia Brooks, a freshman
Cragg, history teacher at Florida State at FSUS. “It would be interesting to know the se-
University Schools (FSUS) . lection process of those particular women.
The featured women have all impacted I would like to know what the criteria was
Courtesy Photo history in different ways, and they all come because there are so many great historical
Wilma Mankiller was an activist for the American from different ethnicities and backgrounds. people that have been chosen,’’ said Cragg.
Cherokee Nation and served as principal chief. Angelou is best known as a writer, perform-
er, and social activist, while the other wom-
en chosen were firsts in their fields. Ride
was the first American woman in space.
Mankiller, the first woman elected principal
chief of the Cherokee Nation. Otero-War-
ren was a leader in New Mexico´s suffrage
movement and first female superintendent
of Santa Fe public schools. Wong, the first
Chinese American film star in Hollywood.

The special quarter programs have been
happening since 1999 with the 50 State
Quarters Program, but many feel that wom-
en should have been honored sooner.

“I do feel like this was long overdue.
Women of this country have been very un-
represented as far as positions of leadership,
change and moving this country forward,”
said Cragg.

Angelou is going to be the first wom-
an on the quarter, so for some, it would

Majszak: discovering feminism, a personal account

Holly Majszak · Co-Editor-In-Chief can’t do that because you are a girl.” The sad Courtesy Photo
“Well, we’re already foreigners. Women reality is that women may be legally equal,
as women are largely excluded from, alien but that freedom includes hearing and Ursula Le Guin was an author who redefined gender
to, the self-declared male norms of this experiencing discrimination on the basis of within her work by eliminating it alltogether.
society, where human beings are called man, gender.
the only respectable god is male, the only hope to contribute to it, becoming an advo-
direction is up,” said Ursula Le Guin, a femi- After entering high school I began to cate for those who can’t and inspire those
nist author, during a speech at Mill’s College discover a community of women working who are afraid to because it has opened my
in 1983 (an all female college). for equality. In the beginning I had a vague eyes for the better.
When I read Le Guin’s speech, I was idea of feminism; now I am immersed in the
opened to her unique perspective of fem- influence of it and wish to continue learning
inism and began to think. Growing up and advocating for us.
through high school I have not been ex-
posed to hardships in the workforce like I have learned about amazing women
experiencing a male counterpart getting a who have been making achievements in our
promotion when I have worked harder or community, such as Valentina Tereshkova,
what seems to be the ever-growing gender the first woman to visit space, and mod-
pay gap. ern-day actors like Emma Watson who has
No, I have not seen those hardships; what advocated for women and spoken at United
I have seen as a part of women’s sports is Nations conferences.
the limited recognition against men’s sports,
and limiting funding. Not only are there many influential wom-
What I have seen are the side comments, en across the world, but also around me too.
the catcalls, the endless repetitions of “You Like my mom, my teachers and my coaches
who have taught me to advocate for others
and myself when faced with injustice and to
be confident in myself.

Now that I have discovered feminism I

March 2022 Page 7: Features

Cynthia Erivo, others honored through dance

Photo by Steve Chase tributes to celebrities and well-known peo-
ple. Tributes show admiration and respect
FSUS student dancers pay tribute to the Black community by commemorating Cynthia Erivo. towards the person. Many tributes are per-
formed at dance competitions or conven-
Ayden Mohammed · Staff Writer adults how to make the slightest weak- tions and usually get more attention.
nesses in their posture better, and work in
Dance is a performing art consisting of synchronicity with a team. Whether it’s One such homage that won first overall
movements in a specific sequence. Cate- keeping the head straight, not slouching, consistently throughout last competition
gorized by the choreography and emotion or even just walking properly, these small season was one to Cynthia Erivo, per-
included, dances often have a story behind adjustments can make all the difference in a formed by Dance Fusion Studios of Talla-
them that can be understood through inter- performance. hassee. Cynthia Erivo is a singer, actress
preting the song, costume and most impor- and songwriter who first gained recognition
tantly the dancers. “The most important traits a dancer when she played the lead role in the broad-
should have are pointed feet and straight way musical, “The Color Purple.” She also
The art of dance is much more than legs, always,” said Khloe Woodson, Florida played Harriet Tubman in the movie “Har-
putting random moves together and calling State University Schools (FSUS) elementa- riet.”
it choreography. It teaches kids and even ry school dancer.
The tribute was choreographed by Emily
Some of the most iconic dances are Tarallo from South Florida and Wendy
Crawford from Tallahassee, Florida. This
piece wasn’t only about Erivo but about
discrimination being faced during 2020.
This piece had all Black performers which
added to the powerful emotion of the dance
and allowed for little dancers of all colors
to look up to this piece for inspiration.

“I really enjoyed this dance because it
had people that looked like me,” said Chloe
Lowe, FSUS elementary student and dancer
at Dance Fusion Studios of Tallahassee.

This tribute made people in the audi-
ence, no matter what race they were, stand
up, cheer and shout as loud as they could
because the dance was that powerful. It left
judges in tears and the tribute was truly
inspirational to all races. The point of dance
is to show emotion and tell a story and the
Cynthia Erivo tribute contributed to this.

Women overshadowed in art

Nix Wimberly · Staff Writer crease, junior at Florida State University Courtesy Photo
Schools (FSUS).
Women in the art community are often Frida Kahlo, Mexican artist, is known for her
overshadowed, and often have credit and There are many ways to advocate breathtaking self-portraits and use of color.
ideas taken from them by men. These for women in art, some of them include
women should be given the attention that pushing for the display of more artwork
they earned through their hard work. created by diverse artists, and supporting
local artists.
“It’s inspirational to hear the story
behind certain processes, the depth and “There is no shortage of women in
the thought that goes into many artworks the arts, I would say to incorporate more
created by women,” said Molly Kil- female artists into art history,” said Kil-
crease.

Women display bravery as military veterans

Alyssa Kruger · Features Editor

The lives of many women have been

impacted by the military due to the choice

they made to serve their country.

“I was not ready for college and I want-

ed to travel, so the military was probably

the best option, and it gave me a lot more

freedom,” said Shannon Axtell, English

teacher at Florida State University Schools

(FSUS) and US Air Force Veteran (1999-

2003).

Not everyone has the same reasons for

going into the military. For example, Bickel

went into the military as a sense of pride.

“My dad is retired in the army and

my mom was in the air force, so it was a

sense of pride,” said Ruth Bickel, forensics

science teacher at FSUS and US Army Vet-

eran (1994-2001).

However, being in the military as a Courtesy of Ruth Bickel Courtesy of Shannon Axtell
woman can be very hard. Women often
face discrimination being a woman in the Ruth Bickel served in the army for five years before Shannon Axtell an air force veteran served for four
military. becoming a science teacher at Florida High. years before retiring to teach high school English.

“There were alot of men who still did About 14.4 percent of the active duty force like ´I go this or I can do this,’” Bickel said.
not like women in the military, so I ended was comprised of women in 2010. Bickel said the military really helped
up finding a lot of women that I would hang
out with. It was a struggle at times to keep “We were not always taken seriously her. ¨The military has allowed me to look
up with the physical aspects but also the even though we knew our job. At the be- at big picture of things, allowed me to
mental aspects as well,” said Axtell. ginning of my military career I was a truck become a better leader, and has gave me a
driver and many of the male drivers were sense of responsibility.¨

Page 8: Features March 2022

“What? Like, it’s hard?” - Elle Woods, “Legally Blonde”
FSUS students prepare for an effortless opening night

Ay’keelah Green· Staff Writer inflections. tion through their ability to connect deeply with
“I really get into the space of the charac- their role.
Every year Florida State University Schools’
(FSUS) theater program and aspiring student ter and try to think about what that character “I just love being on stage because I can be
actors work hard to produce an entertaining mu- would do in any single moment so I’m always who I want to be, which really helps me come
sical. This April from the 21 to 24, the school prepared,” said junior Anthony Ortiz, who will out of my shell and just be who I am,” said
will feature the musical Legally Blonde, per- play Emmett Richmond. Ortiz.
formed entirely by students.
Playing a role in a musical requires both Many of the students participating in the
In preparation for the 2022 musical the confidence and bravery, and actors have to be play are very passionate about acting and will
student cast is working hard and putting in time ready for anything that might happen while on not be performing for the first time.
and effort to make the musical great and fun to stage. For many, performing onstage is a nerve
watch. wracking experience, but for some, it is exhila- “I’ve been in musicals ever since 6th grade,
rating. and I really love singing and performing for
“I practice my lines a lot, sing through my people, so it made me want to audition to be in
songs and basically take on the character and “Getting on stage and singing in front of a this musical,” said Guerrero.
pretend like I’m in her shoes,” said FSUS senior lot of people really boosts your confidence and
Isabella Guerrero, who will be playing the lead it makes you feel like you can do anything,” The theater department works countless
character Elle Woods. said Guerrero. hours to put together their annual plays for the
audience to enjoy, but the most important part
One of the tactics that actors use to fully Playing a role in a musical also provides a of it is the memories they make in the process.
embody their characters is creating a mindset unique opportunity for actors and actresses to
for that character and then getting comfortable express their true artistic talent and passion, “You take those little moments that you can
becoming them by understanding and using by becoming one with the character they are when you have fun, you grasp little moments
their preferences, attitude, body language and portraying. They capture the audience’s atten- when you cross them and you make sure that
you hold on to them for a long time,” said Ortiz.

LEGALLY BLONDE
COMING THIS SPRING

MPA offers students a chance to showcase musical talent

Linea Henry · Staff Writer correcting any mistakes or weaknesses. Talking Photo by Amelie Pelham
with peers and the instructor is also a big part of
The Musical Performance Assessment preparation. FSUS student Anjali Jain practices for MPA competition.
(MPA) is an evaluation that allows Florida State
University Schools (FSUS) fine arts students to “Preparing for the MPA will help us do dents decide to pursue.
gauge their improvement and talent by chal- better when we get there and not be as nervous “My years in chorus have been the best, it is
lenging them and pushing them to take their and we are more confident in our music,” said
skills to another level. Isabel Chester, freshmen choral and orchestra an easy grade, you just have to put in the work,”
student at FSUS. said Evora.
The main focus of the MPA is to teach
students how to meet certain time limits and re- Even though the main focus of this assess-
quirements that may be used in their future ca- ment is to help students improve, it also helps
reers. The orchestra MPA is towards the end of students come together and learn how to work
February and the band and choral MPAs are at with others to improve everyone as a team,
the beginning of March. During this time FSUS which will improve overall performance.
musical students fill their time with preparing
for these assessments. “It helps everyone get together and have
their music skills judged to see how the entire
“The MPA is very important because it chorus or orchestra is doing and to grow in their
shows our talent and all our work we have put music skills,” said Chester.
in throughout the year,” said London Evora,
middle school choral student at FSUS. The MPA helps students all throughout the
school become the best they can and improve
Students prepare for the MPA by practicing their fine art skills to use in their later careers. It
and building their talents every day while also also creates a lot of memories and experiences
that can be used no matter what field the stu-

Thespians club provides fun outlet for many fine arts students

Courtesy FSUS Yearbook and welcoming environment while still being
The Thespians club will be a large part of the FSUS musical as many members are participating in the production. able to pursue their interests.

Jaleah Darrisaw· Staff Writer and push each other. “Thespians are a lot of fun, we goof off, we
Carter Nelson, a sophomore at Florida State get work done, we score well on things, but
Megan Nguyen· Assistant Editor honestly we have a lot of fun and everyone gets
University School (FSUS), who has been a part along with each other,” said Nelson.
The Thespians Club is a group of students who of Thespians Club for two years now, said, “I
are passionate about all things theater. It is a love performing and doing theater, I find it fun FSUS hosts an annual musical featuring
great opportunity for students who want to pur- and a good way to hone my skills if I wanted to many students and Thespians Club works right
sue a future career in the performing realm. do this for an actual career. alongside them to put on the show. This year,
Students can join the Thespians Club once they students will take on the story of Elle Woods in
enter high school. The club allows students Students can make new long-time friends “Legally Blonde,” the musical.
from freshman to senior year to work together who motivate their peers to excel and succeed
in performing. Students get to experience a safe Nelson said, “Pretty much everyone who
does thespians is in the musical, it’s a very
strong correlation there, it’s just people who
love doing theater, and we have a very tight-
knit group, you’re going to get a lot of cross-
over there.”

Thespians Club is more than just kids who
love theater, it’s a great way to make life-lasting
friendships and improve students’ real-world
skills while still having fun.

“It’s a whole lot of fun, more people should
do it, we go on fun trips and get to hang out
with people, and in my opinion doing theater is
a good time and I think it’s something a lot of
people should try,” said Nelson.

March 2022 Page 9: Features

Mardi Gras’ traditional celebration, not just party

Megan Nguyen · Assistant Editor Courtesy Haley Mehta in Louisiana and attended Mardi Gras yearly.
Parades contribute to the local Mardi Gras celebrations. In Florida, Mardi Gras is seen as a week-long
Madi Gras, the two-week-long celebration party, but in Louisiana it’s a widely-celebrated
heavily associated with New Orleans, parades, Mardi Gras truly is and what it celebrates. tradition that everyone, including families, get
alcohol and dancing, is more than what it “There’s this idea that it’s a gross party at- involved with.“I got a week off of school for
seems. The big party actually has deep religious Mardi Gras break,” said Andrew.
roots that aren’t seen at first glance. mosphere, which it’s really not, it’s very fami-
ly-oriented,” said Dr. Mehta. Mardi Gras has changed over the years and
Dr. Haley Mehta, science teacher at Florida the celebrations are different in every state.
State University Schools (FSUS), lived in New FSUS freshman, Clare Andrew, also lived
Orleans, Louisiana for 10 years before moving “Ever since I moved from Louisiana there’s
to Florida and celebrated Mardi Gras every been less parades and a lot less people celebrat-
year. ing. Every other state I’ve lived in hasn’t taken
it quite as serious as Louisiana, because of the
“It’s a Catholic tradition leading up to the deep history that the tradition holds there,” said
Lent season which is a time where people fast Andrew.
and give things up, so Mardi Gras is the last
time to get all your vices taken care of,” said Mardi Gras has been around for years and
Dr. Mehta. has grown to be what it is today, the traditions
and values have stayed the same for locals in
Many people are unfamiliar with the reli- Louisiana.
gious meaning and back story to the celebra-
tion. There are many misconceptions of what “Everything kind of stops and everyone’s
just enjoying each other,” said Dr. Mehta.

Local beaches offer family fun, wildlife, shopping for all

Photos by Amelie Pelham & Sydney Moore If you’re more of an off-the-grid person you
can visit Shell Point, a secluded beach close to
Florida beaches provide an array of activities and fun. Beautiful sights along with aquatic creatures draw people in. Carrabelle, about 40 minutes south of Tallahas-
see.
Sydney Moore · Entertainment Editor many more. Hanging out at the beach for the
day can be a fun activity for people of all ages. Madison Wenhold, sophomore and sand vol-
Both Florida residents and visitors of the leyball player at FSUS, said “They have a sand
Sunshine State alike love going to the beach. One of the most popular beaches near Talla- volleyball court that you can use and play with
There are many to choose from including Pana- hassee is Panama City Beach. Panama City has family or friends.”
ma City Beach, Shell Point, Ft. Lauderdale and beautiful white sand and clear water. Pier Park
is also a must-do when visiting Panama City Shell Point is a great local spot to go to and
because you can go get ice cream or go to the spend the day. It is close to Tallahassee and just
shops. a 45 minute drive from Florida State University
Schools. In addition to the beaches, Shell Point
is great for those who want to observe coastal
wildlife. Dolphins frequent the area and are
easily seen from the beaches.

Fort Lauderdale is also a beautiful place to
visit, though it is a bit farther from Tallahassee.
The waters are always crystal clear, and similar
to Panama City it has a plethora of places to
walk around and visit. There are places to have
picnics and even go snorkeling, creating the
opportunity to see a lot of sea life.

“I went there during spring break last year,”
said Mackenzie Freeman, junior at FSUS. “The
beaches are very nice and it’s a good communi-
ty.”

Getting in the cool water is a great way to
spend hot summer days. Relaxing at the beach
can be a great way to spend time with friends
and family and just enjoy the beautiful scenery
and wildlife that frequents the beaches. If you
really want to take advantage of all of what
Florida’s beach scene has to offer, get there
early.

“The best time to go to the beach is early
morning, around eleven, so you have the whole
day,” said Freeman.

No matter which one you choose, Florida’s
beaches are sure to be remarkable. The white
sands and cool blue water will leave you with
a sense of the true beauty of Florida and make
you want to return time and again.

Wakulla Springs recovers: restoration improves state park

Amelie Pelham · Managing Editor However, Wakulla Springs is one of many and drawn so much more attention to these
natural wonders that have been suffering from issues because they are happening everywhere,
Many people go to Wakulla Springs for a a detrimental issue: algae blooms. This specific not just here,” said Rojas.
day and leave with lifelong memories. How- algae was caused by increased nitrogen levels in Glass-bottom boat tours are being offered again
ever, while the water may now look clearer the waters, which resulted from treated waste- (weather permitting), and visitors can once
than ever, it wasn’t too long ago that Wakulla water that had been soaking into the basins and again see down into the springs depths, some-
Springs and its ecosystem were in jeopardy. ending up in the Springs. This caused the waters times up to nearly two-hundred feet, where
to become murky. authentic mastodon bones lie.
Wakulla Springs is a freshwater spring with
history dating all the way back to prehistoric “Before the restoration, the springs were However, while Wakulla Springs is experi-
times. Today, visitors can stay at the on-site very dark; they even stopped the glass bot- encing positive results from the treatment plan,
lodge, eat in the Edward Ball Dining Room, tom boat tours for a while, which is one of the other springs and water sources are still suffer-
enjoy boat tours and swim in 70 degree spring biggest reasons people go to the springs,” said ing.
water. But Wakulla Springs is more than just a Rojas.
tourist attraction for many. “Keeping our waters clean is very important;
Not only were the waters gloomy, but wild- we get 50 percent to 80 percent of our oxygen
“Wakulla County is where I was born and life living in and around the Wakulla Springs from bodies of water. Treating our wastewater
raised, so Wakulla Springs is very special to and Wakulla River were at risk. Algae can dras-
me,” said Isabelle Rojas, sophomore at Florida tically decrease oxygen in freshwater and kill Photo by Amelie Pelham
State University Schools (FSUS). “It’s a natu- aquatic plants, both of which are disastrous for
ral, local treasure we have that a lot of places native animals like manatees. Alligators frequent Wakulla Springs for visitors to see.
don’t have. It’s also rooted in my family histo-
ry; my grandparents got married there.” To combat this harmful algae, multiple properly is more important than we think,” said
groups including the Florida Springs Institute Rojas.
FSUS students have taken field trips to devised and executed a wastewater diversion
Wakulla Springs, and the natural wonder is a plan to redirect sewage leaking from the Upper Wakulla Springs’ restoration has become a
popular weekend destination and regular hang- Floridan Aquifer into the Springs and river. This shining example of how communities can come
out spot for panhandle residents. plan has been in place for a while and changes together and bring about change for the better in
in the water quality are noticeable. the environment. Now Tallahassee-area locals
“It’s where I used to hang out with my can once again experience the Springs as they
friends in the summer. It’s important to me “The restoration has benefitted Wakulla used to be.
because I’ve made many good memories [there] Springs tremendously. Tons of people are com-
with people over the years,” said Emma Alex- ing back to the springs. It has cleared the water “It’s important to keep the Springs clean and
ander, sophomore at FSUS. take care of the natural resources around us,”
said Alexander.

Page 10: Features March 2022

100%

Courtesy Photo

The Florida High Boys Basketball team was polled to predict the winner of March Madness; with that the vote came out as a unani-
mous. The clear winner was Auburn located in Alabama and seeded number one in the Midwest region of the tournament.

NBA fans argue over team expansion locations

Graham Senior · Staff Writer

The National Basketball Association (NBA) Courtesy Photo
is without a doubt the biggest basketball league
in the entire world, but some argue that the There are a total of 29 professional NBA teams currently within the league, each displayed on the map above.
NBA needs an expansion. Debates on which cit-
ies should be given an NBA team have started duce more revenue for the NBA. While Young ple big cities in the world, however with times
to appear recently.
believes Las Vegas should be given an NBA changing and cities getting more and more
Some people believe that new NBA teams
should be created in states that have never had a team, he said he doesn’t see it happening in the popular, people believe that two more expan-
popular professional franchise. near future. sion teams is the best choice. Even if the NBA
feels that they should not add any more teams,
“Nebraska deserves an NBA team because “The chances of a franchise coming to Las fans should be able to experience an NBA team
it would help attract tourists to go there and it Vegas are very slim due to the gambling in the in their city.
would be unique because no professional team city,” said Young.
has ever been placed in Nebraska,” said Ama-
re Robinson, freshman and point guard on the The NBA has already added teams to multi-
Florida High Junior Varsity Basketball Team.

While some want Nebraska to have a pro-
fessional basketball team, the population of
Nebraska is very low making the chances of it
having an NBA team unlikely.

Multiple people believe NBA teams should
be in unique states, while some argue otherwise,
and that expansion teams should be in popular
states.

Florida High basketball shooting guard and
sophomore, Isaiah Young said, “Las Vegas
would be a good place for an NBA team. It is a
very popular spot for many people, and the city
already has the football team the Raiders. Why
not go for a basketball franchise?”

Las Vegas is a popular spot and would pro-

NBA or March Madness debate on better tournament

Courtesy Photo are more professional than in March Madness,”
said Nick Williams, junior at Florida High.
NBA Playoffs have a decrease in viewage as rivalries like the Lakers versus Celtics make the tournament predictable. “The players also become more emotional as
the series continues and they want to win, mak-
Graham Senior · Staff Writer ness every game is game seven, go big or go ing the game very chippy and fun to watch.”

March Madness and the National Basketball home. With the average viewers of the NBA While some may like the professionalism
Association (NBA) Playoffs have been around playoffs trending down and March Madness of the NBA, people also like March Madness’s
for many years starting in the late 30s and 40s. becoming more popular, this brings up the ques- unpredictability.
Throughout this time the NBA playoffs were tion, is March Madness better than the NBA
more popular than March Madness, as the NBA Playoffs? “I like March Madness more than the NBA
had more competition in the twentieth century playoffs because there are more upsets. Every
than College Basketball. In the 80s and 90s Even though the NBA playoffs have fallen in team has the chance to win the national title if
the playoffs were uncertain, rivalries like Bulls popularity by almost 45% since 2019, it doesn’t all the right things happen,” said Isaiah Young,
vs Pistons, Lakers vs Celtics and more made mean that people don’t think the NBA playoffs sophomore at Florida High. Basketball fans can
everything become unpredictable. are still better than March Madness. The NBA never expect what happens each tournament
takes the best basketball players around the and it is almost impossible to win back to back.
However, in modern times everything has world and puts them in a single league creating
changed. With the building of super teams in a professional atmosphere that March Madness An example of this is Loyola Chicago Uni-
basketball the predictability of the NBA play- doesn’t have. versity. In 2018 the Ramblers pulled off upset
offs is very easy to see. But with March Mad- after upset and cruised to the final four. The
“The refs and players in the NBA playoffs Ramblers, three years later, in 2021 upset the
number one seed Illinois in the second round to
advance to the sweet sixteen. In 37 years since
the expansion of the NBA playoffs only a total
of 10 seven and eight seeds have beaten the one
and two seed.

While we can all argue which one is better
than the other, both are exciting in their own
ways. It’s always exciting to watch game seven
of a big game that comes down to the wire. It’s
also exciting to watch a bracket breaking upset
that makes fans all over the world cry due to
the fact that they had that team winning it all.
The NBA playoffs and March Madness are both
very fun to watch in their own right.

March 2022 Page 11: Sports

Courtesy Photo
Both Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes have been picked out of many NFL players to be on the cover of Madden NFL 2022. However, many of the game’s avid and enthusiastic
gamers, while excited to see some of their favorite players, are worried about the Madden Curse which could throw a wrench in their players’ following season.

Gamers speculate Madden NFL negatively affects careers;

many incidents display impacts through gameplay, injuries

Isaiah Young · Staff Writer Courtesy Photo during one of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers foot-
ball games. Events like this have FSUS students
Each season the Madden NFL features a Tom Brady finally has retired from his career in the NFL. discussing the reality of the curse.
player who performed well the previous season Is his retirement part of the Madden Curse, or was it just
to be featured on the cover. Many of the players a long time coming? “I think it’s very real because there [are] co-
chosen have encountered mysterious incidents incidences that should not be happening,” said
that have affected their careers. FSUS freshman Graham Senior. “[For exam-
ple] Calvin Johnson, seemed to have a record
These unusual events have resulted in inju- breaking year then suspiciously retired the next
ries and poor gameplay that led to low player season. And even now Antonio Brown; he’s lost
statistics. Some Madden cover players even his mind and now he is out of the NFL.”
developed personal issues that occurred off the
field. Are all of these debilitating occurrences just
a coincidence? Could all these events mean the
Is the Madden Curse real? There is much Madden Curse is real?
debate over whether or not the Madden Curse
actually exists. Madden NFL 22 featured Tom Brady of the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Patrick Mahomes
“I don’t think the curse is real, I just think of the Kansas City Chiefs on the cover. Brady’s
it’s a coincidence of bad events,” said Florida stellar season with a record of 13 wins and four
State University Schools (FSUS) senior Logan losses came to halt with a field goal loss in a
Behnke. divisional round game. Recently, Brady has an-
nounced his retirement. Has Brady been struck
Antonio Brown was on the cover of Madden by the Madden Curse?
NFL 19. Recently, he had a very public walk-off

Athletes’ mental health becoming a focus for athletic programs
“Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles.”- Alex Karras

Kiersten Shaw · Staff Writer

Mental health can create difficult problems
for some athletes, from school, social, and their
athletic career. Mental health problems can
heavily affect growing students trying to build
their careers.

Approximately 30% of women and 25% of
men who are student-athletes report having anx-
iety, and only 10% of all college athletes with
known mental health conditions seek care from
a mental health professional.

Lily Griesheimer, a junior on the varsity
cheer competition team, had a season-ending
injury right before the regional competition.

“It was kind of sad having to have my
season over quite early, and the first couple of
practices I couldn’t make because of my con-
cussion really didn’t help,” said Griesheimer.

“Cheerleading was my es- Courtesy Photo
cape and so when I couldn’t
go to it, it felt like I didn’t Many athletes struggle with mental health as they balance being competitive in both their sport and the classroom.
have anything at that time.”
said Robinson. “You know the old saying ‘Fail- is just a tool to teach you life and how adver-
-Lily Griesheimer
ure to prepare is preparing to fail’ that’s what sity may come, but there is more than one way
Stress is a big part of an athlete’s mental
health. Trying to make it to the next level of I try to make the kids understand, the business to handle certain situations. It’s important that
their sport can come with many mental strains
that may also affect their physical health. Ath- side of college sports and even travel sports they seek different ways that work for them to
letic Director Anthony Robinson, tries to make
sure that athletes have ways to receive help with today to try to even get to the next level and to handle different situations and make sure that
their mental and physical health.
understand that aspect of it and just get as much they also understand that we’re there for them
“One thing I try to provide is information,
the more they know the more they can plan and information as possible.” through their academic journey, their personal
prepare themselves for what’s to come, and we
know that a big part of it is being prepared,” Many athletes have different outlets for journey, and their dealings at home. Through all

when they get aggravated with their sport. these things we are a resource for them in all of

Many coaches try their hardest to make sure those factions” said Gregory.

they are there for their athletes. Coach Jordan The main concern for all of FSUS’ ath-

Gregory, one of the varsity basketball coaches, letes is their mental and physical health. Many

has many concerns for his athletes and makes athletes who may have a lot on their plate suffer

sure they understand the different aspects that from trying to be the best and overworking

come with the sport. themselves. It is important for all coaches to

“My main concern for my athletes is to make sure that they are there for their athletes

make sure that they understand that basketball and are an outlet for them.

Page 12: Sports March 2022

Photos by Saumyaa Misra

FLORIDA HIGH BASEBALL SWINGS INTO SEASON

Keegan Flury · Staff Writer last year and made it to the regional semi-fi- players coming up through our program, many
nals before they were defeated by Pensacola of which will be playing JV and Varsity this
The 2022 Florida High Baseball season is Cathlotic. The program is actively pushing for season. Another one of our biggest challenges
in full swing, becoming an important season Regional Champions this season so they will be this season will come from just our schedule
for seniors, and so far the team has been off to a able to participate in the State Championship. alone,” said Hollenbeck.
successful start.
“Last year, we were two games away from The team begins their season playing in
John Hollenbeck is the Florida High Boys state, so I would like to get closer to that goal. the Valdosta Invitational, where they will face
Varsity Baseball Head Coach and has been It would be cool to play in the state title for our nationally ranked teams. Additionally, Florida
coaching at Florida High for over 30 years. He school,” said senior Reagan Pfeiffer, who has High will play Maclay four times this season.
has set high expectations for the season to come played Florida High Baseball since sixth grade. While this makes for a challenging season, the
because of the dedication he expects from his team is ready to take it head on.
players. The team has been putting in the extra hours
on and off the field to prepare for a challenging The program has many seniors, with two
“The three main goals we have are one: win season. Both Boone Hosey (senior) and Colby commits. Ethan Miller committed to Bishop
the District Championship, two: make the play- Marini (junior) mentioned a young pitching State and Drew Faurot committed to the Uni-
offs and three: win a State Championship. We staff. Most of the pitchers this season will versity of Central Florida.
do have other expectations and goals we strive consist of freshman and sophomores. Despite
to achieve as well, such as being an outstand- having a younger team, the players have been “I look forward to coaching the seniors in
ing student athlete, working hard everyday to dedicated to achieve their goals and Hollenbeck their final season. I have watched this senior
develop and improve our skill level and to be has faith that the team can achieve what they class develop through our program and contrib-
“Men of Character,” just to name a few,” said want. ute so much to the success and winning culture
Hollenbeck. of our baseball program during their baseball
“We have some extremely talented young careers at FSUS,” Hollenbeck said.
The team won the District Championship

Florida High Alumna, Head Coach Kelley looks towards future

Sand volleyball program continues to advance in its fourth year

Bryce Kelley · Co-Editor-in-Chief family has continued to help fund the program Photo by Bryce Kelley
and keep interest in sand volleyball high.
Brooke Kelley, Florida High alumni, returns Coach Brooke Kelley in her senior season at Florida
to the Florida High Sand Volleyball Program. “My goal for the program’s future is to High. Kelley returns to coach her former teammates.
Kelley started with the team as a sophomore establish a working program that competes at
and now has become the head coach and a men- a high level,” said Kelley. “I want the girls to girls to know they can do the same. I want to
tor to her former teammates. have this sport as their own and really develop help them develop their skills from my knowl-
their love and passion for sand volleyball.” edge and experience so that they can create the
Sand Volleyball started as a club during same love for the sport that I have,” said Kelley.
Kelley’s sophomore year. However, as of a As Florida High Sand Volleyball wraps
recent FHSAA decision, it is now considered a up their season, they are headed into districts
sport for the 2021-2022 school year. The Kelley where they will compete against the elite play-
family started the sand volleyball program as ers of the area. Florida High had a successful
an opportunity for girls to learn the sport Kelley season not only in wins versus losses, but in
loves so much. furthering the program towards Kelley’s goals.

“Starting the program my sophomore year “Sand volleyball has such a positive en-
to fuel a passion of mine was the best decision vironment and there is always room for im-
I’ve made. I got to see girls have a safe place provement. There is such a strong relationship
to grow in sport without the harsh conditions between you and your partner on and off the
other sports have created. Beach volleyball is an court,” said Samantha Johnson, current sand
escape from the world and being able to coach volleyball player and junior at Florida High.
for the same program that I started is a truly
unbelievable experience,” said Kelley. The Florida High Sand Volleyball program
has truly come full circle with Kelley becom-
With the new FHSAA decision to make sand ing head coach for the 2022 season. It has only
volleyball a sanctioned sport, creating a solid been four years since the start of the program
foundation for the program at Florida High has and Florida High has already made a name for
been a priority for Kelley. Despite coaching its sand volleyball program.
changes since the program’s start, the Kelley
“I am a true beach player and I want other

Leadership key to success for Florida High flag football program

Ay’keelah Green· Staff Writer Photo by Saumyaa Misra be even better than they were previously. The
Florida High’s Flag Football team practices pre-season. more experienced players have been serving
Bryce Kelley · Co-Editor-in-Chief as mentors to their teammates and working to
Coach. leave a legacy of good sportsmanship and great
Florida High’s Girls Flag Football team is The players have gone into the season strong flag football.
in the midst of another competitive season.
Seniors have filled leadership roles on the team and ready to work. The past few years the team “It means family. Every day we all go out
and younger players have stepped up to the has been working to rebuild the program to there together whether we struggle or succeed.
plate to continue keeping the excellent reputa- Since there are a lot of younger kids, I want
tion of the program. them to be left with the best impression. My
goal is to unify the team,” said senior on the
The flag football team has a very competi- flag football team, Jayla Scott.
tive history and because of this, a driven mind-
set has been a focus for the players. Leadership Flag football is a very dynamic sport that
is abundant on the team this year with four se- brings out leadership as well as perseverance
niors who have been playing for multiple years. in athletes. The team has been hard at work
Keeping a successful standing is important since conditioning started at the end of January,
to both the players and coaches because they knowing there is always room for growth as a
compete against teams throughout Leon and the team in both skills and team chemistry.
surrounding counties.
“Every girl at Florida High should try the
“Every year we want to be competitive. We sport as soon as possible, especially if she is
want to show up and fight every time we take competitive. It’s such a fun and exciting game,
the field. From there, we want to get better and competitive people love to play it,” said
with every rep, every practice, in every game Brown. “The athletes at Florida High are great
and because we keep score in our sport, we to work with: talented, dedicated, and smart.
want to win! We want to be champions,” said It’s a fantastic chance to meet and get to know
Sam Brown, Florida High Flag Football Head another group of wonderful people every year.”