View - Coral Reef Senior High School

Floetry rockspage 10Coral4BAITLINEReef Sr. High SchoolReefers look toGet Ho kedthe futurepages 8-9online at www.crhs.dadeschools.netJanuary 2010 Volume 13 Issue 10101 SW 152 Street Miami, FL 33157THEN NOWH1N1 VIRUS

NewsCoral Reef Sr. HighJanuary 20103Japanese Anime gaining popularityAnime collections grow among teenagers and adults alikePHOTO CREDIT: SHAWN ROBINSONIB Senior, Matt Martinez, shows off hisfavorite hand sanitizers.HandsanitizercrazeHand sanitizer doesnot actually kill 99.9%of germsSHAWN ROBINSONStaff WriterThey can be found everywhere, at thegym, at the mall, the airport, in almostevery public bathroom. It’s the new trendfor the New Year; the hand sanitizer craze.Worldwide, people are carrying aroundhand sanitizer because they believe it’sbasically washing your hands without thehassle. Many have even began to style uptheir bottles of Purrel and take it with themeverywhere they go.Many students here at Coral Reef havealso caught on to this trend, as many of thefaculty and staff.“I always carry my hand sanitizer, I loveit. It makes me feel germ free especiallywhen I eat,” said VPA Senior, Cera Arthur.But does hand sanitizer really work? Dothey actually kill 99.9% of the germs onyour hands?No, in fact hand sanitizer in some casescan actually cause the hand to create morebacteria than it normally had. It’s still alot healthier to wash your hands with thetraditional soap and water.“I think using hand sanitizer is all mental,when people use it they think they are germfree when really there not,” said Medicaljunior, Chris Robinson.The reason companies such as Purrel andPublix say that hand sanitizers kill 99.9% ofgerms is because it actually does, but theydon’t test this theory when it’s actually onsomeone’s hand. They test theses productswhen there on neutral bases such as countertops.“Yeah, I sort of figured that hand sanitizerdoesn’t really do anything. Oh well I’lljust stick with soap and water,” IB Senior,Matthew Martinez.Although it isn’t a bad thing to usehand sanitizer before anyone eats, or doesanything involving hands and oral cavities,we should still use the old fashioned soapand water. It’s said to believe that handsoap actually goes through germ pores andremoves them instead of hand sanitizer thatonly kills a slim percentage of germs on theouter layer of the skin. Also, it’s a lot moreexpensive for many due to the fact that theyhave to go out and buy lotion because handsanitizer dries hands when applied.The way the economy is today, it’s betterto go the cheaper and safer way: soap andwater.MARIA ESPINALStaff WriterAnime, as defined by the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, is “A style ofanimation originating in Japan that ischaracterized by stark colorful graphicsdepicting vibrant characters in actionfilledplots often with fantastic or futuristicthemes.”To many people, anime is the greatestthing since sliced bread. For example, thosemaking their residence in the Americasclaim that American cartoons are plain andsimple, as opposed to Japanese animationsthat are lively and full of detail.There are many genres of anime,each one containing plenty of sub-genres,thus appealing to various individuals withdiverse likes. One of the more-liked genresis Adventure, which typically depicts acharacter or set of characters embarkingon a perilous adventure to fulfill someaspiration. Fullmetal Alchemist wouldappeal to people with this liking.Another popular genre is Mystery.With this genre, what usually happens isthat an unexplained event occurs, causingthe main protagonist to attempt to find outwhat caused it. Case Closed has one of themore illustrious anime styles of this genre.For new anime viewers, the questionof whether to watch anime subtitled ordubbed might pop up. For those who havebeen watching it for longer periods of time,this question has most likely been resolved,most of which prefer to watch it withFCAT is fastapproachingWhat you need to do toget top scores this yearDEIBBYS CARDOSOStaff WriterThe FCAT is coming up, and we need tobe ready for it.“I’m training my students, working onthe booklet with them, doing projects,and different assignments. I believe thatworking every week will prepare them forit,” said Carta Manuel, Biology teacher.If someone wants to be prepared, theyneed to practice, need to keep doing it anddoing it. You can’t get tired or bored, andyou need to be happy when you do it andenjoying it in the same way you enjoy asport. Is all about your purposed and thefuture you have in mind.The students need to take it seriously andget prepared, paying attention to the classis the best thing they can do. For example ifyou do not pay attention in the class whenyou get in the house maybe the homeworkwill take you more time that is necessary,and it is obvious that some people don’t doit. Is like your mother telling you what youknow you need to do but you don’t…In conclusion, there is one lesson thatstudents need to learn: Listen to yourteachers; they know what’s best.PHOTO CREDIT: MARIA ESPINALMany students at Coral Reef have extensive collections of anime novels.These novels are written like comic books, and are read from left to right.These comic books are series, many of them consist of over 50 editions.subtitles.What is the big deal about watchinganime in its original language? Isn’t iteasier just to watch it dubbed, where youdon’t have to focus half of your attention onreading the subtitles? Questions like theseare very common among anime fans, butmost would agree that because anime is aform of art, any alteration to its originalitywould ruin its entire quality.Remember toMOPP(Main Idea)With dubbing, people have theopportunity to fully immerse themselvesin the anime as opposed to splitting theirattention between the subtitles and theactual characters.Whatever point of view people haveon how they watch anime, it is sure thatindividuals all over the world appreciatethe detailed, lively form of animated artthat made its origins in Japan.What is the main idea? What is it allabout?(Organization)How did the writer organizehis ideas?(Purpose)What was the author’spurpose?(Point of View)What point of view does thewriter have?.... and MOPP

OpinionsCoral Reef Sr. HighJanuary 20105Is deferrment from college equivalent to rejection?Each deferred studies has to face the ambiguities such a decision detailsANNA MEBELStaff WriterIn modern times, a motivated highschool student is faced with sky-highstandards and brutal competition. Goingto college is no longer a privilege soughtafter by the upper middle class, but a mustfor success. Because of financial aid andcollege applications becoming accessiblethrough the Internet, everyone has themeans to apply and attend college, levelingthe playing field economically. Due tothese changes, colleges have the luxury ofchoice, meaning that students have to lookeven better on paper.“It’s ridiculous. It seems like you needa sob story along with excellent credentialsto get accepted,” said Jennifer McCord,VPA Senior.This competitiveness extends beyondthe Ivy League, and many other schoolshave upped the ante for applicants. Withthe increase of hopefuls, colleges havebecome more adept at saying no. Yet,“yes” and “no” are not the only responsesa student can get from colleges. Deferraloffers a strange, hazy middle ground. If anindividual applies for Early Action, whichis non-binding, or Early Decision, anapplication choice that forces the personto attend if he or she is accepted into thecollege, the admission staff can decide toview his or her application in the contextjeremy mathurinStaff WriterFire drills have been practicedin schools since 1948, and areregarded as one the most usefulways to prevent injuries duringfire in schools, office buildings,and even homes.A fire drill is a method ofpracticing the evacuation of abuilding for a fire. Most of thetime, the emergency system,usually an alarm, is activated andthe building is evacuated as thougha real fire had occurred. Usually,the time it takes to evacuate ismeasured to ensure that it occurswithin a reasonable length oftime. But many are beginning toquestion their usefulness.“Fire drills are useless and infact, people would probably gethurt because they think it’s justa drill that they’re pushing reallyhard, plus when was the last timeYale University deferred a total of 51% of its Early Action pool.of the Regular Decision pool and give adecision later.It is strange to be a deferred student.Though you are not exactly a reject, youare not accepted either. The majoritythere was a fire at this schoolanyways,” said Matthew DuncanBusiness Sophomore.With today’s efficient technologyand appliances, fires in buildingsare becoming less common.Students are becoming skepticalof the positive effects of firedrills and are questioning theireffectiveness.gets deferred, and the chances of gettingaccepted for regular decision are generallylower than in the early action or earlydecision pool.“At first I was like, ah man, I didn’t getA new study by thehomeland securityconcluded that almostall fires in the state havebeen confined to theirorigin. Moreover, thisschool has not seen afire in years in part totechnology and alsoextinguishers all overthe school“I like them becausethey get me out of classbut when it comes toactually helping during afire, chances are it won’tdo much. I don’t thinkpeople will be all thatconcerned with gettingout the building in anorderly fashion whenthere’s a fire near by,”said Brittany AlabreBusiness Sophomore.Expecting an entire school ofteenagers to get out of a buildingin a calm and organized mannerin to my safety school. Then Ifroze because I had to tell myparents,” said Shari Thompson,Legal Senior.It is logical to presumethat not all deferred studentsare equal. The MassachusettsInstitute of Technology, forexample, accepts one-third oftheir deferred applicants, butthe questions haunting everystudent’s minds are whetherthey are instead in the rejected66%.“Well, I wasn’t reallyexpecting to get in. I stilldecided to give it a try, thoughthe application process wasstressful and time-consuming,”said Sophia Meziani, IB Seniorand deferred student.When applying to anextremely selective school, it isimportant to remember that theodds are stacked against you.When receiving a deferral, itshould be a confidence boostbecause you were chosen to bepart of a pool of absolutely extraordinarypeople. Nevertheless, a deferral is awhisper away from a “no” and keepingone’s hopes up is self-destructive.Fire drills are dangerous, bringing more harm than goodFire drills become an outdated precaution in this new age of technology and sprinklersPHOTO CREDIT: jeremy mathurin.The school follows strict safety precautions by placing fire alarmsthroughout the school.Submit to Elysium,GRAPHIC: ANNA MEBEL.is extremely difficult, and canactually add to the confusionand even lead innocent studentstoward a fire. Why risk it whenthe chances of a fire spreading areslim to none?“Here at Coral Reef, we haveten required fire drills per year,which means one per month ofthe school year. Some might sayit’s more than enough and that itdisrupts the class room, but anydrill that could potentially savelives is not useless and is defiantlynecessary. We’ve accomplishedto evacuate 3000 students in threeminutes. This will really helpif there is an actual fire in theschool,” said Assistant PrincipalMr. Mejia.Yes, preparation makes perfect,but why risk keeping a practicein place that might save livesonce, but puts them in jeopardy atleast ten times. In the end, it canbe concluded that fire drills areuseless.Coral Reef’s literary-arts magazinePoetry-Stories-Essays-Plays-Raps-Photography-Painting-Sculpture-Digital Media-Prose-Graphic Design-Comic Strips-Animation-Fashion Design-Musical CompositionsSUBMIT TO ROOM 310DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: FEBRUARY 26

Coral Reef Sr. HighJanuary 2010Three, Two, One…Happy New Year!It’s time for those resolutions to go intoeffect. You know, the one where youpromise to do better in school by actuallystudying for tests, or to not text so muchthis month so the bill isn’t high.How many times have you actuallystuck to your resolution or even madea resolution? Some people don’t evenremember to make resolutions becausethey don’t think that they are actuallygoing to stick to them, while others makethem consistently in order to achieve agoal.It has been said that New Yearresolutions are not real. In fact, thetradition of making a New Year resolutiongoes back to the early Babylonianswho made promises to return thingslike borrowed farm equipment. Fastforwarding to 2010, our currentresolutions are to do things like being abetter person, or building up the courageto talk to that special guy or girl. It couldeven be forgetting someone, burying yourpast and starting over.“I don’t believe in New Year resolutions6 SUBMERGEOut with the old, in with the newAre New Year’s resolutions a joke, or do Coral Reef students actually keep their promises?RHEA CASSIMIREStaff Writerbecause I know that I’m not going toremember them first of all, and I knowthat I’m probably not going to keepthem,” said Engineering sophomore,Melanie Lipps.Some people don’t see the point in aresolutions because we all know we makepromises to ourselves to do this, that andthe next thing, but we also know that afterthe promise come the words, “maybetomorrow.”“I think that New Year resolutions aregreat because they help people who havetried over and over and over again to meeta certain goal, get it accomplished. Whichis why I try so hard to remember to makea resolution and to stay with it, as a wayof motivation to help me stick with mypromise,” said Legal sophomore, RegineCommissiong.Whether you decide to stick to your planor not, making a resolution can be thejump start you need to have a good year,or turn over a new leaf for yourself. It’snever too late to make a resolution or putit into effect.My New Year’s Resolutions1. Get better grades in math class2. Stop cursing so much3. Spend less time playing video games4. Find time to work out/exercise5. Eat healthier food6. Be nicer to my little sisters and brothers7. Get a job8. Spend less money on clothes9. Help my parents around the house moreoften10. Stop texting while I drive11. Stop spending so much time on Facebook12. Save money for college/my futureFashion keeps moving forward into the new decadeAre you up with this years fashion statements? Make sure to keep up with the newest trends!GABRIELA REYESStaff WriterAs we all know, a new year calls fornew fashion trends. It’s time to saygoodbye to the old and hello to the new.Luckily though, 2010’s fashion trends areworking cooperatively with the pocketsof those who spent money on clothing in2009. There are many ways to look hipin the new decade just by dressing upclothing pieces that were bought last year.The most shocking 2010 fashion trendis the patched jeans. In 2009 we lovedripped jeans, right? Well, hopefully yousaved thosepieces youripped offbecausethey willsurely makeyour pairof jeansgo from2009 to2010 chic.The goodthing isthough, thatthe piecespatched onto the jeansdon’t haveto be thesame coloras the jeans.They couldshade inanywherefrom thedarkest to the lightest shade as long asthey look correctly patched. Therefore,if you didn’t save those old pieces thatyou ripped in the beginning of 2009, youhave nothing to worry about students; justrip another pair of old pants and patch itspieces to the new ones.Even though we might have to updateour ripped jeans just a little bit to bein style this year, luckily for us the bigfashion trend, skinny jeans, is still playinga big part of our clothing trends in 2010.How relieving does it feel to know that allthat money wasted on every color skinnyjeans has not gone to waste!For those of us students though that liketo have a variety of clothing to dress upto school and to everywhere else, slouchybottoms are also in. Yes, these are thosepants that are really fitting at the waistand immensely loose throughout yourlegs. These aren’t often seen since theyPHOTO CREDIT: GABRIELA REYESThe scarves, the boots, and comfty sweaters are the newest trends.are extremely hard to dress up. But, thetrick to fashionably wearing them andnot looking like you’re wearing yourpajamas, is wearing them with a reallyfitting top, and if possible, heels.“I really like these big pants because Idon’t only feel high fashion in them butalso comfortable. It’s as if I were wearingVictoria Secret sweats, except I lookway more chic,” said Stefania Garcia,VPA Junior.There are two 2010 trends thatare undoubtedly some of the mostwanted styles that this new yearbrings, but unfortunately, violatethe dress code here at CoralReef. The very first oneis the very stylish oneshoulder clothingpieces. Thesepieces rangeanywhere fromshirts to dresses.The otherbig statementfashion pieceis really shortshorts. And no,I don’t meanthose that arecut out fromjeans. Theseshort shorts areonly ideal ifworn properly.In order todo this, theyshould be ofleather material or ofvery loose fabric. Theymust be worn with avery edgy top in orderto stay sophisticatedand not cross the“trashy” line.The biggest fashiontrend of this yearis zippers! Zipperseverywhere is allfashion experts wantto see! They’re cool on your jeans,shirts, dresses, t-shirts, even your headpieces. As expected, zippersmake a simple little blackdress go from boring totrendsetting. The onlything to be worriedabout when shopping forzippered-clothing is thefact that a zipper shouldnever take away from thedesign, but only enhanceit. Keep this in mindwhen shoppingto ensure youdon’t commit afashion sin.Remember,any clothingwill look goodas long as itis worn withconfidence.That perhapsis the fashiontrend thatwill foreverremain instyle. Lovehow youfeel in yourclothes andothers willlove howyou look inthem!PHOTO CREDIT:ELIZABETH GONZALEZThis year, expect to see moreform-fitting jeans for guys,as well as hoodies withrolled up sleeves. Comfort iscoming back into style!

YOURSELF 7What will the new decade have in store for usStudents at Coral Reef make predictions about the upcoming futureCAMILA BERNALStaff WriterThroughout the entire nation,predictions are being made about thefuture of our economy and politicalagenda, technological advancements,and the prosperity and peace ofour homes. But 2010 has arrivedand Coral Reef students haveexpectations of their own, there isthis romantic effervescent aroma inthe occasional cool winter air that ismaking Coral Reef students excitedfor what this New Year bringing.Off course, the seniors: classof 2010 will feel in their elementbecause the few months aheadshould and will be filled with thelast and probably most memorableexperiences of their journey throughhigh school.“I think prom and graduation aregoing to be like stepping stones,solidifying my last days here atCoral Reef, I know that by that timeI will have lost friends, but hopefullyI will gain new ones,” said LynettVargas, VPA Senior.Prom is supposed to take placeFriday, May 14th and graduation issupposed to take place June 11th,and if this is not enough, seniors arealso expecting to receive and finalizetheir college admissions. It’s goingto be a year of change for seniorsand hopefully they can all open theirarms and welcome it with a positiveattitude.“This year I predict that I will findsomeone who is going to make adifference in my life, and hopefullythat I find a sexy dress for Prom…I’m trying something new,” saidScarlett Torres, Legal Senior.On the other hand, the rest of thestudent body has differentexpectations and predictions forwhat this New Year will bring.“I predict that this year I willincrease my status with women, thatI will stay away from trouble, andget a job, and that I won’t be tooscared for the beginning of senioryear,” Andrew Dilone, BusinessJunior.On top of all, AP exams arecoming and everyone feelsdifferently on how they predict theexams will be and their expectationson how good they will do.The teachers also had their say onwhat they hoped 2010 would be like.“I hope this year my kids will haveamazing scores in their AP exams,”said Vonica Barno, AP Governmentteacher.We have many expectations andpredictions for this year, somemixed with hopeful thinking, and ayearning for desirable events, but inthe end this New Year started withthe anticipation and joy of startingfresh.Coral Reef Sr. HighJanuary 2010PHOTO CREDIT: CAMILA BERNALJessica Sanchez, Medical Senior looks pensivelytowards the future. “I can see flying cars, roboticteachers, and cities on the moon coming closer toour grasp,” said Sanchez.Giving organ-transplant patients hope for the futureIB Sophomore organizes a foundation to help those in need of organ transplantsGuest WriterKnots of Hope is a community-serviceorganization that is dedicated to raisingfunds as well as local awareness for theTransplant Foundation, Inc. affiliatedwith the Miller School of Medicine at theUniversity of Miami.Created and founded by high schoolstudent and avid community servicevolunteer Priscilla Suzal-Wright, IBSophomore, and a band of loyal, devotedand equally committed friends; LaurenMartin, Nikki Baralt, Gaby Baralt, RachelJara, Nati Aguirre and Nicole Aguirre- Knots of Hope has flourished as a way ofbonding with friends while giving back tothe community.By designing, producing andselling colorful, fashionable andcharming hand-made string andbeaded “knots of hope”bracelets, the girls havebonded together for acause that is closeto their hearts,helping theTransplantFoundationgainnecessaryfunding whilevolunteeringtheir time atvarious Walk-A-Thons andother charitableCelebrate the New Year with people you loveBringing in the a decade new decade is a memorable event best shared with loved onesPHOTO CREDIT: DIANA GARDNERDiana Gardner, VPA Senior, celebrates the New Yearwith her family in Kentucky. “I love New Year’s Evebecause I get to spend time with my favorite people inthe world, my family. I have such a great time, I neverwant to leave,” said Gardner.MEGHANN BAILEYStaff WriterEvery December 31st, people gather together andwait up until twelve to celebrate the coming of a newyear. Most people look at New Years as a day to partyand spend time with family and friends, but many don’tknow the true meaning of this traditional day. New Yearsis a holiday celebrated all around the world in whicha brand new year begins, but for many, the New Yearbrings more than just that. Individuals everywhere useNew Years as a new beginning to start over; a reasonto finally let go of all of their problems and presentthemselves with new resolutions.“New Years is a time to celebrate and start fresh.If someone had a bad year last year, this year gives thema way to make things better,” said Kristians Musquera,VPA Freshman.There are variety of ways that people choose tocelebrate this holiday, whether they are with friends,family, or simply by themselves. Many spend time withtheir family on New Years Eve and watch the countdownon television that is shown live from Times Square inevents hostedthroughout theyear.Knotsof HopePHOTO CREDIT: PRISCILLA SUZALPriscilla Suzal, IB Sophomore, and her friends have raised a lotof money for organ-transplant patients. She hopes to expand hercommunity service group in order to help more people.continues to grow day by day with thecharitable goal of raising awarenessand drawing attention to the importanceof organ donation. Knots of Hopeinstills hope in those who are in need oftransplants as well as their loving familiesby fundraising and earning vital funds forthe Transplant Foundation – a foundationwith a mission to provide services fortransplant recipients, increase organdonation through community educationand fund trans- plant research.Knots of Hope enjoys a bright andhopeful vision, with optimism that theirorganization will grow and eventuallyevolve into a nationally recognizedcharity that will continue to make a majordifference in people’s lives.New York. Another way to celebrate is by drinkingchampagne, and eating twelve grapes.. This belief issaid to bring good luck to the twelve months of the NewYear. But the most traditional way that people spend NewYears Eve is by lighting off fireworks when the clock hitsmidnight and using different forms of noise makers. Thisis known to start the New Year off in good spirits and tocelebrate all that is to come that year.“On New Years I visited my family in Louisville,Kentucky. I ended up staying at my grandma’s house andwatching ‘Terminator the Salvation’ and ‘Surogates’,until Jennifer Lopez performed, then we watched the NewYears countdown. During the countdown, we all gavehugs and said ‘Happy New Years!’ then we all went tobed. Overall it was nice and simple though,” said DianaGardner, VPA Senior.Overall, there are many ways that people chooseto celebrate the New Year, and although they aren’t alwayscelebrated the same way, the New Year still representsthe same thing everywhere. So let’s welcome the year of2010 with the best of wishes and new resolutions.“Personally, I don’t believe in New Yearsresolutions, because if someone really wanted toaccomplish something, they wouldn’t have to wait untilJanuary 1st,” said Chelsea Leather, VPA Junior.

8Coral Reef Sr. HighJanuary 2010Emily Hudson: DesignerCreated her own successful clothing lineSpotlightSEBASTIAN BERTIStaff WriterIn a time where many businesses arestruggling to even stay open or avoid bankruptcy,a new business has emerged from a very artistic,beautiful and very talented clothes designer in ourvery own school!Emily Hudson sophomore in the VPAacademy has started her own clothing line called“Emily Hudson Design.” Her clothing line consistsof all types of amazing, colorful, unique, quality,stunning and eye catching designs. Some of herdesigns consist of innovative T-shirts that can’t becompared to any other.“She has a fresh creative eye for fashion, herclothes are excellent quality, the price is stunninglyaffordable, and she’s going to have her own store forsure,” said Lori Weaverling, VPA SophomoreHudson also makes a variety of dressesthat have so much personality and sense of stylethat one would wonder how this company is nota corporation yet? She also makes a variety ofwomen’s bags, hoodies, and all different types ofclothing accessories. Hudson has managed to sell alarge amount of her products to students in CoralReef and to a number of people outside of Reef.“When I think of the clothes I’ve boughtfrom Emily Hudson Design and the other productsI have seen on her website the thought interestingcomes to mind. I think it’s interesting that such ayoung person can make such outstanding clothes,and she also has a really good sense of style, andwhen people buy her clothes it makes them havea better sense of their own style,” said GuillermoEscobar Legal sophomore.Another thing that Emily Hudson providesin her business is one of the most recognizable ones,her excellent customer service.“If I had to sum up Emily Hudson Designin a brief summary I would say it’s unique, beautiful,and stands alone compared to any other clothes, plusher customer service is really helpful,” said JessicaGamiotea ,VPA Sophomore.This stylish, yet urban approach that Hudson’sdesigns bring to the table is recognized by hercustomers.“It’s very creative, I think it’s pretty cool how she’sdoing her hustle and her shirts are original and veryimaginative.” Jonathan Knight, VPA junior.Check out Hudson’s website to see her designs,www.emilyhudsondesign.piczo. com.PHOTO CREDIT: SEBASTIAN BERTIEmily Hudson of “Emily Hudson Design.”Sisters and brother swimming around the ReefSiblings talk about the pros and cons of attending Coral Reef Senior High School togetherRAH’NIKA JONESStaff WriterIn Hollywood there isa ton of brotherly- sisterly lovegoing on. Twins Mary-Kateand Ashley forge in the movieindustry. The Jonas Brotherspioneer in youth pop-rockculture. And in athletics, sister’sVenus and Serena Williams tearup the floors of the tennis courts.Throughout the media, there aresiblings everywhere. But whereare the siblings here at Coral Reef?It seems to be that their fishingaround the tank everywhere, it’sjust that they’re so unique noone would ever recognize themamongst all the Cuda chaos.Take the Rahming twins forexample. Shoshanna and DevinRahming are fraternal twins, bothseniors in IB program. These twohave grown to look similar butyet be so different.They were both born June24th 1992 to their mother, Mrs.Hawatha Rahming.“Shoshanna is older than meby two minutes, so what. Shestill can’t beat me up and I’msmarter than her; that takes overeverything,” said Devin.“Devin and I are totally differentin regards to looks and personalitybut we are always going to bethere for each other. We actuallyare closer than what people think.I love my brother but I’m still hisolder sister, he better not get outof line, or I’m going to tell mymomma,” said Shoshanna.These two both play sports andexcel in the IB program.“It’s funny being in the IBprogram. Devin and I have beenin IB since the 9th grade. Theysay we are supposed to be amongthe some of the smartest people inDade County. Funny, we still haveteachers and students that don’tknow we are twins. And they’veknown us since 9th grade!” saidShoshanna.Although these two don’t getseen much in school together,when put together they are doubletrouble.“I’ve had Shoshanna and Devinin my French class together forthree years. They are good kidsbut, oh my, they can be a pain dueto their clashing at each other,”says IB French teacher, Mrs.LochetPicturing it could get noworst than twins, youwouldn’t believe how manytriplets we have amongstus. And boy do they comein different packages.The Feliciano sister’sand Wright trio are a primeexample.In the Feliciano clan,there are three lovely youngladies by the names ofAlexandra, Elisa, and Paula.In in the Wright trio thereis oldest brother Sterling,and then younger sistersShannon and Shawn. Nowwhen one thinks of tripletsthey think of everythingtripled right?In the case of theFeliciano sister’s it seemsto be a double plus one.“Alex and I are identical. Paulaon the other hand, is our fraternalsister. Along with that she’s alsoshorter than me and Alex. Soif you saw us all together youprobably couldn’t tell that we areall really related,” says Elisa, IBjunior.“Yes, I know I don’t resemblemy two older sisters but I likelooking different. It gives memore individuality. We arealways together so it’s hard tobe independent,” says PaulaFeliciano, Business junior.In case of the Wrights it’sjust an all around mix. Like theFeliciano’s we have two girls int h i s group, but with theaddition of anolder brother.Although thesethree may all be visually uniquethey are all rather similar on a lotof things.“Well we all look different butI think we are very similar. Wehave the same personality’s justdifferent energy levels. But otherthan that we are all in the sameacademy and involved in trackand field,” says Shannon Wright,Business junior.Being a triplet, things can getreal rough having two siblingsand everyone trying to getalong. Luckily, with the Wrights,they all do this very well, butthere’s nothing likea little friendlycompetition.“Being theoldest my sistershave to keepup withm e .I ’ mt h ePHOTO CREDIT: RAH’NIKA JONESThe Wright siblings love attending the same school, and hope tomaybe even attend the same college.smartest, and our mom loves methe most,” says oldest brotherSterling.“I love my brother and sisterbut being the youngest I haveto compete with them the mostso my opinion and actions canget recognized. And as forSterling, he swears he’s rightabout everything. He may be theoldest but still can’t beat me andShannon at racing. We are fasterthan him,” says younger sisterShawn.Getting away from the twinmood we still have a large amountof siblings that attend this schoolthat you could both picture beingand not being related. IB seniorAshley Subaran and MedicalFreshman Renee Subaran arewhat you can call picture perfectsisters, but in regards to totalopposites, brothers Oliver andAustin Acstoca could be no moredifferent. From their eyes to theirhair these brothers couldn’t bareto be anymore different than theyalready are physically. One wouldthink they’d connect on a moremental level, but while olderbrother Oliver enjoys listening tothe Phantom of the Opera youngerbrother Austin likes rock away toBlink 182.Although these two are unlike inso many ways their relationship isgreat.“Going to the same schoolwith my brother Oliver is cool.Yes we are complete oppositesbut I love the advantages of himbeing around, having a car is cooland getting to all the cool upperclassman parties is awesome.What more can a youngerbrother asks for,” says Austin,Engineering freshman.As for sisters Ashley andRenee things are almost singularbesides the different academies.Like in Hollywood, the Tank hasit share of siblings to. No matterhow similar or how differentbrothers and sisters are as close ashands and feet.

FeaturesIt seems like the regular,probably truthful, but excusesdon’t make the cut anymore.Teachers are tired of hearing itover and over again, so whatchoice do we have but to changeit up a bit and get creative? Trustme teachers, we’re doing it foryour sake just so you don’t getbored to death with the same dayto day excuses.Whether it’s homework ortardiness, we’ve got a reason sohear us out. Of course from ateacher’s point of view, hearingthe same excusethree-hundred timesin one week makes itvery difficult to pickout the honest onesfrom the liars.“One girl told meshe couldn’t do herproject because her mom was sick.She had cancer in her heart. Sheeven started crying and I startedcrying with her. Then, a fewweeks later I call home becauseI was getting worried. Her momwas perfectly fine,” said ZenaidaBecerra, Spanish Teacher.From an acting point of view,experienced liars do have theadvantage. For example, the dramaacademy has the upper hand onthis case. I’m sure teachers eventake the time to think it unfair thatsome students can’t even act thepart or sound believable enoughwhile others do.Other popular excuses of courseinclude: My mom threwaway my homework, I leftit on the bus, it’s in mycar, my computer broke,I forgot today was an ‘A’day, and the power wentout in my neighborhood.“I was at the hospitallast night because my uncle wassick,” said Sandra Ferret, MedicalSenior. She wasn’t anywhere neara hospital and has no sick uncle.“The printer is alwaysbroken,” said Stephanie Cramer,U.S. History Teacher. CramerCoral Reef Sr. HighJanuary 201011My dog ate my homework... again and againStudents are the masters in the art of excuses, and teachers have learned to recognize themELIZABETH GONZALEZStaff Writer“hearing the same excuse three-hundred times in oneweek makes it very difficult to pick out the honestones from the liars“claims it’s one of the mostpopular excuses for not turning inhomework.One kid actually got away withhis mischievous scheme. “My cellphone had internet and I knew mymom’s e-mail and password. Ilogged on to her e-mail and wroteto my teacher pretending to bemy mom,” said an anonymous,Business Junior.But either way it’s not likethey’re going accept the truth. Wehave no other choice but to turn toour creative sides.Electronics will renderbooks obsoleteNew technologies push the boundaries of thesimple act of readingJEREMY MATHURINStaff WriterPHOTO CREDIT: CAMILA BERNAL.VPA Senior, Dylan Golden pores over the pages of the traditional reading device,a book.Tradition overcomestechnological advancesHolding a classic book in your hands just isn’tthe same as reading on an electronic deviceCAMILA BERNALStaff WriterE-books, the new technologic buzz. Nopaper necessary. The reader must purchasethe title they desire and then they have thebook electronically available.The question remains through, will theE-book become more popular than paperbooks? Do they have the power to replacebooks?The answer is a very solid “no.”Technology passes, it moves forwardleaving us behind to catch up, and eventhough progress is necessary and positive,when it comes to books, to the enchantmentof literature and the adventure of climaxesand resolutions, the charm and intimacy offlipping a page will be eternal.“I am a book junkie, E-books justdon’t attract me, and I like the feeling ofholding an authentic, substantial, book inmy hands,” said Denise Arnold, EnglishTeacher.There are of course different argumentsto the benefits of the E-book, many supportthis new technology because it would behealthy for the environment, if more peopleswitched to E-books, the production ofpaper books would decrease.“I think E-books is an amazing idea. Mymom reads lots of books and she throwsthem away afterwards, I feel like it’s sucha waste of paper, if she had an E-book thatjust wouldn’t be necessary. Plus E-booksare much cheaper,” said Bianca Dansoh,Legal Senior.Opinions differ, but in the end, it’sundeniable that the popularity of books willalways maintain it’s prestige in preference.There are still those “book junkies” outthere who will not settle for an electronicimitation of the reading experience.“I definitely prefer books, I like lookingat my progress while I read them, and howI go from just a few pages to my book markbeing under a thick layer of pages,” saidChloe Castro, VPA Senior.“Also, afterwards I love looking at whathappened to it as I read it, the tears, the foodstains, the wrinkled pages from a weekendat the beach, the journey that the book andI went through,” said Castro.In the end, most would agree, books aretreasures that hold with them the sentimentsof generations. And above technology,above this idea of “easier” or “faster” or“better” is tradition. The charm of blowingdust of off a classic will never fade.The Kindle is a device developed byAmazon as a way to carry several books atthe same time. The first device was releasedin the United States on November 19, 2007.These devises use an electronic paperdisplay, which makes pages look like actualbook pages. The device allows the user todownload books and even applicationsover Amazon wirelessly via the AT&T’snetwork internationally. The Kindleh a r d w a r edevice canbe usedwithout ac o m p u t e rand hasfree webb r o w s i n gcapabilities.“TheKindle isreally cool,I don’t haveone but thec o n c e p ts e e m sgreat,” saidC h e l s e aE s p i n a ,L e g a lFreshman.Accordingto some estimates based on officialstatements, as of April 2009 there wereabout 1.5 million devices sold. Amazon e-book sales overtook actual book sales forthe first time on Christmas day of 2009.Although the Kindle is an amazing device,there has been opposition against suchdevices. Many imply that having a bookin your hand, physically turning pages,even the smell will always beat having ahand held book. Another major point of theopposition is the price which ranges from$200 up to $400.“You still have to pay for individualbooks, and if you lose it, it’s going be hardto get all your books back. Why do thatwhen you can borrow from a library, andreturn it when you’re done?” said RolandoAlayeto Legal sophomoreNevertheless, the supporters of the E-book have more than mere sentiment ontheir side.“I personally love to read, and theKindle simplifies reading and takes it to awhole new level. For those who think itis too expensive, you can get any book at40% off list price. It saves paper, and thepages actually look like paper. You also getbasic web browsing, not to mention thatPHOTO CREDIT: ANNA MEBEL.The Sony Reader is another electronic reader similar to the Kindle.it’s free. You can get absolutely anythingfrom magazines to the bible. I still lovebooks but the Kindle makes it… moreconvenient,” said Stacey Fradera, LibraryMedia Specialist.E-books have become arevolutionary device that has studentsand staff raving. Now, avid readers canpurchase any book, without having togo to the store, and for a lot less money.Some teachers are even allowing studentsto annotate in their e-books and email theirwork over the internet.You can even purchase textbooksand highlight them to study, somethingyou can’t do in school textbooks. Theelectronic world has finally over taken oneof the oldest ways of story telling and is byfar more prevalent and convenient.

At Lynn, we put more into learning so you can getmore out of life. As a Lynn student, you’ll benefit froman innovative approach that:• offers you faculty devoted to great teaching• emphasizes education by experience• uses real-world examples to teach important concepts• lets you build your resumé before you graduate• prepares you to become part of a global community12JanuaryCoral Reef Sr. High2010AdBUSINESS & MANAgEMENTCOLLEgE OF EDUCATIONINTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONWe are more than a private university with small class sizes or amultinational campus. For a school that’s close to home yet worldsapart, Lynn University gives you far more.To schedule a campus tour, contact the Office of Admissionat 561-237-7900 or e-mail admission@lynn.edu.Stay Closer To Home.Go Farther In Life.Check us out at blogs.lynn.eduyoutube.com/LynnUnilynn.edu/facebooktwitter.com/LynnUniversityLYNNU N I V E R S I T Y3601 N. Military Trail, Boca Raton, FL 33431www.lynn.eduLynn University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, disability and/or age in administration of its educational and admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and /or other school-administered programs.• Business• Sports Management• Hospitality and Resort Management• Aviation Management• Fashion Management• Communication• Education• Psychology• Natural Science• Law, Justice, and Public Policy• Self-Designed Majors• Music Performance• Music CompositionSelected areas of study: