“AVERAGE” BECOMES “AWESOME”

By Mrs. Jennifer Russell, Teacher and Scarlet Riviere, 10^th Grade AVID Student

            Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) is a new academy in its second year at Miami Beach Senior High. The purpose of the academy is to target middle-achieving students who, while possessing high test scores, may struggle with upper-level college-preparatory coursework without the appropriate support.

            The AVID program seeks to establish this support as students begin their high school experience, first by providing rigorous curriculum and teachers and tutors, who inspire students to reach for the top. Everyone works together to build each student’s individual foundation for success at Beach High and later in college. AVID teaches students the tools needed to be successful, such as organization, how to conduct student-led Socratic seminars, how to manage study groups, and how to achieve open discussion with teachers regarding learning techniques.

            “When the school year started I was very worried about the lack of study skills and lack of follow-through when it came to completing assignments,” said teacher Jennifer Russell. “These kids have completely turned around in their time management, note-taking, and study skills.”

            Ideally, by the time students reach 11^th grade, they have been trained and prepared so that they may successfully participate in a wide variety of courses including Advanced Placement, and the soon-to-be-implemented International Baccalaureate. In fact, AVID which is an internationally recognized program with schools across the United States, boasts a college acceptance rate of 90% among all students affiliated with the program. 

            In addition to improving student academic success, AVID encourages students to become better citizens through a variety of extracurricular opportunities. This year alone, students have organized teams and participated in events including the national ECOMB Beach Cleanup, Suicide Awareness, and Breast Cancer and AIDS Walks. In December, AVID students organized a visit to Jackson Memorial Hospital where they sang songs, read books and distributed donated gifts to the children in the cardiovascular ward. The group also recruited students from other AVID programs throughout Broward and Dade to participate. 

            AVID teachers arrange for fieldtrips for the entire academy, both academically enriching as well as college and career-oriented experiences. Recently, 90 students visited Shark Valley in the Everglades and 30 top students met researchers studying stem cells in seven different labs at the VA Hospital.

            AVID has hosted four evening parent meetings to help parents learn how to support their children in encouraging their success.

            “I have experienced the same phenomena with my AVID World History Class. It really helped when all of the troublemakers were removed from our class,” said Jonathan Nelson. “The kids responded magnificently. My most dreaded class has now become my favorite; they said it is now their favorite, too. I even asked to teach an AVID class next year.”

            AVID’s success has already shown through higher honor roll numbers, higher GPA’s, higher levels of student stability, higher attendance rates, and higher numbers of student participation in activities both in and out of school.  For example, every student in the AVID program scored 3.5 or higher on the FCAT Writing exam this year, with one 6.0.

            “They are now poised for success,” said Russell. “I am tremendously proud of them.”

            The AVID family is having a potluck picnic on May 31 to celebrate the accomplished year.

WHO’S THE DIRECTOR? REGUIERA? QUOTE HER!

By Amanda and Jesse

School’s out for summer early this year, but for all the wrong reasons. Students may be celebrating now, but the controversy will eventually come to affect all students adversely. As if lost class time isn’t enough, teachers will be less inclined to put effort into their work if they know that they may not be sufficiently compensated for it. 

Motivation to succeed in school is rarely a product of solely one student. It is a teacher’s job not only to teach, but to drive and support their students in every way. However, it is unfortunately too often that we hear teachers complaining about their pay. Although most teachers willingly and happily go into roughly $38,000-a-year jobs, the district is undeniably pushing the envelope by asking them to accept even less pay than they already do.

This puts everyone in an uncomfortable situation — and while teachers bitterly continue to show up for work, students suffer under their resentful and unwilling lessons. Everyone has a limit, and teachers have mouths to feed.

A school system cannot run on false contracts and promises. It affects teachers and administration, of course, but it affects students equally and deeply. Because the children of today are the leaders of tomorrow, as long as the teachers feel apathetic and underappreciated, tomorrow’s leaders will go undereducated.

COBIN LEAVES

By Miriam

            After 36 years in the Miami-Dade County school system, Ed Cobin said his goodbyes early on April 13 to prepare for hip surgery in a couple of months.

            Cobin injured his hip while breaking up a bloody fight a couple of years ago. “[My hip] just got worse and worse until right now there’s a crack that’s developed,” he said. According to his doctors, the crack is likely to split with regular walking. “I’ll fall right on my face, and I wouldn’t want to embarrass myself in front of all my students,” he said.

            In the meantime, Cobin will be “sleeping late, going to the beach, and getting healthy” to prepare for his surgery.

            “I’m going to miss everybody here,” he said. “I’m really sorry to leave in one sense, but I’m happy to move on in another part of my life.”

Local Brazilian Artist Visits Beach High

By Maria Guzman

            After four years of arduous work, Portuguese teacher Anete Arslanian achieved her goal of bringing world-renowned artist Romero Britto to Miami Beach Senior High. A small assembly consisting of the Brazilian Club, Gina Cunningham’s TV Production class, and other art students were invited to hear Britto spoke about his life and work. 

            Brazil born and Miami-bred, Britto’s curiosity about traveling the world almost lead him to a career in diplomacy, but he found his real passion in art. His pieces use vibrant colors and bold shapes to illustrate cheerful subjects. “I wanted to bring color to my life. I was so miserable, so poor in Brazil, and color brightens life,” he said. “I know what’s going on in the world now but I don’t want to do another image of despair.”

             The artist welcomed questions from the students and gave an inspirational speech about fulfilling one’s dreams. “You need to put fire in your stomach,” he said, “say you will be better than your neighbor and learn everything, and that’s how you become successful.”

            Britto also demonstrated his talent, sketching a smiling “earthman” reading a book. “Today’s inspiration was learning,” he explained. He will take the drawing back to his Wynwood studio to complete with color and donate the piece to Beach High.

A Teacher’s Perspective

Ken Spiegelman

            Beginning June 3 and ending on June 5, the district is cancelling two half days and one full day of work for teachers and is not paying them for those days. This is called a furlough. The district assures the teachers that they will be paid for these days by next December. As a teacher who has been promised since three years ago both a raise and a step increase that have both not been paid, I feel it is with great trepidation that we must handle this situation. We, as teachers, do not have a great deal of confidence that we will be paid this money.

The money is being promised from something called a tax anticipation note. But what happens if tax revenues do not meet expectations? Also as a teacher, I feel that the union has negotiated us into a box from which there is no negotiating room.

Unfortunately, the first casualty of budget problems in a school district is always the teacher. The second casualty is the student. What happens next year when the budget has not been fixed? I hear horror stories from friends who tell me how school budgets are being dramatically lowered. What will be cut? Arts? Music? Drama? I am the product of a public school education and was blessed to take part in one of the finest music programs with one of the finest music teachers in the history of Dade Public Schools. Where will the money come from to fund these programs?

You cannot fund public education without property taxes. You cannot fund public education without a state legislature brave enough to tax alcohol and cigarettes at a higher level. Unfortunately, the halls of government in Tallahassee are not crowded with people of such courage. Rather than do that courageous thing that will in the long term, help create majestic halls of learning in this state, they do the easy, cowardly thing and leave teachers to swallow the bitter pill of less pay. It is not medicine we are forced to swallow, it is poison.

SWINE FLU OVERREACTION

            Of the few companies actually blooming amidst an economic depression, Purell must be among them. The outbreak of influenza A, also known as the swine flu, is the latest epidemic troubling skeptics and health freaks across the world.

            With 1,626 cases in Mexico, 2,532 in the United States, 284 in Canada, and 95 in Costa Rica, only 53 deaths were claimed so far throughout the now 30 affected countries, according to WHO, the World Health Organization.

            So why are people so paranoid about swine flu? You have a headache, it must be swine flu. You have a stomachache, it’s the swine flu. Is anyone even aware of the symptoms? Of the treatments? Of the vaccine that is well on it’s way to being distributed among the masses? Or does the general fright created by the media overpower anyone to use their ever-so-useful computer to look up some facts?

            To make it a little easier for everyone, the symptoms of swine flu do in fact reflect the symptoms of the regular flu, such as high fever, cough, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, etc.

            In any case, the skepticism created by the daylong television reports, magazine and newspaper articles do not say that out of the 4,694 confirmed laboratory cases scattered throughout all the corners of the world, only four countries have confirmed deaths. Unlike common perceptions of this gravity of a problem, there is a cure, and the epidemic is not immediately fatal. The mistreatment of the flu can result in death, particularly because problems like malnutrition, a weak immune system, and other such conditions are present.

            While some cautions are necessary, like traveling to Mexico, wearing face masks in South Florida where only 55 cases have been confirmed (none of which have resulted in deaths), is not indispensable.

            To put it in perspective, being that there are 18,328,340 Floridians in the United States, only .0003 % of our population has been affected. That’s .000018 % of the population of the United States.

            As much as the .000018 % of the people that have been affected in Florida represent a small but still important part of our population, none of these residents have actually died. And although we must be somewhat worried, the incessant and unnecessary massive outbreak of paranoia is just that, unnecessary.

           While the numbers remain low and vaccines are on their way, let’s worry about things that we actually need to worry about.

EDITORIAL – No Homework during Spring Break

            The term “spring break” usually refers to taking a break from school, not too complex to grasp. As far as teachers are concerned, “spring break” usually translates to either “do some reading” or “study for the test we have the day we get back.” On occasions, it even means, “write a 10 page research paper. You do have a week to do it, don’t you?”

            Nonetheless, Principal Dr. Rosann Sidener made a grateful suggestion to teachers that could make spring vacation, for once, truly a break, free from the plights of homework.

            Well, the break truly refreshed us. Coming back to the hardest quarter of the year, filled with tons of cramming for finals and AP’s while avoiding slipping into summer mode, was much easier to achieve having had an actual moment to breathe.

            Teachers often think that one little assignment won’t make or break a vacation. But in reality, the time spent not doing the work or the time spent stressing out about the work hinders that one week of relaxation entirely. In fact, it is counter-relaxing. And if every teacher thinks that way, a student is bound to have at least eight assignments on their back. That’s not a vacation.

            We know it was a suggestion Dr. Sidener made to the teachers. So thanks, teachers. We needed it; and we don’t take it for granted.

Q: Dear Harry,
I have a couple of great friends, get decent grades, good family, live a regular life, but sometimes when I’m in large groups I can’t seem to be myself. I have a few friends, but cannot call myself popular. Some call me shy, but what can I do to feel like I belong when I am not surrounded by my best friends?
Sincerely, Normal Me

A: Dear Normal Me,
I know that sometimes big crowds don’t give us the opportunity to show our true colors and can make us feel intimidated. However, from what you have told me, I do understand that you do have good friends that care about you. Remember just because someone may have a million “friends” that person may not have someone by their side when problems arise. Be grateful for the few friends that will catch you when you fall. On another note, if you want more socialization, just show everyone your true personality. Speak up a little more, and hey, what’s the worst that can happen? They might walk away, or you might meet new people that will introduce you to new ideas and new customs. Sometimes we have to throw ourselves out there to see what the world has to offer.

Best of Luck, Hi-Tide Harry

Q: In the span of two years my boyfriend has cheated on me several times. Now he says he really wants me back and is extremely sorry for what he did. He says he can’t live without me. I miss him, but he has hurt me too much. I do not have the strength to forgive him because he was the one that took my virginity. What should I do?

Sincerely, Heart Broken

A: Dear Heart Broken,

As the line in the song goes, “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.” Obviously, this guy did not realize how much you’re worth until the day he lost you. And you should be commended for your bravery in breaking up with him. As a lady, you have to demand the love and respect you deserve. Forgiveness is not an emotion, but a decision one makes. When you forgive someone, you choose to excuse the person’s fault or mistake. This does not mean you let the person take advantage of you. Because you were sexually involved with him and he has cheated on you several times, I advise you to go to a clinic and make sure you do not have a sexually transmitted disease. If you choose to not get back together with him, you should get rid of the things that remind you of him and cut him out of your life. The cheater is not feeling a sense of repentance but remorse. You are young, and believe me, there are plenty of fish in the sea. If the break up is too much for you to handle, you should seek professional help from a trust counselor or psychologist.

Good Luck, Hitide Harry

ARTICLES TO GO IN WEISS’ COLUMN:

1. Miguel Castillo Wrestling [sports]
2. New Gym [sports]
3. Day of Silence [old news]
4. Library [opinion]
5. Ultra [a&e]
6. Vegetarianism [features]
7. Ballerinas [features]
8. Student-faculty bball game
9. Brazilian Carnival (on miriamk2009 blog)

IMAGES:

• New hi-tide logo
• Old gym
• Miguel Castillo wrestling
• Day of silence (photo or cartoon)
• Ms. Sciurba working in the library
• Ultra (photo or graphic)
• Two girls who got diving scholarship
• Boat show grant giving (wendy took some photos?)
• Ballerinas (keryn, stephanie silva, and tegan) AT Miami City Ballet [on Bianca’s blog]
• Student-faculty basketball game
• Centerspread image

ALESSIA PUT UP YOUR ARTICLES ON YOUR BLOG!!! DO NOT EMAIL THEM, USE THE BLOG!!!!!! BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Student-Faculty Basketball game

By Beachcomber Staff

            Looking at the student line-ups in this year’s student-faculty basketball game on April ­­­­__, it seemed as if they had the upper hand. Starting numerous varsity players and other athletes, six of whom stand over six-feet tall, they took on a mostly “short,” “old,” but more “experienced” roster of coaches, English teachers, math teachers and other Beach High faculty.

            “Hopefully we’ll pull off an upset,” said Math teacher, Ben Silva, and after 32 minutes of play, it was in fact the teachers who taught the students a lesson in basketball with a twenty-plus point victory, pun intended.

            The students, led by varsity players Donnie Gaitor, Fernando Ferreira, Emily West, and Genesis Mileno, all seniors, shot off to a fast start, scoring the game’s first few points. However, the lead did not last long as the coaches were ahead at 45-34 halftime.

            Proving the first half was no anomaly, the teachers quickly scored the first basket of the second half with a bucket by English teacher David Reese. For the rest of the game, basketball coaches Diego Garcia and Jacob Shaw fittingly took over, combining for 37 points. Gaitor, West, and Ferreira did hold their own though as they totaled, 9, 10, and 11 points apiece, respectively. With not much help from the supporting cast, the students were defenseless against the teachers and Garcia’s arsenal of three-pointers.

            In the end, the game was all in good fun as intended. It showcased excellent sportsmanship, and comedic appearances. English teacher Sam Brown stole the show with his comedic antics on the floor and put the icing on the cake with a gracious fall right before helping Shaw make a basket.

            “I’m really gonna rip on the guy,” sophomore Jeff Nelson said. “I have him on Tuesday.”

            It was Brown though that had the last laugh as his team came up on the winning end. “The taste of victory is as sweet as a mandarin orange.”

            Look for the students to retaliate big next year, but for now the faculty hold the bragging rights over the game of basketball, proving once more that age is just a number.