Volume 65 Issue 5 - Fort Myers High School

Marching Band sweeps
straight Superiors!
By Liam Corkell
The FMHS band has a stunning reputation for successfully hosting FBA
while receiving top marks in their own performance, and this year was no
exception. The FMHS Green Wave marching band received straight superior
ratings in every category of assessment.
They were the only band this side of the river to receive that honor. With
the closing of FBA comes the end of the traditional, marching season. Nevertheless
the marching band will continue to represent the school throughout
the course of the year by performing in the community parades and at
other school functions like freshmen orientation.
So when you see a member of the marching band, remember to take a
moment to thank them for all their work and commitment in representing
FMHS.
Volleyball girls climb back to states
By Rachael Schaaf and Whitney Letourneau
Although its season is now over, the Lady Wave volleyball team had a great year once again! The
team played Braden River in the Regional Finals for the second straight year in a row, but this time it was at
home. Thanks to John Marazzi Nissan for paying for all the student tickets the gymnasium was packed with
many enthusiastic fans. The team took a commanding lead early on, and the win was never out of their reach.
The Lady Wave easily advanced to the State Tournament with wins of 25-12, 25-14, and 25-11.
At the state tournament in Lakeland on Friday, the team played in a semi-final match against Ocala
Vanguard. After winning three straight games, the girls advanced to the finals. The championship match was
to be played on Saturday against the Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs. During the game, Kristin Shotwell had an impressive
35 assists as the team’s setter. Erin Basinait finished the game with 13 digs, while Brittany Brinson
and Jessica Potanovic each had eight. FMHS played strong, never giving up, but in the end, they fell short.
However, the girls made FMHS history this year as the only team to make back to back appearances at States
for volleyball. FMHS is very proud of the girls and wishes them the best of luck in the future! Also, FMHS
hopes to see the girls’ volleyball team back in Lakeland next year for another chance at the state title!
Fantastic finish for Green Wave Football
By Whitney Letourneau and Rachael Schaaf
The biggest game of the season for the Green Wave
football team was not only their
last game, but also resulted in a
strong victory. The Bishop Verot
game had everyone excited,
mostly because of the pep rally
and canned food drive competition
against our biggest rival.
The Greenies were ready for revenge
from last years tough loss, so the players came
out ready to dominate. The defense held the Vikings
to only one field goal and no touchdowns. The effort
of the team was great all around with the offense
FINAL SCORE
10-3
Green Wave
Photo by Nicole Horton
taking advantage of the many defensive stops. Junior
Dalvin Battle, ran 41 yards
early in the game to score the
only touchdown. Zach Douglas
also contributed with a
big kick in the third quarter to
push the margin back to seven.
The final score ended up
being 10-3, a great victory for
the last game of the season. All the fans and players
were happy with the outcome of both competitions,
the game and the canned food drive. Congratulations
to all the players for an amazing finish.
Technology Overload!
Kids used to sleep with their
teddy bears and listen to their
mothers sing lullabies before they
went to sleep. Now-a-days kids and
teens are sleeping cuddled up next
to their cells phones and listening
to their iPods before bed. According
to statistics, 78% of 12- and
13-year-olds sleep with their cell
phones under their pillow. That
figure rises as the children get
older. 86% of teens 14 and older
go nighty-night with there cellular
devices. Also teens who use their
phones to text, which is the majority
of them, are 42% more likely
to sleep with their phones then
non-texting teens. Although, kids
are not the only ones guilty of this
strange nocturnal habit. According
to the Wall Street Journal, the “percentage
of adults [in the U.S.] who
sleep with their cellphone” is 67%
of men and 64% of women.
Top Ten Signs...
it’s Winter in SW Florida
10. Socks with flip flops
9. Chihuahuas with sweaters
8. Teachers using the word
“midterm” in half of their
sentences
7. People drinking Pumpkin Spice
Lattes in the halls
6. So-called “modern hit” radio
stations playing old R&B
holiday songs that no one really
cares about
5. The school cranking up the
thermostat to a crisp 60°F
4. “Feel how fuzzy my boots are!”
3. Mr. LaRosa going through three
chapsticks a day
2. Girls’ shorts lengths extending
from four inches to six
1. Elderly male snowbirds’ shorts
lengths hiking up from four
inches to three
Fire strikes
Coach’s home
One of our own Green Wave family
members, Mr. Yancey Palmer (math
teacher and boys cross-country
coach), lost his house to a fire
in late November. He, his wife Jill
(FMHS Alumnus), and their two young
children were unharmed. Please
keep Yancey and his family in your
thoughts.
If you would like to make a monetary
contribution it can be done at Busey
Bank, to the Palmer Family Fund.
Checks should be made out to the
“Palmer Family Fund.” If you would
prefer to leave your contribution with
Nancy Nieves, we will make sure it
gets to his account at Busey Bank.
December 17, 2010
Volume 65 Issue 5
Hot gifts for the holidays
By Rachael Schaaf and Whitney Letourneau
People are starting to get very excited about the upcoming holiday
season. The atmosphere in December puts everyone in a good mood,
no matter how bad that last test was. With the holidays quickly approaching,
the students at FMHS must start brainstorming about what
to ask for. Keep wishing for that dream gift and your dream might come
true, just like FMHS’s very own TOK teacher, Mr Ryan. After patiently
waiting for a very long time, he received a Vespa this year. According to
FMHS students and teachers, these are the hottest gifts of the year.
• Money or Gift Cards. Although they are not very personal, everyone
loves being able to buy what they want.
• Ugg Boots. With the chilly weather here, many are thankful to get this
soft and fuzzy gift.
• Amazon Kindle. Sick of carrying around those heavy hard cover
books. this is the electronic solution for people of all ages.
• iPod Nano. Apple has once again made a sweet new version of their
Nano, complete with a touch screen.
• Mac Book Air. As the name suggests, this amazing laptop is one of
the skinniest ever. As light as air.
• A New Car. Although this is a little bit out of the price range, the
Real Imposter
The regional cross-country course was tough,
complete with a treacherous hill and sandy beach
volleyball court. Although the course was rough, both
cross-country teams successfully achieved second
overall, a big feat. Coach Palmer was “very pleased
with placing, we beat Naples and Palmetto Ridge [the
major competition].”
The teams then proceeded with enthusiasm to the
State Meet where the course they had run before at
Pre-States.
Top runner on the girls’ team, senior, Sarah Spann
won the title of state champ, finishing in first place
in the competition with all of the top runners in the
newly licensed student drivers can dream can’t they?
• Dance Central and Call of Duty; Black Ops. These new
X-Box 360 games seem to be a big hit with those videogamers
out there.
• A Puppy. Everyone always wants an adorable little friend. But
what will you do when you go off to school?
• iPad. Coming in as the top gift of the season is Apple’s new
iPad, though it is a bit pricey... The excitement never ends.
NOT “Sousa” but darn Close!
By Rachael Schaaf and Whitney Letourneau
Last issue we had a teacher-alumni story about our wonderful teachers here at FMHS.
Unfortunately there was a mistake with one of the photos... (I hate it when that happens)
The Mr. Sousa photo was NOT really him... but a spitting image classmate who happened to
be the Valedictorian that year. Although they are not the same person, there is a huge similarity
in their photos. Even the same glasses, and hair style... We certainly appologize to the real
Mr. Sousa... and wish him our best for a happy holiday.
Sarah Spann takes State Championship
By Gabi Hersch
NEW AGE steps into a New Year
By Emily Campbell and Sarah Corenti
The New Age Step Team at FMHS is confident, strong,
sharp, and full of attitude. With the benefit of no rules to
follow, the members can let their creativity shine.
The team adheres to a few key values that lead them
to success. Each individual worries about themself, and
perhaps that is the most difficult distraction to avoid.
Each member has to dress out on the days of practice
state. Coach Kelly says referring to Sarah’s
win: “It was the best finish of an individual ever.
She’s been working for this really hard since the
summer. She did a ton of extra runs and woke up
extra early for them.” Way to go, Sarah!
Congrats on getting what you deserve
for going the extra mile!
All in all, for boys and girls, the season was a
great one. Coach Kelly is “Happy with the whole
season. Of course, it had its ups and downs, but
you can’t have a good season without learning
from mistakes.” Sarah will be running with University
of Florida team next year. Awesome.
and attend practice with an uplifting,
positive attitude. Trash talking other
members, or opponents is not tolerated.
Why did the name “New Age” get
selected? The team was created for the
first time last year, and the name was
intended to show all audiences that they
were new, but would not back down
from a challenge.
The performances are created by
the members themselves. They work
together to create perfection, and will
settle for nothing else. Although each
member has the equal opportunity
to contribute ideas, Gena Frontilus
described it as “we all learn together,
everyone participates.” Francesse
Devariste, a senior is the manager.
Mrs. Barnes and Mrs. Leverock are
the sponsors of the group, and they encourage new
members to come out and participate. Donna Cyril
said she joined New Age because she liked to
dance and step, and it was an easy way for me to
participate in School.
Practice makes perfect
for State Champion
Sarah Spann.

Coping with Capping class size
Rejection of amendment 8 leads to both frustration and relief
By Amelia Rosen
“Count them: 23, 24, 25, and no
more!” After the votes were tallied
this November, Amendment 8 failed
to pass. The proposition would have
allowed class size requirements to be
based on school wide numbers, instead
of individual class standards, as
they have been since 2002. Because
the amendment will not be put into
action, schools must continue to keep
to the class size cap of 25 students per
core academic class, like Math and
English. Feelings of both anger and
relief arose over the unsuccessful result
for the amendment, because the
outcome retains cons as well as pros.
The negative aspects of the size
capping may be quite detrimental to
the schools’ financial standings. As
classes must contain 25 students or
less, school administrators are forced
to create more classes for the overflow
of students. With the creation of additional
classes rises the need for more
1. Which do you watch?
A. Fox News
B. CNN
2. Which do you believe is a better tax policy?
A. The government should cut taxes for the upper class
and allow the wealth to trickle down
B. The government should cut taxes on the middle
and lower classes and allow the extra spending to
stimulate the upper class
3. Do you believe that the government should set a firm
troop withdrawal date for Afghanistan?
A. No
B. Yes
4. Do you support offshore drilling?
A. Yes
B. No
Photo by Sara Corenti
Conservative or Liberal,
which one are you?
5. Which type of governemnt do you support?
A. State Governments dealing with the domestic issues
and federal Government focusing its efforts on
national security
B. A stronger federal Government to regulate both
foreign and domestic issues
Answer Key:
For every A answer give yourself one point.
For every B answer don’t add a point.
The closer you’re to five, the more Conservative you are.
The closer you’re to zero, the more Liberal you are.
teachers. Because administration is hiring new
teachers, a greater portion of school funding is
being spent on teacher incomes instead of class
supplies. For students, it is frustrating to run out
of supplies before finishing a project. They can
only imagine what a great benefit it would be
to have extra money for materials in class. The
excuse of a lack of materials can no longer be
used as an excuse for not wanting to complete a
school assignment!
The rejection of the amendment may seem
like it as created only strife, but it has provided
for positive results as well. The president of the
Teachers Association of Lee County, Mark Castellano,
was hoping that the amendment would
not pass all along. He endorses what many studies
have proven, “lowering class sizes improves
student performance.” Because core high
school classes are capped at 25 students, the
teacher to student ratio is closer. Teachers will
have more time to spend with each individual
student, helping every teen meet his or her own
potential. Is this benefit worth the price that
schools must pay?
Order in the Court:
Mock Trial Prepares for 2010 Season
By Kelsea Kosko
With no shortage of fierce competition stemming from the area’s
elite private schools, the FMHS Mock Trial team should be
prepared for an exciting year. Mr. Ryan, the Theory of Knowledge
teacher for Green Wave IB students, will attempt to guide
the team past longtime rivals like Canterbury and Naples Community
School, and hopefully to victory.
Similar to Phi Delta Y and Model United Nations, Mock Trial
gives students a taste of the real world, allowing them to act out
a court scenario. Every school is allotted a topic, and the goal is
to present arguments for it as prosecution and defense, two times
each. The arguments are reviewed by a judge and two jury
Melissa Hubble talks law with Mr. Ryan and fellow
IB Senior Sarah Spann, all of which are part of the
Green Wave Mock Trial team.
members, who ultimately decide which schools are the winners.
Mock Trial has been a steady activity at Fort Myers for years
now, and is valuable practice for future lawyers and attorneys
alike. The club has also provided incredible opportunities for
further learning, such as a summer trip to Washington, D.C.,
where a budding law student can submerse themselves in the
culture of America’s political hub. “By the end of this year, we’ll
be able to represent ourselves in court,” predicts Senior Chris
Harris, who is new to the club.
The competition begins as a preliminary round on April 27
during Lee County’s law months (April and May) at the Duval
County Courthouse. The final round will be held on May 1 at the
same location.
Trees tell tales of holiday tradition
The origins of holiday customs
By Molli Collins
Everyone loves the holidays, but do you really know where all our customary,
beloved traditions come from? You know what I’m referring to,
the mistletoe, the Christmas tree, gifts, and all of these wonderful things
that mark the cheerful holiday season.
There are many different proposed
origins of these wonderful
traditions. Some believe that many
of the traditions come from Christianity,
others believe it stems from
ancient Greece.
There were several pagan traditions
that were in celebration of the
winter solstice, which occurs in the
month of December. These celebrations
often included several of
the traditions we have today. The
Druids in ancient Western Europe
were known to use the mistletoe
and kiss underneath it. To them, it
was considered the plant of peace
Photo by Melissa Makgraff
Talent and creativity on stage in I.B. theater
By Jelise Singh
Lights. Camera. Action. It’s I.B. Theatre, taught by
Mr. Koller. Theatre is simply a heightened, more indepth
version of drama. The class deals more with researching
and practicing a style of Theatre, like Surrealism
and Romanticism.
I.B. Theatre is a small, talented group of only ten
seniors and eleven juniors. It is one class during fifth
period in the Chorus room, and it’s a two-year course.
Almost every day, there is a new, out-of-the-ordinary
activity that Mr. Koller has the students do. It transports
the class into a specific era and genre of Theatre.
One popular activity done recently in class was the
mask exercise. The students had to put white male or
female masks over their faces, and Mr. Koller said they
were, “...not allowed to remove the masks.” Then, they
split into groups of four or five in order to form arrangements
based on adjectives such as: light, heavy, and
IB Players are not
allowed to remove their
masks.
frightened. The students were forced to use their body
language, because the “audience” would not be able to
see the expressions and emotions beyond the masks. In
live performances, the same idea applies. Most of the
audience cannot see facial expressions from the back of
the performance auditorium, so the performers onstage
must have their body language amplified to compensate
for the audience’s long distance from the stage.
I.B. Theatre offers a wealth of knowledge. Most
students believe they need years of theater training for
this course, which is misleading. With this in mind, I.B.
Theatre is open to individuals who are willing to learn
and practice the “language” of theatre, no matter their
prior experience. According to the tragic novel of Macbeth,
“...life is but a player that struts and frets his hour
upon the stage...”
and love. The Romans in their
celebration of Saturnalia, the god of
Saturn, were known to decorate with garlands of laurel and exchange
gifts. The Scandinavians celebrated the Yuletide, which is defined as
Christmas time. They decorated evergreen trees with apples and burned a
yule log for 12 days, which is believed to have brought about the 12 days
of Christmas. The pagan religious festival is believed to have been
absorbed into the Christian celebration of Christmas.
Christmas trees tend to be more controversial in their origins. It is said
that Martin Luther was the first to decorate trees with light in the 16th
century because he was inspired by the stars shining through the fir
tree’s branches. It is also said that around that same time in Germany,
fir trees were decorated with roses, apples, candles, and colored paper
for the holiday tradition.
The date of Christmas, December 25th, is equally controversial.
Babylon was known to celebrate the Feast of the Son of Isis, the goddess
of nature, on December 25th. Their feast was marked by gluttonous
eating, partying, and gifts. However, others believe that Christ
was born on the 25th. Some also believe that the Christians chose
the date to compete with other pagan traditions during this festive,
celebratory time.
On a less controversial note, Santa Claus is universally thought
to be inspired by Saint Nicholas. He was a saint from the 17th century
that was known throughout Europe for his generosity and charity.
Many churches were dedicated to him and there was even a feast
named after him. He was also known for his flowing, red cape and
long, white beard. The Dutch kept his legend alive and brought it to
America.
No matter the origins, these traditions are celebrated and adored
around the world. These customs bring people together in love and
friendship. This holiday season, no matter what you are celebrating,
be sure to enjoy the time you have with friends and family. Happy
Holidays Greenies!
Tidal Wave TIDAL Staff WAVE STAFF
Editor-In-Chief- Amelia Rosen
Feature Editor-Molli Vyne
Graphics Editor- Drew Seibert
Visual Art Editor- Claudia Zapiec
Academic- Jelise Singh
Student Life- Emily Kaske
News Editor- Liam Corkell
Emily Campbell, Laciey D’Agostino, Ashlyn
Demilia, Joshua Evangelista, Gabrielle Hersch,
Nicole Horton, Samantha Hullstrung, Kelsea
Kosko, Julia Leal, Whitney Letourneau,
Rachael Schaaf,
Sarah Correnti, Jordon Weil
The School Board of Lee County, Florida
Thomas Scott, District 5, Chairman
Mary Fischer, M.A., District 1, Vice Chairman
Jeanne S. Dozier, District 2
Jane E. Kuckel, Ph.D., District 3
Don H. Armstrong, District 4
Lawrence D. Tihen, Ph.D.
Interim Superintendent of Schools
www.leeschools.net
The School Board of Lee County, Florida,
prohibits discrimination on the basis of age,
color, disability, gender, national origin, marital
status, religion, or sexual orientation.
Tidal Wave Newspaper
published by FMHS Journalism class. For more information about advertising in the Tidal Wave Newspaper,
please contact Mrs. Pam Schwantes, Newspaper Advisor, at 239-334-2167, ext. 282
Principal, David LaRosa Fort Myers Senior High Schhol
2635 Cortez Blvd. Fort Myers, FL 33901 Copyright 2010-2011
Megamind
Megamind is a 3D animated comedy
about a misunderstood evil genius (voiced
by Will Ferrell) who destroys his good-doing
archenemy, brings a city to its knees, and
then goes through a mid-life crisis.
When the film starts, you begin to realize
that the plot is somewhat unoriginal. Think
of it as the child of The Incredibles (trying to
make spin-offs of other superhero movies)
and Despicable Me (with the “confused,
likeable bad guy” character). However, the
main character, Megamind, really grabs your
attention.
He is very lovable; you can laugh at all
his screw-ups and his flamboyant personality,
and you can sometimes appreciate how
intelligent he is. His character makes up the
good of the movie because he provides all of
the quality jokes, minute after minute (definitely
more jokes than Despicable Me). It’s
refreshing, because they’re not slapstick gags
The hoodies
are here!
that are full of immaturity. All of the jokes
are typical Will Ferrell humor. There are also
some very exhilarating schemes and action
scenes that keep you intrigued.
With this in mind, these jokes and evil
schemes don’t last long enough. Once the
film reaches its action-packed climax, the
cleverness and humor ends abruptly. Every
scene in the last half hour is targeted at middle-school
boys, with the robot minions and
building-smashings and hectic 3D eye candy.
It tries to “wow” the audience rather than
make them laugh and smile, which is the tactic
they should’ve stuck to from beginning to
end in order to make it a memorable film.
Final Grade: C+. Megamind definitely
provides more laughs than an average kids’
movie, but once it runs out of jokes, well,
it’s just an average kids’ movie.
Senior snags state solo
sax success
By Jordan Weil
This September, senior Matt DeVries was honored to audition for
the All State Jazz Band at FGCU. Matt played his tenor saxophone at
the audition on Sept. 11. Three weeks later, Matt was informed that he
made the cut. Matt played a total of five pieces for the band directors,
only two of which were given to him to prepare for beforehand. Matt
plans to continue to play in college, whether or not he pursues a music
major. He says that he is thankful for all the good times he’s had at
FMHS and looks forward to playing for marching band at University
of Florida. Now considered the best jazz tenor saxophone player in
the state, Matt will go on to perform before collegiate professors and
music educators from all over the state of Florida.
The receiving of the IB
hoodies is one of the most
anticipated traditions of
an IB senior’s year. Since
2004, Private Sky and the
Wolanin family have graciously
donated hoodies to
all the FMHS IB seniors
to commemorate all the
hard work they have put into their high school careers. The group of 169 seniors gathered at
Private Sky aviation for a luncheon, catered by Lee Roy Selmons, to receive their jackets.
This year’s hoodie event celebrates the dedication and commitment
that the students have shown in the past four years of high school.