Teen Violence

Teen Violence

Jack Hilton

Murder. Suicide. Bullying. Fights. Teen violence is a huge issue in schools and off campus, since a simple fight can lead to death. About 877, Teens ages 10 to 24 were injured from violent acts. Approximately 1 in 13 required hospitalization.

Columbine High School was once an ordinary school until an incident happened which changed the lives of many people, when there was a mass murder-suicide. Dylan Klebold and Erick Harris, the shooters, killed many victims.

Teen violence is just about everywhere in every school. Sophomore Ruben Timothy encountered a fight among seven students after school on his way home.

“This kid just came up from behind this other kid and placed him in a headlock and punched him,” explained Timothy.

At Coral Gables High, a student was killed because of a love triangle between the suspect Andy Jesus Rodriguez and the victim Juan Carlos Rivera. Rivera was stabbed in three different locations including his chest, collarbone and kidney.

A teacher at South Plantation witnessed a fight in her 7th period classroom which involved two female students.

“Where does all this anger come from? The issue is anger and not being able to work through it,” the teacher said.

The teacher believes that students should have consequences, including the ones that just watch, because she believes they are just as guilty, even though they are not the one throwing the punches. The bystanders are encouraging the rage in the violence making the situation worse, and get the teens angrier and more violent.

Officer Ken Gomez believes that locking the lockers; lock out, separating the lunches and having constant visibility over the students has helped reduce teen violence at South Plantation High.

“The experience of our security staff is high; we all almost have fifty years of school security, with Smitty, Snell, Fair and I, we have all been here for a long time,” Gomez adds.

“I think teen violence is mostly due to people being worried about their self image, they want to be "cool" so if they're "dissed" or feel as if their image is being tarnished, they have to rectify the situation by establishing their dominance over people. It's all about making sure people are happy with who they are, If there is some way to improve that quality in people, whether it is through a class in elementary or middle school to teach about these problems, I think the steps definitely need to be taken,” explains college freshman David Arbogast.

"The Diary of the Time Traveling Salesman"

“The Diary of the Time Traveling Salesman”
By: Jackie Hilton

Ever had a wish where you could go back in time and do something differently than what you did the first time?
Paul Yurick a student producer, who wrote, produced and directed a short film called “The Diary of the Time Traveling Salesman” which stars Eric Newcombe as a Salesman who is bored with life but soon begins to grow and stop caring about himself.
Paul came up with this idea one day at home thinking about problems, and how you run into situations and try to do the situation for the good but it just doesn’t work as you wanted it too.
“The message from this film is basically, you should do things the right way the first time and not end up with the downfall.” Explained Yurick.
Paul Yurick shot the film for three days and edited it all in three in the half, It's about ten and the half minutes long. “Slow Pace, Sad with intense scenes, it’s really just an intense story and subject. I want people to really feel the character and the matter.” Yurick said.
Paul had a personal friend who is in a band called “Daycast” play the music which is playing through the entire film.
Paul wants to thank God for his talents and his family for their support.
“Do what you love and don’t stop, because sometimes, maybe it’s rough but when you finally accomplish what you set out to do, you feel great about ten minutes after!” Yurick also says to “Never be a scholar but always a student” Which was told to him by a mentor and just applied it to his life.

TO WATCH THIS VIDEO YOU CAN GO TO YOUTUBE.COM/PaulRYurick http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pxs2fKIC3qA
Or email him at PaulRYurick@Me.com

When the fun ends....

When the Fun ends

By: Jackie Hilton

Fifteen year old Nick Cann has found himself in a life threatening situation. It all started on Friday, July 3rd, when Nick was getting ready to go out with his friends. Nick, like usual, borrowed money from his dad and told him that he was going to the movies. N At the time, he was smoking pot, drinking and doing any other drugs excessively that he could get his hands on. Tonight was different from other nights, though. He explains “Tonight I was going to reestablish a broken friendship with a good friend. But instead, I and another friend got even closer. To death I mean” That Friday night, he went to a party in Margate. He says“ It was going well. I smoked all I had, drank a lot and was just having a blast. Usually I'm a good drinker; I get it from my dad.” But for some reason. that night he was feeling a bit off. Turning over to see his friend puking on the floor, he and a few others took his friend outside, where he passed out in a car. Nick explains “My friend wouldn’t wake up, I have known him for years. He just wouldn’t wake up” The sight of his friend in such a bad state scared Nick to death. He thought that he was going to lose his friend. Nick's other friend drove them to a nearby parking lot where the driver broke out into tears, crying her eyes out.“That made me shed a tear in the heat of the moment,” he said.
A Few moments later, he began to puke in the car and then passed out right next to his friend. Nick explains, “I couldn’t see much, but I remember hearing sirens.” Moments later, Nick woke up in a hospital, handcuffed to the bed. The reason why Nick was handcuffed? Because he was cursing at the police officers and yelling “Where’s my friend!” He yelled in their faces and cursed at the officers while heavily under the influence.
Waking up the next day with a hangover, Nick’s father was standing over him filled with fear and anger. Not saying a word to his father, he got up to go see his friend where Nick explains, “We both laughed at each other, we knew that we were busted big time and that we were going to be in a lot of trouble.” Nick found out that he and his friend had almost died and were both lucky that the police officers showed up to find them. “I’m glad my friend didn’t die....he’s like a brother to me and I honestly do not believe I could live with that riding on my shoulders,” he tells us “ Since that night, I’ve tried to stay sober, but it’s a hard thing to do by yourself.”
Now that he has experienced this situation, Nick will be more cautious of what he does and will know when he has reached his limit. Not ready to fully quit his habits, but to just slow down to hopefully one day get out of the grasp of this addiction. "I don't know why I do drugs...maybe I am missing something in my life, don't have something or perhaps I am just depressed." Nick’s advice for people: “Don’t believe the hype, it’s not all wood” “Drugs aren’t good for you. Do not believe people who says "DRUGS ARE SUCH GREAT THINGS!" It really isn’t. I say go outside and live. Play football or any type of activities, don’t make a mistake that you will regret or that could put your life in jeopardy." Will Nick find some type of medical help? I think in time we will find out and all we can do is learn from this. And really double think, "Is this really worth it and is this what I really want my life to be like?"

God's Impact

God’s Impact

By Jackie Hilton


David Arbogast a High school graduate that will be entering college at FSU has left a major impact in his church and through his friends. David has always grown up with the “religion” of Christianity but it never really hit him that it had to be something more than just that “religion". When he began High School, his pastor has said “It’s more than the religion, it’s a relationship” that’s what truly hit him to start living as if God was his everything, because David believes he is. David believes that if he truly has impacted somebody it was because of God working through him. David’s goal is to finish College and then go to a Seminary, which is a school for educating people going into the ministry field. To Finish Seminary it's usually around 2 years of education you have to take. David also plans to jump straight into searching for churches to become a Pastor, he’s leaning more into becoming a youth pastor, but it’s where and what God wants him to do. David came to the conclusion to become a pastor during his time at his church’s camp. David says “Camp is such an amazing experience! So many things happen there with the many activities that help you grow in your faith and you just grow closer to everyone where it’s like your family.” David’s advice to people is “Run towards God with everything you've got and take as many people that you can get and don’t be afraid of a no”

A Russian Adoption Story

A Russian Adoption Story

By Jackie Hilton