THE {OUR LADYgrotto OF LOURDES ACADEMY MIAMI, FLORIDA VOLUME 50/ISSUE 3 December 2012 www.olla.org/grotto/december a very merry editionL FORMAL VS. JINGLE BALL The very popular winter events take place on the same night! Find out what 7 people’s plans are for THEATRICAL December 8th. TREAT The school’s production of Little Women begins December 14th. Find out details about the play in this month’s issue. ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT Art Club members make a construction block-off wall. See 10 details and pictures 2 inside. 15 SELF-LESS SEASON Students contribute to the holiday spirit by 14 helping those in need. Find out what you can do to help. 2 news | the grotto |december 2012 The hype of the presidential election has come and gone, and the nation has returned to the days when citizens are no longer plagued with non-stop political advertisements. With President Obama’s re-election, many citizens feel that not much has changed, but in the few weeks following the election, the stage has been set for the culmination of various issues ranging from the fiscal What’s Next? cliff to a re-evaluation of foreign policy to states’ violations of federal law. FISCAL CLIFF FOREIGN POLICY FEDERALISM In preparation for the fiscal cliff Americans This term, Obama must also confront issues in the On election day, initiatives regarding the have been hearing pundits panic about for weeks, realm of foreign policy—addressing issues ranging legalization of recreational marijuana were passed President Obama is currently working with Congress from Iran’s nuclear program to the recent violence by the people of Colorado and Washington. While to reach a compromise in determining an alternative in Gaza. The president visited Thailand, Cambodia, these laws received popular support, the states’ deficit-reduction deal. This term, Obama is taking a and Myanmar shortly following his re-election. This legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes different approach in negotiating with Republicans. trip stressed the Obama administration’s focus in still violates the Controlled Substances Act, a federal Rather than continuing the Bush-era tax rates as he the region. Additionally, there is an opportunity for law. The constitutionality of the federal CSA was did in 2010, Obama expressed hopes to establish a negotiation with Russia in terms of making deals affirmed in the 2005 Supreme Court case Gonzalez top tax rate between 35 and 39.6 percent in order to regarding nuclear nonproliferation. Ultimately, v. Raich. The Colorado and Washington laws will limit deductions. A decision must be reached before from the Middle East to Asia, the president’s will be be enacted in a matter of weeks. Until then, the Jan. 1; until then, people hope a perceived spirit forced to address various issues regarding the U.S. country awaits to see how President Obama’s Justice of bipartisanship within Washington, D.C. may be approach to foreign policy his second term. Department will handle this violation of federal law. signs of reaching a compromise. “The way that they legalized it is “They’re basically going to, if we “Both the Palestinians and the unconstitutional because there’s don’t come to a solution, crash our Israelis both occupied the land at already the Controlled Substances economy and our infrastructure different times. There needs to be a Act, which just because the president by eliminating a lot of necessary diplomatic way to come up with an is not enforcing it, doesn’t mean that programs.” even split of the two.” it is legal to take marijuana.” Senior Clarisse Vamos Science Teacher Mrs. Christine Taylor Senior Veronica Sanchez Creating Down Syndrome Awareness KATERIN RODRIGUEZ “We are an example that if you set your word in the halls WHAT’S THE mind to something, you can get it done,” To many, age is just a number. To young Vazquez said. WACKIEST GIFT YOU’VE EVER GOTTEN? entrepreneurs, it is a curse. Often times, Llano and Vazquez were able to finish many young people feel that their ideas the book so quickly because their former are disregarded because of their age. They English teacher would set up deadlines for become discouraged and begin to believe them and make sure they kept on track. that they don’t have the experience to “It’s impressive that an English teacher “Last Christmas my parents gave me a Hannah Montana T-shirt. I was complete their project. was so involved in helping them This was not the case for stay on track because it takes a obsessed with her show two years ago but I wore the shirt anyway.” sophomores Gabriella Llano and lot to edit a book and help even FRESHMAN RACHEL PERAZA Tiziana Vazquez. an adult with the editing During Christmas break process,” English teacher of their freshman year, Mrs. Maria Munarriz Llano and Vazquez began said. “One year my aunt gave me a hideous watch whose band was to formulate the first To some, it seems covered with frog faces. Mind you, I hate frogs.” drafts of a book. They that age hinders a JUNIOR CATHERINE GONZALEZ waited until summer person from achieving break to really begin their goals. The drive the writing process that these two students and with the help of a have, however, made former English teacher their dream possible and “When I was around eleven years old, my parents thought it would finished it in one month. shows that determination be funny to give me a sack of coal for Christmas.” The book, entitled is what really makes goals “In My World: Down achievable, not age. SENIOR JESSI SALAZAR Syndrome,” depicts the “It’s crazy that they have world through the eyes of accomplished so much at Llano’s little sister, Mika. this age. It makes you think “I’ve always jokingly told my grandma that I would love to have Mika is 9 years old and has about what you’re capable of onesie pajamas but I can’t find them anywhere. I didn’t know she Down Syndrome. doing,” junior Tiffany Torres would actually make them for me.” “We wrote [the book] said. to raise awareness and It may not have been easy, SOPHOMORE CAROLINA VIDAL help people who have but Gabriella Llano and Tiziana no experience with down Vazquez reached their goal. syndrome understand what Their dedication and “Years ago when I was teaching elementary school, a second grade boy it’s like,” Llano said. determination was the driving gave me an ashtray as a Christmas present. I felt bad but I managed to The book is in the process of force behind their success. find a use for it by putting a plant in it.” being published by a branch of the Penguin To them, the question was not whether Group. The cousins hope to have it out they could reach their goal, but rather, HEALTH TEACHER MRS. KATHRYN SAUNDERS before the new year. when they would reach it. issue 3 | the grotto | news 3 Human Trafficking: Promoting Awareness CATHERINE BUCKLER According to the FBI initiative website against human trafficking, gangs and “pimps” (prostitution ring leaders) By definition, human trafficking is the federal in the United States are using social networking sites to crime of trading of human beings for sexual find potential women to force into their prostitution rings. exploitation, forced labor, and black market On the date advice website onlinedatingsafetytips.com, CONSTRUCTION UPDATE organ extractions. listed are certain patterns in conversational context clues The construction is continuing to advance rapidly. And it’s a much bigger problem than to look out for, such as “instant love,” where the trafficker Significant progress has been made in the past few people might think. lures the victim in by saying how in love they are within weeks. On the side of the cafeteria there was a big wall According to the Global Initiative to only a couple of days of chatting. of rod iron. It was taken down over the Thanksgiving break Fight Human Trafficking, at any given Also on the site are common myths about human weekend. Monday, Nov. 29 workers laid out an area that time, globally 2.5 million people are in trafficking. Human trafficking happens everywhere, not is going to be the pad for the second chiller, which is forced labor, including sexual exploitation, just in undeveloped or developing nations. a machine that will supply air conditioning for the new as a result of human trafficking. Of President Barack Obama spoke back in classroom building. those, 1.2 million children are trafficked September at the Clinton Global Initiative “While walking to my class in the PCs I realized that annually. requesting that tech companies “develop the first floor rooms were already built. It’s amazing how Sophomore Andrea Diaz-Ariza tools that our young people can use to quickly the construction process is moving along,” junior is currently working on promoting stay safe online, as well as on their Anelise Prieto said. awareness to help bring these numbers smart phones.” The shell of the classrooms on the first floor and the down. Senior Elisa Cantero is currently walls are nearly completed. The next step of construction “I’ve been working with some helping to establish a safe house, is to grade the floors inside each room and then pour people involved in the Saint Thomas The Glory House of Miami, for the cement. Tile will later be placed for flooring. University Law School to help me victims of this crime. “By the end of November they are supposed to put the bring speakers who specialize in either Cantero’s mother’s Bible study second floor up on.