Decisions, Decisions…

By: Amilah

Inside LASOTA

This last quarter of the 2015 school year is coming to an end, which also means that the 8th graders at LASOTA will be attending an entirely different school in the fall of 2015. It also means that all of LASOTA eight graders will be attending high school.

As a LASOTA eighth grade student, many of us are inclined to go to Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. This is mainly because that school and the school we attend now are one of the few Arts schools in Duval County that aren't elementary schools.

Yes, many of us are more than prepared to go there because of the training we received in middle school, but choosing your high school should be based off more than just your profession in the arts. I say this because high school consists of four years, and therefore picking the best school for your all around professions would be wisest. Your all around professions consist of your academic levels, your social skills, your sport abilities, and your arts. If the high school of your choosing provides a variety of professions that you are interested in and doesn't just provide the interest of your arts, doesn't that seem more fun and diverse?

Besides the most obvious reasons to pick a high school that provides the most for you, think about the petite reasons you should go that school. Such as the distance away it is from your home, and the peers you would have when you are there. Although these reasons shouldn't determine your choice of that school every little thing counts.

Another thing is to pick the high school that you are trying to attend just like you picked your middle school. For instance, did you pick the school because it was providing something you wanted to pursue a career in? Or because that’s where you have heard the most positive things about?

These are all the things to think about when choosing a high school right? Just make sure your choice is based off of a variety of reasons.

In an interview at LASOTA, Briana Melson and Emory Lowe said it was hard picking a high school. Emory said that she chose the high school she picked because “They accepted me into their early college program,” and Briana said “Every other school did not fit me.” Both these students choose a school that either provided what they were looking for in a high school, or they came to the conclusion that every other school just did not fit them.

Have you ever heard the phrase "the more the merrier?" Well if you haven't its meaning is saying the more you have (in any situation) the more lively. When picking a high school, using this saying can help because the school with the more positives for you will most likely cause you to have four gleeful years of high school.

In the end, just make sure the high school you pick satisfies you in as many ways a possible.

Sharks Aren’t the Threat, but Some People Think Different

By: Molly
Inside LASOTA

Some people say that sharks are a threat to society but I am here to tell you different! First of all, even though sharks are one of the most powerful creatures in the world they don’t pose a threat to you. Honestly, sharks are more afraid of you than you are of them!

Sharks are actually a really cool animal! They are fish because they have gills, they can grow more than 30,000 teeth, and their lower and upper jaws are more powerful than any other creature in the world. But don’t let this scare you! Here are some very common comparisons between shark attacks and other causes of death. More people die from:

Snake bites
Car collisions
Wild deer
And falling coconuts

And even though sharks can be vicious they are not the world’s number 1 killer. Like the national geographic website,

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/0613_050613_sharkfacts.html states, “Over 375 shark species have been identified, but only about a dozen are considered particularly dangerous.” Zion, a student at New Berlin Elementary agrees that sharks are not a threat to us, he explains that “Sharks are our friends because they are afraid of us and sharks get killed a lot each year so we should help stop that. “ I agree with him! First of all we should try to stop the countries that are hunting these creatures down and selling their fins for money. Sharks are in danger of becoming extinct. That’s why we should try to protect sharks now so this doesn’t happen.

Since sharks have many reputations from many different people I interviewed Aniya, another student from New Berlin. She says sharks are a danger to society, unlike Zion. “Sharks aren’t my friends because they are wild animals and they don’t know how to be trained.” says Aniyah. Many people in the world agree with her. But what she doesn’t know is that the annual average of shark attacks is just 11 attacks per year! So she should have nothing to worry about.

I am writing from the point of view of someone who thinks sharks are not a threat, so I will share some of my personal experiences with them. I love the ocean! So when I started surfing with my family at 9 years old I wasn’t afraid of anything, except, SHARKS. Whenever I would paddle out past the breakers (where the waves are breaking) I would always get scared they would be secretly waiting for me in the water! But in reality the sharks were just living the life in their home and if I should have been worried about anything it should have been not wanting to invade their ocean! I have seen about 3 sharks my whole life, surfing and all! But they have, NOT ONCE, ever tried to hurt me.

So when you go to the beach this summer make sure to look out for sharks! Just think about all the things I’ve told you. Are sharks really the threat? Or do they just have a bad reputation?

LGBT is More Than Just Letters

By: Dwayne

Inside LASOTA

When I choose friends, I think of personality. But others aren’t like me. Students in middle school are finding themselves and becoming who they are. So, why do people have closed mouths when it comes to the topic of sexuality? I have seen people let sexuality influence who they hang around with. If you ask me, I do not agree with this. People are people; they are more than being gay, lesbian, or bi-sexual. The definition of a person is a human being regarded as an individual. We punish people for their individuality by not being their friend, or not baking their wedding cake for a gay marriage. A fellow friend of mine, agrees with the idea that sexuality should not influence the choice of friends.

“I don’t feel any different than before, I’m actually proud of them for taking courage to come out,” says Sierra M, an eighth grade dancer here at LaVilla. There was an incident at my school dealing with sexuality, and it was unnecessary. People always try to make others feel small and box them in, that’s why it’s so hard for teenagers to come out and embrace themselves.

People try to use certain reasons to alienate the LGBT Community. For a long time people thought that HIV and AIDS were only in the gay community. They called it “gay cancer.” This was an epidemic in the 1980s, gay activists knew this conspiracy theory was wrong and they chose to do something about it. Also, people believe that there is not a such thing as being bi-sexual. They believe that the LGBT Community uses bi-sexuality as a cross-over to being gay or being lesbian. This, in my opinion is wrong. Bi-sexual people are bi-sexual because they are attracted to both genders. Bi-sexual people should not have to choose which gender they prefer, they can have their cake and eat it too.

Also, people have misconceptions when it comes to religion. We all know that homosexuality is a sin, but some overlook that sin is sin. There is no big or little sin. People are too caught up with the idea that the sin of homosexuality is worse than the sin of lying, cheating, etc. We all are common sinners; it’s just that others sin differently.

Have you ever stopped and asked, “Why is this such a big deal?” I am a Christian and I grew up in the church, but I still accept people for who they are. Certain people are raised with a certain set of principles. I was raised with principles, but none of my principles say anything about turning down gays or lesbians, etc. My brother is transgender; he transitioned from male to female. I was born late, so I never got to see him physically transfer genders. I always knew him for what he was, NayNay. I never got to Nathaniel, and I think this is a big part of why I don’t really care about people’s sexuality. People don’t have to worry about me judging them, and this is how it should be around the world.

The Bible says: people, who are not sinners, can throw the first stone. Since, we all are sinners, the first stone cannot be thrown.

I want everyone to know something, we are human beings, and we shouldn’t spend our time bringing others down. We should spend our time building each other up. And sometimes being gay, lesbian, or transgender can actually help people and give them confidence. My brother NayNay feels the same way, “being transgender has taught me to be brave and embrace myself and love the skin I’m in and never apologize for it.” So, the next time you see a person part of the LGBT Community, don’t look at them sideways; clap for them, for being so brave to express who they really are.