More Inside:Popular bracelet causes controversy, page 13

Girls basketball team goes to states, page 17

Festival brings in the Chinese new year, page 8

Dr. Michael M. Krop Sr. High • 1410 Countyline Road • Miami, Florida 33179 February 25, 2011• Issue 5 • Volume 13

str keTHE lightning

FREE THROW NO MORE: Senior forward Brian Delancy takes a free throw in a game against the Carol City Chiefs. Delancy and his teammates went on to defeat Carol City and Hialeah Miami Lakes for the District 14-3A title, before an appellate judge overruled a temporary injunction, ending the Lightning’s playoff chances.

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By Sharon Sabbaghco-sports editor

BASKETBALL

ANTHONY CAVE

page 15

OSCAR NOMINATED MOVIES uNWRAppED

Meditation alters brain structure

The Krop basketball team had many victories on the court, but it was their defeat in the courthouse that cost them a championship.

Controversy began when Krop small forward Bryan Delancy’s improper paperwork threatened to force The Lightning to forfeit every game in which he had played. Delancy, born in the Bahamas, was missing the I-20 form required of all international students.

Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Spencer Eig offered The Lightning false hope on Feb. 10 when he issued a temporary

injunction, allowing Krop a place in the District playoffs.

The victory was short lived. A week later on Feb. 17, an appellate court overturned Judge Eig’s ruling.

The appeal stripped the team of 19 of their wins, desecrated their 20-3 season, deemed it ineligible for them to take part in the district playoffs and denied 11 high school basketball players their dreams to win a championship.

The director of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) released a statement, saying, "This is a good day for coaches, student-athletes who play by the rules. Doing what's right pays off."

Since scouts would have been present at the games, the ruling also jeopardized the future of those seniors on the team who have not yet been recruited for a college.

“Long term [the students] could have been affected. But I am not going to let that happen,” basketball coach Marcos “Shakey” Rodriguez said. “I am pretty much in contact with college coaches and my players have been seen spotted and have enough film on them that they should all be able to get into a college situation.”

Before the original judge’s injunction was repealed, Krop beat Carol City and Hialeah Miami-Lakes. They won the 13-6A title

and were the favorite to win the championship before the appeal kicked them from their No-1 spot and rid them of the opportunity to play Miami High in a Region 4-6A quarterfinal playoff game. Miami High will advance to the regional semifinals.

Miami High coach Marcus Carreno told The Miami Herald that he is disappointed he and his team will not play against Krop.

For Shakey, disappointment would be an understatement.

“We are all devastated not to have the opportunity to achieve what we worked so hard for, particularly the seniors. This was their last shot. It was unjust,” Shakey said.

ISSuES

In June 2009, a report was filed against Deborah Swirsky-Nuñez, a Miami-Dade Schools Administrator and the wife of former Krop Principal George Nuñez, for using scholarship money meant for disabled students to pay for her two children’s private school tuition.

Christopher Mazzella, Miami-Dade County Public Schools Inspector General, issued a report listing every person involved in the Swirsky-Nuñez fraud.

On Feb. 9, this information was publicly released and Principal Matthew Welker’s involvement was revealed.

Welker is accountable for any misconduct that occurs surrounding his school and the scholarship was permitted through Welker’s consent.

“As principal, I am responsible for everything and everyone associated with this school,” Welker said.

Swirsky-Nuñez took advantage of her position and obtained the John McKay Scholarship for her child. As principal of the school, Welker approved the enrollment of Swirsky-Nunez’s daughter in American Heritage School without following proper procedures.

The process in which one can attain the scholarship is generally extensive, but Swirsky-Nuñez sped up the process. To get the scholarship an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is required, which decides whether or not a child meets certain educational needs, in this case disabilities. The evaluation, which usually takes months, was rushed and completed in one day.

She also used a false Aventura address to register her child, while she actually lived in Plantation.

According to the Office of the Inspection General’s report, Welker acted against “normal procedure because no address verification was performed.”

By Eric Eidelsteinnews editor

► see “Welker,” page 3

Welker suspendedfor 30 days

Feature Page 12 The Lightning Strike • February 2011

Don’t overlook a potentially good college. Expand your searches by checking out these overlooked schools.

Reed CollegeLocation: Portland, Oregon Student Population: 1,442 undergraduates Description: Reed is strong in both the sciences and the humanities. The school has the only nuclear reactor in the U.S. that is run entirely by undergraduates. Every student at Reed is required to take a Humanities course that covers the classic Greek and roman literature as well as Jewish and biblical texts. The school also requires every student to write an academic thesis.Fun fact: The week before the start of the second semester the college hosts a ten day learning festival where anyone, including students, is welcomed to teach a class, thus encouraging an academic atmosphere.Famous Alumni: Entrepreneur, Steve Jobs (never graduated)

Swarthmore CollegeLocation: Swarthmore, Pennsylvania Student Population: 1,525 undergraduatesDescription: Swarthmore not only has the highest endowment per student ratio but also has an Oxford-modeled honors program, which encompasses seminars and thesis writing. Swarthmore is part of the Tri-College Consortium which allows students to take classes at Bryn Mawr College, Haverford College and the University of Pennsylvania.Fun fact: 90 percent of graduates go on to graduate and professional schools.Famous Alumni: Governor and former presidential candidate, Michael Dukakis

Wesleyan University Location: Middletown, ConnecticutStudent Population: 2,766 undergraduatesDescription: With thirteen interdisciplinary programs, nine academic certificates and nine Academic centers, students at Wesleyan have options. Wesleyan has also partnered with California Institute of Technology and Columbia University to create a program that allows students to graduate in five years with a B.A. from Wesleyan and an engineering degree from Cal. Tech or Columbia.Fun fact: According to the National Science Foundation, Wesleyan has the most federal funding for math and science. Famous Alumni: Movie director, Michael Bay

K r o p s n e x t top s ta rs

Ariel Snihur, 11

By Gabriela Mckenziestaff writer

Sometimes the road to success can be long and hard. Just ask fellow Krop seniors Ron Shimshilashvilli, Ernst Charles or junior Ariel Rose Snihur.

Pursuing a path as a future entertainer, they know showbiz can be a hard path to success, but these students have the drive to do it anyway.

Shimshilashvilli is a senior that works as an actor, model and singer. Signed to Elite Talent Agency, his modeling and acting career took off at 15. Shimshilashvilli has appeared in the films What Teenagers Want to do, Hanoar Hatzioni, The Lovers

and Friends Show, Crackhead Jesus, Crackhead Jesus the Movie and College Rule & International Lovers.

He has also made television appearances on MTV’s Is She Really Going Out with Him?, Neustria Tele’s Halloween, Sun Sports’s Dwayne Wade’s Buzzer, and many more.

According to Shimshilashvilli, who was not encouraged by his parents and friends to become a serious actor, the bumpy ride to stardom is never easy.

“I started to promote myself on all kinds of pages,” Shimshilashvilli said. “I wanted a personal website, so I studied web design and after a month made my own professional

website, www.RonRafael.com.”Shimshilashvilli is currently

working on his first CD called Baby You Are The One.

Snihur and Charles are also working as musicians.

Snihur has performed musical theatre at the Actor’s Playhouse in Coral Gables since she was ten and has sung at sporting events ranging from Heat games to the Sony Ericsson Open.

She hopes to become a singer/songwriter and study at the University of Miami for music

or Berkley College of Music in Boston. Meanwhile, music lovers can review her CD Rhythms of Life.

Engaging in a different type of music, Charles hopes to succeed as a Rap and R&B artist.

He has worked alongside Def Jam Representatives, Rick Ross, DJ Khaled, Brisco and FloRida. Charles also released two mix tapes, and his third will be made public March 1.

After high school, these entertainers plan to study at

respectable institutions in hopes that the hard work they’ve shown in high school will pay off. For the time being, students can find them in Miami’s headlines or performing at pep rallies.

The experiences gained from the industry have helped shape their future careers.

“I think the hardest thing about being in the entertainment industry is that it’s constantly changing,” Snihur said. “You really have to work hard to succeed and you need luck too.”

Alternate choices broaden horizonsCOLLEGE

ENTERTAINERS

compiled by Pablo Storch

unl.edu/armyrotc/partnershipschools.shtml

wikipedia.org

faridhussein.blogspot.com

Ron Shimshilashvilli, 12Ernst Charles, 12

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