If you hadn’t heard, there was a food fight in the school cafeteria during lunchtime that erupted into a chaotic frenzy and spilled out into the courtyard.  Thousands of students gathered to witness the commotion and fracas, as one student, a 17 year old, was arrested for allegedly striking a school official and he now faces felony charges.  For the rest of the school community, the incident remains an embarrassment coming at the end of a school year that unfortunately saw a fair share of unwanted media attention.

Let me first say that Cypress Bay is a top high school, producing outstanding college-bound students every year.  It is far from a “troubled” school, as it was referred to in Saturday’s Miami Herald headline.  They may have faced their share of challenges this year (sex scandals and food fights will attract headlines), but to label it “troubled” is a bit unfair, no?  For what it’s worth, Cypress Bay has earned an ‘A’ grade for 8 of the last 9 years and the last 3 in a row.  That’s far from “troubled”.   I had the privilege of working with several 12th graders who are bound for great schools like University of Chicago, UPenn (Wharton),  Cal Tech, NYU, University of Florida, Elon University, The Pratt Institute, and University of Richmond, among many others.  And those are just the dozen or so kids I personally worked with — about 98% of the 1,000 12th graders are college-bound.

The problem with CBHS, and the reason this incident got so out of hand, is that the school is simply too large.  The administration and faculty don’t have the manpower to control a student body of over 4,000 when they get rambunctious and prank-happy on a Friday in May.  Frankly, I give credit to the school, its students, Principal Neely and his staff for maintaining order during the other 179 days of the school year.  Friday’s episode could have happened anywhere, but the images that circulated among social media in recent days revealed a chaotic sea of teenage outburst.  This could have been an Ultra Music Festival without the beating bass.

What does this have to do with college planning?  Despite it’s terrific record, the US Department of Education notes that only 60% of CBHS seniors completed a FAFSA this year (as of April 26).  This means that, notwithstanding the noble efforts of the college counseling office, the message is not getting through to the minions that every applicant should complete a FAFSA in order to qualify for aid and some scholarships, including Florida’s Bright Futures.  The conclusion is that the BRACE office, like the rest of the adminstration at CBHS, is simply overwhelmed.  Friday’s episode is just a symtom of a much bigger problem.

If you feel that your family deserves personalized attention — in terms of funding college, finding a discount, or gaining admission, then you need to check out one of my upcoming workshops.  I’m holding two next week – one in Broward and another in Miami-Dade.   I’ll cover:
 

• The biggest mistake parents make with FL Prepaid and other 529 plans
• The crucial questions parents should ask of every school on a student’s college list
• How a ‘pricey’ private college can cost less than a state school, even considering Bright Futures and FL Prepaid
• Why it’s taking, on average, 5+ years to graduate from college today and how to buck this trend
• How to compile a list of schools that maximize chances at both admissions and financial aid
• How to decipher the complex financial aid formula and identify rules that can cost you (or save you) thousands of dollars
• More!

This event is will not cost a single scoop of mashed potatoes.  I do promise, however, that you will leave with valuable portions of information that can save the typical middle class family thousands of dollars off the cost of college.  With the school year nearing it’s end, it’s time to get a plan together on how you will pay for college for your children — before the laziness of summer kicks in. The best way to start is to attend my workshop. 

Click here to register and to get more info.  I look forward to seeing you there.

Best,

Pete

Cell phone video captured hundreds of students quickly crowding into the school’s courtyard during the lunch period, around 12:15 p.m.

“I can’t really say it was a riot, it was more of people getting together and acting silly,” said 12^th Grader Juan Jose Rada.

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Rada and his friend Danny Torres took pictures and video of the commotion they says started as a food fight.

“One person threw something and it just got crazy and people started running around and pushing each other,” said Torres.

Both students say things intensified once BSO deputies arrived and arrested one student while the crowd chanted for them to let him go.

Parents said the incident was concerning.

“I always tell my daughter the school is way too big with not enough resources,” said Tom Aguayo.

As far as what caused the food fight, some students think it may have started as a senior prank, but couldn’t say for sure.

No one was seriously injured.  According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, the student arrested has been charged with resisting arrest without violence.

On Saturday, Cypress Bay High School students will participate in a regional competition for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science’s National Science Bowl.

The bowl will have the state’s best and brightest students vying for a spot at nationals.

“To call them academically gifted is really underselling it to be honest,” said A.P. biology teacher and coach, Brandon Boswell.

“It can be pretty intense,” said 15-year-old Sophomore Alison Huang.

As the youngest on the team, Huang said the nerves definitely set in sometimes.

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“One single round gets pretty intense. They read a question and you think you know the answer, but then you are too scared to buzz in!” said Huang.

Cypress Bay High will send three teams of five to the regional competition, and students said they are ready.

“When you see the time running out sometimes you have to start interrupting questions so you can get more in time, so it’s all strategy,” said Junior Steve Seagull.

While his students focus on strategy, Boswell said it’s all about pride.

“It does really kind of feed your fire of going forward and working in a job that if you do it for pay you are making a horrible mistake,” said Boswell.” Needless to say, it feeds into that intrinsic desire to educate,” Boswell added.

The national competition is scheduled for the end of April.

Imagine the horror of walking the halls of your high school and noticing people huddled in groups looking at pictures, gasping, pointing at you, staring, laughing, leering or calling you names.  This is what a teen’s nightmare looks like but this isn’t a dream.  It was the reality for several female students at Cypress Bay High School in Weston, FL.  These girls are learning a hard lesson about the consequences of self-portrait sexting and sharing.  Thursday, pictures of girls – some from Cypress Bay and possibly other area schools were discovered on a popular porn site.  Some of the pictures were nude self-portraits while others showed the girls engaged in oral sex.  By Friday the pictures had spread like wildfire in this high school of approximately 4,300 students in this small community of Weston.

Modern technology y’all! Embarrassing stuff gets around quick!

“It’s everywhere,” said a female student. “The whole school has seen them, like everywhere you look someone is looking at a picture. It’s horrible,” said another student.

When I was a teen I used to have the typical teen nightmare of being in school naked and not even realize it until the whole school was pointing and laughing at me.  Thankfully it was just a dream and nothing more.  Today, thanks to camera phones, the internet, and foolish girls this nightmare can be a reality.  Yay for technology..not…

The internet has an infinite universal reach.  Once you put something on it, it is almost virtually impossible to pull it back.  Someone somewhere has that picture.  One day when you least expect it…Bam, your picture is being circulated at school, at work (even years down the road), in your parents inbox… anywhere.  Scary huh?  No one can claim those pictures were a mistake because they weren’t.  You deliberately took them,  you saved them, and you shared them.

I read stories of women horrified by pictures they sent to an ex-lover that pop up on websites and think, why?  Why would a girl send a sexually explicit or risqué picture..to anyone?  Never give anyone that much power over you.  Power to embarrass or blackmail you.  Remember Amanda Todd?  You could live to regret it.

At some point in your life you will inevitably apply for a job and your prospective employer hires a company to scour the internet looking for information about you.  It’s common practice nowadays.  Imagine the awkward phone call asking you to explain the pictures on naughtyexgirlfriend.com.

You might think, well it’s my choice and you are right it is your choice but the way you feel at this moment when you’re punch-drunk in love with someone may change if the relationship goes sour.  Or how about this scenario – your loyal and wonderful boyfriend who would never share your pics with anyone gets his phone stolen or computer hacked?  Can happen.  Actually it happens more often than you think.

• Talk to your teens about sexting – the long-term consequences as well as the legal consequences if they are under 18.
• Even as a responsible adult making adult decisions, never give anyone power to harm you or embarrass you down the road
• Keep up with technology – sexting apps, online video chat site, etc
• Keep open lines of communication with your teens – address peer pressure and reinforce the truth that a boy who really cares about them wouldn’t pressure them to take nasty pictures.

Good luck and stay fabulous!

The Broward Sheriff’s Office said it was contacted by the Broward School District to investigate David Korsun, a social studies teacher and wrestling coach.

Broward County Schools District spokeswoman Nadine Drew said Korsun was “administratively reassigned” to a different location within the school system and away from any contact with students during the investigation.

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Tuesday, BSO officials said their investigators spoke to the 18-year-old student at the center of the controversy. She told investigators it was consensual sex and since she’s 18, the legal age to have sex, there was no legal wrong-doing.

In addition, BSO investigated the alleged sexual texting incident and found it not to be criminal.

‪S‪chool officials said they were unaware of who made the complaint against Korsun.

‪”The district’s immediate response was a district reassignment and to open an investigation to determine what is going on and whether the allegations have merit,” said Drew.
‪

Broward Schools confirmed to CBS 4 News that ‪David Korsun has been administratively reassigned recently pending an investigation related to two allegations — one, that he had an ‪inappropriate sexual relationship with a student and, two, that he engaged in sexual texting ‪conversations with a student.

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‪School officials say the allegations were brought forth at the same time — sometime within last 2 weeks. These are separate allegations and it’s unclear if they involve the same student.

‪According to the Cypress Bay High School website, Korsun is a social studies teacher and an assistant wrestling coach.

‪School officials say they are unaware of who made the complaint.

‪”The district’s immediate response was a district reassignment and to open an investigation to determine what is going on and whether the allegations have merit,” said Nadine Drew, a spokesperson for the Broward County Schools.

‪A parent of a member of the wrestling team told CBS 4 News that Korsun has been at Cypress Bay for at least 7 years. The parent said they had a big wrestling tournament this past weekend and they were surprised that Korsun was not there.

They were only told that school district police removed Korsun from school late last week.

The School District says that school police are investigating the allegations and they are unsure if the Broward Sheriff’s Office has a parallel investigation ongoing.

Monday, 43-year old Michael Scott Jacobs changed his plea from not guilty to no contest and was sentenced to seven years behind bars.

Jacobs was accused of hosting the sleepover parties for a period of two years beginning in July 2009. The Broward Sheriff’s Office says several of the teen victims were only 12 or 13 years old when the sleepovers began.

The allegations are grotesque — that while watching the pornography Jacobs touched himself inappropriately and encouraged the boys to do the same. Jacobs was also accused of touching one of the children inappropriately.

Jacobs was a booster for the Cypress Bay High School Band. At the time of his arrest a website for the band listed “Mike Jacobs” as president of the boosters.

Not only did Vice President Joe Biden deliver the keynote address, but the graduation ceremony was held in the new Marlins Park, becoming the first school to hold its commencement in the shiny, new stadium.

“As a kid, this was my dream, standing at home plate at a major league ballpark. Not as a speaker, but as a batter. But I had to settle for becoming vice president,” Vice President Biden joked to the crowd of students wearing blue caps and gowns.

His message to those embarking on a new world was simple; what they did from this day forward had the potential to impact the world.

“You can build lifelong friendships and loyalties, or tear someone down. Tolerance, respect, and understanding are not some obsolete and old notions that don’t matter anymore. In the new world we are inheriting they will matter more than they ever did in the history of mankind.”

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School officials said the ceremony was originally set for June 3rd at the University of Miami’s Bank United Center, but Biden was tied up with his daughter’s wedding in Delaware and was only available on June 4th, when the facility was not available. So Broward County’s largest high school booked Marlins Park for the 2012 graduation.

Of course, the new venue came with a much higher price tag. That’s when an anonymous private donor stepped up and paid the $6,000 difference.

“It’s fantastic, it’s actually our first time in the park,” said Suarez, “We’ve been wanting to get out her for a while, so what better time than for our daughter’s graduation.”

So why Cypress Bay High? Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz happens to oversee the district. She also happens to be the Chairwoman for the Democratic National Committee.

Whatever the reason, though, students are pumped.

“I think it’s an amazing honor. It’s definitely a testament to excellence of Cypress Bay,” senior Felipe Lozano said.

Not only will Vice President Joe Biden deliver the keynote address, but the graduation ceremony will be held in the new Marlins Park, becoming the first school to hold its commencement in the shiny, new stadium.

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“It’s going to be an unforgettable experience. Not many people can say the Vice President of the United States talked at your graduation,” senior Felipe Lozano said.

Biden will give the commencement speech during the graduation ceremony on June 4th.

“It’s a good story I can tell to family and friends throughout the rest of my life,” senior Philip Goldstein said.

School officials said the ceremony was originally set for June 3rd at the University of Miami’s Bank United Center, but Biden was only available on June 4th, when the facility was not available.
So Broward County’s largest high school booked Marlins Park for the 2012 graduation.

Of course, the new venue came with a much higher price tag. The cost is $17,000– or $6,000 more than the original venue.

The money will pay for the closed roof, air conditioning, ushers, ticket takers and security guards.

An anonymous private donor is paying for the $6,000 price difference.

“They have Biden the VP of the United States, but they also have Marlin Stadium which has never been open to any graduation so they are first on a couple of things,” Principal Charles Scott Neely said.

“I’m sure he’ll give a great speech and let us know what the real world is like since that’s what we’re heading off to,” said senior Elinor Tiape.

So why Cypress Bay High? Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz happens to oversee the district. She also happens to be the Chairwoman for the Democratic National Committee.

Whatever the reason, though, students are pumped.

“I think it’s an amazing honor. It’s definitely a testament to excellence of Cypress Bay,” Lozano said.

About 7,500 people are expected to attend the graduation ceremony. Cypress Bay has 4,210 students.

The stage will be on the field and students will sit in the stands behind home plate.

Not only will Vice President Joe Biden deliver the keynote address, but the graduation ceremony will be held in the new Marlins Park, becoming the first school to hold its commencement in the shiny, new stadium, according to The Sun Sentinel.

School officials said the ceremony was originally set for June 3rd at the University of Miami’s Bank United Center, but Biden was only available on June 4th, when the facility was not available.

So Broward County’s largest high school booked Marlins Park for the 2012 graduation.

Of course, the new venue came with a much higher price tag. The cost is $17,000– or $6,000 more than the original venue.

The money will pay for the closed roof, air conditioning, ushers, ticket takers and security guards.

An anonymous private donor is paying for the $6,000 price difference.

About 7,500 people are expected to attend the graduation ceremony. Cypress Bay has 4,210 students.

The stage will be on the field and students will sit in the stands behind home plate.

Michael Scott Jacobs, 43, is accused of hosting the sleepover parties for a period of two years beginning in July 2009. The Broward Sheriff’s Office says several of the teen victims were only 12 or 13 years old when the sleepovers began.

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The allegations are grotesque — that while watching the pornography Jacobs touched himself inappropriately and encouraged the boys to do the same. BSO Spokesperson Jim Leljedal said Jacobs is also accused of touching one of the children inappropriately.

“We have one documented instance where he had physical contact with one of these boys in an indecent manner,” Leljedal told CBS 4′s Carey Codd.

BSO says Jacobs is a booster for the Cypress Bay High School Band. A website for the school band lists Mike Jacobs as president of the boosters. BSO says it’s not clear whether all the teenage victims are members of the band.

Multiple people connected to the band confirmed that the band is currently in Lehigh Acres taking part in a competition.

CBS 4 News reached out to several other people listed as being part of the boosters. None of them returned our calls or emails for comment.

BSO says the case against Jacobs is a warning to parents that sometimes strangers aren’t the only ones for kids to avoid.

“We talk a lot about stranger danger and how you have to be careful with strangers and stuff when in fact most crimes — most sex crimes — involve people who know each other,” Leljedal said. “Even though this is a man who is known by the parents, known by the kids, he’s trusted. You can’t be too careful.”

One person closely connected to the band and who knows Jacobs told CBS 4 News they’re shocked by the news of Jacobs’ arrest and hope it doesn’t reflect poorly on the band.

According to a copy of a search warrant in the case, detectives removed two computers from Jacobs’ home along with several DVD’s. Investigators also took two DNA swabs inside the home.

BSO says they fear there might be more victims of Jacobs in the community. Anyone with information regarding Michael Jacobs is asked to contact the BSO Special Victims Unit at 954-321-4240.

In addition to the lewd and lascivious charges, Jacobs also faces 20 related counts, including contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Jacobs is being held in the Broward County jail on $50,500 bond.

Still in a wheelchair due to the extent of his injuries, Brian Corbett, 18,  graduated with the rest of his class from Cypress Bay High School on Sunday afternoon at the Bank United Center at the University of Miami.

“I’ve had a great attitude all my life,” said Corbett who was left paralyzed after the crash, “I get depressed sometimes, but I’m still alive.”

Corbett said he plans to go to college and is interested in becoming a paramedic.

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The accident happened April 17th around 8:30 p.m. when Corbett and five other teens, packed into a Dodge pick up truck, were heading back to South Florida from Collier County where they had gone to a reggae concert.

The Florida Highway Patrol said for some reason the driver, 18-year old Nickolas Wagy, drifted into the median around Mile Marker 92 on Alligator Alley. Wagy then reportedly over-corrected as he tried to steer back onto the highway and rolled the truck. According to the FHP, several of his passengers were thrown from the truck as it rolled.

Sasha Abitante, 18, and Juan Zambrano, 17, were killed in the crash. Zambrano, who would have graduated from Cypress Bay High this year, was two days shy of his 18th birthday when he died.

Dylan Delgado,18, and Gabriel Fernandez, 18, received serious injuries. Wagy, the only person wearing a seat belt, received minor injuries.

A stop-the-presses comedy about the fast-paced cutthroat often hilarious world of newspaper journalism. Bonus features: production notes talent bios and film highlights. Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 03/28/2006 Starring: Michael Keaton Marisa Tomei Run time: 112 minutes Rating: R Director: Ron Howard

Highly entertaining albeit thin journalism thriller, this examination of a 24-hour period in the life of a New York Post-ish tabloid focuses on a hard-working metro editor (a pitch-perfect Michael Keaton) thinking of going to a loftier job at a rival paper. Edgy, “NYC as the center of the universe” full of sweat and grit, the paper debates the hot story of the day: a racial shooting. Like most movies from Ron Howard’s universe (Parenthood, Backdraft), it’s always just a movie, full of dramatic, over-the-top setups instead of the genuine article. Still, the film has the feeling of being there, full of workman’s vigor where “I’m on deadline” is the family motto. The cast is just right although the roles are stereotypical: the grizzled editor-in-chief (Robert Duvall) the cold female manager (Glenn Close), the slightly whacked-out ace columnist (Randy Quaid), and the rest. Each actor has choice moments in this movie that may turn fans on to the hectic side of journalism. –Doug Thomas

The Paper is available at Amazon for $9.99. To Order click here
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