The Reporter, Cy-Fair HS, Issue 5, March 24, 2015, Volume 68

reporter

the

Cy-Fair High School

Tuesday, March 24, 2015 Volume 68, Issue 5

Piano

Senior Madison Clark shares her little known success at playing piano.

{pg. 12}

Classes

Seniors, teachers break down all the classes underclassmen should consider taking.

Homework. Madison Clark plays her home piano. Photo by Will

{pg. 10&11}

Davis.

Twitter: @cf_reporter

22602 Hempstead Hwy Cypress, TX 77429

Instagram: @cf_reporter

02 Harper Neitzey

letters from

Whataburger booth favorite ‘spot’ At the Whataburger on Spring Cypress and 290, there is a perfect table.

In the back left corner, nestled between two windows, is a handicap booth with two sides of different lengths.

The booth has the best location in the restaurant. There is a direct view of both doors, so you always know who is arriving and leaving.

This table is where you can find my friends and me most nights.

Just like the old fashion couch on Friends, this is our spot. Except we sit at a grey plastic table, scarfing down french fries at Whataburger, not sipping on coffee in Central Perk.

It started during football season. After a game we would make our way to Whataburger to celebrate. Usually anywhere from eight to 15 people would show up and we would all cram in.

Making five people sit on the long side, four on the other, and then pull up four chairs to the end of the table.

No one is ever comfortable. Everyone’s food is always mixed together, making it impossible to determine which fries are actually yours.

Even though football season has long since ended, we still continue to sit in that corner booth. Whether it’s seven of us after a Friday night soccer game, or three of us on a Monday afternoon, we’re there, sitting on the blue plastic seats at the odd shaped table.

It might just be because I’m an emotional senior and in a few short months I will be moving away, but I am starting to grow nostalgic for this booth and all the memories we’ve made in it.

I’m going to miss the late night Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit runs, and stealing the table numbers, but most of all I’m going to miss all the people I spent hours just sitting and talking to in the back left corner booth.

Natalie Berry

Analyzing my world, one personality test at a time

I’ve always liked to analyze people and understand why they are the way they are. I often ask too many questions, and I’m usually very nosy. It’s just the way I am.

It’s because of these tendencies that I’ve recently gotten so into personality typing.

Specifically, the Myers-Briggs personality test.

I first took the test about two years ago, but I’ve taken the test many times online since then. After completion, it gives you four-letter personality type based off of your preference of one trait over the other in four different pairings: introversion vs. extroversion, sensing vs. intuition, thinking vs. feeling and perceiving vs. judging. For example, my type has consistently been INTJ, which means I have preferences of introversion, intuition, thinking and judging.

INTJs tend to be reserved, organized, independent, intelligent and open-minded perfectionists, which is a completely accurate description of me. They’re often perceived as stuck-up, heartless or judgmental. Only 1% of the Earth’s female population is INTJ, which means I’m pretty unique.

When I initially took the test, I didn’t think much of it. But recently I’ve been really delving into personality typing. I attribute this mostly to two of my friends, Claire and Kassi, who are equally, if not more so, into typing. We could talk for hours about the different types and how they get along.

I even go so far as to ask everyone I know to take the test, so that I can record their types on an ever-growing list on my phone. (Just in case you’re curious, Harper is an ESFJ and Will is an ENTP.) It’s a bit crazy, I’ll admit, but it’s oh-so interesting.

To try out the test for yourself, go to: http:// www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp

03.24.15 Will Davis

The study of humans past and present It took me years before I finally realized what I wanted to do with my life, and I now know that I want to be a journalist. I enjoyed reading and writing and interacting with my world around me so it made sense to those who knew me. What came next surprised everyone including myself.

I had always had doubts about majoring in communications or more specifically journalism.

I felt like I would have a hollow achievement and a “is there life after college?” feeling. It wasn’t until I was attending a journalism convention that I learned the big-picture idea of my journalistic career. I learned the important tenant that “Communications employers are looking for a background in journalism with a profession in something else.” So, along came anthropology.

Not the overpriced store, but the study of humans past and present. I realized that what I wanted to be the expert in was humanity. Truly I believe that there will be those who study stars and buildings, but I will study why we study the heavens and constantly reach for them. If so many people look to the past and learn from the mistakes. Why don’t we look to those who made the mistakes in the first place? I find that I appreciate where we are as a human race more when I learn more about where we came from.

So, with a few misgivings from my parents and a whole lot of confidence (as usual) I will study and work my way up through the communications world as quickly and wisely possible until I can travel the world to find and expose the roots of humanity to our modern society. I have given myself all the opportunity I need to succeed and I plan on taking it. But what I am most proud of is that I am following my passion.

Good luck to you.

AP TESTING

of the issue

INSTAGRAM

{

Your editors

100 students were polled on how many Advanced Placement tests they are planning on taking this year.

0

tests

4+ tests

3

tests

of the issue

SeniorJeff Yi turned senior MaiAnh Nguyen’s Calculus class into an “instant” date to ask her to prom.

2

tests

Johnathan Luckett, 12 “I’m taking English AP, Government, and Biology.

I’ve been studying for Government and Biology, not so much English.”

Patrick Haley, 12 “I’m taking Chemistry, Government, and Music Theory. I’ve been studying for Chemistry, thats the one I’m worried about.”

Elaine Faatany, 12 “I’m taking English AP, so I can get college out of the way sooner.”

1

tweet

test

Tweet us @cf_reporter

Sophomore Rachel Dexter tweets about her excessive amounts of school spirit shirts.

Want your photo or tweet to be in the next issue of The Reporter? Use the hashtag #cffeatures whenever you post. If your entry is chosen, you will be notified by a staff member before the next issue comes out.

{

Maddi Falvey,11 “I’m taking psychology, English, and Physics because I want credit for college.”

03.24.15

“[It’s] very cool. It is a good technology that will better the world. A lot of people think it’s not a good use yet because it is used primarily to make novelty items, but it can be cool because it can make a hand.”

“It is ridiculously useful. It is wonderful because in calculus we work with 3D shapes, and a printer could print those out so we can study them better. It is hugely awesome.”

-Nash Greer, 11

-Mr.Pardue, calculus teacher

4 questions you were Q: MA RC afraid to ask about A: H2 ne 015 3D PRINTING ws Q: b A: { it TWO

It all starts by making a visual design in a Computer Aided Design file using a 3D modeling program. The computer software arranges the final model into thousands of thin slices. When the information goes to the printer, it arranges the slices on top of each other, blending them together to show no sign of visible layering.

es

WHAT IS 3D PRINTING?

STUDENTS SIGN TO A&M Lane { Gillian Life Reporter

For Amanda Heller, the thought of playing college volleyball for Texas A&M University is both exciting and nerve-racking.

As for Braden Mann, who’s playing football for A&M, he’s just excited about the thousands of eyes that will be on him.

Juniors Braden Mann and Amanda Heller committed to Texas A&M University in February to play volleyball and football.

Heller started recruitment early in the eighth grade. She attended volleyball summer camps and befriended the coaches at A&M. She stayed in contact with the school until she was offered to join them as a recruited walk-on. A week and a half after the offer, Heller committed to being a part of the Aggie family.

During her senior year, Heller and a few other students will have their final meeting with coaches, recruiters and other A&M officials that will finalize all decisions and paperwork. Heller will be playing as a six rotation outside hitter.

“I am super excited to go to A&M, and a lot of my friends will be there too,” Heller said.

Mann went to a football camp last summer where he was one of the younger people there. A&M coaches and recruiters were very impressed by him and emailed him not long after the camp. After some communication, Mann was offered a kicking or punting position on the team along with a four year scholarship.

“I was very relieved because I had worked on recruiting for a year. I was finally done,” Mann said.

Though the students’ decisions are not binding, they plan to stay committed to Texas A&M University.

“A&M has always been my number one choice. I love the tradition and atmosphere of the school and they have a good football career and education,” Mann said Heller plans to study kinesiology and become a college volleyball coach. Mann plans to play football while becoming an athletic trainer. Both students believe A&M will help them with their career.

Both Mann and Heller plan to graduate a semester early so they can get a head start in practicing with their new team. They will finish high school classes in summer school, graduate at the end of the fall semester and will start at Texas A&M University in the spring of 2016.

Mann suggests younger aspiring athletes should keep working hard.

“Opportunities will come. Don’t get distracted and make bad choices that will get you off track”, Mann said.

Gig ‘em. Juniors Braden Mann and Amanda Heller represent both their high school and college. Photo by Will Davis.

03

WHAT CAN IT MAKE?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

John Sanchez Assistant Sports Editor

Q: A:

news

A few applications include constructing prototypes, metal casting, architecture, fossil reconstruction and reconstructing bones and body parts for forensic uses by using a gel that is infused with living cells. The materials it can print with include plastic, glass, metal, wax and edible food. Also human tissues and polymers.

Q: A:

HOW WILL THIS IMPACT SOCIETY?

3D printing is the process of making three dimensional objects from a digital file. The printer lays down thin layers of the material on top of each other until the whole object is made.

Source: http://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing/#future

This helps in the medical and science fields by bioprinting, which allows cells placed in predetermined patterns to replicate blood vessel and human tissues. It can potentially eliminate needs for organ donors. It also reduces the need for tools, machining and handcrafting parts for machines. .

SCHOOL

ACTING NATURAL

THEATER UIL PREPARES TO PERFORM PLAY ‘ASYLUM’ Jones { Kaylin Copy Editor

A new kind of prop. ‘Asylum’ adds to its unique qualities by using people as props, such as furniture. Photo by Kaylin Jones

Intro to Asylum. From left: Zach Jones, Neol Mehari, Fauzi Fathurahman, Brianna Baiza. Photo by Kaylin Jones.

A select group of young actors from the theater department will perform their 40 minute, one act UIL play, Asylum by Jerome McDonough, for a panel of judges on Mar. 27 with the hope of advancing all the way to state.

“Asylum is hard to explain, but it’s essentially centered on this man, Stan, who serves as the leader or father figure to the rest of the people in the asylum. Throughout the show, he develops different characterizations and changes his identity,” junior and drama club president, Rebecca East said. “Asylum doesn’t really have a chronological story it follows, it’s mostly different episodes and experiences that the ensemble goes through together with Stan as their guiding light.”

In Asylum, there are only two pylons as a set. The other set pieces needed are formed by the actors using their bodies to make the required furniture. There are also a lot of movements that the actors have to do to music, which is something the theater department does not do often.

“Asylum was unique and has a full cast. It’s extremely avant garde and experimental and difficult and fun. It’s a challenge to everybody that is a part of it. I have 14 performers in this play and a lot are underclassmen. I only have 1 senior in the group. This means next year I will have a lot of students with UIL experience which is always nice. They will know what to expect and also know my expectation and disposition with UIL,” director Matt Buchanan said.

Sophomore Noel Mehari plays Stan, the male lead of the play.

It is his second year participating in the UIL competition for theatre.

“Last year, I was an understudy, this year I managed to land a big role. It’s a lot of responsibility and comes with a decent amount of pressure, but it’s always exciting to just step back and look at how far I’ve come in so little time. It makes me proud to think about how I was able to pull this off,” Mehari said.

Since rehearsals began in late January, the cast incorporated different core and teamwork exercises in order to help gain the focus that the show requires them to have. It consists of 15 to 30 minutes of squats, yoga and core exercises at the beginning of rehearsal.

“Non-competition shows that we put on at Cy-Fair are usually more laid back. We have more time to sit around and talk to friends, and we definitely don’t do work outs, but when it comes to UIL, Buchanan really hunkers down on us and makes sure we do what we’re supposed to. It is intense, so hopefully the hard work pays off for us this year,” East said.

On the day of the UIL competition, the cast performs at the Berry Center where they check in and prepare to perform.

“The day of UIL is stressful, stressful, stressful. There’s a lot of downtime where we just sit in our dressing room and run lines and certain scenes that need extra practice,” East said. “Also in this time, we get dressed, do our hair, and we do our make-up.

We eventually get to our turn to perform and then it’s over just like that, everything we’ve done for weeks and weeks is over in just a 40-minute show.”

During their 2014 UIL competition, a cast of theater students performed the one-act play November. They competed against four other schools in their zone and tied for second place.

“The top two schools advance, and since one of the judges scored us low, we were deemed as un-advancers,” East said. “It sucked for us last year, but I still remember it as one of the best shows I’ve ever put on, we loved every second of it.”

Buchanan has one simple goal in mind, and that’s to win.

“I haven’t won yet, so I want to win. I want to advance. The show will be great, but I can’t control if we advance or not. It would be nice to have the students experience that and have their hard work validated even more so than just the zone performance,” Buchanan said.

04 ads

03.24.15

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS GET READY FOR COLLEGE NOW!

Visit your College Connections Advisor Fridays at your high school or sign up for LSC-CyFair campus tours Tuesdays through Fridays!

Save the date Feb. 26 for Enrollment/Financial Aid info session!

For information, call 281.290.3483.

LoneStar.edu Three convenient locations!

LSC-CyFair

9191 Barker Cypress at West Road

LSC-Fairbanks Center

14955 Northwest Freeway near Beltway 8

LSC-Cypress Center 19710 Clay Road at Fry Road

Open Doors

03.24.15

news

05

Planning for the big day. Bobcats Fight for a Cure make thank you letters, and discuss the walk’s itinerary. Photos by Maddie Pierce.

Relay for

Life

BOBCATS FIGHT FOR A CURE CLUB PREPARES FOR CANCER WALK

Pierce { Maddie Assistant Life Editor Its purpose is simple: fight for a world where cancer no longer has the power to rob anyone of a birthday.

Relay for Life organizes overnight community fundraising walks to aid in the fight against cancer.

Cy-Fair’s Relay for Life club, Bobcats Fight for a Cure, meets Wednesdays after school in 9001 to create posters and Luminaria bags.

On April 17, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. the team will participate in Relay for Life at Cy-Ridge High School’s track along with countless other teams from all around the district.

“I’m really looking forward to the Luminaria Ceremony,” first time participant Katie VonDrehle said. “I am going in memory of my sister.”

Teams camp around a track and

take turns walking laps. The only rule is that every team must have at least one representative on the track at all times. Relay for Life coordinators provide food, games and activities for the participants. The event includes a survivors lap where cancer survivors can walk the track proudly in celebration over their victory.

After the sun goes down, the Luminaria Ceremony begins, which honors those who have lost the fight against cancer and those who continue to fight. Personalized bags are filled with lit candles and placed around the track in honor of those whose lives were touched by cancer.

For five year participant Sharon Stuhlreyer, the Luminaria Ceremony is her favorite part.

“I think it sends a very powerful message about how many people have been impacted by cancer,” Stuhlreyer said.

Stuhlreyer helps out through water bottle dime fundraising and any other job that needs her help.

“I joined Relay for Life to help raise money and awareness for Cancer research,” Stuhlreyer said. “I have several family and friends who have battled or are currently battling cancers.”

The event ends with the Fight Back Ceremony where participants make a personal commitment to take up the fight against cancer. Fighting back could be as simple as getting a screening, quitting smoking or even contacting elected officials regarding

the fight against cancer.

Susan Balke, Bobcats Fight for a Cure sponsor, has been a Relay for Life participant since she lost her sister to pancreatic cancer three years ago.

“I choose to support The American Cancer Society (the official sponsors of Relay for Life) because roughly 87 cents of every dollar raised goes toward cancer research and prevention,” Balke said. “The ACS is working to fight ALL cancers, not just

the most common ones. Every person can make a difference!”

The American Cancer Society sponsors Relay for Life to raise funds, awareness and knowledge of cancer research and education. Being the largest nonprofit fundraising event in the world, Relay for Life usually has a turnout of several hundred participants each year per event.

More than $3 billion has been raised since the start of Relay for Life in 1985.

INDOOR DRUMLINE EXCELS, WINS TWO INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Harvey {Esmeralda Opinion Reporter

Beating the drums and the competition. Indoor Drumline competes in their second competition at Cy-Lakes. Photo courtesy of John Nelson.

Drum line has competed in three competitions so far this year and is undefeated in Texas Color Guard Circuit competitions with a rating of 85.28 out of 100 in three categories: music, visual and general effects.

Cy- Fair won state winter guard international championships in Ohio twice so far. In 2012, 42 groups

advanced to the finals and got seventh place in overall. In 2014 they competed and got 5 place. Students in indoor drum line often compete locally and have been in first place so far as they finish their season march seventh.

Indoor drum line and marching band compete as percussion in their yearly competitions through January to March. Instead of being on the football fields competitions

are usually held in an auditorium or a gymnasium. Indoor drum line consists of percussion students using percussion based instruments such as battery and different types of drums like the snare. But indoor drum line is not a class. It’s an after school extracurricular activity.

Indoor drum line takes a lot of time and effort. Members of this program usually practice up to eight hours a week. Giving off large

amounts of dedication to be able to take the heat in competition. Students practicing there reps and giving 100 percent. Taking certain chunks of music and repeating them, until its perfect. They perform high energy six minute shows in the battery section, along with front ensemble.

“Next year we plan on going to Ohio” said Nelson. “With returning students, were going to have the strongest group ever.”

06 sports

MARCH MADNESS

03.24.15

THE SCIENCE BEHIND BRACKETOLOGY Steppe {Ryan Graphics Editor

For fans of college hoops, the best time of the year is now upon us. The NCAA Men’s (and Women’s) Division I Basketball Championships are in full swing.

Unlike the NBA playoffs, the college tournament is a singleelimination affair, unforgiving of even the slightest of missteps.

Upsets can and do occur, frequently.

But perhaps what separates this tournament the most from other competitions is the bracketology phenomenon.

Ultimately, the goal of bracketology is to correctly predict and fill a tournament bracket. This process has become a national event.

In fact, in recent years, everyone from President Barack Obama to Charlie Sheen has filled out brackets.

However, success is unlikely.

The odds of randomly selecting a perfect bracket (including the first four opening round games) are 147,573,952,589,676,412,928 to one.

Granted, research and more informed decisions can increase one’s odds, but it’s still a near-impossible task.

A $1 billion prize offered by Warren Buffet for successfully predicting the tournament last year went uncollected.

Certain factors are more useful than others in making tournament

6

Reaching. (top left) Virginia’s Malcolm Brogdon, top, blocks a shot by North Carolina State’s Cat Barber during the first half of at PNC arena in Raleigh NC. Photo by Ethan Hyman/ MCT

Seconds of

FAME

Gray { Audrey Opinion Editor

DIVER ashlynn peters, 12

campus.

Fight for it. Kentucky’s Willie Cauley-Stein and South Carolina’s Sindarius Thornwell (0) battle for a rebound at Rupp Arena in Lexington KY. Photo by

A

I have improved immensely. Every year I have become stronger and more precise in everything I do in diving. I have learned so many new dives and gotten better at each one.

My hurdle has improved and some of my diving has completely changed from when I first started.

Leap of faith. (top right) Kansas’ Perry Ellis shoots over Texas Christian’s Amric Fields during the second half at the Allen Field house in Lawrence Kansas.

Photo by Rich Sugg/ MCT campus.

Charles Bertram/ MCT campus.

does it feel when you hit the are your future plans with Q How Q How did you do at state this year? Q What water? diving?

Going to state and being able to I hit the water I immediately I have committed to Virginia Tech A represent Cy-Fair is such a cool A When grab my hands then “rip” the water, experience. The facility we competed A and I plan on qualifying for NCAAs. and that is what makes little splash. I also do a kind of front flip (we call it a pike save) underwater, which also helps in making no splash.

do you feel you’ve improved you jump off the board and Q How since you first started diving to Q When start diving through the air, what now?

predictions. A team’s Rating Percentage Index, or RPI, can be used to predict how a team will perform in the tournament. Teams with a higher RPI are more likely to win than teams with lower RPIs. Another factor to consider when filling out a bracket is a team’s seeding. For example, as of the 2014 tournament, a 16-seed has never defeated a 1-seed in the tournament.

However, it’s not necessarily an intelligent idea to only pick higherranked teams: Only once have all four 1-seeds made it to the Final Four (in 2008.)

Finally, there is the issue of attempting to predict the “Cinderellas” of the tournament.

Even the best brackets can fall victim to miracle stories such as 2013’s Florida Gulf Coast Eagles, a team that, as a 15-seed, shocked 2-seeded Georgetown in the Round of 64 and would go on to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. To reach perfection, the aspiring bracketologist must be able to predict the unfathomable.

In other words, feel free to pick higher-ranked teams such as Kentucky and Virginia, but don’t be surprised if they fall to teams that get hot at just the right time.

In short, March Madness is quite possibly the most fitting moniker one could have given to the tournament.

do you feel like?

I’m in the air my body knows A When what to do. I’ve done the dives so many times I have muscle memory, so I don’t actually think about too much when I’m in the air. I’ll focus on one or two certain corrections that my coach will give me.

at is incredible and the atmosphere is something that is hard to mimic.

Overall I am very happy with how I performed. I placed second out of the top 16 in the state. I set out to do each dive the best I could and I felt like I was able to do that. I could not have done it without my coach, Bob Gunter, who has coached me since I first started diving at 12 years old. I am thankful for the opportunity and experience.

This summer my goal is to make the point qualification for the 2016 Olympic trials, and I want to reach my full potential in my diving career.

you compete, do you have Q Before any traditions you always do to calm you down or get you ready?

always always always visualize my A Idives.

I go through each step of the

dive in my head and I also act out the motions. Whenever I visualize I close my eyes and go through the dive as if I’m actually doing it.

Photo by Audrey Gray.

03.24.15

On the run

Running the ball. Freshman Ashlyn Sims dribbles across the field at a game against Cypress Ranch. Photo by Will Davis.

Davis { William Managing Editor

When spring weather battles with what remains of winter, the uprights are replaced by goals and a new set of cleats greet the grass. This season, twice a week, our girls soccer team is given 80 minutes to prove themselves faster, stronger and more determined.

Out of the first nine games they have seven wins, one tie and

one loss in district.

Even though last year’s season was marked with the reality of at least three injuries during some points in the season, the team finished second in district. After that achievement, this season’s team has a whole new set of disadvantages to overcome.

While the coaching and desire to uphold expectations remains, many key players do not. Three veteran athletes

sports

VARSITY SOCCER COACH ATTRIBUTES SUCCESS TO TEAMWORK

07

Chance to Score. Senior Rachel Dozier goes for a penalty kick during a game against Cypress Ranch. Photo by Will Davis.

graduated this year, there are four returning starters from the previous season.

“I would say our greatest disadvantage is the inexperience we have gained this year,” senior Captain Rachel Dozier said. “While [the players] lack field time, a lot of the new girls have the talent it takes for the varsity team.”

But the team is not without its strengths. Even though this year holds a young roster of 13 underclassmen, their ability to overcome the inexperience is something the girls practice for.

“We have a common goal that has become a group effort,” Dozier said. “We have adapted to use this strength to build up our weak positions.”The coach coordinates the efforts of the girls from the sidelines, a task that he has taken more seriously this season.

“The biggest challenge every year is taking the different playing backgrounds and combine it into one team,” Onhaizer said. “I try not to make the team think too much about the other team’s tactic in order to focus on our own playing.”

Onhaizer has noticed that even with nine players new to varsity, their success can be attributed to teamwork.

“We are very unselfish, we have a group where no one is the lead goal scorer or top priority,” he added.

A soccer player since kindergarten, Ashlyn Sims, joined the team this year and made varsity with four other freshman, Erin Reilly, Hayden Janner, Maggie Dvoracek and Logan Yegge. Although Sims plays for the Challenge Soccer Club, the Bobcat team held something different for her.

“I play to be part of something in this school,”

Sims said. “It’s cool that I am part of a team that is so close.”

Even with as much experience as Sims and the other novices have gained, playing on Varsity is a test of their talent. But this team has found a way to win despite any setbacks.

“I had some intimidation at first,” Sims said. “But I am a fast player and I have good teamwork.”

Part of this solution was shared by Coach Onhaizer who witnessed the difference firsthand.

“Any doubt in confidence has been mended by people throughout the team stepping up.” Onhaizer said.

With a majority of the season left to be played, this team of young blooded athletes still has room to meet the play off high standards set in previous years.

08 sports

03.24.15

ULTIMATE frisbee STUDENTS TALK NEW SPORTS CLUB SPONSORED

BY ALGEBRA II TEACHER RYAN ZISMAN Neitzey {Harper Co-Editor-in-Chief When senior Aaron Smith approached Algebra II teacher Ryan Zisman in January he had one goal in mind.

“I wanted to start an Ultimate club because ball is life,” Smith said. “And I noticed Cy-Fair was lacking a club where the coolest of the cool could meet up and toss a disc.”

Now three months later the club has started to grow and gain popularity.

“We have around 30 people who show up regularly from varying skill levels: beginners to dudes who will play in college and take the game way too seriously,” Zisman said.

The club is a mixture of students who play other sports like soccer and football, and some that don’t play any other sports.

“I like ultimate because it is different,” Smith said. “It’s a sport where you don’t have to be a physical monster to win, there is so much more to it.”

The club plans to make a Varsity team that will compete and travel to the state tournament in Waco in May. “In an ideal world, we will take a varsity crew to compete in the state tournament,”

Zisman said. “After winning that, we’d go on to nationals, meet the president, dunk on his delegates, compliment his political etiquette, toss a couple mill in the air just for the fun of it—who’s to say? Then we’d go to space. Outer space is monster tight.”

Senior Victoria Adams is one of four girls in the Ultimate club.

“It’s sometimes fun being a girl on the team because we get to have rec rules, which is girls get two points,” Adams said. “But sometimes the guys don’t throw to you even though you are capable of catching which can be frustrating.”

The club practices every Wednesday from 3:15 for about two hours on the football practice fields. Even though the club has been meeting since January, the club is always open to new people coming and playing with them.

“I like practice because I can have fun while still getting some really good cardio in,” Adams said. “Sometimes after practice my legs feel like jello but it’s totally worth it because I had a really good time.”

While the players are excited about the chance to compete, they mostly just play for the fun of the game.

Kneel and Toss.

Senior Stephen Orihel and senior Jhovanny Ramirez have a close play at Frisbee practice.

Photo by Melissa Reinsch.

“Ultimate Frisbee is about the love of the game,” “I’ve never met serious ultimate players who acted like [jerks]. From collegiate players to Houston’s club teams, the people are simply nice. People play the sport because it’s fun. Take

some of life’s greatest joys: high-fives, dance parties, egg rolls, compliments, smiles,” Zisman said. “Put those all together and you’ve a pretty good understanding of the sport.”

The Cy-Fair way

GOLF TEAMS DISCUSS SEASONS Sanchez { John Assistant Sports Editor

Proud. Junior Eric Laughlin, sophomore Chase Osterman, senior Lee Maddox, senior Tyler McCarley and junior Nickolas Martinez hold the plaque they earned for coming in first at the Hearthstone tournament. Photo courtesy of Eric Laughlin.

With three wins under their belt, the boy’s golf team is off to a good start.

The boy’s golf team placed first at the Longwood, Hearthstone and Cypress Lakes tournaments, second at the Klein and two Cypress Lakes tournaments.

Junior Eric Laughlin came in first at the Hearthstone, Longwood and Cypress Lakes tournaments.

“It feels pretty good to win. I wish the weather could be better though,” Laughlin said.

The team practices usually four days a week at the Cypress Lakes golf course.

Their biggest competitors are Cypress Woods, Cypress Ranch, Cypress Creek and Langham Creek.

“All of these tournaments are just practice for District. District is the only one that really matters, Coach Harrell Smith said.

The girl’s varsity team came in first place at the Jersey meadows tournament, and JV came in second.

“Lately we have been working on our scrambles, chipping and padding,” Benotti said.

All that practice pays off during the tournament.

“My favorite part of the tournaments are the car rides on our way there and back. You get to meet people and make connections,” senior Courtney Johnson said.

But they are working towards a bigger goal.

“Our goal is to have a good regional presence. I think we have a good potential for a repeat title,” Coach Benotti said.

life

03.24.15 ROCK-CLIMBING

09

Miles higher

Berry { Natalie Editor-in-Chief

MILES WALKER CLIMBS COMPETITIVELY AND GIVES INSIGHT TO THE CLIMBING WORLD

Senior Miles Walker has only participated in rock climbing for four years, yet he ranked 26th in the nation at the National Championships in January.

Walker began rock-climbing seven years ago at Stone Moves Indoor Climbing Gym after he attended a friend’s birthday party at the gym. It wasn’t until his freshman year that he starting climbing competitively.

Walker spends 35 hours a week at Stone Moves climbing for personal improvement. On his off days, he works at the same gym, teaching others how to use the facilities and safety equipment.

“I have a lot of friends that climb at the gym with me that are all about the same level as I am,” Walker said. “We’re at the climbing gym almost everyday and climb together whenever we can. Sometimes a little more than we should.”

During practice, Walker focuses

on improving his technique, which he says he often finds himself overlooking, choosing to focus on power instead. While climbing technique is one of his trouble spots, Walker’s knowledge and control of his body is one of his greatest assets.

“The main reason why I’m as good as I am is because I have a great strength-to-weight ratio,” Walker said. “I definitely don’t have the biggest muscles but I can control my body a lot better than most people can.”

Walker’s superb control won him 14th in a prior National Championship, which he considers to be his greatest competition achievement.

“My favorite competition experience is always going to Nationals because I get to see all of the strongest climbers in the nation and world, many of whom I look up to,” Walker said. “My main climbing

inspiration is a guy named Jimmy Webb. He is one of the best climbers in the world and by far my favorite. He’s a good guy and an incredible climber who I strive to be like everyday.”

Walker takes most pride in his outdoor climbing experiences.

“There’s two types of [outdoor] climbing: bouldering, which is climbing without a rope on and only climbing about 10-15 feet, and top-roping, which is climbing with a rope and climbing however tall the climb is,” Walker said. “I’ve bouldered v10 [on a grade scale up to V16] outside and a 5.13d [on a grade scale from 5.0 from 5.15c] on top-roping.”

Being involved in climbing at such a competitive level has provided Walker with perks such as sponsorships. The Stone Moves climbing team he is on is sponsored by Skratch Labs, an electrolyte sports drink. Walker is also sponsored by Evolv, which is a climbing shoe and accessory company.

“Through the sponsorship I get a bunch of free stuff and a huge discount,” Walker said. “But I also have to promote the brand.

I mainly do this by only using the company’s product. For example, I don’t drink Gatorade, but instead I drink Skratch Labs.”

For Walker, climbing is more than a competition. It’s a lifestyle and also a way to achieve peace of mind.

“I love climbing because there is always someone stronger than you, and there is always something harder to climb,” Walker said. “It is very relaxing because when I climb, all I have to focus on is one movement at a time, rather than a whole bunch at once. When I climb I can put off whatever else may be going on in my life.”

As for the future, Walker plans to focus more on outdoor climbing. He still wants to compete in college, but he also wants to travel outside to climb on more real boulders.

“Climbing is definitely a ‘life sport’, a sport that will always be a part of your life no matter how old,” Walker said. “I plan on climbing until I physically can’t anymore.”

RAN

KIN

14th

GS

&A WA RD

in the nation (2014)

S

26th

in the nation (2015)

Sponsored by Evolv and Skratch Labs Nationals. Walker climbs at the National Championships.

He placed 14th. Photo courtesy of Miles Walker.

Georgia. Walker climbs the “ghetto Superstar” v9 in Georgia. Photo courtesy of Miles Walker.

Did you take Pre-Calc and enjoy it?

CHOOSE

a senior math class?

Are you willing to study for an AP test?

No.

Yes.

No.

Yes.

No.

Do you like classes You got: College Algebra! with a lot of hands-on College Algebra is not AP like the other math options, but you can still get credited data collection? for it. “Even though it is possible to get dual credit for the class, it is not automatic.

To get college credit you have to pass a placement test or have a sufficiently high score on the SAT or ACT. You also have to register in the Spring of the year before you take the class. You can get details from your counselor,” said teacher Mitchell Lawyer.

The course is recommended for those that perform well in Algebra II or Pre-Calculus.

An understanding of math is expected and homework will be done most days, making it a major part of your workload. Algebra is used by a variety of careers such as civil engineering, programming, teaching and many more. Most colleges have what they want you to take on their websites so just looking up your degree will let you know whether this is the right course for you.

You got: Calculus AB!

Yes.

Yes.

You got: Statistics AP!

Statistics has been part of a major swing in sports, business, medicine, and many other fields within the last decade. More and more people are turning to analytics to get a more accurate answer before turning to the guess and check of old. “Statistics is the most widely applicable branch of mathematics and is used in more professions than any other kind of math,” said teacher Amy Brewer. The class encourages the students to participate by having activities that demonstrate statistics in fun ways. Tasting soda, drawing cards, catapulting gummy bears, among others all lead to a better understanding of the classes concepts as a whole.

Taught by Mrs. Reddington Calculus AB covers the basic curriculum for college level math courses. The class is of course upper level and AP meaning a lot of work is expected from students. Pre-Calculus is a must for students since many of the concepts taught there will be expected of students who take Calculus AB. Unlike Calculus BC there are projects and some time to work on things in class. Students are still expected to do homework like all other math classes and tests will need studying in order to pass. The course is for those going into college level courses. “I think a lot of people go into their college majors thinking they don’t need calculus, but most business majors do need calculus.

So, even if you don’t think you’ll need it, it’s probably a good idea to take it,” said senior Brooke Faltesek.

What you learn in AB will all be covered in BC as well, but here you get more time to be comfortable with the math.

Are you planning on studying architecture, business, geosciences, natural sciences or technical fields?

Do you want to have time to work during class?

No.

Yes. You got: Calculus BC!

Calculus BC is considered to be the most college-like of the math courses available. “The math that you learn is not harder than the others, it is just that you have to learn more in less time,” said teacher Chandler Pardue. The course is intended to have students learn the equivalent of most freshman college calculus and the pace is surely clear of that. Having time to work on homework or even review is unheard of within the classroom. A new lesson is taught everyday if not testing or taking an assessment making a day loss sometimes a bit of a struggle. The homework is there to decide how well any student as well since there is always problems available and Mr.Pardue makes it a priority to have whatever homework that is assigned to have detailed work to help those lost understand where to go. What you put into the class is what you get out of it and if not attending tutoring before a test or even studying in the slightest doesn’t sound appealing to you it may not be the right choice.

The big dilemma

Your college decision actually begins a lot earlier than you think. Choosing the classes you will take freshman year can end up impacting what will be available to you by a significant amount.

Everyone knows that the harder the class is the more prestigious it appears to the universities that are looking at potential students, but just taking college courses can end up hurting you more in the long run than taking something that is a better fit. Classes can either have 6 or 7 points assigned to them as max grade points possible, but turning down the seven points for six may end up being a regret. Plenty of great courses offered will only give you six points on your transcript, but a class like engineering design can give you accreditation in AutoCAD which is more useful to some out of high school than seven points for a class that has nothing to do with their career.

There is also the fact that an A may not be reached so make sure whatever class you take it, is suited to how much you are able to cope with. Taking a K

28%

World Are aS tu

So you need to

id es

RECOMM ELECTIVE

hip s r de a e

Steppe {Ryan Graphics Editor

20%

Te e n L

Berry { Natalie Editor-in-Chief

VS

THIS

Mattinson { Will Business Manager

We asked 50 upperclassmen which elective cla

S.

THAT

a: L, K, DC, or AP? level course allows you to demonstrate how well you are able to master school subjects in general.

These are all courses expected of high school students who want to push themselves and try for a good grade. Dual Credit makes your high school education a comparable college one. You earn your credit based off what you make in the class so it is working all year round. More notes and studying is required compared to most classes, but having a college credit for schools within Texas not only looks good ,but good enough can save a large amount of money in tuition in a few years time. AP is the next college course you can take but it all will rely on the final AP test score.

The AP test is used by most colleges to not only view students’ readiness, but also getting credit for classes. The convenience about having one test for the country means different scores can be credited by different schools. The AP test is also required by some international schools for students to take to be admitted.

8%

ComPro g P syc

ho

y log

12%

ts Manag e m e n Spor t

MENDED OPTIONS

12%

Sc

20%

ho

s lar

Prep /SAT

ass they would recommend to underclassmen.

A GUIDE TO CHOOSING YOUR CLASSES WISELY

SC ENCE OPTIONS

Engineering Design and Problem Solving Students take part in group activities year round where they learn different forms of engineering and how actual groups work day to day.

Biology AP

Chemistry AP

This class deals with the makeup of both animals and plants going to molecular levels.

A college level course that requires not only work in the form of tests and quizzes but also lab activities.

Anatomy

Environmental Science AP

Deals specifically with the human body and how it is made up taught by typical techniques along with labs that feature dissections.

Designed for those interested in the environment and what impacts it negatively and positively.

Physics AP

Astronomy

A semester of algebra based physics at a college level taught over a whole year giving students more time.

The study of space where students get to interact and create projects to help understand the galaxy.

Aquatic Science

Forensics

Compares the environments of fresh and saltwater ecosystems and all that inhabits them

All involving crime scenes and the science behind how to solve the problems. Students will get to conduct their own research to get experience in the field.

12 life

03.24.15

It’s her

Enojado { Emme Culture Editor

orte

Practice. Madison Clark practices a piano piece. Photo by Will Davis. Award. (right) Clark shows a 2011 award.

It started when she was five years old.

Shortly after reading about the correlation between studying music and math scores, Madison Clark’s parents plopped her down on a piano bench and let her instructor guide the way. Even though it was her first time near the instrument, Clark’s slender fingers seemed to dance elegantly along the keys of ivory white and smaller ones of charcoal black, emitting waves of pure sound.

Since realizing that she possessed a knack for the piano, Clark’s parents moved her to a more stern teacher.

“I took one-hour lessons once a week and practiced at least an hour a day. In the second grade, I began competitions, my first being in the Cypress Creek area where I got runner-up,” Clark said.

Clark picked up her first medal that day, but also a newfound adoration for the excitement that

SENIOR MADISON CLARK FINDS LOVE PLAYING PIANO AND PERFORMING IN LOCAL, STATE COMPETITIONS

comes along with performing.

“I quickly found my love for competitions,” Clark, now a senior, said. “It is the ability to perform and compete to receive recognition in the music world that makes the grueling practice worth it.”

Every year, Clark takes the Texas Music Teachers Association Theory Exam. These written exams test the student’s knowledge and understanding of musical structure and are scored by five graders from the state on a scale up to 101. Clark has placed every year with one silver (95-98) and the rest, gold (98-101).

Clark, who has performed in local,

Wingin’ it Parker { Valerie Assistant Opinion Editor

Biohawk. One of DJ Biohawk’s promotional photos that includes his online websites. Photo courtesy of Edward Sifuentez.

city and state competitions, always places. In the sixth grade, she played at the eighth grade level and won first.

“My two greatest achievements are first place in the city of Houston at Forum Young Artist piano solo competition at the University of Houston and Finalist at State (top 10) Texas Music Teachers Festival Piano Solo,” Madison said.

Clark has played with some of the best pre-collegiate teachers in Sugar Land and downtown Houston. “My junior year, I was given the privilege of studying under one of the best pianists alive today, Svetla Protich,” Clark said.

Every song he chooses is a risk.

Will it pump up the crowd or turn everyone off?

Senior Edward Sifuentez, also known as DJ BIOHAWK, has been mixing music since he was 12 and began playing the game DJ Hero. A year later, he started using a small DJ controller to make mixes and mash ups for friends and family.

“To actually perform, you need good mixing, programming skills as well as a vast open mind for your music. I want to go very far with my career, and beginning at a very young age gives me a head start. My goals are to DJ on the main stages at festivals such as EDC and Tomorrowland. I

Above all, Clark has found a passion in sharing her love of music with others. During the summer of 2013, she attended University of Houston’s High School Piano Institute. For 10 days, Clark was among 25 other aspiring soloists from all over Texas and Oklahoma. “The program buzzed with energy and an overwhelming amount passion for the art of sound,” Clark said. “We all shared the same love for piano music and performance.”

Although Clark will not pursue music as her major when she attends Texas A&M University in the fall, her fingers will never stop playing.

Photo courtesy of Madison Clark.

“I do plan to continue practicing and playing hopefully for a local church and maybe even the orchestra at Texas A&M,” Clark said. “I may pursue beginner level teaching or accompanying in college for music major students and high school competitions as I have done some accompanying for UIL Solo and Ensemble and even Showstoppers and orchestra here at Cy-Fair.”

“The fact that I will never be perfect and that there is only room for improvement inspires me to continue to play,” Clark said. “Even though I don’t compete like I used to, I will never stop playing for fun.”

SENIOR MAKES MIXED TAPES, DJS AS ALTER EGO “DJ BIOHAWK”

can improve myself by getting my content out quicker and getting better at producing,” Sifuentez said.

Sifuentez has owned his DJ business, Hazardous Sound Entertainment, for three years. He travels around Houston to play at parties for people who pay him. The biggest event he did was a New Year’s Eve party with over 200 in attendance.

“The feeling at any gig I play at is like no other. Whenever you are at center stage with dozens of people all dancing to what you’re playing, it gives its own euphoria in a unique way. Anytime the right song is played, the crowd just gives an instant roar in appreciation,” Sifuentez said.

He is releasing his first mixed tape “BIOHAWK BEGINS” within the

next few weeks. It was created over a year ago and features four of his unreleased original songs. He will be completing his promo CD which Sifuentez will be handing out to promoters and managers of venues.

“I use Digital Audio Workstation, or DAW, to compose different sounds, synths and samples in order to make a final one to use as a main bass line or simple sub bass. I also use real instruments to add more spice.

Dubstep and rock go great together,” Sifuentez said.

DJ BIOHAWK was made because his original name Nighthawk was taken.

“The word “Biohazard” was on one side of my brain, while “hawk” was on the other. I merged them

together and was pleased with how it sounded,” Sifuentez said.

While good business and people skills are important qualities to have as a DJ, the music is always put before everything else according to Sifuentez. He advertises himself through social media, also physical merchandise like T-shirts.

“The hardest part is sometimes not having inspiration in order to make mixes and songs, but I usually overcome that by exercising and listening to other music. Sometimes it’s nerve wracking to play the next song when you’re playing at a gig because you never know if it will turn on or off the crowd,” Sifuentez said.

He can be found on SoundCloud at DJ BIOHAWK.

life

03.24.15

Sticking to art

13

Vaccinate

TEACHER’S ASSISTANT MAKES AND SELLS PROPS AND CRAFTING WITH DUCT TAPE

debate

student supports measle vaccinations Kazmi { Wafa News Editor

(Above) Growlithe. Tefft poses with her duct tape creation of the Pokémon Growlithe. (Top right) Magmar. Tefft’s duct tape figure of the Pokémon Magmar sits on a lawn. (Right) Tepig. The Pokémon Tepig, again made by Tefft from duct tape, hides under some grass. Photos courtesy of Ally Tefft.

Faria { Lizzie News Reporter Seven years ago, Ally Tefft (Class of 2008) graduated Cy-Fair. Two yers ago, she returned. This time, not as a student, but as a life skills paraprofessional. But she does more than that. She volunteers with the theater department and makes the props for all the school productions including dragons.

Tefft got into making sculptures and prop-making while attending Cy-Fair, when she was in theater.

But what really sparked her interest was when she got into Pokemon. She wanted to buy figurines and plushies of different Pokemon, but knew she couldn’t pay for it on her own. Rather than buying merchandise, she made them out of duct tape instead.

“The very first one I ever made was Charizard- which is kind of a dragonand since then I’ve been making mostly fire type Pokemon,” Tefft said.”But the skills I’ve learned making the structure for those helped me build the structure for Smaug.”

Tefft wasn’t alone when making the dragons. Theater tech director Wesley Tarpley works with her.

“Working with Ally is amazing because she’s great with the students and she knows things have to be in order and she has an artistic flare about her,” Tarpley said.

Tefft said she started helping out in theater after talking to Tarpley about the play while in the classroom.

“Mr. Tarpley and I worked together a lot in the classroom outside

of theater and we would talk about the play because I love theater and I make props in my spare time,’” Tefft said, describing how she got started making dragons. “He told me he was stumped on the dragon, so we went back and forth on different ideas, which eventually led to me staying after and helping the tech team and having a blast,” Tefft said.

Tefft’s often looks online for inspiration.

“I get a framework, and take things in the way I want them to go,” Tefft said.

As for the dragons, her inspiration comes from the Hobbit and Pokemon. Tefft makes dragons made of a wire base, covered in chicken wire and then paper mached until it has a smooth texture. Then the paper mache base is covered in foam and texture paint to give the illusion of scales.

“That dragon took about three weeks with the help of the theater tech class and Mr. Tarpley, who did all the moving parts and smoke,” Tefft said.

Tefft did run into some problems when making Smaug’s eyes.

“We had a clear idea in our [Mr. Tarpley and I’s] minds but we couldn’t get it to work in practice. We couldn’t find what we wanted. Once we did we opened the glass balls we found and they were filled with styrofoam, and we couldn’t put a light in them. But then Mr. Tarpley put the light behind them and we discovered it made the

coolest broken glass effect that we absolutely loved,” Tefft said.

Tefft does more than make props for theater productions. She makes duct tape Charizards and more like it at local anime conventions in the Artist Alley, a room full of artists who sell their prints, stickers, key chains and badges. In Tefft’s booth, she sells sculptures, hats and wallets.

“I’ve been commissioned to make a few by family and friends and I love the new challenge they give me,” Tefft said.

Tefft has been making props for six years and has received positive feedback from family and the cosplay community for her work with props.

Junior Peyton Tavarez, who played a dwarf in The Hobbit, said they did very well with the resources they had.

“It was good for a children’s show that needed something fun and big,” Tavarez said.

Tefft said she meets a lot of people with the same interests and has made some great friends.

“My mom always makes crafts and we spend a lot of time together being creative and even selling at a booth together,” Tefft said. “I get a huge sense of pride when I build something that other people like too.”

Measles, which used to cause 450 deaths a year, was nearly eliminated in our country in 2000 because of widespread use of the MMR vaccine.

However, as more and more parents choose not to vaccinate their children the number of measles cases are dramatically increasing at frightening speeds- 644 cases last year, and about 145 cases already this year.

According to USA Today, a story suggested that of the 119 cases reported in California alone, 82 percent were because the infected had not been vaccinated.

It’s terrifying that now, in the age of immense scientific and technological innovations and breakthroughs, there is a growing number of parents who choose to leave their children untreated. This not only puts their children in danger, but also the rest of the population.

While some parents and adults have legitimate reasons to not get treated--such as cancer treatment which would not comply with the vaccines--the most widespread reason for unvaccinated people is the idea that vaccines cause autism. This fallacy seems to be spreading like a virus, although it has been disproven time and time again. The Institute of Medicine has published eight papers that studied the relationship between vaccines and autism and they concluded that--you guessed it-vaccinations do not cause autism.

Just to clarify: vaccines do not cause autism. In fact, one report (Measles Vaccination and Antibody Response in Autism Spectrum Disorders) even said that vaccines might help eliminate autism.

While parents think that the

aversion of vaccines could somehow make their children healthier, they do not understand that their actions are in vain, as not only are they subjecting their children to sickness, but also other children around them.

A small number of children, who have actual medical issues which cause them to be physically unable to take vaccines, are in danger because of children who can get vaccinated, but choose not to. The idea is simple: the more unvaccinated children, the more children will get sick. If the children who are already too sick to get vaccinated are exposed to infected children, they can become seriously ill. These obliged-to-be-unvaccinated children rely on “herd immunity” meaning they can only be has healthy as the people around them are.

The heart-breaking case of Maggie Jacks, a three-year-old cancer patient, demonstrates the importance herd immunity. Maggie, who had been receiving cancer treatment at the hospital, became exposed to measles. She had no immunity to it because she was not able to receive vaccinations. While her doctors gave her medication to boost her immunity system, she is still under quarantine, and the results of her measles infections could very likely be fatal.

All in all, there is honestly no reason for children who can get vaccinated to not get vaccinated.

The reasons that parents object to vaccines are based on disproven lies, and in objection to vaccines, parents put their children and other people’s children in danger. The recent measles outbreak that started from Disneyland only further proves just how fatal an unvaccinated population can be.

14 culture Shots

Shots is the perfect start of their new album. It makes you feel really pumped up and has a super catchy and innovative melody. The lyrics are easily relatable- they perfectly convey the way that everyone screws up and wants to forget their stupid mistakes.

Gold

From the start, Gold gives off a strong impression. Power flows through every note of this song and transfers right through the speakers to your core. The noises at the beginning may make you feel kind of weirded out, but after a few seconds you get over it. Gold feels like it could totally be in Pirates of the Caribbean.

(If only it had come out earlier!)

Smoke and Mirrors

It’s the song of the album with the album name- so it’s got to be good, right? Well, this song undeniably achieves that expectation. The song has a quality that makes me question if I’m really in one of those movies where the whole thing actually turns out to just be a dream. The guitar and dynamics in this song are epic.

There is no song I’ve ever heard that parallels Smoke and Mirrors.

03.24.15 ALBUM REVIEW

It’s time (for a new album)

STUDENT REVIEWS IMAGINE DRAGONS’ SMOKE + MIRRORS

Amdal { Karman Assistant Life Editor

After an amazing premiere album to start off their rise to fame, get ready to be blown away by Imagine Dragon’s second, Smoke Mirrors.

Even before their latest album was released on Feb. 17, their songs were a hit. I Bet My Life and even Gold could be heard a few times a day on the radio. Somehow Imagine Dragons managed to keep their own sound in their songs while going a different direction with the style at the same time.

Smoke Mirrors definitely has a

more rock based sound than their more pop first album, but don’t be misled by the change, because they went above and beyond.

The album overall is focused on how people and life in general is not what you may fantasize about.

It talks a lot about others letting you down, about experiences not turning out to be what you wanted them to be, and the unhappiness temporal objects can give you.

It was correctly named Smoke Mirrors, since ‘smoke and mirrors’ is a saying meaning that something is fake, as in how magicians’

illusions are cause by puffs of smoke and contorting light with mirrors.

So, it was probably dubbed Smoke Mirrors because the saying’s meaning and the theme of the album being the ephemeral quality of promises and hopes.

Imagine Dragons has created a masterpiece with elements of their first album combined with a change in style- they managed to pull it off.

If you don’t already have the album, it would do you good to get it because it’s an astonishingly original and beautiful album that has left a mark on the music world.

I’m So Sorry

It’s so angry. This song makes me feel like I could just slam a door or kick in a window or fire someone even if they weren’t my employee. I’m not entirely sure that this guy’s sorry, because he’s screaming and angry which leads me to think he’s probably just being sarcastic. The guitar solo at the end is super awesome.

Everything about this song is really smooth and flowing, making it a good song to just turn on in the car and drive. Also everything it describes perfectly exemplifies the struggle of a high-school student’s life. Just listen to it and you’ll understand.

Dream

The piano in this is really graceful and probably my favorite part of the song. Dream has a rather melancholy mood, but the chorus is refreshingly climactic and unique. I really enjoy the simpleness of this whole song, especially in the instruments. The refrain is sad, and the whole song has a sorrowful sound and makes me long for the things I don’t know I’m missing.

Trouble

This is one of my favorite songs on the whole album. Dan Reynolds, the lead singer, almost never pauses or stops, giving the whole song an upbeat sense. The only time he stops for a significant amount of time, there’s a refreshing total silence. It sort of has a Mumford and Sons feel to it. Everything just fits together perfectly, and nothing about Trouble is stale or one of those annoying song clichés you hear in just about every popular song.

Summer

The guitar line of this song is super chill, but I am really in love with the bass. This song feels like someone is taking your hand and running away with you. The downside of Summer is that the melody gets slightly stale.

Nothing (besides the bass) really stands out from everything else.

I like all the elements of the song individually but not all together.

I Bet My Life

You’ve heard it. If you’re a human of any worth, you’ve heard it. Hearing it reminds me of Mufasa and Scarand also the people in my life who I trust the most and how much I never want to hurt them. The only thing that is kind of a turn off is the screaming noises in the beginning are a little confusing and scary.

Hopeless Opus

Hopeless Opus is not my favorite song of the album, either. By no means is it bad, but it’s just not up on the same bar as all the other songs.

The chorus is on the verge of whiny.

The lyrics remind me of the song they had in Iron Man 3, Ready, Aim, Fire, although they are overall a little bit confusing.

Polaroid

This song kind of has that Fun feel going on and is a lot calmer than the rest of the album. It’s a pretty simple song that is easy and fun to sing along with. The chorus is really enjoyable.

Polaroid is a great example of what the album is all about.

The Fall

Friction

The singing is really choppy in this song (on purpose). It’s perfect for brooding in anger and getting ready to punch someone. Friction is like a song in a movie scene where you would strut down a sidewalk and put your sunglasses and feel really cool.

I recommend listening to it while doing physics homework.

It Comes Back To You

Artwork by Karman Amdal.

In the beginning, the instruments make you feel hopeful and ready to go. From there, the song develops a little differently than the rest of the album. This song is about having a realistic expectation and being ready for things to fail. It’s the perfect end to Smoke Mirrors because in this song, the person is also talking about how someone inspired them to be strong and live through the faults and flaws in life. The Fall gives Smoke Mirrors a hopeful air and a sense of potential for life to be awesome.

culture

03.24.15

15

Snackin’ at “The Shack”

STAFFER RATES NEW BURGER RESORT Rusticity at its finest, this burger joint has amped up the American classic- a greasy meal that consists of a juicy, plump burger and salty, gonetoo-soon fries. If you’re looking for a laid back environment and a hearty meal for a decent price, then The Shack is a place you should check out.

Located on scenic Cypress Rosehill Drive, the Shack is a befitting feature to the backwoods escape of Cypress. But don’t let the refurbished antiques and colorful, collected treasures that furnish the Shack fool you. The burgers range from quirky to sophisticated in all the right ways. Owner Joe Duong, former Rockwell Tavern owner, has his favorite: an Asian style brisket, filled with crunchy Cheetos and onions, surprisingly good. But being the native Texan that I am, a TexMex twist just seemed good the day I went for a family birthday this past January.

As that loaded sandwich- monster approached me, I knew I had made a decidedly good choice. Let me give you a breakdown of what my burger consisted of, I feel that is the best way to give this beautiful creation justice.

Unorthodox sweet buns hold a perfectly sized beef patty, which is

Ryza { Julia Sports Editor

covered with a zesty fresh guacamole and slices of salty, awesome slab bacon and cheddar. But the shack does serve things up family style. In other words, you order your fried pickles, French fries or house made chips on the side, in heaping piles, of course. Their fries and chips are always cooked to a perfect crunch, and seasoned with a house seasoning, different than most restaurants, even offering a cinnamon seasoned version of sweet potato fries called “Rusty Nails“. And if you’re feeling a little indulgent, go for the deep fried apple or pecan pie, an actual slice of pie battered and fried to perfection, then topped with a slice of crispy bacon.

But to all Cy-Fair go-ers, there’s going to be an opening of ANOTHER shack, just down the road on Telge where PO’s has been bought out. But don’t worry, Duong recently expressed that they will try to keep some of the old PO’s recipes on the menu. Also, they have bought out Cypress Saloon, which might host small bands, karaoke, and even summer festivals or farmer’s markets. The Shack is spunky and laid back. Offering a wide variety of different burgers and sides, this place will satisfy your craving for a filling burger.

Photo by Julia Ryza.

To buy or not to buy

IS THE NEW NINTENDO 3DS WORTH IT?

The “New Nintendo 3DS” amid the hype has finally become available for purchase in the United States. Nintendo however has earned a reputation in the gaming market for releasing its handheld system under the Apple format. Like iPhone’s annual updated models of the DS are the norm, usually with only minor changes to the format. This in mind, is the “New Nintendo 3DS” at $200 worth your hard earned cash, trade in, and or blood plasma?

Photo by Will Davis.

Fails { Greg Culture Reporter

Pros

-Face tracking technology keeps track of eye position and adjusts 3D in the game.

-The System can play both DS and 3DS games -The bottom screen works with Nintendo’s new Amiibo figurines.

-Downloads over Wi-Fi go almost twice as fast on the New Nintendo 3DS that the old one -Trigger buttons as well as a new c stick have been added to the system.

-Battery life averages 6 to 10 hours.

Verdict With the backwards compatibility and trade in deals towards the system from stores like GameStop, the purchase is worth it for anyone who is already a Nintendo fan. If someone is considering buying at full price however they may want to wait till the systems game library to expand or simply get a 3DS instead.

Games worth getting Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Action/RPG Team up with other players locally and online to take down giant beasts with 14 different weapon types and hundreds of armors crafted from the remains of your fallen foes.

The Legend of Zelda Majora’s Mask Adventure/puzzle The sequel to Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time. Play as Link, attempting to save the land of Termina from a falling moon by making use of time travel and Dungeon puzzle solving.

16 culture

03.24.15

If nautical nonsense is something you wish...

Rodeo round-up Trevino { Amalia Reporter

‘SPONGEBOB: SPONGE OUT OF WATER’ REVIEW

Brown { Cody Online Editor Walking into the movie theater, best friend at my side and two free Cinemark movie passes in hand, I hesitantly told the woman working the ticket booth I needed two tickets to “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water.” She looked puzzled, chuckling to herself as to the realization that a 16-year-old and his 18-yearold companion were asking for two tickets to a children’s movie. Go figure, I was in the same boat as mothers corralled their single-digit-aged children into the concession lines 30 minutes prior to the 6:45 showing. Nonetheless, I took my seat next to my friend- ticket stub and ICEE in hand- and asked him the same apprehensive question that had been swirling around in my head at a mile a minute: “What am I getting myself into?”

As the Nickelodeon logo splashed up and onto the large screen, I’d soon find out the answer to my question.

“The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water” opens just like any ordinary episode of the beloved kid’s show, with Antonio Banderas starring as himself- a dashing swashbucklercarving his way through the jungle of a deserted island to the site of an ancient civilization to recover, of all things, a story book. Banderas fights off a reanimated royal figure and returns to his ship to tell a flock of seagulls the story hidden inside, which naturally consists of SpongeBob’s daily life defending the Krabby Patty secret formula from Plankton in an all-out food war where, I kid you not, SpongeBob guns down Plankton’s aircraft with raw potatoes only for the single-celled menace to drive a picklefiring tank into the Krusty Krab, ultimately for the tank to reveal its true form: a colossal mechanical Plankton. Of course, our heroes succeed in fending off Plankton’s advances, or so they think. Plankton, after “conceding defeat” to Mr. Krabs, throws a penny into the latter’s safe, which contains the real Plankton, who pilfers the precious document while Mr. Krabs gloats about his umpteenth victory to the decoy drone.

Banderas’ story ends, much to his feathered

Artwork by Emme Enojado.

friends’ dismay, only for the pirate to reveal that his magic story book can have its ending rewritten as much as its carrier desires as long as they have ink, a feather pen and a page to write on. Ironically, Banderas’ inscription of the words “The End,” which normally would have ended the movie (the movie even lets this action nearly come to a T, as the credits begin to roll after Banderas signs the book) are ripped out of the book and float down into Bikini Bottom.

Banderas also decides, out of evil and greed, to manipulate the story into giving him the Krabby Patty formula to, you guessed it, sell Krabby Patties on land and strike it rich in South Beach.

At this point in the movie, everything had

“It renewed my passionate love for one of the most beloved parts of my childhood” proceeded just as any normal SpongeBob episode would have, but it left me wanting more.

Of course, the movie had an hour left to go, but it could come as slowly as it wanted: I had half of my ICEE left.

After the aside from Banderas, the page ripped out of the storybook finally lands in Bikini Bottom, and anarchy erupts. Unknown to the audience, the page Banderas ripped out of the book just so happens to be emblazoned with a Krabby Patty defaced with the very same “The End” that nearly caused the movie to be an hour shorter. Since Banderas has everything SpongeBob needs to make the

scrumptious sandwiches, and the yellow frycook has a school of fish to feed, Bikini Bottom erupts in a steampunk-esque apocalypse, with every character donning spikes, Mohawks and anything else under the sun that could be considered brutish.

This was the point in the movie where my brain began to melt out of sheer “What?’ factor.

A sudden turn of events prompts SpongeBob and Plankton to work together in order to recover the Krabby Patty formula, which of all things involves time travel. The two plan to travel back to right before Plankton steals the formula, and I swear the animators spent too much time on the weird side of the Internet before designing the time-travel sequences.

Mellow rap music plays in the background, but that was the last thing I noticed as psychedelic ensembles of color and light assaulted the auditorium, complete with cats: fluffy, white kittens at every time the trippy time warp came to a stop. It was at this point in my life I reconsidered any potential desire to do drugs.

The children in the audience were ecstatic and screaming with laughter, and I couldn’t help but join them.

I’ll stop here with recounting the events of this movie, simply because from this point to the end of the movie is quite honestly the greatest animated cinematography to ever emerge from Nickelodeon Studios. It’s something you have to experience for yourself, and then wonder if it’d be something you’d ever want your kids to hear you talk about.

From a sea full of jokes, innuendos, typical SpongeBob antics and even references to “The Shining” and the Illuminati, “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water” renewed my passionate love for one of the most beloved parts of my childhood. The humor, stunning animation (in 2D, 3D and live action) and the impossibly addicting story all had me submerged in the movie I had low hopes for. Dive on in to your local theater as soon as possible; you don’t want your chance to see this movie dry up.

The Houston Rodeo is said to be the biggest and the best in the world. I didn’t choose the best day to go, but then again Spring Break in general was rainy and gray.

We set out, got stuck in traffic, and arrived to a very bleak, puddle ridden carnival.

Unfortunately for me, the one concert I really wanted to go to was Fall Out Boy and the date snuck up on me while I was unprepared. I settled for simply going for the games and funnel cake and was not disappointed. The gray sky and occasional drizzle kept people away, leaving an almost empty park for us to run rampant through.

Here are my top three rides in order from worst to best: The Giant Wheel – Pretty much just a Ferris Wheel but the carriages were shaped differently; also where I almost dropped my phone from the very top of the wheel because I was rocking the carriage to scare my sister.

The one my mom calls ‘Flying Chairs’-

The seats remind me of high-chair seats; they hang on chains and swing you around until you’re almost parallel with the ground.

I had a weird paranoia that I was going to accidentally kick someone’s head as we flew by above them.

Something called ‘OMG!’ - The best ride I rode was one with four arms that basically just tossed us around until we weren’t sure what was up and what was down and left us to trip drunkenly down the steps.

Must-have rodeo food -

We bought nachos and corn dogs and they were all fine and dandy but the thing I was really after was the funnel cake. A big pile of crispy fried dough under a pool of sweet strawberries with a small mountain of whipped cream on top, all of it covered with a fine layer of powdered sugar. This dish gets all the stars. Not only is it great to put on your Instagram, it’s delicious in that way only unhealthy sugar foods can be.

Photo by Amalia Trevino.

03.24.15

ads

     

PROM : APRIL 24TH PROJECT PROM : APRIL 25TH TIME : 12:30 A.M. – 5:30 A.M. PLACE : DAVE & BUSTER’S TICKETS ON SALE APRIL 6-9 AND APRIL 13-15 DURING ALL LUNCHES COST : $20.00 PER TICKET

REMAINING EVENTS  GOLF TOURNAMNET : MARCH 28TH  PLACE : HOUSTON NATIONAL GOLF COURSE  START : 1:30 P.M. SHOTGUN START  POWDER PUFF GAME : MARCH 26TH  PLACE : ARNOLD JR HIGH  TIME : 6:00 P.M.

STAY CONNECTED  EMAIL : cyfairprojectprom@ymail.com  WEBSITE : cyfairprojectprom.com

17

18 opinion

03.24.15

Skyscrapers. The Chicago skyline from the 16th floor of an apartment complex on Randolph Street. Photo by Greg Fails

If CVS Hadn’t Stopped Selling Cigarettes I Would Have Never Met Walter

Fails {Greg Culture Reporter

Christmas Eve in Chicago is windy and snowless as I walk down the semi familiar streets outside my father’s apartment. After spending the day cooped up and internally wrestling with issues from my personal life, I decided I needed a walk and a smoke. Turning the corner I walked a few minutes brushing past bundled up tourists before arriving at CVS to find that they no longer carried cigarettes. So there I stood a few blocks from Millennium Park with nothing but a $20 bill, a dead phone and a decision: Do I go back to the apartment and try to sleep off my turmoils or do I keep walking the streets in search of some sort of mental order. I chose the latter.

Walking down Michigan Avenue, I debated and weighed the events that led me to that moment when out of nowhere a hand grabbed my shoulder. I jumped, startled out of my trance to find the man who grabbed me just as alarmed by my reaction.

He was plainly dressed in a black trenchcoat, jogging pants, and tattered gloves, unassuming, nonthreatening, almost blending in like a shadow on the nearby wall. Before I could get any sort of snap or even a question out, he began stammering, obviously desperate.

“Brother can you-“. His nails and fingers we’re grimy. “It’s cold out-“. His stance was crooked. “I haven’t eaten-“. He sounded like he was reading a script. “Please, anything-“. He’d already heard the same answer a hundred times that night.

“Even some change.”

“I don’t have any change.”

He stared at me. I stared at him. Neither one of us moved. He looked like an actor struggling to remember his lines. I stood there like an extra who had forgotten his stage directions.

The script called for me to stammer an apology and rush back into the stream of pedestrians while he called from behind “god bless”, but we’d missed our cues. Nothing left to do but, improvise.

He looked at the ground, shifting, obviously uncomfortable, I opened my mouth to offer some condolence but what was I supposed to

say? “I don’t have change but I have a 20 but there are things I need to buy?”. Need. I took a breath , quarter turn, and a few step before realizing that I didn’t even know where I was going. I turned back to that shadow who was already working to blend back into the wall.

“How well do you know this area?” He didn’t notice me so stepping closer I asked a little louder “How well do you know this area?”

Knocked out of his trance, he looked at me with almost the same alarm I gave him and stammered “pretty well.” “Do you know where I can find a Walgreens?” I asked. “uh yea- yeah there’s uuh one by Trump Tower.”

I have no idea where that is.

Thinking back to my wallet I realized my need only cost half of what I had. Maybe this man deserved the other half. “If you take me there I’ll buy you some food” I offered. He looked confused. “I don’t know my way around here, do you think you could help me out?” He looked even more confused.

Did he understand what I was saying?

Did he sense the irony?

Winging it, I reached out my hand and as confidently as I could said, “Hi I’m Greg. What’s your name?” Pensively he reached out his hand and shook mine. Recognition of what was happening crossed his face, then like a switch had been flipped somewhere in the universe he responded charismatically “I’m Walter. So what did you need again brother?”

Walter and I walked a number of blocks that night passing festively decorated shops in front of which men and women dressed as Saint Nick stood ringing bells by buckets. Walter told me about his life, growing up in Georgia, moving to Chicago, his diabetic girlfriend, breaking his leg and being unable to work, that same girl running off on him, the moment 6 months past that he found himself living on the streets, the struggle of finding food, searching for places to sleep at night, managing to get to the shelter most nights, finding joy in having warm food, finding joy in having some place comfortable to stay even if only temporary, finding joy in

keeping up his appearance, how nice the city looked this time of year, the corners where he’d heard some great jazz music, and how he hoped to visit Georgia again.

In only a few blocks I learned the footnotes of an individual’s life and dreams and with what I can only describe as gratitude, he reached out a conversational hand and attempted to do the same for me asking “so tell me brother, why’d you look so serious walking a little while ago?”

Suddenly my tongue tied and my mind seized, legs moving at the same pace while my conscience and ego debated whether my own struggles could even be considered inconveniences by this man and whether my privilege of luck in life ruled me deserving of any kind of sympathies. Looking at myself in that moment I felt petty and shallow, like my problems and myself weren’t big enough to be cared about by others. Maybe Walter sensed this because he changed topics asking about me and what I wanted to do after high school. I told him about my interests in journalism, favorite kinds of music, where I grew up, my parents divorce, my dad losing his job and moving across the country, and just as I listened to his struggles, he did the same for me, never responding with pity or contempt, only empathy and condolence telling me “That’s rough man, I hope things all work out for you”. That’s rough. Walter, who had only blocks before been a shivering shadow on the wall asking for a bit of change from the unending throes of faces in the stream of the sidewalk was telling me that my life was rough.

As odd as it sounds, hearing that said was comforting, validating in a way, somehow my pain made a little bit of sense.

It was around this time we finally arrived at Walgreens. I walked in and bought a yellow pack of American Spirits from the young woman behind the counter who didn’t seem too thrilled to be working that night. Walking out I noticed a McDonald’s next door and offered my new friend a warm meal instead of a bag of chips, which he happily accepted. So we went inside with the $8 I had left and bought him

a fish fillet meal, a milkshake and handful of apple pies. At this point I noticed the time and my own exhaustion so with a handshake and a Merry Christmas we went our separate ways.

I never did tell Walter why I looked so serious walking down the street that night. I never told him about my struggles with love or my difficulty to stay hopeful believing in myself and a brighter future in the face of uncertainty as well as my appreciation for our conversation and how it helped me understand myself a little better. Though unsaid I’m sure he was aware at some level of this and no doubt would humbly share the same feeling of gratitude.

A few days later I told my father about Walter.

After simply saying “I met this homeless man named Walter”, my father interjected with “Wait does he have a limp? a diabetic ex-girlfriend?”

More than a little surprised, I told him yes and inquired how he knew.

He simply replied “Oh he’s Andre’s best friend.”. Even more confused I asked him, “Who’s Andre?”

“He’s that homeless guy that’s always on the bridge writing.”

I’ve seen Andre more times than I can count across the multitude of visits I’ve taken to Chicago over the past few years. The only reason I can’t count all the times we’ve crossed, is that I never truly noticed him, never knew his name, never learned his story, and never really registered his existence.

I noticed how many people I am surrounded by who I don’t truly notice or know, even friends and family. As a society, it’s important that we take the time to connect with those around us, to joke and laugh, learn their stories and who they are, as well as what they have suffered in life.

As Michael Straczynski once wrote “the greatest cruelty is our casual blindness to the despair of others, that there but for the grace of whatever god you subscribe to goes any of us.”

I hope to one day go back to Chicago and talk to Andre. I’m curious as to what he’s been writing all this time.

opinion

The Reporter

STAFF

03.24.15

19

STAFF EDITORIAL

Fear should not breed ignorance

Editor in Chief Natalie Berry Co-Editor in Chief Harper Neitzey Managing Editor Will Davis Culture Editor Emme Enojado News Editor Wafa Kazmi Copy Editor Kaylin Jones Life Editor Karman Amdal Sports EditorJulia Ryza Opinion Editor Audrey Gray

Reporters , Artists Greg Fails, Lizzie Faria, Gillian Lane, Esmeralda Harvey Adviser Lillian Harris Our Policy The Reporter is a Cy-Fair High School student publication.

Its purpose is to inform and entertain the student body and faculty, and also to serve as a lab for students enrolled in advanced journalism classes.

The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the entire Reporter staff, the Cy-Fair High School faculty and staff, the Cy-Fair Independent School District or the school board. The Reporter maintains the right to refuse any goods or services that it deems inappropriate for teenagers. The Reporter is a Quill and Scroll, TAJE, NSPA, and JEA member. Cy-Fair is located at 22602 Hempstead Highway Cypress, TX 77429.

The journalism office can be reached at (281) 897-4658 or Lillian.Harris@cfisd.net.

by Esmeralda Harvey

Online Editor Cody Brown Graphics Editor Ryan Steppe Business Manager Will Mattinson Assistant Section Editors Amalia Trevino, John Sanchez, Maddie Pierce, Valerie Parker

For a bunch of kids, we have experienced a great deal in the short amount of time we’ve graced this planet.

We have felt the effects and seen the changes in how we communicate, how we shop, how we move from one place to another and how we live our day to day lives in general. Unfortunately, there’s one very present, undeniable truth and harsh reality that we have all been exposed to from early on: terrorism.

In our lifetime, we have witnessed many bombings and other acts of terror, of course the one closest to home being Sept. 11 to the more recent tactics of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, also known as ISIS. The one thing that they all share in common is that they have almost all been linked to the religion of Islam And that is where the problem begins.

When did Islam become such a bad word?

Terrorists breed fear. Fear breeds ignorance.

It becomes all too easy to cower and blindly cast blame where blame isn’t due, but it’s time to wake up and face the facts. The Islamic religion and

its followers are not the ones we are, or should be afraid of. As President Obama said, “No religion is responsible for terrorism — people are responsible for violence and terrorism…We are not at war with Islam. We are at war with people who have perverted Islam.” And before him, President George W. Bush shared the same sentiments in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

Somewhere along the way, the lines were blurred and Muslims as a whole were pointed at for the source of disruption in the world rather than the comparatively few extremists. This, no matter how it is assessed, is completely unfair and almost illogical.

As a direct result of this ignorance, innocent Muslims in America and around the world often feel the consequences of the extremists.

Routinely, the religion as a whole has to denounce the violence, or stress that they, in no way, are a part of or condone the acts of terror happening in the name of their religion.

In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing, Dr. Heba Abolaban was not only attacked, but

blamed by her attacker for the event all because she wore a hijab. In a more local sense, Quba Islamic Institute, a mosque in Houston, was burned in an arson fire set by Darryl Ferguson, claiming that he “hated Muslims” and that “they got what they deserved”.

America is the land of the free, home of the brave. One of this country’s key principles is freedom of religion, so why is it that only 53 percent of Americans hold no prejudice toward Islam. Answer: We are perplexed by an irrational fear and hostility toward Islam and Muslims that is accompanied by negative stereotypes resulting in bias and discrimination.

Lest we forget that America’s own Ku Klux Klan was, in fact, a Christian organization.

Every group has some form of radicalized extremism. So again, we must reiterate that an entire religion can’t be blamed for the actions of a few. Fear of something that we don’t understand has inevitably turned into hatred and downright ignorance. It’s up to you to take the time to understand.

20 photo essay

03.24.15

OO &

H B

PS KS

After school every Wednesday since December, Basketball coach Chad Suleimanji takes the Bobcat basketball players to Lamkin Elementary. There, VARSITY AND junior varsity PLAYERS read to first and second grade students.

Freethrow (above) Freshman guard Jacob Farrell and sophomore shooting guard Jacob Dozier discuss the children’s story they have just read with the class. “I enjoy reading to the kids because they always make me smile and it feels good to do something for those kids,” Farrell said.

Photo by Melissa Reinsch.

Layup (left) junior student assistant Sam Shelton prepares to read a story to elementary children. “We feel like we are a bit of an inspiration to the kids when we read to them. It’s nice to be seen as a role model and it’s good to show them how to be respectful and that we care,” Shelton said. Photo

by Melissa Reinsch.

Alley-oop Junior guard Bekalu Walle reads to the Lamkin students. “We are blessed to see those kids’ smiles on their faces. It really made our day,” Walle said. Photo by Melissa Reinsch.

Dunk. Senior forward Bryson Lockley answers students questions after finishing reading a story to them. “It was fun to read to the kids because, as soon as you walk through the door, the sight of us made the kids smile,” Lockley said.

Photo by Melissa Reinsch.

Assist (left) Senior guards Seth Hua and Nate Nahirny laugh at a silly picture with the first and second grade students. “I enjoy reading to the kids because I like to see all the kids excited and it brightens up their day. They are very enthusiastic,” Nahirny said. Photo by Melissa Reinsch.