Engineering students participate in Zero-G pg. 11
Meyer says goodbye to Creek pg. 8
Evita comes to Houston pg. 13
Creek’s newspaper, The HiLife, celebrates 90 years By Arlen Addison Editor-in-Chief
This final issue of the 2013-2014 HiLife School Newspaper marks a very special occasion for the paper. It is the ninety years of contentious publication of the HiLife Newspaper. For nine decades now, HiLife staff members, known as HiLifers, have been training future leaders and journalists, as well as producing an outstanding paper. The HiLife newspaper has been around to cover most all-major world events of 20th and 21st century. From the Great Depression, to WWII and the Korean War, the Kennedy assassination, Vietnam War and the Moon landing, the Challenger and Columbia shuttle disaster to 9/11, the War in Afghanistan and Iraq and Hurricane Katrina and Ike. For all events members of the HiLife staff have been reporting from not just a student perspective but a global one as well. The HiLife newspaper began in 1925 at Webster High School by local students. This small building was located in roughly the same place as Webster Intermediate now stands. The school housed grades one through twelve. On
the first day of the 1929 school year, 118 students were reported to be enrolled, 82 of them being High School students. Webster High served students of Webster and parts of Seabrook and Kemah. As a 1928, hand-drawn masthead declared “Webster HiLife ; the only school paper on the Gulf coast serving 6 towns and 3 counties.” According to letters from previous editors, the first HiLife issues were hand typed by the first year typing class and most illustrations and mastheads hand-drawn. Different grade levels has their own section in the HiLife , including Third and Fourth grade Babble, Fifth and Sixth grade Shocks, Fish Flops, Soph News, and the Senior Report. The students of the 1920’s were no strangers to the tough academic struggles of school. Groundbreaking news in a paper (circa 1929) included “The fourth grade are busy making maps of the countries of Northeastern Europe. We are afraid, however, some of the countries wouldn’t recognize themselves.” While in the Soph News it was complained “We Sophs will never have a chance to win the ‘Best Attendance’ banner if teachers don’t let up on our lessons. Only
last week we had 40 lines of Shakespeare to learn and an English and Algebra Exam.” As times changed, so to did the newspaper. As Webster High grew larger, the paper took on a more modern and sophisticated look. Column layout, pictures and stencil mastheads began to emerge. However, the 1930’s HiLife still featured a gossip and joke section, known respectively as the Spy Life and Gay Life. The gossip section featured such coverage as “Martha Nell Stewert has her heart set on Billie B. because she thinks he is cute...Mildred Iccet can’t seem to make up her mind. Now it’s B.R. Gorsett. Not bad HUH??...What’s this we hear about Ellen N. and Jasper Coker? Is it true Ellen?” as well as such jokes as “Mrs. Connor to Victor: How dare you, I’ll teach you to kiss my daughter! Victor: Too late, I have already learned.” During the early 1940’s the HiLife shifted focused on the topic on everyone’s mind, WWII. A 1941 holiday editorial read, “Within twenty four hours the greatest change that has ever been witnessed came over the people of America. For the first time
we began to appreciate this land of democracy. Yes, we began to think of a lot of things that we’d been overlooking”. As the world entered WWII the school began contests to see who could buy the most bonds and stamps to support the war, with the HiLife frequently printing who was in the lead. The paper also listed the names of all senior boys who enlisted in the armed services and every afternoon the school would gather around the flagpole outside to say the pledge of allegiance and sing patriotic songs. Following WWII and the 1940’s, the HiLife experienced its next major change, the opening of Clear Creek in 1956. Webster High students moved to Creek following the open and the HiLife followed. Creek had a relatively small student body at the time of its opening, having only having only 62 graduates its first year in 1957. During this the newspaper distributed a small weekly issue, normally a single sheet front and back. As well as a larger issue printed every month that contained large news sto-
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Mark Wood brings Electrify Your Strings to CCISD
By Jasmine Garza Editor-in-Chief
Electrify Your Strings is a musical education marvel that allows intermediate music students from around the country to participate in a once in a lifetime experience. This extreme program allows students to gain confidence, motivation, community involvement and the opportunity to raise funds for their musical department. An international recording artist, electric violinist, music education advocate, Emmy Award winner and inventor Mark Wood created EYS. Wood’s dedication to music was no surprise. “My mother was a musician with four boys and we made a string quartet,” Wood said. Wood started his career with a full scholarship to Julliard School in New York with the privilege of studying under the Maestro Leonard Bernstein at the Tanglewood Music Program. In the early 1970’s Wood invented the first solid body electric violin and holds the patent for the first ever, self-supporting violin. Wood is an internationally recognized performer who gained fame as string master and original member of the Trans Siberian Orchestra. A solo artist at times, Wood produces original music for film and television. Wood has released six solo albums and tours with his band The Mark Wood Experience, featuring his vocalist wife, Laura Kaye, and their son Elijah as drummer.
In accumulation to his solo and commission work, Wood has worked with some of the most talented figures in music including Celine Dion, Kanye West, Billy Joel and Paul McCartney. EYS is currently in its 14th year, visiting more than 60 schools per year,
get into schools and show kids today that this is an available avenue for them to express themselves and find a different layer of connection to their instrument and music,” Bibbens said. On May 16, Wood and Bibbens performed during the school day with
Photo courtesy of Laura Kaye press photos
with a waiting list of schools who hope to become involved. This year Wood and his accompanying artist Bridgid Bibbens were able to bring EYS to League City Intermediate School, Clear Falls Intermediate School, and Seabrook Intermediate School. “We think it is very important to
the League City Intermediate orchestra in a pre-concert performance played for the entire school to show-off all the hard work of the individuals. At the performance the students were able to showcase their hard work with energizing performances. During the performances both Wood and Bibbens were able to
lead the orchestra into pieces in which they specialized. Musical pieces included popular pieces such as Radio Active and original pieces such as La Vibora. While performing, Wood and Bibbens would choose students to be under the spotlight. “We’re not looking necessarily for the best player, we’re looking for spirit and energy. Last night we featured a student who was bullied and teased for months, we supported him and elevated him and gave him a spot to showcase his talent, and he is now a super hero,” Wood said. While performing, students were able to take turns on different orchestra instruments including the Viper, and the Stingray, which was raffled off to Reid Lang, 8th grade student in the LCIS orchestra, on the big night where the LCIS orchestra was able to perform in the Clear Falls High School auditorium. “I like the enthusiasm and excitement with being able to share something new with kids. There is something that is really magical about opening up the eyes and mind,” Bibbens said. Although Wood and Bibbens may be nationally acclaimed artists who have worked with high profile names, a special moment comes when they are able to work with students and make a difference. “When we are perfoming and traveling with a big act we love it in a personal way but when we can change a kid’s life, you can’t put a price tag on that,” Wood said. “Once you gain confidence as a kid you can doing anything.”