OCT2006

October, 2006

H I L IFE

Vol. 81/Issue 1

2305 East Main League City, Texas 77573

Clear Springs High School joins the pack TORI WYCOFF Clear Creek High School is growing and bursting at its seams. When Clear Lake opened in 1972, its student population came from the overcrowding at Creek.

The same thing happened in 1988 when Clear Brook opened, and next year Creek will again be divided to populate the fourth high school of the district, Clear Springs.

This yearʼs freshmen at Creek will soon be receiving letters in the mail informing them of a parent meeting in late October about the new school. Current eighth graders will also be invited to the meeting which will include information from Clear Springʼs principal, Gail Love, the district athletic director, Bill Daws, and representatives from the Fine Arts Department as well as the Career and Technology Department. These students will makeup the student body of Clear Spring High School, and the current ninth graders will be the first graduating class of the new school.

Last year, Mrs. Love visited junior high campuses asking the students to vote on their own mascot and school colors.

The colors selected were royal blue, black and silver. The final choices for the mascot were the Chargers and the Jaguars, and due to its local affiliation, the Charger won the vote. A charger is a horse that is ready for battle, and Palamino horses were raised on the property that is now CSHS. The actual mascot of the Charger was designed by CCHS alum Jeffrey Jones.

The new school is high-tech and exciting and is being built by the same project manager and company as the new Clear Creek High School. The new building includes some of the same new features as Creek, like the career center, but also some very new and different things like a stateof-the-art School of Culinary Arts. An exciting aspect of the school is its six bay automotive shop where local car

DEBORAH BETHEL GOBEL It was 30 years ago this season that I first walked up into the stands of what was then known as Wildcat Stadium as an eighth grader dreaming of my high school years ahead. I was very unaware of how much the Friday night high school football game would come to mean for me over the next three decades. Little did I know that this was only an eighth graderʼs preview of heartaches, heartbreaks, wins, losses, love and laughter for decades to come.

My freshman year at Creek I fell in love from a distance with a sophomore football player. That was the beginning for me. However, my Dad had planted the seed many years before by taking me to years of high school playoff games. I started off my freshman year by attending all the

sophomore and varsity games -- home and away. Football became my life, for it was his, too. I still remember my pride at seeing him play so well in his #41 or #42 Maroon and White jersey, hearing his name called out on the loud speaker when heʼd done something brilliant like only he could do. I remember that flash of blonde hair glistening in the lights as heʼd remove his helmet to wipe his brow. I remember his stance on the sidelines, the long firm thighs and the tight rear end that I loved to see in his football uniform. For him, it was all about winning. For me, it was all about him. Being there, supporting, cheering for and loving him.

The next two years got only better as he started off on JV and progressed to varsity. Iʼll never forget the 1st pep rally

dealerships will donate cars in need of repair. The building also has an outdoor art patio for students to create art based on the landscapes as well as a media tech center and a television studio. CSHS will have an eight-lane

natatorium with a wooden ceiling similar to the one in the Butler Gymnasium. The entire building is wireless and has the same LCD projectors in every classroom as we have here at Creek in the new classrooms. The layout of Clear Springs is set up in smaller learning communities and has a huge lunchroom with circular tables. Currently, there will not be block scheduling at Clear Springs .

The new school has another great asset, its principal, Gail Love. Mrs. Love worked as a principal in La Marque for two years at an elementary school and eight years at a junior high. She was an assistant principal at Creek for five years and the principal at League City Intermediate for four years.

She has been a school administrator for nineteen years . She received her Bachelorʼs and Masters Degree from the University of Tennessee and an additional Masters Degree from the University of Houston at Clear Lake.

Many students have been wondering what will happen with the athletic programs

at the new school. The first year that Clear Springs is opened, there will only be junior varsity team sports. Individual sport athletes, however, will be able to letter in sports such as track or tennis. The second year of CSHS, all sports will compete on the 5A Varsity level, but the oldest athletes will be juniors.

The opening of Clear Springs will cause a lot of change at Creek, but it will also be very helpful. The new high school will alleviate parking problems as well as lower the large number of students enrolled at Creek.

The opening of CSHS demonstrates how rapidly our area is growing. As League City and surrounding municipalities grow larger, CCISD must adapt and build more schools to educate the increasing number of students. This dilemma can be assessed by approval of the CCISD bond that provides for new schools and campus renovations. More information on the bond can be found on the districtʼs website.

The Chargers may become the main rival for the Wildcats in the future, but as of now, both CCHS and CSHS are closely linked. Students at both schools will enjoy a brand-new building next year full of wellqualified administrators and educators.

Any student lucky enough to attend Clear Springs, as well as those students who are staying at Creek, are in for an amazing high school career.

Photo by CCHS alum Jeffery Jones

A view from the stands: three decades of family tradition (we had one for every game!) when he got to wear his Maroon #41 jersey and sit in the bleachers with the varsity football team. I was a sophomore, he was a junior.

I waited through the school song, the fight song (Dixie was allowed back then!), the battle cries and the cheers until the moment I had longed for was arriving.

The traditional Creek Varsity walk through with the cheerleaders and drill team on each side. The football players would walk one by one and wipe the back of our stuffed Willie the Wildcat (I believe it was really a Bobcat) for good luck before the game. There he was. My #41! My heart was in my throat, my face was flushed with pride and love, for I knew how proud this blonde haired young man was to be a part of the team. How hard he had worked for

2006- 2007 Homecoming Court page 8 and 9

Varsity football triumphs in district play

page 14

Photo by Fallan Drago

School shootings resurface in the U.S. page 5 Photo by AP/CCISD

years to be doing this, and how grateful I was to just be a part of it by watching and supporting him, although he probably never knew I was even there.

I donʼt think I missed a single varsity game his junior or senior year. It helped that my younger sister was in the band, and my Dad, being such an avid football fan, made sure I got to go to every game. Back then, the school even provided school buses for student fans to attend away games for a very small fee. #41 was my world and football was his world so it truly became our world to me. His senior year he fell in love and my heart was broken, but it did not break our football world. I was still there in body and soul, supporting, cheering for, and loving him.

Continued on page 15

Photo by Sarah Poore

“Mums” the word for Texas tradition page 13 Photo by Lauren Pourghan

Clear Creek HiLife

2 O pinion Survey

How do you feel about the construction and the changes made to the campus thus far?

Freshmen

Seniors

I feel the improvements are great. The construction doesnʼt bother me. I just go to my classes. More changes would be great! - Kasey Stanton

I think the new school is really nice & cold. Great after walking in 100-degree weather.

- Brandon Snow

I think itʼs kind of an inconvenience to have to walk around it to get to class.

- Megan Mckisson The construction is really hectic right now, having to go around and walk far, but it will lead to good things. :-) - Tara Tulloch Itʼs really aggravating and so crowded, but its going to look great when its done - Victoria Monette I think the campus looks great but it needs more Spirit for our school.

- Cassandra Sword

I think the changes were needed long ago, and now Iʼm glad theyʼve started.

- Chas Morris I absolutely love it... Itʼs the one thing I look forward to when I walk down the hall... to say hi to all the workers outside.

- Dalia Poch I hate the construction I think Creek was unique in the beginning and should have stayed that way - Chimelle Murray

NGC could use fixing up but Main campus is fabulous, and I canʼt wait for it to be done. - Morgan Whitford

At first I hated the construction with a passion. But the exercise is good, itʼs teaching me patience.

- Treasure John

Sophomores

I think the construction was neccessary b/c of the nasty buildings, but the new building is really nice. Managing your way around the construction though is long & hot & not seeing your friends is really lame - Stephanie Hobaugh

This campus is sooo like China. Fast, developing, and a heck of a lot of people :-) - Haotian Xu Itʼs not to bad. Just muddy sometimes, but I think in the end it will be worth it! :-) - Kayla Narvaez I donʼt like it. Itʼs really crowded and Iʼm often late to my classes - Kayla Snow Iʼm happy that they are doing it because that old building needed to go!

- Paige Hopkins Itʼs fine cause we needed more room but we need more time between class.

- Kristen Meek There needs to be more open paths so that you can get to class on time, too many people are having to go through just one.

- Brandon Mathena I find it bearable, and I can stand the block scheduling, but Iʼd still prefer if this wasnʼt happening.

- Andras Paal The construction doesnʼt really bother me. Yes, there is alot of traffic but I think that itʼs worth it. Clear Creek has been here for years and it needed the rebuilding.

- Sarah Craig I think that all of the chaos this year will be worth it next year. Main campus has already changed so much & looks great.

- Leighann Hryc

Iʼm new to the school but I donʼt really mind the construction and I feel like itʼs needed because there isnʼt enough room in the school. All of my classes are in the portables with the expection of one.

- Kelsey Kerr I think itʼs all a little inconvenient, but Iʼm looking forward to seeing how the new school looks when it is complete. - Kacie Schiaffino I think itʼs hard to walk so far in such a crowded areas but I know it will benefit future students as CCHS - Ines Quintanilla I think the campus is grrreat! But we could use some more covered walkways. It could get a little crazy when it rains - Robert McLemore It is really hard to get to class on time. But the new campus will be really nice. To bad I donʼt get to graduate in it.

- Laura Thomas

Clear Creek High School HiLife Newspaper

Juniors

I feel that the construction is exciting and necessary to update the old parts/building around the school.

- Glenn DeVries The new building looks great but the passing periods need to accommodate crowds in the walkways and people going from the new building to the ninth grade center.

- Katie Shaw

E-mail us at Hilifenews@hotmail.com Visit us at http://texas.ihigh.com/clearcreek For advertising rates call: (281) 284-2377 or fax (281) 284-1705

I think we need those moving walkways like the have at the airport - Murtuza Hussain I liked Creek the way it was. It was an open campus, and you actually had time to sit outside. I hate having to rush all the time and never actually get to see the school.

- Kristy Wennergren I think the new building is a new change and it does look good but it seems too simple and plain. There is no character to the building like there was last year. The construction, however, makes things difficult. The principals and teachers just donʼt understand how hard it is to get to class with about hundreds of students walking through the narrow paths that they give us. - Brandelin Hosking

2006-2007 HiLife Staff Dr. Fred Hayes Wynette Jameson Richard Rasch Jan O’Neil Rachel Rodgers

I like how the new school looks, but it is hard to get around due to all the students and construction. The construction isnʼt too bad but I know in the end it will all look awesome.

- Austin Lilley I enjoy the new school, but itʼs confusing and hard to get to all my classes because of the construction. - Meghan Grout I donʼt like the construction going on. If we had more of a variety of walk ways, it wouldnʼt be a problem. But the new campus so far is very nice.

- Sarah Lara life.

Itʼs kinda cool, because we are watching history build itsself. Something new in - Michaela Gifford

** These quotes are taken directly from the opinion survey. The HiLife is not responsible for spelling or grammatical errors. **

Clear Creek HiLife

Features Editor:

Rebecca Bellay Amanda Compton Lauren Gillespie Ryan Gripon Hayley Boultinghouse & Dhevi Rajendran Stephanie Haechten Haley Rush Cassie Lee Sarah Poore Taylor Long Tori Wycoff Albert Nkansah Bobby Murphy Ryan Owens Rachel Rodgers Rebecca Rodriguez Kearston Rowe Olivia Huynh Kristin Thompson Ryan Gripon Adam Vencil Austin Young & Alyssa Solomon Drew Walker Micah Wesley & Fallan Drago Austin Young

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It’s A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood...

RACHEL RODGERS I always try to find the good in everything, but staying optimistic has proven to be harder than I ever imagined.

In August I was so excited to start my senior year. This was the year Iʼd been waiting for since 1995, the very beginning of my twelve-year trek though the education jungle.

I can still remember my kindergarten teacher and some of my classmates like it was yesterday. Once I made the big leap into middle school, all I was thinking about was entering high school and experiencing the excitement and thrill of growing up. Now, as I recall the “good ʻol days,” I wish I could go back to having a designated naptime. Itʼs difficult for me to comprehend that that was the start, and now Iʼve finally reached the end I have found that since this school year has started, Iʼve been pushing the pedal to the medal; going 100 miles per hour in a circle, never taking time out for a pit stop.

Well, Iʼm ready to punch cruise control and just let life take the wheel.

Senior year, so I thought, was going to be a breeze, no stress or worries; “hakuna matata”, just enjoying my last year of high

school. However, reality set in after a few short weeks of being a member of the elite class on campus. Homework started to pile up, grades became an issue, and I was working more hours than I could handle. Time management had never been a problem for me; Iʼm the most organized person I know. I guess the only explanation for it was that I was too caught up in the hype about being a senior that my responsibilities slipped away from me.

I pulled myself together, did the homework that was overdue, studied until the cows came home to improve my grades, and talked to my boss to find a compromising number of hours a week I could work. I knew that if I wanted to make it though the year, I had better start acting like an adult and keep my priorities straight. However, getting back on track was more stressful than I thought and the extra stress just fueled the wildfire that was now my life, but somehow I managed to get it all done. Even with all the chaos present, I voluntarily made a decision that would affect the rest of my life, starting now.

I made the decision about three weeks ago to move out and leave the comforts of

my home that I had known for four years.

It has not been an easy transition, and I am still in the process of adjusting to my new lifestyle. Now, on top of school related stress, I have financial stress as well.

I was lucky to be able to keep the car my parents bought me for my sixteenth birthday, and for that I am very thankful.

If they hadnʼt been so generous in allowing me to keep it, I would find myself in unmarked territory. However, I now have a car insurance payment, as well as many other bills to pay for; itʼs just some of the perks that come with the “independence package.”

Another prominent factor that is redlining my stress-indicator needle is college.

Applications, scholarships, college visits; the deadlines are fast approaching and Iʼve barely begun the process. I have spent many hours thinking about college, ever since the first day of ninth grade, but now the time is hear and Iʼve neglected the fact that it is a very time consuming and difficult process, of which I just donʼt seem to have the time.

I know that some people might read this and think Iʼm whining because I think my life is “so difficult,” but I

made this decision myself and I take full responsibility for any of the events that happen as a result. I realize that other people are far more stressed than I am.

This is why Iʼve tried to see the good in everything and stay optimistic. The best words of advice I have ever received are “everything is temporary.” All this stress, all this pressure, all this responsibility; itʼs all temporary.

Of course I will always have stress, pressure, and responsibility to work through throughout my life, but this particular situation wonʼt last forever.

Moving out has taught me so much about the real world. There is no one to pay for my speeding ticket it I get pulled over, no one to pay for my gas if Iʼve already spent all my money at the mall, and no one to yell at me for not doing the dishes or taking out the trash.

This is the first time in my life Iʼve had to deal with certain situations by myself, but itʼs all just a learning experience that is preparing me for the future and I know I will have grown as a person as a result of it.

TORI WYCOFF As Creek opened this August after what seemed to be too short of a summer, there were a lot of very visible changes. From the new building, to the “funnel” walkway in the middle of the campus and the constant construction, all students realized they were in for quite a year. There is an entirely different feeling on campus, however, for those of us that are seniors. This is our year.

Itʼs our last year with friends we have known forever, and our year to realize who we are and find our place in a new world full of jobs, colleges, and whatever else our future holds.

Everyone feels it- the sudden realization that life as we know it will change dramatically the night of May 26, 2007 when we walk across that stage, and our high school life is over. Some of us have gone to school with the same people since kindergarten, and while others were moveins, everyone quickly became acquainted with their own groups of friends. Pretty soon, we will all be leaving for different places, and we will have to make all new friends, but, hopefully, we will be able to keep in touch

with those that have changed our lives here in League City.

This year will be packed with moments that we will never forget. From freshmen

made life-long memories. The 2006-2007 school year will consist of many things that we will never be able to do again. Soon, it will be time for our last Homecoming, athletes will have their last games or matches, and we will get ready for Prom and Christmas Dance for the last time.

Some of us are applying to colleges or receiving scholarships, while others are preparing to enter the workforce. Applying to different schools is timeconsuming and tedious, and it really makes the reality of our situation set in.

Attending College Night, going to college visits in the new campus College Room, as well as making personal visits to different schools occupy our time and our minds. But think of the reward once everything is turned in and we can just sit back and wait for the acceptance letters to roll in.

The hardest part of this new reality for most of us is the fact that we will be leaving home for the first time. Personally, I know that my family does so much for me and being on my own is terrifying. We will

have to find our own meals, do our own laundry and provide for ourselves in ways that our parents or guardians have always done. We will no longer have our parents to nag us about going to bed or being there to wake us up in case our alarm malfunctions.

We are now entering an entirely different world where we are our own allies and we are independent.

This year is also full of new things that we are legally allowed to do as we turn eighteen. Most importantly is the fact that we can vote.

This year, some of us will be able to place our votes in midterm elections, and in a couple years, we will all be able to vote for the leader of our country.

At this, the beginning of the end of our high school career, we must take advantage of the time we have. Have fun, participate in all that you can and make the most of this final year with all of your friends.

Letʼs make this year one that we will never forget and end our years at Clear Creek High School in style!

Guest Editorial: Tori Wycoff

“This is our year. It’s our last year with friends we have known forever, and our year to realize who we are and find our place in a new world full of jobs, colleges, and whatever else our future holds.”

year when we did not know who we were to now, we have grown a lot and we have

Clear Creek HiLife

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Houstonʼs prepared for another season DHEVI RAJENDRAN

people lost their homes and jobs. In total, about 100 people died from Hurricane Tears were shed and lives were lost Rita. during the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina.

Hurricane Rita is virtually The first anniversary of the fatal storm incomparable to Hurricane Katrina. The that shook the world of the citizens of New only thing they had in common was the Orleans and America alike has passed in region they affected. Unlike Rita, the retrospect for the majority of people. disaster of Katrina lay not in the evacuation, Americanʼs mind travel back to August but in the actual storm 29 a little over one year ago, when the itself. Many people catastrophic effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans destroyed the city of New Orleans. At probably could not least 1,836 people were killed in this even imagine the disaster. The rest of the country looked on terrible conditions in horror as the reports of missing people they would have to flooded in. endure if they did not America was in shock. How could evacuate. Although so many people die in a hurricane some people tried that affected a country that handled to evacuate, most of natural disasters so well? But before them left too late. this question could be answered, and Some were stranded long before America had even begun to on roofs and others heal from the scars of Katrina, another tried to keep afloat hurricane, Hurricane Rita, was heading straight towards the Gulf Coast.

Hurricane Frances approaching Florida coast. Discovery on debris. People were starving and Not surprisingly, the people of the Education. 2006.unitedstreaming. 5 October 2006 desperately in need Gulf Coast panicked. Waves of fear traveled through the minds of the masses evacuation. They remember the hunger, of water. The conditions were unbearable. that vividly remembered Katrina. In hope the parched throats, and the sparse gas In contrast, Houstonians knew of the of avoiding the nightmare the people of that came along with the seemingly never- calamity that would befall them if they New Orleans experienced, many Gulf ending evacuation. Many also remember did not evacuate before Hurricane Rita hit.

Coast Texans boarded their windows, returning from the evacuation to find little Unfortunately, the people of New Orleans packed their bags, and headed north. or no damage to their homes. Naturally, had no prior knowledge of an experience Unfortunately, their departure was not they were frustrated. Leaving seemed like the one they had.

Both hurricanes have provided as organized as it should have been. In unnecessary. But, the question is, Was actuality, about 3 million people left at the Rita evacuation pointless? The short Houstonians with valuable lessons to about the same time. This disorderly answer: no. Although League City was learn. The people of Houston should evacuation caused a chain of problems. said by many to have experienced a mere have learned by now that evacuating when Since there were so many evacuees on thunderstorm, the border between Texas a hurricane is likely to hit their area is the highways, the roads were jammed and Louisiana was not so lucky. Many necessary, but an evacuation can only be with traffic. With all the traffic came an overwhelming need for gas, food, and water. By this time though, most of these supplies had been drained. Therefore, after an elongated trip, many people reached their destinations hungry, thirsty, and exhausted.

Most Houstonians remember the

A change in lattitude: Romania HAYLEY BOULTINGHOUSE Located in Southeastern Europe, Romania, a country roughly the size of the state of Oregon, is the heartland of some of the worldʼs darkest tales.

For American children, Halloween is a night for dress up and pretending. They depict some of the scariest creatures. Some of the classic choices include witches, zombies, ghosts and vampires. Little do the children know that half a world away, the creatures they perceive as pretend are very real to the people of Romania.

Stories such as Anne Riceʼs Vampire Chronicles and Dracula by Bram Stoker, have exposed vampires to Western culture. Hollywood adaptations of these stories have depicted suave, seductive creatures leading interesting lives among mortals.

In Romania, that isnʼt the case.

There are two types of vampires in Romania folklore. Strigoi vii are witches

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Clear Creek HiLife

who will take the form of a vampire after of becoming a vampire. Dying unnaturally their death. Strigoi Mort are the living or dying before baptism are also thought to dead. They are tortured souls who return be causes of vampirism. Of course, a direct to Earth to suck the blood of family, friends, and even livestock. They are always disgusting and vile. Vampires lead lives that no mortal would choose to lead.

How is one doomed to a life as a vampire? It is different in every culture around Great Books: Dracula. Discovery Channel School. 2000. the world, but in unitedstreaming.5 October 2006 Romania the list is <http://www.unitedstreaming.com/> straightforward.

Tradition states that anyone who is bite from a vampire is an instant ticket born out of wedlock or born to a woman to that sort of life. Romanian folklore who held council with witches has a chance states that the most common time to be

efficient if it is organized. Specifically from Hurricane Rita, they learned that evacuation times should be observed and leaving too early will only cause traffic problems. But, the people of Houston are not the only ones who have learned valuable lessons. City officials, police offices, and other evacuation organizations have also learned from the shortcomings in the Rita evacuation. They have now devised plans for future evacuations that include new ideas like opening counter flow lanes earlier. In general, Houston is trying to prepare for the next hurricane.

Even with all of these precautions, will Houston be ready for the next hurricane? As long as Houstonians understand the gravity of a hurricane and prepare accordingly, they should be ready to safely evacuate a storm. To be fully prepared, there are many things to be understood and done. First, people must get it out of their minds that evacuations are unnecessary. Weather experts do not tell people to evacuate just for the sake of it. In addition, people should adhere to evacuation times and instructions.

Finally, personal preparedness is vital.

With Houstonʼs location on the Gulf Coast there is a greater chance for hurricanes.

Therefore, the people of Houston should have a ready store of supplies that may be needed for an evacuation, such as fresh water and non-perishable foods. If Houston keeps all of these safety measures in mind, it will be prepared for any future hurricane evacuations.

transformed into a vampire is St. Georges Day. This day falls on Apri1 22 according to the Julian calendar which is thirteen days behind the Gregorian calendar, the common calendar system used in Western Europe and America.

Romanians do everything in their power to ward off vampires. Garlic is rubbed on cattle and placed in windows of homes to keep vampires from lurking around. Garlic is also distributed in church, and whoever doesnʼt eat it is accused of vampirism. Wild roses are planted over graves to prevent a body from rising up and returning to Earth. No precaution is too small for Romanians to take.

So, as autumn comes and goes and Americans move on from the ghoulish delights of Halloween, Romanians are still immersed in their search for presumed vampires and a way to fight off the evil they bring with them.

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IAU expels Pluto from the solar system TAYLOR LONG My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas. This is one of the many sayings that most elementary school children learn in school to memorize the order of the planets in the solar system.

Well, motherʼs menu is about to change.

On August 24, while students adjusted back to a school schedule, the International Astronomical Union, or the IAU, finally settled the controversial debate over Pluto. They came to an agreement on their definition of a planet. According to the IAU a planet is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostate equilibrium (nearly round) shape, and (c) has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit.

Since Pluto does not meet all of the

IAUʼs criteria of a planet, it has been stripped of its original title and dubbed a dwarf planet instead. Although some of this news may be new to the public, the planethood of Pluto has been a debatable subject among astronomers since the discovery of the Kupier Belt in 1992.

The Kupier Belt, also known as the “final frontier”, is a 150 mile wide diskshaped region of icy debris. It is located beyond Neptune and is a good 2.8 to 4.6 billion miles from the sun. This would explain why Plutoʼs surface temperature is estimated to be between negative 378 and 369 degrees Fahrenheit. Some planetary scientists and astronomers believe that Pluto is just another one of the hundreds of icy objects located within the Kupier Belt.

Other scientists argue that Pluto should remain a planet, just as it has been since its discovery in 1930 by Clyde Tombough.

Only about 400 of the 8,858 members of the IAU actually made it to the conference in Prague, Czech-Republic to vote for the change. Alan Stern, a member of the IAU and leader of NASAʼs New Horizons mission, was unable to join the conference, however, this did not stop him from getting his opinion heard. “I have been involved in the debate. My conclusion is that the IAU definition is not only unworkable and unteachable, but so scientifically flawed and internally contradictory that it cannot be strongly defended against claims of scientific sloppiness, ʻir-rigorʼ, and cogent classification,” staid Stern in the September issue of “The PIʼs Perspective.”

Although the IAU officially ruled out Pluto as a planet, is the debate really over? Hundreds of scientists and people around the world are outraged by the IAUʼs final decision. Many people

internationally share the same views as Stern. Astronomers, planetarians, the public and even NASA are rejecting the IAUʼs definition of a planet.

Last January NASA launched their New Horizons mission, which, if all goes well, will be expected to land on Pluto sometime in 2015. Pluto is the only planet in our solar system that has not been visited by spacecraft. The New Horizons probe is equipped with several advanced instruments that will help scientist study Plutoʼs geology, interior makeup and atmosphere.

However controversial, the decision to rule out Pluto as a planet seems to be staying as of now, but people can expect further discussion on the topic in the near future, especially as the New Horizons mission gets closer to landing on Pluto.

HAYLEY BOULTINGHOUSE

team members demolished the door to the classroom. Morrison immediately fired at them. In the midst of the flying bullets, one of the hostages, 16-year old Emily Keyes attempted to escape.

She didnʼt succeed. Morrison shot Emily in the back of the head just before SWAT team members shot him several times. The three hour siege ended with both of their deaths.

Two days later, on September 29, a school shooting in Cazenovia, Wisconsin, claimed another life.

Fifteen year old Eric Hainstock arrived at Weston Schools with a complaint about being teased and two guns in hand.

Before classes began, the teen went after a social studies teacher. Custodian Dave Thompson was present and wrestled the gun away from Hainstock. When another gun was drawn, Thompson and the teacher immediately took cover.

Soon Principal John Klang arrived on the scene and confronted Hainstock.

Klang was shot in the chest, head, and leg but managed to throw himself on the shooter and make him lose hold of the gun.

Students and staff kept close watch on Hainstock until police arrived on the scene.

Klang died in a hospital hours later.

Just when America thought the madness was over, the morning of Monday, October 2 came.

In an Amish community in rural Pennsylvania students, ages six to13, attend class together in a one room schoolhouse.

Thirty-two year old Charles Carl Roberts IV arrived at the school with a shotgun, a semiautomatic pistol, and a rifle. He also carried an assortment of tools, a stun gun, two knives, 600 rounds of ammunition, several planks of lumber and a change of clothes. Authorities believe Roberts was prepared for an extended siege.

The attack resembled the one in Colorado just six days earlier. Roberts, like Morrison, favored female victims.

He made 10 of the 11 girls stay in the classroom and released the 15 boys. A few female adults, one pregnant and the other with infants, were allowed to leave as well. The teacher was able to call police, but Roberts had already begun his assaults on the girls. When police did arrive on the scene Roberts began firing rapidly with no signs of stopping.

When police finally got into the schoolhouse, they found Roberts dead.

Three of the ten girls died there in the schoolhouse. Two more died in a hospital on Tuesday. The remaining five are still in critical condition. The parents of Emily Keyes are asking, “Everyone go

out and commit random acts of kindness, random acts of love to your friends or your neighbors or your fellow students because there is no way to make sense of this. Itʼs also what Emily would have wanted.”

Students and faculty at Weston Schools have postponed their homecoming activities during this time of grieving for their principal. “All the students just loved him [Klang],” said Laurie Rhea.

The students have also been coming to school clad in royal blue t-shirts honoring Klang.

The shirts have a large “W”, like the Superman “S”, and say, “John Klang is my superhero.” The students have been offered counseling to cope with their grief.

As for the Amish community, they have been united in prayer.

“We think it was Godʼs plan, and weʼre going to have to pick up the pieces and keep on going. A funeral to us is a much more important thing than the day of birth because we believe in the hereafter.

The children are better off than their survivors,” said Sam Stoltzfus, a 63-year old Amish woodworker.

Prayers have gone out for the victimʼs families as well as the family of Roberts.

“We must not think evil of this man,” said Reverend Robert Scheneck.

President Bush has called for a summit meeting on school violence. America stands by for a resolution.

School shootings resurface in the U.S. “Happiness is a warm gun.” according to The Beatles in a hit song from 1968.

Decades later, America disagrees.

On Wednesday September 27, 53 year old Duane Morrison walked into Canyon High School in Bailey, Colorado.

Morrison entered a second floor classroom full of students with two handguns and a backpack he claimed held a bomb. He demanded that all of the male students exit the classroom, then selected six females to stay. The six females were lined up against the chalkboard at the front of the room, then Morrison proceeded to sexually assault them.

Eventually Morrison released four of the girls, but cut off contact from the outside world. The last thing relayed to authorities was that “something would happen at 4ʼo clock.”

Time was running out. Around 3: 30, prompted by screams from the two hostages, Wegner ordered a raid. SWAT

Clear Creek HiLife

6

C reek Clubs

French Club

French club is a fun organization that promotes the French culture. The club will meet twice a month on Wednesday after school from 2:45 to 3:15 P.M. The first meeting is September 27 and the next meeting is scheduled for October 11. Come and see what the fun is all about. The club will be making delicious French food at the homecoming carnival. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail the sponsor, Miss St. Pierre, mstpierre@ccisd.net, or President, Megan Wells, mwellsextraordinaire@gmail.com.

Link Crew The Link Crew meets as announced in the auxiliary cafeteria. They will be participating in “Wrap the Town Red” on Saturday, October 21 as part of Red Ribbon Week. Wrap the Town Red will take place at McWhirter Elementary between 9:30 A.M. and 2:30 P.M. All students are invited to participate. For more information, see Mrs. Bartlett in P-18, or email her at dbartlet@ccisd.net.

PALs

The PAL program at Creek is very busy helping the community. On October 14 the PALs will be working at the South Shore Harbor Garage Sale, and as the holiday season approaches, you will see the PALs at the mall helping shoppers. PALs are also visiting local elderly homes and babysitting at local elementary schools during parent meetings. In early November, the PALs will go to the local elementary and middle schools in the district to work with their PALees.

The National Technology Honor Society

The Ping Pong Club

The National Technology Honor Society may be the perfect club for someone interested in technology. The NTHS meets on the second Friday of every month in room B125. NTHS members will sponser a booth at the Homecoming Carnival, where they will have a plinko board set up for everyone to enjoy. Also, there will be a bake sale fundraiser on October 20th. Tentatively, the district wide induction of new members will be held on November 15th at Clear Brook High Schooll.

The ping-pong club is one that puts a spin on bouncing a ball back and forth across a table.

The club takes a scientific approach to the game and shows how physics can come alive in your daily life. The club meets every Monday after school until 3:00 P.M. in Ms. Toupardʼs room, B-216, in the science hallway.

CCHS Sailing Club

Tarot Studies

“Itʼs a really personal club,” Larra Elliott (senior) enthusiastically shares. The Tarot Reading Club, organized by Larra Elliott, Haydyn Jackson, and Caitlin Demeritt, meets every Wednesday from 2:45- 3:30 P.M. with Mr. Russell in P-47. The club was created to learn about the history of tarot reading; both I-ching Japanese cards and nontraditional studies. “Everyone is welcome,” Larra encourages, “Come if you want to learn about tarot reading. If you already know how, come and share. Weʼd love to learn from you!”

Clear Creek HiLife

Do you enjoy the wind in your hair? The smell of saltwater filling your nostrils? Or just the idea of being surrounded by water and all that is there is you and the sails? Then Sailing Club is the place for you.

When Chase Bemis and Alex Scanlon approached Mrs. McCurdy with the opportunity to sponsor the CCHS Sailing Club she jumped right on board. The club will meet on the first Tuesday of every month, during tutorials. The first meeting will take place in October. The group will then talk about the agenda for the year and the special activities they plan to take part in. The club is welcome to anybody and they would love to see your face.

C.L.E.A.R. The C.L.E.A.R. club is an organization who cares about the well being of the students in their daily struggle with peer pressure with alcohol and drugs. The club meets every other Thursday at 2:35 P.M. in room N119. Coming up in October the C.L.E.A.R. club will be participating in many activities like their First Annual “Clearing the Way for Our Leaders of Tomorrow” Scholarship, Bowl-a-thon, a “Say Boo to Drugs” carnival booth during Red Ribbn week, and a C.L.E.A.R. club tobacco campaign for students on campus.

Best Buddies Best Buddies is a non-profit organization created to enhance the lives of people with intellectual disabilities through one-to one friendships. Starting in November, each month they will have an awareness issue (ex pollution, homeless and hunger), and all month long they will base their activities on helping the special ed students get a good grasp on the issue and allow them to lend a helping hand. Best Buddies meets every other Thursday in B-116.

F B owl ish

New school brings new fears BOBBY MURPHY

Do upperclassmen remember their freshman year? How they were treated?

How they acted? Did they ever think that they might have been, as strange as it sounds, just as immature as they say the freshmen this year are? Did they ever bother to think that they acted just like those freshmen did, that alumni today thought the same thing of them when they were a freshman? Well times havenʼt changed. Freshmen may seem to be the same immature, new kids on the block, but in reality they act just like any other class of students here at Creek.

The word freshman originated in England as a word to describe men who were entering college. There was no intention of any type of harm meant to come from the word, over time, however, the word and what it stands for now began to evolve. As it began to become used more often in high schools to describe incoming ninth graders, there were gender disputes over the word, particularly amongst female students, because it did not properly describe girls who were entering high school. This dispute sparked controversy and eventually became one of the main reasons why freshmen now, and in the

recent past, have had to cope with so many problems from the upperclassmen at their schools.

At Creek there is not much trouble between the upperclassmen and the freshmen compared to other schools; that is because of the separation of the main campus and the ninth grade center.

Any “picking-on,” so to speak, usually happens through extra curricular activities, like band or athletics, but even in groups such as these, it has become less common, happening only on rare occasions such as “Fish-Friday” during homecoming week.

For freshmen this year, it really is not something to fear.

In fact, times seem to have changed for the most part. Freshman Bailey Jarvis said, “I have met some upperclassmen, and some of them have made me feel welcome, but most of them just act like everyone else, just normal.” Jarvis is adapting just fine and has had no problems with Creekʼs upper class students. As Jarvis said, “I am involved in Choir, Drama, and Dance,” showing how even extracurricular activities are beginning to lose their ageold traditions.

Upperclassmen have also begun to lose interest in what their predecessors may have

enjoyed. Many students busy themselves with their studies and schoolwork, leaving an incredibly small margin of time for anything else. Freshman Nadia Ahmed said, “The only upperclassmen I know is one guy at my bus stop, but I never see him around at school.” This is because students like Ahmed have little or no time to run in to each other during school. Students who are overwhelmed with excess loads of work rarely have the free time to do anything besides their schoolwork, and thus traditions common at many high schools at one time, like the stereotypical stuffing in a locker or being rolled down a hill in a trash can, are seen less and less.

Luckily, for any student who seems to still feel fear, the Clear Creek High School campus has no large hills and the lockers are seldom used.

As the years move on, old traditions begin to die out, and new ones begin to form. Perhaps as time goes by, upperclassmen will begin to see their younger counterparts as images of themselves at that age and will treat them differently, with much more dignity, allowing all students to live without fear.

same reasons, Ruiz foreshadowed that he may be implementing new procedures later in the year concerning lunches, buses, and seating in the mornings. Ruiz continuously stressed that any change that he would make in the future would, again, be strictly out of concern for the safety of the students.

Ruiz further defended this act by saying that he had spoken with many students and none of them seemed to mind the separation.

Students like Abeer Metwalli confirmed this.

Metwalli said, “It doesnʼt really bother me, but thereʼs still not enough room.” While students like Metwalli agree with Ruiz, others disagree and continue to argue otherwise. Stephanie Ortiz said, “I donʼt like it because I donʼt get to talk with my guy friends. Whatʼs the big deal about

different genders in different places?”

Another freshman, Josh Sanders claims, “It is totally unacceptable and outrageous,” and it appears that many others seem to have the same point of view as Ortiz and Sanders and feel that the new procedure is a punishment.

To those students who feel they have been wronged, Ruiz would like to assure students that this and any other measure he takes is done strictly for the safety of the student. In fact, Ruiz considers this one of the least drastic measures possible.

Ruiz said, “ 90-92 percent of students already had chosen to separate themselves by gender before the policy had been implemented.” For those who continue to disagree, Ruiz says that any student is free to come to him with any questions that they may have. However, he would like to say to all freshmen students, “ There are some battles to fight, and some not to fight,” and he claims that this is not a battle worth fighting. In spite of that, it is up to students to choose their battles.

Students separated by gender NADIA AHMED & ALLIE HINGA

In a recent procedure implemented at the Clear Creek Ninth Grade Center, students who arrive prior to the 7:10 bell are required to proceed into either the cafeteria or to the boyʼs gym. The controversial aspect is that the students are separated by gender. The girls are directed to the cafeteria and the boys are required to go upstairs to the boyʼs gym. Mr. Ruiz, Associate Principal of Clear Creek High School, granted an interview concerning his recent actions.

When asked about the motives behind the separation, Ruiz assured students that it was enacted solely as a solution to the overcrowding in the cafeteria. Due to the growing enrollment, the number of students in the cafeteria clearly exceeds the 700-student limit set by the fire marshall. After 25 days of observation, administrators determined that a change needed to be made. Several different options were discussed, and it was decided that separating the students by gender would be the easiest to monitor and the quickest to implement.

The safety of the students is Ruizʼs number one concern. As he stressed in his interview, the overcrowding increases the likelihood of accidents, and it is important to be prepared in a school with a large population like Creek. Ruiz was concerned that if there was a need to evacuate large areas, such as the cafeteria, students could get injured by people trying to exit the building. Also, if a student were to get sick or a fight was to break out, teachers would not be able to get to the scene in time to provide assistance. For these Photo by Fallan Drago

“90-92% of students already had chosen to separate themselves by gender before the policy had been implemented.”

7

From the top to the bottom CASSIE LEE Entering a new environment with new surroundings can be overwhelming, especially when told how horrible it is going to be. However, every person must make his or her own assumption instead of listening to someone else. High school freshmen have to learn this by listening to what their junior high teachers have to say about high school and then finding out itʼs something completely different.

Being the top class at a school allows power, privileges, and confidence. As eighth graders, students showed no fear.

Instead, they found humor in the fear of the younger companions, the sixth graders.

Ironically, in a year they would be placed into a populated school and become what they mocked, a lower class freshman.

Being an eighth grader, students felt comfortable with their surroundings and knew their place as head of the school.

However, as the year began to end, rumors by their middle school teachers of untrusting, unforgiving, uncaring high school students and teachers haunted them.

High school became something feared.

Middle school teachers lectured about how high school teachers would not put up with any nonsense and horseplay. Tardiness would be unforgivable and punishments would be severe. Students at high school would be smothered in homework everyday and the work would be unbelievably hard.

Teacher after teacher explained how high school was a lot harder than any incoming freshman could imagine. This “heads up” that middle school teachers gave to their students would give every incoming freshman the idea that high school is a nightmare. Freshman soon realized it was not anything like they were told.

“High school was nothing like I thought it was going to be,” said a current Clear Creek freshman, Julie Rapp. About 1,200 new freshmen a year realize the difference between what they thought high school would be like and how it really is.

Once the panic of the situation dies down and the comfort begins to settle in, freshmen begin to comprehend and compare eighth grade year to high school.

“High school has much more freedom and ability to do what you want,” said one freshman, Jenna Clayton. A majority of freshmen find that high school is not even half as rough as they were told.

Change can be good or bad, it depends on the personʼs attitude. After being groomed to fear high school, the reality settles in. The difference in making a selfdecision and anotherʼs judgment could be completely dissimilar. The atmosphere of high school depicted by television, games, and middle school teachers is of a fearful one. However, freshmen should not trust what they hear for they must witness the experience and make their own assumptions.

Clear Creek HiLife

8

2006 Homecom

Lauren Henriksen

Meagan Thomason Clear Creek HiLife

Chimel

- 2007 ming Court

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Samika Williams

Jenna Rissky Clear Creek HiLife

10 C reek Speaks

Ann Hacker contributes to the RJH Scholarship STEPHANIE HAECHTEN

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” These are the words of wisdom from the great Walt Disney, a man who has influenced childrenʼs lives for over 75 years. But this semester the life story of Ray Joseph Hutchinson, a young man who had passion and love that paralleled Walt Disney will be making an impact on the students at Bauerschlag Elementary.

Ray Hutchinson was a photographer for Clear Creek High Schoolʼs HiLife Newspaper. In February 2003, Hutchinson was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division; also known as the Screaming Eagles. While serving in Mosul, Iraq, Hutchinson was killed by a roadside bomb. Many of Hutchinsonʼs friends wanted to commemorate his life by creating a scholarship. The Ray Joseph Hutchinson Scholarship motivates young people to continue influencing the world while honoring Hutchinsonʼs life. The

scholarship goes to students who are not necessarily in the top 10 percent of their graduating class and have overcome a difficult obstacle in their life. So far eight students have received this scholarship to date.

Ann Hacker, owner and operator of the Black Rose Steel Company in League City is extremely involved in the growth of the scholarship. It was her idea to distribute I.D. tags to the students at Bauerschlag Elementary, with the help of Officer Gonzales, the DARE officer at the school.

The I. D. tags, similar to the dog tags given to members of the military, Photo by Wynette Jameson will be given out during

Red Ribbon Week (October 23-27) to students who make a pledge to be drug free.

On one side the tags will have information about the Ray Joseph Hutchinson Scholarship, including a website where students and parents can find pictures and stories of Hutchinsonʼs life (www.fotki.com/mrsj). The opposite side will have a pledge to be drug free.

Students at Bauerschlag Elementary and their parents will not only learn about the honorable scholarship, but also will know and appreciate the life story of Ray Joseph Hutchinson. Generosity in League City abounds through Ann Hacker, Cathy Alford and John and Betsy Ennis. Thanks to the generous donation of Ann Hacker and the compassionate heart of DARE Officer Gonzales a new era has started; an era where people have quit talking and people have started doing.

Mrs. Love steps in as Interim principal Dear Parent or Guardian,

This letter is written to make you aware of a recent change at Clear Creek High School. Dr. Hayes has been named Superintendent of Athens ISD in East Texas. Dr. Hayes has served as principal of Clear Creek for the past 3 years. We wish him well in his new position of leadership.

My name is Gail Love and I will serve as Interim principal until such time a replacement is named. I have previously served as Assistant Principal at Clear Creek High School, Principal of League City Intermediate and most recently named Principal of Clear Springs High School. It is my privilege to provide support during this Interim period. You can expect the same level of quality instruction and support that you have come to know from the faculty and staff at Clear Creek High School.

Clear Creek HiLife

In the next couple of days Dr. Hayes and I will transition to ensure a smooth remainder of the semester. I look forward to working with you and your student.

Thank you for your support.

Gail Love

“The essence of being an effective teacher lies in knowing what to do to foster pupils’ learning and being able to do it.”

Photo by Wynette Jameson

C reek S

peaks

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Baseball Boosters Choir Boosters PTSA Cheerleaders FFA Boosters Boy’s Basketball Hooked Tarot Community Animal Rights Bicycle Society Band Project Graduation NTHS Key Club Best Buddies Band Boosters Junior Class

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Girls’ VB Boosters Aquatics Boosters Cavalier Boosters French Club Orchestra Boosters Football Boosters

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JROTC Boosters JROTC Boosters Art Club/Art Boosters Senior Class DECA CDC NHS Drama Boosters Thespian Org. Girls’ Basketball Anime Club PALS CCHS – FB Tickets

NAME KEY Animal Rights – 9 Anime Club – 34 Aquatics Boosters – 19 Art Club/Boosters – 26 Band – 11 Band Boosters – 16 Baseball Boosters – 1 Best Buddies – 15 Bicycle Society – 10 Boy’s Basketball – 6 Cavalier Boosters – 20 CCHS/FB Tickets - 36 CDC - 29 Cheerleaders – 4 Choir Boosters – 2 DECA – 28 Drama Boosters – 31

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FFA Boosters – 5 Football Boosters – 23 French Club – 21 Girls’ Basketball – 33 Girls’ VB Boosters – 18 Hooked – 7 JROTC Boosters – 24 JROTC Boosters - 25 Junior Class – 17 Key Club – 14 NHS – 30 NTHS – 13 Orchestra Boosters – 22 PALS – 35 Project Graduation – 12 PTSA – 3 Senior Class – 27 Tarot Community – 8 Thespian Org. - 32

Clear Creek HiLife

12

Features

Think pink during October awareness month HALEY RUSH Every two minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. This year over 211,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed and 43,000 women will die.

According to http://www.nationalbre astcancer.org breast cancer is the second most death causing cancer. This is why October was internationally recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Itʼs a way for the people to come together, realize the affect breast cancer has caused on so many women, and acknowledge the studies that are being analyzed to help prevent this very strange disease.

Just as with many other diseases, the chance of getting breast cancer rises the older you become. One in eight woman who lives to be age 85 will be diagnosed with breast cancer. The risk for breast cancer increases with each twenty years of your life. From when a child is born to age 39, the risk is 1 in 229. From age 40 to 59, the risk increases to 1 in 24, and from age 60 to 79, the risk almost doubles to 1 in 13 people. Doctors do not know what actually causes breast cancer or why it occurs.

However, they do know that if someone has family members who have had the disease in the past they have a higher risk to be diagnosed.

Many woman want to know what she can do to lower her risk of developing breast cancer. There is no perfect solution to make sure somebody does not get breast cancer, however many things can be done to help modify and control a womanʼs risk

including, how much a person exercises, star actress Shirley Temple, who was what they eat, whether they smoke, if they diagnosed with breast cancer in 1972, and drink frequently, or how much a person had a mastectomy, is showing her support. weighs and if they maintain a healthy Temple is now a motivational speaker and weight. talks to woman all over the United States, Breast self examinations are the recounting her journey with breast cancer. leading way to detect certain types of Celebrities are not the only people who breast cancers. It is highly recommended can support this cause, anyone can do that it be done monthly. Regular something to help out. mammograms, which can detect breast On October 21, 2006, the DʼFeet cancer two years before it is large enough to be felt by a self-examination, are also recommended.

The word breast cancer does not conjure up thought of effecting men, but even though men do not have breasts all men have breast tissue, which allows them to be diagnosed with breast cancer. Although women have a much greater chance of getting this disease, and less than 1 percent of all breast cancers occur in men, 1,600 men will acquire breast cancer and 400 are expected to die this year alone.

Shelly Nelson paints a breast cancer ribbon at a Many people are downtown Garden City, Kan, business Friday, Oct. 7, supporting breast cancer 2005. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness including celebrities like Month. Nelson is the program director and Western the cast of Dallas, Reba Kansas regional nurse for Early Detection Works.

McIntyre, and Bon Jovi. (AP Photo/The Garden City Telegram, Matthew Even the famous child Huddleston) ccisdlibraryresource

organization is hosting a run or walk to fight breast cancer at Moody Gardens Resort in Galveston. Rain or shine, from 6:30 A.M. until noon, kids and adults from all over the area will be running, walking, and becoming educated about this disease.

Visit www.dfeetbreastcancer.com to register. It is $26 for adults and $7 for children. The deadline to register online is October 11.

Numerous activities will be going on throughout the day like The Flight of the Dove, which is a way to honor those who have won the fight against breast cancer, and in memory of those who have not.

Right before the walk begins and at the conclusion of the opening events more than 200 pigeons will be released to encircle Moody Gardens. There will be various tents with information about breast cancer to visit. Pledges will be taking place during the day to ensure that you will help stomp out breast cancer by participating in the race. Merchandise, like car magnets, T-shirts, bracelets, ribbons, pins, and more, will be sold to help raise money to find a cure.

Breast cancer is an epidemic. Support further studies and save thousands of men and woman all over the world. Take advantage of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, even the smallest donation can go a long way. Itʼs time that we defeat breast cancer.

the revised SAT exam will help colleges make better admission decisions and show students the importance of writing in their education. Problems will vary from easy to hard in each section, but the College Board states that the exam will not be considered difficult, just different. The exam will still measure the studentʼs ability of reasoning and problem solving taught throughout their years of school. Many students may see the new critical reading section easier than the current verbal section due to the deletion of the analogies. The writing may seem more of blessing than a curse to those who want to show their expertise in the skill.

The results of the major drop in the SAT scores came months after numerous colleges reported the low scores from the incoming freshmen. Given the new format of the exam the College Board already expected that the high school class of 2006 SAT scores would be low. They were

correct; the figures showed that the critical reading and the math skills fell seven points below average. Showing that the average critical reading scores drop from 508 to 503 and the math drop from 520 to 518. The newly added writing section showed a class average score of 497, with the females scoring 11 points higher that the males.

Students and parents still show concern about their acceptance to colleges and universities. Due to the low scores on the SAT exam, are there going to be fewer students attending colleges or are the colleges going to lower their standards to accept the students? The answer lies in the hands of the College Board and the students. Students will have to step their game and come prepared for the updated exam or the College Board will have to change their minds and go back to the original exam. Either way the current SAT scores still stand.

SAT scores take a steep plunge LAUREN GILLESPIE

The 2006 graduating class was the first to take the newly released format of the SAT standardized exam and scores took a steep plunge, recorded as the lowest in 31 years.

The unexpected drop in the SAT scores has outraged parents and students.

They questioned the College Board about their decision to make a new format for high school students. The College Board said that drops in scores are not only due to the new exam format but the lack of students retaking the exam.

The revised exam has a higher-level of thinking in the reading, writing, and math sections than the exam before it. The newly related changes to the mathematics and reading sections on the exam have created an assessment tool used for admissions by most universities do to the low scores on the college entrance exam. A major change to the exam is the

Clear Creek HiLife

new writing section. It includes multiplechoice questions and a student essay.

Currently there is a critical reading section known as the verbal section. This section no longer contains analogies but instead has replaced short reading passages to the existing long passages. The math section has been expanded to include topics from Algebra II and the quantitative comparison been removed. Changes in the SAT format means changes in allotted time for the exam. Not including breaks, exam time will be extended another half hour.

What are the reasons for changing the SAT exam? Is the exam going to be more difficult for the students? These are few of the many questions that are being asked by parents and students. The College Board states that the reason for the changes are for the improvement of the arrangement of the current curriculum and institutional practices in high schools and colleges.

Also by including the new writingsection,

Features

13

“Mums” the word for Texas tradition

HAYLEY BOULTINGHOUSE Surrounded by a mass of ribbons and bells, trinkets and love chains, lies a simple white flower that selflessly gave up its name for the grander of southern pageantry. Mum. Such a small word for a Texas sized homecoming tradition. A tradition that some northern states donʼt even realize exists.

It is customary in the south that only one girl can be announced homecoming queen, but a homecoming mum can make any girl feel like royalty.

In the early years Homecoming mostly occurred at the college level. It was very common at the University of Texas and Baylor University. During the 1950ʼs, homecoming mums were a single mum, maybe a ribbon or two, presented by a young man to the girl who was the object

of his affection.

My, how times have changed.

The 1970ʼs brought about a boom in homecoming mum creativity. It began to become highly popular at the high school level. Mums started to consist of a series of ribbons with inscriptions of names and spirited sayings, a few trinkets , and maybe a school logo pined on the mum somewhere prominent.

As years went by it was decided that, after all, this is Texas and the bigger the better. A major step towards creation of the homecoming mum as we know it today was the decline in the use of real mum flowers in favor of silk ones. While many mothers lament the loss of the smell of real flowers and the softness of petals against the face, the necessity of the change is understood. Silk flowers have virtually no

weight and therefore make adding more to the mum less of a hassle and burden for the mum wearer.

From an outsiderʼs perspective, a modern Texas homecoming mum could be seen as over the top. Ribbons that reach past the girls knees, up to seven smaller silk mums tied together to take up the entire chest area, plush mascots glued to the actual flower, and even lights running on a miniature battery pack are not an uncommon sight on homecoming day. A mum is practically a work of art, bold and beautiful like the Texas girls who proudly display them.

A mum can also be seen as a code to decipher special qualities about the wearer. Certain trinkets are unique to the girl, like dance shoes for a member of the drill team or an instrument for someone in

the band. Stickers spell out the name of the girl, possibly the giverʼs name and the homecoming year.

Mums today have taken on another twist. Some young men have become jealous of the attention the girls receive on homecoming day. They have retaliated with a garter, or a miniature mum, that they wear on their arms.

Another modern mum custom is for mothers to present their daughters with mums. Students at some schools have taken to exchanging small friendship mums. But some traditions never die, and the most common presenter of the homecoming mum is still the young man doting on his sweetheart.

BOBBY MURPHY For people looking to enjoy some great classic American food, Cheddars casual café is the place to go. Located off Interstate 45 in Webster Texas, next to Fryʼs Electronics, this new restaurant has begun to take all of the area by storm, with its great food and great atmosphere.

When guests first step out of their car they are surrounded by an array of freshly planted flowers and greenery. Arriving closer to the restaurant guests will come across several stone ponds in a pavilion specifically designed to accommodate guests waiting to be seated, and to avoid over-crowding.

Upon entering the restaurant guests are greeted by several hosts ready to give guests their menus and show them to

their seats. To their left guests will find a bar containing numerous flat screen televisions, none of which are smaller than 19 inches wide. No matter where guests decide to sit, there is always a TV visible.

Cheddars also has a place to dine for guests looking to have a more formal dining experience. To the right of the entrance a lavish dining area can be found with multiple skylights and brick archways that divide groups of tables into sections. It truly provides a beautiful atmosphere.

If guests visit Cheddars on the weekend they might find themselves

waiting up to 20 minutes, but no one should fear, because the wait always pays off with Cheddars great food and low prices.

Cheddars offers a very diverse array of foods from its world famous Idaho nachos, described on the menu as “A mountain of waffle fries covered with homemade queso, seasoned ground beef, diced tomatoes and jalapenos,” all the way to its sizzling Texas ribeye steaks. For the vegetarian, Cheddars also offers six different specialty salads, available with or without meat, and each served with a honey-butter croissant.

Lastly, for desert Cheddars offers two

different types of cheesecake, each less than five dollars. Donʼt have a taste for cheesecake? Well then try Cheddars legendary desert “The Cookie Monster,” a large chocolate chip cookie baked in a skillet topped with ice cream, hot fudge syrup and a cherry. From the appetizers all the way to the deserts cheddars provides quality food and quality service.

As the restaurant logo says, Cheddars gives “Quality food and service,” and at the Cheddars in Webster guests will receive that, and a whole lot more from the moment they walk in all the way until the host holds the door as they leave.

Resturant review: Cheddars

Clear Creek HiLife

14 Varsity Football Schedule 10-13-06 Brazoswood @District HOMECOMING 7:00 P.M. 10-20-06 Pearland @ The Rig 7:00 P.M. 10-27-06 Open 11-3-06 Alvin @ District 7:00 P.M. 11-10-06 Galveston Ball @ Courville 7:00 P.M. A View From the Stands

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Then it was over. His senior year football season ended and he was in love.

My heart was broken. I never thought games would ever be the same again until my senior year. A boy I had grown up with was one of the quarterbacks. I still got to go to all the games and support, cheer for and love my buddy, my friend I had known for years. Watching #10 play was just as wonderful as watching #41. And then, football season my senior year was over and I thought football would never be the same again. But, I was wrong.

Seven years later, after attending college and getting married, I was back in the stands of what is now called District Stadium watching my little brother play two years of varsity football at Creek. I

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Varsity triumphs in district play The Cats had taken some hard hits, but SARAH POORE Along with the heat and humidity the losses seemed to fuel their fire as they notorious to Houston, early September dominated the field the following Friday. means one thing to a lot of high school Clear Creek went into their game students: football season. The members against Deer Park focused, determined, of the Clear Creek student body, along and ready for a win, which is exactly with family and friends, crammed into the what they did. The Wildcats made their CCISD District Stadium on September 1 presence known by scoring in the second to cheer on our varsity team in their first and fourth quarters, with runs made by game of the year.

The Wildcats were matched against Klein Forest, the school ranked number ten in statewide preseason 5A rankings. Klein Forest lived up to its reputation, scoring touchdowns in the first and second quarter, leaving the Wildcats behind at zero. Creek finally got points on the board in the fourth, but couldnʼt manage to top their opponents. Creek fell 7-13 to the Eagles, a disappointing outcome for opening night.

The Wildcats Photo by Sarah Poore continued to fight in an intense first Jereme Brooks and Steven Howard. away game against Kingwood. After Brooks has 103 rushing yards and 321 the Mustangs took the lead with three receiving yards so far this year, a fantastic touchdowns, Creek made a huge comeback start to his senior season. Brooks continues in the third quarter, gaining 16 points to tie to lead the Wildcats with his ability on the the game 23-23. The Mustangs responded field. Howard made an impressive 41-yard with a field goal in the fourth, taking the interception return to settle the defensive game and leaving the score at a frustrating battle early in the fourth quarter, allowing Creek to score two more touchdowns. The 23-26.

In the next game, played against Wildcats accomplished all this with Deer Coach Wardenʼs prior team, Baytown Lee, Parkʼs Jofer Onyechi on the field. Onyechi the Ganders defeated the Wildcats 33-15. is a star running back, carrying a weighty This was the third loss of the season; things average of 391 rushing yards so far this season. He has averaged out an incredible werenʼt looking so good for the Wildcats.

100 or more yards for three consecutive games. Creek crushed the Deers regardless.

“It felt amazing to win our first game, we had a lot of fun,” says starting quarterback Neal Warden, “I feel our team will keep improving as the season progresses. We are strong all around, in defense as well as offense. The team makes few mental mistakes, and I think we will go far this year.”

Warden stands at number eight in the Houston area and number one at Creek for passing yards and doesnʼt plan on letting up anytime soon. He has been vital to Creekʼs success all year, and should continue to contribute to the team with his talents the remainder of the season.

The Creek football coaching staff has many new faces this year. Coach Cope is the new secondary coach, and Coaches Thompson and Hunt are the new receiving coaches.

Hopefully, with these additions to the team, the Wildcats will have a leg up on the competition and bring home some wins.

Creek is tied with Clear Brook and Alvin High School with their scores of 13, Galveston Ball stands at 3-1, and Clear Lake, Pearland, and Brazoswood are tied for first with a perfect 4-0. Even with this fierce opposition, Creek intends to bypass these standings in upcoming games and make their way to number one.

The football team plans to continue the success in the next games against Clear Brook, Clear Lake, and Brazoswood with more triumphs.

was again able to watch #61 play his heart and soul out. I was again able to watch my little brother perform something heʼd been working towards since the third grade when he played Pee-Wee football. I was there for him when he cried after losing their homecoming game. I was there for him when they won to jump up and down and support and cheer for and just love him. I was home. Then it was over, his senior season at Creek was complete and it was on to his games at SFA. Now, here it is, 30 years ago exactly that I first walked into the bleachers of Wildcat Stadium and I am there again.

This time my favorite colors are no longer Maroon and White, but Red and Black.

My favorite mascot is no longer a Wildcat, but a Wolverine. My trips to the stadium are no longer driven by my love for a

theyʼre no longer together, it makes no difference, for Iʼll still continue to watch #58, to be there to support him, to cheer for him and to love him as any mama would.

High School football is timeless. The boys still cry when they lose a game, their adrenaline still rushes with each and every win. There are still girls in the stands with broken hearts, huge crushes, and senior rings on a chain around their necks.

Things could not be more the same.

This once unrequited lover, now full time Mom, will still be in the stands the rest of this season and the next two years until my daughterʼs senior football season is over. I will watch her dance with the pride of a Motherʼs love for her only child.

But, I will also be there like the last 30 years to support, cheer for, and love the High School Football Players.

young man, but my love for my daughter whoʼs on the Clear Brook Celebrity Drill Team. But, things still havenʼt changed. I still see those young men on that same field and thirty years hasnʼt made a difference. I see the young man my daughter loved, the one that called me “Mom”. I see his heart full of pride in accomplishing something heʼd always dreamed of, being a part of the team. I see him shouting with joy as he makes an awesome play that only he is so brilliantly capable of. I see his smiling face as he takes off his helmet to stand on the sidelines, awaiting his next play.

I see her face as she looks at him on the sidelines, his firm thighs and“cute butt” as she calls it, in the football uniform she so loved to see him in. For him, it was all about winning. For her, it was all about him. Their world was football. Although

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High hopes for San Antonio SARAH POORE Water polo is a sport that requires great endurance, skill, and strength. The girls and guys of Clear Creekʼs polo teams are no stranger to any of these things as they make their way through district and on to regionals.

Hard work and daily three-hour practices with Coach Will Haltom have paid off for the varsity teams. The girls have been successful with twelve wins and eight losses thi year. The boys also did well with eight wins and eleven losses at the

closing of regular season. The Lady Cats beat the current champs, Cy Creek, twice this year and proved themselves a force to be reckoned with all season. The Lady Wildcats carried this velocity into district, losing only one out of five games.

The team has improved since last year, coming out second in district over their third place title last year. The boys also stepped it up a notch and demonstrated their ability at district, shutting out their opposition with an impressive 5-0. The boys look forward to regionals, hungry for

Photo by Sarah Poore

another big win.

Creek is fourth right now out of the north and south regions. With only the top three teams going on to compete in state, the competition is heated. Creek continues to fight for their spot in one of the top three positions.

In two short weeks, regionals will be underway and the state bracket will be decided.

“We have a really good chance of making it all the way to state this year,” says junior and varsity team member Brooke Banford. “If we can beat Clear Lake, itʼs pretty much guaranteed weʼll be in state.”

Clear Lake is one of the Wildcatʼs toughest opponents. Creek hopes to perform well against them and all of the other top scoring teams that will be playing in regional. The competition will be fierce, but the Wildcats plan to take it all.

The Clear Creek Wildcat water polo teams have big dreams of San Antonio, where the state championship will be held in October. If they make it, it will be the first time the Wildcats have been to state in several years. Creek continues to rely on their intensity and dedication to bring them all way to the top with a victory.

Volleyball seniors step it up ALBERT NKANSAH One sport that stands out in the fall is Volleyball. Volleyball is one of the pride and joys of Creek athletics. The Lady Cats had a great season last year, and the girls are at it again. Coach Scott Simonds and his team are ready to win district and make a run for state. With teams like Pearland and Clear Brook in their way, they are going to have to work hard.

Candice Davis was a very strong contributor last year. When she graduated, it seemed that the team would not be able to progress without her. However, with players like sophomore Haley Jacobs, senior Stephanie Hobaugh, and Reliant Energy scholarship recipient, Elyssa Loynes, the Wildcats look to be even stronger.

The Wildcats have lost some of their key components, but they have many players stepping up. “I believe last year we had an extremely strong player in Candice Davis, but this year we have a multitude of people who can come on the court and dominate,” said senior Sommer Ivory, one of the of the team leaders this year.

Creek has had many great volleyball alumni, included Laura Vaughn, Shamira Washington, and Lauryn Douglas. With so many good players coming from Creek, it will be interesting to see who will be the next great ones.

Coach Simonds knows how to win games. He has won a district title in both of his years as the Varsity Head Coach. In 2005, Simonds won Coach of the Year, and paved the way for his Lady Wildcats to make it to the regional final.

“Iʼve been with Simonds for all four years of my high school career. I love his coaching techniques and how he pushes us to be the best,” said Sommer Ivory.

Creek has dominated in district volleyball these past years. They look to

continue positive production. They can do that by winning their third straight district title but going to the state championship is the ultimate goal. Klein Oak and Deer Park are just two of the teams that made it last year, and the volleyball team believes this is their year.

Ivory says, “I think the key thing for this year will be having a positive attitude and coming out with excitement every game. I know we have the potential to go to state, but these are key factors in helping us get there.”

The Wildcats are off to a good start.

With a better than average non-district record of 15-9, they showed some improvements, but also some flaws.

However, they have been impeccable in district play with a 7-0-district record, and

have also proven that they are the team to beat.

Even though they have been playing well, they still have to be careful because there are a couple teams that can threaten their district title hopes, “In district I believe Pearland will be our toughest opponent. They have a few strong players,” said Ivory.

Last season the Wildcats were ousted by the Deer Park Deer in a heartbreaking loss in the regional final. That game has given the girls motivation for this year.

Instead of using the game as a negative, they have used it to grow to prepare for the season ahead.

Ivory said, “My expectations for this year is to go all the way to state. This yearʼs team is working extra hard to get

15 Athlete of the Month

Sommer Ivory “The best” is associated with a winner, a person who helps and leads their team to a victory. That person is accustomed to winning games and winning championships, and there is not many people who have won more than Octoberʼs Player of the Month, Sommer Ivory.

Ivory has been playing volleyball at Clear Creek her entire high school career and has brought success at every level.

She has been with the varsity volleyball team through both district championships, so she knows what it means to win. When you win, some people would develop an ego, but not Sommer. “Everyone is a key player on the team,” she says.

Over the summer, Ivory committed to the University of South Florida. USF went 4-22 for the season. Its obvious they need her to help them take home some wins. Hopefully, the next four years will be successful with Ivory playing for the Bulls. Sommer has played well enough to be regarded as one of the best volleyball players in the Houston area.

She has 174 kills, 48 assisted blocks and 30 solo blocks.

With all those numbers and the commitment to USF, along with her humble and positive attitude, she has proven she deserves to be the Player of the Month for October.

ALBERT NKANSAH Photo by Sarah Poore there.”

So, as the season continues, we will see if the Lady Wildcats have what it takes to win one of the toughest districts in the Houston area. The Wildcats expect to bring home another district, and hopefully, a state championship.

Photo by Sarah Poore

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