2015 September

2015 Football season pg. 18

Ed Sheeran concert pg. 15

Band preview pg. 8

Students given Dell laptops to replace Latitude tablets

By Emily Ruthven Around Creek Editor

This year, every student at Creek received their own Dell laptop, replacing the Dell Latitude tablets that were originally distributed in January of 2014.

The Creek campus has distributed approximately 2,200 laptops.

The new laptops are faster, slimmer, more durable, more user friendly and are less problematic than the tablets were.

“We’re having very few hardware issues and the main [issue] we’re having right now is with the Microsoft accounts, which we have instructions for. If the students are having trouble with them, then we have the staff here to help them reconnect,” said Mrs. Fuentes.

A major benefit to having the laptops is that now all students have access to a keyboard, with is vital to efficiently typing things such as essays and lab reports.

“Pretty soon we’ll have no textbooks; it will all be online. [Eventually], everything is going to be digital. So our goal is to help [students] learn from the technology,” said Fuentes.

Overall, most of Creek’s students are happy with the laptops. They are “easier to navigate” and “more fit to consumer needs,” commented Robert Gonzales, a senior.

The original reason for issuing the

tablets instead of laptops last year was to increase the mobility of teachers, who are often stuck behind a desk when demonstrating something online for their students. The thought with the tablets was

with certain software, projects, or other outlets of technology that help made the connection from teacher to student.

“Technology is great when it is working.

When it is not working, it can add a lot of

Photo by Hannah Pearson

that teacher would be able to eliminate this problem with the ability to move about their classroom during lectures or demonstrations, therefore becoming more engaged with their students and consequently elevating the success of the students’ learning. While this may have been true in theory, many teachers were unable to achieve this efficiently. The tablets were sometimes not compatible

stress,” said Mrs. Fuentes.

Once it was decided that the district would be switching to dell laptops, CCISD sent most of the tablets back to Dell, where they were refurbished. The district kept approximately 10,000 tablets, which are used as classroom sets in every elementary school across the district.

Sixth and seventh graders have their own tablet to take home every day and eighth to twelfth grade students have their own

Dell laptop to keep for the school year.

With new laptops came new software programs and learning platforms.

Teachers now have the ability to upload assignments, notes and Power Points onto ItsLearning, the district’s new outlet for classes, replacing OneNote. Students can download these documents at school and at home, which helps them complete missed assignments more easily. Teachers can also upload quizzes onto ItsLearning so students take them at home or in class.

Along with ItsLearning, students can access Skyward on their laptops. Skyward is taking the place of CCISD4me; it is the place where students, and their parents, can check their grades daily. Both ItsLearning and Skyward can be accessed through LinkEd, CCISD’s main hub for students and parents. The laptops also allow students to have easier access to their online textbooks, where they can take notes and complete online assignments.

For any students having difficulties with their laptop, Mrs. Fuentes, Mr.Pott, Mrs. Galvan and Mrs. Pavish, who is the learning technology coach and the teacher-student liaison for technology at Creek, are in the library tech office.

Mrs. Fuentes is there from 7:00 to 3:30 every day of the week and is “anxious to help any student that needs it.”

Wildcat family welcomes many new teachers to Creek

By Troylon Griffin II Managing Editor

As Clear Creek begins its 20152016 year, both new and old students are introduced to twenty new teachers from a variety of fields. These teachers are part of the big group of teachers that come in every year when a school year begins. This includes three new teachers in the social studies division: Mr. Mathew Alvarez, James Wyman and Stephen Mayol, three science teachers: Michael McGregor, Ashley Dolen and Kortney Field, a new math teacher, Dalona Pierson, two new English teachers: Jenny Harrell and Amanda Penney, three new physical education teachers: Coach Travis Golden, Candle Carmichael and Marka Wood, three new elective teachers: Brian Darby for debate, Rex Williams and Stephen Seymour for band and five new teachers in the foreign language division: Aide Garibay, Velia Davila and Nilda Burgos for Spanish and Tanya Arredondo and Catrice Eaton for American Sign Language.

Aide Garibay was born in Monterrey, Mexico and came to Texas for a better high school education. Before high school, Garibay had traveled back and forth from Mexico to the U.S. due to having relatives in both countries. She has been teaching for three years and had previously taught

first level Spanish and Spanish for native speakers at Spring ISD. Now, as a teacher at Creek, Garibay is looking forward to achieving her goal of “implementing and developing a great curriculum for Spanish

Veila Davila and Nilda Burgos.

Señora Burgos is a teacher of Spanish 1 and 2. She explained that she is excited and proud to be here.

“I want to help people learn a new

New teacher Mr. Darby teaches at his whiteboard.

language and so that way Photo by Aledia Solesky. give them the language opportunities,” Burgos said. can grow and students can grow interested new What’s also notable about Burgos is in choosing it as a course and elective.”

“I have a passion for my culture that she has recently come from Puerto and language so teaching Spanish is Rico and has taught there for the past definitely in my interest,” Garibay said. twenty years. She considers her new Garibay has joined Creek’s Spanish coming as “challenging” but she is program along with newcomers “giving it a chance.” Burgos plans to

teach for a long time at Creek and is anticipating “helping students be able to communicate and speak in Spanish.”

Señora Davila is also a teacher who is new not only to Creek but to the U.S. For a long time, Davila taught in Mexico before coming to Laredo, Texas to get her bachelor’s degree in Spanish. She is now working at Creek to educate students about the Spanish language.

“I like the language and I think it’s a language that needs to be recognized in the United States,” Davila said.

“Everyday, Spanish becomes more important to know in the states.”

Davila has noted that she loves the diversity at Creek and feels it’s a good place to start teaching in the U.S. She looks forward to teaching at Creek and developing her career.

In the American Sign Language department, Creek welcomes Tanya Arredondo and Catrice Eaton.

Arredondo’s first year at Creek is also her first year ever teaching. She took an interest in sign language and teaching when her father began attending classes after he began to lose his hearing.

“I’m really excited and I got ready as much as I could,” Arredondo said.

In general, she looks forward to the “high spirited student body aiming for success in anything they do.” (continued on page 9)

2

Opinion

What is your favorite Homecoming tradition? e my first mum.” ak m to d te ci ex ’m “I 9th –Abigail Mitchell,

“I’m excited up for the dress days.”

9th , e o P e i r o D -

y w the o h g in e d see u becom , n a s o s m e mu better as y Mathew h t e k y “I li gger and .” –Emil i get b rclassman th 9 pe an up “I love getting together with my best friends and making mums.”

–Jude Quaddumi, 10th

der, 10th

“Eating fried o reos.”

– Cassidy Ellis , 11th

and design“Dressing up with my ing overalls oyal ShelR – .” s ie m o h ton, 12th

me.” d at the football ga te an ch g in be e m “Hearing my na th –Manny Reddy, 12

ng my “I enjoy losi game and voice at the r the next o f g n i k l a t t no arco M – .” s y a d r fou 2th Rodriguez, 1

th

.” –Tristan Cox, 11

ion is all of “My favorite tradit , mostly for the carnival booths g to scream at the food, and gettin s at the footthe top of my lung being judged.” ball game without o, 12th –Andrew Passantin

“Going to the game and cheering in the student section.” - Makenna Morehead, 10th

“Sports. Sports are good.” –Joseph Stu

“I like eating snow-cones, making mums, and supporting my school.” Zach Daniels, 10th

te u c e h t e v o l “I homecoming ce i t s u J – ” . s l a propos th 1 1 , d u o m h l A

“Not having a date

“Taking my girl to homecoming.”

–Matthew Juarez, 9th

“I like the candlelight pep rally” – Kayla Cann, 11th

2015-2016

HiLife Staff

Principal:

Advisor:

Editors-in-Chief:

Managing Editor:

Design Editor:

Features Editor:

Teen Interest Editor:

Sports Editor:

Around Creek Editor:

News Editor:

Advertising Manager:

Photo Editor:

Online Editors:

Photographers:

Paola Argueta

Alexsandra Godoy Alyssa Hutchinson Jose Mares Jr. Hannah Pearson Katie Rodriguez Aleida Solesky Justin Stanton Alexis Tijierina Asiel Velasco

Jamey Majewski Wynette Jameson Emily Berthiaume Kelsie Sullivan Troylon Griffin II Kelsie Sullivan Emily Berthiaume Alyssa Lobue Troylon Griffin II Emily Ruthven Tiffany Wade Issac Villarreal Evelyn Salinas Evelyn Salinas Leo Solis Reporters: Cody Bassett Kyndal Dillehay Madison Hutchins Lindsey Loechel Ava Manuel Anna Scheuring Madeline Williams

Published at Mirror Publishers in Texas City Visit us at: http://clearcreekhighschool.ihigh.com or www.creekhilife.com For ad rates call: (281)284-1889 Fax: (281)316-0587

Editorial

3

Emily’s Editorial: “Mwen Kapab”

By Emily Berthiaume Editor-in-Chief

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. The United States is the richest. Therefore, it would make sense that Americans would go to Haiti for humanitarian purposes, to feed, to teach, and to build houses for the poor people there. I travelled to Haiti this summer in order to help some of the most povertystricken people in the world, but by the time the trip was over, I had realized that the Haitian people can do a lot more for us Americans than we can ever do for them.

I’m not going to pretend that we travelled to some remote village that had never before been touched by civilization and saved hundreds of lives or anything ridiculous.

The people we interacted with were used to mission groups coming through, and some days we didn’t get around to visiting all the

houses or planting all the trees we intended to. However, since the Haitian culture is so radically different from our culture, success is not measured in numbers.

Before I left, everyone I talked to who had gone to Haiti mentioned that the Haitian people are the kindest, most welcoming, and most giving people they had ever met. I did not necessarily believe them, assuming that of course the Haitians would be nice to the “rich” white people (or “blans”, as they say) who are giving them food and clothes.

However, I could not have been more wrong. Every single Haitian I interacted with was warm and open and welcoming.

Several families invited us into their tiny home, offering us what little they had.

While in the village one day, I met a lady named Esperanza, who was washing dishes on her front porch. She has three kids, and makes a living selling sandwiches that she prepares in her home, and is engaged to be married. My friend and I requested to help her wash her dishes and, after laughing at us, she agreed. She later offered us a bowl of beans and some type of corn dish that she was frying for her family’s lunch, which smelled delicious. Although we politely declined, her resilience and graciousness was truly inspiring.

In Haiti, the land is brown and dry and dusty almost everywhere, making it difficult for anything to grow. In stark contrast, the Haitian people are warm and bright and vibrant and so full of life. They are open and loud and joyful and full of song and love to play. Even a mother of eight we met, who

lived alone with her children on the top of a steep hill, had a smile and a moment to talk with us. They are facing struggles most Americans will never experience, yet are polite and selfless in the midst of it all.

The Haitian culture revolves around relationships, which is so different than

“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”- Jim Elliot in America. In Haiti, how much you accomplished in one day is not counted by the number of houses you painted or trees you planted. Many days, we would spend two hours talking to the person’s whose house you were painting and didn’t get to all the ones we were supposed to. Other days, the family whose yard we were planting the tree in had many children living there, so we spent all afternoon playing make-shift jump rope and hopscotch and “basket” (basketball) and hand-clapping games.

At times it was frustrating to realize at the end of day that we barely accomplished anything, but we really just needed to adjust to the country we were serving in.

I met a little boy in Leveque, a neighborhood where many homeless took

shelter after the 2010 earthquake and still live in temporary “houses” that are really tents made from tarps. By “met” him, I mean he ran up to me and tugged on my skirt and of course I picked him up right away. He was not healthy; he had a large, untreated sore on his back and a distended stomach from malnutrition. He was probably seven or eight but was about the size of a five year old, and I easily carried him around, walking wherever he requested with his pointed finger. He was wearing a Toy Story pajama shirt.

Despite his obvious health issues, he was one of the most joyful kids I have ever met, running around and asking to have his photo taken and blowing kisses for the camera. He had nothing, yet was happier than most will ever be. We can all learn a lot from little ones and all the people of Haiti when it comes to true happiness.

“Mwen kapab” means “I can” in Haitian Creole, and it is what Mission of Hope, the organization I went with, tries to teach every person they interact with, both Haitian and not. All the sweet, joyful faces I saw while on the trip, along with the harsh reality of the poverty of so much of the world, certainly left an impact on me that I will never forget. At times, it can feel impossible to help everyone or do everything, especially when faced with the sheer amount of desolation in this world.

Through the trip, I learned both how much so many people and places need, along with the truth that “mwen kapab” make a difference.

Kelsie’s Keepsake: Mirror-Mirror

By Kelsie Sullivan Editor-in-Chief Every morning society wakes up to the latest trends and alerts on their electronics. We hold the social platform in our hands. According to Pew Research Center, “92 percent of teen go online daily. A majority of teens, 71%, report using more than one social network site out of the seven platforms.” The photo centric social applications such as Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr, Facebook, and other mass media’s are focusing on the ideal body image. Society trends have side effects toward everyone.

The side effect of the social platform is that women are questioning

their body image daily. The most common mistake is women comparing themselves to the other women they see. The ‘Ideal Body’ is having a small waist, large breats,a thigh gap, pretty eyes, tan skin and wearing makeup.

When processing the ‘ideal image’, it tears you down emotionally and p h y s i c a l l y.

You start to step on the scale more frequantly , counting the calories before you eat food, and telling yourself your not good e n o u g h , b e c a u s e magazines and other adversiments classify what it known as ‘Perfect’.

Women begin to suffer from eating disorders and depression.

In 1950, A curvy, hourglass look was the trend. Actress/Model, Marilyn Monroe, had a BMI of 20, hip measurement of 35-inches, and height of 65-inches. In the 2000’s, for models in the fashion industry she must meet close to or exceed the requirements such as to 70-inches tall, with a body

mass index of 16.5 (underweight), and hip size no larger than 34-inches. The ideal everyday women are roughly 64-inches, with a BMI of 25, and hip size of 39-inches. Each year more and more advertisers aim towards a smaller body size and appearance. According to Dosomething.org “Approximately

and being able to differentiate a body that is sick and unhealthy and spotting a body worth being inspired by, and reminding you that beauty isn’t only skin deep. You can also wear clothes you feel comfortable wearing instead of the latest fashion trend. Next, is self-acceptance, you have to be comfortable and happy with the way you look, not comparing yourself to altered images.

Celebrate all that your able to accomplish.

Do something nice and relaxing for your self. When reading social and media messages, look for thing that give you a negative affect on your body. Finally, healthy outlook is key by eating properly, exercising, and having the right attitude. Its easier to feel good about yourself when your around people who think positively., and stop worrying about the number of calories and the numbers on the scale. Live your life the way you want to live it.

“The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.”

-Audrey Hepburn 91% of women are unhappy with their bodies and resort to dieting to achieve their ideal body shape. Unfortunately, only 5% of women naturally possess the body type often portrayed by Americans in the media.”

Women struggle with wondering if they will be accepted based on their appearance. A positive body image is able to respect, and confirm their body is beautiful. It starts with selfesteem, looking through a magazine

4

News

Distracted driving course required for Texas teens

By Emily Berthiaume Editor-in-Chief

All Texas teenagers wishing to get a driver’s license must now complete a new distracted driving course, enacted September 1.The Impact Texas Teen Driver Program is designed to reduce distracted driving, specifically cell phone use while behind the wheel.

Texting, talking, tweeting, and everything in between is extremely dangerous while driving, especially for young or experienced drivers. Data from the Texas Department of Transportation shows that distracted driving accidents are on the rise, and in 2014 alone, 100, 825 accidents occurred on Texas roads, most of them caused by cell phone use.

“Driving is one of the most dangerous things teens do on a daily basis, and it should command their undivided attention,” DPS director Steve McCraw said in a press release. “This new component of teen driver education underscores the risks of distracted driving, and is designed to provide young and inexperienced drivers

with additional information and skills to help keep them and others safe on the road.”

A California highway patrolman who

The course is the last step before taking the driver’s test and an ITTD certificate must be presented before taking the test.

A man looks at his phone while driving down Woodall Rodgers Freeway on July 16, 2015 in Dallas. (Rose Baca/The Dallas Morning News/TNS)

was tired of seeing teens lose their lives to wrecks designed the course. He partnered with the California Teachers Association in 2007 to create it, complete with a two-hour video with eight modules and questions.

This course is aimed at specifically limiting the amount teens use their cell phone behind the wheel, especially for means that require looking at the screen, like texting. According to the Center for

Disease Control and Prevention, texting and driving contributes to almost 1 in 5 vehicle crashes where someone is injured, and The National Safety Council reports that it causes 1.6 million accidents a year. 24 percent of teens say they text and drive, and 55 young adult drivers believe it is easy to do so, according to TextingandDrivingSafety. c o m .

“The statistics in Texas are sobering,” John Barton, deputy executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation, said in a news release. “One in five traffic crashes in Texas is caused by a distracted driver, and last year 459 people were killed as a result. Those deaths were preventable.

It’s simple: We want drivers to focus 100 percent on driving when they’re behind the wheel — for their sake and the sake of others.”

46 states ban texting and driving entirely, and although drivers under the age of 18 are not allowed to operate a phone while behind the wheel in Texas, there is no statewide ban on texting and driving. Although several bills have been proposed to ban cell phone use while behind the wheel, none have passed.

News Houston Deputy Goforth shot at gas station

By Anna Scheuring Reporter

On August 28, Houston police officer Deputy Darren H. Goforth was murdered in cold blood at a gas station by 30-yearold Shannon J. Miles. Goforth was pumping gas into his patrol car when Miles ambushed him from behind, shooting him 15 times.

Deputy Goforth leaves behind his wife Kathleen Goforth and two children. Goforth was a 10 year veteran of the police department, and was well known and loved by his friends and colleagues.

“Tonight we are grieving the loss of one of our brothers. I ask that you continue to pray for Deputy Goforth’s family, friends, & co-workers,” Sheriff Ron Hickman said on social media.

A surveillance camera at the gas station recorded the entire event. Miles walked up to Deputy Goforth’s car wearing red shorts and a white t-shirt, shot at him, and left the scene in a red pick-up truck. Police later found Miles at his house. After issuing a search warrant, the police located the gun that matched shell casings of the shooting. Miles cooperated with the police, and was arrested.

Miles is being charged with capital murder, and is being held without bond at Harris County Jail in an isolated cell.

He has future court dates set to decide his fate, although his motive for the killing is still unclear. During Miles’ first court

hearing, Miles stayed quiet, answering only with “Yes ma’am” or “No sir”.

Miles’ court appointed attorney said he “looked to me to have a blank expression” in court, which is “always a cause for concern.”

Miles has a history of criminal

incompetent and spent 6 months in the North Texas State Hospital. Records show that Miles has a history of repeated trips to jail, with time spans of six to ten days.

“Black lives matter” is a phrase that is frequently circulated when deadly

Officers gather outside Clear Creek High School in order to honor Deputy Goforth.

Photo taken by Evelyn Salinas.

activity. In 2012, Miles was charged with aggravated assault after an argument with a homeless man over a TV remote, which led to Miles using a deadly weapon on the homeless man. The case was later dropped after Miles was ruled mentally

shootings occur, especially when police officers or African-Americans are involved.

The phrase originated following the death of Treyvon Martin in 2013 when George Zimmerman fatally shot him, and has been used in reference to recent events such as

5

the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner at the hands of police officers, which caused uproar in the United States over the issue of racial treatment and inequality.

The murder of Deputy Goforth by AfricanAmerican Shannon J. Miles stirred the question “was he targeted for being a policeman?”, according to CNN news.

“This rhetoric has gotten out of control,” Goforth’s boss, Harris County, Texas, Sheriff Ron Hickman, said. “We’ve heard ‘black lives matter,’ ‘All lives matter.’ Well, cops’ lives matter, too. So why don’t we just drop the qualifier, and just say ‘Lives matter,’ and take that to the bank?”

Following the shooting, the entire city of Houston did their part to honor Goforth. Citizens gathered at the gas station where Deputy Goforth was killed in honor of his life, and GoFundMe accounts were created to benefit Goforth’s wife and children. A prayer walk of hundreds of people took place on the 30th to honor the deputy.

President Obama even responded, contacting Kathleen Goforth.

“On behalf of the American people, I offered Mrs. Goforth my condolences and told her that Michelle and I would keep her and her family in our prayers,” Obama said. ”Targeting police officers is completely unacceptable — an affront to civilized society,” he added.

Despite the tragedy, citizens in the Houston area and even citizens around the country are uniting to remember the life that Deputy Goforth left behind.

School bus crash on route to high school kills two

By Bailey Willits Journalism One

In Houston, a school bus flipped over the 610 South Loop killing two students and injuring two other students and the bus driver. A Houston ISD teacher was driving a gold Buick LeSabre on the loop. The teacher thought another vehicle was going into her lane, so she

served to avoid it, striking the school bus.

The school bus was going to Furr High School and had four students on board.

When the bus was hit, it crashed into the guard wall, falling off the 610 freeway and landed on its side on Telephone Road.

A witness, Martin Anthony, says that the bus came off the freeway and went about five feet into the air. It went nose down and flipped. Many witnesses

rushed over to help but could not do much because of the way the bus landed.

Mariya Alyss Johnson, 17, died on impact while 14 year old Janecia Chatman was rushed to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where she later died.

Johnsons mother, Melody Johnson, says the only way she knew about her daughter’s death was an automated voicemail form the school district at 9:09 a.m. The voicemail said,” A female student was killed and other students on the bus were seriously injured,” The second call came in a 10:34 AM, saying two were killed.

Johnson said that her daughter had previously complained that she didn’t feel safe with the bus driver’s driving.

Janecia Chatmann aunt, Meche Steele says that Janecia was fun and so excited about starting school as a freshman.

Steele said, ” My sister is home with the other siblings. We’re gonna get through this. We’re asking everyone to keep us in your prayers.”

A third female, Lakeisha Williams, 14,

a male student, Brandon Williams, 17, and the 45-year-old bus driver, Luisa Pacheco, were all rushed to the hospital. The Williams were twins and cousins of Janecia. They suffered severe injuries. It is unclear when they will be released from the hospital.

The HISD school board said,”This is a terrible, terrible tragedy. There’s a huge sense of loss whenever you lose any child and I can’t imagine what those families are going through and our deepest and sincerest condolences and prayers. And we ask that everyone in Houston be in prayer however they choose for those families” A growing memorial has started to form at the crash site. Angelica Gomez said, “No parent wants to lose their child in such a horrible way, they’re just kids, they were just going to school. They weren’t doing anything bad; they were just on their way to school. I’m a mom. I mean, it doesn’t matter how old they are, they’re always your babies. I just wanted to let them know they’re in my prayers.”

6

News

County clerk Davis refuses to issue marriage licenses

By Issac Villarreal Photographer

When the Rowan County Courthouse opened on the morning of August 25, April Miller and Karen Roberts were the first couple through the courthouse doors and the first to be turned away.

“We weren’t surprised,” Miller said by phone a couple of hours after.

“There wasn’t surprise in our voices this morning, there was disappointment.”

Miller and Roberts were just one example in a long line of couples hoping to get legally married in Rowan County, yet being repeatedly denied by the county clerk, Kim Davis.

David Ermold and David Moore, who had been previously rejected multiple times in Rowan County, came in next, followed

by Tim and Mike Long, who had already changed his name in a civil ceremony but was hoping to finally receive a marriage license. James Yates and William Smith, Jr. were also expecting a marriage license that day, an attempt that marked their fifth try. Every couple was turned away.

Ermold and Moore have previously documented their efforts to secure a license in Rowan County. A video of a July attempt has more than 1,800,000 views on YouTube.

Clerk Kim Davis did not make an appearance at the counter as the first couples streamed in, leaving employees to deny the licenses on her behalf. An employee of the courthouse said Davis was “doing reports.” When Davis finally came out, she declared that she was not issuing any licenses because of her faith..

After the issue came to light, the U.S. Supreme Court denied clerk Kim Davis’

request for a stay of a federal judge’s order for her to issue marriage licenses to all eligible couples, meaning she and her staff must comply or face fines and possible jail time. A stay of proceedings is a ruling by the court in civil and criminal procedure, halting further legal process in a trial. The court can subsequently lift

duties of her job, issuing her an order so she can’t turn away couples seeking licenses.

“Plaintiffs do not seek to compel Davis’ compliance through incarceration,” the court documents stated. “Since Defendant Davis continues to collect compensation from the commonwealth for duties she fails to perform, Plaintiffs urge

Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, with son Nathan Davis, a deputy clerk, reads a statement to the press outside the Rowan County Courthouse on Sept. 14, 2015 in Morehead, Ky. Davis did not interfere with marriage licenses issued after she returned to work. (Pablo Alcala/Lexington)Herald-Leader/TNS)

the stay, forcing Davis to issue licenses.

However, a stay is sometimes used to postpone proceedings indefinitely.

Davis, who says same-sex marriage conflicts with her Christian beliefs, has been refusing to issue any marriage licenses since the Supreme Court ruled for marriage equality in June. Four couples, two samesex and two opposite-sex, sued her, and earlier this month U.S. District Judge David Bunning ruled that she must perform all the

the Court to impose financial penalties sufficiently serious and increasingly onerous to compel Davis’ immediate compliance without further delay.”

Meanwhile, a couple that had been turned away from her office when seeking a marriage license is seeking to have her charged with official misconduct. The attorney for Rowan County has referred the case to the state’s attorney general and Davis has sued Governor Steve Beshear, accusing

him of violating her religious freedom.

Davis was later jailed for denying issuing marriage licenses to gay couples. After five days behind bars, Davis was ordered a release from jail by the judge who locked her up.

U.S. District Judge David Bunning lifted the contempt order but told Davis not to interfere with the granting of licenses by her deputies. Davis was released just before she was to receive jailhouse visits from presidential candidates Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz. When Davis was thrown in jail, she became a hero among religious conservatives for the boldest act of resistance by a public official to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that legalized gay marriage across the nation.

Outside the jail where Davis was held, word spread slowly through a crowd of supporters and some said they could not believe the news. Davis, an apostolic Christian, says that “gay marriage is a sin” and that “it would be against my conscience to issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple.” Five of the six remaining deputies at the Rowan County courthouse are now issuing licenses, with the exception of Davis’ son.

“The court is therefore satisfied that the Rowan County Clerk’s Office is fulfilling its obligation to issue marriage licenses to all legally eligible couples, consistent with the U.S. Supreme Court’s holding in Obergefell and this court’s Aug. 12, 2015, order,” Bunning said. “For these reasons, the court’s prior contempt sanction against defendant Davis is hereby lifted.”

The American Civil Liberties Union, which represents four couples who sued her, said its goal has been achieved.

Two WDBJ journalists shot and killed on live TV

By Emily Berthiaume Editor-in-Chief

A television reporter conducting an on-air interview and her cameraman were both shot and killed by an excolleague while being broadcast live. The journalists were reporting for WDBJ-TV, a local news station near Roanoke, VA, when they were murdered on August 26.

Vester Lee Flanagan II, better known as his alias Bryce Williams, which he used during his short time working at the station, seemingly waited until Alison Parker and the interviewee, Vicki Gardner, were in frame before he pulled the trigger from point-blank range. Twenty-four year old Parker and twenty-seven year old cameraman Adam Ward were both fatally shot, while Gardner survived after undergoing surgery.

Flanagan previously worked with both Parker and Ward, but was fired from the station two years ago. In court papers linked to his firing, he mentioned that he would “make a stink and it’s going to be in the headlines”. He frequently ranted on Twitter, accusing the victims of racial prejudice and alluding to complaints fired with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Human Resources. In a 23-page screed he faxed to ABC News, Flanagan cited many reasons for vengeance, from the recent shooting in a Charleston, SC church to a message from Jehovah.

“I’ve been a human powder keg for a while . . . just waiting to go BOOM!!!!”

the 41-year-old wrote in the manifesto.

Flanagan actually videoed the shooting himself, and then posted it to his personal

was some kind of explanation”, McBroom said. “During the commercial, we are trying to text her, to text him. The longer that it

F a c e b o o k Journalists Parker and Ward are shown in photos courtesy of Facebook. was that and Twitter. we didn’t In the video, the Glock 19 handgun hear back from them, the more I knew that and terrified face of Parker are evident. something really wrong had happened.”

In the live broadcast, the camera shows Everyone at the station did not know what Parker screaming, then immediately drops was going on and didn’t know what to do. to the ground. Fourteen shots ring out “We heard screaming, and then before the WDBJ-TV reporters cut back we heard nothing,” the station’s to the newsroom and anchor Kimberly general manager, Jeff Marks, said McBroom, who just stared in shock. while announcing the deaths on the air.

“I thought maybe they were startled by Ward’s fiancée, Melissa Ott, a the sound. I heard her screaming. I thought producer for the station, was in the she was scared of the sound. I thought there newsroom at the time, and watched the

situation as it played out on live TV. “We were busy trying to keep her calm and hopeful,” McBroom said.

“We’re family, you know. We are dealing with this together.”

Parker was also dating an employee of the station, nightly news anchor Chris Hurst. They had recently moved in together, and he posted on Facebook that he was “numb” after hearing the news.

Flanagan fled the scene of the crime in a Mustang and headed straight for the airport, where he swapped cars for a rental Chevrolet Sonic, according to Franklin County Sheriff Bill Overton. A cop identified the car on the road, and it swerved off the road. The cops found Flanagan mortally wounded from a self-inflicted gun shot in the car.

“This gentleman was disturbed at the way things had turned out at some point in his life,” said Overton.

“Things were spiraling out of control.”

Gardner, who was being interviewed before the attack, underwent surgery to remove the bullet from her back and is now recovering.

Hurst, Parker’s boyfriend, returned to the airwaves as anchor nineteen days after the tragedy. He said he was ready to return to work because Parker loved watching him work.

“Don’t forget their love,” he said of Ward and Parker. “It will fuel us for the rest of our days”.

news

7

Millions of refugees flee Syria to Europe for safety

By Kyndal Dillehay Reporter

Across the North Atlantic Ocean, many countries are dealing with a dramatic increase in the number of refugees trying to cross their borders. These individuals and families are seeking new homes away from war-torn places such as Syria and police states like Eritrea.

Millions of people have been displaced from their homes and the numbers have risen significantly over the years with Syria’s being the most drastic.

At least four million people have fled from Syria and more than three million have run from ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) in Iraq. The trip alone costs over one thousand U.S. dollars for most people and must be paid in cash. The majority of these refugees’ only chance lies in smugglers who fill a boat to the maximum, drive them out to sea, and take their own boat back to shore after leaving them with a distress call for the coast guard.

Unless they want to leave a boat full of people to die, the coast guard has to respond.

Most everyone welcomes refugees, though some people protest the refugees crossing their borders, demanding that their government find a way to keep them out. To help thin the number of illegal crossings, Hungary has installed a massive, barb-covered fence along their

border. Other countries send out police and task forces to keep the refugees back, while making sure they are fed and safe.

Turkey is the country that shelters the majority of Syrian refugees at an astonishing

“Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris, one of the region’s wealthiest men, has offered to buy an island for refugees. He would like to buy an isle from Greece or Italy. His name for the proposed island

number of 1.9 300 DPI Erik Nelson Rodriguez Illustration of a migrant boy on a home: Hope.” boat headed to a new land. (Tribune News Service) million. Their M i c h a e l shared border Martinez, explains much of the issue and many of the reporter for CNN, stated. refugees have been pushed into camps in an The United States isn’t sitting on the attempt to sort through the masses. Egypt sidelines either. The U.S. has already is another country taking in refugees and is resettled 1,500 refugees and is ready to move wealthy enough to ensure that all 132,000 another 10,000 out of a quota of 75,000. of them don’t have to live in camps. The U.S. has also donated over 500 million

dollars to help with the refugee crisis. At least ten other countries, including Iraq, have been taking in the refugees as well.

One major issue for the countries taking in refugees is whether or not the incoming people can actually be labeled “refugees”, or if they should be termed “migrants”.

The single difference between the two is that migrants must go through immigration laws while refugees can claim asylum. Most of these people are fleeing from war and have been noted as “refugees”, but many of the people from places like Nigeria are closer to “migrants”. However, both terms are so similar that the issue has been deadlocked and no clear resolution is in sight.

“We also have to start using the right words. It is partially a migrant flow, but it is mainly a refugee flow, which puts us in a different situation when it comes to our legal and moral duties,” Federica Mogherini, EU foreign policy chief, said, courtesy of CNN. There is no easy answer in sight and the future of many refugees remains uncertain. Despite the legal issues, most of them continue to flee in hopes of safety.

“Thousands of refugee parents are risking the lives of their children on unsafe smuggling boats primarily because they have no other choice.” Antonio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said, courtesy of CNN.

IACHR denies Mexico’s report of missing students

By Madison Hutchins Reporter In late 2014, 43 students went missing from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College in Iguala, Guerrero of Mexico. Official reports said that the students planned on rallying to protest at a conference led by the mayor of Iguala’s wife, and were met by police force under orders of the corrupt mayor. Six people were killed, twenty-four were wounded, and forty-three are still missing. What happened after the confrontation between the local police and the students is still unconfirmed, however the Mexican government says that the missing students were handed to a local drug cartel to have their bodies incinerated in the neighboring town of Cocula. However, recent reports done by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) have denied this account of the tragic incidents. According

to the IACHR, and the family members of the students, the story doesn’t add up.

“There is no evidence indicating the presence of a fire the size [needed] for the cremation of even one body.” Jose Torero, from University of Queensland in Australia, said.

Because Mexico as a whole is wounded by these attacks, they have welcomed the IACHR into their country to further investigate. Mexican Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Meade emphasized the importance of cooperation among nations to find out what happened after the devastating confrontation, and the vitality of finding the students who have been missing for almost a year. The IACHR created a panel of human rights experts from a combination of Chile, Columbia, Guatemala, and Spain: Carlos Berstain, Angela Buitrago, Alejandro Valencia, Francisco Cox, and Claudia Paz y Paz. “At the end of last year Mexico raised

the importance of that cooperation, we held meetings with the IACHR and it was aware of those who were made a part of that panel of experts,” Meade said.

Many of the relatives believe that the Mexican federal government also had a hand in the disappearances, although they have ardently denied any involvement. Some believe that the federal forces are trying to quiet the citizens’ cries of political corruption by allowing the IACHR to investigate the missing persons case. A saying that has become common in Mexico since the incident is “El estado fue,” which translates to “It was the state.” The Attorney General Jesus Murillo’s response to the phrase became a trending topic on Twitter, “Ya me cansé.” or, “Enough, I’m tired.”

“I’m tired of my people being mistreated, of my people being kidnapped, of my people being robbed, of my people not getting the education they

deserve. I’m tired of watching people be disappeared and it being treated as if it’s no big deal. I’m tired of watching those in power use that power to abuse the people they’re supposed to protect. I’m tired. We’re all tired.” Gilberto Trujillo, a former citizen of Oaxaca, Mexico commenting on the response, said.

The IACHR has also shed some light on what could’ve happened on this unfavorable day. They agree that the students were met by police force but they do not believe that the missing students were taken by the drug cartel and incinerated. According to the report, the witnesses who provided the information about the confrontation had completely different testimonies. These testimonies consisted of different sites and different numbers of deaths during the police force confrontation. No solid evidence has been found, and therefore the IACHR ruled the reports incorrect due to faulty witness.

8 Around Creek

Creek band produces their 2015 show Terra Nova

By Emily Ruthven Around Creek Editor This year’s show, entitled Terra Nova, takes a look into the final frontier: space, which is part of the Houston, Texas culture. Some of the parents working on this year’s props are or once were NASA engineer themselves.

Terra Nova consists of three movements. “The first [movement] is this whole idea of taking off from Earth. The second movement is this idea of the loneliness and the idea of space travel and the third [movement] will ultimately be landing on Mars,” Drew Huddleston, senior and Band President, said.

Terra Nova pays tribute to the Challenger explosion, in which seven NASA crewmembers died on January 28, 1986. The band hopes to honor those lost in the tragedy by producing a beautiful and moving show that will captivate audiences.

“Band, especially in marching season, is special because it gives students the chance to come together and work in a unified project,” said assistant band director, Mr. Williams. He continued, “contributing to projects such as Terra Nova, gives students the special chance to use music to express feelings that words cannot.”

In Latin, Terra Nova translates directly into “New Earth” or “New Land”, which is symbolic to this year’s new band program

staff. The new staff includes assistant band director, Mr. Williams, percussion director, Mr. Seymour, and two new Cadette instructors, Mr. Roman and Ms. Anderson.

This year, the band is striving to

“ Our leadership team has helped make the transition of the new directors run much more smoothly. To the freshmen, they don’t understand how big of a change this is,” said Huddleston. While

Photo by Katie Rodriguez embrace the “work hard, play the new staff has upheld hard” attitude, according to many of the long standing Williams. “Having lots of fun plus lots traditions of the band program, they have of success equals a good band program.” complemented what the program already Adjusting to change is not always easy, but it had with new ideas, which will, in the is certainly is easier when there is a standard end, make the program much stronger to accept and appreciate the changes.

“The directors are doing a good

job of instilling the ideas that they want into the program and the band members have done a good job adapting to those,” Huddleston said. He continued, “Our band is putting a lot of effort into making our show into the best show it can be with the new staff change. It takes a lot from our leadership team, as well as our older members to promote the band program and show that we can achieve excellence,” said Huddleston.

In order for the band to be successful, a lot of effort must be given. To do well at competitions such as Bands of America, or BOA, the students must cultivate their show music to perfection, create a uniform marching style and maintain it, and give 100 percent effort 100 percent of the time.

“We can improve on getting ourselves more motivated. We have the idea and we know that we can be great, but it’s actually applying that to all of our rehearsals, even when they go for three hours, as well as every event that we have that we give 100 percent,” Huddleston said.

The band program is certainly undergoing many changes. However, the changes will help elevate the program onto a new level of excellence that has not yet been reached.

Huddleston said, “I think this season has great potential as the first step to the new generation of the Clear Creek High School Band.”

CCISD uses volunteer artwork to fund scholarships

By Kyndal Dillehay Reporter

This year, Clear Creek Independent School District has decided to use volunteer students’ artwork to help fund scholarships for seniors in high school. While CCISD used to use proceeds from the Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE) to help, that option is not open to them this year.

The fundraiser is open to any students who want to participate as long as they operate within the set guidelines. Any artwork submitted can be of any media, but must fit on the postcard and be mailed in prior to October 22. Each postcard at the exhibit will be sold for a flat fee of 10 dollars and all proceeds will go directly towards funding for senior scholarships. There will be three exhibits held on different days throughout the year and they are open to everyone, student, parent, or otherwise. The first is on September 18, the second on October 15, and the third on October 23. The sale on

September 18 will take place at University of Houston Clear Lake in Atrium 1 of the Bayou Building from 10:00am to 6:00pm.

For the past five years, such a fundraiser wouldn’t have been necessary.

However, CCISD is not hosting VASE for the first time in five years. During VASE, the CCISD teachers would run the concession stands there to earn money for the scholarships. The event is on a rotating schedule and it was time for it to be passed off on to another school district, which the Clear Creek art teachers seem grateful for.

“We didn’t mind hosting it as teachers, but what we didn’t like about it was that during the day of VASE we were so busy doing our jobs, running the event, that we could not spend time with our kids.

We didn’t feel like we were available for them… to talk to the kids, to coach the kids, to encourage them.” Brenda Henning, art teacher at Clear Creek High School, said.

The art classes of CCISD are now

left with the task of providing the pieces for the fundraiser, along with any other volunteer participants. Each class is spending roughly a week on the art cards and will soon be mailing them to their respective schools. What type of media is being used varies from school to school, teacher to teacher, and class to class.

“In my particular case, my Advanced Art 1 kids are doing it and my Drawing 2, 3, and 4 kids are doing it. But the Drawing 3 and 4 did not have to do folk art, because I’ve had them all last year.” Brenda Henning said.

The art students offering up their own work for the exhibit work mostly during class time and tutorials to complete their original pieces. Once given to their respective schools, the artwork no longer belongs to them, but it is still something they created being sold.

“I actually think it’s really nice to see other people buy the things that I make. I’ve sold pieces on my own

before that don’t pertain to school, and it’s nice as an artist to see that people take an interest in your work.” Skye Caviness, an art student at Creek, said.

“Yeah, I’m excited about it. I might be nervous about having to let go of something that I had to craft with my own hands, but so long as I can get a picture of it or at least remember the fact that I drew it… it’s just for other people’s enjoyment.”

Rocky Batterson, another student, said.

CCISD has taken a self-reliant approach in gathering funds for their senior scholarships in face of their loss of VASE funds. The students of Clear Creek ISD are truly working for their own scholarships now and they’re also showing their school spirit.

“I think it’s really nice to see us supporting the seniors. I’m a junior so next year I might be one of the people to receive a scholarship... put something in, get something out kind of thing. It’s really nice.” Caviness said.

Around Creek

9

Wildcat family welcomes new teachers (continued)

By Troylon Griffin II Managing Editor

“I’d look for my students to have fun in my class, have respect in the deaf community and learn at least one thing at the end of the year,” Ms. Arredondo said.

Joining Arredondo in teaching sign language is Catrice Eaton. Catrice teaches American Sign Language part time at Creek, sixth and seventh period, and at Clear Lake from first to third period.

“I have a lot of excitement starting my school year off and having interaction with students,” Eaton said.

When asked why she teaches American Sign Language, Eaton said that it’s a language she feels people “aren’t too aware of”. She loves American Sign Language and describes it as a beautiful language.

At Creek, she looks forward to working in the sign language program and hopes to even have a few field trips relating to sign language.

In the English and Language Arts division, Creek welcomes Amanda Penney and Jenny Harrell.

Ms. Amanda Penny is both a new English teacher and assistant soccer coach. She decided to teach because she has “always been inspired to help others” and in school would help her classmates and always felt good about it.

“I also want to teach kids to be better writers and share my passion for English,” Ms. Penney said. “There’s no right answer for English and there’s always discussion.”

As her first year here, Penney is excited to go to athletic events and enjoy everyday at her job and notes that “yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift.”

There have also been three new entries into the subject of social science. One of these is Stephen Mayol. Mr. Mayol is a teacher of U.S. History who graduated from Clear Lake High School. He finds it both “fun and interesting” coming to his formal rival school. He noted how Lake went to the playoffs many times and said how he always thought it was fun beating Creek.

“But now I’m more than happy to say

‘Beat Lake or Beat Falls.’” Mayol said.

Mayol has always liked social science because of its stories and feels that it’s very important to know history so that it’s not repeated. After teaching geography for a while, Mayol taught U.S. history to eighth graders. In the curriculum, the lesson stopped after the Civil War, but Mayol wanted to teach further than that.

“It’s more relatable for the students if they can eventually learn about more recent historical figures like the Beatles,” Mayol said..

Overall, Mayol looks forward to building relationships with students and hopes that if he makes a big enough impact on them, he will get to see them graduate, which he considers a major milestone.

The social studies department also welcomes Coach Mathew Alvarez and Coach Wyman. Alvarez is one of the new soccer coaches and a teacher of World Geography, while Wyman is a football coach and head coach for the wrestling team at Creek. Alvarez taught at Clear Brook and La Porte High School before coming to Creek. Alvarez noted he came for the opportunity to coach football and soccer. On why he taught World Geography, Alvarez revealed how he was in the military before teaching and saw much of the world.

“That’s where I got my inspiration so I wish to share it with others,” Alvarez said.

Coach Wyman finds his new job “exciting and definitely different.”

“There’s a lot more different expectations then at my last job.” Wyman said.

Wyman gave insight into being a coach and a social studies teacher and even explained why so many coaches tend to teach social studies.

“Social studies in general is about people and how you relate to them, and being a coach you can relate to that,” Wyman said. “Plus it’s cool to see how culture plays out over time.”

Both Coach Wyman and Alvarez hope to stay at Creek long term, with Wyman in particular looking forward to figuring out all the school technology.

“My last school could barely hold its

Wi-Fi, so figuring out how to go paperless is challenging but cool,” Wyman said.

Creek also welcomes its only new algebra teacher Mrs. Dalona Pierson.

Pierson came from Dickinson High.

She joked that going from Dickinson to Creek felt like “moving to your rival.”

Nevertheless she is excited to come to Creek.

“It’s a little overwhelming learning the new processes but it’s exciting seeing traditions new to you.” Pierson said. “But I look forward to becoming a Wildcat at heart and that just means going to as many student activities as I can.”

Mrs. Pierson at this point really enjoys Creek and has especially enjoyed the students, noting that they’ve been “very welcoming.”

New elective teachers at Creek include the new speech and debate director, Brian Darby. Mr. Darby had previously come from Alief Hastings High School where he also taught speech and debate.

“I chose to teach speech because I don’t think a lot of people like to do it,” Darby said. “Public speaking is one of the most common fears in society today. As far as it goes for speech and debate, I have never not been competing in it or coaching it since I was a sophomore in high school. It has literally been my life for over 12 years now.”

Darby attended San Jacinto College North for his basics and was a part of their debate team. He ended up graduating from Texas State University where he also participated in debate. Even before going to college, Darby wished to be a teacher.

“I have always wanted to be a teacher since I can remember,” Darby said. “The reasons have changed throughout the years.

When I was in elementary school I wanted to be a teacher that made class more fun and played games all day. When I was in junior high I wanted to be a journalist, but that changed. In high school, I wanted to be just like my high school debate coach and teach history and coach debate.”

Darby explained that his coming to Creek initially felt strange due to the process of moving from schools and having to get to know an entire new class of students. Nevertheless,

Darby is loving his time at Creek.

“I absolutely love it here. The school is big but not too big. The staff has been very welcoming and warming. The students have been awesome too, very positive and upbeat. I am very happy I decided to come in,” Darby said.

Darby has also built expectations for himself and the school and its success in debate.

“I look forward to be being the best speech and debate coach as possible,” Darby said. “They have had a ton of success in the past with their previous coaches. I just want to make sure I exceed all of everyone’s expectations.”

Other new elective teachers include new band teachers Rex Williams and Stephen Seymour and dance teacher Marka Woods.

Mr. Seymour is the new director of percussion & AP music theory instructor.

He has enjoyed music since he was a child and noted that he was “probably the best pots and pans drummer” in his neighborhood. He considers music to be the true reason he does what he does.

“This position as the Director of Percussion and AP Music Theory Instructor is, to date, the culmination of what I went to school for,” Seymour said.

“I’m teaching music, and most of the time, I’m teaching students how to play the drums...I really can’t think of a sweeter gig!

Seymour has just finished his Masters in Percussion Performance at Baylor University where he was the Teaching Assistant for the Drum Line and Marching Band, as well as a performer with many of the ensembles on campus. One of the latest projects he was a part of was a CD recording project with the Baylor Percussion Group.

Seymour has said that he truly enjoys Creek so far.

“It feels great!” Seymour said. “There is truly a sense of community among the faculty and administration in this building, and as soon as I walked in, I felt like I was supported. I look forward to building a program wherein students can learn about music, themselves, and what it is to work creatively as a team toward a unified goal.”

10

Features

Dozens of satos rescued from “Dead Dog Beach”

By Lindsey Loechel Reporter

Nearly two dozen dogs were loaded into the cargo hold of a plane from San Juan, Puerto Rico to New York in early August of this year.

The dogs were satos, which is the Puerto Rican slang term for street dogs, that had been saved from “Dead Dog Beach” in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico.

The beach is actually called Playa Lucia, but is often referred to as the “Dead Dog Beach” by residents because of its awful conditions. Although it used to be a popular spot for beachgoers, the luxuries that drew people in, such as a pool and cabana facilities, are long gone.

Chrissy Beckles is the founder and president of The Sato Project, a nonprofit organization that rescues the dogs from “Dead Dog Beach”.

The name this beach holds is very fitting for the environment these satos are struggling to survive in, as most of them are in very bad shape.

Not only is the beach covered in filth and the remnants of a better time, but it is crowded as well.

At one point as many as three hundred satos were roaming the beach at once. Some of the dogs found at the beach have wandered there on their own, but others have been abandoned by owners who didn’t want them or couldn’t take care of them.

“Some of the conditions that we’ve found dogs in ... there’s no way that they could physically walk here,” Beckles said.

“They have been driven here and dumped.”

The targets of the team’s most recent mission were three Jack Russell terriers that lived in the thicket around the beach. The three pups didn’t allow humans to get close,

need if they come across another one. One of the team’s volunteers found a pregnant basset hound mix nearby that was close to her delivery date. The temperature on the beach was in the 90s and drinkable water

but through was unavailPhoto courtesy of The Sato Project and Myritza Castillo patience and able, leavexperience Beckles’ team was able to lure ing the pregnant basset hound one of them out with chicken. Every dog in desperate need for help. the team rescues is given a name, and this She was given the name Evelyn, and afparticular pup earned the title Bam Bam. ter Beckles and team veterinarian Dr. Bianca “Give him a couple of weeks, and he’s Aguirre-Hernandez did a preliminary check, gonna be livin’ the good life,” Beckles said. they determined that she must have been While the Jack Russells were the team’s someone’s pet. She was healthy and clean, main target, they don’t pass up a dog in and she wasn’t afraid to be put on a leash.

All the rescued dogs are taken to Candelero Animal Hospital, where Aguirre Hernandez practices, and given a full examination. Most dogs take about ten weeks to rehabilitate.

“Once they learn that not everyone is going to harm them and that they are safe, loved and taken care of, the dogs begin to trust,” Beckles said. “It’s always a beautiful thing to witness.”

While the foundation of the organization is to improve the lives of these rescued dogs, their resources need to be more than compassion and love for animals. Because the average cost to rescue one sato is about $1,000, Beckles needs to have a way to provide the funds for her organization. Beckles is a champion amateur boxer, which is how she raises the necessary money for The Sato Project. The famous Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn is not only where she trains, but it is also where The Sato Project is based.

Beckles says that more than 1,400 dogs have been saved from “Dead Dog Beach” since she started The Sato Project in 2011. All of the dogs are removed from Puerto Rico and relocated, most of them to the United States.

The ultimate goal of The Sato Project is to improve the lives of as many dogs as possible, making an impact with the motto “we fight so the dogs of Puerto Rico don’t have to.”

features

11

Obama renames North America’s tallest mountain

By Kyndal Dillehay Reporter

The United States’ tallest mountain was officially renamed from McKinley to Denali by President Obama this September. Located in Alaska, this massive mountain towers at 20,310 feet, making it the tallest in North America.

The newly chosen name of the mountain is a nod to the region’s native population. The Athabaskans have referred to the peak by the Koyukon word denali, which means “high” or “tall” for centuries. It was announced on August 30 by the Barack Obama administration that the formerly named McKinley would be returning to its native roots.

Denali, formerly Mt. McKinley, was named for the 25th U.S. President William McKinley in 1896. It was a bid for political support for the then-presidential candidate, who was then elected the next year. In 1975, Alaska changed the name of the mountain back to Denali locally, but Ohio congressman Ralph Regula blocked the same from happening on a federal level.

40 years later, President Obama is finally recognizing Denali’s name federally. However, this change is not willingly accepted everywhere, especially in President McKinley’s home state of Ohio. Lawmakers there are heavily protesting the renaming as an offense

to McKinley’s assassination in 1901.

“There is a reason President McKinley’s name has served atop the highest peak in North America for more than 100 years, and that is because it is a testament to his great leg-

this majestic mountain as ‘the great one’. Today we’re honored to be able to officially recognize the mountain as Denali.” U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski said, courtesy of CNN. Lawmakers in Ohio, however, are using the fact that this renaming has been

Mt. McKinley, or Denali, makes an appearance as a raven rides a light breeze on Jan. 28, 2013 at Point Woronzof in Anchorage, Alaska. President Obama will be renaming the mountain “Denali.”

(Erik Hill/Anchorage Daily News/TNS)

acy,” Boehner said, courtesy of CNN.

The argument between Ohio and Alaska has roots far older than 2015, however. The political leaders of Alaska have pushed for Denali’s official renaming for years and Ohio has pushed right back. For the mountain to go by either name means that one cultural or historical event must be soundly ignored.

“For generations Alaskans have known

stuck in Congress for years to protest the act. In order to get around that, Secretary Sally Jewell referred to a 1947 law that states that interior secretaries can authorize name changes if a reasonable time limit for the congressional board has passed.

Ohioans reacted to the action negatively.

“President Obama has decided to ignore an act of Congress in unilaterally renaming Mount McKinley in order to

promote his job-killing war on energy.

This political stunt is insulting to all Ohioans.” Representative Bob Gibbs tweeted.

Secretary Jewell commented back that President McKinley had never even set foot in Alaska. The mountain was initially named by a man from Seattle, William Dickey, who found the mountain in 1896 while gold prospecting.

“We named our great peak Mount McKinley, after William McKinley of Ohio, who had been nominated for the presidency, and that fact was the first news we received on our way out of that wonderful wilderness,” he wrote to the New York Sun, courtesy of USA TODAY. While native Alaskans want the mountain to be dubbed with its native name, Ohioans want to preserve McKinley’s legacy. The 25th President was shot twice by an anarchist, Leon Czolgosz, and died on September 13, 1901 from a rotting bullet wound through the abdomen. In honor of McKinley and protest of the renaming, Ohio Governor John Kasich told the story of a red carnation symbolizing William McKinley.

“As POTUS [President of the United States] once again oversteps his bounds, Ohio knows every carnation is a monument to our own William McKinley.”

Blue Bell returns to stores after five month hiatus

By Tiffany Wade News Editor

Blue Bell made its official comeback on August 31, when the first shipment of ice cream was delivered in Texas following troublesome months after a listeria outbreak. Listeria is a virus that lives in cool, wet environments and though it is typically harmless to healthy people, it poses a threat to pregnant women, newborns, older adults and individuals with weak immune systems.

Blue Bell had voluntarily recalled its ice cream products in April after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked the company’s products to an outbreak of listeria that killed three in Kansas and left several others ill throughout Kansas and Texas.

The recall had a devastating effect on the 108-year-old company, which was also the third-biggest U.S. ice cream producer. The company was forced to lay off 37 percent of its 3,900 workers in May and warned shareholders that it may have to close.

“When production resumes at the Sylacauga plant, it will be on a limited basis as the company seeks to confirm that new procedures, facility enhancements and employee training have been effective,” the company stated in a press release. “Upon completion of this trial period, Blue Bell will begin

building inventory to return to the market.”

Blue Bell announced changes in procedures and employee training, including

ties.” The company will also implement a procedure where ice creams will be tested and held until results are received

Flags flutter in the breeze outside of Blue Bell Creameries on Thursday, April 23, 2015, in Brenham, Texas.

Blue Bell issued its first recall in the company’s 108-year history after its products were linked to Listeria cases in four states. (Smiley N. Pool/Dallas Morning News/TNS)

“increased focus on sanitation and cleaning” and the application of “an independent microbiology expert for ongoing evaluation of our procedures and facili-

before being sent to market. Therefore, the facility will be much more sterile and procedures will be properly executed to eliminate the possibility of any more con-

sumers receiving diseases from the product.

“Over the past several months we’ve been working to make our facilities even better, and to ensure everything is safe, wholesome, and the highest quality for you to enjoy… we’re back doing what we love: That’s making ice cream,” said Ricky Dickson.

An HEB grocery store in Brenham, Texas received the first shipment, once Blue Bell started hitting shelves. Blue Bell ice cream is now initially sold in markets in Brenham, Houston and Austin, as well as in Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama, as those are the Blue Bell Creameries locations where the ice cream is made and processed.

No other information has been released about when customers in other regions will be able to buy the ice cream because the product release will be “based on product availability and when [the company] can properly service the customers in an area,” said Blue Bell. Planned future markets include Oklahoma, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia and others.

When it came out, it was revealed that Blue Bell will only sell four flavors: Homemade Vanilla, Dutch Chocolate, Cookies and Cream and the popular The Great Divide. The other flavors are planned to gradually start to be released at a later time.

The Vogu Your Class Representatives

Freshman Lindsey Borne

SeniorRepresen Sophomore Brett Bolt

Becca Stinson

Junior Lauryn Hayes

IsabelHuntsman

ue in Creek

ntatives

n

Sophia Leal

Amber Neal

Anna Scheuring

Who will be your Queen?

14

Teen interest

Stephen Colbert becomes new host of Late Show

By Emily Ruthven Around Creek

After 33 years and 6,028 episodes of late night interviews and comedy, David Letterman has retired from his desk on The Late Show. He announced his departure in 2014 and officially left the show May 20, 2015. Soon after, it was announced to the public that Comedy Central comedian Stephen Colbert would be assuming the position on September 8, 2015. Despite the audience’s sadness over his leaving, Letterman was sure to not let his last episode to end unhappily, so he carried on with the show as he normally would. He joked that once he retired, he would be the new face of Scientology. He made a sincere effort to go out with a laugh.

“Please be seated. I don’t know what to do. That’s it -- stop it. Sit down. See, now what happens, we don’t have time for the ‘giving gifts to the audience’ segment,” said Letterman after a momentous standing ovation.

“You have to be willing to do everything you know how to do.

Johnny Carson said it to Jay Leno, who said it to Conan O’Brien, who said it to me. These shows require everything you know how to do,” Letterman said.

Before The Late Show, Letterman had a background in writing material for popular 1975 sitcoms such as Good Times. He gained his big break to the public eye when he appeared as a guest on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson, who Letterman has referred to as his mentor. Letterman became a regular host on Carson’s show and due to his increase in popularity, NBC gave

him a daytime show, The David Letterman Show. The show was a huge success, although it only aired for three short months.

However, even in that short amount of time, Letterman was successful enough to be offered a late night show to call his own, following Johnny Carson’s show, much

Moonves, the CEO of the CBS corporation, thinks that Letterman still came out on top.

“I look at the world as two guys: Johnny Carson and David Letterman.

Those are the two guys who really set up what late night is,” said Moonves.

Letterman, according to various celeb-

The new Marquee on Broadway for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” (John Paul Filo/CBS)

like Late Night with Seth Meyers follows directly behind Fallon’s The Tonight Show.

After Johnny Carson retired from his role as host on The Tonight Show, NBC chose Jay Leno to become the new face of The Tonight Show, instead of Letterman. His displeasure with NBC’s decision soon caused him to leave NBC studios and switch to CBS for The Late Show in 1980 at the age of 35. Despite his losing to Jay Leno, Leslie

rities who have been guests on The Late Show, did not ask the typical, cookie cutter questions that most hosts of his kind do.

“He doesn’t seem to be working for a network,” said Olivia Wilde.

“I’ve never met anyone who had the insatiable curiosity of David Letterman,” said The Late Show producer Robert Morton. “It’s the reason he was the best talk-show host

ever.” Letterman’s show acted as the goto television show for many Americans.

“David’s influence was phenomenal.

Whenever there was something important going on in America, you turned on David Letterman. He was the conscience of America, he was a bit of a social commentator; he was our local curmudgeon,” said Moonves.

Time Magazine commented that on The Late Show, the world would finally see the “real Stephen Colbert”. CBS News said, “Colbert will drop his Colbert Report persona when he takes the helm of The Late Show.

Colbert starred on The Colbert Report for ten seasons, starting in 2005.

“The unexamined life can be extremely enjoyable, and who knows if I do know who I am. We’re going to see whether I do...We’re doing a series called ‘Who Am Me?’” said Colbert. Though he is changing, Colbert says he will not neglect his former self and former comedy, due to the fact that The Late Show will take all he knows how to do and more.

“You have to be willing to do everything you know how to do. Johnny Carson said it to Jay Leno, who said it to Conan O’Brien, who said it to me. These shows require everything you know how to do,” Colbert continued, “So the idea that there are things that we did over there that we wouldn’t do at the new space, I think, is an unrealistic approach to the need. And whether it fits is a discovery to be made, not a philosophical exercise to engage in before you do it. It’s athletic, not intellectual.”

Things on The Late Show will be different, for sure. However, CBS has faith in Colbert. Time Magazine said, “Although Colbert has big shoes to fill, he does have a smart plan for production.”

teen interest 15

Ed Sheeran performs Houston concert Homecoming: A Freshman’s Guide

By Alyssa Lobue Teen Interest Editor

phone and his looping station, on which he “builds” his songs. For example, he will play a beat on his guitar, and then his

The BBVA Compass Stadium hosted Ed Sheeran’s Multiply Tour on September 3. The concert started roughly around 7:00 PM when singer-songwriter Jamie Lawson came onstage as the opening act.

With only his acoustic guitar and microphone, he performed his first ever U.S show. Lawson played one of his debut singles, Wasn’t Expecting That, which was most known to the crowd. The UK native was the first to be signed under Ed Sheeran’s Gingerbread Man Records label, with his first official album being released on October 9 of this year.

Following Lawson’s performance, Christina Perri was brought onstage and within seconds began to sing Arms, featured from the release of her second acclaimed album, Head or Heart. She performed many other popular songs such as Jar of Hearts, A Thousand Years, Run, and Burning Gold.

During some songs, she played the piano, while she shook a tambourine on others. While performing, she had a massive amount of energy and danced the entire time, exciting the crowd as time for Ed’s performance came closer.

After Christina’s departure, the crowd waited several minutes before the lights slowly dimmed. The screens behind the stage came to life and showed a short montage of photos, videos, and older performances of Ed, from the year he was born until the present year came onscreen and Sheeran walked onstage. As he sang his first song, I’m A Mess, graphics came onscreen showing abstract art, which faded and changed every few seconds.

Ed soon launched to several of his most popular hits, from his most-recent Multiply album as well as his older Plus album. Ed Sheeran, truly a one-man band. He plays all of his songs 100% live, with no backing track or background singers. He was on stage with only his guitar, his micro-

was undeniable, and within minutes he was soaked with sweat from the humid Houston air. Even when he played slower songs,

Photo courtesy of Ryleigh Loser loop pedal will you can tell he poured record what his everything into them. he played, and Although Ed played many of his play the beat back over and over own songs, one of the most memoraagain. He does the same for back- ble moments was when he performed ground vocals, so it sounds as if there Dark Times, a song he co-wrote with are many people on stage or he has The Weeknd. He also covered I Was another track playing, although Ed Made to Love Her by Stevie Wonder performs completely live every time. that he prepared as a TV tribute to him.

“I got my first complaint at In his encore, Sheeran came back a show the other day,” he teased to the stage and launched into You Need from stage at the beginning of the Me, I Don’t Need You, a fast-paced rap show. “A couple complained that I song from his Plus album. He then went wasn’t playing live. So I’d like to to Sing, his lead single off of Multiply. introduce you to my loop station.” He encouraged the audience to sing the Sheeran’s energy while on-stage

By Hannah Pearson Photographer

It’s that time of the year, time for mums, garters and the crowd to be cheering for the win for their team… time for homecoming. The week leading up to the big game is packed with events and things to prepare for the night. Homecoming is a very big deal in the state of Texas!

Homecoming is traditionally a boys-ask-girls event. Make sure to ask your date early so that there’s time to make mums and garters. Most people go in groups of couples or friends who go out to dinner before or after the game.

A few weeks before the game, the homecoming court is decided. Students vote in third period for their class princess. One princess is chose from the freshman, sophomore, and junior classes and five princesses are chosen from the senior class. Seniors vote again to chose the queen in extended third period on Thursday via It’s Learning. Before the game, the nominees walk on the field. The queen from ten years ago is welcomed back to crown the new queen.

For the week leading up to homecoming day itself, there are dress-up days, a parade of all organizations and clubs, starting at 7:15 Monday night, and finally the long awaited carnival on Friday during lunch.

The whole school participates in the dress-up days as crazy outfits are worn, spirits are high and everyone is just waiting for Friday. Students cannot wait to go into the stadium to watch the kickoff of the homecoming football game.

Friday is spirit day. It begins with a moms’ breakfast at 8 a.m. Students wear paint, tutus, and school colors. The idea is to go all out. Students wear mums and garters to school and the game. Seniors all have white mums or garters and senior girls wear overalls. During lunch there is a carnival. Grab your friends and walk around the courtyard playing games, eating food and of course buying more spirit wear. Make sure to bring some money so you don’t miss out. Come by the Creek HiLife booth to get an instant photo done with a real instant camera.

At the end Friday, students and staff go into the gym for the first pep rally of the year. Be expecting a laugh as students from every part of the school get together to boo Clear Falls, our opponent this year.

The Cavaliers and cheerleaders perform and everyone is expected to show their best school spirit. Your class will try to win the Spirit Stick. Everyone will give it their best effort.

Friday night is game night; it starts with the crowning of the queen and then, kickoff. The bands plays and the crowd cheers. Everyone is wearing maroon and white, bells are everywhere, and bubbles are in the sky, as the stadium lights shine on the boys playing the game.

At the end of the night, whether win or lose, everyone is in a great mood and going home with memories of a night they won’t soon forget. Homecoming is one of the most fun days on campus.

Bring plenty of friends and bring money to support all of the organizations who are supporting our two favorite mottoes-1.

Once a Wildcat Always a Wildcat! And 2.We are the first and still the best high school in CCISD!

16 Teen Interest

Disney movie previews released at 2015 D23 Expo

By Emily Berthiaume Editor-in-Chief

During the biennial D23 Expo held in Anaheim, CA from August 14-16, several new Pixar and Disney animation movies were announced and previewed, as well as plans for new additions to the Disney theme parks.

First looks of upcoming Disney and Pixar animated films The Good Dinosaur, Finding Dory, Zootopia, Moana, and Toy Story 4 were given, as well as the announcement of the brand new Gigantic.

New footage of Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War and stills from Dr. Strange were also released, along with a preview of Lucasfilms’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

From Walt Disney Pictures, Alice Through the Looking Glass, The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Pete’s Dragon, The Finest Hours, and The Queen of Katwe were all previewed throughout the expo. Sequels, such as Alice and the new Pirates of the Caribbean are highly anticipated, while live-action remakes of animated classics, such as The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast, also proved to be a recurring theme. True stories The Finest Hours, based on the story of the Pendleton rescue mission attempt by Coast Guard ships in 1952, and The Queen of Katwe, about the life of Phiona Mutesi, a female Ugandan chess player also made an appearance.

When is comes to animation, Disney and Pixar have had a long history of competition and partnership. When Disney acquired Pixar in 2006, Disney Animation was said to be in decline, considered “creatively exhausted” and “overtly commercial”, while Pixar was referred to as the golden standard of children’s animation. Now, the role seems to be almost revered. Buzzfeed

went so far to call Pixar a “sequel factory” based on their new announcements, while Disney is sticking more to originals.

Disney previewed many new original (meaning not a sequel/prequel) films during the expo, including Gigantic, Zootopia, and Moana.

Gigantic is a musical reimagining of the classic “Jack and the Beanstalk” fairytale, set in Spain during the “age of discovery”.

to reclaim her culture’s prowess for exploring. Sequels to Frozen and Wreck-It Ralph were also announced to be in the works.

If Disney mostly focused on new material, Pixar spent the same amount of focus on sequels to previous projects.

Although Cars 3 and The Incredibles 2 are reportedly in the works, Pixar focused on sequels Finding Dory and Toy Story 4, along with originals The

This statue of Walt Disney, holding hands with Mickey Mouse, is at the entrance of at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. Recently, an expo called D23 was held focusing on the future of Disney.

(Chuck Barney/San Jose Mercury News/MCT)

Zootopia, set to be released this fall, features anthropomorphic animals living in a world where the Burrows are where the rabbits live and the DMV is run by sloths. Moana centers on the titular Polynesian princess and her journey through the Pacific Ocean

Good Dinosaur and COCO. Finding Dory, set to be released in 2016, will feature the popular sidekick Dory from the 2003 film Finding Nemo setting out on her own adventure. Starting out as a journey to find her parents, Dory soon gets lost and

ends up in the Monterrey Bay Aquarium where she meets a motely assortment of a whale shark, a beluga whale and an octopus. John Lasseter claimed he would not make Toy Story 4 until he came up with a good enough idea, but it is now in the works. It will mainly be a love story between Woody and Bo Peep, with Buzz and Woody setting out on a journey to find her.

Pixar originally claimed that they would make two originals to every sequel film, however, that now is reversed. Of the next six films announced, only two are originals.

One of the originals, The Good Dinosaur, features the dinosaur Arlo and a preverbal boy he bonds with over their devastating losses. The other, COCO, will be set in Mexico and based on Dia de los Muertos.

Along with new movies, new plans for additions to the Disney theme parks were announced. A new Star Wars themed land for Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando was the largest announcement by far. \ “We are excited about making more Star Wars films, obviously”, CEO Bob Iger said, “But we are also excited about bringing Star Wars to just about every corner of the Walt Disney Company. We wanted the greatest stories and characters to come alive not only on screen, but in real life.”

The land will be represent a “whole new planet” in the Star Wars universe and will feature two new attractions, one centered around the battle between the First Order and the Resistance, and other based on the Millennium Falcon.

At Epcot and California Adventure, the classic ride Soarin’, which currently only features scenes from California, is set to be updated to Soarin’ Around the World. Hollywood Studios also plans to open a Toy Story Land.

teen Interest 17

MTV honors 2015’s best music videos at VMAs

By Alyssa Lobue Teen Interest Editor

The 2015 Video Music Awards, which were held on August 30, honored the best musicians of the year. The two-hour feature started off with a bang when Miley Cyrus, the chosen host of the 2015 VMA’s, made a memorable entrance by sliding down a rainbow slide to the middle of the stage to welcome the audience.

“I have literally done everything on the VMA stage and none of that showed that I was qualified to host.

But here we are,” Cyrus said.

Brittany Spears then came onstage to present the first award, Best Male Video, to Mark Ronson for his single Uptown Funk, which featured Bruno Mars. The Best Female Video was awarded to Blank Space by Taylor Swift. The award for Artist to Watch was given to Fetty Wap. Uma Thurman by Fall Out Boy was awarded the Best Rock Video. Video of The Year was awarded to Taylor Swift’s Bad Blood.

Swift thanked Kendrick Lamar , whose rap was featured on the single as well as all others who worked to present the video.

“I’m just happy that, in 2015, we live for a world where boys can play princess-

es, and girls can play soldiers,” Lamar said.

There were several artist performances such as the collaboration between Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj for Bad Blood, which was believed to end the heat left over from the Twitter feud when Swift believed she was called out by a rant about

and real. I wanted that so bad,” Bieber said.

Demi Lovato performed Cool For The Summer, with a surprise appearance from Iggy Azalea but seemed to have received mixed responses from the new look. Singer P!nk voiced her opinion about not only Lovato by others as well over Instagram.

the MTV Video Music “I felt embarrassed Photo courtesy of MTV Awards nominations. Foland sad. And old. We’re lowing that performance, getting old. In all seriousCan’t Feel My Face by The Weekend was ness, I felt sad because music’s supposed performed. Miley Cyrus took a small break to inspire. It saved my life. This trash from hosting the show to perform a song off won’t save any kids lives. In a world even her new album titled Dooo It. Justin Bieber scarier and with lives worth saving, who sang his newest single, Where Are U Now, will stand up and have soul? Disenfranand broke down sobbing towards the end. chised to say the least. Let down by my “It was so overwhelming for me ... ev- peers. Besides Macklemore and Pharell erything, the performance. I worked so hard and Bieber(pre sob fest) and The Weekat the album. I’ve worked so hard at just be- end. Tori Kelly was dope too. The rest coming the man that I want to become and was gross and embarrassing and hard for then stepping into situations you can’t help this aging pop star to believe,” she posted. but feel judged. What was so special about Demi took her performance a whole the emotional moment, it was authentic different way as she saw herself show-

ing body positivity by her outfit, which resembled a black and purple rhinestone studded body wrap complete with leggings and silver sparkled black boots.

“It took so much for me to get to a place where I would feel comfortable enough to do that. It’s showing all of my fans who know my story that I’ve gone from hating every part of my body to doing a photo shoot in my underwear in front of the entire world,” Lovato said.

One of the most memorable moments from the show was Kanye West’s acceptance speech for the Video Vanguard Award.

“I don’t know what I gonna lose after this. It don’t matter, though; It’s not about me.

It’s about thoughts. New thoughts. People with thoughts. People who believe truth. And yes, as you probably could’ve guessed by this moment, I have decided in 2020 to run for president,” West said.

It has been very unclear about Kanye West’s seriousness about his political stance but the official Twitter account of the Democratic Party showed appreciation towards his statement and tweeted their support.

“Last night @kanyewest declared his candidacy for president in 2020. Welcome to the race, Mr. West. Glad to have you. — The Democrats,” they tweeted.

Documentary based on Malala’s life to be released

By Tiffany Wade News Editor

On October 2, 2015, the story of Malala Yousafzai will come to theaters as He Named Me Malala.

The documentary is based on the book “I Am Malala” which was released towards the end of 2013.

The story of Malala began when the Taliban was attacking girls’ schools in the Swat District of Pakistan and in return she gave a speech about how she deserves an education.

“How dare the Taliban take away my basic right to education,” Malala explained.

She began blogging for BBC in 2009 at her experience with the Taliban’s threats to rid her of her right to an education. She was smart enough not to use her real name and went by Gul Makai, but by December of that same year, her identity was revealed.

Malala was nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize in 2011 and was awarded Pakistan’s National Youth Peace Prize for her own activism.

She then began receiving death threats from the Taliban. At the time, the Taliban was taking control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan. She was ordered to be silenced when fighting not only for her education but for women’s education as well and was not willing to take no for an answer. At age fifteen, she was shot in the head while rid-

ing the bus and was said to have a portion of her skull removed to halt the swelling of her brain and was considered lucky to even

That same year she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, but did not win. However, in 2014 she was nominated for the

Malala Yousafzai at the Jordan/Syrian border on Feb. 16, 2014, in a still from

survive.

Nobel Peace “He Named Me Malala.” (Gina Nemirofsky/20th Century Fox) After Prize again being released from the hospital from a and became the youngest person to remedically induced coma, she began to ceive this award. She gave a speech attend school in Birmingham in 2013. as she was being awarded, which In 2013, Malala was awarded the put the audience in absolute awe.

Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

“I am very proud to be the first Paki-

stani and youngest person to receive this award,” Malala claimed as she presented her Nobel Peace Prize Speech. “This award is not just for me. It is for those forgotten children who want education. It is for those frightened children who want peace.

It is for those voiceless children who want change,” she said.

For her 18th birthday on July 12, 2015, also called Malala Day, the young activist continued to take action on global education by opening a school for Syrian refugee girls in Lebanon. Its expenses covered by the Malala Fund, the school was designed to admit nearly 200 girls from the ages of 14 to 18.

“Today on my first day as an adult, on behalf of the world’s children, I demand of leaders we must invest in books instead of bullets,” Yousafzai proclaimed in one of the school’s classrooms.

The documentary will cover all of these important points in Malala’s life to symbolize how it doesn’t matter what age someone is, they can make a difference and become a humanitarian and activist by fighting every step of the way to reach the desired goal. Malala wasn’t afraid to stand up to the higher authority to prove her point and she wants other girls to do the same.

18

Athlete of the Month:

With the year starting off and new freshmen coming, there are sure to be new and shining athletes. Here is the new athlete that caught his coach’s eye.

Austin Vining is a freshman football player. He, of course, enjoys football, weightlifting, and watching football. When he’s not doing any of these things he’s likely doing homework. He plays football because he enjoys it and loves playing with friends. This season, he looks forward to accomplishing many goals such as “just becoming the best athlete I can and helping out the team.” Creek’s season has only begun and Austin and the freshmen team are sure to represent their school proudly and give it their all in their games.

sports Astros have first success in ten years

By Troylon Griffin II Sports Editor

Jed Lowrie said. “We do have a lot of confidence in ourselves. We’re pretty good at eliminating distractions and that’ll be doubly important during the last month.”

That last month, October, will be when the Astros go to postseason or enjoy the success they had this year. Manager A.J. Hinch sat inside the home dugout and

MLB home run off of Zach Duke. By doing this, he became the second youngest player to do so in a century, trailing Rickey The Houston Astros have so far enHenderson by only 21 days. Correa estabjoyed a successful 2015 season and now lished a new franchise record for most hits have a chance to go into the postseason for during his first ten games by batting 14. the first time since 2005. Since the start of He would break the franchise record for the season, the team, led by manager A.J. most hits through 15 career games with 20.

Hinch, seemed to show signs He would later set a record for of success in their victories. most doubles during his first 20 games Initially starting off slow, the by batting nine. Five home runs were team took over first place in hit during this timeframe for a total the American League West on of 14 extra-base hits, which tied for April 19 and stayed there until the second most since the 1993 MLB the All-Star Break in mid-July expansion. He would later win the when the Angels took over.

American League’s Rookie of the However, on July 29, the AsMonth award after breaking many tros retook their first place spot. other records. By his 42nd game he On July 30, the team was leading the American League in picked up Mike Fiers and Carhome runs by shortstops. This game los Gomez from the Milwauwas also Correa’s seventh with at kee Brewers. The two proved least three hits, a record for rookies to be a rightful pick as Fiers in this league. On August 1, 2015, threw the eleventh no-hitter in Correa recorded his first multi-homer Astros history on August 21 in game, also setting a franchise record their game against the The Houston Astros’ Carlos Gomez (30) celebrates his solo home run in the sixth inning by hitting 12 home runs in his Dodgers and threw 134 against the Oakland Athletics at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 9, first 46 games. By his 50th game 2015. (Susan Tripp Pollard/Bay Area News Group/TNS) pitches. Gomez has behe had batted more home runs in come one of the Astro’s that amount of games than any most prominent hitters and has hit safely tried explaining how “everything clicked” other shortstop in history, recording four in 13 of his last 14 games. He has had at once when no one expected it to. more than the previous record-holder. several multi-hit games. Gomez has conThe team currently has a one and a Correa has been one of many people who tributed three home runs and nine RBI’s. half game lead in the American League have helped the Astros in their success.

Gomez has also struck out only five times. West over the surging Texas Rangers and The Astros have been at .500 or above The new hitter for the team has helped en- a 3.39 ERA. They’ve also got one of most every month this season with the excepsure much of the Astros recent victories. prominent young players: Carlos Correa. tion of September, currently. While its Now, only a few games reCarlos Correa has had grand success hard to say whether the Astros will get to main to decide whether the team gets this year. On June 8, he was promoted to postseason or not, one thing that cannot be even farther and into postseason. the major leagues and on June 9, Correa argued is that the team has had more sucWe’ve been in a good place all year,” stole his first career base and hit his first cess then they’ve ever had in ten years.

Football official attacked by players

By Troylon Griffin II Managing and Sports Editor

one in Michigan and the other in Utah.

“Those happened within 17 months of each other,” Mano said. “This thing in Texas outstrips that for all of the attention it is getting. Why, when we had two deaths? I think the reason is clear: video.”

Mano noted that physical assaults on officials are rare. South Carolina

executive director for the Illinois High School Association, oversees the state’s officials. He has stated that one of the Since mid-September, there reasons it’s become hard to recruit referees have been a series of incidents in the in recent years is due to poor sportsmanship, sports world regarding sports officials, whether it is by fans, coaches or players.” or referees, getting attacked or hurt Since the incident, authorizes have intentionally by players during the game. been investigating what exactly happened.

“I wouldn’t want to The players claimed that their reason connect those dots and call it for injuring Watts was because he a trend,” Barry Mano, founder shouted racial slurs at them. However, and president of the National Barry Mano says “there is no evidence Association of Sports Officials at all that any racial slurs were used.” said. “But this is concerning.

The Marbles Falls Police What we know is that now, when Department announced that it was these things happen, there’s opening an investigation and hoped to video and everyone can see it.” have a resolution determined within The incident occurred a week but no arrests have been at Marbles Falls High School, made at this point. The attorney for in which the school was playing Robert Watts told The Today that the against John Jay High School. heinous crime was likely premeditated.

The official who was attacked “This wasn’t passion turning was Robert Watts. During the into violence, this was premeditated Screen shot from the video in which two John Jay fourth quarter game, two players crime,” attorney Alan Goldberger said.

High School football players intentionally hit ofattacked Watts and greatly injured However, this has only been the first ficial Robert Watts in the fourth quarter of a game him. The first player hit Watts from of incidents of attacks. Just eight days last Friday. (YOUTUBE) behind, knocking him on the ground after this incident, another player at a and the second player speared Watts. different high school shoved an official.

“I just cringe,” former high school attorney and former football referee It cannot be determined as to why official Tom Rice said. “It could have Thomas Brush supported this statement. these incidents of disrespect towards paralyzed the official, given him a “I may know of one instance in 32 officials is suddenly happening, but concussion, it could have even killed him. It years where a player attacked a referee Barry Mano has noted that the incidents would be my hope that these players would and the athlete was suspended from evoke the old term “kill the ump”, a be banned for life from any athletic event.” high school sports for life,” Brush said. joking phrase referring to hurting the The recorded incident has led to “We don’t have any real issues. The referee for bad decisions. Nevertheless, public outcry on the issue, something that kids are the easy part. I tell referees Mano has stated it’s “no joke anymore.” has surprised Barry Mano. In 2013, two to just stay away from the parents.” soccer officials died as a result of an attack, Craig Anderson, assistant

Sports

19

Creek varsity football enjoys pre-season success

By Anna Scheuring Reporter

On August 29th, the Wildcats stepped out on the field for the first game of the 2015 season. The Clear Creek Wildcats battled the Ridgepoint Panthers for the victory.

The Wildcats ended the 2014 season with an unfortunate loss in the first round of the playoffs. The team earned 2nd in the 246Aarea, losing only to Dickinson 42-20. This year’s team, made up of some of the most experienced players in the district, are sure to make the 2015 season one to remember.

The Wildcats enter the 2015 season with the return of 7 offensive starters and 9 defensive starters. The Daily News highlighted the key returners to be Chase Hildreth, Landon Etzel, Brandon Hower, Nik Daniels, Colby Burton, and Lofton Hicks.

On the defensive end, Nik Daniels, two year first team all district member, is sure to be a part of the Wildcats success on defense. Daniels finished the 2014 season with a whopping 85 sacks and 11 tackles. This year, he will be transitioning from defensive end to linebacker. Edward Goffney, Lofton Hicks, and Colby Burton are powerful players that will play huge roles for this season. The experience on varsity that each players has will aid in benefiting the overall defense.

“I’m hoping with the experience that I’ve gained over the past three years I will help my team make great improvements on the defensive side of the ball, and also win district and post regular season games.

But we’re going to take this season one

game at a time,” LB Ed Goffney Sr. said.

Davon Smith, running back for the Wildcats, sat out the 2014 season due to an unfortunate knee injury.

“Davon has done a tremendous job rehabbing, and had a great summer,” Coach Warden, head coach, said. Davon will be a key player on the offense.

“Davon’s going to really help our running game.

As much as people like to think we throw it, I still believe you have to be able to run the ball to win football g a m e s , ” Warden said.

With a lot of hard work, Davon will Photo by Katie step on the field again, and be a key player too.

“My knee injury made me a better player by humbling me and making me work harder than ever. It feels great to be back on the field, I love being with my brothers and competing with them. It’s the best thing in the world,” running back, Davon said.

The Wildcat trio of the strong receivers Landon Etzel, Brandon Hower, and Andy Wiesen are sure to be a big part of

the offense. The three are all varsity veterans, all having varsity experience since sophomore year. All three have been selected on first and second team all-district selections. The boys are sure to meet the expectations of not only themselves, but everyone watching them.

“I want to win district and then be able to have success in the playoffs,” WR Landon Etzel Sr. said of what he wants to accomplish this season. “ I ’ m excited for all of the seniors who have played since sophomore year to Rodriguez just come up and show really all the hard work that they’ve done and how much they’ve improved.”

WR Andy Wiesen Sr. said.

Throwing the ball to the talented receivers will be the well known quarterback, senior Chase Hildreth.

Hildreth finished the 2014 season with the stats of 229-for-357 for 3,047 yards and 39 TDs, being one of the most talented quarterbacks in the 24-6A competition.

The strong passing game is going to be another key aspect to the success of the team.

“I think we should be pretty good this year. We have a lot of returning players comng back, and a lot of those players started as sophomores. So we’re a really experienced football team. I’m hoping to go undefeated and win district.” Chase said.

While individual players are undoubtedly important to the game, the success comes when the players unite to make a team and play for one goal. When asked about the team, the players had many great things to say.

“We have great team chemistry and play for the man next to us rather than doing our own thing,” safety Lofton Hicks Sr. said.

When asked make makes the Wildcats a strong team, center Tanner Pugh Jr. replied with “our work ethic and all of the talent on both sides of the ball”.

Notable Clear Creek football games of the 2015 season to attend will be Clear Creek vs. Friendswood on October 17th, Clear Creek vs. Clear Springs on October 23rd, and Clear Creek vs. Dickinson on October 30th. Nik Daniels and Colby Burton both look forward to playing Dickinson.

“I’m most excited for the Dickinson game, and making a run in the playoffs,” cornerback Colby Burton Sr. said.

“I’m looking forward to playing Dickinson just because they won district last year and we want the title back,” LB Nik Daniels Sr. said.

With high expectations and a team of hard-working and hungry players, there’s an exciting season in store for the Wildcats.

photofinish 20