THE
CRIMSON
CONNECTION
VOLUME 2|ISSUE 5|FEBRUARY 2015
CHEATER CHEATER
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FEATURE
CONTENTS
21 The color of love
ON THE COVER
22 Across the world
NEWS 5 Get the facts
Photo provided by: Abby Rippey
24
An in-depth look at cheating in school
The story of an interracial couple’s relationship Foreign exchange wrestler moves from South Africa
23 Paper Napkin
Meet photographer Cameron Brooks
28 Will of Steele
What is ISIS?
Life as a dressmaker
6 News to Know Fishing club
Photo provided by: Chris Burgess
8 L.I.F.E. Club
A safe place for students
9 Addicted to the buzz
How too much caffeine can affect the body
10 Lone Star vs. University
A look at the benefits of going to community college first
STUDENT LIFE 30 Riding without reins
Student rides horses for fun
31 At school with mom
What it’s like having a parent in the building
32 Making money
Mixing school with business
34 Birth order
Comparing theorized Personality traits to reality
OPINION 13 Girl code/Guy code
35 Love at first type
14 Stop the love triangles
36 Fueling the fire
How social media influences relationships in the digital age
Friendzoning
16 Saw it online
A look into the power of the internet in the spread of information
Coach Flores talks State, balance and experience
19 Mad player
Meet JJ Caldwell, basketball
20 Photo story
Photo by: Flickr user lincolnblues
SPORTS 17 Spring sports 18 Girls basketball
Students play in screamo band, enter contest
Photo by: Flickr user Katerha
Why teen books need to break away from the formula
ENTERTAINMENT 37 Embarassing moments 38 And the Oscar goes to... Predictions for the 2015 Academy Awards
40 Fun & games 41 What is love?
Preschoolers define what love means to them
43 Reviews
Movies, music and more Cover by: Shannon Steele and Emma Fritz
STAFF
editor-in-chief SHANNON STEELE managing editor EMMA FRITZ media editor ABBIE MCINTOSH business manager BRADLEY WARGO news editor REBECCA RUDOLPH feature editor KAURIANA KENDALL sports editor COLIN GAY entertainment editor DAVID GAY opinion editor BYRIA HAMBLIN social coordinator ASHLEY PELTON STAFF REPORTERS ASHLYNN BROWN GAGE HENRY KELLI KUTACH MIA LOPEZ
NOEMI MARTINEZ JACK MCPHERSON MATTHEW RAMOS LEAH TORREZ
ADVISER
ABIGAIL PAYSSE
EDITORIAL POLICY The Crimson Connection is published seven times a year and distributed free by the Cy Woods Journalism Department. The Editorial Board consists of two editors. The Board determines the stances of editorials, as well as the content of the newsmagazine. Letters or comments are welcome and should be sent to room 1866 at the school address. To be printed by the school newspaper, the letter or comments must be signed and legible. The editor reserves the right to edit letters. The opinion of the staff does not necessarily represent the opinions of the faculty of this school or this district. Make your voice heard. The Crimson Connection staff wants to know your questions, concerns or comments. If you would like to contribute to the next issue of The Crimson Connection, please contact us at: abigail.paysse@cfisd.net Cypress Woods High School 13550 Woods Spillane Blvd. Cypress, TX 77429
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Fellow Wildcats, I cannot believe we are already more than a month into the second semester. On one hand, I could not be happier to be this far into the school year, but at the same time, change is bittersweet. For the remainder of the school year, the senior staff members and I will shift our focus to Crimson Magazine, the publication produced by seniors, for seniors. The underclassmen will take over production of the print magazine as we work to produce C Mag and incorporate as many seniors as we can. While it’s sad to leave behind something that has become such an important part of my life, I know that they will do great things with the magazine. The staff worked harder than ever before these past few weeks to produce this, the largest issue of the Crimson Connection ever. Forty-eight pages is huge, and I am so excited that my dream of producing this extra large magazine came true. With stories ranging from the in-depth cheating story to reviews and Oscar predictions to a girls basketball, there is bound to be something that catches your attention. I hope you enjoy the issue, and remember to check out our website, thecrimsonconnection.com for additional content. Sincerely,
Shannon Steele Editor-in-Chief
GET THE
FACTS
What exactly is ISIS? SHANNON STEELE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ISIS, or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, has made headlines regularly since mid-2014, although its origins trace back decades. ISIS released numerous videos depicting the executions of journalists and aid workers. The group’s radical actions have prompted military action by the U.S. as well as other countries. C
WHO?
ISIS, ISIL and IS are all names for the same group Islamic rebels who control territory in Iraq and Syria Origins trace back to 1999 The United Nations describes ISIS as a terrorist organization
WHAT DO THEY DO?
ISIS Syria
Iraq
Their goal is to establish a caliphate, or a government with a single political and religious leader Use military force to take over land for the caliphate According to BBC, approximately eight million people are estimated to be living in an area controlled by ISIS
WHY DO WE CARE? ISIS uses extremely violent tactics, including mass shootings and decapitation, against innocent people As of Jan. 2015, three American journalists have been executed by ISIS: James Foley, Steven Sotloff and Peter Kassig. Numerous citizens of other countries have also been executed within the past few months.
Photo by: Flickr user Mlg_1
NEWS
WWW.THECRIMSONCONNECTION.COM
5
NEWSTOKNOW Casting in the cold
Kickball tournament
GAGE HENRY
E
ABBIE MCINTOSH
PHOTOGRAPHER
Every month the fishing club enters shore tournaments against other schools at Lake Livingston, Lake Conroe or Lake Houston. Together they have reeled in over 15 pounds of fish, including a four pound white bass. With the cold weather it is expected to be harder to cast and fishing members have to face colder water. Sophomore and club President Cooper Staudt is expecting to beat their first tournament record and to be ready for different structures of water to adapt to because of the cold in their next tournament at the end of February. Vice President Garret Warner says fish are not the only things caught; he once reeled in a bicycle in a Coles Crossing pond. “Once while out at our tournament Cooper’s dad was standing on a cooler while we were trolling and we hit a stump and we all fell into the water,” Warner said. “It was at least 30 degrees that day and with the wind blowing it didn’t feel any better.” Club members get more than fish out of the organization. “I really enjoy the club mostly because of the people in it and what we all do,” junior Dalton Barclay said. “I love fishing but especially with the people in our club. I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t want to join.” Chemistry teacher Ryan Hall sponsors the club, making sure everyone’s paper work and registration is done before leaving for a tournament, which take place once a month. “All the members of the club have previous experience with fishing,” Hall said. “We have eight separate teams with two members. Before leaving, each of them make sure their polls and tackle boxes are set. Then they board a boat that’s given to us by the community and professional fishermen, and are lead through the lake by a volunteer captain taking the students to whatever spot they want to go and fish at.” Club meetings take place every other Friday after school. As of right now there are 25 members on the team, and they’re looking for more. During every tournament they keep all the fish until the end, bag them up and weigh in. After getting their results and the weight of their bag they release what they caught back into the lake. Their next tournament will be held Saturday February 28 at Lake Conroe.
I
MEDIA EDITOR
It’s that time of year again: kickball is right around the corner. For those of you who do not know what the annual Kickball tournament is, here is what you need to know: In past years, Invisible Children has sponsored the event, but this year, H.O.P.E. [Helping Other People Every Day] is the club behind the controlled chaos. The tournament will take place on Saturday, March 21, and if all 30 teams sign up, there will be 450 students participating. Teams must have a minimum of five girls, no more than five varsity athletes, and no more than 15 team members total. You can pick up packets in room 1159 starting on February 9. All proceeds from the tournament will be given to St. Jude’s Hospital. You will not want to miss out on this event.
Wildcats bring home FFA titles Lillian Davis [10]
Ericka Key [12]
Dylan Jebousek [10]
Kelsey Pitts [12]
Rabbit - Breeding
Steer - Market
Shelby Taylor [10]
Swine - Showmanship
Heifer - Breeding Heifer - Showmanship Steer - Showmanship
Swine - Market
Dylan Jebousek won Grand Champion Steer at the FFA show. Photo by: Brit Saunier
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NEWS
Daily updates Exclusive content Video reports Breaking news
@CWHSConnection Photo by: Julia Held
Photo by: Cameron Brooks
FOR THE LATEST ON ALL THINGS CY WOODS VISIT
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LOVE
IS FOR EVERYONE Taking a look at L.I.F.E club’s mission ASHLYNN BROWN
L
STAFF REPORTER
Love Is For Everyone is exactly what Life [L.I.F.E.] club is. No one should feel ashamed of who they are when they’re around members, they can be open when talking. The club started as a support group for LGBT students as a safe environment for all students to come and share their feelings. “This is a place where you can come and just be yourself,” junior Blake Elliot said. “We’re not going to tell you this is right or wrong. You can come and know you’re not being judged about anything.” During meetings, students talk openly about personal subjects. “What I always have trouble with is figuring out how to say what I’m feeling and how to voice certain opinions that might be controversial without offending anyone,” senior Phoebe Adams said. While strides have been made to help
“The hardest part about the club is getting people who are not a part of the LGBT community to come out.” -Phoebe Adams LGBT teens feel more comfortable, many still fear negative repercussions from their peers. “I came out when I was 13, so the club has really helped me with my fear of telling people I’m gay,” Adams said. “It has also helped me with ways to handle people’s comments in public.” The club welcomes students from all walks of life, not just the LGBT community. “The hardest part about the club is getting people who are not a part of the
LGBT community to come out,” Adams said. “We want other people to join because our message is about open communication Administration has been open to the idea and supported L.I.F.E. club every step of the way. “This year we worked with Mr. Heath and Mr. Kinninger,” Elliot said. “They thought it was really cool and they’ve been very supportive from the beginning.” The L.I.F.E. club is always looking for new members who are willing to share their opinions in a respectful way. “Don’t be scared to join,” Elliot said. “It’s a safe place where you can come and know you’re not going to be looked at differently.” The club meets every other Thursday after school in room 2316. C
PROM
PERSPECTIVES
Seniors share opinions on this year’s prom theme
ASHLEY PELTON
SOCIAL COORDINATOR
How will you be “catching fire?”
Photo by: Flickr user JoeinSouthernCA
“My girlfriend is really hot, so I’ll be catching fire with her,” Jordan Lane said. “With my hands, of course,” Sai Babat said. “I’m going to show the Wildcats how Isaiah Clay does 212 style,” Isaiah Clay said. Page design by: Emma Fritz
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NEWS
ADDICTED TO THE BUZZ BRADLEY WARGO
W
BUSINESS MANAGER
The real side effects of caffeine
Whether it is in the chocolate chip bar eaten as dessert or the Coke used to wash away lunch, caffeine is everywhere. Often associated with being in coffee, caffeine is a natural stimulant found in many plants such as the cocoa bean and coffee bean. This stimulation can be useful in small doses since it allows for the quickening of the heart, an increase in clarity and an all-around burst of energy. The problem with caffeine comes when it is taken in an increasingly large dose over a long period of time causing the symptoms similar to an addiction. “I’ve gone out of my way to get my coffee fix,” senior Connor Homrighausen said. “I’ll be an hour late to work and still stop to pick up a cup of coffee.” In as little as 15 minutes of consumption caffeine begins to take its effect. Here is the process simplified: Looking like adenosine, a drug used to calm the body down, caffeine is able to attach to the same nerve endings, but it causes the opposite effect. Blood vessels constrict and neuron firing increases, the pituitary gland senses the increase and releases hormones that tell the adrenal glands to produce adrenaline: the “fight or flight” hormone. This causes the spike in energy and alertness that is commonly associated with caffeine. With caffeine overwhelming the system the body has to make more room, or nerve ports in order to supply adenosine and calm down. With more ports, more and more coffee is needed to get the same feeling as it had once before. This effect is much like taking a drug, which makes the body need more to get the same high. An occasional cup turns into two or three cups of coffee a day. “Generally I drink about three to five cups on a weekday,” Homrighausen said. “On the weekends it gets pretty bad as [those] three to five jumps to five [or] eight. I initially started out not liking coffee, but then I tried iced coffee and began to make my own iced coffee and then [from] there it escalated into the darker, richer kinds of
NEWS
coffee.” Students who drink this much see the positive and negative effects of caffeine. Senior, Will Posey, drinks what amounts to about three cups of coffee a day and knows exactly what it feels like to go without coffee for a day. “I drink Mountain Dew and other energy drinks,” Posey said. “I started off having one a week and then junior year hit and it escalated quickly. When I don’t have any my head really starts to hurt, like I have a massive headache. I would tell anyone to never drink any energy drinks.” Despite the headaches, yellowing teeth and shakiness caused by drinking caffeine, students still decide to drink coffee. “It’s the sensation that it gives you that makes it worth it,” Homrighausen said. “And all of the side effects are easily combatable. Yellow teeth I beat by brushing my teeth three times a day now and the crash of coffee you beat by eating when the crash starts to happen. Other than that it’s the addiction that you have to deal with.” All addictions can rack up a cost, senior Hunter Weldon spends about $20 a week on coffee in a year that is $1,040, in ten years, $10,400. Even on the low end, sophomore Megan Lott buys two cups a week, in a year that is about $500. That racks up fast. With the many benefits of coffee, it can be hard to resist having that morning cup, but a cup a day can lead to three or four, an even bigger headache on the days without it and a larger hole in your wallet. If addiction already seems to be an issue, do not just stop drinking; slowly start drinking less and less. It makes the transition a lot less painful. C
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LONE STAR BY THE NUMBERS Is attending a two year college smarter? EMMA FRITZ & REBECCA RUDOLPH MANAGING EDITOR & NEWS EDITOR
Universities in Texas (by cost)
$ 2,464
Lone Star
Texas A&M University
is the estimated total cost of a year at Lone Star
University of Texas Baylor SMU 0
10000
20000
30000
40000
$ 22,407 is the estimated total cost of a year at Texas A&M
50000
WHY LONE STAR? Madelin Cowden
Kristina Le
“I think it’s easier for some people just to stay at home and get some extra credits in and have a cheaper way of education then move on to a bigger college.”
“If you feel like you’re not prepared to go to an actual university. Lone Star would definitely be a good learning lesson and prep and you and you definitely save money too.”
SENIOR
SENIOR
All photos by: Gage Henry
Statistics provided by: College Board
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NEWS
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GIRL CODE GUY CODE KELLI KUTACH
STAFF REPORTER
F
Friendzoning. Something that no one wants to have happen to them, but I’ll be the first to admit that I am not immune to rejection, and each time it’s happened, the letdown did not get any easier. Responses such as “let’s just be friends,” or “come on, you’re more like a sister to me” are things that have haunted me, and made me very insecure about professing my feelings to people since then. The only real telltale way to know when you’re being friendzoned is when the person actually comes out and says “I don’t like you”, which are words no one wants to hear. Although one thing I want you to know is that even though that one person does not return those feelings for you, does not mean you should give up. There are millions of people on this planet waiting to be met. If being friendzoned has left you feeling down in the dumps, don’t let it get you down for long. You should never let someone else make you feel inferior. You are one of a kind, extremely wonderful, and you should be treated as such. One of my favorite
Friendzoning
quotes is “You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, but there will always be someone who hates peaches,” and I find that to ring true, especially in high school. Keeping your head up and realizing you can’t be everyone’s cup of tea is the best way to move on from a painful friendzoning experience. If, however, you are in a situation where you have to friendzone someone, it is best to do it gently but firmly. The most effective way to friendzone someone is to just come out and say “I am not interested in you in the romantic way.” Whether you decide to further explain your feelings is completely up to you. You never owe someone a yes, but you at least owe them a respectful rejection. All in all, friendzoning is not something anyone looks forward to, whether you are the one doing the rejecting or you are the rejected. But no matter side of the situation you are on, just know the awkwardness of friendzoning will soon fade away and you can move on and find someone more worthy of you and all your wonderfulness.
A
Ah, the art of friend-zoning. This new action, also known as “curving” or “swerving,” is actually not as new as many believe. In fact, friend-zoning has been found to be an ancient art, carried out by many civilizations and well represented in numerous novels and movies. One such example is illustrated in the novel “Sense and Sensibility” in which character Marianne Dashwood rejects the courting by bachelor Colonel Brandon. One difference to be aware of, however, is that the two eventually become a couple. But today, Wildcats, friend-zoning is widespread. Now this is GUY code, so I’m writing from a guy’s point of view. When you’re being friendzoned, it should be glaringly obvious to you. She’s curving you, so she’s using words like “fam” or “bro” when she refers to you in conversation. There are certainly exceptions to this rule; some girls use those words as terms of endearment. However, it is commonplace that they create relational boundaries. If you give her a compliment, she’ll duck under it. If you’re using emojis and she’s not, then she is either not into emojis or she’s not into you and it’s usually the latter. If she has read receipts on and she’s not replying, she isn’t interested. Look, don’t be discouraged to try. However, don’t lie to yourself; there comes a time in every guy’s life when you should wipe the dust off your feet and walk away. In terms of friend-zoning a girl, it’s pretty easy. Let’s say there’s a girl who is only a friend to you and she starts flirting. There are three options. Option one you
JACK MCPHERSON STAFF REPORTER
read her texts, don’t reply, and then continue your existence. Option two suggests talking about a girl you are interested in around her. This will convey your lack of interest without you having to say anything about your feelings directly to her. Option three is simply to do the hard thing and discuss with her exactly how you feel about her. This option is perhaps the difference between guys and girls. Many girls are afraid of “sounding mean” but guys seem to have a smaller sense of fear, so logically explaining things is often easier for guys. Finally, I’m going to teach you how to avoid the friend-zone. Pay attention carefully. If you want to avoid the friend-zone, it simply doesn’t matter what she says. If she curves you then you can make your own decisions. You decide whether or not to stay in her life on terms of a friendship. Be friends or don’t be friends. THAT is entirely up to you. However, if she is interested, then you can possibly build that relationship with her. There’s no guarantee it’ll work out. However, the pain of a breakup is probably better than pining over someone who thinks of you as a brother. All in all, don’t concern yourself with being “the nice guy” or worrying about girls dating jerks. Just know that being indirect and timid with a girl is not the way to go. Be direct, be confident and be a little cocky. Above all else, be decent. Decency doesn’t necessarily equate to being nice. Instead, decency constitutes being an honest and responsible young man that someone can depend on.
DISCLAIMER: The purpose of these articles are not to show discrepancies between sexes, but rather to show two separate opinions. The views expressed in these columns do not necessarily represent the opinions of the staff, school or CFISD.
OPINION
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SAME The problem with formulaic books LEAH TORREZ
STAFF REPORTER
R
Photo by: Flickr user ginnerrobot
Reading used to be my entire life. Books were my way to escape reality into hundreds of different worlds, but recently I’ve noticed something rather annoying. Books turned into book, singular. I had been reading the same novel, over and over, just with a different cover. Did I miss something? Most popular young adult novels all have practically the same plot. Seriously, think about it. Straight Caucasian girl, usually around 16 with long hair, pretty but she doesn’t know it yet. She is deemed tough and complex because she doesn’t share her feelings and acts like romance is useless. Usually witty and lovable in an ironic way. Supposedly ‘not like other girls’ and is one of the guys. Probably has a tall charming Caucasian boy as a love interest. Which character does this remind you of? I’m pretty sure I just described at least 75% of female protagonists. So take this incredibly wooden character and maybe add another love interest creating the dreaded love triangle, and don’t forget some type of life changing situation. Now throw in a dystopian society, hot pagan creatures or some type of mental or physical illness and you’ve got a best seller. Don’t get me wrong, I love these books as much as the next teenager, but is anyone else kind of tired of it? These authors are raking in the cash by praying on our raging hormones, can’t they at least think of an original story line? Or maybe an actual complex female protagonist that isn’t just a girl with the characteristics of a guy? Or seriously just add more than one person of color to the allwhite cast or maybe an LGBT character because -shocker- they do exist. You can’t just take an already popular plot tweak it to your liking, C change the names and call it your own.
Tired of reading the same books?
2015 Reading Challenge A book with more than 500 pages A classic romance A book that became a movie A book published this year A book with a number in the title A book written by someone under 30 A book with nonhuman characters A funny book A book by a female author A mystery or thriller A book with a one-word title A book of short stories A book set in a different country A nonfiction book A popular author’s first book A book from an author you love that you haven’t read yet A book a friend recommended A Pulitzer Prize-winning book A book based on a true story A book at the bottom of your to-read list A book your mom loves A book that scares you A book more than 100 years old A book based entirely on its cover A book you were supposed to read in school but didn’t A memoir A book you can finish in a day
A book with antonyms in the title A book set somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit A book that came out the year you were born A book with bad reviews A trilogy A book from your childhood A book with a love triangle A book set in the future A book set in high school A book with a color in the title A book that made you cry A book with magic A graphic novel A book by an author you’ve never read before A book you own, but never read A book that takes place in your hometown A book that was originally written in a different language A book set during Christmas A book written by an author with your same initials A play A banned book A book based on or turned into a TV show A book you started but never finished
See the library for more information
Page design by: Shannon Steele
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OPINION
RANT IN
BYRIA HAMBLIN
OPINION EDITOR
A
270
WORDS
Although dress up days are pretty much over, they still manage to be done completely wrong. Let’s get this straight, Wildcats: childhood characters should not be worn on Hero Day. Your childhood fandom is not a hero. As much as you idolized your favorite Disney movie, that does not mean that your favorite character is a hero. Hero Day should be filled with real life heroes. Firefighters, soldiers,
nurses and doctors should be the kind of costumes we think about; not a cartoon. Save the those costumes for Character Day. Hey spring break, where ya at? I’m so ready. While a lot of students will be busy tanning in the Bahamas or skiing in Colorado, I’ll be sleeping, eating and Netflixing. Netflixing becomes a verb towards the end junior year. However, it becomes a blessing and a curse by the beginning of senior year. With college
Glorifying real world heroes like soldiers, firefighters and doctors was the highlight of Hero Day Photo by: Flickr user California National Guard
application deadlines and AP classes, it loses it’s touch. To seniors, college is super soon *insert nervous emoji*. Deciding where to potentially spend the next four years of your life is terrifying. I would give advice on how to choose the best college for you, but I am literally clueless. I’m just as distorted as the next senior. But hey just in case, at least transferring isn’t too difficult? Also, PROM. Prom is so soon. I can’t wait. I’m that girl. I’m that girl that’s dreamed of my Cinderella style prom. It’s low-key kind of sad. Lastly, summer workouts are underway a.k.a. anti ice cream season. Good luck, Wildcats. Hopefully it lasts.
SO CLOSE, YET SO FAR Seniors struggle with keeping the drive ASHLEY PELTON
I
SOCIAL COORDINATOR
If you’re in the last year of high school, there is a chance you might have contracted the contagious, careless disease senioritis. Symptoms include turning things in late (if you even do it at all), procrastination to the extreme, skipping school, coming late and really just not caring about the rest of the semester at all. Senioritis is very common among seniors and becomes more infectious as the year goes on. Senior year is supposed to be fun, and be the year where memories are made! However if your senioritis is in effect, it could be one of worry and stress. With
OPINION
senioritis you tend to procrastinate and turn things in late. If you procrastinate or don’t turn things in your grades won’t be as high, meaning you will stress way more about graduation and applying to college. If you just sit down and get things done right then and now you can be done with it and won’t have to worry about it later, meaning that you have more time to goof off and not have to stress. With senioritis you also tend to skip class a lot and be late. Those tardies can add up, and you can get detention, which means no fun Saturdays for you. Most schools also
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have a policy where if you miss school more than three days you don’t get to exempt finals. If you can’t exempt, you have to actually take the super hard tests at the end. Who wants that? An occasional Ferris Bueller’s Day Off style kind of day is totally fine! Just don’t overkill it. Overall have fun your senior year, but that being said, don’t slack too much. Staying organized really helps and keeps you on track of assignments and due dates. Staying on top of things will pay off in the end. Don’t kill yourself too much though; it’s your last year.
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The Internet: A key player in the spread of information MATTHEW RAMOS
STAFF REPORTER
Photo by: Flickr user Steve Rhodes
T
The Internet is a highway of information that can be contributed to by anyone with a router. The internet is a key player in the spread of false information in today’s society. News agencies, such as The Onion, have been known to release satirical articles that are purely for enjoyment and to make fun of political controversies. Although this is not to be confused with actual news, other news agencies have released falsified information intended to be news and use the internet to do so. The ability to post articles at a moment’s notice can be worrisome for journalists intending to send legitimate informtion that may not be confirmed as true when posted on places like blogs and online news sites. Twitter is also a resource used to put out tons of information using the internet. Just like any other social media site, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr are processors of millions of posts a day. In November 2014, The Rolling Stone, a pop culture magazine, which publishes a digital and physical magazine, has recanted the account that they released about a female student’s sexual assault at the University of Virginia. The student described a gruesome story of being taken advantage of by multiple fraternity members of Phi Kappa Psi, a fraternity at the University of Virginia. After publishing the story on their website, the Rolling Stone did some investigating on the allegations of the young woman. The evidence brought to light shows that the young men did not commit the rape, one of the main assailants was not a fraternity member and that the fraternity held no functions on the date she cited as the night of the rape. They formally apologized for putting out a false article that stirred up the news industry, but the negligence of a news outlet does not justify the slandering of a College and a fraternity that it houses. The ignorance of the Rolling Stone is not a good enough excuse for misinforming the world on a scenario that is actually a large problem. A magazine like the Rolling Stone has a duty to be more reliable and check their sources just like any media outlet. Websites like The Onion also run satire pieces that should be understood as satire, but unfortunately people may take them
as legitimate news articles. For example, a story was released in 2014 saying Michelle Obama was reassigned to the Department of Agriculture after butting heads with the president and then later was taken down by foreign news agencies. An article about Kim Jong Un being declared “The Onions Sexiest Man of 2014” was run by China’s state newspaper before they realized it was satire. Even in the U.S. a Louisiana congressman John Fleming posted an Onion story about “Planned Parenthood $8 billion dollar abortionplex” on his Twitter and Facebook pages. Multiple countries also mistook The Onion’s piece on Neil Armstrong’s moon landing being fake as a real news article. The misleading articles and satire published can also be deadly. In January, Parisian newspaper Charlie Hebdo was attacked by Islamic extremists because of a caricature that was drawn of the prophet Mohammed. While in the United States we understand such articles as satire, other cultures do not. Though the murder of 12 people in Paris was tragic, more tragic is the meaning of these murders was not to protect a religion but to restrict the media. If we as journalists restrict our art with fear for our lives then we have single handedly given up our freedom of speech, all because of a cartoon drawing posted on a website. In February 2015, Brian Williams NBC Nightly news reporter recanted accounts of being in a downed helicopter while reporting in Iraq 2003. Recently questions of the legitimacy of his hurricane Katrina reporting have also been taken into question. Many of us remember seeing Brian Williams on our television screens in the late afternoon and to have been blatantly lied to by a trusted news anchor is disheartening. While the internet is a very effective medium for publishing news, false information and satire spread quickly as well. However, readers should not be affected by misinformed journalism. Deep down every poet wants to be loved and every writer heard. If the way a writer, poet or any other artist reaches out to their readers is newspapers, blogs and media websites then it should be completely unfiltered. C
Photo by: Flickr user david_shankbone
Page design by: Shannon Steele
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OPINION
SPORTS Page design by: Emma Fritz and Colin Gay
SIGNING DAY
Riley Richert signs his letter of intent to play baseball for the University of Houston Photo by: Cameron Brooks
Erica Ogwumike signs her letter of intent to play basketball at Pepperdine Univeristy Photo by: Cameron Brooks
Ty Dendy signs his letter of intent to play football at Colorado School Of Mines Photo by: Abbie McIntosh
WRESTLING & SWIMMING
Mason Samhan pins his opponent Photo by: Cameron Brooks
Pictured (bottom row, L-R) are: Brittany Reed, Ashley Brem, Conor Glenn and Caroline Giannella; and (top row, L-R): Dylan Glenn, Faith Kitzman, Kate Smith and Claire Smith. The Region V 6A Girls’ Champions Photo by: Karen Smith
Felicia Quiles tackles her opponent Photo by: Cameron Brooks
JJ Caldwell going for the score against George Ranch Photo by: Cameron Brooks
Catherine Reese attempts a basket against Cypress Ranch Photo by: Colin Gay
Jhealan Wesley runs down the court against Westfield Photo by: Cameron Brooks
BASKETBALL
Coach Flores leads players to excellence after similar experience COLIN GAY
W
SPORTS EDITOR
With schoolwork and practices, student athletes have no time to waste. Their schedules are packed full to enhance their abilities both in the classroom and on the court with coaches and teachers leading them to their maximum capability. Girls basketball coach and senior English teacher Virginia Flores has used her experience as a former student athlete to give her players the best advice on how to balance school and sport. Flores started in a similar place as the girls she coaches: in a high school basketball gym. The only difference is that she relied on the first two years of her high school career to develop her skills and eventually play basketball for the University of Texas at Austin. “I had a knee injury my junior and senior year of high school, but I was able to get a scholarship,” Flores said. “It limited my mobility, so I was red-shirted my freshman year and I sat the bench and rehabbed.” When Flores became healthy, she realized that she was going to have to earn her way back into the starting lineup. “I found that I wasn’t going to play unless we were up by 20 or down by 20,” Flores said. “I then worked myself into the position that I became the sixth man off of the bench and eventually started.” With the experience of being an allaround student athlete, Flores expects the same of her English students and players. “I think that most kids who come out of high school that are successful in sports are generally successful in the classroom,” Flores said. “I think that is true for most extracurricular activities. My kids who are involved in band, UIL activities, newspaper, etc. generally take care of business in all fronts and are very self-motivated. I would have to say that was indicative of our entire team, but it was also the expectation of the coaching staff and of ourselves.” Flores’s expectation of excellence has
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Coach Flores talking to team during timeout Photo by: Colin Gay
rubbed off on some of her players, especially senior Erica Ogwumike. “I have grown into more of a leader on this team so she looks to me to talk to the rest of the team,” Ogwumike said. “I just try to help people stay calm in stressful games and stressful situations because we have practiced for them. I am just trying to set a good example.” Catherine Reese, the only freshman on the Varsity team, has help from both the upperclassmen and Flores in blending in with this team. “She helps me get better and pushes me towards being successful and helping out the team as a whole,” Reese said. Led by mostly juniors and seniors, this team is different than other Woods teams from the past. “The size makes a difference but it’s not just that,” Flores said. “We have really
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skilled players and they’re very competitive. They’re hard working and they make the rest of their teammates better.” With their size and speed at an all-time high, this team is thinking past district play and looking forward to State. “That’s what we have been talking about since the beginning of the year,” Ogwumike said. “The little things we are doing now are building up to it.” Coach Flores is also thinking towards that moment, but she believes this team still has a lot to do before then. I think [State] is always at the back of your mind, Flores said. “I think it is the same thing for high school. When you get into high school, I would hope no one is thinking ‘I walked across the stage and I’m done.’ Obviously, our goal is to win State, but at this point, when we are in the midst of district, its one game at a time.” C
SPORTS
GOOD KID,
MAD
PLAYER Photo by: Cameron Brooks
From fragmented family to full court press
A
JACK MCPHERSON STAFF REPORTER
An image of a fluid movement sinks into Jordan Joseph “JJ” Caldwell’s body as the flick of his wrist hurls the ball through the air. The Wilson-engineered, 22-ounce orange sphere makes its swift travel through the perspiration-infused air. As the basketball surges through the net, all that can be heard is a short-lived swoosh. Caldwell doesn’t hear a thing, not even the following roar of the crowd. He points to the sky and smiles. Junior JJ Caldwell is a 6’2”, 170 lb. point guard for the Wildcat men’s basketball team. Caldwell has been impressing teammates and coaches alike since he started playing Varsity. “We knew when he got here that he had a chance to be really good,” basketball coach Chris Draudt said. “He’s gifted and he puts so much work and effort into his game. He’s a great teammate and a good kid.” Caldwell is a unique individual and his background vouches for that. “I grew up with two different families,” Caldwell said. “I had a relationship with my white adoptive family and my black biological family.” After the death of his adoptive mother, Caldwell stumbled upon love and appreciation from another family - his
teammates. “We knew about his past and the passings in his family,” senior Samir Sehic said. “We were able to spend a lot of time with him and just help him out no matter what.” Draudt feels that Caldwell’s adoptive mother’s passing brought him closer to all of those around him. “JJ is just another teammate and that makes it easier for us and his team to help him with his daily existence,” Draudt said. “We like to foster that family atmosphere.” In spite of the brotherly love and support from his teammates and coaches, the impact of the passing of his mother was still felt on Caldwell’s conscience. “I definitely had a distraction from it,” Caldwell said. “At some point I had to deal with it. Now, it’s another point of motivation. [I play] for my mom.” Points of motivation, as well as role models, have never been in shortage for Caldwell. NBA players such as Baron Davis and Lebron James served as role models to Caldwell as he grew up. Those examples, as well as a combination of his hard work and rare talent, helped Caldwell develop into the player he is today and will help him improve in the future. “He works his tail off,” Draudt said. “He’s
a special kid and he’s just gotten better as he’s gotten older. He hasn’t touched his ceiling yet.” Caldwell’s future is certainly bright. He currently holds scholarship offers from the likes of the University of Oklahoma and Wichita State University, a well-known basketball school in the NCAA. “He’s got some opportunities. I just try to advise him,” Draudt said. “With JJ, each question [from college coaches] is an easy answer. He’s a good kid, his teachers like him. Beyond that, we just talk to him about schools where he could be a good fit.” With the people around him, the family behind him, and the destiny ahead of him, not a doubt exists over Caldwell’s love for the game. “Basketball became my thing when I was seven or eight,” Caldwell said. “I thought I should take this to another level so I started playing competitively and I fell in love with it.” C
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SPORTS
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GIRLS
BASKETBALL
Page design by: Emma Fritz All photos by: Cameron Brooks
COLORLESSLOVE Interracial couple shares their story
MIA LOPEZ
D
STAFF REPORTER
Despite our different skin tones all human genetic make-up is 99.9 percent the same. To a couple like Bill and Patsy Helland that meant something. It also means something to biracial children like Mya Clarke and younger interracial couples in today’s society. The freedom for two different people with different skin melatonin to be together. “It will be 50 years on November 13 [since we first met] right in the heart of the civil rights movement,” Patsy Helland, a partner in an interracial marriage, said. There was a time when interracial marriage was illegal in 16 states. That ended on June 12, 1967 with the Loving Supreme Court case. However millions of people still do not support interracial couples. “My parents were judged for being [an interracial couple]. They got weird looks and comments everywhere they went,” Sophomore Mya Clarke said. Bill and Patsy lived in Canada during the civil rights movement, and say their experience was somewhat more mild than they would have faced in the United States. “We didn’t have that problem in Canada,” Bill said, “I mean we did, but there was no legislation against it.” Patsy had protective sisters who wanted to make sure she would not get hurt in an interracial relationship. “I lived with my two sisters and they were afraid for me to get into that type of relationship because sooner or later they felt I was going to be dumped,” Patsy said. “They were not against it, it’s just they were fearful that I did not know what I was getting myself into.” Bill says interracial couples are not an issue, and should not have to be an issue. “Till this day if we go to a party or a political event, people who don’t know me that well would ask me, ‘where’s your wife?’ And I would say the woman with the red purse or the woman over there,” Bill said. “I wouldn’t say black or brown because there is no need for that. When she would come over you could see that look, and they’re good people. I’m the bad guy for playing games, but it’s just a test to see the perception
FEATURE
people have.” Interracial couples deal with questions regarding their lifestyles. “I remember [Bill] was once asked if he had adopted [our daughter],” Patsy said. In today’s society, social media is often used to spread hate. In Bill and Patsy’s time, no one could hide behind a keyboard to share an opinion. “I have very good ears,” Bill said. “I could pick things up in restaurants, and when our daughter was born. I remember people would come up to her and give her money. Everyone wanted to see her because she was such a beautiful baby and that was different to people, but then again it was the 1960’s.” Even biracial children may face the prejudice of having interracial parents. “Our neighbors didn’t want me playing with their kids because I was biracial,” Clarke said. Society changes as time goes by, and the views of interracial couples have changed. The younger generation tends to give more of an accepting view to different ethnicities being together and to people who have interracial parents. “No one has really said anything about my relationship,” partner in an interracial relationship Sophomore Jordin Greensweight said. Jordin and her boyfriend Nicolaus’ relationship today are much different than Bill and Patsy’s. “At first I didn’t like him,” Greensweight said. “I thought he [Nicolaus] was annoying, and then one day we started talking on Skype, and we played video games together. Then I started to find him adorable.” Like most love stories, people grow on each other; in this case Bill and Patsy’s story is a little more traditional. Couples like Bill and Pasty never stop believing in what they have as a couple. The intolerance of others did not stop two people from loving each other. “You can be in an interracial relationship and still have peace,” Greensweight said. C
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Illustration by: Laura Barbe
The Loving story
Court cases to legalize interracial marriage
1863
Virginia law banning interracial marriage
1951
Mildred Jetter and Richard Loving fall in love.
1958
Mildred and Richard Loving get married.
1959
The Loving’s charged with unlawful cohabitation, both sentenced a year in prison and banished from Virginia for 25 years.
1964
The Loving’s return to Virginia and are arrested again. Mildred Loving writes a letter to atterney general Robert F. Kennedy.
1967
Loving V. Virginia case argued on April 6.
June 12 the Loving case is
1967 finalized and interracial
marriage is allowed in 16 more states.
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ACROSS THE Foreign exchange student adjusts to life in Texas JOHANNES BACH
A
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Alwyn Rae is 15 years old and looks like a normal sophomore, but when he speaks it’s hard not to recognize his accent. And as he goes on about how fun cricket is and how good South African food tastes the realization that he is not just a normal sophomore dawns. The flight from Johannesburg, South Africa to Houston took 13 hours and 43 minutes. It is summer in South Africa right now as Rae acclimates to his temporary home over 9,000 miles away in Texas where it’s supposed to be winter. And immediately Rae notices there is some truth in the aphorism “everything is bigger in Texas.” “A huge difference from back in South Africa is the size of my old school compared to Cy Wood,” Rae says. “My old school was around 400 [students], this school is around 3,000. As a matter of fact everything here in Houston seems bigger, the houses, the amount of food and I’m afraid I have to say the size of the people too.” But this is also the friendly state and Rae has experienced firsthand the politeness people treat each other with in public. “I’ve noticed how Americans say thank you for everything, literally everything,” Rae said, “and how polite people are. I [have stood] in line in a grocery shop for example and a complete stranger [came] up to me and complimented my shirt and started a conversation.” Rae has also witnessed the darker side of Houstonians. “The only situation I have seen a mad
“Houstonian” yet is in the middle of traffic, road raging,” Rae said. Before Rae came to America he learned about cultural shock, how to adapt to completely different conditions and surroundings, and how this whole one-year setup is a huge development of his person as an individual. After a few months this new life becomes every day and the cultural shock subsides. Over the past four months Rae has celebrated Christmas, New Years and Halloween away from his parents for the first time. He also celebrated Thanksgiving entirely for the first time. “Doing foreign exchange can, on some
points, be compared to being born again,” Rae said. “There are for example a lot of new “firsts”. I remember going to Whataburger for the first time, my first day of high school, my first time in an American church and my first time in HEB, which was a bigger experience for me than you would think.” Rae still has many more “firsts” to experience while he’s here in America. He returns to Johannesburg this June since the foreign exchange student program only allows one year of study abroad. Rae is participating in the exchange program through AFS-USA. Students interested in studying abroad can visit www.afsusa.org for more information. C
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FEATURE
WHERE: The Photo Studio ON HIS PLATE: B e t w e e n taking photos for yearbook, taking his own personal photos and school, Brooks has his work cut out for him.
How did you get into What are your photography? favorite things to do besides taking Through my dad. photos? Whenever I raced BMX, he took pictures of all I race bikes, watch of us and I would play sports and collect and around with the camera customize shoes. whenever we would ride Do you want to and that led me into do anything with taking photos. photography after
like high school? so I hope to continue taking photos after high school. My Photos will last a goal is to be a Photo lifetime. They have Journalist and work more of an impact on for a magazine such you because it’s a still as ESPN and have the moment and you can credentials to go to the capture a lot with that. Super Bowl and World In all the events you Series. I would rather have shot, what has shoot sports than just photography as been your favorite? an art because sports I would have to say photography is more Washington D.C. or the interesting to me. Woods vs. Manvel game at Rice because of going What is a Scholastic to a college stadium Key? and being able to take At the Scholastic pictures and then being Competition, they in such a historical city give pieces gold like D.C.. You can’t beat or silver keys or that. Honorable Mention. The competition is When did you decide through the Harris to put all of your Country Department photos online? of Education. One of I needed to have a link my pieces won a Silver to all of my photos Key and that was the for photo journalism first time I entered the scholarships. Most of contest. them require a link to Any advice for those most of your pictures who want to begin to see more photos than photography? just the ones you submit. Also, my computer was Take the time to learn beginning to run out the basics first. Also, of storage and I also learn to use the Manuel wanted to start getting setting because once you learn everything, my name out. it will become second How much have nature. you spent on photo What’s the last equipment? thing you scribbled Why do you photography much?
THE PAPER NAPKIN INTERVIEW
Dishing with We talk photography, phone numbers and perseverance with Cameron Brooks, a nationally recognized photographer [and a yearbook editor] ABBIE MCINTOSH
MEDIA EDITOR
I’ve spent of thousands of dollars. Lenses cost more than the actual camera body itself and that is what I spend a majority of my money on.
on a napkin? My phone number to give to a girl. Any last words?
Perseverance is the key to success. C
Photo by: Tristan Davis
FEATURE
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CHEATER CHEATER A look into cheating in high school SHANNON STEELE & EMMA FRITZ
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & MANAGING EDITOR
All photos by: Emma Fritz
FEATURE
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in-depth
Cheating shall be defined as giving or receiving information or help on a test, possession of any unauthorized material during a test, copying another student’s assignment or knowingly allowing another unauthorized student to copy from his/her assignment, submitting duplicate work, or having someone else complete an assignment on behalf of the student, including products from the Internet. Plagiarism, the use of other’s ideas or products as one’s own, can be defined as cheating.
CFISD Student Handbook
E
Everybody breaks rules, whether it be as simple as eating in class or as severe as copying another student’s answers. Even with teacher monitoring and school rules in place, the unfortunate truth is that an overwhelming amount of students take advantage of others in school. From daily homework grades to major tests, the prevalence of cheating is hard to be ignored. It is a scene that nearly everyone has witnessed at some point: the teacher hands out a test or quiz, and someone forgot to study. As he or she reads through the questions, it is decision time. A simple turn of the head or a quick internet search could keep a grade intact. To many, this option is much more appealing than accepting a bad grade as a consequence of not studying. Yet the second a student peeks at another paper, integrity falls apart. As the CFISD Code of Conduct states, cheating or copying other people’s work is a Level II Offense, on the same level as leaving school property without permission or forging a signature. “The consequences depend upon the severity of the action and the number of times the student has committed it,” Assistant Principal Katrina Nelson said. “It can be anything from DMC to a suspension, or if it is in a particular class it could be a grade penalty.” Although students are aware that cheating has serious implications, many find it harmless. “[I cheat because] I need my GPA to go up,” senior Andrew Smith* said. Others view cheating as an aid to feeling lazy. “Sometimes I just don’t want to think or I don’t know the answer,” junior Morgan Brown said. The pressure to succeed in difficult classes often drives students to cheat. “We don’t do it because we are bad students,” Smith said. “We help each other because it’s a lot of work.” The methods to cheat
vary widely, from sending pictures of answers to writing down information on a slip of paper before a test. “[I don’t write answers] on small pieces of paper. I write answers on my hands before tests though,” Brown said. What most students do not realize is that once you start cheating it can be difficult to stop. “I understand that a lot of students have a problem with cheating,” Calculus teacher Anne Quillin said. “The problem with cheating is that once you do it, it becomes a habit. Once you go to college you can actually get kicked out for cheating. You don’t want to spend all of high school working to get into college only to be kicked out for cheating.” For most teachers, cheating is a way of showing a disregard for the class and their fellow peers. “I feel like they are actually cheating themselves and I feel it shows very poor character and disrespect for the teacher and the other students,” American Government and Street Law teacher Leah Stephanow said. Teachers enlist a number of ways to prevent and discourage cheating in their classroom. They include turning phones in, using dividers and spreading students out evenly between desks. “For assignments that could be really quickly copied from another student I usually do those types of assignments in class,” Stephanow said. “For tests and quizzes, I make students turn in their cellphones and they cannot have them back until all tests or quizzes are turned in.” Despite the frequency of the problem, it is important to realize that not all students cheat. “I feel like you are going to get caught more than not and it’s going to make your grades worse than if you hadn’t cheated,” junior Amy Jenkins said. While cheating is bound to happen at such a competitive school, the consequences are not to be forgotten. As hard as the teachers and administrators work to combat cheating, the decision comes down to the individual student C and their personal integrity.
*All student names have been changed for privacy
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STUDENT LIFE
WHAT IS
Have you ever
CHEATING?
cheated?
NO
said copying another student’s test or quiz
l Me
What is the most common
way to cheat?
Soci a
ng ans pictu we res rs of
ndi Se
94%
YES
dia
Information polled from 100 anonymous students over the course of three days
Talking to friends
Looking over someone’s shoulder
Teachers enlist a number of ways to prevent cheating. Many include: -Placing students phones at the front of the room -Placing backpacks at the front of the room -Placing dividers between students at lab tables -Use different versions of tests -Standing in front of the class
students
STUDENT LIFE
said copying another student’s homework is not actually cheating
59% said allowing another student to copy homework, test or quiz
68%
Overall
67% 51% 61% 52 %
56%
of students polled believe more than 50% of students cheat of students polled think students that are caught cheating should not be allowed in the top 10% of students polled think students that are caught cheating should not be allowed in NHS of students polled think sending pictures of answers is the most common way to cheat
said taking a picture of an assignment or answer key is cheating
75 % said talking about a test or quiz before another student takes it is not considered cheating
56%
said looking up answers on the internet is cheating *online survey of 100 students
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27
WILL OF STEELE
Local fashion designer has worked hard to be where she is now KAURIANA KENDALL
S
FEATURE EDITOR
Surviving the world of fashion takes plenty of courage. Designers must be able to take rejection, criticism and plenty of competition. There are times when business is booming and then goes flat for months at a time. Dealing with rude and unsatisfied clients makes the life of a fashion designer stressful and sometimes unhealthy. Mallene Steele has been sure of her ability to join and endure this world since she learned what a sewing machine was. There is nothing Steele enjoys more than designing formal dresses, then making her imagination a reality. She has been known
for doing an incredible job at it. All of her life, Steele has had no one there to keep pushing her on, but her own strong will kept her doing what she wanted. Steele couldn’t tell where her undeniable passion began, but it was always there. “It’s always been like other little girls said they wanted to be a princess,” Steele said. “It’s the same; mine was just a fashion designer.” It was exceptionally early when Steele began displaying her effortless ability to sew. “When I was six years old and my sister
was eight years old, my mom started giving my sister sewing lessons,” Steele said. “She said I was too young and needed to wait until I was eight. So I would stand by the door and listen to what my mom was teaching my sister, and then I would sneak into the sewing room at night when everyone was asleep and make Barbie clothes.” Steele’s desire was enormously strong for a six year old girl, and it showed in her motivation to continue to sew without her family’s knowledge. “Every chance I got, I snuck in there and ultimately taught myself how to sew,” Steele said. Her clandestine appointments did not go on unnoticed by her family forever, but this little girl would not be refused. “Eventually, when my mom realized I had a natural talent, she started giving me tips and taught me how to use a pattern,” Steele said. “When she realized my sister had absolutely no desire at all, she started working with me more. She bought me my first sewing machine when I was ten.” Throughout her school years, Steele made most of her own clothes without the help of anyone. “There was this dance that I made my own dress for,” Steele said. “It was out of this horrible black fabric with little gold clocks all over it. It was nicely made, but it was ugly. I thought it was cute at the time.” When it came to Steele’s family, she was not taken very seriously in her plans. “They didn’t really support my sewing,” Steele said. “My mom always got me simplistic patterns and very easy things because she still didn’t trust that I knew how to sew. My mom bought me a sewing machine and always made sure I had enough fabric, but they didn’t ever see it as a career.” Despite everyone else’s doubts, Steele knew this was her only career option, so she was able to choose a college early on.
All photos provided by Mallene Steele
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FEATURE
“In my 10th grade economics class they had these little pamphlets on the wall of different colleges, and I saw one to Brooke’s college,” Steele said. “That was the first time that the recognition came that you can actually go to college for that. So that’s when I knew I was going to pursue it, and ultimately ended up going to Brooke’s college. I couldn’t afford New York, and I wasn’t going to stay in Utah.” At a fashion design school, even Steele’s core classes were understandably focused around fashion. “Instead of just a boring math class, it was business math,” Steele said. “Instead of just a boring psychology class, it was how colors affect you and why certain colors affect moods. For science, it was a fabric dying class.” Near the end of Steele’s schooling experience, she left her mark at Brooke’s College. “We had to create a six-piece clothing line,” Steele said. “It was our final project before graduation.” Steele was not too excited for her line since not everyone was allowed to create the same type of clothing, and her name was not called soon enough to get a category she would have liked. “They did a lottery system for everyone to choose their category,” Steele said. “They had a bridal section, a couple different formal [and] sports wear. There were ten different categories. My category was cocktail, another form of formal wear - I guess a less formal party wear.” No teacher assistance was allowed in completing this final, so Steele provided the aid some other students needed. “They had student volunteer tutors,
which I was, to help people with the sewing, because you had to do it completely on your own; you couldn’t hire anyone out because we were taught everything we needed to know to complete these garments,” Steele said. “But there were some people who two years of sewing class wasn’t enough [for].” On her own project, Steele ended up being able to accomplish what she wanted, despite having only her third choice in style. “I decided to go with a classic glamour Hollywood feel to all the dresses,” Steele said. “None of them were replicas of 50’s styles, but all of them had the 50’s undertone to them - fitted tops, big skirts [and] tight waists.” All of the students’ lines were displayed by models walking down a runway in an end of the year fashion show. An award was given to the best designer and seamstress in each category. It did not come as any surprise to Steele when she blew away the contest with no problem. “There were only two girls in my category that were any competition at all,” Steele said. Even with her doubtless display of confidence, she was not completely ready when she was presented to the audience. “ I didn’t believe them,” Steele said. “My classmates had to say that it was me.” Even after all her enthralling experiences at a fashion design school, Steele’s most remarkable wasn’t until she had graduated and started her business. “My very first prom season out of college,” Steele said. “This may not be my favorite, but it’s my most memorable. A girl came to me with a picture of a Sharon Stone Oscar dress, and said she wanted something kind of similar. The whole entire top was just
beads, and I looked around and that fabric didn’t exist. You couldn’t just buy it.” Not being able to find that fabric for a dress would have discouraged most people, but Steele was still new to the field and certainly not done yet. “I sat and beaded a piece of mesh to create my own fabric for the top of her dress,” Steele said. “It took me three weeks. That’s three weeks of probably eight hours a day. I would sit down in front of the TV and hand beaded each and every bead. Probably several thousand beads. I’ll never forget that one. My hands were literally bloody because I couldn’t use a thimble and I had this tiny little needle to fit through the beads.” If anyone thinks the complicated life of a fashion designer and a full time mom with clients is stress free and easy going, Steele is ready to disagree. “I sacrifice sleep on several occasions when I have to get something done,” Steele said. “I’ve gone three or four days without sleeping before.” At the end of the day, she knows exactly why she loves to do this job, even with the stressful never ending work and sleepless nights. And it’s not just because of her natural ability and talent for it. “I love the idea that on the most important day of women’s lives, I get to help them look their best.” Steele said. Steele is still going about her business creating dream prom and wedding dresses for her clients. She cannot imagine a life not doing what she does, even when it becomes a little much to handle with her kids running all over the house, competing with the rumble of her sewing machine. C
RIDING FOR
RIBBONS
Inside the world of competitive horseback riding HALEY BOURDON
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CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Trading in parties for shows, heels for boots, sleep for sun rises and a social life for the horse life. This is competitive horseback riding. It is not uncommon for equestrians to be told that horseback riding is not a sport; competing in reining, barrel racing, jumping and dressage is very difficult and takes riders years to get in sync with their horse. “Showing in competitive horseback riding has been the hardest sport I’ve ever done,” Tomball Memorial freshman Mackenzie Morgan said. “Balancing school work then [going to] ride for more than three hours a day is not easy.” Equestrians practice until it is done correctly, which is when the person and horse are working together perfectly. Instead of sleeping in on Saturday mornings, they are up by 4:30 a.m. loading the stubborn horses in the trailer to go compete. “It’s hard, because when you’re showing in front of people you don’t know if your horse is going to jump the jump or refuse,” senior and former competitive horse rider Brianna Bourdon said. Not knowing if your horse is going to randomly stop or spook at a plastic bag is hard, and riders need to be alert the whole time they are working with these animals.
Weighing up to 1,200 pounds of pure muscle, these creatures can easily kill or seriously injure a rider because of one simple mistake. Although horses are very intelligent, they can learn and pick up on some complicated tricks. “My favorite part about showing and riding horses is that you’re working with something that doesn’t even speak your language,” sophomore Tate Dennison said. Not only does the horse need to be in shape, but the rider too. Riders stay on the horse by holding on with their legs and their arms. Their core needs to be muscular as well because when they jump their horse they cannot lie on their neck or in barrel racing they cannot be flopping in the saddle going around a barrel. “Lifting water buckets, cleaning stalls and lifting hay bales really helps gaining muscles and doing leg workouts help too,” completive horseback trainer Einat Talmon said. Horseback riding also builds character by teaching riders patience and how to work off anger. Despite the constant work, individuals still refuse to refer to horseback riding a sport. “I think people are just intimidated,” sophomore Madison Weir said. “In our sport, the ball has a mind of its own.” C
RIDING
FACTS
1) Riders receive as many injuries as motorcycle riders 2) The most common reason riders make trips to the hospital are head injuries 3) Most injuries occur during leisure rides 4) 20% of head injuries on horses occur when you are not even on the horse
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FEATURE
HAVING MOM
DOWN THE
HALL LEAH TORREZ Aimee and Amanda Ruiz Photo by: Leah Torrez
STAFF REPORTER
When bring your kid to work day is every day
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Most teens grow apart from their parents once they reach high school, but that can be difficult when they go to school with you. Instead of saying goodbye to one of their parents at home, several students come to school with their parent, also a teacher at their school. “I like the fact that I know she’s there, and I use her classroom as a locker,” freshman Amanda Ruiz said. “She is always checking up on me and asking how I am doing in class.” Amanda’s mother, Aimee Ruiz, teaches Spanish I and III L. This year is the first year they are together at school. “I was very happy and excited to begin our new adventure,” Aimee said. The Stephanows have a similar situation. “I get a ride to school,” sophomore Kendall Stephanow said. “And I keep my lunch in her fridge and heat it up in her microwave.” Students also like the academic benefits. “It’s really an advantage you have [my own] personal tutor,” sophomore Myles Wilson said. Parents see benefits from the arrangement as well. “I can get to her quickly and easily if
FEATURE
she gets sick,” Government teacher Leah Stephanow said. “She knows I’m nearby for moral support if she’s having a rotten day.” Aimee agrees. “I’m able to communicate with teachers directly,” Aimee said. “Also, knowing that she can go to any of my colleagues and ask for help if I am not there is an advantage.” It also makes vacation time easier. “We’re able to travel in the summertime and spend every holiday together,” assistant principal Andrea Lagard said. “Some families are not that fortunate, so I don’t take that time for granted.” However, having a parent so involved in your life can have the opposite effect on a teenager. “I don’t like the fact that teachers will only see me as her daughter and not as a normal student,” Amanda said. “They tend to give me higher expectations to meet.” Getting away with things is practically impossible. “She knows everything I do before I even tell her,” Wilson said. “I have to be on my best behavior.” There are bound to be students who do not like their teachers but, knowing classmates dislike a parent can be uncomfortable.
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“I’ve heard two people talk about her and I was kind of hurt by it,” Amanda said. “To me, my mom is perfect and I love her but, I knew the things they said were wrong so I brushed it off and responded sarcastically.” Gossip among students can also put the teachers in a tough position. “In my position as an Assistant Principal, students are not always happy with my decisions,” Lagard said. “I used to worry that students would take it out on [my son]. However, he seems to handle everything pretty well.” Although Kendall is zoned to Cy-Fair, she chose to attend the same school as her mom. “I’ve gotten to know the staff personally because of [my mom].” At the end of the day, these students do not mind sharing the school with their parent. It can even give them a sense of comfort to know a parent is just down the hall. “I always have someone to go to if I need something,” Amanda said. “It’s always good to know you have someone to watch over you in a positive way around school. C Page design by: Emma Fritz
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WILDCATS IN
Students step out of the box and own businesses NOEMI MARTINEZ
H
STAFF REPORTER
High school is challenging enough with all the homework and extracurricular activities to do. A few Wildcats have taken the initiative of starting their own business along with the hurricane of school work. Seniors Caitlin Reoch and Ty’Mesha Mayes along with sophomore Abbie Rippey are just a few who have ventured into a successful businesses throughout their high school career. “When I was seven, [my neighbor] asked me if I could go over and let their dogs out in the morning and put them back in at night,” Reoch said. “And it just went on from that.” Reoch agreed to the task, not knowing that it would change her life. “I go to people’s houses when they are away on vacation or can’t get home in time from work or are held up in traffic,” Reoch said. “I care for their animals while they can’t be there.” Reoch soon began to get emails from the neighbor’s friends and before she knew it she had over 70 customers throughout her neighborhood. “It’s all in the same neighborhood, so it’s very easy to go from house to house,” Reoch said. “I can walk or ride my bike or go in my car if I have to.” Reoch acquired so much money throughout her career, that she was able to buy her own car for $1,600. “It’s a very good income,” Reoch said. “I don’t understand why more people don’t do this, it’s a pretty lucrative business, and I absolutely recommend it.” Making a consistent income during high school can be helpful and fun. Abbie Rippey accomplished this by simply designing monograms. “It’s fun, fast and I make profit,” Rippey said. “It’s very nice to have money because I’m about to have a lot of expenses, like gas to drive to my new job.” Rippey began making monograms from an embroidery machine her mother bought. Her mother encouraged her to make monograms and start making them for her friends. “Depending on the size, a 3x3 would be $3 and so on,” Rippey said. “I try to make it as cheap as possible.” As simple as making monograms seems,
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Monogram on Camelbak water bottle Photo by: Abbie Rippey
Rippey says she has learned life lessons throughout the years. “This business has taught me how to be responsible and has placed me in a position that if I ever thought about making a business, I would do it,” Rippey said. “Everything is possible.” For Ty’mesha Mayes, her dream was to start her own hair salon. “When I was eight years old, I started to cut and burn the hair off of my dolls,” Mayes said. “From there, doing hair has always been a passion of mine.” Mayes was taught by her mother, who is a licensed cosmetologist of 22 years and her instructor, Karen Billimek, to always work hard and to work well. “I’ve been averaging about $600 every week,” Mayes said. “Having a business has taught me how to save and manage my time.” Although having a business sounds like a wonderful idea, it comes with challenges. “You are up very early in the morning and you are very late to bed at night,” Reoch said. “School gets in the way all the time from my pet sitting.” These entrepreneurs also consider and take the quality of their product or service very seriously. “I am responsible for everything whether it’s good or bad,” Mayes said. “I take pride in what I do and I feel that it’s my job to make sure that my client is satisfied before they get out of my chair.” Owning a business can be a positive experience, not only because of the income, but because of the life skills developed that may help with future business ventures. C
Monogram on laptop Photo by: Abbie Rippey
Monogram on spirals Photo by: Abbie Rippey
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An example of Ty’Mesha’s hairstyles Photo by: Ty’mesha Mayes
STUDENT LIFE
BUSINESS
CONTACT INFORMATION
ABBY RIPPEY, MONOGRAMS Twitter: @mmmadness
TY’MESHA MAYES, “THE WEAVING SPECIALIST” Instagram: @Hairbyty__ or @Tydoeshair_ Email: tymeshamayes@yahoo.com
Ty’Mesha posing for the camera Photo by: Ty’Mesha Mayes
Abbie Rippey posing with her monogramed products Photo by: Abbie McIntosh
CAITLIN REOCH, PET SITTING Email: caitlin.reoch@sbcglobal.com
Golden Retriever walking on a leash Photo by: Flickr user swong95765
STUDENT LIFE
VALERIE NIETO, MUM MAKING AND MUG DESIGNING Email: nieto.valerie24@yahoo.com
One of the many designs that Nieto has done on mugs Photo by: Valerie Nieto
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1
ST
IS THE
WORST
2
IS THE
ND
BEST
How birth order affects personality ASHLEY PELTON
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SOCIAL COORDINATOR
Many psychiatrists link birth order with personality. Links to sibling rivalry, and whether you are the oldest, middle, youngest or an only child supposedly make up who you are. While some researchers believe birth order is just as important as gender and genetics, others think that it all depends on the situation. “It definitely has an impact on your personality,” senior Dejah Strang said “I am the oldest and it definitely has an impact on who I am. I want to take care of everybody and overall have leader like traits. It’s also nice because I have more freedom than my siblings.” While being the oldest has its perks it definitely has its downsides as well. “My brother gets away with stuff a lot more than me” junior Sammie Mackey said. “I guess it is because he is the baby, but he gets away with so much. Also I am the oldest, so they have to try out a lot of parenting techniques on me, since I am going through it all first, so some of it is still
Adam and Sammie Mackey Photo provided by: Sammie Mackey
rough.” Youngest children are also thought to be the babies and get everything they want, however some disagree and think that is not the case. “I am the youngest,” sophomore Colin Matkin said, “I think that my sister acts like the youngest sometimes even though she was born first. Now that she’s in college I kind of act like an only child now. I don’t think that because I am the youngest that means I get special treatment.” While only children are thought to be selfish and not cooperative some disagree. “ A lot of people think that only children are spoiled, but that’s not true,” freshman Brianna Flanter said “ I can see where they are coming from, but I have personally had to work hard for all of what I had. I also consider myself an unselfish person and I love teamwork. However I do know some only children who act like this so maybe I am just different.” The stereotype that the middle child gets
Monica and Reuben Soria Photo provided by: Reuben Soria
left out, and doesn’t get as much attention is also thought to be not true. “I think that my siblings have left an impact on who I am,”Junior Reuben Soria said “but overall I am my own person. I am the only boy and the middle child, so technically I am supposed to be forgotten about but that’s not the case. Since I am the only boy, I get a lot more privileges than my other siblings.” Most think the traits of your birth order don’t necessarily define a person’s personality; it really depends on the situation and the ages of the other siblings. While there are stereotypes that do apply to some, it is not an overall conclusion. “It really depends on the situation, “Matkin said “there are a lot of people who follow it but overall I think it depends on how old your other siblings are, the gender and a lot of other things that can add up to make the stereotypes true or not.” C
Colin and Phoebe Matkin Photo provided by: Colin Matkin
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STUDENT LIFE
SLIDING INTO YOUR DMS LIKE.. Couples meet over social media
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In today’s world, it seems like social media is everywhere. Businesses, school organizations and community groups have Facebook pages, Instagram and Twitter accounts. Social media, more often than not, is used as a way to talk to new people before deciding if a friendship can develop, especially when it comes to
Natalie Marshall
Photo provided by: Natalie Marshall
Natalie Marshall (11) and Brandon Deprato (11): Travel back to freshman year. A Halloween party is taking place and Marshall and Deprato are both there. Marshall walks in and catches Deprato’s eye. Marshall and Deprato did not talk at the party, but did soon after. “I didn’t have the guts to really start talking to Natalie until after the party,” Deprato said. Once Deprato summoned the courage to talk to Marshall, he messaged her on Twitter. “He slid into my DMs and we talked for about a day or so before exchanging numbers,” Marshall said. Before talking on Twitter and eventually texting, Marshall and Deprato did not really know each other very well and social media helped break the ice. “Talking on social media helped us start talking,” Marshall said. “The nice thing was we knew of each other, just didn’t know each other.” When using social media, there are certain dangers that accompany it. “Talking to someone new on social media can be dangerous,” Deprato said. “You never really know who the person you are talking to is who they say to be.”
ABBIE MCINTOSH
MEDIA EDITOR
potential dating partners. We tracked down two couples that either met or talked over social media before talking in person. Here are their stories. To read the full stories and to read more about online safety, please visit www.thecrimsonconnection.com C
Danielle Blankenship
Photo provided by: Danielle Blankenship
Danielle Blankenship (12) and Griffin Reid (12): Remember the app Hot or Not? If you do not, it is the app that shows a picture of a man or woman and you vote if he or she is hot or not. That’s how senior Danielle Blankenship met her ex, Griffin Reid. “We talked on Hot or Not for a while, then talked over Kik and eventually we started texting,” Blankenship said. Unlike Marshall and Deprato, Blankenship and Reid did not know each other before talking. “He [Reid] went to Atascocita,” Blankenship said. “We actually talked over social media for about a month and a half before meeting in person.” Because Blankenship and Reid did not know each other, the two wanted to make sure that they were talking to who they said they were. “Just to make sure [Reid] was the boy he said he was, we skyped a lot,” Blankenship said. “Because we skyped, I never had a concern that I was talking to some random stranger.” After meeting in person and making their relationship official, Blankenship had to begin dealing with a long distance relationship. “We were only able to see each other once or twice a week,” Blankenship said.
SCREAM FOR THE DREAM Phtoto provided by: Chris Burgess
Students rock out in metal band KELLI KUTACH
T
STAFF REPORTER
The lights beaming off the stage. The sound of drums pounding. Guitars riff through their chords with melodic rage. Voice boxes working to the beat of the music fill the venue as the band competes to determine their fate. Since November of 2013, junior JP Moore and senior Chris Burgess have played in their band, Scavenger. Moore, who plays drums, carefully handpicked each member in order to secure the project’s success. “The members were chosen based on lots of different things,” Moore said. “Their ability to play, write and if they could financially contribute towards recording, equipment, touring and merchandise.” With five members, the band began writing songs and focusing on their metal sound. “Chris and I wrote our first EP, Feast, by ourselves for about two months,” Moore said. “The other guys also brought their own ideas to the table to help mature our sound and complete the EP. In the future, we will all end up writing together.” In January, Scavenger competed against eight other local Houston bands at Walter’s Downtown for a spot to open for All Stars Tour/ Summer Slaughter Tour and
ultimately received second place. “Even though we did not win, I feel as though the competition boosted my selfconfidence tremendously,” Burgess said. The judges’ positive feedback fueled the musical fire in their hearts to continue on a
“As long as we never stop trying, we will never fail.” path to stardom. “After having a representative from the notorious Sumerian Records tell us we are already performing at a professional level, we are definitely ready to raise the bar and get better than we have ever been before,” Burgess said. The group is already making plans to create more music and become more recognized in the music industry. “I see Scavenger playing a lot more shows, possibly even festivals, and touring as soon as this summer,” Moore said. “I could not be happier with the steps we are taking and the progress we are making.” Since maintaining Scavenger is time consuming, the band members are thankful
for the support they receive from their loved ones. “I couldn’t do any of this without the support of my mom and my girlfriend, Miranda,” Burgess said. “My mom always encourages me and Miranda goes out of her way to make it to all of our shows. She even understands and is patient when I have to cancel our plans due to a practice session.” With Scavenger being a huge part of their lives, the band members say they are lucky to have come this far. “My favorite thing is when I look off stage and see the crowd being super active and singing along to our songs during the set,” Moore said. “That’s what it’s all about.” Pushing into the future, the boys of Scavenger keep a positive outlook and hope to continue the success they have achieved thus far. “We are all such a versatile group, and nothing can phase us,” Burgess said. “As long as we never stop trying, we will never fail. Failure is only decided by happiness.” C
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STUDENT LIFE
WILDCAT
FAILS Photo by: Emma Fritz
Students and staff share their most embarrassing moments JORDAN MILLER
O
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
On her first day of high school, sophomore Catherine Smith* walked into school with her hair and makeup done to perfection. She even bought a gorgeous new blue polka-dot dress to make a good first impression, knowing that if she at least looked great, her day would be great as well. After receiving her schedule, she began to walk up the main staircase to her first class, but to her horror, her ankle twisted and she fell...up the stairs. Her new dress went up in a flutter all around her, and her face turned a dark shade of crimson as she scrambled up the stairs to her class. By the time a student graduates from high school, chances are they will have had one embarrassing moment or two. Here are some of the most embarrassing stories from around the school, where the aftermath goes from a little embarrassment and laughs to having to leave Homecoming. “[At] Midnight Pep Rally at the beginning of the year, we went to do the kick line,” sophomore Cadette Shannon Miller said. “The first right kick we did I actually kicked myself in the face. My nose started to bleed, so I had to finish the dance and afterward I fixed myself and had to keep doing the Pep Rally.” In kick lines, aiming to kick up to your nose is the goal, and it seems like Miller took that goal to heart. She says it is a
funny story she can laugh about now, and it sounds a lot worse than it was. “I went out of the gym for a bit, then I just kept doing what we were supposed to do because it stopped bleeding after a little while, so it wasn’t that bad,” Miller said. Junior Gabe Quiles’s embarrassing moment was seen by many people at his first Homecoming his freshman year. “I was on the dance floor, dancing with my friends when suddenly something didn’t feel right,” Quiles said. “My friends were laughing so hard at me and I didn’t realize what was wrong until I looked down. The entire inside of my left pant leg had ripped and it was flapping around while I danced.” Quiles and a friend ended up waiting outside the school for his dad to come pick him up. He found something to remedy the situation for the time being. “We found a stapler, so I tried to staple the torn part of my pant leg together so it would hold until my dad got here,” Quiles said. The fix did not work for long, so while they waited outside Quiles’s pant leg began to flap in the wind; which they both thought was painstakingly hilarious. Eventually his dad arrived to take him home. He says it is something he still laughs about to this day. “I wasn’t super embarrassed at the time, I just didn’t want anything that should
remain unseen to be seen,” Quiles said. “I ended up laughing about the incident not two hours later, so it wasn’t that big of a deal.” Even teachers have embarrassing stories to tell. “It was the end of the year, and as a teacher at the end of the year we have to get signatures on a piece of paper to check out so we can leave,” Algebra II teacher Brittany Hunt said. “To get my textbook signatures done, I had to talk to Mr. Chacon.” That is when the problem arose. Assistant principal Jacob Chacon thought she was a student. “He goes, ‘What teacher are you trying to do this for?’ Hunt said. “And I go ‘Um, I am a teacher. I’m Ms. Hunt. Then he goes, ‘Really? And I’m like ‘Yeah, I’ve been here all year.’” Chacon signed her paper and let her go on her way. Brittany Hunt thinks of it now as really funny story to tell, and apparently it has happened to her multiple times. “I kind of just rolled it off my shoulders,” Hunt said. “Being a young teacher, you get that all the time; people mistake you for a student. It happens.” Everyone has had an embarrassing moment or two, but the impact it leaves depends on the person. C
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DAVID GAY
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Predictions for this year’s Academy Awards
“A
“Anybody can take pictures, Mason. Art, that’s special. What can you bring to it that nobody else can?” This quote from the film Boyhood embodies the awards season as a whole. There are countless movies made each year, but only a few make an impact on people enough to be considered for these prestigious awards. Awards show the public which films are important to watch and which ones stand out from the hundreds of movies released. It also means that those involved in the film brought something to their industry that has not been seen. The Academy Awards are the cream of
Best Picture:
American Sniper Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) Boyhood The Grand Budapest Hotel
the crop. This show is the one that people in Hollywood dream of being nominated for and winning. If you win an Oscar, you have solidified yourself as an A-list star, at least for the next year. This year’s nominees have similarities from the nominees of past years. While biopics are prevalent in this year’s crop, there are a few surprises that came with this year’s nominees. One of the major ones is that out of 20 acting nominees, there is no one of color. Also, the front runner for Best Picture is not a typical Best Picture nominee. C
The Imitation Game Selma The Theory of Everything Whiplash There is really only one winner to this category and that is Boyhood. This film, directed by the impeccable Richard Linklater, was the most enjoyable, heart-wrenching and realistic out of all the other nominees. Set in Texas, this movie follows the journey of Mason (Ellar Coltrane) for 12 years as he progresses through his childhood. While this movie may lack the pizazz and historical importance of some of the other nominees, the way this film was directed and acted makes it the most memorable out of all the nominees. This movie is not like any other kind of movie. The best way to describe this film is as an experience. The viewer lives vicariously through this family’s life for 12 years. Everyone can relate to some part of this movie, whether it is growing up with a single mother or even growing up in Houston and being a similar age to Mason. This is an important movie to see and experience. It would be my choice by far.
Provided by Flickr User: GlobalPanorama
Best Actress: Marion CotillardTwo Days, One Night Felicity Jones- The Theory of Everything Rosamund Pike- Gone Girl Julianne Moore- Still Alice Reese Witherspoon- Wild
Michael Keaton is having a resurgence. His role as Riggan, an actor best known for his superhero movie franchise trying to mount a Broadway play directed and starred by himself, is collecting a lot of awards chatter. This is also his first Oscar nomination which is surprising because he has been a fixture in Hollywood for 20 plus years doing quality work. If he does lose however, the one most likely to take it away from him is Eddie Redmayne. Some may know him from his role in 2012’s Les Miserables but his role as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything is his big break. Critics are comparing it to Daniel Day Lewis’s role as a painter with cerebral palsy in 1989’s My Left Foot, for which he won an Oscar. The problem with this category is that David Oyelowo was not nominated for his role as Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma. The movie gained buzz late in the awards circuit as one of the best of the year, and Oyelowo was a stand-out. There is not any reason why he was not nominated.
This was one of the hardest to predict this year. It is, arguably, the strongest category in the Academy Awards. I think Julianne Moore will come out on top because her performance as a woman in her 50’s with early stages of Alzheimer’s is captivating. Her win at the Golden Globes will give her the momentum to narrowly take this award. However, Rosamund Pike has a chance to steal it from her. Pike’s performance in Gone Girl steals the show. She is manipulative, cunning and is fascinating to watch. I cannot really go into much detail without spoiling anything for the few who have not seen this captivating movie. All I have to say is watch Gone Girl and you will see why Rosamund Pike could win this award. She has a tough task to take it from Julianne Moore.
Best Actor: Michael Keaton- Birdman Eddie Redmayne- The Theory of Everything Benedict Cumberbatch- The Imitation Game Bradley Cooper- American Sniper Steve Carell- Foxcatcher
Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons- Whiplash Ethan Hawke- Boyhood Edward Norton- Birdman Robert Duvall- The Judge Mark Ruffalo- Foxcatcher
Movie Poster for Whiplash Provided by Flickr User: _NickKemp
I think that J.K Simmons basically won this award right when Whiplash was released in October. His role as a cutthroat instructor at a music conservatory has been the best role of his career. Simmons has been famous from his supporting roles in movies like Thank You for Smoking and Juno but his role in Whiplash shows that even in a supporting role, he can dominate the screen. I think one other nominee can take this award away from him, and you will continue to see this pattern. Ethan Hawke’s role in Boyhood is the role of his career. It seems like he does his best work with director Richard Linklater in this movie and also in The Before Trilogy. He is believable as a dad trying to be there for his two children over a period of 12 years. He would deserve to win in any other year, but I think Simmons has it in the bag.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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FIND THE DIFFERENCES
There are eight differences between these pictures. Can you find them all?
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JOURNALISM AWARDS
Photo by: Cameron Brooks
SUPERIOR
Abbie McIntosh Sports feature story Shannon Steele General column Laura Barbe Original artwork
EXCELLENT
Byria Hamblin Sports feature story Shannon Steele Feature page design David Gay Entertainment review
HONORABLE MENTION
Shannon Steele Feature story David Gay Sports feature story Colin Gay Sports feature story Emma Fritz News story Mia Lopez Original artwork Jack McPherson Sports feature story Colin Gay Sports action story
Photo by: Matthew Ramos Page design by: Shannon Steele, Emma Fritz, Noemi Martinez
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ENTERTAINMENT
MIXED
LOVE
EDITION
WHAT IS LOVE (Baby don’t hurt me)
Toddlers answer the age old question: what is love? Who do you love? “I love my mom,” Ryleigh said. “My mommy and daddy,” Bryan said.
“Mhm, Mrs. Macey, and my mom,” Jack said.
How do you show you love them?
“By telling her I love her and I give her hugs and kisses,” Ryleigh said.
BUSINESS MANAGER
What is love? “It’s bout you love each other, like you hugging someone. Like your mom and dad,” JanieMae said.
“I kiss them and know how to build my puzzle. I give them gifts [too],” Bryan said. “You be nice to them,” Bryson said.
BRADLEY WARGO
“It means that you love somebody, you show them that you love them and they show you they love you,” Bryson said.
All photos by: Abigail Paysse Page design by: Shannon Steele and Emma Fritz
ENTERTAINMENT
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Reviews H2O by Virginia Bergin SHANNON STEELE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Photo by: Flickr user sbinner2
Years after scientists figured out how to stop a meteor from striking the planet, everything goes terribly wrong with a summer rainstorm. Virginia Bergin’s novel H2O (2014) chronicles the survival of 15 year old Ruby after the rain kills practically everyone she knew and loved. Something deadly and microscopic has invaded all natural supplies of water, and a single droplet can kill a human within minutes as bacteria enters the body and multiplies, eventually causing blood to pour from every opening until the person dies. It’s a classic apocalypse book, filled with government shutdowns, street rioting and genuinely scary moments as Ruby goes on a neverending search for her father. The one aspect this book does lack, however, is a protagonist worth reading. Ruby spends the entire book worrying about trivial matters, such as her cell phone (which obviously stops working when everyone dies), her hair color and some boy named Caspar. It takes weeks before she even considers the fact that nothing she used to care about matters anymore. She actually has to survive, which is a crazy notion for boy-obsessed Ruby. Yes, it is understandable that a 15 year old girl will have a hard time transitioning her thoughts from high school to survival, but one would think she could try a little harder to care about finding food and water as opposed to charging her crush’s iPod. This book suffered from a lackluster narrator. Ruby’s character weakened the impact of such a strong concept, and it is a shame that one of the few remaining human beings cares so little about staying alive. In what should have been an actionpacked science fiction novel, I found myself only turning the pages because I had no clue how Bergin could make Ruby any more stupid.
Grade: C
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post-apocalyptic and dystopian books better than H2O
Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeiffer After by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling Unwind by Neal Shusterman Matched by Ally Condie Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano
ENTERTAINMENT
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Music Adventures in Real Time: COLIN GAY Dylan Gardner SPORTS EDITOR All artists have their own influences that are shown through their songs. Dylan Gardner, a 17 year old YouTube sensation from Pasadena, California, claims to have found influence for his first album Adventures In Real Time from iconic artists such as The Beatles, Fun., Bill Withers and The Velvet Underground. However, throughout this album he uses none of these influences and is just using ideas that the average listener has heard on Top 40 radio. Adventures In Real Time has no shape as an album and feels like every track is a pop single. Gardner does have some potential though. Some tracks including “Heroes Tonight” have artistic music, including horns in verses and different drum grooves around a normal pop song lyric. This is where he shows his immaturity. The lyrics are cheesy around a somewhat intriguing background, even though the ukulele is sometimes overused. The only standout song on the album is “Feeling Of Love”. This song is an ode to another one of his influences, Animal Collective, in which he incorporates the bands electronic style. This is the only song that could be successful because it is so different to what is played now on pop radio. Gardner is young and immature and has time to improve in the future, but Adventures In Real Time is not the one to get him to the top.
Download: “Feeling Of Love” Grade: CQuarterbacks: Quarterbacks
Recently, the term “punk is dead” has been circulating around the music industry. The punk scene in the music industry has decimated through the years. This genre seems old-fashioned to some people, but it’s DAVID GAY not. The reemergence of punk has come with ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR a new band called Quarterbacks. Their punky pop sound brings a refresher to the typical punk sound that has developed over the years. This sound feels new, while still paying reverence to the past. Their self-titled album is short, clocking in at a measly 22 minutes and five seconds, but the witty lyrics and fast paced tempos stay with you. The album opens up with a quick drum beat and a fast tempo, like a typical punk song. This New York based band is different than other punk bands. Their lyrics
are basically lyrics that are used in pop songs but they sped it up in a punk style. There are many standout songs including “Knicks,” “Last Boy” and “Simple Songs.” The lyrics in “Simple Songs” epitomize the whole album with the lead singer yelling “Simple Songs can save your soul.” This debut sounds like one continuous idea and the time spent listening to it goes by so quickly. After listening to it, I took a huge breath because it felt like it went so quickly that I did not breathe throughout the whole thing. It was an escape from reality. This is the best punk album that I have heard in a while and the best debut album that has come out this year. I strongly urge you to check this band out.
Download: Knicks, Last Boy, Simple Songs
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Grade: AENTERTAINMENT
Movies Colorful
MIA LOPEZ
STAFF REPORTER
Based on the novel written by Eto Mori, the animated motion picture Colorful (2010) is the experience of a lifetime. The film tells the story of an unready soul who waits at a train station on the other side of death, where this soul is given a second chance at life through the body of a 14 year old boy named Makoto Kobayashi who had earlier committed suicide. This soul tries to fully become Makoto while searching for the reasons that led to his suicide. Kobayashi receives help from his guide, Purapura, as the unknown secrets of his former self begin to unravel all over again. Watching Makoto realize just how important life can be is not only refreshing but mesmerizing. The movie is both made in Japanese with English subtitles, and English dubbed. Directed by Keiichi Hara with animation direction by Masahiro Sato this animation cannot be missed. It’s like taking a step into Makoto’s world and being able to experience every aspect of his life.
A negative aspect in the motion picture is how time drags in the beginning, as Makoto tries to fit in with his life again. Little things like this could bore the audience, yet after a while Makoto starts to understand what his life has to offer. The audience can really take a lot from Kobayashi in his journey as he struggles to figure out what it truly means to be alive. This film is truly a gift to most teen audiences in learning that no matter what never give up on the things you have in your life, as Purapura said “Please live a colorful life.” The film won four major awards for its animation including a special distinction audience award from the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in 2011. An anime is made through its characters and the actors that give these characters their voices. With character design by Atsushi Yamagata and Greg Ayers and Luci Christian as voice actors, the characters were flawlessly brought to life.
Grade: A
Project Almanac MATTHEW RAMOS
STAFF REPORTER
Blue lights whirl, the apparatus buzzes with energy, time warps and now you find yourself in lunch hearing the same story from a girl who sits at the table across from you…. yesterday. Project Almanac is a movie about a group of Georgia teenagers who invent a time machine. They establish rules never to travel through time alone, but one of the friends does so anyway. These tumultuous teens use their time machine to win over a million dollars in the Georgia lottery and even go to a concert they had previously missed out on. At the concert, Johnny Weston [David Raskin] misses “his one opportunity” to make a move on the girl of his dreams. The main character, in an
effort to preserve his love life, goes back in time alone and almost loses it all. He causes a series of unfortunate events which causes him to continue to break the rules of time traveling to try and fix the negative effects previously caused. When the effects of warping time catch up to him it is unclear if he is the protagonist or antagonist. He must decide if playing God is actually worth the risk. Project Almanac explores the tantalizing mystery that is time travel. This science fiction drama exhibits the potential problems one can experience while traveling time. For a great movie filled with fantasy, heart stopping thrills and the unimaginable idea of time travel, watch Project Almanac.
Grade: BENTERTAINMENT
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MARCH MONDAY
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TUESDAY
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Key Club
WEDNESDAY
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THURSDAY
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6:30am Room 2705
Feminism Club
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Cy Woods vs. Cy Fair (Soccer)
Proclaim the Name
6:45am & 2:40pm Teaching Theater
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
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7:00 pm Berry Center
2:40pm Room 2209
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Cy Woods vs. Cy Falls (Baseball)
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at Cy Woods
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Cy Woods vs. Cy Falls (Baseball) at Cy Falls
SPRING BREAK 16 17 18 Key Club
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Proclaim the Name
6:45am & 2:40pm Teaching Theater
6:30am Room 2705
Feminism Club
2:40pm Room 2209
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25 Proclaim the Name
6:30am Room 2705
2:40pm Room 2209
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ENTERTAINMENT
MIXED
BEST OF THE BEST: WHAT TO WATCH FOR IN 2015
1) AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON 2) COLDPLAY- A HEAD FULL OF DREAMS 3) FANTASTIC FOUR 4) JURASSIC WORLD 5) TED 2
6) KANYE WEST’S NEW ALBUM 7) THE HATEFUL EIGHT 8) SPECTRE 9) KENDRICK LAMAR’S NEW ALBUM 10) STAR WARS EPISODE VII- THE FORCE AWAKENS
SCHEDULE MARCH 3 Eric Church MARCH 4 Hunter Hayes MARCH 5 Miranda Lambert MARCH 6 John Legend MARCH 7 Alan Jackson MARCH 8 Fall Out Boy MARCH 9 Justin Moore MARCH 10 Tim McGraw MARCH 11 Brantley Gilbert MARCH 12 Zac Brown Band
ENTERTAINMENT
MARCH 13 Pitbull MARCH 14 Billy Currington MARCH 15 Go Tejano Day MARCH 16 Dierks Bentley MARCH 17 Ariana Grande MARCH 18 Florida Georgia Line MARCH 19 Blake Shelton MARCH 20 The Band Perry MARCH 21 Brad Paisley MARCH 22 Luke Bryan
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UPCOMING MARCH 3 Modest Mouse: Strangers to Ourselves MARCH 3 Of Montreal: Aureate Gloom MARCH 6 Chappie in theaters MARCH 10 Will Butler: Policy MARCH 15 TV on the Radio at House of Blues MARCH 19 Hozier at Warehouse Live MARCH 20 Insurgent in theaters MARCH 27 Get Hard in theaters MARCH 31 Death Cab for Cutie: Kintsugi MARCH 31 Sufjan Stevens: Carrie & Lowell APRIL 3 Furious 7 in theaters
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CISMAG COMING PRE ORDERS STARTING SOON $3 pre-order $5 regular
WHO WILL MAKE THE COVER THIS YEAR? FIND OUT MAY 2015