November 2012 - Volume 106 Issue 3

The Horseshoe N

2012

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photo illustrations by Cynthia Pantaleon and Alex Plese

The cruel world of technology (Pg. 2)

Student robbed while working at local chain (Pg. 3)

Voting for the irst time (Pg. 5)

How has the economy impacted students?

(Pg. 10)

The family that cheers together stays together (Pg. 11)

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2

OPINION NĔěĊĒćĊė 2012

Y i h8 my phone Taylor’s Take: Growing up Mwape Chintankwa Staff Writer

“Beep beep.”

My hands stiffen into fists and my lips release a sigh as I reach over to the thing that caused the noise. I respond to the message I find on my cellphone. Nearly two hours later, I receive a reply.

My fingers are quick to reply, as I allow myself to think that the person at the other end is replying now. It nears an hour’s wait before I receive another reply. I sigh once more after looking at the message. As I anxiously await the next message, the feeling gradually flees me since I know I will not get the reply as soon as I want it.

This is just one of the situations I deal with on a regular basis. The ability to text has enabled some people to completely dismiss the idea of calling. The downside to that is that some people don’t answer texts right away and they refuse to accept calls because they would rather just text.

When a call fails, it’s obvious because you won’t hear the the other person’s voice. Texts, however, fail but only occasionally are failed message alerts received. Then other times, the sender might not even find out for a substantial amount of time or possibly never.

There is also something truly lovely about hearing someone’s voice; hearing the emotion, anxiety, or thrill in a tone makes conversation more engaging and there is not much time lapse between replies because both people can hear each other in real time.

The only people I call on a regular basis are my parents because I know that they will pick up.

This doesn’t seem at all strange to some people.

I once called my friend and she sent a text to me saying, “why are you calling me?” I replied in a text since she would not answer my call. “I want to talk to you,” I said. She would rather I text her than call her.

Disrespect has been aroused in some people by the use of cellphones. Certain circumstances can bear exceptions, but on a mundane day, I don’t believe there is a text more important than the flesh and blood trying to talk to you, that cannot wait for an answer until a passing period or a bathroom break.

Cell phones are no longer just communication devices for some people; they have become

It’s time to grow up.

We’re not in elementary school anymore, so why do people still act like it?

If you don’t like something, deal with it like the adult you’re supposed to be. There are things we all don’t like, but we can’t act childish, or this world would be even worse off than it already is!

I’m sick and tired of children invading our high school, so act right or get out.

My anger stems partially from the recent senior meeting in which seniors were to learn about colleges, financial aid, the process of applying, etc. While in the auditorium, instead of following Ms. Vickie Reid’s presentation, some decided to act immature and scream, throw paper balls and paper planes at people, and then clap when was unnecessary.

Do you guys get that we’re seniors? And do you understand that most high schools don’t get a college senior meeting like we do?

The counselors set this day up to help educate us about what we need to get done before we go off on our own, in other words, they don’t have to do this for us. But they want to ensure that we are fully prepared for college. Unfortunately, only few students truly appreciated it.

Taylor Brown Assistant Editor

I don’t know about any of you, but any information about extra help or financial aid would be more than welcomed. But I didn’t get to hear most of it because my fellow classmates wanted to be funny.

Immaturity also runs throughout our hallways. Shouted curse words can be heard from the Foreign Language hall to the Fine Arts hall, and threats are being thrown left and right as students attempt to make their way to class.

If you are one of the nuisances I am describing, I have news for you; they won’t put up with you in college or in life. You won’t get any warnings, they’ll just make one call and have you removed from the class that you paid for or, in the case of the ‘real world,’ have you fired.

No more screaming, whining, throwing paper planes, or interrupting. As long as you act like a child, you’ll be treated like one.

Grow up.

The Horseshoe 1007 Fulton Denton, TX 76201 940-369-2150

a crutch. A thing that you fiddle with, play games on, or maybe send an idle text to a friend when you have nothing else to do.

I do not hate cell phones, I just find them inconveniencing, especially during the school day when, apparently, people need to use them the most. I would rather live without one than with one... for at least a couple more years.• If you have an opinion you’d like to express, email the editor at dhshorseshoe@gmail.com

Editor-in-Chief: George Roberson Assistant Editor: Taylor Brown Entertainment Editor: Dylan Curtis Online Editor: Ryan Carr Sports Editor: Chandler Elsbecker Standards Editor: Jordan Gill Staff Writers: Dimitrios Aerts, Joi Bailey, Isaac Bowen, Angelica Camacho, Mwape Chintankwa, Evie Clark, Amber Cowles, Tori Davis, CJ Mauricio, Floribel Núñez, Tanneth Oxford, Jackie Wostrel Photographer: Austin Pugh Graphic Design: Cynthia Pantaleon, Alex Plese Adviser: Mr. Greg Bogomol Principal: Mr. Dan Ford

The student newspaper of Denton High School is published by the publications staff. The ideas expressed in this publication and on the Opinion page are solely those of the individuals providing them, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the staff, adviser, faculty, administration, or the Denton ISD Board.

DHS is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Conference, National Scholastic Press Conference, and Columbia Scholastic Press Conference.

Find us online at www.dhshorseshoe.com, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.

A version of this issue formatted specifically for the Internet can be accessed at issuu. com/dhshorseshoe.

In the September issue, we mistakenly reported that some pedestrians were ticketed for jaywalking.

The Horseshoe regrets this inaccuracy.

NEWS

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NĔěĊĒćĊė 2012

Student gets robbed at local fast food chain You would think that working at an ordinary fast food restaurant would be rather boring. On Oct. 19th, for Olivia Adams, this wasn’t the case. Sometimes you’ve got to expect the unexpected… especially when dealing with customers that aren’t hungry for food, but hungry instead for money, and who also have guns stashed away in their back pockets.

The unexpected visitor came into a local fast food establishment on University Drive and demanded money out of the store’s cash register.

On this unfortunate night, Denton High senior Olivia Adams was working the register.

“I feel like I slowed down and I was trying to get my other co-worker’s attention, but they couldn’t really do anything,” Adams said. “Then I freaked out and opened up the cash register as he started counting down. I was like ‘okay… money,’ and then I went and told someone. I was upset later.”

Adams became alarmed when the man tried threaten-

Evie Clark Staff Writer

ing her with a gun.

“He demanded the money and said, ‘give it to me now or I’m going to shoot,’” Adams said. “‘I’ll count down from 5!’”

Adams was eager to get out of the position she was in, and ended up giving the money to the robber because she had no idea what would happen to her if she didn’t.

“I just gave the robber the money,” Adams said. “I gave them everything in the register; my coworkers saw my face and realized something was wrong.”

Adams couldn’t tell who the robber was because his entire face was covered, and all he kept asking for was money.

“He was wearing baggy pants, a hoodie with a bandana on his face and also a hat,” Adams said. “I couldn’t tell who he was, but the same guy robbed a CVS recently, so I don’t know who it was, but the description was the same.”

Adams ended up quitting her job because her parents were very upset.

“I didn’t want to quit my job, but my mom made me,” Adams said. “My parents were upset, they were mad at the store, and everyone called [to see if I was okay]. My mom wanted to come pick me up and even crossed the police line and they freaked out. But my mom was like, ‘that’s my daughter!’”

Adams estimated that the robber got away with approximately $300.

“I gave him everything in the register,” Adams said. “At that point I was just scared for my life.”

At the time of the robbery Adams was all alone in the front, besides the people eating in the restaurant.

“No one was in the front,” Adams said. “They were all in the back. They saw the guy, but the people didn’t realize he had a gun to his side.”

Adams’ first reaction was to run away, but now that it’s all over she is more thankful than anything.

“I just feel relieved that it’s over,” Adams said. “I feel more cautious and thankful that nothing bad happened to me.”

Band enjoys fourth straight gold at UIL Orchestra grabs 20 chairs at all-region On Saturday, Oct. 20, the band was awarded all 1s at the UIL Competition held for area schools at C.H. Collins Athletic Complex.

The earning of all 1s by the three judges this year was the first time since 2006 that a group of seniors at the school has earned that distinction during all four years of their high school careers.

“I’m extremely proud, especially for the seniors,” director of bands Mr. Brian Wilson said. “This is four years in a row that the seniors went to this competition and got a first division and that’s a huge step. It’s not given out to every single band. It’s a very tough thing to achieve and I’m very proud they pulled it off.”

The rankings are determined on several things that are

Mwape Chintankwa Jackie Wostrel Staff Writers

broken down for the judges to mark schools on such as sound and formation. Each school is responsible for selecting its own music and then performing it on the field.

“The judges thought we executed our show well and that, overall, we had a package that was deemed satisfactory,” Wilson said. “The effort these kids have put forth this year has been outstanding. It’s been one of the best groups I have had the pleasure of teaching and working with.”

Marching season begins in August, before school starts, and doesn’t end until after the football season finishes. The members of the band have put in a lot of hours, but have made it easier by picking up things quicker.

“The kids learn at such a high level and retain the information every time I ask them to remember something,” Wilson said. “They are able to pick it up really quickly. I’m so proud of these kids and I was ecstatic on Saturday.”

After having to wait a while to hear their results, band member sophomore Grant Gorman echoed Wilson’s statement.

“The feeling of elation was so great that I jumped for joy,” Gorman said.

Orchestra The orchestra department also had a good showing this year placing 20 students on the All Region Orchestra.

“I feel great,” orchestra director Tania Schwoch said. “The students that were chosen have worked really hard since the first week of school.”

Megan Graves was the only student to

make it for violin I, but six students qualified for violin II. They were Sean Burrows, Emily Fu, Emily Hu, Stephanie Kim, Luma Rashed, and Rebecca Fu. On the cello it was John Carmona and Paul McCormick who made the full orchestra while Aaron Reecer made it on the bass.

“They have been very diligent,” Schwoch said.

Making the intermediate orchestra were Julia Hanks, Madeline DeHart, Rebekah Cheek and Melanie Cave on the violin I. Karen Creamer and Jack Sawko made it on the violin II, while Emma Cantrall and Jordan Lewis qualified on the viola. Rounding out the group were Ganady Summitt and Bonner Alexander on the cello.

“I’m very proud that so many students have the opportunity to play with the best educators in the country,” Schwoch said.

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ELECTION OPINION NĔěĊĒćĊė 2012

Obama still the right choice moving forward George Roberson Editor-in-Chief

Both political parties are good at being rather corrupt and somewhat despicable, I know. But one is worse than the other. And it is sad that Americans buy what they are selling.

I don’t believe in Governor Mitt Romney and the Republican Party. I

really don’t.

I know President Obama hasn’t fixed all the problems the country faced after the last administration, and probably won’t be able to do it in a second term, but I think that Gov. Romney will only make things worse.

Gov. Romney wants to lower the debt by cutting helpful government programs, including repealing what he calls “Obamacare,” as well as cutting the federal subsidies to PBS. But it’s unclear how he’ll accomplish this by lowering taxes across the board while increasing already-high defense spending. In fact, it’s unclear exactly what else he’ll do as president. Gov. Romney doesn’t seem to want to make his plans public, choosing to stick to broad, vague rhetoric over the specifics and facts.

Even if his “plan” to reduce the deficit works, will the country be better off four years from now than it is now?

I’ve seen improvement in the last four years, even though, economically, things aren’t back to what we had known as normal. I think we’ll continue to see improvement over the next four years if Pres. Obama is reelected, but can we say the same if Gov. Romney becomes president?

Under Pres. Obama, we know what we’re getting: fairness and equal opportunities both economically and socially. If Gov. Romney is elected, and he puts his plan into place, what cost will we have to pay?

Will the middle class really be better off ? Will women still be in control of their future? Will the environment be protected? And will our seniors be able to stay healthy at an affordable price?

Will students be able to realize our dreams without borrowing money from our parents, who may or may not even have the resources?

Governments are created to help their people, and this country works best when our governement does just that.

Some may believe that Gov. Mitt Romney is the answer to our problems, but I don’t. I don’t support his vision or his plan for our nation. But I do believe in Pres. Barack Obama, and even though I can’t vote, I am supporting him.

Teen voters should cherish their rights Dimitrios Aerts Staff Writer

The statistics on voting polls say that the largest number of non-voters range from 18 to 25. It is unfathomable to think that these people, whose futures are directly affected by elections, do the least

amount of effort.

Young people obviously might not take a shining to politics or have any opinion at all, but that should not stop us from affecting our country.

Young people are more or less the future of our society, no matter how bleak that may seem. We will take the reins from our elders.

We were granted the right to vote not 50 years ago by the 26th amendment to the United States Constitution. We should take advantage of this marvelous opportunity to change this country for the better (or worse).

I don’t care if you vote red or blue (or green or tangerine), just vote for your president, your governor, your mayors, even your class representatives.

Vote until you have no one else to vote for. But don’t vote blindly. Oh no, don’t do that. Just pick who you want to be your leader.

Who do you want and for what reason?

It doesn’t matter to me, because I can’t vote on Nov. 6th; I don’t turn 18 until Nov. 20th. That is a real bummer for me, but those of you who can vote (legally) should be voting as much as possible, influencing the world as much as you can, whenever you can.

Just think you can change the course of your country, America, just by putting an X next to someone’s name on a sheet of paper.

America needs a change in the Oval Office On Nov. 6th, 2012 the United States will be presented with a choice between two men, two potential leaders. This country runs on the belief that you can only have two ideologies, left or right. While I detest this system, I am left to decide which of the candidates with actual potential to win, I support.

There are many valid reasons to support Mitt Romney. Basically, rather than continue to focus on a large government and its spending programs, Romney says his plan will focus on the private sector, creating 12 million jobs in small business-

Omar Ali Peter Hansen Contributing Writer

es and industry in his first term, ending the dilemma of declining incomes and rising prices. Also, Romney’s plan will focus on cutting the current deficit, reducing government spending, and promoting the private sector, essentially reducing the amount of money spent while increasing the money taken in, to reduce our debt.

Obama’s plan promises the same, but out of the two main presidential candidates, Romney is

the only one with a proven track record – turning around companies like Bain Capital and helping fund companies such as Staples.

Obama, on the other hand, taught law at Harvard (not even technically as a professor) and has very little experience in the business world and the way it operates. Mitt Romney is uniquely qualified to lead this country, much more than the incumbent. People bemoan his status as a multi-millionaire, but I’ve never understood that. Mitt Romney left his parents and went

to college with very little help from them.

He and his future wife, Ann, lived in a $62-a-month basement apartment while attending college. He put himself through Harvard, and graduated at the top of his class. He then went from being broke to becoming a multi-millionaire worth over a quarter billion dollars. That is something to praise, not complain about.

To achieve something like that, a person must have incredible intelligence, business acumen, and sheer talent. This year, choose someone who knows what it takes to fix our nation, choose the man who has rescued countless businesses, choose the one that has done it before and can do it again. Choose Mitt Romney.

ELECTION

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NĔěĊĒćĊė 2012

First time’s the charm / La primera vez es la vencida It was the morning of Nov. 4th, 2008 and Nancy Zamora had a feeling unlike any other during her 21 years of life.

She was excited and pumped rushing home from work that day.

On this day, Zamora, DHS’ Talent Search Advisor, would change her life forever and it was be a day that she would never forget.

It was a day of new beginnings for Nancy and her family. She was going to have the opportunity that no one else in her family had taken advantage of: getting to vote in the Presidential Election.

“It was nerve racking,” Zamora said. “It wasn’t the same way they show you in the movies. It was exciting either way, and I was just happy I had the power to be able to vote.”

Frustrated by the lack of effort by people who refused to vote or didn’t understand the process, Zamora set out to change her two sisters, who had an opportunity in the previous election, to finally cast their first vote as well.

“I wanted to influence my older sisters to speak out and get their voice heard,” Zamora said. “They didn’t understand why they should vote and didn’t think it would make a difference.”

Zamora feels even if you think your vote doesn’t make a difference, you still need to vote.

“Regardless of the outcome... that shouldn’t affect whether you vote or not,” Zamora said. “The important thing is that you’re actually voicing your opinion and taking a stand for what you believe.”

Now that Zamora has gotten her sisters to vote, she hopes other first generation voters will take advantage and make their voices heard as well.

“My parents didn’t have the privilege to vote because they weren’t citizens,” Zamora said. “Just having the luxury to be able to vote makes it even more exciting.”

Her advice to those who are scared is don’t wait and you have nothing to be afraid of or ashamed of.

“If you need help or don’t understand, just ask,” Zamora said. “There isn’t any excuse

Joi Bailey Floribel Núñez Staff Writers

you should have for not voting.”

Era la mañana del 4 de noviembre de 2008 y Nancy Zamora tenía una sensación como ninguna otra durante sus 21 años de vida.

Ella se emocionó y se fue corriendo a casa del trabajo ese día. Era un día que Zamora cambiara su vida para siempre y que nunca olvidara.

Fue un día de nuevos comienzos de Nancy y su familia. Ella iba a tener la oportunidad que jamas nadie en su familia habia aprovechado: llegar a votar en la elección presidencial.

“Era horripilante, ya que no era de la misma manera que te muestran en las películas,” dijo Zamora. “Fue muy emocionante de cualquier manera, y yo estaba feliz de que tenía el poder de ser capaz de votar.”

Frustrada por la falta de esfuerzo por parte de personas que se negaron a votar o no entienden el proceso, Zamora influencio sus dos hermanas, que tenían una oportunidad en la elección anterior, para emitir finalmente su primer voto también.

“Yo quería enfluenciar mis hermanas mayores para hablar y hacer sus voces que se oigan,” dijo Zamora. “Ellas no entienden por qué deben votar y no pensarian que haría una diferencia.”

Zamora siente que personas que creen que su voto no hace una diferencia, toda via es mejor que voten.

“Sin importar el resultado... Esto no debe afectar si se vota o no,” dijo Zamora. “Lo importante es que en realidad está expresando su opinión y tomar parte en lo que cree.”

Ahora que Zamora ha hecho a sus hermanas votar, se espera que otros votantes de primera generación se aprovechan y hagan oír sus voces también.

“Mis padres no tenían el privilegio de votar porque no eran ciudadanos,” dijo Zamora.

“Simplemente teniendo el lujo de poder votar lo hace aún más emocionante.”

Su consejo para los que tienen miedo es que no esperen y no tengan nada de timidad ni que esten avergonzados.

“Si necesita ayuda o no entiende, pregunte por informacion,” dijo Zamora. “No hay ninguna excusa que usted no deba votar.”

Older generations reflects on teen vote Taylor Brown Assistant Editor

The more things change, the more things stay the same.

This is how previous generations view our generation’s right to vote.

An estimated 22-24 million 18- to 29-year-olds voted in the previous election, and even more are expected to vote in this year’s presidential election.

“I’m anxious about voting for the first time, but I’m really excited,” senior Ashley Briones said. “It makes me kinda mad that some people of the older generations think that we aren’t capable of making a decent decision.”

However, not all members of the previous generations are skeptical of our generation and how we will handle voting in an election.

“I don’t think it’s any different at all,” science teacher John Retherford said. “As each generation gets older we look at teens as ‘those darn kids.’ But we forget that they were once ‘those darn kids.’ When I was younger we had the exact same attention span. There are people who have forgotten the way it was when we were kids.”

Some propose that the voting age be changed because they believe that 18-year-olds aren’t mature enough to pay attention to all issues raised during the election.

“I don’t think the voting age should be changed at all,” Retherford said. “It’s completely fine right where it’s at.”

Some people of older generations blame the internet for misinterpretation issues and causing confusion in the

minds of young voters.

“I think your situation is harder than when we were teenagers,” German teacher Sandra Dieckman said.

“There’s a lot of information on the internet that may be wrong. On the internet, you can post almost anything and people will believe it just because it’s on the internet!”

Dieckman also believes that every citizen should exercise their right to vote in the best way possible.

“If you don’t become part of the process, you’re part of the problem,” Dieckman said.

Another teacher who shares Dieckman’s point of view is English teacher and StuCo adviser Amber Bush.

“Everybody should vote, but make sure when you vote, you educate yourself to the fullest on the candidates,” Bush said. “It’s just something everybody should do.”

Bush’s colleague, Jennifer Phillips, enthusiastically agrees with her testament.

“If you’re 18, educate yourself, and get out there and vote!” Phillips said.

English teacher Julie Seeley also believes that it’s not a generational thing when it comes to voting, that everybody goes to the voting booth without enough education to back up their votes.

“You’re no more or less educated than any other demographic,” Seeley said.

“When it comes to voting, most of the

country, young and old, are ignorant.”

Seeley comes to the defense of our generation blaming the ‘overall divisiveness’ of the election.

“Most people blindly choose the Republican or Democratic candidate just because of the party they’re affiliated with.” Seeley said. “I also blame the mainstream media for not fulfilling their job in educating the general public enough about the election.”

According to the previous generations, we should learn from their experiences and educate ourselves thoroughly before making a decision that will affect our country as a whole. Seeley has some lasting words for those that will be voting on Nov. 6 “I urge everyone to educate themselves and vote,” Seeley said.

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ELECTION NĔěĊĒćĊė 2012

This October, we conducted a survey of DHS students, asking for their demographic data, as well as who they support in this 2012 presidential election.

Obama

Romney

Other

Undecided

Males

Females

44.1%

49.9% 40.8%

44.3%

Caucasians

African-Americans

9.8% 45.3% 47.4%

80.5%

Hispanics

Seniors (12th graders)

Third party presidential candidates (L to R) Roseanne Barr, Gary Johnson, and Jill Stein. (photo illustration by Cynthia Pantaleon) Topic/Issue

Barr

Johnson

Stein

Political Party

Peace and Freedom Party

Libertarian Party

Green Party

The Economy

“The bankers and the Federal Reserve need to be brought down.”

“Federal spending must be cut... by trillions.”

“Provide 25 million green jobs.”

National Security

“Let’s work together to make war obsolete.”

“The focus of our foreign policy [should be] reoriented toward the protection of U.S. citizens.”

“Cut the Pentagon budget by 50%. Demilitarize U.S. foreign policy to emphasize human rights.”

Immigration

“Racial or any other kind of profiling is not American and makes innocent citizens into criminals.”

“Legal immigration strengthens America’s economy and the social fabric.”

“Grant undocumented immigrants who are already residing and working in the U.S. legal status.”

28% 48.4%

44%

48%

22.8% Moderates 13.2%

41.9% 37.9%

Facts and quotes taken from candidates’ campaign websites.

Teens discuss, debate political viewpoints Dimitrios Aerts Staff Writer

George Roberson Editor-in-Chief

High school is a time of discovery and, for some, rebellion. Part of that discovery is opinions about politics, and the subsequent rebellion when a person has a different point-of-view than their parents or their own friends.

In the current political climate, things get heated fast, but not just during presidential debates and on cable news channels. This is happening at dining room and cafeteria tables across the country.

Senior Sawyer Neilson is a Democraticleaning Independent whose parents are conservative Republicans.

“It’s annoying,” Neilson said. “We can’t really discuss anything political without getting mad. I noticed the difference in our opinions when I started high school and began voicing my opinion. We all know that I’m liberal and they’re not, so we just generally avoid the topic now.”

Senior Connor Temple also has disagreements with both his parents and his friends. “[My parents] are both very conser-

vative Republicans,” Temple said. “My friends are overly fond of the incumbent.

I’m not very fond of any of the candidates.

I wouldn’t call them arguments as much as heated discussions. We disagree once a week, at least, but I try to avoid it.”

Freshman Mitch Damon, who supports Governor Romney, says he has disagreements with over half of his friends.

“I believe that Romney should be president,” Damon said. “We don’t argue very often, but when people say false facts about Romney or don’t know about politics, I kind of get into an argument.”

Junior Adriana Negrete has gotten into many political debates with her friends at school.

“Politics are really important,” Negrete said. “I try to avoid it because I don’t want to argue with my friends, but it’s bound to happen when views are complete opposites.”

But when she discusses politics, Negrete doesn’t let it go too far.

“Views are going to vary, and I understand that,” Negrete said. “If we argue and it begins to get out of hand, I usually change the topic.”

FEATURE

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NĔěĊĒćĊė 2012

Student reaches round three of American Idol auditions Evie Clark Staff Writer

Her hands were shaking; her heart was pounding and her legs were wobbling as she approached the stage for one of the biggest moments of her life.

She took a moment, composed herself, and held her head high as she (figuratively, at least) stepped out from behind the curtain.

Jamie Morgan’s chance to show the world what she could do had arrived. She was trying out for the hit television singing competition American Idol only four days after she found out about the audition.

“It was intense,” Morgan said. “I was working my butt off to prepare. And then there were a lot of people there.”

Morgan was pleased with meeting a celebrity at the auditions, which were held at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City.

“We did group pictures and then I got to meet Ryan Seacrest!” she said. “Ryan was much shorter in person than I thought. He had a deeper voice and he looked perfect!”

Not allowed to audition with her parents around added to her nervousness, but she made it past the first test and on to the first round.

“I was nervous and I was trying to tell myself I wasn’t nervous, even though I was,” Morgan said. “I can’t believe I made it to the first round! Not having parents there helped you focus more on your audition.”

But she had to wait 11 hours to audition.

“We got there at 5 a.m.,” she said. “I was in row 17 and, finally, after waiting six or seven hours I got to watch people perform for their auditions. There were two judges at each station and we went to each station in a group of four. Then I got to audition. It was a long day!”

Before Morgan auditioned, she had to prepare six songs.

“I chose to do ‘Arms’ by Christina Perry, ‘Lullaby Bird Land’ which was a jazz standard, ‘Jar Of Hearts’ also by Christina Perry,” she said. “I can’t even remember the rest of them.”

There were four rounds and she made it to the third.

“I made it to round three of auditioning for producers,” Morgan said. “They said I had a lovely voice, but if I showed more confidence, I could have made it to the fourth round.”

Morgan was upset, but figured it was a good experience overall.

“I knew there was a reason,” she said.

“They told me to come back next year. I wasn’t as upset as some of the other people… so that’s good.”

Homecoming is a time for pride in one’s school, but for these homecoming nominees and winners, it’s also a time for pride in themselves. (photos by Alex Meimers, Emma Pattison, and Alex Plese)

Seniors

Juniors

She came back home with advice for others who were considering auditioning.

“If you prepare and show you’re confident, it will really help when trying out,” Morgan said. “You really grow from the information and feedback.”

Morgan is very passionate about singing and is willing to try again next year.

“I might do it again next year, but now I can definitely cross this off of my bucket list,” Morgan said.

Freshman winners: Emily Curtis and Sion Lee Sophomore winners: Frank Delgado McKenzie Goin Junior winners: Julianna Bershel and William Root Senior winners: Rachel Hess and Michael Jackson

Sophomores

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FEATURE NĔěĊĒćĊė 2012

Marine returns home to start his career “The few, the proud, the marines.”

That’s the motto that 2011 grad Ricky Pena took when he decided to devote himself to his country and enlist in the Marines.

Now, two years later, in addition to peacekeeping overseas, he works for the sheriff ’s department as a detention officer. In the future, he hopes to further his criminal justice experience into becoming a U.S. Marshal and hunt for America’s most wanted.

And this spirited young servant to justice thanks DHS for his success.

“I learned heart,” Ricky said. “Above all the other schools, we don’t quit no matter how bad the circumstances look.”

Pena was in a number of activities during his years in high school, including football, Interact, and Key Club.

“I had great teachers,” Ricky said. “They helped me decide what should come after high school.”

His family also supports him greatly in what he does.

His brother, senior Jose Pena talks about his experience with a marine in the family.

“We live together, so I see him all the time,” Jose said.

“He always talks about the Marines and how fun it is.”

Some of his family is not as fortunate as Jose, however, to see Ricky everyday and hear of his amazing tales.

Dimitrios Aerts Staff Writer

“We live in two different areas,” April Pena said. “I don’t get to see him often, but when I do he’s really funny.”

But she still has pride in her cousin’s career choice.

“Having a family member in the Marines is somehting to be proud of,” April said.

Recently, Ricky returned from Senegal, Africa for military purposes and talked about how some of those experiences affected him.

“At one point, a bus hit a lady in the road and didn’t even stop to check on her,” Ricky said. “The lady just got up and walked away.”

These traumatic experiences gave Ricky more reason to protect the U.S. and its structure.

“Seeing a real third world country affected me greatly,” Ricky said. “People always say how good we have it here, but you don’t really know until you see for yourself.”

And next, Ricky will be enduring rigorous training in the tundra of Alaska. Being away from his family for so long has opened his eyes to how important family is.

“That’s another thing the military has taught me,” Ricky said. “I have a family to come home to, and that really motivates you when you’re out in the desert.”

Ricky says he really enjoys the training and character building that he must go through in the military, but the physical toll it has put on him is a difficult price to pay.

“The fighting, night vision, machine guns, I mean you

During a drill at a base in San Diego, Ricky Pena (left) marches with fellow Marines. (courtesy photo) don’t get to do that stuff every day,” Ricky said. “But now the doctor says I have plantar fasciitis, which pretty much means my arches are broken.”

However, Ricky continues to train and serve his country as best he can with overwhelming support from his family and friends, especially his sister Carrie’s words of encouragement.

“She says things to me like ‘get outta here ya dumb kid, I don’t want you to come back,’” Ricky said. “Which pretty much means I’m still her favorite brother.”

Teens experience sleep deprivation George Roberson Editor-in-Chief

Teenagers are notorious for staying up into the wee hours and then rising like blocks of concrete in the morning.

A lot of teenagers have what would be considered unhealthy sleeping habits, whether by choice or by circumstance.

The Mayo Clinic recommends teenagers get at least nine hours of sleep per night, but some teens can’t even muster five.

“I usually get four to five,” junior Megan Robbins said. “It’s mainly because I get home late. I eat dinner, then try to finish all my homework.”

Senior Cynthia Hernandez goes to bed earlier than most teens, but also rises early.

“I go to sleep around 9 or 10 p.m., and I wake up around 6 or 7 a.m.,” Hernandez said. “I’m always tired even though I get that much sleep.”

When students mix AP classes, sports, extracurricular, or any outside-of-school activity, the effect on hours of sleep can be drastic.

“Last week, I got a total of 15 hours [of sleep],” junior Raychel Jones said. “That’s about three to four per night. I have

things to do; I have AP classes and a lot of the time, the homework piles up faster than I can do it. Plus, I need my social time, so late is often the only time I can do anything.”

Physics teacher Mrs. Karen Crockett, who has a high-schooler of her own at home, has students fall asleep during her class everyday.

“I think some students choose not to go to bed on time, and I think some are so busy they stay up late working on homework,” Crockett said. “[My son] is so busy, I can’t make sure he goes to sleep on time.”

As a teenager, English teacher Ms. Kathy Solomon didn’t get much sleep, either.

“I would stay up and talk on the phone with my friends or read,” Solomon said. “I get eight hours now. I’ve never had anyone fall asleep in my class. Students put their heads down, but I don’t let them keep them down.”

For some students, only getting a few hours of sleep isn’t the only thing that will tire them out.

“I usually get just under seven hours,” junior MaryAnn Denison said. “I don’t sleep in class. I usually get tired during the day, though. It depends on what’s

happened during the day, though. Stress is a huge factor.”

Adriana Denison, MaryAnn’s mother and a teacher at Borman Elementary, slept lots as teenager and encourages her daughter to do the same.

“When I was a teenager, my family knew not to wake people up,” Mrs. Denison said. “I need more [sleep] now, but I get less. I have a husband and children that don’t allow me to get the rest I need. I enjoy naps a lot more now.”

Mrs. Denison believes that students who don’t get enough sleep choose not to do so.

“They’ve over-committing themselves,” Denison said. “Or they have bad time management skills.”

Jones says she doesn’t let herself fall asleep in class.

“The first 30 minutes of the day is rough, but then later I’m wide-eyed and bushy-tailed,” Jones said. “I feel fine.

Though, by Friday I do feel like a nap.”

Robbins has never fallen asleep during class, either, but she says she easily feels the effects of running on empty.

“My focus is deteriorated,” Robbins said. “I lose my train of thought very easily, and I often zone out.”

FEATURE 9 Students flee Syria for security NĔěĊĒćĊė 2012

Four months ago, they rode to the airport on garbage-lined streets in a war-torn Hama, Syria*. They had to hide their possessions and pretend allegiance to a president leading attacks on innocent civilians.

Now, the Halabi family* is living in Denton, Texas.

As part of the movement dubbed the ‘Arab Spring,’ people in Syria began demonstrating against the government and President Bashar al-Assad in March of 2011. The conflict between the Syrian Army, loyal to Assad, and the opposition, against him, has been raging ever since. November 15 will mark 20 months since the start of their the civil war.

“Assad is killing his own people for wanting freedom,” freshman Houda Halabi said.

“Massacres, chemicals, gas bombs.”

The day the Halabis left Syria was a day Houda would remember forever.

“The streets were full of garbage,” Houda said. “It was horrible. We were so scared of being caught.”

Houda and her sister junior Dana are Syrian refugees currently attending Denton High School. The Halabis came to Denton, in part, because two of the girls’ older siblings have lived here for three years.

“Denton was the only choice we had… the only place we thought [was] safe,” their mother Sabeen Halabi said.

Over 311,000 refugees of the Syrian civil war had been registered with the United Nations Refugee Agency at the beginning of October 2012. A large majority of these refugees fled to countries in the region. “[America is] better for freedom,” Houda said. “I can say whatever I want without being afraid. There were a lot of bombs in the road to school [in Hama]. There was a teacher in the Assad regime who was killed by the Free Syrian Army in front of our school. Twenty bullets and one grenade entered my house.”

However, being in America doesn’t make everything better for the Halabis.

“We are very depressed,” Sabeen said. “We left everything behind; our house, friends, family, life. Bashar destroyed us.”

Leaving Syria wasn’t easy for this family. Dana still loves her homeland, and says she’ll gladly return one day. “[Leaving] was the worst feeling ever,” Dana said. “It was hard. I didn’t pack [my bag] until the day before I left. I didn’t really want to leave until the last moment. My parents forced me to.”

Houda felt that life in Syria was secure before the war erupted, although tensions

George Roberson Editor-in-Chief

still existed.

“It was good, but [you] couldn’t say a bad word about the president,” Houda said. “And he still took people to jail, even before this. My family is known for being against the regime. My cousin is in jail.”

In May 2011, President Barack Obama levied sanctions against Syrian President Assad, and the United Nations pursued putting sanctions on his government as well. But a small part of the Syrian population still supports Assad.

“I still have friends in the Assad regime, and their parents won’t tell them the truth [about the conflict],” Houda said. “They treat him like God.” The number of casualties since the beginning of the civil war has been reported between 30,000 and 45,000, among which 1,000 to 2,000 were civilian protesters. Dana feels that it is crucial to Syria’s future that Assad is brought down. “[The downfall of Assad] is everything,” Dana said. “He’s so stupid. He acts like nothing is happening and keeps killing people.”

It was only eight months between the first major protest in Libya and the capture of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi back in 2011. The Syrian conflict, however, is nearing two years, and Houda doesn’t seem to think the fighting will draw to a close soon.

“No, I don’t think [it will end soon],” Houda said. “Iran and Russia and China are supporting [Assad’s army]. But justice will be served.”

Sabeen feels privileged just to be in America, and sees her life improving.

“We feel better,” Sabeen said. “I mean, at least we can sleep and not be scared that at any second, someone could break into our house and kill us. We also don’t hear bullet shots and explosions all day and night.”

But Dana disagrees with her mother about their new home.

“America is not better, just different,” Dana said. “It’s fine, but everything is different. They are separate worlds. I miss everything in Syria.” *Names and locations changed to protect identies.

10

FEATURE NĔěĊĒćĊė 2012

Economy hits students hard The American Dream is becoming a scarcity in this society. The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is growing again, but at an extremely slow rate compared to what we’re used to. And unemployment remains sky high at 7.8%. Ever since the ‘Great Recession’ of 2008, our economy has been unable to fully bounce back into prosperity, and it’s reflecting on America’s middle class. Both presidential candidates promise to create a booming economy, but nobody can be sure of what the future holds.

Therefore, some students have been forced to seek employment in order to keep up with their living costs.

Our economic ocean has rippled all the way down to high school students. As a result of lost jobs, and a general price increase, some students have been forced to get a job of their own because their family simply cannot afford things they’ve done in the past.

“In freshman year, I had to get a job in order to pay for everything,” junior Stephen Elliott said. “The economy was bad then, and, in my eyes, it’s gotten worse. I pay for my phone, gas, and groceries. The worst is gas because I have to buy it so often at such an expensive price.”

Two years ago, during just his freshman year, Elliott moved out of his parents’ house and was no longer dependent on his parents for anything. He moved into an apartment, got a job as a Junior Practice Manager at a doctor’s office, and started a new chapter of his life.

“What I do is take the patients back to see the doctor, and I file every so often,” Elliott said. “It’s not the most exciting job, but it pays the bills so I’m not complaining.”

Even though Elliott claims that everything is more expensive nowadays, he leaves those seeking independence with a glimpse of hope.

“It’s really not as bad as it seems,” Elliott said. “As long as you keep applying to jobs and don’t quit looking, you’ll find something out there.”

Taylor Brown Assistant Editor

Independence may seem like a dream for some, but the only thing junior Kali Britton sought was a job. However, at 7.8% unemployment, a job can be very hard to find.

“The problem is that businesses are scarcely hiring lessqualified people,” Britton said. “You basically have to get a master’s degree to be considered for a decent job nowadays. It almost makes me think that a bachelor’s degree won’t be good enough because I’m unsure of how far it will truly take me.”

Luckily, though, Britton did get a job working as a secretary at AM Plumbing. But even with a job, all of her financial problems didn’t just disappear.

“I was lucky enough to get a job to help pay for my band trip,” Britton said. “Band is expensive and I just got tired of asking my mom for money. I mean, we’re OK financially but we’re definitely not where we’d like to be.”

Another student who found success in the job hunt is joyful, but also has to pay a couple of bills with his newfound wealth. Senior Mynor Ruiz had success in finding a job at McDonald’s working as a cashier.

“I got a job to have spending money,” Ruiz said. “My mom makes me pay for internet, but it’s not a burden; I willingly pay for part of the electricity and for my phone.”

Unlike Ruiz, senior Samantha Irons’ job search has not returned any results. After furiously applying at many businesses, she just came up empty.

Father knows best A grin comes across the face of Coach Todd Ward as he looks on in the Broncos’ game against Wichita Falls. That grin soon becomes the face of disappointment. Those are just some of the emotions that he experiences for ten Fridays a year.

That’s because Ward’s son, Cy, a junior, is the starting quarterback for the varsity football team. This makes a typical Friday night even more difficult.

“The hardest thing has been trying to balance being a coach and a dad,” Coach Ward said. “On the sidelines watching Cy play I’m hoping he plays well and I’m hoping he doesn’t get hurt. Just because I’m his coach doesn’t mean I’m not his parent too.”

Cy doesn’t notice much difference during the normal day with his dad being on the sidelines and at practices.

“Having my dad as a coach really isn’t anything out of the ordinary,” Cy said. “My dad doesn’t treat me any differently from everyone else, but I do feel like I need to work harder than the other players.”

First year head football coach Kevin Atkinson has enjoyed having the father-son combination on the squad.

“I like being around them, and they’re good people,” Atkinson said. “It works out well. I treat players like they’re my sons. It’s not different for me to coach Cy or to have

Tanneth Oxford Staff Writer

“I’ve applied at many places, but I have yet to actually find a job,” Irons said. “The economy is still just too poor, they’re giving all of the jobs to college students rather than us.”

However, not all students are exactly hurting in this economy. Some would rather get a job to support themselves independently. Sophomore Alexis Martinez landed a job as a car-hop at the Sonic on East University. Her father owns the very Sonic she works at, and another one on West University. With all of those factors in play, you may wonder why she would even need a job.

“I got a job because I wanted to pay for my own stuff,” Martinez said. “I’m independent, so I feel like I should do things myself rather than rely on my parents. I use my money to help pay for things like costumes for dance. It’s honestly great to have my own source of income.”

Even some employers aren’t exactly optimistic about hiring high school students. Keegan Mckenna, the Store Manager of Pack ‘N’ Mail, tells us that if it came down to hiring a college student or a high school student, he would most likely hire the college student.

“Most companies nowadays are trying to get the best bang for their buck, and sometimes they just can’t afford to hire a high school student,” Mckenna said. “Overall, the economy has taken a toll on everyone, and some of the hardest hit are high school students.”

Father-and-son coach-player duo share rare bond

his dad as a coach. They get along just like anyone else.”

Atkinson also hopes to use the things he has learned from the Wards with his son, Colton, who will be entering 9th grade next year.

“His dad might be a little bit more stand offish than some might believe when it comes to directing Cy on the field,” Atkinson said. “But I hear Coach Ward say to Cy

‘good job’ or ‘concentrate...’ I think it works out really well, and gives me practice for my son one day.”

Despite not noticing much difference on the field, there are a lot of pros and cons off the field.

“One of the pros about having my dad as a coach is that I’m able to chill out in his office and watch film,” Cy said.

“That’s something other kids can’t do, but a con is that I get yelled at a lot more than other players not only on the field, but also at home.”

But both Cy and his dad can distinguish between when to have fun and when to be serious.

“My favorite thing to do with my dad is watching college football on the weekends,” Cy said.

Cy’s mother also gets caught up with the father-son relationship at home.

“Todd is very supportive of Cy and the moods when they get home depend [on] if the game ended good or bad,” Cristal Ward said. “Todd enjoys coaching Cy and has looked forward for many years to coaching him and is proud of the man Cy has become.”

Just like on the field, there are both positive and negative situations outside the sports world.

“I have to be on my best behavior all the time,” Cy said.

“If I do something or get in trouble, everyone knows, including my dad.”

SPORTS 11 Atkinson family sticks together NĔěĊĒćĊė 2012

The football season is winding down, and the coaches are hard at work training their teams to have a successful end to the season. The head coach of the Broncos, Kevin Atkinson, has a stressful job, and so does his wife, Chrissy.

It takes a certain kind of person to be so understanding and supportive when their spouse is working late nights, watching film, and creating game plans throughout the season.

“I am a little sad when the season begins, because we know he’ll be gone a lot,” Chrissy Atkinson said. “He works seven days a week. I’m basically both the dad and the mom.

But once we get rolling and seeing the positive impact he has on the players, it is all worth it. We understand that football is more than a sport; it is a way of life that can positively affect people, Denton High, and our community as a whole, and to us, the time away is well worth it.”

When Coach Atkinson is spending nights practicing at the field house and Mrs. Atkinson is working, the family depends on their daughter Lexi to keep everything in check around the house.

“At first it was just my wife, but lately we’ve been relying a lot on Lexi,” Coach Atkinson said.

Even though coaches spend countless hours away from home, Atkinson still makes an effort to stay involved with his wife and children. Saturdays and Sundays are reserved for spending quality time with his family.

“The staff and I try to have our kids here as much as possible,” Coach Atkinson said.

“They know the ins and outs of every corner of this field house.”

Atkinson’s wife is just as devoted to her husband, attending games and traveling with the team to away games. Chrissy has been a coach’s wife for over twenty years, and has been to almost every one of her husband’s games.

“I have maybe missed three or four games because of having a baby or one of my children was ill,” Chrissy said.

The coaching staff ’s family members have become closer over the course of the season, due to the constant traveling involved with the football program.

Dylan Curtis Entertainment Editor

“I make it a point to get to know every staff member and their children,” Chrissy said. “We win together, lose together, and cry together. Most of my closest friends are coaches’ wives.”

Mrs. Atkinson isn’t just a coach’s wife and a mother; she is also a flight attendant for Delta Airlines, and therefore travels frequently. Meanwhile, Coach Atkinson has become somewhat of an expert at getting his kids ready for school and church. He has overcome the obstacle of balancing his home life and work life while his wife is out of town.

“He is a pro at braiding hair, doing pony tails, and tying bows,” Chrissy said. “Believe it or not, my girls would rather he fix their hair than me.”

After years of attending game after game, Chrissy’s support for her husband and his team remains unwavering.

“I am really excited about the way we have started,” Chrissy said. “After years of being a head coach’s wife, I don’t take one win for granted and I feel many more are in the future.”

Little bit at a time Runner makes regionals Entering the season with a new coach and high expectations, the Broncos have exceeded most projections picking up three wins in their first six games.

The past two weeks the team has dropped contests to Brewer and this past week to Azle. The 31-0 loss to the Hornets was a lot closer than the score indicated as the team trailed just 10-0 heading into the fourth quarter.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Denton offense would stall on two drives before Azle kicked a field goal and scored on a 16-yard touchdown pass with a minute left in the first half.

Down 10-0 going into the second half and getting the ball first, the Broncos would again be stopped. The defense held the Hornets for awhile, but they three times in the fourth quarter.

Head coach Kevin Atkinson says that the final score didn’t indicate his

Chandler Elsbecker Sports Editor

defense’s performance.

“We did a great job up front,” Atkinson said. “The defensive line did a great job; our linebackers did a great job.

We did a great job stopping the run all night, just stopping the pass – well, we didn’t do a good job doing that.”

Five snaps were fumbled for huge losses, four coming in the second half.

“Classic example of beating ourselves,” Atkinson said. “The biggest thing that I said before we even left Denton was, ‘let’s not even focus on beating the Azle Hornets; let’s not beat ourselves. And if we don’t beat ourselves, we’ll be happy with the outcome,’ but that’s what we did: we made crucial mistakes at crucial times.”

Denton only had three penalties, less than they had been averaging.

“We controlled ourselves and didn’t have a lot of foolish penalties that extended drives,” Atkinson said. “You’ve got to find something to build on, and that’s something we’re going to do.”

Last Thursday at the District 5-4A Cross Country Meet at Lucy Park in Wichita Falls, the girls brought home a fourth place finish, while the boys took fifth out of the eight teams competing.

The girls earned their finish ending the meet with 123 points, behind Denton Guyer, Byron Nelson and Azle. Leading the way was Jordan Muniz who placed 6th overall to earn a berth this weekend in the Class 4A Region I meet in Lubbock.

“I’m glad I made regionals again,” Jordan Muniz said. “But I was mad because I came in sixth. Now I have a chance to run with 200 more people at regionals and try to do better.”

Other girls who finished in the top 40 were Alyssa Neale (29th), April Pena (31st), Molly Burke (35th), and Shelby Howell (38th).

“The girls cross country team this year is as good as we’ve had in the last four years even though the results did not match their potential,” head cross country coach

CJ Maurico Staff Writer

Patrick Matous said. “I was saddened by the results because we didn’t race well when it mattered.”

On the other hand the boys were led by Brandon McManus who finished in 11th place, just .02 seconds away from making the regional meet. The other five runners who placed in the top 40 were Blaze Martin (16th), Juan Vargas (18th), Zach Alspach (29th), Brand Richter (37th), and Vineet Aziz (38th).

“The boys this year had run in low 17s, but we didn’t when it mattered the most,” Matous said. “I wish I could figure out what went wrong because I don’t want the team to go through that again. I’ll always have next year but the students won’t.”

Muniz is the only one who still has a shot to represent DHS at the state meet and Matous couldn’t be any prouder.

“I respect an athlete that can get here at six in the morning,” Matous said. “Jordan deserved the success because she worked hard, got significantly better, and believed she could be in the top 10 to qualify for regionals, and she did.”

12

SPORTS NĔěĊĒćĊė 2012

Football player tackles a loaded schedule Hector Delgado will do whatever it takes.

The senior, who plays linebacker for the varsity football team and is a member of the ROTC program was recognized on Telemundo, the Hispanic news channel, for being named student of the month.

“It felt great to have been recognized for a great accomplishment,” Delgado said. “I was stunned that my coach had chosen me to represent DHS to encourage people out there. You can do anything you want to do.”

Hector has devoted time and effort to not only playing football, but also ROTC. On top of that, he has school and family to be a part of, as well.

“I need to balance my life with my families – ROTC being my second family and football being my third family,” Delgado said. “I need to have enough time to be part of everything I love to do” Hector knows he can perform better on the field, which makes him stay motivated in the sport. He is encouraged by his fellow teammates, who he calls his brothers.

“Being on the football team means that you don’t quit and you can rise up to any challenge,” Delgado said. “To me, it is that I can trust my teammates that they have my back and that I feel part of a family.”

Every time he steps onto the field, Delgado tries to give his absolute best. And if he messes up, his teammates correct him and encourage him to get it right the next time.

“I benefit from football a lot because it is a good stress reliever to just go out and hit someone else,” Delgado said.

Floribel Núñez Staff Writer

“Football has taught me to be a better person in grades and conditioning. It helps me also whenever someone tries to start something, that it is best to just walk away.”

If he is not on the field playing, Hector gives good advice to the younger players on the field. He tries not to yell at them if something went wrong. Hector would do anything for his players. He loves them to death.

“Hector is the young man you hope all your athletes train like,” head football coach Kevin Atkinson said. “Whether he’s in the weight room or in practice, he’s very attentive, he’s always gives 100%, and he tries to do things exactly the way they need to be done.”

Hector tries to be a good player, learning his assignments and doing what he is coached to do.

“He’s kind of a role player on our team; he’s really kind of our special teams captain,” Atkinson said. “He’s backed up a couple different spots on defense, a spot play there, but he’s a mainstay on our special teams and kind of a spiritual leader.”

Hector was inspired

by his 5th grade teacher at Villacorta Elementary, Mr. Bates who was a Marine. Hector now wants to follow in his teacher’s footsteps, using ROTC as preparation for his Marine career.

“I want to be a Marine to serve my country and be able to travel the world and inspire kids in different parts of the world,” Delgado said. “When I first told my parents I was going to join the Marines, they weren’t so happy. They were more concerned than anything if I would come back. Lately, they have been supporting me with my decision.”

As a senior in ROTC, a lot is expected from Hector. However, Colonel Robert West says he’s exceeded those expectations.

“Hector has grown tremendously,” West said. “He started off not knowing what to do – now he wants to be a Marine. He has had a great time preparing for that.”

Even though his time in high school is coming to end, those around him know he will be successful.

“I know Hector will be successful in the Marines,” West said. “He knows the difference from right and wrong. If he is told something he does it the first time; not asked more than once. Hector is a pleasure to be around.”

Volleyball earns second straight playoff berth Having dropped back to back games to the bottom two teams and seeing their record stand at 4-6, the Broncos awoke. The team won their last four district matches to finish 5-4A play at 8-6 good enough to earn the third playoff spot.

Denton (24-16), which qualified for the playoffs for the second straight year, entered the Class 4A Region I bi-district round against Saginaw (25-12) on Tuesday at Southlake Carroll at press time.

The Broncos who started strong and had some up and downs throughout the season rebounded to win their final two games over Brewer (3-0) and Lake Dallas (3-1) to lock up the third spot. A loss to either team would have forced the team into a tie breaker game.

“We struggled towards the end of the first round and lost to the last two teams,” second year head coach Dani Silva said. “We refocused and got re-energized and came back stronger the second round.”

Silva hopes as the team enters the playoffs they can continue to be consistent.

“I’ve been most disappointed in our lack of consis-

Chandler Elsbecker Sports Editor

Volleyball players (L to R) Kendell Wagner, Jade Akins, and Alex Dane preparing for their second straight playoffs.

tency,” Silva said. “But that just comes from playing more often, being put in those pressure situations and being able to handle them.”

Despite the concerns, there have been some positives as well to build on.

“I’ve been most proud of my captains,” Silva said.

“They have really stepped up and handled themselves in pressure situations.”

The team has been working on several areas of their game to prepare for Tuesday’s match.

“We need to work on our blocking,” Silva said. “We have the height and the quickness, we just are having a disconnect and keep getting tooled.

Saginaw the teams first round opponent has lost just three games since the end of August. The winner of Tuesday’s game would meet the Aledo-Burleson Centennial winner the end of the week.

“I hope to win our bi-district match and go deeper into the playoffs,” Silva said. “We have a senior heavy team, so we have the experience age wise, we just need to keep playing consistent ball. We need to get back to our fundamentals. That is what is going to take us the next step further.”