September 2012 - Volume 106 Issue 2

The Horseshoe SEPTEMBER

2012

DENTON

HIGH

SCHOOL,

DENTON,

TEXAS

VOLUME

106

ISSUE

In Sports:

In Entertainment:

In Opinion:

In Feature:

In News:

The people behind the scenes at sports games (Pg. 11)

Two differing opinions on “Honey Boo Boo” (Pg. 10)

Lack of options in cafeteria (Pg. 3)

Foreign exchange student profiles (Pg. 7)

Bilingual teacher lost in translation (Pg. 4)

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OPINION SEPTEMBER 2012

Traffic and parking need a new solution Chaos is what most parents and students are feeling this year when it comes to the traffic, parking, and buses.

The current situation is absolutely terrible. Buses load and unload in front of the school, causing a traffic jam that no one can avoid. Parents have to park on the other side of the crosswalk, giving them another traffic headache. Making things even worse, at the beginning of the year, if students were found parking in the wrong spot, they would have their cars towed.

Staff Editorial

The Parking The parking situation is unfair to all students. The teachers are given most of the parking lots closest to the school, including the former student parking lot. The faculty lot in the front is often only half-full. Keep in mind, there are currently no parking spaces left, according to bookkeeper Mrs. Diana Simpson. How does it makes sense that teachers get these prime spots that they can’t fill while the lesser, student-designated lots are overflowing? What will happen when sophomores start driving in larger quantities in the spring?

The Buses Last year, they had the bus zone by the side of the school by the science and language halls. Last year, they would load and unload then drive off and have no effect on the school. There was nothing wrong with that. Why change it?

Now, the buses are put in the front of the school, on the side of Fulton closest to the building, from the crosswalk to Crescent Street. The buses pull out in front of cars with no warning, and they aren’t exactly courteous. The traffic also backs up all the buses

Is the parking situation fair?

Poll conducted Sep. 4-24

Fair only to students

0/33

Fair only to teachers

33/33

Fair to both

0/33

(and vice-a-versa), causing some students to be late.

The Pedestrians After Marching Band practice ends in the morning, all the band students have to cross from the field to the school with all their instruments. But it’s not just them; any students who park in the back purple lot and any students who get dropped off have to cross, too.

Assistant Principal Jacqueline San Miguel says she doesn’t want students to turn into “Bronco Pancakes.” Students are required to cross the street at the crosswalk. Any students caught jaywalking, even if they are getting out of or into a car in the street, could receive a ticket for jaywalking. Even with all of the tickets being issued, there are still a few who dare to jaywalk.

The Traffic There just isn’t enough room for all this to be taking place in the front of the school.

These are issues that the administration already knows about. These are issues that won’t just go away. A change needs to be made to resolve these issues.

The Solution One of the solutions could be to return the buses to where they were a year ago when there wasn’t a problem. They also need to let students use any of the empty parking spaces that aren’t being filled by faculty members. Yes, they do need some visitor parking, but six spaces would be enough, leaving all students the chance to be able to drive and park if they choose.

The Horseshoe 1007 Fulton Denton, TX 76201 940-369-2150 Editor-in-Chief: George Roberson Entertainment Editor: Dylan Curtis Online Editor: Ryan Carr Sports Editor: Chandler Elsbecker Staff Writers: Dimitrios Aerts, Joi Bailey, Isaac Bowen, Taylor Brown, Angelica Camacho, Mwape Chintankwa, Evie Clark, Amber Cowles, Tori Davis, Jordan Gill, CJ Mauricio, Floribel Nuñez, Tanneth Oxford, Jackie Wostrel Copyediting: MaryAnn Denison Photographer: Austin Pugh 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, Twitter, and Instagram.

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

If you are a local business and are interested in advertising in The Horseshoe, please contact adviser Greg Bogomol at gbogomol@dentonisd.org to find out about special rates and discounts. (cartoon created by Ian Gibson)

OPINION

3

SEPTEMBER 2012

Email a necessity in 21st Century Cafeteria needs more options George Roberson Editor-in-Chief

In this day and age, email is like running water. Email is so basic and useful, we take it for granted. When we’re not banned from it, that is.

It’s understandable why Facebook and Twitter are blocked by the school district’s filters. Those are social networks, and can’t really be used to learn the material the school is mandated to help us learn.

But email is important. Essential, in fact. And the “monitored, filtered,” barely functional school-provided email simply doesn’t cut it.

Why not let students access Gmail, Yahoo, and AOL? Everything we do online is technically monitored, anyway. Would allowing us this simple freedom really be so terrible?

Here’s the reason--or at least what the reason could be perceived to be--that we aren’t allowed to use those accounts: we, the young rebels of Denton ISD, aren’t to be trusted.

A high school is a place to grow. We’re moving out of the limited freedoms of elementary and middle school and into the complete freedoms and frightening responsibilities of adulthood.

There are so many things we are not allowed to do as minors, students, and responsible members of the Bronco ‘family.’ Some teenagers can’t handle some rules, but it’s unreasonable of DISD to think that using actual email websites at school is one of them and that they have to ban them. In fact, allowing them might help us in some of our classes.

If we’re supposed to act like adults, we need to be treated like adults.

Tori Davis Staff Writer

In our cafeteria, it may seem like there is a variety of food. But for a vegetarian, there are few choices.

Taylor’s Take I can’t Abercrombie & Fit-ch Staff writer Taylor Brown shares his views on today’s biggest and most controversial issues.

How many shirts do you own from Hollister?

How many pairs of jeans bear that trademark moose logo representing Abercrombie & Fitch? An average of over 80% of all teenagers own at least one Hollister clothing item or an Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) clothing item.

However, I’m one of the few that don’t own one.

The reason I don’t is simple: I like their stuff, but if I chose to buy a shirt from Abercrombie & Fitch, I would have to stretch that thing out to the high heavens to even dream about getting in that nonsense.

Their website offers shirt sizes up to XXL, but we all know that an XXL at Abercrombie & Fitch is a large in actuality at many stores... a slim large at that.

But 80% of teens are getting more than they bargained for when they purchase a clothing item from Abercrombie and all of its subsidies. Abercrombie & Fitch has been operating for over 100 years, and in that time, they have been no stranger to controversy. In many of Abercrombie’s publication A&F Quarterly, the “magalog” contained partial-nude images promoting sex and other various taboos alike. This caused outrage with many religious-oriented organizations such as Bob Jones University (a non-denominational Protestant university) banning all clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister.

Another controversial act by the company included selling thongs under the “Abercrombie Kids” brand, sized for pre-teen girls bearing phrases such

as “Eye Candy,” and “Wink, Wink.” And I don’t know about other kids these days, but my pre-teen daughter won’t be winking at anybody!

Though these acts were outrageously obscene and uncalled for, there has been something just as sinister playing out behind Abercrombie & Fitch’s company walls. The facts are that Abercrombie & Fitch and all of its subsidies are made for thinner people. If you were to compare a shirt from Hollister, to a shirt from American Eagle, the shirt from Hollister would be significantly smaller in width than the one from American Eagle. Hollister being a subsidiary of Abercrombie & Fitch makes complete sense in this situation.

Abercrombie & Fitch has already inadvertently expressed that they want a certain image for their models and their customers. If, for some odd reason, I dreamt of working at an Abercrombie & Finch, or even wanted to model for them, they would most certainly laugh at my face. Have you looked at me? I’m far from the Ryan Lochte-esque image they’re going for. I mean, I’m no Jabba the Hutt, but nowhere near Abercrombie’s standards!

And they’ve confirmed it through their marketing campaigns and even down to how abnormally small their clothes compare to the competitors.

I interpret Abercrombie & Fitch’s actions as them saying that larger people can’t be beautiful, and I respectfully ask that everyone refrain from supporting Abercrombie & Fitch from this point forward. If not for personal morals, then do it for the greater good of America.

An average day in the cafeteria. (photo by Austin Pugh) Our choices are limited to cheese pizza with sides such as fries and bread. How nutritious! Even all of the salads contain some kind of meat.

I understand that eating the cafeteria food isn’t the students’ only option, but sometimes it’s the only feasible option.

Yes, you can make your own lunch and bring it to school, but for those mornings when you don’t have time or just don’t feel like doing it, it would be convenient to have something in the cafeteria to eat that fits your food morals and is also healthy.

Most of the entrées—burritos, chicken nuggets, pizza and burgers—are not healthy. Most are labeled as “Meat and Grain” which are just cheap calories with barely any nutrients. The low fat milk that is pumped full of hormones and included with the lunch costs less than a bottle of water. I’m pretty sure everyone needs more water than milk; our bodies are made up of about 80% of water not milk, so a necessity should be cheaper.

The overall price for a lunch without any add-ons is $2.75, not including a bottle of water, which isn’t bad for the quality of the food. But I’d very much prefer a sandwich from home, or Schlotsky’s, which has better service. However, off-campus lunch is not permitted. Regardless of the lack of nutrients in the cafeteria food, most of the students will continue to consume it, because it’s still here, and it’s food.

If you have an opinion to express, please feel free to send a letter to the editor at dhshorseshoe@gmail.com.

In the next issue...

“Mitt Romney was a great mayor of Massachusetts!” ...and more election coverage.

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NEWS SEPTEMBER 2012

Email changes on the way When you ask a random student what their school email is, they will probably answer with, “We have a student email account?” and a blank stare. This is because, in theory, the student body is supposed to have school emails, but sometimes, theory and reality don’t mix very well.

Coach Glen Harrison, the main ‘computer guy’ for the school, and the new librarian, Jamie Pouster, personally set up each student’s login under the pretense that the school’s current Microsoft software would allow students directly into their email after logging onto the system.

This was only occasionally the case.

“Over 50% of students weren’t automatically logged onto their email accounts this year,” Harrison said.

Amber Cowles Staff Writer

Counting 1 2

Harrison noted that it was important to have only one student log-in that would allow a student to access everything, including their emails.

“It wouldn’t work because even when we set up the log-ins, these kids aren’t going to remember all these passwords, and they will come to me or the librarian everyday asking for their information and with thousands of kids well it wouldn’t work,” Harrison said.

There are the problems, so then what is the solution? Microsoft 365, according to Harrison. That’s the new email system that should theoretically allow students to log in only once to the computer and access their emails.

“Microsoft 365 is supposed to be very similar to Gmail,” Harrison said. “I hope Microsoft 365 won’t have any bugs.”

with math chair Ms. Stephanie Nicewarner

favorite movie

50 First Dates

people who have inspired you 1. My mother, who is a breast cancer survivor. And although she is retired, she plays in a swing band.

2. My high school calculus teacher who taught me to always challenge myself.

3

things you love in class 1. I love when a student has that “Aha” moment.

2. I love when my students can explain concepts to another.

3. I absolutely love when my students stay in touch with me and let me know about their achievements even after they’ve left my class.

4

things you haven’t done yet but want to 1.

2.

3.

4.

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Travel to Germany Learn to golf Have a whole summer off Learn how to ride a motorcycle

years ago, I was...

...teaching at DHS, but I was in Room 227.

German teacher now does Spanish, too When students looked at their schedules and saw that Mrs. Sandra Dieckman was their Spanish I teacher, they scratched their heads thinking it was an error.

Mrs. Dieckman, better known as Frau Dieckman to most of her students, is one of the six Spanish I teachers this year.

“I taught Spanish I for 10 years before I switched to German,” Dieckman said.

“I went to college at New Mexico State University for German, although as for Spanish, I learned it on the job in Juarez, Mexico.”

When asked which subject she preferred, it took her less than a second to answer.

“I won’t answer that,” Dieckman said. “I love languages, period. I have been teaching German ever since I was 18 years old. I’ve taught at both Denton High and Ryan High for 3 years, and in Granbury, Houston, and Omaha, Nebraska.”

Her teaching philosophy is not like other teachers. She has a different take on how students will learn.

“My students will not become fluent in the language in just four years,” Dieckman said. “My goal for all of my students is to open their eyes to the fact that they’re not alone on this world and that their way of thinking is not the only way.

There are other people out there just like them. This is my motto of the class.”

The hardest part for Dieckman is the transition from German to Spanish every day, as she frequently says that her brain is still in German mode.

“Currently, it’s a little rocky,” Dieckman said. “I find myself praising my students with ‘sehr gut’ instead of ‘muy bien.’ I hope that my Spanish I students learn to love the language, and have fun with it!”

Ryan Carr Online Editor

Daring to be different When most students are in high school and are ready to get their first jobs, they end up working either at a grocery store or a fast food joint.

That was something sophomore Derek Premenko didn’t want to do. So he took it upon himself to use his talent to find a way to make money in hopes of avoiding the everyday dreaded teenage job.

What did he do? He used his artistic creativity to start designing t-shirts.

Premenko began this process just over a month ago and as of now, has drawn so many that he can barely remember how many he has done.

This isn’t something Premenko wants to do for a career; he doesn’t want to be the next Daymond John. But he might just continue for a few more years to help him get through college.

“It’s a job I enjoy, and it brings in a little money right now,” Premenko said. “People are able to go online and order any of my designs and for each one they buy, I receive a commission.”

Dimitrios Aerts Staff Writer

At this point, his commission isn’t much, as he gets just $5 per shirt he sells on Skreened. But he is glad his brother encouraged him to start designing. “[He] was looking on the website and told me to go design my own, and so I did,” Premenko said. “It ended up being something fun and I enjoyed it, so I did one and then another and so on.”

His inspiration for drawing does not come from any one thing or any one person; he pulls it from somewhere else.

“It’s another form of expression,” Premenko said. “People can do it through music but… it’s something no one can tell you how to do.”

Derek has chosen his expression through art.

“When you draw something, you don’t know where to start, so you start with something random and go from there. I try not to blend in with everyone else.”

Derek has over 20 designs and each is different. His favorite design among his own is titled “Dare to be different.”

“It’s just like something fun to do,” Premenko said.

FEATURE

5

SEPTEMBER 2012

Retaining your retainer Coming to America One of the costliest things in a child’s life can be a trip to the orthodontist. It’s not always the initial braces that are the most expensive; sometimes it’s the child’s inability to keep up with things that prove to be the most expensive in the long run.

Patients must brace themselves for the truth. Even after they have been freed of their wires, brackets, and rubber bands, they are still responsible for that menacing corrective device: the retainer.

Retainers can cost anywhere from $200500 minimum to replace and end up at $1,000, on the high end.

The peskiest thing about them is that a person must take it out if they are to eat. Many people “misplace” their retainer during these chow times.

“Oh, man!” was what was going through sophomore Floribel Nunez’s mind when she realized her retainer wasn’t where it was supposed to be.

“I hoped I didn’t lose it,” Nunez said.

“But it turns out I lost it at a barbeque. I was eating and I put it in a napkin. I had to rip bags open and dig it out of the trash.”

Nunez’s dumpster dive isn’t as uncommon as you might think.

“I was at a restaurant and it was in a napkin and I threw it away,” sophomore

Amber Cowles Staff Writer

Jordan Gill said. “Another negative retainer experience I had was in the cafeteria. I left my retainer on a tray, threw my tray away, and then had to retrieve my retainer from the trashcan. I kept thinking, ‘I am not going to get another nastytasting mold of my teeth taken!’”

Not all motives for doing something as bold as digging through discarded items a r e alike. The common reasons we found people did things like this were that “retainers cost so much” and “my mom would be very angry if I lost it.”

However, according to Dr. Dean Brandon, from Cyberdentist.com, money is not the only thing these kids need to worry about.

“Teeth without a retainer can move,” Brandon said. “It takes time. A few weeks aren’t critical. But the first six months after braces are removed are the most important. That is, that’s when teeth are the most likely to move.”

To those who are new to the crazy world of retainers, it might not get better. Senior Aide Espinoza, who has now owned her retainer for years, misplaced hers one day, as well. Luckily this did, in fact, end well for Espinoza.

“I was so embarrassed when I lost my retainer at my friend’s house,” Espinoza said. “But I was so relieved when I found it!”

She once had a lifestyle of jewels and royalty, until she moved to America and became normal.

Adinawa Adjagbodjou’s uncle is the King, and her father is second in line to the throne. One day, she and her family will return to Africa and live there as royals.

“I moved to America when I was seven years old,” Adinawa said.

Adinawa and her family moved here so she could go to school in America and her father could get a doctorate. Now, here in the United States, she can proudly say she is a straight ‘A’ student and hopes to be a valedictorian.

“Education is very important to me,” she said.

While she’s royalty in Africa, she’s just another normal student here at DHS. Adinawa likes to play the piano, do art, and is learning to play the violin.

“I’m not musically gifted by any stretch of the imagination, but its fun to have some way to relax and get away from school work,” she said.

She’s in all advanced courses; things like Algebra 2 come naturally to her. She even plans on going to Harvard and majoring in finance, medicine and law. She won’t stay in America forever, though. One day she will return to the land of her birth, Africa. And although she most likely will never rule as Benin’s queen, she will always be their princess.

“I hope to have this great impact on the world,” Adinawa says. “I like to think about the world: why things are the way they are. I hope to be one of those people that everyone will remember one hundred years from now. I want to make an impact. I want to be remembered.”

Jackie Wostrel Staff Writer

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FEATURE SEPTEMBER 2012

Traffic causes headaches for both students, parents It’s 8:30am, on August 27, 2012, the beginning of what is to be a different year for Denton High School.

The temperature is slightly over 80 degrees and as parents pull up to the yellow-stricken curb to drop their kids off for school, they’re met by a bundle of assistant principals telling them to keep on moving to the next available spot. This was the welcome students and parents alike got on the first day of school.

A change has been implemented this year; four buses have been picked out to drop off kids’ right smack in front of the school, and that’s not the only change being embraced. DHS and the Denton Police Department have made a collective effort to ticket jaywalkers before and after school; even going so far as to have cops enforcing on bicycles. However, the traffic and congestion on Fulton is all a part of a bigger problem that lies within the parking situation.

With over 2,000 students enrolled at DHS this year, not everything is going to go as smoothly as people want transportation-wise.

“We gave the students two lots this year, the purple lot, the lot on Linden Street, and we even gave some of the black lot to students,” assistant principal Howard Palmer said. “We can’t allow students to park in the gold lot, it’s solely reserved for teachers and visitors.”

Whenever new rules are implemented, there is almost always some form of backlash, whether it is a couple of students, or in this case, most of the school.

“I honestly think it’s stupid that kids should have to park all the way in the purple lot out near the tennis fields,” se-

Taylor Brown Staff Writer

nior Serena Stout said. “They’ve given the worst possible parking to the students, and a lot of kids have chosen to park on Fulton and other side streets, making it a lot more difficult to navigate through traffic.”

“It’s just all a mess,” she said.

However, not all students are feeling the pain of having to park 426 steps by the tennis courts, some students were lucky enough to get black lot passes instead of the purple lot passes.

“For me, the parking is great because I get to park in the black lot, which is a lot closer to the school than the purple lot,” senior Aleah Habta said. “I would be mad if I had to park in the purple lot though, I feel like the parking favors the teachers too much, and it was just poorly planned altogether.”

On the other hand, some teachers feel that the parking situation has never been better. One of those being English teacher Mrs. Julie Love. Love talked about the fact that teachers always come and go throughout the day, and if a student happened to take her spot while she was out, she would be pretty upset.

“I would be hopping mad to find someone in my spot, especially if it were a student!” Love said. “Sometimes things come up and teachers have to leave during the day, and I just see it being chaos if we allowed student-teacher parking. Honestly, the parking should favor the teachers more, we have tests, projects, and all kinds of things we have to haul home to grade, and I’m just not sure it’d be fair to us if we had to carry all of our stuff to the tennis courts. I’m not saying that students don’t have their own stuff to carry, but y’all are younger, and I think y’all can handle it better than we would!”

Rows of cars in the purple lot. (photo by Austin Pugh)

Also if you haven’t been convinced to purchase a parking pass by now, you missed the opportunity to, according to the bookkeeper Mrs. Diana Simpson. As of the release of this issue, they have sold

off in front of the school. But this whole situation has caused countless issues for parents, students, and just the general traffic flow. It has angered many parents like Gloria Herron, who has two daughters

A student crosses a congested Fulton after school last week. (photo by Austin Pugh)

out of all of the parking passes, and everyone who didn’t buy one, has to park on Fulton whether they want to or not.

“The fact of the matter is that we’ve sold out and there’s nothing else we can do about it but to tell students that they have to park on Fulton,” Simpson said.

“We under-anticipated the amount of students that wanted a parking pass, and we ended up selling them all!”

You could take the bus to school as an alternative; you may even get lucky enough to be assigned the bus that drops

The new bus lane on Fulton. (photo by Austin Pugh)

enrolled at DHS. “Frankly, the whole situation is stupid and unorganized,” Herron said. “The buses have caused traffic to back up some mornings, making it much more congested than it has to be. Not to mention that after school, when the kids use the crosswalk to get to their cars, the buses are blocking the view of kids. They’re walking out onto the cross-walk creating an unsafe atmosphere for the kids and the drivers.

I’ve honestly seen a couple of kids almost get hit!”

Traffic in front of the school.

FEATURE 7 Two heads are better than one

SEPTEMBER 2012

Last fall, when elections for senior class president rolled around, both Kendall Wagner and Kylie Richter had goals to take the class to the next level. What transpired from there no one saw coming.

They were both called into new Principal Dan Ford’s office and told there was a tie and that he would like them to be co-presidents. As a result, two heads have become better than one. The two presidents have been working together to improve the home of the Broncos.

“I thought they were joking, I mean what are the chances of a dead tie?,” Kendall said. “Mr. Ford was excited and truly believed Kylie and I could do more together than separately. To be honest, at first, I was a little worried. But now I know it worked out perfectly.”

Both girls were nervous at first about how it was going to work out. Kendall and Kylie both knew it really didn’t matter in the end, because they both felt they were passionate in trying to make Denton High a better place.

“At first, I was a little sketched out at how well having two people in charge was going to work out,” Kylie said. “I feel that God was putting me to the test. It’s making our leadership skills stronger, and it’s helping us learn how to deal with others and how to handle situations if we don’t agree. God is looking out for us so that we don’t get too stressed.”

They both had similar ideas in ways to improve some things in the class of 2013 as well as in the school. With the two of them it made it easier, as they aren’t as overwhelmed with all the responsibilities one person has to do.

“Senior year is already stressful enough, and then to add on top of it the responsibilities of a president tends to be overwhelming,” Kylie said. “We both are extremely busy, so if one of us is not able to attend a meeting the other can. So there is always representation by a president.”

Kendall ran for president because she felt like she could be a positive leader for the seniors, and change the way students looked at Denton High.

“I want the students to be as passionate as I am and have more pride for Denton High School,” Kendall said. “Also, I want to make this year worth all the hard work.”

Floribel Nuñez Staff Writer

Kylie wanted to run for president the first time because she felt that nothing was getting done for her class and wanted to change that her junior year. She decided to run again to get more accomplished for her senior year.

“I became president to change all that with the help of our amazing sponsor Mr. Colonel West,” Kylie said. “I want to help make a difference. I love DHS and want everyone here to love it too. We are here for four years of our life, and spend most of our time at the school, so why not make it a place you feel proud to be in? I take full pride to say I’m a Bronco, and I want more effort to be put into the class.”

They put their differences aside to balance each other and try to make the class more productive. Kendall loves that she has Kylie as president as she says it has worked out quite well, “Kylie and I have been friends for a while, but we have had our own issues,” Kendall said. “It took a little bit of growing up by both of us to have the relationship we do now. There is hardly any conflict between us anymore and we can just talk like normal girlfriends.”

One luxury the two have enjoyed is being able to bounce ideas off each other and trying to figure out what’s best for the class and not themselves. If at first they don’t agree on something they can usually find a conclusion that’s best for everyone.

“I really depend on Kylie and I appreciate her dedication and all she puts into our class.” Kendall said. “Kylie is a better communicator then I am. She really does a good job of taking on that role, so that I can do tasks more fitting to my skill set.”

This year, we are welcoming numerous foreign exchange students at DHS. (Profiles by Jordan Gill)

Michelle Chen Traveling the world is only a dream for most people, but for exchange student Michelle Chen, it has become a reality.

Coming from Guangzhou, China, Michelle has travelled to over ten different countries and she has fallen in love with each one.

She decided to come to America to become an exchange student because of her love for travel, and she is enjoying her time at DHS as an 11th grader.

“The school here is completely different from schools back in China,” Michelle said.

“They are a lot less strict here and I have less homework to do.”

Despite having fun here and making new friends, there are things that she misses about her home.

“I miss my family, it’s really different here,” Michelle said. “I want to speak Chinese but

nobody knows it!”

Although she is missing her relatives back in China, which includes 22 cousins, Michelle is enjoying living with her new family here in Texas.

“I love the family that I am staying with.”

Michelle said. “They are very sweet and kind to me.”

Living here in the states gives Michelle a new opportunity to do what she loves.

“I love taking photos and traveling to the United States gives me the chance to take photos I wouldn’t have a chance to.” Michelle said.

She spends her time in China taking Commercial Photography classes, shopping, and singing.

“Fashion is important to me, my favorite store is Moore.” Michelle said.

Anni Hyttinen She used to draw pictures of herself one day traveling here. It’s safe to say coming to the United States was something Anni Hyttinen always dreamed of.

Now that dream has come true as she has joined the DHS family for her junior year. She is a 16-year-old girl that has just arrived three weeks ago from her home town in South Finland.

“I wanted to see something different, learn to speak English, and meet new people,” Anni said.

Anni says that there are many differences between Texas and Finland, one being that the schools back in Finland are more easygoing. Her favorite things here are the weather and people.

“My least favorite things are that we don’t get free school lunch, because we do in Finland,” Anni said. “The weather, food, and language are different as well.”

Although Anni is enjoying her time in US, she misses her family back home. She has a brother and sister, and her mother is a teacher at an elementary school, while her father is an engineer.

“I don’t really miss a certain thing about them, I just miss being with them,” Anni said.

Even though she misses her family back home, she has adapted to her new lifestyle with the American family she is staying with.

“I like them a lot and they remind me of my family in Finland,” Anni said. “I’m really enjoying living with them.”

Anni is enjoying her time as an exchange student and she is learning to love the United States.

“I would be an exhange student again in the future,” Anni said.

8

FEATURE SEPTEMBER 2012

Mormon students open up Students show support As the Presidential Election nears, Governor Mitt Romney has never been known by more people. He was thrust onto the national stage, but he didn’t come alone. Mormonism, the faith Romney practices, is also now a household word and a religion many people are learning about for the first time.

And the Mormons of DHS are glad to teach the world about themselves.

“We are Christian and are servants of the Lord leading a normal life just like anyone else,” senior Josh Harden said. “And no, polygamy is not a part of our religion.”

Harden is proud of his faith, and he says he’s extremely happy to be a Mormon.

“I hold myself to a high standard and others hold me to that standard, too,” he said. “I believe being Mormon and following the principles of Christianity will lead me down a path of happiness and prosperity.”

Senior Alee Martino, also a member of the Mormon Church, echoes that sentiment.

“We act the same way Christians do,” Martino said.

“It’s absolutely amazing [to be a Mormon]. Your light shines really bright.”

Martino thinks Governor Romney would make a

George Roberson Editor-in-Chief

The more the merrier

good president, in part because of his faith.

“The standards that [Gov. Romney] knows are going to make our nation a lot more unified,” she said.

Sophomore Gabe Wawro says he’d vote for him if he were able to.

“I know the morals he lives by are a lot of my own,” Wawro said.

During the Republican primary campaign, a prominent Southern Baptist pastor, Robert Jeffress, denounced Mormonism as a cult and claimed Mitt Romney was therefore not a Christian. But junior Anna Passey disagrees.

“I don’t understand why people don’t think we’re Christian,” Passey said. “The official name of our church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I believe that Jesus Christ is my savior and that he atoned for my sins. I believe the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ that was translated

by Joseph Smith, [who] was a prophet of God.” According to the report the church released in 2010, about 14 million people worldwide believe the same thing.

“Most kids make jokes or make fun when they find out I’m Mormon,” Harden said. “But when people take the time to understand us, they find that we are just like them.”

DHS’ big families talk about their big lives

Rainbows, protest signs, and even the protesters themselves go sailing through the air at the Gay Pride Parade. The LGBT community and many straight supporters gathered in downtown Dallas for a day of floats and fun on Sept. 16.

Some DHS students, including Auria East, Emma Pattison, and Sawyer Neilson, attended the parade.

“My favorite float was the one for the straight people that support [LGBTs],” Auria said. “It showed that even though they weren’t gay, they still support gay rights.”

Even Christians participated in show of their support.

“They walked by wearing colorful balloons in support,” Sawyer said. “I’d never been before, but I was really touched by the amount of people there.”

Sawyer wasn’t the only one touched by this act; Emma went to show her support even though she is straight.

“The best part about Pride is there’s no judgment,” Emma said. “It’s not right to hate gay or lesbians because they’re different.”

Sawyer agrees.

“No matter how much you love your family,” Sawyer said. “There is a point where you have to come first, and even if your parents disagree, you still have yourself and the community.”

Dimitrios Aerts Staff Writer

Having seven siblings might seem like a lot, but Molly Burke is used to it. Kelley (35) was born first, followed by Tara (33), Shannon (30), Ryan (27), Patrick (20), Chris (19), senior Tim (17), then sophomore Molly (16). “We Skype when we talk to the ones in college,” Molly said. (courtesy photo)

When you have five brothers and sisters, life can be five times more fun. That’s the case with Maddie McLaughlin, whose only gripe was the fact that transportation is hard. “There’s never a dull moment,” McLaughlin said. “Once, we went to the Square and went for a scavenger hunt through the stores.” (courtesy photo)

The Bowens might not have 10 family members, but they don’t need more than six siblings to have a good time. Two of sophomore Leah Bowen’s brothers moved away in recent years. “We play this game after dinner where we try not to smile,” Bowen said. “Yeah, I lose all the time.” (courtesy photo)

ENTERTAINMENT

9

SEPTEMBER 2012

NBC’s new comedies largely disappoint TV shows come and go, and this year, NBC is losing quite a few of them.

Shows like “The Office” and “30 Rock” will be entering their final seasons to make room for new shows and sitcoms. The new shows are interesting nonethe-less, but one has to be skeptical when reviewing pilot episodes, since they are test episodes, after all. Without further ado, here is NBC’s new comedy lineup:

Dylan Curtis Entertainment Editor

“Go On” (Tuesday 8:00 pm Central) Matthew Perry has been on his fair share of failed TV shows ever since the ending of “Friends,” but he might actually make a comeback with the new series “Go On.” The premise is pretty dang good, too. Ryan King, a successful sports radio host suffering from the recent loss of his wife is forced to go to a support group by his boss. There, he meets and befriends a cast of quirky individuals.

“Go On” has everything that makes a good comedy great: clever writers, good actors, and subtle humor. Overall, I think “Go On” could just be NBC’s next breakout show.

“The New Normal” (Tuesday 8:30 pm Central) At first glance, “The New Normal” looks like an NBC rip off of “Modern Family.” To be honest, it pretty much is. Lately, TV networks have been banking off of the increased popularity of these new ‘alternative families’ and, because of this, lots of shows similar to “Modern Family” have popped up.

While it doesn’t seem incredibly original, “The New Normal” does have a somewhat decent story to it. The series revolves around a gay couple and their surrogate mother, along with her grandmother and daughter. Honestly, I can’t see this show making it past a second season. The actors are pretty good, but the plot could have been better. If “The New Normal” wants to survive on NBC it’s going to seriously need to step it up on the writing. None the less I will be following the show to see where it goes from here.

“Animal Practice” (Wednesday 7:00 pm Central) Justin Kirk is hilarious on the recently ended “Weeds” as an inappropriate, but ultimately caring uncle. That character works on Showtime, a pay-cable network that can have its characters say or do whatever. But the character Kirk is playing on “Animal Practice” can’t and won’t be like that... because, of course, it’s NBC. Instead, the show has him be this ultra-confident yet anti-social veterinarian who seems somewhat neutered.

The show doesn’t have any cheap laughs because it doesn’t have any laughs.

It has some potential, but only because we know the people involved (Kirk, costar Tyler Labine, and the Russo Brothers) are talented. For now, it’s just a show to keep an eye on. Maybe it’ll end up being more.

“Guys with Kids” (Wednesday 7:30 pm Central) If you were seriously expecting this show to be good, you’re going to be disappointed... severely. The entire show stresses the already tired ‘guys are terrible with kids’ stereotype, and pretty much beats the life out of it even further. Being produced by Jimmy Fallon, you would think it’d be pretty funny. Unfortunately, the jokes are bland and low-brow. The story is pretty much non-existent, and the writing is awful. The actors, on the other hand, are actually pretty funny; unfortunately their writers haven’t written anything funny for them to say. I believe without a doubt “Guys with Kids” will be gone by next year, and in will come another batch of pilots.

Overall, NBC’s new comedy lineup is looking pretty weak, besides “Go On.” Hopefully, we’ll be seeing better shows popping up soon.

Because we teased it on the cover of the First Day Issue, then didn’t deliver it...

The Best Least Talked About Movies of the Summer 3. Safety Not Guaranteed 2. The Queen of Versailles 1. Moonrise Kingdom

‘Tis the season to be Scrooge Joi Bailey Staff Writer

As seen on Broadway, the Big Screen, and even the Muppets, the beloved holiday classic “A Christmas Carol” will be presented by the Denton High School Fine Arts on Dec. 6-8, 13-15, and 21-22 with two matinee performances on the 8th and 22nd in the DHS auditorium.

You might be thinking December is a long way away, but when putting on an extravagant performance such as this, the ten weeks of rehearsal time is crucial. The process of putting on this show is much more complex than it looks. The directors have already had three meetings over the summer just to decide what musical to choose.

Mr. Stratton (Theatre Arts Director), Mr. Baker (Choir Director), Mrs. Freeman (Vocalist and Pianist) all wanted to choose a musical to showcase the talent of their students and DHS. “I love blending the theatre students with the choir students and watching it all come to life,” Freeman said.

Denton High School has never put on a Christmas musical, so they thought it was a perfect opportunity. Not to mention Mr. Baker’s love for Scrooge.

“I’ve seen the musical and all the movies,” Baker said. “I even saw it on Broadway. I just love it.”

After casting, the directors and students begin the long process of building the show.

“The rehearsal process is where all the creativity and hard work takes place,” Stratton said.

The actors begin with three weeks of strictly learning the music then, piece by piece, adding different elements to their masterpiece. It is not only rewarding for the directors but also for the actors. Each day, they feel themselves growing as an ensemble.

“It’s like baking a cake and eating it too,” Stratton says.

Musical chair game show isn’t bad A few months ago, I heard The CW was developing a reality show based on musical chairs. I immediately made ridiculed the idea on Facebook.

But I’m sorry, people of the world. I didn’t realize how fun such a show could be.

“Oh Sit!” (yes, that’s what it’s called) is a musical version of “Wipeout,” but with conquerable courses, interesting competition, and more kindness toward its occasionally strange contestants.

The idea is simple: a band plays a hit song for a minute or so while the contestants run around the small arena, gaining money based on speed (or something confusing like that). Then, once the music stops, they’re allowed to tackle the obstacles leading to an island of chairs.

Of course, there is one less chair than contestants in each round.

Not everything about “Oh Sit!” makes sense. (Green money lines?

Where is there logic in that?) And the “celebrities” up in the “skybox” can be rather annoying. But the show is light, and often makes fun of itself.

It’s actually a quirky, fun reality competition show.

George Roberson Editor-in-Chief

10

ENTERTAINMENT SEPTEMBER 2012

Actor vs. Character: Holes

iPhone 5 goes live, needs improvement

Eric Molina “Zero” Alike: “I’m a bad speller, too.”

Different: “I’m more talkative than my character.”

Jason Jezek “Stanley” Alike: “We’re both teenagers.”

Different: “He has terrible luck.”

Darby Birdwell “Warden” Alike: “We both like to be sassy.”

Different: “I’m neither violent nor rude.”

William Tarte “Mr. Sir” Alike: “We’re both strong headed, kinda crazy, and we have great taste in clothes.”

Different: “I don’t have a West Texas accent.”

Students Jason Jezek, Jordan Gill, and William Tarte rehearsing the Holes musical over the summer, which opens tomorrow. (photos by Cynthia Pantaleon)

Last week, at Apple’s press event, the highly anticipated news that the iPhone 5 would be coming out was announced. Apple CEO Tim Cook greeted the crowd by wishing everyone a good morning.

“We’ve got some really cool things to show you,” Cook said.

The new iDevice looks to be offering some new features, but one should always be skeptical when developers promise “cool things.”

The iPhone 5 will have a brand new, much-needed 4-inch screen, and will be able to add a fifth row of apps with the added screen space.

While that might sound great, other smartphone companies (Samsung, HTC) have had these sized screens for a while now.

The iPhone 5 will also be packing an upgraded A6 processor, making the new phone twice as fast as the A5 processor found in the iPhone 4S. The new chip is 22 percent smaller than the A5, and consumes far less power than its 4S counterpart. This is a huge breakthrough for Apple, but so far, the new processor has lost to the Samsung Galaxy S3 in nearly every benchmark.

When it comes to size, the new iPhone has slimmed down slightly.

The phone will be 4.9mm thinner than its predecessor. It’s not a big change, but it’s something iPhone users carrying bricks in their pockets have wanted for quite some time The camera is still the same 8 megapixel camera from the previous iPhone, but has been upgraded to take pictures 40% faster and improve low light performance. Honestly, it’s your average upper-tier smartphone camera.

Finally, the biggest change to the new iPhone is its charger. The charging connector has been updated to a new “Lightning” 8-pin connector. It’s 80% smaller than the traditional iDevice connector, and more durable. The new connector is receiving plenty of backlash from Apple users, because of the need for an adaptor to be compatible with the traditional 30-pin connector, which makes the older cables useless.

Overall, the changes and innovations seem a bit underwhelming.

Apple seems to be playing catch-up in the smartphone industry, and really needs to step its game up if it wants to keep its control over the smartphone market.

Dylan Curtis Entertainment Editor

We had two of our entertainment writers sit down and watch TLC’s ratings hit “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.” One of them liked it, one of them hated it. Enjoy their thoughts.

This show is a prime example of why I dislike modern TV. TLC’s “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” is exactly the same garbage that TLC has been pumping out the past couple of years.

The show is a spin-off of “Toddlers and Tiaras” (already a bad sign), and follows the lives of Alana Thompson and her family living in rural McIntyre, Georgia.

To be honest, I don’t have a problem with the family in the show; they’re pretty normal. I have a problem with TLC, and how they exploit families for money. Alana’s family’s life is broadcasted for all of us to see and ridicule.

This goes for pretty much every overedited show on TLC, and it really makes me kind of sick. They obviously agreed to do it, so they probably don’t really care, but I still don’t understand why anybody could find a normal Georgia family this entertaining.

But, then again, this is the generation where you can become famous for getting pregnant at 16. I’m worried for the future.

Dylan Curtis Entertainment Editor

For those of you who don’t know, “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” is a reality spin-off show from the TLC series “Toddlers and Tiaras.”

Although TLC was created to be an educational channel, this show is purely for entertainment. Good, wholesome entertainment.

Alana (aka Honey Boo Boo) was a contestant on “Toddlers and Tiaras.” This little girl was so charismatic that TLC decided to give her and her family their own show.

That’s probably the best decision TLC has ever made.

This pageant family is anything but normal. There’s ‘Suga Bear,’ the Dad; ‘Mamma,’ the Mom; and sisters Lauryn ‘Pumpkin,’ Jessica ‘Chubbs,’ and pregnant Anna ‘Chickadee.’ If you looked up ‘red-neck’ in the dictionary, a picture of this family would be the definition.

The best part about this show is that they are who they are and couldn’t care less about what anyone else thinks about them, which is beautiful. They don’t give in to society’s expectation of what a “normal” pageant family should be.

Joi Bailey Staff Writer

SPORTS

11

SEPTEMBER 2012

Making a move, making a difference The only team that made the playoffs last year was volleyball, and after a district opening loss to Wichita Falls Rider, the team has bounced back to win four of their last five district 6-4A matches.

They currently sit in second place in the district with a game on slate for tomorrow at Lake Dallas.

Silva credits the recent success to more effort in practice, but still wants more consistency from her players.

“We started practicing better since that Rider game,” Silva said. “We just have to continue to be more consistent as the season continues.”

There have been several bright spots on the team this year as the season winds down.

“Gennifer Holberg has really come out of her shell and led the team in kills most games,” Silva said. “Jade Akins has also been a bright spot.”

Besides being competitive on the court, Silva also likes to see her team giving back outside of the gym. As part of that effort, the team will be competing in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on September 29th.

“There are so many people who have given to us and donated to us, that I want my athletes to learn that you also have to give back,” Silva said. “My aunt passed away from breast cancer and my grandmother is in remission. It’s something that has touched my heart and the life of some of my athletes.”

In addition to the race, the team will be having a Pink Out night on October 9th, when they host Byron Nelson. The team will also be selling raffle tickets and doing ‘quarters for kills’ at the games.

“We are going to honor all of those who lost their battles with breast cancer and those who survived at the game that night,” Silva said.

Chandler Elsbecker Sports Editor

Big job, countless hours, little reward The trainers are at the school before the sun rises and the players start arriving. They meet with certified athletic trainers Renatta Delello and Ian Scott to plan the day’s activities.

After a short meeting, dozens of water bottles are filled individually for the day’s practice. Athletes stroll in with injuries and walk out knowing they’ll be getting better and ready to be back on the field. All of this is made possible by the athletic trainers.

The year has only just begun, but the trainers are already learning how to handle injuries on and off the field. Because of the nature of the job, know-how is a must when it comes to athletic training.

“You have to learn how to tape ankles, wrists, and arches,” sophomore trainer Maggie-Mae Ellison said.

Athletic trainers aren’t just your average field-side medics; they also attend practices for all sports and readily wait on the sideline for a potential injury.

“The average day in class as an athletic trainer includes setting up for practices, filling water bottles, coolers, etc, and helping anybody who comes in before practice to get wrapped or stretched,” Ellison said.

“Then we go out to practice.”

At times, the work may seem difficult, but the trainers are taught to do their jobs by Renatta Delello and Ian Scott.

“They are some of the hardest working people on campus and don’t get nearly enough recognition,” Delello said.

Some of those who take the Refilling water bottles, junior Marshia Paulton serves the athletes with class have a desire to go into little recognition. (photo by Alex Meimers) the medical field to pursue a career.

“I want to be a physical therapist,” senior Alex Dane said. “Being a trainer will help me a little while in high school.”

While some want to go into a profession with it, others simply took it as a class for fun.

“We decided to be athletic trainers because it’s fun and educating,” Brittany Barton said.

Whether it is for fun or for a profession, the athletic trainers are working hard to help make the athletic program stronger and better, just like its athletes.

“They focus on you, and help you recover faster,” soccer player Zach Alspach said.

Dylan Curtis Entertainment Editor

Cheer team hoping to generate more spirit The stands are rich with purple and gold.

It’s all part of a new tradition forming at Bronco football games to support the Staff Writer team. The cheerleaders get the crowd involved by showing them some chants and cheers to motivate the players.

The cheerleaders got the idea from R.L. Turner game in Carrollton.

“I want the students to get involved with the chants and the cheering,” captain of the cheerleading squad Ann Patterson said. “I want more students to have pride in our school.”

This last Friday, a good portion of the student body showed up to the game as the student section made its debut.

“I was pleased with the turn out for this for our first time,” Mrs. Courtney Swindle said. “We learned some things and want to make some adjustments before the next game such as moving the student section by the fillies and the band.”

Floribel Nuñez

12

SPORTS SEPTEMBER 2012

Coach given opportunity Broncos begin district games to make a difference T h r e e games into the season, the football team has surpassed last year’s win total and has its sights set on continuing to improve as the District 5-4A race heats up this week.

The varsity squad has posted victories over Carrollton R.L. Turner and Fort Worth Western Hills after dropping their season opener.

Now the real test begins, as the team competes in arguably one of the hardest 4A districts in the state. That slate begins Friday, as the team hits the road to take on Lake Dallas.The Falcons, who also had a bye week last week, enter the

Chandler Elsbecker Sports Editor

Chandler Elsbecker Sports Editor

L y n d o n LaPlante had always had a dream of play-

ing football.

The 25-year-old knew that wasn’t probably ever going to happen after he was born with Down syndrome.

LaPlante, who grew up in Keller, was told by doctors that he would never play contact sports during his lifetime.

that opportunity.”

Lyndon is determined to do anything he sets his mind to and doesn’t care if he has Down syndrome or people think his different. Neither does Atkinson, who offered Lyndon a chance to come to DHS as an assistant quarterbacks coach.

“He’s always had a great attitude,” Atkinson said. “His disposition and work ethic were really good. He had a lot of courage. A lot of kids might be scared to

game at 2-1 as well.

According to head coach Kevin Atkinson, the Broncos aren’t looking too far down the road.

“We’re taking it one game at a time,” Atkinson said. “It’s like a stepping stone: take one step at a time.”

In order to be successful on Friday, the defense will have to contain quarterback Marshall Dominy. Dominy has been a dual-threat for the Falcons, racking up 673 yards and 6 touchdowns.

“I think our boys will do just fine Friday night,” defensive coordinator Matt Lawrence said. “They have been working real hard on taking away their running back, letting their quarterback carry the ball.”

Who knows her best?

Volleyball player Kendell Wagner is attempting to lead her team to a district title, but she took a few minutes from her practice schedule to play our game.

Talking here to Deavonte Doucet, Coach Landon LaPlante has been through a lot. (photo by Austin Pugh) Coach Kevin Atkinson, who was head coach at Keller when LaPlante attended the school, encouraged him to be a manager for the football team, so he could still be a part of something he loved. But Atkinson arranged to get Lyndon into the game on a Friday during Lyndon’s senior year.

He would get to carry the ball for one play.

The Indians started at their own one yard line and Lyndon took the handoff and raced 99 yards for the touchdown.

It was the only play he got into the game for, but it’s something that not only he, but Atkinson will remember for the rest of their lives.

“That is the best memory I have in 25 years of my life,” Lyndon said. “It was amazing, just a dream come true and I still can’t thank Coach enough for giving me

do those things. But he came in every day with a positive attitude. He’s a testament of how we should all live our lives.”

Lyndon first became interested in the game because of family ties.

“Football is like my ‘thing’ that I want to do,” Lyndon said. “I’m just grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given.”

Lyndon saves most of his appreciation for his faith, which he believes is what sent Atkinson to him, but Atkinson says he was just doing his job.

“I feel like my role as an educator is to provide an opportunity for people to become better,” Atkinson said. “Not just better football players, but be better people; be a better son, be a better friend, be a better brother. And one day, be a really great husband and an even better dad.”

Questions

Kendell Wagner

Barry Wagner, her father

Coach Silva, her coach

What’s your best position?

Outside Hitter

Outside, good all around

Outside

What motivates you?

Drive to succeed in everything I do

Desire to succeed hates to fail

Loves volleyball, strives to be successful in all she does

Who’s your favorite athlete?

Misty MayTreanor

Kat Bell

Misty MayTreanor

Who’s your favorite actor?

Gene Kelly

Reese Witherspoon

Ryan Reynolds

What’s your favorite song?

Some Nights (Fun.)

Don’t know any artists

Call Me Maybe

Results: Coach Silva wins 3-2 with an assist from Misty May-Treanor.