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April 2014
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pa volume 31 issue 4
Editors-In-Chief Megan Lucas McKenzi Morris
Copy Chief Victoria Erb
Managing Editor Laura Hallas
Assistant Editors Zane Dean Maggie Rians
Photo Editor Saher Aqeel
Sports Editor Collin Thompson
Opinions Editor Harrison Geosits
Online Editor
Rebecca Barney Asst. Callie Anderson
Business Manager Klayton Carpenter
Staffers
Ashley Acosta, Maleeha Ahsanullah, Erin Bird, Deatrik Bledsoe, Lucy Boys, Kaitlyn Brown, Madeline Chalkley, Naomi Fluckiger, Emily Haney, Fatima Huq, Morgan Kiser, Monica Martinez, Jackson Meeker, Katelyn Moody, Rachel Moretti, Danny Ortiz, Jacob Pena, Laura Pitts, Praneeka Muthu Raman, Madison Reynolds, Jordyn Ruiz, Audrey Stelmach, Nini Truong, Bailey Wood, Layal Zalkout
Adviser
Kelly Juntunen
Policy:
The Eagle Angle distributes 1000 copies of each issue on campus to faculty and students. Content may be viewed online at theeagleangle. com. Letters to the editor should be submitted to eagleanglestaff@ yahoo.com. Any errors found within the publication will be rescinded in the following issue. Businesses who wish to advertise should contact Kelly Juntunen, newspaper adviser, at 972727-0400 x 1610. The Eagle Angle reserves the right to deny publication of advertisements. Advertisements are not necessarily endorsed by the staff or administration. All editorials reflect the views of the authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of the staff, adviser or administration. The Eagle Angle is a member of Quill and Scroll, the Interscholastic League Press Conference and JEA/NSPA.
From the Editor
the one about change
Change seems to be the theme of this issue. There’s a lot going on at Allen High School - we’ve made national news for our fractured stadium (page 31) and statewide, graduation requirements are changing with the approval of House Bill 5 (page 10). Our sports teams are continuing to make history. Swim and dive and archery made it to state. Basketball made it past the opening round of playoffs for the first time in more than 30 years. No longer is football the only thing A-town is known for. We had two student films selected for the Dallas Film Festival (page 16). Eight students were named National Merit Finalists (page 8). Allen has transformed into a powerhouse. Here, we’re expected to succeed. Some may say the pressure is too much for teenagers and we shouldn’t have to deal with it. But those expectations help us more than they hurt us. They push us to do our best at whatever we do - whether it be athletics, academics or some type of visual art. That’s one thing that will never change about Allen. No matter how much things improve (or fall apart...), there will always be the expectation to excel. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Being around excellence makes you desire to be excellent yourself. And the ability to share stories of the great things your friends and classmates are capable of? Nothing is better than that. Sincerely,
Editors-in-Chief
Visit us online at theeagleangle.com for up-to-date news, bonus reviews and sports coverage.
April |Contents cover Stadium shutdown 22 Eagle for safety concerns
news 10
Texas passes House Bill 5
features Students land spot in
16 Dallas International Film Festival
sports
aims to extend 29 Baseball playoff success
review 30 Date night hotspots
commentary 39 Alone in the Friendzone Writer/producer of “Writer’s Block,” senior Colton Weinman takes part in a scene during his musical on March 13 at Ereckson Middle School. page 14 photo by Ashley Acosta
theeagleangle.com
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Finishing Photo Runners of all ages came together to run the sixth annual Allen Eagle Fun Run and 5K on March 8. Family members Alonso and Teresa Sabido congratulate each other at the finish line. Due to the closure of Eagle Stadium, this year’s route was altered to start and finish outside the stadium in the east parking lot. The proceeds from the Eagle Run benefit Allen teachers and students through program funding and scholarship awards. photo by Monica Martinez
News
eagle edge cuts food sales story by Zane Dean // assistant editor
S
chool administration has made the decision that the Eagle Edge will no longer sell food, such as snacks and candy. This decision was mainly due to the large amount of trash that was collecting in the PAC. “We have events in the PAC all the time,” CTE director Becky Hunt said. “It’s just quite embarrassing to walk out the front doors here or the PAC and see wrappers out on the floor. [The PAC] is beautiful, and you want it to be that way and not have those things.” Junior Amogh Krishnagiri said he visited the store two to three times a week to buy food, and he would usually go around lunchtime or if he was there after school. “I heard from my friend a couple weeks ago that they were going to stop selling food,” Krishnagiri said. “I was sort of surprised, so I went in, and they didn’t have any food, and that was the last time I stepped in.” The trash in the PAC was a result of students’ discarded food wrappers that were bought from the store. Junior Ryan Fairbanks said that he noticed the trash that littered the commons area of the PAC. “It’s good that they’re getting
rid of the trash, but I still want food,” Fairbanks said. Some students would go to the PAC for lunch instead of the cafeteria or would leave class to buy food. “There were some kids that were getting a pass to go to the restroom and then instead of going to the restroom, they’d come down there and buy snacks,” Hunt said. “That is
“I went in, and they didn’t have any food, and that was the last time I stepped in.” - Junior Amogh Krishnagiri putting [the school store] in the way when really that is not what we want the store to be.” Krishnagiri said that he could save money and eat less at school because of this change, but he was
disappointed by it. “I honestly think [this change] is for the worst because I know that the Eagle Edge made a lot of money that way and it was always nice to go and get some food,” Krishnagiri said. “I know I speak for a lot of the people in the student body when I say that the food at that store will be missed.” Hunt said that this change could also affect the students and make them eat healthier because they won’t be able to buy junk food from the school store. “Some of the things that [students] are eating in there are really not healthy foods, so there was that part of it, too,” Hunt said. “I would hope to see kids eating healthier things, but we can’t control what kids are going to eat.” Fairbanks said that he thinks that administration made the right decision because students can eat at home. “I think [it is for the] better because instead of having trash everywhere, you can go home and get your own food,” Fairbanks said. “When you go home and get your own food it’s actually healthier, so I think it’s a good bonus.”
Student thoughts “It’s stupid. We shouldn’t be blamed for other people leaving trash everywhere. Do your responsibility and pick up after yourself.” -sophomore Caleb Murray
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“I hate it, because I get really hungry after I go to work for an hour and since they don’t sell food, it stinks.” - junior Rachel Eisenwine
“It really makes me sad because I used to buy snacks there and it made my day when I’d walk into the store and I wouldn’t have to leave campus to buy a cinnamon roll or two.” -senior Anthony McGaffin
Around the World
News
This month’s top news stories Compiled by Erin Bird // staff writer
A mudslide took place in Arlington, Washington, on March 22. Sixteen bodies have been recovered, but authorities believe the death toll is closer to 24. They are searching the area for other bodies and survivors with cadaver dogs. An unofficial total of 176 people are still unaccounted for.
Nearly 100 activists camped outside the United Nations office in Caracas, Venezuela. Complaining that during the political standoff, international sources sided with Venezuela’s government by not stopping the infringement of the people’s rights.
theeagleangle.com
On March 10, NATO jets were given the go-ahead to take off and monitor the Ukrainian border. On March 10 Russian troops and militias seized a military hospital in Crimea, Ukraine. Moscow has denied taking part in the blockade. NATO said its surveillance flights will enhance their alliance’s awareness of the situation.
On March 7 a Malaysian passenger jet with 239 people on board disappeared over Southeast Asia. The pilots did not signal any problem, but the plane turned back toward Kuala Lumpur before it vanished. Parts of the plane were detected in the Indian Ocean via satellite and it was announced to the family members of those on the plane that all lives have been lost.
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James Clynes James Clynes plays violin in the Sinfonia Orchestra and also enjoys hanging out with friends at the park and playing soccer. To prepare for the PSAT, Clynes went over SAT review books, identifying  and working on his weaknesses.
Justin Kong Justin Kong is on the varsity swim team, president of Eagle Depot and a member of the Science Club. He enjoys spending time with his church youth group and playing ultimate Frisbee.
Betty Huang Betty Huang plays viola in Chamber Orchestra and is involved with dance outside of school. Huang said she loves to read and cook in her free time. She took an SAT prep class at the beginning of her sophomore year, which she said helped her score high on the PSAT.
Hunter Stevens Hunter Stevens is involved in Speech and Debate Club and volunteers at Teen Court. He also works at The Print Shop as a social media consultant. Stevens said he enjoys watching Netflix and hanging out with friends. To prepare for the PSAT, Stevens took 10 practice SATs and memorized around 1,000 vocabulary words.
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More than a score In February eight seniors were named National Merit Finalists. However, there is more to them than their national qualifying test scores. stories compiled by Rachel Moretti // staff writer photo illustration by Saher Aqeel
Angela Olinger Angela Olinger is a company dancer for the Allen Civic Ballet, where she spends 12 hours a week. She is also vice president of the Art Appreciation Club and is a member of National Art Honor Society, National Honor Society and Physics Club.
Ian McVittie Ian McVittie plays for a select baseball team and works at Lifetime Fitness almost full time. When not at school, work or practice, McVittie said he enjoys hanging out with friends. McVittie said that this achievement means a lot to him and got him a full tuition scholarship to college.
Brittany Hansen Brittany Hansen plays oboe in the Wind Ensemble band and enjoys going to church and singing in the youth choir. Hansen is a member of NHS and PALs. She also loves to read and knit in her free time. To prepare for the test she took the practice test in the PSAT booklet.
Matthew Dias Matthew Dias is in computer science and does programming for the College and Career Center and the journalism department. Dias said he encourages others to start practicing for the PSAT earlier in order to qualify for the National Merit Program.
theeagleangle.com
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News
Bill Twists graduation Plans Texas passes House Bill 5, alters requirements story by Layal Zalkout //staff writer
T
he class of 2018 will be the first class to graduate high school under a different system. Incoming freshmen will be introduced to House Bill 5, an education plan that will modify graduation requirements. The bill received final approval by the Texas Legislature on Jan. 31. “House Bill 5 will force our students to look further ahead in their lives besides just what they are doing in high school,” House 200 counselor Donna Brinlee said. Under House Bill 5, graduation requirements will be changed and replaced by the Foundation High School Program. This program will replace the Minimum, Recommended and Distinguished Achievement graduation plans starting with a 22-credit Foundation plan. Students will be able to complete their Foundation diploma along with endorsements to earn 26 credits. Students can also follow a Distinguished Level of Achievement graduation plan. In this plan, students complete the Foundation level requirements, as well as take advanced science and math courses. They must also choose at least one endorsement, or career pathway, to follow. “The question that House Bill 5 will force us to ask students is, ‘After high school and after college, what do you want to be when you grow up,’” Brinlee said. “The focus is on a specific career path, not just going to college for the sake of going to college.” House Bill 5 will introduce endorsements, or areas of concentration. Each one focuses on a specific career pathway. Students will get to pick one or more areas of study in which they are interested in and take courses under that area. These endorsements will allow students to get a head start on what they wish to do after high school. “The positive effect of the bill will be the focus on narrowing career options for students and helping them to think more long-term,” Brinlee said. “It will also allow schools, like Allen, who already offer a variety of career fields to be able to expand those programs.” The endorsements choices include: business and industry, arts and humanities, public service, multidisciplinary studies and STEM—which focuses on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. “[Endorsements] will encourage students to prepare
from
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end-of-course exams
themselves for their future career and will encourage [them] to be productive,” sophomore Esther Maeng said. Each endorsement requires students to take certain courses relating to that area of study. For instance, a student interested in becoming a business analyst may follow the business and industry endorsement plan. The student will take classes relating to database management, information technology, accounting and finance. “Future students will finally get the opportunity to focus on things they want to focus on,” sophomore Jennifer Ogden said. “This could lead to possibly more interest in school and hopefully better grades.” The basic 22-credit Foundation plan, which does not include endorsements, requires four English, three math, three science and three social studies courses. Algebra II is no longer a mandatory course under this plan. “While Algebra II is not a requirement under the House Bill 5 Foundation graduation plan, it will still be required for students with their endorsements,” Brinlee said. “The bill says that students need Algebra I and Geometry and then a higher level math for their endorsement.” Sophomore Astrid Echegoyen said not making Algebra II mandatory for students following the Foundation plan will have a negative effect. “I mean, it is knowledge,” Echegoyen said. “You’ve got to learn it. You need it. No amount of knowledge is useless because at one point, you’ll use it.” This new bill also decreases the required number of end-of-course exams from 15 to five. Students will only be required to take the English I, English II, Algebra I, Biology and U.S. History EOC exams in order to graduate. “Having 15 EOCs stressed me out and thinking about it every year gave me a headache,” Maeng said. “Now, having just five makes me glad because I don’t have to worry about taking so many.” Overall, Ogden said the bill will have a positive effect on future graduates. “I personally feel that [this bill] is a good way to shape education to fit the student, rather than have the student fit to education,” Ogden said.
New endorsements require students to take certain courses relating to an area of study
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News
How it all adds up: compiled by Naomi Fluckiger // staff writer
sat changes announced by college board
Current minimum state graduation requirements:
story by Maleeha Ahsanullah // staff writer College Board announced there will be major changes to the SAT starting with the test for the class of 2016. Scoring will go back to the original 1,600 point scale instead of the current 2,400 point scale. There will also no longer be a penalty for incorrect answers, a change they have already made to the AP tests in 2011. Also, the essay will be optional, although some colleges may require it. The last change will affect the math sections of the test. There will be more emphasis on skills with applied purposes such as linear equations, functions and proportions. One math section will also be calculatorfree, testing computational and math fluency.
theeagleangle.com
House Bill 5 minimum state graduation requirements:
Four English credits Three math credits Two science credits Three social studies credits One half economics credit One physical education credit One half speech credit One fine arts credit Seven and a half elective credits
Total: 22 credits
Four English credits Three math credits Three science credits Three social studies credits One physical education credit One fine arts credit Two credits in the same language other than English Five elective credits
Total: 22 credits
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A P lg C hy eb tu he s ra to m ic , r i s m ing stry , or a e nd
opinions
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News
TRIPLE THREAT Seniors write, direct and produce full-length musical story by Monica Martinez // staff writer
Stage,
set, lights, dancers, props, actors, music, costumes. All essential to musicals, plays and dramas, these components of theater usually conjure up images of Broadway not English projects. But for a few Phoenix students, these drastically different concepts are combined to create a memorable Independent Study Project. For their ISP, seniors Jessie Riley, Ashley Middleton and Colton Weinman joined together to produce their own musical, “Writer’s Block,” a story about a teen’s struggles with writing a song, love and everything in between. “Every time I go to a theatrical performance, I always walk away wishing I had been a part of putting it together,” Middleton said. Friends since childhood, the three of them had been planning and thinking about this musical since their sophomore year because it seemed fun and exciting, Weinman said. “We had been discussing it since sophomore year, but when we got the assignment, we decided we actually wanted to [go through with it],” Weinman said. Although they faced discouragement by those telling them the project was too big and that they wouldn’t be able to do it, Riley said they faced the project head-on. “I think if we had listened to them, we wouldn’t have had as much fun,” Riley said. “This way we can push ourselves. [Otherwise], I don’t think we would’ve been as proud.” Riley, Middleton and Weinman have each brought their own talents and interests to the table in order to make the project a success, Phoenix IV teacher Jayne Creelman said. The three decided to divide the work and set boundaries for each other to ensure every detail was covered. “I was originally going to do all the choreography to all the songs, Jessie was going to do all the music, and then Ashley was going to do all the stage work and set,” Weinman said. “But we had to switch some of it as time went on. We realized Jessie and I both needed to work on music, and we both needed to work on choreography, so
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it’s just like a collaborative effort.” As Riley wrote the melodies and Weinman wrote the accompaniment, Middleton took care of directing the actors, designing the set and designing costumes. All three wrote the script, held auditions and directed rehearsals leading up to the final production of “Writer’s Block” on March 13 at Ereckson Middle School. “When you get [an] opportunity, don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it,” Riley said. “What you’re capable of just depends on how much you want to work for it.”
CAST
Tyler Lamkin Allison Ponthier Garrett Esparza Emily Lawson Sierra Owens Graham Houpt Cam Akins Colton Weinman Matthew Lucas Richie Gibson Remy Martins Heidi Hughes
Kristen Cotton Jessica Grover Mary Catherine Halphen Ari Burns Cara Doil Nicki Fluckiger Katie Herald Taylor Riley Ben Varela Payton Martinez Evan Simmons
CREW
Ashley Middleton Saher Aqeel Sarah Baldwin Naomi Fluckiger Harrison Geosits Amanda Helms Ruthie Limerick
Maureen Marquez Kristen Nemeth Jessie Riley Amon Speck Kacey Wilson Mike Buntyn
News
Clockwise from top: During the musical on March 13, senior Sierra Owens, sophomore Cam Akins, senior Mary Catherine Halphen and junior Remy Martins act out a classroom scene. | Senior Garrett Esparza’s character heckles senior Tyler Lamkin’s character as he writes a song with senior Evan Simmons playing his saxophone in the background. | On stage sophomore Cam Akins, senior Nicki Fluckiger, sophomore Jessica Grover, senior Katie Herald and senior Mary Catherine Halphen perform a scene. | At rehearsal on March 11, senior producers Ashley Middleton, Jessie Riley and Colton Weinman direct the actors and stage crew. photos by Ashley Acosta and
Harrison Geosits
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graphic
by Meg a
n Lucas
News
Films.
Films. Fictional, documentative, horrifying or even animated, people are drawn by the masses to see films. In 2012 the American film industry grossed $10.8 billion, and according to forbes.com 2013 bested that by 7 percent. Following their admittance into the Dallas International Film Festival (DIFF), several students are potentially on their way to becoming a part of the booming industry that is film. Two student directed films were accepted into the festival under the Shorts Competition category: “Look at Me,” directed by juniors Ryan Fairbanks, Jordan Pryor, Jacob Fitts and Ian Diez, and “Mirror,” directed by seniors Leah McGraw and Jessica Tran. The DIFF features select films from various categories, the majority of which are made by local filmmakers. Last October DIFF opened its virtual window for film submissions. Upon acceptance, a submitted film would be screened during the festival sometime between April 3 and April 13. An accepted film would also qualify to win 10 grand prizes presented by the festival. Junior Ryan Fairbanks and his co-directors entered their films into DIFF as a part of their A/V Production class project. Fairbanks said he has been making films since the fifth grade. “I started off by doing stop-motion with my Legos, I created scenes from the movie [War of the Worlds]. I also met Jacob Fitts freshman year, that’s when we started
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Students land spot in Dallas International Film Festival story by Jacob Pena // staff writer making serious films,” Fairbanks said. Fairbanks said he and his co-directors decided to make the film about two months prior to the competition’s deadline, although they shot the entire film in one night. “It was mainly Ian and Jordan’s idea because they wanted to make a horror film. We just kind of improved the whole thing. We just met up at Chick-Fil-A one day [and] decided, ‘Hey, lets make a film,’” Fairbanks said. “It really surprised us how far the film went because we made this film without a care in the world, and it definitely went further than we expected.” Fairbanks said it was a pleasant surprise when he found out the film was admitted into DIFF. Fairbanks said they originally shot 45 minutes of film, which he had to edit down to eight minutes for the Shorts Competition a week before DIFF’s deadline in November 2013. “I edited the 45 minute version of the film because there was a lot of footage, and then a couple of weeks later...before the film festival, I narrowed it down to about eight minutes, which was a real challenge,” Fairbanks said. For McGraw and Tran, their film “Mirror” was the first film they have ever made. Much like Fairbanks and his codirectors, McGraw and Tran submitted their film as a part of an A/V Production project. “[Mr. Parrish] just said, ‘Do a short film, and we will pick the best three out of all the classes,’” Tran said. “There were so many good films. We were surprised that
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ro m L ea h ms, f e niors he fil t e s m y fo r t h o cted es fr or,” b r e Look n l ir e e . c ) s M S IFF “ ht: “ ran, D ( T ig l r a a yor, o ic Jess an Pr Festiv left t d d r m n o il J a s, lF aw DIFF. ba nk tiona McGr n Fair ted for the terna a n I y e re d s R a iors r, ent elec Dall n e s l t , ju z u y B ie y D ,” b achar d Ian at Me ts an ” by Z , it F e b im Jaco s of T FF. ment or DI “Frag selected f ot but n
ours made it in. It’s a good experience.” “Mirror” is a psychological thriller about a girl who sees a phantom everywhere she goes. McGraw said she did not even know their film was going to be submitted into the festival. “We were actually really surprised,” McGraw said. “We didn’t expect to make it at all. We didn’t even know our film was going to be submitted.” McGraw said it was difficult to find time to make the film due to her and Tran’s busy schedules, but they worked efficiently when they were together. Tran said she thought it was good for being their first film, but she did not think it would make it into the contest. “I learned that you don’t really know what you can do until you actually try,” Tran said. “I came into this class because it seemed fun. We made this film, and it turned out really well.” Tran, McGraw and Fairbanks said they were surprised to have made the contest. But for senior Zachary Butler, a student filmmaker since his freshman year in 2010, considering his news on the festival, he said he was shocked absolutely. Butler has been featured in several film contests and festivals, including Student Television Network contest in 2011, DIFF in 2011, Journalism Education Association (JEA) Spring 2013 and JEA Fall 2013, where he received the national rank of superior. He said he felt that his chances of making it into DIFF this year were relatively high because he had made it in before. “As far as I knew, I met all the requirements for the high school showcase,” Butler said. “Since I had been there before, we got to see what other films made it to the screening, so I was able to see what the judges were theeagleangle.com
looking for.” Upon receiving the news that his film would not be screened at DIFF, he said it was very shocking because he was so confident that it was going to be accepted. He said he was not sure at first what it was that swayed the judges not to put his film through, but after talking to his friends, he came to a conclusion. “Out of everyone I talked to, we think it was the violence [that caused the film not to be chosen],” Butler said. “The film isn’t brutally violent, but there is a gun throughout the entire film and intentions of suicide. There are intentions of killing, though it was never shown. It’s a really dark film, one of the darkest films I have ever made.” The shock to Butler was immense because he said he thought it was one of the most professional works he has ever done. He said he put a lot of work into it, even though it took him only four days to shoot the film. “I went to school and then went straight home to start working and then edited through the night and then [shot] the next day and [edited] through the night,” Butler said. “I wanted this to be the best film I had ever made and for it to go into the film festival.” Butler said that it was not his intention to make the film so dark and scary but that the judges interpreted it differently. What he learned from this, he said, was that it helped him see what his limits are and that he will be more prepared for the next time he makes a student film. “Not getting into DIFF did upset me a little bit, but it helps me learn. It helps me learn from my mistakes,” Butler said. “Actually, I wouldn’t even call that film a mistake. I am proud of that film and happy for the way it turned out. I learned that not every film I make is going to be successful, and now I know that by experience.”
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News
Artfully individual
Students place in February’s art show story by Kaitlyn Brown // staff writer
T
he Art Show took place in February, resulting in awards for more than 27 students from all three art divisions at Allen High, including certificates for senior Zahra Ahmed, sophomore Amy Huang and sophomore Lillian Zha. The Art Sticky Project on the wall near the Performing Arts Center kicked off in February as well through Art teacher Sarah Arago, who had thought of the idea. “I liked that our participation was really high,” Arago said. “I think it was probably one of the best shows-when you look at the whole picture-that we’ve [ever] had.” The art show offered a chance for students to show off under the fresh eyes of chosen jurors such as a Dallas Museum of Art employee and a local artist. One of the 27 art students to receive a certificate for her artwork “True Distortion” was Ahmed. “If we are working so hard on something, it’s nice to show it to everyone,” Ahmed said. “You have put so many hours into these pieces, and even if you don’t win, it’s especially gratifying to know that people are taking time to see your work.” Ahmed won first place for her piece “True Distortion”, which she said was from reading “The Picture of Dorian Grey” and researching portraits of people. “I wanted to show how there is more than meets the eye,” Ahmed said. While participating in the Art Show, Ahmed also participated in the Art Sticky project, answering the prompt: “I know who I am, and who I may be if I choose” from Don Quixote as she thought about her future and college career. “My [art sticky] was just a face, but it was kind of ruffed up, with really cracked lips,” Ahmed said. “It was a moment of fear, I guess, that I know I can do amazing things, but then there is always the possibility that [I] can go on the wrong path.” Ahmed said she has loved art since she was little and said it quickly became her “thing” when she moved to Allen her sophomore year. “Art is silent communication,” Ahmed said. “I think it’s a really powerful form of communication because you can interpret it in so many ways.” Among Ahmed and other participants, Huang won second place in the second division for her art piece “Heartstrings.” “We were required to put one piece in, but I put in two pieces because I felt like it was a good experience to know how to prepare a piece before a show,” Huang said. “And I think it’s valuable for college.” From her research on hearts, Huang soon found the inspiration for her art piece. She drew a picture of a heart, and placed a harp inside of it, connecting the strings as fibers
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connect the heart, then she placed a person inside the heart and had them playing on these “heartstrings”. “Our teacher asked us to merge two objects or two animals and I chose a heart and strings because I was looking at pictures of hearts, and the fibers inside kind of look like strings, so I decided to mesh it with a heart,” Huang said. “I was inspired by the similarities between the two things- harp strings, and heart strings.” Huang said she has loved art ever since she was little, and she has done several art classes, including an outside of school art class. “I think art was a really fun thing for me as a kid. [One of my art classes now] is at this old Chinese man’s house; he’s really good at drawing and he came from China 20 years ago,” Huang said. “He’s very good at painting, and I learned how to do still life with him for about five years.” Huang said art is as valuable as music and sports and said she finds that the pleasure she finds in art has helped her choose art over music and sports. “I like how it’s a lot of self expression, but also that it has similar requirements that music and sports have,” Huang said. “You need to have discipline and you really want to be to improve because in art, your foundation of your skills will allow you to self express a lot better than if you didn’t.” Huang also participated in the art sticky project. “I drew a statue, and there was a chisel next to its eye, a chisel and a hammer,” Huang said. “The chisel and the hammer formed a ‘t’ and I wrote a phrase based on that and it says: ‘It’s up to me” because the theme was about selfidentity. My inspiration was the idea of making yourself out of stone.” Zha skipped Art 1, and being in Division two this year, she showed off her art work publicly for the first time, and won two first place awards for her oil painting “Swans” and her rice painting “Mist,” saying that she loves art for its peacefulness. “I’m in orchestra, I play the cello, and I suck at sports,” Zha said. “Art is less stressful.” Zha said that she takes trips to China every year to visit family near Hong Kong, where she got her inspiration for her Chinese painting “Mist.” “Every year I go to China, and the landscape really pretty there,” Zha said. “Chinese painting is really different, it’s a lot like watercolor, but it’s on rice paper, and you use ink and brushes, mostly ink. Rice paper is almost like tissue paper. [ In rice painting,] it’s not about the details, it’s about the general idea.”
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Wall of Art Stickies in the PAC
Zha, “Swans”
Zha, “Mist” theeagleangle.com
Ahmed, “True Distortion”
Huang, “Heartstrings”
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news
putting on the hits PALs host 2014 talent show story by Madeline Chalkley // staff writer
T
Top: Junior Adrianna Myers dances to her own rendition of Fergie’s “All We Got.” Middle: All-male group, The Cooligans, performs a number to “Treasure” by Bruno Mars. Bottom: For his performance, junior Jordan Pryor raps his original song “Talented.” He placed second in the talent show. photos by Ashley Acosta and Harrison Geosits
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he PALs sponsored the AHS talent show “Puttin’ on the Hits!” on March 25th in the Performing Arts Center. The show’s hosts, seniors Tracey Brannon, Zack Wulf, Brianna Beacham, Saher Aqeel, Mariah Cavazos, Kyre Tognaci and Myron Fisher, presented 18 acts ranging from dance routines to musical performances. Following a guest performance given by the 2013 winner, ICare, the talent show winners were announced. Third place was given to senior Edgar Benavidez, who performed “Samba Pa Ti” on the electric guitar, junior Jordan Pryor who performed an original song “Talented” received second place and first place was given to Asian Euphony, a duo that included sophomores Jason Tsai and Irfan Zobayed who performed a medley of today’s hit music. “I was honestly really surprised,” Pryor said. “I haven’t placed since freshman year so I wasn’t expecting to this year, but it was a great feeling and I think it was a great way for my last performance to end.”
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1: Asian Euphony, Jordan Pryor and Edgar Benavidez are announced as the winners at the talent show on March 25 and receive the trophy. 2: Performing “Who You Love” by John Mayer, seniors Philip Galuban and Katelyn Wall sing together for their performance during the 2014 talent show. 3: Senior host Zack Wulf takes part in a fake dance-off with the other MC during the talent show. 4: For the show’s opening act, sophomore Ayana Jones performed an original hip hop routine. 5: Third place finisher, senior Edgar Benavidez strummed out “Samba Pa Ti” on the electric guitar. photos by Ashley Acosta and Harrison Geosits
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The closure of Eagle Stadium was announced Thursday, February 27 in a press conference held by the district, citing “extensive cracking” in the elevated concourse’s concrete that made the structure potentially
unsafe story by Laura Hallas // managing editor
News he closure of Eagle Stadium was announced Feb.27 in a press conference held by the district, citing “extensive cracking” in the elevated concourse’s concrete that made the structure potentially unsafe. “[The stadium was] is a significant investment for our community,” interim superintendent Beth Nichols said. “We are very disappointed and upset that these problems have arisen. It is unacceptable.” Students and faculty have been prohibited from entering the stadium since that day, with all daily activities and events being relocated until June, at which time a full investigation will be completed. “Repairs could be extensive, and could take months to complete,” Nichols said. “There will be a much clearer picture of the extent of the damage in June. The designers of this facility, and builders, have been notified, and discussions are under way with them regarding these issues.” Events rescheduled include the Eagle Run and senior graduation, which will be held on June 6 at the American Airlines Center. If repairs are needed, which the district predicts will be the case, the 2014 home football games are likely to be affected, which would only be the third season played in the stadium since its construction in 2012. “It will take a toll on [sports in the school], especially if we have to move back to Lowery,” senior soccer captain Taylor Trent said. “The soccer team has already moved back there, and it’s not the same [as playing in the stadium], so I feel bad for the sports who may suffer next year.” The investigation being carried out by Nelson Forensics is at this time only 10 percent complete. “We are very frustrated, we’re very concerned, we’re not happy about it of course,” Nichols said. “We want to get to the bottom of it because our taxpayers deserve that and our students deserve that, but we, at this point, believe that PBK will be working with us, so at this point we are optimistic that we can work through and find a resolution and solve it.” Pogue Construction and PBK will also be involved in finding a solution, as they were charged with the initial construction of the stadium, a fact which Pogue president and CEO Ben Pogue acknowledges. Pogue has partnered with AISD for 31 years, and said that it will stand by the district until a solution is found. “First and foremost we step up and say that we’re a partner and that we are going to be a part of the solution,” Pogue said. “In over 31 years, we have had opportunities before, and not all of them have been this public or this high profile, but we’ve taken care of them then and we’ll take care of them now.” Small cracks were initially found in the concrete shortly before the opening of the stadium in 2012; no action was taken because it seemed only to be normal settling of concrete. Now, the cracks are up to three quarters of an inch and were clearly a sign of a larger problem. To prevent further damage by possible freezing and expansion of water,
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tarps have been laid over the concourse. “We’ve determined that there could be issues with either the concrete or the design,” Nichols said. “We want to ensure the safety of our students, and we felt that the most prudent thing to do was not to have students in there, in an abundance of caution.” Girl’s soccer was among the first to be informed of the
Presenting himself in front of numerous pressing reporters, photographers and news stations, CEO of Pogue Construction Ben Pogue addresses the stadium closing at the breaking news press conference held at the administration building on Feb. 27. photo by Saher Aqeel stadium’s closing. “We knew at the beginning of January that [the stadium] was going to get closed,” Trent said. “Our season started in January, and that was originally our home site for our games, but they told us we cant play there because of the potential threats of the stadium or whatever and that wouldn’t be our home site anymore, so we knew it was going to be closed when no one else did.” Trent said that the loss of the stadium has already made things harder, as lacrosse, track and soccer all must try and coordinate the field usage at Lowery. She says that while she understands the situation is not the administrators’ fault, she is still annoyed, and playing in the old stadium is just not the same. “We don’t have a lot of fans, but [Eagle Stadium] gives you that atmosphere that the football team has,” Trent said. “That feeling that you’re worth everything, that you’re up there, that you’re worth something.”
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one for the books Basketball team reaches final four story by Laura Pitts // staff writer
31 years.
That’s how long it has been since the varsity boys basketball team has seen the playoff court. Until this year. On March 7, the team traveled to Austin for the state semi-final game, winning third overall after a 52-41 loss to Converse Judson. “You know I don’t think we have done anything different. I think it is just a matter of doing them better,” head coach Jeff McCullough said. “I think last year we suited up 24 different guys on the varsity [team, and] this year it [has] been a pretty consistent group from start to finish. The leadership of our captains has been very essential to our success. How [they] handle themselves and take care of our team [has] played a huge role.” The team jumped from a national rank of 779 in the 2012-2013 season to 77th this year. McCullough said the extra practices and longer off-season helped them make it to the last final four.
After a heartbreaking loss to Converse Judson in the semifinal round of the state tournament on March 7 in Austin, the varsity team received their third place medals and trophy. They were defeated 52-41, ending their record-setting season. photo by Taylor Brill 24
“We have a full spring and summer off-season to implement our system. The first year you start in August, and we’re playing games by November, and that just doesn’t give you a lot of time to implement and change the culture and do things ‘our way,’” McCullough said. “So I
“We didn’t want to go out on a bad note.” Senior captain Myron Fisher think that was the biggest challenge last year was in a short span of time getting the kids to adjust and being able to cover everything so you got to kind of pick and choose.” Bouncing back from the team’s loss in the first round of playoffs last season, senior varsity captain Myron
Fisher said his main focus was to win each game. “In the middle of the season, it felt like we [would just] go out there and [have] fun,” Fisher said. “But we still had to win the game, [and] we still had to take care of business.” Senior Blake Williams said the team chemistry has played a big role in the season’s turn around. “We had a lot more guys buy into the system,” senior Blake Williams said. “And that helped us out a lot, and since everyone already played together pretty much, we knew what to do [and] knew how to play with each other, and that helped us get to where we got.” According to Fisher, the goal to put the basketball team in the spotlight and earn the respect of their classmates motivated the them to play a strong season. “With half of our team being seniors, we didn’t want to go out on a bad note,” Fisher said. “And what better way to do that than [to] get our picture on the wall and have playoff trophies [in the hall] that will be there forever?”
A Rewarding Season
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First playoff win in 31 years Overall record: 27-9 District record: 6-4 Three 2013-2014 All-District team selections: Jamuni McNeace, Nick Rutherford and Olin Carter Head coach Jeff McCullough chosen as Dallas Morning News Area Coach of the Year
Clockwise from above: After losing the game to Converse Judson, seniors Myron Fischer and Jamuni McNeace support each. | Headed toward the basket, junior Nick Rutherford dribbles down the court during the state semi-final. | Looking to pass the ball, junior Nick Rutherford moves around a Judson player guarding him. |Before the state semi-final game begins on March 7, the starters huddle together and get ready to take the court. | photos by Taylor Brill theeagleangle.com
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Surprising facts about Allen’s spring sports compiled by McKenzi Morris // Co-Editor-in-Chief
Tennis: To test a tennis ball’s
bounciness, it is dropped 100 inches and must bounce back up between 53 and 58 inches.
Track: It is not necessary to breathe during the 50, 60 or 100 meter dashes because it takes 13 seconds for oxygen to travel to the muscles.
During after school practice on March 11, freshman Alexis Hall works to perfect her serve. photo by Ashley Acosta
Tennis looks to continue on fall success story by Collin Thompson // sports editor Last fall for the first time in Allen’s history, the tennis team went to the regional tournament. Now in the singles spring season, the team trying to make it again. Girls senior captain Amanda Gongos said the way the team competed in the fall makes the spring season different than any previous years. “We’re stronger [now]. We have higher expectations because of our fall season,” Gongos said. “It feels different than last year. I guess now there’s an expectation to go to regionals every year now that that’s happened, and I don’t think Coach [Quest] will settle for anything less than that.”
Lacrosse: Native Americans invented the game, and it is now considered the fastest game on two feet, while also being the fastest growing sport in America. Archery: The only women’s sport available in the 1904 Summer Olympics was archery. The next one to be introduced was swimming in 1912.
Golf: As the temperature increases, so does the distance the ball travels because the rubber inside of it becomes more resilient and has extra elasticity, which helps it drive harder off the club.
On Feb. 22 during the Bronco Relays, freshman Michael Newsome runs in the 4 x 100 Relay. photo by Jacob Pena
Boys track overcoming hurdles story by Danny Ortiz // staff writer Injuries have been a factor for the boys track team this season, and senior Grant Finney said trying to overcome them has been a struggle. “We’re trying to get people healthy and get back to full strength,” Finney said. Finney said the team needs to keep their focus in order to get through the season. “We just [try] to focus on getting better as a team from meet to meet and at the end of the season just win district,” Finney said. “Anything after that is a bonus.”
girls lacrosse sticking together stories by Danny Ortiz // staff writer
Left to right: Against the Episcopal School of Dallas at Lowery on March 6, sophomore Kaegan Kumnick runs down the field looking to make a shot. | On March 6 against the Episcopal School of Dallas, players from both teams scramble for the in the middle of the field. photos by Trevor Mott
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The girls lacrosse team started the season with 2-1 record through their first three games. Senior Katherine Smith said that while their ultimate goal is to make it to state, they are still working out the kinks - but have plenty of time to sort it all out. “Right now we’re really trying to gather our strengths and weaknesses and learn how to get
through those,” Smith said. “We’re just trying to learn about each other more.” During the season the team is reminded by their coaches that no matter what happens, to persevere. “Our coaches tell us not to beat ourselves in games,” Smith said. “We just have to stay positive and encourage each other and cheer each other on.”
Girls golf prepares for state Five tournaments in, with four first place titles, girls golf is preparing for another shot at a state title. With a change in course from Jimmy Clay to Onion Creek in Austin, the team plans to place even better at the state tournament than they did last year. Last year at the Jimmy Clay course in Austin, varsity took home fourth place at the state tournament. Sophomore Tori Ramirez said it was a disappointing finish, and she hopes that this year everyone performs better and gets the score
they want. “I am so used to golf being an individual sport,” Ramirez said. “But ever since I joined Allen I have been able to view golf in a new way that you can actually use teamwork to do better in golf.” Senior Elizabeth McCloskey said as a whole the girl’s scores are not the best scores they think they can get. “We have to focus on ourselves, but with our team we push each other,” McCloskey said. “That’s the best part is having our
story by Callie Anderson // assistant online editor
teammates to push one another.” Between traveling and practice, the girls spend every moment of golf together. “We are a lot closer than we have ever been,” McCloskey said. “We have a strong team this year.” Besides being close teammates, all the girls have close scores, so McCloskey said they are very competitive in practice and tournaments. “Having that competitive drive helps us do better,” McCloskey said.
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“We aren’t mean about it. We really encourage each other to do better.” Along with the support of their teammates, Coach Karen Gravely walks the girls through a practice round before every tournament. “Her discussing it with us has been very beneficial to all of us,” Ramirez said. “I think that’s what we are going to keep doing.” After five tournaments, McCloskey and Ramirez said they are almost ready for district to start and plan on winning the state title like they did in 2012.
Left: At practice on Feb. 27, senior Maddie Szeryk perfects her swing on the Twin Creeks Golf Club driving range. Right: Sophomore Tori Ramirez focuses on her clubwork during Feb. 27 practice at the Twin Creeks Golf Club.
photos by Ashley Acosta
boys golf swinging for regionals story by Collin Thompson // sports editor After starting the season in the fall semester, the boys golf team is getting ready for the district tournament. “I think our team’s doing pretty well,” senior captain Drew Miller said. “We have a good chance of making it out of our district. We have a pretty strong top five this year. I feel pretty good about our chances toward the end of our season.” Miller said that the team has been able to do well due to their ability to recover. “We’ve always been a pretty theeagleangle.com
resilient team,” Miller said. “If we play bad one day, then we usually always play well the next day. Nothing really gets us down. We just fight back.” Miller said that the team has the ability to go as far as they want to this season. “I just think that we have a great team this year,” Miller said. “I really like the guys on the team. They’re all great guys. There’s a lot of talent as well. They’re all really good golfers, and I look forward to making it out of our districts and playing in our region.”
Swim and dive finish strong story by Collin Thompson // sports editor After competing in the state tournament in Austin on Feb. 21 and 22, the swim and dive team wrapped up their season. The team went to the district, regional and state tournament, with the boys coming in eighth and girls coming in ninth in their respective 200 Yard Medley Relay, and dive senior Rachel Cole coming in 10th in 1 meter dive at state. “[The passing of senior Emily Stambaugh] brought us closer together. It made everyone wanna work really hard and make her proud,” sophomore Sofie Underdahl said. “It just made me realize that things can happen so fast and suddenly, and I just wanted to make the most of it.”
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softball program hires new coaches story by Katelyn Moody // staff writer
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he softball girls have new coaches this year who have led them to winning eight of their 21 games so far, including games in the Mansfield Tournament, the McKinney ISD Tournament and the Allen ISD tournament. Head coach Brooke Hale and varsity assistant coach Renna Bersosa have come in to take over the program and coach the team in new ways than done in the past. Senior outfielder Taylor Peck said the team is buckling down this year and getting a lot done in practice to be prepared for the season. “As far as game prep goes, everything is a lot more strict and tight,” Peck said. “The new coaches demand a lot more from us, so we’re working a lot harder, and it has already shown.” Peck said she has noticed the new coaches bring a new style to the program. “The coaching style is completely different,” Peck said. “They played the game in college, so they know more about it. They’re a lot more aggressive and a lot more demanding of us, which I guess is good.” Senior second baseman Corri Westerberg said she feels practice for the games this year gives her a better sense of readiness for every game. “They prepare us differently than they have in years past,” Westerberg said. “I feel like I’m more prepared this year than
I have felt before, and they’re doing what they can to get us prepared.” Westerberg also said she notices a better relationship between all the girls on the team. “The team has a greater connection this year I feel, and the girls just have a stronger bond than we have [had] in years past,” Westerberg said. Junior pitcher and first baseman Lydia Crouser said she feels the new change has helped the team start fresh and be ready for the season. Something new they’ve incorporated into the program is Performance Course. “With all the coaches we had the mindset of starting new and coming in fresh starting over and definitely like, we were wanting a change,” Crouser said. “So I think when we had new coaches come in we all tried to build on that as well.” Crouser said that she can see the way everyone is on the field and feels there is a new, better mindset this season. “We definitely practice harder and have a new mindset,” Crouser said. “So far we’ve already won more games than we have in seasons before, and we’ve barely gotten into season. So it [has] definitely been effective. I can just see it on the field, like everyone’s energy, everyone’s focus. Everyone just wants to be there.”
Top: Before their March 11 district game against Plano West, the varsity girls circle together and say a prayer. | Middle left: Warming up for the first inning, sophomore Scarlett Hazel prepares her pitches for the game.| Middle right: After her at bat, senior captain Corri Westerberg rounds first base and heads to second. | Bottom: Freshman catcher Ashton Esparza throws down to second in-between innings. photos by McKenzi Morris
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Baseball aims to extend playoff success sports story by Collin Thompson // sports editor
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Top: On March 11, the baseball team lines up on the foul line for the National Anthem. | Middle: In their first district game against Plano East, senior Troy Chezem opens the game as the starting pitcher. | Bottom: After his first district hit, senior Philip Ingram takes a lead at first. photos by McKenzi Morris theeagleangle.com
fter going to the regional quarterfinals last season, the furthest baseball playoff appearance in school history, the Eagles are playing for another record season in 2014. Senior Ryan Hoogerwerf said the team has the potential to be better than last year’s squad. “Last year three rounds deep was pretty impressive with the guys we had,” Hoogerwerf said. “No one thought we could be as good as we were, but we really came together, and this year I feel if we start clicking on all cylinders, we could go a lot deeper than the third round.” Hoogerwerf said that despite recent baseball success, old rivalries still linger. “The teams we play in district are tough,” Hoogerwerf said. “Plano’s always good. [Plano] West is always good. McKinney Boyd will be good this year, so [the hardest aspect of the season will be] definitely going
through district and consistently playing to a level that no one else can beat.” After the way the seniors reacted to the team’s success in 2013, Hoogerwerf said the 2014 seniors need to lead in the same way to help the younger players. “This year being a senior I just feel it’s our responsibility to take the pressure,” Hoogerwerf said. “The juniors and the underclassmen should feel the pressure to help us, but I definitely feel like it’s just go out there and play the game you love.” Hoogerwerf said that the team as a whole is helped by the chemistry of the players and their experience together. “It’s been great. We’ve known most of these guys for a couple years now, and it’s just a brotherhood,” Hoogerwerf said. “I’m really blessed to have these coaches, have these guys playing with me. I’m really happy this is my senior year, and I get to do it with these guys.”
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Pre-Game Rituals photo submitted by Allen Eagles Softball
In a mock sacrifice, a team manager runs through a pyramid of baseball bats before every baseball game. This ritual solidifies team spirit before the game.
photo by McKenzi Morris
Softball coaches place an emphasis on building trust within the team during practice and before games. This translated into the team taping their wrists with #TEO, trust each other.
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sports
Student opinions on state ring for all Front and side views of the commemorative state championship rings available for public purchase. They are one third the size of the official team, coach and trainer rings.
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I think as far as the band, and the actual football team go, maybe even cheerleaders, because they’re at each game, [they should get one.] As far as just a random student, I feel like it makes it a little less special that way.
I think it’s kinda dumb. There’s already class rings so why would we need a state ring on top of it if you’re not actually there.
-senior Nidhi Patel
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-senior Andrew Edwards
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nocking down the competition Archery wins state, qualifies for nationals story by Audrey Stelmach // staff writer
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rchery, a program introduced to Allen High School three years ago, won first place at the state tournament on March 6 to continue a successful season. “I couldn’t believe it to be honest,” senior Sarah May, who also won first place individually, said. “I knew the competition was tougher this year and I had so much pressure on me. When I released my last arrow, I knew that I did it, and I was ecstatic.” The program began with only about 50 students and has grown to more than 140. It has been instituted in Curtis Middle School as well. Since the beginning of the archery program, the team has competed in the state tournament every year. Before they placed third, then second the year after. This year, they became state
champions. “We’ve improved a lot,” coach Jason Anderson said. “We’re a much better team now than when we first started, and I expect us to only get better and better every year.” The team prepared for the state competition by practicing almost every day after school, as well as on weekends, spending all season getting ready for state by signing up for individual tournaments and attending as many practices as possible. “I kept shooting practice rounds until I had drilled my aiming spot into my mind,” sophomore Cameron Proske, who individually placed second out of Texas sophomores, said. “Then when it came time for me to shoot at state, I just
followed my routine and blocked out all distractions and emotions.” Fortunately, the team’s hard work paid off, and they were able to bring home the gold trophy for the first time as an organization. “I lost my voice because I was cheering and shouting so much on the bus,” Proske said. “I have definitely learned that practice pays off.” The team was also successful in individual scores, with team members Sarah May, Jasmine Medina and Theresa Crawford placing in first, second and third. “It’s amazing that the Allen girls took all three places in the high school female division,” May said. “That’s never been done before. It just proves how hard Allen archery has worked.”
Left to right: Archery team members record their results during their Regional tournament in Ennis on Feb. 14-15. | In Ennis, juniors Emily Ridell and Derek Patowskie sets up to shoot at the regional Archery tournament on Feb. 14-15. photos by Jason Anderson
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My redbird relationship story by Klayton Carpenter // business manager
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’ve loved baseball from the time I was 2 years old on local St. Louis news telling the broadcaster how much I loved Mark McGwire to skipping out on a ride at Six Flags to listen to my dad’s personal play by play over the phone as he watched the final pitches of the 2011 World Series on TV. As a jealous Ranger’s fan, my girlfriend’s dad even said, “if you don’t
ride this ride, you aren’t going to date my daughter anymore” but I didn’t care. Michael Wacha, the phenom who came out of nowhere and led the St. Louis Cardinals to their third World Series Championship in eight years, is going to do the same this year. Going into the 2013 World Series, I had a long history with Boston. After watching the Red Sox beat the Cardinals in the 2004 World Series, I hated them. They had the most ignorant fans my family had ever seen in eight years of having season tickets at Busch Stadium. The Sox silenced the whole town of St. Louis like there was a citywide
curfew. There were many sleepless nights after the loss and I questioned my existence on Earth, but the passion didn’t leave. This is what I love about baseball; it is always there for me. I feel like Ben from “Fever Pitch.” He is so in love with the game that he doesn’t know how to deal with the pain of defeat, but the team is always there for him. Teams knock off the dust from their equipment and head to spring training. A fresh start, a clean slate. Is this the year? Every team is thinking the same exact thing: let’s make this the year that we make history.
Although I don’t have my Cardinals season tickets anymore and I am out of my element surrounded by Rangers fans, I still get excited when this time comes around. Although my knowledge of what they do has no effect on them, I still can’t get enough of it. I love the sport for what it is; mood swings, tears, wins, losses. Beautiful imperfection. So it’s here. Spring Training is underway, and we are getting closer to Opening Day. This is the year. Michael Wacha is going to win the Cy Young and lead the Cardinals to the World Series. After this, I will be fine. Until next spring, of course.
Not that kind of football story by Saher Aqeel // photo editor
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don’t know if it’s the propensity of Americans (or more specifically Texans) to become uninterested and bored of things easily or it’s the fact that America’s pastime and “football” are nonexistent in any other part of the world, but you can almost guarantee that for most of this country, soccer doesn’t exist until June and becomes slightly relevant once every four years. theeagleangle.com
“Soccer isn’t a man’s sport,” or “the only thing that matters is the World Cup anyway” or my favorite, “It’s boring” are just some remarks my peers bark when I start to rave (or rage) about a surprising Chelsea-Arsenal slaughter or a disappointing (and rare) Real Madrid loss. But the unfortunate reality is that you can do nothing to convince anyone in the south that soccer can be just as exciting to watch and follow as Bowl Season. I can’t criticize America’s opinion of soccer too much. Major League Soccer hasn’t exactly given us the best image. This might be one of the biggest struggles a soccer fan living in America has to
face. If you tell someone to give soccer a try, they’re naturally going to explore their own country’s league, just like you wouldn’t consider following basketball in another country. But sadly, if you find yourself at a MLS game, you might check out before they even check the ball. You’ll find a couple of soccer players, season ticket holders and a good chunk of us hopeless international soccer lovers trying to fill their live soccer void. And because of this, they turn their backs on the beautiful game and watch grass grow as they wait for the fall when the “real football comes around.” It’s nice that soccer is given a little bit more credit
when the FIFA World Cup does come around, but I can’t say it makes up for the year round unawareness of the sport. People will continue to laugh when I try to say soccer can be just as enjoyable as basketball or baseball and will try to cut me off in disinterest when I start to fume about David Moyes’ management or a faulty Ramos red card in one of the most important clashes of their season. But I’m still going to wake up at 6:45 in the morning to catch a Chelsea game, struggle to find a working live stream of a Madrid match and wear my jerseys of teams no one is heard of, even if I’m the only one.
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seniors sign letters of intent
story by Jackson Meeker // staff writer
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orty seniors signed a National Letter of Intent to take their high school sport to a college level. The NLI is a binding agreement between an NCAA school and a student-athlete in which the student-athlete agrees to attend the school for one year and the school agrees to provide financial aid to the student-athlete. Although many seniors still have the opportunity to accept athletic scholarships before the year ends, Feb. 5 was the first day they could officially accept offers. “[When signing early] you get the cream of the crop,” Jay Barlow said. “You get to pick your number first, dorms, whichever one you want, and it’s just better when you sign early.” As starting running back for the varsity football team, Barlow said that he is proud that all his hard work has paid off and that he can take a vital part in funding his college education at Oklahoma Baptist University. “It’s one of the best feelings in the world, to be honest with you,” Barlow said. “Knowing that your parents don’t have to pay a dime for your school, you know that’s really, that’s a great feeling right there.” Two-time state champion golfer Jordy LaBarbera received offers from several Division I colleges including Colorado State, Texas State, Texas Tech, Iowa and University of Texas at San Antonio. After narrowing down her offers to schools that seemed to be the best fit for her, LaBarbera committed to the University of Arkansas “Arkansas has an awesome golf facility, and the campus is really cool, but the coaches are mainly why I signed there,” LaBarbera said. “I’m looking forward to all the stuff because the first day you get there it’s like Christmas, and also playing that’s pretty cool too, also winning a National Championship.” Power forward Jamuni McNeace drew the attention of college recruiters with his high-flying slam dunks and prominent post presence. The nearly 7-foot basketball player said that he spends a majority of his time in the gym above the rim, sometimes sending the student section into a frenzy after a big dunk. Even with offers from colleges across the nation, McNeace said choosing to play for the University of Oklahoma was easy after receiving a full ride scholarship. “I felt comfortable with Coach Kruger at OU. I felt like he could help me develop and maybe make it to the next level,” McNeace said. “Also Coach McCullough said it would be a great fit for me, and I value his opinion a lot.” Spending countless hours in the gym running plays with his team, working on midrange jumpers and choreographing his dunks, McNeace said he is elated knowing that what he has worked for counts for something special. “I can finally say, ‘Mamma, we made it,’” McNeace said. “It’s a great feeling knowing that after all the time and effort spent working [on my game] that there’s a reward for it all.”
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Jay Barlow - Oklahoma Baptist
Jordy LaBarbera - Arkansas
Jamuni McNeace - Oklahoma
photo by McKenzi Morris
photo by McKenzi Morris
photo by McKenzi Morris
Opinions
DateNight stories by Maleeha Ahsanullah, Madeline Chalkley, Fatima Huq and Praneeka Raman // staff writers
“Hey, we should hang out sometime, just you and me.” “Sure, you’re a lot of fun. What should we do?” “I don’t know, what do you want to do?” Ah, the inevitable and mood-killing “I don’t know.” Unless it’s football season,there’s nothing to do in A-Town, Texas. No hot shot date spot to take a good- looking girl or guy on a lonely Saturday night. It’s a plague without an antidote, and side effects include boredom and lack of prom date. Here, you’ll find two places to eat, two places to have fun and two places to hang out that are perfect for a night with the one who comes before anyone else.
GooD eats Pie Five
One word: pizza. The upscale pizzeria Pie Five is known as the elite Subway of pizzas. Located at The Village of Allen, Pie Five is changing the definition of pizza by serving fresh, sophisticated pies with a twist every day. Instead of choosing from the traditional “cheese pizza,” Pie Five allows you to create your own custom personal pizza from a wide selection of vegetables, meats and sauces. Pie Five is also beneficial for indecisive people because it offers preplanned recipes like the classic Margherita pizza and my personal favorite, the Buffalo Chicken.
village Burger Bar
If you’re looking for a place to eat an allAmerican meal, Village Burger Bar is the ideal restaurant. With the easy-going atmosphere, it’s an easy place to have a conversation while eating food almost everyone loves. With seven different burger types and a create-it-yourself option, there is something for everyone. They also have amazing milkshakes and salads to pair with their mouth-watering burgers.
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illustration by Laura Hallas
GooD time
opinions
fun night
Paciugos Paciugo’s is the best gelato place in Allen. It has a wide variety of flavors to satisfy the needs of everyone. Instead of picking just one flavor, you can choose up to four in one cup so you don’t have to decide between all the amazing flavors. I got scoops of salted caramel and tiramisu, which perfectly paired to create the sweet and salty effect everyone loves.
Smoothie King For dessert, Smoothie King is the place to go. There is basically a flavor for anything, whether you’re in the mood for chocolate and peanut butter, or something more fruity. Try the Angel Food smoothie. It is your regular strawberry banana smoothie, except better. Plus, despite what smoothie you decide to try, it will be a healthy alternative from ice cream or basically any other dessert you can think of.
Splitsville
s
Allen Cinemark As cliché as it sounds to watch a movie on the first date, it’s an easy way to spend time with that special someone without the unpleasant small talk. Watching romantic movies, like “Endless Love,” might be a good idea if you’re with your girlfriends but not for spending time with your sweetheart. Finding something less loveydovey would make the night a lot less awkward.
theeagleangle.com
The Village at Fairview is probably one of the most underrated local places to go to for date nights. They have so many entertaining places to go to, like a beach and volleyball court, fountains and tons of restaurants. If you just want to have good and cheap fun for a quick hour or two, Splitsville is the place to go. It’s not your traditional bowling alley since it has a much cleaner and more modern ambiance, but it’s a very fun and sophisticated place to bowl a couple of games. Splitsville is a great place to go for a date or even a friend’s night out; whether you want to break the ice with your first date or just want to hang out with a couple of friends, it’s a place you can count on for any casual occasion.
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Raise the Wage M
inimum wage was originally created so the average American family could survive off of a minimal amount. Back then the familial unit could live with the breadwinner making only 25 cents an hour, but now times have changed. Prices of consumer goods have gone up since the Great Depression and, quite frankly, families cannot subsist on the current minimum wage of $7.25. As proposed by President Obama, increasing the minimum wage to $10.10 would greatly -help the American people. Yes, it does increase the prices of goods, and we would have to adjust annually for inflation, but study after study shows that it will not increase the prices by any significant amount. To prove this point, McDonald’s has tested to see how much the prices of the foods would increase and found that they would only have to raise the price of each food item by 5 cents. Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t mind paying an extra 5 cents for my 10-piece chicken nuggets to make sure the person making my chicken nuggets doesn’t have to work three jobs to support their family. America has one of the highest standards of living, yet there are 46.5 million people forced to live off of meager earnings. Some would argue that those making minimum wage should have gotten better jobs, worked harder in school or that they’re just teenagers, but tell that to the average minimum wage worker: 35-year-old women with college degrees, according to the Economic Policy Institute. The US is progressing incredibly slowly in comparison to other countries. For instance Australia’s minimum wage is $16.88, in American dollars, and their economy is booming. America is the country of equal opportunity, and honestly, if we don’t raise the minimum wage, the opportunities are never going to be equal.
story by Nini Truong // staff writer
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FlipSide Cage the Wage
Minimum Wage
I
n an attempt to boost the American economy, President Barack Obama signed an executive order raising the minimum wage to $10.10 for employees of federal contract workers. Although this order does not currently affect the average citizen, this is Obama’s not-sosubtle way of prompting Congress to pass a law raising the minimum wage for everyone. I can understand how increasing the minimum wage for all jobs in America might seem like a great idea, but in reality it is only going to fall flat. Increased wages will lead to inflation, and our economy will definitely not improve. People might have a bigger number on their bank statement, but their money will eventually be worth even less than it is right now, and they still won’t be able to afford anything. Anyone who has ever had a job paying $7.25 an hour can agree with me on this: menial jobs build character, especially if you work retail. Let me tell you, it sucks, but I know that this experience will only make me more empathetic in the long run. Working at the bottom of the barrel is something that every person should do. It gives a much needed dose of reality: not everything in life is delivered on a silver platter. Menial labor teaches people the importance of working your way up the corporate ladder. I know the argument for raising minimum wage is that no one can raise a family on a mere $7.25, but Dr. Bradley Schiller, a professor emeritus at American University, reported that 94 percent of the adults earning minimum wage have a spouse who is employed and earning well above $7.25 an hour. Minimum wage is meant to be a starting point for people who are just starting out; the only way to go is up. By raising the minimum wage, America is essentially giving free handouts to people who don’t necessarily deserve them. The goal is to improve our economy and make people more self-sufficient not overly reliant.
story by Victoria Erb // copy chief
Alone in the Friendzone story by Jordyn Ruiz // staff writer
I
t’s not just any zone. It’s THE zone. The penalty box of dating, the point of no return, rejection at its finest. It’s a lovelorn person’s worst nightmare. The friend zone. A kind way to tell your “special” companion that they’re not good enough to hold your hand or play footsie with you under the table. Numerous people see the friendzone as something girls tend to use when a guy is starting to become a little too attached for her liking. Guys have a tendency to jump to conclusions and get the wrong impression when a girl just wants to hang out with him or just talk. Why
do guys always think that if a girl puts her hand on their shoulder this way or gives a playful shove that way, that they are looking for a serious relationship? Guys who think that way are, in my opinion, desperate. That’s where the friendzone comes into play. It’s a simple tool that girls, and sometimes guys, use to politely tell the other to stop barking up that tree. It’s not going to happen, it’s never going to happen, so stop asking for it to. Don’t be that person who can’t take no for an answer, because you just look pathetic and wretched. No one wants to date a person who seems
so distraught that they can’t get their act together and move on. Especially guys who believe that buying a dozen roses or a cute, overpriced teddy bear will mend that bond that they broke. It
“Being put in the friendzone may have been a blessing in disguise.” won’t. The best thing to do for yourself is to carry on. However if you are looking to somehow avoid the friendzone, I suggest to start building a friendship
first before starting a relationship. There is something very special and sweet about a guy (or girl) who is willing to put in that sort of time before making the gradual move from friends to something more. Now if your plan backfires on you, don’t walk with your head down. Broaden your horizons and don’t be afraid to meet someone new. You may have to start at square one again, but it will be all worth it in the end. It may be home to a place of heartbreak and misery, but you never know, being put in the friend zone may have been a blessing in disguise.
Blocked out story by Lucy Boys // staff writer
P
ablo Picasso once said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” Somewhere between elementary school and college, teenagers inevitably lose a piece of themselves. Classes outside the four core classes were designed to help us direct our life, to keep one passionate and energetic about their interest. But then add hours and hours of homework to ensure academic “growth,” insufficient sleep and stress to do extracurricular activities to look successful in the eyes of colleges. Even if we find an elective to develop our creativity, we fall prey to the precise, scientific formula assigned to the classes. The result is that we turn into the bricks in the wall, building tomorrow’s foundation - against our will. theeagleangle.com
The harder we are pushed to achieve academically, the less energy we have to be the artist. Creative, flowery sentences disappear gradually as it’s trained out of us by
“There is a difference between being a clone copy of what society wants you to be and someone who is both an adult and an artist.” bad grades on English essays. Doodling becomes a secret activity because you get in trouble for not being mature. I’m not saying maturity is overrated and destructive. But there is a difference between being a clone copy of what society wants you to be and
someone who is both an adult and an artist. The world tends to not want you to talk about certain issues, convinced that doing so would break the fragile world order. Yet as we grow up, we find ourselves immersed into a world where nothing is right. All forms of media- whether social or artwork- are tools that not only alert us but help us speak up. Then we become rebels, and society backlashes, leading either to more drastic measures or us stepping down, defeated. To me, creative maturity is being the one with perseverance and a voice. There is nothing wrong with being strong and allowing yourself to hold power. Because this world is your world, and problems shouldn’t be accepted as life, as there is always a chance for either decay or growth. We have to live in this
world. We shouldn’t be quiet about the violence we’re raised to accept as inevitableas human nature. we shouldn’t be quiet about the inequality, the glass ceiling, the acceptance of everything. Being a rebel isn’t that bad as long as you remember you have influence. That you have the power to change society and the world, one piece of art at a time. So break the walls and began the protest, no matter the backlash. One has to resist our society’s condemnation of “immaturity”. Never let writer’s block or others’ opinions slow down your voice in whatever form it takes. Those are just ruses of our society to try to keep the world the same and the students smarter. Because it’s the artist, not the adult, who will change the world on a grand scale.
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graphic by Naomi Fluckiger
Face the Music story by Katie Serrano // contributing writer
E
ver since the start of Woodstock in 1969, music festivals have been a way for individuals to enter a whole new universe - one where they can release their inner hippie and lose themselves in music. Whether it is Warped Tour for all the punk rockers out there, Edgefest for the “indie” music lovers
or Bonnaroo for those who like a little bit of everything, don’t miss your chance to experience music in a whole new way this upcoming spring and summer. It’s no wonder that music festivals are just as popular today as they were back in the 1970s when the Grateful Dead,
Jim Hendrix and The Who played for thousands of people three days in a row. Music festivals are a place where we can all let go of our problems or worries, bond with people who share our love and desire for music, who live for the adrenaline rush that pumps through your veins when you hear the first
chord to your favorite song, where you meet individuals from all around the world with unbelievable stories to tell. No matter what genre of music you live for, music festivals are a must this spring and summer season, so don’t miss your chance to enjoy music in a way you never thought was possible.
Music Festival On the Schedule Rule book
Music festivals are not for everyone; before you head to the farm, put on your Ray Bans or flower crowns and dive into the festival lifestyle, take a look at these rules: -Be prepared to leave social media behind. You don’t need to live tweet every performance. Enjoy the moment while it lasts without distractions. -Take lots of photos and capture memories; your first festival is a memory you’ll want to hold onto forever. -Don’t record every single set list every single band plays, even if they’re you’re favorite. Chances are, a few days after the festival dozens of videos will be on the internet, so why record it when you are already there? Not to mention how annoying it is when someone blocks your view by holding up a giant smartphone. -Try and start a conversation with everyone you meet. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet a long lost best friend by bonding over Vampire Weekend or The Avett Brothers. -Embrace the flower crowns, braids, high waisted shorts and all other cliché “hipster” trends that were popular back in the 1960s and 1970s. -If you are going to a weekend music festival be prepared to skip a few showers. Yeah, it may sound gross and smelly, but everyone is gross and smelly together. (Remember, it’s not just a festival, it can also be a camping trip.) -Give lots of high fives.
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Be on the lookout for these noteworthy local and out-of-state music festivals coming up:
Coachella
April 11-13 in Indio, CA. Headliners include OutKast, Muse and Arcade Fire.
Edgefest April 26 in Frisco, TX. Headliners include The Avett Brothers, Bastille and Beck.
Suburbia Music Fest May 3-4 in Oak Point Park & Nature Preserve - Plano, TX. Headliners include David Guetta, Alabama Shakes and J. Cole.
Hangout Music Fest May 16-18 in Gulf Shores, AL. Headliners include The Killers, The Black Keys and Jack Johnson.
Bonnaroo June 12-15 in Manchester, TN. Headliners include Elton John, Kanye West and The Arctic Monkeys.
Warped Tour June 15 in Dallas, TX. Headliners include Of Mice and Men, Yellowcard and Falling in Reverse.
Binge Watching foR Beginners graphic by Harrison Geosits // opinions editor
Start here
Gossip Girl Drama lovers will find a new best friend, or maybe even a new favorite enemy, in Gossip Girl. The show centers around a group of elite socialites in the Upper East Side of New York City facing a blogger who airs all of their dirty laundry.
Do you like shows centered around family? Yes
The road
Gossip girl
Do you mind hard work? No
Yes
The city Halloween rolls around. Are you going to a party or watching scary movies? Party!
The Office
A “mockumentary” on the paper-selling company Dunder Mifflin, The Office is a comedic spin in the modern workplace, consisting of clashing personalities, office romances and inappropriate jokes.
Everyone does. Which do you prefer: Versace or Walmart?
Grab the popcorn! Are you on the hunt for a new outfit or an evil spirit?
Friends!
Binge watch...
No
Do you like being on the road or in the city?
Coworkers are friends or just in the way of your success?
They just get in the way.
SuperNatural
A paranormal show about a pair of demon hunting brothers, Supernatural is perfect for those looking for adventure, wit and a scare.
Walmart
Versace
An evil spirit, duh. Outfit, please.
Binge watch...
SuperNatural
Binge watch...
The Office
Heard it in the hallway What do you think of...
The Friendzone “It totally exists. I’ve been in it and it sucks. You just feel really down on yourself, but I mean its kind of fun to put someone in it.. That sounds really evil. You just have to accept it for what it is, and know you’ll just stay friends.”
Maddie bernard, senior
“Probably pretty unhealthy and it needs to be talked about and if there’s not a mutual attraction and one of them is still continuing to be attracted then it’d probably be unhealthy to be friends. “
javan hawron, junior “I think it’s justified I guess to a certain extent. I’ve probably been in both sides of the situation. It sucked but you can’t force somebody to like you. Like I said I think it’s justified. It’s pretty awkward.”
Michael Scott, senior theeagleangle.com
Social Media at AHS “I don’t think they should [monitor our twitters] because social media has nothing to do with the school. Unless they own the website then they shouldn’t check it.”
Singer Beamon, sophomore
Music Festivals “I went to the Twins of Evil Rock Festival with Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie. I had tons of fun as we jammed out to music and had a huge mosh pit.”
Tristan Jared, junior
“I don’t really care. I just think it’s stupid how they bust people over Twitter at school when they do stuff outside of school that has nothing to do with inside of it. They are just finding ways to get kids in trouble.”
“I went to South by Southwest. I had lots of fun. It’s my kind of music. I hung out with my friends. We all took my RV and stayed in there and had a party and had a good time and enjoyed the music.”
“Well I think people should always be aware of what they post and stuff, but I mean that’s like our own way to you know communicate with each other.”
“I don’t know the exact name but it was a jazz festival. There was a lot of different groups preforming so we listened to them and they had a jazzy atmosphere where the festival was. It was lots of fun.”
Briana Welch, senior
Alerice nakhro, junior
josh hewes, senior
Mckenzie sigle, Senior quotes compiled by the Eagle Angle Staff
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Opinions
story by Deatrik Bledsoe // staff writer
In our generation nothing is ever taken as a joke. Some would say that this is no problem to them, but I see it as a way of punishing us for speaking our mind, even if it does not satisfy some people. It was made to share our ideas to others whether if it’s good or bad. Why should the school be regulating our tweets anyways? I thought it was made to express our ideas? Let’s take my situation, for example. A kid decided to
“The school should stay out of it unless it involves a life-ordeath situation.” post on Twitter saying that he would pull the fire alarm. I felt that this was a crazy idea and wanted to respond to it. I replied “You’re dumb” because it wasn’t the best idea. A few minutes later I am called to my house principal’s office confused, worried and in shock. I’m asked, “Did you tweet anything that I should know about?” I show him all of my tweets, not knowing what he was talking about. Did someone go on my Twitter and tweet bad things? Did someone say something to get themselves out of trouble? Maybe I’m in trouble for something else?
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Bitter Sincerely, Stylish If I were a boy ‘Bout twitter I’m never in the principal’s office though? These were all the questions that were going through my head. My tweet was considered “encouraging to the student,” but I don’t understand how my tweet about another person’s mistake was considered encouraging at all. My punishment? I could choose from Saturday school or Wednesday school. I wanted to question the punishment but didn’t, and resigned myself to 4 hours of Wednesday school. Now don’t get me wrong. There’s no reason to be tweeting at school, but it’s not right to make someone take time out of their day to be in a room for four hours when they didn’t do anything. That’s my personal information, and Twitter was made to share your ideas on any situation. There are all kinds of kids that tweet about some messed up things like fighting and drugs, but you don’t see them in the principal’s office. The school should stay out of it unless it involves a life-or-death situation or if it is affecting them in any way. No one should be going to Wednesday school just for speaking his or her mind. That’s our parents’ job to punish us. Stop being our parents. Just be our teachers, and stay out of our personal lives.
story by Emily Haney // staff writer
Y
ou boys have it so much easier than girls when it comes to looking on point. What do y’all even have to do besides roll out of bed and grab a flannel to clothe yourself with? I really don’t see the fairness in the fact that I have to put concealer under my eyes to cover up a bad night’s sleep, but you men can just emerge from the sheets completely unzombified and even skintoned. And don’t even get me started on denim. We have to go into the store, grab four different sizes and hold our breath while contorting ourselves into 12 different positions in the changing room just to make sure the pants are hugging every curve just right. Guys, on the other hand, walk up to the workers in the store and ask for two simple numbers before walking out of the dressing room and into the public sporting jeans that would support all ankle types in the possibility of a flood. Way to go, CW for making us think that all high school boys should strut the halls looking like my personal favorite from the “Gossip Girl” series — Chuck Bass. I think all of us can agree that unless you live on the Upper East Side of Manhattan or work for some luxurious firm in Europe— assuming of course that you are at least 21 and make more in an hour than my nannying job earns me for one week- you
cannot afford to look like a million bucks every day. But suit and tie aside SOMEHOW boys still manage to do it. The thing that seems completely unrighteous to us girls is the fact that our in-depth daily routine takes so much more effort, time and conscious thought than a man’s. I can’t save the shower for the morning—I have to knock it out the night before because even my relatively short, medium length hair won’t dry in time for high school morning traffic. And then of course there’s the makeup— unless you’re genetically lucky; in which case I am infinitely jealous and hate you. If I didn’t love the spontaneity of grabbing something random out of my closet (or off of my floor) and throwing it together at the last minute, I would probably be one of those “night-before” planner girls who are wellorganized and probably make 105s on every binder check. But then there are you boys who just say, “Hey, I wore this shirt last Thursday and Friday, and although my best friend saw me both A and B day, I’ll wear it again because even if my house didn’t have these magical things called a washer and dryer—still, no one would say anything.” Let me tell you something boys, if a girl repeated a shirt in the same week, all of her friends would let her know. Being a girl has its perks, yes—but sometimes I wish I had it as easy as dudes when it comes to getting ready and keeping up appearances. For boys, dressing is easy as pie. Or maybe more appropriately, it’s easy as guy.
opinions
Eagle Stadium, We are mad (lib) We are mad (lib) Startled, _________ looked at the clock; he was going NAME
to be late for _________ practice! Hurrying out the SPORT
door, he sped off to the _________ stadium. But ADJECTIVE
when he arrived, it was _________! _________ was GERUND
NAME
disappointed, he loved the stadium’s _________ and NOUN
_________. But now it was just a pile of _________. PLURAL NOUN
NOUN
What would the _________ do with their baby powder GROUP
and graduation caps now? The senior _________ was EVENT
moved to _________. Even better were the _________ PLACE
SPORT
The Top ten Reasons spring is the best season
All you need is a light jacket! (Miss congeniality, anyone?) 1. Kite flying and hammocking 2. Full bloom flowers 3. spring flings 4. floral print everywhere 5. weather is above freezing and below melting 6. the peak of vineyard vines season 7. perfect chaco weather 8. picnics! awwww! 9. socially acceptable to swim 10. spring break. duh.
games, now watched from the top of a _________. LOCATION
“See?” the principal said, “Who needs a stadium!”
list by Harrison Geosits // opinions editor
you get a ring, and you get a ring, and you get a ring. everyone gets a ring editorial by the Eagle Angle Staff
T
he football team spent hours upon hours training for the season. They prepared in the scorching heat and the freezing cold. They managed to maintain a perfect 16-0 record, which led to them becoming the 2013 5A State Champions. You attended one game. Or maybe you didn’t even bother going. You just went to take that cute selfie for Twitter or Instagram. You didn’t even know what was going on during the game half of the time. theeagleangle.com
Now practically anyone can now buy a commemorative state ring. But the bottom line is: These rings should be earned. Not given. The commemorative state champion rings cost $299, but the school does not even make a profit off of these rings. What is the point of giving the entire student body the privilege of purchasing one of these beauts if the school doesn’t even make a cent off of them? Pointless. Balfour says that the ring
created for the student body is smaller compared to the one the football team receives; that this still gives the team enough recognition, and the actual state rings will be only available to the football players, trainers and coaches. Although the commemorative rings are smaller, this still doesn’t justify the situation. The boys in blue earned this ring. Students in the stands did not. Some believe that this commemorative ring will
create a sense of unity within the high school. Sorry, but our unity is created by joining in support of our team, not by a piece of metal. For the second year in a row, our football team has earned the state title. This isn’t a simple task. The rings symbolically represent the boys’ hard work. This state championship was not given, it was earned, and the symbol of this success should be treated the same way.
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Clockwise from above: Snatching the header before the his opponent, senior Brock Tikson gets the ball away from a North Garland forward. Moving past her opponent, senior Taylor Trent moves the ball upfield in an effort to help score against The Colony on Jan. 29. At McKinney Boyd High School, senior David Messenger passes the ball forward in an effort to score against McKinney Boyd on March 7. Facing three North Garland players, senior Erick Magallanes attempts to maintain control of the ball at Ford Middle School on Jan. 28. all photos by Saher Aqeel // photo editor
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A striking season Both the boys and girls soccer seasons are over, but the girls are oving on to playoffs. With a district record of three wins, two losses and five ties, the girls finished the season third in district. They finished 11-5-6 overall. The boys finished 2-6-2 in district, making them fifth in district and 8-10-3 overall.
Above: Fighting off two North Garland players, senior Hugo Salcedo attempts to keep the ball as senior Andrew Russell is ready for the assist on Jan. 28 at Ford Middle School. Far left: Dribbling down the field, senior Kevin Walls anticipates his North Garland opponent’s moves to keep control of the ball on Jan. 28. Right: Successfully keeping the ball away from The Colony, senior Audra Hart dribbles upfield on Jan. 29 at Ford Middle School. theeagleangle.com
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