Issue 4 by Eagle Angle

EA Eagle Angle Newspaper

Students put on ‘Wizard of Oz’ wmusical pg. 10 & 11

Wrestling wins Dual State for fifth year pg. 15

3 students model as extracurricular pg. 8

photo by Saher Aqeel

photo by Lauren Duncan

photo submitted by Shaylee Butler

Allen High School // Allen, Texas, 75002 // Volume 30, Issue 4 // February 11, 2013

From Russia with love...no more

Russia bans Americans from adopting Russian children

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he law is named after a Russian toddler who died of heatstroke in his American adoptive father’s car in 2008. Buster said he has heard stories about children being sent back to Russia if their adoptive parents found them disabled. “You know, that’s the center of it, and I don’t think American people should [send orphans back] because you need to understand where [the orphans] are coming from,” Buster said. “They’ve had parents that have been alcoholic or drug addicts that cause them to have a physical scar in their lives.” Americans first saw the ban as Russian retaliation against the American Magnitsky Act that was put

managing editor graphic by Garrett Holcombe // graphic designer

ying on the white hospital bed in the Intensive Care Unit, 5-year-old Shutong Hao can feel the wires attached to her body from the machines on her sides. Light purple walls and curtains border the room. Machines and computers surround her, but as the time ticks closer to her surgery, she isn’t afraid, even though in the next 16 hours, a boy’s heart is going to replace her own. “I didn’t know what I was getting myself into or what I was going into,” Hao said. “I didn’t really feel any fear. I actually feel more fear now than I

did back then just because I was so little and naïve.” Now, 11 years later as a junior, Hao is declared completely healthy by her doctors. “I would say there is absolutely nothing that makes her seem very different than what is the defined normal besides the medicine,” Hao’s close friend, junior Catherine Osborn, said. “She’s special, but she’s not handicapped. I don’t feel like she’s handicapped at all.”

The diagnosis

into effect on Dec. 6. The Magnitsky Act condemned Russia for human rights abuses and required the Russian government to deny visas to and freeze the assets of Russian citizens accused of such abuses. However, in an interview with CNN on Jan. 27, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the Dima Yakovlev Law expresses the Russian government’s concern with the welfare of its nation’s children, not political revenge. “A large number of American families

who adopted Russian children really provide the correct care, upbringing and education,” Medvedev said. “And in that case, they get high marks. This is the highly moral attitude. But unfortunately, in our country we know a lot of cases when children adopted by American parents died or were tortured or lost their health in the U.S., and even one such case would be enough to suggest the draft of a law for consideration.”

In perspective

ccording to the U.S. State Department, more than 60,000 orphans have been adopted // continued on pg 3

It just seems like every single day I was in America it was a happy place. junior Reece Buster (right)

graphic by Madyson Russell // layout editor

Junior recalls heart surgery at age 5

story by Grace Lee //

A “protective” ban

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ao was diagnosed with congenital heart disease, which is a defect in the structure of the heart that is present from birth. Hao said that she was not supposed to live past the age of 2. She received

a heart transplant on June 6, 2001, at the University of California in Los Angeles Medical Center. “It’s humbling really because I’m not supposed to be alive,” Hao said. “People are dying every day because of the same exact problems, but they’re not as fortunate. They still struggle to fight for life.” Hao was born in Beijing, but doctors there told her parents that she was inoperable. When Hao was 2, her family moved to Los Angeles, after her parents received a confirmation of a doctor who would operate on Hao. Before the heart transplant, Hao received two open heart surgeries when she was 3 years old to prolong her life. While living in Los Angeles, the Haos found a donor’s heart that

matched with Hao’s. “I don’t think you can describe [my parents’] happiness because I can’t even imagine,” Hao said. “If my kid was condemned to death, and you thought forever and ever that they were going to die and that at any point, they were not going to wake up, and then suddenly, they’re okay and they’re given a new life, I don’t think you can put that happiness into words.” The donor was 5 years old when he passed away. Hao said that her family and the donor’s family were close until the Haos moved to Texas when she was 5 years old. “We still contact the donor family,” Hao said. “Even though they still live in California, they still treat me like a daughter, as one of their kids because I have one of their kid’s hearts.”

Before the surgery

n Los Angeles, the Haos stayed in a Ronald McDonald home which is dedicated to providing a place to stay for families with kids

who have serious ongoing medical problems. According to PubMed Health, CHD causes more deaths in the first year of life than any other birth defect. Until she was 5, Hao said that she was not able to eat, so doctors had to place a feeding tube through her nose down to her stomach. Due to lack of oxygen, Hao’s skin was blue and she could not breathe, so she said she carried an oxygen tank with her at all times. “I remember a few specific incidents like when I was in the shower once when I was really little, the feeding tube that I had started to come out,” Hao said. “That scared me so much because it’s a tube that long, and it goes all the way down to your stomach and if that comes out, they have to put it back in. It was horrible.”

Effect on her

ao said that she undergoes a biopsy and a cardiac catheterization every two years, a doctor’s appointment every six // continued on pg 8

Inside news 2-3 // feature 7-9// center 10-11 // opinions 12-14 // sports 15-19 // photo essay 20

Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

story by Megan Lucas // assistant editor t 4 years old, junior adoption of Russian children Reece Buster weighed 17 by American families like pounds. Buster’s. Russian president At 4 years old, Buster had Vladimir Putin first approved never felt a mother’s hug. the ban Dec. 27. According He lived in a nameless to Putin, one goal of orphanage 395 miles south the ban is to encourage of Moscow in Penza, Russia, adoption by Russians where the winters were within the nation. bitter and mosquitoes “They’ve been swarmed in the summer. saying that [they Until, at 4 years old, wanted to increase an American couple adopted inside adoptions] him. for the past 10 years, “I was relieved [to be and it hasn’t happened,” adopted],” Buster said. “Because executive director of throughout the whole time I was Adoption Covenant there, there would be American agency Merinda Condra people, and all of us wanted to, said. “I don’t know what’s you know, just [say] ‘Take me going to be different now.” home,’ and they would pick you up and hug you, but then they would set you down and that would really hurt inside.” senior Marek Koons On Jan. 1 the Dima Yakovlev Law went into effect in Russia, banning the

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“[Love Week] is a chance for the students and the school to collaborate with each other and get to know each other through a common goal of helping this person through their trouble.”

senior Margaret Wells

senior Stefanie Lohse

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“I’m glad that we decided on Nick Hale because he was such an important member of the community. I think we all just felt that it was a unanimous decision, and we’re behind him 100 percent.”

“He asked, ‘Why did they pick me?’ I said, ‘I think that people felt that you deserved [it]. They know that you’re a great dad, and you deserve this help.’” Meredyth Hale

LOVE WEEK 2013 story by Victoria Erb and Megan Lucas // assistant editors

Duct tape committee

daughter, Sarah, models this years Love Week t-shirt. One hundred percent of proceeds from shirt sales go to the family. Family support (below) Meredyth Hale sits with her three children Sarah (5), Matt (2) and Ben (2).

Former Eagle

Love Bugs

Meredyth Hale holds up a picture of her husband Nick Hale from his football days. photo

ove Bugs, or candy-grams, are available to purchase for $1 on Monday, Feb. 11 and Tuesday, Feb. 12 in the cafeteria. Students can write a special note to anyone, which will later be hand delivered with a sucker on Valentine’s Day.

the news angle National Merit

eachers will make baked goods to sell in the bake sale on Tuesday, Feb. 12. The sale will take place from 7:45 a.m. until the end of first period and after school if supplies allow. “I’m really glad that I got to be a part of [Love Week] this year,” senior Margaret Wells, financial officer and Love Muffin committee head, said. “It was kind of a scary decision when we were going through the nominations and trying to choose who we wanted Love Week to benefit, but I’m glad that we decided on Nick Hale because he was such an important member of the community. I think we all just felt that it was a unanimous decision, and we’re behind him 100 percent.”

Battery collection

The Energy and Environment Awareness committee under Student Council has been collecting used batteries since October to take to proper recycing facilities. Donate used batteries to any House office, and drop it off in the green bin.

An g

March 2

Love Muffins

by d

Now-June

The annual Allen Eagle Run will be held on the morning of March 2. The fun run begins at 8 a.m. and the 5K race will be held at 8:30. Registration is open on www. alleneaglerun.org and will be open up until the day of the race.

Fun Run

A schoolwide blood drive will be held on Feb. 14 on the second floor in the main gym. Students must have appointments to donate during the school day. Applications are available at the round information desk in the front of the school.

Feb. 7

Blood drive

th e

Ea gl e

Feb. 14

Six students were named National Merit Finalists. These students will be eligible to compete for $32 million in scholarship money.

s the final Love Week theme day, students are asked to wear their Love Week T-shirt on Friday, Feb. 15. Students can purchase a Love Week shirt for $15 in the Eagle Edge, and 100 percent of the profits go to the Hale family. “It’s nice to help a family that really needs help,” T-shirt committee co-head Iqra Kazi said. “His family is in need, and it’s always good to help someone in need.”

ne w

by Saher Aqeel

Daddy’s girl (top) During an interview with KGLE, Hale’s

tudents will be able to purchase a strip of duct tape for $1 and tape a teacher to a pillar in the cafeteria during all lunches on Wednesday, Feb. 13. Once enough tape has been attached, the teacher will dangle. All proceeds will go to Nick Hale. “[I wanted to do Love Week] because it is for a really good cause, and it is also a chance for the students and the school to collaborate with each other and get to know each other through a common goal of helping this person through their trouble,” duct tape and lunch volunteer committee head senior Stefanie Lohse said.

T-Shirt committee

Hale, the principal at Mary Evans Elementary, said. Nick has three young children, 2-year-old twin boys and a daughter in kindergarten. His wife said she had no clue Nick was even nominated. “I’ve been up at the hospital with him the past three months pretty much full time. I was in ‘hospital land’ as opposed to being in the loop of things going around,” Meredyth said. “Of course you never think you’d be that person, but [we’re] beyond grateful and we’re going to use this opportunity to teach our children about paying it forward.” Nick knows he is the Love Week recipient and is even a little sad to miss the benefit concert on Feb. 15. Meredyth said when she first told him about it, it was hard for Nick to wrap his head around the nomination. “He asked, ‘Why did they pick me?’” Meredyth said. “I said, ‘I think that people felt that you deserved [it]. They know that you’re a great dad, and you deserve this help.’”

“I think it’s a good cause because it allows a way for the whole school district to get together because we do involve the elementary schools in it and it shows that we come together as a city because other people that don’t even go here support Nick Hale through Love Week,” Love Bugs committee head senior Hannah Hubbard said.

Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

eredyth Hale, a third grade teacher at Bolin Elementary, picks up the ringing phone on Oct. 26, 2012, to the sound of her three young children playing in the background, unsuspecting of the news she is about to hear. Her husband Nick Hale has been chosen as the 2013 Love Week recipient. “[I was] blown away,” Meredyth said. “I got the phone call, and I was like, ‘Wow OK, did I just hear that right?’ I had to have time to process it.” Nick was chosen as the recipient through an overwhelming number of nominations by the community and selection by the IB students in charge of Love Week. He is an Allen alumni, former football player and loves to drive his Ford Mustang. He was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia on Oct. 6 of last fall. “I was very touched, and it really is an honor to have a community that cares so much,” Nick’s mother Pam

Benefit concert n order to raise money for Love Week recipient Nick Hale, there will be a benefit concert on Friday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m., with a Disney sing-along starting at 6 p.m. Senior Kyle Walden is the chairman for the concert. “I think it’s a really great thing that we’re doing here,” Walden said. “I think to gather a bunch of students together to, you know, raise money and donate to somebody that really needs it at this time, just sharing the love is, it’s a really, really awesome thing that we get to do. I’m really glad to be a part of it.”

Their reactions

Commited to the cause

n annual event since 2010, Love Week kicks off on Feb. 11 and ends Feb. 15. This year’s recipient is Nick Hale, an Allen alumni diagnosed with leukemia who has been in intensive care since Oct. 26 of last fall. IB students run the fundraiser, forming committees to plan an activity for each day of Love Week to raise money for the family.

Robotics teams clinch top 2 spots in regionals, advance to state

Fine tuning After taking first place at the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) Regional Robotics Competition on Jan. 12, senior Alexandria Brown works on tuning the program for their robot for the next compeition.

story by Victoria Erb // assistant editor

photo by Saher Aqeel

Students adopted from Russia share opinion on adoption ban // continued from cover also from an orphanage in Penza. Koons said the strongest memory he carries from Russia is not growing up with parents. “It was difficult. It was kind of sad, I guess, not having parents. Normal kids grow up with one or the other or sometimes both,” Koons said. “Not having somebody to teach you right and wrong, it was difficult.” Left in Russia, Koons said the un-adopted orphans would be hurt more than anything by the adoption ban, often falling into alcohol and drugs after leaving the orphanage at age 18. “If there’s people that can’t take care of their kids, that won’t take care of the kids, […] if other people want the kids and they choose [to adopt], it’s their decision if they want to take them and give them a better life,” Koons said. “I think they should have the ability to do it.”

fter winning first and second place at the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) Regional Robotics Competition on Jan. 12, two teams will advance to the state competition hosted by Deer Park ISD in May. While two teams made it to state last year, this is the first year teams have taken both first and second at regionals. The results for Team ATR – 1 and Team LFC are still unknown. “I think that’s awesome [that we got first and second place],” junior Caleb Lane said. “Having two teams of us out of all of those who were at regionals really looks good. I think we have a good chance at state.” Team ATR – 2, consisting of sophomore Keerat Baweja, juniors Kaylee Sanford and Kristen Cotton and senior Alexandria Brown, placed first, while Team ATR – 3, composed of Lane, sophomore Luke Nelson and juniors Sean Clifton and De’Andre Gazaway, came in second. Robotics adviser Stevie Mayberry has coached robotics for the 22 years it has been offered here. “[The girls team] figured out how to score more points consistently,” Mayberry said. “Consistency is the key if you can make your robot do it the same way each time with a good amount of points.” Each team must make their

own robot before the competition using the materials in a Lego Mindstorms kit, which includes software to program the robot. At regionals, each team’s objective was to maneuver their robot in such a way to pick up checkers to be made into “ m o l e c u l e s.” Red checkers represented hydrogen and black checkers were oxygen. Nelson said he and his teammates got their robot functioning as they hoped it would. “Every time we would fix something, it would go perfectly the way we programmed it,” Nelson said. “When we would go to the next task, if something messed up, we’d fix it again and we’d test it again, no hiccups.” There are three rounds in the competition. For ranking purposes, judges take the two highest scoring rounds. Moving the items in the competition arena will help to get points. Mayberry said there are two other ways to score: the teams can bring in a bill of materials they used to create their robot that were not included in the kit or they can get the wheels of their robot off the ground. “The first round, our robot did how we thought it was going to,” Sanford said. “The second round, it did terribly awful, and it just totally

didn’t work. And then third round, it did its best run that we had ever seen.” As a coach, Mayberry said he provides the students with an opportunity to join the robotics team. He said it is not a requirement to be in the robotics class to join the team, and he would like to keep it that way. “I guide them. I make suggestions, but I try not to make it ‘my way or the highway,’” Mayberry said. “Some things, you know maybe we need to get [a] shirt design, maybe we need to do this or do that, but I really leave it up to them.” Mayberry’s coaching helps increase the members’ innovation, Sanford said. “It increases our creativity,” Sanford said. “Instead of being bound to what he thinks, we can really just think about whatever, however we want to achieve the task.” Nelson said he feels his team will have an edge over the others at the state competition. “I think we’ll be at an advantage just because [Lane] has been doing this since middle school,” Nelson said. “He knows the system inside and out, and he’s kind of like the captain of our team, I guess. I believe that he will lead us to victory.”

Phoenix students work on 4-month project story by Laura Pitts // staff writer

very year, juniors and seniors in Phoenix are required to do projects that are meant to challenge and ultimately benefit them in some way. The project is counted as a major grade and earns a maximum of 11 total points: nine points of student designed criteria and two points of teacher designed criteria. The students work on the project for around four months and turn them in April.

Chris Simmons

Lora Laherty

Jessie Riley

Senior Chris Simmons is doing a oneman acapella group. After doing almost the same thing last year but more symphonic.

After seven years of painting, senior Lora Laherty is repainting one of her orginal paintings of skyline from the point of view of another planet. She is repainting it five times, twice in her style and three times in the style of different artists, including Vincent Van Gogh and Georges Seurat. Each painting takes about 30 hours.

Junior Jessie Riley is creating a documentary about different jobs and lifestyles in the Dallas area. So far she has helped with the school restaurant Blu with catering for the football banquet, helped at the Allen Event Center and is in the middle of a teaching job now.

How do you compare your project to last year? “It’s definitely harder because I am not traditionally a singer. I’ve started playing the piano and started singing recently. So definitely harder,” Simmons said.

How much work have you done so far? “I started working with some choir friends on vocal expansion so I could reach some of the high soprano notes,” Simmons said. “And I’ve started writing out sheet music for about three different songs and I haven’t decided which one to do yet, so collectively about 14 hours or so.”

Taste of culinary arts (far right) Filming part of her documentary, junior Jessie Riley interviews culinary arts teachers for her project about job sampling. Riley catered for the culinary arts program. photo by Saher Aqeel

Painting planets (left) As she paints the finishing touches on her piece in Vincent Van Gogh’s style, Lora Laherty said she prefers to paint sitting on the floor rather than with an easel. photo by Lydia Gardner

What do you expect to learn from this? “I want to learn different techniques. I’ve just kind of always done the same thing, like super realistic, so [I want to] expand my boundaries and be bolder when I paint,” Laherty said.

How important is this to you? “I want to be a painter when I grow up, so I think having the time to have to push myself is really helpful. Because otherwise I just won’t do it,” Laherty said.

What made you want to do this project? “I love film and I’ve never done a documentary before so I thought that it would be a cool thing to try,” Riley said. “I was really interested in trying to teach people about something that would make them appreciate other people.”

How important is this to you? “It’s actually something that I really want to learn because I know that I want to do A/V stuff in college, so if this documentary is good and [could be] something that I can send into colleges and then look at, so it is really important that I make this high quality, plus it’s a lot of fun, so I’m enjoying that a lot,” Riley said.

Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

from Russia in the past 20 years. Of those, the Russian government has found 19 orphans who have died while in the care of American parents. “One child being harmed or dying is too many,” Condra said. “But I don’t think there’s any increased risk to a child being adopted in the United States than [being] adopted in Russia or staying in a Russian orphanage.” Buster had birth defects on his feet when he was adopted because his mother was an alcoholic while pregnant with him. He said he most likely would have died within a year or ended up on the streets if he had not been adopted. “When my parents adopted me, they gave me a new life,” Buster said. “I had a physical problem, but my parents still loved me and still took me into their family.” Senior Marek Koons was adopted from Russia at 10 years old,

Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

Tori Marshall Photography

Seniors your time is now!

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Contact Tori at 972-838-8794 or visit www.torimarshallphotography.com

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Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

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Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

Bringing home to work

ut of the 4,130 students and 276 faculty members at AHS, the Eagle Angle staff picked five different instances of coworking spouses or a teacher with an enrolled student to interview them about their perspecive on working with their family members. stories by Madeline Martin & Kailey Warren // staff writer & online editor

husband // wife

Side-by-side Associate principal for curriculum Jackie Schornick and her husband hen someone tells associate principal for curriculum Jackie Schornick, “There’s no way I could work with my husband,” Mrs. Schornick understands. If she and her husband security monitor Ronnie Schornick were younger, she said she does not know that they could’ve worked together either. “Our relationship is such that we don’t need time apart,” Mr. Schornick said. “When we see each other during the day, it’s great.” Mrs. Schornick has worked in the district for more than 15 years, and this is Mr. Schornick’s third year. Mr. Schornick said that his previous occupation required him to travel frequently and that it is nice to get to go home daily now.

“This is the first time in our life that I’m home every night,” Mr. Schornick said. “We get to eat dinner together pretty much every night if she’s not here late. It’s kind of a fun part of our life.” Mrs. Schornick also said that Mr. Schornick now understands her passion for education and kids. “I want to live in the same district where I teach or I’m a principal so I can see my kids all over the place,” Mrs. Schornick said. “He now understands that because he’s kind of the same way in a way. When we go to the grocery store, now all the kids know him, so instead of going, ‘Mrs. Schornick!’ they’re going, ‘Mr. Ronnie!’ He gets how that can be rewarding.”

efore they moved to Texas, living in Florida meant a long and early morning for mother Claudine Terry and daughter Gabi. Work was 45 minutes away for Mrs. Terry, yet she still had to get Gabi to school by 7:20. Now in Allen and living only 10 minutes away from both school and work, it doesn’t inconvenience either of them. Originally working at the pre-school level, as her kids grew older Mrs. Terry looked into working for the school system. She got her teaching degree recertified and is now teaching hospitality at the high school. “When they were out of the preschool age I started working in the older age groups,” Mrs. Terry said. “I remember thinking how funny it was I changed jobs as my kids grew up.” Even though her mom tugs at her hair sometimes in the hallway, Gabi said she is still comfortable having her here. Gabi has thought about taking hospitality later in high school. When the time comes, if she has the choice to be in her mom’s class or the other teacher’s class, she said she would choose to be with her mom. “She’s not really in the field I’m learning, I’m more interested in music and she’s like [in] the restaurant business and stuff,” Gabi said. “I’ve been thinking about it, [but] it’d be in the future.” Mrs. Terry said that being together in a new school and state has made a big difference for the nerves. “Just knowing at the end of the day [she] can go to mom’s room and just chill out until she has to leave [has helped with nerves],” Mrs. Terry said.

father // daughter

ne or two students sit in the back of class observing for career day. Watching the teacher give their lecture. Listening to what they have to say. On a special occasion, this student has been Kaylyn Hyatt. Instead of observing just another teacher’s classroom, it was her dad’s. Keith Hyatt, an AP and regular government teacher, said he would rather stay teaching in Allen while his kids are in school than leave to make more money. “It’s been so nice having kids in district while you’re teaching [here],” Mr. Hyatt said. “That’s one of the reasons I moved to Allen.” Though Kaylyn is a sophomore, when her friends find out they have her dad as a teacher she said it is fun to hear about her friends picking on him and enjoying his class. “I think it’s cool having someone that a lot of my friends could possibly have as a teacher,” Kaylyn said. “This is the first year where most of my friends have been seniors and they’ve had him.” Kaylyn is a band student and Mr. Hyatt said he enjoys seeing her interact with other students and kids marching on the field when the band performs. “You get to see them outside just a parent environment,” Mr. Hyatt said. “It’s fun because the band kids know my kids, and we’ll chat back and forth.”

mother // daughter // son

Bonding time Because chemistry teacher Sandy Lee and sophomore Quentin Lee have the same lunch periods, Mrs. Lee said he will often come into her class during lunch. photo by Saher Aqeel

alking past their mom’s classroom, Mikaela and Quentin Lee said they see her switch to mom mode. With arms open wide, chemistry teacher Sandy Lee welcomes both of her kids into her classroom during the day when they stop in, and she introduces them to the class. Though Mikaela said she does not have a problem being introduced, Quentin said he finds it a little embarrassing. “She did it to me first [and] realized that it bugged me a little bit, so she toned it down,” Quentin said. “She is just showing you off to random people.” Mrs. Lee said Mikaela came in to eat in her classroom as a sophomore, but now since she leaves school at 1 p.m., she goes home. Quentin still goes in her classroom sometimes to eat lunch with his mom. “He happens to have the same lunch periods I do every day, so he’ll come in several

times a week which is nice,” Mrs. Lee said. “I get to see them more, I don’t think I would be able to see them as much.” Seeing her mom in the hallways or peeking her head in the class, Mikaela said she still thinks it is weird to think of her mom as a teacher. “In school in the hallways when she sees me she’s all, ‘Oh hey baby,’ and she’ll give me a big hug,” Mikaela said. “I’m okay with that.” Not seeing any negatives for her personally, Mrs. Lee said Mikaela and Quentin are really good kids and she likes showing other students they are her children. “I don’t think their attitude toward me has changed. I think it’s the same wherever whether it’s here or at home,” Mrs. Lee said. “They may be a little more standoffish in the sense that Quentin will not give me a hug out in the hallway, but if I ask him for a hug at home, he will.”

husband // wife

t’s Lowery Freshman Center’s annual fish camp, and one student reads the name “Spaniel” on his schedule. Thinking their freshman biology teacher will be Philip Spaniel, their former teacher and coach at Curtis Middle School, the student goes running to the classroom. Instead of Mr. Spaniel, however, they see his wife, Katy Spaniel. “[Students] think it’s silly, I think,” Mrs. Spaniel said. “Sometimes it’s hard for them to wrap their brains around that we’re married and we’re working together.” Now a world history teacher and varsity softball coach at the high school, Mr. Spaniel has been at the high school for three years and also coaches freshman football. Mrs. Spaniel is in her eighth year and teaches biology and serves as the JV Blue softball coach.

“It’s fun to have the same students [as Mr. Spaniel],” Mrs. Spaniel said. “Now that he’s a sophomore teacher, he’ll get some that I have. That’s fun to have that.” The Spaniels have first period together because they are both softball coaches and arrive in the mornings at the same time after dropping their two daughters off. Mr. Spaniel said they work “pretty good” together. “We have a lot of the same beliefs and a lot of the same thoughts and philosophies on softball and life and whatnot,” Mr. Spaniel said. “We don’t have differing opinions on much of anything.” Mr. Spaniel said a positive part of working together so closely is having the same schedule, and Mrs. Spaniel said she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I enjoy being able to see him and sharing

that same connection of working, being in education and even coaching together,” Mrs. Spaniel said. “I just think it kind of makes us stronger being able to have that connection and that thing in common. I enjoy it, and I really couldn’t even imagine having it any other way.”

Tag team In between innings during a JV scrimmage against Garland, coaches Philip and Katy Spaniel discuss the game with sophomore Shannon Strayer and freshman catcher Sophi Priest. photo by McKenzi Morris

Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

security monitor Ronnie Schornick, who have worked together for three years, stand in the main hallway. photo by Saher Aqeel

mother // daughter

Model behavior

3 students balance life with modeling with mixed reactions from peers

story by Maggie Rians & Nini Truong // staff writers

s she struts down the technique. At the end of the program, to other people and that’s something If not, so be it.” runway, adrenaline rushes the girls participate in one fashion I’ve been able to experience. I get to Butler said that she encourages through her veins. The light shines show on runway. Kurtz has modeled share that story and help others with people to model if they are interested. down on her making her white, for companies such as Miss Me Jeans, it.” She said that she believes in following bejeweled Sherri Hill gown glow. The Buckle, Express and Dillard’s. Like Similar to Butler, senior Ashton dreams because they will get you far. cameras flash. Sophomore Shaylee Butler, she participates in fashion Harder officially signed to Page “Don’t wait because these are Butler feels absolutely incredible. shows, but also has experience with Parkes Agency, the No. 1 modeling the years you want to look back on,” Butler’s initial modeling interest commercials and print. and acting agency in the southern Butler said. “This definitely goes out and inspiration came from her “I like modeling because I just United States, on Jan. 25. He said that to the girls who are [scared] of what older sister who has professionally like putting myself out there,” Kurtz getting accepted was surreal and felt other people think. It doesn’t matter modeled for “Sports Illustrated” and said. “I want to encourage others to like a dream. what they think. In all honesty, you “Cosmopolitan.” In can have a lot November 2011, of people hating I want to encourage others to be confident. I know others think you Butler decided to while send pictures to you’re doing it’s a superficial type thing, but I try to not look at it like that. Clutts Agency, a something that modeling agency in Dallas. Within be confident. I know others think it’s “ B e senior Holly Kurtz you love and they two hours after e-mailing the photos, a superficial type thing, but I try to confident, be just like to watch she received a phone call from the not look at it like that.” yourself. Walking into an audition, if you fall. Just don’t fall. You can’t. It’s agency. After meeting with the agents Kurtz and Butler both said that you pretend to be someone else, they one of those things where if you’re in person the next day, she signed a they have gotten mixed reactions can tell,” Harder said. “The [agency going to let people tell you how to three year contract with Clutts. from their peers when they discover judges’] job is to tell what you’re live your life then you’re never going “[When I got signed], I was their modeling careers. doing and what you need to work on. to be happy.” really, really excited and of course, “There are some girls who think If you don’t have the confidence and if I did have that little group of girls [my modeling] is very cool,” Butler you don’t believe in yourself, you’re who were like ‘No.You can’t model,’” said. “But then again, I will admit not going to go far. As long as you Butler said. “Then I eventually that there will be some girls out there believe in yourself, you can do good shrugged it off. I got signed for a that will get jealous and will hate you things.” reason, and I just gotta take this high because of your job. And it stinks. It Harder, Kurtz and Butler said school opportunity and look back does. But you just have to shrug it that education still remains a major on these years as positive and not off and keep going. Modeling isn’t an priority in their futures. Butler said negative.” if a huge opportunity in modeling attitude. It’s a job.” Throughout her modeling Along with the feedback from opens up, then she will possibly career, Butler has participated in her peers, Kurtz said that modeling decide to model for a professional several fashion shows. In those shows, has affected her life in other aspects career. Kurtz said that she will be she performs runway work, wearing as well. She said that modeling has attending the University of Arkansas clothes from a certain designer. Due given her a confidence boost, but she in the fall and plans on becoming a to her tall height, the agency prefers said she struggles with body image. teacher. Harder said that he hopes to for her to do runway. From eighth grade to her sophomore continue modeling, but he plans to “I love [runway] so much and year, she has dealt with anorexia and major in business as well. the adrenaline and everything about bulimia. “[Modeling] was one of those it,” Butler said. “It’s just absolutely “It’s great to be able to talk to things growing up that I thought was amazing. I’m in love with it.” girls and tell them that you don’t a one in a million chance that would Unlike Butler, senior Holly have to be like the [stereotypical thin happen,” Harder said. “[When I started Kurtz is not signed to an agency. She models]. You don’t need to be a size thinking about pursuing modeling], I started her modeling career through two. You don’t need to be able to knew I should do something realistic a workshop called Model Maker. see all your bones. That’s just nasty,” [with my future]. I plan on trying to Model Maker teaches people basic Kurtz said. “That’s one way my life get a modeling career and see where modeling skills such as etiquette and has changed. I’ve been able to preach it takes me. Hopefully it takes me far. sophomore Shaylee Butler

Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

‘‘

”

graphic by Saher Aqeel // photo editor

senior Holly Kurtz

senior Ashton Harder

Junior tells story of surviving, living with heart transplant // continued from cover months and a blood test every three months. A biopsy is an examination of tissue removed from a living body to discover the presence, cause or extent of a disease. Cardiac catheterization is a diagnostic procedure that examines how the heart and its blood vessels function. “It’s nice because I don’t have to miss as much school as before,” Hao said. “It was really frustrating because I remember this one year, I think it was in middle school or the beginning of high school, I was so frustrated because I would have to miss class every month, and then it wasn’t fair that I had to go to the doctor.” Hao said that she was bullied by other children in elementary school, due to the fact that she had a heart transplant. “I remember this girl, she took out a plastic knife and she said, ‘I’m going to cut you open’ in front of my mom,” Hao said. “I remember that. I just started crying. It was only six months after my transplant. And in fourth grade, one of the boys asked

[me], ‘Did you get your heart from a monkey?’” Both Hao’s close friend junior Carmen Cumming and Osborn said that after hearing about Hao’s heart transplant, it did not change their perspectives of her at all. The first time they heard about the transplant was in fourth grade. “If she hadn’t gotten her heart transplant, I wouldn’t have been friends with her, and I probably wouldn’t be the same person,” Cumming said. “It’s also affecting me as far as medical stuff because people are naïve, and it’s made me more aware of stuff like that every day.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 40,000 births in the United States are affected by CHD, and 4.2 percent of all deaths in the first 27 days of life are due to CHD. In fifth grade after Hao talked to her friend’s mom, who is also diagnosed with CHD, about her heart transplant, Hao said that she gained confidence in herself.

“[My friend’s mom] talked to me,” Hao said. “She’s like, ‘This defines you. It’s who you are. You can’t escape it. And you should be proud because not many kids, not really any kid at all, can go through what you went through and still come out okay, mentally and physically.’” Throughout the seven years they have known each other, Cumming and Osborn said that Hao changed from being really shy to really outgoing. “I approve of the change because she could have gone from a shy person to a very angry person or a very depressed person or something,” Osborn said. “Sometimes I wish she wasn’t so opinionated, but I’m glad that she got over her shyness and understood what she was and became so strong because that’s really the best thing to be. To really know what you are, what you want, who you want to be, who you are. It’s a good thing to be, and it’s something that people should look up to her for.” Hao graduated from Camp Moss, a summer camp for children

who have been diagnosed with CHD, in 2012. She has gone to the camp every summer since she was 8 years old. “I believe a lot of kids, if they had to go through what I had to go through, they would be depressed,” Hao said. “They would be even in a worse state than I was [in] when I was little like hating yourself and maybe even self-harm because they can’t accept that they’re different because different in our society is not a good thing. And so I think I have, despite all the factors out of anything that could have gone wrong, I think I’ve come out the best because I have accepted who I am, what I am and I’ve not only accepted it, but I’m proud of it.”

One in 2 million After being diagnosed with congenital heart disease from birth, junior Shutong Hao received a heart transplant as a 5-year-old. photo by Saher Aqeel

Fine Arts

Hinton replaces Pennington as band director

Students sing their way to all-state

the audition process since the middle of the summer. The audition consists of three songs and a sight reading portion. “I was nervous and thinking of all the things that I could do wrong in my music and all the things I had to make sure that I got right,” Sterrett said. “It’s very nerve-wrecking leading up to it, but also very exciting.” This is Sterrett’s third year to make state, and he ended up as fifth chair for his voice part, bass 1, and first chair in the men’s choir after taking an hour of private lessons a week since June and spending about 4-5 hours every week at home. “For me, music is kind of everything,” Sterrett said. “It’s a huge part of my life, and so I’ve been sacrificing for music. It’s a lot of time obviously, and sometimes I have to give up a couple of social engagements, but I really don’t notice the time spent because it’s something that I love doing.” Rommel, a soprano 1, made sixth chair overall, and said that like Sterrett and Wall she has also practicing since June, and that it’s very hard to make all-state choir as a soprano 1. Rommel has been first alternate twice, and said that it was her personal goal to make it this year. “It’s really competitive for the first sopranos because

by the time you get to even pre-area, you know that they are all good, and so you have to stand out among all the rest of them,” Rommel said. At region they take the top 15 out of about 42, at pre-area the top five from the previous 15, and at state they take 10 of the 20 singers gathered from four different regions. “I knew the songs well, but the audition room is scary,” Rommel said. “You get nervous and I wasn’t on auto pilot necessarily, but it kind of just passed through and I barely remember anything.” After the auditions the students had to wait around for two to three hours in a holding room while their scores were put together from the sight reading and songs. “There are a lot of emotions you experience all at once,” Sterrett said. “I thought what a relief, I don’t have to practice all of this music every week anymore, and then obviously I was very happy to make it again.” Even after practicing for months Rommel said that all of the work was worth it to make all-state. “It’s hard work, but it’s worth it to be able to make into such a great choir,” Rommel said. “These are some of the best singers in the state, and I’m honored to have made it this far, and I’m excited.”

From left: Senior Hannah Rommel, women’s choir; senior Adam Sterrett, men’s choir; junior Katelyn Wall, mixed choir. photos by Saher Aqeel

story by Alexis Mane // staff writer

ver Christmas break, Blane Hinton became the new band director of the AHS band after two years of teaching at Ereckson Middle School, with Charles Pennington as his replacement. He knew since his junior of high school that he wanted to pursue an instrumental music degree, and he did so. In 1982 he graduated from Texas Tech University with a bachelor’s degree in music education and later earned his master’s degree in music education at Texas Tech. After college Hinton worked in five schools from Snyder High School to Abilene Christian University, working as

director of band, assistant professor of music and superintendant of construction. Then, in 2010, he worked at Ereckson Middle School as band director and lastly came to AHS to teach for his 24th year. With each school he has worked at, Hinton has helped bands earn trophies and said he will now help the AHS band earn more. Hinton said that through his instrumental work over the years he has had the pleasure of teaching and mentoring many wonderful and talented students over the years. He has enjoyed the many relationships he has had with students and continues to hold them to this day as he works to create more.

Orchestra, choir prepare to compete at UIL together story by Rebecca Barney // assistant online editor s head orchestra director David DeVoto conducts his students at rehearsal, it doesn’t matter that some of them are choir students. When he raises his baton, everyone knows what to do, and they play music together. “You don’t really have to worry about how [choir] does things differently,” DeVoto said. “Everybody speaks the same musical language, so when I [direct], everybody knows what to do.” On Feb. 27, the orchestra will perform three pieces for UIL in the PAC, one of which includes the choir. The pieces are entitled “Danzon Number Two,” “Symphony Number Eight” and the third movement of “Triptych: From Heaven to Distilled a Clemency,” which features the choir, which has never been done before. “[Performing with the choir] is just a great experience for us,” senior cello player Adam Mulugeta said. “We play challenging music, and it puts us at a really high level. I think we’re really privileged that we get to experience that.” Sophomore Eryn McClellan sings alto in the choir and said rehearsing with the orchestra can be difficult. “We have to listen to [the orchestra] more,” McClellan

Down under In addition to their regular rehearsals, members of the orchestra also participated in the pit for the “Wizard of Oz” musical, performed Feb. 7-9. photo by Ashley Acosta said. “It’s kind of hard to follow two directors at once because you don’t know if they are talking to you or not.” Scoring for UIL is decided by three judges who can give a one through five, with one being the highest score. For the past 10 years, orchestra has recieved three ones, which is the highest possible score. “[UIL] is nerve wracking before we perform,” Mulugeta said. “The three judges that sit in the audience all have desk lights so you can see their faces all the time. It makes it feel like the pressure is on you.” Although the orchestra also sightreads at UIL, the choir will not sightread with them because the music does not have parts for them. “We’re pushing the boundaries for sure at UIL,” DeVoto said. “I think the spirit of what we’re doing people

will like because music is supposed to be shared. Any opportunities to [perform] together just makes everybody better.” “Triptych” is more than 200 measures and McClellan said she didn’t like it at first because exhausted her voice. “[Triptych] is kind of harsh sounding and really high,” McClellan said. “The notes are all really long, so it’s high for a long time, and then it gets really fast. It’s interesting. You wouldn’t call it pretty. It’s intense.” The orchestra will be competing against 75 other orchestras, but DeVoto said he is confident in his students’ abilities. “It’s a lot of fun,” DeVoto said. “We hope the students have a great time when we do all of these things. We’re very proud of them.”

Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

story by Kendall Hays // staff writer fter a three-hour wait, junior Katelyn Wall begins recording a video to capture the moment when the names are called and sits back in nervous anticipation to see if hers will be one of them. They begin with Katelyn’s voice part, alto 2s, and she grabs her friend Justin Smith’s hand, but Wall’s name isn’t called. She sits back in disappointment until she hears her name, “Katelyn Wall, fourth chair mixed choir.” “My friend Justin was crying in my ear and screaming ‘Good job Katelyn,’” Wall said. “I’ve wanted to be in allstate since sixth grade when I did choir, and now that I’ve done it, it’s surreal, but it’s great.” There are three all-state choirs comprised of the top singers who auditioned from their regions - a men’s choir, a women’s choir and a mixed choir. This year auditions were on Sat. Jan. 12 at Texas A&M Commerce. Girls have to make it through pre-region, region, pre-area and area auditions to make it into all-state. The boys begin auditioning at region since there are not as many boys as girls. Wall made it into all-state along with senior Adam Sterrett, who made men’s choir, and senior Hannah Rommel, who made women’s choir. All three have been preparing for

Onstage story by Laura Hallas // staff writer he actors and actresses covering the stage range from fifth graders to high school seniors to dogs. For the next two hours, they will leave Allen for Oz, transforming into their characters as they sing and dance their way through the story. “I like performing and being onstage,” junior Rachel Wright who plays Dorothy said. “When you get up there [onstage], and knowing that you are working for that final product, the whole process is rewarding.” The process of auditioning began in October. Each person sang for the fine arts directors and then performed a dance number from the show to give an idea of their skills. Then the fine arts directors who are involved in the show, including Lisa Smentek, Carrie Howell, Leigh Unkenholz, Russell Caudle and Brian Mckinney, picked who

Allen High School // Issue 2 // November 26, 2012

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Backstage

his year’s spring play, “The Wizard of Oz”, was performed from Feb. 7 - Feb. 9. The musical was the first to be performed in the PAC. “We [the fine arts directors] wanted something that people would be familiar with and would be a lot of fun to put on that big of a stage,” theatre director Carrie Howell said. “We went through talking about it, and just decided that ‘The Wizard of Oz’ was a really good choice for our first musical in the new PAC.” “The Wizard of Oz” is the story of a young girl named Dorothy who must find her way home through the magical land of Oz. On her way, she makes a few new friends and even defeats an evil witch.The musical is based off of the original children’s book written by L. Frank Baum, and has been adapted into a number of screenplays and productions, including the 1939 film starring Judy Garland. ‘The Wizard of Oz’ is so well known, it is a classic,” junior Rachel Wright (who will be playing Dorothy) said. “Everyone knows how Dorothy is and everyone knows how the scarecrow is, and the dances and the songs, and while I am trying to make Dorothy my own character, it is difficult because I also have to get it right, like Judy Garland did.” The musical required more time and effort than a straight play because of sheer number of people required. There were about 200 people total involved in the production which included a live orchestra and choreographers in addition to theatre students. Howell said that while the musical takes a lot of work, she still enjoys being a part of it. “There’s just something about musicals,” Howell said. “I could have a bad day at school and go to rehearsal and the day is forgotten, I can go off to Oz and have a good time.”

Behind th

‘Hey Rachel,’” Wright said. “I freaked out. I was screaming. I was jumping up and down. I was ecstatic. For me, this is the big thing that I have been building up to throughout my high school career, so it’s a big deal.” Senior Garrett Casper played the lion in the musical, which was his first lead role. He said he watched the 1939 Wizard of Oz movie to get more into character and become familiar with the physical and comedic tendencies of the lion. “I draw a lot of inspiration from the movie because that is the most iconic version of the lion, the one that everybody knows,” Casper said. “That is how I really get into character. I think about the physicality of the character in the movie and then do it my own way.” The cast rehearsed for 12-15 hours a week for five or six days, with the

time increasing as the date of the first performance drew nearer. The week before the first show, the cast works on “blocking” (walking through the scenes) and dancing to tighten up the transitions within the show. Howell said that the progress can begin to be seen. “With the musical it is like when you don’t see a baby for a week or two, and then it looks different,” Howell said. “It’s kind of that way with the musical. One week it’s at a certain level, and then the next week its like ‘oh my gosh’, you can really see the progression start to come together, and that is a lot of fun.” However, there were some challenges involved with creating a musical with almost 200 total people involved. Howell said that the hardest part was just getting

everyone together during rehearsals and maintaining all of the different schedules. “The kids are so much fun because they want to do this,” Howell said. “They want to be there. They are doing their part learning their dance steps, learning the lines. It almost has a community feel from it, a lot of the kids get to know kids that they wouldn’t have otherwise, so just the whole process of putting all of these people together, while it is challenging, it is one of the best parts of it. The cast includes 18 younger children who are not in high school. Fifth grader Laura Boden who plays a muchkin, and said she enjoys seeing what the high school theatre program is like as well as meeting students from other schools.

“It’s like meeting people from a different country,” Boden said. “I like that a lot of people here are my age because the last show I was in was at Plano Children’s Theater, and I was the youngest one there, and that made me nervous, so I like having people my age [in the play].” Wright enjoyed the experience. “It’s just a fun show and I am grateful to be a part of it, for me to have my name on the cast list and I’m even more grateful that I happen to be a lead, and its awesome to see everyone putting in 110 percent effort,” Wright said. “You don’t get a show without every last person, and I guess I hope people know that they are important and that we make a show together.”

Corn creation (left) Junior Anna Ozelius works on building corn stalks for the scarecrow scene. photo by Saher Aqeel

Pooch Profile

Shine bright (left) A view of the catwalk, where the stage lights are projected from during shows. photo by Saher Aqeel

Photo by Madyson Russell

o-starring in the “Wizard of Oz” alongside Dorothy was Toto, her doggy companion. Toto was played by stage manager Nate Douglas’ 6-year-old Schnauzer mix named Scooter. The directors decided to use a live dog for the musical to make the musical more entertaining for the audience members. “We went through an audition process with a few other dogs,” Douglas said. “He just ended up looking and acting better than the other dogs.” Scooter was trained to follow Dorothy around on stage and obey silent commands to run on and off stage with the use of treats and a clicker. Douglas said that the people involved in the musical enjoyed having the live dog around, especially the younger kids. “They just love to be able to pet the dog and interact with the dog,” Douglas said.

Faces of theatre (above) Utilizing a power saw, senior C.J. Kimberlin carves the face of the great Oz out of plywood. photo by Saher Aqeel

Wizard’s home (above) Tech theatre students built the wooden frame of the Emerald Palace for Oz to stand behind during the show. photo by Saher Aqeel

Center stage pop (above) For the wicked witch’s appearence and exits, Dallas Stage Scenery installs a mechanisim under the Performing Arts Center’s stage. photo by Saher Aqeel

he scenes

graphic by Garrett Holcombe // graphic designer letters by Seinga Macauley & Jacob Boline // yearbook staff

Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

wanted to return. Those who ived callbacks read lines from cript and performed a few more e moves. The results were then ed, ending the three-day process. “Once you see them, it just sort alls into place,” theatre director ie Howell said. “You try and be as n minded as possible and see who s for each role.” Students who made the cut are mbination of theatre students and rs with fine arts experiences. ght has been performing in show r known as Encore and has been ther school productions, but she she was still excited when she d out that she had landed the role orothy. “I had just woken up from a nap, my mom had pulled [the cast list] n the computer and she was like

12 The grass is greener across the pond story by Harrison Geosits // staff writer

she’s on a crazed rant about her boyfriend. In the United Kingdom, songs about “swag” aren’t typically in the top 10. Artists here are writing lyrics that enforce less-than-positive ideas, whereas artists across the pond, like English singer-songwriter Leona Lewis and (as much as it pains me to say it) British-Irish boy band One Direction, sing lyrics that are both catchy and appropriate. England also tops us in the television department. BBC can write TV shows that capture audiences across the world and create dedicated fanbases like the Whovians. They write quality comedy that doesn’t annoy people with sentimental or moralistic characters and storylines. Granted, shows like “Pretty Little Liars” and “Castle” do attract large audiences and are quite entertaining, however they don’t carry the same charm or amusing accents that shows like “Sherlock” and “Downton Abbey”

have. The Brits create shows that push boundaries with controversial characters, all without annoying viewers. And do I even have to mention English literature? Shakespeare’s plays are still being adapted into movies like “10 Things I Hate About You” and “She’s the Man,” proving that some authors can write truly timeless stories that entertain people across oceans, a feat which American authors never fully achieved. Harry Potter has been a monumental success for author J.K. Rowling. The series boasts seven books and eight movies, as well as one of the world’s best-known fanbases. J.R.R. Tolkien wrote a series that puzzled some and amazed others, later becoming the successful movie franchise “The Lord of the Rings.” C. S. Lewis wrote the Narnia series, which to this day still leaves kids curious about what could be hiding at the back of their closets.

British literature accomplishes the impossible task of creating fantastical worlds that teens can dive into wholeheartedly. Consider the following: no one is rushing to make Snooki’s biography a movie. Now, I’m not saying to go and hang up your Union Jacks and denounce American citizenship. I’m just saying America needs to step up to the plate. We have fallen short with our less-than-amazing reality shows and mediocre music. Especially when compared to the shining brilliance of our neighbors to the far east. Britney Spears and Rebecca Black don’t compare to Ed Sheeran and Muse. And Hannah Montana has absolutely nothing on Sherlock. So can we just take a short minute to appreciate the United Kingdom? Without them we’d be left with nothing to listen, to watch or to read. America, we have lost our touch. Good thing England is there to fall back on.

Hold off on senioritis infection until later story by Jessica Alaniz //

staff writer

Percent of students out of 100

Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

merica, we have lost our touch. We were once the best and the finest country in all the land. But now it seems that as a nation, we have failed to generate the one thing that ties us together: entertainment. Television, music, books, film, everything. We have degraded ourselves to shows like “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” and “Duck Dynasty.” Honestly, the only thing worth watching on American broadcast channels is “Keeping up with the Kardashians.” And if Kanye West becomes part of that show, I’m done with it. Music, television and our identities as the young people of America have been compromised. It seems that British culture has

turned up out of the blue, uninvited. The Union Jack is a fashion statement, branding phone cases, shirts and even headphones. Across America, girls are swooning for Robert Pattinson’s increasingly annoying accent. So what is England’s great allure? What draws us to become Potterheads, Whovians and Directioners? One of the reasons may be that from an American perspective, the United Kingdom is a more accepting place. Here, kids are pressured to look a certain way because that’s the way their idols look. English singersongwriter Adele doesn’t match the typical celebrity figure we see here in America; however, she is one of the most successful and talented musicians of our generation. She has also become a positive influence on young Americans by breaking the standards. Her lyrics avoid Taylor Swift’s whiny quality, but promote femininity without sounding like

Symptom one: laziness. Symptom two: tardiness. Symptom three: lower grades. Symptom four: absences.

graphic by Madyson Russell // layout editor

the eagle angle Editor-In-Chief Lydia Gardner Managing Editor Grace Lee Assistant Editors Megan Lucas Victoria Erb Business Manager Breanne McCallop Online Editor Kailey Warren Allen High School

Assistant Online Editor Rebecca Barney Operations Manager McKenzi Morris Photo Editor Saher Aqeel Layout Editor Madyson Russell Sports Editor Akshay Mirchandani

Staff Writers Alexis Mane Ashley Acosta Callie Anderson Carter Adams Collin Thompson Danny Ortiz Harrison Geosits Jarret Rogers Jessica Alaniz Katelyn Moody

300 Rivercrest Blvd. Allen, Texas 75002

hese are all signs of an epidemic known as senioritis. Cue the dramatic music. And yes, it is a real “disease.” I’ve tried to explain to my mom that this semester I could let my grades slip a little. I don’t want to fail, but after 12 years of school, I don’t want to have to stress about homework all the time. I argued that colleges don’t look at second semester grades, but I was wrong. Not many people know that colleges look at midyear grades and the final transcript. In other words, end-of-the-year grades matter. If a college sees that a students’ grades have dropped drastically, they can revoke their acceptance, and the student may not find out until July or August. I wouldn’t want to be there when you are trying to explain that

Kendall Hays Klayton Carpenter Laura Hallas Laura Pitts Lucy Boys Maggie Rians Madeline Martin Nini Truong Rebecca Cernadas Rebecca Moss Zane Dean

972-727-0400

situation to your parents. I know senioritis is the cool thing to have because everyone has it. Let’s get real. The lucky ones are the people who don’t catch it. We don’t look at it as a bad thing because it’s a joke to us, but in the near future we’ll think, “why did we let pride get in the way of school?” Like the cheesy inspiration posters that are hung up in classes say, “In 20 years it won’t matter what you wore in high school.” There are all kinds of websites like www.collegeboard.org that tells parents the cure for senioritis is to keep their student’s mind challenged. All I have to say is good luck to those parents. They have no idea how good seniors have become at blowing off a challenge. I know seniors are excited about graduating and walking across the stage to receive the fake diplomas (until they send the real ones), but we can’t get caught up with all the senioritis that’s been going around. I know that it’s not possible to be cured from senioritis until graduation, but hopefully I gave you something to think about the next time you want to slack off.

Policy: 1000 copies of each issue are distributed 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 Callie Wiesner, newspaper adviser, at 972-7270400 x 1609. 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.

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“Suit and Tie”

s Timberlake’s first solo work since 2006, is both a spectacular and slightly disappointing re-entry into the world of music. Timberlake’s pop style mixed with Jay Z’s rapping creates an imbalanced song: the pop is smooth and catchy while the rap is harsh and loud. Unless a version without Jay Z is released, I just

might choose this song to listen to only every now and then. However, even though they are imbalanced, the two parts combined make the song perfect to dance to because of the variety of music styles in “Suit and Tie.” If I want to listen to this song, I will have to skip around the rap sections, only listening to the pop.

“Brooklyn”

riefly reading another review for this song, I was expecting an ordinary pop song, but the true nature of this song surprised me. I had no idea what to suspect when I listened to this but I certainly was not disappointed by “Brooklyn.” Satellite has written a lyrical masterpiece that I constantly replay, ever since the day

I discovered it. The lyrics and music from a Western movie, reminiscent of whistling and guitars, blend in a unique way. Instead of imagining someone singing, one can almost imagine Satellite telling a story, created by persistent vocals and a catchy beat. “Brooklyn” is a fantastic song to listen to while studying or even for a slow dance.

“Mama” lone and lost in the woods for what seems like forever with just cherries to feed off of, Victoria and Lilly must learn to survive in the harsh weather until someone rescues them. Annabel and Lucas, played by Jessica Chastain and Nikolaj CosterWaldau, must face the challenges of raising two nieces who were left alone in the wilderness by themselves for five years. Soon they encounter trouble when the girls’ friend, Mama, comes back to try and take the girls from

Annabel and Lucas. This movie was a disappointment because it seemed like the writers did not take the time to thoroughly think about the script. There was no story line development, which made it really confusing to keep up with what was going on with the characters and the plot in the movie. The whole movie just skipped from scene to scene without fluid transitions. Alongside the substandard story line, the acting was poor with little

emotion and no reaction to the characters’ surroundings. Aside from the mediocre acting and poor story line writing, I was impressed with the originality of the plot because it was not something I would have guessed while watching it. Even though it had a unique plot, I would not recommend wasting your money to see this film because it is not worth the disappointment you will receive once the credits roll.

wishes to succeed in bringing the factions together and ending war. This novel blew me away because of how incredibly Roth put together the story line with suspense, sorrow and bits of humor. The way she organizes her thoughts and the detailed imagery forms a lively story, making it easy to create a mental picture where the book and the characters are really alive. Overall, “Insurgent” was an impressive and captivating story that is worth reading. This is one of those

series that is impossible to put down because it draws you in from the very first novel and makes you want to keep reading until the very end. Being very suspenseful and filled with so many cliffhangers and plot twists in every chapter, the Divergent trilogy is definitely a series to read.

Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

“Insurgent”

ar continues to loom over the city of Chicago in the second book of the Divergent trilogy, “Insurgent,” written by Veronica Roth. With conflicts in the five factions [the separation of people due to personality] increasing, the main character Tris Prior must continue to fight for her life and for the ones she loves while dealing with grief and guilt. She must also embrace her tendency to diverge from the normal way of thinking in the factions, which mean she is a Divergent, if she

Reviews by Rebecca Cernadas & Lucy Boys // staff writers

graphic by Madyson Russell // layout editor

Variety of interactive exhibits creates unique experience with Perot story by Jarret Rogers // staff writer illions of dollars, hundreds of donors and four years of construction have led to the opening of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science and since it’s opening on Dec. 1 the museum has witnessed thousands of guests pouring in to see this new attraction. The museum is a combination of the Dallas Museum of Natural History, The Science Place and the Dallas Children’s Museum. Walking through the different halls and exhibits, I could see this combination become apparent. The variety of exhibits amazed me because of how thorough and detailed everything was. Every floor displays interactive exhibits that span from showing gravity’s effect on weight all the way to stepping back in time to feel what the nation of Chile experienced when a magnitude 9.5 earthquake struck in

1960. These interactive features make the Perot Museum more enjoyable as opposed to simply reading facts off a wall the whole time. The museum begins with an escalator to the fourth floor where the first exhibit starts. From the fourth floor you work your way down back to the main floor. A wall of pictures and summaries shows how humans progressed from thinking the earth was the center of the universe all the way to the point that we are able to have an understanding of other galaxies. The floor caters to all the history nerds like me with stories of the exact people, such as Aristotle, who made contributions to understanding the universe. This gives the floor a different feel to it and was a little twist from the science and nature I was expecting from the museum. The prehistoric floor, below

the fourth floor, goes through the prehistoric era with a countless amount of fossils to show what many organisms looked like and how they have mutated over time. There is everything from dinosaurs to ancient worm fossils on this floor. The prehistoric floor is a complete 180 from the fourth floor and is a great change of pace that doesn’t feel anything like the previous floor. These exhibits were less interactive than the rest of the museum but are visually fascinating. The second floor consists of weather and climate exhibits. This floor is fairly brief but has the most memorable interactive piece of the museum in the earthquake simulator. You step onto a platform and suddenly the ground below is shaking. As someone who had never experienced an earthquake I found the simulator to be an awesome feature that is a nice

touch. I consider this to be a must see attraction for anyone who visits the museum. The first floor is a dazzling rock and gem exhibit that has stones from around the world. There are hundreds of fascinating things to look at in this exhibit such as fluorescent rocks and a two thousand pound boulder containing purple crystals in its hollow center. The exhibit proved to be much more informative and interesting than I thought it would be. The diversity in the collection was nothing short of astonishing. I saw and read about many things I never knew existed and walked away enjoying the exhibit much more than I thought I would. The museum also has a small hall that examines science in sports.While it was cool and very interactive it was the only part of the museum I thought could be taken out without hurting

the overall atmosphere. The hall felt out of place in the same building as dinosaur fossils and diagrams of the solar system. Minus the sports hall, the Perot Museum will exceed any expectations that you have going in. I went in after weeks of reading and preparing for my visit and walked away amazed and dying to go back. With tickets costing $15 for adults it is truly a bargain for all you get out of the museum and is certainly worth a trip to Victory Park to experience this great new destination.

Where: 2201 N Field St, Dallas, TX 75201

When: Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Sunday 12:00–5:00 pm Prices: age 18-64: $15 child: $10

Common(s) Courtesy story by Madyson Russell //

photo by Saher Aqeel

Should letter jackets requirements change?

layout editor

impression of our school to be trash. Many organizations call the PAC home. Students in culinary arts, Eagle Edge, choir, band, orchestra, dance and theater all center their activities around the PAC and commons. Each and every one of them deserves respect for their hard work. I don’t think it is too much to ask for students to throw their trash away. Allen takes pride in our new facilities and other schools pay money just to use the PAC for the night, which is another reason why I find the lack of respect embarrassing. It is disconcerting to me that students at Allen don’t respect their own school enough to keep it clean while other schools envy us. Just because we are fortunate enough to have nice facilities does not mean we should take it for granted. Next time you are in the Commons and you think about leaving your trash, please be mature, and get up and throw it in the trash like your momma taught you. Leaving garbage everywhere is disrespectful not only to the students who utilize the PAC but also to the school as a whole. Please, step up your game and pick up your trash.

veryone in high school should have the opportunity to earn a letter jacket. Even if it is through a high score on a TAKS test or being in choir for four years.Yes, letter jackets traditionally were for athletes, but life isn’t all about sports. That may be hard to understand since our school is very into sports, but there are more activities here. It’s impossible for

sophomore: yes junior:neutral

Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

he other night, I walked through the commons on my way to musical rehearsal and I was completely disgusted by what I saw. I almost stepped on gum carelessly tossed on the tile floor. Bottles and food wrappers were strewn all over the couches like it was some slob’s dorm room. I feel like this is an edpidemic of carelessness because the commons is not the only place I see this problem occurring. The cafeteria, classrooms, bathrooms — evidence of “slobbery” is everywhere. The administration announced last week that they do not want food or drinks consumed in the commons area. I do not see this as an outrageous request because I frequently see the Commons left in an embarrassing condition at the end of the day. I know there are a lot of students in our school who actually take pride in the fact that we have a new Performing Arts Center. Personally the commons is not just a place for kids to hang out before and after class. I am a choir student, and therefore the new PAC is very important to me. The commons is the first place guests see when they come to a performance. The state of the commons gives them their first impression. I don’t want their first

senior: no

From Jan. 27- Feb. 1, 450 letter jackets were given out

hile the requirements for getting a letterman jacket are simple and a lot of students earn jackets, that does not mean the requiremensts should be more difficult. The student still had to work to earn them. Band students, for example, can get a letterman jacket for participating in band from the time they enter high school to the time they leave, if they make Area Band or earn a 1st Division on a solo at the state UIL solo and ensemble contest. While hundreds of students get jackets for that, they all had to sacrafice hours of time and energy. This also applies to the students who earn their jackets from a sport. For the football team, they must be on the varsity as a senior or contribute

etterman jackets should only be available to students who work hard to achieve goals that go above and beyond expectations. However, not all ways to earn a jacket are as admirable as working hard and being successful. Earning a jacket by riding the bus for four years does not instill a sense of pride in the recipients and diminishes the sense of achievement held by those who earned them through other routes. Students put hours upon hours of practice into perfecting their skills in

every student to earn a spot on a team because the school is so large. The least the high school can do is give everyone the option to earn a letter jacket. We are not taking away from the sports teams, we are not getting rings for their accomplishments, and so everything will be ok. Everyone should be able to have a piece of his or her high school for years to come. to the varsity as an underclassman. When a team does everything together, whether it be winning or losing, they all deserve to get their letterman jackets together. The only letterman jacket requirement that is unreasonable is Eagle Scholar, which required students to get commended on all sections of the TAKS test. Instead of looking at standardized test scores, students earning a jacket for academics should have an A or B average to prove they are truly dedicated to their studies. The letterman jacket tells a story of each student’s achievements during his or her time in high school and taking the jacket away is not in the spirit of achievement that Allen supports. order to achieve the highest level of success in their competition. Spending four years in an organization, while it takes dedication, is not a feat worthy of a jacket. The daily commute to and from school, along with signing up for a class for four years in a row, should not be worthy of receiving an award that was originally intended for hard workers. While earning a letterman is something every student should strive to do, menial tasks should not count toward such a prestigious award.

stories by Breanne McCallop & Zane Dean & Carter Adams // advertising manager & staff writers

Russian ban on adoption unnecessary, cruel story by // Eagle Angle staff

or the safety of the orphans, Russia passed a new law that bans any American from adopting a Russian child. Up to 20,000 Russians are upset with this law and blame President Vladimir Putin and members of the Parliament for voting to pass the adoption ban last month. Thousands of people marched through the streets of Moscow to protest the new law. Passing a law that states that Americans are not allowed to adopt Russian children is cruel and unnecessary. Americans should have the right to adopt a child from any country they desire. Russians state that one of the main reasons they created the law was because that out of the 60,000 plus Russian children who have been adopted by Americans, 19 of those children have died. Not only is the law cruel, it is also unfair. United Nations Children’s Fund estimates that there are about 740,000 children in Russia who do not have a guardian. The number of parents wanting adopt a child should

be rising, not declining. Children deserve to live in a good home with a loving family to care for them. Even though orphanages care for the children, they don’t give the full affection a family might give to orphans. Children who grow up in orphanages or institutes are more likely to have poor health, emotional attachment disorders and physical underdevelopment. They might also face the social consequences of having no family support and being known as a social outcast, which can last a lifetime. The damage can last a long time, if not permanently. Children don’t deserve to be treated like this, which is why having as many people to adopt children will help them grow up in a loving and normal environment. Another reason the law should be vetoed is because of the adoption waiting list. The waiting list to adopt a child, in your country or overseas, is large and can take a long time for a family to be approved for adoption. Some families after waiting so long finally get their chance and are denied

the chance to adopt because they are “unfit” to care for a child. The cases where a child is abused or killed in the custody of an American have been publicized throughout Russia, although they are rare. The number of children who have died (19) is infinitesimal compared to the number of children (more than 60,000) who have been integrated into a happy and healthy home. It was not adoption itself that injured or killed these children, so it should be taken into consideration when banning Americans from adoption. The new adoption law in Russia is uncalled for in many ways. The president should have taken into account how the Americans feel about the situation, how the child feels and how the Russians feel instead of just passing a new law without their consent. They should veto the law all together because this is a unjust law that prohibits people from adopting a child that needs a home.

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Wrestling hosts Dual State tournament, wins fifth consecutive title 15 story by Collin Thompson // staff writer

by more of our family and friends,” Drulman said. “And it was nice to be able to sleep in my own bed before the match and be well rested, instead of sleeping in a hotel room.” Varsity wrestler junior Jeff Ptak said Allen wrestling has it’s fair share of haters. “There’s a lot of envy towards our program, especially when we’re at the state meet in Austin,” Ptak said. “The entire crowd will root against us solely because we’re Allen, especially the later it gets into the tournament.” Ptak said the wrestling team continues to use that envy as motivation to go out and keep winning. That motivation brought them a 4-0 dual state record, beating Clear Falls 75-6, Vista Ridge 65-9, and #2 state ranked Flower Mound 57-10, before beating El Paso Franklin 55-15. “It’s fun to go out there, and despite all of the envy and the hatred to just

dominate the competition,” Ptak said. “We’ll keep giving a reason to hate us. It’s definitely a nice reward, a nice icing on the cake after we win.” Best said he uses the spite from other fans as a way to push his wrestlers to compete better and keep up the intensity. “Whenever you build a program that wins a lot, there’s a lot of people that are jealous of what we have, just like anything else,” Best said. “We do well out-of-state, and when we get back into state, everybody wants to beat us, with targets on our back, and our kids embrace that, and use that to go out and compete at a high level because of it.” Best starts coaching wrestlers in elementary school, and coaches up through middle school and into high school, so that they will b e

prepare when they become juniors and seniors, which is evident in the depth that Allen has on the varsity team by grade level and weight class. Depth is a major aspect of Best’s coaching methods, and Ptak said that depth is a large part of

Next Step

Allen’s continued success. “It’s not like we were good for two or three years when we had one group of juniors and seniors that were phenomenal,” Ptak said. “We’re a top to bottom program from the little kids to the ones in middle school, to the ones just starting out in high school. We’re the real deal and we’re gonna be here to stay for a long time.” The wrestling team practices every day except for Sunday, whether it’s on the mat or running or weight lifting. Drulman said that practice is one of the largest factors of Allen’s championship run. To the wrestling team, practice has to be viewed as a way to improve, and not a burden. “Every time you come into practice, it shouldn’t feel like just practice, you should think of it as your opportunity to get better,” Drulman said. “The opportunities to get better are even outside the practice and are almost e v e r y waking moment. You have to consider, what have I done today, that will keep me from getting beat the next time I wrestle.”

Since Best’s arrival in 2002, the varsity wrestling team has won nine district championships from 2003-2012, with 2005 splitting what would have been 10 consecutive, five regional championships from 2007, 2009-2012, five consecutive dual state championships from 20092013, and three consecutive UIL State championships from 20102012, with UIL runner-up in 2009. Even though the wrestling team over the last few years has been so prosperous, Ptak said that just winning isn’t the most important aspect of wrestling anymore. “We don’t really look for wins anymore,” Ptak said. “We look for complete dominance. You can win by one point, you can win by 10 points, but we’re aiming to win by a hundred points, two hundred points. We’re trying to get better and measure ourselves based on how we perform, not just the outcome.” The motivation in Allen is showing authority to other schools that Allen is dominant, but according to Drulman, that doesn’t mean the wrestling team isn’t interested in getting medals or a ring every once and awhile. “Do we ever get tired of winning? Drulman said. “No. Does a bird ever get tired of flying?” photo by Lauren Duncan

Allie Johnson, soccer, Sam Houston State University: Why did you pick the school you did?

33 seniors sign to play sports in college

It was far enough from home, but it was close enough to home so if I get home sick I can just drive home. Their coach was really nice to me, so I felt really welcomed to the team, and I really liked the campus.

story by Akshay Mirchandani & Klayton Carpenter // sports editor and staff writer

n order to take the next step on Feb. 6, 33 senior athletes from sports including girls soccer, baseball and wrestling made the next step of their career. They signed a letter of intent to play at the college they chose after going through months of offers and visits at various campuses. The ceremony was held for the athletes and their families at the athletic facility.

How many recruited you?

schools

A few actually, six maybe I think. Baylor, I almost went there, George Mason, OU, SFA.

What went into recruiting process?

photo by Callie Anderson

the

You really have to experience it, like nobody knows how exciting it is until they actually fly because it’s like, I don’t know, it’s pretty cool that you get to go somewhere for something, like for a sport you’ve

been playing your whole life, it’s just something like a personal experience and something that I know I’ll never forget.

When did you commit versus when you signed because you signed yesterday, correct? The first day of my junior year. It was a little while ago.

What do you hope to accomplish at the next level? My goal is to always be the best that I can be, so I wanted to get awards at the school because my biggest thing is being the best at what I play, so I play midfield, so I wanna be the best midfielder and get that award or something each year.

Pierce Edwards, baseball, Seminole State College: Who are you signing with How long is the time and why did you pick between getting your them? offer and signing to the I signed with Seminole State College, school?

Mavericks: As the Eagle Angle went to press, the team was 22-29 on the season and five games behind the Houston Rockets for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Guard O.J. Mayo leads the team in scoring with 18.0 points per game, guard Darren Collison leads the team in assists with 5.4 a game and forward Shawn Marion is team’s leading rebounder with 8.3 a game.

photo by Callie Anderson

What was the process? I had other schools to pick from, but I did a few visits and talked to a lot of the coaches, and they ended up being the right fit for me

Stars: The Dallas Stars played their first game back on the ice after the NHL lockout on Jan. 19 and won 4-3 over the Phoenix Coyotes. The Stars were 7-5-1 on the season and seventh in the Western Conference as the Eagle Angle went to press.

graphic by Madyson Russell // layout editor

It depends, because they offered me in early October, and I couldn’t sign until January 15. I committed sometime in November, but had to wait until January 15 to sign.

What do you hope to accomplish at the next level?

How many other schools I hope to use this as a stepping stone to be drafted. recruited you? So you hope to go to the Three or four. Which were your top ones pros?

Cowboys: The Cowboys fired defensive coordinator Rob Ryan on Jan. 9. This past season, the Dallas defense was 19th in the league in opponent passing yards allowed and 22nd in opponent rushing yards allowed. The team hired former USC defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin on Jan. 11 to replace Ryan.

and I signed with them because it is a really high end baseball program traditionally, and they offered me a really good scholarship

that you picked?

photo by Callie Anderson

Louisiana Tech was the top one behind it. [And] Howard Junior College (Big Springs, Texas).

Yeah. That’s the plan.

What position? Outfield and pitcher, I’m going there to do both.

Allen High School // Issue 4 // Februrary, 13 2013

gainst El Paso Franklin High School, on Jan. 12, the varsity wrestling team become the first team in Texas’ history to win five consecutive dual state titles. “Everyone’s out to get us,” senior wrestler Stone Drulman said. “Everybody wants to give you their best match. Texas is improving because of what Allen has done. We’ve set the bar that other teams are trying to match, and once they’ve reached it, they wanna try to beat us, so our goal as a team every year is to set the bar even higher.” This year for the first time, Allen hosted the annual Dual State tournament in front of their home crowd. “If you can compete at home, it’s good for the kids,” head wrestling coach Jerry Best said. “You can get more fans there, the kids are better rested and feel better about themselves because they don’t have to drive five or six hours to go compete. Anytime you can win a championship at home is a great feeling, doing it in front of the home fans.” Last year’s dual state tournament was held about three and a half hours away at Cedar Park Vista Ridge High School. “It was definitely more sentimental being able to do it in our gym when you’re surrounded

16 Collegiate all-star game signs contract with

Eagle stadium for next 5 years story by Akshay Mirchandani & McKenzi Morris // sports editor & operations manager ith a final score of 24-13, Team Nation defeated Team Texas in the Texas vs. the Nation game Feb. 2 with 7,123 people in the stands. This game is ranked as the No. 1 collegiate all-star game by NFL scouts, with an average of 93 percent of the players who have particpated being drafted into the league. Allen was chosen to host the game in October of last year after negotiating with Kenny Hansmire, who is CEO of the Texas vs. the Nation game, to bring it here for the next five years. “It brings more national attention to Allen,” athletic director Steve Williams said. “With the number of NFL scouts and agents that come through here and see the type of facilities and kids and coaches we have, [the recognition] is a plus for us.” Head junior varsity football coach Thomas Nicklas coached the offensive line for Team Texas. He said that Team Nation’s head coach, Howard Schnellenberger, did not realize until the first day of practice that they were playing at a high school, and not a small college. “If you don’t look closely, you would not think that [this is a high school],” Nicklas said. “They’re all very impressed with the facilities

we’ve got. We’ve got better facilities in terms of weight rooms, in terms of what they’ve got in college. Everybody’s very impressed.” Division I, II and III players competed in the game. According to the Texas vs. the Nation website, over the past five years 100 players have been selected in the NFL draft and 500 have signed with an NFL team. The NFL and the Canadian Football League send more than 200 scouts and team personnel to evaluate the athletes. This year 231 scouts were in attendance. “[The scouts] watch them,” Williams said. “They watch how they react on the sidelines when they’re not in the game. Are they paying attention to what’s being said to them, or are they trying to get water? So it’s the little things, the intangibles that are really important.” All of the players who participated are top ranked college seniors, and Nicklas said they were gifted with their abilities. “You can’t coach how tall somebody is,” Nicklas said. “These are the top-of-the-line players. They’ve been gifted, but they’re really hard workers, and they’re smart football players.” With Blu feeding the players

and coaching staffs, the Escadrille and Encore show choir performing at the game, athletic trainers on the field during practices and the game, broadcast students working the scoreboard, the school store selling official game merchandise and journalism students on the field and in the press box, the game encompassed all aspects of the high school. “We got to do a little bit of a different show that we usually do, and it was really fun,” senior band member Tressa Scott said. “Afterwards, I felt really proud of our performance because right after our last note I could tell we had done a really awesome job.” Nicklas said the way Allen came together for this event is the best part of the community. “I wouldn’t recommend any place higher than Allen because the whole community pulls together to support an event and that’s exactly what’s happened here,” Nicklas said. “We’ve got a superintendent and athletic director and a head football coach that are very organized people, and they do a great job of organizing big events like this. It’s really a credit to them and to the community at large.”

Last show (top) The Tallenettes perform in the Escadrille’s last show of the season. Show choir performed the National Anthem, trainers helped the athletes playing and the school store sold Texas vs. the Nation merchandise. photo by Saher Aqeel

Scrambling (middle) Texas Tech and Team Texas quarterback Seth Doege searches for a receiver to throw to. Team Texas lost the game 24-13. photo by Saher Aqeel

Down, set, hut (left) Team Texas and Team Nation line up for the next play of the game. The logo on the helmets show which team each college senior plays for. Players on Team Texas have either played high school or collge football in Texas, and Team Nation players must not have played in Texas at any point. photo by Saher Aqeel

the sports angle Swimming

Hockey

rs ge Ro

Feb. 12

As the Eagle Angle went to press, the hockey team was 6-12 on the season. They ha four games left in the season, and their next game is at home against Denton City on Feb. 14.

The archery team competed in the Tournament of Champions in Fort Worth from Feb. 2 to 3. Junior Sarah May shot a 292 and won first place, while senior Anna McCloskey placed second with a 291. In the boys competition, sophomore David Kerrigan placed first with a 278.

Feb.9

Basketball The girls basketball team finished the season 19-14 with a 2-8 district record. They lost their last game of the season to Plano 39-54 on Feb. 5. The team did not make the playoffs. The boys team finished the season Feb. 12 at 7-3 in district play and a 15-14 record overall and have clinched a playoff spot. They will play Jesuit in the first round at Plano West on Feb. 19.

Feb. 14

pi led

Archery

Ja rre t

Feb. 2-3

The boys and girls swim teams competed at districts on Jan. 25. The girls won first place, and the boys came in second. They competed in regionals on Feb. 9 where the girls placed first and the boys placed sixth. The girls team will compete at the state meet in Austin from Feb. 22-23.

co m

Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

Q&A

Photo by Madyson Russsell

Battle Cry:

Pumping themselves up before the game against Lovejoy, the varsity girls soocer team goes on to win 2-0. photo by Madyson Russell

story by Danny Ortiz // staff writer

Girls & Boys Soccer

story by Klayton Carpenter & Jarret Rogers // staff writers

fter being one game away from the playoffs last season, the varsity girls soccer team is showing great things early on with a record of 7-3.With a larger team of 35 players, rather than the usual 20-25, and seven freshmen, there is hope of extreme improvement in the next few years.

At the end of the season, where do you see the team? “I think we have it in us to go to the playoffs, as long as everyone keeps up what they are doing,” junior Chantal Kinsey said. photo by Madyson Russell

Word of advice for the team?

photo by Saher Aqeel

What is this team’s ceiling? “Everyone has state on their mind, but having a coach in his third year here and not having made the playoffs, we all want to get there and that’s all we are focused on right now,” senior captain Madison Ledet said. photo by Madyson Russell

photo by Madyson Russell

Did you guys change anything to prepare for this year compared to the other ones? “I think we really changed our practice mentality, we have to practice like we play and not really goof off anymore,” senior Nicole Limpert said.

Taking the Lead: Running across the field, senior Zak Helmick, captain of the boy soccer team, leads the Eagles to a 1-0 win against Berkner.

“Just work hard and honestly just stay composed and when we face tough challenges to just keep working through because if we stop then there’s nothing more we can do we just need t keep trying,” -captain Zak Helmick said.

Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

he boys’ soccer team started their season 5-3-2 throughout 9 games. The team is currently third in their district. After finishing last season in second place, the team enters this season ready to prove that they are back better and stronger. I had the opportunity to interview head coach Bryan Hantak, captain and midfielder Zak Helmick, and forwards Matthew Deery and Brandon Davidson to see just exactly what went into the preparation for the upcoming season.

Point Counter Point

Are individual sports or team sports better? Individual sports better for athletes story by Callie Anderson // staff writer

Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

ndividual sports are more beneficial to athletes than team sports. When an athlete is trying to accomplish a goal, it’s better to not be on a team so they don’t have to be responsible for anyone but themself. In an individual sport, it is much easier for an athlete to fulfill their goals because they don’t have to rely on other teammates. Women’s tennis star Serena Williams won seven singles titles including a Grand Slam at the Wimbledon and one at the US Open in 2012. She deserved what she was awarded because she and her opponent were the only two factors affecting the outcome of the game. She is the only person in charge of her practice time, effort and abilities, so the results only reflect her hard work instead of other team members who may put in more or less time. As an individual, the ability to improve comes quicker and more efficiently than it comes with on a team. Teams can cause distractions, drama, cliques and irritation. On a one-man team there is no chance of fighting or arguing over decisions such as when to practice. In an individual sport, it is a “one-man job,” so it does not require a schedule to manage time for multiple people. Luckily for them, they do not have to worry about another player ever being

late to practice or a match. When a player does not have responsibility for anyone but themselves, they can focus on what they need to do to be succeed in their sport. In basketball, soccer, football and so on, there is a leader or MVP. There is one player in an individual sport; therefore, they are their own leader. It is said that Dirk Nowitzki won the Championship game for the Mavericks, so think about how the other players feel about that. They put in just as much time and effort as Dirk but he gets all the credit. On the other hand in an individual sport, nobody can steal the spotlight from the athlete. The winner of an individual sport truly deserves their success because nobody else did the work for them. In team sports the players are usually unequally talented. Knowing that someone else did better in a game or just in general can kill an athletes confidence, but knowing an accomplishment is solely on them can boost the players confidence and lets them shine. Individual sports has so many more benefits for the athlete. They get more attention, improve faster, and only have to focus on themselves. In any sport an athlete needs to be completely focused on their goal and an individual makes that so much easier.

Teams teach life skills

story by Katelyn Moody // staff writer

hen I think of sports, I always think of the words leadership, perseverance and teamwork. When someone is on a team with other players, they have more opportunities to better themselves as an athlete and as a person. Constantly being around the same group of people helps improve skills for life, like communication, handling pressure and leadership. Team sports teach an athlete not to only work hard for them as an individual, but for their teammates. In team sports such as baseball, football, basketball and hockey, there are multiple people on a team and they all have to communicate and work together to have a good outcome every game. Communication, a necessary life skill, is developed when a player has to interact with teammates on a daily basis. They have to communicate on the field or court, so they can work together to be sucessful during the game. A team provides a solid support system that helps other athletes do their best because they can get advice from experienced players around them who share the same passion. Although there is still pressure in team sports, there’s added pressure on the athlete in an individual sport, which can cause the athlete to be more nervous and possibly lose focus. All the focus is on one person at the time, which can add more stress to be

in the zone. In a sport like golf, the attention is on one player at a time, causing tension. The stress is high in any sport, and a tremendous amount of focus from the audience directly on one player adds to the stress to get everything exactly right. In team sports, everyone must be in the zone, but the attention is spread out between the players. There are more people to fall on for backup during a rough day. Athletes in inidiviual sports have more pressure to be on their game at all times, even though it’s impossible for any athlete to perform perfectly every single day. Playing a team sport also gives athletes an opportunity to learn leadership. It teaches them how to learn to be responsible for how their actions affect the team instead of only focusing on themselves. When an athlete helps make up the face of a team, they have to be respectful and responsible so they don’t ruin the reputation of the team. On a team, people have many more chances to improve on skills such as handling stress, communicating and being a leader. Playing on a team is the perfect opportunity to learn and practice these qualities. Team sports teach athletes things they would need to use anywhere and anytime in life. Team sports have more benefits that an athlete can take advantage of as an individual later in life.

2 divers make Allen history with All American score story by Lydia Gardner // Editor-in-chief

ithin two weeks of each other, junior Rachel Colman and senior Destinee O’Neal became the first AHS divers to qualify to apply for the All American dive list. Colman scored 380 points on her 11 dives during the district meet on Jan. 24 at McKinney High, becoming the first diver ever to qualify for the list. At the regional competition on Feb. 7, O’Neal also qualified with a score of 398. “I know that [All American] is a really good thing, and I knew it was hard,” Colman said. “So I’ve always wanted to get it because I wanted to push myself and I wanted to be that good, so it was exciting.” In order to qualify to apply for the list, a diver must score a minimum of 375 points. All American Diver Champions include 100 girls and

100 boys chosen by a panel of swim coaches out of 500 to 600 applicants in grades 9-12, who represent the top one percent of all high school divers in the nation. All applicants must send in a DVD of the meet they qualified which will be judged in June. “I think emotion wise to them [making All American] shows that they really are good,” dive coach Dawn McCain said. “And that all that hard work that they’ve done is paying off.” Both Colman and O’Neal said that making All American is beneficial for college recruiting. O’Neal has already verbally committed to dive at Texas A&M next year and said that she hopes to make it to the Olympic trials in the future. “It’s another thing to add to my diving profile,” O’Neal said. “I’m

an All American diver now. And that’s great because that comes with a certain status and ability. So it’s awesome to get that, and it means the world to me.” After participating in gymnastics for eight years, Colman began diving four years ago. O’Neal began diving as a freshman when a stranger saw her diving for fun at the Natatorium in eighth grade and called McCain about her, who a week later called O’Neal and asked her to join the team. In addition to their daily hourlong practice with the school team, both Colman and O’Neal currently dive with a club team and O’Neal is on the national team with her club. “It’s something that I love,” O’Neal said. “Of course it’s work, but it’s not something that’s like, ‘Aw, I have to do this.’ I love it, I don’t mind

putting in the extra time, I don’t mind being sore from the work outs or being tired, because it’s something that I love, so I’m willing to sacrifice whatever I have to put into it to make me as good as I need to be or as good as I can be.” Colman said achieving All American is a goal she has been working toward since her freshman year. “It was silly, like I guess I had always known that if I did get [All American], I would be the first, but it was just like I hadn’t thought about it until it happened. I was sitting in the car, and we were talking about it, and I was so excited,” Colman said. “I couldn’t even think straight. I was just so happy because I had been working so hard for it, and I was sitting there, and I was like ‘Mom, that means I’m

the first person from Allen ever to get that,’ and shes is like, ‘I know.’ I was just like ‘that’s crazy to think that I did something for the school that has never been done. It was just a really cool thought, I was like ‘I made history.’ Colman, who broke the school record four times this year, said her love of diving is what drives her to keep pushing herselft “I don’t know what it is,” Colman said. “It’s just the feeling of knowing that you’re so good at something, that you can be so good at something, and the possibility of achieving great things. It’s like you gotta push yourself to get there and it’s like why stop pushing yourself if you know that there is the chance that you can do something great?”

Dallas Mavericks should not trade Nowitzki story by Akshay Mirchandani // sports editor

he clock was winding down to zero at the American Airlines Arena in Miami June 12, 2011. Dirk Nowitzki’s emotions got the best of him. He went back to the locker room to have a moment to himself while his teammates celebrated. His Dallas Mavericks had just won game six of the 2011 NBA Finals and were the NBA champions for the 2010-2011 season. Nowitzki had solidified his place as one of the greatest players to ever step on the court. Only two seasons later, the Mavericks are currently 22-29 and in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in 12 years. The Mavs’ gamble to blow up their championship team so that they

have the money to acquire another superstar to pair with Nowitzki has failed miserably. The franchise is officially in rebuilding mode and a question that was unthinkable a year and a half ago has been brought up: should the Mavericks consider trading Nowitzki? To me, the answer is simple. There is no way the Mavericks should even think about trading their franchise player unless he asks for it. The chances of the Mavericks landing a marquee free agent like Chris Paul or Dwight Howard to pair with Nowitzki are slim, but that still gives the Mavs no reason to trade their superstar. Trading Nowitzki now only hurts those small chances further because a big name star won’t come here to play with a bunch of young and inexperienced pieces. Plus, Mavericks aren’t going to get anyone of value for a 34-year-old aging star whose best days are behind him. If Dallas were to trade Nowitzki, they would maybe get a first-round draft pick and a decent young player

but nothing that would help the team’s rebuilding process. Sure he’s upset with how the Mavericks are no longer contenders for a championship, but I don’t understand how that insinuates that Nowitzki wants to be traded. It’s natural that a player who has been a championship contender for almost his entire career is going to get frustrated. The last time Nowitzki didn’t make the playoffs was his second season in the league when the Mavericks went 40-42. The Mavericks have made the playoffs every year since then and have appeared in the NBA Finals twice. Nowitzki has been a Maverick for 15 years and has made it known that he wants to finish his career out with the only team he’s ever known. He wants to be in Dallas. A lot of the trade talk is probably because Nowitzki has not been playing like himself because of his health issues. He missed the first 27 games of the season recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. Since his

itzki Now k r i ld D ed? ts Shou be trad 00 studen 1 f rom ken a t l l Po

graphic by Akshay Mirchandani // sports editor

return, he is averaging 15.1 points per game and 5.6 rebounds a game while shooting 41.5 percent from the field. All are far below his career averages of 22.7 points per game, 8.2 rebounds a game and a shooting percentage of 47.4. While Nowitzki is no longer in the prime of his career, he is easily still a top 10 to top 15 player in the league when healthy. All he needs is time to get his legs

back under him after missing the first quarter of the season. The ideal situation for the Mavs and Nowitzki is to let him finish out the last two years of his contract here in Dallas. By the time his current deal ends, he will be 36 and may call it a career to retire as a Maverick. He’s won a championship here, he’s won an MVP here and he’s the greatest player in Mavs history. It’s only right he retires a Maverick.

On a scale of 1-10, how much do you wish your sport was year-round?

Katharine Duke

Lacrosse

Jolina Rufino

Drew Miller

Cross Country

Golf

“It’s a lot of fun and I like running long distances.”

“It’s a really good exercise.”

“You can try to get better at it every day.”

Mary Claire Anderson

Softball “You don’t have to worry about playing on select teams outside of school and you become closer to your teammates.”

Doug Schmidt

Swimming “It’s really early in the morning and whenever you get knocked out you can relax.”

graphic by McKenzi Morris & Carter Adams // operations manager & staff writer

Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

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Organelle for office T

o make learning about all the cell organelles more enjoyable and interesting for Lee Ferguson’s AP Biology classes, students were told to pick partners and drew an organelle of a cell to campaign for as the future organelle-in-chief in a situation where there was an eukaryotic cell domain unrest causing a civil war between organelles. The students were hired by the organelle to run their campaign. Students started campaigning on Monday Feb. 4 and established Facebook and Twitter accounts as well as made propaganda posters to support their candidate in the election. Elections took place on Feb. 12 and 13. Scientific songwriting (right) Promoting her biology candidate “Lysosomes,” senior Jessica Barlow sings a rewrite of the song “Hey There Delilah.”photo by Saher Aqeel

Allen High School // Issue 4 // February 13, 2013

Campaign craze (right) AP Biology students hang up their political propaganda for their organelle-in-chief 2013 election held on Feb. 12 and 13. photo by Saher Aqeel

The road to success (far right) Seniors Richard Sketch and Courtney Katz campaign for their chloroplast organellein-chief in Lee Ferguson’s AP Biology class by handing out flyers to their classmates. photo by Saher Aqeel.

Busting rhymes for biology (right) Seniors Sara Asberry and Sharleen Flowers perform a rap for their AP Biology class to campaign for the organelle-in-chief elections. photo by Ashley Acosta

Flying high (far right) Seniors Ashley Liang and Mekinzee Colman fly around the room to campaign the centriole for organelle-in-chief in their AP Biology class. photo by Ashley Acosta

Smooth ER for office (right) Promoting his candidate, the Smooth ER, senior James Havran reads a poem to his AP Biology class. photo by Ashley Acosta

Cookie campaign (bottom right) To convience fellow AP Biology classmates to vote for her organelle, senior Brooke Brezette hands out cookies in Lee Ferguson’s class. photo by Saher Aqeel

Plan of attack In Lee Ferguson’s third period AP Biology class, seniors Andrew Friedman and Soojee Chung plan their campaign for the organelle-in-chief election 2013. photo by Saher Aqeel