Issue 3

pg.16 ‘The Lion, Witch and Wardrobe’

Eagle Angle

The

Nicole Welch

Allen High School Allen, Texas, 75002 Volume 29, Issue 3, December 12, 2011

Kate Conroy

PAC opens to public during dedication Gala on Jan. 14.

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They will call me

fat and say I have no

Nicole Welch

friends. They will say I have no future and that

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Senior John Yoder participates in Kiowa powwows, rituals and dances.

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pg. 5

weight.

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-Brandon Parks freshman

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Students collect cans, care packages and coats and aid orphanages.

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Nicole Welch

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Staff ands reach out and shove freshman Brandon Parks writer into a computer desk. A sharp pain shares shoots up his spine. opinion on “Heard you were talking trash,” Bliss Cupcakes and his attacker says.

Confections.

“Well can you explain to me what I was saying?” Parks replies.

The same hands push Parks

pg. 10

Madyson Russell

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Athletes create bonds with coaches throughout season.

pg. 14

again.

“Stop,” Parks cries.

Another push.

“Go kill yourself.”

There is silence from Parks and the 30 students in his class.

“Go kill yourself.”

“Go kill yourself.”

In 2009, a study conducted

by the Make a Sound For a Voice Unheard Foundation showed that 56 percent of students have personally witnessed bullying, 71 percent of students report incidents of bullying and an estimated 160,000 students miss school every day due to fear of attack or intimidation by other students.

In third grade Parks was taunted by his peers for his weight. In eighth grade Parks got into his first fight for bullying. He has now been in eight fights, received a ticket for his second offense and is currently on extended probation for fighting while on suspension. The bullying has also // continued on pg. 5

Hydrous Park offers wakeboarding year round

I

gnoring her fears of falling and the water, junior Maria Delgado climbs onto her board.

As she glides across the water on a wakeboard for the first time, the wind is in her hair and she feels as if she is flying.

In September, entrepreneurs Chad Lacerte and Victor Toledo opened the cable-driven Hydrous Wake Park. Lacerte said that

wakeboarding is the fastest growing water sport in the United States.

The park is open year-round and features two Beginner 2.0 Systems, one main cable system and a rental shack. The main cable system features ramps that can be used to perform tricks and jumps.

Lacerte said he thought now was the right time to open the park in Allen because people wanted to

wakeboard, but they would have to know someone who owns a boat.

“With the cable wakeboarding you can just come out by yourself and do it for an hour or do it for all day,” Lacerte said. “It’s a lot of fun.”

Hydrous is one of 13 cabledriven parks in the United States and attracts people from California, Canada and Mexico, such as five firstyear medical students.

“They’ve just fallen in love with it,” Lacerte said. “I was cracking up at the end of the day because not any of them you’d think would come here and try [wakeboarding]. That was their first time, but they’re all planning on coming back and they want to bring a bigger group with them next time.”

Sophomore Alex Cotton said he // continued on pg. 3

Allen High School // Issue 3 // December 12, 2011

news

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Sleep deprivation decreases students’ performance in school

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n estimated 50 to 70 million Americans suffer from sleep deprivation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sleep deprivation occurs when the body does not get the correct amount of sleep it needs over an extended amount of time.

High school students should receive around eight to 10 hours of sleep, though senior McKenna Boyd said she only gets six.

“I have to prioritize what I need to get done,” Boyd said. “But because I’m a perfectionist I usually try to get everything done so that’s how I end up staying up so late.”

Though Boyd said that some nights she might have up to eight hours of homework she also takes ballet and modern dance lessons at Allen Civic Ballet, but only if she has time.

“I don’t go if I have a lot of homework,” Boyd said. “I know that if I take those two hours it takes between getting there, going to class and coming home it’s just going to mean those are tour hours I can’t do homework.”

Junior/senior nurse Vicky Bayer said that time management is a reason why some students do not get to sleep on time.

“Maybe [the student] had

extracurricular activities and studying comes later,” Bayer said. “I think that we don’t want to miss anything so we don’t want to sleep. I think it’s a mixture of things that we put off going to bed.”

Registered polysomnographic technologist Chris Speigner said that sleep deprivation is a condition, not a disease.

“It’s something that can be induced on ourselves, or it can be environmentally induced,” Speigner said. “We can absolutely decide not to lie down and go to sleep at normal hours and limit ourselves, or it can be limited by our daily activities, requirements from school [or] requirements at work.”

Lack of sleep over an extended period of time can sometimes result in changes in attitude or behavior.

“I get really irritable and lethargic,” Boyd said. “I don’t think clearly. When I don’t understand something when I know I could, it gets really frustrating to me. I try to stay pretty positive, but it’ll get to my head.”

Between schoolwork and dance Boyd said that it sometimes affects her relationship with her parents.

“It does frustrate my mom a little bit,” Boyd said. “It effects her too because when I’m stressed out

over homework, our energy feeds off of people, so if I’m stressed then I’m also a little irritable and that makes her irritable and stressed about me.”

Although Boyd said she is busy she tries to give herself time to recuperate on the weekends.

“Friday I relax and do something with my boyfriend,” Boyd said. “At that point I don’t want to do any more homework because I don’t feel motivated.”

Speigner said that wanting some free time, after studying and afterschool activities, is also a reason for sleep deprivation.

“So, once you’ve finished your day at school, homework, you want to have time for yourself instead of going to bed at night,” Speigner said.

“You’ll lie in the bed, sit in your room and text your friends, surf on the net, work on the computer and sit with your gaming console, instead of going to bed at 9:30 or 10, it’s midnight before you might actually consider turning everything off and closing your eyes.”

Sleeping disorders are reversed or made less severe though several minor changes in lifestyle such as setting up a calm and relaxing environment in the bedroom or reducing the consumption of caffeine and sugary drinks.

“Turn the TV off,” Speigner said. “Turn the phones off, turn the computers off and actually go to sleep at the same time each evening and get up at the same time each morning, even across the weekend time. It

helps your body to regulate itself.”

story by Jessica Alaniz and Rebecca Moss // staff writers Illustration by Kayla Graves

Black tie affair off icially opens performance center T

he $23.3 million, 1,500 seat Performing Arts Center (PAC) will host a dedication gala on Jan. 14 to mark the formal opening of the venue.

The night includes a dinner prepared by culinary arts students and arrangements performed by advanced fine arts groups, such as Wind

Ensemble and Chamber Orchestra.

Tickets are $75 per person, with the proceeds going towards furthering arts in Allen ISD by bringing in guest speakers, clinicians and consultants, advancing the fine arts education of the students.

“Up till now, we’ve been doing soft openings,” Fine Arts director

Anthony Gibson said. “But this January event is going to be the real, official opening of the facility. We’ll have a black-tie, fundraising event for the Performing Arts Center. It’s going to be really spectacular.”

The theatre department performed on Nov. 11 and 12 for the first time in the new facility with their fall production of “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”

“I think it’s going to give [students] such a broader understanding of 1.800.777.7000 theatre in a real world setting,” Winter Break Intensive Classes theater director Are Available.

Carrie Howell said.

“There are so many new opportunities for creativity to be smarter. expand their acting skills. I think that

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environment pushes them to a new level.”

As the students first rehearsed for the play, Howell said she noticed a difference in their performance quality.

“They love it. They get on the stage and want to sing and dance,” Howell said. “It’s really exciting to watch the kids get adjusted to that space and you can tell it’s caused them to sort of step up. They’re working hard, enjoying the hard work and learning as they go. It’s pretty cool to watch them learn a skill and have a really good time doing it.”

Student organizations, like NHS, can rent out the facility for $600 whereas commercial groups or local businesses are charged $2400, with additional charges for custodians, ushers and technicians.

“The Performing Arts Center can be at the top of an acoustic setting for all events, whether it’s plays, whether it’s music groups or speaking groups,” Gibson said. “We anticipate

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everything from concerts, whether it’s Dallas Symphony Orchestra or the Dallas Wind Symphony coming out, to convention-type meetings in this facility.”

As the PAC prepares for upcoming concerts and UIL contests Gibson said he hopes that the North Dallas area becomes more familiar with the venue.

“It took us a long history in the community of Allen and the direction of our school to support the arts, for us to be here,” Gibson said. “We have a fantastic facility. Our fine arts programs are truly going to benefit from it. And we hope that our community and our kids never take that for granted.”

story by Aaf iya Jamal // staff writer

Allen put in effect the Stage 3 Water Conservation Act in an effort to drop water usage by 10 percent after Lake Lavon decreased in size from the lack of rain. The city’s strategies include watering public athletic fields twice a week and other modif ied outdoor water practices. Restrictions are effect until March 31, 2012.

Nov. 1

New wakeboarding facility open to public 3 “You always think [when you are] going wakeboarding, [you] get on a boat, but they actually made it to where you could just do it every day,” Delgado said. “It’s right in our backyard. It’s one of those things you just have to do before you die.”

Lacerte said that he enjoys wakeboarding because it is great exercise, safe, entertaining and fun. In addition to overseeing scheduling, payments, orders and the maintenance of the cables, he also teaches beginners how to wakeboard.

“I like being outdoors and I like teaching people new things that they would never try before,” Lacerte said.

“It’s just very satisfying when you get somebody up for the first time [and they have] never tried [wakeboarding] before.” story by Victoria Erb // staff writer

news

// continued from pg. 1 was initially unsure about the new cable park, but now he is excited to try wakeboarding on a cable instead of wakeboarding attached to a boat.

“I [thought], ‘Oh, this is going to be a really cool new addition to Allen,’ because we had the Natatorium, but we don’t have any big water parks in Allen,” Cotton said.

The park is open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day. The cost of a one hour pass is $25 and an all-day pass is $45. There is also a charge of $25 to rent basic equipment, including a vest and helmet.

“It’s the perfect place to go and hang out on a weekend and it’s really not that expensive,” Delgado said.

“And the guy said that after two hours you’ll be satisfied [because] it will tire you out.”

Delgado said she had no idea a park like Hydrous could be built, but she had a lot of fun when she went.

Boardslide The Hydrous wakeboarding park at Allen Station opened Labor Day weekend. The park is owned by Chad Lacerte and is open year-round.

Flower Mound game ends stadium career Q

On Saturday, the drumline participated in the Lonestar Drumline marching competition at Flower Mound High School. The percussion band placed 11th overall. They used a French them, dressing up as mimes, chefs and artists.

They also used backdrops, bicycles and an Eiffel Tower replica as props to help with the theme.

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Randi Wideman has been selected as this year’s Love Week recipient. Wideman is a former physics teacher and YoungLife leader at the high school. She will begin chemotherapy for breast cancer next month.

story by Lydia Gardner // managing editor

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to play in like that again. [I’m going to miss] just the character and all the history that’s been through that place.”

Payne estimates 1,400-1,500 students participate in some way every game and said that the huge crowd affects the atmosphere of the games. “[It’s] electric, it’s heart pounding, it’s exciting,” Payne said. “When the band strikes up, when the crowd goes to their feet, when somebody is fixing to score a touchdown or Morris ends up throwing a 65-yard pass into the end zone for a touchdown or interception. It’s just the electric feel because everyone is in the game, and it’s that way because of how close we are to the field.”

In making the plans for the new stadium the architects attended and observed games, sitting in different seats from the student section to the field to the reserved section, to look at the games from all angles.

“We didn’t want to build a new stadium and it just be a stale, generic [stadium where] no one is in the game,” Payne said. “We wanted it to be an even better environment, an even more electric environment, more exciting environment, than the stadium we have. We didn’t want to lose that.”

Feb 5.

Student Council participated for the second year in the Souper Bowl for Caring, collecting cans for the Allen Community Outreach to support families in need. All money for the fundraiser is due by Feb. 5.

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“It’s a great experience for everyone,” Mr. Williams said.

“Especially when we’re playing at home and so many people are involved, it’s just a super atmosphere.

I worry that sometimes we may lose some of that feeling when we move into a larger stadium, but it is a great place to play a football game.”

In Eagle stadium the seats surround the entire field, including the end zones, allowing the crowd to be close to the game, yet in the new stadium the seats will be not only be farther from the field, they will also not wrap around the entire perimeter.

“I think there will be a great difference because of the proximity of the fans to the field is going to be different,” Mr. Williams said. “There won’t be those people on both ends.

[When] you went [to a game] we had them surrounded, we had [fans] in the north end and in the south end, and it doesn’t make a difference where you go, you’re going to run into Eagle fans.”

The stands are one aspect of the stadium’s originality that Morris said he is going to miss.

“It’s definitely an unorthodox stadium in the way it’s set up with all the temporary bleachers,” Morris said. “It’s so original, there’s nothing else that’s going to be just like that stadium. Nothing else I’m ever going

enior Kaitlyn Roseboro passed away on Nov. 30 due to respiratory issues. Funeral services were held on Sunday, Dec. 4 at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Chapel. Instead of flowers, the family asked for donations to be made to the Functional Academics Special Education Program, a program that Kaitlyn became a part of after a brain tumor at the age of 3 left her disabled.

In remembering Kaitlyn, her sister, sophomore Sydney Roseboro, and teacher Kelly Brown said that Kaitlyn loved to help people. She particularly enjoyed helping a fellow classmate in a wheelchair like her with his handwriting. She loved to have her nails painted and smelling good, sometimes wearing five sprays and lotions in one day. She loved animals, especially dolphins and her Pekingese, Brie. Sydney said Kaitlyn’s laugh and smile were contagious because she loved telling witty “knee-slappers.”

But what her friends and family will remember most about her was her kindness.

“She was just really positive [and] upbeat [and] just kind of had this infectious smile,” Brown said.

“She had a great sense of humor, she was real witty. She was just incredibly kind. You never heard her say a mean thing about anybody. She just didn’t have a mean bone in her body.”

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Southlake Carroll, will feature an 18,000-seat horseshow seating area, along with a two-tier press box and an indoor practice arena for the golf

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The Eagle Angle

Nov. 12

End of an era The new stadium, which will open next August against

As the school adjusts to the new stadium, Senior running back Jonathan Williams said he feels that the community will not necessarily lose anything in terms of the feel of the games.

“Allen football is Allen football, the fans are always going to come to games,” Williams said. “You’re always going to have a loud band and you’re always going to have a lot of members in that band, so it’ll probably be the same type of atmosphere.”

Morris said he felt that wrapping up the history of the stadium with his senior year is a rare opportunity.

“I feel honored and kind of lucky,” Morris said. “Nobody knew when that was going to happen, [and] to say that I was the senior class to finish that out, [plus] we won all of our games this year, unlike last year so that was good. But just really honored that our class was able to finish out and finish it out right.”

Mr.Williams said that the athletic department hopes the transition between stadiums can blend the past with the future. “[We are] excited to be moving into the stadium,” Mr. Williams said.

“We know that it’s going to be a little bit different, but we hope to start a new tradition and carry on the traditions we’ve had in the past.”

Morris said that because the team thought they still had many games left to play, the last game in the Eagle’s stadium was not emotional until he looked back.

“After the game for sure I wasn’t exactly sad,” Morris said. “I just looked back and [thought] of all the memories I have in that place, and I was just like, ‘we’ve had a good run’.” story by Lydia Gardner // managing editor

Allen High School // Issue 3 // December 12, 2011

uarterback Alec Morris receives the snap from the center and drops back to pass. He fakes the pass, and then, smashing through the offensive and defensive line, he breaks the tackle and crosses the goal line to score the last touchdown of the game.

The touchdown, thrown on Friday, Nov. 4 against Flower Mound High School, ended the last game in the Eagle stadium, with Allen winning 59-30. The stadium, built in 1976, carries a long history of years of Eagle teams.

“The number of young men and women, girls and guys that have fought hard on that field [is huge],” Executive Principal Steve Payne said.

“There is a lot of blood, sweat and tears out there.”

After the construction of the new $59.6 million stadium, scheduled to open in August 2012, the Eagle stadium will be used by the ninth grade football team and for junior varsity games as well as Allen Sports Association community sports. Upgrades with the new stadium include a 4,000 seat increase to 18,000 seats and the 1,500 extra parking spots added to the 5,000 already available, as well as a two-tier press box, video scoreboard, weight room, wrestling practice room and an indoor area for golf practice in bad weather.

Athletic Director Steve Williams and Executive Principal Steve Payne both said that football for Allen is the “community coming together.”

Whether it is the football players, the escadrille, the cheerleaders, the tunnel crew and flag runners or just fans, Payne estimates 1,400-1,500 students participate in some way every game.

Students reveal bullying experiences “Even if someone said something hurtful just once it can damage them emotionally,” Atencio said. “When those things are said the individual tends to doubt their own sense of self, their own self-esteem and their own worth and it can lead to things like depression, anxiety and even suicidal ideation.”

Although Parks doesn’t keep track of how many times he has thought of suicide, he said he has considered it because he wanted to escape from the taunting and name calling.

“Your emotions all get mixed up in one,” Parks said. “It all ends up being negative because of all the negative things that are surrounding you at that moment so that is all you are thinking about.”

Even though the bullying has gotten worse this year for Parks, he said he believes that there is no point in hurting himself when it gets better in the end. In order for him to keep that mentality he said he goes to his friends or listens to music when he needs a distraction. He also keeps his Facebook despite the bullying because he tries to ignore the bullies or block them as his friends.

“I don’t like [being cyber bullied], it’s terrible,” Parks said.

“They don’t know how it makes them feel and what it is like to be bullied. The kids could go home and kill themselves and they don’t think about that and that’s what makes me mad about it.”

As technology progresses, so does cyber bullying. A study conducted by the Stop Bullying, Harassment and Violence foundation from 2004 to 2010, reported that every 1 in 10 teens are cyber bullied.

“Bullies have so many more options now on how to target their victims,” Atencio said. “People tend to get more courage and say things online and in text messages that they would never say to a person faceto-face. They don’t have to see the reaction of the person when that message pops up and they read it on their phone or when they are sitting on their computer and the IM pops up.”

During the summer before her sophomore year, junior Melanie Vu became a victim to cyber bullying.

Rumors about her circulated on Facebook so once school started the bullying got worse.

“The bullying didn’t feel good at all,” Vu said. “It felt horrible and some of the things people said were really rude and I did not know them personally, I would just see them in the halls or I had heard their name and they would just be saying all this rude stuff about me. I was wondering why they were doing that to me because I didn’t know them that well.”

Even though Vu ignored the comments online, she said her entire sophomore year fell apart because of the rumors students spread about her.

“It is human nature to be curious and want to know stuff about other people but it often turns into really negative situation and people’s feelings get hurt,” Atencio said. “It’s just something that I wish could be eliminated, but that is not going to go away.”

Vu never experienced bullying in the past so when the rumors began she was unaware of how to handle the situation. She would often break down in class and have to go to the counselor for guidance, but she was

able to move forward.

“I would ignore it and think better of myself because what they were saying I know it is not true,” Vu said. “I know I should not be worrying about what they are saying about me because they don’t know me so they can’t say that to me.”

Bullying can emotionally corrupt people because of the taunting, naming calling and rumors, but most are able to gain an understanding of bullying in the process. Parks said he believes no one should ever be harmed by another person and if he sees a person bullying, he will help the student even if he does not know them. Vu also helps students in bullying situations and said she has grown because of it.

“I didn’t want something like this to keep me down forever,” Vu said.

“I can’t always be upset, but there are times when I would get sad and wonder why it had to happen to me because I didn’t do anything wrong.” story by Nicole Welch // co-editor-in-chief

The Numbers Angle

Of teenagers have experienced some form of cyberbullying.

1/2 282,000

Students are physically attacked in secondary schools each month.

Of kids admit having said something mean or hurtful to another person online.

Of students said they heard another student threaten to kill someone.

53% 1/3 160,000

Students stay home on any given day because they’re afraid of being bullied.

Senior embraces Kiowa, American culture A

“John’s hair is an important thing in our society and culture,” Yoder’s mother Melinda Yoder said. “That’s why he grows it because it is his glory.”

somebody’s life. In our culture, when somebody gets honored, it’s kind of an honor to us all.”

As a Kiowa, it is part of his culture to grow out his hair as a sign of his pride and honor.Yoder said that he is proud of his long hair because it is part of his heritage. Kiowas cut their hair when they have been shamed or if they are in mourning when someone has passed away.

“John’s hair is an important thing in our society and culture,” Mrs. Yoder said. “That’s why he grows it because it is his glory.”

The Kiowas also speak a different language that uses words and phrases that are part of the English language.

Mrs. Yoder said that the Kiowa language is difficult to learn because words in their language represent different sounds.

“I know a few words and phrases that are used around my house a lot,” Yoder said. “My grandma speaks fluent Kiowa, and a lot of times she will sit down and teach us different things because unfortunately, I don’t know a lot of it.”

Despite Yoder’s distinct culture, he said that his everyday life is not that different from students at the high school, although there are times when he must go to Oklahoma to visit the tribe.

“It’s part of who I am,” Yoder said. “I look around and see all these kids that aren’t being raised from their culture, and I realize that if I become one of those kids that don’t care about their culture then eventually, the culture would die.”

As a senior, he plans to attend

a college with a strong premedical program like Oklahoma University, which is closer to the support of his Kiowa family.

“I hope that I will become a surgeon,” Yoder said. “My grandfather is a doctor, and he has been my role model my entire life because he has done so much. He was the dean of medicine in Oklahoma University. I just want to follow him.”

Yoder said that the only expectations his parents have for him is to not forget about his Kiowa family and to participate in the tribe because it is his heritage and he can not imagine what his life would be like without it.

“Us Native Americans are raised with a different set of values,” Yoder said. “We value different things than most of society does. At the tribal gatherings, it’s not just hanging out.

There is that part to it, but there’s also the deeply spiritual and cultural experience of just being there.”

Yoder said that he treasures moments with his family.

“He is most proud of his family,” Mrs. Yoder said. “He came from very proud families from the tribe.”

As part of his Kiowa society and the American society today, Yoder said he believes that it is an honor to be a part of both.

“I’m already doing both, and it’s not hard to do,” Yoder said. “I can live in American society and still have the beliefs and the ideals and customs of Kiowa.”

story by Dymielle Desquitado // staff writer

The Eagle Angle

Nicole Welch

Past and present Senior John Yoder keeps his hair long to honor his Kiowa culture.

s he prepares for the traditional dance of the gourd clan society, senior John Yoder dresses in bright colorful outfits, prepares delicious bread and honors veterans during Kiowa tribal gatherings in Oklahoma to celebrate his Native American culture.

Yoder’s one-half Native American heritage comes from his three-fourths Kiowa mother, Melinda Yoder, who comes from a tribe in Carnegie, Okla. called the Kiowa.

He travels to Oklahoma once a week with his parents and three sisters to participate in church activities of Mount Scott Kiowa United Methodist Church and the traditional tribal gatherings held with all of the Kiowa families together.

“Traveling with my family is definitely one of the most entertaining things I could ever do,” Yoder said.

“Everybody comes from different backgrounds. There’s nobody that’s just Native American in our family.

My family is basically a giant melting pot.”

Yoder participates in various celebrations, dances and festivities.

One celebration is called a powwow, which is a tribal gathering involving dances that are dedicated to honoring tribe members of their warrior society, who are the Kiowa veterans.

These gatherings are held in Carnegie and Indian City near Anadarko, Okla. and last all day.

“John has helped a lot with [our warrior society] now,” Mrs. Yoder said. “He always dances when somebody gets honored. The Kiowa people give things when we celebrate

Allen High School // Issue 3 // December 12, 2011

period of time than what we’re aware of as a school.”

The school’s policy also states that bullying that physically harms a student, damages a student’s property or creates an intimidating, threatening or abusive educational environment for a student will result in disciplinary consequences.

In incidents of bullying, the student that bullies can be removed from classrooms, lunches and the school bus. The bully can also be asked to change schools or have a Dillard placement if the bullying worsens.

Atencio said she believes that schools are doing a better job of addressing bullying now because there is more education available on how to handle the situation. She trains the high school staff annually about the school’s bullying policies and also conducts annual studies. Her studies have concluded that bullying at the high school is not a major problem, but Atencio said she admits that some students may not be reporting it.

“We used to think that the bullies were kids that were unpopular, that they did this for attention seeking and because they didn’t really fit in, but what research shows now is that actually most bullies tend to be well liked by their peers,” Atencio said.

“They tend to be socially well off within their peer group so I believe that it has to do with power, control and that they like having the ability to have emotional control over somebody.”

The emotional control the bully has over a student can have a significant impact on them whether it is posting comments on Facebook, spreading rumors or threatening them in the halls.

features

// continued from pg. 1 extended to Facebook.

“They will call me fat and say I have no friends,” Parks said. “They will say I have no future and that I should go kill myself at home. They also say that I need to lose weight.”

The name calling has led Parks to fight back even though he said he knows that it is not worth it. Parks said he is done with the taunting which is why it has turned physical.

“If someone swings at you, you should have the right to swing back,” Parks said. “I don’t really know what else to do besides take him to the ground and that’s it.”

The high school has zero tolerance for bullying, defined as engaging in written or verbal expression through electronic means or physical conduct that occurs on school property, at a schoolsponsored or school-related activity or in a vehicle operated by the district.

It is support counselor Jennifer Atencio’s job to identify the bullying and stop it. She helps students, some who have been teased since kindergarten, fill out bullying incident forms or if a student refuses to fill out a report form, she fills one out on their behalf then administrators investigate it further.

Students that witness bullying are also responsible in the situation because if they don’t report it to a counselor, administrator or teacher then they can receive punishment for having a part in the bullying even if they did not actually bully that person.

“Students are reluctant to report it because of the fear that it will make it worse,” Atencio said. “Which is why things tend to go on for a longer

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The Eagle Angle

Allen High School // Issue 3 // December 12, 2011

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lucky heart

Student receives surgeries for pre-existing condition

enior Joshua Stockwell was born lucky. Before he was born, his parents were told he would not be breathing and that he would need 11 heart surgeries then a heart transplant because the left side of his heart wasn’t working. A helicopter transport was standing by, the surgeons, paramedics and pilots waiting. But when he was born, he was breathing just fine.

“When he was born, nurses grabbed him, expecting him to turn blue and [instead] he started pinking up,” Scott Stockwell, his father, said.

“They were all standing around, checking his vitals, saying that’s not supposed to happen.”

Instead of the left side of Stockwell’s heart not working, it was his right, from a condition called hypoplastic right heart syndrome.

His right ventricle was weak and small because the tricuspid valve that guides blood from his right atrium to his right ventricle did not open like it was supposed to, so no blood could get through to make his right ventricle grow. Stockwell had four different surgeries before the age of 3 to correct his heart problems at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas. Today, Stockwell’s heart is functioning normally, and he doesn’t need any more surgeries.

“Nobody even knows until I tell them,” Stockwell said. “As long I wasn’t doing any type of running, nobody would ever notice.”

His first surgery took place about three days after he was born, in which a central shunt made out of Gore-Tex, a breathable fabric, was placed in his heart. The shunt allowed the tricuspid valve to close naturally.

“The central line [shunt] basically took the place, it went from the aorta to the pulmonary artery,”

Mr. Stockwell said. “That way the blood is going to both lungs.”

Paula Stockwell, Stockwell’s mother, said that the hardest part was leaving him so the doctors could operate, and not being able to be with him during the surgery.

“You knew it was going to hurt, and it’s hard because they’re hurting your kid but you can’t do anything about it,” Mrs. Stockwell said.

When Stockwell was 8-monthsold, he had an unscheduled second surgery, to put in a second shunt because most of the blood was going to one lung and not the other.

“One [lung] had grown to five millimeters and the other was still at three and a half,” Mr. Stockwell said.

“They wanted them to be as large as they could be, so both lungs were functioning 100 percent.”

Mrs. Stockwell said when Stockwell was a child, he would sit on the floor and they would put toys around him, because he couldn’t walk or crawl until he was about a year old.

“They really don’t have an answer for how much a child suffers, because obviously you can’t ask him to describe it,” Mr. Stockwell said.

“When you’re an infant and this is the first thing that happens, it’s normal.”

When Stockwell was a year old he had a Glenn operation, where his superior vena cava was pulled directly over to his pulmonary arteries and held in place by a shunt.

“I had the Glenn operation to redirect all the blood, coming back from my upper body through the major veins of my lungs,” Stockwell said.

Stockwell had his final surgery when he was 3-years-old, the Fontan operation, which redirected the blood coming from his lower body through the major vein in his lungs.

“He doesn’t use that part of his heart at all,” Mrs. Stockwell said. “It doesn’t pump at all. It completely bypassed the right side of the heart.”

Mrs. Stockwell said she has a history of heart problems on her side on the family, but the doctors don’t know whether or not it is genetic.

“All of my father’s brothers have [had heart attacks] but the youngest one,” Mrs. Stockwell said. “It’s pretty prominent on that side of the family.”

Stockwell has given three speeches over his heart problems, two for the American Heart Association for Hoops for Heart and Jump Rope for Heart at Hurricane Harbor and one at a P.E. convention.

“I believe Jump Rope and Hoops for Heart is so important,” Stockwell said in one of his speeches. “Their research has helped many people and will continue to help others young and old.”

Stockwell said he remembers not being able to sleep as a child when he got back from the hospital because he was used to the noise the machines made at the hospital.

“I had to have noise to sleep,” Stockwell said. “[My parents] had to go out and buy a clock, a ticking clock. And still to this day I play my radio, or I have a hard time going to sleep.”

Stockwell said his heart surgeries don’t otherwise affect him much now, except physically because he runs out of air faster because he doesn’t have a right pumping chamber. Other than that, he is completely normal.

“I was told I could do anything I wanted to, except play contact sports or try to run a marathon,” Stockwell said. “I do pretty much anything that anybody else does.” story by Rebecca Barney // staff writer

Illustration by Ari Edwards

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7

Student on the hunt for archery scholarship D

Madyson Russell

True grit When hunting with her father, sophomore Sarah May uses either a rifle, a crossbow or bow and arrow.

May said that hunting deer helps the deer population and the environment because the overpopulation of deer causes too much competition for food and leads to starvation of many animals.

“It really does make me mad [when people say that killing animals

is mean] because they don’t really know what they’re talking about,” May said. “They just think I’m doing it for fun, which I am, but still, the world needs hunters.”

May uses either a compound bow or rifle when hunting; however, she said that there are not many bow

hunters at this school. “[Hunting] sets me apart from other girls and people at this school.”

May said. “It’s such a shock to everyone, [but] it’s what makes me different.” story by Grace Lee // staff writer

The Rumors Are True!

The 3-Salsas have returned to Allen

Allen High School // Issue 3 // December 12, 2011

May and her father hunt every other week during the deer season, from the first weekend of November through the first week of January.

They travel to the same hunting location, called the “deer lease,” where May switches gears from a city girl to a hunter.

“I was really shocked when she [first told me that she hunted],” sophomore Marjorie Aragon, May’s friend, said. “Just by looking at her, she was more of a ‘oh, I want to shop all day long’ [type of girl], but she’s very enthusiastic [about hunting].”

May is one of three girls who hunt at the “deer lease.” She said that most hunters there are not her age. “[Being one of the only girls at the ‘lease’], it’s weird,” May said. “I feel out of place because I’m with a bunch of old, beer drinking country men.”

As a member of the Archery Club in Allen, May uses national archery bows to practice aiming at targets 15 yards and 20 yards away.

Although archery and hunting use two different types of bows, May is able to use either one interchangeably.

“I’ve seen [Sarah shooting with her bow] during practice and it’s unbelievable,” Aragon said. “You would not expect anything like that just by looking at her.”

features

irt, cacti and flat land surround sophomore Sarah May from left to right. Her heart beats anxiously. She spots the small rabbit, and holding the compound bow in her hands, she directly takes aim.

May has been hunting with her father since the age of 7. With her father, she hunts after deer, pigs, turkey and any kind of varmint, a type of wild animal. May goes hunting in West Texas near Wichita Falls and hopes to one day get a scholarship for archery.

“I love [hunting],” May said. “It’s just fun to me. I [like when] I shoot the animals and it’s good enough to get into a magazine. It’s like [a] reward.”

Between the ages of 10 to 12, May was featured in the North America Hunter, Bow Hunter and Boar Hunter USA magazines. North America Hunter selected May’s picture along with a story about her to appear on a separate “Snapshot” page because as a girl and at a young age, May caught a big turkey through bow hunting.

“I was really excited,” May said.

“My other pictures I had [in other magazines had] just been mixed in [with other people], but this was the first that actually recognized me.”

Viva the 3-Salsas!

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Full serving f ust six hours away from home, junior Ifeolu Adeyinka enters a different world.

One where there are no necessities. No clothes, no toothbrushes, no clean underwear.

Casa Hogar Elim, in Loredo, Mexico, is home to children ranging from newborns to 18-year-olds.

Some are orphans while some have parents who cannot afford to pay for their food, clothes or living, and have left them in the protection of Casa Hogar Elim.

Adeyinka travels to Casa Hogar Elim with members of Preston Trail Community Church once a month to visit and bring basic supplies, like food, jackets, toys and gum.

“I love it so much,” Adeyinka said. “I’m not really an emotional person, but whenever I got there, all the children were hugging me and I didn’t even know them and I started crying because I was just overwhelmed with all this joy. “ When the head of Casa Hogar Elim, Mama Lupita, started the home, she had four children. Now she is responsible over 120 children.

“I look forward to [going to Mexico] more that I look forward to hanging out with my friends,” Adeyinka said. “Whenever I go to Mexico, I kind of forget about all my problems. It’s just like heaven on earth.”

The volunteers try to focus on the needs of the children. In 2010 they bought new beds, pillows and bed sheets to renovate their bedrooms at Casa Hogar Elim as a surprise. Jeff Harrell travels with the group as a chaperone.

“They don’t have all the things we have, or that we take for granted like the iPhone or the Xbox,” Harrell said. “They have to rely on the monthly trips [we take] and on the donors to donate real food, money [and] electricity.”

Volunteers have two to three weeks between trips. To prepare, they buy many of the kids’ favorite things such as gum, beef jerky and trail mix, as well as necessities such as shoes, clothes and winter jackets.

Adeyinka said, the language barrier is difficult for her, because she took French throughout high school.

“I regret taking French so much because I went there and I [thought] this is going to be awesome, and it was,” Adeyinka said. “But very few children know how to speak English and if they do, they are 14 or 15 [years old], but it’s very little English.

I’ve picked up on a few Spanish words but not much. [We communicate] through pointing [and] it’s a big hard, but we get through it.”

Harrell said that the children have become like family to him.

Between trips, he misses them like he would miss his family.

“You just want to go back and see how they’re doing and what they are up to.” Harrell said. “They [have] become part of a family to [me].”

Adeyinka said that ever since she joined the full IB program and started a job it has been harder to find time to go to Mexico, but going there was life changing for her.

“Newton said that every action has an equal and opposite reaction and that’s how I feel about what’s going on with the kids,” Adeyinka said. “I make an impact on them, but I don’t think they know how much of an impact they make on me. Because when they’re happy, I’m happy and when they’re sad, I’m sad. It’s interesting.”

story by Nilanjana Pati // staff writer

’’

Junior volunteers with children in Loredo, Mexico

Sometimes when you’re over here it feels

like people back home have forgotten about you, but when people take the time to send you stuff, or even just a motivational letter, it feels like people back home really do care even though they’ve got their own lives to worry about.

’’

-Lance Corporal Omar Mondragon

Be the One gathers care packages for Marines box of broken Oreos, Scrabble and clean hands may seem like less than appealing Christmas gifts, but for 2010 graduates and Lance Corporals Omar Mondragon and Negemie Etchu it’s a box of love and joy.

After House 400 counselor Jami Tuttle was contacted by Mondragon, currently deploayed in Afghanistan, she decided to develop a service project for Be The One students to participate in. They made care packages with chapstick, beef jerky, hand sanitizer, travel games and batteries that will reach Mondragon and Etchu near Christmas time.

“It helps a lot,” Mondragon said.

“The one thing most Marines here are looking forward to since we can’t be back home [is] letters and goodies from loved ones.”

Be the One To Make a Difference is an anti-bullying program to help

students create a safer and more relaxed environment for learning.

The Be The One movement consists of student council members and PALs. “It’s taking the time to actually help others out even if it’s not convenient for ourselves or we just don’t feel like doing it,” Tuttle said.

Tuttle said students of the Be the One movement wanted a project that encourages ongoing acts of kindness throughout the student body. After Tuttle was contacted by Mondragon, she said she decided this was the perfect opportunity to put together care packages for the graduates.

“I remember her being a person I could always talk to during my worst of times in high school,” Mondragon said. “She’s an amazing lady who cares so much about her students and was always there to help me when I needed her.” hen Mondragon and Etchu

graduated, they decided to become Marines. They attended boot camp together at the School of Infantry in Camp Pendleton in California and currently reside in the same unit in Afghanistan.

“He’s my best friend from back home,” Mondragon said. “We’ve been together every since we joined the Corps.”

During deployment Mondragon said he feels as though his friends and family have forgotten him.

“Sometimes when you’re over here it feels like people back home have forgotten about you,” Mondragon said. “But when people take the time to send you stuff, or even just a motivational letter, it feels like people back home really do care even though they’ve got their own lives to worry about.”

story by Kathleen Sinor and Jessie Hamze // staff writer

Sophomore collects cans for leadership project ophomore Brittany Smith and her mom walk to Allen Community Outreach (ACO), grasping brown bags filled with cans of tomato soup, green beans and sweet baby corn. As Smith hands the full bag to an employee, a smile flashes across her face.

“It’s the most amazing feeling to give someone something,” Smith said.

“I figured that it would really help the community.”

Smith became involved with ACO through a project assigned by her leadership teacher, Steve Specht.

He asked his students to find a way

to benefit the community. Smith decided to start a canned food drive benefiting ACO. “When I was little, my grandmother and I would collect canned items and take them to nearby charities,” Smith said. “Me and my mom would always get clothes and donate them to ACO, where I’ve donated a lot before.”

In the last week of October, Smith and one of her partners, senior Brenda Mondragon, placed decorated boxes for canned foods and mixes at all of the house offices.

Smith said that they decided to focus on collecting canned foods and mixes because of the approaching

thing.

“Brittany has always had a desire to help others ever since she was old enough to show compassion,” Flanagan said. “Often I have heard that leaders are born, not made. With Brittany this is definitely true.”

Specht said he believes it is important for his students to experience opportunities to get involved with the community.

“I want them to understand that that’s just something you should do and there will be lots of reward in a sense of satisfaction and sense of accomplishment,” Specht said.

“I think Brittany’s group nailed the project.”

For Smith, she said the satisfaction of helping others helps her too.

“You’re making them happy and it makes you happy to see how happy they are,” Smith said. “It gives me makes me feel like a good person,” Smith said. “It’s a confidence booster.”

story by Maggie Rians // staff writer

’’

Eagle Scout creates coat drive

I had fun working with over 40 volunteers.

We all knew we were part of something much bigger than ourselves.

’’

-Sophomore Nick Cobb

The Numbers Angle:

10.2% 122,964 63,370 7.7% $22,350 211

of children under 18 live in poverty. have no health insurance. people who are below the poverty level in the country.

are unemployed. is the 2011 poverty line.

individuals, including 81 children and youth are homeless in Collin County.

36.3 10

holiday season.

“Some people don’t have the opportunity to celebrate holidays with other people and feel the spirit and happiness,” Smith said. “Instead, they are always worried about if they have enough food or money for gifts.

So, I think it’s really important that we find a way to help those people.”

Along with donating items to her local thrift store during the holiday season, Smith also contributes to donating numerous amounts of clothes and food items to other local charities.

Smith’s stepfather, Joe Flanagan, said Smith is a person who has never needed to be pushed to do the right

millon people live in households that experience hunger or the risk of hunger.

million orphans in Mexico.

t started with a trip to New York and a homeless family.

“I saw the homeless family living under a bridge, and I thought that wasn’t right,” Cobb, then 4-years-old, said.

“I wanted to help the homeless and over time the desire kept building. I had to do something about it.”

Now a sophomore, Cobb started the charity Comfort and Joy, to collect coats for the homeless, when he was 12, for an Eagle Scout project.

He and five members of his troop collect coats from Burlington Coat Factory, sort and donate the coats to local homeless shelters. Through the charity, he has raised a total of $21,175 and collected 385 coats.

“I got [the idea] for the name, Comfort and Joy, from the song, ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,’” Cobb said. “It was on the radio, and I heard a line that says, ‘with tidings of comfort and joy.’ I knew then

that it would be a great name. It just clicked.”

Cobb won the title of Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy at the 26th annual National Philanthropy Day awards luncheon, Nov. 18, at the Hyatt Regency Dallas.

“We are proud to present and pay tribute to these outstanding individuals who have exhibited such incredible [character],” Tanya Downing, Dallas National Philanthropy Day chair, said.

Comfort and Joy won the USA Weekend Magazine’s Make a Difference Day award, and Cobb was awarded a $10,000 prize in Washington, D.C. in 2011, funded by the Paul Newman Foundation.

“I am so proud of him, I could burst,” Cobb’s mother, Laura Cobb, said. “He is just an awesome kid. I feel so blessed to have him.”

Cobb said his role model is Jesus Christ, and he is a devout Christian.

“I believe that we are here for only two reasons, to serve God and to serve our fellow people, “ Cobb said.

The coats Cobb collects are donated to the Samaritan Inn, Allen Community Outreach and City House, a shelter for homeless children and teens.

“Nicholas is simply too good to be true,” Karen Voelker, community director at City House, said.

Cobb plans to make Comfort and Joy a long-term project.

“When I help people, I get a warm feeling inside,” Cobb said. “It’s nice to know that you are making someone’s life better.”

story by Neha Singh // staff writer

Reviewing with an angle

opinions

10

Humor with ambition on ‘Community’

Allen High School // Issue 3 // December 12, 2011

“C

ommunity” is without a doubt the most unique comedy currently on TV, not to mention one of the best. Its premise is simple: after lawyer Jeff Winger’s firm discovers that he faked his degree, he must attend a local community college – for real this time. But the real story of “Community” is the study group that Jeff soon becomes a part of.

One of “Community’s” highest points is its strong ensemble cast. The community college setting allows for a range of distinct and varied characters, from a rich CEO who comes to the school to “keep his mind active” as he gets older, to a star high school quarterback who lost his scholarship to an injury. The show has also established a rich bank of quirky background characters, each with their own brand of humor, who pop into the stories every once in a while, giving the feel of a real college campus with a real population.

But every show has its standout character, and “Community’s” is undoubtedly Abed Nadir, a pop culture savant who is obsessed with TV. Of course, the inherent irony in this brings plenty of laughs, like when Abed notes that the frequent announcements in the

library make every 10 minutes feel like a new scene of a TV show.

The writers of “Community” love to play with familiar tropes in unexpected ways, sometimes dedicating entire episodes to themes or parodies. Best known is the episode in which the show essentially became a half-hour action movie as the characters battled their way through campus in a paintball war.

And the show continues to break convention in even more innovative ways. A recent episode set at a party featured several different possible timelines, each playing out differently depending on which character went to pick up the pizza at the beginning.

Last year’s Halloween episode became a mock horror movie when bad taco meat at the party turned students into “zombies” that almost destroyed the school.

Some of these ideas may sound more like cartoons than episodes of a live-action sitcom, and they could very easily feel forced or cheap, but “Community” manages to pull them off time after time.While much of the joy of watching “Community” comes from the sharp writing, witty jokes and lovable characters, a good part of it comes from simply wondering what they’ll do next. story by Conner Martin// staff writer

Bieber brings cheer to holiday season

T

his year, I did not wait in line to awkwardly sit on Santa’s lap and take a cheesy picture. Instead, my heart was jittering ecstatically for the moment I received Justin Bieber’s new album “Under the Mistletoe.”

The album, released Nov. 1, delivers 11 exquisite holiday harmonies through collaborations with Usher, Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes and The Band Perry.

“Under the Mistletoe” features Bieber’s new velvety, deep and mature voice that easily carries a melody, even in a soulful rap. The album personifies Bieber’s official step into manhood by maintaining his 17-year-old spice mixed with a little sophistication.

Bieber’s reincarnation of festive tunes presented in his album is ingenious. Waves of R&B, pop and romantic lyrics enhance the originals in a compelling way that leaves listeners thirsty for more. He modernizes the songs with his famous “shawty” phrases and touch of Biebermelting charm. He also co-wrote six new holiday songs that are beautifully crafted, a wise turn from his teenage style of music.

One of Bieber’s new co-written songs, “Mistletoe,” has an engaging melody similar to Jason Mraz’s “I’m

Yours.” It is the kind of song that wraps around your tongue for hours and stays in your head all season long.

Its enticing lyrics trace the storyline of young love blossoming in the winter with a meaningful kiss under the mistletoe.

A snare heartbeat pulses through his song “Drummer Boy,” featuring Busta Rhymes. It is a wonderful example of Bieber’s natural talent as he drums, raps and sings to this new invention of the original tune.

The album debuted at no. 1 on Billboard 200. Bieber is the first male artist to have a top Christmas album and the first solo artist to have three no. 1 albums before turning 18. But what is important about this album is that the proceeds go to multiple different charities that he supports, including Pencils of Promise, Make A Wish Foundation and City of Hope.

Old-fashioned grandparents to innocent children can happily sing to this album. It might even lure his previous “non-Beliebers” to become entranced in his awe-striking talent and turn their hatred into diehard devotion for the pop sensation Justin Bieber. story by Shaylon Miller // staff writer

The Eagle Angle

Staff writer whisked away by Bliss Cupcakes I

t’s safe to say reality television consists mainly of three things these days: cake shows, cupcake shows and “Real Housewives” spinoffs. While there won’t be a “Real Housewives of Allen” anytime soon, we do get a slice of reality heaven in the new cupcake shop, Bliss Cupcakes and Confections.

Located in the Village at Allen, Bliss Cupcakes and Confections offers a whimsical escape from the everyday routine. The shop is playfully decorated in pink and brown, from the charming cupcake art to the polka-dotted chairs. A lovely display case illuminates the day’s confections, which range from classic vanilla cupcakes to fun cake pops and parfaits.

Brandi Breaux, the owner, developed all of the store’s recipes in search for the “perfect cupcake.” The store offers rotating flavors such as carrot cake, coconut, Italian coconut pecan cake, lemon, peanut butter cup, strawberry and tres leches. The cupcakes are baked from scratch daily with fresh ingredients.

Breaux’s artistry in baking has led her to create smooth, fluffy cupcakes with a moist texture. But even with all the thought behind her cupcakes,

they never seem overworked.

Bliss Cupcakes and Confections also offers a unique “Design Your Own Cupcake” option where you can choose your own cake, filling, frosting and topping. However, I decided to order from the classic flavors, which fill the display case daily.

When I finally decided which flavors I wanted, Breaux handed them to me along with a fork.

“A fork?” I thought. “Who eats a cupcake with a fork?”

I’m more of the kind of girl who takes a big bite of cupcake: frosting, cake and all. But when I picked up the cupcakes I realized how big and heavy they are. There aren’t mini or even standard sized cupcakes at Bliss. No, these are jumbo cupcakes. So I picked up my fork and dug in.

Each cupcake is a beautiful, but simple masterpiece. There are just enough toppings to look delectable, but not too many that it becomes inedible. Red velvet cake crumbs are sprinkled over the cream cheese frosting of “Southern Red Velvet,” a mini Oreo tops “Cookies ‘n Cream,” and chocolate sprinkles garnish “Chocolate Bliss.”

Another distinctive feature is the perfect frosting to cake ratio,

Saher Aqeel

Sweet tooth Staff member Emily Cantwell writes that the “Cookies ‘n Cream” cupcake is perfect. “Cookies ‘n Cream” consists of a

white butter cake with a smooth but sweet vanilla butter cream supplemented by cookie crumbs on the inside and rolled around the top.

which consists mainly of cake with a generous, but not overpowering, layer of frosting on top.

The “Cookies ‘n Cream” cupcake, which happens to be Breaux’s current favorite, is perfect for those who love Oreo cookies, but think that they have too much chocolate cookie and not enough cream filling. “Cookies ‘n Cream” consists of a white butter cake with a smooth but sweet vanilla butter cream supplemented by cookie crumbs on the inside and

rolled around the top. It’s the cream lover’s delight and perfect for those with a sweet tooth.

My favorite, however, was the “Cinnamon Twist.” The sweet cream cheese frosting complements the spice of the cinnamon swirled in the white cake, and creates a dreamy combination. When paired with a coffee, this cinnamon cupcake is the ultimate holiday treat.

Bliss Cupcakes and Confections is the perfect bridge between

homemade taste and designer cupcake looks. This holiday season, pick up a cake pop bouquet or a quartet of cupcakes for a sweet gift. Take a break from the hectic shopping and preparation and order yourself a buttercream frosted helping of bliss.

story by Emily Cantwell // staff writer

Staff writer’s open letter on driving etiquette S

penalties against someone who has a job, but is it really worth a lawsuit?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that in 2005, 37 percent of males aged 15-20 years were speeding at the time of their crash. Isn’t that proof enough to ditch the lead foot?

I know that you are in a rush, but taking up two spaces or parking on the line in a school of 4,000 is simply unacceptable. There are other students that would enjoy parking as well without backing up, then pulling forward into their spot 17 times. Do not be so conceited to think that you are the only one.

I myself can get ticked off at others, and I scream a bit in my car before cooling off and going about my day. Maybe I’ll even post a passiveaggressive status on Facebook. But

here’s a news flash: the campus is not Mega Monster Truck Rally. If you’re swerving from lane to lane without signaling, speeding through red lights, getting within feet of another vehicle’s bumper, or ignoring any kind of warnings, you are acting dangerously and putting others’ lives at stake. The AAA Foundation has said that 106,727 fatal crashes from 2003 through 2007 involved at least one driver who was coded as having committed at least one potentially aggressive action. Don’t become the next statistic.

I am not the best driver, nor do I think that I am even close to it. I acknowledge and accept that.

However, I cannot stand it when people have the ability to be safe, but choose not to because they simply don’t care about other people.

Stop acting I

“I have to post this hilarious thing that just happened to me.”

My answer: Who else would care?

“I was bored.”

My answer: Go outside. Go hang out with your friends. Don’t just sit staring at Facebook.

It’s sad to say but Facebook and Twitter have taken over our lives to the point where now car companies are working on a function to send out a tweet on Twitter or update your Facebook status while you are driving.

I can only imagine the useless tweets and Facebook posts that are going to start to appear should more car companies try to add this function to their vehicles.

Please, for the love of all that is good and right in this world, slow down, park correctly and take a chill pill. You’ll be doing yourself and everyone else in town a favor.

story and illustration by Elaine Kirby // staff writer

someone cares

Already, the useless posts that people care to read are one of the main things that irritate me about people who use Facebook and Twitter.

I can’t tell you how many times I have seen people post something like “going to the grocery store” or “in class. I’m so bored.”

Okay maybe I can tolerate people posting useless statuses and tweets, but what I really can’t stand is when people whine about their lives on Facebook and Twitter. Your problems are your business, not mine.

If someone has a problem or something they need to talk about, the last place they should go to is a social networking site. No one wants to hear how you hate your parents

for grounding you or how you’re depressed because that cute girl you really like said no when you asked her out. If you really have a problem don’t rely on people who you probably barely know from your friends list.

Rely on your family, close friends and others that may be able to help you out. Facebook and Twitter aren’t therapists.

At this point you’re probably thinking, “I’m sure this guy is guilty of all the things that he’s ranting about.”

Yeah, I am. But then I realized that being on Facebook all the time and posting things that people don’t care about at all won’t get me anywhere.

All it did was waste my time when I could have been doing things that

were way more constructive.

I use Facebook to keep in touch with family and friends that I don’t see very often. I use Twitter for sports talk. Not to waste my time.

Don’t get so obsessed with social networking that you lose sight of the things in life that are actually important.

Focus on your family, friends and where you might be 10 to 15 years from now.

“Liking” that status won’t affect your future at all.

story by Akshay Mirchandani // staff writer

Healthy sleep should stay top priority B

etween the demands of homework, studying and extracurricular activities, it’s easy to perceive sleep loss as a necessary sacrifice, especially when the alternative is potentially lower grades. But with research showing that the majority of high school students suffer borderline to serious sleep deficits, it’s clear that many are making the wrong sacrifice. Instead of forgoing sleep night after night, students should find other ways of making time in their schedules.

It’s tempting to pull an all-

nighter in order to guarantee a perfect score on a project or test, but doing so will eventually backfire. Countless studies, not to mention common sense, tell us that students who are tired perform more poorly in school, which leads to lower grades. It might be better in the long run to lose a few points on an assignment because you went to sleep earlier. In fact, getting a good night’s sleep after studying will increase your retention of what you’ve learned. Besides, falling asleep in class the next day and missing a lecture would likely be worse for

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your grade than missing those few points. And then you’ll be up late studying the next night to make up for what you missed. It can very easily become a vicious cycle.

At the end of the day, no grade is more important than your health.

For teenagers, the optimal amount of sleep per night is generally defined as nine hours. Eight hours is considered borderline, and anything less isn’t enough. People who don’t get enough sleep are sick more often, and sleep deprivation can even heighten the risk for major illnesses. It can also cause

300 Rivercrest Blvd. Allen, Texas 75002

extreme irritability and depression, problems that teens frankly don’t need more of.

For many students, the main problem contributing to sleep deficit isn’t overwhelming amounts of work as much as it is time management.

Procrastination can turn a simple worksheet into a stressful ordeal.

An assignment that would take 20 minutes at 4 p.m. often ends up consuming an entire hour at 11 p.m.

Fortunately, there’s an easy solution to this. Better time management which in most cases simply amounts

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972-727-0400

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EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Kayla Graves Nicole Welch

MANAGING EDITOR Lydia Gardner Esther Yang

ONLINE EDITOR Kailey Warren

OPINIONS EDITOR David Barr

PHOTO EDITOR Katie Borchert

SPORTS EDITOR Lucas Lostoski

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to less time spent on Facebook or playing Xbox - can help students get work done sooner and free up valuable time for sleep.

The benefits of getting enough sleep are usually taken for granted.

But when they’re gone, it makes a difference. Next time you’re considering sacrificing a night of sleep to finish a project, take a moment to weigh the consequences – all of them. editorial by The Eagle Angle staff

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Policy: 900 copies of each issue are distributed on campus to faculty and students. Content may be viewed online at www.allenisd.org/newspaper.

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 972-727-0400 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 Confer-

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Allen High School // Issue 3 // December 12, 2011

have a Facebook account. But there’s a difference between me and a lot of other people who have one.

I’m not on it 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Unlike the people that are on Facebook every five minutes whether it’s on their computer or cell phone.

Here’s my question to those people: what kind of Earth shattering event has happened in five minutes where you need to go check your Facebook?

Here are some probable answers that I might receive: “My best friend’s relationship status just changed.”

My answer: So?

opinions

tudents, many of you drive to school now, and I applaud you. You have taken quite a large step into adulthood. That first drive to school on your own is a very liberating experience. But there is a small issue at hand that I’d like to talk about.

There is a thing called driving etiquette and it is in short supply. I understand that you are excited, and I know that since it is getting colder, you want to get a closer parking spot or you are in a rush to get inside as quickly as possible, but for Pete’s sake, do not drive like you’re being chased by an ax murderer in a Lamborghini.

Speed limits are not suggestions.

I cannot tell you how many times I have almost had my little VW assaulted by the mass of students late for class or work. I know that being late can cause

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12 opinions

Is it better to be a student athlete at large schools?

The Eagle Angle

Allen High School // Issue 3 // December 12, 2011

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he size of the high school allows student athletes to play in a more competitive environment, giving the students more athletic opportunities than if they were to attend a school with a smaller population.

Having a large student body gives students more choices of what sports to play in. With smaller student bodies, coaches struggle to fill the rosters of what few sports they have. The smaller student population could not support the large variety of choices that Allen offers.

They would find it impossible to find enough students for a rugby, swimming and diving or lacrosse if there was not a large student body. A big student body allows everyone to participate in the sport that they are interested in, no matter how obscure it may be.

Some people might argue that students in smaller schools would get more varsity playing time. However, if a player is only on the field because there is a lack of options, then playing time loses its value.The large population of students increases the competition, making it much more of an accomplishment to make the team. A big school offers playing opportunities to everyone, even those who aren’t quite built for varsity play. Freshman and junior varsity teams ensure that everyone has the opportunity to play with others who are around the same skill level as them. Not only does this promote fairness, but it creates

more exciting games and gives everyone an opportunity to play. As someone who played on JV2 football for two years I can attest to the fact that this system works just fine.

When playing for a big school, the games are of a much higher quality.

The more people that schools have to choose from, the better the talent level of the entire team will be. This leads to a better product on the field, which is not only more enjoyable for the players, but the fans as well. This high quality football allows the school to get national attention, which leads to more scholarships for student athletes and more money for the school gained from ticket sales, and national media. This money allows the school to purchase better training equipment, giving student athletes state-of-the-art equipment in facilities. Playing for a big school gives great athletes better competition and a better chance to stand out. And playing for a bigger school provides more opportunities for everyone.

Whether on the JV team or starting for varsity, student athletes at the high school should appreciate all of the opportunities they are given. Playing in a school with a bigger population opens many doors that would remain closed at smaller schools. story by Cory Fleck // staff writer

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n eighth grade I was the football team’s star player. I got to start on defense as a linebacker, start on offense as a slot receiver, play on kickoffs and kickoff returns and cover punts.

So why am I not on the high school team? Well for one, I’m small and not athletic, and also in middle school I played on the “B” team.

The premise of being on a “B” team parallels the idea of playing for a smaller school. There is less talent, and more playing time to go around, and after playing on the “A” team in seventh grade, I can personally tell you that the “B” team is more fun, at least for anti-athletes such as myself.

Larger schools are great for natural athletes who can compete with the best competition. But smaller schools appeal more to the common high school athlete.

At smaller schools opportunities are greater because coaches have to fill the same amount of spots with less players.

This way, some players, who would not play at a large school, could potentially play multiple positions.

Some may argue that these smaller schools are less competitive. But this is not the case. True, smaller schools can’t compete with the larger schools.

It wouldn’t be fair to let them try. But that’s why there are five divisions, so small schools can play other small schools to promote fairness. This in no way waters down the quality of the

competition, because the schools are of close to equal size, and can compete against one another in the same way a 5A school would compete against another 5A school.

There are many above average athletes who cannot play sports at the high school level simply because there are too many great athletes here. The fact is, the high school is a tough place to play sports.

Others argue that with the amount of sports offered at a 5A school that if a kid can’t make the basketball team, he has plenty of other options, such as rugby, swimming or bowling. But if a kid only plays basketball it doesn’t matter how many sports are offered at a school, he still won’t be able to play.

I love the high school. But if actually playing on one of the sports teams is important to you, then it’s probably not your best choice for a school. A smaller school where more playing time is offered, and it’s relatively easier to make the teams, is best for us regular guys who will never compete with the world class athletes at the high school. story by Lucas Lostoski // sports editor

It should not be this hard to enjoy sports I

t shouldn’t be this hard to enjoy sports. It’s not like the game itself has changed. It’s still the same old football it’s always been. But the fact remains that I can’t separate the athlete from the person when I’m watching the NFL. Michael Vick has had his critics for his antics on and off the field, and for a while you could count me among them. It’s not fair to the athlete, though, to judge his football ability based on his character. He has been blessed with incredible talent and has worked hard his whole life to get to the highest level of football.

How can I hold that against him?

But I do. Maybe it’s his atrocious crimes. Maybe it’s the immaturity he’s shown in post game interviews.

Maybe I’m applying the stereotype against professional athletes too harshly. But I can’t help but cringe every time I catch myself rooting for him.

It’s hard not to be entranced while watching Vick play. He plays the position of quarterback with a unique and dazzling style that combines finesse and power and speed with incredible ease. With his running ability (better than some running backs) and throwing ability (a cannon matched with great decision making) he has terrified defenses and caused offensive coordinators to drool.

But his skill alone doesn’t even begin to cover all the mystique and

controversy surrounding this man.

He has signed not one but two $100 million contracts and is also a convicted felon. It is ridiculous that a man who has been sentenced to prison can come back to the same standing he had before.Teachers don’t return to the same school they taught at prior to being arrested. Only in professional sports do criminal records not matter.

This football-obsessed nation welcomed him back with open arms from his dark past. Fans quickly condemned a man who killed innocent dogs, but what is haunting is how much quicker they were to forgive him and help him get back on his feet.

To Vick’s credit, he embraced redemption too. Vick came out of jail an entirely different person. He began saying all the right things in interviews. All those who doubted his ability to succeed after taking two years off were proven dead wrong. He came back better, better than anyone could have possibly expected. He tried to make things right with animal rights groups, including appearing in a commercial for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

How can sports fans be sure this isn’t an act, a charade? Is it possible for a person to go through such a radical change of character in a short amount of time? There are no certain answers. It is purely a judgment call,

one that football fans everywhere are being forced to make. That aspect is perhaps the most fascinating for fans; that there is more to evaluate than just the box score from his last game.

That there is more to argue about than just his legitimacy as a long-term answer at quarterback in Philly.

However, in a recent publication of Forbes Magazine, Vick was voted the least liked professional athlete for the second year in a row. His redemption isn’t complete. The general public hasn’t really forgotten the old Vick, and they haven’t fully forgiven him either.

We will gladly forgive a convicted felon, but only when it’s convenient to. When he’s successful, that’s when we offer our forgiveness.

It was almost trendy to hate Vick before he started playing. When he first came back, fans were still skeptical and booed him everywhere he went. When he started blowing other teams out of the water, the boos stopped, the hateful articles went away. The stories of the ‘New Michael Vick’ exploded from all sources. When he signed a $100 million contract, critics cried foul that a felon should earn that much money, yet praised him for his on field accomplishments.

The contradictions are endless.

He is the face of the Philadelphia Eagles franchise. He is the most hated professional athlete in the world. He

Should Michael Vick be allowed to play in the NFL?

41%

No

59%

Yes

Results from a poll of 50 students.

Out of 50 people polled.

Illustration by Lydia Gardner

is a new man, redeemed by his on the field accomplishments and off the field poise. He is still the same cruel man he was in Atlanta. He is an incredible quarterback on the rise. He is a one year wonder, and is getting rattled from all the attention and the constant hits.

These contradictions come from the fans, from us. We determine his perception. And no matter what he does on the field, he will never be truly forgiven off it. We love to forgive, but we never forget.

As for me, I find it difficult to forgive a man for such heinous crimes. It’s almost as difficult to see

him play football without thinking of those crimes. However, I think separating the man from the athlete is important. Do I think he deserves to be one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the NFL? No way.

But he has served his time in prison.

He has appeared genuinely sorry for his actions. I believe Vick should be forgiven and his crimes forgotten.

Can Michael Vick ever be redeemed? Only we can decide, and only one thing will be certain: There will be no unanimous decision. story by David Barr // opinions editor

Manning the megaphone and do an assortment of flips and splits, and the flag runner’s dart down the field.

The rest of the first half is more cheers, more tumbles, more of what he loves. But when halftime comes around Justin’s night becomes even busier.

That’s because Justin also plays trumpet in the marching band. He has to rush for his instrument, and he can’t get into uniform because he doesn’t have enough time, so he will just have to march in his Blue Crew outfit.

“I enjoy marching,” Justin said. “I feel special doing it, but I also feel the pressure, because if I mess up then everybody can see me and I don’t really blend in.”

In a way, this is Justin’s life.

Because, no he doesn’t really blend in with the band or the cheerleaders or the rest of the student body. On Friday nights when everyone else blends in, in their blue Allen Eagles’ shirts in the student section, Justin gets to stand out. He gets to be the “guy cheerleader,” or as he jokingly refers to himself “the best guy cheerleader.”

“Yeah, I’m the best,” he said.

“Because I’m the only one.” story by Lucas Lostoski // sports editor

Rate the Reactions

On a scale of 1-10 how concerned are you about your individual statistics?

Allen High School // Issue 3 // December 12, 2011

t’s 7 p.m. on Friday night at Eagle Stadium. Fans enter the stadium in droves, walking through the gates, past the concession stands and the stale smell of popcorn and nachos. They climb the old stairs that creak with every step. They find their seats, while the band blares “March Grandioso.”

If they look to the field they’ll spot the football players practicing passing patterns and punts while a sea of assistant coaches walk the sideline preparing for tonight’s contest.

And if they happen to glance at the scoreboard they’ll see that there’s only 30 minutes left until game time.

Only 30 minutes until another great Allen game.

However, if they’re only here to watch the football team, they might miss another story altogether. Upon closer inspection, that same football field, where the players are about to battle for 48 minutes, contains a different type of story. And it’s located on the sidelines.

There’s 20 minutes until the game now, and the pregame introductions for the cheerleaders begin. The Public Address announcer rattles off each cheerleader’s name and grade, and then they perform a stunt. He continues to recite the

“Justin is very dedicated, I can always depend on him,” Anderson said. “I never have to worry if he’s going to show up. But we need more guys.”

The kicker places the ball on the tee now. The game is set to start. The student section links pinkies. He kicks the ball to mark the beginning of the game. And for the cheerleaders that means standing on the sidelines and beginning their cheers. The cheers.

They are the most important job for a male cheerleader. His deeper voice will help the cheers carry.

So, Justin grabs the white megaphone in his hand and begins to chant with the girls. “Blue and White.

Blue and White. Go Eagles!” The chanting, the stepping out to be seen, this is what made him nervous at first, the idea of all those sets of eyes looking at him and judging. But he couldn’t care less about that now, he couldn’t care less about the odd looks he receives, or the people who say he must be gay, he only cares about the cheers.

“Williams runs it in, touchdown Eagles,” the P.A. announcer exclaims over the roar of the crowd. Justin readies himself for his favorite part of being a cheerleader. The touchdown.

It’s a rush, as he and his fellow cheerleaders sprint onto the field.

He feels the crowd’s intensity as the cheerleader’s line up on the goal line

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names until he comes to Justin McNair. Junior. Member of Blue Crew.

But the announcer doesn’t mention that Justin is the only member of Blue Crew. He doesn’t mention that because Justin stands out he has been subject to abuse from other students. He doesn’t mention the suspicions people harbor towards male cheerleaders. And he also doesn’t mention that Justin doesn’t care what anyone thinks. He simply likes to cheer.

Justin then proceeds to backflip, a skill he has mastered after six years of competitive gymnastics, where he competed in high bars, rings and other events. The tumbling comes with such ease now that his coach doesn’t even require him to practice.

The crowd cheers politely, not really knowing the story or what its like being the only male cheerleader.

The male cheerleader story starts, ironically, with the girls.

Justin is almost a manager for them, helping them carry their gear or with whatever else they need. He doesn’t mind this part of the job though. He enjoys hanging out with the girls, especially his girlfriend, junior Sarah Segner. Cheerleading coach Jason Anderson even jokes that he might start using the motto, “Join Blue Crew and get a girlfriend,” as a ploy to attract more male students to join.

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Melanie Crawford Bowling “Individual statistics help show improvement, and reflect how well you are doing.”

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Jeffery Harris Football

5 Jacob Martinez Baseball

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“I only really care about RBIs because they help your team get wins.”

1

Tammara Turner Basketball

Caroline Reineke Soccer

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“No one really pays attention to individual stats, since soccer is a team sport.”

“Because basketball is a team sport. It’s not just one person, you need the whole team.”

Illustration by Lucas Lostoski

The Eagle Angle

“I don’t worry about my individual statistics a whole lot, because football isn’t a personal sport, it’s a team sport.”

Allen High School // Issue 3 // December 12, 2011

sports

14 Beyond the game S

wim coach Brent Mitchell chose to be a coach 12 years ago when he decided the best way to help young athletes stay in the sport was coaching.

Golf coach Karen Gravley’s 27 year coaching career started after watching her dad connect with young kids. She wanted that bond as well.

Jerry Best started coaching wrestling when he was in middle school. Seeing the way he helped shape the kids, he decided to be a high school coach.

Girls basketball coach Sean Weibling came to Allen for the chance to work with a strong athletic department. In his third year in Allen, he continues his 16 year coaching legacy.

Today, all four coaches receive the opportunity every year to build strong relationships with young athletes.

Girl’s basketball works out early every morning, in the weight room and Performance Course.

The dedication and sweat from hard practices bring them and their coaches together during their short season in hopes of reaching the same goal, a championship.

“We’re traveling a lot on road games [and] during tournaments, [so] we spend a lot of time together,” Weibling said. “You just get to know each other a lot better that way.”

Mitchell has been senior Nicole Brennecke’s coach for eight years.

5 The Eagle Angle

Coaches positively inf luence students

She has gone on many club trips with him, including to California this past summer. Swimming for Mitchell all these years has helped them form a solid bond. She listens to him share stories of his past and chooses to follow his example.

“He’s my influence so I listen to what he says,” Brennecke said. “I just follow him.”

Visiting youth wrestling programs is important to Best. He got his start teaching young kids, seeing the way wrestling can change their lives for the better. Best said he wants to build strong relationships with younger kids so they understand what the wrestling team is about at Allen.

“They expect to win championships, so when they get to high school the expectations are still there and they believe in the coaches that are [here],” Best said.

Gravley walks around the course and sees players struggling. She slows their pace, and gives them a small pep talk. She focuses on instilling confidence and getting them back on track.

“Just being that small voice, that voice of consciousness and reason that not everything is going to be perfect,” Gravley said. “I think it’s important to hear that, you know what, you missed this shot but you can make it up on the next one.”

Sophomore golf player Elizabeth McCloskey looks often to Gravley for

advice. She said having a strong bond makes listening to her coach and playing for her easier.

“If you have a good [relationship] you want to play your hardest to make her proud,” McCloskey said.

“She wants it as bad as we do.”

Since they are around each other six days a week, three to four hours a day, Weibling and his players sometimes grow tired of each other. But when graduated athletes come back and reminisce with him, he understands how much he has impacted their lives, and how they have impacted his.

“Sometimes that’s not easy to see early, sometimes that’s later on in life,” Weibling said. “A lot of times kids go away to college, [then] they come back and they’ll [say] ‘hey I just really appreciate you helping me with this or that.’”

The discipline, hard work and teamwork Mitchell has taught Brennecke through high school swimming has impacted her daily life. She said he has shown her that if she puts her all in something, people around her will notice her dedication.

“If you start something you’ve got to finish it to the best of your ability and just do everything the best possible way you can,” Brennecke said.

Best works on teaching his wrestlers life skills such as responsibility and time management through tough practices and long

Things You Should Know About Being a Member of the A-Crew

Madyson Russell

Record time Swim coach Brent Mitchell discusses improvements with his team after

they swim a lap.

away trips.

“I hope that I’ve taught them a lot of good discipline and hard work, and if you do the right thing good things will happen to you,” Best said.

“Hopefully [the] kids will go on and contribute to society in a good way.”

Sophomore Dakota Ball said wrestling for Best in high school has shown him a lot about what it takes to perform well. “[Wrestling has] taught me a lot about working hard and trying to become a champion,” Ball said.

With a very small group of kids, Gravley said she thinks she is closer

with her athletes other coaches. She still keeps in contact with past golfers, attending weddings and visiting golf tournaments.

“I try to understand where they come from because I’ve been there myself,” Gravley said. “I know the frustration of being a professional athlete and the fact that if they’ve got problems I hope they know they can come to me.”

story by Mckenzi Morris // staff writer

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Junior Screamin’ Eagle Grant Haka on the spirit A-Crew embodies.

“Being fun, crazy, not too crazy, but always just out there trying to get the crowd pumped.”

2.

Junior Running back John Rocha on how good a job A-Crew does pumping up the crowd.

“Many people don’t realize, because the main focus is the cheerleaders or the band, but I mean they do as much as they as they do.They try to contribute as much as they can to support us.”

3.

A-Crew advisor Stevie Mayberry on the atmosphere A-Crew creates.

“One of the, I guess, bone chilling, chills, kind of moments is during a pep rally when the band strikes up with the fight song, and the guys come weaving through the gym while the cheerleaders are out there jumping and cheering and shouting, and it invokes the spirit that they have at a lot of the college basketball games.”

4. Senior A-Crew member Andrew Park on the importnace of A-Crew.

“What we do in A-Crew and what it really means to me is that we promote school spirit, and running down the field fast, holding the flags, really shows our spirit and determination.”

5. Senior Bell Crew member Natalie Campbell on the game experience.

“[Being on the field] is fun and it’s more exciting. You get to see the game, you get to see everything up close. It’s more intense.”

The Round Table with David Barr 15 sports

David Barr opinions editor he Eagle basketball team is off to a rough start with a 2-6 record, after suffering two heartbreaking losses to Mckinney Boyd and Garland, falling short by two points in both of the games. However, on Dec. 6, the Eagles ended the undefeated season of Naaman Forest with a score of 49-40. The Eagles pulled away in the fourth quarter, as they outscored the Rangers 20-11 in the final quarter. The defense held the Rangers to 31 percent shooting from the field. This win could prove to be a momentum boost for the Eagles as they look to improve their record and get ready for a tough district schedule. I had the pleasure of talking with two senior leaders, Cole Srader (C) and Cortland Tolbert (T), as well as the head coach, Coach Steve Specht (S), about what to expect from the rest of the season.

T

you have to take it one step at a time: get to the playoffs, get a good district record, then work our way up in the playoffs and make it to the state championship game.

T: It’s not about wins right now until we get into districts. We’re more focused on playing great defense every game that we can, because that’s one thing we can control as well as executing our plays on offense and not just relying on our athletic ability.

S: We think that winning is what occurs when you do everything else right. It’s the result of doing the little things, which we talk a lot about.

We just keep building good habits like chemistry and competitiveness in practice. The last two games that we’ve won, we’ve had great assist numbers and that speaks to teamwork. These guys care a lot about each other which makes them fun to watch. They’re the most coachable team I’ve had in a while. I want them to experience getting to go to the postseason, and that extra fan in the stands sure helps with that.

Cortland Tolbert forward

Steve Specht basketball coach

The varsity boys basketball team has gotten off to a 2-6 start to their season. The Eagles will host the Allen Classic tournament from Thursday Dec. 8 to Saturday Dec. 10.

District play will begin for the Eagles on Dec. 20 on the road against Plano.

The varsity girls basketball team has gotten off to an 11-3 start to their season and won the Royse City Tournament on Dec.

3 beating Royse City 5939. This marks the first tournament win for the Lady Eagles since 2003.

They will begin district play Friday Dec. 9.

The varsity football team’s season ended with a 28-21 loss to the Euless Trinity Trojans on Nov. 19 in the second round of the playoffs in Cowboys Stadium. Trinity rushed the ball 65 times for a total of 510 yards for the game,

while Allen only rushed for 68 yards. The Eagles went 11-1 overall. This marks the third straight year that they’ve been knocked out in the second round of the playoffs.

The varsity boys soccer team began try outs on Monday Nov. 28.

Their season will begin on Thursday Jan. 5 with a scrimmage against Lovejoy. The varsity girls soccer team will begin

their season on Jan. 6 with a scrimmage against North Mesquite.

The varsity wrestling team traveled to compete in the Woodlands Tournament from Dec. 2 to Dec. 3. and received first place overall. They will compete in the Tulsa Union Mid-America Classic on Dec. 9 to Dec. 10.

-compiled by the sports staff

The Eagle Angle

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mindset to beat these guys, is Flower Mound Marcus. It’s going to be fun and very exciting, but that would be a huge win for us.

D: Any personal goals you have set for yourself this year?

C: No, not really. The focus is on the team goal of making it to the state tournament game this year.

T: Personally, I want to become a better leader for the younger guys and really install some good values in the sophomores and the juniors coming up so it builds in the program, so it’s not just the class of 2012 but on and forward.

D: Are there are any rival schools that you guys really hate?

C: Our big rival has always been Plano West and we are looking forward to that game, so that will be fun. West is really our biggest rival.

T: We can’t stand Plano West. Marcus always has a target on their back. Any Plano school, really, we don’t really like. Those games always carry a lot of bragging rights.

D: What are some expectations for this season?

C: Well you always set the bar high, so you don’ t settle for anything less than making the playoffs. Personally

Allen High School // Issue 3 // December 12, 2011

Cole Srader

D: First off, Coach, how was that win against Naaman Forest?

S: That was a really good win for us.

Especially since it was on the road against a team that was undefeated, and ranked in the top ten. It’s early in the season but any time you can do that in someone else’s place and execute the way we did, it’s a good win. We like that taste a lot better than the other one.

D: How do you feel about your season so far?

T: Really, our season hasn’t been what we expected, but we’re going to get a lot better as the season goes on. Our main goal is for the district championship. I think we’re going to be okay as long as we keep our focus.

S: It’s just constant building. We’ve had guys nicked up with injuries and guys who were late getting here from football. We’re on schedule in my opinion. Our win loss record is not as pretty as the season before and we’re just concerned about getting ready for district play on Dec. 20.

D: So who are the big name teams on your schedule?

C: Our whole district is really good.

The big one that we would like to win, and we have the talent and

Snowy Stage T

he theatre club performed “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” in the new Performing Arts Center (PAC) Nov. 11 and Nov. 12. Since this was the first year to perform in the PAC, all the participants were very eager to recreate Narnia. “I’m hoping that [the audience thought] it’s kind of what they always pictured, as far as Narnia goes,” junior Ivy Colon-Moretti, costume crew constructor, said.

Students began preparing for the productions months before by creating costumes, perfecting lines and treating every rehearsal as if it was the actual performance. The theatre club attempted to make the performance as realistic as possible in order to establish a connection with the audience. “We always want a standing ovation,” senior Blake Lee, theatre club president and Aslan in the play, said. “I think that’s one of the biggest compliments we can get.That and them coming back to see it again.” story by Madeline Martin // contributing writer

Nicole Welch

Ice queen (above) Played by Senior Anne Harrell, the white witch attempts to take control of Narnia.

Battle Cry (left) At the beginning of the war, Aslan, played by senior Blake Lee, roars to motivate his troops.

Teaser (far left) Sophomore

Madeline Sosnowski and sophomore Christian Aderholt play Lucy and Edmund Pevensie, siblings who help discover Narnia.

Deceptively sweet

(middle) Mr. Tumnus, a fawn in the forest, played by senior Dominic Pecikonis, welcomes Lucy to Narnia while secretly on a mission for the white witch.

Still as a statue (right) Sophomore Taha Khan plays an Ent, one of Narnia’s forest creatures.

Nicole Welch

Nicole Welch

Madyson Russell

Madyson Russell