White Out Boys’ Basketball defeats Green Valley with the help of the Hill Town Posse Pages 8-9
Dance concert Pages 4-5
Valentine’s Day gift ideas Page 3
Girls bowling wins division Page 15
Best place to graduate? Page 20
December 2013 • Volume 15, Issue 2
2• Hillside Hotwire • December 2013
Feature
Allie Beal’s favorite things
800 College Drive Henderson, NV 89002 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Chelsea Shehan and Jake Jesperson SPORTS EDITOR: Jesse Lima WEB MASTER: Jesse Lima LAYOUT EDITORS: Rachel Leone and Billy Clouse STAFF WRITERS: Marissa Panchal, Kat Aver, Jessica Terrones, Kaitlin Kelleher, Ariana Victoria CUB REPORTERS: Riley Bidwell, Kaden Jesperson, Jack Wagner, Jared Licata, McKenzie Youngman, Karen Pimentel, Brianna Burkett, Ally Kuney, Kayla King, Kaylee Stradling, Alexis Bobby, Serena Fellows, Ryann Larsen, Grace Luby, Alyssa Miele, Chance Mandernach, Estefania Rubido, Della Sandoval, Skylar Scott ARTISTS: Kat Aver Kaitlin Kelleher ADVISER: Bill Tobler PRINCIPAL: Jeanne Donadio The opinions expressed in the Hillside Hotwire are the author’s and do not represent the opinions of the administration, faculty, staff or students of Foothill High School. The staff reserves the right to reject any advertisement deemed inappropriate. Letters to the editor may be edited for content, clarity and brevity.
The Stuco president shares a lifetime of full-on FHS involvement By Marissa Panchal • Staff Writer
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he night before a big assembly, President Allie Beal and Stuco members are setting up the gym, stress and tiredness evident as they work another 6-10 p.m. shift. But they are still having fun, being the only ones on campus, everyone working in their sweats. At 8 p.m., the pace quickens, and members run up to the cart to load up with paint, paper, tape and other supplies. Beal has to write the script for the assembly, making sure everything is timed perfectly; the assembly cannot get out early. So if one event’s time is altered, Beal goes back and fixes the entire script. Beal has coordinated with all the advisers for all the performing groups to gather their times and then inserts the games and other events. Stuco: “I have been in Student Council all my life, since elementary school. My cousin was in it, and she was student body president here, and I always watched her do it all, and she loved it so much that I wanted to do it too, so she just made me want to be a part of it,” said Beal. “All the people in Stuco always inspire me because they have so much drive, and they work so much, and they are all super busy and still get good grades. They are all in everything, and just seeing how much they love it makes me love it even more.” “My favorite thing about Allie is she can be serious when she has to, but she is just a really good friend,” said senior Allison Rikalo. “If there is anything you ever need or if you have to go ask her for something, she is just one of those people who is always there for you.” Homecoming Queen: “It was amazing, and I did not think I was going to win at all. I was not expecting it. I wasn’t even expecting to be on court, and so it was really cool. I loved it, and my friends crowned me because my best friends are in Student Council, so they told them. I didn’t know about it, and they were the ones who sashed me, and it was just so fun,” said Beal. “It was one of the coolest feelings to be able to do that for her and she was really excited,” said Rikalo. “She couldn’t even believe it, so when we gave it to her, she was just
1. In December, Stuco made blankets for babies in the cafeteria. “We’ve been making them for years,” said Beal. “They’re fun to make, and everybody loves babies.” 2. During the Homecoming assembly, Beal dances with partner Drew Doxtator for the Stuco-Football dance to a Disney medley. “The practices got a little crazy because the football players are insane,” said Beal. “Jake Barfield had an interesting wardrobe malfunction which kept us laughing. Drew and I have known each other forever, so it was fun to dance with him.”
freaking out, and it was really cool because I got to sew the sashes, and I got to put the rhinestones on them, so when I put it on her, I was like, ‘This is for you,’ and it was really cool. it was worth it.” National Honor Society: “I like to help the community because we do a lot of things with little kids, and I like to see how happy they are when we help them,” said Beal. “During the holidays, lot of them haven’t had presents before, so it is really cool to see them so happy.” Yearbook Editor: “Yearbook is really fun,” said Beal. “I have been in it since freshman year, and it is much easier and I have gotten much better at it. I like being in there. We have a good time.”
He Said/She Said
Hillside Hotwire • December 2013 • 3
Game of Hearts Valentine’s Day gift ideas that go beyond traditional candy and flowers By Rachel Leone • Layout Editor
She says...
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hen he means everything to you, sometimes it’s difficult to think of gift ideas. Here are some original ideas Food = Love Snickerdoodles are a Valentine’s Day classic. This sugary, cinnamon delight will make him smile. If your Valentine loves Minecraft, there’s an extremely original idea out there that consists of making the layers of the ground with blue jello (the ocean), Rice Krispie treats (the ground), and brownies with green frosting (grass.) It’s very time-consuming, but it will be worth the smile on his face when he sees the thought and effort you put into it. A Handwritten Note This is one of those gifts that you can make on your own. You can add humor, write a poem, or simply explain your feelings. Make it pretty with glitter, colors, hearts and stars--whatever will put a smile on his face! It’s another gift that shows
you took the time to get him something with YOU written all over it. Plus, you can do this along with anything else you plan to get him. Build a Bear Even though this workshop is designed for toddlers, this can be a very personalized gift for Valentine’s Day. You can make the bear talk, and record your voice saying something and put it inside the bear. Then you can dress it and buy accessories. It’s a perfect gift to show your thoughtfulness and understanding of who he is. For Him
He says... By Billy Clouse • Layout Editor
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nyone can get the classics: flowers, chocolate, candy. Although girls will appreciate them, it is better to get her something else. To be the better boyfriend you have to get something original and move beyond the classics. Dinner There is nothing more romantic than going on a date to a nice restaurant. Girls don’t just get the opportunity to enjoy a nice meal; they also get to dress up. A girl wants to be treated to something special. It doesn’t matter if the restaurant is fancy. All that matters is that the food is great! Although it may seem obvious to some, remember that it is your job, as the man, to pay for her dinner. Bring enough money to avoid an awkward situation. Jewelry Girls like shiny things. Since the beginning of time, men have shown affection with jewels. Price doesn’t play too big of a factor; as long as it doesn’t look cheap, it’s fine. When picking out the piece for her, it’s a good idea to have her birthstone or her favorite stone. Also, there are personalized necklaces, such as the Origami Owl, which has charms that can represent things that
are important in her life, such as coffee or soccer. Something meaningful specifically to her Every girl has something close to her heart. Whether it’s Disney princesses or Pretty Little Liars, every girl has something close to her heart. You can either make her something yourself or buy it. Either way, the fact that you put time into a gift for her will please her. If you want to really surprise her, talk to her mother about decorating her room. Don’t move her things too much, just add to it, such as hearts and teddy bears. All a girl cares about is that you put time into her, so get something that will mean something to her! For Her
It doesn’t matter if the restaurant is fancy. All that matters is that the food is great!
News
4• Hillside Hotwire • December 2013
1. Thao Tran, Grace Luby and Lauren Pellegrino dance to Nelly’s “EI.” “It was my favorite performance out of all my years in dance because it was the most hip hop one we’ve done,” said Luby. “It was just fast and fun.” Photo by Drea Austin 2. Kassidy Swartzlander and Kaitlyn Maldonado front the group of dancers as they perform their routine. “Performing at the concert was an amazing experience because I got to showcase my talents with my team, and performing gives you such a rush,” said Swartzlander. “I love it.” Photo by Drea Austin 3. Nicole Sandusky and Hailey Peterson give Vicki Nyamuswa a lift during their hip hop routine. “This was one of my favorite hip hop routines from sophomore year,” said Nyamuswa. “As the only three seniors on the team, this was sort of our last hurrah.” Photo by Drea Austin 4. Noel Morris performs a solo. “It was like doing any other dance for me,” said Morris. “It’s kinda like performing with my team, just, if you mess up, you can always improv.” 5. Nicole Sandusky performs to a Missy Misdemeanor mix. “That was probably our favorite dance,” said Sandusky of the throwback song. Photo by Drea Austin 6. Flashing a facial, Grace Yerman performs to “Pop” by N’Sync. “This dance brought out a whole other side of me,” said Yerman. “It was really fun. As I got into this character, I didn’t really think about messing up. You go on stage, and it goes really, really fast.” 7. During the routine to “Shake Your Groove Thing,” Taylor Palermo had to dance with a leg brace. “It’s actually really annoying because I had to sit out a lot and rest my dislocated kneecap during practices,” said Palermo. “Despite the pain, I pushed through it to stay sharp.” Photo by Drea Austin
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News
Hillside Hotwire • December 2013 • 5
#ThrowbackThursday
Dance teams share the spotlight on stage at their winter concert By Brianna Burkett • Cub Reporter
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ive, Six, Seven, Eight.” Hair spray and colorful lips fill the band room on Dec 4-5. Alexandra Williams rushes into the band room with a coat on her left arm and a bag filled with costumes on her right arm. Her curled hair bounces around while she runs around trying to find her make-up. As she starts to put her eyeliner on, Abigail Wilson and Grace Yerman practice their duet quietly in the corner. Without the sparkles of their costumes, they twirl around the dirty floor. As the clock turns 6:10, dance team alumni Mallory Leake, one of the backstage helpers, instructs all of the dancers to head to the theater to practice their bows before they open the doors to the audience. Each dancer grasps a hand and heads into the lights. Dance instructor Lana Carey gives her last words of encouragement as they walk back to the rooms. In the next 30 minutes, andxious and excited, but also nervous girls rehearse their steps. Lights go dark on stage. All of the Dance 1 dancers crowd around the twenty-two inch TV to watch Varsity start the show. Each class or team gets called up separately to show the moves that they have been learning for two months or more. Girls change running from one room to another.This hour and a half performance doesn’t get to show all of the hard work that was put into the dance program. Backstage light and music helpers direct 90 different cues and, backstage managers tell the dancers what to do. Carey works very hard to make the program successful. This
is her seventeenth concert at the Hill. “There are many different components that make this stressful: Choreography, lighting, music, show order, program, costuming, etc…” she said. But this doesn’t discourage her from continuing to put the show on. “It is absolutely amazing to see the transformation from Day 1 to on stage. Some of these students would never have the opportunity to perform on a stage, and they get to here at Foothill. She isn’t the only one that has experienced this before. Grace Luby, a dancer in Dance 2, has felt the change, nervousness, happiness, and stress of this concert. “I love performing. You get nervous at first but once you’re into it, there is no turning back,” She said. “Hip Hop is my favorite style by far because I love getting low and whipping my hair around. It’s very fun!” There has been stress at times though. “Last year, one of the girls in my dance class had told coach that she wasn’t going to be at the concert, so we had to change everything at the last second.” Even with all of the stress, she has felt that performing successfully has made her more confident. At 8:15 and Alexandra wears a big smile and gives a sigh of relief. Her excitement shows, even while she picks up her clothes. Carey said, “Each team and class really come together, and they support each other. That is what I am most proud of. We really do become a gigantic family of 160 girls…plus Sean.”
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News
6• Hillside Hotwire • December 2013
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The Siege of Foothill
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Constructing trebuchets in Mr. Ryan Zeedyk’s physics class
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anny Mehanna, Devin Spata, Cory Fisher and Logan Swift began to reset their trebuchet to see how far the device would throw. Mehanna pulled the arm down, tugged the sling back and loaded it with the ammo. The arm shot upward, the sling released, and the ball launched 74 meters as the group cheered. “It was really fun,” said Mehanna. “My group and I really enjoyed building it.” After building the trebuchet, it ended up being too large to fit through the school doors, so Mehanna’s group had to shrink their trebuchet down by sawing off nearly a foot from every single measurement. Science teacher Ryan Zeedyk had his students build trebuchets to learn first hand about kinetic energy, potential energy and velocity. The students were faced with different factors that contributed to how far their trebuchet would throw, and how accurate it would be, like what kind of material they used, what kind of weight, and how much
By Jack Wagner • Cub Reporter
weight the groups would load onto their trebuchet. Most groups, like Mehanna’s, used wood, standard weights from a weight bench, and loaded it with however much they could. However, some groups strayed from the path and improvised, like James Mahan, Nick Anonie, Jeremy Walker and Jason Dickinson’s trebuchet, which used cat litter as their counter weight, throwing 34 meters. Nicolette White and Bethany Sell’s group built theirs out of PVC pipe. When Mehanna loaded 90 pounds onto the first trebuchet, the axle snapped in half, and the wood split, forcing his group to construct another trebuchet. “We bought any wood we could find at first,” stated Mehanna about his broken trebuchet. “We were trying to keep it cheap, but in the end, I had to purchase about $200 of wood just to make another one.” At the close of the contest, Zeedyk handed out a paper stating how school has become an endless quest for grades, and it
1. Danny Mehanna, Deven Spata and Cory Fischer ready their trebuchet for launch. They set the first distance record. 2. Dylan Weasa and Casy Slaugh balance their bucket of counterweight in preparation for the launch of their trebuchet.
is no longer about learning. At the bottom of the sheet, he had students assign their own grade, and they could put whatever they felt they had earned, but no matter what they put, Zeedyk would know how much work they actually did, and he would hold the grade over them for the rest of their time in the class. “It gave us a chance to reflect on how well we really did and be honest to ourselves,” said Fiona Bravo, one of Zeedyk’s physics students, about the classes giving themselves their own grades. “It really played a mind game with me. I put a lot of work into my trebuchet, and I still only gave myself a 75 percent.” “It was definitely a lab I’ll remember,” said Danny Mehanna with a smile on his face. “I had a lot of fun and really enjoyed building and launching my trebuchet.”
News
Hillside Hotwire • December 2013 • 7
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Sports
8• Hillside Hotwire • December 2013
can’t handle
By Jesse Lima • Sports Editor
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Jalen Shepard
Vinny Modugno
Rebounds: 71
Rebounds: 53
Points: 186
Points: 104
Assists: 88
Assists: 28
Free throw: 77
Free throws: 72.73%
Quote: “Green Valley always goes way harder against us, but this year we were able to edge them out.”
Quote: “HTP makes us want to try harder because it make the game fun, and we do better because they pump us up.”
n early Christmas present was in store at The Hill as they battled it out December 17 against rival Green Valley, where both boy’s and girl’s varsity teams won by seven over the Gators, the girls winning 68-61 and the boys winning 54-47. The Lady Falcons were not used to close games after dominating every season game before this one. “Our girls started out a little shaky, but rebounded toward the end,” Coach Eric Kruger said. “We preach it at practice: finish out every game. I’m glad we can win the dogfights, and after watching tonight’s game, we can do just that.” The game wasn’t the only big topic on everyone’s mind. The two cheering sections for each school, The Instigators versus the Hilltown Posse were a big topic of discussion. The well-known Instigators did not have a large showing at The Hill, and the Hilltown Posse was all white with a large crew. During the varsity boys game, Green Valley got off to a hot start, but a late surge by the Falcons brought the Hilltown Posse to their feet screaming loudly. Led by Matt Rapp’s 20-point performance, the boys pulled ahead at the very end with game-ending free-throws
Sports
Hillside Hotwire • December 2013 • 9
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being the dagger. “The crowd was definitely a momentum changer, and watching how our players reacted to the big games like these is what Falcon basketball is really about,” senior Jordan Girnus said. “It was playoff atmosphere and the hype was too real,” senior Matt Rapp added. “Having a cheer section like HTP (Hilltown Posse) is always a big factor in deciding the game.” Another big contributor was the pep band, who kept the energy up during timeouts. Led by director Travis Pardee, the pep band consisted of over 100 students who supported the Falcons from start to finish with sounds of all kind. At half time, the varsity dance team performed, and the crowd responded--getting hyped up at the Hill. “When the games are crazy and exciting like the Green Valley game, which most of them are, some dancers are more worried about getting hit by the players than actually dancing,” junior Melanie Larson said. “Not that we can’t already do most of our dances with our eyes closed.” “Home games like these really get crazy and makes the game much more exciting with noise coming from all directions,” said junior Rylee Strehlow.
Matt Rapp Austin Starr Rebounds: 68 Points: 237 Assists: 39 Free throws: 66.67% Quote: “It’s the best when you make a big play and the Instigators fall silent and HTP goes insane.”
Rebounds: 41 Shots: 166 Assists: 35 Free throws: 72% Quote: “Playing these guys is really fun; it’s super competitive, and HTP is always there to keep us motivated.”
News
10• Hillside Hotwire • December 2013
Life of a Student Aide What goes on in the office? By Skylar Scott • Cub Reporter
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hile senior Matthew Goodman is going to a classroom to help fold blankets for a teacher, senior Jazmine Rivas is filing for the office staff. Seniors Emily Gordillo and Breanna Kornbluh are writing a pass for a late student. Being a student aid is great experience if you would like to become a teacher one day. It lets you understand the ropes and what really goes on in the classroom. Heather Duck, a student aid for Ms. Smith says, “I was looking at being a teacher for when I get older, and this was the best way to get experience. Goodman, a counselor’s office aid, said, “Being a student aid is pretty fun. We write passes, meet new people, and when new students come in, we get to escort them to class.” Aides do a lot of the mundane or repetitive tasks that don’t require a teacher’s educated expertise. Rivas, a counselor’s office aid, said, “I do a lot of filing. I really never get bored because I am constantly going.” Kornbluh, a dean’s office aid, said, “We run passes, of course, but we also have fun talking and eating.” Being a student aide is pretty close to having a free period. However, things in the office can get pretty intense at times, especially when the deans or school
Matthew Goodman delivering boxes for the office
police have a lot of action. Gordillo and Kornbluh have witnessed some unusual things. “Yeah, I’ve seen kids handcuffed, and I thought that door would fall off once,” Gordillo said. Kornbluh said, “This one kid was screaming in the dean’s office, then he flung open the door and continued screaming.” Other than the excitement of the arrest of some students, office aides have it pretty easy, according to some aides. “Its most definitely a fun class, but it can get a little boring sometimes when you have nothing to do,” explained Goodman. There are also some cons about being student aides. Kornbluh said, “One con is walking into really awkward classrooms, and they all just kind of stare at you.” Rivas sees working with adults as an upside. “I get to come close to the office staff, and anything you need, you can just go up to any them to ask and they are fine with it,” she said. “The teachers and office staff are actually really nice,” Gordiallo said. Overall, most of the student aides interviewed said they love being one. “I like having them around,” said counselor’s office secretary Kelli Liu. “They’re all hard workers, and they always have a positive attitude. All my aides are good in their own way.” Being a student aide can be difficult said a few aides. “It’s difficult sometimes when the handwriting is bad, and some students don’t even care,” Duck said of trying to grade some student’s work. Alice Bogdan, an aide for Mr. Eakin, said, “It’s not that difficult, but I do tend to grade a lot of tests.” “I like being an aide because it’s an easy class, but having to grade all those papers all hour isn’t always fun.” Pamela Dupont, the secretary of the dean’s office, said, “I love having them around. They are all great kids.”
Is it time to go home yet?
Some seniors miffed at this year’s lunch schedule causing them a 30-minute delay By Kat Aver • Staff Writer
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enior Falcons have been flying out of the nest too late recently, according to some seniors who have to attend first lunch. Last year, most seniors were given second lunch so that those with only four classes could attend periods one through four and then go home. This year, many more seniors have first lunch, which means they have to stay about 30 minutes longer than their second-lunch comrades. “This is so contrary to last year,” said senior Brianna Catallini. “Having first lunch and four classes interferes with my full-time work schedule.” She says her schedule forces her to rush to work every day, putting her at risk of receiving a ticket or getting into a dangerous accident. “If I could have second lunch, I would have an extra 30 minutes to take my time.” “We wanted all of the teachers divided by subject so they would have the opportunity to meet up and exchange ideas about their classes and students at lunch,” said counselor Ms. Bree Crine of the change in lunch schedules. “Although many students are disappointed, we are here for the students and hope that this teacher time has benefited the students. We never do anything to purposefully affect students negatively.”
News
Hillside Hotwire • December 2013 • 11
Hands-on Art
Art students share this year’s experiences By Chance Mandernach • Cub Reporter
As the bell rings, Mayren Duran is ready for another day of art class with her pencil primed. She grabs her sketchbook for an assignment which is designed to teach her the essentials of art. Many students enter this class with varying amounts of skill in the art department. But they all enter with a common goal: to improve their art skills. Nicholas Thacker is an avid artist. He draws in his free-time as much as possible. He decided to join art class with the goal of learning new styles of drawing as well as to take part in other fun projects along the way. “I really enjoyed one of our projects where we picked a picture of a monster and had to transfer it to a new piece of paper by drawing it on a grid,” stated Thacker. He decided on a picture of another person’s representation of Cthulu, a character from H.P. Lovecraft’s classic horror tale, The Call of Cthulu. After he had transferred the photo to a larger grid, he mixed food coloring and shaving cream and rubbed it on the paper to add style and color to the piece. Art student’s last project entailed trac-
ing their hand in marker and sketching eight different patterns onto the foreground of the drawing. After that, they were to add contrasting patterns to the background. Travis Mandernach cited this as one of his favorite projects. Mandernach said, “I liked it because we got to use a lot of interesting tools to help us complete the drawing.” He wasn’t
Hand art project by Kendra Dodson.
A tale of two choirs
Katie Taylor
By Kayla King • Cub Reporter
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how Choir and Chamber Choir behind closed doors just seems like a bunch of kids singing and dancing. Representing Chamber and Show Choir, Katie Taylor explains that it is much more than that. “When I step on stage at first, it is a little frightening, but I just try to go out there and have fun,” said Taylor. Both choirs require a lot of after school work. On the side, she also plays volleyball.
“Even though I enjoy volleyball, I would have to pick choir to be my favorite out of them both,” said Taylor. “This is something I’d like to do for the rest of high school.” Taylor has dreams of performing solos and eventually going go the X Factor. “I’m working hard toward my goal,” said Taylor. “It’s a lot of work, but I’ve always dreamed about being a singer, so it’s worth it.”
alone, as it was also Duran’s favorite project as well. Jadila Sweet is already straight on her way to becoming an art pro. She enjoys painting watercolor and oil based paintings. In early November, she entered a watercolor painting of a bouquet of flowers into an art competition at the City Lights gallery in downtown Henderson and took first place among paintings that featured things found in nature, such as animals and scenery. She hopes to enter another competition soon. There are more fun things behind the scenes as well! Ten-year veteran art teacher, Sarah Plough, worked with Student Council for a small event dubbed a “Paint Party.” They voted on a picture to paint and were each given their own canvas and paint. Stuco voted on a picture of a snowman, and they all did their best to paint a similar version of it on their canvas. They had this smaller event in preparation for an even bigger one that took place on December 19 and was open to the public, helping Stuco raise money for their retreat.
Personal Profile
12• Hillside Hotwire • December 2013
Inspired to inspire
Sam Liu tells his story of the legacy he wishes to leave behind at the Hill
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am Liu walks onto the football field. His shoes squeak from the dampness of the ground, and he can smell the scent of wet grass as a melancholy blanket hangs in the air. With his tenor saxophone in carriage position, he marches to his beginning coordinate on the field and stands at attention. He realizes it’s his last time. Sam Liu is the model of the high school experience. “I’ve been in Student Council for two years, and am currently the senior class president. I’ve been in National Honor Society for three years, and am on the leadership team. On top of that, I’ve been in marching band for all four years and show choir for one year. Also, I’m the announcer for football, volleyball, and flag football games, while juggling a full schedule with AP classes,” he said, listing his busy schedule. “I have to keep good communication with everyone in case I have a con-
Sam Liu shows off his multiple skills with a microphone to represent his role of announcer at basketball games, his Stu-co shirt to represent his dedication to Student Council, his sparkly vest to show the glamour of show choir, and his saxophone to represent his love for band. “I’m motivated to establish the thought for future generations that being in multiple activities simultaneously is possible. Success can be achieved in multiple areas if you work hard for it.” Photo by Rachel Leone
By Rachel Leone • Layout Editor
flict.” It all started in band. “I was in band during middle school for all three years. I decided to keep with it because I was scared about not knowing anyone,” he admitted. “I decided that joining band would help me go into high school with kids I knew.” Band has been the most effective activity he’s participated in during his high
school years. “Those kids have given me the best life lessons, memories and friendships of my life. Friends like Brett Clouse and George Chumas have helped my journey through high school become a great experience. Chumas inspires me to be a classy individual and Clouse has inspired me to take on new experiences, regardless of my age.” It is also because of friends who also helped him decide to join show choir senior year. “A lot of people from choir reached out to me and observed potential for a singer and dancer. I joined to be with my best friends of twelve years, Colby and Connor,” he said, “they were my biggest influences in my aspirations for show choir. They pushed me to achieve success.” Teachers have also been a source of knowledge and inspiration for Sam. He said, “Mr. Handley taught me to work hard for myself and to not depend on others, and Mrs. Kline told me that you have to take in the moments of life before they slip away.” One of the most influential sources of inspiration came from Sam’s grandfather. “He has been my motivation to work hard and achieve success,” said Sam. Because of the way others have inspired him, Liu wishes to inspire others. “Freshman year, Mr. Pardee told each of us that you can do different things and band, and it will work out if you communicate and give your maximum effort. I’m motivated to establish the thought for future generations that being in multiple activities simultaneously is possible,” he said. “Success can be achieved in multiple areas as long as you work hard for it. Pursue your dreams, despite what the odds may be.”
Feature
Hillside Hotwire • December 2013 • 13
Broadcast’s every 15 minutes Broadcast fills students’ eyes with intense footage
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irens wail as ambulances come full speed to the scene. The firemen are already on the scene, trying to save victims’ lives, with only so much time. The cameras captured it all. The FHS broadcast team was called in to film the Every 15 Minutes event for Green Valley and other high schools in the Henderson area. “They came to us because they like our work a lot; we put in the extra effort, and we make sure everything gets filmed,” said senior Alec Rogers, FST News Director. The team captured footage at the hospital, the jail, and the coroner’s office., creating a film that brought tears to students’ eyes. “We got to do all this cool stuff, and it’s something you would never experience if you were not a part of it,” said Rogers, with excitement about the work the team did. “I loved filming the hospital,” said Brittany Avery, one of the film editors. I had to get the ambulance coming to the scene, the helicopter, and I had to get both patients. I mean, it’s kind of hard, but I loved doing it, and the hospital was just super fun.” The team witnessed the intense emotions a real car accident would bring. “Their make-up was so well done. It was overwhelming at first, and they were pumping the patient’s heart and all the doctors were going crazy, so it was scary because it’s really happening,“ said Avery. “Then, being in the quiet room, where the doctors talk to the parents. The patient’s mother started crying right away, tears rolling down her face. Then the doctor and the social worker explained how the patient passed away and couldn’t be revived, and then they came and saw their son or daughter ‘dead.’ That was super sad, and usually I am on the verge of crying with them.”
By Marissa Panchal • Staff Writer
At the scene, one of the patients is pronounced dead, put in a body bag and sent to the coroner’s office. “We have seen some pretty crazy stuff at the coroner’s office,” said Rogers. “My filmers usually see dead bodies, and it was probably one of the coolest experiences that we’ve had.” Camera operator Bailey Willis captured everything the bodies went through at the coroner’s office. “They finger print the bodies, and then they are put in the freezer. The bodies are kind of yellow, but I wasn’t allowed to see a body’s face, and I was not allowed to see the autopsies. I tried to peak in the room, but they would not let me, but I saw brains in jars and body parts in jars. It really was a crazy experience for sure. I did see this one girl, who was attending a DWI class, and she saw one of the dead bodies and started freaking out and hysterically crying, but I was in awe. This is real, but you don’t see any faces, so it doesn’t really hit you that it is someone’s family member, but there are posts throughout the whole morgue stating this is someone’s family member, respect their body, but every time there is something new and exciting, its’ really cool.” After filming, the crew
worked till nearly 11 p.m. creating the film that would show the next day. “What we do, it’s a hard process,” said Rogers. “A process that usually takes about a week, we do in five or six hours.” “We walked in to the gym while the video was playing, and I saw people just crying, which, I know is not a good thing, but I knew that I had done my job, and that’s what I like to do,” said Rogers.
Brittany Avery and Alec Rogers filmed and edited Green Valley’s Every 15 Minutes event.
Sports
14• Hillside Hotwire • December 2013
Boys bowling look to youth Boy’s bowling surpasses last year’s win total in two matches By Jesse Lima • Sports Editor
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ast year, boys’ bowling team went winless all year. This year, they’ve already got one win under their belt. Led by junior Grant George, the varsity team swept Eldorado 9-0, but then lost to Basic in the next game. Coach Geoff Walker handpicked ten bowlers during tryouts. Four of the top bowlers were put on varsity; the next four on JV, and the remaining would be alternates to fill in for someone who was absent. At the beginning of the season, the four varsity starters included junior Grant George, junior Jesse Lima, junior Dylan Griffin and senior Sean Howard. Howard was the only returning member, taking into account that the rest of the varsity team last year was all seniors. Although junior Jake Davidson had not made the varsity roster originally, he made a late surge to be up on the top four for a starting varsity spot, posting high numbers in his first couple of matches. “Having the setup that we have gives everyone the opportunity to get a spot on varsity during the season,” Coach Walker said. “If you aren’t on your game
one day, that’s okay. I just may bring up someone else from JV who is having a strong performance that day, but if I like how things are going with my four varsity guys, then I will stick with the four I have.” The way high school bowling works is that you are allowed one sub from JV to varsity per match. So if one person on varsity struggles, a JV bowler can replace him for the next match or matches, depending how many more games there are left to bowl. There are a total of three games in one match. With the alternates, each game, the lowest JV bowler will switch out with the highest alternate bowler, so the alternate gets a chance to play. The first match was on December 2 against perennial powerhouse Coronado with a 0-9 loss. “Our first game gave us some experience,” Grant George said. “Playing Coronado on the first match was definitely hard, especially with most of our varsity playing in our first actual high school bowling match. Hopefully, our matches get a lot easier from here on out, and hopefully facing Coronado early will ease up the rest of the road ahead for us.” Dylan Griffin added, “Looking
back at last year, hopefully this year will mark a great awakening for our bowling team for years to come.” “The boys team is young and shows good promise for next season. I’m proud of their effort and competitiveness this year,” said Coach Walker.
Carlo Chavez bowls during the Basic match at Sunset Lanes.
Sports
Hillside Hotwire • December 2013 • 15
Girls bowling wins blue banner for gym After a nailbiter against Liberty, the girls move on to the regional finals
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layoffs are in sight for the Lady Falcon bowlers. Finishing the season 29-1, the lady bowlers dominated all season long in the pin count. Entering January 21, the bowlers had a perfect record of 27-0, and were looking to complete their perfect season. Unfortunately, the Lady Falcons lost their first game of the season against Liberty during the last match of the season. “Working with this group of girls has been awesome. Not only are they great bowlers, but they are also fun to be around, and they hate to lose,” said Coach Walker. “They are far and away the best team we’ve ever had at Foothill, and I can’t wait to see how they finish the season.”
Jesse Lima • Sports Editor
Even though they lost their first game, they still ended up winning the match and that is how they finished the season 29-1. “Receiving our first loss of the season is tough considering it was so far into the season, but I would rather lose now than lose in playoffs,” senior Amy Ruelas said. “This season was actually unexpected to me considering we had a near perfect season, so I am proud of where our team is today.” The Lady Falcons will go into the playoffs as the number one seed, and based on stats from the season, Green Valley will be tough competition in the Sunrise region. Corrina Williams rolls during a game earlier this year. The girls head to playoff as the number one seed. Photo by Sean Howard.
Sports
16• Hillside Hotwire • December 2013
Wrestling continues to kill competition A new coach and new talent propels Falcons through season and into regionals By Jake Jesperson • Editor-in-Chief
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oys wrestling has a 10-2 record and is ranked second in the region to Green Valley as they near the final match of the season. To fuel their motivation for regionals the Falcons won the Mohave Invitational, a 16-team tournament, for the first time in Foothill history. “Green Valley is always really good, but this year I feel like we have the team that will finally be able to take them down at regionals,” said Angel Camacho. “We just beat them in a tournament, and I think that was all we needed to know; the Ga-
tors are going down,” he said. Returning state wrestler Damien Ortega said, “I am more excited than I ever have been for state because this year I think we will actually have a team that will be able to represent Foothill at state. In years past, we have only been able to send two or three athletes, but now we are going to be the team other schools are scared of.” The team is fairly young, as most of varsity consists of sophomores and juniors. “I don’t think that’s hurting us that much,” said Jacob Chavez. “We have a ton of dedication and a really good coach
Sam Vaughn locks up his opponent in this season’s dual meet against Rancho. Photo by Lil Reblot
in Coach English. I just started wrestling my freshman year, and now, as a sophomore, I’m on varsity. Coach English is just awesome.” In fact, since Coach Ryan English stepped in, the team has experienced more and more success with his different coaching style and young talent. As the regular season winds down with the final dual meet on the 30th, the boys have their sights on a region title.
Sports-Feature
Hillside Hotwire • December 2013 • 17
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1. Ben Gonzalez brings a wrapped gift from his car. In the box was a Minnie Mouse kitchen. The baseball team hand-delivered the gifts to the families themselves. “It felt really good to give the gifts to the kids,” said Gonzalez. “We don’t really notice all the things we take for granted.” 2. Meeting in the parking lot in December to distribute gifts are Nick Cardinale, Trenton Price, Stephen Wagner and Bligh Madris. “It was nice being able to give to those less fortunate and help out our families,” said Madris.
Toys bring joy to kids in need Baseball players come together for the holiday drive
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By McKenzie Youngman • Cub Reporter
or the past two years, participants in baseball intramurals have bought and delivered toys to children in need. They do this through the Holiday Drive. Forty-eight out of the fifty-six baseball players from intramurals are participated, providing three families with gifts, including sixteen foster and adopted children. Last year, the players did not deliver the toys directly to the children, but this year, on December 10-12, the guys traveled to each house and presented the gifts to the children. This was not only amazing for the kids, but also for the team members. Sophomores Trentin Price and Stephen Wagner and seniors Bligh Madris and Nick Cardinale have participated for two years. Each team member was given 1-3 kids to shop for. They purchased bikes, clothes and other items spending be-
tween $55-$100. “It just feels really good to give back to the community,” Cardinale said. “I’m very excited because we actually got to hand the children the presents,” Madris said. “It’s exciting always helping out the kids and giving them a Christmas,” Wagner said. The guys also added their own thoughts on what this experience has taught them. “To be thankful for what you have and to always realize what you have, and to make sure that you don’t waste it, because you may not always have it,” Wagner said. “I see how important this is to the children since they may not have had a traditional Christmas because of where they live,” Cardinale said.
Freshman? No way! By Alyssa Miele • Cub Reporter
This year at the Hill, something happened that has only happened once before--a freshman made the boys’ varsity basketball team. Jeron Bodin blew the coaches away with his high basketball IQ and well-developed skills. “It’s a big transition because the pace of the game is so much faster than in middle school, especially at the varsity level,” said Head Coach Kevin Soares. “It’s something he has had to adjust to.” Many may be wondering just what set him apart from everyone else, and what he did to get this far this fast. “I scrimmaged with some older friends, which helped a lot. I also played tennis at the beginning of this year. Tennis really helped with the footwork aspect of the game,” said Bodin. “It was nice to do something different to avoid the burnout of only playing basketball.” Of course, Bodin had some pre-season jitters about being the new guy on the court. “At first I was a little skeptical about making varsity because I knew I wouldn’t get as much playing time, but as I thought about it more, I knew it was in my best interest, and it would get me to be the best player I could be,” he said. “Now I’m more worried about getting injured that anything else!” As the varsity boys chew up rivals late in the season, revving up their season with a 75-58 win against the Wolves on January 22, Bodin is ready to show his skills on the court--no matter how young he might be.
Sports
18• Hillside Hotwire • December 2013
With a quick grab, Charlie Gibbs, yanks the flag of the runner during the Liberty game. Photo by Bernhard
Quarterback Samantha Fennell runs for a first down against Liberty. Photo by
and Williams
Bernhard and Williams
Escaping two Liberty defenders, Abbey Russo twist her way toward the end zone. Photo by Bernhard and Williams.
Flag football shakes off BC loss on their way to the division playoffs
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tarting center Jadyn McArthur and the varsity flag football team know what it’s like to win. In fact, they only lost twice--to Boulder City and Rancho--this season, recently clobbering Liberty 20-0. The team resides in second place behind the undefeated Eagles, and with seven games left, looks to defend their title as champs but will have to go through the red hot Eagles on Feb. 2 to do it. “I see us going to the playoff and then the championship,”
said McArthur, who sees Boulder City as their biggest obstacle at this point. McArthur has seen her own share of personal obstacles this season as center. “Since I’m so short, getting around girls who are way bigger than me is hard sometimes,” she said. Despite challenges, she scored a touchdown earlier this season, which, she said, was the highlight of her season so far. Up next are Coronado, Basic and Chaparral, all of which should chalk up more W’s for the indefatigable team.
Sports
Sports
Hillside Hotwire • December 2013 • 19
JV flag football stays nearly flawless Coach Bernald sees great things both now and for the future
By McKenzie Youngman • Cub Reporter
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he JV Flag Football team started off strong, and it seems like they are going to end strong as well. The team is currently 9-1 with five games left. They blanked the Sun Devils 46-0 Jan. 27 and have a grudge match against Basic, their only loss, Feb. 4. Corner Mily Rodriguez and quarterback Gizzel Oliva both felt that practices were a good way to create a closer bond with their
teammates and coaches while also goofing around but still trying their hardest in the plays they ran. Being on the team has also created new friendships. “I have made friends with the whole team,” Oliva said. “I love them.” JV’s Coach Bernald has helped and guided his players from the beginning, taking the newer players and teaching them the positions and plays while also trying to help improve the more experienced players.
Quarterback Gizzel Oliva drops back for a pass. Photo by Bernhard and Williams.
In an earlier game against Liberty, Rakayla Tyler busts through the defensive line and makes her way up field. The team defeated the Patriots 33-19. Photo by Bernhard and Williams.
The entire team said they have grown to love their coach as well as the other coaches that have helped out with JV, Coach Cynthia Guzman and Coach Scott. “They are very supportive and give us tips on how to improve our plays,” Rodriguez said. Not only do the players feel this way but so does Coach Bernald. “We are getting better game by game,” Bernald said. “The group of girls I have this year are great. They want to come and play football, and they’re really good football players. Love them to death. They’re awesome.” With all this talent and close bonds, players Emily Mull, Mily Rodriguez and Gizzel Oliva plan to try out next season, along with the majority of the team. “I hope to see all of them next season,” Bernald said. He thinks that they could be very special down the road.
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20• Hillside Hotwire • December 2013
Breaking news
News
Broken window investigation of 700 wing still under wraps By Alyssa Miele • Cub Reporter
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ver winter break, seven windows lining the left side of the 700s were shattered, causing $1200 in damage. Although no footage has been released, it is clear that someone threw rocks at them, leaving some windows cracked and others completely shattered. Forensics teacher Lori Haines noticed her broken windows when she came in over Winter Break. “I came in on New Year’s Eve to take care of some things when a custodian told me about the broken windows,” said Haines. “After taking a look at mine, I went around to the other classrooms and took pictures of the windows to use for future cases for my classes.” The windows have since been repaired by the school district maintenance workers, and everything is back to normal. Nothing was reported stolen from the classrooms, and no news on the identification of who the perpetrator was or if they have been charged has surfaced yet.
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Opinion
Hillside Hotwire • December 2013 • 21
Skirts in winter? By Ariana Victoria • Staff Writer
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uring winter, I would expect to see girls wearing pants, coats, scarves and boots. However, as I walked through the courtyard, I saw the complete opposite. Girls were wearing short skirts, dresses, sandals, and short -sleeved shirts. I looked at them and wondered how they could
Aly Steele doesn’t care how cold it is. “As long as my outfit is cute, I don’t care if my feet are freezing. I wear sandals no matter what season it is!” Photo by Chelsea Shehan
wear such clothing when it was so cold outside. A few female students who chose to dress this way had this to say. “By the time school gets out, it’s a little warmer, and I still like to look cute,” freshman Julie Jarboe. Another young lady agreed. “It’s easier to just put on a skirt in the morning, than having to put on a pair of jeans,” freshman Cassidy Macke said. A few girls, like sophomore Teagan Shelburne were dressed warmly. “I don’t get how some girls can wear that to school,” Shelburne said. “I know I couldn’t, ‘cause all day, when I’m at school I’m freezing my butt off.” Junior Sam Ryan agreed, saying, Kennedy McDuffie has no problem coming to school in dresses during January because “it feels like spring.” “I’m really only cold for the two minutes I walk from my car to class. For the rest of the day, I feel fine.” Photo by Chelsea Shehan
“Those girls are insane. I would rather be warm than look cute.” Seriously ladies, it is way too cold to be wearing mini shirts and sandals. You can still look just as cute and dress warmly at the same time. A lot of boots and scarves are cute to wear. You don’t have to dress down to look cute.
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News
22• Hillside Hotwire • December 2013
New additions to the Falcon Family Kimberly Snavely
Jessica Trevino
By Della Sandoval • Cub Reporter
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pecial educator Jessica Trevino, formerly from Clark HS, loves everything about Foothill and is dedicated to teaching life-long skills to her students. Ms. Trevino was born in Vegas and studied here. She graduated from Silverado and spent countless hours studying and reading. “I was there to get it done as best as I could,” she said. After graduation, she attended UNLV, graduating with a Bachelors in Special Ed and a Masters in Special Education in teaching students with autism. Ms. Trevino has taught at several other schools, like the Miley Achievement Center. She transferred to Clark HS and became the special educational teacher at that campus. Outside of school, Ms. Trevino is a poet, performing at open mics and participates in slam poetry. She adores writing song lyrics and has collaborated with musicians to write the perfect song. She is artistic and appreciates all kinds of music.
By Della Sandoval • Cub Reporter
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n seventh grade, Mrs. Snavely knew she wanted to be a choir teacher. Snavely was born in Palo Alto, California but spent most of her life in the Seattle area, where she went to high school and college. She was a theater student, and this was where she discovered a connection with the performing arts and felt at home with music. “I was a smart kid who was really bad at being ‘bad’,” she said about her high school days. She attended Central Washington University, where she graduated with a bachelor’s in musical education and later earned a master’s in choral conducting. Mrs. Snavely has a daughter, Morgan (9), and a son Jakob (4). “She’s like a mini-me” Snavely said of her daughter’s appearance. She is thrilled to be teaching Foothill’s choir department. Though Mrs. Snavely misses her home in Ellensburg, she has found comfort at the Hill through music & warm welcomes and is looking forward to the upcoming years.
Jennifer Smith
By Estefania Rubido • Cub Reporter
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nglish teacher Jennifer Smith is in her first year of teaching after being a substitute. After substituting for kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school, her favorite is middle school, but she thinks her personality is meant for high school students. Smith earned her Bachelor’s in English and a Master’s in Teaching and Learning followed by a concentration in Professional Writing, all from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Outside of school, it’s not all about writing. Ms. Smith loves to cook and bake in her free time. She makes her own cleaning supplies, lotions and soaps as a hobby. Smith also loves watching baseball as well as listening to all types of music and will read any book. She prefers action movies and absolutely hates reality TV. “I love Foothill!” she said. “The Scholarship Café is awesome, and my colleagues are really helpful and supportive.”
Feature
Hillside Hotwire • December 2013 • 23
It’s Bedtime!
Students are not getting enough sleep due to overbooked schedules
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By Riley Bidwell • Cub Reporter • Art by Kaitlin Kelleher
ith school, homework, sports and other extracurricular activities, students do not get to sleep until late, and they have to get up early in the morning. “I do not get to bed until about eleven o’clock every night because I have so much homework, and I also have NHS and Student Council, so I am super busy. I am exhausted!” said sophomore Kiana Louie. According to the National Sleep Foundation, teenagers need about nine hours of sleep each night in order to function well enough in their daily activities. One study found that only fifteen percent of students got at most eight and a half hours of sleep. Without enough sleep, teens can limit their ability to learn, concentrate and solve problems. It is more likely for students to forget things like names, numbers or that they have homework. Also, students are more prone to pimples or other skin problems. Teenagers can become more aggressive and have inappropriate behavior to friends and family members. If you are driving while being sleep deprived, you are as impaired as someone who is driving with a blood alcohol content
of .08%, which is illegal in the United States. To avoid having not enough sleep, make sleep a priority! Make a sleep schedule. If you do the same things every night before you go to sleep, you teach your body the signals that it is time to go to sleep. Keep your room, when you sleep, cool, dark and quiet so nothing can disturb your peaceful sleep. Naps are helpful, but only if they are planned the right way. If a nap is too long or too close to bedtime, it can mess up the entire sleep schedule. Lastly, do not eat or drink anything close to when you are supposed to sleep, because food gives you energy, which will keep you up longer, making it difficult to stay on a sleep schedule. “I cannot wait for my head to hit the pillow at the end of the day!” said Louie. School, homework, sports and the other extracurricular activities in a teenager’s daily life can prevent them from going to bed early. But, they need to make sure to get enough sleep or suffer the consequences. If it continues, it will only make them more exhausted, and the cycle will only worsen.
Pro/Con
24• Hillside Hotwire • December 2013
Face Off: Best place to graduate?
Football field vs. Thomas & Mack By Chelsea Shehan • Editor-in-Chief
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ho could forget all the football games, the 15 minute miles, and the long practices that happened on the football field? Or the orange doors that we all first remember walking through as freshmen? The moment is almost here. Graduation. Three years ago, the school district asked if any high schools would like to graduate on the field. Foothill was one of the few schools who voted yes instead of holding graduation at Thomas and Mack, like they had done in previous years. “We asked the community, and they were all for it,” said Princiapl Jeanne Donadio. “We take suggestions and always think of ways to make graduation better each year.” This year, the question is still up in the air whether class of 2014 will graduate at the school or Thomas and Mack. “It wouldn’t make sense to me if we had graduation at Thomas and Mack,” said Troy Cox. “If we went to school here, shouldn’t we graduate here?” At Thomas and Mack, time would be limited. Graduation would start at 8 a.m., and other schools are also scheduled to graduate that day. That means we have to be in and out. Would you rather take pictures in front of the school we attended for four years or the Thomas and Mack’s scorching hot parking lot? “It would be more personal if we graduated on the field,” said Shianne Freebairn. “We would have more time to said goodbye to our friends and teachers. I don’t want to be rushed on graduation.” I mean, air conditioning would be nice, but if graduation is held on the field, it would start at 8 p.m. “It wasn’t even that hot last year,” said Haley Scott, class of 2013. “I thought it was more sentimental to have it on the field. I wouldn’t have had it anywhere else. To me, it was pretty much perfect, besides all the grasshoppers.” “It builds us as a community,” said Ms. Donadio. “We begin here. We end here.”
By Jessica Terrones • Staff Writer
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ome students and parents felt relief when they heard the 2014 graduation was scheduled at the Thomas and Mack. However, the class of 2014 is divided as to where they want graduation to be held. “There are some pros to having graduation on the field, but there are many more cons,” said Casie Cover. “That is the opinion many seniors have.” The Thomas and Mack offers a screen that shows each student walking on stage and getting his or her diploma. It comes in handy, considering many families can barely see their son/daughter when he or she gets their diploma. “I’m excited for my parents to see me on the big screen,” said FHS senior Courtney Kirwan. The Thomas and Mack has a louder, more robust sound system as well, and there wouldn’t be highway traffic noise. “I really hated graduation on the field for the obvious heat and seating problems,” said Julianne Newman, class of 2013’s valedictorian. “The microphone kept going out when I was giving my speech, and it was very embarrassing.” Of 35 people from the classes of 2012 and 2013 who responded to a recent Facebook and Twitter post, over half said they did not like graduation on the field. “Graduation at the Thomas and Mack is much more organized, and it runs quicker,” said Mr. Phee. “There are a lot of benefits to having it there, including the extended seating. I will be able to hand out more graduation tickets, which I think is a plus because there is limited seating at the school.” While the 2014 graduation is set at the Thomas and Mack, Principal Jeanne Donadio did say that there was still a chance it could change. Seniors are divided on the topic, but there is still a chance that it will come back to the Hill.