Hillside Hotwire
The
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For and by the students of Foothill High School since 1999
Volume 8 Issue 2
Home of our own
Homecoming activities pages 8-9
HillsideHotwire. www.foothillnv.org. Page 2
Football rookies finish 9-0
Freshman boys work together all season to take out their opponents
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Lexie Stone Sports Editor
NEWS
Glue comes up from below The 700’s floors ripped up for the second time since 2004 Caitlyn Blecher Staff reporter
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e’ve all walked through the halls in the 700 wing. The classrooms are all the same with the same doors and the same layout. But there’s something different about the tile. The tiles were ripped out and to be replaced in the 700 wing again this year, making it the second time since the wing was built in 2004. The reason: an unknown
he freshman football team ended their season undefeated at 9-0. This is very usual for this level of play. “There are over 60 kids on the freshmen team, so it made practices better because they competed against each other,” said Coach Bellini. “This is the first time a freshman football team has gone undefeated, and I think this team will bring excitement to the school. I didn’t do anything, it was the team’s contributions.” “We had a lot of teamwork and we worked well together,” said freshman Mitch Gardener. “Coach Bellini taught us what we needed to know, and we learned a lot from him. We refused to lose this season,” said freshman Xavier Brown. Five freshmen moved to varsity against Canyon Springs for the first round of playoffs.
Hillside Highlights The new step team begins practice
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he FHS step team will be meeting every Wednesday from 1:30-2:30 p.m. “All the step team is is dancing without music,” said adviser Lana Freburg. “We create our own music with the beats from our movements.” Freburg also coaches the award-winning dance team and teaches dance class throughout the day. “We’re like any other club, except we dance,” she added. Although the club does not have many members yet, those who are
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involved love it. “I joined because I love to dance,” said Vivia Sandino, who also is in dance class. “I think it’s a fun thing to do after school. If we have anything down and are good enough, we may even perform in the dance concert in December.”
source of moisture is seeping up through the concrete, liquefying the adhesive glue that holds the tiles in place. As students walked to class, the tiles slowly pulled apart and separated, allowing the glue to bleed through the cracks. “The district is paying for the whole process, so it won’t cost the school anything. The district has hired experts to replace the tiles, and hopefully they can fix the problem and prevent it from happening again,” said Mr. Roy Thompson. The construction won’t be finished in a few weeks or even by next month. Experts are investigating the situation and trying to locate where the moisture is coming from. The process shouldn’t affect students or staff, but some beg to differ. “I have to take off my flip-flops when I walk in the 700 wing because it’s impossible to walk without getting stuck,” said one freshman. “I know it’s disgusting, but I’d rather do that than break my shoes They practice their routine every Tuesday and Wednesday for three hours and during half time at the football games each Friday. They later won first place at the Las Vegas Invitational on Nov. 4. In addition, they received awards for Outstanding Music, Outstanding General Effect and a Superior rating for division 1.
Marching band Forensics takes third in annual and drill take home big awards tournament
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arching band took first place at the October 21 competition at Royal High School in Simi, California playing their marching piece “Rosa del Fuego.”
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oothill came in third place for this year’s forensics tournament. The tournament was held on October 20-21. “The tournament was pretty much two days long. It ran from after
The
Hillside Hotwire
STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Emma DeWees ASSISTANT EDITOR: Brendt Hulsey LAYOUT EDITOR: Catalina Burns SPORTS EDITOR: Lexie Stone ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Cheslyne Snowden
just trying to get to class.” Thompson claims the exposed glue residue should wear down and become less sticky after awhile. It’s like a large sheet of tape laid on the floor. As dirt becomes tracked in on the bottom of everyone’s shoes, the glue is left with a less sticky surface. Investigators have drilled large holes through the concrete near room 741 and checked the soil for dampness. They said it was a bit damp but was actually less wet than they expected. They say that new flooring will be installed sometime into the new year.
RIDING DIRTY: (top) experts try to locate the source the water seeping up through the concrete in the 700 wing. Some thought it might be sprinkler runoff. These experiments can last months, but will help solve the recurring problem.
school Friday to 9:30 p.m. then 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. I worked the snack bar the first day, but the second day I competed,” said Chris Cornelius. Palo Verde took second place and Green Valley won first place. “I think we did pretty well over all. Next year could very well be better.”
kids have brought in. “We do this drive each year to encourage people to help out,” says Kristin Little. “It isn’t too much to ask because everyone has one or two spare cans in their cabinet. If everyone chips in a little bit, we can succeed all the expectations.” In order to encourage more students to help with the drive, Student Council is going to throw the winning class some kind of party. All the class has to do is bring in the most cans, and they can get a day off as they enjoy their party. This year, different cans and other items are worth various points to encourage a larger variety of goods. “It’s not that hard,” says Little. “A little can make a big difference”
Canned food drive sweeps FHS on November 13-16
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n November 13-16, Student Council is hosting their annual canned food drive. During each student’s second hour, Student Council will come around and collect cans that the
Tobeman/TheHotwire
UNGLUED (left) CCSD floor maintenance workers spent nearly two weeks removing tiles using machines. Tobeman/TheHotwire
POLICY
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. Letters to the editor should be signed and sent to: The Hillside HotARTS DIRECTOR: Sarah Reyburn wire, 800 College Drive, Henderson, NV 89015 COPY EDITOR: Amber Brisoe Letters may also be dropped off at the Hillside Hotwire office in room STAFF REPORTERS: Rachel Alger, 741. Home Delivery of the Hillside Hotwire is available at a prepaid Caitlyn Belcher, Tyler Holt, Gurcost of $20 per year. Issues are mailed monthly upon publication. tarpreet Kaur The staff reserves the right to reject any advertisement deemed ADVISER: Bill Tobler inappropriate. Letters to the editor may be edited for content and PRINCIPAL: Gretchen Crehan brevity.
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NEWS
HillsideHotwire. www.foothillnv.org. Page 3
Quarterly unsats have a new format
New unsats are provided each quarter with only teacher comments
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Rachel Alger Staff reporter
hey happen four times a year. Not a very big number at all, but big enough for the entire student body to dread them. Four times a year we try to beat our parents to the mailbox, and four times we fail, because somehow every time Mom managed to come home from work early. Four times we get yelled at because that red and white piece of paper tells Mom we have a D+ in chemistry, when really the grade is four weeks old, and our grade is nearly a B by now. Well you can kiss those four miserable times goodbye, because we no longer will be receiving UNSATS via mail. The Clark County School District disbanded the mailed UNSAT, claiming it is now the school’s responsibility to hand them out in any way they deem suitable, and so far, the administration has decided to give out a quarterly progress report, (which each student has to sign for to acknowledge that they received them), that has either a positive or negative comment from
each teacher but no grade. “The original UNSAT was not efficient for time or money,” said Assistant Principal Tasha Fuson. “By the time the UNSATS were received, it was the seventh or eighth week of the quarter, and parents were getting upset because there wasn’t really much students could do to get their grades up. The new format is better for everyone.” This is not necessarily the case for everyone, simply because grades are no longer posted on the sheet, just a simple comment, like “pleasure to have in class” or “in danger of failing.” Students aren’t really fond of this. “I think the new format is a great idea,” said Megan Healy. “You don’t have to keep watch on the mailbox anymore, but I really think they should post grades on them, just so you know how you’re doing. You’re teacher could give you a pretty good comment, because she likes you, but you may have a low grade despite that.” She has a point. Just because the teacher likes his/her students,
doesn’t mean they’re grades are satisfactory. “It’s not a report card,” Principal Gretchen Crehan acknowledged. “Students should be responsible about getting their grades up. Plus, it’s also a way to get parents more involved with their student’s grades. We hope more parents will check Edline this year.” That seems to be the major point of the whole situation. The administration wants more involvement with Edline and for students to take more interest and more responsibility for their own actions. “If parents are keeping up with their children’s grades, then that student is more likely to exceed in life beyond high school,” said Fuson. “We’re at a time in life where we don’t spend as much time with our children, and this is a way to keep communication between parent and student.” SIMPLY SHOCKING: These students, like most other kids, gawk at their first progress of the year. RachelAlger/TheHotwire
PSATs prove that they are important practice Sophomores are forced to take PSATs but any juniors can still volutarily sign up to take them Amber Briscoe Staff reporter
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or most freshmen and sophomores, college really isn’t something that’s on the mind yet, let alone, thinking about saving for it. Parents do most of the saving for their child anyway. “My parents have been saving up for me to go to college for about as long as I’ve been alive,” said Danielle Neumiller. “I have about $9,000 in the bank right now for it.” According to the College Board, tuition costs an average of almost six thousand dollars a year at public
colleges and universities. That’s forty percent higher than it was just five years ago. And that’s not counting all your parking, living (utilities, water, and housing), and book fees. So $9,000 is probably not going to cover it all. Another thing teens take for granted is getting into a college at all. Many students don’t take the time to study. They think because they pay attention in class that they don’t need to do any outside work. This may be the case for some, but the better you are at studying
now, the easier it will be later when it comes time to use these study skills. It’s never too early to start thinking about college; if anything--we’re even a little behind. Teens are paying less attention in school every year, which comes back to bite them when its time to take the test that determines everything: the SAT. “Because I had a lot of scholarships to help me pay my way through college, I only had to take out one loan, so instead of paying around $200 a month I only pay about $80,” said Lisa Briscoe, a graduated mother with
a steady career. “Doing well on the SAT is important because if you do well then you have a better chance of getting more scholarships to help you pay.” Most students take the pre-test in their sophomore or junior year to prepare. Juniors must pay a fee of $14 to take the test. Sophomores, however, take the test for free, but it is not optional. Students must take this test. Clark County School District and the College Board have entered a partnership to provide us students with the opportunity to get ready for the SAT. The PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) is free of charge and was distributed on October 18. The PSAT assesses mostly critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills. The PSAT will provide information of student’s academic progress and potential of getting into a college. Students will then receive a score report which gives back personalized feedback on their test performance and suggestions on how to improve specific skills. Students will also receive a college planning package that includes an online SAT study plan and My Road, a web based college and career planning tool. “I really don’t like
tests at all, and I think they’re really stupid for the most part, but I actually liked the idea of being able to take this test. I was really interested to see what’s on it. Plus, I think it helps students out a lot now that they know what they’re up against because I know most teens are planning on going to college, but I don’t think they realize how hard it will be,” said Jessica Carol. On average, students who take the PSAT earn higher test scores on the SAT than those who do not. One reason is because the test has the same formats, directions, sample questions and question types as the real SAT. By taking the test, eleventhgraders may be eligible to enter the National Merit Scholarship competitions, as well as other programs that give special recognition to high-achieving Hispanic and African American students. Students who are interested in learning more should see their alpha counselor or go to the college counselor, Ms. Blick. For seniors, the SAT test will be taken May 5, and June 2 of 2007, and the ACT test, April 14 and June 9, also of 2007. PSAT PANIC A student reviews her PSAT/NMSQT test-taking help guide to ensure that she is ready and prepared to take the pre-test. Briscoe/TheHotwire
HillsideHotwire. www.foothillnv.org. Page 4
COMMENTARY
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Another generation of eleventeens Young girls become too focused with idolizing over-exposed women Catalina Burns Layout Editor
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here they are. Make up caked on, two shades too dark and two layers too thick. Two-tone hair with eye shadow reflecting enough to blind a normal person’s eye. Clad in tube tops and tight jeans, are they mean girls in training, the new tramp generation, the teeny boppers gone bad, or the premature puberty hitters of the middle school scene. As I make my way down those treacherous bleachers at the football game, trying to watch my every step to make sure it’s not my last, a sudden twinkling light flashes in my eyes, making me almost permanently blind and sending me flying through the air into some random kids lap. I whip my head around to try to figure out what sent me flying into the abyss of bleachers and come to realize I had been blinded by the bedazzled mini skirt of another one of those trashy seventh graders, or what I refer to as an “eleventeen”-yearold. If only everyone could share the same hate and disdain I have for these confused and searching younglings. If you have no idea what I am talking about, you will soon find out. Every girl wants to be a different age, whether you are a thirty-year-old has-been wishing you were twenty and hot or a pre-pubescent eleven-year-old wishing you were a smoldering seventeen-year-old. Either way, both girls are searching for things they see other people have and envy them for it. An older woman sees a younger, hipper and fitter twenty-year-old going out every night and still being able to wake
up every morning and go to her 9-5 job. The eleven-year-old, on the other hand, is young and naïve and has no reason to want to be seventeen. Eleven, twelve, and even thirteen-year-old girls should not be worried about who they are going to date, what the latest fashions are or how big they can get their hair. Seventeenyear-olds have more experience with boys, clothes and life in general, things that eleven, twelve
and thirteen-year-olds want to rush into. There is no point of speeding up your growing and maturing process and missing a big part of your life just to be something that you’re not. Every day, at least two times a day, I spot an “eleventeen” and cringe. Looking at these poor and confused little babies trying to act way older than they are always makes me wonder who their mother is and where they
are. Lacie Saunders, along with many others, feels that they are too revealing and promiscuous for their age. “I always wonder who is buying their clothes and who is giving them permission to wear and do some of the things they wear and do,” said Saunders. “I never know if I should say something or just let them screw up their lives, because apparently no one else cares what they do.” Mothers who allow their eleven, twelve, and thirteenyear-old daughters to wear Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch, or any other risqué brand religiously should be lectured. Any mother in their right mind should know that their daughters are still babies and have no reason to dress like pre-pubescent night crawlers. Advocating this kind of provocative dress will only hinder their ability to parent their own daughters in the future and give them more reason to think that using their bodies to get people’s attention is ok. People wonder why our date rape numbers are up and pre-marital births are rampant. The only answer I have for you that makes the most sense is pre-mature girls jumping into the “high school” scene at way too young an age. Girls in middle school attend high
school parties, get wasted and then hook up with two juniors and three seniors. Young girls sometimes feel it as almost a requirement to give their bodies up just to gain the “respect” from both older guys and older girls. “I remember when I was in eighth grade, a few of my friends would go to high school parties and hook up with countless guys just to be ‘cool,’ for no other reason at all,” says Megan Mainville. “I remember asking them what was so great about wasting their weekends on boys and partying, and they would say simply ‘respect.’” In no way are girls receiving respect for this. Rather, they are getting pinned with a reputation of being “easy,” or a “sleaze,” both of which do not have positive connotations. Young girls living this life will either end up pregnant or left heartbroken and alone and without the maturity to deal with their feelings. “Eleventeen” year olds need to be eliminated through education. Every time you see one on the street corner or hanging around in the arcade of the movie theatre with their gang of 75 other “eleventeens,” just yell “eleventeens need to grow up” and then run away. Looking at them salivating at the high school guys, you’re disgusted. Then one of them bends over, and her jeans split right down the backside. You laugh and realize the world is how it should be. TOO YOUNG Girls are wearing things that are inappropriate for their age. They are not living life the way girls their age should be. KRT campus newswire
People gather on the first friday of each month The Art District of Las Vegas puts on a street show complete with performing and visual arts
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Sarah Reyburn Art Director
itting like a bird perched, I plainly observe the uniqueness around me. Looking from left to right, I saw people of every color, and I thought to myself, what a great event to bring people together in a positive atmosphere, and why not tell my school about this free event. Visual and performing art of all kinds are featured on every first Friday of the month from 6-11p.m. Mass crowds gather on the streets and in galleries to appreciate the art in downtown Las Vegas. As the sun sets, bands start to play, and unique people come from every corner to discover what is hidden on these artsy streets and to show their talent.
There is something for everyone, ranging from artists, restaurants, psychics, musicians, break dancers and much more. Starting four years ago, First Friday has grown rapidly. Crowds of 300 have swelled to 10,000. Every time you go, there is something new and exciting to discover. First Friday is now considered the premier arts event in Las Vegas. From the shops and galleries on Charleston to the new galleries on Main Street to the recentlyopened spaces on
Commerce, down to the Funk House antique store and the innovative artists’ cottages at Colorado and Casino Center.
People are able to walk the colorful neighborhood and sell their art on a pedestrian-friendly street. An art tour bus makes the rounds from the Clark County Amphitheater to the street of First Friday throughout the area, and makes pickups every 15 minutes, making it convenient for everyone. No matter how you decide to get around, you can always find diverse crowds, awesome art, live music and street performances! If you are
interested in setting up a booth of you own to sell or showcase your artwork, go to www.firstfriday. com and get your permit. It is a great way to make some extra cash while having fun. First Friday is good for reuniting with old friends and making new ones. It rejoices in the preservation and innovation of a historical neighborhood in this land of suburbs and strip malls! T.G.I FIRST FRIDAY First Friday is fun for all ages, so come down, have fun, and observe artwork from every style, and you will experience the festiveness of a wonderful Friday night. It opens you up to every color of the spectrum, from artist to artist. FirstFriday.com
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HillsideHotwire. www.foothillnv.org. Page 5
COMMENTARY
Warner Music’s out for the money Warner is heated with You Tubebecause they displayed free videos Cheslyne Snowden
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Entertainment Editor
am an internet junky; Myspace, Google, Digg, Limewire and You Tube. All of you who share my same obsession can imagine my confusion when I found out that You Tube was entangled in a legal bout with Warner Music. I thought the argument over royalties was over after Napster. Obviously I was wrong. You Tube is currently involved in a legal bout with Warner Music, who doesn’t appreciate the fact that You Tube is sharing free music videos and violating copyright laws. Many of their videos feature artists who are under Warner’s label. I say, get over it. It’s obvious that Warner
is out for money. This is your classic case of greed, and it’s old and overused. I don’t understand Warner’s deal; they are the fourth largest music company in the world. This is like chump change to them. It’s a lost cause. It doesn’t really affect them; in fact, Google just bought You Tube for $1.5 billion, and now they own it and have to deal with the undertaking of the supposed copyright infringement that Warner is saying You Tube is involved in. Money isn’t everything. It’s unfair to take away something that can
teach a lot of things. I am a faithful You Tube user. It’s very useful. I can upload videos to Myspace or send an old movie clip to my family via email or take a trip down memory lane and watch an old music video by Kriss Kross. You Tube also lets me find out about foreign cultures. I’ve been watching Korean sitcoms because they’re hilarious and a breath of fresh air when compared to the American redundant sitcoms. You Tube is a good thing, and Warner is
trying to shut it down because they want money. You Tube brought us the Myspace movie, which enriched our funny bones; it was so true it was funny, and it was great how they over-exaggerated Myspace! You Tube allows me to watch foreign shows for free. Now that’s a deal! I say Warner should get off their butts and supply us with some talented artists. Then they won’t have to worry about stooping so low as to take away someone else’s business to gain money. MONEY MATTERS Warner music is fighting over the loss of money that they claim You Tube has caused for showing free music videos. SaraReyburn/TheHotwire
A glance back at the fun on homecoming week With spirit week, the big game and the dance, there is plenty of memories to look back on
The Greebles at FHS by Kevin Ortiz
HillsideHotwire. www.foothillnv.org. Page 6
THE SCOOP
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Up close with the band Godsmack
This band continues to tear it up onstage as they tour around the country Amber Briscoe Copy editor
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e looks on at the roaring crowd with his determined, notyet-satisfied eyes as he takes a breather from his last song, “Voodoo.” He heads up the stage past his drummer to his own set of Yamaha Birch custom drums as the heavy strums of his band’s guitars continues. Sully hops on his drum set to perform a duet with his drummer, Larkin. He shows off a little of his own drumming skills while the stage rotates around to bring Sully and Larkin to the front of the stage. Fire blows out of the stage, people are cheering and moshing, and no one can get enough; this is Godsmack. Godsmack played September 24 in the Hard Rock’s parking lot. With opening bands Shinedown and Rob Zombie, Godsmack already had a great show ahead of them. Shinedown’s lead singer, Brent Smith, warmed up the crowd with his amazing vocals and partial acoustic performance. However, the crowd did not seem
so interested until Rob Zombie made his entrance. With his dead cowboy style and artistic stage set up, the crowd went wild. He got the crowd alive with “Living Dead Girl,” as his and his guitarist’s wife preformed a type of cheerleading for them on high pillars on each side of the stage. About two hours and 20 beers later, the crowd let everything go for Godsmack. The big screen was pulled down, and a live video came on of the band backstage. As they ran around trying to find their equipment and get their guitars on, you could see how excited they were. In fact, they were so stoked, that they made no attempt to make a special entrance; as soon as they were on stage, they were performing. Opening with one of their more popular songs, “Straight Out of Line,” Godsmack gave a bone crushing, blood pumping performance that any guitarist, metal head,
or just an admirer of rock would absolutely love. Their performance was flawless. Every strum of the guitar and beat of the drum was perfectly on queue. The songs from their CD and their live performance sounded very much alike with a couple added solos. They ended the night with “Stand
Alone,” and went out with a bang (literally). With everything from Grammy nominations, No.1 albums, and a decade long career, you
wouldn’t necessarily think one would be talking about a heavy rock band, but Godsmack makes a point of being an exception to almost any rule. This Boston band has been growing since they emerged in 1995, bringing with them new guitar crushing music that you hear in their new album, “Godsmack IV.” Godsmack was originally comprised of vocalist/ drummer Sully Erna (who played drums for 23 years before starting the band), guitarist Tony Rambola, and bassist Robbie Merrill. They hit the studio in 1997 and recorded their first album “All Wound Up.” Over the next two years the band played throughout Boston with drummer Joe Darco and earned a strong reputation for being a great live band. In the summer of 1998 Republic/Universal more albums (all of which had more than one hit), sold out arenas and outdoor venues all over America, had their hit song “I Stand Alone,”
be on the soundtrack for the motion picture, “The Scorpion King,” had Shannon Larkin from Wrathchild America replaced Tommy Stewart, had a 23 month long tour including two more Grammy nominations and an 11 month international arena tour with the kings of metal, Metallica. This was another show that I saw back in 2003. Godsmack opened up for them with an explosive performance. Sully and his drummer went head to head on their drums again as they worked the crowd with their tribal bongo solos which was so much cooler than it sounds. “We’re definitely becoming better song writers. I’m becoming a better producer. I think, artistically we’ve evolved a lot. Visually, I don’t know where we’re going with this, but I can guarantee you that when Godsmack comes to town, it’s going to be big,” said Sully at an interview with 107.5 extreme rock radio station back in 2005. But even after all their touring, Grammy nominations, hard work and dedication; they’re still young so they’ll be sticking around for a while.
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HillsideHotwire. www.foothillnv.org. Page 7
STUDENT LIFE
Schools remain source of violence
CCSD has reported over eight gun incidents since the start of school Cheslyne Snowden Entertainment Editor
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alking into the quad, book bag slung over your right shoulder, you look up at the sky. It’s sunny. Bypassing the cafeteria, you walk into the bathroom and look in the mirror. You make sure a hair isn’t out of place. Then you head to your locker. Opening it, you find a note from your sweetie. Smiling to yourself, you know its going to be a good day. Then, you suddenly hear a loud gunshot, and everything goes dark. Recently there have been numerous shootings across the valley. The majority of the violence has come from middle and high school students. Watching the news has become a nightmare because all you can think about is whether this angry wrath sweeping the schools is coming for us, and if so, when?
Not anytime soon according to school policeman Steve Engel. “Foothill is one of the safest schools in the district; we have limited gang activity and a low enrollment.” At Canyon Springs, two seventeen-year-old students shot at a school bus after exiting. It was a gang-related shooting, and no one was hurt. At Cheyenne, two students were suspended after bringing unloaded guns on school property and there was a shooting in the school parking lot. No one was hurt. A girl at Cimarron was caught with a handgun, and a 15-yearold female student from Legacy was shot in the leg after exiting her bus. Meanwhile, you open your eyes and try to see what is going on. Everything is blurry. You see hands and faces you don’t
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recognize touching and bandaging you. Your head is throbbing, and somewhere off in the distance you hear screaming and crying. You realize you’re on a gurney and being lifted into the ambulance.
Two seventeen-yearold students shot at a school bus ... it was gang related
and school violence. “I don’t think Foothill is safe. I think one of the most threatening places is the busses. People are always mad-dogging you, trying to fight you. In high school, adolescent guys are testing their dominance, and it’s natural for us to always want to fight. Any little problem can get to us and can come to blows. The key is to not get into fights, which is hard.” Some at Foothill think we are the exception. “Violence isn’t likely,” said freshman Dallas Campbell. “This is a good school. There aren’t that many fights and it just doesn’t seem likely.” School has only been in session for approximately two and a half months, and a freshman who is still getting used to high school can’t possibly formulate a wellrounded conclusion to whether or
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As you’re lifted, you look out at the expanse of your school; a place you once felt was safe. What is wrong with the youth today? With all of this violence or threats of violence, I can’t help but think this plague is headed Foothill’s way. Junior Cody Fielder has a theory on Foothill
not violence can happen at a high school. Foothill junior Jaque Donahoe said, “In the platonic sense, Foothill is safe, on the outside. But if you delve deep and look inside, you will see all of the problems. One, for example, is drugs. We have a huge drug problem here. We are safe in the sense that we have a good administration that does what they can. But we aren’t safe from our own students or peers.” Drugs on campus sometimes lead to violence. Either users who are high instigate violence because they are under the influence or buyers/sellers can dispute over price, money or other deals. Opening your eyes, you spring out of bed and take a deep shaky breath. It was only a dream. Looking down at your sweatclad clothes, you realize you’re late. Sighing, you head for the shower. Glancing at your TV, you halt. The headline reads “ Local student shot walking to class.”
FHS’s golden boy opens up with The Hotwire D’Angelo Jones tells how he got started, what’s going on now and his future in football
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Lexie Stone Sports Editor
acing back and forth, twiddling his fingers, D’Angelo Jones gets personal with me. With every question answered, a grin lights up his face. Others who see Jones in the hallway might be intimidated. But he is not intimidating, just a good ole southern boy who loves his mother. Jones, a Louisiana native, opened up to the Hillside Hotwire about himself. For all those awestruck guys and glazed-eyed girls, this is the real D’Angelo, up close and personal. It all started on a typical summer day. Jones was playing outside, your typical little boy. Then, his mom and mentor told him that she was signing him up for football, and the rest, is history. Jones has been playing football
since age seven. With two younger brothers, he got many opportunities to touch a football. Moving to “Sin City” at the age of eight, he fell into the football swing. “Coming from a small town to a fast-paced city was a big change for me,” said Jones. This will be Jones’ tenth year playing football, but he’s been a big brother for many more. Setting an example and showing his brothers good habits are some of his responsibilities. Influenced by his mother, he continues to push toward excellence. “I want to thank my mom for always being there for me and pushing me in football. She always says, ‘Do your best in everything that you do,’” said Jones. He has a good relationship with his mom and wants to continue to do so. “I’m a momma’s boy, I really am,” he said with a smile. A players’ pre-game routine
or ritual can be crucial to their game performance. “The whole team prays, but listening to Lil’ Wayne gets me pumped up because he’s my favorite rapper,” said Jones Becoming a senior is one of the biggest accomplishments for most high school students. “My advice for the next football team is to work hard and love every minute of it, because it goes by so fast,” said Jones. With UCLA, UNLV, Wash. State, Michigan, Oregon State and Cal State recruiting D’Angelo, the pressure builds up. Getting ready for college is a big transition for most seniors. Looking for colleges and football scholarships occupies most of Jones’ time. Having someone to look up to can help players succeed and push themselves to be in that position.
“I love to watch Reggie Bush, because we play the same position and he’s just so good in what he does.” said Jones. “I ten years I want to see myself playing in the NFL like Reggie, it doesn’t matter what team just as long as I’m there.” “Football is painful, but it’s all worth it,” said Jones, “I’m not particularly proud of anything yet because I really want to win state.” Just recently, Jones was titled the all time leading rusher in the state of Nevada for 4A schools. “What makes D’Angelo a great player is his vision and lateral movement,” said Coach Martin Redmond. “I am very proud of how D’Angelo carries himself as a person. Despite being a popular high school football player, D’Angelo
is very humble.” What will happen for D’Angelo in the future? Will he be on ESPN? A small town boy, moved to the big city, and is living up his finale of high school and rookie football seasons. Only time will tell what great things will come. THERE HE GOES (left) D’Angelo Jones is now the leading rusher in Nevada football. “I don’t care about records. Sure it’s alright, but I only care about wins,” said Jones. Tobemann/TheHotwire TACKLING A WALL (right) “Football is a very painful sport, ” said Jones. With the season coming to an end, Jones looks forward to college. Tobemann/TheHotwire
Whose
House? by Emma DeWees
A
hoy mates! And welcome to pirate paradise at Foothill High
School!” shouted Student Body President, Lacie Saunders, at the start of the homecoming assembly. Looking around, the students were in awe as they were transported from the typical school day and thrown into a world of tropical euphoria. A thirty-five foot pirate ship bobbed in the ocean as students walked through the gym doors. Palm trees and a gold-filled treasure box added life, and the student council crew ran around dressed as pirates. That was just one of the many events that got students looking forward to a dance that they would never forget It all began with spirit week. Monday looked like a 50’s TV screen as everyone dressed in black and white. Meanwhile, a world of twins erupted on Tuesday as best friends bonded together and dressed alike.
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“My four best friends and I always call ourselves the fab five, so Lacie got us all T-shirts that said “Fab 5 member,” and we wore it that day. It was a lot of fun,” said Nichole Falline. On Wednesday, people rolled out of bed and forgot to change, but they still would fit right in considering it was pajama day. Then, to keep the pirate theme going, Thursday was paradise day, where students showed up in flip flops, leis and coconut bikini tops. On Friday, our traditional spirit day came around where each class wore their class color. Amidst all the other homecoming chaos, student council brought in an old cougar car and painted it Coronado colors. One by one, students who paid a dollar smashed the cougar with a sludge hammer. What started out as a nice car ended up being crushed once Foothill was done with it. “That was my favorite part of the week,” said Alex Bair. “It was fun hitting
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1. Taking a few swings at the “cougar” during second lunch, Chelsea Richards swings away at the car to help pump up FHS for the homecoming game. MarcusNolasco/Peregrine
4. Cambri and Kimmy Seta Show the student body their best dance moves during the assembly. Both show everyone their hard work and dedication to make everything look good. MelissaOgden/Peregrine
2. The drum line plays a peppy beat during the homecoming assembly to get everyone excited and ready for both the assembly and the football game.
5. Our one and only mascot, Falco, does his traditional dance during the assembly to get everyone into the assembly and to have a good laugh. MelissaOgden/Peregrine
3. James Silvas escorts Kallie Wickel during the homecoming court announcements during the assembly. Each looks both excitedand anxious to find out who won homecoming king and queen. MelissaOgden/Peregrine
6. Symbolizing Coronado’s defeat, a skeleton hangs in the gallows with a cougar shirt on. Next to the skeleton, Falco stands, symbolizing victory against the Cougars the following night.
MelissaOgden/Peregrine
7. A sign as big as one of the cafeteria walls sets the stage for the homecoming dance Saturday night. Tobemann/TheHotwire 8. A painted cougar in Coronado’s colors sits in the courtyard during both lunches. Students paid $1 each to strike the car with the big sledge. MarcusNolasco/Peregrine 9. A skeleton head sits in a treasure chest, giving a more pirate feel to our homecoming assembly. Tobemann/TheHotwire
10. Mrs. Glenna Gaudy complains to Ryan Childers because he forces her to leave the floor after she lost a game of musical chairs.
...our house! the car, and I really think it helped to get everyone pumped up for the game. It’s too bad we haven’t done something like that sooner.” When the assembly came started, administrators were curious to see how students would react to having two assemblies. It proved to be the best idea because students became more involved and seemed a lot more comfortable. During the assemblies, teachers competed in musical chairs, and the losers walked the plank while the winners enjoyed a pirate dance. The state champion dance team performed along with the award-winning band and drill team. Student council girls and football player boys had the crowd cheering at their annual dance. The class competition left both seniors and sophomores victorious. And of course, James Silvas was announced our homecoming
JakeHarames/Peregrine
king. “I was shocked, but completely honored to be homecoming king,” said Silvas. “It was really cool to get a crown and everything. I’ll never forget it.” As the homecoming game came around, the crowd was a little nervous after seeing the thunderstorm brewing. Their predictions came true when everyone was sent to the gym to wait until the lightning and thunder passed. During that time, Kallie Wickel was waiting to see it they would call her name as homecoming queen. “I never thought it would be me. It was nice having my dad walk me down the court. I wished it hadn’t rained though, because it put a damper on things,” said Wickel. “But it is hard to be upset when you win homecoming queen.” Before anyone knew it, they were back on the
GwenEllis/Peregrine
football field to watch The Falcons crush the Cougars, despite the downfall that put a pause on the game. Now, everyone was waiting for the following day when it was time to get dressed up for the dance. Student council worked for six hours in the morning that day to make sure that the cafeteria was transformed into an unforgettable night. “I was really impressed with the dance,” said Megan Mainville. “It really was paradise looking, and it looked like they had put a lot of work into it. I had a lot of fun.” So as all the hype dies down, and everyone is exhausted from the past week, students come back to school on Monday swapping stories and recalling the good memories. After all the months of planning and preparing for the big dance, most have already moved on to thinking about Sadies.
HillsideHotwire. www.foothillnv.org. Page 10
REVIEWS
11.06
apFergie releases another hit RJA peals to With her first solo album out, Fergie steps it up for her fans Cheslyne Snowden Entertainment Editor
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crooner John Legend, rapper Ludacris and reggae legend Rita Marley make appearances. Fergie
shows off her unique style with old sound featuring beats from Little Richard’s “The Girl Can’t Help
lack-Eyed Peas songstress Fergie strikes it hot with her first solo album The Dutchess. Everyone recognizes her from her success as the only female in an all male group, but she got her start on the 80s kids show Kids Incorporated and a short stint in 90s girl group Wild Orchid. “London Bridge,” the first single from Dutchess, made history, hitting number one on the Billboard charts in only three weeks. With its slick beats and bumping bass, its success is obvious. Listeners are instantly addicted to it’s catchy beat and it’s fluent rhythm. The Dutchess shows off Fergie’s versatility and talent. She uses her breathtaking voice in some songs, then does a complete 180 degree turn and busts out in a soulful rap. Artists such as neo-soul
It,” for the song “Clumsy,” and the Temptations “Get Ready.” Her new single “Fergalicious” wakes people up with its heavy bass and classic flavor. “Fergalicious” is the kind of song everyone should have about themselves, an ego-trip isn’t always a bad thing. It’s a testament to greatness. At some points in the album, it seems like Fergie is in love with herself instead of with being a creative artist. But even with her ego-centric lyrics, people are drawn to her music. The lyrics alone are enough to get anyone’s ego pumping. The Dutchess sweeps listeners into a trip down memory lane and a ride on a bass thumping, finger snapping, and hip twisting rollercoaster. Grade: A-
The Prestige remains box office magic With an all-star cast and a unique plot, this movie proves to hold its own
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Brendt Hulsey Assistant Editor
he third and final act of any magic trick is known as the prestige. This is the part where the audience waits in bewilderment for the answer, because part of them wants to believe in the magic of the film, but they don’t really want to find out. Set against the backdrop of
Victorian London, “The Prestige” tells the story of two aspiring magicians, Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) and Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman). The two start out as friends and fellow apprentices, but after an accidental onstage death, the two become bitter rivals. Their enmity is exacerbated when Borden creates a new illusion, which generates jealousy in Angier. The two begin to sabotage each others’ acts, and Angier’s jealousy eventually consumes and destroys him. Their vicious rivalry is further complicated by Angier’s (and later Borden’s) assistant,
Olivia (Scarlett Johansson), and Nikola Tesla (David Bowie) whose genius inventions may provide Angier with the secret he has been searching for. Nolan does an excellent job of mixing the realms of magic and science. Through his signature use of a non-linear storyline, flashbacks within flashbacks, alternating perspectives, and other brilliant devices of gimmickry, he adds even more mystery which can mirror the effect of an imaginative magic trick. But not all credit goes to the writing and directing. The cast delivers brilliant performances, portraying these complex Victorian characters. Jackman’s proclivity for the suave and charismatic
greatly enhances his portrayal of Angier, a charming aristocrat who performs his grandiose illusions to please and awe the crowd. Bale’s inwardness reflects the character of Borden, a struggling member of the working class who tries to challenge the audience instead with his bare act instead of amusing them like Angier. Following the pattern of his previous two films, “Memento” and “Batman Begins,” auteur Christopher Nolan wrote and directed “The Prestige” in a familiar, fractured story-line, switching back and forth between points of a non-linear tale. The creativity and ingenuity of this method, however, more than make up for its confusability. The film offers a relatively ambiguous ending which can be easily misconstrued or, on the other hand, be guessed in the beginning of the third act. But at any rate, the ending evokes judgment from the audience and compels them to actually think, and to heed the clues Nolan so carefully plants throughout the film. The clues, the plottwists, and the mystique all lead to a rational ending, a sound conclusion which the audience finds plausible. Or maybe convincing the audience that the ending makes sense is the film’s final and grandest illusion. A-
all types of music lovers Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, formed on the whim, is surprised by the success they’ve achieved & the fan base they reach
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Gurtarpreet Kaur Staff Reporter
lorida quintet Red Jumpsuit is a new rocking band. Front man Ronnie Winter, guitarists Duke Kitchens and Elias Reid, bassist Joey Westwood and drummer Jon Wilkins are riding a wave of excitement surrounding their first album. Jumpsuit was formed in 2003, just for kicks. For 18 months, they wrote and rehearsed with no real intention of playing shows or recording an album. Soon after that they hooked up with David Benjamin, and he gave new shape to the band. Their average age is 21. Don’t You Fake It is a mixture of pop-punk, screamo and metal. They combine them in a way that is both surprising and invigorating. Their current single, “Face Down” blends propulsive, chugging guitars, a steady beat and yearning pop vocals and climaxes in a detonation of dissonance and a volley of screams. It is an emotional, hard-driving song about spousal abuse. The song conveys the intense emotional conflict through the musical composition. The band doesn’t shy away from confessional confrontation. “Seventeen Ain’t So Sweet” addresses a female friend who had an amazing voice but was unable to make a dent in the music industry because she doesn’t look like a plastic pop idol. The reflective, flowing “Your Guardian Angel” shows lead singer Winter letting down his guard and trying to express what it really feels like to be in love. But it’s “Face Down,” a scathing indictment of domestic abuse, which hits hardest. Their songs are flush with the determination, hunger and energy of youth. But whose songs aren’t. Their songs didn’t give that comfort and melody which we want to feel while listening to songs. My only problem with the album is its lack of originality. But I overlook that due to how well the band has pulled off this style of music. GRADE: B
11.06
OPINION
HillsideHotwire. www.foothillnv.org. Page 11
Pro/con: the chronic question
As voting ends, some still wonder if marijuana should be legalized Rachel Alger Staff reporter
Pro:
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et me clarify something. I am in no way a “pothead.” I do not rally with hippies to get marijuana legalized. My favorite movie is not Cheech and Chong’s: Up in Smoke, and I do not dabble in botany in the darkness of my closet. I am merely a girl who realizes that legalizing marijuana can actually be beneficial to Nevadans in more ways than one. It was only four years ago that Nevada asked the ever-lingering question, should marijuana be legalized for recreational use? And once more it’s calling on locals to answer the question. And I believe marijuana should be legalized. In Nevada folks can light up a cigarette, get hammered at the local bar or, visit a local brothel in some counties, so why is f legal marijuana so hard for Nevadans to accept? To make things clear, the Committee to Regulate and Control Marijuana is not evil. They do not want the youth of Nevada smokin’ and tokin’ on the side of the road. In fact, if it does get legalized, then it cannot be sold within 500 feet of a school or church, and if anyone is caught selling it to a minor, they will be slammed with a harsh penalty. Their goal is to remove all penalties for those 21 and older who possess up to an ounce of marijuana and create a system which will legally allow cultivation and distribution of marijuana for those adults who choose to purchase it from 21 and over mini-marts. You can’t just go into your local 7/11 and buy a dime sack, and selling it independently will still be illegal. Marijuana is the most used illegal drug in the country. Over 83 million people have tried the drug (and many are avid users), so clearly the anti-marijuana campaign is not working, and Nevada is wasting billions of dollars a year on failed prohibition policies. If we legalize the drug not only do we save millions of dollars on a lost cause, but we also gain from it. Marijuana will no longer be coming in illegally across the borders, since Nevada will be the ones manufacturing it. It will take a lot of power out of the hands of drug dealers. Yes, marijuana is considered the “gateway” drug to harder drugs, but by taking marijuana out of the hands of drug dealers, the percentage of hard drug use will also go down since the gateway will close. If people can go into a store that legally distributes marijuana, they won’t be exposed to harder drugs like cocaine and methamphetamines.
Marijuana may even be safer than some legal prescription drugs. Xanax, Paxil, OxyContin and drugs like them are widely used in the medical field to treat everything from anxiety to depression, and all have major side effects like addiction and even death. Case in point. In an interview with Michelle Meadows, Lynn Ray of Germantown, explains how Xanax ruined her life. She tells Meadows, “I became a very good actress. I thought I needed these drugs no matter what, even if I had to bamboozle the doctors to get them.” She added that she would never use drugs like marijuana, only prescription drugs, simply because her doctor prescribed them. It made them okay, safe even. Because of Xanax, Ray lost her job, crashed her car three times, and served a one-year jail sentence. Really safe, right? OxyContin killed Eddie Bisch. In a letter posted on oxyabusekills. com, his mother tells her story of how she found her son lying dead in his bed, and after rushing him to the hospital, a police officer asked, “Oxy? Kids are dropping left and right from this stuff.” They later found not only Oxy, but Xanex in his system too. Both were illegally obtained on the street by patients who legally gain access to the medicine by claiming their symptoms are worse than they really are. They buy extra pills and sell them. Again, if, we take away the gateway drug, we close the gate. When’s the last time you heard of a marijuana overdose? You haven’t, because there’s not a single record claiming so. According to drugtext.org, the only way you could ever overdose
is if you consumed 40,000 times as much marijuana as it takes to get a high from it. So what’s truly safer? In addition, police will have more time to focus on serious crimes. Nevada’s violent-crime rate is seventh in the country. By eliminating marijuana possession as a criminal offense, police have more time to focus on more serious and violent crimes. The Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs former president Andy Anderson endorsed it’s usage in 2002 by saying, “As a former lawenforcement officer, I know that a simple marijuana arrest can take me off the street for several hours and sometimes for over half my shift. We could better spend our time responding to life-threatening crimes.” After Anderson made these statements, he lost his job, since most law enforcement officers were offended by his statements, but not all of them are completely closed minded. Officer Troy Hatch isn’t exactly for it, but he agrees, “That if it does get legalized, there will be a more open feeling toward police. People who have a small amount of marijuana on them won’t feel guilty and jittery when they get pulled over for something as miniscule as a broken taillight.” Although I am only a teenager, I am aware of the problems in our society. Marijuana is not one of them. There may be side effects, but none of those include death which is the biggest conflict in using any drug. So Nevadan’s, more importantly those who can vote, why don’t you end this ever growing controversy, because it’s high time we had a change.
Caitlyn Belcher Staff reporter
Con:
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ace it, drugs are everywhere in movies, in video games, even in our own city, ranging from crack cocaine to heroine, speed to crystal-meth. Most drugs are prohibited, with the exception of prescription narcotics; but should marijuana be among them? I know the first thought that comes to many is something along the lines of, “Cool! No way! Finally!” But not so fast Speedy Gonzalez. Minors would still be prohibited from using the drug. Any person 18 and older caught selling the substance to a minor would serve prison time with a fine of up to $10,000. The proposed law may seem like ‘flying high time,’ but proponents sugar coat it. Yes, it’ll lower taxes and help pay for drug treatment and education programs, but there are more serious consequences no one bothers to mention. Consequences for being caught with marijuana are cruical. According to the Review Journal, Arizona and Nevada had the nation’s toughest penalties for possession of marijuana from 1979 to 2001. The first offense was a felony for possession of any amount of the drug along with a $2,000 fine and one to six years in prison for offenders 21 and older. Under current law, possession of an ounce or less is a misdemeanor and up to $600 in fines. Making marijuana lawful would increase the penalties for driving under
the influence and for providing minors with the drug. Legalizing marijuana would also send mixed signals to the public. Citizens would be allowed to smoke it, but selling the drug would still be against federal law. Legalized marijuana would only be sold in state-approved stores, making any drug dealer still illegal on the streets. And what about the children? Would the new law encourage them to start smoking marijuana? Hardly, considering half of high school seniors in Nevada have already tried the illicit drug, and about 20 percent are regular users according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. There’s not many kids left to take up the habit. Just take a second to absorb the statistics. Already one fifth of the senior class is addicted. Passing the law would no doubt double or triple the amount of addicts in high school, creating addicts within the junior, sophomore and freshmen classes. I’m not one to eliminate friends right off the bat because I don’t agree with what they do; however, I would rather not surround myself with people who smoke marijuana just because the state made it legal. There are limits when authorizing certain things. There is no occasion in which legalizing more drugs is the number one solution. I laughed when they said it would help pay for drug treatment and education programs. Who exactly do you think will be attending these programs? Yes, the people who are stoned up on the drug the state said it was alright to smoke. The legalization of marijuana would increase the risk of cancers, mess with brain functions, and create other health problems. Domestic violence rates are also expected to increase. Birth defects such as ADD and low birth weight are common in pregnant women who use it as is miscarriage or premature birth. The baby could even become addicted. One ounce of marijuana can rage from $75- $120. Any less than an ounce is just as expensive, and any more will get you thrown in jail. Think about how much money you would be wasting just for temporary elation. The side effects are almost too much for some people alone, including memory loss, depression, tremors, and increased appetite. The consequences aren’t exactly worth the temporary high you’ll receive. I suggest if you’re feeling down and out, you count on your other buds to lighten up your day. A LEAF TO LEGALIZE? As voting begins on November 7th, many question whether of not they should legalize marijuana. SaraReyburn/ TheHotwire
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11.06
OPINION
HillsideHotwire. www.foothillnv.org. Page 13
The nice guys always lose the race
The constant debate on whether “nice guys finish last” is really true Brendt Hulsey Assisstant Editor
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young man’s heart begins to feel slightly deadened as he sees a girl flirting with another boy. It’s the same girl he has helped on countless occasions in her moments of need. He’s helped her with her homework. He consoled her when her grandmother died. He’s driven her home from wild parties when she was too unable to drive. Many would say he only did this for his own benefit in hopes of hooking up with her. But the truth is that he would have done it for anyone with the absence of any hidden scheme or agenda Many people are familiar with the term “nice guys finish last.” I am not a nice guy by any standards, but I will admit that this is a harsh truth. Countless times I have seen good guys lose their desired girls. Countless times I have seen people refuse to give credit were credit is due. They were told that they were
boyfriend material but end up as something other than boyfriends. They were told that they were nice guys. And most frustrating of all, they were told that they were “just good friends” and she didn’t want to “ruin their friendship.” I rarely see credit given to a nice guy when credit is due. They are under appreciated and unrewarded. Why are the kind fellows taken advantage of and the arrogant ones rewarded? Maybe it’s female instinct to find a male
with an overly confident air about him. Maybe they have an inherent need to find a “bad boy” and try to change him. Perhaps they think that nice guys are predictable, and that falling for a jerk will give her something to chase. I wish I could explain this plight logically and confidently, but I can’t. As I said before, I am not a nice guy, but they don’t have it in them to complain, so I’m doing it for them. They are considered “people pleasers” or having a weak
identity and low self-esteem. This could not be further from the truth. A guy who is kind and benevolent because he believes it is the right thing to do has no sort of identity crisis. He stands up for what he believes in through discerning his morals and acting upon what he feels is right and just. He does not do it to please others or to charm girls. The desire to beguile others does not exist in him. He knows nothing of masking himself with a debonair appearance to take
advantage of people. The only words of hope I can offer to these guys are that one day these broads wise up and finally appreciate the good people in their lives and that this is not a wide generalization of most girls; there are many young women out there who do give credit to those who deserve it and they should be valued. However, the challenge remains in finding these rare girls, and more importantly, the ones who are single. The young man walks away knowing that he will always be “just a friend.” He feels defeated, but he shouldn’t. The world would be a better place with more people like him, but his humility doesn’t let him see this. But at any rate, there is another girl watching him, and she knows he is different from the rest of the male populace. NICE NEGLECT Nice guys are always ignored by the girls longing for bad boys. AmberBriscoe/ TheHotwire
People feel pressured to adapt to certain diets
As the health food craze continues to rise in fast food, how will people react to the changes Tyler Holt Staff reporter
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hese days it feels like there are a million diet plans that are the “perfect one for you” or “just the diet you’ve been waiting for!” For some reason, celebrities promote and promise diets that worked for them. But why celebrities? Why not normal people, unpaid people who actually used the product and really lost weight with it. Instead, we pay these famous faces even more money to promote a product they may have never used or heard of. For some reason, we Americans trust celebrities when really, all an actor is a professional liar. They are paid to pretend to be someone they aren’t. Thwarting everyone’s diet are the fast food restaurants on every corner. It makes sense to grab a quick bite to eat for lunch, especially if you are strapped for time. No one has the time to sit down at a nice family restaurant anymore. We are no longer the dining dead that we once were. We are now the cholesterol-filled
population of America. “Everyone must eat healthier!” is the attitude that is stressed by many, but the idea of expecting everyone to adopt certain diets and
lifestyles such as vegetarianism is ridiculous. “I don’t see why anybody would not eat anything for their diet,” said junior Tommy Chastain. “I don’t care
about my gut” as he patted his belly. Even fast food restaurants like McDonalds are serving up supposedly healthy salads, but even the salads aren’t exactly the
healthiest meals in the world the dressing is filled with trans fatty acids. Still it seems like health food is going to be everywhere, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. People have a hard time adjusting and fear change. Most of us could never imagine going to McDonalds and ordering a fat juicy salad instead of our beloved quarter pounder with cheese accompanied with an oversized size drink and fries. Let’s face it; Americans aren’t going to be the healthiest group of people. If we have to refer ourselves to an imaginary food pyramid, that more then half of us don’t even know the suggested servings of fruits and veggies we should have each and every day there must be something wrong here. As sad as it is to say that America has the largest percentage of obesity, there is almost nothing we can do about it. McDonalds isn’t going out of business anytime soon and will continue to keep serving up fat filled meals for breakfast lunch and dinner all over the country on every corner.
HillsideHotwire. www.foothillnv.org. Page 14
SPORTS
Tennis makes a racket this season Boys and girls end the season on a high note, bringing hope for 2007 Catalina Burns Layout Editor
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ody Fielder closes his eyes to try to prepare himself for the last match of his season. He hears the swishing of tennis racquets as they swing at the little yellow ball and the grunts from his teammates as they hammer the ball to their opponent’s side of the court. He listens even more carefully and faintly hears the screeching sound of the boys’ shoes going back and forth on the court as they
them through times when they thought there was no hope for them to win. “We had amazing unity throughout the entire season,” said Dylan Jeffers, “and not one person fought during the season, giving us even a bigger edge over other teams who bicker and fight constantly.” Even in losses, the boy’s kept their heads high and never got down on themselves. “When we lost, which was rare, someone was always there to pick us up and tell us it was ok,” said Fielder, “everyone was very supportive of each other, and was
HAVING A BALL Dylan Jeffers returns a serve over the net. He is a junior and plans to play again as a senior. BrendtHulsey/ TheHotwire
struggle to get to the ball. The team finished 12-8, giving their team an edge over many other schools. The team had a lot of talent on and easily beat schools that, in prior years, had served as big competition for the Falcons. A big part of their winning was that the team had not even a hint of negative attitudes or bad blood between players. The boy’s made it to the third round of playoffs and put forth an amazing effort to go as far as they did. “We really wanted to go further than we did,” said Fielder, “but we went further in tennis than Foothill has in a long time, so we are all happy with the outcome.” Along with the boy’s putting forth a great effort, the coaches also always put their player’s best interest first and wanted what’s best for the team. “The boy’s really put all they had into the game” said Coach Matt Iglitz, “especially at the game against Moapa Valley. I really saw in a lot of the players how much they wanted the win. When we played Green Valley, we really pushed some players, but only to make them better, and because we pushed them to win, we took the win over Green Valley.” During their matches, three to four players watched and cheered on their teammates, helping them when they were down and getting
there for everyone, no matter what.” The team had a successful season and is already excited for next year’s season. “I think our season, as a whole, went great,” says Fielder, “Everyone worked together and, most importantly, had fun.” The secret to their success fully lies in the idea that “if you work hard and never settle for mediocre playing,” says Jeffers, “you will beat your toughest opponents.” Jeffers also had a successful season and beat most of his competition, helping to lead the team. Everyone cheers on Fielder as he finishes his game. He gulps in two huge breaths of air and comes to the realization that he just beat his opponent and helped lead his team to victory. All of his hard work during the season has paid off in his last game and it is obvious to his coaches, teammates, and fans of his satisfaction because of his enormous smile. He takes two sips of his water and sits down to reminisce on his season.
Don’t forget to buy your yearbook today Room 741 $75
11.06
Girls take over state
Seniors step it up for their last year in cross Lexie Stone Sports Editor
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he smell of freshly cut grass fills her nostrils as her legs burn with exhaustion as she finishes her 8 mile race. “I am proud of being able to run 8 mile straight, doing things by myself, and being able to work with my team to accomplish things that were unreachable three years ago, like winning region,” said senior Melissa Ogden. Between cross country and track seasons, the team has to stay fit. “The only thing you can really do to keep in shape for cross country is run, so I run,” said Ogden. “ In the past years, I really only ran 2 or 3 times out of season, but this year before season started I went to cross country camp.” Some try other activities. “I love doing yoga. You keep in shape and it keeps you flexible,” said senior Andrea Lapeyrouse. “I love running in between cross country and track season on my own. Running alone is very hard and to have the cold air freeze your lungs is actually refreshing.” The girls really stepped it up at state. Leah Leady took the lead for the Falcon girls when she came in third overall in state. Melissa Ogden and Heather Holstom were right behind her as Ogden took 21st and Holstrom took fourteenth. Cross country is more of an individual sport, but the girls are closer than ever. “My relationship with the other seniors would be described as a little odd. I regard them as my family and not as my second family. MY family. We slap each other’s butts, pig-out on health food, and practically live together,” said Lapeyrouse. With such a strong group of senior girls leading this year’s team, they have
had a successful season. “All the seniors are so close,” said Ogden. We have all being doing this for 3-4 years and are really trying to lead the younger kids. Plus, we really take advantage of our seniority.” Running is one of the biggest complaints in most sports, but to run as a sport must be difficult. “The mental part of running [is my biggest obstacle],” said Ogden, “Sometimes you get so low and you are so hard on yourself that your mind tells your body you can’t go, but in reality, you CAN!” With a big year ahead for these senior girls, they prepare for the finale in their high school running career. “The biggest thing I am proud of is gaining a family and being able to come out of my shell,” said Lapeyrouse. Why wouldn’t an athlete want to end their career with a couple victories along the way? “Some of my individual goals include
qualifying for regional and state and making my last year the most memorable it can be,” said Lapeyrouse. Along with Ogden adding, “I want myself to have no regrets this year, I want to go out every race and run so hard that I can barely stand up after I’m done.” Crossing the finish line, the race is over. With a promising season ahead of them, the girl’s cross country team continues to works toward perfection. QUICK FEET(top) Finishing up the race, Heather Holmstrom runs alongside her coach, Ms. Natalie Thomas. Holmstrom placed 14th at state. KarimHussian/ Peregrine
TEAM RUN (bottom) Boy’s cross country team starts off a race in the lead. KarimHussian/ Peregrine
11.06
SPORTS
HillsideHotwire. www.foothillnv.org. Page 15
Girls lose their playoff shot Soccer coach Basic wins last spot in heartbreaking last big game Catalina Burns Layout Editor
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he girl’s volleyball season came to a premature end, an ending that may disappoint the seniors going to college who will never play another game of competition volleyball. The team didn’t make it into the playoffs this year and were missing three of their most vital players because of an unfortunate decision on their part, in the biggest game of their season: the Basic game. In order to have a greater chance of making it into playoffs, the girls had to beat Basic. They ended up taking them to four games and putting forth a tremendous effort but barely lost in the fourth game, giving Basic Foothill’s playoff spot. “I really believe that we are better than Basic in so many ways,” said Megan Mainville. “We definitely have the talent, but sometimes we
don’t put forth the effort and act like we don’t want to be there.” The loss didn’t have as much of an effect on the younger players as it did on the older players. For most of the seniors, this season was their last. “It’s sad that we didn’t make it to playoffs and that we lost to our biggest rival,” said Carlie Watson. “After the Basic game, it really hit me that we weren’t going to make it to playoffs, and I realized that the fun and excitement of playing was all over.” For those five seniors, the days of listening to music together and singing while riding the bus to far away schools, making up cheers during their games, and the thrill of perfectly digging their opponent’s spike will all soon be fleeting memories. Along with the disappointing Basic loss, the team lost to Del Sol in three games, which put them in the bottom three, a very unusual position for Foothill volleyball,
which is usually in the top four of their region. “I don’t even know what happened in the Del Sol game,” says Chantelle Monga. “I just don’t think we were mentally prepared, or we all seemed like we didn’t even warm up before the game.” Even with the addition of this loss, the girls still held their heads high and finished out their season with their last game against Silverado at Silverado. “We promised each other that, no matter what the circumstances, we would stay happy throughout the entire game,” said Jessie Mayes. “At no point in the game did anyone get negative. We cheered each other on and gave each other high fives until our hands were stinging and red.” The new coaches tried to keep their team motivated by emphasizing the need for heart and being committed 100% to volleyball. “You need to eat, sleep and breathe volleyball,” said Coach Pat Hiltz. The girls’ practice shirts even had a heart on the shoulder with the phrase “WE GOT HEART” on the back to serve as a constant reminder of how essential it was for a team with such talent to “have heart.”
“I think the new coaching methods and the attitudes of some of the players on our team determined the outcome of our season,” said setter Emma Dewees, “and I feel that we wasted much of the talent on our team. We really could have gone far and been one of the better teams in the region. Despite their (7-13) record, the team still bonded and grew close together by the end. Younger players improved their skills as volleyball players and older players helped mold them into the players that they will one day become with the skills they have learned from their many years and experience in playing volleyball. The seniors hope to leave behind a positive legacy and look forward to seeing the progress of the team in seasons to come.
Volleyball Overall Record: season (10-4), overall (17-9) 2 highlights of the season: -Beating Durango and taking second in the JV tournament. -Our revenge match in which we beat Silverado MVP: Jessica Heintz and Roseanne Ritchie If you could say one last thing about your season, what would it be? I am very proud of my girls and of all they have accomplished. They showed great heart, character, and teamwork and I hope they will keep these characteristics and teach others to be the same. Thanks for a memorable season girls!
-Sophomores won sophomore tournament and improved mile pace times throughout the season. MVP: Mckenzie Lords If you could say one last thing about your season, what would it be? The girls got better and improved mile pace times.
Golf
Overall Record: 1-5 2 highlights of the season: Beating Liberty in the last game. Girls breaking their records throughout the season. MVP: Carolyn Labuda If you could say one last thing about your season, what would it be? It was a hard season. The girls played 18 holes instead of 9. They started in August, and it was Overall Record: don’t have hot. It was a brutal beginning of standings the season. I’m proud of them for 2 highlights of the season: sticking with it!
Girls’ Xcountry
Boys’ Xcountry
Overall record: no standings 2 highlights of the season: -Boys qualifying for state at regionals JV took 2nd at Huntington Beach MVP: Gabe Rivera If you could say one last thing about your season, what would it be? The leadership from Gabe Rivera and Brett Belingheri were transferred to the younger teammates.
Football
Overall record: 3-5 2 highlights of the season: Started off strong Opened the season with a win. MVP: none If you could say one last thing about the season, what would it be? The kids worked really hard and became a lot better than at the beginning of the season.
Boys’ Tennis
Several losses have the coaches rethinking new strategies for this next season Gurtarpreet Kaur Staff reporter
DOWN IT GOES (left) Sophomore Jessica Stevenson goes up to hit in the middle. Stevenson just broke the blocking record during the Basic game. Stevenson is one of the underclassmen who bring hope for next year. ChristinaAtha/TheHotwire
FEARSOME FOREARM (right) Nadia Sandoval passes the ball up to Catalina Burns, the setter, as Anna Ureno backs her up. “I love playing back row because I love when the ball is hit really hard at me and I dig it off the ground,” says Sandoval.”It is definitely the best position for me because I’m so short. ChristinaAtha/ TheHotwire
JV season wrap-ups
rebuilding team
Overall record: 12-8 2 highlights of the season: -Making it to the Regional Team Playoffs and beating the #1 seed. (Moapa Valley) -Beating Moapa Valley who was undefeated (14-0) MVP: singles: Josh Benavidez doubles: Dylan Jeffers and Aaron Whittaker If you could say one last thing about your season, what would it be? We got a taste of what it is like to be in playoffs, and I hope the boys will continue the hard work so we can become regulars.
Girls’ Tennis
Overall Record:12-8 2 highlights of the season: -4th seed (regional playoffs) -defeating #1 seed (LVHS) in the first round of playoffs. MVP: none If you could say one last thing about your season, what would it be? It was a very successful season filled with fun and excitement.
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he varsity soccer team was defeated by Votech 4-2. David Lamb and Drew Suits scored for the Falcons. In the first half, the score was tied 2-2, but in the last eight minutes Votech scored twice. Lamb said, “They won because they are lucky. First, we thought that we were going to win the match, but they have more players than us. They have 18 players, and we have only 13, so they change their players after sometime. The rotation allows them to be fresher.” In their match against Green Valley, Foothill lost 4-1. Eric England was out because he got a red card. “We had a fight with one of their players, so I got kicked out of game,” said England. Junior Ronnie Olsen said, “I got 13 stitches in my arm. One of the Green Valley players knocked one of his teeth in my arm.” The team tried hard to win their next game against Coronado but lost that one too. Coach Canfield said, “We are rebuilding our team with a new spirit and talent. Last year we had a lot of seniors, and now all of them are gone. We only have sophomores and juniors, and they are not trained enough.” “It’s been a bit of a rough week. We got a sophomore and junior on our team, and most of them started this year. But now we have to step it up,” said Brady Fund. Coach Canfield said, “I tell the guys each and every game that as long as I see a little improvement toward the end of seaon, we are going in the right direction.”
HillsideHotwire. www.foothillnv.org. Page 16
11.06
SPORTS
Boys tackle down their opponents With serious leadership and plenty of talent, the boys plan to go all the way Brendt Hulsey Assistant Editor After a shaky and unclear start this season, the varsity football team is finally beginning to show some consistency. Their 54-31 victory over the Basic Wolves, which makes their record 52, boosted morale, and if they continue like this, they will
definitely have a shot at the regional championship. “We’re still a pretty young team,” said head coach Marty Redmond, “so our main goal is just to improve our playing each week.” Learning a lesson from their 28-53 defeat from Del Sol, they regained focus and defeated the Coronado Cougars 49-24 before
going on to beat Silverado, who many players thought was their toughest opponent. One week later they added to their momentum by trouncing Basic 54-31. “We really just need to get stronger,” said linebacker Marshall Armstrong. “Our tackling definitely has room for improvement.” “Working as a team is our biggest
DOUBLE TIME Jaren Butler takes down an opposing player with the help of another teammate. Butler is new to the team but proved to be a vital asset. JakeHarames/Peregrine
priority,” added Redmond. “It’s just simply not enough for a guy to know his position. He has to know the positions of the guys around him.” “We’re getting better when it comes to working as a team,” said wide receiver Ryan Erekson, who is out for the remainder of the season after a leg injury from the game against Basic. “Now that our teamwork has gotten better, we need to work individually, perfecting how we play our positions.”
In addition, during the game against the Del Sol Dragons, running back D’Angelo Jones broke the 4A record of total yards carried. “Breaking records is alright,” said Jones. “But it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t help us win. Team wins matter the most to me,” he added. “My record can’t be compared to a state championship.” At their first play-off game against Canyon Springs, Coach Redmond said, “We need more speed on the field to control the scoreboard. We really just need to cover our zones.” ON THE LINE The football boys line it up to snap the ball to James Silvas. With only a few games left, the boys are trying really hard to make it all the way. Tobemann/ TheHotwire
Varsity cheer keeps the crowd pumped Whether it is assemblies or sporting events, cheer shows us their pride Lexie Stone
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Sports Editor
ack hand springs, throwing people in the air and having to put a smile on your face when it feels like 300 degrees is a weekly routine for cheerleaders everywhere. “I get really angry when people say cheerleading isn’t a sport because we do things other sports do. We run and condition (a lot), practice chants, cheers, routines and sidelines,” said junior Kalia Nelson. Tumbling and stunting is a huge part of cheerleading and requires skill and discipline. “I LOVE to tumble,” said senior Courtni Low. Having the football stands filled with hundreds of people creates an exhilarating atmosphere for the football games. “Performing is my favorite part about cheerleading because you get to show off what you’ve been working hard on,” said Nelson. Being put in the spotlight might seem intimidating to others. “My stomach turns [right before I perform], and I feel like I’m going to be sick, kind of like when you know you’re about to get in trouble,” said senior captain Nicole Hollister. PJ Strand and Nicole Hollister are leading the squad this year and keep themselves busy by choreographing new routines and chants. “They’re both really hard workers and very dedicated to the team. They’re great!” said sophomore Lexi Mair. Leading a squad of up to 20 girls would
be challenging for some. “They listen to everyone and they just try to make the whole squad better,” said Nelson. With football in the playoffs, the squad has around two games left until basketball starts. “Cheerleading is the best sport because it keeps you in great shape,” said Nelson. “You make good friends, and it’s great to be on the sidelines cheering for the football team. It’s definitely not for everyone though.” Performing at assemblies and during halftime are big events for varsity cheerleaders. “[My favorite part about cheerleading is knowing that] our performance reflects on PJ and I, and that’s something I’m proud of,” said Hollister. With this being the first year of competition cheerleading for most of the ladies on the team, they look forward to new experiences. “I actually have not competed with this cheer team in the past, but have competed with gymnastics and have done very well,” said Low. When competing against a number of other squads, a perfect routine filled with synchronized moves, solid stunts, and a good amount of tumbling is the only way to hold up to the judges standards. Walking off the track after a long football game, the cheer squad smiles with enthusiasm. Their long practices, exhausting routines, and conditioning has paid off, and with basketball season around the corner, things are looking up for the team.
SPIRIT TUMBLE (right) In mid-flip, senior Courtni Low tumbles for the crowd. Low’s great technique and poise comes from her years of competing in gymnastics. KimJacks/Peregrine
T-E-A-M! (bottom) Standing in a huddle, the varsity cheerleaders join hands and prepare for the game ahead. “One word to describe this year’s season would be DEDICATION,” said senior captain Nicole Hollister. The squad’s enthusiasm and teamwork brought a larger interest to all football games. KimJacks/Peregrine