Teen Scene
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RAYNE
THANKSGIVING GIVING
Students of the Campus Ministry were busy delievering Thanksgiving baskets filled with food products collected during the week prior to Thanksgiving. Many thanks to everyone who donated for the annual event hosted by the Rayne Catholic Elementary Campus Ministry.
Veterans At Schools............................................................................................Pg. 4 Students At Frog Festival Events..........................................................Pg. 5 Lady PIos Win State............................................................................................Pg. 6 Cook Honored MVP.............................................................................................Pg. 8
November 25, 2010 Publication from:
Page 2 ■ RAYNE TEEN SCENE - Thursday, November 25, 2010
On The Teen Scene . . . Congratulations to the Lady Pios Volleyball Team who captured the state championship this month. We’re so proud of you all. Special kudos to Rayne’s own Mayme Cook who was named the MVP of their division. What an honor for Mayme and her teammates! As of press time, the Lisa Soileaux Pios Football Team were Assistant Editor & continuing their quest to Teen Scene Editor the ‘Dome for the 2010 state football championship. Good luck, Pios! With the cool weather begins basketball action. Just received my schedules for Rayne High’s boys and girls teams and looks like a long and tough season. But, we know they will represent us well. Good luck Wolves and Lady Wolves! Looking forward to attending the newest pro-
duction of The Acadia Players, “A Christmas Story” this weekend. Bringing back memories of “You’ll shoot your eye out” of a holiday favorite. Hope you have your ticket in hand because I’m sure they will have a packed house at The Opera House in Crowley. Our Acadia Parish youth have been practicing hard and hope you enjoy. And please remember -- you're always welcomed to present written stories or poems, in addition to pictures of events our teens attend throughout the school year. We invite any suggestions and/or comments you may have, including any new and unique ideas we can use in Teen Scene. We’re always in search of new additions for all of our publications.
We want to hear from you... Send information and pictures to:
Teen Scene
The Rayne Acadian-Tribune P.O. Box 260 Rayne, LA 70578
Till next time, see you around campus! The City of Rayne has and will continue to support and take an active interest in the youth of our community. We commend the “teens” in our area for all of their hard work!
Phone 334-3186 Fax 334-8474 email to: raynenewslife @cox-internet.com
CHRISTMAS PARADE tues., DeC. 7th, 2010
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801 The Boulevard • P O Box 69 • Rayne, Louisiana 70578 Phone: 337-334-3121 • Fax: 337-334-6607 Internet Site: http://www.rayne.org
Thursday, November 25, 2010 - RAYNE TEEN SCENE ■ Page 3
Be Grateful Cheryl Richard, Rayne’s Cultural Director This Thanksgiving, if we are at all lucky, we will gather with family and friends and eat food and talk of shared memories. Many Thanksgivings are family gatherings, and family gatherings are often frenzied. My suggestion is this: Embrace the frenzy. You’d miss the frenzy if it weren’t there. But having said that, I’d also like to encourage all of you to try to slow down this year. What I’m going to try to do this year is slow down and pay attention. Usually I run around. Lots of people
make me frantic – we’ll have lots of people at our Thanksgiving - and there will be a thousand tasks. The point of the holiday is not the tasks, even though it seems that way sometimes. I’m going to think about how each of the people at the table came into my life, and what I remember about that moment, and how we decided to become friends instead of just people who met each other once a long time ago. And I’m going to remember the kindness that each person has shown me, and I’m also going to remember my kindnesses, because I’m grateful for the times I
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behaved well. And because not all the people I’m grateful for will be in the room today, I’m going to think about them and send them good thoughts across the miles. I don’t believe in the transmission of thoughts, but I believe in trying. It’s like a flashy vehicle for mindfulness, and mindfulness is hard when the talk is loud and the carbohydrates are disappearing at alarming rates. Please remember, the route through those kinds of frenzied days is gratitude, because there is always something to be grateful for. Happy Thanksgiving!
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Page 4 ■RAYNE TEEN SCENE - Thursday, November 25, 2010
VETERANS DAY HIGHLIGHTS
As directed by Harry St. Pierre, the Mire Elementary School Band provided patriotic music for the 2010 Veterans Day Program held at Mire Elementary School.
Complete with special hats and flags, these little ones at Mire Elementary School repeat the Pledge of Allegiance during the start of the 2010 Veterans Day Program held in the school gym.
ARMSTRONG WINNERS - Students at Armstrong Middle School awarded for the 2010 Veterans Day Contests were, first row, 6th grade, 1st place Nick Arnaud, 2d place Chloe Duhon and 3rd place Jaylon Reed; second row, 7th grade, 1st place Victoria Richard, 2nd place Moriah Dufur and 3rd place Briley Leon; third row, 8th grade, 1st place Cordracus Thomas, 2nd place Maison Stutes, 3rd place Billy MIller; top row, poster winners, 1st place Blair Bergeron, 2nd place Colby Bertrand, and 3rd place Whitley Larry. (Acadian-Tribune Photo by Lisa Soileaux
SOUTH RAYNE WINNERS - Joined by special guest speaker Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Gautreaux, back row, winners of the 2010 annual Veterans Day Essay Contest at South Rayne Elementary were, from left, 4th graders Madison Cormier and Isaac Bias, and 5th graders Taylor Jones and Drekylon Gibson. (AcadianTribune Photo by Lisa Soileaux)
Thursday, November 25, 2010 - RAYNE TEEN SCENE ■ Page 5
RHS AT FROG FESTIVAL
RAYNE HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND IN PARADE. RAYNE HIGH SENIOR KELSEY PRIMEAUX, 2010 MISS RAYNE, RIDES IN PARADE.
RAYNE CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY CHEERLEADERS.
RAYNE HIGH SENIOR ASHLEY GUIDRY CROWNED 2010 FROG JOCKEY QUEEN.
Page 6 ■ RAYNE TEEN SCENE -
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Lady Pios claim state title After returning the majority of their 2009 state runnersup team, expectations were high for the 2010 Notre Dame Lady Pios’ volleyball team. Those expectations were met and exceeded when the Lady Pios capped a 44-3 overall record with a four-game victory over Ursuline last Saturday in the Division III state finals. “There was a lot of pressure on this team from the get-go,” said ND coach Tara Young. “People were saying all kinds of crazy stuff back in August like ‘this is going to be the team to beat’. “It’s hard to maintain your level of play for that long when that much is expected of you. But our kids really stepped up and our level of play all year was pretty outstanding.” The Lady Pios were nearly unstoppable all season long, their only three losses occurring in tournament play. The Lady Pios lost twice to Dominican, the 2010 Division I state runners-up, in the New Orleans tournament, and once to
St. Joseph in the Episcopal tournament. “That’s a little bit different because you only play the best two out of three,” said Young of the losses. “But our record is kind of mind blowing. Like I said, it’s really difficult to maintain a consistent level of play for that many matches and the fact that this team was able to do that is amazing.” Notre Dame’s level of play was outstanding throughout the season and it rose to new heights once the postseason started. The Lady Pios received a bye in the first round of the postseason and then cruised to the title game by knocking off Livonia, Teurlings and St. Louis, all in straight sets. “Ever since team camp at ULLafayette in August, we just never looked back,” said Young. “We just continued to get better. We just continued to improve our level of play. “We were really hitting on all cylinders heading into the playoffs. We just felt like we had enough
weapons and were confident that we could come at you from a lot of different ways that would make it tough on teams and I think that was apparent.” Saturday’s championship victory avenged last year’s loss to Ursuline in the finals and now gives the Lady Pios their second state title in three years. “This year, our team went in with a whole different demeanor,” said Young of the championship game. “Last year we were extremely nervous and a bit flustered. This year, the girls, led by our seniors, were clear in their focus and extremely determined and we were able to push through unlike last year. “This is just unbelievable and it’s still just amazing to me. I’m just so proud of the girls, all of them that have come through here. The last four years we’ve just really pushed and now Notre Dame volleyball is sitting at the top pretty consistently and it’s a remarkable feeling and a remarkable feat.”
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER - Notre Dame’s Mayme Cook was named Division III’s Most Valuable Player during the 2010 State Volleyball Tournament held at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner. (Photo Courtesy/ Musemeche Photography)
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Thursday, November 25, 2010 - RAYNE TEEN SCENE ■ Page 7
STATE VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONS - Members of the 2010-2011 Lady Pios Volleyball Team at Notre Dame High School of Acadia Parish who claimed the Division III State Championship are, kneeling from left, Cody Hayes, Alex Miller, Megan Malmay, Sarah Ledet, Taylor Boulet, Mallary Chaisson, Taylor Simon, Lexus Trosclair; standing, Olivia Doucet, assistant coach Lauren Delahoussaye, Tayler Castille, Alayna Savoy, Allison Leonards, Marie Ledet, Kylie Pannell, Katherine Kirsch, Mayme Cook, Claire Maraist, assistant coach Brad Petry and head coach Tara Young. (Photo Courtesy/Petry Photography)
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Page 8 ■ RAYNE TEEN SCENE -
Thursday, November 25, 2010
COOK SIGNS SCHOLARSHIP CROWLEY – The similarities are few and far in between for Notre Dame’s Austin Robichaux and Mayme Cook. One is a baseball standout while the other is a volleyball and track star. They do both have state championships to their credit, however. Robichaux played a huge role in the Pios’ 2009 baseball title while Cook was a guiding force for the Lady Pios in their state title run in 2007. Now, the duo has one more thing in common: Both signed National Letters of Intent Wednesday morning to continue their athletic career at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Robichaux became the second Notre Dame baseball player in as many years to ink with the Cajuns, joining standout Ryan Leonards who will be a sophomore next season. For Robichaux, it was never a doubt of which school he would sign with despite looks from many other colleges. “I always knew where I was going because I’ve always wanted to play for my dad,” said Austin, whose father Tony Robichaux is the head baseball coach at ULL. “I’m real excited. Not a lot of people get the chance to play for their dad and I have that opportunity. “And it’s also a plus to get to play with Ryan again. I had a blast playing along side of him over here and he’s such a great player.” Tony Robichaux is also excited about his youngest son’s decision. “It’s always a big day for us because not only do you sign a lot of players but it’s kind of a unique thing when get to sign a child, especially a second child,” said the elder Robichaux, who also had his son Justin play for him from 200509. “Most people don’t get to do
this one time, but I’m fortunate for getting to do it a second time so I’m humbled by that and privileged by that to get to coach my own child. “And I think he can come in and be an impact player for us. We have a very good signing class working this morning. We will probably sign up to 14 kids today and we believe that all the kids coming in can come in right away and make an impact for us.” Austin has been under the tutelage of not only his father and his brother, Justin, but also his uncle, Timmy Robichaux, who is the head baseball coach at Notre Dame. “By having an older brother that has pitched in college for four years, he’s worked with Justin a lot,” said Tony Robichaux. “Justin has helped his pitchability grow. “And I have to give a lot of credit
to Timmy for being able to coach him for four years being that I miss a lot of their high school games because I’m on the road. With him there with him to guide him and help him grow and mature, he’s played a big part in helping his growth factor too.” It was also a huge day for Cook, who became Notre Dame’s first volleyball signee. “I never really expected to be in the position where I would be signing so this is extremely exciting,” said Cook. “And to be the first volleyball player at Notre Dame to sign is a great accomplishment as well. I’m just really excited to have the opportunity to play college volleyball.” Cook may not have seen a scholarship in her future, but many others, including her coach knew
SIGNS COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP - Notre Dame’s Mayme Cook signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her athletic career at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where she will play both volleyball and track. On hand for the ceremony were, seated, Mayme flanked by her parents, Karon and Robert Cook; standing, coach Tara Young, principal Cindy Istre, administrator Louie Cook and assistant coach Brad Petry.
it was inevitable way before the senior setter/opposite hitter even hit the court in a Lady Pios’ uniform. “We’ve known Mayme was special for a long time,” said ND volleyball coach Tara Young. “I can remember her when she was in the fourth and fifth grade, in her royal blue and polka dotted socks at St. Michael’s, and thinking, ‘man, I can’t wait until she gets here.’ So we’ve known she was going to special for a long time and this is just a great day. “We’re thrilled for her, we’re excited for her and she’s got a great future ahead of her. We know ULL is excited to get her so we’re just ecstatic.” Cook, a returning All-State player, is a four-year letter winner at Notre Dame and has played a big role in helping lead the Lady Pios to the state championship game in 2007 and 2009 and the semifinals in 2008. “She’s been key for us ever since she got here,” said Young of Cook. “I can’t take much credit. She came over with more volleyball knowledge than kids we’ve had previously and she’s added so much to the team and our other girl’s knowledge of the game. What she’s brought to Notre Dame volleyball is immeasurable. She’s just given our program such a huge boost.” Cook chose the Ragin Cajuns over numerous schools including McNeese, Nicholls and Milsaps among others. “UL is close to home, they have a really good volleyball program and I love the coaches over there,” said Cook. “They know what they’re doing and they’re extremely knowledgeable about the game and that kind of focused my decision on UL.” (Read more this story and more at our website at AcadiaParishToday. com)
Thursday, November 25, 2010 - RAYNE TEEN SCENE ■ Page 9
‘Pet Talk’
Dr. James Rumore
Interesting Dogs Facts There are over 700 types of pure bred dogs in the world. Here are some interesting facts about some of them: 1 - Dogs do not have sweat glands on their body like humans. Instead, they have sweat glands on their paws and on their nose. 2 - German Shepards have perhaps the best nose of any breed as they have 220,000,000 smell sensory cells, whereas humans have 5,000,000. 3 - The United States has the largest population of pure bred dogs of which the Labrador Retriever is the most popular. France ranks second in the world. The poodle is the most common breed there. 4 - Theobromine found in some chocolates, a
substance similar to caffeine, can actually kill dogs or make them very ill. 5 - The tallest dogs are the Irish Wolfhound and the Great Dane. The smallest are the Chihuahua, Yorkie and Toy Poodle. The oldest
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recorded dog was 29 and one-half years old. 6 - Greyhounds are the oldest breed known to mankind and also the fastest as they can reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour in short spurts. 7 - The most intelligent breeds are the Border Collie, Poodle and German Shepard. There are, however, many others that are very close in IQ ratings. 8 - Dogs for years have been considered to be completely colorblind, but recent research shows that some may be able to detect certain colors. 9 - Chihuahuas are the oldest living of all breeds of dog. In general, the smaller breeds have longer life spans than the older breeds.
Page 10 ■ RAYNE TEEN SCENE -
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Tips For Holiday Aches & Pains Judd Gautreaux, Physical Therapist
In addition to being emotionally taxing, the holiday season can take a physical toll, says the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Annual rituals such as shopping ‘til you drop and lifting presents and heavy boxes can contribute to neck, shoulder and back injuries. APTA recommends taking precautions from maintaining your balance by distributing the weight of shopping bags equally on both sides of your body to lifting boxes by using the legs instead of the back in order to keep aches or even injuries from putting a damper on the holiday spirit.
Take proper precautions to avoid ruining a festive season. Proper body mechanics can help prevent muscle and joint discomfort. When lifting: - Test an object’s weight before you lift by pushing it with your foot. - When you lift, keep feet shoulderwidth apart and bend your knees. Lift with your legs, not with your back. Stand close to the object, bend your legs, keep your back straight, and lift. - If a back injury does occur, seek professional consultation from a physical therapist. What starts as a minor problem can become a recurrent problem without early intervention. Shopping Without Dropping:
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- Distribute the weight of shopping bags equally on both sides of your body. - Consider using a fanny-pack or small backpack. - Wear comfortable shoes; carrying packages while wearing high heels on hard surfaces can contribute to foot and ankle injuries. - Don’t lug overstuffed shopping bags for extended periods. The American Physical Therapy Association is a national professional organization representing more than 66,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students. Its goal is to foster advancements in physical therapy practice, research, and education.
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Thursday, November 25, 2010 - RAYNE TEEN SCENE ■ Page 11
Alcohol & Driving
Carroll Stelly, Rayne Police Chief
What do you really know about alcohol? There are many misconceptions about alcohol and operating a vehicle. With the upcoming holidays fast approaching, take this quiz to see how informed you really are. You’ll find the correct answers below this quiz (no peeking!). 1. True or False: To legally operate a motor vehicle in the United States, your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) must be lower than .08 percent. 2. On average, a driver makes over how many decisions per mile? A. 50 B. 75 C. 150 D. 200 3. Nearly how many people are arrested each year in the U.S. for driving while intoxicated (DWI)? A. 500,000 B. 750,000 C.1,000,000 D. 1,500,000 4. An average 170-pound man typically must have more than how many drinks in one hour on an empty stomach to reach a .08 percent BAC level? A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4 5. An average 137-pound woman reaches .08 percent BAC after about how many drinks in an hour on an empty stomach? A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4 6. Alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes kill someone every how many minutes. A. 9 B. 21 C. 31 D. 45 7. Alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes injure someone every how many minutes. A. 2 B. 9 C. 18 D. 27 8. How many out of every 10 Americans will
be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their lives? A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4 9. What percent of fatal crashes involved alcohol ? A. 15 B. 22 C. 39 D. 79 10. What percent of persons killed or injured in crashes from midnight to 3 a.m. were alcoholrelated? A. 46 B. 55 C. 68 D. 75 11. True of False: January and December were the months with the highest crash rates. 12. True or False: Christmas and New Year’s Day were the holiday periods with the highest numbers of persons killed in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes.
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13. True or False: Wearing your seatbelt can reduce your risk of dying in a traffic crash by about 50 percent. Answers 1. True: Operating a motor vehicle at or above a BAC of .08 percent is a criminal offense in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The level at which the fatal crash risk significantly increases is .08 percent and the majority of drivers, even experienced drinkers, are seriously impaired with regard to critical driving tasks including: braking, steering, lane changing, judgment, and response time. 2. Answer: D 3. Answer: D 4. Answer: D 5. Answer: C 6. Answer: C 7. Answer: A 8. Answer: C 9. Answer: C 10. Answer: D 11. True: December was the month with the highest crash rate (247), followed by January (238), November (228), February (222), and October (212) 12. False: More people were killed in alcoholrelated motor vehicle crashes during the Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving holiday periods than both the Christmas and New Year’s Day holiday periods. 13. True: Wearing your seatbelt can reduce your risk of dying in a traffic crash by 45 percent in a car and as much as 60 percent in a truck or SUV.
r e b m e Nov Hot New Releases
Thursday, November 25, 2010 - RAYNE TEEN SCENE ■ Page 12
The Karate Kid - A remake of the 1984 film of the same name, The Karate Kid well exceeds expectations, delivering a powerful viewing experience filled with action-packed martial arts scenes, great footage of China and its many wonders, and an absorbing story of a preadolescent boy’s struggle to find his own inner strength. The title Karate Kid is really a misnomer as it is the art of kung fu that is practiced in this remake, not karate, and other details, including the film’s setting in China, also differ from the original film. What remains the same, and just as powerful, is the underlying story: a young boy moves to a new place where he feels isolated and is bullied by his peers. Through an unlikely relationship with an adult, the boy not only learns to protect himself through martial arts, but develops the much more important qualities of respect and the mastery of one’s own mind and body. Relative newcomer Jaden Smith (son of actors and producers Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith) is excellent as the main character Drek Parker; Jackie Chan gives a restrained and highly effective performance as his mentor Mr. Han; and Zhenwei Wang is eerily believable as the bully Chen. This is an intense and often violent film that fully engulfs its viewers--be prepared to gasp and cheer out loud, and know that you may never look at the act of putting on and taking off a jacket in the same way again.
A Christmas Carol - Fans of Robert Zemeckis’s brilliant special effects, and of Jim Carrey’s transformative acting abilities, will be swept away by their collaboration in the stunning A Christmas Carol. Perhaps more surprising is that Charles Dickens purists will also be impressed and captivated by this version of the oft-told tale--which is dark, complex, and in its way, uncompromising. Which is all to say that this Christmas Carol is an instant holiday classic, easily taking its place alongside the Alistair Sim version, the Patrick Stewart version, and even the Mr. Magoo version of the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and his ultimate holiday redemption. Carrey is dazzling as not only Scrooge, the most miserable, and miserly, man in 19th-century England, but as the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Future.
Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir of enlightenment gets the deluxe treatment at the hands of Glee creator Ryan Murphy, who bathes every scene in a golden glow. Unaccustomed to being alone, Liz (Julia Roberts) exits her marriage to Stephen (Billy Crudup, quite good) only to enter into an affair with an actor (James Franco, curiously uncomfortable), who introduces her to meditation. Just as her editor, Delia (Doubt’s Viola Davis, making the most of a small role), longed to have a baby, Liz has longed to see the world. Delia persuades her to seize the day (plus, money presents no obstacle). First, she travels to Italy, where she noshes from Rome to Naples, making new friends along the way. Then, she heads to an ashram in India, where she meets a bride-to-be and a remorseful man (Richard Jenkins, heartbreaking), who nurture her altruistic side. Her sojourn ends in Bali, where she reunites with Ketut (Hadi Subiyanto, hilarious), the healer who first encouraged her to reassess her situation. While there, she befriends a single mother and a single father (No Country for Old Men’s Javier Bardem) who falls for her charms. In an improvement over his version of Running with Scissors, Murphy combines two Oscar winners, two Oscar nominees, and four countries to follow one woman’s path to fulfillment.
Toy Story 3 - What made the original Toy Story so great, besides its significant achievement as the first-ever feature-length computer animated film, was its ability to instantly transport viewers into a magical world where it seemed completely plausible that toys were living, thinking beings who sprang to life the minute they were alone and wanted nothing more than to be loved and played with by their children. Toy Story 3 absolutely succeeds in the very same thing--adults and children alike, whether they’ve seen the original film or not, find themselves immediately immersed in a world in which Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head (Don Rickles and Estelle Harris), Ham (John Ratzenberger), Rex (Wallace Shawn), the aliens, and the rest of Andy’s toys remain completely devoted to Andy (John Morris) even as he’s getting ready to pack up and leave for college. Woody scoffs at the other toys’ worries that they’ll end up in the garbage, assuring them that they’ve earned a spot of honor in the attic, but when the toys are mistakenly donated to Sunnyside Daycare, Woody is the only toy whose devotion to Andy outweighs the promise of getting played with each and every day. Woody sets off toward home alone while the other toys settle in for some daycare fun, but things don’t turn out quite as expected at the daycare thanks to the scheming, strawberry-scented oldtimer bear Lots-o’-Huggin’ (Ned Beatty).